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Latest On Yankees’ Search For Pitching Help

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8:13pm: The Yankees have called the Giants about righty Kevin Gausman, according to Martino. Gausman, whom the Giants signed to a one-year, $9MM contract last winter, has tossed 31 innings of 4.65 ERA ball (with a far shinier 3.10 FIP) and recorded 12.19 K/9 against 1.74 BB/9 this season. The 29-year-old spent 2013-18 in the Yankees’ division, the AL East, as a member of the Orioles.

8:50am: The Yankees find themselves in a familiar position with just six days until the Aug. 31 trade deadline: battling for first place in the AL East with a pitching staff that has been thinned out by injuries. Luis Severino won’t pitch this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and James Paxton just landed on the IL after weeks of shaky results with diminished velocity. Just as Aroldis Chapman returned for his season debut, Zack Britton went down with a hamstring strain. Tommy Kahnle had Tommy John surgery. Southpaw Luis Avilan is out with shoulder troubles. On top of the injuries, Domingo German’s suspension removes him from the depth chart for 2020.

New York still possesses a deep bullpen, even with Kahnle out for the year and Britton sidelined into September, but the rotation is much shakier. Gerrit Cole has been excellent thus far, but Masahiro Tanaka hasn’t thrown more than 71 pitches in a start. Jordan Montgomery has been shaky in his four starts, and J.A. Happ has yielded nine runs in 12 2/3 frames with more walks (10) than strikeouts (6). Cole and Jonathan Loaisiga, who has thrown a total of 5 1/3 innings, are the only Yankees pitchers who have started a game this year and currently carry an ERA under 4.60.

Unsurprisingly, the Yankees are in the market for arms — both in the ’pen and more importantly in the rotation. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that the Yankees could be particularly intrigued by deals that could allow them to acquire a starter and reliever in one fell swoop. Most clubs are expected to be a bit more averse than usual to parting with prospects at this year’s deadline, given the shortened amount of time they’ll control the players in 2020 and the fact that ownership groups are less willing to take on salary. The Yankees are no exception, so doubling up in a single deal makes some sense.

SNY’s Andy Martino writes that Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has already been in touch with the Indians, who are said to be at least “open” to offers on recently demoted right-hander Mike Clevinger. The 29-year-old has been excellent dating back to 2017 (2.97 ERA, 10.2 K/9 in 464 2/3 innings) and has two years of club control remaining beyond 2020. However, he also angered his organization by violating health-and-safety protocols and taking a flight with the club before the team learned of his actions. Clevinger was limited to 21 starts last year due to a teres major strain and an ankle injury, as well.

Elsewhere, Jon Morosi of MLB.com writes that the Yankees are among the many clubs to have inquired on Mariners righty Taijuan Walker. ]Walker is among the surest bets to move between now and Monday afternoon’s deadline, so it’d be more surprising to learn that the Yankees haven’t kicked the tires, but the initial interest is still worth noting. Walker is on a one-year, $2MM deal in Seattle this season and has pitched to a flat 4.00 ERA with a 25-to-8 K/BB ratio in 27 innings. Once one of MLB’s top pitching prospects, he pitched just 14 innings from 2018-19 due to injuries but has looked healthy thus far. Walker’s most recent start saw him hold the Dodgers to three runs on four hits and a walk with eight punchouts in seven innings.

There are obviously plenty of other places for the Yankees to look, but Cleveland and Seattle represent a pair of logical trade partners. If Clevinger is to move, the Indians will assuredly want immediate Major League help. They’re in second place in the AL Central and in clear win-now mode. Affordable outfield help will be paramount on the team’s wish list, as their current group has woefully underperformed. Speculatively speaking, Clint Frazier is a former top draft pick by the Indians. If Cleveland believes Miguel Andujar can play a competent left field, perhaps he’d be of interest as well. For a pitcher of Clevinger’s caliber, even with his stock down, they’d likely seek some additional prospect value rather than a straight-up swap, though. The rebuilding Mariners, meanwhile, may not be quite as insistent on adding MLB-ready help given that they’re not in the 2020 playoff picture. However, they’re beginning to see the fruits of their rebuild emerge at the big league level, so players who could help in the next year or two still seem likely to be an area of focus.

Latest On Mike Clevinger

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There’s been plenty of trade speculation since right-handers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac were optioned in the wake of their health-and-safety protocol violations, and while it’s still doesn’t seem as though the club is motivated to trade either player, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that Cleveland is “at least open to listening to offers” on Clevinger.

