Minor Moves: Doran, Santos, Susdorf, Maxwell
Here are today’s minor moves:
- The White Sox have acquired righty Bobby Doran from the Astros, reports MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart (via Twitter). Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle reports that shortstop Jeffry Santos is headed to Houston (Twitter links). Doran, 25, has pitched in the upper minors since 2012, working as a starter and out of the pen while compiling a 3.83 ERA at the Double-A level and 4.90 mark at Triple-A. He was taken in the fourth round out of Texas Tech back in 2010. The 21-year-old Santos is old for his current Arizona Rookie League club, where he’s posted a .295/.483/.386 batting line in 60 PA.
- The Phillies have released outfielder Steve Susdorf, tweets the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Matt Gelb. The 29-year-old outfielder is a veteran of seven minor league seasons (all with the Phils) and was very well-liked by his teammates, Gelb adds. He’s a career .291/.360/.379 hitter in 964 PA in Triple-A.
- Justin Maxwell has accepted an outright assignment with the Royals rather than electing free agency, tweets Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com. This is the second time this year that the veteran outfielder has taken a demotion from Kansas City.
- Ramon Ramirez has signed a new deal to remain with the Orioles after being outrighted, Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun reported yesterday (via Twitter). The right-handed reliever could have sought a new home through free agency, but will instead return to Triple-A Norfolk.
- The Angels have released southpaw Rich Hill, according to the MLB.com transactions page. Hill was designated for assignment on Saturday just four days after being acquired via trade from the Red Sox. The veteran had three very rough outings with the Halos, and has a roller coaster history in the majors, but had been quite effective at Triple-A this year.
NL West Notes: Crawford, Dodgers, Zobrist, D’Backs
We took a look at the Rockies earlier today. Now, let’s check in on the rest of the NL West, which could be shaping up to be a busy division at the deadline:
- The Dodgers plan to utilize outfielder Carl Crawford off of the bench when he is activated from the DL, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. For the time being, then, the club seems to have resolved its long-running logjam. “Carl happened to be the one who got hurt,” explained manager Don Mattingly, who said that Crawford is primarily a left-fielder, but that the position was now occupied by Matt Kemp. As Shaikin notes, Crawford still has $69MM remaining on his deal, including the rest of ths season and his annual payments through 2017, and could potentially be shopped in some kind of large contract swap.
- Meanwhile, the Dodgers would be interested if the Red Sox make their relievers available, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. He lists Koji Uehara, Andrew Miller, Burke Badenhop, and Craig Breslow as players who Boston could conceivably listen on, as the first three are set to become free agents while Breslow had a $4MM club option with a $100K buyout.
- The Giants may have interest in Rays infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist, according to a report from Chris Haft and Ryan Hood of MLB.com. The Giants have sent special assignment scout to Pat Burrell to Tropicana Field recently, and the duo adds that the Rays are believed to have scouted San Francisco’s Double-A affiliate extensively.
- The Diamondbacks entered this season with a $110MM payroll and are believed to be targeting the same number for next season, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The problem, however, is that the current roster projects to come in around that amount due to arbitration raises and escalating salaries on current long-term deals. As such, the team figures to make trades to shed payroll in the coming weeks. Martin Prado and Aaron Hill are listed by Piecoro as candidates to be dealt.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Angels Designate Nick Maronde For Assignment
The Angels have designated lefty Nick Maronde for assignment, reports Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
The club has also placed starter C.J. Wilson (right ankle sprain) on the DL and optioned fellow right-hander Cam Bedrosian to Double-A. Meanwhile, the Angels have added righties Drew Rucinski and Cory Rasmus to the active roster.
Maronde, 24, has tossed 6 1/3 innings for the Halos this year, allowing nine earned runs and twelve hits while issuing seven free passes against seven strikeouts. He has also been hit hard in his 18 Triple-A innings on the year, walking 34 batters in the process.
