As Spring Training draws to a close, the final determinations about each team’s roster will be continue to come into focus. Here are some of the day’s more notable roster decisions…
- Prized righty Tyler Glasnow will take the final spot in the Pirates rotation, Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports on Twitter. He had been competing with Trevor Williams, who’ll head to the bullpen, Adam Berry of MLB.com adds on Twitter. With southpaw Wade LeBlanc also taking a job, that seems to set the stage for Rule 5 pick Tyler Webb to hit the waiver wire.
- The Giants have nailed down their bench and rotation, as Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Aaron Hill and Chris Marrero will round out the bench. The veteran Hill figures to share the infield reserve duties with Conor Gillaspie, while Marrero will surprisingly open the season as a part of a left field platoon with the left-handed-hitting Jarrett Parker. Meanwhile, Matt Cain will keep a rotation spot, though Ty Blach will also make the club as a reliever — where he could often spell Cain in lengthier outings.
- With injuries and young arms entering the picture, the Rockies‘ pitching plans were interesting to watch this spring. As Nick Groke of the Denver Post tweets, the team will roll with lefty Kyle Freeland and righties Antonio Senzatela and German Marquez to fill out their starting staff. It seems likely that the former two will open the year in the rotation, with Marquez heading to the pen and staying on hand if a need arises.
Click to read earlier updates …
- By optioning Ben Gamel and placing several relievers on the DL, the Mariners signaled their Opening Day Roster, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports (Twitter links). Guillermo Heredia will serve as a reserve outfielder, while both Dillon Overton and James Pazos are slated to take up spots in the bullpen.
- Righty Oliver Drake has been named as the final member of the Orioles bullpen, Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com reports on Twitter. It had been suggested yesterday that Drake was placed on waivers, but it seems that was premature. Though he had a rough spring, Drake has shown an ability to induce lots of swings and misses with his deceptive pitch mix. The 30-year-old is out of options, so Baltimore had to carry him on the active roster to maintain control rights.
- The Rangers made the surprising decision to option righty Keone Kela, as Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. Indications are that the move was related to off-field issues rather than performance questions or a need for roster space. Indeed, Kela was — and, perhaps, still is — expected to fulfill an important role in the Rangers’ pen. Though he dealt with elbow issues and struggled in the earned-run department last year, the 23-year-old was dominant this spring and seemed a good bet to bounce back.
- A groin injury will land Matt Garza on the 10-day disabled list to open the season, meaning that the Brewers‘ rotation will now consist of right-handers Junior Guerra, Zach Davies, Wily Peralta, Chase Anderson and Jimmy Nelson, reports Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Left-hander Tommy Milone, who inked a one-year deal after being non-tendered by the Twins, had been in the mix for a rotation spot but will instead pitch out of the bullpen, Haudricourt adds. The 30-year-old Milone, who has made only 11 career relief appearances, will be the lone southpaw in Milwaukee’s bullpen (and on its entire pitching staff, for that matter).
- Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune reports that Trevor Cahill and Luis Perdomo have won spots in the Padres‘ rotation, thereby pushing Jarred Cosart to the bullpen. Cahill and Perdomo will be joined by Jhoulys Chacin, Jered Weaver and Clayton Richard in a reconstructed San Diego rotation that was pieced together in cost-effective fashion but still carries myriad question marks. Manager Andy Green didn’t rule out a return to the rotation or an eventual late-inning role for Cosart, but for the time being it sounds as if he’s slotted for long relief. Given the uncertainty that permeates the San Diego starting corps, that role could lead to plenty of innings for the 26-year-old Cosart early in the year.
- The Yankees announced last night that right-hander Chad Green has been optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 25-year-old Green had been in consideration for a rotation spot and turned in a strong 1.50 ERA in 12 spring innings, though that was accompanied by a less-encouraging 8-to-6 K/BB ratio. The Yankees aren’t planning to name a fifth starter before Opening Day and will utilize early off days to avoid needing a fifth starter for the early portion of April. Still, it’d be a surprise if Green didn’t at least enter the team’s rotation conversation at some point this season. For now, the team’s rotation will be comprised of Masahiro Tanaka, Michael Pineda, CC Sabathia and Luis Severino.
- Jandel Gustave has won the Astros‘ final bullpen spot, beating out fellow righty James Hoyt, per Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). The 24-year-old bounced to three different teams after being taken in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft before ultimately returning to the ‘Stros. Gustave averaged 97.1 mph on his fastball in his brief MLB debut last season and turned in a 16-to-4 K/BB ratio in 15 1/3 innings of work.
- Right-hander Austin Pruitt has beat out Chase Whitley and Jaime Schultz to make the Rays‘ roster, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Injuries to Shawn Tolleson and Brad Boxberger likely helped to pave the way for Pruitt, 27, to break camp with the team. The 2013 ninth-round pick turned in a solid 3.76 ERA with 8.2 K/9 against 1.5 BB/9 in his first taste of Triple-A work last year. Manager Kevin Cash tells Topkin that delivering the news that Pruitt would make the Opening Day roster was “probably the best conversation all spring.” The manager also noted that a decision on the final bench slot may not come until Saturday (or even Sunday morning, Topkin adds via Twitter).
All righty’s in the starting rotation, and only Tommy Milone as the lone lefty in the bullpen doesn’t seem like such great strategy for the Brewers.
Not like they’re competing anyways.
If there isn’t another lefty that warrants a roster spot why force one onto the team? If 12 righties and 1 leftie is the best the Brewers have, so be it.
