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Guardians Acquire Kole Calhoun, Place Josh Naylor On Injured List

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3:20pm: Manager Terry Francona tells reporters that an MRI indeed revealed a strained oblique for Naylor (link via Lewis). The team has placed a tentative timetable of three to six weeks on his recovery, but he’ll be evaluated weekly to see if that timeline changes. If it proves to be on the longer end of that recovery window, Naylor would miss the majority of the remaining season.

1:50pm: The Guardians on Friday placed first baseman Josh Naylor and infielder Tyler Freeman on the injured list, tweets Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon-Journal. Cleveland also called up infielder Jose Tena and acquired veteran outfielder Kole Calhoun from the Dodgers in exchange for cash. He’s been selected to the Major League roster. Calhoun was eligible to be traded by virtue of the fact that has not been on a 40-man roster or Major League injured list this season. (You can read more about how to acquire players after the trade deadline here.)

Naylor was scratched from the lineup earlier this week due to an oblique injury and is now sidelined at least 10 days — though even Grade 1 oblique strains can often sideline a player up to a month. The 28-year-old has been enjoying a breakout season, slashing .306/.346/.500 with 15 home runs, 25 doubles and six steals. Naylor looked like a lock to set new career-highs in homers and doubles, topping last season’s respective personal records of 20 and 28. It remains to be seen just how long he’ll be sidelined, but so long as he doesn’t face a lengthy stay on the IL, he still appears in good position to do so. Either way, his excellent production will give him a notable raise over this year’s $3.35MM salary.

Freeman, 24, has yet to receive a chance to settle into a regular role in Cleveland despite long ranking as one of the system’s top prospects. He’s an advanced hitter who’s lacking power but is touted for his excellent contact skills and hit tool. He’s punched out in just 13.8% of his big league plate appearances and is batting .286/.344/.357 in 95 plate appearances this year. The trade of Amed Rosario opened up some additional reps in the Cleveland infield, but Freeman’s shoulder strain will deprive him of further opportunities for the time being.

The veteran Calhoun, 35, was in spring training with the Mariners and has since signed minor league deals with the Yankees and Dodgers. None of those clubs gave the former Angels All-Star a look in the Majors, despite Calhoun doing his best to force the issue. Though he’s struggled to a .208/.269/.343 batting line over the past two big league seasons, Calhoun has posted terrific numbers in Triple-A this season, slashing .297/.376/.530 in 266 plate appearances. He’s swatted nine homers, 17 doubles and five triples — all while walking in just over 10% of his plate appearances and striking out at a lower-than-average 18% clip.

Tena will make his big league debut when he first takes the field. He’s not as touted as some of the Guardians’ other young middle infield but is still a prospect of some note. The 22-year-old had just been bumped up for his Triple-A debut (during which he went 1-for-3 with a double) after hitting .260/.353/.370 in 362 Double-A plate appearances. That stop in Columbus will prove little more than a layover en route to Cleveland. Baseball America ranks Tena 14th among Cleveland prospects, crediting him with an above-average hit tool and speed but below average power. He’s a versatile defender who can capably play any of shortstop, second base or third base.

Mets Claim Tyson Miller

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The Mets claimed right-hander Tyson Miller off waivers from the Dodgers, per announcements from both teams. Miller has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, per the Mets.

Miller, 28, has been a member of the L.A. organization for a bit less than a month. The Dodgers acquired him from the Brewers in a cash transaction in mid-July. Miller made one two-inning appearance a couple weeks later, allowing two runs on three hits. He’s pitched twice with OKC on optional assignment.

The right-hander has appeared for four teams over parts of three big league seasons. He has just 27 innings at the highest level, carrying an even 8.00 ERA. Miller’s underlying marks are well below-average in that limited big league look. He owns a 4.69 ERA over 228 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level. He’s fanned a little more than a quarter of opponents in Triple-A against a slightly elevated 10% walk rate.

