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AL East Links: Blue Jays, Pearce, Swihart, Cubs, Rays, Cards

By Mark Polishuk | April 22, 2018 at 7:48pm CDT

The latest form around the AL East…

  • The Blue Jays will be facing a roster crunch when Josh Donaldson returns from the disabled list, Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi writes.  The hot-hitting Teoscar Hernandez is the better starting option right now than the slumping Randal Grichuk, though Grichuk is out of options and the Jays don’t want to risk losing him for nothing.  The presence of other veterans on pricey contracts (such as Kendrys Morales or Steve Pearce) further creates a positional glut, and demoting Lourdes Gurriel Jr. would leave Toronto without a backup shortstop option.  This is just my opinion, but one answer could be to demote Devon Travis, who is hitting just .140/.218/.160 through his first 55 plate appearances.  Travis missed most of 2017 due to knee problems and could possibly use some minor league time to get himself back up to speed.
  • A trade could also solve the Jays’ roster issues, and Davidi noted that Pearce received some interest during the offseason.  After an injury-plagued 2017, Pearce is off to a nice rebound year thus far, hitting .304/.360/.565 over 50 PA as the right-handed hitting side of an outfield platoon with Curtis Granderson.  Even with roughly $5.3MM still owed to him this year, Pearce could be attractive to a team looking for a right-handed bat at first base or in the corner outfield.  Pearce is a much more viable trade chip than Morales, who is owed $23MM in 2018-19, can only play DH at this point, and is off to another slow start at the plate.
  • Blake Swihart’s lack of playing time has created “a cruel catch-22” for the utilityman and the Red Sox, The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey writes (subscription required).  Swihart has appeared in 10 of Boston’s first 21 games, with only two of those appearances coming in the starting lineup, and thus he hasn’t done much to enhance his trade value to potential suitors.  On the other hand, there isn’t yet any indication that the Sox are open to trading Swihart, as doing so would suddenly leave the team thin at catcher if Christian Vazquez or Sandy Leon got injured.  (Though it should also be noted that Swihart has yet to appear behind the plate this season.)  Swihart is out of options, and can’t be sent to Triple-A without being exposed to waivers and very likely claimed by another team, so the Sox aren’t going to part ways with the former top prospect without getting anything in return.  While not an ideal situation for Swihart, of course, it’s something of a good problem to have for the Red Sox — the reason Swihart isn’t getting more regular playing time is because the rest of Boston’s lineup is on fire amidst an excellent 17-4 start to the season.
  • Evaluators from the Cubs and Cardinals were recently on hand to watch the Rays last week, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.  The Rays’ limited payroll capability could make them sellers regardless of their record, though the team is also off to a slow 8-13 start overall (though Tampa has won five of its last six games).  It isn’t known what players were being watched, though the Cubs have been heavily linked to Chris Archer in the past while the Cardinals had strong interest in Alex Colome this offseason.
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Boston Red Sox Chicago Cubs St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays Blake Swihart Steve Pearce

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AL Notes: Manaea, Red Sox, Bogaerts, Rays, Twins

By Connor Byrne | April 21, 2018 at 10:35pm CDT

The Red Sox entered play Saturday with the majors’ best record (17-2), the majors’ most runs (123) and the majors’ top triple-slash line (.293/.361/.497). None of that fazed Athletics left-hander Sean Manaea, who no-hit the Red Sox over nine innings of 10-strikeout, two-walk ball to become the first hurler to accomplish the feat this year. It’s the seventh no-hitter in Athletics history and the first for the franchise since Dallas Braden tossed a perfect game against Tampa Bay in May 2010. And remarkably, it occurred on nearly the 25th-year anniversary of the last time the Red Sox were on the wrong end of a no-hitter. Back on April 22, 1993, Chris Bosio of the Mariners held the Sox out of the hit column.

