Guardians Rumors

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/8/16

By Jeff Todd | June 8, 2016 at 3:02pm CDT

We’ll keep track of the day’s minor moves here:

The Indians announced that they’ve released righty Jarrett Grube. He had been pitching at Triple-A, but the team says it let him go to pursue another opportunity. (It’s unclear at present just what that might be, though it’s not uncommon for teams to allow players to leave to join ballclubs in Asia.) Grube, 34, has one MLB appearance on his ledger. He turned in a quality campaign for Cleveland’s top affiliate last year, posting a 2.69 ERA over 154 frames, but he’s fallen back in the earned run department in 2016 despite largely maintaining his strikeout-to-walk figures. Over 44 2/3 innings in seven starts and four relief appearances, Grube owns a 4.43 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9.

Antonetti On Payroll, Ramirez, Byrd, Brantley

By Steve Adams | June 7, 2016 at 9:04pm CDT

Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti joined ESPN’s Buster Olney on his podcast on Tuesday (audio link) and discussed a number of topics, including the recent suspension of Marlon Byrd, the breakout of super utilityman Jose Ramirez, Michael Brantley’s shoulder rehab, the upcoming amateur draft and the club’s financial flexibility as the trade deadline approaches. “I don’t expect that we’ll be limited,” said Antonetti. “In fact, the years in which we’ve been in contention, ownership’s always been great about providing us the resources that we would need to improve the team. I think that we’ll still always have to be cognizant of contracts that we take on, but if there’s the right player out there on the right deal, and the talent return is the right value for us, then I’m confident we’ll be able to improve the team.” Many expect Cleveland to be on the hunt for outfield help with Byrd and Abraham Almonte suspended due to failed PED tests and Brantley’s return still undetermined.

Elsewhere in the AL Central…

The White Sox aren’t planning to simply sit back idly after acquiring James Shields from the Padres, writes Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago. The amount of money that San Diego kicked in to cover the cost of Shields’ contract has the White Sox positioned to add “at least two more important cogs for a playoff push,” per Levine. Chief among the Sox’ needs at this point are a left-handed bat and a left-handed setup man for the bullpen. Levine lists Jay Bruce as a player of interest, though he notes that when the Sox spoke to the Reds about Bruce in Spring Training, Cincinnati was “adamant” that the Sox would have to cover at least $11MM of the $12.5MM that Bruce is earning in 2016. Beyond that, Levine writes that the chances of the South Siders parting with top prospects Tim Anderson and Carson Fulmer in any trade this season, regardless of target, are “close to zero.” For those interested in some names that could be available as targets for the Sox, MLBTR’s Jeff Todd penned an updated list of the game’s top trade candidates earlier today.
In other White Sox news, the team will skip the next start of left-hander Carlos Rodon due to discomfort in his neck which eventually extended into his arm, per CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes (links to Twitter). The Sox had Rodon undergo an MRI as a precaution, but the test revealed no problems. GM Rick Hahn tells Hayes that Rodon wasn’t happy to be skipped, and Hayes notes that the problem appears to be short term in nature, as Rodon has been cleared to return to the mound. Miguel Gonzalez will start in his place on Thursday, and Rodon will rejoin the rotation following that.
Byron Buxton chatted with Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press about his recent demotion and the way in which it allowed him to refocus and reevaluate his approach at the plate. As Berardino notes, Buxton has hits in all six games since returning from Triple-A Rochester, including multi-hit games in his past three contests. Buxton batted .336/.403/.603 in his 29 games with Rochester and credited Triple-A hitting coach Chad Allen for helping him to restore his confidence at the plate. While the six games since his return are obviously too small a sample from which to glean any form of definitive insight, it’s also the best stretch of games he’s delivered this season.

