Archives for May 2017

Nationals Option Joe Ross; Jacob Turner Stepping Into Rotation

By Steve Adams | May 2, 2017 at 11:14am CDT

11:14am: The Nats have now announced the move, adding that right-hander A.J. Cole has been recalled from Syracuse to fill the vacant roster spot. As Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com points out (via Twitter), Cole will need to sit for three games before he’s eligible to pitch, as he still needs to complete a five-game suspension that was issued to him last year for throwing at Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang.

11:04am: The Nationals made the somewhat surprising decision to option right-hander Joe Ross to Triple-A Syracuse following yesterday’s game, per the team’s transactions page at MLB.com. While the club has yet to formally announce the move, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post confirms that Ross has indeed been optioned out, adding that right-hander Jacob Turner will join the rotation for the time being.

Ross was optioned to Triple-A to open the season as well, though that move was made largely due to the fact that the team didn’t need a fifth starter early in the year, and it also afforded the Nationals a chance to briefly limit the young righty’s innings. This move, however, is more about the Nationals’ desire for Ross to improve his changeup, according to Janes. Ross has been clobbered by lefties in three starts this season and has struggled against left-handed bats throughout his young career, yielding a .301/.374/.469 batting line to opponents that hold the platoon advantage.

That said, it’s still a bit curious to see Ross sent down. Platoon issues notwithstanding, he entered the season with a career 3.52 ERA, 8.0 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and 45.5 percent ground-ball rate through 181 2/3 Major League innings. And while he’s struggled in his past two starts, one of those outings came at Coors Field. Beyond that, Turner has a limited track record in the Majors, having struggled to a 5.09 ERA through 330 innings, though Turner did show well in his own start in Colorado this season (six innings, three runs on six hits and no walks with six strikeouts).

It’s not clear if the demotion of Ross is a short-term move or if he’ll be left to sort things out in the minors for a lengthier stay. It doesn’t seem likely, however, that Ross would stay in the minors long enough to delay his path to free agency, as that’d require a Triple-A stint that spanned the majority of the season. Ross entered the 2017 campaign with one year, 94 days of service time and has already accrued 13 more days of service with his late-April promotion. As such, he needs 65 more days in the Majors to reach two full years of service time, which would keep him on pace to become a free agent following the 2021 season.

The corresponding move for Ross isn’t yet known, though Janes notes that it’ll likely be a reliever. Current options on the 40-man roster include Austin Adams, Trevor Gott and Rafael Martin, while veterans Joe Nathan and Neal Cotts are both in Syracuse on minor league deals.

AL Central Notes: May, Jackson, Jimenez, Smith

By Steve Adams | May 2, 2017 at 9:08am CDT

The White Sox announced that Opening Day center fielder Jacob May has been optioned to Triple-A Charlotte. A corresponding roster move will be made tonight. As CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes writes, May winning the Opening Day gig in center was a surprise that was fueled by a strong spring performance, but his 2-for-36 start to the season ended his first taste of the Majors. “He might have been a little overmatched,” manager Rick Renteria said of May. “That’s just the bottom line. You want to make excuses for it. Might have been a little overmatched right now. … His energy has always been the same. It’s very consistent. He’s done everything for the work in the field and working with the guys in the cages and everything else we could have asked of him.” With May in Triple-A, Leury Garcia figures to continue to receive quite a bit of time in center field. The 26-year-old is off to a .306/.323/.484 start to his season through 65 plate appearances.

Noah Syndergaard Diagnosed With Partially Torn Lat Muscle

By Steve Adams | May 1, 2017 at 11:55pm CDT

11:55pm: There was plenty more discussion of Syndergaard’s situation today, though details on what to expect remain scant. As MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports, Alderson suggested only that the absence is “going to be measured in weeks” rather than days. He also defended the organization’s medical staff and decisionmaking process while making clear that he decided to allow Syndergaard to take the hill.

For more, Tyler Kepner of the New York Times discusses the broader build-up to the injury, while Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record argues that the club mishandled the situation.

11:05am: MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo reports (via Twitter) that the Mets are planning to start Montero in place of Syndergaard this coming Friday, though the long-term option in Syndergaard’s absence remains unknown. Neither Matz nor Lugo is expected back until at least the end of May, so the Mets will need some form of bridge until the end of the month, at the earliest.

