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Injury Notes: Snell, Boyd, deGrom, Nimmo

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The big storylines from today’s Padres-Dodgers game all revolve around Max Scherzer. Not only did he become just the 19th pitcher in Major League history to reach 3,000 career strikeouts, he also threw an immaculate inning and carried a perfect game into the eighth inning. However, the opposing clubhouse didn’t have nearly as much to celebrate. Padres reliever Austin Adams tied a modern-day record for hit batsmen in a season and Blake Snell left the game after just 11 pitches with what the club later announced as “left adductor tightness”, also known as a groin injury.

This is very unfortunate timing for both the club and Snell, as they are in a crowded playoff race and he was just starting to turn his frustrating season around. Following a miserable outing against Oakland on July 28th, Snell was sitting on an ERA of 5.44 through 84 1/3 innings, with an elevated walk rate of 14.3%, well above this year’s league average of 8.7%. However, since that time, the lefty seemed to have got into a groove and righted the ship, throwing 43 2/3 innings with 65 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.85, along with a much-improved walk rate of 8.6%.

The severity of the injury isn’t clear at this point. But with the club currently tied with the Reds for the last National League Wild Card spot, with the Cardinals just a game back and other teams looming, every remaining game is tremendously important. Rotation health has been an ongoing issue for the club in the past few months, so much so that the club signed Jake Arrieta a few weeks ago to try and paper over the injuries. However, Arrieta landed on the IL himself and hasn’t been terribly effective in his two appearances with the Friars. Losing Snell for any amount of time, especially when he was throwing so well, would surely be a blow to their chances.

Some other injury updates…

  • Matt Boyd is meeting with elbow specialist Keith Meister, Tigers manager AJ Hinch tells Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. “He is scheduled to see Dr. Meister in Dallas and then we’ll get further evaluations and opinions and see what’s next for him,” Hinch said. While a meeting doesn’t necessarily spell doom, this is a potentially concerning development, given that Meister is often associated with Tommy John surgery. McCosky points out that Meister recently performed the procedure for Tigers catcher Jake Rogers, but the doctor has also recently taken the knife to Tyler Glasnow and many others. If any kind of serious surgery is required, it would be very poor timing, given that Boyd is currently slated to reach free agency after the 2022 season. The 30-year-old is playing this year on a $6.5MM salary and can be controlled for one more year via arbitration. Boyd’s name has been often mentioned as a trade candidate for the rebuilding Tigers in recent years, though a deal has yet to come to fruition. A lengthy surgery rehab could further dent any trade value he has left and also hurt Boyd’s chances to cash in on his quality career via free agency. Since the start of 2016, Boyd had given the Tigers 727 innings with an ERA of 4.75, accruing 10.2 fWAR in that time.
  • The Mets provided yet another vague update about Jacob deGrom, as manager Luis Rojas tells Anthony DiComo of MLB.com he is scheduled to throw off a mound, “maybe this week.” deGrom was on his way to a brilliant season before elbow issues put him on the shelf in July. Through 92 innings this season, he has an ERA of 1.08 with an excellent walk rate of 3.4% and an absurd strikeout rate of 45.1%. Given that there’s only three weeks remaining in the season, it seems that the chances of those winding up as his final numbers are growing.
  • In better news for the Mets, the prognosis for outfielder Brandon Nimmo seems to have improved. DiComo gives some details of the onfield workout Nimmo took part in today and says that Nimmo believes he can return to face Philadelphia, whom the Mets start a three-game series with on Friday. Going into tonight’s game against the Yankees, the Mets are 3 1/2 games out of a playoff spot and would surely love to get Nimmo back into the mix to help with their postseason push. In 77 games this year, the 28-year-old has hit .302/420/.415, an excellent wRC+ of 139.

Matthew Boyd Scratched From Start Due To Recurred Elbow Soreness

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TODAY: The Tigers have placed Boyd on the 10-day injured list with a left elbow sprain, per the team. Ian Krol will have his contract selected from Triple-A to claim Boyd’s roster spot. Krol made 12 appearances with the Tigers previously before being designated for assignment and outrighted to Triple-a.

