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Astros To Promote Abraham Toro

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The Astros are calling up third base prospect Abraham Toro, according to reporter Jacques Lanciault (Twitter link).  As noted by The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan (Twitter link), it isn’t yet known what corresponding moves will be made to create room for Toro on either the 25-man or 40-man rosters.

As Kaplan observes, the promotion is rather unexpected, as Toro has only 16 Triple-A games under his belt.  However, Toro has absolutely raked in that short amount of time (a 1.112 OPS over 79 plate appearances), and also hit .306/.393/.513 with 16 home runs over 435 Double-A plate appearances this season.

While this breakout at the plate didn’t land Toro a spot on any top-100 prospect lists, MLB Pipeline currently ranks him as the sixth-best prospect in Houston’s farm system.  As per the MLB.com scouting report, many scouts have long considered Toro to be one of the Astros’ best hitting prospects, an evaluation that has seemingly been proven correct by his big 2019 numbers and a strong performance in the 2018 Arizona Fall League.

The 22-year-old Toro was a fifth-round pick for the Astros in the 2016 draft.  The vast majority of his pro experience has come at third base, though with Alex Bregman at the hot corner in Houston, Toro has also played an increasing amount of first base and second base this season.  For his first taste of the big leagues, however, Toro could very well see most of his time at his natural position, as Bregman could slide over to shortstop while Carlos Correa is on the injured list.  Alternatively, Toro could also handle some first base if the Astros use Yuli Gurriel at third base.

Astros Place Aaron Sanchez On Injured List

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TODAY: Right-hander Cy Sneed and shortstop/outfielder Myles Straw will be called up to replace Sanchez and Correa on the 25-man roster, as per multiple reports.

TUESDAY: The Astros have placed right-handed pitcher Aaron Sanchez on the 10-day injured list, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. As expected, he’ll be joined by injured shortstop Carlos Correa. Per McTaggart, manager A.J. Hinch said that Sanchez felt a sore right pectoral during Tuesday’s start, which resulted in a dip in velocity for the starter. A pair of corresponding roster moves will be announced tomorrow.

Following tonight’s game, Sanchez told reporters (including McTaggart) that the pectoral is not a new issue; rather, he’s been experiencing soreness for several starts dating back to his time in Toronto. He’s been trying to pitch through the injury, which finally manifested itself in the form of diminished velocity during Tuesday’s game.

With Sanchez on the shelf, the Astros will once again need to fill the fifth starter spot on the fly. Brad Peacock is at least a theoretical candidate to make a spot start, though it seems that the Astros are intent to keep Peacock in a bullpen role coming off of an injured list stint and the acquisitions of Sanchez and Zack Greinke. More likely would be to see Framber Valdez, Jose Urquidy, or Rogelio Armenteros make a return to the big league roster. All of those three are currently in the minors—that trio has combined to make twelve starts for the Major League club.

Sanchez, after falling out of favor with a Blue Jays organization for whom he was once an All-Star, has engineered an encouraging turnaround with his new club. While he’s made just four starts, his arrival to Houston has given way to important adjustments in his approach—almost certainly not a coincidence, given the Astros’ savvy in maximizing pitchers’ potential. While it’s far too early to draw conclusions about Sanchez’s reformation and viability, his acquisition has the early makings of one that could factor heavily into Houston’s postseason success.

 

Carlos Correa Likely Headed To IL

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Astros shortstop Carlos Correa is likely to land on the 10-day injured list after exiting last night’s game with back discomfort, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters including Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. An official decision won’t be made until later tonight, but Hinch and the Astros are “not optimistic” that the star shortstop, who isn’t available for tonight’s contest, will avoid an IL stint.

Hinch was quick to point out that the team hasn’t seen anything to indicate that Correa’s injury is a serious one, but it will likely take several days to heal fully, a time in which the Astros would prefer to carry a full bench.

While it looks as if Correa’s latest stay on the IL will be a quick one, the injury is nonetheless concerning for the Astros and Correa, who dealt with a back injury last season that cost him six weeks and bothered him into the postseason. Furthermore, it will be the second time the 24-year-old has had to go on the injured list this season, after a fractured rib forced him out of action for nearly two months this summer.

