Neil Ramirez Accepts Outright Assignment With Indians
Reliever Neil Ramirez will remain in the Indians organization after he cleared outright waivers but accepted an assignment to Triple-A. The club announced the move.
Ramirez avoided arbitration with the Indians over the offseason, striking a $1MM deal. That contract helps explain why he would agree to stick around rather than heading out in search of a better opportunity. With more than three but less than five years of service, he can choose free agency but would have to give up the remaining guarantee to do so.
Of course, it’s also true that the Cleveland organization helped Ramirez revive what had been a moribund career. He had bounced around quite a bit before settling in with the Indians and throwing 41 2/3 innings of 4.54 ERA ball last year.
Ramirez, who turns 30 on Saturday, struggled out of the gates in 2019. His home run issues from a year ago deepened, as he allowed five in 16 2/3 innings. He’s still producing a healthy 14.3% swinging-strike rate and working in the mid-nineties with his fastball, but clearly needs to tune things up if he’s to get back to being a productive MLB reliever.
12 Corner Outfield Trade Targets For The Indians
The Indians had a 94.6% chance of making the playoffs prior to the season, according to FanGraphs. The Twins looked like an 85-win team, the Indians projected at 97, and the other 60% of the division is rebuilding. The Twins, however, have flipped the script with a 32-16 start through Tuesday’s games. They hold a 6.5 game lead over Cleveland. But a Wild Card spot is a viable option for the Indians as well, and they still hold a 54.3% shot at the postseason.
The Indians have averaged just 3.96 runs per game, 12th in the AL and nestled between non-contenders. After the club designated Carlos Gonzalez for assignment today, Zack Meisel of The Athletic wrote, “The state of the Indians’ lineup suggests a player can be hitting cleanup one day and be unemployed the next.” Indeed, CarGo had started eight of the Indians’ last ten games, typically as the left fielder.
Gonzalez will be replaced internally for the foreseeable future, with 24-year-old rookie Oscar Mercado in line for an extended look. The speedy Mercado, a Cardinals second round draft pick out of high school as a shortstop in 2013, was quietly acquired at last year’s trade deadline. Mercado returned to the edge of the prospect radar after 2017, a season in which he blossomed playing center field every day and had his best offensive year. Even at that point, though, he profiled as an extra outfielder in the Majors. Mercado’s bat wasn’t terribly impressive at Triple-A in 2018, but he tweaked his swing in the offseason, raked in spring training, and hammered the ball in 30 games at Triple-A. He’s interesting enough to merit regular playing time for the next couple of months, and his right-handed bat could be just what the Indians need in left field. The Indians have veteran center fielder Leonys Martin likely to be pushed by former first rounder Bradley Zimmer in the near future, while Jordan Luplow has settled in as the team’s right fielder and has the minor league track record to stick.
We’ll know much more about this arrangement by mid-July, and it’s possible Mercado and/or Luplow won’t continue hitting at the Major League level. While the Indians have some other paths to improving their offense, this post will explore corner outfield trade targets they may consider if internal options struggle.
Current Left Fielders
- Domingo Santana, Mariners (controllable through 2021) – Santana has dropped off after a fast start, and the Mariners look less like a contender. Still, he was a nice find for the club and I don’t think they’ll be eager to move him.
- Alex Gordon, Royals (2019) – Given Gordon’s offensive renaissance, he would be a nifty veteran rental for Cleveland. However, he has 10-and-5 rights and made it clear he doesn’t want to leave Kansas City. Plus, Gordon is earning $20MM this year and would get a $4MM assignment bonus upon a trade.
- Clint Frazier, Yankees (2023) – Frazier, the Indians’ first-round pick in 2013, was a key piece along with Justus Sheffield in Cleveland’s 2016 deadline deal for Andrew Miller. Frazier has filled in admirably for the Yankees this year after their litany of injuries, but the club may not have much playing time for him once Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton return. He could become trade bait for New York, and it would be fascinating if he were to return to the organization that drafted him. Still, the Yankees may be reluctant to help a possible playoff opponent, and they can always send Frazier to Triple-A if they truly cannot find at-bats for him.
