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Guardians Promote Bo Naylor

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The Guardians have called up catching prospect Bo Naylor to the 26-man roster, according to MLB.com’s Jesus Cano (Twitter link).  Naylor is scheduled to play on Sunday, as Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes that Naylor will be behind the plate for Tanner Bibee’s start against the Diamondbacks.

This is the third time Naylor has been called up from Triple-A, as he appeared in five games last season and one game earlier this season as the extra 27th man for a doubleheader.  The 23-year-old is still looking for his first hit after going 0-for-10 against MLB pitching, yet Naylor surely now seems to be poised for a much longer stint as a regular in the Guardians’ catching mix.

Naylor’s brief cup of coffee during the 2022 season seemed to hint that he’d be part of Cleveland’s lineup as early as Opening Day 2023, especially since the Guardians non-tendered Luke Maile and let Austin Hedges depart in free agency.  However, the Guardians looked elsewhere for catching during the offseason, getting involved in the Sean Murphy trade talks before ultimately signing Mike Zunino to a one-year, $6MM deal, and Cam Gallagher and Meibrys Viloria to minor league deals.

This trio and utilityman David Fry have seen almost all of the action behind the plate for the Guardians this season, with disastrous results.  Cleveland’s catchers have combined to hit a measly .168/.238/.270 over 248 plate appearances, translating to a league-worst 40 wRC+.  Viloria was already released in May, and the bigger move came yesterday, when Zunino was designated for assignment (thus clearing a roster spot for Naylor).

It’s safe to assume that Gallagher or Fry will still get some playing time as Naylor acclimates to the majors, and Cleveland’s coaching staff might also want a first-hand look at the defensive adjustments Naylor has been working on at Triple-A.  Questions about Naylor’s glovework have been asked for much of his pro career, yet scouts and pundits have generally been impressed with his improvements.  This season at Triple-A Columbus, Naylor got off to a rough start in terms of throwing out baserunners, and has allowed 55 steals in 66 chances to date.

The Guardians have strongly prioritized defense from the catcher position in recent years, as the team has been willing to accept little to no offensive production from the likes of Hedges or Roberto Perez as long as the backstops kept delivering Gold Glove-caliber work.  That being said, with Zunino struggling so badly both offensively and defensively, the Guards may have decided that even if Naylor’s defense is still something of a work in progress, it’s worth the tradeoff of getting his bat into the lineup.

There isn’t much left for Naylor to prove at Triple-A, after hitting .255/.379/.507 with 28 homers over 560 PA with Columbus over the last two seasons.  While naturally Naylor won’t be expected to immediately replicate that production against Major League pitchers, it’s hard to imagine he won’t be some kind of an upgrade over the mediocre numbers posted to date by the Guardians’ catchers.  In the bigger picture, the Guards’ lineup is struggling on the whole, which is the primary reason for the club’s uninspiring 32-37 record.  However, Cleveland remains only 2.5 games out of first place in the weak AL Central, so there’s still plenty of time for the team to mount a turn-around.

If Naylor remains on Cleveland’s roster for the remainder of the 2023 season, he’ll bank 107 days of big league service, giving him 113 days of MLB service time in total.  This means that in calling him up on June 17, the Guardians will likely have prevented Naylor from reaching Super Two status, and Naylor won’t receive an extra year of arbitration eligibility.  It’s safe to assume that this played a role in the team’s decision to promote the catcher, considering how cost-controlled young talent has been the foundation for the traditionally low-spending Guardians.

Guardians Designate Mike Zunino For Assignment

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The Guardians have designated catcher Mike Zunino for assignment, per a team announcement. Cleveland also optioned reliever Cody Morris to Triple-A Columbus while selecting right-hander Touki Toussaint onto the MLB roster.

A June DFA is surely not what the Guardians envisioned for their Opening Day catcher. Cleveland signed the veteran backstop to a one-year, $6MM free agent deal in December. It was a buy-low flier on a glove-first veteran. Zunino’s final season with the Rays had been ruined by thoracic outlet syndrome, but he was only a year removed from an All-Star appearance and a 20th-place finish in AL MVP voting.

The anticipated bounceback hasn’t materialized. Zunino has contributed very little offensively, hitting .177/.271/.306 over 140 trips to the plate. A lofty strikeout total is par for the course with Zunino, but this year’s 43.6% clip is high even by his standards. Including his .148/.195/.304 line in 36 games with the Rays before his ’22 campaign was cut short by TOS surgery, Zunino is a .163/.236/.305 hitter over his last 263 plate appearances.

