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Archives for 2024

Angels Place Luis Rengifo On 10-Day IL, Select Keston Hiura

By Darragh McDonald and Mark Polishuk | July 5, 2024 at 1:40pm CDT

The Angels announced that infielder Luis Rengifo has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to July 4) due to inflammation in his right wrist.  In corresponding moves, the Halos selected the contract of infielder Keston Hiura from Triple-A, and moved right-hander Andrew Wantz to the 60-day injured list.

Rengifo was removed from Wednesday’s game after appearing to injure himself on a swing. Per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register on X, the club said he had some wrist soreness and would be going for imaging. The X-rays found no break, per Fletcher on X yesterday, but it seems the inflammation and soreness are enough that the club will put him on the shelf for at least a little while.

How he progresses in the coming weeks will be an interesting situation to monitor as he is one of the most straightforward trade candidates this summer. The Angels are 36-50 and one of the few clear sellers this year. Rengifo has just one year of club control beyond this one, making $4.4MM here in 2024 with another pass through arbitration upcoming. The Halos are considered to have a poor farm system, making it unlikely that they will return to contention by next year.

He was a solid contributor for the Halos in the previous two seasons but has seemingly taken a step forward here this year. He slashed .264/.315/.436 over 2022 and 2023, with that production translating to a 108 wRC+. Here in 2024, he currently sports a line of .315/.358/.442 and a 127 wRC+.

At least some of that is probably luck, as Rengifo had a .289 batting average on balls in play in the 2022-23 period but is up to .349 this year. But it’s still his third straight season of producing above-average offense. He also provides plenty of defensive versatility, having played all three outfield spots and the three infield positions to the left of first base. He’s not considered an especially strong defender anywhere, but the versatility is still attractive to clubs. He’s also added a base-stealing component to his game with 22 swipes this year, more than the 18 he had in his entire career coming into this season.

Those on-field contributions, as well as his salary and extra year of club control, will make him very attractive if he’s healthy. The trade deadline is on July 30, so he has lots of time if this is just a minor issue. But if he suffers any sort of setback, the Angels might miss their window to capitalize on his trade value. Injured players can still be traded but it’s rare that they actually happen as the offers usually get dropped to reflect the uncertain health status.

In the meantime, the Angels will have to cobble a lineup together without Rengifo. He has mostly been playing second and third base this year, with Anthony Rendon, Miguel Sano and Brandon Drury all spending time on the injured list. Rendon is still on the IL but Sano and Drury are healthy now and likely to play third and second base, respectively. Luis Guillorme is around as a bench infielder.

Hiura, 27, signed a minor league deal with the Angels just a few weeks ago after being released by the Tigers. He reported to Triple-A Salt Lake and has been on an absurd tear since, hitting 12 home runs in 19 games for a line of .360/.429/.853.

But hitting home runs has never been the problem for Hiura. He has always put the ball over the fence but has also been struck out in huge numbers at the same time. In over a thousand plate appearances in the majors, he has 50 long balls but a 36% strikeout rate. Even while going on that insane speed run with the Bees in the past few weeks, he’s been punched out 28.1% of the time.

For the Halos, there’s little harm in bringing him up to see if they can catch lightning in a bottle. They have been using Willie Calhoun as their primary designated hitter for the past two months. He has a passable line of .273/.337/.391 in 178 plate appearances this year but with just two homers, not the kind of pop that clubs usually hope to get from their DH. Hiura is in the DH spot today with Calhoun on the bench.

The Angels might also be tempted to put Hiura at second base sometimes, as that’s where he played when he first came up as a prospect. But his glovework was considered poor and he has spent more time at first base in recent years. But he did still get a bit of time at the keystone while in Salt Lake, so it’s perhaps not off the table. Nolan Schanuel is having a subpar year at first, hitting .239/.309/.352, and has almost no minor league experience. The club shot him to the majors last year after just 22 games on the farm as they were trying to stay in the playoff race, skipping him over Triple-A entirely. If Hiura is hitting well, perhaps a stint in the minors for Schanuel isn’t out of the question either.

If things don’t go well with Hiura, he is out of options and will have to be removed from the 40-man to be nudged off the active roster. But if things click, he can theoretically be retained for three arbitration seasons beyond this one.

As for Wantz, he was just placed on the 15-day injured list a few days ago with right elbow inflammation. His status is still unclear but the fact that he has been quickly transferred to the 60-day IL is ominous. He’ll now be ineligible to be reinstated until early September.

