Astros Notes: McCormick, Javier, Urquidy, Hader
The Astros placed Chas McCormick on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 28, before tonight’s matchup with the Guardians. The outfielder is dealing with right hamstring discomfort. Infielder Jacob Amaya was recalled in his place, while the Astros also brought up Trey Cabbage (a move first reported by Ari Alexander of KPRC 2) to take the spot vacated when they optioned José Abreu last night.
McCormick had a tough first month of the season. The typically steady left fielder is out to a .236/.325/.278 slash through 83 plate appearances. He still has yet to hit a home run after connecting on a career-high 22 longballs a season ago. McCormick had been an above-average hitter in each of his first three campaigns. Last year’s .273/.353/.489 line was the best work of his career.
His effort to get on track will be put on pause by the hamstring issue, although there’s nothing to suggest he’s facing a long-term absence. Joey Loperfido has gotten the nod in left field for the past two nights. The rookie could be in line for regular playing time on the grass after hitting 13 homers in 25 games for Triple-A Sugar Land. Loperfido could also pick up first base reps as the Astros rotate through options to replace Abreu. Jon Singleton has gotten the nod at that position in each of the last two games.
McCormick and utility infielder Grae Kessinger are Houston’s only position players on the IL. They haven’t been nearly as fortunate on the pitching side. Most of their rotation has spent time on the injured list at some point. Luis Garcia and Lance McCullers Jr. are still a ways away in their rehabs from arm surgeries, while José Urquidy and Cristian Javier are on the 15-day IL.
Houston released encouraging updates on the latter two right-handers this afternoon. Manager Joe Espada told reporters (including The Athletic’s Chandler Rome) that the Astros might reinstate Javier to start Sunday’s matchup with the Mariners. Javier has been out since April 18 with neck discomfort, so he could make it back not long after the 15-day minimum if things go well in the next few days.
Urquidy has been battling a longer-term ailment. He reported elbow pain in Spring Training and was eventually diagnosed with a forearm strain. Urquidy has been on the IL for the entire season but could be nearing a rehab stint. Espada indicated that the 29-year-old threw 30 pitches in a live batting practice session today (X link via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). If Urquidy gets through one more session without issue, he could report to a minor league affiliate to build into game shape.
In a rare Astros pitching development not related to injury, Espada tabbed star closer Josh Hader for a two-inning stint in yesterday’s extra-inning win over the Guards. The Astros called on Hader to keep the game tied in the top of the ninth. When both teams failed to score, they sent him back out for the tenth. He allowed the automatic runner to score but got credited for the win when Victor Caratini popped a two-out walk-off homer in the bottom half.
That was not just Hader’s first multi-inning appearance of the season. It was the first time he’d worked more than one inning in a regular season game since 2020; he hadn’t completed two full innings since 2019 when he was a member of the Brewers. As he became more established, Hader had been vocal about not wanting to work more than one inning.
The five-time All-Star indicated that’s no longer the case now that he has secured a five-year, $95MM free agent contract. Hader told the Houston beat that his expectation for 2024 is “to be available for multiple innings” (link via The Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara). The southpaw contrasted that to the past few seasons when he was going through the arbitration system and didn’t have long-term financial security. Those comments may not sit well with the Milwaukee or San Diego fanbases, but it’s a nice boost for the Astros.
Hader has had some uncharacteristic struggles in his first month in Houston. He has allowed 10 runs (nine earned) through his first 12 2/3 innings. Hader has recorded 21 strikeouts behind a huge 16% swinging strike rate, though, so he should find more consistency as the season goes along. The back of the bullpen has been a surprising disappointment thus far. Bryan Abreu and Ryan Pressly have also scuffled, contributing to Houston’s 10-19 start.
D-Backs’ Kyle Nelson To Undergo Thoracic Outlet Surgery
Diamondbacks reliever Kyle Nelson will undergo surgery to treat thoracic outlet syndrome, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (link via Alex Weiner of Arizona Sports). There’s no official timetable for Nelson’s return to game action, but the Snakes placed him on the 60-day injured list when they called up Brandon Hughes this afternoon.
