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Nationals’ Erick Mejia Converting To Pitching

By Mark Polishuk | March 8, 2025 at 4:42pm CDT

Erick Mejia is starting a new chapter in his 13-year career, as the longtime infielder is working out as a pitcher in the Nationals’ spring camp.  The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden writes that Mejia’s latest step was a 25-pitch live batting practice session against minor league hitters, and none of Mejia’s pitches were put into play.

Mejia’s MLB resume consists of 17 games with the Royals over the 2019-20 seasons.  The rest of his lengthy career has been spent in the farm systems of Mariners, Dodgers, Royals, and Nationals, and Mejia has hit .264/.333/.387 over 3998 career plate appearances in the minors.

Washington signed Mejia to a minor league deal in December 2022, and his two seasons in the Nats’ system didn’t lead to another trip back to the Show.  He did toss an inning of mop-up work in a blowout of Triple-A game last season, which led to a follow-up bullpen session that saw Mejia throw off a mound (while wearing sneakers) and hit 96mph on the radar gun.  This got the attention of Nationals coaches and officials, and Mejia agreed last September to try giving pitching a proper try as a new career path.

Golden notes that Mejia has a ton of vertical break on his four-seam fastball, and that pitch has also hit the 98mph threshold in subsequent throwing sessions.  “The number one thing he has is the ability to throw the ball very good and to throw it over the plate.  The other stuff, we can work on it,” Triple-A Rochester pitching coach Rafael Chaves said, describing how Mejia is understandably still raw at the normal mechanics and routine processes that come with pitching.

It remains to be seen if this transition will remain just an experiment, or if Mejia can get into minor league games and try to prove himself as a pitcher.  Now 30 years old, Mejia put the situation plainly, saying “if I need to try something different to keep going, I will do it.”  There’s no downside for the veteran to see if he can translate his arm strength and natural velocity into a pitching career, and it makes Mejia an interesting subplot of the Nationals’ camp.

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Washington Nationals Erick Mejia

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Erik Sabrowski Likely To Start Season On IL

By Leo Morgenstern | March 8, 2025 at 3:06pm CDT

Guardians reliever Erik Sabrowski has not appeared in a game this spring as he nurses inflammation in his pitching elbow. While there is no indication that the issue is particularly serious, any elbow problems are concerning when it comes to a pitcher who has already undergone two Tommy John surgeries in his career. According to MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins, Sabrowski was given “an anti-inflammatory injection” this past week. The southpaw will take some time to rest before being re-examined next week – and hopefully starting a throwing program soon after. However, this setback means he is likely to begin the 2025 season on the IL.

Never a highly-ranked prospect, Sabrowski burst onto the scene last September, tossing 12 2/3 innings and striking out 19. Of the 47 batters he faced, not one crossed the plate. Only six reached base. Despite his lack of experience, the left-hander made Cleveland’s postseason roster and continued to impress in October. He faced 23 batters over 5 1/3 innings, striking out eight. He gave up two runs, though only one was earned.

The star of Sabrowski’s arsenal is his four-seam fastball. He doesn’t throw it especially hard, but his long extension increases the pitch’s perceived velocity. He also gets great movement on the pitch, and it’s his best weapon for generating swing and miss. The 27-year-old complements his heater with two breaking balls – a curveball and a slider – both of which have the potential to be plus secondaries.

After his strong performance in 2024, Sabrowski seemed like a good bet to make the Guardians’ Opening Day roster and pitch meaningful innings out of the bullpen in 2025. While the former is now unlikely, the latter is still a strong possibility. Not only is Sabrowski a promising arm – the ZiPS projection system sees him posting an ERA in the mid-3.00s – but he is one of only two left-handed relievers with MLB experience on Cleveland’s 40-man roster. With Sabrowski on the shelf, RosterResource currently has Tim Herrin and Doug Nikhazy as the lefties in the projected Opening Day bullpen. Herrin is a lock, but Nikhazy has no MLB experience and next to no experience pitching out of the ’pen. If Sabrowski can get back to full health soon, he should have a job waiting for him.

