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Digging Into The Cubs’ Looming Decision On David Phelps

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When David Phelps signed with the Blue Jays this past offseason, his $2.5MM contract contained a club option for the 2020 season initially that was valued at $1MM — a likely reflection of the fact that his performance and general health were question marks coming off Tommy John surgery. Unsurprisingly, the contract allowed for him to boost the value of that option with a solid showing in 2019.

Activated from the IL on June 17 and traded to the Cubs on July 30, Phelps has been terrific for both teams, working to a combined 3.18 ERA with a 30-to-12 K/BB ratio in 28 1/3 innings (33 appearances). When he took the mound for the 30th time in 2019, he boosted the value of his 2020 option from that initial $1MM baseline to $3MM. He’s also already earned $500K of incentives and will earn another $250K when he makes his 35th appearance. If Phelps takes the ball seven more times before the end of the regular season, he’ll again boost the value of his option, this time to $5MM, and secure another $350K bonus.

The level at which his 2020 option settles is of particular intrigue because that will also determine the amount of incentives available to him next year. Phelps’ contract came with three different possible tiers of incentives, each of which was based on the option’s ultimate value. MLBTR has learned some of the specifics surrounding those incentive packages. If his option is valued at $3MM (i.e. he appears in 39 or fewer total games), Phelps would be able to earn an additional $2.75MM in appearance-based bonuses: $250K for reaching 25, 30 and 35 games as well as $400K for reaching 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 games.

Were he to reach that 40-appearance threshold in 2019 and boost the value of the option to $5MM, he’d be able to earn an additional $1.5MM in appearance-based bonuses: $150K for reaching 25, 30 and 35 games as well as $210K for reaching 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 games. Both tiers contain added incentives for games finished, but the Cubs’ signing of Craig Kimbrel doesn’t bode well for Phelps’ chances of an extended run as the team’s closer.

All of those factors will be weighed by the Cubs when they determine whether to bring Phelps back for the 2020 season, as will the fact that they stand to see a large chunk of their ’pen depart via free agency. Brandon Kintzler, Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek, Derek Holland, Xavier Cedeno, Tony Barnette and Brandon Morrow (who didn’t throw a pitch in 2019) are all off the books at season’s end.

From a pure performance standpoint, Phelps has improved as the season has worn on. His fastball averaged 92.1 mph with the Jays but is up to 92.8 mph with the Cubs. That’s still less than the 94.4 mph he averaged prior to Tommy John surgery, but the life on that heater does seem to be coming back. Phelps also managed just a 5.4 percent swinging-strike rate in Toronto but has seen that rate leap to 11.1 percent in Chicago — a rate that would represent a career-high. He’s also benefited from a sky-high 98.6 percent strand rate with the Cubs, though, which no pitcher can be expected sustain over a larger body of work. Phelps has held righties in check nicely (.232/.311/.377) but struggled against opposing lefties (.263/.349/.553).

Phelps’ usage over the regular season’s final couple of weeks will be worth monitoring, as it may ultimately play a large role in determining whether he’s back with the team in 2020 or searching for a new deal in free agency this winter. Neither the $3MM or $5MM price point is any sort of back-breaker, particularly with a fair bit of money coming off the books. But the Cubs also likely want to maintain as much flexibility as they can, and tacking on an extra $2MM to Phelps’ option is probably something they’d like to avoid, if possible, unless they’re planning to decline the option either way. There’s no buyout on the option, so this’ll be a straight $3MM or $5MM decision, depending on how many more times Phelps takes the ball prior to Sept. 29.

Yankees Notes: Sanchez, Happ

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Sept. 13: Regarding Happ, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post writes that the Yankees had already been planning for him to head to New York to get some treatment — possibly a cortisone shot — for his ongoing biceps discomfort. Happ has made the organization aware of the issue but has deemed it to be manageable for the most part. The biceps issue hasn’t been particularly debilitating for Happ, who carries a 3.48 ERA with 35 punchouts over his past 31 innings (six starts).

Sept. 12, 7:53pm: Sanchez told Hoch and other reporters that his newest groin injury feels “very similar” to his previous one. He’ll head back to New York for testing (Twitter links).

