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Cubs Sign Austin Gomber To Minor League Deal

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The Cubs signed left-hander Austin Gomber to a minor league contract and assigned him to Triple-A Iowa. He’s on the mound tonight against Kansas City’s top affiliate in his organizational debut. The MLB.com transaction tracker indicates he signed the contract on August 26 even though it wasn’t announced until today.

That’s a relevant distinction because it keeps open the long shot possibility that Gomber could get a look in the postseason. He was in the organization before the beginning of September, so he’ll be eligible for the playoff roster even though he’s not currently on the 40-man roster. That obviously wouldn’t be Plan A for the team, but the southpaw provides rotation depth for a team that is without Michael Soroka and Jameson Taillon at the moment. The Cubs also brought in Joe Ross on a minor league deal.

Gomber was released by the Rockies last month. The soft-tossing southpaw missed the first couple months with shoulder discomfort. He was tattooed for a 7.49 earned run average in 12 starts since being activated from the injured list in the middle of June.  Gomber didn’t pitch well at home or on the road. He struggled to miss bats no matter the venue, posting a career-worst 12.5% strikeout rate across 57 2/3 innings. Gomber’s fastball averaged a little over 89 MPH, down a tick from last year and three miles per hour from the first few seasons of his career. He was a passable fifth starter last year, turning in a 4.75 ERA while making 30 starts.

The Rockies are on the hook for what remains of Gomber’s $6.35MM salary. The Cubs would owe him the prorated $760K league minimum for any time he spends in the big leagues. He’ll be a free agent again at the beginning of the offseason.

Jesse Winker Shut Down, Likely Out For Season

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The Mets don’t expect Jesse Winker to return this season, manager Carlos Mendoza tells reporters (including Mike Puma of The New York Post). Winker has been sidelined since the middle of July with a lower back injury. He began a rehab assignment last week but has been shut back down from baseball activity, suggesting he suffered some kind of setback.

Winker had a productive 2024 season, batting .253/.360/.405 between the Nationals and Mets. Most of that production came early in the season with Washington. New York nevertheless brought Winker back on a $7.5MM free agent deal. They expected him to take the majority of the designated hitter playing time against right-handed pitching.

Injuries cost him that opportunity. Winker suffered a significant oblique strain in early May. That kept him out of action until shortly before the All-Star Break. He returned for two games and three plate appearances before going back on the shelf. His rehab stint in Low-A last week lasted two games.

Winker’s season probably comes to a close with a .229/.309/.400 slash in 81 plate appearances. He’ll return to free agency this winter and might be limited to minor league offers. The Mets will continue giving Mark Vientos and Starling Marte the majority of the DH at-bats. They’ve each been very good in the second half. Winker probably wouldn’t have pushed them for a ton of playing time even if healthy, but he could’ve played a meaningful run as a left-handed bat off the bench.

Every Team’s September 1 Call-Ups

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As is the case each September 1, there’s been plenty of roster movement today. Active rosters expand from 26 to 28, allowing most teams to bring up one additional pitcher and position player apiece. A summation of every team’s call-ups from a busy Monday:

AL East

AL Central

AL West

NL East

NL Central

NL West

* Atlanta’s waiver claim of Ha-Seong Kim, while the most significant move of the day, isn’t counted here because Kim is currently on the 10-day injured list

Brewers Outright Oliver Dunn

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The Brewers sent infielder Oliver Dunn outright to Triple-A Nashville, according to MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Dunn cleared waivers after being designated for assignment when Jackson Chourio returned from the injured list over the weekend. This is his first outright and he doesn’t have three years of big league service, so he’ll need to accept the assignment.

Dunn has been with Nashville since the middle of April. He got a brief look in an uncertain third base mix in the season’s first couple weeks. He hit .167 with a .205 on-base percentage across 14 games before being optioned out. Caleb Durbin came up and seized the third base job as a rookie. The 27-year-old Dunn (28 tomorrow) has had a mediocre season in Triple-A. He’s batting .201/.304/.326 with seven homers through 407 plate appearances.

