As Spring Training continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Pitchers making their team debut today:
It’s still the early days of spring, which means a number of players have not yet gotten into a game so far. As more players start making their first appearances, fans will continue to get their first looks at offseason acquisitions in their new settings. Today, perhaps the most notable among these is right-hander Luis Severino’s first appearance as an Athletic after he signed the largest free agent deal in franchise history back in December. Severino is slated to start the club’s 1:05pm MT game against the Padres, who will be countering with knuckleballer Matt Waldron.
Over in Florida, meanwhile, right-hander Cal Quantrill will make his on-mound debut for the Marlins at 1:05pm ET opposite the Cardinals and Andre Pallante. At that same time, Jack Flaherty will be kicking off his return to the Tigers with his first appearance for the club since being traded to the Dodgers over the summer. Flaherty will face Quinn Priester and the Red Sox. Coincidentally, the Tigers have announced that shortstop Trey Sweeney (who the club acquired from L.A. in exchange for Flaherty over the summer) will be batting leadoff in this afternoon’s game.
2. Pitchers battling for rotation spots:
Aside from the offseason acquisitions fans will be able to see pitch for their club for the first time today, a number of back-of-the-rotation pieces around the league are looking to make their case for an Opening Day rotation spot with their club. That group includes Waldron and Priester, both of whom are on the periphery of the fifth starter conversation in San Diego and Boston respectively.
Beyond those two aforementioned names, Landon Knack of the Dodgers (1:10pm MT vs Colorado), Jordan Wicks of the Cubs (1:05pm MT vs Anaheim), Matt Manning of the Tigers (1:05pm ET vs Tampa), Graham Ashcraft of the Reds (1:05pm MT vs Arizona), and Bryce Elder of the Braves (6:05pm ET vs Washington) are all scheduled to start games today as they look to muscle their way ahead of the competition for a vacant fifth starter job. None of these players are currently considered to be a favorite, with Waldron having perhaps the cleanest path to an Opening Day rotation job of the group, but a strong performance this spring could help these hurlers get noticed as they jockey for positioning on their club’s rotation depth chart.
3. Reds in the market for pitching depth:
The Reds have had a fairly busy offseason, which they kicked off by bringing in future Hall of Fame manager Terry Francona. They’ve swung trades for Jose Trevino, Brady Singer, Taylor Rogers, and Gavin Lux since then while also bringing back Nick Martinez on the Qualifying Offer and signing Austin Hays to patrol the outfield. It’s possible they aren’t done yet, however, as reporting yesterday suggested that the club hopes to add another depth option to its rotation mix.
That’s understandable given the slow starts to the spring for lefty Andrew Abbott and prospect Rhett Lowder, particularly given the fact that non-roster veteran Wade Miley won’t be ready until May as he rehabs Tommy John surgery. Jose Quintana, Kyle Gibson, and Spencer Turnbull are all pitchers that seem likely to score big league deals even at this late stage of the offseason, while potential candidates for non-roster deals include Alex Wood, and Marco Gonzales.
I’d just as soon the Reds add a pitcher who is comfortable in a “swingman”/”spot starter” role. There may be 3-5 starts available in April, but at least 1 of Miley, Abbott, or Lowder should be ready by May. They still have healthy Ashcraft, Spiers, & maybe Lyon Richardson vying for that 5th rotation spot behind Greene, Lodolo, Martinez, and Singer. Frankly, I’d rather they look for a powerhitter or a defensive specialist than a sp.
Turnbull then. As he’s done both
Chase Petty is ready for MLB. If they are going to continue to mess with him and hold him back they need to trade him. The Reds are nothing but bozos
Petty has pitched 10 innings in AAA and is not yet 22 years of age.
Last year he pitched 127 innings in AA to a 4.39 ERA and walked 4 batters per 9 innings. He hardly seems ready for the big show.
