MLBTR Poll: Braves’ Fifth Starter
The Braves have opened their 2023 season facing a great deal of uncertainty in the rotation. The club went into camp with a battle for the fifth spot in the rotation, expecting Bryce Elder, Ian Anderson, and Michael Soroka to be the favorites for the role. That didn’t come to pass, however, as Soroka was slowed early in camp while both Anderson and Elder struggled, opening the door for Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd to elevate themselves on the organizational depth chart with strong springs. MLBTR held a poll toward the end of Spring Training regarding which of the two young lefties should start the regular season in the rotation, which Shuster won with 68.56% of the vote.
Ultimately, the Braves were never forced to make a decision between Dodd and Shuster for the fifth spot, as Kyle Wright began the season on the injured list, allowing both lefties to open the season in the rotation. Since that time, the rotation picture in Atlanta has gotten far more hectic. Club ace Max Fried went on the injured list with a hamstring injury, while Anderson went on the IL in the minors due to elbow issues, leaving Elder to join the rotation in Fried’s stead. Meanwhile, both Shuster and Dodd have struggled to open the season.
With Wright expected to make his first start of the season on Tuesday and Fried expected to miss roughly the fifteen day minimum, the Braves find themselves once again forced to make a decision on who their fifth starter should be once the front four of Fried, Wright, Spencer Strider, and Charlie Morton are all healthy and starting every fifth day. With Soroka still not fully ramped up, it appears the options for the club’s fifth rotation spot are Dodd, Shuster, and Elder, each of whom have made at least one start for the club this season.
Shuster appears to be the least likely of the three options. The 24-year old lefty has made two starts for Atlanta so far this season, but has struggled in both. In his major league debut, Shuster allowed four runs in 4 2/3 innings against the Nationals, allowing six hits and 5 walks while striking out just one. His second start was worryingly similar to his first, albeit against a much more threatening Padres team than the lowly Nats: four runs in four innings of work on six hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
While Shuster impressed with a 1.74 ERA in 20 2/3 innings of work this spring, he’s appeared over-matched two starts into his big league career, and it seems safe to assume that the Braves will allow him time in Triple-A to right the ship before returning him to the big league rotation, barring further injuries to the big league club.
Dodd has a stronger case for a longer leash in the rotation than Shuster, having impressed in his MLB debut by holding a loaded Cardinals lineup to just one run over five innings of work, striking out three while walking none. Dodd’s first start of the season showed the same promise as his spring performance, where he posted a 2.00 ERA in 18 innings of work, striking out 20 while walking just four. Unfortunately, Dodd’s second start was not as successful as his first, as he struggled badly in 4 1/3 innings against the Padres, allowing seven runs on ten hits (two home runs) and a walk while striking out three.
After such a difficult second start, it’s reasonable to wonder if Dodd might also benefit from additional time in Triple-A before becoming a mainstay in the Braves’ rotation. After all, the 24-year old has made just one start in Triple-A, with only 53 innings of experience above High-A in the minor leagues.
That lack of experience seems likely to open the door for Elder as the most likely option to stick in Atlanta as a member of the rotation once Fried returns from the injured list. Though Elder struggled badly in Spring Training surrendering three home runs and five walks in just 11 2/3 innings of work, he dominated the Cardinals for six innings in his first start of the season on Wednesday, allowing no runs on two hits while striking out six over six innings of work. Though his spring problems with the free pass carried over into the regular season as he walked three in his season debut, Elder was able to find success in the big leagues last year in spite of a 10.1% walk rate, posting a 3.17 ERA in 54 innings of work last season.
With Fried set to miss at least another week of action, both Dodd and Elder figure to get at least one more start before the Braves make a decision, to say nothing of the possibility that an injury elsewhere in the rotation or a setback for Fried could delay the decision even further. Barring those outcomes, who should the Braves keep in the rotation going forward? Is Elder’s experience and past success in the big leagues too valuable to pass up, or should the Braves stick with their initial decision and give the fifth spot in the rotation to one of Dodd or Shuster?