The track record for players, especially pitchers, returning from thoracic outlet surgery is mixed. Players like Matt Harvey and Chris Archer never regained their pre-surgery form, while the condition essentially ended Stephen Strasburg’s career. On the other hand, Nelson’s teammate Merrill Kelly has perhaps had the best post-TOS career of anyone to undergo the procedure to date. Kelly recently suffered a shoulder injury but had been healthy and very effective between his 2020 surgery and this April. Nelson’s bullpen mate Ryan Thompson has also rebounded after undergoing a TOS procedure while he was a member of the Rays in 2021.
However Nelson’s long-term recovery plays out, his loss deals an immediate hit to the Arizona relief group. A waiver claim from the Guardians three years ago, he owns a 3.47 ERA in 114 innings with the Snakes. Nelson outperformed middling strikeout and walk numbers in 2022 before flipping the script a year ago.
While his ERA jumped nearly two runs between 2022 and ’23, Nelson dramatically increased his strikeout rate and sliced his walk percentage. He has made 11 appearances this year. He opened the season by rattling off eight consecutive scoreless outings before giving up a combined five runs in 1 2/3 frames over his last three games. Nelson will be eligible for arbitration for the first time next offseason.
Arizona has four left-handers in the current bullpen mix: Hughes, Andrew Saalfrank, Joe Mantiply and long man Logan Allen. Hughes and Allen were recent additions to the 40-man roster who might not hold long-term spots, while Saalfrank has spent most of the season in the minors. The Snakes recently snagged grounder specialist Joe Jacques off waivers from the Red Sox and optioned him to Triple-A Reno. Adding a more proven lefty relief arm could be a midseason goal if the D-Backs stick in the playoff mix.
White Sox Outright Zach Remillard
White Sox utilityman Zach Remillard went unclaimed on outright waivers, according to the transaction log at MLB.com. A previous career outright gives him the right to test minor league free agency, but Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate announced that Remillard is back on their roster.
The Coastal Carolina product sticks with the only organization for which he’s played. A 10th-round draftee in 2016, Remillard slowly climbed the minor league ladder. He got his first big league call a year ago. Remillard played in 54 games as a rookie, turning in a .252/.295/.320 line through 160 plate appearances. The Sox outrighted him from the 40-man roster over the winter.
Remillard stuck in the organization at Triple-A Charlotte. Chicago selected him back onto the MLB roster in mid-April, but he only took five plate appearances in two games. He was designated for assignment last week when the Sox needed to clear 40-man roster space for Danny Mendick. While Mendick had been tearing the cover off the ball in Triple-A, Remillard has gotten out to a .120/.224/.160 start.
The 30-year-old has a fairly modest .237/.333/.365 slash in more than 1100 career Triple-A plate appearances. He’s a versatile defender who has extensive experience at all four infield spots and in left field.
Angels Select Amir Garrett
The Angels announced they’ve selected reliever Amir Garrett onto the MLB roster. They optioned righty Davis Daniel and placed Mike Trout on the 10-day injured list to create active roster space for Garrett and newly-signed outfielder Kevin Pillar. To open space on the 40-man roster, the Halos moved Michael Stefanic and Chase Silseth to the 60-day injured list.
Garrett inked a minor league deal with the Halos not long after Opening Day. The southpaw had been in camp with the Giants but issued seven walks in 6 1/3 Spring Training innings, leading to his release. Garrett has found his form with the Angels’ top affiliate in Salt Lake, where he has fanned 10 in 7 1/3 frames. He has walked four and allowed only two runs in the Pacific Coast League.
That was enough to get the 31-year-old (32 next month) back to the majors for what’ll be his eighth season. Garrett was a quality setup arm for the Reds early in his career. His results have been less consistent over the last couple years, largely because of scattershot control. Garrett walked over 15% of batters faced in each of the last two seasons. A near-18% walk rate led the Royals to release him last summer even though he had a reasonably solid 3.33 ERA in 27 appearances.
Matt Moore stands as the top lefty setup man for skipper Ron Washington. José Suarez has occupied a long relief role, where he has struggled to a 10.13 ERA across 16 frames. Garrett adds a third southpaw to the bullpen mix, where he’ll pitch mostly in single-inning stints.
Silseth has been sidelined since April 8 with inflammation in his throwing elbow. He has been playing catch but hasn’t progressed to mound work. Today’s transfer backdates to Silseth’s original IL placement, so he’ll be out until at least the first week of June. Stefanic, meanwhile, is out until the end of May thanks to a Spring Training quad strain. He hit .290/.380/.355 in 25 big league contests a year ago.
