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Rays To Sign Ryon Healy To Minors Deal

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The Rays have signed Ryon Healy to a minor league contract, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray (Twitter link).  Healy will be making his return to North American baseball after playing with the Korea Baseball Organization’s Hanwha Eagles in 2021.

A veteran of five MLB seasons, Healy’s last appearance in The Show came on a big stage, as he served as the Brewers’ DH and cleanup hitter in Game Two of their wild card series game with the Dodgers in 2020.  Injuries had thinned Milwaukee’s roster to the point that Healy (who had played only four regular-season games with the Brew Crew) got the nod for the elimination game, as the Dodgers knocked the Brewers out of the best-of-three series.

Healy has a .261/.298/.450 slash line over 1606 career plate appearances in the majors, almost all with the A’s in 2016-17 and then the Mariners in 2018-19.  A noted prospect on his way up in Oakland’s farm system, the Athletics dealt Healy to Seattle in November 2017 since Matt Olson and Matt Chapman were blocking the way at Healy’s two corner infield positions.  While Healy followed up a 25-homer campaign in 2017 by hitting 24 long balls in his debut season with the M’s, his hitting numbers declined overall, and injuries limited him to 47 games in 2019.

From there, Healy bounced to the Brewers, and then to the KBO League.  The Eagles released Healy in July after he hit .257/.306/.394 over 268 PA for the Daejeon-based team.  Both in South Korea and in the majors, Healy has struggled to consistently get on base, and his power dropoff with the Eagles is also a bit of a step backwards for a player who at least used to fit the three-true-outcomes model.

The Rays have been known to be looking for a right-handed hitter with first base ability, and while Healy fits that description, he might be viewed as more of a backup plan than as a true answer to Tampa Bay’s needs.  Still, the Rays have been known to find hidden gems in the past, and if Healy is able to get on track, he could be an interesting complement to Ji-Man Choi or Austin Meadows (both left-handed hitters) as the Rays’ top choices at first base or DH.

Mets No Longer Looking To Trade Smith, McNeil, Davis?

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Dominic Smith, Jeff McNeil, and J.D. Davis have all been mentioned as possible or even likely trade candidates due to the Mets’ new influx of position players, yet it now seems as though the club is leaning against a deal.  According to SNY’s Andy Martino, the trio are now “expected to stay” in New York, with a trade of Smith or McNeil in particular looking like a “long shot.”

Of course, there could be some gamesmanship at play here for the Mets.  Publicly, the club has always expressed an interest in keeping the players, with manager Buck Showalter saying earlier this week that he saw McNeil as the team’s regular second baseman.  Saying the same thing privately could simply be a way of trying to entice more of a trade return from interested teams, as one would imagine the Mets would indeed deal any of the three players if another club made a big enough offer.

On the face of it, however, it also makes sense why the Mets would want to retain any or all of the three.  Several members of New York’s veteran roster have battled injury problems either in past seasons or as recently as 2021, plus Robinson Cano is an x-factor in his return from a season-long PED suspension.  Having Davis, McNeil, and Smith on hand as depth would be a big help for the Mets in the event of more injury problems, and the introduction of the DH spot also provides more opportunity to rotate bats in and out of the lineup, so everyone can theoretically stay fresh.

Health issues impacted each of Davis, McNeil, and Smith last season, resulting in only 73 games played for Davis, and both missed time and subpar performance for McNeil and Smith.  It’s safe to assume that these injuries factored into trade talks, as rival teams were likely unwilling to pay a premium for anyone coming off a checkered season, while the Mets likely aren’t keen on selling low on any of the three players.

In Smith’s case, the first baseman played virtually the entire season hurt, as he recently told SI.com’s Pat Ragazzo.  In trying to compensate for a wrist strain suffered in Spring Training, Smith then developed a partial tear in his right labrum in late May or early June.  Labrum surgery wasn’t required, but between the shoulder and wrist problems and a groin injury, Smith hit only .244/.304/.363 with 11 home runs over 493 plate appearances.

After a lot of offseason work to heal and rehab, Smith told Ragazzo that “Nothing hurts right now.  Trust me, if something hurts, everybody will know.  I won’t be out there playing if I’m hurt.  That’s something that’s going to change from the past.”  In regards to his shoulder, Smith felt it had healed but “it’s good enough to go” for the season.  “You still take some swings and feel stuff, and that’s just a part of it.  But….it’s a lot better than last year, I will say that.”

