With the primary recreation of the common season simply days away, listed here are three issues we’ll be maintaining a tally of across the baseball world all through the day at the moment:
1. Are the Astros in or out on Snell?
It’s been a whirlwind of a weekend for Astros followers, because the membership was reported as being in “critical pursuit” of reigning NL Cy Younger award winner Blake Snell. It’s straightforward to see why Snell would attraction to them specifically, even past his pair of Cy Younger Awards, as Houston’s beginning pitching corps shall be with out not solely Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia Jr. but in addition Justin Verlander and probably Jose Urquidy to open the season. Southpaw Framber Valdez and right-hander Cristian Javier are the highest wholesome starters for the ’Stros, however each took steps again from their 2022 efficiency final season.
Whereas including Snell to the combination could be a surefire method to enhance the membership’s rotation combine dramatically, there’s motive for skepticism concerning the odds of the perimeters coming collectively. Reporting yesterday described the Astros as “long-shots” to in the end land Snell, casting doubt on the membership’s willingness to supply a deal within the $30MM vary, which might push them previous the third threshold of the luxurious tax. Speculatively talking, the membership might pivot to a extra inexpensive rotation arm nonetheless out there available on the market ought to they be unwilling to abdomen Snell’s asking worth. Each Michael Lorenzen and Mike Clevinger are nonetheless unsigned.
2. Will Pham, Padres full deal?
Whereas the Padres’ 2023 Cy Younger award winner seems to be headed out the door, one other participant could possibly be poised for a reunion in San Diego. Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham is reportedly in talks with the membership on a one-year deal with a wage within the $3MM to $4MM vary. The 36-year-old makes loads of sense for the Padres, who’re set to enter the Seoul Sequence towards the Dodgers later this week with Jose Azocar and Jurickson Profar as their high choices in left subject alongside high prospect Jackson Merrill in heart and star Fernando Tatis Jr. in proper.
Each Azocar and Profar had been greater than 20% under league common with the bat final 12 months per wRC+. Putting in Pham, who slashed an above common .256/.328/.446 in 129 video games with the Mets and Diamondbacks, because the on a regular basis left fielder could be a considerable improve. Though San Diego is a transparent match for Pham’s companies, they aren’t the one suitor for the veteran. The White Sox are reportedly concerned in Pham’s market as effectively, the place the veteran would presumably function a right-handed complement to Dominic Fletcher and Andrew Benintendi within the outfield corners.
3. Perez assembly with surgeon:
Marlins teenager Eury Perez is reportedly coping with elbow soreness, setting the right-hander as much as seemingly begin the season on the injured checklist. Its a brutal blow to Miami’s rotation plans, notably along with the shoulder points that each Braxton Garrett and Edward Cabrera are coping with elsewhere within the rotation combine. The variety of accidents plaguing the membership’s rotation appears to be spurring an all-hands-on-deck method to the Opening Day rotation. Much more impactful for the membership than the choices on the right way to fill out the rotation behind Opening Day starter Jesus Luzardo shall be Perez’s reported assembly with orthopedic surgeon Keith Meister, who carried out right-hander Sandy Alcantara’s Tommy John surgical procedure again within the fall.
Such a gathering isn’t essentially a sign that Perez is slated for the same destiny, however it’s a transparent signal that the Marlins are taking the bout of soreness in Perez’s elbow critically. Perez impressed over 91 1/3 innings of labor in his rookie season final 12 months, pitching to a 3.15 ERA with a 4.11 FIP in 19 begins in simply his age-20 season.