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Pirates Place Michael A. Taylor On Outright Waivers

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The Pirates have placed Michael A. Taylor on outright waivers, according to Robert Murray of FanSided. It is important to note that Taylor was not designated for assignment, which means he is still on the team’s 26 and 40-man rosters, so he is eligible to play for the Pirates unless he is claimed by another club.

Taylor, 33, remains an excellent defender and a valuable baserunner in his 11th big league season. Unfortunately, he is putting up career-worst numbers at the plate. Considering he already had a career .683 OPS and 82 wRC+ entering the year, a career-worst performance means the righty batter has been all but an automatic out. He is slashing .196/.257/.284 with four home runs and 20 RBI in 1oo games.

With that in mind, it’s not hard to see why the Pirates might be looking for another team to take Taylor’s salary off their hands. The veteran signed a one-year, $4MM contract with Pittsburgh in the offseason, and he is still owed approximately $790,000 for the remainder of the season. However, if Taylor goes unclaimed over the next 48 hours, he will have the right to reject an outright assignment to the minor leagues without forfeiting any salary. Thus, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Pirates decide to retain him on the active roster. He still offers value as a veteran fourth outfielder and quality defensive replacement, even if he isn’t the everyday player the Pirates hoped he would be. On the other hand, the team might prefer to eat his remaining salary and give his roster spot to a more promising young player. Trade deadline acquisitions Nick Yorke and Billy Cook have both been hitting well at Triple-A lately; surely the Pirates will want to see what both of them can do at the big league level sooner rather than later.

Cubs Outright David Bote

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The Cubs have sent veteran infielder David Bote outright to Triple-A Iowa, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. He had been designated for assignment on Friday when the Cubs claimed Gavin Hollowell off of waivers from the Diamondbacks.

Bote has the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency. However, he is a few days shy of the five years of MLB service time he would need to reject the assignment without forfeiting the guaranteed salary remaining on the five-year, $16MM contract he signed with the Cubs during the 2019 campaign. With just under 20% of the season left to play, that works out to about $1.05MM in salary this year, plus a $1MM buyout on his club option for 2025. That’s significantly more money than Bote could command if he elected free agency and signed on with a new team, so he will almost certainly accept the assignment and report to the Iowa Cubs.

In 37 games for the Chicago Cubs this year, Bote hit .304 with a 105 wRC+ over 48 plate appearances. He spent most of his time playing third base, though he also filled in at first and second. Despite his positional versatility and solid offensive numbers off the bench, he was an easy choice for the Cubs to DFA when they needed to free up a spot on the 40-man roster. Not only has he struggled over the past month (2-for-12 since the All-Star break), but given his unique contract situation, the Cubs knew they could remove him from the roster without the risk of losing him completely. Thus, he will continue to serve as additional depth for the team at Triple-A, where he has 37 doubles, 21 home runs, and a 109 wRC+ in 126 games over the past two seasons.

Robbie Ray Exits With Left Hamstring Tightness

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Giants left-hander Robbie Ray exited his start today in the fourth inning with left hamstring tightness. He was facing his former team, the Mariners, and pitching in Seattle for the first time since he suffered a season-ending injury during his debut start of the 2023 campaign. This time, the 2021 AL Cy Young winner is hoping the injury will not mark the end of his season.

The 32-year-old will go for an MRI tomorrow, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Having never dealt with hamstring injuries in the past, he was unable to offer much insight into his timeline. Still, he expressed optimism that he wouldn’t be out for too long. According to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, Ray described the injury as “minor” and suggested he left the game before it became “anything significant.” The southpaw has tried to “push through injuries in the past” and did not want to make the same mistake this time around.

While Ray himself said it’s too early to know if he’ll require a trip to the injured list (per Maria Guardado of MLB.com), manager Bob Melvin implied that Ray could miss time even if the issue turns out to be mild. “Those things don’t typically take a couple of days [to heal],” the skipper explained.

