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Quick Hits: Piersall, Rangers, Miller, Rays

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We at MLB Trade Rumors extend our condolences to the friends and family of Jimmy Piersall, who passed away on Saturday at the age of 87.  Piersall had a memorable 17-year playing career with the Red Sox, Angels, Indians, Senators, and Mets from 1950-67, winning two Gold Gloves and reaching two All-Star Games.  After retiring from the field, Piersall had two broadcasting stints calling Rangers and White Sox games, and then worked as an outfield instructor for Cubs minor leaguers.  Piersall is also remembered for his openness about his mental health issues, including a seven-week hospitalization after a nervous breakdown in 1952.  Piersall covered the topic in his autobiography Fear Strikes Out, which was adapted into an Anthony Perkins film of the same name in 1957.

Some news from around the baseball world…

  • It’s still too early for the Rangers to consider themselves deadline sellers, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram opines.  Even if they did move some of their stars, Wilson is doubtful that the team would get its desired haul of young talent back for the likes of pending free agents Yu Darvish or Jonathan Lucroy.  Trading Adrian Beltre (who is under contract through 2018) also doesn’t seem likely given the veteran third baseman’s pursuit of 3000 hits.  Texas is four games out of a wild card spot but that would likely be the club’s only route into the postseason, given how the Astros already have a 13.5-game lead in the AL West.
  • Now that Brad Miller is back from the disabled list, the Rays don’t seem to have an everyday role for a player that hit 30 homers last year, the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin writes.  Miller has only hit .199/.341/.309 over 167 PA, which isn’t nearly enough thump for the Rays to put up with his subpar defense at second base.  Tampa also has several other left-handed bats (Corey Dickerson, Logan Morrison, Colby Rasmus) hitting well and taking up spots at DH, first base and left field.
  • Also from Topkin, Rays shortstop Matt Duffy isn’t likely to return until the end of the month or perhaps even the All-Star break as Duffy continues his lengthy recovery from Achilles tendon surgery last September.  This will lead to more playing time for Tim Beckham, who Topkin argues has earned regular at-bats in a utility role once Duffy is healthy.

Pitching Notes: Mets, Rangers, ChiSox, Tribe

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Both left-hander Steven Matz and right-hander Seth Lugo will join the Mets’ rotation next weekend for their 2017 debuts, manager Terry Collins announced Saturday (via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). The Mets have been without the pair all season because of elbow injuries, and once they return, righties Robert Gsellman and Tyler Pill will exit the team’s rotation. While righty Matt Harvey has arguably pitched poorly enough to warrant a demotion, the Mets aren’t considering relegating him to the big league bullpen or their Triple-A rotation, according to David Lennon of Newsday. Instead, they’ll continue to give the former ace an opportunity to work his way back from last year’s thoracic outlet syndrome surgery as part of their starting five.

  • Righty Tyson Ross could start for the Rangers next weekend, though the team hasn’t made a decision yet on when it will activate him, per T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. “It comes down to how he feels the next few days, going through the progression and his overall health,” manager Jeff Banister said of Ross, an ex-Padre who hasn’t pitched in the majors since suffering a shoulder injury on Opening Day 2016. Ross, who underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last October and then signed with the Rangers in the winter, made his third Triple-A rehab start Saturday and allowed two runs and five hits over 5 1/3 innings (93 pitches).
  • White Sox southpaw Carlos Rodon, on the shelf all season with shoulder bursitis, is about to take an important step in his recovery. Rodon will begin a rehab assignment Tuesday at the Class-A level, which will represent his first game action since a March 19 spring training start, writes Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune. A key piece for the rebuilding White Sox, the 24-year-old Rodon recorded a 4.06 ERA, 9.16 K/9, 2.95 BB/9 and a 44.1 percent ground-ball rate in 165 innings last season.
  • Indians righty Danny Salazar hasn’t made enough progress since his demotion to the bullpen last week to return to the rotation, manager Terry Francona suggested Sunday (per Robert Falkoff of MLB.com). “He’s got some work to do,” Francona said. “We felt like the best thing to do is keep him where he is and let him keep working more often. He’ll have more chances to throw with shorter segments. He’s still not where he needs to be.” In two appearances and 2 2/3 innings in relief, the flamethrowing Salazar has given up one earned run on four hits and four strikeouts.

