Archives for June 2023

Royals Sign Matt Beaty, Jermaine Palacios To Minor League Deals

By Steve Adams | June 12, 2023 at 12:27pm CDT

The Royals announced Monday that they’ve signed first baseman/outfielder Matt Beaty and infielder Jermaine Palacios to minor league contracts. Both will be active at the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Omaha this week.

Beaty, 30, returns to the Royals after spending all of 2023 spring training with them. The Giants acquired Beaty just prior to the start of the season and carried him on their Opening Day roster, but he was optioned in mid-April and designated for assignment at the end of May. Beaty cleared outright waivers and rejected a minor league assignment in favor of free agency.

The rebuilding Royals have now liked Beaty enough to ink him to a minor league deal twice in the past several months. He’ll rejoin the organization after batting .272/.406/.477 in 129 Triple-A plate appearances with the Giants’ Sacramento affiliate. Notably, Beaty’s return also aligns with some uncertainty regarding first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. The 25-year-old Pasquantino was placed on the injured list due to shoulder soreness over the weekend, and he’s headed for an MRI today. Nick Pratto is likely to step in and take the bulk of the playing time at first base for however long Pasquantino is sidelined, but Beaty gives the Royals another lefty-swinging hitter who can fill a first base/corner outfield/designated hitter role.

Beaty struggled through a miserable showing with the Padres in 2022, though his .093/.170/.163 batting line came in a sample of just 47 plate appearances. It’s understandable enough why the Padres opted to quickly move on, but in 556 prior plate appearances with the Dodgers from 2019-21, he posted a solid .262/.333/.425 batting line.

Even if Pasquantino doesn’t end up missing much time at all, there’s a chance Beaty could play his way onto Kansas City’s big league roster. Veteran outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr. hasn’t hit whatsoever with the Royals, and catching/outfield prospect MJ Melendez has struggled mightily while playing primarily in the outfield. Utilityman Nate Eaton and outfielder Kyle Isbel have also struggled. Veteran corner options like Hunter Dozier and Franmil Reyes, meanwhile, have both been released. At present, Edward Olivares is the only full-time Royals outfielder who’s been at least average at the plate.

As for the 26-year-old Palacios, he was once a well-regarded prospect with the division-rival Twins, who traded him to the Rays in exchange for righty Jake Odorizzi several years ago. Palacios didn’t hit much in the Rays organization and returned to the Twins on a minor league deal prior to the 2021 season. He had a pair of solid minor league seasons in 2021-22 and even made his big league debut with the ’22 Twins. However, in 77 plate appearances he batted just .143/.184/.229.

Palacios hit .283/.341/.462 in 428 Triple-A plate appearances for the Twins a season ago, but he opened the year with the Tigers’ top affiliate and got out to just a .176/.232/.352 start in 138 plate appearances. Detroit released him just last week. He’s a quality defender who, in addition to that strong year with the Twins’ St. Paul affiliate in 2022, posted a huge showing in the Dominican Winter League this offseason (.400/.471/.633 in 138 plate appearances). He can play any of shortstop, second base and third base at an above-average level.

Astros GM: “Versatile” Left-Handed Bat Would Be “Ideal” Deadline Acquisition

By Steve Adams | June 12, 2023 at 11:18am CDT

There’s still seven weeks until this year’s Aug. 1 trade deadline, but teams are beginning to look ahead and identify their preferred areas of upgrade even with plenty of schedule left before that pivotal date. D-backs GM Mike Hazen candidly discussed some of his team’s needs last week, and Astros GM Dana Brown did the same over the weekend in an appearance with Robert Ford on Houston’s Sports Talk 790 AM (audio link). Specifically, Brown called a “versatile” left-handed bat who can play both the infield and outfield an “ideal” addition for his club.

“We’re having meetings about trade, and if we can add a bat, that would be outstanding,” says Brown. “We’re not opposed to adding another arm if it makes sense and if the deal is right, but I really feel like the pitching has carried us for the most part this season. If we can add a bat, that would be exciting. … A left-handed bat would be exciting, but any bat that can hit both sides, that’s actually good too. In terms of position, if you can get a guy that can play multiple positions, that would be great. You could give some guys some time in the outfield, give the first baseman a day, give the DH a day. Having a guy that’s versatile — that would be ideal.”

