- The Red Sox will won’t bring Eduardo Rodriguez back to the rotation before the All-Star break, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal tweets. Rodriguez hasn’t pitched since June 1 due to a partial right kneecap dislocation, the latest in a series of knee injuries the left-handed has dealt with in his young career. The Sox could give Rodriguez another rehab start in the minors or activate him from the DL for use as a reliever next weekend, Britton writes.
Red Sox Rumors
Red Sox Acquire International Bonus Money In Trades With Reds, Cardinals
5:48pm: The Reds sent $2.75MM in spending room to the Red Sox, tweets Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
10:33am: The Red Sox have acquired international bonus pool space from the Reds in exchange for minor league first baseman Nick Longhi, as per a Sox press release. In a separate deal, Boston also acquired more pool space from the Cardinals in exchange for minor league infielders Imeldo Diaz and Stanley Espinal. Specific financial terms weren’t announced for either trade.
The Sox made a big splash as the 2017-18 international signing period opened this morning, agreeing to deals with highly-touted prospects Daniel Flores, Danny Diaz and Antoni Flores for a combined $6.1MM in bonuses. Since the Red Sox had only $4.75MM available to spend in their draft pool, some trading was necessary to bring in the extra funds for these youngsters, as well as any other less-splashy international signings the Sox may make. Teams are allowed to acquire as much as 75 percent of their original draft pool, which works out to $3,562,500 in Boston’s case.
Longhi was rated as Boston’s 14th-best minor leaguer by the 2017 Baseball America Prospect Handbook, which described Longhi as “one of the best pure hitters in the Red Sox system” despite a lack of power. Longhi has six of his 16 career homers as a professional this season at Double-A, with a .262/.306/.401 overall batting line in 252 PA. The 21-year-old was originally a 30th-round pick for the Sox in the 2013 amateur draft.
Both Espinal and Diaz have appeared in just seven games each this season, all for Boston’s low A-ball affiliate in Lowell. Espinal, a 20-year-old third baseman out of the Dominican Republic, has a .682 OPS over 577 pro plate appearances. The 19-year-old Diaz also hasn’t shown much at the plate in his brief career, hitting .222/.279/.258 over 522 PA.
The Cardinals had $5.75MM and the Reds $5.25MM in available pool money for this July 2 class, though both teams are under the $300K limit since both exceeded their bonus pools in the 2016-17 signing period. It stands to reason that St. Louis and Cincinnati felt comfortable dealing their pool money since they didn’t plan on using all of it given their limited signing capabilities. It wouldn’t be a surprise if other teams facing the $300K penalty (the Astros, A’s, Cubs, Padres, Royals, Braves, Giants, Dodgers and Nationals) also deal some from their bonus pool funds in the coming weeks and months.
Red Sox To Sign Daniel Flores, Danny Diaz, Antoni Flores
The Red Sox have reached agreement with 16-year-old Venezuelan prospects Daniel Flores, Danny Diaz and Antoni Flores, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports. Daniel Flores, a catcher, will receive a bonus worth $3.1MM. Diaz and Antoni Flores, both shortstops, will respectively get bonuses worth $1.6MM and $1.4MM, as per MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (all Twitter links).
The flurry of signings marks Boston’s return to prominence in the international signing market, as the Sox were restricted to signings of $300K or less in the last two July 2 classes as punishment for exceeding their bonus pool limit in the 2014-15 class (which saw them splurge on the likes of Yoan Moncada and Anderson Espinoza). The Flores/Diaz/Flores signings put the Red Sox in excess of their $4.75MM pool for this year’s international class, and since the new collective bargaining agreement strictly forbids teams from spending beyond their pool limit, the Sox have already made some minor trades to acquire more pool space. Teams are allowed to acquire as much as 75 percent of their original draft pool, so the Red Sox could have slightly more than $8.25MM to spend if they traded for the maximum amount of additional pool money.
Daniel Flores is the centerpiece of Boston’s signings, and possibly of the entire 2017-18 class, as most scouts consider Flores or Wander Samuel Franco (who agreed to sign with the Rays) as the top names within this international signing period. Both MLB.com and Baseball America rated Flores as the second-best prospect of this year’s class.
