As the All Star break draws near, here are three things we’ll be keeping a eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Cowser to debut:
Orioles outfield prospect Colton Cowser is set to make his MLB debut during this evening’s game against the Yankees. Cowser, 23, is a consensus top-40 prospect in the sport who’s torn up Triple-A to the tune of a .330/.459/.537 slash line in 257 plate appearances at the level this season. A corresponding move will be necessary to clear space for Cowser on the club’s 40-man roster. MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko, who was the first to report the Cowser news, also indicated that the Orioles could make additional roster moves beyond the ones necessary to make way for Cowser. It’s possible those moves could add an additional arm to Baltimore’s bullpen, which is currently operating with just seven arms.
2. Rodriguez to return:
Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez is poised to return to big league action this evening as he takes the mound against the A’s. After managing just 91 innings of work in his first season with Detroit, Rodriguez has been dominant in 2023. The lefty posted a phenomenal 2.13 ERA and 3.18 FIP over 11 starts before going on the injured list with a ruptured pulley in his left index finger at the end of May. Rodriguez’s return was preceded by that of fellow lefty Tarik Skubal, who struck out six and allowed nothing but a hit by pitch across four scoreless innings against the A’s last night.
Despite the club’s record of 37-47, the Tigers are only 5.5 games out in an extraordinarily weak AL Central division. With the rotation finally getting healthy and the trade deadline less than a month away, Detroit will need to determine quickly whether or not to listen to offers on Rodriguez, who can opt out of the final three years and $49MM on his contract and return to the open market after the 2023 season comes to a close.
3. Rendon IL decision incoming:
Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon left yesterday’s game against the Padres after fouling a pitch off his shin and was seen using crutches after the game. Initial x-rays came back negative and Rendon expects to know whether or not he’ll require a trip to the IL today, though he admitted last night that “it doesn’t look good.” In 183 plate appearances this season, Rendon has hit .236/.361/.318 with a roughly league average wRC+ of 97. While Rendon’s plate discipline numbers have been fantastic (13.7% walk rate against a strikeout rate of just 14.8%), he’s had a lot of trouble generating power as evidenced by his .081 ISO, which would be a career low if maintained over the course of the full season.
Should Rendon require an IL stint, it will be yet another blow to an Angels position player group that has lost Mike Trout, Gio Urshela, Brandon Drury, and Zach Neto in recent weeks while also playing the majority of the season without either half of their primary catching tandem of Logan O’Hoppe and Max Stassi. Angels fans are also surely waiting to hear more about the status of Shohei Ohtani, who exited yesterday’s game with a blister issue and indicated uncertainty over how the issue would impact his hitting in the last few games before the All-Star break.
Oh the horror of only having 7 in the bullpen! Those poor Orioles!
But why? The active roster is 26. 13 pitchers, 13 position players. 5 in the rotation leaves 8 in the pen.
Angels should trade Ohtani and make them take Rendon and his full salary with them
Rendon is GARBAGE
But he’s happy garbage. He smiles and giggles every time he jogs down to first on a grounder. Or after he strikes out. Or after he makes an error. What a healthy (pardon the irony) personality!
Rendon is on the record as not really liking baseball so, while I think you were going for sarcasm, he simply just doesn’t care and he’s laughing all the way to the bank every time things don’t work out for him.
Rendon is absolutely not someone I expect will try and hang on once he’s paid in full for his current contract. His final game in uniform will likely be the last baseball game he sees.
Plus Rendon is making significantly more than Mike Trout this season and the next 3. Nice signing Artie.
$38 vs $35.45 million. More, but not significantly more.
You are correct that it was Moreno that drove the signing of Rendon. Eppler was pushing for long term deal for Cole. Moreno wanted Rendon. Moreno won and Eppler left at the end of the season.
38.6 mil. That’s over 3 mil difference. That’s significant to me.
To all of us mere mortals, that is a significant amount of money. Its nearly 50% more than my annual income and I make more than most. For superstar players its not much.
