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Archives for May 2019

Nationals Sign Jonny Venters

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The Nationals announced that they’ve signed veteran left-hander Jonny Venters to a minor league contract and assigned him to Double-A Harrisburg. The 2018 National League Comeback Player of the Year was released by the Braves earlier this month.

Venters, 34, returned from three Tommy John surgeries and a five-year MLB absence in 2018 to give the Braves 34 1/3 innings of 3.67 ERA ball. The southpaw averaged 7.1 K/9, 4.2 BB/9 and 0.26 HR/9 to go along with a superlative 69.1 percent ground-ball rate in that terrific comeback effort. Unfortunately, the 2019 season wasn’t kind to him. Venters appeared in just nine games with the Braves, pitching a total of 4 2/3 innings but surrendering nine earned runs (plus another four unearned runs). He faced 31 batters and allowed more to reach than he retired (nine hits, eight walks).

On the plus side for Venters, his velocity held up (93.3 mph average fastball), but that’s only a small silver lining on an otherwise tough stretch of games. For the Nationals, though, there’s little to lose in terms of giving him a look. The Washington bullpen has been an unmitigated disaster beyond Sean Doolittle, and even he’s begun to slip a bit recently — perhaps due to an elevated workload. Nationals relievers have the worst ERA in baseball by more than a run (7.14), and they rank 28th in FIP (5.27), 29th in xFIP (5.13) and 24th in SIERA (4.38).

Ryan Tepera Undergoes Surgery

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Blue Jays right-hander Ryan Tepera, on the injured list due to an elbow impingement, announced Wednesday that he underwent surgery to address the issue (Twitter link). The team hasn’t made a formal announcement of the procedure yet, nor has it provided a timetable for his return. However, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith points out that manager Charlie Montoyo listed Nathan Eovaldi’s four- to six-week timeline as a possible relevant comparison last week when discussing the possibility of Tepera undergoing surgery.

If that is indeed an accurate comparison, then it seems likely the Jays will be without Tepera for at least the next month. He hasn’t pitched well this season, though that’s not exactly a surprise given the recent revelation that he’s been pitching with an impingement and loose bodies in his right elbow. Through 11 innings, Tepera has a 6.55 ERA with nine strikeouts against six walks (two intentional) and four home runs allowed. His fastball, which averaged 95.1 mph from 2015-18, was sitting at 93.7 mph in 2019.

Prior to this year, though, Tepera was a solid late-inning arm for the Jays. From 2016-18, Tepera logged a 3.53 ERA and a 3.91 FIP with 9.4 K/9, 3.5 BB/9, 0.95 HR/9 and a 44.7 percent ground-ball rate. Those numbers may not be overpowering, but Tepera found plenty of success in Toronto despite pitching in a hitter-friendly home park in a notoriously difficult offensive division.

Given that success, his modest $1.525MM salary in 2019 and the rebuilding state in which the Blue Jays find themselves, Tepera looked like an obvious summer trade candidate heading into the season. Now, he’ll possibly be sidelined into July, leaving him minimal time to demonstrate his health for scouts from rival clubs. Depending on exactly when he’s able to get back on a mound, it may simply be more likely that the Blue Jays hang onto him into the offseason. Tepera is controlled for two years beyond the current campaign, so there’s no great urgency to move him. And, if he shows well over the final few months of the season in his return from surgery, most interested parties would surely chalk up his early struggles to an aberration stemming from the since-corrected elbow troubles.

Red Sox Place Mitch Moreland On IL, Change Bullpen Mix

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The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves today. First baseman Mitch Moreland is headed to the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain, helping to free up roster space for some tweaks to the team’s bullpen mix.

Lefty Josh Taylor will be promoted for his first taste of the majors. He had already been added to the 40-man roster last fall to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. The Sox also sent down Travis Lakins after his tough outing last night, recalling fellow right-hander Colten Brewer.

Moreland had been down for a few days already, though his absence had been attributed to a knee contusion. He has also dealt with minor back issues in the recent past. Rather than pushing him to return, the Sox will allow the left-handed-hitting first bagger some time to recuperate.

