As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Bellinger headed for further evaluation:
Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger exited yesterday’s game 7-2 win over the Astros yesterday prior to the bottom of the seventh inning. The 28-year-old had crashed into the outfield wall on a play earlier in the game and was diagnosed with a right rib contusion per a team announcement. Manager Craig Counsell said after the game that x-rays came back negative, but the club will wait to see how the two-time All Star feels today before putting a timetable on his return to action (X link via ESPN’s Jesse Rogers).
Bellinger got off to a slow start this season but has caught fire in recent days, going 10-for-30 with three home runs, a triple, and five walks over his past eight games. That hot stretch has brought his season slash line up to .226/.320/.441 (103 wRC+) despite an fluky low .215 BABIP. Mike Tauchman figures to slide over from right field to center in Bellinger’s absence, with youngster Alexander Canario stepping into the starting lineup in right. A longer absence could open the door for a top prospect such as Pete Crow-Armstrong or Owen Caissie to join the big league club.
2. Kiermaier day-to-day:
The Cubs weren’t the only team to lose their starting center fielder mid-game yesterday, as the Blue Jays removed Kevin Kiermaier from yesterday’s 3-2 loss against the Royals in the sixth inning due to flexor discomfort in his left hip. Per MLB.com’s Injury Tracker, Kiermaier is considered day-to-day for the moment but Toronto had not yet fully evaluated the veteran by the end of last night’s game. It’s the same hip on which Kiermaier required season-ending surgery in July 2022.
It’s been a difficult start to the season for Kiermaier, who has slashed just .193/.246/.246 in 62 trips to the plate this season. Even so, the 34-year-old has continued to provide value to the Jays with his trademark superlative defense in center field. While Kiermaier is down, Daulton Varsho figures to slide over to center field with a combination of Davis Schneider, Cavan Biggio, and Ernie Clement handling left.
3. Where will Cooper land?
Prior to yesterday’s game, the Cubs designated veteran first baseman Garrett Cooper for assignment in a somewhat surprising move. The 33-year-old is coming off a down 2023 season with the Marlins and Padres but has hit .270/.341/.432 (118 wRC+) in limited playing time with the Cubs this season. There are some red flags, as Cooper’s 31.7% strikeout rate would be a career-high over a full season and his .391 average on balls in play is likely to regress.
Even so, Cooper is a former All-Star who has slashed a respectable .264/.336/.445 (112 wRC+) since the start of the 2020 season and boasts a strong .285/.337/.475 slash line against left-handed pitching throughout his career. That could make the veteran an interesting piece for teams in need of help at first base or DH, such as the Red Sox or Astros. The Cubs have one week to either trade, release, or waive Cooper following yesterday’s DFA. Successfully moving him to another team could allow them to get the remainder of his $1.75MM salary off their books, a meaningful sum given their proximity to the first luxury tax threshold.
Ribs are so ridiculously hard to deal with. Breathing itself hurts. Hope Bellinger can get back in soon.
So true Doc… my cubbie buddy freaking out!! Hats off to Brewers… early but still doing well.. extended DL for Belli could keep them there..
What a pansy Bellinger is. The rib isn’t broken. It’s sore. He should’ve told Counsell he wanted to go back out there and play. I’ve played through two broken ribs, a finger fracture and countless deep bone bruises. Then again, I wasn’t sitting on a $30m/year far wallet.
And I’m sure you weren’t playing professional baseball, trying to hit 95 mph fastballs or playing centerfield.
These statements are ridiculous. No player should be trying to play hurt or banged up, they need to 100%. Lucky for the Cubs, Bellinger pride isn’t getting in his way and hurting the team.
Avenger65- so you played baseball. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t probably had those injuries, including myself, playing the game at a high level. I really don’t know where you played. But I cab tell it might not have been much. Because anyone who’s had injuries doesn’t call other players out.
Ot running into a brick wall.
That’s the point isn’t it though? If you pay someone that much money you don’t want to risk making something worse long term.
He played poker…..
You’re an ass.
yeah that darn Cal Ripken… he was terrible
I love it when people try to compare players from different eras like it proves something.
I’m not going to accuse Ripken of using PEDs but in that era, it was acceptable, as was doing rails in the dugout, taking greenies and using pain medication to an extent that wouldn’t fly in todays game.
Not only that, guys weren’t chucking it mid 90s on the regular with low 90s sliders. On the whole, the players now are better than the players then. You could get by playing less than 100% then more than you can now.
