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MLB 2024 Preview: Dodgers pegged to win 46 more games than A's

MLB 2024 Preview: Dodgers pegged to win 46 more games than A's

As the 2024 major league season gets underway in earnest on Thursday, the Los Angeles Dodgers are already one game toward their projected total of 103.5 wins for the regular season.

That's courtesy of a split of their two-game, season-opening Seoul Series against the San Diego Padres.

The Dodgers lead the 30 major league teams with an over/under win total of 103.5 games at both BetMGM and DraftKings. By contrast, the Oakland A's open the season at 57.5 at both books.

That represents a 46-game differential -- or 28 percent of an entire 162-game schedule.

While the Dodgers spent the offseason adding stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto to an already loaded roster, the A's have spent the past several months mired in limbo about where the franchise will even be playing this time next year.

Extravagant spending doesn't guarantee regular-season success -- just ask the New York Mets. And the Dodgers know all too well that even regular-season dominance doesn't automatically translate to postseason success.

They have plenty of competition, namely in the form of National League rival Atlanta. The Braves are second with a projected win total of 101.5 games. They are followed by a trio of American League teams: Houston (92.5 at BetMGM), the New York Yankees (91.5) and Baltimore (90.5).

Ironically, the Yankees opened at 93.5 projected wins and are tied for the biggest decline since the lines became available at BetMGM.

The Orioles' win total has increased the most since the market opened at 87.5 games. When it comes to the over, it has been the second-most bet total among all 30 teams behind only the Detroit Tigers, who have seen their projected win total increase from 79.5 to 81.5.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Miami Marlins have received the most under action on their 77.5-win projection. Second is the Boston Red Sox, also at 77.5 wins, followed by the Braves.

TEAM (OVER/UNDER WINS)*

Los Angeles Dodgers (103.5)

Atlanta Braves (101.5)

Houston Astros (92.5)

New York Yankees (91.5)

Baltimore Orioles (90.5)

Philadelphia Phillies (89.5)

Texas Rangers (88.5)

Minnesota Twins (86.5)

Seattle Mariners (86.5)

Tampa Bay Rays (85.5)

Toronto Blue Jays (85.5)

Arizona Diamondbacks (84.5)

Chicago Cubs (84.5)

St. Louis Cardinals (84.5)

San Diego Padres (83.5)

San Francisco Giants (83.5)

Cincinnati Reds (82.5)

Detroit Tigers (81.5)

New York Mets (81.5)

Cleveland Guardians (79.5)

Boston Red Sox (77.5)

Miami Marlins (77.5)

Milwaukee Brewers (76.5)

Pittsburgh Pirates (75.5)

Kansas City Royals (73.5)

Los Angeles Angels (72.5)

Washington Nationals (66.5)

Chicago White Sox (60.5)

Colorado Rockies (60.5)

Oakland Athletics (57.5)

*BetMGM

Reports: 1B Jared Walsh rebounds to make Rangers roster

Reports: 1B Jared Walsh rebounds to make Rangers roster

First baseman Jared Walsh earned his way onto the Texas Rangers' Opening Day roster, multiple outlets reported Wednesday, after struggling with health issues the past two seasons as a member of the Los Angeles Angels.

Walsh joined the Rangers on a minor league deal this past offseason and helped himself this spring with three home runs. A spot at first base opened up when Nathaniel Lowe came away with an oblique strain earlier this month.

Walsh, 30, saw his 2022 season end early for the Angels with thoracic outlet syndrome then played just 39 games last season with neurological issues that caused headaches and insomnia and led to him visiting a specialist in Utah.

In five major league seasons, Walsh is a career .240 hitter in 364 games with 58 home runs and 184 RBIs. He was an All-Star in 2021 when he hit 29 home runs with 98 RBIs.

The Rangers shipped infielder Jose Barrero to Triple-A Round Rock after he cleared waivers, opening up one spot on the 40-man roster. Two more will be needed for the expected additions of infielder/outfielder Wyatt Langford and right-hander Jose Urena.

Mets' season opener vs. Brewers pushed back by rain forecast

Mets' season opener vs. Brewers pushed back by rain forecast

The New York Mets' season opener against the visiting Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday has been postponed to Friday due to the threat of rain.

