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Astros Place Joe Smith On Restricted List

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4:31pm: Houston’s proceeding as if it won’t have Smith this season, according to manager Dusty Baker (Twitter link via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). “He’s welcome to come back,” Baker said. “Right now, we plan to go without Joe.”

7:27am: The Astros have placed reliever Joe Smith on the restricted list, Mark Berman of FOX 26 reports on Twitter. Smith has not yet reported to camp, citing health and safety concerns relating to his family, though it is not yet clear whether he will formally opt out of the season.

The defending American League champs are facing a few pitching challenges. Reliever Josh James was only able to arrive yesterday. Starter Jose Urquidy has yet to report, joining young slugger Yordan Alvarez in that regard. Those players’ precise situations aren’t known.

Smith, 35, had been a key part of the Houston relief corps. The club called upon him four times apiece in last year’s ALCS and World Series. He missed time with injury in 2019 but worked to a 1.80 ERA in his 25 appearances.

If Smith does not end up playing for the ’Stros this year, the team would save the pro-rated portion of his $4MM salary. He inked a two-year, $8MM pact in advance of the 2020 campaign.

*The original version of this story reflected since-withdrawn reporting by Jim Bowden of The Athletic (via Twitter) suggesting Smith had decided to opt out.

Astros Place Yordan Alvarez, Jose Urquidy On Injured List

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4:22pm: James is back with the team, per Mark Berman of Fox 26. He was away from camp because he was awaiting the birth of his second child, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com was among those to report.

3:27pm: The Astros have placed five players on the injured list, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. 2019 Rookie of the Year Yordan Alvarez, right-handers Jose Urquidy, Shawn Dubin and Ralph Garza, and lefty Cionel Perez have all been shelved, though it’s not clear why in any of those cases. Rome tweets that Alvarez and Urquidy haven’t been present for the week-plus of Summer Camp to date, and manager Dusty Baker has attributed their absence to a “condition that prevents them from reporting to the field.”

Many teams throughout the league have had varying degrees of difficulty with regard to coronavirus testing delays, but it’s been a frequent issue for the Astros. Houston canceled last Monday’s workouts entirely, had no pitchers on hand yesterday and saw Alex Bregman miss a workout late last week due to delays in his test results.

As for Alvarez and Urquidy, their absence to date is especially troubling in its own right. That promising young pair’s health and well-being is of course the most important issue, but their importance to the club’s success can’t be understated, either. Alvarez immediately broke out as one of the league’s most feared bats last year when he hit .313/.412/.655 with 27 homers in just 369 plate appearances. Urquidy was all but assured a rotation spot behind Justin Verlander, Zack Greinke and Lance McCullers Jr., having pitched to a 3.95 ERA (3.68 FIP) with a 40-to-7 K/BB ratio in 41 innings last year.

The Astros were already thin in the rotation behind those top three names, and McCullers carries some uncertainty himself, as this will be his first action back after 2018 Tommy John surgery. Urquidy’s absence could further create openings for some combination of Brad Peacock, Austin Pruitt and Framber Valdez on the starting staff. Right-hander Josh James has not yet reported to Summer Camp.

Quick Hits: A’s, Nashville, Astros Pitching Staff, Dalbec

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Athletics Manager Bob Melvin discussed his plans for the team’s second base position, as reported by Shayna Rubin of the Mercury News. The longtime Oakland skipper expects to deploy the tandem of Franklin Barreto and Tony Kemp in a platoon, with Barreto getting at-bats against lefties and Kemp playing versus right-handers. That’s promising news regarding the 24-year-old Barreto, who has long been regarded as a talented prospect but has gotten limited exposure since the A’s acquired him from the Blue Jays. But after a strong showing in summer camp, he may finally get consistent at-bats. Thus far, he’s appeared in parts of three seasons but has played just 80 games in total, making 209 plate appearances. As talented as Barreto may be, one has to think that it’d be hard to find a rhythm at the plate when opportunities against MLB pitching come so sparingly. We’ll keep our eyes on Barreto this season, hoping he can tap into the power that made him a key prospect in the Josh Donaldson trade.

