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Cubs Notes: Infield, Pressly, Little

By Nick Deeds | March 2, 2025 at 10:55am CDT

The Cubs’ infield alignment figures to be in flux throughout both the Tokyo Series and perhaps even into the early days of the season stateside. As noted by ESPN’s Jesse Rogers earlier this week, second baseman Nico Hoerner will not be participating in the Tokyo Series with the Cubs as he recovers from offseason flexor tendon surgery. Instead, Hoerner will stay behind in Arizona in hopes of being ready for the start of the stateside regular season on March 27, which Maddie Lee of the Chicago Sun Times notes the infielder currently appears to be “on track” for.

That’s fairly good news overall, as Hoerner entered camp with an unknown timeline for return from surgery and it wouldn’t have necessarily been a shock to see him miss the first few weeks of the regular season. In that context, missing just the first two games of the year would be a notable win. What complicates matters further, however, is the questions surrounding top prospect Matt Shaw. The club’s presumptive starting third baseman, Shaw has been slowed by an oblique issue this spring and has yet to get into a game.

Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network relayed comments from manager Craig Counsell earlier this week on Shaw’s status. Counsell noted that the Cubs “aren’t ruling [Shaw] out for anything,” suggesting he could be in play for the Tokyo Series. With that being said, however, Shaw has not yet made his Spring Training debut despite Counsell referring to Shaw as “not too far” from getting into games last week.

While Hoerner is unavailable, utility man Jon Berti figures to slide into the opening at second base. If Shaw is also unavailable for the Tokyo Series, however, things could get a bit more complicated. The final bench spot for the club’s ultimately 26-man roster remains up for grabs, with Rule 5 pick Gage Workman, trade acquisition Vidal Brujan, and non-roster invitee Nicky Lopez all in the conversation to join Berti, Carson Kelly, and Justin Turner on the club’s bench.

Any of them could be in the conversation to cover for Shaw in the event that both Shaw and Hoerner are unavailable for the start of the season, although it seems as though Turner could be an option as well. The 40-year-old hasn’t played third base on a regular basis since 2022, but the veteran told reporters (including those at Marquee Sports Network) that he’s been taking “a lot of” reps at the hot corner this spring to stretch out his arm in order to be ready to fill in at the position if necessary.

Moving on to the bullpen, veteran right-hander Ryan Pressly was acquired from the Astros this winter to help bolster the club’s bullpen mix. Reporting at the time of the trade suggested that Pressly was assured that he would be the club’s top candidate for saves this season prior to waiving his no-trade clause to join the club. That could certainly be the case, and Lee writes that Pressly remains a favorite for the closer job, though it’s worth noting she also acknowledges young right-hander Porter Hodge as another potential favorite for save opportunities. Hodge dazzled in his rookie season last year, posting a sterling 1.88 ERA with a 2.75 FIP in 43 innings of work while picking up nine saves along the way.

Given that framing of Pressly and Hodge as both being potential favorites for the closer job, it’s possible that the club could utilize both hurlers in the ninth inning depending on matchups. For his part, Pressly expressed a preference for pitching in the ninth inning but made clear that he doesn’t see the role as assured.

‘‘I’ve done every role under the sun in the bullpen, but I really felt like I got my stride when I was in that ninth-inning role,’’ Pressly said, as relayed by Lee. ‘‘And I’m happy for the opportunity to be back in it. And now it’s just a matter of seeing what I can do with it.’’

Elsewhere in the bullpen, Lee reports that southpaw Luke Little threw live batting practice for the first time of the spring yesterday. Little has been slowed throughout camp due to what pitching coach Tommy Hottovy described to Lee as “typical offseason issues” that impacted the southpaw’s buildup this winter unrelated to the lat strain that ended his 2024 season. It’s unclear whether Little will be ready for domestic Opening Day or not, though as a reliever with options remaining in a crowded bullpen the southpaw may wind up starting the season at Triple-A Iowa even if he’s healthy.

