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Archives for July 2019

Reds Activate Alex Wood, Designate Ryan Lavarnway

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The Reds have activated left-hander Alex Wood from the injured list and designated catcher Ryan Lavarnway for assignment, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic tweets.

As expected, the 28-year-old Wood will finally make his Reds debut against the Rockies on Sunday. He joined the Reds in the offseason as part of a radical makeover of their rotation. In addition to Wood, whom the Reds acquired from the Dodgers, they brought in fellow starters Sonny Gray and Tanner Roark via trades. Gray and Roark have performed well, which has helped lead to a vastly improved Cincy staff, but back problems have prevented Wood from pitching this year. The pending free agent will now try to rebuild some of his stock as he gears up for a potential trip to the open market in a few months.

Lavarnway, 31, just signed with the Reds on July 18 after the Yankees released him. Cincinnati added Lavarnway to help cover for catchers Curt Casali and Kyle Farmer, who went on the IL that day, but the team activated Farmer on Sunday.

Once a top prospect with the Red Sox, Lavarnway has struggled considerably over 445 major league plate appearances with several teams since he debuted in 2011. He did mash in a small sample size with the Reds before they designated him, though, as Lavarnway hit .278/.316/.722 with two home runs in 19 plate appearances. However, Lavarnway batted an uninspiring .213/.333/.315 with three HRs in 129 PA with the Yankees’ highest minor league affiliate before they let him go.

White Sox Designate Jose Rondon, Activate Eloy Jimenez

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The White Sox have designated infielder Jose Rondon for assignment, tweets the Athletic’s James Fegan. In a corresponding roster move, the club has activated rookie corner outfielder Eloy Jimenez from the 10-day injured list.

Rondon, 25, has seen action in three MLB seasons but tallied just 289 career plate appearances. The majority of those have come this season, but he’s limped to a .197/.265/.282 line in 2019. A light-hitting utilityman, Rondon did slug 18 home runs in 2018 with Chicago’s International League affiliate, but that power outburst was unprecedented and he hasn’t managed to follow up on it this year. Given his age and reputation as an above-average defensive infielder, perhaps he’ll draw some interest league-wide, but any claiming team would have to keep him on its active roster, since he’s out-of-options. It seems likely he’ll clear waivers and return to Triple-A Charlotte.

Jimenez spent the minimum ten days on the IL with a right elbow contusion. The former top prospect hasn’t amazed in his rookie season, but his .244/.307/.483 line is more-than-adequate for a 22 year-old. The prodigious power hitter has popped 17 home runs on the year and still projects as a focal point of the club’s rebuild, even if he’ll need to refine his plate approach to tap into all of his immense offensive upside.

Yasiel Puig, Scooter Gennett Among Reds Who Are “In Play”

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Along with the previously reported Raisel Iglesias and Tanner Roark, Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig and second baseman Scooter Gennett are “in play” as Wednesday’s trade deadline nears, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required).

The Reds have all but faded out of the playoff race, but they could still buy as well as sell in the next few days, Rosenthal writes. It would be logical to deal anyone who’s down to his last year of control, which includes Roark, Puig and Gennett. Puig’s the only member of the trio who’s a potential qualifying offer candidate, so the Reds could consider holding the ex-Dodger if they’re dissatisfied with the offers that come in for him. Alternatively, the club could attempt to extend Puig – something general manager Nick Krall has suggested they’re open to doing.

After a glacial start to the season, his first as a Red, Puig has come much closer to resembling his usual self over the past several weeks. Puig owned a sub-.650 OPS at the beginning of June, but the number has climbed about 150 points since then. The 28-year-old now owns a .260/.309/.489 line with 22 home runs and 13 steals on 18 tries. Puig has also once again graded out respectably in right field, where he has accounted for 3 Defensive Runs Saved and a 0.7 Ultimate Zone Rating.

Puig’s collecting a $9.7MM salary, while Gennett’s making a bit more at $9.775MM. That looked like a reasonable figure entering the season for Gennett, who transformed from waiver fodder into one of the game’s most valuable second basemen from 2017-18, yet this has been a nightmare of a campaign for the 29-year-old. It began inauspiciously at the end of March when Gennett suffered a severe groin strain – one that kept him out of action until June 28.

