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Reds Designate Michael Mariot For Assignment

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The Reds activated right-hander Ben Lively from the 15-day injured list this morning, per a club announcement. In a corresponding move, the club designated right-hander Michael Mariot for assignment. Lively is poised to start this afternoon’s game against the Brewers.

Mariot, 34, was selected to the Reds’ roster yesterday but will ultimately end his tenure with the club without making an appearance. Selected by the Royals in the eighth round of the 2010 draft, Mariot made his big league debut in 2014 and pitched in parts of three seasons with Kansas City and Philadelphia, with his last major league appearance occurring back in 2016 with the Phillies. Since then, Mariot has pitched primarily at the Triple-A level with five different organizations, though he’s also spent brief stints in foreign and independent leagues. Mariot owns a career 3.97 ERA at the Triple-A level in 245 games, but has been rather impressive this season with a 2.59 ERA in 24 1/3 innings with Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate in Louisville.

As for Lively, the 31-year-old righty has pitched to a 4.11 ERA (117 ERA+) in 46 innings of work with the Reds this season, with seven of his nine appearances coming has a member of the rotation. The 2023 campaign represents Lively’s first work in the majors since the 2019 season. From 2017-2019, Lively posted a 4.80 ERA (90 ERA+) and 5.03 FIP in 120 innings of work. Lively joins a Reds rotation that currently consists of lefties Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson alongside righties Graham Ashcraft and Luke Weaver. The club is currently without top young starters Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, both of whom are expected back sometime in August.

Rays Interested In Chris Flexen

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The Rays have interest in right-hander Chris Flexen, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Topkin notes that familiarity with Tom O’Connell, Flexen’s agent who’s based in Tampa and also represents offseason signing Zach Eflin, could give the Rays a leg up in a potential pursuit of Flexen. The right-hander was released by the Mets last week shortly after the club acquired him from the Mariners alongside Trevor Gott.

Flexen came into the 2023 season looking like a solid swingman or a serviceable back-end rotation arm. Across the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, Flexen posted a 3.66 ERA (8% better than league average by measure of ERA+) with 4.15 FIP in 317 1/3 innings of work. He appeared in 64 games during that time, starting 53 of them and finishing the other 11. While those results were certainly solid, his 16.5% strikeout rate left something to be desired even when paired with his excellent 6.8% walk rate.

Unfortunately, the wheels have come off for Flexen in 2023; in 42 innings of work this season, the righty has allowed a ghastly 7.71 ERA. That number surely has some bad luck factored into it. Flexen’s BABIP is a whopping .350 this season, far above his career mark of .303, and he’s allowed 21.6% of his flyballs to leave the yard for home runs. Not only is that a huge spike over his career mark, which stood at 10% entering the 2023 campaign, but it comes as Flexen’s underlying batted ball data is largely improved over last year. His barrel rate has dropped from 9% last year to 8.1% in 2023. In addition, he’s generating more groundballs and soft contact than last year, while allowing fewer flyballs and less hard contact.

Of course, everything about Flexen’s difficult season can’t be simply chalked up to bad luck. His walk rate has jumped all the way up to 9.7% while his strikeout rate has dipped to just 14.8% in 2023, leaving him with a K-BB% of just 5.1%, bottom ten in the majors among those with at least 40 innings pitched this season. Of the nine pitchers below Flexen, just two are having an average or better season by measure of ERA-.

Still, given Flexen’s improved contact numbers and seemingly fluky home run rate, it’s not hard to see why the Rays would have interest in the 28-year-old righty. The club announced yesterday that right-hander Drew Rasmussen won’t return in 2023, joining Jeffrey Springs in missing the rest of the current campaign. Lefty Shane McClanahan is also currently on the injured list, and the Rays have little in the way of depth beyond their current starting four of Tyler Glasnow, Eflin, Taj Bradley, and Yonny Chirinos.

In addition, the Rays are well known for being able to maximize the performance of pitchers who had once been on the fringe of big league rosters. Jason Adam owned a career ERA of 4.71 in 78 1/3 innings with the Royals, Blue Jays, and Cubs before joining the Rays in 2022. Since then, Adam has become a fixture at the back of the club’s bullpen with a 2.08 ERA and 3.39 FIP in 99 2/3 innings of work.

