By Kyle Downing | at
Jennifer Langosch of MLB.com reports that Cardinals right-hander Carlos Martinez is going back on the disabled list, this time due to a right oblique strain. The Cardinals have also recalled John Brebbia, reinstated Miles Mikolas from the paternity list, optioned Matt Bowman, and added Luke Weaver to the roster as the 26th man for today’s doubleheader against the Cubs.
More to come…
By Kyle Downing | at
The Cubs have made a host of roster moves today (first announced by Patrick Mooney of The Athletic), chiefly among them the placement of right-hander Anthony Bass on the 10-day disabled list due to a back muscle issue. The move creates room for the recently acquired Jesse Chavez to be activated. The club also promoted righty Dillon Maples, optioned fellow righty James Norwood, and recalled righty Luke Farrell as the 26th man for today’s double-header against the Cardinals.
Bass has been excellent across 16 appearances for the Cubs so far this season, pitching to a 2.93 ERA in 15 1/3 innings. He’s also managed an impressive ground ball rate of 53.3%. Bass spent time on the disabled list earlier this month with what was described as an illness. When he’s been healthy, though, the 30-year-old has enjoyed a career-best performance, certainly an upgrade over his 4.51 career ERA and a career K/BB ratio worse than 2:1.
Chavez, recently acquired from the Rangers, has also been quietly enjoying an excellent season, as MLBTR’s Jeff Todd noted at the time the trade was announced. Chavez will presumably see the same type of work with the Cubs as he did with the Rangers: multi-inning relief appearances. Though Chavez appeared 30 times on the mound with Texas, he managed to toss 56 innings during that time.
By Kyle Downing | at
Fangraphs recently released its annual rankings of the top 50 most valuable contracts in baseball, or the players who would have the highest value in a trade. High atop the list sits a pair of Indians infielders (Jose Ramirez and Francisco Lindor), while Aaron Judge, Mike Trout and Carlos Correa round out the top five. The rankings take into account the amount of money each player is owed and the length of his contract in relation to his expected future performance. While the list is top-heavy with young stars (as one might expect), there are a few surprising names later down in the rankings, and a few top prospects even make the list.
Speaking of trades…
By Kyle Downing | at
After optioning Domingo German to Triple-A following last night’s ugly performance in the Subway Series, the Yankees are set to promote a replacement Domingo. Robert Murray of The Athletic first reported that the club has promoted 6’7″ righty Domingo Acevedo to the big league club; their PR department has since announced the move.
Prior to the season, Baseball America ranked the 24-year-old Acevedo as the Bombers’ ninth-best prospect, praising his strike-throwing ability despite “a delivery that is littered with funkiness and moving parts.” His fastball sits in the mid- to high-nineties, and he also possesses a slider that some scouts believe could develop into a plus pitch. It’s said that he possesses the ceiling of a middle-of-the-rotation starter, but more interestingly is that BA claims his floor to be that of a power reliever.
Acevedo was a $7,500 international signing in 2012, and has slowly managed to work his way through the club’s minor-league ranks. Last season at Double-A, he made 14 starts while pitching to a 2.38 ERA with an excellent 4.82 K/BB. That earned him a brief 12 1/3-inning stint at the Triple-A level later in the year, though he was sent back to Double-A to begin the 2018 season. Though he hasn’t quite shown the same dominant command so far, he’s still managed to post a respectable 2.84 ERA.
German’s demotion isn’t much of a surprise considering his struggles in the majors so far this season. While the right-hander has managed to rack up an impressive amount of strikeouts (10.38 K/9), his struggles to keep the ball on the ground (37.3% ground ball rate) and in the park (1.64 HR/9) have led to a bloated 5.68 ERA. Last night, German allowed five runs (four earned) in 3 2/3 innings against a pathetic Mets offense that’s tied for the third-fewest runs scored in all of baseball.