While it’s a small sample size, Gennett has come back to hit a stunningly subpar .185/.211/.222 with zero homers (he combined for 50 from 2017-18) over 57 trips to the plate in the past month. That production has been good for a single-digit wRC+ (9), owing in part to a horrid K:BB ratio of 17:1. There’s time for a rest-of-season turnaround for Gennett, but his trade value has surely dropped to a considerable degree this year.

A’s Interested In Syndergaard, Wheeler

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At 59-47, the A’s sit right in the thick of a crowded AL Wild Card race. They already signaled their willingness to upgrade the 2019 roster by bolstering their bullpen, but the team is at least considering much bigger targets than Jake Diekman. Per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, the club has made inquiries on Mets’ starters Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler. Slusser notes that the A’s have also reached out to the Tigers to inquire about Shane Greene.

The trade candidacies of all three hurlers have been discussed ad nauseum in recent days. Syndergaard’s is the most fascinating of the trio, as we’ve heard conflicting reports on how determined the New York front office is to move him and head-scratching ideas of a three-team trade that would net the Mets Marcus Stroman, with the Wilpons’ questionable willingness to approve any Thor deal lurking in the background. It’s clear the fireballer would have a broad market if the Mets decide to make him available. While his 4.33 ERA this season is higher than average, his peripherals paint the picture of at least a solid mid-rotation starter. On top of that, Syndergaard comes with two and a half years of team control, a pre-2019 track record of dominance and still-overpowering stuff.

The cases of Wheeler and Greene are more straightforward. Wheeler’s a pending free agent on a non-contending club, so it’s no surprise to see his name being bandied about. While we’ve heard some speculation the Mets could pursue a Wheeler extension in hopes of contending in 2020, he still looks to be one of the more likely trade candidates in baseball. After all, even if the Mets do flip Wheeler, there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t reengage with his representatives on a long-term deal after he hits free agency.

Wheeler would immediately vault to the front of another patchwork A’s rotation, potentially giving them an arm they’d feel comfortable deploying in the AL Wild Card game if they secure a spot. On the other hand, it’s arguable the club should pursue a more moderate starting pitching upgrade, rather than pushing in for perhaps the game’s top rental trade candidate when any hope of winning the division has all but evaporated.

The bullpen doesn’t stand out as a particular area of weakness for Oakland, especially after yesterday’s acquisition of Diekman. A’s relievers rank in the top five in park-adjusted ERA and FIP, making it one of the game’s strongest units. That said, stockpiling bullpen depth could be an alternative to paying a premium for a starter, and it’s worth noting the club bullpened its way through last season’s Wild Card game, which they may be inclined to try again if they get there. (Of course, they lost that game, but one loss doesn’t mean the front office should or will abandon the strategy). Greene’s 1.22 ERA in 2019 is not sustainable, but he’s having a good season no matter which metric you examine and comes with an additional year of team control via arbitration. Nearly every contender figures to check in on the top relievers on the trade market, so it’s unsurprising to hear Oakland continuing to poke around on that market.

Oakland’s top-heavy farm system could make a Wheeler or Greene trade a bit more complicated than would appear at first glance. While any Syndergaard trade would presumably include one of A.J. Puk, Jesus Luzardo, or Sean Murphy, those names would almost certainly be off the table in any trade for a rental or non-elite reliever. To acquire Wheeler or Greene, the A’s would seemingly need to package lower-tier prospects of interest to the Mets or Tigers, respectively, which could make finding a centerpiece of a deal challenging. That’s not to say the A’s couldn’t meet the asking price on either player- they certainly could- but swinging a deal would likely involve multiple low-level pieces not currently among the game’s top 100 prospects.

Mets Interested In Robbie Ray

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The Mets could trade Noah Syndergaard and-or Zack Wheeler by Wednesday’s trade deadline, but they might land at least one immediate rotation replacement in the coming days. Already connected to Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman, the club’s also “on” Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray, per Andy Martino of SNY.tv.

