Michael Fulmer Will Miss At Least 2 Starts With Elbow Neuritis
9:57pm: Fulmer says that he received good news from an ultrasound, as Beck tweets. The ulnar nerve is straying from where it is supposed to sit, which explains his symptoms, but there’s no structural problem in the joint.
5:34pm: A flare-up of the elbow neuritis that sent him to the disabled list earlier this year will keep Tigers righty Michael Fulmer from making at least his next two starts, MLB.com’s Jason Beck is among those to report. Fulmer will take a trip to see Dr. James Andrews for further evaluation.
While the appointment with Andrews may open some eyes at first glance, it’s important to emphasize that there’s still no indication that Fulmer — one of the game’s best young starting pitchers — is dealing with any structural damage in his elbow. His prior DL stint was for the nerve issue alone and he returned quickly. While Fulmer has not been at his best since coming back, he’s also throwing as hard as ever and evidently hasn’t shown signs of any new injury.
That’s not to say there isn’t a possibility that the condition might require further action. While manager Brad Ausmus says the elbow hasn’t hampered Fulmer much while pitching, issues with tingling and numbness are still lingering.
“So, it’s more about the tipping point of being ready for next year should something more have to be done,” Ausmus said of the decision to send Fulmer in to see Andrews now.
That statement seems to imply that a surgical procedure and/or more intensive rehabilitation plan may be under consideration. The club will wait to decide whether or not Fulmer will attempt to return this season, but with the Tigers embarking upon a rebuild, the obvious focus is on his long-term health.
Rangers Designate Marinez, Rodriguez, Alvarez; Activate Jake Diekman
The Rangers have announced a series of moves today as the month of September begins. Texas designated righty Jhan Marinez and lefty Joely Rodriguez to open two 40-man roster spots. Texas has also designated lefty Dario Alvarez, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets.
Those three hurlers are a few of the many that have cycled through the Texas pen this year, as the organization has scrambled to make up for injured and/or ineffective pitching. Marinez has produced mostly solid results in time with three organizations this year, though clearly teams view him as a fill-in asset. Rodriguez has allowed exactly 19 earned runs in 27 frames at both the MLB and Triple-A levels this year. And Alvarez actually managed to carry a 2.76 ERA over 16 1/3 MLB innings this year, but he was averaging 7.7 B/9 to go with 9.4 K/9.
Leading the team’s September call-up list is lefty Jake Diekman, whose absence to date was one of the drivers of the bullpen churn. Diekman had missed the entire season after undergoing surgery just before camp to address inflammatory bowel disease. (You can and should read more about his journey here.) The Rangers can control the southpaw for one more season via arbitration; in all likelihood, he won’t command much of a raise on his current $2.55MM salary since he doesn’t have much time to accrue innings.
Recently acquired righty Paolo Espino, infielder Will Middlebrooks, and catcher A.J. Jimenez have also been tabbed to join the MLB club.
Mariners Outright Bergman, Place Phelps On DL, Announce Promotions
The Mariners have outrighted right-hander Christian Bergman, per a club announcement. That move clears another 40-man roster slot after the team lost righty Sam Gaviglio to a waiver claim earlier today; it’s also just one of the many transactions entered today by the ever-active M’s front office.
Righty David Phelps has returned to the 10-day DL due to an elbow impingement. He missed time earlier this month and has not looked himself of late. Indeed, Phelps has lost about two miles per hour on his average fastball as compared with the first four months of the season.
In more positive news relating to injuries, both outfielder Jarrod Dyson and righty Shae Simmons have returned from their own runs on the disabled list. The latter had been on the 60-day DL while working back from a flexor strain.
Catcher Mike Marjama was added to the 40-man roster and promoted to give the team another option behind the dish. The team also activated just-acquired righty Mike Leake.
With no limitations on the active roster, the M’s have also brought up a few players that were on optional assignment. Three right-handed pitchers — Dan Altavilla, Ryan Garton, and Andrew Moore — are on their way to help bolster the bullpen.
