The Opener

With MLB’s 2024 regular season officially underway, here are three things worth keeping an eye on for MLBTR readers headed into the weekend:

1. Montgomery deal to be made official:

The Diamondbacks landed the last top-tier free agent on the market earlier this week when they signed southpaw Jordan Montgomery to a one-year deal that includes a vesting option for the 2025 season. Montgomery, 31, helped the Rangers defeat Arizona in the World Series just five months ago but now figures to join the Diamondbacks’ rotation alongside Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Brandon Pfaadt when the group is at full strength. Montgomery’s deal with the Snakes is expected to be made official today with a press conference to introduce the club’s newest arm, as noted by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The club won’t need to make a corresponding move to add Montgomery to its 40-man roster after designating infielder Emmanuel Rivera for assignment yesterday.

2. Steele headed to the IL?

It was a rough Opening Day for the Cubs, as the club not only fell 4-3 in extra innings against the Rangers in Texas last night but staff ace Justin Steele exited the game in the fifth inning due to what manager Craig Counsell termed a hamstring strain. Counsell did not sound optimistic about Steele’s odds of avoiding a trip to the injured list over the issue and declined to speculate on a timetable for the lefty’s return to a big league mound in the immediate aftermath of the injury. Instead, Counsell indicated that the club will know more after Steele undergoes an MRI scheduled for today.

The 28-year-old hurler has been a major bright spot for the Cubs in recent years and finished fifth in the NL Cy Young award race last season. Since the start of the 2022 campaign, Steele has pitched to an excellent 3.09 ERA with a nearly identical 3.08 FIP in 297 innings of work across 55 starts. Steele’s dominance continued in his first start of the 2024 campaign, as he held the reigning World Series champions to just one run on three hits and a walk across 4 2/3 innings of work while striking out six. While Steele is out of commission the Cubs figure to either rely on Drew Smyly, who took the loss last night after entering the game in the tenth inning last night, or else turn to a younger arm currently at Triple-A such as Hayden Wesneski or Ben Brown to fill the gap in their rotation mix.

3. LeMahieu to undergo second MRI:

Veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu began the 2024 campaign on the Yankees’ injured list after fouling a ball off his foot during Spring Training. While it once appeared likely that the injury would result in only a minimal absence, Brendan Kuty of The Athletic earlier this week reported that the swelling in LeMahieu’s foot had yet to go down. The club scheduled a second MRI for today in hopes of confirming the severity of the issue after the injury hadn’t improved as much as both player and club were hoping. It’s possible today’s testing will provide more clarity on the veteran’s timetable for return, but in the meantime New York figures to turn to Oswaldo Cabrera and newly-acquired utilityman Jon Berti at the hot corner in LeMahieu’s absence. The 35-year-old LeMahieu was roughly league average at the plate in a down season last year but has a strong .285/.358/.430 slash line since joining the Yankees prior to the 2019 season.

Happy Opening Day to MLBTR readers! Here are three things worth keeping an eye on as the 2024 regular season kicks off:

1. It’s Opening Day!

While the Dodgers and Padres already squared off in a two-game set in South Korea last week, the 2024 regular season is set to kick off in earnest today. 26 of MLB’s 30 clubs will participate in games throughout the day, with the Angels kicking things off against the Orioles at Camden Yards at 2:05pm CT this afternoon. A trio of west coast games are set to round out today’s games just after 9pm CT: the Guardians will face the A’s in what could be their final Opening Day at the Coliseum; the Rockies will face the Diamondbacks in Arizona; and the Red Sox will face the Mariners in Seattle.

While most of the league will be engaging in Opening Day festivities, four clubs had their scheduled games postponed due to expected inclement weather today. The Brewers and Mets will begin their seasons at 1:40pm CT tomorrow in New York, while the Braves and Phillies will do the same at 3:05pm CT tomorrow in Philadelphia. In the meantime, one player worth keeping an eye on today is Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neill. As noted by MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, O’Neill has hit a home run in four consecutive Opening Day games dating back to 2019. That makes O’Neill one of just four hitters in MLB history to reach that milestone. Will he become the first to do so on five consecutive Opening Days?

