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Tigers Place Joe Jimenez On 15-Day Injured List

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The Tigers placed right-hander Joe Jimenez on the 15-day injured list due to a right lumbar spine strain.  Right-hander Angel De Jesus was called up from Triple-A to take Jimenez’s spot on the active roster for the remainder of the regular season.

Jimenez told reporters (including Chris McCosky of The Detroit News) that he has been dealing with the injury for over a month, and he’d been wearing an electronic stimulation device on his back.  Yesterday, however, Jimenez said the back pain “felt different and I just said, ’Hey, I’m not going to put the team in a bad position. I’m just going to do everything I can to get back soon.’ ”

While further imaging and tests are inevitable, it doesn’t seem as though the spine strain will keep Jimenez from a relatively normal offseason, or from being ready for Spring Training.  That’s good news for both Jimenez and the Tigers, as the 27-year-old (28 in January) looks to build on what has been a career year.

Consistency has been difficult to come by for Jimenez over his six MLB seasons, even though he was an All-Star in 2018.  Over 209 1/3 innings from 2017-21, Jimenez posted a 5.72 ERA over 209 1/3 innings out of Detroit’s bullpen, and there was some speculation that the Tigers could even non-tender him last winter.

However, the Tigers’ decision to hang onto Jimenez ended up being one of the best calls of an otherwise rough year in the Motor City.  Jimenez posted a 3.49 ERA and an elite 33.3% strikeout rate over 56 2/3 innings in 2022, as well as plenty of other Statcast metrics that were well above the league average.  That 3.49 ERA undersold Jimenez’s dominance, as he had a 2.30 SIERA and 2.70 xFIP.  Four of Jimenez’s 22 earned runs were allowed over his last two outings, likely due to his increased back pain.

Between these numbers and Jimenez also being arbitration-controlled through the 2023 season, there was lots of interest in Jimenez heading into the trade deadline, but no teams met the Tigers’ reportedly high asking price.  With Scott Harris now installed as Detroit’s president of baseball operations, it is possible Harris could revisit the trade market and explore selling high on Jimenez, assuming that rival teams aren’t wary of the spine strain.  Or, the Tigers could simply hang onto Jimenez and hope that he can again help a bullpen that was the team’s only real strength this past season.

Kris Bryant Won’t Play Again In 2022

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It wasn’t looking likely that Kris Bryant would get back onto the field before the season was over, and the Rockies slugger confirmed to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding that his 2022 season is indeed done.  Bryant’s first season in Colorado concludes with only 42 games played, and a .306/.376/.475 slash line over 181 plate appearances.

Three separate stints on the injured list spoiled Bryant’s year, including two absences related to lower-back problems.  Bryant hasn’t played since July 31 due to foot injuries, including both a bone bruise and plantar fasciitis in his right foot.  With the Rockies already out of contention by August, Bryant said he received a platelet-rich plasma injection on August 24, and “if we were in the playoff hunt, I probably would have pushed through and got a cortisone shot.  The PRP is more healing, while cortisone masks the pain.”

The decision puts Bryant in better position to be fully ready for 2023, and he indicated that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery.  “I wanted to get as close to being able to play a game as I could, because then I can formulate an offseason approach that’s better,” Bryant said.

Though injuries have been an increasing factor for Bryant in recent years, 2022 represents far and away the lowest game total of his seven regulation-length Major League seasons.  (Bryant’s 42 games with Colorado barely topped his 34 appearances in the shortened 2020 campaign.)  Unsurprisingly, Bryant described his season as “a little depressing, just not playing baseball….Every year from February to October, I’m used to playing baseball.  And for the most part this year, I’ve been watching.”

Bryant and the Rockies can only hope for better things in 2023 and beyond, as Bryant still has six seasons remaining on his seven-year, $182MM free agent deal from last winter.  On the plus side, Bryant hit well when he was healthy this year, though he hit much better on the road (.996 OPS in 70 PA) than he did at Coors Field (.761 OPS in 111 PA).  The sample sizes are probably too small to draw any major conclusions, of course, but naturally the Rockies are hoping for more consistent production from Bryant at his new home ballpark.

Dodgers Place Dustin May On Injured List

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The Dodgers have placed right-hander Dustin May on the 15-day injured list due to lower back tightness.  The team also announced that righty Andre Jackson was called up from Triple-A to take May’s spot on the active roster.

