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Dodgers Sign Albert Pujols

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TODAY: The Dodgers have officially announced Pujols’ deal.  Right-hander Tony Gonsolin was shifted to the 60-day injured list in a corresponding roster move.

Pujols issued a statement on the signing via his personal Twitter feed, saying “First, I would like to thank God for the opportunity he has given me to play this game.  While this is not how I thought my time in Anaheim would end, I am truly grateful for the memories and friendships that have been created over the past 10 years.  Thank you to my teammates and Angels fans everywhere for your support.  You will always hold a special place in my heart.”

“While everyone in the big leagues wants to compete every day, I understand roles do change and that is something I’ve accepted for the past couple of years.  The role that Andrew Friedman and Dave Roberts have presented to me is one that I embrace.  I am excited to be part of the Dodger family and want to thank Andrew, Dave and the rest of the Dodger organization for this opportunity.  My goal is the same as it’s always been – to help the ballclub win a championship in 2021.  I’ve seen up close just how talented this team is and I look forward to contributing.”

MAY 15: Albert Pujols is staying in Los Angeles: He and the Dodgers have agreed to a major league contract for the rest of the season, Jorge Castillo of the LA Times reports.

The Pujols signing comes just over a week after the Angels let the future Hall of Famer go. Pujols then reportedly garnered interest from a few teams, including the Cardinals – with whom he had his greatest success – but the first baseman will join a Dodgers team aiming for its second consecutive World Series championship. He’ll presumably serve as a bench bat for the Dodgers, who have relied on Max Muncy at first base for most of 2021.

Pujols is far from the superstar he once was, but the Dodgers obviously believe the 10-time All-Star and three-time MVP will give them a credible bat in a part-time role. The 41-year-old hasn’t produced much since his stark decline began in 2017, having batted .240/.289/.405 (84 wRC+) with 76 home runs in 1,934 plate appearances over the past four-plus seasons.

Pujols also got off to an ugly .198/.250/.372 start with five home runs in 92 PA this year before the Angels parted with him, but there were some positives during that span. He was the victim of a ridiculously low .176 batting average on balls in play, .110 points below his career mark, and at least a few Statcast numbers suggest he deserved better during his final month-plus with the Angels. For instance, Pujols’ .347 expected weighted on-base average far outdoes his .270 wOBA.

Considering Pujols’ weak bottom-line production over the past few seasons, this signing may not amount to much for the Dodgers. But it’s a low-risk move for the Dodgers, who will pay him the prorated minimum salary, and it gives Pujols an opportunity to chase his third World Series ring as he nears the end of his marvelous career.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AL East Notes: Wander, Odor, Arroyo, Hernandez

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Wander Franco has performed well in his first 52 plate appearances at Triple-A, posting a .348/.404/.652 slash line that befits his status as baseball’s top prospect.  However, it doesn’t appear likely that Franco will get a quick promotion to the big leagues, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes.  The Rays aren’t likely to rush a 20-year-old who is only now getting his first taste of the pros beyond the A-ball level, and naturally, some payroll considerations are likely at play — delaying Franco’s debut until at least late June would probably keep him from reaching Super Two status.  A pre-career contract extension would address that concern, but Topkin doesn’t see such a deal as very likely.

Beyond just the financial aspects, the Rays don’t want to make a development misstep with a prospect who represents such a major part of their future.  “The team wants “to be ’more’ sure a player is ready, and avoiding the confidence crusher of sending him back.  Also, they definitely want to avoid putting a young player in a role of being cast as a ’savior’ as Franco might be if the Rays offense still was struggling when he was summoned,” Topkin writes.  This doesn’t mean that Tampa Bay wouldn’t turn to its farm system in the event of a sudden need, of course, but Topkin feels that Vidal Brujan or Taylor Walls (notable prospects in their own right) would get the call ahead of Franco since Brujan and Walls are both a few years older, and also already on the 40-man roster.

