Blue Jays Rumors

AL East Notes: Sabathia, Heyward, Saunders, Bautista, Kopech, Panda

By Steve Adams | March 8, 2016 at 6:36pm CDT

CC Sabathia’s announcement that he would enter rehabilitation for alcohol abuse on the eve of the Yankees’ Wild Card playoff game last October stunned fans and those throughout the industry, and now, the left-hander offers an honest account of the factors that led to his decision over at the Players’ Tribune. Sabathia explains the reasons that he first turned to alcohol and the way in which his addiction evolved in an extremely candid, personal chronicle of his battle with the disease. Sabathia details his time spent in rehab and thanks his family as well as friends in the game such as David Ortiz, Torii Hunter and David Price for their support throughout the process. The big lefty writes that he feels mentally stronger than he ever has heading into a season and offers a message of hope to those that are going through their own battles with addiction.

Some notes from the AL East…

Prior to Jason Heyward’s trade to the Cardinals last offseason, the Yankees and Braves discussed a blockbuster framework that would’ve sent Heyward, Andrelton Simmons, David Carpenter, Melvin Upton and Chris Johnson to New York in exchange for Luis Severino, Aaron Judge, Manny Banuelos, Gary Sanchez and Ian Clarkin, according to a report from Jon Heyman (links to Twitter). Per Heyman, New York ultimately wouldn’t pull the trigger on the deal. A later, much smaller trade would see Carpenter and lefty Chasen Shreve sent to the Yankees in exchange for Banuelos. Heyward, meanwhile, was dealt to the Cardinals in a trade that sent Shelby Miller to the Braves. Atlanta, of course, flipped Miller to the D-backs this winter in a potentially franchise-altering deal.
Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins joined Buster Olney on today’s Baseball Tonight Podcast (audio link, with Atkins appearing at about the 29-minute mark) to discuss his background in baseball and a few Jays topics. Olney asked Atkins about the reported near-trade to acquire Jay Bruce which would’ve sent Michael Saunders to the Angels as part of a three-team deal. “[Saunders] has been unbelievable,” said Atkins when asked about the rumored swap. “With the rumors, spending time with him about that, he was as humble, as professional and as committed as possible to make sure that this will be the best trade that never happened.” Atkins went on to praise Saunders’ mobility and a pair of homers against inside fastballs — one from an opposing lefty. The inability to turn on inside pitches is often a concern with players coming off knee surgery, Atkins said, but Saunders to this point has shown no such ill effects.
Olney also asked about reports of Jose Bautista’s lofty asking price in extension talks with the Blue Jays. Atkins called Bautista “one of the smartest guys” he’s been around and said interactions with his right fielder have been nothing but positive. “My interactions with him, contrary to what people may think based on what’s been read, have been incredible,” Atkins said. “They’ve been amicable, they’ve been warm, they’ve been open, full of laughter and really, full of positivity. … I think, unfairly, some things have been portrayed that aren’t necessarily true. It’s unfortunate that there’s been somewhat of a negative light cast on his potential demands, and the focus has gone away from what a talented player he is and what a great person he is.”
Red Sox prospect Michael Kopech, a right-hander that received a 50-game suspension during last year’s minor league season for use of the banned stimulant Oxilofrine, has run into some trouble once again, writes Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Kopech suffered a fractured right hand in an altercation with a teammate, per Bradford. “It was stupid,” GM Mike Hazen told Bradford of Kopech’s incident. “He’s going to have to grow up, obviously, with the things that have happened so far. He’s got a long road to go to get to the big leagues. He obviously has a ton of potential. He’s got a long way to go. These types of things, you don’t want to put more barriers in front of you than playing professional baseball already presents you.” Kopech was selected with the 33rd overall pick of the 2014 draft as compensation for the Red Sox’ loss of Jacoby Ellsbury in free agency. When he was able to take the field last year, the 19-year-old logged a 2.63 ERA with 9.7 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 in 65 innings (15 starts, one relief appearance).
Pablo Sandoval has been working with Red Sox infield instructor Brian Butterfield to alter the positioning of his glove on certain plays as well as his general first-step quickness, manager John Farrell tells reporters, including Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. Mastrodonato notes that while Farrell has raved about the preparation of Hanley Ramirez, he’s been more cautious in his descriptions of Sandoval, telling the media today that there’s still “work to be done” in terms of his defense and finding his timing at the plate. Sandoval, per Mastrodonato, says he’s been focusing quite a bit on his first step and spent the entire offseason hitting right-handed in an effort to get his right-handed swing back to its peak levels. (Sandoval, for those who weren’t aware, abandoned switch-hitting about a third of the way through the 2015 season.)

