Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for June 2021

Chris Devenski Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

By | at

Diamondbacks reliever Chris Devenski recently underwent Tommy John surgery, MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert reports (Twitter link).  Devenski was reportedly considering surgery after being placed on the 60-day injured list due to a sprained right UCL, and he’ll now face an absence of roughly 13-15 months as per the normal TJ rehab timeline.

Devenski’s 2020 season was also cut short by arthroscopic elbow surgery, though that four-month recovery period pales in comparison to the much more long-term setback of a Tommy John procedure.  Devenski will miss not just the rest of the 2021 season but most or even potentially all of the 2022 campaign, should he hit a setback in his rehab.

Best known for his time with the Astros, Devenski broke into the majors with a 2.38 ERA over 189 innings during the 2016-17 seasons, often working as a multi-inning reliever en route to helping Houston win the 2017 World Series (though he struggled during the Astros’ postseason run).  The right-hander followed up those two big years with only decent performances in 2018-19, and injuries then limited him to only 3 2/3 innings in 2020.

After electing free agency following last season, Devenski inked a minor league deal with the D’Backs that locked in $1MM of guaranteed money once he made Arizona’s big league roster.  Unfortunately, he couldn’t recapture his old form, posting an 8.59 ERA over his 7 1/3 innings for the Snakes, striking out only five of 35 batters faced.

The 30-year-old now faces an uncertain future in his next trip through free agency.  It’s not out of the question that Devenski could land a multi-year minor league contract, with a team essentially paying him a minimal salary to rehab for much of 2022 and then retaining his rights for a (presumably) healthy season in 2023.  However, with Devenski’s lack of a recent track record, teams might just prefer to wait until he’s done rehab in 13-15 months and then scout his progress during a showcase.

While Devenski wasn’t exactly a huge investment for the Diamondbacks, his injury represents yet another misfire during what is looking like a nightmare of a two-year stretch for the club.  The D’Backs struggled to a 25-35 record in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, and the Snakes are 20-39 thus far in 2021, as injuries and under-performance have them already looking like also-rans here in the first week of June.

Padres Claim Sam McWilliams Off Waivers From Mets

By | at

The Padres announced (via Twitter) that right-hander Sam McWilliams has been claimed off waivers from the Mets.  Right-hander Taylor Williams was moved to the 60-day injured list to create 40-man roster space for McWilliams.

New York designated McWilliams for assignment earlier this week, as the righty had gotten off to a very rough start in his first 8 1/3 innings for Triple-A Syracuse.  McWilliams issued eight walks and also allowed three home runs over those 8 1/3 frames, en route to a 10.80 ERA.

Over 52 1/3 career innings at the Triple-A level in both the Mets and Rays organizations, McWilliams now has an 8.60 ERA.  Though he has yet to reach the big leagues, the Mets inked McWilliams to a one-year MLB deal worth $750K last November, taking a flier on a promising young arm.

The Padres will now assume the remainder of that salary as per their waiver claim, and they’ll see if they can get McWilliams on track.  Given the number of trades between the Padres and Rays in recent years, it wouldn’t be surprising if San Diego had initially had interest in McWilliams back in his days in Tampa’s farm system.

Yankees Select Chris Gittens’ Contract

By | at

1:01PM: Gittens has been officially signed to a Major League deal and selected to the Yankees’ roster.  Corey Kluber was moved to the 60-day injured list to open up a 40-man spot for Gittens.

9:37AM: The Yankees will select the contract of first baseman Chris Gittens prior to today’s game against the Red Sox, The Athletic’s Lindsey Adler reports (Twitter link).  Reliever Nick Nelson was optioned to Triple-A after last night’s game, so while there is an opening on the active roster, another transaction is necessary to add Gittens to the 40-man roster.

Now in his seventh pro season, “Hard Hittin’ Gittens” is set to make his Major League debut after being a 12th-round pick for the Yankees in the 2014 draft.  The 27-year-old is a classic first base/DH slugger, though not quite a three-true-outcomes type — Gittens has a .265/.375/.476 slash line and 75 homers over 1727 career plate appearances in the minors.  He does have 476 strikeouts on his resume, though Gittens has cut down on his strikeout rate considerably during what has been a breakout season at Triple-A.

