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The Opener: Hernandez, Astros Pitchers, MLBTR Chat

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Two months after Opening Day, here are three things to keep an eye on around the world of baseball this Tuesday:

1. Angel Hernandez retires:

Umpire Angel Hernandez, a controversial figure in Major League Baseball for more than 30 years, is hanging up his hat. He issued a statement via MLB on Monday evening confirming his decision. Hernandez said umpiring in the majors was a “childhood dream” come true, but cited spending “more time with my family” as the primary reason for his retirement. However, Jeff Passan of ESPN reports that Hernandez “reached a settlement to leave Major League Baseball,” effective immediately. Bob Nightengale of USA Today adds that the sides had “spent the past two weeks negotiating a financial settlement before reaching a resolution over the weekend.”

Hernandez was one of the most senior umpires in the league, but he has long had a reputation for making incorrect calls and unnecessary ejections. In recent years, he has been in and out of the headlines as he attempted to sue Major League Baseball for racial discrimination. He ultimately lost the suit and his subsequent appeal.

More on Hernandez and his retirement will likely trickle out in the coming days, such as statements from his fellow umpires and the commissioner’s office, and perhaps more news about the terms of his settlement.

2. Cristian Javier, José Urquidy to undergo imaging:

Astros manager Joe Espada says his starting pitchers Cristian Javier and José Urquidy will undergo imaging today (per Chandler Rome of The Athletic). The team will likely offer an update on their respective injuries ahead of tonight’s game against the Mariners. Javier landed on the injured list on Monday (retroactive to May 24) with right forearm discomfort. Urquidy, who has been out all season with a right forearm strain he suffered in spring training, recently left a minor league rehab start with the same issue: more forearm discomfort in his pitching arm.

The Astros have had to deal with several injuries to their starting pitchers this season, though thankfully for Houston, Framber Valdez and Justin Verlander are back in the rotation, as is Ronel Blanco, who was recently suspended for 10 games for violating MLB’s foreign substances policy. Hunter Brown and Spencer Arrighetti currently round out the big league rotation, while recent minor league signing Eric Lauer offers additional depth.

3. MLBTR chat today:

This past weekend brought the news of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s season-ending injury and a report that teams are planning for NPB star Roki Sasaki to be posted this winter. If you have any questions about how your favorite team is playing so far, or perhaps questions that look ahead to the July 30 trade deadline or the upcoming offseason, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will host a live chat with readers today at 1pm CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after it is completed.

The Opener: Abreu, Thomas, Polanco

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Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around baseball this Memorial Day:

1. Astros to recall José Abreu

The Astros are set to recall veteran first baseman José Abreu from Triple-A ahead of their game with the Mariners this evening. Abreu himself first made the announcement, while manager Joe Espada later confirmed the news (per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle).

The former AL MVP agreed to be optioned to the Astros’ spring training facility in West Palm Beach after a dreadful performance this April (.099/.156/.113 in 22 games). Evidently, the team has decided that he showed enough improvement to warrant his return to the majors. Abreu himself called the demotion “the best thing I’ve ever gone through,” expressing gratitude for the opportunity to clear his head and fix his swing (per Chandler Rome of The Athletic).

The 37-year-old played a couple of games at Triple-A Sugar Land this weekend, and although he went 0-for-7, Astros GM Dana Brown said, “It’s not really about the hits. We want to make sure he’s getting quality at-bats. Sounds like he had a few quality at-bats” (as relayed by Rome).

2. Nationals to activate Lane Thomas:

Nationals manager Dave Martinez told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASN) that right fielder Lane Thomas “should be ready” to return from the injured list in time for this afternoon’s game against the Braves at Truist Park. Thomas has not played since April 23, when he exited with a left knee sprain. He will likely take Jesse Winker’s spot in the lineup today, as Winker takes a day off with a cramp in his left quad (per Zuckerman), but Martinez did not comment on any potential transactions to open up a spot for Thomas on the Nationals’ 26-man roster.

