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Orioles Place Wade LeBlanc On 60-Day Injured List

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The Orioles have placed southpaw Wade LeBlanc on the 60-day injured list due to a stress reaction in his throwing elbow, the team announced.  Left-hander Keegan Akin has been called up from the team’s alternate training site in a corresponding move.

LeBlanc will see his season end after just 22 1/3 innings, including an outing last Sunday that saw him depart the mound due to injury before the first inning was over.  It was a tough stretch for LeBlanc in Baltimore, with an 8.06 ERA largely fueled by the six homers allowed during his 22 1/3 frames of work.  Home runs have been something of a constant issue for LeBlanc over his 12 big league seasons, though the problem has spiked over the last two years in particular, as LeBlanc has a 2.1 HR/9 over his last 143 2/3 MLB innings.

Baltimore signed LeBlanc to a minor league contract in the offseason, so he will earn the prorated portion of an $800K salary for reaching the Orioles’ active roster.  The O’s expected to LeBlanc to eat some innings and provide some veteran experience for their young pitching staff, though today’s news could quite possibly mark the end of LeBlanc’s tenure with the club.

Akin might be the most obvious candidate to fill LeBlanc’s spot in the rotation, though the Orioles have some time to make a decision since LeBlanc’s next turn isn’t until Saturday.  A second-round pick in the 2016 draft, the 25-year-old Akin has posted some solid innings in Baltimore’s farm system and he already made his MLB debut earlier this season (a three-inning relief outing on August 14).

Mets Place Nido, Gimenez On Injured List; Juan Lagares/Patrick Mazeika Selected

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The Mets have placed infielder Andres Gimenez and catcher Tomas Nido on the injured list, the club announced.  Outfielder Juan Lagares and catcher Patrick Mazeika will be replacing them on the active roster, as the Mets selected their contracts from the team’s alternate training site.  Catcher Ali Sanchez has also been added to the roster as the 29th player for today’s doubleheader with the Marlins.

No specific reason was given for Gimenez and Nido’s placement, though the lack of information would seem to imply COVID-19 concerns.  The Mets are returning to the field today after having four games postponed due to positive coronavirus tests from an unnamed player and coach.  Also of note, bench coach Hensley Meulens and third base coach Gary DiSarcina are not at Citi Field today, according to multiple reporters.

Gimenez, one of the Mets’ top prospects and a top-100 prospect in the sport, was something of a surprise addition to New York’s roster at the beginning of the season since he hadn’t played beyond the Double-A level (and hadn’t hit particularly well at that level.  Indeed, Gimenez looked a little overmatched in his first 62 big league plate appearances, hitting .254/.290/.339.  On the plus side, Gimenez did go a perfect 6-for-6 in stolen base chances and displayed some solid glovework at shortstop, second base, and third base.

Since Sanchez will seemingly just be up for today’s two games, it looks like the Mets will give Mazeika a look as Wilson Ramos’ backup while Nido is out.  Mazeika was an eighth-round pick for the Mets in the 2015 draft, and he is poised to make his MLB debut after hitting .278/.371/.424 over 1801 career minor league plate appearances.  Like Gimenez, Mazeika hasn’t played any Triple-A ball.

Lagares will return to the Mets after signing a minor league contract back in July.  A staple of the New York outfield from 2013-19, Lagares displayed excellent glovework in his prime but injuries and a lack of consistent hitting turned the team’s four-year, $23.5MM extension into something of a misfire.  After the Mets declined their club option on Lagares for the 2020 season, he inked a minor league deal with the Padres in the offseason but elected free agency in July.

White Sox Sign Yolmer Sanchez To Minors Deal

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The White Sox have signed second baseman Yolmer Sanchez to a minor league contract, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (via Twitter).  After being released by the Giants earlier this week, Sanchez returns to the only other organization he has ever known over his 12 professional seasons.

Sanchez went from part-timer to everyday player over six MLB seasons with the White Sox from 2014-19, hitting .244/.299/.357 over 2438 plate appearances but being far more well-regarded for his defense.  Sanchez spent significant time at third base and even a few games at shortstop and right field, though he is best known for the +10 Defensive Runs Saved and +6.3 UZR/150 posted over 3464 career innings at second base.  This glovework culminated in Sanchez winning a Gold Glove just last season.