A former third overall draft choice, Zunino has had a mercurial career offensively. He’s perennially near the top of the league in strikeout rate. At his best, however, he’s shown the ability to compensate for the whiffs with plenty of walks and huge power. Zunino blasted 33 homers with a .559 slugging percentage in only 109 games for Tampa Bay two seasons back. He’d also topped 20 longballs on three separate occasions early in his career with the Mariners.

When he’s not driving the ball out the yard, he’s among the sport’s worst offensive players. In just under 900 career games, he’s hitting .199 with a .271 on-base percentage. The swing-and-miss has become particularly problematic this season. Of the 336 batters with 100+ trips to the plate, none has whiffed more often than Zunino, who’s making contact on just 59% of his swings.

Offense isn’t the whole story, of course, particularly behind the plate. The Guardians tolerated well below-average hitting from Austin Hedges for years on account of his defensive acumen. Zunino comes with a similarly strong reputation for managing a pitching staff, but his public defensive marks this year have been poor.

Zunino has been charged with an MLB-worst five passed balls on the season. He’s been behind the dish for the fifth-most wild pitches. The pitching staff deserves some of the blame, but Statcast has estimated Zunino as allowing a league-high 10 more offerings than average to get behind him. He’s gotten average marks for his pitch framing this year and has thrown out a below-average 16.7% of attempted basestealers.

The struggles on both sides of the ball led the Cleveland front office to go in another direction. The Guardians were running with three catchers on the MLB roster, so the duo of Cam Gallagher and David Fry could be in for an uptick in playing time. Gallagher hasn’t hit in a backup role either, posting a .147/.177/.187 showing in 29 games. Bo Naylor has a strong .253/.393/.498 line through 60 games in Triple-A Columbus, and while the Guardians didn’t immediately call him up, there’s a strong argument for turning to the 23-year-old.

Whatever direction the Guards go behind the dish, they’ll be moving on from Zunino within the next few days. They have a week to trade him or put him on waivers. With a little over $3MM in salary still to be paid out, it’s likely he’ll clear waivers and hit free agency. At that point, another team could sign him for the prorated portion of the $720K league minimum.

Toussaint joined the organization on a minor league deal over the offseason. The former top prospect has appeared in parts of five big league campaigns between the Braves and Angels. He’s struggled to a 5.34 ERA over 170 1/3 MLB innings while working in a swing capacity.

He’s been pitching almost exclusively out of the bullpen with Columbus. Toussaint has worked to a 4.06 ERA in 37 2/3 frames over 20 outings. He has fanned over 30% of opponents with a quality 45.7% ground-ball percentage. He’s yet to solve longstanding control woes, though, as he’s walking nearly 15% of batters faced.

Toussaint will start tonight’s game in Arizona. Triston McKenzie had been slated to take the ball, but Zack Meisel of the Athletic tweets that he’s been scratched after experiencing some elbow discomfort. Toussaint has been working in two to three inning stints with Columbus, so it’s likely to be a bullpen day. He’s out of minor league options, meaning his stay on the roster could be brief unless Cleveland is willing to give him a lasting bullpen spot.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Mark Kolozsvary Elects Free Agency

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Catcher Mark Kolozsvary has elected minor league free agency after being waived by the Orioles, according to an announcement from Baltimore. The O’s had designated him for assignment on Wednesday.

Kolozsvary had a quick turnaround this week. Baltimore selected him onto the big league roster on Tuesday. He played once as a defensive substitute before being cut loose. Kolozsvary had otherwise spent the year with the O’s top affiliate in Norfolk. He hit .162/.250/.265 in 20 games.

A University of Florida product, Kolozsvary has appeared in 11 MLB games between the Reds and Orioles. He’s played six seasons in the minors, including parts of three years in Triple-A. He owns a .171/.283/.290 line in 81 career contests at the top minor league level. He’ll look for minor league opportunities elsewhere.

Don Hood Passes Away

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Former major league pitcher Don Hood passed away last Saturday, according to an obituary from a South Carolina funeral home. He was 73 years old.

A native of Florence, South Carolina, Hood was a first-round pick of the Orioles in the 1969 draft. He reached the majors within four years, debuting during his age-23 season. The left-hander started four of eight appearances for Baltimore as a rookie. He’d make 20 appearances (18 in relief) the next season.