(poll link for app users)
Who Should The Braves Keep In The Rotation Once Wright And Fried Return?
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Bryce Elder 76% (2,961)
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Dylan Dodd 14% (551)
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Jared Shuster 9% (364)
Total votes: 3,876
Rays Notes: Glasnow, Fleming, Walls
Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times noted yesterday that starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow is making progress in his rehab from an oblique strain he suffered this spring. Glasnow, who’s in the first year of the two-year extension he signed with the Rays last summer, has managed just 6 2/3 innings of work since he underwent Tommy John surgery partway through the 2021 season and hasn’t broken 100 innings in a season since 2018. When he is on the mound, however, he’s among the most dominant starters in the game, with a 2.75 ERA (152 ERA+) in 212 2/3 innings of work since the start of the 2019 season with a phenomenal 36% strikeout rate.
Topkin notes that Glasnow is set to begin throwing off a mound this week, and that the Rays hope he will be built up to 5 innings around the middle of May. That puts him slightly behind the six-to-eight week timeframe that was announced alongside Glasnow’s diagnosis at the end of February, though when he does return he’ll join a rotation of Jeffrey Springs, Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, and Zach Eflin that has been dominant to open the 2023 season, with those four starters having combined for a 1.29 ERA in their first seven starts of the season.
As phenomenal as that front four has been, there’s more questions surrounding the fifth spot in the rotation, at least until Glasnow returns to solidify it. Lefty Josh Fleming received the first start of the season in that spot, though Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times notes that he won’t be starting tomorrow’s game against the Red Sox after allowing five runs on ten hits in three innings of work to the Nationals, with the club instead set to give the ball of lefty Jalen Beeks as an opener, taking advantage of the club’s well-rested bullpen. Beeks, who had a 2.80 ERA in 61 innings last year, made seven starts for the club in 2022. That being said, the lefty went longer than two innings just once all season, in a relief appearance that lasted 2 1/3 innings.
While the club appears to be set up well regarding the pitching staff, there’s reason for concern on the other side of the ball, as the day after center fielder Jose Siri went on the injured list with a strained hamstring, it now appears possible that shortstop Taylor Walls may join him. Walls suffered an injury to his elbow on Friday and hasn’t played this weekend, with Ackert noting the club plans to send him for imaging on Monday. If Walls requires a stint on the injured list, Ackert notes that infielder Jonathan Aranda is traveling with the team and will likely step in to take over Walls’s roster spot. Walls struggled with the bat in 2022, slashing a meager .172/.268/.285 in 142 games.
Aranda, who was among the Rays’ top prospects prior to losing rookie eligibility in 2022, struggled in his MLB debut, slashing just .192/.276/.321 in 32 games. Aranda has always torn the cover off the ball in the minor leagues, however, with a career .915 OPS in 111 career games at the Triple-A level. A potential injured list stint for Walls could also open up playing time for Vidal Brujan, who was added to the roster in the wake of Siri’s injury. Brujan was among the top prospects in the sport when he made his debut in 2021, but in 62 games from 2021-2022, the young switch-hitter failed to establish himself at the major league level. Still, he has 223 career steals in the minors and experience in all three outfield spots in addition to third base, second base, and shortstop, leaving him as a valuable utility option should he prove himself capable of hitting in the major leagues.
West Notes: Musgrove, Rodriguez, Phillips, Sborz
Padres manager Bob Melvin told reporters today (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) that right-hander Joe Musgrove “tweaked” his shoulder in his most recent rehab start, and could have his next rehab start pushed back by a day or two as a consequence of this. Musgrove opened the season on the injured list due to a fractured toe he suffered during Spring Training. In Musgrove’s absence, the club has opted for a six-man rotation with Yu Darvish and Blake Snell being followed by Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Nick Martinez, and Ryan Weathers.
