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Archives for June 2022

Phillies Notes: Bullpen, Dominguez, Harper, O’Hoppe

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After a rough start to their season, the Phillies have bounced back recently and now sit just 2 1/2 games outside the playoffs in the National League. As the August 2 trade deadline approaches, the club will be looking to bolster its relief corps, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

That’s not exactly shocking, as the club has been dealing with bullpen issues for years. This season, their relievers have a collective ERA of 4.23, which places them 20th in the majors. Advanced metrics are a bit kinder, with the Phils limboing just under 4.00 when it comes to FIP and SIERA. Still, even competitors with solid bullpens will usually make midseason additions, and it seems the Phillies will not be an exception.

The club’s bullpen has already gotten a big boost from within, as Seranthony Dominguez has looked excellent in his return from Tommy John surgery. Through 26 2/3 innings this year, he has a 1.69 ERA, 34.7% strikeout rate, 6.9% walk rate and 48.3% ground ball rate. He’s already logged a save and ten holds on the year. He spoke to Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer about his recovery time and how he spent much of it studying games, both Philly games and others. “When I watched these games, I would try to imagine myself there,” he says. “Thinking about what I would do to beat the opposing team.” That research seems to be paying off, based on how his season is going so far. As for his role, he says he’d like to be the closer, if he were given the opportunity. “It’s a very important job. I’m ready to do whatever I’m asked to do to help.” The team leader in saves is Corey Knebel with 11, though his recent struggles got him bumped from the job, creating an opening for Dominguez.

Turning to the lineup, Coffey relays that Bryce Harper will have his elbow re-evaluated next week. Harper received a PRP injection in May due to a small tear in his UCL. After missing a few games due to that injection, Harper has been able to hit but not throw, relegating him to DH duty. He’s been his same tremendous self with the bat, hitting .320/.385/.602 for a wRC+ 166 on the season, though it’s forced the club to use Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos in the field much more frequently than they would have envisioned a few months ago. The club was expected to be weak defensively, but the Harper injury only exacerbated the issue. The club’s Defensive Runs Saved for the year is -25, ahead of only the Nationals. If Harper can get back to the field, that will surely help them make improvements there.

Despite those issues, the club is hovering around the playoff race and could be buyers at the deadline. They doesn’t have a strong crop of prospects to trade from, however, with Baseball America recently ranking the system 23rd among MLB teams. Matt Gelb of The Athletic suggests that one logical solution would be to consider trading catching prospect Logan O’Hoppe. With J.T. Realmuto ensconced as the club’s backstop through 2025 and many DH types also on hand, it will be challenging for O’Hoppe to force his way into the lineup in the coming seasons. The young catcher has spent the entire season in Double-A to this point, but is making a strong case for a promotion to Triple-A. Through 59 games, he’s hitting .273/.381/.531 for an incredible 151 wRC+.

Though it would surely hurt to part with such a talented prospect, the Phillies might have to decide to pull such a lever in the coming months. They spent aggressively this offseason, crossing the luxury tax threshold for the first time in an attempt to break a postseason drought that’s gone on since 2011. If they can continue to weather their bullpen and defense issues and stay afloat in the race, a bold move might be required to push them through the final months.

Central Notes: Happ, Merrifield, Cabrera

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With the Cubs currently sitting on a record of 27-44, speculation has naturally started building about players nearing free agency that could be moved at the August 2 trade deadline. One such player who will be coveted by rival teams is Ian Happ, though Happ doesn’t seem to be bothered by being the subject of rumors. “At some point, you get numb to it,” Happ tells Patrick Mooney of The Athletic. “Everybody’s been through it at certain points. It’s something that you just kind of get numb to and understand it’s part of the job.”

Happ’s case will be an interesting one to watch this year, as there are arguments for holding onto him as well as arguments for trading him. He’s slated to reach free agency after the 2023 season, making him a fairly logical trade candidate for a rebuilding team that isn’t likely to be competitive within that time frame. He’s also having the best season of his career, meaning the club might want to put him on the block while his value is at high tide. He’s hitting .288/.385/.475 on the year for a wRC+ of 138. Combined with solid outfield defense, he’s produced 2.2 fWAR on the year, which is already a career high, even with more than half the season still to be played.

