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Giants Release Yolmer Sanchez

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The Giants have released infielder Yolmer Sanchez from their alternate training site, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Sanchez requested the move to pursue other opportunities, per Pavlovic.

The 28-year-old Sanchez spent the first six seasons of his career as a member of the White Sox, with whom he provided subpar offense and strong glovework from 2014-19. The switch-hitter ended his White Sox tenure with a line of .244/.299/.357 (78 wRC+), 31 home runs and 30 steals across 2,436 plate appearances. Defensively, Sanchez logged a combined 5,000-plus innings between second and third in Chicago, where he accounted for 19 DRS and a 22.5 Ultimate Zone Rating between the two positions. Sanchez even took home an American League Gold Glove at the keystone last year.

Despite his defensive prowess, the White Sox decided to non-tender Sanchez in the offseason in lieu of paying a projected $6.2MM in arbitration. After clearing waivers, Sanchez elected free agency and signed a minor league pact with the Giants in late January. He’s now back on the open market for the first time since then.

Mariners Select Aaron Fletcher, Activate Yoshihisa Hirano

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The Mariners on Friday announced a trio of moves involving pitchers. The club selected southpaw Aaron Fletcher from its alternate training site, reinstated right-hander Yoshihisa Hirano from the injured list and placed lefty Taylor Guilbeau on the 10-day IL with a shoulder strain.

The Mariners will get their first look at Fletcher, a 14th-round pick of the Nationals in 2018. Along with Guilbeau and Elvis Alvarado, Fletcher joined Seattle last summer in a trade that delivered relievers Roenis Elias and Hunter Strickland to Washington. The 24-year-old Fletcher combined for a 3.72 ERA with 11.2 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 over 19 1/3 innings during his Double-A debut last year, and now ranks as the Mariners’ No. 21 prospect at MLB.com.

Like Fletcher, Hirano’s now in line to make his first appearance as a Mariner. The former Diamondback, 36, signed with the M’s for $1.6MM during the winter, but he hasn’t pitched this season as a result of a positive coronavirus test. He’ll bring a 119 1/3 innings of MLB experience with a 3.47 ERA/3.85 FIP, 9.05 K/9 against 3.39 BB/9, and a 47.7 percent groundball rate to the Mariners’ bullpen.

In terms of run prevention, Guilbeau has been excellent this year, as he has yielded only one ER and eight hits in 7 2/3 innings. However, he has managed just three strikeouts against six walks.

Latest On Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies

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The Braves have gone without their top outfielder, Ronald Acuna Jr., since he suffered a left wrist injury Aug. 11. Ten days later, it doesn’t appear a return is imminent, David O’Brien of The Athletic relays. While Acuna has progressed, manager Brian Snitker said he still hasn’t swung a bat yet (via O’Brien). The hope is that Acuna will resume that activity Saturday, but the Braves won’t know how much more time he’ll miss until he begins doing so.

Atlanta has been able to tread water since Acuna last played, having gone 3-3 without him. At 14-11 overall, the Braves lead the National League East by 1 1/2 games over the Marlins, but even the division’s last-place clubs (Philadelphia and Washington) are a manageable three back. That makes it all the more important for Acuna to heal quickly.

As the owner of a .258/.372/.515 line with four home runs in 78 plate appearances, the 22-year-old Acuna was amid yet another high-end season before he hit the shelf. And the Braves have seen a couple more notable changes to their outfield since then, as Nick Markakis went on the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday and the team promoted star prospect Cristian Pache. However, Pache hasn’t gotten a chance to debut yet because of a rainout Wednesday and an off day Thursday. He’ll make his first appearance as the Braves’ starting left fielder Friday.

Elsewhere in its lineup, Atlanta has had to make do without another of its exciting young talents, second baseman Ozzie Albies, who went to the IL on Aug. 5 with a bone contusion in his right wrist. Albies is closer to a comeback than Acuna, per O’Brien, though he’s also without a clear timetable at the moment.

Albies got off to an uncharacteristically poor start (.159/.196/.273 with one homer in 46 PA), but the 23-year-old was among the game’s best second basemen from 2017-19. Atlanta has deployed Johan Camargo and Adeiny Hechavarria at the keystone over the past couple weeks, but neither has performed well. Thanks to the struggles of Albies, Camargo and Hechavarria, Braves second basemen rank 29th in the majors in wRC+ (42) and are tied for last in fWAR (minus-0.6).

Yankees Place James Paxton On Injured List

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Aug. 21, 3:43pm:: The Yankees have placed Paxton on the IL with a Grade 1 flexor strain.

12:53pm: Paxton’s official diagnosis is a flexor strain, Heyman tweets. He’s likely to be placed on the injured list.

12:08pm: MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that Paxton received relatively good news on the MRI. His injury is believed to be muscular in nature, as opposed to a structural issue with a ligament.

