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Rockies Place Wade Davis On 10-Day IL

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3:20pm: Davis’ oblique injury “is not severe,” Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post tweets.

2:30pm: The Rockies have placed closer Wade Davis on the 10-day injured list, per a club announcement. Righty Jairo Diaz is coming up in his place.

Davis is said to be dealing with a left oblique strain. The length of his anticipated absence isn’t yet clear. His ultimate timeline will obviously depend upon the grade of the strain and how he responds to treatment.

It’s obviously not great for the Rockies to see their top reliever hit the shelf. The club has had a rough enough start even with Davis handling business in the ninth inning.

That’s not to say that Davis has been perfect. He has issued ten walks to go with 18 strikeouts in his 14 2/3 innings of action, though he has also boosted his groundball rate to a personal-high 54.1%. Davis hasn’t yet allowed a home run, which is sure to change at some point. The Rockies had handled him with care in the early going in hopes of avoiding just this sort of scenario.

It’s not clear yet who’ll be installed as the temporary Colorado closer. The team might use a mix-and-match approach. Bryan Shaw has produced good outcomes but his peripherals are ugly. It’s not an entirely different situation for Scott Oberg. Carlos Estevez has been strong and is ripping off nearly a dozen strikeouts per nine, though he entered the season seeking to reestablish himself after failing to crack the bigs in 2018.

Diaz will step back up to the majors for the first time since 2017. He allowed just one earned run on a dozen hits in twenty frames at Triple-A, compiling a 22:6 K/BB ratio and keeping the ball in the yard. It’s nice to see this moment for a player that has come through injuries and personal tragedy, as documented recently by Nick Groke of The Athletic (subscription link).

In addition, the Rox announced that Tyler Anderson has been recalled and moved to the 60-day injured list. The lefty is said to be dealing with a chondral defect in his left knee. It was reported previously that he’d undergo season-ending surgery; by placing him on the 60-day IL, the club will open a 40-man spot. The move also resolves Anderson’s arbitration status: since he’ll be on the MLB IL, he’ll be a 4+ service-class player this coming fall.

Phillies Announce Surgery For Outfielder Dylan Cozens

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Phillies outfielder Dylan Cozens underwent surgery to remove a bone spur and repair cartilage in his left big toe, according to a team announcement. It is expected that he will miss the remainder of the season, Tom Housenick of The Morning Call reported on Twitter.

Soon to turn 25, the former second-rounder had already faced a difficult roster proposition with the Philadelphia organization. The left-handed-hitting slugger is on the 40-man, but really didn’t fit the needs at the MLB level of a team that installed Bryce Harper and Andrew McCutchen in the corners over the winter.

Cozens shot up prospect boards after a monster 2016 season in which he launched forty long balls at the Double-A level. But his follow-up effort at Triple-A wasn’t as impressive. Though he produced at the highest level of the minors in 2018, Cozens also struck out 124 times in 348 plate appearances and struggled in a brief attempt at the majors (including 24 strikeouts in 44 trips to the plate).

This year, Cozens opened with a .167/.333/.462 slash line and six home runs in 99 plate appearances at Triple-A. While it’s encouraging to see the walk-rate bump, that’s still a whopping volume of strikeouts.

If indeed he’s unable to return to the field of play in 2019, it’s quite possible Cozens will end up being sent elsewhere at season’s end. He’ll presumably be shifted to the 60-day IL for the time being, but would clog up the 40-man once the season draws to a close. Cozens will be out of options in 2020.

12 Corner Outfield Trade Targets For The Indians

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The Indians had a 94.6% chance of making the playoffs prior to the season, according to FanGraphs.  The Twins looked like an 85-win team, the Indians projected at 97, and the other 60% of the division is rebuilding.  The Twins, however, have flipped the script with a 32-16 start through Tuesday’s games.  They hold a 6.5 game lead over Cleveland.  But a Wild Card spot is a viable option for the Indians as well, and they still hold a 54.3% shot at the postseason.

The Indians have averaged just 3.96 runs per game, 12th in the AL and nestled between non-contenders.  After the club designated Carlos Gonzalez for assignment today, Zack Meisel of The Athletic wrote, “The state of the Indians’ lineup suggests a player can be hitting cleanup one day and be unemployed the next.”  Indeed, CarGo had started eight of the Indians’ last ten games, typically as the left fielder.

