Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for July 2017

Brewers Sign First-Rounder Tristen Lutz

By | at

The Brewers have signed supplemental first-rounder Tristen Lutz, reports Jim Callis of MLB.com (Twitter link). Lutz, a high school outfielder and the 34th overall selection, landed an over-slot deal worth $2,532MM (up from the $1,983,600 value of the pick).

MLB.com (No. 34), Baseball America (No. 35) and ESPN’s Keith Law (No. 39) gave Lutz similar rankings entering the draft, though the 18-year-old lagged behind on FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen’s big board (No. 61). The right-handed Lutz’s bat is “easy” to believe in, according to BA, which notes that the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder already possesses a “pro-ready body.” The other outlets also offer promising assessments regarding the former University of Texas commitment’s offensive game, and the general belief is that he’ll end up in right field if he cracks the majors.

With Lutz officially in the fold, the Brewers have now locked up their first several picks of 2017, as MLB.com’s draft tracker shows. While the Brewers went above slot to sign Lutz, they previously saved over $500K in inking their top choice, No. 9 overall selection Keston Hiura, to a deal worth less than the value of his pick.

Reds Place Devin Mesoraco On DL

By | at

3:24pm: It appears Mesoraco has dodged a major injury, as multiple people have told Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer that his latest shoulder issue is neither serious nor related to last year’s surgery (Twitter links).

3:19pm: The Reds have placed catcher Devin Mesoraco on the 10-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. His roster spot will go to right-hander Ariel Hernandez, whom the Reds recalled from Triple-A Louisville.

[RELATED: Updated Reds Depth Chart]

At 36-47, the Reds are well out of the playoff hunt, meaning Mesoraco’s loss isn’t a blow to their chances to contend. The injury itself could be worrisome, though, considering Mesoraco missed nearly all of last season with a torn labrum in the same shoulder. Mesoraco had surgery on that shoulder in May 2016, ending his season, and then underwent a procedure on his hip in July. As a result, he didn’t debut this year until the end of April.

Mesoraco missed most of the 2015 campaign with hip problems, so the 129 plate appearances the offense-first backstop has racked up this year are already more than the 106 he combined for from 2015-16. Prior to landing on the DL, the 29-year-old was in the midst of an encouraging season, as he has slashed a solid .234/.333/.459 with six home runs.

Now, with over $3MM left on his contract this year and another $13MM on the way in 2018, the Reds are left to hope Mesoraco hasn’t suffered yet another serious injury. In the meantime, they’ll turn to Tucker Barnhart and Stuart Turner as their top two catchers.

East Notes: Braves, Walker, Bird, Holliday, Headley, Jays

By | at

As the Braves continue to hover around .500, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looks at their approach to the coming trade deadline. Atlanta has played well of late and is now welcoming back slugger Freddie Freeman, which perhaps gives some cause for optimism. While a postseason berth still seems a tall task, the club may well choose to avoid a sell-off after entering the year with the stated aim of being more competitive. O’Brien explores some ways in which the team might deal a few veterans while still sustaining (or even improving) the quality of the current roster — in particular, by looking into trades for controllable starting pitching.

Here’s more from the eastern divisions:

