With the final day of February upon us, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Skenes vs. Holliday:
Prospect lovers won’t want to miss today’s game between the Pirates and Orioles, where the first-overall picks of the past two seasons are set to clash. Right-hander Paul Skenes, the No. 1 pick of the 2023 draft and a consensus top-10 prospect in the game, is poised to face shortstop Jackson Holliday, the top pick of the 2022 draft and the consensus top prospect in the entire sport. Fans interested in seeing the matchup won’t have to wait very long, as Holliday told reporters this morning (including MLB.com’s Jake Rill) that he’s set to open the top of the first inning today as Baltimore’s lead off hitter, leaving him to be the very first batter Skenes faces today. If that matchup isn’t enticing enough for you, Skenes will be taking the mound opposite newly-minted Orioles ace Corbin Burnes. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05pm CT this afternoon.
2. Muncy to undergo testing:
Dodgers infielder Max Muncy was struck in the hand by a pitch from Rangers left-hander Cody Bradford during yesterday’s game, with USA Today’s Bob Nightengale relaying that the slugger has been diagnosed with a contusion, according to manager Dave Roberts. The Dodgers’ skipper added that Muncy is set to undergo “precautionary” x-rays today. A mainstay of the L.A. lineup since he broke out with the club during the 2018 season, Muncy has slashed .230/.356/.486 in 751 games while clubbing 175 homers in a Dodgers uniform. That includes last year’s .212/.333/.475 slash line, which was good for a wRC+ of 118. Should Muncy miss time due to the injury, the club would likely be left to turn to youngster Miguel Vargas at the hot corner to open the season.
3. Where will Stanek land?
While most discussion of the free agent market has been focused on the “Boras Four” in recent weeks, right-hander Ryne Stanek stands out as the clear best reliever remaining on the open market. While his 4.09 ERA and 4.60 FIP last year were both rather pedestrian, he’s just one season removed from dominating to a 1.15 ERA and 3.05 FIP in 54 2/3 innings of work and sports a strong 27.8% strikeout rate for his career. Those numbers would make him at least a solid middle reliever for any bullpen in the majors. The righty has been connected to the Cubs, Red Sox, and Mets so far this winter, though other clubs are surely also in the mix.
Stanek’s market has been quiet since the calendar flipped to February. Chicago has seemingly backed off its pursuit despite mutual interest, while the Mets added a different high-octane bullpen arm to their mix in Shintaro Fujinami. It’s possible that injuries around the game could spur a club to shore up their bullpen mix with Stanek as Spring Training continues; yesterday alone saw injury scares for the Guardians and Mariners (Trevor Stephan and Matt Brash, respectively). Will the veteran righty’s market begin to pick up as the calendar flips to March?
Someone else made a point a week or two ago about the fact that it isn’t just injuries, but rather injuries to the right team that will often result in getting these remaining guys signed.
The two teams mentioned with possible reliever issues (Cleveland/Seattle) don’t look to be willing to spend any money, so that may not help Stanek
Cleveland is always apprehensive about spending, and Seattle has their RSN issues making spending difficult for them this offseason. It sounds bad, but Stanek’s going to have to hope for more injuries to occur to another team that can spend.
Someone is going to get desperate this spring and overpay for Stanek. A reliever like him isn’t going to break anyone’s budget, a couple extra million or an extra year on a reliever won’t kill most budgets. Something tells me the hold up is in terms of years and doubt teams are too interested him beyond a 1 year rental, but you can squint and see a top shelf reliever. The Mariners seem like an obvious fit, they need relief help and at least a couple relievers in recent years stated they came to them looking for help revitalizing their careers, but then again they probably don’t need to overpay for the caliber of relief help he’s likely to give. I see something like 1/4 or 2/6 as a reasonable valuation for him.
The Mariners almost never make an obvious move so it’s probably not them, they’ll more likely make some random trade for a decentish middle reliever that nobody had on their radar.
Well all prospect lovers will be missing the game because it’s not being televised by either team. Way to go MLB.
Exactly, The Orioles own a tv network but that will be too busy playing World Series of poker reruns from 2013 to televise the game. Hopefully this is one of the things the new ownership group can fix by next year.
The Pirates’ co-own theirs, but I’m sure it will be showing a replay of a Pittsburgh Penguins’ game from two days ago. TBH, if MLB had even one competent person in their marketing department, not only would it be televised, both guys would be mic’ed up for it, and they’d have Livvy Dunne (Skenes’ famous gymnast girlfriend) in the one of the broadcast booths. As evidenced around the league with local TV falling apart, and with the ridiculous restrictions on MLB.tv subscriptions, the MLB botches all things related to broadcasts.
You’ll see both of them plenty this year.
Skenes should make the roster bc of his gf. I’m sure attendance would increase, at least with 18-25 year old males.
He should also make the roster because he’s already better than all the starting pitchers they have, with the possible exception of Keller.
He’s not dating Taylor Swift is he?
How ridiculous it is we won’t see this televised.
Would’ve loved to see Skenes get over on the top prospect, former top 1 or 2 prospect, and current 30-40 prospect. What a disgrace.
I don’t care about seeing it, I just want Holliday to make the team as a fantasy player.
“I don’t care about”..I’m only interested in the games that count and matter, myself. I’ll see these hot prospects when they get promoted to MLB. Until you’re promoted and start doing it in the “bigs”, you don’t matter, because you’re just another prospect. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the start of the regular season.
Yeah, it’d be interesting but it’s February. These young guys are going to throw an inning or two. Just what can you glean from that, either way?
Coffee, bacon, cigarettes, and The Opener. Life is good, man.
