Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

Braves Notes: Riley, Lopez

By Mark Polishuk | August 18, 2024 at 7:41pm CDT

Initial x-rays and a CT scan on Austin Riley’s right wrist and hand were “inconclusive” after the third baseman was hit by a Jack Kochanowicz pitch in today’s game with the Angels, Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Riley will undergo an MRI tomorrow during the Braves’ off-day, as Snitker said the team’s own medical staff wants to fully explore Riley’s status.

It could be viewed as an ominous sign that the first set of tests didn’t definitively say whether or not Riley had suffered a break or a fracture, but it also stands to reason that the club would want to be as careful as possible with one of its star players. Since we’re in the middle of August, a more serious type of injury could end Riley’s season entirely, including both the regular season and whatever postseason run the Braves might yet enjoy.

Just getting to the playoffs has been a lot more difficult than expected for Atlanta, as injuries and an unexpectedly average offense have contributed to a lot of inconsistency. The Braves are still 66-58 and in possession of the final NL wild card slot, but they hold only a two-game lead over the Mets for that wild card berth, and the Phillies remain seven games ahead of Atlanta in the NL East race. After bursting out of the gates to an 18-6 record in their first 24 games, the Braves have since posted a sub-.500 record (48-52) while weathering season-ending injuries to such stars as Ronald Acuna Jr. and Spencer Strider. The rest of Ozzie Albies’ 2024 campaign is also in jeopardy due to a fractured wrist, and both Jorge Soler and Travis d’Arnaud have been out of the lineup in recent days.

Riley also missed close to two weeks earlier this season due to an intercostal strain, though the Braves made the curious decision to not actually place him on the 10-day IL during that stretch, leaving the team short-handed for an extended period of time. The injury contributed to a very slow start to the season for Riley, but his bat has come to life as the season has gone on, with 16 home runs and .275/.337/.531 slash line over his last 285 plate appearances.

Obviously there’s no easy way for the Braves to replace such All-Star levels of production if Riley is facing a lengthy IL stint, and it’ll be even trickier to fill Riley’s spot at third base now that the trade deadline has passed. Luke Williams took over at the hot corner today, and such veterans as Leury Garcia and Zack Short are at Triple-A as additional depth.

As uncertain as Riley’s situation may be, some injury relief is on the horizon for the rotation, as Reynaldo Lopez was announced as the starter for Atlanta’s game on Tuesday, when the Braves start an important series against the Phillies. Lopez will return after missing just slightly beyond the 15-day minimum after he was placed on the IL due to forearm inflammation on August 2.

Lopez’s start on July 28 was cut short by his injury, but tests revealed no structural damage. While even less-serious types of forearm problems can linger, Lopez looks like he has been able to recover in pretty short order, and he got up to 71 pitches in a Triple-A rehab outing last Tuesday.

Signed to a three-year, $30MM free agent deal last winter, Lopez has excelled in his return to starting pitching. Though he has worked almost exclusively as a reliever during the 2022-23 seasons with the White Sox, Angels, and Guardians, Lopez has posted a 2.06 ERA over 104 2/3 innings for Atlanta this season. Between Lopez, Cy Young Award candidate Chris Sale, and solid performances from Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and rookie Spencer Schwellenbach, the Braves have limited the damage after Strider was lost for the year.

Pirates To Select Billy McKinney’s Contract

By Mark Polishuk | August 18, 2024 at 6:45pm CDT

The Pirates will select the contract of outfielder Billy McKinney prior to their game Monday with the Rangers, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (X link). The Bucs will need to make another transaction to create space for McKinney on the 40-man roster.

McKinney was acquired from the Yankees last December, and this will be his first stint on Pittsburgh’s big league roster this season. His first official in-game appearance will make it seven straight seasons of MLB action for McKinney, ranging from his two games with the Blue Jays in 2020 to his career-high 116 games and 300 plate appearances split between the Brewers, Mets, and Dodgers during the 2021 season. Most recently, McKinney suited up in 48 games with the Yankees in 2023, hitting .227/.320/.406 over 147 PA.

