Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for July 2017

NL West Notes: A-Gon, Pollock, Nunez, Arroyo, Espinoza, Padres

By | at

Adrian Gonzalez’s season and possibly even his long-term playing future have been threatened by his recurring back problems, but the Dodgers first baseman tells Dylan Hernandez of the L.A. Times that he intends to return to the field in September even if his back is still bothering him.  “Put it this way: Even if I’m not quote-unquote 100%, I’m still going to go in September because what I have is what I have,” Gonzalez said.  “If it doesn’t get better with all this time off, it’s not going to get better, so I might as well learn to play with medication.”  If he isn’t healthy enough for regular play, Gonzalez said he is happy to take a pinch-hitting role or to cede playing time to Cody Bellinger since “I’m just here to win. It’s not about, ‘It’s my position,’ or, ‘It’s his position.’ It’s about winning as a team.”  The piece is well worth a full read, as Gonzalez also discusses how his back problems have raised the question of retirement.

Here’s more from around the NL West…

  • Outfielder A.J. Pollock has officially returned to action for the Diamondbacks, with the club announcing that he has been activated from the 10-day DL after a lengthy absence owing to a groin strain. Arizona hasn’t encountered any real troubles in his absence, but the return promises to make for an even more compelling roster. The surprising D-Backs not only seem a shoe-in for a Wild Card spot, but currently sit just two-and-a-half games out of the NL West lead.
  • Eduardo Nunez didn’t play in a scheduled rehab game on Sunday due to continued discomfort in his ailing hamstring, and the Giants infielder may not return to action until after the All-Star break, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle writes.  Nunez, who has been on the DL since June 24, is perhaps the Giants’ clearest trade chip as the club prepares to be deadline sellers.  If he can’t return until after the break, Nunez will have just over two weeks to keep up his solid pre-injury production and prove to interested trade suitors that he is healthy, or else the Giants will have trouble gaining full value in a deal.
  • Christian Arroyo suffered a fractured left hand after being hit by a pitch in minor league action on Saturday, and the Giants prospect is in danger of missing the rest of the season, MLB.com’s Chris Haft writes.  Manager Bruce Bochy said he was hoping Arroyo would be healthy in time to be a September call-up for the Giants.  Arroyo made his big league debut earlier this season and hit just .192/.244/.304 in 135 plate appearances, though San Francisco obviously wants to give one of its most highly-touted young players more experience in the Show.  Arroyo’s development has already been stalled by another hand injury in June; in fact, Arroyo’s first game back from that prior injury was Saturday’s contest.
  • Padres relievers Craig Stammen and Kirby Yates are under-the-radar candidates to be moved at the deadline, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune write as part of a reader mailbag.  Stammen has a 4.53 ERA in 45 2/3 IP, a number that is somewhat inflated by a few bad outings; 10 of Stammen’s 23 earned runs this year came during a three-game stretch in April, plus he allowed a grand slam in his last game.  Yates, meanwhile has an outstanding 2.08 ERA, 14.2 K/9 and 5.13 K/BB rate over 26 IP since being claimed off waivers from the Angels in April.  Neither pitcher is likely to net the Padres a big return in a trade, though as Lin notes, San Diego has little in the way of healthy trade chips aside from Brad Hand.
  • Also from Lin’s mailbag, he reports that star pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza is playing catch but hasn’t yet thrown off a mound.  Espinoza has yet to pitch at all this season after suffering forearm tightness in early April, and then additional soreness in May that led to a shutdown.  The Padres, as you might expect, are taking it slow with Espinoza’s recovery given his long-term value to the organization.  Lin notes that Espinoza might possibly not pitch at all this summer, as it will still be a while before the young righty is ready for game action.

Braves Activate Freddie Freeman From 10-Day DL

By | at

The Braves have activated Freddie Freeman from the disabled list and he will start at third base tonight, the team announced (Twitter links).  Jace Peterson has been optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

[Updated Braves depth chart at Roster Resource]

Freeman was expected to miss between 8-10 weeks of action when he originally suffered his fractured left wrist in mid-May.  That devastating prognosis seemingly sealed the Braves’ fate as deadline sellers and led to the club acquiring Matt Adams from the Cardinals as a short-term fill-in for Freeman at first base.

