Rangers Rumors

Outrighted: Edwards, Stephens, Payano, St. John

By Steve Adams | September 3, 2019 at 8:01pm CDT

As is common early each September, Major League clubs designated a slew of players for assignment over the past few days in order to create roster space for various September call-ups. Several players have already been claimed off waivers today, but we’ll track those who’ve cleared waivers and been outrighted to a minor league affiliate here…

The Indians announced that right-handers Jon Edwards and Jordan Stephens went unclaimed on waivers and were both sent outright to Triple-A Columbus. The 31-year-old Edwards pitched to a strong 2.70 ERA through 16 2/3 innings with Cleveland’s big league club over the past two seasons, but he did so with a less-encouraging 15-to-10 K/BB ratio. Edwards averaged better than 11 punchouts per nine innings with the Indians’ top affiliate in Columbus this season but also issued 4.8 walks per nine frames and logged a 4.22 ERA there. The Indians claimed Stephens from the White Sox back on June 15, but he allowed 33 runs, served up nine homers and issued 14 walks in 28 2/3 innings in Columbus.
Rangers right-hander Pedro Payano and left-hander Locke St. John cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Nashville, per a team announcement. Payano, 24, narrowly kept his ERA south of 5.00 in 84 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this year, but the pitching-needy Rangers called upon him for a handful of appearances in spite of those struggles. He logged 22 innings in the big leagues but limped to a 5.73 ERA with nearly as many walks (15) as strikeouts (17). The 26-year-old St. John dominated through 29 2/3 innings in Double-A (1.52 ERA, 42-to-13 K/BB ratio), but he surrendered 19 runs in 19 2/3 innings in Triple-A in addition to struggling through seven MLB appearances.

AL Notes: Tucker, Gallo, Hicks

By Dylan A. Chase | September 2, 2019 at 9:50pm CDT

Though Kyle Tucker was added to the Astros dugout prior to Monday’s matchup with Milwaukee, manager A.J. Hinch is making it clear that nothing will be handed to the well-regarded youngster. “We’ll make our assessment on where he can help us,” Hinch said to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle (link). “But he’s going to be a complement player right now until he earns more at-bats.”

Considering the team’s 2019 success and the emergence of rookie Yordan Alvarez, it’s unsurprising to hear that the ’Stros aren’t looking to endanger their status quo simply to accommodate a look at a 22-year-old prospect like Tucker. Still, as noted in the report, Tucker could theoretically be in line for more at-bats should the struggles of fellow outfielder Josh Reddick continue. Considered to be one of the two best prospects in the Houston system (along with hurler Forrest Whitley), Tucker hit .266/.354/.555 with 34 home runs in 536 PCL plate appearances this year.

More rumblings from around the league…

Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo will be back to launching balls in batting practice this week, which will mark his first time in the cage since fracturing the hamate bone in his right hand on July 23rd. In a report from Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News, Gallo admits that pain will still be a factor in determining whether or not the slugger should venture a 2019 return for an out-of-the-race club. “I don’t want to get on the field and not perform to capabilities and have to sit on that all winter,” Gallo said Monday. “We’re not in a playoff race, so I’m not worried about having to prove something.” Still, manager Chris Woodward projected that the club does expect Gallo to be good to go at some point in the next two weeks.
Nary a day goes by on this site without an update regarding an injured Yankees player, and this Labor Day evening should be no different. YES reporter Meredith Marakovits passes along that outfielder Aaron Hicks was engaged in throwing exercises today–the first time he’s done so since being placed on the injured list with a flexor strain on Aug. 4 (Twitter link). Like most injuries involving the Yankees this year, Hicks’ injury really only opened the door for another, lesser-known player to open eyes with a surprising fill-in performance, as outfielder Mike Tauchman did with his solid August at the plate (.274 BA and 5 home runs in 84 at-bats). When healthy in 2019, Hicks has himself recorded a .235/.325/.443 line (100wRC+) in 255 plate appearances.

Rangers Designate Payano, St. John; Activate Springs, Volquez

By Anthony Franco | September 1, 2019 at 11:01am CDT

The Rangers announced today they have designated right-hander Pedro Payano and left-hander Locke St. John for assignment. Their 40-man roster spots were needed for the activations of Jeffrey Springs and Edinson Vólquez from the 60-day injured list.

