MLB Player News

The deal is now official to keep Cora at the helm as Boston’s skipper through 2027. It was widely assumed that Cora would become a free agent at the conclusion of the year after the two sides were unable to hammer out a long-term deal entering the year, but he’s opted to remain with the Red Sox for at least a couple additional years instead of testing the open market in search of something more lucrative.

This is pretty aggressive. Pham, signed to a minor league deal on Opening Day, didn’t play this spring. His only minor league action consists of him going 2-for-12 in five games in A ball. And he was basically a zero WAR guy the last two years. No word yet on who is going down. Ronny Mauricio would seem to be logical choice, even if it leaves the Mets a little short-handed in the infield.

Murray homered in his first at-bat but was removed for a pinch-hitter before his third, as the White Sox preferred having Andrew Benintendi up against a righty. The 26-year-old is 2-for-14 since being called up a week ago. He’s due to return to the minors when the White Sox get Everson Pereira and Austin Hays back.

Domínguez was the White Sox’s ninth pitcher today after they went with an opener and bulk guy Jonathan Cannon left with an injury before recorded an out in the third. Fortunately, the final five of those nine pitchers kept the Royals scoreless over a total of 5 2/3 innings. Domínguez blew his first save chance for the Whtie Sox on March 29, but he has three saves and a win in four appearances this month.

Cameron opened the sixth with a 5-4 lead and retired Chase Meidroth to start the inning, but he went walk, single, walk afterwards. Nick Mears replaced him with the bases loaded and got Colson Montgomery to pop out, but he then walked Andrew Benintendi to force in the tying run. Prior to the sixth, Cameron hadn’t walked anyone, but he had given up a pair of two-run homers. He averaged just 90.5 mph with his fastball today, down from 91.3 mph in his first two starts this season and 92.3 mph as a rookie last year. He excelled at generating soft contract last season, but since it’s not happening this year, he might not be a mixed-league guy.

The HBP off his left wrist probably should have been ruled a swinging strike, but the White Sox already had one humiliation there with Andrew Benintendi earlier this month and didn’t need another already. Montgomery is batting .200/.302/.418 with three homers in 16 games.

Witt was also hit with his first caught stealing in nine tries this year, though it was anything but traditional. Witt was on first in the fourth when Jordan Hicks flinched on the mound for what was an obvious balk, except all of the umpires somehow missed it. Witt and the Royals bench didn’t, but even though no call was coming, Witt just started running anyway and was thrown out at second by the pitcher.

The shot to right off Brandon Woodruff was his first pulled homer of the year. He’d previously hit two to straightaway center and two to left-center. It’d be nice if he could go the short way more often, but no one is complaining while he’s hitting .274/.392/.613.

Brice Turang homered twice and Jake Bauers got him once. Littell has surrendered five homers but just seven total runs in 15 innings for the Nationals, leaving him with an adequate 4.20 ERA. He’ll face the Giants on Friday.

Clayton Beeter was off today after working the previous two days. Cole Henry seemed like he might be the primary fallback, but he came in mid-batter in the seventh today after a Ken Waldichuk injury and finished off a walk to Brice Turang before walking William Contreras and giving up a homer to Gary Sánchez. So, that won’t help his stock. The interesting thing there is that he was allowed to be removed after the homer, even though he officially faced just two batters; the initial walk was credited to Waldichuk yet still counted as far as the three-batter rule for Henry. PJ Poulin got four outs after replacing Henry, and Varland did a fine job in retiring Joey Ortiz, Turang and Contreras. Varland, who has allowed three runs in five innings, probably will be a factor in the ninth for the Nationals if Beeter struggles or gets hurt.

He left with a one-run lead that disappeared right away in the seventh. Woodruff surely would have liked to have still been pitching at that point; it took him just 70 pitches to get his 18 outs. His velocity is creeping back up some, and signs point to him being plenty valuable in mixed leagues while healthy. He’ll face the Marlins next.