The Yankees signed Marcus Stroman to a two-year contract on January 11, with the expectation that the 32-year-old RHP will be a key member of New York’s starting rotation in 2024. Manager Aaron Boone provided context for the Yankees’ optimism this week, telling YES Network that Stroman projects as “a guy who remains in top form for a number of years.”
“I love the consistency of his career,” Boone remarked. “He has been a performer. He’s been a very consistent starter in this league for quite some time. And completely confident in his league and position — I believe he’s 31, 32 years old. He’s one of those individuals who devotes a lot of time and effort to his art, physique, and self-care, so I believe he’ll be able to stay in peak condition for many years.
“And, on top of that, I believe he wants to be here with us — with the Yankees — which means something to me, and I believe he is cut out for this. I believe this was his desired endgame. And I hope he goes to the post 30 or more times for us. And if he achieves that, given what I anticipate our offensive will be, he should be extremely effective.”
Stroman remarked during his introductory media availability on Jan. 18 that he was “excited to feel the energy and buzz from Yankee fans” and that the Gerrit Cole-led rotation was “one of the better staffs out there.”
“I do think the best is still in me,” said Stroman, who was an All-Star for the Chicago Cubs in 2023. “I had a couple injuries at the conclusion of last year, but at the start of last year, I was one of the top pitchers in baseball. When I’m healthy, I’ll rank among the top pitchers in baseball.
“I feel healthy, I’m ready to go, my body is in the best position it’s been and I’m just excited to get go out there and compete.”
Hernández: Shohei Ohtani understands that his situation with the Dodgers is unique.
Introductions are extremely important in Japanese culture, to the point where entire rituals revolve around them.
When Japanese reporters meet someone for the first time, they will typically hold out their business cards and bow. When they introduce themselves to somebody they think important, they may even give them a gift.
Shohei Ohtani was born and bred in the same nation as them, which is why he has made an effort to meet with a diverse group of Dodgers players and workers during his first few days at the team’s spring training facilities.
“I approach them,” Ohtani explained in Japanese.
Ohtani doesn’t go about with the arrogance of a guy who earned a $700 million contract over the winter, and his laid-back personality has won over many of the individuals who share his new workspace.
Read more: Shohei Ohtani says he’s ‘going to act like I’m a rookie’ as he settles in with Dodgers
“There’s just a great sense of humility and kindness,” remarked manager Dave Roberts.
Despite how nicely Ohtani has presented himself, he is apprehensive that he is about to make a catastrophic mistake. He is particularly concerned that introducing himself to the same person again may be deemed exceedingly impolite in his home country.
“I have to remember [them] on the first shot,” Ohtani added, laughing.
Ohtani arrived early at camp, where the team’s pitchers and catchers began working out on Friday. This spring training promises to be an intriguing social experiment, as a veteran-laden, 100-win club welcomes the only player in the majors who transcends the sport.
“It’s hard to ignore who he is as a ballplayer, the contract,” Mr. Roberts added.
Ohtani is aware of the problem.
“I think communicating with teammates and the coaching staff comes first,” Ohtani said in a statement.
Ohtani stated that establishing communication will help him better prepare for the upcoming season by allowing him to discover how the Dodgers prefer to train their players and them to learn about his priorities. Later, as he progresses through his hitting curriculum, the Dodgers and he can both learn about each other’s batting philosophy.
Ohtani speaks enough English that he and Roberts can communicate without an interpreter.
“I don’t think he wants me to say this, but I think so,” he remarked.
Roberts stated that he has not had any extended chats with Ohtani but is beginning to get a sense of him as a person. While complimenting Ohtani on his modesty, Roberts added, “There’s a lion in there.”
The manager went on, “For me, that’s the ideal combination.” I’m quite excited to learn more about him.”
Ohtani’s workout methods have won over not only Roberts but also his teammates. Several players, including Ohtani, worked out at Dodger Stadium in the weeks leading up to their spring training start date.
“Everyone knows how good of a baseball player he is, but seeing the work that goes behind it is really impressive,” Gavin Lux, a middle infielder, said.
Andrew Friedman, President of Baseball Operations, was struck by Ohtani’s purposefulness in all he did.
“Most guys get in the cage and they just kind of mindlessly swing,” Friedman went on to say. “He does this whole pre-pitch routine between every single swing and just how intentional every single thing he does, whether it’s in the weight room, the cage, on the field, you can’t really fully appreciate until you see it.”
