 COVID-19 Notes: Bryant, Nola, Jays, A's, Giants
Cubs third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant has become the game’s latest superstar to voice his apprehension over a potential 2020 Major League Baseball campaign. Speaking to Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters Monday, Bryant stated in regards to MLB’s COVID-19 testing problems: ''What we agreed to was testing every day. We have had…
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Rob Manfred Reportedly “Jumped On” Mike Rizzo Over COVID Testing Comments
The reigning World Series champion Nationals are among the teams whose COVID-19 testing hasn’t gone smoothly in Summer Camp. The club had to cancel its workout Monday because of a delay in receiving coronavirus results, and general manager Mike Rizzo voiced his dissatisfaction with the situation. “Without accurate and timely testing it is simply not…
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Robbie Ray Discusses Pending Free Agency
As a pending free agent who’s about to embark on a pandemic-shortened season, Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray is facing an especially uncertain future. Ray figures to cash in on his next contract – at least, relative to the majority of other soon-to-be free agents – but perhaps not to the extent that he would have…
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Dodgers Sign 2nd-Rounder Clayton Beeter
The Dodgers have signed supplemental second-round pick Clayton Beeter to an over-slot bonus worth $1,196,500, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets. As the 66th overall pick, the right-hander’s selection came with a recommended value of $1,003,300. The Dodgers added Beeter to their 60-man player pool after signing him. Los Angeles acquired the pick it used on…
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MLB Issues Statement On Testing Delays
Major League Baseball has released a statement regarding the delays in COVID-19 testing that have hamstrung the efforts of several teams to prepare for the season. The league acknowledged the issue but says it expects to iron things out moving forward. While several teams are presently missing or delaying workouts owing to testing delays, MLB…
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MLB Releases 2020 Schedule
Even as it deals with early coronavirus testing stumbles, Major League Baseball has unveiled significant aspects of its 2020 schedule. You can find the full slate at MLB.com. As is evident from a brief scan of the schedules, this won’t be a typical season. Even beyond the shortened format, there’s a notable realignment of the regular season.…
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Joey Gallo Tests Positive For COVID-19
Rangers slugger Joey Gallo has tested positive for COVID-19, general manager Jon Daniels tells reporters (Twitter link via Levi Weaver of The Athletic). Gallo initially tested positive back on June 29, per Daniels. And while he had one negative test in the days thereafter, a second and more recent test again came back positive. Gallo…
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Jimmy Nelson To Undergo Back Surgery
Dodgers righty Jimmy Nelson is slated to undergo lower back surgery tomorrow, the team announced (h/t J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group, via Twitter). Precise details of the procedure aren’t yet known, but it’s expected to sideline Nelson for all of the 2020 season, per MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick (Twitter link). Nelson had signed…
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Astros Cancel Monday Workouts Due To Testing Delays
The Astros have canceled this morning’s workout due to delays in the results from their COVID-19 intake testing, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports (via Twitter). They’re the second team to do so, joining the Nationals. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that the Astros, like the Nats, have yet to receive their results from last…
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Kole Calhoun Tests Positive For COVID-19
Diamondbacks outfielder Kole Calhoun has tested positive for COVID-19, manager Torey Lovullo announced Monday (via Zach Buchanan of The Athletic). Fortunately, Calhoun’s asymptomatic and doing well, per Lovullo. Whether Calhoun will be ready for the start of the regular season is unclear, though, as he’ll have to quarantine for two weeks and test negative for…
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Nick Markakis Opts Out Of 2020 Season
Braves outfielder Nick Markakis has opted out of playing this season, manager Brian Snitker announced to reporters this morning (Twitter link via Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). In doing so, he’ll forgo this year’s $4MM salary and the year of service time he’d have otherwise accrued. Markakis himself tells reporters that there were multiple…
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MLB, MLBPA Seeking Additional Medical Lab Site For COVID Testing
COVID-19 test results haven’t come in at an acceptable rate for several Major League Baseball teams early in Summer Camp. The slow process has negatively affected the Athletics, Angels, Astros and Nationals, though MLB expressed confidence Monday that it won’t be an issue going forward. For its part, the MLBPA sent a memo to player…
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Several Teams Experiencing Testing Delays
