Athletics Place Sean Doolittle On 15-Day DL
The Athletics have placed left-handed reliever Sean Doolittle on the 15-day DL with a shoulder strain, per a club announcement. It had been hoped that he’d avoid a trip off of the active roster, but evidently Doolittle wasn’t progressing as hoped.
After some struggles early, Doolittle had been on the rise in 2016 — with his heater gaining steam along the way. On the year, the 29-year-old has put up 30 2/3 innings of 2.93 ERA pitching, with 10.3 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9.
The overall profile made Doolittle rather an interesting trade candidate for the foundering A’s. Clubs looking to add pop to the back of their pens are surely at least considering him. The fact that he’s owed just $1.55MM this year — and controllable through 2020 at below-market rates — boosts his appeal to organizations that don’t want to burn prospect capital on a pure rental.
Of course, the added control also increases the asking price, and the degree of scrutiny that buying teams will need to take. Doolittle’s injury might not rate as a major red flag were it an isolated matter, but shoulder problems limited him to just a dozen appearances last year. And the timing obviously isn’t optimal either. Barring a timely return and a few appearances that prove he’s at full capacity before the August 1st deadline, he may simply not be a part of the trade puzzle this summer.
Doolittle had been operating in a set-up capacity for Oakland, with Ryan Madson having deposed him as the closer earlier in the year. Check out the club’s updated depth chart.
NL West Notes: Schumaker, Urias, Dodgers, Arroyo
The Padres have brought back Skip Schumaker … but he won’t be wearing a uniform. As MLB.com’s Carlos Collazo writes, the recently-retired utilityman will join the organization as an assistant to baseball operations and player development. Schumaker was in Spring Training with San Diego this season before he decided to call it a career midway through camp. Clearly, though, the longtime big leaguer made a positive impression on his final organization, leading to his new role with the team. Skipper Andy Green says that Schumaker will be “making his rounds in the organization, offering insight at different levels.”
A few more notes from the NL West…
- Julio Urias will likely stick in the Dodgers rotation through the All-Star break, manager Dave Roberts told reporters including MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick (links to Twitter). With the club struggling to bridge the gap to its injured starters — particularly with Clayton Kershaw now questionable for his next outing — Roberts acknowledged that a near-term deal for a starter is a “possibility.” That seems to match with the earlier report suggesting a possible match with the Rays on Erasmo Ramirez.
- The Dodgers have placed infielder Enrique Hernandez on the DL with inflammation in his rib cage, as Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times writes. That opens a roster spot for the promotion of righty Brock Stewart — who Jason Martinez of MLBTR/Roster Resource recently profiled. Stewart battled through some early struggles but logged five innings in his debut outing. (You can check out the new-look depth chart for Los Angeles right here.) More troublesome for the Dodgers, however, is the fact that Joc Pederson may need to join Hernandez on the disabled list, per McCullough. Pederson injured his right shoulder when he crashed into the wall making a spectacular grab the other night, and while initial x-rays revealed no broken bones, the outfielder told the media that he could scarcely lift his arm yesterday, noting that he had difficulty even getting dressed or putting on deodorant due to the lack of mobility.
- Speaking of Stewart, Fangraphs’ David Laurila writes that he spoke to the infielder-turned-pitcher last summer about how pitching was never the avenue via which he expected to enter professional baseball. However, struggles at the plate during his junior season at Illinois State led a coach to suggest to him that his future may be on the mound, and his father (a pro scout for the Rays), agreed. Last summer, Stewart explained to Laurila that his velocity sat 90-92 and touched 94 mph, and described his slider rather timidly. Now, Laurila notes, Stewart tops out at 96 mph and has a much-improved slider, which have helped him reach the Majors with the Dodgers despite the fact that he opened the season at Class-A Advanced and had never pitched at a higher level.
