Red Sox Shut Down Brock Holt From Baseball Activity
The Red Sox have halted rehab work for utilityman Brock Holt, as Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe was among those to report on Twitter. Holt was advised “to shut down from playing for the foreseeaable future” by a head trauma specialist, per the report.
Holt, 28, has already missed significant time with vertigo. It seemed he was nearing a return when recurring symptoms arose, leading to the change in plans. It seems the experts advised a more cautious approach after prior efforts at recovery proved halting.
There’s no timeline at present for Holt’s return; indeed, the entire undertaking seems designed to allow the issues to fully abate before Holt pushes again. As Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald tweets, the plan is to wait until Holt’s “symptoms totally fade.” It’s obviously not possible to know just when that will occur; the focus will surely be on ensuring Holt’s overall well-being before considering how to get him back on the field.
Boston would surely have liked to have Holt available to help out at third base, but instead the club has gone most of the year without the versatile defender. Holt has appeared in just six contests after averaging more than one hundred annually over the past three campaigns. Over that span, he compiled a .274/.335/.381 slash with 13 home runs and 24 stolen bases over 1,325 plate appearances.
Marco Hernandez To Undergo Shoulder Surgery
Red Sox infielder Marco Hernandez will undergo surgery to repair his injured left shoulder on Friday and is likely to miss the remainder of the regular season, tweets Tim Britton of the Providence Journal. Hernandez has been on the disabled list due to a left shoulder subluxation since May 4.
The 24-year-old Hernandez hasn’t solidified himself as a regular big league contributor to this point in his career, but he’s been a useful utility option for the Sox since making his MLB debut last year. In 61 games and 116 plate appearances, Hernandez has batted .284/.328/.349, and he’s logged time at second base, shortstop and third base in the Majors.
[Related: Boston Red Sox depth chart]
Hernandez’s season-ending injury further thins out a depleted third base mix for the Sox. In addition to Hernandez, both Brock Holt and Pablo Sandoval are on the disabled list, leaving Deven Marrero and Josh Rutledge to split third base duties for the time being in Boston. Hernandez will now accrue a full year’s worth of Major League service in 2017, and the ability to move him to the 60-day disabled list will give Boston a bit of flexibility with the 40-man roster.
As for Boston’s third base alternatives, it doesn’t seem that the 28-year-old Holt is especially close to returning to action; Britton also tweeted that the versatile 28-year-old was removed from his rehab assignment due to the fact that he wouldn’t be ready for activation within the requisite 20-game window. He’s being shut down for another five days as he continues to deal with the aftereffects of a concussion. Sandoval, meanwhile, is on a rehab assignment in Triple-A but is out of the lineup today due to illness, per Britton.
East Notes: Red Sox, Volquez, Yankees, Mets
The Red Sox have struggled at third base this year, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe writes. The team planned to have Pablo Sandoval as their main third baseman, a dicey proposition since Sandoval missed most of last season. The team has since lost Sandoval, Brock Holt and Marco Hernandez to injury, forcing Josh Rutledge into duty at the hot corner. Red Sox third baseman have struggled to the tune of a .237/.286/.320 line this season. Holt (vertigo) is on a rehab assignment in Triple-A Pawtucket, though, and could soon to the big leagues, as WEEI’s Rob Bradford tweets. Here’s more from the East divisions.
- The Marlins have announced that they’ve reinstated righty Edinson Volquez from the 10-day DL and optioned fellow righty Brian Ellington to Triple-A New Orleans. Volquez will start tonight against the Braves. Volquez spent the minimum required time on the DL while dealing with a blister issue. He’s posted a 4.71 ERA, 10.0 K/9 and 6.9 BB/9 in 28 2/3 innings thus far this season for Miami.
- The Yankees‘ three-game losing streak at the hands of the Reds and Astros raises a number of questions about the team, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. CC Sabathia has struggled lately, Chris Carter hasn’t hit well in place of the injured Greg Bird at first base, and the team is relying heavily on young players. Of course, as Sherman points out, it was never realistic to hope that the Yankees would sustain the blistering 21-9 pace at which they began the season.
