Injury Notes: Nick Sandlin, George Springer
Guardians righty Nick Sandlin departed yesterday’s win over the Rays with right upper arm tightness, reported by Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal. Sandlin has a small history of shoulder problems, missing the last month of the 2021 season with a right shoulder strain, but it is unclear of the exact nature of his new ailment.
Sandlin, playing in his second major league season, improved upon his strong rookie season (2.94 ERA in 33 2/3 innings) and pitched to a robust 2.25 ERA in 46 appearances this season, allowing only 2 homers in 44 innings pitched. He has been particularly tough on right-handed hitters, holding them to a measly .149/.265/.238 line.
With the Guardians earning a trip to the ALDS following their two-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, Sandlin will have two days to recover before facing the New York Yankees. If he is unable to return to the field, right-handed Aaron Civale, a notable omission from the Wild Card roster, is a possible candidate to replace him on the postseason roster.
In other Wild Card series injury news, Blue Jays outfielder George Springer was carted off the field in yesterday’s game following a collision with shortstop Bo Bichette in the eighth inning. Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider said in his postgame conference that the All-Star center fielder, who signed a six-year, $150MM contract with the Jays prior to the 2021 season, was “doing ok” and that Springer was going to “be evaluated for a couple of different things,” per Julia Kreuz of MLB.com. Schneider followed up by saying that the team would know more about Springer’s injury in the next few days.
Springer has had another successful year, slashing .267/.342/.472 en route to his fourth All-Star game appearance while playing slightly above average defense in center, earning one Outs Above Average. With the Jays ending their 2022 season following yesterday’s defeat to the Mariners, Springer will have a few months to recover before the start of the 2023 season.
NL Central Notes: Helsley, Adames, Pirates, Davis
Ryan Helsley won’t pitch in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series today, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol told reporters (including Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat). The decision is related to workload rather than a physical setback, as while Helsley left yesterday’s game with numbness in his right fingers. The issue contributed to a nightmarish breakdown, as Helsley was charged with four of the six runs the Cards surrendered in the ninth inning of the 6-3 loss to the Phillies.
An MRI didn’t reveal any damage, and Helsley told Jones and other media members that he’ll try to stimulate more blood flow in his fingers via laser therapy. The right-hander said he doesn’t have much feel (particularly on breaking pitches) as the ball is leaving his hand. With this is mind, it’s fair to consider Helsley as a question mark for Game 3, if St. Louis is able to extend the series tonight.
Here’s some more from around the NL Central…
- “I love it here, I feel good here, I feel comfortable here and I wish I could stay here the rest of my career,” Willy Adames told Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other reporters about his time with the Brewers. Adames is arbitration-controlled through the 2024 season, and given the Brewers’ payroll limitations, it remain to be seen how many (if any) of such notables as Adames, Corbin Burnes, or Brandon Woodruff could be possible extension candidates. “At the end of the day, [the Brewers] have to put everything together and see if we can work something out. Hopefully we can, and we can make it happen. But I’m always willing to hear what they have to say,” Adames said. Possibly impacted by a high ankle sprain that sidelined him in May and early June, Adames hit .238/.298/.458 over 617 plate appearances, though that still translated to a 109 wRC+, and the shortstop also hit 31 homers.
- Pirates manager Derek Shelton cited first base and catcher as “areas of need” in the offseason, telling Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and other reporters that “I do think we’ll continue to look to solidify those positions….We’re just going to have to see what’s available, how we acquire guys to fill that.” Roberto Perez may be a candidate to be re-signed, though the veteran backstop played only 21 games before undergoing hamstring surgery, and Perez was one of a whopping eight catchers who saw time behind the plate for the Pirates in 2022. First base was also a revolving door with 10 players getting time at the cold corner, and Michael Chavis (who had the bulk of the playing time) was already outrighted off the active roster, with Chavis electing free agency. As always, it’s hard to imagine the Pirates spending big on upgrades at either position, as the team continues to rebuild.
