Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. XX(B) Opt Outs today:
A number of veterans on minor league deals have uniform opt-out clauses in their contracts scheduled for today. That’ll provide them an opportunity to return to free agency before Opening Day, though they’ll have additional opportunities to do so later in the year. MLBTR’s Steve Adams took a look at more than 30 veterans who qualify for the opportunity earlier this week. Among the most notable players on that list are Padres righty Walker Buehler, Braves lefty Martín Pérez, Mets reliever Craig Kimbrel, Cubs outfielder Michael Conforto, and Guardians first baseman Rhys Hoskins. Will any of these players return to free agency, or will their clubs add them to the 40-man roster ahead of their impending opt-out decisions?
2. Late spring trades on the horizon?
Yesterday, it was reported that the Twins have been shopping catcher Alex Jackson before the season begins. Jackson was initially signed with a likely path toward being part of the club’s catching tandem, but after a change in philosophy during the offseason thanks to movement at the ownership level, the Twins wound up not only keeping Ryan Jeffers but also signing Victor Caratini to a two-year deal. That leaves Jackson as the third catcher, and since he’s out of minor league options, the Twins figure to see if there would be any takers on him and his $1.35MM salary.
Jackson isn’t the only one who could change teams shortly before the season begins. The Royals have indicated an openness to moving southpaw Bailey Falter. Like Jackson, he’s out of minor league options. Falter doesn’t have a path to a rotation spot with Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Noah Cameron and Kris Bubic healthy — and Ryan Bergert, Luinder Avila and Mitch Spence as depth — and the Royals may not want to dedicate his $3.6MM salary to a swingman. There are surely other players on the bubble of their team’s active roster who could be moved in the last few days before the season begins as well.
3. Will Woodruff be ready for Opening Day?
Right-hander Brandon Woodruff is the ace of the Brewers’ pitching staff now that Corbin Burnes and Freddy Peralta have both departed, but he might not be on the mound to open the season. The Brewers have made clear throughout Spring Training that they haven’t made a decision on whether Woodruff will begin the season in the rotation or be given additional time to build up on the injured list following the lat strain he suffered last year. That makes today’s spring start against the Rangers a significant one. If Woodruff looks sharp and is able to pitch reasonably deep into the game while maintaining his stuff, that would go a long way toward convincing Brewers officials that he’s ready to take the ball on Opening Day. The game is scheduled for 6:10pm local time at the team’s Spring Training complex in Phoenix, and the veteran righty will face Rangers southpaw Jacob Latz.