Although Thomas was off to a slow start before his injury, slashing .184/.250/.253 in 22 games, Washington will surely be pleased to have him back on the active roster. The 28-year-old was the team’s most productive player in 2023, hitting 28 homers, swiping 20 bags, and scoring 101 runs while racking up 3.1 FanGraphs WAR. Even if he continues to struggle, Thomas is a sure bet to contribute with elite speed and a powerful arm in right field.

3. Jorge Polanco to undergo MRI:

Mariners second baseman Jorge Polanco will undergo an MRI today after exiting with right hamstring tightness on Sunday, reports Shannon Dryer of Seattle Sports. The 30-year-old missed seven games earlier this month with a similar issue.

Polanco spent the first 10 seasons of his career with the Twins, developing a reputation as a consistent, productive hitter. From 2019-23, the first five years of an extension he signed during the 2018-19 offseason, he hit 89 home runs with a 117 wRC+ over 544 games. However, he has struggled in his first season with the Mariners, slashing .195/.293/.302 with a 78 wRC+ in 46 games played. The M’s will hope his MRI comes back negative, and in a best-case scenario, perhaps a few games off his feet will help Polanco clear his head and break out of his uncharacteristic slump.

Trevor Story Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

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April 12: Boston announced that Story underwent successful surgery to repair his posterior labrum as well as an internal fixation of the fracture of his glenoid rim.

April 9: Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning before the Red Sox home opener, manager Alex Cora said there is “concern” regarding the “bone structure” of Trevor Story’s shoulder (per Speier). Story landed awkwardly on his shoulder during last Friday’s game against the Angels and wound up on the 10-day injured list the next day with what the team called a “left shoulder dislocation.” The shortstop will meet with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a second opinion, with shoulder surgery a possibility (per Speier). Story will have surgery to repair a fractured glenoid, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters (including Alex Speier of The Boston Globe). His timetable to return is roughly six months, so he will miss the remainder of the regular season.

According to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Cora plans to run with a pair of platoons in the middle infield going forward. The lefty-batting David Hamilton and righty-batting Romy Gonzalez will split time at shortstop, while the lefty-batting Pablo Reyes and righty-batting Enmanuel Valdez share duties at second base. Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela is another option for either position. While Rafaela already looks like a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center, the Red Sox have significantly more outfield depth than infield depth right now. Jarren Duran can slide over to center field, while Tyler O’Neill and Wilyer Abreu cover the corners.

Finally, Cora also mentioned that Vaughn Grissom will take reps at shortstop during his upcoming rehab assignment (per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe). The plan is still for Grissom to primarily play second base (per McCaffrey), but he has plenty of minor league experience at short, and the Red Sox could be all hands on deck if their veteran shortstop goes under the knife.

Story knew right away he had a “significant injury” (per Christopher Smith of MassLive) but, as of the weekend, had not yet given up hope that he would return in 2024. Unfortunately, the second opinion he receives from Dr. ElAttrache could mark the end of his season. Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell needed surgery after a similar injury last April and returned for just the final four games of the year.

Central Notes: Grandal, Delay, Borucki, Gipson-Long, Edman, Martínez 

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Alex Stumpf of MLB.com offered a series of Pirates injury updates today.

Yasmani Grandal is still a few weeks away from coming off the injured list as he recovers from plantar fasciitis. However, he seems to be making good progress, and Stumpf reports that he will begin baserunning in the coming days. He has already been participating in simulated games. The two-time All-Star spent his last four seasons with the White Sox. His days as one of the best catchers in baseball are long behind him, but the Pirates are hoping he can be a capable veteran backup.

In less positive catching news, Jason Delay has been shut down from all baseball activities with little explanation. He has been on the IL since April 3 (retroactive to April 1) with right knee inflammation. The long-time minor leaguer had a mini breakout with the Pirates last year. Although his offensive numbers weren’t so impressive, he played 68 games behind the dish and put up strong defensive metrics, looking like a solid backup option.