What’s more, Tampa has plenty of experience working with pitchers who have similar K-BB% issues to Flexen. Of the aforementioned nine players with lower K-BB% figures than the righty, two of them- Chirinos and Josh Fleming– are current Rays. Chirinos is having the best season of the entire group, with a 3.88 ERA in 58 innings of work. Fleming meanwhile, has by far the best advanced metrics of the group with a 4.62 xFIP and 4.80 SIERA. Every other pitcher in the group sports a figure above 5.00 in both categories.

Considering Tampa’s need for additional starting pitching depth and their success in working with pitchers who sport a similar profile to Flexen as recently as this season, it’s no wonder the Rays have interest in Flexen’s services. Of course, only time will tell if the sides will ultimately be able to come together on a deal. Flexen is still due $3.9MM from the Mets on his current contract, meaning that any club who signs him would only be on the hook for a prorated portion of the big league minimum.

Drew Rasmussen To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery

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Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen is set to undergo an internal brace surgery that will end his 2023 season, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Rasmussen has been out with a flexor strain since mid-May, though the club initially hoped he could return this season. The 27-year-old hurler now is not expected return until midway through the 2024 campaign, per Topkin.

The news is yet another blow to a Rays rotation that lost left-hander Shane McClanahan to the injured list at the end of June. Rasmussen will now join left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who underwent Tommy John surgery back in April, in missing the remainder of the 2023 campaign. The Rays are currently leaning on a rotation of Tyler Glasnow, Taj Bradley, Zach Eflin, and Yonny Chirinos as they await McClanahan’s return from the IL. While that’s a solid group who has combined for a 3.99 in 252 1/3 innings this season, it’s hard to deny to that both Rasmussen (2.62 ERA in eight starts) and Springs (0.56 ERA in three starts) would be major upgrades to the current group if healthy.

News that Tampa will be without Rasmussen for the rest of the season comes just three weeks before the August 1 trade deadline. The Rays are the top team in the AL with a 57-34 record even as they’ve not been able to field their five best starters at the same time for a single turn through the rotation all season.  Still, without Rasmussen to help bolster the pitching staff down the stretch and into the playoffs the club’s already-acknowledged need to add pitching in the coming weeks is only intensified.

Of course, the market for starting pitchers is always a competitive one, and GM Peter Bendix previously indicated the club was unlikely to participate in a bidding war for the most highly sought-after hurlers. While it’s possible the recent news on Rasmussen has increased the club’s urgency to make impactful additions, the Rays may still prefer to stick to less sought-after options like Jack Flaherty or Michael Lorenzen rather than pursue top-of-the-market arms like Lucas Giolito.

Looking beyond the 2023 campaign, the Rays are currently set to enter the 2024 campaign without the services of either Rasmussen or Springs. Glasnow, McClanahan, Bradley, Eflin, and Chirinos are all controlled through at least 2024, giving them a plausible Opening Day rotation still under contract, but with minimal depth outside of that group, it would hardly be a surprise if the club pursued additionally starting depth during the coming offseason- that is, unless they add an arm with multiple years of control this summer.

Bryce Harper Exits Game After Hit By Pitch

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Phillies fans had a scare earlier this evening as superstar slugger Bryce Harper exited today’s game against the Marlins after he was hit by a sinker from Marlins lefty Braxton Garrett. The pitch struck Harper’s right elbow, the same elbow Harper underwent Tommy John surgery on back in November. Fortunately, Harper appears to have avoided serious injury, as manager Rob Thomson told reporters (including Alex Coffey of The Philadelphia Inquirer) that x-rays on Harper’s elbow came back negative. That said, Thomson also noted that Harper’s still dealing with some soreness and his availability for tomorrow’s game is in question.

That Harper is unlikely to require a trip to the injured list is surely a relief for the Phillies. In 55 games since returning from rehabbing the aforementioned Tommy John surgery, Harper entered tonight’s game with a slash line of .287/.381/.392. While just three home runs and a .105 ISO are both unlike Harper, a typically excellent 13.5% walk rate has helped to buoy his production to an above-average 111 wRC+.

In conversation with reporters, including Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, Harper acknowledged his first half power outage, saying “I’m not where I want to be. I’m not hitting the homers that I want… I still feel like I’m having good at-bats. I still feel like I’m going out there and plugging along. We have a long way to go.”

Harper also noted that he was progressing toward playing first base, a goal he’s been working toward since before his season debut. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski added that the Phillies will know whether or not Harper can play first base down the stretch prior to the trade deadline on August 1, when Philadelphia seems poised to look for improvements. After a difficult start to the season, the Phillies have heated up with a 23-10 record since the start of June, enough to put them half a game ahead of the Giants for the final NL Wild Card spot.

