Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for July 2023

Cardinals Select Taylor Motter

By | at

The Cardinals announced this morning that the club had selected the contract of infielder Taylor Motter. Infielder Jose Fermin was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Motter on the active roster while the club granted right-hander Jake Walsh his unconditional release, a move that opened a 40-man roster spot for Motter.

A 17th-round selection by the Rays in the 2011 draft, the 33 year old Motter has played for seven MLB clubs since making his debut with Tampa back in 2016. Motter has never hit well at the big league level, with a career .191/.263/.309 slash line in 468 career plate appearances. That being said, the veteran journeyman does offer a great deal of versatility. Across his six seasons in the big leagues, Motter has appeared at every position on the diamond except for center field and catcher. He’s even taken the mound previously in his career, with 1 1/3 innings of work to his name as a pitcher.

With Motter seemingly poised to take over as the club’s big league utility option in the infield, Fermin is headed back to Triple-A. The 24-year-old rookie made his big league debut with the Cardinals earlier this month, though it hasn’t gone well to this point. In five games with the big league club, Fermin has slashed just .091/.167/.091 while chipping in at both second and third base. Fermin, who came to St. Louis in a cash deal with the Guardians last November, has an uninspiring career slash line of .216/.337/.338 at the Triple-A level, though he’s still a potentially valuable utility option given his solid glove all around the infield.

Making room for Motter on the 40-man roster is Walsh, a 16th-round pick by the Cardinals in the 2017 draft. Walsh, 28, made his MLB debut for the Cardinals last year, allowing four runs on three hits and two walks while striking out five in 2 2/3 innings of work. That difficult start to his big league career seems to have carried over into his performance at the Triple-A level, where he’s posted a 5.28 ERA in 30 2/3 innings of work this season.

In addition to Walsh’s struggles at the big league level, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat indicates that health may have been a factor in the club’s decision to release Walsh, as the right-hander had just been placed on the minor league injured list with a nerve issue in his arm. Now on the open market, Walsh figures to look for a new club with whom he can rehab his current injury and attempt to work his way back to the majors.

Yankees Notes: Outfield, Judge, Loaisiga

By | at

The Yankees shuffled their outfield mix today, optioning Oswaldo Cabrera and Franchy Cordero to the Triple-A while activating Greg Allen and Jake Bauers from the 10-day injured list. Bauers has been out since the beginning of the month with a rotator cuff contusion, while Allen has been on the shelf since early June with a strained right hip flexor.

The club is surely hoping the duo can help revitalize a beleaguered Yankees offense that has delivered a wRC+ of just 84 that ranks bottom four in the majors since star slugger Aaron Judge went on the injured list back in June. In 49 games this season, Bauers has slashed .224/.312/.470 with a solid wRC+ of 114 despite a strikeout rate nearing 30% thanks to a fantastic .246 ISO. Allen, meanwhile got into just 10 games with the Yankees before his trip to the IL. While he posted an excellent wRC+ of 138 during that limited time, a 41.2% strikeout rate and measly .162 xwOBA indicate that production is unsustainable. Nonetheless, Allen can nonetheless provide the Yankees with a switch-hitting outfielder with speed and quality defense off the bench.

The return of Bauers in particular could help provide the club’s lineup with a boost prior to the August 1 trade deadline, which is just over a week away. That being said, it goes without saying that the Yankees are going to need their $360MM man back to have any hope of turning around a season that’s seen them sink to fourth pace in the AL East despite a decent 52-47 record. To that end, the fans received good news today as Judge took live batting practice this morning from right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga, as relayed by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Judge had previously been reported as “close” to a return, but today’s exercise represents an additional step forward as he works his way back from the torn toe ligament that has kept him out of the lineup for nearly two months.

Loaisiga, himself, has been out for nearly three months since undergoing elbow surgery to remove a bone spur back in May. That he’s progressed to the point of facing live hitting represents a step forward in the rehab process for him, as well. The next step for Loaisiga appears to be a rehab assignment, which The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner relays could begin next weekend, per manager Aaron Boone. Despite the Yankees sporting an MLB-best bullpen ERA of 3.21 this season, a healthy and effective return from Loasigia, who sports a 3.04 ERA and 3.31 FIP in 145 innings of work since the beginning of the 2020 campaign, could provide a major boost to the Yankees down the stretch.

