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2018 Amateur Signings: 6/22/18

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Let’s round up Friday’s draft deals of note. As always, the rankings referenced come courtesy of Fangraphs, MLB.com, Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law; Fangraphs and MLB.com scouting reports are available to the public free of charge, while the others require subscriptions.

  • The Pirates have a deal with second-rounder Braxton Ashcraft, MLB.com’s Jim Callis tweets. Aschcraft’s $1,825,000 bonus comes in well over the slot value for the 51st overall selection ($1,382,400). The Baseball America (#58) and MLB.com (#64) analysts were highest on the reputedly athletic hurler, who’s regarded more for his projectability than his present ability on the mound. He’ll forego a commitment to Baylor to join the Bucs, who have inked most of their top picks but are still trying to work things out with sandwich round selection Gunnar Hoglund.
  • Astros second-rounder Jayson Schroeder also lands over slot, Callis tweets. Like Ashcraft, Schroeder is a high-school righty who still needs polish but has shown promising tools. He’ll take home a $1.25MM bonus after being taken 66th overall, a choice that carried a $965,300 allocation. Schroeder had been slated to attend the University of Washington.
  • The Brewers announced their deal with second-round choice Joe Gray, with Callis again tweeting the dollars. Gray lands right at the $1,113,500 allocation for the 60th selection. He’s another toolsy player who’ll forego a collegiate commitment, but in his case he’s an outfielder who has decided against a run at the University of Mississippi. A quality defender with power, Gray is seen as possessing significant upside — if his hitting ability can catch up to his other talents. Notably, the Brewers have yet to ink first-rounder Brice Turang. And amateur scouting director Tod Johnson suggested today that a deal is not inevitable, telling Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter link): “Obviously he and his family have to make a decision as to whether he wants to get on the field and start playing professionally, or go down to LSU and go that route.”

NL Notes: Kershaw, Cespedes, Strasburg, Robles, Machado

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In a surprise move, the Dodgers announced today that ace Clayton Kershaw will start the club’s game tomorrow, as Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times was among those to tweet. Kershaw, who is coming back from a lower back strain, had been scheduled for a rehab outing but evidently felt up to the task of jumping back to the bigs after missing about three weeks  of action. That’s promising news for the Los Angeles organization, which will hope that the southpaw can not only avoid a third trip to the DL this year, but return to form after a less-than-dominant (by his lofty standards, at least) start to the season.

More from the National League:

  • The Mets, on the other hand, will face off against Kershaw without one of their key players. Slugger Yoenis Cespedes has been down longer than might have been hoped with a hip injury. While the club announced today that Cespedes is still not running or taking part in baseball activities due to ongoing symptoms, GM Sandy Alderson suggested it’s possible the veteran outfielder may get moving again early next week. (Via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, on Twitter.) At this point, though, it’s still anyone’s guess just when he may make it back to the bigs.
  • For the Nationals, health has been a major problem all season long. The club has received reasonably promising news of late regarding two key assets, though. Stephen Strasburg has now thrown the ball twice this week without apparent incident, as Dan Kolko of MASNsports.com was among those to tweet. That seems to indicate that his shoulder inflammation is beginning to subside, though the real tests are surely yet to come. Meanwhile, president of baseball ops Mike Rizzo said in an appearance on 106.7 The Fan (via TalkNats.com) that outfield prospect Victor Robles is nearly ready to resume baseball activities after a long layoff from a hyper-extended elbow. If he’s able to progress from there, Robles may yet be back in action this year. The club may not call upon him to play a role in the majors in 2018, but having Robles available would surely be beneficial, and getting him back in action would also help with sorting the plans for 2019.
  • The odds seem rather long, to say the least, but Jon Heyman of Fan Rag wrote yesterday that the Padres have at least checked in with the Orioles on star infielder Manny Machado. That connection might make greater sense if the Padres were a more plausible contender or, at least, if Machado was not slated to reach free agency at season’s end. As it stands, it’s tough to fathom the Friars unloading young talent in an attempt to chase the postseason this year. Doing so in earnest, in all likelihood, would mean adding multiple other pieces as well. It could still make sense, though, for the Padres to get a gauge on Baltimore’s situation. The Pads could face some 40-man pressures this winter, so there could be an opportunity to function as a part of a three-team arrangement. If the club is really feeling bold, perhaps it could make an early strike for Machado with plans to flip him if a sudden run up the standings doesn’t ensue, though a mid-season gambit of that kind involving a rental player of Machado’s caliber would be sui generis.

