Giolito’s season may be in doubt
Red Sox hurler among a trio of big-name pitchers injured in spring training
The news hit one after another on Tuesday. Three big-name right-handed starting pitchers all dealing with injuries that could cause each to miss the start of the regular season — and potentially more.
Houston’s Justin Verlander, St. Louis’ Sonny Gray and Boston’s Lucas Giolito are all dealing with various injuries.
Verlander will start the season on the injured list after being slowed by inflammation in his pitching shoulder during the offseason. Gray has a hamstring strain sustained Monday. And Giolito reported discomfort in his pitching elbow following last week’s start in which he was roughed up.
“We’re obviously concerned. Not a good day for us,” Boston manager Alex Cora told reporters in Florida.
Verlander is the biggest name of the three, although his situation appears to be more of a delay than a long-term concern. Astros manager Joe Espada said Tuesday the 41-yearold Verlander hasn’t suffered any setbacks or soreness following bullpen sessions but needs time to become game ready.
The three-time Cy Young Award winner is expected to throw in the bullpen again Friday but has yet to face hitters. But a delay to the start of the season could jeopardize his conditional $35 million option for 2025.
Giolito will have additional exams to determine the severity of his injury, but there’s worry it could be a longterm issue.
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.
Giolito signed a $38.5 million, twoyear deal with the Red Sox this offseason. The 29-year-old is coming off a 2023 season where he gave up a league-high 41 home runs and had a 4.88 ERA pitching for the White Sox, Angels and Guardians.
Gray may be the one of the three that has a chance to make it back for opening day, which he was slated to start against the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 28.
Gray 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.
Acuña gets upbeat news about knee
National League MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. is expected to be ready for opening day with the Atlanta Braves after a more thorough examination of his sore right knee found no serious issues.
Acuña left the Braves’ spring training site in Florida to be examined by famed surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Monday night.
The team announced Tuesday that ElAttrache found only irritation in the meniscus of his right knee. Acuña will be able to gradually increase his baseball activities and is expected to be cleared to play by the time the Braves open the regular season at Philadelphia on March 28.
Acuña is coming off a season in which he became the first player in baseball history to hit 40 homers and steal 70 bases. He was a unanimous choice for NL MVP after hitting .337 with 41 homers, 106 RBIs and 73 stolen bases, leading Atlanta to its sixth straight NL East title.
Acuña tweaked his knee Thursday while he was in a rundown between second and third base during an exhibition game against the Minnesota Twins. There were no immediate issues; he remained in the game for two more innings before exiting with many of the regular starters.
Acuña took batting practice the following day, but the team decided to take no chances when pain persisted in the same knee that sustained a season-ending injury in 2021.
Mets’ Diaz pitches perfect inning
New York Mets closer Edwin Diaz took another significant step toward returning from a torn patellar tendon, hurling a perfect inning Tuesday in an intrasquad minor league game.
Diaz ended the encouraging outing by striking out fast-rising Mets prospect Jett Williams on a backfield at Clover Park in Port St. Lucie, Fla., where the right-handed reliever’s trumpet-heavy entrance song “Narco” blared.
The 1-2-3 frame marked Diaz’s first time facing hitters in a game setting since he suffered the catastrophic knee injury nearly a year ago during the World Baseball Classic.
“I just feel like I need competition. I’m ready,” Diaz said afterward, according to SNY. “I’m throwing my pitches like I want to. I feel 100 percent ready, so I need games, I told them. …Today was really good.”
Diaz threw 14 pitches, with his fastball ranging from 96 to 98 miles per hour, according to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza.
Diaz, 29, continues to make progress in his rigorous rehab, having previously thrown live batting practice multiple times this spring, including to top bats Pete Alonso, Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo on Feb. 23.
A two-time All-Star, Diaz pitched to a 1.31 ERA, 32 saves and 118 strikeouts in 62 innings during a dominant 2022 campaign, which he then parlayed into a five-year, $102 million contract that remains the biggest ever for a reliever in terms of total value.
Diaz didn’t pitch in 2023 after injuring his right knee as he celebrated a Puerto Rico victory in the WBC last March 16.
A’s release renderings of stadium
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.