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Dodgers Release Pedro Baez

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The Dodgers have released Pedro Baez, according to the right-hander’s MLB.com profile page.  Baez made his return to the organization when he signed a minor league contract in May.

Baez appeared in three games with the Astros before being released in late April, but didn’t return to the mound until July, when he pitched with the Dodgers’ Arizona Complex League affiliate.  Moving to Triple-A Oklahoma City at the end of July, Baez struggled to a 14.29 ERA over 5 2/3 innings in OKC, with much of that damage coming in his final outing.  Just yesterday, Baez allowed five runs without recording a single out against the Sugar Land Skeeters.

From 2014-20, Baez was a very dependable member of the Los Angeles bullpen, posting a 3.03 ERA over 356 innings with the Dodgers and helping the team capture the World Series in 2020.  However, Baez’s strikeout rate and fastball velocity both started to decline during that 2020 season, but that didn’t stop Houston from inking the right-hander to a two-year deal worth a guaranteed $12.5MM.

That deal ended up being a bust for the Astros, as Baez threw only 6 2/3 innings in a Houston uniform before being released in April.  Shoulder problems kept Baez on the sidelines for the majority of the 2021 season, and given his near-total lack of results over the last two years, there is certainly a fear that Baez may no longer be effective as a big league pitcher (or perhaps even as a Triple-A pitcher) at age 34.

The Dodgers would’ve only owed Baez the prorated portion of the Major League minimum salary if he’d reached their active roster, so with this release, the Dodgers cost themselves nothing by seeing if a familiar face could regain his old form.  The Astros are responsible for what remains of Baez’s $5.5MM salary for the 2022 season, and that figure will only lessen by a prorated minimum salary if another team should sign Baez and add him to the MLB roster.

Padres To Use Closer Committee, Give Josh Hader “A Little Break” From Save Chances

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Since being acquired by the Padres in a surprising deadline trade, Josh Hader’s San Diego tenure has gotten off to a rough start.  The All-Star has been scorched for six runs over his last three outings and 1 1/3 innings of work, and as a result, Hader has temporarily lost the closer’s job.  As Padres manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including The Athletic’s Dennis Lin), the team will deploy a committee for the ninth inning, while giving Hader “a little break” from save situations.

This obviously isn’t the outcome the Padres were hoping for when they gave up a significant prospect package to the Brewers on August 1, in addition to taking on the remainder of Hader’s $11MM salary for the 2022 season.  However, it is worth noting that we’re dealing with a very small sample size of 3 1/3 total innings for Hader in a Padres uniform.  In three of his five appearances, Hader has allowed two hits and a walk over 2 2/3 scoreless frames — but, in his other two outings, the Giants and Nationals each scored three runs off the right-hander.  The result is a 16.20 ERA for Hader since coming to San Diego.

These recent struggles also underline Hader’s dropoff in performance since the start of June.  Hader didn’t allow a single earned run over his first 19 appearances of the season, but over his last 19 2/3 innings, his ERA is a whopping 10.07, with three blown saves in 14 chances.  For comparison’s sake, Hader only blew three saves total during the 2020-21 seasons.

It is quite possible that Hader might regain his form once he gets a few more games under his belt in San Diego, and in this scenario, it might not be long before he is Melvin’s top choice at closer once again.  In the interim, the Padres could turn to any of Robert Suarez, Luis Garcia, Adrian Morejon, or Nick Martinez in save situations, depending on recent usage or specific situations.

Derek Shelton To Return As Pirates Manager In 2023

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Derek Shelton has only a 127-214 record over his two-plus seasons as the Pirates’ manager, as Shelton has been given the difficult task of overseeing the team through an extensive rebuilding period.  Despite the lack of on-field results, Pirates GM Ben Cherington told reporters (including The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel) that Shelton will continue to manage the club through the 2023 season, which is the last year of Shelton’s initial contract.

