Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for 2016

Huston Street To Undergo Knee Surgery

By | at

Angels closer Huston Street’s season is over,  as he’ll undergo arthroscopic surgery due to “persistent medial knee pain,” tweets Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. The 33-year-old is expected to be healthy for Spring Training 2017. The Orange County Register’s Jeff Fletcher wrote over the weekend that surgery was possible and called it “likely” earlier this afternoon.

Street’s 2016 season has been a disaster, as the former Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star has struggled considerably since returning from an oblique issue that cost him a month earlier this year. Street yielded just one run through his first 7 2/3 innings before that oblique injury sidelined him for nearly all of the month of May. In the 14 2/3 innings that followed, Street surrendered 15 runs on 27 hits (four homers) and 10 walks with 10 strikeouts. The 88.2 mph he averaged on his fastball this season was the lowest average velocity of any season in his 12-year big league career, and his 5.6 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 were also career-worsts.

The 2016 campaign marked the first season of a two-year, $18MM contract extension signed by Street back in May of 2015. He’s guaranteed a $9MM salary next season plus at least a $1MM buyout on a $10MM club option for the 2018 season. That salary and Street’s experience (324 career saves) probably make him a lock to serve as the team’s closer in 2017, but the emergence of Cam Bedrosian could at least give the Angels some reason to consider a change next year. Bedrosian is currently on the DL himself due to a finger issue, but the 24-year-old broke out with a 1.12 ERA, 11.4 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and a 49.5 percent ground-ball rate in 40 1/3 innings this season.

The lost year for Street is just one entry in what is a seemingly endless list of things that have gone wrong for the Halos in 2016. The Angels have lost both Andrew Heaney and Nick Tropeano to Tommy John surgery, while Garrett Richards hasn’t taken the mound since May 1 due to a UCL injury of his own. C.J. Wilson never pitched for the Angels this year, and Jered Weaver has been a shell of his former self, working with an 82-84 mph fastball and surrendering a woeful 5.47 ERA.

Dodgers Place Scott Kazmir, Brett Anderson On Disabled List

By | at

The Dodgers announced that they’ve placed left-handers Scott Kazmir and Brett Anderson on the 15-day disabled list and optioned right-hander Josh Fields to Triple-A Oklahoma City. In a series of corresponding moves, the team has recalled infielder Charlie Culberson, left-hander Luis Avilan and right-hander Ross Stripling from Triple-A.

Reports earlier today suggested that Kazmir was headed for an evaluation of his ailing back and neck, and the Dodgers’ press release announcing the moves lists the reason for his DL trip as neck inflammation. Anderson, meanwhile, was forced to exit his most recent start early due to a blister on his left index finger. Kazmir’s DL placement, incredibly, pushes the Dodgers into a tie for the Major League record with 27 different players placed on the disabled list in a single regular season, as Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times tweets.

The list of pitchers the Dodgers currently have on the disabled list is deeper and more talented than most teams’ entire rotations. Kazmir and Anderson will join Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, Brandon McCarthy, Hyun-jin Ryu and Rich Hill on the DL, though Hill is lined up to make his Dodgers debut tomorrow. This latest pair of injuries means the Dodgers will rely on Hill, Kenta Maeda, Bud Norris and perhaps rookie Julio Urias in the next trip through the rotation, with Stripling, Brock Stewart and Carlos Frias each representing options for the vacant fifth spot.

The 28-year-old Anderson missed the first four-plus months of the season due to a back operation that he underwent in Spring Training, and he’s been roughed up for 11 earned runs in just four innings across two appearances since returning earlier this month. Certainly, he’ll hope for a minimal stay on the disabled list, both so he can return and help his club for the September postseason push and so that he can demonstrate at least some semblance of health prior to his arrival on the open market as a free agent this winter.

Kazmir, meanwhile, has been perhaps surprisingly durable for the Dodgers this year after signing a three-year, $48MM contract with an opt-out clause after the first year. The 32-year-old’s 25 starts lead the team, but he’ll soon cede that honor to Maeda. In 135 1/3 innings this year, Kazmir has posted a sub-par 4.59 ERA, and this injury presumably makes it less likely that he’ll be willing to roll the dice and opt out of his contract even with a weak market that is lacking in the way of top tier competition.

