Taylor Widener will open the season as a member of the Diamondbacks rotation, per MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert (via Twitter). Widener beat out Taylor Clarke to take Zac Gallen’s spot in the rotation. Widener has been a highly-regarded prospect, first in the Yankees’ system and then with the Diamondbacks. He made 12 appearances out of the Dbacks’ pen in 2020 with a 4.50 ERA/6.49 FIP across 20 innings. Clarke, meanwhile, will head to the bullpen. Elsewhere in the desert…
- The Diamondbacks are going with a closer-by-committee approach to start the season, per Zach Buchanan of the Athletic (via Twitter). Joakim Soria has been the presumptive closer given his past experience in the role compared to the other options on the roster. Soria’s 223 career saves easily set the pace. Tyler Clippard is second with 68 career saves, and Stefan Crichton comes in third with just five career saves. Nevertheless, Crichton is one of the guys manager Torey Lovullo may turn to late in game. The Diamondbacks might simply want to push some of their less proven bullpen arms to see what exactly they have in someone like Crichton or Kevin Ginkel.
- Nick Ahmed’s been experiencing knee pain, an issue that he has dealt with in the past. He received a platelet-rich plasma injection as treatment and plans to be ready for opening day, per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). Arizona doesn’t have a perfect solution to replace Ahmed, were he to miss time. Josh Rojas would likely slide to short with Asdrubal Cabrera seeing more regular time at the keystone. For now, however, they’ll assume good health and move ahead with Ahmed. While he’s not among the elite at his position, Ahmed has put together a quality three-year stretch, pairing gold glove defense with an acceptable 89 wRC+.
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that none of the non-roster invitees are still in the running to make their opening day roster, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter). Presumably, that means Zach McKinstry has made the roster as a utility option off the bench. There is still one roster decision pending for the champs, however, as Roberts says they are not yet decided about their fifth starter. David Price, Dustin May, and Tony Gonsolin are all still under consideration for the role. Price was scratched from his recent start because of illness. He plans to pitch today in a simulated game. (Twitter links). Gonsolin struggled through 3 2/3 innings against the Angels on Sunday night.
Taylor Widener is a former Yankee prospect that was in the Brandon Drury trade, has got a nice plus arm. There isn’t any reason why he couldn’t have success in the majors leagues for Arizona.
Yankees would love to have that trade back.
Not as much as they may want Whitlock back this year.
@StudWinfield- gotta see this Wishlock kid pitch. I haven’t seen him pitch yet. May not matter as you know, the Yankees are loaded with minor league pitching prospects. Schmidty, Deivi, Gomez, Vizcaino, and Medina just to name a few. I think the Yankees will survive somehow? Lol.
Those are some pretty average pitching prospects.
Loaded? Those pitching prospects might not be listed on milb.com if we were talking about the Padres, Braves, Dodgers, White Sox… Adorable try though.
@mike156- of course they would.
That 5th starter situation with the Dodgers seems like such a red wire, blue wire type deal man. Normally, I’d say Dustin May because his stuff is straight up filthy, but having a rotation of Kershaw, Buehler, Bauer, Urias, and Price is filthy within itself and certainly looks scary on paper.
That paper must be from 2015-16 if Price looks even remotely scary. If only opponents are as scared of Price as the Dodgers accounting dept.
Compare like to like. How many teams would have a fifth starter better than Price, especially when the choice at the bottom of the rotation is between him, May and Gonsolin.
No other team because they couldn’t afford taking on that dead contract that they attached to the one of the very best players in the game (Betts). May/Gonsolin, if healthy, are scarier as a #5 than Price after sitting out last year. It’s a compliment.
How much anyone is paid is completely irrelevant to how well they can pitch, so bringing that up is an effort to distract from the point (sorry, it didn’t work). As for how well Price can pitch after the layoff, we’re going to find out. Any player is going to be scarier healthy than not, and neither May nor Gonsolin have had issues in that department, so your point is completely unclear. My point is still that either one of Price, May, or Gonsolin would give the Dodgers one of the best #5 starters in the game, completely irrespective of how much they are paid, because that factor is irrelevant. So again, like for like.
You asked how many teams would have a pitcher better than Price and that’s a somewhat loaded question. Price is not scary and I’m not sure there’s many that think he is in 2021. I get what you’you’re saying but if we can agree that higher-caliber pitchers are paid more (nod yes or no….now) — then we can also agree that there are most teams that would love to have Price in their rotation, but not at his acquisition price, partially why LAD have Price fighting for a #5 spot. While it speaks to LAD’s depth, it also speaks to their pocket books and ability to take on contracts that make many players unavailable to teams unable to spend $200M MORE than the lowest approximate MLB payroll (CLE) in 2021. It’s not like for like.
Red Sox are paying a majority of Prices contract!
Is it not 50% of the remaining $64M through 2022? Even at $16M per for a 5th SP sounds like a luxury for most teams. ATL was said to be crazy giving a 1/$11M to Smyly to act as that for much of the season (presuming Soroka returns on-schedule).
LAD/BOS should have given Price a really nice gift basket for opting-out of the prorated $32MM he was due (~$10.66M).
You’ll notice that scary wasn’t my word. My question is about which team had better options at #5 in the rotation, whether it’s Price, May, or Gonsolin. That’s what I mean by like for like. If you can think of one then we’re having a discussion on the substance of the point, but we’re not if you insist on making salary part of the discussion, when it’s totally irrelevant.
