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Diamondbacks’ Seth Beer Tests Positive For COVID-19

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Diamondbacks first baseman/outfielder Seth Beer has tested positive for COVID-19, manager Torey Lovullo told Zach Buchanan of The Athletic and other reporters. It’s unclear whether Beer is asymptomatic, Buchanan adds. Regardless, he’ll need to log two consecutive negative tests before he’s eligible to rejoin the Diamondbacks.

Arizona’s among the teams hit hardest by the virus in recent weeks. Prior to Beer, the club saw several players – outfielder Kole Calhoun, pitchers Junior Guerra and Silvino Bracho, as well as multiple unnamed individuals – test positive for the illness. The Diamondbacks also lost righty Mike Leake for the season, as he opted out of playing because of health concerns.

Beer isn’t on the Diamondbacks’ 40-man roster, but the team does have him in its 60-man player pool. The 23-year-old power hitter is a recent first-round pick, having gone 28th overall to the Astros in 2018, and joined the D-backs in the two clubs’ blockbuster Zack Greinke deal at last summer’s trade deadline. Beer accrued 533 plate appearances between High-A and Double-A ball in 2019, when he slashed .289/.388/.516 with 26 home runs.

Orioles Announce 2 Draft Signings

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The Orioles have announced the signings of third-round shortstop Anthony Servideo and fourth-round third baseman Coby Mayo, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com tweets. Mayo’s above-slot agreement of $1.75MM was first reported a little under a month ago.

Servideo, previously with Mississippi, also inked an above-slot deal. He signed for $950K, outpacing the $844,200 recommended value of the 74th overall pick, Jim Callis of MLB.com reports. MLB.com ranked Servideo as the 110th-best prospect available before the draft, crediting him for his ability to draw walks, his speed and his adeptness as a defender. While the 21-year-old Servideo only amassed 87 plate appearances during a shortened 2020 college season, he did bat an outstanding .390/.575/.695.

Servideo’s one of three members of this year’s Orioles draft class from the Southeastern Conference, joining first-round outfielder Heston Kjerstad (Arkansas) and supplemental first-round shortstop Jordan Westburg (Mississippi State). Those two have also already signed, as has second-round outfielder Hudson Haskin. The only recent O’s pick who’s not officially under contract is fifth-round pitcher Carter Baumler, as Joe Trezza of MLB.com notes, but it appears the two sides will finalize a contract sometime soon.

Robbie Ray Discusses Pending Free Agency

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As a pending free agent who’s about to embark on a pandemic-shortened season, Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray is facing an especially uncertain future. Ray figures to cash in on his next contract – at least, relative to the majority of other soon-to-be free agents – but perhaps not to the extent that he would have on the heels of a typical 162-game campaign. However, Ray is optimistic he won’t take too much of a hit.

In regards to the upcoming free-agent market, Ray told reporters (including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic and Zach Buchanan of The Athletic): “I think there’s still going to be money out there for guys. You can look towards next year, getting fans in the stands and things like that. I don’t think there’s going to be any kind of issue.”

It remains to be seen whether that will be the case a year from now. In the meantime, Ray – who’s certainly hoping to make a push for as big a payday as possible next winter – has spent the past few months ramping up in an effort to hit the ground running when the regular season kicks off. With that in mind, he’s set on playing in 2020.

“I, honestly, need to pitch this year,” he said.

As things stand, Ray will enter the market as one of the most appealing starters available in a class that looks as if it will generally lack young, high-caliber options. Ray hasn’t consistently posted top-end run prevention numbers, evidenced by his 4.11 ERA/3.97 FIP across 790 2/3 innings, and he also walked a bit over four batters per nine in the majors. But his age (29 in October) and elite strikeout ability should help lead to a good amount of interest from teams looking to better their rotations. Dating back to 2016, Ray’s 11.86 K/9 ranks third among all starters, trailing Chris Sale and Max Scherzer. He also came in third in that category last season, fanning 12.13 hitters per nine to rank behind only Scherzer and Gerrit Cole.

COVID-19 Notes: Bryant, Nola, Jays, A’s, Giants

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Cubs third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant has become the game’s latest superstar to voice his apprehension over a potential 2020 Major League Baseball campaign. Speaking to Steve Greenberg of the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters Monday, Bryant stated in regards to MLB’s COVID-19 testing problems: ‘‘What we agreed to was testing every day. We have had guys here that showed up on Sunday and hadn’t gotten tested again seven days later. And then you don’t get the results for two days, either, so that’s nine days without knowing. And I think if we really want this to succeed, we’re going to have to figure this out.”

Bryant – who had to wait five days between his first and second tests – added that he doesn’t feel comfortable about playing this year, which aligns with what fellow MVP winner Mike Trout stated last week. Like Trout, there’s no indication Bryant will opt out. However, Bryant noted that it ‘‘wouldn’t surprise me at all” if the league were to end up canceling the season.