If Harper will be able to act as the regular starter at the cold corner, the Phillies would be able to explore an addition to their outfield while moving Kyle Schwarber to DH. Mark Canha, Adam Duvall, and Tyler O’Neill are among the outfield bats who appeared on MLBTR’s recent Top 50 Deadline Trade Candidates list that could fit Philadelphia’s needs. In the meantime, Coffey notes that center fielder Brandon Marsh has begun taken reps in left field as the club explores the possibility of using Marsh in left, Cristian Pache in center, and Nick Castellanos in right. With two center field caliber gloves in the outfield, the Phillies could not only see a significant upgrade over Schwarber (-15 Outs Above Average) in left, but also help make up for the subpar glovework of Castellanos (-2 OAA) in right.

Hector Neris Reaches 110 Astros Appearances, Converts 2024 Option

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Astros right-hander Hector Neris made his 110th appearance tonight since signing a two-year, $17MM deal with Houston prior to the 2022 season. Tonight’s appearance triggered a clause in that contract converts the deal’s $8.5MM team option ($1MM buyout) into a player option. Neris needed to reach either 60 appearances in 2023 or 110 appearances between 2022 and 2023 to convert the option. With tonight’s appearance in the books, the 34-year-old righty will have control of the option this coming offseason, though the Associated Press notes that if Neris ends the 2023 campaign on the injured list or fails to pass a physical after the season, the Astros will retain control of the option.

If the second half of Neris’s 2023 campaign goes as well as the first half has, the righty will surely decline the option if given the opportunity. Prior to tonight’s scoreless outing, Neris boasted a 1.47 ERA in 36 2/3 innings of work, good for a whopping 287 ERA+. Neris’s peripherals leave room for some mild concern: he sports a rather high 10.4% walk rate, has stranded a whopping 95.8% of baserunners, and has allowed a career-low .232 BABIP. Of course, the regression one might expect given those numbers is baked into advanced metrics. Those metrics are rather bullish on Neris: the righty sports a solid 3.73 FIP, an excellent 2.76 xERA and a strong 3.55 SIERA.

Neris will be entering his age-35 season in 2024, so it’s possible that his age will limit any multi-year offers he receives in free agency. Even if that turns out to be the case, however, it’s certainly feasible for Neris could surpass the $7.5MM he’d be leaving on the table by testing the open market. After all, David Robertson landed a one-year, $10MM deal with the Mets last offseason entering his age-38 campaign after posting a 2.40 ERA and 3.58 FIP in his first fully healthy season since 2018.

In the meantime, Neris figures to be the Astros’ top setup option for closer Ryan Pressly as Houston looks to defend its 2022 World Series championship. The club is currently 50-40, two games back of the Rangers for control of the AL West and one game ahead of the Yankees and Blue Jays for the second of three AL Wild Card spots.

MLBTR Poll: How Should San Diego Approach The Trade Deadline?

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When Padres team chairman Peter Seidler recently discussed his vision for the club ahead of the coming trade deadline, he made clear he believed in the current iteration of the club and seemed to have no desire to sell at the trade deadline. That confidence comes in spite of an ugly first half of the 2023 season. In 88 games so far this season, the Padres have gone just 41-47, leaving them ten games back looking up at three teams in the NL West. The club’s Wild Card outlook isn’t much better, as San Diego is 8.5 games back with five teams standing between them and the final Wild Card spot

Of course, club ownership rarely directly makes baseball operations decisions. Given that, the decision on whether to buy or sell at the trade deadline in three weeks will likely be made by Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller. A notoriously aggressive GM, Preller has built a star-studded roster with a massive payroll in recent years. Since the end of the 2020 campaign, when San Diego first made the playoffs under Preller, the club has added Yu Darvish, Blake Snell, Joe Musgrove, Josh Hader, and Juan Soto in blockbuster trades while signing Xander Bogaerts to an 11-year deal and signing each of Darvish, Musgrove, Manny Machado, and Fernando Tatis Jr. to big money extensions.

To reverse course completely would be near impossible. Musgrove and right-hander Robert Suarez are both signed through the 2027 campaign, while Darvish is signed through 2028. Infielder Jake Cronenworth is signed through the 2030 season, Machado and Bogaerts are both signed through 2033, while Tatis is signed through the end of the 2034 campaign. Between those seven players, the Padres are on the hook for roughly $107.5MM in terms of actual dollars and just over $137MM for luxury tax purposes, per RosterResource. With so many big money contracts on the books not just for next season, but for the better part of the decade or longer, trading long-term assets seems both unwise and difficult.

