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Phillies Place Alec Bohm On Injured List, Select Drew Ellis

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1:45pm: The Phillies plan to play Clemens at first base against right-handed pitching and platoon him with Ellis for the time being, manager Rob Thomson said following the team’s formal announcement of the moves (link via Lauber). Bryce Harper hasn’t yet been cleared to throw to bases, so while he’s continuing workouts to acclimate to first base, he’s not an option yet. Sosa will get the majority of the reps at the hot corner while Bohm is shelved.

As for Bohm’s recovery, Thomson declined to offer a specific timetable, stating only that the Phillies “want to make sure it’s knocked out and it doesn’t come back, so however long that takes.” The Phillies designated outfielder Cal Stevenson for assignment to open roster space for Ellis.

9:21am: The Phillies will select the contract of infielder Drew Ellis from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and place fellow infielder Alec Bohm on the 10-day injured list, reports Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Yesterday, Bohm underwent an MRI on an ailing hamstring that has kept him out of the past few games. The Phillies have a full 40-man roster, so they’ll need to make a corresponding move in order to get Ellis to the big league level.

Following Rhys Hoskins’ season-ending ACL tear in spring training and Darick Hall’s thumb surgery in early April, Bohm has taken the lion’s share of playing time at first base for the injury-plagued Phillies (though he’s still logged plenty of action at the hot corner as well). Bohm has turned in a solid, if unspectacular .265/.321/.403 while grading out as a below-average defender at both infield corners. It’s not yet clear how much time he’ll be expected to miss, but in his stead, the Phils will likely turn to utilityman Kody Clemens at first base. The newly selected Ellis and utilitymen Edmundo Sosa and Josh Harrison figure to see time at third base.

Clemens, 27, came over from the Tigers in the Gregory Soto trade this offseason and has batted .268/.333/.479 with four homers in 78 plate appearances. He’s done so while striking out at a hefty 28.2% rate, so it could be tough for him to maintain that average, but he’s elevating the ball consistently (46.9% fly-ball rate, 24.5% line-drive rate) and making plenty of hard contact (90.1 mph average exit velocity), lending some credence to the power output.

It’s worth noting that Hall, who like Clemens bats left-handed, embarked on a minor league rehab assignment two days ago. He’s out to a 3-for-9 start with the Phillies’ High-A affiliate, and while the team likely wants him to get more than nine plate appearances after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb, Hall could be a big league option in the very near future. The 27-year-old slugger showed an all-or-nothing skill set in 2022 when he made his big league debut and hit .250/.282/.522 with nine dingers in just 142 plate appearances.

Ellis, 27, has seen big league time with the D-backs and Mariners across the past two seasons but signed a minor league deal with the Phillies over the winter. He’s batted just .141/.270/.212 in a tiny sample of 100 MLB plate appearances, walking at a hearty 11% clip against a more concerning 34% strikeout rate. He’s posted huge numbers while splitting time evenly between the Phillies’ Double-A and Triple-A clubs in 2023, with a .269/.380/.628 slash and eight long balls in just 78 plate appearances.

Defensively, Ellis has primarily been a third baseman, though he’s gathered experience at other spots as well. In recent years, he’s seen playing time at first base (344 innings), second base (275 innings) and even a few brief appearances at shortstop (19 innings). Like Sosa and Harrison, he’s a right-handed hitter, so there’s no neat platoon possibility at the hot corner. However, he could serve as a righty complement to Clemens and/or Hall at first base while Bohm mends, and if he can carry over any of that power display to the Majors, he could earn some additional at-bats across the diamond.

Yankees Activate Stanton, Donaldson, Kahnle; Rodon Transferred To 60-Day IL

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1:32pm: The Yankees have now formally announced the full slate of moves. Stanton, Donaldson and Kahnle have all been reinstated from the injured list, while Cabrera, Cordero and Krook have been optioned. They indeed transferred Rodon to the 60-day IL to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Kahnle. Again, that’s a formality and doesn’t impact Rodon’s eligibility to return. He’s already missed more than 60 days, and the “60-day” term of his IL stint is retroactive to his initial placement on the injured list.

10:57am: The Yankees announced this morning they’ve optioned outfielders Oswaldo Cabrera and Franchy Cordero and reliever Matt Krook to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. (Jack Curry of the YES Network first reported Cabrera’s forthcoming demotion last night.) As Chris Kirschner and Brendan Kuty of the Athletic write, that clears the way for New York to formally reinstate Giancarlo Stanton, Josh Donaldson and Tommy Kahnle from the injured list before tomorrow’s series opener against the Dodgers.

