Indians Designate Daniel Robertson
The Indians have designated outfielder Daniel Robertson for assignment, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets. His 40-man spot was needed for the just-acquired Jay Bruce.
Robertson, 31, has seen action in each of the past four MLB seasons — including a 32-game run this year in Cleveland. But he has never shown much with the bat, with a cumulative .262/.314/.328 slash over 386 trips to the plate.
Through 178 plate appearances at Triple-A on the year, Robertson is slashing .340/.407/.409 — reflective of his typical blend of excellent plate discipline and little pop. Robertson has also swiped quite a few bags as a professional, though he’s just 7-for-12 at Triple-A this year and has only successfully taken a bag in half of his dozen career attempts in the majors.
Phillies Promote Rhys Hoskins
The Phillies have promoted young slugger Rhys Hoskins to the active roster for the first time today, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki first reported (via Twitter). It had been anticipated that he’d receive a promotion at some point in the near future, but the precise arrival date was not yet clear.
Hoskins, 24, has raked in obscurity for most of his minor-league career since going to the Phils in the fifth round of the 2014 draft. But prospect evaluators have come around on his future outlook as Hoskins has continued to dominate opposing pitchers into the upper minors. He’s currently considered one of the game’s hundred-best prospects by both Baseball America and MLB.com.
While Hoskins could surely have drawn an earlier call-up, the Phillies were not willing to bump him up in place of fellow young first baseman Tommy Joseph. Instead, the Phils have decided to give Hoskins a run in left field. Whether he can handle the position in the long run remains to be seen, but he’ll get a shot to do so in the majors and will test his bat against top-level pitching — allowing Philadelphia to assess both him and Joseph for the future.
At some point, production is hard to deny. In Hoskins’s case, he has impressed more than ever this year at Triple-A. Over 475 plate appearances, he’s slashing a robust .284/.385/.581 with 29 long balls. That’s impressive in and of itself, but what’s especially encouraging is the fact that he’s walking nearly as much as he’s striking out (13.5% versus 15.8%).
It’ll be interesting to see how Hoskins looks in left and how the Phils handle the logjam over the winter. For now, the rebuilding club will be content watching its top young talent compete in the majors. Several other players have filtered up this year, and long-awaited shortstop J.P. Crawford may not be long in making his own move — depending upon how the organization decides to handle incumbent middle infielders Freddy Galvis and Cesar Hernandez.
Notes From The Jay Bruce Trade
Last night’s trade sending Jay Bruce from the Mets to the Indians was perhaps the most significant deal since the non-waiver deadline. It could well hold that title the rest of the way, though there are also a variety of other notable players that could be dealt this month. (Click here for MLBTR’s top 25 ranking of candidates; click here to see the players that have already reportedly cleared waivers.)
While the transaction was largely a straightforward affair — a team with a need chipped in a low-level prospect and took on the entire contract of a veteran who fit — it’s worth taking a look at some of the post-deal chatter:
- Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti spoke with the media about the deal, and MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian provided a transcript of the chat. Antonetti acknowledged the importance of injuries to the swap, noting that the club wouldn’t really even have playing time to give to Bruce were it not for the absences of Lonnie Chisenhall and now Michael Brantley. The timing was right now, says the club’s top baseball decisionmaker, but the organization has long had interest in Bruce. While Cleveland will begin to face some challenging playing-time questions if it gets a fully healthy roster, the expectation at present is that Bruce will “play regularly.”
- There aren’t a lot of recent scouting reports on Ryder Ryan, the young righty who goes to New York in the trade. That’s due largely to the fact that he is a late-round relief prospect that hasn’t had much time to climb the organizational ladder. But that doesn’t mean he’s not a reasonably intriguing prospect. Antonetti himself said as much, crediting Ryan’s “really good stuff” and saying he “has a chance to pitch in a major league bullpen.” Baseball America also has some details, noting that Ryan is working in the mid-nineties while working on developing his slider and commanding his pitches.
