Nick Hundley Undergoes Knee Surgery
Injured Athletics catcher Nick Hundley underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee Tuesday, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. He should return within six weeks, according to manager Bob Melvin (via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle).
The 35-year-old Hundley has been on the injured list with back spasms since June 8, so his knee issue is a new development. Before Hundley landed on the IL, the respected veteran got off to an underwhelming start, hitting .200/.233/.357 (55 wRC+) in 73 plate appearances. He struggled defensively in the process, according to Baseball Prospectus.
Hundley, an ex-Padre, Oriole, Rockie and Giant, joined the Athletics on a minor league deal in February. Prior to that, the A’s plan was for Josh Phegley and Chris Herrmann to comprise their two catchers at the outset of 2019. However, Herrmann underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in March, which paved the way for Hundley to earn a roster spot.
While Hundley hasn’t performed well to this point, the normally light-hitting Phegley has been surprisingly effective. He and Beau Taylor, whom the A’s selected from Triple-A Las Vegas when Hundley went down, look as if they’ll continue to handle backstop duties for Oakland for as long as Hundley’s out.
Mets Select Stephen Nogosek
The Mets have selected the contract of right-hander Stephen Nogosek from Triple-A Syracuse, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News tweets. The team also recalled lefty Daniel Zamora from Syracuse. Those two will take over for the injured Jeurys Familia and the optioned Drew Gagnon.
Now 24, Nogosek entered pro baseball as a sixth-round pick of the Red Sox in 2016. They sent Nogosek to the Mets a little over a year later in a July 2017 trade for veteran reliever Addison Reed. Nogosek struggled with the Mets’ Double-A affiliate in 2018, but he has been almost impossible to score against in the minors this year. He owns a 0.57 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 31 1/2 innings divided Double-A and Triple-A in 2019, and will try to carry that success to a Mets bullpen in dire need of answers.
Rockies Designate Mike Dunn
The Rockies have designated left-handed reliever Mike Dunn for assignment, per a team announcement. His 25-man roster spot will go to infielder Pat Valaika, whom the Rockies recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque.
The 34-year-old Dunn’s DFA will conclude what has been a disastrous stint on Colorado’s 40-man roster for the longtime major leaguer. After Dunn enjoyed a mostly successful run with the Marlins from 2011-16, the Rockies signed him to a three-year, $19MM guarantee heading into the ’17 campaign. Since then, though, Dunn has limped to a 5.93 ERA/5.01 FIP with 8.89 K/9 and 5.51 BB/9 in 85 innings. Last Friday, in what may go down as his final appearance as a Rockie, Dunn allowed four earned runs on four hits (including a homer) in just a third of an inning during a loss to the Padres.
Not only has Dunn failed to produce with the Rockies, but he hasn’t stayed healthy as a member of the club. He sat out a large portion of last season with an AC joint issue that required surgery and missed time this month with an injury in the same area. The Rockies still owe Dunn upward of $4.9MM (including a $1MM buyout for 2020), but it appears they’ll have to eat that money.
Mets To Place Jeurys Familia On Injured List
The Mets plan to place right-handed reliever Jeurys Familia on the injured list because of a shoulder issue, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com tweets.
Alarmingly for the Mets, this is the second time in 2019 that a shoulder problem has forced Familia to the IL. They previously put him on the shelf May 1. Familia fell well short of expectations before then and continued to struggle between IL stints. So far this season, the typically dependable reliever has notched a hideous 7.81 ERA/6.10 FIP with 9.11 K/9 and 6.83 BB/9 in 27 2/3 innings.
A Met and Athletic from 2012-18, Familia posted a 2.76 ERA/2.88 FIP with 9.45 K/9, 3.54 BB/9 and a 56.5 percent groundball rate over that 348 2/3-inning span. The success Familia enjoyed during the first several seasons of his career led the Mets to reunite with him this past winter on a three-year, $30MM contract. The move has been a disaster to this point, though, while fellow offseason relief acquisitions Edwin Diaz and Justin Wilson also haven’t lived up to expectations in 2019. Thanks in part to their woes, the Mets are four games under .500 and, for the second straight year, in possession of one of baseball’s worst bullpens.
Twins Sign Ian Krol
The Twins have signed left-hander Ian Krol to a minor league contract, according to Nate Rowan, Triple-A Rochester’s director of communications. Krol has already joined Rochester’s roster.
The 28-year-old Krol was previously with the Reds, who inked him to a minors deal over the winter. He threw 25 1/3 innings with their Triple-A affiliate in Louisville this season and managed a subpar 5.33 ERA/4.08 FIP with 9.95 K/9, 4.26 BB/9 and a 41.4 percent groundball rate. Krol has typically prevented runs at a much better clip in Triple-A ball, having combined for a 3.35 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 across 137 innings.
Of course, the hope for the Twins is that Krol will thrive in the minors and work his way to their bullpen. Krol was a viable major leaguer as recently as 2016, when he pitched to a 3.18 ERA/2.91 FIP with 9.88 K/9, 2.29 BB/9 and a 56 percent grounder rate in 51 innings as part of the Braves’ relief corps. But Krol otherwise hasn’t experienced a ton of big league success. Also a former National, Tiger and Angel, Krol has registered a 4.50 ERA/4.43 FIP with 8.43 K/9, 3.46 BB/9 and a 45.2 percent GB mark in 190 innings at the sport’s top level.
Mets Shut Down Brandon Nimmo
The Mets have shut down injured outfielder Brandon Nimmo from baseball activities for the next month, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com was among those to report. Nimmo has been on the injured list since May 21 with a bulging disc in his neck.
