The Weekly Rundown: 2/26/23 - 3/4/23
Manny Machado gets his money, a boatload of injuries, and more.
Good morning, folks.
We’ve got plenty to cover in this week’s rundown. But first, here are a couple of MLB season preview pieces I’ve posted recently that you may have missed. I picked out some dark-horse candidates for end-of-season awards and made some bold predictions for the 2023 campaign.
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Now let’s catch you up on the big stories in baseball from the past week…
Machado Gets His Money
In last week’s rundown, I mentioned Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres continuing contract extension negotiations and possibly being close to a deal. Of course, about two hours after hitting publish, the contract was finalized.
Machado will likely end his career with the Padres as he signed an 11-year, $350 million extension with the club. That will take him through his age 40 season.
It’s the fourth-largest deal in MLB history behind Mike Trout (12 years, $426 million), Mookie Betts (12 years, $365 million) and Aaron Judge (nine years, $360 million). Machado will make approximately $31.8 million per season, and the contract includes a full-no trade clause with no opt outs.
This is another example of Padres brass doing whatever it takes to win a World Series within the next couple of years. Machado had made it clear he was going to opt out of his contract and become a free agent as season’s end. San Diego responded by making a deal that will look reckless a decade from now if it doesn’t win a title, but it’s always refreshing to see an organization willing to go all-in.
Machado’s contract follows Yu Darvish’s six-year, $108 million extension, Xander Bogaerts’ 11-year, $280 million free agent contract, and the 14-year, $340 million extension Fernando Tatis Jr. signed in 2021. And yet, the Padres still might not be done spending. More on that in the Rumor Mill section.
Lux Out For Season
This sucks.
Gavin Lux tore his ACL while running to third base during Monday’s spring training game vs. the Padres. He ducked to avoid a throw from third baseman, stumbled, and his right knee buckled. He was carted off the field and the torn ACL diagnosis was revealed shortly thereafter.
Lux was ready to take over for Trea Turner as the Dodgers’ full-time shortstop. The 25-year-old is coming off an encouraging 2022 season in which he made strides at the plate, making him a popular "breakout candidate” pick for 2023. Knowing that made his emotional reaction to the injury even tougher to watch.
“Freak thing, I don’t even think it’s really avoidable,” Lux said. “In hindsight, I probably should have taken the throw to the nose and worn it. Shit happens. Crush the rehab and move on.”
Lux held back tears when asked about looking forward to earning the shortstop role with the Dodgers since the day he was drafted.
“I think that’s one of the hardest parts,” he said. “I think every baseball player’s dream is to play shortstop for the Los Angeles Dodgers.”
With Lux out, Miguel Rojas is expected to take over as the Dodgers’ primary shortstop. L.A. acquired Rojas, a 34-year-old defensive-minded infielder, via trade with the Miami Marlins earlier in the offseason. Utility man Chris Taylor will serve as the backup, but we should expect the Dodgers to address the depth at the position at some point.
Glasnow To Miss Time
The Tampa Bay Rays were looking forward to getting a full season out of right-hander Tyler Glasnow, who made only two starts last year after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
So much for that.
Glasnow suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain during a bullpen session and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. That means barring any setbacks, he’ll return in late April or early May.
Losing Glasnow hurts, but the Rays operated without him for almost all of 2022. While he’s sidelined, Shane McClanahan will resume his role as the ace of the staff and be followed in the rotation by Drew Rasmussen, Jeffrey Springs and offseason addition Zach Eflin. That’s still among the top rotations in the league on paper.
And More Injuries…
Yeah, this was a shitty week injury-wise. The list goes on…
Padres righty Joe Musgrove fractured his toe when he dropped a kettlebell on it. He’ll miss a couple of weeks and the hope is that he’ll be ready for Opening Day.
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left Friday’s game against the Rays with right knee discomfort. He suffered the injury rounding the bases and while it isn’t believed to be serious, it will keep Guerrero out of the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
Red Sox southpaw James Paxton made his first spring training start and lasted only 1 2/3 innings before suffering a hamstring strain. Paxton hadn’t pitched since 2021 due to Tommy John surgery and a torn lat sustained during his rehab. He has hardly pitched over the last three years due to injuries, and this one will once again keep him out through Opening Day.
Phillies top prospect Andrew Painter — the No. 6 ranked prospect in MLB — showed his serious potential on Wednesday but experienced tenderness in his right elbow on Thursday. He’ll undergo testing to figure out the severity of the issue.
