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Athletics Reinstate Frankie Montas, Designate Beau Taylor For Assignment

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The Athletics announced Wednesday that they’ve reinstated right-hander Frankie Montas from the restricted list now that his 80-game PED suspension has been completed. Oakland had a full 40-man roster, so catcher Beau Taylor was designated for assignment in order to open a spot for Montas’ return. Montas won’t be postseason-eligible because of that suspension, but he’ll take the ball and start tonight’s game against the Angels.

Montas, 26, hasn’t pitched since June 20 after testing positive for the banned substance Ostarine. As with virtually all players who fail a drug test, Montas claimed to have been unaware he’d taken a banned substance, blaming the positive test on a “contaminated supplement” which he “purchased over-the-counter at a nutrition store here in the United States.” Regardless of intent (or lack thereof), he served out the full 80-game ban that first-time offenders face.

It’s not clear what type of workload Montas will be able to handle, although general manager David Forst indicated earlier this month that the A’s have kept Montas stretched out with a series of simulated games. Whatever volume of innings Montas can handle, they’ll all be pivotal at this point; the A’s are in the thick of a three-team AL Wild Card race with the Indians and Rays.

If the A’s get anything close to the form Montas displayed from March until late June, then they’ll be in excellent shape for tonight’s contest. Through 90 innings earlier this season, Montas pitched to a pristine 2.70 ERA with a similarly strong 2.91 FIP and a 3.42 xFIP. He averaged 9.7 strikeouts, 2.1 walks and 0.7 homers per nine innings pitched while keeping the ball on the ground at a healthy 50.8 percent clip.

Of course, skeptics will attribute that apparent breakout to Montas’ failed drug test, and there’ll be nowhere near enough time in 2019 for him to prove that he’s capable of sustaining that level of pace post-suspension. He’ll surely have a place earmarked in Oakland’s 2020 rotation, at which point he’ll strive to continue upon this year’s breakout and distance himself from that suspension as best he can. He’ll presumably be joined by Sean Manaea and Mike Fiers in that regard. Righties Chris Bassitt, Daniel Mengden and Jharel Cotton will compete with top left-handed pitching prospects Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk for the final spots in Oakland’s rotation.

Montas, who’ll turn 27 next March, lost more than half a season’s worth of service time but will still ever-so-narrowly eek out enough service to reach two full years of big league service in 2019. As such, he’s still controlled through the 2023 season and remains on track to be arbitration-eligible following the 2020 campaign.

As for the 29-year-old Taylor, this won’t be the first time he’s been cut loose by the A’s. Oakland outrighted him off the 40-man roster following the 2018 season but re-signed him to a minor league deal, and the Athletics also designated Taylor for assignment earlier this year. He landed with the Blue Jays via a waiver claim but was eventually DFA’ed by Toronto and returned to Oakland on a second waiver claim.

Taylor is 5-for-30 with a pair of homers in a tiny sample of 36 MLB plate appearances. He’s spent parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level and batted a combined .256/.373/.385 there. He’s been about a percentage point below average in terms of caught-stealing rate for his pro career and has drawn average or better pitch-framing grades in the past few seasons.

Blue Jays Select Ryan Dull

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The Blue Jays have selected the contract of right-hander Ryan Dull and recalled right-hander Yennsy Diaz for the final few games of the season, tweets Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. Dull and Diaz will give the Blue Jays some extra arms to serve as reinforcements for a bullpen that has thrown 27 innings across the past three games thanks to a 15-inning marathon Monday and a series of openers being utilized. In order to make room for Dull on the 40-man roster, the Jays put Lourdes Gurriel Jr. on the 60-day injured list. Gurriel underwent an appendectomy this week and wasn’t expected to return before Sunday’s season finale.

This marks the latest roster move for Dull in a roller coaster couple of months. The veteran righty has bounced from Oakland to San Francisco to New York to Toronto on waivers since the beginning of August and finally cleared waivers within the past week after he was designated by the Jays. Dull didn’t appear in the big leagues with Toronto before being designated for assignment and sent outright off the 40-man roster. He’ll now have a chance to suit up as a Blue Jay and log a few extra days of big league service to close out the year, though he’ll quite likely be removed from the 40-man roster once again when the season concludes.

J.T. Realmuto Will Have Surgery To Repair Meniscus

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Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto will undergo a procedure to clean up the meniscus in his right knee, manager Gabe Kapler announced Wednesday (Twitter link via Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia). With the Phillies formally eliminated from postseason contention, he’ll go under the knife now rather than play out the season’s final series. There are no long-term concerns associated with the operation, and Realmuto is expected to be ready to go for Spring Training.