While most teams are already hosting full workouts and beginning to schedule intrasquad games at “summer camp,” multiple clubs are still experiencing delays in their COVID-19 test results that are preventing them from taking the field just yet. The Athletics are in a particularly frustrating spot, it seems. Shayna Rubin of the San Jose Mercury News…
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Regarding The MLBTR Comment Section
You may have noticed recently that we’ve closed the comments section on MLBTR posts relating to COVID-19. I’ve taken this temporary measure because the discussions have too often become toxic. Moderating arguments in the comments is not a good use of time for our writers. We plan to take a few days to amend our…
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Steve Cohen Expected To Reenter Mets Bidding
Move over, A-Rod/J.Lo? Steve Cohen, whose prior deal with the Mets collapsed, is evidently lurking for a second attempt. Thornton McEnery of the New York Post reports that the billionaire is preparing to participate in the first round of bidding. Cohen had an agreement all but locked up with the existing Wilpon ownership group. But the…
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American League Draft Signings: Picks & Bonus Info
Here is the list of every American League team’s picks over the five rounds (plus the free agent compensation sandwich picks and the two Competitive Balance Rounds) of the 2020 draft. Slot price information and — if available — the amount of the player’s bonus are listed, as well as each club’s total draft bonus…
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Brandon Guyer Announces Retirement
Veteran outfielder Brandon Guyer announced his retirement as a player on Monday. In a statement to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link), Guyer wrote: As I sit here and think about my baseball journey, I am so grateful for the life baseball has given me. I met my wife and raised three children in the…
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Dombrowski, La Russa, Stewart Join Nashville Franchise Effort
A trio of heavy-hitting veteran MLB executives is looking for a new angle back into the game, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter links). Dave Dombrowski, Tony La Russa, and Dave Stewart are all now united in a potential bid for a new venture. That notable group is said to be joining Music City Baseball,…
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Nationals Cancel Monday Morning Workouts Due To Testing Delays
The Nationals have canceled their Monday morning workouts due to delays in Major League Baseball’s COVID-19 testing processes, general manager Mike Rizzo announced this morning. Rizzo issued the following statement: Per MLB’s protocol, all players and staff were tested for Covid-19 on Friday, July 3rd. Seventy-two hours later, we have yet to receive the results…
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National League Draft Signings: Picks & Bonus Info
Here is the list of every National League team’s picks over the five rounds (plus the free agent compensation sandwich picks and the two Competitive Balance Rounds) of the 2020 draft. Slot price information and — if available — the amount of the player’s bonus are listed, as well as each club’s total draft bonus…
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Luis Urias, Angel Perdomo Test Positive For COVID-19
Brewers infielder Luis Urias and left-hander Angel Perdomo both tested positive for COVID-19 prior to intake, manager Craig Counsell told reporters this morning (Twitter links via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel). Both consented to their diagnoses becoming public. Urias and Perdomo are thankfully asymptomatic at this point and are going through the league’s COVID-19 protocols. They’ll…
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Aaron Judge Says He'll Be Ready For Opening Day
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge appears to be a full go as Summer Camp opens. He told reporters including James Wagner of the New York Times (Twitter link) that he’s ready for action and preparing for Opening Day. Judge’s health likely would’ve been a big storyline and major area of uncertainty for the Yanks had the…
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Buster Posey, Sean Doolittle Discuss 2020 Season
Buster Posey took part in the Giants’ Summer Camp workouts yesterday. Nevertheless, he was reluctant to commit to playing out the entire 2020 season in a teleconference with reporters, including Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic. “Yeah, definitely, I think there's still some reservation on my end as well,” Posey said, presumably in response to Mike Trout expressing…
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Troy Stokes Likely Out For Season With Broken Hamate
Tigers left fielder Troy Stokes, Jr. underwent surgery to repair a broken hamate bone in his hand, manager Ron Gardenhire announced earlier this week (h/t to Evan Woodbery of MLive). He is expected to miss the entire season. This explains Stokes’ omission from the Tigers’ Summer Camp player pool. He remains on the 40-man roster, although it seems…
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NL East Notes: Phillies, Wheeler, Mets, Braves, Freeman
Phillies offseason addition Zack Wheeler is still weighing his options about participating in the 2020 season, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports. With Wheeler and his wife expecting a baby in late July—right around the start of the regular season—he’s constantly evaluating his level of comfort with the precautions being taken around baseball. For…
