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Rangers Place Shin-Soo Choo On Injured List, Activate Rougned Odor

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The Rangers placed outfielder Shin-Soo Choo on the 10-day injured list due to a right hand sprain, the team announced.  Choo’s placement is retroactive to Setpember 8.  Rougned Odor will take Choo’s spot on the active roster, as the second baseman has recovered from an eye infection and been activated from his own 10-day IL stint.

With the Rangers at 14-27 and well out of contention, it seems eminently possible that we’ve seen the last of Choo this season. This injury could also spell the end of Choo’s Rangers tenure, as he’s due to reach free agency in the winter.

Choo, now 38, signed a seven-year, $130MM contract with the Rangers before the 2014 season. He was coming off strong offensive runs with the Indians and Reds at the time, and has continued as an above-average batter with the Rangers. The switch-hitting Choo has only produced 8.7 fWAR in Texas, though, largely owing to an inability to contribute much value on defense. And 2020 has been Choo’s worst season as the plate as a Ranger, as he has hit a measly .229/.318/.395 in 126 PA. Regardless of whether Choo plays again this year, he’ll have to decide in the offseason if he’s going to call it a career or seek another deal.

Indians Select Kyle Nelson’s Contract, Option Adam Cimber

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2:36PM: Jefry Rodriguez has been placed on the 45-day injured list with a right shoulder strain, which opens a 40-man spot for Nelson.  Rodriguez was on Cleveland’s 60-man player pool but his season will end without any big league action.  The 27-year-old Rodriguez posted a 5.20 ERA over 98 2/3 innings for the Nationals and Indians in 2018-19.

2:10PM: The Indians have selected the contract of left-hander Kyle Nelson from their alternate training site, the club announced.  Right-hander Adam Cimber was optioned to the alternate training site in a corresponding move, and another move will need to be made to create space for Nelson on the 40-man roster.

A 15th-round pick for Cleveland in the 2017 draft, the 24-year-old Nelson is on track to make his MLB debut after posting some very impressive numbers in the Tribe’s farm system.  Nelson has a 2.07 ERA, 5.68 K/BB rate, and 13.0 K/9 over 122 career minor league innings, working as a reliever for 95 of his 96 games.  Known for his outstanding slider, Nelson will add some left-handed depth to a Cleveland bullpen that has only two southpaws in its ranks — closer Brad Hand and veteran Oliver Perez.

Cimber pitched on both Monday and Tuesday, allowing three runs over a combined two-thirds of an inning of work.  His demotion could simply to be to give him a bit of a breather and to allow the Tribe to get a fresher arm into the mix, as Cimber had been pitching quite well prior to those last two outings.  The righty had a 1.80 ERA over his first 10 innings of the 2020 season, albeit with only five strikeouts, which represents a concerning lack of missed bats even though Cimber is a grounder specialist.

Giants Sign Justin Smoak

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1:35PM: The Giants have announced the signing, noting that Smoak signed a minor league deal and has been added to the 60-man player pool.

1:01PM: The Giants have agreed to sign free agent first baseman Justin Smoak, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link).  Smoak was released by the Brewers yesterday.

Smoak came to Milwaukee on a one-year contract worth $5MM in guaranteed money ($4MM in salary, and $1MM on a buyout of a $5.5MM club option for 2021).  Over 126 plate appearances this season, Smoak simply never got on track, hitting .186/.262/.381 with five home runs and eventually becoming an expendable piece.  The Brewers will eat the remainder of the salary owed to Smoak this season, minus the prorated minimum salary that will be paid by the Giants for however much time Smoak sees in the big leagues over the final two-plus weeks.

The 22-21 Giants are currently in possession of a wild card berth, in part due to major contributions from such unheralded acquisitions as Mike Yastrzemski, Donovan Solano, and Alex Dickerson.  2020 numbers aside, Smoak has more of a proven track record, and was an All-Star as recently as the 2017 season.  His numbers have been on the decline since that breakout year, though his pedestrian 2019 statistics were underlined by some very impressive Statcast numbers that have generally not carried over to this season.