- Adam Duvall, Braves (2021) – The Braves acquired Duvall from the Reds last summer and despite tendering him a contract in the offseason, did not put him on the Opening Day roster. Duvall showed the ability to serve as a low on-base, high power left fielder with the Reds from 2016-17, and it wouldn’t take much for the Indians to add him. The 30-year-old has mashed 15 home runs in 188 Triple-A plate appearances so far this year.
- Yasmany Tomas, Diamondbacks (2020) – The Diamondbacks signed Tomas out of Cuba in December 2014 to a six-year, $68.5MM deal. Though he smacked 31 home runs in his sophomore season, the D’Backs were never able to find a good home for him defensively. Tomas hasn’t seen Major League time since 2017, but he’s hit 14 home runs in 178 plate appearances at Triple-A this year. Jake Bauers has served as the Indians’ primary DH of late, but he could slide into left field if the team were to acquire a player like Tomas. The Diamondbacks would have to pick up the vast majority of Tomas’ contract to move him.
Current Right Fielders
- Yasiel Puig, Reds (2019) – Puig would be an excellent rental for the Indians, except for the fact that he hasn’t hit at all this year. He’s also earning $9.7MM. If Puig does return to form as an above average bat over the next few months, I could see him on the Indians’ radar.
- Nicholas Castellanos, Tigers (2019) – Castellanos has been about league average with the bat this year after a superb 130 wRC+ season in 2018. Like Puig, he’s headed for free agency after the season and is earning about $10MM. Castellanos isn’t much of a defender, but assuming the Tigers don’t have any hang-ups about trading a rental within the division, he’s a great fit for Cleveland.
- Adam Eaton, Nationals (2021) – Eaton is less than ideal as a left-handed hitter, but despite his slow start he could be a useful addition for the Indians.
- Mitch Haniger, Mariners (2022) – Haniger would be a major prize for a team like the Indians, and he bats right-handed to boot, but Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto would seek a king’s ransom if he even considers a trade. Seattle won’t be in any rush to move Haniger.
- Trey Mancini, Orioles (2022) – Mancini is one of very few bright spots on the Orioles this year, and trading the 27-year-old might not sit well with some fans, but it could be an avenue for Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias to bolster his prospect stash. Like Haniger, he’d be an attractive, controllable fit for the Indians.
- Jorge Soler, Royals (2021) – Soler has never managed to play a full season in the Majors, but he’s been healthy and has hit for power this year. I’m guessing the Royals are not eager to deal him currently.
- Tyler O’Neill, Cardinals (2024) – O’Neill is currently playing at Triple-A, though he’s been out since Saturday with an undisclosed injury. The 23-year-old has massive power from the right side and plus defense in the corners, though he’s struck out a ton in his 181 big league plate appearances. The Cardinals have already relegated a starting-caliber player to the bench in Harrison Bader, so O’Neill has an even tougher path to playing time. Longer-term, Marcell Ozuna is slated for free agency after the season and Jose Martinez could land elsewhere, so O’Neill may yet be part of the Cardinals’ future. He’s still a player about which the Indians could inquire.
It’s also worth considering that several teams that are contending now may not be contending in a few months. The Rangers, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Padres, and Athletics have some interesting corner outfield bats that might become considerations for the Indians. I also entertained the possibility of including the Cubs’ Ian Happ on this list, though the 24-year-old has struggled in 42 Triple-A games.
Indians’ Roberto Perez Diagnosed With Concussion
Indians catcher Roberto Perez was diagnosed with a concussion after taking a foul ball off the mask in last night’s game against the Athletics, manager Terry Francona told reporters after the game (link via Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer). While Francona called it a “mild” concussion and suggested the team will take a day before determining whether to place Perez on the 7-day injured list, though clubs typically err on the side of caution with regard to head injuries. Fellow catcher Eric Haase is already on his way to join the club from Triple-A Columbus, Francona indicated.
