The Nationals have announced that they’ve placed closer Koda Glover on the 10-day DL with lower back stiffness. They’ve replaced him on their active roster with Joe Blanton, who had been out with a shoulder injury. After struggling against the Rangers on Saturday, Glover told the Nationals he had hurt his back while in the shower. In the short term, Glover’s injury could clear the way for Matt Albers to pick up saves chances. In the longer term, the Nationals could still acquire a closer from outside the organization, having been connected to a number of names recently. Here’s more from the East divisions.
- Nats outfielder Adam Eaton says he’s “ahead of schedule” in his return from a torn ACL, writes Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post. Eaton isn’t sure exactly how far ahead of schedule he is, and his chances of playing again this year aren’t known, although it didn’t appear likely he would at the time of the injury. He’s keeping an eye toward the future. “Not just this year, not just next year, but the longevity of my career and how it may be shaped by this injury,” he says of his thought process. Eaton also sounds keenly aware of fan opinions of the costly trade that brought him to Washington. “I hope my presence here is felt, just in the sense that I’m dedicated to them just as they’ve been dedicated to me. The trade this offseason probably wasn’t the most popular one, but I love this city,” says Eaton. The outfielder remains signed through 2019 with reasonable club options for 2020 and 2021, so there will be time for him to contribute to the Nationals once he heals.
- The Red Sox’ signing of first baseman Mitch Moreland rather than Edwin Encarnacion looks like a good one, Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com writes. Moreland’s offense so far this season has been the best of his career — he’s currently batting .281/.382/.492 with 26 extra-base hits. Encarnacion, meanwhile, has hit .245/.351/.446 with Cleveland, although he’s hit well recently. Interestingly, FOX Sports’ Jon Morosi tweeted today that Moreland turned down more money from the Indians to play for the Red Sox.
- With the arrival of this week’s amateur draft, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times ranks the Rays’ top choices in each year of their existence. It should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the (Devil) Rays’ history that Topkin finds some brutal misses, including 2001 third overall pick Dewon Brazelton and 2005 eighth overall pick Wade Townsend (who the Rays selected from a star-studded class while Andrew McCutchen and Jay Bruce remained on the board). 2006 third overall pick Evan Longoria and 2007 first overall selection David Price were big successes, though, and 2003 first overall pick Delmon Young helped the Rays acquire Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett, leading to their first playoff berth.
Lol. Mitch Moreland for $5M and the Yankees only had to pay Carter $3M.
You may want to check out how both have been doing this year.
Actually it was 3.5 million for Carter. I’m addition to the 2 million dollar difference in salary, I think you’ll find another difference. Mitch Moreland is actually a good baseball player.
Lol…That is pretty funny, but also clearly true.
There is NO legitimate comparison between the two, except they both play in the AL East and both are position players.
For the most part, that is just about where the similarities begin and end…
I was going to reply until you all took the words out of my mouth. Lol
Moreland is way better. Not even close
One has an .874 OPS right now, the other has a .670 OPS.
So yes, one is being paid more, and rightfully so.
I really have no clue what your point is. Are you happy the yankees paid less for a guy having a lousy year or are you criticizing the Red Sox for paying a guy like Moreland who is making half of what a guy like Jose Abreu is making and has been more productive?
Everyone, this is Eck, the closet Red Sox fan pretending to be a Yankee fan to make Yankee fans look bad with comments like this.
Do you honestly believe anyone is that stupid to think Carter is having a better year than Moreland?
Death = Eck.
You might want to check the standings to while you’re at it
And you have Carter to thank for that, he was a good pickup but Moreland is a better all around player
How does that have anything to do with the stupid comparison the guy made
Yank fans are just so happy to be relevant again they can’t help themselves from blurting
It’s funny though because it’s still relatively early in the season and Boston has been much more banged up… and are just 4 GB.
Stop it with the banged up excuse..good teams overcome that. Four games are a lot when you can’t beat the opponent!
And the Yankees have had very little to no production from 1B, 3B, and their Ace looks like a #6 starter. Please don’t use the “banged up” excuse.
It’s time for the slow clap!!! Because the standings is reason why Carter is a better signing?? Lmao
June Division Flags fly forever!
Not sure y the debate. Neither r good. They r both back up 1B/DH types. Carter has more power. Moreland makes better contact. Debate over… (Yanks fan btw)
.281 with a .382 OBP is starting caliber.