The last thing any organization should do is a rush a player to the majors. Certainly not the Reds, who are not one pitcher away from a title.
He’s ready. The eye test shows it. You just want to argue. Get a life
I was stating facts that can be assessed and reviewed and debated.
You’re talking about your ‘eye’ and then feebly attempting to insult me. One of us may be here just to argue, but I don’t think it’s me.
@Canuckleball: You’re responding to BITA/blackpink/Joel P’s new screen name. Everyone on the site knows he’s only interested in picking fights and insulting others here—-especially fans of teams in the NL Central that aren’t his Cards.
The eye test? Please tell me how many Chattanooga Lookouts games you watched last season to make the claim that the eye test shows he is ready. I like Petty and think he has a bright future, but he is not going to be starting for the Reds in 2025 without injuries to the starting rotation. The reason the Reds went out and acquired Singer, kept Martinez, signed Miley and continue to look for starters is so they don’t have to rush guys like Petty, Lowder and Burns to the MLB rotation.
They’re all ready. They just don’t want to start their clock so they can retain control. Look it up dipstick
You are an idiot, a troll, or a combination of both. There is no reason to continue engaging with your nonsense. Go Reds!
I don’t know any of those other screen names, but yeah this guy is clearly just a troll.
@sj: He gets banned and returns w/a new screen name every couple of months. He’s a Cards fan that spends most of his time on here insulting Cubs, Reds, Pirates, and Brewers fans. Makes a lot of comments accusing MLBTR of being a “Cubs fanboy site.” Some of his key insults are “dipstick” and “you just made that up (when faced w/facts that refute his arguments).” He’s banned dozens that he enticed into arguing w/him over his nonsense.
10 innings at AAA means he’s probably not ready unless he takes off like a Skenes or others do every now and then. Fellow Tigers fans have your same opinion with Jobe. He’s barely tasted AAA and I think the last two spots will go to Mize and Maeda, personally. Unless Cinincinnati has terrible options, and you’d know better than me, as a fan of theirs, they should probably let him finish/polish off his development.
Top prospects like Jobe don’t necessarily need to spend much time in AAA.
I’d like to see the reds flip Jemier candelario to Arizona for Jordan Montgomery.
Not bad framework. Don’t know if the DBacks have much room for him though with Suarez, Smith, and Naylor already in the fold and don’t know if they’d want to take on the extra year without a decent sweetener.
Could do a straight swap of Eugenio Suarez for Candelario. Salaries line up for 2025. Dbacks get an extra year of control, Reds free up salary for 2026.
that would cost the Reds salary difference of 10 mil….ain’t gonna happen
Won’t happen, but I guarantee you Suarez will be more productive than Candelario.
Flaherty just did what aroldis Chapman did almost 10 years ago, get traded at the deadline for prospects, win a championship, and then go back to the old team with the prospects blooming
If Peter Seidler was alive then I have a strong suspicion that the Padres would have done the same thing with Soto.
Maybe the Yankees can link up with the Reds with Stroman/Candelario and some cash going one way to make up the difference in value.
Have to think reds been all over that deal all offseason. Prob ok Cashman to make it happen
reds aint up giving up candelerio for stroman.the yankees would have to give up dominguez and spencer jones and pay 90% of stromans contract.nobody wants stroman in the mlb.perhaps they might be able to trade him to a team in japan or korea.
I’m not a big Candelario fan but with Spencer Steer having health issues I don’t seem them trading him.
Should have signed Junis. He was as good as they had the last month of the season and he signed inexpensively. Very versatile pitcher
I would have loved to see Junis back. He lost money when he turned down the option to return to the Reds, but yeah he could have been very useful to this team in 2025.
I coud see a reunion with Wood or DeSclafani on a minor league deal. I suspect Krall already has a pretty good idea who’s going to get that 40th roster spot when they place Williamson on the 60 day IL.
“Meanwhile” has to start the sentence, not come in the middle between commas.