This has been Dunn’s first extended Triple-A stint. He saw only brief action there in 2023 and ’24. The former 11th round pick had big numbers at the Double-A level while a member of the Philly organization two seasons ago. Milwaukee acquired him going into the ’24 campaign, but he missed most of that season with a back injury. Dunn will remain on hand as infield depth in September. He’ll qualify for minor league free agency at the beginning of the winter if he’s not added back to the 40-man roster.

Jason Adam Likely Headed For Season-Ending Quad Surgery

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10:12pm: Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune writes that Adam will undergo season-ending surgery if a follow-up MRI confirms the initial diagnosis. The hope is that he’ll be able to return some time around the beginning of the 2026 season.

9:42pm: Padres reliever Jason Adam has been diagnosed with a tendon rupture in his left quad, manager Mike Shildt tells reporters (including Dennis Lin of The Athletic). Shildt didn’t specify a recovery timeline or whether surgery will be required. It’s nevertheless difficult to imagine Adam will be back this season.

Adam was carted off the Petco Park mound during this evening’s loss to the Orioles (video via Talkin’ Baseball). Gunnar Henderson hit a chopper up the middle. The ball was a little behind the right-handed Adam, who naturally pulls toward first base on the follow-through in his delivery. Adam appeared to try to plant and change direction to field the ball when his left leg gave out. The injury had some similarities to the one suffered by Giants starter Landen Roupp, who hurt his knee (coincidentally also in San Diego) while trying to dodge a comeback line drive two weeks ago.

Both pitchers end up being carted off the field. Roupp got relatively good news, as he escaped structural damage — though he did suffer a bone bruise that’ll likely end his season. Adam’s injury unfortunately seems more serious. It’ll also be a much more significant development on the playoff picture. The Friars trail the Dodgers by 2.5 games in the NL West. They’re in possession of the National League’s second Wild Card spot and six games clear of the top non-playoff team.

Adam was a journeyman depth reliever throughout his 20s. He suffered a gruesome left ankle fracture while with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate in 2021. It was remarkable that he got back on a mound just four months later. Adam had a breakout showing with the Rays the following season. He has been one of the best and most durable relievers in MLB over the past four years.

Since the start of 2022, Adam ranks sixth in the majors with 262 appearances. His 2.04 earned run average is fourth among relievers with 100+ innings in that stretch (trialing Emmanuel Clase, Brusdar Graterol and Félix Bautista). Only Tyler Rogers and Bryan Abreu have more holds, and Adam has also collected 24 saves in that time.

Adam has continued to produce since the Padres acquired him from Tampa Bay at the ’24 trade deadline. He took a 1.81 ERA and above-average 26% strikeout rate into tonight’s appearance. He’s the team leader in holds (29) and relief innings (64 2/3). Only closer Robert Suarez has entered in higher leverage situations on average. Losing Adam will be a big hit in the postseason, though the Padres still have an enviable group of back-end arms. The Mason Miller deadline swing takes on added importance. Suarez remains an asset in the ninth inning, while Adrian Morejon and Jeremiah Estrada are high-end setup arms.

The Padres have Adam under arbitration control for one more season. He’ll be due a decent raise on this year’s $4.8MM salary if they tender him a contract. That’d remain a bargain if he were healthy, but it’d be a tougher call if this injury winds up threatening a chunk of his 2026 season. That prognosis won’t be clear until the organization provides a return timeline. The Padres could lose Suarez to an opt-out clause this winter, and it’s possible they plan to give Miller a look as a starting pitcher next spring.

Padres Re-Sign Martin Maldonado To Minor League Deal

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The Padres have brought back Martín Maldonado on a minor league contract, reports MadFriars. San Diego had designated the veteran catcher for assignment after acquiring Freddy Fermin from Kansas City on deadline day. They released Maldonado a week later.

As it has been more than a month since Maldonado’s last game action, MadFriars adds that he’ll report to the team’s Arizona complex. San Diego’s Triple-A affiliate in El Paso will be in action until September 21. It isn’t known if the Padres intend to assign Maldonado to El Paso once he’s warmed up or will keep him at the complex for the rest of the season.