Danny Salazar To Miss Start Due To Shoulder Fatigue

By Jeff Todd | June 6, 2016 at 10:47pm CDT

While Padres righty Tyson Ross is progressing through his throwing program, he is not expected to make it back until after the All-Star game, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com tweets. The expectation is that Ross will begin throwing bullpens in a few weeks, and his timeline should gain more clarity once he reaches the mound. A return in mid-July could in theory put him in play at the trade deadline, but it seems increasingly likely that Ross won’t be shopped until after the season.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the game:

Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira will forego surgery on his right knee in hopes that he’ll be game-ready in three weeks’ time, as Roger Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports. That doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be expected at the major league level at that point, as the length of his layoff could require at least a brief rehab stint. The struggling veteran has already been placed on the 15-day DL after being diagnosed with a cartilage tear.
Indians righty Danny Salazar will miss his next start due to shoulder fatigue, the club announced. It seems that the hope is it won’t be much more than that, as he’d likely be placed on the DL to free a roster spot otherwise. Salazar’s status remains worth watching, however. The 26-year-old has been outstanding in his first 11 starts. Cleveland will go to Cody Anderson for the spot start. While he’s struggled at times this year in the majors, Anderson has dominated in three Triple-A starts and is as good an insurance policy as you’ll find around the game.
The Cubs had to pull outfielder Jorge Soler from tonight’s action due to a hamstring injury, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. He’s headed in for an MRI tomorrow, but it seems as if a DL stint could be in his future. Veteran minor-leaguer Matt Murton could get consideration if that proves necessary, but skipper Joe Maddon also suggested that prospect Albert Almora could receive consideration.
Meanwhile, the Angels continue to sort through a host of pitching ailments, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports. Of immediate concern, set-up man Joe Smith is hoping to stave off a trip to the DL with a hamstring injury. Starters Tyler Skaggs and C.J. Wilson are both in different stages of the rehab process. The former is expected to head out on a rehab assignment after a five-inning extended spring appearance tomorrow. And the latter hopes to re-start a throwing program this week.
The Angels are also waiting for some position players, as Fletcher further covers. Shortstop Andrelton Simmons (thumb surgery) could return to the majors as soon as Friday; outfielder Daniel Nava (groin) has only just returned to baseball activities; and catcher Geovany Soto (knee surgery) is throwing but has yet to hit or get into the crouch.

Latest On Michael Brantley’s Shoulder Injury

By Steve Adams | June 6, 2016 at 2:20pm CDT

Indians left fielder Michael Brantley has been sidelined since May 10 due to inflammation in his surgically repaired shoulder, and Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that there is now serious concern within the organization that Brantley will miss “a significant amount of time” due to the injury (links to Twitter).

Meanwhile, Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti downplayed the significance of Brantley’s injury to FOX’s Ken Rosenthal (links to Rosenthal on Twitter): “Nothing really new. We are focused on working with Michael to help him get to the point where he’s not only healthy, but strong enough to make a meaningful impact on the balance of our season. We don’t have a clear timetable for that yet but are encouraged by [the] progress he continues to make.” As Rosenthal points out, though, it’s not in the Indians’ best interest to not acknowledge any kind of serious problem, as they may very well need to address their outfield on the summer trade market.

Brantley initially injured his shoulder in the final days of the 2015 season while laying out in an attempt at a diving catch in left field against the Twins, and while he didn’t immediately undergo surgery, it was determined in early November that surgical repair was the best option for him. The team announced on Nov. 9 that Brantley had undergone surgery to repair a small tear in his labrum, and his initial timeline to be ready for a rehab assignment was five to six months. However, Brantley was back in the Majors in about five and a half months, as Cleveland activated him from the disabled list on April 25. That aggressive timeline will now look questionable to some in retrospect, as Brantley batted just .231/.279/.282 in 43 plate appearances before landing back on the disabled list. Brantley was said to be battling fatigue in the shoulder prior to going back on the DL, and he said following his second placement on the disabled list that he did not question the earlier-than-expected date of his return because he had felt that he was indeed ready to go.

A prolonged absence for Brantley is the last thing the Indians need at this juncture. Cleveland lost center fielder Abraham Almonte to an 80-game PED suspension prior to Opening Day, and they’ve now lost Marlon Byrd, who had been enjoying a productive season, to a 162-game ban for a PED offense of his own (the second of his career). The team’s outfield mix currently includes Rajai Davis, Tyler Naquin and converted infielders Lonnie Chisenhall and Jose Ramirez.

An extended stay on the disabled list for Brantley would only serve to further enhance the club’s need to add outfield help from outside the organization, though the Indians are known to be rather constricted in terms of payroll; the club opened the season with a payroll of about $96MM (when including salaries for sunk costs Michael Bourn, Nick Swisher and Chris Johnson), and the typically tight-budgeted team seems unlikely to be equipped to add a significant financial investment to the ledger. Of course, the Indians could always agree to pay a steeper price in terms of prospects in order to convince a trade partner to include significant financial relief in a trade for an outfield bat.