- The injury-riddled Mets could use relief help, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News writes. Jeurys Familia‘s injury is just the latest for a Mets team that has had more than its fair share, and the team doesn’t have reinforcements on the way from Triple-A. Ackert mentions White Sox closer David Robertson as a potential possibility, but notes that Robertson can block a potential trade to the Mets as part of his limited no-trade clause. Besides, as she points out, significant trades rarely happen this early in the season.
AL East Notes: HanRam, Sandoval/Holt, Ramos, De Leon
Red Sox slugger Hanley Ramirez departed tonight’s contest with what the team is calling a “right trap muscle spasm,” Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald tweets. There’s no real reason to expect it’s a significant problem, though Boston will surely wish to make sure that Ramirez doesn’t rush back and end up shelved.
Here are a few more notes from the AL East:
- While the Red Sox have been walking a fine line at third base, the team may soon have a fuller set of options, as Mastrodonato also recently reported. Pablo Sandoval is nearing a minor-league assignment now that his knee is improving. And Brock Holt is moving even faster with his symptoms of vertigo finally clearing. It’s still not exactly clear how the playing time will sort out once those two are back, but presumably they’ll join Josh Rutledge in some kind of platoon situation at the hot corner, with both Rutledge and (especially) Holt also representing options elsewhere around the diamond.
- Rays catcher Wilson Ramos is making strides in his rehab from ACL surgery, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Ramos says he is “very excited” about how his surgically repaired knee is progressing, with hopes that he can begin a rehab stint before the end of May. Ramos is not only running and hitting but will soon be allowed to ramp up his work with the mask on. Tampa Bay will no doubt look forward to seeing whether Ramos can follow up on his big 2016 season, as current regular Derek Norris has struggled to a .202/.263/.303 batting line to open the year.
- The Rays will soon get a look at another important offseason acquisition, too. As Topkin tweets, righty Jose De Leon is preparing for his first start of the year at the High-A level. He’ll presumably move up to Triple-A as his rehab from flexor mass issues continues to progress. While De Leon did reach the majors last year, the timing of his return to the bigs is currently unclear. In addition to completing his development and ensuring his health, the Rays will also be looking for the best way to boost De Leon’s workload. He still has yet to throw more than 114 1/3 innings in a given season.
East Notes: Mets, Red Sox, Jays, Braves
Major League Baseball’s investigation into domestic violence allegations against Mets closer Jeurys Familia could be nearing a conclusion, according to Ken Davidoff and Matt Puma of the New York Post. The Mets excused Familia from their pitchers and catchers workout Saturday (and he won’t be in attendance Sunday), which is related to the league’s case, two sources informed Davidoff and Puma. Mets manager Terry Collins doesn’t expect Familia to miss any more time this spring beyond Sunday, but the league could hand the reliever a 30- to 50-game regular-season suspension in the coming weeks, Davidoff and Puma suggest.
More from the East Coast:
- While there’s interest across the majors in utilityman Brock Holt, the Red Sox aren’t looking to trade him, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. “Many clubs like him a great deal,” said president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. Since debuting in the majors with Pittsburgh in 2012, the versatile Holt has seen action everywhere but catcher and pitcher, though Boston doesn’t have an obvious place to put him this year. Most of Holt’s playing time last season came in left field, where ballyhooed rookie Andrew Benintendi will line up in 2017. Even including 2016, though, the majority of Holt’s big league experience has come at third base, but the Red Sox are banking on a revival at the hot corner from fellow lefty-swinger Pablo Sandoval. Thus, barring another poor showing from Sandoval – which is quite possible, of course – Holt could struggle to find reps. Nevertheless, Holt told Cafardo he’s “extremely happy” to be in Boston. The 2015 All-Star is under Red Sox control through the 2019 season.
