With the first game of the 2024 regular season just over the horizon, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Seoul Series roster deadline:
The Dodgers and Padres will open regular season play in South Korea tomorrow morning with the first game of two regular season games occurring as part of the Seoul Series. Before right-handers Yu Darvish and Tyler Glasnow take the mound, however, the clubs will have to submit their rosters for the series. As noted by Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the deadline to set rosters ahead of the games has been set for 9pm CT this evening, roughly eight hours before first pitch, which is scheduled for 5:05am CT Wednesday morning. Those roster decisions being made are fairly limited, however, as the clubs will be choosing players not from their entire organization but just the 31-man travel roster they brought to Seoul. The Padres are expected to select a pair of prospects to the 40-man roster ahead of this evening’s deadline— Opening Day center fielder Jackson Merrill and third baseman Graham Pauley— but will not need to make a corresponding move to do so as their 40-man currently stands at 36.
2. Snell to undergo physical:
The lengthy free agency of reigning NL Cy Young award winner Blake Snell has finally come to a close, as the southpaw signed on with the Giants on a two-year, $62MM deal with an opt-out after the 2024 season. The deal adds another front-of-the-rotation arm to the San Francisco pitching corps alongside Logan Webb while deepening the club’s starting rotation mix, which offered little certain behind Webb prior to the addition of Snell. The 31-year-old southpaw will have to undergo a physical before his pact with the Giants becomes official, though, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that said physical is expected to be completed today. While the physicals players undergo prior to finalizing deals in free agency are often something of a formality, they can at times alter or even scuttle a deal. The Giants famously saw an agreed-upon 13-year, $350MM deal with shortstop Carlos Correa fall through last winter due to concerns over his physical, and more recently free agents such as James Paxton and Gary Sanchez have seen the terms of their deal revised after their physicals raised concerns for their respective new clubs.
3. MLBTR Chat today:
While the start to the regular season is right around the corner, a handful of the winter’s top free agents remain unsigned. Are you wondering what’s next on the hot stove, or how your favorite team stacks up with the end of Spring Training in sight? If so, tune in this afternoon when MLBTR’s Steve Adams hosts a live chat with readers at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after its completed.
And just like that the NYY have proved that they can not sign a quality free agent, even to what is essentially a 1 year deal. With more than 1/2 the salary deferred the NyY couldn’t blame that on their payroll issues. Fact remains players are opting to go elsewhere. Also, with crumbling infield health like DJ, pitchers can’t bank on a quality infield. They need to worry about AAA caliber replacements taking up the majority of playing time like the NYY of later and likely this season. That’s not the defense id want behind be me on the mound.
This Yankees hater again…stop. They aren’t signing because they aren’t trying to go pay double. Any sort of paying attention to the news surrounding them would easily illustrate that. Does it suck? Absolutely, but I get it. It is what it is, but it has nothing to do with being an undesirable destination. Baffling.
So by your logic- if they can’t/wont sign anyone for this reason & only this reason (financial)- then they will never compete or sign anyone ever again- ? until they unload a few people including Stanton from the books? Would you take Stanton? No. So NYY are stuck with him… Unlikely..
so, just admit it already and stop making excuses.
Pitchers are not confident in the NYY infield hitting, getting on base and scoring runs let alone the huge question marks surrounding infield D and them staying healthy for a season NOR are pitchers or quality fielding /hitting players confident in the NYY adding / being able to add players as/when needed. The NYY have proven they can’t/wont. So players are not going to NYY unless TRADED. And they couldn’t trade for / get Dylan from the Sox- but the padres were able to trade for him? lol I wonder if he had a no trade clause and wanted to go west over going east.. just a thought. You know, logic…. Also, I wonder if any of the players SD traded to the Sox were received from the NYY for Soto lol
Yes, the NYY could have spent a bunch of extra dollars and signed Snell or Monty ( who I think will likely be a busy) to a 1 year deal and had a REAL chance at contention. With Cole likely getting shut down in a few months if not sooner it’s mind boggling they didn’t go for any aces, hmmm
And also/ how do you know I’m not a Yankee fan who puts logic & baseball before unconditional irrational support and excuses for a falling one time (long time ago) dynasty…? You don’t. So assuming makes you an…..
If you think I put unconditional irrational support towards how the Yankees operate you haven’t been paying attention, which is odd since we’ve interacted a whole bunch.