Given the club’s position, it’s possible that the front office will decide to double down and hope the team’s performance will improve in the second half. Suarez has yet to pitch this season and could help stabilize the bullpen upon his return, while each of Darvish, Machado, and Bogaerts are multi-time All Stars with lengthy track records of success; it’s surely not hard for Preller’s front office to talk themselves into that group improving upon their current 2023 performance going forward. With plenty of talent on the roster and glaring holes behind the plate, at DH, and on the bench, San Diego could retain their key players and deal for moderate upgrades to the weakest areas on the roster in hopes of things improving during the season’s final two months.

On the other hand, the club could look to retool for the future. Snell and Hader would immediately be among the most coveted rental arms on the market if the Padres listened on the pair, while Seth Lugo would surely interest a variety of contenders given his ability to swing in and out of the rotation. Lightly selling would allow the Padres to recoup value on their pending free agents and bolster a farm system that’s been raided by years of aggressive buy-side deals. What’s more, it would allow San Diego to take advantage of a trade market with few clearly established sellers.

Of course, the club could opt to take a middle ground option as well, dealing some of their pending free agents while also adding big league pieces with multiple years of control in hopes of giving themselves a chance to bounce back during the second half while attempting to maximize the club’s odds of winning in 2024, Soto’s last year of team control. Such an approach comes with its own unique risks, however. Dealing away key players can have impacts in the clubhouse, as the Brewers saw when dealing Hader to San Diego last year and Seattle saw after trading closer Kendall Graveman in 2021.

With just three weeks left until the trade deadline, the Padres will be forced to make a decision in the near future. How should San Diego approach this trade deadline? Do they need to stay the course and give themselves the best chance to win while Soto is under team control? Should they try to rebuild their farm system and look toward 2024 and beyond? Or perhaps they should try to do a bit of both?

(poll link for app users)

How Should The Padres Approach The Trade Deadline This Year?
They should do a mix of buying and selling to maximize their odds of winning in 2024. 49.41% (2,429 votes)
They should keep the team together and make some small additions. 29.13% (1,432 votes)
They should focus on the future and sell to rebuild their farm system. 21.46% (1,055 votes)
Total Votes: 4,916

Los Angeles Notes: Dodgers, Kershaw, Drury, Moore

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The Dodgers could see a shake up in their middle infield following the All Star break. As noted by The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, manager Dave Roberts recently told reporters that the club could consider optioning second baseman Miguel Vargas to the minors as he looks to correct his ongoing struggles, noting that “everything is on the table.” While Vargas got off to a solid start in 2023, with a .240/.341/.432 slash line in his first 44 games, he’s been trending downward ever since then. Since May 21,  Vargas has slashed just .139/.250/.287 in 129 plate appearances. While a BABIP of just .158 during that time could explain Vargas’s woes, the 23 year old is also striking out at an elevated 24.8% rate, a major leap from the 17% rate he was punching out over the season’s first two months.

Of course, the Dodgers have struggled to find production in the middle infield this season. Those issues have resulted in the club using outfielder Mookie Betts up the middle more often than usual. After appearing in just 15 games at second base during his first three seasons in LA, Betts has appeared at the keystone in 22 games this season while also recording 16 appearances at shortstop, a position he had never played in the majors prior to 2023. Those depth issues could be alleviated somewhat in the near future, however, as Roberts told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the LA Times) that utility man Chris Taylor will be activated from the injured list following the All Star break. Taylor, who has ample experience all around the infield and outfield, could add another option in addition to Betts the club can utilize both on the infield dirt and the outfield grass.