  • The Mets are seeing some progress from second baseman Neil Walker. Per James Wagner of the New York Times, via Twitter, Walker is taking balls at second base today as he begins to work back from a significant hamstring injury. It still seems unlikely he’ll be ready to return before the trade deadline, though his large salary makes him quite a plausible August trade piece as well.
  • It seems there’s still quite a bit of uncertainty surrounding Yankees first baseman Greg Bird. As Bryan Hoch of MLB.com writes, GM Brian Cashman says that Bird’s longstanding ankle issue could end up requiring exploratory surgery. That possibility is just that at present, however, as Bird himself suggests that he’s in no rush to go under the knife. Cashman noted that the organization is doing everything it can to determine the cause of the ongoing pain Bird is experiencing. Given his questionable status, among other factors, the team seems to have a rather obvious deadline needs at first base.
  • Veteran Matt Holliday could conceivably contribute at first base, at least on a part-time basis, but he too is on the DL. There’s good news on that front, as Meredith Marakovits of the YES Network reports on Twitter. Holliday tells her that he finally received a diagnosis for his illness — it’s viral in nature — and is now feeling better.
  • Whatever happens at first, the Yankees do not seem presently inclined to make drastic changes across the diamond, as MLB.com’s Matthew Martell writes. “Who do you want me to play there?” Cashman said when pressed about the status of third baseman Chase Headley. “Headley’s our third baseman. Sorry you don’t like it.” There’s probably still room for the team to consider alternatives in the trade market, of course, though a significant upgrade may be tough to find. Headley owns a serviceable .255/.347/.373 batting line, right in line with his work since landing in New York, and has generally rated as a steady enough defender. He’s also owed $13MM this year and next.
  • While Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said yesterday that he still wants to improve the team’s roster in the near-term, Jon Morosi of MLB.com writes that “multiple executives around the Major Leagues” think the Jays will end up selling. A few deals involving pending free agents wouldn’t be a surprise, of course, but Morosi suggests there’s potential for more significant pieces changing hands — though it’s not clear from the report whether any sources from within the Toronto organization view that as a real possibility. The Cardinals have internal interest in star Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, per the report, though that hasn’t resulted in any trade talks to this point. Surely, plenty of other teams feel the same way about Donaldson and other core Jays performers. If Shapiro is to be taken at this word, a true rebuild isn’t really under consideration, though perhaps some lateral moves for younger or more controllable players could still be entertained.

Top 60 Trade Deadline Candidates For 2017

By | at

With trade season entering full swing, we’ll be doing these lists with greater frequency. We last checked in about a week ago. Click here for the first one, including an explanation of the approach. Basically, we’re looking at both trade likelihood and trade value (in all its facets).

Since last we looked, several players have gone on or off the DL, while others have exhibited trends that warrant consideration. The standings have shifted the calculus, too.

On to the rankings (“LR” = “last ranked”):

1. J.D. Martinez, OF, Tigers (LR: 2): Maybe I’m just itching to name a new top dog, but at some point it’s hard to ignore the fact that Martinez represents a potentially season-altering rental piece. The OPS remains over 1.000.

2. Sonny Gray, SP, Athletics (LR: 10): After two straight gems, Gray jumps back up the board. Teams aren’t just hanging on his every start, of course, but that serves to show that things are generally coming together for Gray. The results are beginning to match the improved peripherals he has sported this year, and the A’s seem ready to make this long-debated move.

3. Addison Reed, RH Reliever, Mets (LR: 7): He’s been dominant since taking over the 9th for the Mets and could be the best right-handed reliever available. Barring a stunning run, New York looks to be a clear seller, with the deadline representing a nice consolation opportunity to cash in on some players who’ll be free agents at year end.

4. David Robertson, RH Reliever, White Sox (LR: 1): Still the market’s most obviously available Certified Closer, Robertson is pitching quite well. But he has been overtaken by the above three players, with his large contract continuing to impact his value.

5. Zack Cozart, SS, Reds (LR: INJ): Cozart is back from the DL, sporting top-line offensive numbers as an outstanding up-the-middle defender. Even with a few contenders suffering injuries to shortstops, demand remains unclear, and there’s even some chatter that the team could explore an extension. Odds are, though, that Cozart will end up on the move.

6. Justin Wilson (Tigers) & Brad Hand (Padres), LH Reliever, (LR: 8): Wilson has eight strikeouts in his last 4 1/3 innings. In Hand’s most recent appearance, he struck out Francisco Lindor, Michael Brantley, and Edwin Encarnacion in succession.

8. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Athletics (LR: 6): Entering play yesterday, Alonso hadn’t swatted a long ball since June 15th and was in clear (albeit still brief) lull at the plate. He responded with two July 4th dingers. Teams will no doubt retain a bit of skepticism as to whether Alonso can maintain the full-throated breakout he has displayed to this point, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be valued in the market.