West Notes: Angels, Rangers, Rockies, Padres, Mariners

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Hours after Marlins right-hander Edinson Volquez threw the first no-hitter of the year, Angels designated hitter Albert Pujols added another notable accomplishment to the 2017 ledger, belting his 600th home run. Pujols skied a grand slam off Twins right-hander Ervin Santana to become the ninth player in the history of the sport to go deep at least 600 times. The former Cardinal has already hit nine homers this year, and he figures to pass both Sammy Sosa (609) and Jim Thome (612) on the all-time list by the end of the season.

As Pujols joins his teammates and fans in celebrating his historic feat, here’s more from the West divisions…

  • An Adrian Beltre trade is something the Rangers will have to consider if they end up as sellers at the trade deadline, opines Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter links). Beltre has established himself as a franchise icon since joining the Rangers in 2011, but the potential Hall of Famer will turn 39 next April and is due $18MM in 2018 to conclude his contract. As such, it might make sense for the Rangers to shop him, though Grant doubts they’d be willing to eat any of the money left on his deal. It could be a moot point, anyway, as Beltre has the ability to block any trade via his 10-and-5 rights.
  • The Rockies will place left-hander Tyler Anderson on the disabled list Sunday, retroactive to May 31, with left knee inflammation, per Nick Groke of the Denver Post. While Anderson has dealt with the issue since early May, he doesn’t believe it’s serious. Neither does manager Bud Black, who indicated that Anderson’s DL placement is “precautionary.” Anderson is one of four Rockies to make 11 starts this year, but he has allowed home runs on 24.1 percent of fly balls en route to a 5.85 ERA over 60 innings. For now, Anderson’s spot in the rotation will go to well-regarded right-hander Jeff Hoffman.
  • The Padres entered the season with three picks from last winter’s Rule 5 draft on their roster, and one – outfielder/shortstop Allen Cordoba – has stood out, as Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes. Cordoba, then a member of the Cardinals organization, spent last season in the rookie-level Appalachian League. Now, he’s a .298/.333/.442 hitter over 111 plate trips with the Padres. Manager Andy Green has taken notice of the 21-year-old’s success, saying that Cordoba “continues to impress. He’s earned every bit of the opportunity that he’s receiving right now. Nothing’s been given to him. He’s earned the right to be out there. He’s earned the right to be hitting at the top of the order, and it’s been very, very impressive.”
  • Mariners general manager Jerry Dipoto said Friday that Jean Segura could miss two months with a high ankle sprain, but the shortstop has a much more optimistic outlook, relays Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. “I don’t think this is going to take a month,” Segura stated. “Maybe a couple of weeks. We’ll see how it feels the next couple of days.” Segura went on the DL on Friday after slashing a stellar .341/.391/.462 in his first 198 plate appearances of 2017.

Cafardo’s Latest: Yankees, Dodgers, Cubs, Quintana, Cueto, Samardzija, Rangers, Cozart

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Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe looks at nine teams who are trending upward this season and nine teams who are on the downward swing in his latest notes column.  These rankings (and Cafardo’s piece in general) contain several hot stove items as teams look to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.  The highlights…

  • The Yankees are looking for a third baseman, according to league sources.  Chase Headley got off to a hot start but scuffled badly in May, posting just a .446 OPS in 90 plate appearances last month.  Top prospect Gleyber Torres has been getting some reps at third base in the minors amidst rumors that he could be promoted later this season, though New York could prefer a more proven veteran for the hot corner if the team is chasing a pennant.  Headley is still owed $21.6MM through the end of the 2018 season, though the Yankees have shown a willingness to reduce the playing time of other highly-paid veterans in the past if they aren’t producing.
  • “Most talent evaluators” believe the Dodgers will make a play for the top starter available at the deadline.  The Dodgers’ rotation has combined for 6.2 fWAR (second in baseball) and a 3.94 ERA (third in baseball), though given the number of injury concerns within their staff, it wouldn’t be a shock if L.A. pursued yet another notable arm.
  • Cafardo also suggests that the Cubs will look to acquire a top starter, even if they’re one of the teams on the “trending down” list.  Cafardo believes the retirement of clubhouse leader David Ross has had a bigger impact on the Cubs than the team is willing to admit.
  • Some teams that were in on Jose Quintana have cooled their interest thanks to the southpaw’s rough start to the season.  There has been some questions about whether Quintana is healthy, though the White Sox say he is healthy.  Quintana has a 5.60 ERA in 64 1/3 innings, with career highs in BB/9 (3.36) and homer rate (13%) combining with a career-low 37.8% ground ball rate.  On the plus side, he also has a career-best 8.96 K/9 and ERA indicators are all over a run lower than his 5.60 real-world ERA.
  • “Don’t look for major subtractions” from the Giants, even if the team doesn’t make any additions at the deadline.  Cafardo doesn’t expect the Giants to deal the likes of Johnny Cueto or Jeff Samardzija.  I would imagine San Francisco is hoping to make a quick return to contention next season, though if Cueto gives them an indication that he’ll opt out of his contract this winter, a trade could be explored.
  • The Rangers are also a team that won’t go into full-scale selling mode, so Cafardo expects them to wait and see if they should pursue starting pitching help for a run at a wild card slot.
  • Zack Cozart has often been mentioned in trade rumors over the last couple of years as the Reds have been rebuilding, though one AL GM wonders why Cincinnati hasn’t instead explored an extension with the veteran shortstop.  The Reds’ long-term plan is to have Jose Peraza at short and Dilson Herrera at second, so on paper, Cozart makes more sense as a trade chip than a building block.  While Cozart is mashing the ball and playing his usual excellent defense, he also turns 32 in August and may be declining by the time the Reds are again ready to contend.

