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AL Injury Notes: Bautista, Mountcastle, Correa, McGuire, Sandoval

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Félix Bautista is inching closer to his return, but his status for the postseason remains up in the air. Manager Brandon Hyde recently spoke to reporters (including Nathan Ruiz of The Baltimore Sun) about his star closer, suggesting that the right-hander is running out of time to get back on the mound. It’s not that Bautista has suffered a setback, but he just hasn’t progressed quickly enough to give Hyde much confidence that he can return for the playoffs.

It’s a disappointing development for the Orioles, who are set to embark on their first postseason run since 2016. The 28-year-old has emerged as one of the most dominant relief arms in the game, with a 1.85 ERA across his first two seasons in the majors.

In happier news, Ryan Mountcastle is nearing his return to Baltimore’s lineup. As Ruiz reports, the first baseman took batting practice before this evening’s game against the Nationals. Hyde suggested he could be reinstated tomorrow; if not, he should be back on the field sometime this week.

Here’s some more news from around the American League…

  • The Twins expect Carlos Correa will be ready to play in the AL Wild Card series, and indeed, it’s possible he could be back by the final series of the regular season. Manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Star Tribune) that the star shortstop could rejoin the team this weekend in Colorado. Correa has been playing through plantar fasciitis for most of the year, and the question is not whether his injury has healed, but simply if he has rested enough to be able to manage the pain throughout the playoffs. The Gold Glove winner has been taking groundballs in recent days, and he claims to be feeling better.
  • Red Sox catcher Reese McGuire left tonight’s game against the Rays with a left thumb contusion. It’s not a particularly serious diagnosis, but still, it’s not impossible this marks the end of McGuire’s season. The lefty batter hit .271/.314/.365 in 69 games as a backup catcher for Boston. He will be arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter.
  • The Angels have placed starting pitcher Patrick Sandoval on the 15-day IL. To replace him on the active roster, they have recalled Kolton Ingram from Triple-A Salt Lake. Sandoval exited his start last night against the Rangers with tightness in his right oblique, and the injury has proven to be serious enough to end his season six days early. This marks Ingram’s third fleeting call-up of the 2023 season; in 4 1/3 innings for the big league club, he has given up five runs on seven hits. However, his numbers are much better in the minors, where the 26-year-old boasts a 2.95 ERA in 61 innings pitched.

Giants Place Jakob Junis On IL, Recall Joey Bart

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The Giants have placed right-hander Jakob Junis on the injured list and recalled catcher Joey Bart to take his place on the active roster, the team announced.

Junis has not pitched since Saturday, when he exited the Giants’ game against the Dodgers with pain in his neck. The injury has now been diagnosed as a cervical strain, and it will keep him on the shelf for the remainder of the regular season. The veteran right-hander has pitched well for San Francisco in a multi-inning role, tossing 86 innings in 40 games with a 3.87 ERA. Currently 4.5 games back in the Wild Card race, the Giants are still holding out hope for a postseason berth. If they manage to pull off a miraculous comeback, it’s possible Junis could rejoin the team in the playoffs.

Bart, once the Giants’ catcher of the future, is now the third-string backstop on the roster. Rookie sensation Patrick Bailey has become the everyday catcher, while his fellow first-year player Blake Sabol has been a capable backup. Meanwhile, Bart has faced numerous injury setbacks this year, and even when he’s been able to take the field, the 26-year-old has struggled to hit at both the major and minor league levels. Thus, it’s hard to guess what kind of role he’ll play over the final two series of the season. Presumably, the Giants will lean heavily on Bailey and Sabol behind the dish, at least until they are mathematically eliminated from contention.

Rangers Aren’t Ruling Out Max Scherzer For The Playoffs

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When Max Scherzer landed on the injured list with a teres major strain, it seemed like his year was done. He was finished for the regular season, and his chances of pitching in the playoffs were slim. Yet now, Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News reports that the 39-year-old is increasing his throwing program in an effort to strengthen his arm and get back on a mound. That doesn’t sound like a pitcher planning to take all offseason to get back in game shape.

