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Indians Sign David Lough

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The Indians have signed outfielder David Lough to a minor-league deal, per a club announcement. He’ll report to Triple-A Columbus.

Lough, 31, joined the Tigers on a minors deal over the winter but failed to crack the Opening Day roster. He had struggled to a .169/.210/.203 batting line over 63 Triple-A plate appearances, leading to his release.

While he has never been an impactful hitter, the southpaw-swinging Lough has shown more in the past. In over two thousand trips to the plate at the highest level of the minors, he has slashed .287/.338/.427 with 34 home runs.

Seeing action over each of the past five MLB campaigns, Lough hasn’t quite produced enough with the bat to hold down a steady job. All told, he owns a .254/.300/.371 batting line with 13 long balls through 820 big league plate appearances. But he has typically graded out as a plus defender in the corners and has also seen fairly frequent action in center, making him a flexible option.

For the Indians, Lough represents a depth piece as the club continues to develop its outfield mix. Lonnie Chisenhall and Michael Brantley are both hitting well, but the rest of the group is in some flux. Top prospect Bradley Zimmer has shown talent through six games, but he’s also striking out at a prodigious (42.1%) rate. Daniel Robertson is currently up with three other outfielders — Abraham Almonte, Brandon Guyer, and Austin Jackson — shelved on the 10-day DL.

10 Minor-League Free Agent Relievers Off To Strong Starts

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There’s no more fickle existence in Major League Baseball than that of a relief pitcher. Teams are generally more willing to tinker with their bullpens than their benches, and often need to make changes to account for overworked staffs.

But the tumult also brings opportunity. Relievers who are throwing well at the right moment can find themselves right back in the majors. And there are often wide-open Spring Training battles to be joined and won.

Plenty of relievers signed minor-league deals last winter. And a solid number of them ended up on MLB rosters within the first two months of the season. Despite failing to receive MLB guarantees on the free-agent market, these ten hurlers have provided quite a bit of value in the early going:

Matt Albers, Nationals: With the Nats’ pen struggling badly, Albers has been a desperately need source of reliable frames: 16 2/3 innings of 1.62 ERA ball. A strong 57.8% groundball rate and meager 1.6 BB/9 walk rate tend to support the results, though Albers isn’t getting enough whiffs (7.6 K/9) to keep up quite this level of pitching.

Craig Breslow, Twins: The lefty specialist has been everything the Minnesota front office hoped for when it bought into his new-look delivery over the winter. Like Albers, a minimal BABIP (.217 in this case) helps explain the sub-2.00 ERA, though in both cases the solid early work is enough to entrench these pitchers in their respective pens for the time being.

Jorge De La Rosa, Diamondbacks: A long-time starter, De La Rosa has averaged less than one inning per relief appearance in Arizona. But the results of that change in focus have been quite promising. It’s good enough that De La Rosa carries a 50% groundball rate with 8.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9, supporting a 2.35 ERA through 15 1/3 frames. But there could be more in the tank, as he’s also averaging a career-high 94.1 mph with his fastball and generating a huge 19.5% swinging-strike rate.

David Hernandez, Angels: Though he has completed just 11 innings thus far, after making his debut later than most of the names on this list, Hernandez has impressed. He’s showing the same kind of velocity and swinging-strike rates that made him a buy-low option last year for the Phillies, but the real question is whether he can continue to avoid the long balls that have plagued him in recent years.

J.J. Hoover, Diamondbacks: It was anyone’s guess whether the former Reds’ late-inning stalwart would rebound, but he’s showing well through fifteen frames in Arizona. Hoover is walking more than five batters per nine, but has also racked up 12.6 K/9 (on a career-high 12.6% swinging-strike rate) and owns a 3.00 ERA. So far, a new pitch mix (more two-seamers and sliders) seems to be working.

Jason Motte, Braves: After beating out Hernandez to become the next veteran reclamation project in Atlanta, Motte has ascended to the majors and helped stabilize the pen. His peripherals aren’t terribly inspiring — 6.4 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, 53.1% groundball rate — but the results (1.59 ERA) have been there through 11 1/3 innings.