Nimmo received his second epidural Tuesday since going on the IL, per DiComo. At this point, the Mets aren’t considering surgery for the 26-year-old, according to manager Mickey Callaway. Nevertheless, the fact that Nimmo will miss significantly more time than he already has is unwelcome news for the Mets, who – at 34-38 – haven’t had much go their way this season.
Nimmo, whom the Mets chose 13th overall in 2011, was one of the majors’ prominent breakout players in 2018. He slashed .263/.404/.483 (149 wRC+) with 17 home runs and 4.5 fWAR across 535 plate appearances. Nimmo wasn’t nearly as effective this year before going on the IL, evidenced by a .200/.344/.323 line (89 wRC+), though that was only a 161-PA sample size.
Even considering Nimmo’s massive offensive decline this season, a healthy version would likely be the Mets’ best option in center field. Carlos Gomez and Juan Lagares have gotten all the playing time in center since Nimmo went down, but neither player has produced. They’re now drawing up plans to turn to right fielder Michael Conforto in center, Jeff McNeil in right and Dominic Smith in left, according to Mike Puma of the New York Post. All three of those players have been among the Mets’ best hitters in 2019, but Conforto struggled mightily in center last season and Smith hasn’t shown he can handle the outfield on a consistent basis.
Blue Jays Place Justin Smoak On IL
The Blue Jays are placing first baseman Justin Smoak on the 10-day injured list with a quad issue, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports. Toronto has recalled right-hander Justin Shafer from Triple-A Buffalo to take Smoak’s roster spot.
Toronto’s well out of playoff position, meaning this injury won’t affect its chances of contending. However, depending on the severity, it could put a damper on the Blue Jays’ July 31 trade deadline plans. As an impending free agent on an $8MM salary, Smoak stands out as a potential trade chip for the club. There has been talk of a potential extension for the switch-hitting 32-year-old, though.
A Blue Jay since 2015, Smoak morphed into a formidable offensive presence in 2017 and has remained a quality producer since. The former top prospect’s numbers are down a bit this year relative to the previous two seasons, but he’s still hitting a solid .226/.364/.423 (115 wRC+) with 12 home runs in 261 plate appearances.
Ryon Healy Diagnosed With Spinal Stenosis
Mariners infielder Ryon Healy – out since May 21 with lower back issues – has been diagnosed with spinal stenosis, Greg Johns of MLB.com reports. He’ll miss at least three to four more weeks as a result, according to manager Scott Servais.
Healy will undergo an epidural Tuesday in hopes of lessening the pain, per Johns. While Healy doesn’t expect the procedure to cure his problem, he suggested to Johns that the injury shouldn’t be a hindrance going forward “if we rehab it properly.”
With the Mariners firmly in sell mode leading up to the July 31 deadline, Healy has come up in trade rumors during his time on the injured list. This latest development figures to officially take him out of play as an in-season trade piece for Seattle, though. More importantly, the hope is that it won’t hamper the 27-year-old Healy as he continues his career. A spinal stenosis diagnosis in 2015 helped derail former Mets third baseman David Wright, who seldom took the field again before deciding to wrap up his playing days at the end of last season.
In addition to dealing with Healy’s ongoing absence, the Mariners will have to continue without right fielder Mitch Haniger for the time being, Johns explains. Haniger has been on the IL with a ruptured testicle since June 7. While Haniger has begun light (non-baseball) activity, there’s still no timetable for his return.
MLB Draft Signings: 6/17/19
Here’s a look at the latest noteworthy draft signings, with the newest moves at the top of the post. Click here for the full list of slot values and draft pool bonuses, and you can find prospect rankings and scouting reports from Baseball America’s Top 500, Fangraphs’ Top 200, MLB.com’s Top 200, and the Top 50 of ESPN.com’s Keith Law….
- The Athletics have agreed to a deal with second-round pick Tyler Baum, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com was among those to report. Baum’s pick (No. 66) features a $1,003,300 slot value, but the team gave him just $900K, Jim Callis of MLB.com tweets. His agreement means the A’s have now secured their top 11 selections. A right-hander from the University of North Carolina, Baum placed 100th in MLB.com’s pre-draft rankings. Callis and Jonathan Mayo note the 21-year-old Baum didn’t have a great final season at UNC. However, they add that all four of Baum’s pitches can be “solid or better,” potentially setting him up for a career as a No. 4 starter/late-game reliever.
Astros Add Felipe Paulino On Minors Deal
The Astros have purchased right-hander Felipe Paulino‘s contract from the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League, per Mark Berman of Fox 26. Paulino will report to Triple-A Round Rock.
Now 35 years old, Paulino began his professional career with the Astros, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2001. He eventually worked his way to Houston, where he made 47 appearances (31 starts) from 2007-10.
Paulino’s also a former Royal, Rockie and White Sox, though he hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2014. He owns a 5.48 ERA/4.84 FIP with 8.32 K/9, 3.83 BB/9 and a 43.8 percent groundball rate in 403 2/3 MLB innings.
Paulino has recorded somewhat similar numbers in Triple-A, having posted a 5.26 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9 across 191 2/3 frames. But he hasn’t taken the mound at that level with a major league organization since a 13-inning run with the Indians’ top affiliate in 2016. Along with his time in the Atlantic League, Paulino has pitched in Japan, Mexico and Venezuela over the past few years. He racked up 63 saves as Sugar Land’s closer from 2017-19.