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Heyman’s Latest: Managers, Quintana, Royals, Cubs, Holland, Bush

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There’ve been an average of 3.4 in-season managerial firings since the 2007, writes Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports in the intro to his latest weekly notes column, but the 2017 campaign may be the rare year where all 30 Opening Day skippers are still at the helm of their respective teams at the conclusion of the regular season. Heyman notes that while there’s been plenty of fan and/or media criticism of high-profile managers like John Farrell (Red Sox) and Terry Collins (Mets), no manager seems to be on a particularly hot seat at the moment. He also runs down a list of nearly half the managers in the league and examines their chances of being dismissed, though again, the primary takeaway is that most seem to be rather safe.

Some highlights from both his American League and National League roundups…

  • The GM of a rival club tells Heyman that he doesn’t think the shaky start to the season for White Sox lefty Jose Quintana will negatively impact his trade value all that much. While some have suggested that the Sox missed an opportunity to move him this offseason, there are of course still three and a half very affordable years on Quintana’s contract, and his 8.95 K/9 rate is actually a career-best. In more loosely related ChiSox news, he notes that Brett Lawrie is still waiting for his ailing foot to get back to full health before seeking out a new team.
  • Though the Royals recently lost Danny Duffy for the next six to eight weeks, they’re still planning to see if there’s one more run with their longstanding core for the time being. A sale from Kansas City still looks likely to me, given that the Royals have the worst record in the American League and plenty of potential rental pieces to market this summer. It’s worth noting, though, that even with the worst record in the AL, they entered play today a relatively manageable six games back from the division lead and from a Wild Card spot.
  • The Diamondbacks have sent out indications that they’re planning to wait until the last minute to determine whether they’re going to add pieces prior to the non-waiver deadline or sell off some shorter-term assets. Arizona is currently a half-game back of the NL West division lead and is in possession of a Wild Card slot at the moment, though it seems that the new front office is understandably not looking to react rashly to the team’s hot start.
  • With both Jake Arrieta and John Lackey set to hit free agency (and a shaky mix in the five-spot in the rotation), the Cubs are likely to pursue at least two starters following the 2017 season, per Heyman. He lists Marco Estrada and Derek Holland as some semi-speculative picks, noting that one exec from another club feels they fit the mold of arms the Cubs are likely to eye. Chicago, of course, is certainly a candidate to add some rotation help this summer and could well pick up an arm controllable beyond the current season, which would impact their offseason trajectory.
  • The Nationals and Rangers were among the teams to make a play for Greg Holland, Heyman writes, but only the Rockies were willing to take the significant risk of including a vesting player option worth as much as $15MM. Washington GM Mike Rizzo was actually on board with the concept of a vesting player option, but Nationals ownership, on the other hand, was not. The Rangers didn’t come as close in talks as the Nats did, he adds. Holland’s $15MM player option will trigger once he finishes 30 games or appears in 50 (the former will happen first), and barring an injury he seems like a lock to turn that down and reenter free agency in search of a four- or five-year pact.
  • Jeb Bush’s departure from the potential Marlins ownership group he’d been assembling with Derek Jeter was due to a disagreement over who’d be the “control person,” Heyman writes. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald recently reported that Bush was set to commit less than $20MM to the sale, and Heyman now adds that Bush was on the hook for just $10MM of his own money, which would understandably make him a curious choice as the point person in the group. It’s still not known how much Jeter is planning to invest if his group is selected, but the Marlins were apparently aware that Bush could be leaving the group and remain interested in working out an agreement with Jeter and his investors.

AL East Notes: Sandoval, Torres, Frieri, Pearce, Britton

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It’s likely too soon to expect the Red Sox to make any significant moves — indeed, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said yesterday that the market hasn’t really developed yet, as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe tweets. But that doesn’t mean the club is not readying for the deadline. As Tim Britton of the Providence Journal writes, third base is an obvious area to target — even with Pablo Sandoval returning from the DL. Dombrowski acknowledged that the veteran’s “so-so” play early on has left the organization feeling unsettled at the hot corner. “We think he can do it,” said Dombrowski. “But now he’s got to go out and do it for us.” Of course, there are some other internal possibilities. Deven Marrero has impressed with the glove and hit two home runs last night, though his overall offensive work (in the both the majors and at Triple-A) remains uninspiring. And then there’s top prospect Rafael Devers, who’s playing at Double-A at twenty years of age.

