MLBTR Chat Transcript
Click here to read a transcript of Tuesday’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
Chris Sale Fractures Wrist, Will Miss Remainder Of Season
The Red Sox announced Tuesday that lefty Chris Sale suffered a fractured right wrist “during a bicycle accident on Saturday, August 6.” The injury required surgery that will end Sale’s 2022 season. He’s expected to be ready for the start of Spring Training.
It’s the latest setback in a mounting pile of injuries for Sale, who has made just 11 starts while playing under the five-year, $145MM contract extension he signed back in March 2019. (The contract began with the 2020 season despite being signed in 2019, as Sale was already under contract for the ’19 season.) Since putting pen to paper on that contract, Sale has missed time with elbow inflammation that eventually culminated in Tommy John surgery, plus a stress reaction in his rib cage and a fractured pinkie finger incurred on a comebacker earlier this summer. Overall, he’s pitched just 48 1/3 innings in the regular season through the contract’s first three years (plus another nine frames in the 2021 postseason).
A healthy Sale is, of course, one of the sport’s most dominant talents. From 2012-18, Sale made seven consecutive All-Star Games and never finished lower than sixth in American League Cy Young voting. Along the way, he pitched to a collective 2.91 ERA in 1388 innings, averaging 30 starts and 198 frames per regular season (plus another 25 postseason innings with Boston). Sale came on in relief and punched out Justin Turner, future teammate Enrique Hernandez and Manny Machado in order to close out Boston’s 2018 World Series victory over the Dodgers, capping off the franchise’s fourth championship since the “curse-breaking” 2004 season.
It’s been mostly downhill for Sale since, as he’s battled fluke injuries and taken some deserved flak for being caught on film destroying a clubhouse television after getting an early hook during a Triple-A rehab game earlier this summer. This latest injury will bring Sale’s 2022 campaign to a close after just 5 2/3 innings.
Sale will turn 34 next March, so it’s still plenty feasible that he can return to form and serve as a foundational piece for the Sox moving forward. He averaged 94.9 mph with his heater during this year’s tiny sample of 5 2/3 frames — right in line (actually slightly better than) his average fastball during that aforementioned seven-year run of dominance between Chicago and Boston.
Given the recent rash of injuries, the Sox surely won’t be banking on 30-plus starts out of Sale, but at the same time, his contract leaves them little choice but to hope for the best. With Nathan Eovaldi, Rich Hill and Michael Wacha all set to hit free agency at season’s end, Sale and righty Nick Pivetta are the only Sox starters who can be penciled into next year’s group. Lefty James Paxton could potentially be in that mix as well; his contract has a pair of $13MM club options for the 2023-24 seasons that must be exercised simultaneously at season’s end. The team almost certainly won’t be taking their end of the deal — Paxton has yet to pitch in 2022 — but Paxton also has a $4MM player option for next season in the event that those club options are declined. Suffice it to say, rotation stability will be a point of emphasis for chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom this winter.
Injury Notes: Gore, Bryant, Flaherty, Twins
Newly acquired Nationals lefty MacKenzie Gore will resume throwing this Friday, manager Dave Martinez told reporters this weekend (Twitter link via Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post). Gore, the former No. 3 overall draft pick and top pitching prospect in the sport, has been sidelined since July 25 due to elbow soreness. A previous MRI did not reveal structural damage, however, and the Nats were clearly comfortable with Gore’s medical records upon reviewing them in advance of the Juan Soto blockbuster that sent him from San Diego to Washington. Presumably, he’ll require a minor league rehab stint before jumping into the big league mix for the Nationals, but Friday’s throwing session will be an important first step to monitor as he begins that progression. Assuming good health, Gore looks poised to play a pivotal long-term role in the Nationals’ rotation, joining Josiah Gray (acquired in last summer’s Max Scherzer/Trea Turner deal) as a building block acquired at the deadline.
Gore absolutely overpowered opponents through early June, pitching to a 1.50 ERA with a 30% strikeout rate and 8.9% walk rate across the first 48 innings of his career. He’s been tagged for 27 runs in 22 innings since that time, however, working with diminished velocity along the way. Gore only pitched 50 1/3 innings last year (plus some work at the team’s Spring Training complex while going through a mechanical reset), so workload was always expected to be something of an issue in 2022. The Nationals have not made clear the extent to which they’ll monitor his innings moving forward.
