As the baseball season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. How much time will Cruz miss?
The Pirates suffered a massive blow yesterday as their young star shortstop Oneil Cruz suffered a fractured ankle sliding into home plate against the White Sox. In 401 major league plate appearances since the start of the 2022 season, Cruz has slashed .234/.302/.444 with 18 home runs and 13 stolen bases. More details about the specifics of Cruz’s injury and timetable for return could be available later today, though it already seems all but certain Cruz will miss significant time. The Pirates figure to go with Rodolfo Castro at shortstop while Cruz is on the shelf, though it’s possible a call-up from the minors such as Tucupita Marcano or Chris Owings could factor in as well.
2. Potential injury updates ahead of Rays/Red Sox game:
A four-game set between the Red Sox and the Rays figures to begin this evening, with the possibility that both clubs will have injury updates available before the game on players who recently underwent imaging. Red Sox outfielder Adam Duvall injured his wrist on a diving play in center field yesterday, and though an X-ray was done on Duvall after he was removed from the game, no results have been announced to this point. Julian McWilliams of The Boston Globe notes that infielder Bobby Dalbec is expected to join the club in Tampa, meaning he could be the next man up in the event that Duvall requires a stint on the injured list. As for the Rays, shortstop Taylor Walls did not play over the weekend after suffering an elbow injury on Friday, and is set to undergo imaging today. Young infielder Jonathan Aranda is traveling with the team and figures to take Walls’s spot on the roster should he require an IL stint.
3. Adell tearing up the minors:
Former top prospect Jo Adell has long struggled to make the jump from the minor leagues to the majors, as shown by his career wRC+ of just 68 in 161 big league games. After getting an extended run of playing time in 2022, Adell finds himself somewhat buried on the Angels’ depth chart, as the club sports a trio of everyday outfielders in Mike Trout, Taylor Ward, and Hunter Renfroe. That hasn’t stopped Adell from making a case for himself to get another opportunity in the early going this season, however, as he has hit seven home runs over his past six games for the Salt Lake Bees, Anaheim’s Triple-A affiliate. According to the Bees, Adell’s streak of six consecutive games with a home run was a record for the franchise. It’s somewhat difficult to imagine Adell receiving everyday starts in Anaheim this season barring an injury in the outfield, but it’s possible he could work his way into the Angels’ outfield mix later in the season if his hot start continues. In the meantime, Adell will try to keep his homer streak alive for a seventh game on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
Adell will attempt to revive his career for the 7th straight game
Queuing the Adell trade talks in 3… 2… 1…
Would be the best move for him
The Angels are going to need an outfielder in 2024. Adell needs to get his AAA KRate to the mid 20s. It’s still too high.
But Minasian might trade him for a late inning RP. Which he should have addressed three years ago, or last off-season. But for some unexplainable reason he didn’t. I love the fact he added depth, but he should have been capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time, and as important as depth is, it’s not as important as the pen.
That’s three games this pen has given away. They are two for six in close games.
Still striking a tad to much, but the stats are indicating much better judgment and pitch selection. He is on place to shatter his walk rate. He is beginning to pick up Trout’s style of batting. Even Trout strikes out a little too much, but he makes up for it with walks and overall power. Trout’s strikeout rate will begin to go on a decline again this season.
In yesterday’s game Adell struck out three times and then homered twice. That shows me he is still trying to figure out the pitcher. Once he cuts his strikeouts rate a little more the Angels will be forced to do something. Adell is doing his best to force Angels Management to make a move.
The brewers will give you Hiura. We can trade career AAAA players and see which one does better in a different environment.
In order to be a AAAA player, don’t you have to first excel at AAA? This is first time Adell had a top 20 OPS+ at AAA.
Just file your comment under tired old ignorant cliché.
Whoa….. why being so rude to the guy for suggesting swapping previously highly regarded prospects who haven’t lived up to expectations
And sorry in my opinion AAAA is a term used for someone just good enough to get a call up but not good enough to stay there.
So take you’re incorrect assumptions and file them under, grow up and be a better human
Certainly don’t feel bad the Jays devastated Angles fans yesterday after a top comment like that
Because the post was a joke using the same tired old cliché I’ve read a dozen times in the last 48 hours.
No one in their right mind would trade Adell for Hiura.
You think a guy who hit 239 in the PCL is good? Adell has never been all that good at AAA. He’s not a AAAA player until he’s actually good at AAA, then fails in the minors.
No they wouldn’t. Already have 4 OF ahead of him, it actually be a worse situation for him.
The Brewers would trade a soon to be 27 year old for a just turned 24 year old in a heartbeat. If the didn’t need Adell, they would trade him for a much better player than they could currently get for Hiura.
If the Angel’s had any interest they would have claimed him when he’s was DFA a couple of weeks ago. It doesn’t really help either team.
It’s early but time to see what we really have RSN…hopefully Duvall is not that serious as he was really tearing the cover off it… hitting vs orioles/ tigers and pirates (not so much after first inning of game one) gets a lot tougher facing Rays staff… a true measuring stick ahead
By the same token the Rays actually get a little better competition than what they opened the season facing in Washington, Detroit and Oakland. This series will be a good gauge for both teams.
Okay thanks for helping me out.. I’m so in to watching Redsox and working I was oblivious to who Rays played.. only the record
olmtiant – The Rays have had an even easier schedule than the Red Sox, so I do believe they are a bit overrated right now.
