AL Notes: Hendriks, Lind, VerHagen, Gordon
Athletics righty Liam Hendriks is undergoing a relatively minor surgical procedure on his ailing hip, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The Australian-born reliever is a cyst removed from his right hip and will also receive a platelet-rich plasma injection to accelerate the healing process. A’s trainer Nick Paparesta tells Slusser that Hendriks, who was set to have the procedure earlier today, will rest for the next 10 days before beginning rehab. Slusser notes that it’ll be a matter of weeks before he’s back on the mound. Hendriks, 29, logged a 3.99 ERA with a terrific 149-to-37 K/BB ratio in 128 2/3 innings for the A’s from 2016-17.
More from the American League…
- Adam Lind will be paid a pro-rated $2MM base salary for any time spent in the big leagues with the Yankees on his new minor league deal, tweets USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Lind, who returned to the Yankees last week after initially being granted his release in early March, also has the ability to opt out of this deal on each of May 1, June 1 and July 1 if he is not on the Major League roster. He’ll give the Yankees a depth option at first base while Greg Bird is on the shelf, although Tyler Austin has been swinging a hot bat as of late, albeit through just 60 plate appearances.
- The Tigers have already placed right-hander Drew VerHagen on outright waivers after designating him for assignment yesterday, manager Ron Gardenhire revealed today (link via MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery). Gardenhire explained that the decision to designate VerHagen simply boiled down to the fact that the team feels he needs to improve his control and is too thin in its bullpen ranks to allow the out-of-options righty to work on it in the Majors. “”Hopefully he’ll clear (waivers) and get back in our system,” said Gardenhire. “…he’s got the arm and the stuff. It’s just very inconsistent and we can’t afford it right now the way our bullpen’s set up.” As I noted when he was designated, VerHagen has struggled but also shown some positive indicators: namely an uptick in his velocity and a significant spike in his swinging-strike rate.
- Corey Brock of The Athletic chatted (subscription link) with Mariners center fielder Dee Gordon and manager Scott Servais about the dying art of the stolen base in an era of baseball that is increasingly focused on power. Gordon noted that his skill set isn’t as in demand as it once might have been, pointing out the discrepancy between the manner in which steals and speed are valued in the regular season as compared to in the postseason, when teams will often roster a pinch-running specialist. As Brock notes, that’s one of the reasons that the Mariners traded for Gordon — perhaps believing his skill set to be undervalued in today’s baseball landscape. Gordon discusses changes to pitching mechanics that have made it more difficult to steal bases as well as the changing philosophies teams have toward “middle-of-the-road big leaguers” (non-stars). None of that changes Gordon’s game or the manner in which the Mariners plan to use him, though; Servais tells Brock he’d love to see Gordon swipe 80 bases this season — and he’s on pace to clear that mark at present.
Tigers Designate Drew VerHagen For Assignment
The Tigers announced that they’ve recalled outfielder Mike Gerber from Triple-A Toledo and designated right-hander Drew VerHagen for assignment in order to clear a spot on the active roster. Gerber served as the 26th man in yesterday’s doubleheader but will now formally join the active roster.
VerHagen, 27, has struggled with the Tigers in each of the past few seasons, totaling 63 2/3 innings with a 6.25 ERA, 6.5 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9. The righty has a mid-90s heater that is averaging 96.1 mph this season, and he’s shown a knack for inducing grounders in his big league career as well (57.8 percent). But VerHagen was extremely homer-prone in 2017, surrendering 10 long balls in just 34 1/3 innings, and he’s out of minor league options, so the Tigers weren’t able to simply send him to the minors.
If he clears waivers, VerHagen will remain with the organization via an outright assignment, though that’s not a given. In addition to his velocity and penchant for ground-balls, he’s also notched a significant jump in his swinging-strike rate in 2017, spiking from a pedestrian 9.5 percent in 2017 to a considerably more impressive 15.4 percent in 2018. It’s a sample of merely 10 innings, of course, but VerHagen has punched out 11 hitters. The jump in strikeout rate and velocity have been complemented by VerHagen throwing his slider roughly twice as often as he did in 2017. Certainly, there are some elements to like about the 6’6″ righty, so perhaps he’ll generate interest elsewhere despite lackluster run-prevention numbers.
