With Spring Training beginning to wrap up, details on teams’ Opening Day rosters are beginning to surface. Here are some notable decisions from around the league (decisions that directly impact the 40-man roster more directly are being kept track of in a separate post). Here’s the latest from around the league…
- The Orioles will place left-hander Wade Miley on the 10-day disabled list to open the season, but he’s not actually expected to miss a start, according to Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun. Miley’s DL stint will be backdated, and his first start wasn’t expected to come until April 9 anyhow. Also on the DL will be right-hander Chris Tillman, as has been previously reported, and Rule 5 outfielder Anthony Santander, who is dealing with elbow and shoulder issues.
- First baseman/outfielder Trey Mancini has made the Orioles’ Opening Day roster, as has outfielder Joey Rickard, per Meoli’s colleague, Eduardo A. Encina. It sounds as if veteran outfielder Craig Gentry will be making the roster as well, though Encina suggests that Gentry’s fate is ultimately tied to that of Rule 5 pick Aneury Tavarez, whom Meoli reported to be on waivers yesterday. If and when Tavarez clears or is claimed by another club, a 40-man spot for Gentry will be opened. Meanwhile, slugger Pedro Alvarez and second baseman Johnny Giavotella are Triple-A-bound to open the season, as are right-handers Alec Asher and Logan Verrett, per a club announcement.
Earlier Decisions
- The Twins have decided against adding Byung Ho Park to the Opening Day roster, leaving him destined for Triple-A, as LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports on Twitter. Adding Park would have required the clearance of a 40-man spot since he was outrighted last year. Lefty Adalberto Mejia — picked up in last summer’s Eduardo Nunez deal — has earned the club’s fifth starter job, Neal further tweets, seemingly bumping Tyler Duffey back to the pen.
- Right-handers Zack Wheeler and Robert Gsellman will fill out the Mets’ rotation to to open the year, Marc Carig of Newsday was among those to report on Twitter. It wasn’t clear for much of the spring whether Wheeler would be ready to go at the start of the year, but he showed well late in camp and will now attempt to regain the form that once made him one of the organization’s core players. That leaves Seth Lugo and Rafael Montero fighting for the final bullpen spot, with the other likely to report to Triple-A to stay stretched out in case a need arises.
- Yankees righty Luis Severino will take the club’s final open starting job, as Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets. He will look to regain the momentum he had as a rookie and leave a disappointing sophomore campaign in the rearview mirror. Meanwhile, the club has decided to option Rob Refsnyder, leaving Aaron Judge in line to make the roster and receive regular playing time in right, as Andrew Marchand of ESPNNewYork.com reports on Twitter.
- The Red Sox announced today that lefty Drew Pomeranz will open the season on the 10-day DL due to a flexor strain in his left forearm. That does not appear to be a new injury, though; instead, the club is lining him up to pitch as scheduled while opening the door to carrying an extra player to open the year.
Wow looks like Lugo is going to be on the outside looking in and will go to Vegas as Montero seems to be on the verge of good no North with the team (Metsblog).
Going*
You still believe Metsblog? Whatever you read there is probably a typo anyway!
I know. How do they have the inside track anyway. Just read, no decision on Lugo vs. Montero has been made yet.
Classic! I always will give Cerrone credit for the most successful team blog, but his spelling is atrocious…
Except that it makes perfect sense on the Mets part. Lugo has a far higher upside so they probably don’t want to keep switching him back and forth from a reliever-starter. He can be left in AAA where he can remain a full time starter and continue to be stretched out. Montero doesn’t seem to have a future with the Mets so they don’t mind alternating his role with the team.
Smart move would be to send lugo to vegas. Let him work as a starter and keep him ready for an emergency call up.
Hmm. I thought the Twins were going to try to win.
That’s a good one.
I don’t like the 13 pitchers, but I can understand it with Santiago being stretched out as a question mark. Plus, I don’t think I ever heard Hughes hit higher than 90 mph, though maybe I missed it. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Hughes and Duffey switched within a few starts.
