Cardinals Winter League Notebook 10-4-19: Evan MacLane Strikes Out Three Over Two Scoreless Innings; Chris Ellis Set To Pitch In Mexico; Hector Villalobos & Jose Calero Preseason Work In Mexico

Cardinals Winter League

Michael Wacha's Future

Yesterday the Cardinals won their fifth straight game. They came against the Pirates and Royals, so they should have handled those teams and they did. Both teams have a combined -190 run differential after all (which sadly is better than the Tigers and Orioles who are at a combined -475 and yes you read that right). But here’s the thing: just because you should beat those teams doesn’t mean it will happen. Both teams do have a greater than 0% winning percentage after all.

Viva El Birdos

Hisashi Iwakuma Threw A 30-Pitch Bullpen Session

NPB On Reddit Twitter

Hisashi Iwakuma Throws In Practice For First Time Since Returning To Japan With Yomuiri

Former major league pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma on Wednesday threw for the first time in practice since making his return to Japanese baseball with the Yomiuri Giants.

Japan Times

Yusei Kikuchi Has High Expectations For MLB Debut

When Spring Training opens for the Mariners on Monday, as pitchers and catchers report for physicals, there'll be plenty of buzz around the numerous newcomers getting their introductions. But the one guy at the center of much of the attention figures to be Yusei Kikuchi, the newest Japanese sensation to sign with Seattle.

Seattle Official Site

A Deep Dive into What Makes Miles Mikolas Tick

The St. Louis Cardinals have made some big time moves this winter. With the acquisition of Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew Miller, they’re in the running for Offseason Champion and are in the hunt to return to October for the first time since 2015.

Beyond The Boxscore

Yomiuri Signed Hisashi Iwakuma For The 2019 Season

Sponichi

Rakuten Is Interested In Hisashi Iwakuma

NPB On Reddit Twitter

Hisashi Iwakuma Returning To Japan To Continue Career

Greg Johns Twitter

Juan Nicasio To Have Season-Ending Knee Surgery

Mariners manager Scott Servais called Juan Nicasio one of the "most unlucky" pitchers in the Majors this season. And the right-hander's fortune just got worse.

Seattle Official Site

Kenta Maeda Wants To Pitch For MLB All-Stars In Japan

During the most recent MLB All-Star Tour of Japan, in 2014, Kenta Maeda and Shohei Ohtani were among the top pitchers for the Japanese national team.

Los Angeles Official Site

Hisashi Iwakuma Dealing With Shoulder Issue

Ryan Divish Twitter

Dee Gordon Relishes Opportunities For Stolen Bases

With nine stolen bases through his first 18 games, Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon again found himself leading the Majors entering Saturday's action, and he acknowledges he's a practitioner of an increasingly lost art.

Seattle Official Site

Mariners Re-Signed Hisashi Iwakuma To Minors Deal

Chris Cotillo Twitter

Nationals Released Jeremy Hellickson, Mariners Released Hisashi Iwakuma, & Red Released Ben Revere

Jrocke217 Twitter

Jrocke217 Twitter

Jrocke217 Twitter

Mike Leake Eyes Same Results For Mariners

On a Mariners team with several players sporting flowing locks and bushy beards, Mike Leake decided to go the other direction this spring.

Seattle Official Site

Marco Gonzalez A Candidate For Mariners' Rotation

After a long and relatively quiet offseason, Spring Training arrives for the Mariners this week with a couple of questions still looming. The biggest, at least in the minds of most fans, is whether Seattle has enough quality starting pitchers among the group scheduled to report on Wednesday in Arizona at the club's Peoria Sports Complex.

Seattle Official Site

Hisashi Iwakuma Has Been Cleared To Throw

Ryan Divish Twitter

Mariners Re-Signed Hisashi Iwakuma To Minors Deal With MLB Spring Invite

Seattle Official Twitter

Mariners Set To Make Best Pitch For Shohei Ohtani

Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto, debuting a new weekly podcast with club broadcaster Aaron Goldsmith on Wednesday, made no effort to hide his team's eagerness to recruit Shohei Ohtani now that there's a posting process in place to allow the Japanese two-way star to pursue a Major League career.

Seattle Official Site