9. Jed Lowrie, 2B/3B, Athletics (LR: 4): Lowrie is a useful player with some defensive versatility who remains eminently available.

10. Jose Quintana, SP, White Sox (LR: 5): The consistency just hasn’t been there for Quintana. While Chicago still seems rather likely to trade him, his value is certainly not at its peak.

11. Pat Neshek, RH Reliever, Phillies (LR: 3): Neshek finally turned in a dud of an outing, but even after allowing three earned he owns a 1.39 ERA on the year.

12. Alex Avila, C, Tigers (LR: 31): Trade rumors have picked up on the veteran catcher, whose suddenly potent left-handed bat might add real impact down the stretch. Sure, his .424 BABIP is bound to fall, but Avila has shown real power before and he’s also walking at an excellent 16.8% clip.

13. Todd Frazier, 3B, White Sox (LR: 17): Frazier mashed in June. Several contenders seem in need of help at third. And it’s not clear any better alternatives will be available.  Those factors ought to boost the prospect return and cost savings that’ll be available to the White Sox.

14. Lucas Duda (1B), Jay Bruce (OF), Curtis Granderson (OF), Mets (LR: 26): All three are hitting even as the Mets’ season collapses. Granderson is banged up but hasn’t required a DL stint.

17. Trevor Cahill, SP, Padres (LR: INJ): Cahill carried an impressive 3.27 ERA with 51 strikeouts through 41 1/3 innings when he hit the DL with a shoulder strain. He threw rather well in his first start back and has plenty of time to show that the joint is at full health. Cahill is a cheap rental piece (one-year, $1.75MM contract) who is posting a 13.2% swinging-strike rate and 62.3% groundball rate. Interest should be robust if he can keep that going over his next few starts.

18. Juan Nicasio, RH Reliever, Pirates (LR: 22): He’s working near his peak career levels in terms of velocity and whiff rate, with the results to match. Nicasio’s affordable contract increases his appeal.

19. Ryan Madson (RH Reliever) & Sean Doolittle (LH Reliever), Athletics; David Phelps & AJ Ramos, RH Reliever, Marlins (LR: 11): I’m keeping these four pitchers bunched together for the time being; different arms, to be sure, but they seem to fall in a similar asset class and situation. All play for clear sellers; all are generally pretty danged good relievers; and all come with some warts that dent their trade value (respectively: contract; health; inconsistency; wildness).

23. Andrew McCutchen (Pirates) & Marcell Ozuna (Marlins), OF (LR: 29, 19): The Bucs are now seven games off the NL Central pace with three teams ahead of them in the standings. McCutchen’s season OPS has risen from .631 on May 26th to .894 (!) entering action today. Ozuna has kept the fire going all year long and comes with two years of arb control. But nobody knows whether either will really be marketed.

25. Justin Verlander, SP, Tigers (LR: 41): Chatter is building on Verlander even as his struggles continue. It’ll be tough for the Tigers to deal such a central figure for an unexciting return, but at some point some tough calls will need to be made if the team is serious about trimming its payroll and getting younger.

26. Jerry Blevins, LH Reliever, Mets (LR: 24): Blevins has been knocked around a bit of late, taking some of the sheen off of his body of work this year, but he’s still a quality lefty who’ll hold broad interest. With an appealing option for 2018, New York won’t feel compelled to move him.

27. Tony Watson, LH Reliever, Pirates (LR: 22): Watson has struggled to keep runners off the bags all year long, but he has mostly maintained the peripherals that have made him a reliable late-inning arm for several years.

28. Melky Cabrera, OF, White Sox (LR: 17): The offensive work continues to improve for the veteran, who’s a clear trade piece. But others have moved past Cabrera given his limitations in the field and big salary.

29. Scott Feldman (SP), Drew Storen (RH Reliever), Tony Cingrani (LH Reliever), Reds (LR: 37, 26, NR): The steady veteran has separated himself a bit from the herd of back-of-the-rotation starters with a run of strong performances. His season ERA is down to 3.78 and he’s also quite affordable ($3.2MM salary). Storen still looks like a solid option to bolster a contender’s middle relief corps. And Cingrani enters the list after returning strong from a DL stint.

