AL Central Notes: Gibson, Santana, Kipnis, Abreu, Merrifield
Though right-hander Kyle Gibson at one point looked like a clear non-tender candidate for the Twins this offseason, his revitalized performance in the season’s second half makes it look far likelier that he’ll return. The 29-year-old former first-rounder limped to a ghastly 6.29 ERA with 5.9 K/9, 4.3 BB/9 and a 51.1 percent ground-ball rate through the season’s first half and was even optioned to Triple-A Rochester back in May. However, he’s logged a brilliant 2.83 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and a 50.6 percent grounder rate in 54 innings across his past nine outings.
Asked by 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson on his latest podcast if Gibson would be tendered a contract this winter (audio link, with Levine joining around the 27-minute mark and discussing Gibson at 37 minutes), Levine replied: “Starting pitching — and quality starting pitching — is at a premium. … Depth is tantamount. We are aspirational of being a playoff-relevant team moving forward. Those types of teams need to have a wealth of starting pitching options, and I think Kyle Gibson has established himself as very much a part of that equation moving forward for the Minnesota Twins.” Gibson is earning $2.9MM in 2017, and while there’s still of course time for things to change, it sounds like he’ll be retained and earn a slight raise on that figure for the 2018 campaign.
More from the AL Central…
- Indians slugger Carlos Santana admits to Zack Meisel of The Athletic that he put a significant amount of pressure on himself early this season as he entered a contract year. Santana struggled badly through the first 10 weeks or so of the 2017 campaign, but he credits first-year teammate Edwin Encarnacion — who had a tumultuous free-agent experience himself last winter — for getting his mind into a better place and turning his season around at the plate. “He told me to keep playing baseball and enjoy the (season) and play hard every day and don’t think about it,” says Santana. “He is a good influence for me and my mind.” Meisel notes that Santana hopes to remain in Cleveland — FanRag’s Jon Heyman wrote the same yesterday, as he has at various points this year — though the Indians will have some tough roster decisions to make with relatively limited finances. (A second deep playoff run, of course, wouldn’t hurt their financial outlook.)
- Jason Kipnis is expected to start in center field for the Indians as soon as this Sunday, per Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Bradley Zimmer‘s season-ending injury created an opening, and it was reported earlier this week that Kipnis would get a look there in his place. A center fielder in his college days, Kipnis isn’t exactly unfamiliar with the position, though it’s been seven years since Cleveland moved him to second base. Manager Terry Francona tells Hoynes that the training staff has to sign off on the decision still, though he adds that it’d be a surprise if they didn’t, given how healthy Kipnis has looked recently as he nears the end of his rehab from a hamstring injury.
- Jose Abreu has made it clear that he hopes to remain with the White Sox even amid the team’s rebuild, writes MLB.com’s Phil Rogers. Chicago values his leadership and productive bat, Rogers notes, and he wonders if the team would make a four- or five-year offer to Abreu to keep him around this offseason. There’s no indication that there have been any actual extension negotiations between the two sides, though Rogers suggests that both Abreu and Avisail Garcia could make sense as longer-term pieces in Chicago.
- Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star took an excellent look at the remarkable late blooming of Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield. As Dodd points out, Merrifield is one of just seven players in the past 50 years to debut after his 27th birthday and compile five wins above replacement in his first two seasons. The others on that list were all established stars in other countries before coming to the United States (e.g. Ichiro Suzuki, Jose Abreu, Hideki Matsui). Dodd tracks Merrifield’s minor league career, noting that he was passed on entirely in the Rule 5 Draft along the way. It’s a must-read column that is rife with quotes from GM Dayton Moore, Merrifield’s coaches from his amateur days, several of Merrifield’s teammates and, of course, Merrifield himself. Now 28 years old, Merrifield has broken out with a .285/.324/.463 batting line, 17 homers, 29 steals and quality defense at second base — likely cementing himself in the Royals’ lineup for the 2018 season and beyond.
