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Anthony Santander Has Strained Oblique, Could Miss Remainder Of Season

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Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander is headed to the 10-day injured list after suffering a strained oblique, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Manager Brandon Hyde said that Santander will miss “significant time” due to the injury, and with just about three weeks left in the regular season, that could mean the end of Santander’s 2020 campaign.

Santander, 25, had been in the midst of a breakout season, to the extent that one can “break out” in a 60-game season. He’s rocking a .890 OPS (which would be a career-best by a wide margin) and has been the Orioles’ most valuable player by Baseball-Reference’s version of WAR. With 11 home runs in 37 games, he’s maintained his penchant for hard contact while cutting down and strikeouts and taking more walks.

He’s done all of the above while grading out as an above-average defender in right field, painting a picture of Santander as one of the bright young stars leading the O’s on the path back to contention. Unfortunately, they’ll be without him for most—if not all—of the remainder of 2020, a season in which Baltimore has surprised many with a competitive 17-21 record.

The Orioles recalled outfielder Mason Williams to the active roster not long after he was designated for assignment and subsequently outrighted to the team’s alternate training site. He’ll serve as a depth outfielder, with DJ Stewart likely assuming the bulk of the right field duties in Baltimore. Stewart is hitless in 16 at-bats this season, though an absurd 32.1% walk rate has carried him to a .385 OBP despite those struggles. A regular outfield role in Santander’s absence should be a good opportunity for Stewart, who has played in just 71 Major League games since debuting in 2018.

Player Pool Additions: Phillies, Brewers, Padres, Orioles

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We’ll track the latest additions to teams’ 60-man player pools in this post…

  • The Phillies added lefty Jeff Singer to their pool, Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports (via Twitter). The 26-year-old signed with the Phils as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and has steadily risen through their system, reaching the Double-A level in 2019. Last year, Singer tossed 61 2/3 frames with a 74-to-22 K/BB ratio, a 2.34 ERA and a 2.77 FIP. Singer isn’t considered to be among the club’s top-ranked prospects but will get some developmental reps in Allentown and could conceivably even be an option later this month, given his success in the upper minors.
  • The Brewers announced three new additions to their player pool: infielder Gabe Holt, outfielder Carlos Rodriguez and righty Bowden Francis. Their 60-man group is up to 59 players. Holt, 22, was a seventh-round pick out of Texas Tech in 2019 and hasn’t played above Rookie ball, so his addition is purely developmental. That’s also true of Rodriguez, a 2017 international signee out of Venezuela who is considered among to be the organization’s top 20 prospects. Francis, meanwhile, was a 2017 seventh-rounder and split the 2019 season between Class-A Advanced and Double-A. In a combined 142 2/3 innings, Francis pitched to a 3.97 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9. Francis seems like a viable candidate to debut over the final three-plus weeks of the 2020 season, as he’ll need to be added to the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft this winter anyhow.
  • Righty Justin Lange and catcher Blake Hunt have been added to the Padres’ player pool, tweets Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Sanders adds that outfielder Jorge Ona was also quietly added to the pool “some time” ago. The 18-year-old Lange was taken with the No. 34 overall pick in this year’s draft, but as a high school draftee, he obviously won’t be considered for an MLB look this month. Hunt, 21, was the Padres’ second-rounder in ’17 and hit .255/.331/.381 in 376 Class-A plate appearances last year. The 23-year-old Ona was a high-profile signing out of Cuba. He was sidelined for much of the 2019 season but put together a huge .348/.417/.539 slash through 103 plate appearances in a pitcher-friendly Double-A environment last year. He’s already on the 40-man roster after having his contract selected last November.
  • The Orioles announced that lefty Zac Lowther has been added to their player pool in Bowie. Lowther, 24, was the Orioles’ second-rounder in 2017 and posted a 2.55 ERA with 9.4 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, 0.49 HR/9 and a 40.1 percent ground-ball rate in 148 innings. He’s generally considered to be among the Orioles’ 15 best prospects.

Orioles Place Alex Cobb On Injured List, Outright Mason Williams

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The Orioles announced Friday that righty Alex Cobb has been placed on the injured list. Right-hander Branden Kline has been selected from the team’s alternate training site in his place. Additionally, outfielder Mason Williams cleared waivers and was assigned outright to the alternate site, while infielder Ramon Urias has been added as the 29th man for today’s twin bill.

No reason was provided for Cobb’s IL placement, and manager Brandon Hyde would only state that the club is “following protocol” and hopes Cobb can return soon (Twitter link via MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski). That will surely lead to Covid-19 speculation, although it’s worth reminding that a player can be placed on the Covid-19 IL not only for testing positive but also for exhibiting symptoms or coming into contact with someone who has since tested positive. Righty Tom Eshelman will start in Cobb’s place today.

