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Blue Jays Designate Richard Lovelady For Assignment

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The Blue Jays announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of left-hander Mason Fluharty. Fellow southpaw Richard Lovelady was designated for assignment to make room for Fluharty on both the 40-man and active rosters. In addition, the Blue Jays announced that right-hander Tommy Nance has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A.

Lovelady, 29, was a tenth-round pick by Kansas City back in 2016. He made his big league debut with the club during the 2019 season and spent parts of three seasons in the club’s bullpen. He struggled badly to a 7.71 ERA in 21 innings of work between 2019 and 2020, but in 2021 he began to look like a valuable relief option with a 3.48 ERA, 3.85 FIP, and a 27.4% strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 7.1%. Unfortunately for the lefty, he would require Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2021 campaign and missed the entire 2022 season while rehabbing.

He wouldn’t get the chance to return to the mound in Kansas City, as he was dealt to Atlanta just before the 2023 campaign began. That stay was very brief, however, as he made just five appearance at Triple-A before being plucked off waivers by Oakland. He posted middling numbers in 23 1/3 innings of work for the A’s, with a 4.63 ERA and 4.54 FIP across 27 appearances before being shut down due to a forearm strain. Lovelady was eventually outrighted off the club’s roster and elected free agency, at which point he signed a minor league deal with the Cubs.

Lovelady’s time in Chicago was brief, as he posted just 5 2/3 innings of work and was shelled to the tune of a 7.94 ERA during that limited time. He was DFA’d in May of last year and shipped to the Rays shortly thereafter before enjoying a successful season in Tampa. Across 28 2/3 innings the rest of the way, Lovelady posted a solid 3.77 ERA with a 3.83 FIP. That didn’t stop the Rays from non-tendering the southpaw back in November, however, which led him to join the Jays on a minor league deal back in January. He made the club’s Opening Day roster but walked two batters and hit another three in 1 2/3 innings before today’s DFA. Going forward, the Jays will have one week to either work out a trade involving the southpaw or place him on waivers.

Lovelady’s departure makes way for Fluharty, whose first appearance will be his big league debut. The Jays’ fifth rounder in 2022, the southpaw posted a decent 3.63 ERA with an excellent 27.4% strikeout rate in 67 innings of work at Triple-A last year. Solid as that performance was, Fluharty really made his case for a big league opportunity during Spring Training with a sterling 1.29 ERA and 11 strikeouts in just seven innings of work during camp. While the southpaw didn’t quite make the club’s initial Opening Day roster, he’s now poised to get the first big league opportunity of his career.

As for Nance, the 34-year-old signed with the Cubs out of indy ball back in 2016 and made his big league debut in 2021. He struggled to a 7.22 ERA in that first cup of coffee, but he’s looked like a solid middle reliever since then with a 4.25 ERA (97 ERA+) and a 3.80 FIP in 65 2/3 innings of work for the Marlins and Blue Jays since the start of the 2022 season. He’s struck out an impressive 26.3% of opponents during that time while walking 10.4%. Nance now figures to remain at Triple-A Buffalo as non-roster depth for the Jays going forward.

Marlins Designate Brett de Geus For Assignment

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The Marlins have designated right-hander Brett de Geus for assignment, the team announced this morning. Right-hander Xzavion Curry’s contract was selected to replace de Geus on the 40-man roster, and righty Valente Bellozo was optioned to make room for Curry on the active roster.

de Geus, 27, was drafted by the Dodgers in the 33rd round back in 2017 but made his big league debut with the Rangers in 2021 after being selected in that offseason’s Rule 5 draft. The right-hander split the 2021 campaign between Texas and Arizona, struggling to an ugly 7.56 ERA in 50 innings of work along the way. He struck out just 17.2% of opponents while walking 10.5%, and after making it through the full 2021 campaign on a big league roster de Geus found himself shuttled back to the minors for the early part of the 2022 campaign before he was released by Arizona in June of that same year.

After spending a couple of seasons in indy ball and a brief stint in the Royals farm system, de Geus resurfaced with the Mariners last season. He once again struggled badly at the big league level, with a 7.15 ERA in 11 1/3 innings of work spread between Seattle, Toronto, and Miami. He finished the 2024 season with the Blue Jays but was designated for assignment by the club back in January. The righty was traded to Pittsburgh in a cash deal shortly thereafter but was once against DFA’d early on in Spring Training.

That led the Marlins to claim him off waivers late last month, and while he survived the club’s initial roster moves for Opening Day he’s now been DFA’d once again to make room for a fresh arm at the big league level. Going forward, the Marlins will have one week to either trade de Geus or attempt to pass him through waivers. If he goes through waivers unclaimed, they’ll have the opportunity to outright him to the minors as a non-roster depth option.

