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Archives for September 2022

Reds Release Colin Moran

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Sept. 8: Cincinnati announced today that Moran has been released. He’s a free agent who can now sign with any team. If he lands with another club and is added back to the Major League roster, he’d technically be under club control for another season, as he’ll finish the year with five-plus years of service, though this year’s struggles may render that a moot point.

Sept. 6: The Reds announced that they have reinstated outfielder Albert Almora Jr. from the injured list, with infielder Colin Moran getting designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Moran, 29, is in his seventh MLB season. He spent the 2018-2021 stretch with the Pirates, hitting .272/.330/.428 over the first three years of that time. That production was exactly league average, as evidenced by his 100 wRC+. He took a bit of a downturn last year, slashing just .258/.334/.390 for a wRC+ of 97. Moran was making $2.8MM last year and headed for a raise through arbitration, but the club decided to move on, designating him for assignment in November.

He ended up landing with the Reds on a $1MM deal but hasn’t fared much better this year. Moran hit .211/.305/.376 across 42 MLB games, getting optioned multiple times and outrighted in June. He slashed .249/.310/.415 in 53 Triple-A games and was selected back to the 40-man roster just over a week ago when Mike Moustakas landed on the IL, but he’s now lost his spot yet again.

The Reds recently promoted corner infield prospect Spencer Steer, whom they acquired in the Tyler Mahle trade a few weeks ago, likely playing a part in nudging Moran out of their plans. They can use the final weeks of the season to evaluate Steer and see if he fares well enough to secure himself a job on next year’s team.

The D-backs’ Promising Outfield Gives Them Plenty Of Offseason Flexibility

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Diamondbacks catcher/outfielder Daulton Varsho has impressed so much in the outfield this season that his days behind the plate could be drawing to a close, writes Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Varsho tells Piecoro that he’s even surprised himself with how well he’s taken to the outfield.

A former top-100 prospect, the 26-year-old former top prospect has drawn immaculate grades for his outfield defense in 2022, tallying 14 Defensive Runs Saved and, according to Statcast, 13 Outs Above Average and 12 Runs Above Average. Those are cumulative totals, so it’s worth noting that Varsho has also spent 175 innings behind the plate this year; had he been a full-time outfielder, those defensive marks would’ve likely been even more eye-catching.

Varsho, who says it’s a personal goal of his to win a Gold Glove, added that he’s not content with his current level of outfield play, citing a few near-catches he missed (on what would’ve been highlight-reel efforts). Varsho labeled himself a perfectionist and spoke of small, incremental gains he could still make in his defensive game — “…[I]f I can add an extra inch by not having to look at the wall and understanding what I can do to get better…” — as part of his hopeful evolution.

Of course, Varsho is far more than just a strong glove in the outfield. He’s built on a solid showing at the plate last summer and turned in a .243/.311/.457 batting line this season, swatting 23 home runs, 20 doubles and three triples while chipping in eight stolen bases (albeit in 14 attempts). It’s a solid, well-round skill set that could leave him as a fixture in center or right field, depending on how the remainder of the Diamondbacks’ young outfield pans out.

Corbin Carroll, regarded as one of the sport’s top prospects — if not the top prospect — prior to his promotion earlier this month, gives Arizona a potential high-impact talent to pair with Varsho in the long term. He’s followed up a combined .307/.425/.611 batting line in the minors this year with a .281/.324/.469 showing through his first eight big league games and now has 24 home runs and 31 steals between the minors and big leagues combined.

Add in the likes of Alek Thomas, himself a top-100 prospect prior to this season’s debut, and 25-year-old Jake McCarthy, who has surpassed all expectations with a strong debut campaign of his own, and the outfield group in Phoenix looks particularly promising. The 22-year-old Thomas has cooled after a solid start and is batting .249/.295/.373 on the season but has turned in plus defensive marks in center. McCarthy, meanwhile, is batting .288/.348/.455 with seven homers, 14 doubles, two triples and a 15-for-16 showing in stolen bases.