Interest in Stroman and Ray jibes with the notion that the Mets, despite their dreadful 2019, are aiming to contend and not rebuild next season. Whether it would be an ill-advised plan for the prospect-needy Mets is up for debate, but it seems the goal would be to collect a haul for at least Syndergaard (there’s reportedly interest in extending Wheeler) and trade from their farm to acquire Stroman or Ray. Each of those two would bring back less in a deal than Syndergaard, who’s under control for one more year than they are, but they’d hardly come cheap.

There’s little doubt Ray would cost less to land than Stroman, who owns the superior track record. But there’s plenty of value with Ray, a proven mid-rotation starter who’s on an affordable $6.05MM salary now and controllable through arbitration next season. The playoff-contending Diamondbacks might not even give him up, but if they were to send Ray to the Mets, he’d join Jacob deGrom in giving the team two elite strikeout pitchers.

The 27-year-old Ray is obviously much less effective overall than deGrom, but Ray’s nonetheless on his way to a third straight season with a sky-high strikeout rate and a sub-4.00 ERA. Ray has logged a 3.95 ERA/4.27 FIP with 11.85 K/9 through 123 innings. He has, however, walked upward of four batters per nine for the second year in a row, posted a sub-40 percent groundball rate for the second straight campaign and kept up his years-long struggles with home runs.

Wil Myers Discusses Prolonged 2019 Slump

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In a refreshingly candid interview with Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Padres outfielder Wil Myers gave several quotes providing insight into the mind of an established ballplayer who has fallen precipitously on hard times on the diamond.

“It’s not something that I ever saw coming, especially to have an All-Star year and then three years later not be playing,” Myers said. “It’s definitely tough. This is one of the things that hurts your pride. This is what I’ve been good at since I was five-years-old.

By “something,” Myers is referring to his sudden inability to do the things that have made him a highly compensated professional athlete. On the 2019 season, Myers–always a strikeout-prone hitter–has been felled by way of the “K” an astonishing 111 times in his 270 at-bats. With the exception of Myers’ 2014 season–when he was hindered by a lingering wrist injury–this year’s output would represent career-low marks in wRC+ (87), OPS (.696), and batting average (.211).

More alarmingly, it’s difficult to find evidence that Myers’ poor production is simply the result of poor luck or context. His .306 BABIP is right around his career average; the same is true for his hard-hit rate (43.1%). His wOBA of .305 isn’t shockingly far from his .323 xwOBA. Unfortunately, the only readily available explanation seems to be “between the ears,” and Myers spoke on how his struggles have affected his confidence.

“No matter how hard you try, it seems like you’re digging a bigger hole,” Myers said. “So I definitely have been pissed off. I can’t stand sitting the bench. I hate it. I really do. It’s just terrible. I’ve never done it before.”

Taken out of context, those quotes may simply sound like the venting of a frustrated ballplayer disgruntled over lack of playing time. However, Acee’s article actually includes some revelatory comments that indicate Myers’ willingness to do what’s best for the organization that signed him to a six-year, $86.5MM extension that begins to escalate into $20MM annual territory beginning next year.

Of a possible demotion to the minor leagues–which Myers, as a veteran player, has the right to refuse–the outfielder indicated, at least, openness: “I can’t sit here and lie and pretend like I haven’t thought like, ‘Maybe if I had some at-bats there, it might get better,’ ” Myers acknowledged. “But, you know, what, that’s not why I’m here. I’m here to bring value to this team right now.”

Though the extension handed to Myers by GM AJ Preller has become a rightful punching bag of analysts and fans alike, the outfielder’s sudden, prime-year struggles are fascinatingly inexplicable. Between 2015 and 2018, it could have been argued that Myers was, if nothing else, a model of consistency: his wRC+ in that span never dipped below 107 or above 115; his slugging percentage in that span checked in with a high mark of .464 and a low mark of .427. Heading into the season at age 28, Myers may not have been the superstar the team forecasted when it handed him a sizable extension, but he was still a thoroughly playable piece.

Suddenly, though, Myers’ ability to “bring value to the team” will hinge largely on the play of his teammates. The emergence of Franmil Reyes and Hunter Renfroe as quality big league hitters–along with the improving play of Manuel Margot–have left him without much of a spot in the outfield, while the organization’s decision to sign Eric Hosmer to an eight-year, $144MM deal in 2018 categorically moved Myers off of first base. Without many available at-bats within immediate reach, Myers could have a tough time breaking out of this prolonged 2019 slump.