An All Star in 2022, Musgrove has blossomed into a top of the rotation arm since being traded to the Padres ahead of the 2021 season. Over the past two campaigns, Musgrove has posted a 3.06 ERA with a 3.64 FIP while notching 387 strikeouts in 362 1/3 innings of work. Those numbers put him among the more durable starters in the game today in addition to his quality run prevention numbers and above-average strikeout rate. 2023 is the first year of Musgrove’s five-year, $100MM extension that he signed with the club last summer.
More from around MLB’s western divisions…
- Per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, Angels manager Phil Nevin told reporters today that right-hander Chris Rodriguez suffered a setback in his rehab from shoulder surgery. While Rodriguez is still throwing, but he is stepping away from facing live hitters as the Angels plan to take his rehab process slowly. Rodriguez hasn’t pitched since he made his major league debut in 2021, impressing with a 3.64 ERA and 3.14 FIP in 29 2/3 innings of work. When healthy, Rodriguez figures to be in the mix alongside Griffin Canning and Tucker Davidson for a swing role on the major league pitching staff.
- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts provided some clarity on the club’s preferred bullpen usage yesterday, telling reporters (including Jack Harris of the LA Times) that right-hander Evan Phillips is his preference to hand the ball to in the ninth inning if everyone’s available. That being said, Roberts stopped short of properly anointing Phillips the closer, leaving the door open for Phillips to be used in other roles in certain situations. Teams have moved away from having a designated closer in recent seasons, preferring to try and maximize performance by playing matchups, though given Phillips’s 1.41 ERA in 76 1/3 innings since joining the Dodgers in 2021, it’s no surprise he’s Roberts’s preference for save situations over other back-end options like Brusdar Graterol and Alex Vesia.
- The Rangers have announced that right-hander Josh Sborz has started a rehab assignment in Triple-A as he looks to return from a sprained ankle that sent him to the injured list to open the season. Sborz struggled badly in 2022 while dealing with elbow issues throughout the season, posting a 6.45 ERA in 22 1/3 innings of work, though his 32% strikeout rate did leave reason for optimism headed into the season. Once healthy, Sborz could factor into the Texas bullpen in a middle relief role currently held by the likes of Ian Kennedy and Taylor Hearn.
NL East Notes: Braves, Mets, Phillies
Braves manager Brian Snitker provided updates to reporters (including The Athletic’s David O’Brien) on outfielder Michael Harris II and right-hander Collin McHugh, both of whom went on the injured-list recently. Harris, who is struggling with back tightness, is steadily improving, though he wouldn’t be back in games yet even if he was on the active roster. Harris won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2022 after slashing an excellent .297/.339/.514 in 114 games while playing excellent defense in center field, but was injured seven games into the season when he banged his back against the outfield wall making a catch against the Padres last week. The club has relied on Sam Hilliard in center while Harris is on the shelf.
Meanwhile, McHugh went on the injured list with shoulder inflammation on Thursday, but has resumed throwing and expects to be back with the Braves after a minimum 15-day stint on the IL. After a long stint as a swingman for the Astros, McHugh opted out of the shortened 2020 campaign before re-emerging as a dominant reliever for the Rays in 2021. His dominance continued in 2022 with the Braves as he posted a combined 2.09 ERA in 133 1/3 innings of work across those two seasons. When McHugh returns from the IL, he figures to key piece in the back of the Braves’ bullpen alongside A.J. Minter.
More from around the NL East…
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Mets could explore the market for additional catching options following a Omar Narvaez‘s recent injury. Top prospect Francisco Alvarez was called up to replace Narvaez on the roster, and the club has expressed confidence in his ability to fill in for the next two months while Narvaez is expected to be out. Nonetheless, Sherman notes that the club is keeping an eye out for upgrades over their current depth options at catcher, Michael Perez and Nick Meyer. Robinson Chirinos and Austin Romine are among the catchers currently unsigned on the free agent market, though the Mets could certainly also explore the trade market if they’re interested in adding catching depth.
