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AL West Notes: Alvarez, Santos, Scherzer, Gamel
Yordan Alvarez left today’s 9-8 Astros loss to the Angels due to a right knee contusion, and manager Joe Espada said after the game (to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome and other reporters) that the slugger is “pretty sore” and will undergo testing. While sliding into second base during a third-inning double, Alvarez banged his knee on the ground and had to be replaced by pinch-runner Mauricio Dubon.
Knee problems have bothered Alvarez for much of his career, and he had arthroscopic surgeries on both of his knees back in 2020. The Astros have primarily used Alvarez as a DH in a nod to these knee issues, and while there isn’t yet any indication that today’s injury is anything more than a bruise, it certainly isn’t a good sign to see one of Houston’s top hitters suddenly facing a health concern just a week away from the playoffs. Alvarez is enjoying another tremendous season, with a 35 homers and a .305/.309/.564 slash line in a career-high 636 plate appearances entering today’s action.
More from around the AL West…
- Gregory Santos could be activated off the Mariners’ 15-day injured list within the next couple of days, the Seattle Times’ Adam Jude reports (via X). Between a season-opening lat strain and then a bout of biceps inflammation that has kept him sidelined since July 31, Santos has appeared in only six games for Seattle this year, delivering a 6.75 ERA in 5 1/3 innings of work. Santos has also tossed 5 1/3 innings during his six Triple-A rehab outings, with a 1.69 ERA but also with more walks (seven) than strikeouts (six). Acquired from the White Sox in a notable February trade, Santos hasn’t done much in his first season with the Mariners, but there’s a chance for some late heroics if he can return in time to help the M’s sneak into a playoff berth.
- Speaking of injury-plagued seasons, Max Scherzer’s 2024 campaign officially ended when a hamstring strain sent him to the Rangers’ 15-day injured list yesterday. Limited to a career-low 43 1/3 innings in 2024, Scherzer has already stated that he wants to return for an 18th big league season, and he told MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry (X link) and other reporters today that he is open to returning to Texas. Jacob deGrom, Jon Gray, Tyler Mahle, Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker, Dane Dunning, and Cody Bradford are all lined up as rotation locks or candidates for the Rangers next season, so on paper, there might not be room for a reunion with Scherzer even on a one-year deal. That said, there’s also enough uncertainty within that projected depth chart that Texas might want still seek out more arms, and a pitcher with Scherzer’s track record still has plenty of upside even at age 40.
- Ben Gamel was placed on the 10-day injured list earlier this week due to a fractured fibula, and in his weekly appearance on the Astros’ pregame radio show, GM Dana Brown confirmed that Gamel will “most likely” not be available for the postseason. Between Gamel’s injury, Chas McCormick’s fractured hand, and the new uncertainty about Alvarez’s status, Houston’s outfield is suddenly facing depth issues as the playoffs approach.
Kodai Senga Shut Down For Remainder Of Regular Season
Kodai Senga’s injury-plagued regular season has been officially ended by another setback, as the right-hander came away from a Triple-A rehab start Saturday with tightness in his right triceps. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters (including MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo) that Senga won’t be able to return before the end of the season, but since the injury isn’t considered overly serious, he might still be a candidate for a playoff roster should the Mets reach the playoffs.
This is the second triceps-related issue Senga has faced this year, as another triceps problem delayed his recovery from the capsule strain that sidelined the righty during Spring Training. After overcoming those injuries and finally getting ready to make his season debut on July 26, Senga tossed 5 1/3 innings in his first start before suffering a left calf strain that led to another trip to the 60-day injured list. Saturday’s outing was slated to be Senga’s only rehab start, as the Mets’ plan was to potentially have him return to the big league roster during New York’s season-ending series with the Brewers, with Senga working as either as an opener or as a reliever.
