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5 Key Stories: 7/15/17 – 7/21/17

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Here’s a look back at this week’s key stories from around the league.

Yankees get Todd Frazier, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle from White Sox. The Yankees and White Sox pulled off a blockbuster this week, with the Yankees upgrading their corner infield spots with Todd Frazier and their bullpen with David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle. The White Sox, meanwhile, received Tyler Clippard, plus three prospects (including two former first-round picks, Ian Clarkin and Blake Rutherford. In the wake of the deal, the White Sox also announced the promotion of Yoan Moncada, one of the game’s top overall prospects, to the Majors.

J.D. MartinezDiamondbacks acquire J.D. Martinez. In yet another significant July trade, the Diamondbacks acquired slugger J.D. Martinez from the Tigers for a trio of prospects headed by young infielder Dawel Lugo. The Tigers seemingly continue to be one of the more buzzed-about teams on the trade market, with Justin Wilson, Justin verlander and Ian Kinsler all coming up in various scenarios.

Mariners acquire David Phelps. The Frazier/Robertson and Martinez deals weren’t the only big one this week. The Marlins shipped righty reliever David Phelps to Seattle in exchange for a quartet of prospects headed by outfielder Brayan Hernandez. The Mariners had a busy week, also acquiring lefty Marco Gonzales from the Cardinals in exchange for outfielder Tyler O’Neill and sending veteran relievers Mark Lowe and Jean Machi to the White Sox.

Nationals deal for Sean Doolittle, Ryan Madson. The Nationals boosted their bullpen this week by acquiring veteran relievers Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson from the Athletics in return for Blake Treinen and a pair of prospects. The Nats remain interested in acquiring pitching and have been connected to a number of the remaining bullpen names.

Pablo Sandoval set to return to Giants. Last week, the Red Sox began the process of cutting ways with third baseman Pablo Sandoval. This week, he agreed to head back to his former team, the Giants, on a minor-league deal.

Photo Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Brewers Considering Trading For Ian Kinsler

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2:17pm: The Brewers’ interest in Kinsler will likely hinge on fellow second baseman Eric Sogard’s health, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets. Sogard is returning from a DL stint caused by an ankle injury. He’s hit brilliantly in 162 plate appearances this season, with a .331/.438/.485 line thus far.

10:54am: The Brewers are exploring the possibility of trading for Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets. The Brewers have also recently been connected to Tigers trade possibilities like Justin Verlander and Justin Wilson, so it’s possible a deal for Kinsler could be one of many trade scenarios involving Detroit they’re considering.

The 35-year-old Kinsler is currently hitting .244/.324/.397 while receiving typically above-average reviews for his defense. Current Brewers second baseman Jonathan Villar has struggled this season, batting just .223/.287/.350 after a breakout season in 2016. Acquiring Kinsler might allow the Brewers to move Villar back into the utility role he occupied last year. The extension Kinsler signed with the Rangers in 2012 is front-loaded, so it’s less of a concern than it might typically be for a payroll-conscious team like the Brewers — Kinsler makes just $11MM this season, plus a $5MM buyout or a very reasonable $10MM option for 2018.

The 52-47 Brewers are somewhat of a surprise contender this year and are only now emerging from a retooling phase. They’re also in the midst of a six-game losing streak. Seen from that perspective, they might be somewhat reluctant to deal top young talent for a veteran like Kinsler. When they’ve contended in the recent past, though, they have not been shy about paying high prices for stars like Zack Greinke (for whom they gave up a very costly package of Lorenzo Cain, Jake Odorizzi, Alcides Escobar and Jeremy Jeffress) and CC Sabathia (who cost them Michael Brantley). Their outlook on such trades might be somewhat different now with David Stearns replacing Doug Melvin at GM, but then again perhaps not, since they’ve also been strongly connected to Athletics ace Sonny Gray.

