Odorizzi to start season on the IL
SURPRISE, Ariz. — Forget about whether Jake Odorizzi will pitch as a starter or a reliever this season.
He will apparently start the season on the injured list.
Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday the former Astros righthander, who hasn’t yet faced hitters this spring due to what has been described as “arm fatigue” will not be ready for the season opener.
“That’s a sure thing,” Bochy said. “I can’t tell you when he will be ready. We are going to be cautious.”
Bochy also confirmed that Jacob deGrom and Nathan Eovaldi will open the season with reduced pitch counts. They would likely start the first two games of the season. It’s likely they’d have about 75-80 pitches to work with, providing there are no setbacks.
According to the Rangers’ spring training medical report, Odorizzi last threw a bullpen 10 days ago, though he has done some “light” work since. There are two weeks to go until the Rangers open the season against Philadelphia.
He has been a starter all his career, which typically requires a fourweek buildup. But with a full rotation, there is an expectation that deGrom would pitch in a multiinning relief role. It would not take as long to build a pitcher up to be capable of pitching two innings.
Odorizzi said Wednesday morning that he was not sure of his status.
“I’m just trying to get everything 100 percent before we face hitters,” Odorizzi said. “I want to be diligent. You don’t want to start and stop. That’s part of the beauty of having pitching depth is you can do this the right way.”
Cavalli leaves with elbow injury
Righthander Cade Cavalli exited the Washington Nationals’ spring training matchup with the New York Mets on Tuesday after “feeling something behind his throwing elbow,” Manager Dave Martinez said. Cavalli was scheduled to undergo an MRI exam Wednesday.
In the third inning of the Nationals’ 3-0 win, Cavalli threw a pitch that sailed well above the strike zone, then shook his arm before walking behind the mound and bending over. Head athletic trainer Paul Lessard and Martinez came out to check on him. Cavalli asked Martinez if he could throw another pitch, but Martinez said no and Cavalli walked off with Lessard.
“When you start seeing a pitcher kind of shake his hand, I always say we got to go out there and take him out,” Martinez said. “I said, ‘We’ll get you checked out and we’ll see what’s going on and get you back out as soon as you can.’ ”
Cavalli was not made available to speak with reporters.
The 24-year-old, who made his major league debut in August, was expected to be part of the Nationals’ rotation this season. A first-round pick in the 2020 draft, Cavalli rose quickly through the minor leagues. In 2021, his first professional season, he moved from high Class A Wilmington to Class AAA Rochester.
Ruiz’s deal could be worth $76M
Catcher Keibert Ruiz gets a $3 million signing bonus as part of his $50 million, eight-year contract with the Nationals, a deal that could be worth $76 million over 10 seasons if the team exercises a pair of options.
The 24-year-old's signing bonus is payable in a $1 million installent on April 15 and $2 million next Jan. 15. He gets $1 million this year and $6 million next year as part of the contract announced Saturday. He gets $5 million annually from 202527, $7 million in 2029 and $9 million in both 2029 and 2030.
Washington's options are for $12 million in 2031 and $14 million in 2032, with no buyouts.
Ruiz was among four players traded by the Dodgers to Washington in July 2021 for pitcher Max Scherzer and shortstop Trea Turner. Ruiz hit .251 last year with seven homers and 36 RBIs.