32. Welington Castillo (Orioles) & Jonathan Lucroy (Rangers), C (LR: 30, NR): With top prospect Chance Sisco waiting in the wings, the O’s could conceivably try to find some value for Castillo without punting a shot at a postseason berth altogether. The Rangers seem to be open to considering deals for Lucroy, a pending free agent, as he struggles through a down year while Robinson Chirinos produces.

34. Marco Estrada & Francisco Liriano, SP, Blue Jays (LR: 48, NR): The Jays are fading and these two veterans just aren’t performing. But each comes with his share of upside and would be fairly easy to move (so long as Toronto eats some salary) as rental assets.

36. Ian Kinsler (2B) & Justin Upton (OF), Tigers (LR: 20): I covered some of the nuances involved in these veterans in the last ranking, so we won’t repeat that here. Both are coming off of productive stretches over the month of June and could represent notable additions, but come with contract complications.

38. Brandon Kintzler, RH Reliever, Twins (LR: 45): While the team is holding firmly in contention, and could still look to add controllable pieces, Kintzler would likely be the first player to be made available in the event that the Twins decide to sell.

39. Zach Britton (LH Reliever) & Brad Brach (RH Reliever), Orioles (LR: INJ): Forearm injuries have limited Britton (he’s only just back from a second DL stint) and he hasn’t been as dominant as he was last year when he has been healthy. And even if Baltimore ultimately decides to move some players, it needn’t deal a pitcher with another year of arbitration remaining. But … if Britton can show over the next three weeks that he’s again capable of being an unholy groundball/strikeout monster and the AL Wild Card race begins to resolve against the Orioles’ favor, then perhaps there’s a chance he could be a significant part of the deadline tapestry. Brach could also, or alternatively, be shopped; he has been quite good in his own right and comes with one more year of arb control as well.

 41. Jeff Samardzija (Giants), Johnny Cueto (Giants), Gerrit Cole (Pirates), Ervin Santana (Twins) & J.A. Happ (Blue Jays), SP (LR: 41, 41, 41, 45, NR): Happ joins this group of quality starters, all of whom would hold clear trade interest– if they are made available. Their respective teams’ inclinations remain unclear; while the Giants would no doubt be glad to achieve a return on Cueto, his situation remains complicated by his pending opt-out clause.

46. Asdrubal Cabrera, INF, Mets (LR: 35): He’s swinging the bat well and affords defensive versatility, but he and the team have been making nice since a recent spat and the Mets could well decide to pick up his 2018 option.

47. Seth Smith (Orioles), Matt Joyce (Athletics) & Daniel Nava (Phillies), OF (LR: 47, NR): All are left-handed-hitting platoon outfielders (Nava’s a switch-hitter who’s better against righties) who could fill a need elsewhere.

50. Edinson Volquez & Tom Koehler (Marlins), Clayton Richard (Padres), Jaime Garcia (Braves), Jeremy Hellickson (Phillies) SP (LR: 37): These five are subjecting their teams to roller coaster rides. It’s plausible to imagine trade scenarios, but none figure to be in particularly heavy demand. Teams looking for innings may shop here, though.

55. Yu Darvish, SP, Rangers (LR: NR): Darvish would be the top rental starter if made available. While the team continues to stall out, it likely won’t sell unless the Wild Card is truly out of reach. And even then, it seems there’s at least some belief within the organization that holding onto Darvish will help with efforts to re-sign him over the winter — perhaps helping also to draw fellow Japanese star Shohei Otani.

56. Josh Donaldson, 3B, Blue Jays (LR: NR): Speaking of trade candidates of dubious availability, the Toronto superstar would be a hot commodity if marketed. But Toronto has not yet shown signs of being willing to part with such a key player. Donaldson has another arb year left; it’d undoubtedly take a big return (likely including young MLB assets) to pry him loose.

