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Archives for August 2016

Rosenthal’s Latest: Dodgers, Brewers, Braun, Puig, D-backs

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Before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, the Dodgers discussed a deal with the Brewers that would have sent outfielder Ryan Braun to Los Angeles, reports FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). While Braun has since cleared waivers, meaning the Dodgers (or another team) could make a trade for him this month, that would require overcoming potential complications. For instance, any team acquiring Braun would likely want the Brewers to eat a significant portion of the $76MM left on his contract, says Rosenthal, who adds that Milwaukee might be hesitant to assist a high-revenue club like the Dodgers in paying the 32-year-old. If the Dodgers and Brewers aren’t able to swing a trade in August, they could revisit talks during the offseason.

Here’s more from Rosenthal:

  • As of now, the Dodgers have not placed outfielder Yasiel Puig on revocable waivers this month, making him ineligible for a trade, notes Rosenthal (video link). Even if Puig does end up on waivers in the month’s final days, the Dodgers are likelier to move him during the offseason when they can negotiate with the rest of the league instead of just one team. LA demoted Puig to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Aug. 2 and is not currently planning to recall him when rosters expand Sept. 1. The right-handed hitter has slashed .386/.435/.667 in 62 minor league plate appearances, though, and could still factor into the Dodgers’ plans before the year is out.
  • Mets manager Terry Collins’ heavy reliance on closer Jeurys Familia could help lead to his ouster, according to Rosenthal. Familia is tied for the major league lead with the Indians’ Bryan Shaw, who’s not a closer, in relief appearances since the start of the 2014 season. Familia is on track to eclipse the 75-appearance mark for the third straight year – which, in Rosenthal’s opinion, points to overuse – but he has continued as one of the league’s most effective relievers this season.
  • If the Diamondbacks fire manager Chip Hale after the season, they could target the Rockies’ Walt Weiss, per Rosenthal, who notes that Weiss has connections to both D-backs chief baseball officer Tony La Russa and general manager Dave Stewart (they’re also on the hot seat). Weiss, whom Rockies GM Jeff Bridich inherited upon taking over after the 2014 season, is in the last year of his contract. In terms of wins and losses, the Weiss-led Rockies have shown progress this year, though they’ve faded lately and have only compiled a a 268-346 record under him since 2013.
  • The Dodgers’ clubhouse was “like a cemetery” after the team traded backup catcher A.J. Ellis to Philadelphia for fellow reserve backstop Carlos Ruiz on Thursday, one LA player told Rosenthal. A rival executive added, “You never want to give players an excuse for failure,” implying that the loss of a beloved teammate like Ellis could sap the Dodgers of morale. Rosenthal is skeptical of Ellis’ departure sinking the likely playoff-bound club, though, considering he didn’t contribute much on the field.

Gerrit Cole To Miss Start, Have Elbow Examined

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Pirates ace Gerrit Cole will miss his next start Monday against the Cubs and will instead travel to Los Angeles to have his a specialist examine his sore elbow, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review writes (all Twitter links). An MRI did not reveal that Cole has ligament damage (and the Bucs haven’t yet placed him on the DL).

Cole has a fine 3.55 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 114 innings this season, but he’s pitched uncharacteristically poorly in his last four starts, with a 7.06 ERA and a .973 OPS against in that span. Losing him for any significant period of time would be a serious blow to the Pirates, who remain in the race for a National League Wild Card spot — the Bucs’ rotation has improved greatly this month thanks to strong performances from Jameson Taillon, Ivan Nova, Chad Kuhl and Ryan Vogelsong, but their rotation had previously been a significant problem.

Biertempfel guesses rookie Trevor Williams will take Cole’s start on Monday, although he notes that newcomer Drew Hutchison (who the Pirates acquired at last month’s deadline for Francisco Liriano and prospects) could also be a possibility. Williams, acquired in an offseason trade with the Marlins, has never pitched in the Majors.

Padres Claim Oswaldo Arcia From Marlins

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The Padres have claimed Oswaldo Arcia from the Marlins, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. Arcia will start in the Padres’ outfield tonight. The team has optioned outfielder Patrick Kivlehan to make room for Arcia on its active roster.