The left-handed hitting McKinney will add some balance to a Pirates roster that mostly tilts to the right side, and whatever playing time he receives will probably come when the Bucs want to give Michael A. Taylor or Bryan De La Cruz a break against certain right-handed pitchers. McKinney has spent most of his career as a corner outfielder but he also gotten some time in center field and even at first base, adding to his defensive portfolio in an effort to make himself more valuable to teams.

Pittsburgh’s roster is in a bit of flux after Andrew McCutchen was lost to the 10-day injured list yesterday. While McKinney certainly won’t replicate McCutchen’s production or presence in the clubhouse, his addition brings a bit more experience to an overall young Bucs team.

NL West Notes: Black, Treinen, Graterol, Rodriguez, Jones

By Mark Polishuk | August 18, 2024 at 5:58pm CDT

As the Rockies trudge through another rough year, there isn’t yet any indication over whether or not manager Bud Black could be returning for his ninth season. GM Bill Schmidt told the Denver Post’s Patrick Saunders that the team and Black will “talk at the end of the season” and that “there’s nothing more to report on that” for the time being. It isn’t exactly a vote of confidence for Black, who is on pace for his sixth straight losing season and his second straight year of at least 100 losses.

While Black’s contract is technically up after the season, his deal has been described in the past (by reporter Nick Groke) as “a rolling year-to-year contract.” In both February 2022 and 2023, the Rox announced a new one-year extension to Black’s deal, yet no such extension was announced this past spring even though the two sides had some talks about Black’s future. It could be that owner Dick Monfort’s well-known penchant for loyalty to his employees was running a little thin coming off a 103-loss season, or perhaps Black himself might be considering a different role at age 67. Saunders writes that Black “loves teaching young players and participating in the Rockies’ attempts to improve,” but has also “remained mum about” the possibility of returning as Colorado’s skipper.

Rays To Place Pete Fairbanks On 15-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | August 18, 2024 at 5:17pm CDT

The Rays’ 8-7 extra-innings win over the Diamondbacks today came at an unfortunate cost, as both Pete Fairbanks and Yandy Diaz left the game due to injuries. Fairbanks’ injury is the more serious matter, as manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times) that the closer suffered an apparent lat strain, and will be headed to the 15-day injured list. Diaz had to leave the game after being hit in his left elbow with a pitch, but Cash said the infielder is day to day since X-rays and an MRI of Diaz’s elbow were both negative.

More will be known once Fairbanks undergoes tests, but depending on the severity of the strain, it is possible Fairbanks might’ve thrown his last pitch of the 2024 campaign. This will be his second IL stint of the season, after he missed around three weeks earlier this year dealing with a nerve entrapment issue.

Fairbanks allowed three runs in two-thirds of an inning of work today, and that rocky performance will boost his ERA up to 3.57 over 45 1/3 frames. Sunday’s injury-marred outing aside, Fairbanks has pitched pretty well in his second season as Tampa Bay’s closer, as he has converted 23 of 27 save opportunities. Fairbanks’ 23.5% strikeout rate is slightly above average and his 8.9% walk rate is on the high side, though a .267 BABIP has helped paper over these middling metrics.

Most of the damage against Fairbanks occurred prior to his first IL stint, as he posted a 1.91 ERA in his first 37 2/3 innings after recovering from the nerve entrapment problems. The Rays used a bullpen-by-committee approach to save situations when Fairbanks was sidelined that first time, and the team will probably adopt that same tactic again. Garrett Cleavinger has been Tampa Bay’s most effective reliever overall, though Cash might deploy him in high-leverage situations at any point late in a game, rather than specifically just holding leads in the ninth inning.

Diaz was hit on the elbow in his very first at-bat of the game, forcing Christopher Morel into the lineup as a early replacement. Given the good news about his initial tests, it could be that Diaz might return after just a day or two off to recover from any swelling, but the Rays will naturally be cautious about one of their key bats. Diaz’s .273/.329/.396 slash line over 498 PA is well below his production from 2022-23, but he is another player who has started to get it together after a slow start —- Diaz had hit .301/.340/.445 in his previous 253 PA entering today’s action.

These injuries will make the Rays’ uphill climb towards a playoff berth even steeper. Despite moving a lot of veteran talent at the trade deadline, today’s win moved Tampa Bay back above the .500 mark to 62-61, and the club is 6.5 games back of the last AL wild card spot.

