MLB Player News

The 34-year-old right-hander opted out of the final four years and $144 million that he had remaining on his contract with the Yankees, but the club has the option to void that opt-out by adding a fifth year and $36 million to the contract. Multiple sources have indicated that the Yankees are likely to retain Cole, but nothing is official just yet. If they do add the extra year, they’ll owe him $180 million over the next five seasons. Cole looked especially sharp during the Yankees’ postseason run and would be very difficult for them to replace on the free agent market.

Schmidt said that he and the Yankees’ pitching department worked together to break his one sweeper up into two distinct breaking balls, including a new one that was “designed to give him more horizontal break and a better weapon against righties.” The pitch did that, but it also required Schmidt to “grip it really hard” and “torque it,” which caused the 30-year-old to have a tough time recovering in between his starts. He was then forced to undergo elbow surgery in July. He likely won’t return until the end of the summer, but he claims that he will stick to “his old sweeper grip and will definitely ditch the newer one.” That could lead to fewer strikeouts for Schmidt but more long-term health.

Peña fractured the tip of his finger earlier this week, but doesn’t feel that the injury will keep him out long. “I don’t know how it’s going to heal, I don’t know what the process is going to be like, but the goal is always to try to join the team for Opening Day.” We’re trying not to be influenced by the Astros’ poor track record with player return timelines in recent seasons, but we’d consider it a long shot that Peña is ready on Opening Day. The hope is that he plays not long after.

Goold highlights Wetherholt’s feel for the strike zone and mentioned how he doesn’t get fooled outside of the strike zone. He also said that Wetherholt has “power that will surprise you.” Even though Konnor Griffin and Kevin McGonigle are getting most of the attention, Wetherholt may have the best path to playing time among the three. With the Cardinals rebuilding and both second base and third base up for grabs, Wetherholt could get 500 plate appearances or more for the Cardinals this season and is worth taking late in most draft formats.

Astros manager Joe Espada said the team will “see how he feels tomorrow,” so this could be a multi-day absense but it doesn’t seem like a major concern. The Astros need to be super cautious with Correa now that Jeremy Pena has been sidelined with a fractured finger.

Chourio was hit by a pitch in Wednesday’s game, but the imaging revealed that it was a “soft tissue” contusion, meaning none of the bones in his hand and wrist showed any damage. He will be able to run and play defense, but Team Venezuela, in conjunction with the Brewers, decided it was best to play it safe and have him not hit for at least one game. There is no reason to have any long-term concern here.

Yamamoto didn’t allow a single hit in this one, but he also struggled to put hitters away. He threw 82 percent first pitch strikes, so he got ahead easily, but he didn’t get many chases out of the zone on his splitter or curve, which made it hard for him to put away hitters. Still, his velocity looked good, and his pitch shapes all seem normal, so there isn’t much to be concerned about from a fantasy perspective this season.

Yoshida also played left field for the vast majority of the game. He’s a bit of a forgotten man in Boston because of their plethora of outfielders, but Yoshida is undoubtedly an above-average major league hitter. After being delayed due to a shoulder injury last year, he hit .266/.307/.388 in 205 plate appearances with four home runs and 26 RBI. Yoshida makes an elite level of contact, but he simply doesn’t have the power to be a great fit as a DH. If his defense could be just average in left field, he would be a solid starting option for many teams.

Ohtani got the scoring started with a 368-foot grand slam in the second inning. He would later drive in another run in the same inning as Japan scored 10 runs in the second to put the game away almost immediately. The 31-year-old later added a double for his third hit of the game. He’s a very good hitter, but that’s not news to you.

Czechia was up 1-0 after two before Mead’s 388-foot blast in the third. It then remained a 3-1 game until Australia added two insurance runs in the ninth. The win moves Australia to 2-0 ahead of games against Korea and Japan. Czechia dropped to 0-2.

The 29-year-old slugger clobbered a 388-foot (104.4 mph EV) three-run shot off of Cole Ragans in the top half of the first inning, increasing the Rangers’ early lead to 4-0. He also added an RBI single fourth inning that tied the score at 8-8. With his two-hit attack, Burger is hitting .333 (6-for-18) with a pair of homers and five RBI to start the spring.