Nationals Notes: Soroka, Wood, Garcia

By Nick Deeds | March 2, 2025 at 8:55am CDT

After moving to the bullpen with the White Sox down the stretch last year and finding great success with a 2.75 ERA and a 39% strikeout rate in 36 innings of work after converting to relief, right-hander Michael Soroka now figures to get another crack at starting in D.C. after signing a one-year deal worth $9MM. Soroka made his spring debut for his new club yesterday, posting three scoreless innings while walking one and striking out three.

Those strong results aren’t especially meaningful given the nature of Spring Training, but MASN’s Bobby Blanco noted yesterday that Soroka’s velocity was up substantially during the outing. Per Blanco, Soroka “nearly” averaged 95mph throughout the outing and topped out at 96.2mph. That’s a big step up from previous years of his career, where the right-hander has typically averaged around 93mph on his heater, with last year’s 93.5mph figure standing as his current regular season peak. One outing of just 39 pitches hardly guarantees that Soroka will be able to keep up mid-90s velocity throughout the regular season, but both Soroka himself and manager Dave Martinez appeared encouraged by the start, the latter of whom called it “very encouraging.”

“Yeah, absolutely. I think I knew I could,” Soroka said when asked about maintaining his velocity deeper into games, as relayed by Blanco. “In relief last year, for the most part, I was still throwing multiple innings. And to be honest with you, the feeling of where the fastball got to at the end of inning three was really exciting, because it feels like I can replicate it over and over again. It’s definitely the easiest I’ve ever thrown in the mid-90s… And yeah, I think after today, especially, I know I won’t have a problem, at least holding somewhere close to that.”

Soroka figures to be a fixture of the Nationals rotation this year if healthy, alongside southpaw MacKenzie Gore. Right-hander Jake Irvin, left-hander DJ Herz, lefty Mitchell Parker, veteran Trevor Williams, and NPB southpaw Shinnosuke Ogasawara are among the other candidates for the club’s Opening Day rotation as things stand. It’s a deep group of young and interesting arms, but none has posted a season that compares to Soroka at his best. A former first-round pick by Atlanta, the right-hander’s rookie campaign in 2019 was nothing short of dazzling as he posted a 2.68 ERA in 29 starts en route to a second place finish in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Soroka’s been derailed by injury woes in the years since then, but he’s still just 27 and is coming off a healthy 2024 campaign, lending optimism to the possibility he could return to form.

Elsewhere on the roster, young outfielder James Wood is still working his way back from a bout of quad tendinitis that slowed him in the early days of camp. The injury hasn’t impacted his swing, allowing him to continue to get reps as a DH, and Spencer Nausbaum of the Washington Post laid out the club’s plan for Wood to return to the field. Wood is expected to DH in today’s spring game, and with a team off-day on Monday the club plans to get Wood some outfield work on the backfields to test his ailing quad. If that goes well, it’s possible Wood could then return to the outfield in games. Wood, 22, figures to serve as the club’s everyday left fielder in 2025 after a strong debut season where he hit .264/.354/.427 across 79 games.

Elsewhere on the diamond, infielder Luis Garcia Jr. was a late scratch from yesterday’s spring lineup and was sent home from camp due to illness. As noted by Blanco, Martinez told reporters that he wasn’t yet sure when Garcia would return to action, as the Nats don’t want Garcia passing his fever around camp. Fortunately, it seems unlikely that the illness will have any serious impact on Garcia’s ability to ramp up for Opening Day later this month. The lefty enjoyed a strong season last year as he slashed .282/.318/.444 in 528 trips to the plate.

Yankees Notes: LeMahieu, Outfield, Judge

By Nick Deeds | March 1, 2025 at 10:49pm CDT

It’s been a tough few days on the injury front for Yankees fans. After the club announced yesterday that right-hander Luis Gil is set to undergo an MRI due to shoulder troubles and not long after it was made public that slugger Giancarlo Stanton will begin the season on the injured list due to soreness in both elbows, another potentially key player for the club went down with a potential injury: veteran infielder DJ LeMahieu.