Nationals Sign Nash Walters To Minors Deal

By | at

The Nationals added to their bullpen depth earlier this week, signing right-hander Nash Walters to a minor league deal (h/t to TalkNats). Walters has been assigned to club’s Double-A affiliate in Harrisburg.

Originally drafted in the third round of the 2015 draft by the Brewers, Walters was initially slowed in his development by Tommy John surgery in 2017 and 2020’s cancelled minor league season. He made his full-season debut in 2021 and quickly advanced through the minor leagues, reaching Triple-A with the Brewers in 2022. Walters was shipped to Anaheim in a cash deal with the Angels that September and made his big league debut in the club’s final game of 2022 against the A’s. He recorded a single out while allowing a hit and a walk in his big league debut.

Walters was non-tendered by the club last November, and while he initially re-signed on a minor league deal the following month, the Angels released him just before Opening Day. That led Walters to sign on with the White Sox on a minor league deal towards the end of April. He struggled considerably for Chicago in the minors, with a brutal 9.64 ERA in 28 innings of work. While Walters was struggling badly in terms of run prevention results, his strong 31.9% strikeout rate seemingly caught the interest of Nationals after the White Sox released him earlier this month.

Now in his fourth organization of the past calendar year, Walters will look to get his run prevention numbers in line with his tantalizing stuff at the Double-A level for the Nationals. If he manages to do so, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Walters contribute at the big league level later this season, particularly if the coming trade deadline on August 1 opens up space in the Nationals’ bullpen.

Braves Select Daysbel Hernandez

By | at

The Braves announced a series of roster moves this morning as they selected right-hander Daysbel Hernandez to the active roster. In a corresponding move, right-hander Jesse Chavez was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Right-hander Allan Winans was optioned to Triple-A following last night’s game, so there was already space for Hernandez on the active roster.

Hernandez’s first appearance will be his big league debut. After playing in Cuba as a teenager, the right-hander began his affiliated career in 2018 as a reliever with a 4.50 ERA in 38 innings between Single-A and High-A with the Braves. He then returned to High-A in 2019 and dominated the level to the tune of a 1.71 ERA in 52 2/3 innings of work. In 2021, Hernandez reached the upper-minors with a strong performance at Double-A though he struggled badly in 9 2/3 innings at Triple-A to end the season, posting a 7.45 ERA. He missed the entire 2022 campaign due to injury but returned earlier this season and has posted 16 2/3 scoreless innings between the Double-A and Triple-A levels complete with a whopping 44% strikeout rate.

That phenomenal performance was enough for the club to add the 26-year-old hurler to a bullpen that sports an NL-best 3.53 ERA in 2023. While the club’s relief corps has certainly been impressive to this point, only five NL clubs have leaned on their bullpen more heavily to this point in the season than the Braves, who have gotten 352 innings out of their relievers so far. Between that workload and injuries to key players like Chavez, A.J. Minter, and Nick Anderson, it’s certainly feasible that Hernandez could provide a boost to the club’s bullpen going forward. Given his overpowering stuff and impressive numbers in the minors this year, there’s a chance he’ll factor into the club’s late inning mix alongside the likes of Kirby Yates and Collin McHugh ahead of closer Raisel Iglesias.

Making room for Hernandez on the 40-man roster is Chavez, who now won’t be eligible to return from the IL until mid-August. A veteran in his sixteenth big league season who will celebrate his 40th birthday next month, Chavez has managed to have a late-career renaissance out of the bullpen in recent years, with a 3.46 ERA that’s 33% better than league average by measure of ERA+ in 322 innings of work since the start of the 2018 season. He’s been particularly excellent with Atlanta over the past two seasons, with a sterling 2.30 ERA in 82 innings of work for the club.

