International Notes: July 2 Preview, Maitan, Braves, Padres
Baseball America’s Ben Badler has compiled scouting reports on the Top 50 prospects on the upcoming July 2 international market, in addition to providing projected landing spots for each player on the list. The exhaustive report on the international scene requires a BA subscription, but it’s highly recommended for those who wish to dive headfirst into learning about the upcoming glut of talent that will be injected into most clubs’ minor league pipelines. Those looking to learn more about the process can also check out this primer from Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs, who also provides a ranking of the class (with further explanation here).
Here are just a few highlights from Badler’s excellent work on the topic, which deserves a full read:
- Badler takes a particularly close look at top prospect Kevin Maitan, who he says may be a better prospect than Miguel Sano was as a teenager. The link comes with a lengthy and detailed scouting report, including discussion of the question whether Maitain will be able to stay at shortstop for the long run. Scouts are divided on the likelihood, but all seem to agree it’s at least a plausible outcome.
- Maitan has long been said to be heading for the Braves, and we’ve yet to hear anything to change that expectation. Atlanta has lined up a big batch of spending, but Badler provides a bit of context for just how large: he says it “should look comparable to what the Yankees did in 2014-15.” (You can refresh yourself on New York’s shock and awe campaign here.)
- The Padres appear headed in that direction, too, as Badler says that a $30MM to $35MM spend might be their floor. In addition to big activity on the Cuban market, San Diego is in line to add eight of the top fifty available players. As for the Nationals, who are also believed to be pacing the market in spending, it might not be quite that dramatic. But Washington could still come away with three of the fifteen best prospecs on the market.
- The Astros, too, seem ready to drop some big cash — including a $3.5MM bonus for Cuban shortstop Anibal Sierra. Houston is eyeing five of the top fifty names on Badler’s list, he notes. One player that could be ticketed for the ‘Stros is fifth overall prospect Freudis Nova.
- Nova had been connected to the Marlins before failing a PED test. Now, Badler explains, Miami has a big chunk of pool availability and little in the way of commitments. The club could deal that away or see if it can find a nice price on the Cuban market.
- It also remains to be seen what the Reds will do, but Badler explains that things could go in either of two directions. Cinci could trade for some added bonus pool space to add Cuban shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez and a few smaller signings without hitting the penalty. Or, the team could enter the broader Cuban market and blow past its limits.
- The White Sox are expected to land slugging prospect Josue Guerrero — who, yes, is a part of the famous family. Despite being quiet in recent years, the Athletics are in position to add some talent, including George Bell, whose father (same name) was a quality big leaguer.
- The Brewers aren’t believed to have any seven-figure bonuses lined up, but could still add a high number of interesting players with the fifth-highest spending availability in the game. Likewise, the Phillies are expected to spread their cash.
- Of course, not every team will have the opportunity to spend lavishly this period; the Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs, D-backs, Angels, Rays, Red Sox, Giants, Royals and Blue Jays are each prohibited from spending more than $300K on international amateurs after incurring maximum penalties, though that doesn’t mean those organizations don’t have a chance to find some talent.
Central Notes: Cain, Hamilton, Melancon, Rondon
Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain left last night’s game with a hamstring injury suffered when attempting to beat out an infield single and will be further evaluated by doctors in Kansas City today, writes Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. Manager Ned Yost said after the game that the early diagnosis is a hamstring strain, but there’s not yet an indication as to whether Cain will require a trip to the disabled list. Cain becomes the latest core player for the Royals to sustain an injury this season, as Mike Moustakas is out for the season with a torn ACL, while Alex Gordon missed more than a month due to a broken wrist (suffered in a collision that resulted in Moustakas’ ACL tear). The Royals’ loss to the Cardinals last night dropped them to six games out of the lead for the AL Central.
More from the game’s Central divisions…
- Billy Hamilton was removed from the Reds game against today after he was struck in the face by a ball off the bat of Anthony Rizzo that deflected off the glove of left fielder Adam Duvall (video link). Hamilton was down for several minutes but ultimately walked to the Reds’ bullpen with the team’s training staff but under his own power. Tyler Holt replaced Hamilton in center field, and there’s been no update from the team at this time, but one would imagine that Hamilton will undergo testing for concussion symptoms following an injury of that nature.
- Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review opines that the Pirates should make closer Mark Melancon available in trades this summer, as the club looks increasingly unlikely to fight its way back into contention. The Bucs have dropped 18 of their 26 contests in June and are currently sitting 14 back in the NL Central and 4.5 games back of the second Wild Card spot in the National League, and Melancon is a free agent at season’s end.
- I’d take Rossi’s argument a step further, though, as I feel that the Bucs should shop Melancon even if they turn things around with a strong showing in July and position themselves for a Wild Card berth. There very little chance that Pirates will take the financial risk of making Melancon a qualifying offer following the season, meaning that they presently stand to lose him for nothing if he signs elsewhere. The Pirates could turn to either Tony Watson or a resurgent Neftali Feliz to handle ninth-inning duties, and Melancon could help fetch a piece that could address another roster need in 2016 (and possibly beyond). The back of the rotation, in particular, could use some help. While moving him unquestionably thins out the bullpen, Pittsburgh will eventually need to limit Jameson Taillon‘s innings in 2016, and placing him in the bullpen for the balance of the season following a Melancon trade would accomplish just that.
- Tigers right-hander Bruce Rondon is embracing a new role in the Detroit bullpen, writes MLB.com’s Jason Beck. Rondon has been entering games mid-inning and often working more than one inning and is thriving without the label of “future closer” being associated with him for the time being. Rondon was sent home early last season due to his “effort level” and questions surrounding his maturity, but manager Brad Ausmus sees a completely different person in 2016. “He’s definitely matured since the end of last year, no question,” said Ausmus. “He seems to have a better focus. At this point, really, when he’s asked to pitch, he takes the ball, doesn’t complain. He’s been a model citizen so far.” It’s a small sample, but Rondon is averaging 98.5 mph on his fastball and has allowed just one run with a 7-to-2 K/BB ratio in seven innings since being recalled from Triple-A. Even if his stellar results don’t continue, the gains he’s made in terms of maturity seem to bode well for his future with the club.
Looking For A Match In A Zack Cozart Trade
At thirty years of age, Zack Cozart has fully hit his stride as a ballplayer. Yet because of his early-career struggles at the plate and an ill-timed knee surgery last year, he’s earning just under $3MM this season with one more arbitration-eligible campaign to come. That makes him an interesting and affordable trade piece for the Reds.
A deal is far from a fait accompli, but seems increasingly likely as the market develops. Still, Cincinnati could certainly justify holding onto him if a fair offer isn’t forthcoming. As I recently noted in ranking Cozart among the game’s top fifteen trade candidates, though, he will quite likely be the best shortstop available. Particularly since he was kind enough to acknowledge his MLBTR readership recently, we thought it made sense to take a look at where he could end up playing next.
Cozart began turning heads last year, when he came out of the gates with a strong .258/.310/.459 batting line and nine home runs over 214 plate appearances. Then came his hard-to-watch injury, which occurred as he hustled to leg out a grounder and landed awkwardly on first base. That not only sapped Cozart’s arb earning power, but put a halt to his efforts to prove that he had really turned a corner at the plate. After being installed as Cincinnati’s regular shortstop in 2012, he managed only a .241/.280/.362 batting line over 1,761 trips to the plate in the next three years. He did show some pop, with 31 total home runs, but the bat looked marginal.
Thus far in 2016, Cozart has put both the injury and those past struggles in the rearview mirror. He has maintained and even improved upon his offensive production from last year, slashing .273/.316/.486 over the first 275 plate appearances of the season. Cozart is making hard contact (32.9%) and spraying line drives (23.4%) at career-best rates, and he’s continuing to bang long balls on about 13% of the flyballs he hits. He has actually been better on the road than at Great American Ballpark and isn’t benefiting from an inflated BABIP.
If you want to take the optimistic side, Cozart’s development looks somewhat similar to that of Brandon Crawford. As in the case of the Giants’ $75MM man, Cozart has never faced questions with the glove. In fact, Cozart has been among the most valuable defenders in all of baseball, delivering more or less equivalent value to Crawford. Just check out this UZR-based leaderboard from 2012-16 and whistle with surprise and admiration.
With solid baserunning mixed in, Cozart is and always has been a fairly high-floor player. That’s why he managed to play at about a two-WAR clip even when he was sagging on offense. Mix in an average or better bat, though, and you’re suddenly looking at a guy who has already compiled two wins in just 67 games. With the cheap salary and bonus year added in, that’s a pretty appealing trade piece.
