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Archives for July 2019

Brewers Activate Gio Gonzalez

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The Brewers announced the activation of left-hander Gio Gonzalez, who will start in Arizona on Saturday. The Brew Crew optioned righty Burch Smith to Triple-A San Antonio in a corresponding move.

Gonzalez is returning after missing almost two months because of a dead arm. Through May 27, the day Gonzalez made his most recent start, the 33-year-old logged a 3.19 ERA/3.25 FIP with 7.55 K/9, 2.61 BB/9 and a 45.5 percent groundball rate in 31 innings. Considering Gonzalez was stuck in free agency until late March, when he joined the Yankees on a minor league deal, and didn’t sign with Milwaukee until the end of April, the Brewers couldn’t have asked for much more from the ex-Athletic and National over his first six starts.

If Gonzalez proves to be close to as effective upon his return as he was before landing on the shelf, he could be a key midseason reinforcement for the Brewers. The defending NL Central champions have struggled of late and are now outside the playoff picture, albeit by just half a game, in part because their pitching staff has been a letdown. But getting back Gonzalez could improve both the Brewers’ rotation and their bullpen. Right-hander Adrian Houser, whom the Brewers moved from their bullpen to their rotation after Gonzalez went down, is now back in a relief role. Houser hasn’t performed well as a starter this year, but he has been superb as a reliever.

Angels Claim Adalberto Mejia, Place Andrew Heaney On IL

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The Angels have claimed left-hander Adalberto Mejia off waivers from the Twins and placed fellow southpaw Andrew Heaney on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to July 17), per an announcement from Los Angeles. Heaney’s dealing with shoulder inflammation, though he doesn’t have any structural damage, J.P. Hoornstra of the Orange County Register reports.

The 26-year-old Mejia was a top 100 prospect in his days in the Giants’ farm system, but he hasn’t lived up to the billing in the majors as a member of the Twins. Since Mejia made his MLB debut with Minnesota in 2016, he has pitched to a 4.63 ERA with 7.4 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in 138 innings. He was barely a factor for this year’s Twins, totaling just 15 1/3 innings before they booted him from their 40-man roster.

For an Angels team low on pitching, there’s no real risk in taking a flier on Mejia. Perhaps he’ll help make up for the loss of Heaney, another former high-end prospect. Heaney hasn’t been especially durable in his career, and the 28-year-old has also dealt with a decline in performance this season. He owns a 5.09 ERA/4.79 FIP despite 10.57 K/9 against 3.72 BB/9 in 46 innings in 2019.

Red Sox Release Eduardo Nunez

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The Red Sox have released INF Eduardo Nunez, Chris Cotillo of masslive.com was among those to report. Nunez was designated for assignment Monday after a dreadful (.228/.243/.305, 36 wRC+) start to the 2019 campaign, and is now eligible to sign with any team for the pro-rated league minimum.

Long a productive utility player, if defensive liability, over the course of his ten-year MLB career thus far, Nunez’s recent output, on the heels of a -0.3 fWAR 2018 campaign, may relegate him to minor-league duty if he’s to latch on with another club this season. The longtime Yankee posted three consecutive 100 wRC+ or better seasons from 2015-17, but the current campaign marked the fourth season in which he’s checked in beneath the replacement-level fWAR baseline.

Nunez’s ineffectiveness, coupled with Dustin Pedroia’s injury issues, spawned an unlikely Brock Holt/Michael Chavis platoon at the keystone, the latter of whom – a converted corner infielder – shouldered the bulk of the early-season load. It’s been a mostly productive mix thus far, with each player posting above-league-average offensive totals through yesterday’s games; Chavis, for his part, has acquitted himself well defensively in his first professional crack at the position.

Giants To Select Conner Menez, Move Drew Pomeranz To Bullpen

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Giants prospect Conner Menez will replace left-hander Drew Pomeranz in the rotation tomorrow, the San Francisco Chronicle’s Henry Schulman reports.

Menez, 24, has risen steadily through the Giants system with little fanfare until quite recently. The lefty, who’s said to have “plus-plus extension” (per FanGraphs, though the site didn’t rank him among the club’s top 35 prospects) and a “high [fastball] spin rate” (MLB.com, where he ranks 21st in the system), led all minor-league left-handers with 171 strikeouts last season. He’s leveled up further in ’19, setting down 123 hitters in just 85 innings for Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento.

Pomeranz, who signed a one-year, $1.5MM (plus incentives) pact this offseason, has furthered has rapid descent in San Francisco. In 72 1/3 innings for the club, the 30-year-old’s been torched for a startling 17 homers in the Giants’ massive park while walking 35 in the process. His 4.60 SIERA, reflective of a typically-stellar K rate and unsustainable 21% HR/FB, is optimistic of a rebound, but it’s the second consecutive 6+ ERA campaign for the lefty who was once swapped straight-up for a then-top 20 prospect. Pomeranz’s average fastball velocity and strikeout rate are both career bests, but his once-vaunted curveball his abandoned him: per FanGraphs, the pitch has been among the league’s worst since the start of the ’18 campaign.