The last two months have been something of a whirlwind for Arcia. The Twins designated him for assignment in mid-June, then traded him to the Rays. After 61 plate appearances, the Rays designated him, and the Marlins claimed him this week before designating him for assignment Thursday.

It’s not hard to see why many teams find Arcia somewhat appealing, just as it’s easy to see the flaws that have prevented him from sticking with a team this season. He’s just 25 and has obvious power, with 42 home runs in 1,030 career big-league plate appearances. Unfortunately, he’s also struck out in over 30% of his plate appearances and doesn’t walk much, leading to low batting averages and on-base percentages. It appears he’ll get another shot in San Diego, where he’ll join an outfield that’s been depleted by a host of recent injuries (Jon Jay, Jabari Blash) and recent trades (Matt Kemp, Melvin Upton).

Minor MLB Transactions: 8/27/16

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.

  • The Reds have selected the contract of catcher Rafael Lopez from Triple-A Louisville, C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets. To clear space on their active roster, they’ve optioned infielder Tony Renda to Louisville. The Reds needed an extra catcher due to a minor hand injury to Tucker Barnhart. The 28-year-old Lopez appeared briefly in the big leagues with the Cubs in 2016, but has not done so since. He’s hit a modest .213/.262/.297 for Louisville this season.
  • The Mariners today announced a bevy of roster moves — they selected the contract of righty Dan Altavilla from Double-A Jackson, recalled first baseman Dae-Ho Lee and switch-pitcher Pat Venditte from Triple-A Tacoma, and placed righty Tom Wilhelmsen on the 15-day disabled list with lower back spasms. (They also optioned outfielder Nori Aoki and infielder Michael Freeman to Tacoma, as had previously been reported.) The 23-year-old Altavilla, a fifth-round pick in 2014, has never pitched above the Double-A level, but he’s had success there this season, posting a 1.91 ERA, 8.8 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 56 2/3 innings.
  • The Twins have selected the contract of righty Alex Wimmers, as Ted Schwerzler of Off The Baggy was first to tweet. Wimmers made his big-league debut with a scoreless inning yesterday. The 27-year-old was the 21st overall pick in the 2010 draft, but his path to the big leagues was slowed by injury. He’s had a solid season in the bullpen at Triple-A Rochester, with a 3.62 ERA, 9.1 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 in 49 2/3 innings.
  • The Orioles announced that they’ve selected the contract of outfielder Julio Borbon and optioned righty Mike Wright to Triple-A Norfolk. The 30-year-old Borbon briefly played for the Orioles this season but has spent most of the year with Double-A Bowie, where he’s batted .275/.336/.362 with 28 stolen bases. He’s hit sparingly in parts of five seasons in the big leagues, but his speed might make him an effective tactical player if the O’s opt to stick with him until rosters expand.

Tigers Activate Jose Iglesias, Designate Alex Presley

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The Tigers have announced that they’ve activated shortstop Jose Iglesias from the 15-day disabled list. To clear roster space for him, they’ve designated outfielder Alex Presley for assignment.

[Related: Updated Detroit Tigers Depth Chart]

Iglesias had missed two weeks with a hamstring strain. The 26-year-old is hitting just .249/.297/.328 in 399 plate appearances this season, although he remains one of the game’s finer defensive players, with UZR pegging him as 10.4 runs above average at short this year.

The Tigers signed Presley to a minor league deal in July after he opted for free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment from the Brewers. The Tigers called him up last week, and he collected just five plate appearances for them. The 31-year-old has hit just .198/.269/.289 in 134 plate appearances so far this season, although he’s hit fairly well at the Triple-A level. Over parts of seven big-league seasons, he’s batted .253/.295/.382 while playing all three outfield positions.

Ervin Santana Clears Trade Waivers

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Twins righty Ervin Santana recently cleared trade waivers and can be dealt to any team in the coming days, Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press reports. Teams have until Wednesday to deal for players they wish to include on their postseason rosters.