Bud Norris, Angels: The crown jewel of the Halos’ impressive slate of finds, Norris has thrived in the closer’s role that he took over out of necessity. Through 23 2/3 innings, he carries a 2.66 ERA with 11.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, and a 44.2% groundball rate. Norris is bringing more velocity (94.1 mph fastball) and swinging strikes (13.2%) than ever before.

Yusmeiro Petit, Angels: The veteran long man has been stellar, delivering 28 1/3 staff-preserving innings of 2.54 ERA ball through 16 appearances. Petit is carrying 9.5 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 on the year. (As if the trio of arms on this list weren’t enough, the Halos have also benefited from the strong work of Blake Parker, who had been outrighted off the 40-man roster over the winter.)

Anthony Swarzak, White Sox: There are some very strong performers on this list, but perhaps none has been quite as impressive as Swarzak. He has given the South Siders 19 2/3 breakout innings of 1.37 ERA ball, with 10.1 K/9 and just 0.9 BB/9 in that span. At present, he’s working at a 19.8% swinging-strike rate — about double what he carried over the prior two campaigns — making him quite an interesting potential trade candidate this summer.

Jacob Turner, Nationals: Though he isn’t carrying sparkly numbers, Turner has been an important contributor in D.C. He’s functioning in the swingman role that Petit occupied last year, providing 21 2/3 innings (over two starts and six relief appearances) of 3.74 ERA pitching thus far. While Turner is averaging only 5.8 strikeouts and 3.3 walks per nine, he is continuing to carry the velocity boost he showed last year. Interestingly, he is now working in the zone far more than ever before (50.2% versus 42.1% career average) — though it’s also important to note that his swings and misses are way down (4.8%).

Central Notes: Zambrano, Brewers, Robert, Gose

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Long-time Cubs righty Carlos Zambrano will return to the hill, per Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com (via Twitter). At this point, though, there’s no indication he has his sights set on a return to the majors; rather, the soon-to-be-36-year-old will suit up for Venezuelan Winter League action. Zambrano last pitched in the majors in 2012 and spent time in the minors in 2013 before hanging up his spikes. Before that, he threw 1,826 2/3 innings of 3.60 ERA ball for the Cubs from 2001 through 2012.

Let’s take a look at the latest from the game’s central divisions:

  • Brewers GM David Stearns talked about his team’s promising start and what it might (or might not) mean for his deadline planning, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. Stearns is undeniably pleased with the fact that his club sits atop the NL Central standings, and didn’t shy away from the possibility that the wins could continue to come sooner than had been anticipated. But he also suggested that the imperative of sustainable building would largely remain the same. “The plan is to consistently win major league games over a period of years,” he said. “If that process begins a little bit sooner than people expected, that’s great. And we’ll react accordingly. But it doesn’t change our strategy; it doesn’t change our plan.”
  • With the White Sox reportedly beating out the Cardinals to sign Cuban prospect Luis Robert, Bernie Miklasz of 101sports.com wonders whether St. Louis should have been more aggressive in its bidding. You’ll need to read through his entire argument to see how you feel, but the gist is the view that the organization ought to have been willing to stake a greater bet on a potential impact talent — particularly given the fact that it had a unique opportunity with many big spenders unable to go after Robert and plenty of available resources given the team’s meager draft assets this summer.
  • The Tigers’ efforts to transition Anthony Gose from outfielder to pitcher became official today, as he was activated at Class A Lakeland to work out of the pen. While he didn’t escape from his first inning of action unscathed, Gose did make quite an impression. Per Lakeland assistant GM Dan Lauer, on Twitter, Gose was clocked at 99 mph with his debut heater.

Injury Notes: Matz, Hughes, Cardinals, Span, Flaherty

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The Mets may welcome back lefty Steven Matz sooner than later, David Lennon of Newsday reports on Twitter. Indeed, if he has a strong outing tomorrow at Triple-A, the club may allow him to make his next start at the major league level. That would obviously represent welcome news for the beleaguered Mets staff. Whether Matz can stay on the hill the rest of the way will no doubt go a long way toward determining whether New York can climb back into the postseason picture.