As noted by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, manager Aaron Boone told reporters this afternoon that LeMahieu “tweaked” a calf muscle during his second at-bat during today’s game, which was LeMahieu’s spring debut. LeMahieu is receiving treatment for the issue, but Boone called the situation “at least a little concerning” given the veteran’s recent injury history. LeMahieu was limited to just 67 games due to a number of injuries last year, including a hip impingement that ultimately ended his season.

It’s a particularly troubling development seeing as LeMahieu was a likely candidate to be the club’s starting third baseman on Opening Day. A recent MLBTR Poll suggested that 27.5% of respondents expected LeMahieu to receive the lion’s share of playing time at third base this year. That was enough to beat out both Oswaldo Cabrera and Oswald Peraza as the top internal candidate for the job, though a 34% plurality of respondents suggested that the Yankees’ primary solution at the hot corner was likely to be someone not yet in the organization.

Perhaps today’s injury will make that more likely if LeMahieu winds up unable to get back in time for the beginning of the season later this month, though the pickings remain quite slim on the market with part-time veteran Jose Iglesias standing out as the best infield option still available. If the Yankees can’t find an external solution for the hot corner before Opening Day, it seems likely that Cabrera and Peraza will handle the position in a timeshare until LeMahieu is ready to return, though it’s possible a player such as Jorbit Vivas or Pablo Reyes could make a push for the job as well.

Aside from the news regarding LeMahieu, Hoch suggests that the injury to Stanton could lead to a realigned outfield with Trent Grisham joining the lineup in center field, with Cody Bellinger sliding from center to right field and Aaron Judge moving to DH. Such an arrangement would improve the club’s defense overall by adding a plus glove in center field while also avoiding injury risks for Judge, the reigning AL MVP who stands out as the club’s most important player entering the year. Hoch adds that Boone noted that giving Judge occasional partial days off at DH could be valuable early in the season, though Boone was quick to emphasize that he also values Judge’s ability to contribute on defense in right field. On days where Grisham isn’t joining the lineup in center field and pushing a regular to DH, the club’s internal options to fill in for Stanton include youngster Ben Rice and non-roster invitee Dominic Smith.

Sticking with Judge, the MVP spoke to reporters (including Hoch) this afternoon about his desire to get more at-bats under his belt during Spring Training this year. Today was Judge’s first appearance in a Spring Training game of the year, and notably he received just 24 official at-bats in the spring last season. Judge suggested that additional reps before the season begins could help him to prevent a slow start like the one he had last year, where he batted just .197/.331/.393 in his first 149 trips to the plate before turning his season around in early May and hitting a sensational .357/.492/.787 the rest of the way. Obviously, that type of otherworldly production over the majority of the season would be more than enough to make up for another early-season slump, but Judge’s goal of getting something closer to 40 or 50 plate appearances in this spring is an understandable one given his struggles early last year.

Commissioner’s Office Considering Petition To Remove Pete Rose From Ineligible List

By Nick Deeds | March 1, 2025 at 8:37pm CDT

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is considering a petition filed by the family of Pete Rose to have Rose posthumously reinstated from the ineligible list, according to a report from Don Van Natta Jr. of ESPN. Rose passed away in September at the age of 83, and Van Natta notes that the petition was filed on January 8 following a conversation between Rose’s daughter Fawn, the family’s lawyer, and the commissioner’s office that took place on December 17.

The timing of the report is notable given that President Donald Trump commented on Rose late last night, suggesting that he would sign a posthumous pardon for Rose in the coming weeks. Qasim Nauman and Michael S. Schmidt of the New York Times were among those who reported on Mr. Trump’s comments this morning. Such a pardon would have no bearing on Rose’s status within the game of baseball, and Nauman and Schmidt note that it would instead focus on a five-month sentence Rose served in federal prison back in 1990 after filing false income tax returns.