Ray has made seven starts for the Giants this year since coming off the injured list at the end of July. Including his outing this afternoon, he has pitched 30 2/3 innings with a 4.70 ERA and 3.52 SIERA. San Francisco is 4-3 in his starts. While he hasn’t always looked his best, he will nonetheless be difficult for the Giants to replace.

If Ray only needs to miss a single start, Melvin could get by relying on bulk relievers like Sean Hjelle and Spencer Bivens to cover. Hjelle took over for Ray this afternoon and tossed 2 2/3 innings. He has thrown at least two frames in 16 of his 45 appearances this year; his longest outing was 3 1/3 against the Braves earlier this month. Bivens made one start earlier this year, and he has gone at least two innings in six of his 15 relief appearances.

Meanwhile, if Ray winds up on the IL, the Giants could recall rookie right-hander Mason Black, who made four appearances (three starts) for the big league club back in May. Unfortunately for Black, his first few MLB starts didn’t exactly go according to plan; the 24-year-old gave up 14 runs in 14 1/3 innings during that brief cup of coffee. He also has a 4.59 ERA and 5.21 FIP in 20 starts this year at Triple-A. Nonetheless, Black is a live arm on the 40-man roster with experience starting in the majors.

Right-hander Tristan Beck is another option to fill in for Ray, but it’s unclear how many more rehab outings he needs before he’s ready to return to the Giants; the 28-year-old has been on the 60-day IL all season after undergoing surgery to remove an aneurysm from his arm. What’s more, Beck has limited experience starting at the MLB level, and he has given up 13 runs (11 earned) over 10 2/3 rehab innings at Triple-A. All this to say, it’s critical for the Giants that Ray gets back on the mound as quickly as possible. Sitting five games back in the NL Wild Card race, their postseason hopes are already dwindling. Losing Ray for a prolonged period could be the final nail in their proverbial coffin.

Pirates To Recall Henry Davis, Place Joey Bart On 10-Day IL

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Henry Davis is on his way back to Pittsburgh. The Pirates will place catcher Joey Bart on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, reports Andrew Destin of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. To replace Bart on the active roster, the team will recall former top prospect Henry Davis from Triple-A Indianapolis. Presumably, the Pirates will announce these transactions before tomorrow’s game against the Cubs at PNC Park.

Davis, 24, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 draft, and he was a consensus top-100 prospect in the game entering the 2022 and ’23 seasons. However, he struggled in the majors last year, batting .213 with a .653 OPS over 62 games in his rookie campaign. Drafted as a catcher, he also struggled to adjust to his new role in right field, producing -6 Outs Above Average (OAA) and -9 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in just 417 1/3 defensive innings.

The Pirates returned Davis to his natural position in 2024, but his results at the plate were no better to kick off his sophomore campaign. He hit so poorly over the first month of the season (.486 OPS in 23 games) that he was optioned to Triple-A in May. Although he immediately turned things around in the minor leagues, slashing .296/.436/.642 over 23 games, Davis struggled once again after earning another promotion to the majors; he went 2-for-17 over six games in June. His tough luck continued when a concussion forced him to the IL, and after he was cleared to play, he was optioned back to Triple-A, in large part because Bart was performing so well.

Indeed, Bart, 27, has been nothing short of excellent for the Bucs in 2024. The Pirates traded for him in April after he was designated for assignment by the Giants. He missed most of June with a thumb injury, but aside from that, he has been one of the team’s best hitters all season. Across 63 games, Bart is batting .272 with 12 home runs and an .844 OPS. His defensive metrics behind the plate are below average but not dreadful, and that’s more than acceptable with the way he’s been hitting the ball. The Pirates will hope his hamstring injury proves not to be too serious.

While Bart is out, Davis will get another chance to prove himself against big league competition. It’s already clear he has nothing left to prove at Triple-A. As usual, he was red-hot during his latest stint with Indianapolis, batting .314 with six home runs, seven stolen bases, and an .881 OPS over 34 games since coming off the IL. Veteran backstop Yasmani Grandal has been hitting well for the Pirates in the second half (.906 OPS in 14 games – not to mention his walk-off home run this afternoon), but Pittsburgh, now eight games back in the NL Wild Card race, has little incentive not to give Davis the bulk of the playing time while Bart is on the mend.