2. Orioles presser this morning:

Yesterday, MLB’s owners unanimously approved the sale of the Orioles to a group led by billionaire David Rubenstein, installing him as the club’s control person. It’s the first change of ownership in Baltimore since the late Peter Angelos purchased the Orioles in 1993. The change of the guard comes at an exciting time for fans in Baltimore, as the club is coming off a 101-win campaign that saw the club win the AL East for the first time since 2014, and the future looks bright as the Orioles boast the best farm system in the majors in addition to their crop of young talent already at the big league level. The Orioles are expected to hold a press conference at 10am CT this morning to discuss the sale and the team’s long-term outlook.

3. Santos to undergo MRI:

While the Mariners welcome the Red Sox to T-Mobile Park for their first game of the regular season, right-hander Gregory Santos is scheduled to undergo an MRI today, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Santos, 24, was acquired by Seattle last month in a deal with the White Sox on the heels of a strong 2023 season. The right-hander posted a 3.39 ERA with an excellent 2.65 FIP last year while striking out 22.8% of batters faced. He also averaged nearly 99 mph on his fastball and figures to join other fireballers such as Andres Munoz, Matt Brash and Ryne Stanek in the mix for high-leverage innings at the back of the Mariners’ bullpen when healthy. Today’s MRI should help to determine how quickly that happens, as Divish notes that Santos will resume his throwing program in the coming days if the testing comes back clean.

Happy Opening Day Eve! Here are three things for MLBTR readers to watch for throughout the game today…

1. D-backs to finalize Montgomery contract:

The Diamondbacks made a last-minute strike to further bolster their rotation last night when they agreed to a one-year, $25MM deal with Jordan Montgomery that contains a vesting player option for a second season. Montgomery will trigger the right to opt into a $20MM salary for the 2025 season if he starts just 10 games, and he can boost that total to $25MM if he makes it to 23 starts on the year. It’s a major grab for a D-backs club currently facing an extended shutdown for their other top offseason rotation addition, Eduardo Rodriguez, who’s dealing with a lat strain. Montgomery will need to pass a physical, and the Snakes will need to open a 40-man roster spot. Rodriguez or injured closer Paul Sewald (Grade 2 oblique strain) could be possible 60-day IL candidates, though the team hasn’t provided an expected recovery timetable on either. If the D-backs don’t want to commit to a two-month absence for either, they’ll need to DFA someone or swing a late-spring trade.

2. Owners vote to approve Orioles’ sale:

Major League Baseball’s other 29 owners will vote today to formally approve the Angelos family’s sale of the Orioles to a group led by Baltimore native and billionaire David Rubenstein. The new ownership group will also feature franchise icon Cal Ripken Jr., NBA Hall of Famer Grant Hill, former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Baltimore mayor Kurt Schmoke, among others. Rubenstein’s group will pay a $1.725 billion price to acquire the controlling stake of the Orioles and their stake in the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN). Today’s vote is viewed as little more than a formality, as no pushback among the sport’s other 29 owners is expected.

3. Last-minute roster machinations:

As we’ve already seen this week, the end of spring training brings with it a flurry of releases, DFAs, waiver claims, free agent signings and, typically, some minor trades. Beyond Arizona’s reported deal with Montgomery, it’s been reported and/or announced that non-roster players Miguel Sano (Angels), Victor Scott II (Cardinals), Jose Ureña (Rangers), Alan Trejo (Rockies), Jared Jones (Pirates), Hunter Stratton (Pirates), Ryder Ryan (Pirates), Daniel Vogelbach (Blue Jays), Joely Rodriguez (Red Sox) and several others around the league have made their club’s Opening Day rosters. Each of those players will require a corresponding 40-man move, as will the yet-to-be-announced dozens of other 40-man additions that the end of spring training will surely bring. The late roster shuffling will set off a chain of player movement on the fringes of 40-man rosters, as will any last-minute signings of remaining free agents of note (e.g. Tommy Pham, Mike Clevinger, Brandon Belt). It’ll be a hectic 24 to 36 hours as teams set their Opening Day rosters, and the flurry of transactions will create a ripple effect that should fill the next week with subsequent, smaller-scale transactions.