As for Curry, the 26-year-old was a 7th round pick by Cleveland back in 2019 and made his big league debut for the Guardians in 2022. That debut was just two spot starts where he surrendered seven runs (six earned) in 9 1/3 innings of work, but Curry got a larger audition in 2023 and proved to be a serviceable swingman for the club. In 95 innings of work spread between nine starts and 32 relief appearances, Curry posted a 4.07 ERA (104 ERA+) with a FIP of 4.50. Though he struck out just 16.6% of his opponents, he walked just 7.4% and avoided an outsized home run total in order to put up decent numbers.

Things came off the rails for Curry in 2024, however, as he surrendered a 5.84 ERA and 5.19 FIP in 24 2/3 innings of work with the Guardians before being designated for assignment in August. He was plucked off waivers by the Marlins and pitched well for the club down the stretch, however, with a 3.00 ERA and 4.22 FIP over his final 18 innings of work last year. That performance wasn’t enough to convince the Marlins to keep him on their 40-man roster all winter, as he was outrighted to the minors last month. He’s back on the 40-man now, however, and figures to provide length out of the bullpen for the club after yesterday’s extra-inning affair against the Pirates.

Orioles Reportedly Open To Offers On Ryan Mountcastle

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The Orioles are letting rival clubs know that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle is available in trade talks, according to a report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today. There’s no indication that Baltimore is particularly close to moving Mountcastle, and now that the regular season has begun it wouldn’t be a surprise if talks were largely tabled until closer to the trade deadline.

Mountcastle, 28, was a first-round pick by the Orioles back in 2015 and a consensus top-100 prospect prior to his big league debut in 2020. The slugger received down-ballot Rookie of the Year votes in both 2020 and ’21 as he hit a combined .270/.324/.488 with 38 homers and 28 doubles in 179 games across the two seasons. That explosive start to Mountcastle’s MLB career didn’t last, however, as he’s not slugged 30 homers in a season since 2021 and saw his everyday playing time in Baltimore erode somewhat following the breakout season Ryan O’Hearn enjoyed in 2023. Since the start of the 2022 campaign, Mountcastle has looked the part of a solid if unspectacular regular. He’s slashed .262/.312/.431 with 53 homers and 80 doubles in 387 games while playing generally adequate defense at first base.

Overall, Mountcastle is clearly a valuable player but one that looks like an increasingly questionable fit on the Orioles’ roster. As previously mentioned, O’Hearn has come into his own since breaking out in Baltimore during the 2023 season, and his .276/.329/.449 slash line in 257 games with the Orioles indicates that he’s actually outproduced Mountcastle on a rate basis in that time. If O’Hearn was the only player competing with Mountcastle for time at the hot corner, perhaps that wouldn’t be worth exploring a trade over. After all, the right-handed hitting Mountcastle serves as a strong complement for the lefty-swinging O’Hearn, who has been heavily platooned throughout his career and does not hit well against fellow southpaws.

Mountcastle’s long-term fit in Baltimore is further complicated by the presence of Coby Mayo. The Orioles’ top prospect is a consensus top-30 talent in the sport, and he’s clearly ready for a proper big league audition even after struggling badly in a 17-game cup of coffee last year given his career .276/.373/.536 slash line at Triple-A. Much like Mountcastle himself, the 23-year-old Mayo profiles best as a first baseman at the big league level despite coming up through the minors as a third baseman. There simply isn’t enough room for all of Mountcastle, Mayo, and O’Hearn in the club’s first base plans, and while occasional time at DH or in the corner outfield spots could help the club better allocate playing time those spots are already crowded by the presence of Colton Cowser, Tyler O’Neill, and Heston Kjerstad not to mention Ramon Laureano.

With such a deep group of corner outfield and DH options already, it seems likely that a trade opening up time at first base represents Mayo’s best path to regular playing time in Baltimore outside of an injury at the big league level. Of the club’s other two first base options, Mountcastle makes the most sense to shop given the fact that Mayo is a fellow right-handed hitter, meaning he would serve as a strong complement to O’Hearn the same way Mountcastle has over the past two seasons. Mayo would not be able to slide into O’Hearn’s role alongside Mountcastle anywhere near as easily, with the two right-handed hitters likely proving somewhat redundant even if O’Hearn was no longer in the mix.