Here’s more on some health situations from around the game:

  • Though he’s still heading to the 10-day DL, Twins righty Phil Hughes will do so with a somewhat more optimistic outlook than had been feared, as Phil Miller of the Star Tribune was among those to tweet. Hughes is dealing with right biceps tendinitis, the team says, which seems quite a bit less worrisome than the hints of a shoulder problem that had been given previously.
  • The Cardinals have provided a few injury updates, as MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch reports. Notably, lefty Tyler Lyons is nearing a return from an intercostal strain, though the precise timing of his activation isn’t yet clear. The Cards don’t expect a prolonged absence from second baseman Kolten Wong, meanwhile, who is still out with some elbow soreness but doesn’t figure to hit the DL. Interestingly, Langosch also notes, lefty Zach Duke is lining up an effort to return more quickly than is typical from his Tommy John surgery. Duke is already eyeing work against live hitters in hopes of ramping up in time to return to the Cards in August.
  • Giants center fielder Denard Span is limited by a left thumb problem, he told reporters including Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). It doesn’t appear as if it’s something that’ll require a DL stint, but it does represent yet another nick for the 33-year-old. Span is hitting just .258/.296/.398 on the year thus far, with a shoulder injury also having limited him in the early going.
  • It seems the Orioles will go without infielder Ryan Flaherty for a reasonable stretch. Per Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com, via Twitter, the veteran utilityman is going to need a platelet-rich plasma injection after suffering an injury to his shoulder/upper-back area. Flaherty, 30, is expected to need more than the minimum ten-day stay on the DL.
  • Phillies prospect Jesmuel Valentin may need shoulder surgery that could end his season, Ryan Lawrence of the Philly Voice reports on Twitter. The 23-year-old second baseman, who was taken 51st overall in the 2012 draft, came to the Philadelphia organization as part of the 2014 trade that sent veteran righty Roberto Hernandez to the Dodgers. Valentin, who occupies a 40-man spot, had struggled to a .229/.282/.292 batting line this year but has shown a quality approach in the past and slashed .269/.341/.395 with nine home runs last year in the upper minors.

Cubs Designate Jake Buchanan

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The Cubs have designated righty Jake Buchanan, per a club announcement. His 40-man spot will go to lefty Zac Rosscup, whose contract was selected. In a corresponding move, right-hander Dylan Floro was optioned to Triple-A.

Buchanan, 27, has seen limited MLB action in each of the past three seasons. He landed in Chicago early last year after he was released by the Astros. Buchanan had been working at Triple-A to open the 2017 campaign, posting a 4.75 ERA with 6.3 K/9 against 4.1 BB/9 over 41 2/3 innings.

As for Rosscup, he’ll return to the majors for the first time since 2015. He spent all of 2016 rehabbing after shoulder surgery, but had shown well thus far at Triple-A. Through 15 2/3 innings over nine appearances, Rosscup owns a 3.45 ERA with an impressive combination of 25 strikeouts against just three walks.

Tigers Option Anibal Sanchez

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The Tigers have optioned veteran righty Anibal Sanchez to Triple-A, manager Brad Ausmus told reporters including Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter links). Sanchez, who would’ve had the right to reject any minor-league assignment, will return to working as a starter at Toledo.

The move was driven by Sanchez himself, per Ausmus. He would like to return to working from the rotation after opening the year in the bullpen. Through 21 innings over 11 outings, Sanchez had allowed 21 earned runs on 34 hits while compiling 22 strikeouts against nine walks.

That was the first time Sanchez had functioned as a reliever for such a dedicated stretch. The vast balk of his dozen-year MLB career has come from the rotation, where Sanchez once thrived. But the results just haven’t been there over the past two seasons — he owns a 5.65 ERA since the start of 2015 — and Detroit wasn’t willing to give him a starting role this year.

It seems optimistic to hope that Sanchez can turn things around by returning to a starting role, though stranger things have happened. It’s worth noting that he’s registering a 10.1% swinging-strike rate in the early going, his best since 2013, and could perhaps boost that yet further if he can get batters to chase outside the zone at a rate closer to his career average. Sanchez’s batted-ball results — .379 BABIP; 3.86 HR/9; 55.9% strand rate — may fall at his feet to large extent, but there’s probably some poor fortune mixed in as well.

Regardless of how things go, Sanchez will earn $16MM this season — the final guaranteed year of the contract he signed before the 2013 campaign. He’ll also earn a $5MM buyout over the winter, unless the Tigers make the surprising decision to pick up his $16MM option.

