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Cubs Select Ethan Roberts, Designate Jose Cuas

By Mark Polishuk | June 16, 2024 at 5:44pm CDT

The Cubs announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Ethan Roberts from Triple-A Iowa.  In a corresponding move to create a 40-man roster spot, right-hander Jose Cuas has been designated for assignment.

Roberts signed a minor league deal with Chicago back in December, and he had an opt-out in that contract on June 15, according to The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma.  Since Sharma indicated that Roberts chose to pass on that opt-out, it could be that he already had some advance notice that the Cubs were going to call him up soon to the majors, and the righty is now in line to receive his first MLB action since April 2022.

Roberts made his big league debut that season and posted an 8.22 ERA over 7 2/3 innings in the Show before injuries derailed his career.  A Tommy John surgery in June 2022 kept Roberts on the shelf for the entirety of the 2023 season, and he only officially got back on the hill last month.  Roberts has thrown 11 1/3 scoreless innings across three minor league levels — 9 2/3 IP with with Triple-A Iowa (9 2/3 IP), two-third of an inning in one Double-A game, and one inning of Arizona Complex League ball — but the spotless ERA masks the fact that Roberts has issued eight walks in those 11 1/3 frames.

Even though Roberts also had an inflated walk rate during his brief cup of coffee as a big leaguer, the control issues are a new problem for a pitcher who did a good job of limiting free passes earlier in his minor league career.  It could be that Roberts was simply working off the rust after his long layoff, and the Cubs were still satisfied enough to select Roberts’ contract and add a fresh arm to their bullpen.  For his minor league career as a whole, Roberts has a 2.84 ERA, 26.25% strikeout rate, and 7.08% walk rate across 139 2/3 innings (almost all as a reliever) since the Cubs made him a fourth-round pick in the 2018 draft.

Cuas has been optioned back and forth from Triple-A a few times this season, amassing a 7.43 ERA in 13 1/3 big league innings.  Acquired from the Royals prior to last year’s trade deadline, Cuas has a 4.26 ERA in 116 1/3 career MLB frames since the start of the 2022 season, but control has also been an issue given his 12.1% walk rate.

Since Cuas is also still optionable for the 2025 season, rival teams might be interested in a waiver claim in order to add another reliever to their depth chart for more than just the current campaign.  Cuas (who turns 30 later this month) has upped his strikeout numbers considerably over the last two seasons but has also had a subsequent spike in his walk rate.

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Chicago Cubs Transactions Ethan Roberts Jose Cuas

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Mike Brumley Passes Away

By Mark Polishuk | June 16, 2024 at 5:38pm CDT

Former big league player and coach Mike Brumley passed away yesterday in a car accident, as initially reported by MLB.com’s Mark Bowman (X link).  Brumley was 61 years old.

A second-round pick for the Red Sox in the 1983 draft, Brumley played in 295 big league games over parts of eight seasons from 1987-1995.  The early years of his pro career were defined by his inclusion in a pair of trades involving future Hall-of-Famers — the Red Sox traded Brumley and Dennis Eckersley to the Cubs for Bill Buckner in May 1984, which led to Brumley making his MLB debut in a Chicago uniform in 1987.  The Cubbies then dealt Brumley and Keith Moreland to the Padres in February 1988 in the swap that brought Goose Gossage and Ray Hayward to Chicago.

Overall, Brumley was traded four different times as part of his journeyman career.  He saw action with six different teams at the Major League level, and his 92 games with the Tigers in 1989 marked the most playing time he received in a season.  Besides the Cubs and Tigers, Brumley also played with the Mariners, Red Sox, Astros, and Athletics, and he was a member of four other organizations (Padres, Orioles, Angels, Marlins) without ever appearing with any of those teams in a big league game.  He hit .206/.261/.272 over 697 plate appearances while playing mostly shortstop, and also bouncing around the diamond as a second baseman, third baseman, and all three outfield positions.

Brumley moved into a long coaching career after his playing days ended, including stints as a minor league manager with Angels and Dodgers affiliates, while also working as a roving instructor for the Dodgers and as a field coordinator in the Rangers’ organization.  His work in a big league dugout came with two of his former teams — Brumley was a third and first coach with the Mariners from 2010-13, and then an assistant hitting coach with the Cubs during the 2014 season.