However, the Cubs could also extend Happ and keep him around for the next competitive window. Happ seems open to that idea, saying “I’ve always been very clear, too, that I like playing here. This is a great place to play. I would love to be a part of competitive groups in years to come here.”

Some other notes from Central teams…

  • The Royals are 26-43 and will have to decide which of their players will be moved as part of their deadline strategy. Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that a Whit Merrifield trade is being given more consideration than in previous years. Merrifield has been the subject of trade rumors for a long time, as the club has been mired in a years-long rebuild for essentially his entire big league career. The Royals went 81-81 in 2016, Merrifield’s debut season, but have been below .500 ever since. Despite that, the club has eschewed all trade overtures in past seasons. It would certainly come as a shock if the team were to suddenly change course and agree to a deal now, as Merrifield is having easily the worst season of his career. Through 69 games, he’s hitting .230/.277/.314 for a wRC+ of 66. To spurn offers for years and then suddenly relent when his value is at a low ebb would be a very surprising turn of events. Perhaps the club is concerned that the 33-year-old won’t be able to turn things around, though there’s time for him to do so. His contract runs through next year, with a club option for 2024.
  • The Cardinals announced that left-hander Genesis Cabrera is going on the injured list. No designation for his injury was given, implying that Cabrera has gone on the COVID-related IL. Righty Jake Woodford was recalled to take his place on the active roster. This is the second time COVID has hit the St. Louis bullpen in recent days, as T.J. McFarland also was sidelined earlier this week. Notably, both Cabrera and McFarland are southpaws, leaving the club short-handed on that side of their bullpen. There are two lefties now remaining, although Packy Naughton is more of a long relief option. That leaves Zack Thompson and his 14 2/3 innings of MLB experience as the club’s primary left-handed reliever. Cabrera has become a key asset for the club in recent years, notching 28 holds last year and 10 so far this year. He has a 2.27 ERA here in 2022, despite generating fewer strikeouts. His .193 BABIP and 93.1% strand rate are surely giving him an unsustainable boost, but he’s also lowered his walk rate to 9.3%. That’s still above league average, but much improved over his 12.1% career mark.

Big Hype Prospects: Cruz, Abrams, Volpe, Veen, Wiemer

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This week, we investigate a mix of prospects at a wide range of levels.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Oneil Cruz, 23, SS, Pirates (MLB)
(AAA numbers) 247 PA, 9 HR, 11 SB, .232/.336/.422

When Tim Dierkes suggested I run this column, Cruz was his first example of the type of player he wanted to see covered. I’d previously written a fantasy column about “Peripheral Prospects” in this same format covering lesser-known guys like Ken Waldichuk and Brett Kerry. It’s only fitting to touch upon Cruz one more time. While his Triple-A numbers don’t jump off the page, he eventually settled in to the level. Since early-May, he’s batted .280/.374/.520 with an 11.4 percent walk rate and 17.7 percent strikeout rate. Reportedly, he was disappointed by his initial demotion, and it contributed to his April-long slump.

Since rejoining the Majors, Cruz is 4-for-18 with a stolen base. In four games, he’s already hit four balls over 100-mph, including two lasers over 110-mph. This is consistent with his track record. Cruz is built like a young Aaron Judge, and he hits the ball nearly as hard. His typical angle of contact is geared towards ground ball and line drive contact which could limit his home run production. When he does lift the ball, you can expect to see it soar. Anytime he’s in the lineup, Cruz is one of the most fascinating players in the league.

C.J. Abrams, 21, SS, Padres (MLB)
(AAA numbers) 151 PA, 7 HR, 10 SB, .314/.364/.507

Like Cruz, Abrams had a previous brief taste of the Majors and recently returned for four games. He’s 2-for-15 with one strikeout. Unlike Cruz, his exit velocities have been outright poor – just 81.8-mph. Abrams’ selection to the Padres roster followed on the heels of a particularly torrid multi-week stretch. He hit .398/.442/.519 over his last 95 Triple-A plate appearances. Included in the fun were four home runs, a 5.3 percent walk rate, and an 11.6 percent strikeout rate.

Such production indicated immediate readiness, especially for a prospect of Abrams’ caliber who scouts adore. If there’s a shortcoming in his profile, it’s that he doesn’t walk. It’s not necessarily an issue of discipline. He expands the zone in part because his speed has allowed him to still reach base in the minors. It’s possible he’ll learn to lay off marginal pitches in the Majors to improve his outcomes. If he does, he’ll flower into a high-quality leadoff hitter. There are still questions about his eventual defensive home – and not only because he has to share a field with Fernando Tatis Jr.

