Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

Athletics Claim Janson Junk

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2024 at 12:54pm CDT

The Athletics announced that right-hander Janson Junk has been claimed off waivers from the Astros. Outfielder Miguel Andujar was moved to the 60-day injured list to create roster space, as Andujar’s season is already over due to a core surgery.

Junk’s August has been bookended by a pair of waiver claims, as the Astros initially plucked him off the Brewers’ wire at the start of the month. He didn’t receive any playing time in the majors during his limited time with Houston, and he struggled to a 6.14 ERA in 14 2/3 innings with Triple-A Round Rock. Junk was used exclusively as a starter with Round Rock, as opposed to his usage as both a starter and reliever with Triple-A Nashville earlier this season, when he had a 2.55 ERA over 35 1/3 frames.

Junk has generally decent numbers across parts of four seasons at the Triple-A level, but that hasn’t translated into much success (or even regular playing time) during his brief stints in the big leagues. Over 40 career MLB innings with Los Angeles and Milwaukee since he debuted with the Angels in 2021, Junk has a 5.18 ERA, 20% strikeout rate, and five percent walk rate.

Since the rebuilding A’s are looking to evaluate talent and fill innings over the remainder of the season, Junk might well get another opportunity to show that he can do against big league hitters. Junk will be out of minor league options next year, so Oakland or any other team will need to designate the righty for assignment before trying to send him back to Triple-A.

Rays Place Colin Poche On 15-Day IL, Designate Erasmo Ramirez

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2024 at 11:49am CDT

The Rays announced a series of roster moves today, including the news that left-hander Colin Poche was placed on the 15-day injured list due to inflammation in his throwing shoulder. Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez was also designated for assignment, and right-handers Cole Sulser and Hunter Bigge were called up from Triple-A to fill the two spots on the active roster. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported on the moves shortly before the team’s official announcement, and also noted that catcher Logan Driscoll has been added to the taxi squad, perhaps in advance of a contract selection tomorrow when rosters expand to 28 players.

Poche has been a reliable bullpen arm for the last three seasons, with his excellent 2.23 ERA over 60 2/3 innings in 2023 sandwiched between 2022 and 2024 campaigns that were more solid than spectacular. This year, Poche has a 3.67 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate, and 9.4% walk rate over 34 1/3 innings for Tampa.

He missed a little over six weeks of the season due to back problems, and now this second IL stint could potentially put the rest of his 2024 campaign in jeopardy, given the lack of time remaining in the regular season. However, Poche told Topkin that he hopes to pitch again before the year is out, and an MRI didn’t seem to reveal anything structurally wrong with his shoulder.

Sulser and Bigge will be tasked with covering the innings left over by Poche and Ramirez, who is headed to the DFA wire for the fourth time in the last 14 months. The Rays previously designated Ramirez back in May and then outrighted him off the 40-man roster, only to select his contract again earlier this week.

Because Ramirez has a past outright on his resume, he has the ability to reject another outright assignment (if he clears waivers) and opt into free agency. Since the veteran righty chose to remain in the organization in May, it would seem that he’s more likely than not to again accept the outright assignment, continuing his longstanding ties in Tampa Bay. Ramirez first pitched for the Rays from 2015-17 before rejoining the team last season, and 377 1/3 of his 849 career MLB innings have come in a Tampa uniform.

This season, Ramirez has a 4.35 ERA in 20 2/3 frames for the Rays, working mostly in a mop-up capacity and eating multiple innings when he has been on the team’s 26-man roster. Another team in need of experienced pitching could put in a claim to bring Ramirez aboard in a similar capacity, but chances are Ramirez will clear waivers and remain in Tampa’s farm system as bullpen depth.

Nationals Select Darren Baker

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2024 at 10:34am CDT

September 1: The Nationals have officially announced the selection of Baker’s contract. Right-hander Trevor Williams was transferred to the 60-day IL to make room for Baker on the 40-man roster, and righty Zach Brzykcy has been recalled from the minors to fill the additional pitching roster spot created by today’s roster expansion. Brzykcy’s first appearance will be his MLB debut. The righty’s impending call-up was firs reported by Talk Nats.

August 31: The Nationals are planning to select the contract of second baseman/left fielder Darren Baker on Sunday, according to the Talk Nats feed (X link). Some space will need to be cleared on Washington’s 40-man roster, but a corresponding move on the active roster might not be necessary, since rosters expand from 26 to 28 players on Sunday.