With that said, facing former Red Sox pitchers Beeks and Springs along with McClanahan and Eflin will be quite a challenge. Bloom really blew it with Springs, what a tremendous turnaround he’s had in Tampa.
Duvall’s injury looks very serious, and recent reports have confirmed that. All the more reason Yoshida and Turner and Casas MUST start producing. Because outside of the remaining Double D’s (Devers & Dugie) the lineup will have several hitless wonders.
Gosh…… Cruz is involved in an accident that kills 3 people AND now he is involved in a home plate accident that has kill his season. Karma
The accident likely wasn’t his fault, but had he not been drinking, who knows what would have happened.
And had he been wearing a monitoring ankle bracelet, it would have effectively splintend the bone from splintering.
Interesting that someone doubling down on repping Lenny Dykstra in their profile pic and username decides to bring up a morality argument.
Is he right or is he wrong? Can’t we judge one post at a time. He was drinking, therefore an impaired driver, and three people died.
On the face of it, That’s really hard to justify.
Sometimes the other person is at fault, and whether someone has been drinking or not has no effect on the outcome.
Unless a pay off occurred, which is entirely possible, the other person was at fault,
But if this happened in the USA, he would have done jail time.
He was drinking and driving and we will never know the exact circumstances.
Love when people speak with ignorance.
I would argue that there’s a path to getting Adell 3-4 starts a week minimum right now. Between Ohtani’s start day and his off day there’s two DH’s days open ( which should probably go to trout considering his injury trouble over the last few years) and just regular days off for the starters will give him at least one or two more. Renfroe and Ohtani are both FA after the year so you need to know what you have in Adel and see if you need two FA bats or one.
Ohtani has been hitting the day he pitches and no longer routinely takes the day after off anymore either for a while now…there was an article out there this week where a former top pitcher marveled at how Ohtani could hit the day after a pitching start and this retired player relayed how sore he was after every start.
Ohtani is your average EVERYDAY starting unicorn now…
Can Adell play a passable center field? If so maybe something along the lines of Adell of Dalbec could work (Sox would likely have to give up something else as well, but nothing major)
He shows flashes of it, capable and is getting better defensively. Young dude still.
Center?? Minors yes, not in MLB yet.
He had to choose between pitching and hitting as he was a standout at both. So he has a very good arm. He just has to get his head straight. Defensive routes and his strikeout rate are his biggest issues. Have not heard much about this coachability, but does not seem hard-headed at all. He does seem to “tight”…tense.
I personally believe all the tools are there to be a better than average Major leaguer, but he really needs to RELAX and make strides in his mental approach. Like his old buddy Marsh…
Adell also has poor jumps, but makes up for it with elite speed.
Adell hit 239 at AAA last year, with a 31 percent K%. He struck out 3 times yesterday. He has some growing to do, needs to play everyday, and the Angels have three outfielders.
So right now, either let him get better at AAA, or trade him for a late inning RP. The later would be a mistake.
You wouldn’t get a late inning reliever for just him as of now, but maybe at the deadline one becomes available
I think you would, easily. Not a closer, but a late inning arm with upside.
And I think trading him for such a player would be a mistake. There is just one thing preventing him from being a really good player. It’s not a small thing, but it’s one thing.
Be better off sticking to pop music.
Good for Adell. Seven HRs in six games is beyond hot. He could use some positive results for all the hard work he has put in over the past several years. That said, before we get too excited about his fantastic week, it should be noted that his seven HRs came in a six game series in the mile high city of Albuquerque where the ball carries exceedingly well. He also SO at a 40% clip in the series.
For Adell, the Ks are the killers. If he doesn’t have better plate awareness, he’ll never make it. If a player doesn’t plate awareness, he better have bat to ball skills. Right now he has neither.
I thought Adell would show more growth in his ability to lay off pitches he can’t hit.
It was ridiculous of the author to not notice that. I’m sure that even the most casual of the Angel fans realize that his kryptonite is the Ks. This is now another rite of spring. Adell hits a bunch of HRs in the PCL, with a bunch of strikeouts, and the writers come out with articles about how it is time.. He really needs a full AAA season. 1-2 weeks is not enough.
Joe, in all due fairness, Adell hit 239 in the PCL last year with a 31 pct K rate.
This year he’s hitting 353 with a 29% k rate.
If he can keep his PCL average around 300 with a mid 20s K Rate. I will deem him a AAA graduate. But until then, he’s a AAA player.
Yeah FPG it’s very bitter sweet with springs.. in a previous post I mentioned he was traded for Sam Travis who went to my church here in Orland Park il.. you have no idea of my excitement when he actually played for Boston and was at a game vs White Sox.. in which he doubled. And even had a SB.. as usual you are correct on D and D hitting not much else and miscues ( drop 3rd strikes/ errors/ walks/) as big tuna said they are what the record says they are….
Renfroe will probably be gone after this season so the path to playing time for Adell is hit at AAA and work himself back in to the discussion for next season.
Trading him would be selling low unless there is a team willing to give up multiple lottery tickets, which i do not see
RSox. The Angels have not exactly be a bastion of health. They don’t have a 4th outfielder. This year Adell is depth, who happens to be playing at AAA. Next year he’s a starter. But he must do something about the decisions he makes at the plate.