Taking Inventory: Oakland Athletics
This is the 12th entry in MLBTR’s Taking Inventory Series. Click for entries on the White Sox, Royals, Phillies, Pirates, Giants, Padres, Reds, Braves, Tigers, Marlins and Mets.
With the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline just over three weeks away, the Athletics are unsurprisingly in position to sell. At the outset of the season, there were no realistic expectations that the A’s would contend for a playoff spot, and they’ve since stumbled to a 39-49 mark to rank as one of the American League’s worst teams. Along the way, Oakland has lost a couple potential veteran trade candidates in third baseman Trevor Plouffe and catcher Stephen Vogt, both of whom received their walking papers last month and are now in different uniforms. As bleak as things may seem for the A’s, some of their other likely trade chips have turned in encouraging performances this year, and moving those players in the coming weeks could produce returns that benefit the franchise for years to come.
Rentals
Yonder Alonso, 1B | Salary: $4MM
It was somewhat of a surprise last offseason when the A’s elected to tender a contract to Alonso, who was among the majors’ worst first basemen in 2016. Now, three months into the current campaign, it’s fair to say executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane and general manager David Forst made a wise decision to stick with Alonso. An underwhelming hitter for most of his career, the 30-year-old has changed to a fly ball-first approach this season and posted a tremendous .278/.374/.569 line across 294 plate appearances. Thanks largely to a 49.5 percent fly ball rate (up from 33.3 percent last year), Alonso has swatted a career-high 20 home runs – two more than he combined for in 1,222 PAs from 2014-16 – and recorded the majors’ eighth-best ISO (.290). There’s clearly a lot to like here, though it’s uncertain how much trade value Alonso will have because of a possible lack of leaguewide demand at first base (granted, the Yankees look like a logical match). If the A’s are unable to net a satisfactory offer for Alonso, perhaps they’ll keep him and try to work out an extension. Both sides have interest in staying together.
Rajai Davis, OF | Salary: $6MM
It’s difficult to imagine the A’s finding a taker for Davis without at least absorbing some of his salary. The 36-year-old is in the midst of a career-worst offensive season, after all, having hit a meek .210/.267/.308 in 244 plate trips. At a cheaper price tag, he could entice a playoff-bound team looking for a late-game threat on the base paths. Davis is one of the greatest baserunners of all-time, per FanGraphs’ BsR metric, and has made effective use of his legs this year with a 3.4 BsR and 15 steals. Although unlikely, perhaps Davis’ wheels will cancel out his less-than-stellar offensive and defensive production (minus-one DRS, minus-12 UZR/150 this season) on the trade market. And hey, the ex-Indian’s not far removed from hitting one of the most memorable home runs in postseason history.
Adam Rosales, UTIL | Salary: $1.25MM
Even though he struck out in 35.5 percent of PAs last year, the then-Padre rode a bloated home run-to-fly rate (21.7 percent) and an 11.7 percent walk rate to a .229/.319/.495 line and a guaranteed contract with the A’s. Unfortunately, Rosales has given back those gains this season (7.4 percent HR-to-FB rate, 4.3 percent walk rate) and continued to strike out over 30 percent of the time. Consequently, the 34-year-old has hit a subpar .233/.271/.347 in 210 tries. But Rosales has offered a passable bat versus left-handed pitching, as he typically has throughout his career, and has the ability to play all over the diamond. At his low salary, then, Rosales could potentially bring back a small return in a trade.
John Axford, RP | Salary: $5.5MM
Good luck dealing the somewhat expensive Axford, who has pitched to a woeful 5.95 ERA over 19 2/3 innings this season. To his credit, the 34-year-old Axford is running appealing strikeout (9.15 K/9) and ground-ball rates (54.1 percent). However, the former Milwaukee closer has cancelled out the positives with control problems (6.41 BB/9) and issues keeping the ball in the park (21.4 percent HR-to-FB rate).
Controlled Through 2018
Ryan Madson, RP | Salary: $7.5MM in both 2017 and ’18
After a mediocre 2016 in Oakland, his first year with the club, Madson has rebounded to resemble the reliever who was a significant asset in both Philadelphia and Kansas City earlier in his career. Across 35 2/3 frames, the hard-throwing, 36-year-old right-hander has notched a 2.27 ERA with 8.58 K/9 and 1.51 BB/9. Moreover, Madson owns impressive ground-ball and infield pop-up rates of 56.2 percent and 11.8 percent, respectively. In sum, he’s striking out hitters at a decent clip while limiting walks and rarely yielding threatening contact. Pitchers who can do those things simultaneously are valuable commodities, and bullpen-needy contenders have taken notice of Madson’s success this season.