Beyond the financial component, however, it’s also simply unlikely that any realistic acquisition target for Cleveland would be able to replicate the production of a healthy Brantley. The 29-year-old broke out as one of baseball’s best hitters in 2014 and enjoyed an outstanding repeat season in 2015. Overall, he batted .319/.382/.494 with 35 homers and 38 steals (in 40 tries) from 2014-15 while drawing more walks (112) than strikeouts (107).

Brantley is earning $7.375MM in 2016, the third season of a three-year, $25MM contract signed prior to that 2014 breakout. He’s guaranteed $8.375MM next season, and Cleveland possesses an $11MM club option for the 2018 season that comes with a $1MM buyout.

Zimmer, Frazier Unlikely To Emerge As Outfield Options Soon

By Steve Adams | June 2, 2016 at 8:51am CDT

The Tigers have removed Anibal Sanchez from the rotation and replaced him with left-hander Matt Boyd, as Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press writes. Sanchez took the move as well as could be expected, manager Brad Ausmus told the media, and Fenech writes that Sanchez spoke with conviction about working to correct his flaws and reclaim his job. Sanchez, who is earning $16MM in 2016, the fourth season of a five-year, $80MM contract, has surrendered a 6.67 ERA through his first 56 2/3 innings of the year. He led the American League with 29 homers allowed in 157 innings last season and has allowed an even more alarming 14 long balls in this year’s 56 2/3 frames while also displaying his worst control since 2009 (4.6 BB/9). Sanchez is owed $16MM once again in 2017, and the Tigers hold a $16MM club option for the 2018 season that comes with a hefty $5MM buyout. With offseason signee Mike Pelfrey struggling so greatly as well, the Tigers are definite candidates to seek rotation upgrades this summer, though the emergence of Michael Fulmer and a recent string of solid outings for Daniel Norris at Triple-A may lessen the urgency.

Marlon Byrd Receives 162-Game PED Ban

By Jeff Todd | June 1, 2016 at 11:45pm CDT

Indians outfielder Marlon Byrd was officially slapped with a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance enhancing substance, as Vince Grzegorek of Cleveland Scene first reported on Twitter. Byrd had previously been hit with a 50-game ban, meaning he was a second-time offender for purposes of the league’s more punitive current PED regime.

Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports noted via Twitter that Byrd chose not to appeal. The veteran has released a statement disclaiming fault, as has his attorney, both via Rosenthal (here and here). They suggest that a tainted supplement is to blame for the growth hormone secretagogue Ipamorelin that was found in Byrd’s system. Given his age and history, it’s fair to wonder whether this is the end of the line for the veteran, who has seen action in fifteen major league seasons.

Cleveland added the 38-year-old on a minor league deal to shore up an outfield that had several question marks — due, in part, to the PED suspension of presumptive center fielder Abraham Almonte. His own 80-game ban will finish up early next month.

Byrd had performed as hoped, posting a .270/.326/.452 slash with five home runs over 129 plate appearances. As usual, he’s done most of his damage against left-handed pitching. With his glovework in the corner outfield rating as at least average by measure of both UZR and DRS, and solid baserunning valuations added in, he’s been a sturdy contributor at the bargain rate of a $1MM annual salary.

Unfortunately for Cleveland, that wasn’t meant to last. With Almonte and Michael Brantley still out of action, the Indians are left with an outfield of Jose Ramirez, Rajai Davis, and Lonnie Chisenhall. All three have been rather productive this year, though it may be a lot to ask of that trio to make up an everyday unit.

The club has Michael Martinez on hand as a utility option, and seems likely to bring back Tyler Naquin to add another corner option. Naquin, 25, showed well earlier in the year, and both Joey Butler and Collin Cowgill provide depth on the 40-man roster.

Looking forward, the intriguing question is whether the loss of Byrd will add any motivation for a more dramatic move. Highly-rated prospects Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier are both raking at the Double-A level; while it’s unclear whether either would be considered in the near term, they could factor in down the line. Otherwise, it’s fair to wonder whether Cleveland will entertain an outside addition. The club can take its time assessing its needs and canvassing the market, but a significant strike can’t be ruled out with the division up for grabs.

