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Check Out Pro Hockey Rumors For NHL Expansion Draft Coverage

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The Vegas Golden Knights are the first major sports franchise to hit the strip, and they’ll select a player from each NHL team in the upcoming expansion draft. The protection lists have been submitted, and the Golden Knights are in their 72-hour window of exclusive free agent negotiation. They’ll announce the team during the NHL Awards on Wednesday, June 21st but rumblings have already begun on who will be on the initial roster.

It’s the most interesting week of the NHL offseason, as Friday will also be the first round of the 2017 Entry Draft, with the New Jersey Devils holding the first overall pick. Will they pick Swiss-phenom Nico Hischier, or select the prototype center Nolan Patrick? Make sure you check out Pro Hockey Rumors and follow @prohockeyrumors to keep up with the wild week.

Brewers Release Neftali Feliz

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JUNE 19: The Brewers announced that Feliz has been released. At this point, he’s free to sign anywhere for the pro-rated portion of the big league minimum for any time spent in the Majors.

JUNE 14: The Brewers announced that they’ve designated right-hander Neftali Feliz for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for righty Matt Garza, who has been reinstated from the disabled list.

Feliz, 29, signed a one-year deal with the Brewers this offseason and opened the 2017 campaign as the team’s closer. However, after getting off to a hot start to the year (one earned run on two hits and two walks with seven strikeouts through his first seven appearances), Feliz’s performance has plummeted. Over his past 22 appearances, he’s been torched for a 7.17 ERA — yielding 21 runs (17 earned) on 21 hits with a 14-to-13 K/BB ratio. Feliz has served up a staggering eight homers in just 27 innings this season and had lost the closer’s role to breakout reliever Corey Knebel well before being designated.

Back in 2010, Feliz starred with the Rangers as the AL Rookie of the Year, saving 40 games with a 2.73 ERA and a 71-to-18 K/BB ratio in 69 1/3 innings of work. Feliz experienced a dip in velocity for several years following Tommy John surgery, and while he’s reclaimed his 96 mph average fastball velocity over the past two seasons, his control has never returned to pre-TJ form. Moreover, this year’s 30.3 percent ground-ball rate is one of the worst marks of his career. Generally speaking, though, he’s eschewed hard contact — surrendering a 26.6 percent hard-hit rate that ranks 131st out of 177 qualified relievers. Unfortunately for Feliz, when opponents have squared up against him, the damage has been significant, as evidenced by the previously mentioned home run woes.

Feliz was an effective reliever as recently as last season with the Pirates, tossing 53 2/3 innings with a 3.52 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 out of manager Clint Hurdle’s bullpen. That campaign, however, came to an end with a vague arm injury that was never fully disclosed and may have hindered his stock as a free agent.

In the coming days, the Brewers will determine whether they’ll trade Feliz (which would require including some cash to offset his salary) or opt to place him on waivers. It’s extremely unlikely that another team would claim the remaining $3.22MM on Feliz’s $5.35MM salary, so if he’s exposed to waivers he’ll almost certainly clear and be released. At that point, any team could sign him for the pro-rated portion of the Major League minimum. That sum, in turn, would be subtracted from the $3.22MM that the Brewers will pay him through season’s end.

Reds Place Zack Cozart, Bronson Arroyo On Disabled List

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The Reds announced today that they’ve placed shortstop Zack Cozart and right-hander Bronson Arroyo on the disabled list. Cozart has been diagnosed with a strained right quadriceps, and his DL stint is retroactive to Sunday. Arroyo has been diagnosed with a strained right shoulder.

In a pair of corresponding moves, the Reds have recalled outfielder Jesse Winker and right-hander Ariel Hernandez from Triple-A Louisville and Double-A Pensacola, respectively.

The news regarding Arroyo comes just one day after the 40-year-old righty made some characteristically candid comments about the strong possibility that his career could be over. Arroyo, whose comeback attempt in 2017 has resulted in a 7.35 ERA through 71 innings, told reporters, “That could have been the last time I was on the field, yeah.” For now, at least, it seems that he’ll take some time to rest his right arm and assess whether he’s able to continue onward.

