Here are a few things we’ll be watching around baseball heading into the weekend:
1. MLB debuts for Tigers prospects:
The Tigers are set to add two potential infielders of the future — Jace Jung and Trey Sweeney — to their big league roster. Jung, the No. 12 pick in the 2022 draft, is widely ranked among the sport’s top 100 prospects and has slashed .257/.377/.454 with 14 homers, 23 doubles, a triple, two steals and a massive 16.1% walk rate in 91 Triple-A games this season. He’s split his time between third base and second base, with an emphasis on the former, and could slot in as the Tigers’ long-term option at the hot corner. If he can manage to do so, he’ll join his brother — the Rangers’ Josh Jung — as a cornerstone third baseman for an American League team.
Sweeney, twice traded in the past seven months, has gone from the Yankees to the Dodgers to Detroit — most recently as one of two players in the Jack Flaherty trade. Sweeney, 24, was the No. 20 overall pick in 2021. Considered a surefire shortstop defender with a more questionable offensive profile, Sweeney’s bat has erupted since joining the Tigers organization. He’s appeared in 11 games, taken 47 plate appearances and turned in an outrageous .381/.447/.667 slash with a pair of homers, six doubles and four steals. He’s now hitting .267/.345/.450 with 15 home runs and 20 steals on the season. Javier Baez is only halfway through a six-year contract, but he’s hit .222/.264/.349 in more than 1400 plate appearances with Detroit and shouldn’t stand in the way of Sweeney in the long-term if the younger shortstop option proves capable of handling big league pitching.
2. Will Elias Díaz still be a Rockie tonight?
The Rockies placed Elias Diaz on waivers Wednesday, a move that could trim $1.45MM off their payroll and position a respected veteran to join a contending club. The 2023 All-Star Game MVP, Diaz isn’t hitting for as much power as he did in ’23 but sports a .270/.315/.378 slash (80 wRC+) that could at the very least be an upgrade over several teams’ backup options behind the plate. Waivers are a 48-hour process, so it’ll become clear today whether Diaz was claimed or whether he’ll stick with the Rockies for now.
Even if he goes unclaimed, the Rox could put him back on waivers again later this month. Trying a second or even third time could work out differently; Diaz will be owed less money the closer we get to the Aug. 31 postseason eligibility deadline, and it’s always possible that a contending club could incur an injury behind the dish between now and the end of the month, which would alter their interest level.
3. Other waiver outcomes to watch:
Diaz isn’t the only notable veteran on waiver watch this weekend. The Dodgers designated Amed Rosario for assignment on Monday, and the Yankees designated veteran reliever Enyel De Los Santos for assignment on Wednesday. Neither has been claimed or cleared waivers yet. Both teams have up to five days to place their respective players on waivers, and waiting those maximum five days trims the amount of money a new team would need to commit in making a claim. There should be a resolution on Rosario this weekend, and it’s possible we’ll find out what’s next for De Los Santos as well.
Rosario is playing on an affordable one-year, $1.5MM deal and was hitting .305/.331/.415 in 287 plate appearances (with particularly stout numbers against lefties), but the Dodgers opted for superior defenders when making room for Mookie Betts’ return from the IL earlier this week. Rosario has $363K remaining on his salary as of this writing and has a good chance to be claimed. De Los Santos was rocked for 10 runs in 6 1/3 innings with the Yankees after being acquired at the trade deadline, but he has a solid big league track record and is still averaging better than 95 mph on his heater. With $278K remaining on this year’s $1.15MM salary and two additional seasons of club control remaining, he could be viewed as a worthwhile flier — even from someone who’s not an immediate contender. In 159 innings from Opening Day 2022 through the day he was traded to the Yankees last month, De Los Santos posted a 3.50 ERA with a 26.4% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate.
Tigers should go get Rosario too and DFA Baez, Mckinstry, and Baddoo
Biggest mystery in mlb is how BADdoo is still in the major leagues !!!
We had to train our puppy going on the carpet was bad doo.
another mystery, how is Derek Shelton still employed as a major league manager?
Shelton has succeeded in doing less with less. Half of their usual starting lineup could be DFA’d and on their way to Asia next week
While you are correct, it still doesn’t make him a good manager o the guy for this current job. Year #5 for the entire FO.
Enough time has past. They need multiple changes. Some new faces. New philosophies. New teachings.SOMETHING DIFFERENT! I’m soo sick and tired of being sick and tired as a Pirates fan.
See Martin Perez? Check his starts since joining the Padres. THAT happens OFTEN with this team. It’s no coincidence.
He wanted to be the nice uncle, Chuck Tanner type for this team. Problem was—and is—there is no Stargell or Bill Robinson to hold players—especially younger players—to be accountable for their play
Jogging out ground balls or pop flies, admiring long fly balls that drop in for long singles, having handfuls of seeds in your hand at 3rd base while a ball is live in the outfield, and a generally aloof, losing is fine attitude has been the hallmark of Shelton’s teams. That kind of stuff is contagious and you see it on a daily basis with the Pirates
You can’t use Perez as an example. He has pitched 3 games with SD against Miami, Colorado and Pittsburgh, some of the worst teams in baseball.
“another mystery, how is Derek Shelton still employed as a major league manager?”
Because TheMan 3’s agent is holding out for a 10-year contract?
When Baez first came up with the Cubs I thought he had talent but was uncoachable. All these years later I hate to see how little his approach has changed. Still no patience at the plate, still swings at garbage, still tries to hit the ball 500 ft every time he makes contact. It’s no wonder he sucks now.
You adjust or you fail in MLB. In the minors too for that matter. It’s that simple.
At 22, he was already a legend in his own mind and carried himself that way. Why the Tigers sought to rebuild around him is anyone’s guess
And don’t forget his lack of hustle.
IMHO, Baez has not dogged it as a Tiger. Yes, he swings from the heels…always has. He plays a very good SS. I don’t think he’s mailing it in at all. That’s not to say he needs to be on an MLB roster, but not because he doesn’t try.
Wait, why didn’t the Rockies just trade Diaz for whatever they could get at the deadline?
Surely they could have at least gotten a Low A kid with a couple of interesting tools from somebody for a decent offensive catcher. Now they will get nothing but a pittance of money saved if he is actually claimed by another team.
De Los Santos is peak Cashman.
Elias Diaz is a very good catcher. Was he injured at the deadline?
No, the Rockies are idiots
The Tigers DFA Gio Urshela. There’s the haves and the have-nots and then there’s the nevers.