If Mountcastle is indeed on the trade block, he’d be an attractive addition for plenty of teams. The 28-year-old is controlled through the end of the 2026 season, and while he’s largely limited defensively to first base and DH he should still be an intriguing potential addition for clubs in need of right-handed thump in the lineup. A heavily left-handed lineup like that of the Tigers could surely benefit from the presence of a player like Mountcastle, especially if Spencer Torkelson can’t maintain his hot start and remains a question mark this year. The Diamondbacks, Twins, Giants, and Padres are among the other clubs for whom Mountcastle could be an upgrade, though with four months until the trade deadline there’s still plenty of time for the needs of clubs all around the league to change and impact Mountcastle’s market if the Orioles are set on moving him.

Red Sox, Kristian Campbell In “Deep Talks” On Extension

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The Red Sox and star prospect Kristian Campbell are in “deep talks” regarding a potential contract extension, according to a report from Chris Cotillo of MassLive. The terms of the potential deal between the sides are not yet clear. For his part, Campbell told reporters (including WEEI’s Rob Bradford) after this evening’s game that his camp is talking to the Red Sox about an extension but would not say whether or not he’d consider a deal to be “close” or not. While Campbell wouldn’t tip his hand about the negotiations, Cotillo reports that one source described the deal as “close” and adds that a source with the Red Sox described the team as “hopeful” that a deal would come together.

Campbell, 22, was Boston’s fourth-round pick in the 2023 draft. Despite his later-round draft status, he hit quite well in 22 games down the stretch in his draft year before exploding onto the prospect map last year. After starting the season at the High-A level, Campbell blitzed through the minor leagues to reach Triple-A by the end of the season, slashing a sensational .330/.439/.558 along the way with 20 homers, 32 doubles, and 24 steals in 115 games along the way while splitting time between shortstop, second base, and the outfield. Campbell’s incredible performance made him a consensus top-10 prospect in the sport over the course of a single season, as he had not cracked a single major top-100 list prior to the 2024 campaign.

After making to to Triple-A before the end of the year last season and doing well for himself there (.286/.412/.486 in 85 PAs), Campbell was bandied about throughout the winter as a potential option for the club’s Opening Day second base job. Those plans appeared likely to be scuttled when the club signed Alex Bregman to round out their infield last month, which led many to assume he would fill the void at the keystone with Rafael Devers entrenched at third base. The club’s desire to give Campbell a path to playing time in the majors changed things, however, and the Red Sox positioned Bregman as their Opening Day third baseman instead. That pushed Devers into a DH role and opened up second for a competition between incumbent options David Hamilton and Vaughn Grissom as well as prospects Campbell and Marcelo Mayer.

Hamilton’s solid 2024 and strong spring, Mayer’s blistering performance during camp, and struggles from Campbell himself during Spring Training all made the camp battle for the second base so competitive that just under 31% of respondents to an MLBTR poll last week selected Campbell as the club’s Opening Day second baseman. He departed camp with the keys to the position nonetheless after being viewed as the favorite for much of the spring. The Red Sox are, of course, only three games into the regular season at this point. Even so, rostering Campbell has looked like a wise decision so far as he’s collected five hits in ten at-bats with a double, a home run, and two walks while playing adequate defense both at second base and in left field.

With a player who could be a burgeoning star on their hands, the Red Sox appear to be wasting no time in attempting to lock him up beyond his standard six years of club control, which figure to keep him in town through the end of the 2030 season as things stand. The club reportedly had interest in exploring deals with their top prospects—Campbell, Mayer, and outfielder Roman Anthony— as far back as January. While the club appeared focused primarily on attempting to lock up ace southpaw Garrett Crochet during Spring Training, a pursuit they ultimately fell short in, the Red Sox demonstrated their comfort with continuing negotiations into the season just last year when they extended utility man Ceddanne Rafaela on an eight-year, $50MM deal.

It was part of an organizational shift towards locking up young talent earlier in their careers last spring, which also saw the club sign right-hander Brayan Bello to a six-year, $55MM extension. Campbell is generally viewed as being on another level compared to those two, however, even as Rafaela and Bello were impressive prospects in their own rights. It’s possible that prospect pedigree and offensive upside could translate to a healthier guarantee, with the eight-year, $82MM deal Jackson Chourio signed with the Brewers prior to the 2024 campaign serving as another potentially relevant point of comparison.

Whatever the financial cost ends up being, it will likely pale in comparison to what Campbell would make on the open market if he were to hit free agency ahead of his age-29 season after fulfilling his potential. That potential for an enormous discount would be offset by the considerable risk assumed by the Red Sox in the event of injury or under-performance on the part of Campbell. Jon Singleton and Scott Kingery are among the handful of examples of players who signed extensions at the outset of their MLB careers who went on to fizzle out in the majors, though the Red Sox surely have plenty of confidence in Campbell to avoid the same fate.

