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Archives for August 2016

Giancarlo Stanton Could Return In Late September

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AUG. 28: Stanton could indeed be back for the last week of the season, per FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, though his recovery would have to go “absolutely perfect” (Twitter link).

AUG. 21: Giancarlo Stanton’s season was thought to be over when news broke of his severe groin strain last week, though the slugger isn’t closing the door on a return.  Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill told MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro that Stanton is aiming to play during the last week of the regular season and, as everyone in the organization hopes, the postseason as well.

Stanton suffered a Grade 3 strain, and the Marlins put a six-week timeline on his recovery in a best-case scenario.  That means Stanton is expecting a minimal amount of recovery time in order to return for the Marlins’ last handful of regular season games.  Hill said Stanton’s rehab process is progressing well, though “I don’t think we’ll be able to truly assess where he’s at until he is doing functional, on-field stuff.”

Groin and muscle strains can be difficult injuries to properly gauge, so while Stanton may simply be being optimistic, it could also be possible that his strain (severe as it is) heals quicker than projected and he is able to get back on the field.  It has also been only a week into Stanton’s rehab, of course, so it seems far too soon to tell if the slugger has a realistic chance of playing against in 2016.

The Marlins have been linked to outfielders like Carlos Gomez (who has since joined the Rangers) and Jeff Francoeur in the wake of Stanton’s injury as the Fish look for a platoon partner for Ichiro Suzuki.  The prospect of a final-week return for Stanton probably won’t impact this search, given the uncertainty of his recovery.

Phillies Pull Jeremy Hellickson Off Waivers

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Right-hander Jeremy Hellickson was claimed on revocable waivers sometime this month, but the Phillies and the claiming team could not work out a trade, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Philadelphia pulled Hellickson off waivers as a result, meaning he’ll remain with the club for the rest of the season.

Hellickson has drawn interest from contenders throughout the summer, but the Phillies clearly haven’t been in any hurry to move on from him.

“The reason we went out and acquired him last offseason is to provide stability to our rotation and mentor our young pitchers. I think he’s been outstanding in that role,” general manager Matt Klentak said after the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline passed without a Hellickson deal.

Hellickson, whom the Phillies acquired from the Diamondbacks in the offseason for minor league pitcher Sam McWilliams, has experienced a bounce-back year. After three straight seasons of struggling to prevent runs, the former top prospect and 2011 American League Rookie of the Year with the Rays has posted a 3.80 ERA, 7.66 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 over 154 innings. At 29, he has also served as the veteran anchor to a young pitching staff, as Klentak mentioned.

Although he’s an impending free agent, the Phillies could still re-sign Hellickson or receive value for him if he heads elsewhere over the winter. Philadelphia would first have to tender Hellickson a qualifying offer, which will be worth an estimated $16.7MM – more than double his current salary of $7MM. If he rejects the offer, the Phillies would receive a first-round pick as compensation. There’s no guarantee the qualifying offer system will stick around in the next collective bargaining agreement, though a new CBA might not be in place when QOs are tendered early this offseason. For now, Hellickson is a good bet to reject a potential qualifying offer and hit a free agent market that will be largely devoid of quality starters.

Orioles Sign Tommy Hunter

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The Orioles have signed free agent reliever Tommy Hunter, as Rich Dubroff of CSN Mid-Atlantic tweets that the right-hander now has a locker in their clubhouse.

This will be the second stint in Baltimore for the 30-year-old Hunter, whom the Orioles first acquired from the Rangers in the Chris Davis/Koji Uehara deal in 2011 and then traded to the Cubs last summer for Junior Lake. Hunter signed a one-year, $2MM contract with the Indians during the offseason, but they released him Thursday. A non-displaced fracture in Hunter’s back, which he suffered in a fall at his home over the All-Star break, has kept him out since early July. Hunter had embarked on a minor league rehab assignment with the Indians’ Triple-A affiliate in Columbus prior to earning his release, though, and the fact that he’s now on the Orioles seems to signal that he has recovered.