Brumley went on to work as a minor league hitting coordinator with the Braves in 2021, and built some lasting bonds with several members of Atlanta’s organization that lasted well beyond his lone season in the role.  Austin Riley today spoke at length about his friendship with Brumley, crediting him behind only Riley’s father as his greatest “role models in my baseball career.”

We at MLB Trade Rumors send our condolences to Brumley’s family, friends, and colleagues.

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Atlanta Braves Chicago Cubs Obituaries Seattle Mariners

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Yankees Place Jasson Dominguez On Triple-A Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | June 16, 2024 at 5:04pm CDT

The Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders placed Jasson Dominguez on the seven-day injured list today, after the outfield prospect made an early exit from Saturday’s game.  Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the New York Post’s Gary Phillips and other reporters that Dominguez is dealing with a left side injury and is still undergoing more testing to determine the extent of the problem.

Since Dominguez is not far removed from Tommy John surgery rehab, it makes sense that the Yankees would immediately take the precaution of putting Dominguez on the IL, even if tests don’t reveal a more severe issue like an oblique strain.  The outfielder would’ve likely sat out at least a few games anyway, plus the RailRaiders have an off-day on Monday so Dominguez might miss just six games if all goes well.

However, an oblique strain could lead to another extended stay on the injured list for “the Martian,” given how oblique problems can linger for weeks or even months.  The hope is that Dominguez can avoid such a setback, given how the TJ surgery already provided one early roadblock after his tantalizing Major League debut last season.

Heralded as one of baseball’s top prospects, Dominguez added to the hype by hitting .258/.303/.677 with four home runs in his first 33 plate appearances before suffering a torn UCL.  He was officially reinstated from the 60-day IL and optioned to Triple-A earlier this week, though he had already banked quite a bit of minor league playing time during his rehab assignments.  Dominguez has an outstanding .356/.404/.609 slash line in 94 combined PA at the Single-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels in 2024, so there is little doubt that the 21-year-old is ready for the majors.

If Dominguez is able to return in relatively short order, the injury might not throw off whatever plan the Yankees had in place for his next promotion.  The first-place Yankees have the luxury of not really needing Dominguez at the moment, with Aaron Judge, Juan Soto, and Alex Verdugo all excelling in the everyday outfield, and Giancarlo Stanton having a resurgent season as the regular DH.  Dominguez would theoretically be an upgrade over backup outfielder Trent Grisham, though New York prefers to have Dominguez playing every day in the minors than only getting sparing playing time as a bench player.

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New York Yankees Jasson Dominguez

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AL Central Notes: Crochet, Clevinger, Wacha, Lange

By Mark Polishuk | June 16, 2024 at 4:27pm CDT

Unsurprisingly, the White Sox have set an “exorbitant” asking price on Garrett Crochet in early trade talks, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes.  As we already saw this past winter with the Dylan Cease trade negotiations and the eventual deal that sent Cease to the Padres, the Sox are naturally out for the biggest return possible when moving any of their most valuable trade chips.  Crochet definitely fits that description, as he has broken out as a starting pitcher this year and is under arbitration control through the 2026 season.

Chicago isn’t likely to drop its demands much (or even at all) until closer to the deadline, and Crochet’s arbitration control also gives the Sox some extra leverage since the team doesn’t need to move the southpaw any time soon.  If anything, Crochet having a full and healthy season as a starter might only increase what the White Sox might be looking for in trade talks during the offseason, when the Sox could speak to a wider array of potential suitors.

