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Mariners Sign Andrew Knapp To Minors Contract

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The Mariners signed catcher Andrew Knapp to a minor league deal yesterday, Tacoma Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto reports (Twitter link).  Knapp made his debut with the Triple-A Rainiers today, hitting a home run.

After spending his first nine pro seasons in the Phillies organization, Knapp is now on his third new team since December.  Knapp signed a minors deal with the Reds in the offseason but was released at the end of Spring Training, and the veteran backstop then caught on with the Pirates.  This resulted in 11 games for Pittsburgh before the Bucs designated Knapp for assignment last week, which led Knapp to opt for free agency rather than an outright assignment to the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate.

Tom Murphy recently suffered a setback in his recovery from a separated shoulder, so with Murphy’s timeline unclear, it isn’t surprising that the Mariners have now added another catcher.  Cal Raleigh and Luis Torrens are the two catchers on the big league roster, and Knapp will provide some veteran depth at Triple-A should another injury arise.

Knapp has hit only .210/.310/.315 over 862 MLB plate appearances, spending much of his career in a part-time or backup capacity with the Phillies.  With Raleigh and Torrens both struggling badly at the plate, it probably isn’t likely that Knapp will be seen as a replacement unless the Mariners decide that Raleigh needs more time in the minors.  (Torrens is out of minor league options.)

Pirates To Select Yerry De Los Santos, Promote Roansy Contreras

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The Pirates are planning to add two new arms to their pitching mix, as Z101 Digital’s Hector Gomez (Twitter links) reports that the Bucs will call up right-handers Roansy Contreras and Yerry De Los Santos from Triple-A.  De Los Santos isn’t on the 40-man roster, so the Pirates will need to make another corresponding move to create space.

This is the second time that Contreras has been on the big league roster this season, as he posted a 3.52 ERA over 7 2/3 innings of relief work in April.  Pittsburgh then sent Contreras down to the minors to get him stretched out as a starting pitcher, and it would appear as though the Bucs will now use Contreras in their rotation.  With his last Triple-A game falling on May 19, Contreras would seem to be lined up to start Tuesday when the Pirates host the Rockies at PNC Park.

After also tossing three innings in a single appearance with Pittsburgh in 2021, Contreras may finally be set for more of an extended look in the big leagues.  A consensus top-100 prospect in preseason rankings, Fangraphs was the most enthusiastic about Contreras’ potential, ranking him as the 42nd-best minor leaguer in baseball.  Contreras added a lot of velocity to his fastball in 2021 and now sits around a 94-96mph average.  His slider and curveball are also considered plus pitches, and his changeup has potential, though lacks some consistency.

Contreras was acquired from the Yankees as part of the Jameson Taillon trade package in January 2021, and has now become the most MLB-ready of any pitching prospect in the deep Pirates farm system.  Getting Contreras into a starting role would not only be a good sign that the Bucs’ long rebuild is turning a corner, but it is also quite possible that he could provide immediate help.  Aside from veteran Jose Quintana, Pittsburgh’s rotation has struggles, so there is plenty of opportunity for Contreras to claim a regular turn.

After signing with the Pirates as an amateur free agent in 2015, the 24-year-old De Los Santos is now getting his first taste of Major League action.  While De Los Santos isn’t ranked within the top 30 Pittsburgh prospects by either MLB Pipeline or Baseball America, it isn’t uncommon for relievers to be omitted from those lists, even when a reliever posts De Los Santos’ kinds of eye-popping numbers.  Since becoming a full-time reliever in 2017, De Los Santos has a 1.63 ERA and 32.3% strikeout rate over 115 2/3 innings — this includes a 1.72 ERA, 34.5% strikeout rate, and 3.4% walk rate over 15 2/3 frames at Triple-A this season.

Injury Notes: Matz, Chisholm, Cruz, Watkins

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The latest on some prominent players who had to make early exits from today’s games…