The 30-year-old Perez has taken over as Cleveland’s top catching option in 2019 following the offseason trade of Yan Gomes, and while he’s never previously been much of a threat at the plate, he’s enjoyed a solid start to the season. In 117 plate appearances, Perez is hitting .228/.319/.426 with six home runs and a pair of doubles. He’s always been able to draw a walk, but Perez has slashed his strikeout rate by four percent over last season and upped his walk rate a bit while showing the best home-run pop of his career to date. He’s also gone 6-for-18 in stopping stolen-base attempts and posted above-average framing marks (per Baseball Prospectus).
Given that improved offense and his typically solid brand of glovework, an absence for Perez would sting perhaps more than many Indians fans would’ve thought entering the season. Cleveland’s other catcher, Kevin Plawecki, has managed only a .143/.250/.286 batting line — albeit in a mere 56 plate appearances.
Haase, 26, is on the 40-man roster, so the Indians would only need to make a 25-man move to bring him up to the Majors. He’s out to a nice start of his own in Columbus, having batted .245/.341/.562 with 11 home runs in 129 plate appearances. His 31 percent strikeout rate is too high but is also a mirror image of the rate at which he’s fanned dating back to Class-A Advanced in 2015. He’s offset that mark a bit with a 13.2 percent walk rate and the best power production of his career.
Quick Hits: Clevinger, Rays, Rangers, Kelley, Phillies, Quinn
In a promising development for the injury-stricken Indians, right-hander Mike Clevinger is steadily progressing towards beginning a rehab assignment, writes Mandy Bell of MLB.com. Clevinger, who was able to make just two starts before landing on the injured list with a strained back, has thrown a couple of bullpen sessions, and will build up his workload in subsequent sessions before embarking on a minor league assignment, which should come in the near future. Expect Clevinger to conduct a few more bullpen sessions to increase his pitch count before returning to game action in the minor leagues. Certainly, the news should inspire some optimism among Cleveland faithful, for whom the presence of the intense Clevinger on the mound will be especially comforting, considering the team’s unfortunate struggles with injuries to Corey Kluber and Danny Salazar. As Bell notes, June 7 marks the earliest date that Clevinger could be activated.
Here are the latest tidbits from the baseball world…
- The Rays will deploy minor-league infielder Jake Cronenworth as a two-way player moving forward, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Cronenworth was used as the “opener” yesterday for Triple-A Durham, reportedly flashing a fastball at 94-96 miles per hour. The 25-year-old, a 7th-round selection of the Rays in 2015, pitched at the University of Michigan. It bears mentioning that Cronenworth has been plenty successful with the bat in 2019, slashing a cool .367/.460/.511 in 37 Triple-A games this season. This, of course, marks latest experiment for the innovative Rays, who also feature high-profile two-way player Brendan McKay in their farm system.
- Rangers reliever Shawn Kelley, who Thursday underwent a procedure to remove lumps from his throat, is back throwing live batting practice, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who further notes that Kelley could even be activated as early as Monday. Kelley last appeared from the Rangers on May 4, and was subsequently placed on the IL with an infection, though it was unclear just what Kelley was dealing with. Of course, the Rangers will breathe a sigh of relief as they hope to welcome back Kelley, who has been one of the club’s most productive relievers.
- Phillies outfielder Roman Quinn, currently on the injured list recovering from a strained groin, will hit exclusively from the right side when he returns to action, notes Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required). Quinn, a natural righty, began hitting from both sides at the beginning of his professional career per the Phillies’ request, but injuries have stunted his development as a switch-hitter. As a result, he has informed manager Gabe Kapler that he will bat only as a righty, where Quinn has enjoyed considerably stronger platoon splits, upon his return from the injured list.