AL East Notes: Sims, Stroman, Ramirez, Bogaerts, Rodriguez

By Jeff Todd | March 7, 2016 at 5:11pm CDT

Spring training provides many opportunities for teams to interact with their fans, but it isn’t often that you hear about a club actually signing one. But the Yankees did just that for ten-year-old Landis Sims, an inspiring young man who miraculously has devised a way to play baseball despite being born without hands or lower legs. It’s a great story, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Andrew Marchand, and well worth a read. Congratulations to Landis on his opportunity in Yanks camp!

Here’s more from the AL East:

Budding Blue Jays staff ace Marcus Stroman has impressed plenty already, but Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca writes that he’s working on taking the next step by tinkering with a quick pitch to keep hitters off balance. More notable than the new offering itself, perhaps, is the process behind it. “I always like to pick hitters’ brains,” explains Stroman, “and the biggest thing sometimes hitters say that messes them up is when pitchers change their tempo, change their motion, change their delivery.” Generally, the soon-to-be 25-year-old righty says that he “feel[s] extremely strong out there on the mound” this spring.
While the focus on Red Sox first baseman Hanley Ramirez has revolved around his transition in the field, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports that he’s also working to re-tool his swing. The surprising Travis Shaw is doing all he can to push Ramirez this spring, but Boston skipper John Farrell says he’s pleased with what he’s seen thus far at the plate from the veteran. His swing is “more compact,” says Farrell, “more of a line-drive approach.” Ramirez started strong last year offensively but faded to a substandard .249/.291/.426 overall batting line on the season.
As Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes, Ramirez once wrestled with the decision whether to accept an early-career extension, ultimately accepting one with the Marlins. Now, current Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts could be facing a similar choice. While Bogaerts previously suggested that Boston had not initiated talks, his response was somewhat different when asked recently. “I would just say I’m working hard, and will keep working hard,” he said when asked about a possible long-term deal. “People who work hard get good rewards, so we’ll see what happens what happens with that in the end. I’m just trying to focus on the game now.” While it’s not yet clear whether serious talks are underway, or whether they will ultimately occur this winter, it is certainly interesting to consider whether Boston will make a real run at locking up the Scott Boras client, a former top prospect who broke out last year and still has four years of team control remaining.
The Red Sox have a limited window to get enticing young lefty Eduardo Rodriguez ready to open the season in the rotation, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. He is staying off of the mound for the time being after recently suffering a tweak to his right kneecap. Boston is proceeding cautiously with a pitcher who is expected to be a key cog for years to come, and appears to feel good about leaning on its depth if that proves necessary. The 22-year-old contributed 121 2/3 innings of 3.85 ERA pitching last year, with 7.2 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9, and with 170 total frames (including his Triple-A output) he seems ready to take on a full season’s workload if he can return in time for a full ramp-up.

AL East Notes: Warren, Yankees, Rays

By Zachary Links | March 6, 2016 at 4:00pm CDT

When it comes to pitcher Adam Warren, the Yankees didn’t know what they had until it was gone, Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal writes. The Yankees’ acquisition of Starlin Castro got plenty of attention, but the less heralded Warren could be tricky for New York to replace. Warren, 28, gave the Yankees 17 starts in addition to providing much needed help in the bullpen. He can also be controlled for another three years in arbitration, which is another major plus.

Here’s more from the AL East:

Rays first baseman-turned-pitcher Dan Johnson says he is committed to getting better at his new craft, with no real timetable for getting things down pat, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. “I’m into it,” he said. “It’s completely up to the Rays how they want to work it. I’m coming in with an open mind. Send me to the Dominican league, I don’t care.” Johnson played first base for the Rays over parts of three seasons and spent 2015 with the Cardinals and Reds organizations.
Orioles Rule 5 Draft pick Joey Rickard is turning heads in Sarasota, Florida, as Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com writes. “I like him,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of the outfielder. “Good defender in center and left so far. Timing is everything. He’s 24, lot of guys start figuring it out. He’s kind of come into his own the last year, carried it over into winter ball. He’s got a chance to make our club.” Rickard was plucked from the Rays organization over the winter.
Rays right-handers Brad Boxberger and Jake Odorizzi as well as center fielder Kevin Kiermaier all turned down meager raises as a matter of principle in 2016. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times checked in with all three players about their decision and all three indicated that they did not take the matter personally this offseason.
Over the weekend, MLBTR caught up with Blue Jays hurler Marco Estrada to discuss his return to the Blue Jays and his decision to forego testing the open market this offseason.