With Nick Madrigal looming in the minors and Sanchez projected for a $6.2MM arbitration salary, however, Chicago opted to non-tender Sanchez last winter.  He caught on with the Giants on a minor league pact, though Donovan Solano’s emergence and San Francisco’s signing of Wilmer Flores left Sanchez without a clear path to making the big league roster.

The White Sox, however, now find themselves in need of some infield depth with Madrigal on the injured list for at least a few more days and Leury Garcia done for at least the regular season after undergoing thumb surgery.  Danny Mendick has been taking most of the everyday at-bats at second base recently, and Sanchez could potentially replace another glove-first infielder in Ryan Goins on Chicago’s active roster.

Quick Hits: Pence, Acuna, Anderson, Yankees, Andujar, Kazmir

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After being designated for assignment by the Giants earlier today, Hunter Pence’s second stint with the club has likely come to an end, and the longtime fan favorite wasn’t shocked by the news after hitting only .096/.161/.250 through 56 plate appearances.  “I think I’ve been in the game long enough to know that no matter what, what I was producing on the field, you’ve got to bring a little bit more to the table than that.  I completely understood,” Pence told Henry Schulman and John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Pence said he would “stay open” to the possibility of continuing to play should an opportunity arise, though he acknowledged that retirement might be on the horizon, describing the last “couple of years” as “the bonus rounds” of an outstanding career.  If this is indeed it for Pence, he’ll hang up his glove after 14 years of Major League ball that included four All-Star appearances, a league-wide reputation as a clubhouse leader, and a place in the hearts of all San Francisco fans for his contributions to two World Series championships.

More from around the game…

  • Tuesday could be a big day for the Braves, as their game with the Yankees could mark both the return of Ronald Acuna Jr. from the injured list and the big league debut of pitching prospect Ian Anderson.  MLB.com’s Mark Bowman was among those to report the news that Acuna took batting practice on the field tonight, a day after being cleared to take swings.  A wrist injury has sidelined Acuna since August 10, though assuming he is pain-free and feels ready to go come Tuesday, one would imagine the Braves would be eager to get the superstar oufielder back into the lineup as soon as possible.
  • As for Anderson’s status, manager Brian Snitker gave a hint to Bowman and other reporters in saying that Tuesday’s starter wouldn’t be impacted by pitching usage in Atlanta’s game tonight against Philadelphia.  Pundits rank Anderson within at least the top 45 prospects in all of baseball, with The Athletic’s Keith Law citing Anderson’s “real No. 2 starter upside” as one of the reasons for a 27th place ranking on Law’s preseason prospects list.  An early display of this potential would be a huge boost to a Braves team that has been short on consistent starting pitching year apart from Max Fried.
  • While Yankees fans consistently speculate that the team could or should trade one of their younger players for a more proven talent, George A. King III of the New York Post pours some cold water on the idea of Miguel Andujar, in particular, being dealt.  An injury-plagued 2019 season and a slow start in 2020 has seen Andujar produce only an .118/.141/.118 slash line over his last 71 MLB plate appearances, and King feels the Yankees aren’t going to move such a promising slugger when his trade value is so low.  It remains to be seen where Andujar will fit into New York’s future plans given the emergence of Gio Urshela as the everyday third baseman, but that isn’t a decision the team has to make any time soon.
  • Could a return to the majors be in the cards for Scott Kazmir?  The left-hander is scheduled to pitch Tuesday for the Sugar Land Skeeters, and ESPN’s Buster Olney writes that this outing “will probably be his last start” for the independent club.  Kazmir hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2016 or in affiliated ball since 2017, though the 12-year MLB veteran was known to be planning another comeback attempt.  It isn’t known how many Major League teams have gotten a first-hand look at Kazmir given how the pandemic has altered normal scouting procedures, but Kazmir would be something of a low-risk flier to see what he could potentially contribute (probably as a reliever) at age 36.