- Brennen Davis was limited to 53 games in 2022 due to back surgery, and the star Cubs prospect reflected on his difficult year and somewhat unusual injury with The Chicago Sun-Times’ Maddie Lee. Initially diagnosed as a herniated disc, Davis’ issue was actually a vascular malformation that was causing pain due to pressure on his sciatic nerve. While it may take time for Davis to fully recover his power stroke, both the outfielder and Triple-A hitting coach Desi Wilson feel the situation might actually help Davis’ overall hitting approach. “Having to grind for my hits. I can’t just go out there and muscle one out,” Davis said. “I have to square baseballs up and hit them the right way, with true backspin and stuff like that, and pick pitches that I can do damage on.” Davis has returned to action in the Arizona Fall League, and he is hopeful of making his MLB debut in 2023 — since Davis had already hit well during a brief Triple-A stint in 2021, he likely would’ve already appeared in the majors this year had he stayed healthy.
Red Sox Notes: Devers, Hosmer, Casas, Coaching Staff, Catcher
This afternoon, Red Sox chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, GM Brian O’Halloran, president Sam Kennedy, and manager Alex Cora spoke with the media (including Alex Speier of the Boston Globe and Jen McCaffrey of the Athletic) to put a wrap on the 2022 season and provide clarity for the team’s offseason moves.
The quartet made it clear that Xander Bogaerts is a top priority, with Bloom stating that the Red Sox are “going to work really hard” at creating a deal with the long-term shortstop. Bloom continued, adding that he hopes that the Red Sox can get a deal done before the Bogaerts opts out and that the Bogaerts deal is “something that we can work on right away.”
Bogaerts had previously signed a six-year, $120MM extension in 2019 with an opt out after the 2022 season. The star shortstop has not officially stated whether he will exercise the opt out, but he’s a lock to do so and earn far more on the open market. Bogaerts said yesterday he and the team have not had any recent extension talks.
Bogaerts has been the Red Sox’s longest-tenured player, having made his debut as a 20-year-old in August 2013 and winning two World Series with the club. Since his debut, the recently turned 30-year-old has continued to develop and post strong results, slashing .307/.377/.456 with 15 home runs and 38 doubles in the 2022 season. Over the past five seasons, Bogaerts has posted a .301/.373/.508 slash line for a strong .880 OPS with 105 home runs, earning three All-Star berths and MVP consideration in the previous four seasons, finishing in fifth during the 2019 season.
If Bogaerts leaves the team, the Red Sox have options internally. Trevor Story, signed to a six-year, $140MM contract during the 2021 offseason, has considerable experience at short. However, Story has expressed a preference to remain at second and retain Bogaerts at short. Utility men Kiké Hernández and Christian Arroyo both have experience at shortstop, but neither produces an offensive output comparable to Bogaerts.
Additionally, Red Sox’s top prospect Marcelo Mayer, ranked as the seventh-best prospect by MLB.com, just finished his first full minor league season, posting a strong .280/.399/.489 line across Low-A and High-A. MLB.com currently projects the 19-year-old to make his debut during the 2024 season. However, Bloom said that prospects who are years away from the Majors will not impact the Red Sox’s approach to their 2023 team.
Transitioning to Rafael Devers, the slugger said on Wednesday that he’d be open to discussing a long-term deal this offseason (via Rob Bradford of WEEI). The Red Sox and Devers reportedly weren’t close during their Spring Training negotiations, but Bloom reiterated today “we would like to” explore a long-term deal with Devers, per Speier.
Devers is headed into his final season of arbitration eligibility, as Mookie Betts was before his blockbuster trade to the Dodgers. Bloom dismissed the possibility of trading Devers, saying that “isn’t on our radar” and that everything the team has done (farm system and payroll-wise) was conducted so that the team “is never in that position [of trading a player like Betts] again.” Bloom added that while it was always possible he’d receive a trade offer that was “stupid to walk away from,” Devers “is a guy that we want to build around.”
Unlike Bogaerts, the Red Sox have fewer internal options to replace Devers at the hot corner. Arroyo and Hernandez are capable of playing there, but, like is the case with shortstop, neither of them provides the offensive output that Devers brings to the team. Bobby Dalbec could be a contender for third base. However, the righty has yet to consistently produce at the major league level, slashing .232/.298/.456, buoyed by a strong .263/.359/.600 in his late 2020 debut season. Jeter Downs and Ryan Fitzgerald are both Triple-A candidates that could see some time if needed, but both will likely continue their development in Triple-A.
