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Pirates To Select Geoff Hartlieb

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The Pirates will select the contract of righty Geoff Hartlieb, according to Stephen Nesbitt of The Athletic (via Twitter). Corresponding roster moves aren’t yet known.

Hartlieb, 25, has turned in a dozen solid appearances this year at Triple-A. Through 19 innings, he carries a 3.32 ERA with 10.9 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9.

The numbers don’t jump off the page for Hartlieb, but he’s capable of reaching triple digits with his fastball. He has worked exclusively as a reliever in the minors but does have quite a lot of multi-inning appearances throughout his four seasons as a professional.

Latest On Tigers’ Rotation

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MAY 17: Ross is dealing with ulnar neuritis and won’t throw for at least another seven to 10 days, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News tweets.

MAY 15: The Tigers have already been hit hard by pitching injuries this season, and it doesn’t appear as if Jordan Zimmermann or Tyson Ross will be returning from the IL in the near future.  Zimmermann was sidelined with an UCL sprain on April 26, and he is still experiencing discomfort in his elbow when throwing from flat ground, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com reports on Twitter.  Given that Zimmermann hasn’t pitched in nearly three weeks and hasn’t yet begun ramping up in earnest, it seems reasonable to anticipate that he won’t be ready to return to the Tigers’ staff for at least another few weeks, assuming that all goes smoothly here on out.

As for Ross, the outlook is perhaps even more ominous.  Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire told Woodbery (Twitter link) and other reporters that Ross has scheduled two separate visits with different doctors, as the right-hander tries to figure out the cause of the nerve problem in his throwing elbow.  Ross has a substantial injury history that includes thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, and one of his two medical visits is with the same doctor who performed his TOS surgery back in 2016.

Between Zimmermann, Ross, and season-ending injuries to both Michael Fulmer and Matt Moore, the Tigers are trying to make do without four-fifths of their intended starting rotation.  One internal option is Drew VerHagen, as Gardenhire told media (including Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press) that VerHagen will be stretched out as a starter at Triple-A.  This isn’t the first time that VerHagen has been tried as a starter, as he made three starts for Detroit in 2017-18, though the large majority of VerHagen’s MLB experience (111 of 115 career games) has been as a reliever.

VerHagen is back at Triple-A Toledo after being outrighted off Detroit’s 40-man roster over the weekend, and the 28-year-old has now been outrighted in consecutive seasons.  While obviously VerHagen is far from the Tigers’ ideal option for a starter, the team has been forced to leave no stone unturned as it deals with its plague of rotation injuries.  It’s worth noting that VerHagen does have some decent career numbers at Triple-A, though his grounder-heavy arsenal and lack of missed bats (6.9 K/9 in his career) hasn’t translated well to the big leagues, as his 5.20 career ERA would attest.

If you’re wondering whether or not star prospect Casey Mize could be an answer to the Tigers’ pitching problems, seemingly nothing has changed from earlier this month, when Gardenhire said that such highly-touted Double-A arms as Mize, Alex Faedo, and Matt Manning weren’t going to be called up.  As dire as the injury situation may be, it’s clear that the Tigers aren’t prepared to alter their developmental plans for the sake of covering some innings in a rebuilding year.  At least from a long-term perspective, there’s a lot to be excited about with Tigers pitching — MLB.com’s most recent top 100 prospects list ranks Mize as the top pitching prospect in baseball, and the #6 prospect overall.  Mize’s ranking will only improve throughout the year, as four of the names ahead of him (Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Eloy Jimenez, and Nick Senzel) have already reached the majors and will soon lose their prospect status.

In other Tigers prospect news, it has been announced that right-hander Franklin Perez is set to make his season debut for Detroit’s high A-ball affiliate in Lakeland.  A shoulder strain has kept Perez from pitching in 2019.  Originally acquired from the Astros as part of the Justin Verlander trade, the 21-year-old Perez is another well-regarded building block, ranking 71st on MLB.com’s latest prospect list.

