Yankees Outright Kevin Smith
The Yankees announced this afternoon that infielder Kevin Smith has been assigned outright to Triple-A. The news comes on the heels of Smith being designated for assignment earlier this week to make room for recently-claimed outfielder Taylor Trammell on the 40-man roster.
Smith, 27, was a fourth-round pick by the Blue Jays in the 2017 draft and is perhaps best known as part of the four-player package Toronto sent to the A’s in exchange for third baseman Matt Chapman. Smith made his big league debut with Toronto in 2021 prior to being moved and ultimately appeared in 96 games with Oakland across two seasons before he was non-tendered by the club back in November.
Smith eventually joined the Yankees on a minor league deal back in January and managed to crack the club’s major league roster last weekend following the placement of utility veteran Jon Berti on the injured list, leading the Yankees to replace Smith’s minor league deal with a fresh big league contract. Unfortunately for Smith, he made just one appearance in a Yankees uniform and did not record a plate appearance before being designated for assignment last week.
When Smith has found playing time at the big league level, he’s generally struggled offensively. In 114 games with the Blue Jays and A’s dating back to his debut in 2021, Smith has hit a lackluster .173/.215/.301 with a 31.2% strikeout rate and a wRC+ of 44 throughout his big league career. While those numbers leave much to be desired, Smith’s respectable .282/.352/.523 career slash line at the Triple-A level and his experience at all four infield spots as well as both outfield corners leave reason for hope that he could be a useful depth piece for a big league club in need at some point.
For now, however, Smith will return to the minor leagues with the Yankees as the infielder has neither the requisite service time nor a previous outright assignment on his resume that would allow him to reject the move in favor of free agency. Going forward, Smith will serve as non-roster depth for the Yankees and hope for another opportunity to join the club’s bench mix at some point this season, competing with youngster Jorbit Vivas as well as fellow non-roster veterans Rougned Odor, Josh VanMeter, and Jordan Groshans.
Rangers Designate Jared Walsh For Assignment
The Rangers announced a series of roster moves this afternoon, led by the club designating first baseman Jared Walsh for assignment. Taking Walsh’s spot on the active roster will be first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who the club has activate from the 10-day injured list. In addition, Texas announced that catcher Jonah Heim has been placed on the bereavement list, with catcher Sam Huff recalled from Triple-A to take his spot on the big league roster.
Walsh, 30, joined the Rangers on a minor league deal and his .250/.368/.458 slash line in 57 spring plate appearances impressed enough to earn the slugger a spot on Texas’s Opening Day roster when Lowe found himself sidelined by an oblique strain to open the season. It was a reasonable call for the Rangers to make at the time between Walsh’s solid showing this spring and his track record of past success for the Angels, as Walsh had posted an excellent 130 wRC+ in Anaheim across the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
Unfortunately, things haven’t gone well for Walsh since then. He hit a paltry .197/.258/.355 over his final two years with the Halos while battling thoracic outlet syndrome as well as a neurological illness that has caused him to suffer from persistent headaches and insomnia. Through 17 games with the Rangers, Walsh has looked better than he did when he posted a 33 wRC+ with the Angels last year but has nonetheless struggled to a lackluster .226/.317/.321 batting line across 60 trips to the plate in a Rangers uniform.
Of course, it’s difficult to draw significant conclusions from such a small sample size. On one hand, Walsh has posted a strong 11.7% walk rate so far this season and has an xwOBA of .324 that outstrips his .294 wOBA by 30 points, suggesting better days could be ahead for the veteran. On the other, however, Walsh’s 35% strikeout rate is nearing an untenable level and a far cry from the 24.1% rate he flashed during his peaks years with the Angels, and his meager 84 wRC+ is being floated by a .355 BABIP that clocks in more than 50 points above his career mark.
