Mariners Place Steve Cishek On DL With Hip Labrum Tear
5:38pm: Cishek says that it’s actually only a small tear that won’t require surgery, so he may be back after the 15-day minimum, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets.
4:58pm: The Mariners announced a series of roster moves today that will shake up the team’s pitching mix. In particular, just-deposed closer Steve Cishek has been placed on the DL with a left hip labrum tear.
Just acquired lefty Ariel Miranda and righty Blake Parker are joining the major league roster. Righty Donn Roach was optioned to open one active roster spot, with Mayckol Guaipe released to free up a slot on the 40-man.
[Related: Updated Mariners Depth Chart]
Cishek signed with Seattle for two years and $10MM over the winter. He has been solid, posting a 3.40 ERA with 11.7 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in his 47 2/3 innings, though he recently lost the closer’s gig after some shaky outings. Cishek did manage to trigger a $500K bonus by recording over 35 games finished before that point, though he’ll miss out on a chance to earn yet more cash through that portion of his contract.
It’s not yet clear what kind of outlook there is for Cishek’s injury, but it certainly sounds like a season-ending type of injury (though it’s not yet clear if surgery is required). Pitchers who have had the ailment in recent years include Tim Lincecum and Michael Pineda; Dan Wade of the Hardball Times provides ample detail on the subject. Seattle will certainly hope that Cishek isn’t out that long, particularly since he’s still under contract for another campaign.
The 25-year-old Guaipe has thrown 34 frames for the big league team over the last two years, but the results haven’t been great. He owns a 5.29 ERA in that span, allowing 42 hits and 17 walks while recording 27 strikeouts. Guaipe has shown well in the upper minors, though, with a 2.87 ERA and 7.1 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 over 59 2/3 Triple-A frames since the start of 2015.
Pirates Activate Ryan Vogelsong, Release Wilfredo Boscan
The Pirates have released righty Wilfredo Boscan, per a team announcement. His 40-man spot will go to Ryan Vogelsong, who’ll return after surgery for facial fractures. Infielder Max Moroff was optioned to free up an active-roster slot.
[Related: Updated Pirates Depth Chart]
Boscan, 26, didn’t impress in his first crack at the major league level. But he has shown some promise in the upper minors, including a 3.07 ERA last year at Triple-A. Over his 84 frames in the International League in 2016, Boscan posted a 3.75 ERA with 5.5 K/9 and 1.5 BB/9.
As for Vogelsong, it’s certainly great to see him back in action after he was struck in the face by a pitch in late May. The 39-year-old, who signed with the Bucs for a $2MM guarantee as a free agent, has a 3.74 ERA with 16 strikeouts and ten walks over 21 2/3 innings.
Vogelsong’s tale is well known, but remains remarkable. After struggling for several years with the Giants and then the Bucs, he played for three years in Japan and another in the upper minors before breaking out with San Francisco in 2011. He settled in as a durable innings-eater after two high-quality campaigns, and remains a useful pitcher as he nears his fortieth birthday.
Indians Claim Michael Martinez, Designate Tyler Olson
The Indians have claimed utilityman Michael Martinez off waivers from the Red Sox, per a team announcement. To clear a 40-man roster spot, the Indians designated lefty Tyler Olson for assignment.
Boston had actually added Martinez from Cleveland not long ago, and now sends him back. The 33-year-old switch-hitter has just 70 MLB plate appearances on the year, over which he carries a .273/.304/.364 batting line.
That doesn’t sound like much production, and it isn’t, but it actually stands quite a bit higher than Martinez’s career .515 OPS in 542 plate appearances. He has continued to draw interest from organizations, though, because of his defensive versatility. Martinez has lined up at every position except for first, pitcher, and catcher.
Olson, 26, was himself a recent waiver mover, with the Indians representing his third team on the year. He has reached the majors, but has received only minimal time there. Over his 95 1/3 career Triple-A innings, Olson has pitched to a 4.81 ERA with 7.7 K/9 against 3.0 B/9.