More from around the AL East…

  • The Yankees are hoping that Rougned Odor will be back from the injured list in time to face off with his old Rangers teammates, as per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (via Twitter).  New York begins a four-game set against Texas beginning today.  Odor was placed on the 10-day IL on May 5 due to a left knee sprain.  Though Odor has hit just .164/.271/.361 in pinstripes, the Yankees are in need of middle infield reinforcements due to Tyler Wade’s similarly underwhelming offense and Gleyber Torres’ COVID list absence.
  • The Red Sox are expected to activate Enrique Hernandez from the 10-day IL on Tuesday prior to their game with the Blue Jays.  Boston made the first move in this direction by optioning infielder Jonathan Arauz to Triple-A today, thus clearing a spot on the active roster.  A right hamstring strain sent Hernandez to the injured list on May 7, so the utilityman would miss only the minimum 10 days of action.  Christian Arroyo’s IL placement due to a hand contusion was also retroactively dated to May 7, but Alex Speier of the Boston Globe notes (Twitter link) that Arroyo won’t join the Sox for the start of their road trip against the Jays and Phillies this week.  Arroyo did begin hitting off a tee yesterday, however, so his return might not be far off.  The Red Sox have played with a three-man bench for much of the season, and if they choose to stick with this roster alignment, Michael Chavis would be the odd man out once Arroyo is ready to be reinstated from the IL.

Braves Designate Jesse Biddle For Assignment, Recall Tucker Davidson

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The Braves recalled Tucker Davidson from Triple-A today while designating fellow southpaw Jesse Biddle for assignment, per the club.

Biddle, 29, is a former first round pick of the Phillies way back in 2010. He made his Major League debut for the Braves in 2018. He made 15 appearances for Atlanta the following season before also appearing for the Mariners and Rangers. Biddle made just one appearance in the Majors last season with the Reds. The left-hander’s bugaboo has been his control, and it haunted Biddle again this season in eight outings with the Braves. While walking 15.7 percent of hitters, Biddle struggled to a 8.44 ERA/5.10 FIP across 10 2/3 innings. He’ll now be exposed to waivers.

Davidson, 25, made his debut with just 1 2/3 innings of work last season. He’s done good work in Triple-A this season, however, allowing just one earned run on seven hits and three walks while striking out a batter per inning in 14 innings across two starts.

Pitching Notes: Blue Jays, Allgeyer, Nats, Strasburg, Astros, Valdez, Odorizzi

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The Blue Jays have optioned Nick Allgeyer to Triple-A, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter). Allgeyer did not make an appearance and has yet to make his Major League debut. The Jays won’t make a corresponding move until tomorrow. There’s no need to fill his roster spot today given their day off. Since service time is measured in days and not games, there’s no reason to make a move any earlier than necessary. In other pitcher news…

  • The Nationals may be close to activating Stephen Strasburg, depending on how his shoulder feels today, per Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com (via Twitter). Nationals’ starters rank an uncharacteristic 25th in the Majors by fWAR, 16th with a 4.29 ERA and next-to-last with a 4.83 FIP. Strasburg has contributed just two starts totaling 10 innings on the year.
  • Framber Valdez and Jake Odorizzi will start on back-to-back days for the Sugar Land Skeeters this week, per Sports Director at Fox 26 Mark Berman (via Twitter). That’s especially good news considering that Jose Urquidy just landed on the injured list. Because of their schedule, however, Houston could largely get by with only four starters until June, writes the Athletic’s Jake Kaplan. If everyone can get healthy, the Astros will have a surplus of starters, which could lead to Cristian Javier or Luis Garcia being bumped to the bullpen or back to Triple-A, despite their solid efforts thus far.

Mets Notes: Conforto, Nimmo, deGrom

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The Mets had a rough end to their seven-game winning streak in Tampa Bay this weekend. They were handed a sweep by the Rays. They now limp into a high-stakes week of action against the Braves and Marlins facing the potential loss of more key regulars. Michael Conforto, in particular, appears heading to the injured list with a hamstring injury, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). Conforto (along with Jeff McNeil) left yesterday’s game due to injury.

Brandon Nimmo, unfortunately, won’t be the answer. The Mets’ injured centerfielder is abandoning his rehab assignment and opting for further rest until he is without pain in his finger, per Tim Healey of Newsday. Nimmo hasn’t appeared in a game since May 2nd.

The Mets could use him now more than ever, especially considering his hot start. Nimmo had raked to the tune of a .318/.430/.439 triple slash line across his first 80 plate appearances. With Albert Almora also on the injured list, the Mets will turn to Jake Hager, Jose Peraza and, perhaps eventually, prospect Khalil Lee to fill in. Super-sub Jonathan Villar is already in a regular role replacing injured regular J.D. Davis at the hot corner.

The good news is that Jacob deGrom could be back in time to start Friday’s ballgame, per Bill Ladson of MLB.com. He may still go on a rehab assignment, however, pending the results of a bullpen session on Tuesday. Friday against the Marlins is the earliest Mets fans will see their all-world ace back on the hill.

