The Early-Season Buzz Around Every MLB Team
The 2017 MLB season is less than a month old and already there's plenty to talk about.
Whether it's an early trade rumor, an imminent prospect promotion, a struggling player potentially headed in the other direction or growing concerns surrounding an injury situation, or a glaring team weakness, each club has something worth discussing.
With that in mind, we've taken a roundup-style approach to touching on each team's most buzzworthy early-season storyline.
Things are broken down in a division-by-division format with some quick thoughts and relevant quotes and rumors pertaining to each team's notable story.
AL East
1 of 6
Baltimore Orioles: J.J. Hardy will likely have his 2018 option declined, Manny Machado will stay at 3B.
It sounds like Manny Machado will stay put at the hot corner.
Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports wrote: "Word is, J.J. Hardy's injury history makes it less than likely the Orioles pick up his $14 million option after the year. ... The plan is to keep Machado at third base, as they do not want to remove someone who may be the best all-time at that position even to fill a possible shortstop need."
Prospect Ryan Mountcastle appears to be the future at shortstop, but he's playing in High-A and likely won't be ready until 2019.
Zack Cozart, Alcides Escobar, Danny Espinosa and Eduardo Nunez could all be pursued in free agency as stopgap solutions.
Boston Red Sox: It's time for Christian Vazquez to take over as the primary catcher.
Sandy Leon entered the season as one of the most glaring regression candidates in the league after posting a .392 BABIP last year, and he has, in fact, struggled to the tune of a .205/.222/.318 line.
Meanwhile, defensive standout Christian Vazquez is hitting .478/.520/.739 with five extra-base hits in 25 plate appearances.
Leon earned the first crack at the starting job with his out-of-nowhere performance last season, but it's clear Vazquez is the better choice for regular innings.
Expect the playing time to start trending toward Vazquez.
New York Yankees: Chad Green belongs on the MLB roster.
Chad Green lost out to Luis Severino and Jordan Montgomery for the final two spots in the Yankees rotation, but he could still make a significant impact before the season is over.
The 25-year-old was sent back to Triple-A to stay stretched out as a starter, and he's pitched to a 2.05 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with a 28-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 22 innings.
With a mid-90s fastball and a slider-cutter hybrid that generates plenty of swings and misses, his stuff would play up in the bullpen, so even if he doesn't push his way into the rotation, he could make an impact in relief.
Tampa Bay Rays: Brent Honeywell is on the fast track to the majors.
It took Brent Honeywell—one of the consensus top pitching prospects in baseball—just two starts in Double-A this season before he earned a promotion to Triple-A.
The 22-year-old went 7-3 with a 2.34 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 117 strikeouts in 115.1 innings last year while he split 20 starts between High-A and Double-A. He does a great job keeping hitters off balance with a five-pitch repertoire that includes a mid-90s fastball and a plus screwball.
The Rays rotation has been solid so far this season, but all signs point to a Honeywell debut at some point in 2017. His quick promotion has made it clear he's on the fast track to Tampa.
Toronto Blue Jays: A fire sale could be coming if the early-season struggles continue.
Yes, it's still early, but in a tough AL East, the Blue Jays can't afford to dig themselves any deeper of a hole and still expect to contend.
With an MLB-worst 6-14 record and a minus-17 run differential, the Blue Jays have been an unmitigated disaster north of the border thus far.
That's enough for Buster Olney of ESPN to already be talking fire sale.
Assuming Aaron Sanchez, Marcus Stroman and Roberto Osuna are all off the table, the team's most valuable trade chip would clearly be Josh Donaldson—provided he can recover from a calf strain and stay healthy.
Meanwhile, Marco Estrada, Francisco Liriano, Jason Grilli, Joe Smith and J.P. Howell are all staring down free agency, while J.A. Happ and Steve Pearce would also be potential trade candidates.
AL Central
2 of 6
Chicago White Sox: Others emerging as viable trade candidates alongside Jose Quintana.
Jose Quintana didn't join Chris Sale and Adam Eaton as trade fodder for the rebuilding White Sox this offseason, but he's still likely to be moved at some point, perhaps as the prize of this year's trade deadline.
In the meantime, a host of other arms have emerged as viable trade chips in a rotation that ranks sixth in the majors with a 3.54 ERA.
