Dodgers Place Max Muncy On Injured List, Option James Outman
The Dodgers made a series of roster moves today, activating outfielder Jason Heyward from the injured list while recalling outfielder Miguel Vargas and right-hander Ricky Vanasco. To open roster spots for that group, they placed third baseman Max Muncy on the 10-day injured list with a right oblique strain and optioned outfielder James Outman and left-hander Nick Ramirez.
Prior to the official announcement, Francys Romero reported on X that Vargas would be called up. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic was among those to relay on X that Outman no longer had a locker with the club.
While oblique strains typically lead to absences of multiple weeks, the Dodgers don’t seem especially concerned. Manager Dave Roberts told the team’s beat (including Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic) that it’s a mild strain. The club is hopeful he’ll only require a minimal stint. Muncy is out to his typical start to the season: drawing plenty of walks and hitting for power to compensate for a low batting average. Through 167 plate appearances, he has a .223/.323/.475 line with nine homers.
Muncy has gotten the start at third base for 36 of L.A.’s 46 games. Enrique Hernández is in the lineup tonight against Cincinnati right-hander Frankie Montas. Roberts told reporters that Hernández and Miguel Rojas will take the third base work while Muncy is out.
Heyward draws back into the lineup after missing six weeks with a back issue. The veteran should be in the lineup in right field against right-handed pitching. That bumps rookie Andy Pages from right field to center field, while Teoscar Hernández will be in one of the corners on an everyday basis. The Dodgers shield Heyward from left-handed pitching. Roberts said one of Vargas or Chris Taylor will be in left field against southpaws, pushing Hernández to right and Heyward to the bench.
The outfield shuffling sends Outman to the minors for the first time since 2022. The 27-year-old finished third in NL Rookie of the Year balloting last season, hitting 23 homers with a .248/.353/.437 slash line. His offensive production has plummeted this season. Outman has been one of the least productive hitters in MLB, turning in a .147/.250/.266 mark. He has fanned in more than 32% of his plate appearances and hasn’t made the same level of power impact he did last season.
Outman will try to get on track at Triple-A Oklahoma City to put himself back on the radar for an MLB call. He’ll need to do so quickly to stay on pace to reach free agency after the 2028 season. Outman entered the season with one year and six days of MLB service. A service year is tallied at 172 days, so he needs to spend at least 166 days on the MLB roster to surpass the two-year threshold in 2024. If he spends more than a couple weeks in Triple-A, he’ll fall short of that mark.
Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript
MLBTR's Anthony Franco held a live chat, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, this afternoon. Anthony took questions on the Blue Jays, Cardinals, Mets, Tigers, Rays, the Twins deadline priorities, the Orioles outfield, Kyle Hendricks, Esteury Ruiz and much more.
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Latest On A’s Stadium Process
The A’s relocation plan took a couple steps forward this week. On Monday, the Nevada Supreme Court upheld a November 2023 lower court ruling that stopped a petition to put public funding for the stadium up for a vote this year (link via Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times).
A Nevada teachers union had sought a referendum during this November’s elections on the $380MM earmarked by the county and state for construction of the Vegas stadium. (Voters in Kansas City rejected a public funding measure for the Royals and Chiefs in a referendum process in April.) The court agreed with arguments by a coalition which included the A’s that the language of the proposed petition was misleading and did not abide by state law. That takes the possibility of a 2024 referendum off the table.
A political action committee backed by the union filed a separate lawsuit in an attempt to challenge the funding in February, arguing that the law didn’t meet the procedural requirements of the state constitution. The A’s were not named as a defendant — the suit was against the state and its governor, Joe Lombardo — but the team filed a motion last month attempting to intervene in the proceedings. There’s no current indication that suit poses a serious threat to the relocation plan.
On the heels of their legal victory, the A’s presented their non-relocation agreement to the Las Vegas Stadium Authority on Thursday afternoon (link via Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal). That’s one of a handful of documents which the Stadium Authority needs to approve before construction on the facility will officially begin. The Authority has already signed off on a community benefits agreement. They’re now evaluating the lease and non-relocation agreements.
The final, most important, of the group is the development agreement detailing how the A’s plan to meet their commitments (projected north of $1.1 billion) for construction costs. Shaikin reported last month the A’s are seeking $500MM in private funding, potentially offering minority ownership shares of the franchise to incentivize investment. Akers writes that the team plans to submit the development agreement for review at some point this summer.
Ryan McMahon Could Be The Next Rockies Test Case
The Rockies finished off a sweep of the Padres yesterday and hold MLB's longest active win streak at seven games. It's their best stretch in five years and has pulled them back ahead of the Marlins at the bottom of the National League.