Flores has drawn raves for his defense, and he is described many scouts as perhaps the best defensive catcher they’ve seen for a 16-year-old player. Between his strong work behind the plate and an outstanding throwing arm, MLB.com and Baseball America both use the phrase “elite defender” as Flores’ potential ceiling as a big league catcher. He is still something of a work in progress at the plate, showing some raw power as a switch-hitter who performs better as a right-handed bat. BA’s scouting report (subscription required) noted that Flores received mixed reviews for his work against live pitching, though in game action last summer Flores displayed “a sound approach and a high contact rate.”
Diaz was rated 7th by Baseball America and 13th by MLB.com, while Antoni Flores checked in at 20th on MLB.com’s list and 35th on BA’s list. Diaz has a strong bat with a lot of power potential, as Baseball America feels Diaz should eventually merit a 60 in power on the 20-80 scouting scale. On defense, Diaz will likely move off shortstop to third base or possibly even first as he keeps growing; interestingly, MLB.com lists Diaz as 6’1″ and 170 pounds, while BA pegs him at 6’3″ and 200 pounds. Flores is said to possess good defensive tools at shortstop though a position change could be possible in the future; MLB.com’s scouting report says some scouts feel Flores could be “the next Alcides Escobar.”
Rosenthal: Red Sox Should Pursue Josh Harrison
- With the Red Sox in desperate need of a third baseman, it would make sense for them to pursue Pirates utilityman Josh Harrison, posits Rosenthal. Harrison, controllable at affordable rates through 2020, has recovered from an injury-hampered 2016 to slash .289/.369/.449 with nine homers and 10 steals across 338 PAs this season. If the Red Sox were to acquire Harrison, he’d presumably hold down third for the rest of the year, but it’s unclear what would happen after that. Boston has top third base prospect Rafael Devers on the way, after all, while Harrison’s other positions (second base and the corner outfield) belong to Dustin Pedroia, Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi.
[SOURCE LINK]
Red Sox Release Allen Craig
The Red Sox have released veteran first baseman/outfielder Allen Craig, according to a club announcement (h/t Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal, via Twitter).
Craig, 32, will hit the open market after an ill-fated stint in the Sox organization. He was acquired back in 2014 along with righty Joe Kelly in the surprising trade that sent John Lackey to the Cardinals.
At the time, Craig was viewed as a possible bounce-back piece. Though he was carrying only a .237/.291/.346 batting line at the time of the deal, Boston obviously saw upside in the remainder of Craig’s contract extension. After all, prior to 2014, he owns an excellent career .306/.358/.492 batting line.
Unfortunately, the rebound never occurred. Craig only appeared in 65 MLB games with the Red Sox, posting a .432 OPS. And he has never shown much life while banished to Triple-A. Though Craig continues to reach base at a solid clip, he has hit just one home run and carries a .316 slugging percentage this year at Pawtucket.
Boston has long since written off his salary as an investment that won’t deliver any return, but it’s still a notable sum. Craig will still be entitled to the remainder of his $11MM guarantee this year, and will also take home a $1MM buyout on a $13MM option for 2018.
Deadline Notes: Red Sox, Giants, Relievers, Torres, Verlander, Cozart, Cabrera
The Red Sox do not need to stay under the luxury tax line in making their deadline moves, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said in an appearance today on WEEI (h/t to Rob Bradford, on Twitter). Recent estimates put Boston about $9MM shy of the threshold, which has added implications under the new CBA since the tax escalates when it is owed in consecutive seasons. While the Sox will no doubt weigh that factor in assessing possible trades, it’s notable that the organization doesn’t feel compelled to stay within those limits. Boston is likely to be involved in the market for third basemen — I looked at possible targets recently — and could also add pitching.
Here’s more …
- The Giants are clearly in position to deal a few veterans, but it’s not yet known just how significant the moves will be. Signs are, though, that San Francisco is willing to listen to offers on just about any player, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi writes. The Giants are not interested in moving Madison Bumgarner, Buster Posey, and Brandon Crawford, per the report. That could leave some other interesting names available, with Morosi even suggesting that first baseman Brandon Belt could be available. He calls the Angels a potentially “intriguing fit” — though it’s not clear whether there’s any firm interest from Los Angeles — while noting that several other buyers will be looking at a variety of left-handed-hitting first basemen on what seems still to be a wide-open market.
- Unsurprisingly, interest in relief pitching will be robust at this year’s deadline, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com writes. Executives suggest that there’ll be a premium on pen arms, as usual, though the expectation remains that none will fetch the kind of immense returns that Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller commanded last year.
