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Former Big Leaguers Playing Abroad: NPB Pitchers Roundup

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It’s always fun to keep an eye on familiar players who’ve taken their talents across the pond. Now that the 2019 season is in the books, it seemed an opportune time to check in. Numerous former big leaguers and others of note are playing abroad, many of them thriving in Asia’s top leagues.

We’ve seen foreign stints help spur big league revivals from quite a few players. Eric Thames, Miles Mikolas, and Chris Martin are among those that played significant roles in the 2019 MLB campaign. Whether any of the players covered below will do so remains to be seen, but there’s certainly a path.

We started by looking at position players and pitchers in South Korea’s Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) before turning to the hitters of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Remember, teams in these leagues face limits on the number of non-native players they can carry on a roster. That creates a lot of pressure to secure big production from those roster spots, which often spurs mid-season change.

Here’s a 2019 wrap on the NPB’s hurlers from abroad …

  • The Saitama Seibu Lions slugged their way to the best record in the Japan Pacific League, but they got some of their best innings from imported pitchers. Former Dodgers and Athletics righty Zach Neal turned in 100 1/3 innings of 2.87 ERA ball after spending some time with their minor league affiliate early on. He could be eyeing a return to the Majors, though a 4.6 K/9 rate in Japan is a red flag even if it’s accompanied by a pristine 1.3 BB/9 mark. Righties Kyle Martin and Deunte Heath, who had quite brief stints with the Red Sox and White Sox, respectively, helped the Lions as well. Martin notched a 3.67 ERA in 41 2/3 innings (albeit with 28 walks), while Heath chipped in 31 1/3 innings of 3.73 ERA ball and averaged 9.8 K/9 against 4.0 BB/9.
  • Mariners fans surely remember Cuban-born lefty Ariel Miranda, who started 40 games for them from 2016-18. Now 30, Miranda tossed 86 innings for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and notched a respectable 4.19 ERA in a hitter-friendly league, though he carried an unsightly 58-to-48 K/BB ratio. Dutch righty Rick van den Hurk hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2012, having carved out a career between the KBO and NPB. He only pitched 17 2/3 innings for the Hawks this season but turned in a 3.12 ERA and a terrific 22-to-2 K/BB ratio. Given his track record there — 3.50 ERA in nearly 500 NPB innings — the 34-year-old could be in Japan to stay. The Hawks also enjoyed 57 2/3 innings of 3.90 ERA ball from Japanese-born southpaw Tsuyoshi Wada, who was with the Cubs from 2014-15 before returning to Japan. At 38 years of age, he’s still chugging along.
  • Former Twins righty Alan Busenitz and former Indians righty Frank Herrmann formed a dominant setup combo for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles. Busenitz chipped in 51 frames with a 1.94 ERA with 7.9 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9. Herrmann’s 3.04 ERA and 49-to-16 K/BB ratio in 47 2/3 innings hardly went unnoticed, either. Herrmann will turn 36 early next season, but Busenitz is still just 29.
  • The Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters didn’t benefit much from former big leaguers, as right-hander Johnny Barbato struggled through 32 innings. Avid Indians fans may remember right-hander Toru Murata, who pitched 3 1/3 innings for the Tribe in ’15 after spending several years in their minor league system. He chipped in 34 innings with a 3.18 ERA but walked nearly as many hitters (21) as he struck out (22). Former Cubs righty Justin Hancock tossed seven innings but was hit hard. Padres diehards may remember minor league righty Bryan Rodriguez, who tossed 91 1/3 innings of 3.25 ERA ball for the Fighters.
