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Archives for July 2021

Mets Acquire Mark Payton From Reds For Cash

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4:14PM: Peterson’s shift to the 60-day IL is actually due to a new injury, as the Mets told reporters (including Newsday’s Tim Healey) that Peterson fractured his right pinkie toe.

11:34AM: The Mets have swung another deal, this time acquiring outfielder Mark Payton from the Reds for cash, per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). Payton was recently designated for assignment. The Mets are sending $75k to the Reds, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter).

Payton has been assigned to Triple-A Syracuse where he’ll serve as injury depth for the Mets’ oft-injured outfield. Though Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto and Dominic Smith present an intact trio at the present, the Mets outfielders have been stung by the injury bug quite a bit this season. Having just lost Johneshwy Fargas to the Cubs, the Mets now replenish that depth with the addition of Payton.

David Peterson was moved to the 60-day injured list to create the roster spot, per Tim Healey of Newsday (via Twitter). Peterson has been out since July 1 with an oblique strain.

Phillies Claim Tyler Phillips, Place Adam Haseley On COVID List

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The Phillies have claimed right-hander Tyler Phillips off waivers from the Rangers.  Phillips was designated for assignment by Texas earlier this week.  In another move announced by the Phils, outfielder Adam Haseley was placed on Philadelphia’s COVID-related injury list.

A 16th-round pick for the Rangers back in 2015, Phillips is still only 23, but he hasn’t found much success pitching at either the Double-A or Triple-A levels.  Phillips has a 4.72 ERA over 108 2/3 frames at Double-A Frisco, comprised of two separate stints in Frisco sandwiched around the canceled 2020 minor league season.  Making the jump to Triple-A this season for the first time, Phillips has fared even worse, with a 9.90 ERA and more walks (12) than strikeouts (11) in his first 10 innings of work.

That small sample size was enough to make Phillips expendable in the Rangers’ eyes, though the Phillies will now see if a change of scenery can get him on track.  Phillips did show some potential as a starter in the lower minors, delivering some good groundball numbers and (his control problems this season notwithstanding) limiting walks.

Marlins Place Trevor Rogers On 10-Day IL, Activate Brian Anderson, Designate Chad Wallach

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3:53PM: Catcher Chad Wallach has been designated for assignment to open up roster space for Anderson, according to McPherson.  Wallach has spent the last four seasons in Miami, appearing in 71 total games and hitting .213/.280/.315 over 220 plate appearances.

2:52PM: The Marlins placed All-Star starter Trevor Rogers on the 10-day injured list today with lower back muscle spasms, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter).

Braxton Garrett was recalled, and he will take Rogers’ turn in the rotation. Garrett has made four appearances (three starts), totaling 15 2/3 innings with a 5.17 ERA.

Garrett is a fine placeholder, but he’s obviously no replacement for Rogers, who has put together a stellar rookie season. Rogers boasts a 2.37 ERA through 19 starts, tossing 106 1/3 innings. There may be an element of workload management here for Rogers, who is just 23 years old and in his first full season. That’s not to say Rogers isn’t legitimately injured, just that the Marlins might be more cautious with Rogers given his rookie status.

In other news, Brian Anderson is likely to be reinstated from the injured list today, per MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola (via Twitter). Anderson has been on the 60-day injured list with shoulder subluxation, so there will need to be a corresponding roster to create a spot on the 40-man roster.

Anderson had yet to really get rolling. He was slashing .250/.316/.371 in 136 plate appearances prior to the injury. Shoulder injuries will often sap a player of their power, so Anderson may yet bounce back to his normal levels of production if the shoulder is fully healed.

Latest On Max Scherzer

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3:41PM: In another wrinkle to the situation, Scherzer was scratched from his scheduled start tonight against the Orioles due to what the Nationals described as “mild discomfort” in the veteran ace’s right tricep.  (Jon Lester will instead take the ball for Washington.)  The injury doesn’t appear to be serious, as Scherzer told MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato and other reporters that he expects to make his next start, and his triceps issue stemmed from a recent batting practice session rather than anything pitching-related.

11:12AM: The Nationals have long been one of the more stubborn teams in terms of maintaining the opportunity for contention, and that’s no less true this season. But with the Nationals playoff odds currently at 2.2 percent per Fangraphs, Max Scherzer is “being discussed in potential trades,” per Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (via Twitter).

Heyman makes no specific mention of the Nats’ decision-makers, however, and even if GM Mike Rizzo were open to moving the future Hall of Famer, he’d still need to get the okay from owner Mark Lerner. Historically, trading off pieces of any kind has been a tough sell to Lerner, let alone Scherzer, whom the club has long envisioned as the centerpiece of the organization.