Some more health situations to monitor around the league…
- Rockies outfielder Kris Bryant is currently in a walking boot due to a case of plantar fasciitis, and there’s no timetable for his return to the field, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes within a broader look at another disappointing season for the Rockies. Colorado signed Bryant to a seven-year, $182MM contract over the winter but have thus far received just 42 games and 181 plate appearances from the former Rookie of the Year and NL MVP. Bryant’s power was MIA early in the year while playing through a back injury that required two IL stints, but he did bat .330/.398/.567 with 13 extra-base hits (five homers, eight doubles) in 108 plate appearances between his most recent trips to the injured list.
- Cardinals righty Jack Flaherty believes issues with his mechanics led to his latest trip to the injured list, per MLB.com. The starter spent most of the season on the injured list due shoulder problems, returning to make three starts in June before returning to the 60-day IL. That means he’s ineligible to return until late August, though he has started throwing this week, trying to iron out those mechanical issues and potentially starting a rehab assignment soon. “You start doing things incorrectly for a while and then you repeat it over and over again — eventually something is going to flare up,” Flaherty says. “The goal was to clean things up and sharpen things up so that that doesn’t happen. That’s what we’ve been working on, so hopefully things stay that way.” If he can return before the season is out, he could provide a boost to the rotation down the stretch, though the Cards added Jose Quintana and Jordan Montgomery at the deadline to proactively address the situation.
- The Twins expect righties Josh Winder and Bailey Ober to begin throwing bullpen sessions Tuesday, tweets Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com. Winder has been widely regarded as a top-100 prospect this year and has given Minnesota 45 1/3 frames of 3.77 ERA ball in his big league debut, but shoulder troubles have slowed him of late (as has been the case in past seasons as well). Ober has made 27 starts for the Twins dating back to 2021, pitching to a 4.14 ERA along the way and serving as a generally solid back-of-the-rotation arm. He’s been out since June 1 due to a groin strain that proved more severe than originally believed. The Twins remain hopeful that each of Winder, Ober, outfielder Trevor Larnach and right-hander Kenta Maeda (recovering from 2021 Tommy John surgery) will be able to return in September, tweets Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Meanwhile, Darren Wolfson of SKOR North tweets that right-hander Randy Dobnak will head out on a minor league rehab assignment Thursday, giving the Twins some additional depth on the horizon.
Latest On Kevin Kiermaier
Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier underwent season-ending hip surgery last month, and the outfielder took to Twitter to send a video updating on his recovery and thank fans for the support this week (video link). Within, Kiermaier indicated that the hip issues which ultimately required the surgery have plagued him for the past year and a half. The Rays described the surgery as a procedure to address an impingement and repair a torn labrum, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Of course, for many Rays fans, the broader question is whether Kiermaier will suit up in Tampa Bay or with another club next year. Unsurprisingly, both Topkin and Bob Nightengale of USA Today wrote this weekend that the Rays are planning to pay the $2.5MM buyout on Kiermaier’s $13MM club option rather than commit to that weighty guarantee. That was obvious from the moment Kiermaier underwent surgery; it was worth wondering whether the low-payroll Rays would’ve picked up that option even in the event of a generally healthy and productive season.
Kiermaier didn’t address the contract specifically but made sure to mention his fondness for the Tampa area, the Rays organization, the community and the fans who’ve reached out to offer him support as he’s gone through this latest injury. Whether he’ll return to the Rays next year is likely dependent on how several of the organization’s younger options play over the next few months.
Randy Arozarena and Manuel Margot — on the shelf himself due to a knee injury — seem likely to return regardless. Arozarena has not yet even reached arbitration (though could do so as a Super Two player this winter) and thus remains quite affordable. Margot inked a two-year extension spanning the 2023-24 seasons (plus a 2025 team option) not long before Opening Day. Elsewhere on the roster, the Rays have the just-acquired Jose Siri and top prospect Josh Lowe, both of whom have struggled against big league pitching this season. Siri could fill a similar backup role to that of the since-traded Brett Phillips, whereas Lowe entered the season widely viewed as a potential long-term option in the outfield.