  • In better news for the Red Sox, shortstop Xander Bogaerts could return as early as Friday, Sean McAdam of BostonSportsJournal.com was among those to report (Twitter link). Bogaerts, who went on the disabled list April 9 with a cracked bone in his left ankle, is set to play a pair of rehab games with Triple-A Pawtucket on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Red Sox have won nine of 11 without Bogaerts, which is all the more impressive when considering he got off to an otherworldly start (.368/.400/.711 in 40 plate appearances) before landing on the DL.
  • Meanwhile, teammate Tyler Thornburg is “still a ways away from the majors,” Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe tweets. But the reliever, who has been pitching in extended spring training, will rejoin the Red Sox during their upcoming homestand (beginning April 27) and could throw batting practice, per Abraham. Thornburg remains on the mend from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent last summer. The righty hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2016, when he was among the game’s premier relievers as a member of the Brewers.
  • Rays righty Yonny Chirinos is now a full-fledged member of their rotation, manager Kevin Cash told Bill Chastain of MLB.com and other reporters Saturday. Tampa Bay opened the season with an unconventional three-man starting staff (Chris Archer, Blake Snell and Jake Faria), with Chirinos among those working as a “Bullpen Day” starter, but it saw enough from him during his first few outings to officially make it a four-man group. The 24-year-old has tallied 20 innings of 2.70 ERA/3.49 FIP ball in four appearances thus far. After throwing 50-some pitches in each of his first two games, Chiirnos racked up 75 and 89, respectively, in the previous two. He’s now stretched out enough to get into the 100 range, per Cash, and will start Sunday against Minnesota.
  • Chirinos will face Twins righty Phil Hughes, whom the team has reinstated from the disabled list. The Twins optioned pitcher Gabriel Moya to Triple-A to make room for Hughes, who had been on the shelf with a strained oblique. The 31-year-old Hughes hasn’t pitched in a big league game since July 14, 2017, thanks to the thoracic outlet syndrome revision surgery he underwent in August. At $13.2MM per year through next season, Hughes is one of the Twins’ highest-paid players, though he has struggled mightily since a sensational 2014 with the team. When he was healthy enough to pitch last season, Hughes logged a 5.87 ERA with a meager 30.7 percent groundball rate over 53 2/3 innings (14 appearances, seven starts).
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Boston Red Sox Minnesota Twins Tampa Bay Rays Phil Hughes Tyler Thornburg Xander Bogaerts Yonny Chirinos

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Injury Notes: Warren, Farquhar, Mancini, Rodon

By Kyle Downing | April 21, 2018 at 1:58pm CDT

The Yankees announced today that they’ve placed right-hander Adam Warren on the 10-day disabled list with a back strain. The move comes in conjunction with the promotion of fellow righty Jonathan Holder, who’s being called upon to reinforce the bullpen. It’s yet another unfortunate development for a Yankees team that’s seeing its disabled list grow larger and larger; notable players among that number already include Tommy Kahnle, Greg Bird, Brandon Drury, Clint Frazier and Jacoby Ellsbury. The club is already facing harsh criticism from its fans and the city’s media outlets for its mediocre start, particularly in comparison to the division rival Red Sox, who are off to a historically hot 17-2 start. The growing list of injuries certainly won’t help their situation.

More injury-related items from around baseball…

  • In a still-developing situation, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports tweets that White Sox reliever Danny Farquhar has been hospitalized and is undergoing a series of tests. According to Nightengale, there’s a possibility that Farquhar has a serious injury following passing out in the club’s dugout. We’ll have more in this unfortunate and scary situation as it continues to develop.
  • James Fegan of The Athletic notes in his latest piece that White Sox right-hander Carlos Rodon is set to begin pitching some games in extended spring training soon. Rodon hasn’t pitched since undergoing an arthroscopic shoulder surgery late last year, but he’s reportedly set to throw a sideline session with pitching coach Don Cooper at some point this weekend before heading back to Arizona. His presence will certainly be a boost to a largely-inexperienced White Sox rotation that’s posted a 5.99 ERA so far this season.
  • According to Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun, Orioles slugger Trey Mancini’s knee is still “really swollen” after colliding with the wall in foul ground during yesterday’s game. X-rays and a CT scan came back negative, so Mancini and the Orioles are hopeful that he can avoid a DL stint and return to the lineup in a few days’ time. He’ll sit out today’s contest against the Indians, however.
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Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Chicago White Sox New York Yankees Adam Warren Carlos Rodon Danny Farquhar Trey Mancini

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AL East Notes: Mallex, Red Sox, Cashner, Yanks, Donaldson

By Jeff Todd | April 20, 2018 at 3:39pm CDT

The Rays are preparing to give a long look at outfielder Mallex Smith, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. As he nears his 25th birthday, Smith has upped his offensive game, with a .373/.418/.510 batting line. Though he’s carrying an unsustainable .432 BABIP, it’s notable that Smith has been striking out at a meager 12.5% clip. With Kevin Kiermaier just starting a lengthy DL stint, there’s little reason not to see whether Smith can stake a claim to an everyday job. Topkin also covers some of the other players who could see additional opportunities due to the loss of Kiermaier.

