Click here to read the transcript of tonight’s live baseball chat, moderated by MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk
Matt Chapman To Undergo MRI For Right Hip Strain
Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman left today’s game due to a right hip strain, as manager Bob Melvin later told reporters (including Shayna Rubin of the Mercury News and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). Chapman will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the problem, which apparently has been something of a recurring problem for the star third baseman. Melvin said Chapman re-aggravated the injury while fielding a grounder in the fourth inning, which led to Chad Pinder taking over third base in the following frame.
More will be known once the MRI results are in, though even a brief trip to the injured list would be a setback for both Chapman and an Oakland team that is fighting for both first place in the AL West and the top overall seed in the American League’s playoff bracket. The A’s are looking like strong bets to make the postseason, though naturally they want Chapman healthy and ready to roll for a potential World Series bid.
A lingering hip problem could explain Chapman’s recent 0-for-11 slump (with 10 strikeouts), as well as the somewhat unusual form of his numbers this season. Chapman has a .232/.276/.535 slash line and 10 homers over 142 plate appearances, hitting with more power and with harder contact than ever before, but at the cost of OBP and contact in general — Chapman’s 34.7% strikeout rate is well above the 23.9% number he owned prior to the 2020 season. Defensively, Chapman also hasn’t quite been his usual Platinum Glove self, though is still well above-average in the field with a +9.7 UZR/150 and +2 Defensive Runs Saved.
Lou Brock Passes Away
Cardinals legend Lou Brock passed away today at age 81. According to Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hall-of-Famer had been dealing with “a number of medical conditions in recent years.”
Over 19 seasons in the majors, Brock displayed nothing less than mastery of the basepaths, recording 938 stolen bases (from 1245 total chances). Brock is the National League’s all-time stolen base leader, and his 118 steals in 1974 is also the league’s single-season record. Only Rickey Henderson has more career steals in Major League history, and given how the stolen base has become a less-popular tactic in recent years, it certainly seems like Henderson and Brock will continue to reign atop the all-time steals list for decades to come.
Beyond the stolen bases, Brock was a big contributor all over the field. Brock hit .293/.343/.410 over 11240 plate appearances and his 3023 career hits rank him 28th on the all-time hit list. Brock was a six-time All-Star and won two World Series rings with the Cardinals, coming up big for St. Louis in the postseason. Over 92 career World Series plate appearances, Brock hit a whopping .391/.424/.655 with four homers (while also going 14-for-16 on stolen base attempts).
A little over 15 and a half of Brock’s MLB seasons were spent with the Cards, and his 2289 games played in a St. Louis uniform is second behind Stan Musial on the franchise’s all-time list. Ironically, Brock’s arrival in St. Louis was met with little fanfare, as he was part of a six-player trade with the Cubs in June 1964 that saw Brock and two other players join the Cardinals, while three other players (most notably accomplished starter Ernie Broglio) headed to Chicago. As Hummel noted, many Cards fans and even players weren’t pleased at the trade, yet it has now gone down as one of the more famously lopsided deals in baseball history, not to mention a major plank of the ever-heated Cardinals/Cubs rivalry.
Brock went into Cooperstown as a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer in 1985, and his post-playing endeavors included some TV commentary work and a special instructor role for the Cardinals. All of us at MLB Trade Rumors sent our condolences to Brock’s family, friends, and many fans.
Royals Make Multiple Roster Moves
The Royals announced (Twitter links) several minor moves today, including the news that infielder Humberto Arteaga has been released. Kansas City also outrighted left-hander Randy Rosario to the team’s alternate training site, while minor league righties Jonathan Bowlan and Jon Heasley have both been added to the 60-man player pool and will also report to the alternate site.
Rosario will remain in the K.C. organization after he was designated for assignment on Thursday to clear a spot for newly-acquired outfielder Edward Olivares. After coming to Kansas City on a waiver claim last September, Rosario’s first full season with the Royals has been a struggle, over the small sample size of 3 1/3 innings. Rosario has a 8.10 ERA after allowing three runs from seven hits and three walks over four appearances.
Arteaga had been part of the Royals’ 60-man player pool but never got the call up to the big league roster this season. An international signing from the Dominican Republic in 2010, Arteaga’s long stay in the Royals’ farm system finally paid off with his first MLB promotion in 2019, as he hit .197/.258/.230 in 135 plate appearances. Arteaga has mostly played shortstop during his career, but he also offers experience at second and third base to any new team who could be looking for utility infield depth.
