Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

Nationals Designate Nick Senzel For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | July 6, 2024 at 12:51pm CDT

The Nationals announced that third baseman Nick Senzel has been designated for assignment. Infielder Trey Lipscomb was called back up from Triple-A Rochester in the corresponding move.

It is the second time this week that the Nats have DFA’ed one of their veteran pickups from the offseason, as Eddie Rosario was designated and subsequently released (and then quickly signed by the Braves, his former team). Rosario’s minor league deal carried a $2MM base salary once he was selected to the Nationals’ active roster, and likewise, Senzel signed a guaranteed one-year, $2MM contract with Washington over the winter. If Senzel isn’t claimed or traded during his DFA period and then released, the Nationals will be responsible for the roughly $950K still owed to Senzel, apart from the prorated minimum MLB salary that would be covered by a new team if Senzel signs elsewhere.

The financial element of today’s move is probably secondary to the bigger-aspect of the Nationals pulling the cord early on a veteran player rather than looking to move Senzel in a trade closer to the deadline. As with Rosario, it seems like Washington just opted to move on entirely since Senzel wasn’t producing enough to generate much trade interest. Senzel has hit .209/.303/.359 with seven home runs over 235 plate appearances, translating to a below-average 90 wRC+. Apart from an excellent 11.5% walk rate, Senzel wasn’t bringing much to the table either offensively or defensively as the Nats’ regular third baseman, and he had only 0.1 fWAR over 64 games.

As has often been the case for Senzel, health was a factor. He suffered a fractured thumb right at the end of Spring Training that required a season-opening stint on the 10-day injured list, and though the fracture was slight enough that he missed less than three weeks of action, it is easy to imagine how any kind of lingering thumb discomfort might’ve impacted Senzel’s performance at the plate.

This is essentially the story of Senzel’s career, as a wide range of injuries has kept him off the field for long stretches of time, to say nothing of how his ceiling as a talent has been lowered. Selected second overall by the Reds in the 2016 draft, Senzel battled injuries and a number of position changes over his first five MLB seasons, and he hit only .239/.302/.369 in 1366 PA for Cincinnati from 2019-23. The Reds then non-tendered him last fall, sending Senzel to free agency and for what he hoped was a welcome change of scenery in Washington.

While the Nationals’ 41-47 record still puts them on the outskirts of the NL wild card race, 2024 was always seen as another step in the team’s rebuilding process, as the Nats were looking for more development from their youngsters already on the active roster and those just on their way into the Show for the first time. Star outfield prospect James Wood made his MLB debut this past week in the wake of Rosario’s departure, Victor Robles’ release last month created more time for Jacob Young as the regular center fielder, Joey Meneses was optioned to Triple-A to make more room for Juan Yepez at first base. Lipscomb should be the favorite for the third base job with Senzel out, though top prospect Brady House is the team’s longer-term third baseman of the future.

Impending free agents Jesse Winker and Dylan Floro remain as two of the Nationals’ likeliest veteran trade chips heading into the July 30th deadline. Such players as outfielder Lane Thomas and relievers Hunter Harvey and Kyle Finnegan have also reportedly drawn interest, and while that trio is all arbitration-controlled through the 2025 campaign, one would image the Nats would be open to listening to offers as they look towards reinforcing their core.

AL Central Notes: Meadows, Moncada, Kirilloff, Twins

By Mark Polishuk | July 6, 2024 at 12:22pm CDT

The Tigers called Parker Meadows back up from Triple-A yesterday, optioning Akil Baddoo to Toledo in the corresponding move. Meadows marked his return to the Show with a solo home run in the Tigers’ 5-4 win over the Reds on Friday, hopefully indicating that the 24-year-old outfielder can translate his Triple-A success to some more consistent production in the big leagues. After batting only .096/.224/.219 in his first 85 plate appearances this year, Detroit sent Meadows back to Triple-A on May 7, and Meadows responded with a .298/.394/.511 slash line in 221 PA over his two months in Toledo.

“A little mechanical adjustment” seemed to do the trick, as Meadows told Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press that keeping his hands up allowed him to keep a more level swing, since “it’s hard to hit a rising fastball when your swing is uphill.” While Meadows continued to have trouble with breaking balls in Toledo, being able to catch up with high velocity could help Meadows produce at something closer to average offense in the majors, which might be all he needs to stick as a regular center fielder given his top-tier glovework. Since Detroit is falling out of the playoff race, the remainder of the season could be an important evaluation period for Meadows to show he can continue to be a key part of the Tigers’ future plans.

