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Twins Designate Trevor Richards For Assignment

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The Twins announced their waiver claim of right-hander Michael Tonkin, which was previously reported. To open a 40-man spot, righty Trevor Richards has been designated for assignment. To take the active spot of Richards, the club has selected the contract of righty Caleb Boushley. To open a 40-man spot for Boushley, righty Joe Ryan has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

Richards was the Twins’ lone deadline pickup a month ago, coming over from Toronto in exchange for minor league infielder Jay Harry. The right-hander had scoreless outings in seven of his ten appearances with Minnesota but also had three shakier outings, leading to a 4.15 ERA in 13 innings overall.

That may not seem particularly poor at first glance, but Richards walked a massive 18.6% of his opponents during his time with the Twins and even more incredibly uncorked seven wild pitches during those 13 frames. He also hit two batters. Overall, the lack of command he showed proved too alarming for the team to continue on with the right-hander.

Richards has had some big league success in the past, both as a starter (261 2/3 innings of 4.22 ERA ball in 2018-19) and a reliever (3.50 ERA, 31.1 K% in 64 1/3 innings in 2021). However, even though he’s shown a consistent ability to miss bats and regularly flummoxed lefties with a plus changeup, he’s struggled with command and been far too hittable against fellow righties.

Richards came to the Twins as a rental who’d been struggling with his former team, so the cost of acquisition to acquire him was quite low. Still, the Twins surely hoped for better results, particularly given their lack of other deadline additions. Instead, he’ll give way to Tonkin, who’s back for a second 2024 stint with the team that originally drafted him in the 30th round back in 2008. Richards will now hit waivers and presumably clear, as a team would need to be willing to pay the remaining $358K on his $2.15MM salary in order to place a claim.

As for the 30-year-old Boushley, this’ll be his second stint with the Twins this year as well. He pitched two innings and allowed two runs a few months back, but has spent the rest of the season in Triple-A, where he has a 4.97 ERA in 116 innings. That earned run average is skewed in part by a calamitous nine-run shellacking at the hands of the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate back on July 3, but Boushley has been struggling in general as of late. Even setting aside that nine-run bonanza, he’s been tagged for a 6.55 ERA in his past seven starts with the Saints.

Athletics Claim Tristan Gray

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The Athletics announced that they have claimed infielder Tristan Gray off waivers from the Marlins and assigned him to Triple-A Las Vegas. Miami had designated him for assignment in recent days. The A’s had an open 40-man spot after designating infielder Abraham Toro for assignment earlier today.

Gray, 28, got a bit of prospect attention earlier due to some interesting offensive numbers in the lower levels of the minors. However, he has struggled to bring that up to higher levels. From 2017 to 2019, he got into 293 minor league games from Low-A to Double-A. He hit a combined .239/.319/.428 in those for a 116 wRC+.

The pandemic wiped out the minors in 2020 and Gray has been playing Triple-A ball since then, getting into 431 contests. He’s hit 88 home runs in that time but also been struck out at a 30.2% clip while walking 8% of the time. All that leads to a .236/.305/.470 batting line and 95 wRC+. He also has 12 major league plate appearances between the Rays last year and the Marlins this year, hitting .167/.167/.417 in those.

Gray has played all four infield positions throughout his career and has continued to do so here in 2024. He can provide the A’s with depth all over the diamond, perhaps for a long time. He has a full slate of options for now. He is burning one here in 2024 but will still have two left beyond this season. He also has just a few days of service time, meaning he’s nowhere close to qualifying for arbitration or free agency.

White Sox Designate John Brebbia For Assignment

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The White Sox announced Tuesday that they’ve designated right-handed reliever John Brebbia for assignment and optioned third baseman Bryan Ramos to Triple-A Charlotte. Their roster spots will go to infielder Jacob Amaya, whom the Sox recently claimed off waivers, and right-hander Prelander Berroa, who’s being recalled from Charlotte.

It’s been a rollercoaster of a season for Brebbia, who signed a one-year, $5.5MM deal with the Sox over the winter. He started the season with five scoreless appearances and was generally sharp through mid-May before enduring a massive three-week slump. He righted the ship in early June and went on a dominant six-week stretch where he pitched to a sub-1.00 ERA with elite strikeout and walk rates … only to fall into another, even lengthier slump from which he’s yet to escape. Dating back to July 14, Brebbia has allowed 16 runs in 11 2/3 frames.

All told, Brebbia’s Jekyll-and-Hyde act will result in a grisly 6.29 ERA through 48 2/3 innings. He had multiple stretches where he pitched far, far better than that ultimate mark would suggest him to be capable of, but when Brebbia has been off his game, things have often snowballed in a hurry. He’s had six different relief outings this season in which he’s been tagged for at least three earned runs — including a four-run drubbing in what’ll now be his final outing with the Sox.

