Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Padres Rumors

Padres Place Drew Pomeranz On Injured List

By | at

The Padres announced that they have placed left-hander Drew Pomeranz on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 19, with a shoulder strain. The team recalled righty Luis Perdomo to take Pomeranz’s place on its roster.

This is an awful blow to a Padres bullpen that has gotten marvelous production from Pomeranz in the first season of a four-year, $34MM contract. The 31-year-old has yet to allow a run through his first nine innings this season, and opposing offenses have managed a meager one hit off him. Pomeranz has also logged 12 strikeouts against three walks, converted all four of his save chances and added five holds. All things considered, he has been one of the elite relievers in baseball in 2020.

Pomeranz aside, San Diego’s relief corps has been anything but elite thus far. Despite Pomeranz’s near-flawless output, the unit currently ranks 27th in ERA (6.08), 26th in FIP (5.46) and 22nd in K/BB ratio (2.17). Cal Quantrill and Matt Strahm are the only other relievers on the team with sub-5.00 ERAs, but their success has come in spite of far less encouraging peripherals.

It’s unclear how much time Pomeranz will miss, but the fact that he’s dealing with a shoulder issue is a troubling development. Even if San Diego believes he’ll be back in short order, the 15-12 club – which has its sights set on its first playoff berth since 2006 – figures to seek bullpen help prior to the Aug. 31 trade deadline. That likely would have been true even with a healthy Pomeranz.

Ian Gibaut, Chris Woodward Suspended Over Machado/Tatis Incident

By | at

AUG. 19: Gibaut’s suspension was reduced to two games and he has dropped his appeal, the Rangers announced. He’ll begin serving the ban tonight.

AUG. 18: Major League Baseball has suspended Rangers right-hander Ian Gibaut three games and manager Chris Woodward one game for a controversial incident Monday that saw Gibaut throw behind Padres star Manny Machado.  Gibaut and Woodward were also both fined.  Gibaut is appealing his suspension while Woodward will serve his suspension for today’s game.

During Monday’s game, the Padres were leading the Rangers 10-3 in the eighth inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. came to the plate with the bases loaded.  Tatis swung on a 3-0 pitch from Juan Nicasio that resulted in a grand slam, prompting Gibaut to replace Nicasio on the mound.  Machado was the next batter up after Tatis, and Gibaut’s first pitch to Machado was behind the third baseman’s back.  No ejections or warnings were issued after the pitch, though the umpiring crew did meet on the field to discuss the situation.

After the game, Woodward told MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell and other reporters that wasn’t pleased by Tatis’ swing.  “There’s a lot of unwritten rules that are constantly being challenged in today’s game.  I didn’t like it, personally,” Woodward said.  “You’re up by seven [runs] in the eighth inning; it’s typically not a good time to swing 3-0.  It’s kind of the way we were all raised in the game.  But, like I said, the norms are being challenged on a daily basis, so — just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not right.”

Even Tatis’ own manager Jayce Tingler wasn’t entirely pleased, noting that Tatis missed a take sign on the pitch.  “He’s young, a free spirit and focused and all those things. That’s the last thing that we’ll ever take away. But it’s a learning opportunity,” Tingler said.

Woodward and Tingler each received widespread criticism for their comments, with Woodward’s citation of baseball’s “unwritten rules” drawing particular derision.  Many current and past players (including such legends as Reggie Jackson and Johnny Bench) have defended Tatis, with Cardinals ace Jack Flaherty providing perhaps the most succinct counterpoint: “Don’t like it… don’t fall behind 3-0, pretty simple.“

The suspensions to both Gibaut and Woodward indicate a clear feeling on the part of the league that the pitch to Machado was intentional, and to that end, it is somewhat surprising that Woodward only received one game (if the league felt he directed Gibaut to throw behind Machado).  MLB has taken a generally stricter line for on-field discipline this year as part of their health and safety procedures, though this particular incident didn’t lead to anything like a brawl or even an open argument between the two teams.