Jed Lowrie, 2B/SS/3B | Salary: $6.5MM in 2017; $6MM club option (or $1MM buyout) in 2018
Health problems, including poor sleep (via FanGraphs’ Eno Sarris), derailed Lowrie in recent seasons. But the 33-year-old is enjoying a career renaissance in 2017, having logged a .282/.350/.464 line and nine homers in 354 PAs. As a result, there’s interest in Lowrie, whom the A’s seem likely to part with in an effort to open up a spot in the middle infield for well-regarded prospect Franklin Barreto.
Santiago Casilla, RP | Salary: $4.5MM in 2017; $5.5MM in 2018
In his first year back with the A’s, with whom the closer formerly known as Jairo Garcia pitched from 2004-09, Casilla has saved 15 of 19 opportunities and registered a so-so 3.82 ERA over 33 innings. There are some troubling signs that have contributed to the ex-Giant’s mediocre run prevention, including a K/9 that has fallen from 10.09 last season to 8.18 this year, a plummeting grounder rate (40.8 percent, compared to 47.6 percent in 2016) and a decline in infield flies (a still-respectable 10.8 percent; the righty was at 13.2 percent a year ago). Despite his unexciting production and advanced age (37 later this month), Casilla still looks both inexpensive enough and decent enough to generate looks in the coming weeks.
Matt Joyce, OF | Salary: $5MM in 2017; $6MM in 2018
The 32-year-old is in the middle of a typical season relative to his career, having mixed an adequate left-handed bat (.219/.330/.406 with 11 HRs and a 13.8 percent walk rate in 297 PAs) with unspectacular outfield defense (minus-three DRS, minus-9.2 UZR/150). Joyce offers an affordable but bland skill set, one that probably won’t have playoff hopefuls beating down the A’s door for him leading up to the deadline.
Longer-Term Assets
Sonny Gray, SP | Salary: $3.575MM in 2017; arbitration eligible through 2019
As the crown jewel of Oakland’s trade candidates, Gray has frequently graced MLBTR’s pages in recent weeks and will continue to be a popular name on this site as the deadline nears. The likelihood is that the A’s will soon say goodbye to the 27-year-old Gray, who has put a rough, injury-laden 2016 behind him to post a 4.00 ERA (3.58 FIP) with 8.47 K/9 and 2.86 BB/9 through 78 2/3 innings. Gray’s strikeout and walk numbers are the best they’ve been since his outstanding debut in 2013, and he has complemented those figures with career-best chase, contact and swinging-strike rates (11.5 percent) – not to mention a 55.3 percent ground-ball mark. Add all of that to Gray’s affordable team control, and it’s clear someone is going to pay a high price for him. In case you missed it, MLBTR’s Steve Adams deftly laid out plausible fits for Gray on June 30.
Khris Davis, LF/DH | Salary: $5MM in 2017; arbitration eligible through 2019
Contrary to Gray, there’s no talk of Davis going anywhere. Additionally, the righty-swinger has made it clear that he’d like to be an Athletic for the long haul. The Beane-led franchise has made surprising deals in the past, though, and bear in mind that Davis is a soon-to-be 30-year-old whose price tag will continue to rise in the arbitration process. There’s an outside chance those factors could make him a candidate to switch teams soon, as the A’s don’t look close to contention and aren’t exactly big spenders. Arbitration rewards players who hit homers, drive in runs and accrue PAs – all things Davis has done since he joined the A’s prior to last year. The former Brewer has already smashed 24 dingers and racked up 60 RBI in 364 PAs this year, giving him a shot at his second straight 40-HR, 100-RBI season, and his overall line (.246/.335/.517) is terrific. An on-the-block Davis would probably garner a fair amount of attention, but whether the A’s would be receptive to giving him up is unknown.
Sean Doolittle, RP | Salary: $2.6MM in 2017; $4.35MM in 2018; club options with $500K buyouts in 2019 ($6MM) and 2020 ($6.5MM)
Shoulder issues have hampered Doolittle in recent seasons, but there’s no doubt he’s among the game’s most formidable left-handed relievers when he’s able to take the mound. While Doolittle has only eaten 19 1/3 innings this season, the 30-year-old has done plenty with them, having put up a 3.72 ERA (2.58 FIP) with all-world strikeout and walk rates (13.03 K/9 and .93 BB/9). Among relievers who have thrown at least 10 innings – a very small sample, granted – Doolittle ranks third in K/BB ratio. He has also induced infield pop-ups on a ridiculous 23.8 percent of batted balls, thereby offsetting a low grounder rate (35.7 percent). Doolittle’s past arm troubles have likely dented his trade value somewhat, but his effective pitching/palatable contract combination should warrant a quality return if the A’s decide to go in another direction.