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Health Notes: Knebel, Canning, Lowrie
Mets infielder Jed Lowrie is said to be a “full go” for Mets workouts, manager Luis Rojas told reporters including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. He’ll participate in a sim game at Citi Field today. Lowrie has been absent with a variety of nebulous injuries to his left side, seemingly stemming from an initial knee injury.…
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Cardinals Health Notes: Mikolas, Goldschmidt
Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas received a platelet-rich plasma injection back in February, but he’s continued to make progress over the past few months. He’s apparently nearing full recovery, as he tells reporters, including Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, that he anticipates being in the club’s season-opening rotation. Mikolas will throw approximately 40 pitches to live…
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Indians Bench Coach Brad Mills Opts Out Of 2020 Season
Indians bench coach Brad Mills has decided to opt out of the 2020 season and return home, manager Terry Francona told reporters (including Mandy Bell of MLB.com). How Cleveland plans to replace Mills in the dugout and whether he will continue to work for the organization in some sort of remote capacity isn’t clear. Mills,…
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Felix Hernandez Opts Out Of 2020 Season
Felix Hernandez is the latest player who has opted against participating in the 2020 season, as his agent Wilfredo Polidor tweeted this evening. The longtime Mariners ace and former AL Cy Young Award winner signed a minor league deal with the Braves in January, and was named on Atlanta’s initial 60-man player pool. Concerns over…
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Pirates' Socrates Brito, Blake Cederlind Test Positive For COVID-19
Outfielder Socrates Brito and right-hander Blake Cederlind have both tested positive for the coronavirus, Pirates manager Derek Shelton told reporters (including Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). The two players consented to be identified as having positive tests, though Shelton didn’t provide further details on their condition, saying only “there are some other things that…
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Royals Notes: Matheny, COVID-19, Kuntz
With positive coronavirus tests dominating the news from training camps around baseball, Mike Matheny told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan) Saturday that he also contracted COVID-19 “about a month ago.” The Royals manager said he has recovered fully, though not without first experiencing some symptoms. “We had a family member test positive, so we knew…
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Two White Sox Players Test Positive For Coronavirus
The White Sox announced today that two players have tested positive for COVID-19 (h/t to James Fegan of the Athletic). Fortunately, both players are currently asymptomatic. Per the announcement, they are in isolation in Chicago and are being monitored by team medical staff. As is their right, each player has chosen to remain anonymous. The…
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“Small Number” Of Mariners Players Test Positive For Coronavirus
A “small number” of players have been held out of Mariners’ camp after testing positive for COVID-19, manager Scott Servais confirmed to reporters (including Greg Johns of MLB.com). The organization declined to divulge any further information about the identities or current conditions of those player(s). Per MLB protocols, any player who tests positive must be…
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Braves Coach Eric Young Sr. Opts Out Of 2020 Season
Braves first base coach Eric Young Sr. has decided to step away from his role for the 2020 season, manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Young is reportedly a higher-risk candidate for COVID-19, though as Burns notes, the team didn’t disclose the specifics of the 53-year-old Young’s health situation.…
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Diamondbacks' Junior Guerra, Silvino Bracho Test Positive For COVID-19
Diamondbacks right-handers Junior Guerra and Silvino Bracho have tested positive for the coronavirus, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan and The Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro) today. Guerra and Bracho “are asymptomatic and feel great,” Lovullo said. “They're in the protocol, they’re doing what they can, taking care of what they can…
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DJ LeMahieu, Luis Cessa Test Positive For COVID-19
Yankees second baseman DJ LeMahieu and right-hander Luis Cessa have both tested positive for the coronavirus, manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including ESPN’s Marly Rivera). Cessa has mild symptoms, while LeMahieu is asymptomatic. Neither player has arrived at the Yankees’ Summer Camp, as both were tested before making the trip to New York. As per…
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Cardinals' Genesis Cabrera, Ricardo Sanchez Test Positive For COVID-19
