Mets Expect To Look Outside Organization To Replace Lucas Duda
Mets assistant GM John Ricco suggested today that the club is in the market for a first baseman with Lucas Duda suffering a stress fracture in his lower back, David Lennon of Newsday reports on Twitter. “We’re not going to be able to replace Lucas Duda internally,” said Ricco.
Duda’s timetable remains unclear, but he’s struggled through back issues of late, leading up to the diagnosis of a seemingly significant injury. Signals from the team were that he’d be out for at least four to six weeks, with a lengthier DL stint quite possibly in the cards.
It’s also not immediately clear what the team might look to do in terms of an outside addition. Certainly, it would need to be an upgrade over the various internal possibilities. For now, Ty Kelly and Eric Campbell are available to fill in. Infielders such as Wilmer Flores, David Wright, or Neil Walker could conceivably be shifted over to first, or the club could even experiment with moving an outfielder there.
Clearly, though, the Mets are not enamored of those possibilities, and it doesn’t appear as if any creative shuffling of veterans is presently under consideration. If the club does indeed go outside the organization, it’s possible to imagine a pure fill-in or a more permanent solution.
In weighing the possibilities, it’s worth remembering that Duda remains controllable via arbitration for one more season. And there aren’t many clubs with apparent trade chips that would likely be willing to deal at this stage of the season. New York may be forced to cobble things together with a minor addition for the time being and wait for an opportunity for a more robust solution, all while monitoring Duda’s progress.
Rangers Designate Patrick Kivlehan, Promote Joey Gallo; Drew Stubbs To DL
The Rangers have announced a series of roster moves relating to their recent outfield injuries. A 40-man spot was cleared for the selection of the contract of Jared Hoying when the club designated Patrick Kivlehan for assignment. Meanwhile, outfielder Drew Stubbs was placed on the 15-day DL and top prospect Joey Gallo was promoted.
Texas had hoped that Stubbs could avoid a DL stint, but apparently his toe injury was significant enough that he will be shelved for at least 15 days. The club previously shelved fellow outfielder Shin-Soo Choo, and that combination of injuries led to the need for reinforcements.
Kivlehan, 26, was off to a rough start at Triple-A. He owns a .184/.252/.262 slash over 155 plate appearances. The Rangers acquired Kivlehan from the Mariners over the winter as the player to be named later in the Leonys Martin swap.
As for Gallo, the 22-year-old gets another crack at the majors after showing both his prodigious power and strikeout propensity in a 36-game stint last year. He hit six long balls but also struck out 57 times over 123 plate appearances, posting a .204/.301/.417 line overall.
Starting out back at Triple-A to begin the 2016 campaign, Gallo has impressed. He has increased his walk rate (20.8%) while cutting back significantly on the swings and misses (22.6% strikeout rate). And those gains haven’t come at the expense of power: Gallo owns a .265/.415/.639 slash over 106 plate appearances, with eight home runs.
It’s not yet known how Texas will deploy Gallo or how long he’ll stay up. He’s primarily a third baseman, but saw time in the outfield last year and could conceivably also play first or DH. The club is six games above .500 despite sub-par performances from its two primary options at those spots, Mitch Moreland and Prince Fielder.
Certainly, it’s possible to imagine any number of scenarios unfolding. If Gallo does stay in the majors the rest of the way, he’d be able to accumulate 133 days of service after entering the year with 63 to his credit. In that case, he’d pass one full year (172 days) and move one year closer to free agency. Even if he can’t stick on the active roster for good, an extended stint or two could leave Gallo on pace for eventual Super Two status.
Alex Gordon To DL With Broken Bone In Hand
Royals outfielder Alex Gordon has suffered a broken scaphoid bone in his right hand, Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star was among those to report on Twitter. Gordon is expected to miss between three and four weeks as a result of the injury, which was suffered in a collision yesterday with third baseman Mike Moustakas.
Gordon, 32, was off to a rough start since returning to Kansas City as a free agent over the winter. He owns a .211/.319/.331 slash that falls well shy of the above-average offensive numbers he typically produces. Gordon has also rated as merely an average defender in left thus far in 2016. While that’s a short sample to draw any major conclusions from, he’s typically posted top-of-the-league glove metrics.
That’s not to say that the loss won’t hurt, of course. K.C.’s top two options in the corners are now Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando, who look much more useful when joined together in a platoon. Whit Merrifield and the just-recalled Cheslor Cuthbert represent the only two other non-catching position player reserves on the current roster, and Cuthbert has never played the outfield as a professional. And it doesn’t help that Moustakas is day to day himself after suffering a knee contusion.