Dodgers Designate Brett Eibner, Luis Ysla
The Dodgers have designated outfielder (and partially converted pitcher) Brett Eibner and lefty Luis Ysla for assignment, per a club announcement. With Grant Dayton heading to the 60-day DL after undergoing Tommy John surgery, the club cleared the way for several September promotions.
As expected, top prospect Alex Verdugo and veteran Andre Ethier will both make their way onto the active roster. The former will be joined by first baseman/outfielder O’Koyea Dickson in appearing in the majors for the first time. Ethier is headed back to the bigs for the first time this season after an extended DL stint.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles also announced that Clayton Kershaw has been activated from the 10-day DL. Outfielder/first baseman Rob Segedin — like Dickson, a potential righty bench bat — has also been recalled from optional assignment.
Padres Designate Kevin Quackenbush, Select Jordan Lyles
The Padres have designated righty Kevin Quackenbush for assignment and outrighted lefty Dillon Overton, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports on Twitter. Those moves help clear the way for a variety of September call-ups.
San Diego has selected the contract of right-hander Jordan Lyles and activated shortstop Erick Aybar from the DL. The club also added lefty Kyle McGrath and righty Jose Valdez to the active roster.
Quackenbush has never quite replicated the success he found in his debut season of 2014 and struggled to a 7.86 ERA over 26 1/3 major-league frames this year. Lyles was also effective in ’14 as a starter for the Rockies, but has steadily declined ever since and washed out of the Colorado bullpen earlier this year.
Adrian Beltre Expected To Miss 4 Weeks With Hamstring Strain
Veteran Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre is expected to miss at least four weeks of action after being diagnosed with a grade 2 hamstring strain, per an announcement from club executive VP of communications John Blake. With one month left in the regular season, it appears unlikely that Beltre will return in 2017 unless Texas can secure a postseason berth in his absence.
That’s unfortunate news for the Rangers, who just picked up righty Miguel Gonzalez last night to help out down the stretch. While the Rangers are on the outside looking in right now, the team is still a plausible contender with four games to make up in the AL Wild Card race.
Of course, even getting to the play-in game will be much tougher now with Beltre out. Advancing age — he’s already 38 — may well have impacted his ability to stay healthy, as Beltre has suited up for just eighty games this season. But it has not robbed him of his immense abilities on the field.
Through 341 plate appearances in 2017, Beltre is slashing .315/.393/.553 — which translates to a 145 wRC+ that tops any of his prior full-season efforts since his monumental 2004 campaign. Beltre has launched 16 long balls on the year while walking more than ever (10.9%) and continuing to make plenty of contact (12.9% strikeout rate). He’s also still a well-above-average defender, even if metrics haven’t rated him as quite the premium gloveman that he has long been.
Though he has been limited, Beltre is playing at a six-WAR pace, so he has arguably still earned the $18MM he’s owed this year. Texas will employ the future Hall-of-Famer for one more year at the same rate under the extension he signed last spring.
In Beltre’s absence, the Rangers could turn to a number of different internal options. Breakout slugger Joey Gallo could man the hot corner. The club might also give some time to Will Middlebrooks, who’s coming up as part of the wave of September call-ups. One player that isn’t making an immediate appearance in the majors, though, is former top prospect Jurickson Profar; he, too, could see action at third, if and when he returns to the majors.
MLB Places Derek Norris On Restricted List For Remainder Of Season
Major League Baseball has announced that free-agent catcher Derek Norris has been placed on the restricted list for the remainder of the season. The league says that it issued its decision “based on the results of” an investigation under the domestic violence policy; commissioner Rob Manfred did not otherwise explain the result except to state that he determined that Norris’s “conduct warranted discipline.”
Norris will not appeal, per the announcement, and will be eligible again to sign a contract after the conclusion of the current season. The 28-year-old was released earlier this year by the Rays and had not signed with another organization since. Norris will also lose the right to collect $100K of salary he was still due from Tampa Bay; the organization will instead donate that sum “to one or more charitable organizations focused on preventing and treating survivors of domestic violence,” per Manfred’s statement.
