As Opening Day attracts ever nearer, listed here are three issues we’ll be keeping track of across the baseball world all through the day at present:
1. The place will Davis land?
The Giants reportedly positioned third baseman J.D. Davis on waivers over the weekend, seemingly signaling the tip of his tenure in San Francisco. The soon-to-be 31-year-old slugger gave the impression to be an odd man out when third baseman Matt Chapman signed in San Francisco earlier this month, and now he’ll be obtainable to the league’s 29 different golf equipment for the price of his $6.9MM wage in 2024. Since breaking out with the Mets in the course of the 2019 season, Davis has slashed a strong .268/.352/.443 in 528 video games cut up between New York and San Francisco whereas spending time at each infield corners in addition to left discipline and DH. At the very least within the eyes of Statcast, Davis made strides along with his protection on the sizzling nook in 2023, garnering +5 Outs Above Common after posting adverse marks in that class all through his profession prior. The Brewers, Cubs, and Mariners are among the many handful of contenders that would make sense for Davis in the event that they’re prepared to imagine the complete freight of his wage.
2. Giolito’s second opinion:
Pink Sox right-hander Lucas Giolito, who signed a two-year, $38.5MM contract this offseason — the second season of which is a participant possibility — might miss all the 2024 season after being recognized with a partial UCL tear and flexor strain earlier in camp. Surgical procedure is on the desk, as is frequent with UCL accidents, however Giolito was slated to obtain a second opinion from Dr. Jeff Dugas at present earlier than making any last selections on easy methods to deal with his damage. He’s clearly a protracted absence regardless, however at present’s opinion might decide which kind of surgical procedure is really useful (e.g. Tommy John surgical procedure, inner brace surgical procedure) or whether or not surgical intervention is required in any respect. Some gamers will go the rest-and-rehab route earlier than going beneath the knife, as surgical procedure is at all times a final resort, although it’s maybe telling that supervisor Alex Cora has already publicly acknowledged the potential of surgical procedure.
3. When will the front-of-the-rotation southpaws signal?
Final week, agent Scott Boras indicated that new groups have begun to verify in on his pair of southpaw shoppers, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery. The duo entered the winter as two of the highest 4 beginning pitching choices in the marketplace alongside Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Aaron Nola, although that hasn’t stopped each from lingering in the marketplace whilst Opening Day is now a matter of weeks away. Updates on the southpaws’ respective markets have been comparatively few and much between, with Snell being loosely connected to the Angels over the weekend whereas Montgomery’s reported negotiations with the Pink Sox hitting a snag over the lefty’s obvious want for a seven-year pact. With the beginning of the common season simply across the nook, will both of the duo discover a new house within the coming days?