The 25-year-old Gerber, meanwhile, spent most of the 2017 season in Double-A, where he turned in a strong .291/.363/.477 slash with 13 homers, 22 doubles, two triples and 10 steals (in 16 attempts) before briefly reaching the Triple-A level. Detroit protected him from the Rule 5 Draft by placing him on the 40-man roster this past offseason on the heels of that quality effort. He’ll join an outfield mix that currently has JaCoby Jones in left, Leonys Martin in center, Nicholas Castellanos in right and Rule 5 pick Victor Reyes as a reserve option on the bench.
Given the team’s desire to hang onto Reyes, it’s likely that Gerber’s recall will be short-term in nature for now. But the rebuilding Tigers could potentially part ways with Martin and/or Castellanos this summer, and Jones is hardly an established fixture in left (though he is off to a very nice start in 2018). Gerber could eventually find himself with a opportunity to take on a greater role at any of the three outfield slots, as he does come with plenty of experience in center field.
Pitching Notes: Harvey, Hunter, D. Norris, Nicasio
The Mets informed right-hander Matt Harvey on Saturday that he was moving to the bullpen, after which the 29-year-old told Tim Healey of Newsday and other reporters, “On a scale of 1 to 10, obviously I’m at a 10 with being [ticked] off.” The former ace went on to acknowledge that he has struggled, though, and both Harvey and manager Mickey Callaway are hopeful he’ll work his way back into the club’s rotation. “It’s inevitable that he’s going to make more starts for us this year. That’s how baseball goes,” Callaway said. “As of right now, we think that indications are that he’s going to go down there and try to be the best Matt Harvey he can be.” Harvey, whose descent from top-of-the-rotation status began in 2016, has pitched to an ugly 6.57 ERA/6.07 FIP in 113 2/3 innings since last season.
- The Phillies optioned left-hander Hoby Milner to Triple-A on Saturday, paving the way for right-hander Tommy Hunter‘s activation from the disabled list on Sunday. Hunter, whom the Phillies signed to a two-year, $18MM deal in the offseason, opened the year on the DL because of a hamstring strain. The 31-year-old will join a bullpen that has been effective thus far (3.21 ERA/3.70 FIP in 67 1/3 innings) despite a lack of contributions from him and fellow free-agent pickup Pat Neshek, who’s on the DL with shoulder inflammation.
- Tigers southpaw Daniel Norris has only made one start in three appearances this year. For now, the team will continue deploying Norris as a reliever in the majors, as opposed to having him start in the minors, manager Ron Gardenhire told Jason Beck of MLB.com and other reporters. The former high-end prospect’s lone start so far came Friday, when he only allowed one run in 4 2/3 innings against the Royals. However, Norris’ fastball velocity – which was in the low-90s in previous years – averaged just 88.6 mph, per Beck. The 24-year-old’s above-average spin rate helped make up for it, Beck notes, and Norris expects that to serve him well if his missing velocity returns. “I haven’t thrown this slow since I was a sophomore in high school, so I’m figuring something out and I’m learning how to pitch,” Norris said. “And when it does come back, I’m going to be a lot better for it.”
- As is the case with Norris, Mariners reliever Juan Nicasio has dealt with a decline in velocity early this season. While Nicasio insists he’s not having any health issues, it’s nonetheless alarming that the offseason investment’s fastball velocity is averaging 93.2 mph after clocking in at 95.7 in 2017, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times writes. Nicasio’s velo did increase last season, which is cause for optimism, though it also started out at a higher level (upward of 95 mph), Divish points out. In 2017, his first year as a full-time reliever, Nicasio was terrific with three clubs (the Pirates, Phillies and Cardinals). The Mariners then awarded him their richest contract of the winter in free agency (two years, $17MM), but with five earned runs allowed in 9 2/3 innings, he has gotten off to a slow start.