Sept. 10: Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd was scratched from tonight’s scheduled start due to recurred soreness in his left elbow, tweets Jason Beck of MLB.com. Boyd was on the injured list from June 15 through Aug. 29 with discomfort in his left arm. Boyd will be placed back on the injured list, tweets Evan Woodbery of MLive.com.

It’s a tough blow for both Boyd and the Tigers. The 30-year-old southpaw has had a nice rebound from an awful 2020 season, pitching to a 3.89 ERA in 78 2/3 frames this season when healthy enough to take the mound. Boyd didn’t look great in his return from his recent IL stint, however, as he pitched just eight innings across two starts and yielded a total of seven earned runs.

Had Boyd remained healthy, he would’ve been one of the most asked-about players on this summer’s trade market — at least the second time in his career he’d have held that distinction. Clubs have looked into the possibility of trading for Boyd for several seasons now as the Tigers have been mired in a lengthy rebuild, but a deal has never come together.]

Interest in Boyd was likely at its peak in 2019, when he got out to a dominant start with a 2.85 ERA, a 30 percent strikeout rate and a 5.1 percent walk rate through his first dozen starts (72 2/3 innings). That showing was all the more impressive given the home-run boom that stemmed from what was widely believed to be a juiced ball during the ’19 campaign.

With more than three years of team control remaining at that point in 2019, the Tigers put an understandably sky-high price on Boyd, whose performance began to deteriorate in June and July. Boyd was still missing bats in droves and limiting walks, but like so many pitchers around the league, the home-run ball began catching up with him as the weather warmed. From June 1 through the trade deadline that year, Boyd notched a brilliant 90-to-15 K/BB ratio but yielded 15 home runs and was tagged for a 5.28 ERA in 59 2/3 innings. The Tigers didn’t find an offer to their liking and held onto Boyd.

It was defensible at the time, given that Boyd could be shopped in the offseason or even at any of the subsequent trade deadlines. No deal came together in the 2019-20 offseason, as Boyd never really regained his footing down the stretch that year. Any hopes of capitalizing on a strong few months to open the 2020 campaign were dashed both by the Covid-19 pandemic shortening the season and by Boyd’s rough first few starts of the season. This year, it was an injury that prevented a deal from potentially coming together.

Given the uncertainty surrounding Boyd’s health now, it could prove tough to find a significant return in a trade even if the renewed elbow issue proves minor. And, given the Tigers’ shift from a rebuilding club toward contending — owner Chris Ilitch has already suggested the team will spend this offseason — it’s perhaps likeliest that Boyd returns for what he and the club can only hope will be a healthier 2022 season.

Boyd’s lifetime 4.96 ERA and 4.66 mark over the past few seasons don’t exactly jump out, but he’s frequently shown all the pieces necessary to take his game to a new level. Boyd has regularly shown the ability to miss bats and limit walks, but he’s typically been rather home-run prone. This season, he looked to have the home-run issues curbed, but his strikeout rate dipped to 19.9 percent — his lowest mark since 2017. There are undoubtedly teams that view Boyd as a candidate to put everything together and break out as a strong mid-rotation arm (if not more). Being able to showcase that in a healthy 2022 campaign is now the best-case scenario for Boyd, however.

Tigers’ Jake Rogers Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

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Tigers catcher Jake Rogers underwent Tommy John surgery and will miss the remainder of this season, manager A.J. Hinch announced to reporters (Twitter link via Jason Beck of MLB.com). The recovery time for position players is generally shorter than that of pitchers, but Rogers is still expected to miss some time next season as he recovers.

One of the more highly-regarded defensive catching prospects throughout his time in the minors, Rogers was traded to Detroit from the Astros in the August 2017 Justin Verlander blockbuster. He reached the big leagues in 2019 and has also logged some MLB action this season. Between the two years, the right-handed hitting Rogers owns just a .182/.264/.378 line with a massive 38% strikeout rate over 255 plate appearances.

