Rangers Place Corey Kluber On 45-Day IL
JULY 28: The Rangers placed Kluber on the 45-day injured list Tuesday, per TR Sullivan of MLB.com. They also activated southpaw reliever Brett Martin, who had been shelved after a positive coronavirus test, recalled outfielder Adolis Garcia and optioned fellow outfielder Leody Taveras.
JULY 27: Rangers righty Corey Kluber has been diagnosed with a grade 2 tear of the teres major muscle in his right shoulder. He’ll spend at least a month resting the injury before attempting to resume throwing.
It’s a brutal outcome for both the 34-year-old Kluber and for a Rangers team that acquired him from the Indians over the offseason. Given the timing involved in the shortened season, it’s all but impossible to imagine him retaking the mound in 2020.
Kluber is earning at a $17.5MM annual rate this year and can be retained for a $18MM salary in 2020 (or bought out for $1MM). It’ll be awfully difficult for the Rangers to take that bet now.
The Rangers will call upon southpaw Kolby Allard for the time being. If all goes well, he’ll be a competent back-of-the-rotation piece, though it is hard to imagine the lefty coming close to Kluber’s potential contribution.
Corey Kluber Leaves Start With Shoulder Tightness
Corey Kluber made his Rangers debut this afternoon, but it turned out to be an abbreviated one: Kluber exited his start after just one inning and 18 pitches. Rangers Executive VP of Communications John Blake later revealed that Kluber’s premature departure was due to “tightness in the back of his right shoulder.” He’ll be evaluated further on Monday.
Needless to say, we’ll have to wait at least a day for a more detailed evaluation of Kluber’s shoulder, but it’s troubling to see Kluber’s first appearance with his new team cut short. Without a doubt, it’s frustrating for Kluber, who was in need of a fresh start after last year.
Kluber’s Rangers debut was much anticipated not only because of the new threads he’d be wearing, but also because an injury-riddled 2019 campaign limited the two-time Cy Young Award winner to just 7 starts. A forearm fracture and an oblique injury meant that Kluber didn’t get a chance to improve on the lackluster numbers he put up in those 7 games, so Rangers fans had their fingers crossed that it’d be a smooth debut for their big offseason acquisition.
Today marked Kluber’s first time on a Major League mound since May 1 of last year, but it looks like he’ll have to wait even longer to make a real mark on a game. It’s unknown if the tightness in Kluber’s shoulder had been present at any point in training prior to today’s game. Of course, we hope there’s no significant injury here and that Kluber can return to the mound for the Rangers in short order
Rangers Release Cody Allen, Add John King To 60-Man Pool
The Rangers announced today that they have released veteran reliever Cody Allen. His spot in the 60-man player pool will go to lefty John King.
Allen, 31, has had a rough go of things since he hit a wall in the 2018 season. His effort to bounce back last year with the Angels fell short and he’s now struggling to earn his way back to the majors.
The 25-year-old King is now in a position to clamor for his first call to the majors. He still hasn’t appeared above the High-A level, but was quite effective there last year. Over 71 frames, the former tenth-round pick turned in a 2.03 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9.
Multiple Teams Reportedly Interested In Josh Harrison
Infielder Josh Harrison returned to the free-agent market when the Phillies released him Tuesday, but he may not be without a team for long. The Braves, Reds, Yankees and Rangers have all shown interest in Harrison, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets.
If Harrison does land another contract, it’s likely to be a minor league deal, as his pact with the Phillies was. Now 33 years old, Harrison earned two All-Star trips as a Pirate from 2011-18, but his production in Pittsburgh plummeted during his final season with the club and continued to decline in Detroit in an injury-shortened 2019 campaign. Harrison managed a horrid line of .175/.218/.263 (22 wRC+) in 147 plate appearances last year, leading the Tigers to release him in August despite handing him a guaranteed $2MM before the season.