A 10th-round pick for the Nats in the 2021 draft, Baker isn’t considered one of Washington’s top 30 prospects by either Baseball America or MLB Pipeline. However, he has been red-hot at the plate in August, building his season-long slash line to .285/.348/.340 over 483 plate appearances with Triple-A Rochester. While he doesn’t offer much power, Baker makes a lot of contact and is a threat on the basepaths, with 38 steals in 43 attempts this season.

Baker has primarily played second base and left field during his minor league career, but might not get a ton of action at either position since Luis Garcia Jr. and James Wood (both left-handed batters, like Baker) are established in everyday roles. Baker has played a bit of center field so he could get some platoon work up the middle with Jacob Young, and he could join the DH mix with the likes of Juan Yepez, Andres Chaparro, and veteran Joey Gallo.

Baker will be making his MLB debut whenever he appears in a game, but the 25-year-old is no stranger to the big leagues. The son of legendary manager Dusty Baker, Darren became known to fans when he was just three years old, and working as a batboy for the father’s Giants team during the 2002 World Series. During Game 5, Baker was running towards home plate to pick up Kenny Lofton’s bat after a two-run triple, and might have been run over by baserunner David Bell if J.T. Snow hadn’t quickly grabbed the youngster out of harm’s way after Snow scored earlier on the play.

That incident led to the league instituting a rule that all batboys had to be at least 14 years old, and thus “the Darren Baker rule” has already ensured Baker some level of notoriety within baseball history. Now, he can create a new name for himself by officially becoming a Major League player, and continuing the Baker family’s on-field legacy in the game. (Current fans may know Dusty Baker best as a manager, but the elder Baker was a two-time All-Star and former NLCS MVP during an outstanding 19-year playing career.)

NL Central Notes: Pham, Walker, Greene, Abbott, McCutchen, Heller

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2024 at 9:53am CDT

Jordan Walker “will play every day” down the stretch for the Cardinals, manager Oliver Marmol told The Athletic’s Katie Woo and other reporters yesterday after St. Louis recalled the top prospect from Triple-A Memphis. After debuting with a solid rookie season in 2023, Walker has hit only .151/.229/.233 over 83 plate appearances at the MLB level this season, and the Cardinals have kept him at Triple-A for much of the season. While his production in Memphis this year was only decent, the Cards have seen enough to bring Walker back for an extended stretch of playing time that will ideally set the table for Walker to stick as a lineup regular in 2025 and beyond.

Some space in the Cardinals’ outfield was cleared for Walker when Tommy Pham was designated for assignment, a day after the team first put Pham on irrevocable waivers. Woo writes that Pham welcomed the news and had even discussed such a move with the Cards, as he’ll now have a chance at more regular playing time on another team. If he joins another club before Sunday, Pham will also be eligible for that new club’s postseason roster.

Reds Release Tony Kemp

By Mark Polishuk | August 31, 2024 at 8:25am CDT

The Reds have released Tony Kemp from his minor league contract with the team, according to Kemp’s MLB.com profile page. Kemp signed with Cincinnati in July but didn’t receive a call-up to the majors during his latest stint in the organization.

After playing with the Athletics from 2020-23, Kemp has bounced around the league since becoming a free agent last fall. He previously signed another minors deal with the Reds back in February, but was released late in Spring Training camp and then caught on with the Orioles on a big league contract. He was designated for assignment and outrighted by the O’s in April, and Kemp elected free agency again and caught on with the Twins on a minors contract, before opting out and returning once more to the Reds. Throughout all of these moves, Kemp has appeared in just five MLB games this year, all with Baltimore.

The 32-year-old has hit .262/.350/.406 slash line over 326 combined Triple-A plate appearances this season, delivering decent production but not enough to compel the Twins or Reds to select his contract to the Show. With Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate in particular, Kemp was hitting a more modest .237/.338/.364 in 139 PA. Kemp has become strictly a second baseman and left fielder during his last couple of years in Oakland, but he has seen a bit of time as a center fielder and right fielder at the Triple-A level this year.

Kemp will still be eligible for postseason play if he signs with a new team before tomorrow, though his 2024 production makes him a depth candidate at best for any playoff contenders. Some clubs could certainly still be interested in bringing Kemp aboard to provide some extra backup at second base or left field, plus Kemp is a well-respected veteran whose presence could fit in many clubhouses. The Orioles’ deal with Kemp came with a guaranteed $1MM salary, so Baltimore is still responsible for the majority of owed salary, as a new team would owe Kemp just the prorated portion of a MLB minimum salary for any time spent on an active roster.

