Bewerbungen » There’s one rookie slugger everyone wants to see at Blue J

TORONTO (AP) — ays spring training this year Freddy Galvis Jersey , even though no one expects him to crack the opening day lineup.Still, it won’t be long before Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his booming bat become lineup fixtures for the rebuilding Blue Jays.Guerrero Jr. was born in Montreal, where his Hall of Fame father starred for the Expos.More than two decades after his dad flashed All-Star form north of the border, the son is set to take a different Canadian city by storm.Signed by Toronto in 2015, Guerrero Jr. turns 20 on March 16. Beefy and broad-shouldered, his stance and explosive swing are almost identical to those of his prodigious dad. Guerrero Jr. has battered baseballs at every level of the minors, flirting with .400 at Double-A last season before a knee injury in June. He returned and rose to Triple-A in July, posting a.381 average with 20 homers and 77 RBI in 91 games between the two levels.A third baseman whose defensive skills lag behind his bat, Guerrero’s big league arrival will likely wait a few weeks while the Blue Jaysdelay starting his service time long enough to guarantee a seventh season of club control before free agency.For now, Guerrero Jr. will only join his future teammates in spring exhibitions, giving everyone a glimpse of what’s to come.NEW LOOKToronto’s changes begin with rookie manager Charlie Montoyo, who left his job as Tampa Bay bench coach to replace John Gibbons. After dealing veterans J.A. Happ and Josh Donaldson last summer, the Blue Jays continued to shed high-priced stars this offseason. In December, Toronto released oft-injured shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who had $38 million left on his contract. In January, the Jays traded catcher Russell Martin to the Dodgers, sending along more than $16 million of Martin’s $20 millionsalary. New faces include workhorse infielder Freddy Galvis Randal Grichuk Jersey , right-handers Matt Shoemaker and David Phelps and left-hander Clayton Richard.ROOKIES TO WATCHWith Martin gone, Toronto will make one of two rookies its primary catcher. Both Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire are 23 years old as camp opens. Each debuted last season, with Jansen arriving one month after playing in the All Star Futures game, and McGuire getting a brief cameo in September. Whoever doesn’t win the starting job will likely go to Triple-A Buffalo. Veteran Luke Maile is Toronto’s projected backup.THEY’RE SETMiddle infield. Besides dumping Tulo, the Blue Jays lost two versatile infielders this offseason, trading Aledmys Diaz to Houston and parting ways with Yangervis Solarte. Even so, they’re still well-stocked with infielders, having added the sure-handed Galvis to a group including prospect Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Devon Travis, Richard Urena, and Brandon Drury. Roles for these players remain unclear as camp begins, but the Blue Jays don’t lack options.THEY’RE NOTStarting pitching.Right-handers Aaron Sanchez and Marcus Stroman give Toronto two potential horses at the top of the rotation, but both are coming off unproductive, injury-marred seasons. Hopes are high for left-hander Ryan Borucki, who posted an impressive 3.87 ERA in 17 starts as a rookie, but there will likely be sophomore bumps. While Shoemaker and Richard provide veteran depth, the starting staff doesn’t inspire confidence.ON DECKThe Blue Jays will keep shopping for rotation and bullpen help throughout spring training Jose Bautista Jersey , looking to add players on major and minor league deals. There’s also the possibility Toronto trades from its position player surplus, or deals a veteran such as Stroman, in exchange for young arms. Toronto begins the regular season at home to Detroit on March 28. PITTSBURGH (AP) Jameson Taillon spent the hours before the trade deadline doing some detective work. The Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher scoured Twitter for updates, asked team trainers if they were scanning medical records and touched base with acquaintances of potential targets for a brief rundown on who might be joining the hottest team in the majors.”I had fun with it,” Taillon said. ”My heart was racing, I think.”So are the Pirates.Hours after his team picked up Texas closer Keone Kela and Tampa Bay starting pitcher Chris Archer in an effort to give Pittsburgh’s surprising postseason push a