Instead, there has been no shortage of surprises associated with Atlanta’s first base situation.  Adams exploded once joining the Braves, hitting .285/.333/.589 with 12 homers in 165 PA as the everyday first baseman.  Adams’ emergence led to the news that the Braves were considering using Freeman at third base, which Freeman embraced even though he hasn’t manned the hot corner since his high school days, over a decade ago.

If Freeman is able to play even passable third base defense and Adams is able to continue his hot hitting, the Braves would suddenly have a very strong corner infield combination as they try to stay on the outskirts of the playoff race.  Atlanta is 18-11 over its last 29 games, improving to 40-41 on the season and 8.5 games behind the Nationals in the NL East and seven games out of a wild card spot.  It’d still be a longshot if the Braves firmly got themselves back into the race, but getting Freeman back so much earlier than expected is unquestionably a major boost.  Freeman was on an MVP-level pace prior to his injury, hitting .341/.461/.748 with 14 home runs over his first 165 plate appearances.

Padres Designate Chase D’Arnaud For Assignment

By | at

The Padres have designated infielder Chase d’Arnaud for assignment, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Twitter link).  The move was made to create roster space for Trevor Cahill, who has been activated from the DL to start tonight’s game against the Indians.

[Updated Padres depth chart at Roster Resource]

This is the third time that d’Arnaud has entered DFA limbo this season, as he was previously designated by the Braves in April and then claimed by the Red Sox, only to be designated by Boston in May and then claimed by the Padres.  In 62 combined plate appearances with all three clubs, d’Arnaud is hitting .190/.242/.276 while starting games at shortstop, second base, third base and left field.

Cahill returns to the San Diego rotation with plenty of time to impress potential suitors in the three weeks remaining before the trade deadline, though proving his health will be the first priority.  Cahill has been limited to seven starts and 41 1/3 IP thanks to two separate DL stints due to back and shoulder injuries.  When Cahill has been on the mound, he has looked impressive, posting a 3.27 ERA, 11.1 K/9, 3.00 K/BB rate and 60.2% grounder rate.  With only around $825K owed to him for the remainder of the year, several teams could have interest in Cahill as low-cost help for the back end of a rotation or as bullpen depth.

Injury Notes: Heyward, Sabathia, Warren, Shoemaker, E-Rod, Dahl

By | at

The latest on some DL situations around the league…

  • The Cubs have activated Jason Heyward from the 10-day DL.  Infielder Jeimer Candelario and righty Felix Pena were optioned to Triple-A, while left-hander Jack Leathersich was called up in corresponding moves.  Heyward has missed two weeks due to a left hand abrasion, his second DL stint of the season after missing time due to a sprained finger in May.  The injuries haven’t helped Heyward’s goal of regaining his former offensive consistency, as the outfielder has a .258/.315/.399 slash line over 217 PA this season.  [Updated Cubs depth chart at Roster Resource]
  • The Yankees have activated C.C. Sabathia and Adam Warren from the disabled list, and optioned right-handers Domingo German and Bryan Mitchell to Triple-A in corresponding moves.  Sabathia will start today’s game against the Blue Jays, his first outing since hitting the DL with a Grade 2 hamstring strain in mid-June.  The veteran southpaw is looking to continue a strong campaign that has seen him post a 3.46 ERA over 75 1/3 innings.  Warren was also enjoying a very good season (2.23 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 3.33 K/BB rate) in 32 1/3 IP out of New York’s bullpen before being sidelined with shoulder inflammation for the last three weeks.
  • Matt Shoemaker is scheduled for a minor league rehab start today, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets.  The righty will need at least one more rehab game after today before returning to the Angels roster.  Shoemaker went on the DL with forearm tightness in mid-June, though that ominous-sounding injury was related to his extensor muscle, and an MRI revealed no structural damage.  Shoemaker has a 4.52 ERA, 2.46 K/BB rate and 8.0 K/9 over 77 2/3 IP for the Angels this year and he has had trouble keeping the ball in the park, with 15 home runs allowed.
  • The Red Sox will won’t bring Eduardo Rodriguez back to the rotation before the All-Star break, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal tweets.  Rodriguez hasn’t pitched since June 1 due to a partial right kneecap dislocation, the latest in a series of knee injuries the left-handed has dealt with in his young career.  The Sox could give Rodriguez another rehab start in the minors or activate him from the DL for use as a reliever next weekend, Britton writes.
  • David Dahl has been pain-free for over a month, the Rockies outfielder tells Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post as Dahl continues to recover from a stress fracture in his ribcage.  There isn’t yet a timetable for a rehab assignment or Dahl’s return to Colorado’s roster, and it is likely both he and the team want to be as certain as possible given the lingering nature of the injury, which has plagued Dahl since very early in Spring Training.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/4/17