  • Left-hander Andrew Albers, formerly of the Twins and Mariners, was dominant for the Orix Buffaloes in 2018 but took a step back with a 5.83 ERA in in 63 1/3 innings. The Buffaloes, however, received a seventh strong season from perhaps forgotten Cardinals righty Brandon Dickson, who posted a 3.03 ERA in 35 2/3 frames and has racked up 856 innings of 3.32 ERA ball since first signing with the Buffaloes back in 2013. Orix also picked up former Pirates prospect Tyler Eppler prior to the 2019 season, and after spending some time with the Buffaloes’ minor league club, he emerged with a 4.02 ERA, 7.2 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 31 1/3 innings.
  • The 2019 Yomiuri Giants received innings from four former big league pitchers: Taylor Jungmann, Rubby De La Rosa, Scott Mathieson and Ryan Cook. Jungmann struggled to an ERA just over 6.00 in 44 1/3 innings, while De La Rosa fared best (2.25 ERA in 25 innings). Mathieson, now 35, was limited to 22 2/3 innings of 4.37 ERA ball but has been a consistently impressive presence in the Giants’ bullpen since 2012 (2.46 ERA, 54 saves in 431 frames). Cook tallied just 15 innings and surrendered eight runs.
  • Lefty Edwin Escobar’s biggest claim to fame in affiliated stateside ball might’ve been being included in a trade for Jake Peavy, but the 27-year-old has become a force in Japan. In his third season overseas, he turned in 75 1/3 innings of 2.51 ERA ball with 10.5 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 for the second-place Yokohama DeNa BayStars. Former Cubs righty Spencer Patton took a step back after a dominant 2018 with the BayStars, tossing 36 2/3 innings but posting a 5.15 ERA. He did rack up 45 punchouts in that time. And former Nats lefty Sammy Solis made a brief 2019 cameo with the Yokohama club as well, tossing 4 1/3 innings with one run allowed.
  • Right-hander Randy Messenger, of mid-2000s Marlins/Giants/Mariners fame, has become one of NPB’s best starters but struggled a bit in his age-37 season (4.67 ERA in 79 innings). But with more than 1600 innings of 3.13 ERA ball in a decade’s worth of time in Japan, he’s left a legacy with the Hanshin Tigers and been compensated handsomely for his efforts. The Tigers also received 103 2/3 innings of 4.69 ERA ball from righty Onelki Garcia, who tossed a combined 7 1/3 innings between the Dodgers and Royals in MLB. Hanshin was also a who’s-who of former Cubs, with righties Pierce Johnson, Kyuji Fujikawa and Rafael Dolis logging significant time. Johnson was brilliant, notching an immaculate 1.38 EA with 14.0 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 in 58 2/3 frames. Fujikawa (1.77 ERA) and Dolis (2.11 ERA) split closing duties and combined for 35 saves in 111 1/3 innings (both split almost evenly).
  • Former big league righties Casey Lawrence (Mariners) and Johnny Hellweg (Brewers) made extremely fleeting appearances with the Hiroshima Carp, who boasted perhaps the most impactful foreign pitcher in the league: lefty Kris Johnson. The former Twins/Pirates hurler has been flat-out dominant in five seasons with the Carp, totaling 756 1/3 innings with a 2.54 ERA, 7.0 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 since making the jump. He’ll turn 35 next week, but it’s perhaps worth noting that the former Sawamura Award winner’s record contract is expiring.
  • Remember situational lefty Enny Romero? He’s not only starting games for the Chunichi Dragons, he’s doing so fairly well. In 116 frames this year, he posted a 4.26 ERA with 8.1 K/9 against 4.3 BB/9. Fellow southpaw Joely Rodriguez, who spent parts of two seasons with the Phillies, overwhelmed NPB hitters with a 1.64 ERA, 11.5 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 55 2/3 frames out of the Dragons’ pen. Even Daisuke Matsuzaka — yes, that Daisuke Matsuzaka — tossed 5 1/3 innings with the Dragons at the age of 39, but he didn’t fare well. To this point, however, he’s announced no plans to retire.
  • Lastly, the Yakult Swallows had five former big leaguers suit up for them: righty David Buchanan, right-hander Scott McGough, southpaw David Huff, righty Ryota Igarashi (blast from the past!) and right-hander Albert Suarez. Buchanan paced the group at 99 2/3 innings, though his 4.79 ERA wasn’t much to behold. McGough notched 11 saves and a 3.15 ERA, however, while Huff continued his strong overseas career with a 3.97 ERA. Igarashi is still going strong with a 2.98 ERA at age 40, and Suarez yielded just three runs in 17 2/3 innings.