Hunter, who recorded a 3.74 ERA, 7.06 K/9, 2.08 BB/9 and 52.3 percent ground-ball rate in 21 2/3 innings with the Indians, could now provide a useful arm to the Orioles’ bullpen. Since making a full-time transition to a relief role in 2013, Hunter has tossed 229 frames and compiled a 3.30 ERA, 6.96 K/9, 1.77 BB/9 and 45 percent grounder rate.

NL Central Notes: Brewers, Pirates, Cardinals

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The prospects the Brewers have acquired during their rebuild have drawn plenty of attention, but the work general manager David Stearns did buying low on veterans during his first offseason at the helm shouldn’t be overlooked, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel notes. The two biggest success stories resulting from Stearns’ offseason dumpster diving are shortstop/third baseman Jonathan Villar and right-hander Junior Guerra, while reliever Carlos Torres has also been a quality addition. Villar, whom the Brewers acquired from Houston in November for pitching prospect Cy Sneed, has stolen the second-most bases in the league (50) and hit .297/.378/.434 with 10 home runs in 546 trips to the plate. The 31-year-old Guerra, a waiver claim from the White Sox, has been among the top rookies in baseball this year, having logged a 2.93 ERA, 7.55 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and 46.1 percent ground-ball rate across 107 1/3 innings. “Some of the most rewarding moments you get in this job stem from challenging processes,” Stearns told Haudricourt. “Finding players who can contribute at the major-league level through some of the unconventional means, whether it’s waiver claims or minor-league free-agent signings, Rule 5 picks, lower-level trades, those are transactions that don’t generate a lot of public notoriety but can still have a positive effect on the organization.”

Here’s more from the NL Central:

  • Corner infielder David Freese accepted a two-year extension offer from the Pirates earlier this week because he likes their players and coaching staff, expects the club to keep contending, and didn’t want to risk encountering a tepid market for his services as a free agent, per Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Despite a handful of solid seasons with the Cardinals and Angels, Freese went unsigned until March last year before finally settling for a $3MM deal. He has since earned another $11MM in guarantees from Pittsburgh through 2018 by slashing .273/.351/.427 with 12 homers in 407 plate appearances. “I’ve made a lot of money in this game to begin with,” stated the 33-year-old Freese. “This contract helps a little more. Where I play and who I’m around is more important to me.”
  • The Cardinals are unsure how much longer shingles will keep righty Mike Leake out, writes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “We’re not seeing great progress,” manager Mike Matheny said. “So he’s just been wiped out. There’s obviously pain involved. We’re obviously just trying to give him the best opportunity to get better. It’s been pretty slow.” Aside from visiting Cardinals physicians, the 28-year-old Leake has been away from the team since Monday because shingles is contagious. With Leake unable to go Saturday, the Cards turned to phenom Alex Reyes for his first career major league start. Reyes threw 4 2/3 innings and allowed a run on two hits and four walks in a 3-2 loss to the A’s. Leake, whom the Redbirds signed to a five-year, $80MM deal in the offseason, has compiled a 4.56 ERA, 6.39 K/9, 1.42 BB/9 and 54 percent grounder rate over 152 frames.
  • Right-hander Chad Kuhl will likely be in line for a spot in the Pirates’ rotation next season, observes Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Not only has the 23-year-old pitched well in 43 2/3 innings (3.50 ERA, 5.56 K/9, 2.27 BB/9), but the Pirates could have a few vacancies to fill in their rotation during the offseason. Righties Ivan Nova and Ryan Vogelsong are impending free agents, and southpaw Jeff Locke is a non-tender candidate. Plus, the Bucs are currently bracing for news on ace Gerrit Cole, who will undergo an examination on his elbow Sunday.

