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Twins Acquire Kody Clemens From Phillies

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TODAY: The trade has been officially announced, with the Phillies receiving cash considerations in exchange for Clemens.

APRIL 25: The Phillies are trading infielder Kody Clemens to the Twins, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Philadelphia had designated him for assignment earlier in the week. Minnesota adds infield depth within an hour of losing rookie second baseman Luke Keaschall to a broken arm.

It’s the second DFA infield pickup for the Twins in as many weeks. They made a similar move to bring in corner bat Jonah Bride from Miami. Clemens, a left-handed hitter, has 402 MLB plate appearances under his belt. He owns a .197/.244/.367 slash over parts of four seasons. The Texas product has been far more productive in Triple-A. Clemens has hit .259/.331/.507 in nearly 1300 plate appearances at the top minor league level.

Clemens spent two-plus seasons in Philadelphia. He was included as part of the Gregory Soto/Matt Vierling trade during the 2022-23 offseason. They’d shuttled him on and off the active roster for the first two seasons, but he has now exhausted his minor league options. Philadelphia couldn’t get him back to Triple-A without running him through waivers. While he broke camp as a result, Clemens wasn’t playing enough to make that a worthwhile use of a roster spot. He didn’t start a single game and had come off the bench for just six plate appearances.

There should be a better path to at-bats in Minnesota. The Twins recently lost Willi Castro to the injured list as well. Clemens and Bride are multi-positional infielders off the bench. Neither can really play shortstop, but Clemens could factor at any of the other infield spots and in the corner outfield. He could play some second base when the Twins want to use Edouard Julien as the DH.

They’ll open an active roster spot by placing Keaschall on the injured list. They created a 40-man roster spot by running minor league catcher Diego Cartaya through outright waivers this afternoon.

Cubs Backed Out Of Offseason Luzardo Trade After Medical Review

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The Cubs pulled out of an offseason trade agreement with the Marlins that would have sent Jesús Luzardo to Chicago after a review of the lefty’s medical records, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Luzardo spent time on the injured list last season with both elbow inflammation and a lumbar stress reaction in his back; the latter injury kept him from pitching after late June. Specifics on the return that the Cubs would have sent to Miami remain unreported.

It stands to reason the trade would have occurred in the middle of December. Rosenthal writes that the Luzardo talks took place after the team’s two-year agreement with Matthew Boyd on December 2. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported on December 14 that the Cubs had shown interest in Luzardo. Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reported two days later that the Cubs were pushing to get a deal done. By December 19, Levine had reported that talks were essentially dead.

Miami pivoted quickly, trading Luzardo to the Phillies on December 22. Philadelphia sent prospects Starlyn Caba and Emaarion Boyd to their division rivals while also acquiring minor league catcher Paul McIntosh. The Cubs aimed lower in their rotation pursuit. They signed swingman Colin Rea to a one-year, $5MM deal in January. Rea began the season as the sixth starter but has drawn into the rotation after Chicago lost Justin Steele to season-ending UCL surgery.

In his first session with Philadelphia media around the New Year, Luzardo said he’d “felt 100% the whole offseason.” He noted that the back injury had impacted him for most of the ’24 season before becoming something through which he could no longer pitch. He said in December that he felt it was “all figured out” and “back to normal.”

The Phillies were clearly comfortable with their review. It’s not unheard of for teams to have differing evaluations on a player’s medicals. The Yankees pulled out of a Jack Flaherty deadline deal before he was traded to the Dodgers last summer. The Braves and Orioles each backed out of free agent agreements with Jeff Hoffman prior to his three-year deal with the Blue Jays. They’re not completely analogous — free agent signees go through a physical examination, while teams usually just review the medical records of their trade targets — but this isn’t unique.

Luzardo has gotten out to a fantastic start with the Phils. He’s averaging just over six innings per appearance and owns a 2.08 earned run average through 30 1/3 frames. He has fanned 30% of opponents while averaging 96.4 MPH on his fastball — a tick above last season’s 95.2 mark. None of that guarantees that he’ll stay healthy, of course, but the Phillies are surely pleased with the early returns.