- The Padres have inquired with the Yankees about elite shortstop prospect Gleyber Torres, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. That said, there’s no indication the Yanks have any interest in parting with the talented youngster — even though he is expected to miss the remainder of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That injury doesn’t really change his long-term value, of course, and it’s not altogether clear what Padres players the Yankees might target that could command that kind of trade value. Lefty Brad Hand and former New York infielder Yangervis Solarte may well be of interest, as Heyman notes, but it’s tough to imagine the Yankees parting with such an elite prospect for either or both of them.
- Heyman also weighs in on veteran Tigers hurler Justin Verlander, who has seen his name begin to come up in trade rumors. At this point, a deal seems less than likely, a source tells Heyman, but there is a real possibility that the righty (and his contract — which promises $56MM over 2018 and 2019) could end up on the move. Three or four teams are said to have participated in exploratory talks on Verlander, per the report, though any deal would require Verlander to waive his no-trade protection.
- Reds shortstop Zack Cozart, a clear trade candidate with his strong play and expiring contract, tells Heyman that his preference would be to remain in Cincinnati. While he says he understands and accepts that a deal “is more than likely to happen,” Cozart noted that he has informed the front office that he’d be amenable to exploring a long-term contract instead. It’s not terribly surprising, particularly given their internal options, that the Reds haven’t yet made an offer to the 31-year-old.
- Mets infielder Asdrubal Cabrera is walking back his recent call to be traded after being moved from short to second, as Dan Martin of the New York Post writes. Cabrera explains: “In that moment when I said that, I wasn’t saying I want to get traded. I was just saying it didn’t seem like they had a plan for me. … If they’ve got a plan, they should tell me.” He went on to say that he is “fine with playing second base,” saying that his complaint related more to a lack of communication. In any event, it remains unclear just how much demand there’ll be for the veteran, and also how inclined the Mets are to bring him back next year at a $8.5MM price tag (versus a $2MM buyout).
Trade Rumblings: A’s, Prado, Marlins, Verlander, Hand
Here’s the latest trade chatter from around the league:
- The Athletics do not feel a need to wait until the deadline to begin moving veterans, sources tell MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. That may be true even (or especially) in the case of Sonny Gray. While he’s controllable, and doesn’t have to be traded, a rival exec says he thinks Oakland will be interested in dealing him early to avoid a month of injury risk. Possible rentals Yonder Alonso and Jed Lowrie are both said to be on the block as well, unsurprisingly.
- Other teams beginning to explore sell-side moves, per Feinsand, are the Braves, Marlins, Mets, and Reds. Those clubs are all obvious suspects given their placement in the standings. Atlanta could be an interesting team, though, since the organization seems to be prioritizing improvement in the on-field results and doesn’t have a lot of clearly valuable trade pieces.
- The Yankees and Red Sox are both looking over the Marlins roster and have asked about a few players, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Both New York and Boston have inquired on veteran third baseman Martin Prado, who is not terribly cheap and has spent a good chunk of the year on the DL. The Yanks are also expressing some interest in Miami first baseman Justin Bour, per the report; he’d offer a quality left-handed bat, though his affordable control will likely come with a fairly high asking price. The Fish are also said to have indicated an openness to dealing “anyone with a multi-year contract,” Nightengale adds. That would obviously free up quite a few intriguing potential trade candidates, including the club’s three quality young outfielders.
- Rival executives feel that the Tigers will market veteran righty Justin Verlander, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports writes, though Detroit’s intentions (and asking price) remain unclear. He’d be an easy product to pitch were this 2016, when Verlander was in vintage form. But he hasn’t followed that up with any degree of consistency thus far in 2017. Still, the $56MM he’s owed in 2018 and 2019 seems fairly reasonable, and it’s hard to ignore the top-line upside that still seems to reside in Verlander’s powerful right arm.
- The Padres, meanwhile, are apparently setting their sights high in talks involving southpaw Brad Hand, with one source telling Passan that GM AJ Preller hopes to achieve a return commensurate with that achieved last year by the Yankees for Aroldis Chapman. As Passan notes, that does seem steep — despite the fact that Hand does come with two more years of cheap arb control — but it likely won’t hurt to aim big at this stage of the proceedings.