2017 Rule 5 Roundup
With just a few weeks left in the season, we have a pretty clear idea of which Rule 5 draft picks will stick with their drafting teams. At this point, having already carried the player this far and with expanded rosters easing any pressures, teams are quite likely to stay the course. Here’s how this season’s Rule 5 group has shaken out thus far:
Keepers
It isn’t official yet, but these
- Miguel Diaz, RHP, kept by Padres (via Twins) from Brewers: As part of the Pads’ unusually bold Rule 5 strategy, the club kept three youngsters this year. Diaz, 22, has managed only a 6.21 ERA with a 31:22 K/BB ratio over 37 2/3 innings. But he is showing a 96 mph heater and will remain with the organization, quite likely heading back to the minors next season to continue his development.
- Luis Torrens, C, kept by Padres (via Reds) from Yankees: The youthful backstop — he’s just 21 — has struggled badly on offense in limited action. Through 133 plate appearances, he’s slashing just.169/.246/.212 — with just four extra-base hits, none of them home runs.
- Allen Cordoba, INF, kept by Padres from Cardinals: And then there’s Cordoba, who’s also just 21 years of age. He faded after a hot start at the plate, but on the whole his output — a .209/.284/.304 batting line and four home runs over 215 plate appearances — is fairly impressive given that he had never before played above Rookie ball.
- Dylan Covey, RHP, kept by White Sox from Athletics: Technically, owing to a DL stint, Covey has only compiled 83 of the minimum 90 days of active roster time required to be kept. But he’s going to make it there before the season is up, meaning that the Sox will be able to hold onto his rights and option him back to the minors in 2018. Covey, 26, has struggled to a 7.90 ERA with 4.9 K/9 against 4.4 BB/9 over 54 2/3 innings, allowing 18 long balls in that span.
- Stuart Turner, C, kept by Reds from Twins: Turner has seen minimal action, appearing in just 33 games and taking only 77 trips to the plate. And he’s hitting just .141/.184/.268 in that sporadic action. Clearly, though, the Reds have seen enough to believe he’s worth the trouble to hang onto.
Still In Limbo
- Kevin Gadea, RHP, selected by Rays from Mariners: Gadea has not pitched at any level this year owing to an elbow injury. He’ll remain with the Tampa Bay organization for the time being, but will still need to be carried on the 40-man roster over the offseason and then on the active roster for at least ninety days for his rights to permanently transfer.
- Armando Rivero, RHP, selected by Braves from Cubs: It’s the exact same situation for Rivero as for Gadea, though he has had shoulder problems.
- Josh Rutledge, INF, selected by Red Sox from Rockies: This was not your typical Rule 5 move. Boston snagged the veteran infielder after he signed a minors deal with Colorado. He ended up seeing minimal MLB time owing to injuries and his season ended recently with hip surgery. Rutledge is eligible for arbitration this fall and isn’t likely to be kept on the 40-man roster regardless.
- Anthony Santander, OF, selected by Orioles from Indians: Since he only made it off of the DL late in the summer, Santander can accrue only 45 days on the active roster. If Baltimore wants to keep him, then, it’ll need to put him on the Opening Day roster next year. Santander has seen minimal playing time thus far, recording two hits in twelve trips to the plate, though he put up impressive numbers on his rehab assignment.
Kept By Other Means
- Daniel Stumpf, LHP, signed with Tigers after electing free agency upon return to Royals: This is another unusual situation. As a previous Rule 5 returnee, Stumpf was eligible to elect free agency upon being returned to his original organization. That’s just what happened when Detroit sent him back to Kansas City; the southpaw then turned around and re-signed a MLB deal with the Tigers. He has ended up turning in a rather productive year, posting 32 1/3 innings of 2.78 ERA ball with 8.6 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 at the major-league level and showing even more impressive numbers during his time at Triple-A.
Already Returned
- Tyler Jones, RHP, returned to Yankees by Diamondbacks: Jones has thrown rather well at Triple-A since going back to the New York organization, posting 10.7 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 in 63 2/3 innings, though he has also allowed 4.38 earned per nine.
- Caleb Smith, LHP, returned to Yankees by Brewers: Smith ended up earning a 40-man roster spot and spending some time in the majors after showing quite well as a starter in the minors. But he has been knocked around in his 18 2/3 MLB frames on the year.
