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Cubs Pursued Logan O’Hoppe At Trade Deadline

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The Cubs need help behind the dish. That statement will not come as a surprise to anyone who has watched baseball on the North Side of Chicago this season. Cubs catchers are batting .199/.246/.305 with a 54 wRC+ in 2024. Those are grim numbers, even considering the lower offensive standards at the position. To add insult to injury, Cubs catchers don’t grade out well on defense either, with -4 Defensive Runs Saved (21st in MLB) and a -6 Fielding Run Value (23rd). Overall, Miguel Amaya, Christian Bethancourt, Tomás Nido, and Yan Gomes have combined for -0.9 FanGraphs WAR, last in the National League and 29th in MLB. Only the White Sox have gotten less production from behind the plate.

With all that in mind, it makes sense that the team made a serious effort to add a new backstop before the July 30 trade deadline. According to Sahadev Sharma of The Athletic, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer “aggressively pursued” catching this summer. Logan O’Hoppe of the Angels was one player he had his eye on. However, Sharma notes that the Angels “repeatedly and firmly rebuffed” Hoyer’s attempts to trade for their 24-year-old catcher. 

This lines up with everything we already knew about Chicago’s plan ahead of the deadline. The Cubs were linked to Danny Jansen, arguably the best catcher on the trade block, in mid-July. However, Hoyer later stated that he wasn’t going to make moves that would only improve the roster in 2024, but rather those that would help the team “for 2025 and beyond.” Jansen is set to reach free agency this winter, as is Carson Kelly, the only other notable catcher traded at this year’s deadline. In other words, neither matched up with what the Cubs were seeking. O’Hoppe, on the other hand, will not be eligible for arbitration until the 2026 season, and he will not reach free agency until the offseason after the 2028 campaign. Much like Isaac Paredes, O’Hoppe could have helped the Cubs compete in 2024 and for several years to come.

Yet, for the same reasons, it’s not hard to understand why the Angels had no interest in giving him up. O’Hoppe broke out at the plate during an injury-shortened 2023 campaign. In 51 games, he hit 14 home runs and put up a 113 wRC+. His .264 isolated power ranked second among primary catchers (min. 150 PA), while his .500 slugging percentage ranked fourth. The young catcher has continued to hit in 2024, slashing .260/.320/.435 with a 111 wRC+ across 101 games. He has also taken a big step forward on defense. His defensive metrics remain below average in just about every category, including pitch framing, blocking, and pop time, but he is not nearly as much of a liability as he was last season. In 2023, he produced -9 DRS and a -7 FRV in just 49 games at catcher. This year, in almost twice as many appearances, he has a much more palatable -3 DRS and -3 FRV. All told, O’Hoppe has produced 1.8 fWAR, which ranks 10th among primary catchers. Still just 24 and playing in his first full MLB season, he has plenty of time to continue to improve.

Los Angeles was quiet at the trade deadline, and reports suggested GM Perry Minasian was unlikely to trade any players who were not on expiring contracts. That turned out to be true, as relievers Carlos Estévez and Luis García were the only players the team ended up selling. One could argue the Angels should have been aggressive in shopping players with multiple years of team control, such as Tyler Anderson, Taylor Ward, and Griffin Canning. However, they had very little incentive to trade O’Hoppe, especially if they are hoping to contend again in the near future.

Thus, the Cubs struck out on O’Hoppe and ultimately decided to stick with what they had: Amaya, Bethancourt, and, once he returns from the IL, Nido. That means Amaya is the primary catcher, although Sharma notes that the team sees him as a backup for 2025 and beyond. Meanwhile, Bethancourt has been hot since he joined the team as a replacement for the injured Nido in late July. Once Nido is ready to return, Chicago will need to make a decision if he or Bethancourt will be the second-string catcher for the rest of the 2024 campaign. As for next year, Hoyer must address the catching position over the offseason. Free agent options will include Jansen, Kelly, Elias Díaz, and Jacob Stallings (if his mutual option with the Rockies is not exercised). The best internal option for the Cubs is top catching prospect Moises Ballesteros, but he is only 20 years old, and Sharma points out that the team isn’t sold on his defense. Finally, Hoyer will surely remain active in trade talks, but it’s hard to say if any big-name backstops will be on the block this winter.

