Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Brian Johnson

Red Sox To Activate David Price On Sunday

By | at

The Red Sox will activate left-hander David Price from the injured list to start against the Angels on Sunday, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe tweets. Meanwhile, lefty Brian Johnson will finish the year in Boston’s bullpen, according to Abraham.

Price went to the shelf with a cyst in his wrist back on Aug. 8, which came on the heels of a rough few starts. The 34-year-old owned a 3.16 ERA as of July 16, but the number shot to 4.36 in the handful of outings preceding his IL placement. A significant portion of the damage came in Price’s most recent appearance, in which the rival Yankees clobbered him for seven earned runs on nine hits (including a pair of homers) in 2 2/3 innings.

Recent struggles notwithstanding, the Red Sox will be glad to get back Price, who’s in the fourth season of a seven-year, $217MM investment. For the most part, Price has been a decent contributor this season, evidenced by a 3.63 FIP/3.67 xFIP/3.82 SIERA with 10.77 K/9 and 2.65 BB/9 in 105 1/3 innings. And the rest of the Red Sox’s starting staff isn’t in particularly great shape, which helps explain why the defending champions are 5 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. Injured ace Chris Sale is probably done for the year, former Cy Young winner Rick Porcello has been a letdown, and big-money offseason re-signing Nathan Eovaldi has both underperformed and dealt with significant elbow problems.

Thanks in part to the myriad issues in their rotation, the Red Sox have had to give seven starts to Johnson, who hasn’t produced appealing results during an injury- and illness- shortened campaign. The 28-year-old has logged a 5.09 ERA/5.03 FIP with 5.87 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 out of Boston’s rotation.

Red Sox Reinstate Brian Johnson From IL

By | at

The Red Sox reinstated left-hander Brian Johnson from the 10-day injured list and activated him as the 26th man for today’s doubleheader against the Yankees, the team announced. Johnson will pitch the evening portion of the twin bill in New York. Chris Sale is slated to start the afternoon game.

Johnson has been out of game action since June 27 with an intestinal issue that was labeled a non-baseball related medical matter. The issue was discovered during routine testing by the team.

After being up-and-down throughout his first couple seasons, Johnson seemed to make strides last season in sticking with the big league except during a short stint on the IL in July. He threw a career-high 99 1/3 innings over 38 appearances (13 starts) in 2018, taking home a 4-5 record with a 4.17 ERA (4.68 FIP).

Johnson, 28, has spent more time in the minors this season than with the big league club, however. In just 14 innings with the Red Sox, Johnson holds a 6.43 ERA (5.43 FIP) while surrendering 22 hits including 3 home runs over that span. He’ll audition for a larger role with his return start tonight, though there does not appear to be room in the BoSox rotation at present unless Andrew Cashner moves to the bullpen – which has not been the plan as indicated by Boston as of yet.

Red Sox Activate Hector Velazquez, Place Brian Johnson On IL

By | at

9:45 am: Johnson is suffering from an intestinal issue, tweets Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. The injury is not expected to be serious.

8:21 am: Brian Johnson was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to this weekend’s London Series, the Red Sox announced.

Johnson has stayed back in Boston because of a “non-baseball related medical matter that was discovered during routine testing.” Though there’s no given timetable for Johnson’s return, he is expected to pitch again this season. The lefty has a 6.43 ERA on the season across only 14 innings.

Hector Velazquez was reinstated from the IL to take Johnson’s roster spot. Valazquez, like Johnson, has been used as a swingman this season, making 7 starts and appearing 12 times out of the pen. Combined he’s 1-3 with a 5.59 ERA (4.52 FIP).

Sam Travis was also added to the roster as the 26th man for the London Series, while catcher Oscar Hernandez is also traveling with the team to serve as an emergency option. Travis has been effective in Triple-A, slashing .270/.367/.432, but that production has yet to translate in 24 big league at-bats.

