Shohei Ohtani, DH/SP, LAA
Ohtani will have his first start of Spring Training moved up from Wednesday to Tuesday next week. The 2021 AL MVP, who threw a live bullpen session without any issues on Wednesday, is moving up his start next week to give him an extra day of rest before he travels to Tokyo to join Team Japan for the World Baseball Classic. He will also face an easier opponent as a result, going up against the Oakland A's in Mesa, AZ instead of the Milwaukee Brewers in Tempe, AZ. The 28-year-old two-way superstar is gearing up for what could be another monster season before he hits free agency next winter, so he has every motivation to be at his absolute best this year.
Nick Pivetta, SP, BOS
Pivetta opted out of the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday as he continues to recover from Covid. While he was initially slated to represent Canada in the tournament next month, the 30-year-old right-hander doesn't believe he'll be ready in time. Pivetta began exhibiting symptoms on Friday, when he was forced to prematurely stop a throwing session after doubling over and appearing visibly pained. While it was initially believed that he may have suffered an injury, he was later diagnosed with Covid. Pivetta is taking a break from baseball activities at the moment but should be able to resume them at some point during the next week or two, so barring any setbacks he doesn't appear to be in danger of missing the start of the season.
Kyle Schwarber, OF, PHI
Schwarber took Phillies prospect Andrew Painter deep during live batting practice at Spring Training on Wednesday. The reigning NL home run champ picked up right where he left off after mashing 46 home runs last year -- second only to Aaron Judge's 62. The 46 bombs were a career-high for Schwarber, who is entering the second season of his four-year, $79 million deal with Philadelphia. While the 29-year-old slugger has a solid decade on the 19-year-old Painter, his home run was impressive nevertheless. Painter is currently the No. 6 prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline and has a legitimate chance to open the season in Philadelphia's rotation. All signs point to another big season from Schwarber, especially if he continues to bat leadoff in a loaded Phillies lineup.
Lance McCullers Jr., SP, HOU
McCullers will miss the start of the season after being shut down from throwing with what he called a small muscle strain. The former All-Star made the announcement that he will not be ready for Opening Day on Wednesday after undergoing an MRI on Tuesday. The injury apparently surfaced last week, as Astros manager Dusty Baker announced over the weekend that McCullers would be shut down temporarily. It sounds like McCullers will need additional rest, however, and may open the season on the IL list as a result. This is a disappointing setback for the 29-year-old, who made only eight regular-season starts last year due to a right flexor tendon strain. Houston is being understandably cautious with McCullers given his fairly extensive injury history, especially since he's expected to help pick up the slack in the rotation following Justin Verlander's offseason departure. The Astros don't want to push McCullers before the season's even started, but hopefully this absence won't be too lengthy and he'll be able to return sometime in April.
Fernando Tatis Jr., SS/OF, SDP
Padres manager Bob Melvin outlined his plan to get Tatis ready for the upcoming season on Wednesday. Tatis has not played an MLB game in nearly a year and a half due to injuries and his PED suspension, so the team wants to be careful with him to make sure he's ready to go when he's eligible to return from his suspension on April 20. Melvin also wants to ensure that Tatis will be able to hold up for the entire season given San Diego's playoff aspirations, which is something the 24-year-old superstar has never done before. Melvin said that Tatis will not play in the team's first Spring Training game on Friday, but that he expects Tatis to play within the first week. Melvin has also had the former shortstop playing the outfield exclusively during Spring Training so that he'll be ready to take over as the team's primary right fielder. With roughly two months until Tatis is eligible to return, it will be important for San Diego to manage his ramp-up period so that he's ready to play without pushing him too hard. If they do it correctly, the former All-Star could have a career year when he returns now that he's surrounded by Juan Soto and Xander Bogaerts, not to mention Manny Machado.
Tim Anderson, SS, CHW
Anderson has revealed that he would like to negotiate a contract extension with the Chicago White Sox. Anderson has been with Chicago for nearly a decade now since they took him with 17th overall pick in the first round of the 2013 MLB Draft. He's currently playing under a $12.5 million club option for 2023 and will likely remain with the White Sox for a $14 million team option in 2024, but he told reporters that he'd like to stay with the organization beyond that. The two-time All-Star will turn 30 this season and has put down roots in the Windy City, so it's not surprising that he's looking to stay in a place where his career has flourished. He did indicate that he's not willing to take a hometown discount, however, especially after seeing the enormous contracts that Trea Turner, Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson got this offseason. Time will tell if the two sides are able to get something done this season or next year, although Chicago may not be too keen on giving a shortstop in his 30s a big-money deal for the second half of his career.
Gerrit Cole, SP, NYY
Cole threw two innings against his Yankee teammates during a simulated game at Spring Training on Wednesday. After the game, Cole told reporters that he was impressed with his fastball command and felt good about the weak contact he generated from New York's powerful lineup. The Yankees have to feel encouraged about their ace's performance, who looks sharp heading into his 11th MLB season. The 32-year-old righty is coming off another excellent campaign in 2022, where he led MLB with 257 strikeouts while going 13-8 with a 3.50 ERA. The goal for him will be reducing hard contact this year after allowing 33 home runs last season -- most in the American League. Still, he and Carlos Rodon project to be a formidable 1-2 punch at the top of New York's rotation as the Yanks look to win their first World Series since 2009.
