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Archives for September 2019

Nationals Activate Host Of Veterans From IL

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Saunday: In addition to Doolittle and Zimmerman, the club also activated Jeremy Hellickson from the 60-day injured list and lefty reliever Roenis Elías from the 10-day IL.

Saturday: The streaking Nationals, at 8-2 over their last ten games, are doing seemingly everything needed to retain their claim on the premier Wild Card spot in the National League. Now comes word that Sunday will see the club welcoming back two veteran reinforcements to the active roster, as Byron Kerr of MASN reports that reliever Sean Doolittle and first baseman Ryan Zimmerman are both expected to return to Dave Martinez’s dugout in time for tomorrow’s game against the Marlins (link).

Though adding two grizzled vets to a contending roster can always pay intangible dividends, it will be hard for D.C. to know what to expect in terms of on-field contributions from these two players. Doolittle, for his part, was placed on the injured list on August 18th with a knee injury that was suddenly brought to light after a string of rough appearances in the closing spotlight. Over his last ten appearances before being injured, Doolittle allowed seven home runs–a factor that played a large role in doubling his ERA from 2.72 to 4.33. Still, Martinez has made it clear that Doolittle will resume closing duties for the club upon activation.

Zimmerman, at 34, is far removed from his heyday as a 6 WAR player at the end of the last decade. Though he provided above-average offensive contributions in 2017 (137 wRC+) and 2018 (118 wRC+), this season has been truncated by injuries and defined by sub-par output at the plate. Across 132 at-bats in 2019, Zimmerman is slashing .246/.311/.390 (79 wRC+). He has been out since July 21st with a lingering foot issue.

Rangers Designate Payano, St. John; Activate Springs, Volquez

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The Rangers announced today they have designated right-hander Pedro Payano and left-hander Locke St. John for assignment. Their 40-man roster spots were needed for the activations of Jeffrey Springs and Edinson Vólquez from the 60-day injured list.

Payano, 24, didn’t enter the year as a top prospect but put himself on the organizational radar with a 28.3% strikeout rate in the Double-A Texas League. He was knocked around in 11 games in the Pacific Coast League (as most pitchers are) and scuffled in his six-game MLB debut, too, but he comes with three option years and did show a swing-and-miss slider in the bigs, so perhaps another team will take a look.

Much like Payano, St. John, 26, is an optionable arm who made his big league debut this year despite an unheralded prospect reputation. He, too, was quite good in Double-A and got knocked around in Triple-A, but he’s run strong minor-league strikeout rates since being moved to the bullpen full-time in 2018.

Springs, also 26, will take St. John’s place as a left-handed bullpen arm in Arlington. He was terrible in 26 innings before succumbing to left biceps tendinitis, but the changeup specialist was a little more well-regarded than his designated counterparts as a prospect.

The most-noteworthy name in today’s transaction series, though, is that of Vólquez. The 15-year veteran plans to retire at the end of the season but had been pushing for a return from a right elbow sprain. Even though the Rangers are out of contention, the 36-year-old had wanted to go out on his own terms, which fortunately seems to be in the cards.

Indians Designate Jon Edwards

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The Indians have designated right-hander Jon Edwards for assignment, tweets Zack Meisel of the Athletic. Further, right-hander A.J. Cole and outfielder Tyler Naquin have been placed on the 60-day injured list. Those moves clear the three 40-man spaces necessary for today’s earlier roster moves.

Edwards has pitched in 18 games in Cleveland the past two seasons after a three-year MLB hiatus. Despite maintaining a mid-90’s fastball, that brief MLB work hasn’t gone well for Edwards, whose sky-high home run rates have caused a 6.67 FIP that reflects much more poorly than his combined 2.70 ERA. Edwards has spent most of 2019 with Triple-A Columbus, where he’s offset a solid strikeout rate (28.2%) with a few too many walks (12%), en route to a pedestrian 4.22 ERA.

Cole was placed on the 10-day IL a few weeks ago with a shoulder impingement which proved to be season-ending. He finishes the year with a 3.81 ERA in 26 relief innings. Naquin, arguably Cleveland’s best outfielder, suffered a gruesome ACL tear Friday night.