Luis Arraez Playing Through Torn Thumb Ligament

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Luis Arraez suffered an injury to his left thumb while sliding into third base during a game back on June 25, and the ongoing discomfort was enough for Arraez to skip playing in the All-Star Game so he could give his thumb a full four days of rest over the break.  Arraez revealed more specifics about the injury yesterday, telling Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase and other reporters that he has a torn ligament in his thumb.

The Athletic’s Dennis Lin (via X) sheds some more light on the situation, saying that Arraez was given the okay to keep playing after he received a fuller medical exam during the All-Star break.  As Arraez described things last month, he feels discomfort while swinging and fielding, but if the injury is ultimately all about pain tolerance, he wants to stay on the field if at all physically possible.

The results have been mixed, since Arraez is hitting only .280/.302/.352 in 130 plate appearances since June 25.  It is a noticeable step back from the .310/.345/.384 slash line he delivered in his first 360 PA of the season, and his overall .302/.334/.375 slash line represents the lowest slugging percentage and OBP of Arraez’s six Major League seasons, as well as the second-lowest batting average.

Arraez’s 103 wRC+ is still above the league average, if well below the 132 wRC+ he posted in 2022-23 while winning consecutive batting titles in both the AL (with the Twins in 2022) and NL (with the Marlins last year).  Naturally Arraez would prefer to be hitting closer to his usual standard, yet he likely feels that as long as he is still productive at the plate, he’ll continue to try and grind it out.  San Diego’s playoff chase is clearly another factor — the Padres enter today’s action holding the top wild card spot in the National League, and they sit only 2.5 games behind the Dodgers for first place in the NL West.

The Friars have achieved this success despite missing several key players for big chunks of the season.  It remains unclear when Fernando Tatis Jr. (femoral stress reaction) and Yu Darvish (restricted list due to a personal matter) will return to the active roster, though Joe Musgrove is expected to make his return from the 60-day injured list on Monday to start against the Pirates.  Arraez’s nagging thumb problem adds to the Padres’ list of concerns, though obviously the team is trying to manage the injury as best as possible, as Arraez is getting a good chunk of time at designated hitter.

NL West Notes: Gallen, Marte, Ryan, Graterol, Buehler, Brasier, Muncy, Edman

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The Diamondbacks had a couple of injury scares during Saturday’s 11-1 rout over the Phillies, but neither seems to be a serious concern. Two-time All-Star Ketel Marte exited in the fourth inning after hurting his ankle on a play at second base. Thankfully, the team announced after the game that the injury was merely a left ankle contusion, and Marte is unlikely to miss more than a game or two. He told Nick Piecoro of The Arizona Republic that he hopes to be back in the lineup on Monday. The 30-year-old is enjoying the best offensive season of his career, with 30 home runs, a .932 OPS, and a 153 wRC+ in 113 games. He is also playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at second base, with 7 Outs Above Average and 11 Defensive Runs Saved.

Meanwhile, Zac Gallen was cruising along through 4 1/3 innings, but he appeared to suffer a lower-body injury after throwing his 87th pitch. He was subsequently pulled from the contest. Following the game, however, he told reporters (including Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports) that he had a cramp, and he is not concerned about a serious injury. Gallen, an All-Star and Cy Young finalist in 2023, has a 3.69 ERA this season, and the D-backs have won 12 of his 20 starts.

Over in Chavez Ravine, the Dodgers also had to pull their starting pitcher in the fifth inning. Top prospect River Ryan was through 4 2/3 scoreless against the Pirates when he started shaking his right hand in discomfort. The team later described his injury as “right forearm tightness” (per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic). After the game, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Juan Toribio of MLB.com) that Ryan will need an IL stint, and he will get an MRI tomorrow. Until then, the team won’t know how serious the issue is, but the words “forearm tightness” are always worrisome, especially for a hard-throwing young pitcher. Roberts confirmed that Landon Knack will be recalled to take Ryan’s place on the active roster (per Ardaya).

