Diamondbacks Select Tyler Gilbert; Drey Jameson Moved To 60-Day IL
The Diamondbacks selected the contract of left-hander Tyler Gilbert from Triple-A Reno, and optioned outfielder Kyle Lewis to Triple-A in the corresponding 26-man roster move. To make room on the 40-man, Arizona moved right-hander Drey Jameson to the 60-day injured list.
Gilbert’s last MLB appearance came almost a year ago, as he tossed four innings for the D’Backs on July 26, 2022. An elbow sprain sent him to the 60-day IL and subsequently ended his season, and Arizona then designated Gilbert for assignment during the winter and outrighted him off the 40-man roster.
Best known for his no-hitter against the Padres in 2021, Gilbert hasn’t been able to sustain the momentum after that dream start (literally his first start in the majors, after three previous relief appearances). While posting some good results throughout the rest of his 2021 rookie season, Gilbert had a 5.24 ERA over 34 1/3 innings last year and spent a lot of time in the minors.
The results haven’t been particularly good at Triple-A Reno this season, as Gilbert has a 5.67 ERA over 54 innings, though his 27.3% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate hint that he is getting a little unlucky in the hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League. Gilbert also has a .343 BABIP and eight homers allowed over his 54 frames of work.
It seems like the D’Backs will use Gilbert in the long relief role left vacant when Jameson was injured, and the rather immediate move to the 60-day IL is something of an ominous sign for Jameson’s health. The Diamondbacks only placed Jameson on the 15-day IL yesterday due to elbow inflammation, and he was set to undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury. Results of that MRI haven’t yet been revealed, and even if Jameson has avoided a major injury, the D’Backs might just be showing caution with any elbow-related issue.
Jameson made three starts in a fill-in capacity for Zach Davies earlier this season, but has pitched out of the bullpen over his other 12 outings. While the advanced metrics aren’t wild about Jameson’s modest 21.3% strikeout rate or 10.3% walk rate, the bottom-line results have been there, with a 3.32 ERA over 40 2/3 total innings. Since he’ll now be out until at least the first week of September, the pitching-needy Diamondbacks will need to find another way to make up those innings — the club was already expected to be looking at starters and relievers heading into the trade deadline.
D-Backs Select Dominic Canzone, Designate Konnor Pilkington
The Diamondbacks announced a number of roster moves heading into tonight’s matchup against the Pirates. Arizona selected corner outfielder Dominic Canzone and recalled reliever Justin Martinez from Triple-A Reno. Outfielder Dominic Fletcher was optioned, while reliever Drey Jameson landed on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. To clear a 40-man roster spot for Canzone, the Snakes designated lefty Konnor Pilkington for assignment.
Canzone, 25, reaches the majors for the first time. Arizona selected the lefty-swinging outfielder in the eighth round of the 2019 draft out of Ohio State. He has consistently posted big numbers in the minors but progressed relatively slowly up the ladder. He first reached Double-A late in 2021 and got to the Triple-A level for the first time last season.
Baseball America ranked him the #25 prospect in the D-Backs’ system over the winter. The outlet praised his power upside and statistical track record but suggested some scouts have expressed trepidations about his hit tool and athleticism. Canzone has continued to post excellent numbers over the past few months, hitting .354/.431/.634 with 16 home runs through 304 trips to the plate.
Even in an extremely hitter-friendly environment in Reno, Canzone’s production stands out. He’s walking at a 12.8% clip and has only struck out 13.2% of the time. Among Pacific Coast League hitters, he ranks eighth in on-base percentage and tops the circuit in slugging. He’ll add some short-term outfield depth with Corbin Carroll day-to-day after reinjuring his shoulder last night.
Canzone isn’t the only Diamondback hoping to make his MLB debut. This is Martinez’s second promotion, but he was optioned a few days after his first without appearing in a game. The 21-year-old righty has a 3.77 ERA over 31 innings in Reno. He replaces Jameson in the relief corps for now.
The D-Backs acquired Pilkington in a cash transaction from the Guardians in May. The 25-year-old has spent his entire time in the organization on optional assignment to Reno. Over 11 starts there, he’s been tagged for a 9.53 ERA with a below-average 18% strikeout rate and a huge 16.1% walk percentage.
Pilkington tossed 58 innings for the Guardians last summer. He posted a decent 3.88 ERA but with worse than average strikeout and walk numbers over his initial MLB look. The Mississippi State product has struggled at the Triple-A level but posted a 3.04 ERA in 100 2/3 Double-A frames. Arizona will trade him or put him on waivers within a week.
Diamondbacks, Nabil Crismatt Agree To Minor League Contract
Free agent reliever Nabil Crismatt has signed with the Diamondbacks, he announced on Instagram. According to the transactions log at MLB.com, it’s a minor league pact. He’ll join their Triple-A club in Reno.