By | at

Here are the latest minor moves from around baseball, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…

  • The Nationals signed infielder Ryan Jackson to a minor league contract.  Jackson appeared in 42 Major League games with the Cardinals and Angels between 2012-15 and has since bounced around with a few different organizations.  This is Jackson’s third minors deal of 2017 alone, as he previously inked deals with the Marlins and Mariners (plus a stint with the independent Sugar Land Skeeters).  Jackson is a career .269/.344/.354 hitter over 3336 minor league plate appearances, and he’ll provide more minor league infield depth for Washington in the wake of Trea Turner’s injury.
  • The Cardinals recalled right-hander Luke Weaver from Triple-A yesterday, and Weaver made his season debut for St. Louis with a scoreless inning in last night’s victory over the Marlins.  Weaver, ranked by Baseball America as the second-best prospect in the Cards’ system and as the 50th-best prospect in the game, made his big league debut in 2016, posting a 5.70 ERA over 36 1/3 IP.  Weaver owns a 1.93 ERA and sterling peripherals over 56 Triple-A innings this season as a starter, though Cardinals manager Mike Matheny told MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch and other media that Weaver will be used in a variety of bullpen roles with the major league club.
  • The Rays outrighted Danny Farquhar to Triple-A, less than a week after designating the right-hander for assignment.  Farquhar has a 4.11 ERA, 8.5 K/9 and 1.5 K/BB rate over 35 relief innings for Tampa Bay this year, numbers that could’ve made him a candidate to be claimed off waivers during his DFA period, though he’ll remain in the Rays organization.

Tigers Set Large Asking Price For Justin Verlander

By | at

The Tigers are “looking for [a] big,big,big return without salary offset” in exchange for Justin Verlander, according to the perception of teams who have asked about the star right-hander, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports (Twitter links).

It isn’t surprising that Detroit would aim this high in trade talks, both because Verlander has been such a cornerstone for the franchise and for “it only takes one team to say yes” reasons.  Other reports have suggested that the Tigers would be open to eating some of Verlander’s remaining salary, so it could be that the Tigers are willing to move from their initial demands.

Some flexibility is likely required to facilitate a Verlander trade given the many factors involved.  Most importantly, Verlander has a full no-trade clause, so he could scuttle any deal if he simply doesn’t want to leave Detroit.  It isn’t known whether Verlander is open to being dealt or what his demands would be (if any) for waiving his no-trade clause, though whatever the case, he clearly has “enormous leverage” in whatever trade negotiations take place, as Olney writes.

The righty is owed roughly $13.6MM for the remainder of this season, $28MM in both 2018 and 2019, and a $22MM vesting option for 2020 that is guaranteed if Verlander has a top-five finish in the 2019 Cy Young Award voting.

Beyond the money, there’s also the fact that Verlander is 34 and has 2437 career innings on his arm.  He posted great numbers in 2016 and in the second half of an injury-shortened 2015 season, though Verlander has managed just a 4.96 ERA, 8.4 K/9 and career-worst 4.3 BB/9 over 98 IP this year.  Verlander’s fastball velocity (95mph) is the hardest he’s thrown since 2011, though he has a 37.8% hard-contact rate that far surpasses his 27.1% career average.

His inconsistent 2017 season and the Tigers’ demands notwithstanding, however, one would think Verlander would draw quite a bit of trade interest considering his track record as a top-of-the-rotation ace.  At least three or four teams have checked in with the Tigers about Verlander, with the Cubs and Dodgers both linked to former Cy Young Award winner on an exploratory basis.  Chicago and Los Angeles fit the profile of the (somewhat limited) type of team that could swing a Verlander trade — a big-market club with a deep farm system, so they could afford at least a chunk of Verlander’s future earnings and also have the prospects available to interest the Tigers.

Tigers GM Al Avila has recently commented both about his franchise’s desire to cut payroll and his openness to listening to trade offers for veteran players, though moving Verlander would represent a larger step towards a potential rebuild than dealing, for instance, impending free agents like J.D. Martinez or Alex Avila.  If Detroit is planning on a quick return to contention, however, I would suspect the team would look for both young talent and some slightly pricier proven MLB talent that would help the Tigers in 2018.  That type of return could help make up the numbers in a Verlander trade if the Tigers are indeed not willing to eat much or any of Verlander’s contract.