The worst-case scenario for Abrams is as an over-aggressive, contact-oriented slasher who plays all over the field. Between injuries and his incredible talent, we haven’t seen Abrams make many adjustments as a professional.

Anthony Volpe, 21, SS, Yankees (AA)
270 PA, 9 HR, 25 SB, .233/.326/.427

Over the offseason, I was virtually cornered by several Yankees fans who not-so-calmly explained that Volpe was the best prospect since Mike Trout. To the glee of everybody who loves to hate the Yankees, he performed particularly poorly until mid-May. Through May 17, he slashed a meager .170/.297/.330. Optimists cited four reasons he would rebound. First, the talent remained evident. He was working counts (13.8 percent walk rate). His .195 BABIP indicated poor luck. Lastly, he wasn’t the first prospect to wilt in chilly early-season weather.

As the calendar has heated up, so too has Volpe. He’s slashing .292/.356/.517 since May 18, a span of 132 plate appearances. He’s also putting more balls in play (6.8 percent walk rate, 15.9 percent strikeout rate) with a normal .319 BABIP. Volpe is on the shortlist for top prospect remaining in the minors. He’s also making a strong case for promotion to Triple-A – possibly by the end of this month.

Zac Veen, 20, OF, Rockies (A+)
258 PA, 8 HR, 25 SB, .259/.368/.440

The Rockies don’t exactly have an illustrious reputation with prospects. It’s nice to see Veen continue to perform to his draft pedigree. Scouting reports uniformly express concern about his hit tool playing against elite competition. While he possesses considerable raw power, his swing has qualities that some might describe as grooved. Such hitters can still succeed in the Majors. Billy Wagner once ridiculed Pat Burrell’s one-path swing (after allowing a home run). Joc Pederson might be a more relevant groovy comparison as a left-handed hitter with a pretty, loopy swing.

In any event, Veen is on track to spend some time in Double-A this season and debut either late in 2023 or early 2024. He works counts (14.3 percent walk rate) though he is also whiff prone (23.6 percent strikeout rate, 14.3 percent swinging-strike rate). While he’s 25-for-26 on the basepaths this season, it’s not clear if Veen will continue to run as he moves up the organizational ladder.

Joey Wiemer, 23, OF, Brewers (AA)
267 PA, 15 HR, 20 SB, .272/.348/.531

A divisive prospect, Wiemer is gaining steam as one of those guys who might succeed – perhaps even thrive – despite glaring flaws. He changed his mechanics heading into 2021 and unlocked massive in-game power. He launched 27 home runs in 472 plate appearances last season before tearing through the Arizona Fall League – one home run and a .467/.568/.667 triple-slash in 30 plate appearances.

There’s question if the hit tool will play in the Majors, but the power is evident enough to easily support a low-average approach. A worst-case scenario might look something like Adolis Garcia with plate discipline. Or Adam Duvall with discipline and an eagerness to run. He sells out for pull-side, fly-ball contact. He’s posted high BABIPs at every level, but this is a hitting profile that usually yields low BABIPs due to a cacophony of pulled grounders and easy fly outs. We should see him tested in Triple-A before long. Milwaukee might even need his help in the Majors late in the season if they don’t add outfield depth at the trade deadline.

Having watched him play several games, the energy he gives off evokes Bryce Harper.

Five More

Gunnar Henderson, Orioles (21): Last week’s lead BHP (that’s Big Hype Prospect), I noted Henderson would soon jump from around the 50th prospect to somewhere in the Top 10 as listmakers prepare their midseason updates. Since then, Baseball Prospectus’ Jarrett Seidler indicated Henderson might be the top prospect left in the minors. A highly-placed source at another major industry outlet confirmed Henderson is on a shortlist of about five players for their top prospect. As I understand it, this excludes all prospect-eligible players currently in the Majors like Michael Harris, Oneil Cruz, and C.J. Abrams.

Eury Perez, Marlins (19): Currently shredding Double-A hitters, Perez is perhaps the most-precocious pitching prospect since Julio Urias. While Urias’ development was eventually delayed by injuries, Perez remains both healthy and effective. Most of what I would say about Perez was gleaned from the Marlins system update posted to FanGraphs earlier today. So, I’ll let you read what Eric Longenhagen has to say directly.

