The Opener: Romano, Robert, Cruz
On the heels of the NL’s eighth-inning comeback in this year’s All-Star Game, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Romano exits:
Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano departed the All-Star Game yesterday in the seventh inning due to lower back tightness. As noted by Shi Davidi of Sportstnet, Romano is poised to meet with the club’s training staff today upon his return to Toronto. Blue Jays relievers currently rank fifth in the majors with a collective 3.68 ERA, thanks in no small part to Romano, who sports a 2.87 ERA, 3.07 FIP, and a majors-leading 26 saves. Left-hander Tim Mayza, right-hander Trevor Richards, and right-hander Erik Swanson are among the club’s other options to handle the late innings if Romano misses any time.
2. Robert scratched:
White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. was scratched from yesterday’s All-Star Game after feeling some tightness in his calf while participating in the Home Run Derby on Monday, the club announced yesterday. Robert defeated Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman 28-27 in the first round before falling to Rays outfielder Randy Arozarena in the semifinals 22-35. Per the White Sox, Robert will be reevaluated prior to Friday’s game against the Braves in Atlanta. The 25-year-old Robert has become one of the game’s brightest stars by combining strong defense in center field with a .271/.330/.569 slash line that’s good for a wRC+ of 143. Oscar Colas and Adam Haseley appear to be the club’s most likely options in center should Robert require time out of the lineup.
3. What’s next for Cruz?
After being designated for assignment earlier in the month, Padres DH Nelson Cruz has now been released. Despite that most recent setback in what has been a difficult few seasons for Cruz, ESPN’s Enrique Rojas indicates the now 43-year-old veteran has no plans to retire at the moment and would like to continue playing. Cruz struggled significantly with the Nationals last year, posting a .234/.313/.337 slash line with a wRC+ of just 85 that represented his first below-average figure since becoming an everyday player back in 2009. Cruz’s attempt to rebound with the Padres this year was similarly ill-fated, as his .245/.283/.399 slash line in 49 games this season made for an identical wRC+ of 85. Any club that signs Cruz at this point would only owe him the prorates league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster.
The Opener: All-Star Game, Draft Day 3, MLBTR Chat
On the heels of last night’s Home Run Derby, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. 2023 All-Star Game:
The 93rd MLB All-Star Game is set to take place in Seattle tonight. Phillies manager Rob Thomson will manage the NL squad against Astros manager Dusty Baker in the AL. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will take the ball for the AL against Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen at 7pm CT this evening. The American League will be looking to defend their nine-season winning streak in the Midsummer Classic in tonight’s game, though they’ll do so without fan-elected starters Aaron Judge and Mike Trout, who have been replaced by Adolis Garcia and Austin Hays in the starting lineup.
2. MLB Draft Day 3:
Yesterday saw all 30 organizations select a variety of potential future big leaguers in Rounds 3-10 of the MLB draft. The draft will conclude today with Rounds 11-20 starting at 1pm CT. At this point in the draft, most top-tier talents are prep players expected to honor their commitments to play collegiate ball. To have a realistic shot of signing any of them, a club would have to have saved up a considerable portion of their bonus pool from the first two days. Players like shortstop Roch Cholowsky (committed to UCLA), right-hander Joey Volchko (a Stanford commit) and southpaw Cameron Johnson (an LSU recruit) are all widely considered to be among the best 50 to 100 talents in this year’s overall draft class but could be tough signs at this point.
3. MLBTR Chat Today:
With MLB’s All-Star festivities fully underway and the 2023 draft reaching its final stage, the attention of MLB clubs will soon turn to the coming trade deadline on August 1. If you have any questions about your favorite team’s direction in the coming weeks or a trade idea you have in the back of your mind, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at 1pm CT today. You can click here to ask a question in advance, join in live once the chat begins, or read the transcript once the chat is complete.
The Opener: Home Run Derby, Draft Day 2, Pham
On the heels of the beginning of the 2023 MLB draft last night, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. The 2023 Home Run Derby:
A staple of All-Star festivities, the Home Run Derby returns tonight with a group of eight sluggers set to battle it out for a $1MM prize. This year the participants, in order of seeding, are: Luis Robert Jr. of the White Sox, Pete Alonso of the Mets, Mookie Betts of the Dodgers, Adolis Garcia of the Rangers, Randy Arozarena of the Rays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays, Julio Rodriguez of the Mariners, and Adley Rutschman of the Orioles.