He didn’t come off as especially happy when he grabbed that fan by the shirt earlier this season…
Being cussed out by someone isn’t baseball-related, though.
Caring about being heckled by a fan sure is though.
He cares and pretends to not to make himself sleep at night, its a pretty old story,.
The fan threatened him with violence. Shouldn’t do that from within arms reach. Just because you are a fan doesn’t mean you are immune to getting your behind handed to you. He was lucky Rendon showed restraint.
I believe the fan was trying to share the link to Rendon’s stat page with him.
That is truly threatening.
Nice, add racism to the list for you. What on earth is wrong with you?
let’s not pretend this doesn’t happen to every visiting player in every park, if you can’t handle it, you shouldn’t be in the sport, and clearly the only thing Rendon can handle is being about a durable as paper mache…
Threatening violence is a crime in California. Rendon agreed not to press charges. The guy he grabbed by the shirt agreed not to attend anymore games or try to press charges. A win-win.
It really isn’t. That’s why they always call that stuff “extracurricular.”
Ok. That is really funny.
I’ve noticed that a lot with Rendon this year too. He seems like like chuckle and smile to himself whenever he K’s, makes a throwing error(worst throwing motion for a 3b in MLB), GIDP, or makes some other type of terrible play. I thought he was going to have a nice bounce back season this year for the Halos. But after seeing the video from opening day in Oakland when he got into it with a fan and noticed that NOT 1 of his teammates came over to get his back during or even after the incident shows all you need to know. I think his give a $#!+ factor is ZERO, especially now that he’s already been paid. I don’t think he’s very well liked inside that clubhouse at all. Plus he seems like an absolute p-u-$$-y who will end up on the 15-day IL anytime he stubs his toe. I mean he acted like he broke his femur the other day when he came out of the game after he fouled the ball off his leg, only for x-rays to reveal it was only a sore v@gina@! He was rolling around like he had been shot, then tried being Tony Tough Guy by pushing off Nevin and the trainer when they tried helping him walk off the field! He’s on his way to being one of the worst contacts in MLB history at this rate.
Strasburg has entered the chat
Don’t worry. If Pujols is any indication, Rendon will be inducted into the HOF after years of Anaheim mediocrity based on his time with the Nationals.
If you take all the players currently on the IL, you’d have a WS champion. Rendon, Judge, Springs, Buehler, Kershaw, Neto, Ray, Mize, Kopech, etc. I know I’ve left some players out. Don’t get mad at me, just add on whoever you can think of.
Max Fried
Yordan Alvarez
Jacob deGrom
Mike Trout
Merrill Kelly (?)
Chris Sale (?) peak not the current version
Shane McClanahan
Drew Rasmussen (?)
(?) means I am not sure if these players have been/are still good enough to be on the list.
Edwin Diaz
You’d have half of the Angels starting lineup.
@avenger65: They wouldn’t win anything being on the IL.
German Marquez
E-Rod is on pace for 140 innings, has a career ERA above 4.00 and is 30 yrs old. He is currently signed for $16.3MM per year. This looks like another Michael Wacha situation, except E-Rod already got his money. If it was you, would you opt out?
I don’t know, stymee, there are a lot of foolish owners out there (C. Illitch being one of them). You’re applying logic to an inherently illogical situation.
All depends on how the season plays out. 16 mil is about right for his services on the open market and there’s more money out there today than ever before. If he proforms well or well enough to be traded – he will opt out
In your scenario ERod would have a very similar situation as Carlos Rodon after the 2021 season. Rodon was injured at the end of that season but produced similar numbers as ERod this year, so far. Not implying he will get the big contract Rodon got but should do better than his current deal
Rodon was younger, and that contract serves as a warning to teams signing Pitchers with injury histories.
My answer would be an unequivocal YES were it not for one factor – all that time he was MIA last year. Teams will be very wary of him no matter what explanation they get. When a player just goes off incognito for weeks without returning any calls or texts, that’s a big time red flag.