May is now ineligible to pitch again during the regular season, though his postseason availability could hinge on his health.  Since Los Angeles already has a bye in the first round, May will get some extra time to rest and recover before the Dodgers have to make their roster decisions for the NLDS.  Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times reports that May has a strained muscle in his lower back, and it isn’t yet known if the strain will impact his readiness for the playoffs, but the Dodgers are hopeful May will be ready.

May has already missed a lot of time with injury over the last two seasons, due to a Tommy John surgery back in May 2021.  The right-hander made it back to action in August, and has a 4.50 ERA, 22.8% strikeout rate, and 11% walk rate over 30 innings in 2022.  While these numbers are nothing to write home about, May’s velocity and spin rates are all still looking good in the wake of his TJ rehab.

The regular season has been a rousing success for the Dodgers, but they now face more pitching uncertainty as the playoffs loom.  Tony Gonsolin has a minor league rehab start scheduled for Tuesday after missing a month due to a forearm strain, so the All-Star could be on his way back to action, though nothing will be certain until Gonsolin gets onto the mound.  Ideally, Julio Urias, Clayton Kershaw, and Gonsolin would be the Dodgers’ top three starters in a playoff series, with Tyler Anderson likeliest for fourth starter duty.  Andrew Heaney, May, or rookie Michael Grove would be lined up for long relief or emergency-starter depth, but as we’ve seen from past postseasons, the Dodgers are generally pretty flexible with pitcher roles in big games.

Rockies Plan To Retain Bud Black As Manager For 2023 Season

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The Rockies are wrapping their fouth straight losing season, yet the organization hasn’t felt compelled to make a change in the dugout.  General manager Bill Schmidt told reporters (including The Athletic’s Nick Groke) today that manager Bud Black will return for the 2023 season, saying that “Buddy came here right when we were ready to be good.  He led us to some playoffs.  He’s very capable of doing it again.  It’s not for lack of effort.”

Black’s first two seasons in Colorado indeed resulted in postseason appearances.  The Rockies earned wild-card berths in both 2017 and 2018, and in the latter season defeated the Cubs in the Wild Card Game to advanced to the NLDS (where the Brewers eliminated the Rox in a sweep).  Since those two playoff berths, however, the Rockies have yet to reach the .500 mark, and Black has a 414-445 overall record as he approaches the end of his sixth season as Colorado’s skipper.

The two wild-card berths earned Black a contract extension prior to the 2019 season, a three-year deal that ran from 2020-22.  The Rockies added another year of control in another contract extension last February, with Black extended for a one-year deal that runs through the 2023 campaign.  The relatively limited nature of that extension seemed to indicate that Black was on a slightly shorter leash, yet it doesn’t appear to have hampered his job security.

In fact, Groke notes that Black is “on a rolling year-to-year contract” that would seemingly give both sides the flexibility to walk away after any season, not that such a scenario seems likely in the near future.  It would seem like Black’s arrangement could be similar to the so-called handshake deal that the Rockies had with former manager Jim Tracy, wherein Tracy had the freedom to leave at the end of any season.

Rockies owner Dick Monfort is known to value loyalty and continuity within his organization, which has proven to be a double-edged sword considering that the Rockies are often criticized for being too insular.  The change from Jeff Bridich to Schmidt (another long-time front office employee) in the GM chair last season didn’t do anything to get Colorado on track in 2022, and a lot of work will need to be done to make the team a winner in 2023.  Virtually every member of the Rox roster had an underwhelming season either at the plate or on the mound, and prized free agent signing Kris Bryant ended up spending most of the year on the injured list.

With all this in mind, it is somewhat difficult to really evaluate Black’s win-loss record.  For as much as Monfort and company perpetually feel that the Rockies are on the verge of contention, Black doesn’t seem to be receiving much of the blame for not winning with these flawed rosters.  While it can also be argued that Black isn’t necessarily part of a solution to the Rockies’ woes, Colorado’s bigger-picture issues in evaluating, developing, and acquiring talent seem like much larger obstacles to success than Black’s work as manager.

