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Mets Interested In Asdrubal Cabrera

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The Mets have been scouting Diamondbacks infielder Asdrubal Cabrera, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports.  Cabrera would be a pure rental pickup for New York, as the veteran signed a one-year, $1.75MM contract with the D’Backs last winter.

This lack of long-term control makes Cabrera one of the likelier players to be dealt prior to the July 30 trade deadline, as the Diamondbacks are clearly in seller mode and are willing to move (almost) anyone on the roster.  Cabrera is also a known quantity for the Mets, having played in Queens from 2016 until July 2018, when he was sent to the Phillies as part of another deadline swap.

Cabrera enjoyed a lot of success in his previous stint in a Mets uniform, and he has continued to be an above-average player even in his age-35 season, despite missing three weeks due to a hamstring strain.  Entering today’s action, Cabrera has hit .251/.348/.402 with five homers over 210 plate appearances, good for a 106 wRC+ and OPS+.

However, the Statcast numbers are less appealing, as Cabrera isn’t making much hard contact and he has only a .304 xwOBA, well below his .322 wOBA.  Cabrera’s 12.4% walk rate is the largest of his 15-year MLB career, though that might have more to do with pitchers avoiding Cabrera within a lackluster D’Backs lineup than any particular newfound patience at the plate.

The Mets wouldn’t necessarily need Cabrera to be an everyday contributor, as their troubled third base picture will eventually start to get more clarity once Jonathan Villar and J.D. Davis return from the injured list.  Villar is expected to be activated tonight and Davis is on a minor league rehab assignment, though since Davis is a defensive question mark at best at third base, the Mets could prefer to deploy him in the outfield.  This would open the door for Cabrera and Villar to share time as a switch-hitting platoon at third base, and provide depth all over the infield.  A shortstop for much of his career, Cabrera has played all three other infield spots almost exclusively since the start of the 2019 season.

Marlins Outright Luis Marte

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JULY 3: Marte has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Jacksonville, per his transactions log at MLB.com. He’s apparently accepted the assignment, as he’s listed on the Jumbo Shrimp active roster.

JUNE 30: The Marlins have designated infielder Luis Marte for assignment.  The move makes way for infielder Joe Panik (acquired in yesterday’s four-player trade with the Blue Jays) to be added to Miami’s active roster.

This is the second time this month that Marte has been DFA’ed, with the first move coming after Marte had appeared in just one game with the team, making his Major League debut.  After being outrighted off the 40-man roster, Marte had his contract selected again on June 19, this time seeing action in three games and collecting his first hit as a big leaguer.

Marte joined the Marlins on a minor league deal this past offseason, following a decade of action in the Rangers and Braves farm systems.  The 27-year-old native of the Dominican Republic was originally signed by Texas in November 2010, and Marte has hit .249/.270/.337 over 3184 career PA in the minors.  Because this is his second DFA of the season, Marte has the option of declining another outright assignment if he chooses to test free agency.

Kyle Schwarber Leaves Game Due To Hamstring Injury

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10:12PM: Schwarber did injure his right hamstring, Nationals manager Davey Martinez told MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato and other reporters.  Schwarber will receive an MRI tomorrow to determine the extent of the problem.

7:10PM: Nationals left fielder Kyle Schwarber left tonight’s game after suffering an apparent right leg injury.  Schwarber singled in the second inning but stepped awkwardly while rounding first base, leaving Schwarber favoring his leg (particularly the upper portion, making a hamstring injury a possibility).  Gerardo Parra replaced Schwarber as a pinch-runner and in left field.

It certainly seems as if the injured list will be required for Schwarber, which would cut short one of the most remarkable power binges in baseball history.  Schwarber has cracked 16 home runs over his last 20 games prior to tonight’s contest, with a .333/.407/.987 slash line in that 86-plate appearance stretch.  This exceptional hot streak resulted in NL Player Of The Month honors for Schwarber in the month of June, and helped fuel a resurgence for the Nats in the NL East standings, as Washington has won 14 of its last 17 games.