The league commenced an investigation into Norris after his one-time fiancee, Kristen Eck, accused him publicly of physical and emotional abuse. Norris denied that he had committed the alleged actions. It does not appear that Eck pursued criminal charges, but detailed her allegations (as Topkin wrote earlier this summer) and seemingly agreed to cooperate with MLB’s investigation.
The joint MLB-MLBPA domestic violence policy vests the power to investigate, assess culpability, and issue punishment in the commissioner. That authority is not contingent upon any actions by public authorities and does not require a criminal conviction.
Norris had struggled on the field this year prior to losing his job with the Rays in late June. Still, as an experienced major league backstop, he might well have had an opportunity to join a roster for the month of September were it not for today’s decision (along with whatever underlying facts the league was able to ascertain). Of course, today’s decision could well also have an impact on his future prospects in the game.
Royals Claim Sam Gaviglio, Release Neftali Feliz
The Royals have claimed righty Sam Gaviglio off waivers from the Mariners, per an announcement from the Seattle organization. Kansas City, meanwhile, has released veteran hurler Neftali Feliz, MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan tweets.
That move will open a 40-man spot for the M’s as they put together a slate of September call-ups. Gaviglio, 27, debuted this year for Seattle, working to a 4.62 ERA with 5.8 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 over 62 1/3 innings. He was tagged for 15 long balls in that span. Gaviglio did throw better at Triple-A, though, posting a 3.88 ERA across 72 frames in 13 outings.
As for Feliz, the 29-year-old landed with the Royals after an unsuccessful run with the Brewers earlier this year. He gave K.C. twenty outings of 4.74 ERA ball, averaging 7.6 strikeouts and 3.8 walks per nine. Milwaukee will continue to pay the remainder of the $5.35MM owed to Feliz for the season.
Astros Acquire Justin Verlander
11:05am: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that Verlander will retain full no-trade protection now as a member of the Astros (Twitter links). Additionally, the Astros have agreed to waive his vesting option for the 2020 season. Verlander would’ve needed a top five finish in the 2019 Cy Young voting to see that $22MM option vest, though it stands to reason that if he were to finish in the top five that season, he’d be able to earn more on the open market in free agency.
Nightengale also confirms that Houston will receive a PTBNL in the deal as opposed to further cash considerations. (Houston will still receive the $16MM from the Tigers to help pay down some of Verlander’s salary.)
12:30am: In a stunning reversal, after a deal seemingly collapsed, the Tigers have officially sent long-time ace Justin Verlander to the Astros. Prospects Franklin Perez, Daz Cameron, and Jake Rogers will go to Detroit in the deal. Houston is also slated to receive $16MM from Detroit to cover a portion of Verlander’s remaining salary, along with a player to be named later or cash considerations.
The August trade period has never been so loaded with blockbusters. This year, the Tigers pulled off not one but two major swaps on August 31st — the last day for teams to deal players who’d be eligible to appear in the postseason with their new organizations. After shipping outfielder Justin Upton to the Angels earlier today, Detroit GM Al Avila hammered out a yet-more-significant trade by parting with one of the franchise’s icons tonight.
While dealing Upton came with some complications, the path to the Verlander trade was riddled with roadblocks. Starts and stops in talks over recent months left immense uncertainty as to his future. His full no-trade rights loomed as a barrier, while the $56MM left on his contract after this season (for the 2018 and 2019 campaigns) seemed steep. Indeed, he cleared revocable waivers, with no clubs putting in a claim to take over his entire deal.
The chatter picked up, then sputtered, approaching the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline, then ebbed and flowed in August after Verlander had cleared revocable trade waivers. Throughout it all, Verlander turned in gem after gem, increasing his appeal as a trade target all the while.