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José Valdivielso Passes Away

By Leo Morgenstern | March 8, 2025 at 2:07pm CDT

Former MLB shortstop José Valdivielso passed away on Tuesday. He was 90 years old. His obituary is available courtesy of a New York funeral home.

Born in Matanzas, Cuba, Valdivielso made his MLB debut with the Washington Senators in 1955. He earned a down-ballot MVP vote at the end of his rookie season. Valdivielso would later move with the organization to Minnesota when the Senators became the team known today as the Twins. Over 401 games from 1955-1961, the 6-foot-1 infielder recorded 201 hits and scored 89 runs. Primarily a shortstop, he also appeared in a handful of games at both second and third base. He is well-remembered among Cuban fans for making the final out in the only all-Cuban triple play (h/t Francys Romero).

Although he played his last MLB game in 1961, Valdivielso spent three more seasons in the minor leagues from 1962-64. Following his playing career, he worked on the Spanish-language radio broadcast teams for both the Yankees and Mets. He was also well respected for his work with the MLB Players Alumni Association.

We at MLB Trade Rumors offer our deepest condolences to Valdivielso’s family and friends, as well as everyone whose life he touched throughout his career in baseball.

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Giancarlo Stanton Has “Severe” Injuries In Both Elbows

By Leo Morgenstern | March 8, 2025 at 1:11pm CDT

Giancarlo Stanton offered an update this morning about the elbow injuries that have kept him from playing this spring. He told reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, that the problem is “considered severe” in each of his elbows. The Yankees DH remains uncertain as to when he will be able to return to baseball activities of any kind. While he does not yet know if double elbow surgery will be necessary, he said that if he goes under the knife, the surgeries will rule him out for the 2025 season. Thankfully, GM Brian Cashman recently described surgery as a “last resort” for Stanton (per Hoch).

The 35-year-old has received two rounds of PRP injections in both elbows, and he will go for a third round next week. While Stanton is currently with the rest of his Yankees teammates at camp, manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Hoch) that the DH is unlikely to see any game action in spring training. Last weekend, the Yankees announced that Stanton would open the season on the IL. They did not provide a timetable for his return. Today’s update doesn’t necessarily push that already uncertain timeline back any further, but Stanton’s use of the word “severe” certainly isn’t promising, nor is the possibility that he could miss the entire 2025 campaign.

It is hard to know what to think about the fact that Stanton attributed his elbow problems to “bat adjustments” he made in 2024. On the one hand, it’s encouraging that he was able to identify the problem; hopefully, that means he knows how to avoid reaggravating the issue once he starts to swing a bat again. On the other hand, Stanton’s powerful swing is his signature skill. Even in his mid-thirties, he had the fastest swing speed in MLB last season, according to Statcast. It’s worth wondering if he can make the necessary bat adjustments to keep his elbows safe without weakening his swing.

While it has been years since Stanton was a true superstar, he was still a valuable contributor to New York’s pennant-winning squad in 2024. He crushed 27 home runs with 72 RBI and a 116 wRC+. His bat was particularly potent in the playoffs; he hit seven homers in 14 games, with a team-leading 16 RBI. The Yankees made some solid additions to the top half of their order this winter, trading for Cody Bellinger and signing free agent Paul Goldschmidt. Still, their offense does not project to be quite as potent without Juan Soto to bat in front of Aaron Judge. Losing Stanton for any period of time will only further weaken the lineup.