Padres Seeking Front-End Starter
The Padres have gotten ace-caliber production from rookie Chris Paddack and quality numbers from fellow young starters Joey Lucchesi and Matt Strahm this year, but they’re still not satisfied with their rotation. The club attempted to acquire Indians co-ace Trevor Bauer toward the beginning of the season, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, who reports it’ll continue to seek a No. 1 starter in advance of the July 31 trade deadline. Additionally, San Diego may look for a left-handed hitter to help balance out a righty-heavy lineup, Rosenthal says (video link).
This isn’t the first time the Padres have been tied to the Indians, having reportedly gone after another of their aces, Corey Kluber, in the offseason. The Indians ended up retaining him and Bauer, though, in part because they were expected to contend this year. At 24-20, it appears they’ll do just that, though the back-to-back-to-back AL Central champions are facing plenty of resistance from the first-place Twins. Still, barring a collapse over the next couple months, it may be unrealistic to expect the Tribe to wave the white flag and ship out any of their top pitchers during the season.
Along with Bauer and Kluber, the Padres have reportedly pursued deals for the Mets’ Noah Syndergaard and the Blue Jays’ Marcus Stroman dating back to the offseason. They also had winter interest in Dallas Keuchel, who remains a free agent almost seven months after hitting the market. Even though Syndergaard hasn’t been his usual dominant self this season, it’s far from a sure thing the Mets would move him and his two-plus years of team control. Stroman, who’s thriving in his penultimate season of control, looks more likely than Syndergaard to change teams during the summer. Rangers lefty Mike Minor is also among controllable starters who may hit the trade block, given that he’s only signed through next season. As for Keuchel, it’s anyone’s guess how much he’ll wind up raking in during his seemingly endless stay on the open market. Furthermore, it’s unknown whether the Padres are still interested in the 31-year-old former AL Cy Young winner.
One thing is clear: Few teams are in better position to make hay on the trade market than the Padres, who continue to boast an enviable farm system. They’re still a work in progress at the big league level, though, as their desire for more starting pitching and offense shows. For the most part, San Diego’s best hitters are right-handed, with first baseman Eric Hosmer the sole lefty-swinging regular on the roster. The lack of balance has been a problem for the Padres, who have only managed an 83 wRC+ with a .686 OPS against right-handed hurlers.
Indians Recall Adam Plutko, DFA Neil Ramirez
Adam Plutko was recalled from Triple-A to make the start in today’s ballgame for the Cleveland Indians, while Neil Ramirez was DFA’ed to make room, per The Athletic’s Zack Meisel (via Twitter). The team has announced the deal.
Plutko, 27, made 12 starts for the Indians last season, going 4-5 with a 5.28 ERA, 6.10 FIP, and 5.46 xFIP. An injury delayed his start to the season in Triple-A, but despite going 0-2 in his two starts with a 10.13 ERA, Cleveland apparently deems him ready. Still, they are likely to watch his pitch count today against Baltimore. With Corey Kluber on the shelf for potentially a month or so, there is need of a near-term solution for the Indians in the rotation. Jefry Rodriguez seems to have claimed the number four spot in the rotation after posting a 3.45 ERA in his first five starts, but the fifth spot in the rotation is there for the taking. Given Plutko’s usage last season, he would seem the logical candidate, though he’ll need to prove rather quickly that he’s fully up to speed. Cody Anderson could return despite his early struggles, and Chih-Wei Hu has also started slow in Triple-A with a 5.71 ERA thus far. A.J. Cole has starting experience as well, but he’s performed well out of the pen so far in 2019 and the Indians may not want to mess with a good thing there if they can help it.