jolt, Taillon pitched effectively into the seventh inning and the Pirates held on late for a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.”We’re really excited for the additions,” Taillon said. ”I think we still kind of don’t have anything to lose so we’re going to keep playing free. Going to hopefully play complete games like we’ve been doing and see what we can make happen.”Gregory Polanco hit his team-leading 19th home run, a solo shot in the eighth that gave the Pirates a two-run cushion. They needed it after closer Felipe Vazquez gave up a single to pinch-hitter David Bote leading off the top of the ninth and Addison Russell followed with a shot to the gap in right-center that scored Bote.Russell sped to third on the play and was initially ruled safe , but the call was overturned upon review. Vazquez retired the next two batters to pick up his 24th save in 28 opportunities.”I’d like to see the replay on that last play, because I didn’t see it,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. ”I went up and looked at it. The call on the field has integrity and I’d really need to see why that was changed.”David Freese added a pair of RBI doubles for the Pirates, including a drive to the gap in right-center in the fifth that scored Polanco and put Pittsburgh ahead to stay as the resurgent Pirates won for the 16th time in 20 games.”We’ve been fighting the last month,” Polanco said. ”We know we want to play in October and to bring in pitchers (like Kela and Archer) is good for us and you know, that’s a good plan. You’ve got to keep fighting, keep winning.”Taillon (8-8) allowed three runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings of work, his lone mistake an off-speed pitch to Javy Baez in the fourth that Baez turned into a three-run homer that tied the game.Baez finished 3 for 4 http://www.bluejaysfanproshop.com/authentic-curtis-granderson-jersey , including his shot to the rotunda behind the left-field seats that boosted his season home run total to 22, but the Cubs hit into two double plays and left seven runners on base to lose for the third time in four games.Jon Lester (12-4) hadn’t lost on the road since falling to Cleveland on April 25. He needed 101 pitches to labor through five innings, giving up four runs on seven hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Lester is 2-1 with a 4.69 ERA in four starts against the Pirates this season.”It seems like every time I throw against them, I’m not getting ahead,” he said. ”Kind of a grinder. Hopefully, I get another shot. I feel like I haven’t pitched even close to anything good against these guys.”The Pirates were reeling three weeks ago but have moved into the playoff chase by posting the best record in the majors since July 8. General manager Neal Huntington splurged at the deadline, bringing in Archer and Kela while parting with young prospects in outfielder Austin Meadows and pitchers Tyler Glasnow and Taylor Hearn.Huntington called the decision a difficult one but felt it was worth it with both Archer and Kela under team control through at least 2020. Either way, the Pirates enter August in the thick of a crowded NL playoff chase. Consider the Cubs believers in Pittsburgh’s chances after their NL Central rival drew within six games of first place.”I think this team is definitely not out of it,” Lester said. ”I think we’ve seen in the past where they do get maybe a little bit on the streaky side. Hopefully, you kind of catch them when they’re not streaking in a positive way. But yeah, their offense gets rolling. They’ve got a good group over there.”TRAINER’S ROOMCubs: RHP Yu Darvish (right triceps) reported no pain following a bullpen session on Tuesday. Darvish, who hasn’t pitched since May 20, called it a ”starting point” and remains out indefinitely. The four-time All Star also brushed off comments made by former MLB star-turned-ESPN analyst Alex Rodriguez, who said during a broadcast on Sunday night that Darvish’s slow rehab was a distraction in the Chicago clubhouse. Darvish said ”it doesn’t matter” what Rodriguez thinks of him.UP NEXTCubs: Cole Hamels will make his first start for the Cubs on Wednesday when the teams wrap up their two-game set. Chicago acquired Hamels from Texas last week. The four-time All-Star went 5-9 with a 4.72 ERA for the Rangers this season.Pirates: Nick Kingham (5-5, 4.80 ERA) will try to bounce back after giving up six runs in three-plus innings in a loss to the New York Mets last Thursday.—