The southpaw will take the ball at Wrigley Field tomorrow opposite Ben Brown in the second game of a weekend set. He’s making $6.225MM this season and will likely earn something in the $10-12MM range for his final arbitration trip in 2026. Luzardo will hit free agency in advance of his age-29 campaign two years from now.

Logan Gilbert Likely Headed For MRI With Forearm Tightness

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11:26pm: Gilbert told reporters (including Adam Jude of The Seattle Times) that he expects to go for an MRI tomorrow.

9:59pm: The Mariners announced that Logan Gilbert exited tonight’s start against the Marlins with forearm tightness. Gilbert had fired three perfect innings with a trio of strikeouts. He was lifted for Casey Lawrence to begin the fourth.

Gilbert’s fastball was in the 94-95 MPH range throughout the night. His final heater checked in at 95.4 MPH, right in line with his 95.6 MPH season average. The stuff still seemed sharp, but the M’s are obviously going to be extremely cautious with any kind of forearm discomfort. Gilbert entered play tonight with a 2.63 earned run average and 41 strikeouts through his first 27 1/3 innings. It was an even more impressive start than last year, when he landed sixth in AL Cy Young balloting after posting a 3.23 ERA over an MLB-high 208 2/3 frames.

Skipper Dan Wilson will presumably provide more information postgame. It’s impossible to know the severity this soon, but it’s a concerning development anytime a top pitcher experiences forearm discomfort. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Mariners send Gilbert for imaging over the weekend.

Seattle opened the season without star righty George Kirby, who battled shoulder inflammation early in Spring Training. Kirby progressed to throwing a bullpen session before tonight’s game, his first mound work after a six-week shutdown (link via Daniel Kramer of MLB.com). He’s expected to throw live batting practice next week. Kirby appears to be progressing nicely, but he’s certainly still weeks away from a return to major league action.

Luis Castillo, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller have filled their customary mid-rotation spots behind Gilbert. The final rotation spot has been a struggle in Kirby’s absence. Luis F. Castillo allowed seven runs in as many innings over two starts. Emerson Hancock has given up 10 runs across 11 2/3 frames in three outings.

Dodgers, Nick Senzel Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Dodgers have reached agreement with infielder Nick Senzel on a minor league contract, reports Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. He’ll presumably head to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Senzel makes his return to affiliated ball after a brief stop in Mexico. The former #2 overall pick had signed with the Mexican League’s Tecolotes de los Dos Laredos. It didn’t take long for him to find interest from a big league club. Senzel hit .591 with three homers, four walks, and one strikeout over six games. That attracts attention even in an exceptionally hitter-friendly league.

A veteran of parts of six MLB seasons, Senzel divided last year between a pair of rebuilding clubs. He signed a $2MM deal with the Nationals and was released in July after hitting .209/.303/.359 over 64 games. Senzel briefly caught on with the White Sox, but they moved on after just 10 appearances. He elected free agency in August and had remained unsigned until getting the opportunity in Mexico.

Senzel never panned out as the Reds had expected when they drafted him so highly. He turned in a .239/.302/.369 line through parts of five seasons — much of that spent as Cincinnati’s primary third baseman. He’ll try to get back to the highest level in Los Angeles, where third base has been an issue. Max Muncy is out to a .171/.273/.237 start with 32 strikeouts in 88 plate appearances.

Gregory Santos To Undergo Cleanup Knee Surgery

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The Mariners placed Gregory Santos on the 15-day injured list this afternoon. Seattle announced that the reliever is dealing with right knee inflammation. Adam Jude of The Seattle Times relays that Santos will undergo a cleanup surgery to repair cartilage next week.

Seattle announced last week that Santos would be optioned to Triple-A. It seems they subsequently learned of his knee discomfort. Santos didn’t make an appearance in the minors. Players who were injured while in the majors cannot be optioned, so the option was rescinded and he lands on the MLB injured list instead.

The return timeline isn’t clear, though GM Justin Hollander said the team expects he’ll make it back before the end of the season (video provided by Marine Layer Podcast). It wouldn’t be all that surprising if he winds up on the 60-day injured list when the team needs a 40-man roster spot, though.