Indeed, manager Bruce Bochy says he wouldn’t rule out Scherzer for the postseason. In an appearance on the K&C Masterpiece show, the veteran skipper said his ace seems “optimistic” and that the team has gotten good reports on his health. That’s far from a guarantee that Texas will have the three-time Cy Young winner back in time for the playoffs, but it’s undoubtedly a positive development. The Rangers will still need to prepare for the worst, but at least they can hope for the best.

There’s no denying this team could use Scherzer back in the rotation as soon as possible. Nathan Eovaldi has struggled in five starts since his return from the injured list, and now Jon Gray is dealing with tightness in his wrist. Dane Dunning has remained healthy this season, but he has slowed way down after a hot start. That leaves trade deadline acquisition Jordan Montgomery as the only reliable arm on the starting staff with October right around the corner.

While Scherzer hasn’t been his typical ace-like self this season, he remains a durable and capable starting pitcher. In 27 starts this year, he is averaging 5 2/3 innings per game with a 3.77 ERA. He also has a great deal of playoff experience, having made 27 appearances across nine separate postseasons. He was especially dominant during the Nationals’ 2019 World Series run, posting a 2.40 ERA in 30 innings of work.

The Rangers are counting on Scherzer to play a key role in their 2024 rotation, so they certainly wouldn’t want to risk his health by rushing him back before he’s ready. However, if he can safely return to the mound, the future Hall of Famer would make a huge difference in the playoffs. It still seems like a scant possibility, but the deeper Texas plays into October, the more likely the possibility becomes.

Red Sox Outright Kyle Barraclough To Triple-A

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Right-hander Kyle Barraclough has cleared waivers, and the Red Sox have sent the veteran pitcher outright to Triple-A Worcester. Barraclough has enough service time to reject the outright assignment, although it’s unclear if he plans to do so; the Triple-A season is already finished, and he’ll have the option to elect free agency in the offseason either way.

After parts of ten seasons spent with the Cardinals, Marlins, Nationals, Giants, Padres, Yankees, Twins, and Angels organizations, the righty began his 2023 campaign with the High Point Rockers of the independent Atlantic League. However, he pitched well enough in seven games with the Rockers to earn a minor league deal from the Red Sox in June.

Across 14 games (13 starts) with Worcester, Barraclough pitched to a 3.65 ERA, although his 14.8% walk rate was cause for concern. He earned a couple of brief call-ups to the MLB squad in August, pitching in a total of three games. Things went perfectly fine in his first two appearances, but he struggled tremendously in his third and final big league outing of the season, giving up 10 runs in 4 1/3 innings of work.

Unfortunately, Barraclough carried his struggles with him to the minors after that, giving up 15 runs in four September starts. He was designated for assignment on Sunday when the Red Sox reinstated Zack Kelly from the 60-day IL. The 33-year-old will presumably look for another minor league contract this winter.

Adam Wainwright Is Done For The Season And His Career

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Adam Wainwright will not throw another pitch for the St. Louis Cardinals, manager Oliver Marmol told reporters (including John Denton of MLB.com). His season is officially over, and with that, so ends his phenomenal career.

Cardinals fans were holding out hope that the 18-year veteran might make one more start at Busch Stadium, but the pain he has been dealing with in his back and shoulder has simply become too much to bear. He twirled a gem in his last outing, tossing seven scoreless against the Brewers to earn his 200th career victory. As his manager explained, the 42-year-old used “every ounce of what was left in that arm” that evening. Indeed, it was far and away his best performance of the year; he had not thrown seven innings in a start or made a scoreless appearance since August 2022. In what has largely been a disappointing season, Wainwright mustered the strength of his former self one last time.

While Wainwright will not pitch again, Marmol kept the door open for the possibility of a pinch-hit plate appearance. Before the designated hitter came to the National League, the 6-foot-7 righty was one of the better hitting pitchers in the game. He hit ten home runs in his career, including two in 2017, when he won the Silver Slugger. If he does not take another at-bat, he will finish with a .194/.222/.294 slash line, perfectly respectable numbers for a man who made his living on the mound.

As Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports, Wainwright will only step to the plate against the Reds during the final series of the season if Cincinnati has either clinched a postseason berth or already been eliminated from contention. Marmol will not give up an opportunity to play spoiler against a division rival. As enjoyable as it would be to see Wainwright take one last at-bat, that’s no reason not to play competitive baseball.

Any potential pinch-hitting appearance aside, this marks the end of a wonderful career for the Cardinals legend. In 478 games, Wainwright pitched to a 3.53 ERA, earning Cy Young votes in five separate seasons. He is a three-time All-Star, a two-time Gold Glove winner, and a World Series champion. Perhaps most impressive of all, he spent his entire career with a single franchise, an increasingly rare occurrence in this day and age. He ranks second all-time among Cardinals pitchers in strikeouts and third in wins.

Twins Activate Brock Stewart, Designate Dylan Floro For Assignment

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The Twins have designated relief pitcher Dylan Floro for assignment, the team revealed to reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). They have reinstated fellow reliever Brock Stewart from the 60-day injured list to take his spot on the roster.

Floro joined the Twins just before the trade deadline, coming over from the Marlins in a one-for-one swap for Jorge López. Both pitchers were in the midst of disappointing seasons, and perhaps their new teams thought a change of scenery would do them some good. Suffice it to say, that hasn’t been the case for either one. Floro made 19 appearances for Minnesota, pitching to a 5.29 ERA. His underlying numbers were better (3.43 FIP, 3.70 SIERA), but still, he never looked like the shutdown reliever he was over the previous three seasons; from 2020-22, he posted a 2.85 ERA in 142 innings of work.

Meanwhile, López made 12 appearances for the Marlins, giving up 13 runs on 20 hits before his new club placed him on waivers. He was claimed by the Orioles, his former team, and has since pitched to a 6.10 ERA in 11 games. Overall, he has a 6.12 ERA and -1.0 FanGraphs WAR on the season.

The Twins will have to place Floro on waivers, and given how few days remain in the regular season (and his $3.9MM salary), it’s likely he goes unclaimed. He has enough service time to reject an outright assignment to the minor leagues, which would give him the chance to start his free agency a month early; after parts of eight MLB seasons, the veteran was set to hit the open market regardless. Considering his long track record of success before this difficult campaign, the 32-year-old righty should have no trouble finding a new club.

Stewart got off to a strong start in 2023, shining out of the bullpen in his first taste of MLB action since 2019. In 25 outings, he gave up just two earned runs, good for a 0.70 ERA. With a 97-mph fastball and four secondary pitches, he struck out more than 35% of the batters he faced, holding his opponents to a .172 batting average and a .230 wOBA.

In his last ten appearances before he landed on the IL, Stewart pitched 10 2/3 scoreless innings, striking out 18 and walking none. Unfortunately, at the end of June, he began to feel discomfort in his elbow – a particularly worrisome development for a pitcher who recently recovered from Tommy John surgery. He spent the next three months on the IL but thankfully managed to avoid another surgery.

As Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com reports, the 31-year-old is expected to pitch in this evening’s contest against the Athletics. The Twins, having already clinched their division, will spend the final six games of the season preparing their players for the postseason.

Yankees Notes: Rotation, Kahnle, Bowman, Boone

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While the Yankees won’t be playing in the postseason this fall, each member of the starting staff still has something to pitch for over the final six games of the season. Gerrit Cole likely has one start remaining to bolster his Cy Young case. The six-time All-Star is the clear favorite, boasting the AL lead in innings pitched and ERA, but he could do with one more strong outing to pad his stats. Meanwhile, converted reliever Michael King has one final game to cap off his impressive transformation into a starting pitcher. If he looks like a lock for the rotation in 2024, it should increase his earning power during the arbitration process this winter.

Carlos Rodón hasn’t looked like himself in the first season of a six-year deal with the Yankees, and his last start will give him a chance to right the ship before the year is up. Similarly, Clarke Schmidt, Luke Weaver, and Frankie Montas are all looking to make a strong impression in their final outings.