A change of scenery could perhaps be what Smoak needs to spark his bat, and on paper, a revived Smoak would help the Giants replace the production they expected from Hunter Pence — another veteran who had a tough 2020 season and was recently released.  Smoak could occasionally spell Brandon Belt at first base and also see some time at DH.  Since Mauricio Dubon has now essentially become San Francisco’s full-time center fielder, it creates a bit more room for Smoak to join Pablo Sandoval as the team’s primary backup infielders, with Belt, Solano, Brandon Crawford, and Evan Longoria starting around the diamond and Wilmer Flores also seeing a good chunk of time at first base, second base, and DH.

Nationals Place Howie Kendrick On 10-Day Injured List

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The Nationals have placed veteran utilityman Howie Kendrick on the 10-day injured list due to a left hamstring strain.  The placement is retroactive to September 6.

Given both the calendar and the difficult nature of hamstring injuries, there is certainly a chance that Kendrick could be out of action for the remainder of the 2020 season.  With the Nationals at 16-25, the team could also explore shutting Kendrick down if and when a postseason berth becomes an impossibility.  Washington’s .390 winning percentage sits 13th out of 15 National League teams.

Kendrick missed two weeks of Summer Camp due to a coronavirus quarantine, so between that missed time and a hamstring problem that The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli notes has bothered him for much of the season, it isn’t surprising that Kendrick has delivered below-average production (.275/.320/.385) over an even 100 plate appearances.  This is well below the .294/.337/.431 career slash line he carried into 2020, but there is some misfortune baked into Kendrick’s performance this season, as his .358 xwOBA is considerably higher than his .293 wOBA.

With the DH spot open to the National League this season, Kendrick has mostly filled that role for the Nats, only appearing in the field (at first base) for six of his 25 games.  Juan Soto was the designated hitter in last night’s lineup, and since the young slugger is still recovering from an elbow problem, Soto could see the bulk of DH action until he is ready to resume his usual outfield duties.

Since being traded by the Phillies to the Nationals in July 2017, Kendrick has been a very valuable part-timer for Washington, particularly during a big 2019 that saw him star in both the regular season and in the postseason.  Kendrick signed a one-year deal for the 2020 season that carries a $6.5MM mutual option for 2021 (with a $2.25MM buyout), so it remains to be seen if his struggles this year could lead the Nats to part ways with the 37-year-old.

Latest Mets Ownership News

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Billionaire Steve Cohen has been in exclusive negotiations to buy the Mets for two weeks now, and those talks may be nearing the endpoint.  According to Charles Gasparino of FOX Business Network, Cohen is “finalizing” the details on his purchase of the team.  Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported yesterday that “the complication of language, mainly for tax reasons” was the primary reason for “the slowness” in fully completing a sale agreement.

Though there don’t appear to be any obstacles standing in the way of Cohen becoming the Mets’ next owner, we have already seen his earlier attempt to buy the team fall apart back in February, so no assumptions should be made until a deal is officially announced.  Until that time, the competing ownership group led by Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez (who were known to be less than pleased with the bidding process), haven’t yet abandoned hope that they could still end up as the Mets’ next owners.  “It ain’t over until it is over….We feel we have the best bid for the sport, the team and the city,” Lopez told Sherman.

Lopez and Rodriguez shared some details about the vision for the team, including a player payroll in the $225MM range and the guarantee of a $100MM donation to various New York City charities if the Mets didn’t win a World Series within a decade of their taking ownership of the club.  Lopez also revealed the intriguing news that she would act as the Mets’ control person (i.e. the member of the ownership group who officially represents a team in the eyes of Major League Baseball), rather than Rodriguez.  Past documentation filed by the ownership group indicated that A-Rod would be the Mets’ control person, though given the amount of baggage and controversy attached to his name, having Lopez as the official owner of record would perhaps make their bid more palatable in the league’s eyes.