With Yordan Alvarez and Michael Brantley both on the injured list — Brantley has yet to even play this season — the only left-handed bat in Houston’s lineup is Kyle Tucker. The Astros also have a primarily right-handed bench, with only catcher Cesar Salazar offering a lefty stick. The disparity is plenty apparent when looking at the team’s splits. Astros hitters are batting a strong .260/.326/.437 against lefties in 2023 (111 wRC+, 10th in MLB) but have a .241/.310/.382 output against righties (94 wRC+, 18th in MLB).

Given the seven weeks remaining between now and the deadline, it’s impossible to say exactly who’ll be available that fits that description, though there are some names who seem likelier than others. For example, assuming he’s back from the injured list and at full strength by that time, former NL MVP Cody Bellinger could fit the bill. The Cubs are currently nine games under .500, and Bellinger is playing on a one-year contract.

More controllable names who speculatively meet that criteria include A’s slugger Seth Brown (controlled through 2026), Tigers utilityman Zach McKinstry (through 2027) and Jays infielder/outfielder Cavan Biggio (through 2025). Oakland’s Brown missed more than a month with an oblique strain and hasn’t gotten going so far in 2023, but he’s a career .240/.311/.483 hitter against righties. He can play first base and all three outfield spots, and the A’s are of course open to trading just about anyone. The Biggio name is royalty in Houston, but the versatile 28-year-old has been relegated to a seldom-used bench role in Toronto that leaves both him and the organization in a tough spot. The Tigers probably plan to keep McKinstry around given those additional four years of control, but they’ve lost nine straight and are now 11 games under .500, so there’s likely not much to which they’ll be completely closed off. If the Giants dip out of the race, LaMonte Wade Jr. would fit this bill perfectly, but San Francisco is only a half-game back from an NL Wild Card spot for the time being.

Of course, we’re still likely weeks away from serious trade talks percolating. Deals of significance in June are rare (albeit not unprecedented), making July a far likelier timetable for trade activity to pick up in earnest — particularly after the All-Star Game and MLB Draft are completed. As things stand, the Astros aren’t yet even fully sure as to when they can expect Alvarez and Brantley back. That pair of timetables will surely impact the urgency of this pursuit, but even with both at full strength, there’s plenty of room for Houston to add a lefty bat to manager Dusty Baker’s collection of hitters.

Pirates Outright Chase De Jong

By Steve Adams | June 12, 2023 at 10:15am CDT

Pirates righty Chase De Jong went unclaimed on outright waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. De Jong has been previously outrighted in his career, so he has the right to reject that assignment in favor of free agency.

De Jong, 29, was outstanding in Pittsburgh last season but has been unable to replicate his success in 2023. The journeyman right-hander delivered 71 2/3 frames of 2.64 ERA ball a year ago but has thus far been rocked for 17 earned runs in just 11 1/3 innings. De Jong’s 20.1% strikeout rate in 2022 was already below average, but that number has plummeted to 11.7% in this year’s smaller sample. He’s missed fewer bats while continuing to struggle with free passes, and opponents in 2023 have already tagged him for six home runs in just 60 plate appearances.

This is De Jong’s second DFA of the season in Pittsburgh. He had the right to reject an outright assignment last time around as well but opted to accept an assignment to Indianapolis after clearing waivers. He’s pitched 10 1/3 frames in Indy, recording a much sharper 1.74 ERA with a 22.9% strikeout that’s more than double his big league rate but also an alarming 16.9% walk rate. De Jong has a 5.42 ERA in 181 Major League innings and a similar 5.51 ERA in 217 1/3 Triple-A frames. That career ERA in Triple-A is skewed by some earlier struggles; he has a 2.70 mark there in 43 1/3 innings across the past three seasons.

Submit Your Questions For The MLB Trade Rumors Podcast!

By Darragh McDonald | June 12, 2023 at 8:52am CDT

On the MLB Trade Rumors podcast, we’ll often answer questions submitted by our readers. With the next episode due Wednesday morning, we’re looking for MLBTR readers to submit their questions and we’ll pick a few to answer.

If there’s anything you’d like to get our thoughts on, then please send your questions to mlbtrpod@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!

In the meantime, don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

The Opener: A’s, Pasquantino, Rangers, Angels

By Nick Deeds | June 12, 2023 at 8:46am CDT

As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Nevada legislature resumes discussions:

The bill in Nevada’s state legislature that would provide $380MM in public money to fund a stadium in Las Vegas for the A’s was put on hold last week when the legislature adjourned Thursday night. As noted by Jacob Solis, Tabitha Mueller, and Sean Golonka of The Nevada Independent, that adjournment is set to end today, allowing negotiations on the stadium bill to begin once again.

