Author: rincon

It’s time to dust off those ball bags — MLB spring training has commenced. 

Pitchers and catchers are starting to report to both Arizona and Florida for all 30 teams with Opening Day on March 25. Rosters are getting finalized and every team’s new offseason additions are getting their reps in – not to mention the much anticipated World Baseball Classic that will see the world’s best players compete on the international stage. 

Here are all the notable news and last-minute dealings as teams ramp up to Opening Day:

Feb. 11

Castellanos could be traded in next two days

The Philadelphia Phillies are expected to trade right fielder Nick Castellanos in the next two days, according to a report from The Athleticon Wednesday.

Castellanos, a two-time All-Star and Silver Slugger Award-winner, was told not to report to the Phillies’ Spring Training facility as the parties work toward a resolution, per the report.

Francisco Lindor undergoes surgery

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said he’s optimistic shortstop Francisco Lindor will recover for opening day after having surgery on Wednesday to repair a broken hamate bone in his left hand.

Lindor was evaluated by a hand specialist after experiencing soreness in the area around his hand and wrist this week. “People are saying six weeks for return of play,” Mendoza said, referencing a timeline that could threaten Lindor’s status for the start of the season.

“Knowing Lindor, I’m not gonna bet against him. This is a guy that’s played through broken toes and the low back (injury) two years ago when he barely walked and he continued to play through it. So we’re still optimistic that he’s going to be available for us on opening day, but we’ve just got to wait and see.”

Lindor is the third prominent player to suffer hamate bone injuries in the opening week of spring training, following Arizona outfielder Corbin Carroll and Baltimore second baseman Jackson Holliday.

When asked about the sudden rash of hamate injuries, Mendoza said: “It’s baseball, you know. I guess it’s back to baseball season. … This is a pretty common one. It’s just rare that, you know, in the span of, what 24 hours, we got three really good players going down with the same injury. But I don’t make too much out of it.”

The Houston Astros‘ star closer has felt “arm soreness,” with imaging revealing that Hader has “bicep inflammation,” putting his status for Opening Day in jeopardy, according to The Athletic.

Last season, Hader, a six-time All-Star, recorded a 2.05 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, 76 strikeouts, 2.3 wins above replacement and was 28 of 29 in save situations across 52.2 innings pitched. His 2025 campaign ended in August, though, due to a shoulder injury.

Corbin Carroll Fractures Hand, To Miss WBC

Arizona Diamondbacks star outfielder Corbin Carroll won’t play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic after breaking his right hamate bone in batting practice on Tuesday, ESPN reported on Wednesday morning. Carroll is having surgery for the injury on Wednesday and could begin the 2026 MLB regular season on the injured list.

Carroll, a two-time All-Star who was set to play in his first career World Baseball Classic for Team USA, has led the National League in triples in each of the last three seasons.

Holliday to undergo surgery

Baltimore Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday will have surgery on Thursday to repair a broken hamate bone in his right hand and will miss opening day.

Orioles president of baseball operations Mike Elias announced Wednesday that Holliday sustained the injury while taking batting practice last week.

Holliday, 22, hit .242 with 17 home runs, 55 RBIs and 17 stolen bases in 2025. He was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2022.

Elias also said Wednesday that third baseman Jordan Westburg is recovering from a right oblique injury that could delay his participation in spring training games.

The switch-hitting outfielder will miss the next five-to-six months due to left labral surgery, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider announced. Santander, who’s entering the second season of a five-year, $92.5 million deal with the Blue Jays, was limited to just 59 combined games in 2025 (regular season plus postseason) due to a shoulder injury. In the regular season, he totaled just six home runs, 18 RBIs and -1 wins above replacement, while posting a .175/.271/.294 slash line.

The season prior (2024), Santander was an All-Star for the Baltimore Orioles, hitting a career-high 44 home runs and averaging 35 home runs and 95.3 RBIs per season from 2022-24.

Feb. 10

Kris Bryant on 60-Day IL; Rockies Sign Tomoyuki Sugano

The Rockies will continue to be without one of their oft-injured big signings through at least two months.

Colorado placed infielder/outfielder Kris Bryant on the 60-day injured list due to a degenerative lumbar disc disease (lower back). The slugger has appeared in just 170 games with the Rockies since agreeing to a $182 million, seven-year contract in March 2022.

In addition to playing Bryant on the IL, the Rockies added Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano to their rotation on Tuesday, agreeing to a $5.1 million, one-year contract with the right-hander.