Similar to Meyer, ninth-best prospect Blaze Jordan just finished his first full minor league season. Across Low-A and High-A, the 19-year-old posted a combined .289/.363/.445 line. Jordan is also projected to make his debut during the 2024 season, which may be sped up to align with a Devers departure.
Moving to the other side of the infield, Bloom touched on the arrivals of Eric Hosmer and Triston Casas. “I don’t know yet,” he admitted when asked if there was room on the roster for two left-handed first basemen, per Christopher Smith of Mass Live. “Obviously, when we got Hoz, we were focused on what he could bring to us right now and not wanting to rush Triston. I think after that, Triston showed us in Triple-A, coming back off that injury once he got settled in, really the best we’ve seen from him or at least I’ve seen since I’ve been here. … It’s something we’re going to have to look at.”
Hosmer was acquired at the trade deadline and posted a weak .244/.320/.331 line with the Red Sox in 45 at-bats. He arrived with three years remaining on his eight-year, $144MM contract that he signed in 2018 with the Padres, but San Diego is paying down all but the league minimum salary. Hosmer certainly won’t opt of the remaining $39MM on his deal, but Boston could move from the veteran at virtually no financial cost if they wanted to turn to Casas full time.
Casas is Boston’s second-best prospect, after Mayer, and is ranked as the No. 25 prospect by MLB.com. The slugger made his debut in early September and finished the season going 15-for-76 (.197) with 23 strikeouts. However, he had a strong 20% walk rate, a .358 on-base percentage, and sent five balls over the fence. Bloom stated that the Red Sox were happy with how Casas “progressed the last couple months of the season,” noting that “he was a tough at-bat every single time,” and that the team is “excited” to see how he learns from his brief experience in the Show.
Bloom also noted that the Red Sox “fully expect” they’ll look at the possibility of adding to their catching group externally, per Speier. He suggested the Red Sox see Reese McGuire and Connor Wong as having “raised the floor,” but left open the possibility of an impact addition. Willson Contreras is the clear top free agent available at the position, while deadline trade target Sean Murphy could again be made available by the A’s. McGuire has had a strong start to his Red Sox tenure, slashing a strong .337/.377/.500 for a .877 OPS with three homers in 98 at-bats. However, these high numbers are inflated by an astounding .411 BABIP. Wong has been less productive, posting a .188/.273/.315 line, with a high 28.6% strikeout rate.
Meanwhile, Cora announced that the Red Sox hope to bring back their entire coaching staff for the next season, per Chris Cotillo of Mass Live. However, it’s possible some members of the staff could get a chance to interview for managerial positions this winter. Bench coach Will Venable, in particular, has been a frequent candidate for managerial jobs in past offseasons.
Marlins Notes: Meyer, Pitching Staff, Mattingly, Coaches
The Marlins will likely be without top pitching prospect Max Meyer for the entire 2023 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery at the end of July. Whether it’s a return late in the ’23 season or for Opening Day 2024, the former No. 3 overall pick is still a pivotal arm for the organization’s future — but a role has yet to be determined. Scouting reports on Meyer have long suggested that he could eventually land in the bullpen, and pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that the right-hander indeed has traits that “lean more on a bullpen guy.” Stottlemyre emphasized that Meyer will still get a look as a starter to “see how his changeup develops, see how he reacts to getting through the lineup three times” but also noted that Meyer’s elite slider, max-effort delivery and general mentality on the mound all lend themselves to potential bullpen work. “He is wired a lot like a bullpen guy,” said Stottlemyre.
Jackson’s piece also contains detailed thoughts from both Stottlemyre and outgoing skipper Don Mattingly on a number of the team’s young arms, including Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, Sixto Sanchez and top prospect Eury Perez. General manager Kim Ng, meanwhile, appeared as a guest in the booth during yesterday’s game and broadly discussed the team’s rotation depth (Twitter link, with video, via Bally Sports Florida).