After the 1974 campaign, the O’s dealt Hood alongside former MVP Boog Powell to the Indians for catcher Dave Duncan. Hood would spend the bulk of his career in Cleveland, pitching there for four-plus seasons. His best year came in 1977, when he pitched to an even 3.00 ERA over 105 innings. He worked mostly in long relief for the Indians but twice started 19 games in a season, including a career-high 154 2/3 frames during the ’78 campaign.

Halfway through the 1979 season, Cleveland flipped Hood to the Yankees for first baseman Cliff Johnson. Hood posted a 3.07 ERA in 67 1/3 frames during his only partial season in the Bronx. He bounced around late in his career via free agency, signing with the Cardinals and Royals. He closed his career with a personal-best 2.27 ERA in 47 2/3 frames for the 1983 Royals.

Hood played parts of ten years in the big leagues. He pitched in 297 games, starting 72 of them. Over 848 1/3 innings, he worked to a 3.79 ERA with 374 strikeouts. Hood won 34 contests and finished 84 games.

MLBTR sends our condolences to his family, friends and loved ones.

Royals Sign Adeiny Hechavarria To Minor League Deal

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The Royals have added a pair of former MLB infielders out of independent ball on minor league deals, per a team announcement. Adeiny Hechavarría is headed to Triple-A Omaha, while Jack Reinheimer will report to Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Hechavarría is the more notable of the duo. He was an everyday player for the Marlins early in his career and has tallied nearly 1000 games over nine MLB seasons. A career .253/.291/.351 hitter, Hechavarría was a bottom-of-the-lineup defensive specialist. He hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2020, as he played in Japan from 2021-22.

The 34-year-old spent Spring Training with the Braves this season. He didn’t make the Opening Day roster and was released. Hechavarría signed with the Atlantic League’s Long Island Ducks in April. He hit .297/.382/.538 with seven homers in 38 games to earn his way back to affiliated ball.

Reinheimer, 30, has 23 games of MLB experience between the Diamondbacks and Mets in 2017-18. He’s been in the Atlantic League with the Gastonia Honey Hunters, where he’s impressed with a .313/.421/.513 line with as many walks as strikeouts. The East Carolina product is a .266/.334/.358 hitter over parts of five Triple-A campaigns.

While the Royals have added some infield experience, they’re losing a bit of catching depth. Jakson Reetz is opting out of his minor league deal, reports MLBTR’s Steve Adams (Twitter link). The righty-hitting backstop played in two big league contests with the Nationals back in 2021. He’s been in Omaha this year, putting together a quality .274/.349/.526 slash through 106 trips to the dish.

White Sox Place Mike Clevinger On Injured List

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The White Sox placed starter Mike Clevinger on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 15, due to biceps inflammation. Jesse Scholtens was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte to replace him on the MLB roster.

Clevinger came out of Wednesday’s start once the biceps pain first developed. The right-hander acknowledged the injury “kind of scared” him at first, but he told reporters last night an MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage in his elbow or shoulder (via Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times). While the inflammation is still enough to keep him out for at least a few weeks, that everything is structurally intact offers hope he’ll avoid a long-term absence.

The Sox signed Clevinger to a one-year, $12MM free agent deal last offseason. They were hoping he’d more closely resemble the upper mid-rotation form he’d shown in Cleveland, but Clevinger has turned in similar back-of-the-rotation results as he had with San Diego last year. His 3.88 ERA over 12 starts belies a below-average 19.3% strikeout rate and slightly elevated 9.5% walk percentage. This season’s 9.2% swinging strike rate is the lowest of his career.

While that’s not the most exciting production, there’s value in stable back-of-the-rotation innings. That’s particularly true for a Chicago team with questionable rotation depth. The Sox had remarkably avoided an injury to any of their top five starters until now, but sixth starter Davis Martin is down for the year with Tommy John surgery.

Scholtens could be the top depth option. Manager Pedro Grifol said this evening he’s tentatively penciled in for Monday’s start against the Rangers while leaving open the possibility of deploying him out of the bullpen this weekend instead (Van Schouwen link). Scholtens made a spot start earlier this season. He’s pitched nine times with Charlotte, posting a 4.44 ERA in 46 2/3 innings.

How quickly Clevinger returns could be relevant to the trade market. The 30-40 White Sox are reluctant to deal players under club control beyond 2023. Clevinger, though, is more or less a rental. His contract contains a $12MM mutual option for next season, though those are almost always bought out by one side. He’s likely to collect a $4MM buyout and hit free agency at year’s end. If Clevinger is back on the diamond and the Sox haven’t closed the gap in a still winnable AL Central, he’d be a straightforward trade candidate.

