One last trade before the season started as Vidal Brujan was out of options and I wanted to keep the newly-acquired Michael Busch on the roster:
Saggese has an interesting bat (he had 36 HR & 121 RBI at High-A Hickory) but a suspect glove:
We also signed a couple of vets to minor league contracts: C Gary Sanchez and OF Mitch Haniger.
So the Opening Day roster is set, and pretty much is the one we finished 2023 with save a couple of exceptions:
C-Mejia, Bethancourt
1B-Y.Diaz
2B-B.Lowe
SS-W.Franco
3B-Paredes
IF-Walls, Busch
LF-Arozarena
CF-Siri
RF-J.Lowe
OF-Margot
DH(IF)-Vargas
SP-McClanahan, Eflin, Springs, Rasmussen, Pepiot
LR-Chirinos
MR-Beeks, Armstrong, Brigden, Poche
SU-Adam, Moran
CL-Fairbanks
IL-Baz (eta Mid-May), Bickford (Aug), Cleavinger (out for season)
The preseason predictions love us:
Opening Day:
2024 began just as 2023 ended - with Pete Fairbanks blowing a save. This time it wasn't his pitching but his fielding as threw wildly to first on Cedric Mullins' comebacker which should have ended the game, and then Jovani Moran (in his Rays debut) walked the bases loaded and Shawn Armstrong walked in the first time he faced to force in the winning run on a walk-off walk.