MLBTR Originals

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Here’s the original analysis MLBTR has offered this week:

  • Former major league reliever Burke Badenhop turned in his second guest column with MLBTR, this time offering firsthand knowledge of how players whose teams are out of contention late in the season handle the stretch run. If you’re under the impression those players run for the bus, think again.
  • Jeff Todd highlighted eight soon-to-be arbitration-eligible hitters who are setting themselves up for significant raises during the upcoming offseason. As Jeff explained, the more plate appearances, home runs and runs batted in a hitter racks up, the better his chances are to do well in arbitration.
  • Steve Adams updated his list of the top 20 August trade candidates. Players dealt in September aren’t eligible to participate in the playoffs, so time is running out on teams to acquire possible October contributors.
  • With Diamondbacks chief baseball officer Tony La Russa and general manager Dave Stewart potentially on the chopping block, I polled readers on whether the club should give the much-maligned duo another chance.
  • In this week’s edition of “Knocking Down the Door,” Jason Martinez looked at five prospects – two starting pitchers, two outfielders and a catcher – trying to force their way to the majors.
  • Jeff forecast the futures of eight veterans – including Lucas Duda and Shelby Miller – who could be non-tender candidates during the offseason.

Quick Hits: Hill, BoSox, Bucs, Braves, Giants, Dodgers

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Before he joined Oakland on a one-year, $6MM deal last November, the Red Sox tried to re-sign left-hander Rich Hill as a reliever, while the Pirates made a similar offer to the A’s and wanted him to start, reports Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com. Hill, who revived his career with four great starts as a member of the Red Sox last September, has carried his success into this year. Despite dealing with multiple injuries, the 36-year-old has put up a sterling 2.09 ERA, 10.21 K/9, 3.07 BB/9, 49.5 percent ground-ball rate and 15.7 percent infield fly rate in 82 innings. The A’s dealt him and outfielder Josh Reddick to the Dodgers on Aug. 1, thereby turning a cheap investment into three well-regarded prospects.

More from around the majors:

  • The Braves are unsure if they’ll promote high-end infield prospect Ozzie Albies when rosters expand next month, writes Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Atlanta already called up shortstop Dansby Swanson, who figures to be half of a long-term double-play tandem with Albies, but he’s three years older than Albies, notes Bowman. The 19-year-old Albies, whom Baseball America, MLB.com and ESPN’s Keith Law all regard as a top 20 prospect, hit an excellent .322/.394/.446 in 325 Double-A plate appearances this year, but he hasn’t been as effective at the Triple-A level (.248/.307/.351 in 247 PAs). Albies has combined for 27 stolen bases, though, and has posted similar strikeout and walk rates at each level.
  • Right-hander Jake Peavy was supposed to return to the Giants’ rotation Saturday to fill in for the injured Matt Cain, but he instead ended up on the 15-day disabled list because of a lower back strain (via Justin Wise of MLB.com). “He can’t pitch with the way his back is. Jake was excited to get back into starting, so it’s a bad break for him,” said manager Bruce Bochy, who turned to Albert Suarez to start in place of his two hurt veterans. Suarez threw 4 1/3 innings of three-run ball in a 3-1 loss to the Braves. Peavy, whom hitters have teed off on in eight relief innings (.351/.368/.568), has recorded a 5.47 ERA, 7.47 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 108 2/3 frames as a starter this year.
  • Dodgers outfielder Scott Van Slyke will undergo season-ending arthroscopic surgery on his right wrist next Thursday, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. Van Slyke’s wrist has bothered him since last summer, notes Gurnick, and the 30-year-old batted a meek .225/.292/.314 with one home run in 113 plate appearances this season. From 2013-15, he slashed an impressive .261/.349/.455 with 24 homers in 651 PAs.

Cubs’ Jason Hammel Unhappy With Joe Maddon

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Cubs starter Jason Hammel struggled during his outing in a 3-2 loss to the Dodgers on Saturday, yielding three earned runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings, but the right-hander was upset with manager Joe Maddon for pulling him so early. As a result, Hammel and Maddon had a closed-door meeting after the game, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.

“I didn’t even pitch today in my mind. I barely threw 40 pitches,” said Hammel, who tossed 39 pitches and was a victim of a quick hook at times last year. “It was a side day for me pretty much.”

Maddon, who also managed Hammel in Tampa Bay, stated after the meeting, “Of course he didn’t like what I told him, but I had to tell him. He was not happy with me taking him out that early.”

Saturday’s start was the second poor one in a row for Hammel, who allowed 10 runs (six earned) on 10 hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings of an 11-4 loss to the Rockies last Sunday. Hammel had previously gone three straight starts (20 innings) without giving up a run, though, and has produced quality results for the Cubs this season. The 33-year-old has compiled a 3.21 ERA, 7.52 K/9, 2.88 BB/9 and 44 percent ground-ball rate in 137 2/3 frames, but his future in Chicago doesn’t seem secure, as Wittenmyer notes.

