Anthony Rendon, Angels
Rendon will not be in the Angels’ Opening Day lineup against the A’s on Friday, manager Joe Maddon told reporters Wednesday.
Los Angeles’ big offseason addition has been dealing with a sore oblique since July 15 and was held out of the lineup in Wednesday’s exhibition game against the Padres. While he’s made some progress, he won’t play on Friday. But the hope is Rendon can avoid the injured list and only miss the first few games of the season.
Marcus Stroman and Robert Gsellman, Mets
New York placed Stroman on the injured list Wednesday with a muscle tear in his left calf, putting a dent on the club’s rotation depth. Stroman was projected to be the Mets’ No. 2 starter behind reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom. The club’s starting pitching options to fill in the gap left by Stroman would appear to be David Peterson, Corey Oswalt or Erasmo Ramirez. Steven Matz will now start Game 2 of the Mets’ season against the Braves on Saturday.
Earlier Wednesday, manager Luis Rojas labeled Stroman’s calf issue as “tightness”, but the situation is now worse than that. Gsellman, expected to be a valuable member of the Mets’ bullpen, was shut down from throwing last week due to right triceps tendinitis and was also placed on the IL. More >
Ryan Braun and Brett Anderson, Brewers
Braun missed all seven “Blue-Gold Series” scrimmages due to left oblique discomfort resulting from his surgically repaired back locking up on him. But he was back in the lineup for Wednesday’s intrasquad contest, serving as a designated hitter. That at least opens the door to being the DH for Friday’s season opener against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday. Braun hasn’t missed an Opening Day game since make his Major League debut in May 2007.
“I hope so. That’s the goal,” Braun said. “Obviously it’s been a bit challenging physically over the last few weeks, but knock on wood, I’m in a pretty good place right now. The trainers and physical therapists have worked incredibly hard to help get me back to this place. I feel good. Hopefully tonight goes well. I’ll continue to take it one day at a time, but I’ve never felt like I needed too many at bats to feel like I’m prepared to play.” More >
Anderson, meanwhile, has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a blister on his pitching hand. That rules him out for his scheduled start Saturday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. More >
Cole Hamels, Braves
According to Braves manager Brian Snitker, “it’s going to be a while” before Hamels takes the mound for Atlanta in the regular season. The veteran left-hander hasn’t faced hitters since developing inflammation in his pitching shoulder in January, and had a setback in his recovery when triceps tendinitis sidelined him earlier this month.
“It’s just where he’s at,” Snitker said. “He knows himself really well. There just wasn’t any way he was going to be able to be ready at the beginning.” More >
José Altuve, Astros
The former American League MVP Award winner was back in the starting lineup for the Astros’ intrasquad scrimmage on Wednesday. Altuve exited Houston’s exhibition game against Kansas City in the fourth inning Tuesday with a left leg contusion. Altuve made slight contact with Royals catcher Meibrys Viloria while crossing home plate, and he lightly limped away before exiting the game.
Jake Odorizzi and Byron Buxton, Twins
The Twins placed Odorizzi on the 10-day injured list Wednesday due to mild upper back soreness, and because the move was backdated to Monday, he will be eligible to return July 30.
“Regardless of true definition, he’s dealing with a little something, but he’s still able to take part in most of his day and most of his preparation,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “I wouldn’t expect this to linger too long.”
Buxton, who hasn’t played since sustaining a left mid-foot strain during an intrasquad game on July 13, was able to ramp up his intensity of running and face live pitching during a workout at Minnesota’s alternate training site in St. Paul on Wednesday. While it remains unclear whether the speedy center fielder will be able to play on Opening Day, Baldelli said he expects that Buxton will at least join the club for the season-opening series in Chicago. More >
Scott Oberg, Rockies
Oberg’s sore back has landed him on the 10-day injured list to open the season. The move was backdated to Monday, meaning he’ll be eligible to pitch again on July 31, when Colorado opens its home schedule against the Padres.
“We sort of came to that decision late [Tuesday] night, and through [Wednesday] sort of finalized that, so that’s a little bit of a blow,” Rockies manager Bud Black said. “But we don’t think it’s going to be that long, hopefully.
“He threw [Wednesday]. He didn’t throw off the mound. He threw in the outfield, had a good, intensive game of catch, some kind of long toss, and didn’t feel any discomfort in his back. We’ll pop him up on the mound here in a day or two, get him back to throwing the ball with intensity to the catcher.” More >
Tom Murphy, Mariners
The Mariners announced Wednesday that Murphy has a broken bone in his left foot and will be placed on the 10-day injured list to start the season. The injury occurred when he hit a foul ball off his foot during an intrasquad game on July 14, and though it was initially thought to be a bruise, an MRI revealed the broken bone.
He’s not expected to be sidelined for an extended period of time, but the situation leaves Seattle without any experienced catchers when the club opens its season against the Astros in Houston on Friday. More >
Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria, Giants
The Giants will be without their starting corner infielders on Opening Day against the Dodgers on Thursday, manager Gabe Kapler said Monday. First baseman Belt (sore right heel) and third baseman Longoria (right oblique strain) will begin the season on the 10-day injured list in order to give both more time to ramp up to regular-season readiness.
“I don’t think it’s realistic at this point, being so close, that either Brandon or Evan are going to be ready for Opening Day,” Kapler said Monday before the Giants’ exhibition game against the A’s at the Coliseum. “I think it’s going to be a few days into the season. We’re hustling to get those guys ready as quickly as possible, but without the full-intensity running reps that Brandon and Evan need, they’re just not quite going to be ready for the Opening Day assignment against the Dodgers. I’m not ruling out any point in the series, but that’s where we are at the moment.”
A.J. Puk, Athletics
The Athletics placed Puk on the 10-day injured list Monday due to a shoulder strain. Oakland’s No. 3 prospect per MLB Pipeline traveled to Los Angeles to consult with Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
Puk had a strong return from Tommy John surgery last season, when he posted a 3.18 ERA with 13 strikeouts over 11 1/3 innings. He was shut down in Spring Training with a shoulder strain and was expected to be on a pitch limit as he competed for a spot in the starting rotation.
John Means and Stevie Wilkerson, Orioles
Means, who has been dealing with right arm fatigue, has not been able to resume throwing, throwing his status for a scheduled Opening Day start against the Red Sox in doubt. Manager Brandon Hyde said on Monday that the club would be “conservative” with Means, who finished second in AL Rookie of the Year Award voting with a 3.60 ERA over 31 appearances (27 starts) last year.
Hyde also said some candidates to potentially make the start on Opening Day if Means can’t go are Wade LeBlanc, Tommy Milone and Thomas Eshelman.
Wilkerson had to leave Sunday’s exhibition game against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park with a left ring-finger injury he sustained while sliding to make a catch in right field in the second inning. He saw a hand specialist and was diagnosed with a fractured left ring finger Monday, making it uncertain whether he’ll play at all this season