More from around the AL Central…

  • Sticking with the White Sox, Mike Clevinger told reporters (including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin) that he is set to begin rehab assignment with Triple-A Charlotte.  The plan is for Clevinger to start on Tuesday and Sunday in Charlotte before then possibly being activated from the 15-day injured list if all goes well.  Clevinger hasn’t pitched since May 23 due to a bout of elbow inflammation, and he has a 6.75 ERA over 16 innings and four starts this season.  Clevinger’s season already got off to a late start since he didn’t sign his one-year, $3MM free agent deal with Chicago until the start of April, but if he able to return healthy, he’ll have over a month to audition for interested teams heading into the trade deadline.
  • Michael Wacha is slated to make a rehab start with the Royals’ Arizona Complex League team tomorrow, manager Matt Quatraro told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers and other reporters.  This might be Wacha’s only rehab outing, as Quatraro indicated that the Royals are planning to have the veteran righty back in their rotation next weekend.  Wacha signed a two-year, $32MM contract (with an opt-out after this season) with Kansas City this past winter, and delivered a 4.24 ERA over his first 68 innings as a Royal before a non-displaced fracture in his left foot resulted in an IL stint.  June 1 was the retroactive start date of that IL visit, so returning by next weekend makes for a relatively quick return for Wacha, which is good news considering the tricky nature of such injuries.
  • Alex Lange had to leave the mound during an outing with Triple-A Toledo on Friday, and the Tigers reliever was in visible discomfort with an apparent upper-body injury.  Lange was set to undergo tests this weekend and the team hasn’t yet given any official word on his status.  Detroit optioned Lange to Triple-A last month after he posted a 4.34 ERA and (more distressingly) an 18.9% walk rate over 18 2/3 innings this season.  Lange has long battled control problems but his stay in Toledo seemed to be bearing dividends, as he had only a 2.9% walk rate and a 3.12 ERA over 8 2/3 Triple-A innings.
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Chicago White Sox Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Notes Alex Lange Garrett Crochet Michael Wacha Mike Clevinger

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Cubs Place Jordan Wicks On 15-Day Injured List

By Mark Polishuk | June 15, 2024 at 4:09pm CDT

4:09pm: It’s a Grade 2 oblique strain for Wicks, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Given that diagnosis, it appears all but certain the southpaw will miss longer than the 15 day minimum, although a specific timetable for his return remains unclear.

12:39pm: The Cubs announced that Jordan Wicks has been placed on the 15-day injured list, as the southpaw is dealing with a right oblique strain.  Right-hander Keegan Thompson was called up from Triple-A Iowa to take Wicks’ spot on the active roster.

An IL move seemed very likely after Wicks lasted only 1 2/3 innings before being removed in yesterday’s start against the Cardinals.  As Wicks told MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins and other reporters, “I just felt tightness in my right side after making a pitch.  I didn’t think a whole lot of it….When I knew it persisted a couple of pitches in a row, I knew something wasn’t right.”

Given how oblique injuries can be tricky to fully overcome, Wicks could potentially be back in just 15 days if he has avoided a serious train, or he might be facing an absence of several months if the discomfort continues to linger.  As Wicks told Stebbins and company, the injury is particularly “frustrating” since Friday marked only his second appearance following a six-week IL stint due to a forearm strain.

Amidst all the injuries, Wicks has pitched pretty well over 28 total innings this season.  The left-hander has a 4.18 ERA with above-average strikeout, hard-contact and walk rates, though that latter 7.8BB% is only in the 54th percentile of all pitchers.  Those are still numbers the Cubs will happily take from the second-year pitcher, as Wicks has capably stepped into the rotation amidst injuries to other starters.  With Wicks and Ben Brown both out, the Cubs again have a rotation vacancy behind Shota Imanaga, Justin Steele, Jameson Taillon, and Javier Assad.

That fifth starter’s role could be filled by a familiar face in Kyle Hendricks, as manager Craig Counsell indicated to Stebbins and other reporters that “I think it looks like” Wicks’ injury might pave the way to Hendricks’ return to the rotation.  Hendricks was moved to the pen last month after he was rocked for a 10.57 ERA over his first seven starts and 30 2/3 innings of the season, but he seemingly settled down in posting a 3.14 ERA in 14 1/3 frames as a reliever.  Hendricks was quickly called into action yesterday after Wicks’ early exit, and delivered 4 1/3 innings of shutout ball.  Chicago could also explore stretching Hayden Wesneski back out to handle a starter’s workload, though Wesneski has also emerged as a quality arm in the Cubs’ bullpen.

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Chicago Cubs Transactions Jordan Wicks Keegan Thompson

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Orioles Outright Corbin Martin To Triple-A

By Mark Polishuk | June 15, 2024 at 2:53pm CDT

The Orioles have outrighted Corbin Martin off the 40-man roster and assigned the right-hander to Triple-A Norfolk.  It wasn’t known that Martin had been designated for assignment, but he’ll now head to Triple-A since he doesn’t have the requirements (i.e. service time or a past outright) to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Martin has already had a busy season on the transactional front, as he has twice been DFA’ed and then claimed off waivers by new teams.  The Orioles claimed him away from Milwaukee a month ago, while the Brewers themselves claimed Martin off the Diamondbacks’ waiver wire in mid-April.  Martin yet to see any big league action amidst these moves, as he hasn’t done much to force the issue by posting a 7.32 ERA with more walks (22) than strikeouts (17) over 19 2/3 combined innings for three different Triple-A affiliates.

