Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Encouraging showing Sunday
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La Stella played five innings at third base and went 2-for-3 in Sunday's Cactus League tie with the Padres.
Three days after getting work in the field at first base, La Stella tested his previously strained shoulder with work at the hot corner and seemingly came away without setbacks. The veteran appears to be nearing or at full health heading into Opening Day as he prepares to fill a utility role during the coming season.
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Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Getting infield work Friday
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La Stella (shoulder) will partake in pregame work at third base before Friday's Cactus League game, Shannon Drayer of Seattle Sports 710 AM reports.
La Stella was able to play first base Thursday against the Reds, and he's able to get some work at third in for the first time since developing some shoulder irritation. The veteran infielder is expected to be a utility player for Seattle in 2023, and he could get reps at designated hitter if his return to full defensive duties is delayed.
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Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Will play in field Thursday
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La Stella (shoulder) will play in the field during Thursday's Cactus League game against the Reds, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
La Stella has been limited to DH duties because right shoulder irritation during this spring. The veteran infielder is expected to serve as a utility player for the Mariners in 2023, and he could be looking at more consistent playing time with Dylan Moore (oblique) starting the year on the injured list.
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Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Could play in field next week
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La Stella (shoulder) could play in the field Wednesday for Seattle's Cactus League game against the Dodgers, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.
La Stella has been dealing with right shoulder irritation this spring and has been limited to DH opportunities thus far. The 34-year-old infielder is expected to serve in a utility role, and the injury to Dylan Moore (oblique) could open up more playing time for La Stella to begin the 2023 campaign.
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Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Still 7-to-10 days away from field
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La Stella (shoulder) won't be ready to play the field for another 7-to-10 days, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.
Considering that Opening Day is just 16 days away for the Mariners, La Stella is going to be cutting it close in regards to his ability to avoid a stint on the injured list. He has been able to serve as a designated hitter, as his right shoulder irritation bothers him only when throwing. However, Mariners manager Scott Servais has said that La Stella will have to show he can play the field before the team includes him on the Opening Day roster.
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Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Set for DH duty Thursday
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La Stella (shoulder) will serve as the Mariners' designated hitter during Thursday's exhibition versus Team Canada, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports.
La Stella has been battling right shoulder irritation since early on in camp and still isn't doing any throwing in on-field drills. The Mariners still seem hopeful that La Stella will be ready for Opening Day, but he'll need to show he can play some defense first. "Everything's tracking for him to be fine," manager Scott Servais said. "We certainly want to get him in the game. We're not looking for him to play defensively every day. But he certainly needs to be an option when we open the season."
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Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Shoulder still sore
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La Stella will miss at least another 10 days with right shoulder soreness, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
The first announcement of La Stella's arm issues -- which came Feb. 24 -- suggested he'd miss less than a week, but this is clearly a larger issue for the veteran infielder. Assuming he spends most of his time at second base or designated hitter, La Stella shouldn't need too much time to ramp up for the regular season once his shoulder improves.
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Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Nursing arm soreness
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La Stella will be sidelined for 5-6 days due to right arm soreness, Corey Brock of The Athletic reports.
La Stella had been slated to serve as the Mariners' designated hitter during Friday's Cactus League opener, but his injury has scuttled those plans. He'll have plenty of time to get ready for Opening Day, but it's not ideal for a guy who has dealt with plenty of injury issues the last couple years.
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Mariners' Tommy La Stella: Joining Seattle
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La Stella signed a one-year contract with the Mariners on Thursday.
La Stella spent the past two seasons with the Giants and battled various injuries during his time with the club. He played in just 60 games last year and slashed .239/.282/.350 with two homers, 17 runs and 14 RBI but will attempt to bounce back during his age-34 season. La Stella missed the end of 2022 with neck spasms but should be ready for spring training in February.
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Tommy La Stella: Released by Giants
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La Stella was released by the Giants on Thursday.
