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Gary Sanchez Leaves Yankees’ Game After Being Struck By Foul Tip

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2:15 pm: Sánchez has been diagnosed with a contusion on his index and middle fingers, but x-rays came back negative (via Hoch). He is currently listed as day-to-day.

2:08 pm: Yankees catcher Gary Sánchez was removed from this afternoon’s game against the Rays before the bottom of the fifth inning, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com was among those to relay (Twitter link). Sánchez was struck in the right hand by a foul tip in the prior inning. While he stayed in the game to take his next plate appearance, Sánchez was replaced by Kyle Higashioka thereafter.

There’s no indication Sánchez’s injury is serious at this point. If it does require he miss time, Higashioka would figure to pick up the bulk of the playing time behind the dish. Those two are the only catchers on the Yankees’ 40-man roster, so another move would be forthcoming if Sánchez isn’t able to make an immediate return to action.

Rob Brantly and Robinson Chirinos are both in the organization on minor-league deals, but the latter remains on the mend from surgery to repair a wrist fracture last month. That seemingly suggests Brantly is next in line should additional catching depth be required in the Bronx.

Mets Activate J.D. Davis From Injured List

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The Mets are reinstating third baseman J.D. Davis from the injured list, Tim Healey of Newsday was among those to note (Twitter link). Infielder José Peraza was optioned to the team’s alternate training site in a corresponding move. Additionally, right-hander Franklyn Kilome has cleared waivers and been sent outright to the alternate site.

Davis returns from a hand injury after the minimum amount of time on the shelf. The 27-year-old figures to resume his role as New York’s top option at the hot corner. Peraza’s contract was selected from the alternate site to add infield depth when Davis went on the shelf, but he’ll ultimately head back without having gotten into a game. Peraza will keep his spot on the 40-man roster, though.

Kilome lost his 40-man spot to accommodate the Mets’ addition of Peraza last week. A former top prospect in the Phillies’ system, Kilome has seen his stock tumble quite a bit in recent years. He’ll remain in the New York organization and hope to pitch his way back onto the roster.

Braves Make Series Of Roster Moves

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The Braves announced a series of roster moves in advance of this afternoon’s game against the Cubs. Atlanta selected the contracts of infielder Sean Kazmar Jr. and left-hander Jesse Biddle, recalled righty Bryse Wilson and placed outfielder Ender Inciarte and southpaw Sean Newcomb on the injured list. Righty Kyle Wright was optioned to the alternate training site last night. (ESPN’s Jeff Passan had previously reported Kazmar’s impending call-up).

Kazmar’s return to the big leagues is nothing short of remarkable. A 36-year-old infielder, his entire MLB experience to date consists of 19 games with the 2008 Padres. Kazmar has since bounced between the San Diego, Seattle, Mets and Atlanta farm systems. He has spent the past eight years in the high minors with the Braves, and his determination to return to the big leagues will now pay off. Andrew Simon of MLB.com provided the starting lineups (via Twitter) of the last MLB game in which Kazmar appeared.

Biddle signed a minor-league deal with Atlanta earlier this month. The 29-year-old southpaw has pitched in the big leagues in each of the past three years, with the bulk of that time coming in 2018 with Atlanta. The former top prospect has a 4.68 ERA with subpar strikeout and walk rates (22.3% and 12.8%, respectively) over 92.1 innings at the highest level. He’ll replace Newcomb, who was placed on the injured list for undisclosed reasons.

Inciarte, meanwhile, went on the 10-day IL as expected. He strained a hamstring in last night’s game. With both Inciarte and Cristian Pache now on the shelf, Atlanta will turn to Guillermo Heredia in center field this afternoon.

Reds Activate Sonny Gray From Injured List

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The Reds are activating right-hander Sonny Gray from the injured list to start this afternoon’s game against the Indians. In a corresponding move, reliever Cam Bedrosian has been designated for assignment (via C. Trent Rosecrans of the Athletic).

Gray has long been expected to make his return at some point this week. A back injury has kept the right-hander out of action in the early going. His return should be a boon to the Reds, since Gray pitched to a 3.70 ERA/3.83 SIERA over 11 starts last season. Given the lack of a minor-league setting to build back his arm strength, though, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Reds be particularly cautious with his workload over his first few starts.

The return of Gray bumps the 29-year-old Bedrosian from the roster. Formerly a productive reliever with the Angels, the righty has gotten off to a disastrous start in 2021. Over 5.2 innings across six games, Bedrosian has coughed up seven runs on ten hits (including a pair of homers) with six walks and seven strikeouts.

