Major League Baseball

Better late than never: Season starts soon for these stars

Published Apr. 22, 2015 1:56 p.m. ET

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By Joseph Coblitz

Some teams have made young additions like Addison Russell, Kris Bryant and Carlos Rodon to their rosters early in the season, but some have more veteran options available to return shortly. While most players have almost a month under their belt already for the 2015 season, there are a few notable names missing from the action.

Many of these late starters are recovering from 2014 surgeries, including more than a couple Tommy Johns and many of the teams affected are in dire need of their return. Below is a team-by-team breakdown of some of the biggest names who will be beginning their season a within the next few weeks.

San Francisco Giants

Expected to be a top competitor in the West after winning another World Series in 2014, the Giants have started the year as one of the worst teams in baseball with a 5-10 record. Some of this, however, may be thanks to three players who missed the memo that Opening Day was the first week in April. Travis Ishikawa, Matt Cain and Hunter Pence have yet to play a game this year.

Without the Panda, and with Brandon Belt and Casey McGehee struggling at the plate, the Giants are in dire need of some offense. While Ishikawa is now 31 and recovering from a low back strain, he provided 0.3 WAR in just 47 games for the Giants last year. Cain is also aging and struggled last year, but has averaged a 3.2 WAR per season in his ten year career. Both Ishi and Cain will likely return at some point in the next week.

Even more important to the team is All-Star Hunter Pence. He has the potential to outhit the rest of the current roster, but remains out with a broken left arm and has yet to begin rehab. He is expected to return some time in May.

Tampa Bay Rays

Another last place team, the Rays had lower expectations than the Giants, but have been hit by injury at a much higher level. Currently, they hold ten players on the DL including two incredibly important ones who have yet to start the season. While Chris Archer (1.07 ERA, 30 K’s in 25.1 IP) and Jake Odorizzi (1.74 ERA, 19 K’s in 24.2 IP) have been spectacular, the rotation beyond has been a total mess.

Some of this is because ace Alex Cobb (3.9 WAR in 2014) and the price for David Price, Drew Smyly (3.8 WAR in 2014), have yet to begin action. Both pitchers have tendinitis, Cobb in his right forearm and Smyly in his left shoulder, and both started comebacks on April 21st. Smyly is a few days ahead of Cobb, but both appear to be ready to return at some point before May. Although in last place, the AL East remains tightly contested and the addition of these two pitchers could be enough to quickly vault them up to the top.

Washington Nationals

A 33-year old veteran, Casey Janssen not only has not begun his 2015 season, but his career with the Nationals. After signing a $7M deal to join the Washington bullpen, Janssen succumbed to elbow tendinitis and went on the DL during Spring Training. He has saved 81 games over the past three seasons with Toronto and, while he will not be replacing Drew Storen as the Nats closer, he could be a great help to a Washington bullpen that has had some struggles.

Even more importantly, the Nationals need the services of their Silver Slugger third baseman, Anthony Rendon. He was responsible for a 6.5 WAR in 2014, but has been out for awhile with a left MCL strain. Yunel Escobar has been performing admirably in his stead, but outside of Ian Desmond and Bryce Harper, the Nationals are missing a big bat in the middle of the lineup. They shouldn’t have to wait much longer, thankfully, as Rendon is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Friday and will likely return before the end of the month.

Baltimore Orioles

The only non-pitcher recovering from Tommy John surgery, Matt Wieters, is almost ready to return for the Orioles, returning to the field in an extended Spring game this Friday. It will likely be until May before Baltimore gets their three time Gold Glove catcher back and for the moment, Caleb Joseph is currently keeping things under control with a .361/.465/.556 slash line, but there is likely room for both in the lineup once Weiters returns.

Another Gold Glove winning All-Star, J.J. Hardy is also on his way back for the O’s after straining his left shoulder. He is expected to return before Weiters, but is not quite as important to the Orioles’ success as Ryan Flaherty has done a nice job keeping things under control as well.

Cleveland Indians

Another disappointing team early on, the Indians have packaged great pitching with abysmal hitting and one solution could be the return of their most expensive player, Nick Swisher. Swisher had surgery on both knees last August and is still recovering in extended Spring Training. He, along with the more powerful Zach Walters, is about to begin a minor league rehab assignment before returning to the Tribe. Since the Cleveland DH role has been split between such well renowned names as Jerry Sands, David Murphy and Ryan Raburn, they are highly anticipating the return of the ultimate bro.

San Diego Padres

Unlike most of the teams listed to this point, the Padres have actually held up to expectations and done so without two of their best starting pitchers. Two-time All-Star Josh Johnson signed a $1M deal as a free agent with the Padres after missing half of 2013 and all of 2014 with Tommy John. He is still rehabbing his right elbow, but is finally nearing a point where he could return to the playing field. At the moment, the expectation is early May.

Although not quite following the standard, the Padres are also currently missing Ian Kennedy, who has pitched just 2.1 innings in one start this year. A few days ago, Kennedy threw 80 pitches in an extended Spring game and is expected to return to Southern California within the next two weeks.

Detroit Tigers

As scary as it may seem, the best team in baseball (tied with the Mets and Royals at 11-3) is not at full health. Continuing with the basis for this article, Bruce Rondon and Justin Verlander have yet to throw a pitch this year and, while incredible starts from Shane Green (0.39 ERA in 20 IP) and Alfredo Simon (1.74 ERA in 20.2 IP) have made Verlander (the last AL triple crown winner) unnecessary, their bullpen could still use some help.

Rondon missed all of 2014, but his 9.4 K/9 in 2013 showed a lot of promise for a generally weak relief corps. He is still again, now with right bicep tendinitis, but has already started a rehab assignment and should make his triumphant return to Detroit within the next few weeks. Making his return even more important is another player who doesn’t quite qualify, as Joe Nathan pitched to one batter this year (who he struck out) before going on the disabled list. He has already begun a rehab assignment for his right flexor strain and should return to the Tigers very shortly. As if the Tigers needed any more good news.

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