Colorado is still 13 games below .500, though, leaving them without realistic postseason aspirations. Other teams will call on some of their veteran players throughout the summer. At the top of the list of interesting trade candidates is Ryan McMahon, whose early-season performance should get him some consideration for the first All-Star nod of his career.
McMahon has been a productive player for a few years. He's a plus defender at third base who'll top 20 home runs on an annual basis. While he strikes out a fair amount, he draws enough walks to keep a respectable on-base percentage. After adjusting for his home park, McMahon has been a slightly below-average hitter who provides plenty of defensive value -- a good everyday infielder who's a little shy of being a star.
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Latest On Diamond Sports Group Bankruptcy
Attorneys for MLB (as well as representatives for the NHL and NBA) fired their latest salvos at Diamond Sports Group during a Wednesday hearing in the broadcasting company’s ongoing bankruptcy proceedings. Evan Drellich of the Athletic and Alden González of ESPN were among those to cover the developments.
The most recent source of frustration is Diamond’s stalled negotiations with Comcast (Xfinity). The sides didn’t reach agreement on a new contract before May 1, leading Comcast to pull Diamond’s Bally Sports channels off the air at the start of the month. That has left Xfinity subscribers without the ability to watch in-market games for the 12 teams carried by Diamond. (Diamond has reached agreements with each of Charter, DirecTV and Cox.)
That’s understandably irritating for both the impacted fans and the league itself. “We are coming into the middle of yet another season where Diamond is an undependable partner,” an attorney for MLB said in today’s hearing. “This is not a deal that Major League Baseball and its clubs have signed up for. … It’s been two full weeks since carriage has been dropped by Comcast, and there is not a word of when it might get picked up, and on what terms.”
MLB has not filed any formal objection with the court, and it’s not clear if they’re considering doing so. Yet the Diamond/Comcast dispute only adds to MLB’s longstanding questions about Diamond’s viability. DSG reached a restructuring/streaming deal with Amazon in an effort to sustain operations past 2024. MLB officials have made no secret of their skepticism about the long-term significance of that partnership.
Representatives for Diamond tried to assuage some of those concerns by telling the court they’re close to a naming rights deal that will change the Bally Sports moniker to a new brand for 2025 and beyond. An attorney for Diamond called the ongoing dispute with Xfinity “disappointing” but said the company “(remains) optimistic” the sides will be able to work an agreement.
The court still needs to formally approve Diamond’s restructuring plan to end the bankruptcy proceedings. The confirmation hearing is currently scheduled for June 18.
Orioles Release Andrew Suarez
The Orioles announced they’ve released left-hander Andrew Suárez from his minor league deal. The 31-year-old had been pitching for Triple-A Norfolk.
Suárez, not to be confused with Baltimore righty Albert Suaáez, had been working out of the bullpen in Triple-A. He surrendered 11 runs (nine earned) through 13 2/3 innings. He fanned 12 against five walks with a roughly average 44.2% ground-ball percentage.
A former second-round pick of the Giants, Súarez started 29 games for San Francisco back in 2018. He turned in a 4.49 ERA over 160 1/3 innings in what has been his most productive MLB work. The Miami product saw scattered action over the next two seasons before making the jump to Korea in 2021. He parlayed a strong year with the KBO’s LG Twins into an opportunity in Japan, but Suárez didn’t find the same level of success for the Yakult Swallows of NPB.
The Cardinals brought Suárez back to the affiliated ranks on a minor league deal a year ago. St. Louis selected his contract shortly after the All-Star Break and used him in low-leverage relief during the season’s second half. He tossed 27 2/3 innings across 13 appearances, struggling to a 7.16 ERA. Suárez’s 13.1% strikeout rate and 11.5% walk percentage were each well worse than average. His ability to work multiple innings and career 4.35 ERA at the Triple-A level could nevertheless get him another minor league opportunity as a free agent.
Giants Sign Curt Casali To Major League Deal
The Giants announced they’ve signed catcher Curt Casali to a big league contract. San Francisco optioned Jakson Reetz to Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move. To create a 40-man roster spot, they moved Tom Murphy from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list. Casali, a Beverly Hills Sports Council client, is guaranteed a $1MM base salary, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post (on X).
It’s the second stint in San Francisco for the 35-year-old backstop. Casali signed a major league free agent deal back in 2021 after being non-tendered by the Reds. He spent a year and a half in the organization, combining for a .218/.317/.357 slash line over 357 plate appearances. San Francisco packaged him alongside Matthew Boyd to the Mariners at the 2022 deadline for a pair of minor leaguers.