Tax issues, of course, are not the reason that Rose is currently on baseball’s permanently ineligible list. MLB announced late in the 1989 season that an investigation had revealed Rose had placed bets on baseball, including games his team was participating in, during his time as manager of the Reds. Subsequent reporting in the decades following Rose’s placement on the ineligible list indicated that Rose also placed bets during his time as a player. Rose never admitted to those allegations, though he did acknowledge that he had bet on baseball as a manager in 2004.

Rose only bet on his team to win, and there’s no evidence that he made an attempt to fix any MLB game. Even so, that’s a violation of MLB’s biggest rule and grounds for a lifetime ban, leading the league to place Rose on the permanently ineligible list. Not long after Rose’s ban, in 1991, the Hall of Fame announced a policy stating that anyone who was suspended from MLB for life was ineligible for induction. As such, Rose has never been on a Hall of Fame ballot, though there’s little question that a lifetime .303/.375/.409 hitter with the most career hits in MLB history and 79.5 bWAR would be a slam-dunk candidate for induction if looking exclusively at his numbers on the field.

Ever since Rose’s suspension, the hit king’s worthiness for a Hall of Fame induction has been a divisive topic among fans of the game. An icon of the game with hitting records that could very well prove virtually unbreakable and a staple of Reds history with three World Series championships under his belt, Rose was among the very best players of his era. He remains a controversial figure, however, particularly in an era where the Hall’s voters made the controversial decision not to elect other titans of the game such as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens to Cooperstown in light of their association with the league’s performance-enhancing drug scandal and baseball has had to reckon with the increased presence of sports betting not only within United States culture, but also as a partner of MLB and its clubs.

The possibility that Rose could be posthumously reinstated from the ineligible list is the latest development in that debate, and could theoretically open the door for Rose to be considered for entry into Cooperstown. Representatives of the Hall of Fame have previously stated that players who are on the permanently ineligible list will not be considered for induction even after death, suggesting that Rose’s passing will have no bearing on the Hall’s willingness to consider him. Van Natta notes, however, that Manfred reportedly views placement on the permanently ineligible list as a punishment that ends upon the player’s death for “all practical purposes.” Formally removing Rose from the ineligible list, then, could open the door for the Hall to reconsider its stance on Rose’s eligibility.

Notably, Manfred himself has made clear in the past that the Hall of Fame’s decisions regarding Rose or any other player do not fall under his purview. As relayed by Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com at the time, “It is not part of [MLB’s] authority or responsibility here to make any determination concerning Mr. Rose’s eligibility as a candidate for election to the National Baseball Hall of Fame… any debate over Mr. Rose’s eligibility for the Hall of Fame is one that must take place in a different forum.”

Diamondbacks Sign Casey Kelly To Minor League Deal

By Nick Deeds | March 1, 2025 at 6:58pm CDT

The Diamondbacks have signed right-hander Casey Kelly to a minor league deal, according to the transactions log on Kelly’s MLB.com profile page.

Kelly, 35, was a first-round pick by the Red Sox back in 2008. He quickly rose to minor league stardom, becoming a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport before he was traded to the Padres alongside future All-Star Anthony Rizzo in exchange for Adrian Gonzalez. Kelly made his big league debut with San Diego just a year later, though he struggled to a 6.21 ERA in 29 innings of work across six starts in that first big league cup of coffee. Tommy John surgery in 2013 forced him to stay away from the big league mound for quite some time after that, however, and upon his return in 2015 he was torched to the tune of a 7.94 ERA in 11 1/3 innings of work that brought the Padres chapter of his career to a disappointing end.

Kelly bounced through the Braves, Cubs, and Giants organizations over the next couple of seasons, even getting a brief look in the majors with Atlanta during the 2016 season, but it wasn’t until the 2018 campaign in San Francisco that the right-hander found success in the majors. That success was fairly limited, as Kelly pitched just 23 2/3 frames at the highest level that year, but his 3.04 ERA was the first above-average showing in the majors of his career. It even earned him some attention on the other side of the world, as Kelly went on to depart the Giants organization in favor of joining the Korea Baseball Organization’s LG Twins.