- Despite previous indications that Kody Clemens would take most of the reps at first base following Darick Hall‘s thumb surgery, it would appear that the Phillies are now planning on shifting third baseman Alec Bohm over to first base in order to give utilityman Edmundo Sosa a run as the everyday third baseman. As noted by Scott Lauber of The Philadelphia Inquirer, manager Rob Thomson seems interested in what Sosa can do with an everyday opportunity, telling reporters that “we’re going to see what he’s going to do against right-handed pitching.” Sosa got his first extended playing time with the Cardinals in 2021, posting a solid wRC+ of 104 while covering shortstop in addition to second base, third base, and even center field. He struggled mightily in 2022, however, posting just a 49 wRC+ in 53 games with St. Louis prior to being traded to Philadelphia, where he excelled down the stretch in 59 plate appearances that came primarily against southpaws.
NL Central Notes: Wainwright, Reds, Cubs
Cardinals manager Oli Marmol provided on update on veteran right-hander Adam Wainwright to reporters (including MLB.com’s John Denton) today. The 41-year old Wainwright opened the season on the injured list after suffering a groin injury during Team USA’s run to the World Baseball Classic finals, but threw a 33-pitch bullpen session on Saturday with another planned for Tuesday. Should that go well, the plan is for Wainwright to advance to either a simulated game or a rehab start in the minors.
That’s good news for the Cardinals, who have struggled in the early going this season thanks in part to the rotation posting a combined 5.93 ERA in 41 innings across the season’s first eight games. Wainwright’s career 3.38 ERA would surely be a breath of fresh air for St. Louis’s beleaguered rotation, and even a repeat of his roughly league average 2022 season would make Wainwright a reliable starter in a rotation with plenty of question marks. Wainwright’s rotation spot is currently occupied by Jake Woodford, who allowed six earned runs on seven hits (three homers) and three walks in four 1/3 innings in his first start of the season.
More injury updates from around the NL Central…
- The Reds sent right-handers Luke Weaver and Lucas Sims to Triple-A Louisville for a rehab assignment today. Weaver was set to begin the year in the Cincinnati rotation before being sidelined with a strained right flexor tendon, while Sims figured to being one of the top options in the Reds’ bullpen before being sidelined with back spasms. The rehab assignment indicates that both could impact the big league club soon. Weaver’s return would likely push right-hander Luis Cessa from the rotation into the bullpen. Cessa still figures to take at least one more turn through the rotation, however, as he projects to start again on Tuesday against the Braves. Sims has posted a 4.20 ERA (3.37 FIP) in 79 1/3 innings since moving to the bullpen full-time for the 2020 season, while Weaver signed a one-year deal with the club this offseason following a brutal 2022 season where he posted a 6.56 ERA in 35 2/3 innings of work.
- The Cubs provided a handful of injury updates of their own, as Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic notes. Right fielder Seiya Suzuki and left-hander Brandon Hughes are continuing to progress well in their rehab process in Triple-A, with Suzuki in the lineup at DH for Iowa today while Hughes threw an inning yesterday. Sharma also relayed an update on starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks, who has been out since the middle of last season with a capsular tear in his right shoulder. Hendricks is scheduled to throw a bullpen tomorrow as the Cubs have opted to take his recovery process slowly thanks to the number of depth options they have for the rotation. Adrian Sampson and Javier Assad are among the top depth options behind the current starting five of Marcus Stroman, Jameson Taillon, Justin Steele, Drew Smyly, and Hayden Wesneski.
The Opener: Brewers Vs Cardinals, Florial, FAs
As the second weekend of the 2023 season begins, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Brewers Vs Cardinals Today
A particularly noteworthy match-up is set to occur this evening, with the Cardinals headed to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers at 7:10pm CT tonight. The Cardinals have opened the season 2-4 despite being the preseason favorites for the NL Central, allowing the Brewers, the expected second-best team in the division, to pull ahead in the early going of the division race with a 5-1 record. Jack Flaherty is set to take the mound for the Cardinals against Brewers co-ace Brandon Woodruff. Flaherty, who’s attempting to make it through his first healthy season since 2019, struggled with his control in his first start of the season, walking seven Blue Jays and hitting a batter, but he nonetheless managed to walk away with the win after five no-hit innings of work.
