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Phillies Designate Daniel Stumpf

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The Phillies have designated lefty Daniel Stumpf for assignment, per a team announcement. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by righty Severino Gonzalez.

[Related: Updated Phillies Depth Chart]

Stumpf was a Rule 5 selection over the winter, meaning that he had to be kept on the active roster (or the 15-day DL) for the duration of the year for the Phillies to retain his rights. He was only recently activated after serving an 80-game PED suspension, and evidently didn’t show enough to warrant a roster spot.

It’s a short sample, but the numbers certainly weren’t there for Stumpf. He allowed six earned runs on nine hits and two walks, while recording just a pair of strikeouts, in five frames over seven total appearances on the year.

NL East Notes: Phillies, Gomez, Mets’ Bullpen, Prado

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The Phillies may not possess any top-flight trade deadline pieces, but the organization does have some worthwhile assets. As MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes, GM Matt Klentak says trade talks have been “very active” of late. The Phils have “more confidence” in moving veterans with several top minor leaguers seemingly ready for an opportunity, said Klentak, who nevertheless stressed that he doesn’t feel compelled to make any deals. Reports have recently indicated that if (or when) right-hander Jeremy Hellickson is moved, another promising right-hander, Jake Thompson, will get a look in the rotation. Thompson, acquired in last summer’s Cole Hamels blockbuster, has a 0.58 ERA in his past 62 1/3 innings at Triple-A. His 37-to-17 K/BB ratio in that time is a bit more pedestrian, and he’s been aided by a .233 BABIP over that stretch, but he certainly seems ready for a call-up after impressing for much of the season.

A bit more on the Phillies and their division…

  • Jeanmar Gomez has elevated his stock substantially in 2016, Zolecki writes, noting that he entered the season a a multi-inning middle reliever but has handled a move to the ninth inning with aplomb. Gomez isn’t a traditionally dominant power arm that is often associated with closing gigs, but he’s sporting a 2.76 ERA thanks in part to some of the strongest control and ground-ball rates he’s ever displayed. Gomez has averaged just 5.7 K/9 but is also yielding walks at a 2.2 per nine clip and has a 52.1 percent ground-ball rate in 45 2/3 innings. The Phillies have Hector Neris and Edubray Ramos serving as potential ninth-inning replacements in the event that Gomez is flipped.
  • The Mets are monitoring right-handed relievers Joe Smith of the Angels, Chris Withrow of the Braves and Jeremy Jeffress of the Brewers, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post. Despite Bartolo Colon’s recent struggles and uncertainty surrounding the bone spurs of both Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, the Mets’ front office isn’t sure there’s a rotation upgrade to be had that would be worth the asking price. Notably, Puma also writes that a reunion with Tyler Clippard, whom Arizona GM Dave Stewart has said is available in trades, doesn’t seem likely. Smith’s asking price would be the lowest of the bunch, in my estimation, as he’s a pure rental. Jeffress and Withrow both have three years of club control remaining beyond this one, and Jeffress has had a better season than Withrow while emerging as Milwaukee’s closer this season, so he’s probably the toughest of the bunch to pry loose. As Puma pointed out earlier this week (on Twitter), Jim Henderson won’t be an option in the near future, as a hamstring injury suffered in the minors has forced him to restart his rehab assignment.
  • The Marlins have yet to approach Martin Prado about a contract that would keep him in Miami beyond the 2016 season, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, though Jackson notes that he does fully expect Miami to attempt to re-sign the third baseman even if it waits until the offseason. A new deal for Prado would give the Marlins three players for second base and third base, leading Jackson to suggest that either Dee Gordon or Derek Dietrich could be moved for pitching this winter. Gordon’s 80-game PED suspension notwithstanding, it’s tough to imagine the Fish moving him this winter.

Latest On Jeremy Hellickson

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Jeremy Hellickson was masterful tonight in what could potentially be his final start as a member of the Phillies, as he held the Marlins to a run on five hits and no walks with eight strikeouts in eight innings. Hellickson is widely expected to be traded prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline, and ESPN’s Jayson Stark writes that the Phillies are looking for a return similar to the one they got last summer in trading closer Jonathan Papelbon to the Nationals (right-handed pitching prospect Nick Pivetta). That is to say: they’re looking for a pitcher with a big arm (or multiple pitchers) not necessarily a top-tier prospect.

