Mark Polishuk | MLB Trade Rumors

Royals Exploring Andrew Benintendi Trades

By Mark Polishuk | June 25, 2022 at 4:20pm CDT

With the Royals struggling, Andrew Benintendi has been seen as a logical trade candidate as the deadline approaches. To this end, “the Royals are actively seeking a buyer for” the outfielder, The Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham writes.

There isn’t any indication that a deal could be close, and it would be a little surprising to see Benintendi moved with more than a month remaining before the August 2 trade deadline. That said, Kansas City president of baseball operations Dayton Moore doesn’t always wait until the last minute to swing significant deadline moves. The Royals dealt Martin Maldonado and Homer Bailey in separate trades in mid-July 2019, and Kelvin Herrera and Jon Jay were moved in June of 2018.

In short, if a team steps up early to make what Moore deems to be an acceptable offer, K.C. could opt to get a jump-start on its deadline plans. With only a 26-43 record heading into today’s action, the Royals have the second-worst record in the American League, and have sunk to last place in the AL Central. Since the Royals have several of their best young players already in the majors and more on the way at Triple-A, it remains to be seen exactly how extensive their sell-off could be, beyond obvious pending free agents like Benintendi, Zack Greinke, or Carlos Santana. Such names as Michael A. Taylor or even longtime staple Whit Merrifield could potentially be available, depending on how much of a remodel Moore feels is necessary.

Of course, this wasn’t the plan for Moore and company, as the Royals thought they were on the verge of a breakout heading into the 2021 season. That offseason saw the club pick up veterans like Santana, Taylor, Mike Minor, and (in a three-team trade with the Red Sox and Mets) Benintendi to augment their younger core, but the results simply haven’t been there for the team.

Benintendi hasn’t been part of the problem, as he has hit .285/.339/.426 with 20 home runs over 825 plate appearances in a Royals uniform. With a 110 OPS+/111 wRC+ in that stretch, it represented a solid bounce-back for Benintendi after a subpar 2019 season in Boston and then essentially a lost 2020 season that was limited to 14 games by a rib injury. In addition to the above-average offense, Benintendi (who turns 28 on July 6) has also been a big contributor in the field, winning a Gold Glove for his left field work in 2021.

Last year’s work earned Benintendi an $8.5MM salary in his final year of arbitration eligibility, with the outfielder defeating the Royals in a hearing last month. Benintendi has roughly $4.4MM still owed in salary, so moving him earlier rather than later would allow the Royals to save a few dollars. As a rental player, Benintendi wouldn’t net Kansas City a huge prospect return, but he’d certainly bring back a quality minor leaguer or two. Any number of clubs in need of left field help and/or left-handed hitting could potentially fit as trade partners for Benintendi — speculatively, the Rays, Yankees, Guardians, Braves, Dodgers, Blue Jays, Mets, Marlins, or Rangers all make some sense as suitors.

Anthony Rendon To Undergo Season-Ending Wrist Surgery

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 11:03pm CDT

6:17PM: The Angels have officially placed Rendon on the 10-day IL, and called up infielder Jack Mayfield from Triple-A. Rendon will probably be held back from a 60-day IL placement until the Halos have need for an extra 40-man roster spot.

Angels team trainer Mike Frostad also gave reporters (including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) some details on Rendon’s status, saying that Rendon will need 4-6 months to recover. Rendon has a subluxed tendon, and tried to play through the discomfort, though it was known that surgery would eventually be needed to fix the problem.

4:10PM: Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon will undergo surgery on his right wrist next week, the team announced. The procedure will sideline Rendon for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Rendon spent two weeks on the injured list due to soreness in that same wrist earlier this season, and he has missed the last couple of games after re-aggravating the problem. Angels manager Phil Nevin intimated that Rendon was a pinch-hitting possibility as recently as yesterday, so today’s news comes as an unwelcome surprise, and an indication that further testing revealed a more severe problem with Rendon’s wrist.

This will mark the second straight season cut short by surgery for Rendon, as he underwent a hip procedure last August that prematurely ended his 2021 season. That year had already been shortened by multiple trips to the IL for groin, knee, and hamstring injuries, with Rendon’s hip ultimately bearing the brunt as he tried to compensate for those other lower-body problems.

Rendon will finish the season with a .228/.324/.383 slash line and five home runs over 188 plate appearances. While this still works out to above-average offensive production (106 wRC+), it is far below the standard Rendon yet during his heyday with the Nationals, or even in his first Angels season in 2020. Since the start of the 2021 campaign, Rendon has hit only .235/.327/.383 in 437 PA, and played in only 103 games.

The Angels signed Rendon to a seven-year, $245MM free agent deal in December 2019, and apart from Rendon’s strong performance in the shortened 2020 campaign, this deal is already showing signs of joining the Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, and Justin Upton contracts in the Angels’ recent history of expensive misfires. Rendon still has four more years to make good on the deal, of course, but he turned 32 earlier this month and now has two lost seasons under his belt.