It seems that Gordon will be expected back well in advance of the trade deadline, at least so far as he progresses as hoped, so in that regard the loss may not have much of an impact on the team’s summer trade plans. On the other hand, there had already been some chatter that the Royals might be looking at corner outfield options, and any uncertainty surrounding Gordon would certainly enhance the need. That’s assuming, of course, that Kansas City can at least keep pace in the AL Central with Gordon out.
All that being said, Kansas City also has some internal options who are worthy of consideration if another outfielder is deemed necessary. Travis Snider has plenty of MLB time and is reaching base at a healthy rate down in Triple-A. Reymond Fuentes has seen the bigs as well, including earlier this year. Otherwise, the team could turn to prospects Jorge Bonifacio or Brett Eibner, both of whom are hitting well at Omaha. Eibner, in particular, has put up impressive numbers and may be due for a shot at the majors at 27 years of age.
Josh Hamilton Out For Season; Shin-Soo Choo Back To DL
Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton will not suit up for the club this year, GM Jon Daniels told reporters including Jared Sandler of the Rangers Radio Network (Twitter link). He’ll undergo surgery in early June that will sideline him the rest of the way.
Texas also took another hit to its outfield, as Shin-Soo Choo is heading back to the DL. He had just finished up a rehab assignment for a calf strain when he went down to a hamstring issue. The club waited a few days, but finally decided it needed to free up a roster spot.
Hamilton, who just turned 35, had already been sidelined for the season to date after having work done on his knee several times in the last year. But hopes were that he’d provide another option at some point in the middle of the year.
Instead, he’ll look ahead to 2017, with Daniels stressing that the slugger fully intends to play. He’ll be earning another $30MM in the final season of his free agent contract, though of course the Angels are responsible for the bulk of that. As things stand, he’s provided just 182 plate appearances of .253/.291/.441 hitting to the Rangers since he was re-acquired in April of last year.
As for Choo, it’s obviously promising that he wasn’t immediately placed on the DL, but concerning that he hasn’t bounced back as quickly as hoped. The emergence of Nomar Mazara has changed the outfield dynamic, and reduced the impact of Choo’s loss, but center fielder Drew Stubbs is dealing with his own injury that still may lead to a DL stint as well.
For the time being, Texas will purchase the contract of outfielder Jared Hoying, which will require a complementary 40-man move. The 27-year-old earned his MLB debut with an excellent start to the year at Triple-A. Of course, Opening Day center fielder Delino DeShields Jr. remains available at Round Rock as well.
Rangers Announce Plans For New Ballpark
TODAY: Further details of the ballpark plans have emerged, with MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (all links to Twitter) and Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link) were among those to report. The plans call for a $1B facility that would be ready for play by at least 2021, with a lease running through 2054. Team and city plan to split that fee equally, with an “extension” of a current tax used for the public funding. In terms of politics, city council approval will be sought on May 24th, with a public election on November 8th also needed to finalize the deal.
YESTERDAY: The Rangers and the City of Arlington are set to announce plans for a new ballpark, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. According to the report, a retractable roof facility is expected to replace what’s currently known as Globe Life Park in Arlington before the lease on that stadium is set to expire after the 2023 campaign.
As Grant explains, the timing of the agreement is tied to efforts from other localities to woo the ballclub, with Dallas representing a particularly appealing possibility. Instead, Arlington will keep the organization by facilitating a new building ahead of the lease expiration, which was a perk that only that city could offer.
While Globe Life is among the dozen oldest stadiums in the majors, it’s only been around since 1994. It opened then to great fanfare, as it — along with what’s now known as Progressive Field, in Cleveland — joined Oriole Park at Camden Yards as retro-styled stadiums with modern amenities. The successes of those parks spurred a round of new construction that has shown little sign of abating.
With the move, the Rangers will join at least the Braves and Diamondbacks as teams in some stage of the ballpark procurement process. Atlanta is set to replace the even-younger Turner Field next year, while Arizona hopes to move out of Chase Field (which came on line in 1998) in the coming seasons. Other organizations, most notably the Rays and A’s, are still navigating complicated paths toward their own replacement parks, with the possibility of alternative locations still looming.
Financing and formal legal approval remain barriers, Grant notes, with an election likely necessary to move the project forward. The city has already approved a sizeable entertainment and hotel project next to Globe Life, which is expected to come on line in the coming years. It’s not apparent whether that undertaking will be impacted. Neither does it appear to be known whether there is an established location for the proposed new ballpark.