- One of the most interesting elements of the deal, though, was the alternative swap that didn’t go through. The Yankees were in on Bruce through to the end, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter) and Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link) report. But the Yankees’ offer would’ve left the Mets holding onto most of Bruce’s remaining salary this year, per reports from Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (on Twitter) and Newsday’s Marc Carig (also in a tweet), while also picking up two prospects that (it stands to reason) would be more valuable than Ryan. The Mets’ motivation for choosing Cleveland’s offer isn’t yet entirely clear — GM Sandy Alderson has yet to speak to the media, but will do so today — but there could certainly be multiple factors at play. While the cross-town Yankees obviously aren’t off limits as a trade partner, perhaps considerations of intra-city marketing played some role. And surely the cost and talent packages offered different benefits and drawbacks.
- Per Sherman, Bruce would’ve functioned as the DH had he been acquired by the Yankees, filling in there with Matt Holliday on the DL. With Aaron Hicks nearing a return and Greg Bird still representing a possible option, there are some internal possibilities for bolstering the team’s array of lefty bats. While it’s not clear at present whether the Yanks are looking hard at alternatives, it stands to reason they’d be open to the possibility. (Clearly, though, there are limits to how much salary they want to take on at this point.) Among the players that we have identified as plausible August trade chips, there are a few that could fit the bill. If the Mets are willing to keep chatting, old friend Curtis Granderson or even Neil Walker could make sense; neither has the same profile as Bruce but both offer more defensive function. Former Red Sox nemesis Daniel Nava might be an affordable target, while Matt Joyce of the Athletics is surely available. Of course, Yonder Alonso arguably made the most sense, but he was dealt to the Mariners after Seattle placed a waiver claim (meaning the Yankees never had a shot — at least, after July 31st).
Indians Acquire Jay Bruce
The Indians have officially announced a deal with the Mets that’ll bring outfielder Jay Bruce to Cleveland. Going to New York in return is 22-year-old righty Ryder Ryan. All of Bruce’s remaining salary — around $4MM of the $13MM annual obligation — will land on Cleveland’s books.
It’s hardly a major surprise to hear of a deal involving Bruce; indeed, he ranked second on the list of top August trade candidates that we just published earlier this evening. The fading Mets have given signals they’d consider making him a qualifying offer, but that never seemed a sure thing.
Bruce has turned in a quality season thus far for the Mets after being shopped around a bit last winter. Entering today, he carried a .258/.324/.524 slash and had launched 29 long balls. Long in the doghouse of advanced metrics for his work in the outfield, Bruce has posted much improved numbers there, though his baserunning marks have since faded.
There was talk before the deadline that Cleveland would have interest in Bruce. That seems all the more necessary now, with Michael Brantley joining Lonnie Chisenhall on the DL and the Royals continuing to hang around in the AL Central. Bruce’s lefty power bat will fill in the gap while those two players work back and add quite a bit of firepower to the overall offensive mix for a hopeful postseason run.
Bruce will no doubt be pleased with the trade; indeed, he had reportedly indicated a willingness to waive his partial no-trade clause to go to a contender (though the Indians were not on it, per Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network, on Twitter). Instead of possibly drawing a qualifying offer after playing out a lost Mets season, he will enter free agency free and clear of any draft compensation while joining a contender.
Though New York will give up the chance to issue Bruce a qualifying offer, it’s not hard to see the reasoning here. The 30-year-old is a quality player, but a roughly $18MM salary — even for a single year — is no small amount. Plus, Bruce’s continuing presence with the Mets would’ve meant for an awkward outfield mix, as the team would’ve presumably bumped Michael Conforto into significant time in center. Instead, the Mets can utilize Conforto in right, pairing Juan Lagares with Brandon Nimmo or another player in center, while perhaps redirecting some of those resources. It’s worth bearing in mind, too, that the new CBA would only have given the Mets a pick after the second round if Bruce had declined the QO and signed elsewhere. Plus, the Mets will now have a cleaner path for the promotion of first base prospect Dominic Smith.
Clearing Bruce’s remaining salary is likely the main driver here. But Ryan will bring another interesting arm to the New York system. He is said to have plenty of velocity in the tank, though he also has limited experience on the mound after mostly playing in the field during college. Through 41 1/3 frames at the Class A level this year, Ryan owns a 4.79 ERA with 10.7 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9.
ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter) first reported a deal was in the works. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) said it was being finalized; Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network (Twitter link) first said the deal was done. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported the prospect return on Twitter.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/9/17
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- The White Sox have added righty Steve Johnson from the Orioles, per an announcement from the latter organization. Cash considerations are heading back in return. Johnson, 29, becomes the latest pitcher added to the Triple-A roster by the South Siders, who are lining up options for the MLB roster down the stretch. He has 76 major league frames of 4.26 ERA pitching on his ledger, with 10.2 K/9 but also 5.6 BB/9 in that stretch. The free passes have never been quite as much of an issue for Johnson in the minors, though, where he has been excellent at times. Things haven’t gone quite as well this year, though, as Johnson owns a 5.30 ERA in his 37 1/3 frames — though he has still managed more than a strikeout per inning.
Chris Young Preparing For 2018 Return
Former Royals righty Chris Young has his eyes set on a return in 2018, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter links). The 6’10” hurler turned 38 earlier in the season, prior to being cut loose by Kansas City.
It seems that some other organizations reached out with interest, but Young decided against a return during the current season. Instead, he is working with a trainer and physical therapist to prepare for camp next spring.
There’s little doubt that Young will find an audition somewhere, perhaps gaining a shot at cracking a rotation during Spring Training. But it’s unlikely he’ll command a Major League deal, and he certainly won’t approach the two-year, $11.75MM commitment he picked up to rejoin the Royals before the 2016 season.
When he last hit the market, Young was fresh off of a solid two-year run with the Mariners and Royals. Across 288 1/3 innings in 2014-15, he boasted a 3.40 ERA with 6.0 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. While ERA estimators didn’t support the hype, Young seemed a sturdy enough option who may have found a way to suppress the batting average on balls in play (.238 and .209, respectively, in those two years) by generating loads of weak fly-balls.
Since landing that new contract, though, Young has been a totally different pitcher. He drastically increased his slider usage, expanding upon some prior efforts and deploying it more frequently than his fastball. With that shift, Young’s swinging-strike rate suddenly jumped to over 11 percent for the first time since 2007. However, that change also caused his overall fly-ball rate to plummet while his homer-to-fly-ball ratio and opponents’ BABIPs each soared. The bottom-line results were not promising, as Young ended up carrying a 6.52 ERA in his final 118 2/3 innings with Kansas City.
It’ll be interesting to see what kind of approach Young brings to the table in his next iteration. With about eight months between his last start and the start of camp, he ought to be rather well rested for an attempt at a 14th major league campaign.
Mariners Place David Phelps On DL; Felix Hernandez Diagnosed With Bursitis
The Mariners have placed righty David Phelps on the 10-day DL, per a club announcement. He’s dealing with what the team is calling an elbow impingement and is expected to be sidelined for two or three weeks. Meanwhile, the club further announced that starter Felix Hernandez has been diagnosed with shoulder bursitis that will keep him out for three to four weeks.
With the DL placement of Phelps, Seattle has cleared way for the activation of just-acquired first baseman Yonder Alonso. He’ll suit up against his former team, the Athletics, in tonight’s action.
Of course, the M’s had only just acquired Phelps, too. It certainly hurts to see the organization’s top deadline acquisition head out of action so soon after he had joined the team. That said, it seems promising that he was not deemed to have a more serious elbow issue. Since coming to Seattle, Phelps has made seven appearances, allowing two earned runs over six innings while racking up 11 strikeouts and just one walk.
Hernandez had already gone on the DL a few days ago, with the team stating at the time that he was dealing with biceps tendinitis. With the new diagnosis — a repeat of an injury that drove King Felix to the DL for about two months earlier this year — it seems a lengthier absence is to be expected. That comes at an inopportune moment, as Hernandez had picked up his output over July, working to a 3.86 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 14 walks in 35 innings.