Rangers To Designate Sam Dyson For Assignment

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TODAY: Texas has officially announced the move.

YESTERDAY: The Rangers will designate struggling former closer Sam Dyson for assignment, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Texas expects to trade Dyson after informing other clubs of its plans and receiving interest from more than one team, Rosenthal adds. Jose Leclerc will be activated from the DL to take Dyson’s place on the roster.

Dyson, 29, emerged as the closer in Texas just one year ago on the strength of an excellent 2.43 ERA with 7.0 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a 65.2 percent ground-ball rate. He logged a total of 70 1/3 innings and picked up 38 saves last season, leading to a $3.52MM salary in arbitration last winter. However, the 2017 season has been nothing short of nightmarish for Dyson, who has posted a 10.80 ERA with more walks (12) than strikeouts (7). Dyson has served up six homers in just 16 2/3 innings this year after yielding a total of five over the life of the entire 2016 season.

Dyson is still owed the balance of that aforementioned salary — a commitment of roughly $2.347MM through season’s end. Of course, Texas could offset some of that salary in trade talks with interested teams over the course of the next few days. Presumably, the move won’t be made official until tomorrow, as the Rangers are off today.

Despite his disastrous results in 2017, it’s not difficult to envision a club rolling the dice on Dyson’s track record. From 2014-16, the righty posted a combined 2.45 ERA with 7.6 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 in 187 2/3 innings with the Marlins and Rangers. And while he hasn’t been able to keep the ball in the yard this year, his heavy ground-ball tendencies helped him to average just 0.5 HR/9 across those three seasons. Furthermore, Dyson has maintained a ground-ball rate north of 61 percent in 2017 and is averaging nearly 95 mph on his fastball.

While one can make the argument for any number of teams to take a gamble on Dyson, a few stand out as plausible in my eyes. The Nationals have been looking for late-inning ’pen help for quite some time and could try Dyson in a low-leverage role with the hope that he can reemerge as a viable setup option. The Mets, too, are in need of relief help following Jeurys Familia’s injury. The Twins’ have the worst bullpen ERA in the Majors and may find the idea of acquiring Dyson at a bargain rate appealing, given that their surprising status as AL Central contenders clashes with their expected plan of rebuilding. (Notably, Minnesota GM Thad Levine was a longtime Rangers assistant GM before moving to the Twins this year.) Of course, all of those fits are purely my own speculation.

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

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

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

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

Rangers Trade Josh Wilson To Indians, Grant Cesar Puello His Release

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The Rangers made a pair of Triple-A moves on Thursday, announcing that veteran infielder Josh Wilson has been traded to the Indians in exchange for cash, while minor league outfielder Cesar Puello has exercised a June 1 out clause in his deal and been granted his release.

Wilson, 36, inked a minors pact with the Rangers back in mid-April and has gotten off to a torrid start with Triple-A Round Rock, slashing an eye-popping .329/.370/.548 with four homers and four doubles through 22 games (82 plate appearances). Obviously, that production isn’t sustainable — especially for a 36-year-old with a career .264/.325/.399 batting line in parts of 12 Triple-A campaigns — but he’ll give the Indians a versatile depth piece that has plenty of MLB experience. Wilson has seen action in parts of eight big league seasons and compiled a .229/.280/.319 triple slash while spending time at all four infield slots (mostly shortstop) and in left field.

Puello, 26, was once one of the top-regarded prospects in the Mets’ farm system and was regarded as a Top 100 prospect by Baseball America in the 2010-11 offseason. Puello had a terrific season with Double-A Binghamton in 2013, though that season was cut short by a suspension tied to the Biogenesis PED scandal. Puello’s bat never really took off at the Triple-A level after returning, as he’s now hit at a .261/.365/.403 clip through 839 career plate appearances at the minors’ top level. Thus far in 2017, he’s hit .247/.307/.420 with six homers and five steals through 179 plate appearances.

