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Archives for July 2019

Rays Place Kevin Kiermaier On IL

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SUNDAY: The Rays have placed Kiermaier on the IL with a sprained thumb, Toribio tweets. He won’t need surgery, though. Heredia’s coming up to replace Kiermaier.

SATURDAY: Sour news out of Tampa tonight, as MLB.com’s Juan Toribio indicates that Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier will likely miss time after injuring his left thumb in a matchup with the White Sox this evening (Twitter link). Toribio adds that the former Gold Glove winner was escorted from Tropicana Field to a local health facility for MRI testing, and that the club should have a better idea of his status on Sunday morning.

Apparently, Kiermaier was hurt while diving headfirst into first base. This kind of athletic abandon has helped make Kiermaier a fan favorite since debuting with the Rays in 2013, and he usually draws strong marks for both his baserunning and defense. This year’s effort at the plate has produced a substandard 87 wRC+ (.245/.292/.424 slash), which is below his almost exactly league-average career offensive output (99wRC+). The outfielder has missed time in recent years with right hip, left wrist and right thumb injuries.

Though it’s possible this injury is only of the day-to-day variety, the Rays do have a few options in the event of an extended absence for Kiermaier. Tommy Pham and Austin Meadows have both played some center in their careers, and Guillermo Heredia is on hand at AAA Durham should the club need reinforcement in their pursuit of postseason entry. Tonight’s loss to Chicago marked Tampa’s fifth straight defeat.

Latest On Carlos Correa, Aledmys Díaz

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Astros manager A.J. Hinch provided optimistic updates today concerning the respective returns of infielders Carlos Correa and Aledmys Diaz. The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan reports that, according to Hinch, Correa has “looked great” in his rehab assignment thus far and is on track to be activated for this coming Friday’s game against the Cardinals (link); meanwhile, MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart relays that Diaz is likely to return from his own rehab stint in the “next couple of days”(link).

Entering Saturday, Correa and Diaz have missed 45 games each since both were sidelined in a May 26th contest against the Red Sox. Correa, who had been enjoying a .295/.360/.547 season when he landed on the shelf, suffered a rib injury serious enough to warrant placement on the 60-day IL; if Correa does indeed make it back for Hinch’s Friday target date, he will have spent the minimum 60 days out of action.

Diaz, acquired in an offseason deal in exchange for starter Trent Thornton, was also off to a fine start to 2019 before tweaking his left hamstring. In reflection of his multi-positional role with the big club, the Swiss army man has been working at first base, left field, and second base with AAA Round Rock and AA Corpus Christi.

Of course, the Astros have managed to maintain an upper hand on the AL West in the absence of these key players, with a 27-18 record since Correa and Diaz went down on May 26th. At 62-37, they hold a 5.5-game lead over the Athletics in this year’s divisional race.

West Notes: Leake, Young, Clarke, Mazara

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On the heels of a Seattle Times report that hinted the Mariners and starter Mike Leake were “ready to be done with” each other, the veteran righty gave some insight on his professional priorities vis-a-vis the trade deadline in an appearance on today’s broadcast of MLB Network Radio’s “Home Plate” radio show (link).

“I want to win,” said Leake, before adding, “I’m not at liberty to sit around and wait on a non-winning team.” True to that earlier Times report, which characterized league-wide interest in the pitcher as “minimal,” Leake admitted that he hasn’t to this point been presented with any trade proposals from the Mariners front office. Leake, who possesses a no-trade clause as part of the five-year, $80MM deal he signed with the Cardinals prior to the 2016 campaign, would need to approve any move to an acquiring club, but it remains to be seen whether anyone wants a stake in the well-compensated righty. Leake is still owed approximately $25.5MM before his contract terminates at the conclusion of the 2020 season, with the Cardinals still responsible for nearly $6.5MM of that total. He has a 4.27 ERA across 2o starts on the year (4.80 FIP).

