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NL Central Notes: McLain, Horton, Jones

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After finishing fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, Matt McLain’s sophomore season has thus far been a wash, as a shoulder surgery in March has kept him off the field.  McLain was set to begin a minor rehab assignment tomorrow but those plans have now been put on hold, Reds manager David Bell told the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer and other reporters.  McLain suffered a stress reaction in his ribcage area last week and was assigned a shutdown period of 3-7 days, which has now stretched to beyond the intended start date of the rehab assignment.

As recently as Thursday, McLain “was having some progress and feeling better,” as Bell relayed about a text message sent to him from the infielder.  The short timeframe of the initial shutdown period would seem to suggest that the rib injury isn’t as serious as it might sound, yet basically any setback at this point adds extra doubt about McLain’s ability to return to action before the 2024 season is over.  He’ll need a pretty lengthy rehab period to get fully ramped up after his layoff, so even if McLain is able to start playing relatively soon, his return to the majors looks like it’ll be in September at the earliest.  The 57-61 Reds are on the outskirts of an NL wild card race that is still relatively compact at the moment, so the team will need all the help it can get (including whatever McLain can provide) if Cincinnati has a shot of leapfrogging the field and snagging a playoff berth.

More from the NL Central…

  • Cade Horton also suffered a setback in his rehab from the subscapularis strain that has kept the Cubs pitching prospect off the mound since late May, Cubs president of operations Jed Hoyer told the Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro.  As a result, Horton’s 2024 campaign is likely over, as Hoyer said the right-hander probably wouldn’t start throwing again until after the minor league season is finished.  Selected seventh overall in the 2022 draft, Horton is considered one of the top pitching prospects in all of baseball, though his first taste of Triple-A action resulted in an ugly 7.50 ERA over 18 innings (five starts).  Between the shoulder strain, this latest setback, and a Tommy John surgery in his college days, Horton has already had to deal with a lot of injury concerns, and his MLB debut will now have to wait until 2025 at the earliest.
  • In the first start of his minor league rehab assignment, Jared Jones threw 47 pitches over 2 2/3 innings for Triple-A Indianapolis last Thursday.  Pirates GM Ben Cherington said during his weekly radio show today (hat tip to Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) that the plan is for Jones to having another rehab outing on Wednesday with a higher pitch count, and the Bucs will decide from there whether or not Jones could be ready to return from the 15-day injured list.  Jones suffered a Grade 2 strain in his right lat during his last MLB start on July 3, thus necessitating a lengthy IL stint.  Somewhat overshadowed by the Paul Skenes phenomenon, Jones has had a big rookie year of his own, posting a 3.56 ERA over his first 91 big league innings and emerging as another key building block of the Pittsburgh rotation.

Mariners Outright Jonathan Hernandez

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TODAY: Hernandez cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, the Mariners announced.

AUGUST 8: The Mariners announced a quartet of roster moves tonight, including the news that right-hander Jonathan Hernandez has been designated for assignment.  Infielder Jason Vosler was also optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, while outfielder Dominic Canzone was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and righty Eduard Bazardo was called up from Triple-A.

Hernandez hits the DFA wire for the second time in just over a week, as the Rangers’ decision to designate the reliever led the Mariners to make a waiver claim.  Hernandez has already made three appearances in a Seattle uniform, but after throwing scoreless innings in his first two outings, he was charged with three earned runs in just one-third of an inning in the Mariners’ 6-2 loss to the Tigers yesterday.

Because Hernandez is out of minor league options, the M’s had to designate him and thus again expose him to waivers in order to bring Bazardo’s fresh arm into the bullpen mix.  If he clears waivers and is outrighted off Seattle’s 40-man roster, Hernandez doesn’t yet have enough MLB service time to reject such an assignment in favor of free agency, nor has he been previously outrighted during his career.

Over 43 1/3 combined innings with Texas and Seattle this season, Hernandez has a 5.40 ERA, 20.3% strikeout rate, and an ugly 14.6% walk rate.  The latter number is one of the worst walk rates of any pitcher in baseball, underlining the control problems that have marked much of Hernandez’s five-season run in the big leagues.  He was able to keep things in check for long enough to post a 2.93 ERA over 61 1/3 innings for the Rangers during the 2020 and 2022 seasons, with the 2021 campaign a complete write-off while Hernandez was recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Though the 2023 season was also a struggle for the righty, Hernandez’s 2022 success is recent enough that another team in need of bullpen help could be willing to put in a waiver claim and bet on a turn-around.  Hernandez turned 28 last month, and he is still arbitration-controlled through the 2026 season.  Earning a $1.245MM salary this year, Hernandez still has about $363K remaining, and a new team would owe only the prorated portion of the average MLB salary.  The Mariners also paid only a prorated average rate during Hernandez’s brief time on the active roster, as the Rangers are covering the bulk of the remaining money.