If you’re a NYY fan though with your “logic” you sound like a pretty bad fan instead of one that uses said actual logic.
Actual logic would would have taken notes on what the Yankees have said throughout about the threshold and evaluated what they’ve done. They would have splurged on Yamamoto, but seemed unimpressed with the rest to offer max contracts yet they tried and were rejected not because of being the Yankees but because the value at the time did not meet what the free agent wanted. Snell said he wanted to play here.
Actual logic would also use history as part of their evaluation of the team’s ability to draw free agents, too. They’ve done pretty well overall. There’s plenty of money around the league so of course they’re not going to land everyone!
No you do not sound like a fan to me, because of all of that. And if you are, sheesh.
And to bring it back to me, I’ve been very critical of what they’ve done and have felt they’re rich enough to support going over, but I’m also not the one paying these free agents so my opinion is mute. So I can only go by what they have or have not done, PAY ATTENTION, and then come to actual logical conclusions of the why’s of it all.
I think 178iq forgot a decimal somewheres…
Cease doesn’t have a no trade clause. No one has a no trade clause on their rookie deal. Chicago preferred the trade package they were offered from the Padres more. Cease’s personal preferences has nothing to do with it.
Well written but goes nowhere. I made a few very good points, to which you have no comment. Your redundant rhetoric is familiar now. I enjoy the back and forth forth but maintain that the NYY are in a bad position not only with the current financial aspect of the team but also in some of their quite questionable acquisitions and decisions to keep broke down players that don’t hit/get on base/score over just going the route of other teams who are also in the same situation and nevertheless add top tier free agent talent. The NyY may have been in on Yamamotto but he was clearly not in on them. They might have been in on Snell and Cease and other, but they were again clearly not in on NyY.
Here you go, I’ve made it easier for you, 178.00 there you go.
178 is the Jim Bowden of mlbtraderumors commentary
Hahahah that’s pretty funny
No one is arguing that they haven’t made bad trades and signings though. Again, that’s something I’m very critical of. What I am critical of you though is none of that, it’s your insistence that this team isn’t a desirable landing spot which I’ll go back to probably what I said on day one of hearing that from you: THAT IS BANANAS and would only come from a non fan.
What the Yanks can and cannot do has no reflection on a free agents interests. That’s a made-up theory supported by zero evidence and actual quotes from anyone and flies in the face of all we actually know in terms of the Yanks current financial situation.
You can’t even support it by you’re current defense as Cease had zero say in the matter, Yanks were outbid by LA (who also had Ohtani as a plus for him), and NY didn’t want to go to 30 million on Snell. There’s a simple answers right in front of you that have nothing to do with NY being undesirable lol. Wth, dude.
A more apt answer would have been a non-integer, thereby I wholeheartedly dispute the validity of your self-prescribed, boisterous title.
Didn’t Aaron Judge turn down the Giants to remain in NY? I’d say he was quality.
Yea quality lol a .260 hitter with what, 100 games played last season? And already injured / not playing this season with an astounding .140 BA in spring training. And don’t say it’s only ST lol it matters…
You know what “matters” more than batting average? So many things.
Agreed. Playing, that matters. Being productive matters. Not being injured on and off all season matters..
@178iq .260 BA lol thanks Joe Morgan! Try 174 wRC+ – 100wRC+ being average, you of the 178iq should understand.
Come on. People wouldn’t need to go to those numbers if AJ hit. When a “superstar” ball player hits .300+\- every season while in his prime those numbers are just gravy… will AJ ever put up prime Trout numbers? Showtime numbers? Riddle us this- how many players have hit ahead of AJ in average every year so far ,that play as good or better outfield ?
You just show how dumb you are when you’re rating a player like Judge on his batting average. And you do realize that 260 is about 15 points higher than the league average of the past few years, which has hovered in the 240s range? No, you probably don’t realize that because people like you are usually clueless.
And even if he wasn’t good in the outfield, which he is, they’d still pay a lot for him just to DH.
It would still have been 64.5mm/aav for then to do this same deal. I don’t see any club doing that
If you were Snell and trying to have a good year to get a big contract would you go to the yankees and pitch in that stadium? Oracle park is a much friendlier park to pitchers.
Yeah I can see that argument with Houston too
I’d say you’re probably right but also they take into account things like that when evaluating performance. I think he likes pitching in the NL and especially pitching in the west… I’d probably stick to that as well if given the choice.