As Seattle welcomes Alonso to the fold, it sits just one game out of Wild Card position. But the club’s pitching health and depth have continued to be a problem. Hernandez returns to a disabled list that already includes Hisashi Iwakuma and Drew Smyly. Just-added southpaw Marco Gonzales took a spot start for Hernandez, but he was knocked around. Other 40-man members who have taken starts in the majors this yearinclude Andrew Moore, Sam Gaviglio, and Chase De Jong.
Kelvin Herrera, Gregory Polanco, Alex Colome & Francisco Cervelli Move To Wasserman
Six players have elected to change their agencies, following agent Rafa Nieves in his recent move from Beverly Hills Sports Council to the Wasserman Media Group, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter links).
Among the veterans making the change are a pair of closers — the Royals’ Kelvin Herrera and Alex Colome of the Rays — as well as two Pirates players, outfielder Gregory Polanco and catcher Francisco Cervelli. Two less-experienced players — each of whom has a 40-man spot but is currently at Triple-A — will also move: Athletics righty Frankie Montas and Nationals catcher Pedro Severino.
Of these players, it seems that Herrera’s situation is most interesting. The 27-year-old will be eligible for free agency one final time over the winter. He’s earning $5.325MM currently and will look to build upon that figure before hitting the open market.
Herrera’s case will be an interesting one to track, as he has slipped to a 4.19 ERA this year but has also already posted 43 strikeouts and has served as Kansas City’s full-time closer. With 24 saves in the bank — double last year’s tally — Herrera should be well-positioned to argue for a hefty raise, especially if he can drive down the earned run average before the end of the season.
Also slated for arbitration is Colome, who’ll go through the process for the first time. He, too, hasn’t been quite as dominant this year as he was last. But he’ll bring a loaded resume to the table with 37 saves in the bank from last year and a league-leading 33 added already in 2017. As things stand, Colome has a career 3.16 ERA and has also accumulated more innings than a typical closer (256 2/3) since he also has 19 MLB starts on his ledger.
As for the two Bucs regulars, they’re playing under long-term contracts. Polanco is under team control all the way through 2023, while Cervelli is locked up through 2019 under the extension he signed last year. Both Montas and Severino have seen the majors on multiple occasions, but neither has accumulated significant service time to date. The pair of 24-year-old Dominicans are still a fair ways away from possible arbitration eligibility.
As always, you can find the most up-to-date agency information in MLBTR’s database.
Updates On 2018 Club Options Over Pitchers
We checked in last night on the status of some position players whose teams will be deciding on club options at the end of the year. This morning, we’ll do the same with regard to hurlers. As before, we aren’t considering player options/opt-outs (like Johnny Cueto and the Giants) or mutual options (as with Mike Minor and the Royals).
- Tony Barnette, RP, Rangers — $4MM option, $250K buyout: Barnette produced great results last year with less-than-exciting peripherals. In 2017, he’s got double-digit strikeouts per nine but also owns a 5.55 ERA — owing to a high BABIP, low strand rate, and double the rate of homers allowed. With a healthy 14.2% swinging-strike rate to support the strikeout numbers, Barnette may actually still represent a nice value for Texas.
- Jerry Blevins, RP, Mets — $7MM option, $1MM buyout: There have been a few ups and downs, but on the whole Blevins has been a quality member of the Mets’ pen once again. He’s carrying 12.4 K/9 on a 14.1% swinging-strike rate that’s easily a career best. New York would be hard pressed to find a similar power lefty in free agency for a more appealing price.
- Madison Bumgarner, SP, Giants — $12MM option, $1.5MM buyout: There was never any question of this option being picked up, even when MadBum suffered a significant injury earlier in the year. He’s back and has been plenty effective, so any slight doubt is completely gone; whether the sides will attempt a new extension this winter, though, remains to be seen.
- Matt Cain, SP/RP, Giants — $21MM option, $7.5MM buyout: Despite the high buyout tag, this one has long seemed mostly a foregone conclusion to be declined. Cain has just never rediscovered his pre-injury form and was finally bumped to the pen. He is carrying an abysmal 4.7% swinging-strike rate on the year — nearly half his career average and the lowest in the game among pitchers with at least 20 innings.
