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Archives for August 2023

White Sox Designate Brent Honeywell For Assignment

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The White Sox announced Wednesday that they’ve designated right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. for assignment and optioned infielder Zach Remillard to Triple-A Charlotte. Their roster spots will go to righty Edgar Navarro and lefty Sammy Peralta, who’ve both been recalled from Charlotte.

Honeywell, 28, was claimed off waivers from the Padres on Aug. 5 after being designated for assignment in the aftermath of an active deadline in San Diego. He’s since appeared in four games with the Sox, tallying 5 2/3 innings but allowing seven runs on nine hits and three walks with three strikeouts. The former top prospect is out of minor league options, so the Sox opted to designate him for assignment rather than continue to hold out hope for better results.

Once regarded as one of baseball’s most promising minor leaguers, Honeywell has seen his career derailed by a staggering four elbow surgeries — all coming before he turned 28 years old. The former Rays second-rounder was eventually traded to the A’s, for whom he never pitched, before being non-tendered this past offseason. The Padres signed Honeywell to a big league deal in hopes of capitalizing on his once lofty prospect status.

To some extent, the move panned out. Honeywell pitched 46 2/3 innings for the Friars and logged a respectable, if unspectacular 4.05 ERA. That number came in spite of sub-par strikeout and walk rates of 20.6% and 9.8%, however, and Honeywell also served up an average of 1.54 homers per nine innings in San Diego. Fielding-independent metrics cast a less-favorable light on his performance (5.24 FIP, 4.35 SIERA). Things clearly haven’t gone any better in Chicago, and with the trade deadline behind us, Honeywell will be placed on outright waivers or release waivers in the near future.

Honeywell didn’t pitch at all from 2018-20, tossed 86 innings in 2021 and pitched just 20 1/3 innings during the 2022 season. Between the 28 innings he tossed in winter ball over the offseason and the 52 1/3 frames he’s thrown this year, he’s already well north of last year’s workload and approaching the volume he hit in 2021. Honeywell’s career-high innings pitched came back in 2017, when he tossed 136 2/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A in the Rays system.

Tigers Reinstate, Option Spencer Turnbull

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The Tigers reinstated right-hander Spencer Turnbull from the 60-day injured list Wednesday but optioned him to Triple-A Toledo rather than add him to the active roster. He’d been out since early May with a neck injury.

Turnbull, 31 next month, tossed a no-hitter for the Tigers back in 2021 and looked to be in the midst of a breakout season before a torn ulnar collateral ligament necessitated Tommy John surgery. He missed the entire 2022 season while recovering and made just seven starts earlier this season before incurring the neck issue that’s sidelined him for more than three months. He wasn’t effective when on the mound earlier this year, pitching to a 7.26 ERA with diminished sinker velocity — 93.9 mph on average, compared to 95.1 mph pre-surgery —  in just 33 1/3 innings of work. Turnbull’s 16.6% strikeout rate, 10.3% walk rate and 48.5% grounder rate were all considerably worse than the marks he posted in nine starts prior to 2021’s elbow injury.

Things haven’t gone particularly well for the right-hander on his minor league rehab assignment in recent weeks. Since returning to a mound in late July, he’s logged a 6.75 ERA in 21 1/3 innings — albeit with more encouraging strikeout and walk rates of 24.1% and 7.3%, respectively. Still, Turnbull gave up at least two runs in five of his six minor league outings despite averaging less than 3 2/3 innings per appearance. He’ll try to get back on track in Toledo between now and season’s end.

The timing of the optional assignment is critical, as well. Turnbull is six days away from reaching five years of Major League service time — the point at which a player gains the right to refuse an optional assignment to the minor leagues. The Tigers could have conceivably given Turnbull one big league start to see how he fared before making a decision on whether to option him, but even making two starts in the Majors would’ve resulted in him gaining the ability to decline when the team tried to option him. That service time is also worth keeping an eye on for club control purposes; if Turnbull gains even six more days of MLB service this year, he’ll be eligible for free agency following the 2024 season. If he remains in Triple-A, he’d be controllable through the 2025 campaign.

Of course, that assumes Turnbull remains in the team’s plans. He’ll be owed a small raise on this year’s $1.8MM salary in arbitration over the winter, and given the manner in which the season has played out, it can’t be considered a lock that he’ll be tendered a contract. He’d be a low-cost risk for a team in need of pitching depth, so it’d be sensible enough to just commit the $2MM or so to see if he can return to form, but Turnbull was drafted and developed by the preceding front office regime. Time will tell how the new group feels it’s best to proceed.