Control has been for Martin in his 57 2/3 career MLB innings, as he has a 13.6% walk rate to go along with a 6.71 ERA over his time with the Astros and Diamondbacks.  However, injuries have been the bigger story for the former top-100 prospect, as he missed some of the 2019 season and all of the 2020 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, and Martin also didn’t pitch at all in 2023 due to shoulder surgery.

At age 28, Martin is already in the “late bloomer” phase of his career if a breakout is still to come, and there’s no harm for the Orioles in keeping him in the minors to see if Martin can still regain some of his old top-prospect form.  Perhaps more intriguingly, today’s move opens up a 40-man roster spot for Baltimore, which perhaps hints that the team could be again looking to dip into its loaded farm system.

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Baltimore Orioles Transactions

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Angels Place Adam Cimber On 15-Day IL, Select Jose Marte, Release Ehire Adrianza

By Mark Polishuk | June 15, 2024 at 2:10pm CDT

The Angels made a trio of roster moves this afternoon, including the placement of right-hander Adam Cimber on the 15-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation.  Right-hander Jose Marte’s contract was selected from Triple-A to take Cimber’s spot on the active roster, and infielder Ehire Adrianza was released to create space on the 40-man.

One of several relievers signed last offseason to bolster the Los Angeles bullpen, Cimber’s first year with the Angels has been difficult.  The veteran righty has a 7.03 ERA over 24 1/3 innings and 28 appearances, with a garish 13.1% walk rate that is more than double the career average (5.9%) he posted over his first six Major League seasons.  Cimber’s 4.77 SIERA is still not particularly impressive, but it does reflect some of the misfortune of his very low 54.5% strand rate.

Cimber also had a 7.40 ERA over 20 2/3 innings with the Blue Jays last year, and his last appearance of 2023 came on June 18 after a shoulder impingement brought a premature end to his season.  The fact that Cimber has again been shelved with a shoulder problem isn’t a good sign, though it isn’t known if his later injury is anything some general soreness.

Speaking of season-shortening injuries, Marte threw only 21 total innings in the majors and minors in 2023 due to a stress reaction in his right elbow.  The Angels chose to non-tender him in the wake of that lost year, but then re-signed the righty to a minor league contract.

Marte is now set to receive his first Major League action of 2024, after receiving sporadic big league looks in each of the last three seasons with the Angels.  Marte has an 8.14 ERA over the small sample size of his 24 1/3 career innings in the Show, but he has looked quite sharp at Triple-A this season, with a 2.61 ERA in 20 2/3 frames for Salt Lake even in the hitter-friendly environs of the Pacific Coast League.

Adrianza has been on the 10-day injured list for over five weeks while dealing with back spasms, so either the Angels released him while off the IL, so his activation wasn’t made public.  Adrianza joined L.A. on a minors deal in February, and that contract was then selected to the active roster in April, leading to eight games and a .596 OPS in 28 plate appearances prior to his trip to the injured list.  Never much of a hitter over his 12 Major League seasons, Adrianza has carved out a lengthy pro career as a bench piece who can play all over the diamond, and he figures to catch on with another team (or a new minors deal with Anaheim) in need of a depth piece.

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Los Angeles Angels Transactions Adam Cimber Ehire Adrianza Jose Marte (b. 1996)

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Orioles Place Kyle Bradish On 15-Day IL With Right UCL Sprain

By Mark Polishuk | June 15, 2024 at 1:56pm CDT

1:56PM: Hyde told Roch Kubatko and other reporters that Bradish is undergoing further tests and will visit multiple doctors before determining his next course of action, whether it’s surgery or another attempt at a non-surgical recovery.

12:20PM: Bradish has been placed on the 15-day injured list due to a right UCL sprain, the Orioles announced.  In the best case scenario, this would represent 2.5 months on the shelf for Bradish, replicating his absence in the early part of the season.  However, the pretty quick decision to return Bradish to the IL after last night’s game is an ominous sign towards a longer-term absence.  Left-hander Nick Vespi was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding roster move.