Marlins To Promote Griffin Conine

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The Marlins will promote outfield prospect Griffin Conine before their game against the Rockies on Monday, the team announced. Conine is the son of two-time World Series champion Jeff Conine, known to fans as Mr. Marlin and widely considered one of the better players in the franchise’s history. The younger Conine, 27, is enjoying a solid season at Triple-A Jacksonville (19 home runs, .825 OPS). He will make his MLB debut as soon as he gets into a game.

Drafted by the Blue Jays in 2018, Griffin Conine joined the Marlins organization in 2020 as the player to be named later in a trade that sent Jonathan Villar to Toronto. He earned a promotion to Triple-A last August, and while he struggled at first, he has looked much more comfortable there this season, bringing down his strikeout rate and continuing to show off the power that has always been his strongest tool. The lefty slugger has hit especially well over the past three weeks, batting .310 and walking in 12.1% of his plate appearances. He has an .859 OPS and 127 wRC+ since August 3.

According to Christina De Nicola of MLB.com, Conine will not play every day. That said, the Marlins would not have called him up if they weren’t going to give him a good amount of playing time. Miami already has two lefty-batting corner outfielders on the roster – Jesús Sánchez and Kyle Stowers – but Conine could see plenty of reps as a DH against right-handed pitching.

The Marlins have not yet announced any corresponding moves, but De Nicola reports that the team will place shortstop Xavier Edwards on the 10-day IL, thereby opening a space for Conine on the active roster. Edwards, who is suffering from lower back pain, underwent an MRI yesterday. The scan came back negative, but evidently, the club believes he needs more time off his feet.

The Marlins will also need to free up space for Conine on the 40-man. Miami’s 40-man roster is currently overflowing after the team claimed right-hander Mike Baumann earlier this afternoon.

Tigers To Promote Ty Madden

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The Tigers will call up right-handed pitching prospect Ty Madden to start on Monday night against the White Sox, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press). Hinch’s announcement came along with the news that fellow right-hander Alex Faedo has been moved from the paternity list to the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain. The Tigers will still need to make a corresponding move (or moves) to free up space for Madden on the 26 and 40-man rosters.

Madden, now 24, joined the Tigers organization as the 32nd overall pick in the 2021 draft. Entering the 2024 season, most sources (including MLB Pipeline, FanGraphs, and Keith Law of The Athletic) ranked him as the second-best pitching prospect in the system, behind only consensus top-100 prospect Jackson Jobe. However, Madden has struggled badly since his promotion to Triple-A in May. He has a 7.97 ERA and 5.28 FIP in 18 starts (79 IP). His 102 strikeouts are impressive, but he has walked 40 batters and given up 17 home runs. While those numbers are hardly encouraging, Madden has looked a little better as of late. He has thrown 29 1/3 innings over his last five starts, and while his 5.83 ERA is poor, his strikeout rate is up, his walk rate is down, and his 2.80 FIP represents a massive improvement.

The Tigers are in the midst of a stretch of 14 games in 14 days, so Madden will provide his new rotation-mates with a breather. That should be helpful for rookies Keider Montero, Bryan Sammons, and Brant Hurter, as well as ace Tarik Skubal, who has already surpassed his previous career high in innings pitched. It is also noteworthy that Madden will actually start the game, per Petzold. The Tigers have been making frequent use of openers lately; Skubal and Montero are the only members of the rotation who have been starting their own contests. That said, Chris McCosky of The Detroit News notes that Hurter will also make a proper start on Tuesday.

This is likely just a spot start for Madden before he heads back to Triple-A or joins Detroit’s bullpen. Casey Mize (60-day IL, hamstring strain) will return from the IL shortly, while Reese Olson (15-day IL, shoulder strain) is beginning the rehab process himself. Still, it makes sense that the Tigers are going to select Madden’s contract, considering they could use the fresh arm and they would have needed to protect from the Rule 5 draft this offseason anyway.

