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Phillies Notes: Merrifield, Eickhoff, Int’l Scouting

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Here’s the latest from the City Of Brotherly Love…

  • The Phillies have interest in Royals utilityman Whit Merrifield, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reports.  Merrifield has mostly played second base in K.C. this season, though he has also seen time at first base, center field, and right field, plus he’s seen time in left field and third base in past seasons.  As Morosi notes, this makes him an ideal fit on a Phillies team that values multi-position players.  The Royals have already begun trading veterans prior to the deadline, though Merrifield would command a noteworthy price tag since he’s under team control through the 2022 season.
  • Jerad Eickhoff experienced more numbness in his fingers during a throwing session, NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury reports (Twitter link), and is undergo more tests to try and determine the problem.  Eickhoff’s last set of examinations “ruled out a lot of bad stuff” in the words of Phillies GM Matt Klentak, though it obviously isn’t a good sign that Eickhoff’s problems are continuing after another month.  Eickhoff has yet to pitch this season, initially beginning the DL due to a lat strain before his rehab was shut down by the numbness issues.
  • The Phillies have put a lot of focus on expanding their international scouting operations, including going beyond the usual set of countries to find players, The Athletic’s Meghan Montemurro writes (subscription required).  The piece includes a look at some of the international names in Philadelphia’s farm system, including Russian left-hander Anton Kuznetsov, New Zealander right-hander Kyle Glogoski, and Australian lefty Josh Tols.

Injury Notes: Bryant, Correa, Dyson, Joyce, Feliz

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Here’s the latest on some injury situations from around the league…

  • Kris Bryant worked out with the Cubs today and appears to be close to a rehab assignment, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat writes.  The third baseman felt some soreness in his left shoulder a few days ago, which delayed his hopes of returning to the lineup this weekend.  Bryant shouldn’t need too much time to get back to game readiness, so Chicago seems likely to activate him sometime this week.
  • Carlos Correa tells MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart (Twitter link) that he is hopeful of getting back to action before the All-Star break, though Correa has yet to begin any baseball activities.  The Astros star’s 10-day DL placement due to lower back soreness was backdated to June 26, so is eligible to return at any point.  Manager A.J. Hinch said that the team was going to be cautious with the young star, so it could be that Correa is held out through the break to make sure he is completely recovered.
  • The Diamondbacks are worried that the injury that placed Jarrod Dyson on the DL earlier this week is similar to the core injury that prematurely ended his 2017 season, The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan tweets.  Dyson previously underwent surgery for that core injury in mid-September 2017.  It isn’t clear how long another procedure would keep Dyson sidelined, though the seriousness of Dyson’s current issue has also yet to be determined.   The outfielder has delivered outstanding defense and baserunning this year, making him a useful asset for Arizona despite a severe lack (.189/.282/.257 in 237 PA) of production at the plate.
  • The Athletics announced that outfielder Matt Joyce has hit the 10-day DL due to a lumbar strain, with a placement retroactive to July 5.  Outfielder Nick Martini is up from Triple-A to take Joyce’s roster spot.  This is the second time in almost exactly a month that Martini has replaced Joyce due to the veteran’s ongoing lumbar issues.  It’s safe to say that the back problems have contributed to Joyce’s down numbers, as he is hitting just .203/.311/.359 with seven homers through 226 PA this season.
  • The Pirates reinstated right-hander Michael Feliz from the 10-day DL and also selected the contract of righty Alex McRae from Triple-A Indianapolis, as per a team press release.  Righty Dovydas Neverauskas and southpaw Josh Smoker were demoted to Triple-A in corresponding moves.  Feliz missed about two weeks due to right shoulder inflammation and will try to turn around a season that has seen him post a 5.51 ERA over his first 32 2/3 innings for the Bucs.  McRae, a 10th-round pick for the Pirates in the 2014 draft, will get his first taste of Major League action after posting a 4.61 ERA, 8.6 K/9, and 2.05 K/BB rate over 84 innings for Indianapolis this season.