Gonzalez will be replaced internally for the foreseeable future, with 24-year-old rookie Oscar Mercado in line for an extended look.  The speedy Mercado, a Cardinals second round draft pick out of high school as a shortstop in 2013, was quietly acquired at last year’s trade deadline.  Mercado returned to the edge of the prospect radar after 2017, a season in which he blossomed playing center field every day and had his best offensive year.  Even at that point, though, he profiled as an extra outfielder in the Majors.  Mercado’s bat wasn’t terribly impressive at Triple-A in 2018, but he tweaked his swing in the offseason, raked in spring training, and hammered the ball in 30 games at Triple-A.  He’s interesting enough to merit regular playing time for the next couple of months, and his right-handed bat could be just what the Indians need in left field.  The Indians have veteran center fielder Leonys Martin likely to be pushed by former first rounder Bradley Zimmer in the near future, while Jordan Luplow has settled in as the team’s right fielder and has the minor league track record to stick.

We’ll know much more about this arrangement by mid-July, and it’s possible Mercado and/or Luplow won’t continue hitting at the Major League level.  While the Indians have some other paths to improving their offense, this post will explore corner outfield trade targets they may consider if internal options struggle.

Current Left Fielders

  • Domingo Santana, Mariners (controllable through 2021) – Santana has dropped off after a fast start, and the Mariners look less like a contender.  Still, he was a nice find for the club and I don’t think they’ll be eager to move him.
  • Alex Gordon, Royals (2019) – Given Gordon’s offensive renaissance, he would be a nifty veteran rental for Cleveland.  However, he has 10-and-5 rights and made it clear he doesn’t want to leave Kansas City.  Plus, Gordon is earning $20MM this year and would get a $4MM assignment bonus upon a trade.
  • Clint Frazier, Yankees (2023) – Frazier, the Indians’ first-round pick in 2013, was a key piece along with Justus Sheffield in Cleveland’s 2016 deadline deal for Andrew Miller.  Frazier has filled in admirably for the Yankees this year after their litany of injuries, but the club may not have much playing time for him once Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton return.  He could become trade bait for New York, and it would be fascinating if he were to return to the organization that drafted him.  Still, the Yankees may be reluctant to help a possible playoff opponent, and they can always send Frazier to Triple-A if they truly cannot find at-bats for him.
  • Adam Duvall, Braves (2021) – The Braves acquired Duvall from the Reds last summer and despite tendering him a contract in the offseason, did not put him on the Opening Day roster.  Duvall showed the ability to serve as a low on-base, high power left fielder with the Reds from 2016-17, and it wouldn’t take much for the Indians to add him.  The 30-year-old has mashed 15 home runs in 188 Triple-A plate appearances so far this year.
  • Yasmany Tomas, Diamondbacks (2020) – The Diamondbacks signed Tomas out of Cuba in December 2014 to a six-year, $68.5MM deal.  Though he smacked 31 home runs in his sophomore season, the D’Backs were never able to find a good home for him defensively.  Tomas hasn’t seen Major League time since 2017, but he’s hit 14 home runs in 178 plate appearances at Triple-A this year.  Jake Bauers has served as the Indians’ primary DH of late, but he could slide into left field if the team were to acquire a player like Tomas.  The Diamondbacks would have to pick up the vast majority of Tomas’ contract to move him.

Current Right Fielders

  • Yasiel Puig, Reds (2019) – Puig would be an excellent rental for the Indians, except for the fact that he hasn’t hit at all this year.  He’s also earning $9.7MM.  If Puig does return to form as an above average bat over the next few months, I could see him on the Indians’ radar.
  • Nicholas Castellanos, Tigers (2019) – Castellanos has been about league average with the bat this year after a superb 130 wRC+ season in 2018.  Like Puig, he’s headed for free agency after the season and is earning about $10MM.  Castellanos isn’t much of a defender, but assuming the Tigers don’t have any hang-ups about trading a rental within the division, he’s a great fit for Cleveland.
  • Adam Eaton, Nationals (2021) – Eaton is less than ideal as a left-handed hitter, but despite his slow start he could be a useful addition for the Indians.
  • Mitch Haniger, Mariners (2022) – Haniger would be a major prize for a team like the Indians, and he bats right-handed to boot, but Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto would seek a king’s ransom if he even considers a trade.  Seattle won’t be in any rush to move Haniger.
  • Trey Mancini, Orioles (2022) – Mancini is one of very few bright spots on the Orioles this year, and trading the 27-year-old might not sit well with some fans, but it could be an avenue for Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias to bolster his prospect stash.  Like Haniger, he’d be an attractive, controllable fit for the Indians.
  • Jorge Soler, Royals (2021) – Soler has never managed to play a full season in the Majors, but he’s been healthy and has hit for power this year.  I’m guessing the Royals are not eager to deal him currently.
  • Tyler O’Neill, Cardinals (2024) – O’Neill is currently playing at Triple-A, though he’s been out since Saturday with an undisclosed injury.  The 23-year-old has massive power from the right side and plus defense in the corners, though he’s struck out a ton in his 181 big league plate appearances.  The Cardinals have already relegated a starting-caliber player to the bench in Harrison Bader, so O’Neill has an even tougher path to playing time.  Longer-term, Marcell Ozuna is slated for free agency after the season and Jose Martinez could land elsewhere, so O’Neill may yet be part of the Cardinals’ future.  He’s still a player about which the Indians could inquire.