“I love working with Shelty and this staff.  They work their tails off every day and care so much about getting this right,” Cherington said.  “I’m so confident at the level of effort this staff puts in and I’m looking forward to this group benefiting from the fruits of their labor.  I think they will as our roster matures and gets stronger.”

Naturally, Shelton’s record is far from a determining factor in his job security, given how little he has been given to work with on Pittsburgh’s roster.  As Cherington noted that “I think we’re at a moment in time (when) progress should not be measured entirely by wins and losses,” and that “I really do believe we’re making progress in a lot of ways that isn’t showing up — it’s not going to show up publicly — but will help lead us to success” in the future.

While the Bucs have only a 47-72 record, the 2022 season has seen such notable youngsters as Oneil Cruz, Roansy Contreras, Rodolfo Castro, and Tucupita Marcano all get more of an extended look at the big league level.  Bryan Reynolds has already established himself as an All-Star caliber player, David Bednar has emerged as a quality closer, and Ke’Bryan Hayes has become one of baseball’s best defenders, so the active roster isn’t bereft of productive talent.  Plus, many of the top prospects acquired since Cherington took over in November 2019 have yet to even reach the majors.

With all this in mind, it is simply too early to evaluate many aspects of the Pirates’ rebuild, with Shelton’s performance as manager being one of those rather unknown quantities.  Since a season still remains on Shelton’s deal, it would’ve been perhaps more of a surprise if a managerial change did happen, as such a move would’ve indicated that Cherington or ownership had some issue with how Shelton was shepherding the Pirates’ young talent.  The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal observed back in April that “Shelton has served almost as an assistant general manager” to Cherington, and the fact that Shelton received a four-year commitment in his first managerial job perhaps speaks to the early confidence that Cherington showed.

Both Cherington and Shelton (in a radio interview earlier this week) declined to say whether or not any talks had been held about a possible contract extension.  A new long-term deal, of course, would be the clearest sign of the Pirates’ faith in their manager, though it is also pretty common for teams to give skippers even a one-year extension just to avoid any “lame duck” perception.  At this point, it seems a pretty safe bet that Shelton and the Pirates will work out at least a shorter-term deal, even if such an agreement might not be official until around the start of the 2023 season.

Mets Select Rob Zastryzny

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The Mets made a few roster moves in between games of their doubleheader with the Phillies, as left-hander Rob Zastryzny’s contract has been selected from Triple-A Syracuse.  In other transactions, left-hander Sam Clay was optioned to Triple-A, while recently-designated right-hander R.J. Alvarez was outrighted to Syracuse after clearing waivers.

Zastryzny pitched 34 2/3 innings for the Cubs over parts of the 2016-18 seasons, and has since bounced around with three other MLB organizations (Dodgers, Orioles, Marlins) and the independent Long Island Ducks before joining the Mets back in May.  The 30-year-old has made a solid accounting of himself in Syracuse, with a 3.61 ERA, 28.4% strikeout rate, and 9.1% walk rate in 47 1/3 Triple-A innings, starting six of his 26 games.

While the Mets’ bullpen has been good overall, left-handed batters have found some success against the team, in part due to New York’s lack of southpaw relievers.  Joely Rodriguez has been the only left-handed constant in the relief corps all season, so if Zastryzny is able to even come close to his Syracuse numbers, he could earn himself a longer look in his return to the big leagues.

Marlins To Place Braxton Garrett On Injured List, Select Bryan Hoeing

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Braxton Garrett was scheduled to start the Marlins’ game against the Dodgers tonight, but instead, the left-hander has been scratched and will be placed on the 15-day injured list, according to Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).  According to Garrett’s MLB.com profile page, he is suffering from a right oblique strain, and his IL placement is backdated to August 17.

The Marlins have selected the contract of right-hander Bryan Hoeing from Triple-A Jacksonville, and Hoeing will make his big league debut filling in for Garrett in a spot start.  To create room on the 40-man roster, right-hander Anthony Bender — who will undergo Tommy John surgery — has been moved to the 60-day injured list.