With Correa and reserve shortstop Aledmys Diaz both on the shelf, shortstop duties should fall on Jack Mayfield and Myles Straw, who is currently in the minor leagues but is a candidate to be recalled to replace the ailing Correa. Needless to say, either substitute represents a considerable offensive downgrade from the stellar Correa, who has posted a .914 OPS on the season.

When Correa has been on the diamond, he has been one of the Astros’ most productive offensive players while defending at a premium position. Unfortunately for the former first overall selection, availability has at times eluded Correa, for whom 2019 will mark the third consecutive season in which he will fail to eclipse 110 games played.

 

Carlos Correa Leaves Game With Back Discomfort

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The Astros defeated the Tigers on Monday to improve to 80-46, but the World Series hopefuls didn’t escape unscathed. Star shortstop Carlos Correa left the game with discomfort in his back, the team announced. Manager A.J. Hinch said afterward Correa’s day-to-day, but he admitted: “I don’t like it. It’s not comfortable.” (Twitter links via Mark Berman of Fox 26).

Hinch’s trepidation stems from the fact that back issues have been a past problem for Correa, who missed over a month last summer because of them. With this year’s playoffs just around the corner, a similar absence would be cutting things awfully close for Houston. Plus, the Astros just lost fellow shortstop option Aledmys Diaz to the injured list Sunday, though they’ve passed plenty of tests without him and Correa this season. Both players have spent weeks on the IL to this point, yet the Astros still own what should be an insurmountable eight-game lead in the AL West.

Correa previously suffered a fractured rib in a massage gone wrong May 28, causing him to sit out until July 26. While the Astros managed an impressive 31-19 record during that span, it’s obvious they aren’t at the height of their considerable powers without Correa. The 24-year-old has been brilliant over 310 plate appearances this season, slashing .278/.358/.556 with 19 home runs and 2.9 fWAR.

AL West Notes: Haniger, Tucker, Manaea

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While Mariners right fielder Mitch Haniger was deemed close to untouchable in trade talks last offseason, some around the game expect him to be available in the coming offseason, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. That’s hardly a firm indication that Seattle will push to move Haniger when his value has diminished, but the 28-year-old (29 in December) would make an interesting addition to the winter trade market should the Mariners entertain offers on him. Haniger has been out for more than two months due a to a ruptured testicle that required surgical repair, and he wasn’t anywhere near his best when healthy, hitting .220/.314/.463 with 15 home runs in 283 trips to the plate. But he logged a combined .284/.361/.492 batting line (134 OPS+) in 2016-17 with the Mariners and can still be controlled through the 2022 season. Add in quality defensive marks in right field plus the ability to man center field when needed, and it’s easy to see why Haniger would hold appeal throughout the league even on the heels of a down campaign. Broadly speaking, Seattle GM Jerry Dipoto is as open-minded about trades as any baseball ops leader in the game, so it stands to reason that Haniger and others will be oft-cited trade candidates this winter, whether a deal comes to fruition or not.

More from the AL West…

  • Astros top prospect Kyle Tucker’s wait to return to the big leagues will be over in the near future, writes Jake Kaplan of The Athletic (subscription required). At the very least, the 22-year-old will be in line for a September call-up (perhaps after the Triple-A season ends), and he could factor into Houston’s postseason plans as well, depending on how many pitchers the club plans to carry. Tucker took a professional tone when discussing the fact that he understands why he’s still in Triple-A, given then outfield depth the Astros have on the big league roster, adding: “…obviously, I wish I’d be up there helping out, too.” Tucker’s recent exposure to playing first base came at his own request in an effort to enhance his versatility, Kaplan notes, and that added position could be a ticket to carving out more regular at-bats in the Majors next season. Houston has Josh Reddick, George Springer, Michael Brantley and Jake Marisnick all under control for next season and has Yordan Alvarez, Yuli Gurriel and Aledmys Diaz in the mix as first base/DH options. Despite that wealth of options, though, president of baseball operations Jeff Luhnow has effectively made Tucker off limits when other teams have inquired about his availability, signaling that he’ll eventually be leaned upon as a key contributor in the Astros’ lineup.
  • Left-hander Sean Manaea threw 91 pitches and picked up a win in his latest start for the Athletics’ Triple-A club in Las Vegas. Manaea, on the mend from shoulder surgery, had his rehab assignment halted briefly this month due to some discomfort in his side but has now made a pair of outings since returning and looks to be largely stretched out. In his past three rehab appearances with the Aviators, Manaea has a 2.70 ERA and a 24-to-4 K/BB ratio in 16 2/3 innings of work. When and how he’ll be worked back into the rotation remains unclear, but the A’s will have to make a decision on that front relatively soon. The most logical candidate to lose a rotation spot would be veteran righty Homer Bailey, who is slated to take the mound tomorrow night when the Yankees visit the A’s. Each of Mike Fiers, Brett Anderson and Chris Bassitt have pitched well in 2019, and recently acquired righty Tanner Roark has a better track record than Bailey in recent years as well. Rosters are set to expand in September, which will give the A’s more flexibility with how they structure their pitching staff.

