AL Notes: Astros, Fleming, Hendriks, Rucinski
In a radio appearance today, Astros GM Dana Brown provided updates on the club’s pair of injured, lefty-swinging outfielders, as relayed by Chandler Rome of The Athletic and Mark Berman of Fox 26. Brown notes that there’s currently no timetable for the return of slugger Yordan Alvarez to Houston’s lineup, and that one isn’t expected to crystalize in the coming days, with the GM suggesting that it will take “at least a week” for the club to have confidence in a timetable for Alvarez. Any missed time for Alvarez is a severe blow to the Astros, as the slugger has posted another phenomenal season so far in 2023, slashing .277/.388/.589 in 57 games before hitting the injured list with what has been described as “right oblique discomfort.”
In more optimistic news, Brown notes that veteran outfielder Michael Brantley is making good progress in his rehab from shoulder inflammation after he was shut down last month. Brantley has yet to appear in a game this season after undergoing shoulder surgery last summer, but Brown notes that the veteran is playing catch and taking pain-free swings in the batting cage. While the update is certainly a positive one, it sounds as though Brantley is still a ways away from returning to the Astros, who would surely benefit from the boost the 36-year old could provide to their lineup.
More from around the AL…
- The Rays placed left-hander Josh Fleming on the 60-day injured list yesterday, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times notes that Fleming is scheduled to meet with specialist Dr. Keith Meister later this week. When asked about the appointment, Fleming acknowledged to reporters that a ligament issue is possible, leaving a worst case scenario of Tommy John surgery on the table. That’s certainly a worrisome possibility for Tampa, as the club has seen their starting depth tested with as each of Jeffrey Springs, Drew Rasmussen, and Tyler Glasnow have spent significant portions of the season on the injured list.
- White Sox reliever Liam Hendriks was placed on the 15-day IL with elbow inflammation earlier today, temporarily halting the closer’s inspiring return to the big leagues following his recovery from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. As relayed by James Fegan of The Athletic, GM Rick Hahn said that Hendriks’s current ailment has similarities to a flexor strain he dealt with last season that left him on the shelf for just under a month. The club is hopeful that this current injury will have a similar timeline, though Hendriks will undergo an MRI to confirm that timetable. After a difficult first outing back from the injured list, Hendriks has posted a 2.25 ERA with a save and three strikeouts in his last four appearances.
- The Athletics provided an update on right-hander Drew Rucinski, who has been on the injured list with a stomach illness since late last month. As noted by MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos, Rucinski’s stomach ailment has improved, but the right-hander is dealing with a low-grade MCL sprain in his right knee that occurred during a bullpen session. The injury will leave him shut down from throwing for 2 to 3 weeks. Rucinski signed with the A’s on a one-year deal with a club option for 2024 this past offseason, but has managed just four starts for the club, pitching to a 9.00 ERA in 18 innings of work with a whopping 14 walks allowed compared to jut six strikeouts.
Alex Reyes Undergoes Shoulder Surgery, Won’t Pitch In 2023
Right-hander Alex Reyes won’t pitch in 2023 after undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this week, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. This past offseason, the 28-year-old hurler signed with the Dodgers on a one-year deal that includes a $3MM club option for the 2024 season.
That, of course, will not come to pass, as Reyes as now gone under the knife for a second time in hopes of returning to the major league mound. Reyes has managed just 145 innings in his career since making his big league debut during the 2016 season due to countless injuries, though the right-hander has flashed immense talent when healthy. Most recently, Reyes posted a 3.24 ERA across 72 1/3 innings of work in 2021 that earned Reyes his first career All Star appearance.