That’s a sentence that should be met with plenty of disclaimers, of course. Few players in MLB are ever truly “off limits” in today’s game. Front offices will typically listen to just about any offers. If anything, it’s more rare to hear that a player is completely untouchable than to hear that a team will listen. And ESPN’s Jeff Passan underscores that while it’s possible that a team will put together an offer too good for Cleveland to pass up, the team is also by no means shopping him. The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal cites execs with other clubs in reporting that the team is “more open” to moving Clevinger than Plesac, which is no surprise given Plesac’s larger slate of club control (five years versus two) and Clevinger’s climbing arbitration salary.

The roadblocks to a Clevinger trade are plentiful. First and foremost is the simple fact that Cleveland is a better team with him in its rotation, and at 17-11, the Indians are a clear postseason favorite. Beyond that, Clevinger’s stock is at a low point. In addition to the recent demotion, the righty also walked 10 batters in 16 2/3 frames in his three starts this season. Most would bet on a pitcher with his track record righting the ship and bouncing back, but the most recent impression he’s made wasn’t necessarily a strong one.

The Indians likely wouldn’t weaken their current depth and sell low on a highly coveted asset simply to make a disciplinary statement; they’d need some big league help in return — perhaps in the outfield — and need to feel that they’re receiving long-term value as well … all without taking on too much salary. As a reminder, Cleveland spent much of the offseason working to curb its payroll, dropping from a $119MM Opening Day in 2019 to a $97MM mark in 2020 (prior to prorating for the shortened season). A club already working to trim its bottom line can’t be expected to add expensive pieces in the wake of substantial revenue loss.

All that said, it’s also not unthinkable that a deal might come together. The emergence of Plesac and Aaron Civale gives Cleveland what looks to be yet another pair of useful arms to add to a perennially deep supply. Triston McKenzie’s impressive debut over the weekend can only have made them more bullish on their depth. As we’ve noted here recently (and as highlighted by both Passan and Rosenthal), the Indians’ outfield has been a disaster. If they can line up on a deal that nets a big league outfielder with comparable (or greater) team control along with some legitimate prospect talent, that could at least speculatively be a framework.

There’s some uncertainty regarding Clevinger’s service time at he moment, as the Indians could technically push his path to free agency back a season should he spend 20 days or more at the alternate site on his current optional assignment. That scenario, though, would require keeping Clevinger on option beyond the Aug. 31 trade deadline — he was optioned on Aug. 14 — and his representatives could well take umbrage and explore a grievance. Clevinger’s track record is excellent, with a 2.97 ERA, 10.2 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 over 464 1/3 innings dating back to 2017. As it stands, he’s controllable through the 2022 season with a pair of arb raises still in the offing.

There’s no indication that Clevinger and/or Plesac are being dangled to other clubs, but given their recent demotions, it’s to be expected that other clubs will try to pry them away. Virtually every contender is in need of pitching help with injuries up throughout the league, and the idea of acquiring a player with multiple years of control remaining is far more appealing than giving up young talent simply to acquire a month’s worth of regular-season innings, which is all any club is guaranteed with a rental arm in 2020.

Indians’ Triston McKenzie To Debut Saturday

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August 22: The Indians have officially promoted McKenzie to the active roster. To make a spot for the rookie, outfielder Bradley Zimmer was optioned to the team’s alternate training site.

August 20: Indians right-hander Triston McKenzie will make his major league debut Saturday with a start against the Tigers, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com reports. The 23-year-old McKenzie is already on the Indians’ 40-man roster, so they won’t have to boot anyone from it to make room for him.

As Hoynes notes, this will be the first competitive outing for McKenzie since June 2018, as forearm and shoulder problems stunted his development for a couple of years. Before that, he was the 42nd overall pick in 2015 and a multi-time top 100 prospect, peaking as Baseball America’s 33rd-best farmhand in 2018. While his injury issues weighed him down that year, he still logged a 2.68 ERA with 8.64 K/9 and 2.78 BB/9 over 90 2/3 innings in his first Double-A season.

Now, the hope for Cleveland is that a healthy McKenzie will become the latest success story in its staff. The Indians have been known for churning out quality starters in recent years, which hasn’t changed this season. The club’s rotation entered Thursday first in the majors in ERA and third in FIP. They’ll remain in the majors’ elite in those categories after American League Cy Young front-runner Shane Bieber turned in yet another brilliant performance in shutting out the Pirates.