NL Trade Notes: Dodgers, Darvish, Cardinals, Kendrick

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The Dodgers (and the Cubs, whose interest we’ve already noted) were among the teams scouting Rangers star Yu Darvish last night, the MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets. Darvish struck out 12 Rays batters over eight innings. The Dodgers already have good starting pitching, with Clayton Kershaw, Alex Wood, Rich Hill, Brandon McCarthy and Kenta Maeda all healthy, but Darvish would of course improve any team’s rotation. The righty currently has a 3.45 ERA, 9.4 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 over 125 1/3 innings. He’s eligible for free agency after the season. Here’s more from the NL.

  • Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak is frustrated with his team’s “attitude and culture” and might look to make changes to improve those things, MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch writes. The Cardinals are now 47-49, and their exact plans for the deadline aren’t quite clear. They were linked, and then un-linked, to J.D. Martinez before he the Diamondbacks acquired him, and they recently dealt Marco Gonzales to Seattle. “I feel like I don’t have that silver bullet to say, ’Hey if we go do this, we will be greatly improved,'” says Mozeliak, who also bluntly expressed frustration with the way the Cardinals’ players have performed. “I feel like I’m not going to make excuses for people or players. Everybody points the finger upstairs to try and find the solution or the move. Well, maybe 25 [players] need to look in the mirror.”
  • The Phillies could still trade 2B/OF Howie Kendrick if they keep him through the non-waiver trade deadline, writes Ryan Lawrence of PhillyVoice, who argues that Pat Neshek is the Phillie most likely to be traded by the end of the month. Kendrick only recently returned from a hamstring injury, giving the Phillies a limited amount of time to showcase him before July 31. Lawrence argues Kendrick’s injury troubles and his approximately $3.3MM in 2017 salary he’ll have left beginning on August 1 make Kendrick a candidate to clear waivers and leave Philadelphia in August, just as Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz did in years past. I’d argue that Kendrick’s .349/.403/.476 line this year could make that scenario somewhat unlikely, but there’s little doubt that the timing of his return could make dealing him a bit tricky for the Phils.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Red Sox, Frazier, Yankees, Gray, Cubs

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Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, via a video on FOX Sports.

  • A Red Sox trade for White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier seems “almost inevitable,” according to Rosenthal. (Rosenthal’s choice of words is strikingly strong here.) The Red Sox need a short-term infusion of power at third, with top prospect Rafael Devers as their long-term answer at the position. Frazier, who is eligible for free agency next winter, fits the bill perfectly, in Rosenthal’s view. Frazier has batted a modest .210/.331/.438 in 326 plate appearances this season, but he has a solid history of hitting for power and has batted a robust .248/.377/.540 since June 4 after getting off to a slow start to the year.
  • The Yankees will be buyers at the deadline, but will be cautious, not wanting to sacrifice too much future value in exchange for immediate upgrades, says Rosenthal. One team that matches their needs well is the Athletics, who have help at first base (Yonder Alonso) and on the mound (Sonny Gray and a number of relievers).
  • Rosenthal characterizes Gray to the Cubs as unlikely — Gray would likely cost Ian Happ or another top young hitter, and Rosenthal guesses the Cubs would rather go forward with their current collection of rotation talent (which, of course, now includes Jose Quintana) and sign a free agent next winter. Rosenthal points out, though, that whatever the Cubs’ actual level of interest, both the Cubs and Athletics probably like the perception that the Cubs want Gray, since the extra name on the market increases pressure on the Brewers, who’ve also been connected to him.

Giants Place Johnny Cueto On DL, Activate Madison Bumgarner

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4:52pm: The Giants have placed Cueto on the 10-day DL, Shea tweets. It’s still possible Cueto could make it back before the non-waiver deadline, of course, but his presence on the DL with further complicate any attempt on the Giants’ part to trade him, particularly if he stays there long. His DL placement will make room for the activation of ace Madison Bumgarner, who hasn’t pitched since April 19 after injuring his shoulder in a dirt bike accident. Bumgarner will make his long-awaited return to San Francisco’s rotation Saturday.

9:34am: Giants righty Johnny Cueto is dealing with blister issues and could miss his next start, as various reporters, including John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle, have noted. Cueto pitched just four innings in his start against the Padres last night, throwing 82 pitches, then had tape on his index finger, middle finger and thumb after the game.