Riley Greene, Jasson Dominguez Added As 27th Men For Little League Classic

By Mark Polishuk | August 18, 2024 at 3:42pm CDT

The Yankees and Tigers square off in Williamsport tonight for the Little League Classic, and due to the special nature of the game, both clubs are allowed to add a 27th player to their active rosters. The two teams have each addressed this extra roster spot in a particularly noteworthy way, as the Yankees called up star prospect Jasson Dominguez from Triple-A and the Tigers activated outfielder Riley Greene from the 10-day injured list.

While Dominguez is in tonight’s starting lineup, it looks like it’ll just be a cup of coffee in the majors for the 21-year-old, as Yankees manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch) that Dominguez will be returned to Triple-A after the game. Obviously plans could change in the event of an injury, but for now, it looks like the Yankees are just utilizing the right-hitting Dominguez to spell lefty-swinging Alex Verdugo in left field since southpaw Tarik Skubal is starting for Detroit.

Tonight will mark Dominguez’s first MLB game since last September, when he hit .258/.303/.677 with four homers in his first 33 plate appearances in the big leagues. However, just as “the Martian” appeared to be living up to the hype, he had to undergo Tommy John surgery, which kept him on the shelf until he returned for a rehab assignment in single-A ball in mid-May. Dominguez quickly moved back up the ladder to Triple-A but then suffered an oblique strain in June that kept him out of action for another six weeks.

Dominguez is hitting .298/.365/.477 with seven homers over his 167 combined PA at three levels of the Yankees’ farm system this season, so while he isn’t dominating minor league pitching, his numbers are still quite solid (especially for a player battling so many injuries). Under normal circumstances, he would likely be in the majors already if it wasn’t for the crowded nature of New York’s outfield picture. Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Verdugo are the starting outfield trio, and Giancarlo Stanton has the DH spot on lockdown, leaving little room for Dominguez to find regular playing time.

GM Brian Cashman stated last week that “There’s currently no lane for us to bring him [up]. It’s nice to know he’s there. He’s just knocking rust off and waiting for his opportunity if it comes.” Tonight’s one-game cameo doesn’t really counter Cashman’s statement, as the team would surely prefer to see Dominguez continue his development with regular reps in Triple-A rather than only sporadic playing time in New York. It is worth noting that Verdugo has been in a deep slump for over three months now, so as we continue down the stretch to the postseason, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Dominguez promoted to take the lion’s share of work in left field.

Greene last played on July 25, as a right hamstring strain has kept the outfielder sidelined for the better part of a month. The Tigers don’t need to make a corresponding roster move today because of the 27th man rule, but some kind of roster adjustment will need to be made before Detroit’s next game, on Tuesday against the Cubs.

Now in his third Major League season, Greene has continued to take strides as a budding star for the Tigers, hitting .264/.357/.485 with 17 home runs over 427 PA. Between this production at the plate and some excellent glovework as Detroit’s primary left fielder, Greene has already generated 2.8 fWAR, and his success was acknowledged with his first All-Star nod. While the Tigers haven’t yet turned the corner in their rebuild process, Greene certainly looks like a cornerstone player within the club’s future plans.

Details On The Dodgers’ And Phillies’ Pursuit Of Garrett Crochet

By Mark Polishuk | August 17, 2024 at 11:00pm CDT

The July 30 trade deadline came and went without a Garrett Crochet deal, even though several teams reportedly had interest in the White Sox southpaw. The Dodgers and Phillies were two of the clubs involved in Crochet’s market, and while The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the two NL contenders made “attractive” offers to the Sox, the bidding only went so far.

Beginning with the Phillies, they weren’t willing to include Andrew Painter, who remains a top-34 prospect in the view of both Baseball America (20th) and MLB Pipeline (34th) even though he hasn’t pitched since September 2022. A UCL sprain sidelined Painter during Spring Training 2023 and he underwent a Tommy John surgery in July 2023, putting the highly-touted righty on pace to be ready for the start of the 2025 campaign.

The 13th overall pick of the 2021 draft Painter has only pitched 109 2/3 pro innings, including 28 1/3 innings at the Double-A level. He could start 2025 back at Double-A if the Phillies want to relatively ease him back into action after his long layoff, though if all goes well, Painter could move up the ladder pretty quickly and become an option for Philadelphia’s big league staff before the end of next season. Since Painter is still just 21 years old, it is understandable why even a win-now team with a pretty crowded pitching staff would be wary about moving a top prospect with front-of-the-rotation potential.