When asked what kind of presence Yamamoto was to him, Ohtani joked, “Right now?” “He is a teammate.”
When the laughter died down, Ohtani added, “Because he’s Japanese, it’s easier to speak with him, but he’s just one of our teammates. Everyone here, whether Japanese or not, is a teammate.”
This is what Roberts wants for Ohtani: to be “like everybody else.”
“That’s what we all want,” Roberts remarked. “I know it’s maybe sometimes easier said than done, but that’s the goal.”
However, if Ohtani is subjected to any of the light-hearted sorts of hazing common among first-year players, Roberts has stated that he will not tolerate it. When asked if he would compel Ohtani to sing or dance during one of the team’s morning meetings, Roberts laughed and said, “I won’t be doing that, I won’t be doing that.”
Ohtani isn’t like everyone else, after all. The Dodgers are not going to force him to do something he does not want to do.
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This story originally ran in the Los Angeles Times.
Marsh underwent arthroscopic knee surgery; will that affect the Phillies’ outfield plans?
The Phillies will rely significantly on Brandon Marsh in 2024, so Friday’s news is less than ideal.
Marsh had arthroscopic debridement surgery on his left knee Friday morning. Dr. Steven Cohen conducted the operation in Philadelphia.
According to the National Institute of Health, arthroscopic debridement removes loose material from the knee joint and smoothes the surfaces inside.
Marsh is scheduled to return to play in three to four weeks and will be ready for Opening Day against the Braves on March 28.
Still, Marsh will most likely be out until the middle of spring training, and the Phillies will take their time with him given his importance to their outfield. Spring training results are unimportant, but live reps are, and during the 2023 season, several Phillies – Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Ranger Suarez, Taijuan Walker — cited time missed in camp as a factor for their sluggish start.
Marsh is anticipated to start in left field this season. Nick Castellanos plays right field, and the Phillies want and will give Johan Rojas every chance to win the center field job.
If Rojas does not hit in spring training, Marsh may move back to center and stay there until Rojas has proven himself at Triple A. It’s also plausible that Friday’s announcement increases Rojas’ odds of starting on Opening Day, nonetheless.
The Phillies have some outfield depth beyond those three, but they could use another strong bat to provide backup in case Marsh misses time or Rojas struggles. They presently have Cristian Pache as a backup centerfielder, with Jake Cave, Weston Wilson, and Kody Clemens available on the corners. Cal Stevenson, a non-roster invitee, can also play centerfield. Simón Muzziotti, the Phillies’ other center fielder, was designated for assignment on Thursday.
The main reason the Phillies haven’t signed an outfielder is that they don’t want to commit to him as a starter since that would unnecessarily restrict a higher-upside guy like Rojas. Free agents Whit Merrifield, Tommy Pham, David Peralta, Jurickson Profar, Eddie Rosario, Adam Duvall, Robbie Grossman, and Randal Grichuk all looking either starter or platoon positions, something the Phillies have been hesitant to grant.
We’ll see if the Marsh scenario alters this calculus. Pitchers and catchers will report to Clearwater early next week, with the first full-squad practice scheduled for February 19.
Billy Eppler, former GM of the New York Mets, has been suspended through the 2024 World Series for falsifying injuries.
MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has punished former New York Mets general manager Billy Eppler until the 2024 World Series for breaking the league’s injured list rules, the league announced Friday.
Eppler, who resigned as Mets general manager at the end of the 2023 season, is being punished for “improper use of Injured List placements, including the deliberate fabrication of injuries; and the associated submission of documentation for the purposes of securing multiple improper Injured List placements during the 2022 and 2023 seasons,” according to MLB.
The league, which would not disclose particular examples of Eppler’s activities, spent four months looking into the matter and questioned more than three dozen people. They discovered that Eppler, who was cooperative, was unaffected by Mets ownership. Manfred’s conclusions included no mention of any other team officials.
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Eppler was hired as Mets general manager in November 2021. He resigned in October 2023, one day after the probe was made public and three days after David Stearns was hired as the team’s president of baseball operations.
“The Mets have been informed of the conclusion of Major League Baseball’s investigation,” the organization stated in a statement. “With Billy Eppler’s resignation on October 5, 2023, and with David Stearns leading the Baseball Operations team, the Mets consider the matter closed and will have no further comment.”