It’s a talented, albeit entirely left-handed, group of outfielders around which to build. That there are four players for three spots might make it tempting to continue deploying Varsho behind the dish at times, but his elite play in the outfield would be lost in that scenario. Manager Torey Lovullo told Piecoro that there are no plans for Varsho to start behind the plate for the remainder of the season, further pointing to a long-term move away from the position.

It’s a bit early to label the quartet of lefty-hitting outfielders a true “surplus.” Thomas’ offense has been below average, and it’s fair to wonder whether McCarthy can sustain production that’s been bolstered by a .347 average on balls in play — particularly when he’s making hard contact at a below-average clip. Statcast pegs his “expected” batting average and slugging percentage at .259 and .367 — both well shy of his current marks. Carroll is a top-five prospect in baseball, but he also just turned 22 in late August, so it’s not a given that he’ll immediately break out into stardom.

Still, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic wonders about the possibility of the Diamondbacks utilizing this group of outfielders to bolster the rotation over the winter. There are plenty of teams with outfield needs who’d love to acquire a controllable long-term player to step right onto the 2023 roster.  Varsho is controlled through 2026, McCarthy through 2027 and both Thomas and Carroll through at least 2028. Speculating a bit, the Marlins are known to still be looking for their center fielder of the future and have plenty of pitching to dangle in talks with the D-backs. Arizona and Miami previously lined up on a Zac Gallen-for-Jazz Chisholm swap that has benefited both clubs, though the Marlins’ front office has turned over a good bit since that time.

Trading from that quartet of outfielders would thin out the Diamondbacks’ outfield depth, quite likely in a significant way, but they do have some other options on the 40-man roster, including the right-handed-hitting Stone Garrett, who’s out to a blistering MLB debut himself after a nice showing in Triple-A. The free-agent market would also present several affordable, short-term options to plug into the outfield mix, and finding a useful complementary outfielder on the open market is quite a bit easier than finding the type of potentially impact arm that a trade of someone like Thomas could bring.

However general manager Mike Hazen and his staff choose to proceed this winter, the play of the team’s young outfielders will give them plenty of options. And with a lot clicking elsewhere on the roster — Arizona is 26-19 since the All-Star break, a .578 winning percentage — the D-backs could be a shrewd offseason move or two away from reasserting themselves in the National League West more quickly than most would anticipate.

The Braves’ Star Rookie Starter

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With just a month remaining in the 2022 regular season, some of the awards races are coming into view. The National League Rookie of the Year balloting will be a two-man show, with Braves teammates Spencer Strider and Michael Harris II battling one another for the hardware. Neither player entered the season as a favorite, but they’ve pulled away from the field with spectacular performances.

Harris didn’t even reach the majors until a few days before June, but he’s started his career on a .309/.352/.538 tear. That’s elite offensive output, and while it’ll probably be difficult to keep hitting at that level while swinging and missing as often as he does, there’s far more to his game. Harris has rated as a plus defensive center fielder, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he eventually takes home a Gold Glove Award. He’s also a plus baserunner who has gone 16 of 17 as a base-stealer. The Braves cemented Harris as a key piece of the core by signing him to an eight-year extension last month.

Great as Harris has been, he may be trending towards a runner-up finish in the ROY race. That’s a testament to how dominant his teammate has been on the mound. Unlike Harris, Strider got his feet wet in the big leagues last season. Atlanta called him up in October, and he came out of the bullpen twice during the final week of the regular season. The call-up was seemingly geared towards gauging whether Strider would be a playoff option, but the Braves left him off the postseason roster. After winning the World Series, they’re certainly not quibbling about that decision, but there’s no question he’ll be a major factor in the playoffs this time around.