Health Notes: Moore, Karns, Padres, Red Sox

By | at

Here are the latest notes on some health situations from around the game …

  • The Tigers and lefty Matt Moore are hopeful that he won’t need to undergo surgery after being diagnosed with a meniscus injury, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News was among those to report. Damage to the joint was diagnosed after Moore experienced some issues in his last outing. While a procedure on the meniscus wouldn’t likely be season-ending, it would make for a fairly lengthy absence. With rather mild symptoms, Moore suggests he’s optimistic he can instead rehab briefly and then pitch through the injury.
  • Orioles righty Nate Karns has gone on the injured list with a forearm strain, the club announced. The severity isn’t know, but it’s obviously rather worrying to see another arm issue for a pitcher that has dealt with significant health issues in recent years. Reliever Evan Phillips, who was acquired in last year’s Kevin Gausman swap, has been called up to take the open roster spot. Phillips struggled in brief MLB action last year but had a nice showing this spring.
  • The Padres announced last night that lefty Aaron Loup and outfielder Franchy Cordero were headed to the injured list. Infielder Luis Urias is taking one of the open roster spots, thus putting another top San Diego prospect at the MLB level, with southpaw reliever Brad Wieck occupying the other. As Jason Freund of the East Village Times explains, arm issues drove both IL placements. The severity isn’t known in either case, but Loup’s forearm strain and Cordero’s elbow strain each echo injuries that those players dealt with last year.
  • Red Sox ace Chris Sale isn’t one for excuses, but skipper Alex Cora did offer up a possible explanation for Sale’s otherwise concerning recent velocity drop. The star lefty was dealing with illness in the run-up to his last start, which reduced his intra-start work and may also have affected him on gameday, Cora told reporters including Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com (Twitter links). Sale’s velocity has trended back up in the first inning of today’s game, which is certainly a promising sign. There was also generally encouraging news for southpaw Brian Johnson, who was feared to have suffered a significant elbow injury. He’s actually just dealing with inflammation, so it seems reasonable to hope that a rest and rehab approach will allow him to get back to the mound in relatively short order.

Red Sox Add Marcus Walden, Tzu-Wei Lin To Roster

By | at

10:30am: The Red Sox have officially announced the roster changes. Holt hits the 10-day IL with a scratched cornea in his right eye, while Johnson is placed on the 10-day IL with left elbow inflammation.

9:50am: The Boston Red Sox have called up right-handed reliever Marcus Walden, a source tells Evan Drellich of the MLB Network and WEEI in Boston (via Twitter).

Walden, 30, made eight relief appearances for the Red Sox last season, giving up six earned runs in 14 2/3 innings (3.86 ERA). He joined the Red Sox as a minor league free agent prior to the 2017 season after stints with the Blue Jays, Reds, Twins and A’s organizations. Though most of his time in the minors has been as a starter, the Joe-Kelly-lookalike pitched primarily out of the bullpen for Pawtucket last year after missing most of June and July due to injury.

He’ll join a Red Sox bullpen that is second in volume usage thus far in 2019 with 33 2/3 innings of work. The unit is under the microscope this season after management chose not to resign back-end stalwarts Joe Kelly and Craig Kimbrel, the latter of whom, of course, remains available on the open market. The 8-man unit has held form thus far, striking out 10.69 batters per nine innings while stranding 77.4% of inherited baserunners.

Walden can help as a long man to bolster a rotation that has, meanwhile, absolutely cratered (to put it nicely). The unit as a whole is 0-7 in nine starts with a 9.60 ERA and -1.5 fWAR in a little over a week.  Their 5.76 xFIP paints a slightly less face-melting picture, though even that number ranks dead last among starting units this season.

Infielder Tzu-Wei Lin is also being added to the 25-man roster, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (via Twitter). Lin started at least one game at shortstop, second base, third base and centerfield for the Red Sox last season. Brock Holt and Brian Johnson will land on the injured list as the corresponding roster moves, per Speier (via Twitter).