57. Raisel Iglesias, RH Reliever, Reds (LR: 49): He won’t be shopped, but could probably had for a compelling offer.

58. Rajai Davis, OF, Athletics (LR: NR): While he hasn’t hit much, Davis has been better of late and has the profile of a player who could make an impact on a postseason roster. He’d also represent a possible August trade candidate.

59. Matt Adams, 1B, Braves (LR: NR): It’s still tough to guess at how things will shake out with Atlanta. But if Sean Rodriguez does return as now seems to be expected, and Freddie Freeman isn’t a really comfortable fit at third base, then perhaps the club will deem the timing right to get some value out of Adams at the deadline.

60. Freddy Galvis, SS, Phillies (LR: NR): Galvis has been hitting rather well this year and is a quality shortstop who can also line up elsewhere in the infield.

Falling Out

Tommy Kahnle (White Sox): A few rough outings make it seem more likely that Chicago will hold onto him and hope he can continue to establish himself as a quality late-inning arm.

Adeiny Hechavarria (Marlins) & Stephen Vogt (Athletics): Both were traded (to the Rays and Brewers, respectively).

Lance Lynn & Seung-hwan Oh, Cardinals: A surge has the Cards firmly in the NL Central mix.

Inactive

Nate Jones (White Sox), Neil Walker (Mets), Cesar Hernandez & Vince Velasquez  (Phillies), J.J. Hardy (Orioles), Yangervis Solarte (Padres), Eduardo Nunez & Mark Melancon (Giants),  Joe Smith (Blue Jays), Brad Ziegler (Marlins), Chris Coghlan (Blue Jays), Howie Kendrick (Phillies), Hector Santiago (Twins)

Also Considered

Angels: Yunel Escobar, Cameron Maybin, J.C. Ramirez, Jesse Chavez, Ricky Nolasco, Yusmeiro Petit, David Hernandez, Bud Norris

Athletics: Rajai Davis, Matt Joyce, Santiago Casilla, John Axford

Blue Jays: Jose Bautista, Justin Smoak, Francisco Liriano, Roberto Osuna, Aaron Loup

Braves: Jim Johnson, Arodys Vizcaino, R.A. Dickey, Julio Teheran, Matt Adams, Matt Kemp, Nick Markakis, Brandon Phillips & Kurt Suzuki

Cardinals: Michael Wacha, Trevor Rosenthal

Giants: Nick Hundley, Hunter Pence, Matt Cain, Denard Span, George Kontos, Joe Panik

Mariners: Nelson Cruz, Carlos Ruiz, Marc Rzepczynski, Steve Cishek, Jarrod Dyson

Marlins: Dan Straily, Kyle Barraclough, Adam Conley, Christian Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton, Junichi Tazawa

Mets: Fernando Salas, Josh Edgin, Jose Reyes

Orioles: Manny Machado, Hyun Soo Kim, Wade Miley, Mychal Givens, Darren O’Day

Padres: Jhoulys Chacin, Ryan Buchter, Brandon Maurer, Craig Stammen, Kirby Yates

Phillies: Joaquin Benoit, Hector Neris

Pirates: Josh Harrison, Ivan Nova, Wade LeBlanc, David Freese, Jordy Mercer

Rangers: Mike Napoli, Carlos Gomez, Adrian Beltre, Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, Jeremy Jeffress

Reds: Billy Hamilton

Tigers: Miguel Cabrera, Jose Iglesias, Shane Greene, Alex Wilson, Victor Martinez

Twins: Robbie Grossman, Phil Hughes

White Sox: Miguel Gonzalez, Jose Abreu, Anthony Swarzak, James Shields, Avisail Garcia, Mike Pelfrey, Derek Holland

MLBTR Poll: Left-Handed Reliever Trade Candidates

By | at

As I work to complete the latest installation in our top 50 trade deadline candidate series, it occurred to me just how many really good pen lefties could be available this summer. There aren’t many clubs that couldn’t stand to add a power southpaw to the back of the bullpen, so there ought to be significant demand. But might the presence of so many options also help tamp down prices a bit?