While we watch to see how the third base situation shakes out in Boston, here are some more notes from the AL East:

  • It’ll be interesting to see whether and when the Yankees make their own decisions in the infield. As ESPN.com’s Andrew Marchand writes, top prospect Gleyber Torres could represent an alternative to Chase Headley at third base. Torres, who draws big praise for his poise, just earned a promotion to the highest level of the minors after posting a strong .273/.367/.496 batting line (with 17 walks against 21 strikeouts) in 139 plate appearances at Double-A.
  • The Yankees will soon face a decision on veteran reliever Ernesto Frieri, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag notes on Twitter. Frieri, 31, can opt out from his minors deal tomorrow. He has been effective through twenty Triple-A frames, allowing five earned runs on just 11 hits while compiling 23 strikeouts against eight walks. Frieri was last a reliable MLB contributor in 2013.
  • Blue Jays outfielder Steve Pearce is still “at least” a few more weeks away, manager John Gibbons tells MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm (Twitter link). The 34-year-old went to the DL recently with a calf strain. He had been off to a rough start to the season, slashing just .205/.256/.373 with 24 strikeouts and just five walks through 90 plate appearances. Fortunately for Toronto, Ezequiel Carrera has hit well in Pearce’s stead.
  • It seems that Orioles closer Zach Britton is proceeding as hoped as he works back from a forearm strain. Per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, via Twitter, Britton is now ramping up his throwing on flat ground. It doesn’t appear that he has taken to the mound as of yet, though there also haven’t been any setbacks so far. While the club isn’t yet ready to put a specific timeline on the lefty, the original schedule still seems reasonable.

Injury Notes: Ottavino, Pedroia, Hughes, Perkins, Semien, M’s, Ross

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The Rockies placed setup man Adam Ottavino on the 10-day DL with shoulder inflammation, as Nick Groke of the Denver Post reports. That’s frightening news at first glance, but it’s not believed to be a significant issue. Per Ottavino, he could’ve continued throwing but the decision was made to “put the fire out now.” As Groke notes, Ottavino has labored through his last several outings, though he has continued to generate excellent results all year long. Carlos Estevez will come back up to take the open bullpen slot.

  • While there was initially a fair bit of concern for veteran Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, the prognosis now seems to be good. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski says that he thinks Pedroia may be back after the minimum ten-day absence, as Tim Britton of the Providence Journal reports on Twitter. “It’s really the best-case scenario in many ways,” said Dombrowski.
  • While Phil Hughes of the Twins is experiencing some symptoms akin to those that led to thoracic outlet surgery previously, it seems that’s not the root cause this time around. As MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger provides on Twitter, a medical assessment shows that Hughes may be dealing with a build-up of scar tissue in his neck and shoulder area. He’ll undergo “a rigorous soft tissue and mobility rehab regimen in advance of beginning his throwing.”
  • Meanwhile, Twins lefty Glen Perkins is still traveling a long road back to the majors, but there are new signs of hope. As Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reports, Perkins was able to face hitters for the first time in over a year. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do what I did today,” said the veteran reliever. “Coming out of it I love where I’m at physically and mentally.” Perkins still needs to work in his slider and build up arm strength, of course, but he may not be far from a rehab assignment.
  • Though he’s still a long ways off from a return, Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien has taken an important step in his return from wrist surgery, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Semien was able to throw for the first time since going under the knife, though he has still yet to take full cuts with the bat. Skipper Bob Melvin called the news “significant,” though he also noted that the organization is “not close on putting together a timetable” for Semien’s return to the majors.
  • The Mariners continue to see signs of progress from right-handers Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports (Twitter links). Hernandez is ready for a sim game, while Iwakuma may not be far behind him.
  • While Tyson Ross is nearly ready for the Rangers, the club is still waiting to activate him. As MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets, Ross is expected to make one more rehab outing before re-ascending to the majors.

Red Sox Place Dustin Pedroia On Disabled List, Activate Pablo Sandoval

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1:51pm: The Red Sox have now announced that Pedroia has been placed on the DL, with Sandoval indeed being activated in his place.