Diamondbacks Outright Rene Pinto

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Catcher Rene Pinto has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Reno by the Diamondbacks, according to Alex Weiner of AZ Sports. Pinto does not have the requisite service time or previous outright necessary to reject the assignment, so he’ll remain in the organization as non-roster depth going forward.

Pinto entered camp with Arizona in the mix to back up Gabriel Moreno alongside Adrian Del Castillo and Jose Herrera. The job ultimately went to Herrera, which necessitated the club designating Pinto for assignment as he had no minor league options remaining. The 28-year-old signed with the Rays out of Venezuela as an amateur and made his pro debut back in 2014. He’s spent his entire pro career in a Rays uniform prior to this winter, when the Rays DFA’d him in November and he was claimed off waivers by the Orioles. He stuck with Baltimore throughout much of the offseason but was DFA’d once again to make room for Charlie Morton on the club’s 40-man roster, at which point he was claimed by Arizona.

Pinto made his big league debut with the Rays back in 2022. The cup of coffee lasted only 25 games, and he hit just .213/.241/.325 during that time. Despite that meager performance in the majors, however, Pinto turned in a strong season at Triple-A as he slashed a strong .266/.320/.521 across 73 games at the level. That was enough to earn Pinto additional opportunities in Tampa, and he generally performed much better in them. 2023 saw Pinto appear in 38 games in the majors, hitting a respectable .252/.267/.456 with six homers in just 103 trips to the plate.

That intriguing combination of power and strong defense behind the plate was enough to make the Rays comfortable making Pinto their starting catcher to open the 2024 season. Unfortunately, Pinto didn’t last very long in the role. While he hit a respectable .214/.292/.429 that clocked in above league average over 19 games, those would be the only 19 games Pinto would play in the majors last year as he ceded playing time to a tandem of Ben Rortvedt and Alex Jackson. The catcher didn’t exactly go on to make a case for himself to get another shot in the majors upon being optioned to Triple-A, either, hitting just .191/.257/.373 in 53 games for the club’s Durham affiliate.

Now that Pinto has cleared waivers and been outrighted to the minors, he likely stands as the next man up to help out behind the plate in the event of an injury to either Moreno or Herrera. Normally, that role would appear more likely to go to Del Castillo given that he remains on the 40-man roster while Pinto does not, Weiner notes that Del Castillo has been placed on the minor league’s 7-day injured list. It’s unclear what ailment is bothering Del Castillo or how long he’ll be out of action at this point, but until he returns he won’t be able to serve as a fill-in catcher in the majors fro the Diamondbacks.

Pirates Outright Joshua Palacios, Peter Strzelecki

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The Pirates announced this afternoon that outfielder Joshua Palacios and right-hander Peter Strzelecki have both cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis. Palacios has been outrighted previously in his career and could reject the assignment in favor of free agency if he so chooses, but Strzelecki has neither the previous outright nor requisite service time necessary to reject the assignment and will remain in the organization as non-roster depth going forward.

Palacios, 29, was selected by the Blue Jays in the fourth-round of the 2016 draft and made his big league debut with Toronto in 2021. He hit just .200/.293/.200 across 13 games for the Jays before being plucked off waivers by the Nationals in 2022, for whom he appeared in 29 games while hitting a similarly lackluster .213/.245/.255 in 49 plate appearances before being outrighted off the 40-man roster. He came to the Pirates the following offseason by way of the Rule 5 draft’s minor league phase.

In Pittsburgh, Palacios got a more significant big league opportunity than he did in either Toronto or D.C. as he appeared in 91 games for the Pirates throughout the 2023 season. Unfortunately, the lefty failed to make the most of the opportunity as he hit just .239/.273/.413 in that time, though his 21 extra-base hits (including ten homers) in just 264 trips to the plate hinted at intriguing power potential and he showed the ability to play decent defense at all three outfield spots. Unfortunately, Palacios did not get another opportunity of significance with the Pirates last year. While he did appear in the majors, he was limited to just 23 games and 78 trips to the plate where he slashed a middling .224/.333/.343 while failing to demonstrate the power potential that made him an interesting piece the year prior.

While the Pirates opted to retain Palacios on their 40-man roster throughout the winter, they ultimately cut him just prior to Opening Day when the club opted to roster Jack Suwinski as a left-handed reserve outfielder instead. Now that he’s cleared waivers, he’ll have the opportunity to either stick in the organization as non-roster depth at Triple-A, where he slashed a solid .291/.372/.489 across 51 games at Triple-A, or head out to the open market in hopes of finding a better path to big league playing time elsewhere.

