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Archives for March 2023

Pirates Designate Ryan Vilade For Assignment

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The Pirates announced Thursday that they’ve designated outfielder Ryan Vilade for assignment and selected the contracts of left-hander Rob Zastryzny and catcher Jason Delay, both of whom were in spring training as non-roster invitees. Lefty Jarlin Garcia (nerve injury) was placed on the 60-day injured list to open a second spot on the 40-man roster. Righties JT Brubaker (right elbow discomfort) and Robert Stephenson (right elbow inflammation) have both been placed on the 15-day injured list as well.

Vilade, 24, was claimed off waivers from the Rockies back in November. He ranked among Colorado’s best prospects just one year ago but struggled in his second go through the Triple-A level, slashing a tepid .249/.345/.352 with five homers and ten steals through 99 games in that hitter-friendly setting. Originally drafted as a shortstop, Vilade has moved down the defensive spectrum, first shifting to third base before a move to the outfield corners. He went just 3-for-18 without an extra-base hit this spring, finishing with a .167/.211/.167 line in 19 trips to the plate. The Pirates will have a week to trade Vilade, release him or pass him through outright waivers.

Zastryzny, 31, returned to the Majors in 2022 after a three-year layoff and tossed four innings between the Mets and Angels. He’s making the first Opening Day roster of his 10-year professional career, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic points out (Twitter link). Zastryzny earned it this spring, punching out 10 of his 29 opponents against one walk while firing 7 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.

In parts of four big league seasons, mostly with the Cubs, Zastryzny has a 4.66 ERA and a 34-to-17 K/BB ratio in 38 2/3 innings of work. His Triple-A numbers across six seasons are generally similar, albeit with slightly better strikeout and walk rates. Zastryzny will give manager Derek Shelton a second lefty in the ’pen, joining Rule 5 pick Jose Hernandez.

Delay, 28, made his big league debut with the Bucs in 2022 but was removed from the 40-man roster and re-signed to a minor league deal. He had a rough showing in camp, going just 3-for-20 with three walks, but he’s a strong defensive backstop and likely landed the backup gig by virtue of his glove. Delay posted plus framing marks last season, has a career 31% caught-stealing rate in the minors and was credited with two Defensive Runs Saved in 436 innings behind the dish last year. He beat out fellow non-roster invitees Kevin Plawecki and Tyler Heineman and will open the season as the backup to defensive standout Austin Hedges.

Garcia’s placement on the 60-day IL comes as little surprise. The team announced he’d be shut down midway through camp, and after a ten days of not throwing, they further announced that he was dealing with a nerve injury in his biceps and would continue to be shut down for as many as four to five weeks. He’ll need to completely build back up after that delay. Stephenson pitched just two innings this spring and was slowed by elbow discomfort, and Shelton acknowledged last week that an IL stint was likely.

There’s more concern with regard to Brubaker. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweeted this morning that Brubaker’s elbow injury is “not minor” and the Pirates fear there’s a chance he could be lost for the season. The team hasn’t provided a formal diagnosis or update beyond today’s placement on the injured list, but additional news on Brubaker will likely follow in the near future. The 29-year-old Brubaker made 28 starts last season and pitched to a 4.69 ERA but with much more encouraging marks in FIP (3.92) and SIERA (3.97).

White Sox Select Oscar Colas, Release Leury Garcia

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The White Sox have requested unconditional release waivers on utilityman Leury García, the club announced. Chicago has formally selected the contracts of outfield prospect Oscar Colás and veteran infielder Hanser Alberto. The Sox also placed Garrett Crochet, Tanner Banks and Liam Hendriks on the 15-day injured list.

None of the transactions come as a surprise. Chicago GM Rick Hahn had more or less confirmed these decisions over the weekend. It finalizes the end of García’s nine-plus year tenure on the South Side. Initially acquired from the Rangers back in 2013, the switch-hitting García carved out a long-term bench role on the strength of his defensive flexibility. He never made a huge offensive impact but endeared himself to a few different coaching staffs.

García had the best season of his career in 2021, when he posted a .267/.335/.376 line over 474 plate appearances. Headed to free agency for the first time that winter, García returned to the South Side on a very surprising three-year deal. The Sox guaranteed him $16.5MM, seemingly committing to him as a versatile bench piece for the extended future.

That turned out disastrously, as García was among the worst hitters in the game last year. He managed only a .210/.233/.267 line in 97 contests. Continued struggles in Spring Training led the Sox to eat the $11MM remaining on his contract. They informed him over the weekend he wouldn’t be part of the Opening Day roster. Once he clears release waivers — an inevitability considering the amount of money remaining on his deal — he’ll be free to explore opportunities elsewhere.