Perhaps most concerning about Walsh’s performance so far is his lack of power. Between the 2020 and ’21 seasons, Walsh hit 38 home runs in just 176 games with an excellent .251 ISO. So far this season, however, he’s managed to connect on just three extra-base hits with one home run. While that could certainly change if he can find more at-bats at the big league level, Walsh’s average exit velocity this year is just 84.2 mph per Statcast. That places him in the fifth percentile among all major league hitters, putting him line with relatively light-hitting players such as Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Gio Urshela.
Even so, Walsh’s max exit velocity of 112.5 mph indicates that his power potential is still there. An above-average 9.4% barrel rate also provides optimism that more power could be in the first baseman’s future, though first he’ll need to find playing time in the majors for that to come to fruition. Going forward, the Rangers will have seven days to either trade, release, or waive the veteran. Any club that claims Walsh off waivers would take on the remainder of his $1.25MM salary for the 2024 campaign, and if he goes unclaimed the Rangers will be able to assign Walsh outright to the minors. Walsh would have the right to reject that assignment in favor of free agency, though in doing so he would forfeit the remainder of his $1.25MM salary of this season.
Walsh’s departure from the active roster makes room for the return of Lowe, who has been the club’s regular first baseman in each of the past three seasons. That arrangement has gone quite well for the Rangers, with Lowe slashing a respectable .276/.359/.441 in 475 games with the club while picking up a Gold Glove award last year in addition to a Silver Slugger award the year prior. In addition to bumping Walsh from the club’s roster, Lowe’s return seems likely to cut into the playing time afforded to utility youngster Ezequiel Duran, who made seven starts at first in Lowe’s absence despite struggling to a 59 wRC+ so far in the young 2024 campaign.
Along with Lowe’s return, Texas announced that catcher Heim is headed to the bereavement list. The 2023 All Star and Gold Glove award winner has been a steady source of production for the club once again this year, impressing defensively behind the plate while posting a respectable 102 wRC+ on offense. The Rangers will be without their top option behind the plate for the next few days, however, and figure to rely on a tandem of Huff and Andrew Knizner while their primary backstop is away. Huff has posted solid numbers in limited playing time at the big league level to this point in his career, with a career .262/.314/.462 slash line in 75 games dating back to the 2020 season. Knizner, meanwhile, has gone 1-for-14 with four strikeouts in limited playing time with Texas to this point in the young 2024 campaign.
The Opener: Montgomery, Verlander, Yankees
As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:
1. Montgomery to debut:
Left-hander Jordan Montgomery is slated to make the first start of his Diamondbacks career tonight after two starts at the Triple-A level to help the southpaw build up after he missed Spring Training while lingering on the free agent market. Montgomery will take the ball opposite fellow late-signing lefty Blake Snell and the Giants in San Francisco, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15pm local time. The lefty is already on the 40-man roster, but Arizona will have to make a corresponding move to clear space for Montgomery on the active roster before tonight’s game.
The 31-year-old enjoyed an excellent season with the Cardinals and Rangers last year, pitching to a 3.20 ERA in 32 regular season starts before going on to post a 2.90 ERA with Texas in the postseason en route to the first World Series championship in franchise history. Now with the Diamondbacks on a short-term deal, Montgomery will look to avoid the slow starts to the season other late signers such as Snell (12.86 ERA), Cody Bellinger (75 wRC+), and Matt Chapman (82 wRC+) have suffered so far this season.
2. Verlander to be activated:
Future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander has been sidelined to this point in the 2024 season amid nagging shoulder fatigue that cost him virtually all of Spring Training. The veteran righty has since made two rehab starts in the minor leagues and built up to 78 pitches, which was enough for the Astros to decide he was ready to make his season debut tonight against the Nationals in D.C. opposite young lefty MacKenzie Gore. Verlander, 41, took a bit of a step back last year from the dominant form he had shown since first joining Houston in 2017 but was still a well above average starter, posting a 3.22 ERA (130 ERA+) and 3.86 FIP in 27 starts between the Mets and Astros. The 510th start of Verlander’s illustrious career is expected to begin at 6:45pm local time this evening.