Boone said earlier this week that he likes the in-house candidates the team has to replace Stanton, “especially against right-handed pitching” (per Hoch). That could mean using Judge at DH more often and starting the lefty-batting Trent Grisham in the outfield. While Grisham’s bat is a far cry from Stanton’s, such an arrangement would improve the outfield defense and could help Judge stay healthy throughout the season. Another lefty-batting option to get some reps at DH is Ben Rice. Although he struggled in his rookie season (73 wRC+ in 178 PA), Rice mashed throughout the minors and could offer some power in Stanton’s stead. J.C. Escarra is another left-handed hitter on the 40-man roster. He’s nearing 30 and has yet to make his MLB debut, but he hit well last season in his first year in the Yankees organization. Dominic Smith, a veteran non-roster invitee in camp this spring, is another left-handed bat to keep in mind.

Meanwhile, the most likely option to join the mix against left-handed pitching, whether in the outfield or at DH, could be Everson Pereira. Like Rice, Pereira struggled in his brief debut last season but has always hit well – especially in the power department – in the minor leagues. In seven games this spring, Pereira is batting .375 with a 1.224 OPS. He has been limited to DH duty in spring training as he rehabs from UCL surgery, but he could eventually take some reps for Judge in the outfield as well.

Finally, one has to wonder if Cashman is thinking about making an offer to free agent J.D. Martinez. While the Yankees could not feasibly roster both Stanton and Martinez, season-ending surgery for the former could open the door for the latter. To that end, New York has reportedly had “some contact with” Martinez. In a recent MLBTR poll, a plurality of respondents voted the Yankees as the most likely landing spot for the 37-year-old DH.

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Tigers Sign José Urquidy

By Leo Morgenstern | March 8, 2025 at 10:51am CDT

The Tigers have signed free agent right-hander José Urquidy to a one-year, $1MM contract for 2025, the team announced. The deal comes with a $4MM team option for 2026. That team option also includes escalators that could increase Urquidy’s salary by up to $3MM. He will earn an additional $150K for reaching each of four and seven starts; $300K for reaching each of 10, 13, 16, and 19 starts; and $500K for reaching each of 22, 25, and 28 starts.

To free up space for Urquidy on the 40-man roster, the Tigers placed fellow right-hander Sawyer Gipson-Long on the 60-day injured list while he continues to recover from left hip labral repair and Tommy John surgery. The team has also placed Urquidy on the 60-day IL; he is recovering from Tommy John surgery of his own.

Urquidy spent the first six years of his MLB career with the Astros. While he looked like a solid mid-rotation starter in 2021 and ’22 (3.81 ERA, 4.22 SIERA in 49 games), the righty had a rough year in 2023. He struggled out of the gate in April before landing on the IL with shoulder troubles. His struggles continued upon his return in August, and he soon lost his spot in the starting rotation.

Unfortunately, Urquidy’s troubles only got worse in 2024. He opened the season on the injured list and eventually required UCL surgery in June. After clearing waivers in November, he elected free agency.

Urquidy will not be ready to return to action until midseason at the earliest, so he will not factor into the ongoing rotation battle in Tigers camp. Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, and Reese Olson are locks for the Opening Day rotation, and top prospect Jackson Jobe has the inside track on the number four spot, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. However, with Alex Cobb expected to miss the beginning of the season, one spot at the back end is still up for grabs. Casey Mize, Kenta Maeda, and Keider Montero are the primary candidates to win that job.

Meanwhile, Urquidy will continue his rehab in the Tigers organization. Once he is ready to get back on the field, he can provide depth as a back-end starter or long reliever. In a best-case scenario, Urquidy returns and looks like his old self, which would make his club option for 2026 a bargain. Meanwhile, the worst possible outcome for the Tigers is that they pay him $1MM to rehab in 2025 and cut their losses at the end of the year if he struggles or fails to get back on the mound.

Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 was the first to report the agreement between Urquidy and the Tigers. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News confirmed that it was a major league deal.