It’s also worth considering that several teams that are contending now may not be contending in a few months.  The Rangers, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Padres, and Athletics have some interesting corner outfield bats that might become considerations for the Indians.  I also entertained the possibility of including the Cubs’ Ian Happ on this list, though the 24-year-old has struggled in 42 Triple-A games.

Orioles Acquire Keon Broxton, Claim Chandler Shepherd

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The Orioles have acquired outfielder Keon Broxton from the Mets and claimed righty Chandler Shepherd from the Cubs, per a club announcement. $500K in international signing bonus slots are headed to the Mets in the swap.

Those additions created a need for two 40-man slots. To do so, the team moved starter Alex Cobb to the 60-day IL and designated fellow righty Yefry Ramirez for assignment.

Broxton, 29, obviously drew some interest since it took a non-trivial trade return to add him. He’ll need to stay on the active roster since he’s out of options. It’ll be interesting to see whether the O’s give him an extended audition in center field. While the results just haven’t been there for Broxton at the game’s highest level, he also has not had much of a chance to get going since the 2017 campaign.

This year has been a wreck so far for Broxton, who saw action in 34 games but took only 53 plate appearances with the Mets. He struck out 22 times in that span while delivering just one extra-base hit. Broxton did still manage to swipe four bags and figures to be a strong contributor in the field and on the bases.

As for the 26-year-old Shepherd, he’s on the move again just days after being claimed by the Cubs from the Red Sox. The right-handed hurler has been hit exceptionally hard this year at Triple-A, allowing 33 earned runs on 53 hits (eleven of them long balls) in 29 2/3 innings. But he had previously been a solid performer in the upper minors. The O’s are in need of innings and may have some ideas for getting him sorted out.

In any event, the organization obviously preferred Shepherd to Ramirez, who has had his own struggles this year. In 10 1/3 MLB frames, Ramirez has issued nine walks against eleven strikeouts while coughing up eight earned runs. Though it had never been an issue in the minors, he also struggled with the free passes last year in the majors.

The Ten Most Expensive One-Year Free Agent Relievers

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Many different types of free agents end up receiving relatively expensive, one-year deals. Some are looking for the right opportunity to earn a nice single-season paycheck while (hopefully) building up to a multi-year deal in the ensuing winter. Others settle for a solo campaign after trying and failing to find more. Some are younger players who have enough upside to draw a significant offer despite a rough platform campaign. Others are steady veterans that are being paid more for their floor than their ceiling. All such players necessarily receive only a limited commitment from their new teams; those that end up with non-contenders must be prepared for a mid-season scramble for new lodging in the event of a swap.

With about a quarter of the season in the books, we’re looking at how things are shaping up for the highest-paid rental free agents. We already performed this exercise for position players. and for starting pitchers. Now, we’ll take a look at the ten most expensive one-year relief pitchers:

Cody Allen, Angels, $8.5MM: Allen jumped right into the closer’s role for the Halos, but hasn’t bounced back as hoped. Instead, his struggles have deepened. Allen’s 4.80 ERA through 15 innings is actually rather deceptive. He is allowing a walk an inning along with 2.40 homers per nine. His average fastball velocity has fallen off by nearly two mph, with his swinging-strike rate dipping all the way down to 9.5%. Allen has turned in five-straight scoreless appearances, but has issued a free pass in every one of those outings.

Trevor Rosenthal, Nationals, $7MM: The issues are even deeper for Rosenthal, who is trying to find his way on the mound during an expansive rehab assignment. Despite showing ample arm strength, the occasionally wild reliever has completely lost the zone. In seven MLB appearances, Rosenthal recorded as many walks as outs (nine apiece), uncorked five wild pitches, and hit three batters. Needless to say, this investment has not turned out as hoped.

