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Injury Notes: Zimmermann, Smyly, Yankees

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The Tigers are holding their breath after seeing starter Jordan Zimmermann depart with discomfort in his right elbow, as Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press was among those to report on Twitter. More on his outlook will be known after he’s evaluated tomorrow, but it seems there’s a bit of worry from within the organization. Zimmermann’s tenure in Detroit has been nothing short of disastrous; he entered the season with a cumulative 5.24 ERA and is sitting on a 5.93 mark through six starts this year. The club owes him $25MM this year and the same for 2020.

More on the health front:

  • Rangers lefty Drew Smyly says he thinks he’ll be capable of returning after skipping only a starter or two, as MLB.com’s TR Sullivan tweets. He explains that he is just dealing with arm fatigue in his first full season back following Tommy John surgery. That’s reasonably promising news, standing alone. Trouble is, the Texas organization really needs innings right away. Prospect Taylor Hearn was bombed tonight, leaving the bullpen to pick up the pieces. As Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News notes on Twitter, veteran righty Jeanmar Gomez took the brunt of the damage and may now be at risk of losing his spot on the roster as the club scrambles to cover innings in the coming days.
  • With loads of significant players on the injured list, there are always quite a few Yankees updates of note. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch rounds up the latest in one concise tweet. Aaron Hicks and Troy Tulowitzki both appear close to full (minor-league) game action, which suggests both may not be far off from a return to the MLB roster. Miguel Andujar is slated to appear at third base in extended spring action tomorrow. That represents the latest promising sign as he attempts to stave off surgery to address a shoulder injury that isn’t preventing him from hitting but has hampered his throwing. Just how that’ll all turn out remains to be seen, but it appears there is enough promise that he’s going to try to ramp back up at the hot corner.
  • As for star Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton, the biceps issue that drove him to the injured list appears to be sorted. But he’s now dealing with a new shoulder malady. Per Andy Martino of SNY.tv, the hope is that this new problem will only extend his absence by a week or so. It’s all a bit foggy but seems less than concerning on the whole, at least in comparison to the club’s overall injury malaise. Having treaded water admirably thus far, the Yanks can go another week without Stanton. They are still in good position in the AL East — so long as their health fortunes finally turn, at least.

Yankees Injury Notes: Severino, Andujar, Sanchez, Stanton, Tulo, Hicks

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Injuries are the story thus far for the Yankees, whose sluggish start is explained in no small part by a dizzying barrage of maladies. One of those has proven particularly confounding, as young starter Luis Severino came down with a lat strain while rehabbing a shoulder injury. As James Wagner of the New York Times reports, the investigation into the origins of Severino’s health problems has become a tale of its own. At this point, the team isn’t sure how that problem popped up; GM Brian Cashman says it wasn’t detected in the imaging that identified the initial shoulder problem.

In any event, there’s still five weeks to go until Severino can potentially start to throw once again. While he and the team wait for that important development, they’ll hope to welcome back a few other players. The latest …

  • The Yanks are at least open to considering utilizing Miguel Andujar as something other than a third baseman, manager Aaron Boone indicated to reporters including Wagner (Twitter link). Andujar’s shoulder injury hasn’t limited him much with the bat, but has made throwing difficult. Even if he’s able to avoid a surgical procedure, then, a return to the hot corner may be difficult. In that event, it’s possible he’d be utilized in the DH slot or perhaps even at first. Those possibilities aren’t yet being discussed in earnest, with Boone saying the club will wait to see how Andujar’s throwing progresses, but it now seems there are some new approaches on the table.
  • Backstop Gary Sanchez is still on track for a quick return to the active roster, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes. In fact, with his calf injury evidently progressing well, he may be back when first eligible on Sunday. That’d be a nice boost for the lineup; the 26-year-old catcher had been back to his slugging ways before incurring the injury.
  • Outfielder Giancarlo Stanton also seems to be showing signs of nearing a return from his biceps injury, though he’s certainly still further off. Stanton has taken cuts off a pitching machine, as Hoch tweeted yesterday, though it’s still a bit uncertain when he’ll be fully ready for activation. It seems possible, but not certain, that Stanton could return before the club wraps up a lengthy West Coast road trip on May 9th.
  • Several other players are also progressing, but on less-certain timelines. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is also working back from a calf strain that is a bit more significant than Sanchez’s. (Via Hoch; Twitter link.) He’s participating in baseball activities and says he’s feeling good, but there’s still no indication when he’ll be ready. Outfielder Aaron Hicks is also engaged in a variety of baseball functions but hasn’t yet taken batting practice to test out his ailing back. He’s hoping to do so this week, Wagner tweets, which would perhaps clear the way for a rehab assignment.