Call me a psychic. Rendon headed to the IL. Had to consult the tea leaves, tarot cards and the bones to accurately predict this one.
Another Rendon IL stint is borderline addition by subtraction with those season numbers.
Time to cut bait with Rendon.
Rendon, man what a terrible signing this turned out to be. A year in with Anaheim looked poised to climb out of their playoff ditch here comes all of the injuries right before the All-Star break. At this rate unless Trout is traded he will never win a ring
Again, Trout can’t be traded based on his contract.
Never said anything about Trouts contract. Was just saying he’s a 5 tool player and it’s a shame they can’t put a solid roster around him. Poor front office staff. If the Angels continue to build teams this way they will never be in the Ws let alone win one. Hell they can’t even make the playoffs. It’s just sad to see
Poor mike trout
“it’s a shame they can’t put a solid roster around him.”
The Angels have a talented roster. More like, “it’s a shame they can never stay healthy.” To date, Trout and Ohtani have never played a full season together.
They have surrounded him with a solid roster, and he just joined them on the IL.
They do have a talented roster, they need role players and pitching that can sustain a season and a post season. They haven’t even come close to that since 2002.
He’d likely agree to a trade to the right team to escape.
I appreciate the loyalty to be with one team since no one does it anymore but with loyalty, as a player I’d expect my front office to do all they can to win from develop, trade or sign. Trout told you I want to be here. Return the favor to him and your fan base
He obviously signed a lifetime contract with the Angels for a reason, doubt he’s willing to uproot it all to move on at this point.
Never say never!
Trout has been pretty adamant that he is going to finish his career in Anaheim. He was asked if Ohtani leaves in FA if he would ask for a trade and he said it is not even a consideration. Trout is loyal.
Not like they can do much with Trout anyway. The return that they would get would be so minimal without eating cash on his deal. Would be a terrible look.
Trout signing with them was not a “favor.” It was a business transaction. If he gets his checks on time, the Angels are holding up their end. Now if the team, once again, has a better winning percentage with Trout out of the lineup, the question to be asked will be is Trout holding up his end..
Any player that is putting up 6 WAR a season is going to be easy to trade, regardless of his contract. Trout is no exception. Problem lies in the fact that Trout doesn’t WANT to be traded. He holds the keys in his NTC.
They didn’t before, so it would be a first if they did now. Is there a reason you never seem to actually bother with silly things like facts?
“Turned out to be” lol. It was a putrid signing before the ink even dried
@Quinnipiac89: Trout was never going to win a WS anyway.
I think that’s a stretch lol – on the right team I think he absolutely would. He’s a great baseball player. With that front office they will go nowhere
The Angels were furiously bidding against themselves to obtain Rendon at any cost.
Not wrong lol – story of another player paid handsomely after winning a ring. Happens in all sports. Poor management
Similar to the Greinke/Josh Hamilton fiasco-Arte too cheap to pony up for top pitching, so he goes for the big name hitter (Cole/Rendon) thinking he is getting more marquee value for his dollar. His background as a billboard crook does not serve him well running a mlb club.
Greinke I can see, but CJ Wilson is the bigger culprit of what you’re saying. That was a head scratcher.
Rendon, God what a waste of money an a roster spot. He’s made of glass. Injured every year. Rather have 4 prospects then his ass
Not to correct your grammar, but your use of “then” instead of “than” in the last sentence has me cracking up. Really changes your intent!
Ha, it sure does. I had to read it again but yeah, thanks for the chuckle.
Lol! After seeing his account picture makes one think he knew exactly what he was typing.
> It’s possible those moves could add an
> additional arm to Baltimore’s bullpen,
> which is currently operating
> with just seven arms.
7 arms is 3 1/2 people. An extra arm makes 4 complete people, assuming the arms are all attached and not lying around in the bullpen grass or something.
Ha ha!!