As Plunkett notes, Reyes is now not expected to return to the majors until sometime in 2024, with a recovery time of at least twelve months. The outcome is surely deeply disappointed for both Reyes and the Dodgers, as Reyes had begun to ramp-up during Spring Training with an eye toward returning sometime before the All Star break. Unfortunately, Reyes had to be shut down thanks to increasing pain in his shoulder throughout his rehab process. At that point, Plunkett notes that more damage was found in Reyes’s throwing shoulder, though it was not related to the labrum that was repaired by Reyes’s previous surgery.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, the club has a solid bullpen even without Reyes, as the likes of Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, and Caleb Ferguson have done well in holding down the late innings for LA this season. Going forward, the Dodgers will have to make a decision on Reyes’s $3MM option for 2024 in the coming months, though it’s possible the player and the club could come to terms on a different deal that would keep Reyes in LA without requiring the Dodgers to commit $3MM in guaranteed money to a pitcher who will have had a layoff of at least two and a half seasons due to injury.
Rockies To Select Coco Montes
12:10 PM: The Rockies have announced the full slate of roster moves surrounding Montes’s call-up, with Antonio Senzatela transferred to the 60-Day injured list to make room for Montes on the 40-man roster while Trejo was optioned to Triple-A to clear space on the active roster. Senzatela has been on the injured list with an elbow strain since early May, while Trejo heads to the minors after slashing .241/.271/.313 in 119 plate appearances for the Rockies this season.
In addition, the club announced that outfielder Charlie Blackmon was being placed on the 10-day IL with a fractured hand, with DNVR’s Patrick Lyons notes could leave Blackmon out of action for several weeks. In 242 plate appearances this season, the 36-year-old veteran has slashed .265/.347/.422, good for a wRC+ of 97. Taking Blackmon’s place on the roster is catcher Brian Serven, who has posted a wRC+ of 43 in 72 big league plate appearances since making his debut with the Rockies last season.
10:21 AM: The Rockies are selecting the contract of infielder Coco Montes, as first reported by Blake Street Banter on Twitter. The club’s 40-man roster is currently at capacity, meaning a corresponding move will be necessary to make room for Montes on the 40-man, though no such move has been announced at this point.
It’s a long-awaited day for Montes, who was a 15th round pick by the Rockies in the 2018 draft. Now in his sixth season in the Rockies organization, Montes is poised to make his big league debut after slashing an impressive .321/.401/.560 in 59 games at Triple-A this season, a line that converts to a well-above average 126 wRC+ even in the heightened offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League. In addition to that impressive slash line, Montes has cut his strikeout rate down to just 23%, which would be his lowest full-season figure since 2019. Montes has paired that reduced strikeout figure with a solid 11.7% walk rate.
While Montes didn’t hit for much power prior to reaching the PCL, with just 34 home runs in 332 minor league games below the Triple-A level from 2018-2022, Montes will nonetheless try to provide a jolt to a Rockies lineup that lost Brendan Rogers before the season and has more recently had to go without both C.J. Cron and Kris Bryant. An infielder who has plenty of experience at each of third base, second base, and shortstop, Montes figures to join an infield mix in Colorado that currently contains Ryan McMahon, Ezequiel Tovar, Harold Castro, and Alan Trejo.
Dodgers Select The Contract Of Adam Kolarek
The Dodgers have selected the contract of left-hander Adam Kolarek, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, right-hander Andre Jackson was optioned to Triple-A and transferred outfielder Trayce Thompson to the 60-day injured list.
A veteran of six MLB seasons, Kolarek made his MLB debut with the Rays in 2017, struggling to a 6.48 ERA in 8 1/3 innings of work in his first taste of big league action. He turned things around after that shaky debut, however, as he posted a 3.94 ERA (109 ERA+) in 77 2/3 innings with the Rays split between the 2018 and 2019 seasons prior the being shipped to the Dodgers at the 2019 trade deadline.
Kolarek was a revelation in LA, with a 0.77 ERA in 11 2/3 innings down the stretch with the Dodgers. He followed up with another sterling performance during the shortened 2020 campaign, pitching to a 0.95 ERA in 19 regular season innings as the Dodgers stormed to a World Series championship in 2020, though Kolarek allowed five runs in 3 1/3 innings during the 2020 postseason.