AL Notes: Royals, Gordon, Yanks, BoSox, Holt

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Royals left fielder Alex Gordon has considered retiring after 2019, the last guaranteed season of his four-year, $72MM contract, Rustin Dodd of The Athletic reports (subscription required). That decision’s on hold for the time being, but now the question is whether the career-long Royal, 35, will finish the season with the club. Gordon has gotten off to such a superb start this year that Dodd notes he could emerge as a viable in-season trade candidate for the rebuilding Royals. But Gordon has 10-and-5 rights, meaning he’d be able to kibosh any trade, and his lofty salary ($20MM this year and a $4MM buyout in 2020) further complicates matters. While Gordon was an indispensable piece for the Royals in his younger days, his production has fallen flat since he received his contract. However, as Dodd explains, Gordon may have revived his career thanks to a mechanical adjustment he made last August. Gordon ended 2018 on a positive note and has come back with a vengeance this year, evidenced by his .356/.456/.667 line with three home runs and more walks (seven) than strikeouts (five) in 57 plate appearances. He has already totaled 1.0 fWAR, compared to a paltry 0.5 in 1,057 PA from 2016-17.

Now the latest on a few other AL notables…

  • Big-ticket offseason pickup James Paxton has struggled so far as a member of the Yankees, which led the left-hander to talk with his sports psychologist, Sweeny Murti of WFAN tweets. The former Mariner revealed he had been putting too much pressure on himself to succeed with his new team, though he now believes he’s on the right track. Paxton also found out from Yankees special advisor Carlos Beltran that he was tipping his curveball grip in his most recent start, an ugly showing in Houston on April 10. He’ll attempt to incorporate Beltran’s advice against Boston on Tuesday.
  • Speaking Sunday with reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and Erik Boland of Newsday, Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks said he feels “great” and could take on-field batting practice in the next week. There’s still no timetable for his return, though. Hicks has been dealing with a lower back issue since early March, shortly after the Yankees inked him to a seven-year, $70MM contract extension. Although his absence has deprived the Yankees of one of the game’s preeminent center fielders, battle-tested reserve Brett Gardner has delivered passable offensive production (90 wRC+ in 61 plate appearances) in his stead.
  • Red Sox utilityman Brock Holt is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Monday, but he won’t return until at least “late in the week,” Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com writes. Holt, who has been on the IL since April 6 with a scratched right cornea, will see a doctor Tuesday and could then embark on a rehab assignment. Prior to his injury, the 30-year-old Holt got off to a slow start, as have fellow Red Sox second basemen Dustin Pedroia and Eduardo Nunez.

Yankees Notes: Rotation, Keuchel, Andujar, Hicks, Stanton

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Though the Yankees’ rotation was dealt a substantial blow yesterday with the news that Luis Severino would be shut down entirely for another six weeks, the organization isn’t hitting the panic button and making a sudden push for lingering free-agent Dallas Keuchel, SNY’s John Harper reports. New York general manager Brian Cashman would prefer to “exhaust all of the alternatives” before pursuing Keuchel unless the former Cy Young winner’s price tag drops even further. SNY’s Andy Martino tweets a similar sentiment, suggesting there’s no interest in Keuchel at this time.

The Yankees will be getting some help for a beleaguered rotation this weekend, however, as manager Aaron Boone revealed to reporters Wednesday that CC Sabathia will be activated from the injured list and make his 2019 debut on Saturday (Twitter link via Newsday’s Erik Boland). The Yanks also have Gio Gonzalez tuning up in Triple-A, and given that the lefty has an April 20 opt-out in his minor league contract, it seems likely that he’ll get a look sooner rather than later.

More out of the Bronx…

  • Third baseman Miguel Andujar made 25 throws from 60 feet this week and has been cleared to swing a bat on Friday, the team told the media today (Twitter link via George A. King III of the New Pork). It’s not yet clear if the young slugger will be able to avoid surgery to repair the small tear in his right shoulder’s labrum, though both he and the Yankees are hopeful that he can avoid going under the knife. In his absence, DJ LeMahieu has been hitting well while manning the hot corner, though injuries to both Andujar and Troy Tulowitzki have tested the Yankees’ infield depth.
  • Center fielder Aaron Hicks has begun to hit soft-toss in addition to his throwing regimen, tweets James Wagner of the New York Times. He’s also been running the bases recently and is optimistic that he’ll be able to take on-field batting practice in the near future. Meanwhile, Giancarlo Stanton has begun to swing a bat as he works his way toward a return. Both players figure to need to minor league rehab assignments before they’re able to suit up to return to the Yankees, but it seems that each is proceeding free of any setbacks at present.