Sugano, 36, went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA in 30 starts with Baltimore last year. He pitched in Japan before agreeing to a $13 million, one-year contract with the Orioles in December 2024. Sugano played for the Yomiuri Giants for 12 seasons, winning three MVP awards in Nippon Professional Baseball’s Central League.

Juan Soto changing positions

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns announced that Juan Soto will be shifting from right field to left field next season. Soto has extensive experience at both corner outfield positions but has primarily started in right field over the last two years. Last season was Soto’s first with the Mets and saw him total -7 defensive runs saved in right field. At the same time, the six-time Silver Slugger totaled a career-high 43 home runs, 105 RBIs, a National League-high 38 stolen bases and 6.2 wins above replacement, while posting a .263/.396/.525 slash line.

It’s come full circle as the 43-year-old future Hall of Famer returns to the club where he became a breakout star. Justin Verlander, the three-time Cy Young winner, inked a one-year deal for $13 million. Verlander has 266 victories are tied with Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey for 34th on baseball’s career list, while his 3,553 career strikeouts are eighth and closely trailing Don Sutton with 3,574.

Verlander now bolsters an already stacked rotation that includes two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, who also signed with Detroit in free agency. Verlander was traded to Houston in August 2017 and helped the Astros win the World Series that same year and again in 2022. Now he gets an opportunity to chase a third championship with the Tigers, who are looking for the franchise’s first title since 1984.

Feb. 9

Phillies desperately trying to trade outfielder

Philadelphia president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said that the team is “doing everything” it can “to make a move” regarding outfielder Nick Castellanos. The 33-year-old Castellanos is entering the final season of a five-year, $100 million contract and coming off a 2025 campaign that saw him post a career-low -0.8 wins above replacement, while posting a .250/.294/.400 slash line. 

He also posted -11 defensive runs saved in right field (138 starts/143 appearances).

Ketel Martel: ‘Happy’ to stay with D-Backs 

Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte said he remains happy staying with Arizona despite an offseason of speculation that the All-Star could be traded. 

“We talked a lot and hashed some things out, talked it all through and everything is great,” Marte said ahead of reporting to spring training early. “[GM] Mike [Hazen] knows I love the D-backs, I love my teammates. Everyone knows what type of player I am, and I’m just happy it all worked out and [that] I’m here.”

Hazen said that he did listen to offers but that a potential deal “never ended getting that close.”

“I felt like I had to do my job just to listen to what people had to say. He’s a superstar player for us, and has been for a long time, and is going to continue to be,” Hazen said. 

In his nine seasons for the Diamondbacks, Marte has made three All-Star teams, won two Silver Slugger Awards, finished third (2024) and fourth (’19) in NL MVP Award voting, as well as being named MVP of the 2023 NL Championship Series. Marte will take part in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic. 

Saalfrank to miss 2026

Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed pitcher Andrew Saalfrank will miss the season after shoulder surgery, the team confirmed on Monday.

The 28-year-old was expected to be an important part of the team’s bullpen after compiling a 1.24 ERA over 28 appearances last season. The Diamondbacks did not say how Saalfrank got hurt, adding manager Torey Lovullo will address the injury on Tuesday.

It’s another hit for the pitching staff, which already is without relievers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez, along with ace starter Corbin Burnes, for the first few months of the season. All three are recovering from elbow surgery and hope to be back during the summer.

Saalfrank called the surgery a “tough pill to swallow” on social media, adding that “the game of baseball can be a brutal one, but it’s also given me some of the best moments of my life, and I don’t expect that to change moving forward.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

There’s no sugarcoating it. Corbin Carroll’s hamate bone injury is a brutal loss for Team USA in next month’s highly anticipated World Baseball Classic. 

The Diamondbacks’ star outfielder broke his right hamate bone during batting practice at the outset of spring training on Tuesday. Carroll underwent surgery for the hand fracture on Wednesday, and he’s expected to be sidelined for several weeks, which sent Team USA scrambling for a replacement. Filling Carroll’s shoes won’t be easy. The 25-year-old is coming off his first-career 30/30 season. Carroll recorded a 140 OPS+ and won the Silver Slugger award last year. 

Team USA, strutting into the WBC with the best all-around roster in the tournament, suddenly needs to find another outfielder to suit up alongside Aaron Judge, Byron Buxton and Pete Crow-Armstrong. As difficult as it will be to replace Carroll, who has been among the top position players in baseball since he debuted in 2022, if there’s any team that can pivot quickly to an exciting name, it’s the USA.