Kelly’s stint in Korea ultimately lasted six seasons, and saw him put together an impressive overseas career. The right-hander pitched to a 3.25 ERA overall in 989 1/3 innings of work for the LG Twins in parts of six seasons from 2019 to 2024. Those first four seasons were particularly impressive, as Kelly made at least 27 starts in each of them with ERAs ranging from 2.54 to 3.32 and solid peripheral numbers to match. Unfortunately, Kelly started to show signs of decline in 2023 that brought about the end of his KBO career in 2024 after he struggled to a 4.51 ERA in 19 starts for the LG Twins that led the club to cut him from the team in July of last year.

After being cut loose in Korea, Kelly made his way back into stateside ball with the Reds on a minor league deal. He managed to get called up to the majors for a brief stint down the stretch last year, his first stint in the majors in more than half a decade. He pitched just 5 1/3 innings for the Reds last year, surrendering three runs on three hits (one homer) and a walk while striking out four. The right-hander was then outrighted to Triple-A Louisville in August and elected minor league free agency back in October. Now, Kelly appears likely to serve as non-roster depth for the Diamondbacks headed into 2025. He’s got plenty of competition on the club’s pitching depth chart, with Jordan Montgomery, Ryne Nelson, and Tommy Henry among the pitchers just on the 40-man roster who could vie for a long relief role with the club this season.

Rockies Reportedly Place Justin Lawrence On Waivers

By Nick Deeds | March 1, 2025 at 5:47pm CDT

The Rockies have placed right-hander Justin Lawrence on waivers, according to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Notably, that does not mean the righty has been designated for assignment, and Lawrence can continue to workout with the Rockies and pitch in spring games while the waiver process runs its course. With that being said, Lawrence’s placement on waivers is irrevocable, meaning the right-hander will land with a new team in the coming days if any rival clubs put in a claim on his services.

Lawrence, 30, has parts of four MLB seasons under his belt since he debuted with the Rockies back in 2021. After struggling badly in a brief cup of coffee with the club during the 2021 campaign, Lawrence posted lackluster results in 2022 despite solid peripherals. While his 5.70 ERA that year was well below-average, a 3.39 FIP, a 3.54 xERA, and a 3.63 SIERA all suggested Lawrence had pitched much better than his surface level production would’ve suggested. He was a victim of a low 63.7% strand rate and an inflated .350 BABIP, but his strong 25.1% strikeout rate combined with a 50.8% groundball rate made clear the bones of a quality MLB reliever were present.

The right-hander then proved to be exactly that sort of quality MLB reliever the very next year, as he enjoyed a breakout season in 2023 at the age of 28. In 75 innings of work, Lawrence posted a 3.72 ERA with a matching 3.76 FIP while picking up 11 saves during a season where he shared the closer role with struggling veteran Pierce Johnson. Lawrence’s ERA that season may not jump off the page, but when factoring in the inflated offensive environment Rockies pitchers face at Coors Field he was actually well above average as demonstrated by his 134 ERA+. Lawrence’s peripherals more or less matched his work in the 2022 campaign, with a 23.9% strikeout rate, an 11% walk rate, and a 48.5% groundball rate. Entering 2024, it seemed as though the right-hander had a solid foundation for MLB success from which he could build off of going forward.

Unfortunately, that’s not how things worked out. Lawrence had the worst season of his career in 2024 as he surrendered a 6.49 ERA in 59 2/3 innings of work while his peripheral numbers regressed nearly across the board. Lawrence saw his walk rate tick up to 11.8% last year, while his strikeout rate plummeted to just 16.1%. Just four pitchers in the majors last year had a lower K-BB% than Lawrence, and in conjunction with the BABIP and strand rate related issues that are common for pitchers calling Coors Field home, it’s hardly a surprise that the right-hander struggled badly with metrics that mostly supported his poor performance including a 5.63 FIP, a 6.25 xERA, and a 4.73 SIERA.