Alberto secures a depth infield role in his stead. Signed to a minor league deal over the winter, the righty-hitting Alberto is a high-contact hitter who’s best deployed against lefty pitching. He almost never walks and rarely hits for power but he puts the ball in play and can play throughout the infield. Alberto hit .244/.258/.365 in 73 games for the Dodgers last year.

Colás is one of the organization’s top prospects. He’s expected to see the bulk of right field playing time and is now positioned to make his MLB debut. The 24-year-old hit .314/.371/.524 over three minor league levels last season. Despite a relatively modest .258/.279/.424 showing this spring, he earns a look in the right field rotation alongside Gavin Sheets and Romy González.

Phillies Place Rafael Marchan On 60-Day Injured List

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The Phillies have placed catcher Rafael Marchán on the 60-day injured list due to a fractured right hamate bone, the club announced. The move clears a 40-man roster spot for Rule 5 selection Noah Song, who was reinstated from military leave. Song won’t go onto the active roster, as he’s being placed on the 15-day IL due to a lower back strain.

Marchán missed most of Spring Training with the wrist issue. The Phils had previously called it a contusion, but today’s revelation of a fracture obviously paints a dimmer picture. He’s now officially out until at least May without much further clarity on his recovery timeline. Marchán played in 23 MLB games between 2020-21 and was the third catcher on the roster behind J.T. Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs. He’s coming off a .233/.316/.358 showing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Philadelphia selected Song away from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft. Regarded as a potential first-round talent a few years ago, the righty fell to the fourth because of club concerns about his military commitments. Those have prevented him throwing a single pitch in full season ball but the Phils still rolled the dice to add him to camp. They’ll have to keep him on the active roster or MLB injured list if they don’t want to offer him back to Boston. For now, the back soreness buys Philadelphia some time to gauge his progress before facing that call.

Padres Select Rougned Odor, Domingo Tapia

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The Padres announced a few transactions as they set their Opening Day roster. Rougned Odor and reliever Domingo Tapia both made the team, with San Diego formally selecting their contracts. The Friars also confirmed the previously reported addition of outfielder David Dahl to the 40-man. San Diego needed to create two 40-man vacancies. They’ve done so by designating righty Michel Báez for assignment and placing southpaw Adrián Morejón on the 60-day injured list with an elbow sprain.

Additionally, San Diego placed a handful of pitchers on the 15-day IL. Joe Musgrove, Robert Suarez, Drew Pomeranz and José Castillo will all start the season on the shelf.

Odor is entering his tenth season at the big league level. The longtime Ranger second baseman has bounced around the league over the past few seasons. He’s been a below-average hitter overall due to dismal on-base numbers but continued to draw interest thanks to some left-handed power. Odor appeared in 135 games for the Orioles last season, hitting 13 homers but posting just a .207/.275/.357 line in 472 plate appearances.

Signed to a minor league deal over the offseason, Odor impressed in Spring Training. He put together a .316/.422/.474 slash with a pair of homers in 38 at-bats.  The career second baseman also saw some corner outfield action in exhibition play to broaden his defensive flexibility off the bench. He could join Dahl and Matt Carpenter in taking some right field work until Fernando Tatis Jr. returns from suspension.

Tapia, 31, inked a minor league deal over the winter. He threw 17 innings for the A’s last year, allowing 16 runs with more walks than strikeouts. While it wasn’t a particularly encouraging season, Tapia averaged around 98 MPH on his fastball and posted a 1.76 ERA in 30 2/3 innings with Triple-A Las Vegas. He nabs an Opening Day bullpen job in San Diego after tossing eight innings of two-run ball with 11 strikeouts and no walks this spring. Tapia still has a minor league option year remaining, so the Friars could bounce him between San Diego and Triple-A El Paso throughout the season.

Báez has pitched at the MLB level in three of the last four seasons. The bulk of that came in 2019, when he made 24 appearances. Báez pitched only twice in the majors last year. He threw 21 1/3 innings for El Paso, allowing an 8.44 ERA while walking a huge 16.7% of opposing hitters. The Padres will now have a week to deal him or put him on waivers.

Morejón is now officially out until the end of May. He returned from Tommy John surgery to make 26 appearances out of the bullpen last season. Elbow soreness cropped back up this spring, an alarming development considering that history. Initial imaging didn’t reveal any structural damage, with the club first calling the issue inflammation. Terming it a sprain — which inherently involves some stretching of the ligament — is a little more concerning and will keep him out of action for a while.