Mariners Acquire Jimmy Yacabonis

By | at

The Mariners announced that they’ve acquired non-roster right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis from the Padres in exchange for cash. He’d been in San Diego’s 60-man player pool at their alternate training site and will now head to the Mariners’ alternate site.

Yacabonis, 28, spent parts of the 2017-19 seasons in the Orioles’ bullpen but has yet to find his footing in the big leagues. He’s tallied 101 2/3 innings but carries a 5.75 ERA with 6.6 K/9 against 5.0 BB/9 in that time. The former 13th-round pick averages about 94 mph on a fastball that generates above-average spin, and he has a solid enough track record in the minor leagues despite his lack of success in the Majors. He’ll give the Mariners a bit of bullpen depth and may eventually emerge as an option to join a bullpen that could undergo some changes between now and the Aug. 31 trade deadline.

Padres Promote Adrian Morejon

By | at

As expected, the Padres have called up left-hander Adrian Morejon from their alternate training site.  The team made this announcement in advance of Morejon’s scheduled start against the Rangers this afternoon.  Righty Luis Perdomo was optioned to the alternate training site to create roster space.

This will be Morejon’s second stint in the big leagues, and there isn’t really anywhere to go but up after he posted a 10.13 ERA through eight innings and five appearances (two of them starts) in 2019.  A bothersome shoulder may have been partially to blame for Morejon’s issues, as he was sent to the injured list last August and was eventually shut down for the season.

Of course, Morejon is hardly the only player to have an underwhelming MLB debut, and the southpaw is still considered one of the sport’s more intriguing pitching prospects.  He has been a staple of top-100 prospects lists for the last few years, with Keith Law (72nd), Baseball Prospectus (75th) and Baseball America (89th) all including Morejon on their pre-2020 rankings.  Morejon was the headliner of the Padres’ spending splurge in the 2016-17 international signing period, as the Cuba native signed for an eye-opening $11MM bonus.

It wasn’t too long ago that Perdomo was holding down a spot in San Diego’s rotation, as the right-hander amassed 310 1/3 innings for the Friars in 2016-17, starting 49 of 64 games.  Injuries hampered the groundball specialist in 2018, however, and Perdomo has been since used primarily as a reliever while yo-yoing between the majors and Triple-A.  Perdomo did post a solid 4.00 ERA, 3.06 K/BB rate, 60.6% grounder rate, and 6.9 K/9 over 72 innings in 2019, though he had had a rougher go of things this season (8.10 ERA over 10 innings).

Kirby Yates Likely To Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery

By | at

AUGUST 17: Yates went for a second opinion with elbow specialist Dr. Keith Meister on Monday, and now expectations are that he’ll undergo season-ending surgery, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Yates would need six-plus weeks to recover from the procedure.

AUGUST 16: Yates’ MRI revealed bone chips in the back of his elbow, manager Jayce Tingler told reporters (including Dennis Lin of the Athletic). He’ll head for a second opinion on Monday.

AUGUST 15: The Padres have placed reliever Kirby Yates on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, the team announced. His roster spot will be taken by right-handed pitcher David Bednar, who has been recalled.

Yates is set to undergo an MRI today to clarify the injury to Yates’s elbow, which forced the 33-year-old out of last night’s game against the D-Backs. It was initially described as discomfort in “the back of his elbow.”

It had been a slow start to the season for the defending NL saves leader, who has thus far posted an uncharacteristic 12.46 ERA in 4 1/3 innings. His usual strikeout production has been there, but that’s been offset by an equally high number of walks (8 K/4 BB).

While the injury to Yates is an unquestionable blow to the San Diego bullpen, manager Jayce Tingler will have several options at his disposal to close games, including Emilio Pagan, Craig Stammen, and Drew Pomeranz. The latter two combined for just 10 career saves prior to this season, but Pomeranz has amassed four saves this year and has been the Padres’ most reliable reliever thus far. Pagan, meanwhile, was an accomplished closer for the Rays last year.

