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Brewers Sign Joel Kuhnel To Minor League Deal

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The Brewers signed righty Joel Kuhnel to a minor league contract yesterday, as first indicated on the transaction log at MLB.com. He got to work quickly, making his first appearance for the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate in Nashville last night. Kuhnel pitched an inning and allowed a pair of runs on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts.

The Brewers organization is the third stop of the season for Kuhnel, who’s also been with the Astros and Blue Jays this season. He allowed four runs in two big league frames for Houston, but the bulk of Kuhnel’s time has been spent in Triple-A. Between Sugar Land, Buffalo and now Nashville, he’s pitched a combined 21 innings of Triple-A ball with a 3.00 earned run average. Kuhnel has only struck out 10.1% of his opponents in Triple-A but also sports a strong 6.7% walk rate and a massive 60.3% ground-ball rate.

This year’s brief look with the ’Stros was the fifth season in which Kuhnel has seen work at the MLB level. In 85 2/3 innings, all spent with the Reds or Astros, the 6’5″ righty has a 6.30 ERA with a 19% strikeout rate, 6.3% walk rate and 52.5% grounder rate. He’s averaged just under 96 mph on both his four-seamer and sinker in the majors, typically pairing those two fastballs with a mid-80s slider and a changeup that’s averaged 90 mph.

Milwaukee has a slew of pitchers on the injured list, although they’ve been hit hardest in the rotation. That’s taken an indirect toll on the relief corps, however. The mountain of injuries has pushed reliever Bryse Wilson back into a starting role, and it’s also prompted the Brewers to use their relievers more heavily than any team in the sport. Brewers starting pitchers have the fewest innings of any team in MLB (316 1/3), while their 277 innings from the bullpen are naturally the most in MLB. Add in that star closer Devin Williams has yet to pitch this season due to a back injury, and stockpiling bullpen depth becomes all the more critical.

Kuhnel will give the Brewers another experienced option the next time they need to pull a fresh arm up from Nashville on the back of a bullpen day or short start from their patchwork rotation.

Sponsored: The Next Generation Of Baseball Technology Is Here

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Orioles Exploring Bullpen Market

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The Orioles are exploring the bullpen market, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Additionally, a right-handed hitting outfielder is a possible pursuit, while the club will wait until closer to the deadline to decide about the rotation.

General manager Mike Elias is clearly in a position to look for upgrades between now and the July 30 deadline. The club have a record of 44-22, one of the strongest in the majors. They are second in the American League East thanks to an excellent start from the Yankees, but the O’s are still firmly in playoff position. They currently hold the top Wild Card spot and are 11.5 games ahead of the Red Sox and Blue Jays, who are currently the top teams outside of playoff position.

The Orioles shouldn’t be in desperate need of bullpen help, as they have fared well even without Félix Bautista this year. The relief corps as a whole has an earned run average of 3.24, fourth in the majors, behind only the Guardians, Dodgers and Yankees. But with most clubs having eight-man bullpens these days, even strong clubs can find room for an upgrade while bumping each guy down a peg. The O’s could perhaps look for a bit more swing-and-miss, as their 23.4% strikeout rate is fairly average.

Craig Kimbrel had some shaky outings earlier in the year but has generally been doing well overall. He has a 2.70 ERA on the year and 35.9% strikeout rate. His 10.9% walk rate is a tad high by league standards but just barely above his career rate of 10.2%. Yennier Cano has a 2.37, though there’s perhaps a bit of worry under the hood. Continuing to strand 89.5% of runners will be challenging, which is perhaps why his 4.26 FIP is almost two runs higher than his ERA. Somewhat similarly, Jacob Webb has an ERA of 1.76 but with an unsustainable .220 batting average on balls in play.

Bullpens are inherently unstable in terms of performance but also health. Left-hander Danny Coulombe has a save and 13 holds for the O’s this year, posting a 2.42 ERA, 30.4% strikeout rate and 3.3% walk rate in 29 appearances. However, he was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday with left elbow inflammation and now faces an uncertain future. As relayed by Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, manager Brandon Hyde says that Coulombe felt sore recently and will be going for further testing.