Garrett already missed a month of the Triple-A season due to a shoulder injury, and he’ll now face a possible early end to his 2022 season unless his oblique issue is a mild strain.  The quick IL placement might not necessarily be a sign of how severe the injury could be, as even minor oblique problems usually require at least a minimal IL stint, and the Marlins had to create roster space on short notice to add Hoeing to the club.

This is Garrett’s third MLB season, as he was up for a two-game cup of coffee in 2020 and then pitched in eight games (34 innings) in 2021 while being frequently shuttled back and forth from the minors.  Since being called up in early June, this has been Garrett’s most extended stretch in the Show, and he has delivered a 3.67 ERA and an above-average walk (5.9%) and strikeout (24.5%) rate over 13 starts and 68 2/3 innings.

Selected seventh overall in the 2016 draft, Garrett’s early potential was hampered by a Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2018 season.  The left-hander then became a little overlooked amidst the many other up-and-coming arms in Miami’s farm system, though Garrett has kept himself with some solid numbers at Triple-A and now a good performance this season.  While injuries have thinned the Marlins’ pitching depth to some extent, Garrett has at least put himself in the conversation for a rotation spot in 2023, and he could yet add to his case if he is able to return from his oblique injury this year.

Hoeing now gets an unexpected opportunity to make his Major League debut in his third season of pro ball.  A seventh-round pick for the Marlins in the 2019 draft, Hoeing has a 4.55 ERA over 253 1/3 innings in the minors, including a 5.44 ERA over 84 1/3 frames of work for Triple-A Jacksonville this season.  The groundball specialist could very well be headed back to the minors after tonight’s emergency outing, yet Hoeing will get a chance to test himself against the elite competition of the Dodgers lineup.

Padres Designate Nomar Mazara For Assignment

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The Padres announced that outfielder Nomar Mazara has been designated for assignment.  In the corresponding move, outfielder Jose Azocar was called up from Triple-A.

Mazara signed a minor league deal with San Diego during the offseason, reuniting the former top Rangers prospect with Padres president of baseball operations (and former Rangers front office member) A.J. Preller.  The Padres selected Mazara’s contract in early June, and he has hit .264/.316/.352 with two home runs over 171 plate appearances.

Brought up to add some left-handed depth to San Diego’s bench, Mazara has actually performed better (.777 OPS) in 25 PA against left-handed pitching than over 146 PA against right-handed pitching (.649 OPS).  The additions of Juan Soto and Josh Bell added a lot of extra balance to the Padres lineup and made Mazara a little redundant, especially considering that the Padres also have the left-handed hitting Trent Grisham and the switch-hitting Jurickson Profar in their first-choice outfield.

While Mazara’s numbers aren’t anything spectacular, they still represent an improvement over his last two seasons, when he hit .219/.285/.309 over 330 combined PA with the White Sox and Tigers in 2020-21.  This could be enough for Mazara to perhaps get a look on the DFA wire from a team in need of outfield depth, or another executive (like Preller) could have memories of Mazara’s potential as a highly-touted minor leaguer.

Twins Place Tyler Mahle On 15-Day Injured List

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The Twins have placed right-hander Tyler Mahle on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to August 18) due to right shoulder inflammation.  Southpaw Devin Smeltzer has been called up to take Mahle’s spot on the active roster.

The IL placement isn’t a big surprise, after Mahle left Wednesday’s game after only 2 1/3 innings, and the Twins already announced that Mahle’s next turn in the rotation would be skipped.  On the brighter side, an MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage, and Mahle also told reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press) yesterday that he was feeling better and was able to left weights two days removed from his early exit.

Ideally, Mahle will be able to return when first eligible to be activated off the 15-day IL.  Of course, losing the righty for any amount of time is a tough beat for a Minnesota club that is battling for both the AL Central lead or at least a wild card berth.  Mahle was supposed to be a big part of this postseason push, acquired from the Reds in a major deal at the trade deadline — thus far, Mahle has a strong 2.51 ERA over his first 14 1/3 innings in a Twins uniform.