Losing Schwarber would represent another huge blow for the Nationals lineup, especially with Trea Turner already day-to-day with a finger injury and several notable pitchers (including Stephen Strasburg, Daniel Hudson, and Erick Fedde) already on the IL.  While Washington is only two games behind the Mets for the division lead, the team is also only 40-39 and seven games out of a wild card berth.

It is certainly still possible the Nationals are an extended cold streak away from being sellers, rather than buyers, at the trade deadline — and ironically, a healthy Schwarber would suddenly be a prime trade piece, as his contract is only guaranteed through this season.  Schwarber signed a one-year, $10MM free agent deal with the Nats last winter that breaks down as $7MM in guaranteed salary, and a $3MM buyout of an $11.5MM mutual option for 2022 (a buyout that Schwarber looks likely to take rather than exercise his end of the mutual option).

Injured List Returns: Gregorius, Reyes, Gray

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While top players continue to hit the injured list on a near-daily basis, several notable names also made their return to the field today.  The latest…

  • The Phillies activated shortstop Didi Gregorius off the 10-day injured list prior to today’s 4-3 victory over the Padres, with infielder Nick Maton heading to Triple-A in the corresponding move.  Gregorius hadn’t played since May 12, as his initial right elbow injury was slow to heal, and led to a setback in his minor league rehab assignment.  The veteran shortstop had hit only .229/.266/.364 in his first 128 plate appearances of the season, but Gregorius celebrated his return to the lineup with a solo home run and a walk in four PA tonight.
  • Franmil Reyes was activated off the Indians’ 10-day IL, and infielder Yu Chang was optioned to Triple-A.  Reyes suffered an internal oblique strain on May 23, and he’ll return about halfway between his projected recovery timeline of 5-to-7 weeks.  The struggling Cleveland lineup is in need of Reyes’ offensive production, and he picked up where he left off by collecting three hits in tonight’s 6-3 Tribe loss to the Astros.  Reyes is now hitting .268/.325/.577 with 11 home runs over 163 PA.
  • Sonny Gray tossed five innings of one-run ball (on five hits and one walk, with eight strikeouts) in the Reds’ 2-1 victory over the Cubs.  A right groin strain sidelined Gray on June 9, and his return will boost a Cincinnati team that is trying to stay close in the NL Central and NL wild card races.  With tonight’s outing in the books, Gray has a 3.27 ERA and an impressive 30.8% strikeout rate over 55 innings this season.  Right-hander Ashton Goudeau was optioned to Triple-A to create roster room for Gray’s activation off the 10-day IL.

Yasmani Grandal Day-To-Day With Calf Tightness

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10:05PM: Grandal is day-to-day with the injury, as manager Tony La Russa told The Athletic’s James Fegan (Twitter links) and other reporters that the Sox will monitor Grandal’s condition to determine if an IL placement is eventually necessary, or if another roster move is necessary to get another catcher on the roster.  For now, the plan seems to be for Collins to start tomorrow’s game and Danny Mendick to act as the emergency catcher.  Zavala left tonight’s Triple-A game, so he is likely to at least be added to Chicago’s taxi squad.

8:49PM: White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal left tonight’s game due to left calf tightness, the team announced.  It isn’t yet clear when the calf issue surfaced for Grandal, as was replaced behind the plate by Zack Collins prior to the bottom of the fifth inning, more than two innings as Grandal’s last at-bat (he struck out to end the top of the third).

Between that strikeout and a single in his first plate appearance, Grandal’s slash line now sits .190/.388/.441 through 243 plate appearances.  Despite the lack of batting average, Grandal still has a 135 wRC+ due to his power (14 homers) and his exceptional on-base skills.  Grandal’s 59 walks ranks second among all players, as the Rangers’ Joey Gallo leads baseball with 63 free passes, though Gallo has the benefit of 80 more plate appearances than the Chicago catcher.

It isn’t yet known if Grandal will be placed on the injured list, though such a move would leave the White Sox without yet another key bat.  Luis Robert, Eloy Jimenez, Adam Engel, and Jake Lamb are all on the IL, while Nick Madrigal has been lost for season after hamstring surgery.  Yoan Moncada also suffered a bruised hand while sliding into third base yesterday, and will miss at least Chicago’s current three-game series with the Tigers while recovering.