Robert, Betts, Garcia, Arozarena, and Rutschman are all first-time participants in the derby. Rodriguez participated in the derby last year, storming to the finals before losing by just one homer to reigning champion Juan Soto. With Soto not participating this season, the most recent derby winner in tonight’s field is Alonso, who won the contest in both 2021 and 2019, with his 2019 victory coming in a hard-fought final against Guerrero. This year’s Home Run Derby will take place at 7pm CT and air on ESPN.
2. Day 2 of the 2023 MLB draft:
Day 1 of the MLB draft began with the Pirates selecting LSU right-hander Paul Skenes with the first overall pick. By the end of the night, 70 picks had been made in total. The draft will kick back into gear for Day 2 at 1pm CT this afternoon, with rounds three through ten slated to take place today. While much of the top-tier talent was already selected on Day 1, a handful of top players remain on the board. Virginia Tech outfielder Jack Hurley (No. 36 in the class, per MLB Pipeline) and prep right-hander Travis Sykora (No. 40) represent the top college and high school players remaining, respectively, per MLB.com. The Athletic’s Keith Law lists prep shortstop Roch Cholowsky (No. 23) as the top high schooler available, while Vanderbilt lefty Hunter Owen (No. 38) is his top remaining college player.
3. Pham to undergo MRI:
Mets outfielder Tommy Pham departed yesterday’s loss to the Padres in the first inning due to right groin soreness. Per MLB.com, Pham will undergo an MRI today to determine the severity of the issue. With the Mets not scheduled to play until Friday due to the All Star break, it’s possible that Pham’s injury won’t end up requiring him to miss any time at all, though a more severe issue would be an unfortunate turn of events for both Pham and the Mets. Not only has Pham been an impactful bat for the Mets this season, with a .277/.350/.485 slash line in 234 plate appearances that’s good for a wRC+ of 130, but a significant injury at this point on the calendar would surely complicate the club’s ability to shop Pham ahead of the trade deadline on August 1. The 35-year-old veteran made the top 10 of MLBTR’s recent Top 50 Deadline Trade Candidates as the top outfielder listed.
Mets Outright Denyi Reyes
Per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, Mets reliever Denyi Reyes has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A. That leaves Reyes to remain in the Mets organization going forward. Reyes had been designated for assignment last week in order to make room for outfielder DJ Steward on the 40-man roster.
The 26-year-old righty made his major league debut with the Orioles last year, pitching to a 2.35 ERA in 7 2/3 innings of work before being outrighted off the 40-man roster following the 2022 campaign. Reyes elected free agency shortly thereafter and landed with the Mets on a minor league deal back in November.
While Reyes did not make the club’s initial Opening Day roster, he was added to the roster just days later after right-hander Tommy Hunter was placed on the injured list. In his first five appearances with the club this season, Reyes threw 6 1/3 scoreless innings with seven strikeouts against just two walks and three hits. Reyes’s impressive results led the club to option him down to Triple-A and attempt to stretch him out as a starter, but that plan quickly went off the rails. Reyes hasn’t had a scoreless appearance since being stretched out, allowing five runs in just one inning during his lone major league start of the season against the Braves. Since that disastrous start, Reyes owns a 6.81 ERA in 39 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level.
Given those struggles, it’s hardly a surprise that the Mets decided to pull the plug on Reyes as a member of the 40-man roster. Still, the right-hander could prove to be valuable depth for the club going forward if he can recapture the form he flashed earlier in the season out of the bullpen, given his status as an optionable relief arm in a Mets bullpen that ranks bottom ten in the majors with an ERA of 4.12.
AL Central Notes: Tigers, Polanco, Benintendi
Tigers right-hander Matt Manning through 6 2/3 hitless innings yesterday, combining with Jason Foley and Alex Lange to throw the ninth no-hitter in franchise history. While the decision to pull a starter in the midst of a no-hitter is always a controversial one, manager A.J. Hinch shed additional light on the decision following yesterday’s game, noting to reporters (including Chris McCosky of The Detroit News) that Manning had been struggling through the outing and was evaluated by team trainers between each inning. Manning expanded on Hinch’s comments, noting that he tweaked his side during the second inning. Fortunately, it appears Manning avoided a more serious injury, and the 25-year-old hurler will have the opportunity to rest during the All Star break ahead of the second half.