It’s tough to tell who will be available on the market this summer, as the trade deadline is still over six weeks away and very few teams are clearly out of contention. Thanks to the expanded postseason, only five of the 30 clubs are currently more than 4.5 games back of a playoff spot.

Several teams could decide to trade some relievers if they play poorly in the next few weeks. But as of right now, Mason Miller is the guy getting the most attention. The power right-hander on the Athletics has a 2.12 ERA and insane 49.5% strikeout rate as he his fastball averages 100.9 miles per hour. The A’s are reportedly setting a massive asking price since they can control Miller for five more seasons after this one and may stretch him out as a starter as some point in the future.

Apart from Miller, some names that could be available include Michael Kopech and John Brebbia of the White Sox, Tanner Scott of the Marlins, Carlos Estévez and Luis García of the Angels, and others.

Turning to the outfield, the O’s have Cedric Mullins, Colton Cowser and Anthony Santander getting most of the playing time these days, with Austin Hays and Kyle Stowers also in the mix. Santander is a switch-hitter who is modestly better from the right side, as he has a 118 wRC+ against lefties and 106 wRC+ otherwise, but Mullins, Cowser and Stowers are all lefties. Heston Kjerstad, currently on optional assignment, also hits from the left side. Mullins has hit righties better in his career but isn’t hitting anyone this year, with an overall line of .174/.222/.310 in 2024. Cowser is having a strong season but is hitting just .191/.264/.340 against southpaws.

Hays is a righty but he’s hitting just .234/.291/.362 this year for an 87 wRC+. That includes a massive .361/.378/.444 line against lefties and a dismal .155/.242/.310 showing otherwise, but his career splits are more modest. He has hit .272/.324/.458 with the platoon advantage and .256/.308/.421 without it, leading to respective wRC+ numbers of 115 and 102.

Taking all those facts together, the pursuit of a right-handed outfielder is fairly logical. Stowers isn’t getting much playing time and is still optionable, so his roster spot could be better utilized by an external addition. As mentioned, several teams may not decide to sell until closer to the deadline. But even among the few teams that are clear sellers now, right-handed outfielders are in decent supply.

The White Sox have Luis Robert Jr., though it would take a king’s ransom to get him, considering his immense talent and modest contract. He’s making $12.5MM this year and will get $15MM next year, with two $20MM club options to follow. Apart from him, the market should also feature Taylor Ward of the Angels, Brent Rooker of the A’s and Bryan De La Cruz of the Marlins, among others, though De La Cruz has reverse splits in his career and wouldn’t be ideal for the O’s.

Ward still has a couple of years of club control after this one but is 30 years old and playing for a team that will struggle to compete in that time frame. He’s already drawing trade interest, which is understandable based on his .263/.343/.449 batting line since the start of 2021. That includes a .298/.376/.468 line and 135 wRC+ against lefties. Rooker has hit .251/.334/.499 since the start of last year for a 134 wRC+ with almost even splits. He will reach arbitration this winter and can be controlled through 2027, though the A’s will likely make him available as he’s 29 years old.

On the starting pitching side, the O’s recently lost both John Means and Tyler Wells to season-ending surgery, while Dean Kremer is also on the injured list at the moment. They have a strong rotation core of Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez and Kyle Bradish, but the latter two have both been on the injured list this year. Bradish was given the ominous diagnosis of a sprained UCL in his throwing elbow and managed to get back on the mound without undergoing surgery, but that likely leaves the O’s with at least some worry of another injury later in the year.

Based on Rosenthal’s report, it seems they will sit tight for now and see how things look in the coming weeks. Prospect Cade Povich was just promoted and the club can see what they have in him, while Cole Irvin and Albert Suárez provide some stability at the back end. If the club decides to pursue starters, the market could feature guys like Jesús Luzardo, Erick Fedde, Garrett Crochet, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson and others. Each of those pitchers can be controlled beyond 2024 as well, with could allow the O’s to proactively bolster next year’s rotation before Burnes departs via free agency.

Twins Designate Diego Castillo For Assignment

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The Twins announced Wednesday that they’ve designated right-hander Diego Castillo for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to righty Jay Jackson, whose contract is being selected from Triple-A St. Paul. Right-hander Louie Varland was optioned to St. Paul to open an active roster spot for Jackson, who’ll be up for his second stint of the year in Minnesota.