- There, are, of course, some other talented relievers available. Two Marlins hurlers are also drawing interest from “multiple teams,” per Passan. AJ Ramos and David Phelps appear to be solid (albeit hardly perfect) late-inning pen options for contenders; indeed, MLBTR ranked them in a tie for 11th in the most recent list of the top fifty trade targets leaguewide. Both hurlers are reasonably expensive ($6.55MM and $4.6MM, respectively), so the salary-conscious Fish may see an opportunity to avoid some obligations. They each also can be controlled for an additional season via arbitration.
Red Sox Reportedly "Keen" On Sonny Gray, May Have Interest In Jed Lowrie
- Atlanta is far from the only team to scout Gray’s most recent starts. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that in addition to the Braves, the Cubs, Blue Jays and Mariners all had multiple scouts/execs on hand for Sunday’s start, and the Red Sox had a scout there as well. Slusser notes that some clubs have been scouting infielder Jed Lowrie as well, adding that it’s “all but certain” that the Athletics trade Lowrie before the non-waiver deadline. Boston is one team that’s likely to have interest in Lowrie, she adds.
- Yahoo’s Jeff Passan spoke to one source that said the Red Sox are “keen” for Gray, though they’re also considering aiming for a power-hitting third baseman and acquiring another reliever rather than bolstering the rotation. Stacking another arm alongside Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel at the back of the ’pen could give Boston a trio similar to the three-headed monster similar to the 2014 Royals (Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis, Greg Holland) or the 2016 Yankees (Dellin Betances, Andrew Miller, Aroldis Chapman). That was the idea in acquiring Tyler Thornburg this past offseason, but Thornburg will mis the entire year due to thoracic outlet surgery. The Sox, could, however, get righty Carson Smith back, though it’s difficult to know exactly what to expect from him after losing a season and a half to Tommy John surgery.
Finding The Red Sox A Third Baseman
The Red Sox are currently locked in a battle for the AL East with the Yankees, with all three other divisional opponents within five and a half games of first. For a Boston organization that has invested heavily in adding quality veterans, it’s buy time at the deadline.
It doesn’t take much analysis to identify the Sox’ chief need: third base. We needn’t belabor the point; just click on this leaderboard and keep scrolling to the bottom. Simply put, Boston improve more by getting better at the hot corner than by upgrading any other area of the roster.
That analysis, in and of itself, doesn’t mandate a trade. There are always internal possibilities — in this case, quite a few — and that’s always the first place to consider. So, we’ll start there and then cycle through the outside solutions.
Internal Options
Right now, the Red Sox are trotting out light-hitting youngsters Deven Marrero and Tzu-Wei Lin. The former carries a sub-.500 OPS at all levels over the past two seasons. And while the latter has had an emergent year at Double-A, slashing .302/.379/.491, he had never played above that level prior to his call-up and has never finished a minor-league campaign with an OPS of over .659 (with that coming in a short sample at Rookie ball). Both of these players are gap fillers, at least for 2017.
The disabled list includes some notable names, of course. Brock Holt is a question mark as he deals with vertigo; Josh Rutledge has just gone on the DL with lingering concussion issues. It’s hard to trust either of those two moving forward, though either could provide a boost in a utility role later in the season. Marco Hernandez is shelved for the year after shoulder surgery.
That brings us to the panda in the room. The struggling Pablo Sandoval went on the DL with an inner ear infection. A quality regular would surely be right back up once the illness passed, but he’s heading out for rehab work at Triple-A. There, he’ll compete with veteran Jhonny Peralta for a possible chance at going back to the majors and earning a more extended opportunity. The outlook isn’t great for either player, as both have shown poorly in the field and at the plate for extended stretches. Sandoval owns a .237/.286/.360 batting line over his three years in Boston, while Peralta has declined steadily over the past few seasons before falling off a cliff (.204/.259/.204) early in 2017.
Even if one of those players shows enough to be trusted with a roster spot beyond the deadline, the Red Sox will surely decide to add a complementary piece. If there’s a conceivable everyday player in the organization, it’s 20-year-old top prospect Rafael Devers. He’s performing quite well at Double-A, with a robust .291/.354/.550 slash and 14 home runs. The organization has not seen fit to move him up to Pawtucket, though other impressive young players have bypassed Triple-A on their way to Boston in the past. Devers is definitely worth keeping an eye on, but even if he’s the man, you’d probably expect some kind of contingency or veteran complement.