AL Central Notes: V-Mart, Buchholz, Eloy, Cordell
Tigers DH Victor Martinez hasn’t made any formal decisions on his future, but the five-time All-Star at least hinted at retirement following the 2018 season during an interview with MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince. The 39-year-old Martinez, who missed time last season due to an irregular heartbeat, talks with Castrovince about the frightening incident when he first felt symptoms during a game — a sensation that was all the more troublesome given the history of heart issues that runs in his family. As Castrovince explains at greater length, Martinez lost his father to a heart attack at a young age, which only serves as further motivation for him to spend as much time with his own children as possible.
“Honestly? I’m ready,” the longtime Tigers slugger tells Castrovince. “…I know I left everything in this game. I think the biggest problem for athletes is they don’t know what to do after baseball. That won’t be my problem.”
More from the division…
- The Royals assigned minor league signee Clay Buchholz to Double-A after he showed well in extended Spring Training, tweets MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan. Buchholz, who missed nearly all of the 2017 season following surgery to repair a flexor tear in his right forearm, tossed 4 2/3 shutout innings with one hit, two walks and five strikeouts in the first of what should be multiple rehab outings. Flanagan reminds that Buchholz has a May 1 opt-out date in his deal, however, so Kansas City could have to make a call on the longtime Red Sox righty before too long. With Nate Karns on the disabled list and Eric Skoglund struggling through his first two starts, there does appear to be room to fit Buchholz into the mix in Kansas City.
- The White Sox announced that top prospect Eloy Jimenez has recovered from the pectoral strain that sidelined him to open the season, and he’ll head to Double-A Birmingham in place of the recently released Courtney Hawkins. As James Fegan of The Athletic writes, the release of Hawkins makes it all the more likely that Chicago’s 2012 draft will prove to yield little to no value at the big league level. But, the Sox also now boast considerably stronger outfield depth in Class-A Advanced and in Double-A, representing a noted turnaround from recent seasons. Jimenez made an 18-game cameo in Double-A last season but figures to spend a greater chunk of time there, as well as some time in Triple-A, before being moved up to the big league level.
- News on fellow White Sox outfield prospect Ryan Cordell is less encouraging than the Jimenez update; Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago tweeted this week that the 26-year-old Cordell is expected to miss at least eight weeks after suffering a fractured collarbone. Cordell, acquired in the trade that sent Anthony Swarzak to the Brewers last summer, had a monster performance in Spring Training but had gotten off to a slow start in Triple-A Charlotte this year. Injuries have slowed Cordell’s path to the big leagues considerably in recent seasons, but he’s on the 40-man roster and had been viewed as a prospect likely to make his big league debut this season before this latest setback. It’s possible, of course, that Cordell recovers and appears for the ChiSox later this season.
Minor MLB Transactions: 4/17/18
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves from around the game…
- The Tigers re-signed catcher Kade Scivicque to a minor league contract and assigned him to Double-A Erie yesterday, as Tom Reisenweber of the Erie Times-News first tweeted. The 25-year-old Scivicque was Detroit’s fourth-round pick back in 2015, but the Tigers shipped him to the Braves in the 2016 trade that netted them veteran infielder Erick Aybar. Scivicque hit .270/.326/.365 between the Braves’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates last season and threw out 27 percent of opposing base thieves while posting slightly below-average framing marks, per Baseball Prospectus. With Grayson Greiner and Jarrod Saltalamacchia occupying catching spots for the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate in Toledo, Scivicque will head to Double-A despite posting respectable numbers in Gwinnett last season.