We aren’t talking about elite level right handers in their rotation. Their track records have shown that the quality pitching that they are showing this spring will fade quickly, outside of Guerra.
That’s a fair point. That said, this l/r imbalance suggests a pretty lousy effort by the front office during the offseason. The division has several elite lefty hitters, so it seems like a mistake to not plan for those matchups. I expect their one lefty pitcher to be overworked and exhausted.
When it comes to SPs, it’s not as big of a deal which arm they throw from as it is if they were RP. It’s nice to be able to change things up with lefties and righties, but the starters don’t hold specialist role. Their job is to go out there and hopefully throw at least 5 innings. With that big of a chunk of innings, matchups are hard to predict.
We will be fine don’t fret
Perdomo should be sent down to triple A if we can save service time, assuming he still has options and then be the first call up if an injury occurs. Cahill, Richard, Cosart, Weaver, Chacin should make up the rotation to begin the season. 2023 he would still be 29
Perdomo has all 3 of his options still since he was a rule V guy. They seem to really like Friedrich (not sure why) so maybe when he comes off the DL they’ll option Perdomo to AAA for like a month? They need to find a way to get that extra control/limit his innings.
Perdomo definitely seems like a solid 4th 5th starter for years to come and having control over him till 2023 is an appealing option if padres decide to trade him sometime before then.
Same with Renfoe- should get that extra year of control in the event padres a. are contenders come 2023 and/or b. they wind up trading him if he proves to be a useful bat.
I think you hit it spot on, when Friedrich comes back Perdomo will likely go down to fulfill the requirements on gaining an extra year of control on him. Exactly what will most likely happen with Margot if he breaks with the big club, as soon as Dickerson is good to Margot will be sent down to gain service time on him as well.
Why wouldn’t he still have options? He has never been optioned to the minors in his life.
My guess is that he gets optioned when Friedrich is healthy, just like Margot will when Dickerson comes back to gain the extra year of control for both Perdomo and Margot. Then try to replicate this whole situation again with whoever sticks between Diaz, Cordoba and Torrens. Preller and his unique ways to collect talent.
I think the Yanks will find 2 good young starters this year in either Mitchell, Severino, Green, Montgomery, Adams, or Kaprielian.
I do not think they will do that.
None of those guys are good, let alone two.
How can you say none of them are good when most of them have very little or no experience?
I’m not saying they are or Will be good by the way. Just wondering how you are predetermining this
Kaprielian and Adams not until 2018. they both haven’t pitched above A ball yet – and Kap has only pitched in 19 games as a professional. You’ll probably see Sheffield get brought up before him. Green is going to be a bullpen guy as he hasn’t been able to develop a third pitch to go with the fastball / slider and has command issues.
Chance Adams went 8-1 with like 70 K’s in AA last season…
Totally dissagree, we will have to wait and see, Adams, and Kapreiian will get some starts with the Yanks this year. Green may get a start on April 15.
that padres rotation is woeful
They’re perfect for where that team is right now
They could have signed someone better to a 1 year deal and then traded that player for prospects at the deadline
Like who? It’s not as easy to trade them as you are making it sound.
Last notable SP to sign, if you can call it that, was Jason Hammel. Only one I can think that would fit the mold of 1-year contract and trade candidate
Whitley is a much better pitcher to have for the rays in fact he should be their 5th starter!
You can make a case for Whitley over Pruitt (a really good case after Pruitt’s outing today) but Whitley isn’t better than anyone in the rotation
You are fake news.
Your Yankees bit is incorrect, Chad Green was optioned to Double A Trenton. Jordan Montgomery to Triple A. This way, they will both start on the same days lining up with the date that Yanks will need a 5th pitcher, and then they will likely choose between the two.
I think they wanted to trade refsnyder to open up a 40 man spot for Montgomery. Chad green looks like he may need some secondary pitch refinement.
Green pitched well this spring and he is on the 40 man roster, I think he is the 5th starter or Mitchell. Adams and Kaprlielian will get starts also.
reds have plenty of young arms, but keone Kela would be awesome for our bullpen.
Boy, as a Padres fan I just can’t wait to watch Jered Weaver take the mound this season for San Diego. Talk about your must-see TV!
He should be interesting to watch.
As a rangers fan, I am shocked to see kela not making opening day
Time to see what Glasnow can do !
That’s what I thought about alex reyes. Now wacha is back in the rotation.
Not seen Ben Taylor’s name on the site. John Farrel has announced he has made the roster with all the injuries. A 8th round senior sign by Boston who just got 10k in 2015. and skyrocketed thru the system.
I don’t like the Pirates moves at all. Glasnow is not ready. Williams should be the #1 starter in AAA if he’s not the 5th starter here. They should have kept Hughes instead of relegating Williams to a mop up role.
That said, maybe (hopefully) having Searage work with Glasnow every day will pay dividends now that they have made this choice.
Their choice was to continue building from within. That will take time. (and a little luck)
Could be a tough year for Pirates’ fans. They are a competent, but not competitive team..
True.
Oh well, at least they didn’t sell the farm for one player who wouldn’t even come close to putting them over the top.
Then it would be a long decade for Pirates’ fans.
It blows my mind how the Giants front office and Bochy think loyalty to veterans is more important than winning baseball games. Running Cain out there every fifth day is a guaranteed loss and a big middle finger to the fans. He would have an ERA over 6 in single A at this point.