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Quick Hits: Gallardo, Gomez, Murphy, Arrieta

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Steven Souza celebrated his 27th birthday in spectacular fashion today, hitting two home runs during the Rays’ 8-1 win over the Yankees.  It was the second two-homer game of Souza’s career and his second in just a few weeks, as he also hit two long balls on April 6 against the Blue Jays.  Here’s some news from around baseball as we kick off a new week…

  • An MRI on Yovani Gallardo’s shoulder revealed no changes from his previous MRI in February, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports (Twitter links).  Gallardo received a cortisone shot in his shoulder and is expected to be sidelined for roughly four weeks.  The Orioles righty was placed on the DL yesterday due to tendinitis in his bicep and right shoulder, the first time in Gallardo’s 10-year career that he has ever hit the DL due to an arm-related injury.
  • An AL scout tells John Perrotto of TodaysKnuckleball.com that Carlos Gomez’s slow start (and overall lackluster stint with the Astros) could indicate a decline rather than just a slump.  “He’s had a lot of leg injuries and I think it’s started to catch up with him,” the scout said. “He doesn’t steal many bases anymore and he doesn’t move as well as he used to in the outfield.  I’m not ready to totally write him off but he definitely slipped last year and he’s been worse this year.”  Gomez entered today’s play with only a .197/.222/.262 slash line through his first 63 plate appearances, and he’s still looking for his first homer of the season.  A down year could cost Gomez a fortune — MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes’ initial 2017 free agent power rankings tabbed Gomez as having the most earning potential of any position player hitting the open market.
  • David Murphy is hoping for another stint in the majors both this season and beyond, though the veteran outfielder tells Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that his longer-than-expected stint in free agency this winter has made him confront the idea of retiring.  “I realistically thought that it could be over.  I guess I’m to the point where I know that any day could be my last.  I need to enjoy every day,” Murphy said.  After settling for a minor league deal with the Red Sox during the offseason and then getting released, Murphy signed another minors deal with the Twins that contains a May 1 opt-out clause.
  • Orioles fans may want to avert their eyes for this one, as Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune recaps how the Cubs targeted and acquired Jake Arrieta from Baltimore as part of a four-player trade in July 2013.  Arrieta was disagreeing with Orioles coaches and struggling to harness his stuff, yet a trio of Cubs scouts convinced Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer that Arrieta was well worth the risk.  The rest has been history, as that trade (Arrieta and Pedro Strop for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger) is looking like one of the most one-sided trades in recent memory.

AL East Notes: A-Rod, Wright, Hutchison, Stewart

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Some items from around the AL East…

  • Alex Rodriguez left the sixth inning of today’s game with left oblique stiffness, and a postgame MRI was negative, according to a Yankees media release.  The veteran slugger will travel to Arlington with the rest of the team for a series with the Rangers, though it’s yet unknown if A-Rod will be able to play.  Joe Girardi told reporters (including Josh Thomson of the LoHud Yankees blog) that if Rodriguez needs some time off, it could necessitate a DL move so the club wouldn’t be playing two men short.  Aaron Hicks is resting a shoulder injury suffered on Friday and is expected to miss a few games after receiving a cortisone shot, so he could also be a DL candidate should the Yankees need to bolster their depth.
  • Steven Wright has gone from injury fill-in to unexpected ace of the Red Sox staff in April after posting a 1.40 ERA over his first three starts.  WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford talks to Boston scout John Lombardo, who saw potential in Wright as a knuckleballer back in 2011 when Wright was an Indians farmhand and pushed the Sox to make a trade.
  • Drew Hutchison threw a solid outing for the Blue Jays today, and as MLB.com’s Alykhan Ravjiani notes, the right-hander could provide an important depth role for Toronto’s rotation.  Hutchison lost his rotation spot due to a rough 2015 season and is now at Triple-A, though the Jays could call on him for spot outings to keep the rest of the rotation fresh.  With Aaron Sanchez known to be eventually moving back to the bullpen to limit his innings, Hutchison could also boost his case for regular starts later in the season.
  • There are some concerns within the Orioles organization about 2015 first-rounder DJ Stewart’s struggles both at the plate and in the field, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes.  In 285 professional plate appearances (and low-A and high-A ball), Stewart has managed only a .214/.303/.330 slash line.  Obviously it’s still quite early in his career and Stewart is only 22 years old, though the O’s have thus far not seen much from the 25th overall pick in last year’s draft.

