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Braves Select Jose Bautista’s Contract, Option Preston Tucker

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1:38pm: The Braves have now announced that Bautista’s contract has been select. Outfielder Preston Tucker was optioned to Triple-A to open a spot on the active roster for Bautista.

After a blistering start to the season, Tucker’s bat has unsurprisingly come back down to Earth in recent weeks. He’s posted a .218/.246/.364 slash over his past 57 plate appearances with the Braves.

9:32am: David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets that the Braves are adding Bautista to the MLB roster today.

9:24am: The Braves are expected to add Jose Bautista to their lineup tonight, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com (via Twitter). Atlanta will need to formally select the contract of Bautista, who signed a minor league deal with the Braves last month. Atlanta announced in April that the longtime Blue Jays star will play third base in their organization. The Braves currently have three openings on the 40-man roster, so they’ll only need to make a corresponding 25-man roster move to add Bautista.

Bautista, of course, was primarily a third baseman before breaking out with the Jays and settling in as their right fielder for the better part of a decade. He’s played just 38 innings at the position in the four years prior to signing with Atlanta, however, all of which came last year in Toronto. Bautista hasn’t seen even semi-regular action at the hot corner since 2011, and even then he logged just 205 innings at the position in that entire season.

The 37-year-old slugger has gotten off to a solid start with Atlanta’s top affiliate, hitting .250/.386/.361 with a homer, a double and six walks against eight strikeouts through 44 plate appearances. As Bowman notes, the home run and double came within the past few days, as Bautista’s bat has begun to heat up a bit as he’s shaken off some of the rust after sitting out Spring Training entirely.

Bautista will be looking to rebound from a dreary 2017 season in which he hit just .203/.308/.366. While Bautista still slugged 23 homers and walked at an above-average 12.2 percent clip, his strikeout rate jumped to a career-worst 24.8 percent as his contact rate plummeted from 80.2 percent to 73.3 percent. The biggest flaw for Bautista was a sudden inability to hit fastballs; a career .246/.374/.519 hitter against four-seamers, Bautista flailed ineffectively at four-seam fastballs in 2017, hitting just .198/.294/.365 against them.

Diamondbacks Notes: Medlen, Pollock, Haren

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Kris Medlen will return to a Major League mound for the first time since 2016 when he starts for the D-backs tonight, but the former Braves star explains in an excellent interview with Zach Buchanan of The Athletic (subscription required) that he nearly quit pitching entirely and retired after a disappointing two-year run with the Royals.  Medlen hadn’t worked out at all in the 2016-17 offseason when his wife stumbled across a YouTube video from Brent Pourciau and Steven Guadagril of Top Velocity in which a follower had requested that they break down Medlen’s mechanics in the wake of his injuries. Pourciau went through a lengthy examination of how Medlen didn’t rely enough on his lower half, and the video led Medlen to head to Top Velocity for an in-person meeting, which sparked the beginning of his return to pro ball. Both Medlen and Pourciau chat with Buchanan about the struggles, both emotional and physical, that Medlen went through in battling back from his injuries. Medlen isn’t sure how long he’ll be asked to step in for the D-backs, though 32-year-old veteran expresses excitement and gratitude over merely being able to once again take the hill in a big league game.

More on the Diamondbacks…

  • A.J. Pollock is on the cusp of free agency and enjoying perhaps the finest start he’s ever had to a big league season, but Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic wonders if Arizona’s star center fielder is vaulting himself out of the team’s price range in the process. Piecoro points to recent $80MM and $108MM deals for Lorenzo Cain and Charlie Blackmon, respectively, in pointing out that a healthy Pollock will have plenty of earning capacity in free agency. He also quotes a pair of scouts on Pollock’s continual improvement at the plate and the fact that he projects to be a more than capable corner outfielder even if he has to move out of center later in a long-term free-agent deal. MLBTR’s Jeff Todd also recently profiled Pollock’s free agent stock, and he ranked ninth on the first edition of MLBTR’s monthly Free Agent Power Rankings.
  • In a separate piece, Piecoro also highlights Dan Haren’s role with the D-backs — that of team pitching strategist. Haren took the role prior to the 2017 season, and while the ever-modest former All-Star is loath to take too much credit for any of the team’s turn in fortunes, Piecoro notes that the club went from the National League’s worst rotation ERA in 2016 to second-best in 2017. They’re off to a strong start in 2018 as well, despite some early injuries. Zack Greinke, Zack Godley and catcher Jeff Mathis all speak highly to Piecoro of the data that Haren procures and presents to the staff. In addition to customized reports with advice on how to retire specific hitters, Haren discusses how he uses his experience from pitching with eight big league teams to blend the best practices for preparation and executing a game strategy in his new role. “I thought it would be cool to help – even if it’s one person who maybe struggled in their preparation in the past and it was holding them back,” Haren says of his role with the team. “I thought it would feel really good to be a part of helping someone along with their career. Even if it’s just a little bit. Little things can really turn someone’s career around. I wanted to be a part of something.”