At best, Harrison would likely be a bench option at second and third for any of the teams eyeing him. The Braves have Ozzie Albies at the keystone and Austin Riley at the hot corner. Harrison’s native Cincinnati boasts big-money offseason pickup Mike Moustakas at second and 49-home run man Eugenio Suarez at third. Meanwhile, the Yankees look to be in good shape at the two positions with DJ LeMahieu (who should soon return after a coronavirus-caused absence) and Gio Urshela/Miguel Andujar. So, Texas could arguably present the best opportunity for Harrison, considering second baseman’s Rougned Odor‘s immense struggles in 2019 and the lack of a clear solution at third.
Rangers Select Gibaut, Refsnyder, Volquez
The Rangers have settled on their roster mix to begin the season. Righties Ian Gibaut and Edinson Volquez have made the team along with outfielder Rob Refsnyder. All will be selected to the 40-man roster.
A roster spot was opened when the team outrighted lefty Yohander Mendez. The club also announced that hurlers Rafael Montero and Joely Rodriguez will begin the season on the injured list.
Rangers To Select Ian Gibaut, Rob Refsnyder; Leody Taveras Makes Team
The Rangers have finalized their 30-man roster for the start of the season, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Right-handed relievers Edinson Volquez and Ian Gibaut and infielder/outfielder Rob Refsnyder have all made the club, per Grant. Nobody from that trio is on the Rangers’ 40-man roster, which has only one opening at the moment. Outfield prospect Leody Taveras, who is on the 40, has also earned a spot in Texas.
It was already known that the Rangers would select Volquez’s contract, but the same wasn’t true for either Gibaut or Refsnyder. The team signed both players to minor league deals last offseason, but Gibaut does have previous experience with the Rangers. They acquired the 26-year-old Texas native from the Rays last July and he went on to throw 12 1/3 innings with a 5.11 ERA and 10.2 K/9 against 5.8 BB/9 in his Rangers debut. He’s the owner of a much more palatable 2.75 ERA with 12.1 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 72 Triple-A innings.
Refsnyder has also fared nicely in Triple-A, having slashed .296/.372/.436 in 1,804 plate appearances. However, the 29-year-old – once a promising prospect – hasn’t been able to put it together in the majors. As a Yankee, Blue Jay and Ray from 2015-18, he batted .218/.308/.302 with just four homers in 423 PA. Now, after spending last season with the Reds’ and Diamondbacks’ Triple-A affiliates, he’ll get another shot in the bigs.
Taveras has been in the Rangers organization since they signed him out of the Dominican Republic for a $2.1MM bonus in 2015. So far, the switch-hitter hasn’t played above Double-A, where he batted .265/.320/.375 in 293 trips to the plate last season. While that’s not earth-shattering production, Taveras is still just 21 years old, and he’s widely regarded as one of the Rangers’ top prospects. MLB.com ranks Taveras third in the Texas system and likens him to Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte, who has carved out a nice career.
Health Notes: E. Rodriguez, Teheran, Brewers, Rox, Rangers, Nats
Red Sox left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez tested positive for the coronavirus July 7, but he returned to the club over the weekend and detailed his serious bout with the illness. Rodriguez told Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe he has never been sicker, saying he felt “100 years old” and was concerned he wouldn’t “make it to the season.” Fortunately, Boston’s No. 1 starter will pitch this year, though it’s going to take time for him to ramp up before he makes his 2020 debut. Rodriguez took an encouraging step Saturday when he came out of a 25-pitch bullpen session feeling fine.
- Like Rodriguez, Angels righty Julio Teheran will miss the start of the season because of a positive COVID-19 test. Teheran began feeling sick in late June, but he explained (via Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) that he was more concerned about the illness affecting those around him. Teheran’s parents are at high risk of catching the virus, and two other members of his family – his wife and 4-year-old son – as well as their nanny tested positive. Teheran’s wife and son were asymptomatic, but he and the family nanny were not. All of them seem to be doing OK now, luckily. Teheran’s Angels debut will be delayed, but the former Brave informed DiGiovanna he’s only “about a week behind.”