6:34pm: Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The Yankees are dealing with a couple potential injuries. Catcher Gary Sanchez left the second game of the team’s doubleheader against the Tigers on Thursday with left groin tightness, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com tweets. And left-hander J.A. Happ, who started Game 1, is heading back to New York to get his biceps tendinitis checked out, per Erik Boland of Newsday. Happ’s issue isn’t one the Yankees are overly concerned about, according to manager Aaron Boone, but they nonetheless want to take a look at it.

Groin injuries often lead to weeks-long absences, which is obviously something the first-place Yankees don’t need as they gear up for a potential World Series run. It’s especially troubling for Sanchez considering he missed 16 games earlier in the season with a left groin strain. The 26-year-old spent time on the injured list because of that issue and has also missed time with a calf strain in 2019. When healthy, Sanchez has slashed .233/.318/.531 (118 wRC+) with 34 home runs in 440 plate appearances, making him one of the game’s most effective offensive catchers. The Yankees have gotten good production from backups Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka this year, though.

Happ, 36, has hardly enjoyed a banner year to this point. He owns a lofty 5.07 ERA/5.38 FIP with 7.75 K/9 and 2.86 BB/9 over 151 innings. That’s not the type of production the Yankees expected Happ would provide when they re-signed him to a two-year, $34MM contract last offseason. Still, the Yankees have continually run Happ out there, in part because he’s one of the few legitimate starters they have. Happ, Masahiro Tanaka, James Paxton, Domingo German and CC Sabathia have been mainstays in the Yankees’ shaky rotation throughout the year. No one in that group has come close to providing ace-caliber production as the Yankees have gone without injured No. 1 starter Luis Severino all year. Severino is nearing his season debut as the Yankees prepare for the playoffs, though. However, it’s now up in the air whether they’ll have Happ at full strength over the next several weeks.

NL Notes: Vazquez, Crick, Tomas, Nats, Cardinals

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Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez initiated the fight he and teammate Kyle Crick engaged in Monday, Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. The altercation began when Crick declined to turn off music that was playing at his locker when Vazquez asked him to, according to Wilborn. Vazquez then threw the initial punch at Crick after challenging Crick to hit him first. Both players wound up suffering injuries – Crick had to undergo season-ending finger surgery, while Vazquez needed stitches on his nose – and incurring team-imposed fines. The Pirates docked Vazquez $10K and Crick $2,500, but Crick told Wilborn he’s filing a grievance because he was acting in self-defense. “If we were on the street, this would’ve been assault,” Crick said. “I got swung at twice before I swung back.”

As Pittsburgh nears the end of an increasingly disastrous season, let’s check in on a few other NL clubs…

  • Diamondbacks outfielder Yasmany Tomas has owned one of the richest contracts in the organization since he signed a six-year, $68.5MM pact out of Cuba in December 2014. Tomas hasn’t lived up to the considerable hype that accompanied the deal, though, and has spent almost the entire past two seasons at the Triple-A level as a result. As Zach Buchanan of The Athletic explains (subscription required), it doesn’t seem Tomas’ situation will change as he closes out his contract in 2020. Tomas will collect a $17MM salary no matter where he plays next year, but agent Jay Alou told Buchanan that his client is “frustrated” with his status and wants to return to the game’s highest level. That’s probably not going to happen in Arizona, however, in part because the team has concerns over Tomas’ outfield defense. Furthermore, Buchanan writes that the 28-year-old is way down the organizational pecking order at first base, leaving him without an obvious position in a league devoid of a DH. Worsening matters for Tomas, finding a trade partner for an expensive, defensively weak slugger who hasn’t produced much at the plate would be a difficult task for the Diamondbacks. Nevertheless, Alou’s surprised the D-backs haven’t gotten someone to take Tomas. “I just find it difficult there isn’t a team out there willing to pay a little bit of it,” Alou said of his contract.
  • Nationals first baseman Matt Adams left the team’s game Thursday with a tweaked triceps, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post tweets. The Nationals should know more on Adams’ status Friday. Should Adams miss time, Washington would be without half of its typical first base platoon (Ryan Zimmerman’s the other member). While Adams has provided the Nats’ offense with 20 home runs, he has nonetheless hit just .226/.278/.475 through 320 plate appearances.
  • Standout Cardinals prospect Dylan Carlson had been set to play in the Arizona Fall League this year, but that plan has changed, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak told Mark Saxon of The Athletic. The soon-to-be 21-year-old outfielder will instead stay in his native California to “work on adding strength,” Saxon writes, as Mozeliak doesn’t think there’s anything more for Carlson to accomplish on the field this season. Carlson, who tore up Double-A and Triple-A this year, could be on the fast track to a major league promotion in early 2020.