Payano, 24, didn’t enter the year as a top prospect but put himself on the organizational radar with a 28.3% strikeout rate in the Double-A Texas League. He was knocked around in 11 games in the Pacific Coast League (as most pitchers are) and scuffled in his six-game MLB debut, too, but he comes with three option years and did show a swing-and-miss slider in the bigs, so perhaps another team will take a look.

Much like Payano, St. John, 26, is an optionable arm who made his big league debut this year despite an unheralded prospect reputation. He, too, was quite good in Double-A and got knocked around in Triple-A, but he’s run strong minor-league strikeout rates since being moved to the bullpen full-time in 2018.

Springs, also 26, will take St. John’s place as a left-handed bullpen arm in Arlington. He was terrible in 26 innings before succumbing to left biceps tendinitis, but the changeup specialist was a little more well-regarded than his designated counterparts as a prospect.

The most-noteworthy name in today’s transaction series, though, is that of Vólquez. The 15-year veteran plans to retire at the end of the season but had been pushing for a return from a right elbow sprain. Even though the Rangers are out of contention, the 36-year-old had wanted to go out on his own terms, which fortunately seems to be in the cards.

Infield Notes: Odor, Padres, Hayes, Moncada

By Connor Byrne | August 30, 2019 at 1:33am CDT

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels suggested last week the club could reduce beleaguered second baseman Rougned Odor’s playing time. Manager Chris Woodward was even more aggressive Thursday in saying the Rangers need better from Odor, telling TR Sullivan of MLB.com that he’s “obviously got to show some improvement.” Otherwise, the Rangers will “have to make some decisions,” Woodward said, adding: “We are willing to withstand some lack of production, but this is the big leagues. I hate to say it, but you’ve got to be good to play every day, and he knows.” Woodward believes the rest of the season will be critical for Odor, who has turned in abysmal production for the second time since 2017. Prospect Nick Solak has been eating into Odor’s playing time of late as a result. Contrary to the inexpensive Solak, Odor’s causing a sizable dent in the Texas payroll. He’ll earn a guaranteed $36MM from 2020-22, including a $3MM buyout for ’23. Finances notwithstanding, Woodward will be reluctant to continue penciling Odor into the lineup if he continues putting up bottom-of-the-barrel numbers.

The Padres are anticipating a heated second base competition next spring between Luis Urias and Ty France, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. Urias is the more hyped player of the duo, as he’s not far removed from a run as an elite prospect, but San Diego doesn’t want to simply hand him a starting job. The 22-year-old has recorded weak offensive totals since he debuted in the majors last season, having logged a .191/.302/.289 line through 202 trips to the plate, though Urias has been much more productive this month. He also laid waste to Triple-A pitching earlier this season. France, 25, has been even better this season at that level, where he has performed like one of the premier hitters in the minors with a jaw-dropping .399/.477/.770 line and 27 home runs over 348 PA. However, like Urias, France hasn’t done much at the big league level to this point.
Pirates GM Neal Huntington is seemingly leaving the door open for the club to promote one of its top prospects, third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, when rosters expand this Sunday. The 22-year-old hasn’t thrived overall this season in his first action at Triple-A, where he has batted .266/.334/.420 in 459 plate appearances, but he has caught fire since a slow start. Asked if the defensively adept Hayes’ recent success with the bat could lead to his first major league call-up, Huntington told Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic (subscription required), “It could in theory.” However, as you’d expect, Huntington went on to indicate the Pirates don’t want to rush him to the game’s highest level. With that in mind, Pittsburgh “probably” won’t summon Hayes to the majors this year, Biertempfel writes.
White Sox star Yoan Moncada has already changed positions once during his short career. After playing second base from 2017-18, he has lined up at third for the entirety of this season. While Moncada told Scott Merkin of MLB.com he expects to continue at the hot corner “for a very, very long time,” he’d be willing to move elsewhere if it helps the team. That’s unlikely to happen, per Merkin, though he notes the White Sox could do a 180 if they’re able to land, say, third baseman Anthony Rendon in free agency. In that case, Moncada could shift back to second or even the outfield – two areas that have been weak points for Chicago in 2019.