On the pitching side, Ryan Borucki is recovering quickly from left triceps inflammation that landed him on the IL retroactive to April 6. Borucki, 30, entered the year hoping to follow up on a strong 2023 season in Pittsburgh. While the southpaw struggled through a pair of injury-riddled seasons with the Blue and Mariners in 2021 and ’22, he was a master of control for the Pirates in 2023. In 40 1/3 innings, Borucki walked just four batters. The only other pitcher with so few bases on balls (min. 30 IP) was Jacob deGrom. Stumpf notes that Borucki will begin playing catch soon, and he shouldn’t be on the IL for much longer than the minimum 15 days.

In other news from around the NL and AL Central:

  • The Tigers released a medical update today (shared by Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press) that revealed right-handed pitcher Sawyer Gipson-Long is dealing with right forearm tightness. He was already on the IL recovering from a groin strain. The 26-year-old is undergoing medical evaluation to determine the severity of the injury. Gipson-Long made four starts for the Tigers last year but retains his rookie eligibility for 2024. He is the team’s No. 10 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and No. 19 according to Baseball America.
  • Cardinals center fielder Tommy Edman has been approved to begin his hitting progression, reports Daniel Guerrero of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His first step is hitting off a tee. While Edman will still need plenty of preparation to transition from a tee to MLB-caliber pitching, this marks an important step in his recovery. The Gold Glove-winner has been sidelined all year with a wrist injury.
  • Guardians infield prospect Angel Martínez has been on the 10-day IL since Opening Day with a right foot contusion he suffered this spring. Today, he was sent to Triple-A Columbus for a rehab assignment. Although Martínez is on Cleveland’s 40-man roster, he has yet to make his MLB debut. He will likely stay at Triple-A once his rehab stint is up, where he will look to improve upon a poor showing at the plate last season. Martínez, 22, is widely considered a top-10 prospect in the Guardians system. He is a candidate to earn a call-up to the MLB squad in the event of an injury to another infielder.

Red Sox Place Nick Pivetta On IL With Right Flexor Strain

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12:20 pm: Pivetta’s flexor strain is mild, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow tells reporters (including Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe). The right-hander could come off the IL as soon he is eligible, barring any setbacks. In the meantime, the Red Sox will skip Pivetta’s turn in the rotation when off days allow and fill in the gaps with either Chase Anderson or Cooper Criswell.

11:56 am: The Red Sox have placed starting pitcher Nick Pivetta on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor strain, the team announced. The IL stint is retroactive to April 6. Brennan Bernardino has been recalled from Triple-A Worcester to fill Pivetta’s spot on the active roster.

It’s been a rough day for the Red Sox so far. Earlier this morning, manager Alex Cora revealed that shortstop Trevor Story is headed for an appointment with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache due to “concern with the bone structure” of his shoulder. His 2024 season could be in jeopardy. The possibility of losing Story and Pivetta will loom large over the Red Sox’s home opener today at Fenway Park.

Elbow problems are always worrisome, especially for pitchers, and especially given the recent rash of injuries to star hurlers like Spencer Strider, Shane Bieber, and Eury Pérez. Pivetta was expected to take the mound tomorrow against the Orioles. Now, he is not eligible to rejoin the Red Sox until April 20. There is currently no timeline for his return. However, it’s getting hard to hear the words “flexor strain” and not prepare for the worst.

Twins right-hander Anthony DeSclafani recently underwent season-ending flexor tendon surgery. Rays righty Drew Rasmussen missed most of the 2023 season and remains on the IL after suffering a flexor strain last May. At the time, he hoped to be back for the stretch run in August and September, but eventually, he needed an internal brace procedure to repair his elbow. To make things worse, flexor tendon injuries often cooccur with UCL injuries. Dodgers starter Walker Buehler initially landed on the IL with a flexor strain in June 2022; two months later, he went under the knife for Tommy John.