Astros Designate J.J. Matijevic, Bligh Madris For Assignment

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The Astros announced Thursday that they’ve designated first baseman J.J. Matijevic and outfielder Bligh Madris for assignment. Their spots on the 40-man roster will go to third baseman/outfielder Corey Julks and catcher/first baseman Cesar Salazar, whose previously reported selections to the 40-man roster are now official.

Matijevic, 27, was Houston’s second-round pick back in 2017. He made his big league debut in 2022 but received only 71 plate appearances, during which he posted a dreary .209/.254/.328 slash with a pair of home runs but a 35.2% strikeout rate. Matijevic’s Triple-A track record is far more impressive. He’s totaled 599 plate appearances there across parts of two seasons, batting .263/.347/.530 with 32 home runs, 35 doubles, five triples, 14 steals (in 16 tries) and an 11% walk rate — albeit against a more concerning 27.7% strikeout rate.

Scouting reports on Matijevic praise his power and an improved approach in recent seasons, but there are questions remaining about his hit tool and lack of defensive upside. He’s played first base and left field in the minors, but he’s not a great defender at either position. He does have a pair of minor league options remaining, so a team looking for a lefty bat and perhaps some depth at first and/or in left field could take a look.

Madris, 27, made his big league debut in 2022, splitting the season between the Pirates and Rays. He didn’t appear in the Majors with Tampa Bay following a mid-September waiver claim but did log 39 games with the Pirates, struggling to a .177/.244/.265 batting line through his first 123 Major League plate appearances.

The lefty-swinging Madris, however, has been far better in Triple-A Indianapolis, where he notched a combined .297/.366/.510 batting line with 11 homers, 22 doubles and four triples. He has two option years remaining. Madris handled right-handed pitching particularly well in 2022, batting .272/.345/.492 between the big leagues and Triple-A. He’s played primarily right field but does have some experience in the other two outfield slots and at first base. Madris had a solid spring, batting .273/.385/.333 in 39 plate appearances with the Astros.

Houston will have a week to trade both players or else attempt to pass them through outright waivers.

A’s Select Carlos Perez

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The A’s announced they’ve selected catcher Carlos Pérez onto the 40-man roster. Oakland already had a 40-man vacancy following yesterday’s trade of outfielder Cristian Pache to Philadelphia.

Pérez, 32, signed a minor league deal with Oakland a couple weeks ago. He breaks camp as the backup to Shea Langeliers after the expected #2 backstop, Manny Piña, was sent to the injured list by right wrist pain. The A’s needed to add another catcher to the 40-man roster, and the veteran earned the job over former fourth-round pick Kyle McCann.

A right-handed hitter, Pérez has played 212 MLB games with the Angels, Braves and Rangers. He’s a career .215/.257/.319 hitter over 670 plate appearances. That came from 2015-18, so this’ll be his first big league action in nearly a half-decade. Pérez spent last year in Triple-A with the Rockies, where he connected on 31 home runs with a .254/.341/.524 line in 117 games.

Royals Select Jackie Bradley Jr., Matt Duffy, Franmil Reyes

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March 30: The Royals have now added all three of Bradley, Duffy and Reyes to their roster, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com (Twitter links). To make room for those three additions, they traded left-hander Richard Lovelady to Atlanta and placed left-hander Jake Brentz and outfielder Diego Hernandez on the 60-day injured list. Brentz is going to miss most of the season due to Tommy John surgery while Hernandez will be out for a few months with a dislocated shoulder.

March 27: Outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. and infielder Matt Duffy have been informed that they’ll be on the Royals’ Opening Day roster, tweets Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Both were in camp as non-roster invitees, so they’ll need to be added to the 40-man roster. Designated hitter/outfielder Franmil Reyes, also in camp on an NRI, is “likely” to make the roster, Rogers continues, adding that outfielder Edward Olivares and utilityman Nate Eaton are both going to be on the Opening Day squad as well. Olivares and Eaton are already on the 40-man roster. The New York Post’s Jon Heyman first indicated over the weekend that Bradley was expected to make the roster.

Bradley, 33 in April, has long been considered among the best defensive outfielders in the sport, having collected a whopping 58 Outs Above Average since the start of the 2016 season, including a +3 mark in 2022. His history at the plate is far more complicated, however. From 2015-2020, Bradley oscillated between being a decently above average (118 wRC+ in 2016) and slightly below average (89 wRC+ in 2019) bat from year to year, ultimately posting a 102 wRC+ in 709 games over that six-year period.