Left-handers Genesis Cabrera and Ricardo Sanchez have both tested positive for COVID-19, the Cardinals announced this afternoon. As detailed by MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters, Cabrera and Sanchez are each currently in quarantine, and both pitchers are asymptomatic. Cabrera and Sanchez both tested positive during the club’s initial round of intake testing as players…
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Ryan Braun: “It's More Likely That I Play” In 2021
2020 is the final guaranteed year of Ryan Braun’s contract, and the longtime Brewers slugger hinted last January that he could potentially retire at season’s end. However, in comments today to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Todd Rosiak and other reporters Braun said “I feel like it’s more likely that I play another year than I…
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Phillies Keep Nola, Haseley, Bethancourt Out Of Camp Due To COVID-19 Protocols
7:55PM: Updating his initial story, Breen reports that Nola, Haseley, and Bethancourt haven’t been placed on the COVID-19 injured list. The three players have been kept out of camp due to coronavirus protocols, however, and could end up on the IL at some point. 5:41PM: Right-hander Aaron Nola, outfielder Adam Haseley, and utilityman Christian Bethancourt…
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MLB Expected To Release Schedule On Monday
Major League Baseball is expected to officially release the 2020 regular season schedule on Monday, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. As we know, teams will play 60 regular season games against teams in their division and the geographic counterpart in the opposite league; that is, the AL East will play other AL East…
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4 Marlins Players Test Positive For Coronavirus
Four Marlins players have tested positive for COVID-19, president of baseball operations Michael Hill told reporters (including the Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson) today. The players’ identities aren’t known since they didn’t consent to having their names publicly released, as per league COVID-19 protocols, though all four are members of the Marlins’ 60-man player pool. Three…
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60-Man Roster Notes: Orioles, Phillies
As teams continue to get health and travel reports, many have slots left to fill on their 60-man rosters, so we’ll use this post throughout the day to track the minor changes. LATEST The Giants added four names to their 60-man player pool: Will Wilson, Camilo Doval, Luis Toribio and Chad Tromp, per Alex Pavlovic of…
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Rockies Sign Matt Kemp
July 4: The club has announced the move, which is now official. Kemp has been added to the Rockies’ 60-man player pool. June 30: The Rockies have struck a deal with veteran outfielder Matt Kemp, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). It’s a minor-league pact. Kemp had spent the spring with the…
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David Price Opts Out Of 2020 Season
Dodgers left-hander David Price announced that he will not play during the 2020 season via a post on his Instagram page, as first reported by Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe. Price becomes the highest-profile player to opt out of this year’s campaign, joining the likes of Ian Desmond and Ryan Zimmerman, with others likely…
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Nationals Notes: Kieboom To Start At Third, Denaburg Out, Cavalli In
Speaking to a handful of DMV-area reporters, Nationals’ manager Davey Martinez said that he expects Carter Kieboom to be the starting third baseman, MASN’s Mark Zuckerman, and Todd Dybas of NBC Sports were among those reporting. It’s a bit of a surprising revelation from Martinez, as last we heard, Kieboom wasn’t even a sure thing…
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Masahiro Tanaka Under Evaluation After Being Hit In Head By Line Drive
6:58PM: Tanaka has been released from hospital, the Yankees announced. 6:14PM: Tanaka will indeed go into concussion protocol, manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and other reporters, though Tanaka had a negative CT scan. Boone believes Tanaka will be released from hospital tonight. 5:30PM: In a very scary moment during a Yankees simulated game…
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Two Red Sox Players Test Positive For Coronavirus
The Red Sox have announced that left-handed pitchers Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor have both tested positive for COVID-19, MLB.com’s Ian Browne was among those to report. Taylor’s positive test came during the intake at Red Sox camp, whereas Hernandez stayed at home. Both players will be quarantined and unable to return to the team…
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NL Notes: Camp Delays, Dodgers, Cardinals, Gallegos, Health Updates, Senzel, Hamels
Expect delayed arrivals to camp to become somewhat of a recurring story early in training camp as players attempt to clear the many hurdles to return to play. The Dodgers, for instance, will be missing a few players at the start of camp, though manager Dave Roberts wasn’t able to name specific players, per J.P.…
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Luis Madero Tests Positive For COVID-19
Giants infielder Luis Madero has tested positive for COVID-19, as Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic was among those to cover via Twitter. He consented to the release of the medical information. Madero, 23, was claimed and outrighted back in the pre-coronavirus days of Spring Training. That familiar grab-and-stash roster tactic has worked for the Giants…