Bowlan and Heasley are both 23 years old, and were both members of the Royals’ 2018 draft class — Bowlan was selected in the second round (58th overall) and Heasley in the 13th round. Neither pitcher has worked above the A-ball level, so it’s probably unlikely that either will be promoted to the MLB roster, though their inclusion at the alternate training site will help continue their development given the lack of any proper minor league baseball this season.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/5/20
Wrapping up some minor moves from around the game…
- The Mets outrighted Hunter Strickland to their alternate training site, the team announced. Strickland was designated for assignment earlier this week and cleared waivers, then accepted the outright assignment. This is the second time the veteran hurler has been outrighted this season. After signing a minors contract with the Mets in June, Strickland has an 8.10 ERA over 3 1/3 innings with the team.
- In another Mets move, the Amazins released right-hander Pedro Payano, as per the MLB.com transactions page. Payano made his Major League debut in 2019, posting a 5.73 ERA over 22 innings for the Rangers before signing a minor league deal with the Mets over the offseason. The New York-born Payano, however, didn’t see any big league action for his hometown team in 2020. Payano is a veteran of eight seasons in the Rangers organization, posting a 3.68 ERA, 2.46 K/BB rate, and 8.2 K/9 over 686 1/3 minor league innings (starting 125 of 142 games).
- The Yankees released righty Adonis Rosa, the team announced. Rosa had been pitching at the Yankees’ alternate training site. Signing with the Yankees as a 19-year-old in 2013, Rosa has a 3.35 ERA, 3.79 K/BB rate, and 7.8 K/9 over 515 1/3 career minor league innings, starting 74 of his 114 career games in New York’s farm system. Rosa’s MLB resume consists of a single game, a two-inning appearance on August 13, 2019.
Injury Updates: Hamels, Soler, Rays, Ramirez, Yankees
Cole Hamels will throw a live batting practice session on Sunday, as the injury-plagued southpaw might yet still have a chance to factor into the 2020 season. Braves manager Brian Snitker told MLB.com’s Mark Bowman and other reporters that “We’re just looking to get through a couple live BPs and see how he is,” perhaps wisely not setting even a speculative timeline given that Hamels battled shoulder issues during Spring Training and is currently on the 45-day injured list recovering from left triceps tendinitis. Bowman speculates that Hamels likely won’t start pitching in simulated games until next weekend at the earliest, so the left-hander might not be able to join the Braves until roughly the last 7-10 days of the regular season.
It makes Hamels into a total wild card for Atlanta’s playoff drive, though with the club looking to have a good shot at the postseason, it isn’t out of the question that Hamels could be part of a playoff roster. Having a former World Series MVP coming out of the bullpen would be quite an interesting wrinkle for Atlanta, though Hamels has only worked as a reliever twice in his 439 career games in the regular season and postseason.
Some more injury situations from around baseball…
- Jorge Soler left tonight’s game due to what the Royals described as right oblique soreness. This is the second time in four days that Soler has exited a game due to such an injury, and perhaps on a related note, Soler is hitless over his last eight plate appearances. Soler has been a few steps behind his big 2019 numbers this season, though he is still hitting a solid .237/.333/.459 with eight homers over 159 PA.
- The Rays have been plagued by pitching injuries this season, and two more hurlers ran into potential issues on Saturday. Newly-acquired southpaw Cody Reed left tonight’s game during the eighth inning with an injury to his pinkie, though manager Kevin Cash told MLB.com’s Jose Toribio (Twitter links) that the problem doesn’t appear to be serious. The news isn’t as good for left-hander Shane McClanahan, as the prospect will miss around two weeks after suffering a hyper-extended left knee during a fielding play at the Rays’ alternate training site. The 31st overall pick of the 2018 draft, McClanahan got some top-100 prospect attention from Baseball Prospectus and Baseball American prior to the season, and there was some speculation Tampa Bay might give the 23-year-old his first taste of big league action sometime in September.
- Marlins outfielder Harold Ramirez had to be carted off the field tonight after suffering what the club described as a left hamstring strain. Ramirez suffered the injury while trying to beat out a grounder during the fifth inning of Miami’s 7-3 win over Tampa Bay. Playing in just his third game of the season, Ramirez was only activated off the injured list today, as he was one of the many Marlins players sidelined after positive COVID-19 tests.
- Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided reporters (including ESPN’s Marly Rivera) with updates on injured sluggers Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge, saying that Judge will increase his baseball-activity work on Monday. Stanton, who Boone feels is “a little ahead of Judge” in terms of readiness, has already been taking part in baseball activities and is now running at 80 percent as he continues his recovery from a hamstring strain.
Twins Place Alex Avila On 10-Day Injured List
The Twins placed Alex Avila on the 10-day injured list earlier today, as the catcher is sidelined due to lower back tightness. Utilityman Willians Astudillo and outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. were called up from Minnesota’s alternate training site to replace both Avila and righty Sean Poppen, who was optioned down to the alternate site.