Jeter Downs, Red Sox (23): Downs made his debut recently, struck out three times in four plate appearances, and was promptly optioned back to Triple-A. Once a fairly well-regarded prospect, he’s fallen off the map since joining the Red Sox in the Mookie Betts trade. He still possesses tantalizing power and speed along with decent plate discipline. Unfortunately, there’s a ton of swing-and-miss in the profile; the kind that’s readily exploitable by seasoned pitchers. The best-case scenario these days is a sort of Dylan Moore-like outcome.

Brett Baty, Mets (22): Baty was, for me, the most visibly impressive prospect in the Arizona Fall League. Like Volpe, he had a chilly start to his Double-A campaign – his second visit to the level. He currently has a 14-game hitting over which he’s tamed his strikeout rate and pulled his season-long batting line up to an above-average .282/.372/.450 performance. Like the most of the other Double-A bats we’ve profiled today, he’s seemingly on the cusp of a promotion.

Noelvi Marte, Mariners (20): Two weeks ago, I noted some in the scouting biz had indicated Marte’s early-career dominance might be linked to physical traits that won’t necessarily scale as he advances to higher levels. In plain English, the boy got big young. Last week, I issued something of a retraction because I’d misplaced my source. Since then, I rediscovered the initial note, and it comes from a highly reputable source with access to dozens of scouts. All of this is to say that Marte doesn’t seem to be the second-coming if you buy into this early-development narrative. Not everybody does! This has been the most contentious take to appear in BHP. I look forward to fomenting more discussion about Marte. For what it’s worth, his June-long slump has continued. He hit .214/.241/.250 over the last week and is at .191/.257/.324 for the month.

Angels Designate Juan Lagares For Assignment

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Angels outfielder Juan Lagares has been designated for assignment, per an announcement from the team. His spot on the active and 40-man rosters will go to fellow outfielder Monte Harrison, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Salt Lake.

Selected to the big league roster late last month for his second stint with the Halos, Lagares has appeared in 20 games this year but managed only a .183/.210/.250 batting line. While he’s always been a defensive-minded outfielder, Lagares’ production at the plate has taken a major downturn over the past several seasons; dating back to the 2019 campaign, he carries a .222/.267/.341 output in 674 trips to the plate.

The Angels will have a week to trade Lagares, pass him through outright waivers or release him. He’d have the ability to reject an outright assignment to Salt Lake if he clears waivers.

Harrison, 26, once rated as one of the best outfield prospects in all of baseball. One of four players traded from Milwaukee to Miami in the lopsided Christian Yelich blockbuster, he made his MLB debut in 2020 but has yet to make much of an impact in the big leagues, where he’s batted .175/.230/.263 in a tiny sample of 62 plate appearances.

Harrison’s prospect sheen began to fade as he faced mounting strikeout concerns in the upper minors. He’s fanned in a whopping 35.1% of his plate appearances at the Triple-A level, including exactly 35% of his 200 trips to the plate this season. Harrison is only hitting .213/.305/.368 in Salt Lake this season, but he’s nevertheless gone 20-for-23 in stolen base attempts and will bring some speed, defense and a right-handed bat to the Angels’ bench. Scouting reports on Harrison, at his peak, praised his plus raw power, but he’s never topped 21 home runs in a single season.

Salvador Perez Undergoes Thumb Surgery

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5:25pm: Perez’s surgery was performed today, manager Mike Matheny tells reporters (Twitter link via Alec Lewis of The Athletic). Doctors expect he’ll need eight weeks to recover. Perez will also surely require a minor league rehab assignment before returning to the Royals. A return in late August or early September seems possible, based on the timeline provided by Matheny.

12:15pm: The Royals announced today that franchise catcher Salvador Pérez will undergo surgery to repair a ligament tear in his left thumb. He’s headed to the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 21, but the club noted he’s expected back at some point this season. Outfielder Edward Olivares has been reinstated from the IL to take his spot on the active roster.

