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The New York Yankees pitching staff has taken another hit with right-hander Chase Whitley going on the disabled list and facing a decision on Tommy John surgery. 

Continue for updates. 

Whitley Has Partially Torn UCL

Friday, May 15

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, Whitley has been placed on the disabled list with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow:

Tommy John surgery has become an epidemic over the last two years, with the Yankees getting hit particularly hard since 2014. Ivan Nova is on the 60-day disabled list still recovering from elbow reconstruction surgery last April.  

Masahiro Tanaka was diagnosed with a partially torn UCL last July and only made two starts in the second half of 2014. He also made four starts in 2015 before being placed on the disabled list with a forearm strain in late April. 

Whitley will certainly go through all of his options before making a final decision that could cost him at least one year. The 25-year-old has made four starts this season with a 4.19 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 19.1 innings, His last start came on Thursday against Tampa Bay in which he lasted just 1.2 innings before being pulled. 

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David Price left Detroit’s game against the Royals on May 8 in the seventh inning after sustaining a hamstring injury. Price suffered the injury slipping on a bat.

Continue for updates.

Price Optimistic of Making Next Start

Saturday, May 9

Matthew B. Mowery of the Oakland Press reported that Price suffered a mild hamstring strain, and his next start will come sometime early next week. 

Jason Beck of MLB.com passed along comments from Price, who said he was feeling fine after leaving his last start:

“I feel fine,” Price said Saturday morning at Comerica Park.

Manager Brad Ausmus, who has to worry about his rotation for next week’s series against Minnesota and at St. Louis, said his reports from head athletic trainer Kevin Rand were similarly upbeat.

“He wasn’t limping, and had minimal soreness. That’s a big plus,” Ausmus said.

On May 8, Beck reported manager Brad Ausmus confirmed Price’s injury was to his hamstring. 

Mowery reported Price said he hyperextended the leg slipping on a bat.

For the first time in years, the Detroit Tigers rotation looks vulnerable. Left-hander Price was poised to lead the group in 2015, so it’s unfortunate for the team to see the All-Star suffer an injury so early in the season.

Price, whom the Tigers acquired last year at the trade deadline, performed well with a 3.59 ERA and 82 strikeouts in 77.2 innings, and he helped get the team into the postseason before it lost in the American League Division Series against the Baltimore Orioles. 

After Max Scherzer signed with the Washington Nationals and Rick Porcello was traded to the Boston Red Sox, Price became the No. 1 starter. Justin Verlander hasn’t looked like the ace he’s still being paid to be while Anibal Sanchez has proved to be too injury-prone to hold that mantle. 

In a beefed-up American League Central, with the Cleveland Indians boasting a strong collection of largely young talent on the rise and the Chicago White Sox reshaping their roster through trades and free agency, the Tigers’ stranglehold over the division hasn’t been this tenuous since 2010. 

An injury to Price immediately makes the Tigers weaker though as long as he doesn’t miss significant time, they should be able to compete with the Indians, White Sox and Kansas City Royals to make the playoffs. He also has to play things safe in a bid for a massive contract as he prepares to enter free agency following this season.

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Josh Hamilton‘s on-field return with the Texas Rangers is inching closer. The 2010 American League MVP has started playing games in extended spring training, with a rehab assignment on the horizon. 

Continue for updates.  

Hamilton To Join Triple-A Round Rock

Friday, May 8

According to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Hamilton will begin his rehab assignment with Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday. The report notes the slugger took part in an extended spring training game Friday in which the club found him to be ready for more advanced competition:

The left fielder played Friday in an extended spring game on his 11th day in Surprise, Ariz., and was deemed ready for a higher level of competition after going 1-for-5 with a three-run homer against Seattle. The Rangers have no set plan for how long Hamilton will be with Round Rock.

Rangers manager Jeff Banister is quoted in Wilson’s report as saying Hamilton’s rehab is “about him being in shape and having his legs underneath him and the ability to repeat daily how he feels.”