While Flaherty’s performance will certainly be of interest, perhaps the biggest storyline of the game to keep an eye on is whether or not Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill will play following the drama between him and manager Oli Marmol. Marmol benched O’Neill in Wednesday’s game against the Braves after he was thrown out at home plate by Ronald Acuna Jr. in Tuesday’s game, with Marmol indicating to the media that O’Neill’s perceived lack of hustle could preclude him from more playing time than just Wednesday’s game.
2. Florial DFA to come due this weekend:
Last week, the Yankees designated outfielder Estevan Florial for assignment in order to make room for righty Colten Brewer on the 40-man roster. While Florial has mostly struggled in brief cups of coffee in the big leagues since first coming up in 2020, posting a .579 OPS in that time, he’s only managed to get into 30 big league games in his career to this point. With a career .793 OPS in the minors and 125 stolen bases in 580 minor league games, Florial certainly seems likely to draw attention from the other 29 big league clubs, making a trade or waiver claim the most likely conclusion to his DFA. If he does manage to pass through waivers unclaimed, however, the Yankees can send Florial outright to Triple-A.
3. Will lingering free agents find a home?
Yesterday, MLBTR’s Anthony Franco took a look at the most notable free agents remaining on the board a week into the 2023 season. The list ranges from players who went unsigned all offseason, such as Miguel Sano and Mike Minor, to more recent additions to the pool, such as Leury Garcia and Darin Ruf. Two areas of free agency that could be worth keeping an eye on in particular are first base, where the Phillies may be without not only Rhys Hoskins but also his replacement, Darick Hall, for the time being, and starting pitching, where clubs are always looking for depth and teams such as the Yankees, Mets, and Braves have already seen multiple members of their rotations hit the injured list this season.
The Opener: Postponements, Phillies, New York
As the regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Four home openers postponed:
Four clubs have had their home openers, originally scheduled for today, postponed due to inclement weather. Fortunately, as is typically the case for northern teams, the clubs each had a scheduled off-day for tomorrow, when the games will be made up. The Mets will face the Marlins tomorrow at 12:10pm CT, the Phillies will face the Reds and the Orioles will face the Yankees tomorrow at 2:05pm CT, while the Twins will face the Astros at 3:10pm CT. All home opener pregame festivities will also be pushed back to tomorrow for each of the four clubs. If you’re a fan who had tickets to one of the postponed games, you can find your options with the Twins, Mets, Orioles, and Phillies at the links provided.
2. Phillies injury woes continue:
The Phillies have already struggled with injuries early in the season as Rhys Hoskins could miss the entire season with a torn ACL while the club’s starting depth has been tested to the point of Matt Strahm moving from the bullpen to the rotation. Those struggles continued yesterday, as the club announced that outfielder Brandon Marsh had been scratched from yesterday’s game and was day-to-day due to a left ankle sprain, while the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Alex Coffey noted that first baseman Darick Hall was removed from yesterday’s game due to a thumb sprain. While the Phillies described Marsh’s sprain as mild, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman indicates the same may not be the case for Hall, as the club is expected to call up utility player Kody Clemens in response to Hall’s injury. With today’s game postponed, the Phillies will have a little extra time to sort out their options and injuries ahead of the rescheduled game tomorrow afternoon.
3. Injuries to be re-evaluated in New York:
The Mets and Yankees each have an injured player whose status will be re-evaluated today. For the Mets, catcher Omar Narvaez is dealing with some discomfort in his left calf, while the Yankees pulled third baseman Josh Donaldson from yesterday’s game with right hamstring tightness, which MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch notes will be re-evaluated today. As both New York clubs have also seen their games today postponed, they too will have additional time to evaluate the health of their players and make a decision before their rescheduled games take place tomorrow afternoon.