The Marlins themselves have had long-standing interest in Hellickson, Stark notes, and they got a first-hand look at the best he has to offer tonight. He adds that the Phillies will use the remaining money on Hellickson’s contract ($2.83MM through season’s end) as somewhat of a bargaining chip in talks, suggesting that they’ll be willing to eat some of the salary in order to enhance the prospect return from interested parties (if necessary). Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, meanwhile, tweets that Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill was present at tonight’s game in Philadelphia and saw Hellickson dominate his club first-hand.

CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury reports that the Orioles, too, were present to scout Hellickson’s outing. More importantly from Salisbury, he writes that the Orioles and Phillies have already had discussions pertaining to Hellickson. However, one pitching-hungry team that is not in the market for Hellickson, according to Stark (Twitter link), is the Tigers. And, the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Matt Gelb adds that the Pirates and Giants had scouts present at the Hellickson outing, though they’ve been present at a good deal of Phillies games lately to monitor the team’s available relievers.

Hellickson, 29, lowered his earned run average to 3.84 with tonight’s gem, and he’s now sporting a strong 8.0 K/9 against an similarly strong 2.0 BB/9 with a 42.1 percent ground-ball rate in 119 2/3 innings of work this year. He’s slated to become a free agent at season’s end, so the trade will benefit him in the sense that it removes the possibility of a being saddled with a qualifying offer.

Giants Prioritizing Relief Additions

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Giants GM Bobby Evans suggested yesterday that his organization is looking hard at relievers, in an appearance on the podcast of ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (audio link). Perhaps unsurprisingly, then, the organization is said to be “blanketing” the market for bullpen arms, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link).

The Phillies and Brewers are among the rival teams being eyed by San Francisco scouts, per Crasnick’s report. It appears that the Giants are paying particular attention to Philly’s Jeanmar Gomez and David Hernandez, as well as Milwaukee’s Will Smith and Jeremy Jeffress. All of those players have featured on MLBTR’s breakdown of the top trade candidates, though only Jeffress has consistently cracked the ranking itself.

Notably, Crasnick adds that the Giants are mostly “lingering” in the market for Yankees’ relief aces Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller. The expectation seems to be that other National League contenders — namely, the Cubs and Nationals — are likely to be bigger players for those two high-octane lefties.

Evans had hinted that there’s a lot of demand to contend with on the market. That was a significant factor in the team’s decision to rely on some younger arms this year, he suggested. “We didn’t realize that half of baseball would be also looking for the same relievers and that the market would be so limited,” he said of the winter’s free agent market, “but that’s where we are.”

The San Francisco GM went on to note that his organization will not just be looking to build out depth in its relief corps. “We have a pretty strong bullpen in the sense of guys that are pretty hard to replace,” he said, “so you’re really trying to replace one guy, and we’ve got to be sure it’s an upgrade. So we won’t be getting a reliever just to get a reliever.”

Evans also touched upon the idea of adding an outfielder, which has often been noted as a possible need. With Hunter Pence nearing a return, the veteran executive indicated that the position isn’t a high priority. It seems that a depth addition could be considered, but isn’t viewed as essential.

Latest On Marlins’ Rotation Targets

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TODAY: Miami is also interested in Andrew Cashner of the Padres and Michael Pineda of the Yankees, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter). While New York is “not ready” to deal Pineda at this time, that presumably isn’t a limiting factor with regard to Cashner.

Both of these righties possess rather different profiles than does Hellickson. Cashner is also a pending free agent, but he arguably comes with a higher ceiling and a lower recent track record. Though he turned in his best start of the year recently, he is still carrying a lackluster 5.05 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 on the year. And Cashner has not only seen his fastball lose a full tick of velocity, but is running up a career-low 6.8% swinging strike rate.

Pineda has been similarly inconsistent, though perhaps there’s greater reason for optimism in his case. Despite a 5.56 earned run average, he’s carrying a robust 10.7 K/9 while issuing only 2.4 free passes per nine innings over his 100 1/3 frames on the year. That’s supported by the deeper peripherals: Pineda’s average heater is sitting at about 94 mph, and he is generating swings and misses on 13.7% of his pitches. Notably, too, Pineda comes with an added year of team control via arbitration.