Veterans James Shields (3 GS, 1-0, 1.62 ERA), Derek Holland (4 GS, 2-2, 1.99 ERA) and Miguel Gonzalez (4 GS, 3-0, 2.00 ERA) are all pitching well, with Holland and Gonzalez both set to reach free agency next winter.
Anything they can get for that trio come July will be a bonus.
Cleveland Indians: Mike Clevinger belongs on the MLB roster.
The Indians rank 29th in the majors with a 4.81 starter's ERA—a surprise, to say the least, from a rotation that appeared to be among the best in baseball heading into the year.
Trevor Bauer (3 GS, 1-2, 6.35 ERA) and Josh Tomlin (4 GS, 1-3, 9.33 ERA) in particular have struggled.
Meanwhile, Mike Clevinger has pitched to a 0.76 ERA and 0.93 WHIP with a 27-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 23.2 innings in Triple-A.
The 26-year-old already figured to be the "next man up" in the rotation if someone missed any action with an injury, but it might be time to consider making a change based on performance.
Detroit Tigers: J.D. Martinez could return before the start of May.
How much do the Tigers miss J.D. Martinez?
The team's fill-in right fielders have produced a .700 OPS thus far, a far cry from the .898 OPS that Martinez has put up since the start of the 2014 season.
The free-agent-to-be has been sidelined since the final weeks of spring training with a sprained ligament in his right foot.
He's on track for a late-April or early-May return, according to Jason Beck of MLB.com, and the Tigers will welcome him back with open arms as they look to keep pace in the AL Central.
Kansas City Royals: A lack of offensive punch could set a fire sale in motion.
The pitching staff looked like the biggest weakness for the Royals at the start of the season.
Instead, it's been an offense that is hitting .201 with a .586 OPS and averaging 2.6 runs per game—all worst in the majors—that has been the biggest factor in their 7-13 start.
The organization is staring down a crossroads of sorts with Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain, Mike Moustakas and Alcides Escobar all headed for free agency in the offseason.
To their credit, Cain (.299 BA, .785 OPS) and Moustakas (.296 BA, .967 OPS) are both having productive seasons, and all four players would conceivably generate interest on the trade market.
If the Royals don't turn things around soon, it could be a busy summer in K.C.
Minnesota Twins: Jose Berrios has nothing left to prove in the minors.
The Twins aren't going to contend this season, and by the time they're ready to do so again, there's a good chance that Ervin Santana, Phil Hughes, Hector Santiago and Kyle Gibson will no longer be around.
Why, then, is Jose Berrios still sitting in Triple-A?
The 22-year-old went 10-5 with a 2.51 ERA, 0.99 WHIP and 125 strikeouts in 111.1 innings at Triple-A last season, and he's off to a terrific start there once again, posting a 1.44 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and 10.1 strikeouts per nine innings in his first four starts of 2017.
His first taste of big league action last season was messy as he pitched to an 8.02 ERA in 58.1 innings.
The Twins need to look to the future, though, and Berrios has a chance to be a big part of that.
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AL West
3 of 6
Houston Astros: A return to ace form from Dallas Keuchel lessens the need for a front-line starter.
All offseason, one of the biggest storylines on the free-agent and trade markets was the Astros' perceived lack of a staff ace.
However, left-hander Dallas Keuchel has looked an awful lot like his 2015 Cy Young-winning self thus far, going 4-0 with a 1.22 ERA and 0.84 WHIP while posting an impressive 65.6 percent ground-ball rate.
"He can do anything he wants with his breaking ball when his fastball command is right. That tandem is very, very good. And then he mixes in the changeup and he's the complete pitcher that we've come to expect," manager A.J. Hinch told Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle.
His re-emergence should allow the team to continue developing the likes of Francis Martes, David Paulino and Joe Musgrove, as opposed to utilizing them as trade chips this summer.
Los Angeles Angels: Another lost season for Garrett Richards?
Garrett Richards was one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2014 and 2015, going a combined 28-16 with a 3.18 ERA and 1.15 WHIP over 58 starts.
A torn UCL limited him to just six starts last year, but he avoided Tommy John surgery with successful stem-cell treatment and rest.
He's back on the shelf again, though, this time with nerve irritation in his right biceps that earned him a quick trip to the 60-day disabled list.
"There's no timetable. With nerves, they have a mind of their own. They regenerate at their own pace. It's mainly just staying strong, staying in shape and waiting for this thing to regenerate," Richards told Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times. "It sucks, but it is what it is."