Here’s more from the rest of the AL East:

  • Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski gave an honest answer when  asked by Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald whether he foresaw the team’s unbelievable start to the season. “We thought the capabilities were there,” said Dombrowski. “But for me to say we expected it to this point, that would be a bit much.” Still, he did acknowledge that he and the rest of the front office truly believed that last year’s tepid run production would turn around, with or without the addition of J.D. Martinez. Sox fans will want to read the entire piece, which gives an interesting look at all the things going right in Boston at the moment.
  • The story isn’t quite the same in Baltimore, where the Orioles are off to a miserable opening run. One bright spot has been Andrew Cashner, one of several offseason pitching additions. Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun examines whether his 3.00 ERA through 24 innings — which follows a 3.40 mark in 166 2/3 frames last year — could be sustainable despite still-middling peripherals. Skipper Buck Showalter seems to believe that Cashner has matured as a pitcher and “came into his own last year.” He says he’s “hoping that we’re going to reap the benefits of that” over the full course of the current season. Of course, as Meoli explains, there are certainly some reasons not to buy in.
  • Relief pitching was expected to be an overwhelming strength for the Yankees in 2018, but Marc Carig of The Athletic writes (subscription link) that there are some cracks in the pen. Beyond just short-term struggles with results, the Yanks have seen cause for deeper concern with some pitchers. In particular, Dellin Betances has shown a bit of a velo drop and, perhaps more worryingly, reduced spin rate. There are similar issues for Tommy Kahnle, who is now on the DL after not looking capable of sustaining his 2017  breakout in the early going.
  • The Blue Jays have received generally promising news on star third baseman Josh Donaldson, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca tweets. Skipper John Gibbons says that, though Donaldson isn’t going to be ready to come back after the minimum ten-day stint, he has resumed throwing and is feeling “great.” The real question, though, is whether Donaldson will be able to throw without limitation after showing reduced form early in the season.
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Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays Andrew Cashner Dave Dombrowski J.D. Martinez Josh Donaldson Mallex Smith

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Red Sox Activate Drew Pomeranz

By Steve Adams | April 20, 2018 at 1:56pm CDT

The Red Sox announced that they’ve activated left-hander Drew Pomeranz from the 10-day disabled list. Righty Marcus Walden was optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket to open a space on the active roster for Pomeranz’s return.

Pomeranz, 29, has been on the shelf all season thanks to a forearm issue he sustained in Spring Training, but he’ll return to the mound for tonight’s series opener in Oakland. He’ll step into the final spot in the rotation alongside Chris Sale, David Price, Rick Porcello and Eduardo Rodriguez, with Hector Velazquez moving to the bullpen now that Boston’s projected starting five is at full strength.

[Related: Boston Red Sox depth chart]

The 2018 campaign will be a pivotal one for Pomeranz, who’ll qualify for free agency for the first time in his career at season’s end. Pomeranz took some time to establish himself as a quality big league piece after being selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft. Originally drafted by Cleveland, he was traded to the Rockies as part of the Ubaldo Jimenez swap 14 months later. Pomeranz never put things together in Colorado, but his career took off after being dealt to the A’s prior to the 2014 season.

After a pair of quality seasons spent more as a reliever than a starter, Pomeranz stepped into the Padres’ rotation on a full-time basis in 2016 and hasn’t looked back. Over the past two seasons, he’s tossed 344 1/3 innings of 3.32 ERA ball with 9.4 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 1.1 HR/9 and a 44.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’s yet to top the 180-inning mark at any point in his career, but if he can make another 29 to 30 starts in Boston this season, he should have no shortage of interested parties when free agency rolls around in November.