Canzone last played on July 9, so he’s back after almost exactly a month recovering from a right adductor strain.  Between that absence and a prior IL stint due to a left AC joint sprain, Canzone has been limited to 54 games and 159 plate appearances this season, hitting .211/.289/.394 with seven homers.  Canzone’s left-handed bat can come off the bench and help balance out a Mariners lineup that mostly tilts to the right side, and he is a solid defender at all three outfield positions.

Phillies Make Six Roster Moves

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TODAY: Hall and Castillo cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A, the Phillies announced.

AUGUST 9: The Phillies announced a series of roster moves today. Outfielder Austin Hays has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 8, with a left hamstring strain. Left-hander Kolby Allard was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To take those two roster spots, the club selected outfielder Cal Stevenson and right-hander Max Lazar. To open 40-man spots for those two, first baseman Darick Hall and righty Max Castillo have been designated for assignment.

Hays left Wednesday’s game with left hamstring tightness, per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com on X. It’s unclear how long he is expected to be out of action, but it seems the Phils will have to progress for at least a week without their recent outfield upgrade. Acquired from the Orioles prior to the deadline, Hays hit .263/.282/.395 and stole two bases in his first ten games with Philadelphia but will now sit on the shelf for a while.

The club still has Nick Castellanos, Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas and Weston Wilson in the outfield mix but will bolster that group with Stevenson. Now 27, he was claimed off waivers from the Giants in May of last year but then was outrighted off the Phillies’ roster the following month.

He’s spent all of this year putting up great numbers at the Triple-A level. In 91 games for the IronPigs, he’s hit seven home runs and drawn walks at a massive 16.4% clip while limiting his strikeouts to a 16.7% strikeout rate. His .307/.420/.488 batting line translates to a 138 wRC+ and he’s also stolen 27 bases while lining up at all three outfield spots.

Stevenson has put up strong numbers in the minors before but struggled in limited major league looks. He has 29 big league games under his belt at this point, with the Giants and Athletics, but he hit just .145/.259/.188 in those contests. If things click this time around, he still has one option remaining and he won’t be able to get to one year of service time this season, meaning he could be retained well into the future at minimal cost.

But getting Stevenson onto the roster seems to have cost Hall his spot. He has done some exciting stuff at the plate in the past but is not having his best year. He’s spent the entire season in Triple-A and does have 12 home runs, but his .248/.324/.402 line translates to an 86 wRC+ in the strong offensive environment of the International League this year.

Hall is in his final option year and therefore will be out of options in 2025. Even before this year’s struggles, he didn’t have a path to playing time in Philadelphia with Bryce Harper at first base and Kyle Schwarber in the designated hitter slot. With less roster flexibility next year, he was going to have a hard time hanging onto his roster spot going forward, so the Phils have nudged him off today.

With the trade deadline now passed, they will have no choice but to put him on waivers in the coming days. Clubs may be interested based on his past performance. From 2021 to 2023, he hit 60 home runs in 297 minor league games, walked at an 11.1% clip and had a 21.1% strikeout rate. His combined .261/.351/.486 batting line translated to a 117 wRC+. He can be kept on optional assignment for the rest of this year but will be out of options next year and has no defensive versatility as a first base/DH only player.

The club also made a switch on the pitching side, giving Lazar his first major league call. Drafted by the Brewers back in 2017, he climbed as high as Double-A but didn’t get the major league call by the end of 2023 and qualified for minor league free agency.

The Phillies signed him to a minor league deal in the offseason and have been watching him post great results. In 40 1/3 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, he has a 1.79 earned run average, 33.8% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate. Those impressive numbers get him up to the Philly bullpen and he’ll be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game.

Castillo, 25, was claimed off waivers from the Red Sox in February. Like Hall, he is in his final option year and may been running out of time. Claimed off waivers from the Red Sox in February, he has been providing the Phils with some starting depth but the results haven’t been there this year. In 52 innings between Double-A and Triple-A, he has a 7.62 ERA, 16.4% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate.

