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Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria suffered a shin contusion on Thursday. It’s unclear when he’ll return to the field. 

Continue for updates.

Longoria Out vs. Phillies

Thursday, March 17

The Rays announced that Longoria would not return to Thursday’s game against Philadelphia with a left shin contusion. After the game, manager Kevin Cash told reporters the third baseman was sore but walking around fine and didn’t need X-rays. He added that Longoria could be the team’s designated hitter on Friday. 

Longoria Remains Among MLB‘s Best When Healthy 

While Longoria, 30, saw his numbers take something of a dip last year, he’s still one of Tampa Bay’s most important players. He hit .270 with 21 homers and 73 RBI in 2015, which marked the seventh time in the last eight years he’s hit at least 20 home runs and driven in 70 runs.

When healthy, he remains one of MLB’s best third basemen. 

The three-time All-Star, two-time Gold Glove winner and 2008 Rookie of the Year has played in at least 160 games the last three seasons, so this latest setback is a disappointment given his recent durability.

Longoria only managed to play a combined 207 games out of a possible 324 between the 2011-12 seasons, but it appeared his injury woes were behind him. The Rays will certainly be hoping this latest injury is nothing more than a minor setback, as Longoria remains a key piece to what they hope will be a postseason contender.

With Longoria sidelined, Tampa Bay will likely give exciting prospect Richie Shaffer a long, hard look at third base in Longoria‘s place.

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Chicago White Sox players considered boycotting Wednesday’s spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers in support of Adam LaRoche, according to Karl Ravech of ESPN, after LaRoche retired following the organization’s request that he bring his 14-year-old son Drake into the clubhouse less.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports confirmed the report and noted that “F-bombs aplenty flew” during the team’s meeting with their general manager. 

According to the report, White Sox manager Robin Ventura was able to convince the players to play in the contest. However, Ravech added, “Sources said there is a division between those in the front office and Ventura and his players regarding clubhouse access.”

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported that ace pitcher Chris Sale was particularly vocal during the meeting and added that he “told Williams unequivocally to get out of the clubhouse and stay out.”

On Tuesday, White Sox vice president Ken Williams spoke with Rosenthal about the situation regarding Drake LaRoche’s access to the clubhouse:

LaRoche signed his retirement papers, as reported by Scott Merkin of MLB.com, but the White Sox have not yet sent them to the league office, which gives him the opportunity to reconsider his decision.

LaRoche, 36, hit .207 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI in 127 games in 2015 as a first baseman and designated hitter. It was a down season for the 11-year veteran, who hit at least 20 home runs and 75 RBI in seven of his first 10 seasons.

LaRoche was due to make $13 million this season, according to Spotrac, after signing a two-year, $25 million deal in 2015. He was apparently willing to forego that money after the White Sox requested he bring his son around the clubhouse less often.

His teammates clearly supported his decision, based on their reported response. The White Sox now must worry about a rift between the players and the front office, an unwanted distraction heading into Opening Day for a team with postseason aspirations.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.  

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Chicago White Sox first baseman Adam LaRoche informed the team of his intention to retire Tuesday after team vice president Ken Williams told him he couldn’t bring his 14-year-old son Drake into the clubhouse, according to Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com.

Drake LaRoche traveled with his father for several years, as noted by Rosenthal, and his father described him in a Chicago Tribune article as the team’s “26th man.”

Williams disputed the report:

On Thursday, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported that White Sox players were so upset with Williams after the LaRoche decision that they considered a boycott. 

Washington Nationals superstar Bryce Harper, a former teammate of LaRoche’s, tweeted his support:

LaRoche, 36, hit just .207 with 12 home runs and 44 RBI in 127 games in 2015, spending time at first base and as a designated hitter. It was a major drop-off in production after he hit 26 homers and 92 RBI the year before with the Nationals. Going into 2014, LaRoche had hit 20 or more home runs in eight of 10 seasons.

LaRoche’s decision to retire will cost him the $13 million he was due this season from the White Sox, as noted by Spotrac. Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal doesn’t see much wrong with either the team’s or LaRoche’s stance in this case, however:

It is possible LaRoche could ultimately decide against retirement, and according to Rosenthal, LaRoche told the White Sox on Tuesday that he would take a few days before finalizing his decision.

But for the moment, the club will have to make contingency plans in the middle of its lineup, at first base and at designated hitter with LaRoche on his way out.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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San Francisco Giants ace Madison Bumgarner is set to miss one or two starts with minor injuries, according to Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area.

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Bumgarner Dealing with Foot, Rib Injuries

Sunday, March 13

According to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle, Bumgarner has neuroma in his left foot and pain in his right rib cage, though an “MRI showed no oblique injury.”