With Opening Day just 48 hours away, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye out for today…

1. Sandoval sendoff in San Francisco?

Two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion Pablo Sandoval returned to the Giants on a minor league deal earlier this spring and has spent the month of March back in a Giants uniform. Not only is Sandoval’s spring training coming to an end, however —  his time with his original organization might be drawing to a close as well. As Steve Kroner of the San Francisco Chronicle reports, the team sent an email to fans this weekend to come to Oracle Park for the Giants’ spring finale against the A’s “for what could be [Sandoval’s] final game in a Giants uniform.”

The Giants took a similar approach with Sergio Romo last spring, bringing their longtime star reliever to camp and allowed him to receive a hero’s goodbye in front of hometown fans in last year’s version of this same spring finale at Oracle Park (video link). It’s not yet clear that’ll be the case with Sandoval, but he’s hitting just .200/.286/.200 this spring and hasn’t been in the majors since 2021.

“Whatever happens Tuesday, it’s a blessed time,” Sandoval tells Kroner. “If it’s a farewell, it’s been an unbelievable journey that I’ve been on, all those 11 years that I’ve played for (the Giants). I’ve been blessed to wear this uniform.”

2. More injuries in the Cardinals’ outfield?

The Cardinals will open the season with both Lars Nootbaar (fractured ribs) and Tommy Edman (recovery from wrist surgery) on the injured list. That’s two-thirds of the team’s projected outfield already on the shelf, and following a frightening collision yesterday involving Dylan Carlson and Jordan Walker, it seems Carlson could join them. With both outfielders tracking a Nico Hoerner fly-ball to the warning track in right center field, Walker laid out to try to make the grab and collided with Carlson’s right leg, sending him tumbling and resulting in an awkward landing on his left arm (video link). Walker popped up to recover the ball and get it into the infield, but Carlson remained down on the track and departed the game with a trainer.

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes that Carlson was undergoing testing as of late last night. Manager Oli Marmol told Goold and others that Carlson is feeling “banged up” after the spill. “Combination of that left shoulder when it hit the ground, his hip, his ankle,” said Marmol. “So I don’t have a whole lot just yet other than he doesn’t feel real good.”

Carlson has had a big spring, batting .271/.327/.521 with three homers and three doubles in 52 plate appearances. He’d been slated to serve as the starting center fielder with Edman on the injured list. Alternative options for the Cards include defensive-minded Michael Siani and prospect Victor Scott II.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

It’s time for our last chat of the 2023-24 offseason! I’ll be hosting a 1pm CT chat with readers to discuss the offseason, expectations for the 2024 season and whatever other topics are on your mind. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will both take you to the live chat at 1:00 and allow you to read a transcript after the chat is completed.

With Opening Day now just a few days away, here are a handful of things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye on today…

1. Late additions to the free agent market:

Last Friday marked the first of three uniform opt-out dates for all Article XX(B) free agents — i.e., free agents with six-plus years of service who finished the prior season on a major league roster/injured list — who signed minor league deals over the winter. More than a dozen veteran names triggered outs in their contracts, and while some were selected to the 40-man roster with their current teams (or promised that they would be prior to Opening Day), others were informed they haven’t made the club and were granted their release. There were also a handful of other recognizable names who did not meet Article XX(B) criteria but still had opt-outs negotiated into their minor league deals who’ve also returned to the market.

Each of Trey Mancini (Marlins), C.J. Cron (Red Sox), Julio Teheran (Orioles), Matt Duffy (Rangers), Drew Pomeranz (Angels), Bradley Zimmer (Rockies), Kolten Wong (Orioles), Sandy Leon (Royals), Carl Edwards Jr. (Cubs), Dominic Smith (Cubs), Charlie Culberson (Braves), Mike Moustakas (White Sox), Eduardo Escobar (Blue Jays), Mike Ford (Reds), Zach Davies (Nationals) and Elvis Andrus (D-backs) has been cut loose since last Friday. Veteran pitchers Danny Duffy, Chasen Shreve and Shane Greene were also informed they weren’t making the Rangers’ roster and were free to explore interest around the league — though each was also told he’d be welcome to head to Triple-A to begin the 2024 season there.