The Phils will have to put him on waivers in a few days. As recently as last year, he seemed like a capable up-and-down arm, as he posted a 4.43 ERA in the majors with the Royals and a 4.58 ERA at the Triple-A level, but it’s obviously been a different story this year. Between Castillo and Hall, neither has a previous career outright nor three years of big league service time. If either of them clear waivers, they would stick with the Phils as non-roster depth.

James Paxton Leaves Start Due To Calf Strain

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James Paxton suffered a right calf strain in the first inning of his start today against the Astros, forcing the veteran left-hander from the mound.  Paxton’s fifth pitch of the game got Yordan Alvarez to ground to first baseman Dominic Smith, but Paxton came up limping when leaving the mound to cover first base.

Speaking to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo (links to X) and other media after the game, Paxton said he heard a popping sound in his leg.  Paxton was using crutches to move around in the clubhouse, and he’ll get an MRI tomorrow to access the damage.

A trip to the 15-day injured list seems inevitable, and it is up in the air whether or not Paxton will even be able to pitch again in 2024.  Even if the MRI reveals the relatively good news of “just” a lower-grade strain, such injuries can tend to linger.  It is also possible the Red Sox could shut Paxton down for the season if the team falls out of the postseason race — today’s 10-2 loss dropped the Sox three games back of a wild card berth, and extended Boston’s losing streak to four games.

The calf strain is another disheartening turn in a career that has been marked by injuries, as Paxton was on pace to avoid the Major League injured list for the first time since 2013.  He hasn’t dealt with calf issues in the past, though he missed time last year with a pair of right leg injuries, in the form of a hamstring strain and knee inflammation.

Paxton was with the Red Sox during that 2023 season, before signing a one-year, $7MM deal with the Dodgers last winter.  Since Paxton stayed healthy and has made 21 starts (and thrown 100 1/3 innings) in total this season, he earned an extra $6MM in contract incentives, which the Dodgers already covered before he was dealt back to Boston in late July.  The trade was seen as a bit of a surprise given how Los Angeles has been ravaged by rotation injuries this season, and Paxton had a respectable 4.43 ERA in his 89 1/3 innings as a Dodger.  His Statcast numbers, however, were much less impressive, and today’s injury also underlines whatever concerns the Dodgers might’ve had about Paxton remaining healthy.

From Boston’s perspective, the Paxton trade brought a familiar face and some rotation depth back to Fenway Park, but it looks like the Red Sox might have to again scramble to add arms.  Quinn Priester was acquired from the Pirates in another pre-deadline trade and could be called up from Triple-A, or Brad Keller could be stretched out to work in piggyback situation, or as a bulk pitcher behind an opener.  Cooper Criswell will miss at least the rest of the next week due to a placement on the COVID-related injury list, while Nick Pivetta is expected to make his next turn in the rotation after his last start was skipped to provide extra rest.

Eddie Rosario Elects Free Agency

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TODAY: Rosario has turned down the outright assignment and elected to become a free agent, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes (X link).

AUGUST 10: Rosario has passed through waivers, and the Braves have outrighted him to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, according to Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It is unclear if Rosario has accepted the assignment; the veteran outfielder has more than enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment without forfeiting any salary.

AUGUST 8: The Braves announced Thursday that outfielder Eddie Rosario has been designated for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to right-hander Parker Dunshee, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Gwinnett. Atlanta also optioned lefty Dylan Dodd to Gwinnett and recalled outfielder Eli White.

The 2024 season has been the worst of the 32-year-old Rosario’s decade-long big league career. He’s split the season between the Nats and Braves, tallying 319 plate appearances in spite of a disastrous .175/.215/.316 batting line — including a .154/.181/.282 slash in 84 plate appearances since being released in Washington and signing in Atlanta.

Rosario, the 2021 NLCS MVP has been in a free-fall at the plate for the bulk of the past four seasons. While a well-timed surge following a trade from Cleveland to Atlanta in ’21 helped fuel the Braves’ World Series win that year and set the stage for a two-year deal to return to Atlanta, that contract didn’t pan out as hoped.

Rosario spent the 2022-23 seasons drawing regular playing time when healthy, but he managed only a .240/.289/.408 output at the plate in those two seasons. The Braves declined a $9MM club option over his 2024 season, and Rosario lingered on the free-agent market into March before signing a minor league deal with the Nationals. He returned to Atlanta on another minor league contract after being cut loose in D.C., but he hasn’t been able to recapture any of that late-’21 magic. With the trade deadline now passed, Rosario will be released within the next couple days.