The teams were set to be off on Friday. First pitch of Opening Day for both clubs will now be 1:40 p.m. ET on Friday.

Left-hander Jose Quintana (3-6, 3.57 ERA in 2023) is slated to start for the Mets against Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta (12-10, 3.86).

Reports: Dodgers signing C Will Smith to 10-year extension

Reports: Dodgers signing C Will Smith to 10-year extension

The Los Angeles Dodgers are finalizing a 10-year contract extension for catcher Will Smith worth $140 million, ESPN and MLB.com reported Wednesday.

The deal will include deferred compensation, per MLB.com. Ten years would mark the longest contract for a catcher in MLB history and keep Smith in Dodger blue through the 2033 season.

Smith and the Dodgers had agreed to a deal worth $8.55 million for this season, avoiding arbitration. He'll now earn $14 million in 2024.

Smith turns 29 on Thursday.

Smith, who bats cleanup in the Dodgers' order, is coming off his first All-Star season. He hit .261 with 19 home runs and 76 RBIs in 2023. He's off to a 5-for-10 start this season after the two-game set vs. San Diego last week in South Korea.

Smith, a first-round pick in the 2016 draft, owns a career slash line of .263/.358/.484 with 91 home runs and 308 RBIs.

Rain pushes Braves-Phillies season opener to Friday

Rain pushes Braves-Phillies season opener to Friday

A rainy forecast forced the Philadelphia Phillies to postpone Thursday's Opening Day date with the visiting Atlanta Braves to Friday at 3:05 p.m. ET.

Friday had previously been an open date, with the teams continuing their three-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

"Due to the anticipated rain on Thursday, we have elected to move our home opener with the Braves to Friday," Phillies executive vice president David Buck said. "This decision was made after consultation with Major League Baseball and various weather services. The open date on Friday gives us the ability to reschedule the game."

All gates at Citizens Bank Park will open at 12:35 p.m. Tickets for Thursday's sold-out opener will be valid for admission on Friday.

Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola and Braves left-hander Max Fried are the scheduled starters for the opener.

Reports: Yankees acquire INF Jon Berti from Marlins

Reports: Yankees acquire INF Jon Berti from Marlins

The New York Yankees are in agreement on a deal to acquire utility infielder Jon Berti from the Miami Marlins, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.

The Yankees are sending outfield prospect John Cruz to the Marlins, the New York Post reported. MLB.com is reporting that the Tampa Bay Rays are also involved in the trade and are sending outfield prospect Shane Sasaki to the Marlins.

In return, the Yankees are sending catcher Ben Rortvedt to the Rays, the Tampa Bay Times reported. He'll back up starter Rene Pinto.

Berti, 34, was set to be the Marlins' Opening Day shortstop. The Yankees are in need of a third baseman due to an injury to DJ LeMahieu, who's expected to start the season on the injured list.

Berti has played his most games at third but has appeared in more than 100 games at both shortstop and second base across his six-year career.

Berti hit .294 with a career-high 424 plate appearances last season for the Marlins and is a career .258 hitter. He led the majors in stolen bases in 2022 with 41.

Berti will earn $3.6 million this season and is under team control through the 2025 season via arbitration.

Cruz, 18, is the 27th rated prospect in the Yankees' organization, according to MLB Pipeline. He hit .294 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs in 48 games in the Florida Complex rookie league in 2023.

Sasaki, 23, hit .299 with seven home runs and 39 RBIs in 68 games in 2023 across rookie league and A+ ball.

Rortvedt, 26, batted .146 in 71 major league games across two seasons (2021, 2023) with the Yanks.

In a separate deal, the Marlins also acquired right-hander Burch Smith from the Rays earlier Wednesday.

MLB owners give final OK for sale of Orioles

MLB owners give final OK for sale of Orioles

Major League Baseball owners unanimously approved the transfer of the Baltimore Orioles to a group led by David Rubenstein on Wednesday.

"I congratulate David Rubenstein on receiving approval from the Major League Clubs as the new control person of the Orioles," MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a news release. "As a Baltimore native and a lifelong fan of the team, David is uniquely suited to lead the Orioles moving forward. We welcome David and his partners as the new stewards of the franchise."

