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Lance McCullers Jr. Placed On 10-Day Injured List

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TODAY: The procedure Baker mentioned was “a mild anti-inflammatory injection to alleviate nerve irritation in [McCullers’] neck,” according to Rome.

SEPT. 8: McCullers “had some procedure done” on his neck, manager Dusty Baker announced (via Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). The surgery repaired “95 to 98 percent of whatever discomfort he was feeling,” according to Baker, though it’s still unknown when McCullers will return.

SEPT. 6: The Astros have placed right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. on the 10-day injured list due to neck nerve irritation, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Beyond the requisite 10 days on the IL, a timeline for McCullers’s return is unclear. Southpaw Cionel Perez was recalled from the taxi squad to join the active roster.

McCullers pitched Friday against the Angels, failing to record an out and exiting the game after facing just five batters. He walked three Angels hitters and conceded three runs, but stated after the game that his struggles weren’t due to injury.

While we don’t know precisely how long the Astros expect McCullers to be shelved, any injury to an already-thin Houston pitching staff is a significant one. The team has been without ace Justin Verlander for practically the entire season, and Jose Urquidy has only just returned from a bout with COVID-19. As such, Houston has had to rely on inexperienced starters like Cristian Javier, Framber Valdez, and Brandon Bielak.

McCullers, for his part, has had an up-and-down campaign in his return from Tommy John surgery, which cost him all of last year. There’s been a mix of good starts and bad starts, but the numbers indicate for the most part that the 26-year-old is not quite back to the form that earned him an All-Star nod in 2017.

While he’s been known as a strikeout pitcher for his entire career, he’s averaging only 7.7 K/9 in 2020.  McCullers’ sinker velocity is down ever so slightly from previous years, but the more glaring disparity is in his sinker’s spin rate, which has taken a considerable hit from where it was two years ago. That, along with decreased curveball usage (at 35%, he’s throwing the curveball less than ever), has made it more difficult to generate whiffs.

Yankees Re-Sign Luis Avilan To Minor League Deal

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The Yankees have reached an agreement on a new minor-league contract with LHP Luis Avilan, according to Kristie Ackert of the NY Daily News.

Avilan, who signed with New York on a minor-league deal last winter, was released from the Yankees organization in late August amidst a bit of a roster crunch due to the injury bug repeatedly striking in New York. At the time, though, it was expected that the Yankees would make an effort to bring Avilan back in some fashion.

Prior to his release, Avilan hit the 10-day injured list due to inflammation in his left shoulder. Outside of a dud (two runs and three hits in just one-third of an inning) in his last appearance before going on the IL—which may be connected to his shoulder issue—Avilan has really been quite solid for the Yankees this year. All told, he has managed a 4.32 ERA in 8 1/3 innings in pinstripes, while striking out more than a batter per inning, on average.

Dallas Keuchel Leaves Start With Lower Back Stiffness

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White Sox starter Dallas Keuchel prematurely exited today’s game against the Royals with an apparent injury. The White Sox went on to announce (via The Athletic’s James Fegan on Twitter) that Keuchel is dealing with stiffness in his lower back and is currently considered day-to-day.

It’s good news that the preliminary evaluation of Keuchel doesn’t sound too severe, and we hope that Keuchel will get back on the mound with no IL stint and without missing a beat. The veteran lefty has been a solid addition to the suddenly-contending White Sox, as he’s contributed a 2.42 ERA through his first 8 starts.

This afternoon, he was at it again, allowing just two hits in five shutout innings for the Sox before unexpectedly leaving the game following his warm-up pitches. Averaging just 5.6 K/9 for the year, Keuchel is as uninterested in the strikeout as ever, but he’s excelled elsewhere, allowing fewer walks and home runs than in recent years. That’s given way to a 3.19 FIP, which would be the lowest mark Keuchel has posted in a season since his Cy Young Award-winning year in 2015.

The White Sox have already had fellow starters Carlos Rodon and Gio Gonzalez require IL stints this year, so it’s a relief that Keuchel is initially listed as only day-to-day. And while Rodon is said to be nearing a return, any more injuries would be a considerable test to Chicago’s depth. Should Keuchel need an IL stint, the recently-optioned Reynaldo Lopez could be forced back into Major League action.