Cobb, 32, is in the midst of what has been a mostly solid rebound campaign. He was torched by the Blue Jays in his most recent start but still carries a 4.33 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 1.27 HR/9 and an impressive 55.9 percent ground-ball rate. He was viewed as a possible trade candidate prior to the deadline earlier this week, though Baltimore surely would’ve had to pay down the bulk of his contract in order to facilitate a deal; Cobb is being paid a $14MM salary in 2020 (prorated to $5.04MM) and is also set to be paid $15MM in 2021 — the final season of his four-year, $57MM deal.

The 28-year-old Kline was hit hard in his debut campaign last year, yielding a 5.93 ERA with a 34-to-19 K/BB ratio and nine homers allowed in 41 innings. Last year’s poor showing aside, however, Kline has had some success in the upper minors. The 2012 second-rounder missed all of the 2016-17 seasons but came back with a brilliant 1.64 ERA, 9.7 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 through 65 2/3 minor league frames. He’ll give the O’s some depth in the ’pen with Cobb sidelined for a yet-to-be-determined period of time.

Williams, 29, went 2-for-11 with the O’s in a small sample before he was removed from the roster. The former Yankees prospect had a solid showing with the 2018 Reds when he hit .293/.331/.398 in a career-high 132 plate appearances, but he hasn’t had much success (or opportunity) at the MLB level outside that 51-game stint. He’ll stay on hand as depth in the team’s 60-man player pool and is eligible to rejoin the club later this season, should a need arise.

Orioles Select Dilson Herrera’s Contract, Designate Mason Williams

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The Orioles have selected the contract of infielder Dilson Herrera to their big league roster, the team announced.  In corresponding move, outfielder Mason Williams was designated for assignment to create a 40-man roster spot.  The O’s also called up outfielder DJ Stewart from the alternate site.

Herrera signed a minor league deal with the O’s during the offseason, and he is now set to appear in his fourth Major League season of his decade-long pro career.  Breaking in with the Mets in 2014-15, Herrera’s only MLB action since was a 53-game stint with the Reds in 2018.  Herrera has only a .203/.293/.394 slash line over 266 career plate appearances in the Show, but he can provide the Orioles with multi-positional bench depth all over the infield (particularly at second and third base) and even maybe in the corner outfield slots.

Williams was another of Baltimore’s minor league winter signings, and posted a .545 OPS over seven games and 11 PA this season.  Once a highly-touted prospect while coming up in the Yankees’ farm system, Williams hasn’t been able to translate that promise into production, though he has also received only 245 career Major League plate appearances.  Williams has hit .281/.318/.382 for the Orioles, Reds, and Yankees since the start of the 2015 season.

AL East Trade Deadline Recap

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With the deadline in the rearview mirror, we’ll look back at each AL East team’s trade activity over the past month.

Baltimore Orioles

Boston Red Sox

New York Yankees

Tampa Bay Rays

Toronto Blue Jays

Mets Acquire Miguel Castro From Orioles

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The New York Mets swung another deal just before the trade deadline, acquiring Miguel Castro from the Orioles, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). The Orioles will receive southpaw Kevin Smith, per Robert Murray (via Twitter). In addition, the Mets will be sending a player to be named later or cash to Baltimore, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

The Mets completed a flurry of deals at the last minute, also acquiring catcher Robinson Chirinos and third baseman Todd Frazier from the Rangers. In Castro, the Mets are getting another power arm from the right side to help out late in games. The 25-year-old owns a 4.02 ERA/3.71 FIP across 16 appearances this season. He strikeout to walk numbers have blown up in the 15 2/3 innings he’s logged this year with 13.8 K/9 to 2.9 BB/9. Those numbers are far better than his career norms, so at least some regression is to be expected. With just another month to go in the season, the Mets are betting the overall profile holds up.

Castro was set to make $1.05MM before prorating for the shortened season in his first season of arbitration eligibility. The Mets will retain his rights for two more seasons after 2020. Given the injury to Dellin Betances and Edwin Diaz’s struggles since joining the Mets, Castro figures to see some high-leverage opportunities over the final month of the season. Retaining his control for two years beyond this season is a win for the Mets as well. They have continually sought bullpen reinforcements in recent seasons.

Smith was the Mets’ 12th-ranked prospect per Baseball America and MLB.com. The 6’5″ Smith spent 2019 between High-A and Double-A tossing 117 innings across 23 starts with a 3.23 ERA. That showing prompted Smith to jump up the Mets prospect boards before the start of 2020. Smith, 23, could be given a look as early as this season, given the trend of debuting youngsters we’re seeing throughout baseball, but it’s more likely Smith stays in the development pool for now.

