Rockies Rumors

Health Notes: Mets, Moreland, Phillies, Blackmon

By Connor Byrne | June 4, 2019 at 11:04pm CDT

A few notable health updates from around the majors…

The Mets activated infielder/outfielder Jeff McNeil from the 10-day injured list Tuesday. Both McNeil (hamstring strain) and Robinson Cano (quad strain) went to the shelf May 23, though the latter’s return date remains “to be determined,” ESPN.com writes. Unlike Cano, who’s amid a tough first season with the Mets, McNeil has thrived in 2019. The contact-hitting 27-year-old has slashed .329/.412/.453 with 16 unintentional walks and 22 strikeouts in 194 plate appearances.
Red Sox first baseman Mitch Moreland could come off the IL as early as Friday, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. The lefty-swinging Moreland was put on the list May 29 because of a lower back strain, temporarily halting a powerful start to the season for the 33-year-old. Moreland’s a .228/.320/.550 hitter (121 wRC+) with a Red Sox-best 13 home runs and a team high isolated power mark (.322) through 172 trips to the plate.
Phillies right-hander Zach Eflin is set for a quick return after landing on the IL on May 31. Eflin, who has been down with mid-back tightness, will start for Philadelphia on Friday, Matt Gelb of The Athletic tweets. Eflin posted an impressive 3.02 ERA and walked fewer than two per nine in 11 starts and 65 2/3 innings before his IL placement. At the same time, though, he struck out fewer than seven per nine and put up a mediocre 4.34 FIP.
Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon could begin a rehab assignment Wednesday, per Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Blackmon last played May 23 because of a right calf problem. Even though he’s one of their cornerstones, the Rockies have stormed to a 9-2 record without Blackmon.

NL West Notes: Posey, Blackmon, Davis, Padres

By Mark Polishuk | June 2, 2019 at 8:01pm CDT

Buster Posey left Saturday’s game after suffering a hamstring injury while running out a ground ball. The Giants called up catcher Aramis Garcia for today’s game while Posey didn’t play, though manager Bruce Bochy told reporters (including MLB.com’s Maria Guardado) that Posey’s sore hamstring isn’t thought to be too serious. “It’s hard to go into a game with one catcher. Could Buster go back there? Probably, but I think we’d put him at risk to make it worse…This makes sense right now for a day to see how Buster’s doing,” Bochy said. “It gives us some time. After the day off in New York, we’ll see if he’s available to go.” Posey is hitting just .253/.311/.387 through 168 plate appearances, and is on pace for the weakest hitting season of his ten full seasons in the big leagues. The longtime Giants star has been swinging the bat a bit better since returning from a brief stint on the concussion IL earlier this month, so Posey and the team are obviously hoping his hamstring problem won’t again put him on the sidelines.

Here’s some more from around the NL West…

Charlie Blackmon is eligible to come off the IL on Tuesday, though Rockies manager Bud Black told reporters (including Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post) that Blackmon will remain out of action longer than the 10-day minimum. Blackmon took batting practice and shagged some fly balls on Sunday, though he might still need a rehab stint in the minors. Blackmon was hitting .300/.356/.565 at the time of his injury, though the Rockies have surprisingly not missed his bat — Colorado has a 9-1 record in Blackmon’s absence. “Now that they’ve got me out of there, we’re taking off,” the outfielder joked.
In other Rockies injury news, Black said closer Wade Davis could also pitch in a minor league rehab game or a simulated game before returning to the active roster. Davis threw a bullpen session today, so the right-hander looks to on pace for a relatively quick recovery from a left oblique strain that IL’ed him on May 22.
Padres general manager A.J. Preller spoke to reporters (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) today about how the front office will turn its focus to the deadline once the draft is passed. With the Padres still in the wild card mix, this could mark the first time in Preller’s tenure that the club will be buyers rather than sellers in July, though Preller stressed that the team isn’t planning an all-in push. “This year we can look at going a lot of different routes….But the most important thing we’ve talked about is it’s still going to be looking toward the long term and looking toward building for the next five years and nothing that will sacrifice that over the next five weeks or so,” the GM said. San Diego has been linked to a wide array of starting pitchers over the last several months, though “there appears to be increasing pessimism the Padres will sign free agent Dallas Keuchel,” Acee writes, since the Padres have young starters for their rotation and the club would have to outbid several other teams for Keuchel’s services.

Rockies Option Kyle Freeland

By Jeff Todd | May 31, 2019 at 4:10pm CDT

The Rockies have optioned down struggling lefty Kyle Freeland, per a team announcement. Also headed to Triple-A is outfielder Yonathan Daza, with the team bringing hurlers Chris Rusin and Jesus Tinoco up to the active roster.