Ugly as this season’s results have been, Brebbia has a nice track record overall. In six prior big league seasons, he pitched 299 2/3 innings with a 3.42 ERA, 25.5% strikeout rate and 7.2% walk rate between the Cardinals (2017-19) and Giants (2021-23). Brebbia missed the 2020 season due to Tommy John surgery and struggled to a 5.18 ERA in his 2021 return (albeit in just 18 1/3 innings). Outside of that short ’21 showing and this year’s implosion with the South Siders, he’s posted a sub-4.00 ERA every season.

Even with that track record and some legitimately impressive stretches interspersed throughout his 2024 season, Brebbia won’t be claimed off waivers. He’s owed not only the balance of his $4MM base salary (about $688K) but also a $1.5MM buyout on next year’s $6MM club option. If that combined $2.188MM for a four-week rental isn’t dissuading enough, Brebbia would also pick up a $250K bonus the next time he takes the mound, under the terms of his current contract. (He’s already earned $500K of bonuses for reaching 45 and 50 appearances and had identical bonuses available at 55 and 60 games pitched.)

Instead, Brebbia will pass through waivers unclaimed and become a free agent (whether by straight release or rejecting an outright assignment). At that point, a new team could sign him for only the prorated league minimum for any time spent in the majors. The incentives built into his White Sox contract would not follow him to a new team on a new free-agent deal, so that $250K bonus and the option buyout (which is still owed to him by the White Sox) will be nonfactors for Brebbia’s next team.

Even with this season’s poor bottom-line results, Brebbia has whiffed 27% of his opponents and limited walks at a sharp 7.9% clip. A contender in need of bullpen depth might be intrigued by that K-BB profile and take a low-risk flier on the veteran righty. So long as he’s with his new organization on or before Aug. 31, he’d be postseason-eligible.

Angels Place Matt Moore On Injured List, Select Ryan Miller

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The Angels announced Tuesday that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Ryan Miller from Triple-A Salt Lake. In a pair of corresponding moves, the Halos placed lefty Matt Moore on the 15-day injured list and transferred Mike Trout from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL.

Moore exited his most recent appearance due to an elbow issue. The Angels have not yet commented on the severity of the issue, nor did they even list a specific injury in their formal announcement of today’s transaction. It’s been a tough year for the 35-year-old veteran, who’s worked to a 5.03 ERA as his strikeout rate, walk rate and velocity have all trended in the wrong direction.

From 2022-23, Moore sat 94 mph with his heater and pitched to a 2.20 ERA in 126 2/3 innings, striking out 27.4% of his opponents against a 10.2% walk rate (including a career-best 6.9% walk rate last year). In 2024, however, his average fastball has dipped to 93 mph, and Moore has set down just 19.5% of his opponents on strikes while issuing free passes to 12.4% of batters faced — the second-worst mark of his big league career.

Miller, 28, will be making his big league debut more than six years after being selected by the Diamondbacks in the sixth round of the 2018 draft. He joined the Angels via the minor league phase of last year’s Rule 5 Draft and has pitched quite well. In 62 1/3 innings, he’s worked to a 2.45 ERA with a strong 24.6% strikeout rate against an excellent 5.6% walk rate. Miller has kept the ball on the ground at a 40.9% clip that’s not far below league average and yielded only 1.01 homers per nine frames pitched.

Phillies Outright Dylan Covey

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The Phillies announced that right-hander Dylan Covey has been reinstated from the 60-day IL and outrighted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley after clearing waivers. The 40-man roster count stays at 39.

Covey, 33, has been on the injured list all year until this point. He began the campaign on the 15-day IL due to a right shoulder strain and was transferred to the 60-day version in June when the club claimed Freddy Tarnok off waivers.

He has been rehabbing in the minors for the past month but the club evidently didn’t want to squeeze him onto their major league roster or 40-man. He is out of options and couldn’t be sent to the minors, so they quietly passed him through waivers instead.

Covey has more than three years of major league service time, which gives him the right to reject this outright assignment and elect free agency. But since he has less than five years of service, doing so would mean forfeiting what is left of his $850K salary. Presumably, he will accept that assignment and keep cashing the checks he’s owed for the next few weeks, providing the Phils with some non-roster depth.

He posted some lackluster results as a starter earlier in his career but a pivot to the bullpen provided some encouragement. Last year, he tossed 43 innings between the Dodgers and Phillies with a 3.77 earned run average. His 15.7% strikeout rate was subpar but he got opponents to hit the ball into the ground at a 54.3% clip.

That was enough for the Phils to tender him a contract and agree to a contract slightly above the $740K league minimum, but the injury has prevented him from building on that season so far. If he’s not added back to the roster at any point this year, he’ll qualify for free agency at season’s end, as is the case for all outrighted players with at least three years of service time.

