Let’s kick off your Wednesday with some of the latest MLB news and notes, including tidbits on the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani.
MLB news: Shohei Ohtani timeline for next season
On Tuesday, it was announced that Shohei Ohtani “underwent a procedure” and, while the exact procedure was never specified, it was also laid out that the two-way superstar would be a hitter only in 2024 and not pitch again until 2025.
What this does for Ohtani’s future with the Angels or any other team remains unclear. Many expect Ohtani to be one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason, but will his inability to pitch next season lower his price value at all? Even without going to the mound, Ohtani remains an extremely valuable asset, finishing his season with a .304/.412/.654 slash line and a 1.066 OPS that currently leads all MLB hitters.
St. Louis Cardinals news: Alec Burleson likely done for the season
Sliding into third base on a stolen base attempt on Tuesday night, Burleson fractured his left thumb after jamming it into the base. You can see the steal and Burleson’s immediate reaction here.
It’s another in a series of injuries for the hard-luck Cardinals in 2023, who were officially eliminated from the postseason with Tuesday’s loss to the Milwaukee Brewers at Busch Stadium. Now what’s left for St. Louis this season? Playing the role of spoiler it seems.
MLB news: Did Blake Snell win the National League Cy Young Award on Tuesday?
Considered one of the favorites for the NL Cy Young Award, Blake Snell may have secured it on Tuesday night, throwing seven innings of no-hit ball against the Colorado Rockies at Petco Park. While striking out 10, Snell lowered his MLB-leading ERA to 2.33. Now it’s a matter of if the BBWAA voters will overlook a somewhat-high walk number and hand him the award, making him just the seventh pitcher in MLB history to win a Cy Young in both the American and National Leagues.