In his first few outings this spring, Lawrence hasn’t looked much better. Spring results always need to be taken with a grain of salt, but the right-hander has looked wild with three walks and two hit batters against two strikeouts across three innings of work. That seems to have been enough for the Rockies, who expressed a desire to deal Lawrence this winter, to pull the plug. In doing so, the club opens up playing time for younger relief arms like Angel Chivilli and Jeff Criswell amid an noncompetitive season and could save the sum of Lawrence’s $975K arbitration salary if he’s plucked off waivers by another organization.

From when Lawrence is officially placed on waivers, rival clubs will have 48 hours to place a claim for his services. If he goes unclaimed, he’ll remain with the Rockies. The righty could be outrighted off the club’s 40-man roster at that point and stashed in the minors as depth, but Colorado would not necessarily have to do so and could just keep him in their big league bullpen going forward as well.

Javier Assad Ruled Out For Opening Day

By Nick Deeds | March 1, 2025 at 4:16pm CDT

Cubs right-hander Javier Assad has been sidelined this spring due to oblique soreness, and 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine relays this afternoon that the righty won’t be ready to pitch in time for either the Tokyo Series on March 18 or the club’s stateside opener against the Diamondbacks on March 27. Presumably, the Cubs will place him on the injured list to open the season, leaving him out of action for at least the beginning of April.

Assad, 27, has found plenty of success over three seasons in the majors with Chicago despite questionable peripherals. The right-hander served in a part-time swing role for the Cubs in both the 2022 and ’23 seasons, posting a 3.06 ERA (139 ERA+) in 147 innings of work across 41 appearances (18 starts) during that two-year stretch. That excellent production came in spite of underlying numbers that were far less impressive. Assad walked 9.9% of his opponents while striking out just 20.2% of them over those first two seasons, and his 44.7% groundball rate was strong but not outstanding. That left him with a 4.34 FIP and a 4.59 SIERA over those two years, both of which painted him as a below average pitcher despite his above-average results.

When the right-hander was handed an Opening Day rotation spot by the Cubs last year, it was fair to wonder whether those lackluster peripherals would come back to bite him. He once again managed to defy the underlying metrics in 2024, however, posting a 3.73 ERA (107 ERA+) despite a 4.64 FIP and 4.72 SIERA. His strikeout, walk, and groundball rates were largely unchanged from the prior two seasons, but despite that he still posted the numbers of a solid back-end start across 147 innings and 29 starts. His 4.38 ERA and 4.80 FIP after the All-Star break last year stuck out as a potential cause for concern, but after an offseason that saw the club focus more on upgrading its lineup and bullpen rather than the rotation Assad once again figured to feature in the club’s starting five to open the 2025 season.

Those plans will have to be put on hold for now, however, as Assad is only just beginning to work his way back to the mound after being sidelined for all of last month by an oblique strain. Levine writes that the Cubs hope he’ll be able to proceed to throwing a bullpen session next week, but even that seems up in the air. Given the uncertainty surrounding Assad’s status, it’s hardly a surprise that the Cubs decided to formally pull the plug on him as an Opening Day possibility and begin exploring other options to fill out the rotation in earnest.

Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele front Chicago’s rotation and are slated to start the club’s two-game series against the Dodgers in Tokyo. Meanwhile, veterans Jameson Taillon and Matthew Boyd make up the middle of the Cubs’ rotation after Chicago added Boyd on a two-year deal back in December. With Assad no longer an option for the fifth starter job, it seems likely that the gig could fall to veteran swing man Colin Rea. Rea, 34, posted a 4.40 ERA (96 ERA+) and 4.82 FIP in 58 appearances (49 starts) with Milwaukee over the past two years. He figures to be on the Opening Day roster so long as he’s healthy, though he does have ample experience pitching in relief as well.

The possibility that Rea could be used as a long reliever rather than a starter leaves the door open for one of the Cubs’ other potential starting options to grab the fifth starter job. Right-hander Ben Brown dazzled in his rookie season with a 3.58 ERA and 3.11 FIP in 55 1/3 innings of work, and while he was sidelined by an osteoma on his neck for the entire second half last year he now appears to be fully healthy. Jordan Wicks struggled through an injury-marred campaign in 2024 but is a recent top-100 prospect with plenty of upside.

