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Archives for June 2015

Minor Moves: Mazzaro, Sizemore, Murata, Rogers

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Here are today’s minor league transactions from around baseball, with the newest moves at the top of the post.  All moves were announced by the teams themselves unless otherwise cited.

  • Vin Mazzaro has elected to become a free agent, according to MLB.com’s official transactions page.  The veteran righty was designated for assignment by the Marlins earlier this week and then outrighted, giving him the option of accepting the assignment or choosing free agency.  Mazzaro has a 3.75 ERA, six strikeouts and six walks over 12 relief innings for Miami this season.
  • The Rays selected the contract of Grady Sizemore prior to today’s game, and the veteran outfielder delivered three hits in his Tampa debut.  Sizemore was released by the Phillies and signed to a minor league deal by the Rays earlier this month.  In corresponding roster moves, righty Matt Andriese was sent to Triple-A and outfielder Desmond Jennings was moved to the 60-day DL.
  • The Indians purchased the contract of right-hander Toru Murata, who is making his MLB debut in a start tonight against the Orioles.  Murata was signed as a free agent out of Japan in 2010 and he owns a 3.88 ERA, 3.01 K/BB rate and 6.8 K/9 over 489 2/3 minor league innings.  In a corresponding move, the Tribe released right-hander Scott Atchison.
  • The Yankees selected the contract of righty Esmil Rogers, who was just outrighted off the roster two weeks ago.  Rogers has a 6.27 ERA over 33 bullpen innings for New York this season, though he has been hamstrung by a .356 BABIP and a very low 56% strand rate.
  • The Pirates selected the contract of utilityman Gorkys Hernandez.  Once a top-100 prospect, Hernandez appeared in 70 MLB games with the Pirates and Marlins in 2012 and hasn’t since been back to the Show.  Hernandez has a .278/.342/.376 slash line, 33 homers and 213 steals (out of 285 chances) over 4055 career minor league plate appearances.
  • The Braves selected the contract of right-hander Ryan Kelly, who is getting his first taste of the majors after nine pro seasons.  Kelly was a 26th-round draft pick for the Pirates in 2006 and he’s compiled a 3.99 ERA, 3.10 K/BB rate and 8.2 K/9 over 462 2/3 innings (mostly as a reliever).

Giancarlo Stanton Has Broken Bone In Hand

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TODAY: Stanton underwent surgery today and is indeed expected to miss 4-6 weeks of action, the Marlins told reporters (including MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro).

SATURDAY, 1:00pm: Stanton’s agent, Joel Wolfe of the Wasserman Media Group, tells ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick that no decision on a specific course of action will be made on his client prior to being re-evaluated later today (Twitter link).

9:25am: Stanton will be out four to six weeks, according to ESPN’s Tim Kurkjian (via Twitter). Frisaro reports (also via Twitter) that Stanton will have surgery and that the injury is to Stanton’s hamate bone.

9:07am: Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton has a broken bone in his hand, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (all Twitter links). Stanton’s injury occurred while swinging in the ninth inning of yesterday’s game against the Dodgers. The severity of the injury is unknown, although hand injuries can often be troublesome for hitters, affecting their power in particular. MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets that Stanton is experiencing lots of swelling and will likely miss significant time. The injury comes in the midst of a banner season for Stanton, who led the National League in homers with 27 and RBIs with 67. He’s currently hitting .265/.346/.606.

As Rosenthal notes, Stanton’s injury could affect the Marlins’ approach to this summer’s trade market, possibly making them sellers. Rosenthal suggests that, given their huge contract with Stanton, the Marlins are unlikely to trade players who appear set to contribute over the long haul. They could, however, trade more short-term assets, like Mat Latos and Dan Haren, who are both eligible for free agency after the season. Neither of those pitchers are likely to have much trade value, although Haren is in the midst of a decent season.

After a busy offseason that included the acquisitions of Latos, Haren, Dee Gordon, Martin Prado, Michael Morse and Ichiro Suzuki as well as extensions for Stanton and Christian Yelich, the Marlins have been a significant disappointment. They’re in the midst of a five-game losing streak and are currently 30-45, ahead of only the Phillies in the NL East.

Indians Release Scott Atchison

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The Indians have released reliever Scott Atchison, the club announced.  The 39-year-old righty had been designated for assignment earlier in the week.

Atchison struggled to a 6.86 ERA over 19 2/3 innings this season, though ERA estimators such as xFIP (4.35) and SIERA (4.03) paint a somewhat more sympathetic view of his 2015 performance.  Atchison has been badly hurt by the long ball, as he’s already allowed six homers and owns a 2.75 HR/9, which more than triples his 0.91 career HR/9.  His 42% ground ball rate is also well below his career 49.7% GBR, which especially hurts since Atchison isn’t a strikeout pitcher.