Clubs looking for veteran depth to help cover injuries or provide insurance against young/unproven players potentially underperforming have a whole new slate of names to consider.

2. Several roster moves on the horizon:

On the flipside, it’s already become clear that a handful of minor league signees will make their team’s Opening Day roster — but the moves have yet to be formally announced, and thus so have the corresponding transactions. The Blue Jays, for instance, will reportedly select the contracts of Daniel Vogelbach and Brian Serven. Sox Machine’s James Fegan tweets that righty Bryan Shaw is likely to make the White Sox’ roster. The Guardians will add righties Carlos Carrasco and Tyler Beede prior to Opening Day. The Cubs plan to select first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper. The Rangers need a move to select top prospect Wyatt Langford.

Some of these roster additions will be accommodated by simple 60-day IL placements. That’s likely to be the case in Cleveland (Trevor Stephan) and in Texas (Tyler Mahle or Max Scherzer). Not every team has an obvious 60-day IL candidate though, and even those that do could find themselves making multiple transactions to set their Opening Day rosters.

3. Rule 5 decisions nearing:

There were only 10 players selected in the major league portion of the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, and a few of the teams that made a selection will still have a decision on the fate of their Rule 5 picks. The Guardians returned third baseman Deyvison De Los Santos to the D-backs over the weekend, while the Rockies (Anthony Molina), Red Sox (Justin Slaten), Royals (Matt Sauer) and Padres (Stephen Kolek) have already decided to carry their Rule 5 selections on the Opening Day roster. Others, such as White Sox lefty Shane Drohan (shoulder surgery) and Rangers righty Carson Coleman (Tommy John surgery) will open the season on the injured list.

Oakland’s Mitch Spence (selected from the Yankees), Washington’s Nasim Nunez (from the Marlins) and St. Louis’ Ryan Fernandez (from the D-backs) are all still in big league camp with the teams that selected them.

With MLB’s Seoul Series now in the books, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world heading into the weekend:

1. Article XX(B) Opt-Outs are today:

As a provision of the current collective bargaining agreement, uniform opt-out opportunities are provided to Article XX(B) free agents who are in camp with clubs on minor league deals. An Article XX(B) free agent is a player with at least six years of MLB service time who finished the prior season on a big league roster or injured list. The first of those aforementioned uniform opt-out opportunities is set for today at 1pm CT. At that point, any XX(B) eligible player can exercise their opt-out, which would leave their current club with a 48-hour window to either add them to the 40-man roster or release them. Players who remain in their current organization and are not added to the 40-man will have additional opt-out opportunities on May 1 and June 1.

Today’s opt-outs could be particularly impactful for clubs that have been ravaged by injuries in recent weeks. Teams looking for help on the positional side, such as the Reds and Rays, figure to benefit the most from today’s opt-outs, as sixteen of the 31 players with opt-out opportunities are hitters. Included amongst the names on that list are up-the-middle options such as Kolten Wong, Elvis Andrus, and Jake Marisnick as well as corner bats like Mike Moustakas and Garrett Cooper. By contrast, just five of them are starting pitchers, meaning teams facing pitching injuries such as the Marlins, Astros, and Yankees are far less likely to benefit from today’s opt-outs, though it’s at least feasible that a back-end arm or two such as Carlos Carrasco or Brad Keller could return to the open market.

2. Martinez deal to be made official:

The Mets and veteran slugger J.D. Martinez reached an agreement on a one-year deal yesterday that guarantees the 36-year-old a $12MM salary, though the majority of that money is deferred to reduce the net present value of the deal to just under $9MM per RosterResource. The Mets will need to clear space for Martinez on their 40-man roster assuming the deal, which is pending a physical, becomes official in the coming days. New York has no obvious candidates for a trip to the 60-day injured list, as right-hander Kodai Senga is on the verge of beginning a throwing program as he looks to return for a shoulder issue that has sidelined him this spring while fellow righty Max Kranick’s hamstring strain appears unlikely to sideline him for that long either. Barring a surprise injury or a setback for one of the two aforementioned players, that leaves the Mets in position to either designate a player for assignment or attempt to work out a trade of some sort that clears roster space.

