Baseball Daily Dose: Daily Dose: Springer Shelved
In a season of good play and good fortune, the Astros caught a bad break — literally — on Thursday.
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The club, in first place in the American League West with two weeks to go before the All-Star break, placed George Springer on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a fractured right wrist. The injury is expected to sideline the slugger for at least six weeks.
Springer suffered the injury in Wednesday’s game against the Royals. Royals starter Edinson Volquez, who had struggled with his command in earlier at-bats, plunked Springer on the wrist in the bottom of the fifth inning. Springer stayed in the game, playing his position in the top of the sixth, but he was pinch-hit for in the bottom of the sixth.
“We’re going to allow the bones to heal naturally,” Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow said. “It’s possible at the six-week mark he’ll be healed enough to get back to playing baseball. That’s the hope.”
The loss is an emotional one — Luhnow described Springer as the “heart and soul of the team” — but it’s also big from a contribution standpoint. The 25-year-old is hitting .264/.365/.457 with 13 homers, 14 steals and 43 runs scored this year. Springer has appeared in 75 of the team’s 81 games thus far.
That is obviously set to change, and it’s just the latest loss for the Astros’ outfield. Jake Marisnick is currently on the disabled list with a left hamstring strain, and Colby Rasmus has been sidelined in recent days with an illness. That has left the team to lean on players such as Preston Tucker, Domingo Santana and designated hitter Evan Gattis to play the field.
The team will likely continue to lean on Santana and Tucker to fill the void left by Springer, and Rasmus’ return, whenever that is, will help plug the gap, too. The team also recalled Alex Presley on Thursday, a player who can fill in at all three outfield spots. With the club holding a lead on the AL West, a trade for outside help could also be in the cards.
But any move will struggle to replace Springer. In what has largely been an enchanted season for the Astros thus far, the real test starts now.
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(Some) Happy Returns
A handful of pitchers returned from long-term injuries with mixed results Thursday.
The matchup between the Giants and Marlins also featured two talented pitchers taking the mound for the first time this season. Both Matt Cain and Jose Fernandez made their season debuts in the afternoon tilt — Cain returning from a flexor tendon strain in his right arm, and Fernandez working his way back from last year’s Tommy John surgery.
The results weren’t overwhelmingly positive for either, but it was Fernandez who came out ahead in both performance and result. The 22-year-old struck out six while allowing three runs over six innings, and he also hit a solo homer in the win. Cain, meanwhile, allowed five runs over five innings, serving up two homers on the afternoon.
“He was the old Jose in some facets,” Marlins catcher Jeff Mathis said. “Fastball was up there. The velocity was good. He threw some good sliders at times, and the changeup was pretty good, too — pretty effective. I’m just happy he’s healthy and back with us.”
And while the results weren’t what the Giants hoped, manager Bruce Bochy said the start was a promising one for Cain as well.
“He had a good delivery, stayed within it,” Bochy said. “He looked comfortable, and that’s why I’m encouraged. It was free and easy. I don’t know if the stamina caught up with him in the fifth. It got away from him there, with a few walks, and that’s what can come back to hurt you.
“But I feel good about what I saw.”
It wasn’t the only afternoon game that featured a starter returning from Tommy John surgery. Matt Moore took the hill for the first time since April 7 of last season, and for a while it looked as though he hadn’t missed a beat. The southpaw kept the Indians scoreless through three innings but struggled late, allowing four runs over his final 1 2/3 innings.
Still, Rays manager Kevin Cash said Moore’s first start off the DL had some high highs.
“There’s some really bright spots looking at him today,” Cash said. “There’s some excitement for how he rolled through those first two, three innings. That was nice to see.”
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Hacking Scandal Progresses
One shoe dropped Thursday in the case of the Cardinals’ hacking of the Astros’ database, but it may not signify the end of the ordeal.
The Cardinals fired scouting director Chris Correa Thursday for his alleged part in the hacking of the Astros’ system. Correa had been the team’s scouting director since December, a move that is believed to have come after the alleged hacking took place.
In a story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the paper reports “Correa has admitted hacking into a Houston database but only to determine whether the Astros had stolen proprietary data, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.
“Correa did not leak any Astros data and is not responsible for additional hacks that the FBI has alleged occurred, said the source.”
That sounds as though Correa’s implication won’t be the last before all is said and done.
National League Quick Hits: Freddie Freeman (wrist) won’t be returning before the All-Star break, he told reporters Thursday. He’s received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection into the wrist, though, and the hope is that he’ll be ready shortly after the mid-July break … Buster Posey suffered a scare when he left Wednesday’s game after being hit in the mask by a foul ball, but the catcher was back in the Giants’ lineup on Thursday. He seemed alright, too, hitting a solo homer in the loss … While activating Cain before his Thursday debut, the Giants placed Tim Lincecum on the 15-day disabled list in a corresponding move. Lincecum hit the shelf with a right forearm contusion … The Dodgers officially signed Cuban right-hander Yadier Alvarez to a $16 million contract on the first day of the international signing period Thursday. Alvarez, who brings mid-90s heat, was one of the most highly coveted free agents in the July 2 signing period … A day after the closer allowed a walk-off three-run homer, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said the team will give Santiago Casilla a few days off due to fatigue. Sergio Romo could get a save chance or two in Casilla’s short absence … Jon Jay, who has dealt with a nagging wrist injury for most of the year, was placed back on the 15-day disabled list Thursday … The Dodgers designated Brandon League for assignment but will likely hold onto the right-hander if he passes through waivers as expected … Manny Banuelos was stellar in his MLB debut but didn’t get to stick around to see it through. The lefty struck out seven over 5 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, but he exited due to dehydration and failed to factor in the decision. Still, he’s certainly earned himself another start with the fine effort.
American League Quick Hits: Despite some hope to the contrary, Jacoby Ellsbury (knee) won’t rejoin the Yankees on Friday. He’s very close, though, so Ellsbury’s activation could come any day now … Yordano Ventura (hand) had a good rehab start with Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday, striking out four while allowing one run over 5 1/3 innings of work. The rehab start may have been his last before being activated by the Royals … Corey Kluber got better as the game went on Thursday, finishing with 14 strikeouts over eight innings in a no-decision. The right-hander leads the American League with 141 strikeouts through Thursday’s games … Miguel Sano made his big league debut Thursday, batting sixth and serving as the Twins’ designated hitter. The 22-year-old finished 1-for-4 in the game.
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