West Notes: Athletics, Giants, Rangers

By Connor Byrne | August 28, 2019 at 1:54am CDT

Let’s take a look around the majors’ West divisions…

With the Athletics looking to add a third catcher when rosters expand, they’re set to choose between minor leaguers Sean Murphy and Dustin Garneau, manager Bob Melvin told Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. “There will be a lot of talk leading up into Sunday on who that will be,” Melvin said. The more hyped option is certainly Murphy, one of the best prospects in baseball (MLB.com ranks him 44th). The 24-year-old has gotten his first extensive action at the Triple-A level this season and laid waste to enemy pitchers, whom he has teed off on for a .337/.415/.702 line (158 wRC+) with 10 home runs in 123 plate appearances. However, injuries have led to an abbreviated campaign for Murphy, and the A’s might not promote him yet if they don’t expect him to garner much playing time. In that case, the edge would go to the veteran Garneau, who was with Oakland earlier in the season before it outrighted him to Triple-A on Aug. 19.
The Giants are shutting down right-handed reliever Trevor Gott for two weeks because of a Grade 1 UCL sprain and a flexor strain, according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. Surgery’s not an option at the moment, fortunately, and manager Bruce Bochy’s hopeful Gott will pitch again this season. If not, this will go down as an encouraging year for Gott, whom the Giants acquired from the Nationals for cash considerations in February. While Gott has put up an unappealing 4.44 ERA in 52 2/3 frames, he has also notched a 3.12 FIP with 9.74 K/9 against 2.91 BB/9 and almost doubled his swinging-strike rate since last year (from 5.6 percent to 10.8).
More from Baggarly, who tweets that righty Johnny Cueto’s another Triple-A start away from rejoining the Giants. The 2018 Tommy John patient’s scheduled to take the ball Saturday, after which the Giants hope to activate him. That would seem to align with Bochy’s Sept. 8 projection for Cueto. The Giants’ playoff hopes are all but dead at this point, but they’ll nonetheless be glad to welcome Cueto back in advance of 2020. Next season will be the second-last guaranteed campaign of the six-year, $130MM contract San Francisco handed the then-ace prior to 2016.
The Rangers are contemplating September promotions for hard-throwing minor league relievers Joe Barlow and Demarcus Evans, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports. Neither pitcher is on the Rangers’ 40-man roster, which is full, but the team plans to add the soon-to-be Rule 5-eligible pair in the coming months anyhow, as Grant notes. The 23-year-old Barlow has largely mowed down pro hitters since he joined the Rangers as an 11th-round pick in 2016, though he has struggled over his first 15 1/3 Triple-A innings this season. Evans, 22, was a 25th-rounder in 2015 who has risen to Double-A ball for the first time this season. He has overcome a high walk rate there (5.4 per nine) to post a microscopic 1.08 ERA with 14.58 K/9 in 33 1/3 innings.

AL Injury Notes: Buxton, Price, Laureano, Pence

By Connor Byrne | August 27, 2019 at 10:21pm CDT

Out since Aug. 2 with a left shoulder subluxation, center fielder Byron Buxton still isn’t ready to rejoin the Twins’ roster, Dan Hayes of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Buxton is coming back to the Twins, but only because his rehab assignment hit a snag. He has been dealing with discomfort in his shoulder this week, though an MRI didn’t reveal any new inflammation, per Hayes. “We’re still optimistic that he’s still going to help this team at some point before the season’s end,” said general manager Thad Levine, who added he’s “very confident” Buxton will slot back into the Twins’ lineup this year. While Buxton has been on the IL three times in 2019, he has nonetheless managed 2.8 fWAR in 295 plate appearances, thereby helping Minnesota to a three-game lead in the American League Central.

