DIABETIC CARDINALS RELIEVER OPTS OUT
Hard-throwing St. Louis Cardinals reliever Jordan Hicks has opted out of playing this season, citing pre-existing health concerns.
The 23-year-old Hicks was diagnosed in high school as having Type 1 diabetes.
Hicks, who routinely tops 100 mph, is recovering from Tommy John surgery on June 26, 2019.
The right-hander’s availability for this season was uncertain.
Hicks had been taking part in workouts at Busch Stadium, leading up to the Cardinals’ opener on July 24 at home against Pittsburgh.
“We respect and understand Jordan’s decision to opt out this season,” Cardinals President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak said.
“We wish him well as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery, and we look forward to seeing Jordan back on the mound for the 2021 season.”
Hicks was 2-2 with 14 saves and a 3.14 ERA last season before he injured his elbow.
He has hit 105 mph with his fastball.
Ryan Helsley and Giovanny Gallegos are expected to handle the late innings out of the Cardinals’ bullpen.
Halos’ Sandoval had COVID
It started with what Patrick Sandoval called “really, really bad body aches in my back, unlike anything I’ve felt before,” and it continued with a few days of chills and a fever.
The left-handed pitcher had a hunch he might have contracted the coronavirus, and those fears were confirmed with a positive test June 22, a setback that delayed his arrival to Angels training camp by a week.
“It was a little scary at first,” Sandoval, 23, said on a videoconference call. “Obviously, the virus has killed many people, and that’s sad and tragic, so that’s on your mind. I just took it day by day, and once the symptoms started going away, I felt confident I would be able to get back to playing baseball.”
Darvish may not play
Cubs pitcher Yu Dar vish, 33, still has trepidation about playing during the COVID-19 pandemic, something he expressed shortly after pitching the last game of spring months ago.
And he hasn’t closed the door on opting out of this season, particularly because of the delays in testing that have pushed back the start of several workouts.
Asked via an interpreter if he might change his mind at some point about pitching in the 60-game season, Darvish said: “Maybe. But at this point, no, I don’t think so.”
But Darvish’s apprehension persists.
“Yes, definitely, training
Ifour still have concerns,” he said.
Notable
Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge remains slowed by his sore neck and is uncertain for today’s intrasquad game, and pitcher Masahiro Tanaka remains a concern for the start of the season as he recovers from a concussion. Judge had improved motion Monday and took some swings in an indoor batting cage.
Tanaka was hit on the side of his head by a line drive off the bat of Giancarlo Stanton on July 4.
He has been throwing on flat ground and manager Aaron Boone said he had a date in mind for a bullpen session, which he did not announce. Tanaka would then have to progress to batting practice.
• The Blue Jays will honor the late Tony Fernandez by wearing a patch with his No. 1 on the left sleeve of uniform jerseys this season.
• The Tigers cut ties with Zack Godley, giving the right-hander his unconditional release. Godley is 3730 with a 4.68 ERA in five major league seasons.
• Orioles left-hander Ty Blach will undergo seasonending Tommy John surgery, and shortstop Richie Martin will have an operation on his right wrist that will sideline him for two to three months.