NL Health Notes: Braves, Mets, Cards, Giants, Padres, Dodgers

By | at

The Braves placed outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. on the injured list Saturday (retroactive to Aug. 12) because of left wrist inflammation, and the team’s hope then was that Acuna would be back by the upcoming weekend. However, there’s still no timetable for the superstar’s return, per The Athletic’s David O’Brien, who reports he’s continuing to battle soreness in his wrist. Meanwhile, second baseman Ozzie Albies – whom the Braves put on the IL on Aug. 5 with a bone contusion in his right wrist – is progressing but still has a ways to go, according to O’Brien.

  • Mets starters David Peterson and Jacob deGrom will take the ball as scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, Tim Healey of Newsday relays. Peterson had to leave his previous start last Thursday against the Nationals with left shoulder fatigue, while the club scratched deGrom on Friday because of a stiff neck. They’ve been the two best members of the rotation this year for the struggling Mets, as Peterson has performed like one of the game’s top rookies and the back-to-back Cy Young winner deGrom has continued to shine.
  • Cardinals righty Carlos Martinez and infielder Edmundo Sosa have been cleared to resume baseball activities, manager Mike Shildt announced to Mark Saxon of The Athletic and other reporters. They’re two of the many Cardinals who recently tested positive for the coronavirus. It’s not clear when either could return, as Shildt noted they’ll need time to build themselves back up. Martinez, long a key part of the Cardinals’ pitching staff, made one very rocky appearance earlier this season. Sosa hasn’t played in the majors this year.
  • Giants righty Jeff Samardzija will begin a throwing program Wednesday, according to the club (via Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle). Samardzija went on the injured list Aug. 8 with a shoulder impingement, which came after he opened the season with three rough performances. The pending free agent, 35, owns a ghastly 9.88 ERA across 13 2/3 innings, has already given up 18 hits and six home runs, and has only struck out five hitters.
  • The Padres placed catcher Francisco Mejia on the IL on Monday with a thumb bruise, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. With him and outfielder Tommy Pham (previously reported) headed to the shelf, the Padres recalled backstop Luis Torrens and utility player Ty France. Prior to going on the IL, Mejia got off to a woeful start this year with an .079/.146/.184 line in 41 plate appearances. He and fellow Padres catcher Austin Hedges have combined for a disastrous minus-1 wRC+ over 79 trips to the plate thus far.
  • The Dodgers announced that they’ve placed infielder Edwin Rios on the IL with a left hamstring strain and recalled lefty Adam Kolarek. The Rios injury is a blow to the Dodgers’ offense, as even though he’s just a part-time player, the 26-year-old has done nothing but hit since debuting last season. So far in 2020, Rios has slashed .276/.323/.690 with three home runs in 31 plate appearances.

Tommy Pham Diagnosed With Broken Hamate Bone

By | at

Padres outfielder Tommy Pham has been diagnosed with a broken hamate bone in his hand, manager Jayce Tingler said in an appearance with Jim Duquette on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link). He’ll head to the injured list, with Josh Naylor coming up from the alternate training site to replace him on the roster.

Surgery is often required when a player breaks the hook of the hamate bone, as Pham apparently has done. The injury was sustained in yesterday’s game when Pham fouled a pitch back. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union Tribune reported last night that Pham’s hamb “went numb” as soon as he fouled that pitch back, adding that the organization was fearful of this very injury. If Pham does require surgery, it’ll very likely put an end to his 2020 season.

The 32-year-old Pham has gotten out to a slow start at the plate, hitting just .207/.316/.293 through 95 plate appearances. To Pham’s credit, evenn though he hasn’t been hitting for average or power, he’s still drawn a dozen walks and leads the league with six stolen bases (in six tries).

