Red Sox Designate Jonathan Lucroy, Call Up Chris Mazza
3:03pm: Lucroy has been designated for assignment.
11:14am: The Red Sox will remove catcher Jonathan Lucroy from their roster today and call up right-hander Chris Mazza from their alternate training site in Pawtucket, Chad Jennings and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report (via Twitter). The exact nature of the move isn’t clear. It’s possible that Lucroy will simply be designated for assignment, though it’s also conceivable that he could be shipped to another club with a need for catching depth.
Lucroy, 34, cracked Boston’s Opening Day roster as a third catcher behind Christian Vazquez and Kevin Plawecki, but he’s yet to tally a plate appearance with the Sox. He split the 2019 season between the Angels and Cubs, hitting at a combined .232/.305/.355 rate in 101 games and 328 plate appearances.
More than three full years have passed since Lucroy enjoyed his last above-average season at the plate, but for a time, he was considered to be among the game’s elite backstops. From 2012-16, Lucroy batted .291/.353/.465 (120 OPS+) while drawing elite framing marks and registering a solid 27.5 percent caught-stealing rate. Those days, however, have long since passed. Over his previous three seasons, Lucroy has combined for a .248/.315/.350 output as his defensive ratings have tumbled considerably.
In his place, the Sox will add the 30-year-old Mazza — an offseason waiver claim out of the Mets organization who has just 16 1/3 MLB innings under his belt. While Mazza doesn’t have much big league experience, he turned in a 3.67 ERA with 7.3 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 in 76 Triple-A frames last year — particularly solid marks given the offensive explosion there. Mazza has an overall ERA of 3.72 or better at every individual minor league level and has a composite 3.21 ERA with 7.4 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9. He’s regularly posted excellent ground-ball mark as well, thanks to a heavy sinker that has one of the lowest spin rates in MLB (which, in the case of sinkers, is a good thing).
Marlins To Sign Logan Forsythe
The Marlins have agreed to a deal with free-agent infielder Logan Forsythe, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid (Twitter link). The PSI Sports Management client was granted his release by the Phillies late in Summer Camp after being informed that he wouldn’t crack the Opening Day roster.
Forsythe, 33, becomes the fourth new addition for the Marlins since half the team’s 30-man roster tested positive for Covid-19 in MLB’s first outbreak. Miami has also claimed right-handers Mike Morin and Justin Shafer and lefty Josh D. Smith off waivers. Their season is currently “paused” until at least next Monday.
The full list of Marlins players who have tested positive isn’t (and may not become) known, but the versatile Forsythe can help them cover at numerous positions. He’s spent the bulk of his career playing second base, but Forsythe also has experience at third base (979 innings), first base (496), shortstop (220) and in the outfield corners (99).
Forsythe spent most of the 2019 season with the Rangers and struggled to a .227/.325/.353 slash in 367 plate appearances. He was a productive everyday bat for the Rays back in 2015-16, but Forsythe has bounced around the league a bit since that time. In all, he’s a .246/.327/.370 hitter in 3502 MLB plate appearances — including a .259/.339/.423 slash in 1164 plate appearances against left-handed pitching.
Phillies Add Three To Player Pool
The Phillies announced that they’ve added right-hander Adonis Medina, infielder/outfielder Austin Listi and infielder Bryson Stott to their 60-man player pool. All three will report to the club’s alternate training site.
Medina, 23, entered the 2019 season ranked among baseball’s best pitching prospects, but he struggled to a 4.94 ERA with 7.0 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 in a pitcher-friendly Double-A setting last year, causing his stock to drop a bit. Armed with a mid-90s sinker that has typically generated above-average ground-ball rates and a well-regarded changeup, he’ll give the Phillies a relatively advanced arm to lean on for depth while also continuing to get some critical developmental reps with the rest of the player pool. Medina is already on the 40-man roster.
Listi, 26, has played all four corner positions in the Phillies’ minor league system. First base has been his most frequent position, but he has at least 323 innings at each of left field, right field and third base as well. Listi split the 2019 season between Double-A and Triple-A, batting a combined .252/.344/.434 with 19 home run, 24 doubles and a pair of triples in 545 plate appearances. He walked at a 10.5 percent clip and punched out in 19.4 percent of his plate appearances. Given his ability to handle multiple positions and his experience up through the Triple-A level, Listi could emerge as an option at the MLB level in 2020.