I’ve played flagged football resulting in multiple bruised ribs during a crash with another player. I stayed in to play but it even hurt to breathe and cough the next day when the swelling kicked in.
yeah but you kinda just did accuse him of steroids and drugs… but hey, its fits your story so no problem
Also CAL Ripken played way more games than anyone in his Own era. It’s sort of a “Tony stark was able to build this in a cave, with a box of scraps” type of argument
now don’t start bringing facts and common sense in here
To use a film analogy, pro athletes are analogous to stunt men and leading men.
In the movies, stunt men exist so actors don’t get hurt.
In sports, the stunt men ARE the leading men.
That’s why teams are so careful with them.
@Avenger You ve clearly never broken a rib. It is not something someone simply plays through, especially at a professional level. Just breathing hurts. During the first week coughing is excruciating, laying or sitting is not easy, bending is hard to do, running is not happening, etc..
After the first week the symptoms start to slowly dissipate. But nobody is just playing through it as though it didn’t happen.
Playing through a finger fracture is kind of laughable as well. At the beginning gripping and throwing a ball are both issues. Gripping a bat is even harder to do, let the radiating pain of making contact.
Yes but you’re missing the entire point of the conversation.
Red brought up Ripken, implying that players can play hurt/banged up and they can still produce at a high level.
That may have worked in the 80s and 90s where pitchers were not throwing max effort every pitch and guys were not rocketing pitches 90mph average exit velocities.
The game has changed, it’s too technical and it’s too fast to not play as close to 100% as possible.
There is also a lot more date on peak performance. Managers know that if a guy is banged up, it doesn’t give them the best chance to win.
Several years ago, Happ would have been in the line up with a tight hamstring, now he won’t for several reasons to include:
Diminished results
Potential for further injury and prolonged diminished results
And the talent pool is a lot deeper. A healthy Canario is more likely to give you a better chance to win than a banged up Ian Happ.
Managers know this, there is more data than you can fathom, that’s why it’s so rare for a guy to play 162 games in general, even if they are completely healthy.
An update: the rib is in fact fractured
Avenger65-
Looks like a fractured rib now. That’s your cue to man up and get some playing time a Wrigley. Fool.
Olmtiant-
The Brewers have been putting off a vibe so far. Kelly reminds me a lot of Phil Garner. Lots of swagger. Long season…we’ll see. Cards look DOA. Won’t keep then down forever…but they might need to overhaul that front office.
Ribs are touch n go regardless of the DL too.
In my opinion, this would be a good time to make a roster move, send someone to AAA, bring up PCA for a bit to patrol center and move Bellinger to DH temporarily if he can.
Crow-Armstrong’s bat may still be a work in progress but his defense would be a huge asset and with Happ still a concern health wise, Suzuki on the IL, defensive range should be a priority.
I like Tauchman but the guy is “break glass in case of emergency” in center.
I agree although I think Caissie is a better choice. He might have made the team out of ST if Bellinger hadn’t re-upped. PCA doesn’t look good at Iowa, He’s chasing again and he doesn’t look comfortable right now. Caissie has looked good all year. I think Bellinger opts out and the Cubs OF next year will be Happ, Suzuki, Canario, PCA and Caissie.
Caissie isn’t on the 40 man roster and isn’t a center fielder either.
I agree that I would be interested in Caissie and I believe if Canario doesn’t stick, he will likely see time in Chicago this year but I think defense right now, again with Happ banged up a little as well as Bellinger, have PCAs range would be a bigger asset.
Like I said, I like Tauchman but to me he is like Happ in center, he can play there but he shouldn’t. He’s better suited for a corner outfield spot.
Depending on how thing go with Mervis (and Morel), the Cubs could turn to Caissie soon also.
I’m not as worried about 40 man spots as you seem to be. I identified at least 3 people who I think can be released to clear spots and now it seems Smyly and Hendricks might go also bringing the total to 5. Davis, Mastrobuoni and Wisdom can all go. Vasquez is on the 40 and can ome up anytime to take Wisdoms spot and is absolutely killing it at Iowa. I’m really more interested in talent making it to the Big League Club. Pannone and Vasquez are raking at Iowa and are so much better than Smyly and Wisdom it’s not funny. I always thought the idea was to have the best players in Chicago, Not Iowa.
The Cubs should be commended for their moves yesterday. In showing confidence, by giving chances to a number of younger guys. Seems to be a big difference between how Counsell accepts and works with them, opposite the Rossy mindset.