Angels Sign Kevin Pillar
The Angels announced they’ve signed veteran outfielder Kevin Pillar to a major league contract. He steps into an outfield that just lost Mike Trout for at least 4-6 weeks to knee surgery. Pillar is represented by All Bases Covered Sports Management.
Pillar spent last season with the Braves, where current Halos skipper Ron Washington was on staff as third base coach. He held his roster spot with Atlanta all season despite a tepid .228/.248/.416 batting line over 206 plate appearances. That’s in large part a testament to the regard with which he was held in the Braves clubhouse. Pillar signed a one-year deal with the White Sox for 2024 but turned in a .160/.290/.360 slash in 32 trips to the plate.
The Sox designated him for assignment last week when they added Tommy Pham onto the big league roster. Pillar cleared waivers and became a free agent, but it didn’t take long for him to get another MLB job. He adds a right-handed complement to Mickey Moniak, who is in line for the majority of the center field reps while Trout is on the injured list. Pillar is no longer a high-end defender in center field, but he’s capable of playing all three outfield spots.
Taylor Ward and Jo Adell will take the majority of the corner outfield reps. Moniak is off to a very slow start, hitting .143/.200/.214 in 60 plate appearances. Pillar will serve as a fourth outfielder alongside infield/outfield hybrids like Cole Tucker and potentially Luis Rengifo, who played 134 innings on the grass a year ago.
There’s no financial downside for the Halos. Pillar will only cost them the prorated $740K league minimum for whatever time he spends on the roster.
Seven Veterans With Opt-Out Opportunities Tomorrow
As part of the 2022 collective bargaining agreement, MLB and the Players Association agreed to a few automatic opt-out dates for some veteran players on minor league contracts. Article XX(B) free agents — generally, players with over six years of MLB service who finished the preceding season on a big league roster — who sign minor league contracts more than ten days before Opening Day receive three uniform chances to retest free agency if they’re not promoted.
The first comes five days before the start of the season. For players who pass on that initial opt-out, they have additional windows to explore the open market on both May 1 and June 1 if they’ve yet to secure a spot on the 40-man roster. There were 31 players who initially had that option in Spring Training.
Eleven of them — Carlos Carrasco, Garrett Cooper, Chase Anderson, Tyler Duffey, Dominic Leone, Matt Barnes, Eddie Rosario, Jesse Winker, Jesse Chavez, Brad Keller and José Ureña — are now on major league rosters. Kevin Pillar, Bryan Shaw and Joely Rodríguez also landed MLB jobs but were subsequently designated for assignment. Rodríguez remains in DFA limbo with the Red Sox. Shaw cleared waivers and signed a minor league deal with the Angels. Pillar elected free agency over the weekend.
Five of these players — Matt Duffy, Kolten Wong, Carl Edwards Jr., Drew Pomeranz and Curt Casali — triggered their first opt-out and have since signed new minor league contracts, either with their previous organization or a different club. They presumably secured some kind of opt-out provision in their new deals, but they no longer have an automatic May 1 out date. Five others — Elvis Andrus, Eduardo Escobar, Mike Moustakas, C.J. Cron and Jake Odorizzi — were let go and have yet to sign elsewhere.
The other seven players have the option to retest free agency tomorrow. None of the group has played well enough to likely leverage their opt-out right into an immediate MLB job, but two or three could decide to hit the market and look for a better minor league opportunity elsewhere.
Angels: OF Jake Marisnick
Marisnick has spent most of his career as a glove-first outfielder off the bench. He’s a right-handed hitter with some pop against lefty pitching but subpar on-base skills. Marisnick had appeared in 46 MLB games between three teams a season ago, but he hasn’t been on the field much in 2024. He made just five appearances for the Halos’ top affiliate in Salt Lake before going on the minor league injured list on April 17.
Blue Jays: 1B Joey Votto
Votto inked a minor league deal with his hometown team early in Spring Training. The former MVP indicated at the time he was prepared to open the season in Triple-A. Votto suffered an ankle injury during his first exhibition game and has spent the entire season on the minor league IL. Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith tweeted last week that Votto was running but had yet to resume hitting live pitching. It feels safe to assume he’ll pass on this opt-out chance and continue working back to health with the Jays. Daniel Vogelbach, who is on the MLB roster as a lefty bench bat, hasn’t produced (.111/.304/.167) over his first 23 plate appearances. That could open a path for Votto to get to Rogers Centre once he’s healthy.