As for Strzelecki, the right-hander signed with the Brewers as an undrafted free agent back in 2018 and worked his way up to the big leagues during the 2022 season. His rookie campaign was quite impressive as he pitched to a 2.83 ERA (143 ERA+) with a 2.94 FIP and a 27% strikeout rate in 35 innings of work. Unfortunately for Strzelecki, his follow-up season in 2023 was less impressive as he posted a 4.38 ERA in 37 innings split between the Brewers and Diamondbacks.

The right-hander was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks just before Opening Day 2024 and was eventually traded to the Guardians, for whom he pitched sparingly in the majors but posted a solid 2.31 ERA and 3.77 FIP in 11 2/3 innings of work. He was DFA’d just before the non-tender deadline over the offseason and found himself shipped to Pittsburgh, but ultimately was DFA’d for a third time prior to Opening Day. This time, he finally cleared waivers and now will look to get back to the big leagues with the club at Triple-A.

Jay Jackson To Retire

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After a professional career that spanned 17 years, veteran right-hander Jay Jackson is hanging up his glove. Robert Murray of FanSided reported this afternoon that Jackson is retiring from his playing career, adding that the 37-year-old hopes to have a second act in baseball, whether that comes by working for a team or in broadcasting.

Jackson was selected by the Cubs in the ninth-round of the 2008 MLB draft and made his pro debut later the summer at 20 years old. A fringe top-100 prospect entering the 2010 season after he pitched to a 2.98 ERA in 24 starts across three levels of the Chicago farm system, Jackson spent the next three seasons struggling at the Triple-A level without breaking into the majors. He was eventually released by the Cubs in early 2013 and bounced between the Marlins, Pirates, and Brewers before eventually landing with the Padres prior to the 2015 season. In San Diego, the right-hander moved to a full-time bullpen role and dominated the Double- and Triple-A levels, earning the opportunity to pitch in the majors for the first time in his career.

Jackson’s first big league cup of coffee did not go especially well, as he surrendered three runs in 4 1/3 innings across six appearances. Even so, the opportunity was enough to get the righty noticed by the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He pitched for the Carp for three seasons, from 2016 to 2018, and put together an impressive resume with a sterling 2.11 ERA and a 26.9% strikeout rate in 175 NPB innings. That work earned him his second big league opportunity, as he returned to the Brewers organization and pitched to a 4.45 ERA across 30 1/3 innings of work in 2019, but it was only after a second sojourn to Japan (this time as a member of the Chiba Lotte Marines) in 2020 that Jackson was able to stick in the majors.

After signing with the Giants in 2021 for his age-33 season, Jackson enjoyed a late-career stretch of success in the majors. Though he pitched just 52 2/3 innings at the big league level for San Francisco, Atlanta, and Toronto from 2021 to 2023, Jackson posted an excellent 2.73 ERA across those 50 appearances and struck out 26.5% of his opponents. That was enough to earn Jackson a look from the Twins last year in his age-36 season, though he struggled badly with a 7.52 ERA across 20 appearances before being released by Minnesota last year. Jackson initially signed with the Mexican League’s Bravos de Leon earlier this month in an effort to continue his playing career, but evidently has now decided to wrap up his days as a player instead.

Overall, Jackson pitched to a lifetime 4.43 ERA (97 ERA+) with a 4.47 FIP across 113 2/3 major league innings, with a 7-4 record and 136 strikeouts in 104 career games. That’s in addition to his excellent years in Japan, where he posted a 2.16 ERA and struck out 204 batters in 183 NPB innings. We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Jackson on his nearly two decades of work in baseball and wish him all the best in whatever comes next.

Orioles Acquire Cody Poteet

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The Orioles have acquired right-hander Cody Poteet from the Cubs in exchange for cash considerations, per an announcement out of Baltimore. Poteet had been designated for assignment by the Cubs prior to Opening Day to make room for right-hander Brad Keller on their 40-man roster. The righty has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk by the Orioles, whose 40-man roster now stands at 39.

Poteet, 30, was acquired by the Cubs over the offseason as the return in the trade that sent Cody Bellinger to the Yankees. Chicago’s priority in that trade was, of course, dumping the remainder of Bellinger’s contract after he decided against opting out last winter. Bellinger, who is now serving as the primary center fielder in the Bronx, was squeezed out of the Cubs’ lineup by the club trading for Kyle Tucker to man right field as well as the emergence of top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong in center. Given the nature of the trade, the club’s decision to DFA Poteet earlier this week was hardly a surprise despite frustration from many on the North Side over the issue.