Collins figures to get the majority of starts at catcher if Grandal is sidelined, and Collins took an above-average 106 wRC+ (and .236/.333/.400 slash line in 127 PA) into tonight’s game with Detroit.  Yermin Mercedes has played two games at catcher this season, and Seby Zavala is also available at Triple-A.

Brewers Place Kolten Wong On 10-Day Injured List

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Prior to tonight’s game, the Brewers placed second baseman Kolten Wong on the 10-day injured list due to left calf tightness.  With right-hander Alec Bettinger also optioned to Triple-A, infielder Pablo Reyes and lefty Hoby Milner were called up from Triple-A to fill the two open roster spots.

This is already the third IL visit of the season for Wong, who missed about four weeks total due to two separate left oblique strains.  Wong initially hurt his calf last Sunday and sat out four games in an attempt to rehab the issue without another IL trip, though Wong had to make an early exit from yesterday’s game in his return to the field.

The stop-and-start nature of Wong’s debut season in Milwaukee is all the more frustrating for both the second baseman and the team considering how well Wong has performed when he has been able to play.  Wong has a .291/.346/.485 slash line and seven home runs through 214 plate appearances, with a 125 wRC+/OPS+ that would represent the best of his career over a full season.  Between this offensive production and his usual excellent defense over 53 games, Wong still has a 1.7 fWAR — the second-highest total of any Brewers player, and the tenth-highest fWAR of any second baseman in baseball with at least 200 PA.

Jace Peterson has been starting at second base in Wong’s absence, and Daniel Robertson can also come off the bench to team with Peterson in a platoon if he isn’t needed elsewhere around the infield.  Reyes has played mostly third base for the Brewers this season but he has also clocked a few games as a middle infielder.

Wong’s injury perhaps makes infield depth an even bigger target for the Brewers than it already was, considering the team’s preference for versatile, multi-positional players.  Milwaukee has overcome a lot of injury absences to take a healthy lead in the NL Central, but the Brew Crew’s position player mix is currently short some notable names in Wong, Lorenzo Cain, Daniel Vogelbach, and Travis Shaw.

Blue Jays Interested In Richard Rodriguez

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The Blue Jays are one of the teams showing trade interest in Pirates right-hander Richard Rodriguez, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link).  Toronto has already made one early move to upgrade its struggling bullpen, as righty Adam Cimber was acquired yesterday part of a four-player deal with the Marlins.

As MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently illustrated, Rodriguez figures to be one of the most sought-after players of this deadline season.  The 31-year-old closer is not only inexpensive ($1.7MM salary for 2021) and controllable (through the 2023 season), but he also posted some of the best numbers of any reliever in baseball.  Rodriguez has a 1.78 ERA/3.55 SIERA through 30 1/3 innings, with that higher SIERA reflective of such factors as a .215 BABIP and a 24.5% strikeout rate that is barely above average.

However, Rodriguez also has some elite control — he has issued only three walks, the fewest of any pitcher in the league with at least 30 innings pitched.  The lack of strikeouts, as Steve notes, is more due to a change in pitch selection rather than any sudden inability to miss bats, as Rodriguez has increased focus on generating weak contact in the form of infield pop-ups.  Rodriguez’s success in 2021 also isn’t coming out of nowhere, as he is now in his fourth season of delivering quality results out of the Pittsburgh bullpen.

The right-hander would solidify any relief corps, but he would be an especially major upgrade to a Toronto bullpen that has struggled badly in recent weeks.  A rather stunning number of reliever injuries has thinned the Jays’ depth, and while a few of those arms will return, there isn’t much time to spare considering how many blown leads have already cost the Blue Jays several crucial victories in a very competitive AL East.

The acquisition of Cimber over a month before the trade deadline indicates that the Toronto front office is already being aggressive in exploring options, even if league-wide trade activity isn’t expected to really kick into gear until after the July 11-13 amateur draft is completed.  The Pirates could be a particular team to monitor in this regard, considering the Bucs face the especially big decision of who to select with the first overall pick.