Cubs: OF David Peralta
Peralta opened the season on the injured list with Triple-A Iowa. He was reinstated on April 10 and has appeared in 13 contests. The left-handed hitter has drawn nine walks with only seven strikeouts through his first 55 plate appearances, but he hasn’t done any kind of damage on contact. Peralta has just two extra-base hits (both doubles) and an overall .214/.364/.262 line through the season’s first month. The former Gold Glove left fielder played in 133 games for the Dodgers a year ago, hitting .259/.294/.381 over 422 plate appearances. He underwent surgery to repair a flexor tear in his throwing arm last October but has been able to play the outfield this season.
Mets: 1B Jiman Choi
Choi lost a camp battle with DJ Stewart this spring. He reported to Triple-A Syracuse but hasn’t made much of an impact. The left-handed hitter is out to a .191/.333/.340 start with a near-27% strikeout rate over 60 plate appearances. The Mets probably wouldn’t add him to the MLB roster, but Choi could take the opportunity to look for another minor league deal with a team that has a clearer path to first base/DH time. Pete Alonso and J.D. Martinez have those spots secured in Queens, while Stewart and Mark Vientos are above him on the depth chart as bench bats. Choi struggled with injuries in 2023 but was an above-average offensive performer with the Rays between 2019-22.
Rangers: Shane Greene
Greene has made three MLB appearances in each of the last two seasons. The right-hander was excellent in a limited look in Triple-A with the Cubs last year but has had a terrible start to 2024. Greene has walked 14 of the first 49 batters he’s faced for Round Rock, allowing 15 runs in eight innings. The Express placed him on the IL last week. Texas certainly can’t give him a spot in the MLB bullpen at this point. There’s a good chance Greene elects to stay in Round Rock as he tries to get healthy and find his command.
Red Sox: Michael Fulmer, Roberto Pérez
Neither Fulmer nor Pérez has played this season. Fulmer will miss the entire year after undergoing elbow surgery last fall. His contract is a two-year deal; he almost certainly won’t be exercising any of his three opt-out chances.
Pérez missed most of 2023 after undergoing a rotator cuff repair on his right shoulder. He played in seven games this spring but has spent the regular season on the minor league IL with an undisclosed injury. The Sox have gotten excellent play from their catching tandem of Connor Wong and Reese McGuire in the season’s first month. Perhaps Pérez feels there’s a better path to playing time if he signs a minor league deal with another team, but it seems likelier he’ll stick in the organization.
Red Sox Acquire Bailey Horn From White Sox
The Red Sox have acquired left-hander Bailey Horn from the White Sox, per announcements from both clubs. The White Sox, who designated him for assignment in recent days, will receive cash considerations. The southpaw has been optioned to Triple-A Worcester.
Horn was a fifth-round pick by the ChiSox in the shortened 2020 draft. The Sox dealt the Auburn product to the Cubs the following season in exchange for veteran reliever Ryan Tepera. Horn pitched his way to Triple-A in the Cubs system and was added to the 40-man roster last offseason. While the Cubs were wary about losing Horn in the Rule 5 draft, they pushed him off the 40-man before Opening Day.
The Sox reacquired their one-time draftee in a deal that sent minor league pitcher Matt Thompson to the Cubs. Horn spent a couple weeks on optional assignment to Triple-A Charlotte. He got out to a rough start, allowing 13 runs over 10 1/3 innings. The 26-year-old surrendered four homers and issued 10 free passes, although he did record 15 strikeouts. The White Sox never called him up before last week’s DFA.
Boston has a few openings on the 40-man roster after recent DFAs of Pablo Reyes and Joely Rodríguez. They’ve recently subtracted Rodríguez and Joe Jacques (who was claimed off waivers by the Diamondbacks) from their left-handed relief depth. They’ll partially backfill the depth with Horn, who has a full slate of options and has missed plenty of bats in the minor leagues. Boston chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is certainly familiar with Horn, as Breslow had spent the past few seasons as an assistant general manager with the Cubs.