There’s little question that the Reds front office believed Cozart would ultimately deliver this kind of productivity; he has been an everyday player since 2012. But Cincinnati may not be well-positioned to enjoy the fruits of its patience. The club isn’t expected to contend before Cozart hits free agency after the 2017 season, and an extension doesn’t seem particularly wise given his age and the team’s ongoing efforts to trim obligations and manage some long-term contracts that haven’t panned out. Plus, the organization has a pair of intriguing young infielders at the major league level — Eugenio Suarez and Jose Peraza — who could step in at short.
All sounds good so far … but truth be told, there isn’t a really evident match on paper. There are a few contenders whose shortstops have scuffled thus far, to be sure. And some other clubs have needs around the infield that could conceivably be met by adding Cozart. But it’s tough to find any specific team that is likely to feel extremely motivated to add a new face at short.
Let’s take a closer look:
Royals: K.C. just hasn’t received much of anything from Alcides Escobar, who has followed up on a poor offensive 2015 with an even worse start to the current campaign (56 wRC+) while drawing negative defensive metrics. Meanwhile, holes opened at both second and third; while they’ve been plugged admirably by Whit Merrifield and Cheslor Cuthbert, it’s not clear that either will be up to the task of regular duty for the long haul. It’s possible to imagine Cozart being utilized in any number of ways by the resourceful Royals.
Mariners: Seattle hoped that Ketel Marte would be ready for a regular role this year, but he’s struggled to a .278/.305/.363 batting line and hasn’t drawn rave reviews from defensive metrics with the glove. The team traded away a one-time option, Chris Taylor, and hasn’t received much at all from reserves Shawn O’Malley and Luis Sardinas. Installing Cozart could allow the M’s to turn Marte into a super-utility player who could see time all over the infield and outfield.
White Sox: Highly-regarded prospect Tim Anderson has been a league-average hitter over his first 74 plate appearances, but there are some red flags mixed in. He has yet to draw a walk, is striking out in about a third of his plate appearances, and is benefiting from a .370 BABIP. Ultimately, his current productivity is dependent upon a .219 ISO that would dwarf anything he has done in the minors. While Chicago may not want to burn resources and may be glad to roll the dice on Anderson’s talent, the fear of regression is real. It’s worth noting, too, that second baseman Brett Lawrie has cooled off considerably since his hot start.
Mets: Yes, the club just added Jose Reyes to provide an option with David Wright possibly down for the count in 2016. But that move didn’t come with any financial risk. And Reyes looked like a shell of his former self last year before sitting out the first half of this season. Then, there’s the fact that Asdrubal Cabrera has never had good range at shortstop. Adding Cozart up the middle while bumping Cabrera to third could represent a huge defensive upgrade.
Giants: San Francisco is set at short with the aforementioned Crawford and has quality young options at second (Joe Panik) and third (Matt Duffy). But Duffy is currently out and the organization is rumored to have looked at Yunel Escobar. Cozart would represent a similar addition in terms of his cost now and in 2017, and he’s probably the better player at this point. Of course, adding an infielder never seemed like the most pressing need in the first place.
Astros: Hear me out! Most agree that Carlos Correa is not a great defensive shortstop; moving him to third has long been discussed as a possibility. Adding Cozart and bumping Correa to third would essentially be another way of addressing the team’s questions at the hot corner. Top prospect Alex Bregman is streaking toward the majors, of course, but the team might not want to rush up the 2015 draftee or rely on him too heavily right out of the gates. I’ll admit it’s a long-shot, but it could be an interesting fit.
Marlins: We’ve long heard how enamored Miami is of Adeiny Hechavarria, and he’s highly valued for his glove, but he’s one of the team’s few regulars that isn’t hitting for the club. Cozart would also make a great platoon mate for Derek Dietrich at second, and could spell Martin Prado at third. With Dee Gordon‘s return nearing, though, Cozart would likely only make sense if the club decides it’s time to replace Hech. Pitching seems a much higher priority for the Fish.