The Tigers also offered an update regarding left-hander Tyler Alexander today. Alexander was placed on the 60-day injured list with a left lat/shoulder strain last week, a move that seemingly indicated the lefty’s season could be in jeopardy. Following an MRI, the club has more clarity regarding Alexander’s timeline for return. Per McCosky, Alexander will avoid surgery but be shut down for three months. He’ll resume a throwing program in October that should leave him able to return in time for Spring Training in 2024. Alexander had posted a 4.50 ERA and 4.13 FIP in 44 innings of work across 25 appearances this season.
More from around the AL Central…
- Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey told reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press) that second baseman Jorge Polanco is expected to start a rehab assignment in the near future as he recovers from a hamstring strain he suffered early last month. Polanco has been limited to just 30 games this season and has slashed .250/.291/.450 when healthy enough to play. While Polanco has been out, youngster Edouard Julien has filled in at the keystone very well with an impressive .264/.345/.273 slash line in 149 plate appearances this season.
- White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi has been dealing with a right wrist issue recently, which Scott Merkin of MLB.com says has been “addressed” according to manager Pedro Grifol. Benintendi hasn’t played since Friday, but is expected to return to action after the All Star break in Atlanta. Benintendi hasn’t been as impactful this season as the White Sox were surely hoping when they signed him to a five-year deal this past offseason, slashing .280/.347/.369 with just one home run in 314 plate appearances, good for a roughly league average wRC+ of 99. The Sox entered play today with a record of just 38-53 this season, but are surely hoping an extended rest for Benintendi ahead of the midsummer classic will allow him to return healthy and more impactful in the second half.
Brewers Outright Mike Brosseau
Brewers infielder Mike Brosseau has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. That leaves Brosseau to remain as a member of the Brewers organization going forward, though he won’t occupy a 40-man roster spot. The club had previously designated Brosseau for assignment last week. Brosseau had the option to reject the outright assignment, though in doing so would have forfeited the remainder of his $1.4MM salary this season.
Acquired from the Rays during the 2021-22 offseason, Brosseau had a solid first season in Milwaukee in 2022 as a bench player. In 160 plate appearances across 70 games, Brosseau slashed .255/.344/.418 with a wRC+ of 118 while playing mostly third base for the club. That production earned Brosseau a roster spot with the club entering the 2023 campaign, though things did not go as well in Brosseau’s sophomore season in Milwaukee. Brosseau’s BABIP, which stood at .345 last year, cratered to just .224 in 78 plate appearances this season. Combined with a dip in walk rate, that drop in BABIP caused Brosseau’s production to drop to just .205/.256/.397 with a well below-average wRC+ of 74.
While Brosseau struggled badly with the Brewers in the majors this season, it’s easy to see why the club would want to retain him as a depth option moving forward. Since making his debut with the Rays in 2019, Brosseau owns a career slash line of .242/.313/.428 with 26 home runs in 647 career plate appearances. All that adds up to a wRC+ of 105 that registers as slightly above average, which when combined with his ability to play all four infield spots and both outfield corners makes for a very useful bench option.
Unfortunately for Brosseau, the Brewers are overflowing with similar utility options on their 40-man roster. Brian Anderson, Brice Turang, Willy Adames, and Owen Miller are currently handling the club’s infield on a daily basis in the big leagues. Andruw Monasterio and Jahmai Jones are the top options off the bench, while Luis Urias and Abraham Toro are both currently in the minors acting as depth already on the 40-man roster. With Brosseau so blocked, it seems likely that the club would have to clear space in their infield through either a rash of injuries or, perhaps, moves at the trade deadline on August 1 for Brosseau to return to the majors with the club this season.
