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MLBTR Originals

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Here’s the roundup of original content from MLB Trade Rumors over the last two weeks…

  • In two outstandingly detailed pieces, MLBTR contributor Chuck Wasserstrom explores how the Rockies and Marlins constructed their initial rosters in the 1992 expansion draft, interviewing several executives, managers, scouts, and players from both franchises.  Part one and part two are here, and the third and final entry of Chuck’s series on the ’92 expansion draft will be coming later this week.
  • Also from Chuck, he continues his Inside The Draft Room series with a look back at the Yankees’ 2006 draft and an interview with former Yankees scouting director Damon Oppenheimer.  This was a pitching-rich draft for New York, as the Yankees selected several very notable arms (including Dellin Betances, Mark Melancon, and David Robertson) who are still producing in the big leagues almost 11 years later.
  • If Zack Cozart can keep up anything close to his tremendous start at the plate, the Reds shortstop will be in line for a big free agent payday this offseason, MLBTR’s Jeff Todd writes as part of a Free Agent Stock Watch piece.
  • MLBTR’s Steve Adams looked at how players with vesting options in their contracts were progressing towards another guaranteed year (or more contractual freedom) in 2018.  Of this group, the Nationals’ Gio Gonzalez clearly seems the most likely to get his option to vest, though the southpaw will have to stay healthy and keep eating innings to reach the magic 180 IP threshold.

Yunel Escobar To Miss 2-4 Weeks Due To Hamstring Strain

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The Angels will place third baseman Yunel Escobar on the 10-day DL with a left hamstring strain, as per a team announcement.  Escobar is expected to miss between 2-4 weeks of action with the Grade 1 strain, which is the least-serious type of such hamstring injuries.

Escobar has delivered a solid .272/.324/.411 slash line over 170 plate appearances for the Halos, buoyed by a strong first week of the season and a red-hot May.  The veteran already has five homers this season, tying his total from all of last season.  Escobar’s early power surge is reflected in his .139 Isolated Slugging mark, which would be the highest of his 11-year career (his previous single-season high of .136 came in 2009, when he hit a career-best 14 home runs for the Braves).

The loss of such a productive bat is a significant blow to the Angels, who already rank in the bottom-third of most major offensive categories.  Mike Trout is having another incredible season and Luis Valbuena has hit well since returning from the DL, though the Halos have gotten little from regulars like Albert Pujols, Kole Calhoun, Cameron Maybin and Danny Espinosa.  Despite this lack of offense and an injury-ravaged rotation, however, the Angels are staying afloat with a 19-21 record, good enough to keep pace in the tightly-packed American League.

A corresponding move will be made once Los Angeles officially puts Escobar on the DL, though it seems like the Angels will simply keep Jefry Marte on the active roster, according to Pedro Moura of the L.A. Times.  Marte had just been optioned to Triple-A earlier today, though if he’s sticking around in Anaheim, he and backup infielder Cliff Pennington are the logical candidates to handle third base while Escobar is sidelined.

Ross Detwiler Opts Out Of A’s Contract, Hits Free Agency

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The A’s have released Ross Detwiler after the left-hander enacted a opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the club, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Twitter link).

Detwiler originally came to Oakland last July after a trade from the Indians, and the southpaw posted a 6.14 ERA, 4.7 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 over 44 innings (seven starts in nine outings) in the green-and-gold.  Detwiler signed a minors contract with the A’s over the winter but opted out of that deal at the end of Spring Training, only to sign a new deal with the club the next week.

Pitching exclusively as a reliever at Triple-A, Detwiler had a 7.50 ERA through 12 innings, though Slusser notes that the lefty had pitched better as of late, with just a 1.17 ERA in May.  Still, it seems as if a call-up to the A’s roster wasn’t in the card, so Detwiler will now look for an opportunity elsewhere.

Best known for a productive stint as a swingman with the Nationals from 2009-14, Detwiler has struggled over the last two seasons, posting a 6.73 ERA over 107 IP with the A’s, Indians, Rangers and Braves.  Never a big strikeout pitcher (only a 5.5 career K/9), Detwiler has had increased troubles allowing walks and homers for the last two years, reducing his margin of error to zero.

Athletics Release Andrew Lambo

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The A’s have released outfielder/first baseman Andrew Lambo, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link).  Lambo had been on the DL at Triple-A Nashville with a wrist injury, but had been recently cleared to play.

Lambo was limited to just 56 minor league games and one MLB game in 2016 after undergoing surgery to treat testicular cancer.  The 28-year-old happily made a full recovery from that procedure and signed a new minor league deal with Oakland last October.

Originally a fourth-round pick for the Dodgers in the 2007 draft, Lambo has hit .189/.230/.295 over an even 100 career plate appearances in the majors, appearing in 60 games with the Pirates and A’s since 2013.  He got off to a slow start in Triple-A this season (undoubtedly the wrist injury was a factor) but overall, Lambo has a .276/.342/.456 slash line in 3340 PA over his minor league career.