NL West Notes: Kershaw, Blanco, Rockies

By | at

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw tossed a 40-pitch bullpen session today and is slated to throw a 60-pitch simulated game against live hitters later this week, writes J.P. Hoornstra of the L.A. News Group. There was talk of Kershaw making a pair of rehab starts, manager Dave Roberts tells Hoornstra, but that number has been dropped to one. Kershaw could head out on a minor league rehab assignment in the next week or two, Hoornstra writes. Kershaw himself said that he felt comfortable between simulated innings — a positive step from where he was prior to his placement on the DL. Hoornstra’s piece includes a series of video clips of Kershaw discussing his health and rehab, for those who wish to hear a first-hand account of his progress.

More from the NL West…

  • The Giants announced today that outfielder Gregor Blanco has been placed on the 15-day disabled list due to an impingement in his right shoulder. Blanco tells Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he initially injured his shoulder all the way back in May, but it’s become so painful that it’s even impacting his ability to run (links to Twitter). The second half of the season has been a tremendous struggle for Blanco, who is hitting just .130/.203/.148 in 59 plate appearances since the All-Star break.
  • In his latest Rockies mailbag, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post addresses the reasons behind the Rockies’ decision to hang onto trade candidates Boone Logan and Jorge De La Rosa. There was plenty of interest in Logan, per Saunders, but GM Jeff Bridich elected to hold onto the southpaw because the Rockies were still within arm’s reach of the playoffs and were playing quite well. Saunders adds that he heard very little in the way of interest in De La Rosa, who has performed admirably since returning to the rotation earlier this summer. The 35-year-old De La Rosa has a 3.56 ERA over his past 13 starts (78 1/3 innings) and, like Logan, is a free agent at season’s end. Both left-handers are logical trade candidates over the final eight days of the month, now that the Rockies are out of the playoff picture.

Huston Street Likely To Undergo Season-Ending Knee Surgery

By | at

AUG. 23: Fletcher now writes that Street is “likely” to undergo season-ending surgery on his right knee, which was set to be re-evaluated today before a final announcement is made.

AUG. 21: Angels closer Huston Street might have to undergo season-ending surgery on his right knee, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Street has been on the disabled list with inflammation in his knee since Aug. 3 and hasn’t pitched since July 31. Manager Mike Scioscia said Sunday that Street will go for a second opinion. If it’s determined then that surgery is the right path, it’s unlikely to affect the right-hander’s long-term availability, per Scioscia.

Whether the last-place Angels get Street back this year isn’t going to matter in the standings, but it could impact their offseason, notes Fletcher. If Street returns and fares well down the stretch, it would seemingly better the Angels’ chances of trading him during the offseason (the Giants were reportedly interested in him as of late July).

As things stand, Street’s injury, decline in performance and contract status make a deal unlikely. The 33-year-old is in the midst of a career-worst season, having logged two DL stints (one for an oblique strain) and posted a 6.45 ERA, 5.64 K/9 and 4.84 BB/9 in 22 1/3 innings. Street had been a reliable late-game option until this year, as the former Athletic, Rockie and Padre recorded a 3.18 ERA, 8.23 K/9 and 2.89 BB/9 in 62 1/3 frames last season. While all of those numbers are in line with Street’s career stats, his days as an end-of-game solution look to be in the past at this point.

Assuming the Angels aren’t able to trade Street during the winter, he’ll be on their books for $9MM next season. Street also has a $10MM club option for 2018, though that’s in serious danger of being declined in favor of a $1MM buyout. Should Street come back healthy next season, he might not have many opportunities to add to his 324 career saves thanks to the emergence of 24-year-old Cam Bedrosian. The hard-throwing righty has been among the most dominant relievers in baseball this season and at least has a chance to serve as the Angels’ near-term solution at closer. However, Bedrosian is on the DL with finger tendinitis and hasn’t made an appearance since Aug. 3.

“He’s feeling better but not quite where he’s ready to get back out there and get after it,” Scioscia said of Bedrosian. “Progress has been slow, but we’re getting more answers in the next couple days.”

Luis Valbuena To Undergo Season-Ending Hamstring Surgery

By | at

Astros infielder Luis Valbuena will undergo season-ending surgery on his hamstring, manager A.J. Hinch announced to reporters, including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart (Twitter link with video footage of Hinch’s comments included).

“Valbuena … got some bad news,” said Hinch. “He’s going to have surgery in the next couple days, and his season is over. His hamstring tendon needs to be worked on. He tried to play through it and see if he could rehab it, turns out he couldn’t. Surgery is the next consideration, and he’ll miss the remainder of the season.”