Let’s dig into possible outfield replacements Team USA could try to recruit:

Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers

Though Tucker might immediately seem like a no-brainer, particularly because he participated in the 2023 WBC for Team USA, there are some concerns worth flagging. Tucker played through a right-hand injury last season, and even though the newest Dodgers star is expected to be fully healthy to begin the year, playing in the WBC might not be worth the risk. The Dodgers also might prefer the outfielder to stick around at spring training and familiarize himself with his new team. Still, Tucker is the most obvious backup to fill in at the last minute. 

Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres

Merrill, entering his third season in the big leagues, is another logical replacement for Carroll. Though the 22-year-old only played in 115 games last season due to injuries, he still hit 16 home runs, collected 67 RBI and posted an OPS+ of 112. By any measure, that’s solid production for a center fielder in his sophomore season, even if it fell short of his incredible rookie campaign. Merrill is an obvious bounce back candidate for 2026 — and he can warm up by bringing his talents to the international stage. 

Cody Bellinger, New York Yankees

After inking his new five-year contract with the Yankees, Bellinger said he preferred to stay with his team in a full spring-training regimen rather than compete in the WBC. But that could change now that Team USA is in need of his services. His Yankees teammates Judge and reliever David Bednar will be suiting up for the USA, and Bellinger has never participated in the WBC. The 30-year-old is coming off a successful year in New York; he hit 29 home runs and posted an .813 OPS in 152 games for the Yankees. In addition to his bat, Bellinger’s defensive versatility would be another huge asset for Team USA.  

James Wood, Washington Nationals

Talk about imposing. This would be a tremendous opportunity for Team USA to roster a pair of 6-foot-7 outfielders in Judge and Wood. Wood is coming off a breakout season for the Nationals; the 23-year-old slugged 31 home runs and recorded an OPS+ of 132 last year despite no real protection in the lineup. The concerns for rostering Wood are his sky-high strikeout rate and limited track record. He might be overmatched in the WBC, especially against Japan’s terrifying pitching staff, should the USA face the Samurais. But Wood’s menacing power is enough for manager Mark DeRosa to give him a call.

Wyatt Langford, Texas Rangers

One of the biggest losses stemming from Carroll’s absence is his stolen-base threat — and Langford could be the best option to restore that speed. The 24-year-old swiped 22 bases and hit 22 home runs for the Rangers last year. Langford is one of the best defensive outfielders in baseball, and though he’s not as impactful at the plate or a brand-name like Carroll, his on-base skills and speed are worth seriously considering.

Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels

Could this really happen? Will the former captain once again wear the Stars and Stripes? It’s unlikely, due to the insurance issues that are preventing a number of MLB stars from participating in the tournament. But we can still dream. 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

We all store important items in different places. These items can include documents, jewelry, family heirlooms and … extracted body parts.

Wait, what???

Indeed, Philadelphia Phillies right-hander Zack Wheeler revealed on Wednesday that he stores the partial rib he had removed last summer in his closet, per The Athletic.

So, there’s that.

Wheeler’s 2025 campaign ended in mid-August after it was discovered that he had venous thoracic outlet syndrome, a compression of nerves or blood vessels typically between the first rib and collarbone. So in September, Wheeler had surgery to remove a blood clot and part of a rib.

After surgery, Wheeler received the rib in a bag, and now it sits in a case at home. In his closet. 

“You have to do a bunch of stuff to it, so I guess it doesn’t decay,” Wheeler said.

The three-time All-Star isn’t expected to be ready for Opening Day, but he could make his 2026 debut in the first two months of the season. Prior to the health development, Wheeler recorded a 2.71 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, 195 strikeouts and 5.0 wins above replacement across 24 starts last season for the Phillies (149.2 innings).

In six seasons with Philadelphia, the 35-year-old right-hander has a 2.91 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 30.4 wins above replacement. He’s also made 11 postseason starts and was the runner-up for the 2021 National League Cy Young Award.

Wheeler isn’t the only athlete to hold onto a rib. While in college at Notre Dame, current Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman had part of a rib removed to correct Paget-Schroetter syndrome, a type of venous thoracic outlet syndrome. 

Like Wheeler, Hartman kept the rib, but he didn’t store it in a closet. Instead, he had it made into a necklace.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be a star-studded affair, but there will now be at least one less star in the tournament.

