#roster-management

#roster-management

The final date that teams can add internal players to the roster to protect them from the Rule 5 Draft is set for November 18th, just a few days away. Last year, Toronto decided to protect nobody and selected Angel Bastardo, who spent the entire season on the IL while he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery. The only casualty from the Jays' side was Garrett Spain, who was taken in the Minor League portion by the Milwaukee Brewers.

He was one of the best guys at seeing pitches and working counts and it's one of the reasons why we went out and traded for him, Brown told reporters at the GM Meetings on Wednesday (link via Matt Kawahara of The Houston Chronicle). We need that value in our lineup. It's the exact direction we're trying to take it. We feel like if we trade him it would be weakening our lineup. So right now, we have no interest in trading him.

When asked earlier this week about the Dallas Cowboys' defensive struggles, Jerry Jones gave a familiar response: "Help on the way is important. We do have two or three key players and we'll start getting healthier at safety, which we're really right now suffering from our depth at safety." The comment, meant to inspire confidence, instead highlighted a long-standing problem with Jones' approach to roster management: his unrelenting belief that injured players returning from rehab can instantly solve deep-rooted problems.

A promising forward and added depth to a team going through a rebuild and looking to eventually rely on their young group they have been developing for a few seasons now. Reichel has now played 172 games as a Blackhawk and has put up a total of 57 points in his career thus far, but has showed a lot of good developments in his own game and has proven a lot of skill within it.

Previewing tonight's visit to Columbus for a preseason date with the Blue Jackets from Vogs. Checking in with the coach and the kid after yesterday's practice. [Caps video (Carbery, Leonard)] Ryan Leonard finally scored a goal on a goalie (and again in the shootout) in Sunday's win in NJ, but for his coach, Leonard's successful evolution goes far beyond the scoresheet. [WaPo]

Wrapping up our 2024-2025 report cards is Chris Drury and the Rangers front office. To put it mildly, many of the Rangers issues last year started with Drury's summer roster management, which he tried to rectify with a flurry of midseason trades. As such, his report card grade is a tale of two Drury's.

The Rangers looked good, and though it's only one preseason game, there is some legitimate hype around some of the kids. But with the hype comes worries with the Rangers rushing prospects to the NHL, something that has plagued them the last few years. Though numerous kids have started camp with a bang, it's easy to forget that the Rangers rushing prospects isn't a good idea if they want to have more success in their next window.

Brandon Sproat is making it nearly impossible for the Mets to keep him down in the minors for much longer. The 24-year-old has hit his stride with Triple-A Syracuse after a bobble upon his promotion from Double-A Binghamton. He went six innings on Tuesday night, allowing just one run on two hits with eight strikeouts. Over his last nine starts (48.1 innings pitched), he has a 2.05 ERA with 57 strikeouts and a 0.850 WHIP.

Myles Straw has been 'Mr. do-it-all' for Toronto this season, contributing to the Blue Jays offense through tough at-bats, bunting, timely hits, and defensive plays.

GM Carter Hawkins mentioned, "It's hard when you see other teams you're competing with get really good players, but those aren't decisions you're making in the moment."

Teams view preseason as a way to give reserves and hopefuls playing time instead of treating it as essential for the league calendar.

The Orioles have claimed right-hander Rico Garcia off waivers from the Mets, indicating a strategic move as they manage roster vacancies from trade deadline dealings.

"When you look at our depth, I think we’re in a position where we’re in first place, and I don’t even think we’ve played our best baseball yet."

David Stearns stated, "I look at our position-player grouping, and for the most part, I'm pretty pleased with where we are," demonstrating confidence in the lineup despite struggles.

Jorge Mateo is dealing with a hamstring strain and is expected to be sidelined for 8 to 12 weeks. He is already on the 10-day injured list for a different injury.

The Los Angeles Kings and general manager Ken Holland face a challenging offseason, needing to fill multiple roster holes while preparing for the 2025-26 season.

The Lakers' roster depth has been a significant issue, especially towards the end of the bench, limiting their options and exposing weaknesses when injuries arise.