Faedo, 28, has made 37 appearances for the Tigers this season, including six as an opener. Over 57 1/3 innings, he has a 3.61 ERA and a 4.28 SIERA. According to Hinch, Faedo felt some soreness in his shoulder before he went on the paternity list, and the pain returned when he tried to play catch after the birth of his daughter (per McCosky). While it’s not entirely clear how serious the injury is, Hinch expressed hope that it could be “just minor inflammation.”

Dodgers To Select Ben Casparius

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The Dodgers will promote right-hander Ben Casparius before tomorrow’s game against the Cardinals, reports Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The team will be able to open a 40-man spot for Casparius by transferring River Ryan to the 60-day IL, but it is not yet clear how they will find room for him on the 26-man roster.

Casparius, 25, joined the Dodgers organization as a fifth-round selection in the 2021 draft. He has been promoted mid-season all four years of his career thus far, going from the Complex League to Single-A in 2021, Single-A to High-A in ’22, High-A to Double-A in ’23, and finally, Double-A to Triple-A in ’24.

In 2022 and ’23, Casparius struggled to adjust following his promotions, but this year, he hit the ground running with the Triple-A Oklahoma City Baseball Club. After putting up a 3.32 ERA and 3.15 FIP in five starts at Double-A, he has a 3.54 ERA and 4.34 FIP in 13 starts at Triple-A. His strikeout rate briefly plummeted in Oklahoma City, but after a month-long stint on the IL, he came back firing on all cylinders. Casparius has a 3.44 ERA, 2.56 FIP, and 35.5% strikeout rate over his last five starts. He was especially dominant in his latest outing against the Round Rock Express on Sunday, tossing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Baseball America ranks Casparius as the No. 20 prospect in the Dodgers system, while MLB Pipeline has him at No. 23. FanGraphs isn’t quite as high on the righty, ranking him at No. 39. While he is currently working as a starting pitcher, all three sources agree his future most likely lies in the bullpen, presumably as a multi-inning, middle reliever. To that point, Casparius will join the Dodgers bullpen – not the rotation – during his first stint with the big league club (per Ardaya).

There is no word yet on who Casparius will replace on the active roster. One might have thought the Dodgers would option Bobby Miller back to Triple-A following his rough outing tonight (4 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 8 H, 2 HR, 1 K), but Dave Roberts suggested otherwise after the game. The manager told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register), “I thought [Miller] finished much better than he started and look forward to the next [start] being even better.” Indeed, Plunkett notes in no uncertain words that Miller will continue to fill Tyler Glasnow’s spot in the rotation for the time being.

Aside from Miller, the Dodgers’ only pitchers with options are starter Gavin Stone and relievers Alex Vesia and Michael Kopech. Simply put, it’s extremely hard to imagine the team would send any of those arms to Triple-A. Therefore, unless the Dodgers are planning to place a pitcher on the IL, their only other choice would be to DFA someone like Brent Honeywell Jr. or Joe Kelly. Kelly has struggled since returning from a shoulder injury in July (5.59 ERA in 12 G) but he is a proven veteran on an $8MM contract. Honeywell, on the other hand, has a 1.96 ERA in 18 1/3 innings with L.A., but neither his underlying numbers nor his track record are nearly as impressive.

Marlins To Select Adam Oller

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The Marlins plan to select Adam Oller’s contract from Triple-A Jacksonville, reports Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 Houston. The righty will get the start on Monday, as the Marlins welcome the Diamondbacks for the first game of a three-game set. Oller signed a minor league deal with Miami in July.

Since the Pirates selected Oller in the 20th round of the 2016 draft, he has bounced between several organizations. After three seasons in the Pirates system, he briefly played in independent ball before signing on with the Giants in 2019. The Mets took him in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft the following December, and two years later, they selected his contract to the 40-man roster to protect him from the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft. That same offseason, he was traded to the Athletics as part of the package for Chris Bassitt, and it was with Oakland that he finally made his MLB debut. Oller appeared in 19 games for the A’s in 2022, making 14 starts and pitching to a 6.30 ERA and 5.83 SIERA. He made another nine appearances, though only one start, in 2023 before he was designated for assignment. He put up a 10.07 ERA and 6.02 SIERA in 19 2/3 innings of work.

