Braves Sign Justus Sheffield To Minor League Deal
Left-hander Justus Sheffield has found a new organization, as the former top prospect has signed a minor league deal with the Braves, per the transaction tracker on his MLB.com profile page.
Sheffield, who will celebrate his 27th birthday tomorrow, was the 31st overall pick in the 2014 draft, taken by Cleveland in the first round. Sheffield was long a staple of top 100 prospect lists as he made his ascent throughout the minors, appearing on Baseball America’s top 100 list as early as 2016 before eventually climbing to the 27th spot on the ranking ahead of the 2019 season. In addition to his prospect pedigree, Sheffield was a headliner in multiple significant trades: the Yankees acquired him in the 2016 deadline trade that sent Andrew Miller to Cleveland before sending him to Seattle in the deal that brought James Paxton to the Bronx ahead of the 2019 campaign.
Unfortunately for both Sheffield and the Mariners, the dream of Sheffield anchoring the rotation for the next competitive team in Seattle was never realized. Sheffield struggled badly during the 2019 season, posting a 5.50 ERA with a 4.71 FIP in his first 36 innings with his new club. While he would see a stretch of success during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, with a solid 3.58 ERA and an excellent 3.17 FIP in ten starts, he was unable to carry that success over into the 2021 season. In 92 innings between 2021 and 2022, Sheffield struggled mightily to a 6.46 ERA, 37% below league average by measure of ERA+.
Those struggles led the Mariners to outright Sheffield to Triple-A during the offseason. Unfortunately, Sheffield’s struggles grew even deeper in the early going of the 2023 campaign. In 10 outings with Seattle’s Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, the lefty surrendered 17 runs in just 8 1/3 innings while walking more batters (11) than he struck out (4). That lead the Mariners to pull the plug on their former top prospect at the end of April, releasing him to pursue opportunities in another organization.
Two weeks later, Sheffield has found a home in the Braves organization. Atlanta has seen its rotation ravaged by injuries in recent days, with both lefty Max Fried and right-hander Kyle Wright expected to miss significant time due to injury. That said, Sheffield figures to be below Michael Soroka, Dylan Dodd, and Jared Shuster on the organization depth chart at the very least, and has worked primarily out of the bullpen in recent years.
While Sheffield seems unlikely to provide the Braves useful rotation depth that can solve their current conundrum at the big league level, a minor league deal for a player with Sheffield’s prospect pedigree is rarely a bad decision, given the lack of risk associated with such a deal and the massive potential upside Sheffield showed as a youngster. While it would be a surprise to see Sheffield rebound to the heights he was expected to reach as a prospect, it’s certainly possible that a change of scenery from the organization Sheffield spent the past four seasons with will help him recapture some of the talent that made him such a tantalizing prospect earlier in his career.
The Opener: Perez, Scherzer, Franco
As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Perez to make MLB debut:
Top pitching prospect Eury Perez is poised to make his MLB debut in a start for the Marlins this evening against the Reds. A consensus top 15 prospect in all of baseball, Perez is getting called up directly from the Double-A level without any Triple-A experience. Despite his atypical path to the majors, Perez has certainly justified his shot in the majors. The 20-year-old right-hander has posted a strikeout rate above 30% at every stop on his journey through the minor leagues, with walk rates under 10% and a career minor league ERA of just 2.85. That includes a hot start to the 2023 season where Perez has dominated Double-A pitching to the tune of 2.32 ERA in 31 innings of work across six starts.
In Miami, Perez joins an excellent Marlins rotation that features reigning NL Cy Young aware winner Sandy Alcantara along with Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, and Braxton Garrett. Perez is not yet on the 40-man roster, meaning the Marlins will have to clear space for their top prospect before he can be added to the active roster to make tonight’s start.
2. Scherzer to return to the mound:
Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer was scratched from his start with the Mets earlier this week due to neck spasms. The news that Scherzer isn’t fully healthy came as little surprise considering his significant struggles to open the 2023 campaign. Through five starts this season, Scherzer has managed just 22 2/3 innings with a 5.56 ERA and an even uglier 6.31 FIP. A strikeout rate of just 20.8% combined with a 10.4% walk rate help to explain the uncharacteristic struggles Scherzer has dealt with to open the season, as those numbers are a far cry from the 31.8% strikeout rate and 5.8% walk rate he’s sported throughout the last decade of his illustrious career.