Cleveland signed Atchison to a $1MM extension last August that paid him a $900K base salary in 2015 as well as a $100K buyout of a $1MM option for 2016.  The right-hander was in the midst of a very solid 2.75 ERA campaign for the Tribe in 2014 and had posted very effective numbers from 2011-14 as a member of the Indians, Mets and Red Sox.

With Atchison’s release, only four players remain in limbo according to the MLB Trade Rumors DFA Tracker: Erik Kratz (Red Sox), Rafael Lopez (Cubs), Jose Tabata (Pirates) and Chris Volstad (Pirates).

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR the last seven days:

  • On this week’s installment of the MLB Trade Rumors podcast, host Jeff Todd spoke with Grantland’s Jonah Keri to talk about the Diamondbacks’ recent decision making, as well as trade deadline possibilities for several other teams.  A new episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast will be released every Thursday and can be accessed on iTunes, SoundCloud, and Stitcher.
  • On Saturday, Charlie Wilmoth took a detailed look at the Marlins’ trade chips.  With Giancarlo Stanton out four to six weeks with a broken hamate bone, Miami now seems more likely than ever to sell this summer.  Miami is short on top-notch trade chips, but rentals like Dan Haren and Mat Latos could draw some level of interest if they put together a couple of good starts in July.  Veteran Martin Prado, if he shows that he’s healthy, could also get Miami something thanks to his versatility.
  • In this week’s edition of the MLBTR chat, Steve Adams fielded a ton of questions, including inquires about Cole Hamels, Dillon Gee, Carlos Gomez, and much more.  You can chat with Steve every Tuesday on MLBTR at 2pm CT.

Astros Targeting Cueto Over Hamels

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In recent weeks, the Astros have been connected to Phillies ace Cole Hamels, but it doesn’t sound as though he’s their top pitching target.  Instead, it’s Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto that is atop Houston’s wish list, according to sources who spoke with Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle.

One of the main reasons for their preference of Cueto over Hamels is that the Astros are seeking out a 2015 rental or possibly someone whose contract runs for one more year.  With a hefty contract that runs through 2018, Hamels simply doesn’t fit the bill.  Cueto, meanwhile, is only owed the prorated portion of his 2015 salary of $10MM, which is a little over $5MM the rest of the way.  Hamels, meanwhile, is set to earn the balance of his $22.5MM salary for the remainder of this season, $22.5MM in the next three seasons, and a $20MM option/$6MM buyout that can vest with good health and a certain number of innings pitched.

For his part, Hamels recently indicated that he would be “open-minded” to being traded to any team, including the Astros.  Instead, it sounds like Houston has their attention focused on the Reds’ pitching, where other suitors include the Dodgers, Yankees, and Blue Jays, a source tells Drellich.  All in all, Drellich hears that the Phillies have been pumping up the perception of the Astros’ interest as negotiating leverage in talks about Hamels.

The Astros are casting a wide net in their effort to add a solid starter to their rotation to go with Dallas Keuchel, Collin McHugh, Vincent Velasquez, and Lance McCullers.  In addition to Cueto and Mike Leake, the Astros are doing their homework on A’s lefty Scott Kazmir, Brewers right-handers Matt Garza and Kyle Lohse, and White Sox right-hander Jeff Samardzija.

Giants GM Downplays Trade Possibilities

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Like every other contending club this time of year, the Giants could probably use an additional piece or two.  Giants GM Bobby Evans will be on the phone quite a bit over the next four weeks and change, but he’s not exceptionally trigger happy either.  Citing the expected returns of outfielders Hunter Pence and Nori Aoki and pitchers Matt Cain and Jake Peavy, Evans explained that there might not be enough room to really make an addition.

“We have to be open,” Evans said, according to John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. “That’s true in the market in general. Our primary focus is depth. You can add depth in the outfield, but if you’re bringing in a big everyday guy, you’re going to be jammed up here. That may not be what you want. You’ve got to be careful what you do.”

Speaking specifically about the team’s pitching situation, Evans said that it’d be hard to find space for an additional arm given that the team has seven capable starters.  With Peavy and Cain back in the fold, both Tim Lincecum and Tim Hudson are likely to be bumped from the rotation.  It sounds like Evans is hoping that move alone will help bolster San Francisco’s starting five.  If Cain and Peavy are not pitching up to snuff, however, the Giants still have more than four weeks to change their minds.

The Giants are 41-35 and 1.5 games back of the first place Dodgers heading into today’s contest against the Rockies.