Castillo inked a minor league deal during spring training and was selected to the MLB roster late last month. He’s only allowed two runs in seven innings of relief but has also issued an unsightly seven walks in that span. The veteran Castillo has pitched quite well in Triple-A, logging a 2.50 ERA with a 29.7% strikeout rate, 8.1% walk rate and 54.5% ground-ball rate in 18 innings. He also saw his average fastball velocity jump back to 95.7 mph after sitting at 94.2 mph in 2023. The Twins will have a week to trade Castillo, attempt to pass him through outright waivers or release him.

From 2018-22, the now-30-year-old Castillo was excellent out of the bullpens in Tampa Bay and Seattle, pitching to a combined 3.12 earned run average (3.69 FIP, 3.38 SIERA) with a strong 28.1% strikeout rate and an 8.9% walk rate that’s barely north of the league average. He kept the ball on the ground at an impressive 50.7% clip as well, and Castillo yielded just 1.07 long balls per nine frames.

A series of three shoulder injuries looked to have taken their toll on him, as last year’s 94.2 mph average fastball was a career-low and he was rocked for six runs in 8 2/3 innings with Seattle (while walking 17% of his hitters and plunking another one). It’s feasible that his track record and this year’s rejuvenated fastball could lead to interest from a bullpen-needy club, be it via a minor trade or a waiver claim.

Jackson, 36, signed a one-year, $1.5MM deal with the Twins over the winter but was hit hard in his initial stint with the club. In 22 1/3 innings, he pitched to a 6.85 ERA, yielding runs in 10 of his 17 appearances along the way. He’s allowed one run in three Triple-A innings since being designated for assignment, clearing waivers and being sent outright to St. Paul. Jackson worked mostly in low-leverage spots with the Twins and figures to do so again, unless he can more closely resemble the 2022-23 version of himself — wherein he combined for 31 innings of 2.03 ERA ball.

Because of his contract, this could become a frequent cycle for Jackson. His remaining salary makes it unlikely he’ll be claimed on waivers, so the Twins could designate him, pass him through waivers, outright him and then re-select him to the big league roster multiple this this year — whenever the need for a fresh arm arises. Of course, if Jackson can indeed begin to recapture some of his form from recent seasons, he could also pitch his way into a more permanent role in manager Rocco Baldelli’s bullpen.

The Opener: Woo, Gallo, Angels

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We kicked off the morning with a trade of note between the Dodgers and Blue Jays, but here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Woo undergoes MRI:

Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo was set to start last night’s game against the White Sox but ended up a late scratch due to what the club described as a “right forearm issue.” As noted by MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer, the M’s are hopeful Woo will be able to avoid a trip to the injured list, although manager Scott Servis acknowledged to reporters yesterday that an IL stint may end up being necessary. If Woo does require a trip to the shelf, it would be a frustrating turn of events for the Mariners as the young righty has been dominant when healthy enough to take the mound this year, with a 1.06 ERA across six starts. As for possible replacements, lefty Jhonathan Diaz stepped in for Woo last night and allowed three runs on nine hits over 5 1/3 innings of work. It’s possible the club could stick with Diaz or opt to utilize right-hander Emerson Hancock, who has a 5.24 ERA in seven starts this season.

2. Gallo to the IL:

Nationals first baseman and outfielder Joey Gallo appears to be headed for the injured list today, as manager Dave Martinez told reporters (including Andrew Golden of the Washington Post) yesterday that Gallo “pulled” his hamstring during last night’s game and that the club will need to make a roster move today to replace him. It’s been a tough season for Gallo, who is striking out at a hefty 43% clip while failing to make up for the lack of contact with his usual amount of power. While Gallo sports a career .263 ISO (slugging minus batting average) and a .241 figure from 2021-23, his ISO this year is just .157. With Gallo seemingly headed to the shelf, Joey Meneses could get a larger share of playing time at first, and infielder Trey Lipscomb could also be called up to pitch in at first.

