MLB Spring Training Buzz: Rockies Still Without Kris Bryant

The Colorado Rockies officially placed star infielder/outfielder Kris Bryant on the 60-day injured list on February 10 at their spring training facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, due to a persistent degenerative lumbar disc disease. This roster move coincides with the commencement of Major League Baseball's spring training across Arizona and Florida, as all 30 teams prepare for the March 25 Opening Day. The decision to sideline Bryant reflects the organization's ongoing struggle to keep their $182 million investment on the field, as the veteran slugger has been limited to only 170 appearances since signing his seven-year contract in March 2022. To bolster their rotation in Bryant's absence, the Rockies have finalized a $5.1 million, one-year contract with Japanese right-handed pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano. The 36-year-old veteran arrives in Colorado after a stint with the Baltimore Orioles, where he posted a 10-10 record with a 4.64 ERA over 30 starts last season. Before his move to Major League Baseball, Sugano established a legendary career in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, earning three MVP awards while pitching for the Yomiuri Giants over twelve seasons. In other significant National League news, New York Mets President of Baseball Operations David Stearns announced a strategic defensive shift for superstar Juan Soto. The Mets plan to move the six-time Silver Slugger from right field to left field for the upcoming season to optimize the team's outfield configuration. This adjustment follows a season where Soto struggled defensively in right field, recording -7 defensive runs saved, despite delivering elite offensive production including a career-high 43 home runs and 38 stolen bases. As the league enters its ramp-up period, attention is also shifting toward the upcoming World Baseball Classic, which will feature the sport's global elite competing on the international stage during the spring training cycle. For teams like the Rockies and Mets, these early weeks of February are critical for integrating off-season acquisitions and finalizing the 26-man rosters that will take the field when the regular season officially begins in late March.