AL East Notes: Rays, Mullins, Mountcastle, Romano
While the Rays are typically known for making careful, calculated moves in order to maximize long-term success, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times discussed yesterday the possibility of Tampa making a splash in the trade market prior to the trade deadline on August 1 by pursuing two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani, on whom the Angels are expected to consider offers.
Such a move would be a major departure from the club’s typical model, though president of baseball operations Erik Neander and his front office have shown a willingness to be more aggressive in recent years. Trading promising right-hander Joe Ryan for Nelson Cruz ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, extending Wander Franco on an 11-year deal that offseason, and pursuing Freddie Freeman in free agency are all signs from the relatively recent past that the Rays could be willing to take bigger swings in their pursuit of a World Series championship, and there’s no acquisition that would move the needle more than Ohtani.
While the club certainly has the pieces necessary to swing a deal for Ohtani between a farm system that ranks 8th in the majors per Fangraphs and a deep group of position players at the big league level, Topkin cautions that the Rays are highly unlikely to enter a bidding war for Ohtani as the club wouldn’t be able to retain the superstar in free agency. Between that unwillingness to beat out other potential suitors like the Yankees and Dodgers for Ohtani and the considerable chance that the Angels don’t move him at all, as they’re currently sitting just one game under .500 and five games back of a Wild Card berth, Ohtani in a Rays uniform certainly seems unlikely.
More from around the AL East…
- Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins exited yesterday’s game with right quad tightness, as noted by MASN’s Roch Kubatko. Mullins is currently considered day-to-day, and the club will check in with him today to determine the severity of the injury. Manager Brandon Hyde expressed optimism following yesterday’s game, telling reporters (including Kubatko) that the club is “hoping we caught a break there.” Fortunately for the Orioles, they boast a deep group of position players that can help cover for Mullins in the event he misses time, though properly replacing a strong defensive center fielder with a 123 wRC+ is easier said than done.
- Sticking with the Orioles, the club has been taking things slowly with first baseman Ryan Mountcastle as he returns from a month on the injured list due to vertigo. While Mountcastle has looked good in limited time since coming off the IL, with a single and a double in five trips to the plate, Kubatko notes that his ability to reclaim a full-time role has been further complicated by the emergence of Ryan O’Hearn as a legitimate starting option. In 156 plate appearances this season, O’Hearn has slashed an impressive .310/.359/.528 with a wRC+ of 143, albeit in a strictly platoon role. Though Mountcastle currently seems poised to see most of his starts come against southpaws, Hyde indicated that setup may not be permanent, telling reporters that he’s “sure” Mountcastle will get some starts against same-handed pitching and that “we’ll see how the second half goes.”
- Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano exited the All-Star game last week due to lower back tightness and has since undergone an MRI, as relayed by SportsCentre’s Scott Mitchell. Manager John Schneider told reporters, including Mitchell, that the imaging came back clean and Romano is currently considered day-to-day. Romano has established himself as one of the league’s best closers over the past four seasons, pitching to a 2.21 ERA (190 ERA+) and a 3.01 FIP while racking up 87 saves. In the event the right-hander is unavailable, Erik Swanson and Yimi Garcia appear to be the most likely candidates to handle the ninth.
Notable Draft Signings: 7/15/23
The Cardinals and Royals both agreed to terms with their first-round picks earlier today. One additional notable signing from today:
- Per Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle, Astros first-rounder Brice Matthews was among ten draft picks the club signed today. Per MLB.com’s draft tracker, Matthews signed for a bonus of $2,480,000, a figure that comes in a touch under the $2,880,000 slot value of the 28th overall pick. A shortstop out of the University of Nebraska, Matthews was ranked 57th in the draft class by each of The Athletic’s Keith Law, Baseball America, and MLB Pipeline. Matthews draws praise for his enticing combination of power and speed to go with the athleticism to play either shortstop or center field professional, though scouts seem concerned about his hit tool given the amount of swing and miss in Matthews’ game.