The sizzling-hot Giants, winners of 14 of the club’s last 16, will now line up with Menez, Madison Bumgarner, Jeff Samardzija, Shaun Anderson, and Tyler Beede in the rotation as the club surges toward the second wild-card spot. It isn’t a mix that inspires much hope, though perhaps the club’s lights-out bullpen – the only NL unit with a sub-4 collective FIP – can safely be counted on to soften the blows. Schulman does note that, per manager Bruce Bochy, the club rotation’s mix “remains fluid” and the Giants will look to rest starters and limit the innings of the three rookies.

Royals Designate Wily Peralta For Assignment

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The Royals have designated righty Wily Peralta for assignment, per Jeffrey Flanagan of mlb.com. Right-hander Josh Staumont will be recalled in his place.

Once a promising young starter for the Brewers, Peralta hit the skids in 2015 and couldn’t steady himself even after a 2017 transition to the bullpen. Kansas City’s reclamation attempt also fell flat: in 42 relief appearances for the club this season, Peralta posted a 5.80 ERA/5.85 FIP on back of a mere 5.36 K/9. Command was always an issue for the now 30-year-old, who often flashed electric heat but rarely displayed the bat-missing secondary stuff to match.

The move was somewhat overdue for the Royals, whose players are afforded some of the longest leashes league-wide. The KC ’pen has again been shaky this season, though the trio at the back-end (Ian Kennedy, Jake Diekman, Scott Barlow) has been far more reliable than last season’s iteration.

Rays Place Ryne Stanek On IL, Recall Hunter Wood, Option Brendan McKay, Activate Chaz Roe

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The Tampa Bay Rays continued their weekly weekend roster churn, placing Ryne Stanek on the IL, optioning Brendan McKay to Triple-A, calling up Hunter Wood, and activating Chaz Roe from the injured list, tweets MLB.com’s Juan Toribio.

Wood and McKay, like ships passing in the night, are two of the many innings-eating arms the Rays have trucked back and forth to Durham per the team’s need – such is life in the Tampa Bay system. McKay, 23, has thus far lived up to the hype in four starts, going 1-1 with a 3.72 ERA (2.86 FIP). Control has been his calling card, as he’s walked just one batter in 19 1/3 innings. With 18 strikeouts to go with it, McKay heads to Durham as the proud owner of a comic 18.00 K/BB ratio. 

Wood, 25, has pitched effectively across 17 appearances (2 starts) for the big league club, currently boasting a 2.08 ERA (3.42 FIP) in 26 innings. His minor league numbers are less impressive, perhaps due to a tendency to air it out in Durham where he has both struck out hitters at a higher rate (11.9 K/9 to 7.3 K/9) and walked them at a higher rate (4.0 BB/9 to 2.1 BB/9).

Stanek, 27, hits the shelf with right hip soreness. He of the league-leading 27 games started distinction has gone 0-2 with a 3.40 ERA in 41 appearances, 27 of which qualify as starts, despite his longest single outing of the season lasting two innings – a mark he’s hit 14 times. Stanek has already pitched 55 2/3 innings on the season, less than 12 innings away from the career-high that he set last year.

Roe, 32, returns from a right flexor strain that has kept him out of action since July 9th. Roe, 32, had seen consistent usage out of the pen despite posting a 5.27 ERA (4.21 FIP) across those 39 games. The strikeouts have been there, but so have the walks as Roe racked up 11.9 K/9 to 6.6 BB/9.

Keone Kela Close To Rejoining Pirates

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Keone Kela has been out of action since May 4 when the Pirates placed him on the 60-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. One of their key deadline additions from last season, it seems Kela will be ready to rejoin the team right around deadline time once again. The Pirates sent him to Triple-A Indianapolis on a rehab assignment last week, and he could be ready for game action with the Pirates within the week, per Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter).

Kela was tremendous for the Pirates in 16 appearances last season after coming over from Texas. This season was more of a mixed bag: he’ll carry a 4.63 ERA (5.71 FIP) whenever he returns to game action. The 26-year-old endured a rough stretch in early April, but he’d run up a streak of six consecutive scoreless outings before hitting the injured list. On his rehab assignment he’s been roughed up a bit (13.5 H/9), but the stuff is there as he has struck out seven batters in 3 1/3 innings.

The Pirates bullpen could use the boost, as they’ve been a bottom-10 unit by ERA, xFIP, and fWAR this season. Bullpen coach Euclides Rojas is tasked with getting this previously-strong group back on track as they’ve fallen particularly prone to missing the strike zone this year, ranking 29th in the majors with 4.34 BB/9. Kela’s been dogged at times by control issues himself, but if he returns as he’s been in 2018-19, he’ll strengthen the bridge between the Pittsburgh starters and closer Felipe Vazquez. 

The trade rumors continue to swirl around Vazquez, of course, despite the Pirates insistence that their closer is not on the market. Were the Buccos to move Vazquez, a healthy Kela might be first in line to replace him. Vazquez is on a great contract, however, and the Pirates are still within shouting distance of the playoffs, trailing both the division and wild card by only five games.