Heyman’s Latest: Arrieta, Lucroy, Tigers, Puig, Gordon, K-Rod, Acuna
The Cubs were known to have made “one last call” to Jake Arrieta‘s agent Scott Boras before signing Yu Darvish, and FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman provided some new details on that exchange. Theo Epstein proposed a “theoretical” offer of six years and $120MM to Arrieta if, and only if, things did not work out with Darvish. Epstein reportedly didn’t seriously think Arrieta’s camp would take the offer, and the executive was “just making the call to show respect” to a player who was such a major factor in Chicago’s recent success. Even if Darvish had turned the Cubs down, it still doesn’t seem as if Arrieta and the team would’ve been able to come to an agreement, as Arrieta simply wanted a larger average annual value than Chicago was willing to offer (due to their desire to stay under the luxury tax threshold). The Cubbies also are said to have put $48MM over four years on the table for Alex Cobb earlier in the winter before putting pen to paper with Darvish, and Heyman speculates that the Cubs might have eventually become interested in Alex Cobb had they missed out on both Darvish and Arrieta.
Here are a few items from Heyman, in his latest notes column…
- The Nationals could potentially be contenders to sign Jonathan Lucroy next offseason. Matt Wieters is in his last year under contract, and Washington had some interest in Lucroy this winter despite Wieters still being on the hook for $10.5MM this season. Of course, quite a bit could happen to affect this interest between now and next winter, particularly since Lucroy is looking to rebound with the Athletics after a very inconsistent 2017 season. If Lucroy does bounce back and the A’s are out of contention this year, I would think it possible that the Nats could even target Lucroy at the trade deadline.
- In some Tigers agency news, righty Franklin Perez is joining Beverly Hills Sports Council while infielder Dixon Machado is now with Octagon. You can track the latest representation information with MLBTR’s agency database.
- Speaking of agents, Yasiel Puig has been in talks with “several agencies” about representation since the Wasserman agency cut ties with the Dodgers outfielder in February. Puig has also been considering having one of his current financial advisors represent him, though the MLBPA has “strongly advised” Puig to work with an established agency.
- “It was very much a split decision” within the Royals front office to re-sign Alex Gordon to a four-year, $72MM deal in the 2015-16 offseason. Gordon’s return to Kansas City was seen as something of a surprise at the time, though he had a strong personal desire to return to the team and the Royals were willing to spend extra to retain a key member of their World Series-winning team. Gordon was entering his age-32 season at the time, however, and some in the organization felt “he had had worn down by that point” and wasn’t a good investment. These concerns seem to have been well-founded, as Gordon has hit just .213/.300/.343 over 1071 PA through two-plus years of that contract.
- Reliever Francisco Rodriguez is determined to continue pitching at age 36, even if it means going to an indy ball club. He was released by the Phillies last month after spending most of the spring with the organization on a minor league deal, and K-Rod posted a 5.40 ERA over 6 2/3 Grapefruit League innings.
- Shortstop Luisangel Acuna, the younger brother of star Braves prospect Ronald Acuna, will be a sought-after name in the next July 2 international signing period, Heyman writes in a separate piece. The Rangers are one of multiple teams interested in the younger Acuna, who could receive a bonus as high as $500K. This estimated price tag will keep the Braves out of the running, as they are limited to spending no more than $300K on any single international prospect for the next July 2 period. MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez writes that some scouts feel Acuna will eventually have to move to second base, and he “has shown some power and has the potential to be an average-or-better hitter with proper instruction, but he’ll have to grow” beyond his current 5’9″, 160-pound frame.
Tigers Notes: Mahtook, Zimmermann, Draft
The Tigers made the somewhat surprising move to option left fielder Mikie Mahtook to Triple-A Toledo following last night’s game, per a club announcement. Mahtook, a former first-rounder on whom the Tigers bought low late in the 2016-17 offseason, turned in a solid 2017 campaign in Detroit and opened the year as the Tigers’ primary left fielder. However, the 28-year-old got off to a brutal .129/.200/.161 start to the year through his first 35 plate appearances, prompting a move to be made. Manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters after the game that it was a “tough night” for the organization and called delivering this type of news the “worst part of being a manager” (link via MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery). “Tough decision. Not fun at all,” said Gardenhire. “I really like Mikie. He’s kind of scuffling a little bit. I told him he needs to go down and get his swing together and get his confidence back and he’ll be right back up here.” Mahtook, who hit .276/.330/.457 last season, took the demotion in stride, voicing confidence that he can turn things around in Toledo and return in the near future.