Carlos Carrasco To Start Thursday

By Jeff Todd | June 1, 2016 at 8:25am CDT

The Red Sox received a highly promising start from southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez last night, as Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald reports. While Rodriguez wasn’t quite up to the top velocity he showed last year, he was working comfortably at 93 mph and said he expects to see gains in that department as he continues to build up. The youngster made his 2016 debut just one day before the calendar flipped to June after a prolonged absence due to a knee injury. Boston will surely hope that Rodriguez can provide a boost to a rotation that has had its share of concerns over the season’s first two months.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the game:

Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud could head out on a rehab assignment this weekend, Rubin reports. His return could provide a big boost to a New York club that has suffered some notable health issues of late. Fellow young receiver Kevin Plawecki has struggled at the plate in d’Arnaud’s stead and could end up being demoted, per Rubin, who says that the team is pleased with what it’s getting from veteran Rene Rivera behind the dish even if he, too, isn’t hitting much.
There was good news also for the Indians, who expect to start righty Carlos Carrasco on Thursday, as Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal tweets. It seems that Carrasco will be limited to around eighty pitches in his first outing back, but will obviously be expected to ramp up from there. The 29-year-old allowed just six earned runs in his first 22 frames on the year before suffering a hamstring injury.
The Twins will place third baseman Miguel Sano on the 15-day DL after he suffered a left hamstring strain. As MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger reports on Twitter, Sano is hopeful that he won’t be out any longer than the minimum, though we’ve certainly seen hamstring issues linger and the organization will want to ensure it doesn’t turn into a bigger issue. Prospect Max Kepler will return to the majors to take his roster spot.
The Angels appear to have lost infielder Cliff Pennington to an aggravation of his own left hamstring injury, as Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports, with a DL stint seemingly likely. That could means that Kaleb Cowart or Brendan Ryan will be headed back to the big league club, though the former was just sent down and the latter requires a 40-man spot.

Tribe Notes: Untouchable Prospects, Byrd Vs. Upton?

By Mark Polishuk | May 30, 2016 at 1:42pm CDT

The White Sox have lost 14 of their last 18 games, including a nightmarish weekend sweep to the Royals that saw Chicago blow late-inning leads in all three games. Saturday’s result was the most crushing of all, as the White Sox held a 7-1 lead with one out in the ninth before allowing seven runs to lose 8-7. The sweep also pushed the Royals into first place in the AL Central. Here’s more from around the division…

Phil Hughes is being moved to the Twins bullpen, manager Paul Molitor told reporters (including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger). Kyle Gibson will replace Hughes in Minnesota’s rotation. Hughes allowed a league-high 29 homers in 2015 and has struggled to a 4.74 ERA over 208 2/3 innings since the start of last season. Unless he can regain his form while relieving and eventually get back to the rotation, the Twins will face further scrutiny over signing Hughes to an extension following his excellent 2014 season, the first year of a three-year/$24MM contract. The Twins overwrote the final two years of that deal for a new extension that guaranteed Hughes $58MM from 2015-19.
While the Indians could well be deadline buyers as they make a push for the division title, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer figures top prospects Clint Frazier, Bradley Zimmer and Bobby Bradley are untouchable in trade talks.
Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer notes that since the start of the 2013 season, Justin Upton and Marlon Byrd have posted more similar counting stats than one might think. Upton is the better player overall (as seen through an fWAR comparison) and is a decade younger, though Pluto’s point is that the Indians are getting a bargain after signing Byrd to a minor league deal worth a $1MM guarantee plus incentives. The veteran is outperforming Upton, who has been a sub-replacement player in his first two months with the Tigers.
Shane Greene could return to the Tigers as either a starter or reliever when he comes off the DL, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press writes. Michael Fulmer seems to have locked up a rotation spot, so Greene could find himself back in the pen barring further notice (such as if Jordan Zimmermann’s groin injury worsens). Greene has been sidelined with a finger blister.
Dave Dombrowski is happy to have “a championship type of guy” like Eduardo Rodriguez on the Red Sox roster, but the southpaw was a trade roadblock back when Dombrowski was the Tigers’ general manager. As Dombrowski tells Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald, Detroit was eager to acquire Andrew Miller from the Red Sox at the 2014 trade deadline and Dombrowski felt a deal was imminent after the Tigers agreed to give then-Sox GM Ben Cherington the two players he was seeking. Cherington had to make one more call, however, which led to Miller being dealt to the Orioles for Rodriguez. “They didn’t say we had a deal but you thought you had a deal,” Dombrowski said. “There is a difference between the two….It’s ironic how it worked out because I’m the benefactor of it. Really when they got Eduardo Rodriguez, he was better than the guys we were offering. So I understood it.”