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2020 Amateur Draft Signings: 7/3/20
Here are the latest draft deals … The Dodgers have agreed to a $1,622,500 bonus with third-rounder Jake Vogel, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets. That’s over a million north of the slot value of the 100th overall pick, so clearly the high-school outfielder represented a draft priority for his home-state club. Vogel had been ticketed for…
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Freddie Freeman, Three Other Braves Test Positive For COVID-19
A quartet of Atlanta Braves tested positive for COVID-19: Freddie Freeman, Pete Kozma, Touki Toussaint, and Will Smith, per Sportscaster Kelly Crull. Though the teams do not have to release the names of the players who test positive for coronavirus, in this case, the players consented to have their names released in order to spread…
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Red Sox Sign RHP Caleb Simpson
The Red Sox have signed right-handed reliever Caleb Simpson and added him to their 60-man player pool, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. His addition comes not long after the Red Sox revealed that two relievers, Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor, have tested positive for COVID-19. Simpson, 28, had spent his entire career in the Giants’…
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Royals' Salvador Perez Tests Positive For COVID-19
Royals fans will have to wait just a little longer to see long-time backstop Salvador Perez back in a Royals’ uni. Salvy is the latest player to allow his name to be released after testing positive for coronavirus. Perez is asymptomatic as of right now, and though he personally stressed that people should wear their…
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Yordan Alvarez Not Yet In Astros Camp
Young Astros star Yordan Alvarez was notably absent from Astros camp today, though the precise reason isn’t yet clear. Manager Dusty Baker told reporters that he’s unable to provide further indication due to “league mandates.” Jake Kaplan of The Athletic was among those covering the chat (Twitter thread). It’s easy to jump to the conclusion that…
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Willians Astudillo Tests Positive For COVID-19
Twins utilityman Willians Astudillo has tested positive for COVID-19, the Twins announced today. Dan Hayes of The Athletic was among those covering the news on Twitter. Fortunately, it does not appear as if Astudillo has had a worrying reaction to the disease to this point. He’s said to be symptom-free at the moment. The Twins…
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Cleveland Indians To Consider Name Change
In the wake of the potential forthcoming name change of the NFL’s Washington Redskins, the Cleveland Indians appear to be approaching a reckoning of their own. The organization issued a statement on the matter, first disclosing it to Zack Meisel and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription link) and then publishing it on Twitter. While…
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Tommy Pham Tests Positive For COVID-19
The Padres announced today that outfielder Tommy Pham has tested positive for the coronavirus, as AJ Cassavell of MLB.com was among those to cover on Twitter. Pham authorized release of his personal medical information. Fortunately, he’s said to be asymptomatic at the moment. Pham, 32, has yet to suit up for a regular season game…
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Rangers' Brett Martin Tests Positive For COVID-19
Rangers left-hander Brett Martin tested positive for COVID-19, the team told reporters Friday (Twitter link via Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). It’s also notable, too, that Martin is diabetic — although to this point the Rangers have thankfully indicated only mild symptoms for the southpaw. The team also has three minor league trainers…
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Blue Jays Agree To Terms With Austin Martin
The Blue Jays have reached a deal with first-round pick Austin Martin, reports Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae (Twitter link). The former Vanderbilt shortstop/third baseman will need to pass a physical before his deal with the club becomes official. Bonus details aren’t yet known, but Martin’s No. 5 overall draft slot is valued at $6.18MM. More to…
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Welington Castillo Opts Out Of 2020 Season
Veteran catcher Welington Castillo has opted out of the 2020 season, Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters Friday (Twitter link via the Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty). Castillo inked a minor league contract with the Nationals back in January and was originally announced as part of the team’s 60-man player pool. However, it appears he’ll opt…
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MLB Cancels 2020 All-Star Game; Dodgers To Host In 2022
Major League Baseball announced this morning that the 2020 All-Star Game, which the Dodgers were slated to host, has been canceled. The Dodgers will now host the 2022 All-Star Game, as the Braves are already lined up to host next year’s Midsummer Classic. “Once it became clear we were unable to hold this year's All-Star…