3. Will the trade market heat up in the coming days?

The Mets are unlikely to be the only club looking to do 40-man roster maneuvering in the coming days, however. Between the impending opt-out opportunity for Article XX(B) veterans and the fact that Opening Day is fast approaching, teams have already begun to finalize their roster decisions ahead of the 2024 season. Clubs with full 40-man rosters hoping to add non-roster players to the Opening Day squad, whether they be veterans on minor league deals or top prospects who have yet to debut in the big leagues, will need to make room on their rosters in the coming days. That could lead to trades involving players already on the 40-man roster being moved elsewhere for non-roster pieces, allowing teams in need of 40-man space to recoup some value for a player rather than simply designating them for assignment.

Many trades of this caliber, such as the deal that sent outfielder Greg Jones from the Rays to the Rockies yesterday, are fairly minor. Others can be more significant, such as the deal between the Cubs and the Dodgers this offseason that saw the clubs swap top prospects, with Michael Busch headed to Chicago alongside reliever Yency Almonte. In return, the Dodgers cleared two spots on their 40-man roster while bringing back non-roster youngsters in left-hander Jackson Ferris and outfielder Zyhir Hope. Of course, it’s not always feasible for a team to work out a trade when they need 40-man roster space, though the flurry of transactions typically associated with Opening Day roster construction could help to spark a deal or two that might not otherwise get done.

With the start of the stateside start of the regular season just a week away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Montgomery stands alone:

With fellow southpaw starter Blake Snell now off the board after joining the Giants, Jordan Montgomery is the clear top remaining free agent on the board. It appears the lefty’s market has begun to heat up in the days since Snell reached an agreement, with the Yankees having reportedly resumed negotiations with their former starter. Meanwhile, the Rangers’ move to sign right-hander Michael Lorenzen late last night fortified their rotation ahead of Opening Day without needing to re-enter the bidding for Montgomery’s services. The addition of another starting-caliber arm in Texas could spur Montgomery to look for a deal with another club in earnest, as previous reporting had indicated that the lefty was prioritizing a return to the Rangers this winter. With Texas now likely off the board, the Yankees and Red Sox stand out as the teams most frequently connected to Montgomery this winter. With just one week until Opening Day, will the 31-year-old sign in the coming days, or will he wait until the regular season begins to sign?

2. Lorenzen deal to become official:

While the Rangers reached a one-year deal with Lorenzen last night, that move has not yet become official. Not only is the pact pending a physical, which could be in line to happen as soon as today, but Texas will also have to clear space on its 40-man roster to officially add Lorenzen. That shouldn’t be much of a problem for now, as injured veterans Jacob deGrom, Tyler Mahle and Max Scherzer are not yet on the 60-day injured list despite the fact that each of those players isn’t expected to return to a big league mound until sometime this summer. That said, the Lorenzen signing taking one of those spots on the 40-man roster will leave the Rangers with less flexibility as they look to construct their 26-man roster ahead of Opening Day. Top prospect Wyatt Langford and veterans Jose Urena, Jared Walsh, and Diego Castillo could all be candidates to make the team out of camp, thereby requiring a spot on the 40-man roster in the coming days.

3. Reds struggling with injury woes:

Yesterday was littered with bad news for Reds fans, as the club announced that top infield prospect Edwin Arroyo underwent labrum surgery and will miss the 2024 campaign, while sophomore infielder Matt McLain is set to miss Opening Day and is receiving a second opinion on his injured shoulder, with surgery seemingly on the table as a possible outcome. The losses of McLain and Arroyo compound the club’s other absences, which include a potentially lengthy absence for center fielder TJ Friedl as he nurses a broken wrist and Noelvi Marte’s 80-game suspension for a failed PED test. The Reds have seemingly already moved to address the losses of McLain, Marte, and Arroyo by landing Santiago Espinal in a deal with the Blue Jays last night, and could also consider bolstering their outfield mix with an external addition in the wake of Friedl’s injury.