In more positive news, reliever Brusdar Graterol is already playing catch, inspiring hope that he will be able to return before the end of the regular season (per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register). In fact, he could be back by the end of the month. The right-hander told Plunkett that he could realistically return to the mound in three weeks. If he can meet that optimistic goal, he’d be back in the Dodgers bullpen on August 31. Graterol thought his season was in jeopardy when his injury was originally diagnosed as a Grade 3 hamstring strain. However, that diagnosis was later downgraded to a Grade 1 strain, which is far less severe.

Plunkett also notes that starting pitcher Walker Buehler will return from the injured list on Wednesday to start against the Brewers. Meanwhile, reliever Ryan Brasier is getting ready to rejoin the Dodgers for their series against the Cardinals next weekend. Buehler has been out since June with inflammation in his right hip, while Brasier has been out since April with a right calf strain.

As for position players, Plunkett mentions that Max Muncy and recent trade acquisition Tommy Edman both began their rehab assignments at Triple-A Oklahoma City today. Muncy suffered an oblique strain in May, while Edman has been out all season as he works his way back from offseason wrist surgery.

AL East Notes: Orioles, Casas, Story, Schmidt

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Orioles general manager Mike Elias spoke to reporters (including Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports) ahead of today’s game against the Rays, offering updates on several injured players. First and foremost, he expressed optimism regarding starter Grayson Rodriguez, who landed on the 15-day IL last week. Elias described Rodriguez’s right lat/teres injury as “pretty mild” – much less serious than the similar injury he suffered in 2022 – and said the team is hoping to have him back in the rotation by late September. The young right-hander has a 3.86 ERA across 20 starts this season, and Elias made it clear that the Orioles are still hopeful he will play an “enormous” role for the team come October.

Discussing his club’s minor league rotation depth while Rodriguez is out, Elias named Cade Povich, Cole Irvin, and, interestingly, Brandon Young of Triple-A Norfolk. Povich, 24, is a top prospect and has a spot on the 40-man roster, while Irvin, 30, has six seasons of MLB experience. Young, 25, doesn’t have Povich’s prospect pedigree or Irvin’s big league resume, but he is enjoying a strong season; he has a 3.82 ERA and 2.92 FIP across 20 games between Double-A and Triple-A. Barring another injury, the Orioles rotation is set with Corbin Burnes, Zach Eflin, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, and Albert Suarez. Still, Young is a name worth keeping an eye on.

Elias also provided some good news about several Orioles relievers. Jacob Webb hit the IL last week with inflammation in his right elbow, but tests revealed no structural damage. The club is hopeful his IL stint will be a short one, perhaps no longer than the minimum 15 days. Webb has pitched well for Baltimore since joining the club last August. In 71 2/3 innings, the 30-year-old has a 3.14 ERA and 3.98 SIERA as a middle relief option for manager Brandon Hyde. The Orioles are also planning to have Danny Coulombe back in late September. Coulombe, who has a 2.68 ERA over the past two seasons, has been out since June, when he had surgery to remove bone chips in his left elbow. Finally, Elias touched on Félix Bautista’s rehab, explaining that things are “going really well” for the star closer as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. He will not pitch for Baltimore this year, in the regular season or the playoffs, but he is set to throw off a proper mound next week as he prepares himself for a full and healthy 2025 campaign.

On the position player side of things, Elias noted that there is “still time” for Jordan Westburg to get back on the field before the end of the regular season. The All-Star infielder has been out since he fractured his right hand on July 31. He has 18 home runs, an .815 OPS, and 2.8 FanGraphs WAR over 101 games this year. Elias also expressed hope that Heston Kjerstad won’t be out for “too much longer” as he continues to recover from a concussion. The GM acknowledged that it’s “pretty mild” as far as concussions go, but the team is still taking his symptoms “really seriously” and will not bring him back until they make sure he is “totally out of the woods.” The Orioles had previously optioned Kjerstad back to Triple-A, but placing him back on the injured list reverses the option.