Scott Boras On Nicholas Castellanos’ Market

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There’s no doubt that outfielder Nicholas Castellanos has established himself as one of the majors’ best trade deadline acquisitions this year. Since he went from the Tigers to the Cubs on July 31, Castellanos has slashed .333/.359/.673 with 14 home runs in 167 plate appearances. He’s tied for 21st among position players in fWAR (1.5) dating back to the start of August, while his 160 wRC+ ranks an even better 18th.

Not only has Castellanos’ late-season production been beneficial to the Cubs, who are trying to grab a playoff spot in a hotly contested National League race, but it figures to help his cause on the cusp of a potential trip to free agency. The 27-year-old will be among the premier offensive players on the open market should he get there, which agent Scott Boras implied is likely to happen.

“He’s the youngest free agent, and he doesn’t have a qualifying offer,” Boras told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. “So I would say he’s in position to be optimally observed because he fits, really, the m.o. of any team — whether you’re a rebuilding club, because of his age, whether you’re a club that’s close to winning and wants to win, or whether you’re a club that is an existing top-eight club that’s going to compete for the World Series. He’s one of those guys that fits all clubs.”

Whether Castellanos “fits all clubs” is up for debate. After all, his defense has been widely panned at multiple positions since his first full season in Detroit back in 2014. Castellanos spent the initial portion of his career at third base, but he had such difficulty there that the Tigers elected to move him to right field on a full-time basis a couple years back. He has since garnered negative reviews in right, including in 2019. Through almost 1,100 innings in the grass this season, Castellanos has accounted for minus-8 Defensive Runs Saved, a minus-4.8 Ultimate Zone Rating and minus-5 Outs Above Average.

Castellanos’ ongoing issues in the field may well tamp down his value in free agency, and they could turn off certain National League teams from pursuing him because of a lack of a designated hitter option. That said, Castellanos is a long-respectable hitter who has been highly valuable in the NL this year as a member of the Cubs. Plus, as Boras noted, there won’t be a qualifying offer weighing him down because he was part of an in-season trade. That probably won’t be the case for the Cardinals’ Marcell Ozuna – arguably the top corner outfielder nearing free agency – as he figures to receive a QO from his team.

Just how aggressive Chicago will be in trying to retain Castellanos is up in the air at this point. Unsurprisingly, though, Boras doesn’t seem as if he’s in the mood to give the Cubs a discount. While Boras informed Wittenmyer that it would be customary for a free agent to “want to listen to the Cubs” – one of the game’s highest-spending franchises – he expects Castellanos to “listen to everybody.” Castellanos isn’t ready to discuss his post-2019 future, which is to be expected, as he suggested his focus is on the current campaign. Despite Castellanos’ best efforts, the Cubs very well could miss the playoffs this year for the first time since 2014. They’ll head into Friday tied with the Christian Yelich-less Brewers for the NL’s second wild-card spot.

East Notes: Phillies, Red Sox, Nationals

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This doesn’t exactly rate as a surprise, but third baseman Maikel Franco’s time with the Phillies is nearing an end, Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer observes. Although Franco has had a stranglehold on the third base position in Philly since his career began in earnest in 2015, the former high-end prospect has clearly fallen out of favor this year. The club demoted him to Triple-A earlier in the season, and though he has since returned, Franco hasn’t gotten his job back. With the Phillies in a heated battle for a playoff spot, they’ve mostly turned to Scott Kingery, Brad Miller and Sean Rodriguez at the hot corner over the past several weeks. It’s understandable the team has all but given up on Franco, who simply hasn’t provided much value since he burst on the scene as a rookie. The 27-year-old has posted minus-0.3 fWAR in 392 plate appearances this season, thanks in no small part to a weak .239/.301/.419 batting line. Franco figures to earn more than his current $5.2MM salary in arbitration over the winter, so it seems quite possible the Phillies will non-tender him.