Aside from Bieber, the Indians have received tremendous production from Aaron Civale and Zach Plesac (though they optioned the latter last week for a violation of coronavirus protocols). Carlos Carrasco, Adam Plutko and Mike Clevinger have prevented runs at fine clips, but Clevinger was demoted alongside Plesac.

Chris Antonetti On Mike Clevinger, Zach Plesac

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The Indians banished right-handers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac to their alternate site a week ago after the two broke coronavirus protocols on the road. Clevinger and Plesac have each thrown five-inning sim games over the past couple days as they hope to work their way back, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic.

The Indians will be able to recall either or both of the beleaguered hurlers Monday, though it’s anyone’s guess if that will happen. If it does, there’s a possibility it will cause friction in Cleveland’s locker room. Back when Clevinger and Plesac were caught, some Indians reportedly considered opting out if they immediately rejoined the team, while right-hander Adam Plutko publicly expressed his displeasure with his rotation mates.

Speaking Friday regarding Clevinger and Plesac, president Chris Antonetti said (full statement here, via Meisel), “The team’s readiness to accept them back into the environment is something that we’ll consider.” At the same time, though, Antonetti noted the Indians’ focus is on “how to build the best team and how do we have the best group of guys at the major league level that give us the best chance to win and win a World Series?” He went on to express hope that Clevinger and Plesac have spent the past week “reflecting” on their mistakes and focusing on how to “earn the trust back of the team.”

Looking solely at on-field impact, it’s hard to argue the Indians aren’t a better team with Clevinger and Plesac in the mix. Clevinger has largely offered front-line production since he broke out in 2017, while Plesac – after a decent but unspectacular rookie year – dominated in three starts and 21 innings this season before the Indians demoted him. Among all pitchers who have thrown at least 20 frames, Plesac ranks first in K/BB ratio (12.00), third in BB/9 (0.86) and fourth in ERA (1.29).

Considering Shane Bieber’s status as the best pitcher in the American League and the emergence of Aaron Civale, the contending Indians may be tempted to recall Clevinger and Plesac in hopes of building a super-rotation and making a World Series run. They’re a couple days away from having that option. In the meantime, Triston McKenzie will fill out the Indians’ starting staff after Bieber, Civale, Carlos Carrasco and Plutko, who owns a 6.88 ERA for the season after the Tigers shelled him Friday.

Health Notes: Francona, Rays, Hamels, Phils, Grandal

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Indians manager Terry Francona will miss their series against the Pirates to undergo surgery for gastrointestinal problems, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com relays. Bench coach Sandy Alomar is managing the team during Francona’s absence. This is the second procedure Francona has undergone in the past month to address the issue. MLBTR wishes him a speedy recovery and hopes to see him back in the Cleveland dugout as quickly as possible.

  • Injured Rays right-hander Charlie Morton came out of an “intense bullpen session” unscathed, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. It’s possible Morton will return this weekend after heading to the injured list Aug. 10 with shoulder inflammation. That continued a disappointing opening to the season for Morton, who struggled through his first four starts. Meanwhile, reliever Oliver Drake will begin a throwing program as he works back from the right biceps tendinitis that forced him to the IL on Aug. 9. However, there’s no word on a potential return date.
  • Braves manager Brian Snitker stated Tuesday that left-hander Cole Hamels is still “a little ways” from throwing off a mound, Mark Bowman of MLB.com tweets. The Braves remain hopeful Hamels will pitch this year, but time’s obviously of the essence with the regular season due to end in late September. Hamels was a headline-grabbing offseason signing for the Braves, but the triceps injury he has dealt with may stop the pending free agent from ever pitching for them.
  • Phillies center fielder Roman Quinn received clearance to come off the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer was among those to report. Quinn went to the IL this past weekend after experiencing mild symptoms, though he didn’t test positive for the virus then. His latest test came back negative, enabling him to rejoin the team.
  • The White Sox are hopeful that catcher Yasmani Grandal will return “by the end of the week,” according to manager Rick Renteria (via Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times). Grandal exited the team’s game Monday with a stiff back.

Indians Activate Roberto Perez From IL

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The Indians have reinstated catcher Roberto Perez from the injured list, per Zack Meisel of The Athletic. They recalled outfielder Greg Allen in a corresponding move.

Perez hasn’t played since July 28, after which he landed on the shelf with a right shoulder injury. The Indians have had to turn to Sandy Leon and Beau Taylor behind the plate in Perez’s absence, and the results haven’t been pretty.

