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Quick Hits: Mets, E. Rodriguez, Tigers

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The Mets are off to a slow start at 3-4, and high-profile reliever Edwin Diaz hasn’t helped matters. Diaz, whom the Mets hoped would rebound this year after a subpar first season with the team in 2019, has allowed an earned run in two of three appearances this year. He struggled Thursday in a loss to the Red Sox, allowing four of five hitters to reach base. Afterward, manager Luis Rojas told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com and other reporters that Mets bigwigs will discuss whether to use Diaz in high-leverage situations going forward. Considering Diaz has only thrown 2 1/3 innings this season, it’s far too soon to say he won’t bounce back. Nevertheless, it’s stunning to see how far he has fallen off since a tremendous run with the Mariners from 2016-18. The Mets’ decision to trade for Diaz and second baseman Robinson Cano continues to look worse and worse.

  • Infielder Jed Lowrie joined the Mets in the same offseason as Diaz and Cano, but he has barely played for the club. Now in the second season of a two-year, $20MM contract, various injuries have limited Lowrie to nine games and eight plate appearances as a Met. He hasn’t played yet this season, and the reason became somewhat more clear Thursday. It turns out that Lowrie is dealing with PCL laxity in his left knee, according to general manager Brodie Van Wagenen. It’s still unknown if Lowrie will play for the Mets this season, however.
  • Red Sox left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez has been out this season because of coronavirus complications, but chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom told Greg Hill of WEEI on Thursday (h/t: Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com) that they believe he will pitch this year. “We do expect to get him back,” Bloom said. “I couldn’t tell you exactly when. Obviously, we’re fortunate in that the complication that he had was very mild in terms of the severity of it.” Rodriguez went on the injured list July 7 after testing positive for the virus and has been dealing with a heart issue related to the illness lately. If healthy, he’ll unquestionably be the No. 1 starter in a Boston staff that’s rife with problems.
  • The Tigers are placing oufielder Cameron Maybin on the injured list because of a strained quad, Evan Woodbery of MLive.com relays. Maybin suffered the injury Thursday, just the sixth game since the once-touted Tigers prospect returned to Detroit for a third stint. The club signed Maybin to a one-year, $1.5MM deal in free agency.

Alex Wilson Retires

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Former major league right-hander Alex Wilson has retired, Robert Murray reports. The 33-year-old will join the Ballengee Group as an advisor, per Murray.

Wilson, a second-round pick of the Red Sox in 2009, debuted in 2013 and generated solid results with Boston over a combined 56 innings through 2014. But Wilson wasn’t long for the Red Sox, who traded him to Detroit after the 2014 campaign in the teams’ Yoenis Cespedes–Rick Porcello swap. Wilson went on to enjoy a successful stint as a member of the Tigers, with whom he was a durable and effective reliever.

Wilson amassed 264 2/3 innings and pitched to a 3.20 ERA with 5.8 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 as Tiger from 2015-18, but they non-tendered him heading into last season. He saw his final major league action in Milwaukee, where he was tattooed for 12 earned runs on 15 hits in 11 1/3 frames. Although the Tigers brought Wilson back last offseason on a minor league contract, they ended up releasing him in June.

While his career didn’t end in ideal fashion, there’s no denying Wilson had a more productive MLB career than most. He’ll depart with 332 innings of 3.44 ERA ball and 6.1 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9. MLBTR wishes Wilson the best in his next venture.

Pitching Notes: Strasburg, Smith, Teheran, Fulmer, Marlins

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Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg missed his scheduled start Saturday on account of nerve irritation in his pitching hand, but he said at the time he wasn’t “extremely concerned” about it. Manager Dave Martinez issued another update on Strasburg on Monday, saying last year’s World Series MVP threw lightly, felt better and had less tingling in his hand, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post tweets. It’s still unclear when Strasburg will debut this season, though. Having started 1-3 during a 60-game season, the Nats need him back sooner than later.

  • In encouraging news for the Braves, left-handed closer Will Smith is no longer dealing with COVID-19 symptoms and hopes to be closing in on a return, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. Smith has been down since July 4 because of the coronavirus; if he is able to pitch this year, the hope is that he’ll be a major part of Atlanta’s late-game setup. That’s what the team was banking on when it signed Smith to a three-year, $40MM contract in free agency last winter. Smith earned that payday on the heels of several strong seasons with the Royals, Brewers and Giants.
  • Speaking of Atlanta, one of its former hurlers – Angels righty Julio Teheran – continues to progress toward a 2020 debut, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic relays. Teheran, who’s recovering from his own coronavirus diagnosis, is slated to throw three innings and 55 pitches in Long Beach, Calif., on Tuesday, per pitching coach Mickey Callaway. If all goes well then, Teheran could join the Angels’ rotation. The team signed Teheran, 29, to a one-year, $9MM guarantee over the winter after a successful run in Atlanta from 2011-19.
  • The Tigers plan to use righty Michael Fulmer as an opener all year and are unlikely to let him go five to six innings in any of his appearances, pitching coach Rick Anderson revealed (via Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic). Fulmer’s a former AL Rookie of the Year winner who topped out at 164 2/3 frames in his second season in 2017, but it’s understandable that the Tigers are taking a cautious approach with him. After all, the 27-year-old is just returning from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in March 2019. He took the mound Monday for the first time since September 2018 and surrendered four earned runs on five hits in 2 2/3 innings during a blowout loss to the Royals.
  • The coronavirus has deprived the Marlins of a slew of players, leaving them to scramble for replacements, but righty prospect Edward Cabrera is not a candidate for their roster as of now, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports. Cabrera is not dealing with the virus, fortunately, but “a minor arm issue” that has stopped him from throwing over the past week, Jackson writes. The 22-year-old was tremendous last season between High-A and Double-A, combining for a stingy 2.23 ERA with 10.8 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 96 2/3 innings, and is widely regarded as a top 100 prospect.