Minor MLB Transactions: 8/23/20

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Wrapping up some minor moves from around the game…

  • The Red Sox outrighted Christian Arroyo to their alternate training site after the infielder cleared waivers.  Arroyo was designated for assignment three days ago.  The 25th overall pick of the 2013 draft, Arroyo was a significant prospect coming up in the Giants’ farm system and a key part of the trade package sent to the Rays for Evan Longoria in December 2017.  Injuries and a lack of production have dimmed Arroyo’s star, however, as he has hit only .215/.280/.342 over 251 career PA with the Giants, Rays, and Indians.  Boston only claimed Arroyo off waivers from Cleveland 10 days ago, after he appeared in just a single game with the Tribe this season.

Blue Jays Acquire Daniel Vogelbach

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The Blue Jays have acquired first baseman Daniel Vogelbach from the Mariners in exchange for cash considerations, both teams announced.  Vogelbach was designated for assignment earlier this week following an .094/.250/.225 slash line over his first 64 plate appearances of the 2020 season.

It was a little over a year ago that Vogelbach was enjoying a selection to the All-Star Game and seemingly cementing his claim as the Mariners’ first baseman/DH of the future.  A red-hot start to the 2019 season was followed by a steep decline, however, as Vogelbach hit only .162/.297/.344 over his final 310 plate appearances.

A second-round pick for the Cubs in the 2011 draft, Vogelbach was a blocked prospect behind Anthony Rizzo in Chicago, and he was sent to the M’s as part of the July 2016 trade that brought Mike Montgomery to the Cubs.  Seattle had hopes that Vogelbach would build on his impressive minor league numbers and become a power bat at the MLB level, though that breakout just hasn’t come, as he has a .196/.326/.397 career slash line over 768 PA and has particularly struggled (career .547 OPS) against left-handed pitching.

It’s probably safe to assume that Toronto didn’t surrender much cash in the trade, making this a pretty low-risk acquisition for the Jays.  Still, Vogelbach’s addition gives the club a third player (beyond Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Rowdy Tellez) who can play only first base or DH, plus Vogelbach and Tellez are both left-handed bats.  It doesn’t make for much of an obvious fit, unless the Blue Jays simply want to have some extra depth for the bench or even down at their alternate training site.

Mike Rizzo On Nationals’ Deadline Plans

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The Nationals “are still assessing what we have and the deadline,” GM Mike Rizzo told reporters (including the Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty and MASNsports.com’s Byron Kerr) today about the club’s plans heading towards August 31.  But while the Nats may not have their shopping list quite ready, Rizzo made it clear that his club is planning to be buyers.

“We’re here to win the World Series this year, and that never changes in my mind or in [manager Dave Martinez’s] mind or the owner’s mind,” Rizzo said.  “We’re here to win, and we’re very, very competitive.  If we see a place to improve ourselves in a deal that makes sense for us, we’re never afraid to pull the trigger.”

Today’s 9-3 victory over the Marlins improved the Nationals’ record to a modest 11-14, though like virtually every team in baseball, Washington is still in the playoff race in this shortened season.  Rizzo doesn’t “think it’s anywhere near too late to make adjustments, but we have to play better,” recalling how the 2019 Nationals rebounded after a 19-31 start to the season.

“I have seen flashes of brilliance and mediocrity,” Rizzo said about this year’s Nats.  “We have got to be more consistent….You got to play clean baseball, championship caliber baseball.  We went through this last year and cleaned it up rather quickly after a slow start.  We have to do the same thing now.”

Rizzo is no stranger to memorable trade deadline swaps, perhaps most notably the acquisition of Daniel Hudson at the 2019 deadline given Hudson’s key role in Washington’s 2019 World Series title.  While the Nats’ bullpen was a glaring flaw last season, however, this year’s team doesn’t necessarily have such an obvious weak point, apart from maybe a starting rotation that Rizzo is bullish towards.

With Stephen Strasburg done for the season, Austin Voth and Erick Fedde have both played larger roles in the starting five, plus prospect Wil Crowe also recently made his Major League debut.  The veteran trio of Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin, and Anibal Sanchez have also had their ups and downs, with Sanchez in particular struggling prior to a strong outing in today’s 9-3 victory over the Nationals.