As Sherman puts it, “the Rodriguez/Lopez group is staying alive as, at minimum, a just-in-case alternative should current Mets ownership need to pivot” and is “trying to deliver a message to [Mets ownership], fans and major league owners that — eleventh hour or not — they believe they would be the superior caretakers of the franchise.”  Whether this public appeal will have any impact is anyone’s guess, as the only potential hurdle for Cohen’s bid would be if he doesn’t receive the necessary 23 votes of approval from the league’s other owners.  As Gasparino notes, however, league executives “say every indication is that Cohen gets approved.”

Braves Reinstate Ozzie Albies From 10-Day IL, Option Johan Camargo

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Ozzie Albies is back on the Braves’ active roster, as the second baseman was activated from the 10-day injured list after missing over a month due to a bone contusion in his right wrist.  In the corresponding move, infielder Johan Camargo was optioned to the Braves’ alternate training site.

Albies played in only 11 games and was hitting .159/.196/.273 in 46 PA before being sidelined, though the Braves are hoping that a fully recovered Albies will now look more like his past All-Star form.  Albies’ return should only enhance the Braves’ already-strong offense, and considering how Atlanta’s rotation has been ravaged by injuries, the Braves may need to slug their way through the pennant race until they can get some of their top hurlers back.

Camargo and Adeiny Hechavarria handled much of the second base duty while Albies was out, and Camargo will now head to the alternate site while the veteran Hechavarria remains as Atlanta’s lone current utility infield choice.  The hitting struggles that plagued Camargo in 2019 have carried over to this season, as he has batted just .200/.244/.367 with four home runs in 127 plate appearances.

Tigers Promote Daz Cameron

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The Tigers have promoted outfielder Daz Cameron to the major leagues, the team announced.  Cameron will take the open roster spot left by Christin Stewart, who was optioned to the Tigers’ alternate training site last night.

Chosen by the Astros as the 37th overall pick of the 2015 draft, Cameron was traded to Detroit as part of the Justin Verlander blockbuster in August 2017.  Cameron has hit .247/.338/.396 with 37 homers and 109 steals (in 156 chances) over 1971 career minor league plate appearances, with a significant amount of swing-and-miss (509 strikeouts) contributing to this offensive inconsistency.  At Triple-A, Cameron has hit only .214/.321/.370 over 590 PA.

These offensive struggles have led to a drop in Cameron’s prospect value, after he gained top-100 notice from pundits prior to the 2016 season.  MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, however, notes that Cameron’s “speed and line-drive approach make him a strong candidate to take advantage of Comerica Park’s deep outfield gaps.”

Cameron could also be a plus on the defensive side in that big Detroit outfield, as he has mostly played center field in the minors and displayed some quality glovework.  If Cameron is able to step into center field on at least a part-time basis, the hot-hitting Victor Reyes could be moved back to corner outfield duty, perhaps sliding into the left field spot mostly filled by Stewart this season.  Reyes took over center field after JaCoby Jones was lost for the season due to a fractured hand.

Stewart was drafted just three picks ahead of Cameron in 2015, and though Stewart put up some big numbers in the minors, the 26-year-old has yet to truly display that hitting prowess against MLB pitching.  After batting just .233/.305/.388 in 416 PA with the Tigers in 2019, Stewart’s numbers sunk even further this season, with a .171/.233/.317 slash line over 91 PA.

Pirates Place Anthony Alford On 45-Day Injured List

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TODAY: Alford underwent elbow surgery yesterday, the Pirates announced, and the outfielder “is projected to participate in full baseball activities in spring training 2021.”

SEPTEMBER 6: Alford’s season is indeed over, as the Pirates announced they have placed him on the 45-day injured list. Outfielder Jason Martin is up from the alternate training site to replace him on the active roster.

SEPTEMBER 5: Pirates outfielder Anthony Alford fractured his right elbow during tonight’s game, the team announced.  Alford suffered the injury during the third inning after crashing into the wall in pursuit of a Tucker Barnhart home run ball.