AL East Notes: Vlad Jr., Walker, Orioles

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Though Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is laying waste to Double-A pitching, Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins tells Shi Davidi of Sportsnet that the organization is not planning to bring him to the Majors just yet. Guerrero only just turned 19, but he’s obliterated Eastern League pitching at a .388/.452/.624 clip with three homers, nine doubles, a triple and more walks (12) than strikeouts (10) through 105 plate appearances. Atkins explains, however, that the team still sees some areas for improvement in other aspects of his game. “That’s just offence, right, when you say statistically,” says Atkins. “…And it’s only a month of performance above A-ball, as well. … Right now, we’re entirely focused on Vladdy as the best possible third baseman he could be, the best possible base-runner, of course offensive player, and teammate. And right now, we currently have a very good third baseman on our major-league team.”

Theoretically, the Blue Jays could split Guerrero and Josh Donaldson in a timeshare between third base and DH, though Atkins indicated a desire to get Guerrero as many reps as possible. The GM also stressed that service time and arbitration considerations aren’t impacting Guerrero’s timeline. (Indeed, he’s already been in the minors long enough to delay free agency by a year.)

Here’s more from the division…

  • Despite his struggles and a sudden glut of infielders in the Bronx, Neil Walker is in no danger of losing his roster spot, Yankees GM Brian Cashman tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Cashman points to Walker’s lengthy and consistent track record in the Majors in plainly stating that he “[doesn’t] see Walker as a guy to release, eat (his salary) or trade.” Walker is hitting .171/.233/.195 through 90 plate appearances, and the Yankees will eventually have Brandon Drury back from the disabled list, where he’ll join Walker, Gleyber Torres, Miguel Andujar and Ronald Torreyes in the infield mix. It’s not clear how the Yankees will manage that on-paper surplus.
  • Chris Tillman’s struggles are putting the Orioles in an increasingly difficult spot, writes Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, but the organization presently has little in the way of alternatives that are ready to step into the big league rotation. Tillman tossed seven shutout innings and allowed one hit last week, but he was clobbered by the Angels last night and pulled after recording just three outs and watching his ERA balloon to 9.24. Kubatko suggests that Double-A lefty Keegan Akin could eventually be an option, though he’s made just five starts above A-ball. Speculatively, right-hander David Hess is off to a respectable start in Triple-A and is on the 40-man roster. But other options, both on the 40-man and of the non-roster variety, are struggling in the upper minors. Tillman’s struggles could eventually force the team’s hand, but it doesn’t sound likely that he’s on the verge of being cut loose.

Tigers To Select Blaine Hardy’s Contract

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The Tigers are set to select the contract of left-hander Blaine Hardy from Triple-A Toledo prior to tonight’s game, reports Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Detroit outrighted the 31-year-old southpaw late in Spring Training, but his absence from the 40-man roster will only last for about a total of six weeks, it seems.

Hardy, a regular in the Detroit relief corps over the past four seasons, notched an even 3.00 ERA with 7.6 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9 in 126 innings out of the Detroit ’pen from 2014-16 before stumbling in 2017. Last year proved to be the most difficult season of his career, as Hardy limped to a 5.94 ERA and served up seven homers in just 33 1/3 innings of work.

Over the winter, there was talk of Hardy hoping for an opportunity to stretch out as a starter, and the Tigers have granted him that wish at the minor league level. Hardy’s first three appearances of the season were in short relief, but he’s since been stretched out over the course of four starts. The results are actually quite intriguing.

Hardy went 3 1/3 innings in his first outing, jumped to five innings in his second start, six in his third and seven in his fourth and final start before being brought back to the Majors. More impressive, however, is the fact that he’s allowed just two earned runs over the life of those four starts and has averaged well north of a strikeout per inning. Hardy has a sparkling 0.84 ERA and a 25-to-4 K/BB ratio in 21 1/3 innings out of the Triple-A rotation, highlighted by a seven-inning, five-hit gem in which he allowed just one run and racked up 10 strikeouts without issuing a walk.