In January, the Angelos family announced its intent to sell the Orioles and related assets for a reported $1.725 billion. Rubenstein will serve as the controlling owner.

Rubenstein's group is made up of fellow private equity billionaires and others, including Hall of Fame member and lifelong Oriole Cal Ripken Jr.

Peter Angelos, who bought the Orioles for $173 million in October 1993, died March 23. His son, John, took over the operation of the team as his father's health declined.

"To own the Orioles is a great civic duty," Rubenstein said, per MLB.com. "On behalf of my fellow owners, I want the Baltimore community and Orioles fans everywhere to know that we will work our hardest to deliver for you with professionalism, integrity, excellence, and a fierce desire to win games.

"I thank John Angelos and his family for all they have done to bring us to this point. John led a dramatic overhaul of the team's management, roster, recruitment strategy, and farm system in recent years. Our job is to build on these accomplishments to advance a world-class professional sports agenda -- with eyes on returning a World Series trophy to Baltimore."

The Orioles, with a promising young roster, won an American League-best 101 games last season but were swept by the Texas Rangers in the ALDS.

The team's first game under new ownership will be Thursday at home against the Los Angeles Angels.

Reds 2B Matt McLain recovering from shoulder surgery

Reds 2B Matt McLain recovering from shoulder surgery

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain is recovering from shoulder surgery, the team said Wednesday.

McLain, 24, had a procedure Tuesday to repair his labrum and address cartilage damage in his left shoulder.

"An exact timeline is still TBD as it has a wide range of possibilities," the team announced on social media. "We hope to have Matt back this season."

He suffered the injury in a spring training workout last week.

Jonathan India, the 2021 National League Rookie of the Year, is among the candidates to take over for McLain.

McLain made his MLB debut in 2023 and batted .290 with 16 homers, 50 RBIs and 14 steals in 89 games.

Cincinnati drafted McLain in the first round (17th overall) in 2021 out of UCLA.

Reports: D-backs sign LHP Jordan Montgomery to 1-year deal

Reports: D-backs sign LHP Jordan Montgomery to 1-year deal

The Arizona Diamondbacks and free agent left-handed pitcher Jordan Montgomery agreed to a one-year contract worth $25 million on Tuesday, multiple media outlets reported.

The deal also reportedly includes a vesting option for $25 million for the 2025 season.

Montgomery, 31, was one of the biggest names left on the market before the baseball season begins Thursday. He and Blake Snell, both clients of agent Scott Boras, were unsigned deep into March before Snell recently signed with the San Francisco Giants and Montgomery joined Arizona in the same division.

Montgomery was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Rangers at last year's deadline, and he started five playoff games (six total appearances) for Texas, including Game 2 of the World Series against the Diamondbacks. He went 3-1 with a 2.90 ERA during the postseason run.

In seven major league seasons with the New York Yankees (2017-22), Cardinals (2022-23) and Rangers, Montgomery is 38-34 with a 3.68 ERA, 705 strikeouts and 207 walks across 755 innings. In the 2023 regular season, he went 10-11 with a 3.20 ERA in 32 starts.

Dodgers trade LHP T.J. McFarland to Athletics

Dodgers trade LHP T.J. McFarland to Athletics

The Oakland Athletics acquired left-hander T.J. McFarland from the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday for cash.

Oakland placed the 34-year-old McFarland on its 40-day roster.

McFarland didn't make the Los Angeles roster despite compiling a 1.35 ERA in seven spring training games. He was signed to a minor league contract in January.

McFarland only pitched in three big league games for the New York Mets last season. He also made 44 appearances at the Triple-A level, splitting time between Syracuse (23 appearances) for the Mets' organization and Norfolk (21 games), the latter an affiliate of the Baltimore Orioles.

This will be McFarland's second stint with the Athletics. He went 2-0 with a 4.35 ERA in 23 appearances for Oakland in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Overall, McFarland is 24-16 with a 4.14 ERA in 354 appearances (three starts) with the Orioles (2013-16), Arizona Diamondbacks (2017-19), Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals (2021-22) and Mets.

