It’s possible Dinelson Lamet or Mike Clevinger could start Game 1 of the Padres’ series against the Cardinals on Wednesday, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. It’s fantastic news for the Padres, who saw Lamet go down with right biceps tightness last Friday, while Clevinger suffered a sprained right elbow last Wednesday. At least in Clevinger’s case, it initially didn’t seem he would be ready for the start of the playoffs, but it now looks as if the Padres’ top starters (along with Zach Davies) will be ready when they begin their first postseason series since 2006.
- The Mariners will enter the upcoming offseason with a focus on upgrading their bullpen, per general manager Jerry Dipoto (via Greg Johns of MLB.com). Seattle would “like to add three or four guys down there that can stabilize that group and give us some certainty as we move toward the end of a game,” acccording to Dipoto. The Mariners, who finished with a 27-33 record, kept their long-running playoff drought going this year thanks in part to a weak relief corps that finished last in the AL in ERA (5.92).
- Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson (calf) and center fielder Byron Buxton (concussion) had “a relatively good day” Monday, according to manager Rocco Baldelli (via Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). Donaldson battled calf problems in the past, but that didn’t stop the Twins from signing him to a four-year, $92MM contract in the offseason. Further calf troubles have held Donaldson to 28 games this year, though, and he hasn’t played since Sept. 25. Buxton, who also has a history of injuries, only played in 39 regular-season games. However, even without full campaigns from either of those two, the Twins won 36 games en route to a second straight AL Central title. They should be even stronger if the two are ready for playoff action.
- White Sox left fielder Eloy Jimenez expects to be available for the team’s Game 1 playoff showdown in Oakland on Tuesday, Scott Merkin of MLB.com was among those to tweet. Jimenez hasn’t played since Sept. 24 because of a mid-foot sprain, but when he was able to take the field, he was one of Chicago’s most valuable hitters. As a .296/.332/.559 hitter in 226 plate appearances, the 23-year-old Jimenez helped the White Sox to their first playoff berth since 2008.
Yay! Eloy will be back!!!
Jose’s protege and Luis’ mentor!
So fellow WSox fans, Eloy DH with Engel LF and Mazara RF (Grandal benched) Game 1 OR potential gimpy Eloy LF with Engel RF and Grandal DH?
Even though option 2 better offense, could really be playing with fire and hurting Giolito.
Oakland sky is known for making it tough to catch high fly balls in the sun. It will be a bright sunny day in Oakland today. I would not be surprised if a ball gets lost in the sky today so a OF not 100% is not a god idea out there.
Eloy should DH rest of playoffs. He’s bad enough when he is healthy.
McCann has also been hitting poorly, so you might as well go for D
I’m 100% on board with this. The OF defense with Leury, Robert, and Engel is too good to pass up.
Mets will trade Edwin Diaz to SEA
for Kelenic and Dunn lol
I think he is signed through 2022. More like they will trade Diaz just to get him off the roster and pick up a good part of his contract.. He has been a total failure in NYC.
Mariners will see a rotation that starts 2021 with Gonzales, Dunn, Sheffield, and Kikuchi. Gilbert and possibly Williamson and Campbell will be up at some point too. Hancock and Kirby will be there in 2022.
2022 will probably be their optimal opportunity as Kelenic, Rodriguez, and Marte should all start the season in the MLB for the offense. Kelenic may actually start 2021 in the MLB.
The Mariners want to bolster their bullpen, yet they traded Adams and Altavilla.
Look at the package they got in return though. The net value of that deal remains a positive, even if they are only able to re-amp their bullpen with league average arms
I mean Altavilla has walked more people than breast cancer so it’s not like we lost an asset late in the game when we dealt him.
Been waiting on Danny for years. Was time to move him
yeah i was never on the altavilla train. just never seemed to be more than average at best.
It’s easy to replace those two. Brennan coming back more than replaces Altavilla. I am not sure who is available but they can probably find 3 solid pen guys for under $12 million.
LoL! Altavilla has a lot of heat but he can’t keep the ball down and consistently gets lit up. Adams spent last season on the injured list after having his ACL repaired. He could be a solid reliever though. The only one Seattle misses is Nola who is a great story and a solid addition for the Padres.
France and Torrens have already shown they are going to be solid MLB players. Torrens especially has been a surprise.
Seattle won that trade in a big. big way.
Seeing both of them throw for the Padres, Altavilla doesn’t really move the needle for me at all, but in a very limited sample, Adams looks like a legit late inning weapon. His Ks per 9 is ridiculous.
Whenever Seattle gets Munoz back from Tommy John, that guy has a ton of potential and throws absolute heat, so I kind of view that as a wash for their bullpen with the loss of Adams and bringing him on to replace him.
Marte won’t be there to start the season in 2022 if he does pan out to what we hope he will. It would be maybe 2023. Service time alone would prevent him.
I think Marte will start 2021 in AA. Based on reports from the alternate site, he is a beast.
As Martes body fills out I think they will move him to 3B to take Kyle Seager’s place in 2023 if he’s ready.
Gilbert, williamson, and Campbell haven’t put much time in the minors…more like 2022
Padres will have a legit shot at a title with Lamet and Clevenger pitching if they go down then better luck next year.
Cautiously optimistic one can be at full strength, both is huge.
I would go with Davies to open the playoffs. I have a feeling he will pitch well under pressure.
Go with Lamet in game 2 for the series win.
Start Davies game 1. Then of you win start Richards game 2 as an opener followed by Lamet and for 2-3 innings. Or vice versa. Or go Clevinger, Lamet, Richards game 2 depending on Clevingers health.
I’d opt for Richards to start and then Lamet if we win game 1.
Need Clevinger and Lamet for the long haul.
Maybe I’m looking at this the wrong way, but I feel like if they can physically go then they have to throw them out there to start.
Lamet is basically their ace so if he’s pitching in a game 2 with a chance to move on to the next round, I really don’t think they will want to throw him just 3 innings and also burn their number 2 Clev on the same day. Messes up their rest schedules, burns their two best pitchers in the same day. Might as well save Clevinger for game 3 or the next series if he can go.
I agree. You don’t get cute or stupid in the playoffs. You put your best guys out there and let them pitch. You leave them out there long as keep getting outs
was suppose to be a / not a ,
as in lamet, richards or clevinger, richards
doubt they’re 100% healthy. if they are awesome but doubt they are. as such they should be on an innings or pitch count limit.
If the Orioles didn’t trade away E-Rod (for Andrew Miller rental) and Zach Davies (for Parra rental) would they have a solid starting 5 right now?
Because obviously the result would have been the same, they didn’t bring home a WS trophy.
I know it hurts now to see Rodriguez elsewhere but that was a great baseball trade in which both teams benefited. The Orioles won 96 games that season and were legit World Series contenders. Miller was a huge part of that pen and if the Royals didn’t get hot they would have had a shot in the World Series vs the Giants. I fully believe that they matched up better offensively vs the Giants pitching than the Royals did offesnsively. I think if you ask Red Sox fans as well their opinions on E-Rod the results would be mixed as he has been very up and down over the years. The Davies for Parra trade was a bad trade all around as they were too far out and should have reloaded for the next season. Not one of DD’s better trades but as an O’s fan having gone 15 seasons without a winning record that stretch of winning ball games was worth it in the end.
The sox are jumping for eljoy with the news