- Those clamoring for the Giants to promote top prospect Christian Arroyo will have to wait, as Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. “You won’t see Arroyo,” GM Bobby Evans said earlier when asked about the possibility of Arroyo replacing the injured Joe Panik, and indeed the club proceeded to add Ruben Tejada instead of the youngster. It certainly seems as if San Francisco doesn’t feel that the 21-year-old is fully prepared for the majors, as Super Two considerations aren’t an issue at his stage of the year. Arroyo is only now in his first stint at Double-A, and isn’t exactly dominating the level with a .279/.321/.390 slash. Arroyo entered the year rated as Baseball America’s No. 62 overall prospect and the No. 82 prospect over at MLB.com.
Matt Moore Drawing Trade Interest; Rangers Among Possible Suitors
We’ve heard recently that the Rays could be willing to deal lefty Matt Moore, and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports that the interest is building. The Rangers are “hot on Moore’s trail,” per the report, with three or four other rival organizations also showing signs of pursuit.
Moore struggled in his return from Tommy John surgery last year, and his current 2016 ERA of 5.04 isn’t exactly sparkling. But as Topkin details, the 27-year-old southpaw has shown signs of returning to being the type of quality starter he was before his new UCL was installed.
Thus far, Moore has boosted his strikeout rate (8.5 K/9) and lowered his walk rate (2.6 BB/9) as against his work last year. That reflects a return to his pre-TJ, double-digit swinging strike rate along with a reduction of his once-troubling tendency to issue free passes. Moore’s fastball velocity has moved back north, even if it’s still shy of what he once delivered.
Moore carried a 3.66 ERA into the month of May, then was banged up in his next seven starts. But he’s had only one dud in his last four outings, and that seems to have helped to fuel new interest. The biggest issue thus far has been the long ball, as Moore is coughing up 1.61 dingers per nine on a 15.0% HR/FB rate.
Performance is obviously hugely important in assessing Moore’s trade value, but the underlying contract rights are also critical. While much of the super-cheap portion of his early-career extension is already in the rearview mirror, he is still owed just $5MM this year and can be controlled for three more campaigns through a series of options. If all are exercised, he’d earn only $26MM over the three seasons to come, with $4.25MM in buyouts baked in if things turn south.
It remains to be seen what approach Tampa Bay takes at the deadline, but the club already looked like a plausible seller of starting pitching before it fell off the pace in the AL East. The Rays could have a bit of a rotation surplus, particularly once Alex Cobb comes back from his own TJ procedure, and a seller’s market beckons.
The club’s decision as to which, if any, starter to deal will be an interesting storyline to follow over the next month. Cobb has been the subject of trade chatter in the past. Jake Odorizzi looks like another quality, controllable arm that could draw a strong return; indeed, he placed eighth on the most recent list of MLBTR’s top trade candidates. And some have wondered whether even staff ace Chris Archer could be moved, though he is well off of his typical run-prevention numbers.
International Notes: July 2 Preview, Maitan, Braves, Padres
Baseball America’s Ben Badler has compiled scouting reports on the Top 50 prospects on the upcoming July 2 international market, in addition to providing projected landing spots for each player on the list. The exhaustive report on the international scene requires a BA subscription, but it’s highly recommended for those who wish to dive headfirst into learning about the upcoming glut of talent that will be injected into most clubs’ minor league pipelines. Those looking to learn more about the process can also check out this primer from Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs, who also provides a ranking of the class (with further explanation here).
Here are just a few highlights from Badler’s excellent work on the topic, which deserves a full read:
- Badler takes a particularly close look at top prospect Kevin Maitan, who he says may be a better prospect than Miguel Sano was as a teenager. The link comes with a lengthy and detailed scouting report, including discussion of the question whether Maitain will be able to stay at shortstop for the long run. Scouts are divided on the likelihood, but all seem to agree it’s at least a plausible outcome.
- Maitan has long been said to be heading for the Braves, and we’ve yet to hear anything to change that expectation. Atlanta has lined up a big batch of spending, but Badler provides a bit of context for just how large: he says it “should look comparable to what the Yankees did in 2014-15.” (You can refresh yourself on New York’s shock and awe campaign here.)
- The Padres appear headed in that direction, too, as Badler says that a $30MM to $35MM spend might be their floor. In addition to big activity on the Cuban market, San Diego is in line to add eight of the top fifty available players. As for the Nationals, who are also believed to be pacing the market in spending, it might not be quite that dramatic. But Washington could still come away with three of the fifteen best prospecs on the market.