Mariners Release Ariel Miranda To Pursue Opportunity In Japan

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The Mariners have released lefty Ariel Miranda, as reflected on the MLB.com transactions page. The move was made to enable Miranda to pursue an opportunity with an organization in Japan, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports on Twitter.

While the 29-year-old Miranda spent all of 2017 in the Seattle rotation, he managed only a 5.12 ERA in 160 frames on the year. He has taken just one start in the bigs thus far in 2018 and obviously was not viewed by the club as an essential depth piece.

For most of the present season, Miranda has worked at Triple-A. Through 45 1/3 innings, he carries a 3.97 ERA with forty strikeouts and 24 walks — numbers that largely reflect his limited prior work in the upper minors.

Miranda originally joined the Orioles organization out of his native Cuba. He was sent to the M’s in the 2016 deadline deal that delivered Wade Miley to Baltimore.

AL West Notes: Rangers, Miranda, Sipp, Bedrosian

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The Rangers announced tonight that second baseman Rougned Odor (left hamstring strain) and right-hander Doug Fister (right hip strain) have both been placed on the 10-day disabled list. In their place, the team has activated reliever Tony Barnette from the DL and recalled catcher/infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Triple-A Round Rock. There’s no indication that either injury is considered to be long-term, with both Odor and Fister eligible to return from the DL on April 20. Kiner-Falefa will be making his big league debut the first time he gets into a game; the former fourth-round pick hit .288/.350/.390 through 569 trips to the plate in Double-A last season.

Some more AL West news…

  • Lefty Ariel Miranda will remain the Mariners’ fifth starter for the time being, tweets Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. He’ll take the ball on April 17 when the fifth spot in the rotation next comes up, Divish notes, rather than right-hander Erasmo Ramirez, who is working his way back from a lat strain. However, the team doesn’t want to rush Ramirez back and will keep him on a slower progression while entrusting Miranda with a larger role. The 29-year-old Miranda is no stranger to the Seattle rotation, having made 39 starts for the M’s over the past two seasons after being acquired in a one-for-one swap that sent Wade Miley to Baltimore.
  • The Astros announced today that they placed left-hander Tony Sipp on the 10-day DL and recalled righty James Hoyt from Triple-A in his place. (MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart first reported that Sipp would hit the DL.) With Sipp on the shelf, the Astros are going with an all-right-handed bullpen for the foreseeable future, though the ’Stros do have options in that regard if they decide to change course. Lefties Buddy Boshers and Reymin Guadan are both on the 40-man roster and both pitching for Triple-A Fresno.
  • The Angels are keeping an eye on Cam Bedrosian’s velocity, writes Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. The struggling setup man, however, insists that he’s not injured, though he acknowledges that the drop from an average of 96 mph to 93 mph on his fastball is an issue. Bedrosian feels that he developed some bad mechanical tendencies upon returning from a groin strain last season and is trying to get back to his old delivery. Pitching coach Charles Nagy noted that the dip in velocity is a “concern,” though Bedrosian also attributes his early results to simply not locating his pitches effectively.

Quick Hits: Freeman, LeVangie, NPB/KBO, Aces

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Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman feels great about the strength of his left wrist; strength he believes he lacked at the end of last season. Mark Bowman of MLB.com wrote a detailed article that includes plenty of confident words from Freeman, who told reporters he began hitting earlier than he usually does, and even took batting practice in 25-degree whether just to see if he experienced any pain. “I have had zero problems.” Freeman said. “Everything feels great and everything feels strong.” Though he doesn’t regret coming back early after being hit by a pitch in May, Freeman experienced some frustration when his wrist fatigued during August and September. Notably, the two-time All-Star also had Lasik surgery to help alleviate some eye irritation issues he experienced while wearing contact lenses. Freeman also expressed his excitement to see top prospect Ronald Acuna arrive at the MLB level.