More from MLB’s LA teams…

  • Sticking with the Dodgers, Roberts told reporters (including Ardaya) that veteran ace Clayton Kershaw was feeling good after throwing a few pitches off the mound earlier today. The club has yet to decide whether or not Kershaw will return when first eligible on July 15, though Roberts previously expressed confidence Kershaw’s stint on the shelf would be a short one. The 2023 campaign has been another fantastic season for Kershaw as the lefty has posted a 2.55 ERA and 3.54 FIP in 95 1/3 innings of work. That inning total puts Kershaw on pace to easily surpass his innings totals from the past three seasons, during which he topped out with last year’s 126 1/3 figure.
  • Angels infielder Brandon Drury is still struggling with shoulder woes after landing on the injured list with a shoulder contusion last week. Manager Phil Nevin told reporters (including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) that an MRI on Drury’s shoulder revealed nothing but inflammation, indicating the infielder had avoided major injury. Drury will receive a cortisone shot and be re-evaluated after the All Star break. Drury’s absence is one of multiple key losses the Angels have suffered recently. Anthony Rendon hasn’t played since Tuesday after fouling a ball off his shin while Mike Trout, Zack Neto, and Gio Urshela have all landed on the shelf in recent weeks.
  • In more positive Angels news, Bollinger notes that left-hander Matt Moore threw 20 pitches to live hitters today, later telling reporters that he felt great afterwards. Moore’s return would be a major boost to the Anaheim bullpen, as the 34-year-old veteran posted a sterling 1.44 ERA in 25 innings this season prior to his placement on the IL at the end of May. While Moore’s been on the shelf, the club has relief on Chris Devenski and Jose Soriano alongside closer Carlos Estevez in the late innings.

Red Sox Notes: Pivetta, Houck, Bello

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The Red Sox rotation is facing a great deal of uncertainty headed into the All Star break. Right-hander Garrett Whitlock was placed on the injured list earlier this week with elbow inflammation, joining Tanner Houck, Chris Sale, and Corey Kluber on the shelf among the club’s starting options.

It seems their lack of rotation options won’t be cleared up anytime soon, as Alex Cora told reporters, including The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams, that the club has no intention of moving right-hander Nick Pivetta out of his current bulk role out of the bullpen. What’s more, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe relays that Cora indicated to reporters that Houck, who is expected to begin throwing again next week, could be ramped up for “a role other than starter” as he looks to return from the injured list. With Pivetta sticking to relief work and Houck seemingly poised to join him upon his return, it seems that Boston will be relying on bullpen games and spot starters to cover innings alongside James Paxton, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford for the time being.

It’s easy to see why the club would prefer both Pivetta and Houck out of the bullpen. Pivetta posted a 6.30 ERA in eight starts this season prior to his mid-May move to the bullpen, but has become one of the most reliable relievers in the club’s bullpen since then. In 29 innings of relief across 14 appearances, Pivetta has dominated hitters to the tune of a 2.79 ERA and 3.29 FIP, with a strikeout rate of 33.7%. Houck, meanwhile, scuffled to a 5.05 ERA across 13 starts this season prior to his placement on the IL. While advanced metrics generally agree he’s pitched a bit better than the results would otherwise indicate, with a FIP of 4.24 and an xERA of 3.85, it’s easy to see why Boston would be enticed by Houck’s career 2.68 ERA in 53 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.

One pitcher who seems clearly ticketed for a long-term role in the rotation is Bello, who’s impressed with a 3.04 ERA and 3.78 FIP across 14 starts this season. According to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, the young right-hander was asked by reporters if the Red Sox had approached him regarding extension conversations, which Bello indicated they had not done. That being said, the 24 year old went on to express openness to the idea.

“I would love it. I love this organization.” Bello said. “I would love to stay here, but I haven’t really given it much thought.”

Of course, there’s no rush on any such discussions. Bello entered the 2023 campaign with just 82 days of service time, and as such is under team control through the end of the 2028 campaign. Still, early-career extensions have become more prevalent in recent years. Spencer Strider, a fellow young pitcher who inked a six-year $75MM extension with the Braves following his rookie season last year, is among the many recent examples of youngsters signing long term deals with their clubs at the beginning of their careers.

Latest On Andrew Painter

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TODAY: Thomson told Matt Gelb and other reporters that Painter received good news in his tests, as the right-hander’s UCL looks to be healing.  Painter will remain in shutdown mode while the Phillies continue to monitor the situation and until the elbow soreness subsides, but it seems as though there isn’t anything overtly wrong with Painter’s arm.

JULY 7: Phillies’ top pitching prospect Andrew Painter is headed for evaluation after reporting discomfort in his throwing elbow, manager Rob Thomson informed the beat (including Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer). He’ll be shut down from throwing pending further testing, writes Matt Gelb of the Athletic.

Thomson declined to provide specifics on the evaluation or a timeline for when the club would have more information. The skipper did suggest he’s at least somewhat alarmed by the situation. “Well, I’m concerned,” Thomson told reporters. “You’re always concerned when guys are sore. We’ll know more after we get the test back.”

It’s an ominous continuation of arm issues that have bothered the right-hander for the bulk of the year. Painter turned heads early in Spring Training and looked to have a strong chance at securing an Opening Day rotation spot before his 20th birthday. He sprained the UCL in his throwing elbow midway through exhibition play, however, requiring a multi-week shutdown.