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MLB & MLBPA Announce Initial Coronavirus Testing Results
MLB and the MLB Players Association have jointly announced the results of the initial round of coronavirus testing. The league says that 31 players and seven staff members tested positive out of 3,185 total people tested. At first glance, the ~1.2% rate of positivity is lower than might have been feared. It does not appear…
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Amateur Draft Signings: 7/2/20
Let’s round up the latest draft signings … The Reds have inked Christian Roa to an at-slot deal, MLB.com’s Jim Callis reports on Twitter. The Texas A&M righty takes home just over $1.5MM to go pro. Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen was rather bullish on his outlook, grading Roa the 34th-best player available. It seems the Reds were…
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Trout: “I Still Don't Feel Comfortable”
Angels superstar Mike Trout reported to the team’s summer camp today, but the three-time American League MVP made clear that he’s still feeling conflicted about playing during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Honestly, I still don't feel comfortable with the baby coming,” Trout told reporters today on a Zoom call (link via USA Today’s Bob Nightengale). “There's…
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Alex Bregman Hires Scott Boras
Astros third baseman Alex Bregman has hired Scott Boras as his new agent, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. Reports that Bregman was seeking new representation emerged back in May, after he parted ways with longtime representative Brodie Scoffield, who had recently joined Klutch Sports’ fledgling baseball division. Klutch, a powerhouse NBA firm led by…
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Delino DeShields Jr. Tests Positive For COVID-19
Indians outfielder Delino DeShields Jr. has tested positive for COVID-19, president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told reporters this morning at the team’s summer camp (Twitter link via Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon-Journal). DeShields is experiencing some symptoms, though they’re thankfully said to be mild in nature at this point. For the time being,…
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Padres To Add Cole Wilcox To 60-Man Player Pool
The Padres will add recently signed third-round pick Cole Wilcox to their 60-man player pool today, tweets Dennis Lin of The Athletic. The former University of Georgia right-hander was considered a potential first-round talent but, as a draft-eligible sophomore, came with some signability concerns. The Friars paid him a $3.3MM bonus that stands as a…
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Blue Jays Heading To Toronto For Summer Camp
The Blue Jays have received authorization to hold Summer Camp in Toronto. Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca first reported the news on Twitter; his colleague Ben Nicholson-Smith has further details (Twitter link). They broke things down in a chat with Hazel Mae (video link). This was the anticipated outcome, but it didn’t come easily. The relevant Canadian authorities…
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Indians Sign David Hernandez, Jake Elmore, Steven Baron
The Indians announced this morning that they’ve signed veteran right-hander David Hernandez, utilityman Jake Elmore and catcher Steven Baron to minor league contracts. Hernandez and Elmore will report to Summer Camp in Cleveland, while Baron will head to the team’s alternate training site in Eastlake, at their Class-A affiliate’s facility. All three have been added…
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Phillies Place Four Players On COVID-19 Injured List
4:03pm: These four players were indeed placed on the COVID-19 injured list, per Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). That does not necessarily mean that the players have tested positive for the virus; the list also houses players that have shown symptoms consistent with infection or that have had contact with someone else…
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Tyson Ross Will Not Participate In 2020 Season
Veteran right-hander Tyson Ross will not participate in the 2020 season owing to concerns over COVID-19, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports on Twitter. His decision mirrors that of his younger brother. Ross had been released recently by the Giants, a move that was at least a bit surprising with “Summer Camp” about to launch. One…
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Steinbrenner: Yankees “Expect” Spectators In 2020
With COVID-19 infection rates soaring at the outset of baseball’s 2020 relaunch, even a TV-only season seems like a tall order. Nevertheless, Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner offered a surprisingly optimistic tone regarding the return of fans to Yankee Stadium this year, as George A. King III of the New York Post reports. “I do expect to…
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Manfred Attempts To Clarify Comments On Length Of Season
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred came under fire yesterday after saying in an interview on the Dan Patrick Show that a season longer than 60 games was never feasible. “The reality is we weren't going to play more than 60 games no matter how the negotiations with the players went, or any other factor,” Manfred told…