Kahnle is coming back from the 60-day IL and will require a 40-man roster spot, though that can be opened by transferring Carlos Rodón to the 60-day IL. Rodón has already missed more than two months, so that transfer would be a strictly procedural move that doesn’t affect his return eligibility.

Cabrera is the most notable of the players being sent out. He was New York’s Opening Day left fielder and has started 41 of 58 games overall. The majority of his time has been spent in the corner outfield, though he’s also logged some action at each of the non-first base infield spots.

While Cabrera has shown plenty of defensive flexibility, he’s not offered much at the plate. He owns just a .195/.246/.292 line with a trio of home runs over 168 trips. Cabrera logged a similar amount of playing time last season but had a more formidable .247/.312/.429 showing as a rookie. In light of his sophomore slump, the Yankees will send him back for a reset against upper minors pitching.

Paired with Aaron Hicks’ recent release, Cabrera’s demotion leaves left field to some combination of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, Jake Bauers and Willie Calhoun. Stanton may eventually log some corner outfield reps as well, but manager Aaron Boone said yesterday he’ll break back in as a strict designated hitter for the first few weeks (via Kirschner). The club wants to be cautious about his responsibilities after a near six week absence due to a strained left hamstring.

Stanton had connected on four home runs in 13 games over the season’s first couple weeks. He returns to build on a .269/.296/.558 slash line. The former NL MVP has topped 30 homers in each of the last two seasons.

He’s not the only veteran right-handed bat returning to Boone’s lineup. Donaldson has been out for nearly the entire season thanks to a balky right hamstring. He’s gotten into just five games, a disappointing start to what he’d hoped what be a bounceback second season in the Bronx. Donaldson hit only .222/.308/.374 last year but Boone has already indicated he’ll be back in the lineup on an everyday basis once healthy. That should push DJ LeMahieu back into a multi-positional role after he’s been mostly at the hot corner of late.

Kahnle will be making his first appearance during his second MLB stint as a Yankee. The veteran righty returned to the Bronx on a two-year, $11.5MM free agent deal. He’d thrown just 12 2/3 innings for the Dodgers last season but showed mid-90s velocity and excellent ground-ball numbers in that brief look. Kahnle had been delayed by biceps soreness earlier in the season but has returned to throw five innings over as many outings on a minor league rehab appearance.

Rockies Place Kris Bryant On Injured List

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The Rockies announced Thursday that outfielder Kris Bryant has been placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to May 31) with a bruised left heel. Bryant was out of the lineup yesterday after fouling a ball off his left foot in Tuesday’s game. Outfielder/designated hitter Charlie Blackmon was reinstated from the bereavement list in a corresponding move.

It’s the first IL stint of the season for Bryant but the fourth since signing a seven-year deal with the Rockies. He missed time late last season due to plantar fasciitis in this same foot and was also shelved due to back troubles.

The former NL Rookie of the Year and MVP is putting the ball in play and drawing walks at above-average rates so far in 2023, but he hasn’t yet delivered much in the way of power. Bryant has just five homers and six doubles in 214 plate appearances this season, giving him a .111 ISO (slugging minus batting average) that’s 50 points below the league average. Overall, the 31-year-old is hitting .263/.346/.374 with a 9.8% walk rate and 17.3% strikeout rate.

Bryant has moved across the outfield grass from left to right field in 2023, accommodating fellow free-agent signee Jurickson Profar. He’s already totaled a career-high 317 innings in right field, but defensive metrics have panned his work there (-7 Defensive Runs Saved, -3 Outs Above Average). It’s certainly possible that his slate of injuries over the past year has hampered his range and contributed to those poor marks. After ranking in the 71st percentile of MLB players in average sprint speed as recently as 2021, Bryant sat in the 50th percentile in 2022 and is in just the 35th percentile so far in 2023, per Statcast. He also ranks in the 17th percentile of big leaguers in terms of Statcast’s outfield jump metric.