Miller is in his final option year, so he can be shuttled between Triple-A Syracuse and Queens for the remainder of the season. The Mets depleted their pitching depth at the trade deadline when they sold off and sent David Robertson, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer to other clubs. Miller will give them a depth option for the remainder of the year. He’s worked primarily out of the bullpen in 2023 but does have experience as a starter under his belt as well.

Placing Miller on waivers cleared a 40-man roster spot for the Dodgers to reinstate Ryan Pepiot from the 60-day injured list and option him to Triple-A. The former top prospect had secured the fifth spot in the starting staff at the end of Spring Training. An oblique strain just before exhibition play wrapped unfortunately dashed that, sending him to the IL for upwards of four months.

The 25-year-old righty has made four rehab appearances with Oklahoma City over the last three weeks. He threw 70 pitches on Monday as he continues to build up to a starting workload. It doesn’t seem the Dodgers feel he’s quite ready to return to MLB action, but his reinstatement suggests he’s not far off.

Twins Claim Jordan Luplow

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The Twins have claimed outfielder Jordan Luplow off waivers from the Blue Jays, reports Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Toronto designated Luplow for assignment prior to the trade deadline. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the Twins moved Brock Stewart from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list.

Luplow adds some balance to a lefty-heavy Minnesota outfield. A right-handed hitter, he’s been a solid power threat against left-handed pitching throughout his career. Luplow owns a .226/.337/.497 slash in 520 MLB plate appearances versus southpaws. He’s been leveraged in a platoon capacity throughout his big league time, only picking up 467 trips to the dish against same-handed arms (and hitting .199/.289/.354).

The bulk of Luplow’s production has come in previous seasons, however. The 29-year-old has barely played at the big league level this year. He’s made seven appearances around a pair of DFAs with the Blue Jays, who’d claimed him from Atlanta during the first week of the year. He’s posted roughly average numbers at Triple-A Buffalo, hitting .239/.341/.438 over 208 plate appearances.

Stewart had been amidst a breakout season that was interrupted by elbow soreness. He went for an MRI this week after experiencing renewed discomfort (relayed by Dan Hayes of the Athletic). It’s unclear how long he’ll be out, though the transfer officially puts him on the shelf until the final week of August.

Phillies Return Noah Song To Red Sox

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The Phillies have returned Rule 5 draft pick Noah Song to the Red Sox, reports WEEI’s Rob Bradford. Philadelphia designated Song for assignment earlier in the week. The teams both announced the move not long after Bradford’s initial report. Boston will not need to add Song to its 40-man roster.

A fourth-round pick back in 2019, Song pitched 17 innings with the Red Sox’ low-A affiliate in his debut effort before entering the Navy to fulfill his requirements as a graduate of the Naval Academy. Song was transferred to the selected naval reserves this year, allowing him to return to baseball — a development that transpired after Philadelphia had selected him in the Rule 5 Draft.

How the 26-year-old Song would get through the season was a fair question, given his lengthy layoff from pitching and his extremely minimal professional experience. The Phillies were high enough on the right-hander to take a chance on carrying him on the big league roster all year — as is required of Rule 5 picks — but a back strain ultimately wound up sidelining the righty for much of the season.

That injury gave the Phillies a month to pitch in the minors on a rehab assignment, but the results weren’t great. In 11 innings between Class-A, Double-A and Triple-A, Song allowed nine runs on 12 hits and 11 walks. He punched out 16 hitters, but there was clearly some understandable rust with regard to his command.

He’ll now head back to the Red Sox organization and pitch in their system with an eye toward an eventual big league debut as a member of the Red Sox. Song was ranked the No. 65 prospect in his draft class by Baseball America, only slipping to the fourth round due to questions surrounding his military status. Now that he’s pitching again, he’ll give the Sox another talented arm who they’ll hope can move quickly through the system.