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Blue Jays Claim Breyvic Valera, Add Three Others To 60-Man Pool
The Blue Jays have claimed infielder Breyvic Valera off waivers from the Padres, per an announcement from both teams. In addition to Valera, the Jays announced that they’ve added right-hander Bryan Baker, outfielder Josh Palacios and infielder/outfielder Patrick Kivlehan to their 60-man player pool. Valera, 28, was carried on the Blue Jays’ roster for most…
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SK Wyverns Release Nick Kingham
The SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization have released right-hander Nick Kingham, Naver Sports reports (translation via MyKBO’s Dan Kurtz, on Twitter). The former Pirates top prospect was limited to just two starts before going down with an elbow injury that has yet to sufficiently heal. Kingham, 28, signed with the Wyverns back in…
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Quick Hits: Pirates, Hayes, Moran, Royals, Hill, Lopez
A few items from around the game… The Pirates have one of baseball’s top prospects in third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who’s part of their 60-man player pool, but first-year manager Derek Shelton will ease him into a regular role slowly. Pittsburgh’s currently planning on sticking with Colin Moran at the hot corner, per Shelton, who…
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Jose Quintana Undergoes Thumb Surgery
Cubs left-hander Jose Quintana underwent surgery on his left thumb, the team announced today. According to the team’s press release, Quintana suffered a laceration on his left thumb last week while washing dishes at home. The cut required five stitches, and Quintana ultimately required microscopic surgery to “further determine the extent of his injury.” “The…
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Rob Manfred On Season Length, Playoffs
After Major League Baseball and the MLBPA couldn’t agree to a season length during their long-running, contentious negotiations, MLB decided to impose a 60-game schedule last week. In an ideal world for the players, they’d have gotten at least 80-some games (they proposed 89 on June 9), but commissioner Rob Manfred told Dan Patrick of…
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Red Sox Add Jonathan Lucroy To 60-Man Player Pool
The Red Sox announced Thursday that they’ve formally added catcher Jonathan Lucroy to their 60-man player pool. Lucroy joins the pool as a non-roster player and brings Boston’s total to 48 players (37 members of the 40-man roster and 11 non-roster invitees). Lucroy, 34, inked a minor league deal with the Red Sox over the…
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Rangers Add Juan Nicasio, Edinson Volquez To 60-Man Player Pool
The Rangers announced today that they have added right-handed pitchers Juan Nicasio and Edinson Volquez to their 60-man player pool. That leaves the team with three remaining openings to work with at the outset of Summer Camp. Both of these hurlers had already been inked to minor-league deals with the Texas organization. Their inclusion on…
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Dodgers To Sign AJ Ramos
The Dodgers have agreed to a minor-league deal with righty AJ Ramos, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). Ramos will join the club’s 60-man player pool. This is great news for Ramos, who hasn’t pitched competitively in quite some time. He has been sidelined by serious shoulder issues since a disappointing half-season with…
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Pirates Sign Two Draft Picks
The Pirates have signed supplemental first-round pick Carmen Mlodzinski and second-round selection Jared Jones, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com (Twitter links). Mlodzinski receives a $2.05MM bonus that comes in a bit shy of his $2.31MM slot value at No. 31, while Jones’ $2.2MM bonus trounces his No. 44 selection’s $1.689MM slot value. Jones’ agreement…
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Athletics Add Six Players To 60-Man Pool
The Athletics on Wednesday announced the addition of six players to their 60-man player pool: infielders Eric Campbell and Robert Puason, right-handers Wandisson Charles and Miguel Romero, and outfielders Luis Barrera and Brayan Buelvas will all join the group. Campbell will head to Oakland to join the team’s big leaguers, while the other five will…
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Jordan Hicks To Begin Season On Injured List
Cardinals closer Jordan Hicks will open the 2020 season on the injured list, manager Mike Shildt told reporters Wednesday (Twitter link via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch). The flamethrowing 23-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery last June and is still in the final stages of his rehab process. Back in May, Hicks had progressed…
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Cubs Pitching Coach Tommy Hottovy Details COVID Bout
Players and staff members are reporting today in order to re-launch the 2020 season. The first order of business will be coronavirus check-in testing. One important member of the Cubs organization won’t be anxiously awaiting the results of his test. Pitching coach Tommy Hottovy has already endured a bout with COVID-19, he tells 670 The…
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KBO Preparing For Return Of Fans