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Los Angeles Angels Transactions Andrew Wantz Keston Hiura Luis Rengifo

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Nationals Select Juan Yepez

By Leo Morgenstern | July 5, 2024 at 1:22pm CDT

July 5: The Nats have made it official, announcing that they have selected Yepez and transferred Gray to the 60-day IL.

July 4: The Nationals are planning to promote Juan Yepez, according to Andrew Golden of The Washington Post. The first baseman signed a minor league contract with the team this past December.

Yepez signed with the Braves as an international free agent in 2014, and three years later, the Braves traded him to the Cardinals in exchange for Matt Adams. Another five years after that, Yepez made his MLB debut with St. Louis in 2022, appearing in 76 games, hitting 12 home runs, and producing a 107 wRC+. He went 2-for-5 with another long ball in the playoffs, driving in two of the three runs the Cardinals managed to score against the Phillies in the Wild Card Series.

Despite his strong first impression, Yepez failed to make the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster in 2023. He hit poorly in spring training (60 wRC+), poorly at Triple-A (82 wRC+), and poorly during a few brief stints with the big league squad throughout the season (51 wRC+). St. Louis non-tendered him after the year.

The Nationals took a chance on Yepez this past winter, signing him to a minor league deal and issuing the 26-year-old an invitation to spring training. He did not make the major league roster out of camp, but the righty batter had a much better spring this time around, slashing .382/.405/.559 and striking out only once in 37 trips to the plate. His Triple-A stats aren’t quite as impressive, but he has continued to limit his strikeouts, and his numbers are much better across the board than they were last season. He has been hot over his last 14 games, going 21-for-54 (.389) with a 1.070 OPS and 178 wRC+.

Washington optioned first baseman/designated hitter Joey Meneses to Triple-A Rochester earlier today. Meneses has struggled all season, slashing .235/.294./.310 (72 wRC+), and evidently, the goodwill he earned with the Nationals during his breakout 2022 season has finally run out. He hit poorly last season as well (96 wRC+), but his numbers this season are significantly worse. Meneses ranks among the bottom five qualified hitters in OPS and wRC+.

Presumably, Yepez will see most of his playing time at first base. The Nationals will hope he can provide some of the right-handed thump they were looking to get from Meneses. With Joey Gallo on the injured list and Harold Ramírez hitting pretty much just as poorly as Meneses, Washington doesn’t have a ton of other options at first. Yepez also played the corner outfield with the Cardinals, but he has not played the outfield this year at Triple-A. More to the point, the Nationals don’t need any help in the outfield, with Lane Thomas, James Wood, Jacob Young, and Jesse Winker on the roster.

The Nationals did not immediately replace Meneses on the active roster, so there is an open spot for Yepez on the 26-man roster. However, the team will need to make a corresponding transaction to add Yepez to the 40-man. The most straightforward move would be to transfer Josiah Gray from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. Gray has already missed significantly more than 60 days nursing an elbow injury.

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Transactions Washington Nationals Josiah Gray Juan Yepez

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Padres Sign Carl Edwards Jr. To Minor League Deal

By Mark Polishuk | July 5, 2024 at 12:48pm CDT

The Padres signed right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. to a minors contract, as first reported by the MadFriars X account earlier this week.  Edwards has already gotten onto the field with an appearance yesterday with the Padres’ Arizona Complex League squad.  This is Edwards’ second stint in the Padres organization, after first playing for San Diego in the latter half of the 2019 season following a deadline trade from the Cubs.

That 2019 season ended up being something of an unfortunate turning point in Edwards’ career, as coming off three very solid seasons as a member of Chicago’s bullpen from 2016-18, he stumbled to an 8.47 ERA over 17 innings with the Cubs and Padres in 2019.  San Diego parted ways with Edwards after the season, and he has since bounced around to six different organizations, including another return trip to the Cubs on a minors deal this past offseason.

Chicago released Edwards from that contract in mid-June, as Edwards triggered his opt-out clause in order to force the Cubs’ hand on deciding whether or not to promote him to the big league roster.  Edwards had a 1.85 ERA over 24 1/3 innings for Triple-A Iowa, and even though the Cubs have been hit hard by bullpen injuries in the last few weeks, Edwards’ 14.6% walk rate might have been enough of a sticking point for the Cubs to hesitate about bringing him to the majors.

The 32-year-old Edwards will now look to another former team for another crack at getting his first taste of MLB action in 2024.  Despite his journeyman status, Edwards has posted solid results over the last two years with the Nationals, including a 2.76 ERA in 62 innings in 2022, and then a 3.69 ERA in 31 2/3 innings before a stress fracture in his throwing shoulder ended his season early.