The M’s acquired Santos from the White Sox over the 2023-24 offseason. He’d posted a 3.39 ERA over 60 appearances in his lone season in Chicago. His tenure in the Pacific Northwest has been marred by injury. Santos suffered a lat strain midway through his first Spring Training. That shelved him into July. He went back on the injured list a few weeks later with biceps inflammation and finished the year with all of eight appearances.

Santos has made eight appearances this year as well. He’s allowed six runs (four earned) on eight hits and eight walks. He hasn’t recorded a single strikeout among 36 batters faced. The Mariners will hope for something more closely resembling his 2023 form after the knee surgery. Santos figures to eclipse three years of major league service during the season and will qualify for arbitration next winter.

Guardians To Promote Doug Nikhazy

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The Guardians list left-hander Doug Nikhazy as their probable starter for the second game of tomorrow’s doubleheader against the Red Sox. Cleveland already added him to their 40-man roster over the offseason. Teams are permitted to carry an extra player on the active roster during a doubleheader, so they won’t need to make any corresponding moves.

It’ll be Nikhazy’s major league debut. Cleveland drafted the Ole Miss product in the second round in 2021. The 6’0″ southpaw has turned in generally solid numbers over four minor league seasons. He owns a 3.87 earned run average across 346 1/3 professional innings. Nikhazy turned in a 2.98 ERA through 123 2/3 frames divided between the top two minor league levels last year. He punched out a little more than a quarter of opponents while issuing walks at a slightly elevated 10.8% clip.

Baseball America ranked Nikhazy as the #16 prospect in the Cleveland system over the offseason. BA writes that he features a four-pitch mix that’s headlined by his slider and changeup. He doesn’t throw hard, averaging 90.9 MPH on his fastball this season. The secondaries have generally missed bats, though Nikhazy’s fringe command means he’s not quite a pitchability lefty.

Nikhazy has worked 18 1/3 innings across four starts at Triple-A Columbus this year. He has allowed nine runs, seven earned, with 22 strikeouts and seven walks. Tomorrow’s start will probably be a one-off enabled by the extra roster spot, but his solid minor league track record means he could be up and down as rotation depth over the course of the season.

Rockies Select Owen Miller

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The Rockies announced the selection of infielder Owen Miller onto the major league roster. Colorado optioned third catcher Braxton Fulford back to Triple-A Albuquerque in a corresponding move. The Rox opened a 40-man roster spot by transferring Thairo Estrada from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.

Miller reaches the majors for the fifth consecutive season. He played somewhat regularly with Cleveland between 2021-22, combining for a .231/.283/.338 slash over 190 games. The Guardians traded him to Milwaukee over the 2022-23 offseason. Miller posted a .261/.303/.371 line in 314 plate appearances during his first season with the Brewers. He wasn’t much of a factor last year, appearing in only 14 games before being designated for assignment in July.

The right-handed hitter cleared waivers and remained in Triple-A with Milwaukee for the rest of the year. The Brewers dealt him to the Rockies in the opening days of the offseason. He made 28 appearances this spring as a non-roster invitee. Miller began the year in Triple-A, where he’s hitting .244/.322/.372 with two homers through 90 trips to the plate. While that’s not especially impressive in the Pacific Coast League, Miller posted a more respectable .276/.354/.392 line in Triple-A last year. He’s not an option at shortstop but can back up the other three infield positions.

Ryan McMahon is the everyday third baseman. The injury to Ezequiel Tovar has pushed Aaron Schunk into regular shortstop work. Youngster Adael Amador is starting at second base on most days, while Kyle Farmer is also mixing into the middle infield. Miller joins Farmer on Bud Black’s bench. He’s out of minor league options, so the Rockies would need to designate him for assignment if they decide to take him off the MLB roster.

Estrada’s IL transfer officially rules him out for the first two months of the season. The 60-day minimum backdates to Opening Day. Estrada broke his right wrist when he was hit by a pitch late in Spring Training. He would have opened the season as the starting second baseman after signing a $3.25MM free agent contract.

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Braves Outright Jose Suarez

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The Braves outrighted lefty José Suarez to Triple-A Gwinnett, relays David O’Brien of The Athletic. Atlanta had designated him for assignment on Monday when they acquired Scott Blewett.