For the Orioles, the move means adding some depth to a pitching staff that is currently without Grayson Rodriguez, Trevor Rogers, Chayce McDermott, Kyle Bradish, and Tyler Wells due to injuries. A fourth-round pick by the Marlins back in 2015, Poteet made his big league debut in Miami during the 2021 season as a starter, making seven appearances as part of the club’s rotation where he pitched to a 4.99 ERA (85 ERA+) with a 5.62 FIP. Those lackluster results in a rotation role led the Marlins to use him more as a swing man in 2022, and he did fairly well for himself in the role; Poteet threw 28 innings at the big league level in total spread between two starts and ten relief appearances that year, and his 3.86 ERA (106 ERA+) was decent despite a lackluster 18.4% strikeout rate.

Unfortunately, Poteet’s Marlins career would come to an end when he required Tommy John surgery in late 2022, leading Miami to designate him for assignment. He spent the 2023 campaign rehabbing and made a brief appearance in the Royals’ minor league system before landing a major league deal with the Yankees last January. The right-hander did reasonably well for himself in the Bronx, posting a strong 2.22 ERA in 24 1/3 innings of work at the big league level while pitching to a 3.40 ERA in 13 minor league starts last year.

Now on his third franchise in the past four months, Poteet heads to Triple-A to serve as depth behind the club’s rotation, which still includes a solid quintet of Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, Dean Kremer, and Cade Povich even after the aforementioned injuries. Kyle Gibson figures to join that group at some point in the season’s first month or so after signing on with the Orioles earlier this month, but Poteet provides optionable insurance for the club against another injury in the meantime.

If a starter were to go down, it’s possible Poteet could slide directly into the rotation, although with veteran swingman Albert Suarez in the big league bullpen it seems more likely the Orioles would lean on Suarez to start while pushing Poteet into his spot in the bullpen. Poteet will likely be pushed further down the club’s depth chart once Gibson is ready to pitch, but an optionable arm capable of throwing either out of the rotation or in relief as needed is still a valuable asset to have in the fold over the course of a 162-game season.

As for the Cubs, the club already has plenty of optionable starting depth already that may have made it easier to part ways with the righty. Optionable righty Ben Brown is currently serving as the club’s fifth starter with southpaw Jordan Wicks standing as the likely next man up at Triple-A, though the eventual return of Javier Assad (who also has options remaining) from an oblique strain could push both youngsters down the depth chart in the future.

Red Sox, Garrett Crochet Expected To Table Extension Talks

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March 28: While talks are on pause because of Crochet’s self-imposed Opening Day cutoff, it seems the sides got relatively close. Crochet tells WEEI’s Rob Bradford that discussions went “down to the wire” and that he didn’t feel there was a large gap. Asked by Bradford if that provided reason for optimism whenever talks resume — presumably next offseason — Crochet replied that was “definitely fair to say.”

March 27: Earlier this month, newly-acquired Red Sox southpaw Garrett Crochet set a deadline of Opening Day in extension talks with his new club. With Crochet scheduled to take the mound for Boston against the Rangers this afternoon, that deadline has now passed and it seems as though no deal is in place between the sides. MassLive’s Chris Cotillo relays that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters “not to expect” a Crochet extension at this point, while WEEI’s Rob Bradford adds that Breslow said he intends to respect Crochet’s stated desire to not negotiate during the season.

Ever since Crochet came to Boston in a trade where the Red Sox surrendered a package of four prospects headlined by top-100 talents Kyle Teel and Braden Montgomery, hammering out an extension with the southpaw has seemed likely to be a priority for the club with just two seasons remaining until the southpaw reaches free agency. The 2024 All-Star made his first career MLB start on Opening Day for the White Sox last year, but that lack of experience did little to slow him down as he pitched to a 3.58 ERA (115 ERA+) while posting a sterling 2.69 FIP and striking out an incredible 35.1% of his opponents in 32 starts.

As much as the 2024 campaign did to establish Crochet as one of the league’s premiere front-of-the-rotation arms, however, it did little to settle his value on a long-term deal. As previously mentioned, the lefty had no experience as a starter in the majors or minors prior to 2024 due to injuries limiting him throughout his young career. He’d not thrown even 55 innings in a professional season before 2024, and even last year he threw just 146 innings while averaging roughly 3 1/3 innings per start in the second half. The fact that the lefty has not yet participated in a full MLB season with a starter’s typical workload works against Crochet’s value, even as the 25-year-old’s youth, tantalizing stuff and huge strikeout numbers make a case for him as among the most valuable assets in the sport.