It’s not clear when the deal was signed, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if this were quietly hammered out over the weekend. If the deal were finalized by August 31, Maldonado would be eligible for San Diego’s playoff roster. He clearly wouldn’t be a first choice to see any action in October, but that’d give them some protection if one of their top two catchers, Fermin or Elias Díaz, suffers an injury.

The Padres still have Luis Campusano on the 40-man roster, but he hasn’t started an MLB game behind the plate all year. San Diego also opted not to recall Campusano with the extra active roster spot that opened today — despite the fact that Campusano is hitting .329/.436/.603 in 91 Triple-A games. They instead continued carrying two infrequently used utility infielders, Will Wagner and Mason McCoy, when Jackson Merrill returned from the injured list. It seems apparent that the Padres have no interest in relying on Campusano in October if Fermin or Díaz were unavailable.

Maldonado is at least familiar with San Diego’s pitching staff if he’s pressed into action. His offensive shortcomings are well known, and he was hitting .204/.245/.327 in 161 plate appearances this year. He was also charged with eight passed balls, second most in MLB, in only 445 innings. He threw out just 13.2% of attempted basestealers. Still, the Padres presumably prefer Maldonado to Campusano as a third catcher, so there’s no harm in keeping him around as injury insurance at a position of weak organizational depth.

Pirates To Recall Nick Yorke

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The Pirates are recalling infielder Nick Yorke and right-hander Cam Sanders from Triple-A Indianapolis, according to the MLB.com transaction log. Those will apparently be their September 1 roster moves. The Bucs are off today and may not officially announce the moves until tomorrow’s series opener against the Dodgers.

It’s the first promotion of the season for the 23-year-old Yorke. He first reached the majors as a September call-up late last season. He hit .216 with a pair of home runs in 11 games. Pittsburgh optioned him back to Triple-A at the end of Spring Training. Yorke has spent the entire season in Indianapolis, where he has been on the active roster aside from a week on the injured list with a sore shoulder in the middle of April.

Yorke is hitting .287/.348/.406 with seven home runs across 440 plate appearances. He has stolen 17 bases in 23 tries while turning in league average strikeout and walk rates. It’s a solid but hardly dominant showing for a player who also spent a good portion of the 2024 season at that level. To his credit, Yorke has picked things up as the season has progressed. He had a bad April around the injury but has hit fairly well since the beginning of May. Yorke is coming off his best month, as he slashed .337/.382/.446 in 24 games in August.

A first-round pick by the Red Sox in 2020, Yorke was acquired in a one-for-one swap for Quinn Priester at the ’24 deadline. Priester has had a breakout season this year (after being traded to the division rival Brewers). The trade doesn’t look particularly favorable for the Pirates at the moment, but Yorke still has time to emerge as a productive hitter. He’s primarily a second baseman but has a decent amount of corner outfield experience.

Nick Gonzales will get most of the second base playing time down the stretch. Yorke could take a few at-bats in left field from Tommy Pham, who has hit well in the second half but is an impending free agent on a non-contender. While Yorke has barely played any third base in his minor league career, Pittsburgh could also give him a few starts at the hot corner alongside fellow rookie Cam Devanney.

Braves Recall Rolddy Muñoz For MLB Debut

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Before this afternoon’s game against the Cubs, the Braves called up relief pitcher Rolddy Muñoz. Atlanta also activated utility player Luke Williams from the 10-day injured list. Those accounted for Atlanta’s two expanded roster spots. Muñoz was added to the 40-man roster last offseason to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. This is his first big league call.

The 25-year-old righty now has a good shot to make his MLB debut in the next few days. Muñoz, the twin brother of former Brave farmhand and current Cardinals reliever Roddery Muñoz, was an amateur signee out of the Dominican Republic. Baseball America ranks him the #18 prospect in an admittedly thin Atlanta farm system. He’s a two-pitch reliever with an upper 90s sinker and a slider that BA rates as a 70-grade (plus-plus) offering. It’s the kind of raw stuff that could play at the back of a bullpen, but Muñoz’s below-average control probably pushes him more towards middle relief.