NL West Notes: Padres, Tatis, Wood, Dodgers
While the Padres were swept in today’s doubleheader against the Phillies, dropping their season record to 44-49 that puts them ten games back in the NL West, the club is nonetheless expected to pursue additions prior to August 1’s trade deadline. Club chairman Peter Seidler indicated as much earlier in the month, and now Jon Heyman of the New York Post adds additional details about the team’s expected deadline approach. While San Diego will look to make additions, Heyman suggests it will be a far more modest than the massive outlay last year that brought back Juan Soto, Josh Hader, and Josh Bell. The club reportedly hopes to add a bat to the lineup, along with possibly a relief arm to the bullpen.
With clear starters entrenched all across the infield and outfield, the clearest hole in the club’s lineup appears to be at designated hitter. The club recently released Nelson Cruz, and fellow offseason signing Matt Carpenter has struggled similarly with a 76 wRC+ in 191 plate appearances this season. Rougned Odor and Brandon Dixon have also mixed in recently, though both are also hitting well below league average. Given this need at DH, the Padres should have plenty of options on the rental market. Speculatively speaking, Tommy Pham woulld certainly improve the club’s production at the DH spot, while a more versatile player like Cody Bellinger could do the same while also mixing in at all three outfield spots and at first base.
More from around the NL West…
- Sticking with the Padres, Fernando Tatis Jr. exited play against the Phillies today with an apparent injury. As noted by Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribune, manager Bob Melvin told reporters that Tatis suffered a twisted ankle on the warning track and left the game after his ankle began to swell. Tatis is currently considered day-to-day, though given Tatis’s injury history and importance to the Padres, it would hardly be surprising if the club decided to sit him for a game or two to ensure the issue doesn’t become more significant.
- Giants left-hander Alex Wood is slated to take the ball for a start tomorrow against the Pirates, as noted by Susan Sussler of the San Francisco Chronicle. Across 50 innings of work this season, Wood sports a 4.68 ERA and 4.74 FIP. He was moved to the bullpen at the end of June and sports a 3.09 ERA in 11 2/3 innings of work since then, including two five-inning, scoreless appearances. Now, Wood will get another opportunity as a member of the club’s starting rotation where he will be joined by Logan Webb, Alex Cobb, and Ross Stripling.
- The Dodgers have struggled to keep their starting pitchers healthy this season as each of Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Noah Syndergaard, Ryan Pepiot, Michael Grove, and Gavin Stone have spent time on the injured list throughout the season. Fortunately for LA, the club appears poised to get reinforcements from the injured list in the near future, with both Syndergaard and Pepiot beginning rehab assignments with Triple-A Oklahoma City per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Pepiot made his first appearance since Spring Training with Oklahoma City yesterday, allowing one run over two innings while racking up two strikeouts. Syndergaard, meanwhile, allowed two runs on four hits over five innings of work in a start this evening, striking out six without issuing a walk. Both pitchers, if healthy and effective, figure to impact a Dodgers club that has surged to recapture the lead in the NL West race in recent days.
Harris: Tigers Open To Changing Trade Deadline Plans
The Tigers are currently ten games under .500 with a 40-50 record. Despite that reality, the club is in third place in an exceptionally weak AL Central division, just five games back of the division-leading Twins. The club has managed to look competitive at various points this season, with a 16-11 record in May and, more recently, a 14-13 record since snapping a nine-game skid on June 12th. Detroit has also begun to get healthy in recent weeks, with outfielder Riley Greene, right-hander Matt Manning, and lefties Eduardo Rodriguez and Tarik Skubal each coming off the injured list in recent weeks after an extended absence.
With the club approaching full strength, the division within reach, and stretches of success in the first half, it seems that president of baseball operations Scott Harris isn’t quite ready to throw in the towel on the 2023 campaign. In conversation with 97.1 The Ticket, Harris noted that he remains open to the possibility of avoiding a mid-season sell-off if the team gets hot in the final two weeks ahead of the trade deadline on August 1.
“If we get hot out of the break, it’s going to change our approach to the trade deadline.” Harris said Thursday, “We are going to be responsive to the way the team is playing heading into the deadline and we’re going to try to make the best decisions we can for the organization.”