Ramirez, 29, was 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA across 16 appearances. Originally a Rangers farmhand, Ramirez has put together largely forgettable seasons after two strong years with the Cubs in 2014 and 2015. Ramirez bounced around with the Cubs, Brewers, Twins, Giants and Mets in 2016 and 2017 before joining the Indians last year. He was reasonably productive last season for the Tribe, with 11.02 K/9 versus 3.89 BB/9, a 2.83 K/BB ratio that was his best since the Chicago days (save for a 9-game stint with the Giants). This season, the strikeout rate went down, the walk rate up, and he surrendered five home runs in just 16 2/3 innings of work.
AL Central Notes: McCann, Zimmermann, Tribe, Twins, Royals
It isn’t any secret that the White Sox are eager to keep Jose Abreu in the fold, though another veteran may also be a candidate for a longer-term stint with the club. While expressing to the Athletic’s James Fegan (subscription link) about how much the Sox would like to continue their relationship with Abreu, GM Rick Hahn also praised James McCann‘s work at catcher. “He’s been everything we had hoped for in terms of in the clubhouse and from a defensive standpoint and quite frankly more than we had even hoped for offensively,” Hahn said. “He made an adjustment with his stance in the offseason….That’s really clicked for him. He’s been a great acquisition for us. We have control of him through arbitration next year and certainly look forward to having him around for a while.”
McCann signed a one-year, $2.5MM free agent deal with Chicago after being non-tendered by the Tigers in the offseason, and has enjoyed perhaps the hottest stretch of his career at the plate. McCann is batting .366/.404/.581 through 99 plate appearances, absurd numbers for a hitter who had just a .653 OPS over 1658 career PA heading into the season. While some regression at the plate is inevitable, Fegan feels the Sox would prefer keeping McCann over Welington Castillo for 2020, since even McCann on an arbitration raise will cost less than Castillo’s $8MM club option.
Here’s more from around the AL Central…
- Jordan Zimmermann is “probably a month” or so away from returning, Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire told The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen (Twitter link) and other media. Gardenhire revealed that Zimmermann has been battling a muscle strain in addition to the UCL sprain that initially sent him to the injured list back on April 26.
- Indians manager Terry Francona provided MLB.com’s Mandy Bell (Twitter links) and other reporters with injury updates today, including the news that Adam Plutko will start for Cleveland on Saturday. Plutko has missed the entire season due to a right forearm sprain, and has only a 5.38 ERA over 80 1/3 career innings in the majors, though the Tribe is looking to fill holes in the rotation with both Corey Kluber and Mike Clevinger on the IL. Speaking of the Cleveland injury list, Francona also said Tyler Naquin will be kept out of baseball activities for two weeks due to swelling behind the outfielder’s knee.
- “The expectation both within the organization and outside is that the Twins, like so many other teams, must address their bullpen if they want to be real contenders,” The Athletic’s Dan Hayes writes in a look at Minnesota’s relief corps. The Twins are around the middle of the pack in most relief categories, with Taylor Rogers, Blake Parker, Trevor May, and Ryne Harper all delivering excellent results thus far, though there isn’t a lot of experience within that group. While Minnesota will surely explore adding a reliever before the trade deadline if the team remains in the race, GM Thad Levine notes that “I think it’s a little too early to see that market take shape,” noting that teams with bullpen assets to sell right now are putting a big asking price on that pitching.
- While Alex Gordon is posting big numbers and can be a free agent after the season, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) feels “the safer bet is that he stays put, then re-signs with the Royals and finishes his career in Kansas City.” The long-time face of the Royals franchise can’t be traded without his permission due to 10-and-5 rights, though if he did want to be dealt, “the Royals almost certainly would try to accommodate him.” There’s also a notable financial element to any potential Gordon trade, as the $4MM buyout attached to his $23MM mutual option for the 2020 season would become a $4MM assignment bonus in the event of a trade, as the mutual option would then be voided. Plus, Gordon still has roughly $15MM remaining on his $20MM salary for the 2019 season.