As we learned last year, teams will pay a premium at the deadline for truly premium relief arms. But it’s a more debatable group this time around, with Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller locked in with their current organizations.

So, who is the best lefty relief trade target out there? We’ll limit the options to teams that are clearly in a selling position at this point. (That means no Zach Britton; though he’s back from the DL today, his availability seems quite speculative.) Here are my nominees (in alphabetical order):

  • Jerry Blevins, Mets ($5.5MM salary with $7MM club option): The walks to righties have piled up, but Blevins is drawing loads of swings and misses (a career-high 13.3%) and he’s death to lefties.
  • Ryan Buchter, Padres (league minimum salary; four arb years remaining): Since joining the Friars, Buchter has a 2.96 ERA with 11.1 K/9. Sure, he’s allowed 4.4 BB/9 in that span and has allowed a few dingers this year — plus, he’s already 30 — but he has also made strides in his whiff rate (now 11.7%) since his breakout 2016.
  • Tony Cingrani, Reds ($1.825MM salary; two arb years remaining): Now that he’s back from an oblique strain, it’s time to take notice. Cingrani owns a 2.30 ERA with 15 strikeouts and three walks over his 15 2/3 frames on the year. He’s pumping 95 and generating a 12.6% swinging-strike rate, and whilehehas been dinger-prone that may be an aberration. Several other names on this list have boosted their trade value after taking some time to figure it out; perhaps the 28-year-old offers a similar opportunity.
  • Sean Doolittle, Athletics ($2.6MM salary; three option years remaining): Shoulder issues continue to dog Doolittle, but the 30-year-old is borderline ridiculous when healthy. This year, he has compiled 23 strikeouts against just two walks in his 16 1/3 innings. And the highly advantageous contract also helps offset the injury questions.
  • Brad Hand, Padres ($1.375MM salary; two arb years remaining): Hand has only continued to bloom in San Diego. In a hefty 44 2/3 innings this year, he has produce 2.42 ERA with 11.3 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 along with a 50.5% groundball rate.
  • Tony Watson, Pirates ($5.6MM salary): The 32-year-old hasn’t been himself this year, but he’s a rental player who comes with a very impressive prior track record. While his velocity has trailed off somewhat over the years, he’s still throwing a 93.5 mph heater and getting as many swings and misses as ever. If teams believe his spike in BABIP and home runs will reverse, Watson could be seen as a prime buy-low candidate.
  • Justin Wilson, Tigers ($2.7MM salary; one arb year remaining): He’s hitting his stride at an opportune time for Detroit. Over 31 2/3 innings this year, Wilson caries a 2.56 ERA with 13.4 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9. He’s bringing 96-97 mph heat and sporting a career-high 14.5% swinging-strike rate.

Who’s your preferred trade target? (Mobile link.)

Mark Shapiro On Blue Jays’ Deadline Approach

By | at

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro discussed the Blue Jays’ plans for the upcoming trade deadline in a chat with Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. You’ll want to read the entire piece for all of Shapiro’s comments and Davidi’s analysis, but the key takeaway is that Toronto still isn’t looking to pursue a drastic roster overhaul.

Less than two weeks ago, GM Ross Atkins declared that the team was still “very much in it.” At the time, he noted, “we can’t climb back into one of those holes, because there’s not as much time left.” But that’s just what has happened since; even after a victory today, the Jays sit seven games under .500 — well off the pace in the AL East and on the fringes of the Wild Card picture.

While Shapiro acknowledges that the team’s moribund first half must weigh into the equation, he hinted that the team won’t undertake a significant sell-off. The veteran baseball executive emphasized “the incredible support in the fanbase” and the existence of “enough of a base of talent here to still contend.”

Those factors, Shapiro suggests and Davidi highlights, leave the team still looking to get better now as well as in the future. Shapiro framed the coming deadline as just “one window of opportunity for us to improve the team.” Still, as one might expect, Shapiro says “it’s highly unlikely” the club will pursue “rental-type guys.” And he stressed that there’s a “need to be open minded to how we get better.”