Aug. 20: Yankees left-hander James Paxton is dealing with forearm discomfort and will undergo an MRI, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports.

Paxton started the Yankees’ loss to the Rays on Thursday and performed decently, throwing five innings of one-hit, three-run ball with eight strikeouts against four walks. In all, though, it certainly hasn’t been a great platform season for the oft-injured 31-year-old, who entered Thursday with a 7.04 ERA and a below-average 4.97 FIP in 15 1/3 innings. And though Paxton did begin his latest start with excellent strikeout and walk numbers (10.57 K/9, 1.76 BB/9), his average fastball has clocked in just under 93 mph – well below the 95-96 area he sat in from 2016-19.

While Paxton clearly hasn’t had a banner season, a long-term absence – which forearm troubles often lead to – would be more unwelcome news for an injury-plagued, starter-needy New York club. Even after a sweep at the hands of the Rays, Yankees are still 16-9 and in wild-card position. However, their only reliable starter to date has been Gerrit Cole, while Masahiro Tanaka and Jordan Montgomery have joined Paxton in failing to provide a front-end complement to Cole. As such, whether or not Paxton’s injury proves to be serious, the Yankees could be in the market for rotation help as the Aug. 31 trade deadline approaches.

60-Man Player Pool Additions: D-backs, Rangers, Brewers

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The latest 60-man player pool moves from around the league, all via team announcements…

  • Outfielder Kristian Robinson is now in the Diamondbacks’ pool (not the one at Chase Field just yet). The club signed the Bahamian for a $2.5MM bonus in 2017, and he’s now the Diamondbacks’ No. 1-ranked prospect at MLB.com, which also ranks him 47th overall in the sport. MLB.com calls the 19-year-old “a physical specimen” who could develop into a “revered” slugger in the majors. Robinson divided last year between low-A and Single-A, slashing .282/.368/.514 with 14 home runs in 291 plate appearances.
  • The Rangers have added second baseman Justin Foscue, their first-round pick this year, to their pool. The 21-year-old Foscue joined the Rangers as the 14th overall choice after an outstanding run at Mississippi State. Texas locked him up for a below-slot bonus ($3.25MM) in late June.
  • Catcher Payton Henry is now at the alternate training site of the Brewers, who used a sixth-round pick on him in 2016. The 23-year-old Henry, who hit .242/.315/.395 with 14 home runs in 482 plate appearances at Single-A last season, possesses “considerable raw power” and has made enough progress behind the plate to stick as a catcher, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs writes.

IL Placements: P. Baez, Knebel, Swanson, Wieters

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There were several 10-day injured list placements around the majors Thursday afternoon. Here’s a rundown…

  • The Dodgers placed reliever Pedro Baez on the IL with a right groin strain and recalled righty Josh Sborz. Baez was in the midst of yet another quality season before the wheels came off in his three most recent appearances, in which he allowed a combined four earned runs on three hits (including two homers) in 2 2/3 innings. In all, he has pitched to a 3.97 ERA/5.35 FIP with 6.35 K/9 and 3.97 BB/9 over 11 1/3 frames.
  • Brewers reliever Corey Knebel went down with a strained left hamstring. The team recalled infielder/outfielder Mark Mathias to take Knebel’s roster spot. 2020 has been a rough go for Knebel, a former star closer who has slumped in his first action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2019. The 28-year-old, who has allowed at least one earned run in five of nine appearances, owns a 9.45 ERA with 9.45 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 across 6 2/3 innings.
  • The Mariners sent righty Erik Swanson to the shelf with an ominous-sounding injury – a forearm strain. Despite averaging almost 96 mph on his fastball and totaling seven strikeouts against one walk, Swanson has allowed nine earned runs on seven hits and three HRs in 5 1/3 innings.
  • The Cardinals put catcher Matt Wieters on the IL when they activated starting backstop Yadier Molina. Wieters is dealing with a left toe contusion. Andrew Knizner will back up Molina in place of Wieters, who has gone without a hit in 13 plate appearances on the year.

Rangers Place Willie Calhoun, Elvis Andrus On IL; Select Yadiel Rivera

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6:50pm: Calhoun has a low-grade strain that will keep him out at least three weeks, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.

5:54pm: The Rangers have placed outfielder Willie Calhoun (left hamstring strain) and shortstop Elvis Andrus (lower back strain) on the 10-day injured list, the team announced. They also selected infielder Yadiel Rivera’s contract and recalled right-hander Kyle Cody.

Calhoun and Andrus are notable names for the Rangers, though neither has produced as hoped for the 10-13 club so far in 2020. Calhoun finally began realizing the potential he had as a prospect last season, but the 25-year-old has stumbled to a line of .172/.206/.224 (5 wRC+) with no home runs in 63 plate appearances. He has mostly alternated with Shin-Soo Choo in left field and at DH, but the Rangers have also mixed in several other players in those spots.