AL East Notes: Orioles, Yankees, Royals, Loaisiga, Hicks, Morales

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It’s an open question as to what the Orioles’ front office will look like beyond 2018, though ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick writes that it seems both executive VP Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter will both stay in their jobs for the remainder of the season.  Beyond that, “any and all options are on the table,” including the surprising possibility that Duquette and Showalter could both be retained.  Even with John and Louis Angelos (the sons of owner Peter Angelos) taking a larger role in team business, there remains a perception around the league that the family will still have a strong voice in baseball operations.  “As long as the Angelos name is attached to it, you know you’re going to have to run the team not the way you want to run it but the way someone else thinks it should be run,” one personnel executive tells Crasnick.  This could mean, if Duquette is replaced, that the O’s could lean towards an experienced general manager who has been out of baseball for a while and thus has less leverage to demand more authority, or perhaps the team could hire an executive who has experience in Baltimore and knows how the organization operates.  Crasnick suggests that candidates like farm director Brian Graham or Phillies assistant GM Ned Rice could fit the latter description.  The whole piece is well worth a full read for a look at how the Orioles operate, and what changes could be coming on and off the field in the coming weeks and months.

Some more from around the AL East…

  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman “wouldn’t comment” to media (including the New York Post’s George A. King III) on a recent report from MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi about the Yankees’ interest in Mike Moustakas as a possible first base option.  King did note that the Royals recently had scouts watching not just the Yankees, but also New York’s Double-A and Triple-A teams as well, so Kansas City seems to be checking out both Major League and minor league players in the organization.  In terms of what the return could be on a potential Moustakas trade, King doubts that the Yankees would part with current first baseman Greg Bird for just two-plus months of Moustakas’ services.
  • An MRI revealed inflammation in Jonathan Loaisiga’s throwing shoulder, as reported by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch and others.  The Yankees right-hander will meet with doctors in New York on Monday to further access the problem.  Loaisiga made his Major League debut earlier this season and pitched well in four starts, posting a 3.00 ERA with 10.5 K/9 and a 2.63 K/BB rate over 18 innings.  That performance did much to elevate his value, particularly with the Yankees short on rotation depth options.  Loaisiga had been sent down to the minors last week but was expected to be recalled for a start on Monday when the Yankees had a double-header against the Orioles,
  • Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks was taking some grounders at second base prior to Friday’s game, George A. King III of the New York Post writes.  It isn’t very likely that Hicks will actually see time at the keystone with Gleyber Torres on the DL, as New York already has Neil Walker, Brandon Drury, and Tyler Wade (all of whom were also participating in the fielding drills) on hand to play the position.  It could be that the Yankees were simply exploring all options, perhaps with a very long view towards maximum roster flexibility during a playoff series, or something of that nature.  Hicks also did some warmups as a first baseman last season, underscoring his athleticism and versatility.
  • Kendrys Morales had a measly .499 OPS in his first 109 plate appearances this season, but has since posted an .899 OPS over his last 129 PA.  While a swing tweak or perhaps simple reversion to the mean could be behind the turnaround, Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith writes that Morales’ hot streak coincides with his decision to stop wearing glasses at the plate.  Morales had produced strong hard-hit ball numbers all season long, though he is now putting the ball in the air with far more regularity since losing the frames.  It isn’t likely that Morales has revived his value enough to become a legitimate trade chip for the Blue Jays, as he is limited to a DH role and is still owed roughly $17MM through the 2019 season, though it is a bit of a relief for Toronto given that Morales looked like a release candidate through the first six weeks.

John Ricco On Mets’ Deadline, Future Plans

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The Mets figure to be one of the busiest sellers in the league in the leadup to (and possibly after) the trade deadline, though assistant general manager John Ricco doesn’t believe his team is embarking on a long-term rebuilding effort.  “I don’t think we’re looking at a two- or three-year thing,” Ricco told reporters (including Newsday’s Laura Albanese, the New York Post’s Mike Puma, and The Athletic’s Tim Britton) yesterday, noting that the presence of Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard atop the Mets’ rotation allows them to “be competitive really quickly” with the addition of a few more pieces.

There is certainly some room for debate over Ricco’s stance, as the Mets currently have the fewest wins of any NL team and have so many question marks around the roster that a quick turn-around for 2019 may be far-fetched.  Puma’s piece makes the argument that the Mets erred last season in assuming that the team could contend again if it avoided injuries, and thus more a more extensive retooling is necessary at this year’s deadline to ensure that 2019 isn’t another lost season.

Beyond just taking inquiries about pending free agents, however, Ricco did say that “you’ve got to be open to maybe moving some guys that are not necessarily just your expiring assets.”  In any trade, be it moving free agents or more controllable players, Ricco said the Mets would be looking for players that would be ready to contribute at the Major League level as soon as next season.