As for Cozart, the 31-year-old is in the midst of a career-year at the plate — building nicely upon the power increase he showed in 2015-16. Through 255 trips to the plate this season, he’s batting a ridiculous .320/.404/.562 with nine home runs, and while some of that is clearly fueled by an unsustainable .367 BABIP, there are also legitimate indicators of improvement. Cozart’s 12.5 percent walk rate is a career-best, and he’s chasing pitches out of the strike zone less often than he ever has in his Major League career (26.2 percent).

The extent of the injury to Cozart remains to be seen, though certainly it behooves both team and player for the absence to be minimal in nature. Cozart is set to reach free agency for the first time in his career at season’s end, and any prolonged stay on the DL (for a third straight season) would harm his free-agent stock. And, as an impending free agent, he’s also a prime trade piece for the Reds, as MLBTR’s Connor Byrne noted last night in the latest installment of our Taking Inventory series.

With Cozart on the disabled list, the Reds could move second baseman Jose Peraza over to shortstop for a brief period, turning to one of the many utility options the club possesses to handle second base for a time. That’d include hot-hitting Scooter Gennett and versatile Arismendy Alcantara, each of whom has plenty of experience there.

Yonder Alonso, Athletics Have Mutual Interest In Extension

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JUNE 19: The interest in working out a long-term pact is mutual, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. In his latest 10 Degrees column, Passan writes that the A’s “have expressed interest in an Alonso extension,” noting that Oakland is keenly aware that there aren’t many clear-cut buyers looking to acquire a first baseman or designated hitter. With a likely buyers’ market for first base/DH options this summer, the A’s could see more value in working out a deal to retain Alonso.

JUNE 16: While most pending free agents aren’t willing to discuss extensions once the season begins, A’s first baseman Yonder Alonso tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that he hopes to remain in Oakland long-term and is open to forgoing free agency by inking a midseason extension.

Alonso cites a number of rising young players in Oakland, listing the recently promoted Matt Chapman and rising prospects such as Franklin Barreto and A.J. Puk as reasons that he feels the A’s can be competitive in the near future.

“I think that there is a great chance that I stay here,” Alonso tells Rosenthal. “I really do mean that. The guys they have, the young core that they have, are all guys I can relate to. … A lot of players here say, ‘I want to play well here, do well and get out.’ I actually want to play well, do well and stay here.”

The 30-year-old Alonso is in the midst of a breakout season at the plate, and in a separate column he details to Rosenthal the amount of work he put into overhauling his swing and approach at the plate this season. Alonso sought out players such as Joey Votto, Carlos Beltran, Eric Hosmer and Danny Valencia, among others, in an effort to gain as much information and input on his swing as possible. Votto in particular seems to have been helpful to Alonso, who was considered one of the top prospects in all of baseball while making his way through the Reds’ farm system. (Both Votto and Valencia go into great detail with Rosenthal in explaining some of the advice that they had for Alonso, making for a very interesting read.)

The results of Alonso’s change in mechanics and approach speak for themselves. Through 211 plate appearances, he’s posted a sensational .306/.398/.645 batting line with a career-high 17 home runs. Alonso’s fly-ball rate is roughly 18 percent higher than his career average, and he’s made significant gains both in hard-hit rate and in walk rate. The uptick in production has come at the cost of some contact, as he’s striking out at a career-high 22.7 percent clip, though that’s obviously been a more than worthwhile trade-off.

Alonso looked like a legitimate non-tender candidate this past winter, and it was surprising to some (myself included) that Oakland even decided to retain him at a $4MM rate that is now a massive bargain. As MLBTR’s Jeff Todd explained when profiling Alonso’s free agent stock, he’s been the most productive among the first basemen set to hit the open market following the 2017 season and seems to have a reasonable chance at landing at least a three-year deal, if not a four-year pact on the open market.