- The Astros, too, seem ready to drop some big cash — including a $3.5MM bonus for Cuban shortstop Anibal Sierra. Houston is eyeing five of the top fifty names on Badler’s list, he notes. One player that could be ticketed for the ‘Stros is fifth overall prospect Freudis Nova.
- Nova had been connected to the Marlins before failing a PED test. Now, Badler explains, Miami has a big chunk of pool availability and little in the way of commitments. The club could deal that away or see if it can find a nice price on the Cuban market.
- It also remains to be seen what the Reds will do, but Badler explains that things could go in either of two directions. Cinci could trade for some added bonus pool space to add Cuban shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez and a few smaller signings without hitting the penalty. Or, the team could enter the broader Cuban market and blow past its limits.
- The White Sox are expected to land slugging prospect Josue Guerrero — who, yes, is a part of the famous family. Despite being quiet in recent years, the Athletics are in position to add some talent, including George Bell, whose father (same name) was a quality big leaguer.
- The Brewers aren’t believed to have any seven-figure bonuses lined up, but could still add a high number of interesting players with the fifth-highest spending availability in the game. Likewise, the Phillies are expected to spread their cash.
- Of course, not every team will have the opportunity to spend lavishly this period; the Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs, D-backs, Angels, Rays, Red Sox, Giants, Royals and Blue Jays are each prohibited from spending more than $300K on international amateurs after incurring maximum penalties, though that doesn’t mean those organizations don’t have a chance to find some talent.
Giants Select Ruben Tejada, Place Joe Panik On Concussion DL
The Giants have selected the contract of infielder Ruben Tejada, as Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area first tweeted. To create roster space, the club placed second baseman Joe Panik on the 7-day concussion DL and put Chris Heston on the 60-day DL.
[Related: Updated Giants Depth Chart]
Tejada joined the Giants on a minor league deal after opening the season with the Cardinals. (First, of course, he was cut loose by the Mets just before the season began.) The 26-year-old hasn’t shown much at the plate this year, and is typically a slightly-below-average hitter, but the club is obviously in need of dependable infielders given its injury situation.
The loss of Panik comes at an inopportune time, as third baseman Matt Duffy is already on the DL — along with utilitymen Kelby Tomlinson and Ehire Adrianza. Panik had been plunked recently, but the effects of the beaning only took hold a few days later.
It still seems that the Giants can expect most of these players back in relatively short order, but the uncertainty could increase the club’s apparent interest in adding another infield piece. San Francisco has been tied to players such as Yunel Escobar (link) and Yulieski Gurriel (link) in recent weeks, though we’ve heard even more chatter about the possibility that the club could pitching or outfield help.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Gurriel, Erasmo, D-Backs, Royals, Lohse, Taylor
In his latest notes column, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports looks at the developing market for Cuban star Yulieski Gurriel. Discussing his team’s reported interest, Giants GM Bobby Evans tells Rosenthal that he is primarily looking to “be as thorough as we can when it comes to international talent,” not angling to replace a starter in the infield. In Rosenthal’s opinion, Gurriel fits best with the Mets, who could use him at third this year and then utilize him there or at second in the seasons beyond, depending upon how things shake out. Needless to say, Gurriel figures to be a fascinating player to watch over the coming weeks.
Here are some more highlights from the post:
- The Dodgers have engaged the Rays in talks regarding righty Erasmo Ramirez, according to Rosenthal. Though he’s working out of the pen for Tampa Bay, the Dodgers would intend to utilize Ramirez in the rotation — at least initially. He has spent most of his career as a starter, and presumably would offer the club a swingman/long-relief option down the line. With several youthful and recently-injured starters in the picture in L.A., it’s not hard to see the match.
- Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart says that the organization is getting trade interest in both Brad Ziegler and Daniel Hudson, with some teams even asking about landing both arms. However, Arizona is not yet ready to concede the 2016 campaign, particularly after improved play of late. Stewart also suggested again that the club would rather extend both of the late-inning righties, each of whom is a pending free agent, rather than shipping them out.