Rangers’ Dane Dunning To Undergo Arthroscopic Hip Surgery

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Rangers right-hander Dane Dunning will undergo arthroscopic hip surgery next week, the team announced.  Dunning will finish his 2022 season with a 4.46 ERA, 53.3% grounder rate, 20.4% strikeout rate, and 9.2% walk rate over 153 1/3 innings and 29 starts in the Texas rotation.

Acquired from the White Sox as the centerpiece of the Lance Lynn trade in December 2020, Dunning’s first two seasons in Texas have been pretty statistically identical, though he tossed only 117 2/3 frames in 2021.  Over both seasons, Dunning has a 4.48 ERA/4.14 SIERA, with below-average strikeout, walk, and hard-hit ball rates.  Dunning’s ability to keep the ball on the ground has helped him avoid major damage, and a .324 BABIP over the last two seasons indicates that the righty has perhaps been a little unlucky in maximizing his return on that strong groundball rate.

Assuming he returned from this hip surgery in good form, Dunning projects as a rotation piece for the Rangers both in 2023 and over the long term, as he’ll be 28 on Opening Day and is controlled through the 2026 season.  However, the rotation as a whole was not a strength for the Rangers this season, and they are sure to focus on upgrading the pitching staff during what might be another very busy offseason.  The Rangers already parted ways with longtime president of baseball operations Jon Daniels, and the onus will be on general manager Chris Young (a former MLB pitcher himself) to get the club back to contention.

Jon Gray looks like the only member of the 2022 rotation who is thusly guaranteed a job in next year’s starting five, though Texas is hopeful of re-signing Martin Perez.  Dunning’s track record and ability to at least eat innings may give him a leg up on other younger or more unproven rotation candidates, but nothing can really be ruled out considering how intent Rangers ownership is on fielding a winner.  Dunning has already been part of two notable trades during his relatively short career, and he could be an interesting trade chip once more if the Rangers are looking to overhaul their rotation picture.

White Sox Place Luis Robert On 10-Day Injured List

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Luis Robert’s 2022 season is officially over, after the White Sox placed the outfielder on the 10-day injured list due to a sprained left wrist.  Left-hander Tanner Banks was also optioned to Triple-A Charlotte, while outfielder Mark Payton was called up from Charlotte and righty Joe Kelly was reinstated from the medical leave list.

Robert’s wrist has been bothering him since August 12, when he suffered a sprain while trying to steal a base in a 2-0 Chicago win over the Tigers.  White Sox GM Rick Hahn told reporters (including The Athletic’s James Fegan) that Robert’s injury was re-aggravated after he was hit by a pitch on September 6 during a game against the Mariners, which led to Robert receiving more sporadic playing time over the last few weeks.  Three different hand specialists determined that there isn’t any structural damage, Hahn said, but Robert just needs time off to fully heal.

As a result, Robert has been shut down, ending his season with a .284/.319/.426 slash line and 12 home runs over 401 plate appearances.  His wrist problem seemed to sap his effectiveness at the plate, as Robert had only a .414 OPS over his final 47 PA of 2022.

Robert also missed time due to blurred vision and the COVID-related IL this season, and thus played in only 98 of Chicago’s games.  Between his absences this season and the hip flexor strain that cost him a big chunk of the 2021 campaign, Robert has played in only 166 of a possible 324 games since the start of the 2021 season.  When he was able to play, Robert posted great numbers in 2021 and his 2022 production was still solidly above average (112 wRC+), but it still represents a disappointment for a player who has shown glimpses of superstar potential.

The White Sox can only hope that Robert is able to fully heal up over the winter, and is then able to stay on the field for most or all of the 2023 campaign.  Robert’s injury-plagued year is one of but several “if only…” laments South Side fans have about a White Sox season that is looking increasingly like it will fall short of the playoffs.  The 76-75 Sox are on a four-game losing streak, and have dropped to a 76-75 record, falling eight games behind the Guardians in the AL Central and 6.5 games out of the wild card race.

AL Notes: Rodriguez, Cabrera, Story, Eovaldi, Red Sox

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Julio Rodriguez has missed the Mariners’ last two games due to lower back soreness, and the rookie star told The Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish and other reporters that “I feel a few days of rest will be the best thing for it.”  There’s a chance Rodriguez could be back as early as Monday’s game with the Angels, though manager Scott Servais noted that the situation is “day to day,” especially since Monday’s contest is an afternoon start.