As for Winans, the 27-year-old righty had a solid if uneven big league debut for the Braves last night. In 4 1/3 innings of work, Winans allowed two runs on five hits but struck out five while walking just one. Winans could be in the mix for a spot start alongside the likes of Dylan Dodd, Jared Shuster, and AJ Smith-Shawver the next time the club requires one, though with two off-days this week and left-hander Max Fried on a rehab assignment at Triple-A, the club may not need to deep into their rotation depth for some time.

A’s Shut Richard Lovelady Down For Season

By | at

The A’s will play out the remainder of the 2023 campaign without left-hander Richard Lovelady. MLB.com relays manager Mark Kotsay’s comments to reporters yesterday, which indicated that Lovelady would not return in 2023. MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos adds that while Kotsay did not have the full details of Lovelady’s visit with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache, though the club’s medical staff noted that Lovelady is dealing with a strain of the pronator muscle in his left forearm. Lovelady had previously been placed on the 15-day injured list earlier this month with a left forearm strain. No timetable for Lovelady’s return was provided, leaving it unclear as to whether the lefty will be ready for Spring Training next year.

Lovelady made his debut with the Royals back in 2019 and spent parts of three seasons in the club’s bullpen. He struggled badly to a 7.71 ERA in 21 innings of work between 2019 and 2020, though in 2021 he began to look like a valuable relief option with a 3.48 ERA, 3.85 FIP, and a 27.4% strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 7.1%. Unfortunately for the lefty, he would require Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2021 campaign and missed the entire 2022 season while rehabbing.

The Royals moved on from Lovelady prior to the 2023 season by shipping him to Atlanta in a cash deal on Opening Day. Lovelady struggled at the start of the season with the Braves, giving up four runs in five innings of work while striking out just 18.2% of batters faced. The Braves then attempted to pass Lovelady through waivers in mid-April, prompting Oakland to swoop in and claim the southpaw. In 23 1/3 innings of work with the A’s this year, Lovelady posted a slightly below average 4.63 ERA with a 4.58 FIP, though he struck out 25% of batters faced. Those undesirable run prevention numbers were primarily due to an elevated 10.4% walk rate and an unusually low 63% strand rate.

Going forward, the A’s seem poised to rely on Sam Moll and Sam Long as their primary left-handed options out of the bullpen. Kirby Snead is also on the 40-man roster, while Garrett Williams and the newly-acquired Easton Lucas are both additional lefty options available to the Oakland relief corps as they look to finish out the remainder of the 2023 campaign without Lovelady, who the A’s control through the end of the 2027 campaign.

Giants Interested In Justin Verlander

By | at

With the Giants in pursuit of at least a wild card berth and maybe the NL West crown, San Francisco is looking to make some additions at the trade deadline.  At least one of those possibilities is a big name, as MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (Twitter link) reports that the Giants are one of the clubs interested if Justin Verlander opts to waive his no-trade clause to join another team.

The 45-51 Mets are 6.5 games behind the Phillies for the final NL wild card slot, and four other teams sit between Philadelphia and New York in the wild card standings.  While the Mets have a 9-5 record thus far in July, they may already be in too deep a hole to mount a serious charge at the postseason, and it looks like the club will be sellers in some respect at the deadline barring a big winning streak between now and August 1.  Given the Mets’ record payroll, they might well wait until close to the last minute before the deadline to determine the extent (if at all) of their selloff, as the Amazins might only look to move pending free agents, or they could make a more significant move in dealing a controlled asset like Verlander.

One of the top players available in the 2022-23 offseason, Verlander signed a two-year, $86.66MM deal to join the Mets, and the contract also contains a $35MM vesting option for 2025 (Verlander gets that $35MM player option if he tosses at least 140 innings in 2024).  A teres major strain near the end of Spring Training delayed Verlander’s Mets debut until May 4, and while there was some rust over his first month of action, Verlander has more recently started to display his usual form.  The right-hander has a 1.74 ERA over his last five starts and 31 innings, though his strikeout rate (20.8%) and walk rate (10.4%) haven’t yet normalized.