  • Music City Baseball, an organization working to bring a Major League Baseball team to Nashville, is expected to pitch a proposal to MLB at the 2021 Winter Meetings, writes the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham as part of a piece that also details former Red Sox GM Dave Dombrowski’s involvement with the group. Dombrowski hopped on board as an advisor to the group, along with the likes of Tony La Russa, Dave Stewart, and Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin. Of course, if such a proposal is to come to fruition, they’ll need the approval of MLB, which is not actively planning for expansion in the near future. Certainly, there are plenty of obstacles to the venture, making a 2024 or 2025 arrival seem like the best-case scenario for the Nashville Stars.
  • After a possible exposure to COVID-19 led the Astros to shut down workouts yesterday, pitching coach Brent Strom and the Major League pitching staff were all absent from camp today, as reported by Mark Berman of Fox Houston. Manager Dusty Baker said that Strom was “part of” the exposure that caused yesterday’s cancellation. That group is undergoing COVID-19 testing and is currently awaiting results. Of course, Baker said that the hope is that is Strom and the Astros’ pitchers will be able to rejoin the team in short order, though for the time being the team will wait with bated breath for the results of those tests.
  • Red Sox prospect Bobby Dalbec has been cleared to play after a positive test for COVID-19 prevented him from participating until now, reports Christopher Smith of MassLive. He rejoined the Sox at Fenway Park today after spending Saturday working out at Boston College. The 25-year-old infielder is regarded as one of Boston’s best prospects, and could contribute to the big league team this year. Rising through the minors as a third baseman, Dalbec may be best suited for first base in the Majors, but there’s little doubt about his raw power and on-base skills. Dalbec is one of four Red Sox who tested positive for the virus, with pitchers Eduardo Rodriguez, Josh Taylor, and Darwinzon Hernandez still recovering.

Quick Hits: Round Numbers, Red Sox Rotation, Astros

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If there’s something fans and baseball players can agree on, it’s a love of round numbers. Unfortunately, because of the pandemic-shortened seasons, many of baseball’s legendary Latino contemporaries may have to put away their obsession with certain benchmarks, writes ESPN’s Enrique Rojas. Albert Pujols needs 44 home runs to reach 700. Miguel Cabrera is 185 hits from 3,000 and 23 home runs from 500. Robinson Cano is just under 500 hits away from 3,000. Their ability to reach these markers is taking a hit with a shortened 2020. Given the changes in the game, there’s certainly a question about how long milestones of the past will continue to be held in such particular esteem. Rate statistics like wRC+ have already taken hold in some parts of the baseballsphere, and it’s certainly worth wondering if similar metrics will start to be used more in conjunction with traditional statistical benchmarks (300 wins, 3,000 hits, 500 home runs, etc.). Now let’s see what’s happening on the field…

  • It’s looking less and less likely that Eduardo Rodriguez will be back in time to start the Red Sox Opening Day contest, per Chris Cotillo of masslive.com. That puts Nathan Eovaldi in line to get the Opening Day nod. The rest of the Red Sox rotation remains a bit of a mess, certainly a far cry from the squad the took the team to the World Series just two seasons ago. But with Chris Sale on the shelf, David Price and Rick Porcello both gone, Boston is turning to the likes of Martin Perez, Ryan Weber, Chris Mazza, Jeffrey Springs, Colten Brewer and Matt Hall for rotation consideration. Collin McHugh, signed at the tail end of free agency, will not be ready by Opening Day. The Red Sox are counting on less-heralded performers than in year’s past, but there’s room for someone (or a few someone’s) to step up and stake their claim to a locker in Boston.
  • The Astros canceled their workout today after someone on staff became exposed to COVID-19, per Jake Kaplan of The Athletic (via Twitter). GM James Click released a statement: “As part of MLB’s testing and reporting plan, we were alerted that a staff member was potentially exposed to a COVID-positive individual outside the organization. Out of an abundance of caution, we have cancelled today’s workout.” These sorts of snow days may become commonplace, at least in these early days. Still, it’s an important measure. Credit the Astros for taking the necessary amount of caution here. [UPDATE: the Astros announced that workouts at Minute Maid Park will resume on Sunday.]

Coronavirus Notes: Astros, Diekman, Teheran, Indians

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Astros superstar Alex Bregman had to sit out Wednesday’s practice because the results of his latest coronavirus test did not arrive on time, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle relays. “I look forward to having the issue resolved as soon as possible to rejoin my teammates tomorrow,” Bregman stated. Meanwhile, teammate and outfielder Michael Brantley expressed frustration with the league’s testing problems, saying “[players] kind of want answers.” He added, “I’d love to hear from Rob (Manfred) and some clarity on how we’re going to get this done because that’s very important.” Houston’s among a few teams slowed early in Summer Camp by testing delays, further calling into question whether MLB is capable of pulling off this season.