The Orioles sent a number of pitchers out in trades before the deadline, also dealing Mychal Givens to the Rockies and Tommy Milone to the Braves. They continue to rebuild under second-year GM Mike Elias.

Rockies Acquire Mychal Givens From Orioles

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The Orioles have dealt relief pitcher Mychal Givens to the Rockies, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. Along with Tommy Milone, Givens is the second key pitcher the Orioles have traded away today. In return, the Orioles will receive Tyler Nevin, Terrin Vavra, and a player to be named later, as first reported by Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.

Givens has returned to the setup role after struggling as Baltimore’s closer for much of last season, converting just 11 of 19 save opportunities. 2019 was clearly Givens’s worst season since debuting in 2015, but this year he’s once again showing the form that allowed him to excel as Zack Britton’s right-hand man just a few years ago.

Through his first 13 innings of work this year, Givens is sporting a 1.38 ERA and an even 1.00 WHIP, which is supported by career-best strikeout numbers and a 3.17 K:BB ratio. His strikeout rate has climbed up to 38%, and while his walk numbers are up slightly from years’ past, it’s not enough to induce panic. Opponents’ batted-ball results are much improved over last year, aligning more closely with Givens’s 2017 season, when he was at his best. Givens relies heavily on a four-seam fastball that sits right around 95 mph, also utilizing a mid-80s slider and a changeup.

By acquiring Givens, the Rockies hope to strengthen a bullpen that is currently producing to the tune of a 5.81 ERA, the third-worst in all of baseball. For what it’s worth, that number is quite a bit higher than the unit’s 4.22 FIP, which is roughly middle-of-the-pack, but the fact is that the Colorado ’pen has not done well to prevent runs this year. With Scott Oberg out for the year and Wade Davis on the injured list, it’s a thin unit that has had to rely on inexperienced arms like Yency Almonte, Carlos Estevez, and Jairo Diaz.

At first blush, it looks like a pretty solid haul for the O’s in exchange for their top reliever. In Vavra and Nevin—two 23-year-olds—Baltimore is getting the Rockies’ No. 7 and No. 14 ranked prospects, respectively (courtesy of MLB Pipeline). Nevin is strictly limited to corner positions (experimenting with the outfield last year after beginning his career at third base), and is a bat-first player with solid plate discipline and the ability to make hard contact to all fields. His 13 home runs at Double-A last year tied a career high.

Vavra, meanwhile, was the Rockies’ third-round draft choice in 2018, and projects as a middle-infield type, with second base perhaps his best fit at the Major League level. He’s likewise known for his bat, a line-drive hitter with advanced bat-to-ball skills who walked as often as he struck out last year. A switch-hitter, his hitting talent has been on display in the year and a half since he was drafted, though he’s only reached as high as A-ball.

Braves Acquire Tommy Milone

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10:51 am: The deal is official. Atlanta designated first baseman Matt Adams for assignment to clear roster space for Milone, who is in fact set to start tonight’s game for the Braves.

8:26 am: The Braves are nearing a deal to acquire left-hander Tommy Milone from the Orioles, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com (Twitter link). Atlanta will send two prospects, neither of whom is in the Braves’ 60-man player pool, to Baltimore, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). Because they are outside the player pool, those prospects will be included as players to be named later. Presumably, we won’t know their identities until after the end of the season.

Milone, 33, was surprisingly named Baltimore’s Opening Day starter after latching on with the organization on a minor-league deal over the offseason. That start didn’t go as planned, but he’s quietly performed well in his five starts since. Overall, Milone has a 3.99 ERA in 29.1 innings this season.

The soft-tossing Milone has always been a control artist, and that’s continued in 2020. More importantly, he’s struck out a career-best 24% of hitters in the early going on the back of a career-high 12.5% swinging strike rate. The Braves will place a low-cost bet Milone can mostly maintain that uptick in swing-and-miss while working in his customary 86-87 MPH velocity range. His $1MM base salary was prorated to a little over $370K, of which about $173K remains. Milone will be a free agent at season’s end.

It still seems there’s room for the Braves to explore further rotation acquisitions. Max Fried has been exceptional so far, but the rest of the rotation has been shaky. Despite those starting pitching woes, the Braves are off to an 18-14 start and two games ahead of the pack in the NL East. However, they’re not expected to be involved in the pursuit of Rangers ace Lance Lynn, hears Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link).

At 14-18, the Orioles are technically still on the periphery of the AL wild card race. Serviceable start notwithstanding, this was always expected to be a rebuilding year for Baltimore, so it’s hardly surprising to see them flip present assets for future value. Prospects Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer are already on the 40-man roster and are speculative candidates to replace Milone in the starting rotation.