A healthy and effective Scherzer would be a game changer for the Mets, who rank in the bottom 10 of the league with a 4.73 ERA as a team and sport a record of just 18-20 so far this season after losing Carlos Carrasco and Jose Quintana to injury early in the season. The veteran righty will look to get his season back on track against the Nationals on Sunday.
3. Franco to be reevaluated:
Rays fans suffered a scared yesterday evening when star shortstop Wander Franco exited the club’s 8-2 victory with neck tightness. Though the plan is for the 22-year-old phenom to be reevaluated today, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times notes that both Franco himself and Rays manager Kevin Cash have expressed optimism that Franco could return to action as soon as today, indicating that the issue is likely a minor one.
Any missed time on Franco’s part would be devastating for the Rays, as Franco has been the very best player in all of baseball in terms of fWAR so far this year, as his 2.4 figure leads the majors. In 163 plate appearances this season, Franco has slashed a phenomenal .318/.374/.554 with 12 stolen bases while playing elite defense at shortstop. While defensive metrics are fluky on a season-to-season basis, it’s nonetheless worth noting that just four players have bested Franco’s +5 Outs Above Average so far this season.
The Opener: Glasnow, Senzatela, Seager
With six weeks of the 2023 regular season now in the books, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Glasnow removed from rehab start:
Oft-injured ace Tyler Glasnow was on track to return to the Rays sometime this month as he began his second rehab start of the season in Triple-A yesterday. Unfortunately, Glasnow was removed from yesterday’s rehab start after just one inning due to left side tightness. According to Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Florida, the issue was very mild but the club and player both decided not to push things further, with the Rays noting that there was “no upside” in continuing the start this early in Glasnow’s rehab process.
The Rays are surely hoping Glasnow’s side tightness doesn’t become a more significant setback in the coming days, as Glasnow is one of the league’s premiere talents when healthy. His 2.75 ERA since the start of the 2019 season would certainly be a welcome addition to a Rays rotation that currently sports just three regular starters in Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, and Zach Eflin.
2. Senzatela to be evaluated:
Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela was removed from yesterday’s game after 2 2/3 innings of work due to forearm tightness. Senzatela, who missed much of last season due to a torn ACL, had only recently returned to the rotation, with last night’s abbreviated outing marking just his second start of the 2023 campaign. Senzatela noted after the game that he was specifically experiencing soreness near his elbow and expressed concern about the injury, which will be evaluated further today.
Senzatela, who is currently in the second year of a five year, $50.5MM contract extension, has figured to be a key stabilizing force in a Rockies rotation that recently lost German Marquez to Tommy John surgery and Noah Davis to elbow inflammation. Now, Senzatela’s presence in the rotation going forward is yet another question mark for the Rockies, whose 4.73 ERA as a club ranks 8th worst in the majors.
3. Seager to begin rehab assignment:
The Rangers have been without Corey Seager for exactly one month due to a hamstring strain, but he’s slated to head out on a minor league rehab assignment beginning today. The 29-year-old Seager, who inked a ten-year, $325MM contract in free agency two offseasons ago, got out to a blistering start with Texas this season, slashing .359/.469/.538 with a homer, four doubles, and more walks (nine) than strikeouts (seven) in his first 49 plate appearances of the season.
Texas has turned to young Ezequiel Duran to hold down the fort in Seager’s absence, and 23-year-old has responded with a .305/.340/.474 slash in exactly 100 plate appearances this year. Manager Bruce Bochy recently told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that he planned to find “creative” ways to keep Duran in the lineup even when Seager returns. It’s indeed been a strong start, though with just one walk in those 100 trips to the plate and a sky-high .379 average on balls in play, there’s likely some regression in store for the former top prospect.
The Opener: Syndergaard, Farmer, MLBTR Chat
There’s already been one move made this morning, but here are three things well be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Syndergaard to be re-evaluated:
Dodgers right-hander Noah Syndergaard left yesterday’s start against the Brewers after just one inning with a cut on his finger. After the game, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) that it’s possible Syndergaard would need a trip to the 15-day injured list, but that they want to give the veteran righty and the club’s training staff more time to evaluate the situation before make a decision.
It’s been a difficult season for Syndergaard so far, as the 30-year-old has posted a 6.12 ERA, 27% below league average by measure of ERA+, with a 4.77 FIP in 32 1/3 innings of work. The peripherals are hardly encouraging, either, as Syndergaard is posting the lowest strikeout and ground-ball rates of his career, along with the highest barrel rate of his career. An IL stint for Syndergaard would likely open the door to Gavin Stone returning to the majors for additional starts after he made his major league debut last week.
