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Mariners Designate Kolten Wong For Assignment, Red Sox Interested

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The Mariners have designated second baseman Kolten Wong for assignment, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. Wong’s stay in DFA limbo could be a short one, as the Red Sox have interest in a trade for the veteran infielder.

Wong, 32, came over to Seattle in the swap that sent Jesse Winker and Abraham Toro to Milwuakee this past offseason. The Mariners acquired him hoping he could solidify second base for them, but things didn’t go according to plan as Wong posted by far the worst season of his career in 2023. In 216 trips to the plate this season, Wong has batted a brutal .165/.241/.227 that checks in 64% worse than league average by measure of wRC+. That unplayable offense has been paired with below average defense at the keystone, combining to create a package worth -1.0 fWAR in 67 games with Seattle this season.

Prior to this disastrous season in Seattle, Wong had spent the past nine season as a quality, major league regular at second base. After being drafted 22nd overall by the Cardinals in the 2011 draft, Wong made his MLB debut in a 32-game stint with St. Louis during the 2013 season. He became a fixture at second base in 2014 and would remain there for seven seasons, slashing .263/.336/.389 (98 wRC+) over that time while winning the NL Gold Glove at second base in both 2019 and 2020.

Following the 2020 campaign, Wong tested free agency for the first time in his career and landed with the Brewers on a two-year deal. His defense took a step back during his time in Milwaukee, as he rated as roughly average in 2021 and landed in just the third percentile among qualified fielders by measure of Outs Above Average last year. That slip in terms of defensive value was made up for by improved performance at the plate, as Wong slashed .262/.337/.439 with a wRC+ of 113 in 989 plate appearances during his two seasons with Milwaukee.

While Wong has struggled badly in Seattle, that extensive track record as an above-average regular has evidently caught the attention of the Red Sox, who have struggled to get production out of their middle infield with shortstop Trevor Story having missed the entire season to this point. They’ve relied on a variety of options up the middle this season, including Enrique Hernandez, Yu Chang, Christian Arroyo, Pablo Reyes, and Enmanuel Valdez. As for the Mariners, Dylan Moore, Jose Caballero, and the newly-acquired Josh Rojas are among the club’s options at the keystone going forward.

Red Sox Reportedly Inclined To Keep Alex Verdugo

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July 31: Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (on Twitter) that rival clubs inquiring on Verdugo’s availability have gotten the impression the Sox plan to retain him past the deadline.

July 30: As the Red Sox remain in the wild card race and seem likely to add pieces before Tuesday’s trade deadline, the club has already dealt Enrique Hernandez and might also move other regulars in an effort to upgrade the roster as a whole.  MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam report that the Sox are open to at least listening to offers for outfielder Alex Verdugo, and one unknown AL team in discussions with the Red Sox said the Sox brought up Verdugo’s name as part of ongoing trade talks.

Whether the Red Sox are in listening mode or might be more actively shopping Verdugo, it seems that there is a possibility the right fielder might be in another uniform by Wednesday.  Such an outcome might have seemed unlikely as recently as June 27, when Verdugo was hitting .307/.379/.477 over his first 322 plate appearances and seemed on the way to the best season of his seven-year MLB career.  However, the last month of play has been rough for Verdugo, as he followed up that dream start by hitting .143/.212/.234 over his next 85 PA.

Overall, the 27-year-old has a .272/.345/.424 slash line in 412 PA, good for a 108 wRC+ that is still above league average.  And, Verdugo’s glovework hasn’t slumped, as his +15.8 UZR/150 and +11 Defensive Runs Saved rank him among the best defensive right fielders in the game in 2023.  In a deadline season where available pitchers far outnumber available hitters, the Red Sox would be sure to find plenty of interest in a productive bat who is controlled through 2024 via his final year of arbitration eligibility.

Even if Verdugo is retained beyond the deadline, it isn’t clear if he is in Boston’s long-term plans.  The outfielder told McAdam earlier today that “there’s been zero talks about an extension….they haven’t come to me with anything.  So there’s not one way to lead me to believe that they’re interested in that, you know what I mean?  There’s no real talks of an extension, so since there’s no real talk of getting anything done, there’s nothing to get done.”