Michael Conforto, Jeff McNeil Leave Mets’ Game With Injuries

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8:15PM: Conforto and McNeil will both receive MRIs, manager Luis Rojas told Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News and other reporters.  According to Thosar, Rojas’ comments seemed to imply that Conforto’s injury could be of greater concern than McNeil’s problem.  McNeil said his injury was a “carry over” from the cramping issues that recently sidelined him for a couple of games.

12:58PM: Mets outfielder Michael Conforto left this afternoon’s game against the Rays in the top of the first inning after pulling up lame while running to first base, Tim Healey of Newsday was among those to note (Twitter link). Conforto is dealing with right hamstring tightness, the Mets announced (via Mike Puma of the New York Post). Jake Hager replaced him in right field. Additionally, second baseman Jeff McNeil departed in the second inning with left hamstring tightness. McNeil, who was serving as the designated hitter in today’s interleague contest, was replaced at the position by catcher Patrick Mazeika.

It’s too early to know if either player is in danger of missing extended time. If Conforto winds up having to sit out, it’d be an especially difficult blow to a Mets outfield that’s already without Brandon Nimmo and depth option Albert Almora Jr. Nimmo, who has been out since May 3 with a left index finger contusion, was sent for further treatment due to continued pain, manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Healey and Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) this morning.

Hager has almost exclusively worked as an infielder in the minors, making him a more natural potential replacement for McNeil. Utilityman José Peraza has spent some more time on the grass, but he’s also more of an infielder by trade. If Conforto winds up missing time, the Mets could turn to prospect Khalil Lee, who was recently optioned to Triple-A Syracuse after receiving his first big league call earlier in the week. If McNeil has to miss some games, non-roster veteran Brandon Drury could be an option, although he’s off to a poor start in Syracuse and would need to be added to the 40-man roster.

Conforto is hitting .232/.358/.339 over his first 134 plate appearances this season. That marks a downturn in production for the impending free agent, who slashed a robust .274/.376/.499 between 2019-20. McNeil is also having a bit of a down year relative to his past level of production, hitting .242/.336/.374 in 113 trips to the plate.

Central Notes: Maeda, Kepler, Astudillo, O’Neill, Engel, Duffy

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The Twins suffered a 7-6 walkoff loss to the Athletics today, and the defeat was perhaps a particularly costly one for the Minnesota team.  Both Max Kepler (hamstring) and Willians Astudillo (bruised hand) had to make early exits due to injury, while manager Rocco Baldelli told Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press and other reporters that Kenta Maeda was trying to fight through some minor groin tightness that developed during the game.

Astudillo was hit by a pitch in the second inning and remained in the game before being replaced at catcher prior to the top of the fourth.  Kepler’s injury occurred during the eighth inning, when he doubled and then advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on an Andrelton Simmons home run.  Both players are being evaluated, while Maeda’s problem seems to be somewhat minor and perhaps the least-serious of the three injuries.

More from both the AL and NL Central…

  • Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill is day-to-day after suffering a sprained left middle finger in tonight’s 5-3 St. Louis loss to the Padres.  O’Neill hurt his finger while stealing second base in the sixth inning, and remained in the field for the bottom half of the inning before being replaced prior to the bottom half of the seventh.  O’Neill has already spent time on the injured list due to a groin injury this season, and he has hit .250/.290/.530 with eight home runs over 107 PA.  Despite the low OBP and an ungainly 32.7% strikeout rate, O’Neill has been an overall productive (122 wRC+) hitter thanks to his big power and a lot of hard contact.  The defending Gold Glove winner is also still providing very solid defense in left field.
  • Adam Engel has missed the entire season due to a hamstring strain but could be nearing a rehab assignment, White Sox manager Tony La Russa told MLB.com’s Scott Merkin and other reporters.  Engel “certainly is looking more like himself” in workouts, according to La Russa, and “as far as the physical getting to 100 percent, I think he’s either there or very close.”  Engel’s return would be welcome news to an injury-plagued Chicago outfield, particularly if Engel can combine his normal strong glovework with the offensive improvement (.295/.333/.477 in 93 PA) he showed in the 2020 campaign.
  • Matt Duffy has been a solid contributor for the Cubs, hitting .284/.379/.370 over 95 plate appearances while getting the bulk of third base playing time since Kris Bryant has been regularly deployed in the outfield.  According to The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma, Duffy has long been on the Cubs’ radar, as the team tried to land Duffy both in the 2019-20 offseason and last summer, before Duffy instead inked minor league contracts with the Rangers in the winter and then the Yankees after Texas released him before the season.  Duffy didn’t end up seeing any MLB action in 2020, and his agent Paul Cohen tells Mooney and Sharma that “I probably had half a dozen teams reach out to me: ’Would [Duffy] be interested in joining our front office or our coaching staff?’  That’s the kind of impression this guy has made through his travels.”