- Despite their position-player gaps — most of which are being filled with surprising aplomb by unheralded players — the Royals‘ biggest need is starting pitching, Rosenthal argues. GM Dayton Moore says that the club is “not overly concerned” about third base or right field, which are currently manned by Cheslor Cuthbert and Paulo Orlando. “If we had to make a decision today, we’d probably go with what we’ve got,” he said. But the architect of the reigning World Series champs also noted that the starting pitching market isn’t showing the same kind of top-quality veterans that it did last year, making it a “challenge” to find a real upgrade for the staff.
- Speaking of that thin market, Rosenthal says that teams are not unaware of the fact that Kyle Lohse can still opt out of his his deal with the Rangers after recently being bypassed for a promotion. Though the veteran owns only a 5.23 ERA in 51 2/3 Triple-A innings on the year, he is sitting at a typical 6.1 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 and obviously comes with a lengthy track record of quality major league pitching. (Note: it’s unclear precisely what opt-out situation Lohse has; the deal included a June 1 date that has obviously already passed, but may allow him to force the Rangers’ hand if another team offers a big league opportunity.)
- Rosenthal says that the Nationals have previously discussed center fielder Michael Taylor in trade talks and suggests they could do so again this summer in search of a top relief arm. Taylor would certainly make for an interesting piece to dangle: he still possesses tantalizing tools despite his difficulties in harnessing the strike zone and only just turned 25.
Steve Clevenger Suffers Broken Bone; Mariners Recall Mike Zunino
TODAY: Zunino will get the call, GM Jerry Dipoto tells Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio (Twitter link). He’ll be looking to make good on his top-quality prospect pedigree and big-time power.
[Related: Updated Mariners Depth Chart]
YESTERDAY: Mariners catcher Steve Clevenger has been diagnosed with a break to the third metacarpal in his right hand, as MLB.com’s Greg Johns was among those to tweet. He was struck by a foul ball behind the dish in tonight’s game.
Clevenger, 30, was acquired over the winter in exchange for Mark Trumbo. He hasn’t quite produced at the rate of the slugger he was dealt for, but he’s a useful receiver — particularly since he hits from the left side. Over 76 plate appearances on the year, he owns a sub-optimal .221/.303/.309 slash while serving as a backup for Chris Iannetta.
Seattle does have multiple options in the organization. Former regular Mike Zunino, who is still just 25, has been quite productive at Triple-A, with a .282/.366/.516 batting line and 15 long balls in 287 trips to the plate.
If the club decides it isn’t quite ready to give Zunino its next shot, it could look to either Steve Baron or Rob Brantly. The former — who like Zunino is 25 years of age and resides on the 40-man roster — is currently playing at Double-A. Brantly has a fair bit of MLB experience, though he too is a younger option. But he’d require a 40-man spot.
Looking For A Match In A Zack Cozart Trade
At thirty years of age, Zack Cozart has fully hit his stride as a ballplayer. Yet because of his early-career struggles at the plate and an ill-timed knee surgery last year, he’s earning just under $3MM this season with one more arbitration-eligible campaign to come. That makes him an interesting and affordable trade piece for the Reds.
A deal is far from a fait accompli, but seems increasingly likely as the market develops. Still, Cincinnati could certainly justify holding onto him if a fair offer isn’t forthcoming. As I recently noted in ranking Cozart among the game’s top fifteen trade candidates, though, he will quite likely be the best shortstop available. Particularly since he was kind enough to acknowledge his MLBTR readership recently, we thought it made sense to take a look at where he could end up playing next.
Cozart began turning heads last year, when he came out of the gates with a strong .258/.310/.459 batting line and nine home runs over 214 plate appearances. Then came his hard-to-watch injury, which occurred as he hustled to leg out a grounder and landed awkwardly on first base. That not only sapped Cozart’s arb earning power, but put a halt to his efforts to prove that he had really turned a corner at the plate. After being installed as Cincinnati’s regular shortstop in 2012, he managed only a .241/.280/.362 batting line over 1,761 trips to the plate in the next three years. He did show some pop, with 31 total home runs, but the bat looked marginal.
