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Giants Designate Travis Bergen, Recall Abiatal Avelino

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The Giants have designated left-handed pitcher Travis Bergen for assignment and have recalled infielder Abiatal Avelino, according to Maria Guardado of MLB.com.

Bergen, 25, was selected by the Giants in last December’s Rule 5 Draft after spending the first four years of his professional career in the Blue Jays organization. If he clears waivers, the Giants will need to offer him back to his former employer—of course, the Blue Jays are not required to accept Bergen back into the fold, in which case the Giants could keep Bergen in their organization.

In his first taste of Major League action, Bergen has appeared in 21 games for the Giants, striking out 18 batters in 19 2/3 innings. Those numbers have in part led to a 5.55 FIP, which backs his overall 5.49 ERA. With Bergen no longer on the roster, top prospect Logan Webb looks like a good bet to stick around for an extended look, especially after an impressive debut.

Meanwhile, Avelino is slated to make his first big league appearance of 2019 after a six-game Major League stint in September of 2018. One of the fruits of the trade that sent Andrew McCutchen to the Yankees, the 24-year-old Avelino has spent the entire season in Triple-A. With a .771 season OPS, he’s regarded as the Giants’ No. 27 prospect by MLB Pipeline, which touts his arm strength from the shortstop position and his defensive versatility.

Astros Place Aledmys Diaz On IL, Activate Brad Peacock

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The Astros have placed infielder Aledmys Diaz on the 10-day injured list, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Per The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan, Cy Sneed has been recalled to replace Diaz on the active roster, while Brad Peacock has also been activated from the injured list.

While there’s no official diagnosis for Diaz, Rome reports (via Twitter) that the 29-year-old was placed on the injured list after an incident on Saturday ended with Diaz in the hospital. Per manager AJ Hinch, the shortstop is in better health on Sunday and will travel with the team following today’s game.

With Sneed added to the roster, the Astros will carry nine relievers for the time being, a roster construction that will likely hold up very briefly, as Sneed could be replaced by a position player such as Myles Straw or Jack Mayfield.

Peacock, meanwhile, has not pitched for the Astros since June 27, at which point he landed on the injured list with shoulder discomfort. Peacock looked on track to return in mid-July, but a rehab setback prevented him from being activated until today. It appears that the 31-year-old will be deployed as a reliever in the last month-plus of the season after making 15 starts for the club prior to the All-Star break. The additions of Zack Greinke and Aaron Sanchez appear to have mitigated a need that forced Peacock into a starting role after spending nearly all of last season out of the bullpen.

Indeed, Peacock’s reintroduction to the Astros’ formidable pitching staff will only strengthen one of the American League’s juggernauts. While he’s certainly been a serviceable part of the Houston rotation this season, his numbers have taken a noticeable dip from the production he showed as a reliever in 2018, including his swinging strike rate, which sits at 8.8% in 2019 as opposed to 13.5% a year ago. If returning to a bullpen role allows Peacock to revert to the form he showed last year, his late-season return could prove just as valuable as Sanchez’s emergence as a viable starter.

 

Astros Notes: Bullpen, Tucker, Guduan

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Though the Astros’ lack of a left-handed reliever may appear to be a troubling dilemma at face value, general manager Jeff Luhnow and company are not treating it as such, and appear poised to move into the postseason with a bullpen consisting entirely of righties, writes Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Of the four lefties on the 40-man roster, Framber Valdez is the only reliever with significant Major League experience—experience that hasn’t yielded the most promising results. However, the Stros’ righties have done nothing to suggest a southpaw is needed: left-handed hitters have managed a dreadful .263 wOBA versus the Houston bullpen, the lowest mark in the Majors. Luhnow points to Chris Devenski and Will Harris as two veterans who have been instrumental in that success and could be deployed in October as pseudo-lefties. Of course, Roberto Osuna and Ryan Pressly have likewise dominated lefty hitters, but that duo will likely be used as matchup-proof late-inning options.

Here’s more of the latest news out of Houston…

  • Kyle Tucker has been receiving continued reps as a first baseman with the Astros’ Triple-A affiliate and will receive heavier exposure at the position in the offseason, writes Rome. He and fellow rookie Yordan Alvarez are being groomed into first baseman with an eye on next year’s version of the Astros. Having Tucker and Alvarez available at first could offer added flexibility in the club’s roster construction, as well as providing a clearer path to Major League at-bats for Tucker, who has accumulated more than 900 Triple-A plate appearances in part because of the Astros strong corner outfield rotation. Rome notes that if and when Tucker returns to the Majors as part of expanded rosters, he would only line up at first base in a relatively inconsequential game.
  • Rome provides further details (via Twitter)on the suspension that Astros management handed down to Reymin Guduan last week, clarifying that the suspension only spans the entirely of the minor-league season. As a consequence, Guduan will be eligible to pitch for the Astros in September, though there’s no indication that the 27-year-old will see any more Major League action this season. Guduan, a southpaw, does offer depth in an organization that is thin on lefties, but his performance in limited big league exposure has not been encouraging.

