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Dodgers Sign Ken Giles To Minor League Deal

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The Dodgers have signed right-hander Ken Giles to a minor league contract, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post (Twitter link).  The deal comes in the wake of a showcase Giles held for teams earlier this week.

Given the Dodgers’ track record of reviving the careers of both position players and pitchers alike, there’s some extra intrigue with Giles landing in Los Angeles, especially given the tremendous numbers the righty posted when at his best.  However, it has been some time since Giles has been in good form or even able to pitch, as he has only tossed eight MLB innings since the start of the 2020 season.  A Tommy John surgery wiped out his 2021 season entirely, and while he made it back to throw 4 1/3 innings with the Mariners last year, Giles dealt with shoulder and finger problems.

Seattle parted ways with Giles last August and he caught on with the Giants on another minor league pact, though that stint didn’t last long as San Francisco released him before the beginning of September.  Giles has been on the open market ever since, despite an earlier showcase in the offseason and a private bullpen session with the Padres in February.  Heyman previously reported that Giles has been working out at Driveline for well over a month, so it seems likely that whatever changes Giles might have made (pitch selection, mechanics, etc.) to his process were enough to catch the Dodgers’ attention.

There’s no risk for L.A. in taking a longer look at Giles via a minor league deal, though the signing might more broadly indicate that the Dodgers are on the hunt for bullpen help.  Daniel Hudson and Jimmy Nelson are each still indefinitely out with injuries, Alex Reyes may not return from the 60-day IL until closer to midseason, and Blake Treinen might not pitch at all in 2023 due to shoulder surgery.  With rotation injuries further thinning out the Dodgers’ pitching depth, it isn’t surprising that Los Angeles is checking into some new arms, whether they be reclamation projects like Giles or perhaps some other external options on the trade market.

Angels Release Ryan Tepera

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TODAY: Tepera is now a free agent after clearing release waivers, the Angels announced.

MAY 14: The Angels have designated right-handed reliever Ryan Tepera for assignment, per a team announcement. Taking Tepera’s place on the active roster will be right-hander Zack Weiss, who was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Tepera, 35, signed a two-year, $14MM contract with the Angels prior to the 2022 season. At the time, Tepera was coming off of a dominant season in Chicago, where he posted a 2.79 ERA (154 ERA+) with a matching 2.73 FIP over 61 1/3 innings split between the Cubs and White Sox. While Tepera was solid in his first season with the Angels, he didn’t quite live up to that promise, posting a 3.61 ERA (113 ERA+) with a 4.21 FIP over 57 1/3 innings of work.

The 2023 campaign has been nothing short of a disaster for Tepera so far, however. In ten appearances, the veteran righty has allowed nine runs (seven earned) in just 8 2/3 innings of work. While Tepera has a decent 21.7% strikeout rate and an excellent 6.5% walk rate so far this season, and a massive .448 BABIP certainly contributed to his struggles, Tepera had already allowed two home runs this season after allowing just 11 over his past 118 2/3 innings of work.

Tepera’s struggles were enough for the Angels to pull the plug despite the club still owing him $7MM for the 2023 campaign. At this point, it’s all but assured that Tepera will clear waivers, allowing him to sign with another club that would only owe Tepera the pro-rated big league minimum while the Angels continue to pay down his 2023 salary.

With Tepera off the roster, the Angels still have plenty of solid options for the back of their bullpen, with Carlos Estevez, Matt Moore, Jaime Barria and Andrew Wantz all having excelled to this point in the season. They’ll be joined by Weiss, 31 next month, who posted a solid 3.38 ERA (123 ERA+) with a 4.16 FIP in 13 1/3 innings for the Angels last season. Weiss’s stint with the Angels last season was just his second in the big leagues, as he debuted with the Reds in 2018 but failed to record an out in the appearance while surrendering four runs.