Quick Hits: Ozuna, K-Rod, JD Martinez, Darvish

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New ownership would obviously lead to many changes for the Marlins, though it’s too early to speculate on what a possible sale of the team would mean for Marcell Ozuna’s long-term future in Miami, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro writes as part of a reader mailbag.  It seemed as if Ozuna had fallen out of favor with Jeffrey Loria two years ago, though Ozuna wasn’t dealt in the 2015-16 offseason after much speculation.  Ozuna delivered a solid season in 2016 and is off to a great start this year, hitting .319/.380/.595 with nine homers in his first 129 PA.  Since Ozuna isn’t eligible for free agency until after the 2019 campaign, his future isn’t a pressing concern for whomever ends up running the Marlins, though an extension could be unlikely regardless since Ozuna is represented by Scott Boras.  At the very least, the outfielder is lining himself up for a massive raise in his second year of arbitration eligibility after agreeing to a $3.5MM salary for 2017.

Here’s some more from around the big leagues…

  • After two blown saves in as many days for Francisco Rodriguez, Tigers manager Brad Ausmus told reporters (including MLB.com’s Alex Espinoza) that the team is “going to have to have a discussion” about the closer role.  Rodriguez has blown four saves in 11 opportunities this season, and his ERA ballooned to 8.49 after today’s ugly performance.  K-Rod has seen a marked increase in hard contact this season (36.8%, as opposed to 29.2% last year) and he has lost a mile off his fastball from last season, now averaging 88.2mph on his heater.  With that being said, there may also be some bad luck involved in Rodriguez’s poor start, such as a .405 BABIP, 29.3% grounder rate and 21.1% fly ball rate that all seem destined to eventually normalize.  Set-up man Justin Wilson is off a very good start and could seem like the logical candidate to take over as closer if Rodriguez is indeed demoted.  Be sure to check out @CloserNews (MLBTR’s affiliate Twitter feed) for all the latest updates on ninth-inning situations from around the majors.
  • In other Tigers news, Ausmus told Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press and other media that J.D. Martinez could make his season debut next weekend.  The slugging outfielder has been on the DL since suffering a Lisfranc sprain in Spring Training, and the Tigers announced today that Martinez will take the next step his minor league rehab process by moving from Class-A to Triple-A on Monday.
  • The Rangers dropped to 13-19 after today’s loss to the Mariners, and if Texas can’t turn things around, Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron opines that Yu Darvish could be a major trade chip at the deadline.  Darvish is only under contract through this season, though as Cameron notes, other rental starters dealt in recent years have still merited big returns, so the Rangers could look for something like the package the Tigers obtained from the Blue Jays for David Price in 2015.  The Yankees and Cubs are best-equipped to afford this outlay of young talent (though it remains to be seen if Chicago will make another big deadline splash), with other teams like the Rockies, Astros and Red Sox also possible fits as trade partners.

AL East Notes: Rays, Biagini, Yankees

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Some items from around the AL East…

  • When selling and acquiring notable players in trades over the years, the Rays have done well in acquiring low-level minor leaguers in these deals and developing them into valuable pieces, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.  Impressive young players and prospects like Daniel Robertson, Jake Bauers, Willy Adames, Lucius Fox, and Patrick Leonard weren’t the headline pieces in recent trades but they’re all big parts of the Rays’ future (and Robertson part of the present, hitting well in a utility role for Tampa this season).  “There is less certainty with them, and their potential impact is further away,” president of baseball operations Matt Silverman said.  “But if we do our homework well and they continue to develop, these players can be a big part of our long-term success. It’s where our patience and our long-term focus can really benefit us.”
  • Joe Biagini pitched well in his first MLB start today, moving from the Blue Jays bullpen to the rotation to throw four innings of two-hit ball with only one unearned run allowed in Toronto’s 2-1 win over the Rays.  The performance will earn Biagini another start, Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith writes, as the Jays continue to look for rotation help with J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez still on the DL.  Sanchez could be ready to return on Sunday, Nicholson-Smith writes, and Mike Bolsinger could be in line for a spot start sometime this week.
  • Do the Yankees have a better bullpen now than they did last year with Andrew Miller in the fold?  George A. King III of the New York Post observes that with Adam Warren, Jonathan Holder and Tyler Clippard all pitching well, the Yankees have more depth in the pen to better bridge leads to Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman.  The only “weak link” is Tommy Layne, King writes, who has a 9.45 ERA through his first 10 appearances (6 2/3 IP) of the season.  If Layne continues to struggle, I would think the Yankees would target left-handed relief help at the deadline, since Chasen Shreve is the only other situational lefty available.