Red Sox southpaw David Price “believes” he’ll come off the IL to rejoin this weekend in Anaheim, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com writes. A TFCC cyst in Price’s left wrist has kept him from pitching in the majors since Aug. 4, which was a particularly forgettable start for the 34-year-old. Price gave up seven earned in 2 2/3 innings against the Yankees then, raising his 2019 ERA from 3.86 to 4.36 in one fell swoop. The hurler’s other numbers are much better, however, as he owns a 3.64 FIP with 10.77 K/9 and 2.65 BB/9 across 105 1/3 innings.
Athletics center fielder Ramon Laureano has been on the shelf since July 29 with a shin injury, though it’s possible he’ll return without embarking on a rehab assignment, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Laureano has been racking up at-bats at the A’s minor league complex, and he could rejoin the team this weekend or during an upcoming homestand that starts next Tuesday, Slusser suggests. Oakland has done well without Laureano, evidenced by the fact that it holds the AL’s second wild-card spot, but he has been one of the drivers of its success this season. The 25-year-old has slashed .284/.334/.518 with 21 homers, 12 steals and 3.0 fWAR through 419 trips to the plate.
The Rangers placed outfielder Hunter Pence on the IL on Tuesday (retroactive to Aug. 24) with a lower back strain, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. The club recalled infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa from Triple-A Nashville in a corresponding move. It’s the second IL placement of the season for Pence, who missed a few weeks earlier in the summer on account of a groin strain. Injuries aside, this season has been a resounding success for the 36-year-old Pence, who earned his fourth All-Star appearance last month. After back-to-back woeful campaigns with the Giants, Pence took a minor league contract with the Rangers in the offseason and has since logged a stout .297/.358/.552 line and smacked 18 home runs in 316 plate appearances.

AL Notes: Dunning, Andrus, Norris

By Jeff Todd | August 27, 2019 at 1:04pm CDT

White Sox righty Dane Dunning recently discussed his Tommy John rehab work with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. The 24-year-old has begun light throwing, but that’s just the start of a lengthy rebuilding process. He’s hoping to be ready for game action by early June, which would be about 15 months after his procedure. It is certainly possible that the highly regarded hurler could have an impact in the majors as soon as 2020, though odds are that he’ll spend more time regaining his footing in the upper minors. Dunning’s sterling 2018 showing was cut short by forearm issues that ultimately ended in the operating room. But he has already shown he can thrive at the Double-A level. When he is able to make it back, Dunning says he hopes to have an even “stronger foundation” to work from. He says he’s stronger, more aware of how to care for his body, and better prepared “to maintain a healthier balance through the season.”

Rangers Sign Bayron Lora

By Mark Polishuk | August 25, 2019 at 5:55pm CDT

One of the biggest names of the 2019-20 international signing class has officially put pen to paper, as 16-year-old Bayron Lora has signed with the Rangers. (Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram was among those to report the news.) The contract will be finalized when Lora, an outfielder from the Dominican Republic, passes a physical.

This isn’t a new signing, as word broke back on July 2 that Lora agreed to a deal with Texas. At the time, however, Lora was reportedly going to receive a $4.2MM bonus, and his final number ended up being a bit less, as Lora will now receive $3.9MM. The Rangers entered the July 2 signing period with a total bonus pool of $5,398,300 to spend, and immediately blew by that number on just three prospects. Besides Lara, Texas also signed young shortstops Maximo Acosta ($1.6MM) and Zion Banister ($835K) to hefty bonuses.

Some more cash was needed to finalize these signings, which was the inspiration for the Rangers’ acquisition of Nate Jones from the White Sox at the trade deadline. Texas sent two minor leaguers to Chicago in exchange for Jones, some cash considerations to help address Jones’ contract, and $1MM in international pool money, making it one of the largest trades involving int’l pool funds since the new July 2 rules were established in the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Even that extra $1MM didn’t quite cover the initial three outlays, which is likely why Lora’s bonus ended up being $300K less than expected. The $3.9MM figure is still one of the largest bonuses of this year’s international class, befitting Lora’s prospect status. Lora was ranked third amongst all July 2 prospects by MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez and fifth by Fangraphs, with both sites touting the youngster’s power potential. At age 16, Lora is already 6’4″ and over 200 pounds, with what Sanchez described as “excellent bat speed.”