Injury Notes: Price, Haniger, Kluber, Doolittle, Axford, Ramos, Jones, Ceciliani

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Here’s the latest on some injury situations from around the game:

  • Red Sox lefty David Price only made it through two innings in his rehab outing tonight, as David Ricci of the Boston Globe reports. On the positive side, Price says that he felt that he was in good physical form during and after the outing. Still, it’s unclear what the next step will be for the valuable southpaw, who has yet to pitch this year in the majors while working through an elbow injury. Manager John Farrell said he’ll speak with Price before a course is determined, as the Globe’s Pete Abraham tweets.
  • Meanwhile, the Mariners decided to hold off on starting the rehab assignment of outfielder Mitch Haniger after he felt some mild soreness in his oblique, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports. At this point, the hope is that it won’t cause a significant delay. Haniger, 26, is no doubt chomping at the bit to get back to the big leagues after his outstanding start to the year. Over 95 plate appearances, he carries a .342/.447/.608 batting line with four home runs.
  • The Indians will send righty Corey Kluber out for a 35-pitch sim game tomorrow, per Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Cleveland’s staff ace will test out his balky lower back and hopefully begin moving back toward the majors. Kluber currently owns an uncharacteristic 5.06 ERA through six outings, though he still carries 9.9 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9.
  • Athletics reliever Sean Doolittle is set to begin throwing from flat ground over the weekend, Joe Stiglich of NBC Sports California was among those to tweet. He could be back on the bump by the middle of next week — though obviously it will still be a while longer before he’s back in the majors. The southpaw has dealt with a shoulder issue that is of added concern given his history, though the hope remains that he has avoided a significant injury this time around. Meanwhile, righty John Axford is set to return from his own shoulder-related DL stint in the next two days, Stiglich also adds on Twitter.
  • Backstop Wilson Ramos is making real progress in his recovery from ACL surgery, Rays manager Kevin Cash said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (via Jim Bowden, on Twitter). He is already able to get in a crouch in bullpen sessions and has been taking batting practice, which certainly seems to suggest it may not be long until he begins a rehab assignment.
  • The White Sox are encouraged by the early pen sessions turned in by currently DL’ed setup man Nate Jones, as Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com writes. He might only need one or two more controlled sessions before facing hitters in some fashion — either in a sim game or at the start of a rehab assignment. Jones is dealing with a case of elbow neuritis, but could turn into a significant trade piece this summer if he’s able to pick up where he left off upon his return.
  • Blue Jays outfielder Darrell Ceciliani will miss about two or three weeks with a shoulder strain, manager John Gibbons told reporters including Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter link). Ceciliani was injured in unusual fashion, as he tweaked his shoulder while driving a ball out of the park. The 26-year-old had only just returned to the majors before going down, receiving the call despite a rough start to his season at Triple-A.

Top 30 Trade Deadline Candidates For 2017

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It’s time to bring back our trade-deadline power rankings, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. As the summer trade market develops, you can expect more regular updates when modifications to the list are warranted.

As with last year, the approach is pretty straightforward. We’re looking at both trade value and trade likelihood in compiling the list. In terms of value, it starts with overall on-field value — with a premium on an ability to make an impact in the current season — with an adjustment for contract and market factors. As for the probability of a swap, the focus is on potential selling teams’ motivation to deal, with contract status, near and long-term roster fit, and overall competitiveness all weighing heavily. Some teams simply aren’t in a position at present where it makes sense to include their top potential trade chips, but that will evolve over the coming weeks.

You’ll note that the list includes quite a few relievers and short-term veterans. That’s because teams often find a need to add complementary pieces at the deadline, with selling clubs more willing to cash in on that type of asset. You’ll also notice an absence of players from some teams that aren’t in good shape in the standings. But that’s because I have utilized my discretion to hold off on considering players from a few teams that could fall back despite a quick start (e.g., the Twins) or that seem to have reasonable hopes of making a surge back toward contention (e.g., the Blue Jays, Mariners, Giants, Mets).