Stott, meanwhile, was the team’s first-round pick in 2019 and seems like much more of a long shot to be considered for the big leagues in 2020. The Phillies took a conservative approach with the UNLV product last year, assigning him to their Rookie-level affiliate and then short-season Class-A club — where as a first-round college bat he was much more advanced than most of his competition. Stott did what one would expect of an advanced bat in that setting, as he logged a strong .295/.391/.494 slash in 193 plate appearances. Even though he seems unlikely to be called up this year, Stott will benefit from simulated game reps and work with the team’s staff in Lehigh Valley.
KBO’s Samsung Lions Place Tyler Saladino On Waivers
The Samsung Lions of the Korea Baseball Organization have waived former big league infielder Tyler Saladino, per Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency. The move opens a spot for Daniel Palka, whose previously reported agreement with the Lions is now official.
Saladino has been excellent with the Lions this season, but he’s currently out with a back injury. The Lions, who at 34-34 are still in the playoff mix, seemingly did not expect Saladino back in the near future. Otherwise, there’d be little reason to justify cutting bait on a player who’d slashed .280/.411/.477 with six homers and six steals apiece through 163 plate appearances. It was a strong showing for the 31-year-old Saladino — one that could perhaps create additional opportunities in South Korea or Japan once he’s worked back to health. Alternatively, Saladino may opt to pursue a new opportunity with a big league club.
In parts of five Major League seasons between the White Sox and Brewers, Saladino is a .226/.278/.330 hitter through 1064 plate appearances. He’s appeared at every position other than catcher and pitcher in the Majors, and in his 44 games with the Lions, Saladino saw action at third base, first base, shortstop and in left field.
Astros Place Joe Biagini On Injured List, Select Andre Scrubb
The Astros announced that they’ve placed right-handed reliever Joe Biagini on the 10-day injured list due to shoulder soreness and, in a corresponding move, selected the contract of right-hander Andre Scrubb from their alternate training site.
Biagini, 30, averaged 94.5 mph on his fastball as a reliever from 2018-19 but came out of the gates in 2020 averaging a diminished 92.6 mph on that heater. He allowed a run on two hits with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning in his lone 2020 outing. Biagini struggled in his time with the ‘Stros last year, but he turned in a 3.78 ERA with a strikeout per inning and solid control in 50 frames before being traded from Toronto to Houston.
Scrubb, 25, has yet to advance to Triple-A but will now jump directly to the big leagues. Houston acquired him in the 2019 trade that sent Tyler White to the Dodgers. He split last year between the Double-A affiliates for Houston and L.A., pitching to a combined 2.78 ERA with 10.6 K/9 against 4.6 BB/9. He’s not among the organization’s top-ranked prospects, but his solid showing in Double-A last year landed him in the team’s 60-man player pool (and now on the 40-man roster).
With Scrubb joining the bullpen and Bigaini landing on the injured list, the Houston bullpen now has an incredible seven pitchers who entered the season without so much as a day of MLB experience. In addition to Biagini, the Astros also have Brad Peacock, Austin Pruitt, Rogelio Armenteros, Justin Verlander and Jose Urquidy on the injured list at the moment. Given the mounting number of injuries, it’s not difficult to see why the club is pursuing a depth pickup of Fernando Rodney, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if the ‘Stros were to make some similar additions in the near future.
Miles Mikolas To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery
Cardinals right-hander Miles Mikolas will undergo surgery to repair his right flexor tendon and miss the remainder of the 2020 season, president of baseball operations John Mozeliak announced to reporters Tuesday (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Mark Saxon). He’s been placed on the injured list, and right-hander Jake Woodford has been recalled from the club’s alternate training site in a corresponding move. St. Louis also announced that Giovanny Gallegos has been activated from the injured list. Right-hander Daniel Ponce de Leon will start against the Twins tomorrow in place of Mikolas.
The loss of Mikolas is a notable blow to the St. Louis rotation. Since returning from a highly successful stint in Japan in 2018, the now-31-year-old Mikolas has given the Cards 384 2/3 innings of 3.44 ERA ball with averages of 6.8 strikeouts, 1.4 walks and 1.01 home runs per nine innings pitched. The right-hander finished sixth in 2018 National League Cy Young voting and has made 32 starts in each of his two seasons with the Cards.