It’s a tiny sample, to be sure, but for a lefty specialist who struggled to a near-6.00 ERA in his most recent run at the big league level, the results are somewhat astounding. At present, Detroit is running Michael Fulmer, Francisco Liriano, Matthew Boyd, Mike Fiers and Jordan Zimmermann out in the rotation, but Hardy brings a definite level of intrigue to a largely uninspiring mix of arms. There’s little reason not to give him a look in the Majors to see if he can sustain any of his surprising success at the Triple-A level — especially for a rebuilding team whose already paper-thin pitching depth took a notable hit with the news that Daniel Norris will be out for up to 12 weeks.

Athletics Release Simon Castro

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The Athletics have released right-hander Simon Castro from their Triple-A club, per the Pacific Coast League’s transactions page. The 30-year-old turned in a solid year with the Oakland organization in 2017 but had gotten off to a rough start in 2018.

Originally signed by the Padres as an 18-year-old, Castro was flipped to the White Sox as the centerpiece in 2011’s Carlos Quentin trade. At the time, he ranked among the game’s top 100 prospects, but ultimately he didn’t establish himself with either organization. After being cut loose by the Sox, he spent two years with the Rockies before landing with the A’s on a minor league deal prior to the 2017 season.

Castro logged a career-high 38 innings with the A’s in the Majors last year, pitching to a 4.38 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and a 32.7 percent ground-ball rate in that time. He posted gaudy strikeout totals with Oakland’s top affiliate in Nashville as well, continuing a recent trend at the Triple-A level. While Castro has limited big league experience, his past three Triple-A campaigns (2015-17) saw him work 148 1/3 innings of 3.52 ERA ball with 11.8 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and 0.85 HR/9.

This season, he’s whiffed 12 hitters in 8 1/3 innings but also issued six walks and yielded seven earned runs. Castro has a fairly lengthy track record of missing bats in the upper minors and only turned 30 last month, so he’s likely to catch on as a depth piece elsewhere.

You Can’t Lose This DraftKings Contest

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DraftKings has created an exclusive “You Can’t Lose” contest for MLB Trade Rumors readers.  The contest is for Friday night’s games and has a deadline of 7:05pm eastern time on Friday for entry.  The total prize pool is $3,500, and the entry fee is $5.  But here’s the kicker: even if you don’t place toward the top of the group, DraftKings is guaranteeing that you’ll get your $5 entry fee back.  So really, you can’t lose!  Click here to enter the contest now!

This is a sponsored post from DraftKings.

NL Central Notes: Happ, Kang, Norris, Reds, Davies

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Despite Ian Happ’s alarming struggles at the plate — he’s hitting .233/.282/.384 with a mammoth 46.2 percent strikeout rate through 78 plate appearances — Cubs skipper Joe Maddon says the team is not discussing the possibility of optioning the young switch-hitter to Triple-A Iowa (link via Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times). Per Maddon, the 23-year-old is frustrated by his lack of contact but handling the struggles quite well. Maddon acknowledges that it’s difficult to get all of his young hitters into the lineup but maintains that the best place for Happ to right the ship at the plate is with the big league club for the time being.