3. Yankees broadcaster to be honored:
John Sterling has been the radio voice of the Yankees since first joining the club’s booth in 1989 more than three decades ago, but a press release from the club earlier this week announced that the longtime play-by-play man has retired after calling his final game earlier this month. The 85-year-old called more than 5,000 games for the Yankees in total and saw them make the postseason in 24 of his 36 years as the club’s radio voice, including their World Series championships in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009. Sterling will be recognized for his lengthy tenure in the Bronx tomorrow, prior to the Yankees 1:05pm local time game against the Rays.
“I am a very blessed human being,” Sterling said in a statement earlier this week. “I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years. As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years. It’s all to my benefit, and I leave very, very happy. I look forward to seeing everyone again on Saturday.”
The Opener: Leiter, Taillon, Rehab Assignments
As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Leiter to make MLB debut:
The second overall pick of the 2021 draft is set to make his MLB debut today, as the Rangers announced earlier this week that right-hander Jack Leiter will be promoted to make today’s start against the Tigers in Detroit, where he’ll be matched up against veteran right-hander Kenta Maeda. Leiter, who will celebrate his 24th birthday on Sunday, was a consensus top-25 prospect in the sport after being drafted out of Vanderbilt three years ago but has struggled in professional ball with ERAs north of 5.00 in each of the last two seasons.
That being said, the righty has looked good three appearances into his 2024 season, posting a 3.72 ERA at the Triple-A level while striking out an incredible 43.9% of batters faced against a walk rate of just 5.3%. If Leiter has recaptured the form that made him the most dominant pitching prospect on the planet during his college days, that would be a huge boost to a Rangers club that started the season without veteran aces Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom. Leiter’s debut is scheduled for 1:10pm local time in Detroit and 12:10pm CT for fans in Texas.
2. Taillon to make season debut:
The Cubs have weathered plenty of key injuries early in the 2024 campaign, ranging from staff ace Justin Steele suffering a hamstring strain on Opening Day to right fielder Seiya Suzuki being placed on the shelf with an oblique strain earlier this week. The club is slated to move closer to full strength later today when right-hander Jameson Taillon, who is set to be activated from the injured list today, makes his first start of the 2024 campaign. Taillon, 32, is in the second year of his four-year, $68MM contract with the Cubs and posted slightly below average results (93 ERA+) last year after a brutal first half that saw him post a 6.93 ERA and 5.14 FIP in his first 14 starts.
He’ll look to turn the page on that rough performance starting today, when he’ll face off against left-hander A.J. Puk and the Marlins at Wrigley Field in a game schedule to begin at 6:40pm local time this evening. Taillon’s return could see the Cubs push youngster Ben Brown, who has dominated with a 1.23 ERA in 14 2/3 innings of work since joining the club’s rotation, into a relief role, though it’s possible the club could make another move like optioning young lefty Jordan Wicks or going with a six-man rotation if they want to keep Brown in a starting capacity.
3. LeMahieu, Lowe to begin rehab assignments:
A pair of key players in the AL East are on the road to their season debuts today, as MLB.com indicates that veteran Yankees infielder DJ LeMahieu is set to begin a rehab assignment as soon as today, while reporting earlier this week indicated that Rays outfielder Josh Lowe is also slated to begin a rehab assignment today. LeMahieu, 35, suffered a non-displaced fracture of his right foot during Spring Training and figures to get the majority of his reps at third base, where Oswaldo Cabrera is off to a hot start, upon his return to action. The veteran was roughly league average at the plate in a down season last year but has a strong .285/.358/.430 slash line since joining the Yankees prior to the 2019 season.