Schmidt turned heads out of the bullpen in his rookie season but hasn’t looked quite as sharp out of the rotation during his sophomore campaign, especially as the year has gone on. He’ll look to improve on his 5.24 ERA since the All-Star break. Weaver and Montas will both be free agents this offseason, so it stands to reason that each would like to go out on a high note. Weaver pitched well in his second outing for New York on Friday, and he’s trying to turn things around after a disappointing season with the Reds, Mariners, and Yankees. Montas has spent the entire 2023 campaign on the injured list, but the Yankees could give him a chance to return for one appearance before he hits the open market.

In other Yankees notes…

  • The Yankees placed right-hander Tommy Kahnle on the 15-day IL with shoulder inflammation, ending his 2023 season. The oft-injured reliever missed the first two months of the year with biceps tendinitis but pitched well from June to September, posting a 2.66 ERA and 3.68 SIERA in 42 games. He is under contract through 2024, and barring a setback, there is no reason to believe he won’t be back on the mound next spring.
  • To replace Kahnle on the active roster, the Yankees recalled Matt Bowman from Triple-A. This will be the righty’s second stint with the big league team, after a brief call-up earlier this month. Following his selection in the 2012 draft, Bowman spent time with the Mets, Cardinals, and Reds before signing a minor league deal with the Yankees after the 2020 season. He missed the next two years recovering from Tommy John surgery but re-signed with New York this past winter. He has a 3.99 ERA in 49 games at Triple-A this year.
  • With the Yankees officially eliminated from postseason contention and facing their first losing season since 1992, it’s fair to wonder if manager Aaron Boone is on the hot seat. Steve Adams addressed that very issue earlier today, wondering if the Yankees will (and if they should) fire their skipper.

Kyle Wright Could Pitch Out Of Braves’ Bullpen In The Playoffs

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The last time Kyle Wright pitched out of the bullpen in the regular season was 2019. After four disastrous starts earlier in the year, the then-23-year-old rookie made three appearances out of the bullpen in September, giving up just one run while striking out four.

The last time Wright pitched out of the bullpen in the playoffs was during the 2021 World Series. He threw 5 2/3 innings, giving up one run and striking out six. Despite spending most of the season in the minors, he played a pivotal role in the closest game of a close-fought Fall Classic.

On Sunday afternoon, Wright emerged from the Braves’ bullpen once again. He threw three innings in relief of Allan Winans, giving up one run on three hits. He struck out two. It was, potentially, a preview of what’s to come in October. After the game, the 27-year-old right-hander told reporters (including Mark Bowman of MLB.com) that he could pitch out of the ’pen in the playoffs. “I’ve done it before, and I’ve pitched pretty well,” he explained. “I’m open to anything and whatever I can do to help us win.”

In 2022, Wright was one of the most reliable starting pitchers in the National League, finishing with a 3.19 ERA and a league-leading 21 wins. He took the ball in game two of the NLDS against the Phillies, throwing six scoreless frames and collecting the win in what would turn out to be the Braves’ only victory of the series. Unfortunately, his follow-up campaign has been marred by injury and ineffectiveness. Wright dealt with shoulder soreness during spring training, pushing back his season debut. Then, he pitched to a 5.79 ERA in his first five starts before his shoulder landed him back on the IL. Although he returned to the rotation in mid-September, he continued to struggle, giving up ten runs across seven innings in two starts. Simply put, he didn’t look ready to ramp back up to a starting job in time for the NLDS. Thus, his best opportunity to help his team will be in a bullpen role.

No one could accuse the Braves of making this decision lightly. Indeed, they could certainly use another healthy arm in the rotation. Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder make for a reliable top two, but things get shaky after that. Winans is holding down a spot in the rotation, but it’s hard to believe Atlanta will give the 28-year-old rookie a start in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Max Fried and Charlie Morton are both on the 15-day IL. Fried is nursing a blister, and he is expected back in time for the NLDS, but Morton is dealing with inflammation in his right index finger and won’t be ready until at least the NLCS. That means that even if Fried returns on time, the Braves will only have three starters for their first postseason matchup. If the series goes five games, they’ll need to have two of Strider, Elder, and Fried make multiple starts. That should be possible, given the off days in the schedule, but it’s still a lot to ask of the youngsters or the injury-plagued ace.