With Pham sidelined perhaps for the entire season, San Diego will now lean more heavily on Naylor for production while opening some playing time for Edward Olivares, Jorge Mateo and perhaps Jurickson Profar (now that Jake Cronenworth has taken over second base duties on a regular basis). Veteran Abraham Almonte remains on hand at the team’s alternate training site, and if the club wants to go with a higher-upside option, top prospect Taylor Trammell is also at the alternate site and awaiting his first call to the big leagues. He’d need to be added to the 40-man roster, but such a move could eventually be on the horizon depending on how the current options fare in Pham’s absence.

The Padres still control Pham through the 2021 season. He’ll be eligible for arbitration for the third and final time this winter.

Injury Notes: Alvarez, Pham, Franmil, Judge

By | at

Yordan Alvarez was a late scratch from today’s Astros lineup, as the young slugger continues to battle knee issues.  Manager Dusty Baker told the Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome and other reporters that Alvarez arrived at the ballpark feeling knee soreness, which Baker suspected was from an awkward slide into third base during Saturday’s game.  Alvarez has been dealing with bad knees throughout his young career, and he has already been limited to DH duty for this season.

Since past tests haven’t revealed any structural problems, it could be that Alvarez’s knees could simply limit him going forward, perhaps both in 2020 and beyond.  It certainly isn’t what you want to see from a 23-year-old player, especially one who has been so productive even amidst this knee pain, and Baker acknowledged that the team will keep a close eye on managing Alvarez for the rest of the season.

More on some of the many injury situations popping up on a daily basis around baseball…

  • Tommy Pham was removed during a ninth-inning at-bat during today’s Padres/Diamondbacks game.  Pham was seemingly favoring his hand after hitting a foul ball, and left after a consultation with a team trainer.  This is the second straight game Pham has left early, as he was removed during the second inning of Saturday’s contest due to cramping in both calves.  However, he was back in today’s starting lineup as the DH and didn’t seem any worse for wear, going 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base. [UPDATE: the Padres are worried Pham has a broken hamate bone, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.]
  • Franmil Reyes hit two home runs during the Indians’ 8-5 victory over the Tigers today, though Reyes’ big day had a painful ending after he was hit in the left hand by a pitch during a ninth-inning plate appearance.  Reyes was removed from the game, though he was diagnosed with only a contusion after x-rays were negative.  It seems likely Reyes will miss a game or two, though an injured list placement doesn’t seem likely at this point.  Reyes has been one of the few highlights for a struggling Cleveland lineup, as Reyes has hit .316/.366/.553 with five home runs.
  • Aaron Judge’s 10-day IL stint may be a minimal one, as the Yankees star told Newsday’s Roger Rubin and other media that he is already recovered from his minor calf strain just two days after his placement.  “I was begging for just a couple days…and I don’t need 10 days to be feeling good.  I already feel 100 percent now,” Judge said.  While Judge is “frustrated with myself not being out there,” he “wouldn’t say I’m frustrated with the organization.  This shows how much the organization cares for me and looks out for my well-being.”  Given how much time Judge (and other Yankees players) have missed due to injury in recent years, it makes sense that the club would be as cautious as possible in making sure a seemingly minor injury didn’t blossom into a bigger issue.

Quick Hits: Trade Deadline, Boras, Lynn, Smith, Padres, Burger

By | at

There’s no doubt the 2020 trade deadline will be the most unusual in baseball history, and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) looks at some of the many unique aspects of the lead-up to August 31.  Everything about how teams evaluate their own rosters, decide on being buyers or sellers, scout other teams’ talent, and potentially spend to acquire that talent will be in flux, plus there are some factors unique to the threat of COVID-19.

For instance, there might have to be some back-channel negotiations with trade candidates to ensure that a player wouldn’t opt out of the season rather than be dealt to an undesirable location.  Just the idea of changing locations whatsoever also carries issues, as Rosenthal notes that intake testing could delay a new acquisition’s arrival to his new team by a few days (no small amount of time in a shortened season), and there is inherent risk in travel and in introducing the health x-factor of an unfamiliar player into a new clubhouse.