Thus far in 2016, Cozart has put both the injury and those past struggles in the rearview mirror. He has maintained and even improved upon his offensive production from last year, slashing .273/.316/.486 over the first 275 plate appearances of the season. Cozart is making hard contact (32.9%) and spraying line drives (23.4%) at career-best rates, and he’s continuing to bang long balls on about 13% of the flyballs he hits. He has actually been better on the road than at Great American Ballpark and isn’t benefiting from an inflated BABIP.
If you want to take the optimistic side, Cozart’s development looks somewhat similar to that of Brandon Crawford. As in the case of the Giants’ $75MM man, Cozart has never faced questions with the glove. In fact, Cozart has been among the most valuable defenders in all of baseball, delivering more or less equivalent value to Crawford. Just check out this UZR-based leaderboard from 2012-16 and whistle with surprise and admiration.
With solid baserunning mixed in, Cozart is and always has been a fairly high-floor player. That’s why he managed to play at about a two-WAR clip even when he was sagging on offense. Mix in an average or better bat, though, and you’re suddenly looking at a guy who has already compiled two wins in just 67 games. With the cheap salary and bonus year added in, that’s a pretty appealing trade piece.
There’s little question that the Reds front office believed Cozart would ultimately deliver this kind of productivity; he has been an everyday player since 2012. But Cincinnati may not be well-positioned to enjoy the fruits of its patience. The club isn’t expected to contend before Cozart hits free agency after the 2017 season, and an extension doesn’t seem particularly wise given his age and the team’s ongoing efforts to trim obligations and manage some long-term contracts that haven’t panned out. Plus, the organization has a pair of intriguing young infielders at the major league level — Eugenio Suarez and Jose Peraza — who could step in at short.
All sounds good so far … but truth be told, there isn’t a really evident match on paper. There are a few contenders whose shortstops have scuffled thus far, to be sure. And some other clubs have needs around the infield that could conceivably be met by adding Cozart. But it’s tough to find any specific team that is likely to feel extremely motivated to add a new face at short.
Let’s take a closer look:
Royals: K.C. just hasn’t received much of anything from Alcides Escobar, who has followed up on a poor offensive 2015 with an even worse start to the current campaign (56 wRC+) while drawing negative defensive metrics. Meanwhile, holes opened at both second and third; while they’ve been plugged admirably by Whit Merrifield and Cheslor Cuthbert, it’s not clear that either will be up to the task of regular duty for the long haul. It’s possible to imagine Cozart being utilized in any number of ways by the resourceful Royals.
Mariners: Seattle hoped that Ketel Marte would be ready for a regular role this year, but he’s struggled to a .278/.305/.363 batting line and hasn’t drawn rave reviews from defensive metrics with the glove. The team traded away a one-time option, Chris Taylor, and hasn’t received much at all from reserves Shawn O’Malley and Luis Sardinas. Installing Cozart could allow the M’s to turn Marte into a super-utility player who could see time all over the infield and outfield.
White Sox: Highly-regarded prospect Tim Anderson has been a league-average hitter over his first 74 plate appearances, but there are some red flags mixed in. He has yet to draw a walk, is striking out in about a third of his plate appearances, and is benefiting from a .370 BABIP. Ultimately, his current productivity is dependent upon a .219 ISO that would dwarf anything he has done in the minors. While Chicago may not want to burn resources and may be glad to roll the dice on Anderson’s talent, the fear of regression is real. It’s worth noting, too, that second baseman Brett Lawrie has cooled off considerably since his hot start.
Mets: Yes, the club just added Jose Reyes to provide an option with David Wright possibly down for the count in 2016. But that move didn’t come with any financial risk. And Reyes looked like a shell of his former self last year before sitting out the first half of this season. Then, there’s the fact that Asdrubal Cabrera has never had good range at shortstop. Adding Cozart up the middle while bumping Cabrera to third could represent a huge defensive upgrade.
Giants: San Francisco is set at short with the aforementioned Crawford and has quality young options at second (Joe Panik) and third (Matt Duffy). But Duffy is currently out and the organization is rumored to have looked at Yunel Escobar. Cozart would represent a similar addition in terms of his cost now and in 2017, and he’s probably the better player at this point. Of course, adding an infielder never seemed like the most pressing need in the first place.
