The Opener: Opt-Outs, Suspensions, Sanchez

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. Article XX(B) opt-out opportunities today:

The most recent collective bargaining agreement between MLB and the MLBPA included a trio of automatic opt-out dates for certain big league veterans who landed minor league deals over the winter. Today is the second of those three uniform opt-out dates, though the opportunity currently applies to far fewer players than it did the first time around, when more than 30 veterans were eligible to opt out.

This time, just seven players are eligible for the uniform opt-out opportunity: Angels outfielder Jake Marisnick, Blue Jays first baseman Joey Votto, Cubs outfielder David Peralta, Rangers right-hander Shane Greene, Red Sox right-hander Michael Fulmer, and Red Sox catcher Roberto Perez. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a look at each of those players’ performance this season and the case for them to opt out. Any player in the aforementioned group who decides to remain with his current organization will get their third and final automatic opt-out opportunity a month from today on June 1.

2. Brewers, Rays face potential suspensions:

Things got heated during Milwaukee’s 8-2 victory over Tampa Bay last night when Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta and manager Pat Murphy were both ejected from the game after Peralta hit Rays center fielder Jose Siri with a pitch. Later in the game, the benches cleared when a skirmish broke out between Siri and Brewers right-hander Abner Uribe which included Uribe landing a slap on Siri before the two were separated. Both Uribe and Siri were ejected from the game following the incident, and it appears likely that suspensions for both players could be in the cards later today. Randy Arozarena would likely slide over to center field in Siri’s absence, while a combination of Joel Payamps, Trevor Megill, and Hoby Milner would likely take on late-inning duties with the Brewers while Uribe serves a suspension.

3. Sanchez to undergo MRI:

Before the eventful later innings of the game had gotten starter, veteran catcher Gary Sanchez was removed from the first inning of the Brewers’ game last night with a bout of right hamstring tightness. Murphy told reporters (including Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel) after the game that Sanchez will undergo an MRI on his hamstring to determine the severity of the issue. Rosiak also notes that Eric Haase was pulled from last night’s game at the Triple-A level and would likely take the place of Sanchez, who is in a backup role behind All-Star backstop William Contreras with Milwaukee, should he require a trip to the injured list. Sanchez has been a solid source of power off the bench for the Brewers this season but has hit for a low average, slashing .208/.283/.458 with three doubles and three homers in just 53 trips to the plate.