Brandon Phillips Suffers Torn Thumb Ligament
3:12pm: Phillips has indeed suffered a torn thumb ligament, tweets John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. He will undergo surgery tomorrow.
3:00pm: Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips has suffered an injury to the ligament in his left thumb which could be a tear, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). As Rosenthal notes, Phillips is expected to be “out a while;” Bryce Harper recently lost 57 games to a torn ligament in his thumb.
The news on Phillips is not the only significant injury development out of Cincinnati (to say nothing of the rest of the NL Central). After placing first baseman Joey Votto on the DL and seeing center fielder Billy Hamilton go down with a hamstring issue last night, starter Homer Bailey left in the middle of his start today with what the team described as pain in his left patellar tendon (via Twitter). The status of those two important players remains unknown.
MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently broke down the trade market for second basemen. If Phillips requires an extended absence, MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes asks (via Twitter) whether the Reds might match up with the White Sox on a deal for Gordon Beckham.
Yadier Molina Out Eight To Twelve Weeks With Torn Thumb Ligament
Catcher Yadier Molina of the Cardinals has suffered a torn thumb ligament, tweets Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He is expected to miss eight to twelve weeks, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter).
Molina, a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate, has been off his usual pace at the plate but is still one of the game’s most productive catchers. He owns a .287/.341/.409 triple-slash on the year, after averaging a .842 OPS over his last three campaigns. Also regarded as one of (if not the) best defensive backstops and staff managers in baseball, Molina is essentially irreplaceable.
In the immediate term, the Cards will call up minor leaguer Audry Perez to fill Molina’s roster spot, tweets ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden. But it would be more than a stretch to suggest that Perez, along with seldom-used backup Tony Cruz, can match Molina’s production and presence for the club.
Certainly, the loss of Molina would appear to position St. Louis as a possible buyer behind the plate. The club will take its time finding a fill-in reports Goold (via Twitter). The club does not feel it needs to make a move before the All-Star game.
MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes recently took a look at a relatively barren catching market. Of course, the recently-designated A.J. Pierzynski is also fully available, though ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that he gets the sense that Pierzynski is not a top option for St. Louis. Another possibility, Crasnick suggests on Twitter (and Goold also notes the team will consider), is veteran John Buck, who was recently designated by the Mariners. And ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden opines on Twitter that Kurt Suzuki of the Twins — twice traded to contenders in the last two years and playing on a cheap, one-year deal — could make the most sense as a target.
AL East Notes: Red Sox, Pierzynski, O’s, Tanaka, Beltran
The day after designating $8.25MM catcher A.J. Pierzynski for assignment, the Red Sox have done some looking back and looking forward. The embattled veteran was a source of clubhouse discord, reports Rob Bradford of WEEI.com. Meanwhile, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal writes that Pierzynski’s original one-year signing, and his ultimate DFA, fit with the club’s long-term plans behind the dish. GM Ben Cherington acknowledged that his club was in an “unusual spot,” as Jason Mastrodonato of MassLive.com reports. “We believe we can win games with [Pierzynski replacement] Christian [Vazquez] behind the plate,” he said. “It is also an investment in him. We’re in an usual spot. We’re just gong to have to see what the rest of the month brings us, if we go on a run and our outlook changes.”
Here’s more on Pierzynski, the Red Sox, and the rest of the AL East:
- Cherington said that, going forward, the focus for the Red Sox will be on adding offense. “I still believe a lot of that is going to come from guys already here,” he said. “But clearly offense has been an issue. We’d like to add to the offense, so we’re going to look for ways to do that whether that’s now or after the season or both. We’ve got to find ways to improve the offense.”
- Pierzynski says that he will “go anywhere,” reports Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). Though the Twins had made him a two-year offer during the offseason, Wolfson says he’d be surprised if Minnesota looks to bring him back at this point.