3. Angels dealing with day-to-day injuries:

Two Angels players suffered injuries during yesterday’s loss to the Diamondbacks, leaving their status up in the air. Outfielder Taylor Ward was removed from the game in the eighth inning due to what the team described as “lower back tightness,” while catcher Logan O’Hoppe was pulled from the game two innings prior after being struck in the groin area by a foul ball off the bat of Arizona outfielder Randal Grichuk. O’Hoppe was down for several minutes due to the pain but was eventually able to walk off the field on his own accord.

Fortunately, the Halos appear to have escaped major injuries with both players; Ward told reporters he hopes to be back in the lineup as soon as today, while O’Hoppe indicated that he’s unlikely to play today but was cleared of major injury. If the pair end up needing a few days, Matt Thaiss figures to cover for O’Hoppe behind the plate while Kevin Pillar and Mickey Moniak would likely get extra time in the outfield in Ward’s absence.

Jordan Montgomery Reaches 10 Starts, Unlocks 2025 Player Option

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Jordan Montgomery took the ball for the Diamondbacks tonight in their series opener against the Angels. It’s the tenth start of the season for the left-hander, an expected but notable threshold. It officially unlocks a 2025 player option in his contract with a base value of $20MM.

Montgomery had a disappointing first trip through free agency last winter. While he reportedly set out in search of a deal approaching or exceeding the seven years and $172MM which Aaron Nola received from the Phillies, that didn’t materialize. Montgomery lingered on the market longer than any other top free agent before agreeing to terms with the Diamondbacks just before Opening Day. He signed a one-year guarantee with a $25MM salary and the conditional player option.

That triggers at $20MM with his tenth start. Its value would escalate to $22.5MM at 18 starts and max out at $25MM if he starts 23 games. Montgomery wasn’t equipped to make his team debut until April 19. He needed a couple Triple-A appearances to build his workload after sitting out during Spring Training. He’ll still have plenty of time to get to 23 starts and maximize the option value if he stays healthy.

At signing, the conditional player option looked more like injury protection than anything else. Montgomery certainly anticipated declining it and heading back to free agency in search of the long-term deal that eluded him last offseason. Yet his early-season performance hasn’t positioned him well for a return trip to the market.

After tossing 5 2/3 innings of three-run ball tonight, Montomgery carries a 6.58 earned run average across 52 innings. He has punched out just 13.7% of batters faced — easily the lowest rate of his career and nearly eight percentage points below last season’s 21.4% mark. His 8.2% walk rate is a couple points above its typical level. Montgomery entered tonight’s outing averaging roughly 92 MPH on both his sinker and four-seam fastball. Each pitch sat north of 93 MPH last year.

It’s difficult to say how much of that drop-off is attributable to Montgomery’s late signing and atypical preparation for the season. Perhaps he’ll find the extra tick of velocity and more closely resemble his old self as the year progresses. Before his stint in the desert, Montgomery had been the picture of consistency. He reached the 30-start threshold in each season between 2021-23. The southpaw allowed between three and four earned runs per nine with solid strikeout and walk rates in all three years.

Signing Montgomery punctuated an aggressive offseason for an Arizona team looking to build off its Cinderella pennant run. The Snakes had already brought back Lourdes Gurriel Jr., acquired Eugenio Suárez and landed Eduardo Rodriguez on a four-year deal to stabilize the rotation. None of those transactions is off to an auspicious start. Gurriel is hitting at a league average level. Montgomery has struggled. Suárez has hit poorly enough that the Snakes are reportedly considering alternatives at third base and could try to offload some of his $12MM salary. Rodriguez suffered a lat strain during Spring Training and has been on the injured list all season.

That has contributed to a disappointing 31-35 start that has Arizona sitting in fourth place in the NL West. The prevailing mediocrity beyond the top four teams in the National League nevertheless provides hope for everyone other than the Rockies and Marlins. The final two Wild Card spots are currently held by teams at or below .500. Despite being four games under, the Snakes are one game out of the postseason picture.

Along with Rodriguez’s absence, the D-Backs have been without Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly for the past few weeks. Montgomery is the most established member of a rotation that also includes Brandon Pfaadt, Ryne Nelson and Slade Cecconi at the moment. Gallen and Kelly have begun throwing programs.