From 2019-21, Turnbull made 50 starts for Detroit, pitching to a 4.13 ERA with a 21.9% strikeout rate, 9.1% walk rate, 50.3% ground-ball rate and 0.64 HR/9 in 255 frames. He looked to be taking his game to new heights in 2021, pitching 50 innings with a 2.88 ERA, 21.9% strikeout rate, 6% walk rate and 57.2% grounder rate prior to his injury. With Turnbull in Toledo for the time being, the Tigers will rely on Eduardo Rodriguez, Tarik Skubal, Matt Manning, Reese Olson and Alex Faedo in the starting rotation.

Mets To Select Sean Reid-Foley

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Right-hander Sean Reid-Foley is on his way to join the Mets from Triple-A Syracuse, as first reported by Mike Mayer of Metsmerized. He’s not on the 40-man roster, so New York will need to open a spot on the 40-man roster to formally select his contract.

The 27-year-old Reid-Foley is 15 months removed from last year’s Tommy John surgery and has pitched 22 innings of 4.09 ERA ball across three minor league levels as he’s worked back into game shape. That includes a less palatable 4.96 ERA in 16 1/3 Triple-A frames, though the former top prospect has a 3.95 ERA and 42.5% strikeout rate over his past 14 Triple-A appearances (23 strikeouts, 54 batters faced).

Reid-Foley has pitched in parts of five big league seasons, all of them coming with either the Blue Jays or the Mets. In 102 1/3 innings at the MLB level, the former second-round pick (2017) has posted a 4.66 ERA with a solid 23.6% strikeout rate but a bloated 13.7% walk rate. He’s split his time relatively evenly between the bullpen and the rotation, carrying very similar marks in ERA, strikeout rate, walk rate, ground-ball rate and home run rate, regardless of role. Like most pitchers, he’s thrown harder out of the bullpen; last year’s career-high 96 mph average on his fastball in relief was 2.4 mph north of the 93.6 mph he averaged in 2017-18 when working primarily as a starter.

The Mets’ bullpen has been a revolving door since the trade deadline. While veterans Adam Ottavino, Brooks Raley, Drew Smith and Trevor Gott have been constants, but they’ve used a stunning 17 relievers since the trade deadline. The Mets have cycled through journeymen such as Jimmy Yacabonis, Dennis Santana, Tyson Miller, Vinny Nittoli and Adam Kolarek (among others) while trying to patch things together on a thinned out pitching staff. Reid-Foley will become the latest entrant into that relief corps carousel. He’s out of minor league options, so he’ll have to either stick in the bullpen or else quickly be designated for assignment to make way for the next arm.

The Mets haven’t had a starter complete five innings since Kodai Senga tossed seven frames on Saturday. Their bullpen has covered 11 2/3 innings in the past three games alone, so it’s not exactly a surprise to see them bringing in a fresh arm.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: The White Sox Fire Their Front Office, Injured Rays and Prospect Promotion Time

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • With the Reds calling up Noelvi Marte, how do they fit in playing time for all their rookie position players? After keeping Nick Senzel at the deadline, what kind of return could they get for trading him during the offseason? (18:40)
  • Will the Mets pursue any notable free agent pitchers this off season? (24:05)
  • Of the teams that have exceeded the base luxury tax threshold this season, which ones do you see as most likely to dip back below it during this coming offseason? (26:15)

Check out our past episodes!

  • Pete Alonso’s Future, Yankees’ Rotation Troubles and Should the Trade Deadline Be Pushed Back? – listen here
  • The Streaking Mariners, the Struggling Angels and Injured Aces – listen here
  • Trade deadline recap – listen here

The Opener: DeJong, Garcia, Doubleheader

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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. DeJong to join the Giants:

The Giants inked shortstop Paul DeJong to a big league deal yesterday, and MLB.com notes that DeJong’s deal with the club is expected to be made official today, at which point he will formally join the club’s roster. The Giants will need to open a spot on their 40-man and active rosters to accommodate DeJong. The 30-year-old infielder spent his entire professional career with the Cardinals until this year’s trade deadline, when he was flipped to the Blue Jays in the midst of an injury scare for Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette. When Bichette was ready to return after just a couple of weeks on the injured list, the Jays opted to designate DeJong for assignment after he went 3-for-44 at the plate with no walks or extra base hits during his time with the club.