The Cubs have four strong bets to occupy rotation spots next season in Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester and John Lackey, and recent acquisition Mike Montgomery could jockey for position behind them.

Regarding Montgomery, Maddon said Friday (via Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago), “I think he is a major league starter, regardless of what happens tonight. This guy has the ability to be a solid major-league starter based on his strength level, his delivery, the variety of pitches that he throws. The strike-throwing ability is exceptional. He’s got all those different things going on.”

Montgomery ended up surrendering three earned runs, six hits and four walks against five strikeouts Friday, so it was merely a mediocre performance. Nevertheless, he seems to have Maddon’s confidence, and the lefty’s presence could help push Hammel out of Chicago after the season.

Hammel will not reach the 200-inning mark necessary for his $12MM option for 2017 to automatically vest. Thus, it will become a club option and leave the Cubs to decide after the season whether to exercise it or buy Hammel out for $2MM. Given that Hammel has been a more-than-capable starter in recent years, he should have trade value – particularly during a winter set to feature few appealing choices in free agency. The Cubs, therefore, could pick up Hammel’s reasonably priced option and shop him around the majors, writes Wittenmyer.

Hammel is in the midst of his second stint with the Cubs, who signed him to a one-year contract entering the 2014 season and then sent him and Jeff Samardzija to Oakland in a July deal that brought shortstop Addison Russell to Chicago. Hammel subsequently returned to the Windy City in free agency the next winter. In 417 innings with the Cubs, Hammel has logged a 3.32 ERA, 8.44 K/9 and 3.21 BB/9.

Latest On Rangers’ Jeremy Jeffress

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One day after his DWI arrest, the Rangers were set to reinstate reliever Jeremy Jeffress from the restricted list Saturday, but Major League Baseball blocked the move, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. The league took action because it’s concerned that drugs may have been involved, per Grant, who adds that it’s awaiting the results of a blood test administered to Jeffress after his arrest.

Jeffress had a blood alcohol content of .115 at the time of the arrest, and police found a clear plastic bag with a “green leafy substance believed to be marijuana or a synthetic cannabinoid” in his car’s glove box, the arrest warrant states. Jeffress denied that the substance was his, but he was hit with multiple suspensions for marijuana usage during his minor league career. Notably, positive tests for marijuana do not result in suspensions in the majors.

In a recent interview with T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com, Jeffress attributed his past marijuana dependence to epilepsy, which he has dealt with since his teenage years.

“I was self-medicating … doing it with marijuana. It would help, but at the same time, the rules and regulations of baseball wouldn’t allow it. I had to find out other ways to deal with it,” said Jeffress, who was one marijuana suspension away from a lifetime ban in the minors.

FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported in May that the Brewers helped Jeffress overcome his marijuana issues, but they traded the 28-year-old to the Rangers in advance of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. Prior to his arrest, Jeffress tossed nine innings with Texas and allowed four earned runs on seven hits and five walks. He won’t return to the Rangers’ bullpen until the league consults with the players’ association and declares him eligible, according to Grant.

AL Notes: Sox, Rangers, Choo, Girardi

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After dealing away Dioner Navarro on Friday, the White Sox may have further moves to make before the end of the month. As Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago tweets, GM Rick Hahn says that there are some other irons in the fire as contenders move to add players to their organization before the August 31 deadline to bring in postseason-eligible outsiders. “We were having dialogue with a lot of different clubs on a handful of different players,” says Hahn.