10:22am: The Mets announced on Monday that the MRI performed on right-hander Noah Syndergaard this morning revealed a partial tear of his right lat muscle. Per the team, there’s no timetable on his return, but Syndergaard will be placed on the 10-day disabled list. General manager Sandy Alderson will further address the media at 4:00pm ET, according to the Mets’ release.

Syndergaard becomes the second member of the Mets’ rotation and the third Mets starting option to land on the disabled list less than one month into the season. Left-hander Steven Matz is on the shelf due to a elbow/flexor issue, while right-hander Seth Lugo is currently on the disabled list due to a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. Though it’s not certain how long Syndergaard will be sidelined, Newsday’s David Lennon points out that Matz missed roughly two months of the 2015 season with a similar injury to the one revealed by Syndergaard’s MRI (Twitter link).

The injury is not without controversy, as Syndergaard appeared to suffer the injury this past Sunday after refusing an MRI on his ailing biceps. The 24-year-old had been slated to take the hill last Thursday but was scratched from that start and pushed back to Sunday. After it was learned that Syndergaard declined to undergo an MRI, he told the media: “I think I know my body best. I’m pretty in tune with my body, and that’s exactly why I refused to take the MRI.”

With Syndergaard headed to the disabled list, the Mets’ rotation will now consist of Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Zack Wheeler and Robert Gsellman. It’s not immediately clear who’ll step into the starting five in his absence, although Sean Gilmartin and Rafael Montero have both worked as starters with Triple-A Las Vegas and are both already on the 40-man roster.

Rosenhaus Agency Expands Into Baseball

By Jeff Todd | May 1, 2017 at 10:54pm CDT

Rosenhaus Sports Representation, the powerhouse NFL player agency led by Drew Rosenhaus, is now expanding into baseball. According to a report from Liz Mullen of Sports Business Journal, agent Dennis Wyrick will run the new baseball division.

On the football side of things, Rosenhaus has long been considered one of the game’s major power brokers. He was recently listed among the fifty most influential people in the (domestic) sports world by the Sporting News — joining Scott Boras among player reps on that list.

The comparisons to Boras seem fairly apt. Here’s how Zach Links of MLBTR sister site Pro Football Rumors puts it: “Drew Rosenhaus, in many ways, is the NFL’s equivalent to Scott Boras. He’s the sport’s highest-profile agent with many of the game’s biggest stars in his stable. Drew has mellowed a bit in recent years, but he’s not afraid to get in front of a microphone and go to bat for his clients. And, like Jay-Z, his name value could help him quickly land big-time baseball players.”

Indeed, Rosenhaus’s NFL client list features many notable names, including Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown, Redskins wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, and Bills running back LeSean McCoy. In the past, stars like Terrell Owens, Warren Sapp, Plaxico Burress, and Chad Johnson/Ochocinco have entrusted their contracts and marketing to Rosenhaus’s team. Of course, Rosenhaus and co. will have their work cut out if they hope to build a similarly impressive group of clients on the baseball side.

Red Sox Place Steven Wright On 10-Day DL

By Jeff Todd | May 1, 2017 at 9:39pm CDT

The Red Sox have placed righty Steven Wright on the 10-day DL with a knee sprain, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal was among those to report on Twitter. Boston will call up reliever Brandon Workman to take the open roster spot, though it’s not yet known who’ll account for Wright’s slot in the rotation.

It’s not yet clear at all how serious an issue the knee problem is. Teams are certainly utilizing the newly shortened ten-day disabled period to help with roster maintenance, and that’s especially true of starters who can simply be skipped while they are out. But Wright has had some recent knee issues.

Wright has also markedly struggled for most of the year, posting an unsightly 8.25 ERA over 24 frames through five starts. He has managed just 4.9 K/9 to go with 1.9 BB/9 while permitting nine home runs. That’s neither the length nor the quality that the club needs from the knuckler.

Whether there’s a better option on hand, though, isn’t clear. While Kyle Kendrick has struggled, Henry Owens and Brian Johnson have each been rather successful at Triple-A, and both already have 40-man spots. With David Price still a ways away from his anticipated return, Boston will likely need to hope for better from Wright — who, it should be noted, is out of options — or one of the available replacements for a while longer.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/1/17

By Jeff Todd | May 1, 2017 at 9:28pm CDT

We’ll track the day’s minor moves here:

The Mariners have acquired minor-league third baseman Seth Mejias-Brean from the Reds, per an announcement from Triple-A Louisville (via Twitter). It’s not yet known what Cincinnati will receive in return. Mejias-Brean is a 26-year-old who was taken in the eighth round of the 2012 draft out of the University of Arizona. At times, he has been considered one of the organization’s better prospects. But his star has faded in recent years as the early promise has not translated to the upper minors. Over 546 total plate appearances at Triple-A since the start of 2016, Mejias-Brean has slashed just .232/.293/.310 with six home runs.