Crismatt spent less than a week on the open market. The right-hander was outrighted by the Padres last weekend. He’d only made seven MLB appearances this season, allowing 12 runs over 11 innings. Crismatt missed a few weeks with a strained left hip and averaged a career-low 88.8 MPH on his fastball.
Frustrating as this season has been, the Colombian-born hurler is only a year removed from being a productive middle innings arm for San Diego. Crismatt soaked up 67 1/3 frames of 2.94 ERA ball last season. He’d posted a 3.76 ERA through 81 1/3 innings the year prior. He doesn’t miss many bats, but he’s a quality strike-thrower and has induced grounders on roughly half the batted balls he’s allowed as a big leaguer.
The Diamondbacks’ bullpen is improved relative to the past few years, roughly an average unit. Arizona relievers entered play Friday 19th in MLB with a 4.04 ERA and 16th with a 24.2% strikeout percentage. Crismatt will try to pitch his way into that group, though he’ll first report to a very hitter-friendly environment in Reno. He has exhausted his minor league option years, so if the D-Backs promote him at any point, they’d have to keep him on the MLB roster or designate him for assignment themselves.
MLB Announces 2023 All-Star Starters
Major League Baseball announced the starting lineups for the 2023 All-Star Game this evening. This year’s All-Star Game will take place at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park on July 11. The starting pitchers and reserves will be announced at a later date.
American League
- Catcher: Jonah Heim, Rangers (1st selection)
- First Base: Yandy Díaz, Rays (1st selection)
- Second Base: Marcus Semien, Rangers (2nd selection)
- Third Base: Josh Jung, Rangers (1st selection)
- Shortstop: Corey Seager, Rangers (4th selection, 2nd consecutive)
- Outfield: Randy Arozarena, Rays (1st selection)
- Outfield: Mike Trout, Angels (11th selection, 11th consecutive)
- Outfield: Aaron Judge, Yankees (5th selection, 3rd consecutive)*
- Designated Hitter: Shohei Ohtani, Angels (3rd selection, 3rd consecutive)
National League
- Catcher: Sean Murphy, Braves (1st selection)
- First Base: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers (7th selection, 5th consecutive)
- Second Base: Luis Arraez, Marlins (2nd selection, 2nd consecutive)
- Third Base: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals (8th selection, 8th consecutive)
- Shortstop: Orlando Arcia, Braves (1st selection)
- Outfield: Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves (4th selection, 4th consecutive)
- Outfield: Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (1st selection)
- Outfield: Mookie Betts, Dodgers (7th selection, 7th consecutive)
- Designated Hitter: J.D. Martinez, Dodgers (6th selection, 5th consecutive)
* Currently on injured list with sprained toe
Diamondbacks Place Merrill Kelly On IL, Option Joe Mantiply
The Diamondbacks announced a series of roster moves today, with right-hander Merrill Kelly being placed on the 15-day injured list due to right calf inflammation, retroactive to June 25. They also optioned left-hander Joe Mantiply to Triple-A Reno. In corresponding moves, righties Kevin Ginkel and Justin Martinez were recalled from Reno.
At this point, it’s unclear how serious Kelly’s injury is, but it’s a notable loss for the club nonetheless. The Diamondbacks have a fairly top-heavy rotation with Kelly and Zac Gallen being the two most effective members. Gallen has an excellent 2.84 ERA on the year and Kelly isn’t far behind with a 3.22 mark. Then there’s a notable drop to the 4.31 ERA of Tommy Henry, the 4.97 of Ryne Nelson and the 7.82 of Zach Davies.
The Diamondbacks are leading the National League West but have a couple of clubs on their heels as each of the Dodgers and Giants are within three games. With the All-Star break now effectively two weeks away, they will have to forge ahead without Kelly for at least that long. Drey Jameson has been with the big league club in a long relief role and could perhaps step into the rotation. Brandon Pfaadt got some big league starts earlier this year but posted an 8.37 ERA in those before getting optioned back down. Konnor Pilkington is also on the 40-man but has been struggling in the minors this year.
As for Mantiply, he posted a 2.85 ERA last year and even got selected to the All-Star game but has taken a step back this year. He’s gone on the injured list a couple of times already, once due to left shoulder inflammation and another time for a right hamstring strain. Around those ailments, he’s tossed 15 2/3 innings with a 5.74 ERA. His peripherals are still pretty similar to last year’s as a 50.8% strand rate seems to be pushing his ERA up. Nonetheless, he now finds himself headed to Reno to get into a groove.