As for the 29-year-old Dunshee, he’ll be making his big league debut after grinding through eight minor league seasons and twice becoming a minor league free agent. Originally selected with the Athletics’ seventh-round pick back in 2017, the Wake Forest product spent six-plus years in the A’s system before being released last April and signing a minor league deal with the Giants for the remainder of the 2023 campaign. He latched on with the Braves on another minor league pact this past January.

Dunshee will now get his first crack in the majors, and he’s more than earned it. Splitting the season between Double-A (14 2/3 innings) and Triple-A (32 1/3 innings), he’s worked to a combined 2.30 earned run average with a massive 33.7% strikeout rate against a 9.2% walk rate. Dunshee is a fly-ball pitcher who’s been fortunate this season in the sense that he hasn’t allowed any home runs. That level of home run suppression isn’t sustainable for any pitcher, but Dunshee’s strikeout and walk rates create plenty of intrigue on their own, even with some regression due on the home run front.

Mariners Activate Julio Rodriguez From 10-Day Injured List

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The Mariners announced that outfielder Julio Rodriguez has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list.  ESPN’s Buster Olney (X link) reported earlier today that Seattle intended to activate Rodriguez in time for tonight’s game with the Mets.  Infielder Ryan Bliss was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

A collision with the outfield wall left Rodriguez with a right high ankle sprain back on July 21, and he was placed on the IL a couple of days later.  As recently as yesterday, reports indicated that Rodriguez wasn’t expected to play today, yet the Mariners were considering him day-to-day due to some improvement in his ability to run.  Naturally the Mariners aren’t going to take any untoward risks with Rodriguez’s health, but with Seattle in a pitched battle with the Astros for the AL West lead, both Rodriguez and the team had an obvious desire to get him back in action as soon as safely possible.

Rodriguez will be the designated hitter in tonight’s lineup, which could be the team’s most common way to deploy Rodriguez until his ankle is feeling fully ready for regular center field duty.  Installing Rodriguez at DH also allows Seattle to keep Victor Robles in center field, as Robles has (surprisingly) been one of the Mariners’ better hitters since he was signed in early June.

The timing couldn’t have been much worse for Rodriguez to hit the IL, as he was sidelined just as his bat was waking up from a season-long slump.  Rodriguez struggled to a .244/.294/.324 slash line and seven home runs over his first 364 plate appearances, but he had cracked four homers and posted a 1.219 OPS in the 49 trips to the plate prior to his injury.  That hot streak lifted his season-long wRC+ back up to an evenly league-average 100.  Rodriguez has also continued to deliver strong defense in center field, but Robles also filled in nicely in terms of glovework.

Phillies Claim Kyle Tyler, DFA Nick Nelson

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The Phillies have claimed right-handed pitcher Kyle Tyler off of waivers from the Marlins, the Phillies announced. He was been optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In a corresponding move, fellow right-hander Nick Nelson has been designated for assignment.

Tyler, 27, was designated for assignment on Friday, when the Marlins selected southpaw Kent Emanuel to the 40-man roster. Tyler had pitched 31 2/3 innings over eight appearances (seven starts) for Miami. He had a 5.40 ERA and a 5.11 SIERA. The righty also made 11 appearances (nine starts) for Triple-A Jacksonville with much better results, pitching to a 3.06 ERA and 4.04 FIP. His performance for the Jumbo Shrimp represented a step in the right direction for a pitcher who had a 5.60 ERA over 135 innings last season at Double-A.

Tyler is probably just an organizational depth piece for the Phillies, but that is certainly something the team could use with Ranger Suárez and Taijuan Walker the IL. While Walker and Suárez are on their way back, a little extra pitching depth is always valuable. What’s more, Tyler has another option year remaining, so the Phillies could easily retain him at Triple-A in 2025.

As for Nelson, 28, the right-hander has spent most of the past two seasons in the minors. He was a capable mop-up man for Philadelphia in 2022, but he struggled to transition back to a starting role at Triple-A in 2023. Over 26 appearances (five starts) with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year, he has a 7.52 ERA and a 6.32 FIP. The Phillies clearly have not trusted him to pitch meaningful major league innings over the past two years, so it was only a matter of time before his roster spot went to a fresh arm.

Cardinals Activate Riley O’Brien From 60-Day IL, DFA Nick Robertson

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The Cardinals have activated right-handed pitcher Riley O’Brien from the 60-day injured list, the team announced. He has been optioned to Triple-A Memphis. In a corresponding transaction, fellow right-hander Nick Robertson has been designated for assignment.