NL Central Notes: Cubs, Guerra, Reds

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Here’s the latest from around the NL Central…

  • While the Cubs’ trade deadline moves may not reach the blockbuster level of last year’s Aroldis Chapman trade, the team has the resources to make upgrades if necessary, CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney writes.  The Cubs’ hot start and their clear need at the back of the bullpen led to the aggressive Chapman move, GM Jed Hoyer said, though it’s still a bit early to say what the most pressing need is for this year’s team.  “You can’t get in a cycle where you’re always doing something for rentals,” Hoyer said.  “But at the same time, every season is sacred and you only have (so many chances).  There are going to be years where things don’t come together, you have injuries, another team runs away with it.  That’s going to happen.  So when you know you’re in a good position, (go for it).”
  • Junior Guerra and the Brewers hope the right-hander can return by the end of May, manager Craig Counsell told MLB.com’s George Van Benko and other reports.  Guerra threw two innings of a simulated game against Class-A hitters on Saturday and is scheduled for a live batting practice on Wednesday in Milwaukee.  Guerra strained his right calf on Opening Day, with initial estimates putting him out of action for at least six weeks, according to Counsell.
  • The Reds’ rebuild is examined by Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, who writes that as part of the process, Cincinnati has spent heavily to upgrade its scouting, analytics, sports science and medical departments.  The Reds, who are the only team to never have a Japanese player on their roster, have also invested in a Pacific Rim scouting department.

Marlins To Sign Mike Aviles To Minors Contract

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The Marlins have agreed to sign veteran infielder Mike Aviles to a minor league deal, Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports.  The deal will become official once Aviles passes a physical, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald tweets.

Aviles hit .210/.258/.269 over 181 PA for the Tigers last season and was traded to the Braves as part of the deal that brought Erick Aybar to Detroit last August.  Aviles was released just a few days later without ever playing a game for Atlanta, and he hasn’t caught on with a big league organization since, though he did play for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic.  Healey reports that Aviles is working out at the Marlins’ extended Spring Training camp (undoubtedly to get back into full playing shape after missing out on regular spring work) and will see some action there before heading to Triple-A.

The Marlins’ infield situation received a pair of blows on Sunday with the news that Martin Prado is likely headed back to the DL with another hamstring injury, while Miguel Rojas may also require a 10-day DL stint due to an injured thumb.  Aviles isn’t expected to step into the big league roster, however, but rather to provide depth at Triple-A in place of J.T. Riddle, who is likely to be called up as Prado’s replacement.

Aviles has seen extensive action at shortstop, second and third base over his 11-year career, not to mention even some starts at all three outfield positions.  This versatility and a well-regarded clubhouse presence has helped Aviles sustain a memorable career, despite a lack of production (a career .262/.295/.378 slash line in 3137 PA) at the plate.

Tigers Release James Loney

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The Tigers have released first baseman James Loney, as announced by the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Toledo (hat tip to John Wagner of the Toledo Blade).  The move was made to create a roster spot for JaCoby Jones, who was assigned to Triple-A after his Tigers DL stint ended.

The news makes for an unfortunate birthday present for Loney, who turns 33 years old today.  The veteran signed a minor league deal with Detroit on April 12 after being released from another minors deal with the Rangers near the end of Spring Training.  Heading into today’s action, Loney had hit .200/.351/.222 over 57 plate appearances for Toledo.

After spending his first 10 seasons with the Dodgers and Rays, Loney has bounced around with four different organizations (Padres, Mets, Rangers, Tigers) since being released by Tampa Bay in April 2016.  He did score quite a bit of playing time for New York last season, hitting .265/.307/.397 over 366 PA as a replacement for the injured Lucas Duda.

Given Loney’s experience and left-handed bat, he seems like a good bet to catch on with another team as minor league depth.  He owns a career .295/.349/.431 slash line against right-handed pitching, and while his once outstanding first base defense has declined in recent years (as per UZR/150 and Defensive Runs Saved), Loney can still provide at least average glovework.

Detroit, of course, has no pressing need at first base on the MLB level with Miguel Cabrera locking down the position.  Alex Avila, Andrew Romine and Jim Adduci can play the position as backups, and youngster John Hicks (since demoted to Triple-A) hit quite well filling in for Cabrera during a recent DL stint.

Twins Designate Michael Tonkin For Assignment

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The Twins designated right-hander Michael Tonkin for assignment, Phil Miller of the Star Tribune reports (Twitter link).  A corresponding move will be made before the Twins’ game with the Red Sox on Sunday.

Tonkin has a 6.52 ERA, 11.2 K/9 and 6.5 BB/9 over 9 2/3 relief innings for Minnesota this season.  While the lack of control is a new problem for Tonkin, he continued to struggle at keeping the ball in the park.  Over the last three seasons, Tonkin has posted an ungainly 1.7 HR/9, or 20 homers allowed in just 104 2/3 innings of work.  The 6’7″ righty is able to miss bats with a fastball that averages 93.9mph, though his increased strikeout totals over the last two seasons have come at the cost of the home run ball and (especially this year) more walks.

Originally a 30th-round pick for the Twins in the 2008, Tonkin has spent his entire career in Minnesota’s organization, with a 4.47 ERA over 135 IP in the bigs and a 3.04 ERA over 444 2/3 IP in the minors.

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