  • Like Brantley, Athletics reliever Jake Diekman is unhappy with how the league has handled the testing process. There’s plenty at stake for Diekman – the 33-year-old has battled ulcerative colitis for most of his life and underwent surgery to remove his colon in 2017, putting him in greater danger of contracting the virus. Diekman told Alex Coffey of The Athletic: “I’m high-risk, so I have to speak out for everyone. I don’t want to get sick.” He went on to question MLB’s estimate of how many players have tested positive, opining that it must “be getting close to 100.” And while Diekman doesn’t want to opt out of the season, he’s skeptical that one will even happen. “Once the regular season hits, there’s no way I’m opting out,” he said. “But if they don’t get the testing figured out, this whole thing will get shut down. That’s my personal opinion.” Coffey’s piece is worth a full read, as there’s plenty more on the concerns Diekman and his wife, Amanda, have in regards to a potential season.
  • The Angels placed right-hander Julio Teheran on the 10-day injured list earlier this week, but even manager Joe Maddon was uncertain of the reason. It turns out that Teheran’s still in Atlanta – where he pitched previously – because he and his family have shown symptoms consistent with COVID-19, he told Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes (Spanish-language link). Teheran revealed he “was not feeling well,” but he’s hopeful of joining his team in Los Angeles this weekend if he gets the go-ahead. Regardless, with the campaign just two weeks away, Maddon’s not sure if Teheran will be available from the jump (via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com), as the skipper observed that “it would probably be a rush” to place him in the Angels’ season-opening rotation.
  • Indians outfielder Delino DeShields tested positive for the coronavirus last week, but it looks as if he’s on the road to recovery. DeShields’ most recent test came back negative, and he’s on his way to Cleveland as a result, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com reports. If he tests negative again there, he’ll be able to join his teammates for Summer Camp. [JULY 11 UPDATE: DeShields indeed tested negative for the second time, and rejoined the Tribe’s camp.]  More good news: Slugger Franmil Reyes returned to practice Wednesday after testing negative. The Indians held Reyes out of camp for two days amid worries that he contracted the illness at a July 4 party.

Astros Cancel Monday Workouts Due To Testing Delays

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10:45am: Astros GM James Click issued the following statement on today’s cancellation:

The safety of our players and staff remains our top priority at the Astros. The team is still awaiting results from the COVID-19 tests taken on Friday. Due to the delay in receiving these results, coupled with the contagious nature of the virus, we felt it was prudent to cancel today’s workouts at Minute Maid Park and the University of Houston. Players and staff continue to participate fully in the screening and testing protocols while we await these results. Despite these delays over the holiday weekend, we’re optimistic that this process will be ironed out and we’ll be back on the field and ready to compete for a championship soon.

10:10am: The Astros have canceled this morning’s workout due to delays in the results from their COVID-19 intake testing, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). They’re the second team to do so, joining the Nationals. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that the Astros, like the Nats, have yet to receive their results from last week’s initial wave of testing. Kaplan and Ken Rosenthal add that the Astros weren’t tested either Saturday or Sunday but are expected to be tested again today.

At this point, it seems that the logistical challenges in mass testing are greater than MLB had anticipated. Through only three official days of “Summer Camp” we’ve now seen at least two teams cancel workouts due to a lack of test results, with others still possible given the snafus surrounding the Angels (whose testers didn’t show over the weekend) and Athletics (whose test results reportedly weren’t shipped on time by MLB and CDT).

Breakdowns like this in the testing cycle might be able to be overcome during Summer Camp as the league irons out its processes, but this is clearly a detriment both to avoiding broad-reaching infections and to readying for the tentative 2020 season. Today’s struggles also more loudly raise the question of what would happen if such an instance were to occur once the season is underway. It’s likely that games would need to be delayed or postponed absent the most recent testing data for a given team, and with the league aiming for 60 games in a span of 65 days, the margin for error is quite thin.

Yordan Alvarez Not Yet In Astros Camp

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Young Astros star Yordan Alvarez was notably absent from Astros camp today, though the precise reason isn’t yet clear. Manager Dusty Baker told reporters that he’s unable to provide further indication due to “league mandates.” Jake Kaplan of The Athletic was among those covering the chat (Twitter thread).

It’s easy to jump to the conclusion that Alvarez has tested positive for COVID-19, but that’s not necessarily the case. He may be held up for different reasons entirely. Even if the delay is related to the coronavirus, that doesn’t mean he has been infected.

Even if Alvarez is dealing with a health problem, it may still be hoped that he can return to action sooner than later. Whatever the case, Baker noted he’s hopeful that Alvarez will be able to report within a matter of days.