These numbers, the large salary, and Verlander’s age (40) stand out as red flags for a possible trade suitors, though these concerns are also perhaps simply outweighed by Verlander’s incredible track record.  It was just last season that Verlander won the AL Cy Young Award and helped lead the Astros to a World Series title, and even his recent outings suggest that he has plenty left in the tank.  An argument can also be made that Verlander might benefit from a change of scenery, with the ideal scenario being his last stint as a trade candidate.  Verlander was already pitching well for the Tigers in 2017 but his performance was kicked into a higher gear when Detroit moved him to Houston on August 31, resulting in Verlander playing a big part in the Astros’ first championship.

It is worth noting that Verlander waived a previous no-trade clause in his Tigers contract to accommodate that 2017 deal, though the Astros agreed to waive a $22MM vesting option that was included for the 2020 season.  If Verlander was open to a trade this summer, he might first insist that his potential $35MM in 2025 get turned into a player option right away, without the vesting threshold.  Of course, this is just speculative and Verlander might be willing to waive his no-trade protection entirely to join a contender, but it is an example of the leverage that he holds in whatever trade talks the Mets might explore with other teams.

Even taking on an extra $35MM in 2025 wouldn’t necessarily be an obstacle for the Giants, who don’t have much in the way of long-term payroll commitments on their books.  Acquiring Verlander would also represent a win in the team’s longstanding search to land a face-of-the-franchise superstar, after coming up short on signing Aaron Judge in the offseason and having their deal with Carlos Correa scuttled due to medical concerns.  This isn’t the first time San Francisco has been linked to Verlander, as the Giants were one of the many teams who had scouts attending Verlander’s showcase when he was a free agent in the 2021-22 offseason.

Despite the high price tag of Verlander’s contract, the length of the deal fits the Giants’ general preference for shorter-term contracts, especially for pitchers.  Most of San Francisco’s current rotation consists of veteran starters on two-year or three-year contracts, and since Alex Wood and (pending a club option) Alex Cobb might both free agents this winter, trading for Verlander would provide a top-shelf upgrade both for this year’s playoff run and at least through the 2024 campaign.

Returning to the financial aspect, it is possible that Verlander’s salary might not even be the Giants’ problem, should the Mets agree to pay most or all of his salary in order to land a better prospect return.  This would represent a larger-scale version of the strategy the Mets have already employed in earlier moves this summer (trading Eduardo Escobar to the Angels and temporarily acquiring Chris Flexen from the Mariners), as owner Steve Cohen has no issue in spending big, whether that means acquiring MLB talent or in using the payroll to accommodate the acquisition of premium young talent.  Considering that the Mets still plan to contend in 2024, they would naturally want some big league-ready help if they moved a front-of-the-rotation arm like Verlander.

Notable Draft Signings: 7/22/23

By | at

Here are the latest signings from near the top of the amateur draft board.  For more on these and other prospects, check out the pre-draft rankings and scouting reports from Fangraphs, MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, The Athletic’s Keith Law, and ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel.

  • The Guardians signed first rounder Ralphy Velazquez and second rounder Alex Clemmey earlier this evening, per MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis (Twitter links). Velazquez, a prep catcher from California, was the 23rd overall selection in this year’s draft and signed for $2,500,000. That number clocks in well below the 23rd pick’s slot value of $3,380,900. Velazquez receives universal praise for his power production, though opinions vary on his ability to stick at catcher and his hit tool. Those differences of opinion create some discrepancies in where Velazquez ranks among this class’s draft prospects, with Baseball America ranking him as high as #29 in the class while Fangraphs has him as low as #45. The savings on Velazquez allowed Cleveland to sign Clemmey, a high school pitcher whose #58 overall selection came with a slot value of $1,402,600, to an overslot deal worth $2,300,000. As a left-handed prep prospect with a fastball touching 100 mph, Clemmey’s stuff garners near universal praise, though he also earns widespread questions regarding his command due to an inconsistent delivery. Overall, Clemmey is considered a top-50 prospect in this year’s draft class by most services, though Fangraphs has him as low as #62.