The Blue Jays have enough minor league depth to get the Pirates’ attention in what should be a very competitive market for Rodriguez, and Pittsburgh is certainly justified in demanding a big return.  Pirates GM Ben Cherington worked in the Jays front office before being hired in his current role in November 2019, though while this connection has often linked the Jays and Pirates together as natural trade partners, the two clubs have yet to actually swing a deal during Cherington’s tenure.

Astros Place Jose Urquidy On 10-Day Injured List

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11:07PM: Urquidy’s MRI revealed “the same results from the last time…some tightness with some inflammation,” the hurler told The Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome and other reporters.  This left Urquidy hopeful of another relatively short IL visit: “I think I’m going to be ready in not a long time.”

5:52PM: The Astros announced a set of roster moves today, including the placement of right-hander Jose Urquidy on the 10-day injured list due to right shoulder discomfort.  Left-hander Ryan Hartman’s contract was selected from Triple-A, with 40-man roster space cleared by a corresponding move of right-hander Francis Martes being designated for assignment.  In addition, Garrett Stubbs has been called up from Triple-A while catcher Martin Maldonado is going to the bereavement list.

The shoulder issue caused Urquidy to leave last night’s start after just 1 1/3 innings, leaving the Astros ill-prepared for an impromptu bullpen game, and the result was a 13-3 loss to the Orioles.  It was an unfortunate turn of events for Urquidy, who has quietly been one of baseball’s better pitchers over the last two months, with a 2.62 ERA over his nine starts and 55 innings prior to last night’s brief outing.

Urquidy missed two weeks in May due to a similar shoulder injury, though Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters (including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) that this new bout of soreness was in a different area of Urquidy’s throwing shoulder.  Urquidy was scheduled to undergo an MRI today.

The Astros had been using a six-man rotation, so they might not need a replacement at all if they’re comfortable working their starters on regular rest.  If not, Cristian Javier was used as a starter earlier this season and could be stretched out again or perhaps used in a piggyback capacity with another pitcher.

Perhaps another alternative is Hartman, who has a 3.98 ERA, 28.8% strikeout rate, and 7.6% walk rate over nine starts and 40 2/3 innings at Triple-A Sugar Land this season.  A ninth-round pick for the Astros in the 2016 draft, Hartman posted some good numbers in his rise up Houston’s minor league ladder before struggling in his first exposure to Triple-A hitters in 2019.  The lefty has performed better this year at Triple-A, though his issues with the home run ball have persisted, as Hartman has allowed 35 homers in 156 1/3 total frames at Triple-A.

Martes had a 10.80 ERA over 8 1/3 innings at Sugar Land this season.  Martes was recently activated from the restricted list in the wake of his 162-game suspension for PED usage, issued in February 2020.  This was Martes’ second PED suspension, and he also underwent Tommy John surgery in August 2018.  Between the Astros’ minor league system and the Dominican Winter League, Martes has pitched only 21 2/3 innings since the start of the 2019 season.  Martes was a highly-regarded prospect before his injury and suspension issues, but it seems as if Houston is ready to move on from the 25-year-old.

East Notes: Turner, Familia, Nimmo, Sale, Moreno

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It was a banner day for Trea Turner, as the Nationals shortstop celebrated his 28th birthday and tied a Major League record with his third career cycle.  Turner joins Adrian Beltre, Babe Herman, Bob Meusel, and Long John Reilly as the only players since 1890 with three cycles on their resume, putting Turner in good position to claim sole possession of the record before his career is over.

Unfortunately, the achievement wasn’t without some pain for Turner, as he jammed his left middle finger while sliding into third base for the triple that completed the cycle.  Turner told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com) that his finger was “pretty sore,” and manager Davey Martinez said Turner is day-to-day for the time being.  Turner’s big day (which also included two stolen bases) only continues what has been a big season for the shortstop, who is now hitting .318/.367/.513 with 14 homers, 18 stolen bases, and an even 50 runs and 100 hits over 341 plate appearances.