Twins Place Jorge Polanco On 10-Day Injured List

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The Twins placed second baseman Jorge Polanco on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain.  The placement is retroactive to May 18.  Infielder Edouard Julien has been called up from Triple-A to take Polanco’s spot on the active roster.

Polanco had to be removed from Wednesday’s game after hurting his hamstring while trying to beat out a grounder.  Today’s move sends Polanco back to the injured for the second time this season, as he didn’t play his first game until April 21 since the Twins were taking a cautious approach with a lingering knee injury.  Polanco’s 2022 campaign was ended in early September by left knee inflammation, and he didn’t play much in Spring Training since he continued to feel some soreness.

The silver lining is that Polanco has performed well when he’s been able to play, as he has a .284/.327/.484 slash line and four home runs over his 101 plate appearances.  While obviously a small sample size this early, Polanco’s 124 wRC+ matches his career best over a full season.  A .343 BABIP has played a big role and his strikeout/walk rates are both below average, but Polanco’s .369 xwOBA is also higher than his .349 wOBA.

With Nick Gordon also sidelined with a shin fracture, Minnesota’s infield depth has been thinned, but the Twins do have options to replace Polanco at least in the short term.  Donovan Solano and Willi Castro can each get some time at the position, or Kyle Farmer could be moved over from third base if Solano or Castro get a start at the hot corner.  Julien will also be in the mix in his second MLB call-up, as he hit .222/.276/.444 in 30 PA during his first appearance in April.

In the bigger picture, losing Polanco for at least 10 days is another blow to a Twins team that has had trouble both staying healthy and delivering consistent offense.  Carlos Correa and Christian Vazquez are among the Twins hitter who have yet to really get going at the plate, though Minnesota is still in first place in the AL Central thanks largely to an excellent rotation.

A’s Place Drew Rucinski On 15-Day Injured List

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Drew Rucinski has landed on the 15-day IL (retroactive to May 17) with a stomach illness, the A’s announced. In his place, the team has recalled right hander James Kaprielian, who is scheduled to start tomorrow’s match.

Rucinski, 34, returned to the US on a one-year, $3MM deal with a $5MM club option for next season after a successful time in Korea. It hasn’t been an enjoyable return though, as the veteran has made just four starts for Oakland, working to a 9.00 ERA. He’s struck out just 6.3% of batters and walked 14.7%, while giving up five home runs in 18 innings. It’s a disappointing return for a player who worked to a 3.05 ERA over 121 starts in four seasons in Korea.

While 15 days out seems like quite a bit for a stomach illness, it’ll at least give the A’s and Rucinski some time to work on any issues he’s been experiencing that’s led to this poor start in Oakland. He’ll be eligible to return to the team in early June.

Kaprielian’s put up similarly disappointing numbers, working to a 10.17 ERA in 23 big league innings this year. The 29-year-old former top-100 prospect has performed a lot better in a limited sample at Triple-A, giving up just a single earned run in 8 1/3 innings at the highest level of the minors.

Injury Notes: Glasnow, Voit, Jimenez, Hendriks

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Rays starter Tyler Glasnow is getting closer and closer to a return, with the right hander set to make one final rehab start at Triple-A tomorrow before presumably being ready to come of the IL and join the big league club, as Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times reports. That could mean he makes his season debut at some stage during the Rays current home stand, presumably during the series with the Dodgers.

Glasnow missed the majority of the 2022 season while recovering from a Tommy John procedure, and hasn’t pitched this season due to an oblique injury. Of course, the Rays have done just fine in his absence, compiling a 33-13 record and sitting atop the American League. Yet Glasnow’s return will be a welcome boost to the Rays, who already have starters Shane Baz and Jeffrey Springs on the IL due to Tommy John surgery, while Drew Rasmussen is also expected to miss significant time.

Injuries have plagued Glasnow’s career, but he’s been a dominant force when on the mound. Since the Rays acquired him from the Pirates in 2018, Glasnow’s made 50 starts and worked to a 3.05 ERA while striking out about a third of batters he faces. He’s playing out this season on a $5.3MM salary, and is due a $25MM salary in 2024 before becoming eligible for free agency.