Bumgarner said he’ll be ready for Opening Day, however, per Pavlovic.

“I have two things that aren’t a big deal,” he said, per Schulman. “There’s no sense making them a big deal. So we’re going to skip a start, one or two just to be safe.”

Bumgarner was excellent for the Giants once again last season, finishing 18-9 with a 2.93 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and 234 strikeouts in 218.1 innings. His WHIP, strikeouts and innings tallies were all career bests.

He was a bright spot for the team, which failed to reach the playoffs after winning the World Series in 2014.

Bumgarner pitched like a legend in the postseason that year, finishing 4-1 in six starts and recording a save in a relief appearance in Game 7 of the World Series, in which he threw five shutout innings on two days’ rest.

He finished the playoffs with a 1.03 ERA, 0.65 WHIP and 45 strikeouts in 52.2 innings—perhaps the most impressive run by a pitcher in postseason history.

With a healthy Bumgarner leading their rotation, the Giants are a threat to not only reach the playoffs but also make a run at another World Series title. Without him, however, the road to October will be much more difficult to traverse.

San Francisco has a talented rotation behind Bumgarner, with offseason additions Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija ahead of Jake Peavy, Chris Heston and Matt Cain. Santiago Casilla, Sergio Romo, Hunter Strickland and Javier Lopez headline a talented bullpen.

But Bumgarner is the main attraction, which means any injury he suffers is cause for at least some concern in the Bay Area.

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MLB player Willie Bloomquist announced his retirement Friday via Twitter after a 14-year career:

Bloomquist, 38, was a career .269 hitter, finishing with 18 home runs, 225 RBI and 133 stolen bases. He spent nine seasons with the Seattle Mariners (in two separate stints), three seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks, 1.5 seasons with the Kansas City Royals and appeared in 11 games with the Cincinnati Reds.

Bloomquist thanked all of those teams in a separate tweet:

While he was never a star in MLB, Bloomquist was a solid and versatile player who was always a threat on the basepaths and played every position in his career except for pitcher and catcher. 

And, if nothing else, he certainly knew how to go out in style.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter. 

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Major League Baseball has submitted a proposal to the Treasury Department of the United States that would set up a committee made up of “Cuban entrepreneurs and officials from MLB and its players’ union” and allow MLB teams to directly sign Cuban baseball players, per Ben Strauss of the New York Times, citing the league’s top lawyer, Dan Halem.  

The committee “would function like a nonprofit and support youth baseball, education and improving sports facilities in Cuba,” and it would be paid a portion of any salaries signed by Cuban players. 

The proposed committee would still satisfy the conditions of the embargo, MLB claimed, because no money would be going to the Cuban government, per Strauss. The Office of Foreign Assets Control will have to approve the license, however, as will the Cuban government, before any further action.

The move would be the latest step from Major League Baseball to improve relations with Cuba, as the Tampa Bay Rays will play an exhibition game against the Cuban national team.

The ability to directly hire Cuban players ultimately would be to the advantage of the players themselves, some of whom have to hire smugglers to leave the island and find their way to the United States. Some players, in that process, have been subject to their families being kidnapped or have been extorted for more money. 

In December, the president of the Cuban Baseball Federation, Higinio Velez, addressed the danger of defection for players interested in coming to the United States, per Strauss:

To play in that type of baseball—in the United States—where the majority of the greatest players in the world want to be, you need to give up something big here, your dignity of being Cuban. We hope that—in the future—Cuban players can go anywhere in the world and play, representing their federation, and that there are not intermediaries that take advantage of them.

Craig Calcaterra of Hardball Talk worries the proposed system would be a different form of exploiting the players, however, noting, “it’s commodifying players in a whole new way, all while giving MLB a sort of cut of their earnings that it doesn’t seem to have of any other players” and adding, “someone will always be looking for a cut in such instances.” 

He also acknowledged it would be better than the current system, however. In a league enriched by Cuban ballplayers, ensuring the safe passage of those players to the U.S.—where they will always find a way to end up, even in the hands of smugglers—is a positive step in the right direction. 

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter. 

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New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman is awaiting potential suspension from Major League Baseball for his involvement in a domestic dispute with his girlfriend.

Continue for updates.

MLB Expected to Rule on Potential Suspension This Week

Monday, Feb. 29

MLB reportedly will decide if Chapman will be suspended this week, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.  

“This could be one of those (situations) where an appeal could be expedited,” MLBPA union chief Tony Clark told Jayson Stark of ESPN.com on Monday, speaking about Chapman’s hearing and potential appeal. He added, though, there was no concrete understanding in place between the union and the league.

Chapman, 28, already told Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media he would appeal any suspension by the league.