- Brewers slugger Ryan Braun is dealing with “nagging” back, oblique and neck issues, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel relays (Twitter links). It’s unclear whether those problems will jeopardize his Opening Day chances, but it’s worth noting that they have prevented Braun from playing in Summer Camp. Meanwhile, teammate and southpaw Eric Lauer will miss the start of the season “by a little bit,” manager Craig Counsell revealed. Lauer is behind schedule because he was exposed to someone with the coronavirus, but he is healthy. The 25-year-old was a key offseason pickup for Milwaukee, which landed him in a four-player trade with San Diego. Lauer tossed 149 2/3 innings of 4.45 ERA/4.23 FIP ball with 8.3 K/9 and 3.07 BB/9 a season ago.
- It’s in question whether Rockies right-hander Scott Oberg will be available when their season starts Friday, per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Oberg has battled a back strain, but he threw his first intrasquad game Sunday and indicated afterward he has made progress in the past week. Manager Bud Black is also encouraged, though he expects a decision on Oberg to “go down to the wire.” Considering Wade Davis‘ recent struggles, Oberg looks like unquestionably the Rockies’ best reliever. The 30-year-old put up his second straight impressive season in 2019, logging a 2.25 ERA/3.54 FIP with 9.32 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in 56 innings.
- Rangers left-hander Brett Martin has been cleared for Summer Camp following a positive COVID test. Manager Chris Woodward told MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan and other media members Sunday that Martin will still begin the season on the injured list since “he’s not there yet. So we’re going to keep monitoring him, have him throw bullpens and maybe some live [batting practices] to get him ready.” Martin posted a 4.76 ERA, 3.44 K/BB rate, 53.8% grounder rate, and 8.95 K/9 over 62 1/3 innings in 2019, his debut season in the big leagues.
- Right-handed pitching prospect Wil Crowe is at the Nationals‘ minor league training camp after being in COVID quarantine for several weeks, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reports (Twitter link). The Nats’ second-round pick in the 2017 draft, Crowe is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the fourth-best prospect in Washington’s farm system. Crowe has a 4.03 ERA, 2.41 K/BB rate, and 7.5 K/9 over 290 minor league innings, and while reached Triple-A last season, his 6.17 ERA over 54 Triple-A innings indicates that he might yet need some more seasoning before receiving a Major League promotion. The Nationals did include Crowe on their initial 60-man player pool at the start of Summer Camp.
Edinson Volquez Makes Rangers’ Opening Day Roster
Right-hander Edinson Volquez will break camp with the Rangers and be part of the 30-man Opening Day roster, manager Chris Woodward told MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan and other reporters. It will be Volquez’s 15th Major League campaign, and his fifth in a Rangers uniform.
Volquez re-signed with Texas on a minor league deal last winter, following an abbreviated season that saw him post a 6.75 ERA over 16 innings. It was Volquez’s first action since July 2017, as Tommy John surgery and then another elbow injury kept the righty on the shelf for over two full seasons’ worth of games. The frustration had Volquez considering retirement last summer, though returning to the mound seemed to reinvigorate him for one more season beyond his final few appearances in September 2019.
Woodward pointed to Volquez’s recent success against left-handed batters (holding them to .670 OPS in 2019) as a reason for keeping him on the roster. “First and foremost, the stuff is there,” Woodward said. “I wasn’t going to keep him unless he showed he can get people out….The fact that he has been pitching a long time. He has pitched in big games. The leadership aspect in the clubhouse is second to none.”
Volquez turned 37 earlier this month, though the longtime starter could find a second act to his career by moving into a full-time relief role for the first time (while being durable enough to offer the Rangers a potential multi-inning or long relief option). Volquez’s good numbers against lefty hitters could make him something of a reverse-splits candidate for a Texas bullpen that is somewhat thin on southpaws, as Brett Martin will miss the start of the season recovering from a COVID-19 diagnosis.