Mets Designate Keon Broxton

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The Mets have designated outfielder Keon Broxton for assignment, Tim Healey of Newsday reports on Twitter. That opens the door for Carlos Gomez to join the club’s MLB roster for the first time since his debut season with the club way back in 2007.

Gomez’s ascension was reported previously, so it comes as no surprise. Of course, something came up the last time we thought it was inevitable we’d again see him in a Mets uniform. (He instead landed with the Astros; it’s fascinating to consider the alternate universe.)

In other moves, also largely anticipated in advance, the Mets recalled righty Paul Sewald and placed outfielder Michael Conforto on the 7-day concussion injured list. Conforto’s injury is a concerning one for the team; it’s still not clear what kind of absence is anticipated.

Broxton came over from the Brewers in the offseason after failing to fill the center field opening created by Gomez’s departure. The defensively proficient 29-year-old seemed to be somewhat redundant with Juan Lagares already on hand, but the Mets evidently thought his upside was worth a chance.

Things just haven’t worked out at all for Broxton. He saw limited action in New York and struggled badly when he did get in the lineup. In 53 plate appearances this season, he carries a .143/.208/.163 batting line with 22 strikeouts. Though it’s still possible he’ll be snagged on the waiver wire, his appeal is limited by the fact that he is out of options.

Rockies Promote Brendan Rodgers

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TODAY: The move is official, with Colorado also activating lefty Jake McGee from the injured list. Righty DJ Johnson and infielder Pat Valaika were optioned down to create active roster space.

YESTERDAY: The Rockies are expected to promote top prospect Brendan Rodgers, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Corresponding moves remain to be seen, but a recent injury to shortstop Trevor Story is said to have played a role in the decision.

The 22-year-old Rodgers has been considered an elite prospect ever since he went to the Colorado organization with the third overall pick in the 2015 draft. He has steadily marched up the club’s farm system, briefly reaching Triple-A late last year. Rodgers entered the current season with consensus top-thirty leaguewide prospect billing; MLB.com was most bullish, grading him the tenth-best prospect in the game.

Rodgers has shown himself more than ready for a MLB opportunity early in the 2019 campaign. He’s slashing .356/.421/.644 with nine home runs over 152 plate appearances thus far at Albuquerque — impressive numbers even in an offensively robust league with a launching pad for a home park.

The Rockies could certainly stand to receive a boost. They enter play today at two games under .500 and 7.5 back of the Dodgers in the NL West. Whether Rodgers can perform at a top-end level out of the gates remains to be seen. But it’s a shot worth taking for a club that has received little with the bat from its other options at second base — where he’ll presumably line up except when he plays short in relief of Story.

There’s no reason to believe that Story’s injury will sideline him for long, or even that he’ll require a trip to the injured list. But the middle-infield duo has lacked punch even with the established slugger at full health. Story has held up his end of the bargain, but Garrett Hampson, Ryan McMahon, and Pat Valaika have not. The Rox offensive output at second base has easily been the worst in baseball this year. Hampson was already optioned down recently; another of those players could be pushed out to make way for Rodgers. (Both can still be optioned.)

Harding indicates that the promotion will likely occur on Friday. If that indeed comes to pass, then Rodgers can record as many as 136 days of MLB service this season. That would set him up for potential Super Two qualification in the future, so long as he’s able to keep his roster spot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Nationals Activate Trea Turner, Option Wilmer Difo

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The Nationals have announced a series of roster moves, led by the return of shortstop Trea Turner from a lengthy stint on the injured list. Fellow infielder Wilmer Difo was optioned to create space for him.

As expected, starter Anibal Sanchez was placed on the 10-day injured list after suffering a hamstring injury yesterday. Righty Kyle McGowin will head onto the active roster to take the opening and provide the club with some innings in a swingman capacity.