That on its own would’ve been enough to make the two-year, $15.5MM deal that Mikolas signed with the Cardinals in the 2017-18 offseason a huge success. But the Cardinals clearly viewed the righty as a key long-term asset, as they locked him up on a four-year, $68MM extension prior to the 2019 season. The current season is the first year of that new pact, and a major arm surgery for Mikolas surely isn’t how either player or team hoped to kick things off. The hope is that he’ll be good to go for the 2021 season, Mozeliak added, though a more precise timeline will becomes clearer after the surgery.
Even without Mikolas, the Cardinals still have a talented group of starters. Young Jack Flaherty is emerging as one of the National League’s best arms. He’s joined by veterans Carlos Martinez and Adam Wainwright as well as fellow youngster Dakota Hudson in making up the Cardinals’ top four starters. Option for the fifth spot include Woodford, left-hander Genesis Cabrera and righty Alex Reyes, among others, although Reyes’ longstanding injury issues might make him better suited for a relief role.
The Cards opened the year with southpaw Kwang Hyun Kim in the bullpen, but the longtime KBO starter could move to the rotation, with the aforementioned Gallegos taking over ninth-inning work. Left-hander Ricardo Sanchez and right-hander Alvaro Seijas are both on the 40-man roster and in the team’s 60-man player pool as well.
Giants Designate Rob Brantly For Assignment
The Giants announced this afternoon that they’ve designated catcher Rob Brantly for assignment. His spot on the roster goes to fellow backstop Chadwick Tromp, whose contract has been selected.
Brantly, 31, appeared in just one game with the Giants and went 0-for-3 before today’s DFA. He’d been thrust into an unexpectedly prominent role, teaming with Tyler Heineman to shoulder the bulk of the catching load for the Giants after Buster Posey opted out of the 2020 season. The well-traveled veteran has seen action in parts of six MLB seasons, hitting at a combined .228/.292/.330 clip in 432 plate appearances. He has a solid 28 percent caught-stealing rate from behind the dish but much less favorable number in terms of pitch framing.
In moving from Brantly to Tromp, the Giants will take a look at a younger option who has a career .275/.353/.439 slash in part of the three Triple-A seasons. The 25-year-old, Aruban-born Tromp spent his entire pro career with the Reds organization prior to 2020, but he became a minor league free agent last winter and latched on with the Giants. He’ll now get his first look at the MLB level. Joey Bart is considered to be the Giants’ future everyday catcher, but a strong showing from Tromp could put him in line to serve as a backup or part-time option down the road.
Mets Designate Tyler Bashlor For Assignment
The Mets announced Tuesday that they’ve designated right-hander Tyler Bashlor for assignment. His roster spot will go to southpaw David Peterson, who is being selected to the 40-man roster for his MLB debut.
Bashlor, 27, has seen time in the Majors in each of the past two seasons but hasn’t yet stood out. Over 54 frames in the big leagues, the former 11th-round pick has a 5.33 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9. Bashlor averages 96 mph on his heater, but he’s an extreme fly-ball pitcher (career 31.2 percent ground-ball rate) who has averaged two home runs per nine inning pitched in the Majors.
Bashlor does have a sharp track record in Double-A and Triple-A, which, combined with his high-end fastball spin (97th percentile) and a remaining minor league option, could make him appealing to another organization in need of some bullpen depth. The Mets have a week to trade Bashlor, place him on outright waivers or release him.
MLBTR Live Chat
Click here to read a transcript of Tuesday’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
Astros Exercise Club Option On Dusty Baker
The Astros announced that they’ve exercised their 2021 club option on manager Dusty Baker. Mark Berman of FOX 26 in Houston first reported that Houston was set to pick up the option. The Houston organization also picked up 2021 options on pitching coach Brent Strom and third base coach Gary Pettis.
Baker, 71, was hired back in January after the Astros fired both president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow and manager A.J. Hinch in the wake of the team’s sign-stealing scandal. The move to hire Baker, one of the game’s most widely respected figures in any role, gave the club an experienced voice of leadership following a chaotic winter and distanced the organization from the previous regime. Some wondered whether Baker might be a one-year stopgap, given the short nature of his initial contract, but it seems he’ll stick around into next season.
“Dusty has been a perfect fit for our ballclub,” GM James Click said in announcing the move. “His knowledge of the game and experience have been invaluable to us in his first few months with the club. We’re excited to see him in an Astros uniform again next year.”