Liam Hendriks, RP | Salary: $1.1MM in 2017; arbitration eligible through 2019
Hendriks prevented runs with aplomb as a Blue Jay and Athletic from 2015-16, though his ERA has spiked from 3.34 over that 129 1/3-inning period to 5.40 across 36 2/3 frames this year. If you look beyond that, though, there’s a desirable, hard-throwing reliever here. Like Doolittle, the 28-year-old Hendriks has posted a superb K/9 (12.03, with a playable 3.44 BB/9), adding a career-best swinging-strike mark (12.8 percent) and a decent grounder rate (45.5 percent). Hendriks’ .351 batting average on balls in play, 65.2 percent strand rate and 13.9 percent homer-to-fly ball rate are largely to blame for his bloated ERA, which shouldn’t necessarily be a deterrent to all playoff contenders in search of bullpen help. The righty has usually been a capable option against both same- and opposite-handed hitters, which, combined with his low salary and team control, ought to have him on clubs’ radars.
AL Notes: Quintana, Royals, Vargas, Rays
Scouts from the Yankees, Orioles, Royals, Angels, Blue Jays and Cardinals were in Colorado watching White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana pitch on Saturday, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Some of those teams likely don’t have the prospect capital to assemble a package for the on-the-block Quintana, so observing his outing may have been due diligence in certain cases (or those clubs could’ve been on hand to scout other players). Regardless, Quintana didn’t disappoint, striking out 10 over 5 1/3 innings, after which he indicated that his preference is to remain with the White Sox. At the same time, Quintana acknowledged that the decision is up to team brass. “Absolutely. I want to stay here,” he said.“But they know what’s the best for us, so I just try to do my job and that’s it.”
More from the American League:
- Royals right-handed pitching prospect Ashe Russell, 20, “is going through some personal things” and has taken a “mental break” from baseball, assistant general manager J.J. Picollo told Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star earlier this week. Russell’s agent, Steve Canter, addressed his client’s status Saturday, telling FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that the 2015 first-round pick “absolutely loves the game” and will return to it. “Ashe Russell hasn’t quit baseball,” said Canter. “He’s having trouble with his pitching mechanics. He’s made tons of progress but needed a change of scenery away from the complex in Surprise.”
- At the major league level, the Royals have gotten stunning production this season from soft-tossing left-hander Jason Vargas, who has managed an AL-best 2.62 ERA over 106 1/3 frames in his age-34 campaign. The first-time All-Star hadn’t eclipsed the 100-inning mark since 2014, as he underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2015 after accruing just 43 IP that year and only racked up 12 frames in his return last season. As Dodd details, it seems Vargas is actually benefiting from having suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. While Vargas was rehabbing, Royals pitching coach Dave Eiland noticed that his release point had dropped roughly 2 inches. That arm slot adjustment has helped the impending free agent’s change-up go from good to dominant, writes Dodd, who notes that FanGraphs ranks Vargas’ change as the most valuable in the league this year. “They don’t see it,” Eiland said of hitters. “The arm speed. The delivery. They can’t pick it up.”
- GM Erik Neader spoke with Mark Feinsand of MLB.com about the Rays’ 2017 success and suggested that the playoff contenders will attempt to upgrade around the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. “I think it’s important to never take situations where you’re in it competitively for granted,” stated Neander, whose 46-43 team is tied with Minnesota for the AL’s second wild-card spot. “The way the standings are right now, we’re definitely in the mix. You always have to balance; there’s always a premium to adding immediate contributions to your Major League team, and that typically comes at a cost to the future of your organization beyond the current year.” While it doesn’t seem as if a significant move is coming, the Rays will look to address their bullpen, reports Feinsand. Rays relievers rank toward the bottom of the majors in both ERA (22nd) and fWAR (18th), though Brad Boxberger‘s recent return from injury should help their cause.
MLBTR Originals
Here’s a recap of the original content featured at MLBTR over the past week:
- Jeff Todd increased his trade deadline candidates list from 50 to 60 players, ranking them based on both value and the likelihood of a deal. Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez took over the top position from White Sox closer David Robertson, who dropped a few spots since last time.
- In light of a report that the Royals are looking for short-term rotation help, Steve Adams examined which impending free agent hurlers would be logical pre-deadline targets for the club.
- With the Yankees having gotten little from their first basemen this year, I took a look at several possibilities for the Bombers if they attempt to upgrade at the position in the coming weeks.