AL Notes: Yankees, Indians, Rays, Orioles

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Yankees infield prospect Sandy Acevedo was killed in a car accident Saturday night, the team announced. Acevedo was 18 years old. The native of the Dominican Republic signed with the Yankees last year as an international free agent. MLBTR extends its condolences to Acevedo’s family and friends.

In lighter news from around the American League…

  • Indians star left fielder Michael Brantley will rejoin the team Monday, manager Terry Francona said Sunday, and stands a good chance to be activated then, reports Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. The club could option outfielder Tyler Naquin to Triple-A in a corresponding move when it activates Brantley, per Bastian. Brantley has been working his way back from November right shoulder surgery and has played seven minor league rehab games since April 12. The 28-year-old’s return will be a significant boon to the Indians, as he emerged as one of the majors’ most dangerous offensive threats during the previous two seasons.
  • Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times believes the Rays should consider trading for Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy if they plan on contending, even if it means parting with a couple of their top prospects. So far this season, the Rays have gotten almost no offensive production from backstops Curt Casali and Hank Conger. Moreover, base stealers have gone 15 of 15 against the duo. Conger has thrown out just one of 54 runners dating back to last season. Lucroy, on the other hand, has established himself as one of the sport’s premier two-way catchers. The 29-year-old is playing this season on an eminently reasonable $4MM salary and is under team control through 2017 with a $5.25MM club option.
  • In the wake of Yovani Gallardo’s shoulder injury, right-hander Tyler Wilson will stay in the Orioles’ rotation for at least another start, Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com was among those to report (on Twitter). As a result, Vance Worley will remain in a relief role, as Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun pointed out (Twitter link). Wilson was working out of the Orioles’ bullpen before they started him in their 8-3 win over the Royals on Saturday. The 26-year-old allowed three runs on six hits in five innings. He made five big league starts last season and put up a 4.32 ERA/4.05 FIP/5.01 xFIP in 25 frames.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Orioles, Rays

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Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski issued a public vote of confidence to manager John Farrell on Friday, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. “I think John Farrell has done a fine job managing our team,” Dombrowski said. “The only thing I would tell him is the same I would tell any manager: You need to manage with your conviction. Whatever you believe is the right move, you’re the one who is most knowledgeable in the case, and you do what you think is the right thing to do.” The Red Sox won the World Series under Farrell in 2013, but they’ve endured back-to-back sub-.500 seasons since and are a so-so 8-8 this year, leading to calls for his ouster from the team’s fan base. Mastrodonato defends Farrell by pointing out that the Red Sox have played disciplined baseball under him this season (they entered Friday with only six errors and just one caught stealing, as the writer notes). Further, Farrell was right to award Travis Shaw and Brock Holt the third base and left field jobs over Pablo Sandoval and Rusney Castillo, respectively, and has handled the team’s various personalities well – including Hanley Ramirez’s – Mastrodonato offers.