More from Philadelphia and a couple other East Coast cities…

  • After firing president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski on Sunday, the Red Sox are in the market for a new leader of that department. However, it’s not a lock Dombrowski’s successor will have the same title, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. Dombrowski was the first executive in franchise history to earn president of baseball ops honors, and the club might not be as eager to go that route again this time. The Red Sox could instead name a general manager and have that person report to team president Sam Kennedy, Bradford notes.
  • Injured Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki hasn’t been in the club’s lineup since Sept. 5, and that’s not going to change “for at least a few more days,” Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post tweets. Manager Dave Martinez said Thursday that Suzuki, who has been dealing with right elbow inflammation, still hasn’t returned to throwing. Yan Gomes has caught every game in Suzuki’s absence, but the untested Raudy Read will draw into the lineup sometime over the weekend, per Dougherty. Between Gomes and Suzuki, the former has been the better defender this year. On the other hand, Suzuki (.260/.319/.473 in 301 PA) has outhit Gomes (.210/.310/.352 over 306 PA) by a significant margin.
  • An MRI revealed that Phillies outfielder Corey Dickerson suffered a bruised navicular bone in his left foot Wednesday, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. That may sound worse than it is, as the Phillies don’t believe Dickerson would be at risk of doing further damage to his foot by playing. It’ll be a “pain management issue” for the rest of the season, though, according to manager Gabe Kapler. Dickerson’s both a key member of the playoff-contending Phillies’ offense and a pending free agent, meaning it would behoove both parties to make sure he’s healthy enough to take the field. The 30-year-old has enjoyed a strong platform season between Pittsburgh and Philly, having batted .304/.341/.565 with a dozen homers in 279 PA.

West Notes: A’s Ballpark, Simmons, Dahl, Paddack

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The Athletics’ plans to build their new ballpark in the Howard Terminal area took a positive step forward when state officials unanimously voted that the State Lands Commission has the authority to decide whether a new stadium “is an appropriate use of the land,” Sarah Ravani of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.  Several other steps remain before the project is officially a go, such as two separate bills that have to be approved by California governor Gavin Newsom, plus an environmental impact report that should be completed by the end of 2019.  If all goes well, the current timeline has construction underway in 2021, with an eye towards Opening Day 2023.

More items from around the AL and NL West….

  • It’s been a tough season for Andrelton Simmons, who has battled ankle injuries while hitting .256/.301/.355 over 366 plate appearances.  The timing of this down year is particularly poor for a shortstop who could well have been a prime extension candidate this winter, since Simmons is a free agent after the 2020 season.  Now, however, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register wonders if the Angels could wait “until at least the middle of next season before deciding if they want to sign him to an extension,” to see if Simmons can rebound or if he is starting to decline.  Simmons turned 30 just last week, and while he has never been a truly dangerous bat, he had at least posted above-average run production (as per wRC+) in both 2017 and 2018.  Simmons also had the worst defensive season of his eight-year career, though “worst” is relative when discussing arguably the best defensive shortstop of all time — Simmons still posted +11 Defensive Runs Saved and +11.7 UZR/150.  Trading Simmons seems like an unlikely option, though Fletcher wonders if the Angels could explore an extension that could overwrite his current 2020 salary ($15MM) and instead spread that money out over the length of the new deal in order to free up extra payroll space for Los Angeles to pursue pitching this offseason.  Any extension talks, of course, would hinge on Simmons’ own thoughts, as he (like so many players did last spring) might prefer security now rather than deal with potential labor uncertainty at the end of the next collective bargaining contract.  Then again, Simmons might likely feel he’s leaving money on the table by taking an extension in the wake of a down season, and might prefer to instead rebuild his value in 2020.
  • It’s becoming more likely that Rockies outfielder David Dahl won’t play again this year, Nick Groke of The Athletic tweets. Even though Dahl’s progressing in his recovery from the ankle sprain he suffered Aug. 2, manager Bud Black admitted he’s “running out of time” for a 2019 return. Regardless of whether Dahl does come back, this will go down as yet another injury-limited season for the 25-year-old, who has combined for only 240 games since he debuted in 2016 (he didn’t play at all in ’17). A healthy Dahl, to his credit, has been an effective hitter – he got off to a .302/.353/.524 start with 15 HRs in 413 trips to the plate this year before landing on the shelf.
  • Like Dahl, Padres righty Chris Paddack’s season could also be done, as AJ Cassavell of MLB.com observes. Paddack’s not injured, but the Padres have been monitoring the former Tommy John patient’s workload in his rookie campaign. The prized 23-year-old fired six shutout frames against the Cubs on Wednesday, raising his 2019 innings total to 135 2/3 – easily the most he has thrown in a professional season. Whether or not Paddack takes the mound again this year, this season’s sure to go in the books as a resounding success for him. Paddack has logged a 3.38 ERA/3.99 FIP with tremendous strikeout and walk rates (9.55 K/9 , 1.99 BB/9) in his first MLB action.

