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Rays Place Josh Lowe On 10-Day IL Due To Grade 2 Oblique Strain

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2:55PM: Lowe suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain, John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times writes.  This more severe level of strain likely means Lowe will miss at least 6-7 weeks in a best-case scenario, and multiple months on the IL is a distinct possibility.

TODAY, 11:05AM: The Rays placed Lowe on the 10-day injured list, announcing his injury as a right oblique strain.  Switch-hitting outfielder Jake Mangum has been called up to take Lowe’s spot on the active roster, and the 29-year-old Mangum will be making his Major League debut the first time he appears in a game.  Marc Topkin wrote earlier this month about Mangum’s unique career path, as his road to the majors has hit such speedbumps as the canceled 2020 minor league season and a pair of trades, including the deal that brought him from the Marlins to the Rays during the 2023-24 offseason.

MARCH 28: The Rays won their season opener over the Rockies in dramatic fashion, as Kameron Misner slugged a walk-off for his first career home run. Tampa Bay didn’t come out of the game completely unscathed, though. Josh Lowe was lifted for a pinch-runner after hitting a single in the fifth inning. The Rays announced that he experienced right oblique discomfort.

It’s likely he’ll wind up on the injured list. Manager Kevin Cash told Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times postgame that he expected Lowe “to miss some time.” The outfielder is headed for an MRI, which will reveal a more defined timeline. Even low-grade oblique strains tend to cost hitters a couple weeks. More significant strains can sideline players for multiple months.

The Rays won’t know until tomorrow how severe Lowe’s injury is. It’s the second straight year in which his right oblique has given him trouble. Lowe opened last season with a six-week IL stay after straining the oblique in the middle of March. That return was delayed somewhat by an additional bout of hamstring tightness. He was activated in the first week of May but returned to the IL with another oblique strain on May 23. That was a relatively minor problem, as he was able to make it back by June 3.

Lowe got the Opening Day nod in right field even though he’s coming off a down year. The lefty-hitting outfielder turned in a mediocre .241/.302/.391 slash with 10 homers across 387 plate appearances last season. He was far better in 2023, when he drilled 20 homers with a .292/.335/.500 line through 501 trips to the dish.

The start today came against a left-handed pitcher (Kyle Freeland). The righty-swinging José Caballero came off the bench to finish the game in right field. Misner, a lefty bat, could get the majority of the playing time if Lowe hits the IL. Caballero and Curtis Mead are right-handed hitters who could factor in off the bench. Jake Mangum, who has yet to make his MLB debut, is the only other healthy outfielder on the 40-man roster. Tampa Bay added utilityman Coco Montes to their 40-man yesterday. He played some outfield in Japan last season but has not done so in his MLB career.

Giants Outright David Villar To Triple-A

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The Giants announced that infielder David Villar cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A.  Villar was designated for assignment earlier this week.

Because this is Villar’s first career outright assignment, he doesn’t yet have the ability to opt into free agency rather than accept the assignment to Triple-A.  Villar now has that ability going forward in his career, perhaps making for some future transactional wrangling since he is also out of minor league options.  That out-of-options status is what required the Giants to DFA Villar, as the club had to first expose him to waivers before sending him down to the minors.

An 11th-round pick for the Giants in the 2018 draft, Villar had a nice rookie season in 2022, hitting .231/.331/.455 with nine home runs over 181 plate appearances.  Most of his playing time that year came at third base, but once J.D. Davis took the bulk of the hot corner work in 2023, Villar spent more time at first and second base during his time in the majors.  With Matt Chapman taking over third base in 2024 and the Giants’ infield becoming even more crowded with options, Villar played only first base over his 11 MLB games last season.

A lack of offensive production was the larger reason Villar couldn’t find a spot anywhere in the lineup.  He hit only .145/.236/.315 over 140 PA in 2023, and then .257/.270/.457 in 37 PA in 2024.  San Francisco often cycled Villar up and down from Triple-A for depth purposes during his time with the club, but now that his minor league options have been exhausted, the Giants chose to move onto bench players with more roster flexibility.

Giants’ Jerar Encarnacion To Miss Eight Weeks After Hand Surgery

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Jerar Encarnacion suffered a fracture in his left hand (near his ring finger) eight days ago, and the Giants outfielder underwent surgery on his hand yesterday.  The Giants were holding off a set timeline on Encarnacion’s recovery until the surgery was complete, and the team announced today that Encarnacion will be out of action for eight weeks.  Encarnacion began the season on San Francisco’s 10-day injured list, but given this new information, it seems like the club could move him to the 60-day IL (officially sidelining Encarnacion until at least late May) whenever a 40-man roster spot is needed.