More out of the Motor City…
- Wednesday was a frightening day for right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, who exited his start after being struck in the face by a line-drive off the bat of Jason Kipnis. Remarkably, however, it seems as though Zimmermann not only avoided major injury but will be able to make his next start, as MLB.com’s Jason Beck writes. Statcast measured the exit velocity of the comebacker that hit Zimmermann at a blistering 105.6 mph, but Zimmermann passed MLB’s concussion protocols, and X-rays came back negative. Zimmermann noted that it wasn’t the first time he’s endured that type of injury, as a comebacker in college broke his jaw. Beck’s column has quotes from Zimmermann, Gardenhire and Kipnis on the incident.
- The Tigers will face a pivotal decision in their rebuilding effort this June when they have the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft. Per Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs (all Twitter links), Auburn right-hander Casey Mize is favored to come off the board first overall at the moment, but the Tigers are also looking at Jarred Kelenic — a high school outfielder out of Waukesha, Wis., as a possibility with the top pick. The interest in Kelenic, McDaniel adds, isn’t a smokescreen designed to lower the price on other players and seems to be quite legitimate. Kelenic saw the Tigers’ Spring Training facility back in early March, and McDaniel notes that he’s been hearing talk about the two sides since that time, though those rumors have increased recently.
AL Central Notes: Draft Pools, Royals, Pena, Reyes, Iglesias, Tribe
The Royals will have the largest bonus pool of any team in baseball for this summer’s amateur draft, MLB.com’s Jim Callis writes. Clubs were informed earlier this week about the size of their draft pools, as well as the slot values for each pick that falls within the draft’s first 10 rounds, plus the Competitive Balance rounds (for smaller-market teams) and compensatory rounds for teams that lost qualifying offer-rejecting free agents. Kansas City has selections in both of those extra rounds, with a pick (the draft’s 40th overall selection) in Competitive Balance Round A and two compensatory picks (33rd and 34th overall) obtained when Lorenzo Cain signed with the Brewers and Eric Hosmer signed with the Padres.
The Royals have $12,781,900 in total to spend within their draft bonus pool, placing them just ahead of the Rays ($12,415,600) and Tigers ($12,414,800). Detroit owns the first overall pick in the draft, which comes with a recommended slot price of $8,096,300. Be sure to check out Callis’ piece for the full rundown of slot prices and the order of the draft’s first 10 rounds, though the draft order could still potentially be shifted if any of the Competitive Balance Round picks are traded. These are the only such draft picks that are eligible to be dealt, and they can only be dealt once the regular season has started.
Here’s more from around the AL Central…
- Brayan Pena is still hopeful of continuing his playing career, though Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters (including MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery) that the catcher is also operating in a semi-coaching capacity. Pena signed a minor league deal with Detroit in January but no longer has a spot at the Triple-A level after the Tigers’ signing of Jarrod Saltalamacchia. If Pena can’t find a playing opportunity elsewhere, he’ll transition into working with prospects at extended Spring Training camp and for the Tigers’ Gulf Coast League team. The 36-year-old Pena is a veteran of 12 Major League seasons, hitting .259/.299/.351 over 1950 career PA from 2005-16 while mostly working in a backup catching capacity.
- Victor Reyes and Jose Iglesias both came up worse for wear after the two Tigers collided in pursuit of a fly ball during the fifth inning of today’s game. Reyes suffered a laceration in his forearm that caused him to leave the game and required eight stitches to close, while Iglesias suffered soreness in both his ankle and calf (MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery was among those who reported the injury updates.) Both players will be re-evaluated tomorrow. It was a tough beginning to Reyes’ big league career, as the Rule 5 pick was making his Major League debut in the second half of Detroit’s double-header with the Pirates.