La Stella is owed $11.5 million in 2023, so it's no surprise he went through waivers unclaimed after the Giants designated him for assignment in December. The veteran infielder managed just a .677 OPS over two seasons in San Francisco while battling a multitude of injuries. He should get another shot elsewhere now that he can be had for the veteran minimum.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: Pushed off 40-man roster
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The Giants designated La Stella (neck) for assignment Wednesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
La Stella will cede his spot on the 40-man roster to reliever Taylor Rogers, whom the Giants signed to a three-year, $33 million deal. After inking a three-year, $19.5 million contract with San Francisco in January 2021 with the expectation that he would be a productive strong-side platoon infielder, La Stella struggled to stay healthy in first two seasons in the Bay Area, appearing in just 136 of a possible 324 games. He performed as a below-average hitter on the rare occasions he was available, slashing a collective .245/.297/.380 (86 wRC+) in 437 plate appearances. Given that La Stella's defensive metrics have been trending down in recent seasons and his poor health makes him difficult to rely upon heading into his age-34 campaign, the Giants didn't see him as a fit on the 2023 roster. Assuming La Stella goes unclaimed off waivers, he could choose to elect free agency and pursue an opportunity elsewhere.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: Hasn't resumed baseball activities
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La Stella (neck) said Saturday that he hasn't yet resumed baseball activities, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
La Stella landed on the injured list with neck spasms Monday but hopes to return to action prior to the end of the regular season. However, a better idea for his return timetable is unlikely to be revealed until he's cleared for baseball activities.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: Lands on IL
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La Stella was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday due to neck spasms, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
There had been no mention of an injury prior to Monday's announcement, though La Stella has been out of the lineup the last few days. The Giants haven't released a timetable for the infielder's return, though as Pavlovic notes, this could potentially end his season with only a few weeks to go.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: On bench against lefty
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La Stella is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
The lefty-hitting La Stella is unsurprisingly on the bench against Phillies southpaw Ranger Suarez, but the 33-year-old has begun to see his opportunities versus right-handed pitching take a hit of late, too. La Stella has sat out in two of the Giants' last five matchups with righties.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: Resting after four straight starts
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La Stella is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
La Stella has settled back into a near-everyday role following Brandon Belt's (knee) recent placement on the injured list. After serving as the Giants' designated hitter and leadoff man in each of the past four games while going 4-for-14 with two walks, two RBI and a run, La Stella will bow out of the lineup Sunday in what appears to be a routine maintenance day. Wilmer Flores will step in as the Giants' DH.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: Collects two hits, RBI
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La Stella went 2-for-4 with an RBI in Wednesday's 6-1 loss to Tigers.
La Stella has seen his playing time drop off with the Giants enjoying relatively good health, though it may pick up again after Brandon Belt (knee) went on the injured list Wednesday. Wednesday was La Stella's eighth start in 21 games in August, and his second multi-hit effort this month. The veteran infielder is slashing .253/.286/.380 with two home runs, 13 RBI, 16 runs scored and 14 doubles through 168 plate appearances.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: May lose work versus righties
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La Stella is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The lefty-hitting La Stella was recently out of the lineup for all four games of the Giants' series with Dodgers earlier this week when Los Angeles brought four southpaws to the hill, but La Stella's absence Sunday comes with right-hander Adrian Martinez taking the mound for Oakland. With the likes of Brandon Crawford, Thairo Estrada and Joc Pederson all returning from the injured list this weekend and Evan Longoria (hamstring) on track for activation Monday, La Stella looks like he could see his opportunities against right-handed pitching take a hit. Since returning in mid-May from a season-opening stint on the IL while recovering from Achilles surgery, La Stella is slashing .246/.280/.388 across 143 plate appearances for the Giants.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: Out against lefty again
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La Stella is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Dodgers.
The lefty-hitting La Stella will end up sitting out all four games of the series after the Dodgers brought four left-handed starting pitchers to the hill. He looks to be stuck in a strict platoon at designated hitter or third base with right-handed hitters J.D. Davis and/or Yermin Mercedes.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: Sitting versus southpaw
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La Stella is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
La Stella is on the bench for the third straight game with lefty Julio Urias the third consecutive southpaw to start for Los Angeles. Yermin Mercedes will bat cleanup as the designated hitter.
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Giants' Tommy La Stella: On bench against left-hander
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La Stella isn't starting Saturday against the Cubs, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
La Stella is out of the lineup for the second time in the last three games since left-hander Drew Smyly is on the mound for the Cubs on Saturday. Yermin Mercedes will serve as the designated hitter and bat third.