Eloy Jimenez, DH/OF, CHW
Jimenez revealed that he lost 25-30 pounds this offseason in an effort to be quicker, faster and more athletic, as he was in the minor leagues. The LF/DH also wants to be able to play right field if needed now that Andrew Benintendi is occupying his old position in left. Jimenez said he lost the weight by giving up red meat and eating more lean meats like chicken and salmon. Based on his listed weight of 240 pounds, that would mean he's currently down to about 210-215 pounds. That could make a significant difference for the 26-year-old Silver Slugger winner, who has never stolen a base in his MLB career and has relied more on his bat than his speed or defense to provide value. Shedding some weight might also keep him healthier and help him avoid injury, which would be great for someone who's never played 130 games in a season since debuting in 2019. The only drawback is that a slimmer physique could cost him some of his power, which is a big part of his game based on his career .504 slugging percentage and .228 ISO. If he legs out a few more hits and swipes a couple bags, however, perhaps the trade-off will be worth it.
Will Smith, C, LAD
Smith is expected to see fewer at-bats at designated hitter in 2023 following the offseason acquisition of J.D. Martinez. Martinez is a full-time DH at this stage in his career and did not play a single inning in the field during 2022. Assuming Martinez stays healthy, that means the DH spot won't be free for Smith on days when he's not catching. Smith DH'ed 25 times last year, which helped him play a career-high 137 games and log over 500 official at-bats for the first time. Expect that number to decrease closer to 400-450 at-bats with Martinez on the roster, which will limit some of Smith's counting numbers as well. That said, the 27-year-old backstop should still be good for around 20 homers with his typically strong ratios.
Christopher Morel, UT, CHC
Morel believes he is better prepared for his second MLB season coming off a productive offseason. After batting a solid .235/.308/.433 with 16 home runs and 10 steals in 113 games as a rookie last year, the 23-year-old utilityman added some weight this offseason to help him get through a full campaign this year. He also worked on his plate discipline and understanding the strike zone better, which could help him improve on last year's 8.9 BB% and 32.2 K%. Hopefully those adjustments help Morel avoid a sophomore slump after fading down the stretch last year, as his OPS plunged from .850 in late July to .741 by season's end. Perhaps fatigue was a factor in that, as he was given frequent off days during the second half as well.
Ty France, 1B, SEA
France is looking to get back on track in 2023 after an elbow/wrist injury derailed what was shaping up to be a promising 2022 campaign. France was an All-Star for the first time last year but changed his swing after suffering an injury in late June, which sidelined him for two weeks and caused his OPS to tumble from .867 before the injury to .687 after it. Now healthy, the 28-year-old first baseman is looking to finish what he started last year, when he still notched career highs with 20 home runs and 83 RBIs. If France stays healthy this year, his OPS should climb back over .800 after finishing last year at .774. He could also potentially approach 25 homers and 100 RBIs if he continues to bat second in Seattle's lineup.
Frankie Montas, SP, NYY
The Yankees got some encouraging news on Montas on Wednesday after undergoing shoulder surgery on Tuesday. Aaron Boone told reporters that the surgery was successful and that Montas could return at some point during the second half of the season, potentially in August. That could provide a significant boost to New York's pitching staff down the stretch, whether Montas returns to the rotation or comes back in a bullpen role. While Montas struggled after coming over from the Oakland A's last year with a 6.35 ERA in eight starts, joining the Yankees is typically a big adjustment for any player, especially one coming from Oakland. The hope is that with the surgery behind him, he'll feel more comfortable during his second year in pinstripes. The 29-year-old righty will need to avoid any setbacks in his recovery to make Boone's timeline a reality, but at least he's not expected to miss the entire season at the moment.
Ryan Pepiot, SP, LAD
Pepiot impressed during a live batting practice session against his Dodger teammates on Wednesday, including former MVPs Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. His changeup looked especially nasty as he flashed his impressive stuff. The 25-year-old righty enters the season as LA's No. 6 prospect and the No. 70 overall prospect in baseball according to MLB Pipeline. He showed promise during his call-up last year, going 3-0 with a 3.47 ERA and 42 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings. He needs to limit his mistakes, however, after posting an ugly 6.7 BB/9 and 1.5 HR/9. If he can get those numbers under control, he has the potential to emerge as a strong starting option for the Dodgers this year.
Michael King, RP, NYY
King faced live hitters for the third time this spring on Wednesday, throwing two innings against his Yankee teammates as he continues to recover from a fractured elbow that cut his 2022 season short. King was optimistic after his latest outing and believes he'll be ready for Opening Day thanks to his aggressive offseason workout program. The 27-year-old righty is expected to play a significant role in New York's bullpen this year and will look to pick up where he left off after posting a career-best 2.29 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 11.6 K/9 ratio through 51 innings before going down last year.
Brandon Bielak, RP, HOU
Bielak will start Houston's Spring Training opener on Saturday against the New York Mets. Bielak is not typically used as a starter with just eight career starts in 45 regular-season games, but his ability to throw multiple innings makes him an ideal opener in what Dusty Baker has promised will be a bullpen game for some of his team's relievers. The 26-year-old righty will look to make a good first impression after being limited to just five appearances and 12 1/3 innings for the World Series champions last year. Now heading into his fourth season, Bielak is looking to play a more prominent role in Houston's bullpen, so shutting down New York's lineup this weekend would be a good start to making his case for more innings.
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