Blue Jays Place Aaron Sanchez Back On 10-Day DL

By Jeff Todd | May 1, 2017 at 9:11pm CDT

9:09pm: Toronto hopes that Sanchez will be able to bounce back quickly, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. The current plan is for the righty to take the ball for a rehab outing over the weekend, which might keep him on something like regular rest while allowing him to return to the majors after a minimal absence. That being said, as manager John Gibbons made clear, the organization will first make sure that Sanchez is fully healed.

4:21pm: The Blue Jays have placed righty Aaron Sanchez back on the 10-day DL, per a club announcement. A split nail is the cause, though the issue is tied closely to a preexisting impairment.

Sanchez had only just been activated from the DL to start on Sunday. But he lasted only a single inning, as he was forced out of action when his right middle fingernail split. Sanchez had undergone surgery in that area in an attempt to alleviate a blister problem, so it seems the new problem is related.

It’s not known what’s next for Sanchez and the Jays, who undoubtedly would like to find a clear path to overcoming the issue. The young righty suggested that perhaps the nail simply “wasn’t strong enough,” so it could well be that rest will be needed to allow it to heal.

We’ll have to wait to learn more to get a sense for how long Sanchez might be out this time around, but it seems reasonable to expect the club to build in some added margin for error. Righty Danny Barnes will take his roster spot for now, though it’s unclear as yet what the team will do to fill in for the open starting slot.

Knocking Down The Door: Berrios, Leonard, Mahle, Moore, O’Hearn

By Jason Martinez | May 1, 2017 at 8:08pm CDT

The latest installment of “Knocking Down The Door” includes Eric Hosmer’s possible heir apparent, a pair of Double-A pitchers looking to make the jump to an MLB rotation, a dominant Triple-A starter who could be facing off against the Red Sox this weekend, and the lone player from the big December 2012 trade between the Rays and Royals who has yet to reach the big leagues.

Here’s a look at five Minor Leaguers who are currently “Knocking Down The Door” to the Major Leagues.

Jose Berrios, SP, Minnesota Twins (Triple-A Rochester)

With a current opening in the Twins’ rotation—Adalberto Mejia was optioned to Triple-A after his last start—it’s likely that a Triple-A pitcher will be called up later this week. One glance at Berrios’ stats (1.09 ERA, 33 IP, 18 H, 8 BB, 35 K) after his latest gem—he pitched two-hit ball over eight scoreless innings on Sunday—and he appears to be the obvious choice. But this might not be the “slam dunk” it appears to be.

The 22-year-old Berrios has been dominating Triple-A hitters since 2015. It just didn’t carry over to the big leagues during his rookie season (8.02 ERA in 14 starts), which is why the Twins will want to be extra cautious before calling him up again. If they feel that he’s made the proper adjustments that will allow him to succeed and remain on the MLB roster for good, there’s a good chance he’ll be pitch against the Red Sox this weekend.

Twins Depth Chart

Patrick Leonard, 3B/1B/OF, Tampa Bay Rays (Triple-A Durham)

The lack of production against left-handed pitching from platoon players Peter Bourjos, Daniel Robertson and Rickie Weeks and a nagging foot injury to Evan Longoria—he’s out of the lineup on Monday—could have the Rays on the lookout for some help in the near future. They could find it down in Triple-A where Leonard, a right-handed hitting third baseman who has also played first base and the corner outfield spots, is putting up huge numbers.

In the midst of a nine-game hitting streak (17-for-36), the 24-year-old Leonard has his slash line up to .412/.474/.553 with two homers, six doubles and five stolen bases. He was named the International League Player of the Month. An MLB call-up would top that honor.

Rays Depth Chart

Tyler Mahle, SP, Cincinnati Reds (Double-A Pensacola)

Part of a rebuilding team’s plan should be, and often is, to stock up on inexpensive veteran arms to eat up innings at the big league level while young prospects develop down on the farm. The Reds did not make that a strong priority in the offseason and the injuries to Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan have only exacerbated the issue. As a result, at least two rotation spots could continue to be revolving doors throughout the season and any pitcher in the upper minors can force themselves into the mix.