AL Notes: Kluber, Twins, A’s, Dyson, Soler/Bonifacio

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As expected, the Indians have activated righty Corey Kluber. He’s back on the hill today for Cleveland after missing a few weeks resting his lower back. The 31-year-old will be looking to improve upon a tepid start to the season. Over his first 37 1/3 innings, he has managed only a 5.06 ERA with 9.9 K/9 but an uncharacteristically high 3.1 BB/9. Righty Shawn Armstrong was optioned to create roster space.

Here’s the latest from the American League:

  • Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey discussed the club’s first overall selection in the upcoming amateur draft, as Phil Miller of the Star Tribune reports. The team is taking a closer look at “a group of five to six [players], probably,” according to the club’s top baseball decisionmaker. With several candidates slated to visit with the organization just days before the draft, there’s still time for new information to shape the picture. Falvey says the Twins intend to “ask some difficult questions” of the candidates when they sit down with them, in addition to taking another look at their skills. As Miller well explains, the club’s management of its overall bonus pool will also factor in. Falvey acknowledged the possibility of reallocating some of the top slot’s cash to sign other players — though he also said he’s “not yet ready to say it’s something we’d do in the first round” — and acknowledged the need “to add as many upside assets” as possible.
  • With the Athletics still lagging in the standings, eyes are beginning to turn to their deadline plans. As Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes, the organization will likely increasingly turn to more youthful options as it deals away veteran assets. In particular, she says, second baseman Jed Lowrie “almost certainly will be dealt” — helping clear the way for top prospect Franklin Barreto. The A’s will surely also entertain a move involving surprising slugger Yonder Alonso, and Slusser notes that the club could also part with a few lesser-performing veterans as well.
  • The struggles have continued for former Rangers closer Sam Dyson. As Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes, Dyson surrendered two home runs as the club went down in extra innings. While he is still generating grounders at a healthy clip, everything else has gone wrong for Dyson, who now owns a 10.80 ERA with a dozen walks and just seven strikeouts through 16 2/3 innings. It’s not clear what the organization will do with the out-of-options righty, but manager Jeff Banister did not exactly deliver a strong vote of confidence after the game. “It’s an extreme challenge right now,” Banister said. “He’s on our staff. He’s one of our pitchers right now, and we have to find a way to continue to work.”
  • The Royals had hoped that Jorge Soler would blossom upon arriving over the winter, but another young outfielder by the same first name is currently keeping him out of the lineup, as Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star reports. Jorge Bonifacio, who’ll turn 24 in a few days, is off to a .273/.325/.500 batting line with seven home runs in 120 plate appearances. That may not be quite sustainable, of course, but for now he’s producing and the Royals are giving him a chance to show it’s real. That’s not to say that K.C. is giving up on Soler, who has only seen 18 games of action due to injury and the limited opportunities he has found upon his return.

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

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

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

Rangers Activate Adrian Beltre

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The Rangers have activated veteran third baseman Adrian Beltre, as had been expected. He’s starting and hitting cleanup in tonight’s lineup. Infielder/outfielder Drew Robinson was optioned to open a spot on the active roster.

This’ll represent the first action on the year for Beltre, the 38-year-old star. He excelled yet again last year, slashing .300/.358/.521 over 640 plate appearances while continuing to play excellent defense at the hot corner. Beltre is owed $36MM in total for this year and next under the extension he signed with the Rangers last April.

Beltre was held out until now, though, with ongoing calf issues that took longer than expected to resolve. He hasn’t played in less than 111 games since way back in 1998, when Beltre debuted at 19 years of age. He has averaged 147 games per year ever since.

In Beltre’s stead, long-time top prospect Joey Gallo had an extended opportunity and perhaps earned a lengthier run at the MLB level. While his batting average (.198) and on-base percentage (.305) leave plenty to be desired, Gallo has launched 15 home runs and carries a .525 slugging percentage through fifty games of action.

For tonight, Gallo is sliding over to first base, though that’s due in part to a minor injury issue for incumbent first bagger Mike Napoli (per Anthony Andro, on Twitter). It’s not yet known just how the team will handle things in the long run, though. Gallo has spent some time in the outfield in the past and might appear there, too, particularly while Carlos Gomez is on the DL. The DH slot would also be an option, though Shin-Soo Choo has commanded the bulk of the time there thus far.

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