With the regular season now officially underway, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Yamamoto to debut in Game 2:

The first game of the regular season is still ongoing in Seoul, where Shohei Ohtani is making his Dodgers regular season debut and where left-hander Yuki Matsui has already made his MLB debut with the Padres. Game 2 of the series will once again begin at 5:05am CT tomorrow morning, and will be broadcasted nationally on ESPN in addition to streaming on MLB.TV. Game 2 of the series will begin with the MLB debut of right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who signed the largest contract for a pure starting pitcher ever back in December. In his debut, the 25-year-old phenom will take on veteran righty Joe Musgrove, who pitched to a strong 3.05 ERA last season despite being limited to just 17 starts by shoulder and toe injuries.

2. Rodriguez dealing with lat issue:

The Diamondbacks left yesterday’s game against the Cubs facing a major injury scare as left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez exited his start in discomfort after just one inning of work. As relayed by Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports, manager Torey Lovullo indicated to reporters after the game that Rodriguez had departed due to lat tightness. Lovullo initially indicated that his level of concern regarding Rodriguez’s health was “minimal,” though he acknowledged that the severity of the issue would become clearer today.

The reigning NL champions’ most noteworthy offseason addition, Rodriguez signed with the club on a four-year deal back in December on the heels of an excellent 2023 season with the Tigers that saw him pitch to a 3.30 ERA with a 3.66 FIP in 152 2/3 innings of work. Entering the 2024 season, Rodriguez figures to slot into the club’s rotation between right-handers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly, with Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson likely bringing up the rear. Should Rodriguez’s lat problem prove serious enough to a require a trip to the injured list to open the season, Arizona would likely turn to Tommy Henry or Bryce Jarvis to fill in for the southpaw in the club’s rotation.

3. Will the pitching market stay hot post-Snell?

Now that the Giants have announced their two-year deal with southpaw Blake Snell, the top remaining free agent starter is officially off the market. It’s the second major pitching in the past week, joined by San Diego pulling off a surprise blockbuster trade with the White Sox to land right-hander Dylan Cease. Left-hander Jordan Montgomery and right-handers Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger are all still looking for teams. Rumors from earlier this month suggested that Montgomery was searching for a seven-year deal in free agency, while Lorenzen was searching for a two-year deal and Clevinger’s agent recently suggested his client was angling for a one-year pact.

Montgomery has long been tied to the Red Sox, while Lorenzen has been connected to the White Sox in the past and the club’s interest may have grown in the wake of the Cease deal. Meanwhile, the Yankees have been connected to both Montgomery and Lorenzen and are also known to be looking for starting pitching. The Astros are now indicating that they aren’t “actively pursuing” a rotation addition in spite of their recent pursuit of Snell, but it would hardly be a shock to see either them or the Marlins make a play for one of the remaining starters given the injury woes that have faced both clubs this spring.

With the first game of the 2024 regular season just over the horizon, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Seoul Series roster deadline:

The Dodgers and Padres will open regular season play in South Korea tomorrow morning with the first game of two regular season games occurring as part of the Seoul Series. Before right-handers Yu Darvish and Tyler Glasnow take the mound, however, the clubs will have to submit their rosters for the series. As noted by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the deadline to set rosters ahead of the games has been set for 9pm CT this evening, roughly eight hours before first pitch, which is scheduled for 5:05am CT Wednesday morning. Those roster decisions being made are fairly limited, however, as the clubs will be choosing players not from their entire organization but just the 31-man travel roster they brought to Seoul. The Padres are expected to select a pair of prospects to the 40-man roster ahead of this evening’s deadline— Opening Day center fielder Jackson Merrill and third baseman Graham Pauley— but will not need to make a corresponding move to do so as their 40-man currently stands at 36.