Acevedo will become the latest right-handed pitcher to leapfrog top prospect Justus Sheffield for a big-league debut. In addition to a pair of Domingos, right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga also earned his first promotion to The Show earlier this season. Though roster implications no doubt had plenty to do with it (the aforementioned three pitchers are all on the Yankees’ 40-man), it’s fair to wonder why the pitching-needy Yankees continue to keep Sheffield at the Triple-A level despite his excellent performance there so far this year. The southpaw owns a 2.53 ERA to go with nearly a strikeout per inning and a 44% ground ball rate at Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
By Jeff Todd | at
Indians outfielder Bradley Zimmer has undergone surgery on his right shoulder, the club announced and Cleveland.com’s Joe Noga reports. Zimmer had been on the minor-league disabled list.
It is not known precisely what repair work was done, so the outlook is largely unclear at this point. Per the report, though, it is generally expected that Zimmer “will not be available for the foreseeable future.”
Entering the year, the expectation was that Zimmer would play a significant portion of the innings in center field. But the 25-year-old struggled to a .226/.281/.339 batting line in his 114 plate appearances, striking out 44 times while drawing seven walks.
The news likely does not impact Cleveland’s plans at the trade deadline. Outfield was and is an area of need. Though it would have been nice to have Zimmer around as a possibility later this year, the injury is more worrisome for its future implications.
Whether or not Zimmer is able to return late in 2018, the former top prospect’s outlook is less certain than ever. The same can be said of the Indians’ anticipated outfield alignment in 2019 and beyond, the composition of which is anyone’s guess. Zimmer will not earn any MLB service time while he’s out, meaning he’ll still be in the 1+ service class until he makes it back to the majors.
By Jeff Todd | at
As we wait to hear about the consummation of a prospective deal that would send closer Jeurys Familia out west, the Mets have served up plenty of other noteworthy news. Here are the other topics of conversation in New York:
By Jason Martinez | at
NATIONAL LEAGUE
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES
By Jeff Todd | at
10:36pm: The A’s are indeed the team trying to wrap up an agreement, Martino tweets. “Barring [a] snag,” Familia will head to Oakland, he says. Olney hears similarly. (Twitter link.)
10:26pm: The structure of a deal is in place but it is not yet final, Olney tweets. Meanwhile, the Mets have informed reporters that nothing will be announced tonight (via Puma, on Twitter). Though Familia is saying his goodbyes in the clubhouse, he says he hasn’t been given any official word (via DiComo, on Twitter).
The Astros are not involved, Olney adds on Twitter.
10:13pm: There’s definitely some fire producing this smoke, as Mets skipper Mickey Callaway tells reporters he was advised not to deploy Familia owing to a possible trade. (Via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, on Twitter.) It remains to be seen if a swap can be completed.
9:51pm: As Jeurys Familia watches from the bullpen rather than entering in a save situation, the Mets are working to finalize a deal to send him elsewhere, Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. The prospective destination is not yet known.
Earlier this evening, it was reported that the Athletics are a suitor for Familia, and all signs are currently pointing to a potential match with Oakland. Many other possibilities seem to have been dismissed. The sides are “well down the road,” per Andy Martino of SNY.tv (via Twitter), though ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that the A’s are “not willing to take on as much money as another club in the bidding.”
Most other suitors seem questionable at best. The Cubs had been tied to Familia, but Olney says they are not involved at the moment. Also on the sidelines are the Braves, Olney adds on Twitter. Though he suggested the Giants might be a factor, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets that they are out owing to luxury tax considerations. Meanwhile, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com (via Twitter) and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe (Twitter link) indicate that Boston isn’t deeply involved at the moment, though Crasnick tweets that they have been in the picture.
Despite the intrigue, it may be that talks won’t result in a deal. Andy Martino of SNY.tv tweets that, even if ultimately consummated, agreement may not be struck tonight. Clearly, though, talks are “too close to take a risk,” as a source puts it to Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter).