Of course, he’d forgo that opportunity to sign a long-term deal with the A’s, though there’s still no certainty that Oakland will reciprocate the interest or that the two sides will be able to agree on a price. Josh Reddick, for instance, had similar sentiments about Oakland last year and had hoped to remain in green and gold on a long-term deal, but the two sides couldn’t agree on a price tag. Ultimately, he was flipped to the Dodgers along with Rich Hill for a trio of pitching prospects. Alonso could very well meet a similar fate, though in light of his comments, it seems all but certain that his agents at MVP Sports will at least explore the possibility of an extension with Oakland’s front office.

Rosenthal’s Latest: McCutchen, Cole, Hand, Cubs

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In his latest notes column, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes that while there’s a pretty good chance of an Andrew McCutchen trade this summer, the Pirates aren’t by any means planning a full tear-down of the roster. As such, Rosenthal notes that right-hander Gerrit Cole isn’t likely to be traded, considering he’s controllable for two more years beyond the current campaign. Trading McCutchen, whose bat has come to life over the past few weeks, wouldn’t be done as a means of waving a white flag on the 2017 campaign. Rather, the team could look to replace him in the lineup with a more affordable and/or controllable trade acquisition, as the Bucs did last year when replacing Melancon and Francisco Liriano with Felipe Rivero and Ivan Nova. McCutchen has a club option for the 2018 season that is valued at $14.5MM, and he’ll be a free agent thereafter.

A couple more highlights…

  • The Padres are seeking a “Will Smith” type of return for lefty setup man Brad Hand, one rival executive tell Rosenthal. The Brewers traded Smith to the Giants last season in exchange for right-hander Phil Bickford, who at the time was 14 months removed from being a first-round pick, and catcher Andrew Susac — a former top prospect with MLB experience already under his belt. The Padres, of course, needn’t look to mirror that exact structure, but it seems fair to believe that GM A.J. Preller and his staff are hopeful of acquiring one near-MLB-ready asset and another highly touted young prospect in any deal for Hand, who is controllable through 2019. A pair of recent rough outings have made Hand’s numbers look a bit more mortal, but he’s still sporting a strong 2.84 ERA with 11.4 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 50 percent ground-ball rate through 38 innings.
  • Rosenthal also writes that fans shouldn’t expect to see the Cubs trade any of their young MLB-level hitters this summer. He suggests that Kyle Schwarber, Willson Contreras, Albert Almora and even the less-experienced Ian Happ are all unlikely to be moved, though Chicago certainly has a number of upper-level prospects that would entice rival teams to part with talent that could help turn around the season for the reigning World Series champions. Rosenthal also spoke with right-hander Jake Arrieta at length in an interesting interview about his struggles this season. While the former Cy Young winner conceded that his workload in 2015-16 may be having more of an effect on him than he’d like to admit. As Rosenthal notes, virtually every member of the Cubs’ rotation that pitched into the World Series has had some level of struggle this season, and the same is largely true of the Indians.

Taking Inventory: Cincinnati Reds

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This is the seventh entry in MLBTR’s Taking Inventory series. Click for entries on the White Sox, Royals, Phillies, Pirates, Giants and Padres.

After entering the season expected to finish as one of the majors’ worst teams, the Reds got off to a hot start and then hung around .500 through late May. But since holding a 19-15 mark on May 11, the Reds have lost 24 of 34 to fall to 29-39 and plummet to last place in the National League Central. Now, with the trade deadline approaching, they look like surefire sellers.

Rentals

Zack Cozart, SS | Salary: $5.325MM

There are questions regarding how much demand there will be for shortstops at this year’s deadline, which could hinder the Reds’ efforts to net a quality return for Cozart. Nevertheless, the impending free agent has done his part to drive up his value. The 31-year-old served as a roughly league-average player from 2012-16, but he’s now in the midst of a shockingly great season. Cozart has slashed .320/.404/.562 across 255 plate appearances. Thanks to that output and his typically effective work in the field (four Defensive Runs Saved, 8.5 UZR/150), he’s tied with three established superstars – Joey Votto (his teammate), Bryce Harper and Mookie Betts – and Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks for fourth among position players in fWAR (2.9). That figure represents a career best for Cozart, whose trade value could increase if interested teams feel he can play another position. The Red Sox, for example, are set at shortstop but have a glaring need at third base. Cozart has spent his entire career at short since debuting in 2011.

