The Week That Was: February 10-16

Baseball is back!

Perhaps that’s a slight overstatement, but pitchers and catchers reported for all clubs last week, full squads will report soon, and it has been truly delightful to start seeing photos pour in out of both Florida and Arizona. We’re seeing players sporting new jerseys, formerly injured players showing how well-healed they are (we see you pitching, Shohei!), and it’s just the best time of the year to get super excited about the season to come.

So let’s jump into the highlight (and a major lowlight) of this past week.

Alex Bregman signs… somewhere else

Well, we spent a good chunk of time hoping and waiting to see if the Tigers would make a push to sign free agent third baseman Alex Bregman, and it did seem like they were one of the major contenders to land him. Unfortunately, this week in the worst Valentine’s gift possible, Bregman signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox.

Bregman’s contract, for three years and $120 million is certainly a disappointment to Tigers fans, but it should feel like a positive step that the Tigers were willing to make a serious effort to land him.

Marcus Stroman

Marcus Stroman has sparked a fair amount of discussion to start Spring Training. First, he was a no-show for the first two days of pitchers and catchers reporting to Yankees’ training camp, and it has now come out that he is rejecting any suggestion that he might be shifted to the Yankees’ bullpen.

While this is certainly in character for Stroman who has never shied away from expressing himself or believing in his value, it might be creating some pause for the Yankees. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal shares that he doesn’t expect Stroman to still be in Yankee pinstripes by the time Opening Day rolls around.

Only time will tell.

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