Martino reports that the Padres are one of the teams who have interest in McNeil and Smith, and that interest in Smith has continued even in the wake of San Diego’s acquisition of first baseman Luke Voit.  With Voit now adding to an already crowded first base/DH situation for the Padres, presumably any Smith deal would hinge on the Padres being able to fulfill their aim of trading Eric Hosmer, though Smith can also play left field.  The versatile McNeil could play second base, third base, or either corner outfield spot for San Diego, which would give the Padres some flexibility as they try to fill the void left by Fernando Tatis Jr.’s wrist surgery.

Phillies Sign Austin Wynns To Minors Deal

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The Phillies have signed catcher Austin Wynns to a minor league deal, according to The Athletic’s Matt Gelb (Twitter link).  Wynns will receive an invitation to Philadelphia’s big league spring camp.

Beyond J.T. Realmuto, the Phils’ catching depth chart includes Garrett Stubbs (acquired in a trade from the Astros back in November), Rafael Marchan, and now Wynns in terms of backstops with MLB experience.  This trio figures to compete for the role of Realmuto’s backup, as former Phillies catcher Andrew Knapp moved on to sign a minor league deal with the Reds prior to the lockout.

Wynns has seen action in three of the last four MLB seasons, only missing out on the shortened 2020 campaign.  Known for his defense and game-calling abilities, Wynns has only a .216/.255/.326 slash line over 331 plate appearances in the majors and also had pretty modest minor league production.  The 31-year-old has hit .267/.338/.369 over 2044 career PA in the minors, all in the Orioles’ farm system.

The Phillies aren’t necessarily in need of a big bat as Realmuto’s understudy, and both Wynns and Stubbs offer a pretty similar defensive profile, though Stubbs has hit a bit more at the minor league level.  Marchan is the in-house prospect of the group, and he has been suggested as a potential trade candidate as a player squeezed between Realmuto and another catching prospect in Logan O’Hoppe.

Twins Sign Chi Chi Gonzalez To Minor League Deal

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March 18: The Twins announced that Gonzalez has been signed to a minor league pact and invited to Spring Training.

March 17: The Twins and right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez are “working toward” an agreement on a minor league contract, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (via Twitter).

Minnesota GM Thad Levine was working as an assistant general manager with the Rangers when Texas selected Gonzalez with the 23rd overall pick of the 2013 draft, so that past connection could explain the Twins’ current interest in the 30-year-old.  Gonzalez spent his first two big league seasons with the Rangers in 2015-16 before Tommy John surgery sidelined him for the entirety of the 2017-18 campaigns.

Resurfacing in Denver, Gonzalez has spent the last three seasons with the Rockies, though the team non-tendered him last week.  Gonzalez posted a 6.10 ERA over his 184 1/3 innings in a Colorado uniform, and his low-grounder, low-strikeout repertoire didn’t mesh well with the thin air of Coors Field.  While Gonzalez’s wasn’t particularly effective in road games either, opposing batters hit .304/.369/.511 over 410 plate appearances against the righty at Coors Field.

The Twins are in need of starting pitching depth, so a minors deal with Gonzalez would bring some MLB experience into camp.  Even with Sonny Gray and Dylan Bundy acquired this winter, Minnesota still projects to have a young starting rotation, so adding Gonzalez even as depth provides some backup should the newer arms not yet be ready.

Trevor Bauer’s Administrative Leave Extended Through April 16

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TODAY: Bauer’s administrative leave has been extended another month, through April 16 (Jorge Castillo of The Los Angeles Times was among those to report the news.)  The timing ensures that Bauer will miss at least the first week of the regular season.

MARCH 11: Trevor Bauer has been placed on a week-long administrative leave by the league, as first reported by MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter links).  The leave will run from March 13 to March 19, and Bauer also won’t report to the Dodgers’ Spring Training camp prior to the 13th.  Major League Baseball is still considering whether or not to issue a suspension to Bauer, as per the MLB/MLBPA’s Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy.