It’s subjective; it’s debatable; it’s all sure to change over the coming months. And that’s what makes it fun. Here’s the first list, with some additional names and teams to keep an eye on appended at the end:

1. David Robertson, RP, White Sox: The deadline is typically a good time to move closers, and Robertson looks more likely to be as readily available as any. He has also rebounded somewhat from a down 2016 season thus far, though his walk rate is still up a bit. His contract isn’t cheap, but in the context of soaring relief salaries perhaps it’s also not as much of a burden as it seemed over the winter given the turnaround.

2. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Royals: Unless K.C. can author another great run, there’ll be plenty of players available. Perhaps none will be more sought after than Cain, who could be the best rental outfielder dangled. He’s reaching base at a prodigious clip with outstanding plate discipline thus far, though his value would be boosted if he can rediscover some lost power.

3. Zack Cozart, SS, Reds: Few players have boosted their free-agent and trade stock to the extent Cozart has thus far. His suddenly excellent walk rate has combined with his typically good power to make him one of the game’s better-performing hitters through the first six weeks of the season. Given his status as a premium defender up the middle, Cozart could draw plenty of interest as a rental. The only limitation may be the lack of a clear market, though if he keeps this up perhaps a contender will bump another player off of shortstop to make room for Cozart.

4. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Athletics: His stock is rising quickly with a newfound power stroke. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s on a cheap contract that runs out after the season, making him a fairly easy and obvious trade piece if the A’s remain buried in the AL West. Demand is still an open question, but it stands to reason that a few organizations will be looking for a slugger; if J.D. Martinez isn’t ultimately marketed, Alonso could be the top available source of offensive production.

5. Jose Quintana, SP, White Sox: It’s still not certain whether the White Sox will move Quintana, but he’ll undeniably be available. The question here is whether he can tamp down a rising walk rate and get back to his steady productivity. That would go a long way toward drawing sufficient trade offers to get Chicago to bite on moving its best-remaining veteran asset.

6. Kelvin Herrera, RP, Royals: There’s an argument that Herrera could be the top relief arm available, but there are some caveats. Kansas City may elect to hold onto him even if the team is buried, given that he has another year of control. And the 27-year-old has seen a strikeout dip early on, though his swinging-strike rate and velocity remain at typically excellent levels.

7. Tony Watson, RP, Pirates: Though his results this year are outpacing his peripherals, Watson is well-established as a high-end relief arm and is set to enter free agency after the year. While he’s closing for the Pirates, it’s not immediately clear whether he’ll be targeted in that role by contenders. Either way, barring a turnaround from the Bucs, he seems quite likely to be a top trade piece this summer.

8. Pat Neshek, RP, Phillies: With free agency beckoning, the veteran reliever is probably the Phils’ clearest trade piece. He has been excellent thus far, even showing improved performance against left-handed hitting, and could be a very valuable addition for a lot of organizations.

9. Brad Hand, RP, Padres: If Watson can’t hold the line, it could well be that Hand is the top shutdown lefty on the market. He’s running at more than 11 strikeouts per nine yet again — this time with a whopping 15% whiff rate — and currently owns a 1.88 ERA through 24 frames. San Diego doesn’t have to make a deal, since Hand is cheap and comes with two more years of control, but odds are the rebuilding club will see this as an opportune moment to cash in.

10. Jason Vargas, SP, Royals: No, we shouldn’t expect Vargas to keep pitching like an ace. But he is showing a big jump in swinging strikes and doesn’t need to be an elite hurler to be an appealing trade candidate. The typically steady veteran will be a free agent at year’s end and would help patch up many rotations for the home stretch.

11. A.J. Ramos, RP, Marlins: Though he has been effectively wild thus far, there are some worrying signs. Ramos is getting whiffs just 10.8% of the time, the lowest rate of his career, even as his walk rate has ballooned to 5.5 per nine. Still, he’ll have value with an established track record of sub-3.00 ERA pitching in spite of the control problems. He also has an added year of arb control.

12. Joakim Soria, RP, Royals: The 33-year-old is getting a ton of swings and misses (14.5%, best in his career) with the results to match. But he is also continuing his late-career walk rate inflation and has benefited thus far from an absence of dingers. Plus, he isn’t cheap, with a $9MM salary this year and another $11MM due for 2018 (plus an option buyout).