Starting Pitching Notes: Gray, Mets, Colon, Orioles

By | at

The latest on some rotation names around baseball…

  • Sonny Gray’s name has been frequently mentioned in trade speculation, though it appears teams have yet to engage in serious talks with the Athletics, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com reports (Twitter link).  Oakland executive VP of baseball operations Billy Beane hasn’t received any calls about Gray in recent days, and Gammons describes the calls that have come in as ” ’keep me in mind’ requests” rather than substantial inquiries.  Gray is enjoying a solid bounce-back season from his rough 2016 performance, and his trade value would seemingly be on the rise after excellent outings in each of his last two starts.
  • The Mets still have interest in a reunion with Bartolo Colon but the team will wait until the veteran’s DFA period is up before making a decision, Mike Puma of the New York Post writes.  The Braves designated Colon for assignment on June 29, and with Colon still owed roughly $6MM for the rest of the season, the Mets and any other interested clubs are sure to wait until Colon clears waivers so Atlanta will be on the hook for that remaining salary (minus the prorated MLB minimum).  The Mets would still have to make 40-man roster space for Colon but the team is confident that Colon would accept an offer to return to New York.  The 44-year-old still owns a home in New Jersey and he was both a fan and clubhouse favorite during his previous stint with the Mets.
  • Last summer’s trade of Wade Miley for Ariel Miranda last summer hasn’t worked out for the Orioles, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com writes, though Connolly notes that the deal is a microcosm of larger problems for the O’s.  Since the Orioles have been unable to both develop their own starting pitching and build up a good stockpile of minor league talent, the team has been forced to settle for middle-of-the-road acquisitions like Miley rather than a starter that could provide a clear rotation upgrade.  Connolly writes that the Orioles will likely pursue a similar move at this trade deadline if they choose to address their still-struggling pitching staff.  It also doesn’t help that Miranda has pitched well for the Mariners this year and is far cheaper than Miley with more years of control, though Connolly notes that Miranda was seen as “a fringe big leaguer” by many, and Miranda’s performance is perhaps boosted by Safeco Field (as per his stark home/away splits).

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/3/17

By | at

Here are Monday’s minor moves from around the game…

  • Infielder Tony Renda has been dealt from the Reds to the Diamondbacks in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets. The 26-year-old had been outrighted over the winter after struggling in his MLB debut last year. Through 198 plate appearances at Triple-A in 2017, he was slashing just .260/.305/.326 — albeit with just 18 strikeouts to go with a dozen walks.
  • In another minor swap, the Giants purchased Tyler Herb from the Mariners for an undisclosed sum, both teams announced. He’ll actually represent the player to be named later in the deal that sent Chris Heston to Seattle, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets, with some undisclosed technicality requiring the particular treatment. The 25-year-old was taken in the 29th round of the 2014 draft. He made it up to the Double-A level last year and has thrown well there upon a repeat assignment. Herb has made it through 98 innings in 16 starts on the year, posting a 3.31 ERA with 8.1 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9.
  • Nationals righty Jacob Turner has accepted an outright assignment after clearing waivers, per a team announcement. Still just 26, Turner has given the Nats some badly needed innings this year, though his ERA stands at 5.08 after 39 frames of action. He is expected to resume working as a starter in case he’s needed in that role at the major league level.
  • Also outrighted was Blue Jays outfielder Ian Parmley, Toronto announced. He was up for a brief stretch, but will return to plying his trade at Triple-A Buffalo. over 205 plate appearances there on the year, Parmley is slashing .289/.332/.369.
  • The Mariners released southpaw Nick Hagadone, according to Triple-A Tacoma announcer Mike Curto (via Twitter). As Curto notes, Hagadone has been particularly impressive of late. The 31-year-old has seen action in parts of four MLB seasons, all with the Indians, but missed all of last year after an elbow fracture. He landed in Seattle on a minors deal and has thrown 33 1/3 innings of 3.51 ERA ball — with 9.5 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 — since arriving in Tacoma. (It could well be, then, that Hagadone utilized an opt-out clause, though we’ve heard no indication of that as of yet.)

