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Archives for June 2021

Nationals Make Series Of Roster Moves

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The Nationals announced a series of roster moves today. Most notably, setup man Daniel Hudson has been placed on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. Meanwhile, Erick Fedde was reinstated from the injured list, and Jefry Rodriguez had his contracted selected from Triple-A.

The Nats also selected the contract of Andres Machado, whom they immediately optioned so that they could select him as the 27th man in today’s doubleheader. To make room on the active roster, outfielder Yadiel Hernandez was optioned to Triple-A Rochester. To make room on the 40-man roster, Will Harris was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

The most consequential move here is undoubtedly the short-term loss of Hudson, who has been a key figure in the Nats pen this season. The man who closed out the 2019 World Series has continued his career renaissance in Washington this season with a 2.59 ERA/2.74 FIP in 23 outings totaling 24 1/3 innings. Hudson has been a rock out of the pen, picking up 11 holds while striking out a career-high 37.2 percent of opponents and only walking 7.4 percent of batters.

With Harris out long-term and Hudson now out as well, the Nats are entering an experimental period when it comes to setting up closer Brad Hand. Tanner Rainey is the most likely to take on those responsibilities, but he has struggled with his command this season. Wander Suero, Kyle Finnegan, and Sam Clay are also likely to continue to see a lot of action out of the pen.

Hernandez has been a fun story for the Nats this season, and his demotion here is probably temporary. With Juan Soto and Kyle Schwarber in the outfield corners, Hernandez doesn’t have a path to regular playing time. Injuries to the pitching staff have left the Nats routinely short-handed this season as well, hence the need for an additional arm.

Getting Fedde off the injured list should help. He’ll jump right back into the starting rotation today. With Max Scherzer leaving yesterday’s game in the first inning and a doubleheader scheduled today, the Nats are in particular need of a lengthy outing from Fedde, who owns a 4.35 ERA/4.42 FIP in 39 1/3 innings this year over eight starts.

Rodriguez and Machado may very quickly find themselves of use to manager Davey Martinez. Rodriguez was a Nats farmhand who was traded to the Indians as part of the Yan Gomes trade back in 2018. He may now find himself throwing to Gomes after returning to the Nats on a minor league deal this winter.

Machado is back in the bigs for the first time since 2017, when he made two appearances for the Royals. The 28-year-old has allowed just one earned run in 9 1/3 innings at Triple-A for the Nats this season.

Mets Notes: deGrom, Nimmo, Conforto, McNeil, Carrasco

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Jacob deGrom left yesterday’s game with flexor tendonitis, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). Speaking after the game, deGrom continually stressed that though the concern was near his elbow, it wasn’t something that he was overly concerned about. He plans/hopes to make his next regularly scheduled start. Obviously, a healthy deGrom is crucial for the Mets’ title chances. They have a four-game lead for the division, thanks in large part to deGrom’s 0.56 ERA in 10 starts this season. The Mets have won 70 percent of deGrom’s starts this season versus 53 percent of games in which someone else takes the hill. In other Mets news…

  • Brandon Nimmo has a new understanding of the hand injury that’s kept him out of action since the first couple days of May. Nimmo received a new diagnosis of a small ligament tear near the base of his left index finger. He was thought to be dealing with a nerve issue. Nimmo previously had started a rehab assignment, but stopped it short after continued discomfort. While the diagnostic clarity is helpful, the new information doesn’t change the plan for Nimmo: He will continue to rest until the finger is healed, tweets Dicomo. A rehab assignment,however, could start as soon as next week.
  • Dicomo provides more position player updates: the Mets hope to have Jeff McNeil back next weekend and Michael Conforto the weekend after, per GM Zack Scott. The Mets have done well to stay atop the NL East while a good portion of their starting lineup has been out. McNeil’s flexibility would be particularly useful in covering for the numerous injuries the team has sustained this season.
  • Carlos Carrasco, meanwhile, received a PRP injection, which is why he has not been throwing of late, per Dicomo. Carrasco’s torn right hamstring has not been healing on schedule. Certainly, the Mets expected to get more from Carrasco this season. To have him healthy at the end of the season has to be the priority now, however, so there should be no rush in getting him back to the hill before he is 100 percent healthy. Carrasco isn’t likely to return to the rotation until after the All-Star break, per DiComo.