13. Ryan Madson, RP, Athletics: With 8.8 K/9 against just 1.7 BB/9, Madson’s 2.20 ERA through 16 1/3 innings is deserved. And the velocity, health, and whiff rates are all looking good. Like Soria, that’s a nice bounceback from a rough first season under a new contract. Also like Soria, there’s still a fair bit of cash left to go for 2018 ($7.5MM) — and Madson is closing in on 37 years of age.

14. Marcell Ozuna, OF, Marlins: It’s anyone’s guess whether the Fish would pull the trigger on a deal this significant with the team weighing a sale, but Ozuna looks to be the top possible trade chip on a club that is in need of some fresh talent. Ozuna is reaching new heights — .302/.379/.564 with 11 home runs and an 11.2% walk rate through 169 plate appearances — at 26 years of age. While he would also be an obvious extension candidate, the Marlins have already reportedly tried and failed. With two more years of arb control left, now may be the time to move him — and the return could be substantial.

15. Mike Moustakas (3B) & Eric Hosmer (1B), Royals: Both have had their ups and downs early, but would likely represent solid regulars for contenders that need to plug holes. The demand side likely won’t be as robust as in the case of Cain, who could fit on plenty of different teams.

17. Anthony Swarzak, RP, White Sox: Chicago caught lightning in a bottle with the breakout 31-year-old righty, who’ll be back on the market next winter. If he can maintain anything approaching his current form — 1.37 ERA on 10.1 K/9 and 0.9 BB/9 with a league-leading 19.8% swinging-strike rate — as the deadline draws near, he’ll be quite a nice deadline asset.

18. Jed Lowrie, INF, Athletics: The veteran is back on the upswing as he prepares to hit the open market. Injuries and performance issues have limited his value since Lowrie last turned in this kind of effort, but he has done it before. Currently, he’s hitting .268/.345/.436 with five dingers and a 10.1% walk rate through 168 plate appearances.

19. Todd Frazier (3B) & Melky Cabrera (OF/DH), White Sox: Neither veteran is hitting much early on, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still likely trade pieces. While the Sox will likely need to eat some salary even if both bounce back, they seem quite likely to end up playing elsewhere for the second half of the season given that both will hit the open market after the year.

21. Ian Kennedy, SP, Royals: The big question here is how teams will view Kennedy’s contract. He has been as solid as could have been hoped when he signed before the 2016 season, but it’s a backloaded deal and Kennedy is already 32 years old. Whether or not he’s dealt, he’ll enter the winter with a three-year, $49MM player option (or, instead, a $6MM buyout). While that could be a palatable price tag, potential shoppers will need to consider the uncertainty in weighing an offer.

22. Alex Cobb, SP, Rays: We’ve heard that Tampa Bay is already putting out feelers on Cobb, and the team’s rotation depth would allow it to swing a deal for the pending free agent while still maintaining some hope for a Wild Card. The 29-year-old is performing well after returning late last year from Tommy John surgery, but he hasn’t really shown signs yet of fully returning to his pre-injury form. Since the team is still in the pack, he’s the only player from the Rays roster I’m putting on the list at this time.

23. Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Phillies: There’s real concern in Hellickson’s plummeting strikeout tallies, given that he’s also sporting a career-low 7.4% swinging-strike rate while showing a slight velocity decline. And he’s hardly cheap. Still, it stands to reason that the Phillies will look to cash him in this year after holding off on doing so in 2016. (*NOTE: Hellickson left tonight’s game with what appeared to be an injury to his side.)

24. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates: This’ll be a story until a deal comes together. While the Bucs will be hesitant to sell low on the currently scuffling veteran, the team is also on track to be in a clear selling stance this summer.

25. Sonny Gray, SP, Athletics: In a somewhat analogous situation, Oakland is surely wondering when the time will be right to make a move involving Gray. He is delivering a 9.9% swinging-strike rate that’s actually over any single-season mark for his career, but the strikeouts (6.8 per nine) and results (3.97 ERA) haven’t caught up to his 2014-15 levels.

26. David Freese, 3B, Pirates: Now 34 years old, Freese is slashing a robust .271/.373/.443 with three home runs and a career-best 13.3% walk rate. Plus, his strikeout rate has trended down to 16.9%. His two-year, $11MM deal looks like a bargain, though that could motivate the Pirates to hold onto him given the ongoing uncertainty with Jung Ho Kang.

