Early Winners and Losers of MLB's Biggest Spring Training Position Battles
Spring training doesn't matter, eh?
Well, that's true for the most part. But just try telling that to the guys who are fighting for jobs.
Position battles constitute perhaps the most important aspect of Major League Baseball's spring-exhibition season. And with just over a week's worth of spring games in the books, there's no time like the present for an update on the early winners and losers of the eight biggest competitions around the league.
The list consists exclusively of position battles on contenders. It also excludes closer and fifth starter competitions. The former is moreso a fight over a label than anything else. The latter is a fight that virtually every team is staging this spring.
At any rate, let's get to it.
Houston Astros: 1st Base
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The Houston Astros were set at first base at the outset of spring training, but then Yuli Gurriel underwent surgery on his left hand. He'll need five to six weeks to recover and will then have to serve out the five-game suspension for his offensive gesture in the 2017 World Series.
Ultimately, Gurriel won't be back until the middle of April. While the Astros could just station Marwin Gonzalez at first base until he returns, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports that Gurriel's absence is a chance for J.D. Davis, A.J. Reed and Tyler White to show what they can do.
White and Davis are taking advantage by tearing the cover off the ball. They've both played in seven games and both own an OPS north of 1.000. White is at 1.1088. Davis is at 1.433 with a pair of homers.
Davis' offensive advantage does come with a not-insignificant disadvantage: his lack of experience at first base. He's a third baseman by trade who's logged only 37 professional innings at the not-so-hot corner.
Still, he's at least right there with White in the running to be Gurriel's replacement. And both are well ahead of Reed.
Although he worked hard to drop 25 pounds over the offseason, per McTaggart, it's translated into just a .246 OPS through seven games at the plate. Since his bat is supposed to be his big selling point, it suffices to say this isn't a great look for the 24-year-old former top prospect.
Early Winners: J.D. Davis and Tyler White
Early Loser: A.J. Reed
Colorado Rockies: 1st Base and Outfield
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With Carlos Gonzalez and Mark Reynolds gone from the 2017 team, the Colorado Rockies went into spring training with holes at first base and at least one outfield spot.
All that manager Bud Black could promise in February is that Ian Desmond would have a role.
"Ian will fill one of those spots," Black said, according to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. "Ian will be at first base in the spring and he'll be in left field in the spring. We'll see how it all shakes out, but Ian will be on the field."
After last year's experiment failed, it can be assumed that the Rockies would only put Desmond back at first base if 23-year-old prospect Ryan McMahon wasn't up to the task of earning the position. With a 1.117 OPS and a homer in nine spring games, he's indeed been more than up to the task.
Desmond has appeared in just four games and managed a meager .200 OPS, but that's not going to wrest the club's left field gig from his grip. At least until Gerardo Parra is recovered from hand surgery, several young players will jockey for position in right field.
Raimel Tapia (.820 OPS) and Mike Tauchman (1.163 OPS) hold an edge over David Dahl, who's struggled with just a .617 OPS. But after homering on Friday and Saturday, Dahl is already at work on flipping the script.
Early Winners: Ryan McMahon, Raimel Tapia, Mike Tauchman
Early Loser: David Dahl
New York Yankees: 2nd Base and 3rd Base
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Following trades of Chase Headley and Starlin Castro, the New York Yankees seemed comfortable for a period going into spring training with question marks looming over half of their infield.
Their acquisition of Brandon Drury, who can play either third base or second base, answered one of those questions. He's only strengthened his grip on a starting job with a 1.089 OPS through six spring games.
With four homers and a 1.579 OPS through seven games, Miguel Andujar has been even hotter and, indeed, one of the biggest stars of the spring season. So it goes for the 23-year-old, as this is happening on the heels of a 2017 season that cemented him as one of the best third base prospects in the minors.
"He's already opened our eyes," general manager Brian Cashman said, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, "Not with this camp, but what he's done and where he's at in his career."
For now, Andujar's rapid ascension seems likely to net him the Yankees' starting third base job. That would push Drury to second base.
This doesn't bode well for top prospect Gleyber Torres, who has just a .426 OPS through seven games and has also experienced growing pains at second base. Ditto for everyone else who has eyes on the Yankees' second base gig: Danny Espinosa, Jace Peterson, Thairo Estrada, Ronald Torreyes and Tyler Wade.
Early Winners: Brandon Drury and Miguel Andujar
Early Losers: Gleyber Torres and the field
Chicago Cubs: Outfield
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The Chicago Cubs have five outfielders for three spots, and $184 million man Jason Heyward is the only one who figures to get regular playing time.
For Kyle Schwarber, Ben Zobrist, Ian Happ and Albert Almora Jr., the race for playing time in left field and center field is on.
Happ has clearly gotten the memo. After posting an .842 OPS and slamming 24 homers as a rookie in 2017, he's picked up where he left off with a 1.582 OPS and three homers through five spring games. Meanwhile, his glove work in center field has produced one highlight-reel catch.
For his part, Almora doesn't need to prove that he can play a good center field. But he's not doing anything to keep up with Happ at the plate. He's played in five games and has recorded neither a hit nor a walk.
With Zobrist not due to return from a back injury until Tuesday, Schwarber has had the left field race all to himself. Although he's yet to turn on his power, he's gotten on base at a .467 clip and, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, has manager Joe Maddon raving about the athleticism he's gained from his offseason weight loss.
Of course, Zobrist is versatile enough to rack up playing time all over the field even if he doesn't catch up to Schwarber upon his return. But for now, there's no denying that he does indeed have to catch up.