Diamondbacks General Manager Mike Hazen To Take Physical Leave Of Absence

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The Diamondbacks announced that executive vice president and general manager Mike Hazen is taking a “physical leave of absence” from the team. Assistant GM Amiel Sawdaye will take over day-to-day baseball operations, with Hazen consulting regularly.

Sawdaye has been one of Hazen’s primary lieutenants throughout the duration of their tenures in Arizona. The pair worked together in the Red Sox front office, and Sawdaye followed Hazen to the desert less than two weeks after the latter was hired as Diamondbacks general manager. Sawdaye has long been viewed as a potential future GM, and he was among the finalists for the Angels job that went to Perry Minasian last winter.

Hazen’s wife Nicole has been battling brain cancer, notes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Hazen told reporters (including Bob Nightengale of USA Today) he didn’t feel he could devote the time required to lead the team’s trade deadline and draft preparation while attending to his family responsibilities. MLBTR sends our best wishes to the Hazen family.

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/11/21

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The latest minor transactions:

  • The Orioles announced that right-hander Shawn Armstrong has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk. Baltimore designated the 30-year-old for assignment last week. As a player who has previously been outrighted in his career, Armstrong had the right to elect free agency. He’s apparently chosen to accept the minor league assignment, though, as he’s listed on Norfolk’s active roster. Armstrong tossed twenty innings for the O’s this season before being designated, only managing an 8.55 ERA/4.30 SIERA.

Latest On Jon Gray, German Marquez

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Rockies starter Jon Gray is scheduled to hit free agency at the end of the season. With Colorado having virtually no chance to make the playoffs, that makes the 29-year-old one of the more logical trade candidates in baseball. Indeed, MLBTR’s Steve Adams ranked Gray the #1 trade candidate in the sport last week.

Gray changing teams next month still seems the most likely outcome, but Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reports the Rockies are expected to offer him a contract extension before pulling the trigger on any trade. Of course, the club offering Gray an extension doesn’t guarantee he’d stick around. The Rockies don’t look particularly close to contention, and the CAA Sports client may prefer to field offers from more immediate contenders this winter instead.

As Rosenthal notes, Colorado’s hitter-friendly home park could also work against them in convincing a pitcher to voluntarily stick around for the long haul. Gray, though, is the rare arm who hasn’t seemed too affected by Coors Field. His career home/road splits are nearly identical, and Gray’s actually been far better at home this season (3.25 ERA, .167/.264/.314 opponents’ slash line) than on the road (6.75 ERA, .350/.400/.538 line).

Extensions for starting pitchers this close to free agency are atypical, as one might expect. Over the past four seasons, only two starters with five-plus years of MLB service time signed extensions. Righty Sonny Gray inked a three-year, $30.5MM guarantee with the Reds in 2019. That was part of an agreement to facilitate a trade from the Yankees to Cincinnati, though, so it’s not a perfectly analogous situation. Righty Lance McCullers Jr., meanwhile, signed a five-year, $85MM deal with the Astros in March. McCullers is nearly two full years younger than Jon Gray and has a better career track record (even after adjusting for park), so the Rockies hurler would have a hard time commanding that kind of commitment.

Gray’s contractual status makes his situation one of the more pressing for interim general manager Bill Schmidt. He’s not the only Colorado starter drawing attention from rival clubs, though. Rosenthal reports the Rockies are also receiving interest in starter Germán Márquez. That’s certainly no surprise. Márquez has worked to a 3.91 ERA in 71 1/3 frames this season- a strong mark for a pitcher in Coors Field- with quality strikeout and ground ball rates (24.7% and 52.7%, respectively). Márquez has walked quite a few batters this year (11.2%), but he was one of the game’s better strike throwers between 2017-20.

In addition to his strong track record of performance, Márquez is controllable through 2024 under the terms of an extension he signed in April 2019. He’s making just $7.5MM this year, followed by respective salaries of $11MM and $15MM in 2022 and 2023. The deal contains a $16MM club option (with a $2.5MM buyout) for 2024. Given that long-term control, the Rockies needn’t move Márquez this summer, and Rosenthal suggests they’re unlikely to do so.

Between Gray, Márquez and impending free agent shortstop Trevor Story (who doesn’t seem likely to re-sign), the Rockies have a trio of players who should continue to generate plenty of calls from contenders. There’s a particular sense of urgency with regards to Gray and Story, as the organization seeks the core of the next contending club in Colorado.

Max Scherzer Day-To-Day With Groin Inflammation

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9:27 pm: Scherzer offered a positive update postgame, telling reporters (including Jessica Camerato of MLB.com) he suffered a mild groin injury. Scherzer said an MRI revealed inflammation but no muscle strain and termed himself day-to-day.