Some other interesting items from around MLB as we near the end of January…

  • Count Rick Porcello among those in the Red Sox organization who are excited about working with new pitching coach Dana LeVangie. A piece by Tim Britton of the Providence Journal gives some insight into a phone call between the two earlier in the offseason. “A couple of days after he got the pitching coach job, he called me and we talked for an hour on things he had mapped out for me coming into the season that I need to work on and get better with,” Porcello told reporters last week. Indeed, it seems as though relievers Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel have already had a great experience working with him during his time as the team’s bullpen coach.  As for LeVangie, he says his time as the Red Sox’ bullpen catcher allowed him to get a feel for movement and spin rate of pitches, as well as identify specifics of a pitcher’s strengths and weaknesses.
  • The pursuit of financial security causes a handful of players to give up MLB 40-man roster spots every year in order to pursue opportunities in the NPB and the KBO, writes Kyle Glaser of Baseball America. Glaser tells the short version of Seth Frankoff’s story, though he’s just one of more than 100 ex-major or minor leaguers who played in Asian baseball leagues in 2017. While minor-league players on a 40-man roster earn just over $40K per year, players can make nearly 20 times that amount playing overseas. Other benefits of playing in the NPB and KBO include luxury apartments for foreign players, exceedingly high energy levels from people in the crowd, and a potential path back to the majors if they can improve their skill sets.
  • Zach Crizer of MLB.com lists right-handers Danny Salazar (Indians) and Jake Odorizzi (Rays), and left-hander Ariel Miranda (Mariners) as pitchers with the potential to reach “ace” status in 2018. Crizer uses some incredibly specific stats to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these three pitchers, showing a potential path to a breakout for each one. The piece includes videos and heat maps as well; it’s an intriguing read, particularly considering that Salazar and Odorizzi have been mentioned in trade rumors.

Starting Pitching Notes: Gray, Mets, Colon, Orioles

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The latest on some rotation names around baseball…

  • Sonny Gray’s name has been frequently mentioned in trade speculation, though it appears teams have yet to engage in serious talks with the Athletics, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com reports (Twitter link).  Oakland executive VP of baseball operations Billy Beane hasn’t received any calls about Gray in recent days, and Gammons describes the calls that have come in as ” ’keep me in mind’ requests” rather than substantial inquiries.  Gray is enjoying a solid bounce-back season from his rough 2016 performance, and his trade value would seemingly be on the rise after excellent outings in each of his last two starts.
  • The Mets still have interest in a reunion with Bartolo Colon but the team will wait until the veteran’s DFA period is up before making a decision, Mike Puma of the New York Post writes.  The Braves designated Colon for assignment on June 29, and with Colon still owed roughly $6MM for the rest of the season, the Mets and any other interested clubs are sure to wait until Colon clears waivers so Atlanta will be on the hook for that remaining salary (minus the prorated MLB minimum).  The Mets would still have to make 40-man roster space for Colon but the team is confident that Colon would accept an offer to return to New York.  The 44-year-old still owns a home in New Jersey and he was both a fan and clubhouse favorite during his previous stint with the Mets.
  • Last summer’s trade of Wade Miley for Ariel Miranda last summer hasn’t worked out for the Orioles, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com writes, though Connolly notes that the deal is a microcosm of larger problems for the O’s.  Since the Orioles have been unable to both develop their own starting pitching and build up a good stockpile of minor league talent, the team has been forced to settle for middle-of-the-road acquisitions like Miley rather than a starter that could provide a clear rotation upgrade.  Connolly writes that the Orioles will likely pursue a similar move at this trade deadline if they choose to address their still-struggling pitching staff.  It also doesn’t help that Miranda has pitched well for the Mariners this year and is far cheaper than Miley with more years of control, though Connolly notes that Miranda was seen as “a fringe big leaguer” by many, and Miranda’s performance is perhaps boosted by Safeco Field (as per his stark home/away splits).