Health Notes: Quintana, Rangers, Hernandez, Santander
Cubs southpaw Jose Quintana is making progress in his recovery from left thumb surgery, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. Quintana had his stitches removed and will start tossing Thursday, according to Heyman. There’s no update on how much regular-season time Quintana will miss, but assuming he does land on the injured list, it’ll be the durable 31-year-old’s first IL stint since he entered the majors in 2012. He amassed 30-plus starts in each of the previous seven seasons.
- Rangers outfielder Willie Calhoun suffered a Grade 1 right hip strain and probably won’t be available for the team’s season opener July 24, according to general manager Jon Daniels (via Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram). Fortunately, though, the Rangers don’t expect Calhoun to miss much time. Likewise, they’re of the belief catcher Robinson Chirinos shouldn’t be out long. Chirinos suffered a right ankle injury Monday, but Texas is optimistic he won’t need an IL stint.
- Dodgers utility player Enrique Hernandez, whose wife is pregnant, said Wednesday he would have considered opting out of the season if not for his status as a pending free agent, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. Hernandez is not a high-risk individual, meaning he would not have collected service time had he decided to sit out the campaign. When the season does get underway, Hernandez will look to rebound after his numbers took steps backward last year from a career-best showing in 2018.
- Speaking with Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com and other media Wednesday, Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander revealed he was late reporting to Summer Camp because of a positive COVID-19 test. Santander said he dealt with “mild” symptoms, but he’s now “healthy” and “not contagious.” That doesn’t mean Santander will have enough time to ramp up to avoid an IL stint, but he and the Orioles are hoping he’ll be ready for Opening Day. Santander received his first extensive MLB action last season and hit .261/.297/.476 (97 wRC+) with 20 home runs in 405 plate appearances, gaining an international fan club in the process.
Health Notes: W. Calhoun, Nats, Tanaka, Giants, Royals
The Rangers are awaiting MRI results on outfielder Willie Calhoun, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Calhoun left the team’s practice Tuesday with tightness in his right hip flexor, leading the Rangers to fear he has a strain that could shelve him for Opening Day, Wilson writes. That would be a blow to the Rangers’ offense, which benefited from Calhoun’s .269/.323/.524 line and 21 home runs last season, as well as the second notable injury he has dealt with in recent months. The first one was much scarier, though, as Calhoun suffered a fractured jaw on a hit by pitch during spring training.
Here’s more health news from around the league…
- Nationals outfielders Juan Soto and Victor Robles have been isolated since last week because of coronavirus protocols, but fortunately, it appears the two are nearing a return to the field. Soto and Robles may be in line to rejoin the team Wednesday or Thursday, according to Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic.
- In a frightening scene back on July 5, Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka suffered a mild concussion when he took a line drive off the bat of teammate Giancarlo Stanton. Tanaka offered a positive update Tuesday, however, saying through an interpreter (via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com): “Right now, I have no symptoms at all. I’m able to get back in all the training, so I think I feel very fortunate in a very unfortunate event.” Tanaka does still seem likely to start the season on the 10-day injured list, Hoch reports, but he shouldn’t miss much time if he continues progressing.
- Giants left-hander Jarlin Garcia is expected to be a participant in camp Wednesday, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic tweets. Garcia has been on the IL for undisclosed medical reasons since last Thursday.
- The Royals won’t have infielder Kelvin Gutierrez when the season opens. He’s dealing with a Grade 2 UCL sprain and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star reports. A fairly well-regarded prospect, the 25-year-old Gutierrez made his major league debut last season with a .260/.304/.356 line in 79 plate appearances.
- Nationals batting practice pitcher Ali Modami has opted out of the season, manager Dave Martinez announced Tuesday (via Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post). While Modami isn’t in a high-profile position, he has been a popular figure in the Nationals’ clubhouse since he got the job in 2011, as Dougherty and Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown detailed last season. “He is great,” former Nat Jayson Werth said to Brown. “Just a gem.” First baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who has also opted out of the season, told Brown, “That guy probably throws more baseballs than anybody I’ve ever known.”