Here’s a couple more notes on injured players:

  • The Brewers announced that Luke Voit will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Nashville tonight. Voit has been on the IL since Monday with a strained neck. That means he still can’t return until later in the week, but the fact that he’s starting a rehab assignment already suggests he’ll be ready to come off the IL as soon as he’s eligible. Voit has struggled to a .221/.284/.265 line without a home run in 74 plate appearances with the Brewers this year. That’s come with a troubling 36.5% strikeout rate and a 5.4% walk rate, both numbers that are in the wrong direction from previous seasons.
  • White Sox outfielder Eloy Jimenez is “ahead of schedule” in his recovery from an appendectomy procedure, manager Pedro Grifol relays to reporters (including James Fegan of The Athletic). It was reported on Thursday that Jimenez hoped to return to the White Sox lineup by next weekend, and Grifol’s comments would seem to put such a timeline very much in play. Jimenez appeared in 25 games before hitting the IL, slashing .258/.321/.423 with four home runs. Much has been made of Chicago’s struggles to start the season, and the return of Jimenez will be a significant boost as they look to get themselves back into contention. Grifol also updated reporters on Liam Hendriks’ progress, telling reporters he will face hitters again in a live BP session over the next week. The veteran closer is cancer free and has already pitched in a handful of games on a rehab stint at Triple-A, so it stands to reason that he could be activated sometime soon. In any case, it’ll be one of the season’s feel good stories to see Hendriks back on the mound whenever he does return.

Phillies Claim Dylan Covey Off Waivers

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The Phillies announced that they have claimed right handed pitcher Dylan Covey off waivers from the Dodgers. To make room, the team has transferred first baseman Darick Hall to the 60-day IL. Covey had been designated for assignment by the Dodgers.

It was short stint for Covey in Dodger blue, as he was selected on Wednesday, threw four innings of relief after Dustin May was removed after just one inning with elbow pain. Covey was then DFA’d shortly after. The 31-year-old had been working at Triple-A, where he owned a 4.22 ERA over 32 innings.

The former fourth round pick by the Athletics owns a career 6.54 ERA over 268 1/3 big league innings between the White Sox, Red Sox and now Dodgers. The Phillies are in need of pitching depth as they try to recover from a five game losing run that the team is on. Through the month of May, they’re sporting an ERA of 5.36. They also saw Ranger Suarez throw just two innings last night, so had to rely heavily on their bullpen to get them through the game.

Padres Sign James Bourque To Minor League Deal

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The Padres have added right hander James Bourque on a minor league deal, per his MLB.com transaction page.

Bourque, 26, hasn’t appeared in the majors since getting a handful of innings with the Nationals back in 2020. That year, he tossed just four innings of relief, giving up three earned runs and walking five batters. He also appeared in a single game in 2019, and all told has pitched 4 2/3 big league innings for a 13.50 ERA.

A 14th round pick by the Nats back in 2014, Bourque worked as a starter initially, but after struggling to a 5.03 ERA in A-ball in 2017 he was moved into a relief role. He immediately found success there, seeing his strikeout rate surge while working to a 1.70 ERA in 53 relief innings between Single and Double-A in 2018. A major league debut would come in 2019, but as touched on, he hasn’t found success at the highest level to date.

Injuries have limited Bourque to just 8 1/3 minor league innings since being released by the Nationals at the end of the 2020 season. Those innings came during a stint in the Cubs organization in last year, when Bourque struck out 16 batters in those 8 1/3 innings, but also walked nine. He’ll head west to join the Padres and hope to find a way back onto a big league roster.

Rangers To Sign Tyler Zombro To Minor League Deal

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The Rangers are signing 28-year-old right hander Tyler Zombro to a minor league deal, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN. It’s less than two years since Zombro was hit in the head by a 104 mph line drive while pitching for the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate, which caused him to have a seizure on the mound and fractured his skull.