Marco Estrada Happy To Be Back With Blue Jays

By Zachary Links | March 6, 2016 at 2:59pm CDT

Marco Estrada’s first experience through free agency was over before it could even get underway. In November, following a career year, the right-hander agreed to return to Toronto on a two-year deal worth $26MM. Estrada would have liked to take his time on the open market, but after careful consideration, the hurler decided that he would be better off taking a two-year deal from Toronto rather than accept the one-year, $15.8MM qualifying offer.

“I wanted to test it just to see what it was like. I probably would have returned to this team anyway. I did want to test the market. Who doesn’t?,” Estrada told MLBTR during a one-on-one chat in Dunedin, Florida. “I’ve never been through free agency and I was coming off of a really good year so why not test free agency? I didn’t get to experience it, but I’m happy with my decision. I’m glad to be back and I’m happy with how my deal worked out. But, it would have been nice to see what it’s like. Who knows, maybe two years from now I’ll try free agency.”

The veteran pitcher and his reps at TWC Sports pushed hard for a three- or four-year commitment from the Blue Jays, but they ultimately agreed to the two-year offer. From the sound of it, the Blue Jays were firmly against giving the 32-year-old (33 in July) a longer deal.

“We tried to get a third or fourth year. I don’t think it was ever going to be close on their part. Obviously, I tried. I wanted less money for more years, but they didn’t want to do it. It’s fine. I like the deal I got now. I guess the AAV went up and it was only two years but, it’s good, you know, I can’t complain,” Estrada said.

Even after seeing many of the offseason’s top available pitchers rocket past their projected earnings, it’s not clear whether Estrada could have netted a hefty three- or four- year pact. Estrada, on one hand, ended the season with a strong 3.13 ERA over 181 innings. The advanced stats aren’t as kind to him, however. As MLBTR’s Jeff Todd noted in November, Estrada wound up with a career-low 8.7% HR/FB rate and a .216 batting average on balls in play, factors that surely played a role in his breakout year.

Regardless of the contract, Estrada is happy to be back in Toronto for two more seasons.

“I look at the team that came back and it’s a pretty solid team. It’s not a lineup I’d like to face, I’ll tell you that right now,” the pitcher said. “Knowing I’m going to have these guys behind me, not just the offense they give me, but the defense. Nobody ever talks about the defense here and I think we’ve got one of the best defensive teams in the league. A guy like me, I need a good defense behind me, so why not come back here and have these guys play hard for me?”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Blue Jays Notes: Cecil, Sanchez, Pennington

By charliewilmoth | March 5, 2016 at 4:43pm CDT

Brett Cecil, who is eligible for free agency after the 2016 season, is “open” to an extension with the Jays, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet (who, by the way, chatted with Zach Links and MLBTR readers on Periscope earlier today). Cecil is not aware of any extension talks between the two sides. “There’s not necessarily going to be demands on what it’s got to be,” he says. “If they want to talk then we can talk. If not then we don’t.” As Nicholson-Smith notes, Cecil appears to be in line for a significant payday, whether that’s with the Blue Jays or with another team. He posted a 2.48 ERA, with an outstanding 11.6 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 last season, and this past winter saw good non-closing relievers like Darren O’Day and Ryan Madson land contracts well north of $20MM. And Cecil compares favorably to fellow lefty Tony Sipp, who got $18MM from the Astros. Here’s more from Toronto.

It’s possible Aaron Sanchez could start the season in the minors, MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm writes. If Gavin Floyd or Jesse Chavez wins the last spot in the rotation, but the Jays feel Sanchez and the team would best served by having him continue to develop as a starter rather than as a reliever. That path could make sense, given Sanchez’s age (he’s still just 23), former top prospect status, and his control problems while serving as a starter in both the Majors and minors. Last year, he allowed 37 walks in 66 innings as a starter. He has also walked over four batters per nine innings in both Triple-A and Double-A, and he was mostly used as a starter in his stints there.
Earlier today, we learned about longtime first baseman Dan Johnson trying his hand as a pitcher with the Rays. But Johnson isn’t the only position player to attract recent interest as a pitcher. New Angels infielder Cliff Pennington attracted a bit of interest as a pitcher this offseason after making a relief appearance with the Jays in the playoffs last year, reports MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez. “In talking to some teams about straight utility, there was maybe some talk about maybe pitching a few innings to save a bullpen guy here or there throughout the course of a year,” says Pennington. “Nothing more than six, seven innings in a year. It never was anything that was talked about with the Angels.” Such a role would, obviously, be unusual, and only a handful of players in recent memory — Brooks Kieschnick and Micah Owings being two — have really split time between pitching and another role. Pennington threw 90 MPH in the ALCS last year, though he only retired one of the three batters he faced.