Strider didn’t open the season in the rotation. Atlanta initially turned to a primary five of Max Fried, Charlie Morton, Ian Anderson, Kyle Wright and Huascar Ynoa, with Strider on hand as a multi-inning relief option. The 23-year-old thrived in that capacity, pitching to a 2.22 ERA while holding opponents to a pitiful .167/.263/.214 line through 24 1/3 frames. It may have been tempting to keep him in that role, particularly since many scouting reports on Strider had suggested a bullpen future may be his best fit.

Through two months, however, the Braves weren’t getting great results from the bulk of the rotation. Fried was excellent, as was Wright. Yet Morton and Anderson had some early-season struggles, and the fifth spot proved a revolving door between Ynoa, Bryce Elder and Tucker Davidson. On May 30, the Braves turned to Strider to make the first start of his big league career. He struggled, allowing five runs in 4 1/3 innings in a loss to the Diamondbacks. The Braves stuck with him, and he reeled off three solid starts in a row. Strider then took a six-run drubbing at the hands of the Giants on June 21, but he’s been arguably the best pitcher in the game since that point.

Strider twirled six scoreless innings against the Dodgers his next time out, kicking off an ongoing stretch of 10 of 12 starts in which he’s allowed two or fewer runs. Over that time, Strider has a 2.15 ERA and surrendered only a .176/.233/.258 slash line. He’s struck out nearly 40% of batters faced while only walking 6.1% of opponents. The righty has eclipsed double digit punchouts on four occasions, including a masterful 16-strikeout gem against the Rockies last week.

While Strider’s late entrance to the rotation has kept him from accruing as many innings as the game’s top arms, he’s been among the league’s best hurlers on a rate basis. No other starting pitcher with 90+ innings has a strikeout rate anywhere near his 37.8% mark since he moved to the rotation. The next closest pitcher, Shohei Ohtani, checks at 33%. Strider’s among the top 20 starters in ERA (2.79), has allowed the fourth-lowest opponents’ on-base percentage (.249) and the lowest slugging percentage allowed (.276). Only Shane McClanahan, Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman and Ohtani are generating swinging strikes at a better clip than Strider, who’s gotten a whiff on 15.2% of his total pitches out of the rotation.

Strider’s approach is a bit atypical for a starting pitcher, a big reason evaluators questioned whether he could stick in a rotation. He leans extremely heavily on his fastball, turning to the four-seam more than two-thirds of the time. Strider pairs that with a slider and barely turns to a third offering, rarely deploying his changeup. It can be tough to navigate big league lineups with only two pitches, but the fastball-slider pairing has been dominant. Strider is averaging an absurd 98.2 MPH on his heater, while hitters have come up empty more than half the time they’ve swung at his mid-80’s slider. The shallower repertoire has neither inhibited Strider from handling left-handed opponents (who have a .200/.256/.284 line against him this season), nor from maintaining his effectiveness multiple times through a lineup.

It’s probably too soon to call Strider a true ace. A 2020 draftee, he’s still only in his second full professional season. This year’s 114 2/3 innings are already a personal-high, and it remains to be seen whether he can maintain this kind of form through a 162-game schedule and into the postseason. On an inning-for-inning basis, though, Strider has performed right alongside the game’s best. He’s already been far better than the Braves could’ve reasonably anticipated, and he has certainly secured a spot in the playoff rotation alongside Fried and at least one of Morton or Wright.

The addition of Harris and Strider to a core that is coming off a championship gives them one of the league’s more complete rosters. Atlanta is playing at a 101-win pace, and they’ve pulled within half a game of the much improved Mets for first place in a top-heavy NL East. Which team will secure the division title and accompanying first-round bye will be one of the most intriguing storylines of the season’s final couple weeks. Strider will play a big role in those efforts and in whatever postseason run the Braves can mount to follow.

Note: All stats through play Tuesday.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Matt Wisler Elects Free Agency

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Reliever Matt Wisler has gone unclaimed on outright waivers after being designated for assignment by the Rays this week, reports Darren Wolfson of SKOR North (on Twitter). He’s electing minor league free agency in lieu of an outright assignment, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link).