That obviously killed any chance of Painter breaking camp. The Phils still held out hope for a midseason return. The 6’7″ hurler was scheduled to throw to hitters this week for the first time since March. Once he felt some soreness, they modified that plan to have him throw a bullpen session instead. Painter came out of that with renewed elbow discomfort, necessitating further testing.

With more uncertainty regarding Painter’s timetable for a return to game action, the Phillies could face some urgency to add rotation help in the coming weeks. Gelb reports that the Phils have told opposing clubs they were monitoring Painter’s rehab before deciding whether to turn to the trade market for starting pitching.

Philadelphia has an established front four of Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Ranger Suárez and Taijuan Walker. They’ve rotated through various options in the final spot. Bailey Falter got the first look but struggled to a 5.13 ERA in eight appearances before being optioned to the minors. Matt Strahm got a season-opening rotation job while Suárez was injured. He pitched well, but the Phils have seemingly preferred to use him in the bullpen to keep an eye on his workload.

Left-hander Cristopher Sánchez has had the job of late. The 26-year-old has had a strong month, working to a 2.84 ERA on the back of a massive 55.6% grounder rate through five starts. Whether Sánchez keeps performing at that level could also impact the deadline calculus for president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and his front office staff.

Rays Make Four Roster Moves

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The Rays announced four roster moves, including the selection of Javy Guerra’s contract and the call-up of infielder/outfielder Jonathan Aranda from Triple-A Durham.  Outfielder Josh Lowe has been placed on the family medical emergency list and right-hander Elvin Rodriguez has been designated for assignment.

Aranda will get his first MLB opportunity of the season, and a chance to follow up on his 32 games played in his 2022 rookie season.  The 25-year-old hit .192/.276/.321 over 87 plate appearances last year, and it becoming clear that Aranda has nothing left to prove at the Triple-A level.  Over 784 PA in Durham over the last two seasons, Aranda has crushed the ball to the tune of a .327/.418/.548 slash line with 34 home runs.

Beginning his career as a second baseman, Aranda has followed the path of many Rays prospects and become a multi-positional threat, getting a lot of playing time at third base, first base, left field, and a bit of shortstop time.  This gives manager Kevin Cash some flexibility in trying to figure out where to slot Aranda around the diamond, though it remains to be seen how long he’ll remain in the majors — hopefully Lowe returns quickly from his family situation, and Aranda could again be the odd man out.

Due to the Rays’ position-player depth at both the MLB and minor league levels, Aranda has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate if there’s no regular spot for him on Tampa’s roster.  Depending on how long he remains in the majors, this stint could serve as something of an audition for rival scouts in advance of the trade deadline, though it’s safe to assume that other teams have had eyes on Aranda in Durham for quite some time.

Not to be confused with 11-year MLB veteran reliever Javy Guerra, the Rays’ Guerra is the 27-year-old who converted to pitching after being a top-100 shortstop prospect during his time in the Padres’ farm system.  The Rays acquired Guerra from the Brewers in late April and he has a 3.60 ERA over five innings with Tampa Bay this season, though he was outrighted off the 40-man roster in May.

Guerra chose to accept the outright assignment to Triple-A rather than test free agency, and his 5.94 ERA over 16 2/3 innings in Durham isn’t quite reflective of his performance, given his secondary metrics.  His 23% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate aren’t spectacular, though his 58.3% grounder rate has been hurt by some unfortunate batted-ball luck, as Guerra has a .340 BABIP.

Bullpen churn is a staple of Tampa Bay’s pitching strategies, and Rodriguez hits the DFA wire just a day after being selected to the 26-man roster.  He looked very sharp in throwing 3 1/3 perfect innings in the Rays’ 2-1 loss to the Braves, but Rodriguez is now on his way out of the organization altogether, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that Rodriguez will be released so he can sign with a team in Japan.  Somewhat curiously, this plan was in place before Rodriguez had his contract selected yesterday, but fortunately it looks like Rodriguez avoided any injury and got to bank a big league appearance before heading to Nippon Professional Baseball.

Rodriguez’s first seven MLB games came with the Tigers in 2022, when he posted a 10.62 ERA over 29 2/3 innings.  The Rays signed him to a minors deal in the offseason, but without a long-term spot available in Tampa Bay, the 25-year-old Rodriguez chose to take what Topkin calls “a lucrative offer” from an NPB club.

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