Mining the News (4/10/25)

Note: I read a ton of articles and there was little useful information. During the season, little non-game information becomes public. I’m going to focus on the format I used last week where I examine playing time situations, new starters, and still dive into some useful news. I’ll see how it goes for a few weeks.

American League

Astros

• Once healthy, Jacob Melton appears to be in the team’s outfield mix.

The Astros exited Sunday slashing .219/.297/.314 against right-handed pitching. No American League lineup has a lower slugging percentage against righties, and only three teams have a lower OPS.

Melton existed as perhaps a midseason answer to some of these concerns. The Astros’ uninspiring outfield might have made him an option even earlier. It’s worth wondering when he’ll emerge again.

Twins

• In his minor league starts, Zebby Matthews’s average fastball velocity is up 2 mph compared to his 2024 major league velocities.

Matthews’ fastball has averaged 97.1 mph for the Saints, compared to 94.9 mph for the Twins as a rookie last season, and the velocity on his slider and cutter are also up 2-3 mph. Even better, the higher-octane raw stuff has yet to diminish his control, which remains elite despite the dramatic jump from a low-90s fastball when the Twins drafted him to a high-90s fastball now.

Yankees

• Once some rotation arms get healthy, Will Warren will likely get demoted because he still has options.

Do you think Carlos Carrasco is long for the rotation? — Anonymous

Actually, yes. Clarke Schmidt will make his final rehab start Thursday at Double-A Somerset. When Schmidt returns to the majors next week, Will Warren will probably be demoted. The Yankees have already seen so many of their pitchers get hurt to begin the season. They can’t afford to lose depth. Warren, a rookie, has minor-league options. Carrasco, a veteran, can (and likely would) decline a demotion to Triple A. So, since the Yankees would prefer to hold on to Warren and Carrasco, expect Carrasco to stay for a while. Maybe at least until Luis Gil (lat strain) returns.

National League

Brewers

• The team recently traded for Quinn Priester whose AAA average fastball velocity is up over 1 mph compared to how hard he threw last season.

Dodgers

• Landon Knack will get one more start.

Dave Roberts said Landon Knack will stick around for at least one more turn through the rotation. TBD which day it'll be against the Rockies.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) April 9, 2025

• Roki Sasaki struggled to find the plate early in the season but is improving. Here are his Ball% over his first three starts. A 37% value is needed to be a fantasy-viable option.

Game: Ball%
#1: 56.1%
#2: 47.5%
#3: 39.7%

Marlins

• Matt Mervis (.276/.313/.586, 3 HR) only needs three more games at first base to be qualified there in most formats.

• Edward Cabrera is expected to come off the IL soon.

RHP Edward Cabrera
Injury: Right middle finger blister
IL date: March 27 (15-day IL, retroactive to March 24)
Expected return: Week of April 7
Status: Completed second rehab start for Triple-A Jacksonville on April 6, pitching four innings, allowing two runs — one earned — and striking out six. His fastball was clocked as high as 100 miles an hour and he was able to use all of his pitches. He will continue his baseball work at Citi Field.

Phillies

• Jordan Romano thinks he’s the best when he’s around 96 mph.

“I’m used to being 96, around there the whole time,” Romano said after Sunday’s comeback win. “I don’t know what’s going on right now but I need to figure it out.

“I’ve got to get the velo up because when the velo’s right, it helps the slider too. When the velo’s down, it’s easier to take the slider. I’m going to look at some video, try to dive in and figure this out really quick.”

Since 2021, these are Romano’s results based on each game’s average fastball velocity.

Pirates

• Without any setbacks, Spencer Horwitz will start rehab games later this month.

Spencer Horwitz (right wrist) is nine weeks into his rehab and is hitting and taking ground balls with no restrictions. He will travel with the team to Cincinnati this weekend to continue that progression.

“He is trending in a really good position to have conversations with the performance team, [manager Derek Shelton] and [general manager] Ben [Cherington] about how and when we can consider rehab games, hopefully later this month or early next,” Tomczyk said.