Tigers: This situation looks much like that of the Marlins. Jose Iglesias remains a fantastic fielder, but he’s now hitting .255/.314/.332 on the year. Plus, Nick Castellanos is a marginal defender at third and is carrying a sub-.700 OPS in June. Cozart could bump Castellanos to the outfield while J.D. Martinez is out and then be utilized in a variety of ways — including, conceivably, as the regular shortstop — down the stretch.
Orioles: Cozart doesn’t look all that dissimilar from a younger version of J.J. Hardy, who is now nearing 34 years of age. Hardy’s always-questionable on-base abilities have faded yet further in the last two years, and he last hit double-digit home runs in 2013. It’s not entirely inconceivable that Baltimore could seek his replacement in Cozart, though the elder player remains a top-quality defender. That scenario would begin to look more plausible if Hardy suffers another injury or can’t pick up the pace he has set since returning on June 18th (.257/.257/.314).
Others: We’re really starting to wade into implausible territory the further we get down the list here, but there are some other teams who could match if you squint. The Red Sox have 99 problems and shortstop ain’t one, but adding Cozart to the mix would open up some platoon opportunities at first and third, give the team a highly-capable fill-in at the middle infield, and/or open up the possibility of utilizing Travis Shaw in left. And the Rays could conceivably send Cinci a useful arm in order to improve its shortstop situation at a reasonable price — with an eye on 2017. You could make a case that the Indians could improve upon Juan Uribe, who isn’t hitting much but still defends like a champ. But even then, they’d probably be better suited adding an outfielder and deploying Jose Ramirez at the hot corner. The Dodgers always seem to find a way to add another infielder, though admittedly it’s difficult to see in this case; the Yankees would probably prefer to have better production from second and third, though that’s a tough fit.
In the aggregate, the demand side of the equation isn’t terribly robust. The real question, perhaps, is whether one or more contender will come up with a really significant need between now and the deadline. In the event of an injury or steep performance decline from one or more shortstops, the Reds could be left holding a critical piece of the trade deadline puzzle.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Angels Claim J.C. Ramirez From Reds
The Angels have claimed righty J.C. Ramirez off waivers from the Reds, according to the Halos’ communications department (on Twitter).
Ramirez posted a 6.40 ERA, 7.8 K/9 and 3.11 K/BB rate over 32 1/3 innings out of Cincinnati’s bullpen this season, allowing an ungainly seven homers over that stretch. The 27-year-old has a 6.41 ERA over 80 career innings with the Reds, Diamondbacks and Phillies dating back to 2013. He could serve as bullpen depth in Anaheim, given how the Angels already have a number of right-handed relief options, or it’s possible another move could be forthcoming.
Dodgers Interested In Jay Bruce
The Dodgers have considered Reds outfielder Jay Bruce as an outfield upgrade, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link). Bruce would add both left-handed hitting balance and some extra pop to a Los Angeles outfield that has underachieved this season, and may not be getting any internal reinforcements since Andre Ethier‘s return from the DL is uncertain.
Bruce, 29, has rebuilt his trade value after a couple of subpar seasons by hitting .280/.329/.575 with 16 home runs over 283 plate appearances this year. He’s hitting for more power than ever before as per the Isolated Power metric (.295), and his 20.8% strikeout rate is his lowest total since 2009.
Despite the big offensive numbers, however, Bruce is still rated as barely above replacement level (0.2 fWAR) since he isn’t bringing much to the table in terms of baserunning or right field defense. Bruce’s defensive metrics have declined over the last two seasons and cratered this year to the tune of a -28.4 UZR.150 and minus-9 Defensive Runs Saved.
If L.A. acquired Bruce, he would be taking right field playing time away from Yasiel Puig, who has the opposite problem — a struggling bat but an elite glove. It seems likely that Bruce would primarily be used against right-handed pitching, as while he’s hit southpaws quite well this season, he has hit significantly better against righties than lefties over his career. Speaking of splits, Bruce has a notable but not outlandish gap between his carer home/away splits (.828 OPS at home, .751 OPS on the road), though a move from the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark to pitcher-friendly Dodger Stadium is likely to have an impact.
Though Bruce’s performance in 2014-15 sapped his trade value, his power bat still generated some attention on the trade market as the Reds explored deals with the Orioles, White Sox and Blue Jays, among other teams. Cincinnati appeared very close to dealing Bruce to Toronto in a three-team deal involving the Angels in February, a trade that carries a lot of “what-if” potential given how Michael Saunders (who would’ve gone to Anaheim) has gone on to have a huge season for the Jays.