Rendon = Glass
Careful. I made that same comment the last time Rendon went on the IL and it ruffled a few people’s feathers for some reason.
> and it ruffled a few people’s
> feathers for some reason.
This place has a lot of those types. I wouldn’t even call them people because you cannot rationalize with them. There’s always one who takes offense to you and latches on for a dance. Mute is your best choice if you ever hear the slow music start to play…
The Angels are always selling “the team will be better when (insert injured player) comes back.” It’s always just around the corner. They’re coming back soon. Right now that’s Neto or O’Hoppe. They did that with Jared Walsh the first third of the season.They do it with Rendon when he’s out. Ben Joyce. Drury. Moore. Now Trout u can add. But who comes back 100%?
The Angels are such a dumpster fire; tied for the longest active playoff drought, and this team has tried and tried to make the playoffs! Two of the best players in the world, and they haven’t even been able to make it to the trade deadline before they’re effectively eliminated.
This team just can not do anything right, every signing fails, trades don’t pan out (at least not enough to move the needle.) This ineptitude has transcended GM’s, managers, coaches, players. It’s honestly laughable at this point. Again, this is all from a team that has desperately tried to contend, and hasn’t even been able to make it halfway through the year before imploding, not even the COVID year where half the league made the playoffs!
It’s time to just fold this franchise and move on, there’s nothing to see here.
The only difference between the Angels and the yankees is that one team cheats. Overpaid, overinjured, overrated, overhyped, they are bacically the same team. Trout / Judge, Cole / Ohtani, Volpe / Neto, Holmes / Estevez, Schmidt, German, Severino / Detmers, Sandoval, Anderson, Rendon / Donaldson, Stanton / Renfro, Bader / Ward, DJLM / Drury, and so on.
Goop on the fingers and coaches in the outfield help the yankees to have the better record.
But, basically, same team.
I really wanna hate this. But I mean it’s not totally wrong
Except People ask when the last time was that the Angels made the playoffs, and those same people ask when the last time was that the Yankees didnt. make them.
Lost in the shuffle of Angel injuries: Ben Joyce won’t pitch off a mound for at least 3 more weeks.
Orioles are looking like a legit WC contender. Now they are bringing up an OF while their OF are all playing well. Interesting decision. Cowser will get playing time, so will Santander see more playing time at DH and less in RF? That makes the most sense to me, Does McKenna get sent down?
Tigers are getting two very good pitchers back and they are only 5.5 games back. Can they realistically make a run at it? Will having those two for 14 starts each make that much of a difference? IMHO, it depends on their schedule. If they have a lot of games against the Central, it could make a huge difference.
Wishing Cowser, the O’s, and the O’s fans all the best, BUT… don’t forget how much bigger the difference between AAA and MLB is than usual this year. If his talent helps him do okay, then eventually kind of good, that will be fine. Don’t let that eye-popping AAA line make you greedy.
This is kind of harsh from someone rooting for Rendon, but it feels like if the ball touches anything other than his glove or throwing hand, he’s off to the IL.
Now all five Angels fans really have something to whine about.
Rendon Trout and Ohtani all in a few days. That’s like 100 mil on the shelf.
Six Angels fans?
Rendon needs to play in a bubble. Just keep him away from Costanza.
I confess to skimping thru some of the comments! Getting a little heated? Regardless of who is at fault. time for Rondon to move on. He is talented, was worth his contract he signed, but just not working out. He needs to be traded for another bad contract like Yelich with Brewers.Iif not, maybe they can cash in on him being medically retired. Just a sad overall case!
His contract is much worse than Yelich’s.
No doctor is going to say he is physically unable to play ever again, so no to the medically retired part.
Who is going to take on what is left on his contract? $115.7 million for 3 seasons.
Yelich is owed $136.5 million, but he is younger and has been both healthier and more productive than Rendon from 2021-2023. This season Yelich is hitting at about his career averages.
Maybe trade him back to the Nationals for a totally worthless Corbin?
Thank you for your response back to me!