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. Tigers/Twins game postponed:
The Tigers announced this morning that the club’s scheduled game against the Twins in Detroit this afternoon has been postponed due to inclement weather. Per the announcement, the game will be made up this coming Saturday as part of a straight doubleheader beginning at 1:10pm local time that afternoon. Ticket-holders for today’s game will be able to exchange their tickets to attend Saturday’s doubleheader or any other regular season game “of similar value” in the next 12 months. The series between the two division rivals is now expected to begin tomorrow at 6:40pm local time.
2. Jansen nearing impressive milestone:
Veteran closer Kenley Jansen is among the most reliable closers in MLB history, with a career 2.51 ERA and matching 2.51 FIP over his 15 seasons in the big leagues. This year, the 36-year-old veteran has a chance to further bolster his spot in the annals of MLB history during his next appearance. Jansen’s next save will be the 424th of his career, tying him with longtime Mets and Reds closer John Franco on the All-Time saves leaderboard. That would leave Jansen tied for fifth all-time in career saves behind only Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, Lee Smith, and Francisco Rodriguez. It’s a milestone Jansen could achieve as soon as tonight, when the Red Sox face the Orioles in Boston for a game scheduled to begin at 7:10pm local time.
3. When will Martinez join the Mets?
Veteran slugger J.D. Martinez signed a one-year deal with the Mets nearly three weeks ago, but has seen his start to the season pushed back by what has been termed “general body soreness” to this point. While there had previously been some optimism that Martinez would be able to make his big league debut at some point this weekend, that’s been dashed now that manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com) that Martinez has received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his lower back and will not return to hitting for at least three to five days. While the timing of Martinez’s debut with the Mets remains up in the air, the 36-year-old veteran has a real chance to impact the club’s struggling offense after slugging 33 homers in just 113 games with the Dodgers last year.
RyanD44
JD Martinez should have known that a guy with his injury history like he has wouldn’t have good fortune with the Mets. Going to the Mets is just asking for bad things to happen to you.
Paleobros
Yeah his “general body soreness” is because he signed with the Mets? Don’t be a silly goose.
Fever Pitch Guy
Pal – After looking at all the comments thus far, none have mentioned the likely REAL reason …. working out in Scott’s compound is nowhere near the same as being in a MLB team camp for spring training.
We knew this would happen.
LordD99
Good point. It’s the same for the pitchers who signed late. Throwing on the side it quite different than game action. With Martinez, they’re saying “general body soreness” but to me the huge red flag is he received a platelet-rich plasma injection in his lower back. That indicates something potentially way more significant than general soreness.
GarryHarris
JD Martinez is a Scott Boras client and he was likely in traction the day he signed.
Tigers3232
@Fever JD is a DH, what specifically would ve been beneficial and prevented this from happening had he been in camp with a MLB team??
Sorry just not seeing how he’d lack anything that could prevent general soreness of swinging a bat. Swinging a bat is swinging a bat regardless of where and when. The soreness associated with doing so does not change in any way.
Travis’ Wood
I’m embarrassed for whoever liked your comment
Old York
@Travis’ Wood
Don’t strain yourself with that level of embarrassment.
C Yards Jeff
General soreness? Reads like he has a back issue. Maybe the reason why he sat so long on the FA market? All bidders knew this and Mets had best offer on table … Boras gave in?
30 Parks
I recall watching Jansen as a catcher in the WBC – Netherlands. Quite a career. Be nice to see Jansen get out of Boston and play meaningful games again.
LifeisJustaFantasy
I recall watching Jansen as a catcher in the Senior League World Series as a 17 year old in Bangor, Maine playing for Curaçao
Old York
@LifeisJustaFantasy
Must have been a thrilling Senior League World Series!
avenger65
Must have been the tallest C in bb history.
GarryHarris
Grayson Greiner.
Cleon Jones
General Body Soreness= “I’m old and can’t get out of bed today.”
MWeller77
This might be the most relatable sports injury I’ve ever heard of. I just call it “my body since I reached age 45” though
Old York
@MWeller77
Aging gracefully, one body ache at a time!
spudchukar
You said recently that Lance Lynn doesn’t belong in the major. Want to amend that comment?
avenger65
spudchukar: Lynn is a good P, but that guy hanging over his pants is kind of an embarrassing for a professional athlete.
spudchukar
I don’t care for it either and he is a pitcher. Yesterday he broke his belt, in the front, in his final inning of work. Pretty funny, but he is a warrior, and held the Phillies to zero ERs in five, lowering his ERA to 2.63.
stymeedone
Its early.
This one belongs to the Reds
I have General Body Soreness most days.
Dude should try being a catcher, it’s a daily occurrence.
Old York
I’m guessing that fans won’t be able to exchange the rainout game today for the Dodgers-Tigers matchup in July, as that would probably not be “of similar value” to a game against the Twins.
vaderzim
You linked the wrong Francisco Rodriguez. The guy you linked played for the Angels in 2010 and 2011, has 1 career win, and 0 career saves.
hrush28
How do you possibly mess up the link for K-Rod?
LordD99
Linking is not manual.
