The Indians announced a quartet of roster moves today, including the news that right-hander Aaron Civale has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 22) with a sprained middle finger on his throwing hand. Also, catcher Ryan Lavarnway has been designated for assignment. The two open roster spots will be taken by catcher Austin Hedges and right-hander Justin Garza — Hedges has been activated off the concussion-related injury list, while Garza’s contract was selected from Triple-A.
Civale is expected to be out of action for 4-to-5 weeks, in the latest blow to Cleveland’s injury-plagued rotation. With Shane Bieber, Zach Plesac, and now Civale on the IL, the Tribe are missing their top three starters, leaving a makeshift starting five of very inexperienced pitchers tasked with keeping the team afloat in the AL Central race.
With several pitchers moving from the bullpen to fill these holes in the rotation, Garza gets the opportunity to make his MLB debut. An eighth-round pick for the Tribe in the 2015 draft, Garza isn’t ranked by Baseball America or MLB Pipeline as a top-30 prospect in Cleveland’s farm system, but the righty has an 0.42 ERA over 21 1/3 combined innings at Double-A and Triple-A this season. This is Garza’s first season working exclusively as a reliever, and the result is an uptick in his strikeout rate (to an impressive 35.36%), though also a 15% walk rate.
Lavarnway signed a minor league deal with the Indians this past offseason, and his contract was selected from Triple-A last week when Hedges was placed on the concussion-IL. Lavarnway played in four games, officially putting him in the books as appearing (if sparingly) in ten different Major League seasons. The journeyman backstop has appeared in just 160 games total over those 10 seasons, suiting up for eight different teams at the big league level.
Another year, another MLB cameo for Lavarnway.
He just keeps keeping on! I have to give him credit, there’s a reason he is still kicking around!
I agree completely.
Could be his estimated career earnings of $2.9M too.
Finally get to see Garza in the majors. Considering who they got as starters for the next three games, almost guaranteed he makes his debut.
sadly Shao isnt available for a reunion.
Ironically, one of my fantasy baseball leagues featured one team from each league as your dynasty. Yup, I have the Cleveland Mets. In case you were wondering, my team avatar is a photoshopped image…Mr. Wahoo. (Mr. Mets’ head on the old Indians mascot’s body.). Go ahead, blame me for all the injuries.
Hopefully we can keep Lavarnaway at Columbus and use Hedges as a chip for a starter. Trade for Gray from Colorado using one of our numerous highly rated shortstops in the minors to replace Story when he leaves.
Agreed, if baffles me how they kept Hodges around at that price when they pinch pennies so bad. They just showed they can tread water without Perez and even without him, so I’d like to see them deal him away.
You don’t think Hedges had anything to do with them treading water? They kept him because he has quickly adapted to the pitching staff, calls a good game, and can throw out would be base stealers.
Rene Rivera brought as much or more in his brief time with the team. I’d be ok with them dumping his salary and riding Rivera as the backup. When you have such a paltry payroll you shouldn’t be paying a backup catcher with zero bat what they’re paying him.
He’s a superior defensive catcher and framer, with our pitching problems he’s valuable just for that. If you waive him your on the hook for his salary.
Are you signing his paychecks? With a payroll as low as theirs, what’s it really matter?
At $3.28 mil he’s 5th on the team, that’s money that could be spread around to a starter and not a backup catcher who is supposed to play every 6th day.
Unless you can trade him you’re going to pay him.
Hedges has zero trade value. I mean if you are lucky you could get a starter in need of TJ surgery in return for Austin Hedges, Josh Naylor, Cal Quantrill, Gabriel Arias, Joey Cantillo AND Owen Miller. But you think you can get a quality starter for Hedges OR Arias? Good luck with that.
Never said they could get a quality anything for him, just that I wish they’d unload his salary. But there’s those that believe he has such great value it warrants paying a no-bat backup catcher.
I was responding to Bill nd.
Got it!
Gray is a rental from Colorado, they have zilch at catcher, Hedges and one of our minor league shortstops, it’s also a salary dump for Colorado
Every competitive team will be looking for starting pitching at the deadline this year. Gray is one of the top names available. He will be more expensive than a backup catcher who can’t hit to save his life and some random SS prospect outside of the top 100.
The Rockies will move Rogers over to SS if/when Story leaves. Montero should be ready to take over 3rd next year and Schunk will be right behind him. The Rockies have just about the perfect setup in their prospect pipeline. With a solid prospect ready to take over when a veterans leaves. They need pitching more than anything. As always their minor league pitching has a lot of holes.
Colorado had already stated Rogers is their 2B or 3B for the future.
Can we ask CC to pitch a few games.
Big Sexy maybe?
Lavarnaway should name his future kid Designated for assignment in tribute to his career
I think I would have kept Lavarnway and let Chang go
Which makes me glad you’re not the GM.
Doubtful Lavarnway goes anywhere. He will clear waivers and get sent back to Columbus.
Lavarnaway has been DFA’d before, so he will have the option of electing free agency. I’m not 100% positive if he keeps his money if he elects free agency, I know thats generally a no for pre-arb players and definitely a yes for players with 5+ years of service. He’s at 3+ years, so he might opt in just to keep getting a paycheck.
He will accept Columbus to keep the cash. He’s a prime example why you don’t fall in love with prospects. He was one of Boston’s top prospects 10 years age and now 8 orginzations later he’s a AAAA player.
Colorado had already stated Rogers is their 2B or 3B for the future.
Can’t carry three catchers in AL.
Another day, another jersey!
…..another yellow bat.
Gray is a rental from Colorado, they have zilch at catcher, Hedges and one of our minor league shortstops, it’s also a salary dump for Colorado
Indians keep losing pitchers and winning games.
With the praise Hedges has received for handling the pitching staff, I think trading him would be a mistake. I would think they’ll look to trade some of those young guys in AAA that they’ve seemingly fallen out of love with or just don’t have a direct path back to the majors (Logan Allen, Mercado, Daniel Johnson) or trading from all of their middle infield depth in the minors.
I agree the players you mentioned could be lost this winter with a jam packed 40 man roster, trade them now for a starter.