Rogers has also rated poorly as a pitch framer in that rather limited time, according to Statcast. To his credit, though, he has been elite at shutting down the running game. Rogers has cut down 46.9% of attempted basestealers, a mark that’s far better than the 24.6% league average.

Catching looks likely to be a priority for the Tigers this winter, although there aren’t many surefire starting-caliber options available in free agency. Eric Haase, Dustin Garneau and Grayson Greiner are the other options available on the 40-man roster. Haase has hit reasonably well but comes with some defensive question marks, while Garneau and Greiner traditionally haven’t offered much at the plate.

Tigers Select Drew Hutchison’s Contract

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The Tigers have selected the contract of right-hander Drew Hutchison from Triple-A Toledo, and also called up right-hander Bryan Garcia.  The two hurlers will take the places of righties Joe Jimenez (placed on the COVID-related injury list) and Drew Carlton (optioned to Triple-A yesterday).

This will be Hutchison’s second appearance on Detroit’s big league roster this season, as the 31-year-old was previous designated for assignment and then outrighted to Toledo last month.  Hutchison’s previous stint saw him make two starts, the first a rough outing against the Indians on August 15 that saw Hutchison allow six runs (but only two earned) in 1 2/3 innings.  The righty fared much better in his second start, as he allowed one unearned run on four hits in 4 1/3 innings against the Blue Jays on August 22.

The result was a 3.00 ERA over six total innings, which served as Hutchison’s first MLB action since the 2018 campaign.  At the Triple-A level this season, Hutchison has a 3.77 ERA, 23.5% strikeout rate, and a 10.8% walk rate over 88 1/3 innings for Toledo, starting all 19 of his appearances.

Since the Tigers are already working with a six-man rotation, Hutchison might be deployed out of the bullpen for now.  However, as Detroit’s younger starters approach innings limits, Hutchison could be called upon for spot-start duty, or perhaps piggyback outings.

COVID Notes: 9/7/21

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The latest on coronavirus-related situations around baseball…

  • The Tigers placed right-hander Joe Jimenez on the COVID-related injury list yesterday due to a positive test.  First base coach George Lombard also tested positive, while pitching coach Chris Fetter, quality control coach Josh Paul and bullpen catcher Jeremy Carroll are away from the team due to contact tracing procedures.  Jimenez and Lombard were fully vaccinated but are both experiencing symptoms, manager A.J. Hinch told The Detroit News’ Chris McCosky and other reporters.  Jimenez has struggled to a 6.15 ERA over 41 innings out of the Tigers bullpen this season, largely due to control problems.  After posting an 8.3% walk rate over his first four MLB seasons, Jimenez’s total has ballooned to 16.7% this season.

Tigers Shut Julio Teheran Down For The Season

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After spending almost the entire season on the injured list, right-hander Julio Teheran has been officially shut down for the remainder of the 2021 campaign.  Tigers manager A.J. Hinch told The Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen and other reporters that the decision was made after Teheran “wasn’t himself” during some recent throwing sessions.

Teheran suffered a shoulder strain while warming up for his second start of the season, way back in early April.  That shoulder issue simply never got better, as Teheran was also temporarily shut down from throwing in August when he was throwing at an unusually low velocity during a live batting practice session.  Barring a reunion on another minor league deal this offseason, Teheran’s tenure in Detroit will be limited to just a single start — a quality outing that saw Teheran allow one run over five innings in a 5-2 victory over the Indians back on April 3.

Ironically, Teheran has been best known for his durability over his 11 MLB seasons, averaging 191 innings per year with the Braves from 2013-19.  After struggling through a tough 2020 season with the Angels, Teheran settled for a minor league pact with the Tigers, and he locked in a $3MM guaranteed salary by reaching the big league roster.  The Tigers were hoping to add an innings-eating veteran to their young rotation, though their investment in Teheran simply didn’t pan out.

It seems as though Teheran will again have to showcase himself for scouts this winter in order to attract another minors contract, but the larger concern could be Teheran’s overall health, if he is still not able to effectively throw almost five months after his initial injury.  The exact nature of Teheran’s shoulder strain isn’t known, though it wouldn’t be a surprise if some type of surgical procedure was required to fully correct the problem.

