The Opener: Extensions, Robert, Tucker

On the heels of some big news out of San Francisco, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Will any other deals come together this September?

While the general rule of thumb is that in-season extensions are rare, they’ve become a bit more common in recent seasons, particularly near the end of the year. Chapman’s deal last night was the 13th extension signed in September or October going back to 2022, a year that saw major deals between Luis Castillo and the Mariners as well as Spencer Strider and the Braves come together in the season’s final months. Blockbuster extensions are hardly the only type that can occur just before the offseason begins: veterans Charlie Morton and Charlie Blackmon, for example, have both signed one-year extensions just before they were scheduled to hit free agency in recent years.

In Chapman’s case, the deal was surely spurred on in part by the impending opt-out in his contract, which he was all but certain to exercise. Chapman wasn’t the only player on that track this year, however. Lefty Sean Manaea is expected to opt out of his deal with the Mets and return to free agency this winter, and Chapman’s own teammate Blake Snell appears very likely to do the same on the heels of a dominant second half with the Giants.

2. Robert exits with injury:

It’s been a brutal season for center fielder Luis Robert Jr. and the White Sox. Things went from bad to worse yesterday when the club’s 8-1 win over the Orioles, just their 32nd victory of the season, was soured by Robert exiting the game due to tightness in his right hamstring. Per MLB.com’s Injury Tracker, interim manager Grady Sizemore told reporters following the game that the hamstring issue first started on Tuesday and that he made the decision to pull Robert when he saw the outfielder running the bases more gingerly than usual.

Given Robert’s importance to the club as one of their few potential impact pieces and the team’s dismal 32-109 record, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Sox prioritize Robert’s long-term health and place him on the injured list to ensure his hamstring heals fully. It’s been a tough year at the plate for Robert, who has slashed just .219/.274/.398 (86 wRC+) with defensive metrics in center field that are closer to league average than the elite numbers he posted in previous seasons. The club figures to turn to Dominic Fletcher in center field in the event that Robert misses time nursing his ailing hamstring.

3. Tucker nearing return:

Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker has been on the shelf since early June, and it recently came to light that despite the fact that Houston brass consistently referred to his injury as a bone bruise throughout his lengthy rehab process, Tucker had actually suffered a fractured shin. Regardless of the unusual messaging from club officials regarding Tucker’s injury, it appears that a return is on the horizon. Manager Joe Espada told reporters (including those at MLB.com) yesterday that Tucker is “really, really close” to being activated from the injured list and could return to the club’s lineup as soon as today, although Espada did caution that a return to action tomorrow was the more likely outcome.

Tucker got out to a scorching start this year with a .266/.395/.584 slash line (175 wRC+) in 60 games prior to his placement on the IL. Ben Gamel and Jason Heyward have been handling right field in the star’s absence, and it’s possible that Tucker’s return could create a roster crunch that impacts one of those veterans. Corresponding moves will need to be made to make room for Tucker on both the 40-man and active rosters before he can be activated.