The injury bug already has infiltrated the Rangers’ revamped rotation. Jacob deGrom’s camp was delayed due to side tightness and now Nathan Eovaldi is experiencing tightness in his left side. Jon Gray was scratched from his start with back tightness and Jake Odorizzi is dealing with arm fatigue. Suboptimal spring so far for Texas.
Rockies second baseman Brendan Rodgers might have to go season-ending surgery on his shoulder after dislocating it diving for a ground ball on Thursday. Doctors are still examining the injury, but that’s a really tough break for a 2023 breakout candidate.
Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki has a moderate oblique strain and there is no timetable yet for his recovery.
The Shift Isn’t Dead
The pitch clock wasn’t the only significant rule change made for 2023. MLB also banned the shift, so two infielders must be on either side of second base and have both of their feet on the dirt when the pitch is released.
Outfielders aren’t mentioned in the rule, so the Red Sox got creative.
When the Twins’ pull-happy left-handed hitter Joey Gallo stepped to the plate, Boston moved center fielder Adam Duvall into shallow right field behind second baseman Enmanuel Valdez. Left fielder Raimel Tapia moved to center and right fielder Alex Verdugo stayed in his normal position.
Gallo drew a walk, so it didn’t really end up mattering. But it's a preview of a loophole MLB teams could use against Gallo and other pull hitters throughout the 2023 season.
This strategy also could give the Red Sox a distinct advantage at Fenway Park. The Green Monster in left field will assist them in using the outfield shift against lefties who pull the ball. Definitely a risky move, but not a bad idea against hitters like Gallo who almost always pull the ball.
He’s the Fastest Kid Alive!
Corbin Carroll is a freak. He’s the fastest kid alive.
You’re going to notice that I write a lot about Carroll over the course of this season. That’s because he’s probably going to be the NL Rookie of the Year and a superstar in this league for years to come. The Diamondbacks’ top prospect — and the No. 2 prospect in the sport — showcased his elite speed during Arizona’s spring game against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
And the 22-year-old is much more than a speed demon. He got his first taste of the big leagues last year and hit .260 with nine doubles, two triples and four home runs over 104 at-bats. He slashed .307/.425/.611 with 24 homers, 62 RBI and 31 steals in the minors. Carroll will be a highlight-reel machine for 2023 and beyond.
Don’t Blink
Yankees reliever Wandy Peralta pitches like I do when I’m rushing to finish a game of MLB The Show before my wife gets home.
It took less than 20 seconds for Peralta strike out Pirates hitter Tucupita Marcano on three pitches. The at-bat was over before you could even send a text message or get a drink from the fridge.
This wasn’t really even the result of the pitch clock, either. Both the hitter and the pitcher volunteered for the pace of the at-bat to go by in the blink of an eye. There was time to let the pitch clock wind down in-between pitches, but Marcano got in the box right away and Peralta let it rip without hesitation. A wild highlight that shows just how much the pace of play will change going forward.
Rapid Fire
The Padres signed second baseman Rougned Odor to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. The 29-year-old, most known for his haymaker on Jose Bautista, doesn’t offer much other than power at this stage of his career. He hit .207 with 13 homers and a .632 OPS in 135 games last season with Baltimore.
The Rangers signed left-handed reliever Will Smith to a one-year, $1.5 million contract. The 33-year-old veteran was trade from the Braves to the Astros last season and posted a 3.27 ERA over 22 innings with the World Series champs.
Former Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. joined the Royals on a minor league contract that will give Kansas City much-needed outfield depth. Bradley hit .203 with a .566 OPS last season with Boston and Toronto but still can make some dazzling defensive plays.
Left-handed reliever Brad Hand signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Rockies. The 32-year-old veteran enjoyed a bounce-back 2022 season with the Phillies, posting a 2.80 ERA in 55 appearances. Colorado will mark his eighth team in 13 seasons.
The Rumor Mill
The Padres are prepared to continue their spending spree. After inking Darvish and Machado to extensions, they’re reportedly shifting their attention to star outfielder Juan Soto and reliever Josh Hader. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports the organization will soon reach out to both players to discuss new deals. Currently, Hader is scheduled to be a free agent after this season and Soto will hit the market after 2024.
Another rumor courtesy of Heyman: The Dodgers are the early favorite to land Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani when he becomes a free agent next winter. It makes sense considering their unusually frugal approach to this past offseason. They cut payroll in what appears to be a move to prepare for the Ohtani bidding war that will take place. Just don’t be surprised if Mets owner Steve Cohen has something to say about that when the time comes.
That’s all for now. Don’t forget the World Baseball Classic will begin with Cuba vs. Netherlands at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday. You can get ready for all of the WBC action with my “Ultimate World Baseball Classic Preview.”
Have a great week!