Drew Storen, RP | Salary: $3MM

Realizing they weren’t going to compete this year, it’s fair to say the Reds signed Storen with the goal of flipping him at the deadline. The 29-year-old has pitched well enough this season to make that a real possibility, having recorded a 2.45 ERA, 7.67 K/9, 3.99 BB/9 and a stellar 54.1 percent ground-ball rate in 29 1/3 innings. Storen’s velocity has continued on a downward plane, and his ERA estimators aren’t nearly as kind as his actual run prevention numbers (3.82 FIP, 4.00 SIERA, 4.71 xFIP), but it’s a good bet that some playoff hopeful(s) will want the former closer.

Scott Feldman, SP/RP | Salary: $2.3MM

As with Storen, Feldman has seemed like a very short-term Band-Aid for the Reds since the minute they took a cheap flyer on him in the offseason. While Feldman, 34, has emerged as the ace of the Reds’ staff this year, that merely indicates how poor and injury plagued their rotation has been. To Feldman’s credit, he has performed like a bona fide back-end type, with a 4.29 ERA/ 4.28 FIP, 7.18 K/9 and 3.13 BB/9 over 77 2/3 frames. Feldman’s probably not going to interest playoff contenders searching for mid-rotation starters, but he could garner looks from teams that want someone to competently soak up innings from the rotation and/or the bullpen down the stretch. That was the case at the deadline last year, when the postseason-bound Blue Jays sent a teenage pitcher, Lupe Chavez, to the Astros for Feldman.

Controlled Through 2018

Devin Mesoraco, C | Salary: $7.325MM in 2017; $13.125MM in 2018

Mesoraco broke out in 2014, hitting .273/.359/.534 with 25 home runs, leading the Reds to sign the offense-first backstop to a four-year, $28MM extension. Little went right over the next two years for Mesoraco, whom injuries limited to 106 PAs and a woeful .158/.245/.500 line with no homers. Mesoraco became somewhat of an afterthought as a result, but the 28-year-old has quietly rebounded this season to slash .235/.343/.518 with six homers and career highs in walk rate (12.1 percent) and isolated power (.282) across 99 trips to the plate. That’s an admittedly small sample, though, and it’s debatable how much in-season trade value he’d have as a somewhat expensive player fresh off a couple of lost years.

Blake Wood, RP | Salary: $1.275MM in 2017; arbitration eligible in 2018

The 31-year-old righty was decent last year, his first with the Reds, and has contributed respectable production again this season. The hard-throwing Wood entered Sunday ranked ninth among relievers in grounder rate (60.9 percent), and he’s currently running a career-best 3.63 ERA through 34 2/3 frames. Wood has also registered acceptable strikeout (9.09) and walk (4.15) rates per nine. With all of that considered, it’s easy to imagine a bullpen-needy playoff contender with a capable infield defense and/or a small ballpark having interest in the grounder-heavy, inexpensive Wood.

Longer-Term Assets

Joey Votto, 1B; Raisel Iglesias, RP; Billy Hamilton, CF; Adam Duvall, OF; Scott Schebler, OF; Eugenio Suarez, 3B; Anthony DeSclafani, SP; Brandon Finnegan, SP; Scooter Gennett, IF/OF; Michael Lorenzen, RP; Wandy Peralta, RP

Votto, who inked a 10-year, $225MM contract extension in 2012, is both the Reds’ most expensive player and the crown jewel of the franchise. The potential Hall of Famer is enjoying yet another all-world season and would improve most (or all) big-spending contenders’ situations at first base. Votto has a no-trade clause, though, and suggested over the winter that he’d like to mimic retired San Antonio Spurs superstar Tim Duncan and the New England Patriots’ Tom Brady by playing his entire career in one place. Before that, Reds general manager Dick Williams stated he hadn’t had any discussions with Votto about waiving his no-trade clause. The reality is, Votto’s not going anywhere.