2. Kyle Farmer set to return:
After a rash of early season injuries to their position player corps, the Twins are approaching a return to full strength. First baseman Alex Kirilloff and second baseman Jorge Polanco both began the season on the injured list but have since slid into their expected roles since then, and now utility infielder Kyle Farmer, who has missed the past month of action after being struck in the jaw by a pitch, is on the verge of a return as well. Twins manager Rocco Baldelli tells reporters (including Aaron Gleeman of The Athletic) that Farmer could return to action as soon as today. Willi Castro, who signed with the Twins on a minor league deal this past offseason, has taken up Farmer’s utility role while the 32-year-old veteran has been away from the team, slashing .190/.306/.310 (80 wRC+) in 49 plate appearances.
3. MLBTR Chat Today:
Yesterday, MLBTR’s Steve Adams fielded questions during yesterday’s live chat, the transcript of which can be found here. If you still have unanswered questions about the beginnings of the 2023 season, you’re in luck, as MLBTR’s Anthony Franco will be hosting a live chat of his own today at 5pm CT. You can submit a question in advance here, and you can use the same link to check back in this evening and participate live once the chat begins.
Mets Sign Gary Sanchez To Minor League Deal
12:30 pm: Sanchez will make $1.5MM if selected to the Mets’ roster with $1.2MM of incentives also available, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
8:16 am: Gary Sanchez is returning to New York, as the veteran catcher is signing a minor league contract with the Mets, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Sanchez, 30, was unable to find a big league opportunity this past winter despite being the starting catcher for the Twins last season, and for the Yankees in the five seasons prior to that. Long considered a bat-first catcher who struggles defensively behind the plate, Sanchez has seen that reputation change on both sides of the ball in recent years. His defense received improved marks during his time with the Twins in 2022, though his offense has taken a downturn in recent years. Since the start of the 2020 season, Sanchez has slashed just .195/.287/.394 with a 29.5% strikeout rate. Though that production has translated to a 90 wRC+ that’s perfectly acceptable for a catcher, it’s still a far cry from his career mark of 109 or the 123 wRC+ he posted from the beginning of his career through the end of the 2019 campaign.
Sanchez previously signed with the Giants on a minor league deal earlier this season, but exercised a May 1 opt-out to return to the free agent market after not getting added to the active roster. Sanchez reportedly received interest from the Angels regarding his services after opting out, but will ultimately join the Mets, with whom he figures to act as quality catching depth behind top prospect Francisco Alvarez and backup Tomas Nido. The depth Sanchez can provide is of particular importance to a Mets club that figures to be without offseason signing Omar Narvaez for at least another month following his early season calf strain.
Sherman notes that, while the club’s initial plan is to send Sanchez to Triple-A Syracuse, the club hopes to help him rediscover the offensive prowess that made him a quality regular behind the plate over the past several years after Sanchez slashed just .164/.319/.182 in 69 plate appearances with the Giants at the Triple-A level.
A renaissance from Sanchez would be a major boon to a Mets club with World Series aspirations but a 17-18 record in the early going this season, particularly given the club’s early season struggles to find production behind the plate. Mets catchers have combined for a wRC+ of just 29 so far this season, the worst figure in the majors to this point. Long considered among the top prospects in all of baseball, Alvarez could certainly help to boost the club’s production behind the plate in theory, but his .220/.264/.320 slash line in 53 big league plate appearances this season suggests the 21-year-old may not be ready for a starting role in the majors just yet.
The Opener: Jansen, Judge, MLBTR Chat
On the heels of an early morning transaction and some substantial injury news for a division leader, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Jansen approaches milestone:
Veteran closer Kenley Jansen has racked up 399 career saves over his 14 season career to this point, including eight for the Red Sox so far in 2023. Jansen’s next save will make him just the seventh player of all time to reach 400 career saves, joining relief greats such as Mariano Rivera, Trevor Hoffman, and Billy Wagner. Jansen’s bid for the illustrious milestone comes in the midst of what has been a phenomenal first season in Boston. The 35-year-old veteran has allowed just one earned run in 11 appearances with sixteen strikeouts, no home runs allowed, and just three walks. Jansen will look to continue his dominance as the Red Sox take on the Braves, for whom the veteran earned an NL-leading 41 saves last season.
