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Mariners, Braves Among Teams Interested in Brandon Drury

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The Mariners, Braves and Dodgers are among the teams interested in Brandon Drury, reports Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Drury has seemed like an obvious trade candidate for a few months now, due to a variety of factors. He’s an impending free agent with a modest salary who is playing for a basement-dwelling team. Beyond that, he’s having the best season of his career and is capable of playing multiple positions, making him a fit for many clubs. He is slashing .275/.336/.523 and just hit his 20th home run. That production is 33% better than league average, according to wRC+. He’s also taken the field at all four infield positions this season, in addition to a brief cameo in right field.

The interest from the Dodgers, as well as the Giants, was reported a few weeks ago. As for Seattle and Atlanta, they are likely interested in Drury primarily for second base, despite his ability to play elsewhere. Most of Drury’s work this year has been at the hot corner, with 53 starts there, though he’s also manned the keystone in 20 different contests.

For the Mariners, they’ve given the bulk of this year’s playing time at second base to Adam Frazier, who is having a down year at the plate. After a strong 2021 where he hit .305/.368/.411 for a wRC+ of 114, the Mariners acquired him from the Padres in an offseason trade. Unfortunately, he’s only been able to muster a .244/.304/.312 line for Seattle, amounting to a wRC+ of 81. He’d likely be the infielder most at risk of losing playing time in the event of a Drury trade, with Eugenio Suarez, J.P. Crawford and Ty France occupying the other spots around the diamond. There’s also the possibility of a platoon, as Frazier hits from the left side of the plate and Drury the right.

As for the Braves, their need for help at second base arose when Ozzie Albies suffered a foot fracture in June. He’s been on the shelf about six weeks already and could return in about a month, though he still hasn’t begun a rehab assignment. With Albies out of action, most of his playing time has gone to Orlando Arcia, who is hitting .238/.316/.371 on the year. That amounts to a 92 wRC+, which is just 8% below league average but well below Drury’s work on the year. With Dansby Swanson, Austin Riley and Matt Olson taking up the other spots in the dirt, second base would stand out as the most obvious spot to plug Drury if he were to be put into an Atlanta jersey.

For the Reds, they’re well out of contention and have already begun their deadline selloff with Friday’s Luis Castillo trade. Drury seems highly likely to follow him out the door, with Tyler Mahle, Donovan Solano, Tommy Pham also among those that the club will exchange for prospects. The trade deadline is in about 48 hours, 5pm CT on August 2.

AL Central Trade Rumors: Taylor, Braves, Plesac, Phillies, Fulmer, Sox, Robertson, Givens

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The Braves and Royals have already swung one trade together this month, and we’re a year removed from the huge-in-hindsight swap that sent Jorge Soler to Atlanta.  Now, the Braves have interest in another K.C. outfielder, as MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter) reports that Michael A. Taylor is under consideration.  Taylor is delivering his usual excellent center field defense while also enjoying the best offensive season of his career, with a 111 wRC+ from hitting .275/.345/.395 in 262 plate appearances.

Since Taylor is under contract through 2023, he represents a longer-term option for an Atlanta club that could lose Adam Duvall in free agency this winter.   Duvall is already out for the rest of the season due to wrist surgery, so Taylor could step right in as the right-handed hitting side of a left field platoon with Eddie Rosario.  Taylor also provides cover in center field if star rookie Michael Harris starts to slump, but playing Taylor and Harris in the same outfield would also make for an excellent defensive pairing.

More from around the AL Central…

  • Reports surfaced earlier this week that the Guardians were open to discussing their controllable starting pitchers in trade talks, and Jon Heyman of The New York Post reports that the Phillies have interest in right-hander Zach Plesac.  A trade for Plesac or any controllable pitcher would be a little complex, since Cleveland is naturally in the playoff race and is likely looking for at least some players that can provide immediate help.  This could perhaps help the Phils, who don’t have a terribly deep farm system, and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski recently said that “I just don’t think we’re there” in terms of having the flexibility to deal their top prospects.  Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia thinks the Phillies are likelier to move position-player prospects than young pitchers.  Speculatively, a top-100 prospect like catcher Logan O’Hoppe could be of particular interest to a Guardians team that has been looking for a long-term answer behind the plate.
  • The Blue Jays are one of the teams showing interest in Tigers reliever Michael Fulmer, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter).  The former AL Rookie of the Year has revived his career with two strong years as a relief pitcher, and is a natural trade chip for the struggling Tigers since Fulmer is scheduled for free agency after the season.  Toronto’s bullpen has been generally solid but somewhat inconsistent, and Fulmer would help reinforce the high-leverage innings in front of All-Star closer Jordan Romano.
  • Cubs relievers David Robertson and Mychal Givens are among the bullpen arms being considered by the White Sox, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Sun-Times writes.  While it used to be quite rare to see the two Windy City rivals combine on trades, the Sox landed Craig Kimbrel and Ryan Tepera in separate deals just last year, not to mention the Jose Quintana/Eloy Jimenez/Dylan Cease blockbuster back in 2017.  Left-handed hitting outfield help also appears to be on the Southsiders’ radar, as Gonzales writes that the White Sox had interest in David Peralta before the Diamondbacks traded Peralta to the Rays earlier today.

