Giants’ Luis Gonzalez, Donovan Walton To Miss Start Of Season
At least one and likely two players won’t be part of the Giants’ Opening Day roster, as outfielder Luis Gonzalez and utilityman Donovan Walton have both been sidelined with injuries. Manager Gabe Kapler told Evan Webeck of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter links) and other reporters that Gonzalez will miss the next 4-6 weeks due to a lower back strain, and the team also told the media that Walton will be out until May due to his recovery from shoulder surgery.
Kapler specified that Gonzalez’s current problem is in a different area than the back strain that hampered the outfielder last season, though it does mark the third time in less than a year that back issues that kept Gonzalez out of action. He missed a little over two weeks in June and July dealing with his first back strain, and Gonzalez was eventually shut down with another strain in late September.
After playing nine MLB games with the White Sox in 2020-21, Gonzalez was placed on waivers after undergoing season-ending surgery and then claimed by the Giants in August 2021. (The team non-tendered Gonzalez over the offseason but re-signed him to a new minor league deal in pretty short order.) As Gonzalez got healthy and started to receive more playing time, it looked like a very canny pickup for San Francisco, as the outfielder had an .869 OPS over his first 112 plate appearances of the 2022 season. Gonzalez even won NL Rookie Of The Month honors for May, but that proved to be the peak of his year, as his numbers (undoubtedly impacted by his ongoing back issues) came back to earth. Gonzalez ended up with a slightly below-average 95 wRC+ in 350 PA, slashing .254/.323/.360 with four homers, 17 doubles, and 10 steals in 12 chances. He also made five mop-up appearances as a pitcher in blowout games, with a 5.68 ERA to show for his 6 1/3 innings on the mound.
Heading into 2023, Gonzalez’s injury will further complicate his path to more playing time in a crowded San Francisco outfield. The Giants were aggressive in adding to their outfield mix over the offseason, as they re-signed Joc Pederson and signed Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto in free agency. Even with Pederson mostly slated DH duty, Haniger and Conforto are expected to be the regular corner outfield combo, with Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Slater penciled into center field. LaMonte Wade Jr., Thairo Estrada, Heliot Ramos, and non-roster invitees Stephen Piscotty and Bryce Johnson might also be considered. Gonzalez has a minor league option remaining, meaning the Giants could send him to Triple-A as further depth once he recovers from his back problem.
Walton underwent his surgery back in September, after his shoulder issues resulted in a 60-day IL placement that prematurely ended his season. Acquired in a trade with the Mariners last May, Walton had 78 total PA in the 2022 season (all with San Francisco) and he hit .158/.179/.303.
The 28-year-old Walton has appeared in each of the last four MLB seasons, though he has only 61 big league games on his resume after being frequently back and forth between the majors and minors with both the Giants and Mariners. Walton has played mostly second base and shortstop during his career, but he has more recently branched out to some third base and left field work in order to add to his versatility and help his chances of sticking in the Show.
The Giants non-tendered Walton last November, but then re-signed him to a new minor league deal in December. Since Walton is out of minor league options, San Francisco might eventually face a tricky roster decision when he is healthy, though that decision is still at least a couple of months away.
Reds’ Justin Dunn Could Miss All Of Spring Training With Shoulder Issue
TODAY: According to an MRI, Dunn has a strain in his right subscapularis muscle. MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon notes that this same area of the rotator cuff contributed to Dunn’s injury problems in the last two seasons, though Dunn told Sheldon that “luckily, it’s not as bad” as those previous issues. Dunn is scheduled to be examined by an orthopedic surgeon this week
FEBRUARY 23: Dunn will miss a significant portion of camp and could be sidelined for the entirety of spring training, manager David Bell told reporters Thursday (Twitter link via C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer).
FEBRUARY 22: Reds right-hander Justin Dunn experienced some shoulder discomfort late in the offseason, writes Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. While Dunn threw a brief bullpen session last week, he hasn’t returned to a mound since then.