Rendon’s injury continues a nightmarish stretch for the Angels. In possession of a 27-17 record and a playoff berth on May 24, the Halos have since lost 18 of 21 games, including a 14-game losing streak. Manager Joe Maddon was already fired, and the Angels now face an uphill climb just to break their string of losing seasons, let alone get back into the wild card hunt. While it is still mid-June and plenty of the season remains, losing Rendon creates yet another hole in an already shaky roster.

Matt Duffy and Tyler Wade figure to handle third base duties in Rendon’s absence, which further weakens second base since that duo and Luis Rengifo were juggling time at the keystone. David Fletcher was placed on the 60-day IL in the aftermath of adductor surgery, and in a best-case scenario would return around the All-Star break. Jack Mayfield, Jose Rojas and Kean Wong are also in the organization, but are imperfect solutions to an already-shaky infield picture. Should the Halos get back into the playoff picture, any of shortstop, second, or third base could be target areas for the trade deadline, depending on who was available and how Anaheim shuffled its other personnel around the diamond.

AL Notes: Moncada, Blue Jays, Verlander, Athletics

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 10:00pm CDT

Yoan Moncada left tonight’s game due to right hamstring tightness, an injury seemingly suffered when Moncada was running out a grounder in the top of the second inning. Moncada returned to play third base in the bottom half of the frame but was replaced in the field by Josh Harrison in the next inning.

More will be known about Moncada’s status after further tests take place, but another injury is the last thing Moncada and the White Sox need. An oblique strain suffered near the end of Spring Training kept Moncada from playing until May 9, and he is hitting a mere .179/.230/.292 over his first 113 plate appearances. Should Moncada need to miss time, the Sox would at least have a ready replacement in the hot-hitting Jake Burger, and Danny Mendick could also find more playing time once Tim Anderson returns from the IL next week and regains his normal shortstop position. However, a Moncada injury would represent yet another setback for a White Sox club that hasn’t been able to play with its ideal first-choice lineup all season.

Cubs Outright Clint Frazier To Triple-A

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 9:12pm CDT

The Cubs have outrighted Clint Frazier off their 40-man roster, after the outfielder cleared waivers. According to ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers (Twitter link), Frazier has elected to accept the assignment to Triple-A Iowa, rather than elect free agency.

Chicago signed Frazier to a one-year, $1.5MM deal just prior to the lockout, and about a week after the Yankees released the outfielder (essentially an early non-tender, as Frazier was projected to earn $2.4MM through the arbitration process). Frazier has hit .216/.356/.297 over 45 plate appearances this season, with his campaign broken up by a missed month of action due to an appendectomy. Frazier was designated for assignment last week, and it is perhaps a sign of how his stock has fallen that no teams put a claim on a player who isn’t far removed from being one of baseball’s top prospects.

There was some speculation that Frazier would refuse the outright assignment and instead test the open market again, though there is logic in his decision to remain in the Cubs organization. For one, Frazier might just be looking to get some consistent playing time after his lost month, and his market surely wasn’t helped by his lack of production this far in 2022. It stands to reason that Frazier might get another chance in Chicago later in the season, should the Cubs move some veteran players prior to the trade deadline.

The fifth overall pick of the 2013 draft, Frazier is now in his sixth MLB season, and he showed some flashes of his potential during his five years in the Bronx. However, a lack of consistency and some health issues kept Frazier from locking down a regular spot in the Yankees’ lineup, and vertigo-like symptoms kept Frazier off the field for most of the final three months of the 2021 season.

Diamondbacks Select Buddy Kennedy

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 8:16pm CDT

The Diamondbacks selected the contract of infielder Buddy Kennedy from Triple-A Reno today, as part of a trio of roster moves. Outfielder Jake McCarthy was optioned to Triple-A to create space on the 26-man roster, while right-hander Humberto Castellanos was moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL, thus creating a spot for Kennedy on the 40-man roster.

Kennedy is acting as the DH in Arizona’s lineup tonight, and it will mark the Major League debut for the 23-year-old. A fifth-round pick for the Diamondbacks in the 2017 draft, Kennedy has hit well as a pro, including a .296/.384/.429 slash line over 229 plate appearances at Reno this season (his first taste of Triple-A ball).

MLB Pipeline rates Kennedy as the 21st-best prospect in the Snakes’ farm system, and according to the Pipeline scouting report, “he projects to be an average hitter who gets on base and collects 20 or so homers at the highest level.” Kennedy’s 2022 numbers have continued the improvement he showed last year in generating walks, and he makes solid contact. Defensively, Kennedy could fit best as a utilityman rather than an everyday infielder, as he has played mostly third base with some experience at second base and a handful of games as a first baseman.