- Justin Smoak manning first base and Steve Pearce handling left field on an everyday basis would be the “best-case scenario” for the Blue Jays this year, general manager Ross Atkins told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. “A lot could change, a lot could evolve,” continued Atkins. “(Melvin Upton Jr.) is a very good major-league player and he very well could be the guy that’s playing regularly in left field for us. What we’d like to do is to have a spring training that gives us that choice to make.” Hoping the 30-year-old Smoak carves out an everyday role seems unrealistic, as the former top prospect has underwhelmed in the majors and is coming off a subpar season. After signing a two-year contract extension in mid-July, the switch-hitting Smoak posted a .184/.283/.368 batting line in 99 second-half plate appearances. Should the lifetime .223/.308/.392 hitter’s issues continue in 2017, Pearce would primarily take the reins at first, which would open up left for Upton and Ezequiel Carrera.
- With Sean Rodriguez set to miss most or all of the season, the Braves are trying to find an in-house backup for star first baseman Freddie Freeman, details David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Right fielder Nick Markakis, utilityman Chase d’Arnaud, infielder Jace Peterson and catcher Tyler Flowers are all candidates to slot in behind Freeman – who missed just four games last year and has appeared in no fewer than 147 contests five of six full seasons. If Atlanta doesn’t settle on any of those four as a reserve first baseman, it could turn to free agent Kelly Johnson, as he and the team are still in touch, tweets O’Brien. Another go-around in Atlanta would be the fourth for Johnson, whom the Braves drafted in 2000 and then signed as a free agent in each of the two prior winters. The club subsequently traded the journeyman to the Mets during both the 2015 and ’16 seasons.
AL East Notes: Betances, Blue Jays, Red Sox, Betts
The Yankees will go to an arbitration hearing with right-hander Dellin Betances, general manager Brian Cashman tells MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (Twitter link). Betances filed for a $5MM salary in arbitration, while the Yankees countered at $3MM, so there’s a sizable gap between the two sides. In addition to the immediate $2MM that’s at stake, a $5MM salary in 2017 would give Betances a considerably larger platform for future salaries in the arbitration process. Betances is one of 23 unresolved arbitration cases left in baseball — all of which can be monitored using MLBTR’s 2017 Arbitration Tracker.
A bit more from the American League East…
- Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins spoke to reporters, including Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter link), following his team’s re-signing of Jose Bautista to a one-year, $18.5MM deal (with a 2018 mutual option and a 2019 vesting option). Atkins acknowledged that the Jays have “clear” needs in the bullpen and at backup catcher. That suggests that the Jays won’t simply stick with in-house options at either position, and the Toronto GM noted that both the trade market and free-agent market are under current consideration to fill those needs. A number of backup catching options have come off the board recently, though names like Kurt Suzuki, Hank Conger, Brayan Pena and Jarrod Saltalamacchia are all still out there.
- Red Sox skipper John Farrell met with the Boston media today and addressed a number of roster issues, including the team’s outlook at third base and in the rotation (Twitter links via Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal). Per Farrell, there’s still a “note of competition” at the hot corner between Pablo Sandoval, Brock Holt and Rule 5 pick Josh Rutledge. Sandoval’s contract, presumably, makes him the favorite, but I’d wager that he’ll be on a short leash and will have to show semblance of rebound potential in Spring Training and/or early in the year. Also, it sounds as if only Chris Sale, David Price an Rick Porcello are assured rotation spots, as Farrell said the final two spots will be a competition between Drew Pomeranz, Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez.
- MacPherson’s colleague, Tim Britton, adds that Farrell also discussed the Red Sox‘ catching situation (all Twitter links). Farrell said that as it stands, Sandy Leon is heading to camp as the No. 1 catcher, but Blake Swihart will be able to challenge him for that role. Britton notes that Farrell didn’t mention Christian Vazquez. However, Vazquez is out of minor league options, and the team isn’t sure how Swihart’s ankle will be able to hold up for regular work behind the dish, so Britton’s interpretation of the situation is that Leon and Vazquez will open the year as Boston’s catching tandem.
- Looking at the bigger picture for the Red Sox, the team has yet to sit down with star outfielder Mookie Betts about an extension, as Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. The 24-year-old said there haven’t been talks, and hinted that he’s not particularly interested in pursuing a long-term arrangement. Betts said that his preference is to focus on his play while going “one year at a time” for his salaries. Meanwhile, shortstop Xander Bogaerts largely demurred when asked whether he had engaged in any long-term contract talks.