It’s a bit of a surprise to see Wisler go unclaimed, as he’s currently amidst a decent campaign. He owns a 2.25 ERA across 44 innings over 39 appearances. Wisler has only struck out 19.9% of opponents, but he’s shown strong control. While he’s not missed many bats this year, Wisler has induced swinging strikes at an above-average rate in each of the prior three seasons. In both 2020-21, the Ohio native paired those whiffs with decent overall run prevention.

Still, clubs are apparently apprehensive by Wisler’s dip in velocity. He’s averaging a career-low 89.7 MPH on his four-seam fastball this year. More important, his slider is down to 79.8 MPH after sitting at 81.5 MPH last year. Wisler leans almost exclusively on that breaker, turning to it on a staggering 91.5% of his offerings. He’s used the slider as his primary pitch four years running, but he’s continued to push his approach to greater extremes with each season. Despite turning almost exclusively to the slider, Wisler hasn’t encountered any sort of platoon issues. He’s actually fared better against opposite-handed hitters than righties over the past few seasons, including holding southpaws to a .186/.240/.314 line in 75 plate appearances in 2022.

Now that he’s on the open market, Wisler will have the right to explore opportunities elsewhere. Players who join an organization after August 31 aren’t eligible for postseason play, however, so any signing team would only be able to install him in the bullpen for the final few weeks of the regular season. Wisler has surpassed his sixth year of major league service this season, so he’d be eligible for free agency again at the end of the year even if he signs for the stretch run.

It’s possible Wisler just turns his attention to 2023 at this stage on the calendar, but there’d be no financial downside for another team adding him for the final few weeks if he’s searching for a more immediate opportunity. The Rays are responsible for what remains of his $2.16MM salary, while another team would only owe him the prorated portion of the $700K minimum if he finds another MLB job (which would be subtracted from Tampa Bay’s obligations).

Starling Marte Diagnosed With Non-Displaced Finger Fracture

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Mets outfielder Starling Marte has been diagnosed with a partial non-displaced fracture of the middle finger on his right hand, the team informed reporters (including Steve Gelbs of SNY). The club currently considers him day-to-day, although it remains to be seen if he’ll eventually require a stint on the injured list.

Marte suffered the injury last night, when he was hit on the hand by a 96 MPH fastball from Pittsburgh’s Mitch Keller. He came out of the game a couple innings later, and he sat out today’s doubleheader. The Mets haven’t provided a timetable as to when they expect Marte to be ready for game action, although it’s seemingly encouraging they’re not immediately placing him on the injured list. The expansion of active rosters in September from 26 to 28 players gives the Mets a bit more leeway to give Marte a few days, particularly with an off day tomorrow to reassess his condition.

Signed to a four-year, $78MM deal over the winter, Marte has had an All-Star first season in Queens. He’s hitting .292/.347/.468 through 505 trips to the plate, on par with the best offensive seasons of his career. The star outfielder has connected on 16 homers, 24 doubles and five triples. He’s chipped in 18 stolen bases (albeit with nine caught stealings) and served as the club’s primary right fielder and #2 hitter.

The Mets turned to Tyler Naquin in right field today, and he’d presumably pick up the majority of playing time if Marte’s forced out of action. The lefty-hitting Naquin can split time with the right-handed Darin Ruf in the corner opposite Mark Canha, with Brandon Nimmo continuing to man center field.

New York has been hit with a couple notable injury situations in recent days. They placed Max Scherzer on the 15-day injured list with side fatigue this morning. At 87-51, the Mets are a lock to make the playoffs, but they’re in a tight NL East battle with the defending World Series champions. New York holds a half-game lead on the Braves in a race for the division title and accompanying first-round bye.

Huascar Ynoa Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

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The Braves announced that Huascar Ynoa underwent Tommy John surgery this afternoon. The hard-throwing righty had been on optional assignment to Triple-A Gwinnett, but he hadn’t pitched in over two weeks.