Juan Soto Exits Game With Right Ankle Sprain

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Nationals outfielder Juan Soto left Sunday’s matchup with the Mets in the seventh inning after suffering an apparent ankle injury while rounding third base. Following the Nats’ win, Sam Fortier of the Washington Post reports that Soto suffered a mild ankle sprain and that X-rays came back negative. Soto has been listed as day-to-day.

Needless to say, Sunday’s victory was a bittersweet one after a nerve-wracking scene saw the team’s star 20-year-old roll his ankle while rounding third. However, it appears that the Nationals and their fans can breathe a tentative sigh of relief; the injury won’t require an IL stint and Soto likely won’t miss an expended period. In fact, Alex Chappell of MASN adds that Soto suggested that he may be able to return to the lineup as early as tomorrow. Of course, it seems likely that the Nationals will be careful not to rush their phenom back to action, but it’s a promising sign that Soto anticipates a hasty return.

Soto has entered rarefied air with prodigious offensive success at such an advanced age, displaying elite plate discipline and power that has fueled a .944 OPS this season, solidifying himself as a cornerstone of the playoff-hopeful Nationals lineup. Should he miss a game or two over the next few days, the Nationals are well-equipped with Gerardo Parra on tap to step into the lineup. Parra, though surely an offensive downgrade from the unparalleled Soto, has enjoyed a successful Nats tenure, posting a solid .845 OPS in 58 games as the club’s reserve outfielder.

Reds Sign Junichi Tazawa To Minor-League Deal

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The Cincinnati Reds have added veteran right-handed pitcher Junichi Tazawa on a minor-league contract, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. He’ll be sent to Double-A Chattanooga and will be added to the minor-league injured list.

The 33-year-old Tazawa has yet to appear in a Major League game in 2019, with his only affiliated action coming in a brief stint with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate before he was released in July. In 19 games, he worked to an even 4.00 ERA, striking out 17 batters in 18 innings of work. He last appeared in the Majors with the Angels in 2018.

Needless to say, the veteran is far removed from his stellar years in Boston, which earned him a hefty two-year contract in Miami, an ill-advised move in hindsight. During that Marlins stint and most recently with the Angels, Tazawa’s velocity declined markedly from his peak years, bottoming out at 91.9 mph in September of 2018.

At 33, Tazawa will have a chance to revitalize his career and crack a Major League bullpen. A reasonably strong performance in Triple-A suggests that there’s something left in the tank, but Tazawa will need to output sustained success in the Reds’ system before getting another chance in the big leagues.

Reds Release David Hernandez

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The Reds have released right-handed pitcher David Hernandez, according to The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans. Hernandez cleared waivers after he was designated for assignment on Friday.

Hernandez has seen his ERA balloon to an unpleasant 8.02 over the last month, a far cry from the 4.15 mark he carried into late June. After surrendering 5 home runs over his last 4 2/3 innings pitched, he was designated for assignment, effectively ending his Reds tenure.

Following his release, Hernandez will hit free agency at age 34 with 648 2/3 Major League innings under his belt. Though his recent performance doesn’t leave much room for optimism, there are some promising indicators that could earn the veteran another chance on a minor-league contract. Per Statcast, Hernandez’s hard-hit rate ranks in the 61st percentile, and while his sheer velocity has dipped to below-average levels, his fastball spin rate stacks up favorably against others’, no doubt contributing to a solid 26.8% strikeout rate.

Dodgers Activate Hyun-Jin Ryu, Option Casey Sadler

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The Dodgers have activated injured starter Hyun-Jin Ryu from the injured list, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. To clear a roster spot for Ryu, right-handed pitcher Casey Sadler has been optioned to Triple-A. Ryu will start Sunday’s series finale versus the Diamondbacks.

Ryu landed on the IL in early August owing to a minor neck issue. He last pitched on July 31, but he’ll return to the Dodgers’ rotation after the minimum ten days out of commission. Ryu has emerged as one of the National League’s premier starters, tossing 135 2/3 innings while maintaining a minuscule 1.53 ERA, placing him among the frontrunners for the NL Cy Young Award. After signing the qualifying offer last offseason, Ryu will have the chance to enter free agency in the winter following a career year.

Sadler’s demotion, meanwhile, can’t be attributed to a lack of results. Since joining the Dodgers in an early-July trade with the Rays, the 29-year-old has surrendered just one run in 12 1/3 innings of work. However, his peripheral numbers paint a slightly less rosy picture, as he’s struck out just 5.8 batters per nine innings. Still, Sadler has no doubt shown that he is deserving of a spot on a Major League roster, but the state of Dodgers’ deep pitching staff will squeeze him out of the mix for the time being.

Gurnick would add in a subsequent Tweet that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts would like to get a look at other relief options as the postseason approaches. The Dodgers’ expansive lead in the division should afford them greater flexibility to give opportunities to young pitchers who hope to claim a spot on the postseason roster. In addition to young standouts Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, pitchers like Caleb Ferguson and JT Chargois look like fringe candidates to crack the October roster, and Sadler’s demotion should give Roberts a chance to figure out exactly what he has in Ferguson and Chargois.