- Justin Haley, RHP, returned to Red Sox by Twins (via Angels): The 26-year-old didn’t stick with Minnesota, allowing a dozen earned runs in 18 innings before being returned to Boston. But he has thrown well since landing back at Triple-A Pawtucket, posting a 2.66 ERA with 7.2 K/9 and 1.4 BB/9 in 44 innings over seven starts.
- Tyler Webb, LHP, returned to Yankees by Pirates: Webb also gained a 40-man spot with the Yankees after showing some intriguing K/BB numbers at Triple-A. He was ultimately dealt to the Brewers.
- Aneury Tavarez, OF, returned to Red Sox by Orioles: Tavarez played his way back up to Triple-A upon his return to his former organization, but has hit just .244/.292/.400 in 145 plate appearances there.
- Glenn Sparkman, RHP, returned to Royals by Blue Jays: Sparkman was bombed in his one MLB appearance and has been limited to just 30 1/3 minor-league frames due to injury.
- Hoby Milner, LHP, returned to Phillies by Indians: Another player who has risen to the majors with the organization that originally let them leave via the Rule 5, Milner has turned in 24 1/3 frames of 1.85 ERA ball in Philadelphia. Of course, he has also managed just 15 strikeouts against ten walks in that span.
- Mike Hauschild, RHP, returned to Astros by Rangers: The 27-year-old righty struggled badly in his eight MLB frames. Upon returning to the rotation for Houston’s top affiliate, Hauschild has uncharacteristically struggled with free passes (5.3 per nine).
White Sox Shut Down Carlos Rodon
The White Sox have shut down lefty Carlos Rodon for the rest of the season, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). He is said to be dealing with inflammation in his shoulder.
Rodon underwent an MRI today, leading to the DL placement. But the specific findings aren’t yet known. The prized southpaw will be checked out further next week, Merkin notes.
This is not how Rodon and the Sox hoped the season would end. The 24-year-old opened the year with an extended DL stint due to biceps bursitis, but returned to make a dozen mostly promising starts. Over 69 1/3 innings, Rodon carries a 4.15 ERA with 9.9 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9. Beyond the free passes, he was hurt most by permitting 1.56 homers per nine.
It’s always at least a bit concerning to hear of shoulder issues, though in this case there was little reason for the club to take anything but the most conservative course of action. Needless to say, Chicago isn’t pressing for a postseason berth. And after trading away most all of the club’s veteran assets, Rodon is perhaps the team’s most valuable remaining player.
The South Siders will continue to take the long view with Rodon, who will qualify for Super Two status this coming fall. While that’ll enable him to begin increasing his earnings one year early, Rodon will not be eligible for free agency until 2022.
White Sox Select Contracts Of Al Alburquerque, Chris Volstad
The White Sox announced this afternoon that they’ve added a pair of experienced arms to their pitching staff for the remainder of the year, selecting the contracts of right-handers Al Alburquerque and Chris Volstad from Triple-A Charlotte. The pair of additions fills Chicago’s 40-man roster.
Alburquerque, 31, is no stranger to the AL Central, having spent the 2011-15 seasons with the Tigers and also having tossed 10 innings for the Royals earlier this season. The hard-throwing righty used a sharp slider to rack up nearly 13 strikeouts per nine innings over his first three seasons in the big leagues, but control has long been an issue for Alburquerque. In recent years, his velocity and strikeouts have both dipped, though he averaged 93.8 mph on his heater with the Royals in this season’s limited sample.
Overall, Alburquerque owns a lifetime 3.23 ERA in the Major Leagues through 237 innings. He’s averaged 10.9 K/9 with a 48.4 percent ground-ball rate as a big leaguer, but he’s also averaged 5.1 BB/9 in that time. He pitched well for the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate earlier this season and will give a thin White Sox bullpen some experience for the season’s final weeks as he also auditions for a 2018 job (be it with the Sox or with another club should Chicago remove him from the 40-man at season’s end).
As for Volstad, the towering righty will be making his first appearance in the Majors since a two-inning stint with the Pirates in 2015. Volstad, in fact, has thrown just 10 1/3 innings in the Majors since the 2012 season. In the interim, he’s spent a season in the Korea Baseball Organization and pitched in Triple-A with the Rockies, Angels, Pirates and now the White Sox.