It’s the second time this season that Pérez heads to the IL because of problems with his left thumb. He lost 11 days in May with what the team called a thumb sprain but returned to play for a bit more than three weeks. The seven-time All-Star reaggravated the issue on Tuesday, and this time his recovery will require surgical repair. The team hasn’t specified a timetable beyond noting that Pérez should return in 2022, but he’ll certainly miss multiple weeks and it wouldn’t be surprising if he’s eventually transferred to the 60-day IL.

This has been a down year for Pérez even when he’s been healthy enough to take the field. He’s hitting .211/.254/.426 through 236 plate appearances, well shy of the .284/.323/.561 mark he posted between 2020-21. Pérez has popped 11 home runs and posted a top-ten slugging figure for a catcher, but his on-base percentage ranks among the bottom 20 hitters leaguewide.

Last March, Pérez signed a four-year contract extension that took effect this season. He’s making $18MM this year, followed by successive $20MM salaries in 2023-24 and a $22MM mark in 2025. The deal also contains at least a $2MM buyout on a 2026 club option. The 32-year-old remains an integral part of the franchise’s future, and there’s little reason for the club to rush him back. The Royals enter play Friday with a 25-43 record that has them at the bottom of the AL Central.

While Pérez is out, highly-regarded rookie MJ Melendez will assume the bulk of the catching time. The 23-year-old entered this season among Baseball America’s top 50 overall prospects after a breakout 2021 showing in the upper minors. Melendez led all minor leaguers with 41 longballs between Double-A and Triple-A. He reached the majors last month and is off to a nice start, hitting .234/.333/.421 with an excellent 13.1% walk rate and a manageable 22.6% strikeout percentage through his first 43 games.

Melendez has seen time in right field and at designated hitter while sharing time with Pérez, but he figures to move to his typical catching position regularly now. Longtime K.C. backup Cam Gallagher is on the active roster as the #2 option, while Sebastian Rivero is on optional assignment to Triple-A Omaha as upper level depth.

Cubs Designate Jonathan Villar For Assignment

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The Cubs announced Friday that they’ve designated infielder Jonathan Villar for assignment in order to clear a spot on the active and 40-man roster for fellow infielder David Bote, who has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list.

Villar, 31, signed a one-year, $6MM contract with the Cubs this winter on the heels of a solid showing with the Mets. The versatile switch-hitter produced a .249/.322/.416 batting line in Queens last year (105 wRC+) and carried a .259/.327/.408 overall batting line from 2018-21. However, the 2022 season in Chicago hasn’t gone well at all, as Villar has limped to a career-worst .222/.271/.327 output through his first 166 plate appearances.

Villar’s struggles at the plate stem from a sudden downturn in his ability to do much of anything against fastballs. He entered the 2022 season as a career .251 hitter against fastballs, but he’s seen 231 fastballs this season and posted a disastrous .119/.174/.119 batting line in his 46 plate appearances that have ended with a heater. There’s perhaps some poor luck from a BABIP standpoint (.217), but Villar has also whiffed in 43.5% of those plate appearances and posted a career-worst 18.2% swinging-strike rate against fastballs — so the poor showing can’t be blamed entirely on small samples and batted-ball luck.

The Cubs have used Villar at second base (225 innings), third base (95 innings) and shortstop (17 innings) this season, but defensive metrics are down on him at all three spots. Villar has never rated well as a shortstop, so it’s not a surprise to see sparse usage and poor ratings there. However, he’s generally been a solid enough defender at second base — at least until the 2022 season. In this year’s 225 frames, he’s posted a staggering -7 Defensive Runs Saved mark and received a similarly damning grade from Statcast’s Outs Above Average (-5).

By designating Villar for assignment, the Cubs are effectively eating the roughly $3.4MM of his contract that has yet to be paid out. They’ll remain on the hook for that money unless another team claims Villar off waivers or acquires him in a trade — both of which seem quite unlikely, given the veteran’s struggles at the plate this year. The likeliest outcome is that Villar will be released and become a free agent. At that point, any of the league’s other 29 teams can sign him and owe him only the prorated league minimum for any time spent on their Major League roster. That sum would be subtracted from what the Cubs owe Villar.

Bote, 29, returns to the Cubs after missing the entire season to date while recovering from November shoulder surgery. The infielder separated his shoulder during a game last May, and while the injury didn’t immediately require surgery, it clearly hampered Bote at the plate. In 327 plate appearances, Bote posted a career-worst .199/.276/.330 batting line. The surgery originally came with a projected six-month recovery period, but Bote’s return comes closer to eight months out from the date of the procedure.