So, let’s look elsewhere to see what the Red Sox could find via trade:
Potentially Available Veterans
The most obvious trade candidate on the hot corner market is Todd Frazier. His once-potent bat has cooled since he landed with the White Sox at the start of 2016, as he has struggled to maintain a palatable on-base percentage while also maintaining his power output. Last year, Frazier swatted forty bombs but made it aboard at a subpar .302 clip. He’s up to a .322 OBP in 2017, with his walk rate climbing all the way to 13.6%, but that’s accompanied by a .212 batting average and lessened power output (.216 ISO; 13 home runs).
Frazier has hit better in June, and can still handle third, but he’s also earning $12MM; with approximately $9MM in available space before hitting the luxury tax, adding his full salary might hamstring the team’s efforts to add other pieces. While the White Sox would no doubt be willing to hold onto some of the cash, that’d increase the prospect pain to get a rental player who comes with quite a few questions.
There are some alternatives, of course, though some potential trade candidates currently don’t look like options. With the Royals streaking, Mike Moustakas no longer seems likely to be made available. The Angels sit two games over .500, so the steady but unspectacular Yunel Escobar is probably staying put. Neil Walker of the Mets could conceivably move over to third, though he hasn’t played there at all since 2010, but he’s dealing with a significant hamstring injury and is owed $17.2MM this year.
More likely targets include old friend Jed Lowrie (Athletics), the sturdy Howie Kendrick (Phillies), Eduardo Nunez (Giants) and seemingly disgruntled ex-shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (Mets). With Oakland engineering a youth movement, Lowrie is eminently available; he has hit well and stayed mostly healthy this year. Kendrick has excelled at the plate and brings wide defensive versatility, though he has lined up at third for just 132 innings in his lengthy career. Nunezm who will soon return from a minor leg injury, has emerged as a solid hitter bat and brings some defensive versatility to the table. With the Giants buried in the NL West, Nunez, who is a free agent at season’s end, seems like a good bet to be traded. As for Cabrera, his beef with the Mets involves a desire to remain at shortstop, but perhaps he’d still be amenable to lining up elsewhere. A solid hitter, Cabrera has barely seen any action at third in the majors, though he has spent plenty of time on the left side of the infield.
Beyond this group, it requires a bit more creative thinking. Zack Cozart is a wizard at short who the Reds will no doubt be shopping. He has hit quite well this year and is a pure rental piece. With questions about market demand at the more demanding position, perhaps he could slot in at the hot corner. But Cozart is currently on the DL, as is Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte. In his case, he’d be a solid addition, but his cheap future control likely increases the asking price. Boston may or may not have much interest in paying for those future rights; the contract could always be flipped in the winter, though again that’s a complicating factor. Pirates veteran David Freese could be a steady addition, though he has cooled after a strong start to the year. Then again, the Bucs aren’t yet buried and likely see added value in his affordable contract given the vast uncertainty surrounding Jung Ho Kang. If the club elects to pursue more of a utility option, Freddy Galvis of the Phillies could conceivably be considered, though he owns a lifetime .282 on-base percentage. While the Marlins would surely like to move the sizable contract of Martin Prado, he has been hurt and/or ineffective for much of the season and is owed a hefty $28.5MM over the two ensuing campaigns.
Aiming Bigger
If noted deal-maker Dave Dombrowski decides to set his sights higher, he’ll likely have his work cut out for him. The two teams bringing up the rear in the AL East — the Blue Jays and Orioles — just happen to control two of the very best third basemen (and overall players) on the planet. But there’s no indication at this time that either Josh Donaldson or Manny Machado are available, let alone that these organizations would be pleased to send them to a division rival for the next one-and-a-half years. The prospect haul would be astronomical in either case, and there’d be competition from other organizations, though surely Dombrowski would be involved if there’s any possibility of adding such a premium player.
Perhaps the best fit, from the Sox’ perspective, would be the legendary Adrian Beltre. He’s not cheap, with an $18MM salary this year and next, but he’s back to playing at a top level after missing the first part of the year due to injury. Unless the Rangers completely fall apart over the next several weeks, though, he’s staying put. (Even if they do fall out of the Wild Card hunt, he could be retained.) Similarly, while the Cardinals are in a tenuous postseason position, they don’t seem to be primed for a major tear-down. That makes Jedd Gyorko a questionable target in terms of availability.