The surgery means that Realmuto’s season will come to a close with a strong .275/.328/.493 batting line in his first year with the Phils. Realmuto slugged 25 homers, 36 doubles and three triples over the course of 538 plate appearances while serving as something of an iron man behind the dish; no one in baseball has caught more than the 1139 innings that Realmuto did in 2019. The volume of that workload makes his output at the plate all the more impressive and heightens the value of his superlative defense. Realmuto threw out a ridiculous 47 percent of base thieves in 2019 and ranked among the best in the league in terms of pitch blocking and pitch framing.

Put simply, Realmuto is arguably the game’s best catcher. Phillies general manager Matt Klentak recently lauded Realmuto’s overall contributions and was rather candid in suggesting that an extension for the 28-year-old All-Star will be one of the organization’s priorities over the winter. The Phils control Realmuto through the 2020 season, at present, and he’ll command a sizable raise on this year’s $5.9MM salary in arbitration over the winter. Realmuto has voiced his own interest in signing a long-term pact to remain with the Phillies, so it shouldn’t be a surprise if the two sides ultimately hammer out a deal between now and Opening Day 2020.

Sam Dyson Out Up To 12 Months Following Shoulder Surgery

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Twins right-hander Sam Dyson underwent capsule repair surgery on his right shoulder yesterday, manager Rocco Baldelli revealed to reporters Wednesday (Twitter link via Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com). It’s a brutal development for both Dyson and the organization, as the recovery period associated with that procedure could span a full 12 months. It’s not clear whether Dyson will be able to take the ball at all in 2020, which seemingly makes an offseason non-tender of the righty a necessity.

At the time of the trade that sent Dyson from San Francisco to Minnesota, the Twins looked to be acquiring one of the more effective relievers who’d been made available. Dyson posted a 2.69 ERA with 7.2 K/9, 2.6 BB/9, 0.64 HR/9 and a 61.3 percent ground-ball rate in 70 1/3 innings with the 2018 Giants and had followed that up with 51 innings of 2.47 ERA ball to open the 2019 campaign. He’d improved both his strikeout and walk rates while continuing to allow fewer than one homer per nine innings pitched.

Minnesota sent three prospects — Jaylin Davis, Prelander Berroa and Kai-Wei Teng — to the Giants in order to acquire Dyson for this season and for 2020, which would be his final arbitration-eligible season. However, Dyson was shelled in his first outing as a Twin and quickly landed on the injured list. He returned and actually pitched fairly well (2.53 ERA in 10 2/3 innings) before again being shut down due to ongoing discomfort in his biceps/shoulder.

More troubling than the quick IL placement, for the Twins, was the fact that Dyson revealed to the club that he’d been dealing with some discomfort since mid-July — before he was ever traded to the Twins. Medical records at the time of the swap checked out, as Dyson had not even divulged the pain he was feeling to the Giants (and, thus, the Giants had no way of documenting said red flags).

The Twins reportedly investigated whether there was any possibility that the Giants might’ve had some inkling of Dyson’s shoulder troubles — as any team would — but there’s no evidence of any efforts to withhold information. In the end, it appears to be a simple case of miserable luck for the Twins, who almost certainly won’t commit to a raise on Dyson’s $5MM salary for the 2020 season and now seem likely to cut him loose for nothing.

If there’s any silver lining for Minnesota, it’s that the need for Dyson is less acute than it was at the time of the trade to acquire him. Tyler Duffey hasn’t allowed a run since the trade and has a 38-to-5 K/BB ratio over his past 22 2/3 scoreless innings. Closer Taylor Rogers remains an excellent weapon, and hard-throwing righty Trevor May has been largely excellent over the past two months as well. The Twins’ other deadline pickup, Sergio Romo, has been terrific since his acquisition as well. Rookies Zack Littell, Cody Stashak and Ryne Harper have emerged as solid options, and flamethrowing top prospect Brusdar Graterol is making a push for a spot on the postseason roster as well.

That’s not to downplay the loss of Dyson, of course. A healthy Dyson would give the Twins an even more formidable back of the bullpen, which has become a necessity for postseason play given the evolution of pitcher usage (particularly in short series). But the overall state of Baldelli’s relief corps is much stronger than it was even two months ago, with more questions now seemingly focused on the Twins’ sputtering rotation.

Sonny Gray Undergoes Arthroscopic Elbow Surgery

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Reds right-hander Sonny Gray underwent an arthroscopic procedure to remove loose bodies from his right elbow today, the team announced. The procedure isn’t expected to impact his offseason training regimen, nor should it have any sort of impact on his availability for the beginning of Spring Training.

Cincinnati’s decision to buy low on Gray, who’ll turn 30 this winter, proved to be one of the best moves made by any team this winter. The Reds bet big on Gray not only by trading Shed Long and a Competitive Balance Round A draft pick to obtain the former Oakland ace but also by inking him to a three-year, $30.5MM extension that covers the 2020-22 seasons.