Martinez, 21, will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game. He served largely as a starting pitcher in the lower levels of the minors but required Tommy John surgery in 2021. After a long injury layoff and the minor leagues getting cancelled by the pandemic in 2020, he came back as a reliever last year. He tossed 38 innings across four different levels, finishing the year at Triple-A. He posted a 3.32 ERA in that time with an incredible 36.7% strikeout rate but 13% walk rate.
Despite the free passes, the club was intrigued enough to add him to the roster in November to prevent him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft. This year, he’s been in Triple-A, tossing 28 innings thus far. He has a 4.18 ERA, striking out 29.7% of opponents but with an astonishing 21.1% walk rate. Despite the control issues, he was recently ranked the club’s #21 prospect at Baseball America and #12 at FanGraphs.
MLBTR Trade Rumors Podcast: Exciting Youth Movements in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, Bad Central Divisions and the Dodgers Want Pitching
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:
- the Pirates promote Henry Davis (1:20)
- the scorching-hot Reds designate Wil Myers for assignment (7:35)
- Guardians promote Gavin Williams (10:40)
- White Sox want to sell rental pieces only (16:20)
- Dodgers need pitching (19:15)
Plus, we answer your questions, including:
- Do you think the Cubs will deal Christopher Morel at the deadline? (22:45)
- What are the chances the Diamondbacks promote Jordan Lawlar later this season? (25:50)
- If Rangers make a blockbuster trade who would you think it would be? Obviously bullpen is a need but what is something blockbuster worthy? (29:45)
Check out our past episodes!
- Marcus Stroman Lobbies for Extension, Mets’ Woes and Astros Seeking Bats – listen here
- Elly De La Cruz, Alek Manoah’s Demotion and Surgery for Jacob deGrom – listen here
- The Wide-Open NL Wild Card Race, Returning Pitchers and Cast-Off Veterans – listen here
Diamondbacks Option Josh Rojas, Recall Alek Thomas
The Diamondbacks announced that they have recalled outfielder Alek Thomas from Triple-A Reno, with infielder Josh Rojas optioned to Reno in a corresponding move.
Rojas, 29 next week, had seemingly established himself as a solid everyday player over the past few years. In 2021, he got into 139 games for the Diamondbacks, hitting 11 home runs and walking in 10.5% of his plate appearances. His .264/.341/.411 batting line amounted to a wRC+ of 102, indicating he was 2% above league average. He also stole nine bases and bounced around the field, playing the three infield positions to the left of first base as well as the outfield corners. FanGraphs considered him to be worth 1.8 wins above replacement on the year.
He seemed to take a step forward last year, getting into another 125 games and cutting his strikeout rate from 24.9% to 19.2%. He hit .269/.349/.391 for a wRC+ of 108 and swiped 23 bags. He didn’t play any shortstop or outfield but still moved between second and third base. FanGraphs gave him a tally of 2.7 fWAR for that campaign.
However, Rojas hasn’t been able to take another step forward or even maintain that kind of performance. Here in 2023, his walk rate has dropped to 8.6% as his strikeout rate has ticked back up to 23.3%. He’s yet to hit a home run and his overall line of .235/.301/.306 amounts to a wRC+ of just 66. Due to that tepid production, he’ll find himself optioned down to the minors for the first time since 2020.
Those struggles have coincided with a breakout campaign for Emmanuel Rivera. Acquired from the Royals at last year’s deadline, Rivera began this season in the minors but was called up in late April. He’s since hit .325/.354/.423 in 130 plate appearances for a 111 wRC+. He has just one home run and has only walked at a 4.6% clip but he’s striking out in just 15.4% of his trips to the plate. He’s seemingly supplanted Rojas at the hot corner for now and will get some rope to prove himself with regular playing time.
Rojas finished 2022 with two years and 152 days of service time, qualifying for arbitration as a Super Two player. He and the club went to a hearing, with the Diamondbacks ultimately emerging victorious, leaving Rojas making a salary of $2.575MM instead of the $2.9MM figure he was seeking. He’s already gone over the three-year mark here this season and will be eligible for arbitration again this winter, though it’s fair to wonder if the club will want to give him another pay bump on the heels of such a disappointing season. He still has a few months to turn things around but will have to get back into a good groove in Reno first.
The Diamondbacks have made the jump from development mode into competing this year, currently sporting a record of 43-29 and sitting atop the National League West. They’ve shown little hesitation in optioning struggling players this year, including Rojas, Brandon Pfaadt and Thomas. It was just about a month ago that Thomas was sent down after hitting just .195/.252/.327 in the majors through mid-May. However, he’s since been on a tear in Reno, hitting .348/.409/.518 after his demotion and earning himself another shot in the big leagues.