AL Notes: Rangers, Montero, Kiermaier, Alberto, White Sox

By George Miller | August 25, 2019 at 4:57pm CDT

Amidst a pitching staff that has continually shuffled through under-the-radar options, the Rangers have been impressed by Rafael Montero, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. A reclamation project who didn’t pitch in 2018 thanks to Tommy John srugery, Montero made a name for himself as a promising prospect in the Mets’ farm system. However, the New York organization relinquished the righty when he opted for free agency in lieu of an outright assignment. After cutting his teeth as a starting pitcher for years, the 28-year-old has transitioned to a bullpen role in Texas, where he has excelled for a team that has constructed a bullpen out of dozens of cast-offs and scrap parts. Appearing in 10 games since coming up in late July, Montero has compiled a 1.08 ERA while striking out 19 batters in 16 2/3 innings of work. He, along with the likes of Emmanuel Clase and Jonathan Hernandez, has been a second-half revelation for a team that employs an increasingly youthful bullpen after dealing Chris Martin and losing Jesse Chavez to injury. Factor in Jose Leclerc, and the Rangers may indeed have discovered some foundational bullpen pieces.

Here are all the latest updates from around the American League…

Rays outfielder Kevin Kiermaier exited Sunday’s game prematurely after crashing into the outfield wall while attempting to catch a DJ Stewart fly ball. After the game, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times offered an encouraging update on the defensive virtuoso, Tweeting that X-rays indicated no broken bones, and that Kiermaier sustained a left ribcage contusion in the collision. It seems to be a minor injury for the Rays and their center fielder, who expects to be back in the lineup after an off day tomorrow. For the time being, it appears that Kiermaier has avoided a stint on the injured list, which would have been his second this season after a thumb sprain in July.
In the same game, the Orioles’ Hanser Alberto sustained a knee to the head while attempting to take second base on a ball in the dirt. Manager Brandon Hyde did deliver some promising news, telling reporters (including Joe Trezza of MLB.com) that there was no evidence that the Orioles’ leading hitter suffered a concussion. Rather, it looks to be a head contusion and a cervical neck strain for Alberto. While it looks that the worst-case scenario has been avoided, it’s yet unclear what the diagnosis means for Alberto, with a recovery timeline unknown.
More injury news coming from Chicago, where White Sox utilityman Leury Garcia also underwent X-rays after leaving today’s game following a hit by pitch. He was struck in the lower left leg while trying to bunt against the Rangers’ Emmanuel Clase. After the game, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reported that X-rays came back negative and that Garcia’s injuries did not extend beyond a left shin contusion. He’ll be day-to-day for the South Siders, who will have an off day tomorrow before hosting the Twins for a three-game set.

Rangers Outright Shane Carle

By George Miller | August 25, 2019 at 2:52pm CDT

On Sunday the Rangers announced that right-handed pitcher Shane Carle has been assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville. He had been designated for assignment on Friday.

Carle, 27, will remain in the Texas organization, though he’ll no longer occupy a spot on the 40-man roster. Since he was acquired from the Braves, he has pitched out of the Triple-A bullpen and has yet to appear in a Major League game for the Rangers.

After a 2018 season in which Carle posted a 2.86 ERA for Atlanta, he fell out of the organization’s good graces after he regressed to a 9.64 mark in six games this year. During his career year in 2018, Carle was an interesting case, tallying relatively few strikeouts (6.1 K/9) compared to high walk totals. His 1.59 K:BB ratio alone may have been interpreted as a red flag that his sub-3.00 ERA wouldn’t hold up in the long run. However, his value came from an extreme groundball tendency that greatly limited home runs, as he allowed just two round-trippers in 63 innings of work. Despite the unspectacular strikeout and walk numbers, that ability to keep the ball in the yard contributed to a 3.54 FIP. While still a notch below his ERA, that’s a solid mark that is usually enough to hold a spot in a Major League bullpen.

This season, though, Carle’s carrying skill vanished entirely while his shortcomings were exaggerated. In just six games of work with the Braves, Carle surrendered more home runs (3) than the entire season prior. While his strikeouts remained essentially unchanged, his walks ballooned to untenable levels, conceding nine bases on balls in 9 1/3 innings. That was enough to earn him a demotion to the minors, though his performance didn’t quite return to ideal levels.

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