The rest of the Reds’ longer-term assets are probably safe bets to at least last the season in Cincinnati. Of course, there was interest this past offseason in Hamilton, whose fading team control (he’s signed through 2019) could make him a legitimate trade candidate soon. The 26-year-old has continued his light-hitting ways this season, but the baserunning brilliance and defensive excellence that have made him valuable throughout his career remain intact.

Hamilton’s outfield mates, Duvall and Schebler, are much different players than the speedster. But the two sluggers have turned into real finds for Cincinnati and emerged as viable regulars. The 26-year-old Schebler isn’t even eligible for arbitration until 2020, while Duvall (28) won’t go through the arb process until 2019. Given both their cheap control and production, the two corner outfielders would likely warrant quality returns in trades, but there’s no indication the Reds are interested in moving either player.

Similarly, both Suarez and Gennett have been solid pickups for the Reds, with the former in the midst of what could be a breakout year and the latter having recently turned in the first four-home run game in team history. That was an anomaly for Gennett (as it would be for any player, but especially one who has never been much of a power threat), who’s nonetheless in the midst of a nice season and previously put up a couple league-average campaigns in Milwaukee. Although the 27-year-old Gennett joined the Reds via waivers at the end of March, he has probably at least built some trade value since then. The utilityman’s affordable this season ($2.525MM) and controllable through 2019. Suarez is under wraps through 2020 and currently on a near-minimum salary ($595K), but the 25-year-old seems a lot likelier than Gennett to be part of the Reds’ long-term core. Assuming Cozart doesn’t stick around, Suarez could shift to shortstop (his previous position) when highly touted third base prospect Nick Senzel eventually comes up to the majors.

Elsewhere, the Reds have several young starting pitchers, but DeSclafani and Finnegan stand out as the most promising. A sprained ulnar collateral ligament has kept DeSclafani out all season, however, and he might not debut until August. Finnegan, meanwhile, has been out since April on account of a shoulder issue. While he’ll be back sooner than DeSclafani, the Reds aren’t going to sell low on either of these two this season.

Conversely, the Reds would be selling high on some of their top bullpen assets – Iglesias, Lorenzen and Peralta. Iglesias has turned into a premier reliever since shifting from the Reds’ rotation last season, and the 27-year-old signed a very reasonable contract with the club in 2014 after fleeing his native Cuba. Of course, Iglesias only went to the bullpen in the first place because of shoulder problems, so there’s a case to be made that Cincinnati should at least listen to any offers that might come in for the dominant righty prior to the deadline. While Lorenzen and Peralta aren’t on Igleslias’ level, they’re good and cheap. The former won’t hit arbitration for the first time until the upcoming offseason and the latter is a pre-arb player through the 2019 campaign. Each of these 25-year-olds would intrigue teams looking for relievers, but there’s nothing to suggest that Williams is going to put either on the block.

AL Notes: Red Sox, Rangers, Orioles

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The Red Sox signed first baseman Mitch Moreland to a one-year, $5.5MM contract over the winter, passing on bigger names in the process, and it has worked out beautifully so far, observes Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal. Boston probably would have gone a more expensive route had it not been so close to the luxury-tax threshold, which may have also cost the team a first-round pick, writes MacPherson. To this point, Moreland has held his own relative to more expensive offseason signings such as Edwin Encarnacion, Mark Trumbo, Kendrys Morales, Jose Bautista and Carlos Beltran. Moreland, an ex-Ranger, has slashed .280/.373/.480 with nine home runs in his first 260 plate appearances with the Red Sox. What’s more, the 31-year-old has transferred his strong work in the field from Texas to Boston, having racked up three Defensive Runs Saved and notched a 2.4 UZR/150.

