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AL West Notes: Cruz, Athletics, Gallardo, Angels

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Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz not only plans to keep playing in 2019, but Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman reports that Cruz has hopes of landing a multi-year contract as a free agent this winter.  Cruz will be an interesting test case within a market that has been increasingly unkind to veteran bat-only players over the last two offseasons.  He turns 38 tomorrow and his list of suitors is almost surely limited to American League teams since Cruz has become a full-time DH.  On the plus side, Cruz is still hitting as well as ever, with 21 homers and a .273/.358/.569 slash line through 288 PA.  Teams are increasingly preferring to rotate several players through their DH spot rather than employ a full-time designated hitter, though Cruz’s production has been so excellent in recent years that you’d think at least a couple of clubs would be willing to trade lineup versatility for a big bat.

Some more from around the AL West…

  • The Athletics are getting calls about their relievers, as a scout tells Peter Gammons (Twitter link) that Blake Treinen, Lou Trivino, and Ryan Buchter have all drawn interest from multiple teams.  Treinen has been mentioned as a potential trade chip, though Gammons says that Oakland has declined all offers for the closer.  Treinen has two more years of control remaining via arbitration, while Buchter has three and Trivino only made his MLB debut this season.  The A’s would surely need quite a bit to part with any of the trio, though a trade isn’t out of the question if the team is considering buying at the deadline.  The A’s still have a big deficit to make up in both the AL West and wild card races, though an 11-2 run in their last 13 games has given them an impressive 45-38 record.
  • With the Rangers facing a lot of uncertainty with their starting rotation in 2019, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram suggests that Yovani Gallardo could potentially return to the team next season.  Gallardo hasn’t shown much in three starts for Texas, though he would likely be a low-cost signing in the offseason and would give the Rangers some veteran depth as they juggle their various pitching options going forward.
  • While the Angels’ farm system is usually rated around the middle of the pack in most organization rankings, this represents a major improvement from just a couple of years ago, when the prospect-starved Halos were considered to have one of the worst collections of minor league talent of any team in recent memory.  The Athletic’s Steve Dilbeck (subscription required) looks at how the Angels have rebuilt their player development system under GM Billy Eppler, with a particular organization-wide focus on finding athletic players.  “You’ve seen over the course of [Eppler’s] drafts a very common thread,” Angels director of scouting Matt Swanson said.  “Athleticism and not being afraid of high upside players and understanding that we can bring guys in and get them bigger, faster and stronger.”

Blue Jays Place Ryan Tepera On 10-Day Disabled List

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The Blue Jays announced this morning that right-hander Ryan Tepera has been placed on the 10-day DL due to right elbow inflammation, with the placement retroactive to June 28.  Jake Petricka was promoted from Triple-A to take Tepera’s spot on the 25-man roster.

Tepera emerged as a workhorse out of the Toronto bullpen when he tossed 77 2/3 innings in 2017, and he continued to produce as one of the Jays’ primary setup options early in the season.  In the wake of Roberto Osuna’s absence and subsequent suspension stemming from domestic assault charges, Tepera was also developing into John Gibbons’ preferred choice as closer.  Tyler Clippard earned a save for the Jays last night and will likely get the bulk of ninth-inning chances while Tepera is out.

[Updated Blue Jays depth chart at Roster Resource]

Over 39 1/3 IP, Tepera has posted an impressive 2.97 ERA, 9.8 K/9, 3.58 K/BB rate and 47.5% grounder rate.  ERA predictors (3.55 FIP, 3.43 xFIP, 3.05 SIERA) are only slightly less-impressed with his performance, and it could be argued that Tepera has even been a hit unlucky, as his xwOBA (.270) is well below his actual xOBA of .316.  The long ball has been a bit of an issue for Tepera, as he has allowed five homers this season, the most recent being a walkoff blast from Houston’s Alex Bregman in a blown save opportunity last Wednesday.

Tepera’s absence is yet another blow to a Blue Jays team that looks to be sellers at the deadline, with Thursday’s trade of Steve Pearce to the Red Sox perhaps being the first of several deals in the coming weeks.  Toronto’s short-term veterans are the most obvious candidates to be dealt, though MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi recently reported that Tepera had been receiving some trade interest.  If Tepera is able to return just after the All-Star break, he should have enough time to prove his health and continue his exhibit his value to any suitors, assuming that Toronto is interested in dealing him.  Tepera isn’t eligible for arbitration until this coming winter, making him an important controllable piece within a Jays bullpen that has a lot of long-term questions, given Osuna’s situation and the number of veterans only signed through this season.