Although the Indians have gotten off to a good start at 13-9, their catchers have hit a shockingly ineffective .088/.225/.147 in 80 plate appearances. Some of that has been Perez’s doing, though he only took 11 PA prior to his injury. And Perez was one of the game’s top all-around catchers just last season, when he put up respectable offense (.239/.321/.452 with 24 home runs in 449 trips to the plate), threw out a league-high 41 percent of would-be base thieves and earned excellent marks as a framer.

Leon, meanwhile, will miss at least the next few days, Meisel reports. He’s going on temporary leave to tend to a family matter.

Indians Option Oscar Mercado

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The Indians announced this morning that they’ve optioned struggling center fielder Oscar Mercado to their alternate training site. A corresponding move has yet to be announced but will come before tomorrow’s game.

Mercado becomes the third notable Indians player to be sent down in the past week, although his circumstances are different. Unlike demoted right-handers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac, who were sent down after angering teammates and club officials by breaking Covid-19 protocols, Mercado’s trip to the alternate site looks to be purely driven by his on-field struggles. The 25-year-old finished eighth in American League Rookie of the Year voting last season but has gotten out to a woeful .111/.167/.111 start through 48 plate appearances in 2020.

Entering the season, Mercado appeared to be the lone lock amid an otherwise jumbled outfield picture. Cleveland had Delino DeShields Jr., Jordan Luplow, Tyler Naquin, Jake Bauers, Bradley Zimmer, Greg Allen, Domingo Santana and Franmil Reyes all vying for time in the corners (and at DH), but Mercado’s .269/.318/.443 debut and his quality glovework made him the clear favorite for everyday work in center.

With Mercado optioned out of the picture for now, it’ll likely be DeShields shouldering the workload in center while manager Terry Francona mixes and matches in the corner slots. Outside of DeShields, who has just 23 plate appearances, and Reyes, who has just five innings played on defense, none of the club’s outfield options have been productive. Francona will likely play matchups and hope for the emergence of a hot hand or two on which he can rely more consistently. The club could, of course, also pursue an upgrade via the trade market.

It should be noted that while Mercado’s demotion opens a spot on the active roster, that cannot be used to recall either Clevinger or Plesac. Optional assignment rules dictate that a player must spend 10 days down unless he is replacing a player who is being placed on the IL. That’s not the case here, so the club will turn elsewhere in whatever move is announced following today’s off day.

Latest On Zach Plesac, Mike Clevinger

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The Indians made a statement over the weekend when they optioned right-handers Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac to their alternate training site in the wake of the pair’s violation of MLB’s Covid-19 protocols.

Buster Olney and Jeff Passan of ESPN shed further light on the details leading up to the decision to option the two right-handers. Olney reports that multiple teammates considered opting out of the season if Clevinger and Plesac immediately rejoined the club. Passan further reports that veteran lefty Oliver Perez was one of those players, and he adds that Francisco Lindor “was outspoken as well” (though there’s no indication Lindor threatened an opt-out). Plesac took to Instagram last week to lament that the media had overstated his violation of the league’s protocols, but his six-minute rant only further angered teammates, according to both Olney and Passan.

Right-hander Adam Plutko was candid when addressing reporters on the issue last week. That was before Plesac’s video, wherein he stated, “I know how important it is that we must follow these certain procedures,” despite having violated those procedures just 96 hours prior. Asked if he’d seen the video, Indians skipper Terry Francona said that he had and plainly told reporters that he “was disappointed” (Twitter link via Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon-Journal). Plesac has since deleted the video from his Instagram.

Beyond the immediate competitive aspects of the move to option both players, there are also some potentially major service time implications. Passan points out that Clevinger, if he spends 20 or more days at the alternate site, would have his eligibility for free agency pushed back by a year. Because service time is prorated in 2020, each day of the schedule is akin to 2.77 days of big league service time. Clevinger needs to spend at least 48 days of this 67-day season in the Majors to cross into the next service class. That had been considered a given prior to the season but is now a scenario very much worth monitoring. Plesac will graduate to the next service class regardless, but he may no longer be on pace for Super Two status, as he previously was.