While the severity of the injury has yet to be revealed, it certainly would seem that Alford’s 2020 season has come to an end.  The 26-year-old only recently joined the Pirates after being claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays, with Saturday’s contest with the Reds marking Alford’s fifth game in the black and gold.  The early returns from the change of scenery were promising, as Alford had three hits (including a home run) and a walk over his first 13 plate appearances as a Pirate.

The elbow fracture is the latest in a series of injuries that have hampered Alford’s career and kept him from establishing himself as a Major League regular.  A highly-regarded prospect while in the Jays’ farm system, Alford hit a modest .265/.358/.393 over 2098 career plate appearances in the minors, then a .454 OPS over 75 PA for Toronto at the big league level from 2017-20.  The Blue Jays designated Alford for assignment in August, and Pittsburgh made the claim to give Alford a look as the Bucs continue to build for the future.

Health Updates: Heyward, Semien, Giants, Verlander

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Jason Heyward was removed from tonight’s game prior to the fifth inning due to illness, and Cubs manager David Ross told The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney (Twitter links) and other reporters that Heyward was sent to hospital for precautionary reasons.  “He’s not a guy that you ever have concerns about, so when he says he is having trouble breathing and (feeling) light-headed, I just want to make sure everything’s all right,” Ross said.

It seems probable that Heyward will miss at least a game or two due to this situation even if everything checks out with doctors, though obviously the chief concern is that Heyward is healthy and well.  The 31-year-old Heyward is enjoying by far the best of his five seasons in Chicago, entering tonight’s play with a superb .306/.421/.551 slash line and five home runs over 121 PA.

Some more items from around baseball…

  • A rib/side injury has kept Marcus Semien out of action since August 29, though the Athletics shortstop could take batting practice on the field tomorrow, manager Bob Melvin told MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos and other reporters.  That could be a precursor for an impending return for Semien, who can return whenever he is ready since he wasn’t placed on the injured list — the A’s had a team-wide break in the schedule due to a positive COVID-19 test.  Semien is still looking to get on track this season, hitting only .229/.285/.379 over his first 151 plate appearances.
  • Giants hurlers Jeff Samardzija and Drew Smyly each threw around 50 pitches in simulated game action on Saturday, manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle).  Smyly has been out of action since August 2 due to strained left index finger, while Samardzija hit the 10-day IL on August 8 with a shoulder impingement.  It isn’t yet clear when either pitcher could return, or in what roles they could be deployed in upon their returns.  Kapler’s mention of relief work as a possible route for Samardzija is notable, given that “The Shark” has worked exclusively as a starter since the start of the 2012 season.
  • Justin Verlander has begun throwing off a mound, Astros GM James Click said today during a pregame interview with Astros Radio (hat tip to The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan).  A forearm strain has kept Verlander sidelined for all but one start of the 2020 season, though his latest rehab update provides some hope that Verlander could potentially still return at some point in the regular season or postseason.

Ryan Buchter Elects Free Agency

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Left-hander Ryan Buchter has opted to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment to the Angels’ alternate training site, the team announced.  Buchter was designated for assignment earlier this week and then outrighted off the 40-man roster once he cleared waivers.

Buchter inked a minor league deal with the Halos in February and pitched in 10 games for the club this season, posting a 4.50 ERA and eight strikeouts over six innings pitched.  Uncharacteristically for the 33-year-old, control was an issue, as Buchter issued six walks over his six frames of work.

Over 214 career innings with the Braves, Padres, Royals, and A’s from 2014-19, Buchter has quietly posted some strong numbers, with a 2.86 ERA, 9.9 K/9, and 2.45 K/BB rate.  Home runs (1.1 HR/9) have been an issue, and ERA predictors have been less impressed by Buchter’s output — prior to the 2020 season, Buchter had a career 4.01 FIP, 4.74 xFIP, and 4.01 SIERA.

Given Buchter’s past track record and a history of good performance against both left-handed and right-handed batters, it is understandable why he’d bet on landing another contract with a big league team, rather than biding his time at the Angels’ alternate training site.

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