Rays Outright Rob Brantly

By Mark Polishuk | August 27, 2024 at 6:47pm CDT

August 27: Brantly cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Triple-A Durham, per the MLB.com transaction log. It isn’t clear whether he’ll elect free agency or rejoin the Bulls for the rest of the season.

August 24: The Rays announced that catcher Rob Brantly was designated for assignment. Catcher Ben Rortvedt was activated from the team’s family emergency list in the corresponding move, and Rortvedt will resume his usual share of the catching duties with Alex Jackson. Rortvedt was initially placed the paternity list last week, but Bally Sports’ Tricia Whitaker reported (via X) that Rortvedt was moved to the family emergency list in order to spend a bit of extra time with the newborn baby.

Brantly’s minor league contract was selected to Tampa’s roster at the time of Rortvedt’s departure, and Brantly’s brief stint with the Rays saw him make nine plate appearances over three games. It marked his first Major League playing time since he appeared in a single game with the Yankees during the 2022 season.

A third-round pick for the Tigers in the 2010 draft, Brantly was traded to the Marlins in July 2012 and he appeared in 98 games with 356 PA for Miami over the 2012-13 seasons. That initial dose of playing time remains the bulk of Brantly’s MLB resume, as he has since received 109 PA in 39 games spread over seven different seasons, while bouncing around the league as catching depth. Tampa Bay signed Brantly to a minor league contract this past offseason, making the Rays the 12th different organization Brantly has been part of since the start of his pro career (plus he has been with the White Sox on two separate occasions).

This journeyman career has included multiple outright assignments, so if Brantly clears waivers and the Rays outright him to Triple-A, the 35-year-old has the right to reject that assignment in favor of free agency. Brantly’s reputation as a solid defender who works well with pitchers could earn him interest from yet another club in free agency or on the waiver wire, or Brantly might just opt to remain with the Rays at the Triple-A level.

Marlins Claim Mike Baumann

By Mark Polishuk | August 25, 2024 at 2:49pm CDT

The Marlins announced that right-hander Mike Baumann has been claimed off waivers. The Angels designated Baumann for assignment earlier this week.

The claim puts Baumann in position for a unique piece of baseball history, as he could join Oliver Drake as the only players to ever play for five different teams over the course of a single season. Baumann has a 5.24 ERA over 44 2/3 innings split over stints with the Angels (9 1/3 IP), Giants (two-thirds of an inning), Mariners (16 1/3 IP), and Orioles (18 1/3 IP), and just one appearance with Miami would allow Baumann to get a piece of Drake’s record.

A third-round pick for the Orioles in the 2017 draft, Baumann had spent his entire career in Baltimore’s organization before he was designated for assignment in May, thus sparking his busy summer of transactions. This is the first time Baumann has left DFA limbo via waiver claim this season, as his first three designations were resolved by trades. Baumann is out of minor league options, which is why he has been perpetually DFA’ed rather than simply optioned to the minors.

Baumann is a hard thrower with mid-90s velocity, and he had a 3.46 ERA over 64 2/3 relief innings for the Orioles in 2023. Between this resume and some good minor league numbers (including high strikeout totals), it’s easy to see why various teams have had interest in Baumann, even if he has struggled since leaving Baltimore. The Marlins are both rebuilding and have been hit hard by pitching injuries this season, so Baumann should have a decent chance at getting some innings and perhaps finally staying put on a roster.

Brett Baty To Miss Roughly 4-6 Weeks Due To Finger Fracture

By Mark Polishuk | August 25, 2024 at 2:43pm CDT

The Mets announced that infield prospect Brett Baty suffered a fracture in his left index finger last Thursday, while playing for Triple-A Syracuse. Baty was hit by a pitch during a check swing, and the team estimated a recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks. This means that Baty’s 2024 season could well be over, barring some quicker-than-expected healing or a return at the very end of September.

The injury adds to what has been an overall disappointing season for the third baseman, as Baty hit only .229/.306/.327 over 171 plate appearances in the major leagues. This brings Baty’s career totals to 15 home runs and a .215/.282/.325 slash line in 602 PA and 169 games — about the equivalent of one full season since he made his MLB debut in 2022. It isn’t a huge sample size, and the 24-year-old Baty would hardly be the first star prospect to have some initial struggles before going on to have a successful big league career.

However, more has been expected from the former 12th overall pick, and Baty’s place as the Mets’ third baseman of the future has now seemingly been filled by Mark Vientos, who has hit tremendously well in his first extended taste of MLB playing time. Pete Alonso’s possible departure in free agency this winter could conceivably leave first base open so Vientos and Baty could both be part of the 2025 lineup, yet while Vientos seems to be cementing his spot in New York’s future plans, the jury is still out on Baty. He drew plenty of attention prior to the trade deadline, but there isn’t yet any indication that the Mets are open to moving on from Baty.