There’s no indication Dunn is battling anything serious. Nevertheless, Nightengale writes that it’s “increasingly likely” he could be delayed by the start of the regular season with his throwing program behind schedule. If he ends up missing time during the season, it’d be the second straight year in which shoulder issues have posed a problem.
Acquired from the Mariners last Spring Training as part of the major trade that sent Jesse Winker and Eugenio Suárez to the Pacific Northwest, Dunn opened his first season as a Red on the injured list. He didn’t return until early in the season’s second half. The Boston College product started seven games with Cincinnati, struggling to a 6.10 ERA with just a 15.2% strikeout rate and elevated 12.3% walk percentage over 31 innings. He also had a tough time over eight starts with Triple-A Louisville, posting a 6.21 ERA in eight starts there.
That’s obviously a season which the former first-round pick would prefer to put in the rearview mirror. Dunn understandably expressed some frustration with his recent shoulder problem, telling reporters he’d felt strong throughout the bulk of his offseason activity.
It’s a key season for the 27-year-old, who’s looking to stake a claim towards the back of an uncertain rotation. The Reds have Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft in the top three starting spots. Free agent acquisition Luke Weaver seems to have the inside track on the #4 job. There are a few pitchers who could find themselves in the mix for the fifth spot. Former reliever Luis Cessa, journeyman righty Connor Overton and prospects Brandon Williamson and Levi Stoudt could make some starts for the club. Dunn could certainly battle for a job himself, though he’ll first need to get his shoulder back to full strength.
Dunn has started 32 MLB games dating back to 2019. He owns a 4.44 ERA with subpar strikeout and walk rates (19.3% and 14.7%, respectively) in 133 2/3 career innings. Dunn is making $900K for the upcoming season and eligible for arbitration through the 2025 campaign.
Twins Sign Jeff Hoffman To Minor League Deal
Right-hander Jeff Hoffman has signed a minor league contract containing multiple opt-outs with the Minnesota Twins, reports Phil Miller of the Star Tribune. Per FanSided’s Robert Murray, the opt-outs are for March 28, May 15, and June 15. The deal pays Hoffman $1.3MM when in the majors, and includes $50K incentives for pitching appearances in each of 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 games, meaning the deal’s potential value maxes out at $1.6MM total.
Hoffman, 30, was the 9th overall pick in the 2014 draft, selected by the Blue Jays. Following a swap to Colorado as part of the Troy Tulowitzki trade, Hoffman came up as a member of the Rockies in 2016, and spent parts of five seasons in a swing role for the club. Despite racking up 230 2/3 innings for the club across those five years, Hoffman never found his footing in Colorado, pitching to a 6.40 ERA (79 ERA+) with a 5.58 FIP.
Even in spite of those struggles, Hoffman’s top prospect pedigree, impressive stuff, and ability to start all intrigued the Reds enough to swap reliever Robert Stephenson for him ahead of the 2021 campaign. Out of Coors Field for the first time in his big league career, Hoffman posted back to back seasons with an above average ERA+ in 2021 and 2022, combining for a 4.28 ERA (108 ERA+) and 4.86 FIP in 117 2/3 innings of work. The 2022 season in particular was a strong one for Hoffman, who pitched largely out of the bullpen en route to a 3.83 ERA (117 ERA+) and 4.30 FIP in 44 2/3 innings.
That encouraging uptick in performance wasn’t enough for Hoffman to avoid getting non-tendered in November, however, and it’s easy to see why the Reds may have had concerns: Hoffman struggled with his control during his time in Cincinnati, walking a 12.8% of batters faced over the last two seasons, and his success last year may have been predicated, at least in part, on an unsustainable 7.5% of his fly balls leaving the yard despite an 8.7% barrel rate.
Now, Hoffman is set to compete for a role on Minnesota’s pitching staff. Such a role seems likely to come in the bullpen, given the club’s deep group of rotation options. Hoffman seems particularly likely to compete for a spot in the Twins bullpen with fellow new arrival Dennis Santana, who was claimed off waivers from the Braves earlier today. Both right-handers have big stuff and have to this point in their careers struggled with control, but has shown himself to be an interesting long-relief or swing option in the big leagues, as well.