The ongoing special session was called by Governor Joe Lombardo, though members of the legislature have become frustrated by the lack of amendments to the bill since the end of the legislature’s regular session on June 5. Amendments that have been suggested include ensuring the A’s home games are not exempt from the state’s 9% Live Entertainment Tax and requiring the A’s to match their past donation commitments to California food banks with similar commitments in Nevada.

2. Pasquantino to undergo MRI:

Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino recently landed on the injured list due to shoulder soreness, which MLB.com’s Anne Rogers notes has similarities to an injury that kept him out of action for three weeks last season. While he’ll undergo an MRI today to get a clearer idea of the injury’s specifics, Pasquantino himself noted that his shoulder feels “pretty much the same” as it did during last season’s injury. The 25-year-old is one of just five above average hitters for the Royals this season by measure of wRC+. While Pasquantino is on the shelf, Nick Pratto figures to move from the outfield back to his natural position, first base.

3. Rangers vs. Angels Series Preview:

The Rangers and Angels begin a four-game set today that could have major implications in the race for the AL West crown. As things stand, the Rangers have a commanding lead in the division, with a five-game lead over the second-place Astros and a six-and-a-half-game lead over the third-place Angels. That said, the Angels appear to be the hot hand at the moment. The club has won six of their last seven as they arrive in Texas, where the Rangers are coming off a difficult series loss to the AL-leading Rays.

Tonight’s game will begin at 7:05pm CT when Angels lefty Tyler Anderson, who has struggled to a 5.62 ERA in 57 2/3 innings this season, takes the mound against Rangers right-hander Dane Dunning, who was excellent in a bullpen role before joining the rotation and posting a 2.97 ERA and 4.02 FIP across six starts. Looking to the rest of the series, Angels righty Jaime Barria will take on Rangers righty Jon Gray in Game 2. Game 3 will see a duel between lefties Reid Detmers and Andrew Heaney. Game 4 will see a pitching duel between each team’s top starter: Shohei Ohtani and Nathan Eovaldi.

Steve Cohen “Frustrated” But Won’t Be “Reactionary” To Mets’ Slow Start

By Mark Polishuk | June 11, 2023 at 11:06pm CDT

After snapping a seven-game losing streak on Saturday, the Mets couldn’t remain in the win column today, dropping a 2-1 result to the Pirates. The loss dropped New York’s record to 31-35, putting them in fourth place in the NL East and 9.5 games behind the first-place Braves. The crowded NL standings mean that the Mets are only 3.5 games back of a wild card berth, yet obviously the Mets didn’t expect to find themselves in such a middling position after winning 101 games in 2022 and then augmenting their roster with a blockbuster offseason.

Since owner Steve Cohen has been so aggressive in his spending to make the Mets into a World Series contender, there has been a lot of speculation over whether or not Cohen’s desire to win could now manifest itself in managerial or front office changes in response to the Mets’ slow start. However, as Cohen indicated to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, such changes don’t appear to be in the works, nor is he planning to “blow up” just to express public frustration.

“The reality is it’s not going to solve our problems,” Cohen said. “And I think in some ways it can be demotivating….I think that’s the worst thing you can do is to be overly reactionary. General fan reaction, it’s usually, ’I can’t believe Steve’s not going nuts, fire somebody.’ My answer to that is, ’OK, let’s say I went nuts. Let’s say I fired somebody. Then what?’ What does that accomplish? Who are you gonna replace them with? This is the middle of the season. And then if you actually ask people [who are the replacements], they have no answers, other than they’re just angry, and I get that. I’m frustrated too.”

While this isn’t exactly a clear vote of confidence in GM Billy Eppler or manager Buck Showalter, Cohen stated that he isn’t letting “recency bias” dictate his decisions, saying “You’re better off trying to manage through these periods and not throw your entire plans out the window. It’s just not good management, good strategy.” In one of multiple references Cohen made between the Mets and his hedge fund business, Cohen noted that “there are moments where we’ve drawn down really hard for whatever reasons — whether it’s markets, whether it’s something that we did wrong — it doesn’t mean I completely change or let people go. I don’t operate that way. These are challenges. This is management. This is the moment where you get to witness how your management deals with problems.”