YESTERDAY: The Marlins’ search for rotation help has spanned many targets over the past month, and MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro adds another name to the list today, tweeting that Miami is interested in division-rival Jeremy Hellickson of the Phillies. Marlins scouts and officials will get an up-close look at Hellickson this week, as he’s slated to pitch against Miami on Wednesday when the Fish are in Philadelphia. Notably, Frisaro adds that he does indeed expect Miami to make “a trade or two” prior to the Aug. 1 non-waiver deadline.

Hellickson, 29, is in the midst of his best season since 2012. The 2011 American League Rookie of the Year was brilliant early in his career after graduating from top prospect status, but he posted a 4.86 ERA from 2013-15 with the Rays and D-backs while battling elbow and hamstring injuries. This year, he’s taken the mound 19 times and posted a solid 4.03 ERA in 111 2/3 innings (despite a hitter-friendly home environment) while averaging 7.9 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 to go along with a 41 percent ground-ball rate. That type of work certainly doesn’t make him a front-line addition to a rotation, but the Marlins have reportedly been seeking a dependable source of innings to round out the back of their rotation as opposed to a top-tier starter to pair with ace Jose Fernandez. In that sense, Hellickson fits the bill.

The trouble for the Marlins, as we’ve noted in the past, is that their farm system is among the worst-regarded in all of baseball, and they already thinned it out by moving well-regarded right-hander — Chris Paddack — to pluck Fernando Rodney from the Padres. The organization’s top prospect entering the season, Tyler Kolek, underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this year as well, though it’s unlikely that the Marlins would’ve been particularly fond of the notion of parting with him in exchange for a two-month rental. That same reluctance would presumably apply to 2015 first-rounder Josh Naylor — the club’s new top-ranked prospect.

None of that is to say that the Marlins can’t work out a trade for Hellickson (or another starter), of course. Even a weak farm system has intriguing names throughout its ranks, and the asking price on Hellickson is unlikely to be exorbitant. He’s earning $7MM in his final season before free agency, and while he’s a candidate for a qualifying offer, the Phils may not be keen on the idea of offering $16MM+ to a player they acquired as a salary dump. Hellickson has exceeded the expectations of most pundits, and the safer play for the Phillies would likely be to cash in on him now rather than face the QO dilemma in October.

The Marlins have also been connected to the likes of Jake Odorizzi, Matt Moore, Rich Hill, Chris Archer and Ervin Santana this summer, and they reportedly expressed interest in Drew Pomeranz and Bud Norris before their respective trades to the Red Sox and Dodgers. At 49-42, they’re six games back from the division-leading Nationals and in a tie with the division-rival Mets for the second NL Wild Card spot.

NL Rumors: Puig, Altherr, Bourjos, Conforto, Wheeler, Jay, Cashner

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The Dodgers are open to replacing Yasiel Puig at the deadline, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. That could well mean trading him to facilitate a deal, and it seems Los Angeles is at least weighing the possibility of such a move. As Rosenthal notes, it’s hardly certain that the Dodgers will make a move in the corner outfield, let alone that they’ll part with two more years of control over the talented 25-year-old to do it. That’s likely all the more true given that Puig is finally showing signs of life at the plate.

Here’s more from the National League:

  • Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr is nearing a major league return, and MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki says that an active roster spot could be cleared via trade. Peter Bourjos seems the most obvious candidate to be moved; indeed, the free agent-to-be cracked MLBTR’s most recent list of the top 25 trade candidates. Philadelphia manager Pete Mackanin says the club is eager to get a look at Altherr, who has been out all year after undergoing wrist surgery this spring.
  • With Yoenis Cespedes asking to move out of full-time center field duties, the Mets are considering whether Michael Conforto can handle the position, ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin reports. Manager Terry Collins said he was on board with moving Cespedes to the less-demanding, more familiar spot in left. The question is whether Conforto is up to the task given his lack of experience there. It seems, though, that he’ll receive a bit of a trial by fire at the major league level, potentially splitting time with Juan Lagares up the middle.
  • The Mets have received some promising news on righty Zack Wheeler, with Marc Carig of Newsday reporting that he’s been throwing bullpen sessions of late. That could set Wheeler up for a rehab assignment in relatively short order. New York won’t have much of a chance to assess his progress before the trade deadline, but can at least rest easy knowing that the talented righty is again making forward progress in his return from Tommy John surgery.
  • Padres outfielder Jon Jay tells Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link) that he anticipates returning to the majors within a “couple” of weeks. Of course, that almost certainly means he won’t be able to make it back in advance of the trade deadline, which was always the expectation when he went down with a fractured forearm. Jay could be moved in August, particularly if San Diego is able to get him through waivers early in the month — thus opening the possibility of getting a solid offer once he has returned to full health. Such a waiver placement could be risky, though, because the club might be forced to let him go, take a meager trade return if he is claimed, or pull him back while losing the chance to deal him later in the month. With just over $6MM in annual salary, Jay isn’t a terribly expensive piece for a team in need of outfield help, so it’s not inconceivable at all that a contender would roll the dice on a claim even before he’s at full health.
  • Meanwhile, the Padres are drawing stronger interest in Andrew Cashner than his spotty recent track record might suggest, Rosenthal reports in the above-linked piece. The righty did just throw a gem, and still carries a tantalizing arm, so perhaps it isn’t surprising to hear that multiple organizations are interested in a chance at harnessing the evident talent.

East Notes: Yankees, Hellickson, Rays

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Yankees GM Brian Cashman recently spoke to MLB Network Radio (audio link; some transcribed quotes are also available via Chad Jennings at the Journal News) about his team’s strategy heading toward the non-waiver trade deadline. The Yankees are currently 44-45 and 5 1/2 games back in the Wild Card race. Cashman notes that the team’s ultimate approach could be dictated in part by how the team performs in the next few series. For now, the Yankees are “having both conversations,” meaning that they’re considering both buying and selling. He lists the starting rotation and the front end of the bullpen as areas he’s already tried to improve, although offensive upgrades appear unlikely. Here are more notes from the East divisions.

  • The Phillies have Jeremy Hellickson’s turns in the rotation lined up with those of prospect Jake Thompson’s starts with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, as CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury notes. That’s potentially significant in that Thompson could slide into the big-league rotation if the Phillies deal Hellickson in the next couple weeks. Thompson, one of the prospects the Phillies acquired in last year’s Cole Hamels deal, has posted a 2.42 ERA and 2.6 BB/9, albeit with just 6.2 K/9, in 111 2/3 innings with Lehigh Valley this year. Hellickson, for his part, says he isn’t focused on the trade rumors surrounding him. “I’d love to be here the rest of the year, but obviously I’ve been through it before and know that side of the game,” he says. “But, yeah, my focus is on here and my next start right now.”
  • The Rays are attracting plenty of interest in their starting pitchers, as SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets — the Cubs, Rangers, Dodgers, Pirates, Yankees, Astros, Blue Jays, Orioles and Tigers have all inquired. Representatives from the Pirates and Dodgers, along with the Nationals, Red Sox and Marlins, were all on hand yesterday to watch Chris Archer’s start against the Orioles, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin (Twitter links). (It is perhaps worth noting that those teams might have been scouting the game for other reasons, not purely to watch Archer.) Archer seems perhaps less likely to be dealt than fellow Rays starters Matt Moore or Jake Odorizzi. Various recent reports have indicated that the Rays aren’t currently interested in trading Archer, who has struggled a bit this year and is under control for the next several seasons.

Edward Mujica Requests, Receives Release From Phillies

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The Phillies have released veteran reliever Edward Mujica upon his request, per a club announcement. Signed to a minor league deal over the winter, Mujica has been pitching at Triple-A.

Mujica, a 32-year-old righty, has turned in solid results at the minors’ highest level but has yet to receive a big league opportunity in 2016. Over 39 frames, he owns a 3.69 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and has issued only four free passes.

That formula has worked for Mujica in the past in the majors, as he carried a lifetime 3.75 ERA with 7.2 K/9 against 1.4 BB/9 when he hit the open market after the 2013 season. Since signing with the Red Sox in the ensuing winter, though, things haven’t gone as well. Over his last 107 1/3 MLB frames, Mujica has allowed 4.28 earned per nine, with particularly rough results last year.

