5 overreactions from 2023 MLB Spring Training so far
Your favorite team is busy preparing for the 2023 season in Spring Training, and chances are you’ve been following some of the various early storylines that have dominated Grapefruit and Cactus League play.
Of course, this is merely exhibition, so fans should not place a ton of stock into March happenings. But as we know, they do anyway.
To this end, let’s review five early overreactions to Spring Training 2023 across MLB.
5 overreactions to 2023 MLB Spring Training so far
1. The new rules are … not great
You either love them or hate them. Either way, they’re probably not intended to appease you, the dedicated baseball fan.
Let’s start with the pitch clock. Games in Spring Training have been breezing by as a result of it, averaging out around two-and-a-half hours per contest. No, this doesn’t mean less baseball as many fans have suggested. Rather, it’s the same 27 outs and nine innings just condensed into a lesser time frame.
Hitters seem to have a harder time adjusting to this innovation than pitchers, but they’ll get used to it in due time, just like we’ve seen with other rule changes throughout baseball history. This should be a great enhancement to the game in 2023 and beyond.
Now for the shift ban. It appears as though Alex Cora and the Boston Red Sox have already found a loophole in the rule, as it doesn’t stipulate where outfielders have to play, just the infielders. Thus, a new wrinkle for Twins’ DH Joey Gallo to contend with.
Overall, these rules have brought intrigue to how baseball is played, and as these players continue to adjust, the game should become more action-heavy. But leave it to fans and “baseball purists” to overreact to early results in spring training.
2. Anthony Volpe is ready to become the New York Yankees’ starting shortstop
The Yankees’ shortstop issue is well-documented, but could their fix be ready in-house?
Top prospect Anthony Volpe is having a strong spring training as he makes his case to break camp with the big league club. And Yankees fans couldn’t be any happier to witness that potential reality, as that would mean bench relegation for the unpopular Isiah Kiner-Falefa.
Manager Aaron Boone has said that a path exists for Volpe to travel north with the big league club, but we’re not sure if we buy it, especially since the 21-year-old spent most of last season in Double-A before finishing the year in Triple-A. The Yankees don’t make a habit of rushing their top prospects despite fans clamoring for Volpe and fellow youngster Oswald Peraza (who did make a good impression late last season in the Bronx).
If Volpe’s strong spring continues, perhaps Aaron Boone and company won’t have much of a choice but to make the 21-year-old their Opening Day shortstop. For now, though? It’s still early.
3. The Mariners’ Jarred Kelenic finally appears set for his breakout campaign
It’s hard to believe how fast Jarred Kelenic has fallen since he was traded from the New York Mets to the Seattle Mariners as part of the Robinson Cano-Edwin Diaz blockbuster deal from 2019.
Once viewed as an elite top prospect, Kelenic has flamed out in his brief big league stints with Seattle in 2021 and 2022, raising some doubts about his viability as a future piece for the Mariners. Meanwhile, Edwin Diaz has blossomed into a star for the Mets, which only makes this worse for Seattle’s side of the trade, a deal that we all believed they had won if only because of Kelenic.
That’s why Kelenic’s early spring returns in 2023 have been eye-opening, to say the least.
That’s a blast off Milwaukee Brewers’ All-Star reliever Devin Williams. Not too shabby.
Kelenic has flashed his power tool a few times already this spring and that has Mariner fans excited. It’s early yet, and the 23-year-old has much to prove, but if he keeps this up, maybe Seattle will finally see some meaningful returns from their end of the Edwin Diaz trade from four years ago.
4. Kodai Senga’s ghost fork is the most unhittable pitch in baseball
The Japanese right-hander finally made his stateside debut with the New York Mets in their Sunday spring training game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Senga’s full arsenal was on display, including his mysterious “ghost fork” pitch with tons of downward break and movement. He made Cardinals’ top prospect Jordan Walker look downright foolish on it.
All eyes will be on how Senga transitions to MLB after spending the first part of his professional career in Japan. Despite the nasty ghost fork pitch, he does have command issues, which popped up in his start Sunday.
It’s way too early to make any sweeping declarations, but if he can rein in those command issues and deploy the ghost fork to his advantage on a consistent basis, Kodai Senga could be the rotation hero the Mets need in 2023.
5. Jason Heyward finds his old form on the 2023 Los Angeles Dodgers
If you didn’t remember that Jason Heyward signed with the L.A. Dodgers this off-season, we can’t say we blame you.
Heyward latched on as a non-roster invitee to Dodgers camp this spring, and he’s hit a couple long balls as he stakes his claim to a spot on Dave Roberts’ team in 2023. He has competition, of course, but it’s notable that Heyward is reunited with former Braves teammate Freddie Freeman, with whom the former has had his greatest success playing alongside in the big leagues.
Since leaving Atlanta, though, Heyward hasn’t lived up to his prospect billing. Stops in St. Louis and Chicago weren’t tremendously fruitful, though he did become a World Champion in 2016 with the Cubs.
Two early home runs isn’t enough to cement roster status for Heyward on the 2023 Dodgers, but the next month should be telling with respect to his baseball future this season.