Astros Place Aledmys Diaz On IL, Activate Brad Peacock

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The Astros have placed infielder Aledmys Diaz on the 10-day injured list, according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Per The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan, Cy Sneed has been recalled to replace Diaz on the active roster, while Brad Peacock has also been activated from the injured list.

While there’s no official diagnosis for Diaz, Rome reports (via Twitter) that the 29-year-old was placed on the injured list after an incident on Saturday ended with Diaz in the hospital. Per manager AJ Hinch, the shortstop is in better health on Sunday and will travel with the team following today’s game.

With Sneed added to the roster, the Astros will carry nine relievers for the time being, a roster construction that will likely hold up very briefly, as Sneed could be replaced by a position player such as Myles Straw or Jack Mayfield.

Peacock, meanwhile, has not pitched for the Astros since June 27, at which point he landed on the injured list with shoulder discomfort. Peacock looked on track to return in mid-July, but a rehab setback prevented him from being activated until today. It appears that the 31-year-old will be deployed as a reliever in the last month-plus of the season after making 15 starts for the club prior to the All-Star break. The additions of Zack Greinke and Aaron Sanchez appear to have mitigated a need that forced Peacock into a starting role after spending nearly all of last season out of the bullpen.

Indeed, Peacock’s reintroduction to the Astros’ formidable pitching staff will only strengthen one of the American League’s juggernauts. While he’s certainly been a serviceable part of the Houston rotation this season, his numbers have taken a noticeable dip from the production he showed as a reliever in 2018, including his swinging strike rate, which sits at 8.8% in 2019 as opposed to 13.5% a year ago. If returning to a bullpen role allows Peacock to revert to the form he showed last year, his late-season return could prove just as valuable as Sanchez’s emergence as a viable starter.

 

Astros Option Cy Sneed, Recall Rogelio Armenteros, Reinstate Francis Martes

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The Astros optioned Cy Sneed to Triple-A while promoting Rogelio Armenteros, per Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

Armenteros, 25, is up to slated to start today’s game versus the Athletics. It’s been so far so good for Armeneteros this season, with a 1.93 ERA/2.86 FIP in 14 innings thus far, including one start. This will be his third stint with the team in as many months.

Sneed, 26, did a nice job soaking up innings in four appearances. Over 12 2/3 innings, Sneed pitched to a 4.26 ERA/3.93 FIP in his first big league action. The Nevada native has pitched in both relief and starting capacities in Triple-A this year, going 7-6 with a 4.22 ERA overall.

Also noted by Rome, Francis Martes has returned rom the restricted list and added to the minor league injured list. Martes received an 80-game PED suspension in March, but he isn’t expected to pitch until next season as he recovers from Tommy John surgery.

AL Notes: Cole, Astros, Voit, Jays, Twins, Tigers, Rays

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The Astros remain optimistic that right-hander Gerrit Cole will avoid a stint on the injured list, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com writes. Cole, who has been dealing with hamstring discomfort this week, played catch Friday and will do so again this weekend, manager A.J. Hinch said. Hinch added that the Astros are hopeful the AL Cy Young contender will return near the end of their upcoming series against Detroit, which runs from Monday to Thursday. Meanwhile, righty Brad Peacock could come off the IL as early as Sunday. Peacock had been in the Astros’ rotation before going down with shoulder discomfort June 28, but he’ll revert to his previous role as a reliever when he makes it back to the majors.