Players Avoiding Arbitration: American League
The deadline for players and teams to exchange arbitration figures has come and gone, and there have been dozens of agreements broken throughout the league today. So many, in fact, that I’ve split the list up into a pair of league-specific posts to avoid having 100-something names in this list. You can see all the NL players here, and both of these will be updated as quickly as we’re able.
Many teams use the arbitration exchange as a hard deadline for negotiations on one-year deals — a “file and trial” approach which effectively means that once figures are exchanged, the only option they’ll pursue before a hearing is a multi-year deal. (The Mets and Orioles are both adopting that approach this year, and other teams to use that strategy in the past include Astros, Blue Jays, Braves, Marlins, Rays, White Sox, Pirates, Reds and Nationals.)
The most significant arb agreements of the day have been snapped off into their own posts already. We’ll continue adding the smaller-scale agreements from the American League right here (all projections referenced are courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz, and all arbitration agreements and filings can be monitored in MLBTR’s 2017 Arbitration Tracker)…
- The Rangers have announced agreement on a deal to avoid arbitration with lefty Jake Diekman. With today’s deadline having passed, the sides did exchange figures — $3.1MM versus $1.9MM — but obviously were already nearing a number. The high-powered southpaw projected at $2.6MM, and will receive $2.55MM, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter).
- The Mariners announced that they’ve avoided arb with all eight of their eligible players, which includes Jean Segura (reported last night), Danny Valencia, Jarrod Dyson, Leonys Martin, Drew Smyly, James Paxton, Evan Scribner, Nick Vincent. Numbers aren’t all in yet, but Valencia took home $5.55MM, per FanRag’s Robert Murray (on Twitter). Martin will earn $4.85MM, per Heyman. They were projected at $5.3MM and $6.3MM, respectively. Meanwhile, Dyson gets $2.8MM, Heyman tweets, which lands just over his $2.5MM projection. Smyly will receive $6.85MM — right at his $6.9MM projection — while Scribner gets $907,500, per MLB.com’s Greg Johns (via Twitter). Meanwhile, Paxton will land at $2.35MM and Vincent will receive $1.325MM, per Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune (via Twitter), both of which fall shy of their respective projections ($2.7MM and $1.5MM).
- Catcher Martin Maldonado will receive $1.725MM from the Angels, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (via Twitter). That’s just over his $1.6MM projection.
- The Tigers announced that they settled with third baseman Nick Castellanos. He projected at $2.8MM, but will receive $3MM, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter).
- Jeremy Jeffress and Jurickson Profar have each avoided arbitration with the Rangers, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegarm (via Twitter). Jeffress receives $2.1MM, while Profar will receive $1.005MM. Also of note, the Jeffress deal includes incentives that can add up to $250K in incentives, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). He’ll get $50K apiece upon reaching 55, 60, 65, and 70 innings. He had projected for a $2.9MM salary, but his legal issues late last year certainly dented his bargaining power.
- The Athletics have avoided arbitration with catcher/DH Stephen Vogt, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports on Twitter. Vogt will receive $2.965MM, falling shy of his $3.7MM projection. Oakland has also reached agreement with starter Sonny Gray for $3.575MM, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter), which is just shy of his $3.7MM projection. Also, reliever Liam Hendriks has agreed to terms, per John Hickey of the Mercury News. He’ll get $1.1MM, per Heyman (via Twitter).
- Righty Adam Warren will get $2.29MM from the Yankees, per Baseball America’s Josh Norris (via Twitter). That’s just a shade under his $2.3MM projection. New York also announced deals with shortstop outfielder Aaron Hicks and lefty Tommy Layne, among other players whose arrangements were previously reported. Layne receives $1.075MM, per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (via Twitter).
- The Orioles have avoided arbitration with second baseman Jonathan Schoop, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter links). He’ll receive $3.475MM, just over his projection of $3.4MM.