Diamondbacks Acquire Nick Heath

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The Diamondbacks acquired outfielder Nick Heath from the Royals this afternoon, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic was among those to relay (Twitter link). Right-hander Eduardo Herrera is headed back to Kansas City in return. To clear space for Heath on the 40-man roster, Arizona designated righty Jeremy Beasley for assignment.

The Royals had designated Heath for assignment earlier this week. The speedy outfielder has only taken 18 MLB plate appearances and has only picked up marginally more playing time at Triple-A. He does have rather significant experience at the Double-A level, though, where he’s compiled a .255/.333/.372 line over 500 plate appearances. The 27-year-old Heath also has all three minor league option years remaining, so he’ll give Arizona a center field capable player with roster flexibility. Ketel Marte is currently on the injured list with a hamstring strain.

Beasley’s MLB experience consists of a third of an inning in one relief appearance. The 25-year-old has  worked as a starter in the minors, compiling a 3.59 ERA in 153 career innings at Double-A. Arizona will have a week to trade Beasley or attempt to pass him through outright waivers.

Herrera was originally signed by the D-Backs as a position player, but he converted to the mound in 2019. He has struck out 40 and issued 19 walks in 25.2 low minors innings. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen wrote last month that Herrera throws in the mid-90’s but has inconsistent breaking ball feel and command, hardly a surprise for someone so new to pitching.

Padres’ Adrian Morejon Placed On IL Due To Left Forearm Strain

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TODAY: Morejón has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left forearm strain.  The Padres recalled righty Nabil Crismatt from the alternate training site to take Morejon’s spot on the active roster.

APRIL 11: Adrián Morejón left his start against the Rangers this afternoon in the first inning. The young left-hander has a forearm/elbow strain in his throwing arm, the Padres later told reporters (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune).

That’s an ominous sounding diagnosis, as forearm strains are often a precursor to Tommy John surgery. There’s no indication at this point Morejón will need to undergo that (or any other) procedure, but it seems he’ll require an injured list stint at the very least. Morejón, who broke into the majors as a swingman over the past two years, began this season as San Diego’s fifth starter.

While Morejón has only managed a 6.03 ERA over his first 31.1 MLB innings, a deeper look shows plenty more promise. The former high-profile international signee has been one of the game’s top prospects over the last four years, entering the season as Baseball America’s #75 overall farmhand. While Morejón has given up far too many home runs in his brief big league time, he’s also demonstrated an ability to miss bats and command the strike zone. His 26.1% strikeout rate, 12% swinging strike rate and 5.8% walk percentage are all better than league average, no small feat for a player who just turned 22 years old.

Should Morejón miss time, the Friars could turn to a handful of other young arms in his rotation spot until Dinelson Lamet is ready to return from injury. Top prospect MacKenzie Gore is widely expected to debut at some point in 2021, while former top ten pick Ryan Weathers already made his MLB debut and has been working out of the bullpen this year. Jordan Humphreys, whom the Padres claimed off waivers last month, is among the other starting pitcher options on the 40-man roster.

Blue Jays Activate Robbie Ray From Injured List

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TODAY: Ray has been officially activated, the Jays announced.

APRIL 11: The Blue Jays are preparing to activate left-hander Robbie Ray from the injured list in advance of their upcoming series against the Yankees, manager Charlie Montoyo tells reporters (including Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet). He’ll get the start tomorrow evening against New York.

Ray re-signed with Toronto over the offseason after the Jays acquired him in a midseason trade with the Diamondbacks. His 2021 regular season debut was delayed a couple weeks by a bruised elbow he suffered during the spring. With Ray making his return to the rotation, the Jays will bump Tanner Roark to the bullpen for now, per Montoyo.

In other Toronto injury news, star outfielder George Springer is still not nearing a return from his recent quad injury (via Nicholson-Smith). Springer’s debut with the Jays’ was delayed by an oblique strain, and he hurt his quad while rehabbing the original injury. The three-time All-Star has now recovered from the oblique problem, but the leg issue will keep him out of the lineup for a while longer.

West Notes: Rendon, Gonsolin, Moronta, Wade

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Anthony Rendon is dealing with a sore left groin, Angels manager Joe Maddon told reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic and Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). Maddon doesn’t expect Rendon to play in tomorrow evening’s game against the Royals, and it isn’t out of the question the star third baseman could require a stint on the injured list. The always-productive Rendon is off to a strong start to the 2021 season, with nine hits (including a home run) and five walks over his first 37 plate appearances.