Braves Designate Peter Bourjos For Assignment

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The Braves have designated outfielder Peter Bourjos for assignment, the team announced on Twitter.  In a corresponding move, southpaw Max Fried has been called up from Triple-A to start tonight’s game against the Cardinals.

Signed to a minor league contract near the end of Spring Training, Bourjos was released by the Braves at the end of April and then quickly re-signed to a new minors deal.  The veteran outfielder hasn’t provided much at the plate (.205/.239/.364 slash line in 47 PA), though his primary role in Atlanta has been serving as a late-game defensive replacement, usually in left field.

With Ronald Acuna now back from the disabled list and stepping back into the starting left field role, Bourjos became expendable, though the Braves are likely hoping that he can slip from waivers and remain in the organization as center field depth.  Acuna and backups Danny Santana and Charlie Culberson are all imperfect fill-ins behind everyday center fielder Ender Inciarte, while Bourjos has long been a capable-to-very good defender throughout his career.

This is the third time Fried has been promoted to the MLB roster this season, and the left-hander has contributed a 4.09 ERA and 13 strikeouts (plus a troubling seven walks) over 11 innings of work.  He has yet to receive an extended look at the big league level either this year or after making his Major League debut in 2017, though Fried could get more of an opportunity now that Brandon McCarthy and Mike Soroka are both on the disabled list.  Fried was ranked as a top-100 prospect by Baseball America (which had him 72nd) and MLB.com (83rd) prior to the season.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Moustakas, Merrifield, Duffy, Fulmer, Drury

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The Cardinals have “renewed interest” in Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports in his latest notes column (subscription required).  It isn’t clear how seriously interested St. Louis is, however, and Rosenthal notes that adding Moustakas would lead to a crowded infield situation.  Matt Carpenter would have to be moved to either second base or first base, displacing either the light-hitting but defensively brilliant Kolten Wong, or the hard-hitting Jose Martinez and his sub-par first base glove.  One option could be to flip Martinez for some immediate help in another area, Rosenthal suggests, listing the Twins as a potential suitor for Martinez — Minnesota, of course, is a fringe contender at best right now, but Martinez would be a long-term piece at first base and DH.  On the other hand, Martinez has been perhaps the Cardinals’ best hitter this season and he is controllable through the 2022 season.  This is just one of many scenarios that could play out involving these players, of course, as the Cards (like every front office in the game) is weighing dozens of potential scenarios as we approach the trade deadline.  St. Louis still seems to be in the planning stages, as Rosenthal writes that the Cards “have yet to engage seriously on any one player.”

Here are some more hot stove items from Rosenthal’s column…

  • The Brewers were interested in Royals second baseman/outfielder Whit Merrifield this past offseason and are once again inquiring on his services.  The late-blooming Merrifield has continued to establish himself as a solid everyday player this season, batting .284/.358/.401 over 339 PA, plus 16 steals in 20 chances.  Second base has been a problem spot for Milwaukee, and while the Brewers recently acquired Brad Miller as infield depth, Merrifield would represent a more solid upgrade at the keystone.  Though the Brewers could also need rotation help, Rosenthal reports that they haven’t discussed Danny Duffy as part of their talks with Kansas City.
  • Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer is drawing a lot of interest from not just contenders like the Phillies, Dodgers and Yankees, but also from rebuilding teams like the Padres.  Clearly Fulmer would be a fit for a lot of teams considering both his ability and his years of control; he isn’t arbitration-eligible until this winter, and he has four years of arbitration coming as a Super Two player.  Fancred Sports’ Jon Heyman wrote earlier this week that it could be unlikely that Fulmer is actually dealt, as Detroit has naturally put a big price tag on the righty in trade talks.  San Diego is deep in prospects, however, so the Friars could be one of the few teams who wouldn’t immediately balk at the Tigers’ demands.
  • Brandon Drury’s return to the Yankees came with some service time implications, as Rosenthal notes that New York could have gained an extra year of control over the utilityman by keeping him in the minors until Sunday.  It’s possible Drury could still be demoted again at some point this season, and if so, he wouldn’t qualify for free agency until after the 2022 season.  This could potentially make Drury more valuable to other teams in trade talks, as the Yankees are deep in long-term infield options and might see Drury as expendable.