The injury was suffered when Encarnacion dove for a ball in the outfield during a Spring Training game on March 21.  Initially, the injury was described as a jammed finger, and Encarnacion also said he was facing a recovery time of around 4-6 weeks since the issue was a hairline fracture in the ring finger.  However, more tests seemingly revealed more serious damage, leading to an even longer IL stay for the 27-year-old.

Encarnacion made his MLB debut in the form of 23 games and 81 plate appearances with the Marlins in 2022, and he didn’t return to the big leagues until his minor league contract with the Giants was selected to the club’s active roster last August.  In between, Encarnacion’s bat was on fire for much of the 2024 season — first during a stint in the Mexican League, and then with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.  That big production got him another look at the Major League level, and Encarnacion then hit .248/.277/.425 with five home runs over his 119 PA in a San Francisco uniform.

While not exceptional numbers, Encarnacion did enough to keep himself on the radar for an increased role in the 2025 lineup.  Until his injury unfortunately spoiled things, Encarnacion was having a strong spring camp, and was projected to be the Giants’ primary DH.  Encarnacion has never been considered a great defensive player, yet he might well have also gotten some playing time as a right-handed hitting complement to lefty swingers Mike Yastrzemski or LaMonte Wade Jr. in right field or at first base.

The Giants have other right-handed depth available, and Encarnacion’s injury most directly opened the door for rookie Christian Koss to make the Opening Day roster.  Wilmer Flores will probably get the majority of DH at-bats until Encarnacion is back, though the Giants could opt to just cycle multiple players through the DH spot to keep everyone fresh.

Braves Sign Eddys Leonard To Minors Deal

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1:22PM: The Braves signed Leonard to a minor league contract, KPRC2’s Ari Alexander reports.

7:53AM: The Tigers released Eddys Leonard from the Triple-A Toledo roster, according to the infielder/outfielder’s MLB.com profile page.  Leonard has spent the parts of the last two seasons in Detroit’s organization and re-signed a new minor league deal last December after being non-tendered and removed from the club’s 40-man roster.

A veteran of six minor league seasons in the Dodgers’ and Tigers’ farm systems, Leonard has yet to crack the big leagues during his pro career.  His chances at a call-up in 2024 might’ve been marred by injuries, as an oblique strain and a hamstring strain limited Leonard to only 82 total games (67 in Toledo, and 15 on the Tigers’ A-level teams as part of rehab assignments).

When Leonard did play, he hit .263/.326/.455 with 10 homers over 282 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.  This performance came on the heels of a .302/.374/.530 slash line in 171 PA with Toledo in 2023, so Leonard may have increasingly little to prove in the upper minors.  However, he hit poorly in Spring Training this year, perhaps costing himself a prime opportunity to break camp with a Tigers team was looking to fill some roster holes due to injury.

The 24-year-old Leonard will now return to the open market, looking to land with a team in need of some versatile depth.  Shortstop is Leonard’s primary position, but he has also seen a lot of time at second and third base and in center field, plus a handful of games in the other two outfield positions.  In 2024, Leonard stuck almost exclusively to infield work, which may have been related to his injury concerns rather than a distinct shift towards becoming an infield-only player.

Mets Designate Alexander Canario, Outright Jose Azocar

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TODAY: Azocar cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, DiComo reports.  There isn’t any word yet on Canario’s status.

MARCH 27: The Mets will designate outfielders Alexander Canario and Jose Azocar for assignment today, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. It was already reported earlier in the week that Canario didn’t make the club and likely would be removed from the 40-man roster. Both outfielders are out of minor league options and thus cannot be sent to Triple-A unless they first clear waivers.

It’s the second time Canario has been bumped from a 40-man roster this spring. The Cubs cut him loose and traded him to the Mets for cash earlier in March.

The 24-year-old Canario (25 in May) has light-tower raw power but staggering strikeout issues that have been apparent throughout his time in the minors and his brief time in the majors. He fanned in more than 30% of his Triple-A plate appearances last season and has gone down on strikes in 42% of his small sample of MLB plate appearances. Canario’s 63.5% contact rate in Triple-A last year would’ve ranked last in the majors by more than two percentage points, and in his 45 MLB trips to the plate he’s made contact at an even lower 59.8% clip.