With Bryant on the shelf, the Rockies will likely go with an outfield alignment of Profar, Brenton Doyle and Randal Grichuk from left to right. Their bench currently has backup catcher Austin Wynns, utility infielder Alan Trejo and corner infielders Mike Moustakas and Elehuris Montero, which doesn’t leave them with a traditional fourth outfielder. However, Nolan Jones — who’s mostly played first base since his recall — can slot into an outfield corner, as can the veteran Blackmon. Grichuk, meanwhile, has ample experience in center field, should Doyle need a day off or need to exit a game due to injury.

Phillies Designate Cal Stevenson For Assignment

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The Phillies announced Thursday that they’ve designated outfielder Cal Stevenson for assignment. He’d only just been claimed off waivers last week, but with Alec Bohm heading to the injured list — as was reported this morning — the team needed to open a roster spot to select the contract of infielder Drew Ellis from Triple-A.

The 26-year-old Stevenson was a tenth-round pick by the Blue Jays in 2018 and has already thrice been traded in his professional career: from Toronto to Houston in the Derek Fisher deal, from Houston to Tampa Bay for Austin Pruitt, and from Tampa Bay to Oakland for Christian Bethancourt. He’s now on his third DFA of the 2023 season alone, having gone from Oakland to San Francisco to the Phillies via that process. Stevenson has had minimal big league experience, both this season (0-for-12 in San Francisco) and in his young career (.145/.259/.188 in 83 plate appearances).

Down in the minors, he’s been a much more productive hitter. Stevenson touts a .267/.378/.380 batting line with seven home runs and 21 steals in 26 attempts. He’s walked at a hefty 15% clip in Triple-A against a lower-than-average 19.5% strikeout rate. Stevenson can play all three outfield spots, though the bulk of his work has come in center field. The Phils likely claimed him in hopes of rostering a true fourth outfield option while the injured Cristian Pache mends, but health concerns elsewhere on the roster prompted them to quickly change course.

The Phillies will have a week to trade Stevenson or attempt to pass him through outright waivers. Given his defensive abilities, on-base track record and remaining minor league options, there’s a decent chance that another team in need of some outfield depth will take a look at Stevenson, either via a small trade or a waiver claim. If the Phils can succeed in passing him through waivers, however, they’d be able to retain him in Triple-A as a depth option. Stevenson doesn’t have the service time or prior outright needed to reject an outright assignment.

Tyler Duffey Exercises Opt-Out In Cubs Deal

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Veteran reliever Tyler Duffey has triggered an opt-out in his minor league contract with the Cubs, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. He’s the second Cubs reliever in Triple-A to exercise a June 1 opt-out date, as Vinny Nittoli did the same this morning as well. As is the case with Nittoli, the Cubs will have 48 hours to select Duffey’s contract or release him, so he’s not technically a free agent just yet but could very likely return to the market in a couple days.

The 32-year-old Duffey has 475 innings of big league experience, all coming with the Twins, who selected him out of Rice University in the fifth round of the 2012 draft. Duffey impressed as a starter in his 2015 big league debut but struggled in that role for the next few seasons before ultimately shifting to the bullpen, where he spent a couple years as a strong setup option in Minnesota. From 2019-20, the righty pitched to a brilliant 2.31 ERA with a 34.2% strikeout rate and 6.1% walk rate, piling up 27 holds along the way.

Duffey posted quality bottom-line results in 2021 as well, recording a 3.18 ERA and a career-best 22 holds in 62 1/3 innings. However, his strikeout and walk rates dipped to 24% and 11%, respectively, and his fastball sat at 92.6 mph — a drop from its 94 mph peak. The wheels came off in 2022, when Duffey was rocked for a 4.91 ERA in 44 frames, with a particularly tough 1.64 HR/9 mark. The Twins designated him for assignment and released him.

Duffey inked subsequent minor league deals with both the Rangers and Yankees, but neither called him up from Triple-A before season’s end, at which point he became a minor league free agent and eventually signed with Chicago. Thus far in 2023, Duffey has pitched 22 1/3 innings with the Cubs’ top affiliate in Iowa. In that time, he’s recorded a 4.43 ERA with an above-average 26.1% strikeout rate but a bloated 15.2% walk rate.

Outside of excellent performances from Adbert Alzolay and Mark Leiter Jr., the Cubs’ bullpen has struggled considerably in 2023. Cubs relievers have baseball’s fourth-worst ERA at 4.60, and their primary offseason additions — Brad Boxberger and Michael Fulmer — have both fallen well short of expectations. Duffey would represent a veteran alternative or complement to the current group, but the Cubs may not want to open a 40-man roster spot to take a look. If that indeed proves the case, Duffey will hit the market and look to latch on with another club seeking bullpen depth.