From a financial perspective, there ought to be room on the books for Kiermaier, particularly if he’s signing at a reduced rate. The Rays only have about $22MM in guaranteed salary on next year’s ledger, although that does not include a massive arbitration class featuring Tyler Glasnow, Ji-Man Choi, Ryan Yarbrough, Yandy Diaz, Andrew Kittredge, Francisco Mejia, Yonny Chirinos, Jeffrey Springs, Nick Anderson, Jalen Beeks, Harold Ramirez, Pete Fairbanks, JT Chargois, Colin Poche, Ryan Thompson and perhaps, depending on the Super Two cutoff, both Arozarena and Jason Adam. Not all of that group will be tendered a contract — Yarbrough, for instance, could be cut loose or traded elsewhere — but it has the potential to be a pricey group by the Rays’ standards, especially if Arozarena indeed reaches arbitration eligibility.
The 32-year-old Kiermaier has spent parts of ten seasons in the Majors, batting a combined .248/.308/.407 with some of the best glovework of any player in the Majors, regardless of position. The fearless manner in which Kiermaier patrols the outfield (and, presumably, the artificial surface on which he plays half his games) has taken its toll on his body over the years and regularly left Kiermaier sidelined for lengthy stints on the injured list.
Dating back to 2016 (and excluding the shortened 2020 season), Kiermaier has averaged 86 games played per year, missing time along the way with a fractured left hand, a fractured right hip, a torn ligament in his right thumb, a damaged ligament in his other thumb, a sprained left wrist and now this most recent left hip surgery. Even in spite of that huge list of injuries, Kiermaier has the fourth-most Defensive Runs Saved of the 5511 players who’ve stepped onto a Major League field in that span.
Orioles Notes: Santander, Vavra, Odor, Farm System
The Orioles have been getting right fielder Anthony Santander some practice at first base and could play him on the infield at least occasionally down the stretch, manager Brandon Hyde told reporters this weekend (link via MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubtako). That shift could be accompanied by other changes in the infield, which began yesterday with Rougned Odor moving to third base in deference to 25-year-old Terrin Vavra, who received his first big league start at second base.
Santander, 27, has never played a Major League game at first base but did get some minor league work there several years ago. He generally rates as an above-average defender in right field, per both Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average, although his ratings have slipped this season. With several young outfielders rising through the system including MLB-ready Kyle Stowers and fast-rising 2021 top pick Colton Cowser, it’s of extra note that Santander could reacclimate to another spot on the diamond. Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins are generally locked into outfield spots, so shifting Santander around certainly makes some sense.
Of course, even moderately enhancing Santander’s defensive versatility will also potentially make him a bit more appealing on the offseason trade market. The switch-hitting Santander drew some interest this summer, as he’s done for the past couple seasons, but the O’s hung onto him and for now can continue to enjoy his .255/.334/.452 output. Santander is on pace to set new career-highs in plate appearances, home runs and doubles this season, provided he remains healthy down the stretch. He’s also trimmed his strikeout rate from 23.1% last season to 18.6% this season and upped his walk rate from 5.3% to a career-best 8.2%.
Santander is earning $3.15MM this season and remains under club control through the 2024 campaign via arbitration. He’s already been through that process twice as a Super Two player and will be due another pair of raises before hitting the open market just after his 30th birthday in the 2024-25 offseason.
As for the move of Odor to the hot corner, it’s only sensible to get as long a look as Vavra as possible down the stretch in 2022. Second base is Vavra’s primary (and best) position, and after he hit .312/.425/.444 through 229 minor league plate appearances this season (mostly in Triple-A), he appears ready for a look in the big leagues. However, the O’s also have fellow infield prospect Jordan Westburg knocking on the door of the big leagues, if not late in 2022 then likely early in the 2023 season. Westburg, who landed 98th on Baseball America’s latest top 100 rankings, has posted a combined .255/.332/.470 slash between Double-A and Triple-A this season. He’s seen his walk rate cut in half jumping from Double-A to Triple-A and perhaps has some strikeout issues to sort through (26.1% this year), but given his general proximity to the big leagues, taking a proactive look at Vavra makes sense.
It seems fair to question just how much longer the veteran Odor will factor into the plans at all, given that the longtime Rangers infielder has posted just a .193/.257/.365 batting line in 331 plate appearances this year. The lefty-swinging Odor has actually posted worse results against right-handers than against southpaws and turned in below-average defensive grades at second base (-5 DRS, -2.9 UZR, -5 OAA).