Since then, however, Bradley has been nothing short of brutal at the plate: In 266 games in the past two seasons for the Brewers, Red Sox, and Blue Jays, Bradley has slashed just .182/.245/.285, good for a wRC+ of 46 that indicates Bradley was 54% worse than the average major-league hitter over that timeframe. Looking at the underlying metrics, it’s easy to see that Bradley’s struggles are borne of regression in virtually all aspects of his game since his days as an average bat with the Red Sox. Notably, his walk rate has dropped from 9.6% to 6.5% while his ISO has plummeted from a solid .191 down to just .103.

Even with his strikeout rate staying mostly stagnant (it ticked up slightly from 24.6% during the 2015-2020 season to 26.2% the past two years), that loss of power and declining ability to elicit free passes leaves Bradley highly unlikely to contribute meaningfully to the Royals with the bat in 2023. Still, with Drew Waters expected to open the season on the injured list and Michael A. Taylor getting shipped to the Twins in trade earlier this offseason, Bradley will provide the Royals with valuable depth in center field behind Kyle Isbel.

As for Duffy, he’ll give the Royals a veteran utility presence who can handle any of third base, shortstop and second base. The 32-year-old spent the 2022 season with the Angels, for whom he posted a .250/.308/.311 batting line in 247 plate appearances. Duffy’s right-handed bat could be a natural complement to left-handed-hitting second baseman Michael Massey, and his versatility provides some insurance in the event that Hunter Dozier’s struggles continue and/or Massey needs further seasoning in Triple-A Omaha.

Duffy once rated as a plus defender at the hot corner but has posted closer to average defensive grades around the infield in recent seasons. He’s never hit for much power, but the limited pop in his bat has dwindled as well. The diminished defensive ratings and power are perhaps partially due to foot and ankle injuries that have taken their toll on him over the years.

Reyes, 27, certainly isn’t lacking for power. He boasts a pair of 30-homer seasons and has clubbed 106 long balls in 2013 Major League plate appearances dating back to his 2018 debut with the Padres. However, strikeouts have become an increasingly problematic issue for the slugger, evidenced by last year’s career-worst 33.2% mark. If Reyes walked at the rate one might expect for someone with his prodigious power, the lack of contact might be more forgivable, but he drew a free pass in just 6.3% of his plate appearances between the Guardians and Cubs in 2022 — more than two percentage points worse than the league average. He also saw his power output curiously drop off, resulting in a career-worst .221/.273/.365 slash.

Assuming Reyes indeed makes the roster, he’ll likely be used as a designated hitter, a righty bat off the bench and perhaps an occasional option in the outfield corners, though he grades as a poor defender and the Royals have plenty of alternatives. Reyes, who hit .372/.438/.674 with three homers and four doubles in spring training, will need to keep up an above-average level of production as he hopes to fend off prospect Nick Pratto, who was optioned to Triple-A last week. Pratto and Vinnie Pasquantino give the Royals a pair of powerful first basemen, but to this point in their careers it’s Pasquantino who’s proven better equipped for big league pitching. Still, if Pratto’s raking in the minors and Reyes is again struggling, there’s room for both Pasquantino and Pratto to share time at first base and designated hitter over the long term.

Marlins Select Yuli Gurriel; Jose Iglesias To Remain In Organization

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March 30: The Marlins officially selected Gurriel’s contract today, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. To open a spot for him on the 40-man, right-hander Max Meyer was placed on the 60-day injured list. Meyer underwent Tommy John surgery late last year and will miss most of the upcoming campaign.

March 26: The Marlins will select the contract of first baseman Yuli Gurriel, GM Kim Ng said today during the team radio broadcast (hat tip to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald).  Both Gurriel and Jose Iglesias recently signed minor league deals with the Fish, and both had the ability to exercise opt-out clauses in those contracts yesterday if Miami didn’t place them on the Opening Day roster.  Ng said that Iglesias won’t break camp with the team, but the veteran infielder has chosen to pass on his opt-out in order to remain in the minors.

Signs were pointing towards the Marlins’ decision yesterday, since the club was leaning towards utilityman Jon Berti as the right-handed complement to Joey Wendle at the shortstop position, rather than Iglesias.  Jordan Groshans, Jacob Amaya, and Garrett Hampson also provided further shortstop depth at Triple-A, making Iglesias less of a true need as Wendle’s timeshare partner.  By contrast, the Marlins have a lot less depth at first base, giving Gurriel an opportunity to join with Garrett Cooper as Miami’s top two options at the position.  Cooper can also play in the corner outfield, and naturally either player could serve as the DH whenever Jorge Soler is in the outfield.

The financial terms of Gurriel’s minor league deal weren’t reported, but he’ll lock in a guaranteed salary whenever Miami officially selects his contract prior to Opening Day.  Gurriel and the Marlins were linked on the rumor mill for quite some time before he actually put pen to paper, with the result being a minors contract after the Fish reportedly took a one-year deal in the $2MM off the table earlier in the offseason.