NL East Notes: Alvarado, Fried, Minter
The Phillies announced this morning that left-hander Jose Alvarado has been placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to July 7) with inflammation in his left elbow. When healthy, Alvarado has been excellent with a 1.38 ERA and 2.33 FIP in 26 innings of work this season. With Alvarado joining right-hander Seranthony Dominguez on the IL, Gregory Soto, Matt Strahm, and Jeff Hoffman appear to be the top set-up options for closer Craig Kimbrel.
It’s unclear exactly how long Alvarado is expected to be out, but this is his second IL stint for the issue this season; Alvarado previously went on the shelf in early May for left elbow inflammation and missed a month before returning in early June. That being said, the Phillies are surely hoping for improved health from Alvarado going forward. The club signed Alvarado to an extension back in February that guarantees him a salary of just over $9MM in both 2024 and 2025. Given that, it’s of little surprise that Matt Gelb of The Athletic indicates Philadelphia is going to “take their time” regarding Alvarado’s injury.
More from around the NL East…
- Braves fans will surely be encouraged to learn that lefty Max Fried is poised to take the ball for Triple-A Gwinnett, per an announcement by the Stripers. Fried has been on the injured list since early May due to a forearm strain. The ace’s return would serve to further bolster a Braves club that has emerged as a juggernaut in recent weeks, with a 26-5 record since the beginning of June that has catapulted them to an MLB-best 60-28 record. They’ve done all that without both Fried and right-hander Kyle Wright, relying on a rotation of Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, and Bryce Elder with the likes of Jared Shuster, AJ Smith-Shawver, Michael Soroka, Dylan Dodd, and Kolby Allard combining to handle the last two spots.
- Sticking with the Braves, left-hander A.J. Minter exited yesterday’s game with left pectoral tightness but woke up feeling good today, as relayed by David O’Brien of The Athletic. It’s been a strange season for Minter, as the lefty has struggled to a 4.91 ERA in 40 1/3 innings of work despite sterling peripherals, including a 2.84 FIP. That being said, Minter’s ugly ERA figure is inflated by an extremely low 57.3% strand rate and has been dropping rapidly in recent weeks, as the lefty has posted a 1.56 ERA in his last 20 appearances. As he’s settled back in as a top set up option for closer Raisel Iglesias, it’s surely a relief to Braves fans that Minter seems unlikely to miss time beyond today’s game.
AL East Notes: Mountcastle, Yankees, Ryu
The Orioles welcomed first baseman Ryan Mountcastle back from the injured list this morning, per a team announcement. 2023 has been a difficult season for Mountcastle, as the slugger slashed just .227/.264/.421 in 261 plate appearances before heading to the injured list with vertigo in mid-June.
Mountcastle spoke to reporters, including Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner, about his struggles with vertigo and how it impacted his hitting. He explained that he dealt with waves of dizziness that made baseball appear to be the size of a pea while he was in the batters’ box prior to going onto the IL, and that while he’s felt better in recent days, there’s no way of knowing whether the issues with crop up again in the future. For now Mountcastle figures to join the club’s outfield and DH mix alongside the likes of Ryan O’Hearn, Aaron Hicks, and Anthony Santander.
More from around the AL East…
- The Yankees received a pair of positive injury updates today regarding their pitching staff. Right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga threw off a mound for the first time since going on the IL back in April, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Max Goodman of NJ Advance Media). Meanwhile, left-hander Nestor Cortes threw a 20-pitch live bullpen session today, as relayed by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Both Boone and Cortes indicated the session went well, with Cortes adding that his next bullpen session will take place this coming Thursday. While Loaisiga has thrown just 3 1/3 innings this season and Cortes has struggled with a 5.16 ERA across 11 starts this season, the return of both players before season’s end would surely provide a boost to the Yankees, given their past successes.
- Blue Jays left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is poised to take the mound for Toronto’s Single-A affiliate in Dunedin today, per an announcement by the minor league club. Ryu, 36, is rehabbing after undergoing Tommy John surgery last season and, per MLB.com, was sitting 87-88 with his fastball during his previous rehab outing in the Florida Complex League. That velocity isn’t far from where he’s expected to be at the big league level, and MLB.com indicates that Ryu could return “within the month” after building up to take on a starter’s workload. Ryu’s return could help shore up Toronto’s rotation depth down the stretch, an area that GM Ross Atkins highlighted as a focus ahead of the trade deadline on August 1.