The earliest he'd be eligible to return to action would be June 5.
Oakland Athletics: It's only a matter of time before Franklin Barreto gets the call.
Marcus Semien underwent surgery for a fractured wrist on April 18 and will be re-evaluated in six weeks, according to Joe Stiglich of NBCSports.com.
Veteran utility man Adam Rosales has held his own so far replacing him in the everyday lineup, but might we see top prospect Franklin Barreto earn a promotion sometime soon?
"Let's be fair to the kid and let him get the development he needs at Triple-A. When the right time comes, we'll consider it. But that time's not now," Oakland general manager David Forst told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.
That's the right thing to say, but the 21-year-old also represents a big piece of the future and is hitting .352/.400/.549 with six extra-base hits for Triple-A Nashville, so we'll see how long that holds up.
Seattle Mariners: Edwin Diaz will be moved into more of a hybrid or multi-inning role.
The Mariners are not off to the start many envisioned at 8-13 and in last place in the AL West, and a leaky bullpen has been a big reason.
The relief corps ranks 29th in the majors with a 6.52 ERA, and it's tallied five losses and five blown saves on the year.
That could lead to a revised role for closer Edwin Diaz, according to manager Scott Servais, per Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune:
"He needs to pitch. I don't just want to stick him down there and wait because he's the closer. He is so young. It may depend on where we are in the game. He hasn't pitched much lately at all.
He might go five outs. He might go six outs. In a road game, don't be shocked if he comes in there in the eighth inning of a tie game. I know it’s not the traditional closer role, but that kind of how I see using him.
"
It's definitely something worth keeping an eye on with one of the game's most exciting young relievers.
Texas Rangers: Tyson Ross could join the rotation before the end of May.
The Rangers' starting rotation has exceeded expectations to this point as they rank second in the majors with a 3.16 starter's ERA and tied for third with 12 quality starts.
That makes the eventual return of former All-Star Tyson Ross more a luxury than a necessity at this point.
The 30-year-old signed a one-year, $6 million deal during the offseason after being non-tendered by the San Diego Padres amid his recovery from thoracic outlet surgery.
Ross had a brief setback in his rehab after experiencing back spasms, but he's throwing now and could be ready for action by mid- to late May, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
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NL East
4 of 6
Atlanta Braves: Dansby Swanson might need some time in the minors if struggles continue.
Dansby Swanson entered the season as the prohibitive favorite for NL Rookie of the Year honors after hitting .302/.361/.442 with 11 extra-base hits in 145 plate appearances down the stretch last season.
Instead, he's off to a dreadful start with a .139/.162/.194 line for a .357 OPS that ranks 187th among 188 qualified hitters.
"He's just trying a little bit too hard right now, which is normal," hitting coach Kevin Seitzer told Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Every hitter goes through this. They want to get off to a really good start, and when they don't, you see them try to start trying a little bit too hard."
How much longer can he continue to struggle before a brief demotion back to Triple-A is considered?
Miami Marlins: What will the sale of the team mean for the on-field product?
The Marlins moved another step closer to having new ownership Tuesday, moving forward with the potential buying group headlined by Jeb Bush and Derek Jeter, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Jackson added that a deal has been agreed on in principle with a $1.3 billion price tag.
This likely won't have a major impact on the 2017 team as it simply doesn't have the prospects to swing a major trade, even if the new owners were willing to open up the payroll to make a big addition.
However, it will be interesting to see how this changes the team's approach on the free-agent market in the coming years.
New York Mets: It's time to promote top prospect Amed Rosario and move Asdrubal Cabrera to third base.
Remember when we said Swanson ranks 187th among 188 qualified hitters in OPS?
Last in that category would be Jose Reyes with an abysmal .324 mark, and that's been a tick above the rest of the Mets' third base options as they've received a comically bad .104/.159/.130 line from the position.
Todd Frazier and Mike Moustakas could eventually emerge as rental targets on the trade market, but a more immediate solution might be to promote top prospect Amed Rosario once the Super Two deadline passes.
After a breakout offensive season a year ago, Rosario is hitting .397/.444/.466 with Triple-A Las Vegas to open the year.
Sliding veteran Asdrubal Cabrera over to third base wouldn't make the team any worse off defensively than it is with Reyes manning the position, and Rosario could provide a huge spark to the offense.