In this hypothetical camp battle, Hoffman has prospect pedigree on his side, but Santana has the advantage of youth in addition to even more impressive stuff: his fastball ranked in the 91st percentile in 2022, per Statcast, while Hoffman’s ranked in just the 61st percentile (albeit with a more impressive 93rd percentile spin rate). Should Hoffman not make the Opening Day roster in Minnesota, the three opt-outs in his deal will provide him with ample opportunities to test the open market again, should he so choose.
Twins Claim Dennis Santana
The Twins have claimed right-hander Dennis Santana off waivers from the Braves, Phil Miller of the Star Tribune reports. In a corresponding move, Twins shortstop Royce Lewis will be transferred to the 60-day IL. Atlanta had acquired Santana from the Rangers earlier this offseason in exchange for cash considerations. The Braves have announced the waiver claim. There had been no previous indication Santana was removed from Atlanta’s roster but they evidently tried to pass him through waivers in recent days.
Following brief stints in the majors with the Dodgers in 2018 and 2019, Santana got his first extended run of playing time in the shortened 2020 season, where he pitched out of the Dodgers bullpen in twelve games. Santana struggled in those appearances, racking up a 5.29 ERA and 5.72 FIP throughout the season. He stuck with the Dodgers into the first half of the 2021 season, though his struggles in LA continued until he was traded to the Rangers in June of that year. While Santana never found his footing in LA, struggling to a 6.48 ERA, 32% worse than league average, across his 40 2/3 innings as a Dodger, he was able to turn a corner upon arriving in Texas.
As member of the Rangers, Santana pitched to a well above average 3.63 ERA (123 ERA+) in 2021, a figure that was largely backed up by his solid 4.15 FIP. These improved results stood as Santana was catching up to his own talents as a flamethrower. His fastball had always been impressive, with his 96 mph 4-seamer ranking in the league’s 81st percentile in terms of velocity. Still, red flags were present, as Santana continued to struggle with his control. He walked a whopping 13.5% of batters in 2021 while striking out just 19.4%.
Unfortunately for Santana, 2022 proved to be a difficult season. Despite an uptick in velocity raising his fastball to an average of 97.7 mph and improved barrel and whiff rates, the right-hander’s strikeout and walk improvements, to 21.2% and 11% respectively, still left him below league average in those regards. When those below average rates are combined with an extremely low 54.3% of Santana’s runners being left on base, it’s easy to see how his ERA ballooned up to 5.22 in 2022, 24% below league average. Still, that fluky lack of stranded runners kept his FIP at a much more palatable 3.35 for the year, leaving reason for optimism headed into the 2023 season.
Santana now joins a Twins bullpen mix that includes the likes of Emilio Pagan and Jorge Alcala set to work the middle innings to bridge the gap between the starting rotation and back-end options Jhoan Duran, Jorge Lopez, and Caleb Thielbar. The acquisition of Santana also helps Minnesota build up a depth of relievers who can go multiple innings. This would help the club keep players like Josh Winder and Cole Sands in starting role at Triple-A, which the organization has previously stated as its preference. Santana is out of minor league options, meaning that if the Twins wish to retain him in the organization without putting him on the Opening Day roster, they’ll have to attempt to pass him through waivers at some point this spring.
As for Lewis, he had the misfortune of tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in June of last year. That was the same ligament he tore the previous year, leading to two straight seasons ended by ACL surgery. At the time of that injury diagnosis, his estimated timeline was given as 12 months, meaning he likely won’t be able to rejoin the club until June and making this IL placement an expected result.
Diego Hernandez To Miss 3-4 Months With Dislocated Shoulder
Royals outfield prospect Diego Hernandez is set to miss the next three to four months of action after dislocating his non-throwing shoulder yesterday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Hernandez, 22, was added to the 40-man roster back in November ahead of this offseason’s Rule 5 draft. Hernandez signed with the Royals as an international free agent during the summer of 2017 for a $200K bonus, a figure which made up the majority of Kansas City’s pool during the 2017-18 signing period. Hernandez grades out as a quality defensive center fielder and a plus-plus runner according to prospect reports, which allowed him to steadily rise throughout the Royals’ minor league system from his debut in 2018 until his full season debut in 2021.