- Adding to their previously reported deals, the Red Sox have announced agreement with all but two of their arb-eligible players. Salaries were reported by MLB.com’s Ian Browne for the players avoiding arb: shortstop Xander Bogaerts gets $4.5MM ($5.7MM projection), utilityman Brock Holt receives $1.95MM ($1.7MM projection), righty Joe Kelly will earn $2.8MM ($2.6MM projection), catcher Sandy Leon takes home $1.3MM (the same as his projection), lefty Robbie Ross gets $1.825MM (just $25K over his projection), and new righty Tyler Thornburg will earn $2.05MM (just under his $2.2MM projection).
- Two moreplayers have avoided arbitration with the White Sox, per Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago (via Twitter). Among those not previously reported, starter Miguel Gonzalez gets $5.9MM and reliever Zach Putnam receives $1.175MM. That clearly indicates that Gonzalez and the Sox utilized his prior-years’ arb starting points, rather than his much lower earnings with the team last year. Putnam, meanwhile, had projected for $975K.
Earlier Updates
Injury Notes: Buxton, Holt, Kimbrel, Tazawa, Phillips, Davis, Cameron
Young Twins center fielder Byron Buxton was diagnosed with a contusion to his right knee after a scary collision with the wall. That could just be a preliminary diagnosis, though, and MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger noted on Twitter that Buxton required a cart and appeared to have difficulty putting pressure on the leg.
We’ll wait to learn more about Buxton’s situation, along with a host of others that arose on an ugly night for injuries around the game:
- Red Sox infielder/outfielder Brock Holt has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 ankle sprain after an awkward slide, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports on Twitter. Holt will require a walking boot, but that is the least concerning grade of the injury. While the prognosis doesn’t sound too serious, and the All-Star break will allow some added rest, it’s another tough blow to a team that just went out to plug some leaks by adding Aaron Hill and Michael Martinez via trade. Holt had been expected to hold down left field, so Boston will need to fill another gap for at least the near-term.
- Additionally, Red Sox relievers Craig Kimbrel and Junichi Tazawa were deemed unavailable for tonight’s action due to varying maladies, as Jason Mastrodonato and Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald were among those to report (Twitter links). Kimbrel came down with a sore knee before the game and has had an MRI, with results expected tomorrow, per Speier (via Twitter). Tazawa, meanwhile, is experiencing shoulder soreness of unknown seriousness. An MRI has not yet been ordered in his case. Any absence from either pitcher would certainly increase Boston’s desire to add to its pen, though it’s not yet known whether either situation is cause for much concern.
- Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is playing through a hairline fracture in his hand, Zack Buchanan of Cincinnati Enquirer reports on Twitter. For now, at least, it’s just a question whether he can deal with the pain, though even a low-lying issue could throw a wrench into any trade possibilities. (Phillips’ no-trade clause still appears to be the biggest barrier to a deal.)
- Though the alarm bells went off when Royals closer Wade Davis hit the DL with a forearm strain, he tells Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com (Twitter link) that he’s progressing well. Davis says he was able to throw without experiencing pain, and that the inflammation has already dissipated. That’s all very promising news for Kansas City, needless to say.
- Intriguing young Astros prospect Daz Cameron will miss the rest of the season after breaking a finger in his left hand, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports on Twitter. It’s been a bit of a trying year for the touted 19-year-old, who wasn’t performing at Class A Quad Cities and ended up suffering the injury in extended spring training action. He’ll miss some development time, but the injury shouldn’t pose any significant long-term issues.
East Notes: Red Sox Outfield, Phillies, Syndergaard, Teheran
Red Sox outfielder Chris Young hit the DL with a hamstring injury, as Chris Mason of the Boston Herald writes. He joins Brock Holt and Blake Swihart as unavailable left field options for Boston, which already had ample justification to pursue an upgrade at the position. There’s some optimism for both of those players, at least, as Holt has begun a rehab assignment and Swihart is out of his walking boot.