A perennial breakout candidate, Pivetta, 31, often underperforms his advanced metrics; he has a career 4.81 ERA and 4.00 SIERA. Still, he has blossomed into a reliable arm for the Red Sox, tossing 498 1/3 innings with a 4.26 ERA and 6.2 FanGraphs WAR since 2020. He has pitched at least 140 innings in each of the past three seasons, and his only previous trips to the IL were due to COVID-19 protocols in 2021. The righty looked especially sharp in his first two starts this season, giving up a lone earned run while striking out 13 and walking just one over 11 innings of work.

The Red Sox, already without Lucas Giolito for the season, will be hard-pressed to replace Pivetta in the rotation if his flexor strain proves to be serious. For his part, Pivetta’s injury could not have come at a worse moment. He is set to reach free agency for the first time this offseason.

Spencer Strider To Undergo MRI On Right Elbow

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Braves ace Spencer Strider will go for an MRI on his right elbow on Saturday after complaining of discomfort on Friday night (per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). The All-Star right-hander threw just four innings and 88 pitches in his second start of the season, giving up five earned runs while striking out four. As Mark Bowman of MLB.com noted, his 12 whiffs were tied for the “sixth-lowest total he has induced while throwing at least 80 pitches” in his MLB career. For comparison, Strider produced 18 whiffs and eight strikeouts on 90 pitches in his season debut. To make matters worse, his velocity was down on all four of his pitches. Although Strider didn’t mention his discomfort until he exited the game (per David O’Brien of The Athletic), something was clearly off throughout his start.

Despite his unimposing stature, Strider is one of the hardest-throwing starting pitchers in baseball. His four-seam fastball averaged 97.2 mph and topped out at 100.5 mph in 2023. He pairs his blistering fastball with a terrific slider, a changeup (against left-handed batters), and as of this year, a curveball. For a flame-throwing hurler toying with a new breaking pitch, the words “elbow discomfort” are especially worrisome. Not to mention, Strider has already suffered a torn UCL, undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2019 during his time at Clemson University.

Strider burst onto the scene in 2022 and established himself as one of the best pitchers in the game the following year. He led the National League in wins, strikeouts, and FIP, en route to All-MLB First Team honors. He entered the 2024 campaign as the undisputed ace of a strong Braves rotation and a popular preseason pick to win the NL Cy Young. A serious elbow injury would be devastating for both Strider and his club.

Even if the MRI comes back clean, Bowman suggests Atlanta will exercise caution with Strider over the next two weeks. He could take a 15-day trip to the IL while his elbow regains strength. After all, there is little harm in playing it safe.

The Braves remain the favorites in the NL East even if Strider misses significant time. Still, any injury to their No. 1 starter would be a huge blow, particularly if Strider is unavailable to pitch in the playoffs. The team provided little reason for optimism or pessimism after the game, so fans will have to wait until Saturday to learn more about the extent of Strider’s potential injury.

Trevor Story Exits With Left Shoulder Pain

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Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story injured his shoulder on Friday as he dove to field a groundball. He hit the ground in significant distress and eventually left the game holding his arm. Shortly afterward, the team told reporters (including Christopher Smith of MassLive) that he exited with “left shoulder pain.” Presumably, the Red Sox will provide more details after the game, although Story might need further evaluation on Saturday before receiving a proper diagnosis.

Story has been something of an injury magnet throughout his career, spending time on the injured list in six of his first eight MLB seasons from 2016-23. He tore a thumb ligament in 2016, suffered a shoulder strain in 2017, sprained his thumb in 2019, dealt with elbow inflammation in 2021, and fractured his wrist (and suffered a heel contusion) in 2022. Most recently, he spent the first four months of the 2023 season recovering from an internal brace procedure to repair his UCL.