From a broader perspective, veterans of the Odor ilk will have a more difficult time finding opportunity in Baltimore at all before too long. Despite graduating former No. 1 overall prospect Adley Rutschman to the Major League roster, the O’s still have baseball’s best all-round farm system, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel opined in today’s updated rankings of the game’s 30 minor league systems. Some of that is due to another No. 1 overall pick being added to the system this season, but it’s also due largely to the rise of shortstop prospect Gunnar Henderson, whom Baseball America tabs as its new No. 1 overall farmhand in another just-released set of rankings.
Henderson, like Westburg, has split the 2022 season between Double-A and Triple-A, slashing at a combined .304/.429/.556 clip with 17 home runs, 20 doubles, six triples, 16 steals (in 19 tries), a huge 16.7% walk rate and a 20.8% strikeout rate. With 205 Triple-A plate appearances already under his belt, it’s at least feasible that he could also be an option late in the season — and, if not, then certainly early in 2023. However things pan out in the short-term, the looming presence of Henderson, Westburg, Vavra and others figures to directly impact Odor, Ramon Urias, Jorge Mateo and other infield options before too long.
Twins Release Tyler Duffey
Aug. 8: The Twins have released Duffey, per the transaction log at MLB.com.
Aug. 5: The Twins have designated right-handed reliever Tyler Duffey for assignment, as first reported by Patrick Reusse of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (Twitter link). Right-hander Cole Sands is being recalled from Triple-A St. Paul to take Duffey’s spot on the roster (and, seemingly, in the bullpen for now). Minnesota has yet to formally announce the move.
Duffey, a fifth-round pick by the Twins back in 2012, has had an up-and-down career in Minnesota. Debuting as a starter back in 2015, he quickly looked as though he could hold that role down for the foreseeable future, pitching to a 3.10 ERA with solid strikeout and walk rates as a rookie that year. However, Duffey was clobbered for a ghastly 6.33 ERA in 133 innings the following year and moved to the bullpen in 2017.
It took some time, but by the 2019 season, Duffey had become an indispensable member of the Twins’ bullpen. He logged 57 2/3 innings of 2.50 ERA ball and punched out a whopping 34.5% of his opponents against a 5.9% walk rate that season. From July 28 through Sept. 25 in 2019, Duffey went 26 straight appearances without allowing a run — a total of 23 2/3 innings during which he posted a scintillating 40-to-5 K/BB ratio. He followed that year with an even better showing in the shortened 2020 season (1.88 ERA in 24 innings), and while his numbers took a step back in 2021 they were still quite solid (3.18 ERA, 3.49 FIP in 62 1/3 innings).
All in all, from 2019-21, Duffey logged 144 innings with a 2.69 ERA (3.16 FIP), a 29.8% strikeout rate, an 8.2% walk rate and a 44.4% ground-ball rate. By and large, he was an effective late-inning reliever on whom the Twins relied with regularity.
This season, however, has been another story entirely. Duffey owns a 4.91 ERA and has already yielded eight home runs in just 44 innings of work (1.64 HR/9). The fastball that averaged 94 mph in 2019 is now averaging 92.3 mph, and he’s seen his strikeout rate plummet to 21.1% while his 8.1% walk rate is more than two percentage points higher than it was during that 2019 peak.
Much as he did in 2019, Duffey had an impressive run this summer when he rattled off 15 2/3 shutout innings with a 12-to-3 K/BB ratio from June 17 through July 23, but that hot streak has been bookended by nightmarish bouts of home runs yielded in leverage spots. Duffey has yielded multiple runs in 20% of his appearances this season (eight of 40), including five different outings where he’s been tagged for three runs. Since that promising run from mid-June through late July, Duffey has yielded seven runs on six hits (two homers) and four walks with three strikeouts in a total of 4 1/3 innings.
Minnesota’s bullpen has been the team’s greatest flaw this season, and Duffey’s wild inconsistency has played a significant part in that Achilles heel. He’s earning $3.8MM in his final season of club control before free agency, meaning any club who claimed him — he can’t be traded now that the deadline has passed — would be on the hook for the remaining $1.28MM on this year’s salary. Because of that, he’ll likely go unclaimed, and even if the Twins attempt to outright him to Triple-A St. Paul, he can reject the assignment and retain the rights to that salary, as is his right as a player with five-plus years of MLB service time.