- Steve checked in on the performances of the eight players who will be able to opt out of their contracts after the season. Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto, Yankees righty Masahiro Tanaka, Tigers left fielder Justin Upton and Rockies closer Greg Holland are among those with postseason decisions to make on their futures.
NL Notes: Mets, Colon, Phillies, Giants
With the 39-46 Mets well out of the playoff picture, Mike Puma of the New York Post looks ahead to what could be an offseason of upheaval for the club. In addition to having a slew of veterans set for free agency over the winter, general manager Sandy Alderson and manager Terry Collins are also on expiring contracts. Given the way the Mets’ season has gone, it’s possible owner Fred Wilpon will nudge the soon-to-be 70-year-old Alderson toward retirement, per Puma. Regardless of whether Alderson or someone else is their GM, Puma expects the majority of the Mets’ offseason attention to go to their bullpen. Meanwhile, they probably won’t re-up either first baseman Lucas Duda or outfielder Jay Bruce over the winter (if they’re not already gone by the July 31 deadline, of course), relays Puma, who writes that the latter is likely to seek a four-year contract on the open market. It’s certainly debatable whether the 30-year-old Bruce would be worth that type of commitment, but he has made a case for it this season with a .265/.334/.539 line and 23 home runs over 353 plate appearances.
More from New York and two other National League cities:
- Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said Friday that first basemen Tommy Joseph and Rhys Hoskins “can’t coexist on the same team,” and GM Matt Klentak implied the same on Saturday. Asked if the Phillies have considered using one of the two in left field, Klentak told reporters, including Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer: “We haven’t tried that, so you wouldn’t know until you tried it. But there’s a reason both of them are playing first base right now.” With only one position available for the two of them and Hoskins currently running roughshod over Triple-A pitching, Joseph could be the odd man out by the deadline. The 25-year-old’s trade value likely isn’t high, suggests Gelb, who posits that Philadelphia could package him with a rental in order to extract more value in a deal.
- The Mets believe Bartolo Colon chose to sign with Minnesota over returning to New York because they wouldn’t have been able to guarantee him a rotation spot for the rest of the season, according to Puma. A starting job is particularly important to the 44-year-old right-hander because he’s vying to become the winningest Dominican-born pitcher of all-time, notes Puma. With 235 victories, Colon is eight away from tying Hall of Famer Juan Marichal.
- Giants outfielder Austin Slater suffered a torn adductor muscle in his right hip Friday and will miss two to three months, likely keeping him out for the rest of the season, reports Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. The 24-year-old Slater began his major league career in promising fashion between his early June promotion and the injury, hitting .290/.343/.430 in 108 PAs.
Yankees May Have Interest In Brad Hand
The Padres’ David Post, who’s a special assistant to general manager A.J. Preller, has been following the Yankees’ Triple-A team in Scranton Wilkes/Barre, reports George A. King III of the New York Post. There’s a sense in the industry that Post is doing so because the Yankees are interested in coveted Padres reliever Brad Hand, according to King.
This isn’t the first recent connection between these teams, as the Padres contacted the Yankees about their No. 1 prospect, Triple-A infielder Gleyber Torres, in June. It remains difficult to imagine the Yankees moving the highly regarded Torres, though, despite the fact that he underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery on his left elbow last month.
While Torres is unable to take the field and other touted youngsters in outfielder Clint Frazier and utilityman Tyler Wade are currently in the majors, the Yankees still have a couple intriguing pieces at the Triple-A level. Right-hander Chance Adams, Baseball America’s 56th-ranked prospect, and third baseman Miguel Andujar jump to the fore. The 22-year-old Andujar, who got a brief taste of major league action last month, is the Yankees’ ninth-best prospect, per MLB Pipeline.
The Yankees also have enticing prospects at lower levels, so it’s possible the Padres could ask for youth from both Triple-A and elsewhere if the two discuss Hand. While that’s merely speculation, it is easy to see why the Yankees would want to upgrade their bullpen. Their relievers rank an impressive sixth in the majors in ERA and seventh in fWAR, but the group has been instrumental in a 7-17 skid that has seen the Yankees drop from first place in the AL East to 3.5 games back in the division and only a game up in the wild-card race.
Longtime relief aces Aroldis Chapman and Dellin Betances haven’t been their usual lights-out selves, and fellow established veteran Tyler Clippard has pitched more like a DFA candidate than someone capable of handling high-leverage innings. Hand looks worthy of taking the ball in key situations, though, considering he’s in the midst of his second straight excellent season. The 27-year-old southpaw ranks fourth among relievers in innings (47) and has registered a 2.30 ERA, 11.49 K/9, 2.49 BB/9 and a 48.6 percent ground-ball rate. Hand, a first-time All-Star, has also dominated hitters from either side of the plate, having held lefties to a .192/.300/.365 line and righties to an even weaker .203/.262/.293.