- It is easy to imagine several teams being interested in taking a chance on Pierzynski’s bat returning to its 2013 levels, but the Orioles will not be one of them, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link). Three internal sources told Kubatko that Baltimore has no interest in the controversial backstop in spite of its lack of offense at the position. Not only that, but executive VP Dan Duquette tells Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun that the team is generally happy with the club’s backstop duo of Caleb Joseph and Nick Hundley (in addition to the left-handed-hitting Steve Clevenger, stashed at Triple-A).
- As noted earlier on the site, one player that the Orioles do have interest in is lefty Jorge De La Rosa of the Rockies, as Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports. In another piece, Connolly further discusses the O’s situation at the trade deadline, explaining that the team seems unlikely to add a top-of-the-rotation arm. For his part, Kubatko reasons that Baltimore may have some difficult decisions to make if it tries to plug a new arm into the club, as Kevin Gausman has been expected to take a rotation spot going forward. As both reporters note, a bullpen addition — especially a late-inning option — definitely seems to be a possibility.
- Yankees starter Masahiro Tanaka will fly to Seattle to see team doctor Christopher Ahmad, tweets MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Fellow orthopedist Dr. Neal ElAttrache — often consulted on elbow issues — is at the same conference as Ahmad and could also see Tanaka, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links). Notably, ElAttrache was the doctor who performed a physical on Tanaka that was shared with the rest of the league by the pitcher’s representatives.
- Meanwhile, the Yankees are also waiting to hear whether outfielder Carlos Beltran will need to miss any time due to two small fractures in and around his nose, tweets Hoch. He sustained the injury in a freak batting practice accident yesterday.
Rockies Notes: Tulowitzki, Cuddyer, De La Rosa, Trade Chips
Rockies owner Dick Monfort recently explored several topics relating to the club’s trade deadline plans with Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post (read more here and here). Among other things, Monfort said that the club was hesitant not only to deal away stars Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, but also solid veterans Michael Cuddyer and Jorge De La Rosa.
Here’s the latest:
- De La Rosa has generated interest from multiple clubs, Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports on Twitter. But the club is not interested in dealing him unless the return is a “young impact starter,” according to Jayston Stark of ESPN.com (via Twitter). As Stark notes, that seems rather unlikely.
- From the analytical side of things, Grant Brisbee of SB Nation writes that the Rockies would be foolish to deal Tulowitzki unless an exceptional offer somehow presents itself. On the other hand, Dave Cameron of Fangraphs argues that De La Rosa is just not that good and should be dealt, noting that the club’s apparent assessment of his value does not jive with his performance.
Earlier Updates
- Tulowitzki met recently with top team officials, giving them what Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com terms a “subtle blessing” to deal him. The star shortstop indicated that, while he enjoys playing for the Rockies and hopes to continue to do so, he would be open to being moved to a contending ballclub. But that does not mean Tulowitzki is likely to be dealt; quite the contrary, in fact. One Rockies source told Heyman he saw “no chance” of a deal, with ownership concerned with losing fans by dealing the main gate attraction off of a losing team. Ultimately, says Heyman, it may take an outright trade request from Tulo to make a deal happen; if nothing else, Monfort would want him to bless any specific deal before pulling the trigger.
- The Rockies are indeed unlikely to deal the still-rehabbing Cuddyer, reports Heyman, with the club hoping instead to bring him back next year. Cuddyer, 35, is set to reach free agency at the end of the season. He said recently that no extension talks had occurred, but that he would be open to them. Of course, as Heyman notes, the club could always deal him and look to bring him back as a free agent. But, he writes, the club values his presence enough that it does not believe the possible return would be worthwhile.
- Meanwhile, in spite of Monfort’s statement, the Orioles are taking a hard look at the lefty De La Rosa, reports Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun. The 33-year-old has not followed up on his strong 2013, but was signed by current O’s executive vice president Dan Duquette when he was the GM of the Red Sox. De La Rosa, like Cuddyer, is set to hit the open market after the season.