The 6’8″ Volstad was once one of baseball’s best pitching prospects during his minor league days with the Marlins. He graduated to Miami’s big league club in 2008 and went on to toss 584 innings out of the Marlins’ rotation through the 2011 campaign, logging a 4.59 ERA, 5.8 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in that time.
Overall, Volstad has a career 4.92 ERA in 705 2/3 Major League innings, during which he’s averaged 5.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 50.1 percent grounder rate. He’s made 18 starts and nine relief appearances for the White Sox’ Triple-A affiliate this year and can serve as a long reliever for manager Rick Renteria or make a start or two down the stretch, if needed.
AL Central Notes: Verlander Trade, Twins, Diaz, ChiSox
In one of his latest columns at FanRag Sports, Jon Heyman looks at the final hours leading up to Aug. 31’s Justin Verlander blockbuster. The Astros, according to Heyman, had been reluctant to part with any of their top six prospects in trades for virtually any player in either July or August. It wasn’t until 10:30pm ET on the night of Aug. 31 that they called the Tigers to at last cave in and concede a willingness to part with highly touted right-hander Franklin Perez. Detroit GM Al Avila had two execs head to Verlander’s home before the ace had decided whether to waive his no-trade clause in order to obtain his signature as quickly as possible if he ultimately approved a deal.
The Tigers’ initial centerpiece target, per Heyman, was another of the Astros’ young right-handers: Forrest Whitley. Houston held firm on him, but the two sides were ultimately able to cobble a deal together and give Verlander about an hour to weigh whether to waive his no-trade protection. In the end, the trade went through at 11:59pm, per Heyman, barely scraping under the wire.
A bit more from the AL Central…
- Jake Depue of 1500 ESPN spoke to Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey this week about top pitching prospects Stephen Gonsalves and Fernando Romero and the progress that the pair made in 2017. While there’d been some speculation that Gonsalves could join the team in September, Falvey hinted at some inconsistencies following a promotion to Triple-A Rochester. “We’ve seen some really good outings from him,” said Falvey. “…We’ve also seen probably the natural fatigue that a pitcher goes through late in the year, and he’s had some of those outings too.” Falvey ultimately acknowledged that the team felt Triple-A was “the best environment” for Gonsalves, with whom the team will be careful from a developmental standpoint. Indeed, Twins manager Paul Molitor told reporters prior to Thursday night’s game that the team was likely done making September call-ups (Twitter link via Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com).
- Indians prospect Yandy Diaz has demonstrated elite exit velocity but also an extreme tendency to hit the ball on the ground, writes Travis Sawchik of The Athletic (subscription required and recommended). The 26-year-old Diaz signed out of Cuba for $300K three years ago, and while he’s never cracked many top prospect lists, his exit velocity and outstanding eye at the plate (14 percent walk rate, more walks than strikeouts in the minors) make him an intriguing breakout candidate despite his age. In addition to chatting with Indians assistant hitting coach Matt Quatraro about Diaz’s approach, Sawchik breaks down Diaz’s point of contact and recent adjustments to his swing as he looks to carve out a role on the team moving forward.
- Left-hander Carlos Rodon was a last-minute scratch for the White Sox tonight, as Scott Merkin of MLB.com writes. Fifteen minutes before first pitch, the Sox swapped Rodon out for veteran Mike Pelfrey due to stiffness in his left shoulder. The former No. 3 overall pick is viewed as a key long-term piece for the Sox, but injuries have limited him to 69 2/3 innings this season. It’s not clear at this time if Rodon will need to miss any further outings.
- Rodon isn’t the only injury for the White Sox, either; right-hander Jake Petricka was placed back on the 10-day DL for a third time this season due to an elbow strain, per Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago. Petricka expressed some frustration but explained that the injury built up over time as opposed to a more severe injury that could occur on one single pitch. Indeed, Hayes notes that an MRI revealed no structural damage for Petricka, but there’s uncertainty as to whether he’ll be able to return to an already inexperienced ChiSox pen before season’s end.
White Sox Release Derek Holland
The White Sox announced that they have placed lefty Derek Holland on release waivers. Chicago announced a series of other moves as well. Top prospect Yoan Moncada has been activated from the DL, while the team purchased the contract of lefty Jace Fry and brought him up from Double-A.
