Daily Baseball Update - 3/22/2021
In baseball over the weekend: The vaccine should be available to all players in 2-4 weeks, the Mets are willing to go to $300 million for a Lindor extension, & more.
Good morning.
It’s March 22nd, 2021 and here’s everything that happened in the world of baseball over the last 72 hours.
10 days until Opening Day!
The Most Important Thing
The Blue Jays are hopeful they can return to playing baseball in Toronto later this summer, team president Mark Shapiro told Kaitlyn McGrath.
Also in the piece, re: vaccines:
“We’ve got fairly good information that the vaccine will be accessible to our players and other major-league teams in the next two to three weeks or month. So that if by the end of April or early May all of our players or the bulk of our players and staff are vaccinated and other teams are as well and Toronto is a safe place, it starts to feel like the reasons for us not to be there, the risks start to be mitigated.”
The team will begin the season in Dunedin, FL.
Everything Else
Sunday Recaps
Transactions
C Salvador Perez and the Royals have agreed to a 4 year, $82 million extension with a club option.
The Royals re-assigned INF Bobby Witt Jr. to the minors. There were rumblings that Witt Jr would potentially begin the season with the major league club.
The Pirates signed knuckleballer RHP Steven Wright to a minor league deal with a spring training invite.
The Rockies announced that they have purchased the contracts of INFs C.J. Cron and Chris Owings and placed RHP Peter Lambert on the 60-day IL.
The Giants signed LHP Phillip Pfeifer to a minor league contract. The also announced several roster moves.
The Diamondbacks signed C Jarett Rindfleisch and OF Stone Garrett to minor league contracts. They also announced several more roster moves.
The Astros re-assigned OF RHP Bryan De La Cruz, LHP Kit Scheetz and RHP Seth Martinez to minor league camp.
RHP Andrew Kittredge re-signed with the Rays on a minor league deal, per Marc Topkin. The deal has an opt-out and the end of camp if he’s not on the big league roster.
The Twins optioned LHP Devin Smeltzer and RHP Shaun Anderson to the alternate site.
The Tigers reassigned INF Spencer Torkelson and OF Riley Greene to minor league camp.
The Cubs announced several roster moves.
The Brewers signed RHP Zack Godley to a minor league contract, reports Steve Adams.
The Nationals announced several roster moves.
TheYankees optioned RHP Albert Abreu, INF Thairo Estrada, INF Mike Ford and RHP Brooks Kriske to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
The Mets announced several roster moves.
The White Sox claimed LHP Nik Turley off waivers from the Athletics.
The A’s announced several roster moves.
The Reds announced several roster moves.
Injuries/Chatter
Extension news relayed by Jon Heyman: The Mets are willing to go up to $300 million for an extension for SS Francisco Lindor; the Nationals are trying to extend both SS Trea Turner and OF Juan Soto again after making offers to both last spring as well.
One of college baseball’s top prospects, Jack Leiter, threw a no-hitter on Saturday with 16 Ks. Jack is the son of former major leaguer Al Leiter.
White Sox OF Adam Engel, who had been performing really well this spring, has a strained hamstring.
Cubs minor leaguer Jesus Camargo was arrested on felony drug charges.
RHP Luis Castillo will be the opening day starter for the Reds.
RHP Max Scherzer will be the opening day starter for the Nationals.
LHP John Means will be the opening day starter for the Orioles.
White Sox RHP Jimmy Cordero had Tommy John surgery and will miss the entire 2021 season.
Giants RHP prospect Dedniel Nunez will have Tommy John surgery and miss the entire season.
Yankees OF Giancarlo Stanton told reporters that he expects to play some outfield during the regular season, but it won’t happen in spring training.
Arizona RHP Tyler Clippard will be shut down for six weeks with a capsule strain in his right shoulder.
Rockies 2B Brendan Rogers will be out at least a month, manager Bud Black told reporters.
Rangers 3B prospect Josh Jung will have surgery on his left foot after suffering a stress fracture. He will likely be out 6-8 weeks.
Notes from Nationals manager Dave Martinez: RHP Stephen Strasburg (calf) should be ready to start the season; OF Victor Robles is fine after leaving Friday night’s game with back tightness.
Reds notes relayed by Bobby Nightengale: RHPs Sonny Gray (back) and Tejay Antone (groin) threw side sessions on Saturday; RHP Lucas Sims pitched an instrasquad game on Saturday.
The Indians informed RHP Nick Sandlin he will not make the opening day roster, relays Mandy Bell.
Blue Jays RHP Thomas Hatch has been diagnosed with mild right elbow inflammation. The team is still gathering information.
Posts With Your Toast
Buster Olney explains how Jacob deGrom’s velocity increases, even as his age does as well.
Stetson Allen looks legit at age 30, says David Laurila.
John Gant is closing in on a starting role for the Cardinals, writes Derrick Goold.
Martin Gallegos with a look at the A’s backup catcher battle.
Podcast Recommendation
Talkin’ Baseball previews the Tampa Bay Rays.
Random Baseball Rewind
Foul Tips
OF Chris Taylor will host a virtual fundraiser event for the fight against pediatric cancer.
What Beth Mowins’ Cubs debut taught one young fan.
God bless and good day!
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