Adam Duvall has also been mentioned as a possible Red Sox trade chip at the deadline, since the veteran outfielder is a free agent after the season.  However, in the event of a Verdugo trade, Duvall would step in as the new right fielder, joining Masataka Yoshida and Jarren Duran as the regular starters.  If chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom felt particularly bold, he could aim to both move Verdugo and Duvall in separate transactions, and look to obtain another outfielder with more long-term control.  Top prospect Ceddanne Rafaela might also factor into Boston’s immediate plans, as he has been playing well in his first taste of Triple-A ball.

From Verdugo’s perspective, he said he wants to remain with the Red Sox but is understanding about the realities of the trade market.  Noting that he came to the Red Sox in the first place as part of the blockbuster Mookie Betts trade, Verdugo told McAdam, “I thought I wouldn’t get traded and I ended up getting traded.  This isn’t my first time and I feel like once you get traded, you don’t care….You don’t take no hard feelings.  You just go out there to play, play hard.  Wherever you are in the big leagues, it’s a blessing.”

Rangers Interested In Further Pitching Additions

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Even after acquiring future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer in a blockbuster deal with the Mets last night, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand indicates the Rangers are not done adding to their pitching staff. Texas is reportedly looking to add a reliever or two or their relief corps and are also interested in adding to the bottom of the rotation.

An additional starting option would certainly make sense for Texas. While Nathan Eovaldi (2.69 ERA in 19 starts) and Scherzer create a strong top 2 at the front of the rotation, southpaws Martin Perez and Andrew Heaney have combined for a concerning 4.81 ERA in 40 starts this season. Righties Dane Dunning and Jon Gray both have stronger numbers for the season, Gray has posted a 6.49 ERA in his past seven starts while Dunning’s best work this season has come as a member of the bullpen.

While Feinsand doesn’t connect specific names to the Rangers, Justin McWilliams of the Boston Globe notes that the club has been scouting Red Sox left-hander James Paxton. Paxton, 34, came into the season with a 6.65 ERA in 21 2/3 innings of work since the start of the 2020 season. He dealt with back and forearm issues towards the end of his tenure with the Yankees before requiring Tommy John surgery in 2021. Separate injuries, including a late-season hamstring strain, slowed his rehab process and prevented him from returning to the mound with Boston in 2022.

Since making a healthy return to the mound in the middle of May this season, however, Paxton has looked like a quality, playoff-caliber starter. In 70 innings of work across 13 starts this season, Paxton has posted a 3.34 ERA that’s 40% better than league average by measure of ERA+ with a 3.61 FIP. His 28.4% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate are both a touch better than his career norms and while his .269 BABIP is noticeably lower than his career .302 figure, Paxton would be a significant upgrade to Texas’s rotation, or that of virtually any contender.

Of course, it’s an open question as to whether or not the Red Sox would actually move Paxton ahead of Tuesday’s deadline. After all, Boston sports a solid 56-48 record. While that puts them in fourth place in the AL East and seven games back of the division lead, they’re just 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot even with the likes of Trevor Story, Chris Sale, and Tanner Houck on the injured list.

While the Red Sox have already made one “sell-side” trade so far this July, last week’s deal that sent utilityman Enrique Hernandez to the Dodgers doesn’t seem particularly indicative of the club’s future plans. After all, the trade came in the midst of a brutal season on Hernandez’s part and at a time when the Red Sox are flush deep with middle infield options: Yu Chang, Christian Arroyo, and Pablo Reyes are all on the roster with Justin Turner also chipping in at second base and Story nearing a return to action.