Bauer has been on paid administrative leave since July, shortly after a woman in California made allegations of sexual assault and had a temporary ex parte restraining order filed against Bauer.  In February, the L.A. County District Attorney’s Office announced that criminal charges weren’t being pursued against Bauer, as “After a thorough review of the available evidence, including the civil restraining order proceedings, witness statements and the physical evidence, the People are unable to prove the relevant charges beyond a reasonable doubt.”

As per the MLB/MLBPA’s joint policy, the league can still issue a suspension even in the absence of criminal charges, as has been the case with most of the suspensions filed since the policy was first introduced in August 2015.  Commissioner Rob Manfred has the broad authority to issue suspensions of any length or severity, and suspended players can appeal to an arbitration panel if they disagree with the commissioner’s decision.  It is expected that Bauer will indeed appeal any suspension levied against him.

Beyond the case in California, reports also surfaced this past summer of a previous ex parte temporary civil stalking protection order granted to a woman in Ohio against Bauer in June and July of 2020.  This protection order was in regards to another alleged incident that took place involving Bauer and the woman in 2017, when Bauer was a member of the Indians.

The league hasn’t interviewed Bauer since July, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale.  While the league’s investigation has now been ongoing for over eight months, it seems as though both the lockout and the pending decision from the L.A. County D.A.’s Office led to the delay.  That said, it still isn’t clear when exactly the league may render its own judgement on a possible suspension.

Cubs Place Brad Wieck On 60-Day Injured List

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The Cubs announced that left-hander Brad Wieck has been placed on the 60-day injured list due to a left elbow strain.  The placement creates a 40-man roster spot for Chris Martin, whose one-year deal with the Cubs is now official.

While Martin’s signing is one of several pitching additions made by the Cubs within the last week, the loss of Wieck for 60 days is a significant blow to the relief corps.  According to multiple reporters (including The Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro), Wieck’s elbow problem surfaced while he was throwing a bullpen session earlier this week.

After missing time due to testicular cancer and two separate heart issues over the last three seasons, Wieck has already dealt with more than his share of health concerns during his brief big league career.  Wieck has tossed 59 2/3 innings in The Show since his debut with the Padres in 2018, and he came to Chicago in the July 2019 deadline day trade that sent Carl Edwards Jr. to San Diego.

Wieck has racked up plenty of strikeouts (35.9% K-rate) during his career, even if his 9.7% walk rate and 15.4% homer rate are both on the high side.  Though Wieck walked 10 batters during his 17 innings of work last year, he avoided damage en route to a perfect 0.00 ERA for the 2021 season.

It provided a nice platform heading into the coming campaign, but Wieck will now be sidelined until at least the back half of May.  Wieck was penciled in as Chicago’s top left-handed relief option, and the recently-signed Daniel Norris may now take the lead as the first-choice southpaw until Wieck is healthy.

Braves Avoid Arbitration With Mike Soroka

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The Braves announced an agreement with right-hander Mike Soroka on a contract for the 2022 season, thus avoiding arbitration.  Soroka will earn $2.8MM on the one-year deal.

The $2.8MM figure matches Soroka’s salary for 2021, which isn’t surprising since the Canadian righty didn’t pitch at all last season, and hasn’t set foot on a big league mound since August 3, 2020.  Soroka tore his Achilles on a fielding play during that game, and then suffered another tear last June that cost him a chance to participate in the Braves’ World Series-winning season.  It isn’t known exactly when Soroka might be able to return, though all parties are hopeful that Soroka could make it back by July.

As a Super Two player, Atlanta holds an extra year of arbitration control over Soroka, so he isn’t eligible until free agency until after the 2024 season.  There wasn’t any sense that the Braves would non-tender Soroka, both because of the extended team control, and because Soroka simply looked too good in his 2019 rookie to cut loose for nothing.  The righty posted a 2.68 ERA, 51.2% grounder rate, and 5.8% walk rate over 174 2/3 innings in 2019, earning a second-place finish in NL Rookie Of The Year voting and a sixth-place finish in Cy Young Award voting.

Unsurprisingly, Soroka’s arb situation was settled much more smoothly this season than last year, when Soroka gained his $2.8MM salary by winning an arbitration hearing.  With Soroka’s contract now settled for 2022, the Braves still have eight remaining arbitration-eligible players.

Yankees Place Domingo German On 60-Day Injured List

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The Yankees have placed righty Domingo German on the 60-day injured list, the team announced.  The placement creates a 40-man roster spot for Anthony Rizzo, whose new deal with the club is now official.