Playable weather isn’t hard to come by in Texas, but Grant explains that the retractable roof will allow the club to manage the blistering summer sun. That will, in theory, allow the organization to boost is attendance. Of course, new facilities also tend to allow teams to cash in through other avenues, though that often comes at the expense of taxpayers (as well as paying patrons).
While it’s far too soon to know what kind of impact this move may have on the Rangers’ bottom line, suffice to say that such plans usually redound to the team’s benefit. The Texas organization already runs out one of the league’s more robust payrolls, and it seems reasonable to expect that these plans will aid the club as it competes for top-level talent with other big-market organizations.
Reds Outright Drew Hayes
11:32pm: Hayes has already cleared outright waivers and been assigned to Triple-A, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets.
2:35pm: The Reds have designated right-hander Drew Hayes for assignment, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon tweets. His roster spot will go to outfielder Steve Selsky.
Hayes, 28, has struggled in his first taste of the majors this year. Over 9 2/3 innings, he’s allowed nine earned runs on 15 hits, including three long balls. Hayes has struck out eight while issuing six walks in that small sample. He did turn in a nice season last year, tossing 58 innings of 2.95 ERA ball at the Triple-A level with 8.7 K/9 against 4.7 BB/9.
As for Selsky, 26, this represents his first crack at the big leagues. He was carrying a .275/.380/.383 slash line in 142 plate appearances for Triple-A Louisville. Though he did show greater pop in the lower levels of the minors, Selsky seems to have settled in as more of an on-base threat than a source of power as he’s moved up the ranks.
AL Notes: Lincecum, Sale, Choo, Smith, Ortiz
New Angels righty Tim Lincecum has consented to an optional assignment as part of the arrangement, GM Billy Eppler tells reporters including Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links). That’s obviously designed to give him a chance to ramp back up, but also means that the team won’t face the time pressures inherent in a rehab stint (thirty days, for pitchers). The Halos are playing a man down tonight since Lincecum technically needs to clear revocable option waivers before the move can be made, the Times’ Pedro Moura notes on Twitter. Regardless of the logistics, Eppler says that he expects that Lincecum will be ready for the bigs within twenty to thirty days. Lincecum also addressed his decision to sign with the Angels, noting that he had multiple MLB offers, as MLB.com’s Fabian Ardaya tweets.
Here’s more from the American League:
- White Sox ace Chris Sale is exhibiting diminished velocity and a lower strikeout rate, and he’s even better than ever, Ben Reiter of Sports Illustrated writes. Certain ERA estimators are just a bit down on his efforts — at least against his amazing career figures — and none think he’s quite supported his sparkling 1.58 ERA, but Reiter explains that the master of “stuff” has learned how to think on the hill. Sale cites the desire to be more efficient and to save his highest gear for when he truly needs it. He also suggested that taking something off at times allows him to “get more movement” and keep the ball down. Sox pitching coach Don Cooper suggests that it’s something of an evolutionary transformation. “It’s a characteristic of the top, top guys,” Cooper explains. “They’ve got stuff in their tank when they need it, but they’re managing the game, handling the game, knowing when to add, when to subtract. I do believe this is pitching at the highest level.” The piece is well worth a full read.
- Midway through his first game off the DL, Rangers outfielder Shin-Soo Choo departed with a tight left hamstring, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Choo had been sidelined by a right calf injury, so at least it’s not a re-aggravation of the prior issue, but that’s certainly disappointing news for the veteran. Texas still has plenty of options in the corner outfield, of course, and the severity of the injury remains to be seen.
- The signals on Red Sox reliever Carson Smith are somewhat mixed as he hits the 15-day DL. On the one hand, skipper John Farrell says that all indications he’s been given suggest that surgery would be a surprise, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports (Twitter links). On the other, he’s already had an MRI and the results are being reviewed, with Smith set to visit noted elbow surgeon David Altcheck on Monday, per MLB.com’s Ian Brown (via Twitter).
- Lest there be any confusion, Red Sox slugger David Ortiz tells Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he’s entertaining no thoughts of staying around past the present season, in spite of recent comments that seemed to leave the door cracked a bit. “Listen, the thing is that people need to understand, in my mind I’m 100 percent sure I’m going to retire,” he said. “There are so many reasons for me that I want to retire. That is what is my mind right now. I don’t want people to get the wrong idea.”
Angels On Pace To Incur Luxury Tax After Lincecum Signing
The Angels are on pace to exceed the league’s $189MM luxury tax threshold, GM Billy Eppler told reporters including Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). While other in-season moves could well impact the final result, that represents a notable development given the team’s oft-reported operating philosophy.