As much as Seattle needs all hands on deck for its playoff chase, nobody wants to risk a longer-term injury to Rodriguez, who has already emerged as one of baseball’s brightest stars.  After a brief slump in August, Rodriguez has a whopping 1.259 OPS over 59 plate appearances in September, even though he said is still getting used to the physical toll of a full Major League season.  “I’m not familiar with playing for such a long time,” Rodriguez said.  “It’s been teaching me a few things and I’m learning about my body and how to keep it healthy.”

While the Mariners hope Rodriguez’s rookie year will be extending deep into October, here are some more items from around the American League…

  • The Tigers will activate Miguel Cabrera from the 10-day injured list on Monday, and infielder Kody Clemens has already been optioned to Triple-A to make room for Cabrera on the active roster.  A left biceps strain has kept Cabrera on the shelf since September 2, but he’ll return for some more action in his 20th Major League season.  Over 393 PA this year, Cabrera is hitting .256/.305/.317 with four home runs.  Since a milestone watch is inevitably attached to Cabrera, the veteran slugger’s 506 career homers is three back of Gary Sheffield for 26th place on the all-time list, and Cabrera’s 3079 career hits put him 10 behind Ichiro Suzuki for 24th all-time.
  • Trevor Story has missed five games due to left heel soreness, but he is tentatively slated to return to the Red Sox lineup on Tuesday, manager Alex Cora told reporters (including The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams).  In other injury news, Nathan Eovaldi threw 65 pitches during a four-inning simulated game today, and the next step could be a minor league rehab game on Friday.  Eovaldi has missed almost a full month due to right shoulder inflammation, but is hoping to get back to the mound at least one more start with the Sox before the season is over.
  • The Red Sox designated Kevin Plawecki for assignment after Friday night’s game, and both the late timing of the transaction and the transaction itself didn’t sit well within the clubhouse.  Both Eovaldi and Rich Hill spoke to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford about Plawecki’s popularity and the importance of veteran leaders in general on a team, with Eovaldi saying “I think sometimes that goes a little further than productivity or whatever on the field.”  After today’s 13-3 victory over the Royals, McWilliams and other reporters noted that the Sox were playing Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” within the clubhouse, a song adopted by Plawecki as both a walkup song and as a team anthem in 2021.

Yankees Planning To Activate Harrison Bader On Tuesday

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Harrison Bader finally looks ready to make his Yankees debut, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News) that Bader will “likely” be activated from the 60-day injured list prior to Tuesday’s game against the Pirates.  Bader played the sixth game of a minor league rehab assignment today with Double-A Somerset.

Bader’s last Major League appearance was back on June 26, before he was sidelined due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot.  Even while Bader was still on the mend, the Yankees acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline in exchange for Jordan Montgomery.  The swap has already become infamous in the view of many Bronx fans, considering that Bader has yet to even take the field for New York while Montgomery has pitched well in St. Louis.

The Yankees’ 24-30 record since the All-Star break has led to some general unrest amongst the fanbase, though the team still has a 5.5-game lead in the AL East.  If Bader is recovered and able to play at his usual level, however, there will be a lot less second-guessing given Bader’s proven defensive excellence.  He is the reigning NL Gold Glove winner in center field, and even with his foot problems hampering his play this season, Bader still has a +9.6 UZR/150 and +6 Outs Above Average over 588 2/3 innings in center.

Offense has been a bit more of a question mark for Bader, who slashed .256/.303/.370 over 264 plate appearances with the Cardinals this season.  But, it is also quite possible the injury also impacted Bader at the plate, as he was an above-average hitter (111 wRC+) in both 2020 and 2021.

Bader went into detail about his health situation in an interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal earlier this week, saying that his foot issues first arose during Spring Training.  Between both the plantar fasciitis and the swelling of the bone marrow edema, Bader had to cut an initial rehab assignment (back when he was still a Cardinal) short in July after one minor league game.  Now, Bader believes he is ready to return, even if his right foot is still “a little uncomfortable.”

Aaron Judge’s all-timer of a season has helped paper over a Yankees outfield that has struggled as a whole, with Judge even getting some time in center field rather than his usual spot in right field.  Aaron Hicks and the now-traded Joey Gallo both struggled, and deadline pickup Andrew Benintendi played only 33 games in the pinstripes before undergoing hamate surgery, putting Benintendi’s availability for the rest of the regular season in doubt.

