Quick shots: Donaldson, Red Sox, Peacock, Casali

twins third baseman Josh donaldson doubled in his first batting game of 2021 on Thursday, but the club later pulled him out of the game due to strain in his right hamstrings. Twins to reassess Donaldson on Friday, manager Rocco Baldelli said MLB.com Do-Hyoung Park and other journalists. While that fortunately doesn’t seem like a calf issue for Donaldson, who has dealt with it in previous seasons, it is nonetheless disheartening for Minnesota to see him face another health issue early in the campaign. The former AL MVP only played 165 regular season games from 2017-18 as Blue Jay and Indian, and after a strong 2019 with the Braves, the Twins signed him for a four-year contract worth $ 92 million. Donaldson appeared in just 28 of 60 possible games in the deal’s first year, however.

• the Red Sox and right-handed lifter Matt barnes discussed a contract extension in the spring, but there is little optimism about reaching a deal, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com writes. That leaves the 30-year-old on track to join the free agency next winter, and in the meantime, he will earn $ 4.5 million this season. Long-time Red Sox player Barnes has pitched an average of 4.08 with a 29.9% strikeout rate in 337 1/3 innings since his debut in 2014. He has amassed over 60 innings. each season from 2016. -19.
• Free agent right-hander Brad peacock is in good health after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery last October and will be holding a showcase for interested teams in Florida on Friday, the MLBTR has learned. The 33-year-old Peacock’s shoulder problems limited him to just three appearances in 2020, his final season as an Astro, but he has been an effective swingman for the club in the previous few campaigns. Between 2016-19, Peacock recorded a 3.48 ERA and 28.7% strikeout rate in 128 appearances (42 starts) and 320 1/3 innings.
• Catch Curt Casali won a bonus of $ 500,000 when he landed a spot on the Giants’ opening list of the season, by Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. Casali, who the giants signed for a $ 1.5 million free agency deal, will support Buster posey. He won the deal after a three-year spell with the Reds in which he hit a respectable .260 / .345 / .440 with 18 home runs in 485 home plate appearances.