Greg Holland, Diamondbacks, $3.25MM: It has been a roller coaster ride in recent years for Holland, who reestablished himself late last year with the Nats but has still surprised with his strong early showing. Through 16 innings, he owns a 1.69 ERA with 12.4 K/9 and 5.6 BB/9 and has closed out eight games for the Snakes. There’s quite possibly some regression in store, with opposing hitters batting under .200 on balls in play, but Holland looks to be quite a nice value.

Brad Brach, Cubs, $3MM: Though he’s through 19 2/3 innings of 2.75 ERA pitching, there’s reason for concern with Brach’s opening to the year. He has not yet allowed a home run, which is both a feather in his cap and a sign of some good fortune. Worryingly, he has allowed 19 walks to go with his twenty strikeouts. He has also seen his swinging-strike rate drop to 10.1% and his chase rate drop to 25.7% — both well below his career mean. Brach isn’t having trouble putting the ball in the zone when he wants to, as he carries a 64.7% first-strike rate, but it seems opposing hitters may be seeing him better than they have in the past.

Jake Diekman, Royals, $2.75MM: Walks have always been a big part of Diekman’s game, so it’s not surprising to see him dishing them at over four per nine innings. But he’s also getting lots of strikeouts. To this point, Diekman carries a 24.4% K%-BB%, the best mark of his career, on a personal-high 15.4% swinging-strike rate. Ramped-up slider usage is paying dividends. Diekman carries a 3.15 ERA through twenty frames and is looking like a nice trade deadline chip.

Shawn Kelley, Rangers, $2.75MM: This signing is paying dividends, as the 35-year-old carries a 1.80 ERA in 15 frames. He has regained some lost velocity and issued just one walk on the year. That said, there are some areas of concern. Home runs remain a problem (1.80 per nine). Kelley is only generating swings and misses at about 2/3 of his former capacity. And the .189 BABIP-against and 100% strand rate he’s carrying are bound to rise.

Oliver Perez, Indians, $2.5MM: He isn’t getting any younger, but Perez has found new baseball life in Cleveland. He hasn’t been quite as excellent this year as he was in a bounceback 2018, but the 38-year-old has still maintained an excellent combination of 13.5 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 to open the new year. He has actually raised his swinging-strike rate yet further to a lofty 16.7%. The club is using him judiciously, with short outings focused mostly on lefty batters, but is getting what it bargained for.

David Phelps, Blue Jays, $2.5MM: The Jays knew they’d have to nurse Phelps back to health before getting him on the field, as he underwent Tommy John surgery just before the start of the 2018 season. He has yet to launch a rehab assignment, and it has been a while since we’ve seen a meaningful update on his status, but there’s no indication that he won’t be ready to go at some point in the relatively near future. That’s just what the Toronto organization needs Phelps to do if it is to utilize him as a summer trade chip.

Sergio Romo, Marlins, $2.5MM: Another potential trade candidate with an asterisk, the veteran has struggled to begin the year for Miami. He’s carrying a 5.06 ERA in 16 innings, with 9.6 K/9 but also an uncharacteristic 5.6 BB/9 and 1.69 HR/9. Interestingly, the hurler who once leaned on his slider more than anyone has dropped its usage below 50% for the first time in a long time even as the rest of the game increasingly leans on that pitch. Romo has increasingly gone to a change-up. He’s getting lots of chases out of the zone (39.4%) and a solid volume of swinging strikes (13.7%) but has obviously produced less-than-inspiring overall results. Whether Romo can tune up his pitch mix and return to his longstanding effectiveness remains to be seen.

Adam Warren, Padres, $2.5MM: It made eminent sense for the Friars to nab Warren after spending big on Manny Machado, but he hasn’t been in great form early. True, his 3.54 ERA through 20 1/3 frames is just fine. But Warren is giving up way too many walks (4.9 per nine) and home runs (2.66 per nine). He’s getting by on unsustainable BABIP-against (.160) and strand rate (100%) figures.

Rangers Place Willie Calhoun On IL, Recall Delino DeShields

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The Rangers announced today that outfielder Willie Calhoun is heading to the 10-day injured list with a strained left quadriceps. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by fellow outfielder Delino DeShields.

It’s inopportune timing for the 24-year-old Calhoun, who just got a long-awaited promotion back to the majors. He has been in good form since coming up, slashing .435/.458/.739 with a pair of long balls in two dozen plate appearances.