Playing at Triple-A for the first time in his career, Gittens has hit .283/.486/.585 over 74 PA for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.  These offensive numbers would stand out in any circumstance, but they especially appeal to a Yankees team that has been surprisingly mediocre at the plate this season, with especially little coming from the first base position.  Luke Voit has missed much of the year due to injury, and New York first basemen have combined for a 76 wRC+, ranking 26th of 30 teams.

The door is certainly open for Gittens to earn some regular playing time if he can even approach his Triple-A production, as Voit isn’t expected back from his oblique strain until late June.  Gittens’ audition at first base will essentially push Rougned Odor out of New York’s lineup, as DJ LeMahieu will likely move from regular first-base duty to supplant the struggling Odor at second base.

Twins Designate Juan Minaya, Select Griffin Jax

By | at

The Twins have designated right-hander Juan Minaya for assignment, as per a team press release.  Right-handed pitching prospect Griffin Jax’s contract has been selected from Triple-A (as reported earlier today by Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press), and Jax will take Minaya’s spot on the active roster.

Minaya inked a minor league deal with the Twins in the offseason and had his contract selected just last week, so he could potentially be moving on after appearing in only four games for Minnesota.  The veteran righty posted a 4.26 ERA over 6 1/3 innings, getting his first bit of Major League action since 2019 when he was a member of the White Sox.  The Twins also signed Minaya to a minor league contract prior to the 2020 season but designated him for assignment before he could make any appearances last year.

With Michael Pineda battling a sore forearm, his scheduled start for Sunday has been pushed back, so it’s possible Jax could be in line to take that start for his MLB debut.  A third-round pick out of Air Force in 2016, Jax isn’t one of MLB Pipeline’s top 30 Twins prospects, but he has posted a 3.33 ERA and 25.9% strikeout rate over 27 innings for Triple-A St. Paul this season.

Marlins Place Cody Poteet On 10-Day IL, Elieser Hernandez Moved To 60-Day IL

By | at

The Marlins announced a series of moves this afternoon, including the placement of right-hander Cody Poteet on the 10-day injured list due to a right MCL sprain.  (The Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson was among those to report the news.)  Right-hander Zach Thompson’s contract was selected from Triple-A to take Poteet’s spot on the active roster, and a 40-man roster spot was created when Elieser Hernandez was moved to the 60-day injured list.

Hernandez went to the 10-day IL just yesterday because of a right quad strain, though the Marlins specified today that Hernandez’s injury was “severe” in nature.  Hernandez will now be out of action until at least early August, and given the apparent seriousness of the injury, it is fair to speculate whether or not the right-hander could possibly be out of action for the remainder of the season.

Poteet’s injury only adds to an increasingly short-handed pitching situation for Miami.  Due to the absence of Hernandez and Sixto Sanchez, Poteet got an opportunity for his MLB debut and was making the most of it, with a 3.75 ERA/4.42 SIERA over five starts and 24 innings.  Despite a below-average 22.1% strikeout rate, Poteet was using some elite curveball spin to outperform his overall middling Statcast numbers.  At the very least, Poteet was doing enough to doing enough to solidify his spot in the rotation before injury struck yesterday, and he was forced out of the 9-2 loss to the Pirates after only 2 2/3 innings.

Trevor Rogers, Sandy Alcantara, and Pablo Lopez have been a solid top three for the Marlins’ rotation, but there is now a major void with both Poteet and Hernandez out of action.  Braxton Garrett and Daniel Castano are both at Triple-A and might be the most logical options for the moment, considering that many of Miami’s top starting candidates are still recovering from injury.

Jordan Holloway might not be too far away, as he is expected to begin a Triple-A rehab assignment tonight.  A groin injury sent Holloway to the 10-day IL on May 22, and he has already made two starts in a piggyback capacity this season.  Marlins manager Don Mattingly told MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola and other reporters that the plan is to build Holloway’s workload up to 75-90 pitches so he can potentially be used as a starter when his rehab assignment is over.

Given all this rotation uncertainty, it isn’t surprising that the Marlins are looking for some external pitching help, pitching coach Mel Stottlemyre Jr. told McPherson (Twitter links) and other reporters.  The team would prefer to add an experienced arm rather than prematurely force their pitching prospects up to the majors for fill-in duty.