Rays Claim Bobby Wilson, Option Curt Casali
The Rays announced today that they’ve claimed catcher Bobby Wilson off waivers from the Rangers following his DFA on Monday and, in a corresponding move, optioned fellow backstop Curt Casali to Triple-A Durham. Wilson was designated for assignment following Texas’ acquisition of Jonathan Lucroy from the Brewers.
Wilson, 33, got off to a hot start for the Rangers this season but has cooled considerably, leaving him with an overall slash line of .241/.270/.333 through 156 trips to the plate. As a career .212/.268/.309 hitter, Wilson’s overall production in 2016 is a bit of a step up from his career marks, though it still checks in below that of a league-average catcher. He’s struggled a bit to control the running game, catching just 18 percent of opponents that attempted to steal this season. He has, however, been an above-average pitch framer for quite some time in the estimation of Baseball Prospectus.
Casali, 27, has displayed some pop this season with seven homers and seven doubles in 207 plate appearances, but he’s hitting just .169/.255/.322 on the whole and has punched out in exactly one third of his plate appearances this season.
Padres Claim Patrick Kivlehan From Mariners
The Padres have claimed infielder/outfielder Patrick Kivlehan off waivers from the Mariners, the teams announced today. Kivlehan, 26, has been optioned to Triple-A El Paso, according to the Padres.
Kivlehan has split the 2016 season between the Mariners and Rangers after being traded between the two teams twice. He originally went from Seattle to Texas along with Tom Wilhelmsen in the Leonys Martin trade, but the Rangers designated him for assignment and wound up sending him back to the Mariners in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations on May 29. (A subsequent announcement of a player going to Texas in exchange never materialized, so it seems likely that the Rangers picked up cash in the swap). In 321 plate appearances between the Triple-A affiliates for the Mariners and Rangers this season, Kivlehan batted .242/.291/.399 with nine homers and 16 doubles.
Kivelhan has played primarily third base throughout his minor league career, but he also has several hundred innings of work at first base, left field and right field. The Friars announced him only as an outfielder in their release, though that’s not necessarily an indication of how San Diego plans to deploy him for the remainder of the season.
Brewers Claim Ben Rowen From Blue Jays
The Blue Jays announced that right-hander Ben Rowen, who was designated for assignment by Toronto following Monday’s acquisitions of Francisco Liriano and Scott Feldman, has been claimed off waivers by the Brewers. He’ll head to Triple-A, according to an announcement from the Brewers.
Rowen, 27, has spent the entire season with Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate and posted a very strong 2.47 ERA with 6.3 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 in 47 1/3 innings of relief. Rowen’s submarine arm slot makes it exceptionally difficult to elevate the ball against him, as evidenced by the mere eight home runs he’s surrendered in 374 innings at the minor league level (0.2 HR/9). He’s generated ground-balls at a 64.9 percent rate this season at the Triple-A level and boasts a strong 1.85 ERA in his minor league career.
Knocking Down The Door: Weaver, Zimmer, Adams, Cozens, Moore
This week’s installment of Knocking Down the Door features four Double-A players and another who has only played nine games in Triple-A. Am I reaching a bit? Maybe. But there aren’t many obvious call-ups remaining, at least none that I haven’t written about already. The well is running a bit dry this time of the season. Many prospects have already been promoted. Young pitching prospects are more likely to be shut down than called up to the big leagues. Some prospects will be passed over for a promotion for reasons related to service time. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some players in the minors who can help a contender down the stretch or get an early 2017 audition for a non-contender.
Luke Weaver, SP/RP, St. Louis Cardinals (Double-A Springfield)
The Cardinals have been able to go with the same five starting pitchers in all but one game this season and that was due to a rainout that caused the team to play six games in five days. In this day and age where teams were forced to use an average of 11 starting pitchers last season, mostly due to injuries, that is an amazing feat. Still, the Cardinals’ “sixth starter” on that day, Mike Mayers, gave up nine earned runs in 1 1/3 innings. If the Cardinals are not fortunate enough to continue using the same five starters through the end of the regular season, they’ll need a better option.