Early Winners: Ian Happ and Kyle Schwarber
Early Losers: Albert Almora Jr. and Ben Zobrist
Los Angeles Dodgers: Left Field
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The Los Angeles Dodgers went through 2017 with a revolving door in left field. Rather than solve that problem this winter, they merely added another component by re-acquiring ol' friend Matt Kemp.
It's early, but that's looking like an excellent roll of the dice.
Kemp got himself into great shape over the winter and has reaped the benefits with a 1.126 OPS and two homers through five spring games. The 33-year-old has also professed to feeling more comfortable in the field.
"Being in shape and feeling good is going to make playing defense a little bit easier," he said in February, according to David Vassegh of AM 570.
Mind you, it's possible that Kemp is succeeding only in playing his way onto the trade market. But if the Dodgers do decide to keep him, the least he'll have earned at this rate is a platoon role in left field.
That would be tough luck for fellow right-handed swingers Trayce Thompson and Kike Hernandez, both of whom have looked good in limited exposure this spring. As for the left-handed batters, Joc Pederson (.308 OPS) is lagging behind Andrew Toles (1.067 OPS) and top prospect Alex Verdugo (1.036 OPS).
Early Winners: Matt Kemp, Andrew Toles, Alex Verdugo
Early Losers: Joc Pederson, Trayce Thompson, Kike Hernandez
Milwaukee Brewers: Outfield and 1st Base
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The Milwaukee Brewers scored two of the biggest splashes of the offseason when they signed Lorenzo Cain and traded for Christian Yelich.
But in so doing, they also created an awkward scenario in which manager Craig Counsell will have to find playing time for the two of them, as well as fellow outfielders Ryan Braun and Domingo Santana and first baseman Eric Thames.
"With injuries and everything, we'll find a way. Some guys will get 500 [plate appearances], and some will get 600, but it will work out," Counsell told ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.
This news isn't good for outfielders Keon Broxton and Brett Phillips and first baseman Jesus Aguilar, who are tasked with merely keeping themselves on the radar this spring.
Broxton is succeeding with a 1.045 OPS and a long homer off Shohei Ohtani. Phillips (.325 OPS) and Aguilar (.611 OPS) are finding less success, which could mean a ticket to the minors for Phillips. Since he has no options left, Aguilar may could end up on waivers.
Otherwise, the pressure is mainly on Braun, Santana and Thames to jockey for plate appearances. Santana (.859 OPS) and Thames (.872 OPS) are doing fine. With just a .611 OPS, Braun isn't. However, two things help his cause: he's only played in four games and, oh yeah, he's Ryan Braun.
Early Winners: Ryan Braun, Domingo Santana, Eric Thames, Keon Broxton
Early Losers: Brett Phillips and Jesus Aguilar
Milwaukee Brewers: Starting Rotation
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The Brewers don't just have plate appearances to divvy up. They also have two spots to fill behind Chase Anderson, Zach Davies and Jhoulys Chacin in their starting rotation.
In Brandon Woodruff, Yovani Gallardo, Junior Guerra, Brent Suter and Aaron Wilkerson, the Brewers had plenty of solid options to begin with. They then threw another in the mix by signing former All-Star Wade Miley to a minor league deal in mid-February.
Miley is making a strong impression with 4.1 scoreless innings, seven strikeouts and zero walks through his first two appearances. According to Tom Haudricourt and Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the lefty's fastball has been clocked as high as 94 mph.
Not to be outdone, Suter has pitched four scoreless innings of his own, with zero hits allowed, four strikeouts and a walk. An offseason weight gain has his fastball up to 88 mph, a marked improvement over last year's average of 85.8 mph.
"I did it more for strength and fatigue purposes, but if it leads to tighter movement and improved velocity, that's a good thing," Suter said, per Haudricourt and Rosiak.
Wilkerson is also showing well. In four innings, he's allowed a run on two hits with three strikeouts.
Elsewhere, Guerra has only given up one run in six innings but has been touched for eight hits. Woodruff struggled in his second outing against the Cincinnati Reds. Gallardo has been lit up in each of his last two outings.
Early Winners: Wade Miley, Brent Suter, Aaron Wilkerson
Early Losers: Brandon Woodruff, Yovani Gallardo, Junior Guerra
New York Mets: Starting Rotation
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When Jason Vargas agreed to a two-year deal with the New York Mets in February, he joined a rotation that previously had just two starters locked into place: Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard.
All the more pressure on Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler, Robert Gsellman and Seth Lugo to go out and earn the other two spots.
Given his All-Star background, Harvey is certainly a sympathetic favorite for one of the spots. And despite giving up a pair of hits to the Atlanta Braves in his spring debut, he provided a glimmer of hope by getting his fastball up to 96 mph and generally feeling comfortable on the mound.
"It's a completely new year," Harvey, who's undergone both Tommy John surgery and thoracic outlet surgery, said to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. "I'm not talking about last year. I'm not comparing anything to last year, or years before. My mechanics were good today, and I'm excited about the outing."
By allowing just one run on three hits and no walks in five innings, Lugo is making a strong bid of his own.
Positive storylines are otherwise hard to come by in this race. Matz has been crushed in both of his spring outings, while Gsellman and Wheeler each followed a strong debut with a flop the next time out.
Early Winners: Matt Harvey, Seth Lugo
Early Losers: Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler, Robert Gsellman
Spring stats courtesy of MLB.com, and current through games on March 4. Other stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs.