After being swapped from the Dodgers to Oakland ahead of the 2021 campaign, Kolarek’s dominance with the Dodgers seemed to vanish. In 26 2/3 innings of work with the A’s between the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, Kolarek struggled to a 5.74 ERA with a 5.53 FIP. That downturn in performance came primarily from struggles with control, as Kolarek walked a 10% of batters faced with the A’s compared to just 5.7% of batters faced across the 2018-2020 campaigns. With an equal number of walks and strikeouts during his time in Oakland, it was no surprise when the A’s designated Kolarek for assignment last summer.
Since then, Kolarek returned to LA on a minor league deal and has dominated at the Triple-A level in 2023, with a 2.18 ERA in 20 2/3 innings of work this season. Kolarek figures to give the Dodgers an addition left-handed option in their bullpen alongside the likes of Caleb Ferguson, Alex Vesia, and Victor Gonzalez going forward.
Headed out in favor of Kolarek is Jackson, who returns to the minors after a three scoreless innings against the Phillies yesterday. It was a solid rebound for Jackson, who posted an ugly 7.98 ERA in six games over two previous call-ups to the majors this season. Going forward, Jackson figures to continue serving as valuable, optionable depth in the club’s bullpen who is capable of delivering in multi-inning stints.
Thompson’s placement on the 60-day IL clears a roster spot for Kolarek and comes as little surprise after manager Dave Roberts noted recently that the outfielder would miss more than a month with his current oblique strain, though the injury is not expected to end Thompson’s season. After a breakout season with the Dodgers in 2022, Thompson has struggled in 87 plate appearances this season to a .155/.310/.366 slash line while logging time at all three outfield spots.
Guardians Designate Richie Palacios For Assignment
The Guardians made a series of roster moves this morning, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic. Infielder Richie Palacios has been designated for assignment and left-hander Tim Herrin has been optioned to Triple-A in order to make room for right-hander Cody Morris, who was activated from the 60-day IL this morning.
A third round pick by Cleveland in the 2018 draft, Palacios made his MLB debut for the club last year, though he struggled to a .232/.293/.286 slash line (good for a wRC+ of just 65) in 54 games with the club. Those struggles came in spite of fantastic minor league numbers, as Palacios hit at an above average level at every stop on his minor league journey until his major league debut. That includes a 2021 campaign where he slashed an impressive .297/.404/.471 in 103 games split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
Unfortunately, things have taken a turn for the worse for Palacios in 2023, as the young infielder has failed to hit even at the Triple-A level, with a meager .217/.351/.318 slash line that’s good for a wRC+ of just 78 in 56 games with Columbus this season. Those struggles have seemingly caused the Guardians to pull the plug on Palacios, who they will now have seven days to trade or attempt to pass through waivers.
As a 26-year-old infielder with positional versatility, past success in the minors, and options remaining, Palacios seems likely to be an attractive option for infield-needy clubs on the waiver wire, though if he were to pass through waivers he would not be able to reject an outright assignment from the Guardians.
Herrin, 26, heads to Columbus after making his major league debut earlier this season. In ten appearances with the Guardians, the lefty struggled to a 6.39 ERA across 12 2/3 innings of work, allowing two home runs, five walks, and hitting a batter. Those issues with the long ball and control hampered Herrin even as he posted a solid 25.5% strikeout rate in the majors. Herrin figures to act as bullpen depth for Cleveland going forward in Triple-A, where he has posted a 3.63 ERA in 17 1/3 innings of work this season.
Those moves pave the way for the return of Morris, a 26-year-old right-hander who made an impressive big league debut with the Guardians last season. In seven appearances split between the bullpen and the rotation, Morris posted a 2.28 ERA (170 ERA+), though his 4.34 FIP indicates there may have been some good fortune in those run prevention numbers, particularly given the fact that his 12% walk rate and 35.4% groundball rate all leave something to be desired.