Tigers Place Dario Agrazal On Injured List

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The Tigers have placed righty Dario Agrazal on the injured list, per a club announcement. He’s said to be dealing with a forearm strain.

Taking his place on the active roster will be fellow righty Anthony Castro. The team will have to account for Agrazal’s scheduled start tomorrow, likely with a parade of relievers.

It’s quite the unfortunate development for Agrazal, who had just been called up. The 25-year-old struggled to a 4.91 ERA in his first 73 1/3 MLB innings in 2019.

Tigers Claim Carson Fulmer

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The Tigers announced today that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Carson Fulmer off waivers from the White Sox, who designated Fulmer for assignment on Thursday. The Tigers will need to make a corresponding move to clear a spot for Fulmer on the 40-man roster.

As MLBTR’s Steve Adams examined at length in May, Fulmer still offers glimpses of the tools that made him a coveted prospect in 2015: his fastball, curveball, and cutter all boast near-elite spin rates. And yet, despite those solid numbers, those pitches—particularly the four-seamer and cutter—evidently haven’t gotten the desired results for Fulmer. He’s generated relatively few swings and misses on those pitches, and it’s resulted in a career 6.56 ERA and constant up-and-down movement between the Majors and minors.

That said, this is precisely the type of acquisition that seems ideal for a Tigers team with little to lose this year. Without foundational pitching pieces, Fulmer comes at a small cost, and there’s always the possibility that a change of scenery could allow him to finally grow into a productive Major Leaguer. He’s still just 26 years old, and with expectations low for the team, they can afford to take on reclamation projects such as Fulmer in hopes that something sticks.

Fulmer could be deployed either as a starter or reliever, though it’s unknown as of now what Ron Gardenhire has planned for his newest player; either way, the Tigers will look to do what the White Sox couldn’t and tap into some of the talent that made him a top draft pick five years ago. If pitching coach Rick Anderson can hone Fulmer’s mechanics and command, the Tigers might have found themselves a worthwhile addition who could contribute to their next winning team.

Predict The NL Central Winner

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With final roster decisions in the books and the 2020 season underway at long last, it’s time to make some predictions. We’ve started to poll the MLBTR readership on each of the game’s six divisions — starting with the AL Central. With plenty more teams primed to crack the postseason under the inclusive new playoff qualification system, let’s jump the pond and take a look at the NL Central.

Kyle Hendricks gave the Cubs an early lead in the division yesterday with a 2 1/2 hour complete game shutout of the Brewers. The Reds were right there with them in blowing away the Tigers. Many believe the Reds won the offseason, and their beefed-up lineup looks to bullrush the rest of the division. Matt Davidson took the Reds’ DH at-bats in game one, but newcomers Mike Moustakas and Nicholas Castellanos will cycle through as well. The pitching is underrated, and they’re going to be a force. The Brewers roll out two of the most impactful rostered players in the sport in Josh Hader and Christian Yelich, a dangerous pair of superstars in a short season. The Pirates are an organization in transition, and if they manage a string together a competitive 60-game season, it’ll be a surprise. Until a new champ is crowned, however, the Cardinals remain the toast of the NL Central. With Carlos Martinez back in the rotation and Matt Carpenter set to take a healthy slate of DH at-bats, the 2020 Cardinals are a slightly different shape, but no less formidable.

Which team do you think is the best of the bunch? (Poll link for app users.)

Predict The 2020 N.L. Central Division Winner
Cardinals 33.94% (3,928 votes)
Reds 27.71% (3,208 votes)
Cubs 21.69% (2,511 votes)
Brewers 12.67% (1,466 votes)
Pirates 3.99% (462 votes)
Total Votes: 11,575

Predict The AL Central Division Winner

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With final roster decisions in the books and the 2020 season underway at long last, it’s time to make some predictions. We’ll poll the MLBTR readership on each of the game’s six divisions — though plenty more teams will crack the postseason under the rather inclusive new playoff qualification system.