In additional injury news from around the AL East…

  • Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas is reportedly “close to returning” from his rib cage injury, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. He is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester, and Cotillo suggests Casas could be back in the majors as soon as Thursday. Boston will need to activate him once he maxes out his minor league rehab time on August 18, but it appears the slugger could be back in the lineup a few days sooner. Casas hit six home runs over his first 22 games this season before suffering his injury, and his big lefty bat will undoubtedly be a huge boost to the Red Sox’s lineup.
  • Meanwhile, Trevor Story is about to take what manager Alex Cora describes as a “huge step” toward returning this season, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. The shortstop, who has been out since April after undergoing shoulder surgery, will take batting practice on Monday. His surgery seemed to be season-ending back in April, but Cora now believes the two-time All-Star will be back with the Red Sox before the end of the year. Story himself suggested that his return has gone from “a maybe” to “a reality.” He is already ready to return defensively, and he is making excellent progress swinging the bat. He says his swings have felt “really good” with “no hesitation or hold back.”
  • Finally, Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt told reporters (including Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post) that it is “very realistic” to expect he will return to the club before the end of August. The right-hander has been out since May with a right lat strain. Over his first 11 starts, Schmidt pitched to a sparkling 2.52 ERA and 3.64 SIERA. Meanwhile, since his last appearance, Yankees starters rank second-last in the AL with a 5.22 ERA. Their problems go far beyond Schmidt’s injury, but it will surely help to have him back in the fold. It’s not clear how manager Aaron Boone will arrange his rotation once Schmidt returns, but Boone was reportedly “thrilled” with Schmidt’s performance in a live batting practice session earlier today (per Joel Sherman of the New York Post). There will be a job for Schmidt when he’s ready, even if he has to push a more established arm – like Marcus Stroman or Nestor Cortes – out of the rotation.

Dodgers Sign Jon Duplantier To Minor League Contract

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The Dodgers agreed to a minor league contract with Jon Duplantier on Thursday, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. This is his second stint with the Dodgers organization.

Duplantier, now 30, began his career with the Diamondbacks, who selected him in the third round of the 2016 draft. Baseball America ranked him as the No. 1 prospect in Arizona’s system (No. 73 overall) ahead of the 2018 season, and he remained one of BA’s top-100 prospects entering the 2019 campaign. The right-hander made his MLB debut that year, tossing 36 2/3 innings over 15 games (three starts) with a 4.42 ERA. He would also pitch for the D-backs in 2021, when he made four starts and gave up 19 earned runs in 13 innings of work. Unfortunately, Duplantier’s prospect shine had all but disappeared by then, and Arizona released him that summer after he suffered an injury. The club quickly re-signed him on a minor league deal, but he elected free agency at the end of the year.

Since then, Duplantier has spent time in the Giants, Dodgers, Phillies, and Mets organizations. Most recently, he suited up for the Lake Country DockHounds of the independent American Association after he was released by the Mets. According to the American Association website, the DockHounds transferred his contract to the Dodgers last Monday, three days before he officially signed with the organization. He will report to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. Interestingly, he has not played at Double-A since 2018, when he put up a 2.69 ERA over 14 starts with the Jackson Generals. Since 2019, Duplantier has spent most of his time pitching at Triple-A, where he has a 5.09 ERA in 66 career games (27 starts).

Padres Outright Jackson Wolf

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Today: Wolf has cleared waivers, and the Padres have sent him outright to Triple-A El Paso, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. Given his very limited MLB service time and the fact that this is his first career outright, he has no choice but to accept the assignment and remain at Triple-A.

August 8: The Padres announced Thursday that they’ve designated left-hander Jackson Wolf for assignment. He’d been pitching for their Triple-A affiliate in El Paso, and his 40-man spot will go to veteran righty Carl Edwards Jr., whose contract has been selected. San Diego optioned righty Alek Jacob to El Paso in a corresponding move.

Wolf, 25, was in his second stint with the Padres organization. Originally their fourth-round pick in 2021, he went to the Pirates at the 2023 trade deadline as part of the return for lefty Rich Hill and first baseman Jiman Choi. The Bucs designated Wolf for assignment earlier this year, however, and wound up trading him back to the Padres in exchange for minor league infielder Kervin Pichardo.