Thus far at Triple-A, Taylor carries a 2.91 ERA with 29 strikeouts and nine walks. The 26-year-old gives the Sox a much-needed southpaw presence in their relief unit. As we discussed earlier this morning, the Boston pen has struggled to retire opposing lefty hitters. Taylor has actually struggled quite a bit against lefty hitters this year in the highest level of the minors, surrendering a cumulative .286/.364/.500 batting line, though he has carried more typical platoon splits in prior seasons.

Mariners Place J.P. Crawford On Injured List

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12:10pm: Crawford is indeed headed to the IL, with infielder Dylan Moore coming up to replace him on the roster, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Manager Scott Servais says the sprain isn’t believed to be too serious but will keep Crawford sidelined for at least a few weeks. (Via Shannon Drayer of 710 Seattle, on Twitter.)

1:11am: Shortstop J.P. Crawford left the Mariners’ game against the Rangers on Tuesday with an apparent left ankle injury. He’ll undergo X-rays, though a stint on the injured list is already considered likely, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.  Crawford departed after an eighth-inning rundown on the base paths and needed assistance getting off the field (video here via Greg Johns of MLB.com).

Crawford’s not even three weeks into his big league tenure with the Mariners, who promoted him May 10 when fellow infielder Dee Gordon went on the IL. The 24-year-old Crawford performed well in 67 plate appearances between the call-up and the injury, slashing .279/.343/.426 (112 wRC+). Before that, the former star prospect hit .319/.420/.457 with 19 walks against 25 strikeouts in 138 trips to the plate with the Mariners’ top minor league affiliate in Tacoma.

Crawford’s output has been an encouraging sign for the Mariners, who acquired him from the Phillies as part of a December blockbuster trade centering on Jean Segura. This injury could temporarily halt the potential building block’s progress, though. It would also serve as another blow to a Mariners infield that lost Gordon and Ryon Healy to the IL earlier this month. However, Seattle does have an obvious shortstop fill-in, Tim Beckham, who has started most of the team’s games there this season. Since Crawford’s promotion, the M’s have cut Beckham’s playing time.

Write For MLB Trade Rumors

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We’re looking to add two people to the MLBTR writing team, in a part-time position that pays hourly.  The criteria:

  • Availability to work one of the following shifts every week is required: 5pm-1am central time on Saturday nights, or 6am-noon central time on Sundays.
  • Exceptional knowledge of all 30 baseball teams, no discernible bias. Knowledge of hot stove concepts like arbitration, draft pick compensation for free agents and international/draft spending limitations.
  • A high school degree is required, and further education is preferred. Please include your highest completed level of education in your application.
  • Writing experience is necessary, and online writing experience is preferred.
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  • The job may include opportunities for supporting research and social media tasks.
  • If you’re interested, email mlbtrhelp@gmail.com and explain how you stand out and qualify in a couple of short paragraphs.  Please attach your resume to the email.  We often receive several hundred applications, so unfortunately we will not be able to reply to each one.

At the end of your application, please fill in the blank:  After the ____ season ends, assuming no changes to the CBA or a contract extension, the Pirates’ Josh Bell will become a free agent.  Rather than give an explanation, simply write, “Josh Bell question: [Year]” at the end.

Dinelson Lamet Begins Rehab Assignment

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The Padres announced today that righty Dinelson Lamet will begin a rehab assignment. He’ll open at the High-A level.

Lamet underwent Tommy John surgery last April, so this will represent his return to competitive pitching. His timeline will surely be determined by his progress on the mound, but this move will start a thirty-day clock for the completion of the rehab assignment. (As Dennis Lin of The Athletic notes on Twitter, the team can request up to three ten-day extensions if needed.)

Barring a setback, Lamet will presumably be activated before the end of June. It’s possible he’ll move back into the San Diego rotation at some point next month, though the club could also ultimately decide upon an optional assignment depending upon what he shows.

Lamet entered the year with 1.130 years of MLB service already accrued. He’s continuing to pick up service while on the injured list, so he’ll finish the season with 2.130 years on his ticker if he spends all (or virtually all) of the year in the majors once his rehab assignment wraps up. That could put him in line for Super Two status next year, though the precise cutoff is not yet known.

For the Friars, Lamet’s progress could have a significant bearing on the team’s postseason hopes. He showed plenty of promise in his debut campaign of 2017, working to a 4.57 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 over 114 1/3 innings, and could represent a notable addition to a rotation that has (not unexpectedly) gone through some ups and downs to this point of the season.