Some more notes out of Miami…
- Although Mattingly is on the way out as the team’s manager, he revealed yesterday that he’s at least spoken to Marlins owner Bruce Sherman about the possibility of remaining with the organization in another role (Twitter link via Jackson). The 61-year-old Mattingly stated that, while nothing has been agreed upon yet, “nothing’s off the table” either. Mattingly noted at the time of his release that he was looking forward to spending time with his family but also “to any future endeavors,” strongly suggesting that he does not plan to retire and that he’s open to opportunities both with the Marlins or with another club. There will be quite a few managerial openings this winter, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Mattingly surface as a candidate for several of them. The Rangers, Angels, Phillies, White Sox and Blue Jays all currently have “interim” managers after in-season dismissals of their Opening Day personnel, though some of those interim skippers could be moved into a full-time role for the 2023 season.
- Marlins general manager Kim Ng was a guest in the booth on yesterday’s broadcast and said that any decisions pertaining to the coaching staff will likely wait until a new manager is hired (Twitter link, with video, via Bally Sports Florida). MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola wrote recently, however, that the Marlins will likely try to retain Stottlemyre as pitching coach, though they’ll likely have competition from other clubs in that regard. “I guess fortunate thing for Mel and unfortunate thing for the organization, Mel’s probably going to have options,” Mattingly said last week when asked about Stottlemyre.
NL Notes: La Stella, Phillies, Sosa, Hand, Steele, Gray
Tommy La Stella won’t play again this season as he continues to recover from neck spasms that sent him to the 10-day injured list since September 12. Multiple injuries have limited La Stella to 136 games over his first two seasons with the Giants, and though the team owes La Stella $11.5MM in 2023 (the final year of his three-year contract), The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser opines that La Stella might be a candidate to be designated for assignment. One would imagine the Giants would explore trades before going the DFA route, yet in either case, the club would very likely end up eating just about all of La Stella’s remaining salary, unless they can swap him for another undesirable contract.
The changing rules limiting defensive shifts will be a factor in San Francisco’s decision-making, as La Stella will now have to show more range in order to play second or third base, and La Stella’s mobility has been rather limited since undergoing Achilles surgery. Since a more athletic roster is a stated offseason goal of president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, Slusser wonders if La Stella could be the odd man out if he is unable to play anywhere beyond first base or DH.
More from the National League…
- The Phillies are on the cusp of clinching a wild card, and interim manager Rob Thomson told reporters (including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki) that the injured Edmundo Sosa and Brad Hand could be options to return for the playoffs should the Phils qualify. A right hamstring strain has kept Sosa on the 10-day IL since September 16, while Hand was retroactively placed on the 15-day IL on September 22 due to tendinitis in his throwing elbow. The versatile Sosa hit a scorching .315/.345/.593 in 59 plate appearances after being acquired by the Cardinals on July 30, while Hand has struggled over his last few outings but still has a 2.80 ERA over 45 innings for the season.
- Justin Steele has been shut down for the remainder of the season, Cubs manager David Ross told The Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro and other reporters. Steele hasn’t pitched since August 26 due to a lower back strain, and while Steele has been throwing bullpens, that work has been more about getting Steele fully healthy rather than prepping him for a final appearance in 2022. In his first full MLB season, Steele has a 3.18 ERA over 119 innings, with an above-average strikeout rate even though walks (9.8 BB%) were an issue. The left-hander has nonetheless put himself in good stead for a rotation spot in 2023.
- The Nationals also won’t start Josiah Gray again this year, as manager Davey Martinez told reporters (including The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden) that Gray already talked his way into some extra work beyond his initial limit of 130 innings. Gray finishes with 148 2/3 innings in his first big league campaign, though it was far from smooth sailing for the right-hander. Gray has allowed a Major League-leading 38 home runs and an NL-leading 66 walks, en route to a 5.02 ERA over 28 starts.
Dodgers Notes: Jarrin, Grove, Jackson, Taylor
The Dodgers paid tribute to broadcasting legend Jaime Jarrin prior to yesterday’s game, feting the longtime Spanish-language voice of the team in his final season on the mic. Jarrin began calling Dodgers games on the radio in 1959 (the team’s second season in Los Angeles) and has been a fixture ever since, announcing last year that he would be retiring at the end of the 2022 season.
