MLB's Final Winners and Losers of 25-Man Roster Battles
With spring training winding down and Opening Day fast approaching, all 30 MLB clubs' 25-man contingents are coming into focus.
There are cuts and tweaks to be made before Thursday, but for the most part we can accurately assess the winners and losers of various key roster battles.
Let's do exactly that, as we parse a surprise twist in the outfield of the defending National League champions, explain why a blue-chip prospect will start the season in the minors, ponder an unexpected fate for the "Japanese Babe Ruth" and more.
Winner: New York Yankees INF Tyler Wade
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Touted infield prospects Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar trailed the most hype into spring training and appeared to have a shot at the New York Yankees Opening Day roster. Instead, it was a lesser-known youngster who secured an MLB job.
Tyler Wade—a speedy 23-year-old who debuted with the Yankees last season—hit .283 with three doubles, a triple and three stolen bases in the Grapefruit League. It was enough for him to crack the 25-man roster where he'll share second base duties with veteran Neil Walker.
"It looks to me that there's a little more in [Wade] swinging the bat than maybe I anticipated," manager Aaron Boone said, per Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. "The organization kind of raved about him and his range in the field, and what he brings on the base paths. That's actually surpassed my expectations too."
Loser: San Francisco Giants LF/RF Mac Williamson
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The San Francisco Giants are scrambling to deal with injuries to starting pitchers Madison Bumgarner (pinkie) and Jeff Samardzija (pectoral muscle) that could derail their season before it begins.
They also have questions to answer in the outfield.
Andrew McCutchen and Hunter Pence are set in right and left field, respectively. Austin Jackson could see regular center field duties, with veteran Gregor Blanco and rookie Steven Duggar also in the mix.
Despite a strong showing in the Cactus League, Mac Williamson is the odd man out. In 20 exhibition contests, Williamson hit four home runs and posted a 1.061 OPS. Yet, the 27-year-old was optioned to Triple-A.
Injury or underperformance could open a spot before long. Until then, Williamson will be plying his trade for the Sacramento River Cats.
Winner: Boston Red Sox C/INF Blake Swihart
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Blake Swihart entered the spring as a former top prospect scuffling for a spot on the Boston Red Sox roster.
He got reps in the infield, outfield and behind the plate in an effort to recast him as a super-utility man. He also hit seven doubles and three home runs with 11 RBI in 23 games.
His fate was all but secured (in a good way) when the Red Sox traded infielder Deven Marrero to the Arizona Diamondbacks, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com.
Swihart's future with Boston is unclear. He could be a trade chip going forward. For now, he's got a chance to build his value and redefine his role in The Show.
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Loser: New York Mets RHP Zack Wheeler
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The New York Mets were surely rooting for Zack Wheeler this spring. Their starting rotation was decimated by injuries and inconsistency in 2017. It was all hands on deck in the Grapefruit League.
Unfortunately, Wheeler didn't deliver. In 10 innings, the 27-year-old righty and 2009 sixth overall pick surrendered 22 hits, nine earned runs and a .431 opponent batting average. That is...let's check the math...not good.
For now, Wheeler will be supplanted in the Mets rotation by Seth Lugo while veteran Jason Vargas works his way back from an injury to his non-throwing hand, per Mike Puma of the New York Post.
Given New York's recent history, it's possibly bordering on inevitable that Wheeler will get a call at some point, assuming he irons out his issues and stays healthy in the minors.
Winner: Chicago Cubs CF Ian Happ
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Ian Happ broke out in 2017 with 24 home runs in 115 games for the Chicago Cubs. Still, in a crowded outfield, his role was undefined coming into spring.
The 23-year-old defined it by hitting .333 with seven home runs in 17 games. On Sunday, the Cubs officially named him their Opening Day leadoff hitter after he hit five of his homers from the lineup's top spot, per Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago.
Manager Joe Maddon is famous for mixing and matching and riding the hot hand. Happ's role could evolve or diminish depending on performance.
Clearly, though, he has earned the trust of the Cubbies and put himself on track to front one of the game's deepest, most dynamic offenses.
Loser: Atlanta Braves CF Ronald Acuna Jr.
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Ronald Acuna Jr. did everything he could to make the Atlanta Braves Opening Day roster this spring, short of single-handedly and preemptively delivering the Commissioner's Trophy.
The 20-year-old top prospect hit .432 with four home runs and four stolen bases and looked every bit a big leaguer. Because of MLB's service-time rules, however, he'll begin the season in the minors.
If the Braves bring him up after April 13, they maintain another full season of team control. It's a cold, simple calculation.
"This is all terribly dishonest and obvious to the point of being actually insulting, but it's the stilted, stagey fakery of it that registers most painfully," Deadspin's David Roth opined.
True enough. And so we await mid-April, when MLB's next consensus star can shine on the biggest stage.
Winner: Los Angeles Dodgers LF Matt Kemp
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Matt Kemp came into spring with no assurances. The former Los Angeles Dodgers star was a shell of his former self after middling interludes with the San Diego Padres and Braves.
Los Angeles re-acquired him from Atlanta in December out of a desire to shed first baseman Adrian Gonzalez; Kemp was a salary-balancing throw-in.
At the time, Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times wrote, "The Dodgers probably won't even keep Kemp, and certainly won't miss Gonzalez. This deal isn't about these actual players, it's not even about this actual season."
What a difference a few months make. After hitting four home runs with eight RBI this spring, Kemp could be L.A.'s Opening Day left fielder, per the Los Angels Times' Bill Shaikin.
Will the 33-year-old maintain his production and keep the gig over a 162-game grind? That's TBD. For now, he looks like found money for the defending Senior Circuit champs.
Loser: Los Angeles Angels RHP/DH Shohei Ohtani
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First, to stipulate: Shohei Ohtani is quite possibly going to make the Los Angeles Angels Opening Day roster. After all the fanfare that heralded the arrival of the "Japanese Babe Ruth," it's tough to imagine the Halos sending him to the minors.
The fact that it's within the realm of possibility demonstrates what a disastrous spring Ohtani had.
Ohtani's velocity has not been as advertised and he's surrendered nine hits, eight earned runs and three home runs in 2.2 innings. At the plate, he's 3-for-28 with nine strikeouts and no extra-base hits.
He threw a back-field session on Saturday, a move ESPN.com's David Schoenfield called "a possible harbinger of a minor league assignment."
It's not time to write off the 23-year-old. The results and pedigree he brings from Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball warrant a modicum of patience.
Would he be better off honing his game and adjusting to the realities of stateside baseball in the lower levels? That's a tough decision the Angels will soon have to make.
All statistics current as of Monday and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.
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