Still, Morris’s minor league numbers are certainly intriguing, with a career 1.68 ERA and a 37.8% strikeout rate in 80 1/3 innings of work between the Double-A and Triple-A levels. After opening the season on the injured list with a teres major strain, Morris now figures to assist the Guardians pitching staff as an option for both the rotation and the bullpen going forward, though he seems ticketed for the bullpen for the time being.
NL Central Notes: Stroman, Taylor, Reds
Starting pitcher Marcus Stroman has repeatedly stressed his desire to sign a long-term extension with the Cubs, even as he could reach free agency after this season on the heels of a career year. Stroman, who can opt-out of the final one year and $21MM left on his contract at season’s end, has posted a sensational 2.42 ERA (184 ERA+) through 14 starts with a 21.7% strikeout rate that would be the best of his career over a full season while also managing a fantastic 61% groundball rate. Those fantastic numbers figure to make Stroman a worthy addition to any rotation, but Chicago seems uninterested in getting a deal done at the moment. As Stroman himself relayed on Twitter that both he and his agent have made “multiple attempts” to engage the club’s front office in extension negotiations, but the Cubs were uninterested in exploring a deal for the time being.
In a conversation with The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney, Stroman elaborated further on the situation, telling Mooney that “We’ve been going to the front office from spring training, very open that I want to be here. We’ve continued those thoughts. Up until now, there’s been nothing from their side. No offers, no talks, really, at all.” Stroman goes on to make clear that there isn’t tension between him and the front office, despite the fact that his camp’s desire for negotiations having been largely rebuffed to this point.
It’s possible that the club’s hesitance has to do with their position in the standings. The club is 28-36, good for fourth place in the NL Central and 5.5 games out of a playoff spot. While their weak division does provide them some semblance of hope for contention, it’s nonetheless easy to imagine the Cubs selling for the third straight deadline. If they opted to go down that path, Stroman would likely be their most attractive trade piece. In fact, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic recently identified Stroman as an ideal fit for the Giants as trade season approaches, while noting that San Francisco actually finished second in free agent bidding for Stroman’s services when he signed his current three-year, $71MM deal with Chicago prior to the 2022 campaign.
More from around the NL Central…
- Brewers outfielder Tyrone Taylor is set to receive a cortisone shot in his right elbow, manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.) Counsell noted that the injection comes after Taylor received multiple opinions on the elbow sprain that’s kept him on the shelf for the past two weeks. After posting a 106 wRC+ in 250 career games headed into the 2023 campaign, it’s been a brutal season for Taylor, who has slashed just .160/.179/.240 (8 wRC+) while being limited to just 27 games due to the ongoing elbow issues. With Taylor on the shelf, the club has Blake Perkins backing up an outfield trio of Christian Yelich, Joey Wiemer, and Brian Anderson.
- The Reds are still without their usual starting outfield, even after activating center fielder TJ Friedl from the 10-day injured list yesterrday, as left fielder Jake Fraley was placed on the shelf with a right wrist contusion in a corresponding move. While Friedl is enjoying a career season, with a .315/.365/.479 slash line in 43 games this year, the club is sure to miss the contributions of Fraley nonetheless, who has posted a wRC+ of 114 in 123 games since joining the club prior to the 2022 season. With Fraley on the shelf, the Reds figure to use the likes of Stuart Fairchild and Will Benson in the outfield corners.
AL East Notes: Crawford, Bleis, Blue Jays, Irvin
The Red Sox have given right-hander Kutter Crawford a vote of confidence as a starting pitcher, as The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham relays that the Sox are planning on keeping Crawford in the rotation going forward after a pair of short starts since joining the rotation at the beginning of June. While the starts lasted just 40 and 58 pitches, respectively, the overall numbers have been solid, as Crawford allowed three earned runs on seven hits and zero walks while striking out six.