Reds Place Nick Lodolo On Injured List

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The Reds announced that left-hander Nick Lodolo has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to August 24, due to a left middle finger sprain. Right-hander Casey Legumina was recalled in a corresponding move.

To this point, the Reds haven’t provided any information about how long Lodolo is expected to be out, but it’s a frustrating development nonetheless. This will be the lefty’s fourth IL stint of the season, as he has already made separate trips there due to left calf tenosynovitis, a left groin strain and a left finger blister.

This latest IL trip, whether it proves to be significant or mild, adds to a lengthy injury problem for both player and team. Lodolo also missed most of last year due to various problems in his left leg, only making seven starts on the campaign. He had an encouraging debut season in 2022, posting a 3.66 ERA over 19 starts. But the past two campaigns have been mostly defined by his lack of health and he has posted a 5.11 ERA while healthy enough to take the mound. Despite all the missed time, Lodolo will reach three years of service at season’s end and qualify for arbitration, though the injury absences will cut into his earning power.

Lodolo’s woes have been part of a constellation of injury problems for the Reds this year. Much of their projected lineup has spent at least some time out of action and the pitching staff is currently in really rough shape. Lodolo joins Hunter Greene and Andrew Abbott on the IL, putting three of the clubs best starters on ice. That’s in addition to guys like Graham Ashcraft, Brandon Williamson and Christian Roa, who are also on the IL.

The Reds also traded Frankie Montas prior to the deadline, so their rotation looks far different than it did a month ago. Jakob Junis, acquired in the Montas deal, is stepping in to start today’s game. He has started in the past but hasn’t thrown more than 2 1/3 innings in any outing during the past month. He might have some workload limitations today but could perhaps be stretched out to help the Reds finish the season.

The rest of the rotation consists of Nick Martinez, Carson Spiers and Julian Aguiar. Martinez and Spiers have been in swing roles this year but have been needed in the rotation due to the aforementioned issues. Aguiar is a rookie with just two major league starts under his belt.

The Reds were off yesterday but today are starting a stretch of playing eight games in seven days, so they will need a fifth starter or some bulk innings at some point. Williamson is starting a rehab assignment but will presumably need some time to ramp up. Lyon Richardson and Connor Phillips are on the 40-man roster but neither has been posting great results this year. Justus Sheffield is around in a non-roster role but isn’t pitching well either. Prospect Rhett Lowder has just one start above Double-A and isn’t yet on the 40-man roster.

It’s a less than ideal situation for the stretch of a disappointing season. The Reds came into the year with postseason aspirations but the massive slate of injuries have handcuffed them all year. They are currently eight games out of a playoff spot and it will be very difficult to climb back into the picture with so many of their starters out of action.

Twins Claim Michael Tonkin

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The Yankees announced that right-hander Michael Tonkin has been claimed off waivers by the Twins. The Yanks had designated him for assignment in recent days. The Twins will need to make a corresponding move to open a 40-man roster spot, as well as an active roster spot once Tonkin reports to the club. Dan Hayes of The Athletic relayed news of the claim on X prior to the official transaction.

Tonkin, 34, was originally a Twins draftee (30th round, 2008) who reached the majors with Minnesota in 2013 but quickly descended into journeyman status. After spending the 2008-17 seasons in the Twins’ system — and pitching in the majors each year from 2013-17 — Tonkin spent the 2018 season with Japan’s Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters. He returned stateside in 2019 and has spent time with the Brewers, D-backs, Braves, Mets and Yankees organizations in addition to stints in the Atlantic League and in the Mexican League.

After a five-year absence, Tonkin returned to the majors with the Braves last year and pitched 80 solid innings out of their bullpen. This season, he’s bounced between the Mets, Yankees and Twins via waivers. This’ll be his second stint of the current season in Minnesota. He’ll hope for better results than he had in his first, when he pitched two innings and yielded two runs.

Tonkin seems to have found something during his run with the Yankees, however. After being claimed off waivers out of the Twins organization, he spent three months with the Yankees and pitched to a sharp 3.38 ERA with a 24.6% strikeout rate and 9.1% walk rate in 56 innings (39 total appearances). The Yankees used him primarily in low-leverage, multi-inning spots — and Tonkin took to the role quite nicely. He’d hit a rough patch over the past five weeks though, yielding 15 earned runs in his past 19 1/3 innings.

The Twins have shuffled up their bullpen mix more than they’d hoped this season, in part due to injuries. Minnesota just recently designated veteran lefty Steven Okert for assignment and passed him through waivers. Tonkin will give them a fresh arm to replace Okert. He’ll join a talented but top-heavy Twins bullpen that’s headlined by one of the game’s best one-two punches: Jhoan Duran and Griffin Jax.