Carlos Carrasco Nearing Return

By Connor Byrne | May 29, 2016 at 11:39am CDT

The Cardinals’ Jhonny Peralta is nearing a return from thumb surgery, but he might not be their everyday shortstop when he comes back, reports Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Redbirds want to continue playing standout rookie shortstop Aledmys Diaz, possibly their long-term solution at the position, and have had conversations with both Peralta and third baseman Matt Carpenter about lining up at multiple spots. Peralta has been playing third (he has previous major league experience there) and short during his rehab assignment, while Carpenter could move back to his former position – second base – or first base, where he started Saturday. “I feel like it’s going to create a fresh opportunity for us, but I also feel like given what you’re seeing out of Diaz at his age (25) you really need to see him develop at shortstop,” said general manager John Mozeliak. “We want to keep him developing and also figure out the right combination to win games. We need to have at least one player moving around. We need one of the veterans to say, ‘Hey, I’m willing.’”

Now for some notes on a couple of teams from the AL Central…

Indians right-hander Carlos Carrasco, out since late April with a hamstring injury, is close to rejoining the club. He could make one more rehab start or get back on a big league mound even earlier than that, general manager Mike Chernoff told MLB Network Radio on Sunday (Twitter link). Prior to his injury, Carrasco pitched to an outstanding 2.45 ERA in 22 innings while putting up strong strikeout and walk ratios (8.18 and 2.05, respectively, per nine innings).
Having already lost Mike Moustakas for the season and Alex Gordon for an extended period of time earlier this week, the Royals suffered yet another scare to a cornerstone player Saturday when catcher Salvador Perez left their game against the White Sox after colliding with third baseman Cheslor Cuthbert. Fortunately, an MRI showed no structural damage (only a quad contusion), meaning Perez will miss just 7-10 days, manager Ned Yost told reporters (Twitter link via Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star). The Royals will not place Perez on the disabled list, tweets Dodd.
With Perez temporarily unavailable, the Royals have recalled catcher Tony Cruz from Triple-A Omaha and optioned reliever Peter Moylan, Dodd was among those to report (via Twitter). Cruz, who owns a .220/.262/.310 line in 633 career major league plate appearances, hit .278/.352/.417 in 122 trips to the plate with Omaha before today’s promotion. Moylan has thrown 7 1/3 innings of two-run ball for the Royals this year, striking out seven and walking two.
While the Indians have one of the majors’ lowest payrolls, salary has never been a deciding factor for them around the trade deadline, Chernoff said (Twitter link). “It’s almost always about players and the return you have to give up,” he stated.

Details On Carlos Beltran’s No-Trade Clause

By Jeff Todd | May 24, 2016 at 1:18pm CDT

Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran can block trades to 15 clubs under the terms of his limited no-trade clause, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, who explores the possibility of a deal involving the veteran. Among the teams to which Beltran could be dealt without consent are the Indians, Nationals, Royals, Cardinals, Rays, Tigers, and Dodgers, per the report.

Of course, it’s far from clear whether New York will end up entertaining such a move. The club has moved back to within striking distance in the AL East already, and there’s plenty of time left before the deadline.

Parting with Beltran wouldn’t necessarily mean abandoning hope for the present season, Olney suggests. Shipping him out would free up opportunities for highly-regarded young players such as Aaron Hicks and Aaron Judge. They could be expected to provide value now while helping prepare for bigger roles in 2017 and beyond.

It’s fair to wonder just how much trade value Beltran would carry. On the one hand, he recently turned 39 and is a subpar outfielder (especially if one credits Defensive Runs Saved). On the other, he’s a highly respected veteran who is currently running out a productive .274/.299/.522 batting line, largely matching his overall production levels from last season (about 20% above league average).

Salary will certainly play a role, too, as Beltran is owed a healthy $15MM this season before reaching free agency at year’s end. Whether or not the market is receptive to that overall package remains to be seen, but presumably the Yankees won’t make a move unless they receive some kind of interesting return (barring a full-blown collapse in the next two months). That’s especially true given the uncertainty of Hicks and Judge as well as the fact that aging sluggers Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez come with their own blend of health, age, and performance questions.

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