While his numbers in Toronto were brutal, they came in a small sample of less than 50 plate appearances and followed a mostly successful bounceback stint in St. Louis earlier this year. In 306 trips to the plate with the Cardinals this year, DeJong slashed .233/.297/.412. That offensive performance was right around league average by measure of wRC+ (95). Combined with DeJong’s strong glove up the middle, that made him a generally a productive player for the Cardinals this year. If DeJong can regain that form, he should be an asset to a Giants club that’s currently relying on Casey Schmitt and Johan Camargo at shortstop with Brandon Crawford on the injured list.

2. Garcia exits with hamstring strain:

Marlins outfielder Avisail Garcia exited yesterday’s win over the Padres with a left hamstring strain, as noted by MLB.com. While Garcia is expected to undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue, a trip to the injured list seems likely for the 32-year-old veteran, who has dealt with multiple hamstring injuries throughout his career. It’s been a second consecutive miserable season for Garcia, who has slashed a combined .215/.260/.316 in 498 trips to the plate as a member of the Marlins. In addition to that weak performance, Garcia has struggled to stay on the field, as he’s appeared in just 37 games this season thanks to a back injury earlier in the season. With Garcia likely headed to the shelf, a bench spot in Miami could be available for a player such as Garrett Hampson, Xavier Edwards, or Dane Myers.

3. Reds @ Angels Doubleheader:

The Reds and Angels are set to partake in a doubleheader this evening after Monday’s series opener was postponed. The pair of games comes on the heels of a 4-3 win by the Reds last night in Mike Trout’s first game back from the injured list. Game 1, which is scheduled to begin at 3:07pm CT, is slated to feature a pitchers’ duel between left-handed rookie Andrew Abbott (2.99 ERA) and two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani (3.17 ERA). Cincinnati has not announced who will take the ball in game two opposite Angels lefty Reid Detmers (4.93 ERA). Fans who had tickets to Monday’s game can use them to attend tonight’s second game, which is slated to begin at 8:38pm CT. More details can be found here.

White Sox Fire Ken Williams, Rick Hahn

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The White Sox are overhauling their front office. The club announced Tuesday evening that both team president Ken Williams and general manager Rick Hahn have been relieved of their responsibilities.

“This is an incredibly difficult decision for me to make because they are both talented individuals with long-term relationships at the White Sox,” said chairman Jerry Reinsdorf in a pre-prepared statement. “Ken is like a son to me, and I will always consider him a member of my family. I want to personally thank Ken and Rick for all they have done for the Chicago White Sox, winning the 2005 World Series and reaching the postseason multiple times during their tenures. … While we have enjoyed successes as an organization and were optimistic headed into the competitive window of this rebuild, this year has proven very disappointing for us all on many levels.

This has led me to the conclusion that the best decision for the organization moving forward is to make a change in our baseball operations leadership.”

As Reinsdorf indicated, both Williams and Hahn were longtime members of the franchise. The former played for the Sox for a few seasons during the 1980s and rejoined the club when he began a scouting career in 1992. By the second half of the decade, he’d worked his way into the front office and took over as general manager headed into the 2001 season.

Williams spent over a decade leading baseball operations. The Sox hovered around .500 for his first few years at the helm before breaking through with a 99-win campaign in ’05, the second year of Ozzie Guillén’s managerial tenure. They won the AL Central and went on a torrid postseason run, dropping just one of 12 games en route to a sweep of the Astros in the Fall Classic.

It was the Sox’s first championship since 1917, snapping an 87-year drought that stands as the second-longest in MLB history. The White Sox didn’t find consistent success following that title, however. They’d make the playoffs once more in ’08 — losing to the Rays in the Division Series — before Williams ceded more control of daily baseball operations to Hahn after the 2012 campaign.

The White Sox promoted Williams to executive vice president while bringing Hahn up as general manager. The latter was no stranger to the organization himself, having spent a decade in the front office prior to his GM nod. The Sox slumped to a 63-win campaign in 2013. Despite the signing of José Abreu to a $68MM deal that immediately paid off when he won Rookie of the Year in his debut campaign the next season, Chicago remained below .500 through 2016.

They firmly kicked off a rebuild during the 2016-17 offseason. Williams and Hahn orchestrated trades of Chris Sale and Adam Eaton that winter and moved José Quintana the ensuing June. Those deals brought in players like Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López, Yoán Moncada, Michael Kopech, Dylan Cease and Eloy Jiménez to join Abreu, Tim Anderson and international amateur signee Luis Robert as the core of what the club hoped to be a long-term contender.

