Daily Baseball Update - 3/18/2021

In baseball the last 24 hours: MLB can't wait to fix its pace of play crisis, teams continue to trim down the major league roster, & more.

DE White

Mar 18, 2021

Good morning.

It’s March 18th, 2021 and here’s everything that happened in the world of baseball over the last 24 hours.

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The Most Important Thing

Jeff Passan @JeffPassan

It's breakout season. And I decided to don all my hats -- fantasy, gambling, swami, fan, scouting and front office -- to explain what's going on in camps around the big leagues. Tons of news on extension talks and notes on leaps forward at ESPN+: es.pn/30Oiauy

There’s several interesting notes from Jeff Passan’s latest column. Here’s a couple: The expectation is that Atlanta will take the savings from below-market deals with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies and use it to re-sign Freddie Freeman; the White Sox have engaged RHP Lucas Giolito and 1B/DH Andrew Vaughn in extension talks, with no success to date.

Everything Else

Wednesday Recaps

Transactions

The Pirates have reassigned INF Ji-Hwan Bae, C Christian Kelley and C Arden Pabst to minor league camp.
The Astros have reassigned C Scott Manea, RHP Austin Hansen OF Pedro Leon and RHP Ronel Blanco to minor league camp.
Angels announced several roster moves.
The Red Sox announced several roster moves.
The Padres announced several roster moves.

Injuries/Chatter

LHP Eduardo Rodriguez has been named the opening day starter for the Red Sox.
Mets 1B/OF Dominic Smith was scratched from yesterday’s start with wrist soreness.
Astros RHP Justin Verlander threw on Wednesday for the first time since his Tommy John surgery.
Notes from A’s manager Bob Melvin: OF Ramón Laureano is okay and could be in games as early as next week; OF Buddy Reed is going to be out for a little while with a quad injury.
Free agent RHP Shane Greene “has been throwing regularly, mimicking a spring training schedule , and will be ready to go when the right opportunity arises,” reports Jon Heyman. Greene was an all-star in 2019 and has a career 4.38 ERA.
Astros LHP Framber Valdez does not need surgery, the Astros announced. His fractured left ring finger has shown significant healing.
Angels RHP Felix Pena has a grade 1 hamstring strain and should be out 2-4 weeks.
Notes from Red Sox manager Alex Cora: OF Danny Santana (foot) left the hospital yesterday; OF Franchy Cordero (COVID) could be ready for opening day; Xander Bogaerts is starting at SS for the first time since having issues with a sore right shoulder.
Notes from Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk relayed by Kevin Gorman: 3B Phillip Evans, dealing with a hamstring issue, should be ready by the end of the week; LHP Austin Davis (elbow) is throwing on flat ground up to 120 feet; RHP Blake Cederline is getting a second opinion on his elbow.
Notes from Phillies manager Joe Giradi: RHP Zach Eflin will be skipped in the rotation this week due to a back injury; Didi Gregorius will be re-evaluated on Friday; RHP Spencer Howard is still not cleared to throw.
Mariners OF prospect Jarred Kelenic returned to action last night after missing 2 weeks with a grade-2 strain of the adductor muscle in his left knee.
Notes from Orioles manager Brandon Hyde: The team is treating RHP Felix Hernandez’s elbow discomfort and he is day-to-day. There’s no timetable for his return and currently no MRI’s scheduled. Hernandez was pulled early from his last start due to the injury.
Blue Jays RHP Tom Hatch left yesterday’s start with right elbow discomfort.
White Sox C Yasmani Grandal will return today from his knee injury and will be behind the plate catching Dallas Keuchel.
Padres RHP Pierce Johnson has a grade-1 groin strain and there’s hope that he can still get some games in before the end of spring training, relays Kevin Acee.