Mariners Release Kolten Wong

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The Mariners announced Friday that infielder Kolten Wong has cleared waivers and been released. Seattle had designated the veteran second baseman for assignment in the waning hours before the trade deadline.

That DFA officially ended a disappointing Seattle tenure. The M’s acquired Wong from the Brewers last offseason, sending Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro to Milwaukee in a change-of-scenery deal that hasn’t worked for anyone involved. Wong opened the season as the M’s second baseman but played his way to the bench with a career-worst showing.

Over 67 games, the veteran hit .165/.241/.227 with just a pair of home runs. His walk and strikeout numbers each went in the wrong direction, while his rate of hard contact plummeted by ten percentage points. Wong’s bat-to-ball skills and strike zone awareness remained slightly above-average, but he rarely made an impact when he put the ball in play.

While power has never been Wong’s strong suit, he’s topped double-digit homers on five occasions — including each of his two years in Milwaukee. He’s stolen only one base after swiping 17 last season. The Mariners have turned to rookie José Caballero as their primary second baseman of late and acquired left-handed hitting Josh Rojas as a versatile infield piece in the Paul Sewald deal.

Wong’s defense has also dropped over the past couple seasons. A two-time Gold Glove winner, he was one of the sport’s top keystone defenders at his peak. Public defensive metrics rated him well below-average last season, however. Wong said late in the year he’d been playing through a leg issue that sapped some of his mobility. That offered some hope for a defensive rebound that hasn’t really materialized. Wong logged 513 1/3 innings at second base for Seattle. Defensive Runs Saved pegged him five runs below par, while Statcast estimated him one run worse than average.

In the immediate aftermath of Wong’s DFA, reports suggested the Red Sox had engaged the M’s in trade talks. No deal came to fruition by the deadline, making a release an inevitability. Wong long surpassed the five-year service threshold which allows players to refuse a minor league assignment while retaining the guaranteed money on their contract.

Wong is playing on a $10MM option, which the Brewers had exercised before trading him. Seattle took on that money in the deal. He is due around $3.12MM through season’s end. The M’s will pay virtually all of that sum. Any team that signs Wong would owe him the prorated $720K minimum rate for time spent on the big league roster, which comes out of Seattle’s obligations.

Craig Stammen Retires

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The Padres announced Friday that veteran reliever Craig Stammen has retired. The 39-year-old sustained a torn capsule in his right shoulder during spring training and acknowledged at the time that the injury could spell the end of his career. That’s been made official now, as Stammen has been placed on the voluntarily retired list, per the team.

Drafted by the Nationals back in 2005, Stammen quietly put together one of the better careers you’ll see for any 12th-round selection. The veteran was never a hard-throwing strikeout machine armed with the type of power fastball we’re accustomed to seeing from modern relievers, but he nevertheless pitched 13 big league seasons and accrued more than 11 years of Major League service along the way.

Stammen split his entire career between the Nats and Padres, logging 885 innings of 3.66 ERA ball with a 20.1% strikeout rate and 6.4% walk rate. After struggling as a starter in his first two big league seasons, Stammen moved to the bullpen and found a permanent home. He never served as a closer but still collected six saves and piled up 107 holds in his career. After moving to the bullpen for good, the right-hander notched a sharp 3.14 ERA over 508 relief appearances. While he never reached a World Series, he still reached the postseason three times: 2012 and 2014 with the Nats, and 2020 with the Padres.

It’s generally difficult for middle relievers to have this type of staying power at the big league level, particularly as modern front offices gravitate toward younger, harder-throwing players and place increasing emphasis on the bullpen flexibility that comes with optionable arms. That Stammen managed to pile up as many years and innings as he did is a testament to both his consistently strong performances and likely to his status a clubhouse leader in San Diego.

A shoulder injury surely isn’t the way in which the veteran Stammen hoped to put a bow on his fine big league career, but baseball fans — particularly those in San Diego and D.C. — will remember him as a perennially underappreciated arm who played major roles in some very good bullpens throughout a career that saw him earn more than $23MM. Best wishes to Stammen and his family in whatever the next chapter of life holds.