Sanchez has yet to pitch this season due to shoulder discomfort, and his rehab was recently halted after he felt discomfort between bullpen sessions.  Stottlemyre didn’t shed much light on when Sanchez might continue on the road to recovery, saying, “Some of the things that he was doing before got better, but there’s still a stall in his program.  I’m not going to tell you he’s hurt, but it’s not time to move forward with rehab starts yet.”

Thompson was a starter earlier in his minor league career, but considering he hasn’t started a game since 2017, it’s safe to assume the righty will head to Miami’s bullpen as he seems set to make his Major League debut.  A fifth-round pick for the White Sox in the 2014 draft, Thompson has a 4.11 ERA over 519 career frames in the minors, which includes a 6.60 ERA over 15 innings at Triple-A Jacksonville this season.  Thompson has allowed four homers in those 15 innings to inflate his ERA, and his other peripherals (21 strikeouts and two walks) are otherwise quite impressive.

Cardinals Place Kwang Hyun Kim, Justin Williams On 10-Day IL

By | at

The Cardinals have placed left-hander Kwang Hyun Kim and outfielder Justin Williams on the 10-day injured list, manager Mike Shildt told reporters.  Kim left his start last night due to lower back tightness, while Williams is dealing with a stiff neck.  Righty Angel Rondon (as reported earlier today) and first baseman John Nogowski have been called up from Triple-A to fill the roster spots.

A similar back problem sidelined Kim during Spring Training and kept him from making his 2021 debut until April 17.  The 32-year-old’s second Major League season has been pretty solid, as Kim has overcome some lackluster peripheral numbers to post a 4.05 ERA/4.25 SIERA over 40 innings of work.  Kim’s current injury doesn’t seem as serious as his earlier injury, Shildt told MLB.com’s Katie Woo and other reporters, so the team is hoping a minimal 10-day stint will correct the issue.

A quick return from Kim would certainly help a St. Louis rotation that is already without Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolas due to injuries.  Johan Oviedo is slated to start today, and Shildt said that Rondon will be used as a long reliever for the time being.  The Cardinals have off-days on both Monday and Thursday this week, so if Kim is indeed only out for 10 days, the team might not need a replacement starter at all.

Injuries in the outfield have led to a lot of playing time for Williams this season, as he has appeared in 51 of the Cardinals’ 58 games.  Williams is hitting only .160/.270/.261 in 137 plate appearances, and when combined with some below-average defense, Williams has been a sub-replacement level (-0.8 fWAR) performer.  Prior to this season, Williams had appeared is only four MLB games over parts of two seasons with St. Louis and Tampa Bay.

White Sox Activate Andrew Vaughn, Option Gavin Sheets

By | at

TODAY: Vaughn has been activated from the COVID-IL.  Sheets has been optioned back to Triple-A as the corresponding move.

JUNE 3: The White Sox announced they’re placing corner outfielder/first baseman Andrew Vaughn on the injured list. First baseman/corner outfielder Gavin Sheets has been recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to replace him on the active roster.

Vaughn’s IL placement is related to the coronavirus, although the club didn’t announce whether he has tested positive or merely been exposed to the virus. “In compliance with MLB’s existing COVID-19 protocols, Andrew Vaughn has been placed on the injured list,” executive vice president/general manager Rick Hahn announced. “Andrew is currently asymptomatic and our hope is that, similar to our other IL placements of this nature, he will return shortly to the active roster. At this time, no other players on the roster are impacted.”

The Sox decided to break camp with Vaughn after Eloy Jiménez went down with a torn pectoral in Spring Training. He got out of the gates slowly- not an unexpected development for a player who had previously topped out at the High-A level- but Vaughn found a bit of a groove at the plate by the tail end of April. Altogether, he’s put up a roughly league average .226/.316/.394 line with four home runs over his first 158 MLB plate appearances.