That could suggest a pursuit of deals that aren’t readily classified either as “buying” or “selling,” in the traditional sense, Davidi writes. Shapiro did acknowledge that, “how we’re situated at the moment might cause for  one transitional period” in compiling a sustainable contender. But, he said, “I still believe we can get through that transition in an expedited time frame.”

It’ll be interesting to see what particular opportunities the Jays end up pursuing in earnest. The organization is in a tricky spot given its slate of significant commitments, numerous areas for potential improvement, and stated intention to continue attempting to field a competitive roster while also building a broader talent base.

Toronto entered the year with a club-record payroll of over $160MM and will owe something on the order of $85MM next year to just five players (with the exact figure depending upon Josh Donaldson’s surely massive arbitration salary). Yet just two hitters (Donaldson and Justin Smoak) are carrying above-average OPS figures on the year, while the rotation has scuffled with Aaron Sanchez shelved for an extended stretch.

As ever, veterans on short-term contracts represent the most obvious trade chips. But starters Marco Estrada and Francisco Liriano have struggled, bounceback reliever Joe Smith is on the DL, and veteran slugger Jose Bautista has not rebounded as hoped. (To the contrary, Bautista’s legendary plate discipline is now heading in the wrong direction even as his power continues to dip.)

While some of those players will hold some appeal at the deadline, none seem likely to return truly significant young talent. And as Davidi writes, the organization doesn’t exactly have “replacements ready and waiting in the minor-leagues.” Trading away more significant assets — particularly Donaldson, the team’s star third baseman — would represent a much more drastic step that doesn’t appear to be under consideration at present.

Health Notes: Bettis, Tomas, Duke, Rodriguez, Astros, Davis

By | at

Rockies righty Chad Bettis has faced live hitters as he readies for a rehab assignment, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post writes. While he’s going to need a long build-up, the hope is that Bettis could make it back to the majors at some point in August. That’s great news for the Rox, who have plenty of options but relatively few sure things in the rotation. Bettis, of course, is returning from testicular cancer, which required not only surgery but also chemotherapy. If he can return to being the steady presence he was before hitting the DL, it could go a long way to helping the club maintain its current course for the postseason. (Adding him back to the rotation might also allow the team to bump another young arm into the bullpen.)

Here are some more health notes from around the game:

  • Already out for a month due to groin issues, Diamondbacks outfielder Yasmany Tomas has now been re-diagnosed, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert tweets. While the injury had initially been called tendinitis, it is now said to be a mild strain. It’s not clear whether that impacts his timeline at all; Tomas has yet to undertake a rehab assignment.
  • Cardinals southpaw Zach Duke is stepping up to the High-A level to begin his rehab assignment in earnest, as MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch reports on Twitter. The veteran southpaw, who is working back from Tommy John surgery, now seems on track to provide a potentially significant boost to the Cards — who are now in the thick of things in a middling NL Central.
  • Speaking of earlier-than-expected returns, the Braves could welcome back infielder Sean Rodriguez by the end of the month, per David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link). It seemed he could miss the entire season after significant offseason shoulder surgery, but evidently Rodriguez has responded quite well to treatment. Rodriguez landed in Atlanta on a two-year, $11.5MM deal but suffered the injury in a devastating offseason car accident. He could provide a strong boost to Atlanta down the stretch, with his role dependent upon the team’s experiment of utilizing Freddie Freeman at third base as well as their ultimate deadline moves — which could still conceivably include trades of either second baseman Brandon Phillips or first baseman Matt Adams.
  • The Astros have successfully weathered a slew of rotation injuries of late; needless to say, though, the team will be glad to welcome back its missing arms. Righty Charlie Morton will be activated to start on Friday, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle writes, and he’ll be interesting to watch upon his return. Morton has a solid 4.06 ERA and even better peripherals, though it remains to be seen whether Houston will feel comfortable relying on him (among others) for a presumptive postseason staff. Fellow righty Collin McHugh is also making forward progress; Kaplan notes he’ll make a second rehab outing at Double-A. Meanwhile, as MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart tweets, top lefty Dallas Keuchel may be closing in on his own rehab assignment.
  • Also nearing a rehab stint is Orioles first baseman Chris Davis. As Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com writes, Davis says his injured oblique is cooperating as he begins ramping up baseball activities. He’s slated for a minor-league assignment over the All-Star break; so long as he progresses, he might be back to the big leagues shortly thereafter.