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Dodgers To “Slow-Play” Shohei Ohtani’s Pitching Rehab

By Leo Morgenstern | March 8, 2025 at 9:15am CDT

Since his debut in 2018, Shohei Ohtani has gone 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts. In that time, only five starters (min. 400 IP) have a lower ERA, and only six have a higher strikeout rate. There is no denying that Ohtani has been a terrific pitcher when he has been healthy enough to take the mound. Alas, injuries have limited the two-way superstar to just 86 starts in seven MLB seasons. He has not pitched in a big league game since August 2023. Of course, that hasn’t stopped him from being one of the best players in the world – he won his third MVP in 2024 without pitching a single inning – but it would be an understatement to say that fans are excited to see him back on the mound in 2025.

Unfortunately, the wait might be longer than initially expected. Not only is Ohtani working his way back from UCL surgery in September 2023, but he is also recovering from surgery on his non-throwing shoulder this past November. In February, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts suggested Ohtani could start facing live batters ahead of the Tokyo Series and return to the team’s rotation at some point in May – perhaps even earlier. As recently as two weeks ago, that still seemed to be the case. This past Thursday, however, the skipper was singing a slightly different tune.

Ohtani has not thrown off of a mound since a bullpen session on February 25. Roberts told reporters (including Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times) that the team is being extra cautious with the two-way player as he gets back into games as DH. His last bullpen session came three days before his first Cactus League appearance as a hitter. “We just felt that to intensify the bullpens, alongside of the intensity of the games, wasn’t smart,” Roberts explained. “So we just wanted to kind of slow-play it.”

Asked if Ohtani could still return to the rotation in May, Roberts was noncommittal: “We just don’t know.”

Pitching coach Mark Prior said the Dodgers are “trying to control overall workload management” for Ohtani’s left shoulder. He told Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register, “There’s a little bit of a shift towards making sure he’s dialed in, ready to go, from a DH standpoint.” Thankfully, Prior does not believe Ohtani’s new timeline is any cause for concern. This isn’t a sign of a major setback; the Dodgers simply seem to be exercising the utmost caution with their most important player. Still, it’s worth noting that Ohtani’s timeline to return looks longer than it did a few weeks ago. As Sonja Chen of MLB.com points out, Ohtani is now unlikely to face live opponents until the team gets back from Tokyo.

As thrilling as it will be to finally see Ohtani back on a big league mound, one absolutely cannot fault the Dodgers for playing things safe. With Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin, and Dustin May in the fold, L.A. isn’t exactly short on rotation depth to begin the season. Moreover, the worst-case scenario is that Ohtani suffers an injury that prevents him from pitching or hitting for any period of time. Needless to say, the Dodgers understand that better than anyone, and they’re taking precautions to avoid such a disaster.

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Gerrit Cole Going For Imaging On Elbow

By Anthony Franco | March 8, 2025 at 8:04am CDT

March 8: According to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, the results of Cole’s initial diagnostic tests have been distributed, and the right-hander is now in the process of seeking a second opinion. While Cole told reporters (including Hoch) that he is “concerned” about his elbow, the 2023 AL Cy Young winner also expressed a bit of optimism. “I’ve still got some hope,” he said. Per Hoch, Cole and the Yankees expect to know more about the status of his elbow in the next few days.

March 7: Gerrit Cole is heading for “diagnostic tests” on his throwing elbow, reports Jon Morosi of the MLB Network. It’s not currently clear whether the Yankees fear a significant injury, or if the testing is more precautionary in nature. In either case, it’s certainly not encouraging news after Cole missed the first couple months of 2024 with elbow inflammation.

It was almost exactly one year ago today that Yankees skipper Aaron Boone revealed that Cole was headed for an MRI. The 2023 Cy Young winner was having difficulty recovering between throwing sessions. Testing didn’t reveal any structural damage, but an inflammation diagnosis necessitated a month-long shutdown. Cole began the season on the 60-day injured list; he didn’t make his season debut until June 19.

Cole stayed healthy for the remainder of the season, aside from one skipped start due to what the team termed general body soreness. He turned in a 3.41 earned run average across 17 starts. While he struggled over his first few outings, Cole was dominant from the beginning of August through the end of the regular season. He turned in a 2.25 ERA with a 26% strikeout rate while holding opponents to a .182/.255/.248 slash line over his final 10 appearances.