1:10pm: The Red Sox will place second baseman Dustin Pedroia on the 10-day disabled list with a “severe” sprain of his left wrist, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. Pedroia is expected to miss at least the next two weeks and is headed for a second opinion, Abraham adds. Pablo Sandoval is expected to be activated from the disabled list in a corresponding move, per the report.

The injury to Pedroia is the latest blow to the Red Sox’ infield depth, as the team has also lost Marco Hernandez for the season (shoulder surgery) and is unsure when Brock Holt will be able to return to action due to ongoing symptoms of vertigo. Recent trades of Travis Shaw (for Tyler Thornburg) and Carlos Asuaje (part of the Craig Kimbrel package) have also thinned out Boston’s infield depth.

The 33-year-old Pedroia, who suffered the wrist injury in a recent collision at first base with Chicago’s Jose Abreu, had been off to a solid start at the plate this season. In 197 plate appearances, he’s slashed .292/.369/.380 with a pair of homers while chipping in his typically strong defensive contributions at second base. With Pedroia out through at least mid-June, the Sox can shift Deven Marrero from third base over to second base and/or give more playing time to Josh Rutledge, who has plenty of experience at second.

Injury Notes: Polanco, Pedroia, Happ, Mets, Nats, Palka

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The Pirates seemingly made it through a scare today after outfielder Gregory Polanco was carted off the field following a collision with the wall. As Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review first tweeted, Polanco escaped with only a sprained ankle. Still, the severity isn’t quite clear and may not be until the joint responds overnight. As Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets, Polanco did require a walking boot after the game.

Here are some more injury updates from around the game:

  • Some fears were seemingly put to rest for Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia after an X-ray on his wrist came back clean, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald was among those to report. But Pedroia, who was injured in a collision while running to first base, has yet to undergo an MRI. The team is sending him back to Boston for a closer look tomorrow morning, with his status to be assessed thereafter.
  • The Blue Jays will welcome back starter J.A. Happ from the DL tomorrow, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports on Twitter. Happ, 34, was sidelined after his third start of the year with elbow inflammation. He had recorded twenty strikeouts against four walks in his first 16 innings on the year after racking up 195 frames of 3.18 ERA ball in 2016.
  • There are some updates on notable injured Mets players, courtesy of Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Closer Jeurys Familia says he is “feeling good” and thinks he can resume throwing within about two weeks — possibly setting up a return as soon as late August. Both Steven Matz and Seth Lugo, meanwhile, will take additional rehab starts before returning to the majors. They are said to be slated for the rotation, with Robert Gsellman expected to move to the bullpen. Meanwhile, star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is looking at another week or ten days before he’s back, though the team is treading carefully. The current issue — not his hamstring, for which he originally went on the DL, but his quadriceps — is apparently tied to the injury that kept Cespedes out of action for a stretch last year.
  • As for the division-rival Nationals, the bench got some good news today. Stephen Drew made it back from the DL today after a long layoff for a hamstring strain, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. And it seems that Chris Heisey may be ready to return much more quickly than seemed likely when it was learned that he had a torn biceps tendon. Heisey is already on a rehab assignment, in fact, since it turns out he can essentially play through the injury. As manager Dusty Baker put it: “Boy, if you’re going to get hurt, I guess you gotta hurt something that you really don’t need.”
  • Twins outfield prospect Daniel Palka is out “indefinitely” after suffering a fractured left index finger, as Triple-A Rochester PR official Nate Rowan tweets. The 25-year-old has shown big-time power in the minors, but also swings and misses with some frequency. He has yet to conquer the highest level of the minors; through 171 plate appearances this year, he owns a .261/.316/.452 batting line with eight long balls.

AL Notes: Red Sox, Athletics, Indians

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In the event left-hander David Price falters this year in his return from elbow problems, the playoff-contending Red Sox will be forced to scour the trade market to bolster their rotation, observes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Jose Quintana, Sonny Gray, Gerrit Cole and Chris Archer represent high-end starters who could end up on the move prior to the trade deadline, notes Silverman, who doubts that the Red Sox would be able to put together a deal for any of the four. Even without factoring Cole into the mix, the Red Sox are bullish on the Pirates’ pitching at both the major and minor league levels, according to Silverman. If Boston and Pittsburgh don’t swing a deal, Miami right-hander Dan Straily could also be a possibility, though Silverman is skeptical that the Sox would meet the Marlins’ likely high asking price for him. Conversely, Silverman regards Royals left-hander Jason Vargas as an ideal fit for Boston and Twins righty Ervin Santana as a “perfect bridge-type acquisition.” Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported Saturday that Vargas and Santana are generating buzz as the trade deadline draws closer.