- R.A. Dickey, SP, Braves — $8MM option, $500K buyout: Dickey is beffuddling hitters with his knuckler about as much as he has in the prior four seasons, with a solid 4.03 ERA over 134 frames. Atlanta still needs to fill out the rotation for 2018, so this seems like a pretty easy “yes.”
- Nathan Eovaldi, SP, Rays — $2MM option: We haven’t heard much of Eovaldi’s progress as he works back from elbow surgery, but that’s not all that surprising given the expected timetable for his procedure — a second Tommy John that also included a flexor tendon repair. The Rays still have some time to decide whether to continue their investment in the talented hurler, who could be an interesting asset if he’s able to get back to the mound.
- Yovani Gallardo, SP, Mariners — $13MM option, $2MM buyout: It’s hard to see the M’s taking on the $11MM difference here. Gallardo has allowed over five earned runs per nine for the second consecutive year and ERA estimators (4.96 FIP; 5.02 xFIP; 5.16 SIERA) see the results as a roughly accurate reflection of his performance. It is worth noting, though, that Gallardo has gained about two miles per hour on his average fastball, which may increase his appeal as a turnaround option in free agency.
- Matt Garza, SP, Brewers — $5MM option: Garza has posted solid results, with a 3.68 ERA over 88 frames, though the peripherals (6.1 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 42.4% groundball rate) don’t excite and ERA estimators are a bit skeptical. Assuming he remains healthy and generally effective the rest of the way, there’s little reason for the Brewers to pass on such a reasonably priced rotation piece.
- Gio Gonzalez, SP, Nationals — $12MM option, $500K buyout: The veteran lefty has long underperformed ERA estimators, but now it’s just the opposite as he carries a career-low 2.66 ERA through 142 1/3 innings. He’s no longer suppressing home runs like he once did, has lost another 1.5 mph on his average fastball, and has benefited from a 85.1% strand rate and .241 BABIP. Still, this is an easy pick-up as things stand … and likely won’t be a choice anyway, as the option will vest once Gio reaches 180 frames — which he’s all but assured of doing for the first time since 2013.
- Craig Kimbrel, RP, Red Sox — $13MM option, $1MM buyout: Last year’s 5.1 BB/9 walk rate is firmly in the rearview mirror and Kimbrel is back as perhaps the game’s most dominant reliever. His 44.6% K%-BB% is a career high, as is his league-leading 20.6% swinging-strike rate. Which is to say, there’s really nothing more to discuss; he’s coming back to Boston barring a catastrophic injury.
- Boone Logan, RP, Indians — $7MM option, $1MM buyout: A lat strain will force Logan out for a lengthy stretch, perhaps the rest of the season. That certainly changes the picture somewhat on the option. Logan has remained a somewhat frustrating pitcher: his strand rate has hovered around 60% over the past two years even as he continues to post compelling swinging-strike, strikeout, and groundball numbers. Cleveland had handled him very deliberately early on, giving him just 21 frames over 38 appearances, and that relatively narrow role could reduce his utility to the team in the future. This one could conceivably go either way, and may yet be impacted by Logan’s recovery efforts between now and decision time (five days after the World Series).
- Wade Miley, SP, Orioles — $12MM option, $500K buyout: Even looking beyond the ugly results — a second consecutive year with a 5+ ERA — this has been a rough season for the lefty. He has allowed 5.2 BB/9, nearly double his career average, while coughing up home runs on nearly one-fifth of the flies put in play against him. Baltimore needs arms, but it seems reasonable to anticipate that the club will find more appealing ways to spend the $11.5MM gap between the option price and buyout.
- Matt Moore, SP, Giants — $9MM option, $1MM buyout: It’s tough to know what to make of the 28-year-old, who just hasn’t been all that effective this year after seeming to show improved form in 2016. San Francisco made a rather significant investment in trade assets to get him at last year’s deadline, and will value the chance to control Moore at a reasonable rate for 2019, but the results are surely troubling. Odds are the Giants will decide the upside outweighs the risk here.