It’s been a strong season for Crawford, who has posted a 2.20 ERA, 3.00 FIP, and 24% strikeout rate in 32 2/3 innings of work after a four inning, seven run outing to open the season against the Pirates. The success is particularly welcome after the 27-year-old struggled in a swing role for 77 1/3 innings last season, posting a 5.47 ERA and 4.34 FIP. With Crawford now in the rotation, the Red Sox still have Corey Kluber, Nick Pivetta, and Josh Winckowski in the bullpen as potential multi-inning relief options.
More from around the AL East:
- Sticking with the Red Sox, top outfield prospect Miguel Bleis is expected to miss the rest of the 2023 season after undergoing shoulder surgery, according to Chris Henrique of Beyond The Monster. A consensus top 100 prospect who ranks as high as 39th over at Fangraphs, Bleis struggled in his first taste of full-season ball in 2023, slashing just .230/.282/.325 in 142 plate appearances at Single-A this season. Now sidelined until 2024, the 19-year-old Bleis was already expected to be several years away from the majors, though it’s possible the coming surgery slows his timeline further.
- After 2022 AL Cy Young finalist Alek Manoah was sent to the minors earlier this week, the Blue Jays are expected to ramp up their search for external pitching options, even as the 2023 trade deadline is still several weeks away. GM Ross Atkins told reporters, including Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, that the club has “intensified those discussions over the last several weeks”, referring to the front office’s exploration of external options for the pitching staff. Reinforcements could provide a huge boost to Toronto as they’re stuck at fourth place in the AL East race despite a strong 36-29 record, thanks in part to the struggles of key contributors like Manoah, Yimi Garcia, and Yusei Kikuchi.
- The Orioles recalled left-hander Cole Irvin to start today’s game against the Royals, per a team announcement. Acquired this past offseason in a trade with the A’s, Ivin has not built on a strong 2022 campaign (3.98 ERA in 181 innings) during his first season as an Oriole, posting a 10.38 ERA in 13 innings of work in the majors. That being said, his work at Triple-A has been much better, with a 3.21 ERA in seven starts (42 innings). With youngster Grayson Rodriguez relegated to Triple-A for the foreseeable future, it’s possible Irvin could earn himself a more permanent spot in the rotation with a quality performance this afternoon.
Cardinals Notes: Edman, Outfield, Naughton
Even after outfielder Dylan Carlson was activated from the injured list yesterday, the Cardinals have opted to leave Tommy Edman in center field, where he seems poised to stick for the foreseeable future, as noted by Katie Woo of The Athletic. Manager Oliver Marmol expressed support of Edman’s glovework in center field, telling reporters (including Woo) that the switch-hitter “has done a really nice job in center”, calling his work in the outfield “darn impressive.”
Edman has paired his quality glove with roughly league average offense so far in 2023, as the 28-year-old utility man has slashed .246/.306/.417 in 221 plate appearances this season, good for a wRC+ of 98. While that figure represents a definitive step back from Edman’s .265/.324/.400 slash line in 2022 (108 wRC+), it’s worth noting that Edman’s .265 BABIP so far this season would be the lowest of his career over a full season, far below his career .303 figure.
While shifting a Gold Glove middle infielder to the outfield is a risky move when it comes to preserving infield defense, the Cardinals are fortunate to have quality options in Nolan Gorman, Brendan Donovan, and Paul DeJong up the middle, with veteran superstars Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt flanking them at the infield corners. With Edman sticking in center, Carlson has been used in Right Field since his return, with youngsters Jordan Walker and Alec Burleson patrolling left.
Of course, the club will have to revisit Edman’s hold on center field as more injured outfielders, such as Tyler O’Neill and Lars Nootbaar, return from the IL. That being said, it seems that any such decision won’t be coming any time soon, as O’Neill saw his rehab paused due to continued back discomfort at the end of May. Meanwhile, Nootbaar has only just begun to hit off a tee after going on the IL with back spasms last week per MLB.com’s John Denton.