Suarez landed with the Braves a month ago. Atlanta and the Angels agreed on a change-of-scenery swap for Ian Anderson. It didn’t work for either team. Suarez has gone unclaimed on waivers, while Anderson is in limbo after the Halos designated him for assignment last night.

The 27-year-old Suarez made three appearances before the DFA. He managed 7 1/3 innings of three-run ball, but he walked a tightrope to do so. Suarez issued free passes to seven of 30 batters faced while recording only five strikeouts. While he only allowed three hits, more than half the batted balls against him were hit at an exit velocity of at least 95 MPH.

Suarez looked like a capable back-end starter for the Angels between 2021-22. His production has tanked since then, as he carries a 6.56 earned run average over the past three seasons. He lost a good chunk of the ’23 campaign to a shoulder strain, and he spent time in Triple-A last year after being waived by the Halos.

While Suarez could have declined this assignment in favor of free agency, he would have forfeited what remains of his $1.1MM salary to do so. He’ll head to Gwinnett as long relief depth and try to pitch his way back onto the big league roster. He’d become a minor league free agent at season’s end if the Braves don’t call him back up.

Royals Notes: Caglianone, Ragans, Marsh

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Royals top prospect Jac Caglianone is playing right field for Double-A Northwest Arkansas tonight. It’s the first career outfield work for the lefty power hitter, who had played exclusively first base since being drafted with the #6 overall pick last summer. Caglianone had been a two-way star at the University of Florida, but his only defensive work for the Gators also came at first.

It’s an interesting development considering the Royals have (yet again) gotten very little production from their outfield. Kansas City outfielders were hitting .191/.252/.280 going into play on Thursday. They’re second from the bottom in MLB in all three slash stats — ahead of the White Sox in batting average and slugging, while leading the Braves in on-base percentage. They’re tied for the major league low with four home runs.

That’s not a new problem. MLBTR’s Steve Adams wrote about the Royals’ longstanding outfield woes in a post for Front Office subscribers last May. In the nearly full calendar year since then, their outfield has hit .225/.282/.364 in more than 1700 plate appearances. GM JJ Picollo acknowledged in February the front office was disappointed they were unable to land a significant upgrade during the offseason.

The Royals ran an Opening Day outfield of MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe for the second straight season. They shook things up by optioning Melendez last week. Drew Waters has drawn into the lineup instead. He’s playing well in a tiny sample, but he’s a career .233/.307/.400 hitter who has fanned in a third of his big league plate appearances. Renfroe has followed last year’s .229/.297/.392 showing with a dismal .164/.258/.200 slash through 62 trips to the dish.

Caglianone topped 30 home runs in each of his final two seasons at Florida. He struggled over 29 High-A games after the draft, but he’s out to a much stronger start this season. He owns a .300/.374/.529 line with four homers and doubles apiece at Double-A. If he’s not quite on the radar for a major league call yet, a midseason promotion isn’t far-fetched. College hitters selected in the upper half of the first round often reach the big leagues during their first full professional season. Two such players, Cam Smith and Nick Kurtz, are already in the majors.

The path would be a lot cleaner if Caglianone can play a passable right field. Vinnie Pasquantino is the everyday first baseman. While they don’t have a set DH, Salvador Perez sees a good amount of time there to keep him in the lineup when he’s not catching. Caglianone could run his fastball into the upper 90s as a pitcher, so he certainly has the arm strength. The far bigger question is whether he’s mobile enough to play anywhere other than first. He’s listed at 6’5″, 250 pounds and unsurprisingly grades as a below-average runner on scouting reports. It appears the Royals will at least gauge his outfield ability in the minors.

In more immediate news, the team is awaiting word on Cole Ragans. The star left-hander came out of this afternoon’s start after three innings, during which he allowed four runs to Colorado. Anne Rogers of MLB.com writes that Ragans was hampered by left groin tightness and will go for further testing tomorrow.

The Royals have used a rotation comprising Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic and Michael Lorenzen all year. Kyle Wright and Alec Marsh could have pushed Lorenzen for the fifth starter spot, but they each opened the season on the injured list. Marsh has battled shoulder soreness dating back to the offseason. He was shut back down a few weeks ago after suffering renewed discomfort, but skipper Matt Quatraro told reporters that he’ll restart a throwing program tomorrow (link via The Associated Press).

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