It’s a glaring and troubling contact profile. Canario has big time power when he does put bat to ball, as evidenced by a 37-homer campaign on his minor league resume, but that came back in 2022. Canario’s offensive output has declined in each of the past two minor league seasons. He’s still hit at an above-average level, but the combined .257/.345/.502 output (115 wRC+) over those two years is a ways shy of the 133 wRC+ he posted during that 37-homer campaign. He’s had a nice spring, hitting .306/.419/.611 with three homers in 43 plate appearances, but the contact problems loom large; he’s also fanned 15 times — a 34.9% rate.

Canario is an average runner or slightly below and is generally considered a corner outfielder rather than a center fielder. A club looking for some low-cost thump in the outfield corners could certainly take a look, but Canario’s skill set (corner only, middling contact) is one that gives many front offices pause (hence the multiple DFAs this spring).

As for Azocar, he’s more of a prototypical, speed-and-defense focused fourth outfielder. The 28-year-old (29 in May) has played in three big league seasons with the Padres and posted a .243/.287/.322 slash in 397 plate appearances. He’s a career .288/.320/.438 hitter in 799 Triple-A plate appearances and logged a .250/.283/.318 line in 46 trips to the plate this spring. He has glaring platoon splits, but not in the manner most would expect; the righty-swinging Azocar is a much better hitter against right-handed pitching to this point in his young big league career.

Statcast credited Azocar with 91st percentile sprint speed in 2024, though he’s had some issues on the basepaths despite that plus speed, succeeding in only 18 of his 27 stolen base attempts (66.7%). Azocar can play all three outfield positions at a high level.

Both players will be in DFA limbo for a maximum of one week. The Mets can place them on waivers at any point in the next five days and can also explore trade possibilities during that time. If there’s no trade by day five, they’ll both be placed on waivers, which are a 48-hour process themselves.

Latest On Clayton Kershaw

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Clayton Kershaw underwent two surgeries last November, addressing both his left knee (a torn left meniscus) and his left big toe (a ruptured plantar plate).  It was known that Kershaw would begin the season on the 60-day injured list and thus be sidelined until late May, but the future Hall-of-Famer shared some updates on his recovery process with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register and other reporters yesterday.

Today will mark the first time since last season that Kershaw has faced hitters, as he’ll take part in a live batting practice session prior to the Dodgers’ game with the Tigers.  This is the latest and most notable step in a slower ramp-up process that Kershaw said was like “going through spring training right now, basically.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but definitely getting there,” Kershaw said.  “I think overall it’s good progress.  I’m not going to be happy until I’m out on the mound.  But I think everybody – doctors and training staff – would say I’m doing what I need to be doing.”

Despite this positive view, there isn’t yet a set timeline in place for Kershaw’s return to the L.A. rotation, apart from the loose target date of the first day he is eligible to be activated off the 60-day IL.  Kershaw said the plan is to build to game action, with an eye towards being in at least a minor league rehab assignment by the time late May rolls around.

The recovery from toe surgery is the larger issue than the knee surgery, as Kershaw noted that his toe problem relates specifically to his ability to push off the rubber.  “There’s been only one or two baseball players that have had this surgery” as well, adding to the fluidity in the recovery process, even if there’s no reason yet why a late May activation wouldn’t be possible.

“It’s just kind of hard to guess when it heals compared to when you feel good enough to push off a mound.  Kind of the timeline I’ve said before is kind of what we’ve all decided on,” Kershaw said.

Kershaw signed a one-year deal worth $7.5MM in guaranteed money (with more than twice that amount available in incentives) to return for what will be his 18th season both in the majors and with the Dodgers.  He spent last winter also recovering from back surgery, and between that rehab process and then the toe issues that surfaced later in the year, Kershaw played only a limited role in the Dodgers’ championship season.  The southpaw posted a 4.50 ERA over a career-low 30 innings, and didn’t see any action in the playoffs.

Los Angeles will eventually be adopting a six-man rotation once its injured starters get healthy, though the sheer number of arms on the roster could make for quite a logjam if everyone is available.  Beyond Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani is also expected to make his return to the mound this season, even if Ohtani’s pitching ramp-up is something of a mystery at this point, even as he continues to slug away as the Dodgers’ designated hitter.  Tony Gonsolin is another rotation candidate on the mend, and he threw his own live BP session on Friday.