It’s a rather stunning move as regards Freeland, who finished fourth in the National League Cy Young voting last year. While it is no doubt hard to drop such a player down, the club could no longer look past his more recent issues.

Through a dozen starts this year, Freeland has managed only a 7.13 ERA in 59 1/3 innings. Though he’s still generating similar numbers of strikeouts (7.4 K/9) and walks (3.8 BB/9) to his 2018 showing, opposing hitters have teed up a league-high 16 long balls against him.

Freeland never seemed particularly likely to repeat his surprising sophomore campaign, as ERA estimators took a much dimmer view of his effort than his 2.85 ERA suggested. But the 26-year-old seemed likely to be a quality rotation piece for years to come.

There’s no glaringly obvious explanation for the downturn. While he has bumped up his swinging-strike rate a bit (9.0% to 10.6%), Freeland has given up much better contact when it has been made. Batters have doubled their barrel rate (to 10.7%) and jumped to 35.5% hard contact. Freeland has been abused in particular at Coors Field (9.31 ERA), the complete opposite from 2018 (2.40 ERA). He’s sitting at a .287 BABIP-against, right where he was last year (.285). There has been a change in sequencing fortunes, as Freeland has dropped to a 62.0% strand rate after sitting at 82.8% in 2018.

Freeland, the former eighth-overall draft pick, had accrued two full seasons of MLB service entering the present campaign. He’ll need to make it back to the majors in 2019 in order to reach arbitration as a Super Two or 3+ service-class player next fall. The team had indicated some pre-season interest in a long-term deal, though talks never seemed to get going in earnest and surely won’t now unless and until Freeland gets back on track.

Rockies Place Charlie Blackmon On Injured List

By Connor Byrne | May 27, 2019 at 11:12am CDT

The Rockies have placed outfielder Charlie Blackmon on the 10-day injured list, Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post reports. Blackmon hasn’t played since May 23 because of a right calf problem. His roster spot is going to outfielder Yonathan Daza, whom the team called up from Triple-A Albuquerque.

After back-to-back playoff seasons, the Rockies have limped to a 24-27 record this year, but Blackmon hasn’t been part of the problem. As usual, Blackmon has teamed with third baseman Nolan Arenado and shortstop Trevor Story to comprise the Rockies’ three best hitters. The 32-year-old Blackmon has slashed .300/.356/.565 (126 wRC+) with 10 home runs and the second-best ISO of his career (.265) through 219 plate appearances.

Blackmon aside, the Rockies’ outfield has gotten encouraging production from David Dahl and Raimel Tapia this year. And while Ian Desmond’s numbers leave something to be desired for the third straight season, he has been on fire of late. That trio will have to continue stepping up for however much time Blackmon misses.

Rockies Notes: Hoffman, Oberg, De La Rosa

By Steve Adams | May 23, 2019 at 8:50am CDT

Some notes out of Denver to kick off Thursday morning…

The Rockies are likely to promote right-hander Jeff Hoffman to start Friday’s game, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. It’s been a rough start to the season for the once-premium pitching prospect, as Hoffman will lug a 7.57 ERA with him from Triple-A to the Majors if he does indeed get the call. It’s been a boom or bust year for Hoffman so far, as he’s had two absolutely disastrous starts but also mixed in a series of impressive outings; Hoffman yielded 10 earned runs in four innings on April 16 and another eight earned runs in his most recent start, but he was quite good in the interim (1.96 ERA, 27-to-5 K/BB ratio in 18 1/3 innings of Triple-A ball, plus a respectable outing at the MLB level). This is a make or break year for Hoffman in many regards, as it’s his final option season. Tyler Anderson’s knee injury could create a long-term opening in the rotation for him, but Hoffman will obviously need to earn that spot moving forward rather than have it handed to him.
Colorado plans to use Scott Oberg as the primary closer while Wade Davis is sidelined by an oblique injury, manager Bud Black told reporters last night (Twitter link via Nick Groke of The Athletic). Oberg’s 1.77 ERA makes him a logical first candidate for ninth-inning gig, but the numbers beyond that point are far more questionable. He’s punched out just 13 hitters against 11 walks in 20 1/3 innings so far this season while benefiting immensely from a .196 average on balls in play and a sky-high 89.6 percent strand rate. Those red flags lead metrics like FIP (4.70), xFIP (4.91) and SIERA (5.31) to forecast some substantial regression for Oberg over the long haul if he can’t rebound to his 2018 form. Last season, Oberg averaged 8.7 K/9 against just 1.8 BB/9 with a 56 percent grounder rate, so there’s certainly hope for improved peripherals moving forward, but it should be noted that his average fastball has dipped from 95.3 mph last year to 94.0 mph in 2019.
Groke also tweeted yesterday that veteran lefty Jorge De La Rosa could pitch in a minor league game in the near future after being sidelined by an oblique issue early this season. Colorado inked the 38-year-old to a minor league contract last month on the heels of a solid 2018 campaign split between the D-backs and the Cubs. Left-handed relief has been a tough area for the Rockies all season, as Harrison Musgrave has struggled, Jake McGee has been injured and Mike Dunn has pitched to a 5.02 ERA (despite more encouraging K/BB numbers). De La Rosa would likely need at least a few weeks to build up before he’s a viable option, but a return could be a possibility at some point next month if he shows well in the minors.