Holland will almost certainly clear waivers, in which case he’d return to the open market while the remainder of his $6MM annual salary remains on Chicago’s books. Though he can still sign with another organization, so long as one is willing to free up a 40-man spot, Holland would not be eligible to pitch in the postseason.
The 30-year-old southpaw simply has not had quite the bounceback season he and the Sox hoped for when he signed on over the winter. Holland has managed only a 6.20 ERA over 135 innings, allowing 31 long balls while carrying 6.9 K/9 against 5.0 BB/9 in that span.
If there’s something to build off of, it’s the fact that Holland has been available all year after dealing with significant injuries in recent campaigns. Still, he averaged just 91.7 mph on his fastball, well off his career average of around 94. A variety of other underlying indicators suggest that hitters weren’t having much trouble seeing what was coming their way. For instance, Holland coaxed batters to offer at pitches outside the zone just one quarter of the time while surrendering 38.4% hard contact — both representing career-worst figures.
Minor MLB Transactions: Holmberg, Liriano, Lewicki
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.
- The White Sox announced yesterday that they’d selected the contract of lefty David Holmberg from Triple-A Charlotte. Holmberg spent three months on the White Sox staff earlier this year, posting a respectable 3.55 ERA, but with 5.0 K/9 and 4.6 BB/9 over 50 2/3 innings, including six starts. The team outrighted him last month. The 26-year-old has now pitched parts of four seasons in the big leagues, also appearing with the Diamondbacks and Reds.
- The White Sox announced today that they’d placed outfielder Leury Garcia on the 10-day DL with a sprained thumb, replacing him with Rymer Liriano, whose contract they selected from Charlotte. Liriano was once a top prospect in the Padres organization, but they designated him for assignment prior to the 2016 season. He found a home with the Brewers, only to have his 2016 campaign derailed when he was hit by a pitch in Spring Training. The White Sox claimed him last winter, then outrighted him near the end of Spring Training. He batted .256/.323/.416 with Charlotte and now appears set for his first big-league action since 2014.
- The Tigers will soon place Victor Martinez on the 60-day DL and select the contract of righty Artie Lewicki, MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets. Lewicki will start against the Royals on Monday, taking the unenviable task of filling Justin Verlander‘s spot in the rotation. The 25-year-old Lewicki was the Tigers’ eighth-round pick out of the University of Virginia in 2014. This year, he’s produced a 3.38 ERA, 7.9 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 in 141 innings split between Double-A Erie and Triple-A Toledo. The impending Martinez move comes as little surprise, since he requires chronic ablation surgery and is out for the remainder of the season.
Rangers Acquire Miguel Gonzalez
The Rangers have struck a deal to add righty Miguel Gonzalez from the White Sox, as Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun first reported (Twitter link). Per the report, the Orioles were also attempting to bring back the veteran starter, but weren’t willing to meet the asking price. Infielder Ti’Quan Forbes will go to Chicago in return. The Rangers have designated righty Anthony Bass to open a roster spot.
Though Texas isn’t exactly in prime position to snag a Wild Card berth — the team entered play today three games out and dropped its contest — it seems the club is at least interested in keeping that possibility open. Gonzalez will help bolster a rotation that no longer features Yu Darvish and has seen numerous other pitchers struggle. If they can crack the postseason, the Rangers will be able to utilize Gonzalez on their roster.
The White Sox have been quite aggressive in moving veterans, and Gonzalez now becomes the latest to go. The 33-year-old has been a steady presence since coming to Chicago after a four-year run in Baltimore. He’s earning $5.9MM this year — about $1MM of which remains to be paid — and will be a free agent at season’s end.
On the season, Gonzalez owns a 4.30 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 to go with a 38.1% groundball rate over 127 2/3 innings. He has been quite good since returning from a mid-summer DL stint, spinning 49 frames of 2.94 ERA ball — albeit still with just 35 strikeouts against 19 walks.
Despite the underwhelming peripherals, Gonzalez has typically managed to limit hard contact and suppress batting average on balls in play; opposing hitters carry a .278 BABIP against him over his six-year career. He doesn’t work with much velocity, but mixes five pitches and has managed to post a lifetime 3.88 ERA over 843 MLB frames.
