Rays Place Jake Odorizzi On 10-Day DL
Rays right-hander Jake Odorizzi is headed to the 10-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The Rays have recalled righty Chase Whitley from Triple-A to take the roster spot of Odorizzi, who’s unlikely to miss much time.
“He’s fine. We anticipate this will be a short stay,” manager Kevin Cash said of Odorizzi’s DL stint (via Scott Lauber of ESPN.com).
Making his third start of the year Saturday, Odorizzi left after throwing just one inning against the Red Sox. Odorizzi had lasted six frames in his two previous starts, and has so far allowed six earned runs (with eight strikeouts and three walks) over 13 innings this season. The 27-year-old has been one of the Rays’ top starters since 2014, his first full season, having posted a 3.74 ERA, 8.35 K/9 and 2.72 BB/9 in 537 innings dating back to then.
Odorizzi’s next turn through the rotation was scheduled for Thursday against Houston, meaning Tampa Bay will have to settle on a fill-in by then. The Rays could tab swingman Erasmo Ramirez or choose someone from a Triple-A rotation consisting of Ryan Yarbrough, Chih-Wei Hu, Taylor Guerrieri, Jacob Faria and Whitley (Yarbrough is the only one not on the team’s 40-man roster). Highly touted prospect Jose De Leon, acquired from the Dodgers for second baseman Logan Forsythe over the winter, hasn’t pitched yet this season on account of flexor mass discomfort.
Quick Hits: Cubs, Arrieta, Heyward, Draft, Yankees, Phillies
Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta handled the Brewers on Sunday in a seven-inning, 10-strikeout showing, after which he downplayed concerns about his diminished velocity. “Where I’m at now in my career, I don’t worry about it, because I know that I’m smart enough to work around that,” Arrieta told reporters, including Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. “The velocity’s still good enough to get it by guys and to do certain things in certain situations with it.” The 31-year-old is clearly confident in his current stuff, but he does expect to regain his lost velocity. “When the 95-to-97 comes back, it’s going to be tough for teams. And it still is,” declared Arrieta, who has posted sterling numbers through two starts this year as he continues to make his case for a massive contract. Arrieta stands as arguably the majors’ top soon-to-be free agent.
More from around the sport:
- Although there has been skepticism toward Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward‘s remade swing, the early returns on his offseason work have been promising, writes Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com. Heyward picked up a pair of hits, including a triple, in five at-bats Sunday, and he managed to put the ball in play with 95 mph-plus exit velocities in each trip to the plate. “I like his hands,” observed manager Joe Maddon. “I like his hands more involved right now. He’s getting started sooner, staying through the ball longer.” Heyward’s previous swing yielded a highly disappointing .230/.306/.325 line in 592 PAs last season, which came as a shock after the normally solid hitter inked an eight-year, $184MM contract in free agency.
- California-based high schooler Hunter Greene is the premier prospect in this year’s draft class based on his ability as a pitcher, but he’s also a top-10 talent as a shortstop, according to Keith Law of ESPN.com (subscription required/recommended). Law scouted Greene’s start Friday and noted that the right-hander’s fastball didn’t fall below 94 mph in any of his seven innings. The 17-year-old has No. 1 starter upside, opines Law, who believes Greene could even play some short and work as a part-time hitter in the majors. Louisville’s Brendan McKay, whom Law regards as the second-best player in this year’s class, is also a two-way talent. McKay is both a left-handed pitcher and a first baseman, and Law expects him to settle in as a hurler – one who could serve as a No. 3 type for the long haul. McKay has less upside than Greene, but the 21-year-old would be the safer pick, suggests Law. Check out the full piece for more details on both players.