It was just a little over a week ago that Ricco said the team would be open to listening for trade offers for deGrom and Syndergaard, at least in the name of due diligence as the Mets try to get the team back on track.  In his latest comments, Ricco reiterated that “We’re not out there actively looking to move Jacob or Noah by any stretch,” and that it would take an “overwhelming deal” for either pitcher to be dealt.

That being said, Ricco didn’t close the door on dealing another arm, noting that “Generally, starting pitching is tough to come by, so we know we have a pretty valuable commodity in that regard.”  There has been speculation that the Mets are using deGrom and/or Syndergaard as opening salvos in trade talks to aim negotiations towards a deal of Zack Wheeler or Steven Matz.  Britton’s piece, available to Athletic subscribers, examines the trade value of the four starting pitchers and argues that trading Matz “may represent the best value move” for the Mets at this time.

Giants Activate Jeff Samardzija

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The Giants announced a collection of roster moves today, including the news that right-hander Jeff Samardzija has been activated from the 10-day DL to start today’s game against the Cardinals.  Infielder Chase d’Arnaud will also join the 25-man roster after his contract was purchased from Triple-A.  In corresponding moves, second baseman Joe Panik was officially placed on the 10-day DL with a left groin strain, righty Chris Stratton was sent down to Triple-A, and Hunter Strickland was moved from the 10-day to the 60-day DL.

[Updated Giants depth chart at Roster Resource]

Samardzija suffered some right shoulder tightness during a start on May 29 and ended up missing over a month of action while recovering.  The time off could serve as a virtual reset on Samardzija’s season, as he had a 6.56 ERA and almost as many walks (23) as strikeouts (26) in eight starts and 35 2/3 IP prior to his injury.  Injuries have plagued San Francisco’s rotation for much of the year, though the Giants finally have their projected top three of Madison Bumgarner, Johnny Cueto, and Samardzija all active at the same time.  The rotation could go from a problem area to a strength for the Giants in the pennant race, particularly since Andrew Suarez and Dereck Rodriguez have both pitched well in fill-in duty.  Indeed, it was Stratton rather than Rodriguez who was sent down to Triple-A to make room for Samardzija’s return.

d’Arnaud signed a minor league deal back in January and now get his first taste of big league action in 2018.  He’ll take Alen Hanson’s spot as the utilityman while Hanson gets more regular duty filling in for Panik at second base.  Versatility has been the watchword for d’Arnaud over his six MLB seasons, as the 31-year-old has played at least one game at every position except pitcher and catcher.

Twins Release Chris Carter

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The Twins’ Triple-A affiliate in Rochester has released first baseman Chris Carter, according to Nate Rowan of the Rochester Red Wings PR department (Twitter link).  The move was made to accommodate outfielder Jon Kemmer, who acquired by the Twins yesterday in a minor league deal with the Astros.

Carter was picked up in a trade with the Angels in late May, as the Twins were looking to add to their first base depth while Joe Mauer was on the disabled list.  Through 144 PA for Rochester, Carter showed a little of his former pop but not much else at the plate, hitting only .187/.299/.423 with seven homers and 43 strikeouts.

Those types of all-or-nothing results defined Carter’s eight seasons in the Major Leagues, as the slugger collected 158 homers and 951 whiffs over 2853 career PA with the A’s, Astros, Brewers, and Yankees from 2010-17.  Carter never really generated the type of on-base numbers (career .312 OBP) to become even a three-true outcomes type of player, though he was still a solidly above-average offensive producer for much of his career, posting an 116 OPS+ from 2012-16.

Carter is still less than two full seasons removed from a National League-leading 41 homers for the Brewers, though his increasing arbitration cost led Milwaukee to surprisingly not tender him a contract.  He signed with the Yankees prior to the 2017 season but struggled over 208 PA, and Carter hasn’t since returned to the majors.  Carter’s track record will likely led to a minor league deal with another organization, though it’s fair to wonder if he’ll ever again get an extended chance at the big league level given his one-dimensional game.

Yankees Designate David Hale For Assignment, Promote Clint Frazier

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The Yankees have designated right-hander David Hale for assignment, as per a team press release.  Clint Frazier has been called up from Triple-A to take Hale’s spot on the 25-man roster.

This is the third time in less than three months that New York has DFA’ed Hale, and the Yankees in fact made this exact same transaction (designating Hale to call up Frazier) back in May.  The previous two designations led to Hale leaving the organization, once to briefly join the Twins on a waiver claim, and the other leading to Hale quickly re-signing a new minor league deal to rejoin the Yankees.