6:37 pm: Nationals star Max Scherzer left this evening’s start against the Giants in the first inning after a visit from the trainer. He appeared to be dealing with a lower body issue, according to Todd Dybas of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link).

Needless to say, Washington can ill-afford a lengthy absence from Scherzer. At 25-33, the Nationals hopes of sticking around the postseason picture are dwindling. Washington’s already without Stephen Strasburg, who’s been on the injured list since June 2 because of nerve irritation in his neck. Patrick Corbin has had a dreadful season, while Joe Ross has below-average numbers. Jon Lester and Erick Fedde have been decent but unspectacular. (Fedde has missed the past three weeks after testing positive for COVID-19, but he’s expected to return this weekend, Dybas notes).

Scherzer has been his usual incredible self in 2021. He entered play tonight with a sterling 2.22 ERA over 77 innings. Scherzer is missing bats at an elite level, with a 36.1% strikeout rate that ranks fifth among qualified pitchers. He trails only Jacob deGrom and Gerrit Cole in strikeout/walk rate differential (30.9 percentage points), while his 2.65 SIERA is fourth-lowest in the sport (behind deGrom, Cole and Joe Musgrove).

That level of dominance has surely already inspired teams to call the Nationals to gauge Scherzer’s availability in advance of the July 30 trade deadline. Washington hasn’t traditionally been inclined to move star players, but with their playoff odds down to 2.7% (per FanGraphs’ projections), there’s a case they should listen to offers on the impending free agent. (Scherzer does have complete no-trade rights as a player with ten years of MLB service, five consecutive with his current team). Even nearing his 37th birthday, Scherzer will be one of the more coveted arms on the market this winter. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes recently placed him tenth on his 2021-22 free agent power rankings.

Travis Shaw Likely Out Until August Due To Dislocated Shoulder

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JUNE 11: Shaw will attempt to rest and rehab the injury, Counsell said (via Will Sammon of the Athletic). The team is hopeful he’ll be able to return at some point in August. Given that timetable, it seems likely Shaw will eventually wind up on the 60-day injured list when the need for 40-man roster space arises.

JUNE 9, 9:53 pm: Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Adam McCalvy of MLB.com) Shaw will undergo further testing to determine the extent of the injury. Counsell implied Shaw was indeed looking at a lengthy absence, though, noting that “another player is going to get an opportunity to step up.”

JUNE 9, 9:49 pm: Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw left tonight’s game after dislocating his left shoulder, the team announced. The club didn’t provide a timetable for his return, but he’s almost certainly headed to the injured list. As Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel points out (on Twitter), shoulder dislocations can sometimes lead to months-long absences.

Shaw, who played for Milwaukee from 2017-19, re-signed with the Brew Crew on a minor league deal over the winter. He made the club out of Spring Training and has since worked as the primary third baseman. It hasn’t been an especially productive season for Shaw, who has hit just .192/.280/.339 with six homers in 201 plate appearances. That puts him on track for his third consecutive below-average campaign at the plate, a disappointing turn after his strong work between 2017-18.

If Shaw is indeed facing an extended absence, Milwaukee looks likely to turn to utilitymen Daniel Robertson and/or Jace Peterson at the hot corner for now. Keston Hiura, recently demoted to Triple-A Nashville amidst massive struggles, could also be an option, if Milwaukee wants to reinstall Hiura at second base and kick Luis Urías over to third.

Given Shaw’s struggles, third base already looked like a potential area for the Brewers to upgrade in advance of the July 30 trade deadline. At 34-26, Milwaukee is tied with the Cubs for the lead in a tightly-packed NL Central. If they continue on their current trajectory, they’d position themselves as a likely deadline buyer.

With about seven weeks to go, it’s still relatively early in the season to swing a notable trade (the Brewers own acquisition of Willy Adames from the Rays last month notwithstanding). Still, there are a few clubs already out of contention, so it’s easy to find some candidates Milwaukee could perhaps land if the front office goes outside the organization.

The Diamondbacks are likely to put Asdrúbal Cabrera and Eduardo Escobar on the block. Cabrera is back from a three-week IL stint and looking to build on a strong start to the year, while Escobar has rebounded from a hideous 2020 to hit for decent power this season. The Orioles would surely move Maikel Franco, but he’s gotten off to a dismal start. It’s possible the Tigers could listen to offers on Jeimer Candelario, while the Nationals figure to make Josh Harrison available if they fall out of contention. That’s far from an exhaustive list of potential options, but it serves to highlight the kind of players the Brewers could look into if they’re seeking a short-term upgrade at the hot corner.