Vinny Nittoli Exercises Opt-Out In Cubs Deal

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Right-hander Vinny Nittoli has opted out of his minor league deal with the Cubs, tweets Robert Murray of FanSided. He’s not technically a free agent just yet — MLBTR has confirmed that the Cubs have 48 hours to select his contract or grant him his release — but he could formally be back on the market as soon as this weekend.

Nittoli, 32, has just three innings of big league experience — coming between the Mariners and Phillies in 2021-22 — but has been sharp with the Cubs’ Iowa affiliate so far in 2023. Through his first 20 2/3 frames on the season, the journeyman right-hander has notched a 3.48 ERA with better-than-average strikeout and walk rates of 24.4% and 7.8%, respectively. He’s allowed just two home runs on the season (0.87 HR/9). Nittoli struggled in his first two seasons of Triple-A ball, but this is his second strong showing at the level; in 52 innings there last season between the Yankees, Phillies and Blue Jays, he posted a combined 3.81 ERA with a 30.8% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate.

The Chicago bullpen has the fourth-worst ERA in the Majors at 4.60. About 18 points of that ERA stem from utilityman Miles Mastrobuoni taking a beating in mop-up duty, but the bullpen as a whole has generally struggled. The Cubs have received strong performances from minor league signee Mark Leiter Jr. and former top prospect Adbert Alzolay, but no other reliever on their roster has pitched at least 10 innings and recorded an ERA south of the recently optioned Keegan Thompson’s 4.22. Offseason signings of Brad Boxberger (5.52 ERA in 14 2/3 innings) and Michael Fulmer (7.36 ERA in 22 frames) haven’t paid off. Fielding-independent metrics such as FIP (4.05) and SIERA (3.86) feel Cubs relievers are more skilled than their baseline run-prevention numbers would otherwise suggest, but the results haven’t been there yet.

All that said, there’s still a good chance Nittoli will wind up a free agent within the next couple days. Assuming that’s indeed the case, he’ll be able to shop his solid start to the season around to other clubs in need of bullpen help. Teams are always on the hunt for bullpen arms this time of year, so there ought to be several clubs with interest in taking a look at a new arm in that scenario.

June 1 is a popular day for opt-out provisions in contracts, including a collectively bargained opt-out date for Article XX(B) free agents (i.e. free agents with six-plus years of service time who finished the preceding season on a Major League roster/injured list but signed a minor league contract). MLBTR’s Anthony Franco looked at nine veteran players with known opt-out opportunities last night, and as Nittoli shows, there are surely quite a few more around the league who’ll be making decisions on such clauses today.

The Opener: Steele, First Base, Astros/Angels

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As the calendar flips to June, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Steele to undergo MRI:

Cubs left-hander Justin Steele exited yesterday’s start against the Rays after throwing three perfect innings due to what the team has labeled “forearm tightness.” With an off-day for the club today, Steele is scheduled to undergo testing to determine the severity of his injury. Forearm tightness is always a concerning diagnosis, given its broad range of outcomes and status as a frequent precursor to a more serious injury.

Cubs fans surely anxiously await results from today’s testing, seeing as Steele has been one of baseball’s best starting pitchers for nearly a full calendar year, with a 2.15 ERA and 2.63 FIP in 117 innings since July 2022. Should Steele miss time, the Cubs figure to rely on youngster Hayden Wesneski to cover his spot in the rotation after the right-hander pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief of Steele during yesterday’s game.

2. First basemen in DFA limbo:

A pair of veteran first basemen have recently been designated for assignment by their organization. Luke Voit, who struggled to a 54 wRC+ in 74 plate appearances for the Brewers this season, and Jesus Aguilar, who posted an 83 wRC+ in 115 plate appearances for the A’s, are both poised to look for work with new clubs going forward. While the 32-year-old Voit and 33-year-old Aguilar have both struggled in recent seasons, each was about 10% better than league average with the bat as recently as 2021, giving reason for hope that one or both could bounce back.

