As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Astros, Rockies promoting prospects:
The Astros are off to their worst start in recent memory this season with a 9-19 record. Even though it remains early in the 2024 campaign, it’s becoming more and more difficult to imagine the club returning to the ALCS for a ninth consecutive season without some changes. It’s possible that needed change could be coming today, when first base/outfield prospect Joey Loperfido will reportedly be called up prior to tonight’s game against the Guardians. Loperfido is off to a sizzling start at Triple-A, slashing .287/.393/.713 with a whopping 13 homers in 123 trips to the plate.
Loperfido likely isn’t the only prospect getting the call to the big leagues today. The Rockies are expected to call up top outfield prospect Jordan Beck prior to this evening’s game against the Marlins in Miami. The 23-year-old Beck has gotten off to a hot start of his own with a .307/.405/.594 slash line in 121 trips to the plate and figures to take the roster spot of outfielder Nolan Jones, who is likely to hit the injured list today. Beck will try to provide a spark for a struggling Rockies offense that ranks just bottom three in the majors with a 79 wRC+. Neither Beck nor Loperfido is currently on his club’s 40-man roster, meaning Houston and Colorado will both need to make a corresponding 40-man move to accommodate their incoming youngster.
2. Darvish to be activated:
The Padres are set to activate veteran right-hander Yu Darvish from the injured list to take on the Reds, manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell) last night. Darvish, 37, was placed on the IL two weeks ago due to tightness in his neck following a pair of difficult starts against the Cubs and Dodgers that saw him surrender a combined seven runs on five walks and eight hits in eight innings of work. Despite that pair of rough outings, Darvish has been solid overall this season with a 4.18 ERA and 3.79 FIP in 23 2/3 innings of work that have seen him strike out 21.8% of batters faced. The Padres will need to make a corresponding active roster move to accommodate Darvish’s return. The veteran righty will try to get back on track opposite former teammate Nick Martinez.
3. MLBTR Chat today:
The 2024 season is now in full swing, and some clubs have gotten off to surprisingly strong starts while a handful of others have unexpectedly struggled to open the year. If you have questions regarding your favorite club’s start to the campaign, or perhaps questions that look ahead to this summer’s trade deadline and the 2024-25 offseason, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will host a live chat with readers today 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 it is completed.
When he went on the IL Darvish looked like the struggling outcast in a solid rotation who needed a mental break. But with the since spiraling others, he now looks like one of the boys.
On what planet is a 4.18 a “solid” ERA?
@avenger65
The 2024 league ERA sits at 4.00, so that seems to be average. I guess depends on how you define solid but I’d say based on the average for the current season, 4.18 seems solid. Also note that the 2023 league ERA sat at 4.33, so a 4.18 would be better than league average.
@avenger. Who said it was?
Pitchers on Mars average 5.00 ERA. 😉
@rodcannon
I can’t wait for MLB to have some teams on Mars. The ball is going to fly out of the park. You’ll probably need stadiums built in miles. HRs will be measured in miles not feet.
Hopefully Darvish can stop the bleeding. I’ve been to ten or so home games this year so far and in every single one the Padres have trailed by 3 or more by the third inning. The offense has been anemic unless you count the occasional garbage time home run. But it doesn’t really matter what the offense does if you are down 5 by the third inning every night. Niebla needs to figure this out. The place has been packed all year but if they keep this up it won’t be. So far the Yankees have won the Soto trade walking away. King has been a decent 4 starter, but the rest have ranged from useless to outright liabilities,
@James Midway
Their wRC+ is 108, meaning they’re 8% better than league average. They’re #6 for fWAR by offense. Their pitching has been a problem as they’ve only put up 0.7 fWAR for starters (ranked 29th). The pen has been a bit better with the 8th best pen in MLB putting up a 1.1 fWAR. Defense is ranked 12th on Fangraphs right now.
I think if they can get the starters up to par, we should see some improvements in the W column.
I would argue Cease has been better than King but yeah, I’m not as inclined to drive down to games and have been offering our season tickets to those friends and neighbors willing to take em. I’m beginning to believe Bogaerts’ bat will never return to his Red Sox level. Went to the Musgrove Phillies game and was impressed by Phils, they might be in tier with Braves and Dodgers now.
4.18 is not great for someone with darvish’s track record, but it is great for a 37 year old not in the steroid era
Darvish should be first ballot for the hall of very good
If they make a Hall of the Very Good it will be the day I give up on pro baseball. And I’m almost there now.
I’m beginning to believe Bogaerts’ bat will never return to his Red Sox level.
========================
His hitting was not that good at the end. If you ignore the BABIP, he had 15 HRs with a 118/57 K/W in his last year.. That’s good-ish, but nowhere near great.
And he’s had fairly significant home/away splits (.862/.751).
With all due respect to “some” Padre fans who think he’s been great.
The thing with bogey is that while he is above average in about everything, he has never been elite in any of the 5 tools
No gold gloves, 1 top 5 mvp finish, no titles
His batting average is probably his best skill but I don’t like to call a .289 elite
Perfect HOVG candidate fringe actual HOF candidate
Good guy too. But also 31.212 years old. Certainly not ancient, but certainly not a kid.