  • Steven Matz lasted only four pitches into today’s start against the Pirates, as Matz was suffering from stiffness in his left shoulder.  Cardinals manager Olli Marmol told reporters (including MLB.com’s John Denton) that Matz will undergo an MRI later tonight.  It has been a tough start overall to Matz’s tenure in St. Louis, as the southpaw has allowed a lot of hard contact en route to a 6.03 ERA over his first 37 1/3 innings in Cards red.
  • Jazz Chisholm Jr. was replaced at second base prior to the third inning of the Marlins’ 4-3 win over the Braves, and the Miami side announced that Chisholm was dealing with left hamstring tightness.  Chisholm walked and later scored during his only plate appearance, and MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola noted that Chisholm was running the bases much slower than usual, hinting at his hamstring issue.  In Saturday’s game, Chisholm was spiked in that same left leg by Ozzie Albies when Albies was trying to steal second base, though tests didn’t reveal anything that kept Chisholm from today’s lineup.  The Marlins infielder has been great thus far in 2022, hitting .290/.341/.581 with seven homers over 139 PA.
  • Designated hitter Nelson Cruz sprained his right ankle during an awkward slide into second base during the fourth inning of the Nationals’ 8-2 win over the Brewers today.  Cruz was replaced by a pinch-hitter in his next at-bat, with Nats manager Davey Martinez telling reporters (including The Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty) that Cruz continued to feel discomfort while taking some warm-up swings in the batting cage between innings.  It isn’t yet clear if Cruz will require a trip to the injured list, as Martinez just described the veteran slugger as day-to-day.  Though Cruz collected two hits against Milwaukee today, he is hitting only .204/.283/.296 with four homers through 161 PA.
  • On the 13th pitch of his start against the Rays today, Orioles right-hander Spenser Watkins was hit in the forearm by a line drive off the bat of Ji-Man Choi.  Watkins had to leave the game without recording an out (and allowing singles to his three batters faced), but he may have avoided serious injury — x-rays were negative and Watkins was diagnosed with only a bruised forearm.  Sunday marked Watkins’ eighth start of the season, and the second-year player had a 6.00 ERA over 30 innings thus far in 2022.

Giants Place Brandon Belt On 10-Day Injured List

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6:49PM: Belt told The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly and other reporters that he received a cortisone shot in his knee today.  Both Belt and Giants manager Gabe Kapler feel that the first baseman won’t miss much time, perhaps even just the minimum 10 days.

3:20PM: The Giants have placed first baseman Brandon Belt on the 10-day injured list due to right knee inflammation.  Kevin Padlo was called up from Triple-A to take Belt’s spot on the active roster.

Belt is no stranger to injury problems in general, and inflammation in his right knee has led to two recent lengthy absences — a six-week stint on the IL last season, and Belt missed most of this year’s Spring Training.  There was some thought that Belt might need to start the year on the IL in order to ramp up after missing so much of camp, but Belt was on the Opening Day roster and has been playing regularly, apart from a 10-day trip to the COVID-related IL.

It’s probably safe to assume that this knee issue and the positive COVID test have contributed to a somewhat slow start for Belt, who is still producing at a 110 OPS+/115 wRC+ pace by hitting .228/.342/.386 over his first 120 PA.  By Belt’s recent high standards, however, this counts as a veritable slump, considering Belt delivered a whopping .988 OPS over 560 PA in the 2020-21 seasons.

This production led San Francisco to issue Belt (who turned 34 last month) a one-year, $18.4MM qualifying offer last fall, and Belt opted to take the one-year payday rather than test free agency.  Belt has become a staple in the Bay Area, spending his entire pro career with the Giants and earning World Series rings in both 2012 and 2014.

Belt and the Giants can hope that this bout of inflammation won’t cost the slugger another six weeks, but the club does have some depth on hand even though LaMonte Wade Jr. also just went on the 10-day IL due to his own case of knee inflammation.  Darin Ruf and Wilmer Flores figure to take the bulk of first base duty in Belt’s absence, and Tommy La Stella can provide a left-handed hitting complement to the first base picture now that he’s back from his own IL stint.

Dodgers Extend Blake Treinen

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5:32PM: The 2024 option could be worth between $1MM and $7MM based on Treinen’s health and other factors, Ardaya tweets.  According to Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links), the option price will depend on what specific kinds of injuries Treinen may or may not miss time with over the course of the next two seasons.

This uncertain health situation factored into Treinen’s decision to agree to the extension, Harris writes, as Treinen’s return in 2022 isn’t a lock.  A source tells Harris that there is a “decent” chance Treinen pitches again this season, while another source tells Ardaya that Trienen has a “very possible” chance.

4:58PM: Treinen will earn $8MM in 2023, as The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya reports that the extension will guarantee the club option.  The deal also gives the Dodgers a conditional option over Treinen for 2024.

4:38PM: The Dodgers announced a contract extension with right-hander Blake Treinen that will officially keep the reliever in the fold for the 2023 season.  Treinen was already controlled for 2023 via a club option, which would’ve paid him $8MM if exercised (or $1.5MM if bought out).  Treinen is represented by Apex Baseball.

Treinen was first signed by L.A. following an underwhelming 2019 season with the A’s, but the righty bounced back with an impressive performance for the eventual World Series champions.  The Dodgers then re-signed Treinen to a two-year, $17.5MM pact in January 2021, which broke down as $6MM salaries in both 2021 and 2022, the $1.5MM guaranteed by the possible option buyout, and a $4MM signing bonus.