Forbes only just turned 21 and was a second-round pick in 2014. But he has not really shown much yet as a professional. While playing mostly at third base this season, which he has split between the Class A and High-A levels, Forbes carries a meager .234/.281/.344 batting line with 11 home runs through 517 plate appearances.
The 29-year-old Bass has seen action in six MLB campaigns, but was bombed in two appearances this year with Texas. He has pitched to a 4.17 ERA in 84 1/3 Triple-A innings, though, with 10.2 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/26/17
Here are the latest minor moves from around the game, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…
- The Reds outrighted right-hander Nefi Ogando to Triple-A, according to Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). Ogando has been limited to just 5 1/3 minor league innings this season due to a hand injury, and then a shoulder injury suffered while rehabbing his hand. The hard-throwing Ogando has a 3.86 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 1.69 K/BB rate over 373 1/3 career innings in the farm systems for four different teams (Reds, Marlins, Phillies, Red Sox) in his eight-year pro career. Ogando has also had a couple of brief stints at the big league level with Miami and Philadelphia over the last two seasons.
- The White Sox purchased the contract of catcher Rob Brantly from Triple-A, in a corresponding move to the 10-day DL placement of outfielder Nicky Delmonico. Brantly has spent the entire season with the Triple-A affiliates of the White Sox and Reds, coming to Chicago’s organization in late June after being released by Cincy. He’ll be looking for his first taste of MLB action since 2015, when he appeared in 14 games in a previous stint with the White Sox.
Earlier Today
- The Rays outrighted Trevor Plouffe to Triple-A after the third baseman cleared waivers, the team announced. Plouffe was designated for assignment earlier this week. Acquired by the Rays from the Athletics in June, Plouffe hasn’t produced much in either uniform in 2017, hitting a combined .204/.274/.325 over 281 PA. One would think Plouffe will be a candidate to rejoin the Rays when rosters expand in September, though a new space will have to be found on their 40-man roster.
- The Reds selected the contract of catcher Chad Wallach from Triple-A Louisville prior to yesterday’s game. The move was made to replace Stuart Turner, who went on the paternity list. Even if it may be a brief stint as Cincy’s backup catcher, it still represents the first big league callup for Wallach, a fifth-round pick for Miami in the 2013 draft and the owner of a .259/.350/.387 slash line over 1477 plate appearances in the minors. Wallach, the son of longtime Expos/Dodgers third baseman and current Marlins bench coach Tim Wallach, joined the Reds in December 2014 along with Anthony DeSclafani in the trade that sent Mat Latos to Miami.
AL Central Notes: Herrera, Delmonico, Mahtook
The AL Central-leading Indians are dealing with several notable injury issues, as we covered last night. While we wait for further updates out of Cleveland, here are some updates on a few of the other clubs from the division:
- Royals closer Kelvin Herrera had to leave his appearance last night with what the team is describing as elbow tightness. As Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star reports, though, preliminary indications today are that he has avoided a significant injury and may not even require any time off. Herrera has not been his dominant self thus far in 2017, though clearly the Royals are still counting on him as they attempt a postseason push over the next five weeks.
- White Sox newcomer Nicky Delmonico has broken onto the major league scene with an intriguing twenty-game run. Before he could push for an opportunity in the bigs, though, he had to overcome an addiction to Adderall, as David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune writes in a piece that’s well worth a full read. Delmonico sports an excellent .329/.434/.614 batting line with six home runs over his first 83 plate appearances. More impressively, perhaps, he has drawn a dozen walks to go with just 13 strikeouts.
- Hot-hitting Tigers center fielder Mikie Mahtook may be playing his way into the club’s future plans, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free-Press writes. At a minimum, he has likely locked up the regular job for the rest of this season now that he owns a .288/.338/.464 batting line through 290 plate appearances on the year. It remains to be seen whether Mahtook can sustain that kind of productivity over a full season — after all, he has never sustained this level of power (.176 isolated slugging) over a full minor-league season, and his .343 batting average on balls in play likely will retreat at least somewhat. So long as he can keep hitting at an average or better rate the rest of the way, though, Detroit’s offseason plans will surely be impacted. Mahtook will not be eligible for arbitration until after the 2017 season, at the earliest.