Smeltzer could be the likeliest candidate to fill Mahle’s rotation spot, assuming that the Twins pick one single pitcher to cover those starts.  The advanced metrics aren’t fans of Smeltzer’s work this season, but the left-hander has managed to outperform those peripherals and post a 4.02 ERA over 12 starts and 62 2/3 frames.  If not Smeltzer, the Twins could also turn to Aaron Sanchez or Cole Sands, or possibly a combination of these pitchers in a piggyback situation.

Yankees Place Clay Holmes On 15-Day Injured List

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The Yankees have placed closer Clay Holmes on the 15-day injured list due to back spasms, as one of a series of transactions.  Miguel Andujar and Tim Locastro were optioned to Triple-A, while Ron Marinaccio, Estevan Florial, and Oswaldo Cabrera were all called up from Triple-A.  (Florial and Cabrera’s promotions were reported earlier today.)

Holmes’ placement is retroactive to August 14, and he hasn’t pitched since August 12.  There was increasing expectation that Holmes would need an IL trip to fully recuperate from his back problem, though New York manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and other reporters that the team is hopeful Holmes only misses the 15-day minimum.

Since being acquired from the Pirates prior to the 2021 trade deadline, Holmes has been outstanding in the pinstripes, posting a 2.10 ERA over his 77 innings in New York.  This outstanding performance elevated Holmes to the closer’s job when Aroldis Chapman went on the IL himself earlier this season, and with Chapman struggling even before he got injured, the Yankees kept Holmes as the top ninth-inning choice even after Chapman’s return.

However, just as the Yankees have looked shaky over the last five weeks of play, Holmes has also come back to earth after his incredible start.  The righty has a 9.00 ERA over his last 12 games and 11 innings pitched, and he has blown four of his last five save chances.  As a result, it now appears quite possible that Chapman (who has pitched better since his return from the IL) will reclaim the closer’s job in Holmes’ absence, and perhaps for the remainder of the season.  The Yankees could also essentially use both pitchers as closers or set-up men depending on the situation, rather than have a strict order to their late-game plans.

Joey Votto To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery On Rotator Cuff

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Joey Votto’s season is over, as the longtime Reds first baseman told reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that he will undergo surgery on Friday to fix a torn rotator cuff.

As Votto told reporters (including reps from Bally Sports), that his shoulder has actually been bothering him since 2015, though it has only become “painful to the point where it’s…difficult to lift, hurts to sleep” over the last few months.  “The doctor informed me that with these sort of injuries at some point you hit a breaking point, and you’re not able to manage it quite as well,” Votto said, and that proverbial breaking point only occurred this season.  The procedure has roughly a six-month rehab time, so Votto should be ready for around the start of the Reds’ Spring Training camp.

Votto’s 16th season will finish with 91 games played, as beyond this rotator cuff problem, he also missed over two weeks on the COVID-19 list in May.  The veteran posted a .205/.319/.370 slash line and hit 11 home runs over 376 plate appearances — he hit well in his first few weeks after returning from the COVID list but otherwise, the 2022 season has been a struggle.

While the number of games is certainly a factor, Votto’s 92 wRC+ is the worst of his career, and it represents the second time in four seasons that Votto’s offensive production has fallen beneath the league-average 100 wRC+ threshold.  Votto did hit pretty well in 2020, yet there were still whispers that his best days were behind him….before Votto exploded with another excellent season in 2021.  The first baseman slugged 36 homers (matching the second-highest total of his career) last year while hitting .266/.375/.563 in 533 PA.

It’s safe to say that Votto’s increasingly problematic rotator cuff injury was the source of his 2022 dropoff, as the lesser version of his shoulder soreness didn’t stop from posting MVP-caliber numbers on multiple occasions since 2015.  With the injury now finally addressed, it is possible that Votto might have one more big performance in store for 2023.  That said, Votto will also be 39 years old next season, and even with a fixed rotator cuff, he might not be immune to aging curve that usually limits players outside of their prime years.

