Several teams held their breath this week. Certainly the Braves when third baseman Austin Riley was hit by a pitch and all of baseball when Bobby Witt Jr. did as well.
Witt Jr, one of the young faces of the game suffered just a scare and won’t be hurt long term. At twenty-four he was a unanimous choice for 2nd in American League MVP voting last season.
He helped The Royals make the post season for the first time in nine years.
Same result for Riley as the Braves hope to avoid the injury mess from a year ago. Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider coming off of lost seasons while Ozzie Albies, Riley. Michael Harris II and Sean Murphy all missed at least fifty games.
Pitchers, Always pitchers
Yankees – Gerrit Cole & Luis Gil – The Gerrit Cole news was devastating. The Ace gone for the season and some time into next. Gil, the AL rookie of the year, out at least three months.
Dodgers – Shohei Ohtani – He’s still capable of hitting and running fast but he won’t be pitching for awhile. The Dodgers have slowed down his pitching progression pushing his first pitch well into May.
“I wanted to prioritize the hitting aspect as we’re getting into the season, to get a little breather mentally and physically on the pitching side of things,”
It’s not like they can send him to the minors for rehab starts, they need his bat. This should prove interesting. The Dodgers of course have enough pitching around to wait until he’s just right.
Orioles – Grayson Rodriguez – Started his throwing progression and the Orioles are saying slow and steady. This is weeks, not days. He will be missed. Corbin Burnes is gone from last year’s team and the starters behind him don’t blow you away.
Mets – Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Must be something in the water in NYC. Neither will be ready for opeing day.
Rangers – Jon Gray and Cody Bradford – Also out for the start
Brewers – Tobias Myers – The pitcher out with the very common oblique injury.
Always Royce Lewis
Twins – Royce Lewis – This time it’s a “moderate” hamstring strain. Poor Lewis, it’s always something. A right ACL tear (2021). a second right ACL tear (2022). Oblique, hamstring, quad, and adductor strains since and here again.
Mets – Francisco Alvarez – The catcher’s bad luck will soon threaten Lewis. He broke the hamate bone in his left hand during a swing and he’ll miss at leasy six weeks. Last April he broke his thumb.
The Tigers Parker Meadows and Matt Vierling.,The White Sox Andrew Benintendi and the Marlins Jesus Sanchez, all outfielders, all out for the season’s start.