Hand’s production indicates his presence would be a boon to any contender’s bullpen this season, and with two more years of arbitration eligibility remaining, he’d be more than a Band-Aid. Of course, those factors – not to mention his cheap salary ($1.375MM) – will make Hand one of the majors’ most in-demand players around the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Given that they’re in a full rebuild, the Padres will probably cash in Hand for prospects in the coming weeks, but it’s not so easy to believe that the Yankees will end up with him. General manager Brian Cashman is only a year removed from giving up the since-re-signed Chapman and arguably the best left-handed reliever in baseball, Andrew Miller, in deals to boost his farm system. As effective as Hand has been, the idea of Cashman reversing course 12 months later and surrendering high-end youth for a reliever seems improbable.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Verlander, Cubs, D-backs, Orioles
While the Tigers have reportedly set a lofty asking price for right-hander Justin Verlander, his performance this year is going to make finding a taker difficult, says FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). Across 104 2/3 innings, Verlander has seen his ERA (4.73), strikeout (8.43 K/9) and walk (4.39 BB/9) rates trend in the wrong direction, and ERA indicators such as FIP (4.28) and xFIP (4.99) also paint a somewhat bleak picture. Thanks in part to his struggles this season, teams view Verlander as a diminishing asset and aren’t going to surrender top prospects for him unless Detroit absorbs a significant portion of his contract, reports Rosenthal. Verlander is due roughly $70MM through 2019.
More from Rosenthal:
- Because the reigning World Series champion Cubs have been mired in mediocrity all season, club officials have considered trading a young position player to jump-start the team, according to Rosenthal. Such a move would presumably land the Cubs a sorely needed controllable starting pitcher. The problem, Rosenthal points out, is that Chicago doesn’t have any obvious trade candidates among those position players. First baseman Anthony Rizzo and third baseman Kris Bryant obviously aren’t going anywhere. Meanwhile, catcher Willson Contreras and rookie outfielder/second baseman Ian Happ have also been key cogs, and, per Rosenthal, the Cubs remain bullish on struggling left fielder Kyle Schwarber. Turning to the middle infield, Major League Baseball is looking into a domestic violence allegation against shortstop Addison Russell, which doesn’t do his trade value any favors, and Rosenthal indicates that Javier Baez‘s versatility makes him too important to deal.
- With a wild-card spot in hand, the surprising Diamondbacks will take an “aggressive” approach leading up to the deadline, relays Rosenthal. Acquiring pitching depth and another bat (either in the form of a middle infielder or outfielder) are possibilities for Arizona. The Diamondbacks’ position player group has taken hits in recent weeks with shortstop Nick Ahmed‘s fractured hand an outfielder Yasmany Tomas‘ groin issues. Swinging impactful trades could be difficult for the D-backs because of their weak farm system, but Rosenthal notes that they do have some financial flexibility.
- The scuffling Orioles are unsure how they’ll approach the deadline, general manager Dan Duquette informed Rosenthal. By selling, they’d gain access to much-needed young talent, Rosenthal observes. The O’s essentially punt on international spending, evidenced recently by multiple trades that have seen them relinquish international bonus slots for run-of-the-mill minor leaguers, and Rosenthal explains that they turned in an unimpressive performance in the draft this year. So, to help restock its young talent pool, Rosenthal contends that Baltimore should shop closer Zach Britton, arguing that certain championship hopefuls would eagerly pursue a healthy version of the left-hander. Britton hasn’t been the picture of health this year, though, having landed on the disabled list multiple times (including a 60-day stint) on account of forearm issues.
Cafardo’s Latest: Neshek, Royals, BoSox, Yanks, Cobb, Prado
The latest pre-trade deadline rumblings from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:
- The Royals, Red Sox and Yankees are among the teams that have scouted Phillies reliever Pat Neshek, according to Cafardo. They join the Nationals as clubs with known interest in the right-handed Neshek, who is likely on other bullpen-needy teams’ radars, too. The 36-year-old Neshek joined the Phillies last offseason in a salary-dumping deal with the Astros, but the $6.5MM man should warrant a much stronger return at the deadline. An impending free agent, Neshek is in the midst of his second All-Star season, having logged a 1.31 ERA, 8.91 K/9 and 1.31 BB/9 over 34 1/3 innings.