More from Boston and two other American League cities:

  • For the second time this season, a shoulder issue will force Athletics right-hander Kendall Graveman to the disabled list, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Graveman, who’s dealing with soreness and will head to the DL on Monday, is likely to miss more time than he did when he previously sat out from April 15-26, per Slusser. When on the mound this year, the sinker-throwing Graveman has logged a 3.83 ERA, 6.13 K/9, 2.68 BB/9 and a 50.7 percent ground-ball rate. For now, his spot in the rotation will go to Daniel Mengden, a righty who has spent the year at Triple-A after undergoing offseason foot surgery. Mengden debuted in the majors with 14 starts and 72 innings last year, posting a 6.50 ERA (with a more encouraging 4.34 FIP), and has recorded strong results in the minors this season (2.21 ERA, 8.85 K/9, 2.21 BB/9 in 20 1/3 frames).
  • As expected, the Indians have demoted righty Danny Salazar to the bullpen, the Associated Press was among those to report. Salazar will serve as a relief option for the Tribe beginning Wednesday, but he could start again as early as next week, according to Terry Francona. The manager indicated that Cleveland is placing Salazar in the bullpen to help him regain his confidence. Home runs and walks have been the key contributors to Salazar’s 5.50 ERA, up nearly two full runs from the combined 3.72 mark he put up in 484 1/3 innings from 2013-16. On the positive side, the hard-throwing 27-year-old is second to Chris Sale among starters in K/9 (12.45) and ranks behind only Sale and Max Scherzer in swinging-strike rate (15.4 percent).
  • It looks as though the Red Sox are targeting next weekend for third baseman Pablo Sandoval’s activation from the DL, writes Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com. Upon his return, Sandoval – unavailable since late April because of a right knee sprain – will provide a much-needed option at third for a team that’s dealing with significant injuries to Marco Hernandez and Brock Holt. Boston’s third basemen have been utterly inept this year, having slashed a paltry .231/.281/.316 in 243 plate appearances. Sandoval didn’t look like part of the solution prior to his injury, though, with a .213/.269/.377 showing in 67 trips to the plate.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/28/17

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Sunday’s minor moves from around baseball:

  • The Red Sox have selected the contract of right-handed reliever Blaine Boyer from Triple-A and optioned left-hander Brian Johnson, per a team announcement. Boyer joined the Red Sox on a minor league contract in the latter half of April and has since thrown 14 1/3 innings with Pawtucket, where he has allowed five earned runs on 12 hits and seven walks (with 12 strikeouts). Boston is the eighth major league destination for the 35-year-old Boyer, who has recently generated quality results at baseball’s highest level despite having issues missing bats. As a member of the Padres, Twins and Brewers from 2014-16, the soft contact specialist logged a 3.31 ERA in 171 1/3 frames and helped offset a subpar K/9 (4.63) with an above-average BB/9 (2.31) and a respectable ground-ball percentage (47.1).
  • The Mariners announced Sunday that they’ve selected righty reliever Ryne Harper’s contract from Triple-A and optioned fellow righty Robert Whalen. The 28-year-old Harper could be in line to throw his first major league pitch after working in the minors since the Braves chose him in the 37th round of the 2011 draft. Atlanta sent Harper to Seattle in 2015 in exchange for reliever Jose Ramirez, and the former has been quite effective with the Mariners organization since the trade. Harper posted a 2.51 ERA, 12.57 K/9, 3.31 BB/9 and a 53.3 percent ground-ball rate in 68 Double-A innings last year. He has also been productive this year in his first taste of Triple-A action, having registered a 1.89 ERA, 11.37 K/9, 4.26 BB/9 and a 39.5 percent grounder rate in 19 frames.