“We get calls about our starting pitching all the time and we feel very, very fortunate that we have that type of depth of young arms that can contribute at the big league level,” Rizzo said.  “Very excited about the prospects of these young kids coming up.  You look at the Voths and the Feddes, the way they performed last year in a world championship season and helped us the ship afloat and pitch extremely well in a pennant race.  You run guys out there like a Wil Crowe and Seth Romero, who have shown their stuff plays in the big leagues.  That is very positive news for us moving forward.”

If a new starter perhaps isn’t likely, acquiring more relief help would certainly seem like more of a possibility, and Dougherty also believes “a low-cost veteran bat would help.”  The likes of Adam Eaton and Eric Thames have struggled at the plate this year, and Starlin Castro will likely miss the rest of the regular season due to wrist surgery.  On the plus side, Juan Soto and Trea Turner have been tearing the cover off the ball, rookie Luis Garcia has filled in nicely for Castro at second base, and Asdrubal Cabrera has hit well to pick up the slack at the corner infield spots from Thames and Carter Kieboom.

Cubs Select Ian Miller, Sign Patrick Wisdom

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The Cubs selected the contract of outfielder Ian Miller prior to today’s game against the White Sox.  Righty James Norwood, already on the 10-day injured list since August 2 due to elbow inflammation, was transferred to the 45-day injured list to create roster space for Miller.

Miller appeared as a pinch-runner in the 2-1 Cubs victory, marking Miller’s first MLB appearance of the season and the 13th of his career.  The outfielder made his Major League debut in 2019, receiving 17 plate appearances (with a .412 OPS) over 12 games with the Twins.

Originally a 14th-round pick for the Mariners in the 2013 draft, Miller has only a .274/.340/.357 slash line over 3011 career minor league plate appearances, though is much better regarded for his speed (243 steals from 294 chances in the minors) and defense.  Miller’s ability to play all three outfield positions will aid a Cubs outfield that is lacking in depth with Kris Bryant and Steven Souza Jr. both on the injured list.

The Cubs also announced the signing of infielder Patrick Wisdom to a minor league contract, and he will report to the club’s alternate training site as the 58th current member of Chicago’s 60-man player pool.  Wisdom signed an MLB contract with the Mariners during the offseason but was released on August 14 before ever officially suiting up in a Seattle uniform.

Wisdom’s Major League resume remains at 41 games with the Cardinals and Rangers over the 2018-19 seasons, though he has posted some solid numbers (.252/.328/.478 with 82 homers) over 1674 career PA at the Triple-A level.  Wisdom, who celebrates his 29th birthday later this week, was the 52nd overall pick of the 2012 draft.

Blue Jays Place Matt Shoemaker On 10-Day IL

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The Blue Jays have placed right-hander Matt Shoemaker on the 10-day injured list due to shoulder inflammation, the club announced.  Righty Jacob Waguespack was recalled from the club’s alternate training site to take Shoemaker’s spot on the active roster.

Shoemaker has a 4.91 ERA, 3.57 K/BB, and 8.8 K/9 over 25 2/3 innings this season.  An ugly 2.8 HR/9 is responsible for much of that ERA, as Shoemaker has allowed a league-leading eight home runs.  While the performance has been a little shaky thus far, Shoemaker had at least been a somewhat reliable source of innings for a Jays team that hasn’t had much consistency from its rotation.

If the losses of Shoemaker and star prospect Nate Pearson weren’t enough for Toronto, Trent Thornton lasted only an inning in today’s 5-4 loss to the Rays due to his own case of right elbow inflammation.  This was the same injury that put Thornton on the IL earlier this month, and while there hasn’t yet been any word on his status, it seems likely that Thornton might again be sidelined so he can get fully healthy.

Hyun Jin Ryu, Tanner Roark, and Chase Anderson now stand as the only three healthy options in the Blue Jays rotation, though Anderson is being brought along slowly after he missed several weeks recovering from an oblique injury.  Waguespack and Anthony Kay are among the candidates to fill in as starters, Jays manager Charlie Montoyo told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and other reporters, though naturally moving them into starting roles will also lessen a Toronto bullpen that has seen a lot of work this season.  As Nicholson-Smith noted, the recent pitching injuries will only intensify the club’s already-stated desire to acquire more arms by the trade deadline.

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