New York manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Brendan Kuty of NJ.com) earlier this week that German was only just beginning his throwing program, after shoulder problems hampered him in January.  If German is essentially starting from scratch, the 60-day IL placement will allow him time to get fully ramped up through extended Spring Training, and he’ll be available for the Yankees by May.

German’s absence removes another arm from a Yankees’ rotation mix that arguably could’ve used some more reinforcement even if German had been healthy.  Gerrit Cole, Jordan Montgomery, Luis Severino, Jameson Taillon, and Nestor Cortes give the Yankees a starting five, even if plenty of health questions surround Severino and Taillon (though Boone also said that Taillon’s October ankle surgery won’t keep him out of the Opening Day roster).  Michael King, Luis Gil, Deivi Garcia, or Clarke Schmidt form the first line of starter depth at Triple-A or in the bullpen, though none of that group has a proven MLB track record.

The same could also be said of German, as home run issues have been a big factor in his 4.54 ERA over 341 1/3 career innings in the majors.  German also missed the 2020 season while suspended under the league’s domestic violence policy, and shoulder inflammation limited him to 98 1/3 frames in 2021.  More shoulder problems can’t be seen as good news for German now, though there yet any indication that he could be facing a structural issue.

Twins Claim Jose Godoy From Giants

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The Twins have claimed catcher Jose Godoy off waivers from the Giants, as announced by both teams.  The claim opens up a roster spot for Joc Pederson, whose new one-year contract with San Francisco is now official.

Godoy is changing teams for the second time in five days, as the Giants only just claimed the backstop off waivers from the Mariners earlier this week.  Godoy will head from one team experiencing a sea change behind the plate (due to Buster Posey’s retirement) to another, as the Twins just acquired Gary Sanchez from the Yankees and dealt Mitch Garver to the Rangers in a pair of trades.

Beyond Sanchez and Ryan Jeffers, Minnesota doesn’t have any other catchers in the organization with big league experience, so Godoy will provide some Triple-A depth.  Godoy’s 16 career MLB games (all with Seattle last year) don’t make for a lengthy Major League resume, but he does have eight years of minor league experience playing in the Cardinals farm system from 2012-19.  While Godoy isn’t particularly known for his bat, he does have a .292/.338/.424 slash line over 412 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.

Cubs Sign Robert Gsellman, Adrian Sampson

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The Cubs continue to stockpile pitching depth, signing right-handers Robert Gsellman and Adrian Sampson.  ESPN’s Jesse Rogers reported the Gsellman signing, while Bryan Smith of Cubs Prospects reported Sampson’s return to the organization.  Both are minor league deals, as per Meghan Montemurro of The Chicago Tribune and MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian.  (All links to Twitter.)

Gsellman has spent his entire pro career in the Mets organization, but New York chose to non-tender the righty back in November.  Due to a variety of injuries over the last two seasons, Gsellman has only tossed 42 2/3 MLB innings since Opening Day 2020.

Gsellman showed some flashes of brilliance over his four previous seasons working as a starter, swingman, and a full-time reliever with the Mets, pitching to a 4.44 ERA over 308 frames from 2016-19.  This versatility made Gsellman a useful arm to have on a pitching staff, though after two injury-marred years, it seems as though the Mets were simply ready to move onto other options.

Sampson is another swingman type who started five of his 10 appearances with the Cubs last season, with a nice 2.80 ERA over 35 1/3 innings (even if advanced metrics weren’t impressed by Sampson’s low-strikeout arsenal).  2021 was the fourth MLB season for Sampson, who debuted with the Mariners in 2016 and also pitched with the Rangers in 2018-19.  The right-hander spent much of 2017 recovering from flexor tendon surgery and then went abroad in 2020 to pitch for the KBO League’s Lotte Giants.

Since the lockout ended, the Cubs have hit the ground running on pitching additions, bringing the likes of David Robertson, Daniel Norris, Chris Martin, Jesse Chavez (on a minor league deal) and Steven Brault onto the roster.  Gsellman and Sampson bring even more depth to the mix, and given their similar skillsets, the two righties could essentially be competing for one swingman-type role.  It could be that both pitchers end up seeing work with Chicago, given how the Cubs and other teams are adding depth as a guard against any arm injuries caused by this shortened Spring Training.

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