Orioles Sign First-Round Pick DJ Stewart

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The Orioles announced that they have signed first-round pick DJ Stewart. The outfielder was selected with the No. 25 overall pick.  Stewart’s deal calls for him to earn $2,064,500, full slot for his draft position, according to Jim Callis of MLB.com (on Twitter).  Callis adds that he considers Stewart to be one of the best bats in the 2015 class.

Stewart, an FSU product, slashed .318/.500/.593 with 15 homers in 64 games last season. As a sophomore, the 21-year old was the ACC Player of the Year and an All-ACC First Team selection after leading the conference in batting average, slugging percentage, and on-base percentage.

Stewart was ranked No. 26 by Fangraphs’ Kiley McDaniel, No. 30 by of Baseball America, No. 36 by and Jonathan Mayo/Jim Callis of MLB.com, and No. 70 by Keith Law of ESPN.com.  Originally chosen by the Yankees in the 28th round of the 2012 draft, Stewart has improved his stock tremendously over the last three years.  In their scouting report, BA was highly complimentary of Stewart’s quick swing and plate discipline.  With an adjustment to his stance, some scouts believe that he’ll be able to hit for more power going forward.

Cafardo On Buchholz, Samardzija, Cueto, Hamels

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In today’s column, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe pit Red Sox shortstop Xander Bogaerts against Tigers shorstop Jose Iglesias.  Of course, Boston once had both, but Iglesias was shipped out in 2013 in a three-team deal that brought Jake Peavy to Fenway.  Bogaerts offers more potential as a hitter, but Iglesias clearly has the superior glove.  That difference in the field never made Bogaerts doubt himself, however.

“No, that’s just a guy who’s really gifted beyond anyone else,” Bogaerts said. “I just paid attention to trying to get better. I never compared myself to him because you can’t compare anyone to him. He’s a great defensive player and flashy.”

More from today’s column..

  • The same teams that are pursuing Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz are going after White Sox hurler Jeff Samardzija.  That list of teams includes the Royals, Tigers, Twins, Blue Jays, Yankees, Cardinals, Orioles, Angels, and Dodgers, according to Cafardo.  Late last week, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Astros are also interested in Samardzija.  Meanwhile, at this time, the Red Sox reportedly are not interested in moving Buchholz.
  • The Astros are a team to watch in July as they could get very aggressive in their pursuit of a starter.  Cafardo hears that the Astros have been evaluating Reds pitchers Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake quite a bit.  Cole Hamels obviously stands as one of the biggest prizes out there, but Cafardo feels he likely wouldn’t sign off on a trade to Houston.  Over the weekend, Hamels indicated that he would be “open-minded” to being traded to any team.
  • Giants GM Bobby Evans told Cafardo that his club is out of the starting pitching market for now thanks to the upcoming returns of Matt Cain and Jake Peavy.
  • The Phillies would like to sell off their pieces little by little rather than make a ton of deals right at the deadline.  However, Cafardo hears that teams aren’t coming to the table with actual offers yet, leaving the Phillies frustrated.
  • Baseball execs who spoke with Cafardo say the Mets are still the best match for Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.  A package for Tulo could start with left-hander Steven Matz, who makes his big league debut today.
  • Even at his advanced age, one NL evaluator feels that Phillies veteran Carlos Ruiz is still “a better option than “more than 50 percent of the catchers in the league.”
  • Some teams are concerned with Hamels’ poor performance in interleague play while others see it just as a fluky thing.  Hamels has a career 4.73 ERA across 31 interleague starts.

Pirates Designate Jose Tabata For Assignment

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The Pirates have designated Jose Tabata for assignment, according to Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (on Twitter).

The outfielder once looked like a future cornerstone player but he has fallen off in recent seasons.  Last year, Tabata’s struggles resulted in him being outrighted off the 40-man roster.  In 41 plate appearances this year, Tabata hit just .289/.341/.289.  He fared much better in Triple-A, however, slashing .352/.422/.396 with eleven walks against just eight strikeouts over 102 turns at the plate.

Tabata’s deal calls for him to earn the prorated portion of $4MM this year and $4.5MM next season under the early-career extension that he signed.  Back in May, GM Neal Huntington indicated that 2015 could have been Tabata’s final year in Pittsburgh.

As the MLBTR DFA Tracker shows, there are now four players in DFA limbo: Tabata, Rafael Lopez, Erik Kratz, and Scott Atchison.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Tillman, Bucs, Gordon

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On this date in 2009, Mariano Rivera became the second pitcher to record 500 major league saves, as Leo Panetta of NationalPastime.com writes.  Rivera, who also hit his first career RBI on this date, joined Trevor Hoffman at the 500 save plateau.  Here’s this week’s look around the baseball blogosphere..

Please send submissions to Zach at ZachBBWI@gmail.com.

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