Heyman is no doubt right that Scherzer’s availability would re-shape the trade market. He would be far and away the most impactful pitcher available. The 36-year-old shows no signs of slowing down with a 2.83 ERA through 105 innings this season.

Braves Designate Ender Inciarte For Assignment

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The Braves have reinstated Ender Inciarte from the injured list and designated him for assignment, per Gabe Burns of Baseball America (via Twitter).

This was Inciarte’s sixth season in Atlanta, but he slashes just .215/.276/.316 in 89 plate appearances. He missed time with a strained hamstring and then, more recently, was placed on the COVID-related injured list.

Given the Braves’ current need in the outfield, it certainly speaks volumes to DFA Inciarte at this time. That said, given his $8.7MM contract for this season, there’s a pretty good chance he makes it through waivers and could remain in the organization. Atlanta holds a $9MM club option for Inciarte next season.

Nationals Call Up Carter Kieboom

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Carter Kieboom is on his way to join the Nationals in Baltimore, per Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post, who first suggested (via Twitter) that he’d be added to the roster in place of Jordy Mercer. As expected, the Nationals announced the move, with Mercer landing back on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain, retroactive to July 21st, and Kieboom on his way to the Major League roster.

Regardless of the cause, it’s an interesting time for the Nationals to make a move with Kieboom, once a top prospect in baseball and still one of Washington’s top trade chips. With less than a week before the trade deadline, there’s not much time for a showcase of any kind, whether it be for the Nats to show him off to other clubs, or even just to get a look at him themselves.

It’s looking less and less like the Nationals are readying to make a push for contention, so perhaps this is just the beginning of a season-long showcase for Kieboom to prove himself at the hot corner. He’s had opportunity before, but never on ideal terms. He was rushed to the Majors in 2019 because of a Trea Turner injury, then took over for departed franchise icon Anthony Rendon for a shortened season during a global pandemic. Though he hasn’t performed as expected in the Majors, the book is hardly closed on Kieboom.

Roster Notes: Rays, Orioles, Reds

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The Rays announced a roster move today, optioning Taylor Walls to Triple-A and recalling right-hander Sean Poppen from Triple-A, per the team. After the recent Rich Hill trade, Poppen provides an extra arm right away for the Rays to lean on, while Walls may have been subject to a demotion when Manuel Margot returns from the injured list later this week anyhow, suggests Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter).

The Rays have also added southpaw Ryan Sherriff to the taxi squad, per Topkin, presuming that Sherriff will soon take the roster spot of whoever on the roster gets used in today’s ballgame. Let’s check in on some other roster moves happening around the game right now…

  • The Orioles have selected the contract of Conner Greene from Triple-A, per the team. Greene takes the place of Tyler Wells, who was placed on the injured list yesterday, though he’s expected back shortly. Greene is a 26-year-old right-hander who has yet to make his big league debut.
  • The Reds have placed right-hander R.J. Alaniz on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain, the team announced. Infielder Max Schrock has been recalled to take his roster spot. Alaniz, 30, made three appearances for the Reds, tossing 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run on a solo homer, walking three and striking out three.

Quick Hits: Phillies, Mets, Stroman, Padres, Cruz

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The Phillies are interested in Craig Kimbrel, Ryan Tepera, and Andrew Chafin of the Cubs, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). Phillies’ scouts are present at Wrigley Field today. While it may seem counterintuitive, having so many potential trade targets on one team can muddy the trade waters, so we’ll see if the Phillies and Cubs can narrow their focus to get a deal done here in the coming week. Elsewhere…

  • The Mets and Marcus Stroman have not had any discussions about a possible contract extension, per Mike Ruiz of Newsday. Stroman has played a massive role in the Mets’ ascent to the top of the NL East this season, tossing 111 1/3 innings with a 2.59 ERA/3.50 FIP. He has ranked among the top-30 starters in the game by fWAR, innings pitched, ERA, FIP, groundball rate, and walk rate. He’s heading towards free agency without a qualifying offer attached entering his age-31 season.
  • Before the Rays pulled the trigger on the deal for Nelson Cruz, the Padres made a significant push to acquire the slugger, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. Cruz has a history of taking grounders at first and second base, and though it’s certainly hard to imagine a successful plan to convert the 41-year-old DH into an infielder, the Padres were willing to give it a shot in order to have his bat on the bench. What’s more, they weren’t the only National League team in pursuit, per Rosenthal.