Adam Duvall To Undergo Season-Ending Wrist Surgery

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4:41PM: Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters that Duvall will undergo surgery, and Toscano reports that the procedure will end Duvall’s season.  The outfielder will finish 2022 with a .213/.276/.401 slash line and 12 homers over 315 PA, so between that inconsistent production and his wrist injury, Duvall could be facing a pretty modest market as a free agent this winter.

Marcell Ozuna, Guillermo Heredia, and Orlando Arcia could each be utilized as the right-handed hitting side of the platoon with Rosario, or the Braves could very possibly look to add a new outfielder to the mix prior to the trade deadline.

9:03AM: The Braves have placed outfielder Adam Duvall on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left wrist. Mike Ford has been recalled from Triple-A to fill Duvall’s roster spot, per Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter).

Duvall began the year as the Braves’ starting center fielder, but the arrival of Michael Harris II has pushed the veteran into a bench role. For the past few weeks, he’s been in a more-or-less straight platoon with Eddie Rosario in left field. Offensively, he hasn’t yet accessed the prodigious power output that makes him an effective role player. He does have 12 home runs across 315 plate appearances, but that only amounts to a .401 SLG and .188 ISO, numbers that come closer to average than Duvall’s career norms.

Ford, 30, will fill a short-term bench role as a left-handed bat for the Braves. He has already appeared in the Majors this season with the Giants and Mariners, as well as the Braves. And yet, he has accumulated just nine plate appearances between those three stops.

Draft Signings: Angels, Mets, Braves, Cardinals, Brewers, Pirates

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A pair of top ten picks, Gavin Cross and Elijah Green, agreed to terms with their teams today. A host of other high picks are set to enter pro ball, as well. We’ll round up other signings among the top 40 here:

  • The Angels are in agreement with #13 overall pick Zach Neto, reports Jim Callis of MLB.com (on Twitter). He receives a $3.5MM signing bonus, below the $4.41MM slot value associated with the pick. A 21-year-old shortstop out of Campbell, Neto was ranked the #16 prospect in the draft class by Baseball America. A well-rounded infielder, the righty-hitting Neto is seen as a possible hit-first shortstop at the major league level. He dominated Big South pitching over his three years with the Camels, including a .407/.514/.769 showing in 256 plate appearances as a junior.
  • The Mets announced they’ve reached an agreement with #14 selection Jett Williams. The 18-year-old infielder signs for a $3.9MM bonus, reports Tim Healey of Newsday (on Twitter). That’s a bit below the $4.24MM slot value that accompanies the #14 pick. Williams, a switch-hitter from a Texas high school, had been committed to Mississippi State. The #15 prospect in the class according to BA, he’s credited with advanced bat-to-ball skills and surprising bat speed for a player who’s listed at 5’8″ and 185 pounds. The outlet raises some questions about whether he can stick at shortstop but suggests he’s athletic enough to play up-the-middle in some capacity.
  • The Braves have an agreement with #20 selection Owen Murphy, Callis reports (Twitter link). It’s a $2.5569MM bonus, below the $3.4MM slot value.  A right-hander out of an Illinois high school, Murphy will forego his commitment to Notre Dame. BA rated the 18-year-old as the #45 prospect in the class, writing that he relies heavily on an upper 70s breaking ball that has the potential to be a plus offering.
  • The Cardinals announced they’ve signed #22 pick Cooper Hjerpe. Callis reports (on Twitter) that he’ll receive a $3.1822MM signing bonus that matches the pick’s slot value. Hjerpe was one of the top college pitchers in the country, tossing 103 1/3 innings of 2.53 ERA ball with a 39.6% strikeout rate during his junior season at Oregon State. BA rated Hjerpe as the #33 prospect in the class, praising the life he gets on his fastball at the top of the strike zone and his strike-throwing ability.
  • The Brewers announced an agreement with #27 pick Eric Brown Jr., which Callis reports is worth $2.15MM (Twitter link). The slot value for the selection is $2.7MM. A shortstop from Coastal Carolina, Brown was the draft’s #55 prospect according to BA. The outlet coincidentally likens his unusual hitting setup to the one Milwaukee manager Craig Counsell utilized as a player, but notes that Brown consistently posts solid exit velocity numbers and has a chance to stick at shortstop. The 21-year-old hit .330/.460/.544 during his junior year in Conway.
  • The Braves agreed to terms with #35 selection J.R. Ritchie, Callis reports (Twitter link). It’s a $2.4MM bonus, above the $2.0232MM slot value. A right-handed pitcher from a Washington state high school, Ritchie had been a UCLA commit. BA slotted the 19-year-old as the #52 prospect in the class, crediting him with a solid three-pitch mix (headlined by an above-average slider) and advanced control.
  • The Pirates announced a deal with #36 selection Thomas Harrington. The right-hander out of Campbell receives a $2.05MM signing bonus, reports Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (on Twitter). That’s a hair south of the $2.15MM slot value. Harrington was the #45 prospect available, according to BA, which projects him for a pair of above-average secondary offerings (slider and changeup) and possible plus control. The 21-year-old worked 92 2/3 innings of 2.53 ERA ball this season, fanning 30% of batters faced with a sparkling 4.9% walk percentage.