Across 79 games played almost entirely at the Single-A level in 2021, Hernandez struggled with the bat, slashing .263/.346/.320 in 327 plate appearances. He did manage to swipe 35 bags in 46 attempts, however, and that speed combined with his center field defense once again earned him a promotion to High-A in 2022. Hernandez appeared to unlock another gear in 2022, and began showing with the bat to the tune of a .279/.343/.418 slash line in 83 games at the High-A level.
This surge in offensive capability came largely on the back of newfound power; Hernandez swatted seven home runs, 17 doubles, and four triples in those 83 games, compared to just two home runs, 13 doubles, and four triples in his 131 career minor league games headed into the 2022 season. That power boost earned Hernandez a late season call-up to the Double-A level, where he continued to impress by hitting .298/.357/.379 in 32 games. In addition to his step forward with the bat, Hernandez retained the speed that helped him on the basepaths and in the field, swiping 40 bags in 52 attempts across both levels in the 2022 season.
This showing in 2022 surely made protecting Hernandez from the Rule 5 draft an easy decision for the Royals, and put a big league debut during the 2023 season into play as a reasonable possibility. Obviously, this injury puts that possible trajectory in doubt, as Hernandez will miss the first half of the season and have little time to prove himself big league ready in 2023. Hernandez joins fellow Royals outfielder Drew Waters in starting the season on the injured list, though the oblique injury Waters is suffering from is expected to keep him out of action for much less time than Hernandez’s shoulder woes. The Royals still have plenty of outfield depth, as Kyle Isbel, Edward Olivares, Nate Eaton, Franmil Reyes, MJ Melendez, and Hunter Dozier represent some of the options still at manager Matt Quataro’s disposal.
Padres Sign Daniel Johnson To Minor League Deal
The Padres have signed outfielder Daniel Johnson to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com.
Johnson, 27, was originally drafted by the Nationals but was traded to Cleveland in the 2018 deal that sent Yan Gomes to Washington. Johnson was able to get up to the majors with Cleveland, appearing in 35 games over the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He hit four home runs in that small sample but also struck out in 34% of his trips to the plate while walking in only 5.3% of them. His batting line in that time was .202/.245/.337 for a wRC+ of 52.
He was outrighted off the club’s roster after that 2021 season and was traded to the Mets in May of 2022. The latter club released him in July, which resulted in Johnson returning to the Nats on a minor league deal. All that bouncing around didn’t seem to suit him well, as he hit a combined .219/.268/.347 for the year. He was much better in Triple-A in 2021, hitting 14 home runs in 72 games and producing a .222/.314/.444 batting line.
Johnson will jump into San Diego’s outfield mix, which is in a temporary state of flux. Fernando Tatis Jr. is expected to man right field eventually but won’t be eligible to play in the regular season until he serves the 20 games remaining on his suspension. For the time being, the likely configuration will have Juan Soto in left and Trent Grisham in center, with right field potentially occupied by players like Matt Carpenter, Adam Engel, José Azocar or Brandon Dixon. Johnson will look to fight his way onto the roster alongside other non-roster invitees such as David Dahl and Preston Tucker.
Pirates Owner Bob Nutting Addresses Bryan Reynolds, Payroll, CBA
8:04am: Reynolds spoke with reporters this morning about contract talks with the Pirates, and said the team has made no new offers thus far (per Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic). At this stage, Reynolds has not set a deadline for a potential deal to get done.
7:59am: The future of Bryan Reynolds has dominated Pirates-related headlines ever since his trade request early on in the off-season. Speculation looks set to bleed into the spring now, and it likely won’t stop until the Pirates either hammer out an extension with their star outfielder or trade him.