It has now been over a year (since June 19, 2023) since Edwards last pitched in a big league game, and his work Iowa suggests that Edwards is at least healthy, if some questions might remain about whether or not he’s ready to face big league batters.  There’s no risk for the Padres in inking Edwards to a minors deal to see what he’s got, and Edwards now brings an experienced depth option to a San Diego bullpen that has been somewhat inconsistent for most of the year.

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San Diego Padres Transactions Carl Edwards Jr.

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Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

By Darragh McDonald | July 5, 2024 at 11:06am CDT

Due to the Fourth of July, Darragh McDonald covered the weekly Front Office chat for Anthony Franco.

 

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Brewers Notes: Pitching, Hall, Wilson, Roller

By Mark Polishuk | July 5, 2024 at 10:11am CDT

As the Brewers continue to manage significant injuries in both the rotation and bullpen, the team is continuing to look for “all pitching,” as a source on a rival club tells FanSided’s Robert Murray.  The recent acquisitions of Aaron Civale of the Rays and Dallas Keuchel from the Mariners might be just the first steps for the Brew Crew in bolstering the pitching staff for a possible postseason run, as Milwaukee holds a six-game lead in the NL Central despite dealing with a patchwork rotation.

The Civale/Keuchel moves could provide some insight into the types of deals the Brewers may pursue, as acquiring starters for upside or depth purposes seem likelier than a blockbuster trade for a clear-cut ace.  The latter type of a move would probably come at either (or both) a significant financial or prospect cost, which the Brewers might not want to pursue given both their payroll limitations or the added importance of their minor league pipeline within this more limited financial landscape.  This doesn’t mean president of baseball operations Matt Arnold won’t explore all options in improving the team, of course, as any number of unexpected deals could emerge on Milwaukee’s radar.

The extent of the Brewers’ deadline plans will also naturally hinge on how many of their own pitchers are healthy by July 30.  Some help is coming on this front soon, as DL Hall tossed three innings in a minor league rehab start yesterday, and Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (X link) writes that Hall’s next appearance is expected to be in the majors.

Hall’s last appearance in the Show came on April 20, as he was placed on the 15-day and then the 60-day injured list due to a left knee sprain that involved some MCL damage.  The left-hander is trying to pitch through the discomfort to some extent, and the Brewers have seemingly given Hall plenty of runway in the form of eight minor league rehab outings.  With a 1.84 ERA over those eight games and 14 2/3 total innings, Hall looks to be in good form, though he has only twice hit the 61-pitch plateau, and hasn’t thrown more than 62 pitches.

As Hogg notes, Hall wouldn’t necessarily be returned to the Brewers’ rotation once he is activated, as he could instead work out of the bullpen.  Hall posted a 7.71 ERA in four starts prior to his IL placement, but he had a 3.26 ERA over 19 1/3 frames working out of the Orioles’ bullpen in 2023.  While small sample sizes abound for a pitcher who has only 49 1/3 career innings as a big leaguer, Hall’s relief work last season was highlighted by a 6.2% walk rate — a significant improvement from the control problems Hall has shown throughout much of the rest of his career in both the majors and minors.

Moving Hall to the pen for now wouldn’t close the door on his starting future, of course, as Hall is still just 25 and has long been a staple of top-100 prospect lists.  The Crew could re-examine his potential as a starter next spring or even later this year as circumstances develop, but using Hall as a reliever (and perhaps a multi-inning reliever) might be a canny way of helping the team achieve more immediate success this season.

While it is a reach to say that the Brewers may soon have a surplus of rotation options, Civale’s addition has already led the club to move Bryse Wilson back to the bullpen.  Wilson’s 78 innings rank third among all Milwaukee pitchers this season, as he has started nine of his 20 appearances and worked as a bulk pitcher behind an opener in three more of those outings.

Moved into this pseudo-starter role in the wake of other injuries, Wilson’s initial results have been solid on the whole, if inconsistent.  The righty has a 4.27 ERA over his 78 frames, but a laundry list of below-average Statcast numbers reveal that Wilson has received some good fortune, such as a .261 BABIP and a .321 wOBA that is well below his .355 xwOBA.  Keeping Wilson as a swingman provides Milwaukee with added depth, and his career numbers as a reliever are better than his work as a starter, even if the bulk pitcher/reliever designations don’t provide an entirely clear picture of those stats.