We touched upon the Bucs above, but their more attractive hot-corner possibility would also be harder to get. Josh Harrison is in the midst of a resurgent 2017 season, with an excellent .291/.369/.458 batting line. Plus, his outstanding versatility and athleticism, along with an affordable contract, makes him an asset that would give any team roster flexibility in the seasons to come. The Pirates know that, too, which is why he’d likely command a rather significant return.
The other more significant possibilities seem like real stretches. Maikel Franco could be made available by the Phillies, but that’s only because he has struggled so badly; that doesn’t make him a terribly sensible player to pursue. Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler would be a nice addition to the lineup, and comes with a palatable option for 2018, but he hasn’t seen significant action on the left side of the infield since he was in A ball. (Kinsler also has a ten-team no-trade clause, though it’s not known if it includes the Red Sox.)
Overview
If the above effort tells us anything, it’s that there are loads of options out there. Just what direction the Sox take will be dictated by some of the internal developments as well as the way the market moves. Working in Dombrowski’s favor here, it seems, is the fact that few other contenders will be looking specifically at third base. At the end of the day, even if Sandoval or one of the other current Red Sox players play a part in the rotation at third, it seems quite likely that there’ll be some kind of addition on or before July 31st.
Red Sox Not Ready To Promote Rafael Devers
Red Sox third base prospect Rafael Devers is making a case for a promotion in Double-A, but the team still isn’t ready to summon the 20-year-old to the majors, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. Devers, Baseball America’s 14th-ranked prospect, has slashed .289/.346/.550 with 14 home runs in 272 plate appearances this year and impressed Red Sox vice president of player development Ben Crockett along the way. “It’s been a really positive year,” Crockett said of Devers. “He’s learned a lot. Playing with older teammates, more experienced guys, it’s a different life experience. I think it’s been great for him. The staff, with manager Carlos Febles, has done a great job being consistent with him. He’s a great worker. He’s passionate and cares about what he’s doing.” Crockett’s glowing review aside, the Red Sox are hesitant to call up a prospect unless they know he’ll play every day, notes Mastrodonato, who suggests they’ll look to acquire a veteran third baseman by the trade deadline. Whether help comes in the form of a veteran or Devers, Boston is in serious need of aid at the hot corner. The club’s third basemen rank last in the majors in wRC+ (a pitiful 44) and fWAR (minus-1.3).
More from the American League:
- The Mariners have battled through a spate of injuries to post a 39-38 record and plant themselves firmly in the playoff hunt, and now a significant reinforcement is on the way. Left-hander Drew Smyly, out all season with an elbow injury, is targeting a return for the Mariners’ July 17-19 series against AL West rival Houston, relays Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. Smyly threw a two-inning sim game Saturday, and the plan is for him to do the same on June 28 and then embark on a three-start rehab assignment in early July. The 28-year-old hasn’t yet pitched for the Mariners, who acquired him in an offseason trade with Tampa Bay.
- Just over a month after his mid-May demotion to Triple-A, Rays southpaw Blake Snell will return to the team’s rotation Wednesday, reports Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). He’ll take over for Erasmo Ramirez, who will return to the bullpen amid a rough June in which he has posted a 7.65 ERA in 20 innings. Snell, who logged a 4.71 ERA, 7.29 K/9 and 5.36 BB/9 in 42 innings before heading to the minors, earned his way back with a 2.66 ERA, 12.48 K/9 and a 3.07 BB/9 in 44 Triple-A frames.
- Meanwhile, the White Sox will also get back a notable lefty in Carlos Rodon, who will make his 2017 debut during the upcoming week, tweets Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com. Rodon, who just completed a four-start rehab assignment, hasn’t pitched in the majors this year on account of shoulder bursitis. The 24-year-old combined to rack up strong numbers from 2015-16, when he notched a 3.90 ERA, 9.08 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 and a 45.3 percent ground-ball rate over 304 1/3 innings.
- Earlier this month, there was some positive news on Tyler Skaggs’ recovery from an oblique strain, but the Angels left-hander has suffered a setback, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (Twitter links). Skaggs didn’t make his scheduled rehab start on Saturday because of “general soreness” in his oblique. Angels manager Mike Scioscia called the latest update on Skaggs “disturbing” and “frustrating.” Skaggs’ most recent start for the Halos was on April 28.