Wolf made his big league debut with the ’23 Padres, allowing three runs over five innings in his lone start. He’s spent the season with their El Paso club but struggled to a 7.21 ERA over 83 2/3 innings. He’s made 23 appearances, 18 of them starts. Wolf has unquestionably had some tough luck, yielding a .353 average on balls in play that should be due for some regression, but his 17.5% strikeout rate and 12.6% walk rate are both considerably worse than league average as well. Wolf’s 9.8% swinging-strike rate and 24.3% opponents’ chase rate are both sub-par marks, too. In general, he hasn’t induced whiffs or limited free passes enough to compensate for the amount of extra-base damage he’s yielded: 12 homers, 16 doubles, five triples.

This past offseason, Wolf ranked 21st among Pirates prospects, per Baseball America, whose scouting report tabbed him as a potential fifth starter or bulk reliever. His rough results in 2024 haven’t done any favors for his prospect stock, but Wolf is a 25-year-old who posted solid Double-A numbers in 2023 and is still in just the second of three minor league option years. A rebuilding club looking to stock up on pitching depth (e.g. Marlins, White Sox) could have some interest in an optionable lefty of this nature. The trade deadline has passed, so the Padres’ only course of action with Wolf will be to place him on waivers.

Edwards, 33 next month, will be in his second stint with the Padres as well. He briefly pitched 1 2/3 innings for San Diego back in 2019. He’s one of many former Rangers prospects who’ve found their way onto the Padres roster since the hiring of president of baseball operations A.J. Preller — a former Rangers assistant GM.

Edwards spent the 2022-23 seasons with the Nationals and pitched well out of manager Davey Martinez’s bullpen, tallying 93 2/3 innings of 3.07 ERA ball — albeit with shaky rate stats (20% strikeout rate, 10.6% walk rate). A stress fracture in Edwards’ right shoulder ended his 2023 campaign prematurely and limited him to a minor league deal this past offseason. That deal came with the Cubs, but Edwards triggered a June opt-out in that contract after he hadn’t been added to the big league roster and signed a minor league deal with the Padres.

It’s been a decent year for the lanky right-hander down in Triple-A. Between the Cubs and Padres organizations, he sports a combined 3.30 ERA but with similar strikeout and walk issues that existed during his Nats run. He’s set down a respectable 22.2% of opponents on strikes but also issued walks at a grim 14.3% rate. Edwards has been a reliever for the bulk of his career but was working out of the rotation in El Paso. He’s ticketed for the relief corps now that he’s back in the majors, but that recent work as a starter means he’s stretched out for multiple innings if needed.

Pirates Release Josh Walker

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Today: Walker has cleared waivers, and the Pirates have released him, according to his transaction log on MLB.com.

August 9: The Pirates announced they have designated left-hander Josh Walker for assignment. It was reported yesterday that the club would be selecting righty Domingo Germán but they needed a 40-man roster spot. Righty Hunter Stratton was optioned to get Germán onto the active roster.

Walker, 29, was designated for assignment by the Mets a couple of weeks ago. The Bucs then swung a deal for him, sending rookie ball pitcher Nicolas Carreno the other way, but kept Walker at Triple-A Indianapolis. He made one appearance there before landing on the minor league injured list with an undisclosed injury. Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers and the trade deadline has passed, so Walker will end up on release waivers in the coming days.

The lefty spent his entire career with the Mets prior to the trade. He has 22 1/3 major league innings under his belt with a 6.45 earned run average, 22.3% strikeout rate and 11.7% walk rate. His minor league numbers are more intriguing. Over 2023 and 2024, he has 59 innings pitched on the farm with a 2.59 ERA and 31.7% strikeout rate, though his 13.9% walk rate is clearly on the high side. He will still have one option remaining after this season and less than a year of service time.

Rockies Select Dakota Hudson, DFA Chasen Shreve

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The Rockies have selected the contract of right-hander Dakota Hudson from Triple-A Albuquerque, the team announced. In a corresponding move, left-hander Chasen Shreve has been designated for assignment.