More doings from around the West…

  • In a piece for AZCentral.com, Nick Piecoro paints a picture of two young Diamondbacks hurlers heading in opposite directions (link). While rookie Alex Young has begun to earn the trust of manager Torey Lovullo in a starting role, fellow big league neophyte Taylor Clarke has begun to produce some organizational hand-wringing after a string of shoddy appearances. After being called up in late June to fill the club’s “fifth starter” role, Young has responded by throwing 18.2 nearly untarnished innings (0.96 ERA). Though never a widely lauded prospect, the 25-year-old is turning heads with this introductory performance. “I think every year there’s going to be certain surprises and Alex Young has definitely fit in that criteria right now,” Lovullo said. Clarke, meanwhile, owns an 8.20 ERA over his last eight starts, and Lovullo conceded to Piecoro that his performance is an “obvious concern” for the club.
  • In other news concerning a concerned manager, the Rangers are troubled by the recent slump of Nomar Mazara–and skipper Chris Woodward has been cutting his playing time, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News points out (link). Though Woodward largely maintained that Mazara will still be a starter for the team moving forward, Saturday marked Mazara’s third time on the bench in eight post-break Texas games. Never an elite defender, Mazara holds a career-worst 83 wRC+ on the year and is walking at a 6.0% rate that also represents a personal low point. With just eight hits in his last 57 at-bats, it is unclear how Woodward will continue to divide outfield playing time between Mazara and a rejuvenated Danny Santana. Of Mazara’s performance, Woodward allowed only that, “We want to see the results be a little bit higher.”

Giants To Select Zach Green

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The Giants will select corner infielder Zach Green from Triple-A Sacramento prior to Sunday’s game, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. The team will need to make corresponding 40-man moves to create space for Green and the promotion of left-hander Conner Menez.

Green entered the professional ranks as a third-round pick of the Phillies in 2012, but the Northern California native left the organization as a free agent last offseason to sign with the Giants. Since then, the right-handed 25-year-old has slashed an outstanding .302/.402/.698 with 23 home runs in 264 plate appearances. Even in the offense-driven Pacific Coast League, Green’s production has been 55 percent better than average, according to FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric. It has also been markedly superior to the numbers Green put up in 2018, his first year at the minors’ top level, as he hit .248/.312/.412 (108 wRC+) with three HRs in 138 PA to conclude his Phillies tenure.

The promotion of Green will give a suddenly contending Giants team more corner depth in the wake of starting third baseman Evan Longoria’s placement on the injured list this week. Although Pablo Sandoval has taken the reins at the hot corner in Longoria’s absence, it’s up in the air how much longer the Kung Fu Panda will remain with the organization. After all, Sandoval’s an impending free agent on a team that might sell by the July 31 trade deadline, despite its recent success.

Tigers Reportedly Seeking “Established Young MLB Star” In Boyd Talks

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According to hearsay purveyed by the MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, the Tigers have been indicating to interested teams that they will be seeking an “established young MLB star” in any potential deal involving starter Matthew Boyd (Twitter link).

As Heyman points out, Boyd does figure to be one of the better arms available in what he terms a “seller’s market.” With twenty teams currently sitting in playoff position or within 5.5 games of a Wild Card berth, it stands to reason that only a few clubs will be looking to enter liquidation mode with more than two months still to play in 2019. Detroit GM Al Avila may be trying to play this situation to his advantage–today marks the second time in fewer than thirty days that we have heard reports from Detroit indicating a sky-high internal valuation of the admittedly sturdy Boyd.

Back in June, MLB.com’s Jason Beck conveyed that the Tigers were seeking a package in return for Boyd similar to the one the White Sox received in the 2017 Jose Quintana trade – a deal that saw the Cubs part with Eloy Jimenez, Dylan Cease, and two other prospects in exchange for a decidedly unsexy middle-of-the-rotation arm.

Many will question whether Detroit is justified in asking for the moon in exchange for Boyd. Since exiting his June 14th start against the Twins–an outing that saw him throw seven innings of three-run ball–Boyd has seen his season ERA jump from 3.08 to 4.13 across six poor showings. Put another way, Boyd has not thrown a quality start in nearly five weeks, and it is hard to imagine a team sacrificing foundational pieces for a player going through that kind of rough patch.

Still, the lefty is under contract for an affordable $2.6MM this year, and offers three more seasons of arbitration control as a former Super Two qualifier. Plus, his 4.13 ERA across 120 innings isn’t half as impressive as his sterling K/BB ratio or FIP numbers (6.67 and 3.56, respectively, in case you were wondering). Though pinpointing what, exactly, constitutes an “established young MLB star” is a worthwhile debate in itself, it seems safe to say the Tigers won’t be parting lightly with their widely coveted top starter.