MLB Daily Roster Roundup: Cervelli, Garcia, Joyce, Soroka

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ROSTER MOVES BY TEAM
(June 22nd)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

  • CHICAGO WHITE SOX | Depth Chart
    • Activated from 10-Day DL: INF/OF Leury Garcia, OF Avisail Garcia
      • Leury played LF and batted 6th in Game 1 of Friday’s double-header.
      • Avisail played RF and batted 2nd in Game 1 of Friday’s double-header.
    • Promoted: RP Thyago Vieira 
      • Vieira was the 26th man for Friday’s double-header.
    • Optioned: INF Jose Rondon
    • Designated for assignment: OF Trayce Thompson
  • OAKLAND ATHLETICS | Depth Chart
    • Activated from 10-Day DL: OF Matt Joyce
      • Joyce played LF and batted 3rd in Game 2 of Friday’s double-header.
    • Promoted: RP Danny Coulombe
      • Coulombe was the 26th man for Friday’s double-header.
    • Optioned: OF Jake Smolinski

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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES

Hanley Ramirez Denies Knowledge Of Reported Investigation

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Long-time major-leaguer Hanley Ramirez is “being eyed” in relation to a broader federal and state drug investigation, Michele McPhee of ABC News and Newsweek reports on Twitter. The precise nature of the Ramirez’s involvement is not yet entirely clear; at present, it’s not even apparent whether he is viewed as a potential suspect of any kind by authorities, and he has not been charged with any crimes.

Ramirez’s agent, Adam Katz, issued a statement to media members including Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter link). He asserts that “Hanley has no knowledge of any of the allegations contained in this media report and he is not aware of any investigation.”

McPhee, a veteran crime reporter, explained in an appearance on Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub (audio link) that a man (not Ramirez) was found by police to be carrying in his vehicle a large volume of drugs — specifically, fentanyl and crack cocaine. She continued to report that the man, who was later arrested and charged, “claimed that one of the items found in the vehicle belonged to Hanley Ramirez and then FaceTimed [Ramirez] in front of police.”

The suspect is evidently also linked to a broader Lawrence, Massachusetts fentanyl ring that has been the subject of a significant, ongoing investigation. Tom Cleary of Heavy.com dug up some related criminal complaints that seem to line up with the reporting. None of those documents mention Ramirez.

Additionally, McPhee stated in the above-linked radio interview that the incident “sparked, obviously, some contact between Ramirez and law enforcement who were working on this case.” That said, the nature and timing of that contact is not known. And there’s no real suggestion to this point that Ramirez is a subject of ongoing investigation himself.

Ramirez is currently a free agent. He opened the year with the Red Sox but was designated for assignment in late May and later released. When Ramirez was sent packing by the Boston organization, it came as a bit of a surprise. While he was slumping at the time, he had started the season well and seemed worthy of a longer leash, particularly given his hefty salary.

When the Sox decided on the move, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and manager Alex Cora gave a somewhat unusual account of the decisionmaking process. With rather atypical willingness to discuss the decision in detail, both said that Cora had suggested it’d be preferable to part with Ramirez despite plans to move another player off of the roster.

McPhee says that the above-referenced incident “coordinated with the the timing of [Ramirez’s] release from the Red Sox.” The team, though, maintains that it had no knowledge of any investigation at the time, as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe tweets. The decision on Ramirez was based purely on baseball considerations, per the organization.

It’s important to note, too, that it’s still not clear whether the dates really do line up in the manner hinted at. While Ramirez was technically released on June 1st, release waivers were requested on May 30th. And he was designated for assignment — the truly consequential roster move — on May 25th. A press release indicates that the arrest of the suspect occurred on June 6th; if the car stop occurred at a prior time, the date is unreported at this point.

It has also been a topic of some note in recent weeks that Ramirez has remained unsigned for an extended stretch. Because he was released, the Red Sox are obligated to him for the $15MM or that was left on his contract for the present season. Any other club could have (and still can) acquire Ramirez’s services for the only the league-minimum rate of pay. Today’s reporting could, in theory, provide a reason for Ramirez’s still-ongoing free agency. But there’s no direct evidence for that proposition and there are certainly other conceivable explanations for the fact that he has not yet joined a new team.

Ramirez, 34, is certainly not your average major leaguer. He has played 14 seasons at the game’s highest level, earning about $160MM along the way. Early in his career, it seemed Ramirez might be on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory, though he has not been consistently productive more recently. Ramirez has generated some controversy at times for eccentric behavior, though that has never been a significant concern during periods when he has produced at the plate. What impact, if any, this still-developing situation may have on his career moving forward remains to be seen.