It will mark the end of an era for L.A. fans, who had the unique benefit of hearing both Jarrin and Vin Scully call games from 1959 until Scully’s retirement in 2016. The 86-year-old Jarrin has also had an incredible career beyond baseball, covering news for KWKW radio and calling other major sporting events like world championship boxing and the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. We at MLB Trade Rumors wish Jarrin all the best in retirement, though he still has some very big games left to call during the Dodgers’ upcoming postseason run.
More from Chavez Ravine…
- Right-hander Michael Grove was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a left knee contusion, as the Dodgers recalled righty Andre Jackson from Triple-A in the corresponding move. Grove suffered in the contusion in the final batter faced in his start yesterday, as C.J. Cron hit Grove with a line drive comebacker. The injury doesn’t appear terribly serious, though the IL placement allows L.A. to get a fresh arm on the roster for the final few games of the season, and Grove was likely a borderline choice at best to make the postseason roster. In his rookie year, Grove has a 4.60 ERA over 29 1/3 innings and seven appearances (six starts), helping the Dodgers by making a few spot starts in the place of injured or resting pitchers.
- Chris Taylor was a scratch from Saturday’s lineup and also wasn’t in today’s lineup, as the super-utilityman is dealing with a sore neck. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya) that Taylor’s neck is “not great” at the moment, and Taylor is considered day-to-day. It has been a tough year for Taylor, who missed a month of time due to a fracture in his left foot, and is hitting only .221/.304/.373 over 454 plate appearances. His 92 wRC+ is a big step back from the 116 wRC+ Taylor posted from 2017-21, and most of his struggles have come in the 44 games since his return from the injured list. Since the Dodgers have a first-round bye, they have the luxury of waiting until October 11 to make any decisions on Taylor or any other players dealing with injury.
Central Notes: Cabrera, Hicks, Alzolay
Tigers veteran Miguel Cabrera will turn 40 years old in April, shortly after beginning the final guaranteed season of the mega extension he signed back in 2014. Though he’s not quite the hitter he was back then, he’s still going to be a part of Detroit’s plans next season. “We expect Miggy to be here,” manager A.J. Hinch tells Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. “We expect him to do his part in the offseason to prepare himself to be healthy and be productive and be the icon that he is.”
As noted by McCosky, Cabrera’s 2022 got off to a nice start, as he kept his batting average above .300 into July. However, he has slumped badly since then while dealing with various nagging injuries, currently sitting on a batting line of .251/.299/.315 for the year. That production amounts to a wRC+ of 76, or 24% below league average, which is well below Cabrera’s previous low of 92 from 2017.
Going into the season, it seemed as though Cabrera was on the verge of being nudged out of the club’s plans, as they spent aggressively in the offseason to try to compete in 2022. With the promotion of first base prospect Spencer Torkelson, it was fair to wonder if an awkward situation was approaching with the club trying to compete and Miggy standing in the way. Instead, Torkelson and the Tigers both fell way shy of expectations, with the youngster hitting just .197/.281/.301 so far this year and club sporting a record of 64-93.
The fact that Cabrera is still owed $32MM next year doesn’t mean he is immune from being cut from the team if he continues to underperform. Just last year, the Angels designated Albert Pujols for assignment in May while he was playing out the final year of his contract at a $30MM salary. Both Hinch and new president of baseball operations Scott Harris voiced their support for Cabrera being a part of the 2023 club, though how much of a role he gets to play is likely to be determined.
Some more notes from the Central divisions…
- The Cardinals are planning to reinstate right-hander Jordan Hicks from the injured list for their final regular season series, which begins tomorrow in Pittsburgh, according to MLB.com. Hicks went on the IL on September 17, retroactive to September 15, due to right arm fatigue. He has long tantalized fans with his triple-digit velocity but also been frequently set back by command issues and injuries. This season, he’s made 34 appearances and has a 4.92 ERA, 24.4% strikeout rate, 57.5% ground ball rate but a 13.6% walk rate. The Cards have already clinched the NL Central and can use their final games to assess the condition of Hicks’s arm before they begin a series against whichever team winds up in the final Wild Card spot.
