Astros Sign Edgar Gonzalez, Designate Philip Humber

The Astros announced that they have signed right-handed pitcher Edgar Gonzalez to a major league contract and designated right-handed pitcher Philip Humber for assignment.  Gonzalez elected free agency from the Blue Jays yesterday rather than report to Triple-A Buffalo.

Gonzalez, 30, owns a 5.88 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 across parts of ten big league seasons.  He didn't fare well in his eight innings for the Blue Jays in 2013, allowing seven runs, five walks, and three strikeouts.  Gonzalez made six starts for Houston last year and posted a 5.04 ERA with 6.5 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9.

Humber, also 30, has an $800K salary for this season with a $3MM club option for 2014 that will not be exercised.  The right-hander has struggled in seven starts and two relief appearances for Houston this season, posting a 9.59 ERA with 5.0 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9.  Last night, Humber gave up five hits and five runs in two-thirds of an inning.

Minor Moves: Astros, Gonzalez, Wade, Wheeler

We'll keep an eye on today's minor moves right here:

• Astros outfielder Fernando Martinez has been outrighted to Triple-A, MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports (Twitter link).  Martinez was designated for assignment by the club earlier this week.
• Edgar Gonzalez has elected to become a free agent after clearing waivers, Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reports (via Twitter).  Gonzalez was designated for assignment by the Blue Jays two days ago and he chose free agency rather than report to Triple-A Buffalo.  The right-hander posted a 7.88 ERA in eight innings pitched with Toronto this season.
• The Cubs released right-hander Cory Wade, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America.  Wade, who struggled in ten games for the Cubs' Triple-A affiliate, owns a 3.65 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 across four big league seasons.
• The Royals have released right-handed relief pitcher Dan Wheeler, tweets Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star. Wheeler, 35, had been pitching for the Royals' Triple-A affiliate, where he struggled to a 9.00 ERA over 15 innings with a substandard 2.200 WHIP. Last year, Wheeler made just twelve appearances for the Indians and was similarly ineffective, pitching to an 8.76 ERA. Between 2003-2011, Wheeler made no fewer than 35 big league appearances per season. His best seasons came with the Astros in 2005-06, when he logged over 70 innings a year and posted consecutive 2.21 and 2.52 ERA marks.

Blue Jays Designate Edgar Gonzalez For Assignment

The Blue Jays have designated righty Edgar Gonzalez for assignment, according to a press release from the team.  They also optioned lefty Ricky Romero to Triple-A and selected the contracts of righties Ramon Ortiz and Mickey Storey.

Gonzalez has been on and off 40-man rosters in recent months.  The Astros removed him in November of last year, only to re-sign him to a minor league deal weeks later and re-add him to the 40-man on March 31st.  They designated him for assignment on April 5th, and the Blue Jays claimed him two days later.  The Jays were quickly able to outright Gonzalez to Triple-A.  They selected his contract yesterday and he tossed 4 2/3 innings in relief of Romero, who recorded only one out against the Rays.  All in all, Gonzalez has thrown 35 big league innings since 2011.  He's shown good control at the Triple-A level, but has generally allowed more than a hit per inning.

Ortiz and Storey have been part of the Jays' revolving 40-man roster door as well, having both been removed in the past and added again today.  The team's bullpen has been taxed given Romero's start yesterday and J.A. Happ's 1 1/3 inning outing on Tuesday.  Happ survived a line drive off the head with a minor fracture on the left side of his skull, spraining his knee as well on the play.  To everyone's relief, Happ said yesterday the injuries are "not serious or threatening."

Minor Moves: Burroughs, Henn, Allen, Gonzalez

We'll keep track of Friday's minor moves right here...