A couple more American League-related items…

  • One of Moreland’s former teammates – free agent right-hander Colby Lewis – was unwilling to return to the Rangers on a minor league contract last offseason, and he explained why to T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. “I didn’t want to fight for a position,” Lewis said. “Here I am, I have been here forever. I’ll be 38 this season, you want to make me fight for a spot? It was a bitter pill to swallow and still is. I always wanted to wear this uniform, this is where I wanted to be.” Lewis, a Ranger from 2002-04 and 2010-16 who pitched to a 3.71 ERA/4.81 FIP in 116 1/3 innings last year, isn’t ready to call it a career. However, it doesn’t seem as if he’ll take a minors deal anywhere. While Lewis contends he’s only five to six weeks away from being major league ready, it’s difficult to imagine anyone giving him a guaranteed contract.
  • Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy’s wrist is “not good” after he took a 93 mph Lance Lynn fastball off it Sunday, manager Buck Showalter told reporters (via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). “We took an X-ray here, saw something that concerned us,” continued Showalter. “I know he’s got a scan in the morning and we’ll have a little more definitive idea there.” It’s likely Hardy will head to the disabled list, per Kubatko, meaning the Orioles would have two regular infielders on the DL (first baseman Chris Davis is the other). Ruben Tejada, Paul Janish and Luis Sardinas are the in-house options to fill in for Hardy, notes Kubatko, though Tejada’s the only one on Baltimore’s 40-man roster. The 34-year-old Hardy isn’t exactly an irreplaceable cog at this stage of his career, evidenced by his .211/.248/.308 batting line in 239 plate appearances. The only qualified hitter with a worse wRC+ than Hardy’s (43) is Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar (19).

MLBTR Originals

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Here’s a recap of the original content featured at MLBTR over the past week:

  • Jeff Todd updated his list of top trade deadline candidates, increasing the total from 30 in the first version to 50 in the latest iteration. Combining trade value and the likelihood of a move, White Sox closer David Robertson stands above the rest.
  • In this week’s editions of the Taking Inventory series, which breaks down trade possibilities from teams that will likely sell, Charlie Wilmoth focused on the Giants, Steve Adams examined the Royals and Jason Martinez handled the Padres.
  • Prior to the beginning of the draft on Monday, Steve polled readers on whom the Twins would select first overall. Kyle Wright, Hunter Greene, Brendan McKay and “Other” were the choices. Minnesota ended up taking high school shortstop Royce Lewis, meaning the 6.79 percent of voters who chose “Other” were closest to being correct.
  • In the latest entry in his Knocking Down The Door series, Jason profiled prospects from the Athletics, Phillies, Dodgers, Giants and Blue Jays. Shortly after, the A’s called up third baseman Matt Chapman, who Jason noted had been making a case for a big league promotion in Triple-A.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: D-backs, Hosmer, Mets, Dodgers, Jays, Trout

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This week in baseball blogs:

  • Inside the ’Zona looks at which areas the Diamondbacks could address prior to the trade deadline.
  • Clubhouse Corner interviews Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer about reaching career milestones.
  • Outside Pitch MLB recommends the Yankees trade for Hosmer.
  • FiveWAR argues that it’s time for the Mets to sell.
  • ThinkBluePC lists some potential options for the Dodgers if they seek pitching help before the deadline.
  • BP Toronto isn’t concerned about Blue Jays reliever-turned-starter Joe Biagini’s workload.
  • Big Three Sports notes that, despite his injury, Angels center fielder Mike Trout could still win the AL MVP.
  • Fueled by Sports ranks the top 10 Giants of all-time.
  • Camden Depot wonders if the Orioles’ recent struggles are a more accurate representation of the team than its season-opening hot streak.
  • Mets Daddy wants no part of Jose Reyes in the team’s starting lineup anymore.
  • The Point of Pittsburgh applauds Pirates right-hander Jameson Taillon for his speedy return from testicular cancer surgery and ponders if more changes are in store for their rotation.
  • The Sports Tank suggests that Cubs manager Joe Maddon gets too much credit.
  • Padres Prospectus writes about whether a move to the bullpen would enhance starter Jhoulys Chacin’s trade value.
  • Bleeding Royal Blue delves into Kansas City’s recent surge and some other topics related to the team.
  • Prospects1500 highlights top performances from each minor league level for the week of June 5.
  • Call to the Pen focuses on potential prospect promotions for the Phillies.
  • The Runner Sports (links: 1, 2) recaps the A’s entire draft and touches on the Yankees’ thriving offense.
  • MetsMind profiles first base prospect Dominic Smith.
  • Sports Talk Philly doesn’t see the Phillies as a fit for Buck Showalter if he leaves the Orioles in the near future.
  • A’s Farm examines the Athletics’ picks in the first 10 rounds of this year’s draft.
  • Jays Journal, Clutchlings and Everything Bluebirds are excited about one of Toronto’s top prospects, infielder Bo Bichette.
  • FanRag names some potential 2018 draftees to watch in the College World Series.
  • Rotisserie Duck pays tribute to Jimmy Piersall.
  • The Runner Sports points out that, with the drafting of 35th-rounder Trei Cruz (the grandson of Jose Cruz and the son of Jose Cruz Jr.), three generations of the Cruz family could end up playing for the Astros.
  • Pinstriped Prospects profiles the Single-A Staten Island Yankees.
  • Outfield Fly Rule reviews the first half of the Braves’ new Single-A affiliate, the Florida Fire Frogs.
  • The 3rd Man In recaps the second day of the Brewers’ draft.
  • Nyrdcast offers a Cardinals draft tracker.