AL East Notes: Loup Injury, Betts, Worley, Paredes

By Steve Adams | March 4, 2016 at 11:18am CDT

Blue Jays lefty Aaron Loup has been shut down for two weeks after an MRI revealed a strained flexor in his left forearm, as Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet writes. While Loup remains optimistic that he’ll be ready for Opening Day, manager John Gibbons conceded that that’s not necessarily a reasonable expectation. “That’d be kind of tough,” Gibbons told Nicholson-Smith and others at Blue Jays camp in Dunedin, Fla. “I don’t want to say no, but it might be real tough. Really it’d be a rush job.” Loup is expected to slot in as a second lefty reliever behind Brett Cecil, but if he’s unable to break camp with the club, the Jays will look at the ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte and non-roster invitees Scott Diamond, Chad Girodo, Wade LeBlanc and Pat McCoy, per Nicholson-Smith.

Here’s more from the division…

Mookie Betts tells Alex Speier of the Boston Globe that he’s yet to discuss a long-term deal with the Red Sox. “[A long-term deal] is not part of the discussion right now,” said Betts. “I’m just focused on going and playing this year. We’re going year-by-year [in contracts].” Betts expressed an appreciation that the Red Sox boosted his salary from $514,500 to $566K — a larger raise than many clubs give to pre-arbitration players — but stressed that his current emphasis is on establishing himself as a consistent player as opposed to worrying about his earning power.
Right-hander Vance Worley finds himself in a familiar position this spring as he battles for a roster spot with the Orioles, writes Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. “I feel like my whole career has always been about having to prove it again and again and again,” said Worley. “There’s always someone nipping at your heels, especially at this level. You’ve got the younger guys. This guy throws hard. This guy’s got this, he’s got that. I’m not that guy. I’ve never been that guy.” Worley admits that it was tough to lose his rotation spot with the Pirates last year upon Charlie Morton’s return from the DL, and it was more difficult to be designated for assignment and clear waivers despite posting a 3.00 ERA in 30 relief innings. “Any guy who has that situation where you clear waivers — that was my second time clearing — It’s about being mentally tough, because some guys crumble,” Worley continued. “Some guys just fall apart and they say, that’s it for the year. I know I’m a big leaguer and you have to have that mindset.” Worley is out of minor league options and will have to be exposed to waivers if the Orioles wish to send him to the minors.
Encina also writes that Jimmy Paredes is likely to miss significant time after suffering a sprained left wrist in an attempt at a diving catch in yesterday’s Grapefruit League contest. Paredes said he knew the injury was serious because his wrist and hand immediately went numb, though he’s thankful to have avoided a fracture. Nonetheless, it’s a poor time for an injury, Encina notes, as the Orioles had hoped to evaluate him as an option in the outfield this spring. Now, he’s wearing a plastic cast on his left wrist to stabilize the joint, and it’s unclear specifically when he’ll be able to return to action. Like Worley, Paredes is out of options and entered camp battling for a roster spot. Paredes underwent an MRI this morning and was diagnosed with a bone bruise, tweets Rich Dubroff of CSN Midatlantic.

Maicer Izturis Retires

By Steve Adams | March 4, 2016 at 9:02am CDT

Veteran second baseman Maicer Izturis announced his retirement from Major League Baseball at Blue Jays camp in Dunedin, Fla., this morning, per a club announcement. The 35-year-old had been in camp on a minor league deal but has now elected to call it a career.

Izturis has spent the past three seasons in the Blue Jays organization after signing a three-year contract prior to the 2013 season. However, after a down year in 2013, Izturis’ health would scarcely allow him to take the field again. The infielder missed all but 11 games of the 2014 campaign with a complete tear of the medial collateral ligament in his left knee, and he missed the entire 2015 season due to a groin injury and then, eventually, shoulder surgery. Given the poor luck that Izturis has had with his health in recent seasons, it’s perhaps unsurprising that he told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi (Twitter link) that his body simply isn’t equipped to deal with the rigors of playing anymore. “I put my heart and soul into it this year to see how I was going to feel,” Izturis explained, “but my body can’t handle it anymore.”