Mariners Designate Seby Zavala For Assignment

By Mark Polishuk | July 6, 2024 at 11:56am CDT

The Mariners announced that catcher Seby Zavala has been designated for assignment. In the corresponding move, right-hander Emerson Hancock has been called back up from Triple-A to start today’s game against the Blue Jays. Zavala’s DFA also creates an opening on Seattle’s 40-man roster.

This is the second time in the last three weeks that Zavala has been designated, and his previous trip to DFA limbo saw him clear waivers and then outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma. Because Zavala had previously been outrighted in his career, he could’ve rejected that assignment and instead become a free agent, but he opted to remain with the M’s and report to Triple-A. Zavala is out of minor league options, so Seattle has been forced to designate the catcher and thus expose him to the waiver wire in order to move him to Triple-A.

Zavala could very well pursue the same path this time around, given that the Mariners selected his contract back onto the 26-man roster in pretty short order after his previous outright. That move (just earlier this week) came after Mitch Garver was dealing with a sore wrist, and thus the Mariners wanted some extra catching depth if Garver was strictly limited to DH duties or perhaps needed to visit the injured list. Since Garver appears to be okay, the M’s apparently now feel comfortable enough with the situation to again remove Zavala from their 40-man.

With Cal Raleigh handling the starting catcher duties and Garver also getting some part-time work behind the plate, Zavala has gotten into just 18 games this season, and is hitting .154/.214/.282 over 43 plate appearances. Even considering that Zavala is known as a defensive specialist, the Mariners have decided to go with the bat-first approach with their catching corps, which isn’t surprising given how Seattle has been hurting for offense all season.

As for Hancock, he is set to make his ninth start of the season after delivering a 4.79 ERA in his first 41 1/3 innings of the season. The former top prospect has gotten another look with Bryan Woo on the 15-day IL, but since Woo is expected back relatively soon, Saturday’s outing will likely be just a spot start for Hancock. It could also potentially be an unofficial audition for potential trade suitors, if the Mariners look to deal from their rotation depth to upgrade their lineup at the deadline.

Mets Select Eric Orze’s Contract

By Mark Polishuk | July 6, 2024 at 9:53am CDT

The Mets announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Eric Orze from Triple-A Syracuse. Fellow righty Ty Adcock has been optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

Adcock was one of three relievers who saw action in the Mets’ 14-2 loss to the Pirates last night, and Adcock had a particularly rough night in getting charged with six runs over 1 2/3 innings of work. Today’s transaction brings a fresh arm into New York’s bullpen, and it also puts the 26-year-old Orze in position to make his Major League debut.

A fifth-round pick for the Mets in the pandemic-shortened 2020 draft, Orze had quite a journey just to start his pro career, overcoming both testicular cancer and skin cancer during his days at the University of New Orleans. He quickly rose up the minor league ladder to Triple-A by the end of the 2021 season, but has since remained at the top affiliate over parts of four seasons now, posting a 4.64 ERA over 159 total frames with Syracuse.

Home runs and walks have been Orze’s biggest issues, as he has a 1.4 HR/9 and 12.28% walk rate over his Triple-A career. This season in particular, Orze has a 1.64 HR/9 and 13.3% walk rate, yet he has continued to miss bats in impressive fashion. His 33.9% strikeout rate is his best yet over his three full seasons in Syracuse, and he has a 31.72K% as a whole in Triple-A.

It’s possible Orze’s selection might result in just a proverbial cup of coffee in the majors, yet with the Mets looking to fill holes in an injury-riddled bullpen, there’s certainly some opportunity for Orze to gain more time on the active roster if he pitches well. He’ll join a wide array of right-handers in a Mets bullpen that features only one healthy left-handed arm in Jake Diekman.

AL East Notes: Martin, Torres, Garcia

By Mark Polishuk | July 6, 2024 at 9:28am CDT

The Red Sox placed Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list yesterday (retroactive to July 4) and called up left-hander Cam Booser from Triple-A to fill Martin’s spot in the bullpen. Martin is suffering from right elbow inflammation, and manager Alex Cora told the Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams and other reporters that there isn’t yet any plan for Martin to undergo any testing. The hope is that the 15-day rest (which encompasses the All-Star break) is all it takes for Martin to feel better and return to the mound.

