Here are the key stories from this week of coverage here at MLBTR.
Madison Bumgarner out six weeks or more after dirt bike accident. Madison Bumgarner recently injured his ribs and shoulder while riding a dirt bike, further dampening the hopes of the Giants, who were already off to a 6-11 start. It’s unclear when Bumgarner will be able to return, but estimates range from six weeks to more than two months.
Starling Marte receives 80-game suspension for positive PED test. Another struggling NL team received bad news this week as the league suspended star Pirates outfielder Starling Marte for 80 games for a positive test for an anabolic steroid. The Bucs have shifted Andrew McCutchen back to center field after previously bumping him to right in favor of Marte.
Injuries, injuries everywhere. Bumgarner’s injury was hardly the only consequential one this week. The lengthy list of players who made injury news this week includes Clay Buchholz (who could miss most or all of the remainder of the season after having flexor tendon surgery), Logan Forsythe (fractured toe), Rich Hill (blister), Aaron Sanchez (blister), J.A. Happ (elbow inflammation), Zach Britton (forearm strain), Marcus Semien (fractured wrist), Brandon Finnegan (trapezius strain), Jarrett Parker (broken clavicle), Melvin Upton Jr. (who will miss at least about two months after having surgery on a torn thumb ligament), and Josh Hamilton (who was released by the Rangers and will undergo knee surgery).
Kris Bryant, Francisco Lindor not nearing extensions. This week, it emerged (via a report from Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci) that the Cubs had tried to sign Kris Bryant to a long-term deal last winter but made no progress. It appears Bryant and another young star from last year’s World Series are in the same boat — Francisco Lindor reportedly turned down an extension offer of around $100MM from the Indians last winter, and there are no active extension talks between the two sides at this time.
Angel Pagan to sit out 2017. Longtime Met and Giant Angel Pagan remains a free agent after a reasonably productive 2016 season and has been the object of speculation for fans of a number of teams with questionable outfield depth. Pagan has reportedly turned down Major League offers, however, and says he plans to spend the 2017 season at home with his family. The 35-year-old is not ruling out a return at some point in the future, however.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Here’s story number 6: the cubs option tommy la Stella to the minors.
It’d be a big story if he did what he did last year. In this case, it’s not.
The Josh Hamilton blurb is certainly not a key story!