Given the uncertainty surrounding Crochet’s value, it’s not necessarily shocking the sides were unable to agree to terms. Reporting last summer indicated that Crochet may have been targeting Tyler Glasnow’s $136.5MM guarantee with the Dodgers as a ballpark comparison for his extension talks with the White Sox, though it’s unclear how his demands may have changed after moving to Boston. That sort of outlay for a pitcher with Crochet’s health question marks may have been difficult for the Red Sox to stomach without getting to see him pitch up close, and now it appears they’ll have that opportunity in 2025. There’s nothing stopping the sides from resuming extension talks next offseason, though considering that it’ll be Crochet’s final before free agency it’s likely that another strong season from the lefty would leave the Red Sox to pay nearly full-market value in an extension next winter.

In other Red Sox news, Sean McAdam of MassLive reported this afternoon that outfielder Masataka Yoshida is headed to Boston for a consultation as he deals with a back issue. McAdam adds that Yoshida, who is on the injured list as he rehabs from offseason shoulder surgery, will remain in Boston to continue his rehab following the consultation. Yoshida was previously expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment as he builds up arm strength ahead of a return to the outfield for the first time (aside from a one-inning cameo last year) since 2023, though it now appears he’ll rehab with the big league club for at least the time being. A career .285/.343/.433 hitter across two seasons in the majors, Yoshida served as Boston’s regular DH last year but was bumped out of that spot by the signing of third baseman Alex Bregman, who pushed incumbent third baseman Rafael Devers to DH.

Poll: Who Will Win The NL East?

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Opening Day has finally arrived, and teams all around the league are gearing up for another pennant chase in hopes of being crowned this year’s World Series champion. Of course, there’s still another seven months to go before someone raises the Commissioner’s Trophy. Until the playoffs begin, teams will be focused on a smaller goal: winning their division. We’ll be conducting a series of polls to gauge who MLBTR readers believe is the favorite in each division. That series already covered the NL West, where the Dodgers were viewed as an overwhelming favorite, and the NL Central, where the Cubs narrowly beat out the reigning division champs in Milwaukee. Now, the series continues with a look at the NL East. Teams are listed in order of their 2024 record.

Philadelphia Phillies (95-67)

After the Phillies fell to their division-rival Mets during the NLDS, it appeared the club may consider making some considerable changes as they put Alec Bohm on the market and searched for outfield help rather than rely on internal options like Brandon Marsh and Josh Rojas. Ultimately, however, the club’s additions this winter were fairly modest. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski swung a trade for a big-name pitcher in need of a bounce-back in Jesus Luzardo. The signings of Jordan Romano and Max Kepler should help out as well but both are coming off down seasons due to injuries. With Jeff Hoffman and Carlos Estevez departing, the bullpen is arguably weaker than last season.

The Phillies will mostly rely on the same core players they trotted out last year. Fortunately, that’s the same core that allowed them to sail into the postseason with a bye through the Wild Card series last year. Zack Wheeler remains one of the very best pitchers in the entire sport, and a rotation featuring Luzardo as the likely fifth starter behind Cristopher Sanchez, Aaron Nola, and Ranger Suarez when fully healthy is in the conversation for the sport’s best. In the lineup, meanwhile, Bryce Harper returns as one of the sport’s most talented hitters, and his supporting cast of battle-tested veterans like Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, and J.T. Realmuto all figure to contribute with the same consistency they’ve offered in previous years. It was more than enough to win the division last year, but will the same be true in 2025?

Atlanta Braves (89-73)

This past offseason was a relatively quiet one in Atlanta, as the club’s winter was defined more by the departures of franchise stalwarts like Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and Travis d’Arnaud than any major additions, even as Jurickson Profar profiles as a substantial upgrade over last year’s platoon of Jarred Kelenic and Adam Duvall in left field. Other relatively marginal additions like Alex Verdugo, Nick Allen, and Hector Neris should help out somewhat as well, but the main thing Atlanta has going for it in 2025 is hope for better health. The Braves’ core was ravaged by injuries last year, with Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider both missing virtually the entire season while Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Sean Murphy and Michael Harris II all also missed significant time.