This is the second time Martin has been on the IL this week, as he also missed two weeks in June dealing with anxiety. Over 26 1/3 innings this season, the right-hander has a strong 27.9% strikeout rate and an elite 1.9% walk rate, while posting an 3.42 ERA that has been inflated by some troubles with home runs. Martin’s SIERA is 2.44, by comparison, and his .313 BABIP reflects a bit of bad batted-ball luck. Despite the time spent on the injured list, Martin still leads the Red Sox with 10 holds and is the club’s top set-up option for closer Kenley Jansen.

NL West Injury Notes: Heyward, Outman, Campusano, Marte

By Mark Polishuk | July 6, 2024 at 8:14am CDT

The Dodgers placed Jason Heyward on the 10-day injured list prior to yesterday’s game, as an MRI revealed that the veteran outfielder is dealing with a left knee bone bruise. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) that no structural damage was found in Heyward’s knee, so the IL stint might not be too lengthy. This is the second IL visit of the season for Heyward, who already missed about six weeks due to back tightness. Heyward has hit .203/.299/.398 over 137 plate appearances, which translates to exactly league-average (100 wRC+) offense while almost exclusively facing right-handed pitching, plus Heyward has contributed his usual strong defense as a regular right fielder and part-time center fielder.

James Outman was called up from Triple-A to take Heyward’s spot on the roster and his overall role in the Los Angeles outfield mix. After finishing third in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season, Outman got off to such a cold start (.516 OPS in 124 PA) that the Dodgers optioned him to Triple-A in mid-May. With the caveat that the Pacific Coast League is very hitter-friendly, Outman has hit .279/.393/.531 with nine homers in 179 PA with Triple-A Oklahoma City, providing some hope that he has gotten himself back on track. A resurgent Outman would be a big boost for the Dodgers, and if Outman is productive and Heyward doesn’t miss much time, this internal help might factor into whatever plans the club has about adding outfield help at the deadline.

More health news from around the NL West…

The Padres activated catcher Luis Campusano from the 10-day IL prior to yesterday’s game, and optioned infielder Eguy Rosario to Triple-A in the corresponding move. A left thumb contusion sent Campusano to the IL on June 21, and as expected at the time of the placement, Campusano didn’t miss much beyond the 10-day minimum. The catcher has hit an underwhelming .234/.282/.371 over 220 PA and defensive metrics have painted a rough picture of his glovework, even though Campusano remains in line for the majority of playing time over Kyle Higashioka.
Ketel Marte is day-to-day with back tightness, as the Diamondbacks announced after the second baseman made an early exit from yesterday’s 10-8 loss to the Padres. Manager Torey Lovullo explained to reporters (including MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert) that Marte has been bothered by his back for a few days, and still played eight innings on Friday before requiring a pinch-hitter in the ninth. The 43-45 D’Backs can only hope that Marte’s back problem doesn’t continue to linger, as the star second baseman has been a big reason why Arizona continues to linger in the wild card race. Marte is hitting .284/.353/.506 with 17 home runs over 380 PA, and while fans recognized this performance by voting Marte into the NL’s starting lineup for the All-Star Game, this back problem might also raise concerns that he could miss the Midsummer Classic.

Braves Sign Eddie Rosario To Minors Deal, Select Eli White

By Mark Polishuk | July 5, 2024 at 11:55pm CDT

The Braves have signed outfielder Eddie Rosario to a minor league contract, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports (X link). Rosario will report to Triple-A Gwinnett to begin his latest stint with the organization. The Braves also announced a set of other transactions, including the news that outfielder Eli White’s contract has been selected to the big league roster. Forrest Wall was optioned to Triple-A to make room for White on the 26-man roster, while left-hander Ray Kerr was moved to the 60-man to create a 40-man roster spot.

It didn’t take long for Rosario to catch on with a familiar landing spot, as his release from the Nationals was made official just yesterday. Washington designated Rosario for assignment on Monday and then officially parted ways with the veteran after nobody claimed him (or the roughly $950K in salary still owed to him this season) on waivers. Assuming Rosario is called up to Atlanta’s active roster, the Braves will owe him just the prorated portion of a Major League minimum salary, and that total will be subtracted from the $950K or so that will be covered by the Nats.