“Coffee, bacon”..A simple man with simple tastes, very refreshing. As you were and carry on, my man.
Replace “cigarettes” with whisky and I’m in.
Before anyone says it, the Cubs DO NOT need anything reliever who struggles with their command.
Every season, a couple of attractive free agents remain unsigned after spring training starts but it feels like this year it has gone to the extreme. I wonder what teams and players are waiting for? I would say at this point, the owners have won the blinking game and I’m really surprised how many free agents remain unsigned. I assume we’ll see a lot of one year deals signed over the next week or two as these players need to get into camp in order to be ready for the regular season.
the teams are waiting for their prices to go down to get deals that they’re comfortable with. It doesn’t take much thought to come to that conclusion
Problem is you will see a lot of guys not in baseball shape and inevitably injuries will happen because of it.
Boras runs multiple training facilities in various locations. Same for other sports agencies. The only thing these unsigned guys will be missing is actual live game action and being able to work on their own timings.
Hence the term “baseball shape.”
Everyone works out in the offseason. They have to these days or they won’t last long. Live game action on the big league camp level is a whole different animal.
We have seen these late reporters go down several times, especially pitchers.
If the report that Snell asked for 9/270 from the Yankees is true, that explains one of the unsigned free agents.
If you ever watch Stanek pitch with your own 2 eyes you will realize he is trash. Dude throws it 100 and has no clue where it’s going. Loves to hit guys / walk guys then give up bombs once there is some traffic on base. STAY AWAY!
I don’t know if trash is the right word, but anyone who has watched him for more than 2 innings knows the broad side of a barn analogy fits him to a tee.
It wont happen but I wish the twins would grab Stanek. With our rotation definitely downgraded from last year, our bullpen is going to need to pick up the slack…..I think they are done adding to the roster after trading for Margot though 🙁
I’ll be surprised if Skenes becomes anything more than a reliever. He’ll start out a SP but don’t think he’ll have much success.
What makes you think that? He’s touted as the best SP prospect since Stephen Strasburg. He has an 80 grade fastball, 70 grade slider and a 3rd plus pitch in his changeup. He seems to be a pretty solid bet to not only start but to become at least a #2 starter if not an ace. I don’t see him as a reliever unless he gets hurt badly and is unable to handle 170+ innings per year.
Anyone know if he’s had a TJ surgery yet??
Pirate fans……will Skenes make the Opening day roster in Pittsburgh???
You know, he and Jones *should* be a part of a starting staff that as is currently has one true starter, two guys they signed who have been iffy at best and two box of chocolates in Ortiz and Priester(who looked good yesterday). But this is the Pirates. I’m expecting both to start at AAA. Maybe we’ll see them mid season
Frank; Skenes isn’t slated to make opening day, probably be June to garner another year of control. He could pitch lights out & it won’t matter.
Guru; where do you get the info to make your negative prediction?
Having watched Skenes power LSU through the CWS, yeah, it’s just that. A negative prediction. In all regards, from athletic ability, to character, to mental toughness, the young man looks to be the real deal. Why someone would throw cold water on a sincere ray of hope for the Pirates is anyone’s guess
agreed, but the new rules reward teams for keeping guys on rosters with extra draft pics…we will see.
Pirates vs Orioles leading off the MLBTR coverage like it’s 1979!
I’ll be singing We are Family all day today!
Apparently, Ohtani got married.
english.kyodonews.net/news/2024/02/3c10948d8bb8-ur…
www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20240229/k10014374661000.…
Stop fan girling good God, who cares what he does in his personal life.
@Braves_saints_celts
Apparently a ton of people do, given it’s top news on some sites like CNN, Fox, ESPN, Yahoo, BBC, LA Times, etc.
But, ignore my posts and go back to living under your rock.
And it’s ridiculous that the media pushes this crap, all it does it bring fan girls out of the woodworks and in this case that fan girl would be you. Who cares about another man’s personal life, it’s ridiculous. And the fact that it’s an unknown Japanese woman that he married, you’d think they do their best to keep it from the public because at the end of the day, who cares who another man married. You probably get all hyped up when you see Taylor Swift and Travis kelce, but who cares, cool they’re together what does that have to do with you or me? Why should we care? Because the media wants you too. And thus I conclude, stop being a fan girl.
@Braves_saints_celts
Do you also yell at kids to get off your pristine lawn? Clearly, you’re invested in this to take the time to reply twice. Deep down inside, you’re a fan girl as well. Haha!
I’m 27, I’m married, and I have 6 kids, they all live with me, they have toys and all kinds of stuff all over my lawn I’m not one of those types of people, what I am though is someone who minds their own business and don’t get too involved in another man’s personal life, just like how I guarantee that you could give a rats ass that I’m married with 6 kids, because I’m just your average Joe, but oh shohei ohtani got married and you think it’s newsworthy. That is fan girling at its finest.
@Braves_saints_celts
As I said, you’re still here showing off your closet fangirling. You’re more than welcome to come out. No one will judge.
Lol okay bud go jack off to a shohei picture later. Have a good one.
@Braves_saints_celts
I will, thanks. He’s just sooo handsome!
Just so you know old York, I don’t dislike you, we might not have agreed on this topic, but you have very decent baseball insight and have even taught me a few things. Have fun jacking off. Onto the next baseball debate with you later on some other article.
@Braves_saints_celts
Hey, man, no hard feelings, just some fun banter from my side.
Vargas might make the roster if Muncy starts the season on the IL, but more likely Hernandez or Taylor cover 3B in his absence. Vargas still has to prove that he can hit in the bigs.
Trash game isnt even televised. Anywhere. Good job MLB.