Rockies Place Wade Davis On 10-Day IL

By Jeff Todd | May 22, 2019 at 3:20pm CDT

3:20pm: Davis’ oblique injury “is not severe,” Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post tweets.

2:30pm: The Rockies have placed closer Wade Davis on the 10-day injured list, per a club announcement. Righty Jairo Diaz is coming up in his place.

Davis is said to be dealing with a left oblique strain. The length of his anticipated absence isn’t yet clear. His ultimate timeline will obviously depend upon the grade of the strain and how he responds to treatment.

It’s obviously not great for the Rockies to see their top reliever hit the shelf. The club has had a rough enough start even with Davis handling business in the ninth inning.

That’s not to say that Davis has been perfect. He has issued ten walks to go with 18 strikeouts in his 14 2/3 innings of action, though he has also boosted his groundball rate to a personal-high 54.1%. Davis hasn’t yet allowed a home run, which is sure to change at some point. The Rockies had handled him with care in the early going in hopes of avoiding just this sort of scenario.

It’s not clear yet who’ll be installed as the temporary Colorado closer. The team might use a mix-and-match approach. Bryan Shaw has produced good outcomes but his peripherals are ugly. It’s not an entirely different situation for Scott Oberg. Carlos Estevez has been strong and is ripping off nearly a dozen strikeouts per nine, though he entered the season seeking to reestablish himself after failing to crack the bigs in 2018.

Diaz will step back up to the majors for the first time since 2017. He allowed just one earned run on a dozen hits in twenty frames at Triple-A, compiling a 22:6 K/BB ratio and keeping the ball in the yard. It’s nice to see this moment for a player that has come through injuries and personal tragedy, as documented recently by Nick Groke of The Athletic (subscription link).

In addition, the Rox announced that Tyler Anderson has been recalled and moved to the 60-day injured list. The lefty is said to be dealing with a chondral defect in his left knee. It was reported previously that he’d undergo season-ending surgery; by placing him on the 60-day IL, the club will open a 40-man spot. The move also resolves Anderson’s arbitration status: since he’ll be on the MLB IL, he’ll be a 4+ service-class player this coming fall.

Tyler Anderson To Undergo Knee Surgery

By Jeff Todd | May 21, 2019 at 2:51pm CDT

Rockies lefty Tyler Anderson is scheduled to undergo surgery on his left knee, manager Bud Black tells reporters including MLB.com’s Thomas Harding (Twitter link). The outlook — including whether or not he’ll have a shot at making it back to the mound this season — will depend upon the precise work that ends up being done to the joint.

Anderson, 29, was the twentieth overall pick in the 2010 draft. It took him some time to establish himself in the majors, but he turned in a solid effort last year. With 176 innings of 4.55 ERA ball in 2018, Anderson set himself up for a $2,625,000 in his first season of arbitration eligibility.

Unfortunately, things turned south early this year as Anderson dealt with inflammation in the knee. He has taken five starts in the majors, coughing up 27 earned runs on 33 hits with a 23:11 K/BB ratio over 20 2/3 innings.

Though he was optioned down recently, Anderson had not appeared with a minor-league affiliate. Whether he’ll be placed on the MLB or minor-league injured list isn’t yet known. That status will have a notable bearing on his arbitration situation, as Anderson hasn’t yet reached four full years of MLB service.

Despite his tough start to the year, Anderson was obviously an important part of the Rockies’ rotation picture. Much like Anderson himself, the unit as a whole has struggled quite a bit on the heels of a strong 2018 season.

Rockies Promote Brendan Rodgers

By Jeff Todd | May 17, 2019 at 2:39pm CDT

TODAY: The move is official, with Colorado also activating lefty Jake McGee from the injured list. Righty DJ Johnson and infielder Pat Valaika were optioned down to create active roster space.

