- The Tigers received fairly promising news on the injury front yesterday, as manager Brad Ausmus noted in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (Twitter link). Catcher James McCann’s absence is expected to land “on the shorter side of the two to four week timetable” that he’d been given for a sprained ankle. (Though it’s fair to note that Jarrod Saltalamacchia has filled in admirably in his stead.) Also, outfielder Cameron Maybin is nearly ready to make his season debut, opening up some options with Anthony Gose off to a slow start.
Tigers Rumors
Minor MLB Transactions: 4/19/16
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- The Tigers announced that they have signed veteran catcher Humberto Quintero to a minor league contract and will assign him to Triple-A Toledo. The 36-year-old, who was released by the Blue Jays earlier this week, will step into the Triple-A roster spot that was vacated when the Tigers summoned Bobby Wilson to fill in for the injured James McCann. Quintero briefly saw the Majors in 2014, but his last significant big league action came in 2013 with the Mariners and Phillies. Quintero is a veteran of 12 big league seasons and has a lifetime .234/.267/.327 batting line in 1423 trips to the plate. Quintero is repped by Octagon.
Earlier Updates
- The White Sox have inked righty John Holdzkom to a minor league deal, as Robert Murray of Baseball Essential reported on Twitter. The towering 28-year-old, a client of the Ballengee Group, was designated for assignment and subsequently released by the Pirates earlier this season. Holdzkom came out of nowhere in 2014 with Pittsburgh, dominating at Triple-A and then allowing just two earned runs on four hits and two walks while striking out 14 opposing batters in nine MLB innings. But he struggled with his control at the highest level of the minors last year while battling through injuries and a loss of velocity. Chicago will hope that Holdzkom can get back on track and re-discover the mid-90s heater that made him such an intriguing independent ball find for the Bucs.
Orioles Have Made Offer To Kyle Lohse; Reds, Tigers Also Interested
5:18pm: Detroit does not appear to have present interest in Lohse, Chris Iott of MLive.com tweets.
4:47pm: Free agent right-hander Kyle Lohse is drawing interest from the Tigers, Reds and Orioles, and Baltimore has made an offer to the Scott Boras client, reports MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). It’s not known whether the 37-year-old has received any other contract offers.
Lohse hit the open market after arguably the worst season of his career — the final campaign of a three-year, $33MM deal with the Brewers. Though Lohse had logged a 3.28 ERA in his four prior seasons combined (796 1/3 innings), his production evaporated entirely, as he lost his spot in the rotation following a 6.31 ERA over his first 124 innings (22 starts). Lohse was said to take the demotion professionally and, to his credit, turned his season around to an extent once he was transferred to the bullpen. In 28 1/3 relief innings to close out 2015, Lohse posted a much more characteristic 3.81 ERA with 22 strikeouts against 13 walks.
Over 15 years in the majors, Lohse has worked to a 4.37 ERA. But his best work has come relatively late in his career; since 2008 (his age-29 season), that ERA is a much stronger 3.99 over 1358 1/3 innings. Teams looking at his potential to contribute even at a fairly advanced age will surely also note that Lohse has maintained his roughly 89 mph fastball velocity rather consistently, and has even managed to elevate his swinging strike rate over recent years (topping out at 9.1% last season). To some extent, his struggles in 2015 trace to an uncharacteristically high 15.3% HR/FB rate, a somewhat elevated .314 BABIP, and a 68.7% strand rate that fell below the league average of 73.4%.
Heyman notes that Lohse is looking for the “right fit,” though it’s not clear what exactly that would mean for him. Veterans in his situation could prioritize any number of factors, such as the promise of a rotation spot (or at least the opportunity to earn one in relatively short order), playing near their home, and/or signing with a team that is a postseason contender (to name a few). Wherever he ends up, Lohse seems likely to sign a minor league deal, which would allow him to head to Triple-A to see some work in a game setting, though he may not need to build up too much durability, as Heyman also tweets that Lohse has been throwing weekly simulated games that consist of 90 pitches.
Any of the three listed clubs makes some sense for Lohse. The Orioles have a questionable big league rotation, and while Lohse is hardly a lock to add any form of stability, he’d give Baltimore a much-needed depth option, as their collection of MLB-ready arms in the minors is limited. The Reds have a number of rotation options, but few that have much in the way of big league experience, and Lohse could help to shoulder the load. The Tigers, meanwhile, have a full rotation at the Major League level, but Mike Pelfrey has struggled early, and others such as Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander have dealt with injuries in recent seasons, so Lohse could serve as a depth option there as well.