Cohen made it clear that he isn’t pleased with the season to date, pointing to both a lack of results from the rotation as well as “mental errors” from the team at large. But, “those are what I would call unforced errors that we can fix and we will because these are good guys who are working hard,” Cohen said, and he feels his pitching staff has too much talent to continue struggling.

“What is the odds this group of pitchers will pitch this way the entire season. Probably unlikely,” Cohen said. “That is why there is reason for optimism in a moment where it looks like the wheels have just come off….These are people who have performed in the past, and you’ve got to believe that it’s fixable. I keep coming back to that: The best indicator of future performance is how they performed in the past. And they have performed consistently well in the past. That gives me optimism for the future.”

The Mets entered Sunday’s action ranked 25th of 30 teams in rotation ERA, as both under-performance and health issues have been pitfalls for the team’s starters. Justin Verlander and Carlos Carrasco each missed significant time on the 15-day injured list, while Max Scherzer has battled some neck soreness and also served a 10-game suspension for use of a foreign substance on his hands while pitching. Jose Quintana has yet to pitch at all this season due to a stress fracture in his ribs suffered during Spring Training, and isn’t expected back until July. Beyond this veteran group, Kodai Senga has pitched well in his first MLB season, but Tylor Megill, David Peterson, and Joey Lucchesi have all struggled.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Mondesi, Mills, Weber, Belt

By Mark Polishuk | June 11, 2023 at 10:27pm CDT

The Red Sox are an even 33-33 after tonight’s win over the Yankees, and they remain 3.5 games behind the Blue Jays just to reach fourth place in the hyper-competitive AL East. Barring a big surge over the next month, the Sox might decide to look ahead to 2024, and the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham notes that the club has a number of interesting trade chips if it did opt to sell. Beyond the multiple players (i.e. Justin Turner, James Paxton, Adam Duvall, Enrique Hernandez) who could be free agents this winter, Abraham writes that the Sox could offer up more controllable options like Kenley Jansen or Chris Martin, who are both under contract for the 2024 season.

Such a decision, of course, would hinge on how the Red Sox are preparing to approach 2024, since naturally a quality closer like Jansen would be expected to play a big role on a would-be contender. In Abraham’s view, Jansen could be “the big prize” of Boston’s likeliest trade chips, given his postseason track record and how many teams are in need of bullpen help. The Red Sox could also see value in selling relatively high on Jansen considering that he turns 36 in September, and that his solid 3.48 ERA is undermined by a 12.8% walk rate that is among the highest of his career. Salary could also be a factor, as Jansen is owed $16MM in 2024.

MLBTR Chat Transcript

By Mark Polishuk | June 11, 2023 at 9:31pm CDT

Click here to read the transcript of this weekend’s live baseball chat

Tigers Notes: Baddoo, Vierling, Manning

By Mark Polishuk | June 11, 2023 at 5:30pm CDT

Akil Baddoo left Friday’s game after injuring his right quad while running out a grounder. The quad strain ended up sending Baddoo to the 10-day injured list, as the Tigers placed the outfielder on the IL Saturday, and the newly-acquired Nick Solak was called up from Triple-A.

It isn’t clear how much time Baddoo could miss, since while Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Rainer Sabin of the Detroit Free Press) that Baddoo will be “out for the foreseeable future,” the quad strain is on the “mild side.” It’s at least good news that Baddoo has apparently avoided a higher degree of strain, even if the IL stint is a setback for the 24-year-old outfielder.

A Rule 5 pick in December 2020, Baddoo had a very impressive rookie season and seemed to be a surprise building block for a Tigers club that appeared to be turning a corner in 2021. However, like virtually every other Detroit hitter, Baddoo took a big step backwards in 2022, hitting only .204/.289/.269 over 225 plate appearances. The 2023 campaign has continued this inconsistency for Baddoo, but he has taken a step forward from last year, hitting .231/.341/.343 over 168 PA.

The surprising Zach McKinstry has moved into everyday duty in the Tigers’ outfield, which has been a bit of a revolving door due to injuries. Austin Meadows has been sidelined since April because of anxiety issues, while Riley Greene is facing an extended absence due to a stress reaction in his left fibula. On the plus side, Kerry Carpenter was activated off the IL earlier this week, and Matt Vierling may also soon be returning for Monday’s game with the Braves.