Should Paxton wind up unavailable, there’s still plenty of other options for the Rangers to consider in looking to upgrade their pitching staff. Michael Lorenzen, Mike Clevinger, and Jack Flaherty are among the starters who seem likely to move, to say nothing of the possibility that the Padres or Cubs opt to sell and dangle an arm like Blake Snell or Marcus Stroman. As for relief options, right-handers Jordan Hicks, Scott Barlow, Chris Stratton, and Paul Sewald all appear in the top 15 of MLBTR’s most recent Top 50 Trade Candidates list. So too does relief ace Josh Hader, though his availability is contingent on San Diego opting to sell just as Snell’s is.

Phillies Interested In Adam Duvall

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The Phillies are scouting Red Sox outfielder Adam Duvall, reports Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe. That would align with Philadelphia’s reported interest in adding a right-handed bat.

Duvall, 34, signed with the Sox in January to help them cover center field. His deal came with a $7MM guarantee and incentives based on plate appearances. With shortstop Trevor Story having undergone elbow surgery, their plan was to move Enrique Hernández from center to shortstop, with Duvall and Raimel Tapia brought aboard to help out in center.

Through eight games, Duvall had apparently activated god mode, hitting .455/.514/1.030. Unfortunately, he then suffered a fractured wrist and wasn’t able to return until June. Since then, he’s hit a far more earthly .211/.279/.395. That’s been a running theme for Duvall, who has occasionally looked great at the plate but has also been held back by injuries. He hit 38 home runs in 2021 but then followed that up with diminished results last year while missing roughly half the season due to wrist surgery.

But the fact that the Phils are interested is sensible. As mentioned, they are looking for a right-handed bat, which would be a good fit for their lineup. They have many lefties getting regular action, with Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Bryson Stott, Brandon Marsh and Jake Cave all hitting from that side. Adding another right-handed bat into the mix could allow the club to shield some in that group from lefties on occasion, either by platooning or pinch-hitting.

From the Red Sox’ perspective, they aren’t under any obligation to trade Duvall. He is an impending free agent, but they are in the thick of a postseason race, 2.5 games behind the Blue Jays and Astros for a Wild Card spot. It was reported yesterday that the club has no interest in trading Justin Turner, who is also likely to hit free agency this fall by declining a player option. The Sox could take the same approach with Duvall and simply hold him for their playoff push.

But there’s also a case for cashing him in, if they get a compelling offer. While Duvall was on the injured list, Jarren Duran seemingly cemented himself as a viable major leaguer in center. The 26-year-old struggled in his first tastes of major league pitching but has broken out with a .311/.363/.500 showing this year, stealing 21 bases to boot with roughly average defense. Alongside Masataka Yoshida and Alex Verdugo, the Sox could consider themselves set in the outfield.

All three of those guys hit from the left side, so perhaps Boston could still utilize Duvall as a right-handed complement to them. But they already have Rob Refsnyder on the roster for essentially the same reason. He’s hit .358/.475/.457 against southpaws this year and .276/.381/.390 in his career. He and the club already agreed to a contract for 2024 with a club option for 2025. Each of Yoshida, Duran and Verdugo are either under contract or club control next year as well.

Perhaps the Sox would consider moving on from Duvall and rolling with that group as its outfield mix, maybe exchanging him for pitching or a prospect. It’s unclear if the Sox have interest in that but they have already reportedly received interest from Atlanta and now Philadelphia as well. If the Phillies can’t get a deal done on Duvall, other options include Tommy Pham and Randal Grichuk. The trade deadline is August 1.

Corey Kluber Shut Down From Baseball Activities After Setback

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The Red Sox have shut down Corey Kluber from baseball activity, the team informed reporters (including Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe). The right-hander suffered a setback while rehabbing from shoulder inflammation that sent him to the injured list five weeks ago.

It’s unclear if Kluber’s season is finished. He at least seems likely to be moved to the 60-day injured list once the Sox need a 40-man roster spot, as it’s hard to envision him being ready for MLB action before the third week of August — when he’d be eligible to return from a 60-day placement.

The 2023 season has been a frustration for the two-time Cy Young winner. Kluber struggled over nine starts, posting a 6.26 ERA in 41 2/3 innings. The Sox bumped him out of the rotation. Unlike Nick Pivetta — who has thrived in somewhat shorter stints — Kluber has continued to scuffle in relief. He’s allowed 14 runs in 13 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, largely on account of six homers surrendered.