Tigers Claim Anthony Misiewicz, Designate Seth Elledge
The Tigers announced that left-hander Anthony Misiewicz has been claimed off waivers from the Diamondbacks, and optioned to Triple-A. In the corresponding move, Detroit designated right-hander Seth Elledge for assignment.
Misiewicz spent a few weeks on the injured list with a calf strain and was also shuttled up and down from Triple-A Reno several times, so it perhaps isn’t surprising that the southpaw struggled to a 5.63 ERA over eight innings and seven appearances with the D’Backs. With the waiver claim, Misiewicz might now get some stability close to home — he was born in Detroit and played his college ball at Michigan State.
Pitching with the Diamondbacks, Royals, and Mariners over his four MLB seasons, Misiewicz has a 4.51 ERA over 111 2/3 career innings. He isn’t a big strikeout pitcher (23.3 K%), and this difficult in missing bats has translated to some issues for the lefty, particularly since Misiewicz has a .332 career BABIP.
Elledge was claimed off waivers from the Mets last month, but his time in the Tigers organization has been spent entirely at Triple-A Toledo. He posted a respectable 3.86 ERA over 14 innings in Toledo but it looks like the Tigers saw him as an expendable 40-man piece. Another team might make a claim on Elledge, but if not, he’d have the right to reject an outright assignment off Detroit’s 40-man since he has already been outrighted in his career.
Diamondbacks Sign Stephen Nogosek To Minor League Deal
The Diamondbacks have signed right-hander Stephen Nogosek to a minor league deal, reports Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster. He will report to Triple-A Reno on Monday and his deal contains multiple opt-out opportunities.
Nogosek, 28, was designated for assignment by the Mets a week ago and cleared waivers. Since he had previously been outrighted in his career, he had the right to elect free agency. He exercised that right and headed to the open market, quickly landing with the Diamondbacks.
The righty had a solid showing last year, posting a 2.45 ERA in 22 innings. He wasn’t likely to sustain that going forward since he had a .258 batting average on balls in play and 80.4% strand rate, leading to a 4.66 FIP and 3.80 SIERA. Nonetheless, his 22.1% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate were each close to league average.
His results took a negative turn here in 2023, with his ERA jumping to 5.61 through 25 2/3 frames. That’s coincided with his walk rate climbing up to 11.9%. He had exhausted his option years, leaving the Mets little choice but to designate him for assignment in order to remove him from the active roster.
The Diamondbacks have had a middling bullpen this season, as their relievers have a collective 4.12 ERA that places them 17th out of the 30 clubs in the league. Nogosek can provide them with some non-roster depth that will be on hand in Reno for when they require a fresh arm. He’s out of options but just recently crossed the one-year service time mark, giving him plenty of future control if he can earn his way back into a roster spot.
Diamondbacks Release Yairo Munoz
The Diamondbacks have released veteran infielder/outfielder Yairo Munoz, who’d been playing for their Triple-A affiliate after signing a minor league deal, per the league transaction log at MiLB.com. Munoz will once again become a free agent.
The 28-year-old Munoz opened the 2023 season on the injured list but was reinstated in mid-May and hit well, batting .304/.389/.391 with four doubles, six walks (11.2%) and 11 strikeouts (20.4%) in 52 trips to the plate. He played primarily the infield corners in Reno, but Munoz has experience at all four infield positions and in all three outfield slots as well.
Munoz has seen action in parts of five big league seasons, accruing three-plus years of MLB service and batting .268/.319/.396 through 626 plate appearances along the way. He spent the 2022 season with the Phillies and smacked three homers in 60 major league plate appearances, albeit with an overall line of just .211/.250/.404.
In parts of six seasons at the Triple-A level, the righty-swinging Munoz is a .301/.335/.432 hitter with a meager 4.4% walk rate but also a lower-than-average 16.3% strikeout rate. He’s a free-swinging, contact-oriented hitter who can line up just about anywhere on the diamond, though defensive metrics aren’t especially fond of his glovework at any one position.
The D-backs currently have Christian Walker, Ketel Marte, Geraldo Perdomo and Josh Rojas starting around the diamond, with veterans Evan Longoria and Nick Ahmed on the bench alongside 27-year-old infielder Emmanuel Rivera. Corbin Carroll, Jake McCarthy, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Pavin Smith have all been logging outfield reps.
That’s a crowded big league infield/outfield scene as it is, but the Snakes have several more players in Triple-A and already on the 40-man roster who were likely ahead of Munoz on the depth chart. In the infield, that includes Diego Castillo and Blaze Alexander, while Reno outfielders Alek Thomas, Kyle Lewis and Dominic Fletcher are all on the 40-man roster as well. Munoz will head back to the market in search of another opportunity with a clearer avenue to big league playing time.