Tigers Select Drew Carlton

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The Tigers have selected the contract of Drew Carlton from Triple-A. When he appears in a game, it will be his Major League debut. The Tigers 40-man roster still has two spots open.

The 25-year-old was a 32nd round draft pick out of Florida State back in 2017. Since then, the unheralded righty has done nothing but shove. His 3.12 ERA in Triple-A this season is his highest such mark at any level of the minors.

In a piece last December from Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, Carlton spoke about his arsenal, saying, “I really take pride in my command of all three of my pitches. They’re not good by themselves, but with the command, they are pretty good. I’ve had to really work my tail off to produce the numbers I have. That’s the only way I’m going to be able to get up there (to the majors).”

Carlton has made it now, and he’ll have the chance to prove himself again while pitching out of the Tigers’ bullpen. Hard to say how long his stay will be in the Majors, but hopefully Carlton at least gets in a game during this stint. Regardless, he’s on the 40-man roster now, which is in and of itself a positive sign that suggests Carlton will get a chance at the Major League level.

Every Team’s Initial September Callups

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The limit on active roster players expanded from 26 to 28 today, as the calendar flipped to September. Every team announced at least two additions to the big league club (some teams made three or more due to injured list placements). Here’s a recap of today’s spate of transactions:

Tigers Outright Ian Krol

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The Tigers announced Monday that left-handed reliever Ian Krol went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Toledo. Krol has the right to reject said assignment in favor of free agency, though there’s no indication from the team that he plans to do so. Detroit had designated Krol for assignment over the weekend in order to open a roster spot for the return of right-hander Jose Urena.

Krol, 30, returned to the Majors for the first time since 2018 this season. This year marks his second stint with the Tigers organization, having also pitched out of the Detroit bullpen from 2014-15 after coming over from the Nationals alongside Robbie Ray in an offseason Doug Fister trade.

Krol has appeared in a dozen games for the Tigers this season and tallied 12 1/3 innings. In that time, he’s yielded seven earned runs on 18 hits and five walks with 10 strikeouts. It’s a small sample of 41 plate appearances, but right-handed opponents have feasted off Krol this year, hitting at a .351/.390/.568 pace.

In between big league stints, Krol played for the Triple-A affiliates of the Twins and the Reds, in addition to a 2020 stint on the independent circuit. He’s totaled 202 1/3 innings at the MLB level and pitched to a combined 4.54 ERA, but his last real big league success came with the 2016 Braves. The lefty also carries a lifetime 3.45 ERA in 180 Triple-A frames that have been scattered across parts of eight seasons.

Tigers Reinstate Matthew Boyd, Option Daz Cameron

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The Tigers have reinstated left-handed pitcher Matthew Boyd from the 60-day injured list, per a team announcement. Boyd will start this afternoon’s game against the Blue Jays. To make room on the active roster, outfielder Daz Cameron was optioned to Triple-A. No corresponding move was required for the 40-man roster as the team has multiple slots available.

Before going on the IL in mid-June with a triceps issue, Boyd was en route to perhaps his best season to date. Through 70 2/3 innings, the 30-year-old has an ERA of 3.44, almost a full run better than his previous best of 4.39 in 2018. With his return, he will have more than a month to try and build on that success before going into what could be his last offseason as a Tiger. He is currently slated to reach free agency after the 2022 season, which figures to be an important campaign both for he and the club. For Boyd, he will be looking to have a strong platform season in order to earn a nice paycheck on the open market, but the team will be looking to make a move from rebuilding to contending. The emergence of young starters such as Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal and Matt Manning has strengthened the rotation around Boyd, giving the club a framework to build upon.

As for Cameron, it’s been something of a stop-and-start season for the outfielder. This is his second time being optioned this year, and he’s been on the IL twice as well. Amidst all of that, he’s gotten into 25 games at the MLB level, putting up a line of .177/.235/.342, wRC+ of 55. However, the 24-year-old has much better numbers in his 23 Triple-A games, a wRC+ of 130 thanks to a line of .309/368/.495.

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