Latest On Trevor Bauer

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It’s anyone’s guess whether the Indians will trade right-hander Trevor Bauer before Wednesday’s deadline. On one hand, he’s an integral piece of a surging team that has climbed to 62-42, putting the Tribe four up on the AL’s top wild-card spot and just one back of the division-leading Twins. On the other, the budget-conscious Indians would net an enticing return for Bauer, who’s on a $13MM salary and figures to earn a raise of $5MM or more to conclude his arbitration control next season. Even if the Indians decide to retain Bauer through this year, his time in Cleveland is nearing a conclusion. The 28-year-old “almost certainly” isn’t going to be on the Indians’ roster in 2020, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com reports.

In the meantime, the Indians have a few days to choose how to proceed with Bauer this season. There’s already known to be plenty of interest in Bauer, but it seems two of the Indians’ AL rivals – the Yankees and Astros – are pursuing him with more vigor than anyone else. Those two clubs “keep inquiring about Bauer,” writes Hoynes, who adds the Indians have also discussed him with the Padres and Braves.

Among the Yankees, Astros, Padres and Braves, only San Diego isn’t an immediate contender. However, the club is known to like Bauer, whom it tried to acquire at the beginning of the season. Led by their collection of young talent, the Padres have made progress since then, and they’re aiming to make a more spirited run at a playoff berth next year. That’s evidenced by the club’s interest in Bauer and other established starters, including Tigers lefty Matthew Boyd and Mets righty Noah Syndergaard.

It would seem rather difficult for Cleveland to hand Bauer to New York or Houston, in part because the Indians could realistically wind up facing him as a Yankee or Astro in the postseason. Plus, considering Corey Kluber has been out since May 1 with a forearm fracture (and isn’t returning imminently) and Carlos Carrasco’s battling leukemia, the Indians arguably need Bauer more than ever.

Bauer not only leads the Indians’ staff in innings (152 1/3), but he paces the entire league in that department, and has logged a solid 3.49 ERA/4.19 FIP with 10.58 K/9 and 3.49 BB/9. All-Star MVP Shane Bieber is the lone Indians starter who has outperformed Bauer over the course of a full season in 2019. Mike Clevinger has been fantastic again, though he has only made nine starts. Another rookie, Zach Plesac, has joined Bieber in outdoing Bauer in ERA (3.10), but that figure looks like a house of cards when examining his fielding-independent pitching numbers. Meanwhile, Adam Plutko and the currently injured Jefry Rodriguez have managed back-end type of numbers over a combined 17 starts.

For now, the interest in Bauer may wind up going for naught. The Indians could prefer to hold Bauer and try to take another run at a championship as control over him and several other notables – most importantly, Francisco Lindor – dissipates. If the Indians elect against moving Bauer in the next few days, Hoynes suggests they’ll attempt to supplement their roster, perhaps by by adding relief and-or offensive help. Hoynes points to Rangers slugger Hunter Pence as “a possibility” for Cleveland, though it’s unclear if that’s speculation or if there’s real interest on the Tribe’s part.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/27/19

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The latest minor moves from around baseball…

  • Cardinals left-handed reliever Chasen Shreve has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Memphis, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch tweets. Shreve, whom the Cardinals designated Tuesday, could have opted for free agency instead. However, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted when the Cards booted him from their 40-man roster, Shreve would have had to forfeit the balance of his $900K salary. Shreve’s likely best known for joining the Cardinals (along with fellow reliever Giovanny Gallegos) in a trade with the Yankees for first baseman Luke Voit on July 28 of last year. Although  Shreve was solid at times prior to 2019, he has barely been a factor in the majors this season. The 29-year-old has thrown two innings in St. Louis and 42 2/3 in Memphis.

Blake Parker Clears Waivers

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Twins right-hander Blake Parker has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the club on July 24th, according to a tweet from The Athletic’s Dan Hayes. Parker is currently mulling whether or not to accept an assignment to Minnesota’s Triple-A club in Rochester.