Ultimately, Houston couldn’t pass on the chance to add the hard-throwing workhorse, parting with three talented young players to get him. The Tigers couldn’t miss on this opportunity to deal him at a relative high point, especially after Verlander struggled early in the 2017 campaign. And though Verlander waited until the last minute to approve the trade — MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets that he held out for a chance to land with the Cubs — he ultimately decided to depart a franchise that is obviously launching a significant rebuilding process for one that owns the best record in the American League.
The dealmaking took place even as the Astros prepare to return to their home city for the first time since Hurricane Harvey pummeled the Texas cost. As the city and its brave citizens continue to battle flood waters, the Astros will play a dramatic doubleheader tomorrow while preparing to welcome one of the most accomplished pitchers of the past 40 years.
It will be tempting for some Astros fans to see Verlander as something of a savior. He is one of the game’s highest-profile players — due not only to his excellence, but also his relationship with supermodel Kate Upton — and the team has struggled of late even as it comfortably paces the AL West.
But Verlander is already 34 years of age and has quite a lot of mileage on his arm — durable though it may be — after 380 regular season MLB outings. While he owns a 3.49 ERA through more than 2,500 innings on the Major League hill, it’s fair to wonder when he’ll slow down. Indeed, those concerns rose to the fore as Verlander labored to a 4.96 ERA through his first 17 starts this season.
Of late, though, Verlander has been outstanding. Since a dud to open the month of July, Verlander has pitched to a 2.31 ERA with 84 strikeouts against 20 walks over 74 innings. He’s throwing as hard as ever and could still crack 200 innings for the tenth time in the past 11 seasons.
Clearly, Verlander represents a significant upgrade for an Astros staff that has had its ups and downs this year even as the team runs away with a division crown. While Dallas Keuchel and Lance McCullers Jr. are big talents, both have had injury problems; the latter has also had some hiccups of late and is currently on the DL. Other hurlers — including Charlie Morton, Brad Peacock, and Mike Fiers — have certainly had their moments in 2017, but there was room for the Astros to add a postseason starter to the mix.
The addition is especially notable given that the ‘Stros missed on Zach Britton and another as-yet-unknown pitcher at the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline. Verlander will bump some other arms into the bullpen, especially during the postseason, helping to deepen the overall staff while also giving the team a pitcher that is no stranger to working late into playoff games. Of particular note for an Astros team that has only burst into competitiveness in recent seasons, Verlander a 3.39 ERA through 98 1/3 innings in 16 postseason contests == the most recent of which came in 2014.
Unsurprisingly, the addition comes at a cost. While Verlander’s salary held down his value, Detroit still managed to secure some high-end talent in this deal, all while clearing the bulk of Verlander’s contract from the books. In combination with the Upton trade, the Tigers have saved something on the order of $136MM in salary commitments. (That estimate includes the remainder of those players’ salaries for the current season, less the money the team has agreed to retain in both deals. It also assumes Upton would not opt out after the current season, which remains to be seen.)
While Cameron is perhaps the best-known youngster moving in this deal, Perez is undoubtedly the headliner. The 19-year-old righty entered the year on top-100 prospect charts, with the potential of developing a quality four-pitch arsenal, and has delivered on the hype. Through 86 1/3 innings at the High-A and Double-A levels, Perez carries a 3.02 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9.
Cameron was one of the highest-rated players in the 2015 draft, and Houston structured its strategy that day around landing him with a big bonus at pick No. 37. The son of long-time major leaguer Mike Cameron, the 20-year-old has bounced back from a tough 2016 campaign. Over 506 plate appearances this year at A ball, he’s slashing .271/.347/.567 with 14 home runs and 32 stolen bases. Notably, too, he has drastically pared back the strikeouts that plagued him last year, carrying a 21.1% rate thus far in 2017.
Detroit also lands a potential future catcher in Rogers, who is a highly regarded defensive backstop that has shown some hitting skills as well. While he’s already 22 years of age, the 2016 third-rounder from Tulane succeeded at the plate at both the Class A and High-A levels this year. Over 479 total plate appearances, he’s slashing .265/.353/.476 with 18 long balls, and he’s also recorded 52 walks against 100 strikeouts.