While top prospect Alex Reyes would likely succeed in the majors now as a reliever, he’s still a work in progress as a starter and, therefore, was passed over for a promotion when the team recently needed another spot starter and opted to move Jaime Garcia up to pitch on three days rest. He gave up six earned runs in 3 1/3 innings.
The good news, though, is that Luke Weaver is quickly becoming someone that they wouldn’t hesitate to call on the next time there is a need. The 22-year-old right-hander got a late start to the season due to a wrist injury, which could turn out to be a blessing in disguise. His limited workload (77 innings in 12 starts) could allow him to pitch deep into the regular season and post-season, if necessary. Since returning in June, he’s been absolutely dominant with a 1.40 ERA, 1.2 BB/9 and 10.3 K/9 while showing the consistency, command and repertoire that would play in the Majors now.
Bradley Zimmer, OF, Cleveland Indians (Triple-A Columbus)
The division-leading Indians were aggressive at the trade deadline, pulling off a deal for one of the best relief pitchers in the game, and nearly acquired catcher Jonathan Lucroy, who ended up vetoing the deal. While many of the team’s best prospects were traded or nearly traded, outfielder Bradley Zimmer is one that they were happy to retain.
With Michael Brantley slow to recover from a shoulder injury and currently lacking a definitive timeline to return, the 23-year-old Zimmer could potentially join the Indians’ outfield for the stretch run. While he’s posted an .843 OPS with 15 homers and 33 stolen bases in the upper minors (he’s off to an 11-for-33 start with Triple-A Columbus), Rajai Davis has slumped badly in the last few weeks and Abraham Almonte, while able to produce in short stretches throughout his career, isn’t the answer on a team trying to hold off the red-hot Detroit Tigers over the next two months.
The Red Sox recently called up Andrew Benintendi, allowing them to put the three most talented outfielders in their organization on the lineup card. The Indians shouldn’t hesitate to do the same with Zimmer.
Chance Adams, SP, New York Yankees (Double-A Trenton)
The deadline trade that sent Ivan Nova to the Pittsburgh Pirates opened up an opportunity for one of three pitchers—Chad Green, Luis Severino and Adam Warren—who have been pitching out of the Yankees’ bullpen. Green was first up on Wednesday, but he was knocked around by the Mets. Severino was impressive in relief of Green, which likely earns him a start when the spot comes around again. Alternatively, the Yankees could turn to Chance Adams, a 2015 draftee who is moving quickly up the ladder.
In 21 starts between High-A and Double-A, the 21-year-old Adams has a 2.26 ERA. 2.7 BB/9 and 10.2 K/9 while holding opponents to a .171 batting average. He’s had just one bad start out of nine in Double-A and hasn’t allowed more than one run in seven of those.
While we’re getting to the point of the season when young pitchers are close to being shut down in order to limit workloads—Adams is currently at 108 1/3 innings pitched; he threw 94 1/3 innings in 2015 between his final collegiate season with Dallas Baptist and 14 professional relief appearances—the Yankees can have Adams throw his final innings of the 2016 season in the Majors in what would be an early audition for the 2017 season.
Dylan Cozens, OF, Philadelphia Phillies (Double-A Reading)
With Cody Asche not doing enough to secure a spot in 2017 Phillies’ outfield and Nick Williams having an underwhelming season in Triple-A, Dylan Cozens has worked his way into the mix with a monster season for Double-A Reading.
After a three-homer game on Wednesday, pushing his season total to 30, it’s safe to say that the 22-year-old Cozens has done enough to earn a promotion. He also has 31 doubles, 18 stolen bases and a .962 OPS. Now it’s up to the Phillies to decide whether they want to bump him up one level to Triple-A or see him up close against Major League pitching.
At 6’6″ and 235 pounds, the left-handed hitting Cozens would be quite a presence in the middle of the Phillies’ lineup and would balance out a cast of right-handed hitters—Maikel Franco, Tommy Joseph, Aaron Altherr and Cameron Rupp all figure to be in the middle of the 2017 lineup. While he is going to strike out a lot—he has 134 in 452 plate appearances—he’s also walked 53 times and has shown an ability to make adjustments.