The 34-year-old righty took the ball another five times in the postseason. He worked to a 2.17 ERA across 29 playoff innings, but his strikeout rate in October plummeted to a meager 17.7% clip. After the season, he and the Yankees were faced with a decision on his contract. Cole decided to opt out of the remaining four years and $144MM on his nine-year deal. He hoped the Yanks would override that by preemptively triggering a $36MM club option for 2029. The team declined to do so but allowed him to rescind the opt-out and remain with the team on his original contract.

Cole has taken the ball twice during Spring Training. He looked sharp in his first appearance, working 3 1/3 innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts on February 28. The Twins torched him for six runs on five hits (including a pair of homers) over 2 2/3 frames yesterday. That alone isn’t cause for concern — Spring Training results are largely immaterial — but Cole evidently hasn’t felt completely healthy. His fastball has averaged 95.5 MPH during his spring work, according to Brooks Baseball. That’s around where it sat last March, a bit below the 97 MPH velocity he’d shown in previous Spring Trainings.

The Yankees won’t have much to report until they receive the imaging results. Even if there’s no structural damage, it seems likely Cole will begin the season on the injured list. The Yanks already lost 2024 Rookie of the Year Luis Gil to a severe lat strain. GM Brian Cashman said on Thursday that the Yankees anticipate an absence of at least three months for the young right-hander (relayed by Greg Joyce of The New York Post). Depth starter JT Brubaker broke three ribs trying to dodge a comebacker early in camp.

New York signed Max Fried to an eight-year, $218MM free agent deal. He’ll probably get the ball on Opening Day. Clarke Schmidt and Carlos Rodón will follow in the rotation. Marcus Stroman, who entered camp sixth on the depth chart, now projects as the fourth starter. A season-opening IL stint could draw Will Warren or out-of-options righty Yoendrys Gómez into the rotation. New York has Carlos Carrasco and Allan Winans in camp as non-roster invitees.

If Cole winds up missing a decent chunk of time, the Yanks could look to a late free agent acquisition. Veteran innings eater Kyle Gibson remains unsigned; he’s throwing side sessions to stay loose in advance of his age-37 season. Swingman Spencer Turnbull has a spotty injury history but pitched well in 54 1/3 innings for the Phillies last year. Patrick Corbin and former Yankee Lance Lynn are also still free agents.

In a smaller injury development, the Yanks announced this morning that reliever Tyler Matzek sustained a mild right oblique strain (link via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). The veteran southpaw could resume throwing early next week, but the injury takes him out of consideration for the Opening Day roster. Matzek is in camp as a non-roster invitee. He has tossed one scoreless inning.

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Offseason In Review: Los Angeles Dodgers

By Darragh McDonald | March 7, 2025 at 11:59pm CDT

The Dodgers followed up their World Series win with another aggressive offseason, making many headline-grabbing additions as well as some less splashy moves. Despite years of playoff disappointments, they now go into 2025 viewed as a juggernaut that is despised by all other fan bases around the league.

Major League Signings

  • LHP Blake Snell: Five years, $182MM (includes conditional club option, $52MM signing bonus and $65MM in deferrals)
  • LHP Tanner Scott: Four years, $72MM (includes conditional 2029 club option, $20MM signing bonus and $21MM in deferrals)
  • OF Teoscar Hernandez: Three years, $66MM (includes 2028 club option, $23MM signing bonus and $23.5MM in deferrals)
  • RHP Blake Treinen: Two years, $22MM (includes $5MM signing bonus)
  • OF Michael Conforto: One year, $17MM (includes $8.5MM signing bonus)
  • RHP Kirby Yates: One year, $13MM
  • IF Hyeseong Kim: Three years, $12.5MM (includes 2028-29 club option)
  • LHP Clayton Kershaw: One year, $7.5MM
  • IF/OF Enrique Hernández: One year, $6.5MM