Submissions: ZachBBWI @gmail.com.

Central Notes: Arroyo, Tigers, Russell

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After lasting just three innings and allowing five earned runs on seven hits in a loss to the Dodgers on Sunday, Reds right-hander Bronson Arroyo admitted to reporters (including C. Trent Rosecrans of the Cincinati Enquirer) that his career could be over. “You have to put up enough quality starts for a ballclub to want to keep you around, you know?” said the 40-year-old. “That could have been the last time I was on the field, yeah. It’s just the way it is.” Given that injuries kept Arroyo out of action between August 2014 and the start of this season, it’s somewhat remarkable that he has even rebounded to make 14 starts in 2017. But most of the longtime innings eater’s appearances this season haven’t gone well, as he has logged a 7.35 ERA and allowed a major league-worst 23 home runs over 71 frames. Arroyo has also battled soreness in his surgically repaired shoulder, contributing to his poor output. “I was hoping my arm would continue to get better and better as the year has gone on,” stated Arroyo. “It’s almost like it’s telling me ‘Hey man, I’m not going to run this race for you anymore.’’

Here’s more from the majors’ Central divisions:

  • The Tigers announced Sunday that they’ve recalled righty Anibal Sanchez from Triple-A Toledo and optioned fellow righty Buck Farmer. Sanchez will make his first major league start of the year Monday against the Mariners. After getting off to a poor start out of the Tigers’ bullpen this season, the 33-year-old Sanchez requested a demotion to the minors in May so he could work out of Toledo’s rotation. Since then, Sanchez has pitched to an underwhelming 4.60 ERA over 15 2/3 innings and four starts, though he has also notched 11.49 K/9, 2.87 BB/9 and a 45.2 percent ground-ball rate. Sanchez, who’s in a contract year and making $16MM, has been a quality big leaguer for most of his career, but he hasn’t been particularly effective since 2014.
  • With his expensive salary, Sanchez has been a key part of the Tigers’ high payrolls in recent years. As mentioned, though, he’ll be off the books after this season, when the Tigers plan to tamp down their spending. “I don’t think you’ll see us spending over $200 million on payroll like we have in past. You’ll see more lean payroll,” general manager Al Avila told MLB Network Radio on Sunday (Twitter link). Detroit is right around the $200MM threshold at the moment, per Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource, but has only managed a 32-36 record and is on pace to miss the playoffs for the third straight year.
  • As of 10 days ago, Major League Baseball was looking into domestic violence allegations against Cubs shortstop Addison Russell. A resolution to the matter doesn’t seem to be in sight, writes the Chicago Sun-Times’ Gordon Wittenmyer, as Russell told him, “As far as I know I haven’t heard anything, and that’s where I’m going to leave it.”

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