YESTERDAY: The Rockies are expected to promote top prospect Brendan Rodgers, according to Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Corresponding moves remain to be seen, but a recent injury to shortstop Trevor Story is said to have played a role in the decision.

The 22-year-old Rodgers has been considered an elite prospect ever since he went to the Colorado organization with the third overall pick in the 2015 draft. He has steadily marched up the club’s farm system, briefly reaching Triple-A late last year. Rodgers entered the current season with consensus top-thirty leaguewide prospect billing; MLB.com was most bullish, grading him the tenth-best prospect in the game.

Rodgers has shown himself more than ready for a MLB opportunity early in the 2019 campaign. He’s slashing .356/.421/.644 with nine home runs over 152 plate appearances thus far at Albuquerque — impressive numbers even in an offensively robust league with a launching pad for a home park.

The Rockies could certainly stand to receive a boost. They enter play today at two games under .500 and 7.5 back of the Dodgers in the NL West. Whether Rodgers can perform at a top-end level out of the gates remains to be seen. But it’s a shot worth taking for a club that has received little with the bat from its other options at second base — where he’ll presumably line up except when he plays short in relief of Story.

There’s no reason to believe that Story’s injury will sideline him for long, or even that he’ll require a trip to the injured list. But the middle-infield duo has lacked punch even with the established slugger at full health. Story has held up his end of the bargain, but Garrett Hampson, Ryan McMahon, and Pat Valaika have not. The Rox offensive output at second base has easily been the worst in baseball this year. Hampson was already optioned down recently; another of those players could be pushed out to make way for Rodgers. (Both can still be optioned.)

Harding indicates that the promotion will likely occur on Friday. If that indeed comes to pass, then Rodgers can record as many as 136 days of MLB service this season. That would set him up for potential Super Two qualification in the future, so long as he’s able to keep his roster spot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NL West Notes: Giants, Altherr, Anderson, Cordero, Jankowski

By Mark Polishuk | May 12, 2019 at 6:04pm CDT

Yesterday’s news that Derek Holland was being moved to the Giants bullpen came with some eyebrow-raising comments from the left-hander, who was critical of the front office’s decision and claimed that his April 29 injured list placement due to a bruised index finger was a “fake injury.” Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said Saturday that Holland’s injury was legitimate, and further discussed the matter today with reporters (including Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group). “I think every organization would like to create an environment where guys feel comfortable talking about their concerns in-house,” Zaidi said. “To the extent guys don’t feel comfortable, that’s on me. Maybe I haven’t been around as much as I should be.” The entire situation, Zaidi intimated, could be due to the shared displeasure between the front office and the players over the Giants’ lackluster start to the season: “If we’re 23-16, I don’t think we’d be sitting in this room right now. I understand it. I’m as frustrated as anybody. But again, I want us to have a culture of accountability where people are looking in the mirror and asking what they can do better.”

Outrighted: Butera, Hanson

By Steve Adams | May 7, 2019 at 7:01pm CDT

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the game…

Veteran backstop Drew Butera cleared waivers and was assigned outright to Triple-A Albuquerque, per a club announcement from the Rockies. While Butera could have rejected the assignment in favor of free agency, The Athletic’s Nick Groke tweets that the 35-year-old will accept the assignment and remain in the organization. Butera went 3-for-17 in his brief run with the Rox this season and has never hit much in the Majors aside from an outlier 2016 campaign with the Royals. In 1364 trips to the plate at the MLB level, Butera owns a .201/.258/.299 slash with 19 home runs. However, he’s long been regarded as a quality defender behind the plate and has carved out a decade-long career at the big league level as a result of his glovework. Should the Rockies incur an injury to either Chris Iannetta or Tony Wolters later this season, Butera will quite likely get a call back to the big leagues.
The Blue Jays announced that infielder/outfielder Alen Hanson has cleared waivers and been assigned to Triple-A Buffalo. Hanson, 26, came over from the Giants in the trade that sent Kevin Pillar to San Francisco, though that trade was driven in large part by salary and Hanson wasn’t necessarily viewed as a long-term piece by the Jays. In 48 plate appearance with Toronto, Hanson hit .163/.229/.163, and while it’s a tiny sample, he’s never hit much a total of 625 MLB plate appearances. Dating back to his debut with Pittsburgh in 2016, Hanson is a .232/.266/.368 hitter. The former top prospect is a .273/.327/.406 hitter in parts of three Triple-A seasons, and it appears he’ll stay on hand as a depth piece for the Toronto organization.

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