Hale has a 4.61 ERA, 1.6 K/BB rate, and 5.3 K/9 over 13 2/3 combined innings for the Twins and Yankees this season.  He tossed 5 2/3 relief innings last night in New York’s 6-2 loss to the Blue Jays, so he likely wouldn’t have been available for another outing for the next day or two.  The Yankees had also been deploying a nine-man bullpen, so they had need for an extra position player off the bench.

Frazier has a .908 OPS over 24 plate appearances this season, as he hasn’t much opportunity to crack the big league roster thanks to a concussion suffered during Spring Training and the simple fact that the Yankees are already deep in outfield options.  The top prospect has a scorching .312/.391/.577 slash line over 215 Triple-A plate appearances this season and would likely already be getting regular big-league playing time for most teams.  For New York, however, Frazier could potentially be a trade chip as the club looks to make additions at the deadline.

Draft Notes: Orioles, Mariners, D’Backs, Signing Pools

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The signing period for 2018 draft picks came to an end yesterday, as teams had until 4pm CST to agree to contracts with players selected in last month’s amateur draft.  Here are some leftover items on players who did and didn’t end up inking deals.  Scouting reports and pre-draft rankings can be found courtesy of MLB.com, Fangraphs, Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law (the latter two available to subscribers only)…

  • The Orioles signed third-rounder Blaine Knight for a $1.1MM bonus, MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski reported yesterday.  The bonus is nearly twice the $663.2K value assigned to the 87th overall pick, so Knight will receive a nice payday to begin his pro career.  Knight, a right-hander, was a big factor in Arkansas’ recent run to the College World Series, and his drop to the third round represents something of a bargain for the O’s — the pre-draft rankings had Knight no lower than 58th (from Fangraphs), with Baseball America rating him as the 36th-best prospect in this year’s class.
  • The Mariners also struck a late deal with a third-round pick, signing Florida State catcher Cal Raleigh to a deal with a $854K bonus, as per MLB.com’s Jim Callis (hat tip to MLB.com’s Greg Johns).  Seattle used its remaining pool space to land Raleigh on an above-slot deal, as the 90th overall selection carried a $632.7K slot price.  Baseball America was highest on Raleigh, ranking him as the 78th-best prospect and noting that a strong junior season helped him regain some draft stock after a mediocre sophomore year.
  • The Diamondbacks didn’t reach an agreement with 25th overall pick Matt McLain prior to yesterday’s deadline, with GM Mike Hazen sharing some general details about the situation to reporters (including the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro).  Though the D’Backs offered the full slot price of $2,636,400, McLain went into the draft with a set price tag that he would need to forego his commitment to UCLA, it became clear that he was serious about going to college.  “Those things change sometimes.  In fact, they change a lot in a lot of cases,” Hazen said.  “The family changes their mind sometimes.  I think as you go through the summer, if school is becoming less of a reality, or you don’t want to go to school, then that number can drop sometimes.  We’ve had situations where it goes up in the other direction….Everything that was presented to us from Scott [McLain’s advisor Scott Boras] to the family was 100 percent accurate.  I really think that school became the driving factor in the decision.”
  • McLain was one of three first-rounders who didn’t sign, the highest total since the 2010 draft, as MLB.com’s Jim Callis noted as part of a roundup of stats from this year’s draft class.  Only four first-round picks in total had failed to sign in the previous six drafts, or since the league instituted the new bonus pool system for the draft.  Overall, 310 of the 314 players taken in the first 10 rounds eventually signed with their teams.  Callis also lists what each team spent on their picks; for comparison, here is the listing of what every team had available to spend in their original draft bonus pool.

Red Sox Interested In Fernando Rodney

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Twins closer Fernando Rodney is one of several relievers the Red Sox are considering as trade targets, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (Twitter link).  Rodney is a known commodity to Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski, Crasnick notes, from their time together when Dombrowski was the Tigers’ general manager.

With the Twins out of contention and reportedly open to becoming deadline sellers, Rodney stands out as one of the most obvious trade chips on Minnesota’s roster.  The 16-year veteran has posted a 2.97 ERA, 10.1 K/9, and a 3.09 K/BB rate over 30 1/3 IP, earning 18 saves along the way.  ERA predictors like FIP (3.44), xFIP (3.77) and SIERA (3.34) are a bit less impressed by Rodney’s performance, and he is posting his lowest grounder rate (43.4%) in the last ten seasons, though his overall numbers are still quite sound, particularly for a pitcher who celebrated his 41st birthday back in March.