Aloha folks, hopefully Snell’s physical is a formality, no surprises so he can ramp up for the season. Mahalo
And the Giants got the money to sign Snell cos they publicly fired their longtime public address announcer only hours before. Oink!
Time for Montgomery to land in BAL on a similarly structured deal!
I doubt Renel was making 20MM a year.
After this Boras-induced protracted free agency for Snell, I do think he landed in the right spot for him.
I’d like to see the Yanks finalize that rotation though. How about Syndergaard for like 2 mil? If not, Gil has pitched great. I know they want to take it slow with him, but long term he’s gotta be in the rotation.
Fantasy note: if you play in Yahoo, make sure to get your Dodgers and Pads in your lineups today as these games count!
Syndergaard throws grapefruits
Honestly they just need an extra body in there to take the ball. For that he helps and he’s pitched in NY.
Have you ever hit a grapefruit? It won’t even clear the infield.
Sure, but the chances of you throwing out someone at 1st is nil. Not to mention the SBs.
I’d be more inclined to play one of the kids as the fifth starter. If they sign a FA, he won’t be ready anytime soon. As you mentioned, Gil has looked very good. Beeter and Warren have had some ups and downs but generally look good.
Yanks have some good young arms. Would like to see one or more of them get the opportunity to pitch in the bigs with this opening. Better to take a chance on them and see what they have than to overpay for a veteran who is just as much of a gamble.
The Yankees will be getting an up close look at Trevor Bauer this weekend as he pitches against them in an exhibition game. He’s also willing to sign for MLB minimum. Just sayin’…
nypost.com/2024/03/18/sports/trevor-bauer-pitching…
No one cares.
Salzilla it’s amazing how many fanboys are on Bauer’s jock.
I’m not sure they realize how indicative it is of their character to defend this guy.
No one cares about Syndergaard either. I wasn’t defending Bauer…just stating a fact!
You’re right. That’s why Noah would be cheap and without Bauer’s baggage.
Did you change your name yet again, Trevor?
Bauer has signed to pitch in Mexico the first month of the season as his extended spring training.
Yahoo? Can you tell me more? You mean yahoo as in Yahoo.com?
Not being snarky, would really like some info.
Yeah, Yahoo Fantasy Sports, the only reason I ever visit good old Yahoo.
Yes sorry missed this. Yahoo Fantasy is probably the best/easiest game in town.
No division can compete with the arms race happening in the NL West.
That have the money to spend and no major payroll issues. Teams like the NYY have no business in the post season until they get rid of a few players that are eating up salary…
Rockies the remora
Jordan Montgomery Remembrance Post.
Jordan, I see you. You’re not alone. Get that bag.
If it’s the same physical giolito took – don’t bother
Watch Montgomery. He can pitch. He’s not TOR but a quality arm. Sooner or later, someone will sign him. He has no draft-pick problems, it’s just money. Probably too much for the teams already over the CBT levels. But there’s a deal out there that will make sense.
We’ll see how much Monty gets humbled. Boras really misread the market this year.
Would love to see Cincy get off their duff and give him a two year deal.
That would put them over the top in the NL Central, especially with Lodolo out an unspecified period and not built up, Montas looking shaky, and no one able to go five innings yet in spring when that should have happened by now.
I see another bullpen implosion in the last two months due to burnout coming again. This front office doesn’t learn.
Let’s go Giants!
Giants dodged an asteroid in backing out of that Correa deal, am I right?
Remains to be seen, but right now they are going with Nick Ahmed as their starting shortstop since Luciano decided to not show up this spring. Most likely you are correct, though.
Yeah, it’s amazing there was a bidding war over that guy.
He’ll get injured trying to ramp up and get on the mound he go ore he’s ready. All in an effort to put up bigger numbers so he can opt out for more money next year. Players don’t care about winning anything but the paycheck wars.
I’m neither a Padres nor a LAD fan, but I am looking forward to the series. I’m sure this is more organic than staged, but the Yamamoto/Ohtani pair on one side, and the Kim/Go pairing on the other side, feels like the great Bird/Magic rivalry.
How could Yu forget about “me”?
To start the MLB season in another country is a disturbing trend. Give them a couple games some other time. Thy shouldn’t get the first games of the season. NOT OPENING DAY!
I hear ya, but if you’re going to play over seas, it is the best time to do it, for obvious travel reasons.
Leave Trevor alone. Period period. Period. Lol