Brewers Activate Nelson, Suter; Designate Wilkerson, Stokes

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The Brewers announced they have reinstated right-hander Jimmy Nelson and left-hander Brent Suter from the 60-day injured list. To create 40-man roster space, the club has designated right-hander Aaron Wilkerson and outfielder Troy Stokes, Jr. for assignment. The club also confirmed the previously-reported designation of right-hander Jeremy Jeffress.

Nelson, the former staff ace, has worked out of the bullpen on rehab, where he’ll presumably factor in down the stretch. He’s battled velocity loss and ineffectiveness in the wake of 2017 shoulder surgery. Suter, too, figures to work in short stints as he returns from 2018 Tommy John Surgery. He’s worked primarily as an opener on rehab, although he did work his way up to four innings in his most recent minor-league start. The soft-tossing lefty was a solid back-end command artist for the club before going under the knife, which would be valuable for a rotation that has undergone its fair share of struggles in 2019.

To welcome back the veterans, Milwaukee cuts bait with Wilkerson and Stokes. Wilkerson’s a 30 year-old swingman whose logged 35.2 subpar innings for the club the past three seasons. He has long been an adequate high minors starter though, explaining why he’s lasted three years on Milwaukee’s 40-man.

Stokes, a former fourth-round pick, has emerged as a noteworthy prospect in Milwaukee’s system the past few seasons. Featuring above-average raw power and speed, per Fangraphs’ prospect duo, Stokes had generally shown solid power and walk rates in the low minors. He hit a speed bump in his first taste at Triple-A, though, where his .233/.341/.385 line was 20% below PCL average. That proved too much for Milwaukee’s taste for a player who has increasingly seen time in left field, not center, in recent years, likely due to a below-average arm. That said, it’s easy to imagine a non-contender taking a chance on Stokes’ physical gifts and pre-2019 track record, so it’s possible, if not likely, he’ll be claimed off waivers. He comes with two additional option seasons, so there’d be no hurry to get him to the big leagues before he’s ready.

Athletics Select Sean Murphy

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Sunday: The A’s have confirmed Murphy’s promotion.

Saturday: With the end of August ushering in the expansion of MLB rosters, the Athletics are set to promote catcher Sean Murphy to make his Major League debut when the calendar turns to September, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com.

Murphy, 24, is regarded as the Athletics’ best position-player prospect and is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 44 overall prospect in baseball. A 2016 third-round draft selection, Murphy has caught scouts’ attention with his refined defensive game behind the plate, drawing rave reviews for his arm strength to go along with developing game-calling, blocking, and receiving. His defensive-minded profile means that he has all the makings of a solid MLB regular, even if he never actualizes his full offensive potential.

That’s not to say that there isn’t some offensive talent here, though. Spending the 2019 season at Triple-A, Murphy has enjoyed the best offensive season of his career. With a .293/.384/.580 batting line, Murphy has posted a 135 wRC+ this season—meaning that he grades out 35% better than average—an impressive mark even when considering the boosted offensive environment in Triple-A. Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs project Murphy to be “a high-contact bat with doubles power” as a Major Leaguer, no doubt an acceptable profile by catcher standards.

In Oakland, Murphy will join the current combination of Josh Phegley and Chris Herrmann behind the plate, the only other catchers on the 40-man roster. On the whole, that duo has provided lackluster offensive production from the catcher position, so Murphy could step into semi-regular playing time in his first taste of the big leagues. With the A’s promoting another highly-regarded prospect, Murphy could represent a sort of late-season reinforcement for a team in position to return to the postseason. Having recently promoted top prospect A.J. Puk and in position to welcome back Sean Manaea, Oakland looks to have strengthened its roster for the season’s final month without having to make any transactions.

A’s Designate Tanner Anderson, Corban Joseph

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The A’s announced today they have designated right-hander Tanner Anderson and infielder Corban Joseph for assignment. The moves clear space for their previously-reported additions of Sean Murphy and Sean Manaea.

Oakland acquired Anderson from the Pirates last offseason. The 26 year-old started five MLB games but mostly served as rotation depth at Triple-A Las Vegas, where he pitched to a 6.00 ERA with underwhelming peripherals, even in the context of the environmental challenges he was dealt. He does come with two additional option seasons, so he offers roster flexibility even if his most recent performance has been underwhelming.