10:35AM: Kyle Bradish left yesterday’s game after five innings due to soreness in his right elbow, and Orioles manager Brandon Hyde told reporters (including MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko) that more will be known once Bradish undergoes examination.  Bradish had allowed two earned runs over five innings and 74 pitches against the Phillies, but “he came to us and said his elbow was bothering him, so we’re going to get further tests on that….He had to come out of the game after that inning,” Hyde said.

Any type of elbow injury is cause for concern, though Bradish’s situation is particularly troublesome since he was already sidelined with a sprained UCL earlier this year.  That past injury developed early in Spring Training, so Bradish’s season debut was delayed until May 2 since he had to both get healthy and then start his spring ramp-up work from scratch.

Considering that there were initial concerns that Bradish might need a Tommy John surgery, an early-May return was a huge relief for both the right-hander and the Orioles, and Bradish’s strong performance on the mound further allayed any fears prior to last night.  Bradish has a 2.75 ERA over eight starts and 39 1/3 innings, and is among the league’s elite in such key categories as strikeout rate (32.5%), hard-hit ball rate (28.6%) and grounder rate (56%).  While his walk rate had dropped below average, Bradish looked like he was continuing the front-of-the-rotation form that he displayed during his 2023 breakout season.

It could be that Bradish has again dodged a bullet if his elbow is simply sore, and some discomfort might’ve been inevitable given the circumstances behind his start to the season.  That said, the O’s have taken a conservative approach to Bradish’s deployment — he has received the traditional four days of rest between starts only once, and otherwise had five or more days of rest between all of his other starts.  Before yesterday, Bradish’s previous start was on June 8, so he had five full days to rest before taking on the Phillies.

Even if the tests come back clean, the Orioles might consider placing Bradish on the 15-day injured list anyway simply as a precautionary measure.  Baltimore has an off-day on Monday, but then enters a stretch of 13 games in as many days, so Bradish’s absence would further stretch a rotation that has already been thinned by injuries.  John Means (Tommy John surgery) and Tyler Wells (UCL surgery) have both been lost for the season, while Dean Kremer has been on the IL for about four weeks with a strained triceps.  Kremer is set to begin a Triple-A rehab assignment on Sunday, so he could be an option to return to the rotation in the next week or two.

Even amidst all of these injuries, the Orioles have still fielded one of the sport’s better rotations, and have even had enough depth to use a six-man rotation to help manage everyone’s innings.  If Bradish will miss time, Baltimore still has a starting five of Corbin Burnes, Grayson Rodriguez, Cole Irvin, Albert Suarez, and Cade Povich, plus some extra depth in the upper minors.  (The team added to that depth with its acquisition of Levi Stoudt two days ago.)

Of course, losing Bradish for even a short amount of time is a blow to a Baltimore team that is fighting the Yankees for first place in the AL East, and a longer-term injury will hamper the Orioles’ World Series aspirations.  The O’s were already expected to be looking for both rotation and bullpen help at the trade deadline, and a greater need for starters might result in more of prospect cost in deals.

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Baltimore Orioles Newsstand Kyle Bradish Nick Vespi

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Nationals Sign Harold Ramirez To Minor League Contract

By Mark Polishuk | June 15, 2024 at 12:56pm CDT

The Nationals have signed outfielder/designated hitter Harold Ramirez to a minor league deal, the team announced.  Ramirez will report to Triple-A Rochester just a day after he was released by the Rays.

Ramirez posted unremarkable numbers over his first three MLB seasons before he was dealt from the Cubs to the Rays in March 2022, and he then emerged as a quietly productive part of Tampa’s lineup.  Ramirez hit .306/.348/.432 with 18 home runs in 869 plate appearances in 2022-23, playing mostly as a DH but also getting a decent amount of time as a first baseman and in both corner outfield positions.  While not a platoon player, the Rays tried to prioritize Ramirez as a weapon against left-handed pitching, as the bulk of Ramirez’s right-handed hitting production naturally came against southpaws.