Marlins To Promote Isan Diaz

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After placing outfielder Cesar Puello on the injured list, the Marlins are prepared to call up minor-league second baseman Isan Diaz to make his Major League debut, per Craig Mish of FNTSY Sports Radio. Diaz is already on the 40-man roster. Mish would add in a later Tweet that Lewis Brinson has also been recalled from Triple-A.

Diaz, 23, joined the Marlins as one of the pieces in the package that sent Christian Yelich to Milwaukee. Diaz is ranked by MLB Pipeline as the Marlins’ fifth-best prospect and No. 86 in all of baseball. Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis of MLB.com tout his raw power as his carrying skill, with his “bat speed and the strength in his compact frame translating into hard-hit balls to all fields.” However, it bears mentioning that there will be some pressure on the bat to produce, given his unremarkable defense and baserunning. If his Triple-A numbers are to be believed, there’s plenty of reason to believe in the power and overall offensive potential: Diaz has slugged 26 home runs this year, not to overlook a pretty .305/.395/.578 batting line. Though his strikeout numbers are high, he’s sporting a tidy 12.3% walk rate in his minor league career, which began in 2014 when the D-Backs made him a second-round draft choice.

On the diamond, second base looks like the best spot for Diaz, and the keystone might be the smoothest fit on the Major League roster. With Brian Anderson playing right field, the Marlins could give Starlin Castro a look at third base, leaving the door open for Diaz to get regular at-bats at second.

Diaz’s promotion to the big leagues may put him on the vanguard of a burgeoning Miami farm system that added touted 21-year-olds Jazz Chisholm and Jesus Sanchez at the trade deadline. FanGraphs ranks the Marlins’ farm as the fifth-best in baseball, and it’s stocked with a number of high-ceiling, volatile athletes who will determine the precise timeline of Miami’s rebuild. Either way, the organizational depth is a massive improvement over its state after dealing Yelich, Giancarlo Stanton, and Marcell Ozuna, all of whom brought arguably light returns.

Given Lewis Brinson’s struggles, Diaz may be the piece to salvage the much-maligned Yelich trade, which has already returned some value to the Marlins in the form of promising rookie Jordan Yamamoto. If Brinson’s results to date are representative of his true talent, Diaz may end up being the headliner of Miami’s return, though the verdict is still out on Monte Harrison, who has yet to debut.

The book’s not closed on Brinson, either: since his demotion, the 25-year-old has played 81 games at Triple-A, where he’s swatted 16 home runs and posted an overall .871 OPS. He’s managed a solid 9.4% walk rate in that same span, a skill that has completely vanished in his stints in the Majors. Just 25 years old, there’s still time to show that he can carry that success to the Major League level, but early returns have made the acquisition look like a misstep.

Diamondbacks Outright Yasmany Tomas

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The Diamondbacks have sent Yasmany Tomas outright to Triple-A Reno, according to Steve Gilbert of MLB.com, removing Tomas from the D-Backs’ 40-man roster. He had previously been optioned to Triple-A on Thursday.

The move comes after a brief stint that saw Tomas play in the Majors for the first time since 2017. In four games this season, the 28-year-old went 0-for-6 with three strikeouts.

No longer on the 40-man roster, it would appear that the Diamondbacks are running out of patience with Tomas, one of the organization’s highest-paid players. He’s managed a serviceable .765 OPS for his career, including a 2016 season in which he clubbed 31 home runs, but the masher has failed to offset his defensive shortcomings enough to justify a spot on the roster.

Tomas is still owed more than $20MM through the end of next season and he’s been productive in the minor leagues—to the tune of a .944 OPS this season—but evidently the organization has minimal confidence in his ability to defend capably.

Yankees Place Aaron Hicks On IL, Activate J.A. Happ

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According to an official team release, the Yankees have placed center fielder Aaron Hicks on the 10-day injured list with a right flexor strain and have returned left-handed pitcher J.A. Happ from the paternity list.

For the Yankees, the injury woes continue unrelenting, with Hicks making his second trip to the injured list this season. The outfielder, playing out the first year of a seven-year extension signed this spring, has been limited to just 59 games this year. With an apparent elbow issue, his departure from last night’s game certainly inspired some nervousness in New York. However, as James Wagner of the New York Times notes, the silver lining in the situation is that there’s no damage to the ligament, meaning that Hicks will avoid Tommy John surgery. He’ll be shut down from throwing, with the Yankees hoping that a 2019 return is still in the cards.

Happ will be activated in time to start Sunday’s series finale against the Red Sox, with the Yankees seeking a sweep. He’ll be opposed by David Price, who was likewise activated from the paternity list on Sunday.

In this equation, another name that bears mentioning is Clint Frazier’s. Evidently, he isn’t the immediate replacement for Hicks, but he could get another shot down the stretch, depending on the extent of Hicks’s injury. As it stands, it’s hard to find room for the promising 24-year-old on the Yankees active roster. With Hicks out of commission, it appears that Brett Gardner will assume the center field duties, with Mike Tauchman slotting into left field and leaving Cameron Maybin as the team’s fourth outfielder. Both Tauchman and Maybin have been revelations, making it hard to justify demoting either.

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