Dodgers Outright Zac Rosscup

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The Dodgers have outrighted left-handed reliever Zac Rosscup to Triple-A Oklahoma City, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com tweets. It’s unclear whether Rosscup will accept the assignment or reject it in favor of a trip to free agency.

Rosscup joined the Dodgers via the open market June 12, which came after he turned down an outright from Toronto. However, this past Monday, the Dodgers became the third team of the season to designate Rosscup for assignment. The Blue Jays and Mariners previously did the same.

The 31-year-old Rosscup is in his second stint as a member of the Dodgers, with whom he threw 11 1/3 innings last season. He only totaled three frames with the club this season before it jettisoned him, though. Also a former Cub and Rockie, Rosscup has mustered 18 innings of 5.00 ERA/4.94 FIP pitching this season. While Rosscup has struck out 13 per nine and induced grounders at a 55.1 percent clip, serious control problems have helped undermine his efforts. Rosscup has walked more than a batter per inning (19) and given up 22 hits.

Pitcher Notes: Scherzer, Bundy, Turnbull, Garrett, Alexander

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With summer storms peppering much of the country today, we’ve got our own torrent of pitcher-related news to sort through. Out of D.C., we hear from MLB.com’s Jamal Collier that Nationals ace Max Scherzer threw 15 pitches off of a mound this afternoon (Twitter link). The superlative hurler has been dealing with inflammation in the bursa sac under his right shoulder blade and hasn’t appeared in a game since a seven-inning win against the Royals on July 6th. That Scherzer is throwing again–and could possibly throw another bullpen on Monday–is a sign that he apparently took well to a recent cortisone shot in his ailing back. Given the notoriously fickle nature of back injuries, the Nats are likely to be over the moon at this positive step in Scherzer’s recovery.

The latest on a few other waylaid hurlers…

  • The Orioles’ Dylan Bundy will apparently come off the injured list as soon as he is eligible, with MLB.com’s Joe Trezza reporting that the righty will start Tuesday in Arizona (link). Bundy, who has never really delivered on the promise that was conferred upon him when he was selected 4th overall in the 2011 draft, has a 5.28 ERA and 5.32 FIP in 92 innings this year. He has been on the shelf since July 13th with right knee tendinitis.
  • Chris McCosky of the Detroit News has reported on separate channels that Tigers starter Spencer Turnbull has suffered a back injury that will usher him to the IL. Apparently, Turnbull, who has put together a quietly effective 2019 campaign, experienced a strain during a workout Friday–a strain that persisted in a post-workout game of catch (Twitter link). In a subsequent piece, McCosky cogently points out that this injury could actually serve as a convenient means of limiting Turnbull’s innings–the 26-year-old was expected to pitch around 140 frames this year and had already logged 98.2 entering the weekend (link).
  • Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the Reds will welcome back two bullpen stalwarts with the activation of Amir Garrett and Raisel Iglesias from the injured list and paternity list, respectively (Twitter link). Garrett has been sidelined since July 4th with a left lat strain–an injury he presumably incurred from striking out most of the league this season en route to a 13.14 K/9 rate across 37 innings. To accommodate these moves, the Reds optioned righties Jimmy Herget and, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reported, Matt Bowman (link).
  • In concerning news, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has relayed to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com that veteran reliever Scott Alexander has been shut down for foreseeable future with a “nerve and thumb problem” (link). Alexander has been solid in 17-plus innings for Los Angeles this year, but injuries have been a prominent theme. Originally sidelined in June with a forearm ailment, issues with Alexander’s thumb have subsequently followed, and this latest language regarding his nerve is certainly ominous from a medical perspective. The lefty has posted a 3.63 ERA on the season.

Nationals Interested In Shane Greene, Sam Dyson

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Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said Friday the club’s going into the July 31 trade deadline seeking controllable talent, especially in the bullpen. Already connected to relievers Mychal Givens and Jake Diekman so far this month, a couple more late-game arms are now on the Nationals’ radar. The club is interested in Tigers closer Shane Greene and Giants setup man Sam Dyson, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

Not only are Greene and Dyson thriving in 2019, but they’re under wraps via the arbitration process through next season. Greene’s currently on a $4MM salary, while Dyson is making $5MM. There’s plenty of value in both cases, but if acquiring either would force the Nationals to give up prized shortstop prospect Carter Kieboom, it’s not going to happen. The Nats haven’t been willing to include Kieboom “in any deal,” according to Jamal Collier of MLB.com, and the Tigers were unsurprisingly turned down when they asked for Kieboom in exchange for Greene.