Price at 16M is a dead contract? You sound like an idiot
Smyly’s contract is a joke because of his track record. David price and drew smyly is a hilarious comparison. Price easily could establish himself as the#3 here once again. He had a 3.00 era in Boston before his injury in 2019 and is moving to the NLW. Smyly is a swing man on most competing teams. He’s like the 9th starter on the dodgers
Id like to see Price in the pen, gonzo the long man (aka stripling) and a 6 man rotation with May and Nelson getting starts when the schedule gets heavy
I know that’s kinda out there (and probably wont happen) but I feel Nelson is best suited as a 5 inn starter
The Dodgers will likely start all three on a regular basis to keep them fresh and to ensure Price doesn’t wear out. They will want him good to go for the late season and playoff push.
How long until Gallen can make a rehab outing?
That’s what I’m wondering. I drafted him as he fell to stash on IL hoping for a June/early July return.
NOC
Honestly I hope he can be back in MLB June 1. But I have no idea either.
@douglasb- not sure. What a huge loss for the D-Backs! Isn’t this proof though that pitchers need to stop swinging the bat, and just concentrate on pitching? Smh.
Eloy getting injured in the field. smh
What does Eloy have to do with a pitcher getting hurt while doing a hitters job? Eloy didn’t get hurt pitching.
Eloy wasn’t extended at that amount for his ability to provide less-than-stellar defense (to put it politely). He was paid that to not get injured fielding, just like Gallen is paid to not get injured hitting.
I’d bet more hitters get hurt via fielding accidents than pitchers getting hurt thru hitting accidents. So why not have designated fielders?
Why don’t we just designate MLB for Assignment? They again play the Money/Power game of Who is the Top Dog…MLB OWNERS OR MLBPA! Keeps this League a Joke! Worst Commish Ever! Makes Selig more Legit!
You either have the DH across the board or not at all! Pitchers never could hit or bunt or do anything with a bat(rare exceptions!), especially after a year of avoiding it in Covid 2020! Now they are going to get hurt or hurt their teams with batting!! ITS STUPID!!
You keep the DH ‘across the board’ in the AL and leave the NL alone. Everybody wins
It would be kinda interesting to just find 8 fielding wizards and throw them out there without having to pick up a bat
Closer by committee sounds like there is no plan just a bunch of stuff hoping to stick to a wall….you know World Class MLB Professionals sucking on the Corp welfare teet
Surely it just means they’ll go with a modern approach to managing late innings that’s trending in more than one Org: letting the individual matchups of each batter in late inn dictate which RP comes out.
The idea of a set closer is pretty pointless. Have your best pitchers in the most critical situations.
a lot of relievers prefer set roles.
But does that really help performance? I understand there are mental adjustments required, but a manager having the ability and flexibility to bring in pitchers when and as needed seems to be a significant benefit and maybe an advantage compared to teams with rigid structures and usage patterns.
Both Price and Pollock missed yesterday’s game due to illness. So that’s a little concerning.
“Bad dates.”
Indiana Jones?
Gives Roberts a great excuse to bury Pollock tho!!
Id much rather see Taylor and Lux everyday and the young bn take abs than AJ
The LAD should have Price on the trade block. If they ate $3M of the $15M they owe him, the tax effect makes it still a straight-up savings.
I think they will Joe, but I think by the start of 22 is the target goal in preparation of Seager/Kershaw/Taylor ….
Probably helps the cause to get him out there a couple months at least for a showcase.
AF might want to get him or 1 run this year for old times sake but if there’s callers at the break this year I’m sure he would listen
wow thought Clarke’s experience would give him the edge. good for Widener.
Dodgers should go to a 6 man rotation for 2021.
They have the depth.
Agree and that would be scary for the rest of NL West and the playoffs to come thereafter….
I agree, id kinda like to see Nelson as that 6th guy as well
Gonsolin is under rated plain and simple. Look at his numbers. I’m throwing Gonsolin in the 5 spot, Price is my long man and May is my closer.
I’ve been saying that all along
May could end up as a closer, depending on how his secondary pitches develop, but I wouldn’t count him out as a starter just yet.
@DarkSide Widener earned it and Clark will be great for long relief. It could easily have been the other way around, though.
Decision made. May is the #5 starter and Price will begin the season in the pen.
May is the logical choice, especially if Price embraces a bullpen role. So many things happen over the course of a season….I doubt many teams expect to have a set starting rotation for an entire season. The flexibility the Dodgers have put together is really impressive, and it’s not just about dollars. Back to May.. that guy is a great fifth option…much higher in any other teams’ rotation. Just great to watch as a Dodger fan, and so is Gonsolin in his own right.
Just wondering if the Dodgers have given any consideration to carrying Rulz on the 26 man roster. I realize it would be best for him to play every day, but having a 3 catcher would enable them to use either Barners, Smith, or Rulz off the bench when a Right Handed bat is needed (one thing they are lacking) (all 3 are Right Handed plus Rulz is a switch hitter. Even with limited spring training, Rulz has shown he has a good eye at the plate.
They will probably by July.
Barnes and Smith have versatility if the dodgers ever needed to play 2 of the 3 in at the same time