We kicked off the morning with a trade of note between the Dodgers and Blue Jays, but here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Woo undergoes MRI:
Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo was set to start last night’s game against the White Sox but ended up a late scratch due to what the club described as a “right forearm issue.” As noted by MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer, the M’s are hopeful Woo will be able to avoid a trip to the injured list, although manager Scott Servis acknowledged to reporters yesterday that an IL stint may end up being necessary. If Woo does require a trip to the shelf, it would be a frustrating turn of events for the Mariners as the young righty has been dominant when healthy enough to take the mound this year, with a 1.06 ERA across six starts. As for possible replacements, lefty Jhonathan Diaz stepped in for Woo last night and allowed three runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings of work. It’s possible the club could stick with Diaz or opt to utilize right-hander Emerson Hancock, who has a 5.24 ERA in seven starts this season.
2. Gallo to the IL:
Nationals first baseman and outfielder Joey Gallo appears to be headed for the injured list today, as manager Dave Martinez told reporters (including Andrew Golden of the Washington Post) yesterday that Gallo “pulled” his hamstring during last night’s game and that the club will need to make a roster move today to replace him. It’s been a tough season for Gallo, who is striking out at a hefty 43% clip while failing to make up for the lack of contact with his usual amount of power. While Gallo sports a career .263 ISO (slugging minus batting average) and a .241 figure from 2021-23, his ISO this year is just .157. With Gallo seemingly headed to the shelf, Joey Meneses could get a larger share of playing time at first, and infielder Trey Lipscomb could also be called up to pitch in at first.
3. Angels dealing with day-to-day injuries:
Two Angels players suffered injuries during yesterday’s loss to the Diamondbacks, leaving their status up in the air. Outfielder Taylor Ward was removed from the game in the eighth inning due to what the team described as “lower back tightness,” while catcher Logan O’Hoppe was pulled from the game two innings prior after being struck in the groin area by a foul ball off the bat of Arizona outfielder Randal Grichuk. O’Hoppe was down for several minutes due to the pain but was eventually able to walk off the field on his own accord.
Fortunately, the Halos appear to have escaped major injuries with both players; Ward told reporters he hopes to be back in the lineup as soon as today, while O’Hoppe indicated that he’s unlikely to play today but was cleared of major injury. If the pair end up needing a few days, Matt Thaiss figures to cover for O’Hoppe behind the plate while Kevin Pillar and Mickey Moniak would likely get extra time in the outfield in Ward’s absence.
The O’Hoppe incident was painful to watch.
Yes it was. That incident was a representation of what it’s been like to watch the Angels this season. Painful.
Angels fandom for the last decade, summarized in an instant.
Frank McCourt = Artie Moreno.
Shadow, you make a good point. I was there for the McCourt years and the Dodgers were a train wreck. An owner can make a huge difference provided they hire good baseball people and let them do their job.
The McCourt years were miserable for LA fans. Good prospects like Kemp, Ethier, Martin with no free great agent signings.
Joey Gallo is cooked. Dude is a DFA candidate, and I don’t of any team that would want his atrocious bat even as a minor league deal. He’s got 36 million in the bag he can stay home…
He’s good for teams that do not have much power like the Nats but at this point they have to constantly platoon him
Normally Gallo’s slugging masks the rest of his game, but he’s not even smacking homeruns this season, that’s his one trick and he’s been mediocre at it…
I was surprised the Nats even signed him and even more surprised he’s still on the roster in mid June as bad as he’s been. Maybe Rizzo will come to his senses while Gallo is on the IL and just hit the eject button when it looks like he’s recovered. Joey’s next stop really needs to be a beer league along with Rowdy Tellez.
Rizzo is one of the brightest GM’s in the league and I’m surprised he’s held onto him for so long. I think he’s praying he gets hot and they can trade him to a power desperate team for anything.
holecamels: That’s unfortunately growing pains for a rebuilding team. While the prospects who will eventually be part of the major league team develop in the minors, you need bodies to fill in for them in the meantime I know it’s difficult but every time a fill-in boots the ball or SO, just remember that hopefully it will get better.
Solaris: Joining Tellez would be Vogelbach, Kirk, Manoah, and any number of SP and RP.
Why do teams keep signing Gallo? He’s terrible at wRC+.
But in 909 games, he’s only grounded into 15 double plays. A whiff is better than a GDP. I think.
@letitbelowenstein
They’re all outs anyway and it really depends on who’s running and how hard the balls were hit to the fielders. Evaluating someone on hitting into double plays is pretty bad.
I guess if you squint hard enough to can actually see something positive in Gallo’s game these days. Must be what Rizzo sees in him.
Are you new to baseball and business?
@Liberalsteve
Today’s my first day of watching baseball. Who are the Angels, mentioned in this article?
Seems pretty obvious that the Yankee facial hair policy irreversibly tanked Gallo’s career.
StudWinfield: What do the Yankees think, that it’s 1950? The hair thing really got started in the late ’60’s with The Great Unwashed, then the A’s with their mustaches. I don’t know if G. Steinbrenner started the clean shaven policy, but I’d like to see what would happen if Charlie Blackmon was traded to the nyy.
I don’t have any issue with the policy but I wouldn’t die on a hill to defend it. It adds a bit if character to the league. That said, seeing a Blackmon or Brandon (baseball is so easy a caveman can do it) Marsh would be a bit odd.
@stud
It was comical to learn that Rougned Odor without his beard makes him look like Gollum, though.
Psst, Angels, trade Ward before his value goes sideways.
Who’s Ric Flair’s favorite baseball player?
“If the pair end up needing a few day” O’Hoppe’s pair will need more than that! Dude won’t be able to run for a week.
And what’s up with the Angels showing Philly highlights and the It’s Always Sunny Cast throwing out a first pitch? If Gubicza wants to talk Philly so much, go be a Phillies TV guy.
Joey Gallo is playing more like Jerry Callo