Latest On A’s Stadium Plan
The A’s have retained an investment banking firm in an effort to procure $500MM in private funding towards the construction of their Las Vegas ballpark, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. The A’s are prepared to offer minority ownership shares in the franchise to potential investors as they put together financing for their estimated $1.5 billion stadium.
Last summer, Nevada lawmakers approved $380MM in public funding — taking the form of state tax credits, county-issued bonds and a county credit — to offset a chunk of the cost. Shortly thereafter, MLB approved the A’s relocation efforts. A political action committee has sued the state in an effort to overturn the public funding law, but there’s no indication that’s currently a serious threat to the relocation.
Even with the public money in hand, the A’s are set to pay upwards of $1.1 billion in estimated construction costs. Shaikin notes the public funding law requires the A’s to present a specific financing plan for their balance. The organization is evidently looking for half a billion dollars in outside investment to meet those obligations.
While the financial specifics were previously unclear, dangling ownership shares to investors has long been the organization’s plan. Owner John Fisher told Howard Stutz of the Nevada Independent in January that he was considering selling minority stakes to Vegas-area investors. Fisher made clear in that interview that he and his family “would retain majority ownership and (continue to) oversee operations” of the franchise.
The A’s plan to complete construction on their 33,000-seat facility on the Vegas strip in time for the 2028 season. They’re playing their final year in Oakland before a three-year move to Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park between 2025-27.
Dodgers Notes: Brasier, Heyward, Buehler
The Dodgers were dealt a minor hit to their bullpen this evening, as they placed Ryan Brasier on the 15-day injured list with a right calf strain. Gus Varland is back up from Triple-A Oklahoma City to take the open roster spot.
Brasier has gotten out to a bit of a slow start. He has allowed six runs over 11 2/3 innings, largely thanks to a trio of home runs. Brasier’s 12:3 strikeout-to-walk ratio remains solid, although his whiff rate and velocity are down from last season. It’s early enough in the year that the Dodgers presumably aren’t too concerned.
The veteran went from unheralded pickup to high-leverage arm late in 2023 thanks to a brilliant finish. After carrying a 7.29 ERA in 21 innings with the Red Sox, he posted a 0.70 mark over 38 2/3 frames in L.A. The Dodgers re-signed Brasier to a two-year, $9MM pact over the winter.
Manager Dave Roberts provided a couple additional updates before tonight’s game in Arizona. Jason Heyward has still yet to ramp up his activity nearly a month after landing on the injured list (X link via Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). Roberts indicated Heyward’s recovery from lower back soreness has taken longer than the organization initially expected.
As with Brasier, Heyward went from buy-low free agent pickup to ket contributor. The veteran outfielder hit 15 homers with a .269/.340/.473 slash in 377 plate appearances as a platoon bat last season. Los Angeles brought him back early in the offseason via a one-year, $9MM deal. Heyward hasn’t had much of a chance to make an impact this year, as the back injury sent him to the IL after four games. The bottom of the order was initially a problem, but the immediate success of top prospect Andy Pages has stabilized right field over the last two weeks.
Dodger fans will also need to wait a little longer for Walker Buehler’s 2024 debut. The right-hander is going to make another start for Oklahoma City tomorrow, tweets Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. It’ll be his sixth rehab appearance. Buehler continues to build back after missing all of last season rehabbing his second career Tommy John procedure. He has shown some understandable rust, allowing 12 runs with nine walks in 16 2/3 innings.
Marlins Outright Kyle Tyler
Marlins right-hander Kyle Tyler went unclaimed on waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Jacksonville, per the transaction log at MLB.com. As a player who has been outrighted multiple times in his career, Tyler has the ability to choose minor league free agency.
The 27-year-old may nevertheless decide to stick with Miami. The Marlins have shuttled through a number of long relievers (i.e. Tyler, Kent Emanuel, Matt Andriese) as their bullpen has shouldered a heavy load in the season’s first few weeks. That gives pitchers on the fringes of the roster a few days of major league pay.
Tyler was selected onto the MLB club on April 20. He spent a week on the roster, appearing in one game. He tossed two innings of one-run ball in his first major league action since 2022. Tyler has pitched twice for Jacksonville, allowing four runs through five frames. He has struck out six while walking a pair. The Oklahoma product has tossed 44 1/3 innings over parts of three Triple-A seasons, pitching to a 5.68 ERA.