- The Yankees remain unsure sure how much time cornerstone catcher Gary Sanchez will miss on account of his right biceps strain, writes George A. King III of the New York Post. While the Sanchez-less Yanks could continue with Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka behind the plate in lieu of exploring outside options, King lists several potential targets if the club does look elsewhere for help. Hector Sanchez (Padres), Jesus Sucre (Rays), Tuffy Gosewisch (Mariners), former Yankee John Ryan Murphy (Twins), Ryan Hanigan (Rockies), Bobby Wilson (Dodgers) and Manny Pina (Brewers) are names to watch, relays King.
- In the wake of Jeanmar Gomez‘s meltdown against the Nationals on Sunday, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin revealed that he’s “considering” changing closers (via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). “I’m going to have a talk with him tomorrow,” said Mackanin, whose Phillies escaped with a 4-3 win after Gomez blew a save. “I’ll have something for you tomorrow. I need to talk with him.” Gomez has allowed multiple runs in two of three appearances this year, and he has been especially prone to poor outings since the second half of last season. Gomez did log 37 saves in 2016, but he accomplished that in spite of a 4.85 ERA and a subpar K/9 (6.16). Now, if the Phillies turn to someone else as their closer, it’ll likely be Joaquin Benoit, Hector Neris or Edubray Ramos, notes Zolecki. Keeping Neris and Ramos in setup roles would tamp down their future arbitration earnings, though it’s unclear if that will factor into the Phillies’ decision.
Braves Sign Jason Motte To Minor League Deal
The Braves have signed reliever Jason Motte to a minor league contract, tweets David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Motte is likely to report to Triple-A Gwinnett on Monday.
The 34-year-old Motte came available when the Rockies released him Wednesday, which was not the outcome they had envisioned when signing him to a two-year, $10MM contract in December 2015. Motte battled a rotator cuff injury and a dip in velocity in in his lone season in Colorado. Thanks in part to those issues, Motte posted a 4.94 ERA and a 20.7 percent home run-to-fly ball ratio across 23 2/3 innings. However, he did log solid strikeout and walk rates per nine (9.13 and 3.04, respectively). The right-hander was at his best with the Cardinals from 2010-12, when he pitched to a 2.43 ERA with 9.5 K/9 and 2.39 BB/9 across 192 1/3 frames, but he hasn’t approached those numbers since.
The Braves’ bullpen entered Sunday with a 4.86 ERA and a 5.02 FIP in 16 2/3 innings, and relievers Arodys Vizcaino, Jim Johnson and Jose Ramirez then combined to allow four late-game runs in a 6-5 loss to the Pirates. Barring a turnaround from the unit, Motte could conceivably get back to the majors with Atlanta this year, though the organization does have another well-known option in Triple-A in fellow minor league signing David Hernandez.
AL Central Notes: Tigers, Indians, Twins
A quick look around the American League Central…
- Tigers manager Brad Ausmus is concerned about the early season performance of reliever Bruce Rondon, who got the loss against Boston on Sunday after allowing three earned runs on two walks and a hit. Rondon failed to record an out in the eighth inning, when he entered with a one-run lead, and has allowed a combined six earned runs in his past two appearances. “His velocity has been down, and his location has not been good,” Ausmus told Jason Beck of MLB.com. Ausmus isn’t ruling out using Rondon in lower-leverage situations until he rights the ship, but the club hasn’t discussed demoting him to Triple-A. The 26-year-old was outstanding for the Tigers across 36 1/3 frames last season, evidenced by a 2.97 ERA, 11.15 K/9 and 2.97 BB/9. His velocity has indeed dipped a bit since then, as Ausmus mentioned.
- It appears the Indians will activate right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall before their home opener Tuesday, per Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. Chisenhall, who’s working back from a right shoulder injury, picked up four hits in a Triple-A game Saturday, prompting Indians manager Terry Francona to say, “When a guy gets four hits, it’s probably a pretty good indication that he’s feeling OK.” Activating Chisenhall could lead to a minor league demotion for fill-in Abraham Almonte, who has posted an unusual .250/.500/.250 batting line in 12 plate appearances this season.
- Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey will have heavy involvement in the amateur draft process, writes Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Falvey, whose organization holds the top pick in this year’s draft, will go on the road to help scout prospects in person. He ventured to Southern California on Friday to watch high school right-hander and potential No. 1 pick Hunter Greene. “I love seeing amateur players,” said Falvey, who was formerly in Cleveland’s front office. “It’s hard not to love that part of it. It’s how I got my start in baseball and it’s what I still love to do. I’ve seen a lot of video of some guys and so being able to see them in person is good.”
Injury Notes: Mets, Jays, Red Sox, Nats, Padres
Mets left-hander Steven Matz announced Monday that he has a flexor strain, but members of the organization are skeptical of the diagnosis, reports Bob Klapisch of NorthJersey.com. The Mets’ two orthopedists “found nothing wrong” with Matz, a source told Klapisch, who writes that the team doesn’t believe the 25-year-old is faking the injury. They are under the impression, though, that Matz received another opinion from outside the organization – which he’s allowed to do – thus leading to the flexor strain diagnosis. Regardless, New York’s hope is that Matz will be healthy enough to make his season debut in May.
More injury updates:
- The right calf tightness that forced Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson to exit Sunday’s loss to the Rays early doesn’t appear to be a serious issue. After the game, Donaldson told reporters, including Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, that it’s “realistic” to think he’ll play in the Jays’ home opener Tuesday (Twitter link). That’s certainly a relief for Toronto, which went without Donaldson because of a calf strain for most of spring training and has started the regular season 1-5.
- An MRI on Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. revealed a sprained right knee, according to manager John Farrell (Twitter link via Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal). The team will send Bradley back to Boston for further evaluation, meaning he’ll sit out Monday’s game in Detroit after missing Sunday’s contest. Bradley noted, however, that he’s able to move his knee without experiencing any pain, tweets Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe.
- Nationals shortstop Trea Turner left Saturday’s loss to the Phillies with hamstring trouble, but manager Dusty Baker indicated afterward that the speedster wouldn’t miss much time. Baker wasn’t as confident when discussing Turner’s status Sunday, describing his hamstring as “so-so,” per Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com (Twitter link). The Nats will reevaluate Turner on Monday.
- The Padres have placed right-hander Trevor Cahill on the disabled list, retroactive to April 6, with a lower back strain and recalled Zach Lee from Triple-A El Paso. Either Lee or Jarred Cosart could start in place of Cahill against the Rockies on Monday, as Jason Martinez of MLBTR and Roster Resource points out (Twitter link). In his first start of the year, a 3-1 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday, Cahill allowed two earned runs on five hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings, also notching seven strikeouts.
Nationals To Re-Sign Joe Nathan To Minors Deal
The Nationals are re-signing reliever Joe Nathan to a minor league deal, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Nathan opted out of his previous minors contract with the Nationals on March 27, but he was then unable to land a major league pact elsewhere.
The 42-year-old Nathan threw just 6 2/3 big league innings over the previous two seasons, largely because he underwent his second Tommy John procedure while with the Tigers in April 2015. He returned to the majors with the Cubs and Giants last season and fired 6 1/3 scoreless innings with nine strikeouts, though he did walk four. In 923 1/3 career frames, Nathan has posted a 2.87 ERA, 9.51 K/9 and 3.35 B/9. The longtime closer has also amassed 377 saves, good for eighth on the all-time list.
Now, Nathan will look to make it back to the majors with the Nationals, whose bullpen entered Sunday with a 7.71 ERA over its first 18 1/3 innings of the season. The club’s top late-game options are closer Blake Treinen and setup men Koda Glover, Joe Blanton and Shawn Kelley, another two-time Tommy John recipient. Glover took the loss against the Phillies on Sunday, when he entered a 3-3 game in the bottom of the ninth and allowed the winning run on two singles and a walk.