There’s no reason to think the injury will be more than a speed bump for Calhoun, who was the headlining prospect of the 2017 Yu Darvish trade. But he hadn’t really thrived in his new organization since that swap, struggling especially in limited opportunities at the game’s highest level. Calhoun earned his way back up with a strong beginning to the season at Triple-A.

DeShields was demoted earlier this month after another rough showing at the plate. He just hasn’t hit enough since the start of the 2018 season to warrant a steady MLB roster spot, though his speed and defense remain appealing tools. DeShields wasn’t exactly tearing the cover off of the ball at Triple-A, with a .211/.318/.421 slash in 44 plate appearances since going down, though that was an improvement over his major league output.

Blue Jays Release Ben Revere

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The Blue Jays have released veteran outfielder Ben Revere from their Triple-A club, per Baseball America’s Kegan Lowe. He was in his second stint with the Jays after signing a minor league deal in late April. He’d previously had a brief but solid run as a regular in left field with Toronto after being acquired prior to trade deadline in 2015.

Revere initially reported to extended Spring Training upon signing, and he appeared in just eight games before returning to the open market. He collected multiple hits in four of those eight contests and hit .286/.286/.371 with only three strikeouts in his 35 plate appearances back in the Jays organization.

Revere, who turned 31 a couple of weeks ago, hasn’t played in the Majors since hitting .275/.308/.344 in 308 plate appearances with the Angels in 2017. He spent last season with the Halos’ Triple-A affiliate and batted .277/.319/.406 in a limited sample of 40 games. He’s long been known for his blistering speed and knack for putting the ball in play, although he’s swiped just three bags in those 48 games at the Triple-A level across the past two seasons. Revere is capable of handling all three outfield positions and was playing in games as recently as this past weekend, when he recorded consecutive multi-hit efforts, so he could land with another organization in need of some upper-level depth and step directly into a lineup in Triple-A.

Indians’ Roberto Perez Diagnosed With Concussion

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Indians catcher Roberto Perez was diagnosed with a concussion after taking a foul ball off the mask in last night’s game against the Athletics, manager Terry Francona told reporters after the game (link via Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer). While Francona called it a “mild” concussion and suggested the team will take a day before determining whether to place Perez on the 7-day injured list, though clubs typically err on the side of caution with regard to head injuries. Fellow catcher Eric Haase is already on his way to join the club from Triple-A Columbus, Francona indicated.

The 30-year-old Perez has taken over as Cleveland’s top catching option in 2019 following the offseason trade of Yan Gomes, and while he’s never previously been much of a threat at the plate, he’s enjoyed a solid start to the season. In 117 plate appearances, Perez is hitting .228/.319/.426 with six home runs and a pair of doubles. He’s always been able to draw a walk, but Perez has slashed his strikeout rate by four percent over last season and upped his walk rate a bit while showing the best home-run pop of his career to date. He’s also gone 6-for-18 in stopping stolen-base attempts and posted above-average framing marks (per Baseball Prospectus).

Given that improved offense and his typically solid brand of glovework, an absence for Perez would sting perhaps more than many Indians fans would’ve thought entering the season. Cleveland’s other catcher, Kevin Plawecki, has managed only a .143/.250/.286 batting line — albeit in a mere 56 plate appearances.

Haase, 26, is on the 40-man roster, so the Indians would only need to make a 25-man move to bring him up to the Majors. He’s out to a nice start of his own in Columbus, having batted .245/.341/.562 with 11 home runs in 129 plate appearances. His 31 percent strikeout rate is too high but is also a mirror image of the rate at which he’s fanned dating back to Class-A Advanced in 2015. He’s offset that mark a bit with a 13.2 percent walk rate and the best power production of his career.

Twins Release Addison Reed

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May 21: Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey tells reporters that Reed has been informed of his placement on release waivers (Twitter link via the Minneapolis Star Tribune’s Phil Miller). He’ll be a free agent once he clears in 48 hours. At that point, he can sign with any club for the prorated league minimum.

May 16: The Twins announced that they’ve designated right-hander Addison Reed for assignment. The veteran setup man had been pitching on a rehab assignment in Triple-A Rochester after opening the season on the injured list due to a thumb sprain, though Dan Hayes of The Athletic tweets that Reed’s velocity was topping out at 88-89 mph in recent appearances.