As for Lowe, the 26-year-old missed virtually all of Spring Training due to hip inflammation and an oblique strain. The former top prospect enjoyed a breakout season at the plate with Tampa last year, slashing an excellent .292/.335/.500 in 501 trips to the plate. In 2024, the Rays appear poised to rely on Lowe as their primary right fielder with Randy Arozarena and Jose Siri manning left and center field. Its been an injury-riddled start to the season for the Rays, particularly on the positional side where Lowe is joined by Jonny DeLuca, Taylor Walls, Brandon Lowe, and Jonathan Aranda on the shelf. Despite those injury woes, the Rays have managed to keep their heads above water with a 10-9 record to this point in the season, though that’s only been good enough for a three-way tie for last place in a highly competitive AL East.
The Opener: Dodgers, Red Sox, Guardians
As the 2024 MLB regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Knack to debut:
The Dodgers are set to call up pitching prospect Landon Knack today, as manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya) last night. Knack, 26, was the club’s second-round pick in the 2020 draft and is expected to make his MLB debut tonight when he takes the ball for a start in Dodger Stadium opposite Jake Irvin and the Nationals. The right-hander enjoyed a breakout season last year as he impressed with a 2.51 ERA and a 24.1% strikeout rate in 22 starts split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. Knack is already on the club’s 40-man roster, but the Dodgers will need an active roster move to accommodate him.
2. Red Sox facing injuries:
Yesterday’s game against the Guardians was a brutal one for the Red Sox, as Boston saw two key players exit the game due to injury. Right-hander Garrett Whitlock exited after the fourth inning due to tightness in his left oblique, while star third baseman Rafael Devers left after the seventh inning due to left knee discomfort. Per Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Whitlock indicated to reporters after the game that he wasn’t very concerned about his oblique, and manager Alex Cora suggested that the young righty will be evaluated further today. The 27-year-old has looked fantastic through four starts this season, pitching to a 1.96 ERA and 3.41 FIP in 18 1/3 innings of work while striking out 22.7% of batters faced.
Devers’ ailment, on the other hand, appears to be more concerning. Cora indicated to reporters after the game that the team is currently discussing whether or not to send the infielder for an MRI due to the sudden onset of the pain during a double play attempt. The club’s most reliable offensive force, Devers has slashed an excellent .280/.354/.517 in 462 games since the start of the 2021 season.
3. Guardians roster move incoming:
Reporting yesterday indicated that the Guardians are set to acquire right-hander Pedro Avila in a deal with the Padres, who designated him for assignment last week. The Guardians have a full 40-man roster, meaning they’ll need to make a corresponding move in order to officially acquire the righty.
The 27-year-old Avila has appeared in five seasons with the Padres since making his MLB debut back in 2019, but the 2023 campaign was Avila’s first with more than two appearances. Last year, the right-hander pitched in a swing role for San Diego with a 3.22 ERA and 3.67 FIP in 50 1/3 innings of work. That ability to provide solid results out of both the bullpen and rotation could make Avila a valuable piece for the Guardians, who are currently without key pieces of both their rotation (such as Shane Bieber and Gavin Williams) as well as their bullpen (such as Sam Hentges and Trevor Stephan).
The Opener: Yelich, Blue Jays, MLBTR Chat
As MLB’s regular season continues, here are three things for MLBTR readers to keep an eye out for today:
1. Yelich to the injured list?
Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich has enjoyed his best start to a season since 2018-19, hitting .333/.422/.744 with five home runs in just 46 plate appearances. Unfortunately, lower back soreness has limited Yelich to just 11 games so far and could cause him to miss even more time.
As relayed by Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, manager Pat Murphy told reporters yesterday that while Yelich’s soreness hasn’t improved in recent days, the club feels it’s best to wait until the “last minute” before making the decision to place him on the shelf. Murphy went on to indicate that decision would come today. Should Yelich require a trip to the 10-day IL, the Brewers figure to turn to a Triple-A depth option such as Vinny Capra or Owen Miller to fill out the club’s positional mix while mostly relying on Jackson Chourio, Sal Frelick, Joey Wiemer, and Blake Perkins in the outfield.