Andrew Moore, SP, Seattle Mariners (Double-A Jackson)
Two months left in the season and the Mariners’ rotation is struggling to get to the finish line. Even if Taijuan Walker can stay healthy once he returns from the disabled list on Saturday, Felix Hernandez (17 ER in last 23 2/3 innings) has not been himself, and it’s unlikely that Wade LeBlanc can hold down a rotation spot through the end of the season. They’ll need some more help.
Ariel Miranda will make his first MLB start on Thursday and Zach Lee could also make his Mariners’ debut before the season’s end. Not the most exciting options, but there are a lot of innings left in the season and someone has to pitch. Look a little deeper into the farm system, though, and Double-A starter Andrew Moore is doing everything he can to make the jump to the big leagues before the end of his first full professional season.
After tossing a five-hit shutout in his last start, the 22-year-old Moore lowered his ERA to 2.30 with a 1.6 BB/9 and 6.9 K/9 in 22 starts between High-A and Double-A. While he’s closing in on 130 innings for the season, he tossed over 160 in 2015 between Oregon State and Short-Season Everett and might be capable of pitching into September with the Mariners.
“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.
No Extension Talks Between Wilson Ramos, Nationals
Wilson Ramos is in the midst of a career year and is on the cusp of free agency, and it looks as though unlike teammate Stephen Strasburg, Ramos will hit free agency without agreeing to a contract extension. The 28-year-old tells Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post that the Nationals have yet to approach his camp about brokering a long-term pact.
“They have told me absolutely nothing still,” said Ramos. “I’d like [to have my future here], but those are decisions they make … They haven’t made any calls or communicated with us. We’re still waiting.”
Manager Dusty Baker said to Castillo that he hopes the front office does “something big” to keep Ramos in D.C. for the long haul, though with fewer than three months until he’ll have the opportunity to test the waters of the open market, the odds of that happening seem rather slight. Ramos is hitting .331/.381/.536 with 16 home runs on the season and, as Castillo notes, has dramatically cut his strikeout rate (perhaps due to the benefits of offseason LASIK surgery). Ramos has excelled at thwarting stolen-base attempts in the past four seasons, and the 2016 campaign has been no exception, as he’s picked off 36 percent of those who have run against him. And while his pitch-framing ratings have deteriorated over the course of his big league career (per Baseball Propsectus), he was still average in that regard in 2015 and is above-average in 2016.
The breakout for Ramos isn’t necessarily a total shock, as he was long billed as one of the game’s Top 100 prospects as he ascended through the Twins’ minor league ranks. Durability has been an issue for him, as he’s missed time in the past due to a torn ACL in his right knee, several hamstring strains and a fractured hand, leaving him with an average of just 86 games per season from 2011-15 with the Nats. Ramos’ ability to remain healthy will be one of the biggest red flags surrounding his market in free agency this season, but he has age, former prospect pedigree and a brilliant platform season all on his side. He should enter the winter as the top catching option on the market, as reflected on MLBTR’s Free Agent Power Rankings, wherein Ramos lands at No. 8 overall in terms of earning power. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes suggested that it’s time to consider the possibility of a five-year deal for Ramos, and I fully agree with that notion.
AL East Notes: Moncada, A-Rod, Yankees, Rays, Sanchez
Top Red Sox prospect Yoan Moncada may not quite be ready to follow Andrew Benintendi to the majors, but GM Mike Hazen says he is playing his way into the team’s near-term plans, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald writes. Moncada’s big numbers at Double-A have prompted a move to third base, where he could play at the big league level in relatively short order. Hazen analogized the situation to that of Mookie Betts, who also shifted off of second base — in his case, to the outfield — because he was ready to play but was blocked by stalwart Dustin Pedroia. As for timing of a big league promotion, Hazen declined to offer an opinion, but did note that Moncada has had a very different path to this point than did Benintendi. Also, as Mastrodonato notes, he needs to polish his hitting approach and refine his mechanics from both sides of the plate.