Arizona Diamondbacks star outfielder Corbin Carroll won’t play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic after breaking his right hamate bone in batting practice on Tuesday, ESPN reported on Wednesday morning. Carroll is having surgery for the injury on Wednesday and could begin the 2026 MLB regular season on the injured list.

Carroll, a two-time All-Star who was set to play in his first career World Baseball Classic for Team USA, has led the National League in triples in each of the last three seasons.

Last season, Carroll, the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year Award winner, totaled 31 home runs, 84 RBIs, 32 stolen bases and 5.8 wins above replacement, while posting a .259/.343/.541 slash line. In doing so, he earned his first career Silver Slugger honor. Carroll also posted seven defensive runs saved in right field.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins on March 4, with Team USA’s first game coming on March 6 against Brazil. FOX is the primary home of the tournament.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

It’s time to dust off those ball bags — MLB spring training has commenced. 

Pitchers and catchers are starting to report to both Arizona and Florida for all 30 teams with Opening Day on March 25. Rosters are getting finalized and every team’s new offseason additions are getting their reps in – not to mention the much anticipated World Baseball Classic that will see the world’s best players compete on the international stage. 

Here are all the notable news and dealings as teams ramp up to Opening Day:

Feb. 10

Kris Bryant on 60-Day IL; Rockies Sign Tomoyuki Sugano

The Rockies will continue to be without one of their oft-injured big signings through at least two months.

Colorado placed infielder/outfielder Kris Bryant on the 60-day injured list due to a degenerative lumbar disc disease (lower back). The slugger has appeared in just 170 games with the Rockies since agreeing to a $182 million, seven-year contract in March 2022.

In addition to playing Bryant on the IL, the Rockies added Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano to their rotation on Tuesday, agreeing to a $5.1 million, one-year contract with the right-hander.

Sugano, 36, went 10-10 with a 4.64 ERA in 30 starts with Baltimore last year. He pitched in Japan before agreeing to a $13 million, one-year contract with the Orioles in December 2024. Sugano played for the Yomiuri Giants for 12 seasons, winning three MVP awards in Nippon Professional Baseball’s Central League.

Juan Soto changing positions

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns announced that Juan Soto will be shifting from right field to left field next season. Soto has extensive experience at both corner outfield positions but has primarily started in right field over the last two years. Last season was Soto’s first with the Mets and saw him total -7 defensive runs saved in right field. At the same time, the six-time Silver Slugger totaled a career-high 43 home runs, 105 RBIs, a National League-high 38 stolen bases and 6.2 wins above replacement, while posting a .263/.396/.525 slash line.

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns revealed that Francisco Lindor is being evaluated for a stress reaction in his left hamate bone and could need surgery. If the four-time Silver Slugger indeed needs surgery, it could keep the shortstop off the field for roughly six weeks. The 32-year-old Lindor had elbow surgery in October. Last season, Lindor, a five-time All-Star, totaled 31 home runs, 86 RBIs, 31 stolen bases and 5.9 wins above replacement, while posting a .267/.346/.466 slash line.

It’s come full circle as the 43-year-old future Hall of Famer returns to the club where he became a breakout star. Justin Verlander, the three-time Cy Young winner, inked a one-year deal for $13 million. Verlander has 266 victories are tied with Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey for 34th on baseball’s career list, while his 3,553 career strikeouts are eighth and closely trailing Don Sutton with 3,574.

Verlander now bolsters an already stacked rotation that includes two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, who also signed with Detroit in free agency. Verlander was traded to Houston in August 2017 and helped the Astros win the World Series that same year and again in 2022. Now he gets an opportunity to chase a third championship with the Tigers, who are looking for the franchise’s first title since 1984.

Feb. 9

Phillies desperately trying to trade outfielder

Philadelphia president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said that the team is “doing everything” it can “to make a move” regarding outfielder Nick Castellanos. The 33-year-old Castellanos is entering the final season of a five-year, $100 million contract and coming off a 2025 campaign that saw him post a career-low -0.8 wins above replacement, while posting a .250/.294/.400 slash line. 

He also posted -11 defensive runs saved in right field (138 starts/143 appearances).

Ketel Martel: ‘Happy’ to stay with D-Backs 

Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte said he remains happy staying with Arizona despite an offseason of speculation that the All-Star could be traded. 

“We talked a lot and hashed some things out, talked it all through and everything is great,” Marte said ahead of reporting to spring training early. “[GM] Mike [Hazen] knows I love the D-backs, I love my teammates. Everyone knows what type of player I am, and I’m just happy it all worked out and [that] I’m here.”