Lower-back soreness sent Vierling to the injured list on May 29, but it looks like he could miss only slightly beyond the minimum 10 days. Vierling has already played two minor league rehab games and was in Detroit today being evaluated by team doctors. Acquired from the Phillies as part of the Gregory Soto trade in January, Vierling has hit .241/.297/.352 over 175 PA while playing mostly in right field, but he has also gotten some work at the other two outfield slots and even at second and third base.

In other injury news, the Tigers announced that Matt Manning will start an injury rehab assignment today at Triple-A Toledo. It was exactly two months ago today that Manning suffered a fracture in his right foot, and he has since been transferred to the 60-day IL (though that roster move doesn’t impact his potential return date). Manning will certainly need at least a couple of rehab starts after missing so much time, but it seems plausible that he can return to Detroit’s rotation before the end of June.

Guardians Outright Zach Plesac To Triple-A

By Nick Deeds | June 11, 2023 at 3:14pm CDT

TODAY: Plesac accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A after clearing waivers.

JUNE 4: The Guardians have designated right-hander Zach Plesac for assignment, making room on the 40-man roster for right-hander Triston McKenzie to be activated from the 60-day injured list. Plesac had been optioned to Triple-A earlier this month. To make room for McKenzie on the active roster, the club has optioned right-hander Michael Kelly to the Triple-A.

The news brings Plesac’s time as a member of the Guardians to a conclusion that’s surely disappointing for both player and franchise. A twelfth round pick by Cleveland in the 2016 draft, Plesac made his debut in 2019 and began his career on an impressive note, with a solid 3.81 ERA (124 ERA+) in 115 2/3 innings of work.

While Plesac’s 4.94 FIP and strikeout rate of just 18.4% in 2019 both gave plenty of reason for concern, Plesac appeared to take a leap forward during his sophomore season that at the time appeared to cement him as a stalwart of the club’s rotation going forward, even in spite of the fact that he was optioned to the club’s alternate site after violating MLB’s health and safety protocols during the 2020 pandemic season. During the shortened season, Plesac dominated opposing hitters to a 2.28 ERA (196 ERA+) in eight starts, backed up by a solid 3.39 FIP and a greatly improved 27.7% strikeout rate.

Unfortunately, Plesac’s dominance he showcased in 2020 did not last. Plesac’s lack of punch-outs came back in full force in 2021 as he struck out just 16.7% of batters faced, a figure lower than all but five starters with at least 140 innings that season. Consequently, Plesac’s results left plenty to be desired, with a 4.67 ERA that checked in just below league average with a 92 ERA+. When 2022 proved to be more of the same, as Plesac posted an ERA+ of 88 with a strikeout rate of 17.6%, Plesac’s dominant 2020 season quickly began to feel like ancient history.

Still, Plesac managed to secure a spot in the 2023 Opening Day rotation for the Guardians in part due to early injuries to McKenzie and Aaron Civale. That stint in the rotation proved to be disastrous, though, as Plesac posted a ghastly 7.59 ERA across six starts while failing to pitch into the sixth inning in all but one of his appearances. That led the club to option him to Triple-A last month, where he continued to struggle with a 7.56 ERA in 25 innings.

Going forward, the Guardians will have one week to waive or trade Plesac before either assigning him outright to Triple-A or granting him his release. Of course, Plesac has three years of big league service time, giving him the option to reject an outright assignment. That said, he would forgo the remainder of his $2.95MM salary in doing so, making it rather unlikely Plesac decides to test the open market.

Of course, it’s possible things won’t even progress that far. Plesac, as an optionable pitcher who’s still just 28 years old with a history of success int he big leagues, could draw interest from pitching-needy clubs such as the Rockies, Cardinals, or Rays even in spite of his extreme struggles this season.

Plesac’s departure opens the door for McKenzie to make his MLB debut after having the start to his season delayed by a teres major strain. A first-round pick in the 2015 draft by Cleveland, the 25-year-old McKenzie broke out in a big way last season, posting a phenomenal 2.96 ERA (127 ERA+) and 3.59 FIP in 191 1/3 innings with a 25.6% strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 5.9% as the Guardians managed to win the 2022 AL Central crown. McKenzie figures to immediately slot into the top of the club’s rotation alongside Shane Bieber, filling the vacancy left by Cal Quantrill’s placement on the IL earlier this week.

Making room for McKenzie on the active roster is Kelly, who did not make it into a game for the Guardians after being selected to the roster just yesterday. Kelly figures to serve as pitching depth for the Guardians at Triple-A going forward after posting an impressive 1.61 ERA in 22 1/3 innings at the level prior to his brief call-up.

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