Rather than make a big splash of a Crochet trade, Philadelphia instead made a more modest set of moves prior to the deadline. The Phillies’ discussions with the White Sox about Crochet might’ve spun off into the trade that brought Tanner Banks to Philadelphia, and the Fightins’ deadline adds also includes the likes of Carlos Estevez and Austin Hays.

Chicago’s talks with Los Angeles were still ongoing in the last hour before the deadline, before the Dodgers apparently pivoted and instead landed Jack Flaherty from the Tigers. Since Flaherty is a free agent after the season and his trade market may have been impacted by some injury concerns, naturally the Tigers’ ask for the right-hander was much lower than what the White Sox were seeking for Crochet, who is arbitration-controlled through the 2026 season.

Top catching prospect Dalton Rushing wasn’t included in the Dodgers’ offers for Crochet, but River Ryan was, though Rosenthal notes that “the White Sox had concerns about [Ryan’s] health.” Chicago’s focus was on the shoulder problem that cost Ryan the first two months of the minor league season, but Ryan has since been sidelined by a Tommy John surgery that will likely keep him out of action for the entirety of the 2025 campaign.

The Dodgers had such a need for pitching that Ryan got a bit of a fast track to the majors following his shoulder injury, as Ryan amassed only 24 1/3 innings in the minors (16 1/3 at the Triple-A level) this season before he was called up for his MLB debut. To this end, moving a big league-ready starter for Crochet probably wasn’t an ideal scenario for an L.A. team that basically needs all the arms it can get at this point, yet the Dodgers were obviously going to have to give up a lot to pry Crochet away from the White Sox.

Rushing’s name has been involved in trade speculation even before Will Smith signed his big contract extension with Los Angeles in March. Smith’s status as the Dodgers’ catcher of the foreseeable future could make either Rushing or fellow catching prospect Diego Cartaya expendable, yet it could be that L.A. didn’t want to move Rushing before experimenting with him at another position. Rushing has been playing only left field since his promotion to Triple-A earlier this month, and he has kept up the hot hitting even while adapting to a new position and facing a higher caliber of pitching, so it isn’t out of the question that Rushing could make his Major League debut before 2024 is over.

In another note about the Crochet trade talks, Rosenthal writes that “the White Sox also entertained offers in which they would have received lesser [prospect] packages but gained salary relief.” These particular discussions reportedly involved Andrew Benintendi, so in this scenario, an unknown team would’ve eaten all or most of Benintendi’s remaining contract as a sweetener to obtain Crochet. Rosenthal didn’t specify which teams made such offers, though the Dodgers and Phillies both seem less likely candidates, as adding Benintendi’s contract would’ve come at an even heftier cost for two teams deep into luxury tax territory.

On the one hand, Benintendi’s five-year, $75MM contract is already looking like a misfire less than two seasons in, so packaging him along with Crochet might be Chicago’s only reasonable method of getting Benintendi off the books. That being said, Crochet is also the team’s best trade asset, and moving him for a prospect package of maximum value is a clear way for the Sox to bring more talent into the organization. Diluting that return just to save some money wouldn’t seem all that prudent, especially since the White Sox reduced payroll in other deadline deals. Benintendi is owed $47.5MM over the 2025-27 seasons, but the Sox have just under $41MM committed to their entire 2025 payroll, as per RosterResource.

Phillies Select Tyler Gilbert

By Mark Polishuk | August 17, 2024 at 2:34pm CDT

The Phillies announced that they have selected the contract of left-hander Tyler Gilbert from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In corresponding moves, right-hander Tyler Phillips was optioned to Triple-A, and right-hander Spencer Turnbull was shifted from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.

It’s something of a homecoming for Gilbert, who was a sixth-round pick for the Phillies in the 2015 draft. He spent his first five pro seasons in the Phils organization before he was traded to the Dodgers for Kyle Garlick prior to the 2020 season, and Gilbert’s tenure in L.A. didn’t consist of even a single game due to the canceled 2020 minor league campaign. The Diamondbacks then selected Gilbert in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft and he posted a 4.32 ERA across 91 2/3 MLB innings for Arizona from 2021-23, highlighted by a no-hitter in his first Major League start on August 14, 2021.