2. Blue Jays bullpen getting healthy:
It’s been an uneven start for the Blue Jays, with the club’s 9-8 record putting them in a three-way tie at the bottom of the AL East. A patchwork bullpen that has posted a 5.00 ERA so far in the 2024 campaign has been an Achilles heel. Fortunately for fans in Toronto, it appears plenty of help is on the way. Keegan Matheson of MLB.com suggests that both closer Jordan Romano and setup man Erik Swanson could be activated from the injured list today.
Over the past four seasons, Romano has pitched to a 2.29 ERA and 3.13 FIP while racking up 97 saves in 199 appearances. Meanwhile, Swanson enjoyed a strong inaugural season in Toronto after coming over in the Teoscar Hernandez trade last year. He posted a 2.97 ERA and 3.51 FIP in 66 2/3 innings of work. The high-leverage duo’s return should take pressure off Chad Green and Yimi Garcia and deepen the group overall. Toronto will need to make a pair of active roster moves to accommodate the return of Romano and Swanson ahead of this evening’s game against the Yankees, which begins at 7:07pm local time.
3. MLBTR Chat today:
The 2024 season is now in full swing, and some clubs have gotten off to surprisingly strong starts while a handful of others have unexpectedly struggled to open the year. If you have questions regarding your favorite club’s start to the campaign, or perhaps questions about the summer trade deadline or 2024-25 offseason, MLBTR’s Steve Adams will host a live chat with readers today at 11am CT. You can click here to ask a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to join in on the chat once it begins or read the transcript after it is completed.
The Opener: Lorenzen, MLB Debuts, Busch
Happy Jackie Robinson Day to baseball fans everywhere! With 10% of the MLB regular season already in the books, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Lorenzen to make season debut:
Right-hander Michael Lorenzen signed a one-year deal with the Rangers last month and has spent the season to this point building up in the minor leagues. Recent reporting has indicated that will end today, however, as Lorenzen is expected to be called up to start tonight’s series opener in Detroit, which is slated to begin at 6:40pm local time, opposite Tigers righty Reese Olson. On top of being Lorenzen’s first start in a Rangers uniform, today will mark the right-hander’s first time returning to Detroit since he was shipped to the Phillies ahead of last summer’s trade deadline. Lorenzen found a great deal of success during his brief time with the Tigers, pitching to a 3.58 ERA and 3.86 FIP in 105 2/3 innings of work prior to the trade.
2. Mariners, Nationals to promote youngsters ahead of debuts:
In addition to Lorenzen’s debut in Texas, today is also expected to mark the major league debuts of youngsters in both Seattle and the nation’s capital. Nationals lefty Mitchell Parker and Mariners outfielder Jonatan Clase will be promoted to the majors for the first time today. No corresponding 40-man moves will be necessary for either player; the Nationals added Parker to the 40-man roster back in November ahead of the Rule 5 Draft, while the Mariners did the same with Clase the year prior.
Parker, 24, is slated to take the ball opposite right-hander Tyler Glasnow and the Dodgers in L.A. at 7:10pm local time this evening. The Nationals’ fifth-round pick in 2020, Parker pitched to a 4.20 ERA in 25 appearances at the Double-A level last year. Clase, meanwhile, made his pro debut with the Mariners at 17 years old back in 2019 and has gotten off to a hot start at the Triple-A level this season, slashing .311/.396/.622 in his first 53 trips to the plate at the level. Should he make his debut this evening he’ll be facing off against the Reds in Seattle, where right-handers Frankie Montas and George Kirby are set to face off at 6:42pm local time.
3. Busch nearing franchise record with Cubs:
Rookie first baseman Michael Busch has been on a heater to open the 2024 campaign. The 26-year-old has slashed an incredible .327/.393/.694 in his first 56 plate appearances with the Cubs, who acquired him from the Dodgers alongside right-hander Yency Almonte this winter in exchange for prospects Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope. Yesterday’s game against the Mariners saw Busch go 2-for-4 with a home run off of right-hander Luis Castillo.
