MLB News: Eloy Jimenez, Anthony Rizzo and MLB to Relax Protocols with Vaccinations
White Sox Chances Suffer With Jimenez Injury
With Opening Day on Thursday, the Chicago White Sox suffered a big blow as left fielder Eloy Jimenez was injured while attempting to rob a home run. General Manager Rick Hahn confirmed that Jimenez ruptured his left pectoral tendon and is expected to be out until August.
Jimenez hit .296/.332/.559 last year with 14 home runs in 55 games. His presence in the lineup was influential on Jose Abreu winning the American League MVP and the Sox making the playoffs for the first time in 11 years.
The 24-year-old joins defensive specialist Adam Engel (hamstring) on the injured list to start the season. The White Sox may have to start journeyman speedster, Billy Hamilton, in left field or try first base prospect Andrew Vaughn in that spot. Vaughn was the third overall pick of the 2019 draft and has yet to make his MLB debut.
Jimenez was +3000 to win the 2021 MVP at some books and as high as +4000 at others. He was also listed at +1500 to lead the AL in home runs, the favorite just ahead of Yankees sluggers Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge.
At William Hill, the White Sox were -125 favorites to win the AL Central before the injury and they are now +115 behind the Minnesota Twins. Their pennant odds dropped from +350 to +380. Their World Series odds stayed at +1000, the fourth-best number behind the Yankees, Dodgers, and Padres. The White Sox over/under win total dropped by one from 90.5 to 89.5.
Rizzo Cuts Off Contract Talks with Cubs
The Chicago Cubs have not come to a contract extension with free-agent-to-be Anthony Rizzo and now the first baseman is done negotiating. Rizzo announced on Monday that he instructed his agent to stop telling him about offers until after the season.
The Cubs reportedly offered a front-loaded, five-year deal worth $70 million plus incentives. Rizzo, 32, has seen similar age players in Paul Goldschmidt and D.J. LeMahieu sign deals worth $130 and $90 million respectively in the last two years.
The Cubs have cut costs this off-season while unloading pitcher Yu Darvish and not retaining Jon Lester. Rizzo will be joined by Kris Bryant and Javier Baez as free agents when the 2021 season ends. In fact, the current Cubs 26-man roster has 14 players who could be on the free-agent market in the winter or traded at the deadline.
Rizzo is in the second team option year at $16.5 million for 2021. Rizzo is +7500 to win the NL MVP with Baez and Bryant both ahead of him. The Cubs are +700 to win the NL Central at William Hill with an over/under of 79.5 wins.
MLB to Relax Protocols with Vaccinations
Major League Baseball told teams they would be willing to relax COVID protocols for vaccinated players and staff in 2021. When 85 percent of Tier 1 individuals and players on a team are fully vaccinated,
The relaxed protocols would even allow for family members to join teams on the road and for vaccinated players to gather indoors, share a ride to the stadium and eat at restaurants outside of the hotel. They also wouldn’t have to check in with a compliance officer when leaving the hotel or wear masks during exercising or while in the dugout.
MLB will not require players to get vaccinated but these relaxed protocols are an incentive for the players to do so. Some players, like Twins shortstop Andrelton Simmons, have already stated publicly on social media that they will not get vaccinated.
