Michael Bourn is questionable for Opening Day

By Craig CalcaterraMar 17, 2014, 2:30 PM EDT
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Michael Bourn strained his surgically-repaired left hamstring yesterday and now his Opening Day is in doubt:

 

It would appear that Michael Brantley will shift over to center until Bourn can return.

Any extended absence for Bourn would be bad news, as the Indians need him to be a spark plug. If they want to repeat or improve upon their 92-win season last season, it’d be way easier if Bourn and Nick Swisher returned to form.

Editor’s Note: Hardball Talk’s partner FanDuel is hosting a one-day $100,000 Fantasy Baseball league for Opening Day’s games (March 31). It’s $25 to join and first prize is $15,000. Starts at 1:05pm ET on Opening Day. Here’s the FanDuel link.

Reds are the frontrunner for Nicholas Castellanos

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By Craig CalcaterraJan 27, 2020, 6:54 AM EST
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Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports that the Reds “have emerged as the frontrunner” to sign free agent outfielder Nicholas Castellanos. Morosi says the Reds and Castellanos “have made progress over the past several days.”

The Reds were going to have a lot of outfielders already when they hit Goodyear, Arizona in a couple of weeks, with newcomer Shogo Akiyama, Jesse Winkler, Nick Senzel, Aristides Aquino, Travis Jankowski, Scott Schebler, and Rule 5 draftee Mark Payton. Senzel was an infielder before last year, of course, so he could move back to the dirt, perhaps. And, of course, the Reds could trade from their outfield surplus if, indeed, they end up with an outfield surplus.

Without question, however, Castellanos would be the big dog, at least offensively, in that setup. He had a breakout year at the plate in 2019, hitting .289/.337/.525 overall (OPS+ 121), but slugging at a blistering .321/.356/.646 pace (OPS+ 151) after being traded from the Tigers to the Cubs. In Chicago — rescued from cavernous Comerica Park — his big doubles power turned into big homer power. If he were to sign to play half his season in hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark one can only imagine the damage he’d do.