Dwight Smith Passes Away

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Former major league outfielder Dwight Smith has passed away, according to an announcement from the Braves. He was 58 years old.

“We are saddened by the passing earlier today of Dwight Smith, an integral member of our 1995 World Series Championship team,” the Braves said in a statement. “The 1989 NL Rookie of the Year runner up, Dwight enjoyed an eight-year major league career that included two postseason trips with the Cubs and Braves. Dwight was also a beloved alumni member, and his infectious smile will be missed around Truist Park. Our deepest condolences to his wife Cheryl, daughters Taylor and Shannyn, and son, Dwight, Jr.”

As the team mentioned, Smith broke into the majors with an excellent season. He hit .324/.382/.493 through 381 plate appearances with the Cubs in 1989, finishing runner-up to teammate Jerome Walton in that year’s Rookie of the Year balloting. He’d spend the next few seasons on the North Side of Chicago, seeing action all around the outfield. After a few down years, Smith rebounded to post a strong .300/.355/.494 showing across 111 games in 1993.

Smith split the 1994 campaign between the Angels and Orioles before joining Atlanta in advance of the ’95 season. He’d spent the next two years with the Braves as a part-time player, appearing in 204 regular season games between 1995-96. Smith saw a bit of playoff action that first year, which culminated in a World Series title. Altogether, he appeared in more than 800 contest over parts of eight seasons. He tallied just fewer than 2000 plate appearances, hitting .275/.333/.422 with 46 home runs, 42 stolen bases and 226 runs batted in.

MLBTR joins others around the game in sending our condolences to Smith’s family, friends, loved ones and former teammates.

Angels Claim Phil Gosselin From Braves

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The Angels have claimed infielder Phil Gosselin off waivers from the Braves, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Angels already had a vacancy on their 40-man roster, meaning no corresponding move will be required.

This will be Gosselin’s second stint with the Halos, as he spent the 2021 season with the club. The 33-year-old veteran has also spent time with the Braves, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Rangers, Reds and Phillies throughout his career.

In 104 games with the Angels last year, he served a utility role, playing all three non-shortstop infield positions as well as the outfield corners. His 373 plate appearances on the year were a career high for him, a time in which he put up a batting line of .261/.314/.363 for a wRC+ of 87.

This year, he signed a minor league deal with Atlanta and got selected to the big league club just over a month ago. He’s managed to get into just 12 games so far, making 24 plate appearances. His line on the year is .261/.292/.261, while playing mostly second base. He hit well in the minors before his promotion, however, slashing .297/.358/.473.

The Angels are likely hoping Gosselin can give a boost to them at either second or third base, as they’ve struggled to get any kind of production out of their infield this year. Their second basemen have collectively hit .232/.284/.313. The resultant wRC+ of 71 is 24th in the league. Third base is even worse, as the team’s line from that position is .222/.292/.301 for a wRC+ that ranks 28th.