As per the terms of the minor league deal Rosario signed with the Nationals during the offseason, he was guaranteed a $2MM base salary upon having that contract selected to their active roster, and there was no suspense about the decision since the Nats had him in their Opening Day lineup. However, there weren’t many highlights of Rosario’s three months in the District, as he hit only .183/.226/.329 with seven home runs over 235 plate appearances. Even with the Nats largely shielding Rosario from left-handed pitching, his .182/.222/.349 slash line against righties served to crater his production.

Though Washington has stuck around in the wild card race, it was widely expected going into the season that Rosario was a veteran trade chip that the Nationals would look at flip by the deadline. Unfortunately, Rosario’s subpar production led the team to just release him with no return, and he’ll now return to Atlanta looking for a repeat of his magical 2021 season.

Rosario was also struggling through a rough 2021 campaign with Cleveland before the Braves picked him up at the trade deadline, and the rest became Atlanta baseball history. Rosario hit .271/.330/.573 with seven homers in 106 PA over the rest of the regular season just to help the Braves into the playoffs, and the hot hitting continued into October as Rosario captured NLCS MVP honors en route to helping the team win the World Series.

The Braves then re-signed Rosario to a two-year, $18MM free agent deal that contained a $9MM club option for 2024, but Atlanta declined that option last fall after Rosario couldn’t keep the momentum going. He battled vision problems during a miserable 2022 campaign, then rebounded for roughly league-average production (.255/.305/.455 with 21 homers in 516 PA) last year but the Braves still opted to pass on retaining Rosario’s services for another season. With these decent numbers coming just last year, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Rosario experience at least some kind of a revival in Atlanta, even if a repeat of 2021 is a lot to ask.

In another odd echo of 2021, Rosario has again been acquired in the aftermath of a season-ending torn ACL from Braves superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. Michael Harris II is also on the injured list recovering from a hamstring strain and recent acquisition Ramon Laureano has also been battling a back problem for the last week, leaving the Braves even more short-handed in the outfield. Assuming that Rosario won’t be in Gwinnett for too long, he can become a left-handed hitting complement to the righty-swinging White and Luke Williams, as Jarred Kelenic continues everyday duty in center field and Adam Duvall in right field. With Harris not expected back until after the All-Star break at the earliest, the Braves will try to make do with this group until Harris returns, or unless other reinforcements are brought in via trades or signings.

White is now in line for his first bit of MLB action this season, and his first since the Braves optioned him down to Triple-A in April 2023. White has appeared in each of the last four Major League campaigns, and all but six of his 136 career games in the Show came with the Rangers from 2020-22. He has batted just .181/.259/.288 in 406 career PA in the bigs, but White has been much better at Triple-A, including a .294/.402/.462 slash line for Gwinnett over 234 PA this season.

White’s brief career has unfortunately been defined by injuries, as his last three seasons have all been ended early by surgeries. After an elbow surgery in 2021 and a wrist surgery in 2022, White suffered a tore labrum in his left shoulder almost exactly one year ago, which led to yet another procedure and another abbreviated season for the outfielder. White’s all-fields defense and quality baserunning makes him a useful player for the outfield-needy Braves to have in at least a bench role, and his Triple-A numbers suggest that he could still have some late-bloomer potential at age 30.

It was announced two weeks ago that Kerr would be undergoing Tommy John surgery, so it was just a matter of time before the Braves moved him to the 60-day IL when a 40-man spot was needed. Kerr had a 5.64 ERA in 22 1/3 innings for Atlanta this season, and the timing of his surgery could mean that he might miss the entire 2025 season.

Cubs’ Yency Almonte To Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

By Mark Polishuk | July 5, 2024 at 7:18pm CDT

7:18 pm: Almonte has chosen to undergo shoulder surgery, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. The Cubs reliever is expected miss the rest of the 2024 season.

12:28 pm:Yency Almonte hasn’t pitched since May 7 due to a right shoulder strain, and continued discomfort in his shoulder has led to a possible crossroads in how the Cubs right-hander plans to deal with the injury. Manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune) that Almonte recently received a less-than-positive second opinion on his ailing shoulder, and is “thinking about what to do here” in possibly pursuing surgery. For now, Almonte has been shut down from throwing while he recovers and decides on his next step.