While that’s hardly a strong declaration of intent, the fact that the Tigers are even considering not selling at the deadline leaves the door open for a major shakeup to the market this trade season. With an unusually small number of clear sellers, the Tigers have found a handful of their players at the center of trade buzz all throughout the season. Indeed, MLBTR’s list of the Top 50 Deadline Trade Candidates featured each of Michael Lorenzen (#9), Rodriguez (#12), Jose Cisnero (#28), and Alex Lange (#43).
Should Detroit decide to hold onto that group of coveted arms, that could drive up demand for the arms available on other expected sellers, such as Lucas Giolito of the White Sox and Jack Flaherty of the Cardinals. It’s also possible that a dearth of proper sellers could encourage trades of established major league players between contenders to address needs on both teams. While such deals are typically rare, they still happen on occasion; the Harrison Bader for Jordan Montgomery one-for-one swap between St. Louis and the New York one year ago is perhaps the most recent example.
Even if the Tigers decide not to sell at the deadline, it seems unlikely that they would spend significant prospect capital to add a rental bat like Tommy Pham or Cody Bellinger to address the club’s offense, which ranks bottom three in the majors with a wRC+ of just 86. That being said, if Harris and the rest of the front office feel they’re close enough to contention to consider holding onto short-term assets, they could look to improve the club’s offense by pursuing players with club control remaining after the 2023 campaign. Speculatively speaking, Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill or Arizona infielder Josh Rojas could be the sort of multi-year acquisition that could make sense for the club to look into if they decide to pursue a division title in the second half.
Twins Notes: Miranda, Polanco, Prielipp
The Twins suffered another hit to their infield depth today, as they placed third baseman Jose Miranda on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. In a corresponding move, the club called up outfielder Matt Wallner from Triple-A.
It’s been a brutal year at the plate for Miranda, who entered the season as the club’s starting third baseman but was demoted to Triple-A after slashing just .220/.275/.318 in his first 142 plate appearances this season. Since then, the Twins have been ravaged by injuries across the infield that prompted the club to give Miranda another look in the big leagues despite his meager .255/.326/.360 slash line at the Triple-A level. He ultimately recorded just 10 more at-bats in the big leagues before going down with injury, going 1 for 10 with a strikeout and no walks.
Now Miranda is joining fellow infielders Jorge Polanco, Nick Gordon, and Royce Lewis on the injured list. With that group out, the Twins seem poised to rely on Edouard Julien, Kyle Farmer, and Donovan Solano around the infield alongside Alex Kirilloff at first base and Carlos Correa at shortstop. Fortunately, reinforcements may be on the way in the near future. As noted by MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park, Polanco is poised to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, indicating he’s nearing a return to the big league club. Polanco has played just 30 games this season due to injuries, and has struggled somewhat at the plate when healthy as evidenced by a .250/.291/.450 slash line (104 wRC+) that’s a far cry from the .272/.339/.455 (116 wRC+) he offered from 2018-22.
Polanco’s difficult year has allowed for the emergence of Julien, who has raked to the tune of a .279/.355/.515 slash line, good for a wRC+ of 140. With Byron Buxton entrenched as the club’s designated hitter and both Polanco and Julien limited to second base defensively, it will be a challenge for the Twins to find adequate playing time for both hitters. Last time Polanco was activated off the injured list, the club optioned Julien to Triple-A to allow both regular at-bats. Since his return to the big leagues on June 10, however, Julien has slashed a fantastic .324/.393/.568, underscoring his importance to the Twins’ lineup as currently constructed.
While Polanco’s return is certainly encouraging, Twins fans received much more concerning news today regarding the health of top pitching prospect Connor Prielipp. Per Park, Prielipp is slated to undergo surgery on his UCL next Monday, though the extent of the surgery won’t be known until the procedure occurs. The club’s second round pick in the 2022 draft, Prielipp has managed just 6 2/3 innings of work in his pro debut this season due to injuries. As noted by Park, this won’t be the first time Prielipp goes under the knife due to UCL issues, as the lefty underwent Tommy John surgery while in college back in 2021.