In more positive injury news, Denton notes that left-hander Packy Naughton, who has been on the IL with a forearm strain since early April, is poised to make a Triple-A rehab appearance tomorrow. Prior to his injury, Naughton impressed with five scoreless innings where he allowed just two hits and a walk while striking out five, good for a 1.88 FIP. Upon his return, Naughton could factor into the St. Louis bullpen alongside the likes of Andre Pallante and Genesis Cabrera as the club relies on Ryan Helsley, Jordan Hicks, and Giovanny Gallegos in the late innings.
Mets Designate Tommy Hunter For Assignment
The Mets have designated right-hander Tommy Hunter for assignment and optioned lefty Zach Muckenhirn to Triple-A, per a team announcement. In their places, the club has recalled right-hander John Curtiss and left-hander Josh Walker to the big league roster.
A first-round pick by the Rangers in the 2007 draft, Hunter is a veteran of sixteen MLB seasons with a career 4.07 ERA in 917 1/3 innings of work. After posting strong numbers for the Mets during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, with a 1.78 ERA in 30 1/3 innings, Hunter has struggled during his age 36 season. In 2023, Hunter has posted a 6.85 ERA in 23 2/3 innings. Some of those struggles have been thanks to an unusually low 56.8% strand rate, though Hunter has allowed far too much hard contact this season, with a 13.6% barrel rate and a HardHit rate of 45.5%. Should Hunter pass through waivers, he’ll have the option to elect free agency or stick with the Mets as bullpen depth at the Triple-A level.
As for Muckenhirn, the left-hander has allowed four runs on eleven hits and two walks in three appearances (six innings) during his limited time in the majors this season. He returns to Triple-A, where he has posted a 1.11 ERA in 24 1/3 innings of work this season, to serve as bullpen depth for the Mets going forward.
Joining the roster in the duo’s place are Curtiss and Walker. Curtiss, 30, has posted a 4.85 ERA in 13 innings of work for the Mets this season after not appearing in the big leagues in 2022 while rehabbing Tommy John surgery. Prior to going under the knife, Curtiss had posted a strong 2.86 ERA in 69 1/3 innings of work since the start of the 2020 season. Walker, meanwhile, made his big league debut for the Mets earlier this year, tossing a scoreless inning in his lone appearance.
Rays Select Jose Lopez
The Rays have selected the contract of left-hander Jose Lopez, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, right-hander Luis Patino was optioned to Triple-A while lefty Josh Fleming was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Lopez, 24, was selected by the Padres in the Rule 5 draft this past offseason, but was returned to the Rays ahead of Opening Day after the lefty did not make San Diego’s Opening Day roster out of camp. Lopez was selected thanks to a successful 2022 campaign that saw him post a 2.43 ERA in 59 1/3 innings of work that primarily came at the Double-A level.
Unfortunately, he’s failed to replicate last season’s strong results at the Triple-A level this season, with a 5.19 ERA in 26 innings. Still, with a solid 23.1% strikeout rate weighed down by a hefty 11.1% walk rate during his time in Triple-A this season, Lopez is poised to make his big league debut as a member of the Rays bullpen, where he’ll be joined by fellow lefties Jake Diekman, Jalen Beeks, and Colin Poche.
Lopez’s addition to the roster comes at the expense of Patino, the former top prospect who joined the Rays as part of the Blake Snell trade during the 2020-21 offseason. Though Patino’s spent just two innings in the big leagues this season, he’s posted a worrisome 8.18 ERA in 22 innings of work in the majors since the start of the 2022 campaign, to go with a 7.64 ERA at the Triple-A level this season. Patino will look to figure things out back at the Triple-A level going forward.
As for Fleming, the move comes as little surprise as the left-hander was already expected to miss several weeks with discomfort in his elbow. Prior to his injury, the 27-year-old left-hander posted a 4.62 ERA in 28 2/3 innings of work.