More from the American League:

  • Rangers right fielder Shin-Soo Choo’s chances of playing again this year are ostensibly poor after suffering a fractured left forearm Aug. 15, but he’s aiming to return in October. “I want to try for the postseason,” he said (via Ryan Posner of MLB.com). “I have a plan, I have a goal, I have the confidence.” Choo underwent forearm surgery Aug. 17, and the Rangers’ physician told him then that he’d need eight weeks to recover. That would set Choo up for a mid-October comeback, though the first-place Rangers might not be alive at that point. In the event they are, Choo could have difficulty working back into game shape if he’s unable to embark on a minor league rehab assignment sometime in September. Choo’s injury opened the door for the signing of Carlos Gomez, who has taken over as the Rangers’ everyday left fielder.
  • Red Sox setup man Koji Uehara hasn’t looked like a sure bet to return this season since landing on the shelf with a strained pectoral in late July, but there is progress on that front, per Scott Lauber of ESPN.com. Uehara threw 53 pitches off a mound “with good intensity” Friday, said manager John Farrell. Uehara will throw again Monday and is “making some pretty good strides,” Farrell added. With a 4.50 ERA to accompany a bloated home run to fly ball rate (16.3 percent) and a minuscule ground-ball percentage (19.0), the battle-tested Uehara hasn’t been nearly as effective in 2016 as he was in previous seasons. On the positive side, the 41-year-old has posted outstanding strikeout and walk numbers (12.75 K/9 and 2.25 BB/9) across 36 innings.
  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi spoke out Saturday against September roster expansion, telling reporters (including Brendan Kuty of NJ.com), “I think during the most important time of the year you look for advantages for matchups. You do that for five months and all of a sudden some of those advantages are gone because of all the call-ups.” Girardi also offered a year-round alternative to the 25-man roster, which is in effect from April through August, as well as the 40-man edition. “I think you should have to designate maybe 27 players to a roster, 28 players to a roster that day,” he said.

NL East Notes: Tebow, Marlins, Phillies, Nats

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The Marlins will attend former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow’s workout for major league teams Tuesday in Los Angeles, a source told George Richards and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Tebow has experienced plenty of success in Florida, of course, having won a Heisman Trophy and two national championships as the Gators’ starting signal-caller from 2007-09. The 29-year-old faces long odds of landing a contract with a major league team, though, as he hasn’t played baseball in more than a decade. As for the Marlins, Richards and Jackson note that they have a scout in the LA area and will merely do their due diligence in checking out Tebow’s audition.

More from the National League East:

  • Nationals right-hander Joe Ross, out since July 2 with inflammation in his pitching shoulder, will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, reports Jamal Collier of MLB.com. There might not be enough time for Ross to build up the arm strength necessary to factor into the Nationals’ rotation down the stretch, however, as Syracuse will play its final game Sept. 5. “I don’t know, that’s a question that we’re trying to answer now,” manager Dusty Baker said of Ross’ chances of starting again in 2016. “And if not, then hopefully in the playoffs he can be on the team and help us out of the bullpen.” Before succumbing to injury, Ross recorded a 3.49 ERA, 7.46 K/9 and 2.45 BB/9 over 95 1/3 innings. Whether as a starter or reliever, then, his return would serve as a boon to the Nats.
  • The Phillies are primed to shut down right-handed starters Vince Velasquez and Jake Thompson for the season in the coming weeks, writes Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. “I haven’t been involved in in-depth conversations, but I know at some point Thompson is going to be cut short, and Velasquez is going to be cut short at some point,” stated manager Pete Mackanin. “But it’s not an exact science right now. We don’t have a definite date yet. Maybe another week. It depends on how many innings they give us now.” Velasquez, 24, has thrown 124 innings between the majors and minors this year and, when he starts Sunday, should surpass the career-high 124 2/3 he logged in 2013. In 119 major league frames this season, the former Astro has compiled a 4.31 ERA, 10.36 K/9 and 3.33 BB/9. The 22-year-old Thompson, meanwhile, has racked up a personal-high 149 innings, but only 19 1/3 have come in the majors. While the ex-Rangers farmhand has fared well at Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he has put up an ugly 9.78 ERA and 6.05 BB/9 during his short Phillies career. Once he and Velasquez vacate the Phillies’ rotation, fellow righties Alec Asher and David Buchanan are likely to take their spots, per Zolecki.
  • The Phillies have fired three longtime members of their scouting department, including national cross-checker Mike Ledna, according to Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. It’s unclear whether there will be more changes, notes Salisbury, but it’s possible with president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail and general manager Matt Klentak still putting their stamp on the organization since taking the reins last year.

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