AL West Notes: Angels, Leiter, Astros
After a strong start to the 2023 campaign, the Angels have faltered with a 4-14 record over their last 18 games. That slip to fourth place in the AL West has been accompanied by a rash of major injuries to key players like Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Gio Urshela. Fortunately for the club, the tides of their injury misfortune may be turning. MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger notes that both infielder Brandon Drury and catcher Logan O’Hoppe have progressed to hitting off a tee in their injury rehab processes.
Drury, in a particular, seems poised for a quick return, as Bollinger adds that he hopes to return from injury “in a few days.” O’Hoppe is farther away, considering his initial recovery timeline of four to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum back in April. Still, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register indicates that O’Hoppe’s recovery is going well, as he told reporters that his healing process following the surgery is expected to end next week, allowing him to focus on baseball activities going forward. While no specifics were given regarding O’Hoppe’s timeline for return, his most recent comments seem to leave the possibility of a late-season return on the table, which is excellent news given his status as the Angels’ top prospect entering the 2023 campaign.
More from around the AL West…
- It’s been a frustrating season for the Rangers and 2021 second overall pick Jack Leiter. After his selection in the 2021 draft, Leiter entered the 2022 season as a consensus top-25 prospect in the sport. Since then, however, he’s struggled mightily when pitching at the Double-A level, with a 5.54 ERA in 92 2/3 innings of work last season that saw him fall off many top 100 lists entering the 2023 campaign. Things haven’t gotten better from there, as Leiter has posted an eerily similar 5.52 ERA in 15 starts (65 1/3 innings) this season. Leiter’s struggles culminated in the club moving him to the development list yesterday, taking him off the Double-A active roster. Per Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today, the club hopes to work with Leiter on his mechanics in a more controlled environment than minor league starts can provide, and has offered no timetable for Leiter’s return to game action. It’s a deeply disappointing update for Rangers fans, as the 54-39 club would surely benefit from the front-line production Leiter was expected to provide when he was selected with the second overall pick two years ago.
- While the Astros have not been shy about their desire to acquire rotation help ahead of the trade deadline on August 1, Astros GM Dana Brown recently discussed with reporters (including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) the club’s back-up plan in the event that the club fails to acquire a surefire starter for the rotation over the next couple of weeks. Brown indicated that the club would consider a second half call-up for right-hander Spencer Arrighetti to help supplement the rotation if reinforcements are still necessary after the deadline. A sixth-round pick in the 2021 draft, Arrighetti a 4.21 ERA in 72 2/3 innings of work between the Double- and Triple-A levels this season. While Arrighetti seems unlikely to provide the same impact a rental starter such as Lucas Giolito or Eduardo Rodriguez could offer, the Astros have managed to find success while relying on unheralded rookies this season, including J.P. France, Ronel Blanco, and Shawn Dubin.
NL Central Notes: Cubs, Stroman, Burnes, Wainwright
As the trade deadline on August 1 creeps ever closer, the Cubs stand as one of a handful of teams that has yet to make a decision regarding whether they will be buyers or sellers this trade season. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer spoke to 670 The Score on Friday regarding the club’s plans. Hoyer asserted that “there is nothing we want more than to add” at the coming deadline, though he made clear the club was willing to pivot if buying at the deadline seemed imprudent.
The Cubs currently sit at a record of 43-48 following today’s win against the Red Sox, a record that will leave them seven games out of first place following this evening’s game between the Reds and Brewers. While the club’s +27 run differential is by far the best in the NL Central, Hoyer acknowledged that in order to justify buying at the deadline, “We need to make up ground on first place, and we need to make up ground on .500.”
Should the Cubs fail to do so over the next two weeks, the club seems poised to shop players like center fielder Cody Bellinger and right-hander Marcus Stroman to contending clubs. Stroman, whose lack of extension talks with the club has been well documented, told reporters (including Bruce Levine of The Score) today that he does not expect an extension offer from the Cubs prior to the trade deadline. Even if he’s traded, however, Stroman indicated he would have interest in returning to Chicago on a new contract during the offseason. Stroman can opt-out of the final year and $21MM on his contract after the 2023 campaign comes to a close, and seems all but certain to do so after posting a 2.88 ERA in 118 2/3 innings across his first 20 starts of the season.