Pitching a perfect game, as the 22-year-old Mahle did on April 22nd, should have placed him squarely on the Reds’ radar. He followed that up by throwing six shutout innings in last start, lowering his ERA to 0.55 with an astounding 0.52 WHIP and 34 strikeouts in 32.2 innings. While Triple-A Louisville would seem to be a more likely next destination for Mahle, the Reds could opt to ride the hot hand and find out if he’s ready to help out now.

Reds Depth Chart

Andrew Moore, SP, Seattle Mariners (Double-A Jackson)

It was Chase De Jong who was given the first crack at Felix Hernandez’s rotation spot and, based on the results (2.2 IP, 6 ER, 9 H), he might not get another start anytime soon. There are some decent options in Triple-A with MLB experience, including Chris Heston and Christian Bergman, but their best answer for some rotation stability could be a level below.

Since a promotion to Double-A Jackson last May, Moore has allowed more than two earned runs in only six of 24 appearances (23 starts) and has pitched at least six innings in fourteen of those games. That rare combination of consistency, durability and efficiency is why the 22-year-old right-hander could make a successful jump into the Major League rotation.

Mariners Depth Chart

Ryan O’Hearn, 1B, Kansas City Royals (Triple-A Omaha)

Despite nine straight losses and an MLB worst 7-16 record, it’s probably a bit too early to write off the Royals and deem them “sellers” in early May. Even if they were, they’d have a difficult time finding a good deal for struggling first baseman Eric Hosmer, who has two extra-base hits—one double and one triple—and a .573 OPS. That doesn’t mean it’s too early to get a look at his possible successor, O’Hearn, who had a .312/.361/.571 slash line, five homers and 10 multi-hit games in April.

Brandon Moss has shown some signs of life as of late (4-for-12, 2 HR in last three games), but he’s been a disappointment with a .617 OPS and 24 strikeouts in his first 68 plate appearances. Signed to a two-year, $12MM deal in the offseason, he’s not in danger of losing his roster spot, but he could lose at-bats to the left-handed hitting O’Hearn until Hosmer is traded.

Royals Depth Chart

“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Dodgers Place Hyun-Jin Ryu On 10-Day DL

By Jeff Todd | May 1, 2017 at 6:23pm CDT

The Dodgers have placed lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu on the 10-day DL with what the organization is calling a hip contusion, per a club announcement. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by righty Josh Fields.

It seems that the injury was incurred when Ryu attempted a slide while running the bases, per skipper Dave Roberts (via J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group, on Twitter). The hope, though, is that he’ll miss just one start.

With an off-day coming up, Hoornstra notes, the move won’t really cost the Dodgers much at all — so long as Ryu is indeed ready to return after the minimum absence. But the team will be able to enjoy an added reliever while he’s off the active roster.

Ryu, 30, is off to quite a promising start after missing the vast bulk of the past two seasons. Through five starts, he owns a 4.05 ERA across 26 2/3 innings with a strong 9.8 K/9 against just 2.7 BB/9. He’s sitting between 89 and 90 mph with his average fastball, just under his prior level, and so far has managed a career-best 12.1% swinging-strike rate.

Tyler Skaggs Expected To Miss 10-12 Weeks

By Jeff Todd | May 1, 2017 at 5:04pm CDT

The Angels announced that they will be without lefty Tyler Skaggs for approximately ten to twelve weeks, as Mark Feinsand of MLB.com tweets. Skaggs has been diagnosed with a grade 2 oblique strain and received a PRP injection.

Coming into the year, the big question was whether the Halos’ pitching health would hold up. Thus far, it hasn’t. Staff ace Garrett Richards is already on the DL, as are the three pitchers who arguably represent the top three closer options (veterans Huston Street and Andrew Bailey along with excellent youngster Cam Bedrosian).

[Related: Los Angeles Angels Depth Chart]

Skaggs, 25, had been looking for his first complete MLB campaign. Though he reached the majors way back in 2012, as a hyped prospect at twenty years of age, he has managed only 260 total major league frames and has yet to make more than 18 starts in a single season.

The silver lining here is that there’s no new injury to Skaggs’s surgically repaired left elbow. He made it back from Tommy John surgery last year, and has thrown rather well over the 15 outings since his return. In that span, Skaggs had thrown 79 frames of 4.10 ERA ball with 9.0 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9. Through five starts this year, his walk rate (2.8 BB/9) and swinging-strike rate (10.1%) stand at career-best levels.

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