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Boston Red Sox Drew Pomeranz Marcus Walden

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Mets Notes: Catcher, Harvey, Bruce

By Steve Adams | April 20, 2018 at 9:09am CDT

The Mets have been without Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki for a week and have received just two hits from their patchwork catching tandem of Jose Lobaton and Tomas Nido. However, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News hears that in spite of that, the Mets don’t plan to trade for a catcher before Plawecki returns in another two to three weeks. Ackert checked in on three AL clubs with “obvious” matches — speculatively speaking, Blake Swihart and Wilson Ramos would be a pair of clear on-paper matches — and was told that the Mets have not reached out. Rather, they’ve told clubs who’ve reached out that they plan to stay internal for now. Mike Puma of the New York Post paints a slightly different picture, reporting that the Mets have begun to kick the tires on some options. He lists Swihart, Ramos and Houston’s Max Stassi as “potential pursuits,” though there’s no mention of direct contact with the Red Sox, Rays or Astros regarding that trio in his report.

More notes out of Queens…

  • With Jason Vargas nearing a return from the disabled list, the Mets will soon need to create a vacancy in their rotation, and based on performance, Matt Harvey would be the obvious starter to get bumped. However, the right-hander told the media following that he considers himself a starting pitcher and isn’t thinking about a move to the bullpen (links via Puma and MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo). Harvey cited his three scoreless innings to close out last night’s rough outing as evidence that he can “get people out still in the fifth and sixth inning when my pitch count gets up,” though the Braves had already pounced on him for six runs by that point. Harvey has more than five years of MLB service time, meaning he’d have to give his consent to be optioned to the minors. Asked about the possibility of being optioned, he told reporters: “I can’t answer that question right now.”
  • MLB.com’s Bill Ladson sat down with Jay Bruce for a Q&A and talked about his return to the Mets, the team’s expectations and the work he’s done with hitting coaches Kevin Long (now with the Nationals) and Pat Roessler over the course of his Mets tenure. As Bruce explains, his return to New York was helped out by the fact that he had a chance to get to new new skipper Mickey Callaway in his time with Cleveland following last year’s trade. The Texas native acknowledges that there was some interest from Houston this offseason and that playing in his home state “would have meant a lot,” but he makes clear that he’s thrilled to be back in New York on a team that believes it can make a run at the postseason in 2018 and beyond.
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Boston Red Sox Houston Astros New York Mets Tampa Bay Rays Blake Swihart Matt Harvey Max Stassi Wilson Ramos

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AL East Notes: Rays, Red Sox, Orioles, Peterson

By Steve Adams | April 17, 2018 at 9:20am CDT

Given the loss of Kevin Kiermaier for upwards of three months and an ugly 4-12 start to the season, the Rays ought to be open to selling veteran pieces right now rather than waiting until the summer, opines Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. While there’s some logic to hold onto Chris Archer until later this year, particularly given his advantageous contract, Topkin argues in favor of trading other veterans such as Wilson Ramos, Adeiny Hechavarria, Alex Colome and Denard Span in the near future. Beyond that, however, Topkin posits that the Rays should make those moves as a means of paving way for well-regarded prospects like Willy Adames, Christian Arroyo and Jake Bauers, rather than just swapping out their veteran assets for stopgaps and replacement-level fillers. With the Rays already 9.5 games out of first place in the division, Baseball Prospectus pegs Tampa Bay’s postseason odds at just seven percent, while Fangraphs’ projections give the Rays a minuscule 0.2 percent chance of even securing a Wild Card berth.

  • WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford takes a look back at the Red Sox’ efforts to sign Shohei Ohtani out of high school back in 2013, chatting with then-Red Sox scouts Jon Deeble and Eddie Romero about their initial meeting with Ohtani. (Deeble is now the Dodgers’Pacific Rim director, while Romero is an assistant GM in Boston.) Both men recall Boston’s tireless pursuit of the player who Romero describes as “the best pitching prospect I had ever seen.” Ben Cherington, the Red Sox’ GM at the time, gave Deeble and Romero the green light to pursue Ohtani as aggressively as possible — including an agreement to let him develop as a two-way player if he signed with Boston. The Red Sox and Dodgers, Deeble suggests, would likely have been the finalists for Ohtani had he signed with a big league club out of high school, but NPB’s Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters were ultimately able to convince Ohtani to begin his professional career in his home country. Bradford’s column is full of quotes from Deeble and Romero on Ohtani as an amateur and a very interesting pursuit, which makes for a fun look back at what might have been.
  • Jonathan Schoop’s injury could push the Orioles to look outside the organization for some infield depth, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Kubatko notes that the O’s have held interest in Erick Aybar in the past, and the longtime Angels shortstop is currently unsigned after spending much of Spring Training with the Twins. Kubatko also indicates that the Orioles had interest in bringing Jace Peterson aboard after his DFA from the Yankees, but the Yanks were able to bring him back on board by offering a more lucrative split contract to the utilityman. “A number of teams” had interest in Peterson, per Kubatko, but he’ll remain in the Bronx for the time being.
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Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Tampa Bay Rays Erick Aybar Jace Peterson Shohei Ohtani

