As spring training continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Nationals 40-man move incoming:
The Nationals were reportedly nearing a deal with right-hander Lucas Sims earlier this week, and this morning MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman reports that Sims has a locker in the team’s clubhouse. Given that, it seems likely that the club will make Sims’ deal official at some point today. The Nationals will need to make room on the 40-man roster in order to bring Sims into the fold officially. Right-hander Mason Thompson is recovering from Tommy John surgery after undergoing the procedure last March, making him a potential candidate for the 60-day injured list, but it’s also possible he’ll be ready to return early enough in the season that the club doesn’t want to commit to shelving him for the first two months of the season.
2. Extension season underway:
The Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not reach an extension before Guerrero’s self-imposed deadline yesterday, which took perhaps the winter’s highest-profile extension target off of the table. That same day, the Diamondbacks finalized an extension with shortstop Geraldo Perdomo that extends the team’s window of club control by three seasons. Spring training is the most common time for players and clubs to discuss the possibility of a longer-term deal. Pending free agents like Guerrero, Kyle Tucker, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto have all seen their names surface in extension rumors. A team like the Red Sox could have extra motivation to try to lock up a trade acquisition (e.g. Garrett Crochet) after parting with significant prospect talent to acquire him. But, Perdomo’s extension serves as a reminder that many long-term deals for players still approaching or just entering arbitration come to fruition without virtually any buzz beforehand. As can be seen in MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, there were 25 spring extensions hammered out from 2022-24: six in 2024, 11 in 2023 and another eight in 2022.
3. MLBTR Chat:
Spring training is now officially underway, though a handful of of MLBTR’s Top 50 Free Agents remain unsigned and some clubs still have more work to do before the start of the season. Whether you have a trade proposal in the back of your mind or questions about an upcoming camp battle this spring, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will be here to answer your questions during a live chat scheduled for 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.