One move made as preseason opened: we signed international free agent to a minor league deal with an MLB option:
This is a pretty good profile for a catcher and he would get $2.3M if and when he's promoted to the big club. We don't need a catcher now with
Adley Rutschman and promising youngster
Jalen Lowe behind him, but I couldn't pass up signing a quality guy at this price and if nothing else he gives us a trade chip.
We had some nagging injuries to the rotation as
Danny Fragoso (herniated disc) and
Benjamin Buckman (back tightness) both start the year on the IL but will be back by mid-April.
Jaden Stevenson and
Luis Oviedo move into the rotation. Also
Christian Rodriguez, up for a few cameos in the past, makes the team as the long man and rookie
Manny Echevarria squeaks onto the roster temporarily.
Finally, closer
Randy Rodriguez has a tired arm and will miss the first couple of regular season games but not go on the IL.
The Opening Day Roster:
C-Rutschman, Lowe
1B-E.Bell
2B-Pino
SS-Cedillos
3B-K.White
IF-C.Williams, J.Jones (out of options)
LF-Jasso
CF-Gurrola
RF-Hardy
OF-W.Perez
DH-Haro
Jasso and W.Perez will platoon, as will Bell and Williams with White shifting to 1B and Williams at 3B.
SP-Najera, Lennon, Acosta, Stevenson, Oviedo
LR-C.Rodriguez
MR-Boyle, A.Salazar, Little, Vargas, Echevarria
SU-Ogando, L.Gonzalez
CL-R.Rodriguez
With our rotation depleted on Opening Day, the preseason picks may be a bit off:
Not bad, as OOTP forecasts a 3-way battle for AL East supremacy. We open at home for 3 with one of those teams we're supposed to battle, Boston.