The exact nature of the surgery isn’t yet known, but it would almost certainly seem that Almonte would miss the rest of the 2024 season, and could potentially be facing an absence of up to a year, based on timelines of more serious shoulder-related procedures undergone by other pitchers in the past. Whatever the case, it’s a tough outcome for Almonte, who was posting some solid numbers before going on the IL.

Acquired from the Dodgers alongside Michael Busch last January, Almonte had a 3.45 ERA over 15 2/3 innings and 17 appearances for the Cubs. His 11.9% walk rate was on the high side and Almonte was benefiting from a .222 BABIP, but a 29.9% strikeout rate and just one homer allowed in those 15 2/3 frames. After relying heavily on a sweeper in 2022-23, Almonte was using his sinker and sweeper in more or less equal measure this season, which also helped set up his 94mph fastball.

Analytics aside, Almonte’s 2024 success could’ve also perhaps been inevitable because it is an even year. The right-hander has yo-yo’d between good and bad years throughout his seven MLB seasons, with the trend of quality numbers in the even years and struggles in the odd years. Case in point, Almonte’s Dodgers tenure included an 1.02 ERA in 35 1/3 innings in 2022, followed up by a 5.06 ERA over 48 innings with Los Angeles in 2023 before a knee sprain ended his season in mid-August.

Unfortunately, the injury bug now seems to have thrown a wrench into Almonte’s usual career pattern. He was already moved off the Cubs’ 40-man roster when he was shifted to the 60-day IL last week. The Cubs have another year of arbitration control over Almonte for the 2025 season, and while a non-tender is certainly possible depending on his health status, Chicago might still issue him a contract since Almonte would receive only a minimal raise on his $1.9MM salary for 2024.

Almonte is one of five relievers on the Cubs’ injured list, and relief pitching was already an issue for Chicago even before such a big chunk of the bullpen was sidelined. On the positive side, Counsell and pitching coach Tommy Hottovy recently told MLB.com and other media that Julian Merryweather is nearing a minor league rehab assignment, and Mark Leiter Jr. threw a 30-pitch bullpen session Wednesday and might be able to return next week without going on a rehab stint.

Padres Sign Carl Edwards Jr. To Minor League Deal

By Mark Polishuk | July 5, 2024 at 12:48pm CDT

The Padres signed right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. to a minors contract, as first reported by the MadFriars X account earlier this week. Edwards has already gotten onto the field with an appearance yesterday with the Padres’ Arizona Complex League squad. This is Edwards’ second stint in the Padres organization, after first playing for San Diego in the latter half of the 2019 season following a deadline trade from the Cubs.

That 2019 season ended up being something of an unfortunate turning point in Edwards’ career, as coming off three very solid seasons as a member of Chicago’s bullpen from 2016-18, he stumbled to an 8.47 ERA over 17 innings with the Cubs and Padres in 2019. San Diego parted ways with Edwards after the season, and he has since bounced around to six different organizations, including another return trip to the Cubs on a minors deal this past offseason.

Chicago released Edwards from that contract in mid-June, as Edwards triggered his opt-out clause in order to force the Cubs’ hand on deciding whether or not to promote him to the big league roster. Edwards had a 1.85 ERA over 24 1/3 innings for Triple-A Iowa, and even though the Cubs have been hit hard by bullpen injuries in the last few weeks, Edwards’ 14.6% walk rate might have been enough of a sticking point for the Cubs to hesitate about bringing him to the majors.

The 32-year-old Edwards will now look to another former team for another crack at getting his first taste of MLB action in 2024. Despite his journeyman status, Edwards has posted solid results over the last two years with the Nationals, including a 2.76 ERA in 62 innings in 2022, and then a 3.69 ERA in 31 2/3 innings before a stress fracture in his throwing shoulder ended his season early.

It has now been over a year (since June 19, 2023) since Edwards last pitched in a big league game, and his work Iowa suggests that Edwards is at least healthy, if some questions might remain about whether or not he’s ready to face big league batters. There’s no risk for the Padres in inking Edwards to a minors deal to see what he’s got, and Edwards now brings an experienced depth option to a San Diego bullpen that has been somewhat inconsistent for most of the year.