The Mariners claimed Oller off of waivers, and he finished out the 2023 season starting for the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers. He was DFA’d and outrighted at the end of the season, and he elected free agency in November. After that, the right-hander signed a minor league deal with the Guardians, and although he earned an invitation to spring training, he never made his way onto the big league roster. After pitching to a 7.48 ERA and 6.00 FIP over 12 appearances (six starts) for the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, Oller was released by the Guardians in July.

Since joining the Marlins organization, the 29-year-old Oller has seen noticeably better results. Across six appearances (three starts) at Triple-A Jacksonville, he has a 2.88 ERA and 3.46 FIP in 25 innings pitched. His 17.3% K-BB% is the highest it’s been at any stop in his professional career since his 2021 season at Double-A.

The Marlins have gone without a No. 5 starter since they designated Kyle Tyler for assignment earlier this month. Thanks to some well-scheduled off days, they have gotten by with just Edward Cabrera, Roddery Muñoz, Valente Bellozo, and Max Meyer since Tyler’s last appearance on August 8. However, they will need another starter on Monday, and it appears Oller is the man for the job. The Marlins’ rotation has been stretched thin by injuries this season, with names like Sandy Alcantara, Jesús Luzardo, Eury Pérez, Braxton Garrett, Ryan Weathers, and Sixto Sánchez all currently on the 60-day IL. Thus, Miami will look to Oller to provide innings as they try to ride out the rest of a thoroughly disappointing season.

Before putting Oller on the mound, the Marlins will need to make room for the right-hander on the 26 and 40-man rosters. One way for Miami to free up a 40-man spot would be to transfer outfielder Dane Myers from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL if the team does not think he will return from his fractured ankle before September 13. Alternatively, the Marlins could DFA a reliever like Brett de Geus or Kent Emanuel.

Reds Place Hunter Greene On 15-Day Injured List

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9:10 pm: After tonight’s game, Reds manager David Bell said Greene’s MRI looked encouraging (per Goldsmith). While he added that it was too soon to offer a timeline for Greene’s return, the skipper seemed optimistic his ace could be back on the mound once his minimum 15-day stint on the IL is up.

7:51 pm: The Reds have placed All-Star starting pitcher Hunter Greene on the 15-day injured list with right elbow soreness, the team announced. The club did not make a corresponding move before tonight’s game against the Royals at Great American Ball Park.

Greene, 25, was utterly dominant in his last start, holding the Cardinals to four hits and one run over seven innings. He struck out eight and walked only one. However, he reportedly felt soreness in his elbow following the outing (per Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer). The pain temporarily went away, but it returned while he was playing catch today. President of baseball operations Nick Krall told Goldsmith that the IL stint is precautionary as of right now, and Greene will need an MRI before the team can decide on any next steps.

The young flamethrower underwent Tommy John surgery as a minor leaguer in 2018. While his elbow has remained healthy since then, Greene spent several weeks on the IL with a shoulder strain in 2022 and hip soreness in 2023. At long last, it seemed like 2024 would be the year he put everything together. His star potential has long been evident, but he was finally enjoying star-caliber results, with a 2.83 ERA through a career-high 143 1/3 innings pitched. Unfortunately, his excellent season has now been put on hold. It’s unclear how serious the issue might be, but it’s naturally worrisome when a hard-throwing pitcher with a history of UCL problems goes on the IL with elbow pain.

With Graham Ashcraft and Brandon Williamson on the 60-day IL, Cincinnati’s starting depth is already quite thin. Other starters on the 40-man roster include Connor Phillips and Lyon Richardson, but Phillips was sent to the Reds’ training complex in June amid tremendous struggles at Triple-A (10.11 ERA in 14 GS), while Richardson has recently been pitching out of the bullpen at Triple-A amid a difficult season of his own (4.58 ERA in 23 G).