Rangers Activate Jeremy Jeffress, Designate Ernesto Frieri

By | at

The Rangers have activated righty Jeremy Jeffress from the 10-day DL, per an announcement from executive VP of communications John Blake. Texas designated veteran righty Ernesto Frieri to create roster space.

Jeffress, 29, has struggled to a 5.46 ERA through 29 2/3 innings on the year. While he’s still generating a healthy 56.6% groundball rate, Jeffress has managed only 5.2 K/9 against 4.3 BB/9 on the season while allowing homers at a career-high 1.21 HR/9 clip.

Still, his quick return from a lower back strain is a positive development for the Rangers’ beleaguered pen. After all, he carried a 2.46 ERA over the preceding four seasons. Getting back to that level of performance may not be easy, though. Jeffress’s go-to sinker is clocking in nearly two miles per hour lower than his career average.

As for Frieri, his six-game stint in Texas represented his first MLB action since 2015. The former Angels closer’s control issues reemerged — he allowed six in seven innings — but he did show a 94.4 mph average fastball in his brief stint. Frieri has also thrown quite well at Triple-A, posting a 2.86 ERA with 10.6 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 22 frames (most with the Yankees’ top affiliate) on the year.

Hisashi Iwakuma Receives Shoulder Injections After Setback

By | at

Mariners righty Hisashi Iwakuma is not progressing as had been hoped, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports. Following another setback, he has received cortisone and platelet-rich plasma injections in his troublesome right shoulder.

The hope, of course, is that this course of treatment will spur healing and finally allow Iwakuma to maintain steady progress. But the expectation had been that the veteran starter would long since have advanced back to the majors.

Seattle’s rotation is in better shape now than it has been at times, with Felix Hernandez and James Paxton returning and rookie Andrew Moore showing well in his first two MLB starts. Ariel Miranda and Sam Gaviglio are producing solid results, though their peripherals portend some regression.

Still, Iwakuma’s halting recovery is an ongoing concern for a club that continues to hover around .500 — along with much of the rest of the American League. Indeed, Divish notes that there’s at least a strand of thinking in the organization of the belief that Iwakuma won’t contribute again this season.

It’s still anyone’s guess just how the M’s will approach the deadline with the division out of reach but a Wild Card berth still fully plausible. Seattle will have an opportunity to see how Iwakuma progresses over the next three weeks or so, and the on-field results will also impact the calculus. If the team looks into additions, though, the rotation arguably represents the primary area of need — particularly with southpaw Drew Smyly now ruled out for the year following Tommy John surgery.

Yankees Designate Chris Carter

By | at

The Yankees have again designated first baseman Chris Carter for assignment, per a team announcement. He had previously been outrighted after a stint in DFA limbo, with New York bringing him back up to the big leagues just days later.

This time, 26-year-old Ji-Man Choi has been selected to take Carter’s place. The left-handed hitter has spent the bulk of his career at first base, though he does play some corner outfield. He’ll return to the majors for the first time since a 54-game debut last year with the Angels.

It remains to be seen whether Carter will remain in the organization, but he accepted an outright assignment the last time around. New York has had success in the past utilizing this cycle to rotate through veterans when needed, then keeping them stashed without occupying a 40-man spot. (Remember this?)

First base remains unsettled for the Yankees as the deadline draws near. The unit has performed miserably all year and young players Greg Bird and Tyler Austin are presently stranded on the DL. Choi has earned an opportunity with a strong .289/.371/.505 batting line in his 224 plate appearances at Triple-A, but the expectation remains that the organization will be looking hard for a reliable bat over the coming weeks.

AJAX Loader
Load More Posts

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top