A bit more from the AL East…
- The Yankees have no plans to release Alex Rodriguez, general manager Brian Cashman said in a recent ESPN Radio appearance (transcript via the Post’s George A. King III). Cashman acknowledged that some of Rodriguez’s at-bats will go to other players, but injuries or matchups could get Rodriguez additional looks down the stretch. The contract of Rodriguez, which calls for him to earn another $27MM through next season, is a factor, Cashman admitted: “First and foremost, you just have to admit it’s not easy to go ahead and eat — meaning release — that kind of money. It’s not something you come to a quick decision on. There are players around the game with big contracts, well-below-average players, for many years, not just a year. Alex hit 33 home runs, I believe, last year. … If we choose to do something, that’s our right at any time, but right now that’s not being done.”
- Cashman appeared on yesterday’s Baseball Tonight podcast with ESPN’s Buster Olney (audio link) and discussed the Yankees‘ decision to act as sellers at this year’s deadline as well as the prospects he picked up in trades of Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline. Cashman also said he has a list of Pirates prospects at the lower levels of their system from which he’ll select a pair of players to be named later in order to complete the Ivan Nova trade, but they’re still in the process of evaluating their options.
- Rays infielder Brad Miller tells Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times that he was “extremely disappointed” to learn that newly acquired Matt Duffy will supplant him as the everyday shortstop upon his return from an Achilles injury. Miller considers himself a shortstop and sounds frustrated that he’ll be moved off the position for the second time in his young career. “I feel like I’ve done everything I needed to do to keep the job, and they didn’t see it that way,” he explains. “The same thing happened in Seattle.” Rays skipper Kevin Cash, though, stressed that Miller will still be an everyday player due to his bat. He’ll move over to first base until Logan Morrison‘s return and then presumably see regular at-bats spread across several positions as a means of keeping his .252/.300/.484 slash line and 18 homers in the lineup.
- Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM within the past hour (audio link) and said definitively that Aaron Sanchez won’t throw 220 innings this season. Shapiro added that GM Ross Atkins is on his way to discuss scenarios with Sanchez, manager John Gibbons and pitching coach Pete Walker at today. Said Shapiro of the innings limitation on Sanchez: “There’s no safe way to shut him down and ramp him up again. If you take that out, it’s simply do you let him start to a point where he either fatigues and mandates being shut down or he reaches some arbitrary inning amount — 190 or whatever it is — …or do we reallocate this innings in the bullpen and let him continue to contribute to this team in high-leverage situations?”
2017 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings
Pending free agents traded during the month of July included Josh Reddick, Aroldis Chapman, Mark Melancon, Rich Hill, Andrew Cashner, Steve Pearce, Carlos Beltran, Ivan Nova, and Jesse Chavez. Under the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, a midseason trade disqualifies a player from receiving a qualifying offer. The value of the one-year offer is expected to be around $16.7MM this winter. Since such an offer ties the player to draft pick compensation, avoiding one can be a big benefit for him.
The current CBA expires on December 1st of this year. The November qualifying offer and acceptance dates remain in place until a new agreement is reached. A new agreement could completely eliminate, modify, or maintain the current system. It’s an unknown at this point.
Below, I’ve ranked the 2016-17 free agents by earning power. You can view the full list of free agents here.
1. Yoenis Cespedes. Cespedes suffered a quad strain on July 8th, skipping the All-Star Game as a result. While he’s avoided a DL stint thus far, Cespedes will be used as a left fielder for the remainder of the season as a precaution. He’s expected to serve as the Mets’ designated hitter tonight against the Yankees, and doesn’t have to worry about playing the field until the team returns to National League contests on Tuesday. In his brief 48 plate appearances since the injury, Cespedes’ power has been missing. It remains to be seen how the injury will affect him over the Mets’ remaining 56 regular season games. Regardless, Cespedes seems very likely to opt out of the remaining two years and $47.5MM remaining on his contract after the season. If he does, he’ll likely retain his position as our top-ranked free agent.
2. Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion moves up a spot after a strong July. He’s on pace for a career-high 44 home runs, and with 29 bombs to date he’s one behind Mark Trumbo and Todd Frazier for the MLB lead. Since Encarnacion turns 34 in January, he seems limited to a four-year term in free agency. Still, that could be at a salary of $20MM or more.