It’s been a rough couple of seasons for Bote, who back in 2019 signed a surprising five-year extension that came with a $16MM guarantee. It was something of a head-scratching move for the Cubs even at the time, as Bote was a part-time player who’d posted a .239/.319/.408 batting line as a rookie in 2018. The first year of the contract certainly made it look like a sound investment, as Bote slashed at a .257/.362/.422 rate and was an underrated contributor on a Cubs team that was in contention for much of the year. He’s hit just .200/.285/.353 in 472 plate appearances since that time, however, although the shoulder injury certainly offers some explanation for last year’s struggles, at least.

The Cubs owe Bote $2.5MM this season and will pay him salaries of $4MM and $5.5MM in 2023 and 2024. They also hold a pair of options, the first valued at $7MM and the second at $7.6MM.

Manuel Margot Diagnosed With “Significant” Strain Of Patellar Tendon

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Rays manager Kevin Cash announced Friday that outfielder Manuel Margot has been diagnosed with a “significant patellar tendon strain” but will not require surgery (Twitter link via Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). It’s relatively good news, particularly as Cash confirmed prior reports that the team initially feared Margot had suffered a torn ACL. Cash did not put a specific timetable on Margot’s rehab but did say the organization’s hope is that he’ll return at some point this season.

While the possibility of a 2022 return is a decidedly better outlook than that of a season-ending ACL tear, it’s still a tough blow for a Rays club that now has five members of its Opening Day lineup on the injured list. Margot, who’s already been moved to the 60-day IL, joins Wander Franco, Brandon Lowe, Kevin Kiermaier and Mike Zunino on the IL. Currently, the Rays are utilizing an outfield of Randy Arozarena, Brett Phillips and Josh Lowe. Harold Ramirez could see some additional outfield time in Margot’s absence, though he’s been used more as a designated hitter and first baseman this year. Luke Raley, recently recalled from Triple-A Durham, is another option. He’s yet to get into a big league game but has torn through Triple-A pitching so far in 2022.

Margot’s injury, sustained while attempting a leaping catch at the right field wall, will disrupt what has been far and away the finest season of his big league career. The 27-year-old has taken exactly 200 plate appearances and turned in a .302/.365/.423 batting line with three homers, 11 doubles, a triple and five steals (in six tries).

Margot’s departure subtracts one of the Rays’ most productive bats from the lineup and, perhaps as crucially, also robs them of one of the game’s best defensive outfielders. Though defensive metrics on him so far in 2022 have been roughly average, Margot ranked 13th with 41 Defensive Runs Saved and seventh with 51 Outs Above Average among all big league outfielders from 2016-21.

Dodgers Place Andrew Heaney On Injured List

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4:30pm: Manager Dave Roberts tells reporters that Heaney has a strain in his shoulder as well (Twitter link via Jack Harris of the L.A. Times). The team is still hopeful that Heaney will only need to miss a couple of starts, but he’ll be shut down entirely for the next few days to give his shoulder some rest.

3:38pm: Dodgers lefty Andrew Heaney is headed back to the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his left shoulder, the team announced Friday. Right-hander Reyes Moronta is up from Triple-A Oklahoma City in his place.

It’s the second IL stint of the season for Heaney, who inked a one-year, $8.5MM deal as a free agent early in the offseason. Thus far, he’s only been able to make three starts for the Dodgers, though each of that trio has been excellent. Heaney allowed his first earned run of the season in his lone start between IL stints and is now sitting on a 0.59 ERA and a 23-to-4 K/BB ratio through 15 1/3 frames. Armed with a new slider, Heaney has punched out 36.5% of his opponents this year while inducing chases off the plate at a strong 35.7% clip and recording a terrific 18.5% swinging-strike rate.

The Dodgers didn’t provide a timetable for Heaney’s potential return, though it’s obviously of some concern that this is his second IL stint owing to shoulder troubles. The 31-year-old southpaw originally landed on the injured list back on April 20 and missed nearly two months while that injury mended.

With Heaney going back on the shelf and Walker Buehler out for an extended absence, the Dodgers will lean on Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, Tyler Anderson and Tony Gonsolin in the rotation. Twenty-seven-year-old righty Mitch White has made four starts so far this season and could be an option to step back into a starting role, and the Dodgers have also given prospects Ryan Pepiot and Michael Grove their big league debuts this season.