From Iglesias’ perspective, his decision to decline the opt-out clause makes sense.  Iglesias only just signed with the Marlins a little over two weeks ago, and he apparently preferred the opportunity to ramp up in the minor leagues over another trip into the free agent market.  Iglesias also has two more opt-out dates built into his contract, as he can again decide on his future on May 1 and June 1 if Miami hasn’t already added him to its 26-man roster.

Miami still has to place Max Meyer (Tommy John surgery recovery) onto the 60-day injured list, which will create space for Gurriel on the 40-man roster.  As for 26-man roster space, the Marlins have two spots to work with, since left-hander Steven Okert and right-hander Tommy Nance are both going to start the year on the 15-day injured list.  Manager Skip Schumaker told McPherson and other reporters that Okert will miss a couple of weeks as the southpaw recovers from a left adductor issue, while Nance faces a longer recovery period from a bout of shoulder stiffness.  Nance isn’t expected to start throwing until closer to the middle of April.

Guardians Select Cam Gallagher, Meibrys Viloria

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The Guardians announced a few transactions as they set their Opening Day roster. Catchers Cam Gallagher and Meibrys Viloria both make the club, as Cleveland will go with two depth options behind starter Mike Zunino.

Neither Gallagher nor Viloria had been on the 40-man roster after signing minor league deals over the winter. To create space, Cleveland designated right-hander Jason Bilous for assignment and placed righty Cody Morris on the 60-day injured list.

Gallagher has played in parts of six major league campaigns, all of which have come as a member of the Royals. Working as Salvador Pérez’s backup for the bulk of that time, he put together a cumulative .240/.302/.355 line over 469 plate appearances. Kansas City traded Gallagher to San Diego at last summer’s deadline, and he also spent time with the Orioles. He didn’t get an MLB chance with either club but now returns to the majors in Cleveland.

Viloria is a lefty-swinging catcher who also previously played in Kansas City. He’s gotten into 93 major league games as a member of the Royals and Rangers over the past five years, hitting .201/.270/.283. The 26-year-old had an excellent .280/.422/.440 line in 218 plate appearances for Texas’ Triple-A affiliate last year.

Neither Gallagher nor Viloria can be optioned to the minor leagues. Barring injury, the Guardians will have to continue carrying all three catchers in the majors or eventually make one of them available to other teams via trade or waivers. It’s unclear how long Cleveland will be able to maintain that level of roster flexibility but they’re comfortable doing so out of the gate.

Bilous was claimed off waivers from the White Sox last month. The Coastal Carolina product has yet to make his major league debut. He split the 2022 season between Chicago’s top two affiliates, combining for a 6.30 ERA across 105 2/3 innings. He’d posted better numbers in the low minors but has yet to find much success against upper level hitters. Cleveland will have a week to trade the 25-year-old or look to run him through waivers.

Morris impressed over seven appearances late last season as a rookie. He could’ve battled for a back-of-the-rotation spot if healthy but he’s been sidelined by soreness in the terms major muscle in his throwing shoulder. He won’t make his season debut until at least the end of May.

Tigers Designate Edwin Uceta For Assignment

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The Tigers announced Thursday that they’ve designated right-hander Edwin Uceta for assignment. That move, coupled with yesterday’s outright of Rony Garcia, will open the two roster spots necessary to select the contracts of lefty Chasen Shreve and righty Trey Wingenter. Both relievers are now formally on Detroit’s Opening Day roster.

Additionally, the Tigers optioned lefty Tyler Holton to Triple-A Toledo and placed three players on the injured list. Infielder Tyler Nevin is headed to the 10-day IL with an oblique strain, while righties Beau Brieske (right upper arm discomfort) and Michael Lorenzen (left groin strain) have been placed on the 15-day IL.

The 25-year-old Uceta was a waiver claim out of the Diamondbacks organization back in January. He’s seen big league work in each of the past two seasons, first throwing 20 1/3 frames with the Dodgers in 20221 before logging 17 frames with the D-backs in 2022. Uceta’s results have been poor, as he’s served up a 6.27 ERA with a 23% strikeout rate and an elevated 11.5% walk rate. He’s struggled to limit the damage with men on base, but Uceta has solid spin and velocity on his four-seamer and a 30% strikeout rate in Triple-A.

Uceta appeared in eight spring games with the Tigers. He yielded six earned runs on 13 hits and four walks through 11 frames (4.91 ERA) but also fanned 14 of his 48 opponents (29.2%). The Tigers will have a week to trade him or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. Uceta does have a minor league option remaining, which could add to his appeal.

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