In such a case, Wright could serve a valuable multi-inning role out of the bullpen. Not only can he provide length behind the starters, thereby lightening their workload, but he could also pitch multiple innings in a potential bullpen game. Atlanta’s other long relievers have struggled lately; Michael Tonkin has a 7.07 ERA over the past month, while Collin McHugh had a 5.93 ERA in the month before he hit the injured list with shoulder inflammation.

Wright has not yet earned a spot on the Braves’ postseason roster. After such a difficult season, he’ll need more than one solid relief appearance to demonstrate he’s ready for October. Yet considering his high ceiling, manager Brian Snitker should give the righty every chance to prove himself before the regular season wraps up.

Nationals Place Travis Blankenhorn On IL, Recall Blake Rutherford

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The Nationals have placed outfielder Travis Blankenhorn on the 10-day injured list with plantar fasciitis, the team announced. The move is retroactive to September 16, which means the left-handed hitter could return as soon as next Tuesday. In a corresponding move, Washington recalled Blake Rutherford, another lefty batting outfielder, from Triple-A.

Blankenhorn, a long-time Twins prospect, made his MLB debut with Minnesota in 2020 but was designated for assignment in May 2021. He has since spent time in the Dodgers, Mariners, Mets, and Nationals organizations, mainly at the Triple-A level. The 27-year-old earned his first real shot at regular playing time this September, posting a forgettable .555 OPS but showing off impressive plate discipline, with six walks and only six strikeouts in 37 trips to the plate.

It’s possible to play through plantar fasciitis, as Carlos Correa has demonstrated this season, but with so few games remaining and the Nationals already eliminated from postseason contention, the team has little reason to put an ailing player back on the field. Rest is key for treating plantar heel pain, and an early start to the offseason should do Blankenhorn more good than a brief stint on the IL. Then again, he might prefer to get back in the lineup as soon as possible, in an effort to improve his numbers and increase his chances of sticking on Washington’s 40-man roster throughout the offseason.

The 26-year-old Rutherford made his MLB debut this August, seven years since he was selected by the Yankees in the first round of the 2016 draft. Despite strong numbers at Double and Triple-A, he struggled to make the adjustment to the majors, batting .182 with a .388 OPS in 15 games. Ultimately, he was optioned at the end of the month to make room for catcher Drew Millas on the active roster. Rutherford will now have a second chance to make a good impression over the final 11 games of the season.

Pirates Select Kyle Nicolas

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The Pirates have selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Kyle Nicolas, the team announced. In corresponding moves, fellow right-hander Thomas Hatch has been optioned to Triple-A, while Andrew McCutchen has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

The 24-year-old Nicolas came to Pittsburgh in 2021 as part of the trade that sent Jacob Stallings to Miami. Primarily a starting pitcher during his first two years in the minors, he transitioned to a relief role this summer. By and large, he has performed much better out of the bullpen, albeit in a limited sample size. From August 1 to September 13, he pitched 21 innings in relief, posting a 2.14 ERA and striking out an incredible 30 batters.

Entering the season, both Baseball America and FanGraphs ranked Nicolas as the no. 14 prospect in the Pirates system. The evaluators at Baseball America praised his powerful fastball, while those at FanGraphs were more impressed with his consistent command. However, it should be said that both sources were assessing his body of work as a starter. Thus far, he has looked more like a power pitcher out of the bullpen, with an impressive 36.8% strikeout rate but a less-than-ideal 11.4% walk rate.

After four years in the Blue Jays organization, Hatch was designated for assignment this August. The Pirates quickly scooped him up and added the right-handed to the active roster. In 12 appearances for Pittsburgh, the 28-year-old pitched to a 4.03 ERA and a 4.49 SIERA, nothing spectacular, but perfectly serviceable numbers for a long reliever. Still, it’s understandable why the Pirates would be more interested in the potential that Nicolas brings. It’s far more likely that the youngster plays a significant role in next year’s bullpen.

As for McCutchen, his move to the 60-day IL is nothing more than a formality. The veteran tore his left Achilles tendon earlier this month, ending his 2023 campaign. According to Pirates general manager Ben Cherington, the team believes McCutchen will be back on the field in 2024, and the two sides have agreed to discuss a contract for next year during the offseason.

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