It’s somewhat notable that the Phils didn’t see fit to give Mujica a shot in their pen, since the team had every incentive to see if he can pitch his way into a trade piece. Nevertheless, he looks like a reasonable bet to provide some solid innings to an organization that’s in need of bullpen options.

NL Notes: Rupp, Guerra, Kang

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It’s quiet today, but baseball’s second half begins in earnest tomorrow. Over the break, a roster of American League All-Stars defeated an assortment of National Leaguers by a score of 4 to 2. Owing to one of the most confounding rules in all of sport, this means that the A.L. entrant in the World Series will own home-field advantage for the Fall Classic.

As the A.L. post-season hopefuls celebrate their victory, here’s the latest from the N.L.:

  • Corey Seidman of CSNPhilly.com writes that a breakout first half from Cameron Rupp has made him a potential trade chip for the Phillies. While the 27-year-old comes with another four years of club control beyond the 2016 season, he represents a rare, controllable option for teams in need of offense behind the dish. A number of contenders meet that criteria, Seidman notes, listing the Indians and White Sox as a pair of clubs that have received well below-average production from their backstops this season. While the Phils needn’t feel compelled to move Rupp, GM Matt Klentak showed with the offseason Ken Giles trade that he’s willing to move assets with considerably more club control than the typical trade candidate if the right offer presents itself.
  • Brewers righty Junior Guerra has been one of the game’s most remarkable stories in the first half, turning from a waiver claimee (in GM David Stearns’s first transaction) into a quality starter. As Gary D’Amato of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes, it was his discovery — and mastery — of the splitter that made him a Rookie of the Year candidate at 31 years of age. Harnessing that key offering “was a long process,” he says, explaining that he didn’t feel comfortable with it until about two years ago. Because of his age, Guerra is in a rather unique position with regard to contract rights; he also could be a more likely trade candidate than might otherwise be anticipated given his meager service time (though I didn’t feel compelled to include him in our list of potentially available starters). “Right now I’m not thinking about money,” he tells D’Amato. “I’m just thinking about working hard and providing for my family. I want to keep working hard in order to keep getting chances.” Field questions about his trade status is probably quite an unexpected luxury, but Guerra says he hopes to continue pitching in Milwaukee.
  • MLB commissioner Rob Manfred says that the league won’t take any action with regard to Pirates infielder Jung Ho Kang until the Chicago police have advanced their investigation into allegations of sexual assault, Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. “We are aware of the situation and are working with law enforcement,” said Manfred. “We will make a decision when we have sufficient facts as to whether application of, for example, the administrative leave provisions in the new policy are applicable.” The league had moved more swiftly to place Hector Olivera on administrative leave earlier this season, but he was arrested and charged in the immediate aftermath of the incident in question. In many ways, Kang’s situation will represent a new challenge for the commissioner’s office, who has already dealt with several cases under a still-new policy addressing domestic violence and sexual assault. This is the first case falling under the latter rubric, and also the first involving an important player whose team is involved in a post-season race.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/13/16

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Here are the day’s minor moves and outright assignments:

  • Outfielder Will Venable has cleared waivers been outrighted to Triple-A by the Dodgers, according to the transactions page at MLB.com. While Venable has enough service time to reject the assignment in favor of free agency, he’ll instead accept the assignment and head to Oklahoma City, reports MLBTR’s Steve Adams (via Twitter). Venable was designated for assignment by the Dodgers for the second time earlier this month after signing a minor league pact with L.A. in mid-June. He’s collected just one hit in 19 plate appearances this season but has a lengthy track record of hitting right-handed pitching well. The 33-year-old will look to get another shot with the big league club later this season.

Earlier Moves

  • The Phillies have outrighted recently-designated lefty Mario Hollands, per a club announcement. He’ll be assigned to Double-A. The 27-year-old was a regular contributor to the 2014 Phils’ bullpen, but he hasn’t been back since missing 2015 while recovering from a Tommy John procedure. While moving back up through the Philadelphia farm system this year, Hollands has thrown 26 13 innings of 3.76 ERA ball, with 8.5 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9.
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