In 2021, Treinen more than lived up to his end of the deal, posting a 1.99 ERA over 72 1/3 innings out of the Los Angeles bullpen.  Other than a below-average 8.7% walk rate, Treinen was otherwise stellar across the board in both bottom-line results and Statcast numbers.  This season, however, Treinen only pitched in three games before shoulder soreness sent him to the injured list.

Manager Dave Roberts recently said that Treinen wasn’t expected back until around the All-Star break, and the club moved Treinen to the 60-day IL earlier this week.  With this injured status in mind, the timing of the extension is perhaps a little curious, though it could also be interpreted as a positive sign about the Dodgers’ confidence in the right-hander’s longer-term health.

Treinen is a little over a month away from his 34th birthday, and he is in his ninth season of MLB action, with stops in Washington and Oakland before his arrival in Los Angeles.  The 2018 season saw Treinen finish sixth in AL Cy Young Award voting due to a superb season as the Athletics’ closer, but for much of his career, Treinen has worked in a set-up capacity.  With Craig Kimbrel handling the ninth inning for the Dodgers, Treinen is expected to resume his usual set-up role when he does return to action.

Brewers To Place Freddy Peralta On Injured List Due To Shoulder Tightness

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Brewers right-hander Freddy Peralta had to leave today’s game in the fourth inning due to right shoulder tightness.  Manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Andrew Wagner) will be placed on the injured list, and an MRI will reveal more about Peralta’s condition tomorrow.

Something was clearly off with Peralta all game, as he allowed five runs on six hits over his three-plus innings of work in today’s 8-2 Brewers loss to the Nationals.  Only two of those runs came in Peralta’s first three frames, but after allowing hits to the first three batters faced in the fourth inning, Peralta left the game after a mound visit from the team trainer.

Peralta also missed about two weeks late last season with inflammation in that same shoulder.  That IL visit was pretty much the only blemish in an otherwise terrific year for the righty, as Peralta posted a 2.81 ERA, 33.6% strikeout rate, and 9.7% walk rate over 144 1/3 innings.  This earned Peralta his first All-Star appearance, and also cemented his spot in Milwaukee’s rotation after working mostly as a part-time starter or swingman role in his first three Major League seasons.

The Brewers will undoubtedly miss Peralta while he recovers, especially since the club is set to play 15 games over the next 14 days.  However, the Brew Crew are one of the few teams with a deep enough rotation to potentially withstand the loss, as Aaron Ashby is on hand to fill Peralta’s spot in the starting five.  Counsell confirmed that the team would stay with a five-man rotation, so a spot starter will be required at some point over this busy stretch of the schedule (probably when the Brewers face the Cubs in a doubleheader on May 30).

Mariners Sign Justin Upton

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TODAY: Upton’s deal contains a 10-team no-trade clause, Bob Nightengale reports.  Upton has had partial or full no-trade protection in all three of his major multi-year contracts (with the D’Backs, Tigers, and Angels), and he’ll retain some measure of control over his future should the Mariners look to flip him before the trade deadline.

MAY 21: The Mariners have signed outfielder Justin Upton to a one-year, Major League contract.  The club has officially announced the move, and in a corresponding transaction designated righty Adrian Sampson for assignment to clear roster space.  Upton will report to the Mariners’ extended Spring Training camp in order to ramp up for his eventual debut with the team.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (Twitter link) was the first to announce the Upton signing, and noted that Upton will earn around $550K on the deal, or the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary.  The M’s will cover the $550K, while the Angels will still owe Upton the remainder of his original $28MM salary for the 2022 season.

The Angels released Upton just before the season began, ending the outfielder’s four-plus year run in Los Angeles.  Originally acquired from the Tigers in August 2017, Upton was already under contract through the 2021 season but held an opt-out clause, and agreed to forego that clause when the Halos tacked another year onto his deal.  The extension added $17.5MM in new money to Upton’s contract and locked up through the 2022 campaign.

Unfortunately, it was a deal the Angels came to regret, after Upton struggled during the 2019-21 seasons.  Due to both injuries and a simple lack of production, Upton has hit .211/.299/.414 with 38 home runs over 784 plate appearances in the last three seasons.  Between this lack of hitting and declining glovework in left field, Upton has been almost exactly a replacement-level player, generating only 0.1 fWAR since the start of the 2019 season.

In his prime, of course, Upton was an outstanding player, with a resume that includes four All-Star appearances, 324 career homers, and a .262/.343/.471 slash line over 7592 PA with five different organizations.  Selected by the Diamondbacks with the first overall pick of the 2005 draft, Upton is a very familiar face to Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto, who worked in Arizona’s front office during Upton’s time with the club.