That said, I think you’re nitpicking when you’re worried about Tauchman in CF. Teams like Toronto should have such ‘problems’. Until PCA can show he can demonstrate he is capable of contributing offensively, he isn’t going to be any answer to CF in Wrigley. If Mervis is struggling, PCA likely will also.
Uncle- your thoughts about taking a flyer on Morel, are looking like they just might work out well enough, for awhile. At least defensively – but I can’t figure him out offensively.
But for you to expect Pannone to be anything more than an extreme emergency measure, is not very likely. Hopefully it won’t be necessary – because he is not exactly opening any eyes with his performances in Iowa.
Watch him pitch. He keeps the ball low, Throws strikes and makes it at least 5 innings even with the Cubs quick hook minor league philosophy. I have the Minor league package. I watch it more than I do the MLB package. You guys should too. These guys can play. But they’re blocked by salaries of crap players. Hawkins and Hoyer should be cleaning out the crud like most people do in the spring. Name me one reason Brennen Davis is on the 40 man other than he was once a top prospect when the Cubs didn’t have any? Watch before you criticize. I do.
Link
milb.com/iowa/stats/pitching
What exactly is your idea of lighting it up?
Wisdom hit .400 in Iowa so “raking in Iowa” doesn’t really mean all that much to me. Typically this is where I lean on the player development and scouts because hitting in the minors is not the same as hitting at the major league level. Just ask “Mash”.
I agree that Davis and Mastrobuoni can be DFA, Davis doesn’t do much for me. I’m sure someone would claim him and he would live in the vicious cycle of claim, release, claim, release until any hope for a career is ruined.
I can’t get on board with just calling guys up, like Vazquez, if they cannot get regular playing time. If the Cubs decide to send down Morel, then bring Vazquez up but don’t slow his development.
To me, Smyly is fine in his long relief role until someone takes it from him. Unfortunately, for some reason that looks like Brown when I think it should be Wesneski. I get why CC would love Brown in the pen given their struggles but I think he should be given the chance to fail as a starter first, Wesneski has already failed as a starter and I don’t see him with the touch to change that.
The issue is that Belli can’t swing a bat, so moving him to DH makes no difference really. PCA needs more work on his offense before he can be a viable contributor on a contender.
You nailed it dras—-PCA up—-Bellinger fracture rib—extended absence.
Lesson learned? Bricks are hard.
If Bellinger is as high as he looks, he won’t feel a thing.
I know the Red Sox have 15 guys on the IL, but they still have 20 DH types. Pass on Cooper
Darn that pitch clock! Two more victims.
The sheer number of injuries on just about every MLB team so far this year is disturbing to hear and read about. Various player injuries are often reported on multiple times a day now.
number of injuries to fans are up as well, more than mlbtr can cover.
I suspect shorter off-season and increased travel due to a “more balanced schedule” play a pretty big role.
The Sox need Cooper way more than the Astros do
Which is why BOS will show no interest whatsoever. Makes too much sense.
Send Cooper to the Sox. Red or White, both could use him.
Jays are pretty frustrating this year. In 20 of their 24 games this year, they’ve scored 5 or less runs, yet they’re ranked 8th by fWAR with 4.3 offense WAR. Based on their batting and baserunning combined, it’s middle of the pack with 4.5 but it seems their defense is doing most of the heavy lifting so far this season to keep them in games. Even so, total fWAR for the team has them with 12 wins, not 13, so they’re still playing a bit better than they should be.
I once played in the super bowl for Winfield Onions ( we chose the Onion name with pride because we ALWAYS made the other team CRY, thus the name.) But back to my Super Bowl moment, the score was nothing to nothing, I at the helm in centerfield with my fleeting wide out John Fogerty. We have 2 seconds to the end of the game and 99 3/4 yards to go.. I am playing surprisingly well after suffering 3 broken arms, 12 broken ribs, 16 leg fractures and lost skull. I am fluid on the field and I feel great. Well my center (itty bitty, he’s a rock hard dynamo wrapped up in a 1 1/2 inch body) He hikes me the ball, I roll like jellyfish left and right, I fling downfield to my TE, Teddy Bear) who stops them dead on their pursuit of reaching for him, he smiles a cute little cuddles to their Defensive Back, which sends him into a deep sleep. We score to win the big game and then afterwards we sleep with our dream girl cheerleaders and their sexy cheerleaders too. Hammer head for some reason chose to sleep with their mothers. Oh well it was a great game had by all!