- Ricky Nolasco, SP, Angels — $13MM option, $1MM buyout: Home runs have beena big problem for Nolasco this year, as he has allowed nearly two per nine on an 18.1% HR/FB rate. Otherwise, he looks like much the same pitcher as ever and even sports a career-high 11.1% swinging-strike rate. He has also worked out of the zone more than ever before, but hasn’t seen a major jump in walk rate. It’s a pretty hefty price tag, but perhaps it’s not totally inconceivable that the injury-riddled Halos would value the chance to retain the typically durable veteran.
- Martin Perez, SP, Rangers — $6MM option, $2.45MM buyout: The first of three option years, this provision was obviously intended to be exercised unless things really turned south. Perez has not been very good, with a 5.46 ERA and just 5.9 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 with a lower-than-usual 45.8% groundball rate, but he’s young and evidently healthy. The Rangers need the innings and the price is right.
- Glen Perkins, RP, Twins — $6.5MM option, $700K buyout: Major shoulder surgery has drastically altered his career path, but the former Twins closer is finally nearing a return. It’s still possible the club could find appeal in this price tag for the respected veteran, though he’ll have to show it on the mound over the next seven weeks.
- Anibal Sanchez, SP/RP, Tigers — $16MM option, $5MM buyout: There were some intriguing peaks at one point over the summer, but the 33-year-old’s overall body of work does not inspire confidence — particularly, the fact that he has been torched for nearly two-and-a-half dingers per nine. There’s no realistic chance that Detroit will take on the extra $11MM to keep Sanchez.
- Chris Sale, SP, Red Sox — $12.5MM option, $1MM buyout: He’s been even better than advertised. As with Kimbrel, it’s an easy call for the Sox.
- Huston Street, RP, Angels — $10MM option, $1MM buyout: The 34-year-old has turned in four scoreless appearances since finally returning to the bump, which is somewhat promising but also far too little to serve as the basis for an assessment. Odds are this’ll remain too steep a price for the Halos to pay, though, especially given the backdrop of multiple injuries, age, and a forgettable 2016 campaign.
- Josh Tomlin, SP, Indians — $3MM option, $750K buyout: The sticker price is just so reasonable here that it’s hard to see Cleveland passing. Tomlin has been mostly himself despite a 5.38 ERA. He’s averaging less than one walk and just over seven strikeouts per nine innings. As ever, he’s susceptible to the long ball. The difference between this year’s iffy results and his solid work over the prior two seasons? A .328 BABIP and 65.6% strand rate. Tomlin still looks like a solid back-end starter and remains a bargain.
Central Notes: Cubs, Candelario, Gonsalves, Sano
Have the Cubs emptied their farm in a worrying way? It’s not quite that simple, Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago writes. With a youthful and controllable core of position players, GM Jed Hoyer says, “we’re an incredibly healthy organization from a young-talent standpoint.” While the front office will still need to replenish the ranks in the long run, despite lower draft positions and new limitations on international spending, it does indeed seem reasonable not to focus too much on the fact that the club has lost so much from the top of its system (much of it to graduation, not trade).
- One player that just moved out of the Chicago system — new Tigers corner infielder Jeimer Candelario — is heading right up to the majors, as Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press writes. While GM Al Avila says he hopes Candelario will push for a regular role next year, it seems he won’t shoulder that burden in his first MLB stint with his new club. Indeed, he may just function as a bench piece for the time being, manager Brad Ausmus suggests and Evan Woodberry of MLive.com tweets.
- The Twins have moved lefty Stephen Gonsalves up to Triple-A, per an announcement from the team’s top affiliate. The 23-year-old southpaw entered the season as a consensus top-100 prospect leaguewide, and has responded by continuing to dominate the opposition at Double-A — as he did in a half-season there last year. Given the pitching struggles at the MLB level in Minnesota, it’s fair to wonder whether Gonsalves could become an option down the stretch, either to boost the staff if the team stays in the Wild Card hunt or merely to give him a look to see if he’s an option for 2018.
- Meanwhile, the Twins can breathe easy after seeing Miguel Sano worryingly take a pitch off his hand. As Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reported yesterday, the young slugger received a clean bill of health after undergoing an MRI and CT scan. Sano has missed the last three games but will presumably be able to return once the pain and swelling subside.