AL West Notes: Mariners, Rendon, Neto, Alvarez

By | at

The Mariners placed outfielder AJ Pollock on the 10-day IL earlier today, with outfielder Taylor Trammell taking his place on the active roster. While Pollock has struggled to a wRC+ of just 51 in 138 plate appearances with Seattle this season, Pollock’s injury further exacerbates an outfield situation that has quickly become a problem for the club. Julio Rodriguez and Teoscar Hernandez are both locked into starting spots in center and right field, respectively, but the absences of Pollock and Jarred Kelenic leave the club scrambling for options to fill out the rest of the club’s outfield mix. First baseman Mike Ford has taken over DH duties on a nearly full-time basis over the past month, while left field is set to be filled by a mix of depth options like Trammell, Dylan Moore, and Cade Marlowe.

To make matters worse for the Mariners, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times relays that, according to manager Scott Servais, Kelenic isn’t expected back until early September. He’ll spend the next 4-6 weeks in a walking boot after kicking a water cooler out of frustration following a ninth-inning strikeout. The incident left Kelenic with a fractured left foot. With so few options available to cover for Kelenic in left field, the Mariners seem poised to look into adding an outfielder ahead of the trade deadline on August 1. The club has previously been connected to Mark Canha of the Mets, though Tommy Pham, Cody Bellinger, and Lane Thomas are other outfielders who could potentially move prior to the deadline.

More from the AL West…

  • Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon recently underwent an MRI that revealed a deep bone bruise in his shin, as noted by Doug Padilla of the Orange County Register. Rendon has been out since the beginning of the month with a shin contusion, though the injury is more serious than initially believed. Manager Phil Nevin explained the situation to reporters (including Padilla), saying that “There’s some significant bleeding inside the bone. This is more significant than we actually thought… We’re going to have to calm him down for a little while.” Nevin didn’t offer a new timetable for return, though MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger indicates that Rendon will be shut down for at least two more weeks.
  • Sticking with the Angels, shortstop Zach Neto was scratched from today’s game against the Pirates due to lower back tightness, per Padilla. Andrew Velazquez replaced Neto in the lineup at shortstop today. Padilla noted that Neto was willing to play through the discomfort, but the Angels decided to act cautiously and rest him. Padilla adds that the club is considering sitting him again for tomorrow’s game in order to give him a three day period to rest in conjunction with Monday’s off-day, though Bollinger adds that the club is hoping the issue is minor enough he’ll be back in the lineup tomorrow, per Nevin. The club’s first round pick in last year’s draft, Neto has impressed by not only advancing to the majors in his first professional season but providing solid production with a 110 wRC+ combined with strong defense at shortstop.
  • Slugger Yordan Alvarez appears to be nearing a return to the Astros, as he has begun a rehab assignment with the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Sugar Land. Alvarez was expected to begin his rehab assignment last week, but did not appear in a game at Triple-A until this past Wednesday. He’s now appeared in three rehab games, and while it’s unclear when he’ll return to the big league club, his upcoming return is sure to boost the club’s lineup. While he’s been limited to just 57 games this season due to injuries, Alvarez has slashed an incredible .277/.388/.589 with a wRC+ of 167. With Alvarez on the shelf, Corey Julks has been the club’s primary DH in recent weeks.

Blue Jays Sign Gabe Klobosits To Minors Deal

By | at

The Blue Jays have signed right-hander Gabe Klobosits to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.

A 36th round pick by the Nationals in the 2017 draft, Klobosits worked his way through the club’s minor league system until 2021, when he dominated the minors with a 1.64 ERA in 38 1/3 innings of work between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Those strong numbers led Washington to call Klobosits up to the big leagues. The then-26-year-old hurler struggled in his cup of coffee, however, posting a 5.56 ERA in 11 1/3 innings of work.

That weak performance in the majors led the Nationals to designate Klobosits for assignment prior to the start of the 2021 campaign. Klobosits was claimed off waivers by Oakland, with whom he started the season at Triple-A, though his struggles from his major league debut carried into his time with the A’s as he posted a brutal 7.59 ERA in 10 1/3 innings with the club’s affiliate in Las Vegas before the club released Klobosits in June of last year.