- If those four players are truly off the table, it remains a bit of a mystery what Colorado may actually look to sell at the deadline. While Monfort protests that the team could still claw its way back into the race, that seems extraordinarily unlikely. Presumably — and this is my speculation — players like outfielders Drew Stubbs and Brandon Barnes, infielder Josh Rutledge, and a few relievers could be available. The bigger question, though, is whether the team would move first baseman Justin Morneau, who has enjoyed something of a renaissance at altitude.
Reds Designate Brett Marshall For Assignment
The Reds have designated righty Brett Marshall for assignment, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). With the move, the club opened a 40-man spot for recently-recalled outfielder Kristopher Negron.
Marshall, 24, threw 12 innings last year for the Yankees in his only MLB stint. Designated to make room for Carlos Beltran, Marshall was claimed by the Cubs and then the Reds. Since working back from a finger injury, he has struggled in 21 1/3 frames over seven starts at Triple-A for the Reds, working to a 10.97 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and a troubling 11.4 BB/9.
Trade Market For Shortstops
Last year’s trade market was quiet on the shortstop front, with Jose Iglesias and John McDonald the only MLB shortstops to change hands. And the latter not only was dealt in August, but never saw time at short for his new club.
That could change this year, as several clubs could stand to upgrade, including the Tigers, Indians, Mariners, Brewers, Reds, Marlins, and Mets. (Of course, some of those teams seem unlikely to make a significant addition, for various reasons.) The Dodgers and Cardinals could potentially shift their current top options off the position if the right opportunity presented itself. The Orioles and Athletics have also received less-than-optimal production, at least from the offensive side, though they appear more likely to count on improvements from their incumbents while making additions elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Nationals (and perhaps some of the above-noted clubs) are interested in adding younger shortstop options to their organization.
For teams looking at the position, there are multiple potentially useful possibilities:
Starters
Alexei Ramirez (White Sox), Asdrubal Cabrera (Indians), Jimmy Rollins (Phillies), Elvis Andrus (Rangers), Starlin Castro (Cubs), Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies), Stephen Drew (Red Sox), Chris Owings (D’backs), Yunel Escobar (Rays)
- Ramirez has cooled significantly after a hot start, but that leaves his overall offensive line (.282.317/.402 with eight home runs and 14 steals) at roughly the same level as it was during his career peak in 2010-11. He has always been a productive defender. Ramirez is playing out the year on a $9.5MM salary and is owed $10MM next year before a $10MM club option with a $1MM buyout. That seems a reasonable price for the veteran, though he is nearing 33 years of age. With Chicago now looking poised for a breakout, though, it may take a fairly substantial haul to pry him loose.
- The 28-year-old Cabrera profiles as a roughly league-average hitter and slightly below-average defender at the position. He has not returned to his All-Star form, but remains a useful player and is earning a manageable $10MM in his final season before reaching free agency. Of course, he is also playing on a Cleveland team that remains in the post-season hunt. If the Indians fall back, though, he could certainly become available.
- Rollins, an established veteran with ample post-season experience, is an obvious trade piece for a floundering Phillies club. Though he is well off of his peak levels, Rollins has still played at an above-average clip. He is playing on a $11MM salary this season and is just 57 plate appearances shy of triggering a $11MM vesting option for next year. The questions, of course, are whether Philadelphia will deal away one of the team’s core players from its glory years and whether Rollins will waive his 10-and-5 rights. He’s said recently that he wants to stay in Philadelphia.
- Andrus is still yet to turn 26 and is already in the midst of his sixth consecutive above-average season. Though he has limited value at the plate, he rates as an excellent base-runner and defender. Despite signing a massive eight-year, $120MM extension that does not even kick in until next year, and which allows him to opt out if he is able to meet or exceed expectations, he is playing on a club that has fallen out of contention this year and which has several even younger options waiting in the wings.
- In a somewhat similar situation is Castro of the Cubs, who has $44MM in guaranteed money remaining on his deal, including a buyout of a $16MM club option for 2020. The Cubs are clearly sellers, and the 24-year-old has returned to form (.280/.326/.452) after a disappointing 2013. Of course, Castro could be an important piece in the team’s turnaround plans, but there are several top prospects filtering up behind him. Needless to say, it would take a significant package to pry him loose.