Gonsolin had a Tommy John surgery in late August 2023, and he missed all of last season despite some faint hopes that he might’ve been able to get back to action at the very end of September.  This seemingly paved the way for Gonsolin to be fully ready to go for this season’s opener, but he was shelved again on the 15-day IL when he hurt his back while lifting weights this spring.

“I felt like my body was feeling great….And then to have something like that non-baseball-related [injury] really sucked, honestly,” Gonsolin told Plunkett.  “I don’t really have any other words for it.  But again, it’s a minor setback, and I’ll try to take this time to build back up and get into an even better position.”

Red Sox Notes: Devers, Mayer, Fulmer

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Rafael Devers’ position switch from third base to DH has been one of the offseason’s top subplots, as it dovetailed with Boston signing Alex Bregman to a three-year, $120MM contract to become the club’s new everyday third baseman.  Red Sox manager Alex Cora added another wrinkle to the situation when speaking with reporters (including The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey) yesterday, noting that Devers isn’t in the third base plans at all, as Romy Gonzalez will step in at the hot corner when Bregman needs a day off.

“Raffy is going to DH,” Cora said.  “We had a conversation, we talked about it.  He’s DHing.  He’s the DH of the Boston Red Sox.  One thing is we don’t want him to overthink it.  Don’t get caught up in the whole thing.  He’ll be OK.”

It isn’t known how the Sox might adjust if Bregman were to miss an extended amount of time on the injured list, yet Cora’s statement pretty plainly underscores Boston’s commitment to keeping Devers in a batter-only capacity for the time being.  McCaffrey writes that Devers is still taking grounders at third base as part of pregame warmups, possibly as a way of maintaining some part of his past pregame routine while adjusting overall to his new reality as a designated hitter.

The early results haven’t been great, as Devers is 0-for-8 with seven strikeouts in his first eight trips to the plate in 2025.  Naturally, two games is a minuscule sample size, and some rust was probably expected given how Devers only appeared in five Spring Training games.  Devers spent a good chunk of the offseason dealing with inflammation in both shoulders, and thus the Red Sox lessened his workload in camp as Devers worked his way back to full health.  The shoulder issue’s impact on Devers’ also surely factored into the team’s decision to keep Devers in a DH capacity.

While plans may change as the season develops, it would certainly seem like the Sox are trying to ease Devers into a full-time DH role over the long-term.  Bregman can opt out of his contract after the season, and while Devers could potentially be moved back over to third base after a year off, it would seem more likely that the Red Sox would use Bregman’s departure as a way to get star prospect Marcelo Mayer into the lineup.

Mayer made his Triple-A debut in Worcester’s game with the Syracuse Mets yesterday, and it is widely expected that the infielder will be making his MLB debut at some point in 2025.  If Mayer had had his way, he would’ve skipped Triple-A entirely and already be part of the Sox roster after posting huge numbers in Spring Training.

“Based on performance, I feel like I did earn a spot on that team,” Mayer said in an interview on WEEI’s Jones & Keefe show.  “With that being said, things didn’t go my way and now I’m here [in Triple-A] and I’m just going to get after it every single day, and keep doing what I’m doing.”

The comments caused a bit of a stir on social media, yet Cora told MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith and other reporters that he “100 percent” wants to see his players share Mayer’s confident attitude.  Obviously Mayer’s production will dictate how quickly he might join the Show, yet given the crowded nature of Boston’s current roster, it will be interesting to see how the Red Sox will carve out playing time for the fourth overall pick.  Since the Sox don’t want to call Mayer up just to have him ride the bench, perhaps some kind of injury might need to arise before a Mayer promotion is really on the radar.

Michael Fulmer is also in Worcester, and will be working as a starting pitcher during his time in the minors, Red Sox senior director of player development Brian Abraham told Smith.  There is some flexibility at play since Abraham said “as of right now” Fulmer will start, but the Sox seem interested in stretching Fulmer out to see what he can do in a potential return to a starting role.