Here’s more from Boston and two of its American League East rivals:

  • Red Sox starters are currently toward the bottom of the league in ERA (5.38) and FIP (4.52), and if the team is looking for outside rotation help around July’s trade deadline, Mastrodonato lists five potential options: Jered Weaver (Angels), Mat Latos (White Sox), James Shields (Padres), Andrew Cashner (Padres) and Scott Kazmir (Dodgers). Of that group, only Shields and Kazmir are signed beyond this season, but both have opt-outs in their contracts at the end of the year. Barring an unexpected fall from contention by the Dodgers, Kazmir seems unlikely to be dealt. If the White Sox continue their winning ways, Latos probably won’t end up on the block, either. In the immediate future, the forthcoming return of lefty Eduardo Rodriguez from a knee injury should buoy the Red Sox’s rotation.
  • There was a report that Orioles right-hander Yovani Gallardo would see team orthopedist Dr. Mike Jacobs regarding his injured shoulder on Saturday. That examination will actually take place today, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. An MRI should offer more clarity on the status of Gallardo, who landed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with tendinitis.
  • With Gallardo on the shelf for at least two weeks, the Orioles need another starter. They may have found a temporary solution in righty Tyler Wilson, who threw five innings of three-run ball in an 8-3 win over Kansas City on Saturday and impressed manager Buck Showalter in the process. “Things don’t seem to bother him mentally. He’s very mentally strong and that bodes well up here,” Showalter told reporters, including Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com. Showalter indicated that Wilson will start again, per Ghiroli. Wilson, who had been in the Orioles’ bullpen until Saturday, made five big league starts last season and put up a 4.32 ERA/4.05 FIP/5.01 xFIP in 25 innings.
  • Rays outfielder Brandon Guyer was hit by a pitch a major league-record-tying three times Thursday, a feat that had only been accomplished on 22 previous occasions. Guyer also did it once last year, when he was hit an American League-leading 24 times. Guyer, who has already been hit by five pitches this year, told David Laurila of FanGraphs that there isn’t a special skill involved. “There’s no art to it. I promise,” he said. “It’s not something I’m out there looking to do, it just happens. I don’t know how to get out of the way. It’s just instinctual that I don’t move. I’m not afraid.” Thanks in part to his fearlessness, Guyer got on base an impressive 35.9 percent of the time in 385 plate appearances in 2015 and has a tremendous .485 OBP in 33 PAs this season.

Orioles Place Yovani Gallardo On DL With Shoulder Tendinitis

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The Orioles have placed starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo on the disabled list with right shoulder/bicep tendinitis and activated left-handed reliever Brian Matusz (back) from the DL, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter). Gallardo will head to the 15-day DL, the Orioles announced.

The right-handed Gallardo left his start Friday after two innings because of shoulder discomfort, and he said afterward that the issue began while he was warming up in the bullpen before the game.

“My shoulder just didn’t feel right. To be honest, it was one of those feelings that I’ve never had my whole career,” Gallardo stated (via Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun).

Prior to exiting, Gallardo allowed four earned runs on five hits and a walk in a 4-2 loss to the Royals. Through his first four starts this season, the 30-year-old has posted a 7.00 ERA while experiencing a drop in velocity. Further, his K/9 – which has declined precipitously in recent years – has taken another step back this season, going from an already low 5.91 in 2015 to just 4.5. And Gallardo’s normally high ground-ball rate is currently at a career-worst 37.9 percent. All of that spells trouble for Gallardo and the Orioles, who inked him to a two-year, $22MM deal in February after they nixed an agreed-upon third year because of a shoulder problem that popped up in his physical.

“Hopefully (Gallardo) will respond to a period of rest and rehabilitation and return to contribute to the team,” said general manager Dan Duquette (Twitter link via Kubatko).

With Gallardo down, Kevin Gausman’s return becomes all the more important to the Orioles, whose rotation entered Saturday toward the bottom of the league in ERA (5.16). Gausman is expected to make his 2016 debut Monday after missing the first few weeks of the season because of tendinitis in his throwing shoulder. The Orioles’ rotation should now at least temporarily consist of Gausman, Chris Tillman, Ubaldo Jimenez, Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson, who will start for the team Saturday.

Unlike Baltimore’s rotation, its bullpen has produced excellent results this year and the return of Matusz should only help matters. Matusz has combined for 151 2/3 innings with a 3.32 ERA in relief over the last three seasons. The 29-year-old has also averaged 9.44 K/9 and 3.15 BB/9 during that time. Matusz will now slide into a 2016 relief corps that also features Zach Britton, Darren O’Day, Brad Brach, Dylan Bundy and Mychal Givens. Thanks largely to those five, Orioles relievers have put up the second-best bullpen ERA in baseball this year (1.74).