Andrus, 31, has been a high-end contributor for the Rangers at times, but he’s now in the throes of a third straight abysmal offensive season. Eighty-two plate appearances in, he has batted .184/.244/.250 (28 wRC+) and joined Calhoun in failing to hit a homer. Andrus played every game for the Rangers through Aug. 16, but Isiah Kiner-Falefa has taken the helm at short since then.

The 28-year-old Rivera, who signed a minor league deal with the Rangers last offseason, brings some major league shortstop experience to the table. He lined up there with the Brewers and Marlins from 2015-19, but if history’s any indication, he won’t provide an upgrade over Andrus. Rivera has hit a meager .178/.248/.221 (33 wRC+) with one HR over 314 trips to the plate in the bigs.

Giants Designate Joe McCarthy

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The Giants announced that they’ve designated outfielder Joe McCarthy for assignment to make room for just-promoted catcher Joey Bart. They also optioned catcher Tyler Heineman.

McCarthy was a 2015 fifth-round pick of the Rays, and though he became a decently regarded prospect with the franchise, he struggled with their Triple-A affiliate last season. Tampa Bay then traded McCarthy to the Giants for lefty Jacob Lopez at last year’s deadline.

During his first action with the San Francisco organization in 2019, McCarthy batted a terrible .165/.247/.241 in 89 Triple-A plate appearances. While he still managed to open 2020 as San Francisco’s starting right fielder, McCarthy was unable to take advantage of the opportunity over a mere 10 PA, as he struck out five times and failed to collect a hit.

Twins Place Mitch Garver, Byron Buxton On Injured List

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4:50pm: The Twins don’t seem overly concerned about Buxton, who’s dealing with soreness, manager Rocco Baldelli said (via Park). Baldelli added Buxton’s surgically repaired labrum is in good shape.

3:55pm: The Twins have placed catcher Mitch Garver (right intercostal strain) and center fielder Byron Buxton (left shoulder inflammation) on the 10-day injured list, per Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. In other moves, they selected catcher Ryan Jeffers and recalled both righty Zack Littell and outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr.

Already down third baseman Josh Donaldson for the past three weeks, the Twins are now missing a couple more regulars in Garver and Buxton. But Garver, who was quietly one of the majors’ elite offensive performers in 2019, has started slowly this year with a .154/.262/.212 line and just one home run in 61 plate appearances. Fortunately for Minnesota, backup Alex Avila, who has played frequently thanks to Garver’s struggles, has gotten on base at a 41.5 percent clip through 41 PA, though he hasn’t hit for average (.200) or power (one homer).

With Garver down, Jeffers will join Avila to make up the Twins’ top two catchers. Jeffers, 23, joined the Twins as a second-round pick in 2018 and has posted great numbers at all four minor league levels at which he has played (rookie ball, Single-A, High-A, Double-A). MLB.com ranks Jeffers as the club’s sixth-best prospect, crediting him for his all-around game and positing that he looks like the Twins’ “catcher of the future.”

Buxton’s injury looks rather troubling when you consider he underwent season-ending surgery on the same shoulder last September. There’s no word this time on whether he’ll require an absence of more than 10 days. Like Garver, Buxton has not begun well at the plate (.221/.225/.456 with five HRs in 71 attempts). The defensive standout has once fared splendidly in that area, though, and has played center in every Twins game over the past couple weeks. Max Kepler, Jake Cave and Wade took the reins there last season when Buxton went down. They’re candidates to do so again now.

Blue Jays Designate Anthony Alford

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The Blue Jays have designated outfielder Anthony Alford for assignment, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.

A former football standout, Alford joined the Blue Jays as a third-round pick in 2012 and became a prospect of note across the majors within a few years. He ranked as a top 100 farmhand in each year from 2016-18, owing in part to impressive production at the minors’ lower levels. In the last of those years, Baseball America wrote that Alford’s “ability to get on base and play plus defense at a premium position give him the potential to be an above-average regular.”

Despite the promise he showed in his younger days, MLB opportunities have been hard to come by for the 26-year-old Alford. So far, he has amassed just 75 big league plate appearances, including 16 this season, and batted .155/.200/.254 (18 wRC+) with two home runs, five steals and a 40 percent strikeout rate. Meanwhile, Alford’s numbers have been uninspiring in Triple-A, where he has taken 749 plate appearances and hit .250/.326/.374 with 12 homers and 39 steals on 54 attempts.

Toronto will now have a week to trade, release or pass Alford through waivers. Alford has no minor league options remaining, so any team that acquires him would have to sneak him through waivers if it were to send him to its alternate site.

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