Bruce’s contract isn’t necessarily a problem for the deep-pocketed Dodgers, though he doesn’t represent too much of a financial commitment. He is only owed roughly $6.35MM remaining this season, plus a $1MM buyout of a $13MM club option on his services for 2017. Bruce can block trades to eight teams but as Rosenthal notes, the Dodgers aren’t on his no-trade list.
The Dodgers have hit .237/.308/.386 with a 90 wRC+ as a team this season, ranking in the bottom third of teams in most offensive categories. The lack of consistency from the outfield has contributed to the lack of pop, as Joc Pederson has struggled against lefties, Trayce Thompson has cooled off after a hot start, Puig has battled both injuries and a decline at the plate, and left field has become the domain of converted infielders Enrique Hernandez and Howie Kendrick.
If not Bruce, Rosenthal notes (in another tweet) that the A’s Josh Reddick or the Angels’ Kole Calhoun could also fit the Dodgers’ need for a left-handed hitting outfielder. Reddick is also a free agent after the season, though Calhoun is controlled through 2019 and would come at a much higher price (if the Halos were interested in dealing him at all).
Minor MLB Transactions: 6/25/16
Here are today’s minor moves from around the league.
- The Reds have announced that they’ve released righty Steve Delabar, who allowed six runs and ten walks in eight innings of work this season before being outrighted in May. Had Delabar been successful in helping the Reds’ beleaguered bullpen, his return to the big leagues with Cincinnati might have become a feel-good story, due to his roots in nearby Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Unfortunately for Delabar and the Reds, Delabar struggled with his control not only at the big-league level, but at Triple-A Louisville as well. The 32-year-old Delabar was an All-Star with Toronto in 2013 but has fallen on hard times since, with increased walks, decreased strikeouts and a decline in average fastball velocity from about 95 MPH to about 93.
- The Rockies have selected the contract of lefty Yohan Flande and optioned righty Miguel Castro to Triple-A Albuquerque, Nick Groke of the Denver Post tweets. Flande made 35 appearances, including 20 starts, for the Rockies in 2014 and 2015, but was non-tendered last offseason before returning to the organization via a minor-league deal. Since then, he’s posted a 4.25 ERA, 5.7 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 while pitching multiple-inning stints in relief at the Triple-A level. He hasn’t pitched in five days, and should therefore provide a fresh arm for a bullpen that has been taxed in a string of high-scoring games against the Yankees and Diamondbacks, including a four-and-a-half-hour game against Arizona yesterday.
West Notes: Gurriel, Pagan, Giants, Montas, Friedman, Powell
Astros GM Jeff Luhnow didn’t make clear whether or not his team has interest in Cuban infielder Yulieski Gurriel, but did say that the organization has taken a good look at him, as Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. “We’ve done our homework and we’re very well aware of the player and what we believe he’s capable of doing,” he said. It’s still anybody’s guess whether Houston will stick with its internal options at third base — including Luis Valbuena, utilityman Marwin Gonzalez, and prospects Colin Moran and Alex Bregman — or instead pursue outside help.
Here’s more from out west:
- The Giants are open to bringing back outfielder Angel Pagan on a short-term arrangement when his current contract is up after the season, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports (Twitter links). That could change depending upon what the team does on the trade market, he adds. San Francisco has been rumored to be looking at outfielders, infielders, and both starters and relievers. Needless to say, it’s shaping up to be an interesting deadline for the NL West leaders.
- As for possible outfield additions, the Giants have put in a call to the Reds on Jay Bruce, Schulman reported earlier today, though it seems that the Cincinnati brass has yet to respond on the inquiry. He notes that the preference may well be for a right-handed bat, but with good options potentially scarce the club won’t rule out a left-handed hitter.
- Young Dodgers righty Frankie Montas has been diagnosed with a broken rib, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). He already had rib issues earlier in the year, and Rosenthal suggests the new problem is related. The highly-regarded prospect had been set to receive a big league call-up before the injury cropped up, Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
- Dodgers GM Andrew Friedman discussed his club’s uneven start to the season with McCullough. He says that the club still “feels good about where we are looking forward,” particularly given the need to weather some early injuries. Friedman suggested that the impressive stock of younger talent in the system could still be used to bolster the big league roster, though it remains unclear whether and when that’ll happen. “Our mindset since I’ve gotten here has been to focus on elite-level players,” Friedman explained. “That being said, we also had to focus on rounding our roster. With where our roster is, where our depth is, and with the quality of our upper-level prospects, it allows us to focus more intently on that.”