- “If the Indians were a high school team, this would be their senior year,” Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes, acknowledging that this might be the Tribe’s best chance at a championship given how many key players are scheduled for free agency after the season. Andrew Miller, Michael Brantley, Cody Allen, Lonnie Chisenhall, and Josh Tomlin are just a few of the prominent names set to hit the open market, and re-signing some or even any could be difficult given Cleveland’s small-market realities. Despite this, Miller believes that “from an organization standpoint, I don’t think a window is closing” since the Tribe still has the likes of Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, and much of their rotation returning. “There’s a track record here for the way they do things….The way they develop players, the way they prepare them, as long as you have Tito (Terry Francona) at the helm, they’re going to be good,” Miller said.
Minor MLB Transactions: 4/1/18
The latest minor moves from around baseball…
- The Tigers announced that left-hander Ryan Carpenter will be assigned back to Triple-A Toledo. Carpenter was called up as the 26th man for today’s double-header with the Pirates, and he made his Major League debut in the nightcap, starting the game and lasting three innings. A seventh-round pick for the Rays in the 2011 draft, Carpenter has a 4.37 ERA, 7.7 K/9, and 3.36 K/BB rate over 760 1/3 innings (128 of his 115 games as a starter) in the Tampa Bay and Colorado farm systems.
Earlier Today:
- The Red Sox have released outfielder Steve Selsky, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets. Selsky was a member of the Cincinnati organization from 2011-16 before joining Boston last season. The 28-year-old spent nearly all of 2017 with Triple-A Pawtucket, where he hit .215/.270/.360 with 11 home runs in 322 plate appearances. Selsky also appeared in eight of Boston’s games, though he only picked up nine PAs in that span.
- The Pirates have parted with outfielder Clark Eagan, according to John Dreker of Pirates Prospects (subscription required). Eagan, 23, had been with the Pirates since they selected him in the ninth round of the 2016 draft. He spent that year at the Low-A level before moving up to Single-A in 2017. In all, Eagan batted .265/.316/.385 across 604 trips to the plate with the organization.
Minor MLB Transactions: 3/29/18
We’ll use this post to catch up on some recent minor moves …
- Veteran catcher Derek Norris and right-hander Enrique Burgos were released by the Tigers yesterday, tweets Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Both had previously been reassigned to minor league camp after being informed that they wouldn’t crack the Opening Day roster. Norris went 7-for-17 with a homer in camp for Detroit, while Burgos was tagged for six runs in 4 2/3 innings with the big league team. Both will look to latch on elsewhere and work their way back to the majors.
- In a minor swap for an unknown return, the Phillies acquired Dean Anna from the White Sox, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (Twitter link). The 31-year will give the Phils some infield depth, though they will surely hope not to have a need for it at the MLB level. Anna has scant MLB experience but has been playing at Triple-A since 2013. Most recently, he posted a .285/.364/.376 slash at the highest level of the minors with the Royals in 2017.
- The Pirates have released a group of minor-leaguers, John Dreker of Pirates Prospects reports (subscription link). The most prominent among them are outfielder Barrett Barnes and hurlers Cody Dickson and John Stilson. Barnes was the former 45th overall pick but did not stand out in brief action at the Triple-A level last year. Dickson is a former fourth-rounder who topped out at Triple-A last year, while Stilson has never yet received an MLB opportunity despite compiling a 2.75 ERA in 131 Triple-A innings.
- The Twins have released former first-round pick Levi Michael, according to LaVelle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (via Twitter). Michael, 27, was taken with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 draft out of the University of North Carolina. A middle infielder who has also tried some time in center more recently, Michael has just never really turned the corner. For an organization rich in young infielders, he evidently was not worth keeping around. Michael did briefly reach the Triple-A level last year after a decent bounceback showing in Double-A, where he slashed .264/.362/.380.
- Among the other players set free of late was former MLB catcher Johnny Monell, who was released by the Rays, per SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). Monell, who recently turned 32, had returned to affiliated ball after a one-year tour with Korea’s KT Wiz. He has seen only limited time in the majors but does sport an appealing .278/.350/.460 lifetime batting line at Triple-A.