Here’s more from around the AL…

  • Yankees first baseman Luke Voit expects to start a Triple-A rehab assignment Thursday, per Jack Curry of the YES Network. Voit has been dealing with core issues since late June, which have forced him to the injured list multiple times and could’ve ended his season. Now, though, Voit “feels he’s in the clear,” Curry writes. He hasn’t suited up for the Yankees in almost three weeks, and they’ve turned to DJ LeMahieu and Mike Ford at first in the absences of Voit and fellow injured Bomber Edwin Encarnacion.
  • Blue Jays outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. is hoping to return from the IL at the end of the month, Scott Mitchell of TSN reports. Gurriel went down Aug. 8 with a strained left quadriceps, cutting off a breakout campaign for the 25-year-old. With a .279/.331/.548 line and 19 home runs in 321 plate appearances, Gurriel has been one of several young Toronto hitters who look as if they’ll be long-term building blocks for the club.
  • Twins left-hander Ian Krol has received a 50-game suspension after his second positive test for a drug of abuse, J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group tweets. Krol last appeared in the majors a year ago with the Angels, though he only threw two innings for the club. He previously received far more MLB work with the Nationals, Tigers and Braves from 2013-17. The 28-year-old has spent this season in Triple-A ball, where he has struggled to a 5.67 ERA with 11.3 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9 in 46 innings between the top affiliates of the Twins and Reds.
  • The Tigers will reinstate righty Jordan Zimmermann from the IL on Saturday, the team announced. Zimmermann will end up missing two weeks with a right cervical spasm. The 33-year-old has missed time with injuries in each season since the Tigers awarded him an five-year, $110MM contract entering 2016. To make matters worse, the former Washington standout hasn’t been productive when healthy since he joined Detroit.
  • The Rays have turned infield prospect Jermaine Palacios into a two-way player – the fourth in their system – according to John Vittas, broadcaster for the High-A Charlotte Stone Crabs. The 23-year-old Palacios fired 95 to 96 mph fastballs during his debut on the mound, Vittas adds. Palacios joined the Rays in their Jake Odorizzi trade with Minnesota prior to last season. While Palacios boasted a decently regarded bat at the time of the deal, he hasn’t hit much since then, which likely played a role in the Rays’ decision to try him as a pitcher.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Wade Miley

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Left-hander Wade Miley was one of the most cost-efficient free-agent signings in each of the previous two offseasons. He was highly successful as a Brewer in 2018 after settling for a minor league contract, and has continued to thrive this year as an Astro on the heels of taking a major league pact worth $4.5MM. Over the past season and a half, Miley ranks 14th among qualified starters in ERA (3.11).

Understandably, plenty of skepticism has accompanied Miley’s ability to prevent runs. Since 2018, only 20 qualified starters have registered a worse FIP than Miley’s 4.42, while he also falls toward the low end of the majors in SIERA (4.68; 19th from the bottom) and xFIP (4.44; 25th). One of the problems has been Miley’s K/BB ratio, which was especially poor last year after he struck out 5.58 hitters per nine and walked 3.01 across 80 2/3 innings as a Brewer. But Miley has improved significantly in that category through 141 2/3 frames as a member of the Astros, with whom he has struck out 7.43 and walked 3.05. While still unspectacular, those numbers are right in line with the former Diamondback, Red Sox and Mariner’s career totals (7.13 K/9, 3.12 BB/9).

Clearly, the 32-year-old Miley has never been anywhere near elite at racking up strikeouts or limiting walks, in part because of a fastball that clocks in at just about 91 mph. But Miley has typically induced a solid number of ground balls while limiting home runs, which has continued this year.

As a member of the Astros, Miley has forced grounders at a 52.4 percent clip and allowed homers on 15.1 percent of fly balls – both of which are well above average. He has also been tough on both lefties, whom he has held to a .255 weighted on-base average, and righties (.295). And good luck hasn’t been the driving force behind Miley’s ability to stymie hitters, as Statcast indicates the .289 wOBA he has given up is actually worse than his .282 expected wOBA. Miley’s xwOBA ranks in the majors’ 81st percentile, while his exit velocity against (70th), expected batting average (75th), hard-hit rate (81st) and expected slugging percentage against (84th) also sit toward the top of the majors.

