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The Opener: Postponements, Alonso, Adell

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As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world:

1. Make-up games after air quality postponements:

MLB postponed the Yankees’ home game against the White Sox and the Phillies’ home game against the Tigers yesterday due to air quality concerns stemming from wildfires burning across Canada, the smoke from which has begun to pollute the air all across the northeastern United States recently. The teams figure to make up the games today. The game in Philadelphia will begin at 5:05pm CT, replacing what was expected to be a scheduled off-day for both teams. Meanwhile, the Yankees and White Sox will play a single-admission double-header this afternoon, with the first game beginning at 3:05pm CT. Tickets for yesterday’s postponed game will be honored today in Philadelphia, while the doubleheader in New York today is single-admission. Tickets for yesterday’s game can be exchanged for another 2023 regular season game at Yankee Stadium.

2. Alonso to undergo testing:

According to Tim Healey of Newsday, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso is expected to undergo a CT scan today on his left wrist after exiting yesterday’s game against the Braves with a wrist contusion. Manager Buck Showalter said the club will evaluate Alonso’s status today, noting that the initial x-rays were promising but they need to “make sure we know what we’re dealing with.”

Alonso has played each of the club’s 61 games to this point, slashing .231/.323/.546 with an MLB-leading 22 home runs. Should Alonso miss time, youngster Mark Vientos seems likely to take over at first base for the time being. He’s struggled to a .188/.206/.281 slash line so far, albeit in just 12 games and with inconsistent playing time since being called up a bit over three weeks ago.

3. Adell to make season debut:

Former top prospect Jo Adell is expected to make his 2023 debut for the Angels today against Cubs left-hander Drew Smyly, according to MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger. Once a consensus top-5 prospect in the game, the former tenth overall pick has struggled to a .215/.256/.359 slash line in 557 career plate appearances since debuting during the shortened 2020 campaign, good for a wRC+ of just 68.

Of course, Adell is immensely talented, still just 24 years old, and posting a solid 115 wRC+ in Triple-A this season even after a 10-game slump that preceded this call-up to the majors. In his first 45 games at Triple-A, Adell had dominated with a .300/.394/.665 slash line with a whopping 17 home runs in just 199 plate appearances. He’s still striking out too often (29.3% on the year), but if he can sustain anywhere near this level of power production that’ll be a fair trade-off.





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