Despite a forgettable opening quarter of the season, the Nats are hardly fully buried in the postseason hunt. They’ll need Turner to get back to his high-flying ways if they’re to overcome some other areas of concern and make up the six-game gap separating them from the Phillies (in addition to leap-frogging the Braves and Mets).

The 25-year-old Turner got off to a great start to the season, but was injured in only his fourth game of action. At his best, he’s among the better all-around shortstops in the game. It remains to be seen whether the fractured finger will have any lingering effects in the field or at the plate, but it shouldn’t prevent him from resuming his torrid stolen-base pace (four in four games after swiping more than forty in each of the past two seasons).

As for Difo, 27, he has had his chances over the past few campaigns but just hasn’t been able to provide enough offense. This year represented a new low, as he’s carrying only a .231/.301/.298 slash through 134 plate appearances. Without Difo, the roster lacks a true shortstop reserve, though Brian Dozier could slide over from second when Turner needs a rest.

McGowin may or may not end up getting a shot at taking a start in place of Sanchez. It’s also possible the club could give the ball to Erick Fedde, though he has been working in a relief capacity. Odds are the Nats will utilize both of those pitchers as needed in the coming days and wait to reassess when Sanchez’s turn comes up again on Tuesday.

Injured Athletics Hurlers Making Progress

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Several injured Athletics pitchers are on the march back to the majors, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Whether they’ll make it in time to help draw the team back into the postseason race remains to be seen.

Jharel Cotton is furthest along among those sidelined with long-term maladies. He’s slated to launch a rehab assignment on Friday in his effort to return from Tommy John surgery, which means he could be pitching from a big-league mound by mid-June.

The 27-year-old Cotton hasn’t appeared in competitive action since the 2017 campaign, his first full go at the MLB level. He managed only a 5.58 ERA in 129 innings, with 28 long balls largely to blame. Still, he has long been seen as a potentially solid back-of-the-rotation big-league hurler.

There’s an even more talented trio of lefties also grinding through the rehab process as well. Former first-rounder A.J. Puk just threw his first simulated game, which is quite a notable step in his own TJ recovery. He could be an option as soon as July, Slusser indicates, with Sean Manaea (shoulder surgery) and Jesus Luzardo (rotator cuff strain) potentially being available after the trade deadline.

This glance at the injured list serves as a reminder of how much talent the Oakland organization has been forced to go without in the early going. Unfortunately, it seems as if the club will need to claw back into the race before it receives much in the way of reinforcement.

The rotation hasn’t been the sole cause of the A’s slow start, but there are certainly some issues. The three veteran offseason signees haven’t exactly thrived. Outside of his no-hitter, Mike Fiers has struggled. Marco Estrada did the same before going down with an injury. Brett Anderson has been solid but is hardly a dominant rotation piece. There are mixed results otherwise. Frankie Montas is pitching quite well and Chris Bassitt has shown some promise in a four-start sample, but Aaron Brooks has been homer-prone and Daniel Mengden’s first start of the year didn’t go well.

Tigers Recall Dawel Lugo

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The Tigers have called up infielder Dawel Lugo, per a club announcement. He’ll take the roster spot created when the team optioned out third baseman Jeimer Candelario.

In addition to stepping into Candelario’s roster spot, Lugo will evidently also take over as the team’s regular third baseman. Manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters, including MLB.com’s Jason Beck (Twitter link), that the organization is “bringing [Lugo] up here to play, not to sit.”

The 24-year-old Lugo had a crack at the majors last year, but struggled to a .213/.267/.309 slash in 101 plate appearances. He also didn’t hit much at Triple-A last year, finishing the season with a marginal .269/.283/.350 batting line and just three long balls in 523 plate appearances.

That was a disappointing showing for a player who had finished the prior two campaigns with double-digit dinger tallies. The Tigers were obviously hoping for more when they acquired Lugo from the Diamondbacks as a significant part of the return for star slugger J.D. Martinez.

