Ranking the best 18 DHs of 2023 in the MLB
Who are baseball's best designated hitters? Ben Verlander breaks down his tiers.MARCH 1, 2023
Andrew Velazquez - Done with switch hittingVelazquez said Monday he will no longer switch hit and will instead exclusively bat right-handed, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
ImpactVelazquez briefly dropped switch hitting last season before a season-ending knee injury, and he'll now hit exclusively right-handed going forward. The 28-year-old had a .540 OPS across 125 games last season, with similarly poor results against both types of pitcher. Velazquez isn't guaranteed a spot on the Halos' Opening Day roster, though his elite defense at shortstop and speed could make him a solid bench piece.
MARCH 1, 2023•ROTOWIRE
With Shohei Ohtani free agency looming, Mike Trout says it's now or never for the AngelsThe Angels will have a difficult time keeping Shohei Ohtani in Anaheim following the 2023 season, but Mike Trout believes success on the fie...
MARCH 1, 2023•SPORTINGNEWS.COM
Manny Piña - Nursing calf sorenessAthletics manager Mark Kotsay said Wednesday that Pina will be held out of Cactus League action until at least this weekend due to calf soreness, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco...
ImpactPina continues to go through workouts but will take at least a few days off from games. The veteran catcher is slated to serve as Shea Langeliers' backup to begin the season but could get pushed aside once to prospect Tyler Soderstrom is deemed ready for the big leagues.
MARCH 1, 2023•ROTOWIRE
MLB sets up local media group, could broadcast 17 teams
Major League Baseball has added three executives to its new local media department as it prepares for a possible takeover of broadcasts for 17 teams amid the financial deterioratio...MARCH 1, 2023•ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trey Cabbage - Healthy for spring campCabbage (forearm) has appeared in each of the Angels' first four Cactus League games, going 2-for-7 with a double and two walks.
ImpactCabbage didn't appear in any minor-league games after mid-May of last season due to a left forearm fracture, but he was cleared for the start of spring training and appears to be making up for the lost time by getting plenty of at-bats early on during Cactus League play. Though he's seen most of his time in the minors in the corner outfield, Cabbage has been deployed exclusively as a designated hitter or first baseman so far this spring, so it's possible his left throwing shoulder isn't yet back to 100 percent. Regardless, Cabbage looks like he'll be ready to go for the start of the upcoming minor-league season, with Triple-A Salt Lake or Double-A Rocket City being his most likely destination.
MARCH 1, 2023•ROTOWIRE