Gray put a forgettable 2018 season with the Yankees squarely in the rear-view mirror by not simply returning to his 2017 form but arguably by delivering the best season of his career. Through 175 1/3 innings, the 2011 first-rounder logged a 2.87 ERA (3.43 FIP, 3.65 xFIP) with a career-high 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. Gray’s average of 3.5 walks per nine frames was up from the 2015 season in which he finished third in American League Cy Young voting, but he also managed to allow just 0.87 homers per nine innings pitched. That’s a strong number in any season but is particularly impressive when pitching in the cozy confines of Great American Ball Park during 2019’s record-setting home run boom.

With Gray and midseason acquisition Trevor Bauer now in the plans for 2020, joining holdovers Luis Castillo and Anthony DeSclafani, the Reds look to have the foundation for an extremely strong starting staff in place. There’ll be work to do elsewhere on the roster this winter, but the Reds’ pitching next season could be more formidable than at any point in recent memory.

Curtis Granderson Hopes To Continue Playing In 2020

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Marlins outfielder/pinch-hitter Curtis Granderson will turn 39 next March and is struggling through the worst offensive season of his career, but he tells Bill Ladson of MLB.com that he hopes to continue his career beyond the 2019 season. The veteran is open to a reunion with the Marlins, should the club have interest in re-signing him.

Granderson acknowledges that it’s not a “slam dunk” for a player of his age to find interest from any of the clubs in the league. This time last year, he was finishing up a season in which he hit .242/.351/.431 with 13 home runs between the Blue Jays and Brewers. Despite that solid production and his highly regarded clubhouse presence, Granderson had to settle for a minor league contract.

Now, Granderson will carry an eyesore of a batting line (.186/.286/.355 at present) into free agency. To his credit, the Grandy Man does have 11 home runs, 17 doubles and a triple under his belt this year. And his 26.9 percent strikeout rate, while higher than the league average, is only a modest increase from last season’s 26.3 percent clip. He’s still walking at an 11.6 percent rate, hasn’t seen his infield-fly rate jump and has slightly improved his hard-contact rate from 34.3 percent to 35 percent, per Statcast. Silver linings aside, it’s hard to hide from struggles of this magnitude. If Granderson lands back with the Marlins or with a new club, it seems likely that it’d be on another minor league pact with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

If there’s one thing working in Granderson’s favor, it could be that the standard Major League roster size is set to expand from 25 players to 26 players, beginning next season. Big league clubs will have an additional roster spot at their disposal, and it’s not out of the question that the Marlins (or perhaps another rebuilding club) would want to take advantage of that by rostering a veteran of 16 Major League seasons to help mentor emerging big leaguers.

To that end, the Marlins’ decision to extend manager Don Mattingly can’t hurt Granderson’s chance of suiting up for a second season in South Beach. Mattingly gushed praise for the veteran outfielder and the influence he’s had on the Marlins’ young players, calling him “one of the keys” to the Marlins’ clubhouse. “He is willing to give these guys advice, help a guy grow up,” Mattingly said.

Max Stassi To Undergo Hip Surgery

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Angels catcher Max Stassi will undergo right hip surgery and require a recovery timeline of four to six months, manager Brad Ausmus announced to reporters Tuesday (Twitter link via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register).

That timeline could well hinder Stassi, 28, from being ready for the beginning of Spring Training. A six-month rehab process would carry him through late March, potentially rendering him unavailable for the start of the 2020 campaign. Of course, that assumes that Stassi makes it to Spring Training with the Angels next season. He’ll be eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, and between his hip surgery and a feeble .136/.211/.167 batting line through 147 plate appearances, he stands out as a non-tender candidate.

The Angels acquired Stassi shortly before this year’s trade deadline with the hope that a change of scenery could invigorate his bat. Stassi’s defensive prowess is well known, as he perennially rates as a premium pitch framer and draws strong reviews for his blocking abilities as well. Stassi posted a respectable .226/.316/.394 batting line with eight long balls and 13 doubles in 250 plate appearances with Houston a season ago, so it’s not a stretch to think that he could have more in the tank offensively. A change of fortune was (clearly) not in the cards, however.

Between Stassi, the since-released Jonathan Lucroy, Kevan Smith, Dustin Garneau and Anthony Bemboom, the Angels haven’t received much at all in terms of offensive production from their catchers in 2019. The organization’s farm system has improved dramatically in recent seasons but still lacks a potential difference-maker behind the dish; of the Angels’ top 30 prospects at MLB.com, none are catchers. Fangraphs lists Double-A backstop Jack Kruger 27th among Angels farmhands, but he hit just .240/.300/.309 in 380 Double-A plate appearances this season.

Suffice it to say, the Angels look like a team that’ll have catching help near the top of the offseason wishlist. Yasmani Grandal will headline this year’s class of free-agent catchers, while Jason Castro and a revitalized Travis d’Arnaud look like potential regulars for catching-needy teams, as well. Trade possibilities will surely arise as well in what should be a busy offseason for an Angels club that’ll also be looking to fortify its injury-plagued starting rotation.