Almost exactly three years after that history-making game, Gilbert finds himself going full circle, as he is now in line to finally suit up for the Phillies in a big league contest. Gilbert signed a minor league deal with Cincinnati during the offseason and started the year with the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate before the Phillies acquired him in a cash deal in May. The southpaw has been nothing short of outstanding since the trade, as Gilbert has a 2.06 ERA, 33.3% strikeout rate, 4.2% walk rate, and a 58.1% grounder rate over 35 relief innings in Lehigh Valley.

This is the first time Gilbert has been used exclusively as a reliever in his career, and it certainly appears to have unlocked something in the 30-year-old. If Gilbert can deliver anything remotely close to his Triple-A numbers at the MLB level, it would be an enormous help to a Philadelphia bullpen that has posted the third-worst ERA (5.32) in baseball since the All-Star break. Phils manager Rob Thomson Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer and other reporters that Gilbert will be deployed as a multi-inning reliever.

Turnbull hasn’t pitched since he suffered a right lat strain on June 26, and the June 27 placement date of his 15-day IL stint still stands as the start date of his new 60-day window. Turnbull had his planned return to mound work last week delayed by some soreness, so given that he’ll still need a good deal of ramp-up time before he’s ready to rejoin the Phillies, his absence is almost sure to extend beyond the 60-day minimum.

A’s Select Grant Holman

By Mark Polishuk | August 17, 2024 at 2:02pm CDT

The Athletics announced a quartet of roster moves, including the news that right-hander Grant Holman’s contract has been selected from Triple-A Las Vegas. Star slugger Brent Rooker is also back from the paternity list, and right-hander Will Klein and infielder Armando Alvarez were both optioned to Triple-A to create the two needed opening on the 26-man roster.

Holman will be making his Major League debut whenever he makes his first official appearance for the A’s. A sixth-round pick in the 2021 draft, Holman has worked exclusively as a reliever since he was promoted to Double-A in 2023, and his results this season have been spectacular. The righty has a tiny 0.55 ERA over 48 2/3 combined innings at Double-A (19 1/3 IP) and Triple-A (29 1/3 IP), along with a strong 29% strikeout rate and a more modest 11.83% walk rate. It should be noted that Holman has received a lot of batted-ball luck in the form of a .174 BABIP against Triple-A competition, but allowing just one homers in 29 1/3 frames of Pacific Coast League action is quite impressive.

MLB Pipeline rates Holman as the 21st-best prospect in Oakland’s farm system, and he received a 60-grade on his 95mph fastball. Beyond that top offering, Holman also has a decent slider and a rather lightly-used splitter. It makes for a pretty solid arsenal for a reliever, and Pipeline’s scouting report observes that “much of Holman’s step forward this season has come simply as a result of being healthy and getting regular reps,” following two seasons of elbow and shoulder problems.

There’s plenty of intrigue in Holman’s arsenal, and the 24-year-old should get opportunities for an Athletics team that continues to evaluate young talent as part of its rebuild. Mason Miller has deservedly drawn most of the headlines, but Oakland’s bullpen has been pretty decent as a whole this season, and Holman will become the latest rookie arm to try and earn higher-leverage work.

Rockies Outright Riley Pint

By Mark Polishuk | August 17, 2024 at 1:37pm CDT

The Rockies announced that right-hander Riley Pint has been outrighted off the team’s 40-man roster. Pint wasn’t known to have been designated for assignment, but he apparently cleared waivers and will now likely be headed to the Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate. This is the first time Pint has been outrighted and he has less than a year of MLB service time, so he can’t reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Taken fourth overall in the 2016 draft, Pint briefly retired during the 2021 minor league season after dealing with multiple injuries and a lack of performance over his first six years as a professional. Pint returned to the mound in 2022 but couldn’t shake the severe control issues that have plagued his career, and to date he has a whopping 17.77% walk rate over 300 2/3 minor league innings. His brief time in the majors has been even more extreme in terms of free passes, as Pint has walked eight of the 27 batters he has faced at the MLB level — between all these walks and two homers allowed, Pint has a 22.09 ERA over his 3 2/3 career innings in the Show.