Some more injury news from around the NL and AL East divisions…

  • Jeurys Familia is expected to be activated off the 10-day injured list this weekend, Mets manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Mike Puma of the New York Post).  A right hip impingement sidelined Familia on June 21, so he’ll miss only slightly more than the 10-day minimum.  Despite an ungainly 14.3% walk rate, Familia has a solid 3.63 ERA/4.31 SIERA over 22 1/3 IP, with a 58.5% grounder rate and a lot of soft contact helping offset his lack of control.
  • Brandon Nimmo could also potentially be back on the Mets roster this weekend.  Nimmo hasn’t played since May 2 due to what was initially called a left index finger contusion, then re-diagnosed as a potential nerve problem, and then as a small ligament tear.  This confusion led to a couple of stops and starts in Nimmo’s rehab, and an initial thought that he would be activated off the IL yesterday was held off since the team wanted him to get a bit more prep work in the minors.  Given all the setbacks, it probably shouldn’t be considered a sure deal for Nimmo until he is actually back at Citi Field, but things look promising for the outfielder.
  • Chris Sale threw live batting practice today at Fenway Park, tossing two simulated innings and reaching the 94-95mph threshold with his fastball, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told The Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams and other reporters.  Sale is slated for another live BP session at the team’s Spring Training facility this weekend, and a rehab assignment could be the next step for the left-hander.  Sale underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2020 and has been projected to return by late July or early August, so he certainly seems to be on track with that timetable.  The Red Sox are leading the AL East despite some struggles within the rotation, and those issues could be greatly mitigated by a Sale who is healthy and anywhere close to his past superstar form.
  • The Blue Jays’ injury woes have extended to the minors, as GM Ross Atkins said that star catching prospect Gabriel Moreno suffered a “minor fracture” of his thumb after being hit by a pitch.  Atkins told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and other reporters that Moreno will “most likely” miss several weeks, and surgery hasn’t been ruled out.  Moreno has a whopping .373/.441/.651 slash line and eight homers in 145 PA at Double-A New Hampshire this season, and Baseball America ranks the catcher 32nd on their top-100 prospect list.  While this injury certainly hampers Moreno’s trade value, his development had seemingly made him more of a cornerstone piece for the Jays than a potential trade chip as Toronto approaches the deadline.  Any of Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk, Reese McGuire, or Riley Adams could be more likely than Moreno to be dealt as the Jays look for upgrades on the trade market.

Dellin Betances To Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

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Dellin Betances’ 2021 season will end after a single inning, as Mets manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including The Athletic’s Tim Britton) that Betances will undergo surgery on his bothersome right shoulder.  No specific timeline was given on how long Betances will be sidelined, or if Opening Day 2022 could be in doubt for the right-hander.

Betances has been on the injured list due to a right shoulder impingement for almost the entire season, since tossing his lone inning of work back on April 7.  The reliever had seemingly been making good progress in his recovery while on a minor league rehab assignment, but Betances will now see his third consecutive season ruined by injury.

Since the start of the 2019 campaign, Betances has pitched just 13 1/3 total innings due to a variety of injuries.  Another shoulder impingement and then a partially-torn Achilles tendon limited him to only two-thirds of an inning with the Yankees in 2019, and while the delayed 2020 season allowed Betances to recover from his Achilles injury, lat tightness at the end of August ended up cutting short that season after 11 2/3 frames.

Despite the injury cloud hanging over him following the 2019 season, Betances still landed $10.5MM in guaranteed money from the Mets in free agency, with player options for the 2021 and 2022 campaigns.  After enacting the first of those player options for 2021, Betances locked in another $3MM, so he has thus far earned $13.5MM for his 12 2/3 innings in a Mets uniform.  Since he obviously won’t meet his innings threshold, Betances’ player option for 2022 is only $1MM, but Betances will probably exercise the option anyway, just to ensure some guaranteed money after another lost season.

It wasn’t long ago that Betances was one of the most feared relievers in baseball, with a 2.22 ERA and 40.3% strikeout rate over 373 1/3 innings with the Yankees from 2014-18.  That stretch saw Betances make the AL All-Star Game four times, quite an achievement for a non-closer relief pitcher.  This dominance made the Mets’ free agent investment seem like a pretty decent bet on the team’s part, though the Mets have unfortunately received next to nothing from Betances.  The question now is whether or not Betances can simply get back to any level of health necessary to resume his career as he enters his age-34 season.

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