Minor MLB Transactions: 4/9/17
Sunday’s minor moves…
- The Mariners have released outfielder James Ramsey, whom they acquired in a trade with the Dodgers last summer. Ramsey didn’t see any major league action with the Mariners, instead picking up 110 plate appearances with Triple-A Tacoma, and still hasn’t cracked the bigs since the Cardinals selected him in the first round of the 2012 draft. The 27-year-old Ramsey, who has also been in the Indians organization, owns a .256/.337/.404 batting line in 1,027 Triple-A plate appearances.
NL Notes: Cubs, Mets, Nationals
Ben Zobrist started the majority of the Cubs’ regular-season games at second base in 2016, but Javier Baez is now in the process of becoming the team’s everyday option at the keystone, writes Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago. Baez started all 17 of the Cubs’ playoff games at second last fall and has opened 2017 by lining up there in four of five contests, which has pushed Zobrist into a super-utility role. Manager Joe Maddon isn’t ready to declare Baez the Cubs’ starter at second, largely because of “all the versatility” the team’s position players possess. However, he admitted that “pretty much what you’ve seen to this point, I think, is like a good indicator of what we’re going to be able to do with everybody being healthy.”
More on two other potential National League contenders:
- Although Travis d’Arnaud is not among the 10 Mets who are scheduled to hit free agency after this season, this is nonetheless a crucial year for the catcher, observes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. The Mets will need to allocate a large portion of their offseason spending to positions other than catcher next winter, meaning they’d like to avoid having to upgrade behind the plate. The club eschewed free agent catchers this past winter in order to give d’Arnaud another chance to establish himself as a legitimate starter. That came in spite of the fact that the former top prospect has consistently dealt with injury problems, and he only hit .247/.307/.323 in 276 plate appearances last season. The 28-year-old was quite useful in 2015, though (albeit over only 268 PAs), and still regards himself a long-term piece for the Mets. “Big time,” said d’Arnaud, who’s controllable via arbitration through 2019.
- Shortstop Trea Turner departed the Nationals’ loss to the Phillies on Saturday with a hamstring issue, but it seems he dodged a major injury. Manager Dusty Baker only expects Turner to miss a couple days, Dan Kolko of MASN was among those to report (Twitter link). That’s the lone good news of the night for the Nationals, who were on the wrong end of a football-like score (17-3) in Philadelphia.
- Right-hander Jeremy Guthrie got the start for the Nationals on Saturday, his first major league action since 2015, but probably won’t be long for their rotation. Baker stated before the game, via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com, that the demoted Joe Ross “will be back.” The skipper also insisted Ross and Guthrie aren’t competing for the fifth spot in the Nats’ rotation. Regardless, Guthrie didn’t exactly make his case for the role. In a nightmarish showing, the 38-year-old yielded 10 earned runs on six hits and four walks over just two-thirds of an inning. Ross will be eligible to return to the majors next week.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Jays, Bucs, Cubs, Twins, Rays, D-backs
This week in baseball blogs:
- Jays From the Couch interviews Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro.
- The Point of Pittsburgh could see Pirates right-hander Tyler Glasnow eventually becoming their version of Dellin Betances.
- Unsung Zeroes, in the wake of Betances’ offseason clash with the Yankees, calls for changes to the arbitration system.
- Clubhouse Corner compares Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber and Twins third baseman Miguel Sano.
- Sports Talk Florida chats with Rays owner Stuart Sternberg.
- Inside the ‘Zona is optimistic about Diamondbacks right-hander Archie Bradley‘s transition to the bullpen.
- Underthought analyzes the first week of the season.
- The UCB Podcast discusses the Cardinals’ extensions of Yadier Molina and Stephen Piscotty.
- Wayniac Nation is a fan of the Braves’ minor league signing of Ryan Howard.
- The First Out At Third offers its own projections for the Brewers’ pitching staff.
- The K Zone ranks the top 10 players at each position.
- Call To The Pen lists the majors’ 30 best second basemen.
- Pinstriped Prospects talks with Yankees star infield prospect Gleyber Torres.