His teammate, Alex Rodriguez, spoke to reporters about the advice he would give Chapman in the event the talented reliever is suspended, per Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News:

In October, Chapman’s girlfriend, Christina Barnea, claimed the pitcher choked and shoved her after a dispute over something Barnea had discovered on Chapman’s phone. Authorities also verified that Chapman had discharged a shotgun eight times in his garage after the dispute.

Barnea later recanted her claims of assault, however, and Chapman wasn’t charged with a crime for the incident.

The closer, who was acquired from the Cincinnati Reds in December for minor leaguers Caleb Cotham, Rookie Davis, Eric Jagielo and Tony Renda, is expected to lock down the back end of a solid Yankees bullpen that also includes Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances.

Chapman, who regularly hits 100 mph on his fastball, finished the 2015 season 4-4 with a 1.63 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, 33 saves and 116 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched. His addition could give the Yankees one of the best bullpens in all of baseball, with Betances, Miller and Chapman locking down the seventh, eighth and ninth innings.

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Veteran outfielder Shane Victorino signed with the Chicago Cubs on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training on Friday, according to Bruce Levine of WSCR. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com confirmed the report. 

Victorino, 35, struggled in 2015, playing in just 71 games between the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels. He hit .230 with one home run, seven RBI and 19 runs scored, his worst numbers since very early in his career. 

Injuries have plagued Victorino in his later years, as he’s missed 263 games in the past three years.

But the two-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion is an experienced presence in the clubhouse and can play all three outfield positions in a pinch, making him a nice fourth or fifth outfielder for the Cubs.

Among a slew of talented young players on the roster, Victorino can be a real asset off the field, serving as a mentor for young outfielders Jorge Soler, Javier Baez and Kyle Schwarber. 

Victorino’s prime years are well behind him, but if he can stay healthy, he should still be a nice player coming off the bench for Chicago.

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Former Atlanta Braves center fielder Andruw Jones and team president John Schuerholz will be inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame on Aug. 19, according to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“Now that I got the induction, I can officially say that I am retired,” Jones said, per Kevin McAlpin of 680 The Fan. “[I] will try to focus on helping the youth.”

Jones, 38, spent 12 years with the Braves, hitting .263 with 368 home runs and 1,117 RBI. He spent 17 years in the big leagues in total—including stints with the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox—finishing his career with a .254 batting average, 434 home runs and 1,289 RBI.

He hit 25 or more home runs in 10 straight seasons between 1998 and 2007.

Jones was a five-time All-Star and a 10-time Gold Glover, supplementing his presence at the plate by being the best fielding center fielder of his generation.

He was the runner-up for the National League MVP in 2005 after ripping 51 home runs and 128 RBI.

Schuerholz, meanwhile, was the team’s general manager during its 14 consecutive NL East titles in the ’90s and 2000s. He became the team’s president in 2007 and has now been in baseball for 51 years and with the Braves for 26 years.

“The organization is thrilled to welcome these two treasured members of our family into the Braves Hall of Fame,” Braves chairman and CEO Terry McGuirk said, per O’Brien. “Both John and Andruw have had an incredible impact on this franchise, though in much different ways, and they are beyond deserving of this honor.”

The Braves will hold a ceremony for the pair on Aug. 19 before their game against the Washington Nationals at Turner Field, the final such ceremony before they move to their new ballpark in 2017.

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New York Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman spoke on Tuesday about the alleged domestic abuse incident involving his girlfriend that ultimately didn’t lead to any criminal charges.  

“I never hurt anybody,” Chapman told Brendan Kuty of NJ Advance Media. “Never in my life.”

Chapman’s girlfriend, Christina Barnea, claimed the pitcher assaulted her on Oct. 30, telling authorities he choked and shoved her. The pair were having a dispute after Barnea, per Kuty, “found a message in Chapman’s phone that she didn’t like.” She also claimed she heard a gunshot, and police verified that a shotgun had been fired eight times in Chapman’s garage.

Barnea later changed her story, however, telling authorities she didn’t recall saying that Chapman struck her. Chapman wasn’t charged with any crime, though he still faces possible punishment from Major League Baseball.

He told Kuty he would appeal any disciplinary action taken by the league. He also felt he had been unfairly portrayed by the media during the ordeal.

“Yeah, just a little bit,” he told Kuty. “That’s not my character or the person I am.”

The Cincinnati Reds dealt Chapman, 27, to the Yankees in December in exchange for minor leaguers Caleb Cotham, Rookie Davis, Eric Jagielo and Tony Renda.

He’s one of the hardest throwers in baseball and one of the league’s top options at the back end of the bullpen, and he finished the 2015 season 4-4 with a 1.63 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, 33 saves and 116 strikeouts in 66.1 innings pitched.

He’s likely to serve as the Yankees closer in 2016. 

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