The Athletics open the regular season against the visiting Cleveland Guardians on Thursday night.

Spring training roundup: Niko Goodrum, Twins rally past Braves

Spring training roundup: Niko Goodrum, Twins rally past Braves

Yoyner Fajardo hit a game-tying two-run single in the sixth inning, Niko Goodrum broke the tie the next inning and the host Minnesota Twins scored five unanswered runs to charge past the Atlanta Braves 9-6 in their spring-training finale Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla.

Goodrum scored Brian O'Keefe with a single in the seventh, and O'Keefe added a two-run double in the eighth for the Twins. Braves reliever Jake McSteen (0-1) blew the save in the sixth and gave up the three crucial runs on five hits over two innings.

The Twins had taken a 4-0 lead following Matt Wallner's two-run homer, but the Braves replied with six straight runs, including home runs by Jarred Kelenic and Orlando Arcia.

Jeff Brigham (1-2) threw two scoreless innings of relief for Minnesota and struck out five with just one hit.

Tigers 3, Rays 3

Carson Williams scored the game-tying run on a wild pitch by Brendan White for host Tampa Bay to draw with Detroit in St. Petersburg, Fla.

Chris Meyers smashed a three-run home run in the top of the eighth for the Tigers to take the lead before White's gaffe in the bottom half. Tigers starter Casey Mize tossed six strikeouts and allowed one run on two hits in five innings.

Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lowe had solo homers for the Rays, who got six innings of two-hit ball and eight strikeouts from starter Ryan Pepiot.

Red Sox 4, Rangers 1

Rafael Devers and Mark Contreras homered as visiting Boston topped Texas in Arlington, Texas.

Contreras and Masataka Yoshida both went 2-for-2 at the plate and Ceddanne Rafaela and Jamie Westbrook provided the other RBIs for the Red Sox. Starter Richard Fitts (1-0) tossed 3 1/3 scoreless innings with two hits, one walk and three strikeouts.

Jared Walsh had an RBI single and Marcus Semien and Wyatt Langford added two hits apiece for the Rangers. Starter Dane Dunning (2-2) gave up two runs on four hits and one walk with two strikeouts in 3 1/3 frames.

Cardinals 7, Cubs 2

Ivan Herrera went 2-for-2 with a solo shot and two runs as St. Louis pulled away from host Chicago in Mesa, Ariz.

Brendan Donovan had an RBI double in the second inning and went on to score on an error by Cubs starter Shota Imanaga (2-2), and three other Cardinals had RBIs. Kyle Gibson (1-2) fanned nine batters and gave up a run on four hits across five innings.

Imanaga yielded four runs (three earned) on eight hits and a walk over three innings while striking out six. The Cubs' only runs came on solo homers by Mike Tauchman and Christian Franklin.

Rockies 6, Brewers 1

Jameson Hannah hit a pair of run-scoring singles, Nolan Jones also put up two RBIs and host Colorado eased past Milwaukee in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Ezequiel Tovar had an RBI double and a run for the Rockies, whose starter Ryan Feltner (1-0) struck out six and scattered four hits and a walk over four scoreless innings. Jake Cave and Michael Toglia joined Hannah with two hits apiece in Colorado's 14-hit attack.

Brewers starter Aaron Ashby (0-1) was dinged for five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and a walk while striking out four over 5 1/3 innings. Carlos Rodriguez went 3-for-3, while Ernesto Martinez drove in the Brewers' only run on a sac fly.

Orioles sign veteran infielder-outfielder Tony Kemp

Orioles sign veteran infielder-outfielder Tony Kemp

The Baltimore Orioles signed veteran second baseman and outfielder Tony Kemp on Tuesday to a major league contract.

Terms were not disclosed, but the deal is worth $1 million, MLB.com reported.

In a corresponding move, the Orioles designated infielder Nick Maton for assignment. Maton, 27, went 0-for-23 this spring and was told Sunday he was not making the team.

Kemp, 32, was released by the Cincinnati Reds on March 19 and opted out of his minor league contract with the team. He batted .333 in 21 at-bats over eight games this spring with the Reds, who had signed him as a free agent in February.