Hamilton is recovering from right shoulder surgery he had in February that would keep him out for six to eight weeks. He was still with the Los Angeles Angels at the time of the operation but was dealt back to Texas, where he played from 2008-12, on April 27. 

The 33-year-old has a well-documented past off the field, but staying on the field has been a problem as well due to injuries throughout his career. The Rangers know Hamilton as well as any team, so they are going to take their time with his rehab to ensure they get the best version of the former All-Star as he looks to reignite his career. 

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When Cincinnati Reds star Joey Votto bumped umpire Chris Conroy during a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, it was only a matter of time before Major League Baseball took action.

Now, according to the MLB public relations staff on Twitter, Votto‘s punishment will cost him one game. The Reds slugger will serve his suspension Friday against the Chicago White Sox:

The incident occurred after Votto struck out against Pirates right-hander Gerrit Cole. The 2010 National League MVP was unhappy with the first pitch that was called a strike. After the inning, he slammed his helmet to the ground and said something before Conroy ejected him.

Votto decided to get his money’s worth after being thrown out by getting in Conroy’s face, bumping his body against the veteran umpire.

The silver lining for Cincinnati is that Votto will sit out only one game. The Reds are off to an OK start, sporting a 14-14 record entering play Friday, and are seven games behind St. Louis in the National League Central.

Votto is healthy for the first time since 2013, and he is playing like his old self again. The 31-year-old has already surpassed his 2014 home run total (six), with seven in 28 games, and has a .986 OPS. The Reds will miss his bat against the White Sox, but at least it won’t be a prolonged absence.

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Max Scherzer has been one of the most durable pitchers in baseball since 2009, but the Washington Nationals ace is dealing with a sprained right thumb.     

Continue for updates.

Scherzer Throws Off Mound

Tuesday, April 28

The Nationals announced Scherzer threw off a mound and threw all of his pitches on Tuesday. They also noted his next start date remains unclear.

On April 27, Fox Sports’ Jon Morosi noted the details of Scherzer‘s thumb injury:

Scherzer, 30, is 1-2 this season with a 1.26 ERA and 29 strikeouts over four starts. 

One reason that Scherzer was able to get a $210 million contract from the Nationals in the offseason is because of his consistency. The prized right-hander has made at least 30 starts in six consecutive seasons and has thrown at least 187.2 innings in five straight campaigns. 

It’s no secret that durability decreases as you get older, though The Associated Press (h/t SportsNet Canada) broke down the numbers to show how rapid the decline usually is for pitchers who sign $100-plus million contracts:

The $100 million pitchers have combined to average a 12-9 record and 3.39 ERA during the first four seasons of their deals, according to STATS. During the remaining years, they fell to a 7-7 record and 4.43 ERA.

Durability decreases dramatically, with the group averaging 205 innings in first seasons, 178 by the third year, and 132 by the fifth.

The silver lining for Washington, whether Scherzer is only out for a short time or facing a lengthy absence, is that the rotation is loaded with talent. Jordan Zimmermann, Stephen Strasburg and Doug Fister would be No. 1 starters on most teams, while Gio Gonzalez had a 3.57 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 158.2 innings last year.

While Scherzer adds a different dynamic, the Nationals are one of the few teams equipped to deal with this scenario without suffering a significant drop in production.  

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During a game between the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards on Saturday, protests in the city of Baltimore caused Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to urge fans at the stadium to remain there for the time being.

Eduardo A. Encina of The Baltimore Sun tweeted out a picture of Mayor Rawlings-Blake’s message that appeared on the Camden Yards video scoreboard:

The gates to leave the stadium appear to have been locked at some point, as Encina later confirmed that the gates were reopened.

After the game, MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli provided Chris Davis’ thoughts: “I hope this blows over and we can get past it and move forward because this is too good of a city for this to happen.”

The Associated Press (via ABC 2 News) reported thousands of people were lining the streets near Camden Yards for a Freddie Gray rally that eventually turned hostile.