As for the 25-year-old Sands, he’s been rocked for 16 runs in 16 1/3 Major League innings during this season’s debut, but he has a better minor league track record. Like Duffey, he’s a former fifth-round pick (Florida State University, 2018) with a history of solid minor league performances. While it’s true that Sands has been hit hard in St. Paul this season (5.59 ERA in 48 1/3 frames), he posted a brilliant 2.46 ERA through 80 1/3 Double-A frames last year and also notched a sub-3.00 ERA in his first full pro season with the Twins back in 2019.
Sands has worked primarily as a starter in his career, so it’ll be intriguing to see if, similar to Duffey earlier in his career, Sands’ stuff will play up in the ‘pen and allow him to seize a role there moving forward. Alternatively, he could simply operate in a long relief role until lefty Jovani Moran returns from the injured list and then head back to St. Paul where he’d continue working as a starter and serve as rotation depth both this year and next.
Pirates Release Yoshi Tsutsugo
Aug. 8: The Pirates released Tsutsugo over the weekend, per the team’s transactions log at MLB.com.
Aug. 3: The Pirates have designated first baseman Yoshi Tsutsugo for assignment and recalled infielder Tucupita Marcano to take his spot on the roster, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
Tsutsugo, 30, returned to the Bucs on a one-year deal after a big finish down the stretch with them in 2021. The former NPB slugger wasn’t able to replicate the production he gave Pittsburgh last August and September, however, limping to a .171/.249/.229 slash with just two homers and four doubles in 193 plate appearances this season. As the Pirates increasingly turn the roster over to younger talents who they hope will comprise their next competitive core, however, Tsutsugo increasingly looked as though his time with the team was dwindling.
With the trade deadline in the rearview mirror, the only options for the Bucs now are to place Tsutsugo on outright waivers or release waivers. Given that he’s still owed about $1.4MM of this season’s $4MM salary, he’ll assuredly go unclaimed on waivers either way.
The 22-year-old Marcano, acquired from the Padres alongside Jack Suwinski in last year’s Adam Frazier trade, will get another opportunity to establish himself at the game’s top level. He’s hit just .229/.280/.357 with the Pirates this year, but that’s been in just 78 plate appearances. Marcano is sitting on a .319/.417/.475 slash that he’s put together between Double-A and Triple-A while appearing at four defensive positions (second base, shortstop, third base, left field).
Rockies Claim Dinelson Lamet, Designate Ashton Goudeau
Aug. 7: The Rockies announced that Goudeau has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Albuquerque. He will remain in the organization as depth but without occupying a spot on the 40-man roster.
Aug. 5, 1:00pm: The Rockies announced the claim of Lamet, adding that right-hander Ashton Goudeau has been designated for assignment in order to create roster space.
12:46pm: The Rockies have claimed right-hander Dinelson Lamet off waivers from the Brewers, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com reports (Twitter link). Lamet, whom the Brewers acquired alongside Taylor Rogers and prospects Esteury Ruiz and Robert Gasser in Monday’s surprising Josh Hader trade, was designated for assignment just 48 hours after being acquired.
At the time of Lamet’s DFA, Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns told reporters that Lamet “has a good arm and was included in the trade to help balance out the deal” but that “subsequent transactions” made him a tougher fit on the roster. The Brewers added right-handers Matt Bush and Trevor Rosenthal in separate trades one day after acquiring Lamet.
Still, the quick DFA makes it fair to wonder how prominently Lamet ever truly factored into the plans. The 2020 Cy Young candidate has been beset by injuries since late in that truncated season and has yielded 14 runs in just 12 2/3 innings this season. His fastball, which averaged 97 mph in 2020, has averaged 95.3 mph this season. Of particular note for the Padres, who are barreling toward a second straight season paying the luxury tax, Lamet is earning $4.775MM in 2022. Including him in that trade meant not only jettisoning a player who had ostensibly been squeezed out of a roster spot but also who’d have a non-zero impact on the team’s luxury ledger. Stearns’ usage of the phrase “balance out the deal,” then, could be interpreted as referencing talent or in more fiscal terms.
Regardless, the Rockies now stand to potentially benefit from both their division-rival and the NL Central leaders feeling their rosters lacked space for Lamet. As recently as 2020, the 6’3″, 228-pound Lamet looked like a foundational piece in San Diego. He made a full slate of 12 starts during that pandemic-truncated campaign, pitching to a brilliant 2.09 ERA with a 34.8% strikeout rate, 7.5% walk rate and 36.9% ground-ball rate. That showing was good enough to land Lamet, then having just turned 28 years old, a fourth-place finish in National League Cy Young voting.