Familia is the top remaining trade candidate from MLBTR’s recent ranking of deadline assets. There has never been any question he’d be moved since the Mets fell out of contention in the NL East. Though he hasn’t been at his most dominant thus far, Familia is getting good results and showing his typical upper-nineties power sinker.
Teams weighing a move for Familia will surely consider him rather affordable at a $7.9MM salary with no future commitment. If not, Mets front office point-man John Ricco made clear today that the club is willing to pick up the tab if it can achieve sufficient prospect value. (Via Puma, on Twitter.)
This is a developing story …
By Jeff Todd | at
Much-hyped Padres prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. — son of the former major-leaguer of the same name — is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season, Jeff Sanders and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune report.
Tatis may well require surgery on his left thumb after injuring it last night, though that has not yet been decided. Indeed, full details of the injury and expected procedure aren’t yet fully clear. More will be known after swelling has subsided.
Fortunately, early indications are that there’s no reason to fear that the injury will limit Tatis in the long run, even if surgery is necessary. That certainly reduces the reason for worry. Needless to say, the 19-year-old shortstop’s future remains of great importance to the San Diego organization.
Since coming to the Friars in one of the most notable heists in recent memory, Tatis has soared up prospect charts. This year, Tatis has posted a .286/.355/.507 slash with 16 homers and 16 steals at the Double-A level. He’s widely considered one of the very best minor-league talents around. Indeed, Fangraphs just rated his contract rights the 39th most valuable asset in all of baseball.
Barring a surprise, Tatis would not have reached the majors this year or pressed for a job out of camp in 2019. But a mid-season call-up next season was certainly a distinct possibility. It may still be, to be sure, but Tatis will now miss some valuable development time. Phenom though he may be, there’s certainly room for improvement in his game — in particular, a 27.7% strikeout rate.
Ultimately, there’s plenty of time still for Tatis to mature into the complete player the Padres think he will be. This injury seems quite unlikely to change his trajectory.
By Jeff Todd | at
The Athletics are “among the teams hoping to land” righty Jeurys Familia from the Mets, according to a report from Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The Cubs are also showing interest in Familia, Jon Heyman of Fancred tweets.
It seems these organizations are hardly the only ones with interest. At least seven or eight contenders have made contact regarding Familia, according to reports from Andy Martino of SNY.tv and MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo. The precise timeline of a deal isn’t at all clear, and will surely depend upon how talks progress. But the Mets are already “exchanging names” of potential prospects with interested teams, Martino adds.
It really isn’t surprising to hear of this broad interest. Familia is an established closer who’ll hit the open market this fall after the struggling Mets wrap things up for the year. We recently tabbed Familia as the #2 player on our list of the top 75 trade deadline candidates. (The top name on the board, of course, has since been moved.)
Some might raise eyebrows, though, to hear that the A’s are one of the teams poking around. The club may only have hopes of challenging the Mariners for a Wild Card spot, after all, and getting Familia would mean offering more than motivated rivals. Plus, the Oakland club already has received impressive performances at the back of its bullpen.
Still, president of baseball operations Billy Beane has made clear he sees the deadline as a chance to get better. While the rotation remains a more obvious area of need, finding a significant improvement there may prove quite challenging given the supply-and-demand situation. And despite the good late-inning work from existing hurlers, modern baseball teams can never have enough good relief pitching. Indeed, the A’s just cut loose veteran righty Santiago Casilla, so they clearly aren’t fully satisfied with their current mix.
From the Mets’ perspective, the hope clearly will be that multiple contenders will push hard for Familia. Heading into the All-Star break, he had compiled 40 2/3 innings of 2.88 ERA ball with 9.5 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, and a 50.5% groundball rate. While there are plenty of talented relievers that could be had, relatively few of those are clearly slated to be dealt away by their current organizations. Zach Britton, Joakim Soria, and Fernando Rodney are perhaps the top alternative pitchers of this ilk.
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