Acquiring the 33-year-old Santana would be a considerable investment for any team — he’s making $13.5MM this season and will make the same amounts in both 2017 and 2018 as well. (He also has a club/vesting option for 2019.) Santana has pitched quite well this season, however, posting a 3.33 ERA, 7.0 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 140 2/3 innings. That includes a 1.89 ERA, 7.7 K/9 and a miserly 1.5 BB/9 in what has so far been a terrific second half. After an 80-game PED suspension last year in the first season of his four-year deal with Minnesota, Santana has reestablished himself as a reliable rotation option. As Berardino points out, the fact that Santana cleared waivers might indicate that the Twins might have to take on some salary to deal him. If they are willing to do so, however, they should be able to get legitimate talent in return.

The Twins are 49-79, miles out of the playoff race, and it stands to reason they would consider trading productive veterans. Last month, though, interim GM Rob Antony told MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger that the Twins were in no rush to trade Santana, pointing out that Santana’s remaining contract (basically, a two-year deal with an option) would make him a very attractive trade candidate amidst a weak free agent market next offseason and declaring that the Twins have no need to move Santana’s salary.

Still, expect to hear Santana’s name bandied about in the coming days. The ability to acquire a solid starting pitcher on a seemingly reasonable contract on the August trade market isn’t particularly common, and Santana’s talent and controllability would make him an attractive asset for any number of contenders.

Reactions To And Effects Of The Carlos Ruiz Trade

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Here are a few reactions to the Phillies and Dodgers’ recent catcher swap, in which Carlos Ruiz headed to Los Angeles while A.J. Ellis, pitcher Tommy Bergjans and a player to be named or cash went to Philadelphia.

  • The Phillies have two good catching prospects in Jorge Alfaro and Andrew Knapp, but GM Matt Klentak says it was still important that they receive the veteran Ellis in the deal, as Philly.com’s Matt Gelb writes. (Alfaro was recently promoted to the Majors, but is expected to return to the minors once Ellis arrives.) “It was important as this team parts ways with Carlos, who has been such an important leader for so long, that we add a player with a tremendous reputation as a leader and worker,” says Klentak. “We were adamant A.J. be in it.” Ellis is expected to back up Cameron Rupp in Philadelphia.
  • Ruiz could have used his no-trade clause to block the deal, and he didn’t want to leave the Phillies, the team that signed him all the way back in 1998. But he says the possibility of competing for a championship was too tempting to pass up, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes. “My heart and everything was in Philly,” says Ruiz. “It was tough to make that decision. It’s sad to leave, but another part of me is happy, because I’ve got an opportunity to go to the postseason and the playoffs and have a chance to go back to the World Series.”
  • From the Dodgers’ perspective, Ellis’ inclusion in the deal is confusing, writes Dave Cameron of Fangraphs. With September callups approaching, one would think the Dodgers could have kept Ellis and still traded for Ruiz, assembling some other package that would have worked for the Phillies (Klentak’s protestation above notwithstanding). Instead, they traded Ellis, who doesn’t hit well but has a terrific clubhouse reputation, in a deal that appears to be a marginal upgrade — Ruiz, after all, will be a backup who will only get so many plate appearances down the stretch. If the Dodgers don’t succeed this year, it will be easy to blame their failures on Ellis’ departure, whether or not that’s fair.

NL Notes: Collins, Reyes, Barrett, Maeda

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Manager Terry Collins led the Mets to a World Series just last year, but he acknowledges he could be fired after the season, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes. “They may fire me at the end of the year,” says Collins. “Whatever happens at the end of the year, I’ll walk out of here with a smile on my face, and get ready for spring training, or get ready to play golf, either one.” The Mets have had a tough, injury-riddled season, with Lucas Duda, David Wright, Matt Harvey, Steven Matz, Zack Wheeler and others missing or set to miss significant time. “We had no idea we’d break down like this. None. It’s hard to believe,” says Collins. Here’s more from the National League.