However, Lamet’s 2020 season also ended with him heading to the injured list with a biceps injury sustained in his final outing of the season. He’d go on to miss the 2020 postseason, and his 2021 season was limited to just 47 innings on account of a forearm issue that twice sent him to the injured list.
Those injuries, coupled with this year’s poor showing, have resulted in a grisly 5.46 ERA in the now-30-year-old Lamet’s past 59 1/3 Major League innings. In addition to the diminished fastball, he’s seen his strikeout rate plummet from that 34.8% mark to 26.9%, while his walk rate has spiked from 7.5% to a dismal 11.4%. Lamet may have had some bad luck in 2021, posting a .344 batting average on balls in play despite allowing hard contact at well below-league-average levels, but that’s not been the case at all in 2022. Yes, his .412 BABIP is through the roof, but so too is his opponents’ average exit velocity (a blistering 93.1 mph) and his 50% hard-hit rate.
For a pitching-needy team like the Rockies, however, there’s little harm in taking a relatively low-cost look at Lamet. They’ll be owed the prorated portion of his salary — about $1.6MM between now and season’s end — but can also control him via arbitration this winter if he impresses down the stretch. Viewed through that lens, there’d have been a case for any of the clubs higher on the waiver priority (e.g. Nationals, A’s, Tigers, Royals, Pirates) claiming Lamet, but despite the right-hander’s obvious talent, not every club is going to be bullish on his chances to rebound (or on taking on that extra chunk of cash at this point in the season).
Goudeau, also 30, has pitched 20 1/3 innings in this, his second stint with the Rockies, for whom he made his MLB debut back in 2020. He’s been tagged for a 7.08 ERA with a 17% strikeout rate and 10.6% walk rate, however, both well worse than the league average. His work in Triple-A Albuquerque has been even rougher, evidenced by 43 earned runs allowed in just 37 innings of work (10.46 ERA).
How To Acquire Players After The Trade Deadline
Not long ago, every August at MLBTR kicked off by reminding longtime MLB fans (or explaining to new fans) how the dizzying rules regarding August trade waivers worked. It was a convoluted process — one that saw nearly every player in the league placed on revocable trade waivers at some point (heavy emphasis on “revocable”) — but one that front offices increasingly used as creative means to pull off significant acquisitions after the supposed “deadline.”
In reality, under the old rules, the first “trade deadline” was never the actual deadline — it just wasn’t as catchy to use the full term, “non-waiver trade deadline.” As time progressed, the month of August increasingly served as a means of swapping out higher-priced talents in waiver trades that were still quite noteworthy. If you’re seeing Justin Verlander, Andrew McCutchen, Josh Donaldson and others change hands in late August, just before the deadline for postseason eligibility, then was July 31 (or, in the case of this year, Aug. 2) really the trade “deadline?” Not so much.
Back in 2019, Major League Baseball opted to quash the ever-growing process of August roster reconstruction. The league put an end to waiver trades that often served as a means of teams hitting the “eject” button on notable contracts and saw larger-payroll clubs take on those deals simply because they possessed the financial wherewithal to do so. MLB implemented a more concrete “true” trade deadline that prohibited players on Major League contracts — or any who had previously been on Major League contracts earlier in the season (i.e. since-outrighted players) — from being traded after the deadline.
Does that mean teams can no longer acquire new players or address injuries as they arise? No, but their avenues to do so are substantially narrower. Here’s a look at how Major League front offices can still augment their roster now that the “true” trade deadline has passed:
1. Trades!
Wait, what? I thought we just–
Yes, we did. But it turns out that the “true” trade deadline is really only the “true” trade deadline for Major League players! Fun how that works, right? In all likelihood, you’ll still see several players change hands this month, they just won’t be very exciting. But, veterans who’ve been playing the entire season on a minor league contract and haven’t at any point been added to the 40-man roster or been on the Major League injured list are still fair game to be traded.
Will you see any huge, blockbuster names flipped? No, but could you see the Rays trade Chase Anderson (4.38 ERA in 74 Triple-A innings this season) or the White Sox trade Dan Winkler (3.60 ERA, 39 strikeouts but also 19 walks in 30 Triple-A frames)? Yes! It just can’t be in exchange for anyone who’s been on the 40-man roster or Major League injured list at any point in 2022.