Originally a member of the Twins organization, Ynoa was dealt to Atlanta as a rookie-ball prospect in 2017. He reached the majors a couple seasons thereafter, debuting late in 2019. After a couple seasons bouncing on and off the active roster, Ynoa looked to have broken out as a rotation building block early last year. He earned a spot in the starting five and posted a 3.02 ERA with excellent strikeout and walk numbers through his first 44 2/3 innings.

Ynoa’s season was knocked off track in mid-May, however. Following a rough outing, he punched the dugout in frustration. Ynoa fractured a bone in his throwing hand and lost two months to injury. He returned in August but didn’t pitch especially well down the stretch, posting a 5.05 ERA over nine outings. He was relegated to bullpen work in the postseason, and he was diagnosed with inflammation in his throwing shoulder during the NL Championship Series. That ended his campaign, and Ynoa came into 2022 in competition for a rotation spot.

While he secured a spot in the starting five out of the gate, Ynoa was hit hard in his first two outings. Atlanta optioned him back to Gwinnett at that point, and he’s spent most of the year there. Aside from a brief major league recall in mid-August — during which time he spent three days on the active roster and didn’t make an appearance — he’s played the rest of the season with the Stripers. The 24-year-old has started 17 of his 18 outings, pitching to a 5.68 ERA through 77 2/3 innings. Ynoa has punched out an above-average 25.8% of batters faced and induced grounders at a solid 48.1% clip, but he’s also been far too prone to both home runs and walks.

The emergence of Spencer Strider and Kyle Wright and the deadline acquisition of Jake Odorizzi combined to squeeze Ynoa out of the MLB plans. He’d still been on hand as a depth option with a reasonable amount of upside, but the Braves will now have to navigate a hit to that depth. Given the timing of the procedure, it’s likely Ynoa will miss all of next season as well. Tommy John surgery recoveries typically take upwards of 14 months, making it unreasonable to expect he’ll be able to factor in at any point before 2024.

Unfortunately for Ynoa, that he suffered the injury while in Gwinnett means he won’t immediately land on the major league injured list. Players on the minor league IL aren’t paid at an MLB rate, nor do they collect major league service time. It’s possible the Braves eventually recall Ynoa and place him on the major league 60-day IL, which would remove him from the 40-man roster. That’d involve paying him at the MLB rate, but the hurler will be paid a Triple-A salary unless that happens.

The 2022 campaign was Ynoa’s final minor league option year. That means the Braves will either need to carry him on the MLB injured list to start next season or make him available to other teams via trade or release waivers.

Rangers To Promote Josh Jung

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The Rangers are going to promote prospect Josh Jung, per Levi Weaver of The Athletic. Brad Miller is going to go on the 10-day injured list with a hip issue, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. That will create a spot on the active roster for Jung, but he will also need a corresponding move to get him onto the 40-man roster.

Jung, 24, was selected by the Rangers with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 draft and has been considered one of the top prospects in the sport ever since. He played 44 games in the minors that year, mashing the whole way through. In 2020, he jumped onto Baseball America’s top 100 list, coming in at #93.

Of course, 2020 brought the pandemic and all levels of the minor leagues were canceled, putting a dent in the plans of prospects all across the sport. As things were ramping back up for 2021 and they were all hoping to get back on track, Jung hit another setback. In March, he underwent surgery for a stress fracture in his foot, which was expected to lengthen his absence from organized baseball for another six to eight weeks.

"<strongDespite those setbacks, once Jung was finally healthy, he made up for lost time in a big way, finishing 2021 on an incredible tear. He finally made his season debut in Double-A on June 15 and played 43 games at that level, hitting .308/.366/.544 for a wRC+ of 140. He was promoted to Triple-A on August 20 and somehow hit even better. In 35 games for the Round Rock Express, his slash line was .348/.436/.652, wRC+ of 166. That strong finish to his campaign launched him all the way up to #26 on Baseball America’s list going into this year.