Veteran rotation arms Chris Flexen and Brad Keller are both in camp as non-roster invitees, and it’s possible either could factor into the competition for the fifth starter job alongside Rea, Brown, and Wicks. One player who is unlikely to compete for the job is top pitching prospect Cade Horton, who is healthy this spring after what amounted to a lost season in 2024 but still has minimal experience at the Triple-A level under his belt. Whoever earns the fifth starter job could theoretically pitch themselves into a more permanent job that lasts even beyond Assad’s upcoming IL stint, given that the 27-year-old has both ample bullpen experience and minor league options remaining.

AL Central Notes: Guardians, Taylor, Jenkins

By Mark Polishuk | March 1, 2025 at 3:35pm CDT

The Guardians’ estimated $100.4MM payroll is lower than the $104.2MM they spent in 2024, as per RosterResource’s calculations, and Cleveland also moved a lot of long-term money off the books by trading Andres Gimenez and Myles Straw to the Blue Jays in separate deals. Despite what might seemingly be a bit of extra money available for the Guards to spend before Opening Day, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks the team won’t dip into free agency for any late additions, and is more likely to re-invest those savings towards possible extensions for current players on the roster.

Early-career extensions have long been a key plank of Cleveland’s team-building strategy, dating back to John Hart’s tenure as general manager in the 1990’s. On the current team, Jose Ramirez, Emmanuel Clase, and Trevor Stephan are all playing on multi-year extensions, and there are plenty of interesting talents the Guardians might look to lock up for the future. Steven Kwan is in his first of three years of arbitration eligibility, and Tanner Bibee stands out as the top extension candidate among the Guards’ long list of pre-arb players. It takes two to tango, of course, so there would have to be an equal desire on the part of any interested players in working out an extension that is acceptable to both sides.

Giancarlo Stanton To Begin Season On Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | March 1, 2025 at 2:31pm CDT

The Yankees officially announced that Giancarlo Stanton won’t be available for the start of the season, as the slugger will be placed on the injured list due to his recurring elbow issues. Stanton received PRP injections in both elbows, and is expected to return to the team’s spring camp later this week after dealing with an unspecified personal matter in New York.

The announcement doesn’t come as any surprise, as Stanton hasn’t swung a bat in five or six weeks due to continued soreness in his elbows. Two weeks ago, Stanton and manager Aaron Boone described the problem as similar to tennis elbow, with Stanton noting that some tendon damage had taken place. While surgery wasn’t being considered, surgery would naturally become an option (or inevitable) in the event of an actual tendon tear, which is why Stanton said he and the team were being cautious in their approach to the injuries.

No timetable was announced for Stanton’s recovery, but probably the end of April would represent a best-case scenario for the five-time All-Star to make his 2025 debut. Some time will be needed to evaluate Stanton’s elbows in the aftermath of the PRP treatment, and if all is well, he’d then need to start his usual ramp-up proceedings after missing so much of both Spring Training and even his pre-camp offseason work. Given Stanton’s long history of leg-related injuries, he’ll need some prep time beyond just hitting work, even if he is going to be a DH-only player this season.

Injuries have long hampered Stanton’s career, and kept from fully delivering on the whopping 13-year, $325MM contract he signed with the Marlins back in November 2014. There is still $96MM owed to Stanton in the final three guaranteed years of that deal, counting the $10MM, though the Yankees are only responsible for covering $66MM of that figure as per the terms of the trade that brought Stanton from Miami to New York in December 2017.

Stanton has been pretty productive (.241/.323/.483 with 162 home runs in 2776 plate appearances) during his time in the pinstripes, and has still looked like one of baseball’s most dangerous hitters from time to time. However, those red-hot streaks have been countered by both extended slumps, and several times when Stanton has simply been unable to play due to injury.