Prior to an injury-riddled stint with the Jays, Izturis had carved out a successful role as an oft-used and highly versatile utility piece with the Angels. Though he never tallied 500 plate appearances in a season, Izturis compiled yearly averages of 95 games and 350 trips to the plate while batting a combined .276/.339/.384 (95 OPS+) from 2005-12 with the Angels. During that stretch, Izturis logged more than 2500 innings at third base, more than 2400 innings at second base and nearly 1700 innings at shortstop. While he wasn’t necessarily a Gold Glove caliber defender at any of the three positions, he handled each of them capably while providing nearly league-average defense, thus making him a very useful utility option for manager Mike Scioscia.

Izturis was one of the last remaining active players to have ever donned a Montreal Expos uniform — Bartolo Colon is still carrying the torch — as he spent the 2004 campaign with the club prior to its move to D.C. Although he was originally signed out of Venezuela by the Indians in 1998, Cleveland traded him to Montreal in 2004. He spent just one year with the organization before being traded to the Angels alongside Juan Rivera for slugger Jose Guillen.

All told, Izturis’ career will come to a close with a .269/.331/.372 batting line, 39 home runs, 406 runs scored, 334 RBIs and 93 stolen bases over the life of 909 games/3350 plate appearances. He earned nearly $24MM in player salaries over that time, per Baseball-Reference. Best wishes to Izturis in his post-playing days.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AL Notes: Bautista, Indians, Kimbrel, Nava, Heredia

By Steve Adams | March 3, 2016 at 8:49pm CDT

Jose Bautista’s asking price in an extension has been a source of controversy, and MLB Network’s Peter Gammons echoes reports indicating that Bautista sought a six-year contract in asking for a new deal with the Blue Jays. Gammons spoke to Bautista about his rigid training and diet routine, exploring his ability to defy aging curves thanks to acute physiological self-awareness and in-depth study of said aging metrics. “I am preparing to defy those aging curves by my strict adherence to physical, mental and nutritional routines,” Bautista explained in discussing his desire to play into his 40s. “When I missed time (at 31) with hip problems, I changed everything. I studied, I learned about my body, and how to keep it at peak performance levels, and how to maintain it. … It is about discipline and diet and strive for physical and mental states that defy aging. I love a good steak; I cannot eat red meat. There are a lot of things I love, but I cannot be who and what I want to be and eat and drink them.” As Gammons writes, Jays president Mark Shapiro is somewhat cut from the same cloth — seeking to instill that awareness of conditioning and physiological intellect throughout the organization.

A few more notes from around the American League…

Terry Francona’s proficiency in managing platoons will be tested early in the regular season, writes MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince, as the Indians attempt to make due with a patchwork outfield mix while Michael Brantley recovers from shoulder surgery. With Abraham Almonte suspended, Cleveland could lean on a combination of Rajai Davis, Collin Cowgill, Lonnie Chisenhall, Joey Butler, Will Venable, Robbie Grossman, Shane Robinson, Michael Choice and prospects Tyler Naquin and James Ramsey — there will be no Austin Jackson signing or Jay Bruce trade, Castrovince reaffirms — none of whom necessarily profiles as an everyday option.
Tim Britton of the Providence Journal chronicles a foot injury suffered by Craig Kimbrel at 18 years of age that helped transform him add more than 10 miles per hour to his formerly unimposing fastball. Kimbrel dropped 12 panels of sheet rock on his left foot while working with his father, an electrician, thus resulting in nearly a semester wearing a cast. During that time, his coach at Wallace State Community College began a unique throwing program to build arm strength in Kimbrel, which involved him throwing from both knees. Kimbrel and coach Randy Putman both explained to Britton that the program isn’t for everyone, and Kimbrel’s flexibility and athleticism made him uniquely suited for the unorthodox exercises. When healthy enough to pitch, Kimbrel’s stamina was also impacted by missed time with the foot injury, thus prompting a move to the bullpen — a role in which he has excelled ever since.
Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com and Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register each profiled the nearly unfathomable route that Daniel Nava took to the Major Leagues in a pair of columns this week. Angels fans that are unfamiliar with their new left fielder’s obstacle-ridden road to the big leagues will want to explore the 33-year-old’s journey from equipment manager of his college club to indy ball player that was signed by the Red Sox for one dollar to 27-year-old rookie that turned the first Major League pitch that he saw into a grand slam. Gonzalez notes, in fact, that Hollywood producers have contacted Nava to inquire about making a movie out of his journey, though the new Angels outfielder says he has no intention of entertaining any such inquiry while his career is still going.
The Mariners will likely send recently signed Cuban center fielder Guillermo Heredia to Class-A Advanced or Double-A to begin his professional career in the U.S., writes MLB.com’s Greg Johns. As Johns points out, Heredia hasn’t played in a game since 2014 due to the lengthy nature of his defection from Cuba, so the club is prepared for some rust that will need to be shaken off. Heredia spoke, through an interpreter, about his excitement for the opportunity to take the next step in his pro career and also explained that the presence of countryman Leonys Martin (who, not coincidentally, shares an adjacent locker) will help to ease his transition. Heredia has known Martin since the two were both in Cuba, and he’s already begun soliciting Martin for advice as he works toward a big league career.