Orioles Activate Jose Iglesias From 10-Day IL

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The Orioles have activated shortstop Jose Iglesias from the 10-day injured list, one of multiple transactions announced today by the team.  Infielder Ramon Urias and southpaw Keegan Akin have been optioned to the Orioles’ alternate training site, while the O’s selected the contract of right-hander Cesar Valdez.  In addition, outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. cleared waivers (Smith was designated for assignment earlier this week) and was outrighted to the alternate site.

Iglesias’ return from a left quad injury comes after a minimum 10-day absence, as his original placement was backdated to August 16.  Baltimore will now get perhaps its most unexpectedly hot bat back in the lineup, as Iglesias was off to a fantastic .400/.414/.564 start through his first 58 plate appearances.

Valdez signed a minor league deal with the Orioles over the offseason and is now on track to appear in his first Major League game since the 2017 season.  His 30 2/3 innings with the A’s and Blue Jays that season marked a return to the Show from an even longer absence, as Valdez’s previous MLB experience came in a nine-game stint with the Diamondbacks in 2010.  In between these hiatuses from the big leagues, Valdez has a long track record in the Mexican League, as well as eight games in the Chinese Professional Baseball League and 861 1/3 career minor league innings with the A’s, Blue Jays, D’Backs, and also the Marlins, Astros, and Pirates.

Trade Deadline Notes: Royals, Moore, Rays, BoSox, Angels, Eppler, Orioles

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Trevor Rosenthal and other Royals relievers are already drawing interest from trade suitors, though GM Dayton Moore hasn’t ruled out being a deadline buyer.  “We wouldn’t hesitate to add to this team,” Moore told Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star.  “This team is talented enough to be one of eight teams representing the American League in the playoffs….So I’m not even beginning to think about dismantling or moving players that help us win at this point.  I believe that this group of players is extremely talented and very much capable of being a playoff team.”

The Royals are last in the AL Central with an 11-18 record, and they sit four games back of the Blue Jays for the last AL wild card slot.  While they’d have to leapfrog a lot of teams to cross the postseason line, even one brief winning streak could greatly improve Kansas City’s chances in the shortened season.  As Worthy notes, the Royals haven’t yet had their entire ideal roster together at one time, as multiple key players have been sidelined due to injuries and COVID-19.  It doesn’t seem likely that K.C. will make any kind of big deadline push, though those expecting a mini-fire sale might also be disappointed.

More trade buzz from around the league…

  • There is no doubt that the Rays are planning on being deadline buyers, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets that “other teams say the Rays are being very aggressive in” trade talks.  It stands to reason that Tampa Bay is targeting pitching given all of their injured arms, though it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Rays swing some creative deals to address multiple needs.  In July 2019, for instance, Tampa landed Nick Anderson, Trevor Richards, Eric Sogard, and Jesus Aguilar in separate deals with the Marlins, Blue Jays, and Brewers respectively, while five other lower-level trades were also consummated.
  • The Red Sox are willing to include some money to accommodate trades, Sean McAdam of the Boston Sports Journal writes (subscription required).  We’ve already seen the Sox kick in $815K to the Phillies as part of the Brandon Workman/Heath Hembree trade last weekend, and McAdam speculates that Boston could potentially eat larger sums for higher-paid players like J.D. Martinez, Nathan Eovaldi, or Christian Vazquez in order to land a better prospect return.
  • Though the Angels’ 9-21 record is the worst in the American League, their approach at the trade deadline could be impacted by front office uncertainty, the New York Post’s Joel Sherman said in an appearance on the MLB Network (video link).  “There is probably not a general manager on thinner ice…right now than Billy Eppler,” Sherman notes, as the Halos are looking at their fifth straight losing season in Eppler’s five-year tenure.  Since Eppler’s contract is up after the season, Sherman wonders if the GM would have the green light to trade anything beyond rental players.  Dylan Bundy and Andrew Heaney, for instance, would draw a lot of trade interest if shopped, though both pitchers are also arbitration-controlled through 2021 and the Angels plan to contend next season.
  • The Orioles have a .500 record and are in the mix for a playoff berth, though both The Athletic’s Dan Connolly and the Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli figure that the team isn’t likely to make any splashy rental acquisitions.  As Connolly puts it, “general manager Mike Elias is focused on his big-picture plan and he’s not going to alter that for the immediate gratification of a seventh or eighth seed in a short season.”  Meoli, meanwhile, wonders if the O’s will be particularly active either as a buyer or seller at the deadline, noting that Elias didn’t swing many significant deals at the 2019 trade deadline and instead waited until the offseason to move the likes of Bundy and Jonathan Villar.  Between many teams’ uncertain financial situations and the lack of many defined buyers or sellers, there might even more reason this year for the Orioles to hold off until the winter.
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