Brian Cashman On Yankees’ Deadline Plans

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Yankees GM Brian Cashman addressed a few topics of interest with the rival Red Sox in town. Lindsey Adler of The Athletic (subscription link) and MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch were among those to write up the chat.

Of greatest significance, perhaps, were Cashman’s comments on his organization’s intentions regarding its rotation. The veteran executive left little doubt that, as expected, he’ll be looking hard for upgrades to the staff.

Cashman did allow that there were circumstances under which the team would hold pat with its existing group. But that’d only be the case, he said, if “we didn’t think the price tags were appropriate.” A failure to land a starter, he added, would “be more reflective of the inability to find a match comfortable enough to follow through with” than any lack of desire to add an arm.

That’s hardly surprising to hear, as the rotation has long been an obvious area to target for improvement, particularly since Jordan Montgomery went down for the year. But it’s notable that the Yankees are willing to acknowledge their intentions publicly — and at a relatively early stage in the summer trade market’s development.

At a minimum, these comments seem to indicate, the Yanks will likely add a solid depth starter. Even marginal improvements will matter, after all; every regular season win will count in a tight divisional race with the Red Sox. Of course, there’s also still every possibility that the club will aim quite a bit higher.

Getting a significant starter would mean parting with some hard-earned prospect capital. Cashman acknowledges as much. “I have a lot of high-end talent that’s taken a long time to acquire and cultivate, but it’s gonna cost something to get stuff, so we’ll play that game here over the next month,” he said. Cashman indicated that he won’t take top outfield prospect Clint Frazier off the table, though he did note that he’d prefer to retain the young talent.

Of course, some of the most intriguing outside arms are already pitching in New York for the rival Mets. Cashman said he has already been in touch with Mets executive Omar Minaya, who is one of the three executives who are filling in for GM Sandy Alderson. Cashman expressed interest in maintaining an open dialogue. Of course, it still would make for a surprise if those two organizations get together on a significant trade.

Injury Notes: Darvish, Nelson, Cordero, Chapman, Strasburg, Cespedes, Font, Dunning

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With ongoing uncertainty leading to some real worry, it came as something of a relief when the Cubs announced that Yu Darvish has been diagnosed with a right elbow impingement, as Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic was among those to cover on Twitter. Already on the DL, Darvish will receive a cortisone shot before being examined again next week. It’s not yet known what the course will be from that point, but the club is no doubt pleased that there’s not a more significant underlying issue plaguing the high-priced hurler.

Let’s run through some other health updates of note …

  • The Brewers are still unsure when they’ll welcome back righty Jimmy Nelson, GM David Stearns tells reporters including MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy (via Twitter). “We still think Jimmy is going to pitch for us this year,” Stearns stressed. But the shoulder surgery that knocked Nelson out has required a “slower process,” says Stearns, with Nelson still “yet to pitch off a mound.” It seems there’s no chance that the Brewers will welcome back their staff ace in advance of the trade deadline, meaning they’ll need to assess their rotation without full knowledge of his ability to contribute down the stretch.
  • Padres outfielder Franchy Cordero appears quite likely to elect season-ending surgery, MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell tweets. It’s still not a certainty, and the lack of urgency in making the final call — it has been under consideration for at least ten days — speaks to the general timeline. Though Cordero would miss the rest of the MLB campaign, he’d likely be ready to participate in winter ball and certainly be at full health for Spring Training next year.
  • Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman has progressed to taking swings, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. He has already been out for about two weeks with a hand injury.
  • It seems there’s some cause for optimism for the Indians regarding reliever Tyler Olson. MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets that Olson has been able to throw a bullpen session, which certainly indicates he’s progressing rather well from a lat injury that perhaps could have been worse.
  • Likewise, Nationals starter Stephen Strasburg turned in a surprise bullpen session, as Dan Kolko of MASNsports.com was among those to tweet. That’s the first real indication that Strasburg is ready to begin working back toward a return from shoulder inflammation in earnest.
  • In other NL East news, the Mets increasingly have a confounding situation on their hands with regard to star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News writes. Cespedes went on the DL in the middle of May with what seemed to be a minor injury, but still has not resumed running. Skipper Mickey Callaway says the veteran is “feeling a lot better,” but there’s no real sense of a timeline.
  • Righty Wilmer Font left today’s game with a lat injury, with Rays skipper Kevin Cash saying it’s probably a serious one, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports on Twitter. The recently claimed righty “in all likelihood will miss significant time,” says Cash, which is quite a disappointment for all involved. Entering play today, the 28-year-old had found his groove with the Rays, turning in 22 innings of 1.64 ERA ball with 7.0 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9.
  • In news of longer-term consequence, the White Sox are still holding their breath with regard to well-regarded pitching prospect Dane Dunning. The team announced that he has been diagnosed with a “moderate elbow sprain that presently will not require surgery.” For the time being, he’ll rest for a while and resume throwing in about two months’ time if he’s deemed ready. That’s hardly good news, but is certainly better than the worst-case that may have been feared.

Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins On Roberto Osuna, Trade Deadline Plans

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Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins said today that suspended reliever Roberto Osuna will return to being the team’s closer when he is activated from his suspension, as Shi Davidi of Sporsnet.ca reports. Osuna is serving a 75-game suspension for a violation of the MLB-MLBPA Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

Dealing with Osuna’s situation was never going to be easy for the Toronto organization. The domestic assault charges against Osuna — one of the game’s best young relief pitchers — are extremely serious.

While the imposition of a lengthy ban did give the team an understanding as to when the young pitcher will be able to play, at least in the eyes of Major League Baseball, there’s still ample uncertainty remaining. Osuna is still facing a criminal trial, after all. In the event of a conviction, he could miss further time (and public scrutiny). And any criminal penalties could make it difficult for him to travel with the team. The factual circumstances surrounding his arrest also still remain largely unknown. Public opinion on the topic may yet depend upon the course of the criminal matter and what facts ultimately emerge.

Still, Atkins declared today that Osuna “is our closer.” He explained:

“We’re running a baseball team and our goal is to win championships. Roberto could potentially be very much a part of that. The word that comes to mind for me when you talk about that is empathy. That’s not just for Roberto, that’s for everyone involved, that’s where we’re going to spend our time and energy, on being empathetic and trying to understand. We don’t have a background in investigations.”

Readers can reach their own conclusions as to the merits of that stance given what has been reported to this point. From a purely on-field perspective, though, it seems Osuna will step back into his prominent role at the back of the Blue Jays’ bullpen if and when he’s able. The comments surely give no indication that the organization will look to trade Osuna before the July 31st trade deadline, as has been speculated elsewhere. He’s eligible to return to play in the majors in early August.

Atkins also addressed his organization’s general stance with the trade deadline approaching, as Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith tweeted. With Steve Pearce going out the door last night, it’s already obvious that the Jays’ rental pieces are available. That means that a variety of relievers could be moved, along with veteran outfielder Curtis Granderson and starters such as J.A. Happ and Marco Estrada.

But Atkins made clear, too, that the team will at least be open to the possibility of dealing controllable assets as well. If rival organizations wish to pry loose a player under contract into the future, though, the Jays will ask them “to frame the value for us and do the work on their end.” It seems, then, that the Toronto front office won’t be shopping players such as Justin Smoak, Yangervis Solarte, and Kevin Pillar so much as it will be amenable to considering offers for them.

While much of the focus will be on the July trade period, matters of significance lurk in August. Osuna’s status is likely to be a highly visible topic, with implications that go well beyond the game itself. And from a pure baseball perspective, a fascinating situation could be developing with regard to Josh Donaldson, who could be a highly important trade asset during the revocable waiver trade period — if he’s able to get back to health by that point, which isn’t yet certain given his recent setback.

Phillies, Royals Have Discussed Mike Moustakas

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The Phillies and Royals have held at least preliminary trade talks involving Kansas City third baseman Mike Moustakas, according to Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The level of interest is not entirely apparent and there’s no indication at this point that the sides are nearing an agreement. But the K.C. scouting department is said to be taking a look at the Phillies system to identify targets.

