As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Dodgers’ prospect to debut:
According to Juan Toribio of MLB.com, the Dodgers are set to call up right-hander Emmet Sheehan to make his major league debut today. Sheehan, who ranks 13th in the Dodgers’ system per MLB Pipeline, was picked in the sixth round of the 2021 draft and has impressed over the past calendar year, posting a 2.83 ERA in High-A last season before making six strong starts in the Arizona Fall League (3.54 ERA, 29.3% strikeout rate). In 2023, Sheehan has improved on those performances, pitching to a sterling 1.86 ERA in 53 1/3 innings at the Double-A level while striking out a whopping 41.7% of batters faced. Now Sheehan figures to be tasked with taking the ball at Dodger Stadium against the club’s biggest rival. The youngster will need to be added to the 40-man roster, but with an open spot available, the Dodgers will only need to make an active roster move to accommodate Sheehan.
2. Angels’ infield woes:
After putting Zach Neto on the injured list earlier in the day with an oblique issue, the Angels saw their infield depth taken apart in last night’s game against the Rangers, as discussed by Sam Blum of The Athletic. Gio Urshela exited the game with a hip injury and spoke to reporters on crutches after the game, indicating he expected to miss time. Meanwhile, third baseman Anthony Rendon was struck in the wrist by a pitch and left him unable to swing the bat for the rest of the game, though he did stay in the game on defense due to the lack of options on the bench. Rendon is set to undergo testing today to determine the severity of his injury.
The injuries come at a brutal time for the Angels, who have surged in recent weeks to a 39-32 record, just one game back of a Wild Card spot in the AL. If Urshela and Rendon both join Neto on the shelf, however, the club’s infield will be in dire straits. Jared Walsh can take over for Urshela at first base while Luis Rengifo and Brandon Drury combine to cover second and third, leaving shortstop to Andrew Velazquez. Michael Stefanic and Livan Soto are both infield options on the 40-man roster who could provide depth behind that group.
3. Steele poised to return tomorrow:
Per MLB.com, Cubs left-hander Justin Steele did a light workout on the mound yesterday in preparation for what the club plans on being his return to the starting rotation tomorrow against the Orioles. Though the Cubs have not yet announced a starter for tomorrow’s game, manager David Ross confirmed to reporters that the hope is for Steele to take the ball. Steele went on the injured list at the beginning of the month with a mild forearm strain, meaning the Cubs will need to make an active roster move to accommodate him.
Steele’s return would be a major boon for a Cubs team that has struggled to a 31-37 record this season but is coming off a sweep of the division-leading Pirates that put them within 3.5 games of the crown in a weak NL Central. In 12 starts this season, Steele has impressed with a 2.65 ERA and 2.84 FIP across 68 innings while slotting into the front of Chicago’s rotation alongside right-hander Marcus Stroman.
Rendon has been a great signing for LA!
Some of the worst ever:
syndication.bleacherreport.com/amp/1531703-worst-c…
Yep, history is littered with bad contracts and some franchises seem more snake bit than others. The Angels definitely fall in the snake bit category.
However, one positive to be taken from the Mo Vaughn disaster is they were able to trade him for Kevin Appier who was an integral member of the 2002 championship team’s starting rotation. Very few bad contracts come with a silver ligning at the end
I don’t disagree, but I guess you didn’t see him get hit by the pitch last night. He got flushly beamed on his wrists. There was nothing he could do to get out of the way because it was a fastball and he was already in motion to swing. It’s a bad break, but your comment sucks while it happens when my Halos are finally surging, while the rest of the division is struggling.
Injuries test a team’s resiliency and will determine whether they win or lose in the end. They can happen happen at any point in the season and no team is immune to it.
Troutahni: I saw it and you’re absolutely right. There was no way he could have gotten out of the way. It seems bad things have Rendon’s name written all over them.
Rendon is an extra blow because of Urshella going down. I personally preferred Urshella at third (and in the lineup) over Rendon.
Neto is another huge blow. With Walsh at first and seemingly forced to use Velasquez at SS, they’ve got to find a way to get Moniak’s bat in there as much as possible. Neto’s bat was really needed in many of these games.
The other guys are going to need to step up. We’ll see how this pans out.
Neto is a one of the biggest reasons the Angels went on that serious of winning streaks. Neto, Ohtan, Drury, Barria and Canning are the guys that got the Angels in the playoff hunt.
And it keeps getting better…omg
Hamilton
Pujols
Rendon
Gary Matthews Jr.
I’d slot Vernon Wells in there but he was a trade.
There’s a plethora of Matt Harvey, Trevor Cahill, Ryan Tepera, Cody Allen, etc clunkers that would make a lot of clubs lists and barely rate here.
First place in something counts for something.
Gotta be right up there in the list of worst FA signings ever in MLB?
The Angels under Moreno’s ownership has been a blessing to the MLBPA. Those horrible contracts still help the agents argue for even more.
Halos will be cursed until the stink of Moreno’s ownership can be exorcised
Are you saying that there is an odor that is possessed? I get that vibe more in HB than Anaheim.
Say all you want, but the Angels are hot. They took down Evoldi last night. The Mariners are struggling. The Astros are injured and struggling. The Halos look like they are in position to win the AL West. As hot has Ohtani, Moniak, Thaiss have been, I think you are about to see Walsh, Rengifo and Trout get hot. Ohtani’s hot streak has become contagious.
Been an Angels fan for 50 years thru some good and all of the bad. Until the Angels can push the Astros around like they just did to the Rangers, Astros are still the team to beat.