Gosselin is unlikely to help too much, as he’s the owner of a career batting line of .261/.313/.360 for a wRC+ of 82. However, the club’s been giving a lot of playing time at the keystone to Michael Stefanic and his .206/.325/.235 batting line (72 wRC+), as well as time at the hot corner to Jonathan Villar, who’s hitting .167/.222/.167 since becoming an Angel for a wRC+ of just 12.

Braves Targeting Mid-Late August Return For Ozzie Albies

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The Braves have been without Ozzie Albies for a month, as the star second baseman fractured his left foot on June 13. Atlanta immediately placed him on the 60-day injured list, and he underwent surgery a few days later. The club maintained they expected him to play again this season, but they didn’t provide an estimated return date beyond ruling him out for two-plus months.

It seems Atlanta’s hopeful Albies can return around when he’s first eligible. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos tells Jeff Schultz of the Athletic the club is “probably looking at mid- to late-August or worst case the beginning of September” for Albies’ return. The two-time All-Star has progressed to 75% weight bearing on the foot, according to the Atlanta president.

Second base has been a major problem for the Braves since Albies went down. Atlanta has gotten a meager .232/.287/.303 showing in 108 plate appearances at the position over the past month. The bulk of that time has gone to utilityman Orlando Arcia, with Phil Gosselin (who has since been designated for assignment) also chipping in. Arcia’s and Gosselin’s struggles reached the point the Braves swung a deal for Robinson Canó and added the veteran to the major league roster on Monday.

Adding Canó shouldn’t prevent Anthopoulos from seeking further upgrades at the position. The veteran had been hitting well in Triple-A but struggled enough with both the Mets and Padres in the big leagues he was released from both clubs. Atlanta’s acquisition cost for Canó was marginal — they sent cash considerations to San Diego in return — and the Braves figure to be willing to move on quickly if he struggles again. However, the possibility of welcoming Albies back four-to-six weeks from now could diminish the urgency to add infield talent closer to the deadline.

That’s particularly true given how thin this summer’s infield trade market appears to be. Of MLBTR’s top 50 trade candidates, only three (Brandon Drury, Whit Merrifield and Donovan Solano) are capable of playing second base. Players like César Hernández and Tony Kemp would be available stopgap options but didn’t make MLBTR’s list amidst arguably career-worst years.

Asked generally about the possibility of upgrading before the deadline, Anthopoulos suggested the club had yet to narrow down specific target areas. He expressed confidence in the club’s overall depth and told Schultz they’re prepared to cast a wider net than last season, when the front office responded to Ronald Acuña Jr.’s season-ending injury by striking two weeks early to acquire Joc Pederson from the Cubs. “It’s very different than last year. We’ve had injuries this year, but we have a lot of depth,” Anthopoulos told Schultz. “I would say right now it’s critical to watch the team and obviously our health. It might be one of those things where we don’t have a true glaring area, but we definitely have areas where we can improve. Because once the deadline (passes), we can’t add. But we’re not there yet. We haven’t made any decisions.”

The Braves are also expecting a return from reliever Kirby Yates a few weeks down the line. The 2019 All-Star has barely pitched over the past two and a half seasons. He missed most of the shortened 2020 campaign battling elbow issues, then underwent Tommy John surgery in March 2021 that wiped out all of last year. The right-hander signed a two-year deal over the winter with an eye on a midseason comeback, and a return to the big leagues is getting closer into view.

Yates is set to begin a rehab assignment at the club’s Florida complex on Saturday, tweets Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Pitchers are typically allowed up to 30 days on rehab stints, but that window can be (and often is) extended for players working back from TJS. Anthopoulos told Schultz that Yates’ progress over the next couple weeks could factor into whether they feel a need to add another right-hander to the bullpen via trade. During his last healthy season, Yates tossed 60 2/3 innings of 1.19 ERA ball for the 2019 Padres, leading the majors with 41 saves.

List Of Home Run Derby Contestants

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July 14: Rangers shortstop Corey Seager will return to Dodger Stadium as the final Derby participant, Texas announced. Seager, who was also named to the American League All-Star team this afternoon as an injury replacement, has hit 21 homers on the season. He also appeared in the 2016 Home Run Derby.

July 13, 6:25pm: Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez will also participate, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN (on Twitter). Ramirez has never participated in the Derby before, but he’ll join the event amidst a 17-homer season. Like Rodriguez, he’ll be part of the American League All-Star team the following night.

July 13, 3:50pm: Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez announced on social media that he will be joining the contest. As a rookie, this will naturally be his first appearance in the derby.