Luhnow: Jose Urquidy “Likely” To Be In Astros’ 2020 Rotation

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With both Gerrit Cole and Wade Miley slated to hit free agency this winter and Lance McCullers Jr. still on the mend from 2018 Tommy John surgery, it’s readily apparent that the Astros are going to have some offseason pitching needs. As such, it’s of some note that president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow told The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan (subscription required) this week that the organization views young right-hander Jose Urquidy as a likely member of its 2020 rotation.

“Urquidy’s going to be likely in our rotation next year,” Luhnow said in discussing the 24-year-old’s chances of making the postseason roster. “…He’s done an unbelievable job. He’s a talented pitcher who knows how to pitch in high-pressure situations. If he’s the right guy to make our roster in the DS or the CS or the WS, he’ll make it ,and hopefully he’s going to get some big outs for us in the postseason.”

It’s a strong vote of confidence in Urquidy, who made his MLB debut earlier this season and has appeared in eight games as a big leaguer. Through 35 frames with the Astros, Urquidy has pitched to a 4.63 ERA, although the rest of his numbers are more intriguing. Through six starts and a pair of relief appearances, he’s sporting a terrific 38-to-6 K/BB ratio and has generated a healthy 12.1 percent swinging-strike rate. Urquidy is currently carrying a 3.79 FIP, 3.80 SIERA and 4.18 xFIP, suggesting that his ERA could be a bit over-inflated.

It’s notable, too, that Urquidy has already set a new career-high with 138 innings in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. Given that he’s still likely to pitch another game before Sunday’s regular-season finale and could clearly log some postseason innings, it seems likely that he’ll be free of any workload restrictions next year.

Looking ahead to the 2020 rotation, if Urquidy is indeed penciled into that mix, he’ll join veteran workhorses Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke as well as a returning McCullers (assuming no hiccups in his rehab). Other options within the organization include left-hander Framber Valdez, right-hander Rogelio Armenteros and top prospect Forrest Whitley, though Whitley may require some further minor league time after injuries limited him to 55 1/3 innings in 2019. Right-hander Aaron Sanchez, acquired at the trade deadline, would surely have been a favorite for a starting job next year had he not recently undergone shoulder surgery. That operation has not only clouded his availability for Opening Day 2020 but may lead to him being non-tendered.

Earmarking a starting spot for Urquidy, ostensibly, would leave the Astros with only one vacancy in their rotation this winter. Trade scenarios that arise and/or free-agent prices could potentially impact any tentative alignments being currently contemplated by the organization, but Urquidy seems to have put himself in a strong position heading into 2020.

Indians Activate Jose Ramirez

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Sept. 24: Cleveland has officially reinstated Ramirez from the injured list, per a club announcement.

Sept. 23: The Indians are expected to activate infielder Jose Ramirez from the injured list on Tuesday, manager Terry Francona told reporters this weekend (link via Mandy Bell of MLB.com). He’s been out since Aug. 26 due to a fractured hamate hook in his right hand, but he’ll beat even the optimistic end of his initially projected recovery period (five to seven weeks).

A healthy Ramirez — or even a mostly healthy Ramirez — will be a notable jolt to an Indians lineup that has been utilizing Mike Freeman, Ryan Flaherty, Andrew Velazquez and Yu Chang in the infield with both Ramirez and Jason Kipnis sidelined. (Kipnis suffered a hamate fracture of his own last week and will undergo surgery tomorrow.) While Ramirez started the season in a dreadful slump, he heated up along with the weather and has turned in a sensational .313/.360/.643 with 16 home runs, 22 doubles and three triples in 253 plate appearances since seeing his OPS bottom out at .586 in mid-June. In fairness to Freeman, he’s certainly held his own at the dish (.269/.366/.391 in 192 plate appearances), but few can stack up against Ramirez when he’s at his best.

Ramirez has experience at second base, but Francona was clear about the fact that he’ll remain at third base once he returns. “When he comes back, we’ll have six games left,” Francona said. “We’re just going to leave him right at third. That’s a big ask. That’s another transition that we don’t need to do.”

With the Twins’ magic number down to three and six game remaining, the Indians are in a virtual Wild-Card-or-bust scenario. They’re two games behind the A’s for top Wild Card billing and currently in a tie (92-64) with the Rays for the second spot. The Indians will finish out the year with three games in Chicago against the White Sox and three in D.C. against the Nationals. The Rays, meanwhile, have one more game to host against the Red Sox, two to host against the Yankees and will finish the year with a three-game set in Toronto. Oakland has two road games against the Halos and four in Seattle. The Twins play three in Detroit followed by three in Kansas City.

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