More from around the NL Central:
- While Stroman’s future is up in the air, the same can’t be said for Brewers ace Corbin Burnes, who told reporters (including MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy) that GM Matt Arnold has privately told him that he will not be traded. That matches what Arnold has said publicly, as he previously indicated that Milwaukee would look to add at the deadline and would not consider moving either Burnes or shortstop Willy Adames. The news hardly comes as a surprise given the step back Burnes has taken this season relative to the Cy Young-caliber performance he offered from 2020-22, during which time he posted a 2.62 ERA and 2.40 FIP across 428 2/3 innings of work. In 2023, Burnes has been more solid than spectacular, with a 3.73 ERA and 4.07 FIP in 19 starts with a reduced 24.8% strikeout rate.
- Cardinals veteran Adam Wainwright has endured a difficult season as he prepares to retire following the 2023 campaign. In 11 starts with St. Louis this season, Wainwright posted a ghastly 7.66 ERA and 5.87 FIP prior to heading to the injured list prior to the All-Star break with a shoulder strain. Wainwright is expected to return to the mound this season, however, and manager Oli Marmol today provided an update on the veteran’s status. In conversation with reporters, including MLB.com’s John Denton, Marmol noted that Wainwright was set to resume throwing off a mound on Monday after receiving multiple shots in his shoulder to help alleviate pain. Once back on the mound, Wainwright will be built up to return to the club’s rotation later this season.
Royals Place Amir Garrett On Release Waivers
The Royals announced today that they have requested unconditional release waivers on left-hander Amir Garrett. The lefty had been designated for assignment last week, and will now officially become a free agent upon clearing.
Garrett struggled badly during his tenure with Kansas City, which began when he was traded to the Royals by the Reds in exchange for fellow lefty Mike Minor. Since then, Garrett has been a roughly league average reliever by the numbers, with a 4.39 ERA (96 ERA+) and a 4.16 FIP 87 appearances with the Royals. Garrett has been held back from being a stronger set-up option in these past two seasons thanks to serious control problems, with a 16.9% walk rate during his Royals tenure. Those issues have been magnified across 24 1/3 innings of work this season, as Garrett has allowed free passes at an even higher 17.9% rate. If not for an unsustainable 85.2% strand rate this season, Garrett’s strong 3.33 ERA this season would surely be significantly higher, as illustrated by his concerning peripherals (5.58 FIP, 5.05 SIERA).
Garrett had just over five years of major league service time entering the 2023 campaign, and any player with at least five years of service time has the right to reject an outright assignment without forgoing the remainder of his salary. Additionally, no club would have had interest in taking on the remainder of Garrett’s $2.65MM salary for the 2023 campaign when he could be had for no more than the prorated major league minimum if signed after he hits the open market. As such, the Royals’ decision to forgo outright waivers and simply release Garrett was little more than a formality.
Once Garrett officially clears waivers, he’ll be free to sign with any of the other 29 organizations in the league, which would only have to pay him a prorated portion of the major league minimum for the rest of the season, leaving the Royals on the hook for the remainder of his 2023 salary. While Garrett’s control problems are certainly glaring, as a lefty bullpen arm who had success back in 2019 and 2020 with the Reds, when he posted a 3.03 ERA in 90 appearances, he certainly could draw interest from rival clubs on a no-risk minor league deal with a club that thinks it can help Garrett reclaim his previous form.
The Opener: Second Half, A’s, Marisnick
With the All-Star break in the rear-view, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. The second half begins:
All 30 teams are set return to action today as MLB’s second half begins. With just over two weeks left until the trade deadline on August 1, it seems as though the majority of teams in the league are positioned as potential buyers with only a select few clear sellers. Of course, the standing of a number of teams could still change significantly in the run up to the trade deadline.
The Red Sox and Cubs are two such teams that have yet to set a clear course for the trade deadline, providing additional intrigue to today’s start to a three-game set between the clubs at Wrigley Field. Meanwhile, Anaheim welcomes the Astros to Angel Stadium as they look to make up ground and remain competitive in their last season with superstar Shohei Ohtani under team control. Perhaps the most impactful series set to begin today is the one between the Reds and the Brewers, who will play each other six times before August 1 in a pair of three-game sets that could separate one club from the other in a tight NL Central race.