If Narvaez requires a stint on the injured list, that could open the door for top prospect Francisco Alvarez to make his season debut, returning to the big leagues after a five-game stint with the Mets last season. As for Donaldson, any time he misses would likely stand to benefit the likes of Aaron Hicks and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who have both been used somewhat sparingly to this point in the season while DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera have drawn more of the available starts.
The Opener: Rodriguez, Mets, MLBTR Podcast
As the grind of the regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Could Rodriguez debut today?
Orioles top prospect Grayson Rodriguez is on the verge of being promoted, and could make his MLB debut as soon as today in Texas. That’s not a guarantee, however, as the club will need to make room for Rodriguez on the active roster, which they have not done to this point. It’s possible Kyle Bradish will require a stint on the injured list, opening up a spot for Rodriguez, but if he doesn’t the club could also go with Austin Voth to start today’s game against the Rangers. Because Rodriguez was optioned a week ago, he can only be recalled if someone goes on the injured list. Otherwise, there’s a 15-day minimum gap required between the option and call-up.
2. Mets to have imaging done on Baty, Verlander
As noted by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, Mets top prospect Brett Baty left yesterday’s game in Triple-A with soreness in the same thumb that required surgery at the end of last season. Baty is scheduled to get imaging done on the thumb today, so it’s possible we’ll hear how much impact, if any, the apparent injury will have on Baty going forward at some point today. Baty isn’t the only key piece in the Mets organization undergoing imaging today, however, as Mets manager Buck Showalter told reporters (including Tim Healey of Newsday) that Justin Verlander is scheduled for an MRI today. Verlander has been on the injured list since the start of the season with what has been described as a “extremely minor” teres major strain.
3. MLBTR Podcast Returns
After a seven-year hiatus, the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is returning! New host Simon Hampton talks with MLBTR’s Anthony Franco in the first episode, which will be available later today. Simon and Anthony will discuss a variety of hot-button topics around the baseball world, including looking ahead to the trade deadline this summer, while also answering listener questions. Keep an eye out throughout the day for more information.
Orioles Expected To Promote Grayson Rodriguez
The Orioles may soon bring up one of the sport’s top pitching prospects. Grayson Rodriguez will join the team in Texas tomorrow and is under consideration to start their game against the Rangers. Manager Brandon Hyde told reporters after tonight’s game that Baltimore hasn’t yet named their starter for tomorrow (relayed by Dan Connolly of the Athletic). That’s not to say it won’t be Rodriguez, who is still expected to join the MLB team in Arlington, but that doesn’t seem official as of now.
Rodriguez, 23, competed for a spot in the club’s Opening Day rotation but struggled to a 7.04 ERA in 15 1/3 innings of work during camp, prompting the club to option him to Triple-A. However, right-hander Kyle Bradish left his start yesterday with a foot contusion in the second inning. That pushed Tyler Wells to pitch five innings in relief of Bradish rather than make his scheduled start tonight. With Kyle Gibson moving up to take the ball tonight in place of Wells, that left no one to start tomorrow’s game against Texas.
It appears Rodriguez will make that start. As Dan Connolly of the Athletic points out (on Twitter), recalling a pitcher who had been optioned within the past 15 days would require a corresponding injured list transaction. That’ll presumably result in Bradish landing on the 15-day IL, though Baltimore hasn’t finalized that decision yet. According to Connolly, Austin Voth would be the likeliest option to take the ball if Bradish doesn’t go on the IL.
Assuming Rodriguez is tabbed for the start, it’ll be his MLB debut. Once a consensus top five prospect in the sport, Rodriguez struggled with a lat strain for much of the 2022 season. That caused him to slip slightly down some prospect rankings, though he remains a top 20 prospect in the eyes of virtually every prospecting service, with a career 2.49 ERA in the minor leagues supported by an eye-popping 35.9% strikeout rate.