O’Brien, 29, has been on the injured list almost all season with a right forearm flexor strain. The Cardinals clearly like what he has to offer – he made the Opening Day roster out of camp – but they ultimately decided he is too much of an unknown quantity for a spot in the bullpen right now (per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat). Jones notes that the decision for the final spot in the bullpen came down to O’Brien and Kyle Leahy, and the Cardinals were more confident in what Leahy brings to the table. Leahy, 27, has a 3.86 ERA and 4.46 SIERA in 37 1/3 innings this season. O’Brien, on the other hand, has only pitched 3 1/3 innings in his MLB career. His Triple-A numbers were promising last season (2.29 ERA, 3.77 FIP in 55 IP), but it’s understandable why the Cardinals would want to see more from him before throwing him back into their bullpen amid a close postseason race.

Robertson, 26, came over to the Cardinals this offseason as part of the trade return for outfielder Tyler O’Neill. He made eight appearances for St. Louis, pitching to a 4.38 ERA and 2.97 SIERA in 12 1/3 innings. However, he has a far less appealing 7.48 ERA in 21 2/3 innings at Triple-A. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, the Cardinals can choose to send him outright to Triple-A (where he is already pitching) as additional minor league pitching depth.

Diamondbacks Reinstate Merrill Kelly From 60-Day IL, DFA Humberto Castellanos

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The Diamondbacks have reinstated veteran starter Merrill Kelly from the 60-day injured list, the team announced. To make room for the right-hander on the active roster, righty reliever Scott McGough has been optioned to Triple-A Reno. Meanwhile, fellow righty Humberto Castellanos has been designated for assignment to free up a spot on the 40-man.

Kelly, now 35, was a durable and dependable starter for the Diamondbacks from 2021-23, making 90 starts and pitching to a 3.66 ERA and 4.16 SIERA. He got off to a strong start over his first four outings in 2024, putting up a 2.19 ERA and 3.88 SIERA in 24 2/3 innings pitched, but he suffered a teres major strain in mid-April. The right-hander will make his highly anticipated return this afternoon against the Phillies, and the D-backs will have their full rotation healthy for the first time this season. Manager Torey Lovullo now has six healthy starters at his disposal: Zac Gallen, Brandon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery, Ryne Nelson, and Kelly.

McGough, 34, signed a two-year deal with Arizona during the 2022-23 offseason. He was a serviceable middle reliever last season, pitching to a 4.73 ERA and 3.49 SIERA over 70 1/3 innings, but he has struggled in 2024. Over 29 innings, McGough has a 6.83 ERA and 5.63 SIERA. This is the third time he has been optioned this season.

As for Castellanos, 26, he has failed to make much of an impression over 32 games (16 starts) for the Diamondbacks at the big league level. Since the D-backs claimed him off of waivers from the Astros during the 2020-21 offseason, he has pitched to a 5.29 ERA and 4.89 SIERA over 100 1/3 innings as both a starter and a reliever. His minor league stats aren’t much better; he has a 4.59 ERA and 6.64 FIP at Triple-A this year. If Castellanos passes through waivers unclaimed, he will have the right to reject an outright assignment to Triple-A and elect free agency.

Rockies Select Josh Rogers, Place Dakota Hudson On 15-Day IL

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The Rockies have selected left-handed pitcher Josh Rogers from Triple-A Albuquerque, the team announced today. He will replace Dakota Hudson on the active roster; the Rockies placed Hudson on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation following his start last night. Colorado already had an open spot for Rogers on the 40-man roster.

Hudson, 29, had his contract selected less than 24 hours ago, and he started for the Rockies on Saturday against the Braves. He lasted only 2 2/3 innings, giving up three hits, four walks, and five earned runs. While he has struggled all season, his particular troubles last night may have had something to do with his injury. The Rockies have not yet provided many details about his status going forward.

Similar to Hudson, Rogers, 30, has already been outrighted by the Rockies once this season. He signed a minor league deal with the club this spring, and Colorado selected him to make his 2024 debut in May. The southpaw gave up seven earned runs over 9 1/3 innings before landing on the IL with a left shoulder rotator cuff strain. He was activated and DFA’d about a month later. However, like Hudson, he chose to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A, and that decision appears to have paid off. He will return to the Rockies bullpen for today’s series finale against the Braves. Rogers has a 6.71 ERA over 14 appearances (11 starts) at Triple-A this season.

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