Earlier Transactions

  • The Brewers announced that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Michael Blazek from Triple-A Colorado Springs. The 28-year-old was outrighted off the 40-man roster earlier this year but remained in the organization and has posted a solid 3.13 ERA in that extremely hitter-friendly setting. While all of Blazek’s 104 career appearances in the Majors have been in relief, he’s been working as a starter for his past 10 trips to the hill in Triple-A. MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy suggests (via Twitter) that Blazek could very well pitch today in relief of left-hander Brent Suter. Piggybacking the two would certainly make some sense, as Suter may not be fully stretched out with his most recent start coming back on June 13. Milwaukee already had an open spot on the 40-man, so there’s no corresponding 40-man move needed to accommodate Blazek.

Cubs Asked Tigers About Availability Of Verlander, Avila

By | at

The Cubs have made contact with the Tigers about veteran righty Justin Verlander and catcher Alex Avila, according to a report from MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (Twitter links). At this point, though, no real trade talks appear to have taken place.

While there’s little indication that anything is particularly likely to come together, it’s nevertheless notable to hear of the interest from the defending World Series champs. Chicago has struggled badly out of the gates, with its rotation representing a particular area of concern. And the team recently parted with left-handed-hitting backstop Miguel Montero, potentially making the similarly situated Avila an appealing target.

Of course, Verlander himself hasn’t exactly been pitching like an ace through the first half of the season. The Cubs sent a scout to watch his most recent outing, which represented a new low (no strikeouts, seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings) for the longtime ace. Through 98 frames on the year, Verlander now carries a 4.96 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9.

Never has Verlander allowed so many walks over a full season. And his swinging-strike rate (9.1%) and strikeout rate (8.4 K/9) are both down after a bounceback 2016 campaign. Still, Verlander was excellent last year and is throwing about as hard as ever (95.4 mph average fastball), so it’s not hard to see a team taking a chance. There are only two years left on his contract, though it also includes $56MM guaranteed after the conclusion of the current season. Word is he’s increasingly available, with Detroit potentially willing to keep some of the cash that’s still owed — though the veteran righty also has full veto power over any deals.

As for Avila, he has improved his stock as much as any player in baseball. Through 204 plate appearances this year, he’s mashing at a ridiculous .310/.431/.571 clip with 11 home runs and a 17.2% walk rate. While his .427 BABIP surely won’t last, Avila looks to be quite a useful piece as a left-handed-hitting catcher.

For the Cubs, young switch-hitting receiver Victor Caratini looks to be a long-term piece, but it seems the team may not quite be willing to rely on him too heavily in 2017. Avila, then, could take his place as a complement to second-year man Willson Contreras, the regular behind the dish. The youthful Contreras hasn’t been quite as impressive this year as last at the plate, perhaps increasing the team’s desire to pursue a quality veteran complement.

Shawn Kelley Shut Down After Setback

By | at

The Nationals have halted the throwing program of righty Shawn Kelley, according to a report from Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post. While the veteran reliever was progressing at last look, he has since suffered a setback in his efforts to work through pain in his neck and upper back area.

According to Janes, Kelley is headed for a new medical check-up today. It’s possible he could receive an injection, she notes, but the approach is yet to be decided.

As things stand, then, it’s uncertain when the Nats can expect Kelley back in action. Even if he’s able to resume throwing in relatively short order, it may be optimistic to expect he could rebuild strength, complete a rehab stint, and return to the majors to show the team his form before the trade deadline.

The injury questions only enhance the broader concern with Kelley, who had been a major contributor in 2016 and is under contract through next year. In his 18 innings this season, he has allowed 14 earned runs — due in no small part to the fact that he has allowed nine homers already (matching a career high).

Though he is still checking in with a robust 15.0% swinging-strike rate on the year, Kelley carries a career-worst 4.5 BB/9. And opposing hitters are squaring him up at a prodigious rate when they do make contact, with a 46.4% hard-hit rate and 26.5% HR/FB.

As the Nats continue to peruse the market for relief pitching, then, the organization will need to account for the fact that it cannot firmly count on two key righties, Kelley and Koda Glover. With Blake Treinen and (especially) Joe Blanton also failing to deliver consistent results, surprising journeyman Matt Albers stands as the lone steady righty in the Nationals’ pen. While adding a closer remains an obvious focus, the need for a quality right-handed setup option at the deadline seems greater now than ever.

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top