It seemed possible that Jung could make his MLB debut early in 2022, maybe even cracking the Opening Day roster. However, he suffered a shoulder strain in February while lifting weights as part of his preseason training program. He had to undergo surgery, which was expected to keep him out for six months. He returned to action in August, seemingly not missing a beat. In 30 games this year, he’s hitting .267/.323/.542, hitting nine homers in that short time. Although the shoulder injury slowed him down, it only delayed the inevitable.

Jung is now considered the #42 prospect in the game by Baseball America, #12 by FanGraphs, #24 by ESPN, #39 by MLB Pipeline and #54 by Keith Law of The Athletic. Just a few days ago, the Rangers seemed committed to keeping Jung down while giving the playing time at the hot corner to Ezequiel Duran, though it seems the injury to Miller has altered the plans. Duran is having an intriguing debut season, hitting  .240/.282/.373 for a wRC+ of 86. However, he could also be moved to other positions, having spent some time in his career at second base, shortstop and center field. Miller’s been used mostly as a designated hitter recently, with that spot now freed up somewhat for days when the Rangers want both Jung and Duran in the lineup.

If Jung can meet the lofty expectations placed upon him by his prospect status, he could be the final piece of a Rangers infield that could be set for years to come. Shortstop Corey Seager is in the first of a ten-year deal he signed in the offseason. Marcus Semien has second base locked after signing a seven-year deal this winter. Nathaniel Lowe is enjoying a tremendous breakout season over at first, which MLBTR’s Steve Adams wrote about just yesterday. Lowe is under team control for four seasons beyond the current campaign. There’s a lot of change in the wind in Texas, as they just recently fired their manager and president of baseball operations, but it’s possible that this infield could be a solid foundation for them to build upon in the coming years, helping them emerge from a lengthy rebuilding period.

If Jung can stick with the big league club from here on out, he is on pace to reach arbitration for the first time after 2025 and free agency after 2028. Future option assignments could delay those timelines, however. Jung also won’t reach 60 days of service time here in 2022 and is unlikely to get 130 at-bats. That means he will retain rookie/prospect status through the winter, which could have ramifications for the team. Under the new collective bargaining agreement, players with less than 60 days of service who appear among two preseason Top 100 lists at Baseball America, ESPN or MLB Pipeline can net their team a bonus amateur draft choice based on their early-career finishes in awards voting, so long as their club carries them on the MLB roster for a full service year. If Jung cracks the Opening Day roster next year and he wins a Rookie of the Year or places highly in MVP balloting during his first couple seasons, the club could pick up an extra draft choice down the line.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Red Sox Select Abraham Almonte

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5:30pm: The Sox have now made it official, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. Almonte has been selected with Cordero going on the 60-day IL. He won’t be eligible to return this season.

3:50pm: The Red Sox are going to select outfielder Abraham Almonte to their roster for tonight’s game, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. Almonte isn’t yet on the 40-man roster, meaning corresponding moves will be required. It’s possible that outfielder Franchy Cordero will head to the 10-day or maybe even the 60-day injured list. Abraham reported yesterday that Cordero has a sprain on both sides of his ankle and could be done for the season.

Once Almonte gets into a game, it will be the 10th straight season of MLB action for the 33-year-old. He’s spent time with Seattle, San Diego, Cleveland, Kansas City, Arizona and Atlanta. In 440 career games, he’s hit .223/.302/.374 for a wRC+ of 83. This year, he signed a minor league deal with the Brewers and went to the Red Sox in a July trade. He’s been having a great year down on the farm, hitting .293/.417/.534 across 80 Triple-A games. That amounts to a 154 wRC+.

