Red Sox’s Giolito has partially torn UCL, may miss season
BOSTON — Lucas Giolito's first season as a member of the Red Sox may be over before it starts.
According to ESPN'S Jeff Passan, Giolito has a partially torn UCL and flexor strain that may require surgery, potentially sidelining the righthander for the entire 2024 season and beyond.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters Tuesday that Giolito felt some discomfort in his elbow following his last start and that the club was concerned. Cora said Giolito was doubtful for opening day, and now it's unclear when he'll be able to pitch at all.
The news is a devastating blow for the Red Sox, who were counting on Giolito to anchor the starting rotation. Signed to a two-year, $38.5 million contract this past offseason, the 29-year-old has been among the most durable starters in baseball over the past six years and is coming off a 2023 season in which he made 33 starts while throwing a career-high 1841⁄3 innings.
Now the Red Sox will once again be counting on the same group of young arms who largely couldn't consistently pitch deep into games last season. Brayan Bello and Nick Pivetta were both already locked into the rotation, and Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck, Garrett Whitlock and Josh Winckowski will be competing for the remaining three spots.
Cardinals’ Gray may miss opener
St. Louis Cardinals ace Sonny Gray could miss an opening day start because of a mild right hamstring strain sustained in his latest spring training outing.
Gray had been slated to start at the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 28.
The three-time Allstar right-hander left his start Monday against Washington after 20 pitches. The Cardinals initially said Gray had tightness in his hamstring, and an MRI revealed the strain.
“We've had some encouraging news that it's a mild strain. Not going to put any return-to-play (date) on it,” president of baseball operations John Mozeliak said. “It's been less than 24 hours. We're going to see how he responds over the next few days. But from the MRI reading, we're definitely encouraged. Fingers crossed this isn't something that's going to linger too long.”
Following their poorest season since 1995, the Cardinals gave Gray a $75 million, three-year contract in November to anchor a revamped rotation that includes fellow newcomer Kyle Gibson and returning starter Lance Lynn.
A’s release plans for new ballpark
The Oakland Athletics and their design teams released renderings Tuesday of the club's planned $1.5 billion stadium in Las Vegas that show five overlapping layers with a similar look to the famous Sydney Opera House.
The A's hope to move into that 33,000-seat domed stadium in 2028, depending mostly on the construction timeline. A glass window beyond the outfield provides an outdoor feel with views of the Las Vegas Strip.
Also included is an 18,000-square-foot video board, which would be the largest in Major League Baseball.
The stadium would be built on nine acres of the 35-acre site owned by Bally's on the corner of Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard. The $1.5 billion price tag includes $380 million in taxpayer money approved by the Nevada Legislature
L.A. ace shrugs off pitch tipping
It took all of one exhibition start for Yoshinobu Yamamoto to be exposed to some of the “dark arts” practiced in the major leagues, with Sportsnet LA broadcasters noting during Yamamoto's Feb. 28 Cactus League debut that the center-field camera caught him changing his grip before throwing his signature split-fingered fastball.
The 25-year-old Japanese right-hander, who will make his second exhibition start against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on Wednesday, was hardly fazed, shrugging off the potential pitch-tipping development when it was brought to his attention earlier this week.
“It's not really a big concern for me at this point,” Yamamoto said through his interpreter, Yoshihiro Sonoda. “As it gets closer to the season, I'll talk to the coaches and fix it. It was the same in Japan. When the season starts, I'll make those adjustments.”
Odds and ends
National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected to be ready for opening day with the Braves after a more thorough examination of his sore right knee found no serious issues . ...
Yankees catcher Jose Trevino says he will start playing in games soon after being sidelined by a calf injury that occurred a few weeks ahead of spring training.