Philadelphia Phillies: Jorge Alfaro could be the next young arrival.
With J.P. Crawford and Nick Williams both scuffling in Triple-A, it looks like the next high-profile prospect to arrive on the scene for the Phillies will be catcher Jorge Alfaro.
Cameron Rupp and Andrew Knapp have combined for a .172/.300/.328 line with one home run and four RBI while making up the MLB catching tandem, and Alfaro has always had a higher ceiling than both of them.
The 23-year-old enjoyed a nice bounce-back season last year after dealing with injuries in 2015, and he's hitting .377/.397/.607 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 15 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
His receiving skills remain a work in progress, but he has a relatively clear path to playing time once he's deemed ready.
Washington Nationals: Interest in Alex Colome and David Robertson remains.
The Nationals are tied for having the best record in baseball at 14-6, but a sketchy bullpen threatens to derail their pursuit of a title.
The relief corps ranks 28th in the majors with a 6.23 ERA, and they've already removed Blake Treinen from the closer's role in favor of a committee approach with Shawn Kelley and Koda Glover.
It makes sense then that the team has maintained contact with the Chicago White Sox and Tampa Bay Rays in trade talks for closers David Robertson and Alex Colome, per Jim Bowden of ESPN.
Bowden goes on to name Brandon Maurer, Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson, Santiago Casilla and Brandon Kintzler as potential secondary targets if the asking price remains too high on that aforementioned duo.
NL Central
5 of 6
Chicago Cubs: Right-hander Dylan Cease is quickly emerging as a top-tier pitching prospect.
The pieces are falling into place for the defending champs after a somewhat rocky start. The bullpen has pitched better of late, starter Kyle Hendricks turned in his best start of the season Tuesday night, and the offense is heating up.
So we'll instead turn our attention to the minor league ranks, where top pitching prospect Dylan Cease is quickly making a name for himself on a national level.
The hard-throwing right-hander is finally healthy and showing the front-line stuff that made him such an intriguing pick as an above-slot sixth-rounder in 2014.
Pitching for Single-A South Bend, he's posted a 1.89 ERA and 1.21 WHIP with 27 strikeouts in 19 innings over his first four starts, and there's a good chance we're mentioning him among the game's elite pitching prospects by midseason.
Cincinnati Reds: Ariel Hernandez could be a household name by season's end.
Where did that come from?
Right-hander Ariel Hernandez made his MLB debut earlier this week and became the talk of the baseball world when he struck out five over 2.2 perfect innings while flashing a triple-digit fastball and devastating curveball.
The 25-year-old spent five seasons in rookie ball while battling command issues and eventually found himself pitching in an independent league in 2015.
The Reds took a chance on him last season and were rewarded with a 2.18 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 10.7 K/9 over 43 appearances between two levels of A ball.
If he can continue making strides in the command department while pitching at the highest level, Hernandez could quickly emerge as one of the game's most overpowering bullpen arms.
Milwaukee Brewers: Lewis Brinson could add another dynamic bat to the powerful offense.
Keon Broxton earned the Opening Day center field job with a strong finish to the 2016 season.
However, it remains to be seen how much longer the Brewers will give him regular playing time if he doesn't get things going at the plate. He's hit .172/.262/.310 with 25 strikeouts in 65 plate appearances.
Meanwhile, top prospect Lewis Brinson is hitting .388/.426/.653 with four doubles and three home runs in 12 games with Triple-A Colorado Springs.
Adding his five-tool skills to the top of the lineup ahead of the slugging trio of Ryan Braun, Eric Thames and Travis Shaw could make a dangerous offense even scarier for opposing pitching.
Pittsburgh Pirates: How much longer is the leash going to be for Tyler Glasnow?
Tyler Glasnow will take the mound again Wednesday against Jake Arrieta and the Chicago Cubs as the Pirates look to avoid a sweep.
The 6'8" right-hander has shown the plus stuff that makes him such a highly regarded prospect with 13 strikeouts in 11.1 innings.
However, he's also allowed 17 hits and nine walks on his way to a 7.94 ERA, failing to pitch beyond the fifth inning in each of his first three starts.
Steven Brault and Josh Lindholm both have MLB experience and are both pitching well for Triple-A Indianapolis right now, so another rocky start from Glasnow could lead to a change.