Pirates Place Francisco Cervelli On 7-Day Concussion DL

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The Pirates announced just before today’s game that they placed catcher Francisco Cervelli on the 7-day concussion DL. Fellow backstop Jacob Stallings has been recalled to take his place on the active roster.

That’s unwelcome news for the Bucs, who say that Cervelli alerted the organization to symptoms last night, per MLB.com’s Adam Berry (via Twitter). At this point, the prognosis is unknown.

It is hard to overstate Cervelli’s importance to a Pirates club that is trying to hang in a tough NL Central race. He has been not only one of the team’s best players, but one of the very most productive receivers in all of baseball. In just 218 plate appearances, Cervelli has already set a career-high with nine home runs and carries a .257/.390/.486 slash with a healthy 14.2% walk rate.

If the Pirates can’t stay close enough to a postseason berth, of course, some summer trade movement is likely. In that event, Cervelli could be a major possible trade asset — if, that is, the 32-year-old is at full health.

Under the three-year, $31MM extension Cervelli signed early in the 2016 season, he’s owed $10.5MM this season and $11.5MM for 2019. Those contract rights could hold appeal for contenders, but the injury questions have certainly mounted in recent seasons.

The veteran backstop missed significant time in 2017, ending the season on the DL owing to a quad injury. Earlier in the year, he twice spent time on the concussion DL. Unfortunately, today’s news represents a continuation of a rather extensive history of head injuries for Cervelli.

MLB Suspends Roberto Osuna For 75 Games

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After a long-pending investigation, Major League Baseball has announced a 75-game suspension of Blue Jays pitcher Roberto Osuna under the MLB-MLBPA Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy. The ban is retroactive to May 8th and will end on August 4th of this year. Osuna will not appeal the decision, the league states.

Manfred’s statement does not specify the league’s findings beyond stating that he determined Osuna to have violated the domestic violence policy. In some of the prior announcements of suspensions under the policy, Manfred has offered factual assessments and some explanation of the basis for the punishment.

In another (perhaps related) distinction from some prior precedent, the criminal case against Osuna is still pending. The league has generally waited until criminal matters are fully litigated or otherwise resolved, at least in part to facilitate the acquisition of information.

In this case, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, “it is believed MLB was able to interview the alleged victim” of the domestic assault. Osuna is said to be facing charges of assaulting his girlfriend. It seems, then, that commissioner Rob Manfred has been able to secure sufficient information to reach a determination.

There was surely greater pressure to reach a resolution given that the issue arose during the season. Osuna has been on administrative leave since his arrest, which explains the retroactive treatment. Heyman previously reported that the Toronto organization had unsuccessfully lobbied MLB for an expedited handling.

Under the policy, Manfred can issue suspensions or other punishments upon a finding that a player has committed a domestic assault or otherwise violated the terms of the policy, regardless of whether charges are brought or a conviction is secured. Punishment is subject to a “just cause” standard, though that will not be tested since Osuna has agreed to forego any appeal.

The 75-game duration of this suspension makes it the third-longest issued under the policy. Jose Torres (100 games) and Hector Olivera (82 games) hold the dubious distinction of having merited lengthier bans.

As the suspension is unpaid, Osuna will lose something on the order of $2.5MM of his $5.3MM salary for the season. It remains to be seen just how the remainder of his career will be impacted — it seems reasonable to expect broader ramifications, certainly — but at a minimum, his future potential arbitration earnings will be impacted substantially by the time he will have missed this season.

Braves Place Mike Soroka On DL, Select Contract Of Danny Santana

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3:57pm: Soroka says that an MRI cleared him of any structural issues, as David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. That’s certainly good news for the team, though presumably a conservative course will still be taken.

2:10pm: The Braves have sent young righty Mike Soroka back to the 10-day DL, per a club announcement. He’s again dealing with inflammation in his pitching shoulder.

To replace him on the active roster, the Atlanta organization selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Danny Santana. A 40-man roster spot was opened for Santana by moving righty Jose Ramirez to the 60-day DL.

Soroka has been quite impressive this year, throwing 25 2/3 innings of 3.51 ERA ball in his first five MLB starts at just twenty years of age. Unfortunately, though, he already missed about a month with a shoulder ailment and is now back on the shelf.

There’s still no indication that there’s a significant underlying problem at play here, though MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets that Soroka experienced a velocity drop-off in the midst of his last outing. Needless to say, any kind of issues in the shoulder will certainly be handled with ample care by the Braves, who are counting on Soroka to be a major contributor for years to come.