• Infielder Sean Burroughs has signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (on Twitter). Burroughs last appeared in the Majors with the Twins in 2012 but was designated for assignment after just 18 plate appearances. The former top prospect returned to baseball in 2011.
• Within that same tweet, Eddy notes that the Mets have signed left-hander Sean Henn to a minor league deal. The 31-year-old Henn's last big league action was split between the Twins and Orioles in 2009. He has a 7.56 ERA in 81 career innings with more walks (64) than strikeouts (62).
• Still from Eddy's jam-packed tweet, the Padres have inked first baseman Brandon Allen to a minor league contract. The 27-year-old has a career .203/.290/.375 Major League batting line in 389 plate appearances.
• The Blue Jays announced that right-hander Edgar Gonzalez has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo in order to make room for Casper Wells on the 40-man roster. Toronto claimed the 30-year-old Gonzalez off waivers just five days ago.
• Suspended right-hander Mark Hamburger has signed with the independent league St. Paul Saints, writes Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (at the bottom of the article). The 26-year-old tested positive for an undisclosed drug last season. He has appeared in eight Major League innings for the Rangers with a 4.50 ERA and was once traded for Eddie Guardado.

Blue Jays Notes: Wells, Gonzalez, Batista, Jeffress

Jose Reyes says that he isn't sweating the Blue Jays' slow start and it doesn't sound like the front office is either.  Here's the latest out of Toronto..

• The Blue Jays' claim of Casper Wells off of waivers likely means that Toronto will soon go with a seven-man bullpen, writes MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm.  The club had been carrying eight relievers but that will soon change and it's probable that right-hander Edgar Gonzalez will be the one who is designated for assignment.  Gonzalez was claimed off of waivers on Sunday.
• General Manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters, including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, that Miguel Batista was signed primarily for minor league depth.  The right-hander was assigned to Triple-A Buffalo after being picked up yesterday afternoon.
• Jeremy Jeffress hasn't been placed on waivers just yet and Anthopoulos noted that he has until Sunday to do so, Davidi writes.  The club is also going to look and see if there's a deal for the reliever, but there's no interest just yet.

Blue Jays Claim Edgar Gonzalez

The Blue Jays have announced they have claimed right-hander Edgar Gonzalez off waivers from the Astros. Gonzalez was designated for assignment by the Astros on Friday. The Blue Jays opened a spot on the 40-man roster for Gonzalez by transferring Dustin McGowan to the 60-day disabled list. The team will make a corresponding 25-man roster move prior to their Tuesday matinee in Detroit, tweets Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca.

Gonzalez pitched to a 5.04 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a 46.2 percent ground-ball rate in six starts (25 innings) for the Astros last year. Originally signed by Arizona in 2000, the 30-year-old has appeared in parts of nine MLB seasons with the Diamondbacks, A's and Astros. He has a 5.84 ERA in 350 career innings covering 113 games including 47 starts.

Astros Designate Edgar Gonzalez For Assignment

The Astros have designated right-hander Edgar Gonzalez for assignment, according to Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The move creates a spot on the 40-man roster for Travis Blackley, whom the Astros acquired from the Athletics yesterday.

Gonzalez, 30, pitched 25 innings and totaled a 5.04 ERA to go along with a 6.5 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a 46.2 percent ground-ball rate for the Astros in 2012. Originally signed by the Diamondbacks in 2000, Gonzalez has appeared in parts of nine Major League seasons between the D-backs, A's and Astros. He has a 5.84 ERA in 350 career innings.

Minor Moves: Orioles, Clement, Erbe, Quiroz, Red Sox

Here are the latest minor signings from around the league...