Latest On Rich Hill

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9:51pm: Hill suffered a strained left MCL, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times tweets. It’s not yet clear how much time he’ll miss, though it obviously doesn’t sound promising.

7:05PM: Hill’s outing only lasted six batters and two-thirds of an inning, as Jon Morosi reports (Twitter link) that Hill had a problem with his left knee.  A strain to that same knee put Hill on the IL for the first month of the season.

2:10PM: The Dodgers have officially activated veteran left-hander Rich Hill from the 60-day injured list, as Hill will start tonight’s game against the Orioles.  To create roster space, right-hander Jaime Schultz has been designated for assignment.

Hill last took the mound on June 19, as a flexor tendon strain sidelined him for close to half the season.  As per the team’s plan to get Hill ready for the postseason, he’ll only throw two innings or 30 pitches tonight (essentially working as an opener) and then gradually build up his workload over four outings before the end of the season.  If all goes well, Hill will be in line to take the fourth starter role for Los Angeles in the playoffs, behind Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, and Walker Buehler.

Hill has been no stranger to injuries over his career, and as per usual during the southpaw’s late-career renaissance, he has been very effective then he has been able to pitch.  Hill had a 2.55 ERA, 5.08 K/BB rate, and 10.4 K/9 over 53 innings in 2019, also missing the first month of the season due to a knee sprain.  Though his numbers included a career-high 1.7 HR/9 (perhaps not usual for any pitcher in this homer-happy season), Hill’s .265 xwOBA put him in the 91st percentile of all pitchers.

After tossing 30 1/3 innings for Tampa Bay in his rookie season, Schultz pitched only five innings over four MLB games for the Dodgers in 2019, spending the bulk of the year at Triple-A Oklahoma City.  He had a 5.85 ERA over 47 2/3 Triple-A innings, though unlike many pitchers in the Pacific Coast League, homers weren’t the problem — Schultz had only an 0.6 HR/9, as the larger issue was a 5.1 BB/9, continuing the control issues that have bothered the 28-year-old for much of his pro career.  Also as per the norm for the hard-throwing Schultz, he posted some strong strikeout numbers, whiffing Triple-A batters at a rate of 11.7 K/9.

Ehire Adrianza Suffers Oblique Strain

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Twins utilityman Ehire Adrianza left the team’s game against the Nationals on Thursday with a right oblique strain, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com was among those to report. Considering oblique strains often lead to weeks-long absences, it’s possible this will end Adrianza’s season.

A lengthy absence for Adrianza would count as yet another unfortunate late-season development in a growing line of them for Minnesota. Even though the club’s 89-56 and seemingly on its way to an American League Central title, it has absorbed multiple blows in recent days. Right-hander Michael Pineda won’t pitch again this year as a result of a 60-game suspension, while center fielder Byron Buxton’s season is done thanks to shoulder surgery.

Adrianza probably isn’t as important to the Twins’ cause as Pineda or Buxton, but the 30-year-old has nonetheless been a solid contributor this season. The switch-hitting Adrianza has slashed a career-best .272/.349/.416 (102 wRC+) with five home runs in 236 trips to the plate. On the other side, Adrianza has amassed 20-plus appearances at three infield positions – first, third and short – and has also seen time at second and in the corner outfield. Fortunately for the Twins, they do have other prominent versatile options, which is among the reasons they’re in the catbird seat in the AL Central. Luis Arraez and Marwin Gonzalez, for instance, can each handle multiple spots with aplomb, though the latter’s dealing with an injury in his own right. The Twins subbed in the just-selected Ronald Torreyes for Adrianza at short on Thursday.