July 12: Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber has joined the field, with Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relaying that he himself posted about it on Instagram.

July 11, 9:21pm: Nationals star Juan Soto will also participate. The Talk Nats blog first reported (on Twitter) that Soto would accept an invitation if offered and Héctor Gómez of Z101 confirmed he’d be in the event. Soto, who was a part of last year’s event, has hit 17 longballs on the season. He’ll also be part of the NL All-Star Team the following night.

7:06pm: The 2022 Home Run Derby will take place next Monday, and the field is beginning to take shape. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. each announced this afternoon that they’d be participating, while Katie Woo of the Athletic reports that Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols will partake as well.

Pujols’ participation is the most surprising (and notable) of the three. He’s a four-time contestant but hasn’t appeared in a Derby in more than a decade. He’s only hit five longballs this year but twice led the National League during his first stint in St. Louis and is fifth all-time in homers. In his final big league season, Pujols is already set to head to the All-Star Game in recognition of his career. He’ll add the Derby to the celebration.

Alonso is hoping to defend his two straight titles. The New York slugger won in 2019, then backed that up with another championship last year. (The 2020 Derby was canceled). Along the way, he knocked off Acuña in the semifinals during the 2019 event. Atlanta’s star outfielder will join the festivities for a second time. Both Alonso and Acuña will team with Pujols on the NL All-Stars; Alonso is a reserve, while Acuña will be in Brian Snitker’s starting lineup.

Royals Acquire Drew Waters From Braves For Draft Pick

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The Royals have made their second deal of the past week, acquiring former top outfield prospect Drew Waters, minor league righty Andrew Hoffmann and minor league corner infielder CJ Alexander from the Braves in exchange for their Competitive Balance draft pick (No. 35 overall). Both teams have announced the trade.

The 15 selections in the two Competitive Balance rounds — Round A ranges from Nos.33-39, Round B from picks 67-74 — are the only picks eligible to be traded each year’s draft and can only be traded once (meaning the Braves cannot subsequently flip the pick to another team). The No. 35 pick that Atlanta is receiving comes with a slot value of $2,202,100, all of which will be added to the Braves’ league-allotted bonus pool of $8,022,200. That’ll bump the Braves from the 19th-largest draft pool to the 10th-largest (barring any additional trades).

The added pick and financial might will give the Braves some extra means of replenishing the farm after surrendering four prospects to acquire Matt Olson this offseason (to say nothing of the handful of trades made at each of the past few deadlines). Between those deals, low draft selections the past few years (due to strong regular-season performances) and the international free-agent penalties incurred by the former front office regime, the once-vaunted Braves farm system has taken a hit.

Drew Waters

Waters, 23, ranked among the sport’s top-100 prospects from 2019-21 but has seen his stock fall precipitously in recent seasons as he’s struggled against Triple-A pitching. Waters is currently in his third season with Triple-A Gwinnett, but his .246/.305/.393 batting line isn’t an improvement over the pedestrian output he’s recorded there in both 2019 and 2021. Overall, in 788 plate appearances at the Triple-A level, Waters is a .246/.324/.383 hitter. Those struggles are reflected in the fact that the former second-round pick, who was once seen as a key building block for the Braves organization, is now instead part of a three-player package that will net Atlanta a draft pick that’s just six places higher than Waters was selected a half-decade ago.

With Ronald Acuna Jr. and Michael Harris II set to hold down two-thirds of the Atlanta outfield for the future — plus veterans Eddie Rosario, Marcell Ozuna and Guillermo Heredia all signed or controlled beyond the current season, there wasn’t much immediate room for Waters to make an impact on the big league outfield anyhow. Braves fans might be disheartened when thinking about what Waters might’ve fetched in a trade had he been moved a year or two ago, but the team did manage to net some value for the former Futures Game participant.

From the Royals’ vantage point, the long-term outfield picture is far less certain, so there’s good reason to take a chance on getting Waters back on track. Kansas City has been working to put a winning product on the field for the past couple seasons, and while the results haven’t been there yet, Waters provides more immediate potential to help the team than whomever would have been tabbed with that No. 35 overall pick. Waters posted a huge .319/.366/.481 batting line in a pitcher-friendly Double-A setting back in 2019, when he was one of the youngest players in the league. Baseball America and MLB.com both ranked him within the sport’s top 40 overall prospects in consecutive offseasons.

With Andrew Benintendi all but certain to be traded and center fielder Michael A. Taylor a candidate to go as well — he’s signed affordably through 2023 — the Royals will soon have some outfield vacancies. If veteran Whit Merrifield is finally moved at this year’s deadline, that’d represent another subtraction from the outfield corps.