With that plan now scrapped, it seems entirely possible that we’ve seen the last of Senga for the 2024 campaign. The Mets could still miss the postseason and make Senga’s status a moot point, or Senga might simply not be healthy enough to pitch unless the club makes a fairly deep run into October. There is also the question of just how effective Senga might be after his long layoff, and whether or not the Mets want to risk putting a rusty pitcher into a critical postseason game.
Given how remarkable Senga was in his 2023 rookie season, it is a little remarkable that New York is in position to claim a wild card even while getting virtually nothing from the pitcher they viewed as their ace heading into Spring Training. Senga signed a five-year, $75MM free agent deal with the Mets during the 2022-23 offseason, and immediately lived up to the hype created by his high-profile move from Nippon Professional Baseball to the majors. Senga posted a 2.98 ERA over 166 1/3 innings in 2023, finished seventh in NL Cy Young Award voting, and was a runner-up in the NL Rookie of the Year voting.
Yankees Notes: Cousins, Trivino, LeMahieu
The Yankees placed right-hander Jake Cousins on the 15-day injured list today, and called up righty Clayton Beeter from Triple-A to fill Cousins’ spot in the bullpen. Cousins’ placement is retroactive to September 20, which is the day after Cousins last pitched, and was pulled after facing two batters due to what was eventually diagnosed as a right pec strain.
The IL trip ends Cousins’ regular season, but potentially not his 2024 campaign as a whole, depending on his recovery and how far the Yankees might advance in the playoffs. As per MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (X link), Cousins will visit with doctors tomorrow in New York and he could potentially start throwing within a week’s time. Since the Yankees are on the verge of clinching the AL East and earning a first-round bye, that gives Cousins some extra time to heal up and get back to game fitness, provided that his strain isn’t too serious.
This is Cousins’ second IL stint of the season but his first on the Major League injured list, as he missed over two months of action when playing with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barres earlier this year. The Yankees recalled Cousins back to the Show shortly after he returned from the Triple-A IL, and the results have been largely tremendous.
Cousins has a 2.37 ERA and a 34.2% strikeout rate over 38 relief innings for New York. While a .208 BABIP has helped paper over a subpar 12.9% walk rate, Cousins’ ability to miss bats and limit hard contact has made him a very useful member of the Yankees relief corps.
It has essentially been a return to the form Cousins showed with the Brewers in 2021-22, before a UCL injury and shoulder problems cut short his 2022 season and perhaps contributed to a 2023 season that saw him toss only 9 1/3 MLB innings. After going to the Astros on a waiver claim last summer and then to the White Sox on a minor league deal during the offseason, Cousins was traded from Chicago to New York just after Opening Day, sparking Cousins’ career revival.
While Cousins had a successful return from an injury-plagued stretch of his career, the same unfortunately can’t be said of Lou Trivino, whose 2024 season now looks to be over. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told Hoch (X link) and other reporters that Trivino is dealing with “shoulder stuff” and has been shut down. Trivino will finish his season with 11 minor league innings pitched, in the form of five innings in as many appearances with Double-A Somerset and then six innings in six appearances at the Triple-A level.
Trivino hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2022, as he missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May 2023. Some elbow inflammation delayed the start of his minor league rehab assignment until this past August, and now this shoulder issue has ended any chance Trivino had of getting any sort of MLB action under his belt before the regular season was over.
The Yankees chose to non-tender Trivino last November, but then re-signed him to a guaranteed Major League contract worth $1.5MM in 2024 with a $5MM club option for 2025. That option seems like a lock to be declined, though it is possible New York again re-signs Trivino at a lower price tag.
In other injury news out of the Bronx, Boone told reporters yesterday that DJ LeMahieu has started to hit off a tee as he continues his recovery from a hip impingement. LeMahieu isn’t expected to return before the regular season is over, but he could potentially be a roster option for the postseason depending on his health or New York’s roster needs. LeMahieu has been out since the start of September with his hip injury and also missed the first two months of the season with a foot issue — in between, the veteran infielder struggled to a .204/.269/.259 slash line over 228 plate appearances.