Last August’s slate of trades saw a handful of recognizable names dealt: Delino DeShields (twice!), Brad Peacock, Dustin Garneau, Mallex Smith, John Axford and Andrew Vasquez were all on the move for either marginal prospects or the ever-popular “cash considerations.”
Just to speculate a bit — and we haven’t really seen this in the past, but it’s technically possible — teams technically can engineer minor league trades, so long as the players involved have not been on the 40-man roster at any point in a given season. It’s doubtful we’ll see any top prospects change hands in this regard, but it’s not expressly forbidden, either.
And, just to rain on your parade, no — teams cannot game the system using players to be named later. The rules pertaining to the “true” trade deadline made sure to include the following language:
“The Commissioner’s Office will prohibit any transaction (or series of transactions) that, in the judgment of the Commissioner’s Office, appears (or appear) designed to circumvent the prohibitions of Rule 9(b).”
Nice try, folks, but don’t get your hopes up.
Just remember, anyone acquired after Aug. 31 isn’t postseason-eligible with his new club, so minor swaps of any relative note will likely take place before the calendar flips to September. (MLBTR has confirmed with a source that despite Opening Day being pushed back and the trade deadline falling two days later than usual in 2022, the postseason eligibility deadline remains 11:59pm ET on Aug. 31.)
It won’t lead to any exciting trades, but we’ll still see some trades this month. You’ll just have to wait until the offseason for the Shohei Ohtani, Pablo Lopez, Sean Murphy, Bryan Reynolds, etc. rumors to fire up.
2. Outright and Release Waivers
Revocable trade waivers are no longer a thing, but regular old outright waivers and release waivers are alive and well. Any time a player is designated for assignment now, the team’s only recourse will be to place him on outright waivers or release waivers. At that point, the other 29 teams will have the opportunity to claim that player … and the entirety of his remaining contract. Of course, a team doesn’t need to announce a DFA or even announce that a player has been put on waivers. It’s fairly common for a team to just announce that a player cleared waivers and was outrighted to a minor league affiliate without ever publicly declaring a DFA.
An important reminder on waivers now that it’s the primary means of acquiring talent from another organization: waiver priority is determined based on overall record (worst record to best record) and, unlike the now-retired “revocable trade waivers,” is not league-specific. If the Nationals want Dinelson Lamet, whom the Brewers designated for assignment this week, they’ll have first crack at claiming him off waivers; if they pass, the A’s are up next. Then the Royals. And so on and so forth.
Teams who didn’t find sufficient interest in veteran players prior to the trade deadline and thus held onto them could eventually place those players on outright waivers in August, hoping another club will claim said player and simply spare the waiving team some cash. This is likelier to happen late in the month — when there’s less cash owed on those veteran contracts. We did see a handful of these moves just last year. The Giants claimed Jose Quintana from the Angels. The Reds claimed Asdrubal Cabrera from the D-backs. This could also be viewed as a means of granting a veteran player on a non-contender the opportunity to join a postseason race.
As with any minor league trades, players claimed off waivers will only be postseason-eligible with their new club if claimed before 11:59pm ET on Aug. 31.
3. Sign Free Agents
Same as ever. Anyone who gets released or rejects an outright assignment in favor of free agency will be able to sign with a new team and, so long as the deal is wrapped up prior to Sept. 1, they’ll be postseason-eligible with a new team. It’s certainly feasible that a once-productive veteran enjoys a hot streak with a new club or fills a useful part-time role. Some team with suspect outfield depth and/or defense is probably going to sign Jackie Bradley Jr. for his glove alone once he inevitably becomes a free agent in a few days (no one is claiming the remainder of his $9.5MM salary and the $8MM option buyout on his contract). Didi Gregorius was just cut loose by the Phillies. Others will follow suit.
One key name to consider: former Mets All-Star Michael Conforto. The 29-year-old didn’t sign a contract last offseason after rejecting a qualifying offer, and it was eventually revealed that a shoulder injury sustained during MLB’s lockout period ultimately required surgery. Now that the amateur draft has passed, a team would no longer need to forfeit any draft picks to sign him. Agent Scott Boras said back in May that there was a chance Conforto could be Major League-ready by September, and Boras said after the draft that he’d heard from four clubs regarding Conforto. Whether a team actually signs Conforto, of course, will be dependent on the state of that surgically repaired shoulder.
