Rays Acquire Cody Reed
The Rays have acquired left-hander Cody Reed from the Reds for righty Riley O’Brien, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic tweets. To make room for Reed, Tampa Bay placed newly acquired outfielder Brett Phillips on the COVID-19 injured list as he goes through intake protocols, the team announced. Meanwhile, O’Brien is now a member of the Reds’ 60-man player pool, per Rosecrans.
The Reds designated Reed for assignment earlier this week after he started 2020 with 9 1/3 innings of 10-hit, six-earned run ball with 10 strikeouts and eight walks. But the 27-year-old was effective for Cincinnati in 2018-19, and the AL East-leading Rays are in a position where they need to acquire pitching help in the wake of several injuries – including to notable bullpen arms in Nick Anderson, Jose Alvarado, Jalen Beeks, Oliver Drake, Andrew Kittredge, Colin Poche and Chaz Roe.
In the event Reed turns things around in a Rays uniform, he could be a multiyear piece for the club, as he’s not due to reach free agency until after 2024. However, Reed doesn’t have any minor league options remaining, so he’ll have to stick on the Rays’ MLB roster or be subjected to the waiver wire.
The Reds are getting a promising farmhand in O’Brien, a 25-year-old who made his Double-A debut in 2019 and registered a 3.93 ERA/3.49 FIP with 9.44 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and a 45.7 percent groundball rate in 68 2/3 innings. Prior to the trade, O’Brien ranked as a top 25 Rays prospect at MLB.com (No. 20), Baseball America (24) and FanGraphs (24). MLB.com, the most bullish of those outlets, writes that O’Brien has the potential to amount to a mid-rotation starter or “a late-inning force,” depending on whether he’s able to improve his control.
Mariners Place Matt Magill On 10-Day Injured List
The Mariners announced that they’ve placed right-hander Matt Magill on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder strain. They recalled righty Zac Grotz in a corresponding move.
As MLBTR highlighted earlier this week, Magill could be a trade candidate for the Mariners heading into Monday’s deadline, so it’s rather unfortunate for the club that he’s headed to the shelf. Depending on the severity of his injury, Magill’s IL placement may not completely kill the chances of a trade, but it certainly decreases the odds he’ll go anywhere before August concludes.
Even if healthy, Magill’s not exactly a premium trade candidate, as the 30-year-old has only logged a 4.63 ERA/5.24 FIP in a combined 149 2/3 innings with the Dodgers, Reds, Twins and Mariners since he debuted in 2013. But Magill was solid with Seattle a year ago, and he did coast through his first eight appearances this season before things went haywire. Since Aug. 17, Magill has made three appearances and yielded seven earned runs on seven hits (including three homers) in 2 1/3 innings.
Magill’s on a relatively minimal salary this year and controllable via arbitration through 2023. As such, the Mariners aren’t under pressure to sell low on him in the wake of a couple of poor performances and what could be a concerning injury.
Mets Designate Walker Lockett For Assignment, Activate David Peterson
The Mets have designated right-hander Walker Lockett for assignment, Tim Healey of Newsday was among those to report. His roster spot will go to lefty David Peterson, who’s coming off the 10-day injured list.
In what could go down as his final Mets appearance, Lockett threw two scoreless innings to pick up a win over the Yankees on Friday. For the most part, though, success has eluded Lockett as a Met. Since they acquired him from the Indians in a deal for catcher Kevin Plawecki before 2019, the 26-year-old Lockett has recorded an 8.16 ERA/5.96 FIP with 6.59 K/9 and 2.51 BB/9 in 30 1/3 innings. Lockett did pitch well last year at Triple-A (3.66 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 1.7 BB/9 over 59 frames), but as someone who’s out of minor league options, he may have a harder time latching on elsewhere in the next week.
Meanwhile, the return of Peterson will be a welcome one for the Mets, as the rookie began his career with a 2.91 ERA/4.03 FIP and 7.06 K/9 against 3.32 BB/9 across 21 2/3 innings before going to the IL on Aug. 18 with shoulder fatigue. Peterson has been the Mets’ top complement to ace Jacob deGrom so far this season.
Report: Indians’ Asking Price For Mike Clevinger “Ridiculous”
Indians right-hander Mike Clevinger returned Wednesday from a team-imposed demotion that lasted almost two weeks after he violated coronavirus protocols. Clevinger threw six innings of two-run ball in a win over the Twins in his comeback, though there continues to be trade speculation centering on the 29-year-old as the Aug. 31 deadline draws closer. He’s “definitely being talked about in trade scenarios,” tweets Jon Heyman of MLB Network, but the Indians’ asking price is “ridiculous.”
Clevinger certainly isn’t the most popular player in the Cleveland organization in the wake of his recent off-field mistakes, though it’s hard to fault the club for placing a high price tag on him. After all, the hard-throwing Clevinger’s a proven front-line producer who’s affordable this year, in which he’s earning a prorated $4.1MM, and under control for two more full seasons via arbitration.