Red Sox Place Rafael Devers On 10-Day Injured List
September 22: Cora confirmed to reporters (including McCaffrey) this morning that Devers will not require surgery, as the infielder’s MRI revealed only inflammation in his shoulders.
September 21, 2:12PM: The Red Sox made it official, shutting down Devers by placing him on the 10-day injured list due to left shoulder inflammation. Infielder/catcher Mickey Gasper was called up from Triple-A to take Devers’ spot on the active roster.
8:13AM: Rafael Devers will undergo an MRI on his bothersome right shoulder today, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey) after yesterday’s 4-2 loss to the Twins in extra innings. Devers was removed from the game prior to the start of the 11th, and Cora said that the slugger had been trying to tough it out Friday despite tweaking his shoulder during pregame batting practice.
While Cora said “we’ll see where we’re at” following the MRI, “probably, this is it for [Devers]” this season. With just eight games remaining and the Red Sox all but officially eliminated from the playoff race, the club is likely to play it safe with the star third baseman.
Devers has been dealing with discomfort in both shoulders for a good chunk of the season, and it is fair to wonder if his determination to keep playing has contributed to his severe slump. The third baseman had an outstanding .296/.375/.587 slash line through his first 488 plate appearances, but has only a .172/.265/.212 slash line over his last 113 trips to the dish. Among all qualified batters since August 19, Devers’ 34 wRC+ is the third-worst in the league.
The Red Sox as a whole have a team wRC+ of 74 since August 19, ahead of only the lowly White Sox in that timespan. Boston had a 67-60 record as recently as August 22, but a 9-18 record over the club’s last 27 games has sunk the Fenway nine’s chances of a return to the postseason. Even though Devers’ slump dovetails pretty directly with Boston’s offensive slide, he is far from the only Red Sox hitter who hit a cold streak at exactly the wrong time.
Assuming this is indeed it for Devers’ 2024 season, he’ll still finish with a typically strong set of numbers — 28 homers and a .272/.354/.516 slash over 601 PA, with a 133 wRC+ and his third All-Star nod. Though a veteran of eight MLB seasons, Devers still doesn’t turn 28 until the end of October, and 2024 marked the first season of the ten-year, $313.5MM contract extension he signed with the Red Sox during the 2022-23 offseason. Since Devers is such a key component of Boston’s present and future plans, it’s a wise move to figure out as early as possible if Devers’ shoulder might require any kind of surgery heading into 2025.
Nationals Option CJ Abrams To Triple-A
In a surprising move, the Nationals optioned shortstop CJ Abrams to Triple-A Rochester, the Athletic’s Britt Ghiroli reports (via X). Infielder Trey Lipscomb is being called up in the corresponding move, as per The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden (X link).
Nationals manager Davey Martinez told reporters (including Golden and MASNsports.com’s Dan Kolko) that Abrams was optioned not for his play on the field, but rather “an internal issue” matter that Martinez didn’t discuss in further detail. Abrams will report not to Rochester for the last two games of the Triple-A season but will instead go to the Nats’ spring camp in Florida to work out. Martinez confirmed that Abrams wouldn’t appear in the majors again in 2024, but remains a big piece of the organization’s present and future.
It was just over two months ago that Abrams was representing the Nationals in the All-Star Game, as the 23-year-old was named to the NL squad as a reward for his outstanding first half. Abrams hit .268/.343/.489 with 15 home runs in 398 plate appearances prior to the All-Star break, and looked all the world like a breakout player in his age-23 season. As the sixth overall pick of the 2019 draft and the centerpiece of the trade package Washington received from the Padres in the Juan Soto trade, Abrams has long been seen as a future star, and the early returns of his 2024 season looked like a big step forward from his respectable performance in 2023, his first full MLB campaign.