Hazen said that he did listen to offers but that a potential deal “never ended getting that close.”

“I felt like I had to do my job just to listen to what people had to say. He’s a superstar player for us, and has been for a long time, and is going to continue to be,” Hazen said. 

In his nine seasons for the Diamondbacks, Marte has made three All-Star teams, won two Silver Slugger Awards, finished third (2024) and fourth (’19) in NL MVP Award voting, as well as being named MVP of the 2023 NL Championship Series. Marte will take part in the World Baseball Classic for the Dominican Republic. 

Saalfrank to miss 2026

Arizona Diamondbacks left-handed pitcher Andrew Saalfrank will miss the season after shoulder surgery, the team confirmed on Monday.

The 28-year-old was expected to be an important part of the team’s bullpen after compiling a 1.24 ERA over 28 appearances last season. The Diamondbacks did not say how Saalfrank got hurt, adding manager Torey Lovullo will address the injury on Tuesday.

It’s another hit for the pitching staff, which already is without relievers A.J. Puk and Justin Martinez, along with ace starter Corbin Burnes, for the first few months of the season. All three are recovering from elbow surgery and hope to be back during the summer.

Saalfrank called the surgery a “tough pill to swallow” on social media, adding that “the game of baseball can be a brutal one, but it’s also given me some of the best moments of my life, and I don’t expect that to change moving forward.”

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Topps is celebrating the 75th anniversary of Topps Baseball this year. The first set to be launched in this historic year, Topps Baseball Series 1, is hitting shelves on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

To mark the momentous occasion, this past December, Topps put together a panel of experts made up of league executives, players and historians to vote on the top 75 baseball cards of all time and subsequently break down the top 10 in order. Topps will offer these cards as PSA-graded redemptions throughout 2026 as an insert set called Iconic Topps Buybacks.

Moreover, this list was revealed on Tuesday’s edition of “First Things First.”

10: 2018 Topps Update Baseball Shohei Ohtani

This is the version of him batting, as there’s actually two Ohtani cards in this set: one of him pitching and one of him hitting. Ohtani has five of his cards in the top 75, which is more than any other player.

9: 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson

Henderson’s rookie card, it’s considered one of the most important and valuable base cards from the 1980s — the premier “modern” vintage card, bridging the gap between the 1960s/70s era and the junk-wax era of the 1980s.

8: 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente

Clemente’s rookie has only ever received one PSA 10, which is a perfect grade. It’s a high-numbered card in that 1955 set, which was traditionally produced in lower quantities and released later in the season, making it more scarce than low-numbered cards from the same year.

7: 1986 Topps Barry Bonds

The most famous of his rookie cards, it’s from the Topps Traded set, and there are two versions: the standard base edition and the high-end, limited-edition “Tiffany” version.

6: 1968 Topps Jerry Koosman/Nolan Ryan “Rookie Stars.”

It’s Nolan Ryan’s only official rookie card — and the only card in the top 10 that features multiple players; the following year, the New York Mets won the 1969 World Series. 

5: 2024 Topps Chrome Update Series Baseball Paul Skenes MLB Rookie Debut Patch

This card features the debut patch that Skenes wore in his first MLB game, which was taken off and then inserted into this one-of-one card, which was also autographed. This exact card of the Pittsburgh Pirates star sold in 2025 for $1.1 million on Fanatics Collect.

4: 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson

It’s Robinson’s first Topps-issued rookie card, coming five years after his MLB debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The card — like others in the 1952 set — include a facsimile of his signature. It’s part of the legendary high-number series, which was released in late-1952 and is famously difficult to find as many unsold cases were allegedly dumped into the Atlantic Ocean.

3: 1954 Topps Hank Aaron

Aaron’s rookie card, this is a grail card for many collectors — and there are only two PSA 10s in existence, which would likely exceed $1 million if sold today. These cards are slightly larger than modern standard cards.

2: 1952 Topps Willie Mays

This card is from Mays’ rookie season with the Giants and is the second of three 1952 cards in this top 10. The back of the card mentions that Mays joined the U.S. Army in May 1952, a service that caused him to miss most of the 1952 season — the season this card was published — and all of 1953.

The Most Iconic Card: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle

The most iconic card in the history of the hobby, an SGC 9.5-graded version of this card broke all records in 2022, selling for $12.6 million. There are two versions of this card of the New York Yankees legend: Type 1 and Type 2, with differences being in Mantle’s signature, as well as borders and pixels missing.