Vaughn’s absence will lead to Sheets’ first big league chance. The 25-year-old was the Sox second-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2017, and he’s been a productive offensive player all the way up the minor league ladder. During his last full minor league season in 2019, Sheets hit .267/.345/.414 in an extremely pitcher-friendly environment at Double-A Birmingham. He’s followed that up with a very good start to his Triple-A career this season, compiling a .319/.360/.500 mark over his first 100 plate appearances with Charlotte. Baseball America ranked Sheets as the White Sox #12 prospect entering the year, praising his raw power and lofty minor league exit velocities.

Phillies Reinstate Bryce Harper From Injured List

By | at

Bryce Harper has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list, the Phillies announced.  A roster spot for Harper was created when right-hander Hector Neris was placed on the paternity list.

Harper hit the IL due to a forearm contusion on May 25, and his activation comes as a bit of a surprise since manager Joe Girardi said just yesterday that the outfielder wasn’t yet ready to rejoin the Phillies’ lineup.  Another 24 hours of treatment seems to have done the trick, however, and Harper will now get back into action.

Beyond the forearm contusion, wrist and shoulder troubles have bothered Harper this season, with the wrist problem perhaps being the biggest factor in a 2-for-25 slump for Harper prior to his IL placement.  Even with that slump weighing down his numbers, Harper is still in the midst of a tremendous season, hitting .274/.395/.489 with seven home runs over 162 plate appearances.

Harper’s return brings an enormous boost to a Philadelphia squad that is still missing Didi Gregorius and Scott Kingery to injury, while Roman Quinn is out for the season due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.  Brad Miller has handled most of the right field duties in Harper’s absence, and the utilityman might now be shifted over to shortstop or third base.

Angels Sign Jake Petricka To Minors Contract

By | at

The Angels signed righty Jake Petricka to a minor league deal, purchasing his contract from the High Point Rockers of the independent Atlantic League.  (The Rockers’ Twitter feed announced the move earlier this week.)

Petricka’s last MLB appearance was on April 26, 2019, while pitching for the Brewers.  He was dealt to the Rangers later that season and then signed a minors contract with the Blue Jays prior to the 2020 campaign, though neither of those changes of scenery resulted in any big league playing time.  After multiple offseason workouts for scouts didn’t result in a new contract with a Major League organization, Petricka signed with the Rockers in May, and ended up pitching just a single scoreless inning for the club.

Best known for his time as a stalwart member of the White Sox bullpen, Petricka’s career was largely thrown off-track after a pair of injury-plagued seasons in 2016 and 2017.  He posted a 3.24 ERA over 144 1/3 innings with Chicago from 2013-15, but only a 5.15 ERA over 87 1/3 innings with the White Sox, Blue Jays, and Brewers from 2016-19, largely due to a big spike in his home run rate.

Today marks Petricka’s 33rd birthday, so there’s still time for him to get a second act in the big leagues.  Given the struggles of the Angels’ bullpen, Petricka might get an opportunity sooner rather than later as the team continues to look for stability in the relief corps.

Cardinals To Promote Angel Rondon

By | at

The Cardinals are promoting right-hander Angel Rondon to the active roster prior to today’s game with the Reds, according to Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat (via Twitter).  Rondon is already on the 40-man roster, and the corresponding move to add him to the active roster isn’t yet known.

An international signing from the Dominican Republic in 2016, Rondon is set to make his big league debut at age 23.  He has a 3.15 ERA and 22.8% strikeout rate over 371 innings in the minors, though he has a 5.32 ERA over 23 2/3 innings at Triple-A Memphis this season, which marked his first taste of Triple-A action.  Most of Rondon’s struggles at Triple-A, however, came in his first two starts, and he has been solid enough over his last three outings that the Cards will give him a look in the majors.

It’s quite possible that first look could come in the starting rotation, given the Cardinals’ injury problems.  Jack Flaherty and Miles Mikolas are both on the injured list, and Kwang Hyun Kim made an early departure from last night’s game due to back tightness.  Rondon could be used as a long reliever until more is known about Kim’s status, and if Kim also has to hit the IL, Rondon can slide right into the rotation.

MLB Pipeline ranks the right-hander as the 10th-best prospect in the St. Louis farm system, citing Rondon’s curveball and fastball as plus pitches.  That heater can hit 97mph but usually sits in the mid-90’s, and Pipeline’s scouting report notes that Rondon’s “delivery creates natural deception, which often helps his fastball play above its velocity.”

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top