Rodney isn’t exactly known for clean innings in high-pressure situations over his long career in the game, though with Craig Kimbrel locked into the closer’s role in Boston, the Sox would use Rodney as a setup option.  Though Boston’s bullpen ranks within the top ten in most statistical categories, the team has still been looking to bolster its relief corps before the deadline, with the likes of Raisel Iglesias, Zach Britton, and several late-inning Marlins arms all linked to the Red Sox in trade rumors.  The Sox also had interest in Kelvin Herrera before he was dealt to Washington.

Rodney would likely require a smaller price tag than any of these names, given his age and the fact that his contract is only guaranteed through this season; he is controllable through 2019 via a $4.25MM club option (with a $250K buyout).  Rodney is only owed roughly $2.05MM for the remainder of the season, which could make him particularly attractive to a Red Sox team that is trying to stay under the maximum luxury tax threshold of $237MM.

Astros Promote Kyle Tucker

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The Astros have called up top prospect Kyle Tucker, The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan reports (Twitter link).  Jake Marisnick will be sent down to Triple-A in the corresponding move, as per MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart (via Twitter).

Tucker, 21, has been considered one of the game’s better prospects since he was selected fifth overall in the 2015 draft.  Preseason prospect rankings (15th on Baseball America’s list, MLB.com 17th, Baseball Prospectus 20th, ESPN’s Keith Law 21st) tabbed him as being on the verge of Major League readiness, though he hadn’t played in Triple-A prior to this season.  Tucker didn’t miss a beat playing at the top minor league level, batting .306/.371/.520 with 14 home runs over 371 plate appearances for the Fresno Grizzlies, strong statistics even in a hitter-friendly league like the PCL.

This marks Tucker’s second straight year of solid power numbers, as he made slight adjustments to his approach in order to generate more pop, albeit while striking out more often (he has 70 whiffs this season).  Still, he makes overall very strong contact, and his hand-eye coordination has been widely cited as excellent, which helps him deliver such good results at the plate despite a somewhat unusual swing.

Beyond the bat, Tucker has also stolen 85 bases in 113 chances over his minor league career, including 14 swipes this year.  Tucker has seen significant time at all three outfield positions, though evaluators believe he is best suited for a corner spot — MLB.com’s scouting report touts Tucker’s “solid arm strength” as a good fit for eventually becoming a right fielder.

This defensive versatility gives the Astros another valuable piece to work with in their pursuit of another World Series title.  George Springer is the only true everyday outfielder in the Houston lineup, playing either center field or right field, with Josh Reddick, Marwin Gonzalez, Tony Kemp and (before today) Marisnick all getting action in the other two positions based on matchups.  Gonzalez has recently been deploying his superutility skills at shortstop with Carlos Correa on the DL, and thus the Astros may have felt the time was right to add a stronger bat like Tucker into their outfield mix.  Tucker, Reddick, and Kemp are all left-handed hitters, though Kemp has hit well from both sides of the plate this year, so Houston doesn’t necessarily have an unbalanced outfield picture.  The ’Stros also have two more young outfield options in J.D. Davis and Derek Fisher at Triple-A for further depth.

It’s worth noting that Tucker has been a frequent subject of trade rumors over the last couple of years, with teams like the White Sox, Pirates, and Marlins all showing interest in the outfield prospect.  In regards to the Miami talks, it was reported that Houston was at least open to moving Tucker if it meant getting J.T. Realmuto back in return, though nothing ever came of those negotiations.  There hasn’t been any trade buzz on Tucker in recent months, however, not that Tucker was ever really considered an expendable piece for anything less than a top-tier asset like Realmuto.  It certainly appears as through the Astros consider Tucker to be yet another homegrown building block that can help the big league roster both now and in the future.

Marisnick’s 2017 season was something of an outlier, as he produced above-average numbers at the plate (117 wRC+ in 259 PA) while underachieving defensively.  The rest of his career has been the exact opposite, as Marisnick has generally been an outstanding defender while not generating much offense at the plate.  This season, for instance, Marisnick has a .190/.235/.359 slash line over 163 PA, while posting a +12.1 UZR/150 and +8 Defensive Runs Saved in 410 2/3 innings as a center fielder.

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