Lugo still opened the year rated as the 17th-best player on the Tigers’ farm. And he has ticked up quite a bit in the early going. Through 140 plate appearances at Triple-A Toledo, Lugo carries a .341/.393/.468 slash with a pair of long balls. He has walked at a 7.9% rate — hardly elite, but better than he has ever shown over a full season. Lugo is succeeding mostly by stinging the ball to the tune of a .402 batting average on balls in play. He won’t sustain that sort of level over a full season in the bigs. It’ll be interesting to see whether he can keep trending up in the walk department and make enough good contact to be a productive big-league hitter.

Brewers To Place Manny Pina On IL, Recall Jacob Nottingham

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The Brewers announced after last night’s game that catcher Manny Pina will be headed to the 10-day injured list with a hamstring injury. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by fellow receiver Jacob Nottingham, per MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy (via Twitter).

It’s not clear how long Pina will be sidelined, but he’ll need to use his time away to work on more than just his hamstring. Soon to turn 32, Pina has struggled to a .133/.220/.244 slash to open the season — well shy of the palatable offensive numbers he carried over the prior two campaigns.

Pina’s role has unsurprisingly been reduced in the wake of the addition of Yasmani Grandal, who’ll continue to see the bulk of the action behind the dish. Grandal will now be supplemented by Nottingham, a 24-year-old who enjoyed a cup of coffee last season.

Nottingham originally came to Milwaukee in the swap that sent slugger Khris Davis to the A’s. (Before that, he landed in the Oakland organization in the July 2015 Scott Kazmir trade.) At the time, he was seen as a bat-first catching prospect with real potential. He has struggled at times in the upper minors, though he was productive last year at Triple-A and was graded by MLB.com as the Brewers’ 16th-best prospect over the winter. Nottingham is slashing .247/.351/.395 in 94 plate appearances at San Antonio thus far in 2019.

Jesus Luzardo Hires MVP Sports Group

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Athletics pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo has hired MVP Sports Group to represent him, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). The move comes less than a year since Luzardo’s previous agency change.

Luzardo is nursing back to health after suffering a rotator cuff strain this spring. He has been throwing for several weeks but has yet to embark upon a rehab assignment.

He’d likely be in the majors had it not been for the unfortunate injury, which broke a string of positive developments for the 21-year-old hurler. Seen as a rising young hurler when he was dealt to the A’s in the summer of 2017, Luzardo soared up prospect ranking lists with a superlative 2018 campaign.

Entering the current campaign, he was seen as a consensus top-twenty leaguewide prospect and was graded seventh overall by Baseball America.  Luzardo seemed poised for the big leagues after netting 15 strikeouts in 9 2/3 spring innings.

Luzardo should represent an option for the A’s once he’s able to get back to full health and ramp back up, but the delayed start to the year has obviously slowed his ascent. In addition to the missed chances (and missed service time) early this season, Luzardo will not have an opportunity to build upon his single-season innings tally (109 1/3 last year). That could lead to some workload restrictions next year.

As always, you can find the latest representation information in MLBTR’s Agency Database.

Ben Zobrist Remains On Leave From Cubs Indefinitely

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Veteran utilityman Ben Zobrist has been away from the Cubs since May 8th owing to a previously undisclosed personal matter. It emerged today that the indefinite absence relates to marital troubles that have resulted in divorce proceedings, as ESPNChicago.com’s Jesse Rogers reports.

Details of the matter are really not of interest from a baseball perspective, but Zobrist’s absence does have an obvious impact on the Cubs’ roster situation. It is not known whether he is receiving his salary — $12MM this season, his final under contract in Chicago — during his absence. By placing Zobrist on the restricted list, the Cubs have been able to avoid playing a man down.

Manager Joe Maddon says there’s still “no indication” as to when Zobrist will return to the club. The Cubs informed the 14-year veteran, who’ll soon turn 38 years of age, that he’s free to take as much time away as he needs.

Zobrist has appeared primarily in the corner outfield and at second base this year. In his absence, the club will likely continue to spread playing time at those positions among a deep and versatile assortment of other players.

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