Alvarez, who recently celebrated his 23rd birthday, is expected to anchor the middle of the Astros’ already star-studded lineup after his mammoth debut season in 2019. He had dealt with knee issues last year and this spring, but the hope was that the long layoff would provide a respite.

GM James Click said just this morning that he believed Alvarez was ready for full-speed participation. The new top baseball operations exec did also note that some players and staffers in the organization had tested positive for coronavirus, though he did not offer specifics.

Obviously, we’ll all hope that Alvarez is able to resolve whatever issues he needs and report to Summer Camp sooner than later.

Alex Bregman Hires Scott Boras

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Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has hired Scott Boras as his new agent, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Reports that Bregman was seeking new representation emerged back in May, after he parted ways with longtime representative Brodie Scoffield, who had recently joined Klutch Sports’ fledgling baseball division. Klutch, a powerhouse NBA firm led by agent Rich Paul, represents the likes of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, John Wall and Draymond Green but expanded into baseball in early April by acquiring Scoffiled’s Tidal Sports firm.

Unfortunately for all parties involved, it was only a few weeks later that James’ film company, Uninterrupted, announced plans to produce a docu-series on the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. That indeed played a role in Bregman’s decision to jump ship, Rome writes, adding that Bregman had no ill will toward Scoffield.

The Boras Corporation won’t be negotiating a new contract for Bregman anytime soon, barring an uncharacteristic extension. (Notably, Boras did negotiate Jose Altuve’s $151MM extension with Houston.) Bregman is already under contract through the 2024 season after signing a five-year, $100MM contract in March 2019. That pact, which begins with the 2020 season, bought out Bregman’s three arbitration campaigns and two would-be free-agent seasons. Absent that long-term deal, Bregman would’ve been poised to reach the open market heading into his age-29 season, but he’ll instead become a free agent heading into his age-31 campaign.

The 2019 season was Bregman’s best to date. After a strong rookie showing in 2016 and an even better year in 2017, Bregman has only seen his stock rise. He erupted with a .286/.394/.532 slash and 31 home runs in 2018, and the former No. 2 overall pick took his game to even loftier heights with last year’s .296/.423/.592 slash (168 wRC+, 162 OPS+). Bregman was an All-Star in both 2018 and 2019, finishing fifth and second, respectively in MVP voting those years as well.

Bregman’s change in representation will be reflected in MLBTR’s Agency Database, which contains representation information on more than 2,500 players. If you see any errors or omissions, please let us know via email: mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.

Astros Announce Initial 60-Man Player Pool

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Today marks the deadline for teams to submit to Major League Baseball their initial spring training player pools, which can comprise up to 60 players. Players are not eligible to participate in either a spring training or regular season game until they are included in the pool. Teams are free to change the makeup of the pools as they see fit. However, players removed from a team’s 60-man (for reasons unrelated to injury, suspension, etc.) must be exposed to other organizations via trade or waivers.

Not all players within a team’s pool are ticketed for MLB playing time, of course. Most teams will include well-regarded but still far-off prospects as a means of getting them training reps with no intention of running them onto a major league diamond this season. A comprehensive review of 2020’s unique set of rules can be found here.

The Astros’ initial player pool consists of the following players.

Right-handed pitchers

Left-handed pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Astros Expect Justin Verlander To Be Full Participant In Spring Training

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The Astros should have their ace, Justin Verlander, at 100 percent when spring training resumes. The club expects Verlander, who underwent groin surgery in March, to be a full participant in camp, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.

Along with the groin issue, Verlander also dealt with a lat strain in March. It’s, of course, unusual for physical problems to weigh down the 37-year-old Verlander, a longtime workhorse who turned in a whopping 12th 200-inning season in 2019 en route to his second American League Cy Young Award and eighth All-Star nod. In all, he fired 223 frames of 2.58 ERA ball with 12.11 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 to help the Astros to another AL West title and league pennant.

Verlander formed a near-untouchable trio with righty Gerrit Cole and trade deadline acquisition Zack Greinke last season, but Cole left to join the rival Yankees in free agency on a record-setting contract worth $324MM over nine seasons. Verlander and Greinke are all the more important to the Astros with Cole out of the picture, and the team’s rotation also lost another veteran in lefty Wade Miley over the winter. But the Astros will at least get Lance McCullers Jr. back from Tommy John surgery this year. He’ll help Verlander and Greinke lead a staff that’s otherwise low on proven major league options.

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