In other Brewers news, the team outrighted outfielder Chris Roller to Triple-A yesterday after he cleared waivers.  Roller was designated for assignment last week, and since this was the first time Roller has been outrighted in his career, he couldn’t reject the assignment in favor of free agency.  He’ll now return to Triple-A Nashville, where he has posted a .201/.238/.321 slash line over 168 plate appearances this season.

The 27-year-old Roller is a veteran of seven pro seasons, all with the Dodgers and Guardians before the Brewers acquired him in a trade last August.  His time in Milwaukee has been highlighted by his Major League debut, as Roller played three innings as a defensive sub on May 15 and received one plate appearance in the Brewers’ 10-2 win over the Pirates.  This marked Roller’s only appearance in the Show, as the Brewers only temporarily needed some extra outfield depth and soon optioned him back to Nashville.

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Milwaukee Brewers Notes Bryse Wilson Chris Roller DL Hall

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The Opener: NL Powers Clash, Red Sox/Yankees, Baz

By Mark Polishuk | July 5, 2024 at 8:23am CDT

As Shohei Ohtani celebrates his 30th birthday today, let’s look at three headlines from around baseball heading into weekend action…

1. NL’s best square off this weekend

Possible playoff previews abound as the National League’s three division leaders and top wild card team are paired off in three-game series beginning today.  The league-leading Phillies head to Atlanta to kick off a three-game set with the Braves, beginning with a fun Aaron Nola vs. Max Fried pitching matchup in tonight’s game.  Philadelphia enjoys a healthy nine-game lead over Atlanta in the NL East race, though the Braves have won two of the three games between the two division rivals already this season, and 10 remaining head-to-head meetings gives the Braves some opportunity to directly chip away.  Atlanta could be fortunate to be catching the Phils when Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are both out of action, though the Phillies are 4-2 since their two sluggers were placed on the 10-day injured list.

In a battle of division leaders, the NL Central-leading Brewers head to Los Angeles to face the NL West-leading Dodgers.  The newly-acquired Aaron Civale will make his Milwaukee debut in tonight’s start, taking the hill against a former Rays teammate in Tyler Glasnow.  Among the storylines to watch in the series is the status of Jason Heyward, who will undergo an MRI today on his left knee after suffering an injury in yesterday’s game with the Diamondbacks.  Manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Jack Harris of the L.A. Times) said Heyward was hurt while jumping to try and snag Joc Pederson’s first-inning home run, and Heyward was pulled from the game prior to the start of the third.

2. Red Sox vs. Yankees

One of baseball’s signature rivalries is renewed in the Bronx this weekend as the Red Sox and Yankees open up a three-game series with both teams in a playoff position.  New York is the AL’s top wild card team, while Boston has taken a half-game edge over the Royals for the third and final wild card slot.  The two clubs last met in a three-game series on June 14-16 that now seems like a bit of a turning point for both sides.

After an 8-1 loss to New York on June 14, the Red Sox won the next two games to capture the series.  That started the run of 12 wins in 16 games that has now firmly put the Sox back into the postseason hunt.  Meanwhile, the Yankees have gone in the opposite direction, with a dismal 4-13 record in their last 17 games.

3. Shane Baz returns after two-year layoff

Shane Baz is expected to start for the Rays against the World Series champion Rangers tonight, marking the end of the right-hander’s long injury rehab.  It was almost exactly two years ago (on July 10, 2022) that Baz made his last MLB appearance, as Tommy John surgery derailed his career and then his already-lengthy comeback trail was extended by an oblique strain this past spring.  Formerly one of baseball’s top prospects, Baz posted a 4.02 ERA over 40 1/3 big league innings in 2021-22, showing just some glimpses of his potential.  Nobody expects Baz to be a frontline arm right away, yet becoming a solid rotation piece and simply getting some Major League innings under his belt would be a nice result for the 25-year-old and his team.

A recent hot streak has got the Rays back over the .500 mark at 44-43, and they sit 3.5 games back of the Red Sox for the last wild card spot (with the Royals and Astros in between).  Tampa Bay will be one of the more interesting teams to watch as the trade deadline approaches, as the Civale deal is an early sign that the club will be looking to both buy and sell in its constant attempt to both manage a tight payroll and build a contending roster.

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The Opener

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Mike Ford Signs With NPB’s Yokohama DeNA BayStars

By Leo Morgenstern | July 5, 2024 at 12:03am CDT

Mike Ford has signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, the team has announced. Ford was designated for assignment by the Reds earlier this season. He elected free agency rather than accepting an outright assignment to the minor leagues.