Outside of Conforto it might be unlikely that this avenue results in acquiring an impact playoff contributor — but it also can’t be ruled out. The Braves’ acquisition of Eddie Rosario at last year’s trade deadline isn’t directly analogous, but Rosario was effectively dumped in the Braves’ lap for salary relief after hitting .254/.296/.389 in Cleveland. He spent several weeks on the injured list, then returned with one of the most torrid heaters of his notoriously streaky career, culminating in NLCS MVP honors. Yes, that’s a trade, but we’ll still see teams hoping to “salary dump” veterans in similar fashion.
Point being: just as Rosario did, a veteran hitter who has underwhelmed elsewhere can still play a key role in a postseason push and even in a playoff series. Cody Ross can probably still eat and drink for free in San Francisco for the rest of his life.
4. Scour the Independent Leagues
Roll your eyes all you want, but the Atlantic League, Frontier League and American Association (among other indie circuits) are all teeming with former big leaguers. Need a speedy fourth outfielder who can provide some late-game defense and baserunning during September roster expansion? A platoon bat off the bench? An extra southpaw to stash in the bullpen? There will be experienced names to consider.
Matt Adams has 21 homers in 306 plate appearances with the Kansas City Monarchs. His teammate, former Tigers/Red Sox lefty Matt Hall, has a 1.24 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 51 innings. Fellow lefty Tyler Webb has had similar success with the Long Island Ducks.
Granted, teams aren’t likely to find a true impact player on the indie scene, but then again, people cracked jokes when the 2015 Red Sox signed then-35-year-old Ducks lefty Rich Hill. Seven years, 737 Major League innings and nearly $70MM later, Hill has the last laugh.
5. Look to Foreign Leagues
We don’t often see players return from the KBO, NPB or CPBL to sign with big league clubs midseason, but there’s precedent for it happening. There are also quite a few former big leaguers playing down in the Mexican League, creating another area for front offices to scout as they mine for depth options. Interest won’t be limited solely to former big leaguers, either. Back in June, the Mariners signed lefty Brennan Bernardino after a strong nine-start run in Mexico, watched him dominate through 12 2/3 innings in Triple-A Tacoma, and selected him to the Major League roster by the end of July. He made his MLB debut with Seattle on July 31. You never know.
A’s Claim David MacKinnon, Designate Wandisson Charles
The Athletics announced Friday that they’ve claimed first baseman David MacKinnon off waivers from the Angels. Right-hander Wandisson Charles was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
MacKinnon, 27, is a former 32nd-round draft pick who made his big league debut this season after a huge showing in Triple-A Salt Lake. He went just 7-for-37 at the MLB level without an extra-base hit at the Major League level, but the righty-swinging MacKinnon mashed at a .324/.429/.631 clip in 273 plate appearances with Salt Lake (156 wRC+). In just 273 plate appearances in Triple-A, MacKinnon belted 14 homers and connected on 19 doubles and four triples — all while walking nearly as often as he struck out (15.4% to 18.7%).
Because MacKinnon was only selected to the Major League roster for the first time this season, he’s in the first of three minor league option years. And while he’s never quite produced at this level in the minors in the past, MacKinnon still slashed .285/.380/.474 (139 wRC+) with 13 dingers and 30 doubles through 426 plate appearances in a pitcher-friendly Double-A setting a year ago.
Following the offseason trade of Matt Olson, the A’s have given most of the playing time at first base to lefty-swinging Seth Brown and the since-traded, right-handed-hitting Christian Bethancourt. Brown has batted .249/.310/.494 when facing right-handed pitching but just .170/.200/.283 in 55 plate appearances against lefties. MacKinnon, hitting .294/.390/.588 against lefties this season (big leagues and Triple-A combined), will give Brown a natural platoon partner at first.
Charles, 25, is a hard-throwing righty who has battled command issues throughout his time in the minors and struggled considerably this season in his second stint at the Double-A level. He’s yielded 36 earned runs in just 32 innings, thanks to a through-the-roof 19.4% walk rate and a career-worst 1.13 HR/9 mark. Charles can run his fastball into the upper 90s and has had multiple seasons where he’s fanned more than 30% of his opponents, but this year’s 19.4% walk rate is right in line with the career 19.3% mark he’s posted across parts of six minor league seasons. The A’s can put Charles on waivers at any point in the next week.