AL East Notes: Hicks, Bogaerts, Red Sox, Davis

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Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks was cleared to resume baseball activities today and, according to manager Aaron Boone, won’t need a rehab stint that mirrors Spring Training’s six-week length (Twitter link via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). However, Hicks is still multiple weeks away from surfacing as an option for the injury-plagued Yankees, whose outfield currently consists of Aaron Judge, Brett Gardner and Clint Frazier. Hicks, Giancarlo Stanton and Jacoby Ellsbury are among the 11 players New York currently has on the injured list.

More from the AL East…

  • WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford explores the manner in which Xander Bogaerts’ $120MM extension with the Red Sox came together. As agent Scott Boras explained, the Sox had made previous overtures during Bogaerts’ arbitration seasons, but the two sides had never been on the same page. Part of that, per Boras, was a belief that Bogaerts’ offense was eventually going to jump to the level it did last season. A greater driving factor, as Boras tells it, was Boston’s eventual willingness to include an opt-out clause to sweeten the deal. The opt-out not only gives Bogaerts the chance to reevaluate the Red Sox in a few years but more importantly provides him another bite at the free-agent apple. “He’s going to be a 29-year-old free agent,” Boras said. Both president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski and Boras noted that Bogaerts had a strong desire to stay in Boston, which pushed the deal across the finish line in the end.
  • Chris Davis’ season is already off to a nightmare start, Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun writes. The 33-year-old is off to an 0-for-17 start with 11 strikeouts and four walks through 21 plate appearances, including three punchouts in today’s home opener. Davis spoke to reporters after the game and conceded that he wasn’t surprised to be met with a chorus of boos after his third strikeout of the game but noted that it was still “tough” to hear even if Orioles fans are rightful in expressing their displeasure. Rookie manager Brandon Hyde voiced support of the beleaguered slugger and said he plans to continue playing Davis and trying to put him in advantageous matchups to get him going. Davis’ teammates spoke positively of him as well. “He’s one of the better teammates that I’ve had in my time in the big leagues,” said Alex Cobb. “I know he cares so much. To feel that in front of your own fans, I can’t even imagine.”

East Notes: Orioles, Hays, Yankees, Hicks, Braves, Anibal

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The Orioles announced several roster cuts Sunday, as Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com was among those to cover. Outfielder Austin Hays, who looked like a strong contender for a season-opening starting role, is the most notable player returning to the minors. General manager Mike Elias insisted service time didn’t factor into the decision, suggesting it’s irrelevant in Hays’ case because he already debuted in 2017, Kubatko tweets. Based on his spring, in which he put together a video game-like .351/.385/.892 line with five home runs in 37 at-bats, Hays deserved a roster spot in Baltimore. The promising prospect is coming off an injury-shortened season in which he posted underwhelming minor league numbers across 327 plate appearances, however. Per Kubatko, Hays and the Orioles believe there’s more for him to work on at the Triple-A level, where he hasn’t yet played. “I still haven’t played too many games in the minor leagues,” Hays said. “I haven’t had too many at-bats. I missed almost a whole year last year due to injuries, so there’s some time I need to make up.”

More from the East Coast…

  • The lower back problems that have shelved Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks this month will also sideline him for the team’s season-opening series, ESPN’s Coley Harvey reports. Hicks informed Harvey he underwent a second cortisone shot Sunday, though the 29-year-old is optimistic he’ll return at the outset of April. Without Hicks, it’s likely both Luke Voit and Greg Bird – who have been vying for the starting job at first base – will make New York’s roster, observes MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch, who notes the team will have to choose between Clint Frazier and Tyler Wade as its fourth outfielder. Regardless, the Yankees are left to hope Hicks’ injury doesn’t turn into an ongoing issue, especially after they inked him to a seven-year, $70MM extension last month.
  • Braves manager Brian Snitker expects relievers A.J. Minter (shoulder) and Darren O’Day (forearm) to open 2019 on the injured list, Mark Bowman of MLB.com relays. Minter’s absence could prove especially detrimental, given that the lefty has thrived since debuting in 2017 and figured to begin the season sharing closer duties with Arodys Vizcaino. O’Day hasn’t yet pitched since last June, nor has he debuted with the Braves, who acquired him from Baltimore in July while he was shelved with a season-ending hamstring injury. The absences of Minter and O’Day may make Atlanta an even better fit for free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel, but to this point, it doesn’t seem as if the club has seriously pursued its former star.
  • Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos has developed an affinity for right-hander Anibal Sanchez over the past several years, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com explains. Despite that, the Braves didn’t re-sign Sanchez this past offseason after he experienced a career renaissance in their uniform last year. Thanks in part to their collection of young, major league-ready starters, the Braves were hesitant to ink Sanchez to a multiyear guarantee over the winter, Anthopoulos revealed, thereby paving the way for his exit. The 35-year-old ended up accepting division-rival Washington’s two-year, $19MM offer. “Obviously, you never want to see a division rival get better, but I’m so fond of him that I’m really happy for him,” said Anthopoulos, whose club benefited from Sanchez’s presence in 2018 after signing him for just $1MM in late March.