While health is never guaranteed, the club is all but certain to get more out of its two superstars in Acuna and Strider this year, and is overall unlikely to run into the same rash of injuries on the positional side even as Murphy is already out for the start of the season due to a cracked rib. The team that led baseball in runs scored in 2023 has brought in even more talent on offense since then while also building an impressive bullpen anchored by Raisel Iglesias and Aaron Bummer. All of that is before even considering that the club will once again enjoy the services of reigning NL Cy Young award winner Chris Sale, as well as Reynaldo Lopez as he tries to follow up on a 1.99 ERA campaign in 2025. In some ways, 2024 looked like a floor for the Braves’ talented floor. Will a bounce back be enough to win a tough division in 2025?

New York Mets (89-73)

For as talented as the Phillies and Braves are, it was the Mets who made the deepest run into the 2024 postseason of the NL East, getting all the way to Game 6 of the NLCS before falling to the eventual World Series champion Dodgers. Steve Cohen and David Stearns weren’t content to rest on their laurels this winter and made the biggest splash of any team when they signed Juan Soto to a record-shattering $765MM deal that will land him in Queens for the next 15 years. None of the club’s other moves matched that level of flash, but the returns of Sean Manaea, Jesse Winker, and Pete Alonso as well as more modest additions like Clay Holmes and A.J. Minter leave the Mets looking like a stronger club overall than they were this time last year.

Impactful as pairing Soto with Francisco Lindor at the top of the lineup figures to be, however, that won’t necessarily make the club a clear division favorite with many of the issues that made the Mets such underdogs last season still lingering. A rotation that featured little certainty on paper entering Spring Training is already getting tested by a number of injuries, and the club will rely on Mark Vientos avoiding a sophomore slump in order to lengthen a lineup that looks softer at the bottom than its counterparts in Atlanta and Philadelphia. Still, a lineup featuring two MVP finalists, two other 30-homer sluggers, and Brandon Nimmo looks impressive on paper, and a late-inning mix of Edwin Diaz, Minter, and Jose Butto should be able to preserve late leads. Will that be enough to overtake their rivals?

Washington Nationals (71-91)

The Nationals showed some signs of development last year, but ultimately sold at the trade deadline and fell well short of playoff contention when all was said and done. Still, an emerging core of James Wood, MacKenzie Gore, Dylan Crews, and CJ Abrams inspired enough confidence for the Nationals to make some modest buy-side additions this winter. Nathaniel Lowe and Josh Bell should provide a notable upgrade over Joey Meneses and Joey Gallo at first base, while Paul DeJong and Amed Rosario offer the sort of depth on the infield that was sorely lacking last year.

With three juggernauts at the top of the division, the path to a division title in D.C. is a murky one. With that being said, every member of that aforementioned core is young, talented, and capable of breaking out before even considering the potential impact other young pieces like Brady House, Cade Cavalli, and Robert Hassell III could offer at some point in the year. The addition of Michael Soroka to a rotation that already featured solid youngsters like Gore and Jake Irvin should also offer plenty of upside. Steep as the climb to the summit of the NL East would be, it’s certainly not impossible to imagine the Nationals being the surprise of the NL this year.

Miami Marlins (62-100)

Things were bleak in Miami last year as they lost 100 games for the first time since 2019. And unfortunately for fans, there’s little reason for optimism about the potential for better days in 2025. The club made virtually no additions this winter, and moves to ship out solid pieces like Luzardo and Jake Burger figure to be far more notable than the additions of minor pieces like Matt Mervis and Cal Quantrill. The return of stalwart ace Sandy Alcantara from Tommy John surgery provides a nice story early in the year, and young phenom Eury Perez could return later this season as well. Even the club’s vaunted collection of arms seems unlikely to be enough to get them back to the playoffs given a lineup that will rely on players like Jesus Sanchez and Connor Norby to carry its run production this year, and it would likely take a miracle for them to actually come out on top in such a tough division.

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The Phillies, Braves, and Mets all have strong cases to be the NL East’s best team after making the postseason last year. Philadelphia stands as the reigning champion, while Atlanta featured the best team in all of baseball just two years ago. New York, meanwhile, made a deep run in the postseason just last year and added arguably the most talented pure hitter in baseball over the winter. Meanwhile, D.C. is continuing to quietly assemble a young core that could break out and compete in its own right. Even with Miami deep in the trenches of a rebuild, it figures to be a deeply competitive division in 2025. Who do you think will come out on top? Have your say in the poll below:

Who Will Win The NL East?
Philadelphia Phillies 43.15% (2,946 votes)
Atlanta Braves 31.53% (2,153 votes)
New York Mets 18.57% (1,268 votes)
Miami Marlins 3.78% (258 votes)
Washington Nationals 2.97% (203 votes)
Total Votes: 6,828

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