When Brendan Ryan (the back up for the injured Didi Gregorious) went down with an injury in Wednesday's spring training game, the Yankees didn't have much of a backup plan for their backup shortstop. An MRI revealed that Ryan had a Grade 2 right calf strain, which should keep him out of action for at least a month. As Tanya noted earlier, there weren't many internal options to fill Ryan's role. So Brian Cashman made a deal with the Astros to bring infielder Gregorio Petit aboard for cash.
Image Credit: David J. Phillip
At bat, Petit might fare better than Ryan hitting anyway, as he hit .278/.300/.423 with 10 extra-base hits and a 104 wRC+ in 100 plate appearances for the Astros in 2014. At Triple-A Oklahoma City, he fared just fine as well, hitting .297/.340/.457 with an identical 104 wRC+.
Count Pedro Martinez among those who think there’s something wrong with Masahiro Tanaka. The Hall of Famer said Wednesday he believes Tanaka has been holding back on most of his pitches in spring training and predicted the Yankee ace won’t get through the season intact.
So when he says that Masahiro Tanaka doesn't look right, it might be worth listening. After missing 10 weeks last season with a torn ligament in his elbow, Tanaka is trying to return to ace form. Martinez says he won't make it.
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“I don’t see him healthy all year,” Martinez told Adam Schein on Sirius/XM's Mad Dog Radio. “And I don’t see him healthy right now. I’ll be brave enough to say he’s not completely healthy right now.”
Losing Tanaka would be critical, said Martinez. He calls the pitcher “the biggest key for the Yankees. I don’t think they can afford to lose Tanaka.”
Still, some wonder if his elbow could blow out at any time. The Yankees have talked this spring about getting him extra rest when they can. In a shaky Yankees rotation, it is crucial that Tanaka remains healthy.
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Reds closer Aroldis Chapman left Tuesday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers with a right hamstring issue.
"We went out there to check on him and the hamstring came up, and just with that history we were extra cautious," manager Bryan Price said. "And by the sounds of it, it may be a non-issue completely."
Chapman called out catcher Brayan Pena to talk after getting Jean Segura to ground out in the fifth inning. Trainer Paul Lessard, manager Bryan Price and pitching coach Jeff Pico then came onto the field. Chapman threw a few warm-up pitches, but after a long discussion, he was taken out of the game.
Chapman was visibly upset with Price when he decided to remove him from the game after facing just one batter.
"By the time the smoke cleared, Chappy was back in the dugout and Brayan got back in the dugout after the half-inning, I just think there might've been a misunderstanding," Price said. "So it's fine. It's frustrating for Chappy but in the big picture, nothing critical."
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Kris Bryant's at-bats became a must watch -- and that's saying something for spring training. He hit home runs off of fastballs and off-speed pitches both high and low, inside and outside the strike zone. And he hit them to all parts of the ballpark. His best may have come on a sinker away in one game, a pitch he's had problems with in the past.
To the chagrin of many fantasy owners and Cubs fans, third baseman Kris Bryant has been reassigned to the Chicago Cubs’ minor league camp despite hitting .425 in spring training with nine homers and 15 RBIs in 40 at-bats.
Preparing for its first season under manager Joe Maddon, the Cubs also optioned second baseman Javy Baez to Triple-A Iowa and reassigned shortstop Addison Russell were assigned to minor league camp.The demotion of Bryant was expected but much more controversial.
Christine O'Connor
@christineeeeO
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