Padres Place Luis Campusano On IL

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The Padres have placed rookie catcher Luis Campusano on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist sprain, reports AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. After homering in his Major League debut, Campusano was scratched from Saturday’s game—which would have been his first MLB start at catcher. San Diego has promoted RHP Taylor Williams, taking Campusano’s spot on the active roster.

As of now, there’s no word on the expected timeline for the return of the 21-year-old Campusano, who made his first Major League appearance just two days ago. A former second-round draft choice, Campusano is viewed as a consensus top-100 prospect in baseball—one who could have improved the Padres’ lackluster catching situation.

Of course, after a series of deadline deals that overhauled the catcher position in San Diego, it wasn’t clear how many opportunities Campusano would get behind the plate in the first place. With new additions Austin Nola and Jason Castro in place, the rookie would have plenty of competition for at-bats, both at catcher and at DH (with newly acquired Mitch Moreland on board as well).

Nonetheless, it’s disappointing that we’ll have to wait for a longer look at yet another promising youngster ascending the ranks of the San Diego organization. He gave fans plenty to dream on with a homer in his first Major League game, but we’ll have to table those expectations for the time being.

Meanwhile, Taylor Williams is set to make his Padres debut after spending the first half of the season with the Mariners. He was acquired by the Padres in one of this year’s low-profile trade deadline deals. He’s by no means a world-beating reliever, but he offers some upside as a depth contributor, and it was no secret the Padres sought exactly that as they hunt for the postseason. Despite a 5.93 ERA in 13 2/3 innings with Seattle, Williams has a solid 19:7 K:BB ratio, which points to a more promising 3.51 FIP.

Phillies Place Jay Bruce, Roman Quinn On IL

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Prior to this afternoon’s game, the Phillies placed a pair of outfielders on the injured list, as per Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. Jay Bruce, who re-injured his left quad, will go to the 10-day IL, and Roman Quinn will head to the 7-day concussion IL after crashing into the outfield wall last night.

Meanwhile, outfielder Kyle Garlick and Right-hander Mauricio Llovera were recalled from the Phillies’ alternate training site, replacing the injured Phils on the active roster.

Bruce went on the injured list in late August with the same injury, but he’ll require a second IL stint after aggravating the quad last night. It will also be Quinn’s second stay on the injured list this year, though the two injuries are unrelated.

The Phils, with a busy schedule of games on the horizon, will have their outfield depth tested by the absences of Bruce and Quinn. With no Quinn and Garlick limited to the corner outfield, Adam Haseley is the only true center fielder on the roster. Meanwhile, some combination of Phil Gosselin and Neil Walker might assume the bulk of the DH duties with Bruce on the shelf.

Garlick has gotten only a brief look at the Major League level this year, going hitless in five plate appearances thus far. He posted a solid .842 in his first foray into the Majors with the Dodgers a year ago. Llovera, 24, is poised to make his Major League debut when Joe Girardi calls his name. He hasn’t pitched above Double-A in his career, but has had success in each of the last two seasons. For his minor league career, he’s notched a 3.45 ERA and has averaged 9.7 K/9.

Rangers Place Joely Rodriguez On IL

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The Rangers announced today that LHP Joely Rodriguez was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a hamstring strain. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by Jesse Chavez, who’s been activated from the IL after spraining his left big toe on August 23. Rodriguez suffered the injury during last night’s game against the Mariners.

With just three weeks until the scheduled end of the regular season, it’s unlikely that Rodriguez, 28, will return to health quickly enough to pitch again this year. It’s an unfortunate break for the Rangers, for whom Rodriguez has been something of a surprise, establishing himself as one of the club’s most reliable relievers to this point.

In 12 2/3 innings of work—his first MLB appearances since 2017—Rodriguez has produced an impressive 2.13 ERA. He’s reinvented himself since his days with the Phillies, adding a changeup upon which he relies heavily, throwing it about 30% of the time. That pitch has effectively replace the slider in his repertoire, and his strikeouts have climbed to career-best rates as a result: he boasts a nice 17:5 K:BB ratio, good for a 12.1 K/9 average.