One potential suitor for their services of either right-handed slugger would be a Phillies club that saw corner infielder Alec Bohm, who has played first base against left-handers for the club this season, suffer a potential injury to his left hamstring and undergo imaging to determine the severity of the issue. Should Bohm miss time, the club will be exceedingly thin at first base, with Rhys Hoskins out for the season and Darick Hall not yet back from an injury of his own. Either Voit or Aguilar could make sense in a platoon with Kody Clemens, as The Athletic’s Matt Gelb notes, though Voit has been better against righties than lefties in each of the past five seasons and has been particularly unproductive versus southpaws dating back to last season.

3. Astros vs. Angels series preview:

The Angels are set to head to Houston for a four-game set against the Astros beginning this evening at 7:10pm CT. The series could have significant implications for both clubs going forward, as Houston currently sits three games ahead of Anaheim for second place in the AL West and the final AL Wild Card spot, meaning a series sweep could propel the Angels ahead of the Astros.

In addition the the standings-related intrigue, the Astros appear poised to move to a six-man rotation during the series. Chandler Rome of The Athletic notes that the club hasn’t announced its probable starters for the series, as they are waiting until they make a corresponding move to promote a sixth starter sometime today. Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, J.P. France, and Brandon Bielak are currently slated to face off against the Angels during the series, but the incoming sixth starter could slot anywhere into that mix. Regardless of the starters the Astros plan to use, the Angels figure to counter with Reid Detmers, Shohei Ohtani, Patrick Sandoval, and Griffin Canning.

MLBTR Trade Rumors Podcast: The Wide-Open NL Wild Card Race, Returning Pitchers and Cast-Off Veterans

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Episode 9 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 Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • Will the Giants impact the National League West race? (13:20)
  • What do the Padres do with Juan Soto if they fall out of the race? (16:20)
  • What will the Twins do before the trade deadline? (18:20)
  • What can the Angels do with their rotation? (22:00)

Check out our past episodes!

Twins To Reinstate Jorge Polanco, Option Edouard Julien

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The Twins are activating second baseman Jorge Polanco from the 10-day injured list before tomorrow’s matchup with the Guardians, manager Rocco Baldelli told the team’s beat (relayed by Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press). Rookie infielder Edouard Julien will be optioned to Triple-A St. Paul in a corresponding transaction.

Polanco spent barely over the minimal time on the shelf after being diagnosed with a left hamstring strain. The abbreviated absence is good news for Minnesota with the switch-hitting infielder off to a nice start to the year. Polanco carries a .284/.327/.484 line with four home runs through his first 101 plate appearances. It’s right in line with the above-average offensive production Polanco has offered in each of the prior three full seasons. He’s a .270/.337/.460 hitter since the start of the 2019 season.

While he’s been out, the Twins have given the bulk of the second base reps to Julien. The Auburn product has emerged as one of the game’s more intriguing offensive prospects with huge minor league numbers. Julien is hitting .210/.296/.435 in his first 72 trips to the plate against big league arms. He’s popped four home runs and walked seven times but he’s already gone down on strikes on 25 occasions.

Second base was the clearest path to everyday playing time for Julien with Polanco on the shelf. It’s understandable the Twins would look to get him regular reps in St. Paul rather than assuming a multi-positional bench role in the short term. The Twins have Willi Castro, Donovan Solano and Kyle Farmer as versatile infield options behind the primary group of Joey Gallo, Polanco, Royce Lewis and Carlos Correa.

Nine Veterans With Upcoming Minor League Opt-Out Opportunities

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As part of last year’s collective bargaining agreement, MLB and the Players Association agreed to a few automatic opt-out dates for some veteran players on minor league contracts. Article XX(B) free agents — players with over six years of MLB service who finished the preceding season on a big league roster — who sign minor league contracts more than ten days before Opening Day now receive three uniform chances to retest free agency if they’re not added to the majors.

The first comes five days before the start of the season. For players who pass on that initial opt-out, they have additional windows to explore the open market on both May 1 and June 1 if they’ve yet to secure a spot on the 40-man roster. The second of those dates spurred some roster movement this year. Chris Devenski, Jeff Hoffman and Billy Hamilton were all called up to keep them from testing the market. Chase Anderson and Gary Sánchez found MLB opportunities with other organizations after leaving the Reds and Giants, respectively.

As that third opt-out date nears, it’s worth checking in on a few players with opt-outs under the CBA (as well as one player whose minor league contract contained a June 1 opt-out provision).