Kluber’s contract has an $11MM club option for next season. Whether he’s able to make it back to the mound or not, that’ll get bought out. He’ll return to free agency during the upcoming offseason.

Phillies Designate Noah Song For Assignment

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The Phillies announced that Noah Song has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list, and the right-hander has now been designated for assignment.  As a Rule 5 Draft pick, a team that claims Song must keep him on their active roster for the remainder of the season, or else Song’s rights will revert to the Red Sox (his original team) unless a proper trade is worked out.  The Red Sox will also have Song’s rights automatically offered back if he clears DFA waivers.

Song was a fourth-round pick for the Sox in the 2019 draft, and after making his pro debut with 17 innings for Boston’s low-A affiliate that season, he then entered the Navy to fulfill his duty requirements as a member of the Naval Academy.  This military service covered three years, and Song then restarted his baseball career after being transferred to the selective reserves.  Some part-time active duty was still required, leading to some questions about how this status might work within the context of a minor league season after the Phillies selected him in the R5, though it became something of a moot point due to Song’s lengthy stint on the IL.

A back strain sidelined Song during Spring Training, and eventually led to his placement on the 60-day IL.  During his rehab assignments, Song posted a 7.36 ERA over 11 combined innings at A-ball, Double-A, and Triple-A, with 11 walks and 16 strikeouts.  It wasn’t enough for the Phillies to keep a roster spot for Song, and he’ll now hit the DFA wire for either a new stop in his career.  Song’s past status as a highly-touted prospect might draw another team’s interest, though between his back injury and the issue of his military duty, it also seems possible that he’ll just end up back in Boston’s organization.

Red Sox Not Interested In Trading Justin Turner

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Red Sox infielder Justin Turner has apparently drawn trade interest, per Rob Bradford of WEEI, but rival clubs are being told the Sox have no interest in trading him.

It’s unsurprising that clubs would have interest in Turner, who has been one of the most consistently above-average hitters in the majors for a decade now. He broke out in 2014 with a .340/.404/.493 showing for the Dodgers, producing a 158 wRC+ that indicated he was 58% better than league average at the plate. In each season since, his wRC+ has finished somewhere between 154 and 123.

Turner signed with the Red Sox this year after a nine-year stretch in Los Angeles. It was officially a two-year, $21.7MM guarantee, with an $8.3MM salary this year followed by a $13.4MM player option that comes with a $6.7MM buyout. Since signing that deal, he’s having another fairly typical season for him, despite now being 38 years old. He’s hitting .289/.359/.481 on the year for a wRC+ of 127, still 27% better than the league-average hitter. He’s done that while providing a bit of defensive versatility, occasionally slotting in at each non-shortstop position on the infield.

Given that he’s having yet another strong season, he seems a lock to turn down that player option and return to free agency as long as he’s stays healthy. Given the high price of the buyout, exactly half of the option price, he’d only need to top $6.7MM on the open market in order to come out ahead. That makes him effectively a rental piece with the deadline now just a few days away.

Last year, the Red Sox were in a similar spot to this year, just a bit outside of contention. On August 1 of 2022, they were 52-52, three games out of a playoff spot. They ended up doing a mix of buying and selling, flipping Jake Diekman and Christian Vázquez but holding onto Nathan Eovaldi, J.D. Martinez and Rich Hill, while also bringing in Tommy Pham and Eric Hosmer. That didn’t work out as they ended up fading and missing the playoffs.

Their current 55-47 record puts them in a better spot than last year, though their place in the standings is only modestly better, as they are a game and a half out of a playoff spot. It’s understandable why other teams might call on Turner, hoping the Red Sox would be open to a similar buy-sell hybrid that could make him available, an approach that chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom has admitted is likely.