Cafardo’s Latest: Marlins, Royals, Twins, Padres, Dodgers, Red Sox, Braves

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The groups bidding on the Marlins have concerns over whether baseball will ever make it big in Miami, reports the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo, who adds that it’s possible the team needs a major Latin American star to market itself to a largely Hispanic population. With that in mind, it would make sense for the Marlins to pursue Orioles third baseman and Florida native Manny Machado if he were to hit free agency after the 2018 season, opines Cafardo.  The club’s biggest star at the moment is right fielder Giancarlo Stanton, whose mammoth contract has been a burden in Jeffrey Loria’s attempt to sell the Marlins, according to Cafardo. Stanton is in Year 3 of a 13-year, $325MM deal and also has a full no-trade clause that the Los Angeles native would likely only waive to go to the West Coast, per Cafardo. There’s no indication that any West Coast teams are interested in acquiring the slugger, however.

Plenty more from Cafardo:

  • Royals left-hander Jason Vargas, in the midst of a career year at the age of 34, has seen his value skyrocket and is drawing “considerable interest” as a result, relays Cafardo. Vargas has been quite stingy through 60 1/3 innings, having logged a 2.39 ERA and a strong 3.20 FIP. He has also registered respectable strikeout and walk rates per nine innings (7.61 and 2.24, respectively), though he’s not exactly a high-velocity hurler and his 33.9 percent ground-ball rate sits well below the 44.4 percent league-average mark for starters. Vargas is on an $8MM salary this season as he concludes the four-year, $32MM contract he signed with Kansas City prior to the 2014 campaign.
  • Although the first-place Twins have been one of the majors’ biggest surprises this year, teams expect them to make righty Ervin Santana available before the trade deadline, says Cafardo. Long a decent starter, Santana has turned in a front-line-caliber ERA this year (1.80) through 70 innings, but his strikeout and walk rates (6.43 and 3.47, respectively, per nine), unsustainable batting average on balls in play (.136) and sky-high strand rate (91.5 percent) suggest regression is around the corner. To Santana’s credit, his success has hardly been all luck – hitters have had major difficulty squaring him up, evidenced by a relatively paltry average exit velocity against (84.1 mph). Any team acquiring Santana would land a multiyear rotation piece, as he’s signed through next season at $13.5MM and carries a $14MM club option for 2019.
  • The expectation is that the Padres will deal second baseman/third baseman Yangervis Solarte by the deadline, per Cafardo. Solarte’s name came up in trade rumors last winter on the heels of a career season (.286/.341/.467, 2.8 fWAR in 443 plate appearances), but he hasn’t helped his stock this year. So far in 2017, Solarte has slashed a meek .240/.330/.345 in 197 PAs. While it’s encouraging that his walk and strikeout rates match (10.2 percent), the 29-year-old has shown considerably less power than he did last season, with his ISO having dropped from .180 to .105. He’s quite affordable, though, with a $2.5MM salary this year and $4MM coming his way in 2018. Solarte also has a $5.5MM club option or a $750K buyout for 2019.
  • The Marlins “are actively looking for a taker” for righty Tom Koehler, writes Cafardo. Koehler, whom the Marlins were going to send to the minors before he went on the disabled list May 19 with shoulder bursitis, has drawn interest from both the Dodgers and Red Sox. Los Angeles would use Koehler as a reliever if it were to acquire him, suggests Cafardo, which would be a change of pace for someone who registered 30-plus starts in each of the previous three seasons. Koehler was a fairly stable option over those 97 outings, combining for a 4.07 ERA, 7.08 K/9, 3.74 BB/9 and a 43.7 percent ground-ball rate, but has struggled mightily this season. Across eight starts and 38 1/3 innings, Koehler has pitched to a 7.08 ERA, with 7.26 K/9, 4.46 BB/9 and a 37.1 percent grounder rate. Koehler, 31 in June, is making $5.75MM and will be arbitration eligible for the last time over the winter.
  • Teams in need of relief help are eyeing Braves closer Jim Johnson, according to Cafardo, who notes that some clubs are considering him as a setup man. The 33-year-old has plenty of experience in both roles and is amid his second straight productive season, having logged a 3.48 ERA, 9.58 K/9, 1.74 BB/9 and a 57.4 percent grounder mark in 20 2/3 innings. He’s making $4.5MM this year and is due another $4.5MM next season.