Alfaro is not an Article XX(B) free agent, as he hit the open market via non-tender from the Padres last fall. However, the minor league deal he signed with Boston reportedly afforded him opt-out chances on both June 1 and July 1.

There’s certainly an argument for the 29-year-old catcher to trigger that provision. Alfaro has had an excellent year with the Red Sox’s top affiliate in Worcester. Through 187 plate appearances, he’s hitting .320/.364/.523 and has connected on six home runs. His 4.8% walk rate is modest but he’s kept his strikeouts to a near-average 23% clip while hitting for power.

Alfaro has had an inconsistent big league career, flashing power potential and big arm strength but struggling with his plate discipline and receiving work. He’s a .256/.305/.396 hitter in over 1600 major league plate appearances.

The Red Sox have used Connor Wong and Reese McGuire as their catching tandem. They’ve combined for a decent .272/.309/.440 line, with Wong supplying some power while McGuire has done a serviceable job reaching base. Neither Wong nor McGuire stands as an obvious roadblock to an addition behind the plate but their cumulative production has been solid. Manager Alex Cora was noncommittal on bringing Alfaro up, telling reporters today the club is “very comfortable with Reese and Wong” (relayed by Chris Cotillo of MassLive). Cora expressed his hope that Alfaro would stick in the organization even if the Sox don’t call him up this week, though it remains to be seen if he’ll find a better immediate opportunity elsewhere.

Doolittle’s return stint in Washington last year was cut short by a UCL internal brace procedure. He returned on a minor league deal but has been behind schedule as he works back to game shape. The 36-year-old has been on the injured list all season. He began a rehab stint a few days ago and has thrown two innings between Low-A and High-A. It seems likely he’ll remain with Washington and make it back to Triple-A Rochester before much longer.

Duffy has spent the entire season on the injured list. He’s working back from forearm issues that have prevented him from throwing a major league pitch since July 2021. It’s unclear when he’ll be ready to return to game action.

Gamel has had a solid showing in Triple-A since signing a non-roster pact in Spring Training. The left-handed hitting corner outfielder has a .257/.387/.436 line over 124 plate appearances for the Rays’ top affiliate in Durham. He’s walking at a stellar 17.7% rate against a manageable 24.2% strikeout percentage. He spent a couple weeks on the injured list earlier this month but returned to the Bulls’ lineup a week ago.

Unfortunately for the veteran, he could find it hard to crack a quality Tampa Bay outfield. Randy Arozarena has left field secured and the lefty-swinging Josh Lowe has had a breakout year to claim most of the right field reps. Luke Raley and Manuel Margot — neither of whom can be optioned to the minor leagues — are also in the outfield mix; Raley, in particular, has played very well this season. Gamel passed on his CBA opt-out dates in March and May.

Naquin was an Article XX(B) free agent who didn’t break camp with the big league club. He split the 2022 campaign between the Reds and Mets, combining to hit .229/.282/.423 over 334 trips to the plate. The left-handed hitting outfielder has only played 13 games with Triple-A Nashville after signing with the Brewers, hitting .250/.294/.375 with a pair of homers. He’s been on the minor league injured list since April 28.

Rosenthal has had his last couple seasons washed away by injury. He lost 2021 to thoracic outlet syndrome and hip surgery, while his ’22 campaign was wiped out by hamstring and lat strains. The Tigers took a look at the one-time star closer in Spring Training and kept him in the organization with their highest affiliate in Toledo. Rosenthal pitched twice in the season’s first week before being placed on the minor league IL with a sprained throwing elbow.

Ross is recovering from last June’s Tommy John surgery and will spend most of the year on the injured list. He bypassed his first two opt-out chances and seems likely to do so again.

Sanchez served a depth role for Minnesota last season, logging 60 innings over 15 outings (ten starts). He was tagged for a 6.60 ERA at the MLB level but performed well enough in Triple-A the organization brought him back. The former ERA champ has started ten games with their top affiliate in St. Paul this year. He has a 4.17 ERA over 41 frames. His 49.2% ground-ball rate is solid but he’s walked nearly 16% of batters faced while punching hitters out at just an 18.8% clip. Even with injuries to Tyler Mahle and Kenta Maeda, the Twins have had one of the game’s best rotations through two months.

Stammen suffered a capsule tear in his shoulder in Spring Training. The 39-year-old has spent the year on the injured list and has admitted the injury might unfortunately end his career.

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