The left-handed-hitting Kemp had spent the past four seasons with the Oakland Athletics and batted .209 with five home runs and 27 RBIs in 359 at-bats over 124 games in 2023.

The Houston Astros selected him in the fifth round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt, and he played for Houston from 2016-19 before he was traded to the Chicago Cubs in 2019. The Cubs sent him to the A's in January 2020.

Kemp has a .238 career batting average with 35 homers, 184 RBIs, .325 on-base percentage and 53 stolen bases in 69 attempts.

Rockies SS Ezequiel Tovar agrees to 7-year extension

Rockies SS Ezequiel Tovar agrees to 7-year extension

Colorado Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar agreed to a seven-year contract extension on Tuesday that runs through the 2030 season with a club option for 2031.

Financial terms were not disclosed, however MLB.com reported it's worth $63.5 million through 2030 and $84 million if the option is exercised.

"We are excited to be able to secure Ezequiel's future in Denver with this extension," said Bill Schmidt, Rockies senior vice president and general manager. "He has already proven he is one of the best shortstops in baseball, and we see him as a cornerstone of this franchise for years to come."

Tovar, 22, batted .253 with 37 doubles, 15 homers and 73 RBIs in 153 games last season. He became the youngest Opening Day starter in franchise history in 2023.

Tovar was named a National League Gold Glove Award finalist last season.

Yankees RF Oscar Gonzalez (eye) transported to hospital

Yankees RF Oscar Gonzalez (eye) transported to hospital

New York Yankees right fielder Oscar Gonzalez was taken to a local hospital after sustaining a right eye contusion during a Monday exhibition game against the Diablos Rojos in Mexico City.

With New York's split squad playing a two-game series across the border at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helu, Gonzalez took a swing and fouled a ball into his face in the top of the second.

Gonzalez fell to the ground and was eventually carted off the field. He was standing up and conscious before leaving, and Yankees team physician Carlos Smith treated him at the stadium along with Elisa Saleme, the series' head physician.

Smith then went to Centro Medico ABC in Mexico City with Gonzalez, who was set to undergo further testing.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced earlier Monday that Gonzalez, 26, was reassigned to the minors. Gonzalez spent last season with the Cleveland Guardians, hitting .214 with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 54 games.

Brewers CF Garrett Mitchell (broken hand) to start season on IL

Brewers CF Garrett Mitchell (broken hand) to start season on IL

Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Garrett Mitchell, expected to land a good deal of playing time this season, has a hand fracture and will begin the season on the injured list.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy made the announcement Monday, and said Mitchell suffered the left-hand injury on a swing during a weekend game.

The 20th overall pick out of UCLA in the 2020 draft, Mitchell has a career slash line of .278/.343/.452 in 47 games, with five home runs, 16 RBIs and nine steals.

He has been injury-prone since draft day, missing all but 19 games last season because of shoulder surgery. Mitchell, 25, hit .246 (.315 on-base percentage) with three homers and seven RBIs in those 19 games last season.

Murphy said Mitchell would see a specialist to provide further evaluation.

Sal Frelick is expected to move to the outfield from third base to fill some of Mitchell's responsibilities.

During spring training, Mitchell hit .319 with a .385 on-base percentage and eight RBIs, two steals and a home run in only 47 at-bats.

Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald (oblique) to start season on IL

Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald (oblique) to start season on IL

Arizona closer Paul Sewald, whose acquisition at the trade deadline in 2023 helped spur the Diamondbacks to the National League pennant and a World Series berth, will open the season on the injured list with a strained left oblique.

Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said Monday that Sewald, 33, has a Grade 2 sprain which could keep the right-hander out for six to eight weeks.

"We're going to miss Paul," Lovullo said, according to the Arizona Republic. "It's time for somebody to step up. That's what happens in this game all the time."

Arizona obtained Sewald from the Seattle Mariners on July 31, and he finished 16 of 20 games, going 0-1 with a 3.57 ERA, 13 saves in 15 chances, 10 walks and 20 strikeouts in 17 2/3 innings.

Sewald recorded two saves in each National League playoff series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies while sporting a 0.00 ERA over a total of eight innings in eight games as the wild-card Diamondbacks advanced to the World Series, where they lost to the Texas Rangers.