Royals Claim Joe Barlow

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The Royals announced Friday they’ve claimed right-hander Joe Barlow off waivers from the Rangers. He’s been optioned to Triple-A Omaha. The Royals’ 40-man roster is now at 39 players.

Barlow, 27, changes organizations for the first time in his career. Texas selected him in the 11th round of the 2016 draft and called him to the majors five years later. Barlow got strong results out of the Rangers’ bullpen over his first couple seasons, following up a 1.55 ERA rookie showing with a 3.86 mark over 35 appearances last year.

Between his first two seasons, the Utah native worked to a 2.86 ERA across 64 innings. His underlying marks didn’t align with that excellent run prevention. His 21.4% strikeout percentage and 9.7% walk rate were each a touch worse than average. An unsustainably low .193 opponents’ average on balls in play was a big reason for his strong results. Yet Barlow was effective enough to quickly pitch his way up the bullpen hierarchy on subpar Texas clubs. He’d taken over as Chris Woodward’s closer by the end of his rookie season and ultimately locked down 24 saves in 29 attempts over his first couple years.

As Texas pushed firmly into win-now mode last winter, they installed free agent signee Will Smith into a late-inning role. Midseason trades of Aroldis Chapman and Chris Stratton followed. Barlow’s middling peripherals pushed him further down the depth chart. He has spent more time on optional assignment to Triple-A Round Rock than with the big league club this summer. Barlow has worked 9 2/3 innings of five-run ball over 13 MLB appearances, striking out six with two walks. He carries a 4.21 ERA with a 22.9% strikeout rate and 9.2% walk percentage in 25 2/3 Triple-A frames on the year.

Texas designated Barlow for assignment last weekend upon officially acquiring Stratton and Jordan Montgomery from St. Louis. He’s a sensible pickup for a K.C. club that has subtracted Chapman, Scott Barlow and José Cuas in trades over the past five weeks. Joe Barlow is in his first of three minor league option seasons. He won’t be eligible for arbitration until the end of next year at the earliest. With a couple open spots on the 40-man roster, the Royals used their high waiver priority to nab a depth arm with some experience in a high-leverage role and generally solid major league track record.

Rays To Promote Curtis Mead

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The Rays are planning to call up top infield prospect Curtis Mead for his Major League debut today, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. He’ll take the roster spot that was vacated when ace Shane McClanahan was placed on the injured list yesterday. Mead is already on Tampa Bay’s 40-man roster.

Mead, 22, came to the Rays in what originally looked like a minor swap with the Phillies but could end proving impactful for both clubs. Tampa Bay sent lefty Cristopher Sanchez to Philadelphia back in November of 2019, and while he’s has reached the Majors and contributed quite nicely this season (2.66 ERA in nine starts), Mead is widely regarded as one of the game’s most advanced hitting prospects. He checks in at No. 31 on MLB.com’s ranking of the sport’s top 100 prospects and also checks in at No. 67 over at Baseball America and No. 20 at FanGraphs. The Australian-born infielder has spent time at third base, second base and first base throughout his time in the minors, with many scouting reports on him pegging him as a long-term second baseman due to questions about his arm strength at third base.

There’s little questioning Mead’s hit tool, however. He’s punched out in just 12.8% of his plate appearances at Triple-A and just 15.7% of his minor league plate appearances overall. He’s hitting .291/.379/.453 this season, albeit with just three home runs on the year. He’s tacked on 16 doubles and a pair of triples as well, and his impressive 12.8% walk rate couples with that high-end hit tool to drive that strong on-base percentage.

Despite the meager power output in 2023, scouts still give Mead anywhere from above-average (55) to plus (60) raw power on the 20-80 scale. He missed the second half of the 2022 season with an elbow strain and he also missed time earlier this year after being plunked on the wrist. It’s quite possible those injuries have tamped down his power somewhat this year; he swatted 13 home runs in 331 plate appearances last season before hitting the injured list.

FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen calls Mead “one of the more dangerous hitters in the minor leagues,” touting his simple swing, his all-fields power and a rapidly improving approach at the plate that makes him a more complete hitter. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com credit him with a hefty 65-grade hit tool on the 20-80 scale and peg him for an eventual 20 to 25 home runs on an annual basis. Baseball America is even higher on the offensive profile, tabbing him with a 70 hit tool and projecting 25-plus homers per year. All three outlets raise concerns about his throwing strength and his eventual position, but there’s a strong consensus that Mead’s bat will make him a productive everyday player regardless.

As with just about any Rays prospect, Mead’s exact role with the big league team probably will be difficult to peg. Tampa Bay has Yandy Diaz at first base, Brandon Lowe at second base and Isaac Paredes enjoying a breakout season at third base. There are certainly at-bats to be had at designated hitter, where the team has used a rotating cast of characters — Harold Ramirez chief among them. Manager Kevin Cash will probably work Mead into the mix at various positions for the time being, while Mead’s ongoing defensive development will determine where he lands on the diamond in the long-term.

As things currently stand, Mead can be controlled all the way through the 2029 season and won’t be arbitration-eligible until after the 2027 campaign, although future optional assignments can alter those timetables.

Blue Jays Designate Thomas Hatch For Assignment

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The Blue Jays announced a series of roster moves this morning. The club has selected the contract of infielder Davis Schneider from Triple-A, optioned infielder Ernie Clement to Triple-A, reinstated right-hander Jay Jackson from the family emergency list, and designated right-hander Thomas Hatch for assignment. The club’s 40-man roster stands at 40.

Hatch, 28, came over from the Cubs in a 2019 trade that sent reliever David Phelps to Chicago. He made his big league debut with Toronto in 2020 and has seen Major League action every season since. The 2016 third-round pick has pitched to a 5.28 ERA in 44 1/3 big league innings, fanning 21.3% of his opponents against a 12.4% walk rate.

While he’s worked primarily as a starter in Triple-A, Hatch has moved to the bullpen for the majority of his work in the upper minors this season. He’s pitched to a 4.40 ERA in 30 games — 45 innings — and notched a 27.8% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate. Hatch has typically kept the ball on the ground at average or better rates in Double-A and Triple-A, and this year’s 4.40 ERA in Triple-A is right in line with the 4.45 mark he’s posted in 240 2/3 total innings at that level.

Hatch can still be optioned for the remainder of the 2023 season. Add that to his respectable results in parts of three Triple-A seasons, his ability to work multiple innings in relief, and his experience as a starter — and it pique the interest of another club seeking some depth now that the trade deadline has passed. The Jays can’t trade Hatch at this point, so they’ll have to place him on outright waivers.

As for the 24-year-old Schneider, he’ll be making his big league debut the first time he gets into a game. A 28th-round pick in 2017, Schneider has been primarily a second baseman in the minors but also has more than 900 innings at the hot corner, more than 600 innings in left field and has added eight games at first base in the 2023 season. He’s posted an excellent .275/.416/.553 batting line in 392 plate appearances this season, walking at a massive 18.4% clip against a 21.9% strikeout rate.

L.A. Notes: Kershaw, Buehler, Ohtani, Drury, Trout

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The Dodgers were well-established as searching for pitching upgrades ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. In the end, they managed to make some minor additions, adding right-handers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly in a deal with the White Sox and picking up left-hander Ryan Yarbrough from the Royals, but failed to land any of the impactful starters that were moved like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Jordan Montgomery. The club had a deal in place with the Tigers to acquire lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, though Rodriguez vetoed the trade using his 10-team no-trade list, which included the Dodgers. After failing to acquire an impact starter at the deadline, the club will have to lean heavily on the group of arms already in the organization down the stretch.