According to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Pirates’ best offer to Reynolds was a six-year, $80MM deal, while the player was seeking eight years and $134MM — both of which would have represented a franchise record contract. While a $54MM gap is significant, owner Bob Nutting said in an interview with Mackey that the team is working hard to try and bridge that at the moment.
“We’d love to see Bryan as a long-term part of the team. The piece that I was most concerned about was his level of frustration in the sense that he felt disrespected by the team. If there’s a way we can bridge the gap, we’re working hard to do that. We’re continuing this week to work hard to do it. Bryan’s important. We want to do what’s right for him, for his family and for the team. We absolutely have respect for Bryan. We want to keep lines of communication open,” Nutting said.
The trade request came on the heels of that impasse in contract negotiations, but Reynolds has still maintained his preference is to stay in Pittsburgh if the right deal can be found. On that front, however, it does appear to be make-or-break time. Another strong season of production would likely push an extension next winter well out of Pittsburgh’s price range, and while the Pirates could still likely get a strong package in return for Reynolds next winter, his dwindling years of control and increasing arbitration salary will make it trickier to justify the bounty they might receive this season.
Reynolds can be a free agent following the 2025 season, which would not appear to line up perfectly with the Pirates’ projected window of contention, which may well be just opening around 2024-25. As such, an extension which keeps him in Pittsburgh beyond 2025 or a trade for younger players with more years of control makes plenty of sense. Reynolds, 28, has established himself as one of the game’s top outfielders in recent years. The switch-hitter has compiled 12.5 fWAR, averaging an excellent .281/.361/.481 line while belting 74 home runs over the past four seasons.
In any case, there seems to be little chance of the Pirates following the Padres anytime soon, and turning their small market payroll into one more resembling that of the game’s heavy hitters.
“It’s a model that we have belief in and have had success with. As we varied away from that model, which arguably we did in ’17, ’18 and ’19, it doesn’t work very well. I think we’re right at the brink of seeing success. I think what we’re continuing to do and what we have done is try to show discipline and make sure that we’re investing in the right places. I continue to look at baseball as one part of a much broader bucket,” Nutting said.
The Bucs’ payroll has ranked 30th, 30th and 28th in the past three seasons, failing to clear the $60MM threshold. The Pirates were at a similar stage of their rebuild in 2011-12, and were running out bottom-three payrolls in those seasons. As their window of contention opened, payroll more than doubled from 2012-15 (according to Cot’s Baseball Contracts) as the Pirates enjoyed a trio of playoff seasons.
Nutting’s brief but wide-ranging interview with Mackey also touched on the new collective bargaining agreement which was agreed upon a year ago between the league and the MLB Players Association.
“There’s no question the CBA contained several things that were not good for the Pirates and very few things that were excellent for us. You also have to remember there was no baseball going on. We had a real risk of losing the season. I felt a significant sense of urgency to get on the field. Could have had a protest vote. That’s not really who I am. I’m not sure it would be good for the team, and I don’t think it would be good for baseball,” Nutting said.
“It’s the single biggest issue facing the Pittsburgh Pirates. Competitive disparity, revenue disparity and payroll disparity are all real challenges. I think it’s great [Commissioner Rob Manfred] is publicly talking about it. We simply can’t be here in the next cycle. We’ve got to see fundamental change in the economic structure of the game. I believe that we’re positioned to do it — not this year or next year but over the longer-term cycle.”
Chicago Notes: Suzuki, Taillon, Crochet
Seiya Suzuki was a late scratch from the Cubs lineup, as the team announced to reporters (including Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun-Times) that the outfielder was dealing with left oblique tightness. More will be known about Suzuki once he completes some tests, though for now, there is certainly concern over his status given the rather wide range of recovery timelines associated with oblique injuries. Even if Suzuki’s issue is relatively minor, it might create an immediate problem with his planned participation on Team Japan at the World Baseball Classic.