Mitch Haniger Undergoes Forearm Surgery, Expected To Miss 10 Weeks

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Giants outfielder Mitch Haniger underwent surgery to repair a fractured ulna in his right arm, the club informed reporters (including Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic). The team estimated his return to play at ten weeks.

Haniger could make it back to Oracle Park in September. That it’s not a season-ending injury is the only silver lining to another brutal stroke of injury luck. Haniger lost a couple months last season to a high ankle sprain and had his entire 2020 campaign wiped out by core surgeries after fouling a ball off his groin. He opened this season on the injured list with an oblique strain and played only 40 games before breaking his arm on a Jack Flaherty pitch on Tuesday.

San Francisco placed Haniger on the 10-day IL on Wednesday. He’ll get moved to the 60-day IL once the club needs a spot on the 40-man roster. The Giants promoted Luis Matos to make his MLB debut with Haniger out, pushing Mike Yastrzemski from center field to a corner.

Haniger is in the first season of a three-year, $43.5MM deal. He has struggled over 160 trips to the plate, hitting .230/.281/.372 with four home runs while walking at a career-low 5.6% rate.

Dodgers Place Max Muncy On Injured List

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The Dodgers announced a handful of moves before tonight’s series opener with the Giants. Right-hander Emmet Sheehan was selected to start tonight, as previously reported. Los Angles also recalled infield prospect Michael Busch from Triple-A Oklahoma City. They put Max Muncy on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to June 13, with a left hamstring strain while optioning right-hander Michael Grove to Triple-A.

Muncy has been hobbled by the hamstring for the past few days. He’d hoped to avoid the IL but still isn’t at full strength. Skipper Dave Roberts downplayed real concern, saying the club was confident the power-hitting infielder would be back once first eligible a week from now (relayed by Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic).

Chris Taylor is getting the start at third base tonight. Busch could also factor into that mix as part of his second MLB stint. The former first-round pick got into seven games earlier in the year, hitting .211/.348/.211 over 23 trips to the dish.

Sheehan, on the other hand, is making his big league debut. It’s more than just a spot start for the Boston College product. Roberts said they’re likely to give Sheehan a couple turns through the rotation with Grove heading to the minors (relayed by Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). Grove has had a tough go this season, allowing an 8.10 ERA over 30 innings across seven appearances.

Royals Recall Samad Taylor For MLB Debut

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The Royals recalled utility player Samad Taylor from Triple-A Omaha this afternoon. Nate Eaton was optioned in a corresponding move.

Taylor, acquired from the Blue Jays as part of last summer’s Whit Merrifield swap, is in the big leagues for the first time. The 24-year-old was added to Kansas City’s 40-man roster last offseason to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. He’s spent this entire season on optional assignment to Omaha. The righty-swinging Taylor has had an excellent start for the Storm Chasers, hitting .304/.409/.463 in 62 games. He’s walking at a huge 14.1% clip against a solid 19.6% strikeout rate.

Listed at 5’8″, Taylor doesn’t have huge power. He’s an up-the-middle defender who has split his time between second base and center field. Taylor also has plus speed and has already stolen 34 bags in Triple-A this year. He’s not in tonight’s starting lineup against the Angels but could factor in off the bench.

Pirates Select Carmen Mlodzinski

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The Pirates announced they’ve selected right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski onto the major league roster. Lefty reliever Rob Zastryzny is headed to the 15-day injured list with forearm inflammation. The Bucs already had two vacancies on the 40-man roster, so no further move was necessary.

Mlodzinski, 24, gets to the big leagues for the first time. A high-profile prospect at the University of South Carolina, he went 31st overall in the 2020 draft. Mlodzinski entered pro ball as a starting pitching prospect and remained in the rotation up through Double-A. He’s moved full-time to relief this season, his first extended run with Triple-A Indianapolis.

The 6’2″ hurler has impressed in his new bullpen role. Over 25 2/3 innings across 19 outings, he has a 3.16 ERA. He’s striking out 27.2% of opponents against a slightly high but tolerable 9.6% walk percentage. Baseball America recently ranked him the #20 talent in a strong Pittsburgh farm system, crediting him with a well-rounded three-pitch arsenal.

Mlodzinski would’ve been eligible for the Rule 5 draft if not added to the 40-man roster next offseason. He broke through a little sooner than roster mechanizations required with his solid few months in Triple-A. He’ll take the bullpen spot vacated by Zastryzny, who has made 18 appearances with a 5.29 ERA on the year.

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