Valbuena went on the disabled list with a hamstring injury back in late July due to a hamstring injury but underwent a setback recently (as MLB.com’s Todd Karpovich wrote over the weekend). His absence will deprive the Astros of what has been a quietly strong left-handed bat, as Valbuena was in the midst of a career year at the plate. In 90 games and 342 plate appearances this season, Valbuena was batting .260/.357/.459 with 13 home runs, 17 doubles and a triple.

While the loss of Valbuena removes a well-above-average bat from the equation for Houston and depletes some of the their depth at both corner infield positions, the Astros are well-equipped to sustain the blow. The recent promotions of Alex Bregman and Yulieski Gurriel gives Hinch a pair of potentially high quality options at third base, while A.J. Reed brings plenty of upside across the diamond at first base. And while both Bregman and Reed got off to rocky starts as Major Leaguers, Bregman is hitting .312/.365/.558 in his past 18 games and Reed is hitting .282/.404/.436 in his past 13 contests.

From Valbuena’s standpoint, the injury is quite poorly timed, as he’s slated to hit free agency this winter and could have done so on the heels of that career-best production. While his overall numbers look plenty appealing, he’ll now need to convince teams of his health and that the hamstring injury he sustained won’t come with any lingering effects that will detract from his performance in 2017 and beyond.

Rangers Place Josh Hamilton On Release Waivers

By | at

The Rangers announced that they have activated outfielder Josh Hamilton from the 60-day disabled list and placed him on unconditional release waivers. Per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (links to Twitter), the move is somewhat procedural in nature, as the club could look to sign him to a minor league deal after the season, and Hamilton has previously expressed a willingness to return in such an arrangement. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, in fact, tweets that Hamilton said last month that he expected to be released and sign a minor league pact this winter.

Hamilton missed the entire 2016 season due to a knee injury that proved to be more serious than initially believed. Hamilton was originally diagnosed with a torn meniscus but ultimately underwent an ACL reconstruction as well. He appeared in 50 games with Texas last season, batting .253/.291/.441 with eight homers in 182 plate appearances.

“We plan to monitor Josh’s progress as he continues his rehab process and is medically cleared this winter,” GM Jon Daniels explained to reporters (Twitter link via Grant). “Given the rules in place, releasing him before the end of this month allows us to keep the door open to extending the relationship in the future.” Had the Rangers waited until the offseason to release him, Hamilton wouldn’t have been eligible to return to the Major Leagues with Texas until May 15 of next season.

Tigers Release Bobby Parnell

By | at

AUG. 23: The Tigers announced today that Parnell has cleared waivers and been released.

AUG. 18: The Tigers announced that they have designated right-hander Bobby Parnell for assignment and selected the contract of veteran outfielder Alex Presley from Triple-A Toledo. Parnell’s DFA creates a spot on the 40-man roster for Presley, and he’ll be added to the big league roster at the expense of outfielder Steven Moya, who has been optioned back to Toledo, per the club.

Parnell, 31, has tossed 5 1/3 innings for the Tigers at the big league level this season after inking a minor league deal in Spring Training. He’s allowed four earned runs (6.75 ERA) on seven hits and five walks (one intentional) in that time, with the rest of his work coming at the Triple-A level, where he’d been pitching prior to his DFA. Parnell’s work in the minors has been more respectable but still nowhere near the excellence he showed with the Mets from 2010-13, when he totaled a 2.79 ERA at the big league level and emerged as New York’s closer. In 43 1/3 innings with Toledo this season, he has a 3.98 ERA with 6.2 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9.

The 31-year-old Presley opened the year with the Brewers and logged 129 plate appearances, adding to his already considerable big league experience. The left-handed hitter owns a lifetime .253/.296/.383 slash at the Major League level was hitting .293/.378/.398 with Toledo at the time of his promotion. Presley can handle all three outfield spots, so he’ll give skipper Brad Ausmus another option in center field with Cameron Maybin on the shelf. Moya, meanwhile, will head back to the minors to continue to work on his plate discipline. The 25-year-old demonstrated his above-average power by clubbing five homers in just 95 Major League plate appearances, but he also punched out an alarming 34 times against just five walks in that span.

Marlins Claim Oswaldo Arcia, Place Derek Dietrich On 15-Day DL

By | at

The Marlins have claimed outfielder Oswaldo Arcia off waivers from the Rays, the club announced. He’ll take the active roster spot of Derek Dietrich, who hits the 15-day DL with a right knee contusion, and occupy the 40-man spot of first baseman Justin Bour, who moves to the 60-day DL.