AL Notes: Jimenez, Kintzler, Hahn, Johnson

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The Orioles have moved righty Ubaldo Jimenez to the bullpen, tweets Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. The 33-year-old Jimenez is struggling for the second consecutive season, posting a 7.17 ERA, 6.8 K/9 and a way-too-high 5.3 BB/9 in 42 2/3 innings over nine outings so far. Jimenez is in the last season of a four-year, $50MM deal that largely hasn’t worked out for Baltimore. It appears the O’s will go forward with a rotation of Chris Tillman, Kevin Gausman, Dylan Bundy, Wade Miley, and Alec Asher, who has thrived in a bullpen role this season and who’s set to start tomorrow. Here’s more from the American League.

  • The Twins have not seriously considered extending closer Brandon Kintzler, 1500ESPN’s Darren Wolfson tweets. Kintzler is eligible for free agency this winter, so Wolfson suggests he could become a trade chip later this summer. Of course, the Twins are currently, and somewhat surprisingly, in first place, so while they don’t appear to be considering an extension for Kintzler, a trade probably isn’t yet on their radar either. It would perhaps be mildly surprising if the Twins were considering extending Kintzler, since he’ll be 33 in early August. The righty is, however, off to a strong start this season, posting a 1.71 ERA, 2.6 BB/9 and 12 saves, albeit with a modest 5.6 K/9.
  • In an expected move, the Athletics have announced that they’ve placed righty Jesse Hahn on the 10-day DL with a right triceps strain. To take his place in their rotation, they’ve recalled righty Jharel Cotton from Triple-A Nashville. Hahn’s recent MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage, although it still appeared likely he’d need to head to the DL. Hahn isn’t the only Athletics starting pitcher to encounter injury trouble lately — Kendall Graveman is dealing with shoulder trouble and could require a DL stint of his own.
  • In another expected move, the Red Sox have announced that they’ve promoted lefty Brian Johnson to start today, with righty Ben Taylor heading to Triple-A Pawtucket to make room on their 25-man. As Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal notes, Johnson’s stay in the big leagues could be brief with David Price about to return from the DL. But Johnson has a chance to make a statement to a Red Sox team that has struggled to find good rotation depth this season, with Kyle Kendrick and Hector Velazquez struggling in scattered starts and Henry Owens walking 6.6 batters per nine innings at Pawtucket. Johnson didn’t fare well in one big-league start of his own this season, but he’s pitched well at Triple-A, with a 2.82 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 over 44 2/3 innings there.

AL Injury Notes: Hanley, Paxton/M’s, Graveman/Hahn, Griffin

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The Red Sox won’t count on Hanley Ramirez being capable of playing first base again this year, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters including Tim Britton of the Providence Journal. Shoulder troubles have persisted for the veteran, relegating him to DH duties. “The potential negatives of him going out and [playing first], at this point don’t outweigh the positives that we get from having his bat in as our DH,” Dombrowski explained. “We just have to maneuver around it.” For the time being, at least, rookie Sam Travis is up to provide a right-handed-hitting option at first along side lefty Mitch Moreland.

Here’s more on some injury situations around the American League:

  • There’s some welcome news on the injury front for the Mariners, who watched lefty James Paxton through four innings and 55 pitches tonight in a rehab outing, as MLB.com’s Greg Johns reports (Twitter links). The expectation is that he’ll take the ball for Seattle on Wednesday. Fellow rehabbing starters Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma are slated for bullpen sessions in the coming days, too, leading skipper Scott Servais to say that the club is finally “starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.”
  • Two Athletics pitchers, meanwhile, are dealing with injury issues. Right-hander Kendall Graveman is suffering from some shoulder issues, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets, though the seriousness isn’t yet clear. And while the MRI results were promising for fellow righty Jesse Hahn, MLB.com’s Jane Lee reports on Twitter, his triceps problem is likely to require a DL stint. Jharel Cotton will come up to take a rotation spot this weekend.
  • Finally, the Rangers will be awaiting the results of further evaluation on righty A.J. Griffin, but he’s heading to the DL, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter). Per a club announcement, he left his start tonight with a left intercostal strain. Even if Griffin ends up missing some time, though, it may not work out too badly for Texas. As Grant notes (Twitter links), the team could fill the opening with Tyson Ross — if he’s ready. Alternatively, Yohander Mendez could be an option. For the time being, though, veteran Dillon Gee will head onto the active roster.
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