2. A’s promotions expected:
The A’s are in the midst of an abysmal 2023 campaign that’s seen the club go just 25-67 while ownership works to relocate the team to Las Vegas. With so few reasons for fans in Oakland to get excited over the team this season, the club is providing one today as they are poised to call up both top prospect Tyler Soderstrom and infield prospect Zack Gelof before today’s home game against the Twins. While the club has an open spot on the 40-man roster, with neither Soderstrom or Gelof currently on the roster, they’ll need to make a corresponding move to clear out additional space.
Soderstrom is a consensus top-100 prospect who ranked as highly as 35th on Baseball America’s list entering the 2023 campaign. In 78 games at the Triple-A level between this season and 2022, Soderstrom has slashed .259/.304/.521 with 21 home runs in 342 plate appearances. While those numbers certainly appear impressive on the surface, they’re inflated by the heightened offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League to the point that they’re actually below league average. That’s not a concern with Gelof, who has impressed with a .304/.401/.529 slash line in 69 games this season that’s good for a 122 wRC+, though the 23 year old doesn’t have the excellent prospect pedigree of Soderstrom.
3. Marisnick signing to be made official:
The Dodgers reportedly have agreed to a major league deal with outfielder Jake Marisnick, which figures to be made official as soon as today. A 40-man roster move will be required to accommodate Marisnick when the deal becomes official. A career .228/.281/.385 hitter, Marisnick spent most of his early career with the Astros in Houston but has bounced between a variety of teams in recent years. Since the start of the 2020 campaign, Marisnick has suited up for the Mets, Cubs, Padres, Pirates, White Sox, and Tigers, with the Dodgers poised to be his seventh team in four seasons.
While Marisnick doesn’t provide much value at the plate, he sports a solid outfield glove and some power against left-handed hitters as evidenced by his career .181 ISO against southpaws. That should make Marisnick a strong complement to the club’s heavily left-handed outfield mix that currently includes David Peralta, James Outman, and Jason Heyward while Mookie Betts has spent increased time on the infield dirt.
The Opener: 2024 Schedule, Harrison, Quintana
As the All-Star break continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. 2024 MLB schedule to be revealed:
Per an MLB announcement, the 2024 regular season schedule is expected to be revealed today at noon CT. The 2024 campaign will be the second to use the balanced schedule brought on by the most recent collective bargaining agreement in 2022. The new schedule, which is being used this season, reduced games against a club’s division rivals from 19 per opponent to just 13 per opponent while adding additional interleague games to the point that every MLB franchise plays every other franchise at least once in each season. Today’s full schedule announcement comes on the heels of yesterday’s reveal that the league will visit four countries beyond the US and Canada in 2024.
2. Harrison heads to the IL:
The Phillies will return from the All-Star break tomorrow without infielder Josh Harrison, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a wrist contusion yesterday. It’s been a difficult 2023 campaign for Harrison, as the 35-year-old veteran has slashed just .219/.274/.313 with a wRC+ of 59 in 106 plate appearances. No timetable for Harrison’s return has been announced. Kody Clemens, Drew Ellis, and Jake Cave are among the options to replace Harrison on the bench in Philadelphia ahead of tomorrow’s game against the Padres.
3. Quintana continues rehab:
Mets left-hander Jose Quintana is scheduled to throw a simulated game today, according to MLB.com. Afterwards, the Mets are poised to make a decision on whether or not Quintana is ready to join the club’s rotation. The veteran southpaw has yet to throw a pitch for the club since signing a two-year, $26MM deal this past offseason. When healthy, Quintana has been a solid mid-rotation starter throughout his 11 seasons in the big leagues. He owns a career 3.75 ERA, 10% better than league average by measure of ERA+, with a 3.62 FIP. He posted a particularly excellent campaign last season, as he pitched to a 2.93 ERA (139 ERA+) and 2.99 FIP in 165 2/3 innings of work with the Pirates and Cardinals.