Los Angeles has long been said to target a level of spending that does not exceed the cap, with that reasoning often cited in explaining the team’s level of interest in seemingly appealing trade and free agent targets. For instance, the hopeful contenders forewent several notable corner outfield options this winter in favor of a budget platoon. Of course, running just past the cap number is quite a bit different than blowing past it with a major acquisition.
But with a whole variety of injuries hitting the club, especially in the pitching department, it was necessary to add reinforcements. The Angels acquired Jhoulys Chacin, taking over his $1.1MM salary, and added Tim Lincecum on a deal that will pay him a pro-rated portion of a $2.5MM annual payout (plus incentives). That last move has apparently pushed the organization past the line, at least if its roster composition holds its current form.
Some have suggested that the Halos could be more comfortable moving above the cap for a single year, and that appears to be the case. Indeed, owner Arte Moreno suggested as much before the 2015 season, and Eppler called it a possibility just this winter. All said, it seems that the club has heavily weighed the luxury tax, but obviously doesn’t view it as a hard cap.
For one thing, Los Angeles will only have to pay a 17.5% tax on any overages as a first-time offender. For another, it may be relatively easy for the team to duck back below the line next year — thus avoiding a bump in the rate — because several high-priced veterans will reach free agency, including C.J. Wilson, Jered Weaver, Joe Smith, and (if his option isn’t exercised) Yunel Escobar.
It remains to be seen whether moving into position to hand over some extra cash will have much of an impact on the team’s plans the rest of the way. The Angels entered play today three games under .500, but they’re still fully in the mix in a crowded AL West. It’s possible to imagine the organization trimming some payroll to dip back under the limbo bar if it falls out of contention, or perhaps being slightly more comfortable in going further over, though it’s hard to see such considerations driving the decisionmaking.
Only six organizations have ever paid luxury tax bill, including the Angels in one prior season (2004). The Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox, and Tigers appear currently set to do so in 2016. New York, of course, has accounted for the vast majority of the tax dollars over the years. Of course, other organizations could conceivably join them — most notably, the Giants and Cubs. San Francisco edged past the line in 2015 after several mid-season trade acquisitions.
Luxury tax calculations, notably, are not as simple as tabulating annual salaries. Long-term deals are averaged, and there are many nuances that make assessment based on public information a tall task — not least of which is the constantly changing set of players owed salary at the major league level and the ex post calculation of bonuses and options. Plus, there’s a charge (usually estimated at around $11MM) for all teams to account for assorted additional player expenses, such as insurance and pension benefits.
Angels Designate Danny Reynolds For Assignment
The Angels have designated righty Danny Reynolds for assignment, per a club announcement. His 40-man spot will go to Tim Lincecum, whose deal with the club is now official.
Reynolds, 24, was claimed off waivers from the Astros in early April. He’s bounced around the waiver wire a fair bit of late, with organizations obviously intrigued by his arm but finding it difficult to continue dedicating a valuable roster position to hold onto him.
Originally a third-round pick by the Halos, Reynolds rated as L.A.’s 16th-best prospect, per Baseball America, heading into the 2015 season. BA cited his upper-90s heater and hard-to-hit, but inconsistent, slider.
Reynolds hasn’t progressed as hoped since, however. He pitched to a 4.57 ERA with 10.4 K/9 against 5.8 BB/9 over 43 1/3 innings last year with the Angels’ Double-A affiliate. And Reynolds hadn’t taken a step forward in the early going this year upon returning to Arkansas. To date, he has posted a 5.62 earned run mark in 16 frames, with 15 strikeouts and a dozen walks on his ledger.
Rays Release Carlos Corporan
The Rays have released backstop Carlos Corporan, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports on Twitter. His role at Triple-A is now occupied by J.P. Arencibia, whose signing was announced by the club.
Corporan, 32, is a switch hitter with a good deal of major league experience. He owns a .218/.280/.342 lifetime batting line over 780 plate appearances in parts of six seasons. But he struggled last year with the Rangers and has failed to re-establish himself since.
The Yankees inked Corporan to a minor league deal over the winter, and dealt him to Tampa Bay just before the start of the season. He’s put up a meager .200/.246/.308 slash in his 70 plate appearances at Triple-A Durham on the year.
While that’s not a terribly exciting package of results with the bat in hand, Corporan is generally regarded as a sturdy presence behind the dish. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that he’s capable of hitting from both sides and has spent so much time in the bigs — not to mention the relative scarcity of palatable receivers around the league.