National League notes
Arizona Diamondbacks: Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen considered the case for Merrill Kelly’s rise to prominence. A year ago this time, Kelly was a surprise to many to be Team USA’s starting pitcher in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic. By October, he had proved to be among the best starters in the postseason, a performance that included spinning a gem in the World Series. Gallen nodded along with the premise that Kelly is no longer a well-kept secret, but he stopped short of fully agreeing. “I still think,” Gallen said, “that he’s criminally underrated.” That, Gallen believes, will change this season. “I think the rest of the league is going to take notice this year,” he said. “People are starting to realize it, but I don’t think they fully grasp it, is my perception of it.” Over the past two seasons, Kelly has logged 378 innings with a 3.33 ERA, a mark that is 25% better than average. Only six pitchers in baseball have logged more innings while maintaining that level of run prevention. Kelly also compiled 24 innings in the postseason with a 2.25 ERA, winning key games against the Phillies and Dodgers and leading the Diamondbacks to their only victory in the World Series by throwing seven innings of onerun ball against the Rangers in Game 2.
Atlanta Braves: White Sox veteran Michael Soroka, trying to regain his 2019 All-Star form after suffering two Achilles tendon tears, said he feels like a rookie again, hoping to make the starting rotation. “There’s a lot of guys in this clubhouse that are fighting for careers,” the former Atlanta player said. “That’s one thing [manager Pedro Grifol] made a point of letting us all know, that there’s a lot of opportunity on the table here. I’m one of the players that’s looking to take advantage.” Soroka is embracing a fresh start after he came over in a trade with Atlanta in November. The White Sox acquired the 26-year-old right-hander as part of a five-player package for lefty reliever Aaron Bummer. The 6-foot-5 Soroka, who is from Calgary, Alberta, was a breakout star with Atlanta in 2019. The former first-round pick went 13-4 with a 2.68 ERA in 29 starts, helping the Braves win the NL East. He was the runner-up to Pete Alonso for NL Rookie of the Year. But he tore his right Achilles tendon during a routine fielding play in his third start of the pandemic-delayed 2020 season. After he had another procedure to address complications and made his way through nine months of rehab, he blew out his tendon again while walking into Truist Park – right after a protective boot had been removed. Soroka played for Triple-A Gwinnett for most of last season.
Cincinnati Reds: Teammates Hunter Greene and Elly De La Cruz provided the gotta-see-it moment of the spring – which the team’s president and, yes, an intrepid reporter with a video camera did see, the latter capturing it for posterity when a foul ball hit by De La Cruz off Greene during live batting practice reached a nearby parking lot, where it found the window of Greene’s car. “That’ll teach you to park in the first spot,” said Reds president Nick Krall, who didn’t see the actual collision but later took a picture of Greene’s busted window. “The funniest thing is he was pitching,” De La Cruz said. “He said, ‘You gotta pay for it.’ ” De La Cruz said that’s not gonna happen. “I got no money for that,” said the budding young hitting star, who only broke into the majors last June. “That’s an expensive car.” For what it’s worth ($53 million to be exact), Greene has the biggest contract among Reds players.
Chicago Cubs: If the Cubs did not pursue and hire manager Craig Counsell, friends say he was planning to go to Cleveland to replace Terry Francona.
Colorado Rockies: Todd Helton never thought he was going to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Right until he was selected for Cooperstown. Even after Helton was elected to the Hall by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, the slugging first baseman was still getting used to the idea. “I didn’t think my phone was going to ring,” Helton said in late January. “Once I retired, people said, ‘We’ll see you in the Hall of Fame.’ I was nice and cordial with them, but in the back of my mind I thought, ‘There’s no way I can make the Hall of Fame.’ Just because it’s such an exclusive club. So to make it is very surreal.” Helton, 50, spent his entire 17-year career with the Colorado Rockies, batting .316 with 369 homers and 1,406 RBI. He was elected on the sixth try as voters warmed to statistics helped by the thin mile-high air of Denver’s Coors Field. Helton, Adrián Beltré and Joe Mauer will be inducted on July 21 along with Jim Leyland
Los Angeles Dodgers: The Dodgers are expected to hire former All-Star outfielder Matt Kemp in an advisory role.
Miami Marlins: Former AL batting champion Tim Anderson and the Marlins finalized a $5 million, one-year contract last weekend. Anderson became Miami’s first big free agent addition of the offseason. The Chicago White Sox declined a $14 million option in November, ending a $25 million, six-year contract for the two-time All-Star. The 30year-old had spent all eight of his major league seasons with the White Sox. After leading the majors with a .335 average in