- Mariners outfield prospect Boog Powell has been hit with an eighty-game PED suspension, as MLB.com’s Greg Johns was among those to tweet. That’s obviously disappointing for a player who was generally regarded as one of the organization’s best upper-level youngsters. The 23-year-old was struggling at the plate at Triple-A this year, but has put up strong numbers over most of his minor league career. Powell was part of the deal that also brought Nate Karns to the M’s.
Reds Outright Jordan Pacheco, Who Elects Free Agency
The Reds have outrighted infielder/catcher Jordan Pacheco, per a club announcement. He declined an assignment after clearing waivers, instead electing free agency.
Pacheco’s roster spot was needed as the club executed a series of moves relating to their pitching staff. Veteran righty Alfredo Simon was placed on the 15-day DL, while Michael Lorenzen was activated from the 60-day DL.
[Related: Updated Reds Depth Chart]
Cincinnati wasn’t getting much from Pacheco, who is valued most for his unusual ability to play behind the dish as well as elsewhere in the infield. He wasn’t seeing action at catcher for Cincinnati, and over 51 plate appearances had recorded only eight hits without a single walk while going down 14 times via strikeout.
Pacheco has seen action in six MLB seasons, including this one. Through 1,149 plate appearances at the game’s highest level, he owns a .272/.310/.365 slash line.
Reds Outright Dayan Diaz
The Reds have outrighted righty Dayan Diaz, Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer tweets. The move clears space on the Reds’ roster for Cody Reed, who will pitch today against the Astros.
[Related: Updated Cincinnati Reds Depth Chart]
The Reds signed the 27-year-old Diaz to a minor league contract in November after a nine-year minor league career that’s included stops in the Astros, Cubs and Red Sox organizations. The Reds have twice promoted him to patch their badly struggling bullpen, but he hasn’t offered much help, allowing seven earned runs and seven walks in 6 2/3 innings. He’s fared somewhat better for Triple-A Louisville, with a 3.66 ERA, 5.5 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 19 2/3 innings.
NL Notes: Brewers, Braun, Reed, Lagares, Urias
Brewers owner Mark Attanasio says that his club is “not actively shopping” either Jonathan Lucroy or Ryan Braun, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwakee Journal-Sentinel reports. Both have drawn their share of trade speculation; indeed, the pair landed atop my recent list of 15 top trade candidates. (To be clear, that ranking is a subjective analysis based upon MLBTR’s assessment of both value and potential availability.) When asked about the volume of chatter thus far, Attanasio said there has been “very little, actually, for whatever reason.”
Here’s more from the National League:
- Speaking of Braun, the Giants reportedly have at least had some contact with the Brewers about the slugger. Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle took a look at that concept, reporting that talks were “cursory” and citing a team source as saying: “It’s far-fetched to go from a conversation to a trade.” As Schulman goes on to explain, there are a whole host of reasons that a match likely won’t come to fruition.
- The Reds announced that young lefty Cody Reed will be promoted to make his MLB debut on Saturday. The 23-year-old was one of three southpaws who came over in last summer’s Johnny Cueto deal. He has impressed in his first run at the Triple-A level, working to a 3.20 ERA in 64 2/3 innings with 8.8 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9. At this stage of the year, future Super Two qualification is not a major concern. For more on Reed, check out this scouting report from Baseball America’s J.J. Cooper.
- Mets outfielder Juan Lagares is headed to the 15-day with a sprained left thumb, the club announced. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by Ty Kelly. New York suffered another scare tonight when infielder Wilmer Flores was hit on the hand by a pitch, but it appears that he escaped any significant damage.
- Dodgers phenom Julio Urias has followed two iffy starts with two good ones, but his time in the majors doesn’t seem long — for 2016, at least. As Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports on Twitter, manager Dave Roberts said today that Urias will get two more starts before the team assesses his status, with the focus on watching his innings tally. The 19-year-old is up to 58 frames on the year between Triple-A and the bigs, and has not yet topped 87 2/3 total innings in a single season as a pro.