The Red Sox, who signed Story to a six-year, $140 million contract ahead of the 2022 campaign, were counting on him to be their regular shortstop this year. He struggled tremendously at the plate in 2023, slashing .203/.250/.316 in 43 games. However, he looked phenomenal at shortstop, producing 8 DRS and 8 OAA in just 314 defensive innings. Surely, the Red Sox were hoping that after a regular, healthy offseason, Story could get back on track at the plate. Over his first seven seasons, he produced an .849 OPS and 111 wRC+.

Instead, it seems as if Story is headed to the injured list early in 2024. Boston is low on infield depth with second baseman Vaughn Grissom already on the IL, but Pablo Reyes can cover at shortstop. Meanwhile, utility man Romy Gonzalez, currently at Triple-A, is a likely candidate to fill an empty spot on the bench.

Astros Release Justin Dirden

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The Astros have released outfielder Justin Dirden, according to his player page on MLB.com (h/t to Chandler Rome of The Athletic).

Dirden signed with Houston as an undrafted free agent following the shortened 2020 draft. Already 23 when he debuted in the Astros system in 2021, the lefty batter quickly made an impact at the plate, putting up a .936 OPS in 58 games at Single-A Fayetteville and a .928 OPS in 25 games at High-A Asheville. He kept slugging the following season, producing a 1.027 OPS in 92 games at Double-A Corpus Christi. It wasn’t until he was called up to Triple-A in August 2022 that Dirden finally looked overmatched, and even then, he had 12 extra-base hits in 32 games.

Following his strong 2022 season, Dirden made the Astros’ top prospect lists at Baseball America (No. 9) and MLB Pipeline (No. 9). He also earned an invitation to spring training in 2023 and put on a show in the Grapefruit League. Over 19 games, he slashed .324/.425/.618, good for a 1.043 OPS and 171 wRC+.

Asked in early March if Dirden was a candidate for the Opening Day roster, then Astros manager Dusty Baker replied, “Who knows? We’ll see who’s injured, who’s not, who’s playing well and what we need…I’m impressed with him. We’re impressed with him. That’s why he’s here” (per Rome).

Unfortunately, Dirden was not selected to the Astros roster and continued to flounder at Triple-A. He posted a .709 OPS and 68 wRC+ while nagging injuries limited him to just 84 games. This past offseason, he dropped to No. 30 on Baseball America’s organizational prospect list and fell off of MLB Pipeline’s list entirely. The Astros chose not to protect him in the Rule 5 draft, and he ultimately went unselected.

Dirden’s professional career has had its high highs and low lows. The 26-year-old is now eligible to sign with a new team, where he can hope to reach a new high – perhaps the major leagues.

Mariners Release Sean Poppen

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The Mariners released right-handed pitcher Sean Poppen today, according to his player page on MLB.com (h/t to Tacoma Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto). Poppen, 30, signed a minor league deal with the club in January.

The Twins selected Poppen out of Harvard in the 19th round of the 2016 draft. Though he was never a highly-regarded prospect, the righty rose through the ranks of Minnesota’s system, succeeding at every step along the way. He put up a 2.97 ERA in eight games of Rookie ball, a 2.77 ERA in 18 games at Low-A, a 3.15 ERA in 19 games at High-A, a 3.96 ERA in 26 games at Double-A, and a 1.55 ERA in five games at Triple-A before he was first called up to join the Twins in 2019. He bounced back and forth between the majors and Triple-A over the next four seasons, while he also bounced from the Twins to the Pirates to the Rays to the Diamondbacks. In a total of 63 MLB appearances from 2019-22, he pitched to a 5.08 ERA and 4.12 SIERA, earning three wins, one save, and six holds.

Following the 2022 season, the Padres claimed Poppen from the D-backs. Out of minor league options, he was soon designated for assignment and sent outright to Triple-A El Paso, where he spent the 2023 campaign. Over 58 1/3 innings, he posted an ugly 6.33 ERA and a poor 1.70 K/BB, his worst in any season at any level. He elected free agency in November.