Without Rodriguez available, the Rangers will turn to Chavez, now recovered from a toe sprain suffered last month. Unlike Rodriguez, the 37-year-old Chavez was off to a slow start to the year prior to his injury. He’s allowed 11 runs (including 6 homers) in just 11 1/3 innings, all while striking out batters at his lowest rate in a decade. Make no mistake, that could be dismissed as an aberration in any other season, but in this unique shortened campaign, small sample sizes can’t be so easily ignored.

Anthony Santander Has Strained Oblique, Could Miss Remainder Of Season

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Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander is headed to the 10-day injured list after suffering a strained oblique, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Manager Brandon Hyde said that Santander will miss “significant time” due to the injury, and with just about three weeks left in the regular season, that could mean the end of Santander’s 2020 campaign.

Santander, 25, had been in the midst of a breakout season, to the extent that one can “break out” in a 60-game season. He’s rocking a .890 OPS (which would be a career-best by a wide margin) and has been the Orioles’ most valuable player by Baseball-Reference’s version of WAR. With 11 home runs in 37 games, he’s maintained his penchant for hard contact while cutting down and strikeouts and taking more walks.

He’s done all of the above while grading out as an above-average defender in right field, painting a picture of Santander as one of the bright young stars leading the O’s on the path back to contention. Unfortunately, they’ll be without him for most—if not all—of the remainder of 2020, a season in which Baltimore has surprised many with a competitive 17-21 record.

The Orioles recalled outfielder Mason Williams to the active roster not long after he was designated for assignment and subsequently outrighted to the team’s alternate training site. He’ll serve as a depth outfielder, with DJ Stewart likely assuming the bulk of the right field duties in Baltimore. Stewart is hitless in 16 at-bats this season, though an absurd 32.1% walk rate has carried him to a .385 OBP despite those struggles. A regular outfield role in Santander’s absence should be a good opportunity for Stewart, who has played in just 71 Major League games since debuting in 2018.

Nationals, GM Mike Rizzo Agree To Three-Year Extension

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The Nationals have agreed to a contract extension with general manager Mike Rizzo, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. He had been working under the final year of his existing contract. Rizzo’s new deal will be for three years, per Rosenthal, keeping him at the helm of the Nats through at least 2023.

Rizzo, 59, took over as the Washington GM in 2009, first in the interim before earning the permanent title. During his 11-plus years as the lead decision-maker, Rizzo’s Nats teams have made five postseason appearances, including last year’s famous run to the World Series. Of course, last year’s success largely erased the Nationals’ reputation as playoff disappointments, which they garnered after four NLDS exits (three of which required a decisive fifth game) in a six-year stretch from 2012-2017. The Nationals have an overall 951-867 (0.523) W-L record during Rizzo’s tenure.

Under his leadership, the Nats have drafted stars like Stephen Strasburg, Bryce Harper, Anthony Rendon, and others. They’ve had success in the international amateur market, signing the likes of Juan Soto, Victor Robles, and the emerging Luis Garcia as teenagers.

Furthermore, Washington hasn’t been shy about handing out significant contracts in free agency. The Nats’ starting pitching corps, especially, was built through free agency, with Max Scherzer, Strasburg, and Patrick Corbin earning a combined $595MM in guaranteed contracts from the Nationals on the open market.

Rizzo has been instrumental in guiding the Nationals through tumultuous losing seasons (which allowed the club to acquire talent early in the draft) and elevating the team to contending status, with eight consecutive winning seasons under their belt (though that streak is likely to end this year).

With Rizzo locked up for the foreseeable future, the Nationals will likely turn their attention to another top employee, manager Dave Martinez. Washington holds a $1.2MM club option over Martinez for the 2021 season, which would be Martinez’s fourth as the Nats’ skipper. In fact, the franchise hasn’t had a manager last more than three seasons since Frank Robinson’s five years leading the Expos and Nats.