Canuckleball
I believe one of the writers explained this a while ago, but their site/system autocompletes links to baseball reference site for them when they write articles. Whenever they mention a name that covers multiple players, there’s a chance the system gets the wrong link. The writers usually check but sometimes miss or forget to do so.
It happens.
AE86
Not if you have quality. Remember, this isn’t an amateur site. They want you to pay money for it.
Contracts
The Cleveland Browns aren’t an “amateur” team either.
AE86
What do the Cleveland Browns have anything to do with this? Are you trying to make a dig at me or something? FYI, I don’t back the Cleveland Browns, sillynanny.
lesterdnightfly
“General Body Soreness” — Wasn’t he in charge of all Boot Camp exercise programs?
Gwynning
His chain of command was Major Payne, Sergeant Slaughter and Corporal Punishment.
riffraff
I beleive it was Sgt Slaughter, General Akbar and Corp. Kirchner
StudWinfield
My neck, my back…
Gwynning
“Doc says I need a backiotomy!”
Old York
@ Gwynning
Sounds like you’re ready to audition for a medical sitcom!
Gwynning
I’d be remiss if I passed on an opportunity to reflect on one of my favorite Dave Chapelle quotes.
ohyeadam
Red team go. Red team go!!!!!
Raysasineppswasplanted
GBS Is a real health condition that’s spreading around the over 40’s population. It starts after a hang out with your old buddies and the next morning is more painful and disturbing than the hangover effect. Too much bending over the ice chest can lead to serious injury that requieres even as JDM case mentions, an RPI.
Old York
@Raysasineppswasplanted
Sounds like you’ve got the diagnosis and treatment plan all set!
whyhayzee
Jeez, I’ve run 20 marathons since I was JD’s age. Come on, man, get up and go.
avenger65
whyhayzee: I wonder how much these guys exercise, especially during the off-season. I know some of them like to lift weights but there is more to it than that if they want to stay healthy during the regular season. Lance Lynn has a personal trainer who he says gets him ready to pitch 9 innings. His trainer must also be a baker.
Liberalsteve
I’m pretty much ready to say that Jose Abreu is older than his age. No way that dude is under 40
Old York
@Liberalsteve
Given that my parents only tell me that I was born a certain year, I can’t be certain if I’m the age that people tell me I am.
Hotdog 2
Do you think Danny almonte knew his real age?
Old York
@Hotdog 2
A person is only told their age by the parents and institutions. A baby being born has no understanding of their actual age.
drasco036
Were you born before birth certificates?
drasco036
That’s racist! Or at least it was when Joe Simpson said Juan Soto wasn’t 19.
Wren
Kenley has had a finie career. Warrior dealing w his heart issues. Also blew the biggest saves of his career and his ego made it impossible to watch. Don’t wish him any ill will just stay away from Dodger stadium.
benhen77
Twins hardly playing at all to start the season. Bunch of scheduled off days and now 2 rainouts…
DionJameskilledmyparakeet
With apologies to Correa and Kirilloff, one could argue they’ve barely played when on the field, too.
WSC’s since ‘62 PHI 2 ATL 2 NYM 2
Kenley Jansen Stats
817 total career innings
821 games pitched
Career high 76 innings in a season
His teams played over 20,000 innings in his career, he participated in about 4% of those innings.
96% of the time Kenley Jansen was a spectator.
Baseball’s Topics on Baseball Today
Ok.
lesterdnightfly
Asinine comment of the day.
I think he just maybe might have been using much of that time, well, you know, getting ready for his only job–finishing a win for his team.
Some “spectating”.
ohyeadam
Minimum 10,000 of those innings he’s spectating. Every blowout, the first 6 innings, if he’s pitched recently, injuries
WSC’s since ‘62 PHI 2 ATL 2 NYM 2
@lester
Saves or “finishing a win for his team” as you noted are just a counting stat,
relief pitcher = pitcher who doesn’t have the stuff or the stamina to go 6+ innings every 5th day.
A 2.51 FIP when you almost never have to face a batter more than once in a game and in the majority of cases you only have to go to the mound once per game…….
Ton of “saves” but in watching him for a lot of years, never thought “wow”……and he didn’t pitch much, 800 innings.
AE86
This should give some answers to all those people wondering why nobody was offering a long term, top dollar salary to JD Martinez.
MPrck
Another day of B.P can’t hurt Detroit.
GarryHarris
No one wants to watch the Tigers’ offense make easy outs.
99socalfrc
How do some of these players live with themselves? Martinez waits out the entire offseason because his ask was too high, then the Mets seemingly gift him a $12m deal and three weeks in he has “general body soreness”??? What a joke.
avenger65
99socalfrc: The problem is definitely Boras. MLBTR just posted that Montgomery has changed agents. I’m sure he won’t be the last.
shibbynotdude
You linked the wrong Francisco Rodriguez. You want the one who played for the Angels from Venezuela.
avenger65
Nick, Tim: I hope you haven’t caved and are listing games by ET. Stay with CT please.
jwt421
Taking bets on the over/under for JD having more ABs than Jed Lowrie. The number to beat is 7.
On a more serious note, he had a cranky back last year. I’d be surprised if he plays in more than 100 games this year.
TroyVan
Tigers and Twins probably won’t start until Saturday. Rain expected Friday as well with very gusty winds.