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For his 21st season in the majors, Justin Verlander is going back to the very beginning of his career.

All the way back to Motown.

Verlander returned to the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, agreeing to a $13 million, one-year contract with his first big league team. The three-time AL Cy Young Award winner joins an improved rotation fronted by Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez, who also signed with Detroit in free agency.

Verlander, who turns 43 on Feb. 20, went 183-114 with a 3.49 ERA while spending his first 13 seasons in Detroit. He won his first Cy Young Award and was AL MVP when he had a 24-5 record and a 2.40 ERA in 2011.

Verlander was traded to Houston in August 2017 and helped the Astros win the World Series that same year and again in 2022. Now he gets an opportunity to chase a third championship with the Tigers, who are looking for the franchise’s first title since 1984.

Verlander’s deal with Detroit includes $11 million in deferred payments starting in 2030. The Tigers’ pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first spring training workout on Wednesday.

The right-hander is 266-158 with a 3.32 ERA in 555 starts, also playing for the New York Mets and San Francisco. He is tied with Bob Feller and Eppa Rixey for 34th in victories on baseball’s career list, while his 3,553 career strikeouts are eighth and closely trailing Don Sutton’s 3,574.

Verlander is coming off a frustrating year with the Giants, going 4-11 with a 3.85 ERA in 29 starts. But his 2.60 ERA from July 23 through the remainder of the season ranked fourth in the National League with a minimum of 60 innings pitched.

Verlander returned June 18 after being sidelined for a month by a strained right pectoral muscle. He wants to keep pitching after a disappointing season in which he began 0-8 and was winless in his initial 16 outings before a win at Atlanta on July 23.

“First half, quite difficult. Happy I was able to find some mechanical fixes to kind of get back in the right direction and pitch well in the second half,” Verlander said following his final outing on Sept. 27. “I think obviously you’d always rather it go well, but it’s nice to be able to turn it around, especially after a few months it gets really draining and it’s tiresome. You’ve just got to come in every day and have a positive mindset and keep working hard.”

Verlander signed a $15 million, one-year contract with San Francisco last January and had a forgettable home debut for the Giants. The Giants often struggled to provide him with enough run support.

The second-half turnaround mattered to Verlander, who limited opponents to a .228 average over his final 13 appearances. He allowed two or fewer earned runs in 10 of his last 13 starts.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is being evaluated for a stress reaction in his left hand.

Lindor experienced some soreness in the area around his left hand and wrist over the past couple days. David Stearns, the president of baseball operations for New York, said Lindor is going to visit a hand specialist on Wednesday to check his hamate bone.

“It is possible this will result in hamate surgery. If it does, that’s a six-week recovery, which puts us right at opening day,” Stearns said. “So at this point, even if it does require surgery, we would remain optimistic that Francisco would be back for opening day.”

Lindor, 32, hit .267 with 31 homers, 86 RBIs and 31 steals in 160 games with New York last year. The five-time All-Star was left off Puerto Rico’s roster for the upcoming World Baseball Classic over insurance coverage.

Stearns also announced that Juan Soto is going to shift from right to left field. The change was finalized after discussions between the slugger and manager Carlos Mendoza.

Soto also is going to play left for the Dominican Republic in the WBC.

“Over the last month or so, as Mendy and Juan were talking about the season, Juan was working out in left field because he’s going to play left field for the D.R. in the WBC,” Stearns said. “As they had their conversations, he felt really comfortable there.

“It made sense for us from a roster perspective, so we’re going to go forward with it and everyone’s on board with it.”

New York’s pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first spring training workout Wednesday. The team’s first full-squad workout is Monday.

Soto, 27, agreed to a record $765 million, 15-year contract with New York in December 2024. The four-time All-Star batted .263 with 43 homers, 105 RBIs and 38 steals in his first season with the Mets.

Soto also played left field at the beginning of his career with the Washington Nationals. Mendoza said the conversations about moving to left started in late December.

“I just asked him, ‘How would you feel to play left field for us?’” Mendoza said Tuesday. “And he was like ‘I’m willing to do whatever, you know. If you want me to pitch, Mendy, I’ll pitch.’ Kind of like with that smile, right? And then I was like, ‘Now seriously speaking here, is that something you will consider, if it makes sense for both?’ He’s like, ‘Absolutely.'”

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports