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The Opener: Twins, Guerrero, Raley

By Nick Deeds | September 21, 2023 at 8:24am CDT

As the final stretch of the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Twins on the verge of clinching:

Despite having the day off today, the Twins (81-72) could clinch the AL Central crown by the end of the night. Their magic numbers over both the Guardians (72-81) and Tigers (71-81) sit at one, meaning that if both teams lose tonight, the Twins will officially become the 2023 AL Central champions. Clinching early will give the Twins the luxury of proceeding cautiously with some of their ailing regulars in advance of the postseason. Shortstop Carlos Correa has already been placed on the injured list after playing the bulk of the season with plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Third baseman Royce Lewis is set to undergo an MRI today after exiting Tuesday’s game due to hamstring soreness. With a guaranteed playoff spot, the Twins can much more comfortably rely on Willi Castro and Kyle Farmer to cover for Lewis and Correa as that pair hopes to heal up ahead of the playoffs.

2. Guerrero to undergo MRI:

Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was out of the lineup for yesterday’s win over the Yankees, and MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson notes that the slugger has undergone an MRI due to right knee soreness. It’s been a down year for Guerrero (by his standards), as the 24-year-old has slashed just .264/.342/.440 in 644 trips to the plate this season. Still, that production (115 wRC+) leaves him as a critical cog in the Toronto lineup surpassed only by shortstop Bo Bichette, particularly with both Brandon Belt and Danny Jansen on the injured list. If Guerrero requires a trip to the injured list, the club figures to rely on the likes of Spencer Horwitz and Cavan Biggio to handle first base in the interim.

3. Raley to undergo MRI:

Rays outfielder Luke Raley is also set to undergo an MRI today, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Raley told reporters (including Topkin) that he’s dealing with numbness in his left arm to the point that he had no power behind his most recent swing. Raley’s been out of the lineup for nearly a week now due to the issue. The 29-year-old slugger is slashing .249/.333/.490 with a 129 wRC+ in 406 trips to the plate this year while splitting time between the outfield and DH. Raley’s absence has created additional opportunities for righty slugger Harold Ramirez and youngster Jonathan Aranda in recent days, and that figures to continue if Raley requires a trip to the injured list.

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The Opener

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Tigers Select Brenan Hanifee

By Nick Deeds | September 20, 2023 at 7:03pm CDT

7:03pm: Detroit officially selected Hanifee onto the big league roster. Brendan White was optioned to Triple-A in a corresponding move. To create a 40-man roster spot, the Tigers transferred Riley Greene — who underwent elbow surgery — to the 60-day injured list.

7:40am: The Tigers are on the verge of selecting the contract of right-hander Brenan Hanifee, according to Cody Elliot of the Daily News Record. Elliot reports that Hanifee has joined the club in LA and is expected to make his big league debut in tonight’s game against the Dodgers.

Hanifee, 25, was a fourth-round selection by the Orioles in the 2016 draft. Hanifee’s career got off to a strong start in 2017, as the then-19-year-old posted a sterling 2.75 ERA in 68 2/3 innings of work at the Low-A level that year. He followed that up with a similarly solid performance in 2018 at Single-A. Across 23 starts (132 innings), Hanifee posted a 2.86 ERA with a strikeout rate of just 16% but a minuscule 4.2% walk rate. Unfortunately for Hanifee, he battled control problems at High-A in 2019 as his walk rate spiked to 10.1% while his strikeout rate dipped slightly, resulting in a lackluster 4.60 ERA in 129 innings of work.

Between the cancelled minor league season in 2020 and injury woes the following year, Hanifee didn’t return to a professional mound until the summer of 2022. He ultimately made it into just 43 2/3 innings of work last year, with 38 of them coming at the Double-A level to decent results (4.03 ERA, 7.6% walk rate). Hanifee then elected minor league free agency following the 2022 campaign, and caught on with Detroit on a minor league deal back in December.

He’s pitched exclusively at the Triple-A level for the Tigers this year, posting a 4.38 ERA in 90 1/3 innings across 25 games (13 starts). While those run prevention numbers don’t jump off the page, Hanifee is posting a career-best strikeout rate of 20.6% while keeping his walk rate limited to 7.5%. At the big league level, Hanifee figures to provide the Tigers with a long relief or piggyback option out of the bullpen in the season’s final weeks.

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Detroit Tigers Transactions Brenan Hanifee Riley Greene

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Athletics Select Joey Estes

By Nick Deeds | September 20, 2023 at 11:17am CDT

Sept. 20: The A’s have formally announced Estes’ promotion to the big leagues. Righty Devin Sweet was optioned to Triple-A in order to open a spot on the active roster, while lefty Sean Newcomb has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Newcomb was placed on the 15-day IL earlier this week with a left knee strain, and that injury will formally end his season.

Sept. 18: The A’s are poised to select the contract of right-hander Joey Estes, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. The club will need to clear space on both the 40-man and active rosters in order to make room for Estes.

Estes, 21, was a piece of the package that Oakland acquired from the Braves in exchange for first baseman Matt Olson alongside Cristian Pache, Shea Langeliers, and Ryan Cusick. Estes ranks as the club’s #13 prospect per MLB Pipeline, and #21 over at Fangraphs. Though prospect evaluators seem to generally agree that he’ll have a chance to stick in the rotation, a lack of clearly above-average secondary pitches is expected to hold Estes back from becoming more than a back-end rotation option, though his fastball does have impressive movement.

Estes was impressive in 104 1/3 innings of work at the Double-A level this year, posting a 3.28 ERA in 20 appearances (17 starts) with a 23.3% strikeout rate against a 7.2% walk rate. Those results have fallen off since his promotion to Triple-A as Estes has posted a less inspiring 5.23 ERA with a 21.5% strikeout rate in his first 32 2/3 innings at the level, though it’s worth noting that inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League.

Now, Estes figures to get a taste of big league action before the 2023 season comes to a close, setting him up as a potential rotation option for the A’s headed into Spring Training next year. Estes follows right-hand Joe Boyle in being called up for a late-season cup of coffee, as Boyle tossed three scoreless innings on four strikeouts, one hit, and two walks in his big league debut after being selected to the roster himself yesterday.

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Oakland Athletics Transactions Joey Estes Sean Newcomb

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The Opener: AL West Race, Cobb, Santana

By Nick Deeds | September 20, 2023 at 8:59am CDT

On the heels of an early-morning transaction, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. AL West race tightens:

The AL West race tightened up yesterday, as the first-place Astros fell to the Orioles while the Mariners toppled the A’s and the Rangers bested the Red Sox. Houston holds the division lead as things stand, though their 84-68 record stands just half a game above their rivals’ identical 83-68 records. With the Rays already guaranteed a place in the postseason and the Blue Jays holding onto the second Wild Card spot as things stand, it’s wholly feasible that one of the three clubs contending for the AL West title misses the postseason when all is said and done. The Mariners, in particular, have total control over their playoff fate going forward; their final ten games come exclusively against Texas (three away, four at home) and Houston (three at home).

Seattle will send George Kirby (3.57 ERA) to the mound today to take on Oakland’s Joey Estes, who’ll be making his MLB debut. Veteran Jon Gray (4.05) will take the mound for Texas and square off against impressive young Boston righty Brayan Bello (3.71) in their contest. Houston will look to Cristian Javier (4.74) against Baltimore’s quietly excellent Kyle Bradish (3.12).

2. Cobb exits:

Giants right-hander Alex Cobb exited yesterday’s loss against the Diamondbacks just two pitches into the third inning due to a hip impingement. Cobb has been pitching through the issue since the middle of June, as noted by Evan Webeck of The Mercury News, and it’s unknown when or whether he’ll return to the mound this season with just 11 games left on the calendar. The Giants are rapidly falling out of the postseason race thanks to a 6-11 record in September. FanGraphs gives them just a 5.2% chance of making the playoffs at this point. Those odds figure to be even slimmer without Cobb, who pairs with Logan Webb as the only two regular starters San Francisco utilizes.

3. Santana approaching milestone:

As the Brewers close in on the NL Central crown, first baseman Carlos Santana is simultaneously closing in on a career milestone. The 37-year-old veteran currently sits at 299 career home runs after hitting his 21st home run of the season last week, and the slugger has 11 games left on the Milwaukee schedule in which he can become the 159th player in major league history to reach 300 homers. It would be an excellent capstone on a 2023 campaign that saw Santana reach the 20-homer mark for the first time since 2019, when he was an All-Star, received MVP votes, and won a Silver Slugger award. Since then, Santana has seen his production wane, hitting .215/.320/.373 (93 wRC+) while playing for five teams in four seasons.

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The Opener

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The Opener: Rays, Correa, Rodriguez

By Nick Deeds | September 19, 2023 at 8:12am CDT

As the 2023 season nears its conclusion, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Rays Stadium Announcement Incoming:

Yesterday, it was reported that the Rays are poised to announce an agreement to build a new stadium in St. Petersburg. That announcement is expected to come today, and with it more details on the coming ballpark can be expected. The stadium is expected to be ready in 2028, the year after Tampa Bay’s lease at Tropicana Field expires. The off-the-field victory for the club comes as the team on the field is enjoying an unprecedented run of success, with a 92-59 record so far this season and a fifth consecutive postseason berth clinched. With the Rays on the verge of settling their stadium situation and the A’s putting the finishing touches on a bid to move from Oakland to Las Vegas, the biggest hurdle for league expansion that commissioner Rob Manfred has publicly mentioned in the past has been cleared. Of course, expansion must be collectively bargained with the MLBPA, meaning there are still hurdles to clear before MLB welcomes its thirty-first and thirty-second teams.

2. Correa Exits:

Twins shortstop Carlos Correa exited yesterday’s game in the first inning after feeling a “pop” in his left heel, as relayed by The Athletic’s Dan Hayes. Correa, of course, has been playing through plantar fasciitis during most of the 2023 campaign. The injury has seemingly impacted the 28-year-old star at the plate, as he’s slashed just .230/.312/.399 in 135 games while leading the majors with 30 double plays grounded into. As Hayes notes, the Twins and Correa have opted against a trip to the injured list throughout the season because a full recovery would require several months of downtime.

That sort of lengthy absence would have been imprudent with the Twins in the midst of a tight race for the AL Central crown throughout most of the season. Though the club hasn’t yet mathematically clinched the division title, Minnesota enjoys a comfortable seven-game lead over the Guardians in the division with just 11 games left to play and none of them being head-to-head. That healthy lead in the division race could lead the club to contemplate a trip to the IL for Correa or, at the very least, resting their marquee shortstop more aggressively in the days ahead in order to help him stay reasonably fresh for the coming postseason push.

3. Rodriguez to undergo testing:

Tigers left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez exited yesterday’s 8-3 loss against the Dodgers in the fourth inning due to what the club has termed a scapula spasm. Over three innings of work last night, Rodriguez surrendered five runs on five hits and a walk while striking out just one. As noted by Chris McCosky of The Detroit News, the lefty is expected to undergo further testing before being re-evaluated today. While the coming update won’t have much impact on Tigers club that’s on the verge of being mathematically eliminated from the postseason, Rodriguez’s health could impact him as he looks ahead toward a likely return to free agency this coming November, having the ability to opt out of the three years left on his contract. With a strong 3.57 ERA and 3.65 FIP across 24 starts this season, the 30-year-old Rodriguez figures to rank fairly highly among starting options on the market this offseason, though it’s possible an injury that runs the risk of impacting him headed into 2024 could alter that perception.

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The Opener

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The Opener: Wainwright, Rodriguez, Phillies/Braves

By Nick Deeds | September 18, 2023 at 8:52am CDT

As the 2023 regular season enters the home stretch, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Wainwright goes for #200:

After securing his 199th career win in Baltimore last week, Cardinals veteran Adam Wainwright is slated to take the ball at home against the Brewers with a chance to become the 122nd player in MLB history to reach 200 wins in his career, joining the likes of Jon Lester and Chuck Finley. Pitching opposite Wainwright in what could be his final career start at Busch Stadium figures to be right-hander Freddy Peralta (3.79 ERA). The final season of Wainwright’s career has been a very difficult one, as the 41-year-old has posted a 7.95 ERA and 6.20 FIP in 94 innings of work across 20 starts. Wainwright’s Cardinals are struggling similarly, with the club facing just their second season below .500 since Wainwright debuted in 2005 with the possibility of their first 90-loss campaign since 1990.

2. Rodriguez heads to LA:

The Tigers are headed to Dodger Stadium for a three game set today. Despite the Dodgers having already clinched the NL West and the Tigers being all but eliminated from postseason contention, there’s still plenty of intrigue surrounding today’s game. That’s because left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez, who made waves in the baseball world at the trade deadline this year by using his no-trade rights to veto a deal that would have sent him to the Dodgers, will be taking the mound tonight against right-hander Lance Lynn, LA’s lone rotation addition at the deadline this year.  With Lynn sporting an ugly 8.18 ERA over his last four starts and much of the Dodgers rotation injured ahead of the club’s impending postseason run, Rodriguez’s 3.99 ERA in eight starts since the trade deadline would surely have been a major boost to the club in the final weeks of the season and have given them a third veteran arm to pair with Lynn and Clayton Kershaw this postseason.

3. Series Preview: Phillies @ Braves

A pair of division rivals are set to begin a three-game set that could prove to be a preview of what’s to come this postseason as the Phillies make their way to Truist Park in Atlanta. It’s the second series between the clubs in as many weeks, with the Braves having clinched the NL East crown by taking three of four in Philadelphia last week. Since then, however, the Braves suffered a brutal sweep at the hands of the Marlins while the Phillies took a series win against the Cardinals over the weekend, indicating momentum may have shifted to favor the Phillies headed into this week’s series. The coming set has no shortage of intriguing pitching matchups, starting with righties Zack Wheeler and Kyle Wright facing off this evening. Tuesday will see youngsters Spencer Strider and Cristopher Sanchez clash, while the final game of the series will see Aaron Nola take the mound opposite Bryce Elder.

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The Opener

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Cardinals Notes: O’Neill, Yepez, Romero, Flaherty

By Nick Deeds | September 17, 2023 at 2:15pm CDT

The Cardinals announced this morning that they have placed outfielder Tyler O’Neill on the 10-day injured list with a right foot sprain. First baseman Juan Yepez was recalled from Triple-A in the corresponding move. The sprain presumably brings O’Neill’s 2023 campaign to a close, given the limited time remaining on the regular season schedule.

Despite rampant speculation early in the season that the club could deal O’Neill following an incident back in April where he was benched by manager Oli Marmol for a perceived lack of hustle, no such trade materialized before the trade deadline on August 1. That could be thanks at least in part due to O’Neill’s difficult first half. The 28-year-old made it into just 29 games with the Cardinals prior to the All Star break thanks to a low back strain, slashing just .228/.283/.337 with a 34.3% strikeout rate in those first 99 trips to the plate this season.

While his season started off on a rough note, O’Neill has looked greatly improved at the plate in recent months. His .233/.329/.445 slash line in 167 plate appearances since returning from injury shortly after the All Star break is far more palatable than his early season numbers. His strikeout rate has plummeted to just 19.8% over that period, while his walk rate has ticked up to 12.6%, a considerable jump from the 7.1% rate he posted in the first half. With that improved discipline at the plate and the ability to play center field, O’Neill could be a valuable player to the Cardinals as he heads into his final year of team control in 2024, whether that be as a trade chip or as a piece of the club’s outfield next year.

With Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker presumably locked into every day playing time, O’Neill will have to fight for playing time with the likes of Yepez, Dylan Carlson, and Alec Burleson for playing time in the outfield and at DH, assuming trades aren’t made to clear the club’s outfield logjam. Thanks to O’Neill’s injury, Yepez will get his first extended opportunity this season to showcase his skills at the big league level. After a solid rookie campaign with the Cardinals where he batted .253/.296/.447 in 76 games, Yepez has made just 46 plate appearances in the majors this year, slashing a lackluster .214/.283/.381 in that limited playing time. That being said, Yepez has gotten on a heater at the Triple-A level in recent weeks with a .305/.356/.481 slash line over his past 45 games. If he can keep that sort of production up at the big league level in the final weeks of the season, Yepez could re-establish himself as a contender for more playing time in the majors headed into 2024.

More from St. Louis…

  • The Cardinals will be without left-hander JoJo Romero for longer than initially expected, as noted by MLB.com. Marmol told reporters yesterday that Romero, who went on the injured list earlier this month due to knee tendinitis, is “still working on strengthening his knee” and that the current plan is for him to throw another side session today before determining when he’ll return to action. Romero has taken on a high leverage role in the St. Louis bullpen in the weeks since the club moved on from closer Jordan Hicks at the trade deadline, and the 27-year-old lefty has thrived in his new role. In 17 innings of work (12 appearances) since recording his first save, Romero has posted a 3.18 ERA with a microscopic 0.79 FIP. That incredible figure is thanks to a whopping 35.8% strikeout rate against a minuscule 3% walk rate during that time frame.
  • St. Louis parted ways with right-hander Jack Flaherty at this year’s trade deadline, dealing him to the Orioles in a buzzer-beating deal that brought back a trio of youngsters. That deal coming to fruition was far from a guarantee, however. As reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal earlier this week, the Cardinals nearly came to an agreement with the Rays to send Flaherty to Tampa, though the deal collapsed in the medical review stage of the process. Since then, the Rays lost left-hander Shane McClanahan to Tommy John surgery, further weakening the club’s starting rotation. While it’s worth wondering if Tampa’s interest in the pending free agent could carry over into the offseason, it should be noted that Flaherty has struggled badly since joining the Orioles, with a 7.11 ERA in seven starts for Baltimore.
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Notes St. Louis Cardinals Tampa Bay Rays Jack Flaherty JoJo Romero Juan Yepez Tyler O'Neill

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A’s Select Joe Boyle

By Nick Deeds | September 17, 2023 at 12:53pm CDT

The A’s selected the contract of right-hander Joe Boyle this afternoon, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, right-hander Freddy Tarnok was transferred to the 60-day injured list while lefty Sean Newcomb was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained left knee.

Boyle, who celebrated his 24th birthday last month, came over from the Reds as the return in the Sam Moll trade earlier this summer. Standing a massive 6’7” and weighing in at 240 pounds, Boyle has shown an impressive power arsenal with a triple-digit fastball and strong breaking stuff that has allowed him to strikeout a whopping 35.4% of batters faced as a professional. Unfortunately, that strong repertoire comes with little in terms of command, as the big righty has posted walk rates of 10% or higher at every full-season league he’s appeared in since being drafted by the Reds in the fifth round of the 2020 draft.

Boyle is now slated to get a chance to show off his big time stuff at the big league level, as he’ll start today’s game against the Padres. Boyle’s posted a solid 3.84 ERA across 25 starts split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this season. That’s a particularly noteworthy feat considering he’s posted an ERA of just 2.25 in three starts at the Triple-A level with the A’s, who play in infamously inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League.

Making room for Boyle on the active roster is Newcomb, who pitched quite well in a swing role for the A’s this season. Across 15 innings of work (seven appearances), Newcomb posted a 3.00 ERA with a 27.9% strikeout rate, though his whopping 14.8% walk rate indicates that the control issues that have dogged him ever since he made his big league debut with the Braves back in 2017 haven’t gone away. As for Tarnok, the right-hander underwent season-ending hip surgery toward the end of August, making today’s transfer to the 60-day IL nothing more than a formality.

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Oakland Athletics Transactions Freddy Tarnok Joe Boyle Sean Newcomb

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AL East Notes: Montas, Jansen, Bautista, Mountcastle

By Nick Deeds | September 17, 2023 at 12:17pm CDT

The Yankees announced this morning that right-hander Frankie Montas will begin a rehab assignment at the Triple-A level this evening. Montas has not yet appeared in a professional game this year after undergoing shoulder surgery back in February.

Montas joined the Yankees at the trade deadline last year in a deal that sent a package of prospects headlined by left-hander Ken Waldichuk. The deal proved to be an ill-fated one for the Yankees, as Montas made just eight starts to the tune of a 6.35 ERA with a strikeout rate of just 17.8%. With just 12 games left on the regular season calendar and New York all but eliminated from postseason contention, the window is tight for Montas to return to the big leagues this year at all, much less for a full-length start. Nonetheless, with the 30-year-old righty poised to hit the open market this November, even a brief return to the big leagues where Montas can prove his health to clubs ahead of the offseason could be valuable as he looks to join a crowded free agent class for starting pitchers.

More from around the AL East…

  • Red Sox closer Kenley Jansen has been on the COVID-19 injured list for the past week, but could be nearing a return. As manager Alex Cora told reporters (including The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey) that Jansen is playing catch and is currently expected to rejoin the team in Texas on Wednesday, as soon as he’s eligible to return from the IL. The 35-year-old closer has had a solid season in Boston, with a 3.63 ERA and 29 saves in 44 2/3 innings of work. Chris Martin, Garrett Whitlock, and John Schreiber have handled the late innings for the Red Sox while Jansen has been out.
  • Orioles closer Felix Bautista has been on the IL since late August with a UCL injury, though the club hasn’t given up hope on the 28-year-old returning this year. That hope is still alive today, as manager Brandon Hyde told reporters (including Dan Connolly of Sportsnaut) this afternoon. Bautista threw a 20-25 pitch side session, which Nathan Ruiz of the Baltimore Sun was noted was his third consecutive day of throwing. Bautista was perhaps the most dominant reliever in the sport prior to going down with injury. In 61 innings of work this season, he’s posted a 1.48 ERA with an incredible 46.4% strikeout rate.
  • Sticking with the Orioles, Hyde told reporters (including Jake Rill of MLB.com) that first baseman Ryan Mountcastle, who has been dealing with shoulder soreness in recent days, tried swinging a bat yesterday but that “it didn’t go great.” Hyde added that he still doesn’t consider Mountcastle as a candidate to hit the injured list. Mountcastle has slashed .269/.327/.453 in 459 trips to the plate this season. The Orioles have been relying on Ryan O’Hearn at first base in Mountcastle’s absence.
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Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Notes Felix Bautista Frankie Montas Kenley Jansen Ryan Mountcastle

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Marlins Announce Several Roster Moves

By Nick Deeds | September 17, 2023 at 10:56am CDT

The Marlins announced a handful of roster moves this morning, activating outfielder Jorge Soler from the 10-day injured list and selecting the contract of right-hander Chi Chi Gonzalez. In corresponding moves, the club optioned left-hander Josh Simpson and outfielder Dane Myers to Triple-A. Miami’s 40-man roster is now full following Gonzalez’s selection.

Soler returns after missing most of the month to this point with a right oblique strain. The 31-year-old is in the midst of his strongest season since 2019, having slashed .240/.329/.513 with 35 home runs and a wRC+ of 124 this season. Soler’s return should provide a boost to a Miami lineup that has posted a collective wRC+ of just 84 since Soler headed to the shelf. Soler has primarily played DH while mixing in occasional starts in right field throughout the 2023 campaign. Assuming that trend contributes, Soler figures to push Josh Bell from DH to first base, with Luis Arraez moving from first to second while Xavier Edwards heads to the bench, though Soler’s return could also cut into the playing time of corner bats Bryan De La Cruz and Jesus Sanchez should he see more time in right going forward.

As for Gonzalez, the former first round pick made his Marlins debut earlier this season, posting 2 2/3 innings of work for the club. He allowed a 3.38 ERA in that brief cameo, striking out two while walking one. Gonzalez was designated for assignment back in May to clear room on the 40-man roster for top pitching prospect Eury Perez, but stayed in the Marlins organization throughout this season. His results at the Triple-A level have left something to be desired, with a 6.07 ERA and a strikeout rate of just 13% in 121 2/3 innings of work for the club’s affiliate in Jacksonville. Still, as a veteran in his seventh big league season, the 31-year-old righty can offer Miami’s bullpen a depth option with previous experience in both a relief role and as a member of the starting rotation.

Exiting the roster in favor of incoming veterans are Simpson, a 26-year-old lefty who has yet to make his major league debut, and outfielder Myers, who made his MLB debut earlier this year and has slashed .269/.286/.358 in 70 trips to the plate with the Marlins since then. Both players figure to return to Triple-A to act as depth options while Miami enters the home stretch of their push toward the club’s first playoff appearance in a full season since 2003.

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Miami Marlins Transactions Chi Chi Gonzalez Dane Myers Jorge Soler Josh Simpson

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