Hudson, 29, accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A earlier this season. He signed a one-year, $1.5MM contract with Colorado this past winter, but following a poor performance over his first 17 starts (career-worst 5.84 ERA, 5.61 SIERA, and 12.3% strikeout rate), he was designated for assignment in early July. After he passed through waivers unclaimed, the Rockies sent him outright to the Albuquerque Isotopes.

Through three starts with the Isotopes, Hudson has given up 14 runs (12 earned) in 11 1/3 innings. He has 10 strikeouts, four walks, and a .360 batting average against. His most recent outing against the Las Vegas Aviators was especially brutal; he lasted just 2 2/3 innings, giving up seven runs (five earned) on seven hits while striking out only two. Nevertheless, the Rockies have selected his contract, and he will start tonight’s contest against the Braves at Coors Field (per Patrick Lyons of Just Baseball).

Lyons reported yesterday that Hudson would be starting today in place of Cal Quantrill, who is dealing with some “general forearm soreness.” The team has pushed back his next outing indefinitely (per Lyons). Presuming Quantrill is ready to get back on the mound within a few days, Hudson will, most likely, remain in the rotation until Ryan Feltner returns from the 15-day IL. Feltner landed on the injured list on Thursday with a right shoulder strain, but his recent MRI came back clean, and he could return as soon as his minimum 15 days on the IL are up (per Lyons). That should mean at least two more starts for Hudson after tonight. While he has struggled this season, Hudson is only two years removed from a solid 2022 campaign with the Cardinals, when he pitched to a 4.45 ERA and 5.11 SIERA over 139 2/3 innings. Those aren’t excellent numbers by any means, but all the Rockies need right now is an innings eater.

Shreve, 34, has pitched in the majors every year since 2014, appearing for the Braves, Yankees, Cardinals, Mets, Pirates, Tigers, Reds, and, most recently, the Rockies. He has a 3.96 ERA and 3.87 SIERA across 368 career appearances, mostly as a lower-leverage reliever. Despite his serviceable performance in 2023 (4.63 ERA, 3.77 SIERA in 50 games), the veteran southpaw could only land a minor league contract from the Rangers this winter. Texas released him in May, re-signed him, and then released him again in June. Following that, he signed a minor deal with the Yankees, only to be released again in August. After inking a minor league pact with the Rockies earlier this month, Shreve finally made it back to the majors. He made one brief appearance for Colorado on Wednesday, tossing a scoreless inning against the Mets. He will now be placed on waivers, and if he goes unclaimed, he could opt to return to free agency and seek an opportunity with his fourth organization of the season.

Blue Jays Claim Luis Frías Off Of Waivers From Diamondbacks

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The Blue Jays have claimed Luis Frías off of waivers from the Diamondbacks, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. Arizona designated the right-hander for assignment on Thursday to make room for catcher Andrew Knizner on the 40-man roster. As Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet first noted, Frías will report to Triple-A Buffalo. Toronto had two open spots on the 40-man roster, so no corresponding move will be necessary.

Frías has spent his entire career in the Diamondbacks organization; he signed with Arizona as a 17-year-old international free agent in 2015. The righty made his MLB debut in 2021, and since then, he has pitched 57 2/3 big league innings with a 6.55 ERA and 5.42 SIERA. He throws hard, averaging close to 96 mph on his four-seam fastball, but he has struggled to induce enough strikeouts at the MLB level. What’s more, he has walked 43 of the 276 batters he has faced; his 15.6% career walk rate is barely lower than his 18.1% career strikeout rate. Unfortunately, his numbers at Triple-A Reno aren’t much better. He has a 4.88 ERA and 6.32 FIP this season in 24 innings pitched. Throughout his career, he has a 4.26 ERA over 124 2/3 innings with the Reno Aces.