The Indians, of course, have a noted high-risk player in Carlos Carrasco, who missed much of the 2019 season following a leukemia diagnosis. Carrasco stunningly was able to return to the mound in September, earning American League Comeback Player of the Year honors in the process. Even looking past any health risks in the locker room, though, both the Marlins and Cardinals have had their schedules blown up by Covid-19 outbreaks within their clubhouses. Violation of the league’s health-and-safety protocols comes with the risk of creating a third such situation. Given that the rest of the team — and the overwhelming majority of big leaguers in general — appear to be following those protocols and remaining at the team hotel when on the road, it’s understandable that teammates were outspoken in their disapproval.

The manner in which the club handles the situation moving forward remains to be seen. Optional assignment rules dictate that both Clevinger and Plesac will need to spend 10 days at the alternate training site unless either is recalled as a replacement for a player who is being placed on the injured list. There will surely be trade speculation leading up to this year’s Aug. 31 deadline, although there’s no indication yet that the organization would take such a drastic action.

For now, the Indians can carry on with a still-strong rotation of Shane Bieber, Carrasco, Aaron Civale and Plutko. Lefty Logan Allen, already on the big league roster, is one option to make a start if needed. Right-hander Jefry Rodriguez, who made eight starts for Cleveland in 2019, is another option down at the team’s alternate site.

Injury Notes: Alvarez, Pham, Franmil, Judge

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Yordan Alvarez was a late scratch from today’s Astros lineup, as the young slugger continues to battle knee issues.  Manager Dusty Baker told the Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome and other reporters that Alvarez arrived at the ballpark feeling knee soreness, which Baker suspected was from an awkward slide into third base during Saturday’s game.  Alvarez has been dealing with bad knees throughout his young career, and he has already been limited to DH duty for this season.

Since past tests haven’t revealed any structural problems, it could be that Alvarez’s knees could simply limit him going forward, perhaps both in 2020 and beyond.  It certainly isn’t what you want to see from a 23-year-old player, especially one who has been so productive even amidst this knee pain, and Baker acknowledged that the team will keep a close eye on managing Alvarez for the rest of the season.

More on some of the many injury situations popping up on a daily basis around baseball…

  • Tommy Pham was removed during a ninth-inning at-bat during today’s Padres/Diamondbacks game.  Pham was seemingly favoring his hand after hitting a foul ball, and left after a consultation with a team trainer.  This is the second straight game Pham has left early, as he was removed during the second inning of Saturday’s contest due to cramping in both calves.  However, he was back in today’s starting lineup as the DH and didn’t seem any worse for wear, going 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base. [UPDATE: the Padres are worried Pham has a broken hamate bone, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.]
  • Franmil Reyes hit two home runs during the Indians’ 8-5 victory over the Tigers today, though Reyes’ big day had a painful ending after he was hit in the left hand by a pitch during a ninth-inning plate appearance.  Reyes was removed from the game, though he was diagnosed with only a contusion after x-rays were negative.  It seems likely Reyes will miss a game or two, though an injured list placement doesn’t seem likely at this point.  Reyes has been one of the few highlights for a struggling Cleveland lineup, as Reyes has hit .316/.366/.553 with five home runs.
  • Aaron Judge’s 10-day IL stint may be a minimal one, as the Yankees star told Newsday’s Roger Rubin and other media that he is already recovered from his minor calf strain just two days after his placement.  “I was begging for just a couple days…and I don’t need 10 days to be feeling good.  I already feel 100 percent now,” Judge said.  While Judge is “frustrated with myself not being out there,” he “wouldn’t say I’m frustrated with the organization.  This shows how much the organization cares for me and looks out for my well-being.”  Given how much time Judge (and other Yankees players) have missed due to injury in recent years, it makes sense that the club would be as cautious as possible in making sure a seemingly minor injury didn’t blossom into a bigger issue.

Indians Option Mike Clevinger, Zach Plesac

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The Indians have reinstated starters Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac from the restricted list. In a surprising twist, both rotation members have been optioned to the alternate training site.

This news comes in the aftermath of a forehead-smacking decision by this talented pair of right-handed hurlers. They each violated collectively bargained MLB coronavirus protocols and then — as rotation mate Adam Plutko explained — lied to the team about their poor decisions.

The decision to option both pitchers came on the heels of a team meeting involving them both, as Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal covers (Twitter links). It’s clear the organization decided it had to send a message.

It’s unlikely but not impossible that the optional assignment will have a significant impact on either player’s contractual situation. Clevinger entered the year with 3.041 years of MLB service while Plesac had 125 days. Unless the Indians leave them down for an extended stretch, they’ll still be able to move into the next service class. But the move could ruin Plesac’s hopes for potential early arbitration qualification as a Super Two.

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