The 30 year-old Joseph, meanwhile, got his most extensive big league action (40 plate appearances) this season in Oakland. In his limited big league time, he’s started games at first, second and third base and mashed this year in Las Vegas, but between his age and limited track record, he seems likely to clear waivers.

Indians Activate Carlos Carrasco, Dan Otero

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In heartwarming, if expected, news, the Indians announced today they have activated Carlos Carrasco from the 60-day injured list. The club also activated right-handed reliever Dan Otero.

It has been a trying season for Carrasco, who was shut down indefinitely in May after being diagnosed with leukemia. While he hasn’t had time to ramp up to a starter’s workload, he’ll be available in short stints for Cleveland’s postseason push. They’ve had to weather a number of injuries, but they still sit half a game up on Tampa and Oakland for the AL Wild Card. They’re also within shouting distance of the Twins in the AL Central, sitting 4.5 games out with a month to play.

Otero has been out since May 31 with right shoulder inflammation. The 34 year-old is amidst his second straight trying season, sporting just a 9.5% strikeout rate in 23.2 innings. He’s no longer an integral part of a strong Cleveland bullpen.

Blue Jays Reinstate Ryan Tepera, Designate Neil Ramirez

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The Blue Jays announced today they’ve reinstated right-handed reliever Ryan Tepera from the 60-day injured list. Fellow righty Neil Ramírez has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Tepera, a reliable middle reliever in Toronto between 2017-2018, has been limited to eleven big league innings this season by right elbow troubles. He’s not been especially productive at any level in 2019, but he’ll have a month to pitch his way into the team’s 2020 plans. Tepera agreed to a $1.525MM contract to avoid arbitration last winter and comes with two additional seasons of control, but the 31 year-old could be a non-tender candidate if he doesn’t return to form. He’s been in the Blue Jays organization since they used a 19th-round pick on him in 2009.

Ramírez is being cut loose by his second organization this season. Signed to a minor-league deal after being released by the Indians, Ramírez was added to the Jays’ active roster after just one minor-league appearance. Over 8.1 innings north of the border, he allowed five runs with six strikeouts and walks apiece, continuing a trying season for the former Cub.

Tigers Select Bryan Garcia

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The Tigers announced today they’ve selected the contract of right-handed reliever Bryan Garcia. Outfielder JaCoby Jones, already known to be out for the season, was transferred to the 60-day injured list to create 40-man roster space.

Garcia, 24, ranks 23rd among Tiger farmhands at Fangraphs, where Kiley McDaniel and Eric Longenhagen praise the Tommy John survivor’s mid-90’s fastball and plus slider. Garcia has stayed healthy all season and logged a 2.97 ERA in the hitter-friendly International League over 33.1 innings. His strikeout (23.9%) and walk (10.1%) rates with Triple-A Toledo are less impressive than the run prevention numbers, but he’ll nonetheless get a chance to cement himself as a long-term piece in a Tiger bullpen that sorely needs them.

Twins Place Kyle Gibson On Injured List

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The Twins announced today they’ve placed right-hander Kyle Gibson on the 10-day injured list with ulcerative colitis. Rookie left-hander Lewis Thorpe is up from Triple-A Rochester in addition to a long list of previously-announced September call-ups.

It’s unexpected and unfortunate news for Gibson, who has continued to look the part of a solid mid-rotation starter for Minnesota this year. Gibson’s 4.58 ERA is almost a run higher than the 3.62 mark he pitched to in 2018, but his peripherals pegged him as a low-4.00’s ERA talent in each season. Gibson’s never been a huge strikeout artist, but his 22% strikeout rate this season is a career-best, as is his 7% walk rate.

There’s no indication yet that Gibson’s condition will affect him long-term, although there’s evidently no hope of an immediate return. With rosters expanding in September, there would have been little harm in keeping Gibson active if the organization believed whatsoever he could return in fewer than ten days.

If the absence were to knock Gibson out for an extended period of time, it’d be a tough blow for player and team alike. The 31 year-old looks like a fringe qualifying offer candidate as he prepares to enter free agency for the first time, so this news could at least give interested suitors pause. Minnesota, meanwhile, is holding a strong (but not insurmountable) 4.5 game advantage in the AL Central. Even if they do hold onto the division title, they’ll need all the pitching they can get as they prepare for a first-round matchup with the Astros or Yankees.

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