While Baty didn’t have much left to prove against minor league pitching, his .262/.358/.528 slash line over 254 Triple-A plate appearances indicated that he was in a groove at the plate, and could’ve potentially carried this good form into a September call-up with the Mets. It would’ve been interesting to see how Baty’s development would’ve been weighed against the Mets’ efforts to land a wild card spot, yet it now may be a moot point given the finger injury.

Orioles Claim Brooks Kriske, Designate Nick Vespi For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | August 25, 2024 at 12:57pm CDT

The Orioles announced that right-hander Brooks Kriske was claimed off waivers from the Reds, then assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. As reported by MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko (X link) earlier today, left-hander Nick Vespi was designated for assignment to create an opening on Baltimore’s 40-man roster.

Cincinnati designed Kriske for assignment earlier this week, and the righty now returns to one of his former teams. Kriske posted a 12.27 ERA over four games and 3 2/3 innings with the Orioles in 2021, before the O’s released him following the season so Kriske could sign with the Yokohama BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball. After his season in Japan, Kriske returned to North America on a minors deal with the Royals and delivered a 4.05 ERA in 6 2/3 innings in 2023, before heading back to NPB for a brief stint with the Seibu Lions.

Kriske then signed a minors deal with the Reds this past winter, and didn’t see any big league action despite a brief stint on Cincinnati’s active roster back in June. He had a 3.10 ERA and eye-opening 36.7% strikeout rate in 49 1/3 innings at Triple-A Louisville, albeit with the red flags of an inflated 14.8% walk rate and a very favorable .205 BABIP. The numbers essentially continue the story of Kriske’s career, as the 30-year-old has long struggled with his control while also missing a lot of bats.

The resume was intriguing enough for the Orioles to bring Kriske in for another look in the organization, though if he does get called up to the majors, Kriske lacks some flexibility since he is out of minor league options. Vespi is in his final option year, and he has been recalled and demoted from Triple-A the maximum five times this season, which undoubtedly factored into Baltimore’s decision to send the southpaw to the DFA wire.

Vespi has frequently been shuttled back and forth between Baltimore and Norfolk during his three Major League seasons, as the O’s haven’t felt compelled to give Vespi an extended look despite some pretty solid performance. Vespi has a 3.88 ERA over his 53 1/3 career MLB innings, including a 2.92 ERA in 12 1/3 frames in 2024. In something of the inverse of Kriske, Vespi is a control specialist (5.9% walk rate in the bigs) who doesn’t record many strikeouts (20.9K%).

Strangely, Vespi’s walk rate has gone through the roof during his time at Triple-A this season, with a huge 15.9% walk rate contributing to his 7.71 ERA over 37 1/3 innings in Norfolk. Both the walk rate and the ERA seem like outliers against Vespi’s otherwise solid career record at the Triple-A level, and other teams might not be dissuaded from putting in a waiver claim to obtain his rights.

Mets Place Paul Blackburn On 15-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | August 25, 2024 at 12:40pm CDT

The Mets announced that right-hander Paul Blackburn has been placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to August 24) due to a right hand bruise. Righty Huascar Brazoban was called up from Triple-A to take Blackburn’s spot on the active roster.

Acquired in a deadline trade from the Athletics, Blackburn has an inconsistent 5.18 ERA over five starts with New York, as he has mixed three quality outings amidst a pair of rough performances. His former Oakland team tagged him with six earned runs over four innings on August 13, and Blackburn was charged with five ER over 2 1/3 innings against the Padres on Friday. The tough night was made worse when Blackburn was hit in the hand by a David Peralta line drive, which forced him out of the game.

On the plus side, a CT scan revealed only a bruise, and Blackburn was initially hopeful he could avoid the injured list altogether. However, a throwing session today resulted in “a lot of stiffness and soreness,” as Blackburn told Newsday’s Tim Healey and other reporters. The decision was then made to put Blackburn on the IL to give him time to fully recover, and the right-hander feels he can return after just the minimum 15 days.

The Mets have an off-day tomorrow but then play nine games in as many days before their next break on September 5. At least one start will need to covered to account for Blackburn’s turn in the rotation, and Tylor Megill is probably the most logical candidate to be summoned from Triple-A for a spot outing or two. The Monday off-day gives the Mets some time to plan how they’ll approach Blackburn’s absence, and perhaps see if any further discomfort or swelling provides any change to his timeline.

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