- Cubs right-hander Adbert Alzolay seemed to be a potential rotation building block last year, appearing in 26 games with 21 of those being starts, logging 125 2/3 innings with a 4.58 ERA. However, this year, a shoulder strain landed him on the injured list to begin the season and he only made his season debut a couple of weeks ago. This mostly lost season has resulted in several pitchers surpassing him on the depth chart and perhaps leading to a move to the bullpen. Alzolay discussed this possibility with Patrick Mooney of The Athletic and seems fine with it. “If my role is best out of the bullpen, being a long guy, being a guy that can throw in the eighth or close a game or whatever, I feel like I have the weapons to do that,” Alzolay says. “You won’t have me every five days there, but you can have me every two or three days. I can go and throw three or four innings, or I can go and throw one inning late in the game. So I feel like there are a lot more options there, and then that allows the team to go and be aggressive during the offseason.” The Cubs’ 2023 rotation will likely consist of Marcus Stroman, Kyle Hendricks and Justin Steele, with Keegan Thompson, Hayden Wesneski, Javier Assad, Adrian Sampson and Caleb Kilian having put themselves into consideration to varying degrees. With all of those options, and perhaps some offseason additions, it makes sense for Alzolay and the team to consider new ways for him to be a contributing member of the staff.
AL Notes: Nevin, Angels, Strahm, Red Sox, Twins
Angels interim manager Phil Nevin told reporters (including The Athletic’s Sam Blum) that he hasn’t yet had any talks with the front office about remaining in the job for the 2023 season. Nevin moved from third base coach to the interim skipper’s role after Joe Maddon was fired in June, and the Angels have a 44-57 record under Nevin’s stewardship, though between injuries and some imperfect roster construction, it can be argued that Nevin hasn’t had much to work with in trying to get the Halos on track.
The manager’s job is one of many questions facing the Angels this offseason, with the franchise’s possible sale acting as the overhanging influence on every decision. There has been some speculation that this uncertainty could benefit Nevin’s chances, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal has written that the Angels could prefer to just retain Nevin rather than sign another manager to a multi-year contract this winter (thus leaving a new owner with that deal on the books, when that owner might naturally prefer to make their own choice at skipper). The front office’s lack of contact with Nevin might not necessarily be a sign that he isn’t a candidate, as GM Perry Minasian and owner Arte Moreno might just be waiting until the offseason to conduct a proper search.
More from around the American League…
- Amidst a difficult Red Sox season, Matt Strahm has been a bright spot, posting a 3.92 ERA over 43 2/3 innings and filling a number of different roles in Boston’s bullpen. After being non-tendered by the Padres last winter, Strahm signed a one-year, $3MM free agent deal with the Sox in March and he told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo that he “would love” a return to Boston in 2023. Strahm also said he is open to returning to a relief role, but also wants to market himself as a starting pitcher. Strahm made 16 starts for the Padres in 2019 but none since, as knee injuries limited the southpaw in any role in 2020-21. However, Strahm said he is ready to resume a starter’s workload, as a consistent running program has made his knees “feel better than when I was drafted.” Since the Red Sox have multiple starters slated for free agency this winter, re-signing Strahm and at least giving him a trial run as a starter would make some sense, as the Sox would then have the fallback of moving the left-hander back into the bullpen. Cotillo reported that the Brewers, Royals, and Tigers were among the teams vying for Strahm last offseason, so any of that trio could conceivably still have interest in his next trip to the open market.
- Max Kepler, Gio Urshela, and Emilio Pagan could all be trade candidates for the Twins this offseason, as The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman breaks down why Minnesota may be open to swapping any of these veterans. Naturally, money is one factor — Kepler is guaranteed at least $9.5MM in 2023, while Urshela (paid $6.55MM in 2022) and Pagan ($2.3MM) are due raises in their final year of salary arbitration before free agency. Kepler and Pagan are also coming off underwhelming seasons, while Gleeman figures the solid Urshela likely has the most trade value of the trio, should the Twins want to open third base for Jose Miranda.
NL East Notes: Alcantara, Marte, Strider
Sandy Alcantara‘s season is officially over, as Marlins manager Don Mattingly told reporters (including the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson) today that the star right-hander won’t be pitching in the Marlins’ season finale on Wednesday. Alcantara pitched yesterday and would’ve been lined up to make his 33rd start in Wednesday’s game against the Braves, but Miami will instead close the book on what might end up as a Cy Young Award-winning campaign for the 27-year-old righty.