For the minimal cost, there isn’t much risk for Dipoto and the Mariners in seeing if Upton still has anything left at age 34.  With Mitch Haniger on the injured list until around July, Jarred Kelenic demoted to the minors, and Kyle Lewis still working his way back from injury, the M’s have a need for outfield depth.  Jesse Winker and rookie phenom Julio Rodriguez have two of the spots spoken for, with Adam Frazier, Dylan Moore, and Steven Souza Jr. all recently seeing starts on the grass since Haniger was lost to the IL.

Sampson was only claimed off waivers from the Cubs earlier this week, and now might be moving on from Seattle without a single appearance in either the minors or majors.  The swingman’s 2022 resume thus far consists of a single MLB inning with the Cubs and 19 2/3 innings with Triple-A Iowa.  The Washington native did break into the majors with his home state Mariners back in 2016, marking the first of Sampson’s five Major League seasons — the righty has a 5.13 ERA over 189 1/3 innings, with 125 1/3 of those frames coming with the Rangers in 2019.

A’s Reinstate Cole Irvin

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The Athletics have announced that left-hander Cole Irvin has been reinstated from the injured list, with infielder Nick Allen being optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move.

Irvin went on the injured list just over two weeks ago due to soreness in his throwing shoulder. His season had gotten off to a strong start before that, as he threw 27 2/3 innings with a 2.93 ERA. It’s not likely Irvin can sustain that production completely, as he has a meager strikeout rate of 15.9% and a .253 BABIP, suggesting there’s a bit of good fortune helping him out so far. The advanced metrics certainly think so, with FIP placing him at 4.54, xFIP at 4.16 and SIERA at 4.26.

Still, Irvin figures to be an important part of Oakland’s staff moving forward. Daulton Jefferies was recently diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, a very significant injury that is very difficult to recover from. Even if Jefferies is able to return from the ailment, it will certainly be an extended period of time before that happens. The rotation now consists of Irvin, Frankie Montas, Paul Blackburn, James Kaprielian and Zach Logue.

Even if that crew manages to stay healthy for the next few months, the club might have to rely on their depth starters either way, as Montas is expected to be one of the most highly-targeted trade candidates as the August 2 deadline approaches. Montas was hit on his hand by a comebacker and left last night’s game, though it seems that was mostly precautionary. Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle relays word from Montas, who is playing catch today without pain. Adam Oller and Adrian Martinez have already been recalled to make starts for the big league club this year and would likely be the top options the next time a depth starter is needed.

Yankees Place Joey Gallo, Kyle Higashioka On COVID IL

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With just minutes to go before today’s doubleheader against the White Sox, the Yankees have announced a series of roster moves. Outfielder Joey Gallo and catcher Kyle Higashioka have been placed on the COVID-19 injured list. Catcher Ben Rortvedt was transferred from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. Additionally, the club recalled righty David McKay and signed catcher Rob Brantly to the active roster.

The club hasn’t provided any information about why exactly Gallo and Higashioka have been placed on the COVID list, though manager Aaron Boone did say that Gallo was “under the weather” yesterday, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Players can be placed on the COVID-related IL for positive tests, experiencing symptoms or for contract tracing purposes. Under the league’s 2022 health-and-safety protocols, players who test positive are subject to a 10-day absence from the club. It’s possible to be reinstated in less time if the player has gone 24 or more hours without a fever, received a pair of negative PCR tests, and been given approval from a team physician and the MLB/MLBPA joint committee (a panel of one league-appointed and one union-appointed physician).

With Gallo out, the Yankees still have Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks and Giancarlo Stanton for their outfield mix. Though with Stanton frequently in the DH slot, it’s possible that Marwin Gonzalez gets more time on the grass. Estevan Florial, the 27th man for today’s doubleheader, could also stick around for some added outfield depth in the days to come.

Higashioka and Jose Trevino have been combining to handle the work behind the dish for the Yanks, with each appearing in parts of 24 games so far this year. Brantly, 32, is a journeyman catcher, having played for the Marlins, White Sox, Phillies and Giants, before suiting up for the Yankees last year. He was outrighted and re-signed to a minor league deal in the offseason. Through 14 Triple-A games this year, he’s hitting .257/.341/.371, 96 wRC+. He’ll presumably act as Trevino’s backup until Higashioka is eligible to return.

As for Rortvedt, he recently underwent knee surgery and isn’t expected to return to game activity for 6-8 weeks, making his transfer largely a formality. Acquired alongside Josh Donaldson in this offseason’s trade with the Twins, he has yet to appear in a game for the Yankees, starting the year off with an oblique issue before this knee injury surfaced.

McKay, 27, was signed by the Rays to a minor league deal over the winter but was traded to the Yankees in April. He’s yet to appear with the big league team, but has been throwing well in Triple-A. In 14 2/3 innings with the RailRiders, he has a 1.84 ERA and 36.8% strikeout rate, though that comes with a 14% walk rate.

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