The organizational hope has been that 25-year-old Kyle Isbel can claim a long-term spot in the outfield mix, but he’s currently hitting just .216/.248/.328. Twenty-six-year-old Edward Olivares has performed well in a much more limited role. Generally speaking, though, the Royals are thin on outfield prospects. College pitching has been a focus of their drafts during their recent rebuild, and while they have standout young options at shortstop/third base (Bobby Witt Jr.), catcher (MJ Melendez) and first base/designated hitter (Vinnie Pasquantino, Nick Pratto), there’s no ballyhooed outfielder knocking down the door to the Majors for the Royals at the moment. Waters, clearly, is something of a project, but he’ll give the Royals an immediate option to join that young core if he can indeed benefit from a change of scenery.

Also heading to the Royals are Hoffmann, a 22-year-old righty selected in the 12th round of last summer’s draft, and Alexander, a 25-year-old who’s shown power, speed and concerning on-base struggles while playing against younger competition in Double-A.

Hoffmann ranked 16th among Braves prospects at FanGraphs and 23rd at MLB.com, where scouting reports on the 6’5″ righty peg him as a high-probability back-of-the-rotation piece — a rather notable step forward for a player just a year removed from being selected so late in the draft. So far in 2022, Hoffmann has posted terrific numbers in Class-A, making 15 starts with a 2.36 ERA, 28.4% strikeout rate, 6.6% walk rate and 46.3% ground-ball rate. Hoffmann’s fastball sits in the 91-93 mph range — below-average by today’s standards — and he relies heavily on above-average command to help mitigate the lack of a power primary offering.

Alexander, meanwhile, isn’t as highly regarded — as one would expect for a player who is in his third trip through Double-A despite the fact that he’ll turn 26 this month. A 20th-round pick in 2018, Alexander has dramatically reduced his strikeout rate in 2022, as it’s currently at 21.8% after sitting at 32% in 2019-21. He’s slugged 15 homers and gone 13-for-15 in stolen base attempts through 289 plate appearances this year, but Alexander has also walked at a meager 4.8% rate. Overall, his .258/.294/.465 isn’t particularly exciting, but he gives Kansas City yet another lefty corner infield bat, as he’s capable of playing first base as well.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan first reported the trade (Twitter links).

Royals Designate Foster Griffin For Assignment

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The Royals announced Monday that lefty Foster Griffin has been designated for assignment. His spot on the active roster will go to lefty Daniel Lynch, who has been reinstated from the injured list. Griffin’s spot on the 40-man roster will go to newly acquired outfield prospect Drew Waters, as the Royals announced that Waters has been selected to the 40-man roster and optioned to Triple-A Omaha.

Kansas City has also recalled lefty Angel Zerpa from Double-A Northwest Arkansas and appointed him as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader. Minor league right-hander Andrew Hoffmann and third baseman CJ Alexander, also acquired from the Braves in the Waters trade, were assigned to Double-A as well.

Griffin, 26, was the No. 28 selection of the 2014 draft but has only appeared in two big league seasons with the Royals with a total of six MLB frames pitched. For years, Griffin was generally ranked among the Royals’ more promising farmhands, although his year-to-year rankings fluctuated greatly. At his best, he looked the part of a potential third or fourth starter, staying healthy and soaking up innings in the upper minors even as his performance endured some wild swings from one season to the next.

However, Griffin suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow early in the 2020 season, and the subsequent Tommy John surgery wiped out the remainder of that season and all of the 2021 campaign. The Royals removed him from the 40-man roster at one point but re-signed him to a minor league deal and selected him to the MLB roster earlier this season.

Now working exclusively as a reliever, Griffin has been excellent in Triple-A, where he sports a 1.93 ERA and a 32-to-6 K/BB. Griffin has punched out 29.4% of his Triple-A opponents against just a 5.5% walk rate — all while showing off a huge 55.9% ground-ball rate. Between his first-round pedigree, the impressive bullpen showing in Triple-A and the fact that Griffin has all three minor league option years remaining, it’s possible that another team will have interest — be it via waivers or a small trade. There’s no sugarcoating the seven runs (six earned) Griffin yielded in just 4 1/3 MLB innings this season, but he’s averaging 93.9 mph on his heater, and teams are always on the lookout for left-handed bullpen help.

The Royals will have a week to trade Griffin, attempt to pass him through outright waivers or release him.

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