Playoff Notes: Wright, Barnes, Hicks

By | at

Steven Wright won’t pitch again in the ALDS, per Evan Drellich of NBC Sports Boston via Twitter. Wright, arbitration eligible for the second time this winter, returned in 2018 to post a 2.68 ERA (4.37 FIP) in sixteen relief appearances and four starts after losing most of 2017 to invasive surgery that repaired cartilage in his knee. The knuckleballer had an MRI after feeling discomfort in the surgically repaired knee before the game, making him a last minute scratch from Alex Cora’s bullpen in Friday’s ALDS game one, and he will see a knee specialist when the team arrives in New York. In an earlier piece, Drellich noted that Wright’s replacement on the ALDS roster would likely come from a pool of Bobby Poyner, Heath Hembree, Hector Velazquez or Brian Johnson. For last night at least, even Rick Porcello was surprised to hear his name called, per this fun peak behind the curtain from Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Boston manager Alex Cora recognized the need for improvisation during the playoffs – as using Porcello in relief was plan “C and a half.” The injury likely affects Boston’s playoff rotation, as mid-season acquisition Nathan Eovaldi could slide up a day to take Porcello’s scheduled start in game three if the latter isn’t ready to go on two days rest.

More from the Red Sox, Yankees ALDS…

  • Drellich also writes that now might be the time for Matt Barnes to step up as the potential stopper the Red Sox need. With Craig Kimbrel an impending free agent, Barnes’ moment could extend through next season. Boston’s offseason decisions do not probably hinge on playoff performance – he’s been in the organization since 2011 and they likely have a sense for his abilities – but it’s an interesting narrative to track. The 28-year-old reliever would certainly be a cheaper option over Kimbrel –  he’s arb eligible for the first time this offseason – and his stuff compares – Barnes’ 14.01 K/9, 4.52 BB/9, 53 GB% to Kimbrel’s 13.85 K/9, 4.48 BB/9, 28.2 GB % in 2018. Collecting saves in 2019 would certainly net Barnes a larger pay bump his second time through arbitration. For next season, however, he provides Boston with a lower-cost option to close out games.
  • Across the diamond, MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch reports Aaron Hicks aggravated his bothersome right hamstring Friday. Hicks was forced to leave the game after singling off Chris Sale in the fourth and was scheduled for an MRI. Hicks has struggled with a series of nagging injuries during his Yankees tenure, to his oblique, intercostal muscle and now his hamstring – which he injured on September 24th before being cleared of a tear two days later. Brett Gardner is likely to get the start in game two if Hicks can’t go. More concernedly for Hicks, hamstring injuries are notoriously tricky as they often lead to overcompensation and further injury down the line if tested too early. One hopes Hicks can get healthy and stay healthy, lest he earn the ever-ominous label of “injury prone” leading up to his 2019 free agency. Hicks will be arbitration eligible for the final time this offseason and due a raise after hitting .247/.368/.465 with a 127 wRC+.

 

Injury Notes: Powell, Ramirez, Blackmon, Rodriguez, Indians

By | at

Athletics outfielder Boog Powell is headed to the DL after suffering a knee sprain, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The left-handed-hitting Powell has hit just .167/.200/.292 in the first week of the season, though he did impress with a 135 wRC+ in limited action with the A’s last season. Powell beat out top prospect Dustin Fowler for the starting center field job during spring training, but he’ll now be absent for at least ten days while rehabbing.

