The 2021 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread

[EmpireMaker]

Dodgers slugger Cody Bellinger hasn’t played since April 5, and it doesn’t appear a return is imminent. A recent test on Bellinger’s injured left leg revealed a hairline fracture, manager Dave Roberts told Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times and other reporters. Roberts added that “it’s not a day-to-day thing.”
Bellinger landed on the 10-day injured list April 9 (retroactive to April 6), at which point it was believed he only had a left calf contusion. The Dodgers seemed optimistic Bellinger would return in fairly short order, but that won’t be the case. However, it’s not yet clear how much more time the 25-year-old outfielder/first baseman will miss.
Bellinger helped the Dodgers to NL West titles in each of his four full seasons, and the former MVP was a key part of last year’s World Series-winning club. Bellinger opened this season as the Dodgers’ center fielder, but the depth-laden team has had the luxury of turning to Chris Taylor, Mookie Betts and AJ Pollock (mostly Taylor) at the position during his absence. Even with Bellinger on the shelf for most of April, the Dodgers have stormed out of the gates to an 11-2 record – the best mark in the majors.

[Cross]

The Braves will have a few injuries after today’s game in the cold.

[stevenash]

Kyle Wright hit 4 batters.
The record is six

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Figures that as soon as I post about Tatis hitting a big home run he commits an error that helps fuel a big 3 run rally by the Dodgers in the top of the 6th.

Tatis has been pretty brutal on defense this year.

[Chi_archie]

Tatis has been pretty brutal on defense this year.

Gotta shore that up

[Otters27]

As rebounding from their bad start

[stevenash]

As rebounding from their bad start

They'll be fine.
The season is long and they are only two back.

Put it in perspective.
8 percent of the schedule has been played,
92 percent of the schedule remains to be played,

[Otters27]

Dodgers covered that run line 2-0.

[Cross]

Cubs offense comes out of hibernation, about f’n time.

[jrgum3]

As rebounding from their bad start

I've made money betting the A's against the Tigers. They were in good position to take advantage of the Tigers and it helps that they're starting to play good ball so you just got to ride that streak while they're playing well.

[Chi_archie]

Cubs offense comes out of hibernation, about f’n time.

Let's see them keep it up

[stevenash]

Except for the SD game today's card is blah.

[Stallion]

Even with the Bellinger injury, It doesn't look like it has slowed them down. I don't know how the Dodgers don't win it all this year.

[BigSpoon]

Jay Bruce going to retire after today's game.

[JMobile]

Padres offense appears scared. Tommy Pham will get released or traded soon.

[EmpireMaker]

Shohei Ohtani has been scheduled to start Tuesday’s game against the Rangers, the Angels announced today. The two-way star has pitched just once this season due to a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand, but he threw three bullpen sessions this week of increasing pitch volume, topping out at a 30-pitch bullpen on Saturday.
With no further issues in the wake of these sessions, Ohtani will look to build on an inconsistent first start that saw him allow one earned run over 4 1/3 innings against the White Sox on April 4, but with five walks and two hits allowed. While Ohtani has been kept off the mound, the blister hasn’t slowed down his red-hot bat, as Ohtani is hitting .333/.370/.706 with four home runs in 54 plate appearances.
More from both the AL West and NL West..

• It isn’t yet known if Buster Posey will require an injured list placement, as Giants manager Gabe Kapler said the catcher will be re-evaluated on Monday. Speaking to reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle and The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly) before and after today’s game with the Marlins, Kapler said pre-game that there was some swelling in Posey’s left elbow, but during the post-game noted that the swelling had lessened. Posey left Saturday’s game in the seventh inning after being hit by a pitch, and x-rays were negative on the catcher’s elbow.
• The Rockies moved Chris Owings from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list earlier today, as Owings will have to undergo surgery on his left thumb. Manager Bud Black told The Athletic’s Nick Groke and other reporters that Owings will need at least eight weeks of recovery time. Owings’ injury was initially diagnosed as a left thumb sprain when he was first placed on the IL last week, but the veteran utilityman is now going to end up missing a big chunk of the 2021 campaign.
• After undergoing surgery last September to fix a stress fracture in his right shin, Mariners utilityman Shed Long continues to make some progress on the recovery trail. Manager Scott Servais updated reporters (including Jen Mueller of Root Sports) on Long, saying that he is still having difficulty making changes of direction on his shin and making stops when running, though Long is able to run and sprint without any problems. It isn’t yet known when Long might be ready to make his 2021 debut.

[jrgum3]

Even with the Bellinger injury, It doesn't look like it has slowed them down. I don't know how the Dodgers don't win it all this year.

The only weakness the Dodgers have is in the back end of their bullpen. Even then its not much of a weakness as they have multiple options to close out games if Jansen loses his job. They should win the World Series but you never know what can happen in October especially if your bullpen is a weakness.

[Cross]

I’m sure they will bring in Joe Kelly to stabilize things, lol.