“It feels like they’re cut,” Cueto said, suggesting that a tighter texture of the baseballs this year as compared to last might be to blame for the problem. Various pitchers have commented on the textures of the baseballs this season.

“I think the best thing for me to do is take some time off,” says Cueto. “I can’t tell you whether or not I’m going to skip (my next start). It depends on how I feel. Right now, it feels bad.”

Missing a start this close to the non-waiver trade deadline could, of course, affect Cueto’s trade market, which was already complicated due to a variety of factors. (There have been few recent indications that the Giants are looking to trade Cueto despite their 35-56 record this year, although it stands to reason they would at least be open to making a deal under the right circumstances.) Cueto hasn’t been outstanding this season, with a 4.59 ERA, 8.0 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 over 115 2/3 innings. And while his current deal calls for him to be paid $21MM per year through 2021, plus a $5MM buyout on a $22MM option for 2022, he can opt out of the deal after this season and collect the $5MM buyout while becoming a free agent. He’ll also receive a $500K assignment bonus if he’s traded. Those factors make Cueto’s value “lower than a rental’s,” as one GM told FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal even before the blister issues emerged.

Joe Ross To Have Tommy John Surgery

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Nationals starter Joe Ross will have Tommy John surgery on Wednesday in Texas, Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post tweets. The Nats pulled Ross from his most recent start, then placed him on the DL with what the team first described as triceps discomfort and then as an elbow sprain.

Ross will, obviously, miss the rest of the season. The loss leaves the Nationals with a lack of good rotation depth — they have an enviable front four in Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark, but there’s a considerable dropoff after that. Potential short-term options include A.J. Cole, Jacob Turner, Austin Voth and Edwin Jackson, none of whom have done much this season to inspire confidence. Prospect Erick Fedde has fared well this year, but he only recently reached the Triple-A level.

The Nationals could, then, enter the trade market for starting pitching. As Jeff Todd pointed out yesterday, the Nats don’t necessarily need an extra starter for the playoffs, and they have a comfortable 9.5-game lead in the NL East. But the addition of another starter would likely give their bullpen a degree of comfort while also insuring themselves against the possibility of another injury to a starting pitcher.

The 24-year-old Ross had a 5.01 ERA in 73 2/3 innings this season, largely because of his 16 home runs allowed in that span. He posted 8.3 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 37.5 GB% that had fallen off sharply from the 49.8% rate he posted as a rookie in 2015.

Indians Interested In Sonny Gray

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The Indians are “evaluating” Athletics starter Sonny Gray, ESPN’s Buster Olney tweets. The extent of the Indians’ interest isn’t yet known.

Gray is in the midst of a strong season with Oakland, with a 3.69 ERA, 8.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 over 84 2/3 innings. Unsurprisingly, a large number of teams have been connected to Gray lately, including the Astros, Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Cubs and Brewers.

The Indians’ rotation boasts a strong one-two punch this season in the form of Corey Kluber and Carlos Carrasco, and Mike Clevinger has fared reasonably well in 11 starts this year. The rest of its starting corps, though, has been uneven — Trevor Bauer’s results have lagged behind his peripherals, and both he and Josh Tomlin have ERAs over five. Danny Salazar, meanwhile, is on a rehab assignment after missing time due to a shoulder issue.

Cardinals Place Stephen Piscotty On 10-Day DL

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The Cardinals have announced that they’ve placed outfielder Stephen Piscotty on the 10-day DL with a right groin strain. To take his place on the active roster, they’ve recalled outfielder Magneuris Sierra from Double-A Springfield.

[Related: St. Louis Cardinals News & Rumors on Facebook]

The move leaves the Cardinals conspicuously short in the outfield, having placed Randal Grichuk on the 10-day DL yesterday with a lower back strain. In place of those players, the Cardinals will lean on Jose Martinez and Sierra to flank Dexter Fowler and Tommy Pham in the Cards’ outfield.