For his career, Sewald has played for the New York Mets (2017-20), Mariners (2021-23) and Diamondbacks, and has a 19-23 record with 68 saves, a 4.06 ERA, 116 walks and 407 strikeouts in 336 2/3 innings over 317 games (no starts).

Arizona could now turn to right-hander Kevin Ginkel, who with right-hander Ryan Thompson was a key set-up reliever last season, but Lovullo said he isn't committing to a closer right now.

"I like to build the game backwards from the ninth inning," he told the Arizona Republic. "... I would like to have somebody step up and be the lockdown ninth-inning guy, but I don't want to make that decision and then have to back out of it. I want to let something evolve and go in that direction."

The Diamondbacks also will be without left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez (lat strain) and outfielder Randal Grichuk (ankle), both on the injured list to start the season.

Shohei Ohtani says he never bet on sports, interpreter stole from him

Shohei Ohtani says he never bet on sports, interpreter stole from him

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani said Monday in his first comments on a gambling investigation that he never bet on sports and his fired interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stole money from him to cover "a massive debt" and lied about it.

"I never bet on baseball or any other sports or never have asked somebody to do it on my behalf, and I have never went through a bookmaker to bet on sports," Ohtani said through Will Ireton, the Dodgers' manager of performance operations, who translated. "Up until a couple of days ago, I didn't know this was happening."

Mizuhara was accused of "massive theft" on Wednesday by Ohtani's lawyers after it was learned that at least $4.5 million of Ohtani's money had been sent through wire transfers to a bookmaking operation under federal investigation. Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Major League Baseball announced Friday that it has opened an investigation into the allegations involving Ohtani and Mizuhara.

"To summarize how I'm feeling right now, I'm just beyond shocked and it's really hard to verbalize how I'm feeling at this point," Ohtani said at a news conference in Los Angeles, after which he did not take questions.

He explained that he is limited in what he can talk about during the investigation, he is letting his lawyers handle matters and he is cooperating with authorities.

Ohtani said that Mizuhara didn't tell him that media had contacted his representatives about a gambling investigation but told them that he had paid off debts for "a friend."

"Upon further questioning, it was revealed that it was actually in fact Ippei who was in debt and told my representatives that I was paying off this debt," Ohtani said. "All of this has been a complete lie."

The IRS said Thursday that Mizuhara and the alleged illegal bookmaker, Mathew Bowyer, are being investigated by the agency's Los Angeles field office.

Ohtani said the first time he knew about what he called Mizuhara's "gambling addiction" and debt was after the team's first game of the season, played in South Korea on March 20 against the San Diego Padres.

"During the team meeting, Ippei was speaking in English and I didn't have a translator on my side. But even with that, I kind of understood what was going on and started to feel there was something amiss," Ohtani said.

Mizuhara had asked that they talk one-on-one after the team meeting, so Ohtani waited at the hotel, he said. That's when he learned about the "massive debt" and that Mizuhara was sending money from his account to a bookmaker.

"Obviously, I never agreed to pay off the debt or make payments to the bookmaker," Ohtani said. "At that moment, it was an absurd thing that was happening and I contacted my representatives."

His lawyers and the Dodgers had been lied to as well, Ohtani said. His lawyers advised him that this was a case of theft and fraud, and to let the proper authorities handle it.

"I am very saddened and shocked someone whom I trusted has done this," Ohtani said.

Mizuhara has been interpreting for Ohtani since the two-way superstar debuted with the Los Angeles Angels in 2017.

Ohtani signed a record-setting 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers in December after batting .304 with an American League-leading 44 homers and 95 RBIs in 2023, when he earned his second AL MVP.

White Sox place C Max Stassi (hip) on injured list

White Sox place C Max Stassi (hip) on injured list

The Chicago White Sox on Monday placed catcher Max Stassi, who missed all of last season, on the 10-day injured list because of left hip inflammation.

Stassi, 33, had not played in a spring training game since March 20. Korey Lee was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to fill his spot on the Opening Day roster.

Stassi suffered a hip strain during spring training in 2023 and eventually landed on the 60-day injured list. In September he announced he would not return this season while attending to a medical issue in his family.