Beginning his career as a starter with the Tigers, Fulmer enjoyed some instant success in capturing AL Rookie of the Year honors in 2016.  Injuries (including a Tommy John surgery that cost him all of 2019) necessitated a move to the bullpen in 2021, and Fulmer seemed to thrive in that role while pitching with the Tigers, Twins, and Cubs over the 2021-23 seasons.  Unfortunately, Fulmer continued to battle health problems, and he underwent a UCL revision in October 2023 that cost him another full season, as he didn’t pitch at all in 2024.

The Red Sox inked Fulmer to a two-year minor league contract in February 2024, with the understanding that he’d take the first year to rehab and then prep for a return this season.  Fulmer told Smith that he and Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow even discussed a possible return to starting pitching when the contract was first signed, and Fulmer is open to working in any capacity.

“If it sticks, it sticks.  If it doesn’t, then I go back to the bullpen,” Fulmer said.  “I did the transition once and it was a fairly easy transition. I’ve enjoyed both [roles].”

Offseason In Review: Colorado Rockies

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The Rockies are one of the few teams in the majors will no real shot at contending this year, so their offseason was understandably very quiet.

Major League Signings

2025 spending: $13MM
Total spending: $13MM

Option Decisions

Trades and Claims

Notable Minor League Signings

Extensions

  • None

Notable Losses

There wasn't a lot of momentum for the Rockies going into the winter. 2024 was their sixth straight losing season. It was their second in a row getting to triple-digit losses. In the age of the expanded playoffs, most clubs are at least theoretical contenders, but the Rockies are one of a few that are clearly on the outside.

Such a team could perhaps find itself in plenty of offseason rumors anyway. The White Sox were coming off an atrocious 2024 season but still had notable trade candidates to talk about in Garrett Crochet and Luis Robert Jr. The Rockies have been reluctant to make such moves, however. Ryan McMahon could have been an exciting offseason trade candidate if there was any indication the Rockies were open to moving him, but that has never seemed likely.

There were some reports early in the offseason with a bit of smoke, to a degree. The Rockies were reportedly looking to lower payroll, not surprising given their circumstances. They had some openness to trading Brendan Rodgers, Cal Quantrill and Justin Lawrence. They clearly didn't find much interest. Rodgers and Quantrill were later non-tendered. Lawrence was put on waivers and claimed by the Pirates.

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Diamondbacks Extend Brandon Pfaadt

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The Diamondbacks announced that they have agreed to a five-year contract extension with right-hander Brandon Pfaadt. It runs from 2026 through 2030 with a club option for 2031 and a mutual option for 2032. Reportedly, he is guaranteed $45MM with the following breakdown: $2MM signing bonus, a $3MM salary in 2026 followed by subsequent salaries of $5MM, $8MM, $11MM and $15MM. Then there’s a $21MM figure on the ’31 club option and a $25MM mutual option in 2032, with each of those options having a $1MM buyout.

He will reportedly have a five-team no-trade from 2030 to 2032. Pfaadt was previously slated for free agency after 2029, so this buys out at least one free agent year and the club option extends the club’s window of control by another season. The deal also reportedly includes a five-team no-trade list covering the 2030-32 seasons. Pfaadt is represented by Frontline.

Pfaadt, 26, was a fifth-round selection of the Diamondbacks in 2020. He quickly raised his stock with some strong minor league numbers. In 2021, he tossed 131 2/3 innings over 22 starts, spread across Single-A, High-A and Double-A. He had a combined 3.21 earned run average, 30.2% strikeout rate and 5.3% walk rate. In 2022, it was 167 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A with a 3.83 ERA, 31.6% strikeout rate and 4.8% walk rate.

Going into 2023, he was considered one of the top prospects in baseball. He made his major league debut that year with 96 innings over 18 starts and one relief appearance. The 5.72 ERA doesn’t look amazing at first glance but Pfaadt’s 22.3% strikeout rate was around league average with a strong 6.2% walk rate. He held a spot in the rotation through the playoffs, making five postseason starts with a 3.27 ERA as the Diamondbacks took the National League pennant.

2024 was his first full season in the majors and he again performed better than his ERA would tell you. He allowed 4.71 earned run per nine over his 32 starts and 181 2/3 innings. His 24.3% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate were both strong numbers.

At this point, Pfaadt has a 5.06 ERA in 277 2/3 innings but that doesn’t tell the whole story. As mentioned, his strikeout and walk rates have been good. His .315 batting average on balls in play and 66.4% strand rate are both on the unlucky side. His 4.15 FIP and 3.86 SIERA point to him being roughly one run better than his ERA.