Since Montgomery opened the season on an assignment to Triple-A, he will not be eligible for a qualifying offer if he hits free agency next winter. His slow start and the player option would complicate any efforts to trade him if Arizona falls out of the playoff race. The D-Backs have roughly $64MM in guaranteed commitments for next season, as calculated by RosterResource.

Montgomery’s option could push that into the $84-89MM range depending on how many starts he makes. The D-Backs will almost certainly exercise a $7MM option to retain Kelly and would owe Gallen a raise on this year’s $10.011MM salary for his final year of arbitration. Christian Walker, Joc Pederson and Paul Sewald are their top impending free agents. Montgomery could still join them, but it’d take a better second half than he has managed thus far. If he does retest the market, he’ll be doing so with new representation. Montgomery switched from the Boras Corporation to Wasserman in April.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Fantasy Baseball: Buying The Dip

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Hello friends.

I always preach patience when it comes to slow starters, but once we get out of May it's officially time to start questioning if what we've seen so far is what we'll be getting for the rest of the season.

For those already rostering these slowpokes, it is a matter of deciding whether it's worth it to keep holding them and root for positive regression, or whether you should abandon all hope and try to ship them out for whatever loose change you can find. And if you don't have any early-season disappointments, it's about whether you should be bargain hunting and betting on the come, looking to acquire the early-round duds whose presence is currently infuriating one of your fellow managers.

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Pirates Sign Luis Cessa To Minor League Contract

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The Pirates have signed right-hander Luis Cessa to a minor league deal, as first reported by Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (X link). Cessa was released from a pact with the Royals on June 1.

It’s the second non-roster rotation pickup in as many days for Pittsburgh. The Bucs added Jake Woodford on a minor league deal last night shortly after he was outrighted by the White Sox. Unlike Woodford, Cessa hasn’t seen any major league action in 2024. He pitched fairly well in Triple-A, working to a 3.89 ERA through 39 1/3 innings for Kansas City’s top farm team in Omaha. Cessa had a modest 16.8% strikeout rate against a 9.2% walk percentage while starting 10 of his 11 appearances.

Cessa probably wouldn’t have had a chance to crack the K.C. rotation no matter how well he pitched. The Royals have gotten good work from each of Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Alec Marsh and Brady Singer. Wacha hit the injured list the day after Cessa was cut loose; the Royals have turned to Daniel Lynch IV to take the vacated rotation spot. Perhaps Cessa could’ve pitched his way into a shakier K.C. bullpen, but he doesn’t generate the kind of swing-and-miss that teams are generally seeking in the later innings.

The 32-year-old has been an effective long reliever in the past, running a 3.39 ERA over 112 appearances with the Yankees and Reds between 2019-21. He struggled to a 4.57 ERA in 80 2/3 frames in 2022 and had a particularly tough season last year. Cessa was tagged for 26 runs in as many innings over seven appearances (six starts) for Cincinnati. Subsequent minor league contracts with the Rockies and Nationals each resulted in an ERA above 8.00 and unsurprisingly kept him from returning to the majors.

Cessa and Woodford join Domingo Germán, Josh Fleming and Michael Plassmeyer as non-roster rotation depth in Indy. Braxton Ashcraft and Daulton Jefferies occupy 40-man roster spots and are optional assignment. The Pirates have Paul Skenes, Jared Jones, Mitch Keller and Bailey Falter in the rotation after losing Quinn Priester to the injured list. They’ll need a fifth starter or to use a bullpen game during this weekend’s series in Colorado.

Angels Sign Keston Hiura To Minor League Deal

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The Angels informed reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register) that they’ve signed infielder Keston Hiura to a minor league contract. He’ll report to Triple-A Salt Lake after being released by the Tigers last week. He is a CAA client.

Hiura is a Southern California native who starred at UC-Irvine. The Brewers selected him ninth overall in the 2017 draft. Hiura was a top prospect who looked like a budding star when he hit 19 homers in 84 games as a rookie for Milwaukee during the ’19 season. That huge debut showing came with a 30.7% strikeout rate that unfortunately previewed massive swing-and-miss problems. Hiura’s strikeout rate increased in each subsequent season, leading to a cumulative .205/.293/.394 slash between 2020-22.