Since the Midsummer Classic, however, Abrams’ production has tailed off. The shortstop has hit only .203/.260/.326 in 204 PA during the second half, and gone yard only five times. Abrams’ strikeout rate has risen from 20.1% in the first half to 23.53% in the second half, and his line drive rate plummeted from 23.6% to 7.8%. This decline in hard contact indicates that Abrams’ .243 BABIP since the All-Star break is more than just bad batted-ball luck, and his .307 BABIP in the first half wasn’t too far above league average anyways.
This extended slump notwithstanding, it is clear that Abrams wouldn’t have been sent down if it wasn’t for this off-the-field issue. Whatever the circumstances, the club deemed the situation serious enough to send this public message to Abrams as something of a wake-up call or a punishment. There is bound to be some speculation that the Nats might now look to trade Abrams, yet Martinez’s comments about Abrams’ importance to Washington’s future seemed designed to end such speculation before it even got off the ground. Going forward, Martinez feels Abrams “will be better” in the aftermath of the option.
Missing the last nine days of the 2024 season shouldn’t have any impact on Abrams’ Super Two eligibility. As a reminder, “Super Two” players have less than three years of MLB service time, but sit in the top 22 percent of service time of all players between two and three years, and as such are awarded an extra year of arbitration eligibility. Abrams entered the 2024 campaign with one year and 130 days of service time, and thus a full season on Washington’s active roster would’ve put him at the 2.130 mark — almost surely qualifying him for Super Two status based on the cutoff points over the last 15 years.
However, a player only needs to be on an active roster or the Major League injured list for 172 days of the 187-day season to qualify as having received one full year of official service time. As such, since Abrams has already been with the Nationals beyond the 172-day threshold, he has achieved one full year of service time for 2024 and remains on track to be a Super Two player.
Mets Notes: Lindor, Senga
2:09PM: Mendoza spoke with SNY and other media today about Lindor’s condition, saying that he feels “better” but the “most likely scenario” is that Lindor won’t play until Tuesday at the earliest.
9:25AM: Francisco Lindor’s bad back has kept him out of the Mets’ lineup for each of the team’s last five games, but the star shortstop is showing some positive signs of recovery. Lindor told reporters (including MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo) that he received a facet joint injection on Thursday, which was meant to help quell or at least reduce the back discomfort that Lindor had been trying to play through for most of September prior to this recent shutdown period.
“I’m trying to do whatever it takes to come back as soon as I can,” Lindor said. “Without [the injection]…it didn’t feel like I could get back sooner rather than later. With the injection, they said there was a possibility that can happen. I believe in the trainers. I trust them, what the input is. And we went and got it done.”
The initial results of the injection are encouraging, as Lindor said he was able to bend over to tie his shoes without feeling any pain on Friday. He was also able to take part in some limited baseball activities such as a batting practice, and a wider range of workouts are slated for today. It isn’t entirely out of the question that Lindor could even play in today’s game with the Phillies (probably as a designated hitter in order to limit any extra strain on his back), but both Lindor and the Mets are naturally trying to be cautious in trying to prevent any greater injury.
Missing Lindor at this crucial time of the season has added even more drama to the Mets’ bid for a playoff berth, though New York has managed a 4-1 record in the MVP candidate’s absence. The 85-69 Mets hold a two-game lead over the Braves for the last wild card spot, while also remaining not far behind the Diamondbacks (86-68) and Padres (88-66) for a higher wild card position. The Mets’ fate might hinge on a critical three-game set in Atlanta beginning on Tuesday, and the club would obviously love to have Lindor available for that de facto playoff series.
Another late-season reinforcement could also emerge for the Mets in time for their last series of the regular season, and then potentially into the playoffs. Kodai Senga will make a rehab start for Triple-A Syracuse today, and is set to throw a maximum of 35 pitches over one or two innings of work. As both manager Carlos Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters (including the New York Post’s Mike Puma), should Senga emerge in good shape from that rehab outing, he could work as an opener at some point during the Mets’ series with the Brewers that begins on Friday.
“These situations are always fluid,” Stearns noted, and Mendoza said that Senga could potentially work in more of a traditional relief role than in working as an opener. Working out of the bullpen might better position Senga for inclusion on a postseason roster because (on paper) the Mets wouldn’t have need for an opener in a playoff game, though it is also fair to wonder if New York would even feel comfortable having Senga on a playoff roster considering that he has barely pitched all season.
A capsule strain and a triceps injury delayed Senga’s 2024 debut until July 26, and in the right-hander’s very first game back, Senga suffered a severe left calf strain that immediately sent him back to the 60-day injured list. September 25 is the earliest date that Senga can be activated, and pitching today for Syracuse should line him up for a potential trip to a big league mound on Friday in Milwaukee.
Senga was one of the stories of the 2023 season, as his first year in Major League Baseball resulted in a seventh-place finish in NL Cy Young Award voting and a runner-up spot in the NL Rookie of the Year race. Expected to be the new cornerstone of the Mets’ rotation, Senga has instead been a virtual non-factor in the 2024 campaign, though is is very intriguing to consider what a bullpen version of Senga could bring to New York in its playoff chase and perhaps in October. If nothing else, getting back to action would provide some comfort for Senga heading into 2025.
Astros Place Tayler Scott On 15-Day Injured List
The Astros announced that right-hander Tayler Scott has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a thoracic spine strain. The placement is retroactive to September 18. Seth Martinez was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.
Signed to a minor league contract last winter, Scott has been an underrated gem of an acquisition for Houston’s front office. The righty has a 2.23 ERA and 25.2% strikeout rate over 68 2/3 innings, as well as an elite 3.5% barrel rate. While he has had a lot of problems avoiding the free pass (12.4% walk rate), Scott has unexpectedly emerged to make the third-most appearances of any Astros pitcher this season.
These numbers were even better before Scott ran into difficulties over his last five outings, with a 6.35 ERA amassed in those 5 2/3 innings of work. It seems quite possible that his injury contributed to this recent downturn in form, and the spinal strain has now ended his regular season. More will be known about Scott’s status later today when manager Joe Espada meets with the media, but it certainly seems possible that Scott’s readiness for the Astros’ postseason rosters could be in jeopardy.
His first career playoff appearance would be the icing on the cake for the 32-year-old Scott, who has now established himself in his fourth Major League season. Scott had only a 9.00 ERA in 46 career MLB innings prior to this year, all amassed with six different teams during the 2019, 2022, and 2023 seasons. (Scott pitched for the Hiroshima Carp of Nippon Professional Baseball in 2020-21). Despite his age, Scott doesn’t have enough MLB service time to qualify for salary arbitration until the 2025-26 offseason, and the Astros control his rights through the 2028 campaign.
AL West Notes: Verlander, Yates, Pillar
After being charged with six runs over 4 2/3 innings in yesterday’s start against the Angels, Justin Verlander now has an ugly 8.89 ERA in six starts and 27 1/3 frames since his return from the injured list. The veteran missed close to two and a half months due to an unspecified neck issue, but Verlander told reporters (including the Houston Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara) yesterday that “I did have doctors say it’d probably take a little longer” to fully recover. “I think I came back from the neck injury a little fast. Obviously, I know the schedule, I know the calendar. I want to be an asset for this team. And to do that, I needed to be able to pitch and find out where I’m at. Obviously, the results have not been good. But there’s nothing you can do besides trying to pitch.”
Verlander described the process of trying to get fully right in the aftermath of this injury as the most difficult of his career, “because sometimes it’s just one thing that makes it click.” With just one regular-season start left before the playoffs, Verlander acknowledged that he might not be part of the Astros’ postseason rotation. While “it’s not my decision” to make, Verlander noted that “I was away for two months and all these guys were pitching fantastic. Seen a bunch of guys really come into their own.”