Widely regarded as one of the game’s premier prospects, the 21-year-old Kieboom would indeed be a big ask for a year-plus of a reliever, even though the Nationals are desperate for bullpen help. Despite having been weighed down by one of the majors’ worst relief groups from the get-go this year, the Nationals have gotten off to a 51-45 start and hold a one-game lead over the NL’s No. 1 wild-card spot.

With the Giants also in contention (they’re just 3 1/2 back of the Nats), acquiring Dyson could be difficult for Washington. Regardless, based on his performance this season, the 31-year-old Dyson would be an enormous get for the Nats’ relief corps. The right-hander has logged a sterling 2.68 ERA/2.67 FIP with 8.81 K/9, 1.15 BB/9 and a 55.1 percent groundball rate over 47 innings.

The 30-year-old Greene, also a righty, has put up similarly impressive numbers this season as the Tigers’ closer. Not only has Greene saved 22 of 24 chances, but he has recorded an eye-popping 1.03 ERA across 35 frames. Like Dyson, Greene’s strikeout, walk and grounder numbers are terrific. He has fanned 9.51 and walked 2.57 batters per nine, adding a 53.9 percent grounder mark for good measure. As we noted earlier this week, there’s quite a bit of good fortune baked into Greene’s output, but he has nonetheless impressed in 2019. And unlike San Francisco, Detroit’s way out of contention, making it almost a lock the Tigers will deal Greene by the deadline.

Nationals To Select Michael Blazek

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The Nationals will select right-hander Michael Blazek’s contract from Triple-A Fresno on Sunday, Jamal Collier of MLB.com tweets (Grant Paulsen of 106.7 The Fan was first to report the news). Adding Blazek will require corresponding 40- and 25-man moves.

Blazek’s just over two months into his tenure with the Washington organization, which signed him to a minor league contract May 13. Since joining Fresno’s roster, the 30-year-old Blazek has posted an ugly 5.54 ERA with a paltry 22.9 percent groundball rate in 26 innings, though he has struck out 9.69 batters per nine while walking 3.46.

Assuming Blazek winds up seeing action with the Nationals, it’ll be his first major league experience since he threw 8 2/3 innings with the Brewers two years ago. A 35th-round pick of the Cardinals in 2007, Blazek amassed 123 frames of 4.39 ERA/4.98 FIP pitching with 7.61 K/9, 4.32 BB/9 and a 42.7 percent groundball rate as a member of the Redbirds and Brewers from 2013-17. It’s not the most appealing track record, but the playoff-contending Nationals are continuing to leave no stone unturned in their search for much-needed bullpen help.

Erik Neander On Rays’ Deadline Approach

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In a column from Rays beat writer Marc Topkin, general manager Erik Neander provided several quotes that shed light on how Tampa Bay will approach the upcoming trade deadline (link). Most notably, Neander indicated the club will be looking at potential upgrades to both its offense and relief corps, and that they will be open to dealing for “rental” acquisitions. Specifically, Neander said that the Rays have the flexibility to make “more of a baseball decision than a pure budget constraint type of decision” in regard to potential upgrades.

Tampa Bay currently sits just one game out of the last AL Wild Card spot and could be well-poised to make a move given the treasure trove of prospects that the team possesses (the club currently boasts 10 prospects included on various top 100 lists from around the game). That the notoriously stingy club–which this year rolled out a 30th-ranked payroll–would be willing to open the coffers for a player on an expiring contract is an eyebrow-raising development.

Tampa Bay has managed a 56-44 record despite a middling offense–a feat aided in large part by a stellar 3.45 team ERA. Offensively, Neander and senior VP Chaim Bloom could look to upgrade at the second base position, where they’ve received a 49 wRC+ from 2018 linchpin Joey Wendle. And despite the bullpen’s solid cumulative performance, it stands to reason that most teams within earshot of contention look for bullpen help as the trade deadline nears–as Topkin points out, the club could benefit from the acquisition of a “full-inning” lefty, in part to help lighten the load of struggling rookie southpaw Colin Poche.

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