2025 spending: $185.5MM
Total spending: $398.5MM

Option Decisions

  • LHP Clayton Kershaw declined $10MM player option (though re-signed on aforementioned $7.5MM deal with incentives)
  • Team exercised $5MM club option on IF Miguel Rojas
  • Team exercised $3.5MM club option on C Austin Barnes

Trades and Claims

  • Traded IF Gavin Lux to Reds for OF Mike Sirota and Competitive Balance Round A draft pick
  • Traded C Diego Cartaya to Twins for RHP Jose Vasquez
  • Traded OF Dylan Campbell to Phillies for international bonus pool space
  • Traded OF Arnaldo Lantigua to Reds for international bonus pool space
  • Traded RHP Ryan Brasier and cash to Cubs for PTBNL or cash

Notable Minor League Signings

  • Roki Sasaki, Eddie Rosario, David Bote, Michael Chavis, Luis García, Giovanny Gallegos, Chris Okey, Joe Jacques

Extensions

  • IF/OF Tommy Edman: Four years, $64.5MM (includes 2030 club option, $17MM signing bonus and $25MM of deferrals)

Notable Losses

  • Jack Flaherty, Walker Buehler, Joe Kelly (still unsigned), Kevin Kiermaier (retired), Daniel Hudson (retired), Ryan Brasier, Gavin Lux, Diego Cartaya, Connor Brogdon (outrighted), Brent Honeywell Jr. (non-tendered), Zach Logue (non-tendered)

Things change fast in baseball. The Dodgers finished 2023 on a down note, having been swept out of the NLDS by the Diamondbacks. Though that was their 11th consecutive postseason appearance, many of them had ended in heartbreaking fashion. Fans of the club were in MLBTR's mentions, calling for manager Dave Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman to be fired. Fans of other clubs were taunting them for their failed attempts to "buy" a World Series. But they then signed Shohei Ohtani to a heavily-deferred deal, as well as grabbing Yoshinobu Yamamoto and many others, eventually winning it all in 2024.

The club therefore went into the 2024-25 offseason with the wind in their sails and they didn't slow down. Within a few months of their parade, they had signed one of the top free agent starters, a few of the top relievers, some solid outfielders and the most notable international amateur since Ohtani.

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A’s Announce Las Vegas Jersey Patch Sponsorship

By Anthony Franco | March 7, 2025 at 11:09pm CDT

The A’s announced on Friday evening that they’ve reached a three-year advertising partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). As part of the agreement, they’ll have “Las Vegas” jersey patches on their uniform sleeves during their three seasons in Sacramento. The A’s will wear a Sacramento patch on the opposite arm for at least the 2025 season.

“For the Athletics, this partnership is more than just a jersey patch—it’s the beginning of the transition to our new home,” A’s owner John Fisher said in a press release. “This is a chance to wear our hearts on our sleeves for the next three years before bringing the vibrant spirit of our new home front and center across our uniform.”

Steve Hill, the head of the LVCVA, tells Evan Drellich of The Athletic that the deal will pay the A’s $8.25MM over the next three seasons: $2.5MM this season, $2.75MM next year, and $3MM in 2028. Hill acknowledged that it’s rare for a team to don an advertisement for a city in which they’re not currently playing.

“Frankly, one of the reasons that something like this hasn’t been done, at least for a team that’s moving, is that they’re still in the city they’re moving from,” Hill told Drellich. “We couldn’t have done this with the Raiders (who moved directly from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020), for example, because it would have just been rude. They’re in the city they’re moving from, and that’s kind of in your face, just not appropriate. But because (the A’s are) moving to Sacramento for three years before coming here, it opened up that possibility of doing that.”