Cardinals Make Multiple Roster Moves

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The Cardinals today made a series of roster moves, placing LHP Kwang-Hyun Kim on the 10-day injured list and activated Andrew Miller from the IL, via Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Additionally, they’ve swapped backup catchers, optioning Andrew Knizner and reinstating Matt Wieters from the injured list (courtesy of Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch).

According to Goold, Kim was taken to the hospital this morning due to a kidney ailment. He’ll be released today, and the Cardinals are optimistic that the lefty will pitch again this season once he undergoes treatment. His IL placement is retroactive to Wednesday, September 2.

With Kim slated to start Sunday’s game, the Cardinals will have to scramble to cobble together a starting rotation in the coming days. Indeed, Dakota Hudson, originally expected to start the second game of today’s doubleheader, will instead start tomorrow. The Cardinals will opt for a bullpen game in Saturday’s nightcap.

Kim, who inked a two-year, $8MM deal with the Cardinals following his success in the KBO, has been one of the most reliable pitchers in the St. Louis staff thus far, having notched a 0.83 ERA through his first 21 2/3 innings of MLB work (4 starts).

Meanwhile, neither Wieters nor Knizner has received much playing time with Yadier Molina hogging all the catcher reps in St. Louis, but the Cardinals will give the nod to the veteran Wieters, now healthy after suffering a broken toe. Miller will rejoin the Cardinal bullpen after missing 12 games due to left shoulder fatigue. He’s pitched just 5 2/3 innings for St. Louis this year, notching a 4.76 ERA and striking out 6 batters.

Padres Acquire Jason Castro From Angels

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11:06PM: The trade has been officially announced by both teams.

5:21PM: Right-hander Gerardo Reyes is going to Los Angeles as the return for Castro, MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell reports (Twitter link).  The hard-throwing Reyes has 26 MLB innings on his resume, posting a 7.62 ERA, 13.2 K/9, and 3.45 K/BB over 26 innings for San Diego in 2019.  Advanced metrics painted a much more favorable picture of Reyes’ performance, however, as he was hurt by a stunningly low 47.3% strand rate.

3:27PM: The Padres have acquired catcher Jason Castro from the Angels, confirms Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The 33-year-old veteran had been scratched from today’s game due to mounting trade interest, as first reported by Jon Heyman of MLB Network.

The return headed to the Angels in the deal is not yet known. More than likely, it won’t be a significant haul for the Halos, given that Castro is due to hit free agency at season’s end, making him essentially a one-month rental.

Castro will head to San Diego to complement Austin Hedges in the Padres’ catching mix. The move represent more win-now aggression on San Diego’s part; they’ve been busy this trade season, already making deals for reliever Trevor Rosenthal and first baseman Mitch Moreland this weekend.

The former Astro enjoyed something of a revitalizing season with the Twins last year, with his .767 OPS representing his highest single-season mark since 2013. That was fueled by a nice power surge, as Castro slugged 13 home runs in just 275 plate appearances.

That production hasn’t quite been there this season, as Castro’s batting average has slumped below .200 and his OPS is down to .707, but we ought to be careful not to rush to conclusions given that he’s made just 62 plate appearances. He’s hitting the ball just as hard as last year while getting on base at a solid clip thanks to a 16.1% walk rate. Interestingly, he’s hitting the ball in the air more than ever, so the jury’s still out on the merits of that development.

As a result, the Angels rewarded Castro with a one-year, $6.85MM contract in the winter. Unfortunately, he only wound up playing 18 games for the Halos before being shipped out. He’ll be owed just a bit more than $1MM for the remainder of the season.

In San Diego, he’ll offer a nice alternative to the defensive-minded Hedges, who’s working with a mere .614 OPS for the year. He’s probably more capable offensively than both Hedges and incumbent backup Francisco Mejia, who’s currently on the injured list. Needless to say, there will be a bit of a defensive drop-off from Hedges to Castro, the latter of whom logged above-average framing numbers a season ago but is getting somewhat negative returns thus far in 2020.

Castro’s presence will likely squeeze the young Mejia out of some at-bats, but the Padres will be happy to bring aboard a veteran of Castro’s ilk as they gear up for a postseason run in 2020, shifting their focus away from development and towards winning.

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