Ford, 32, signed with the Yankees as an undrafted free agent in 2013. Six years later, he made his MLB debut for the Bronx Bombers. A first baseman and designated hitter, the lefty batter made quite the impression in his rookie season, slugging 12 home runs in 50 games and putting up a .909 OPS. The following year, at 28 years old, he made his very first Opening Day roster.

Unfortunately for Ford, he struggled to replicate that early success over the rest of his tenure in pinstripes. He slashed .134/.250/.276 across 51 games in 2020 and ’21, and the Yankees designated him for assignment in June 2021. He then bounced between the Rays, Nationals, Mariners, Giants, Mariners (again), Braves, and Angels organizations before landing back with the Mariners for a third time ahead of the 2023 campaign. Four years after his breakout, Ford would put together the best season of his career. He forced his way to the majors with 13 home runs and a 1.031 OPS in 49 games at Triple-A, then hit another 16 home runs with a .798 OPS in 84 games for Seattle from June to October.

Despite his strong performance in 2023, the Mariners designated Ford for assignment at the end of the season. He signed a minor league deal with the Reds this past February, opted out in March, re-signed a week later, and then opted out again in early May. This time, he re-signed on a major league deal, but after going 9-for-60 with a .411 OPS in 17 games, he was designated for assignment at the end of the month. Before signing with the BayStars, he had been a free agent since May 31.

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Nippon Professional Baseball Transactions Mike Ford

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AL West Notes: Tucker, Verlander, Bloss, Woo, Jung

By Leo Morgenstern | July 4, 2024 at 11:06pm CDT

Astros manager Joe Espada offered a disappointing, if not entirely surprising, injury update regarding two of his biggest stars. Speaking to reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle) ahead of today’s contest in Toronto, the skipper acknowledged that neither Kyle Tucker nor Justin Verlander is likely to return from the IL before the All-Star break.

Tucker has not played since June 3 as he nurses a right shin contusion he suffered when he fouled a ball off his leg. In mid-June, Espada suggested that Tucker would likely require a minor league rehab assignment. With the All-Star break fast approaching and the outfielder yet to begin any on-field work (per Kawahara), it’s hard to imagine he makes it back before the break. The Astros would surely like to have Tucker back as soon as possible, but they have played surprisingly well in their best hitter’s absence. Making sure that he’s healthy for the stretch run is more important than rushing him back in July.

Meanwhile, Verlander has not pitched since June 9; he is dealing with neck discomfort. He is progressing well, but Espada says the future Hall of Famer has not yet gotten back to throwing off a mound. Once again, the Astros could certainly use the veteran in their injury-plagued rotation ASAP, but rushing him back would be a shortsighted move with so much season left to play.

Another point of interest concerning Verlander: As Kawahara notes, it is now extremely unlikely that his conditional $35MM player option for 2025 will be triggered. Even if the 41-year-old were to return immediately after the All-Star break and pitch once every five games for the rest of the season, he would need to average 6 1/3 innings per start to reach the necessary 140 innings pitched.

Finally, Espada also mentioned that rookie Jake Bloss will make a rehab start this weekend. Barring any setbacks, the young righty could make his next start in Houston. Bloss, 23, is generally considered one of the Astros’ better pitching prospects. He landed on the IL with shoulder discomfort on June 21, the same day that he made his MLB debut.

More injury updates from around the AL West:

  • Rangers manager Bruce Bochy offered reporters an update on Josh Jung, who has been on the IL almost all season. The All-Star third baseman fractured his wrist on a hit-by-pitch on April 1. Jung has recently been nursing a flare-up of discomfort in his injured wrist and has not swung a bat since his last rehab game on June 20 (per Kennedi Landry of MLB.com). However, he has no further structural damage. The Rangers are going to shut him down completely for another week, after which they hope he’ll be able to restart his rehab assignment (per Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today). Needless to say, this means Jung will not be ready to return to Arlington before the All-Star break.
  • In more positive news, the Mariners aren’t ready to rule out the possibility that Bryan Woo could return to their rotation ahead of the Midsummer Classic. He threw a successful bullpen session on Wednesday (per Daniel Kramer of MLB.com) and will make a rehab start this weekend. If all goes well in that outing, there’s a chance he could make his next start for Seattle. Woo, 24, has pitched exceptionally well in his sophomore season, with a 1.77 ERA in eight starts. Not all of his underlying numbers are quite as eye-catching (4.01 SIERA, 3.96 xFIP), but there’s no doubt the Mariners would like to have the young hurler back as soon as possible to see more of what he’s capable of.
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Houston Astros Notes Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers Bryan Woo Jake Bloss Josh Jung Justin Verlander Kyle Tucker

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Dodgers Release Jonathan Araúz

By Leo Morgenstern | July 4, 2024 at 9:36pm CDT

The Dodgers have released Jonathan Araúz, according to the infielder’s player page on MLB.com. The 25-year-old spent the first three months of the season playing around the infield for the Triple-A Oklahoma City Baseball Club.