That group indeed got the Sox back to the playoffs. They qualified for the expanded postseason in 2020 and won 93 games en route to a division title two years ago. Neither team won a playoff round, though, and the organization has stagnated in the year and a half since their division win. Chicago missed the playoffs last season with a .500 record.

The Sox made a bit of an offseason push to try to turn their fortunes last winter, headlined by a $75MM free agent contract for Andrew Benintendi that somewhat remarkably stands as the largest investment in franchise history. Yet the Benintendi signing hasn’t panned out in year one — he’s hitting a slightly below-average .274/.338/.356 in 117 games — and the team as a whole has had a dismal season.

Chicago essentially played their way out of a winnable division within a month, running an 8-21 record through the end of April. The only time they got above .500 was after an Opening Day win. That left the Sox positioned as deadline sellers, moving Giolito, López, Joe Kelly, Lance Lynn, Kendall Graveman, Keynan Middleton and Jake Burger for younger talent. Chicago didn’t fully commit to another teardown — they held onto Cease, Robert and Jiménez — but it nevertheless marked a disappointing admission their prior rebuild hasn’t established the long-term consistency they’d envisioned.

Reinsdorf entrusted Williams and Hahn to oversee their deadline activity but decided to go in a different direction as they look to return to competitiveness. The club’s statement indicated they expect to have a new baseball operations leader in place by the end of the season. There’s no indication they’ll tab anyone to serve as GM on an interim basis, although Bruce Levine of 670 The Score tweets that assistant GMs Chris Getz and Jeremy Haber will retain their positions.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today suggests (on Twitter) that Getz could receive some consideration for the full-time GM job. It’s far too soon to identify any kind of frontrunner and it’s not clear if the White Sox will prioritize an in-house candidate or look outside the organization.

Whomever is tabbed as GM seems likely to work with manager Pedro Grifol; Nightengale tweets that Chicago currently envisions retaining Grifol for a second season. The White Sox hired the former Royals’ catching coach last winter after Tony La Russa stepped down because of health reasons. The start of Grifol’s tenure hasn’t gone particularly smoothly. The club has the third-worst record in the American League at 49-76. Middleton and Lynn took aim at the Sox’s clubhouse culture after being traded elsewhere. Hahn defended Grifol’s leadership at the time, noting that overhauling an organizational culture can take some time.

Grifol and his coaching staff will focus on playing out the final few weeks of the season while Reinsdorf evaluates the franchise’s long-term plan. It’s the biggest front office shakeup for the organization in over two decades, one they hope will set the stage for more sustained success in the coming years.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Giants To Sign Paul DeJong To Major League Contract

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The Giants are signing shortstop Paul DeJong to a major league contract, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. The shortstop was recently designated for assignment by the Blue Jays and his transactions tracker at MLB.com indicates he was released yesterday.

DeJong’s career has been on a downward slope in recent years, with his offensive production declining in each season since his 2017 rookie year. He hit .285/.325/.532 in his first campaign for a wRC+ of 123, indicating he was 23% above league average. The Cards then gave him a six-year, $26MM extension but watched him struggle more and more as time went on. His wRC+ dropped to 103 in 2018, then 101, 87, and 85 in the years after. In 2022, he spent a couple of months on optional assignment and only hit .157/.245/.286 in the majors for a wRC+ of just 55.

He seemed to have turned things around somewhat this year, having hit .233/.297/.412 through 81 games with the Cards. He was striking out in 28.4% of his plate appearances but had popped 13 home runs in that time. His 95 wRC+ indicated he was still a tad below average at the plate overall, but for a shortstop who’s considered an above-average defender, that was a serviceable showing.

With the Cardinals out of contention this year and DeJong in the final guaranteed year of that extension, he was a sensible trade candidate. The Jays found themselves with a sudden need at short just before the deadline when Bo Bichette landed on the IL with a knee injury. They sent minor league pitcher Matt Svanson to the Cards in order to get DeJong as an emergency fill-in for Bichette.

Unfortunately, switching the red bird on his jersey for a blue one coincided with an incredible swoon in his performance. He recorded just three hits in 44 plate appearances for the Jays, all singles, while striking out 18 times and not drawing any walks. When Bichette was reinstated from the injured list, the Jays could have optioned a less-experienced player like Santiago Espinal or Davis Schneider but instead decided to just move on from DeJong.

