Mining the News (4/1/26)

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

American League

Astros

• The manager thinks Cam Smith could steal 15 to 20 bases.

Manager Joe Espada believes Smith is capable of stealing “15 to 20 bases,” even though he attempted just nine steals as a rookie. A .312 on-base percentage didn’t help matters — and must increase this season if Smith hopes to harness one of his most tantalizing tools.

“Mentally, I wasn’t fully committed to it,” Smith said Sunday morning. “Now I’m like, ‘OK, I want to help these guys win. I want to do anything I can. I’ve got the tool to run, and I’m going to use it.’”

To harness this motivation, Smith must become a better student of the game. Clark is overseeing the process. He will sit in silence after Smith gets the iPad.

“I want him to see if he can pick up something different than what I have,” Clark said Sunday morning. “And he did that yesterday.”

As the blurb states, Smith hasn’t been much of a base stealer, but he could beat his projection of 8 SB.

Rays

• Edwin Uceta is nearing a rehab assignment.

RHP Edwin Uceta
Injury: Right shoulder soreness
IL date: March 22 (15-day IL)
Expected return: Early April
Status: “Didn’t feel great” when playing catch Feb. 19. Received a cortisone injection on Feb. 20. Pitched in live BP on March 27, with another scheduled for March 31. Rehab assignment should begin soon after. (Last updated March 28)

With Griffin Jax struggling to start the season (9.00 ERA, 2 BS), Uceta might be a solid add for those teams speculating on Saves.

Red Sox

• The manager is going to try to get Masataka Yoshida some playing time.

But Cora wants Yoshida to start some games in the outfield. When that’s the case, as it was Sunday, Yoshida will start in left with Duran in center, Abreu in right and Anthony as the DH. Cora explained, in games they have the lead, he’d insert Rafaela for defense at center, take out Yoshida, shift Duran to left and keep Anthony in the game at DH.

On days when Abreu sits, Anthony will play right field with Rafaela in center, Duran in left and Yoshida at DH.

“It’s not easy,” was how Cora described the balancing act on Saturday. “Whoever thinks that this is easy to move them around, they’re wrong. I’m going to say it like that. It’s not that easy, but I’ll make it work.”

Cora also suggested that mixing in Yoshida will help keep everyone fresher throughout the season.

I’m amazed the Red Sox and Astros couldn’t work something out to get an outfielder to the Astros and an infielder to the Red Sox. It’s like both teams want to lose.

National League

Braves

• Reynaldo López made a mechanical adjustment in Spring Training that cost him some fastball velocity at the time.

So, what mechanical adjustment created this significant velocity increase just six days later?

“It was rather simple,” López said. “I think it was the left shoulder and the left hip just opening up a little early. So, my focal point was just to try to stay closed.”

Last season, his fastball averaged 95.6 mph, while this spring it dropped to 91.3 mph. He was able to bump it up ~3 mph to 94.4 mph in his first start, which is still slower than his fastball last season.

Mets

• Sean Manaea’s fastball is under 90 mph, which means he is irrelevant as a major league pitcher.

Manaea’s fastball velocity was still lingering around 88 to 89 mph in his relief appearance for the Mets on Sunday. Any hope that the adrenaline of the regular season, or even of a short outing from the pen, would juice his velo dissipated.

How difficult is it to survive in today’s MLB while throwing 89? Only five starting pitchers averaged under 90 mph on their fastball last season; their combined ERA was 4.80, and three of them (Clayton Kershaw, Kyle Hendricks and Andrew Heaney) retired at the end of the season. Of the remaining two, Tyler Anderson remains unsigned and Trevor Williams is on the injured list after undergoing internal brace surgery on his elbow last July. Thus, none of those five may throw a big-league pitch this season.

Nationals

• The team will use platoons and players at different positions to churn out production.

The Nationals believe in the psychological upshot of that decision. They will almost certainly use over 40 players this year. Heck, Butera said, maybe over 60. But they are maximizing roles. They are prioritizing roster spots for players who can play multiple positions and platoon in such a way that they can maximize the lineup.

To oversimplify: They’re using more math to make the lineups. They’re using more feel to make sure the players feel empowered in their roles, even with plenty of roster churn expected over the next six months.

Few of the players are good enough to deserve everyday at-bats, so expect everyone to get days off.

Padres

• Randy Vásquez has improved his conditioning starting last year.

A little more than a year ago, Vásquez arrived in spring training in suboptimal shape. He struggled to maintain a firm fastball and nibbled around the strike zone. The Padres put him on a strength and conditioning program and prescribed mechanical tweaks.

Eventually, after the All-Star break, the work began to pay off. Vásquez touched 97 mph in his final start as he fired seven scoreless innings against the Milwaukee Brewers. Five days later, with the Padres headed to the postseason, Vásquez came out of the bullpen and topped 98 mph, impressing an unlikely mentor.

Hopefully, the extra continuing will help prevent his typical second half fade (career 3.72 ERA in 1H, 4.48 ERA in 2H).

Rockies

• Zac Veen “most likely” head to the minors once healthy.

OF Zac Veen
Injury: Illness/right knee contusion (10-day IL)
IL date: March 25 (retroactive to March 22)
Expected return: Most likely headed to the Minors when cleared
Status: Scheduled to begin an injury rehab assignment the week of March 30. (updated: March 28)