Reds Sign Logan Morrison

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The Reds have signed first baseman Logan Morrison to a minor league contract, per an announcement from the High Point Rockers of the independent Atlantic League. Morrison had played nine games with the Rockers after signing last month. He’s been assigned to Triple-A Louisville.

Morrison has appeared in the big leagues in each of the past eleven seasons. He was a quality hitter as recently as 2017, but he scuffled in 2018 and hasn’t gotten much run at the highest level since. Morrison only picked up 38 plate appearances with the Phillies in 2019, and he tallied just 28 trips to the plate last year with the Brewers.

Cincinnati obviously has first base spoken for with Joey Votto, but the club’s left-handed bench players (Shogo Akiyama, Mike Freeman and Mark Payton) haven’t hit much. That could open an opportunity for Morrison if he gets off to a strong start in Louisville.

Padres To Sign Joe Beimel

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The Padres are signing reliever Joe Beimel to a minor league contract, reports Dennis Lin of the Athletic (Twitter link). He’ll be assigned to Double-A San Antonio.

It’s nothing short of remarkable that Beimel has worked his way back to affiliated ball. Now 44 years old, he first broke into the big leagues with the Pirates in 2001. Beimel appeared in the majors every year from that point through 2011 but didn’t crack a big league roster in 2012 or 2013. The southpaw returned in 2014 with the Mariners and threw 92 1/3 major league innings over the next two seasons. A 2016 minor league deal with the Royals didn’t lead to a big league opportunity, and Kansas City released him that July. Beimel hasn’t pitched in affiliated ball since then, and he hasn’t appeared on MLBTR’s pages in any capacity since March 2017. Against all odds, he’s made it back.

It’s anyone’s guess whether Beimel will prove effective enough to eventually earn a major league call. He has recently been throwing in the mid-90s, Lin notes, suggesting he’s still got plenty of arm strength despite his age and the long layoff. Scott Kazmir got back to the big leagues with the Giants last month following a five-year absence. Beimel will look to make it back after six years away. Over the course of his career, Beimel has worked to a 4.06 ERA across thirteen seasons.

Giants Outright Scott Kazmir

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JUNE 11: Kazmir has cleared outright waivers, the Giants announced. It remains to be seen if he’ll accept an assignment to Triple-A Sacramento or elect free agency.

JUNE 5, 5:25 PM: Kazmir has officially been DFA’d by the Giants. Camilo Doval has been recalled to claim his roster spot, per Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com (via Twitter). Doval owns a 7.59 ERA/7.54 FIP in 13 appearances covering 10 2/3 innings on the year.

JUNE 5, 1:51 PM: The Giants have designated left-hander Scott Kazmir for assignment, The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser reports.  The move could end Kazmir’s comeback attempt after three appearances and seven total innings.

Kazmir last pitched in the majors with the Dodgers in 2016, and his career had seemingly drawn to a close before the southpaw announced a comeback attempt in early 2020.  His efforts led to a minor league deal with San Francisco this past offseason, and Kazmir then found himself on a big league mound once more after the Giants selected his contract two weeks ago.

As one might expect, it wasn’t entirely smooth sailing for Kazmir after his long layoff, as he posted a 6.43 ERA over his seven innings and was tagged for three home runs.  Kazmir started two of his three games, and only just returned to the Giants to start last night’s contest after spending a few days on the restricted list.  Slusser reports that Kazmir stepped away from the team to mourn the death of his best friend, who passed away last Tuesday.

It’s possible another team might be intrigued by what they’ve seen in Kazmir and could make a waiver claim, though probably the likeliest outcome is that the veteran clears waivers.  Assuming Kazmir is open to continuing his comeback attempt, he would likely be willing to accept an outright assignment to the minors, or the Giants could conceivably just release him if they feel he doesn’t offer much more to the team.

Logan Webb was placed back on the 10-day IL just two days ago with another shoulder issue, while Aaron Sanchez is also still sidelined recovering from biceps tightness.  Sanchez had reportedly been throwing side sessions, however, so the Kazmir DFA could be a sign that the Giants are expecting Sanchez back relatively soon.  San Francisco also has a chance to reset its rotation due to an off-day on Monday.

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