Thus, the Reds will likely need to add a pitcher to the 40-man roster to start in Greene’s place on Monday. They already have an open spot to do so. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com names 23-year-old right-hander Julian Aguiar and 31-year-old right-hander Connor Overton as potential options, but he notes that the team is not planning to promote 22-year-old righty Rhett Lowder, one of the organization’s top prospects, from Double-A.

Angels Place José Soriano On 15-Day IL, Reinstate José Cisnero

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The Angels have reinstated right-hander José Cisnero from the 60-day injured list, the team announced. He will take fellow right-hander José Soriano’s place on the active roster, while Soriano heads to the 15-day IL with right arm fatigue. To make room for Cisnero on the 40-man roster, the Angels transferred Luis Rengifo to the 60-day IL. Rengifo underwent season-ending wrist surgery earlier this month.

Cisnero, 35, signed a one-year, $1.75MM deal with Los Angeles over the offseason. Unfortunately, his tenure with the Angels got off to a rough start, as he gave up three earned runs in 2/3 of an inning on Opening Day. He went on to put up a 7.07 ERA across 14 appearances over the first month of the season. Then, he landed on the IL with inflammation in his throwing shoulder at the end of April and has been out ever since. However, despite his poor start, the veteran has a track record as a reliable middle reliever. From 2019-23, he made 222 appearances for the Tigers with a 3.84 ERA and a 4.16 SIERA. Thus, the Angels will hope he can provide some stability for the bullpen upon his return. While L.A. ranks fifth in MLB with a 2.69 bullpen ERA since the trade deadline, the underlying metrics (4.40 SIERA, 4.57 xFIP) suggest that is highly unlikely to last. Angels relievers have a 4.13 ERA and 4.25 SIERA on the season, and that’s including the innings Carlos Estévez and Luis García pitched before they were dealt.

Regrettably for the Angels, Cisnero’s return comes just as another arm hits the IL. Soriano, 25, has been a breakout player for L.A. this year. Since joining the rotation on April 10, he has a 3.36 ERA, 3.98 SIERA, and 2.1 FanGraphs WAR over 20 starts. In that time, he leads Angels starters in all three metrics. However, he lasted just 3 1/3 innings in his last outing on Friday. Manager Ron Washington told reporters (including Dan Arritt of the Orange County Register) after the game that he could tell Soriano was tired and lifted him so that “he didn’t hurt himself.”

Thankfully for the Angels, “arm fatigue” does not sound like a particularly serious problem. Indeed, Soriano explained that he’s “not worried about it being a major injury” and said he’s “going to work to come back as soon as [he] can” (per Arritt). That being said, Soriano has already thrown 113 innings this season, far more than he’s ever thrown before in any other year of his professional career. Considering the Angels have no delusions about competing for a postseason spot this year, they would be smart to exercise the utmost caution with Soriano. Nevertheless, Washington made it clear that he expects to have the promising young hurler back in his rotation before the end of the year (per Arritt).

With Soriano making his last start yesterday, the Angels will need to choose a replacement in time for Wednesday’s series finale against the Royals. The most logical choice would seem to be Reid Detmers, who twirled a gem on Friday at Triple-A, giving up one run in eight innings while striking out 11. Detmers, 25, has been pitching at Triple-A since he was optioned in June. His overall results at Salt Lake have been disappointing (6.37 ERA in 12 GS), but he’s already on the 40-man roster and has several years of MLB experience under his belt. Other options on the 40-man roster include Sam Bachman, Davis Daniel, and Kenny Rosenberg. Daniel and Rosenberg were optioned earlier this week, but they could be recalled early if they are replacing the injured Greene.

Beyond the 40-man roster, veteran Johnny Cueto is the most intriguing option. The 38-year-old signed a minor league pact with the Angels in July, and he has a 3.09 ERA in four starts with the Salt Lake Bees. However, he had a 5.71 ERA and 4.91 FIP over nine starts at Triple-A in the Rangers organization earlier this year. Meanwhile, he had 6.02 ERA and 4.93 SIERA in the majors for the Marlins last season. In other words, there’s a reason the two-time All-Star and 2014 Cy Young runner-up has been unable to get back to the majors in 2024.

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