At the time of the trade, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Cardinals are covering half of DeJong’s remaining salary and the buyouts on two club options. DeJong’s salary is $9MM this year, which left about $3MM to be paid out at the time of the trade and $2MM now. After being released, any club could sign him and pay him just the prorated league minimum, with that amount subtracted from what the other clubs pay.

It seems like the Giants will take that chance on another DeJong bounceback, which is a fairly logical move for them. Their regular shortstop, Brandon Crawford, just landed on the injured list over the weekend due to a left forearm strain. Thairo Estrada is also day-to-day after being hit by a pitch on the hand on Sunday. That leaves veteran utility man Johan Camargo and rookie Casey Schmitt as their healthiest middle infield options at the moment. Camargo has hit .220/.273/.345 since the start of 2019 while Schmitt is hitting .197/.249/.279 through his first 226 plate appearances.

Though DeJong may be inconsistent at the plate, it’s a sensible chance for the Giants to take. If he’s able to get back into decent form, he could certainly be an upgrade over their current options. By getting added to the roster prior to 11:59pm ET on August 31, DeJong will be eligible for the postseason roster as well. The Giants are currently 65-60 and in possession of the final Wild Card spot in the National League.

The club currently has a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move to add DeJong whenever this move becomes official. They will also need a spot for pitching prospect Kyle Harrison, who is reportedly going to be added and start tonight’s game, meaning some further roster moves are coming for the Giants.

Brewers, Cubs Among Teams To Discuss Pete Alonso With Mets Before Deadline

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The Mets’ retool was one of the defining stories of the trade deadline. While it became clear in the weeks approaching August 1 that rentals like Tommy Pham and David Robertson would be on the move, New York’s course of action with Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander remained a mystery until the weekend before the deadline.

In the wake of trading the future Hall of Famers to AL West rivals, Mets’ brass indicated they were prepared to take a step back in 2024 while focusing on the longer-term future. Owner Steve Cohen has expressed his hope the club will be competitive next year but forecast a quieter offseason than the franchise has had in the past two winters.

The club’s less certain intentions for ’24 have raised some questions about Pete Alonso’s future. The three-time All-Star has one more season of arbitration eligibility. Even if the Mets aren’t rebuilding, there’s an argument for them to pick a clear direction regarding Alonso — either by trading him to a clearer contender or working to get an extension wrapped up.

[Related: What Path Should The Mets Pick With Pete Alonso?]

Last week, the New York Post’s Mike Puma wrote the Mets had floated Alonso’s name in trade talks prior to the deadline. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic shines some light on those discussions, reporting that the Brewers and Cubs were among the teams in contact with New York brass. Rosenthal suggests talks between the Mets and Milwaukee had more traction than conversations with the Cubs, though it isn’t clear how close New York got to a deal with any team.

Asked about Rosenthal’s report following the Mets’ loss in Atlanta tonight, Alonso reiterated to reporters that he “(loves) being a Met (and) representing the city of New York” (via Tim Healey of Newsday). The star slugger unsurprisingly didn’t provide specifics about the chances of an extension, noting he “(doesn’t) know what the future holds.”

If the Mets were to seriously consider moving him next offseason, Alonso would quite likely be the best hitter on the trade market. He’s one homer away from reaching 40 for the third time in his four 162-game seasons (and was on a similar pace during the shortened schedule). Alonso’s .224 average and .325 on-base percentage are narrowly career-low marks, though it’s possible his rate production was deflated by injury.

He sprained his left wrist on a hit-by-pitch in June, an injury that was initially expected to cost him three or four weeks. Instead, Alonso returned within 10 days. He hit just .155/.277/.366 between his return and the All-Star Break. Since the Midsummer Classic, he has a characteristically excellent .262/.359/.623 batting line.

Alonso is playing this season on a $14.5MM salary. That figure could push north of $20MM for his final arbitration season. That’s a notable sum but still below market value for an impact bat of Alonso’s ilk. The one year of remaining control would likely prevent the Mets from recouping a Top 50-caliber prospect in a trade, but there’d still be plenty of interest around the league.

Last winter, the Blue Jays shipped Teoscar Hernández to the Mariners before his final arbitration season. Hernández was a bit cheaper than Alonso will be — he eventually lost his hearing and is making $14MM — but wasn’t quite as good a hitter. Over the three seasons preceding the trade, Hernández hit .283/.333/.519. Alonso owns a .256/.341/.523 line going back to 2021 while playing his home games at a more pitcher-friendly environment.