Casali hasn’t produced much at the MLB level since that trade. He hit .125/.300/.225 in 16 games with Seattle. Cincinnati brought him back on a $3.25MM free agent deal that winter, but his return stint with the Reds didn’t go as hoped. Casali lost a good portion of the season to a foot injury. He played sparingly as the third catcher even when healthy, hitting .175/.290/.200 over 96 plate appearances.
The Reds made the easy call to decline their end of a $4MM mutual option last winter. Casali spent Spring Training with the Marlins after inking an offseason minor league contract. He didn’t hit at all during camp and was released before Opening Day. Casali has spent the past six weeks in Triple-A with the Cubs, where he was out to a fantastic start to the season.
In 23 games, he mashed at a .362/.489/.551 clip for Chicago’s top affiliate. He connected on a pair of homers and drew 15 walks against 16 strikeouts. While he’s certainly not going to continue hitting at that level in the majors, it was a strong enough showing to get back to Oracle Park. Casali’s familiarity with the San Francisco front office and much of the clubhouse no doubt helped matters.
That said, the Giants surely didn’t envision looking for MLB catching help this early in the season. San Francisco entered the year with a surplus behind the plate. Patrick Bailey had emerged as their clear #1 option. They inked Murphy to a two-year deal over the offseason to add a power-hitting backup. That pushed Blake Sabol to Triple-A and former #2 overall draftee Joey Bart, who is out of options, off the roster entirely. San Francisco traded Bart to the Pirates during the first week of the season.
They’ve been hit with a brutal stretch of injury luck at the position since then. Bailey landed on the seven-day concussion injured list on May 4. He was reinstated over the weekend but went back on the concussion list last night as he dealt with renewed virus-like symptoms. San Francisco lost Murphy to a significant left knee sprain one day after Bailey’s first IL placement. Today’s transfer rules him out of action into early July.
Casali and Sabol will work as the MLB catching duo for the time being. Reetz heads back to Triple-A as the top depth option. Sabol still has options remaining, so the Giants could send him back to Sacramento once Bailey returns from the IL.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Dodgers Select Elieser Hernandez
The Dodgers announced they’ve selected right-hander Elieser Hernández onto the MLB roster. Los Angeles also recalled righty Eduardo Salazar from Triple-A Oklahoma City. In corresponding moves, the Dodgers optioned Gus Varland and designated reliever Nabil Crismatt for assignment.
L.A. adds a pair of fresh arms for what’ll be a bullpen game this evening in San Francisco. Neither Hernández nor Salazar has pitched for OKC in at least four days. They’ve each been working from the rotation in Triple-A and should be available for multiple innings. Hernández will take the ball first tonight.
In doing so, he will pitch in a major league game for the first time since 2022. It’ll also be his first appearance for a team other than the Marlins. Hernández spent parts of five seasons with Miami, where he generally worked in a swing role. He typically posted strong strikeout and walk rates and found some success between 2020-21. Hernández always struggled with the home run ball, though, and he was tagged for a 6.35 ERA while allowing nearly three homers per nine over 20 appearances in 2022.
Miami traded Hernández to the Mets over the 2022-23 offseason. He never pitched at the MLB level for New York. A shoulder strain essentially wiped out his ’23 campaign, leading the Mets to waive him at the end of last year. He joined L.A. on an offseason minor league contract and has gotten out to a strong start with Oklahoma City.
Over six appearances in the Pacific Coast League, the Venezuelan-born hurler carries a 2.83 ERA. He has fanned nearly 30% of batters faced against a 7% walk rate. Hernández has only surrendered a pair of homers in 28 2/3 innings this season, although he remains an extreme fly-ball pitcher.
Hernández has more than five years of major league service time. The Dodgers can’t option him back to Triple-A without his consent. It’s not out of the question that he’ll be taken off the 40-man roster again in fairly short order, but his strong work in OKC at least makes it a possibility they’ll keep him in the majors as a long reliever.
Crismatt also can’t be optioned, so the Dodgers had to designate him for assignment to remove him from the MLB roster. The 29-year-old righty has pitched well in limited action for Los Angeles. Crismatt has tossed seven innings of three-run ball, striking out six against one walk. He has pitched in two of the past three days, though, so he may not have been an option for much work tonight.
The Dodgers will have a week to trade or waive Crismatt. He has cleared waivers a few times in his career, once as recently as last month. He’d have the right to decline an outright assignment in favor of free agency if he again goes unclaimed, although he accepted the minor league assignment in April.