Yankees Notes: Gio, Florial, Hicks

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The Yankees, first connected to free agent Gio Gonzalez earlier this month, have maintained interest in the left-hander, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. There is no indication the two sides are close to an agreement, however, Heyman adds. The Yankees initially showed interest in Gonzalez before ace Luis Severino went down with shoulder inflammation, and now the club knows the right-hander is likely to miss at least the first month of the season. Additionally, the Yankees will open the year without lefty C.C. Sabathia, who’s recovering from multiple offseason surgeries, though it seems he’ll make his 2019 debut before Severino.

Without Severino and Sabathia, the Yankees are set to open the season with Domingo German and Luis Cessa as their best starting options behind the Masahiro Tanaka–James Paxton–J.A. Happ trio. While the 33-year-old Gonzalez is far more proven than German and Cessa, the Yankees may not feel the need to add him or any other established hurler to their rotation if they expect Severino and Sabathia back in relatively short order. Should the Yankees spurn him, it would continue a disappointing trip to free agency for Gonzalez, who has encountered a tepid market after a strong 11-year run divided among Oakland, Washington and Milwaukee. Through 1,814 innings and 313 appearances (307 starts), Gonzalez owns a 3.69 ERA/3.63 FIP with 8.67 K/9, 3.77 BB/9 and a 47.2 percent groundball rate.

More on the Yanks…

  • Outfield prospect Estevan Florial suffered a non-displaced fracture of his right wrist during Saturday’s game, the Yankees announced. It’s not yet known how much time Florial will miss, but he’ll undergo further testing Monday. Florial, who’s regarded as the Yankees’ No. 1 prospect, had been enjoying an impressive spring prior to the injury. The 21-year-old slashed .355/.429/.516 in 31 exhibition at-bats, though he wasn’t in the running for a season-opening roster spot in New York. Not only are the Yankees loaded in the outfield, but Florial hasn’t gotten past the High-A level yet. Florial logged 339 plate appearances there last year, when he hit .255/.354/.361 but also missed nearly three months with a fractured hamate bone in his right hand.
  • At the big league level, center fielder Aaron Hicks may open the season on the 10-day injured list, general manager Brian Cashman admitted Friday (via James Wagner of the New York Times). Regarding Hicks, who has been on the shelf throughout this month because of lower back issues, Cashman said: “We’re running out of time. We’re going to do what’s right for us in the long haul.” The Yankees made a long-term investment in Hicks, 29, less than a month ago when they signed him to a seven-year, $70MM extension. If Hicks misses the beginning of the season, New York will deploy fourth outfielder Brett Gardner in center, where he carries extensive experience.

Health Notes: Duffy, Polanco, Hicks, Sabathia, Didi

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Here are the latest updates on a few health situations from around the game …

  • Royals lefty Danny Duffy is working through a mound progression, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports on Twitter. Shoulder tightness has limited Duffy in camp and seems likely to prevent him from opening the season on the active roster. He’ll throw 25 to 30 pitches off the bump tomorrow, working in a few offspeed offerings in a session that ought to help the club assess his timeline.
  • Though Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco hit in a minor-league game today, he’s still on a slow path back to the majors. Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets that throwing is the major limiting factor at this point for Polanco, who’s working back from shoulder surgery. Still, the outlook seems much better now than might have been feared. Polanco could return in May, per Brink, which might make for a nice early-season boost.
  • Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks has undergone a cortisone shot in hopes of resolving some lower back woes, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports. He called it a “lingering” problem that needed to be taken care of, but shouldn’t hamper his ability to play on Opening Day. Hicks believes he’ll only need to sit out a few days before getting back to action and finishing his preparation for the coming season — his first since inking a $70MM deal with the club earlier this spring.
  • In other Yankees news, southpaw CC Sabathia toed the rubber against hitters today for the first time in camp, Ackert tweets. Sabathia has been taking things slow after undergoing an angioplasty over the offseason. Shortstop Didi Gregorius is on an even longer timeline as he works back from Tommy John surgery. He’s currently taking dry swings with the bat, though, as MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch tweets. It’s good to see some tangible progress; Gregorius, though, still appears to be on a timeline to return in the middle of the season.