The success Miley has enjoyed over the past couple years has come with a change in repertoire. When he was a member of the Orioles in 2017, batters had their way with Miley, who pitched to a bloated 5.61 ERA in 157 1/3 innings of work. Miley’s career (or at least his time as a useful major leaguer) looked as if it was nearing an end then, but he has since revived it with a more cutter-heavy approach. He threw the pitch 14.3 percent of the time in 2017, per Statcast, but has used it at a 41-plus percent clip in both seasons since then. Miley has tossed it a personal-high 46.8 percent of the time this year, and hitters have recorded a modest .311 wOBA/.315 xwOBA against it. Miley’s other most common pitches – his changeup (19.6 percent; .198 wOBA/.191 xwOBA) and four-seamer (16.4 percent; .272/.258) – have confounded the opposition even more.

Despite the success Miley has enjoyed going back to 2018, the soft-tossing southpaw still isn’t a particularly exciting option. His earning power will always be somewhat limited as a result, but Miley should at least do better than the contract he raked in last offseason. A multiyear pact might be in the offing this winter for Miley, who will fall behind far more expensive hurlers such as teammate Gerrit Cole, Madison Bumgarner, Cole Hamels, Zack Wheeler, Dallas Keuchel, Jake Odorizzi and Kyle Gibson, perhaps among others, on the open market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Injury Notes: Astros, Ray, Nimmo, Voit

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The hamstring injury that prompted the Astros to scratch Gerrit Cole from yesterday’s start isn’t immediately believed to be serious, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (Twitter link, with video, via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com). That doesn’t necessarily preclude a trip to the injured list, but Hinch explained that Cole “doesn’t think it’s that serious.” He’ll nonetheless be tested further to ensure there’s no risk of a more substantial injury. Scratching Cole had a trickle-down effect on the pitching staff, though, as it forced Houston into a bullpen game in the second half of a Tuesday doubleheader against the White Sox. As such, deadline acquisition Joe Biagini was optioned to Triple-A in order to get a fresh arm, Cy Sneed, into the bullpen. Biagini’s trip to the minors seems likely to be brief and won’t impact his arbitration or free-agent timeline.

More on a few other noteworthy injury situations…

  • Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray exited his start in Colorado on Wednesday after two innings because of back spasms. Afterward, manager Torey Lovullo told Zach Buchanan of The Athletic and other reporters he hopes Ray won’t “need to miss much time” (subscription link). The club should have a better idea of Ray’s status after he undergoes an MRI on Thursday. With Arizona already looking like a playoff long shot (it’s 3 1/2 back of a wild-card spot), it can ill afford to lose Ray for any decent chunk of time. The 27-year-old is the No. 1 starter left in a rotation that has gone through significant changes this season. Ray was a trade candidate at last month’s deadline, but he stayed put while the team instead moved ace Zack Greinke, bringing in Mike Leake and Zac Gallen to help cover for his exit. Back in May, long before the deadline, the Diamondbacks saw emergent righty Luke Weaver hit the IL with arm troubles. Weaver still hasn’t come back. There is optimism Weaver will return this season, but he’ll likely finish the year as a reliever if he does.
  • Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo is within a week or ten days of launching a rehab stint, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). Of course, the most recent prior report had indicated Nimmo might already have been prepared for minor-league game action, and that obviously did not come to pass. The 26-year-old is dealing with a bulging disc in his back. While the club has thrived of late, a healthy Nimmo would be a notable roster upgrade. Injuries have been mounting for the Mets, who’ve now lost Robinson Cano and Jeff McNeil to the IL in the past couple weeks. McNeil, who was placed on the IL today due to a mild hamstring strain, may yet beat Nimmo back from the injured list, though.
  • Yankees first baseman Luke Voit could begin his own rehab assignment “next week,” he said Wednesday (via George A. King III of the New York Post). That’s encouraging news for a player who has dealt with core issues since June 29 and looked like a serious candidate for season-ending sports hernia surgery not long ago.
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