The A’s plan to break ground on their 33,000-seat stadium in Las Vegas within the next few months. The team released their latest set of renderings for that facility on Thursday (link via Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal). Newly-hired club president Marc Badain told Drellich on Thursday that he has “no doubts on that at all” when asked if the ballpark will be ready in time for the 2028 season.

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Astros Notes: Altuve, Smith, Walker, McCullers

By Anthony Franco | March 7, 2025 at 8:47pm CDT

Earlier this week, Astros manager Joe Espada told the Houston beat that Jose Altuve would play the “majority” of his games in left field. The second-year skipper walked that back a bit on Friday, indicating that the team’s position player mix remains unsettled.

“I’m not committed to Altuve being the everyday left fielder nor any X player being the everyday second baseman,” Espada said (relayed by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). “We are exploring all our options here and we’ll make those decisions when we get towards the end of camp.”

Altuve has gotten the bulk of his Spring Training work in left field. That’s likely to continue as the Astros try to build his outfield reps. While Espada’s most recent comments leave the door open for the nine-time All-Star to return to second base, it still seems likely that Altuve will remain the team’s primary left fielder. That’d leave the keystone to Mauricio Dubón. Houston added former Rockies’ Gold Glove winner Brendan Rodgers on a minor league deal. He could also play second base if the Astros want to bounce Dubón around the diamond.

There’s an outside possibility of top prospect Cam Smith factoring into the infield mix before long. Selected 14th overall by the Cubs last summer, Smith went to Houston alongside Isaac Paredes and Hayden Wesneski in the Kyle Tucker blockbuster. Smith has all of 32 professional games under his belt, only five of which have come above High-A. Though he’s likely to begin the season in the minor leagues, the 22-year-old has turned some heads in his first Spring Training. Smith is 7-11 with a pair of homers in exhibition play. He has drawn four walks while striking out just once.

Chandler Rome of The Athletic examined the possibility of Smith breaking camp with the MLB team. Rome notes that the Astros promoted 2023 third-round pick Jake Bloss last June, less than one calendar year from his draft date. (Bloss was traded to Toronto in the Yusei Kikuchi deal a month later.) Bloss, a right-handed pitcher, had started eight games in Double-A and jumped from there to the big leagues. Carrying Smith on the Opening Day roster would be a bolder move, as he has almost no experience facing upper minors pitching.

Smith is a natural third baseman. That’s the position he played at Florida State and where he saw all of his defensive innings in the Chicago system. Rome writes that the Astros would like to get him some work in right field (in addition to third base) in the minor leagues. Houston’s outfield is arguably its biggest weakness. Altuve will probably have some growing pains defensively if the Astros use him as their primary left fielder. Center fielder Jake Meyers is unlikely to provide much offensively. Chas McCormick is looking to rebound from the worst season of his career in right field. If McCormick struggles for a second consecutive year, right field would be a target for midseason upgrade. The Astros would presumably want Smith to have some minor league experience there before considering him a candidate for outfield work at Daikin Park.

At the same time, they’re also facing a potential injury absence on the infield dirt. Christian Walker went for imaging after reporting soreness in his left oblique. Espada provided an encouraging update on Friday, saying that the MRI didn’t reveal any kind of strain (link via McTaggart). The Astros intend to gradually ease him back into game action.

Smith’s path to breaking camp may be conditional on Walker opening the season on the injured list. That’d leave first base to a combination of Jon Singleton and Zach Dezenzo unless the Astros wanted to slide Paredes across the diamond and install Smith at the hot corner. Espada didn’t commit to Walker being ready for Opening Day, but the lack of a strain seems to leave that as a possibility.

Espada provided one other injury update of note. Lance McCullers Jr. got through a live batting practice session this afternoon without issue (via Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle). The righty is expected to get into game action in the near future. That’ll be a big step for McCullers, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since the 2022 World Series. The Astros have already announced that he’ll begin the season on the injured list as he returns from June ’23 flexor surgery. If McCullers gets into Spring Training action, he could be ready to return from the IL within the first few weeks of the regular season.

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