Arauz signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers last December, after electing free agency at the end of the 2023 campaign. He spent the previous season in the Mets organization, playing in 100 games for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets and 27 contests for the big league squad. However, he was outrighted at the end of the season and chose to seek a new opportunity with another team.

Signed by the Phillies as an international free agent in 2014, Arauz made his professional debut in Philadelphia’s system at just 16 years old. Not long after, he was traded to the Astros as part of the Ken Giles deal. The infielder then spent four years in Houston’s minor league system until the Red Sox took him in the Rule 5 Draft ahead of the 2020 season.

Arauz appeared in the majors every year from 2020-23, first with the Red Sox and then the Orioles and Mets. He has played a total of 95 MLB games, slashing .184/.253/.308 across 262 PA. He has never graded out as a particularly effective fielder or baserunner either, but he provides value with his versatility; he can hold his own at second base, third base, and shortstop. The Dodgers, who appreciate positional flexibility, had some questions about their infield picture entering the season, so Arauz made good sense as a minor league depth signing. However, he has hit especially poorly at Triple-A, slashing .227/.286/.324 with a 51 wRC+. With several other infielders playing significantly better for Oklahoma City, Arauz became the odd man out.

Arauz is now free to search for his next professional opportunity. Not yet 26 years old, he should be able to find another club in need of a versatile infielder with big league experience.

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Los Angeles Dodgers Transactions Jonathan Arauz

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Twins Sign Matt Bowman To Minor League Deal

By Leo Morgenstern | July 4, 2024 at 8:53pm CDT

The Twins have signed relief pitcher Matt Bowman to a minor league contract, according to his player page on MLB.com. The deal includes an opt-out in early August (per Darren Wolfson of SKOR North). The right-hander has been assigned to the Triple-A St. Paul Saints.

Bowman began the 2024 season with the Twins, with whom he signed a minor league deal in January. Although he did not make Minnesota’s Opening Day roster, the team selected his contract in mid-April. He made five appearances for the Twins, giving up two earned runs in seven 2/3 innings of work before he was designated for assignment at the end of the month.

The Twins traded Bowman to the Diamondbacks for cash considerations, and the journeyman made four appearances for Arizona (6 ER, 6 2/3 IP) before he was designated for assignment once more. The 33-year-old elected free agency and found his next opportunity with the Mariners, signing a minor league contract with Seattle. He made just one appearance for the M’s, giving up a home run and a walk and recording two outs, before he was DFA’d yet again. After electing free agency, Bowman signed a new minor league deal with the Mariners in mid-June, but the deal contained an opt-out clause – one which he chose to exercise earlier this week. Presumably, the reliever decided he had a better chance to get back to the majors with a different organization.

Thus, Bowman returned to the place where his 2024 campaign began. The Twins have had one of the better bullpens in the American League this season, but they currently have four relievers on the 60-day IL. They only have two right-handed relievers on the 40-man roster who aren’t in the majors (Josh Winder and Ronny Henriquez), neither of whom has anywhere close to as much big league relief experience as Bowman. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why both sides were interested in a reunion.

Bowman began his professional career with the Mets in 2012 and made his MLB debut as a Rule 5 Draft pick with the Cardinals in 2016. He has also spent time with the Reds and Yankees. The righty made 183 appearances from 2016-19, pitching to a 4.02 ERA and 3.86 SIERA. Unfortunately, he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020 and did not make his way back to the majors until September 2023, when he made four appearances for the Yankees. In other words, while he has plenty of experience, it has been several years since he enjoyed any prolonged big league success. His MLB numbers over the past two years are uninspiring (19 IP, 13 K, 9 BB, 4 HR, 6.16 ERA), but his minor league stats (74 2/3 IP, 3.62 ERA, 4.24 FIP) are significantly more promising.

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Minnesota Twins Transactions Matt Bowman

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    Bill Mazeroski Passes Away

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