In regards to the latter concern, agent Scott Boras contacted Rosenthal with the following message (Twitter link): “So that deadline deals are not impacted by COVID, I am letting all owners know if any of our players are traded and asked to leave their existing teams’ protocols, we have arranged a private jet protocol to allow players to be safely transported (between clubs).”

More from around the baseball world…

  • Rosenthal’s piece also notes that the Rangers have been getting trade interest in Lance Lynn, though a move doesn’t seem likely with Texas battling for a playoff spot.  Lynn theoretically would be a good trade candidate if the Rangers were to fall out of the race, as the veteran is under contract for $8MM in 2021 and has been one of the sport’s best pitchers this season.  After yesterday’s complete-game victory over the Rockies, Lynn has a sparkling 1.11 ERA, 3.00 K/BB rate, and 11.0 K/9 over a league-best 32 1/3 innings.
  • Athletics reliever Burch Smith suffered a right forearm strain during Saturday’s game with the Giants.  (Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle was among those to report the news.)  The hurler will undergo an MRI on Monday and an injured list placement seems inevitable, though the A’s are hopeful that the injury isn’t structural in nature.  Smith allowed three runs in 1 2/3 innings of work tonight, boosting his ERA to 2.25 after he delivered scoreless work over his previous 10 1/3 frames for Oakland.  Smith was dealt from the Giants to the A’s back in February.
  • Tommy Pham and Wil Myers both made early exits from the Padres’ game with the Diamondbacks tonight.  Pham left during the second inning due to cramping in both calves, while Myers left in the fifth inning due to lower back tightness.
  • White Sox prospect Jake Burger is now represented by The Bledsoe Agency, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link).  Picked 11th overall in the 2017 draft, Burger’s young career has been waylaid with injuries, as two torn Achilles tendons and a severe heel bruise have kept him off the field since 2017.  Burger’s switch has been noted in MLB Trade Rumors’ updated Agency Database.

Pitcher Notes: Chatwood, Yates, Hirano

By | at

The Chicago Cubs have pushed Tyler Chatwood’s start after the right-hander experienced tightness in his back, per Tim Stebbins of NBC Sports. Colin Rea will trot in from the bullpen to start on Saturday in his stead (technically, Alec Mills started for Chatwood on Friday, and Rea will start in Mills’ place). Chatwood has continued his streaky tenure this season in Chicago, though the good has outweighed the bad through three starts. The 30-year-old Chatwood put the Northside aflutter with a pair of quality starts in which he yielded 12 2/3 innings, two wins, 19 strikeouts, and just a single earned run. He gave it all back with 8 earned runs in just 2 1/3 innings in his third start against the Royals. The Cubs have a twin bill with the Cardinals scheduled for Monday where Chatwood will step back into the rotation, per Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter).

  • Bad news could be on the horizon for the San Diego Padres. Closer Kirby Yates has been scheduled for an MRI to investigate recent elbow discomfort, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. The late-blooming Yates has developed into arguably the game’s best closer over the past two seasons. He’s not been himself through 5 appearances this year. He’s currently rocking a cumbersome 10.38 ERA/5.62 FIP with 7 hits and 4 walks to 7 strikeouts over 4 1/3 innings. He does have 2 saves and a hold. An injury would certainly be a blow to a San Diego bullpen already down Andres Muñoz and Trey Wingenter. Even so, the Friars are flush with potential replacements: Emilio Pagan and Drew Pomeranz are likely next in line to secure W’s in San Diego.
  • Yoshihisa Hirano is finally on his way back to the diamond after testing positive for COVID-19 early in training camp, per MLB.com’s Greg Johns (via Twitter). After some tune-ups at the alternate site, Hirano could find himself in the Seattle Mariners’ bullpen shortly. Hirano, 36, joined the Mariners this offseason after two years with the Arizona Diamondbacks. He proved himself a reliable arm in the Dbacks’ pen. He owns a 3.47 ERA/3.85 FIP in the states after a successful career in Japan.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top