The 2024 season saw Stanton miss about five weeks due to a hamstring strain, though he bounced back reasonably well from a down year in 2023. Stanton hit .233/.298/.475 with 27 home runs in 459 PA last season, which translated to a 116 wRC+ even if low average and on-base numbers continue to be a concern. The slugger then elevated his game in October, hitting .273/.339/.709 with seven homers over 62 PA during New York’s playoff run, and he captured ALCS MVP honors for his huge performance in the Yankees’ five-game elimination of the Guardians.

Following up that great postseason with yet another significant injury is undoubtedly a huge frustration for Stanton as he enters his 16th Major League campaign (and his age-35 season). The fact that these elbow problems are an entirely new injury for Stanton could be viewed in one of two ways — either as a positive that he isn’t again dealing with leg problems, or as a negative that Stanton is now dealing with elbow issues on top of the ever-present concern over his lower body.

With Stanton out, the Yankees might just opt to fill the designated hitter spot with a rotation of players, in order to spread around at-bats and partial rest days for other veterans like Aaron Judge, Paul Goldschmidt, or DJ LeMahieu. In terms of overall roster construction, Ben Rice now looks to have a better chance of making the Opening Day roster, and picking up some DH at-bats himself.

An external addition also can’t be ruled out, if Stanton is facing an extended amount of time on the IL. Reports have already indicated the Yankees have been in touch with J.D. Martinez, perhaps laying some groundwork for a future contract in case Stanton isn’t making much progress in a couple of weeks’ time. Adding a prominent veteran like Martinez, however, would also threaten to push the Yankees’ even further over the top luxury tax tire — RosterResource projects New York’s tax number at roughly $305.1MM, and beyond the upper penalty threshold of $301MM.

Latest On Spencer Steer

By Mark Polishuk | March 1, 2025 at 1:32pm CDT

Spencer Steer chose to receive a cortisone shot in his right shoulder after an evaluation from team doctors today, the Reds announced to the media (including Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer). As a result, Steer was removed from the lineup for the Reds’ Spring Training game today, and he’ll be out of action for a few days while the shot takes effect.

The lingering issue has bothered Steer since last season, and he recently described the issue to reporters as a tweak within his right shoulder whenever is preparing to throw. Steer said he doesn’t feel any discomfort while hitting, though it is fair to wonder if this shoulder problem contributed to the dropoff in production between Steer’s 2023 and 2024 seasons. Steer batted .271/.356/.464 with 23 homers over 665 plate appearances in 2023, but then followed up by hitting only .225/.319/.402 in 656 PA, though he still cracked 20 home runs.

A change in batted-ball luck (.318 BABIP in 2023 and a .260 BABIP in 2024) might have been a larger factor, as Steer’s other advanced metrics between the two seasons are pretty similar. The larger change in regards to throwing was that Steer played much more regularly in left field last season than he did in 2023, so the longer throws may have put more stress on his shoulder.

Multiple MRI scans haven’t revealed any structural damage, and Steer has still felt good enough to play as a designated hitter in Cincinnati’s spring action to date. However, the simple fact that Steer’s shoulder is still bothering him even after an offseason of rest is naturally some concern, and the cortisone shot can hopefully correct the problem once and for all.

There hasn’t been any suggestion that Steer’s injury might cause him to miss any time during the regular season, or that the Reds’ decision to DH him is based on necessity rather than precaution on the team’s part. The injury does add yet another wrinkle within a roster full of question marks for Cincinnati, as the Reds are coming off a disappointing 77-85 season marred by injuries and under-performance from several key players (Steer included).

Heading into 2025, Steer was expected to contribute at both corner infield slots and in left field, though exactly how the playing time will be divvied up between these positions and the DH spot has yet to be determined. The newly-acquired Gavin Lux looks to be the Reds’ top option at third base, while Jeimer Candelario is looking to bounce back from a tough 2024 season as part of the corner infield mix, plus Christian Encarnacion-Strand could play first base or DH.

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