Grichuk has struggled this season and Piscotty hasn’t been outstanding (.236/.348/.371), so the 28-year-old Martinez has out-hit both players in his first sustained bit of big-league action, with a .280/.321/.464 line over 135 plate appearances. The 21-year-old Sierra, though, might be over his head if given much playing time — he’s batted a good, but not excellent, .293/.326/.403 for Springfield and has limited experience above the Class A level. He did fare well in two brief big-league stints earlier this year. MLB.com rates him the Cardinals’ eighth-best prospect.

The Cardinals also have another strong outfield prospect in Harrison Bader who’s hit very well for Triple-A Memphis. Unlike Sierra, though, Bader isn’t currently on the club’s 40-man roster, which might be why the Cardinals promoted Sierra instead for a stint in the big leagues that might again be short.

White Sox Acquire Yeyson Yrizarri From Rangers For International Bonus Slot

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The Rangers have announced that they’ve traded minor-league infielder Yeyson Yrizarri to the White Sox for an international bonus slot. The move gives the Rangers additional flexibility to sign international amateur talent. Their July 2 class is currently headlined by Venezuelan outfielder Wilderd Patino ($1.3MM), Venezuelan shortstop Keyber Rodriguez ($1M) and Mexican right-hander Damian Mendoza ($1M).

That Yrizarri would be traded for the rights to international bonus spending is somewhat ironic, since he himself was the product of an earlier international spending spree. The 20-year-old Dominican signed for $1.35MM during the Rangers’ 2013-14 signing period, in which they spent more than $8MM on international talent. He has played this season for Class A Hickory and Class A+ Down East, posting a cumulative line of .258/.285/.399 with 57 strikeouts and just six walks.

Despite a worrisome lack of strike-zone control, though, Yrizarri does rate as a real prospect — MLB.com rated him the No. 17 farmhand in the Rangers organization, praising his bat speed and noting that he seems likely to stick at shortstop. He’ll join a White Sox prospect list that’s heavy on players also acquired in recent trades, including Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Eloy Jimenez, Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez and Dylan Cease, although, of course, he’ll rank lower on the list than any of those players.

Pablo Sandoval Interested In Reunion With Giants

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There’s at least some possibility the Red Sox’ recent decision to designate Pablo Sandoval for assignment could result in the veteran heading back to San Francisco, FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes. Sources close to Sandoval indicate that he would be highly interested in returning to the Giants, despite comments he made during his first Spring Training with Boston in which he claimed the only Giants he would miss were Bruce Bochy and Hunter Pence.

The Giants’ own level of interest is less clear, and GM Bobby Evans recently demurred when asked about Sandoval (which is standard policy, since Sandoval is still technically a member of another organization). Whispers surrounding the club indicate, however, that the team is at least considering bringing Sandoval back.

Once he clears waivers, the Red Sox can outright Sandoval to Triple-A or release him, at which point he’ll be able to sign elsewhere at a prorated portion of the league-minimum salary. Whatever happens, the Red Sox are extremely likely to be on the hook for the remainder of Sandoval’s contract, which pays him about $50MM more through 2019.

After a three-season tenure in Boston marked mostly by injuries and poor hitting, it’s unsurprising that Sandoval would now have a different view about playing with the Giants. While in San Francisco, he was a part of three World Series titles (including 2012, when he was World Series MVP, and his last year with the club in 2014), and made two All-Star teams.

What’s less clear is how the Giants might view a player who’s shown few glimpses of his early-career talent since departing for Boston, particularly one who burned bridges with the organization as he departed. As Andrew Baggarly of the Bay Area News Group points out, the Giants have frequently brought back former players (such as Ryan Vogelsong and Travis Ishikawa) after stints elsewhere. But it’s hard to see what purpose re-acquiring Sanodval would serve, unless the Giants feel he would benefit quite dramatically from a change of scenery.

A trade of Eduardo Nunez could technically leave the Giants with a vacancy at third base, but they might prefer to take a closer look at former KBO slugger Jae-gyun Hwang. (Another possibility, Christian Arroyo, is currently on the shelf with a hand injury.) And in general, a 35-56 team would not seem likely to be interested in 30-year-old veteran three years removed from his last good season. Perhaps, though, the Giants could find space for Sandoval to reestablish himself in Triple-A, or count on him to contribute in big-league bench role.

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