To that end, the Dodgers relayed good news regarding a pair of arms currently on the injured list yesterday starting with lefty veteran Clayton Kershaw. The 35-year-old future Hall of Famer delivered a 2.55 ERA in sixteen starts prior to going on the IL at the end of June and could return to the mound as soon as next week for the Dodgers. As noted by J.P. Hoornstra of the Orange County Register, Kershaw’s most recent simulated game inspired confidence in manager Dave Roberts to the point that he suggested Kershaw likely won’t require a rehab assignment in the minor leagues before returning to the big league club. Per Hoornstra, one more bullpen session is on the docket for the club’s veteran ace before they decide whether he’ll make his return in Arizona on either Tuesday or Wednesday or wait to face the Rockies at Dodger Stadium later in the week.

The Dodgers also had positive news to offer regarding right-hander Walker Buehler, who has missed the entire season to this point while rehabbing Tommy John surgery. As relayed by Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, Roberts indicated yesterday that Buehler has nearly reached the point in his recovery process where he will begin a minor league rehab assignment. Earlier this season, Buehler expressed a desire to make it back to the majors this year, with a target date of September 1. That goal seemingly remains unchanged, though it was initially thought that a September return for Buehler would likely come as a member of the Dodgers’ bullpen. Roberts indicates that isn’t the case, however, as the righty will be built up as a starter as he aims to return to the majors next month.

A healthy and effective Buehler would be a huge boon for a Dodgers rotation that has seen its starting staff struggle to a 5.86 ERA since Kershaw’s last start back in June. Prior to his injury-shortened 2022 campaign, Buehler had been one of the best starters in the game over the past four seasons, with a 2.82 ERA and 3.16 FIP across 564 innings of work between 2018 and 2021. That included a sensational 2021 campaign, where Buehler finished fourth in Cy Young award voting after throwing 207 2/3 innings of 2.47 ERA baseball.

More from the other side of town…

  • Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani exited his start against the Mariners yesterday after just four innings due to cramping in his middle finger, as noted by ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez. The Angels phenom stayed in the game as a hitter, but the departure continues a worrying trend of issues hampering Ohtani on the mound, as he dealt with a cracked fingernail and blister on that same finger last month. Since his battle against those injuries began, he’s struggled on the mound with a 5.52 ERA across his last five starts. While the combined thirteen scoreless innings from his last two starts would normally be encouraging, the prospect of Ohtani potentially missing a start is a worrisome one for the Angels, who at 56-54 need every win they can get if they’re to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
  • While Ohtani’s health is in question, the Angels received a positive update regarding the status of infielder Brandon Drury yesterday, per MLB.com. Drury, who has been on the shelf with a shoulder contusion since the end of June, started a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday and is scheduled to play another rehab game tonight. If that goes well, it’s possible he’ll rejoin the major league roster as soon as tomorrow to contribute to an infield mix that has primarily relied on Mike Moustakas, C.J. Cron, Zach Neto, Luis Rengifo, and Eduardo Escobar in recent weeks. When on the field, it’s been a strong season for Drury, who sports a 122 wRC+ in 75 games with the club while playing first and second base for the Angels.
  • While he may not be as close to returning as Drury, the Angels also received good news regarding veteran superstar Mike Trout yesterday. Trout underwent surgery to remove a fractured hamate bone in early July with a four-to-eight week timeline for return. It sounds like Trout’s return may come on the earlier end of that spectrum, as manager Phil Nevin reports that Trout had progressed to hitting off a tee yesterday, per MLB.com, adding that his ramp-up to returning to game action should be a quick one. It’s been a relative down season for Trout, as he’s slashed “only” .263/.369/.493 with a wRC+ of 137 in 81 games. Those excellent numbers may be a far cry from his career wRC+ of 170, but the 31-year-old superstar is well established as not only one of the greats of today’s game, but one of the finest hitters in baseball history.

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