He did make a brief return to the mound last year at Triple-A Durham, pitching in two games before requiring thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. He was released by the Rays organization in March. Any comeback at all was a remarkable achievement for Zombro, who spent five days in the intensive care unit of Duke University Hospital undergoing brain surgery in June, 2021.

He never has made it to the big leagues, but has shown some promise as a relief pitcher in the minors. He owns a 1.87 ERA across 57 2/3 innings at Double-A, and has worked to a 5.30 ERA in a smaller sample of 18 2/3 innings in Triple-A. Triple-A is where he’ll report to for the Rangers, where he’ll look to provide the team with some bullpen depth.

 

Cubs Designate Eric Hosmer For Assignment

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The Cubs announced a series of roster moves today, with Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic among those to relay them on Twitter. Infielder Nico Hoerner has been activated off the injured list, Edwin Ríos was recalled from Iowa and outfielder Mike Tauchman has had his contract selected. In corresponding moves, Cody Bellinger has been placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 16 with a left knee contusion, Keegan Thompson has been optioned to Iowa and first baseman Eric Hosmer has been designated for assignment.

Hosmer, 33, signed an eight-year, $144MM deal with the Padres going into the 2018 but then saw his production tail off once the ink on that deal was dry. He had a career batting line of .284/.342/.439 prior to that deal but has hit just .263/.323/.406 since then. That latter line amounts to a wRC+ of 98, indicating he’s been a couple of ticks below league average. Since first baseman are generally expected to produce more on the offensive side of things, that’s been an obviously disappointing performance.

He was frequently the subject of trade rumors during him time in San Diego and eventually was flipped to the Red Sox at least year’s deadline with the Padres eating almost all of the remaining money on his deal, with Boston on the hook for just the league minimum. Boston was then encouraged enough by the developments of first base prospect Triston Casas that they released Hosmer in the offseason.

The Cubs then agreed to bring Hosmer aboard, which was a move that had no financial risk since the Padres were still responsible for most of the $39MM remaining on the final three years of his contract. It was seen by many that Hosmer would be a sort of placeholder, hopefully playing at a serviceable level until some younger player such as Matt Mervis eventually forced their way into the major league plans. Mervis was called up a couple of weeks ago and is hitting just .220/.256/.317 so far but Hosmer isn’t doing much better, currently slashing .234/.280/.330 for a wRC+ of 67. It seems the Cubs will use Hosmer’s at-bats on other players and let him seek out his next opportunity.

Hosmer will inevitable be released in the coming days and return to the open market. He hasn’t been able to provide much value lately but he might still get interest based on his previous work and the fact that he’d be essentially free in terms of dollars. He also appears to be respected around the game for intangibles like his clubhouse presence and leadership, which could also appeal to certain clubs.

Turning to the other moves, Bellinger seemed to injure himself by colliding with the wall in Houston while making a catch on Monday. The club took a few days to see how his situation developed but has decided to let him rest for at least another week. He was non-tendered by the Dodgers after last season due to his struggles in both 2021 and 2022 but is in better form so far this year. After signing a one-year, $17.5MM deal with the Cubs this winter, he’s hitting .271/.337/.493 in addition to stealing nine bases and playing quality defense. Christopher Morel is in center field tonight and could perhaps stay there until Bellinger comes back.

Tauchman, 32, could also be in that mix, as he’s been playing all three outfield slots in Triple-A this year. He’s also walked in an incredible 20.4% of his plate appearances, leading to a .278/.427/.443 slash line and 129 wRC+. He has 257 games of major league experience under his belt, having played for the Rockies, Yankees and Giants from 2017 to 2021. His career batting line is currently .231/.326/.378 for a wRC+ of 90. He spent 2022 with the Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization, hitting .289/.366/.430 in 144 games there.

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