- With the Rays in the thick of the American League playoff race, it appears soon-to-be free agent righty Alex Cobb will finish the season in Tampa Bay. “If we’re in it, I don’t think Alex Cobb is going anywhere,” a Rays official told Cafardo. The Rays will likely lose Cobb for nothing at season’s end, then, though moving him this summer would seemingly be a blow to their playoff hopes. In Cobb’s first extensive action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015, the 29-year-old has put up a 3.75 ERA (4.13 FIP), 5.93 K/9, 2.34 BB/9 and a 45.4 percent ground-ball rate across 115 1/3 frames.
- The Red Sox and Yankees have checked in on Marlins third baseman Martin Prado, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today previously reported, but Cafardo relays that Boston and New York have concerns over the 33-year-old’s contract. Prado is due roughly $34MM through 2019, which is problematic for both teams because they’re trying to stay under the $197MM luxury tax threshold. As such, the Red Sox and Yankees have asked the Marlins to eat some of the money on Prado’s deal. Injuries have limited Prado to just 123 plate appearances this season, and he has hit a meager .282/.309/.402. Nevertheless, both the Sox and Yankees admire his “leadership, hustle, and devotion to the game,” writes Cafardo. The Bombers are already quite familiar with Prado, of course, as he spent the second half of the 2014 campaign in the Bronx.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Scherzer, Piscotty, Shelby, Jays, Mets, Braves
This week in baseball blogs:
- The Sports Tank declares that Nationals ace Max Scherzer is the best pitcher in baseball.
- The Redbird Daily studies Cardinals right fielder Stephen Piscotty‘s 2017 power outage.
- Infield Shift revisits the infamous Shelby Miller trade the Diamondbacks made with the Braves in 2015.
- Jays Journal breaks down Toronto’s non-Josh Donaldson trade candidates.
- Mets Daddy criticizes general manager Sandy Alderson for letting star infielders Daniel Murphy and Justin Turner go during his tenure.
- Outfield Fly Rule wants the Braves to trade second baseman Brandon Phillips and promote standout prospect Ozzie Albies.
- The Point of Pittsburgh and North Shore Nine focus on Pirates infielder Josh Harrison‘s resurgence.
- Outside Pitch MLB lists five reasons the Red Sox shouldn’t trade for a third baseman.
- The Runner Sports (links: 1, 2, 3) looks at a couple key reasons for the Astros’ success, explores whether the Yankees should buy or sell at the deadline, and argues that Masahiro Tanaka has righted the ship.
- Rotisserie Duck analyzes which pitchers are overrated and which are underrated.
- Jays From the Couch doesn’t see the logic in Toronto potentially trading right-hander Marcus Stroman at the deadline.
- The First Out At Third believes Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw should’ve made the All-Star team.
- Phillies Nation reflects on the team’s short-lived union with outfielder Michael Saunders.
- Notes From The Sally scouts Cardinals shortstop prospect Delvin Perez.
- Sports Talk Philly wonders if there’s a growing disconnect between the Phillies’ front office and coaching staff.
- Mets Mind examines outfielder Curtis Granderson‘s in-season turnaround.
- Big Three Sports expects this year’s home run derby to be the best since 2003.
- Call to the Pen ranks the 10 best players who never made it to the majors.
- Fueled By Sports names the best Braves of all-time.
- PhoulBallz (links: 1, 2, 3) chats with some of the Phillies’ minor league coaches.
- Pinstriped Prospects speaks with young Yankees hurler Austin DeCarr.
- The 3rd Man In profiles Brewers third-round pick Jacob Heatherly.
- The K Zone talks with Scott Braun of MLB Network.
- NatsGM has a podcast interview with Driveline Baseball’s founder, Kyle Boddy.
- Camden Depot notes that the Orioles have often been on the wrong end of blowouts this year.
- Pirates Breakdown flashes back to the 2008 trade deadline, GM Neal Huntington’s first with the Bucs.
- Everything Bluebirds advises the Blue Jays to learn from the mistakes they made in 1995.
- Call to the Pen suggests the Phillies are in the midst of an important psychological test.
- Extra Innings UK attends the first-ever home run derby on British soil, one featuring Carlos Pena, Shawn Green and Cliff Floyd.
Submissions: ZachBBWI @gmail.com.
Injury Notes: Orioles, Angels, Twins, Braves
The Orioles activated closer Zach Britton on Wednesday, when he was first eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list. The left-hander had been on the shelf since early May with a forearm strain. Britton has been on the DL twice this year on account of forearm issues, which has limited him to just nine appearances. He took the mound Wednesday for the first time since May 4, working around a single and a walk to toss a scoreless inning.