With a $5.5MM salary this year and $1MM buyout on a 2019 mutual option, Moustakas is an affordable target. Of course, that’s probably not the chief concern for the Phils, who have been much more willing to burn money than prospect capital of late. In recent years, the club has placed numerous hefty salaries onto its payroll, but in most cases hasn’t packaged significant young talent or taken on long-term financial commitments.

The Philadelphia organization unquestionably has the assets to get Moustakas; what’s not yet clear is whether he’s really the player they want. Firmly in the picture in the National League East, the Phillies are said to be a possible pursuer of top summer trade candidate Manny Machado — a player they may also covet in free agency at season’s end. The club has also been connected to Rangers third bagger Adrian Beltre.

Moustakas, 29, has trailed off at the plate of late after surging to open the year. Still, his .255/.310/.467 slash and 15 home runs through 332 plate appearances fall right in line with his composite work from the prior three campaigns. He has perhaps even been a bit unfortunate; while his .255 BABIP is in line with his unusually low career rate, Moustakas is credited by Statcast with a .383 xwOBA that greatly exceeds his .325 wOBA.

There’s not much mystery at this point as to Moustakas’s profile. He’s got excellent power, middling on-base ability, and not-insignificant platoon splits (which have widened this year). Defensively, he has graded out as a positive this year, but he has mostly played within range of average over his career.

It’ll be interesting to see how the deadline plays out for the Phillies. There are lots of possibilities, both at the hot corner and elsewhere on the roster. As Salisbury indicates, the team may well not show much interest in parting with top prospects to make deals. But few, if any, clubs in baseball can match the Phillies in near and long-term financial flexibility, opening numerous creative avenues to improve a roster that has already looked solid through the season’s halfway point.

White Sox Release Alex Presley

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The White Sox have released outfielder Alex Presley, per an announcement from the team’s Triple-A affiliate. Presley had been playing at Charlotte since signing a minors deal in late May.

Presley, who’s within a month of his 33rd birthday, opened the season with the Orioles organization. He has had trouble getting things going at the plate at the highest level of the minors, turning in 232 plate appearances of .238/.306/.314 hitting in his two stops this year.

In the eight preceding seasons, the left-handed-hitting Presley accumulated just over fifteen-hundred plate appearances in the majors, slashing a composite .263/.306/.388. He carried a 106 wRC+ output in 71 games last year with the Tigers.

Zack Wheeler Has “Drawn Some Inquiries”

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Mets righty Zack Wheeler has “drawn some inquiries” in trade talks, according to James Wagner of the New York Times (Twitter link). It’s not clear at this point how serious the interest is.

There’s no specific indication that the Mets are particularly willing to move Wheeler, but the club indicated yesterday that it would at least entertain offers for its best pitchers. If Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard are both potentially available, it stands to reason that the Mets’ front office wouldn’t hang up on callers inquiring on Wheeler.

Clearly, Wheeler isn’t going to draw the kind of offers that the Mets’ top hurlers will. But he’s an interesting arm in his own right. The former sixth overall draft choice has been through a lot in recent seasons, but is finally rounding into form right as the deadline approaches.

Wheeler missed two full seasons as he struggled to make it back from Tommy John surgery, then turned in 17 middling starts last year. He owns only a 4.47 ERA in his 88 2/3 innings over 15 outings thus far in 2018, but the peripherals are much more promising. Wheeler has retired 8.7 batters per nine via strikeout while issuing 3.3 walks per nine, with ERA estimators viewing him as a solid performer (3.66 FIP, 4.01 xFIP, 4.01 SIERA) over the first half of the season.

The signs have pointed up of late. As Wagner notes, Wheeler carries a 3.38 ERA through his past eight starts. And his fastball velocity has steadily trended up over the course of the season, with Wheeler sitting at 97 most recently. With a meager $1.9MM salary, the hurler comes plenty cheap. And he can be retained for another campaign via arbitration.

Despite the encouraging signs, it’s still hard to imagine that rival teams will be willing to stake their best prospect assets on a pitcher whose recent past includes so many questions. On the other side of the equation, the Mets have little reason to dump Wheeler for whatever they can get. If the offers aren’t sufficient, the club will happily allow him a chance to fill innings and build value. After all, Wheeler could certainly still be a worthwhile offseason trade candidate or 2019 rotation piece for the Mets.

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