Red Sox Activate Nate Eovaldi, Option Ryan Weber

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The Red Sox activated Nathan Eovaldi from the 60-day injured list today, per The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham (via Twitter). Optioning Ryan Weber to Triple-A will be the corresponding roster move. The team announced the moves as well.

Eovaldi will step into the closer’s role, as has been the plan coming out of Boston since the beginning of this month. Eovaldi certainly has the chops to cover the back-end innings for the BoSox, but the decision was surprising because of Eovaldi’s stated preference for the rotation. The injury history, his success out of the pen in last year’s World Series, and the middling production from the Red Sox pen (4.56 ERA, 4.26 FIP, 4.35 xFIP) add up to a fairly compelling case to support Boston’s decision, however.

Ryan Brasier leads the team in saves with seven, but his recent struggles landed him back in Pawtucket earlier this week. Freeing Brandon Workman and Matt Barnes from regular closing responsibilities will lengthen the bullpen and give manager Alex Cora weapons to deploy earlier in ballgames. Given the scarcity of natural sellers in this year’s trade market, the Red Sox already sidestepped the long line of teams angling for bullpen additions by finding an easier get for their rotation in the form of ex-Oriole Andrew Cashner. Rather than mortgaging the farm to outspend the many of pen-hungry buyers, the Red Sox are hoping Eovaldi can settle a relief core than has been the worst in the majors by ERA (6.88) over the last month.

As for Weber, he made two appearances in this most recent go-round with the major league club, struggling through 4 2/3 innings of work. For the season, he’s made three starts and five relief appearances for the Red Sox, amassing 24 innings and a 5.25 ERA (4.31 FIP). The 28-year-old righty returns to Pawtucket for the time being, where he owns a 5.16 ERA this season across 11 starts.

“Fierce Union Advocate” Rick Shapiro Parts Ways With MLB Players Association

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The MLB Players Association has ended their relationship with long-time executive Rick Shapiro, per ESPN’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). Shapiro had seen his role and influence with the Players Union increasingly diminished in recent months.  

Parting ways with one of their lawyers feels like a significant move, especially as we get closer to defining the real meat of the 2021 labor negotiations. Of Shapiro’s particular influence, Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter) writes:

“Shapiro was a fierce union advocate, but also someone MLB viewed as knowing the history of CBA negotiations and capable of getting to a deal, so his exit is another sign of war drums by the union with the end of the CBA coming following 2021. Haven spoken to multiple agents tonight who feel this is a big loss for union, in part because Shapiro also was a key figure in the arbitration process and this loss of his institutional knowledge and advocacy will not be easily replaced. Since the death of Mike Weiner and naming of Tony Clark to lead the union, Rick’s influence had internally waned. Still agents were shocked that the end came this morning rather than waiting until the next CBA was completed. The union did not want to comment on this matter.”

Given the shifting tenor of contract negotiators in general between players and owners, departing a well-regarded litigator is a notable move for the union. Without comment or knowledge of corresponding moves, however, it’s presumptuous to assume this move speaks to a willingness (or even eagerness) on the players’ part to “lean in” to the coming conflict (as it seems on the surface).

That said, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that there are many in the industry who feel this is a sign of the growing momentum of a potential strike. Regardless, Shapiro’s exit can be added to the catalog of happenings to keep near-at-hand as we sift through narratives in advance of the 2021 collecting bargaining negotiation.

Phillies Acquire Mike Morin From Twins For Cash Considerations

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The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired right-handed pitcher Mike Morin from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for cash considerations, the team announced. Seranthony Dominguez was transferred to the 60-day injured list to make room for Morin on the 40-man roster.

The Twins designated Morin for assignment earlier this week in order to activate Eddie Rosario and C.J. Cron from the injured list. The 28-year-old gave the Twins two solid months of production out of the bullpen. He ends his Minnesota tenure after 23 appearances with a 3.18 ERA across 22 2/3 innings.

In contrast with his sparkly ERA figure, fielding independent pitching pegs Morin’s runs per nine at 4.50. Taken in conjunction with a 4.4 K/9 and .230 BABIP, and there’s cause enough to suspect Morin benefited from a tough of good luck while pitching for the Twinkies. Still, by pounding the zone (5.5 BB%) with an arsenal of downward driving sinkers, changeups, and sliders, Morin has suppressed opponents’ launch angle to a below-average 8.2 while limiting hard contact to just under 30% (league average is 34.4%).

If Morin keeps generating groundballs as he has for the Twins (47.4 GB% versus a career mark of 42.3%), he would fit the profile of someone capable of outperforming his FIP with some regularity – but that’s not been the book on Morin in the past. He is, however, prominently featuring a sinker for the first time in his 6-year career. Morin’s career resume includes a 4.48 ERA across 209 relief appearances for the Angels, Royals, Mariners and Twins.

For the Phillies, Morin provides another low-cost option for a pen that has thus far been unspectacular. Phillie relievers rank in the bottom-10 league-wide in ERA and FIP while pulling 29th with a -0.7 fWAR so far in 2019.

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