The return from surgery also adds another wrinkle to what might be Votto’s farewell season altogether.  2023 is the final guaranteed season of the 10-year, $225MM extension Votto signed back in April 2012, though Cincinnati has a $20MM club option (with a $7MM buyout) for 2024.  If Votto did return to his 2021 form, that could be enough for the Reds to make the $13MM decision to bring back the longtime face of the franchise, even if the Reds have been more focused on cutting payroll in the last two seasons.

Votto’s own feelings will naturally also be a factor, as he has intimated in the past that he would retire if he was no longer getting enjoyment out of playing the game.  It remains to be seen how Votto will approach this eventual decision, as he will surely weigh such factors as his health, how close the Reds might be to contending, and his 2023 performance as well as the personal satisfaction he still derives from baseball.  Whenever he does decide to hang up the glove, Votto will surely get a lot of consideration from Hall Of Fame voters, and a ticket to Cooperstown could well be in Votto’s longer-term future.

Pirates Injury Notes: Hayes, Keller

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The Pirates placed third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes on the 10-day injured list yesterday, retroactive to August 13.  Hayes has missed the Bucs’ last four games due to a middle-back muscle strain, and he’ll now get a few more days to recuperate while the Pirates can play with a full roster.  Kevin Padlo (recently claimed off waivers from the Mariners) was called up from Triple-A to take Hayes’ spot on the open roster.

Now in his third MLB season, Hayes has yet to fully live up to his top-prospect billing, at least at the plate.  The 25-year-old is making plenty of hard contact, but it has translated to only a .251/.323/.358 slash line and six home runs over 434 plate appearances this season.  After exploding onto the scene with a 1.124 OPS in 95 PA in his 2020 rookie campaign, Hayes has only a .685 OPS in 830 subsequent PA in the majors.

On the plus side, Hayes has already established himself as an elite defensive player.  Hayes leads all players in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved (+16) and only four players have more Outs Above Average than Hayes’ +12 total.  While Nolan Arenado is also up near the top of both lists, Hayes certainly looks like at least a finalist for this year’s NL Gold Glove at third base.

It doesn’t appear as though Hayes’ injury is too serious, so the Pirates can only hope he can return to action in short order and continue to garner more experience.  A cornerstone piece of Pittsburgh’s rebuild, Hayes signed an eight-year, $70MM extension in April that stands as the largest contract in Pirates history.

Mitch Keller is another younger player the Bucs had tabbed as a key part of the future, and like Hayes, Keller’s early returns in his MLB career have been mixed.  It also seems like Keller is facing some injury problems, as right shoulder fatigue forced him out of last night’s start against the Red Sox after two innings of work.

Keller’s average velocity was down on all of his pitches, yet the right-hander chalked the performance up as “just one of those days.”  Speaking to MLB.com’s Justice delos Santos and other reporters, Keller said his shoulder was feeling better after the game, though it remains to be seen if the Pirates might at least skip or push back Keller’s next start, even if an IL trip isn’t necessary.

After a rough 2021 season that saw him post a 6.17 ERA/4.98 SIERA in 100 2/3 innings, Keller’s 2022 campaign has at least been an improvement in bottom-line numbers.  The right-hander has a 4.49 ERA/4.29 SIERA in 114 1/3 frames this year, due in part to only a .329 BABIP (down from his sky-high .388 figure last year).  However, any above-average BABIP isn’t a good sign for a pitcher who relies on grounders more than strikeouts, as Keller has only a 20.7% strikeout rate over his career and his walk rates have also been below average.

Keller will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter, and his relative lack of success at the MLB level should result in a pretty modest 2023 salary.  Considering the number of question marks in Pittsburgh’s rotation, Keller probably isn’t likely to be non-tendered, though a trade might be a possibility if the Pirates no longer see Keller as a building block.

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