A finger sprain cost Suzuki about six weeks of his first MLB season, but he still hit a solid .262/.336/.433 with 14 homers over 446 plate appearances with the Cubs in 2022. More will be expected from Suzuki in his sophomore year (especially for a Cubs team that plans to be more competitive) but the first order of business is to make sure that he’s healthy and that his oblique injury doesn’t lead to much missed time.
Some more notes on both Windy City teams…
- The Mets and Phillies were the other finalists for Jameson Taillon, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman writes that Philadelphia offered Taillon slightly more than the four years and $68MM he received from the Cubs. Since Taijuan Walker signed with the Phils for four years and $72MM, it could be that the Phillies offered similar deals to both pitchers and either Walker accepted first, or perhaps Taillon opted for Chicago’s offer instead. However, Taillon said that “I thought I was going to be a Met for a while,” indicating that New York was also strongly in the running. The mutual interest between both Taillon and the Cubs may have been the deciding factor, as “the Cubs made a really strong first impression” on the first day of free agency, and the team “made it clear from day one I was a top priority. If you can nerd-out and talk pitching with me, that really works for me. They showed me a good plan. It’s been exciting.”
- The White Sox are tentatively aiming for May as Garrett Crochet‘s return date from Tommy John rehab, as per MLB.com’s Sox-specific injuries and transactions page. Crochet underwent the TJ surgery last April, so the 13-month layoff would fit within the procedure’s usual recovery timeline. The Sox have already said that Crochet will work as a reliever when he returns, so he’ll need to build less arm strength than a pitcher who was returning to a starting role. Crochet is slated to move from two bullpen sessions per week to one high-intensity bullpen session per week, with an eye towards pitching in game action during extended Spring Training and then a minor league rehab assignment.
West Notes: Syndergaard, White, Davis
Noah Syndergaard signed a one-year, $13MM free agent deal with the Dodgers this winter, and the right-hander tells the New York Post’s Jon Heyman that “there might have been more money on the table with another team.” But, Los Angeles held particular appeal for Syndergaard, as “I wanted to give myself the best chance to get back to the World Series and win it all. And I wanted the best coaching and direction that the sport has to offer and I’m fully convinced that that is with the Dodgers.” There is certainly a solid track record of pitchers being revived after joining the Dodgers, and Syndergaard might have a lot in particular to offer, given his past ace status and the fact that he is now fully healthy.
Tommy John surgery and some related setbacks cost Syndergaard all but two innings of the 2020-21 seasons. While he had a 3.94 ERA over 134 2/3 combined innings with the Angels and Phillies last year, Syndergaard still felt the “Tommy John hangover,” saying that “I didn’t throw a pitch where it didn’t feel like I was pitching in a straightjacket….It’s hard to get hitters out when you’re thinking about what your body is doing in mid-delivery.” It remains to seen if Syndergaard can ever fully return to his All-Star form, but even solid numbers and a clean bill of health would put him in nice position for a richer, multi-year contract in free agency next winter.
More from the NL and AL West…
- Formerly one of baseball’s top prospects, Evan White played only 30 MLB games in 2021 and none in 2022 due to hip surgery, a sports hernia surgery, and related other setbacks and injuries. White is feeling much better now, however, as the Mariners first baseman told Larry Stone of the Seattle Times that he received offseason treatment for “a muscle in my pelvic floor that was the biggest issue….You can give me all the stabilization exercises you want, but if I can’t do it from the very inner parts of me, it’s tough to do. I’ve had injuries on that side since I was probably 14 years old. I had to make sure everything was firing, firing the right patterns.” Manager Scott Servais said the current plan is to keep White in his regular first base spot this spring until both White and the Mariners are fully sure of his health, and then perhaps White might get some looks as a corner outfielder, as a way of finding a lineup spot since Ty France now has first base locked down.