AL West Notes: Meyer, Miranda, Reddick, Rangers, Mariners

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Prior to acquiring Ricky Nolasco and Alex Meyer (plus some cash to offset Nolasco’s salary) in the trade that sent Hector Santiago to the Twins last summer, the Angels had the opportunity to trade Santiago to the Orioles for lefty Ariel Miranda, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. The Orioles were seeking a veteran arm for their rotation and dangled Miranda in talks with both the Angels and Mariners, ultimately flipping Miranda to Seattle in exchange for Wade Miley. Fletcher notes that the Halos were seeking more upside than Miranda brings to the table and felt that Meyer fit the bill. Indeed, the 27-year-old former first-rounder was a mainstay on Top 100 prospect lists throughout the industry several years ago, though shoulder injuries have derailed his career to date. Meyer will get a start for the Halos this week, while Nolasco has at the very least been a durable source of innings for manager Mike Scioscia. Miranda is currently in the Mariners’ rotation, though that’s out of necessity due to injuries throughout the Seattle pitching staff.

More from the American League West…

  • Though Josh Reddick is happy to be a member of the Astros and excited for the next four years in Houston, the right fielder said today on CSN Bay Area’s Athletics Insider Podcast that he hoped last summer to sign an extension with the Athletics (transcript via CSN’s Joe Stiglich, where readers can also find the full audio). “It was definitely somewhere I really wanted to make it happen,” said Reddick of Oakland. “Once we realized the numbers weren’t gonna line up, I think I knew deep down it wasn’t gonna happen because I didn’t hear back from them after I counter-offered what they offered me.” Reddick, who inked a four-year, $52MM deal with Houston this offseason, divulged that the A’s never offered a guaranteed four years in extension talks. He also expressed some lingering surprise that the A’s sold off so heavily in the 2014-15 offseason — the winter in which they dealt Josh Donaldson, Jeff Samardzija and Brandon Moss.
  • There are a few updates on some key injuries for the Rangers. Firstly, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes that right-hander Tyson Ross is set to throw a two-inning simulated game in Seattle this weekend. Ross’ rehab from TOS surgery was slowed by back spasms, but he recently tossed a 30-pitch bullpen session without issue. He’ll need three to four starts before he’s ready to return to a Major League mound, Sullivan notes, making an early June return feasible. And third baseman Adrian Beltre could potentially beat Ross back to the big league club, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets that general manager Jon Daniels said today that the team is optimistic about a late-May return for Beltre.
  • Though the Mariners optioned first baseman Dan Vogelbach back to Triple-A Tacoma fairly quickly after promoting him in late April, manager Scott Servais voiced a strong belief that the young slugger is still a part of the club’s future, per Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. Via Dutton, Vogelbach said that he lost his timing after getting off to a hot start to the season in the minors. Dutton adds that Danny Valencia is in line for another “extended look” at first base, though Servais also added that Taylor Motter, who has showed surprising pop thus far, will also be mixed into the first base picture as well. The 32-year-old Valencia got off to a terrible start this season but entered play tonight hitting .240/.321/.560 over his past 28 plate appearances (an admittedly minuscule sample). MLB.com’s Greg Johns writes that the M’s remain confident in Valencia due to his track record, and as Johns notes, there are some encouraging Statcast numbers that point to a potential rebound.

Mariners Place Steve Cishek On DL With Hip Labrum Tear

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5:38pm: Cishek says that it’s actually only a small tear that won’t require surgery, so he may be back after the 15-day minimum, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets.

4:58pm: The Mariners announced a series of roster moves today that will shake up the team’s pitching mix. In particular, just-deposed closer Steve Cishek has been placed on the DL with a left hip labrum tear.

Just acquired lefty Ariel Miranda and righty Blake Parker are joining the major league roster. Righty Donn Roach was optioned to open one active roster spot, with Mayckol Guaipe released to free up a slot on the 40-man.

[Related: Updated Mariners Depth Chart]

Cishek signed with Seattle for two years and $10MM over the winter. He has been solid, posting a 3.40 ERA with 11.7 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in his 47 2/3 innings, though he recently lost the closer’s gig after some shaky outings. Cishek did manage to trigger a $500K bonus by recording over 35 games finished before that point, though he’ll miss out on a chance to earn yet more cash through that portion of his contract.