  • Phillies No. 1 starter Aaron Nola had been out of Summer Camp because of coronavirus protocols, but he reported Monday and revealed why he was sidelined, per the Associated Press. While Nola did not test positive, he was exposed to someone who did, which forced him to stay away from the club for a short period. “If you don’t have symptoms and you come in contact with somebody who ends up testing positive, you’re out for probably at least seven days,” Nola said. “That could possibly be two starts. It’s obviously going to be a hard part of it. And sometimes it’s out of our control. We just have to try to do our part every day.”
  • The Blue Jays opened Summer Camp in Toronto, but one of their players tested positive for the coronavirus at their spring training facility in Dunedin, Fla., Bob Nightengale of USA Today was among those to report. As a result, the Blue Jays left 12 players in Florida who had “direct contact” with the person who tested positive, Nightengale writes. This isn’t the first time the virus has posed a significant problem for Toronto, which had to shut down its spring complex last month because of positive tests. And COVID could prevent the Jays from playing their regular-season home games in Toronto this year, though they continue to hope that won’t be the case.
  • Delays in receiving test results have been a problem for the Athletics, whose general manager, David Forst, has expressed his frustration over the matter. But the A’s finally did get the latest results, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com, and their position players were able to practice in Oakland on Monday night. Forst did not comment on whether anyone tested positive, though.
  • Two more individuals in the Giants organization have logged positive tests, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets. Their identities aren’t known to the public, so it’s unclear whether they’re players. Giants outfielder Hunter Bishop and infielder Luis Madero previously tested positive.

Dodgers Sign 2nd-Rounder Clayton Beeter

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The Dodgers have signed supplemental second-round pick Clayton Beeter to an over-slot bonus worth $1,196,500, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets. As the 66th overall pick, the right-hander’s selection came with a recommended value of $1,003,300. The Dodgers added Beeter to their 60-man player pool after signing him.

Los Angeles acquired the pick it used on on Beeter from Minnesota in the teams’ offseason trade centering on righty Kenta Maeda. The 21-year-old Beeter’s a past Tommy John surgery patient (2017), but he rebounded to post effective numbers at Texas Tech from 2019-20. While Beeter only threw 41 2/3 innings as a Red Raider, he notched a 2.81 ERA with a jaw-dropping K/9 of 15.8. Beeter did walk almost a batter per inning (8.7 BB/9) during his first college season, but that number shrunk to a far more palatable 1.7 this year. He possesses a 93 to 98 mph fastball and a “wipeout” curveball-slider combination, according to Callis, and entered the draft as MLB.com’s 51st-ranked prospect.

Now that Beeter’s under wraps, the Dodgers have secured all six of their picks from this year’s class. Here’s a refresher on their other five choices:

Rob Manfred Reportedly “Jumped On” Mike Rizzo Over COVID Testing Comments

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The reigning World Series champion Nationals are among the teams whose COVID-19 testing hasn’t gone smoothly in Summer Camp. The club had to cancel its workout Monday because of a delay in receiving coronavirus results, and general manager Mike Rizzo voiced his dissatisfaction with the situation.

“Without accurate and timely testing it is simply not safe for us to continue with Summer Camp,” Rizzo said, in part. “Major League Baseball needs to work quickly to resolve issues with their process and their lab. Otherwise, Summer Camp and the 2020 Season are at risk.”

Rizzo’s reaction didn’t go over well with commissioner Rob Manfred, Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post reports. A source told Svrluga, “The commissioner jumped on him for that.”

While Manfred may be upset that Rizzo made his displeasure known publicly, the GM’s concerns are understandable, partially because the virus has taken such a significant toll on his club. Two of the Nationals’ players, whose identities aren’t publicly known, tested positive over the weekend, manager Dave Martinez announced (via Jessica Camerato of MLB.com). Even before then, the Nationals saw infielder Ryan Zimmerman, right-hander Joe Ross and catcher Welington Castillo opt out of playing this year on account of health-related worries. Additionally, closer Sean Doolittle – whose wife has a lung condition that puts her at higher risk of contracting the virus, and who’s not a sure bet to play this season – has expressed concern over the delay in results that the Nats have experienced.

Meanwhile, this could go down as the latest p.r. hit for Manfred, who – after months of sparring over season length with the union – implemented a 60-game schedule in June. Manfred went on to suggest last week that the league never thought playing more than 60 games in 2020 would be feasible, though he subsequently walked back those remarks.

Kole Calhoun Tests Positive For COVID-19

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Diamondbacks outfielder Kole Calhoun has tested positive for COVID-19, manager Torey Lovullo announced Monday (via Zach Buchanan of The Athletic). Fortunately, Calhoun’s asymptomatic and doing well, per Lovullo. Whether Calhoun will be ready for the start of the regular season is unclear, though, as he’ll have to quarantine for two weeks and test negative for the virus twice before returning to action.

A member of the Angels from 2012-19, Calhoun joined the Diamondbacks in free agency on a two-year, $16MM guarantee over the winter. The 32-year-old will bring a lifetime line of .249/.322/.424 and the strong right field defense he’s known for whenever he makes his Diamondbacks debut. The club has the likes of Ildemaro Vargas, Jon Jay, Tim Locastro and Josh Rojas among its potential outfield options in the event Calhoun does miss time.