More of the latest injury updates from around the majors:
- Angels center fielder Mike Trout began a Single-A rehab assignment Wednesday, Maria Guardado of MLB.com was among those to report (on Twitter). The 25-year-old superstar has been out since he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb at the end of May, forcing him to undergo surgery. The Trout-less Angels have only gone 17-18, but that has been enough to keep them in the wild-card picture in the American League. They’re just 2.5 games out of a playoff spot, and Trout should return right after the All-Star break.
- One of Trout’s Angels teammates, reliever Huston Street, joined him on the 10-day DL on Wednesday (retroactive to Monday) with a right adductor/groin strain. The Angels recalled righty Eduardo Paredes to take his place. The Halos just activated Street from the DL on June 22, which came after he missed the first two-plus months of the season with a strained right lat muscle. Street, 33, fared nicely during his short-lived healthy period, throwing four scoreless innings and allowing two hits and a walk, though another DL trip won’t do him any favors in what’s likely a contract year. The former closer has a $10MM club option for 2018, but the Angels are sure to pay him a $1MM buyout instead.
- Righty Matt Shoemaker, yet another member of the Angels, has suffered a setback in his recovery from a forearm strain, writes Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times. Shoemaker, out since mid-June, experienced soreness during a rehab start Tuesday. Now, Shoemaker will have to undergo more tests on his forearm. “He had some of the same symptoms crop back up,” said manager Mike Scioscia. Shoemaker has recorded a 4.52 ERA, 8.0 K/9 and a 3.24 BB/9 across 77 2/3 innings this season.
- The Twins sent left-hander Hector Santiago to the 10-day DL on Wednesday for the second time in a month and recalled righty Alan Busenitz, tweets Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Santiago, who’s dealing with upper back pain, first went on the DL on June 7 with a shoulder strain. He returned to make two starts, the latest of which came Sunday. Overall, Santiago has struggled to a 5.63 ERA, with 6.53 K/9, 3.97 BB/9 and a 30.2 percent ground-ball rate, over 70 1/3 frames.
- The Braves have placed reliever Arodys Vizcaino on the 10-day DL with a strained right index finger, per Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Atlanta recalled righty Matt Wisler to take the spot of Vizcaino, who has produced excellent results this season. The 26-year-old has posted a 2.38 ERA, 10.32 K/9 and 3.18 BB/9 in 34 innings.
Finding The Yankees A First Baseman
With lefty-swinging spring training masher Greg Bird and powerful right-hander Chris Carter, the Yankees appeared to have a promising first base tandem on hand at the outset of the season. Instead, the position has been an utter disaster throughout 2017 for the playoff-contending Bombers, whose first basemen entered Wednesday with a putrid .175/.271/.331 batting line and the majors’ second-worst fWAR (minus-1.2).
Bird hit a ghastly .100/.250/.200 in 72 plate appearances before going on the disabled list with a foot injury at the beginning of May. The 24-year-old hasn’t played since, and there’s a real chance he won’t return at all this season. Meanwhile, after clubbing a National League-leading 41 home runs with the Brewers last year, Carter has batted a weak .201/.284/.370 with eight homers in 208 PAs with the Yankees, who added him on a $3.5MM deal in February. The 30-year-old’s output has been so poor that the Yankees have booted him off their 40-man roster twice since late June, including on Tuesday. Now in DFA limbo, it’s possible Carter won’t put on a Yankees uniform again.
With the Bird-Carter duo having flopped and injuries having limited Tyler Austin to 15 PAs, the Yankees are down to Ji-Man Choi at first base. In his first taste of major league action last year, Choi hit a non-threatening .170/.271/.339 in 129 trips to the plate with the Angels. While the 26-year-old homered in his Yankees debut Wednesday, there’s nothing to suggest that the offseason minor league signing is capable of holding down a regular job in the majors, especially for a team with playoff hopes. So, with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaching, New York is probably going to have to find an established first baseman over the next three-plus weeks. Fortunately for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, there shouldn’t be a shortage of attainable options.
Potential Rentals:
Yonder Alonso, Athletics: The out-of-contention A’s are open to dealing Alonso, who’s enjoying a career year as an impending free agent. Previously a disappointment at the plate, the former top prospect bought into the fly ball revolution over the winter and has since produced a fantastic .283/.377/.575 line with 19 homers in 276 PAs this season. As a lefty-swinger with a 50 percent fly ball rate (up from 32.6 percent between 2010-16), the 30-year-old is an obvious fit for Yankee Stadium and its short porch in right field.
Lucas Duda, Mets: Another left-handed hitter, the slugging Duda has a longer track record than Alonso and is in the midst of another fine season (.249/.359/.548 with 14 HRs in 231 PAs). On paper, he makes plenty of sense for the Yankees, but would the Mets help their crosstown rivals strengthen their roster for a playoff run? The Queens-based club is reportedly open to moving players on expiring contracts, and Duda is among several of its veterans scheduled to hit free agency in the offseason.