Muñoz has divided the season between Double-A Columbus and Triple-A Gwinnett. He has combined for 55 2/3 innings with a 2.75 earned run average. Muñoz has walked an alarming 13% of batters faced with a slightly below-average 21.4% strikeout rate. The shape on his fastball causes it to play more as a ground-ball pitch than a huge swing-and-miss offering despite its velocity. Muñoz has gotten grounders at a near-52% clip this season. The Braves will see how his stuff plays against big league opposition as the season winds down, probably with an eye towards letting him battle for an Opening Day bullpen spot next spring.

Royals Place Jonathan India On Injured List

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The Royals announced that second baseman Jonathan India has been placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 30, with a sprained left wrist. Kansas City activated Jac Caglianone from his own IL stint in a corresponding move. They also finalized the previously announced promotions of catching prospect Carter Jensen and reliever Luinder Avila with the roster expansion.

It’s not clear how long the Royals expect India to be sidelined. Kansas City acquired him from the Reds for Brady Singer over the offseason. They wanted India to play a multi-positional role while serving as a high-OBP bat at the top of the lineup. He hasn’t met either expectation. India struggled in an early-season utility capacity and has been exclusively at second base or designated hitter since the middle of May. He also hasn’t hit much, leading manager Matt Quatraro to drop him from the leadoff spot to sixth or seventh in the batting order this month.

India carries a .232/.324/.342 slash with eight home runs across 532 plate appearances. His plate discipline has been fine, but a career-low .274 average on balls in play hasn’t done him any favors. It’s trending to be the worst season of his five years in the big leagues. India isn’t a great defender, so the below-average offense has left him around replacement level overall. He’s trending towards a non-tender for what’d be his final year of arbitration.

Kansas City will have Adam Frazier and Michael Massey cover second base while India is sidelined. The righty-swinging Nick Loftin could also see some time there against left-handed pitching. Frazier has proven a nice deadline pickup, batting .307 in 33 games since the Royals acquired him from Pittsburgh. Massey and Loftin have had poor seasons. Massey has at least collected hits in five of six games since returning from an ankle sprain that cost him two months, so perhaps he’ll come closer to last year’s league average form in September.

The Royals are off today. They’ll open a three-game series against the Angels tomorrow. Kansas City is three games back of Seattle for the final American League Wild Card spot. They’ve also dropped half a game behind the Rangers, who have won five straight to pull within 2.5 games of the Mariners.

Randy Moffitt Passes Away

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Former major league reliever Randy Moffitt passed away on Thursday at age 76, the Giants announced. According to an Associated Press report, Moffitt had battled an extended illness.

The younger brother of tennis legend Billie Jean King, Moffitt was a gifted athlete in his own right. San Francisco drafted him in the first round in 1970 out of Long Beach State. The Giants moved him to the bullpen after one minor league season. He reached the big leagues in 1972 and spent the remainder of the decade pitching towards the back of the San Francisco relief corps.

Moffitt recorded double digit save totals in each season from 1973-78. He had a pair of sub-3.00 ERA showings. Moffitt struck out 65 hitters with a 2.42 mark across 100 1/3 innings in 1973. He tossed a personal-high 103 frames of 2.27 ERA ball three seasons later. The 6’3″ righty remained in San Francisco until he was released in 1981. He finished his big league career with lone seasons for the Astros and Blue Jays.

Over a career spanning parts of 12 seasons, Moffitt turned in a 3.65 earned run average. He finished 306 of his 534 appearances, including 96 saves. Moffitt won 43 games and tallied 455 strikeouts. He made 459 appearances in a San Francisco uniform. Moffitt is sixth in franchise history in appearances, fifth in games finished, and ninth in saves. He’s a member of the organization’s Wall of Fame. MLBTR joins others around the game in sending condolences to his family, friends, loved ones and former teammates.

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