How the club ultimately plays the deadline remains to be seen. Just because Turner isn’t available, doesn’t mean other players won’t be. Boston already flipped Enrique Hernández to the Dodgers and has gotten interest on Adam Duvall. It seems likely the club will look to add some pitching depth and they still have a few days to do so. Trading Turner could have been one avenue to getting another arm or two, but it doesn’t seem that is in the club’s plans.

Red Sox Release Jake Faria

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The Red Sox have released right-hander Jake Faria, reports Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. He had already been outrighted off the 40-man roster last week. He’ll now return to the open market entirely.

Faria pitched once for Boston this season, allowing five runs in two innings as a mop-up reliever. That marked his first big league outing in two years. Faria has otherwise spent the season with Triple-A Worcester. He’s started nine of 19 appearances there, allowing a 6.47 ERA over 55 2/3 innings. Faria has a below-average 17.5% strikeout percentage while walking 13.3% of opponents.

The 29-year-old has pitched in parts of five big league seasons. He had success as a rookie with the Rays in 2017 but has generally struggled since then. Faria owns a 4.87 ERA in 205 MLB innings and a 4.80 mark through parts of seven Triple-A campaigns.

Red Sox Acquire Mauricio Llovera From Giants

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The Red Sox acquired reliever Mauricio Llovera from the Giants, per a club announcement. Minor league righty Marques Johnson is going to San Francisco in return. The Sox transferred Kaleb Ort from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list to create space on the 40-man roster for Llovera, whom San Francisco had recently designated for assignment.

Llovera, 27, has pitched for the Giants in each of the past two seasons. The right-hander got into 17 games last year, working to a 4.41 ERA through 16 1/3 innings. San Francisco non-tendered him at the start of the offseason but brought him back on a new minor league pact.

The Venezuela native worked to a 3.92 ERA over 20 2/3 frames in a hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. San Francisco selected his contract in early July, deploying him in five big league contests. He worked 5 1/3 frames, allowing a run on four hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Llovera has exhausted his option years, meaning the Giants couldn’t send him back to the minors once they called him up. They designated him for assignment on Saturday to make room in the bullpen for Luke Jackson to return from the injured list. Llovera’s upper minors production intrigued the Sox enough they’re willing to install him in the middle innings.

Boston also can’t option him to the minors, so he’ll be on the MLB roster once he reports to the club. He’s the third upper level right-handed relief arm added to the organization within the past two days. The Sox acquired Nick Robertson and Justin Hagenman from the Dodgers in the Enrique Hernández trade. Both those pitchers were assigned to Triple-A Worcester as upper minors depth.

In return for a pitcher who’d been squeezed off the roster, San Francisco picks up a low minors reliever. Johnson was an 11th-round selection out of Long Beach State last season. He owns a 6.55 ERA through 34 1/3 innings across 28 outings at Low-A. Johnson has punched out 27.9% of opponents but is walking batters at an alarming 15.6% clip.

Ort has been out since July 5 with inflammation in his throwing elbow. He’s now ineligible to return to the MLB roster until the first week of September. The 31-year-old has a 6.26 ERA over 23 innings on the season.

Red Sox, Eddy Alvarez Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Red Sox are in agreement with utilityman Eddy Alvarez on a minor league contract, tweets Chris Cotillo of MassLive. He’ll join their top affiliate in Worcester.

Alvarez, 33, had spent the season in Triple-A with the Brewers after signing an offseason minor league deal. The left-handed hitter put together a nice showing for their top affiliate, posting a .283/.397/.473 line over 257 plate appearances. He walked at an excellent 14% clip against an average 22.6% strikeout rate while playing each of second, third, shortstop and both corner outfield positions.

Nevertheless, Milwaukee declined to add him to the MLB roster. Alvarez opted out of the deal a couple weeks ago and will take another crack at the majors in the Sox’s organization. He earned brief MLB looks with the Marlins and Dodgers between 2020-22, hitting .183/.262/.262 with one homer in 50 games.

Alvarez is a much more accomplished Triple-A hitter. The Miami native has a .286/.390/.468 line over parts of seven seasons at the top minor league level. He’ll bring that strong upper minors track record and defensive flexibility as a depth option for Boston.

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