East Notes: Yankees, Gallardo, Braves, Hanley

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The Yankees can either call up first baseman/outfielder Nick Swisher from Triple-A or try to trade suspended closer Aroldis Chapman for a bat as a way to spark their offense, writes Barry A. Bloom of MLB.com. Of course, it’s debatable whether either action would present any kind of solution. Swisher – whom the Yankees signed to a minor league deal earlier this month – is raking in Triple-A (.381/.440/.571 in 25 plate appearances) and was a terrific major leaguer from 2005-13, including four seasons in pinstripes. However, more recently, he was among the majors’ worst regulars the previous two seasons, has dealt with knee problems, and was jettisoned by both the Indians and Braves. Although the Yankees’ Dellin Betances– and Andrew Miller-led bullpen has fared well without Chapman, who will return next month, it’s difficult to imagine a prospective contender dealing a legitimate offensive producer for less than a season of control over the flame-throwing lefty. Plus, despite the Yankees’ early RISP troubles (their .668 OPS with men in scoring position ranks 20th), their offense is still a solid 10th in the league in wRC+.

Here’s more from the AL East and one NL East team:

  • Orioles right-hander Yovani Gallardo, who left Friday’s start after two innings because of shoulder discomfort, will see team orthopedist Dr. Mike Jacobs in Baltimore today, reports Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. Gallardo told Encina that his shoulder began acting up while getting loose in the bullpen before Friday’s game. “My shoulder just didn’t feel right. To be honest, it was one of those feelings that I’ve never had my whole career,” he said. That’s a particularly alarming admission from a player who signed a two-year deal with the Orioles in February after the team nixed an agreed-upon third year because of a shoulder problem that came to the forefront in Gallardo’s physical. The 30-year-old has also experienced a notable velocity drop this season, which manager Buck Showalter acknowledged Friday. “I’ve done all the looks at his average velocity in April and May. Every start I’ve looked at them. He’s down,” Showalter said.
  • Betances and Miller have been brilliant out of the Yankees’ bullpen this year, but David Schoenfield of ESPN.com argues that the team isn’t getting as much from them as it could. The two have logged 15 appearances between them, and only once has manager Joe Girardi deployed either for longer than an inning of work (Betances got four outs April 12). That isn’t good enough, opines Schoenfield, who believes the Yankees should lean more heavily on both of them until Chapman returns, citing Betances’ ability to handle a significant workload (he easily led all relievers with a combined 174 innings from 2014-15) and Miller’s past as a starter.
  • The Braves are willing to overlook third baseman Adonis Garcia’s defensive struggles because of his above-average offensive output, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. In 74 games dating back to last season, Garcia has hit a palatable .285/.318/472, though his .870 fielding percentage ranks last among major league third basemen who have accrued at least 120 chances going back to 1910, per Bowman. “He’s not a third baseman. He plays hitter,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said of Garcia. In fairness to Garcia, over a 345-inning sample size at third in 2015, he was only a bit below average by the standards of advanced metrics like defensive runs saved and ultimate zone rating.
  • The Red Sox seem pleased with Hanley Ramirez’s transition from left field to first base, and the 32-year-old has won fans over with his effort and attitude, but the club needs more from him offensively, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe offers. Ramirez, a career .296/.366/.493 hitter, is batting a disappointing .277/.290/400 with 17 strikeouts and two walks in 69 PAs this year. Since signing a four-year, $88MM contract with Boston in November 2014, the Red Sox’s current No. 5 hitter has put up a below-average .253/.291/.423 line in 499 PAs.