Tigers Designate Logan Kensing For Assignment
The Tigers have designated right-hander Logan Kensing for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for lefty Blaine Hardy, who was activated from the disabled list today, as MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets.
The veteran Kensing, 33, appeared in three games with the Tigers, allowing a run on eight hits and two walks with one strikeout in 4 2/3 innings of work. The longtime Marlins hurler was absent from Major League Baseball from 2010-12, during which time he pitched in indy ball and the minor leagues with the Pirates and Yankees. He’s totaled just 20 2/3 innings in the Majors since his return in 2013, working to a 4.79 ERA. Kensing has also pitched at the Triple-A level for parts of nine minor league seasons, putting together a 3.46 ERA with 8.6 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 in 276 innings.
Hardy, 29, gives the Tigers a solid left-handed arm to join manager Brad Ausmus’ bullpen. He’s spent the past two seasons as an effective reliever in Detroit, working to a 2.87 ERA in 100 1/3 innings. He’s averaged 7.7 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9 in that time while holding opposing left-handed batters to a pedestrian .227/.302/.301 batting line (202 plate appearances).
Tigers Purchase Contract Of Bobby Wilson; James McCann To DL
The Tigers have purchased the contract of backstop Bobby Wilson, per a club announcement. Detroit has placed starting catcher James McCann on the 15-day DL, which necessitated the move.
Wilson was just acquired in the trade that sent fellow receiver Bryan Holaday to the Rangers. It wasn’t long ago that both players seemed likely to end up in the minors to open the year, but injuries have opened up significant opportunities for both. In Wilson’s case, he’ll back up Jarrod Saltalamacchia, but ought to have reasonably plentiful chances given the new starter’s defensive questions and struggles against left-handed pitching.
McCann’s DL stint comes after he suffered an ankle sprain last night. It’s been classified as a grade 2 sprain, says manager Brad Ausmus, who expects that McCann could miss somewhere in the range of two to four weeks. (Via MLB.com’s Jason Beck, on Twitter.) It doesn’t appear that there’s much cause for longer-term concern with the injury, but Detroit obviously needed to make a quick decision to ensure it had another catcher on hand.
Even assuming that McCann isn’t out for any significant time, though, the move has consequences — particularly given that there are several lean catching situations around the game. The Tigers will need to add Wilson to the 40-man roster, for one thing. And that will likely also mean that he’ll need to be exposed to waivers when McCann is ready to return, which could open an opportunity for a new round of musical chairs.
James McCann Leaves Game With Ankle Sprain
- Tigers catcher James McCann left today’s game with a right ankle sprain, suffered while trying to beat out an infield single in the fifth inning. Detroit skipper Brad Ausmus told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck) that “there’s concern” McCann could require a DL stint. X-rays were negative on the injury but McCann is still to undergo an MRI. Jarrod Saltalamacchia would become the regular starter if McCann has to miss time. It was just two weeks ago that Detroit traded backup Bryan Holaday to the Rangers in a trade that brought veteran backstop Bobby Wilson into the fold, though Wilson would need to be added to the 40-man roster if the Tigers used him as a backup; Saltalamacchia and McCann are currently the only catchers on Detroit’s 40-man.
Tigers Offered Rusney Castillo $40MM
- Dave Dombrowski’s Tigers offered outfielder Rusney Castillo a $40MM deal when Castillo was a free agent, Jon Heyman tweets. That figure didn’t approach the $72.5MM offer Castillo eventually got from the Red Sox, but it suggests that Dombrowski liked Castillo even before taking over as the Red Sox’ president of baseball operations. Castillo’s deal with the Red Sox, of course, hasn’t worked out well so far, and he has yet to receive a plate appearance this season.