That performance was made more notable by the fact that it was the fourth consecutive game in which Busch homered. That puts the rookie just one long ball shy of matching the club’s franchise record for consecutive games with at least one home run, a record that MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian relays is jointly held by Busch’s teammate Christopher Morel as well as franchise legends Sammy Sosa, Ryne Sandberg, and Hack Wilson. Busch will attempt to match that quartet in tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks, where the Cubs will take on right-hander Merrill Kelly in Phoenix at 6:40pm local time.
Beau Taylor Retires, Joins Mariners’ Triple-A Coaching Staff
Former big league catcher Beau Taylor has retired, and taken a new role as the first base coach of the Mariners’ Triple-A Tacoma affiliate. An earlier version of this post indicated that Taylor had signed a minor league deal with the M’s, but as explained by Tacoma Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto, Taylor has decided to wrap up his playing career.
Taylor was selected by the A’s in the fifth round of the 2011 draft, but did not make his big league debut with the club until 2018, when he slashed .200/.333/.400 in a seven-game cup of coffee with Oakland. Taylor spent the next two seasons bouncing between the A’s as well as both Toronto and Cleveland as a depth option behind the plate, appearing in just 18 big league games during that time. The catcher’s seven-game stint in Cleveland during the shortened 2020 season represents his most recent big league experience.
Since then, Taylor has spent time in the Reds, A’s, and Orioles organizations at the minor league level, most recently batting a decent .222/.365/.368 in 50 games split between Oakland and Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliates during the 2022 season. Taylor departed affiliated ball last year in favor of signing with the Atlantic League’s High Point Rockers and enjoyed a strong season in indy ball. Beau appeared in 77 games (catching 61) and slashed a strong .291/.386/.453 with nine homers and 16 doubles in 316 trips to the plate.
Brewers Claim Corbin Martin
The Brewers have claimed right-hander Corbin Martin off waivers from the Diamondbacks, according to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Hogg adds that right-hander Kevin Herget was designated for assignment to make room for Martin on the club’s 40-man roster. The Brewers subsequently optioned Martin to Triple-A.
Martin, 28, was a second-round pick by the Astros in the 2017 draft and, after dominating the Double-A level of the minors in his first full pro season, garnered plenty of top-100 prospect buzz prior to the 2019 season, even making his big league debut early in the season. Martin’s rise was thrown off course by him undergoing Tommy John surgery midway through the 2019 campaign, but that didn’t stop Houston from packaging him alongside Seth Beer, JB Bukauskas, and Josh Rojas to acquire future Hall of Famer Zack Greinke from the Diamondbacks in a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline that summer.
The right-hander’s career began to come off the rails once he arrived in Arizona, however. Martin missed the entire 2020 season while rehabbing from surgery and didn’t make his organizational debut with Arizona until May of that year. He struggled through 43 1/3 innings of work split between the major league level and Triple-A that year, posting a whopping 10.69 ERA in five big league appearances along with a 5.93 ERA in 27 1/3 frames with the club’s affiliate in Reno. Martin’s struggles continued in 2022 as Martin pitched to a 4.84 ERA and 4.59 FIP in seven appearances for the big league club. The righty spent the majority of the season in the minors before once again being shut down due to injury in August of that year.
That proved to be the last time Martin would pitch in the majors for the Diamondbacks. The right-hander missed the entire 2023 campaign after suffering a lat tendon tear in his right shoulder that ended up requiring surgery. He returned to action with the beginning of the 2024 season, but allowed a 9.00 ERA in three innings of work before being designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks last week.