Kennedy could work as the right-handed hitting complement to Josh Rojas at third base, or fit into the DH mix when a left-handed starter is on the mound (like tonight’s matchup against the Twins’ Devin Smeltzer). The Diamondbacks’ lineup is heavy on left-handed bats, and are near the bottom of the league in production against left-handed pitching, so some extra pop from the right side of the plate is definitely a need.

Castellanos hit the 15-day IL with a right elbow strain on June 1, and the righty will now be sidelined until at least the start of August. Over 44 1/3 innings for the D’Backs this season, Castellanos posted a 5.68 ERA.

Padres Place Joe Musgrove On COVID-IL, Activate Mike Clevinger

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 7:35pm CDT

The Padres activated right-hander Mike Clevinger from the COVID-related injury list today, while also placing righty Joe Musgrove on the COVID-IL. In other moves, righty Reiss Knehr was called up from Triple-A El Paso, Kyle Tyler was optioned to Triple-A, and Matt Beaty was shifted to the 60-day IL.

Clevinger ended up missing a week of action, and he told reporters (including The Athletic’s Dennis Lin) that his symptoms were caused by a case of the flu that hit his entire household, rather than COVID-19. For now, Clevinger is available to pitch out of the bullpen during the Padres’ weekend series against the Rockies, until San Diego can figure out how to fit him back into the rotation.

Musgrove’s situation could create an obvious opening, as Musgrove is set to start Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks. It isn’t known if Musgrove has actually tested positive or if his placement was precautionary (due to symptoms or being a close contact), but in the latter situation, he could possibly be back in plenty of time to make that scheduled start.

Musgrove has been one of baseball’s best pitchers this season, while Clevinger has also pitched well over four starts, though his season has been delayed by IL stints due to a knee injury and a triceps strain. Clevinger missed all of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery, so these additional health setbacks are surely a frustration to the 31-year-old, even if none of these injuries have been overly serious.

Once everyone is healthy, Nick Martinez will likely head back to the bullpen, as the Padres continue to manage a six-man rotation. Blake Snell is the only member of this group that hasn’t pitched well in 2022, though Snell also missed over a month at the start of the season due to an adductor strain.

Pirates Promote Liover Peguero

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 6:11pm CDT

The Pirates have called infielder Liover Peguero up from Double-A to the active roster. Tucupita Marcano was placed on the COVID-related injured list, in the corresponding move.

The somewhat unexpected promotion may be simply a late reaction to Marcano’s absence, as noted by Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Peguero could more easier make the trip to Pittsburgh since he was playing in nearby Altoona — the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate is in Georgia tonight facing the Braves’ top farm team.

This would explain why Peguero got the call and not top prospect Oneil Cruz, whose return to the big leagues has been expected more or less since Opening Day. Depending on how long Marcano is absent, Peguero also might not be in the big leagues for that long, should Marcano’s placement on the COVID list only be due to a close-contact situation or symptoms, rather than an actual positive test.

Still, while Cruz’s situation continues to dominate attention in Pittsburgh, Peguero is a very notable prospect in his own right. In current rankings, MLB Pipeline has Peguero as the 58th-best prospect in baseball, Baseball America has him 67th — prior to the season, Baseball Prospectus had Peguero in their #38 spot, while The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked him 77th.

Acquired from the Diamondbacks as part of the Starling Marte trade in January 2020, Peguero has posted solid (if not outstanding) numbers in his climb up the minor league ladder. Over 236 PA with Altoona this year, Peguero has hit .292/.315/.469 with five home runs in his first time at the Double-A level. This extra power is a good sign, though the relatively low OBP and 54 strikeouts are indicative of how Peguero still has to correct being overly aggressive at the plate. When he does make contact, Peguero has posted high exit velocities and exhibits tremendous bat speed, speaking to his potential as a hitter if he can smooth out his approach.

Peguero has plenty of speed and athleticism, and Baseball America’s scouting report doesn’t rule out a potential move to the outfield down the road. However, since Cruz faces more questions about his long-term fielding future, Peguero may be the favorite of the two to settle in as the Pirates’ long-term shortstop of the future, with Nick Gonzales likely ticketed for second base if his own glovework holds up.

There could potentially be a bit of a logjam should all of these prospects develop as expected, though the Bucs will happily welcome such an issue if it means all of these highly-regarded youngsters are MLB-level contributors. The Pirates have been increasingly turning over more and more of its roster to its better prospects, as the club’s lengthy rebuild is now starting to translate into players who are ready for a look in the Show. Should Peguero play particularly well, he could catch on for a Pittsburgh team that has nothing to lose, though the more probable result could be Peguero sent to Triple-A if or when Cruz is ready in the near future.