2. Snell to undergo physical:

The lengthy free agency of reigning NL Cy Young award winner Blake Snell has finally come to a close, as the southpaw signed on with the Giants on a two-year, $62MM deal with an opt-out after the 2024 season. The deal adds another front-of-the-rotation arm to the San Francisco pitching corps alongside Logan Webb while deepening the club’s starting rotation mix, which offered little certain behind Webb prior to the addition of Snell. The 31-year-old southpaw will have to undergo a physical before his pact with the Giants becomes official, though, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that said physical is expected to be completed today. While the physicals players undergo prior to finalizing deals in free agency are often something of a formality, they can at times alter or even scuttle a deal. The Giants famously saw an agreed-upon 13-year, $350MM deal with shortstop Carlos Correa fall through last winter due to concerns over his physical, and more recently free agents such as James Paxton and Gary Sanchez have seen the terms of their deal revised after their physicals raised concerns for their respective new clubs.

3. MLBTR Chat today:

While the start to the regular season is right around the corner, a handful of the winter’s top free agents remain unsigned. Are you wondering what’s next on the hot stove, or how your favorite team stacks up with the end of Spring Training in sight?  If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.

With the first game of the regular season just days away, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Are the Astros in or out on Snell?

It’s been a whirlwind of a weekend for Astros fans, as the club was reported as being in “serious pursuit” of reigning NL Cy Young award winner Blake Snell. It’s easy to see why Snell would appeal to them in particular, even beyond his pair of Cy Young Awards, as Houston’s starting pitching corps will be without not only Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia Jr. but also Justin Verlander and possibly Jose Urquidy to open the season. Southpaw Framber Valdez and right-hander Cristian Javier are the top healthy starters for the ’Stros, but both took steps back from their 2022 performance last season.

While adding Snell to the mix would be a surefire way to improve the club’s rotation mix dramatically, there’s reason for skepticism about the odds of the sides coming together. Reporting yesterday described the Astros as “long-shots” to ultimately land Snell, casting doubt on the club’s willingness to offer a deal in the $30MM range, which would push them past the third threshold of the luxury tax. Speculatively speaking, the club could pivot to a more affordable rotation arm still available on the market should they be unwilling to stomach Snell’s asking price. Both Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger are still unsigned.

2. Will Pham, Padres complete deal?

While the Padres’ 2023 Cy Young award winner appears to be headed out the door, another player could be poised for a reunion in San Diego. Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham is reportedly in talks with the club on a one-year deal with a salary in the $3MM to $4MM range. The 36-year-old makes plenty of sense for the Padres, who are set to enter the Seoul Series against the Dodgers later this week with Jose Azocar and Jurickson Profar as their top options in left field alongside top prospect Jackson Merrill in center and star Fernando Tatis Jr. in right.

Both Azocar and Profar were more than 20% below league average with the bat last year per wRC+. Installing Pham, who slashed an above average .256/.328/.446 in 129 games with the Mets and Diamondbacks, as the everyday left fielder would be a substantial upgrade. Even though San Diego is a clear fit for Pham’s services, they aren’t the only suitor for the veteran. The White Sox are reportedly involved in Pham’s market as well, where the veteran would presumably serve as a right-handed complement to Dominic Fletcher and Andrew Benintendi in the outfield corners.

3. Perez meeting with surgeon:

Marlins youngster Eury Perez is reportedly dealing with elbow soreness, setting the right-hander up to likely start the season on the injured list. Its a brutal blow to Miami’s rotation plans, particularly in conjunction with the shoulder issues that both Braxton Garrett and Edward Cabrera are dealing with elsewhere in the rotation mix. The number of injuries plaguing the club’s rotation seems to be spurring an all-hands-on-deck approach to the Opening Day rotation. Even more impactful for the club than the decisions on how to fill out the rotation behind Opening Day starter Jesus Luzardo will be Perez’s reported meeting with orthopedic surgeon Keith Meister, who performed right-hander Sandy Alcantara’s Tommy John surgery back in the fall.

Such a meeting isn’t necessarily an indication that Perez is slated for a similar fate, but it’s a clear sign that the Marlins are taking the bout of soreness in Perez’s elbow seriously. Perez impressed over 91 1/3 innings of work in his rookie season last year, pitching to a 3.15 ERA with a 4.11 FIP in 19 starts in just his age-20 season.