Now with the Brewers, Martin will be reunited with Bukauskas as a potential bullpen option in Milwaukee, though the right-hander will begin his tenure with the club in the minor leagues. Given Martin’s previous prospect pedigree and impressive results when healthier earlier in his career, the Brewers are no doubt hoping they can tap into some of that potential Martin has flashed throughout his career now that he’s fully healthy. If he does enough to earn himself an opportunity in the majors, he’ll enter the club’s middle relief mix alongside the likes of Bryse Wilson and Thyago Vieira.
Making room for Martin on the Brewers’ 40-man roster is Herget, who was selected to the club’s roster earlier this week after signing with Milwaukee on a minor league deal last month. The 33-year-old ultimately did not make an appearance with the Brewers at the big league level, though he had posted 5 1/3 scoreless innings of work in Triple-A. After being drafted by the Cardinals in the 39th round of the 2013 draft, Herget bounced around the minor leagues before eventually making his big league debut with the Rays in 2022. He’s made brief cameos in the majors in each of the past two seasons with Tampa and Cincinnati, pitching to a combined 5.74 ERA and 4.56 FIP in 31 1/3 innings of work. The Brewers will now have one week to waive, trade, or release Herget.
Rangers Recall Cole Winn For MLB Debut, Place Cody Bradford On IL
The Rangers announced a pair of roster moves this afternoon, placing left-hander Cody Bradford on the 15-day IL with a low-back strain and recalling right-hander Cole Winn to take his place on the active roster.
It’ll be Winn’s major league debut the first time he gets into a game. The 24-year-old righty was selected fifteenth overall by the Rangers in the first round of the 2018 draft and made some noise as a top-100 prospect following a dominant 2021 season that saw him pitch to a 2.41 ERA with a 32.2% strikeout rate in 21 starts split between the Double- and Triple-A levels of the minors. Unfortunately, Winn has struggled badly in the years since then. 2022 saw the right-hander post a whopping 6.51 ERA in 28 starts with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate spiked to an unwieldy 15.2%, prompting the club to move Winn to the bullpen during the 2023 season.
The move to multi-inning relief work did not bring an end to Winn’s struggles, as he posted a staggering 7.22 ERA in 101 innings of work last year. His peripheral numbers also got even worse, as his walk rate crept up to 16% while his strikeout rate plummeted to just 19.7%. Things haven’t looked much better for Winn so far this year, as he posted a 9.82 ERA in 7 2/3 innings during camp this spring and has allowed five runs (four earned) across his first four appearances at Triple-A this season. Despite the shaky results, Winn will nonetheless get the opportunity to pitch at the big league level, helping to provide depth to a bullpen that’s been leaned on for 40% of the club’s innings in recent days.
Making room for Winn on the active roster is Bradford, who heads to the injured list with a back strain following an excellent start to the 2024 season. The 26-year-old southpaw has pitched to a 1.40 ERA and a 2.47 FIP with 17 strikeouts in 19 1/3 innings of work across three starts so far this year, forming a formidable duo with veteran righty Nathan Eovaldi at the front of the club’s rotation to this point in the season. The Rangers will surely miss Bradford’s production while he’s on the IL, but Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News indicates that his absence could be a relatively short one, with Bradford potentially only needing the minimum amount of time off. If that ends up being the case, Bradford would first be eligible to return on April 25, as today’s IL move was backdated to April 11.
In the meantime, however, Texas will need to look elsewhere to fill Bradford’s spot in the club’s starting rotation. Per MLB.com’s Kennedi Landry, that help will come in the form of right-hander Michael Lorenzen, who signed a one-year deal with the club last month and has been building up in the minors since then. Landry reports that Lorenzen is set to make his Rangers debut in a start tomorrow against the Tigers, for whom he pitched the first half of the 2023 season. Lorenzen’s time with Detroit wound up being something of a breakout for the right-hander, as he pitched to a 3.58 ERA (125 ERA+) with a 3.86 FIP in 18 starts with the club before being shipped to the Phillies ahead of last summer’s trade deadline.