Astros: Hear me out! Most agree that Carlos Correa is not a great defensive shortstop; moving him to third has long been discussed as a possibility. Adding Cozart and bumping Correa to third would essentially be another way of addressing the team’s questions at the hot corner. Top prospect Alex Bregman is streaking toward the majors, of course, but the team might not want to rush up the 2015 draftee or rely on him too heavily right out of the gates. I’ll admit it’s a long-shot, but it could be an interesting fit.
Marlins: We’ve long heard how enamored Miami is of Adeiny Hechavarria, and he’s highly valued for his glove, but he’s one of the team’s few regulars that isn’t hitting for the club. Cozart would also make a great platoon mate for Derek Dietrich at second, and could spell Martin Prado at third. With Dee Gordon‘s return nearing, though, Cozart would likely only make sense if the club decides it’s time to replace Hech. Pitching seems a much higher priority for the Fish.
Tigers: This situation looks much like that of the Marlins. Jose Iglesias remains a fantastic fielder, but he’s now hitting .255/.314/.332 on the year. Plus, Nick Castellanos is a marginal defender at third and is carrying a sub-.700 OPS in June. Cozart could bump Castellanos to the outfield while J.D. Martinez is out and then be utilized in a variety of ways — including, conceivably, as the regular shortstop — down the stretch.
Orioles: Cozart doesn’t look all that dissimilar from a younger version of J.J. Hardy, who is now nearing 34 years of age. Hardy’s always-questionable on-base abilities have faded yet further in the last two years, and he last hit double-digit home runs in 2013. It’s not entirely inconceivable that Baltimore could seek his replacement in Cozart, though the elder player remains a top-quality defender. That scenario would begin to look more plausible if Hardy suffers another injury or can’t pick up the pace he has set since returning on June 18th (.257/.257/.314).
Others: We’re really starting to wade into implausible territory the further we get down the list here, but there are some other teams who could match if you squint. The Red Sox have 99 problems and shortstop ain’t one, but adding Cozart to the mix would open up some platoon opportunities at first and third, give the team a highly-capable fill-in at the middle infield, and/or open up the possibility of utilizing Travis Shaw in left. And the Rays could conceivably send Cinci a useful arm in order to improve its shortstop situation at a reasonable price — with an eye on 2017. You could make a case that the Indians could improve upon Juan Uribe, who isn’t hitting much but still defends like a champ. But even then, they’d probably be better suited adding an outfielder and deploying Jose Ramirez at the hot corner. The Dodgers always seem to find a way to add another infielder, though admittedly it’s difficult to see in this case; the Yankees would probably prefer to have better production from second and third, though that’s a tough fit.
In the aggregate, the demand side of the equation isn’t terribly robust. The real question, perhaps, is whether one or more contender will come up with a really significant need between now and the deadline. In the event of an injury or steep performance decline from one or more shortstops, the Reds could be left holding a critical piece of the trade deadline puzzle.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jon Jay Suffers Broken Forearm
11:09pm: Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union Tribune writes that Jay will be re-evaluated three weeks from now and will be on the shelf for between four and six weeks total. A four- or even nearly a five-week absence could have Jay back just prior to this season’s Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, but there’s also a very real possibility that he’ll be out beyond the deadline. Jay won’t require surgery, and the injury is described by manager Andy Green as a “slight” fracture of the radius in Jay’s forearm. Addressing the length of time between Jay being struck by the pitch and today’s diagnosis, Green offered the following explanation:
“He got hit on the ulna (bone), and it banged into the radius and actually got the radius. So it’s not the bone that actually got hit. The swelling was between those two bones, so you couldn’t get a clear picture of it. That’s what the X-ray wasn’t able to reveal.”
12:45pm: Padres outfielder Jon Jay has suffered a broken forearm, Darren Smith of Mighty1090.com reports on Twitter. He’ll be placed on the 15-day DL, with Alex Dickerson brought up to take his place on the active roster.