2. Judge to be activated:
Reigning AL MVP and Yankees captain Aaron Judge is expected to be activated from the 10-day injured list today, after missing time since the end of April with a hip strain. Judge, who recently celebrated his 31st birthday, is slashing .261/.352/.511 with a wRC+ of 134 in 26 games played this season and figures to provide a major boost to a Yankees lineup currently relying on Anthony Rizzo, DJ LeMahieu, and Gleyber Torres to carry the offense. Yankees fans are surely hoping the return of their captain can help spark the club, which has gone 19-17 so far this season and 4-6 since Judge last appeared in a game. With Judge on the verge of a return, the Yankees will need to clear active roster space. One potential option would be putting infielder Oswald Peraza on the injured list, as the youngster has missed the last four games with a rolled ankle.
3. MLBTR Chat Today:
With the regular season fast approaching the one-quarter mark, some of the early season storylines of the 2023 regular season have begun to even out, while other surprising trends are still going strong. If the beginning of this season has spurred any questions in your mind about your favorite team or the league as a whole, MLBTR’s Steve Adams is holding a live chat with readers at noon 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: Contreras, Astros, Suarez
As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. Contreras returns to Wrigley:
The Cubs and Cardinals will meet for the first time this season at Wrigley Field this evening, with Willson Contreras in the middle of the storylines surrounding the bitter rivals. Contreras, of course, departed Chicago this past offseason before signing a five-year deal with the Cardinals to replace Yadier Molina behind the plate in St. Louis. Meanwhile, Chicago signed a veteran stopgap in Tucker Barnhart to pair with Yan Gomes behind the plate as they waited for prospect Miguel Amaya to be ready to take over as the catcher of the future.
A month into the season, the Cardinals are nine games back in the NL Central with the worst record in the National League, and have pulled the plug on Contreras as their starting catcher with mixed messaging surrounding both his role going forward and the club’s rationale in making the decision. Meanwhile, the Cubs called up Amaya when Gomes went on the 7-day concussion injured list last week. The 24-year-old catching prospect has looked solid both at the plate and behind it during his first cup of coffee in the big leagues. Between the Cardinals’ struggles to open the season the Cubs’ record of just 17-17 despite sporting the second best run differential in the NL, both clubs are surely hoping for a big win in this week’s series against their longtime rival.
2. Astros outfielders to return:
The Astros could welcome both left fielder Michael Brantley and outfielder Chas McCormick back from the injured list as soon as today, though GM Dana Brown suggests Brantley could need an extra day before returning to the lineup. The return of both players will be a boon to Houston’s offense; the reigning World Series champions have opened the season with a record of just 17-17 thanks in part to their lengthy injured list. That list includes not only the aforementioned outfielders, but also Jose Altuve, Jose Urquidy, Luis Garcia, and Lance McCullers Jr. Those injuries have left the club relying on Jake Meyers, Corey Julks, and Mauricio Dubon in the lineup and Brandon Bielak and J.P. France in the rotation.
3. Jose Suarez to undergo MRI:
Left-hander Jose Suarez is scheduled to receive an MRI today after leaving yesterday’s start for the Angels in the third inning, having already surrendered seven runs in just 2 2/3 innings of work. The potential injury comes on the heels of an extremely difficult first month for Suarez. MLBTR’s Anthony Franco recently outlined the options the Angels, who are in second place in the AL West with a 19-16 record, had at their disposal regarding Suarez. After yesterday’s start, the 25-year-old lefty has a 9.62 ERA with an 8.29 FIP over his first six starts. Should the lefty miss significant time, Tucker Davidson and Chase Silseth are the most logical candidates to step into the club’s rotation, with Chris Rodriguez on the injured list.
Vida Blue Passes Away
Former MVP left-hander Vida Blue passed away at the age of 73, per an announcement by the Athletics.
“There are few players with a more decorated career than Vida Blue.” the A’s said in a statement, “Vida will always be a franchise legend and a friend. We send our deepest condolences to his family and friends during this arduous time.”
A six-time All Star and three-time World Series champion, Blue played seventeen seasons in the major leagues, with fifteen of them being played in the Bay Area. Blue debuted as a 19-year-old for the Athletics in 1969, their second season in Oakland after moving there from Kansas City after the 1967 season. Blue pitched just 80 2/3 innings over his first two seasons in the majors, but upon shifting into a full time role as a 21-year-old during the 1971 season, Blue would turn in an incredible performance.
Blue pitched 312 innings for the A’s over 39 starts in 1971, posting a microscopic 1.82 ERA that was 83% better than league average by measure of ERA+ and a 2.20 FIP that largely backed up Blue’s dazzling run prevention numbers. Blue’s phenomenal season saw him lead the league with eight shutouts while also posting league-best marks in ERA, FIP, strikeout rate, WHIP. Naturally, Blue’s performance earned him not only the first All Star appearance of his career, but a Cy Young award and the AL MVP award as well.