- Speaking of large returns, Tulowitzki would obviously represent the prize of the market — and not just that of shortstops. He has been both outstanding (offensively and defensively) and healthy this year. His contract includes $118MM in guaranteed money, but with it comes seven years of control (the last via club option). That may price several teams out of the market, but many would jump at the chance to add one of the game’s true superstars at a below-market price. Owner Dick Monfort did publicly state that the Rox have no plans to deal Tulo, who is the face of their franchise.
- Drew has yet to find his form after sitting out most of the early part of the season. He owns an unsightly .131/.170/.238 line through 88 plate appearances, but is not far removed from being a solid regular. If the Red Sox eat a good portion of the remainder of his (annualized) $14.1MM salary, he could be moved to make way for younger players.
- For the Diamondbacks, Owings represents one of several middle infielders, all of whom could theoretically be dealt. He seems the least likely to go, in large part because he appears to be the prize of the group. Through 254 MLB plate appearances in his age-22 season, Owings rates out at 1.9 fWAR on the back of above-average production across the board.
- Escobar, just inked to a fairly team-friendly extension, is probably unlikely to be dealt in spite of his club’s struggles, but could potentially be had for the right price. His numbers on both the offensive and defensive sides of the equation have dipped since his excellent 2013 season, reducing his appeal. Tampa seems likely to hold on to him and hope for a rebound.
Backups/Utilitymen
Sean Rodriguez (Rays), Mike Aviles (Indians), Eduardo Nunez (Twins), Adam Rosales (Rangers), Danny Espinosa (Nationals), Clint Barmes (Pirates), Cliff Pennington (D’backs), Josh Rutledge (Rockies), Alexi Amarista (Padres)
Clubs aiming to plug holes in their benches have several options to pursue. Veterans like Rodriguez, Rosales, Barmes, Pennington, and (potentially) Aviles could provide ample flexibility and a useful presence down the stretch. All have seen time at short, some of them as everyday options at the position.
On the other hand, there are several younger players who could fill a bench role while also potentially representing longer-term options at short or other positions. Espinosa and Rutledge have both shown their fair share of promise at times, and may hold appeal for a variety of clubs if they are made available. The former, who will be arb-eligible next year, has seen his playing time diminish of late. Though Espinosa has played second base primarily at the big league level, he is an outstanding defender and came up as a shortstop. Rutledge, meanwhile, comes with plenty of cheap control. Amarista looks more like a true utility player, and has seen more action at other spots around the diamond, but should remain fairly inexpensive as he enters arbitration for the first time.
MLB-Ready Prospects
Nick Franklin (Mariners), Luis Sardinas (Rangers), Nick Ahmed (D’backs), Didi Gregorius (D’backs)
This group represents something of a different segment of the shortstop market. All face obstacles to regular playing time (and value maximization) with their present clubs, and each could appeal to teams looking to add a solid youngster that can take Major League innings from the get-go. Of course, all three come with some questions: for Franklin, whether he can handle short on an everyday basis; for Sardinas, Ahmed, and Gregorius, whether their bats will hold up in the majors.
AL East Notes: Abreu, Tanaka, Lester, Sox, Jays, Headley, Yanks, O’s
The Red Sox were within $5MM of the final bidding (six years, $68MM) for now-White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, reports Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Interestingly, Boston felt that Abreu could be used across the diamond at third base. Chicago GM Rick Hahn said that, in learning more about the bidding after landing Abreu, “it turns out there were several teams, not just us and Boston, that were awfully aggressive and pretty close to where we were at the end.” As things stand, it looks like Hahn made the right choice to outbid that dense market.