The hope is that righty Dustin May will eventually be able to make a return from Tommy John surgery this summer, but he’s still a ways off from being a realistic option. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters last weekend that May has been throwing bullpens and will next throw around four sessions of live batting practice before progressing to the next step (Twitter link via Juan Toribio of MLB.com). May would presumably need several minor league rehab starts before being cleared to join the big league roster, all of which suggests that an August return is possible.

Astros Activate Jake Meyers From 60-Day IL, Designate Dillon Thomas

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The Astros announced they’ve designated outfielder Dillon Thomas for assignment in order to clear a 40-man roster spot for Jake Meyers, who is back from the 60-day injured list. Houston optioned Jose Siri to Triple-A Sugar Land to clear active roster space for Meyers.

Thomas, 29, went 0-for-2 with a walk and was a hit-by-pitch in four plate appearances during a very brief stint with the ’Stros. He’s logged just 13 total plate appearances in the Majors, also stepping to the plate nine times as a member of the Mariners a year ago. The 2011 fourth-rounder (Rockies) has split the rest of the 2022 season between the Triple-A affiliates for the Angels and Astros, posting a combined .293/.395/.492 batting line — numbers that generally align with his career .277/.382/.462 output in parts of three seasons at that level. Houston will have a week to trade Thomas, pass him through outright waivers or release him.

Meyers’ return should be a boon for the Astros’ lineup. The 26-year-old made his big league debut in 2021 and impressed with a .260/.323/.438 batting line, six home runs and eight doubles in 163 plate appearances. He also turned in well above-average work in the outfield according to each of Defensive Runs Saved, Ultimate Zone Rating and Outs Above Average.

Were it not for a shoulder injury sustained during last year’s ALDS — one that eventually required surgery after a torn labrum was discovered — Meyers could very well have been the Opening Day center fielder. Time will tell whether he’s able to approximate last year’s solid debut effort, but if he can indeed do so, there’s an opening for the former 13th-rounder to solidify himself as a long-term solution for the Astros alongside Kyle Tucker in the outfield.

For the 26-year-old Siri, the 2022 season has been a struggle. After kicking down the door to the Majors with a .318/.369/.552 batting line in Triple-A last year and subsequently hitting .304/.347/.609 in 49 big league plate appearances, Siri went from minor league signee to a viable big league outfield option. Unfortunately, he hasn’t come anywhere close to that production this season, hitting just .185/.248/.315 in 141 turns at the plate. Siri is in his final minor league option year, creating some further urgency for him to turn things around at the plate.

Pirates Designate Jerad Eickhoff For Assignment

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The Pirates announced they’ve selected reliever Austin Brice onto the MLB roster. Righty Jerad Eickhoff has been designated for assignment to open active and 40-man roster space.

Eickhoff, 31, appeared in just one game for the Pirates and was torched for 10 runs in 4 1/3 innings against the Cubs this week. Remarkably, that’s the second consecutive big league appearance in which Eickhoff has been tagged for 10 earned runs; he also yielded 10 runs (in 3 1/3 frames) to the Braves in his final outing of the year with the Mets last season.

Those two outings have combined to help balloon Eickhoff’s career ERA to 4.50 and mark the continuation of a recent decline in Eickhoff’s overall performance. While he was a solid rotation option with the Phillies from 2015-17, pitching to a 3.87 ERA over 376 1/3 innings during that time, Eickhoff has totaled just 87 2/3 Major League innings from 2018-22 and pitched to a collective 7.19 ERA along the way. The Pirates will have a week to trade Eickhoff, release him or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. He has enough service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency if he chooses.

Brice, meanwhile, will join the big league bullpen on the heels of a sharp 3.04 ERA through 26 2/3 innings in Triple-A Indianapolis. He’s posted strong strikeout and ground-ball rates in Indy (27.2% and 50.7%, respectively), but has also issued a walk to 11 of the 114 batters he’s faced (9.6%) and plunked another three. Brice is a veteran of parts of six Major League seasons — the best of which came with the 2019 Marlins (44 2/3 innings, 3.43 ERA). Overall, he carries a lifetime 5.17 ERA in 162 big league innings.

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