Other injury notes from around baseball…

  • Maria Guardado of MLB.com tweets that Angels righty J.C. Ramirez exited his most recent start with “forearm tightness”. It’s highly disturbing news for the Halos; Ramirez was diagnosed with a partially-torn UCL in his throwing elbow last season, but elected to go with stem cell surgery rather than opt for a Tommy John procedure. Ramirez has thrown 6 2/3 innings this season; he’s struck out four opposing hitters while allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and seven walks.
  • Rockies star Charlie Blackmon is dealing with some back spasms, but told reporters he is not injured (h/t Nick Groke of the Denver Post). “It was a little bit tight for most of the game and kept getting tighter. I’ve dealt with it before and been all right.” Blackmon, of course, just signed an extension with Colorado and is a key component to their contention plans this season.
  • The Red Sox have officially activated left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez from the 10-day disabled list. Right-hander Marcus Walden has been optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket in a related move. Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald writes that Hector Velazquez and Brian Johnson are expected to pitch out of the bullpen for the time being, as the Sox have a number of off days coming up; those days will eliminate the need for a fifth starter for the time being. The 25-year-old pitched to a 4.19 ERA last season in 137 1/3 innings last season, and is coming off a winter knee surgery.
  • Jordan Bastian of MLB.com has the latest updates on a number of Indians injuries. Right-hander Danny Salazar (shoulder) is still unable to throw off a mound with “full intensity”, so he’s still a few weeks away from game activity. Third baseman Giovanny Urshela (hamstring), on the other hand, is just a week away from possibly starting a minor-league rehab assignment. Left-hander Ryan Merritt (knee) has resumed throwing and is scheduled to pitch an extended spring game on Wednesday, while righty Cody Anderson (elbow) is finally back to throwing off a mound following Tommy John surgery in March of 2017; he’s “several week away” from potential game activity. Of these four players, only Anderson has a minor-league option remaining, meaning the Tribe will be facing a significant roster crunch in the near future. In other Tribe injury news, Lonnie Chisenhall has officially been placed on the 10-day DL. Tyler Naquin has been recalled from Triple-A Columbus to take his place (h/t Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal.

Injury Notes: Sale, Pomeranz, Rodriguez, Gregerson, Lincecum, Hughes

By | at

Red Sox starter Chris Sale left today’s start after being struck by a comebacker off the bat of J.D. Davis. Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald was first to tweet that the club called it a hip contusion. Thankfully for fans in Boston, the X-rays on his hip came back negative (according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe). For his part, Sale himself has said that he feels fine and that it “looked a lot worse than it actually is.” The lack of serious injury to their prized left-hander brings a sigh of relief to the Red Sox, as they need him now more than ever; Alex Cora announced today that both Eduardo Rodriguez and Drew Pomeranz will begin the season on the DL (h/t Sean McAdams of the Boston Sports Journal). With Steven Wright set to face a 15-game suspension, that leaves Brian Johnson and Hector Velazquez at the back end of the club’s rotation. With David Price no sure bet to stay healthy, any questions surrounding Sale would have been wildly unsettling for a club hoping to compete with a tough Yankees ballclub for the AL East crown.

Other injury-related news from around the league…

  • Luke Gregerson, who was projected to be the Cardinals’ closer on opening day, will instead begin the season on the DL. Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch outlines the news, which comes as a result of a hamstring strain. The usually-durable Gregerson had also dealt with an oblique injury earlier in the spring, and it’s unclear when he’ll be able to return to major-league action. According to Jon Morosi of MLB.com, the club has said that Dominic Leone or Tyler Lyons will receive closing opportunities. They do not appear close to any sort of deal with free agent closer Greg Holland at this time, Morosi adds.
  • Speaking of right-handers who’ll begin the season on the DL, Tim Lincecum’s blister issues will put him in that company as well. Lincecum joined the Rangers on a one-year deal with a $1MM base salary just weeks ago and didn’t pitch competitively in 2017; by his own words, he was unlikely to be ready for opening day anyway. Still, the blister issue will delay The Freak’s comeback bid, which will be an interesting story to watch as the season progresses considering how much he impressed scouts in a February showcase. Lincecum’s last MLB stint was with the Angels in 2016, when he posted a 9.16 ERA across 38 1/3 innings (nine starts).
  • Twins right-hander Phil Hughes has a mild oblique strain, according to a tweet from Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. Berardino adds that a DL stint would give him more time to build up arm strength following surgery, though I’d add that Hughes might simply be utilized in a long relief role anyway. For the time being, the Twins will continue to evaluate Hughes.

