MLB Summer Camp 2020: Latest on Cole Hamels' Injury, Yasiel Puig Contract Rumor

The Atlanta Braves have steadily risen to the tier of World Series contenders in the past few seasons, thanks in part to the consistent excellence of stars like Freddie Freeman and youngsters such as Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies.

But for as prolific as Atlanta's offense has become, the Braves seemed to lack quality pitching depth when they needed it most.

GM Alex Anthopoulos looked to remedy that issue this offseason. He went out and signed left-handed closer Will Smith to solidify the bullpen and also signed left-hander Cole Hamels to a one-year, $18 million deal to give Atlanta another frontline starter.

Unfortunately for the Braves, Hamels has had a hard time staying healthy. He missed spring training with a shoulder sprain, and David O'Brien of The Athletic reported Hamels missed a throwing session Saturday with triceps tendinitis.

Hamels said it is just "nagging soreness," but O'Brien noted the 36-year-old has yet to face hitters in any capacity, which is not a great sign considering Atlanta's season begins July 24.

The Braves will hope the veteran can call on his resilience to battle back into shape.

Hamels' career seemed to be spiraling midway through the 2018 season. He went 5-9 with a 4.72 ERA during his first 20 starts with the Texas Rangers and gave up 23 homers in that stretch. His changeup had also lost its effectiveness.

However, the former World Series MVP revitalized his career with the Chicago Cubs. Hamels posted a 2.36 ERA in 12 starts with the North Siders after the Cubs acquired him in July 2018. He then burst from the gate with a 2.98 ERA in 17 first-half starts during the 2019 season, with opponents posting a measly .659 OPS against him in that span.

But Hamels' renaissance took a bleak turn when he suffered a strained oblique at the end of June. He returned one month later, only to struggle with command issues. He averaged 4.5 walks per nine innings, posting a 5.79 ERA in his final 10 starts of the year.

That injury clearly hampered Hamels' ability to be effective in 2019. As such, it seems unlikely the Braves will rush him back into action, especially considering he has not had any live action against hitters. That said, the shortened season has affected the timeline a considerable amount. 

Atlanta will hope this is just "nagging soreness" and that Hamels can make his way back into the rotation to pitch for the majority of the season.

Orioles Reportedly Offered Contract to Yasiel Puig

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Yasiel Puig has a career .823 OPS. He is only 29 yet remains a free agent. The mercurial outfielder might not be on the market too much longer, however.

Jim Bowden of CBS Sports reported in June the San Francisco Giants had interest in Puig. On Saturday, MLB.com's Mark Feinsand reported the Baltimore Orioles made "at least one offer" to Puig. 

It is easy to see why teams would show interest. Puig might not be the supernova he initially appeared to be during his first two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but he is still a run-producer at the dish. He finished the 2019 campaign with 24 homers and 19 stolen bases, and he hit .297 over his final 49 games as a member of the Cleveland Indians.

The Orioles are in the midst of a rebuild, but they could use more production in the outfield, particularly given Trey Mancini is working his way back from stage 3 colon cancer.

Puig might not be generating a ton of interest from esteemed contenders, but it is possible he could rebuild his value with a team like the O's and reenter the free-agent market next offseason.

Yoenis Cespedes Will 'Definitely' Be Ready for Opening Day

Kathy Willens/Associated Press

New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes missed the entirety of the 2019 season because of injury, and he played a combined 129 games between 2017 and 2018.

But the 34-year-old is hoping to rebuild his image with the club in 2020 and said he will "definitely" be ready for the start of the season, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Cespedes has been productive when healthy. He hit 34 homers and posted an .884 OPS in his first full season with the Mets in 2016 and also boasts a 126 OPS+ for his career. Cespedes is also likely to benefit from the implementation of the universal DH rule.

The Mets have a crowded outfield, with the likes of J.D. Davis, Dominic Smith, Brandon Nimmo and Cespedes all potentially fighting for at-bats. But New York will hope the veteran can remain healthy and give the team more middle-of-the-order production behind stars such as Jeff McNeil, Michael Conforto and Pete Alonso.

All stats obtained via Baseball Reference, unless otherwise noted.