- David Villar‘s emergence as the Giants‘ planned regular third baseman has left J.D. Davis in something of a crunch for playing time, as The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser notes that Davis might only see most of his action when a left-handed pitcher is on the mound, with Davis and Wilmer Flores stepping in for Joc Pederson and LaMonte Wade Jr. at DH and first base, respectively. Of course, injuries, under-performance, or the Giants’ penchant for platoon advantages could boost Davis’ time on the field, but on paper, Davis again looks to be a part-time player after filling a similar role over a good chunk of his time with the Mets. Even after an underwhelming start last season, Davis finished 2022 hitting .240/.340/.418 over 365 plate appearances (119 wRC+) with New York and San Francisco, boosted largely by a hot streak after the Giants acquired him at the trade deadline.
AL East Notes: Manoah, Shapiro, Rortvedt, Bautista
“I don’t think there’s been any talks about anything” involving a long-term extension between Alek Manoah and the Blue Jays, the right-hander told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. Noting that he is under team control through 2027, Manoah didn’t seem to expect any negotiations in the near future, saying “I don’t think I’m a priority right now.” The right-hander did state that “there’s no hard feelings, it’s just the business part of it” in regards to both the lack of talks, and Manoah’s decision to again take a salary renewal from the Jays rather than officially agree to their offered salary for his pre-arbitration season. Manoah will earn $745,650 in 2023, and he might become eligible for arbitration as early as next winter if he gains Super Two status.
Extending Manoah would give the Jays come cost certainty over what might be some increasingly pricey arbitration years, given how impressive he has looked in his first two MLB seasons. After a strong rookie campaign, Manoah took things a step further in his first full season, posting a 2.24 ERA over 196 2/3 innings and finishing third in AL Cy Young Award voting. If an extension didn’t come, Manoah said “I’m completely happy riding out that [arbitration] process and allowing the team to go spend money on other guys and me continuing to earn my value and earn what I hope to get one day,” though he also stated that “I want to play in Toronto for a long time.”
More from around the AL East…
- Sticking with the Blue Jays, there was some surprise that the team surpassed the luxury tax threshold for the first time this winter, and bumped its real-dollars payroll from $175MM (already a club high) in 2022 to a projected $211.7MM heading into Spring Training. But, team president Mark Shapiro told The Toronto Star’s Gregor Chisholm that “on the expense side, this is the way we envisioned it” after going through their rebuilding phase. “Once we have that mass of talent, we want to put it in a position to sustainably be a championship-calibre team. So we need to surround it with talent, where we have gaps,” Shapiro said. “But not build the team solely through free agency, supplement a team through free agency….The thought was we’d always have to ramp up payroll as we went.” The Jays have some regular shoppers in the higher-end free agent market over the last four offseasons, signing such players as George Springer, Hyun Jin Ryu, Kevin Gausman, and (most recently) Chris Bassitt to expensive long-term deals, while also investing in some pricier trade targets and contract extensions.
- The Yankees announced earlier this week that catcher Ben Rortvedt underwent surgery to remove an aneurysm in the posterior artery near his left shoulder, and that he’ll miss at least a month before resuming baseball activities. The injury was “really shocking” to Rortvedt, as he told The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, since he first assumed that the soreness in the pointer finger of his glove hand was a normal side effect of catching. But, after he noticed his finger was starting to turn blue, Rortvedt went for further examination, and apparently not a moment too soon. According to orthopedic surgeon Dr. Armin Tehrany, such a circulation problem created “the risk of permanent soft tissue damage,” and Rortvedt “might [have needed] to get something amputated.” Fortunately, it looks like Rortvedt won’t miss all that much time, and the catcher will finally get to start his Yankees career after missing the 2022 season due to oblique and knee injuries.
- Felix Bautista threw another bullpen session today, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes, as the Orioles closer was aiming to ramp up to 80-85 percent readiness. Bautista is still recovering from left knee problems that cropped up at the end of last season, as well as an offseason problem for strengthening his throwing shoulder. Today’s work marked Bautista’s sixth throwing session overall, so he appears to be on pace to reach his stated goal of making the Opening Day roster. Bautista’s first MLB season was a thorough success, as he posted a 2.19 ERA and an elite 34.8% strikeout rate (albeit with a below-average 9.1% walk rate) over 65 1/3 innings, becoming one of many breakout players for the surprising Orioles.