Brewers Notes: Pitching, Hall, Wilson, Roller

By Mark Polishuk | July 5, 2024 at 10:11am CDT

As the Brewers continue to manage significant injuries in both the rotation and bullpen, the team is continuing to look for “all pitching,” as a source on a rival club tells FanSided’s Robert Murray. The recent acquisitions of Aaron Civale of the Rays and Dallas Keuchel from the Mariners might be just the first steps for the Brew Crew in bolstering the pitching staff for a possible postseason run, as Milwaukee holds a six-game lead in the NL Central despite dealing with a patchwork rotation.

The Civale/Keuchel moves could provide some insight into the types of deals the Brewers may pursue, as acquiring starters for upside or depth purposes seem likelier than a blockbuster trade for a clear-cut ace. The latter type of a move would probably come at either (or both) a significant financial or prospect cost, which the Brewers might not want to pursue given both their payroll limitations or the added importance of their minor league pipeline within this more limited financial landscape. This doesn’t mean president of baseball operations Matt Arnold won’t explore all options in improving the team, of course, as any number of unexpected deals could emerge on Milwaukee’s radar.

The extent of the Brewers’ deadline plans will also naturally hinge on how many of their own pitchers are healthy by July 30. Some help is coming on this front soon, as DL Hall tossed three innings in a minor league rehab start yesterday, and Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (X link) writes that Hall’s next appearance is expected to be in the majors.

Hall’s last appearance in the Show came on April 20, as he was placed on the 15-day and then the 60-day injured list due to a left knee sprain that involved some MCL damage. The left-hander is trying to pitch through the discomfort to some extent, and the Brewers have seemingly given Hall plenty of runway in the form of eight minor league rehab outings. With a 1.84 ERA over those eight games and 14 2/3 total innings, Hall looks to be in good form, though he has only twice hit the 61-pitch plateau, and hasn’t thrown more than 62 pitches.

As Hogg notes, Hall wouldn’t necessarily be returned to the Brewers’ rotation once he is activated, as he could instead work out of the bullpen. Hall posted a 7.71 ERA in four starts prior to his IL placement, but he had a 3.26 ERA over 19 1/3 frames working out of the Orioles’ bullpen in 2023. While small sample sizes abound for a pitcher who has only 49 1/3 career innings as a big leaguer, Hall’s relief work last season was highlighted by a 6.2% walk rate — a significant improvement from the control problems Hall has shown throughout much of the rest of his career in both the majors and minors.

Moving Hall to the pen for now wouldn’t close the door on his starting future, of course, as Hall is still just 25 and has long been a staple of top-100 prospect lists. The Crew could re-examine his potential as a starter next spring or even later this year as circumstances develop, but using Hall as a reliever (and perhaps a multi-inning reliever) might be a canny way of helping the team achieve more immediate success this season.

While it is a reach to say that the Brewers may soon have a surplus of rotation options, Civale’s addition has already led the club to move Bryse Wilson back to the bullpen. Wilson’s 78 innings rank third among all Milwaukee pitchers this season, as he has started nine of his 20 appearances and worked as a bulk pitcher behind an opener in three more of those outings.

Moved into this pseudo-starter role in the wake of other injuries, Wilson’s initial results have been solid on the whole, if inconsistent. The righty has a 4.27 ERA over his 78 frames, but a laundry list of below-average Statcast numbers reveal that Wilson has received some good fortune, such as a .261 BABIP and a .321 wOBA that is well below his .355 xwOBA. Keeping Wilson as a swingman provides Milwaukee with added depth, and his career numbers as a reliever are better than his work as a starter, even if the bulk pitcher/reliever designations don’t provide an entirely clear picture of those stats.

In other Brewers news, the team outrighted outfielder Chris Roller to Triple-A yesterday after he cleared waivers. Roller was designated for assignment last week, and since this was the first time Roller has been outrighted in his career, he couldn’t reject the assignment in favor of free agency. He’ll now return to Triple-A Nashville, where he has posted a .201/.238/.321 slash line over 168 plate appearances this season.

The 27-year-old Roller is a veteran of seven pro seasons, all with the Dodgers and Guardians before the Brewers acquired him in a trade last August. His time in Milwaukee has been highlighted by his Major League debut, as Roller played three innings as a defensive sub on May 15 and received one plate appearance in the Brewers’ 10-2 win over the Pirates. This marked Roller’s only appearance in the Show, as the Brewers only temporarily needed some extra outfield depth and soon optioned him back to Nashville.

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