Marlins Place Jesus Aguilar, Jesus Sanchez On Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 5:14pm CDT

The Marlins have placed first baseman Jesus Aguilar and outfielder Jesus Sanchez on the injured list. There weren’t designations announced for Aguilar or Sanchez, indicating that the players are on the COVID-related injured list. To fill the two open roster spots, the Marlins called up first baseman Lewin Diaz and outfielder/first baseman Jerar Encarnacion from Triple-A.

In the event of a positive test, Aguilar/Sanchez will have to miss at least 10 days, unless they test negative twice, go 24 hours without a fever, and get clearance from three physicians (one each appointed by the league and MLBPA, plus a Marlins team doctor). If Aguilar and/or Sanchez haven’t yet tested negative, they could be back on the roster in short order, should they just be feeling light symptoms or if they are being held out due to a close-contact situation. Just last week, Miami’s Garrett Cooper was on the COVID-IL for such a brief stint.

Diaz and Encarnacion figure to slide right into Aguilar and Sanchez’s regular roles, and in Encarnacion’s case, he’ll be getting his first taste of Major League Baseball. Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the 20th-best prospect in Miami’s farm system, Encarnacion is in his sixth pro season, with a .263/.322/.424 slash line over 1544 career plate appearances. Injuries have slowed his progress, but Pipeline’s scouting report cites his power potential and 60-grade throwing arm as pluses, even if there is still a lot of swing-and-miss in Encarnacion’s game. Over his 252 at the Double-A and Triple-A levels this season, Encarnacion has struck out in 70 of those turns at bat.

Royals Announce Four Roster Moves

By Anthony Franco and Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 4:46pm CDT

The Royals reinstated right-hander right-hander Matt Peacock and left-hander Gabe Speier from the injured list. In corresponding moves, right-hander Albert Abreu was designated for assignment, and righty Arodys Vizcaino was outrighted to Triple-A Omaha.

Kansas City acquired Abreu from the Rangers just two weeks ago, but he loses his roster spot after four appearances. He only allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings with K.C., but he also issued four walks and only fanned three batters. Abreu also had more walks than strikeouts (12:9) during his early-season stint in Texas, and those control woes have pushed him off two rosters.

Abreu can’t be optioned to the minor leagues, so teams have to either keep him on the active roster or designate him for assignment. That status has squeezed the hard-throwing reliever off both the Yankees’ and Rangers’ rosters recently, but he’s drawn the attention of rival clubs both times. Kansas City will now have a week to try to work out another trade or see if he’ll pass through waivers unclaimed.

Vizacino signed a minor league deal over the offseason and made it back to the majors in late May after posting a 1.76 ERA through 15 1/3 frames in Omaha. The former Brave appeared in seven games, tossing 5 2/3 frames of four-run ball. He issued seven free passes and struck out just three hitters, however, and he’ll lose his 40-man roster spot as a result. Having already cleared outright waivers, Vizcaino will have the right to elect minor league free agency and look for opportunities elsewhere if he doesn’t want to rejoin the Storm Chasers.

Royals Win Arbitration Case Over Nicky Lopez

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 4:07pm CDT

The Royals have won their arbitration hearing over infielder Nicky Lopez, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (Twitter link). Lopez will earn $2.55MM in salary for the 2022 season, instead of the $2.95MM he was seeking in his first trip through the arb process.

Lopez has somewhat quietly established himself as an everyday player in Kansas City, despite the presence of other more heralded infielders in the Royals’ system. Adalberto Mondesi’s injury struggles opened the door for Lopez to get regular work in the Royals’ middle infield mix, and Lopez’s excellent glovework earned him a Gold Glove nomination as a second baseman in 2020.

This set the stage for a breakout season in 2021, as only 10 players in all of baseball had a higher fWAR than Lopez’s 6.0 mark last year. Much of that value came from defense, as over 1233 2/3 innings at shortstop, Lopez posted +24 Outs Above Average, +3 Defensive Runs Saved, and +4.6 UZR/150. He also had his best year at the plate in the majors, batting .300/.365/.378 (106 wRC+) with 78 runs scored and 22 steals in 23 chances.

Given that arbiters put more weight on standard counting stats than advanced metrics, Lopez’s lack of power and lack of a real offensive track record prior to 2021 probably contributed to the Royals’ victory in the hearing. The arbiter was also only regarding Lopez’s 2021 numbers, so the infielder’s big struggles this season (.214/.286/.251 in 209 PA) weren’t supposed to be a factor. Lopez’s top-flight speed helped him beat out many a grounder in 2021, but his .347 BABIP was a hint that regression was inevitable, as reflected by his .253 BABIP this season.

The Royals’ 2021-22 arbitration class is now finally settled, after the lockout pushed baseball’s arb business (and several hearings) deep into the season. Lopez was the second arb-eligible Royal who went to a hearing, and Andrew Benintendi earned a victory in his case last month.

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