The 34-year-old Parker, a veteran of five organizations, has pitched 36.1 innings for Minnesota’s big club this season, with middling bottom-line results. His 19.4% HR/FB rate, 3.96 BB/9 mark, and .245 BAA are not the markings of an elite reliever, but he has still registered strikeouts at a respectable rate and is just two years removed from logging a 2.54 ERA in 67.1 innings for the Angels. It is also worth noting that Parker owned a 3.25 ERA on the season before being shelled for four runs in an appearance on July 23rd. With that in mind, it is somewhat surprising that no club placed a claim on Parker as a late-season dice roll, given the volatility of relievers and the currently tight-fisted relief trade market.

The $1.8MM guarantee Parker held with Minnesota probably goes some way toward explaining his clearance through the waiver portal.  Had he been claimed, his acquiring team would have been on the hook for the remainder of that sum; if Parker rejects his Triple-A assignment and elects free agency, he will be eligible to sign a pro-rated league minimum pact with a new club, which would go toward offsetting the remaining money that Minnesota owes the pitcher.

Braves, Dodgers, Rays, Jays Pursuing Edwin Diaz

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Just four months into his first season with the Mets, ballyhooed winter acquisition Edwin Diaz has already emerged a potential trade chip amid a disappointing campaign. The Braves, Dodgers, Rays and Blue Jays are among the teams in on the right-handed closer, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Andy Martino of SNY.tv passes along different information on the Braves, tweeting there’s “no traction” on Diaz to Atlanta.

The fact that Atlanta, Los Angeles and Tampa Bay are rumored to have interest in Diaz isn’t a shock. They’re all contending teams that are known to be in the market for bullpen help. The inclusion of rebuilding Toronto looks especially intriguing on paper, though it’s possible Diaz wouldn’t ever throw a pitch for the Blue Jays. The club could instead acquire Diaz and flip him to the Braves – one of the Mets’ division rivals – for prospects, according to Puma.

It’s the latest creative trade idea involving Diaz, whom the Mets are reportedly considering putting in a package with righty starter Zack Wheeler before Wednesday’s deadline. But whether anyone will even be able to pry Diaz out of New York is up in the air. Diaz was rookie general manager Brodie Van Wagenen’s signature offseason addition, so BVW has predictably indicated it would take an enormous return for the Mets to deal him away so soon.

Van Wagenen, for his part, surrendered two of the game’s top prospects – outfielder Jarred Kelenic and righty Justin Dunn – in a package for Diaz and second baseman Robinson Cano. The Mets also took on $100MM of Cano’s remaining money to get Diaz, but the trade has blown up in the non-contending club’s face so far. The typically great Cano may be deteriorating at the age of 36, while Diaz hasn’t been able to match his otherworldly 2018 swan song in Seattle.

The hard-throwing Diaz arrived in New York as a celebrated bullpen savior after closing 57 of 61 opportunities, posting a 1.96 ERA/1.61 FIP and logging 15.22 K/9 against 2.09 BB/9 in 73 1/3 innings last season. The Mets’ version has been lit up for a 4.81 ERA over 39 1/3 frames and blown as many saves as he did last season (in 35 fewer chances). The home run ball has been a major concern this year for Diaz, who yielded HRs on a career-best 10.6 percent of flies in 2018. That figure has shot to a personal-worst 17.9 percent this season as his groundball numbers have fallen precipitously.

Even factoring in the difficulties Diaz has endured in 2019, there’s plenty to like – including his 97 mph heat, pre-2019 track record and the 3.50 FIP, 13.96 K/9 and 2.97 BB/9 he has logged this season. Diaz has also suffered from poor luck, it seems, evidenced in part by a .407 batting average on balls in play against and a wide gap between the .336 weighted on-base average/.271 xwOBA that hitters have recorded off him.

Diaz may be a prime candidate for a turnaround, which – coupled with his team control – helps make him extremely attractive to the Mets and other clubs. The 25-year-old’s earning just over $600K this season and will go through the first of three potential trips through arbitration over the winter. However, whether he’ll do so as a Met or as a member of another team is now surprisingly in question.

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