How in the world is Moreland a backup? .281, .382 OBP. Not to mention he’s probably the best defensive first basemen in the game
Moreland isn’t the backup 1st baseman….. He is the full time starter. Because diva Hanley Ramirez refuses to play the field.
Isn’t Hanley hurt rn. He has a shoulder injury preventing him from throwing the ball.
Hanley Ramirez “refuses” to play LF? No. He is not in LF because he Can’t play LF. And I’m not sure why you would put him in LF with an OF trio of BenintendI/JBJ/Betts.
Ramirez has been a terrible defender for many years. Moreland won a Gold Glove last year. What are you smoking and where can I get some?
Ramirez has a bum shoulder. That’s why he’s not playing the field.
this might be the worst conversation I’ve ever seen it’s pretty obvious Moreland is a way better player and deserves to be paid more.
You all know Moreland was coming off a .233/ .298/ .422 line, right? OPS+ of 88…
Hindsight being 20/20 sure it looks good now but the dude has NEVER been this good.
I am pretty sure the Red Sox needed a good defensive 1B for cheap and got the Gold Glover.
The year prior to that his triple slash was .278/.330/.482, good for a 117 wRC+, and had value worth ~$14M. The only difference between the 2015 and 2017 versions of Moreland is that he takes BBs now.
Not taken into consideration in this asinine comp conversation is defense. Moreland is a GG defensive player, Carter is better suited when he is only wearing batting gloves. Sure, Carter has more pop, but he will also strike out 90 more times than Moreland.
Bottom line, both clubs won in a way on their deals, their salaries are marginal, and they both provide some value. Moreland is more well rounded, and Carter is more of a power threat.
I have to say, it is pretty hilarious how about 80-90% of Red Sox fans were moaning and complaining when the Red Sox signed Moreland and chose him over other players…Collectively, they complained about him taking up a roster spot or even wasting a bench spot, complained about how terrible he was at the plate, and many wanted to riot, calling Moreland’s signing a gigantic waste of their team’s money..
Although now, if you ask those same fans about Moreland, they will say Moreland is one of the top 15 1B’men in baseball and he’s became a fan favorite over the course of the season…My how a fairly mediocre .281/.382/.492 batting line can change the opinion of a collective fan base so quickly…
I’m not saying it was every Red Sox fan calling out the GM for signing Moreland, but it was definitely the vast majority of Sox fans griping and complaining…
Then again, the majority of the fickle Braves fan base did the exact samething when Matt Kemp was acquired…lol
I don’t recall a majority of Red Sox fans complaining over the Moreland signing. The unhappiness of Red Sox fans during the offseason was realizing Ortiz’s production couldn’t be replicated by anyone on the market. Hanley as DH meant 1B was open and getting someone with the defensive skills of Moreland was supposed to at least make Ortiz’s loss more palpable by making sure Hanley wasn’t at first.
The Red Sox fans I know and talked to in real life all felt that the Moreland signing was a best case scenario especially since his signing came right after the Chris Sale trade which was at the time a significant rotation upgrade. Which was also supposed to soften the blow of losing Ortiz.
So I’m not entirely sure where this “80-90% of Red Sox fans were moaning and complaining when the Red Sox signed Moreland” is coming from. Sure there was whining, from the same part of ANY fan base that probably believed Miguel Cabrera could be had for a handful of AAA scrubs. But from the average fans, I only remember Red Sox fans being hopeful about Moreland and far more unhappy about the third base situation.
Sure am glad you talked to every Red Sox fan before making that statement. Would be embarrassing if you hadn’t.
That’s a W+
I see a lot of comments about Moreland on this thread that have far more to do with Moreland wearing a Red Sox uniform than anything else.
Here’s the simple truth, for 5 million dollars Moreland has been a great signing… for ANY team. That should be the end of the discussion.
I think I can speak for most Sox fans when I say we are thrilled (and surprised) with Moreland’s production thus far. His OBP in particular is excellent.
The player we have most loathed this season is Rick Porcello. I never believed Porcello was quite as good as he was in 2016, but I thought he’d be a solid 3.30-3.50 ERA guy with a good WHIP, and a guy that would eat a lot of innings. Alas, he’s been garbage.
Encarnacion is a slow starter. Enjoying Mitch Moreland, but EE in the Sox lineup would be a game changer.