At this point, we’ll need to await further word before knowing more about Soroka’s outlook. A lengthy absence could certainly impact the team’s plans as the trade deadline approaches. Though rotation depth doesn’t seem to be a particular concern for the Braves at the time being, that can change quickly if injuries or performance issues begin to add up. And an upgrade is always a possibility, too.

The 27-year-old Santana played a significant role down the stretch last year for the Braves, but was non-tendered after the season. He ended up re-joining the organization on a minors deal.

Since his eye-popping debut season in 2014, Santana has struggled to hit at the MLB level. He has produced this year at Triple-A, though, launching 11 long balls and carrying a .539 slugging percentage Of course, Santana also maintains a meager .300 on-base percentage and has drawn just eight walks while going down on strikes 57 times.

NHL Draft Day At Pro Hockey Rumors

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The day has finally arrived, and the 2018 NHL Entry Draft is on tap tonight at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Buffalo Sabres hold the first-overall pick and are widely expected to make Rasmus Dahlin only the second Swedish-born No. 1 selection in history after Mats Sundin in 1989. Dahlin is a franchise-changing defenseman who will be in Buffalo’s lineup on opening day, but there are plenty of other top prospects waiting to find out where their professional future will start.

Andrei Svechnikov, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Filip Zadina, Brady Tkachuk and others will all hear their names selected in the first few picks, but in which order is still to be determined. The Montreal Canadiens are holding everyone in suspense with their decision with the third-overall pick, while anyone from 6-10 could easily trade up or down. With all the speculation and rumor floating around you’ll need someone to cut through everything and bring just the most accurate, reliable information to you within seconds of it happening. Pro Hockey Rumors is the place for that, and the only place you’ll need to stay updated through tonight’s first round.

All the action starts at 6pm CDT, so make sure to check in regularly at ProHockeyRumors.com, follow @prohockeyrumors on Twitter and set your notifications accordingly in the Trade Rumors mobile app for iOS and Android to get all the breaking news alerts.

Mets Designate Hansel Robles For Assignment

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The Mets have designated righty Hansel Robles for assignment, per a club announcement. With a need for roster spots to accommodate a pair of promotions, the team also moved AJ Ramos to the 60-day DL and optioned fellow right-handed relievers Paul Sewald and Chris Flexen.

Robles, 27, was a quality pen piece for the Mets in 2015 and 2016. But he has run into troubles more recently, spending time in the minors in each of the past two campaigns while struggling to deliver consistent results at the MLB level.

In total, Roblems has compiled a 4.95 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 in hs past 76 1/3 innings. Beyond the walk problems, Robles has coughed up seven long balls in his 19 2/3 MLB frames this year.

Despite the issues, it isn’t hard to imagine another team deciding to take a shot on Robles. He still brings mid-nineties heat, can be optioned, and has a history of some success in the majors. On the other hand, he has posted a rather pedestrian 10.0% swinging-strike rate this year (which is actually an improvement on his 2017 numbers), to go with the other issues.

Mets GM Sandy Alderson did not exactly attempt to put a positive spin on Robles as his seven-day period of DFA limbo begins. “You kept seeing the same thing,” Alderson told reporters including Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter). “The adjustments he needed to get consistent outs probably wasn’t going to happen.”

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/22/18

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Here are Friday’s minor moves from around the game…

  • The Twins’ Triple-A affiliate announced that outfielder Nick Buss has been released. The 31-year-old Buss won a Pacific Coast League batting title in 2017 when he hit .348/.395/.541 with 11 homers for the Padres’ top affiliate, but he’s struggled to a .239/.309/.340 slash through 178 PAs in Rochester this season. Buss has appeared in the Majors with both Los Angeles teams, hitting a combined .180/.229/.300 in a tiny sample of 110 plate appearances and is a lifetime .302/.360/.452 hitter in parts of six seasons at the Triple-A level.
  • The Royals’ Double-A affiliate announced yesterday that they’ve traded minor league outfielder Brandon Downes to the Braves. A return wasn’t specified, though presumably there’ll be cash or a player to be named later going back to the Kansas City organization to complete the deal. The 25-year-old Downes was Kansas City’s seventh-round pick in 2014 but entered the 2018 season with just five games played above Class-A Advanced. He’s hitting .198/.284/.365 in 111 PAs between Class-A Advanced and Double-A this season (including a 1-for-4 debut yesterday for Atlanta’s Double-A affiliate. Baseball America rated him as Kansas City’s No. 24 prospect four years ago, praising his solid-average speed and above-average power potential, though Downes has yet to deliver on that upside.

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