The Yankees have addressed their outfield needs by giving Giancarlo Stanton some time in right field, and they’re also turned to a wide array of experienced and younger players (i.e. Miguel Andujar, Estevan Florial, Marwin Gonzalez, Tim Locastro, Oswaldo Cabrera, Matt Carpenter) to eat some innings on the grass.  In theory, Bader will play just about every day, though he’ll likely get some rest against some right-handed pitchers to help manage any lingering foot soreness he might have after missing so much of the season.

That leaves less playing time for everyone else, including Hicks.  Even after two hits and a home run in today’s victory over the Brewers, Hicks is batting only .216/.327/.308 over 420 PA this season.  While the outfielder has been healthy after several injury-plagued years, he hasn’t shown much of the offensive form that he delivered over his first four seasons in New York (123 wRC+ from 2017-20) when he was able to play.

Hicks is owed $30.5MM from 2023-25, but there has already been speculation that the Yankees could be looking to move on if a trade can be arranged.  For his part, Hicks acknowledged the struggles in an interview with The New York Post’s Dan Martin, saying “things are tough in New York.  I don’t have an answer.  If they feel this isn’t the right fit for me, that’s their call.  If I do go to another team, I know I can help them win.”

Hicks has no issue in stepping aside for Bader, saying “I expect [Bader] to come in and start playing every day, as he should.  He got traded here to help us win.  We need him to be himself to win a World Series.”  That said, Hicks also felt his struggles weren’t being helped by a lack of playing time: “It’s extremely hard when I play a game and then I’m off for three days and now there’s another outfielder out there…As of right now, I feel the more I play, the better I’m gonna play.  That’s not what’s going on right now.”

It all adds up to a tough Catch-22 for Hicks — he may not be able to hit better without steady at-bats, and yet his lack of production isn’t making a case for that regular playing time.  Looking ahead to 2023, Hicks said he is planning to add some bulk, after losing weight last offseason in the wake of wrist surgery.

“I wanted to get faster and healthy, but me playing at 200 pounds isn’t it.  I haven’t been impacting the ball like I wanted to,” Hicks said.  “It’s really showed, with my power down.  I wanted to be quicker and it didn’t work out that way.”

NL Injury Notes: Peralta, Wood, Wheeler, Phillies

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Freddy Peralta hasn’t pitched since September 8 due to right shoulder fatigue, but the Brewers right-hander told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and other reporters that he believes he’ll be back before the regular season is over, given how well Peralta has felt after preliminary throwing sessions.  The next step will be for Peralta to throw off of a mound, but it seems possible that he might not miss much time beyond the 15-day minimum stint on the injured list.

After an All-Star season in 2021, Peralta has pitched only 70 1/3 innings this year due to his current shoulder issue, as well as a posterior strain in that same right shoulder that cost him over two months of action.  Even with these health woes, Peralta has still posted a 3.45 ERA, and the Brewers can use all the help they can get as they fight for a playoff berth.

More updates on other injury situations from around the National League…

  • One pitcher who won’t be returning in 2022 in Alex Wood, as Giants manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including Evan Webeck of the Bay Area News Group) that Wood has been shut down for the remainder of the season.  Wood went onto the 15-day injured list at the start of September due to a left shoulder impingement, and since he hasn’t yet been cleared to throw, the Giants opted to keep the veteran southpaw on the sidelines.  Wood will finish his second season in San Francisco with a disappointing 5.10 ERA over 130 2/3 innings, though that ERA was somewhat inflated by a poor finish — with his shoulder injury hampering his effectiveness, Wood had a 7.89 ERA over his final three outings and 12 1/3 innings.  Wood is owed $12.5MM in 2023, the final season of the two-year free agent he signed to rejoin the Giants last winter.
  • With Zack Wheeler tentatively slated to return to the Phillies rotation on Wednesday, interim manager Rob Thomson told reporters (including Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer) said that the Phils will stick with their same rotation order.  This means that rookie left-hander Bailey Falter will retain his starting job, and Noah Syndergaard will be used as a piggyback starter behind Wheeler.  Syndergaard’s next actual start is slated for October 1, when the Phillies have a doubleheader against the Nationals.

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