Gray died last Sunday after suffering a severe spinal cord injury while detained by police. The incident is under investigation, per CNN’s Miguel Marquez and Steve Almasy.

The Red Sox-Orioles game was still going on at the time of the announcement from the mayor. Boston tied the game at three in the top of the ninth inning and took the lead in the top of the 10th on a home run by Xander Bogaerts. But the Orioles put in two more on a David Lough home run in the bottom of that inning for the walk-off 5-4 win. 

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St. Louis Cardinals ace Adam Wainwright has been fighting injuries on a near-constant basis since late in 2014. It’s appears to be a problem again, as the veteran came up limping after batting against the Brewers on Saturday.

Continue for updates. 

Wainwright Suffers Ankle Injury vs. Brewers

Saturday, April 25

Scott Miller of Bleacher Report noted that Wainwright left the game, limping badly, after an at-bat on Saturday. The Cardinals announced it as an ankle injury that he will have re-evaluated when the team returns to St. Louis. Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com reported the MRI is scheduled for Monday and that the team isn’t ruling out an Achilles injury.

Wainwright has endured his share of issues since the Cardinals reported to spring training in February. He suffered an abdominal strain on February 26 and didn’t pitch in a game until March 21. While he’s currently 2-1 with a 1.44 ERA so far this season, the injuries are concerning.

After the 2014 season ended, Wainwright underwent a minor procedure on his pitching elbow to repair an issue with cartilage. Despite some of the wear and tear on his arm, the 33-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down. 

Since 2012, Wainwright has made at least 32 starts with 198.2 innings and 184 strikeouts each season. He’s finished in the top three of National League Cy Young voting in the last two seasons. There’s no doubt he leads the St. Louis rotation, so the team needs to be cautious with the workhorse to ensure he’s around for the entire year. 

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The San Francisco Giants have gotten off to a rough start in 2015 and will now be without right-handed pitcher Jake Peavy due to an ailing back. Peavy was taken out of his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night after 3.2 innings due to back stiffness.

Continue for updates.

Giants Place Peavy on DL

Saturday, April 18

According to the Giants’ official Twitter account, Peavy was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a back strain:

He allowed eight hits and four runs to the Diamondbacks before his exit. 

Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area added more details on Peavy’s injury and Peavy’s thoughts on heading to the disabled list:

After the loss, Peavy told Chris Haft of MLB.com that physically he “was plenty good enough to be out there” before the Diamondbacks smacked him around.

The Giants currently sit in last place in the National League West with a 3-9 record—the only team under .500 in the division at the start of play Saturday. Peavy has made two starts covering 7.2 innings with a 9.39 ERA and 12 hits allowed.

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After being banned from the sport in 1989, Pete Rose is finally coming back to baseball—as a television analyst for Fox Sports.  

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Rose has signed a deal to be a guest analyst on various television programs on the family of networks:

Rose will serve FOX as a guest analyst for the MLB on FOX pregame show on FOX and FOX Sports 1 and will also appear on “MLB Whiparound,” “America’s Pregame” and “FOX Sports Live” on FOX Sports 1. …

… FOX officials say they are hiring Rose for his on-air presence and that he will make for compelling television regardless of how one views his controversial past.

Rose, 74, is quoted in Rosenthal‘s report as saying he enjoys “talking baseball, and that’s what this is all about. Enjoying the game of baseball, sitting in the green room watching two or three games, getting on TV and talking about it. It’s right up my alley, I think.”

As far as MLB’s reaction to Rose’s hiring, Rosenthal spoke to MLB Chief Communications Officer Pat Courtney, who said the “decision to hire on-air talent for its telecasts rests solely with Fox” since the network doesn’t have to receive permission about television talent despite being a broadcast partner. 

Rose’s hiring as a Fox analyst comes at a time when he is trying once again to have his lifetime ban from MLB lifted, as CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reported in March:

While there is likely a long way to go before Rose knows if he will ever be reinstated by new MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, the all-time hit king does get the opportunity to discuss the sport on a national stage and share insights. 