More out of the game’s West divisions:

  • According to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Tony Gonsolin’s return is “a ways away for me with where he’s at.”  Roberts told Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register and other reporters that Gonsolin had yet to begin a throwing program since being placed on the 10-day injured list last Sunday.  Gonsolin is sidelined with shoulder inflammation that began to bother the right-hander around Opening Day, which was why he didn’t get any game action prior to his IL placement.
  • Before today’s game against the Rockies, the Giants placed reliever Reyes Moronta on the 10-day injured list with a right flexor strain, Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group was among those to note. While that sounds ominous, especially since Moronta missed the entire 2020 season recovering from shoulder surgery, manager Gabe Kapler said it’s a minor strain (via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). To replace the right-hander on the active roster, the Giants recalled LaMonte Wade Jr. Acquired from the Twins over the offseason, Wade went 2-4 with a walk in his Giants’ debut this afternoon.

Injury Notes: Kim, Alfaro, Andujar, Schmidt, Reds

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Kwang Hyun Kim is slated to toss a 90-pitch simulated game today, Cardinals manager Mike Shildt told reporters (including Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).  Kim tossed another simulated game earlier this week, so the left-hander may be just about on the verge of rejoining the Cards’ rotation during the team’s upcoming series against the Phillies from April 16-18.

Back problems sidelined Kim for a good chunk of Spring Training, requiring an injured list placement to begin the season.  The 32-year-old is looking to build off an impressive debut season in Major League Baseball, as Kim posted a 1.62 ERA over 39 innings (thanks to a 50% grounder rate and a lot of soft contact) in 2020.

More injury updates from around the sport…

  • Marlins catcher Jorge Alfaro was scratched from yesterday’s lineup due to what the team described as “lingering tightness in his left hamstring.”  Manager Don Mattingly told SportsGrid’s Craig Mish and other reporters the Marlins may decide tomorrow whether or not an IL stint is required.  Counting today, Alfaro will have been sidelined for four straight games, and Miami doesn’t have another off-day until April 19.  Should Alfaro hit the injured list, Sandy Leon is the only catcher in the Marlins’ farm system with any big league experience, so the team could select his minor league deal and install Leon as Chad Wallach’s backup.
  • Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided updates on Miguel Andujar and Clarke Schmidt to reporters (including ESPN.com’s Marly Rivera and Newsday’s Erik Boland).  For Andujar, he is already hitting off a tee and will start hitting out of the batting cage next week as the 26-year-old is trying to recover from right carpal tunnel syndrome.  Schmidt, meanwhile, is getting a second opinion on his bothersome right elbow, which is still giving him discomfort after almost seven weeks.  Schmidt was shut down back in February for what was supposed to be three or four weeks due to a common extensor strain in his right elbow — for what it’s worth, Boland noted that Boone today described the injury as simply a “right elbow strain.”
  • Shogo Akiyama and Sonny Gray are each progressing well in their injury recoveries, writes Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Akiyama has been expected to return from a hamstring injury in early-mid May, and Reds manager David Bell says the outfielder has had “zero setbacks” in his rehab. Gray, meanwhile, is in line to make his return from a back injury by the end of next week. It’s a little less clear when Cincinnati can expect Michael Lorenzen back; the right-hander’s recovery from a shoulder strain is “not as going fast as he would like,” Bell said (via Sheldon).

Christian Yelich, Travis Shaw Day-To-Day After Leaving Brewers’ Game

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4:40 pm: It doesn’t seem there’s much cause for concern. Manager Craig Counsell says Yelich is day-to-day with lower back tightness (via Andrew Wagner of the Wisconsin State Journal). Third baseman Travis Shaw is also day-to-day after leaving the game with a right shin contusion. It’s possible both players are back in the lineup for tomorrow’s contest against the Cubs.

2:34 pm: Brewers star outfielder Christian Yelich left this afternoon’s game against the Cardinals in the second inning, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was among those to note (Twitter link). He’s dealing with back soreness, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com (via Twitter).

Jackie Bradley Jr. replaced Yelich in left field. Bradley, Lorenzo Cain and Avisaíl García would make up the Brewers outfield on most days if Yelich is forced to miss any time, with Billy McKinney on hand as depth. Of course, there’s no indication at this point Yelich’s removal was anything more than due caution.

The 2019 National League MVP, Yelich had a down year (by his lofty standards) during the shortened 2020 season. He’s off to a rather bizarre start in 2021. Yelich already has ten hits and six walks over his first 37 plate appearances, but he’s also struck out twelve times and has yet to hit a home run.

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