Rangers Select Shaun Anderson, Transfer Max Scherzer To 60-Day Injured List
The Rangers announced they’ve selected right-hander Shaun Anderson onto the MLB roster. Texas optioned Jack Leiter back to Triple-A Round Rock in a corresponding move. To create a 40-man roster spot, the Rangers transferred Max Scherzer from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list in what is essentially a procedural transaction.
Anderson caught on with Texas on a minor league contract last month. It marked his second stint in the organization, as he spent a couple weeks in the system in 2021 when the Rangers claimed him off waivers. They waived him themselves before getting him into a major league game, but Anderson could now get a shot to make his team debut.
If he does, it’ll be the 29-year-old’s first major league action since 2022. He made one appearance for the Blue Jays that season. Anderson opened last season in Korea and finished the year in Triple-A with the Phillies. He has made four starts for Round Rock over the past few weeks, turning in a 2.53 ERA over 21 1/3 innings. The Florida product has punched out 26.2% of opponents against a tidy 4.8% walk rate to earn his way back to the big leagues.
Anderson has pitched in parts of four MLB seasons overall. Most of his experience came with the Giants as a rookie back in 2019. He has seen more limited action divided between San Francisco, Minnesota, San Diego, Baltimore and Toronto since then. Anderson owns a 5.84 ERA over 135 2/3 career innings. His 17.1% strikeout percentage and 9.9% walk rate are each a little worse than the respective league averages. Anderson has a stronger Triple-A track record, totaling a 3.80 ERA in 270 1/3 frames at that level. He still has an option remaining, so the Rangers can move him between Arlington and Round Rock without exposing him to waivers now that he’s on the 40-man roster.
Texas essentially had an open 40-man spot given Scherzer’s status. The 60-day minimum backdates to Opening Day, so he’ll be eligible for reinstatement in around two weeks time. It doesn’t appear as if he’ll be ready before then. While Scherzer once seemed on track for a mid-May return following his offseason back surgery, his timetable has been delayed by thumb soreness. Scherzer received a cortisone shot over the weekend to address nerve irritation.
The future Hall of Famer told reporters today that he has recently undergone imaging on his triceps, elbow and neck (X link via Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today). That came back clean and he is set to resume throwing. He’ll need to build back for another minor league rehab assignment, though, so he’s unlikely to be ready for MLB action before the start of June.
Ronel Blanco Given 10-Game Suspension After Foreign Substance Check
May 15: As expected, MLB has announced that Blanco has been given a ten-game suspension and an undisclosed fine. Blanco no longer plans to appeal the suspension, GM Dana Brown told reporters (via Rome). He’ll begin serving the ban tonight.
May 14: Astros right-hander Ronel Blanco was ejected from this evening’s start against the A’s following a foreign substance inspection. Umpires confiscated Blanco’s glove when he came out for the fourth inning. Tayler Scott entered in relief.
It’s almost certain that the Astros will be without Blanco for the next week and a half. Players thrown out of a game for foreign substance usage are subject to an automatic 10-game suspension. MLB has yet to announce that in Blanco’s case but seems likely to do so tomorrow. Teams are not permitted to replace a player who is banned for an on-field rules violation. Assuming Blanco is suspended, the Astros will need to play with a 25-man roster for 10 games. Blanco told reporters (including Chandler Rome of the Athletic) that he plans to appeal if MLB imposes a suspension.
Blanco has been Houston’s best pitcher this year. He earned the fifth starter job late in camp and no-hit the Blue Jays in his season debut. The 30-year-old has followed up with another six strong outings. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in any start. Blanco pulled within one out of a quality start in all seven of his appearances until tonight. He was through another three scoreless frames against Oakland, bringing his season ERA to 2.09 over 47 1/3 frames.
While Blanco’s pedestrian strikeout and walk rates suggest he’s likelier to pitch like a mid-rotation arm moving forward, he has been a massive boost to an otherwise rough starting staff. Aside from Blanco, Hunter Brown and rookie Spencer Arrighetti are the only Houston pitchers who have made more than five starts. Brown and Arrighetti each have an ERA north of 7.00. That’s also true of J.P. France, who was optioned in late April and subsequently suffered a shoulder injury.
The Astros have welcomed Framber Valdez, Justin Verlander and Cristian Javier back from the injured list over the past few weeks. Manager Joe Espada said last night that the Astros were going to run a six-man rotation of Valdez, Verlander, Javier, Blanco, Brown and Arrighetti for the time being (X link via MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart). That’s designed to manage the staff’s workloads as they navigate a stretch with only one day off until June 6. A likely suspension for Blanco could put that plan on hiatus for a couple weeks.