3. Josh Reddick. Reddick and teammate Rich Hill were traded by the A’s to the Dodgers on Monday’s trade deadline. Reddick was a near-lock for a qualifying offer, so the trade boosts his earning power. He doesn’t turn 30 until February, so Reddick should be in line for a four or five-year deal. He had a strong July and has a chance to raise his profile as a key member of the Dodgers’ offense.
4. Aroldis Chapman. Chapman joins our top five for the first time. The Cubs’ new closer also finds himself ineligible for a qualifying offer. While I’ve felt Chapman’s October domestic violence incident could tamp down his free agent earning power, it didn’t seem to affect his trade value last month. There is only one Aroldis Chapman, a lefty capable of pumping 104 mile per hour fastballs in the ninth inning. The incident may have little bearing on his next contract. It will be interesting to see Chapman and Kenley Jansen jockeying for record relief contracts this winter, possibly five-year deals in excess of $70MM.
5. Kenley Jansen. Jansen’s excellent season continues, and he may be able to top his career-high of 44 saves. Just 29 in September, Jansen is a dominant ninth inning force. Some teams will prefer him to Chapman.
6. Ian Desmond. Desmond’s power resurgence may lead to his first career 30 home run season. Slotting in around the top of the Rangers’ order, which is more imposing with the trade deadline additions of Jonathan Lucroy and Carlos Beltran, Desmond could score 110 runs this year. He leads all pending free agents with 4.4 wins above replacement, as a fine center fielder with renewed power. Desmond will turn 31 in September. He’s about the same age as Cespedes, but older than Reddick. The comps don’t really matter though – free agency will be an auction for his services, and I imagine he’ll be seeking a five-year deal. If Desmond gets that fifth year, he’ll likely out-earn everyone on this list aside from Cespedes.
7. Jose Bautista. Bautista tumbles down the Power Rankings, as I’m currently pegging him for a three-year deal. 36 in October, Bautista returned from a toe injury on July 25th. He’ll need a strong finish to convince teams that his age 36-39 seasons are a strong investment, especially with a qualifying offer attached.
8. Wilson Ramos. Ramos posted a solid July and has already tied his career high of 16 home runs. He’s been the most valuable catcher in baseball this year at 3.4 WAR, and doesn’t turn 29 until next week. It’s time to start considering a five-year deal as a legitimate possibility for Ramos, whose earning power has skyrocketed with his well-timed breakout.
9. Mark Trumbo. Trumbo crushed seven more home runs in July. He was the first player to reach 30 this year, and is on pace for 46 longballs for the season. Like fellow free agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion, Trumbo is a liability on defense. Trumbo strikes out more and walks less than EE, and consistently posts a low on-base percentage. For some GMs, a 40 home run, 110 RBI right-handed bat for the middle of the order still speaks for itself. Trumbo’s agent will likely be vying for a fourth year.
10. Dexter Fowler. The tenth spot came down to Fowler, Justin Turner, and Michael Saunders. A case can be made for any of them, but I’ll take Fowler by a hair. Fowler ranks eighth in baseball with a .403 OBP, and he plays center field. Teams will be wary of going four years on a player with his injury history, but he’ll still do much better in free agency this time around.
Turner and Saunders each have a shot at their first 30 home run season. Both players have already set career bests in homers. Neither Turner nor Saunders has ever played 140 games in a season, so a four-year investment would be risky.
The 2016-17 free agent market looks historically bleak for starting pitching. You’ve got Rich Hill, who has been brilliant but turns 37 in March and has been limited to 14 starts this year due to injuries. One of the top starters might be Jeremy Hellickson, who turns 30 in April and has a 3.70 ERA in 22 starts for the Phillies. Barring an August trade, however, Hellickson seems likely to come with a qualifying offer attached. There’s also Andrew Cashner, the hardest-throwing free agent starter. 30 in September, Cashner is having another middling year and will try to finish on a high note with the Marlins.