"Well, remember, (Stassi) didn't play last year," White Sox manager Pedro Grifol said Sunday. "Any time you push him ... I played him a couple days in a row and he was a little sore. But he's working through it. He's getting his work done."

In 403 career games over 10 seasons with the Houston Astros (2013-19) and Los Angeles Angels (2020-22), Stassi has batted .212 with 41 home runs, 42 doubles and 128 RBIs.

Stassi was traded with infielder David Fletcher from the Angels to the Atlanta Braves on Dec. 8, 2023, for first baseman Evan White and minor-league left-hander Tyler Thomas.

The Braves traded him the next day with cash to the White Sox for a minor league player to be named later.

Spring training roundup: Yankees blank Mets to close spring

Spring training roundup: Yankees blank Mets to close spring

Clarke Schmidt allowed only one hit over five sharp innings as the host New York Yankees posted a two-hit shutout of the New York Mets, winning 3-0 to close their spring training schedule Monday in Tampa, Fla.

Schmidt (1-0) struck out six batters and gave up two walks and a hit batter, and relievers Clay Holmes, Caleb Ferguson and Luke Weaver held the Mets to one hit, two hit batters and no walks over the next four innings.

Benjamin Cowles went 2-for-3 with a two-run double for the Yankees, and Alex Verdugo brought in the other run on a fielder's choice grounder.

Sean Manaea (2-2) went five innings for the Mets and struck out seven without a walk, giving up two runs on five hits. Pete Alonso's double off Holmes was the Mets' only extra-base hit.

Rays 6, Phillies 3

Visiting Tampa Bay scored three runs in the top of the ninth to break a tie and defeat Philadelphia in Clearwater, Fla.

Elis Barreat singled and Ricardo Gonzalez scored the go-ahead run on Johan Rojas' throwing error from center field. Alex Jackson -- who tied the game with a solo homer in the sixth -- scored on a wild pitch by Efrain Contreras (0-1), and Tanner Murray added a single to score Barreat.

The rally made a winner out of Rays reliever Pete Fairbanks (2-0), who pitched a perfect bottom of the eighth with one strikeout. J.T. Realmuto had a two-run homer to open the scoring for the Phillies.

Braves 4, Twins 0

Chris Sale struck out six batters and scattered a walk and three hits over three innings as Atlanta blanked visiting Minnesota in North Port, Fla.

Sale (1-2) was followed by six relievers who pitched an inning apiece and kept the Twins' hit total to six. Marcell Ozuna bashed a three-run home run in the first inning and Austin Riley added a shot to left in the third for Sale's run support.

Bailey Ober (1-2) threw 4 1/3 innings and gave up four runs on four hits and two walks, fanning six.

Pirates 4, Blue Jays 3

Jake Lamb's two-run single in the fifth inning was enough for host Pittsburgh to fend off Toronto in Bradenton, Fla.

Lamb's hit broke a 2-2 tie after Henry Davis hit an RBI double and Rowdy Tellez added a run-scoring infield single in the fourth for the Pirates. Reliever Ryder Ryan (1-2) was credited with the win after pitching one-third of an inning.

Damiano Palmegiani had a solo homer for the Blue Jays to tie the game in the top of the fifth, and Daniel Vogelbach scored Palmegiani on a single in the eighth for the final margin. Zach Pop (0-1) gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits and a walk while getting the first out of the fifth.

Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano (elbow) likely headed to IL

Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano (elbow) likely headed to IL

Toronto Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano is likely to start the season on the injured list with an elbow issue.

Manager John Schneider said Monday it is "reasonable to say" Toronto will open the season Thursday at Tampa Bay without the two-time All-Star right-hander.

Romano, 30, made five appearances this spring and allowed one run on two hits in 4 1/3 innings, fanning six batters.

He finished 5-7 with a 2.90 ERA and tied his career high with 36 saves in 59 appearances last season.

Romano is 19-15 with 97 saves and a 2.67 ERA in 216 games (no starts) since making his debut with Toronto in 2019.

Fellow reliever Erik Swanson is dealing with a forearm injury, leaving Yimi Garcia and Chad Green as candidates for closing duties until Romano returns.


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