[EmpireMaker]

50PM: Acuna has an abdominal strain, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (Twitter link). A decision about an injured list placement will come tomorrow. 7:48PM: Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. left tonight’s game against the Cubs in the fourth inning “due to pain in his lower abdominal muscles,” the team announced.
Acuna drew a walk to begin the fourth inning, and then “appeared to tweak something” (as per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian) while diving back to the bag on a pickoff attempt. After advancing to second base on a Freddie Freeman walk, Acuna was visited by the Braves trainer but remained in the game, and later had to dive across the plate to score on a Travis d’Arnaud fly ball. For the bottom of the fourth, Ehire Adrianza took Acuna’s spot in right field and Johan Camargo entered the game to take over for Adrianza at second base.
More will be known about Acuna’s status after he undergoes tests, but needless to say, both Atlanta fans and the entire baseball world at large are holding their breath that the injury is a minor one. After establishing himself as one of the sport’s best players in his first three MLB seasons, Acuna is already drawing NL MVP buzz after hitting an extraordinary .419/.486/.887 with seven home runs over his first 72 plate appearances.
Should Acuna have to miss any time, he’ll join fellow outfielders Cristian Pache and Ender Inciarte on the injured list. The shorthanded Braves still have Marcell Ozuna in left field, but might have to rely on some combination of Guillermo Heredia, Adrianza, Camargo, or Austin Riley to handle the other two outfield positions in the interim. Atlanta does have several experienced options at its alternate training site (including Phil Ervin, Abraham Almonte, and Terrance Gore), as well as top prospect Drew Waters.

[Otters27]

Pirates not to shabby so far.

[Chi_archie]

Pirates not to shabby so far.

Nice 9 game run

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Finally got a couple of clutch hits vs the POS Jmobiles

[stevenash]

Pirates not to shabby so far.

And Pitt is usually severely undervalued too.

[stevenash]

Jake's facial expression says "my fukking teammates can't even score two stinking runs a game for me"

[JMobile]

Finally got a couple of clutch hits vs the POS Jmobiles

Tommy Pham needed that hit. He should get traded or released by the all star break

[Stallion]

If I was Degrom I would ask to be traded, he is wasting his talents for that team.

[EmpireMaker]

Padres right-hander Dinelson Lamet is expected to start against the Brewers on either Tuesday or Wednesday, according to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin (via Twitter). It will mark Lamet’s first outing since September 25, as he was sidelined by biceps tightness throughout San Diego’s postseason run.
Lamet received a PRP injection in October, and the Padres have been particularly cautious about not rushing him back into action until he is completely ready. Naturally any elbow issue is cause for concern with any pitcher, though Lamet is a recent Tommy John patient, having missed the entire 2018 season recovering from the surgery.
A simulated game in the 70-pitch range was the last checkpoint on Lamet’s path back to the mound, however, and now the righty is ready for his first official game of the 2021 season. Lamet will be thrown right into the thick of it against playoff-contender Milwaukee in his first outing, and if he starts on Tuesday, Lin notes that Lamet would then be lined up to face the Dodgers on Sunday in another huge game against San Diego’s chief rival.
A healthy and effective Lamet provides another boost to an already-strong Padres rotation. The righty finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting last season after posting a 2.09 ERA over 69 innings for the Friars, with a 34.8% strikeout rate that ranked fourth among all qualified starters in baseball and a fifth-ranked 27.3% strikeout-to-walk percentage.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Padres right-hander Dinelson Lamet is expected to start against the Brewers on either Tuesday or Wednesday, according to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin (via Twitter). It will mark Lamet’s first outing since September 25, as he was sidelined by biceps tightness throughout San Diego’s postseason run.
Lamet received a PRP injection in October, and the Padres have been particularly cautious about not rushing him back into action until he is completely ready. Naturally any elbow issue is cause for concern with any pitcher, though Lamet is a recent Tommy John patient, having missed the entire 2018 season recovering from the surgery.
A simulated game in the 70-pitch range was the last checkpoint on Lamet’s path back to the mound, however, and now the righty is ready for his first official game of the 2021 season. Lamet will be thrown right into the thick of it against playoff-contender Milwaukee in his first outing, and if he starts on Tuesday, Lin notes that Lamet would then be lined up to face the Dodgers on Sunday in another huge game against San Diego’s chief rival.
A healthy and effective Lamet provides another boost to an already-strong Padres rotation. The righty finished fourth in NL Cy Young Award voting last season after posting a 2.09 ERA over 69 innings for the Friars, with a 34.8% strikeout rate that ranked fourth among all qualified starters in baseball and a fifth-ranked 27.3% strikeout-to-walk percentage.

If Lamet can stay healthy, that will be a huge boost to the starting staff..

[Otters27]

Kyle Wright hit 4 batters.
The record is six

Got to figure they will take you out before you hit any more. Can't see that record getting broken

[stevenash]

If Lamet can stay healthy, that will be a huge boost to the starting staff..

Drafted Woodruff in the fourth round as my #2 starter.
He has filthy shit.

[Chi_archie]

Drafted Woodruff in the fourth round as my #2 starter.
He has filthy shit.

yeah, absolutely great stuff

[Cross]

Woodruff is a stud for sure.

[jrgum3]

Drafted Woodruff in the fourth round as my #2 starter.
He has filthy shit.

Woodruff is definitely a steal if he's your #2 starter.

[stevenash]

Woodruff is definitely a steal if he's your #2 starter.

Yeah, Giolito is my #1.
Luke shit the bed the other day for me big time, but every ace is going to shit the bed 3 or 4 times during the course of the season.

[JMobile]

Welp, fading the Padres now