Eppler is unable to work for an MLB team or the league in 2024 unless Manfred decides to reinstate him before the end of the World Series.
Since Eppler’s resignation, the Mets have yet to select a new general manager.
Corey Kluber, a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, retires after 13 MLB seasons.
Corey Kluber, a two-time AL Cy Young Award winner, announced his retirement on Friday, after a 13-year career with the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays, and Boston Red Sox.
Kluber, 37, concluded his retirement statement on Instagram by stating that while his playing days are over, he hopes to stay in the game in a different manner.
As I depart from the pitcher’s mound, my love for baseball remains steadfast. I’m excited to explore new ways to contribute to the sport. For everyone who will be a part of my next chapter in baseball, I am excited to pass on everything I have learned to the next generation of MLB players.”
Kluber, a fourth-round choice by the San Diego Padres in 2007, remained with the club until July 2010, when he was sent to Cleveland as part of a three-team deal involving the Padres, Indians, and St. Louis Cardinals. After bouncing around Double-A and Triple-A for the next year, he made his MLB debut on September 1, 2011.
Kluber then established himself as a regular starter in Cleveland’s rotation, and a few seasons later, he won the 2014 American League Cy Young Award following an 18-9 season with 269 strikeouts and a 1.095 WHIP. Kluber became the fourth Cleveland pitcher to win the award, behind Gaylord Perry, C.C. Sabathia, and Cliff Lee.
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Two seasons later, in 2016, Kluber finished third in the AL Cy Young voting, and he won it again in 2017 with an 18-win season that saw him lead the league in ERA (2.25) and WHIP (0.869). Kluber is the only two-time Cy Young Award winner in Indians/Guardians history.
Kluber left Cleveland during the 2019 season, joining the Rangers as part of a trade that sent Delino DeShields Jr. and Emmanuel Clase to the Indians. Kluber’s stay in Texas was cut short due to an injury in his right teres major muscle. He only threw one inning before signing with the Yankees the next winter.
In New York, Kluber demonstrated that he still had something left when he hurled the Yankees’ 12th no-hitter on May 19, 2021, in a 2-0 victory over the Rangers.
Following a full season in Tampa in 2022, Kluber suffered additional injuries after signing with the Red Sox before 2023. In June, right shoulder irritation put him on the injured list, and he did not return for the rest of the season.
Kluber’s career ends with a 116-77 record and a 3.44 ERA over 271 games.
The Red Sox should do the obvious thing and sign Jordan Montgomery.
The Red Sox still have time to salvage their offseason. The solution is physically located in Boston.
Jordan Montgomery, a free agent left-hander, has spent the winter here while his wife completes her residency at a Boston hospital. He is everything the Red Sox thought they needed when the winter began: a seasoned starter who could immediately step into the rotation and give the team a fighting chance in baseball’s most competitive division.
Instead of grasping this clear lifeline, the Red Sox dither with former Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer, signing him to what has been described as a “creative” contract, which is simply another way of saying they’re paying him to hang around for a year while he recovers from surgery. It’s the ultimate Chaim Bloom move (see James Paxton, Adalberto Mondesi) for a squad that had apparently had enough of Chaim Bloom.
The Red Sox think so little that they could be in the quantum world of many an uninteresting Marvel film. However, they may modify the story with a single stroke of John Henry’s pen.
It’s not too late to confess they made a mistake this winter, focusing on their future possibilities over any semblance of a competitive effort in 2024. Because it is theoretically impossible to make the playoffs from last place, the first order of business should be to give yourself a shot in the division.
It will not be easy. The 100-win Orioles recently acquired former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes from the Brewers. The Yankees signed generational slugger Juan Soto. The Blue Jays missed out on their top targets, but old pal Justin Turner is an unexpectedly good addition to their clubhouse, and they return the division’s finest rotation. Let’s imagine the Rays will continue to conjure 100-mph relievers and win another 90 games by witchcraft and devilry.
That leaves the Red Sox staring up at everyone else, and while Montgomery does not bridge the gap on his own, he does help to close it. The Red Sox’s insistence that they aren’t one guy away from winning the World Series and so there’s no purpose in trying is so defeatist that it’s irritating.
Lest anyone forget, they went into the All-Star break last year just one game out of the playoffs, in desperate need of reinforcements. While an unusual number of off days allowed manager Alex Cora to fine-tune his incomplete rotation through July, the Red Sox faltered once the schedule became more demanding.