Royals Designate Amir Garrett For Assignment
The Royals announced a series of roster moves this morning. The club has reinstated left-hander Ryan Yarbrough from the 60-day injured list and recalled infielder Samad Taylor from Triple-A Omaha. Yarbrough is slated to start this afternoon’s game against the Guardians. In corresponding moves, left-hander Amir Garrett has been designated for assignment while outfielder Edward Olivares was placed on the 10-day IL (retroactive to July 8) with a mild left oblique strain.
It will be Yarbrough’s first start since he was struck in the face by a line drive off the bat of A’s first baseman Ryan Noda back in May. In all, Yarbrough missed just over two months with the resulting injuries. It had been a difficult start to the season for Yarbrough even before he suffered the injury. The 31-year-old lefty owns a 6.15 ERA, 28% worse than league average, with a 5.19 FIP in 26 1/3 innings of work for the Royals this season across ten appearances (three starts). For now, Yarbrough is ticketed for a return to the rotation, but the lefty has swung between the rotation and the bullpen all throughout his career, with 75 of his 137 career appearances in the big league coming in relief.
Taylor, meanwhile, made his big league debut with the Royals earlier this season. Across 38 plate appearances in the majors, Taylor owns a .133/.270/.133 slash line. His performance has been much better across 308 plate appearances with Omaha as he’s slashed .306/.412/.460. Taylor figures to join a bench mix in Kansas City that currently includes infielder Matt Duffy and outfielder Dairon Blanco. He’ll replace Olivares on the roster, who has slashed .242/.296/.410 in the club while mostly playing left field for the club.
Garrett’s Royals tenure comes to an end a season and a half after the club acquired him from the Reds in a deal that sent left-hander Mike Minor to Cincinnati. Garrett’s time in Kansas City was fraught with struggles. In 2022, the lefty posted a 4.96 ERA that was 18% worse than league average. While his 3.40 FIP was solid, Garrett saw his strikeout rate dip from 28.4% the previous year down to 25% while his walk rate crept up from 13.5% to a more untenable 16.3% during the 2022 campaign. The results have been better in 2023, with a 3.33 ERA in 24 1/3 innings, but Garrett’s issues with the free pass have gotten even worse as his walk rate has reached a whopping 17.9% this season.
Going forward, the Royals will have a week to trade, waive, or release Garrett. While it’s doubtful Garrett would bring back much in trade, it’s possible some clubs would have sufficient interest in acquiring the 31-year-old lefty and seeing if they can iron out his control problems that they would be willing to take on the remaining half of Garrett’s $2.65MM salary this season.
Reds Designate Michael Mariot For Assignment
The Reds activated right-hander Ben Lively from the 15-day injured list this morning, per a club announcement. In a corresponding move, the club designated right-hander Michael Mariot for assignment. Lively is poised to start this afternoon’s game against the Brewers.
Mariot, 34, was selected to the Reds’ roster yesterday but will ultimately end his tenure with the club without making an appearance. Selected by the Royals in the eighth round of the 2010 draft, Mariot made his big league debut in 2014 and pitched in parts of three seasons with Kansas City and Philadelphia, with his last major league appearance occurring back in 2016 with the Phillies. Since then, Mariot has pitched primarily at the Triple-A level with five different organizations, though he’s also spent brief stints in foreign and independent leagues. Mariot owns a career 3.97 ERA at the Triple-A level in 245 games, but has been rather impressive this season with a 2.59 ERA in 24 1/3 innings with Cincinnati’s Triple-A affiliate in Louisville.
As for Lively, the 31-year-old righty has pitched to a 4.11 ERA (117 ERA+) in 46 innings of work with the Reds this season, with seven of his nine appearances coming has a member of the rotation. The 2023 campaign represents Lively’s first work in the majors since the 2019 season. From 2017-2019, Lively posted a 4.80 ERA (90 ERA+) and 5.03 FIP in 120 innings of work. Lively joins a Reds rotation that currently consists of lefties Andrew Abbott and Brandon Williamson alongside righties Graham Ashcraft and Luke Weaver. The club is currently without top young starters Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, both of whom are expected back sometime in August.