Over a league-high 228 2/3 innings, Alcantara has looked like an old-school workhorse in a sport increasingly dominated by pitch counts and bullpen usage. Alcantara has a 2.28 ERA, 53.6% grounder rate, and 5.6% walk rate to go along with that big workload, and he earned his second All-Star nod. While Miami is reportedly open to trading from its pitching depth this winter, Alcantara is known be off-limits, as his five-year, $56MM extension signed last November has made him a Marlins cornerstone.
More from the NL East….
- Starling Marte is still recovering from his fractured right middle finger, as Mets manager Buck Showalter told Newsday’s Tim Healey and other reporters that Marte’s finger still hasn’t healed enough for the outfielder to start swinging or throwing. Marte hasn’t played since September 6, but his attempts at making it back before the end of New York’s season have already resulted in one cessation of baseball activities, as Marte’s continued discomfort in his finger has prevented him from being able to properly ramp up his readiness. With the regular season winding down, there must now be concern whether or not Marte will be ready when the Mets start the playoffs, whether that is on Friday (if the Mets are a wild card) or perhaps even on October 11 (if the Mets win the NL East). Naturally, that latter date would give Marte more time to heal, but the Mets and Braves might be battling for the division title until the final day of the schedule.
- The Braves are also missing a key figure from the pennant race, as Spencer Strider‘s stint on the 15-day injured list will last until that 162nd and final game. Strider has been dealing with an oblique strain, and manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that there isn’t any update on whether or not Strider will be able to return for that last game. The rookie right-hander has been getting treatment and doing core exercises, but while Snitker said that has been some improvement, Strider hasn’t yet started throwing.
Dodgers Notes: Gonsolin, Treinen, May, Almonte, Bickford
The Dodgers plan to welcome back All-Star Tony Gonsolin soon, as noted by Jack Harris of the LA Times. Manager Dave Roberts relayed information to reporters earlier today, stating that Gonsolin’s most recent rehab start “went really well,” and that the Dodgers aim to have Gonsolin start Monday’s game against the Rockies, pitching around 3 innings, and hope to have him stretched out to 4 innings in time for the NLDS.
Before being placed on the injured list in late August, Gonsolin was pitching a fantastic season and likely would have been a serious Cy Young contender. In his first full season starting, Gonsolin has pitched to a 2.49 ERA, 23.7 K%, 7.2 BB% in 128 1/3 innings (23 starts) en route to his first All-Star appearance.
Elsewhere on the Dodgers:
- Reliever Blake Treinen, who has missed most of the 2022 season, is still progressing in his return from shoulder tightness since being placed on the injured list, retroactive to September 7th. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported that Treinen played catch yesterday, and, while it went fine, Treinen’s ability to come back this year will depend on how his shoulder responds in the next few days. Limited to just 5 innings this season, Treinen was dominant last season, working to a 1.99 ERA in 72 1/3 innings with a 29.7% strikeout rate. With Craig Kimbrel having lost the closing job in Los Angeles, the late-season addition of Treinen, if he’s able to make it back, may help the Dodgers plan their postseason roster
- As Dustin May works to return from lower back tightness that forced his placement on the 15-day IL on September 24th, the flamethrowing righty said that he’s “completely confident” that he will be healthy for the NLDS, per Harris. May said he is progressing in his rehab, but is unsure as to the role he might have when he returns. Roberts informed reporters the Dodgers would prefer to use a four-man rotation in the NLDS (Harris link), and Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urías, and Tyler Anderson seem destined to fill out three of those spots. The last starting role appears to be up for grabs amongst Andrew Heaney, Gonsolin, and May.
- The Dodgers activated Yency Almonte from the 15-day IL earlier today, with the right-handed relief pitcher returning to the active roster after dealing with elbow tightness in his pitching arm. In his first season with the Dodgers, the 28-year-old has pitched to a 1.15 ERA in 31 1/3 innings (29 appearances) with an above-average 24.6% strikeout rate. In a corresponding move, RHP Phil Bickford has been placed on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder fatigue. Bickford has seen heavy usage out of the pen, pitching 61 innings (60 appearances) with a 4.72 ERA while striking out opposing batters at a strong 27.1% clip. Bickford’s move to the IL ends his regular season.