Only 2 teams left the Angels totally outclassed this year. The depleted Astros and somehow the Marlins. And there is my World Series prediction.
On the other hand, I like looking at the standings and seeing Arizona, The Rangers The Ray’s, and the Pirates in first place. Time for a change.
As a Mariners fan , if we can’t turn it around I will definitely be rooting for the Angels. Their fans are long-suffering and deserve some positively & good vibes for once. Also would like to see Shohei in the postseason. Really really like Neto , what a breath of fresh air for them. Sucks he got hurt but he will be back in a blink of an eye. Man he sure was a PIA for the Mariners in that last series damn.
Rendon…injured…sky is blue…water is wet…
Actually, water is not wet. It’s a liquid that makes things wet.
The sky isn’t blue.
The other colours pass through the Earth’s atmosphere to reach us, but because of the great abundance of blue light wavelengths, our eyes see the sky as blue. Technically, the short wavelengths that scatter across the sky correspond to the colours blue and violet, making the real colour of the sky a bluish purple.
I wish I was azure as you about that, Hemlock.
All depends on what your definition of the sky is. Technically, given the absence of light, our atmosphere would be considered transparent wouldn’t it? And it only appears to be blue due to the scattering of the light from the sun.
Fletcher is currently on the minor league bereavement list and not on the 40-man, but plays great defense, is versatile and has been hitting well at AAA.
Andrew Velazquez will be fine for the Angels. SS is a defensive position. They have enough hitting. They can carry one bad bat.
Shohei Ohtani has insisted on Velazquez playing SS the games he pitches – as happened last night.
Velazquez should have been up earlier this year.
It’s interesting to note that Velazquez’ poor minor league numbers can be directly traced to his temporary abandonment of switch hitting.
Once he went back to batting lefthanded, his numbers dramatically improved.
With his superior glove, he was a 1.4 WAR player in part time duty last year. If he can hit *at all*, he can be a helpful stop gap until Neto is healthy.
Oh I love my Little Neto. He is one of the most exciting rookies I’ve seen since the Days of Trout on the Angels. He gives me goosebumps and is another great reason to catch the Angels live.
I love Canning this season. He had secured the #2 spot in the rotation and is living up to his original hype.
I wish the Angels had Acuna, but doesn’t everyone.
Another selloff looming at the trade deadline for my Cubs. Need Steele to be healthy as he maybe the main man goin into next season. Hopefully Stro, Belli and others can fetch some good pitching in return!
mindseye15;
Sorry, your organization has been in circles for years.
Need a new PoBO and manager that are committed to building a strong farm system and ML roster – not filling holes each year trying this-and-that philosophy.
I actually thought they could win a weak NLC this year. Along with the Cardinals, Mets, Padres, and Mariners are a part of the most disappointing teams in 2023….and next to the Cardinals the worst.
I agree on the manager, Ross is a novelty, but the Cubs have a strong farm system. The past couple seasons have the feel of 2011-2013, waiting for the new crop to come up.
Cmurphy;
I’ve been reading about the Cubs farm system for 3 years now. They have a few very good prospects.
MLB.com ranked them 13th going into 2023. They are not the Orioles, Rays, D-Backs or others that have been in the top half-dozen for years. All teams have some good prospects. I don’t see them as a strong organization in developing young players to excel at the ML level.
It’s too easy to label the Cub system negatively. They have some highly rated prospects like Brown and Armstrong that will get their shots sooner rather than later. Mervis (like Anthony Rizzo), had a tough first look but I think he’s gonna come back and be their 1st baseman for a long time. And they have some real talent in the lower minors that are just gonna take time to develop.
I’m still optimistic about the Cubs although I don’t have much faith in Ross.
The Central is wide open honestly, the Cardinals have played terrible but have a ton of talent. The Brewers are fresh off a 2022 collapse so they have that in their heads, the Pirates and Reds are very new to winning with very few veterans to help lead the way.
The Cubs have Swanson, Stroman, Smyly, Tailon, Bellinger who are all experienced veterans with winning clubs. Hopefully we can stay close to first and Hoyer doesn’t sell off because I think that veteran experience will pay off down the stretch
Dont the Angels still have David Fletcher??
Not on the 40 man roster and currently on the bereavement list dealing with a family matter.
Bring up Fletcher ASAP.
I agree—time to bring up Fletcher. We cannot risk playing Velazquez on a regular basis again. He’s essentially an automatic out. I’d rather give Livan Soto an opportunity at SS over Velazquez.
In the span of what? 36 hours the Angels lost 3/4’s of their Infield. The Baseball gods are angry that Arte still owns the team. It might be a good idea to isolate and bubble wrap Trout and Ohtani…
Looks like the off season depth signings will be put to the test. And now gives the kids in SLC a chance to shine. Let’s see how it all shakes out these next few weeks before the trade deadline.
Rendon was right at (very expensive) replacement level. Urshela was a little better but not fantastic. I think the Angels can cover those losses. The real problem is Neto who was one of the club’s best players in 2023.
One other thing. Can anybody really fall out of contention in the laughably weak NL Central? Well, maybe the Cardinals…
The article didn’t say. Who are the Dodger’s biggest rivals? The Giants? The Padres? The Dbacks?
The Giants are the Dodgers biggest rival dating back to their time together in NY. The Padres and Dbacks haven’t had long enough stretches of inspired play to get the Dodgers attention. That said, the Padres and Dbacks are looking to change that over the coming years.
Give Stefanic the first shot
Not sure he can play SS. Isn’t he strictly 2B?