  • Cardinals righty Alex Reyes will get his first major league start Saturday in place of Mike Leake, who is sick, the club has announced (via Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, on Twitter). Reyes, the team’s top-rated prospect, was promoted earlier this month and has made five relief appearances, striking out 13 batters and walking four in 9 1/3 innings while throwing in the high 90s.
  • Nationals reliever Aaron Barrett suffered a significant setback in his return from Tommy John surgery, as Mark Zuckerman of CSNWashington.com notes on Twitter. He broke his elbow five weeks ago while working his way back. That obviously takes the talented righty out of the mix for a late-season return, and further clouds his future. The 28-year-old has swing-and-miss stuff, but will now need to overcome a second major surgery.
  • The Dodgers have demoted righty Kenta Maeda in order to gain an extra pitcher until his next start, as MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick tweets. The move appears to be procedural in nature. Maeda will be assigned to the club’s Rookie ball affiliate; with that season coming to a close, he can permissibly be brought back before the typical ten-day waiting period.

Blue Jays Designate Aaron Loup For Assignment

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The Blue Jays have designated lefty Aaron Loup for assignment, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith tweets. The move clears space on the Jays’ active roster for righty Bo Schultz, and it likely also creates room on the 40-man for Dioner Navarro, who was recently also acquired via trade.

Loup was once a fixture in the Jays’ bullpen, with a series of mostly successful seasons from 2012 through 2015, but he struggled with an elbow injury to start the 2016 season and hasn’t really made his way back, pitching just 9 2/3 innings in the big leagues this year and allowing eight runs while throwing markedly slower than he had in the past — his average fastball came in at 93.2 MPH last season, and this year it’s down all the way to 90.7 MPH. (He struck out 11 and walked only two in those 9 2/3 innings, however, and pitched very well for Triple-A Buffalo.) Loup was due to be eligible for arbitration after the season after making $1.05MM this year, and the Jays might have figured that if they didn’t plan to tender him, there would be little risk in designating him for assignment now.

5 Key Stories: 8/20/16 – 8/26/16

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Here’s a look back at MLBTR’s biggest stories from the past week.

MLB: Philadelphia Phillies at Pittsburgh PiratesDodgers trade A.J. Ellis and prospects for Carlos Ruiz. The Dodgers’ decision to trade backup catcher A.J. Ellis, righty Tommy Bergjans and a player to be named later or cash to the Phillies for Carlos Ruiz might not have an obviously huge on-field impact, but it’s an interesting deal, given Ellis’ clubhouse reputation and close relationship with ace Clayton Kershaw. The Phillies, meanwhile, promoted top prospect Jorge Alfaro in the wake of Ruiz’s departure.

Ellis and Ruiz weren’t the only veterans to head to new teams this week. Also on the move were Dioner Navarro (who headed from the White Sox back to the Blue Jays for lefty Colton Turner), Marc Rzepczynski (who went with cash from the Athletics to the Nationals for infielder Max Schrock) and Jeff Francoeur (who is now a Marlin after a complex three-team deal with the Braves and Rangers).

Rangers sign Carlos Gomez. The Rangers agreed to a minor league deal with the veteran outfielder, who had previously been with the Astros. Texas GM Jon Daniels has said he hopes the club bought low on a still-talented player. “He’s 30 years old; he’s still in his physical prime,” says Daniels. “We’re taking a chance on him thinking he’s better than his most recent performance.” To clear space on their roster for Gomez, the Rangers designated another veteran outfielder, Drew Stubbs.

Pirates extend David Freese. Freese had been having a strong season as a role player at first base and third base, but the Bucs removed him from the 2016-17 free agent market, signing him to a two-year, $11MM extension that includes a team option for 2019. Both the Freese deal and the recent promotion of Josh Bell would seem to bode poorly for incumbent first baseman John Jaso, who’s batting a modest .259/.346/.369 and has a year left on his contract.

Astros promote Yulieski Gurriel. The Astros promoted Cuban infielder Yulieski Gurriel to the Majors last Sunday. The Serie Nacional superstar has played sparingly so far, batting 2-for-7 in four games. At the very least, though, he provides the Astros with a bit of insurance in light of the recent news that third baseman Luis Valbuena will have season-ending hamstring surgery.

Rays to release Desmond Jennings. The Rays are set to part ways with longtime outfielder Desmond Jennings, who has had knee troubles and experienced a recent decline in performance. The 29-year-old, a former top prospect, was batting just .200/.281/.350.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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