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Injury Notes: Kiermaier, Zunino, Iwakuma, Hosmer, Pomeranz

By Kyle Downing | April 15, 2018 at 5:59pm CDT

Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier suffered a right thumb sprain during today’s game against the Phillies. He’ll get an MRI on Monday, says manager Kevin Cash (h/t Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). There’s no official word yet as to the severity, but Cash says that “he’s going to be out” and that “there’s a chance he’s going to miss a chunk of time.” On Sunday, Johnny Field replaced Kiermaier after his departure, and could get the lion’s share of the work in center field while the former Gold Glove winner is out.

More of the latest injury notes from around MLB…

  • Bob Dutton of MLB.com offers some insight into the return timetable of Mariners catcher Mike Zunino, who’s been sidelined the entire season thus far with an oblique strain. On Monday, he’ll begin a rehab assignment at the Class A Advanced level. “I’m really close,” said Zunino. “I think I’m ready now. I’ve had a couple of days of full swings in batting practice, but they’re just being really cautious.” As Dutton notes, that probably means the assignment will last at least two or three games. Meanwhile, 37-year-old right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma has been throwing bullpen sessions and could begin a rehab assignment himself in a few weeks. He had shoulder surgery on September 27th of last year after spending the bulk of the season on the DL.
  • Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer missed his second consecutive game today with what’s being described as lower back tightness, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports. A club spokesman has apparently called the injury “minor”. The Friars gave Hosmer an eight-year, $144MM contract that represents a significant investment in both their present and future, and he’s off to a solid start so far this season, hitting .288/.364/.458 in 15 games.
  • Lefty Drew Pomeranz of the Red Sox is scheduled to be activated for Friday’s tilt against Oakland, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports (via Ryan Hannable of the same publication). it’ll be his first start of the season. Pomeranz has been sidelined with a flexor tendon strain all season, and his return should further improve a Red Sox ballclub that’s currently 13-2 and sits high atop the AL East.
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Boston Red Sox San Diego Padres Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Rays Drew Pomeranz Eric Hosmer Hisashi Iwakuma Johnny Field Kevin Kiermaier Mike Zunino

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East Notes: Sox, Ohtani, G. Torres, Hellickson, Realmuto, Mets

By Connor Byrne | April 15, 2018 at 2:33pm CDT

Angels phenom Shohei Ohtani will start against the Red Sox on Tuesday. If the Sox had their druthers, though, it would be the other way around, per Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Boston, like just about every other major league team, courted Ohtani during his brief foray into free agency over the winter. The club showed Ohtani a 25-minute video presentation that prominently featured former Red Sox starter/slugger Babe Ruth, the most successful two-way player of all-time, as a recruiting tool. Ohtani is aiming to make a Ruthian impact as both a pitcher and a hitter in the majors, and so far he’s thriving on both ends. The Red Sox would have given Ohtani the opportunity to capitalize on his unique talents, as Silverman details, though he eliminated them (and most other clubs) from the process pretty quickly. “€œI wish we were in a position where we could have tackled that challenge,” said president Dave Dombrowski. “€œWe liked him a great deal, we thought very highly of him. I thought he was a legitimate two-way player.”€ Silverman’s piece, which contains more quotes from Dombrowski and senior vice president of personnel Allard Baird (who scouted Ohtani extensively from 2012-17), is worth checking out in full.