Indians Notes: Kemp, Gonzalez, Clevinger
Here’s the latest from Cleveland…
- The Indians had “mild” interest in Matt Kemp before the Reds released the veteran outfielder earlier in May, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal writes (subscription required). In fact, Rosenthal notes that Cleveland was the only team who expressed any interest at all in Kemp’s services. Given the Tribe’s needs in both the outfield and in the run-scoring department whatsoever, it isn’t surprising that the club is checking in on any potential solutions. Kemp didn’t hit much in his brief time with Cincinnati, however, and was on the injured list recovering from a broken rib at the time of his release. It stands to reason that the Indians (or other teams) could explore signing Kemp once he’s healthy, since the 34-year-old is just a season removed from a 122 wRC+ and an All-Star appearance for the Dodgers in 2018.
- Also from Rosenthal’s piece, he reports “the Indians made a run at left-hander Gio Gonzalez” during Gonzalez’s brief sojourn in free agency in April. After Gonzalez opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees, the Mets and Brewers were the only known suitors for the southpaw before he agreed to a contract with Milwaukee. Since Gonzalez hit the market less than two weeks after Mike Clevinger was placed on the IL, it makes sense that the Tribe would be checking around for potential rotation help — not to mention how that pitching need became even more pronounced in the wake of Corey Kluber‘s forearm fracture. Gonzalez has pitched well over three starts for the Brewers, and he could end up being a real “what-if” for not only Cleveland, but every other team that gave Gonzalez so little attention on the open market both in April and over the offseason.
- In the latest update on Clevinger, he threw off a mound for the first time since hitting the IL with a teres major muscle strain on April 9, tossing a 20-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday. “It was just 20 fastballs, but everything feels healthy,” Clevinger told reporters, including Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. The righty will play catch on Wednesday and then toss another bullpen on Thursday, before he and the team decide on the next steps in his rehab process. Clevinger is slightly ahead of his original six-to-eight week projection to begin throwing, though due to his 60-day IL placement, it will still be some time before he can return to the Tribe’s rotation. Clevinger was off to a fantastic start before his injury, tossing 12 shutout innings over his first two outings of the season.
Indians Promote Oscar Mercado
TODAY: Mercado’s promotion has been announced. Naquin will indeed hit the IL with calf tightness.
YESTERDAY: The Indians are calling upon a top minor-league performer, per MLB.com’s Mandy Bell (via Twitter). Young outfielder Oscar Mercado is heading up to the MLB roster, with Tyler Naquin likely headed to the 10-day injured list.
Mercado, a former second-round pick who was picked up in a trade last summer from the Cardinals, has been on a tear for most of the season at Triple-A. He’s slashing .294/.396/.496 over 140 plate appearances, with four home runs and 14 stolen bases in 17 attempts.
The Cleveland organization is badly in need of a boost after watching two of its best players go down to injury and spotting the Twins four games in the AL Central. To this point of the season, just one of the team’s outfielders (Jordan Luplow) has managed to produce offensively at better than an 87 wRC+ rate.
Indians Select A.J. Cole
The Indians have selected the contract of righty A.J. Cole from Triple-A Columbus, reports Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. Righty Cody Anderson will head back to AAA in his place, while infielder Max Moroff has cleared waivers and been outright off the 40-man roster.
Cole, 27, will presumably work out of an unsung Indians pen that’s been a surprising bright spot in 2019. Both Brad Hand and Adam Cimber have again been rock-solid, and under-the-radar pickup Nick Wittgren has quietly been among the AL’s best in a brief sample thus far.
In 148 big-league innings across four seasons with the Nationals and Yankees, Cole has shown an unyielding proclivity for the K, though it’s too often been offset by an icky gopher-ball itch. His 1.89 HR/9 ranks near the back of the league over that span, hitting rock bottom in ’18 with a disturbing 2.79 HR/9 over 48 IP with both clubs. In 17 innings with Columbus this season, Cole’d allowed just 2 homers, though his 35.3% grounder rate placed right in line with his career norms.