Evaluators credit Rodriguez with one of the best arsenals in minor league baseball. Baseball America gives him above-average or better grades for four pitches, highlighted by plus-plus reviews of his fastball and slider. Keith Law of the Athletic and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, by contrast, each pointed to his changeup as the headlining pitch in his arsenal.
While a few days of the season have already elapsed, there’s still enough time for Rodriguez to reach a full service year in 2023. Players are credited with a full year so long as they’re on a roster for 172 days. If Rodriguez is in the majors from here on out, he’d hit that mark. Accruing a full service year would put him on track to first reach arbitration after the 2025 season and qualify for free agency for the first time over the 2028-29 offseason.
The timing of the promotion may also be significant for the Orioles. Rodriguez is a consensus top prospect, appearing on Top 100 lists at all three of Baseball America, MLB Pipeline and ESPN. Teams that carry prospects who appear on at least two of those three lists for a full service year could recoup draft compensation as part of the collective bargaining agreement’s prospect promotion incentive. If Rodriguez logs a complete service year, the O’s would receive an extra pick in the amateur draft if he wins Rookie of the Year in 2023 or secures a top three finish in Cy Young or MVP balloting between 2023-25. Julio Rodriguez is the only player to net his team compensation under that provision so far, doing so as a result of his Rookie of the Year win in 2022.
Rodriguez is already on the 40-man roster, so the club won’t have to make a 40-man transaction. He has a full slate of minor league option years remaining, so it’s possible the O’s send him back to Triple-A Norfolk at some point if they feel he needs continued development time.
Geoff Pontes of Baseball America first reported Rodriguez was being promoted.
AL West Notes: McCullers, Blackburn, Taveras
Astros starter Lance McCullers Jr. is making progress in his rehab, with the Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome noting the right-hander is currently ahead of schedule. McCullers, who is currently rehabbing from an elbow strain, is throwing from 90 feet off flat ground and is on the verge of starting to throw on back-to-back days. Rome notes that it’s possible McCullers begins throwing off the mound sometime this month, providing a bit of clarity to McCullers’s timetable, which to this point has involved few details.
McCullers, 29, is entering the second season of his five-year, $85MM extension with the Astros this year. The right-hander has struggled badly with injuries in recent years, having pitched just 265 innings since the end of the 2018 season, and having made more than 22 starts just once in his career to this point, in 2021. When he has managed to pitch, however, McCullers has been excellent. He sports a career 3.48 ERA that drops to 3.16 when looking at his work following his 2019 Tommy John surgery. For his career, he’s posted a fantastic 55.1% groundball rate in addition to a solid 25.6% strikeout rate, though he has walked 9.8% of batters faced in his career, a figure that’s jumped to 11.1% over the last two seasons. Still, McCullers stands clearly as among the best starters in the game when healthy. Houston is currently using a rotation of Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, Jose Urquidy, and top prospect Hunter Brown while McCullers is on the shelf.
More from around the AL West…
- Athletics righty Paul Blackburn told reporters, including Matt Kawahara of The San Francisco Chronicle, that his torn fingernail is fully healed and he’s scheduled to pitch for Low-A Stockton in a rehab assignment on Friday. From there, he’ll head to Triple-A Las Vegas and begin to build up stamina toward his 2023 season debut with the A’s, with the current plan being for him to build up to five innings before joining the big league club. An All Star for Oakland last season, Blackburn posted a 4.28 ERA (87 ERA+) in 111 1/3 innings of work last season, though his season line is pulled down by his 9.25 ERA in his final five starts of the season before he headed to the injured list with right middle finger inflammation that would eventually end his 2022 season.
- Per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, Rangers outfielder Leody Taveras took batting practice from the right side today as he works his way back from a low-grade oblique strain he suffered during Spring Training. According to Grant, Taveras could be headed toward a rehab assignment this weekend with the potential for a return to the Rangers as soon as next week. Given Taveras’s plus glove in center field, a quick return would be a huge boon to the club’s defense, allowing Adolis Garcia to shift to right field and Robbie Grossman to slide over to his natural position in left.