Diamondbacks Reinstate Asdrubal Cabrera, Place Josh Rojas On 10-Day Injured List

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The Diamondbacks have placed infielder Josh Rojas on the 10-day injured list with a left finger dislocation, retroactive to July 22nd, the team announced. In his place, Asdrubal Cabrera has been reinstated from the injured list.

Cabrera comes off the IL just in time for an important showcase ahead of the trade deadline. The veteran infielder offers cheap, reliable production as a switch-hitter capable of playing anywhere in the infield except shortstop, which he hasn’t handled in quite some time.

Still, Cabrera remains a tough out. With an 11.7 percent walk rate, Cabrera has posted a triple slash of .240/.332/.385 in 223 plate appearances. He won’t be a flashy get, but he’s been worth 1.0 fWAR thus far, and he helped the Nationals win the 2019 World Series with a monster second half, often serving as protection in the lineup for Juan Soto. That’s hardly the expectation for the 35-year-old Cabrera, but it does speak to his utility for a contender.

Rojas, 27, has seen more playing time this season than ever before in his young career. The versatile defender has hit .268/.356/.438 with 10 home runs in 366 plate appearances. He’s done so while covering second, short, left and right field.

Mets, Phillies, Blue Jays Scouting Cubs/Diamondbacks

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The Mets, Phillies, and Jays – and potentially others – have scouts at the Diamondbacks/Cubs game in Chicago today, per Jon Heyman of the MLB Network (via Twitter).

That’s as good a place as any for deadline buyers to do their weekend shopping. Kris Bryant and Craig Kimbrel are the most notable names present, but there’s plenty of talent dotting Chicago’s roster. Javier Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and Zach Davies are the other veterans on expiring contracts, with Davies the most likely of the three to move.

The Cubs also stock affordable, veteran talent, both in the bullpen — where names like Ryan Tepera, Andrew Chafin, and Dan Winkler could help a contender — and in the lineup, where low-cost veterans like Patrick Wisdom, Matt Duffy, and Jake Marisnick could be worth a conversation as well.

The Diamondbacks figure to be an even more fervent seller, though without the high-end talent of the Cubs. Still, Eduardo Escobar continues to be a popular name as a power bat offering defensive versatility on an expiring contract. Asdrubal Cabrera represents a knock-off edition, though the veteran has proven an effective deadline addition before, and he brings a more patient approach with an 11.7 walk rate this season.

Joakim Soria has a 4.45 ERA/3.91 FIP in 28 1/3 innings and a lengthy track record of success. The 14-year veteran is making just $3.5MM, and he, too, will be a free agent at year’s end. He has six saves and 229 for his career, so any acquiring team can rest assured that he’ll keep his composure, if nothing else. The Mets, Phillies, and Blue Jays all need bullpen help and could turn to Soria if Kimbrel proves too rich.

The rest of the Dbacks’ bullpen consists mostly of castoffs or unproven youngsters. Bespectacled vet Tyler Clippard won’t be cowed by the moment, but he’s only recently off the 60-day injured list and has just one appearance on the season. Former Brewers and Rays right-hander Jake Faria is having a decent season — 4.19 ERA, 19 1/3 innings — and would probably come cheap.

Noe Ramirez is worth a look. The 31-year-old sports a 3.31 ERA/3.72 FIP in 16 1/3 innings, but he’s long been undervalued because of pretty severe splits. He has a 3.94 career xFIP and 20.4 percent K-BB% against same-handed hitters, versus a 5.04 xFIP and 9.4 K-BB% against lefties for his career. Deployed judiciously, Ramirez can absolutely add value to a contender.

Merrill Kelly and Caleb Smith could be targeted as back-end rotation upgrades, with Kelly having the better season of the two. Kelly has posted 2.0 fWAR in 20 starts covering 117 innings. He has a 4.46 ERA/3.88 FIP with a 46.2 percent groundball rate, 20.3 percent strikeout rate, and solid 5.5 percent walk rate. He’s also affordable at $4.25MM this year and controllable with a $5.25MM club option for next year.

Kelly will take the mound today. He’s generating “a ton of interest on the trade market,” per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).

Smith is an extreme flyball pitcher controllable through 2023. With a 27.1 percent groundball rate for his career, he’s always going to be homer prone, but he’s nevertheless managed a palatable 4.38 ERA/4.64 FIP in 78 innings. Smith might be a better bet for a fringey contender looking towards the future, as his value lies at least as much in his controllability as it does his present ability to pitch in the back-end of a playoff rotation.

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