Here’s more from the eastern divisions:
- The Red Sox are stretched thin in left even as Rusney Castillo looks less and less like a viable major leaguer. Rob Bradford of WEEI.com takes an interesting look at the process that led the team to sign him to a contract that now seems like an expensive miss.
- Phillies GM Matt Klentak says that the “feeling out process” has begun for summer trade activity, as Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com reports. Still, he suggests that it’s largely been quiet for Philly thus far. Klentak also discussed the progress of top prospect J.P. Crawford, explaining that some early struggles at Triple-A are just part of the maturation process and noting that he has continued to exhibit a mastery of the strike zone.
- The Mets appear to believe that Noah Syndergaard‘s valuable right elbow isn’t at risk despite a recent scare, as MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports. An MRI showed only inflammation, and manager Terry Collins noted that Syndergaard has dealth with minor flare-ups at times in the past without any real structural issue arising. He’s set to make his next scheduled start.
- Over at Fangraphs, Eno Sarris explores an important question for the Braves as well as potential suitors for righty Julio Teheran: just how good is he? He suggests that Teheran may be able to continue to outperform ERA estimators somewhat, though perhaps some movement toward those marks is to be expected. In the end, Sarris calls him “a good pitcher on a great contract,” which seems like a fair appraisal.
AL Notes: Astros, BoSox, ChiSox, Yanks, Angels
Astros center fielder Carlos Gomez “very likely could join” the team during its next series, which begins Monday in Arizona, manager A.J. Hinch said (via Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle). That would mark a quick return for Gomez, who landed on the disabled list May 17 with a bruised left rib cage and is currently on a Double-A rehab assignment. Gomez was unexpectedly among the worst players in baseball this year before his placement on the DL, hitting a toothless .182/.238/.248 without a home run in 132 plate appearances. “I think he’s feeling a lot better, which is the number one priority. Getting production out of him is the second phase of this,” stated Hinch.
In other American League news…
- The Red Sox are considering removing Brock Holt from the everyday left field job when he returns from a concussion and shifting him back to a super-utility role, writes Ian Browne of MLB.com. Whether that happens will depend on how catcher/outfielder Blake Swihart fares in Holt’s place, said manager John Farrell – who’s encouraged by Swihart’s defensive work. “If [Blake] swings the bat, we could find Brock in more of a utility role and move him around. When Brock has been getting fairly regular at-bats, he’s been a very productive offensive player. That’s going to determine it,” commented Farrell. Swihart has collected just nine hits in 50 plate appearances this season, though he did have a two-triple performance Wednesday. Holt, who spent time at eight different positions in 2015 and made the All-Star team, got off to a slow start this season prior to his injury and hasn’t played since May 17.
- The White Sox were confident right-hander Miguel Gonzalez would help them when they signed him as a free agent shortly before the season, and the move has so far paid off, writes Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com. Gonzalez overcame a below-average strikeout rate to record a 3.49 ERA with the Orioles from 2012-14, but that number rose to an ugly 4.91 last season and the O’s then released him after his velocity dropped in spring training. Gonzalez’s velo is back to its previous level, though, and he gave up a respectable nine earned runs in 22 2/3 May innings. “Every time he pitches, it seems like we have a chance to win that game,” manager Robin Ventura said of Gonzalez. With the Sox in talks to acquire James Shields from the Padres, either Gonzalez or Mat Latos could soon be the odd man out of Chicago’s rotation. Gonzalez and Latos are trending in opposite directions at the moment, so it seems the latter would get a demotion as of now.
- Yankees pitching coach Larry Rothschild didn’t rule out temporarily removing Michael Pineda from the team’s rotation when asked Saturday, but manager Joe Girardi said today that it hasn’t been considered (via Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media). Although the right-hander allowed six earned runs in a loss to the Rays on Saturday to increase his ERA to a league-worst 6.92, he’ll start Thursday against Detroit.
- As was reported earlier today, Angels southpaw C.J. Wilson had a setback in his recovery from a shoulder injury. The 35-year-old has since opened up about it, telling reporters – including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (Twitter link) – that he felt “awful” during his Saturday bullpen session. Wilson will next undergo an MRI, per Fletcher.