St. Louis Cardinals: The pieces are falling into place—except for the bullpen.
After a miserable 3-9 start to the season, the Cardinals have gone 6-2 in their last eight games.
The offense is finally starting to show up on a nightly basis, and the rotation has looked surprisingly strong behind the trio of Mike Leake, Lance Lynn and Michael Wacha.
The bullpen remains a question mark, though.
A healthy Trevor Rosenthal has given the relief corps a boost, closer Seung Hwan Oh appears to have put a rocky start behind him and Matt Bowman sports a 1.69 ERA over a team-high 10.2 relief innings.
However, the rest of the team's relievers have posted a combined 6.95 ERA as veterans like Jonathan Broxton, Brett Cecil and Kevin Siegrist have all struggled mightily.
Whether it's a trade or a minor league promotion, something might need to be done soon.
NL West
6 of 6
Arizona Diamondbacks: Archie Bradley has become too valuable a weapon in relief to return to starting.
As recently as 2015, Archie Bradley ranked as the No. 25 prospect in baseball and the No. 9 overall pitching, according to Baseball America.
However, the 24-year-old found himself in the bullpen to begin the 2017 season as a result of a crowded rotation.
To say he's thrived in his new role would be an understatement as he's posted a 0.79 ERA and 0.88 WHIP with 12 strikeouts in 11.1 innings over five appearances.
His ability to go multiple innings could make him the D-backs' version of Andrew Miller and—for the time being at least—that makes him too valuable for a return to the rotation should a spot open up.
Colorado Rockies: A strong start from Mark Reynolds could land Ian Desmond in the outfield.
It speaks to the devaluation of one-dimensional sluggers that Mark Reynolds was forced to settle for a minor league deal with the Rockies this offseason, despite posting an .806 OPS with 38 extra-base hits in 441 plate appearances a year ago.
The 33-year-old found his way into regular playing time with Ian Desmond starting the season on the disabled list, and he's made the most of it with a 1.061 OPS, seven home runs and 20 RBI in 21 games.
Now it sounds like manager Bud Black might be considering using Desmond in a utility role of sorts once he returns to action, at least as long as Reynolds is still raking, according to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post.
Desmond inked a five-year, $70 million deal in the offseason and was named the starting first baseman shortly thereafter, despite never playing the position before.
Los Angeles Dodgers: Cody Bellinger could quickly play his way into the everyday LF job.
Cody Bellinger went 1-for-3 with a walk in his MLB debut Tuesday, and we could see a lot more of the team's top prospect going forward.
So far this season, the left field position has produced a .205/.275/.397 line with six extra-base hits for the Dodgers, and Bellinger is capable of providing an immediate shot in the arm for the offense.
The 21-year-old has perhaps the most playable power of any prospect in baseball, and he was off to a torrid start in Triple-A with a .343/.429/.627 line that included four doubles, five home runs and 15 RBI.
San Diego Padres: Where does Cory Spangenberg fit into the immediate plans?
Cory Spangenberg was one of the surprise final cuts of spring training for the Padres, but his time in the minors might have been for the best.
"It's been awhile since I played every day so that felt good. I guess it was beneficial for me to go down there and play every day. Nobody wants to go to Triple-A, but everything happens for a reason. I'm back here now and I've got to make the most of this opportunity," he told Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com.
The 26-year-old hit .348/.403/.470 with five extra-base hits in 17 games with Triple-A El Paso before being recalled Tuesday.
With 2016 surprise star Ryan Schimpf hitting just .102/.276/.254 with 25 strikeouts in 76 plate appearances, Spangenberg could quickly play his way into the everyday third base job.
San Francisco Giants: Christian Arroyo promotion means a full-time move to LF for Eduardo Nunez.
With left fielders hitting just .110/.185/.178 on the year and Jarrett Parker on the disabled list, the Giants finally made a move earlier this week when they promoted top prospect Christian Arroyo.
Arroyo was in the lineup playing third base and batting sixth Monday, with incumbent third baseman Eduardo Nunez manning left field for the first time this year.
Expect to see plenty of that alignment going forward.
Arroyo was hitting .446/.478/.692 with seven doubles and three home runs in 16 games with Triple-A Sacramento prior to the promotion, and he's capable of being the team's latest homegrown star.
All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference and FanGraphs, unless otherwise noted.
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