Giants Place Robbie Ray On Injured List

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The Giants have placed left-hander Robbie Ray on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. Right-hander Landen Roupp has been recalled in a corresponding move. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle was among those to relay the transaction on X.

Ray, 32, was acquired in the offseason with an eye toward the former AL Cy Young winner serving as a second-half reinforcement in the rotation. He underwent Tommy John surgery early in the 2023 season and was subsequently shelved through late July.

While Ray wowed with five no-hit innings and eight punchouts against the Dodgers in his return on July 24, he’s lasted a combined 25 2/3 innings across his next six starts and posted an ERA north of 5.00 in that time. Overall, he’s sitting on a 4.70 earned run average with a hefty 33.3% strikeout rate against a problematic 11.6% walk rate in 30 2/3 frames. He’s also served up six long balls — an untenable average of 1.76 homers per nine innings.

When or whether Ray returns in 2024 remains to be seen, but the Giants still have him signed for another two seasons. Ray actually has the right to opt out of his contract at season’s end, but he’s guaranteed $25MM in each of the next two seasons. Given Ray’s shaky performance on the heels of Tommy John rehab, and now a hamstring injury, it seems likely he’ll forgo that right and take the remaining two-year, $50MM guarantee on his deal.

The hope, of course, will be that Ray can return to form next season — if not all the way to his 2021 Cy Young form then at least to his 2022 levels, when he pitched 189 innings of 3.71 ERA ball for the Mariners while showing an appealing K-BB profile. That’d position him to join Logan Webb, Kyle Harrison and perhaps young arms like Hayden Birdsong and Carson Whisenhunt in the San Francisco rotation.

In the short-term, the Giants will go with a rotation featuring Webb, Harrison, Birdsong and the resurgent Blake Snell. It’s not clear who’ll step into the fifth spot in Ray’s absence. Not long after the trade deadline, when discussing the decision not to move Snell, Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi opined that the Giants possessed the best starting staff in the sport. Perhaps the Giants are indeed among the most talented groups, but it’s a top-heavy unit lacking depth and consistency — and Ray’s injury only underscores that.

Mason Black, Kai-Wei Teng and Trevor McDonald are all on the 40-man roster, but none has found any big league success (or even pitched especially well in Triple-A this year, for that matter). The Giants are also no stranger to patching things over with bullpen games and could go that route, particularly if Ray is only expected to require a short-term stay on the injured list.

Twins Outright Steven Okert

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Twins left-hander Steven Okert went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A St. Paul, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Minnesota designated him for assignment over the weekend. Okert has four-plus seasons of big league service, giving him more than the three years needed to reject the assignment in favor of free agency but fewer than the five years required to do so while still retaining the remainder of his salary. He’d need to forfeit the remainder of this season’s $1.0625MM salary (about $188K) to become a free agent, so it’s quite likely he’ll accept the assignment and head to St. Paul.

Acquired from the Marlins in a straight-up swap for utilityman Nick Gordon — who was also recently designated for assignment and outrighted — Okert had a decent first half but has seen his results tumble since the All-Star break. The 6’2″ southpaw pitched to a 3.86 ERA with a 22.1% strikeout rate and 9% walk rate prior to the Midsummer Classic but has been torched for a 9.82 earned run average with a 15.8% strikeout rate and 13.2% walk rate in 7 1/3 second-half frames. Overall, he’s sitting on a 5.09 ERA for the season.

Okert, 33, has been working in medium-leverage situations for much of the season but has struggled the most in his most pressure-filled spots. He’s been credited with seven holds and one save but also six blown saves. Only three relievers in baseball this season (min. 30 innings) have a lower mark in terms in Win Probability Added than Okert’s -1.84.

While Okert certainly hasn’t had his best performance in his first season with the Twins organization, he has a solid track record dating back to his Marlins days. From 2020-23, he tossed 153 1/3 innings for Miami and notched a tidy 3.40 ERA. His 10.2% walk rate in that time generally matches this year’s 10% mark, but from ’20-’23 Okert punched out 28.9% of his opponents. This year, that mark has plummeted to 20.6%. Okert’s slider remains deadly, with opponents hitting just .141/.236/.295 in the 89 plate appearances he’s wrapped up with that offering. However, they’ve absolutely teed off on his four-seamer (which has lost nearly a mile per hour in 2024), batting an eye-popping .424/.486/.636 against the pitch.

Okert will try to get back on track across the river in St. Paul, though he’ll have only a month or so to pitch his way back into consideration for the team’s likely postseason roster. If Okert isn’t added back to the 40-man roster prior to the offseason, he’ll have the right to become a free agent, as is the case with all outrighted players who have more than three years of big league service time.

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