All that said, Frías is still just 26 years old, and he was once a relatively well-regarded prospect. Before he graduated from prospect status during the 2022 season, FanGraphs ranked him as the No. 12 prospect in the D-backs system, while Baseball America and Keith Law of The Athletic had him at No. 17. Baseball America ranked him as highly as No. 8 ahead of the 2020 campaign, writing “He could be a force in the rotation if it all clicks. Otherwise, his path might lead him to a high-leverage relief role.” While his days as a starting pitcher are likely all in the past, the Blue Jays must be hoping Frías still has a future as a big league reliever. He’ll provide some extra depth for their bullpen this year, which ranks last in the AL in ERA and second-last in SIERA. As for next year, he’ll be out of options, so Toronto will either need to add him to the Opening Day roster or designate him for assignment.

Reds Activate Emilio Pagán From 60-Day IL

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The Reds have activated Emilio Pagán from the 60-day injured list, the team announced today. To free up a spot on the active roster, Yosver Zulueta was optioned to Triple-A Louisville. The team had two open spaces on the 40-man roster, so no additional corresponding move was necessary.

Pagán, 33, signed a two-year, $16MM contract with the Reds this past offseason. Before reaching free agency, he spent the first seven seasons of his career pitching for the Mariners, Athletics, Rays, Padres, and Twins. Despite being traded four times in less than five years, Pagán put up solid numbers, pitching to a 3.71 ERA and 3.39 SIERA across 369 appearances. What’s more, although he compiled 22 wins, 32 saves, and 60 holds – and a 1.80 ERA in 11 postseason appearances – his most impressive accomplishment in that time was, perhaps, his durability. From 2017-23, he only took one trip to the injured list: a brief stint on the 10-day IL with right biceps inflammation in 2020. He pitched at least 50 innings in every full season. Only five players threw more innings in relief over those seven years: Raisel Iglesias, Héctor Neris, Miguel Castro, Adam Ottavino, and Kenley Jansen.

Unfortunately, the injury bug finally caught up to Pagán in his first season with Cincinnati. The veteran righty landed on the IL with a right lat strain in mid-June, and he was transferred to the 60-day IL later that month.

Results-wise, Pagán has had his ups and downs throughout his career. He put up a strong performance in his walk year last season, tossing 69 1/3 innings for Minnesota with a 2.99 ERA. Yet, there were warning signs that his success wasn’t entirely sustainable. His 23.8% strikeout rate was a career-low, his 5.3% HR/FB was well below his career average, and his 4.01 SIERA was more than a full run higher than his ERA. Nonetheless, he managed to secure a $16MM guarantee from the Reds. He is making an $8MM salary this season, and he has an $8MM player option for 2025.

Pagán looked solid but unspectacular over his first 22 appearances with Cincinnati. His strikeout rate climbed back up to 29.9%, but his home run rate jumped up too; he gave up four long balls in just 22 games. His 3.06 SIERA is a marked improvement from last season, but his 4.43 ERA is not. Most concerningly, his velocity is down by at least one and a half miles per hour on all three of his pitches (a four-seam fastball, a cutter, and a splitter). He has also allowed hard-hit balls (95+ mph EV) at the highest rate of his career. Then again, his SIERA, xERA, and xFIP are all significantly better than the league average, and pitch modeling systems like Stuff+ and PitchingBot agree that Pagán remains an above-average arm. Ultimately, what this tells us is that 20 1/3 innings is a pretty small sample size with which to evaluate a pitcher. With seven weeks remaining in the season, it will be interesting to see if Pagán performs well enough that he might choose to reject his player option this offseason and return to free agency.

Cincinnati has had one of the better bullpens in baseball all season, and Nick Krall bolstered that group with Jakob Junis at the trade deadline. Even so, the Reds will need all the help they can get if they want to stay alive in the NL Wild Card race; they’re currently five games back of the third Wild Card spot, with six teams standing in their way.

The Reds claimed Zulueta off of waivers from the Blue Jays on Opening Day, and he made his MLB debut with Cincinnati in late June. The 26-year-old has already been recalled and optioned several times this season, pitching to a 3.09 ERA and 3.63 SIERA over eight low-leverage appearances. He will return to the Louisville Bats, with whom he has pitched 40 1/3 innings this year with a 2.23 ERA and 3.24 FIP.

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