Yankees Notes: Betances, Hicks, Frazier

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A few items on the Bronx Bombers…

  • Flamethrowing Yankees reliever Dellin Betances’ fastball has clocked in from the high 80s to the low 90s this week, a far cry from the 98 mph mean he posted in 2018. However, a slow start to the spring is neither a first nor a concern for Betances, whose fastball has helped him deliver elite production across five major league seasons. “I won’t be all the way until May,’’ Betances said of his velo (via George A. King III of the New York Post). “I have done this already. It’s always been a topic. Whenever Dellin Betances is throwing 88 to 90 everybody freaks out and panics.’’ While the soon-to-be 31-year-old Betances isn’t worried about his early 2019 velocity drop, it’s worth monitoring given that he’s in his last season of team control. Betances will be in line for a lucrative contract in free agency next winter if his heater returns to normal and he enjoys another strong season, though the Yankees could extend the right-hander before then.
  • Center fielder Aaron Hicks – shelved since March 1 with discomfort in his back – has been receiving treatment and will see a doctor Monday, according to manager Aaron Boone (via James Wagner of the New York Times). Boone noted Hicks isn’t experiencing a ton of discomfort, but the Yankees want to take a cautious approach with the 29-year-old, Wagner relays. New York just signed Hicks to a seven-year, $70MM extension on Feb. 25.
  • Meanwhile, fellow outfielder Clint Frazier seems ticketed for Triple-A to start the season, Boone suggested this week (per King). “He needs to play every day,’’ Boone said of Frazier, who wouldn’t get everyday playing time in New York with the established quartet of Hicks, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Brett Gardner blocking him. Boone added the Yankees do expect the 24-year-old Frazier to make a big league impact in 2019, which he wasn’t able to do last season during a concussion-limited campaign. Frazier totaled just 41 plate appearances with the Yankees last season, when he slashed an outstanding .311/.389/.574 in 216 PAs at the minors’ highest level.

Injury Notes: Mallex, Pena, Hicks, Kendrick

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Mariners center fielder Mallex Smith has been sitting out the early portion of camp due to a strained flexor mass in his right forearm, but doctors have cleared him to begin baseball activities, Greg Johns of MLB.com tweets. Smith has already played light catch and will begin the process of getting himself into game shape. It’s perhaps a stretch to think he could be ready for the team’s two-game set against the A’s in Japan on March 20-21, but he still has a bit more than three weeks to prep for the Mariners’ home opener on March 28. Acquired in the trade that sent Mike Zunino to the Rays this winter, the 25-year-old Smith is penciled in as Seattle’s primary center fielder for the upcoming season. In 141 games for Tampa Bay last season, he hit .296/.367/.406 with a pair of homers and 40 stolen bases.

A few more injury updates from around the game…

  • The competition to serve as the Cardinals’ backup to catcher Yadier Molina may have gained further clarity Tuesday, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets that Francisco Pena will be sidelined for the next 10 to 15 days due to an apparent oblique injury. It’s awful timing for Pena, who looked like the primary choice to serve as Molina’s backup until the Cardinals signed Matt Wieters to a minor league contract last week. Now, with Pena ailing, Wieters looks all the more likely to secure a roster spot with the Cards come Opening Day. While Pena would be the stronger defensive option of the two, even Wieters’ diminished offensive production in recent seasons dwarfs that of Pena; in 271 plate appearances last season, Wieters slashed .238/.330/.374 to Pena’s .203/.239/.271 (142 PAs).
  • Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks underwent an MRI after feeling discomfort in his back, per Brendan Kuty of NJ.com. Doctors didn’t express concern upon viewing the results of the test, and Hicks said he’s confident he’s headed in the right direction. However, there’s also no clear timeline for when Hicks will return to game activity. He’s been out since last Friday, and Bryan Hoch of MLB.com tweets that it’ll be “several more days” before Hicks resumes batting practice. Hicks signed a seven-year, $70MM contract extension recently, forgoing a trip through free agency next offseason in the process.
  • Nationals infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick could be headed for an MRI after exiting this morning’s Grapefruit League game with a hamstring strain, tweets Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. The 35-year-old is hoping for a bounceback season in terms of health after missing the majority of the 2018 campaign due to a ruptured Achilles tendon. Kendrick was excellent in the 40 games he played last year, hitting .303/.331/.474 through 160 plate appearances. He’ll back up all around the infield and in the outfield corners this season, health permitting, as he plays out the second season of a two-year, $7MM contract in D.C.
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