A .354 BABIP in 2022-23 stands out as a notable asterisk on Ramirez’s time in Tampa Bay, as this batted-ball luck helped him overcome very low walk and barrel rates, and roughly average hard-contact numbers overall.  These numbers caught up to Ramirez this season, as his .268/.284/.305 slash line over 169 PA (even still with a .328 BABIP) led the Rays to designate the 29-year-old for assignment and then release him entirely when no suitors emerged to swing a trade or make a waiver claim.

Considering that Ramirez is earning an $3.8MM salary this season, it isn’t surprising that teams opted to just wait for the Rays to release him, as a trade or waiver claim would’ve put a new club on the hook for most or all of that remaining salary (approximately $2.19MM).  Tampa Bay also explored trades for Ramirez this past offseason without any success, with payroll certainly a factor in the Rays’ endeavors.  If Ramirez makes Washington’s big league roster, the Nationals will owe him just the prorated portion of the MLB minimum salary, and the Rays will cover the rest of the $2.19MM figure.

It adds up to an inexpensive flier on the Nats’ part, and Ramirez might essentially act as a replacement for the injured Joey Gallo, though Gallo is a left-handed hitter.  Adding a righty bat into the left field/DH mix might be a better fit anyway considering that Jesse Winker and Eddie Rosario both swing from the left side, and Ramirez figures to be mostly utilized as a designated hitter given his limited defensive ability at any of his positions.

If Ramirez really gets back on track with his new team, the Nationals still control him via arbitration through the 2025 season.  He could also be one of several veteran trade chips the Nats might look to move at the trade deadline, though it isn’t yet a lock that D.C. will be looking to sell.  Thanks to the parity in the National League, the rebuilding Nats find themselves 1.5 games out of the wild card race despite a 33-36 record, so it is possible Washington’s deadline priorities could change if the team heats up and establishes itself as more of a real contender.

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Transactions Washington Nationals Harold Ramirez

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Phillies Activate Brandon Marsh

By Mark Polishuk | June 15, 2024 at 12:05pm CDT

The Phillies announced that outfielder Brandon Marsh has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list, with utilityman Weston Wilson heading to Triple-A in the corresponding move.  Marsh was placed on the IL on June 3 due to a right hamstring strain, so he’ll return to action after just slightly beyond the 10-day minimum.

While the NL-leading Phillies haven’t slowed down in Marsh’s absence, getting the outfielder back is obviously good news for a team that has taken a few injury hits.  Trea Turner has missed over six weeks recovering from a more serious hamstring strain, but the star shortstop is reportedly close to returning as well, and could be activated from the IL within the next two or three days.  Catcher J.T. Realmuto will miss the next month due to knee surgery, and utilityman Kody Clemens has also been sidelined for the last two weeks with back spasms.

Marsh was hitting .265/.344/.426 over 186 plate appearances at the time of his IL placement, pretty much matching the solid numbers he has posted since arriving in Philadelphia as part of a deadline trade with the Angels in 2022.  While the Phillies have tried to limit his exposure to left-handed pitching, Marsh has gotten the lion’s share of playing time as the regular center fielder in 2022 and 2023, and as the regular left fielder this season.  Where Marsh plays now that he is back on the active roster could be an interesting situation to observe, as the Phils could opt to give him more time in center field, thus making Whit Merrifield and David Dahl the regular left field platoon.

Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer noted that Marsh played in center field during his brief Triple-A rehab stint, and though Phillies manager Rob Thomson said that usage was more about giving Marsh more leeway to test his hamstring, it isn’t hard to see why Marsh might be the Phils’ preferred choice over Johan Rojas in center.  Rojas has hit poorly this season, and the stellar glovework that earned him the center field job in the first place has also regressed.  He has a -10.8 UZR/150 over 473 1/3 innings in center field this season, and while the Outs Above Average (+2) and Defensive Runs Saved (+1) metrics still have a positive view of his defense, even those numbers are well below his totals from 2023.

A broader decision on the center field job probably doesn’t have to be made until Turner is ready to be activated, and Lauber feels Philadelphia could then option Rojas to Triple-A or designate Cristian Pache for assignment.  Pache is out of minor league options and thus would have to be DFA’ed first if the Phils wanted to send him to the minors, so to avoid losing Pache on a waiver claim, the Phillies could instead simply option Rojas to Triple-A to see if his bat can catch fire in the minors.

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Philadelphia Phillies Transactions Brandon Marsh Weston Wilson

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