[Related: Updated Padres Depth Chart]
Jay was injured when he was struck by a fastball from Nationals lefty Gio Gonzalez a week back. He has not played since, but initial x-rays were negative, leading to hopes that Jay would not even require a DL stint. The prognosis remains unknown at present, but it certainly seems the injury is much more serious than had been anticipated.
While it’s wise not to jump to conclusions, this injury seems as if it could well take Jay out of the running as a trade piece this summer. With a reasonable $6.225MM salary, and no obligations after the year, he had seemed like a rather likely player to be dealt; indeed, he ranked 7th on MLBTR’s most recent list of the top trade candidates around the game.
Since coming over in exchange for infielder Jedd Gyorko over the winter, Jay had been a bright spot for a struggling Padres ballclub. Over 291 plate appearances, the 31-year-old was carrying a .296/.345/.407 batting line with two home runs and a league-leading 24 doubles. Defensive metrics were a bit down on his work in center in a short sample, but Jay has consistently rated as a quality up-the-middle defender over his career.
That strong start not only made Jay an interesting target for teams needing another solid outfielder, but seemed likely to set him up for a solid free agent payday after the season. He was coming off of a subpar, injury-marred 2015 season, but had returned to the solidly above-average offensive production that he has carried for most all of his time in the majors.
From the team’s perspective, losing Jay is the latest blow to its stock of trade assets. Two other prime candidates — righties Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner — both remain on the DL as the August 1st deadline draws near.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NL East Notes: Phillies, Giolito, Turner, Norris
Phillies prospect Matt Imhof suffered a serious eye injury while working with a stretching band, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports. The 22-year-old righty, who was a second-round pick in 2014, is said to have been struck in the eye due to a malfunction in the piece of equipment he was using. He has already undergone one procedure and is expected to require more, per the report. MLBTR wishes Matt the best of luck for a speedy recovery.
Here’s more from the NL East:
- A rain delay has slowed the Nationals‘ first look at top prospect Lucas Giolito tonight, as their contest against the division-rival Mets is currently on hold after four innings. Earlier today, GM Mike Rizzo told reporters, including MLB.com’s Jamal Collier (via Twitter), that the much-hyped hurler will have a chance to earn a permanent spot at the big league level. Rizzo, though, was not willing to commit to anything beyond that. Arguably the best prospect in baseball, Giolito has worked four scoreless innings and allowed just one hit and a pair of walks. He’ll cede the remainder of the game to Yusmeiro Petit, but the Nationals have to be rather pleased with Giolito’s truncated debut.
- Another top Nationals prospect, Trea Turner, is getting a look in center field in an effort to accelerate his path to the Majors, as MLB.com’s Alex Putterman writes. Turner got his first pro start in center field last night and started there once again tonight. “We feel that offensively he’s Major League ready,” said Rizzo of Turner. However, Danny Espinosa‘s June surge and Daniel Murphy‘s excellent season leave the Nats without a spot for Turner at the big league level. “We figured to get him in the big leagues sooner rather than later, we need to make him more versatile,” Rizzo added.
- Bud Norris‘ most recent start has continued to bolster trade interest in the Braves‘ right-hander, tweets USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Norris fired seven shutout innings and held the Mets to four hits and no walks with eight strikeouts over the weekend, and he’s now sporting a pristine 2.08 ERA with 8.1 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 53.7 percent ground-ball rate dating back to the beginning of May, when he initially lost his rotation spot. Norris has been stellar since being plugged back into the starting five, and the Marlins are reportedly among the teams with interest in the 31-year-old.
- Fangraphs’ Jeff Sullivan examines Norris’ remarkable turnaround since rejoining the Braves’ rotation and attributes the success to the fact that Norris has abandoned his previously ineffective changeup in favor of a cutter that has generated tremendous results. Left-handers were never especially troubled by Norris’ change, but they’ve been absolutely stymied by his new cut fastball, which has also caused a significant spike in his ground-ball percentage. There’s probably some degree of regression in store — Norris has a .269 BABIP and hasn’t allowed a single homer since returning to the rotation — but the new pitch has had a profound impact on Norris and could be the start of a sustainable run of success.