- Cascaudio chats with former major league catcher and current Cubs mental skills coordinator John Baker.
- Notes From the Sally scouts Red Sox third base prospect Bobby Dalbec.
- Pirates Breakdown delves into Bucs righty Jameson Taillon‘s terrific 2017 start.
- Sports Talk Philly wonders which player will represent the Phillies in this year’s All-Star Game.
- South of the 6ix heaps praise on Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson.
- Chin Music Baseball is optimistic about Rays ace Chris Archer after watching his season debut.
- The Runner Sports has high hopes for Astros righty Charlie Morton.
- MLB451 likens Athletics slugger Ryon Healy to Mark McGwire.
- The 3rd Man In has a mock amateur draft.
- The Unbalanced suggests that drafting high school players is a bad idea.
- Real McCoy Minor News interviews Padres outfielder Jabari Blash.
- Motor City Bengals names some Tigers who didn’t make the team’s Opening Day roster but could still contribute this season.
- Two Strike Approach: A Baseball podcast (link to iTunes page) talks with Eric Roseberry of Baseball Prospectus and SB Nation’s Reds Reporter.
- Everything Bluebirds and Dan Grant of Same Page Team have pieces focusing on the Blue Jays’ decision to release Melvin Upton Jr.
- Outside Pitch MLB argues that Yankees pitching prospect James Kaprielian‘s injury issues make Luis Severino all the more important to the organization.
- District On Deck searches for the reasons for Nationals righty Joe Ross‘ demotion to the minors.
- Nyrdcast looks at some under-the-radar Cardinals stats.
- Clubhouse Corner reviews Angels righty Garrett Richards‘ return to action.
- MetsMind writes that infielder Wilmer Flores will have chances to prove he’s an everyday-caliber player this year.
- Ladodgerreport shares 10 predictions for the Dodgers’ season.
- Jays Journal updates the statuses of some former Blue Jays.
- Call To The Pen details how the Phillies came to be.
- Mets Daddy isn’t a fan of the club’s Opening Day lineup.
- The Runner Sports previews the now-in-progress Yankees-Orioles series.
- Clutchlings profiles Brazilian right-handed prospect Eric Pardhino, whom the Blue Jays could be on their way to signing.
- rascalsoftheravine recaps the Dodgers’ season-opening series against the Padres.
- MetsRewind revisits shortstop Kazuo Matsui‘s time with the Mets.
Please send submissions to ZachBBWI @gmail.com.
Yankees To Place Gary Sanchez On 10-Day DL
The Yankees will place catcher Gary Sanchez on the 10-day disabled list with a right biceps strain, Jack Curry of the YES Network was among those to report (Twitter link). Sanchez suffered the injury during the Yankees’ 5-4 loss to Baltimore on Saturday. He’ll see a doctor Monday or Tuesday, per Marly Rivera of ESPN.com.
New York has gotten off to a sluggish start even with the heralded Sanchez in its lineup, having dropped four of five to begin the season. Sanchez hit just .150/.190/.300 with a home run, four strikeouts and a walk during those five games, but the 24-year-old figures to rebound when he returns to action.
Sanchez slashed .299/.376/.657 with 20 homers in 299 plate appearances as a rookie last season, and while he won’t be able to replicate those numbers over a full campaign, he could nonetheless firmly establish himself as an elite catcher as early as this year. Further adding to Sanchez’s appeal is the fact that he cut down a whopping 41 percent of would-be base stealers in 2016. Given that the injury is to his impressive throwing arm, the Yankees will be extra careful with his recovery, according to manager Joe Girardi (via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, on Twitter).
With Sanchez out of action, the Yankees will try to escape their early season swoon using the uninspiring combination of Austin Romine and Kyle Higashioka behind the plate. Romine has batted an ugly .222/.256/.329 in 359 major league PAs, while the 26-year-old Higashioka hasn’t yet debuted in the bigs. He’ll join the Yankees on Sunday, tweets Hoch.