Quick Hits: Gallardo, Arrieta, Ethier, Carter

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We already covered some injury updates tonight, but there’s another one of note. Yovani Gallardo’s struggles worsened tonight for the Orioles, and after the game skipper Buck Showalter said that he’s dealing with shoulder soreness, as Ghiroli reports (links to Twitter). The righty was already showing a two mile per hour decline in his average fastball, but said the issue arose only before and during tonight’s start. He lasted only two innings and 45 pitches today, surrendering four earned runs on five hits and a walk. The veteran says he’s never before experienced this kind of discomfort and that it got worse as the game progressed. Gallardo is expected to return to Baltimore for further evaluation. You’ll recall that Gallardo’s original agreement with the O’s was modified after shoulder questions cropped up in his physical.

Here are a few more notes to round out the evening:

  • On the heels of Jake Arrieta’s second no-hitter for the Cubs, Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago.com takes a look back at the deal that brought the star righty to Chicago along with reliever Pedro Strop in the summer of 2013. With Baltimore looking to bolster its rotation for a playoff push, the Cubs parted with half a season of Scott Feldman to acquire two controllable pitchers who have paid out handsomely since the swap. “We had scouted Jake extensively,” said Cubs GM Jed Hoyer. “We had done a lot of makeup work on him. We did the same thing on Strop. At that time, we just needed to get power arms onto our team.” Of course, as Hoyer acknowledges, the club didn’t expect anything like what Arrieta has delivered; as he puts it, “what [Arrieta’s] done is obviously exceptional.”
  • While he’s shelved on the DL with a broken leg, Dodgers’ outfielder Andre Ethier has officially achieved ten-and-five status, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times notes on Twitter. The veteran therefore obtains full no-trade rights, which was all but inevitable when the club elected not to deal him entering the season. Ethier is owed $20MM for one more campaign after this one, including a $2.5MM buyout on a club option for 2018.
  • First baseman Chris Carter is off to a nice start with the Brewers, as Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. After another productive evening, Carter owns a .259/.328/.593 slash with four long balls over his first 64 plate appearances. That’s a far cry from his awful start to the 2015 season, and Carter attributes it in large part to his offseason effort to change his approach. “I’m just hitting more balls the other way,” Carter explained. “My homers this year have been to center, right-center. That’s something that I didn’t do that much last year until the end of the year. It’s something I worked on in the offseason, hitting balls where they’re pitched instead of trying to pull them.” Thus far, at least, Milwaukee’s $2.5MM investment has been well worth it.

AL Notes: Darvish, Smith, ERod, Kelly, Owens, Snell, Farquhar, Gausman, Gallardo

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Here’s the latest out of the American League, with a focus on some recent injury news on key pitchers:

  • Rehabbing Rangers ace Yu Darvish will throw another live BP session before beginning his rehab assignment, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. The righty hasn’t suffered any kind of setback, but hopes to refine his offspeed offerings before reporting to Double-A to begin his march back to the majors.
  • Meanwhile, Red Sox reliever Carson Smith looks to be on track for a return in early May, Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports on Twitter. He’ll need to make at least three minor league outings, including two on back-to-back days, before being activate. The righty will be a welcome addition to the back of the Boston pen. Likewise, lefty Eduardo Rodriguez may be on his way back soon, as Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald tweets that he could return to the majors after two rehab starts.
  • In other Red Sox pitching news, the club is hopeful that Joe Kelly won’t miss much more than the minimum on his 15-day DL stint, Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald reports (Twitter links). Southpaw Henry Owens will step into Kelly’s place in the rotation. He’s put up three solid outings at Triple-A thus far, allowing just two earned runs in 18 innings with 23 strikeouts and ten walks.
  • With top Rays pitching prospect Blake Snell coming up for his first start tomorrow, Baseball America’s Vince Lara-Cinisomo takes a look at the 23-year-old lefty. While he still needs to refine his command, BA suggests he could become a number two starter if he can reach his ceiling in the majors. Tampa Bay has optioned reliever Danny Farquhar to clear room for Snell, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. The 29-year-old righty has pitched well enough in the early going, but he was one of only a few optionable arms in the Rays’ pen and appeared in each of the last two games.
  • The Orioles are set to activate Kevin Gausman for his first start of the season on Monday, with the heralded righty saying that he thinks his shoulder issues are a thing of the past, as MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli reports. In his latest rehab appearance, said Gausman, he felt more “comfortable” than he had in his prior outings. Hopes are high for the 25-year-old, and the Baltimore rotation is certainly need of a boost with only one member (Ubaldo Jimenez) currently carrying a sub-4.00 ERA.