At the very least, Rose can provide a boost to Fox Sports’ coverage simply by being a unique, entertaining presence. Time will tell if he has all the necessary skills to be a thoughtful and insightful analyst, but at least he has a lively personality that everyone knows. 

This may not be the exact return to baseball that some fans have wanted for Rose, but now he’ll be back around the game on a regular basis. 

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After 12 days in Triple-A, Kris Bryant made his much-anticipated debut for the Chicago Cubs on Friday. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 draft hit cleanup against the San Diego Padres but didn’t fare well in his role with the bat, going 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

Bryant did have a chance to play hero late in the game, with the Cubs trailing 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh and runners on first and second, but he grounded out to third base to end the inning.

Even though it wasn’t the debut most hoped Bryant would have—especially given how much hype this game received on television and the Internet—he’s young, and there are growing pains for every player.

Before getting too far ahead of things, let’s go back to before the game started. There was a brief period when he was the subject of the top two stories on MLB.com: his jersey being advertised for sale and his pregame press conference being streamed on the front page. Here’s what Bryant had to say about living up to the pressure being put on him, courtesy of MLB’s official Twitter account:

During warm-ups on the field, Bryant and his father shared an emotional embrace that was posted on Instagram by Peggy Kusinski of NBC Chicago: 

A moment like that is what this day was really about. Bryant will have many great days as a professional ahead of him, but this was a 23-year-old kid playing in his first Major League Baseball game with his family in the stands watching.

Cubs fans made sure to give Bryant a welcome befitting a player with this much hype before his first at-bat in the first inning. James Shields subsequently struck him out on three pitches.

In fact, in Bryant’s first two at-bats, Shields had a clear plan of attack once he got to two strikes, as ESPN Stats & Info noted:

What the world seemed to forget, which was pointed out by Dave Cameron of FanGraphs, is that Shields has been a successful MLB pitcher for a reason:

Bryant’s propensity to swing and miss did bring out the sarcasm on Twitter. Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brett Anderson related to the Cubs star’s struggles:

Matt Sussman of Baseball Prospectus joked about the correlation between Bryant’s whiffs and the wind speed in Chicago:

There’s no word on whether that total comprises Bryant’s bat speed and the collective sighs coming from fans at Wrigley Field, knowing the franchise savior did not have the greatest debut in history.

Back in the real world, it’s worth noting that strikeouts have always been a part of Bryant’s game. Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com pointed out that the slugger’s first game for the Boise Hawks in 2013 was also one to forget:

Bryant had 206 strikeouts in 648 career minor league at-bats, per MiLB.com, yet he still managed to hit .327/.426/.667 with 55 home runs in what essentially amounts to a full MLB season’s worth of at-bats.

Even though the offense wasn’t working for Bryant on Friday, he did make some nice defensive plays. His first opportunity came in the first inning, when he started a double play, per MLB.com:

Bryant wasn’t done flashing the leather, as he made a terrific diving stop to nab a liner off the bat of Derek Norris to end the top half of the fifth inning, per MLB GIFs on Twitter:

Before sending Bryant to Triple-A late in spring training, the Cubs said they wanted him to work on his defense, as noted by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports. Those 12 days in Iowa appeared to pay huge dividends.

It would have been impossible for Bryant to match the hype in this one game. He certainly would have liked to do better and help the Cubs win, but baseball is a game of adjustments. 

If you want an example of how hard baseball is, ESPN.com’s David Schoenfield provided a good one on Twitter:

If a more modern name would be more substantial, Mike Trout didn’t arrive in the big leagues as Mike Trout. He hit .220/.281/.390 in 40 games during the 2011 season and started 2012 in Triple-A before getting called up at the end of April.

The point is Bryant will be fine, but this is a humbling sport. Even the absolute best players have to change something with their swings or approaches.

Bryant will be a future star for the Cubs. There’s too much talent for him to be anything less than that, but Friday was proof that even the best players go through a process before becoming superstars.

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