Klobosits has spent the first half of the 2023 campaign outside of affiliated ball, pitching for the Atlantic League’s Gastonia Honey Hunters. In 8 innings of work with the Honey Hunters, Klobosits has posted a strong 1.13 ERA in eight innings of work, with Feinsand noting that he’s touched 98 mph on the radar gun during his time in Gastonia.

Now 28, the right-hander is poised to get another shot in affiliated ball with the Blue Jays. The club has a deep group of relievers in Triple-A on the 40-man roster that includes Genesis Cabrera, Zach Pop, and Thomas Hatch, but if Klobosits can carry his strong appearances in the Atlantic League over to the minors, it’s possible he could crack a deep Toronto bullpen that ranks fifth in the majors with a 3.67 ERA this season.

Central Notes: Cardinals, Twins, Carpenter, Ashby

By | at

The Cardinals saw a pair of high-profile players exit today’s loss to the Cubs due to injury today. Catcher Willson Contreras exited the game in the sixth inning with right hip tightness before third baseman Nolan Arenado exited the game in the ninth inning. Per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat, Contreras felt some soreness in his hip while blocking pitches early in the game that was then aggravated upon running the bases later on, while Arenado fouled a ball off his lower left leg earlier in the game. While he initially stayed in the game, Arenado’s leg began to stiffen up during a lengthy rain delay later in the game, prompting Arenado’s exit. Per MLB.com’s John Denton, Arenado told reporters that he’ll “be fine” on Sunday, indicating he could return to the lineup without missing time. Denton added that Contreras is listed as day-to-day.

Losing either Contreras or Arenado for significant time would be a major blow to the St. Louis. While the club is in fourth place in a weak NL Central division with an abysmal 44-55 record, the club has performed better of late with a solid 17-13 record in their last thirty games. Both Arenado and Contreras have been key pieces in that success. Since that month of play began, Arenado boasts a strong .288/.336/.586 slash line while Contreras has caught fire to the tune of a .373/.472/.653 line in 21 games. If Contreras ends up missing time, the Cardinals figure to rely on youngster Ivan Herrera behind the plate alongside backup Andrew Knizner.

More from around MLB’s central divisions…

  • With Twins infielder Jorge Polanco nearing a return from the injured list, manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) that Polanco would be taking reps at third base during his rehab assignment. The position change, Baldelli explained, is designed to keep second baseman Edouard Julien in the lineup after Polanco’s return. Julien has been a revelation for the Twins in his rookie season, slashing a phenomenal .318/.399/.565 with a wRC+ of 167. With Polanco set to shift to the hot corner, the likes of Donovan Solano and Kyle Farmer figure to see their playing time reduced upon his return.
  • MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter is drawing significant trade interest, but that Detroit is expected to hold onto the lefty slugger. The 25-year-old Carpenter has done nothing but hit since reaching the majors late last season, with a .257/.317/.493 slash line in 312 career plate appearances that’s good for a wRC+ of 125. Carpenter has shown particularly prodigious power, with 17 homers despite only half a season’s worth of trips to the plate. Given his offensive success, it’s hardly a surprise that Morosi notes the Tigers see Carpenter as part of the club’s future. Riley Greene, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning, and Spencer Torkelson are among the other young pieces already in the majors who could be key factors in the club’s eventual return to contention.
  • Brewers lefty Aaron Ashby has yet to pitch in the majors this year after undergoing shoulder surgery back in April, but he’s making progress toward a return at some point this season. MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy relays that Ashby has been on a schedule involving 30-pitch bullpen sessions on Tuesdays and Fridays, and that while there are still hurdles before he can return to game action, he’s expected to head to Arizona next week to continue his rehab. Upon his return, Ashby figures to pitch in out of the bullpen, a role in which he owns a career 3.66 ERA across 39 1/3 innings of work with a 32.5% strikeout rate.
AJAX Loader
Load More Posts

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top