The latest from around the American League on players facing cuts, or earning Opening Day roster spots…
- The Orioles all but finalized their 25-man roster today, re-assigning left-handers Joely Rodriguez and Josh Edgin to Triple-A while sending Luis Sardinas, Alex Presley, and Cedric Mullins to minor league camp. (Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun was one of several reporters with the details.) While not officially announced, it seems as though Rule 5 draft pick Nestor Cortes Jr. has made the team based on these moves. Rodriguez’s minor league deal with the O’s contains an opt-out clause sometime this summer, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports, and Rodriguez may have already attracted some attention after an impressive performance in camp. Rodriguez has an 0.87 ERA over 10 1/3 Spring Training innings, with just one walk against six strikeouts.
- It “seems likely” that veteran righty Blaine Boyer will make the Royals roster, MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan tweets. Boyer signed a minor league deal with K.C. in February in the wake of a 2017 that saw him post a 4.35 ERA, 2.36 K/BB rate and 7.2 K/9 over 41 1/3 innings out of the Red Sox bullpen. In making the Royals’ Major League roster, Flanagan reports that Boyer will earn $1MM in salary, plus another $250K available in incentives.
- The Rays have informed southpaw Jonny Venters that he won’t make the team, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter link). Venters has already said he’ll accept a Triple-A assignment and is likely to remain in the organization unless another team offers him a job in their big league bullpen. That scenario seems improbable, however, as Venters hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2012 due to three Tommy John surgeries, though he hasn’t yet given up his hopes for what would be an incredible comeback.
It does look like Nestor Cortes has made the O’s roster at least for now. At some point the O’s will have to add Cobb and maybe even Britton before the of the season. So Cortes may not make it the entire season on the 25 man roster. If not he will have to be returned to the Yankees. We’ll see.
I’d say Cortes stays all year. The O’s don’t lose Rule 5 players once they decide they are on the team. Castro can be sent down once Cobb is ready. Britton won’t need to be addressed until late May early June so no sense in even worrying about him right now.
I believe that Castro already used his three option years. Looks like he spent some time in the minors each of the last three seasons.
Am I missing something?
One of the O’s beat writers (Kubakto, I believe) uncovered that Castro had been granted a 4th option year somehow, somewhere. The details were scarce but it is also posted as an existing option over at roster resource.
Castro can be optioned. To say Cortes will stay all year is a bit of a stretch at this point though. We’ll see how he does vMLB competition everyday. He’s one of if not the last relievers to make the pen and in Baltimore that’s typically a spot that gets sent up and down. One o my cortes araujo or wright will not make it all year.
I really wanted Venters to make their Opening Day roster. But at least he still has a chance by going to Triple-A.
Same. The Rays don’t have a great bullpen so I feel like he will be called up eventually.
Would the mob tr team be open to making a before the season starts 1 thing each team needs series? Like now that st is donr whats one glaring need for each team
Huh? Can anyone decode?
I can. I speak Thai-Po.
“Would the MLBTR team make a series of one thing each team needs before the season starts? Like now that spring training is done, what is one glaring need for each team? “
Very nice translation! By the way soda pop icky woods all done by today?
Still rooting for Venters to play in the majors again. He was absolutely with the Braves back in the day. Such a shame about the injuries and you have to admire his dedication to try to come back.
It looks like he actually will make it back this year – he put up great numbers last year in the minors and gave up no runs this spring. Can’t wait to see that comeback.
Getting closer and closer to that opening day 🙂
Good luck to all of you. I can’t wait to talk baseball with all you when this (slow, slow, slow) offseason ends.
I love Joely Rodriguez. I remember before the 2013 Rule V Draft (Pre-2014), I was so disappointed when the Pirates selected his contract because I really wanted to get him. He has shown what he is capable of in the past (2016 with the Phillies) and did so again this spring. Can’t wait to see him kill it.
If the Orioles get Holland they’ll be nasty
We have an 11 million dollar closer that’s coming back in two months plus brach, Givens, and oday. There’s no chance we spend the money to get holland.
Boyer last season with boston wasn’t half bad when used in big lead- big loss situations and fair when used in close situations. seems after all these years he learned his mid 90’s FB will get guys to swing and miss on occasion when thrown UP in the K zone.
That said, not sure would count on him as a quality relief arm entirely usable in that situation, but he’s probably better than a lot of guys hanging on at the back of several teams BP’s when ST breaks and deserves a chance, as long as he isn’t thrown in there all the time with a game on the line on a consistent basis.
Cox and Gonzalez ruined Venters