AL East Notes: Donaldson, Smith, Machado, Orioles

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Josh Donaldson’s incredible 2015 season earned him American League MVP honors and made him a household name, but ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick profiles the Blue Jays third baseman and the level of preparation that made it possible for him to reach those heights. Newly acquired teammate Drew Storen tells Crasnick that he’s floored by the detail that Donaldson put into preparing for the season from day one of Spring Training, and Crasnick spoke to an NL exec that offered similar amazement at Donaldson’s consistent level of effort. “You never see him mail it in,” said the official. “He’s always on, even when you say he shouldn’t be on today. Day game after a night game, or they’re up 8-2 and you think he’s going to give the last at-bat away. He doesn’t do that. He doesn’t give anything away.” Donaldson’s reputation and character played a role in now-former Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos’ original pursuit of the third baseman, Crasnick writes, and that same emphasis on character also played a heavy role in Toronto’s signing of Russell Martin.

Here’s more from the AL East…

  • Red Sox right-hander Carson Smith is nearing a return, writes WEEI.com’s Ryan Hannable. Smith is slated to appear in extended Spring Training games on Friday and Saturday, and following that pair of appearances he’ll head out on a minor league rehab assignment early next week (barring any form of setback, of course). The Sox picked up Smith in the trade that sent left-hander Wade Miley to the Mariners and will be counting on him to pair with Koji Uehara and Craig Kimbrel in what, on paper, should be a dominant trio of relievers.
  • While Bryce Harper and Mike Trout receive plenty of adulation as the game’s most exciting young stars, Dave Cameron of Fangraphs writes that Orioles third baseman Manny Machado should be right alongside that duo. Machado’s evolution into a legitimate slugger last season has him in an elite tier alongside Harper, Trout and Donaldson across the past calendar year. Machado, Cameron writes, is now hitting like Miguel Cabrera while also contributing Gold Glove defense, and even if he doesn’t grab as many headlines as other young stars in the game, he’s secured his place among the elite.
  • Brian Matusz is slated to come off the disabled list on Saturday, writes MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli, and right-hander Kevin Gausman might not be far behind. Gausman could join the club early next week, Ghiroli writes. The pair of additions will likely cost the Orioles some length in their bullpen, Ghiroli writes, as skipper Buck Showalter said that he won’t use Matusz in a multi-inning role. Ghiroli notes that each of Mike Wright, Tyler Wilson, Mychal Givens and T.J. McFarland have minor league options remaining, though it’s certainly difficult to see Givens being optioned.

Phillies Acquire Alfredo Marte

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The Phillies have acquired outfielder Alfredo Marte from the Orioles, according to announcements from both clubs. A player to be named later or cash considerations will go back to Baltimore in the swap.

Marte, 27, had been playing at Triple-A in the Baltimore organization after signing as a minor league free agent, but had seen scant action in the early going. He has taken 170 plate appearances over parts of three MLB campaigns, compiling a meager .181/.249/.284 slash. But Marte owns a much more appealing .304/.372/.468 batting line in over 1,000 trips to the plate in his time at the highest level of the minors.

Philadelphia is obviously looking to add depth in an area of need. The club recently dropped Cedric Hunter to the minors after his rough start, bringing up veteran reserve David Lough. It has also received little thus far from Peter Bourjos, Emmanuel Burriss, and Rule 5 pick Tyler Goeddel, so there’s plenty of opportunity at the major league level.

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