With Spring Coaching simply across the nook listed here are three issues we’ll be maintaining a tally of across the baseball world all through the day as we speak:
1. Astros, Altuve to carry press convention:
As famous by USA As we speak’s Bob Nightengale, the Astros have scheduled a press convention for this afternoon in Houston the place star second baseman Jose Altuve and staff management shall be out there to debate Altuve’s five-year extension. An eight-time All Star with three batting titles, six Silver Slugger awards, a Gold Glove award, and the 2017 AL MVP award, Altuve owns a profession .307/.364/.471 slash line in 13 seasons in Houston since he made his MLB debut again in 2011. The deal retains Altuve in an Astros uniform by his age-39 season.
2. Guerrero arbitration end result:
Eleven arbitration circumstances have but to succeed in a conclusion, and among the many most high-profile of the remaining circumstances might be nearing a choice. The Related Press has reported that first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays went to a listening to yesterday. Guerrero filed at $19.9MM whereas Toronto countered at $18.05MM. Each these figures are available in beneath MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz’s projection of $20.4MM, which might be a results of the 24-year-old slugger’s “down” season on the plate final yr (by his lofty requirements, anyhow). In 682 journeys to the plate, Guerrero slashed .264/.345/.444 with 30 doubles and 26 house runs. Whereas that’s actually robust manufacturing, it left one thing to be desired after the teenager crushed the ball to the tune of a .292/.370/.539 slash line over the earlier two seasons.
Yesterday noticed 5 gamers sweep arbitration selections, as right-handers Jacob Webb and Phil Bickford, outfielders Austin Hays and Taylor Ward, and utility participant Mauricio Dubon all gained their circumstances in opposition to their golf equipment, placing gamers forward of groups 5-2 on this yr’s slate of arbitration hearings.
3. Gamers to exit DFA Limbo:
When gamers are designated for project, they’ll stay in transactional limbo for as much as every week whereas their staff appears to be like to commerce them or makes an attempt to move them by waivers. For right-hander Declan Cronin of the Astros, outfielder Canaan Smith-Njigba of the Pirates, and right-hander Zack Weiss of the Crimson Sox, that one-week interval expires as we speak, that means resolutions to every participant’s DFA needs to be introduced as we speak. All three of the aforementioned gamers are unable to reject an outright project in favor of free company, that means their membership’s can retain them as non-roster depth coming into the season in the event that they move by waivers efficiently.
Cronin, 26, posted a 9.00 ERA throughout 11 appearances throughout his first season as a giant leaguer final yr, although he loved extra success at Triple-A with a 3.88 ERA in 51 2/3 innings of labor. Smith-Njigba, 25 in April, got here to the Pirates as a part of the return within the Jameson Taillon commerce and owns a .273/.366/.469 slash line on the Triple-A degree, although he’s struggled badly in his first 44 journeys to the plate within the majors. Weiss, 31, made his huge league debut again in 2018 however had a disastrous outing for the Reds the place he surrendered 4 runs on two walks and two homers whereas failing to document an out. That first cup of espresso was the one style of main league motion Weiss would get till his age-30 season 4 years later, when he reemerged as a member of the Angels. Since then, he’s pitched to a 3.29 ERA with a 5.27 FIP in 27 1/3 innings of labor.