Mariners Moose Tracks, 3/7/20: Aaron Judge, Reid Detmers, and The Head And The Heart

Have a happy and healthy links!

In Mariners news:

• The Mariners made a couple roster moves yesterday.

• Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times looks into the growing fears that the coronavirus threat could impact the start of the Mariners season, including moving the club’s home series for Opening Day.
• If things go as planned, Opening Day will be rung in by the band The Head And The Heart.

• At least half the Baseball America team thinks the Mariners are cruising for a top-3 pick in 2020.
• Yesterday’s game was a neat opportunity for Mariners prospect Cesar Izturis Jr., as he got an at-bat against the club his father coaches for.

Around the league:

• Injuries to Cole Hamels and question marks in the Braves pitching depth may open a spot for Felix Hernandez.

• The health of Yankees OF Aaron Judge is even murkier, as Rustin Dodd reports Judge has a stress fracture in his ribs that the team hopes will heal, but may require surgery after two weeks of rest.
• Evan Drellich of The Athletic reports MLB and the MLBPA are interested in reaching an agreement on technological sign-stealing consequences for players moving forward, but it’s proving difficult to lay down uniform rules.
• RHP Carlos Martinez has been working back towards a rotation spot with the Cardinals, per Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Dispatch, after injuries have forced him to a bullpen role the past few years.
• New Red Sox RHP Collin McHugh says the Astros pitchers believed illicit sign-stealing “was happening to us, too”.
• Angels RHP Griffin Canning will receive “biological injections” in his elbow to attempt to relieve discomfort that has sidelined him much of the spring.
• White Sox prospect RHP Jonathan Stiever has a muscle strain and will be slowed out of the gate as well.
• INF prospect Domingo Leyba of the Diamondbacks was suspended 80 games for a positive test of the PED Boldenone.
• Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman rejected the veracity of reports that new Twins RHP Kenta Maeda had requested a trade from Los Angeles.
• Dan Szymborski of FanGraphs looks at when Mike Trout will actually no longer be the best player in baseball.
• The Orioles have officially thrown in the towel on both their Rule-5 picks, returning RHPs Brandon Bailey and Michael Rucker to the Astros and Cubs respectively.

In draft news:

• The college baseball world had a series of dominant showings from its young pitchers, including several gems like this from Louisville LHP Reid Detmers. Read more about him in our draft preview here!

John’s pick:

• Easy laugh. Good laugh. (Shoutout to Connor Donovan for sharing it initially)