John Jaso, Pirates: Jaso doesn’t offer the upside of either Alonso or Duda, but the 33-year-old has still logged respectable offensive numbers throughout his career. That includes the current season, in which Jaso has posted a .251/.330/.467 line 188 PAs. Jaso has packed more of a punch than usual this year, having recorded a .216 ISO (his career high is .180) and seven homers, putting him on pace to surpass the personal-best 10 he hit in 2012. Like Alonso, Jaso’s hitting more fly balls (48 percent, up from a career 34 percent), so it seems he’d also benefit from a move to Yankee Stadium.
Controllable Possibilities:
Brandon Belt, Giants (signed through 2021): Belt, 29, is in the first season of a five-year, $72.8MM contract, which is an eminently reasonable deal when you consider what he has accomplished during his career. Nevertheless, the last-place Giants might listen to offers for Belt, who has been one of their few bright spots this season. While Belt’s numbers have taken steps backward this year, he has still put up an attractive .235/.343/.464 line with 16 long balls in 353 trips to the plate. Considering Belt’s track record and affordable contract, San Francisco should be able to acquire a solid prospect haul if it actually does move him. Whether the Yankees would be willing to part with multiple quality prospects for a first baseman is unclear, but the idea of Belt going from a ballpark that suppresses left-handed power to one that accentuates it is intriguing.
Justin Bour, Marlins ($552,500 salary this year; arbitration eligible through 2020): The left-handed, hulking Bour calling Yankee Stadium home is also enticing, and the Bombers have shown interest in him this year. As is the case with Belt, Bour’s combination of productivity and affordability would make him a fairly expensive target. Unlike in previous seasons, the Marlins have given Bour a legitimate chance to play against same-handed pitchers this year, and he hasn’t disappointed. Overall, Bour has slashed .285/.361/.546 with 18 homers and a .261 ISO in 280 PAs.
Jose Abreu, White Sox ($10.825MM salary this year; arbitration eligible through 2019): Acquiring both Abreu and left-hander Jose Quintana from the White Sox would take care of two needs at once for the Yankees, whose rotation could use a short- and long-term upgrade. Quintana would provide that, while Abreu would lock down first and/or designated hitter through 2019, but reeling in the pair would cost a prospect bounty. Chicago would presumably ask a lot just for the 30-year-old Abreu, who has been an adept hitter since coming over from Cuba prior to the 2014 season. The righty’s at .290/.340/.512 with 16 HRs and a career-best 16.7 percent strikeout rate across 362 PAs this year.
Matt Adams, Braves ($2.8MM salary this year; arbitration eligible through 2018): The Braves surrendered very little when they acquired Adams from the Cardinals in late May, but the 28-year-old has since hit an outstanding .290/.337/.594 in 169 PAs. The lefty has been so good that the Braves are experimenting with longtime first baseman and franchise cornerstone Freddie Freeman at third base as a way to keep Adams’ bat in the lineup. The 40-42 Braves remain well out of a playoff spot, though, so it would behoove them to listen to offers for Adams in the coming weeks and see if they can flip him for more than they gave up. Adams’ track record shows he’s more of a decent hitter than a great one, but even average production from first would be a sizable improvement over what the Yankees have gotten from the position this year.
Tommy Joseph, Phillies (not arbitration eligible until after the 2019 season): With big-hitting first base prospect Rhys Hoskins trying to force his way to the majors, Joseph might not be a Phillie for much longer. Whether the 25-year-old would be a worthwhile target for the Yankees is up for debate, though. The Yankees may already have a Joseph of their own in the soon-to-return Austin, another righty-hitting 25-year-old. As such, trading assets for Joseph might not make be logical from their standpoint. While Joseph is more established than Austin, the former hasn’t been anything special in the big leagues. He’s batting a so-so .245/.303/.442 through 304 PAs this year. Of course, in fairness to Joseph, his output has been far better than the numbers Yankees first basemen have compiled in 2017.
Overview
After beginning the year an AL East-best 38-23, the Yankees have dropped 16 of 22 to fall to 44-39. They’re now second in their division, a lofty 4.5 games behind the Red Sox, and only have a one-game lead on a wild-card spot. First base has been one of the major reasons for the Yankees’ recent downfall, so they’ll have to do something in the coming weeks to improve an area that has been a black hole all season. With no obvious in-house solutions (no, they’re not going to move towering right fielder and AL MVP front-runner Aaron Judge to first), there’s a good chance one of the above names will end up in the Bronx by month’s end.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.