It’s not yet clear what kind of outlook there is for Cishek’s injury, but it certainly sounds like a season-ending type of injury (though it’s not yet clear if surgery is required). Pitchers who have had the ailment in recent years include Tim Lincecum and Michael Pineda; Dan Wade of the Hardball Times provides ample detail on the subject. Seattle will certainly hope that Cishek isn’t out that long, particularly since he’s still under contract for another campaign.

The 25-year-old Guaipe has thrown 34 frames for the big league team over the last two years, but the results haven’t been great. He owns a 5.29 ERA in that span, allowing 42 hits and 17 walks while recording 27 strikeouts. Guaipe has shown well in the upper minors, though, with a 2.87 ERA and 7.1 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 over 59 2/3 Triple-A frames since the start of 2015.

Orioles Acquire Wade Miley

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After weeks of searching for an additional arm for their rotation — specifically a left-handed one — the Orioles have landed the southpaw they sought by acquiring Wade Miley from the Mariners. Minor league left-hander Ariel Miranda will head back to Seattle in exchange. Both teams have announced the trade.

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[Related: Updated Baltimore Orioles and Seattle Mariners Depth Charts]

Miley gives Baltimore a desperately needed arm that can help to stabilize what has been an extremely top-heavy rotation. While Miley struggled quite a bit earlier this season, he’s righted the ship to an extent as of late, pitching to a 3.80 ERA with a 33-to-15 K/BB ratio across his past 47 1/3 innings of work (eight starts). His most recent outing was his most impressive with the Mariners, holding a potent Cubs lineup to a run on hit and a walk with nine strikeouts in seven innings.

Overall, Miley is sporting an unsightly 4.98 ERA in 112 innings, though that figure is accompanied by more palatable marks: 6.6 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 46.6 percent ground-ball rate. While the earned run average isn’t impressive, even that modest production represents an upgrade over the contributions that Baltimore has received from the third, fourth and fifth spots in its rotation. Beyond Chris Tillman and Kevin Gausman, the Orioles have seen right-handers Ubaldo Jimenez, Yovani Gallardo, Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson, Vance Worley and Dylan Bundy combine for a 5.93 ERA in 323 1/3 innings of work. As such, Miley only needs to provide a steady source of reliable innings to help stabilize the Orioles’ starting staff. And, Miley’s recent uptick in production could be an indicator that he could return to the form that saw him compile a lifetime 3.95 ERA in 832 1/3 innings prior to the 2016 campaign. He’ll also give manager Buck Showalter a left-handed option in his rotation — something that Baltimore has lacked all season.

The Orioles have been on the hunt for a rotation upgrade for more than a month, though they’ve been somewhat hamstrung in their efforts to add an arm due to the fact that their farm system is lacking in top-tier prospects. Miley, though, doesn’t figure to command an overwhelming return given his 2016 struggles and the fact that he’s owed a not-insignificant $8.75MM in 2017 plus at least a $500K buyout of a $12MM option for the 2018 season. Adding in the remaining $2.13MM on his 2016 salary, Miley is owed at least $11.38MM through the end of the 2017 campaign, though Baltimore could control him through 2018 for a total of $22.88MM if he is able to continue his recent success and prove worth of that $12MM option over the next 14 months.

The O’s signed Miranda, 27, to a minor league contract last May after he defected from Cuba. He’s on the 40-man roster by virtue of having his contract selected and making his big league debut earlier this year (he allowed three runs in a two-inning relief appearance) and has had fair success in the minors since signing with Baltimore. Miranda has a career 3.80 ERA across four minor league levels and has pitched to a 3.93 mark with 7.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9 and a 38.6 percent ground-ball rate in 100 2/3 innings (19 starts) out of the rotation in Norfolk.

Miranda will add some depth to the upper levels of the Mariners’ system and could even present them with an immediate rotation replacement for Miley or an option in the big league bullpen. The subtraction of Miley from the 2016-17 roster creates more of an opening for the Mariners to insert both Taijuan Walker and James Paxton into the rotation, health permitting. (Walker is currently on the disabled list with a foot injury.)