More from the division…

  • Jung Ho Kang has reported to the Pirates’ Spring Training facility in Bradenton, Fla., writes Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Manager Clint Hurdle explains that the plan for Kang is to get him into game shape over the course of the next month — he’ll remain on the restricted list and won’t be paid or accrue service time during that period — as he prepares for in-game action. “There will be no game activity until we get his arm in shape, his legs in shape, get him swinging, get our people to look at him and evaluate him and then go from there,” says Hurdle. Kang is preparing for a return to the Pirates after sitting out the 2017 season upon being convicted of a third DUI in his native South Korea and subsequently being unable to acquire a work visa.
  • Given Greg Holland’s disastrous start to the 2018 season, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny confirmed today that Bud Norris is his closer for the time being, as Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes. “It’s Bud’s game right now,” said Matheny after effusing praise for the manner in which the veteran Norris has performed in high-leverage spots while ascending to the ninth-inning role. “But we’re going to have to have other people to pitch the end of the game. There are going to be times when Bud’s down and times when we need to put Bud in a little earlier and he needs help.” There’s no indication as to when Holland might be given another try in save situations, though with Norris boasting a terrific 1.72 ERA and 22-to-2 K/BB ratio through his first 15 2/3 innings of the season, he’s likely earned himself a reasonably lengthy leash in the the ninth inning.
  • The fate of the Reds’ rebuild is in the hands of a group of starting pitchers that have yet to prove capable at the big league level or even, in some cases, in the upper minors, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. As Fay notes, the Reds have a fairly promising group of position players in the big leagues (plus an elite prospect on the cusp in Nick Senzel), but none of their pitching prospects have established themselves. As Brandon Finnegan, Luis Castillo, Tyler Mahle and Sal Romano endure struggles in the Majors, alternatives such as Robert Stephenson, Cody Reed and Jackson Stephens are floundering in the minors. Fay notes that the organization’s plan had been to expand payroll next offseason and fill some holes via free agency as the nucleus of the next contending Reds team emerged, but that of course won’t have any impact if the team can’t overcome an increasingly problematic inability to develop starters.
  • The Brewers announced tonight that righty Zach Davies is going on the 10-day disabled list due to some inflammation in his right rotator cuff. However, with two off days coming in the next week, the team added that it only expects Davies to miss one start. A corresponding move will be made tomorrow. The 25-year-old Davies has started off the 2018 season with a 4.24 ERA, 6.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 1.32 HR/9 and a 48 percent ground-ball rate through his first 34 innings. His placement on the DL is retroactive to April 30, so he can be activated in a week’s time.

MLB Daily Roster Roundup: Davies, Donaldson, Ryu, Souza

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ROSTER MOVES BY TEAM
(May 3rd)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

  • CINCINNATI REDS | Depth Chart
    • Placed on Bereavement List: RP Amir Garrett
      • Corresponding move will be made on Friday.
  • MILWAUKEE BREWERS | Depth Chart
    • Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Zach Davies (rotator cuff inflammation)
      • With two upcoming off days, Davies is expected to miss only one start.

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES

Blue Jays Designate Gift Ngoepe, Place Steve Pearce On DL

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As part of a series of roster moves, the Blue Jays have designated infielder Gift Ngoepe for assignment, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports (Twitter links). Toronto purchased the contract of righty Luis Santos, necessitating a 40-man spot, while fellow right-hander Joe Biagini is also being called up.

One of the active roster spots needed was opened by optioning righty reliever Danny Barnes. The other came free with the club placing utilityman Steve Pearce on the 10-day with a strained oblique.

Ngoepe, 28, was acquired from the over the winter. He has long been seen as a quality defender with a questionable bat, and he has not done much to dispel that perception with a dozen strikeouts in just 19 MLB plate appearances this year.

As for Santos, he re-joined the organization on a minors deal over the winter. The 27-year-old turned in solid results in his first taste of the majors last year and has gotten results thus far in 2018 at Triple-A. Santos has thrown 9 1/3 innings over five relief appearances this year at Buffalo, allowing just two earned runs on six hits — but with a less-than-promising 8:6 K/BB ratio.

The bad news here for the Jays is that they’ll have to go without Pearce for a stretch — the anticipated duration of which is not yet known. Propensity for injury has long been the knock on the 35-year-old, who has slashed a robust .270/.333/.492 through 69 plate appearances on the season to date.

Indians Select Contract Of Evan Marshall, Put Nick Goody On DL

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The Indians have not wasted any time in moving righty Nick Goody to the 10-day DL after he exited tonight’s contest in obvious pain. As MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets, Goody been diagnosed with elbow inflammation for the time being, but will undergo further testing.

To take his place on the active roster, the Indians will select the contract of right-hander Evan Marshall. That requires a 40-man spot, which has been created by shifting Danny Salazar to the 60-day DL.

The 26-year-old Goody had turned in a breakout 2017 season, working to a 2.80 ERA with 11.9 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 over 54 2/3 innings. But he had stumbled a bit early this year, allowing seven earned runs on 13 hits (including three home runs) and five walks in 11 innings, over which he compiled 11 strikeouts.

Marshall, 28, has struggled badly in the majors ever since his strong 2014 debut campaign. Since that time, he has allowed 32 earned runs — with a 20:18 K/BB ratio — in 36 1/3 frames. That said, he’s also throwing the ball well at present at Triple-A, allowing just one earned run and issuing only a single free pass in his 10 2/3 innings.

The move on Salazar, meanwhile, is not terribly surprising given that he has yet to begin a rehab assignment. It’s not clear what kind of timeline he’s on at present in working back from shoulder problems, but it already seemed likely he’d miss at least the first two months of the season.

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