NL West Notes: Dickerson, Belt, Taylor, Weaver, Marte

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The Giants activated outfielder Alex Dickerson off the 10-day injured list prior to today’s game with the Pirates, and Dickerson went 1-for-5 with a single in the 4-1 San Francisco victory.  Dickerson only missed the minimum 10 days while recovering from a right shoulder impingement, and he’ll look to get on track at the plate after hitting only .213/.276/.338 over his first 87 plate appearances.  Dickerson was a much more productive hitter in 2019-20, batting a somewhat under-the-radar .286/.350/.529 in 360 PA, all but 19 of which came in a Giants uniform.

Dickerson’s return could help a lineup hampered by the continued absence of Brandon Belt, who was a late scratch for today’s game.  Belt left Tuesday’s game due to left side tightness and has made only two appearances since (one as a starter, and one as a pinch-hitter).  It’s possible an IL stint might be necessary for Belt, who has impressed with a .233/.360/.495 slash line and eight home runs in his first 125 PA of the season.

More from the NL West…

  • Chris Taylor was a late scratch from the Dodgers’ lineup today, as manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) that Taylor felt some wrist soreness while taking pre-game swings in the batting cage.  With Cody Bellinger still on the IL, the versatile Taylor has mostly played center field this season, while also seeing action at both corner outfield spots, second base, and shortstop.  Taylor has also been an offensive force no matter his spot on the diamond, hitting .288/.425/.483 with four homers in 146 PA.  While Bellinger may be close to a return, Corey Seager and AJ Pollock were both placed on the injured list within the last two days, so the last thing the Dodgers need is for Taylor to also miss time.  Roberts said Taylor is already receiving treatment on his wrist and more will be known on Monday afternoon.
  • The injury-plagued Diamondbacks had another scare today when Luke Weaver left today’s start due to right shoulder discomfort.  Speaking to The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan (Twitter links) and other reporters after the game, Weaver downplayed the issue, saying that he thinks the shoulder problem can be corrected with a change to his pitching mechanics.  The righty is “pretty confident” he won’t have to miss his next start, currently slated against the Rockies on Friday.  It has been an inconsistent year for Weaver, as the Statcast metrics haven’t liked his work and he has posted a 4.50 ERA over 40 innings.  Counting today’s outing, however, Weaver has tossed 10 1/3 shutout innings over his last two starts, so the right-hander may have turned a corner.
  • Ketel Marte will begin a Triple-A rehab assignment on Monday, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told MLB.com’s Jake Rill and other reporters.  Marte only played six games for the D’Backs before hitting the injured list with a right hamstring strain back on April 8.  Due to the long absence, it isn’t yet clear how long Marte will be at Triple-A Reno, though he has been working out with the Diamondbacks and also played a six-inning simulated game at the team’s alternate training site.  The 18-23 D’Backs are trying to stay afloat despite several notable injuries in the last few days alone, and the return of their star Marte would be an enormous boost to the club.

Dodgers Likely To Activate David Price On Monday

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Dodgers left-hander David Price is close to a return, as manager Dave Roberts told The Athletic’s Fabian Aradaya (Twitter links) and other reporters that he expects Price will be activated from the 10-day injured list prior to Monday’s game against the Diamondbacks.

It makes for a relatively quick return for Price, who hit the IL due to a Grade 2 hamstring strain back on April 26.  Assuming Price is indeed activated tomorrow, he’ll end up missing 20 days of action — not a bad outcome considering initial forecasts projected Price to be sidelined for somewhere the neighborhood of four to six weeks.

Price’s return will being a much-needed fresh arm to a Los Angeles bullpen that has been ravaged by injuries, though Price did post a 5.59 ERA over his first 9 2/3 innings.  Five of Price’s six earned runs, however, came in his first two outings, which were his first games in over a year since Price opted out of the 2020 season.  The southpaw’s numbers over his five games prior to the IL placement were much more encouraging, as Price had a 1.50 ERA and nine strikeouts over six innings.

Price will indeed be returning as a relief pitcher, as Roberts noted earlier this month, since the Dodgers plan to use Tony Gonsolin as the replacement for the injured Dustin May in the starting rotation.  Shoulder inflammation has kept Gonsolin from pitching this season, though a three-inning simulated game this week will be the next step in the right-hander’s rehab plan.  Once Gonsolin is able to pitch four innings, Roberts said he’d be okay with Gonsolin rejoining the Dodgers, so the manager’s opinion could also reflect the organization’s broader view.

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