[Related: Updated Rays Depth Chart]

Adding an outfielder has long been said to be on the Miami to-do list. While picking Arcia off the waiver wire may not have been the club’s top preference, he’ll help fill the corner outfield mix with Giancarlo Stanton expected to miss much of the remainder of the year.

The talented 25-year-old has had his ups and downs, but was carrying a useful .259/.328/.444 in his 61 plate appearances in Tampa Bay before his release. Still, he parted ways with the Rays by way of his second trip to DFA limbo on the year, so teams obviously have reservations about Arcia’s ability to regain his former trajectory.

Unfortunately, the addition will come even as Dietrich becomes unavailable, joining Bour as injured southpaw hitters who could provide some pop at first base. Arcia represents another lefty bat to help bolster the lineup, but it doesn’t seem that he’ll be an option at first, which he has never played as a professional.

Though Miami has moved Bour to the 60-day DL, that doesn’t seem to change his ability to return when ready. He was placed on the DL retroactive to July 3, and isn’t expected back before the middle of September anyway.

2017 Vesting Options Update

By | at

It has been a while since we checked in on the 2017 vesting options that will be decided by the 2016 stat sheets. With all quiet elsewhere, it seemed like an opportune time for an update:

  • Coco Crisp ($13MM option vests at 550 plate appearances or 130 games played in 2016): It has been an up and down year for the veteran, who currently owns an adequate but ultimately just-below-average .235/.301/.406 batting line on the year. He has reached 420 plate appearances in 98 games, so it would take something approaching everyday playing time for the option to vest. Crisp recently accused the A’s of tamping down his playing time to avoid just that possibility. From an outside perspective, it does seem that there are legitimate reasons unrelated to the vesting clause to justify less-than-regular action for Crisp — he hasn’t played all that well and the team reasonably hopes to see younger players in action — though the A’s undoubtedly have that consideration in mind as well. Regardless of the precise reason, it’s all but inconceivable to think that Oakland will allow that stack of cash to become guaranteed.
  • Matt Holliday ($17MM option vests with Top 10 finish in MVP voting): This one was always a longshot to vest, and it became increasingly apparent over the year that Holliday was posting a solid — but hardly MVP worthy — campaign. Still, his recent injury put the final nail in the coffin for all but theoretical chances at landing inside the top ten. Accordingly, the Cards will face a difficult decision on the veteran outfielder, who is still an above-average hitter but has shown signs of decline.
  • Chris Iannetta ($6MM option vests with 100 games started in 2016): Iannetta’s option was trending strongly towards vesting when we last looked, but things have changed with the re-emergence of Mike Zunino in Seattle. Iannetta would need to start 22 games to pick up the $6MM guarantee, but he has only appeared in seven contests thus far in the month of August. Iannetta has also seen his production drop; he currently owns a .218/.310/.343 batting line. Whether or not Seattle has any interest in picking up that tab remains to be seen, but it probably won’t make it to the club’s books by operation of the vesting provision.
  • Yusmeiro Petit ($3MM option vests with 80 innings pitched in 2016): The likeliest path to this option vesting was for a need to arise to utilize Petit as a temporary rotation piece. While he has made one spot start and some other lengthy appearances, though, Petit has only compiled 55 frames to date — making it quite unlikely that the clause will vest. (Realistically, it would probably take multiple rotation injuries.) That being said, he has done everything the Nats hoped he would, carrying a 3.27 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9, and still seems rather likely to have the option exercised regardless.
  • CC Sabathia ($25MM option vests if he does not end season on DL with shoulder injury or miss 45+ games in 2016 due to shoulder injury): Sabathia’s season has taken a turn for the worst since the last time we checked in about two months ago. His results are looking more like those of disappointing recent years than the bounceback first half. But Sabathia has still shown no signs of shoulder problems, so with less than 45 days left to go on the season, it doesn’t seem there’s any way for the Yanks to get out from under this big tab.
  • Kurt Suzuki ($6MM option vests with 485 plate appearances in 2016): The 32-year-old has 303 plate appearances of league-average offensive production, which bodes reasonably well for his free agent case but doesn’t set him up for another year in Minnesota by way of the vesting clause. It is all but official: Suzuki is headed to the open market.

As noted in the original update, both Nick Swisher and Michael Bourn had vesting options for the 2017 season as well, but those options were negated when each was released from the four-year contracts they initially signed with the Indians.

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

hide arrows scroll to top