27. Matt Kemp & Nick Markakis, OF, Braves: It’s not quite clear whether Atlanta will end up looking to move these moderately priced veterans, but both are swinging the bat well and could be useful pieces in the right situation.

29. Derek Holland, SP, White Sox: Though Holland has put up excellent results, he is posting typical peripherals that peg him as a back-of-the-rotation arm. The same holds true of rotation-mate Miguel Gonzalez. Both could plug gaps for contenders who need depth.

30. Drew Storen, RP, Reds: Storen’s peripherals are largely in line with what he posted last year, and the velocity has dropped further, but he’s carrying a 1.93 ERA through 18 2/3 frames while relying more heavily on his offspeed offerings. So far, he has tamped down on the gopher balls and is also getting grounders at a career-best 60.8% rate. He’ll need to show that he can sustain this level of success for a while longer before moving up the list, though.

Injured: Nate Jones (White Sox), John Axford & Sean Doolittle (Athletics), Trevor Cahill (Padres)

Also Considered:

Rays: Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Corey Dickerson, Logan Morrison, Alex Colome, Erasmo Ramirez, Danny Farquhar

White Sox: Miguel Gonzalez, Tommy Kahnle, Jose Abreu

Royals: Alcides Escobar, Brandon Moss, Jason Hammel, Mike Minor

Athletics: Stephen Vogt, Trevor Plouffe, Rajai Davis, Matt Joyce, Santiago Casilla

Braves: Kurt Suzuki, Jim Johnson, Arodys Vizcaino, Jaime Garcia, R.A. Dickey, Bartolo Colon, Julio Teheran

Phillies: Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez, Michael Saunders, Daniel Nava, Joaquin Benoit

Marlins: David Phelps, Kyle Barraclough, Edinson Volquez

Pirates: Josh Harrison, Ivan Nova, Gerrit Cole, Juan Nicasio, Wade LeBlanc

Padres: Yangervis Solarte, Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin, Ryan Buchter, Brandon Maurer

Reds: Scott Feldman, Raisel Iglesias, Billy Hamilton

Rockies Release Stephen Cardullo

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The Rockies have released outfielder/first baseman Stephen Cardullo, as Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). But the sides are already in discussions on a new minor-league deal to bring Cardullo back into the fold.

Because Cardullo is out for a few months with a broken wrist, the organization has apparently worked out an arrangement with his reps. It’s not entirely clear why he couldn’t simply have been shifted to the 60-day DL, but clearly it sounds like something is being worked out that will be acceptable for all sides regardless.

Cardullo, 29, made a stunning run to the majors last year with Colorado. He had never played above the Rookie ball level before signing with the organization after a four-year indy ball run. But he excelled at Triple-A and soon found himself playing at the game’s highest level.

Though the Rox obviously like what he brings to the table — and the production has been good at Albuquerque — Cardullo hasn’t yet delivered much in his brief time in the majors. Over 91 total plate appearances over the past two years, he owns only a .190/.253/.321 batting line.

Dodgers Place Justin Turner On 10-Day DL

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6:22pm: Turner has only a Grade 1 strain and is expected to be ready within a “couple weeks,” Roberts told reporters including MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick (via Twitter). The club anticipates utilizing Logan Forsythe at times at third while Turner is out, the skipper added.

5:47pm: The Dodgers have placed third baseman Justin Turner on the 10-day DL, per a club announcement. He has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain.

Los Angeles will dearly miss Turner, who has excelled since re-signing with the team over the winter, for whatever stretch he’s out. He has only hit one home run thus far after swatting 27 last year, but is nevertheless slashing .379/.453/.493 over 162 plate appearances.

Turner will be replaced by outfielder Brett Eibner on the roster, as JP Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group reported, though obviously other arrangements will be needed in the infield. Presumably, the hot-hitting Chris Taylor and utilityman Enrique Hernandez will see added opportunities while Turner is down.

There does seem to be hope, however, that the hammy pull isn’t a particularly significant one. While the visual cues weren’t terribly promising when the injury occurred, manager Dave Roberts told MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (via Twitter) that he was fairly optimistic about the prognosis while noting that a DL placement was quite likely regardless. Of course, that was before the MRI took place; presumably, we’ll learn more about the current expectations before long.

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