There’s rather an interesting dynamic in the American League Central division this year. The Twins stepped up in 2019 and have added Josh Donaldson to an already potent lineup. They’ll try to hold off the Indians, who had previously enjoyed a stranglehold on the division and have some of the best core talent around. There’s no denying the immense potential that resides on the White Sox roster, which features both elite youngsters and newly inked quality veterans. The Royals feel they’ve got quick bounceback potential after a few down seasons; if a few players hit their ceilings, perhaps they could surprise. It’s harder to see a path for the Tigers, but they’ve also got a load of elite young hurlers pushing into the majors and will enter the season determined to make strides.

Which team do you think is the best of the bunch? (Poll link for app users.)

Predict The 2020 A.L. Central Division Winner
Twins 56.74% (5,134 votes)
Indians 18.94% (1,714 votes)
White Sox 16.00% (1,448 votes)
Tigers 5.02% (454 votes)
Royals 3.30% (299 votes)
Total Votes: 9,049

Tigers Select Dario Agrazal, Jordy Mercer

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The Tigers have announced that righty Dario Agrazal and infielder Jordy Mercer have made the Opening Day roster. Their contracts were selected to the 40-man roster. Former top picks Kyle Funkhouser and Beau Burrows both made the roster as well.

Agrazal, 25, was acquired from the Pirates back in November and later outrighted off the 40-man roster. The righty pitched 73 1/3 innings with the Pirates in 2019 but struggled to a 4.91 ERA with 5.0 K/9, 2.2 BB/9, 1.84 HR/9 and a 39.9 percent grounder rate. Agrazal doesn’t miss many bats, even in the minors, but he’s averaged well under two walks per nine innings pitched in parts of seven minors league seasons and typically registers a ground-ball rate north of 50 percent. He’s only totaled 64 innings in Triple-A, but he owns a career 3.62 ERA with 5.8 K/9 against 1.3 BB/9 in 608 2/3 total minor league frames.

The veteran Mercer, meanwhile, will return for a second season in Detroit. He spent the ’19 season with the Tigers after signing a one-year deal but was plagued by quadriceps injuries for much of the season, spending multiple stints on the injured list. The signing looked regrettable at the season’s halfway point, but Mercer returned in early July and closed out the year with a sharp .292/.323/.479 slash line to salvage what was looking to be a lost year. The 33-year-old — 34 next month — is a career .257/.316/.388 hitter in parts of eight MLB seasons.

Both Funkhouser and Burrows were at one point first-round picks. Detroit selected Burrows with the No. 22 selection back in 2015, and Funkhouser was a supplemental first-round pick by the Dodgers just 13 spots later in that same draft. Funkhouser, however, didn’t sign and slid to the Tigers in the fourth round a year later. Both showed promise in 2017-18 before ugly 2019 seasons dropped their stock, but they’ll both get their first look in the big leagues to begin the 2020 campaign.

Tigers Release Hector Santiago

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The Tigers announced that they have given left-hander Hector Santiago his unconditional release. Meanwhile, southpaw Tarik Skubal has been cleared to rejoin the Tigers’ 60-man player pool and been reassigned to their alternate training site, and righty Zack Hess has been removed from their player pool.

Santiago, 32, joined the Tigers on a minor league deal last offseason after mostly working as a reliever in 2019 and combining for 33 2/3 innings of 6.68 ERA/5.89 FIP ball with the White Sox and Mets. That continued a multiyear run of subpar production in the majors for Santiago, who served primarily as a starter earlier in his career and generated solid results for for the White Sox and Angels. During his peak from 2011-15, Santiago notched a 3.55 ERA/4.54 FIP with 8.25 K/9 and 4.00 BB/9 over 532 2/3 innings.

The Tigers didn’t say why they placed Skubal on the injured list when they made the move July 10. Regardless, it’s encouraging to see one of baseball’s top pitching prospects on his way back. The 23-year-old Skubal, who ranks as MLB.com’s 46th-best farmhand, was dominant in his first taste of Double-A action in 2019 with a 2.13 ERA/1.26 FIP and 17.43 K/9 against 3.63 BB/9 across 42 1/3 frames.

Daniel Norris Returns To Player Pool

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The Tigers announced today that lefty Daniel Norris has been cleared to return to the team’s 60-man player pool. He had been recovering from COVID-19 and awaiting consecutive negative tests.

It’s good to see Norris already clear of infection and ready to return to action. The timing is such that he’s likely to require some further work before he’s able to suit up in regular season action, but he can now begin building towards that goal.

This was already shaping up to be a decisive season for the 27-year-old southpaw. The former top prospect is in the middle of his arbitration years but still hasn’t fully established himself as a reliable rotation piece. And the Tigers have several young guns nipping at his heels.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Detroit organization handles its staff this year. Norris is sure to get a good look in some capacity. If the club wants to maximize his exposure to MLB hitting, perhaps it will deploy him in some kind of piggyback or multi-inning relief role while he builds up his pitch count early in the season.

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