• The Orioles added independent league pitchers Logan Mahon and Chase Johnson on minor league deals, according to CSNBaltimore's Rich Dubroff and the Baltimore Sun's Eduardo A. Encina, respectively (Twitter links).
• The Giants also added an independent league arm today, signing Omar Javier to a minor league deal, tweets Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. Omar hasn't pitched in affiliated ball since 2009 with the Cardinals.
• The Twins have signed former No. 3 overall pick Jeff Clement to a minor league deal, tweets Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Clement, 29, appeared on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects list from 2006-08 and has a career .280/.359/.493 line at Triple-A. However, he's failed to produce in four separate Major League stints between the Mariners and Pirates.
• ESPN's Jayson Stark tweets that the Phillies have signed righty Brandon Erbe to a minor league deal. The 24-year-old was a third-round selection by the Orioles back in 2005 and was once a highly regarded prospect. He's battled a series of shoulder injuries and pitched to a 6.82 ERA in 30 1/3 innings for Baltimore's Class-A Advanced affiliate in 2012.
• Stark also reports that the Giants have signed minor league catcher Guillermo Quiroz to a minor league contract (Twitter link). The former top prospect is now 30 years old and carries with him a .260/.323/.424 batting line over parts of nine Triple-A seasons. He's managed just a .538 OPS in 282 Major League plate appearances.
• The Red Sox have signed right-handers David Carpenter, Sandy Rosario and Jose De La Torre to minor league deals, according to MLB.com's Evan Drellich. Carpenter appeared in 32 1/3 innings for the Blue Jays and Astros in 2012 but posted an 8.07 ERA. The 27-year-old Rosario has a career 3.48 ERA and 4.4 K/BB ratio in the minors but has barely pitched above the Double-A level. De La Torre was acquired from the Indians for Brent Lillibridge.
• MLB.com's Brian McTaggart reports that the Astros have signed righties Edgar Gonzalez and Jose Valdez to minor league contracts. Gonzalez, 29, has a 5.84 ERA over 350 career innings between the Diamondbacks, Rockies and Astros. Valdez hurled 12 innings for Houston last year after spending the past three seasons in their farm system. He has an impressive 103 strikeouts in 83 2/3 career Triple-A innings. McTaggart has the breakdown of each contract in his piece, including out clauses that allow Valdez to pursue opportunities in Japan.

Outrighted To Triple-A: Astros, Morgan, Veras, Braves

The latest outright assignments...

• The Astros announced that Fernando Abad, Sergio Escalona, Edgar Gonzalez, Jose Valdez, Kyle Weiland and the recently-DFA'ed Matt Downs have been outrighted to Triple-A.  All will become free agents except Weiland, who has been placed on the Triple-A roster.
• The Brewers have outrighted Nyjer Morgan to Triple-A, the team announced.  Morgan was a key part of the Brewers' NL Central-winning team in 2011 but struggled last season, hitting .239/.302/.308 and getting less playing time in the Milwaukee outfield.  MLBTR's Tim Dierkes recently projected Morgan as a non-tender candidate.
• The Brewers also confirmed that Jose Veras has elected to become a free agent after being outrighted off the 40-man roster yesterday.
• The Braves outrighted right-hander Erik Cordier to Triple-A, Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports (Twitter link). The 26-year-old pitched at three levels this past season, posting a 5.85 ERA with 7.5 K/9 in 32 1/3 total innings. He walked 32 of the 155 batters he faced, however. The Braves announced that they also outrighted catcher J.C. Boscan and left-hander Robert Fish off of the 40-man roster. Boscan elected free agency, according to the team.

Minor Moves: Gonzalez, Hill, Barfield

Today's minor moves..

• The Cubs released Triple-A Iowa right-hander Edgar Gonzalez, tweets ESPN's Doug Padilla. Gonzalez, who had a 4.09 ERA and 12-to-2 K/BB in 11 innings will pursue opportunities in Asia.
• The Reds signed catcher Koyie Hill, according to CBSSports.com's transactions page.  The 33-year-old signed with the Cardinals in January but was let go just over a month ago.  For his big league career, Hill owns a .211/.275/.298 slash line across parts of eight seasons.
• The Orioles released Josh Barfield from Triple-A Norfolk to make room for right-hander Jason Berken, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.  The utility player has a .274/.313/.387 slash line in parts of six seasons at the Triple-A level.  The O's signed the 29-year-old to a minor league deal in late March.