Despite his years of experience, he’s only accrued four years and 155 days of MLB service time. Should he carry any of that tremendous minor league production up to the big leagues with him, the Red Sox could keep him around for another season via arbitration. He’ll step into an outfield mix that includes Alex Verdugo, Tommy Pham, Enrique Hernández and Rob Refsnyder.

That mix won’t include Cordero for now, as he injured himself crashing into the wall at Tropicana Field on Monday, having to be carted off the field. The 28-year-old has gotten into 84 games on the season, hitting .219/.300/.397 for a wRC+ of 93. Like Almonte, he can be retained for 2023 via arbitration, should the Sox decide to tender him a contract.

Injury Notes: Carpenter, Gonsolin, Kopech, Lowe

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The miraculous Matt Carpenter comeback was put on pause last month when the infielder/outfielder for the Yankees fractured his foot. On August 10, it was reported that he would need surgery and be reevaluated in a month, with the club hopeful he could return in 6-8 weeks. Here we are almost a month later and Carpenter has made progress but not much. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports that Carpenter underwent some X-rays that showed healing but it isn’t enough to get him out of his protective walking boot. He’ll be reevaluated again in 10-14 days, says manager Aaron Boone.

That essentially eliminates any chance of Carpenter returning at the short end of that 6-8 time frame and even puts the longer end of it in doubt. By the time that next evaluation rolls around, it will already have been six weeks since the injury. Even if Carpenter gets good news at that point, he will surely need some kind of rehab assignment to get him back into game shape after such a long layoff. That could also be a challenge if the injury lingers, as most minor league teams will be winding down their seasons in the coming weeks. The Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are the Yankee affiliate that goes the latest, though their last scheduled game is September 28, three weeks from today.

Prior to the injury, Carpenter was on an absolute tear, hitting 15 home runs in 47 games and slashing .305/.412/.727 for a wRC+ of 218. It’s all the more remarkable given that Carpenter was hitting at a below-average rate in the previous three seasons. The club has seemingly missed that hot bat, going 10-13 since August 10. They have a 4 1/2 game lead over the Rays and a six game cushion on the Blue Jays in the AL East race.

Some other tidbits from around the league…

  • Dodgers righty Tony Gonsolin was placed on the IL due to a forearm strain August 29, but since the move was retroactive to August 26, he’s eligible to come off in a few days. Gonsolin has been playing catch in recent days, which is perhaps a sign that he’s not far from returning. However, it’s not all good news, with Juan Toribio of MLB.com relaying word from manager Dave Roberts that Gonsolin isn’t progressing as quickly as they initially hoped for. The Dodgers are virtually guaranteed a bye through the first round of the playoffs and can take their time with Gonsolin, though it’s at least noteworthy that the plan isn’t on schedule so far. The righty had enjoyed a tremendous breakout season, throwing 128 1/3 innings with a 2.10 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate and 43.2% groundball rate.
  • White Sox righty Michael Kopech landed on the IL August 23 due to a knee strain but was activated today after a minimum stint. After missing all of 2019 and 2020, Kopech threw 69 1/3 innings last year and has already jumped up to 110 2/3 here in 2022, coming into today’s action. He’s fared well overall on the season, registering a 3.58 ERA, though his 21.4% strikeout rate and 12% are both a bit worse than league average, with a .228 BABIP likely helping him keep that ERA down. The club will be looking for a strong finish from Kopech and the team overall, as they are currently three games back of the Guardians in the Central and 7 1/2 out of a Wild Card spot.
  • The Rays have reinstated infielder Brandon Lowe from the IL, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Lowe landed on the shelf due to a right triceps contusion but has now returned after a minimum stay. It was the second IL stint of the year for Lowe, who also missed about two months due to a back issue. Despite the multiple ailments, he’s still hitting .234/.319/.405 on the season for a wRC+ of 114. That’s a bit of a drop-off from his previous seasons but still 14% above league average. Tampa is in the thick of all the American League action, sitting 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the East while grappling with the Mariners and Blue Jays for the top Wild Card spot.

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