The Brewers outrighted Hiura off their 40-man roster on the eve of the 2023 season. He spent the year in Triple-A and qualified for minor league free agency at year’s end. Hiura signed a minor league deal with Detroit and played in 49 games for their top farm team. He slumped to a .232/.312/.401 batting line across 199 trips to the plate. Hiura walked at a strong 10.6% clip but fanned 28.1% of the time and only hit six homers. The Tigers released him in conjunction with their decision to option former first overall pick Spencer Torkelson, who’ll play regularly at first base in the minors.

While Hiura didn’t have a great couple months with the Tigers, he has a strong minor league résumé. Hiura owns a .289/.382/.550 batting line in nearly 1100 Triple-A plate appearances over parts of five seasons. He blasted 23 homers in 85 contests as recently as last year.

Initially drafted as a second baseman, Hiura scuffled defensively and has moved primarily to first base. The Tigers played him exclusively at first base or designated hitter. Whether the Angels will give him any work at the keystone isn’t clear, but Hiura offers an alternative to struggling first baseman Nolan Schanuel. Last year’s #11 overall pick is hitting .211/.279/.333 over 231 plate appearances in his first full professional season.

Tigers Notes: Baez, Kreidler, McKinstry, Flaherty

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Javier Báez’s rough season continues, as the Tigers placed the veteran shortstop on the 10-day injured list before tonight’s game against the Nationals. The placement, which is retroactive to June 9, is due to lumbar spine inflammation. Ryan Kreidler is up from Triple-A Toledo to take the open active roster spot.

Báez told the Detroit beat that he was headed to Florida for additional testing (link via Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic). The Tigers haven’t provided a timeline for his return, though he’s expected to be out beyond the minimal stint. Báez has battled back discomfort dating to Spring Training, which could be a contributing factor to the worst performance of his career.

The two-time All-Star has only hit one home run over 196 plate appearances. He’s hitting .183/.209/.247 across 53 games. Among hitters with 150+ trips to the plate, only Mickey Moniak has a lower on-base percentage. Tim Anderson and Moniak are the only such hitters who have made less of a power impact. Báez has rated as a slightly below-average defender over 451 2/3 innings at shortstop. The overall production is well below replacement level.

Báez now carries a .223/.264/.344 slash line in 333 games since signing a six-year, $140MM free agent contract with Detroit. Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris downplayed the chances of moving on from Báez entirely in an appearance on MLB Network late last month. That won’t need to be a consideration while he’s on the injured list, but the Tigers clearly need much better production out of the position. Detroit is last in all three triple slash stats from their shortstops on the year.

For now, that task will fall on Kreidler and Zach McKinstry. Manager A.J. Hinch indicated that duo will split the shortstop reps while Báez is on the shelf. The lefty-hitting McKinstry and righty-swinging Kreidler will form something of a platoon, although Hinch indicated Kreidler won’t be completely shielded from right-handed pitching. With the Nats starting lefty Mitchell Parker this evening, Kreidler is in the lineup for his first MLB work of the season.

The UCLA product appeared in 37 big league contests between 2022-23. Kreidler didn’t hit much in that limited look, turning in a .165/.220/.209 slash over 102 plate appearances. He owns a .242/.362/.448 mark with a lofty 27.1% strikeout rate in parts of four seasons with Toledo. McKinstry has hit .225/.296/.341 in 624 MLB plate appearances since the Tigers acquired him from the Cubs just before the start of last season. He’s a career .219/.284/.365 hitter versus right-handed pitching.

While the Tigers are patching things together on the infield, they seem to have dodged a bullet in the rotation. Jack Flaherty exited last week’s start against the Rangers after experiencing back tightness. He hasn’t pitched since then but seems on track to avoid the injured list. As noted by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press, Flaherty received an injection yesterday and is lined up to take the ball during this weekend’s series against the Astros. Signed to a one-year pillow contract over the winter, Flaherty is pitching at an All-Star level. He owns a 3.22 ERA while striking out more than a third of his opponents over his first 12 starts.

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