Although Poppen received a spring training invite from the Mariners this year, his time with Seattle would turn out to be short. He pitched well in five outings this spring, striking out eight and walking just one in 5 2/3 innings of work. Unfortunately, he didn’t look nearly as sharp in his Triple-A debut with the Tacoma Rainiers, giving up two walks, two homers, and four earned runs over two frames in a 7-9 loss to the Oklahoma City Baseball Club. While he performed much better in his second appearance, retiring all four Salt Lake Bees batters he faced, it wasn’t enough to save his job in the Mariners organization. Poppen is now a free agent.

Yankees Place Jonathan Loaisiga On 60-Day IL, Select Dennis Santana

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8:57am: Loaisiga first felt discomfort in his elbow near the end of his most recent outing on Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone explained to the Yankees beat this morning (X link via Greg Joyce of the New York Post). He called the injury “concerning,” noting that an MRI conducted last night revealed a “significant” strain. Loaisiga and the team are gathering more information on the injury and will determine next steps for the right-hander once they’ve received additional opinions.

7:35am: The Yankees have placed right-handed reliever Jonathan Loaisiga on the 60-day injured list with a right flexor strain, the team announced. In a corresponding move, the team has selected the contract of right-hander Dennis Santana. He’s joining the big league bullpen.

Loaisiga, 29, has all the makings of a high-end leverage reliever but hasn’t been able to stay healthy enough to establish himself in that role. He showed just how dominant he could be back in 2021 when he pitched 70 2/3 innings of 2.17 ERA ball with an above-average 24.4% strikeout rate, a very strong 5.4% walk rate and a sensational 60.6% ground-ball rate. The Nicaraguan-born righty averaged a blazing 98.4 mph on his sinker that season, notched an excellent 13.7% swinging-strike rate and posted a mammoth 41.1% opponents’ chase rate on pitches off the plate.

Unfortunately for both the Yankees and for Loaisiga, that’s the only season in which he’s ever thrown even 50 big league innings. Loaisiga has only reached even 20 appearances in two seasons. Since committing to a bullpen role in 2020, he’s delivered 163 1/3 innings with a 2.98 ERA (3.34 FIP, 3.42 SIERA), 20.3% strikeout rate, 6.5% walk rate and 58% grounder rate. There’s little doubting the raw talent is there to make him a star bullpen arm, but he’s missed time due to a shoulder strain, subsequent shoulder inflammation, elbow inflammation (twice) and now a flexor strain that’ll sideline him into at least the early summer months.

If Loaisiga’s absence extends further than that 60-day minimum, it’s feasible this could spell the end of his time in the Bronx entirely. The right-hander has five-plus years of major league service time and is slated to become a free agent at season’s end.

Santana, 27, signed a minor league pact with the Yankees back in early December. Like Loaisiga, he features a power sinker and strong ground-ball rates when at his best, but he hasn’t found nearly the same success and consistency that Loaisiga has when healthy.

Once one of the Dodgers’ top-ranked pitching prospects, Santana has bounced to the Rangers, Mets and now Yankees since leaving Los Angeles. He’s pitched just 149 2/3 innings in the big leagues and has a pedestrian 5.17 ERA to show for it (though a 4.26 FIP and 4.47 SIERA are a bit more favorable). Santana has averaged just under 96 mph on his sinker in his career and has kept the ball on the ground at a nearly 50% clip since adopting that as his primary offering. But he’s walked more than 12% of his big league opponents and struggled with men on base, resulting in a well below-average strand rate that’s helped to inflate his ERA.

Santana has regularly missed bats at a high level in the upper minors, and his power sinker fits a mold that the Yankees tend to prefer out of their late-inning relievers. He’ll need to improve his command, but Santana wouldn’t be the first relatively obscure arm to break out with the Yankees if he can get himself on track in the Bronx. He’s out of minor league options, however, so it could be a short stint on the 40-man roster if the Yankees feel they need to open another spot in the near future. If he gets a decent leash and can find some success, he’s controllable through the 2026 season via arbitration.

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