AL Notes & Rumors: Archer, Royals, Dozier, Red Sox

By | at

It remains unclear whether the Rays will move Chris Archer, but Jon Morosi of MLB.com writes that they and other teams have been “engaged in consistent trade talks” centering on the right-hander “in recent weeks.” Archer, a 29-year-old front-end starter who’s on one of baseball’s most appealing contracts (he’s controllable through 2021 for $34MM), has unsurprisingly drawn reported interest from a host of teams this offseason. Dealing Archer and his $6.25MM salary would help the Rays with their goal to cut payroll for 2018, but it would obviously make it all the more difficult for the team to compete in a division featuring Boston, New York and an active Toronto club.

More AL rumblings:

  • If the Royals re-sign free agent first baseman Eric Hosmer, they’ll give more serious consideration to trading left-hander Danny Duffy, closer Kelvin Herrera and right-hander Jason Hammel, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Bringing back Hosmer and keeping those players would ostensibly give the Royals a better chance to compete in 2018, though they’re reportedly in line to cut payroll and rebuild even if they do re-up him. Of Duffy, Herrera and Hammel, the former is the priciest – he’s owed $60MM through 2021, including $14MM this season – but also likely the player with the most trade value. Both Herrera and Hammel could become free agents in a year, depending in part on what happens with the latter’s $12MM mutual option for 2019. In the meantime, Herrera will earn $7.94MM this year, and Hammel will collect $9MM.
  • The Twins still haven’t discussed a contract extension with Brian Dozier, and the star second baseman informed Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com that he’s “a little bit” surprised about that. The club is waiting on potential extensions until spring training draws closer, per Bollinger, though Dozier seems prepared to test the market in a year if Minnesota doesn’t make him a suitable offer by next winter. “I’ve had a lot of talks with a lot of guys about approaching free agency and how to handle it,” Dozier said. “I don’t want to get too caught up in it. But it is the writing on the wall and the elephant in the room.” Dozier, who will turn 31 in May, is slated to play the final season of a four-year, $20MM contract extension in 2018. That deal has been an absolute bargain for the Twins, who saw Dozier account for 14.2 fWAR/13.3 rWAR and bat .258/.335/.496 with 104 home runs over the first three years of the pact.
  • Red Sox left-hander Brian Johnson has drawn trade interest this offseason, Cafardo reports. The hurler is out of minor league options, meaning the Red Sox could lose him to waivers if they don’t trade him and he doesn’t make their 25-man roster, Cafardo notes. Johnson, a first-round pick of the Red Sox in 2012 and a former top 100 prospect, has seen minimal big league action to this point (31 1/3 innings). The 27-year-old tossed 27 1/3 major league frames across five starts last season and did OK, notching a 4.33 ERA/4.90 FIP with 7.0 K/9 and 2.67 BB/9. Johnson fared better over 90 1/3 Triple-A innings (3.09 ERA/4.19 FIP, 6.97 K/9, 2.79 BB/9).

Red Sox Place Brian Johnson On DL, Select Contract Of Austin Maddox

By | at

The Red Sox announcedthat they’ve placed left-hander Brian Johnson on the 10-day disabled list due to a left shoulder impingement and selected the contract of right-hander Austin Maddox from Triple-A Pawtucket. Southpaw Roenis Elias has been shifted from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Maddox.

[Related: Updated Boston Red Sox depth chart]

Johnson, 26, tossed a complete game shutout back on May 27 but has coughed up six runs over seven innings in his two starts since that time. Yesterday’s outing lasted just 2 2/3 innings before he was lifted from the game. He joins Steven Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez and Elias as rotation options for the Sox that are currently on the disabled list. With that quartet on the disabled list, the Sox have David Price, Chris Sale, Rick Porcello and Drew Pomeranz lined up in the rotation. Henry Owens and Kyle Kendrick are both on the 40-man roster in Triple-A and could step into the starting five next week, speculatively speaking.

Maddox, also 26, will make his MLB debut the first time he steps on the mound for Boston. The 2012 third-rounder has pitched to a pristine 1.33 ERA with 20 strikeouts against 11 walks through 27 innings between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket this season. He won’t be an option to make a start for the Sox, as all but 13 of his 124 professional appearances have come in relief, and he’s made just two starts in the past four years.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top