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports first reported that the two teams reached an agreement on a Miley deal, pending physicals (Twitter link). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports added that Miranda would go to Seattle (Twitter link). Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that the deal was official following the medical reviews (via Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/3/16

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Here are Sunday’s minor transactions from around baseball:

  • The Brewers selected the contract of third baseman Will Middlebrooks from Triple-A Colorado Springs, the club announced.  To create roster space, Milwaukee also optioned outfielder Keon Broxton to Triple-A while Chris Capuano was moved to the 60-day DL.  Middlebrooks signed a minor league deal with the Brew Crew last winter after being non-tendered by the Padres.  The former highly-touted prospect made a strong debut as a rookie with the Red Sox in 2012 but has hit just .213/.258/.363 in 878 PA with Boston and San Diego over the last three seasons.  Middlebrooks has a solid .816 OPS at Triple-A this season, though Colorado Springs and the PCL as a whole are very hitter-friendly environments.
  • The Braves selected the contract of outfielder/third baseman Ronnier Mustelier, the club announced.  This will be Mustelier’s first taste of the big leagues in a 13-year pro career that began with seven seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional.  Since defecting from Cuba, Mustelier has played in the Yankees’ minor league system and in the Mexican League.  Over 1382 career plate appearances in the New York and Atlanta farm systems, Mustelier has a .303/.356/.440 slash line and 26 homers.
  • The Marlins selected the contract of outfielder Yefri Perez.  The 25-year-old Perez has been in the Marlins’ system since 2009, slashing .256/.310/.312 over 2209 PA.  It’s worth noting that both the Braves and Marlins didn’t need to make corresponding moves, as the teams were allowed an extra 26th man on the roster for tonight’s special game played in front of the troops at Fort Bragg.
  • The Orioles selected the contract of southpaw Ariel Miranda prior to today’s game, and the Cuban lefty made his Major League debut in a relief outing.  Miranda, 27, is a seven-year veteran of the Serie Nacional who signed a minor league deal with the O’s in May 2015.  He made a rather quick rise through Baltimore’s system, posting a 3.84 ERA, 8.7 K/9 and 2.86 K/BB rate 147 2/3 innings.  In corresponding moves, Tyler Wilson was optioned to Triple-A and Brian Duensing was moved to the 60-day DL.
  • The Blue Jays’ Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo has released right-hander Roberto Hernandez, per a club announcement. Hernandez entered the season having logged major league action in 10 straight campaigns, though that streak looks to be in jeopardy. In his latest big league stint, the 35-year-old posted a 4.36 ERA with 4.5 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 in 84 2/3 innings as a member of the Astros last season. With a 4.42 ERA, 6.06 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 in 71 1/3 innings, the unspectacular numbers Hernandez put up in Buffalo are fairly similar to his Houston statistics.

Duquette On Miranda, De Aza, Bundy

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The Orioles officially announced the signing of Cuban lefty Ariel Miranda yesterday, and executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette sat down with the media to discuss that and other matters, as Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun was among those to report.

  • Regarding Miranda, Duquette said that the team is “hoping he can help us maybe later this year or sometime next year.” He added that Miranda’s bonus checked in below the $800K that the team previously committed to Dariel Alvarez.
  • Outfielder Alejandro De Aza has already drawn trade interest since being designated for assignment, per Duquette. “We have some depth on our left-handed hitting side of the roster and we’re going to see if his contract has value with some other clubs,” said Duquette. “There’s a couple of clubs that were interested in him.” The contract is the issue with De Aza, of course, along with the fact that he is not off to a fast start at the plate. De Aza, 31, has enough of a track record to be a strong option for some teams, but he is playing on a $5MM salary this year.
  • Dylan Bundy’s MRI showed nothing more than inflammation in his shoulder, Duquette also said. Needless to say, that’s good news for the O’s and their prized young right, who is still not far removed from Tommy John surgery.
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