Morning Update - 3/3/2021

Alternate sites return, AAA is pushed back at least one month, & more.

Good morning.

It’s March 3rd, 2021 and here’s everything that happened in the world of baseball from 5:00 PM EST yesterday to 9:00 AM EST today.

The Most Important Thing

Jeff Passan @JeffPassan

Alternate sites are coming back — and the AAA season, which was scheduled to begin April 6, will be delayed for at least a month, sources tell ESPN. News at ESPN on the reason for delay, the wait for vaccines and how this alt site will differ from 2020's:

es.pnMLB delays Triple-A season at least one monthWhile Triple-A, the highest level of minor league baseball, was scheduled to begin April 6, games will be pushed back to around the same time that Double-A and Class A are expected to open -- the first week of May, an MLB official confirmed Tuesday.

The dreaded alternate sites are coming back for now, and the AAA season has been delayed at least one month. All minor league baseball is now expected to begin the first week of May.

Jeff Passan @JeffPassan

For anyone fearful that this portends a change to MLB Opening Day: Don't be. Everything has gone swimmingly so far in spring training, from low COVID+ rates to people abiding by protocol. Things can change, of course, but as of now, 15 major league games on April 1 is 100% a go.

Jeff Passan @JeffPassan

Alternate sites are coming back — and the AAA season, which was scheduled to begin April 6, will be delayed for at least a month, sources tell ESPN. News at ESPN on the reason for delay, the wait for vaccines and how this alt site will differ from 2020's: https://t.co/zRRT6mn7Nz

Everything Else

Game Recaps

• Tigers 6, Pirates 1 (Detroit Free Press)

• Red Sox 9, Rays 3 (92.9 The Ticket)

• Braves 6, Twins 0 (Star Tribune)

• Cardinals 0, Marlins 0 (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

• Yankees 4, Orioles 2 (Pinstripe Alley)

• Blue Jays 4, Phillies 2 (CBC)

• Mets 2, Astros 0 (Empire Sports Media)

• Cubs 3, Royals 2 (Cubs Insider)

• Rangers 5, White Sox 5 (South Side Sox)

• Padres 7, Diamondbacks 2 (San Diego Union-Tribune)

• Indians 6, Mariners 1 (Cleveland.com)

• A’s 2, Brewers 1 (FS Wisconsin)

• Reds 7, Angels 5 (WKRC)

• Dodgers 1, Giants 1 (OC Register)

Transactions

• LHP Gio Gonzalez will sign a minor league deal with the Marlins, per Craig Mish. Gonzalez posted a 4.83 ERA over 31.2 innings last season with the White Sox.

• LHP Jose Alvarez is “closing in” on a deal with the Giants, reports Jon Heyman. Alvarez spent the last two seasons with the Phillies.

• OF Jarrod Dyson will sign with the Royals, per Robert Murray. Dyson was a member of the 2015 championship club.

Injuries/Chatter

• The Twins have shown interest in a reunion with 1B/OF Danny Santana, says Dan Hayes. They have also checked in on INF Eric Sogard.

• Diamondbacks OF Kole Calhoun has a right knee meniscus tear and will have surgery today.

• Notes from Dodgers manager Dave Roberts: LHP Clayton Kershaw will either throw to hitters in live BP one more time or get in a game three days from now; Julio Urias, Tony Gonsolin, and Dustin May could all open the season in the bullpen if they don’t earn rotation spots.

• The Twins are hoping to have SS Andrelton Simmons in camp and available by the end of the week, manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters.

• MLB is bringing back in-game video for players.

Posts With Your Toast

• Jesse Rogers on how the Cubs are setting themselves up for a difficult July dilemma.

• Blue Jays ace Hyun-Jin Ryu is under the radar as he prepares for the season in his own way.

• A contrite Odubel Herrera asks teammates and fans to trust him again, says Jim Salisbury.

• Adbert Alzolay showed off a nasty slider in his first spring training start, writes Maddie Lee.

• Chet Gutwein wonders if the Rockies can repeat their fielding performance from 2020.

• Zack McKinstry is eager to fill the role vacated by Kike Hernandez for the Dodgers, writes Bill Plunkett.

• Jay Jaffe tries to find a find for Jackie Bradley Jr.

Random Baseball Rewind

Foul Tips

• Here is the full video of Red Sox prospect Rio Gomez discussing his late father and ESPN employee Pedro Gomez.

God bless and good day!

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