Avila has hit .167/.352/.262 over 54 plate appearances this season, getting a more even share of playing time than expected since regular catcher Mitch Garver has himself been on the IL since August 20. With both Garver and Avila out, the Twins’ catching corps consists of rookie Ryan Jeffers and Astudillo, who has played every position except shortstop over his three MLB seasons but has spent the majority of his time behind the plate.
Juan Graterol, Tomas Telis, and Caleb Hamilton are the other catchers at Minnesota’s alternate training site, leaving the club without much catching experience as it fights the White Sox, Indians, and even the surprising Tigers for first place in the AL Central. It isn’t yet known when Garver could return, though manager Rocco Baldelli told MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park and other media that Avila wasn’t expected to miss much or any time beyond the minimum 10 days.
Mariners Claim Casey Sadler
The Mariners claimed right-hander Casey Sadler off waivers from the Cubs, according to an M’s press release. Chicago designated Sadler for assignment earlier this week.
Sadler had an impressive (if, according to advanced metrics, deceptive) 2.14 ERA over 46 1/3 combined innings with the Rays and Dodgers in 2019, and the Cubs acquired him in an January trade hoping the righty could emulate that performance. Instead, Sadler struggled with a 5.79 ERA over 9 1/3 innings for the North Siders, walking eight batters over that limited span of action.
Appearing in parts of five MLB seasons with the Cubs, Rays, Dodgers, and Pirates, Sadler has a career 3.82 ERA, 1.83 K/BB rate, 51.5% grounder rate, and 6.6 K/9 in 75 1/3 Major League innings. Originally a 25th-round pick for Pittsburgh in the 2010 draft, Sadler’s grounder-heavy approach has led to success at the minor league level, with a 3.43 ERA over 757 1/3 career frames on the farm.
Since Sadler is out of options, the Mariners won’t be able to send him to their alternate training site without exposing him against to the DFA wire. Given how the M’s are already looking ahead to 2021, there isn’t any harm in giving Sadler some innings to see if he could factor into next season’s plans, even if the 30-year-old isn’t a long-term piece.
Cubs Designate Steven Souza
In between games of a doubleheader with the Cardinals, the Cubs have designated outfielder Steven Souza Jr. for assignment, the team announced. Right-hander Tyson Miller has been recalled and will be available for tonight’s game.
Souza went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts in the first game (a 4-2 win for St. Louis), potentially ending his Cubs tenure with a .148 batting average and .591 OPS over 31 plate appearances Souza came to Chicago on a one-year deal worth $1MM in guaranteed money during the offseason, but it has been a tough season for the outfielder, who hasn’t produced as the plate and also missed close to two weeks with a right hamstring strain.
After missing all of 2019 recovering from major knee surgery, Souza had a victory just in returning to the field this year, though he is still looking to get back to the form he displayed in his 2015-17 heyday with the Rays. Being claimed off the DFA wire would put a new team on the hook for what remains of Souza’s prorated $1MM salary, which is only around $125K at this point and potentially worth a flier for a team in need of outfield depth. Then again, if Souza clears waivers and is then released, an interested team could then sign him for only a prorated minimum salary, with the Cubs footing the rest of his guaranteed bill.
Blue Jays Select Caleb Joseph’s Contract, Move Ken Giles To 45-Day Injured List
The Blue Jays announced some roster moves prior to tonight’s game against the Red Sox, including the news that catcher Caleb Joseph’s contract had been selected from the team’s alternate training site. Joseph will replace catcher Reese McGuire, who was optioned to the alternate site. To create 40-man roster space for Joseph, closer Ken Giles has been moved from the 10-day injured list to the 45-day IL.
Joseph has been on Toronto’s taxi squad for much of the season, and he’ll now be in line to get his first in-game action of the 2020 season. Signed to a minor league deal last winter, Joseph saw regular action with the Orioles from 2014-18, hitting only .224/.271/.353 over 1317 plate appearances in Baltimore and then posting only a .513 OPS over a 41-PA stint with the Diamondbacks last season. Joseph has, however, earned a solid reputation as a defensive catcher, adept at pitch-framing and throwing out would-be base-stealers.
Though Joseph isn’t known for his hitting, it won’t take much to top McGuire’s somewhat unfathomable -45 OPS+ during the 2020 season. McGuire showed quite a bit of promise with his .882 OPS over 138 PA with the Jays in 2018-19, though this year has managed just a .073/.073/.146 slash line in 45 plate appearances. With regular starter Danny Jansen also not hitting much, clearly the Blue Jays felt a change was needed to boost their production from the catcher’s spot.
Counting today, Giles has already spent 41 days on the injured list since his initial placement for a right forearm strain, so the move to the 45-day IL isn’t a big obstacle to his impending return. Giles threw a live batting practice session today and is slated for another on Tuesday, so he could potentially be activated as soon as he hits the 45-day threshold.