Since he broke out in 2017, Clevinger has posted a sparkling 2.97 ERA/3.43 FIP with 10.22 K/9 and 3.35 BB/9 in 470 1/3 innings. Along with AL Cy Young front-runner Shane Bieber, Aaron Civale and Carlos Carrasco, Clevinger helps give the Indians’ rotation one of the top quartets in baseball (and that’s without potential rising star Zach Plesac, whom the team optioned alongside Clevinger). There’s also rookie Triston McKenzie, who fired six innings of two-hit, one-run, 10-strikeout ball in his MLB debut versus the Tigers last Saturday.
Thanks in part to their overflow of quality starting pitching, the Indians have begun the year 19-12, atop the AL wild-card race and just a half-game behind the Twins in their division. With that in mind, there’s no reason for the contending Indians to part with Clevinger for anything less than a Godfather offer before Monday.
Brewers Designate Justin Grimm; Manny Pina To Undergo Knee Surgery
5:32pm: Not so fast on Pina, who says he’ll require at least four weeks to recover from surgery and is hoping he’ll return if the Brewers make the playoffs (via Haudricourt).
4:21pm: Pina will undergo season-ending surgery, manager Craig Counsell told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other reporters.
3:31pm: The Brewers announced that they’ve designated right-hander Justin Grimm for assignment and placed catcher Manny Pina on the 10-day injured list due to a torn meniscus in his right knee. Pina sustained the injury on a pickoff play last night, MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy tweets. Catcher Jacob Nottingham has been recalled from the alternate training site to replace Pina on the active roster.
Grimm, 32, has appeared in four games for the Brewers this year but surrendered multiple runs in three of those appearances. He’s been tagged for nine runs on nine hits (four homers) and four walks with six punchouts in 4 2/3 frames. Although he was once a quality relief option with the division-rival Cubs — 3.36 ERA and 3.20 FIP in 171 innings from 2014-16 — Grimm has seen his results decline precipitously since that stretch. He’s logged 77 1/3 innings in the Majors over the past four seasons and struggled to an alarming 7.33 ERA.
As for Pina, it’s a tough blow for the Brewers and the 33-year-old backstop alike. He’s out to a .231/.333/.410 slash to begin the season — solid production for any catcher, let alone a backup — but will now likely miss the remainder of the year. Even speedy recoveries from a meniscus tear can take a month, and for a catcher, any knee issue carries additional difficulty. Pina has been the Brewers’ backup catcher dating back to 2017, providing solid glovework and respectable OBP skills and pop for a reserve catcher. Since 2017, he’s a .257/.317/.411 hitter.
Nottingham has gotten brief looks in each of the past two seasons — nine games apiece — and will now step in as the primary backup to Omar Narvaez. He’s a .231/.355/.385 hitter in 31 MLB plate appearances and a .250/.326/.421 hitter in 528 PAs at the Triple-A level.
Blue Jays Option Brandon Drury, Outright Thomas Pannone
The Blue Jays have optioned infielder Brandon Drury to their alternate training site and outrighted hurler Thomas Pannone, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet tweets. The Drury move clears roster space for newly acquired right-hander Taijuan Walker.
The 28-year-old Drury has been a massive disappointment for Toronto, which acquired him from the Yankees for lefty J.A. Happ before the July 2018 trade deadline. Drury, who had his moments with the Diamondbacks from 2015-17, struggled during his brief Yankees stint before they gave up on him. His issues have continued as a member of Toronto’s roster, as he owns a horrid .211/.254/.360 line with 15 home runs in 496 plate appearances. Drury’s minus-6 wRC+ across 49 plate trips this year ranks fifth to last among 300 major leaguers who have amassed at least 40 PA.
The left-handed Pannone, 26, had been in limbo since the Jays designated him Aug. 24, but he’ll stick with the organization after clearing waivers. Pannone, who combined for a 5.43 ERA/5.14 FIP over 116 innings from 2018-19, hasn’t pitched in the bigs this season.
David Robertson Suffers Setback
Just under two weeks ago, rehabbing Phillies right-hander David Robertson was optimistic he’d return to the team’s bullpen sometime in September. That looks far less likely now, though, as Robertson suffered a setback in his recovery from July 2019 Tommy John surgery, Matt Breen of The Athletic tweets.
With just a month left in the regular season and the Phillies a couple games out of a wild-card spot, it’s eminently possible Robertson has thrown his final pitch with the team. Robertson has a $12MM club option for 2021, but the Phillies are sure to buy him out for $2MM, regardless of whether he pitches this season.