More from the East Coast…

  • Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson could take the ball for the Nationals on Monday when they open a series against the division-rival Mets, Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com suggests. Righty A.J. Cole is penciled in at the moment, though signs are pointing to Hellickson making his Nats debut, Zuckerman explains. Promoting Hellickson, whom Washington signed to a minors deal before the season, would require the team to add him to its 40-man roster and jettison someone else. That wouldn’t be the out-of-options Cole, per Zuckerman, who expects him to move to the bullpen in the event of a Hellickson call-up. The 31-year-old Hellickson, a veteran of 197 starts, will earn a $2MM salary if he lands a spot with the Nats.
  • Manager Aaron Boone told Marc Carig of The Athletic and other reporters Sunday that it’s “possible,” albeit “not necessarily” probable, the Yankees will promote top prospect Gleyber Torres during the upcoming week. The Yankees would gain an extra year of control over the infielder by waiting until April 18 to promote him, though general manager Brian Cashman insisted during spring training that the team’s not concerned about that. Torres has made his case for a call-up at the Triple-A level since last year, having hit .333/.407/.496 in 135 plate appearances. If the 21-year-old does join the Yankees soon, he could be a factor at both second and third base.
  • The Marlins’ best player, catcher J.T. Realmuto, is closing in on his 2018 debut. Realmuto, out since late March with a lower back injury, could rejoin the Marlins at the start of their nine-game road trip Monday, manager Don Mattingly informed Steve Dorsey of MLB.com and other reporters. And third baseman Martin Prado is “progressing” in his recovery from a left hamstring strain, per Mattingly, who added that the veteran could begin a rehab assignment soon. Prado, like Realmuto, hasn’t played yet this season.
  • The Mets activated first baseman Dominic Smith from the DL on Sunday and optioned him to Triple-A Las Vegas, Tim Healey of Newsday tweets. The former top 100 prospect had been dealing with a strained quad since the outset of spring training, thus putting the kibosh on his chances of winning a job in camp. Smith, 22, is now behind Adrian Gonzalez, Wilmer Flores (and maybe others) in the Mets’ first base pecking order.
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Boston Red Sox Miami Marlins New York Mets New York Yankees Washington Nationals A.J. Cole Dominic Smith Gleyber Torres J.T. Realmuto Jeremy Hellickson Martin Prado Shohei Ohtani

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AL East Notes: Rays, Ramos, Yanks, Torres, Red Sox

By Connor Byrne | April 14, 2018 at 6:16pm CDT

The Rays “would love to talk” with the Mets about catcher Wilson Ramos if New York is interested in absorbing most of his $10.5MM salary, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. Whether the Mets are eyeing Ramos is unclear, but the NL-best club (11-1) is without its top two backstops, the injured Travis d’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki, which could put it in the market for help behind the plate. D’Arnaud won’t play again this year (Tommy John surgery), though Plawecki should return within a month from a fracture in his left hand. Therefore, the Mets might not feel the need to do anything drastic, such as taking on most of Ramos’ money.

Here’s more from the AL East:

  • The Yankees’ best prospect, infielder Gleyber Torres, could end up in the majors soon if the Miguel Andujar–Tyler Wade tandem doesn’t start producing for the club, George A. King III of the New York Post observes. Andujar, also one of the Yankees’ top prospects, collected a double and a triple in their win over the Tigers on Friday. The third baseman has just five hits in 34 plate appearances, though, while Wade – primarily a second baseman – has even fewer knocks (three) in 35 PAs. Torres could play either third or second, thus bumping either Andujar or Wade. The Yankees wouldn’t need help at the hot corner had Brandon Drury not gone on the DL ith severe migraines on April 7. Drury could return April 17, but that’s not likely, according to King. It just so happens that the Yankees could gain an extra year of team control over Torres, 21, by waiting until April 18 to promote him, King points out. Torres has made his case for a call-up this year, having batted a tremendous .387/.412/.548 over 34 PAs at the Triple-A level.
  • The Red Sox have managed an American League-leading 12-2 record without left-hander Drew Pomeranz, who’s on the DL with a forearm flexor strain. But Pomeranz is nearing his 2018 debut, according to Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. The 29-year-old made a Double-A rehab start Friday, and his next outing will be the Red Sox, according to manager Alex Cora. Pomeranz will take the hill either Thursday against the Angels or Friday versus the Athletics. This could be the last season in Boston for Pomeranz, who’s scheduled to hit free agency next winter.
  • The Red Sox selected lefty Trey Ball seventh overall in 2013 with the hope that he’d make an impact in the majors as a starter. Five years later, they’ve moved him to the bullpen, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. The 23-year-old has taken to his new relief role thus far, having pitched 6 2/3 scoreless innings at the Double-A level this season. Smith’s piece, which is worth checking out in full, contains several quotes from Red Sox vice president of pitching development and assistant pitching coach Brian Bannister regarding Ball’s transition.
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Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Tampa Bay Rays Drew Pomeranz Gleyber Torres Trey Ball Wilson Ramos

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