JULY 1: The return of live fans will have to wait at least a bit longer, per Yoo (via Twitter). Governmental approval still hasn’t been issued, though it still seems likely to come before long — except, perhaps, in the Kia Tigers’ home city of Gwangju, where there has been an uptick in coronavirus cases.…
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Hoyer On Cubs' Roster Plan
Like all of their competitors, the Cubs have just launched into a whole new world of roster management with the introduction of a 60-man player pool for the 2020 season. The Chicago organization elected to open with just fifty slots filled — a decision that GM Jed Hoyer discussed with reporters including MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian.…
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Rockies Agree To Terms With Supplemental 1st Rounder Drew Romo
The Rockies have wrapped up their draft business by agreeing to terms with catcher Drew Romo, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter). He’ll receive a bonus for the precise $2,095,800 slot value of the 35th overall pick. Romo will bypass a commitment to Louisiana State University to go pro with the Rox. He’s seen as a defensively proficient…
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Rockies Release Zac Rosscup
The Rockies recently released southpaw Zac Rosscup, according to the latest Baseball America transactions log. It seems the organization determined he would not be a part of the 60-man player pool and was not otherwise worth keeping under contract. Also cut loose by the Rox were fellow lefty Evan Grills and infielder Carlos Herrera. The BA…
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Mexican League Cancels 2020 Season
Following yesterday’s decision of Minor League Baseball to cancel the 2020 season, the affiliated Mexican League has followed suit. In an official announcement, the 16-team circuit says it will not attempt to launch play this year. While it’s obviously disappointing to see Mexico’s top league on ice, the announcement makes clear the decision was made…
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Amateur Draft Signings: 7/1/20
We’ll round up most of today’s draft signings in this post… The D-backs agreed to an $800K signing bonus with third-rounder Liam Norris, per MLB.com’s Jim Callis. That checks in north of the $658K slot value associated with Norris’ No. 90 overall selection. A high school southpaw out of North Carolina, Norris had been committed…
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AJ Ramos Making Comeback Attempt
Former Marlins closer AJ Ramos hasn’t pitched since 2018 due to ongoing shoulder troubles, but the 2016 All-Star is eyeing a comeback bid in the 2020 season. Ramos recently tweeted a video of himself pitching in a game setting (with velocity and spin-rate data courtesy of Cressey Sports Performance in Florida) and included the hashtag…
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NL Notes: Braun, Mets, Betances, Dodgers, Phillies
Some news and notes from the National League… Concerns over the coronavirus have helped lead four notable major leaguers – the Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman and Joe Ross, the Diamondbacks’ Mike Leake and the Rockies’ Ian Desmond – to opt out of the 2020 season this week. Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun hasn’t joined them, though he…
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Padres Chairman Ron Fowler On Finances, 2020 Season, Union
With few to no fans in the stands during a 60-game season, Major League Baseball teams are undoubtedly going to suffer a financial hit this year. The Padres are among the teams in line to take a beating in that regard, executive chairman Ron Fowler explained to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "People…
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Giants Agree To Terms With First-Rounder Patrick Bailey
The Giants have agreed to a $3.8MM bonus with first-round selection Patrick Bailey, according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis (via Twitter). He was selected 13th overall, a position that came with a $4,197,300 slot allocation. This represents the first big draft strike for the San Francisco organization, which has quite a bit of signing left to do. The…
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Cardinals Add Elehuris Montero To 60-Man Pool
The Cardinals have added third base prospect Elehuris Montero to their 60-man player pool for Summer Camp, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak tells reporters (Twitter link via Mark Saxon of The Athletic). He’ll head to their camp at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, bringing their current player total to 45. Montero, 21, was one…
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Eppler On Possibility Of 2020 Debut For Jo Adell
Top Angels prospect Jo Adell won’t have a chance to force his way into the big leagues this year through his play at Triple-A, but that may not be altogether necessary. GM Billy Eppler says that he anticipates Adell will have the opportunities he needs to show the team he’s ready, as Maria Torres of the…
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Nelson Cruz Discusses Future Plans
Wednesday is Twins designated hitter Nelson Cruz’s 40th birthday, but that doesn’t mean the six-time All-Star is closing in on retirement. On the contrary, Cruz suggested to Phil Miller of the Star Tribune that he still has enough gas in the tank to play beyond the 2020 campaign. "I don't see it [soon],” Cruz said…
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