More from around the AL West…
- Kirby Yates will be 38 on Opening Day 2025, and the veteran reliever told Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News that “I’ve got two more years that I could probably pitch at an effective level.” Whether or not this translates to a two-year deal remains to be seen this winter, but Yates has certainly helped his case with a very impressive season as the Rangers’ closer. A return to Texas would be welcomed, as Yates said “I hope those talks happen. I’ve enjoyed it here, I think it’s a great fit, my family’s liked it here, it’s an easy transition for me. If it works out, it works out. If it doesn’t, I’ll always be thankful for the Rangers organization, Rangers fans and everybody that’s treated me the way they have.” Staying with Texas would check off a couple of important boxes on Yates’ offseason wish list, as he noted that he’d ideally like to pitch near his home and family in Arizona, as well as relatively close to his extended family in his native Hawaii. Yates has an 1.23 ERA and 31 saves over 58 2/3 innings for the Rangers this season, more than delivering on the one-year, $4.5MM contract he signed last offseason.
- The Angels activated Kevin Pillar from the 10-day injured list yesterday, and optioned infielder Charles Leblanc to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Pillar had been out of action since September 6 due to a left thumb sprain, and will now return for what will probably be the final games of his 12-year Major League career. Pillar marked his activation with his eighth homer of the season in Friday’s 9-7 loss to the Astros, and the veteran is hitting .242/.300/.402 over 291 combined PA with the White Sox and Angels.
Orioles Select Daniel Johnson, Option Coby Mayo
The Orioles announced that they have selected the contract of outfielder Daniel Johnson from Triple-A Norfolk. In the corresponding move, infielder Coby Mayo was optioned to Triple-A, as was reported earlier today by Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner (X link).
Johnson signed a minor league deal with the O’s during the offseason, and has delivered a solid .259/.320/.448 slash line and 21 homers over an even 500 plate appearances for Norfolk. This production almost exactly matches his career numbers (.255/.324/.446) over 1542 Triple-A PA and even his minor league career as as whole, covering eight seasons in five different organizations. Johnson’s only previous Major League experience consisted over 35 games with Cleveland over the 2020-21 seasons, and he has a .582 OPS over 94 PA in the bigs.
In adding Johnson, the Orioles add a bit of outfield depth amidst some uncertainty over Cedric Mullins’ status. Mullins collided with teammate Austin Slater during Thursday’s game and then didn’t play yesterday due to neck discomfort. Johnson has almost evenly split his time in the minors as a center fielder and right fielder, so he could step onto the O’s bench to help fill in should Mullins have to miss any more time.
Mayo has hit only .098/.196/.098 over his first 46 plate appearances in the majors, with four singles and four walks. Almost half (22) of those plate appearances have resulted in strikeouts, and Mayo has looked overmatched by MLB pitching to date. In the field, Mayo has mostly played third base to help fill the void left behind by the injured Jordan Westburg and Ramon Urias, but he has also gotten a few looks at first base since Ryan Mountcastle has also been on the IL.
One of baseball’s top prospects, Mayo has now been twice optioned back to Triple-A since his contract was initially selected to the big league roster on August 2. Baltimore initially sent Mayo down to the minors on August 15 before bringing him back on September 1 once rosters expanded from 26 to 28 players. This second visit to the Show didn’t lead to any better results for Mayo, so he’ll return to Norfolk for the tail end of the minor league campaign.
As always, 46 plate appearances is far too small a sample size to cast judgement on Mayo’s future, and countless MLB stars have struggled in their first tastes of big league action. While obviously the Orioles would’ve loved an early breakout, Mayo remains on the team’s radar for a larger role in 2025. In the interim, with Baltimore heading for the playoffs and still gunning for the AL East title, optioning an infielder in Mayo could hint that Urias or Westburg are nearing a return from the injured list.