It’s a disappointing outcome for both the Twins and Reed, whose initial two-year, $16.75MM pact with Minnesota looked to be a relative bargain. Reed got out to a terrific start last season, pitching to a 2.36 ERA with 9.1 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and 1.01 HR/9 through his first 26 2/3 innings. However, he began to struggle and landed on the shelf due to triceps discomfort and an elbow impingement in July. He struggled in his return while demonstrating the same type of velocity loss Hayes mentioned in reference to Reed’s rehab assignment. He finished up the season with a cumulative 4.50 ERA, 7.1 K/9, 2.4 BB/9, 1.77 HR/9 and a 31.6 percent ground-ball rate.

Minnesota will have a week to trade Reed, release him or pass him through waivers. He’s likely to clear, given this season’s $8.5MM salary, and even if the Twins try to outright him to Triple-A, Reed could reject the assignment in favor of free agency.

His spot on the 40-man roster will go to right-hander Austin D. Adams, whose promotion to the Major Leagues was reported last night. Adams’ contract has now been formally selected, per the Twins’ announcement.

Injury Notes: McHugh, Davis, Tepera, Zunino, Duke

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The Astros announced today that right-hander Collin McHugh is headed to the 10-day injured list due to discomfort in his right elbow. It’s an ominous-sounding injury but the cause for concern doesn’t appear to be great; McHugh told reporters after the move that an MRI has already been performed and did not reveal any structural damage (link via the Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome). He’ll spend two or three days resting the arm before playing catch, and the 31-year-old (32 next month) believes he’s only in line for a brief stay on the IL. Any injury for a free-agent-to-be is at least somewhat notable, of course, and McHugh’s stock is particularly worth watching now that he’s been dropped from the rotation to the bullpen. Right-hander Brady Rodgers will return to the Majors for the first time since 2016 to replace McHugh in the bullpen. Rodgers, a third-rounder in 2012, has had a long road back from 2017 Tommy John surgery to post a solid 3.22 ERA in 44 2/3 innings in Triple-A so far.

More injury updates of note…

  • Athletics slugger Khris Davis exited tonight’s game after one plate appearance due to what the team announced to be “lingering effects from a left hip contusion suffered earlier this season.” It’s not clear if this’ll be another day-to-day situation for Davis or whether he might finally require a trip to the injured list to allow what has been a long-nagging injury time to heal up. Davis, king of the .247 batting average, is remarkably just a hair off that number, hitting .248/.318/.497 with a dozen homers through 179 plate appearances after making an out in the one at-bat he did have Tuesday.
  • A right elbow impingement has landed Blue Jays righty Ryan Tepera on the 10-day injured list, per an announcement from the team. Right-hander Jimmy Cordero is up from Triple-A Buffalo in his place. The outlook on Tepera is of at least some concern, as Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi tweets that Tepera says he’s been unable to get the proper level of extension on his release of his pitches. He’s headed to see a specialist for further evaluation. The 31-year-old Tepera had quietly emerged as a very solid setup piece for the Jays over the past few seasons but has been torched for a 6.55 ERA with nine strikeouts against six walks (two intentional) through 11 innings this season. His average fastball has dipped from 95 mph in 2017-18 to 93.7 mph this season. A healthy Tepera would make for a nice trade chip for the Jays this summer, given that he’s controlled through 2021, so his diagnosis and recovery timetable are well worth monitoring despite the fact that the Jays are on pace for nearly 100 losses.
  • Rays catcher Mike Zunino feels he’s making good progress on his return from a quad strain, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Zunino, who was given a four- to six-week recovery timeline is optimistic that he can return toward the front end of that projection. That’s welcome news for a Rays organization that has cycled through various combinations of Nick Ciuffo, Anthony Bemboom, Travis d’Arnaud and Erik Kratz since seeing both Zunino and Michael Perez land on the injured list. Both d’Arnaud and Kratz were trade acquisitions prompted by the loss of the organization’s top two catchers. Once Zunino and/or Perez is ready to return, there’ll likely be further roster juggling.
  • Lefty Zach Duke was placed on the injured list by the Reds due to a calf strain earlier today. Cincinnati will operate with a slightly shorter ’pen for at least a day or two, as they recalled infielder Josh VanMeter in his place. The Reds still have a pair of lefties in the bullpen in Amir Garrett and Wandy Peralta. For Duke, who inked a one-year deal worth $2MM this offseason, the trip to the IL could give him an opportunity for a mental breather on the heels of an ugly start to the year. Through 15 2/3 innings, the 36-year-old Duke has a 6.32 ERA with more walks (11) than strikeouts (9). Duke’s ground-ball rate, which sat at a hefty 59.4 percent in 2018, is down to 49 percent to begin the year.

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