Here’s more from Boston and the rest of the AL East:
- Prized Yankees hurler Masahiro Tanaka is set to undergo an MRI on his right arm, reports George A. King III of the New York Post. Made available by his Japanese club in December, the righty inked a seven-year, $155MM contract (with an opt-out after four seasons). He has been outstanding, compiling a 2.51 ERA with 9.4 K/9 against just 1.3 BB/9 in 129 1/3 frames, but has recently worked through two rough starts. After his most recent outing, he reported “a little discomfort,” according to a tweet from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
- For now, the situation warrants close attention, though it would be unwise to jump to conclusions. Obviously, a layoff of any significant duration would have critical implications for a New York club that has relied heavily on the 25-year-old, who has notched a league-leading 12 wins. The club has called up outfielder Zoilo Almonte but has yet to announce a corresponding roster move, leading Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News to suggest (via Twitter) that the Yankees could be waiting to learn more about Tanaka’s status before acting.
Earlier Updates
- The Red Sox are having ongoing “conversations” that may result in a new, increased offer to lefty Jon Lester, reports ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes. Boston should — and probably will — reach an extension with Lester, opines Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. At various points, the on-again/off-again talks have variously made a deal seem close and free agency appear inevitable. Abraham ticks through the reasons that keeping Lester in Boston makes good sense for both sides.
- Meanwhile, the club may be close to making some kind of change behind the plate, according to a tweet from Abraham. Veteran A.J. Pierzynski has scuffled to a .254/.286/.348 line in 274 plate appearances after joining the Red Sox on a one-year, $8.25MM deal. While he might appeal to some contenders, that contract means that Boston would likely need to eat some cash to get any kind of return. Well-regarded prospect Christian Vazquez is waiting in the wings at Triple-A, and could be given a taste of MLB action.
- Mired in last place in the division, Boston is highly likely to sell, but there are many permutations that could take. Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal takes a look at the possible chips and names their likeliest suitors. While rumors reached crescendo without a deal yesterday, MacPherson still sees the Cardinals as a good fit for Jake Peavy. He goes on to name several players with potential matches: outfielder Jonny Gomes (Mariners), Pierzynski (Pirates), Koji Uehara (Orioles, Tigers, Angels, Pirates), and shortstop Stephen Drew (Tigers, Brewers) as other possibilities to be flipped.
- In yet another reminder of how quickly things can change, the Blue Jays now seem to have a greater need in their lineup than the rotation, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. A right-handed hitting second or third baseman, right-handed outfield bat, and potentially a catching upgrade all rate as areas to explore, according to Nicholson-Smith. The team could stand to add a starter if an impact arm could be had for a reasonable price, he adds, and may also look to pick up a righty for the pen.
- One possibility for the Blue Jays could be Chase Headley of the Padres, with Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reporting on Twitter that the two clubs have had discussions on the third baseman. Headley is a switch-hitter, which would open up some flexibility for the Jays. On the other hand, he has generally been more successful against righties, reducing the utility of playing him in some form of a platoon with the righty-mashing Juan Francisco.
- The Yankees are going to go for it, but should not gut the farm to do so, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman says that the Brandon McCarthy acquisition was a good model, because it did not require the sacrifice of a player with a significant part in the club’s future plans, and that the organization can always utilize its unmatched financial capacity to add talented players on big contracts. But with a roster that looks to have a less-than-even chance to take the division, says Sherman, the organization’s best minor league pieces should not be sacrificed for pure rentals.
- Implicit in the above notes, I would suggest, is that the Orioles may have an unmatched window to make a run at the division. The Rays and Red Sox probably have too much ground to gain, the Yankees don’t look to have the youth or across-the-board talent, and the Blue Jays have faded quickly of late. While the loss of Matt Wieters certainly hurts, the Orioles look like they could be the odds-on favorite. Should the club move to bolster its chances with a mid-season addition or two, it could easily achieve bottom-line impact because it has two positions ripe for upgrade in second base and catcher. Of course, a rotation acquisition may also make sense. While Baltimore will surely be loath to do so, it does have a relative abundance of high-end young pitching to deal from.