Dodgers Notes: Muncy, Alexander, Turner, Lux

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Let’s check in on the best team in the National League…

  • Expectations are that the Dodgers will activate infielder Max Muncy from the injured list Friday, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times relays. Muncy hasn’t played since he suffered a fractured right wrist Aug. 28, but it obviously wasn’t an overly serious injury. The 29-year-old is the Dodgers’ go-to option at second base, though his injury helped open the door for the promotion of highly touted prospect Gavin Lux, who has performed well over a small sample of plate appearances thus far. But Muncy’s among the Dodgers’ best hitters, evidenced by his .253/.375/.525 line with 33 home runs in 534 PA, and they’ll be happy to welcome him back with a couple weeks left before the playoffs begin.
  • Left-handed reliever Scott Alexander underwent surgery to address a nerve issue in his pitching hand, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register tweets. The 30-year-old, who hasn’t pitched since the first week of June, wasn’t going to return this season anyway. It’s unclear, though, how long it will take him to recover from this procedure. Alexander has thrown just 17 1/3 innings this year on account of forearm issues. While Alexander was among the game’s foremost southpaw relievers as recently as 2017, when he was with the Royals, his two years with the Dodgers have been somewhat disappointing. He owns a 3.67 ERA/3.88 FIP with 7.02 K/9 and 3.67 BB/9 across 83 1/3 innings as a Dodger, though he has posted an eye-popping 68.5 percent groundball rate in that span.
  • More from Plunkett, who reports that third baseman Justin Turner is day-to-day with a mild ankle sprain. That’s a relief for Los Angeles, which has gone without Turner’s services since last Saturday. The 34-year-old went without a hit in two at-bats then, but has otherwise enjoyed yet another outstanding season. Turner’s a .291/.370/.514 hitter with 27 home runs and 3.4 fWAR in 538 trips to the plate.
  • Dodgers director of amateur scouting Billy Gasparino recently reflected on the drafting of Lux in a chat with Kyle Glaser of Baseball America. Although Lux just won Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year honors, it was seen as something of a reach when the Dodgers chose the former Wisconsin high schooler 20th overall in the 2016 draft. He impressed Dodgers scouts throughout that year, though, and when the draft rolled around, they took him over an unidentified college pitcher who was also high on their board. “His overall talent level and character assessments were so high, we just felt like, a little bit of liking him just a little bit more than the college pitcher and some of just draft strategy of taking the bat there and getting pitching later,” Gasparino said. The 21-year-old Lux has since surpassed the organization’s expectations, according to Gasparino.

Nick Senzel Done For Season Due To Torn Right Labrum

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Nick Senzel’s season is over, as the Reds outfielder has suffered a torn right labrum, The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans reports (Twitter link).  Senzel has missed four of Cincinnati’s last seven games due to the shoulder injury, and only took one plate appearances over the other three games.

Senzel will finish with a .256/.315/.427 slash line and 12 homers over 414 plate appearances, while also stealing 14 bases in 19 chances.  With only an 89 OPS+ and wRC+, it wasn’t quite the big breakout the Reds and their fans were hoping for from one of the game’s top prospects, though it’s worth noting that a sprained ankle suffered late in Spring Training kept Senzel from taking the field until April 23, and delayed his Major League debut until May 3.

Perhaps most troublingly, the 24-year-old is already amassing a rather lengthy injury history just four years into his pro career.  Senzel played just 44 total games (all at Triple-A) in 2018 due to a broken finger and a bout of vertigo, which also cost him time in 2017.  The Reds were going to send Senzel to the Arizona Fall League for more seasoning, only to drop those plans when elbow surgery sidelined him for much of October and November of last year.

Through it all, Senzel also had to take on a brand-new position, as Cincinnati shifted him into center field duty.  Since he’d never played center field prior to 2019, Senzel’s slightly below-average defensive metrics (-2.1 UZR/150 and -1 Defensive Run Saved) are actually more than respectable.  It seems likely that the Reds will continue to use Senzel in center going forward, though now that Scooter Gennett is no longer in the picture, one wonders if the club would consider having Senzel split time between both second base and center field.  Senzel’s original third base position, of course, is blocked by slugger Eugenio Suarez.

It isn’t known if Senzel will require shoulder surgery, though president of baseball operations Dick Williams suggested Thursday that Senzel could be ready for Spring Training either way (link via Daniel Kramer of MLB.com).

Selected as the second overall pick in the 2016 draft, Senzel’s hitting ability has been highly regarded since his days at the University of Tennessee.  Senzel hit .312/.388/.508 with 28 home runs over 1028 PA in the minors, including an .853 OPS over 231 PA at the Triple-A level.

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