@JoeBrady Those past numbers are goodish not great. But his numbers now are baddish, not good. And that’s my point.
You’re absolutely correct. But I’dlso expect at least a modest return to form. His HR/FB of 6.9% is lower than usual.
Brew yeah I gave my Philly tickets away to each game I knew what was coming, but I came to the same conclusion as you. The Phils have a complete team and are right there with the Dodgers and Braves.
Bogearts has been a huge disappointment. He strikes out a ton and has absolutely no range. Unless the ball is hit right to him, it’s going through.
If the playoffs started today…
#1 Cleveland Indians & #2 New York Yankees
Wild Card Games:
KC Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles
Seattle Mariners vs. Detroit Tigers
#1 Atlanta Braves & #2 Milwaukee Brewers
Wild Card Games:
Chicago Cubs vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Los Angeles Dodgers vs. Cincinnati Reds
Wrong, per usual. Jesus the internet is a tool available to everyone, use it.
@drasco036
I guess betmgm.com is wrong.
I guess mlb.com and the standings are wrong. Moron.
It’s funny when you try to defend your stupidity
Jesus, when you choose a betting site over the official mlb site, that says a lot about how your little brain operates
@drasco036
Nice, I guess they are wrong given the date of their website data was from the 29th.
Not wrong..just not updated to include last nights results. Cubs and Balt lead their respective divisions.
Nope, they just aren’t updated. You are wrong cause you had multiple websites with the correct information and you chose bet . Com as your source
@MysteryWhiteBoy13
That’s pathetic.
@ everyone. Seriously, who cares? It’s April, calm down.
Not as pathetic as a guy who doesn’t know how to use the internet in 2024. My 3 year old could tutor you if you want
@Brew’88
Baseball fans are passionate and when a moron like myself posts nonsense, I’m going to hear about it.
@MysteryWhiteBoy13
I said it was pathetic that I failed. I wasn’t suggesting you were.
You’re the eye of the hurricane Old York. Seems to be the modern pastime, to diss on anyone who says anything.
#1 Cleveland Indians & #2 Baltimore Orioles
Wild Card Games:
KC Royals vs. Seattle Mariners
Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees
#1 Atlanta Braves & #2 Chicago Cubs
Wild Card Games:
Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers
Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Alls I know is if Baltimore doesn’t get their bullpen in order, they’re not gonna be a part of this kinda discussion in the not too distant future.
Who cares besides you?
@rodcannon
You did, since you replied. I guess you wanted to know if your team is in the playoffs or not. So, that begs the question. Are they?
Hey rodcannon is this your mo or have you already tipped back with pinky extended a few Bud Lights there cutie?
I feel more confident with the 12 yr veteran on the mound than the small sample size of career starts by Waldron, King, and Vasquez. The Padres need Darvish to stop this recent skid.
They will need to send down a pitcher to activate Darvish. Padre fans who do you think it will be? Cosgrove? Waldron? Estrada? Brito? None of the above?
Cosgrove hands down. Morejon has the LH BP slot that Cosgrove earned and kept to this point.
Estrada even though he pitched last so, is a likely pick, is RH and the BP needs him to balance.
Brito has turned it around and been solid – and need RH BP. He has to be given continued opportunities to develop.
Waldron, until Brito or Snelling or Bergert or Mazur get the nod, has to fill the 5 spot and really, is still an ok 5 so don’t rush him out.
With Suarez, Brito, De Los Santos, Kolek and Estrada as RH BP arms, they don’t necessarily have to send a LH back to minors. But I agree it should be Cosgrove not because he’s a lefty, it’s because he’s been really bad and needs to regroup. They should keep Kolek and Estrada for now. Morejon is out of options (I think? right?) so it’s do or die time and he’s looked good.
If it was based on performance, Cosgrove needs to be sent down. I think it is more likely that Estrada is sent down thou as he pitched 2 IP last night.
I have read that Morejon has one option year remaining as a result of his multiple injuries – how they sent him to AAA out of ST.
You have the RH list correct but if one of the RH goes down then the balance is out of whack again which is why I was saying we need to keep Estrada.
Wandy and Matsui and Morejon – 3 Lh is probably more than most carry and 4 definitely is.
Kolek is Rule 5 and pitching well so he has to stay.
When your closer is RH, you basically take him out of the equation because he isn’t an everyday option – not even 1 x a week right now!
Cosgrove being bad makes it easy but if he was doing “ok”, I’d still lean toward keeping a RH right now.
Ack – I think that and the fact that he is likely the up and down guy for 2024 does make it more likely that Estrada goes but I hope not.
I’d rather have Estrada available on Wednesday than Cosgrove!
Would be Astros 8th straight ALCS, not 9th….
#freeBauer2024
Wish I had a nickle for every time “Prospect Promotions, Darvish, MLBTR Chat” reminded someone of Bauer
If it weren’t for Harambe you’d probably go broke.
Pirates need up people who can hit! Hitting coach terrible!
I believe it was the MLBTR podcast that talked about how the hitting (and pitching) coach(es) are vastly over criticized due to that every hitter and pitcher have their own hitting and pitching “guru” that they are working with on their own.
It will be extremely difficult and damn near impossible for the Astros to head to their ninth consecutive ALCS appearance. They are only seven consecutive now