Revisiting The Miguel Cabrera Blockbuster
- Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press revisits the December 2007 blockbuster that saw the Tigers acquire Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins in exchange for a six-prospect package headlined by then-elite prospects Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin. Fenech spoke to former GM Dave Dombrowski (now the president of baseball ops in Boston), who explained that he received a rare call from owner Mike Ilitch to his home phone around Thanksgiving. Ilitch had gotten word that Cabrera could be available, and while much of the focus was on the Angels and Dodgers, Ilitch told Dombrowski to enter the mix and see what he could do, despite the Tigers’ payroll already being stretched thin. Fenech spoke to Dombrowski about discussions with Ilitch in which he outlined a Cabrera contract extension, and he also chatted with former and present members of that front office about the talks between the Marlins and Tigers at the ’07 Winter Meetings.
Tigers Release John Mayberry Jr.
- The Tigers released catcher Rafael Lopez, MLive.com’s Chris Iott reports (Twitter link). Lopez has a .278/.366/.390 slash line over 1552 minor league PA, and his big league experience consists of seven games with the 2014 Cubs.
- The Tigers have released outfielder John Mayberry Jr., Chris Iott of MLive.com tweets. They had signed Mayberry to a minor-league deal in January. Mayberry collected 119 plate appearances for the 2015 Mets, batting .164/.227/.318 while playing left and right field. He was little more impressive this season in Spring Training, posting a .119/.213/.238 line in 47 plate appearances.
AL Notes: Furbush, Blue Jays, Athletics, Rangers, Holaday
Mariners southpaw Charlie Furbush is undergoing a blood injection therapy to his shoulder in hopes of speeding his recovery, MLB.com’s Greg Johns reports, but he might not return to action for “several months.” Furbush suggested that he could resume throwing in about three weeks’ time, but given his rotator cuff issues last year and continued difficulties, it certainly seems likely that the club will bring him along cautiously.
Here’s more from the American League:
- We checked in earlier today on Blue Jays slugger Edwin Encarnacion, as he’s not expected to engage in further contract talks before the season starts. Jon Heyman of MLB Network joins Ben Nicholson-Smith in reporting that there’s nothing scheduled with Encarnacion (Twitter link).
- Heyman also adds on Twitter that Jose Bautista could be willing to consider a four-year arrangement to stay in Toronto, despite his ask of five or even six years in an extension. Of course, that would be at a superstar rate of pay — Heyman suggests $30MM annually. The club, meanwhile, is believed to be interested in a three-year pact that might looking something like the Yoenis Cespedes deal.
- The Athletics could continue to hold contract talks with outfielder Josh Reddick into the regular season, John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group reports. (Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle noted yesterday evening that talks between the two sides were “percolating a little bit.”)While previous indications were that there’d be a deadline at the end of the spring, it appears there’s a willingness to keep talking if negotiations are showing sufficient promise of completion. If a new deal can’t be struck, Reddick will reach free agency after the season. He currently sits at sixth among pending free agents on the pre-season power rankings by MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes.
- Athletics righty R.J. Alvarez underwent a procedure to remove bone chips from his pitching elbow, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. Alvarez was roughed up in his twenty MLB innings last year and has yet to harness his command, but has generated some whiffs with his mid-90s fastball and slider combo.
- The Indians have shifted Trevor Bauer into the bullpen to open the season, as Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal was among those to report. That leaves Cody Anderson and the just-extended Josh Tomlin as the four and five starters as things get underway. As Lewis notes, both Bauer and Anderson have displayed significant increases in their fastball velocity this year. Both president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti and manager Terry Francona emphasized that Bauer remains in the rotation picture and will play a significant role — indeed, he had strong results this spring — but it’s certainly an interesting decision on a highly promising player who has yet to fully settle in at the major league level. It bears noting that the 25-year-old is all but certain to qualify as a Super Two after the season, so any loss of innings could have a significant impact on his future earnings.
- Injured catcher Chris Gimenez will suit up for the Rangers on Wednesday in a “last-ditch effort” to make the team, Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram tweets. Gimenez currently appears to be on the outside looking in after the Rangers acquired Bryan Holaday from the Tigers. The catcher will now have to make a big impression on team brass while dealing with an infected left leg.
- At one point, the Tigers would have asked for catcher Brett Nicholas and more for Holaday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. However, the Rangers were able to acquire Holaday while hanging on to Nicholas. Instead, they parted only with right-hander Myles Jaye and catcher Bobby Wilson. Meanwhile, Detroit plans on slotting the newly-acquired Jaye in their Double-A rotation, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. In the long term, he says, the club believes that Jaye can be a major league reliever.