I’m fine with Park in AAA. He needs to prove he’s better before he gets a 40 man again. He had a much better spring training this year than last, but that was a low bar to clear. He did start striking out more lately. That wasn’t happening much earlier in camp. I feel like he’d be up by May if they see the necessary progress.
The thing I’m really happy about is Mejia. I was rooting for him to take that spot and I feel like the old front office would have went Duffey over Mejia.
The old front office (Terry Ryan) would’ve gotten an A-ball arm and a journeyman starter coming off of shoulder/elbow surgery for Nunez, not a high floor, Major League-ready arm like Mejia.
I agree with Park needing more time in the minors to prove that he has made adjustments. Strikeouts are and always will be a part of his game; limiting K’s in key situations is key with him.
Not sure what’s happening with Vargas? Maybe I missed the roster decision with him, but he still has an option year left. Not quite sure if you can keep him on the roster while sending Berrios to Rochester (reason being a lack of playing time); neither of them really played with Team Puerto Rico, but Berrios was significantly better when he pitched than Vargas was when he was on the field.
Antony made the Nunez trade, so it was still kind of the old front office (Antony is still around). I remember Antony mentioning spin rate on one of Mejia’s pitches as a reason for the trade so that was interesting. I don’t think TR would have traded Nunez at all, but maybe.
Vargas is still hurt, last I heard. Fouled a ball off his foot. Sounds like he’ll start on the DL unless something changes in the next few days.
I don’t get why seth lugo won’t be in the rotation, wheeler should’ve been moved to the pen
He’s been hit hard. Also didn’t show well in the WBC
Really? I must have watched another WBC because the one I watched he had a WHIP of 1.07 for the tournament, and threw 5.1 shutout innings against a Venezuelan lineup that included Altuve, Miguel Cabrera, Prado, Cargo, etc.
Even in the final game, where he gave up 4 runs in 4 innings against the American all stars he struck out 7 and a lot of people were impressed by his showing
He’s better than Montero, he will be back up soon enough once the season gets underway and the off days evaporate.
Agreed. Other than the Final, he was great for PR in the WBC.
Pitchers were getting knocked around in the WBC by all-star bats, so in that context Lugo actually did pretty well.
Looks like this might open the door for Kendrick to open with the team. Hopefully he brings that strong spring showing with him and just keep Pom in the pen when hes “healthy”.
I don’t think so. They can’t send Kendrick back down once they put him on the 40 and call him up (no options and would get claimed off waivers), so they’ll hold him in the minors to see if they need a starter long term before his opt out on June 15. Looks like either an extra reliever or keep both Hernandez and Selsky since Rutledge is out and Moreland has the flu.
It’s time for the Yanks to get back to being the Bombers, and I think Sanchez, Holliday, Bird , and Judge are a good start.
I think the Yankees have a real good chance of having one of their young power hitters breaking Reynolds strike out record if they all get 550 AB. Should be an exciting race for the record while the team struggles to stay above .500
I believe Baltimore will have something to say about breaking the SO record..individual and as a team!
The Yanks and O’s will definitely battle it out for the K lead/record. I will say this…Judge is a beast of a guy…I don’t know if he’ll get close to the hype, but dude can murder a ball.
You have no idea what your talking about lady. Now go make breakfast for your husband.
Well that’s a dumb thing to say.
You’re*
What internet insults would have looked like in 1946.
Am I reading that right? The O’s are breaking camp with 3 starters on the 25 man roster? Kinda strange. I get that they have some breaks in their schedule that done make a 5th starter necessary until April 9th when Miley returns, but only having 3 starters is not normal.
They picked up Alic Asher from the philies. He’s a starter and they don’t need a fifth one till April 15, by then wade miley will be back. I hope they chuck Miley after Tillman come back.
Never mind I just read the part where they are sending him to AAA. Anyways buck and Dan move players around more than anybody else so there will be a 4th starter at some point.