A pair of other San Diego players are also set to begin their own rehab assignments. Utilityman Jose Pirela and outfielder Franchy Cordero will report to Triple-A, the former today and the latter on Friday.

Yankees Activate James Paxton

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As anticipated, the Yankees have activated lefty James Paxton to start today’s game. The team had previously optioned righty Joe Harvey to open a roster spot.

Paxton had been sidelined since early May with a left knee injury. He’s still not quite at full health, as Zach Braziller of the New York Post was among those to report, but it seems the assessment is that he won’t be putting himself at risk of greater injury by returning to the mound. Paxton will be activated without making a rehab appearance.

The 30-year-old hurler turned in seven strong outings to open his Yankees career, working to a 3.11 ERA with 52 strikeouts and 13 walks in 37 2/3 frames. He was in dominating form, sitting comfortably in the mid-nineties with his fastball and generating swings and misses with 14.1% of his pitches.

Paxton’s return is an unquestionable boon to the Bronx Bombers, not that they have seemed in particular need of help. The club has more than weathered an injury barrage, moving into first-place position in the AL East.

Staying ahead of the Rays and Red Sox won’t come easy. Getting Paxton back into the rotation will help, though the rotation still figures to be an area to target for improvement over the summer. J.A. Happ has struggled to open the year, while Jonathan Loaisiga, CC Sabathia, and Luis Severino are all presently on the injured list.

AL West Notes: Leclerc, Gallo, Trout, Upton

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The Rangers will deploy reliever Jose Leclerc as an opener in today’s game, the club announced. He’ll throw in front of Drew Smyly. The 25-year-old Leclerc will open for the second time this year. He entered the campaign as the indisputable closer after inking an extension over the winter, but lost that job when his prior control problems resurfaced. It seems the Rangers are looking to provide some stability for the live-armed hurler, who has dealt with minor shoulder and calf issues recently. Otherwise, he has been much more impressive of late, with a whopping 16:1 K/BB ratio in his last seven frames.

More from the AL West:

  • Though he departed last night’s game with wrist soreness, Rangers slugger Joey Gallo doesn’t seem to be at any risk of a trip to the injured list. As Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports, Gallo will get a day of rest today. That had already been planned, says Texas skipper Chris Woodward. Even as he has ramped up his offensive productivity by boosting his walk rate and continuing to launch prodigious long balls, Gallo has stretched his legs in the field. He has graded as a clear positive at all three outfield positions in recent seasons, though he had never before been utilized exclusively on the grass and had limited experience in center field. That modified deployment might itself warrant a few added days off to keep Gallo fresh over the course of the season.
  • The Angels seemingly dodged a bullet when superstar Mike Trout wore a foul ball off his foot. Though he’s dealing with some soreness, he says there’s no fracture, as Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group tweets. The L.A. organization needed a break — of the other kind — after watching Andrelton Simmons hit the shelf, followed in short order by Zack Cozart.
  • In other Halos health news, outfielder Justin Upton suggested a return from his turf toe injury is now within sight, as Fletcher reports. Though Upton cited a three-week target, that may be on the optimistic side. He’ll still need to don his cleats and run at full tilt, then complete a rehab assignment, without any recurring issues.
  • In case you missed the late-night news, Mariners infielder J.P. Crawford appears to be headed to the injured list  after suffering an ankle injury in last night’s contest.

Red Sox Bullpen Facing Renewed Questions

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It’s easy to overreact to bullpen implosions, particularly when they cost a team a seemingly surefire lead. Last night’s meltdown at Fenway not only cost the Red Sox a win, but played to some of the major fears entering the season.

As Alex Speier of the Boston Globe writes, the collapse against a tepid Indians lineup featured messy appearances from Ryan Brasier, Marcus Walden, and Travis Lakins. While Brandon Workman and Matt Barnes weren’t charged with any runs, they didn’t really help with the ugliest stat line to emerge from the evening: the Boston pen recorded just one strikeout against seven walks.

The bullpen was the source of much consternation when camp broke. In particular, many worried about the failure to add established arms to a late-inning unit that bid adieu to closer Craig Kimbrel.

As MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk wrote in reviewing the club’s offseason efforts, the “nightmare scenario” some posited was an overreaction. But he also noted that the decision not to bring in additional high-leverage arms — which would also have deepened the middle relief unit — was a “risky strategy.” After all, Polishuk reasoned, “settling for even a middle-of-the-pack bullpen for a few months could cost the Red Sox” in a tight division race.

Every win matters, and it’d always be preferable to have another elite arm to call upon. But after observing the Boston relief unit for one-third of the season, it’s hard to call it a problem. Combined, the group carries a solid 3.92 ERA that ranks in the top third leaguewide. Fielding-independent pitching metrics concur with that general placement.

Have things gotten worse of late? The unit has recorded as many blown saves in the past two weeks (4) as have the Nationals, but other teams have more and that’s not necessarily a worthwhile metric to go by in evaluating overall bullpen health. Despite grading in the middle of the pack on the season, Sox relievers have suddenly become walk-happy over the past two weeks with a league-worst 13.3% BB rate. Still, that seems like a short-sample blip. Overall results have actually ticked up over the past month, with the relief corps combining for a 3.21 ERA.

If a true, overarching issue has cropped up it may relate to Ryan Brasier. Expected to function as a core part of the high-leverage group after last year’s surprise emergence, Brasier has fallen on hard times of late. As Speier notes, the righty has been tagged for five long balls in his last 22 2/3 innings of action. Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com looked further at Brasier’s struggles.

But even if Brasier has stepped back, the Red Sox have seen others emerge. Barnes has doubled down on his strong 2018 season. Though he’s allowing too many walks, Workman has done the same, carrying stepped-up swinging-strike and strikeout numbers. And Walden has been excellent in his first full season in the majors, with a pleasing mix of K’s and grounders to support a 2.05 ERA.

To be sure, the remainder of the outfit isn’t as strong, but that’s a nice trio. Heath Hembree has been useful and Brasier still holds out hope of a bounceback. The team’s rotating cast of other relief pitchers has yet to find sustained success, but that’s a common issue around the league.

It’s certainly not difficult to see the merits of a mid-season acquisition or two. But really, who didn’t see that coming for a team that obviously prioritized other areas in the offseason? What’s more surprising is that the assembled group has performed so well for such a sustained stretch. Most any relief unit will produce moments like last night; plenty of others haven’t been capable of the sturdy results produced to this point by Boston’s hurlers.

Better still, further improvement might be found without a budget or farm-busting move for a high-end closer. The one area where the righty-heavy Sox have clearly struggled is in retiring opposing left-handed hitters. The relief unit has been tagged for a 5.31 ERA and 1.70 HR/9 by southpaw batters. Adding even one quality situational lefty could help smooth out this bump and make it easier for skipper Alex Cora to get the ball to his most reliable relievers in the late innings.

Cubs Injury Updates: Bryant, Baez, Strop, Montgomery

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There are a variety of open health issues for the Cubs, though thankfully it seems most are heading in a generally positive direction. Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times rounded up the latest updates.

Kris Bryant and Javy Baez aren’t far from returning to the Cubs infield. The former has been out of the lineup for two games after a collision, while the latter has been in the DH slot to help rest a minor heel injury. Both could get back to their regular duties as soon as today.

Keeping those star players healthy is all the more important with Ben Zobrist’s status in question. Still, the Cubs have ample infield/utility depth, particularly with Addison Russell joining a roster that already included David Bote and Daniel Descalso. It’s worth remembering that Ian Happ remains marooned at Triple-A, as well.

With some recent bullpen hiccups, it’s also notable that reliever Pedro Strop is on the mend and nearing activation. He seems to be on the fast track back now that his hamstring is back in good working order. Strop made it through a rehab appearance last night and will work another frame Thursday. Wittenmyer says that the veteran hurler could be activated thereafter.

Strop had served as the Cubs closer before he went down. Whether he’ll take that job back from Steve Cishek remains to be seen. Regardless, it’s good news for the depth of the late-inning mix.

There was also a positive update on the team’s most flexible hurler, swingman Mike Montgomery. He was unable to pitch in Monday’s contest due to a finger issue that arose while he warmed up. The southpaw says he was likely dealing with a popped blood vessel, but wasn’t bothered as much when he picked up a ball yesterday. It’s not clear precisely when he’ll be available, but it seems reasonable to hope for a rather speedy return.

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