The Diamondbacks are presumably putting more stock in those under-the-hood numbers in committing to Pfaadt today. He was previously set to hit the open market after his age-30 season but they have instead locked him up through his age-31 season with a club option for his age-32 campaign as well.

Looking at MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, there have been a few recent extensions for pitchers in their pre-arb years. The top of the list has guys like Spencer Strider at $75MM, Brayan Bello at $55MM and Hunter Greene at $53MM. Those guys were all younger than Pfaadt is now and Greene also had the hype of being a second overall pick and high-profile prospect. Strider was just wrapping up a 2022 season with an insane 38.3% strikeout rate.

Pfaadt’s $45MM deal comes in just a hair under Tanner Bibee’s recent $47.2MM deal. That’s understandable since Bibee has a 3.25 ERA, 25.3% strikeout rate and 6.9% walk rate in 315 2/3 innings. Those numbers all put him a bit ahead of Pfaadt. He’s also a year closer to free agency, which gives him a bit of extra earning power.

For Pfaadt, he is kicking his free agency down the road, which will presumably lead to less future earning power. However, unlike some top prospects, he hasn’t been sitting on a multi-million-dollar bonus. He only got $100K when he signed and wasn’t slated to qualify for arbitration until after the 2026 season. This deal allows him to lock up some life-changing money ahead of schedule and before his career gets derailed by an injury, an ever-present concern for a pitcher.

For the Diamondbacks, they have been aggressive in locking up their incumbent players. In the past six weeks, they have given notable extensions to shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, reliever Justin Martínez and now Pfaadt.

The current rotation in Arizona is overloaded but the long-term picture is more open. For the 2025 season, they have Zac Gallen, Corbin Burnes, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodríguez and Pfaadt in five spots. Ryne Nelson is working in long relief even though he’s talented enough to pitch in the rotation of many other clubs.

But Gallen and Kelly are both impending free agents. Burnes has an opt-out after 2026. Rodríguez is guaranteed through 2027. As the next few years play out, it’s possible that each of those guys eventually leaves Arizona. Pitchers within the system could possibly replace them, with Nelson, Drey Jameson, Yilber Díaz, Cristian Mena and some other arms already in house. As that plays out, the Snakes are surely hoping that Pfaadt can be a constant in their rotation as one group potentially makes way for another.

The club is currently running a franchise-record payroll but has some decent money coming off the books. In addition to the aforementioned pitchers, Jordan Montgomery’s deal expires after 2025. He’s making $22.5MM this year but won’t pitch at all due to Tommy John surgery. Eugenio Suárez is making $15MM this year and also slated for free agency. That will potentially create a hole at third base but it’s possible that prospect Jordan Lawlar could provide a cost-effective replacement. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is only guaranteed through 2026 and Ketel Marte 2027.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic first reported the $45MM guarantee. John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM in Phoenix relayed the option values. Robert Murray of FanSided reported the limited no-trade protection and then the annual salary breakdown. Gambadoro then relayed that the no-trade covered five teams.

Photos courtesy of Joe Rondone and Rob Schumacher, Imagn Images

Cardinals’ Prospect Tink Hence Goes On Minor League 60-Day IL

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The Cardinals placed pitching prospect Tink Hence on the minor league 60-day injured list, as reflected on the MiLB.com transaction log. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak tells Jeff Jones of The Belleville News-Democrat that the 6’1″ righty sustained a right rib cage strain.

Hence is the #3 prospect in the St. Louis system at Baseball America. The 22-year-old is coming off a 2.71 ERA showing across 20 starts in Double-A. Hence was dominant on a rate basis. He recorded a fantastic 34.1% strikeout rate against a tolerable 8.1% walk percentage. Durability is the main question, as Hence averaged fewer than four innings per start. He tallied 79 2/3 frames overall.

Baseball America writes that Hence has the stuff and command of a potential top-of-the-rotation arm. Yet he has never reached 100 innings in a professional season. Hence missed a month midway through last season. He’s now evidently going to miss at least the first two months of this year. Once he’s healthy, he’ll be making his Triple-A debut.

The Cardinals added Hence to their 40-man roster in November to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. He’ll continue to count against the roster because he was placed on the minor league 60-day IL. The Cardinals could have recalled him and placed him on the MLB 60-day injured list to create a roster spot, but that would have begun his service clock.

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