Injury Notes: Brantley, Matusz, Loup, Gardner, Rodriguez

By Steve Adams | March 3, 2016 at 7:11pm CDT

Spring Training is still young, but we’ve already seen a rash of injuries, with Brett Anderson going down for three to five months due to back surgery while a pair of AL Central outfielders — Jarrod Dyson (link) and Cameron Maybin (link) — could each be out up to six weeks. Here’s a look around the league at some other injuries that could potentially carry roster ramifications…

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley has “flown through” his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery, manager Terry Francona told reporters, including Cleveland.com’s Zack Meisel, on Wednesday. Brantley’s next step is to hit in a batting cage, and from there he’ll progress to full batting practice, per Francona, who said he doesn’t think Brantley will need to be out as long as the initial projections that pegged him for an early May return. While Francona notes that there’s still a significant progression required before Brantley is game-ready, the general feeling surrounding his return appears to be optimistic in nature.
The outlook on Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz, however, doesn’t appear as rosy; manager Buck Showalter told reporters that the reliever would undergo an MRI, and his return to action isn’t imminent (links to Twitter from MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli). As Ghiroli notes, the club expects to know more on the status of Matusz tomorrow.
Blue Jays lefty Aaron Loup is also ailing, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Loup is experiencing tightness in his left forearm and could be headed for an MRI, though the next steps in his rehab aren’t yet known. “He threw today and didn’t feel real good, so they’re going to check it out,” said manager John Gibbons.
Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner isn’t expected to play in spring games until after March 14, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes, as he’s currently dealing with lingering effects from a deep bone bruise in his wrist suffered in the American League Wild Card game last season. Gardner faced live pitching on Wednesday after taking the winter off from hitting, Hoch notes, and while everything went well, he’s still behind the rest of the club’s outfielders. However, despite the fact that his spring debut will be delayed by a couple of weeks, Gardner should have enough time to get up to speed for the regular season, in the estimation of manager Joe Girardi.
Red Sox lefty Eduardo Rodriguez suffered a dislocated right kneecap earlier this week, but the team hopes to have him ready for Opening Day, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. “There’s still a little bit of swelling in the knee, but he’s improving to the point where we’ll put a ball in his hand today and he’ll begin a throwing program on flat ground that will be shortened distance,” explained manager John Farrell, who also noted that while Opening Day is the goal, Rodriguez will “be out there when he’s out of danger.”

AL East Notes: Tulowitzki, Murphy, Sox, Chapman

By Steve Adams | March 2, 2016 at 8:40pm CDT

Troy Tulowitzki was blindsided by his trade to the Blue Jays last July, but the former Rockies star told FOX’s Ken Rosenthal that he’s not bitter toward his former organization. “I was honest last year saying it was very tough for me, ” Tulowitzki explained. “And now I’m honest saying I’m over it.” Tulowitzki spoke to Rosenthal about how close he’s become with Josh Donaldson since joining the team, praising Donaldson’s leadership and intensity. “You want him on your team,” Tulowitzki said of the reigning AL MVP. “He might be that guy on the other team that irks you. But you love taking the field with him. He gets the best out of me.” Tulowitzki spoke favorably about his new organization overall, praising the level of competitiveness that permeates the veteran clubhouse.

Headlines

Blue Jays Rumors

Navigation

MLBTR INFO

Connect