Robertson was a consistently durable and excellent performer with the Yankees and White Sox earlier in his career, but he has totaled a mere 6 2/3 innings with the Phillies since they signed him to a two-year, $23MM contract before 2019. It was an understandable gamble at the time by the Phillies, as Robertson was then coming off his ninth straight season of at least 60 innings and was the owner of a 2.88 ERA/2.81 FIP with 11.97 K/9, 3.56 BB/9, 137 saves and 145 holds over 657 innings. Unfortunately for Philly, though, the signing has blown up in its face, and it doesn’t appear Robertson will provide the team any on-field value this season.
Reds Designate Phillip Ervin, Place Wade Miley On IL, Sign Jay Jackson
The Reds have made several moves, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic was among those to report. They’ve designated outfielder Phillip Ervin for assignment; placed left-hander Wade Miley on the 10-day injured list with a shoulder issue; activated right-hander Anthony DeSclafani from the paternity list; signed righty Jay Jackson to a minor league contract; and recalled righty Jose De Leon from their alternate site.
Now 28 years old, Ervin’s a former Reds first-round pick (No. 27 in 2013) who typically posted strong production in the minors before earning his first big league promotion in 2017. Ervin’s major league numbers hovered around the league-average mark from then through last season, but he got off to a rough start this year before the Reds booted him from their roster. Over 42 plate appearances in 2020, Ervin has hit an ugly .086/.238/.086 without a home run. Between that awful output and his lack of minor league options, he may have trouble landing anywhere else in the next week.
This is the second IL placement of the year for Miley, who previously missed time with a groin strain. When Miley has been healthy, he has only managed a 6.57 ERA/4.86 FIP across four starts and 12 1/3 innings, though he did throw four scoreless frames against the Brewers on Thursday. DeSclafani will replace him in the Reds’ rotation and rejoin the excellent trio of Trevor Bauer, Sonny Gray and Luis Castillo, with Tyler Mahle also in the mix.
The 32-year-old Jackson’s most recent MLB experience came last year as a member of the Brew Crew, with whom he logged a 4.45 ERA/4.66 FIP and recorded 13.95 K/9 against 5.34 BB/9 across 30 1/3 innings. Jackson then signed with the Chiba Lotte Marines of Nippon Professional Baseball and tossed seven innings of three-run ball with 12 strikeouts and three walks this year before returning stateside. He’ll report to the Reds’ alternate training site for the time being.
Mets Claim Guillermo Heredia
The Mets have claimed outfielder Guillermo Heredia off waivers from the Pirates, tweets Tim Healey of Newsday. Pittsburgh designated Heredia for assignment earlier this week when they claimed Carson Fulmer off waivers from the Tigers. Heredia has been optioned to the Mets’ alternate training site in Brooklyn.
Heredia inked a one-year deal, $1MM contract with the Pirates in the offseason but played in just eight games and took 18 plate appearances before the Bucs optioned him to their own alternate site. Because the Mets are claiming Heredia, they’ll be on the hook for the remainder of his prorated salary — a total of about $172K between now and season’s end.
Heredia has appeared in 390 Major League games, mostly with the Mariners, and posted a combined .239/.317/.339 batting line. As a solid outfield defender with a bit of speed and a career .275/.338/.400 batting line against lefties, he can be a useful bench piece when he’s at his best. The Mets just cut Juan Lagares — a player with a comparable skill set — loose earlier today when they designated him for assignment when Jake Marisnick was activated from the injured list. Unlike Heredia, however, Lagares couldn’t be optioned to the alternate site without his consent, given that he has more than five years of big league service.
Yankees Release Luis Avilan, Select Jordy Mercer
The Yankees have released left-hander Luis Avilan in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster for infielder Jordy Mercer, whose contract has been selected from the alternate training site, manager Aaron Boone told reporters at today’s media session (Twitter link via ESPN’s Marly Rivera). The club hopes to re-sign Avilan but felt the move was the best course of action amid a roster crunch.
Avilan, 31, just landed on the IL earlier this week due to inflammation in his left shoulder. He’d been quite effective for the Yanks before coughing up two runs in one-third of an inning in his final appearance prior to going on the IL. Overall, Avilan has a 4.32 ERA with nine strikeouts and five walks in 8 1/3 frames.
The addition of Mercer was necessitated in large part by injuries to both DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres. Thairo Estrada and Tyler Wade are starting up the middle for the Yankees right now, but Mercer could factor into the middle-infield mix while the club’s regulars mend on the IL. LeMahieu, in particular, could return this weekend, Boone said today.
Mercer, 34, spent six seasons as the Pirates’ primary shortstop from 2013-18, hitting .257/.317/.383 in 779 games along the way. He spent the 2019 season in Detroit, and while he struggled immensely early before going on the injured list for much of the year, Mercer returned to close out the season with a torrid .312/.343/.512 slash in his final 48 games. He returned to the Tigers in 2020 but was cut loose early in the year when they opted to give younger talent a look as their rebuild progresses. Mercer latched on with New York shortly thereafter and will now head back to the big leagues to provide some infield depth for an ailing Yankees club.