Pint’s weeklong stint on Colorado’s active roster ended on Thursday when he was optioned to Triple-A, and he has now been removed from the 40-man roster altogether. It isn’t yet clear if the outright assignment could hint at the end of Pint’s time in the organization, even though his ability to miss bats (33.1% strikeout rate at Triple-A) remains elite. This strikeout ability helped Pint post a 3.10 ERA in 29 innings with Triple-A Albuquerque this season, albeit also with a 19.8% walk rate. The possibility exists that Pint could be a valuable reliever if he can manage even decent control, yet he hasn’t made any progress in this area.

AL East Notes: Refsnyder, Bichette, Lowe, Coulombe, Trevino

By Mark Polishuk | August 17, 2024 at 1:02pm CDT

Rob Refsnyder turns 34 next March, and the utilityman is considering calling it a career after the 2024 season comes to an end. Speaking with Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, Refsnyder said he is “undecided” about returning for what would be his tenth MLB season, and was even thinking about retirement even before he joined the Red Sox during the 2021-22 offseason. Once this year is over, Refsnyder said he’ll “take it step by step from there and decide what I do….You can still make a big impact not being in a uniform and it’s a lot easier for your family and their schedule.”

As per the terms of the contract extension Refsnyder signed in June 2023, the Sox hold a $2MM club option ($150K) on his services for 2025. This option looks like a lock to be exercised if Refsnyder wishes to keep playing, as he has an excellent .298/.384/.472 slash line over 251 plate appearances in part-time duty for the Red Sox this season. Still, Refsnyder is eager to spend more time with his family, and is perhaps keen to start working towards his longer-term goal of working in a front office.

Other items from around the AL East…

Bue Jays manager John Schneider gave MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson and other reporters an update on Bo Bichette, noting that the shortstop has started to increase baseball activities while working out at the Jays’ spring training facility in Dunedin. A timeline isn’t yet in place this early in Bichette’s recovery from a right calf strain, as the club will monitor his progress in the coming days or weeks before deciding on a possible rehab assignment. Bichette suffered the calf strain on July 19 in Toronto’s 5-4 loss to the Tigers, continuing an all-around disastrous season that has seen Bichette bat only .223/.276/.321 over 330 plate appearances. The former All-Star’s struggles are one of several reasons why the Blue Jays are out of the playoff race, and if Bichette isn’t showing progress in relatively short order, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Jays just shut him down for the remainder of the season.
2024 is the last guaranteed season of the six-year, $24MM extension Brandon Lowe signed with the Rays prior to Opening Day 2019, but Tampa still has a pair of club options ($10.5MM with a $1MM buyout for 2025, $11.5MM for 2026 with a $500K buyout) covering Lowe’s immediate future. “Whether they pick up the option or they don’t, I feel like I’m putting myself in a good position to still be on a team next year,” Lowe told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, but Lowe noted that playing with the Rays “is all I know. I like it here. My friends are here. We have a house here. It’s comfortable. I don’t know anything else. I know this.” Given how the Rays dealt a number of higher-priced veterans at the deadline, Topkin figures that Lowe’s continued presence on the roster means that the team will exercise the 2025 option and keep Lowe in Tampa Bay for an eighth season. Lowe is more than doing his part at the plate to sway the Rays’ mind, as he is hitting .248/.330/.488 with 14 homers over 282 PA.
Danny Coulombe is “on track” in his rehab process and is aiming to return in late September, the Orioles left-hander told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko. Coulombe is on the 60-day IL after undergoing surgery in June to remove bone spurs from his left elbow. While he is still a few weeks away from getting onto a mound, Coulombe is up to throwing from 90 feet in games of catch. The Orioles’ bullpen has struggled badly in August, leaving Baltimore in even greater need for whatever the ace setup man can provide whenever he is able to return to action.
The Yankees activated catcher Jose Trevino from the 10-day injured list on Friday, and Carlos Narvaez was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Yesterday’s game marked Trevino’s first action since a left quad strain forced him out of the Yankees’ 4-1 win over the Orioles on July 12. Trevino figures to resume his catching platoon with Austin Wells, though Wells’ hot bat over the last month might have earned him a larger share of the playing time.

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