It stands to reason the Mets would look to top the Jays’ return for Hernández. Seattle sent three seasons of club control over an above-average reliever (Erik Swanson) and a minor league pitcher (Adam Macko) whom Baseball America ranked the #10 prospect in the Toronto system after the trade. If another team acquires Alonso over the offseason, they’d be able to make a qualifying offer the following winter to partially backfill some of the prospect value they surrendered.

Each of Milwaukee and Chicago could check back in with the Mets about Alonso’s availability, though they certainly wouldn’t be the only teams with interest. Milwaukee acquired Carlos Santana to man first base down the stretch. He’s an impending free agent, while Rowdy Tellez seems likely to be non-tendered.

The Cubs have used Cody Bellinger and Jeimer Candelario — both of whom are impending free agents — at first base since the deadline. They already parted ways with Eric Hosmer and Trey Mancini earlier in the year. Prospect Matt Mervis is having an excellent season in Triple-A but scuffled in a 25-game MLB debut this summer. Even if the Cubs consider Mervis a likely everyday player going into ’24, they could certainly kick him over to designated hitter to accommodate a player of Alonso’s caliber.

John Curtiss Undergoes Elbow Surgery, Expected To Be Ready For Opening Day

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Mets reliever John Curtiss underwent surgery to remove a loose body from his throwing elbow, the club announced (relayed by Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). He’s expected to be ready for Opening Day next season.

Curtiss was already ruled out for the rest of ’23 when the Mets put him on the 60-day injured list last week. The 30-year-old righty threw 19 2/3 innings through 15 MLB outings. He posted a 4.58 ERA with slightly worse than average strikeout and walk numbers (19.8% and 9.9%, respectively). Curtiss spent a bit more time with Triple-A Syracuse, posting a 7.17 ERA in 21 1/3 innings. His Triple-A strikeout and walk rates were similar to his MLB marks but he surrendered six homers in that minor league look.

New York signed Curtiss to a major league contract on the eve of Opening Day last season. They knew he’d miss the entire year rehabbing from a September ’21 Tommy John procedure. New York triggered a $775K club option to keep him around as a depth reliever for this season, though they presumably envisioned something more closely resembling the 3.45 ERA he posted in 44 1/3 innings two seasons ago.

The Mets can retain Curtiss for two more years via arbitration. Even if he’ll be ready for next spring, he looks like a non-tender candidate since the Mets would have to reinstate him onto the 40-man roster at the start of the offseason. Curtiss exhausted his final option season in 2023; if the Mets tender him a contract, they’d have to carry him on the MLB roster or designate him for assignment.

Nick Lodolo Headed For Second Opinion On Left Leg After Additional Stress Reaction

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Reds starter Nick Lodolo is headed for a second opinion after being diagnosed with another stress reaction in his left tibia, manager David Bell informed the club’s beat (including Mark Sheldon of MLB.com). With less than six weeks remaining in the regular season, it seems possible his year is in jeopardy.

Left leg issues have hampered Lodolo since May. He was placed on the injured list with what the club initially called a calf strain. They later modified the diagnosis to a tibia stress reaction which kept him in a walking boot for upwards of six weeks. He was able to shed the boot by the start of July and begin ramping up with a goal of returning to an MLB mound by late August.

Lodolo had made three minor league rehab starts over the past two weeks. During a Triple-A appearance on Sunday, the issue flared back up. Even if Lodolo can work back from the injury without surgery, he’s obviously no longer in position to return from the injured list this month.

It’s subpar timing for the Reds, to say the least. Cincinnati is half a game back of the Giants and D-Backs for the NL’s final Wild Card spot. They’re in third place in the NL Central, four games behind the division-leading Brewers.

The biggest question is whether their rotation can hold up enough to keep their surprising postseason bid alive. Cincinnati welcomed Hunter Greene back from the 60-day IL over the weekend, but he was tattooed by the Blue Jays in his first start in two months. Andrew Abbott, Brandon Williamson, Graham Ashcraft and Brett Kennedy comprise the rest of the current rotation. Abbott has been excellent, while Ashcraft and Williamson have found their footing in the second half after rough starts. Yet Kennedy is a 29-year-old with 38 2/3 career big league innings, while a recent injury to Ben Lively has further thinned an already tenuous starting staff.

Lodolo had been hit hard in his first seven starts of the season, allowing a 6.29 ERA over 34 1/3 frames. The former #7 overall pick had a strong campaign when healthy a year ago, working to a 3.66 ERA while striking out just under 30% of opposing hitters in his first 19 MLB starts.

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