Calhoun’s the third known member of the D-backs’ roster to test positive for the virus, joining pitchers Junior Guerra and Silvino Bracho. But they’re just a few of several individuals in the organization who have tested positive, while starter Mike Leake opted out of the season altogether because of health concerns.

MLB, MLBPA Seeking Additional Medical Lab Site For COVID Testing

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COVID-19 test results haven’t come in at an acceptable rate for several Major League Baseball teams early in Summer Camp. The slow process has negatively affected the Athletics, Angels, Astros and Nationals, though MLB expressed confidence Monday that it won’t be an issue going forward.

For its part, the MLBPA sent a memo to player agents Monday saying that it and the league are “actively pursuing an additional medical lab site to increase the speed and efficiency of test processing and reporting,” Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets.

It’s a common-sense move to work to expedite the process of receiving test results, considering the season is supposed to start in under three weeks and players are expected to undergo testing every day. A player who tests positive for the coronavirus is required to quarantine for two weeks, and he must test negative twice and exhibit no symptoms before he’s able to rejoin his team. With only 60 games scheduled for each club this regular season, it’s all the more crucial for everyone involved to find out test results as quickly as possible.

Quick Hits: Pirates, Hayes, Moran, Royals, Hill, Lopez

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A few items from around the game…

  • The Pirates have one of baseball’s top prospects in third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, who’s part of their 60-man player pool, but first-year manager Derek Shelton will ease him into a regular role slowly. Pittsburgh’s currently planning on sticking with Colin Moran at the hot corner, per Shelton, who said (via Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic): “I don’t think it’s an open competition. You’re going to see Colin there a lot. I think you’re going to see other people there … but you’re going to see Colin there.” The 27-year-old Moran, acquired from the Astros in the teams’ January 2018 Gerrit Cole trade, was the Pirates’ primary option at third during the previous two seasons. Moran only produced 0.8 fWAR in 968 plate appearances, in which he batted .277/.331/.419. Nevertheless, the Pirates believe it’s best for Hayes to continue his development as an understudy. The 23-year-old did reach Triple-A for the first time in 2019, but his .265/.336/.415 line across 480 PA was 8 percent below the International League average, according to FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric.
  • Multiple players’ positive coronavirus tests, including the Rockies’ Charlie Blackmon and the Giants’ Hunter Bishop, have become public knowledge in recent days. Major League Baseball doesn’t want that to happen without consent from the player, though. In a statement issued Wednesday, the league said (via Marly Rivera of ESPN): “Because COVID-19 is not considered an employment-related injury, we will respect the privacy of the players who test positive or who are under evaluation, and we will defer to their wishes regarding public updates about their status. Without their voluntary permission, we will not disclose any COVID-19 related information.”
  • Royals pitchers Tim Hill and Jorge Lopez have health concerns that could have led them to opt out of the 2020 season, but both players plan to take the field this year, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com relays. Hill, a colon cancer survivor, told Flanagan: “I’m playing. I’m not opting out.” Of course, Hill noted he has be as careful as possible during the pandemic, and he’ll continue on that path. Lopez doesn’t have a preexisting condition of his own, meanwhile, but his young son lives with Familial Mediterranean Fever and Crohn’s disease. Hill informed Flanagan that Lopez will not opt out, though, calling Lopez “one incredible guy” for surviving the adversity he and his family have battled.

Rob Manfred On Season Length, Playoffs

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After Major League Baseball and the MLBPA couldn’t agree to a season length during their long-running, contentious negotiations, MLB decided to impose a 60-game schedule last week. In an ideal world for the players, they’d have gotten at least 80-some games (they proposed 89 on June 9), but commissioner Rob Manfred told Dan Patrick of Fox Sports Radio on Wednesday that the league never intended to play more than 60 games this season as a result of the “unpredictable” and “unmanageable” coronavirus pandemic, per Bradford William Davis of the New York Daily News.

“The reality is we weren’t going to play more than 60 games no matter how the negotiations with the players went,” said Manfred.

Manfred’s revelation surely won’t go over well with the Tony Clark-led union, which accused the league of negotiating in bad faith throughout the sides’ stalemate (MLB did the same to the MLBPA during the process). The union could file a grievance in response to Manfred’s comments, as its March agreement with the league said MLB would have to make a real effort to play as many games as possible this year. It’s unclear whether that will happen. Regardless, the commissioner’s statement could also further rile up the union enough for the two parties to have more difficulty coming to a deal on a new collective bargaining agreement when the current pact expires after the 2021 season.

Manfred went on to admit to Patrick that negotiations on a 2020 season produced “a sub-optimal result” (via R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports). And interestingly, Manfred added that “fans won’t get an expanded postseason.” Last week, Clark seemed willing to discuss a playoff pool consisting of more than 10 teams, but it appears Manfred has closed the book on that possibility.

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