Blue would go on to pitch six more seasons in Oakland, posting a 3.10 ERA and 3.25 FIP while averaging over 250 innings of work per season. He would make two more All Star appearances, finish top 7 in AL Cy Young award voting three times, and receive MVP votes twice during that time before moving on to San Francisco in 1978 at the age of 28. Most notably, Blue was integral to the A’s three consecutive World Series championships from 1972-1974.
Blue’s first season in San Francisco was another remarkable one, as he posted a 2.79 ERA and 2.68 FIP en route to a fourth All Star appearance, a top three finish in Cy Young award voting, and a 12th place finish in NL MVP voting. He would pitch in San Francisco for three more seasons, picking up another two All Star appearances along the way, before pitching for the Kansas City Royals for two seasons. Blue returned to San Francisco in 1985, posting a 3.82 ERA in 287 2/3 innings between the 1985 and 1986 seasons before retiring at the end of the 1986 campaign.
Overall, Blue finished his playing career with a 209 wins, a 3.27 ERA, and 2,175 strikeouts in 3,343 1/3 innings. Following his playing career, Blue remained a fixture of Bay Area baseball thanks to his charitable efforts and dedication to promoting the sport, both in the US and abroad. We at MLB Trade Rumors offer our condolences to Blue’s family, friends, and all those mourning him today.
Rays Outright Zack Burdi
Rays right-hander Zack Burdi has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Durham, per a team announcement. Burdi had been designated for assignment earlier this week in order to open up a 40-man roster spot for right-hander Chase Anderson.
A first round pick by the White Sox in the 2016 draft, the 28-year-old Burdi has long had a premium fastball in terms of both velocity and spin rate, but has struggled to translate it into success at the big league level due to control issues. While his 9.3% walk rate in 20 1/3 career innings in the majors has been passable, Burdi’s posted a walk rate of nearly 15% in 150 innings at the minor league level. Further, even though his walks have been under control in his small sample at the major league level, his results have still been less than spectacular, with a career 6.64 ERA in the majors.
Still, an optionable right-hander with stuff as tantalizing as Burdi is sure to pique the interest of teams, making it something of a surprise that Burdi passed through waivers successfully. Burdi has less than three years of MLB service time and has not been outrighted before in his career, meaning he does not have the right to reject his outright assignment. That leaves him poised to be upper-level relief depth for the Rays in the minor leagues going forward this season alongside the likes of Trevor Kelley and Calvin Faucher.
Brewers Activate Adrian Houser
The Brewers have activated right-hander Adrian Houser, who will start today’s game against the Giants, as noted by Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. To make room for Houser on the active roster, the Brewers have optioned right-hander Tyson Miller to Triple-A.
Houser, 30, has been a staple of Milwaukee’s pitching staff since the start of the 2019 season, working primarily as a member of the rotation but with occasional appearances out of the bullpen as well. Over the past four seasons, Houser has paired strong campaigns in 2019 and 2021 (where he posted excellent ERA+ marks of 120 and 128, respectively) with difficult campaigns in 2020 and 2022 (with below-average ERA+ marks of 86 and 83, respectively). Overall, that leaves him with a 4.02 ERA, 5% above average by measure of ERA+, and a 4.24 FIP in 412 1/3 innings of work since the 2019 campaign began.
Houser was forced down Milwaukee’s depth chart over the course of this past season, with Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Eric Lauer, Freddy Peralta, Wade Miley, and Aaron Ashby all seemingly preferred rotation options headed into the season. Unfortunately for the Brewers, Ashby was sidelined before the season began by shoulder surgery, while Houser himself struggled with groin tightness and began the season on the IL as well.
That left the club with little depth behind the five regular members of the rotation, and when Woodruff was sidelined by a shoulder strain the club was forced to turn to temporary solutions such as Colin Rea, who has posted a 4.73 ERA and 5.27 FIP in five starts for Milwaukee this season. With Houser now off the IL, he figures to step into the rotation and provide stability behind Burnes, Lauer, Peralta, and Miley while Woodruff is on the mend.
As for Miller, the 27-year-old right-hander posted a solid 1.93 ERA in three appearances as a multi-inning reliever with the club and figures to act as pitching depth for the Brewers going forward, able to work both out of the bullpen and the rotation. Meanwhile, Rea seems likely to move to the bullpen with Houser joining the rotation, filling Miller’s role as the bullpen’s long man.