The dramatic tale of this trade isn’t yet over. Verlander promises to be one of the most closely watched players in this year’s postseason and will be expected to anchor the staff over the final two years of his deal. And the Tigers will hope that the three players acquired will help form the team’s next core of stars — though it will likely be some time before any test their merit at the game’s highest level.
Chris McCosky of the Detroit News covered the late-breaking negotiations (links to Twitter). Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press first reported (via Twitter) that a deal was done. Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter) reported the return, which McCosky had previously noted, while Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) and Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link) had the financial elements.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Angels Acquire Brandon Phillips
10:59pm: The Braves have now formally announced the trade.
10:17pm: Braves GM John Coppolella has acknowledged the deal to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (Twitter links). While there’s been no formal press release announcing the swap, Coppolella tells O’Brien that the Angels were the ones who approached the Braves on the deal. Atlanta felt it was a chance to reward Phillips by allowing him to receive the $500K trade assign bonus in his contract and also get a chance to play in the postseason.
10:08pm: Phillips’ contract calls for a $500K assignment bonus in the event that he is traded, and the Angels will be responsible for paying that sum, Bowman tweets.
9:55pm: The Angels have swung a deal to acquire infielder Brandon Phillips from the Braves, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). Reports earlier today indicated the sides were close to a swap, with the only hang-up being whether Phillips would accept the deal. (He could block a trade to the Halos and eleven other teams by the terms of his contract.) According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the Angels are sending former big league catcher Tony Sanchez to the Braves in return (Twitter link).
Phillips recently shifted from second base to third base in Atlanta to accommodate the promotion of presumptive second baseman of the future Ozzie Albies, but he figures to slide back to his natural position of second base in Anaheim. While he’s no longer the offensive force that he once was, Phillips and his .291/.329/.423 slash line will be a marked upgrade for an Angel club that has seen its second baseman post a collectively abysmal .196/.271/.318 batting line in 2017.
While Phillips represents an immediate upgrade to the Angels’ Wild Card chances in the American League, he’s as pure a rental as they come; the three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover will hit free agency following the 2017 season. However, by acquiring Phillips on Aug. 31, the Halos have ensured that he’ll be eligible for their postseason roster in the event that they do ultimately secure a Wild Card berth. At present, they’re 1.5 games behind the Twins for the second slot in the American League and 2.5 games back of the Yankees for the top Wild Card slot.
That Sanchez, a former top pick who has now been relegated to journeyman status, is the return for Phillips speaks to the fact that the veteran infielder did not carry significant trade value. The Reds shipped Phillips to Atlanta this offseason and picked up all but $1MM of his remaining salary, and the Braves will presumably shed that commitment while giving the 36-year-old Phillips a chance to return to postseason play — an opportunity he wouldn’t have been afforded in Atlanta this season.
Sanchez has posted a .272/.355/.374 slash in Triple-A this season, and while he could conceivably be a September call-up, it seems unlikely that the Braves would carry him on the 40-man roster all winter. In all likelihood, his time with the organization will be limited.
For the Braves, shedding Phillips provides a relatively nominal amount of cost-savings but also opens regular at-bats for younger options to prove themselves capable pieces of the future in the season’s final month. Albies was already penciled in at second base, while Dansby Swanson has demonstrated immense improvements at shortstop upon his recent recall from Triple-A. Johan Camargo, another young infielder who has taken a step forward with a successful, albeit BABIP-driven rookie campaign, could be in line for at-bats at the hot corner down the stretch.
Atlanta could also use the now-vacated at-bats to take a second look at Rio Ruiz — a former fourth-round pick of the Astros that signed a huge bonus out of the draft and came to the Braves alongside Mike Foltynewicz as part of the Evan Gattis trade. While Ruiz underwhelmed in his first taste of big league action, he only turned 23 years old in late May and has shown a bit of pop in Triple-A this year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.