Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Mariners Rumors

Mariners Outright Jonathan Hernandez

By | at

TODAY: Hernandez cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, the Mariners announced.

AUGUST 8: The Mariners announced a quartet of roster moves tonight, including the news that right-hander Jonathan Hernandez has been designated for assignment.  Infielder Jason Vosler was also optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, while outfielder Dominic Canzone was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and righty Eduard Bazardo was called up from Triple-A.

Hernandez hits the DFA wire for the second time in just over a week, as the Rangers’ decision to designate the reliever led the Mariners to make a waiver claim.  Hernandez has already made three appearances in a Seattle uniform, but after throwing scoreless innings in his first two outings, he was charged with three earned runs in just one-third of an inning in the Mariners’ 6-2 loss to the Tigers yesterday.

Because Hernandez is out of minor league options, the M’s had to designate him and thus again expose him to waivers in order to bring Bazardo’s fresh arm into the bullpen mix.  If he clears waivers and is outrighted off Seattle’s 40-man roster, Hernandez doesn’t yet have enough MLB service time to reject such an assignment in favor of free agency, nor has he been previously outrighted during his career.

Over 43 1/3 combined innings with Texas and Seattle this season, Hernandez has a 5.40 ERA, 20.3% strikeout rate, and an ugly 14.6% walk rate.  The latter number is one of the worst walk rates of any pitcher in baseball, underlining the control problems that have marked much of Hernandez’s five-season run in the big leagues.  He was able to keep things in check for long enough to post a 2.93 ERA over 61 1/3 innings for the Rangers during the 2020 and 2022 seasons, with the 2021 campaign a complete write-off while Hernandez was recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Though the 2023 season was also a struggle for the righty, Hernandez’s 2022 success is recent enough that another team in need of bullpen help could be willing to put in a waiver claim and bet on a turn-around.  Hernandez turned 28 last month, and he is still arbitration-controlled through the 2026 season.  Earning a $1.245MM salary this year, Hernandez still has about $363K remaining, and a new team would owe only the prorated portion of the average MLB salary.  The Mariners also paid only a prorated average rate during Hernandez’s brief time on the active roster, as the Rangers are covering the bulk of the remaining money.

Canzone last played on July 9, so he’s back after almost exactly a month recovering from a right adductor strain.  Between that absence and a prior IL stint due to a left AC joint sprain, Canzone has been limited to 54 games and 159 plate appearances this season, hitting .211/.289/.394 with seven homers.  Canzone’s left-handed bat can come off the bench and help balance out a Mariners lineup that mostly tilts to the right side, and he is a solid defender at all three outfield positions.

Mariners Activate Julio Rodriguez From 10-Day Injured List

By | at

The Mariners announced that outfielder Julio Rodriguez has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list.  ESPN’s Buster Olney (X link) reported earlier today that Seattle intended to activate Rodriguez in time for tonight’s game with the Mets.  Infielder Ryan Bliss was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

A collision with the outfield wall left Rodriguez with a right high ankle sprain back on July 21, and he was placed on the IL a couple of days later.  As recently as yesterday, reports indicated that Rodriguez wasn’t expected to play today, yet the Mariners were considering him day-to-day due to some improvement in his ability to run.  Naturally the Mariners aren’t going to take any untoward risks with Rodriguez’s health, but with Seattle in a pitched battle with the Astros for the AL West lead, both Rodriguez and the team had an obvious desire to get him back in action as soon as safely possible.

Rodriguez will be the designated hitter in tonight’s lineup, which could be the team’s most common way to deploy Rodriguez until his ankle is feeling fully ready for regular center field duty.  Installing Rodriguez at DH also allows Seattle to keep Victor Robles in center field, as Robles has (surprisingly) been one of the Mariners’ better hitters since he was signed in early June.

The timing couldn’t have been much worse for Rodriguez to hit the IL, as he was sidelined just as his bat was waking up from a season-long slump.  Rodriguez struggled to a .244/.294/.324 slash line and seven home runs over his first 364 plate appearances, but he had cracked four homers and posted a 1.219 OPS in the 49 trips to the plate prior to his injury.  That hot streak lifted his season-long wRC+ back up to an evenly league-average 100.  Rodriguez has also continued to deliver strong defense in center field, but Robles also filled in nicely in terms of glovework.

AL West Notes: Verlander, Rodriguez, deGrom

By | at

Justin Verlander is slated to make a rehab start for Triple-A Sugar Land today, marking his first game action since June 9.  Astros manager Joe Espada told reporters (including Matt Kawahara and Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle) that the loose plan is for Verlander to throw three innings or 50 pitches in the first of what is expected to be a two-outing rehab stint, though there’s plenty of fluidity built in as the 41-year-old ace works his way back from a neck strain.

If all goes well, Verlander would likely be activated for the start of the Astros’ series with the Orioles that begins on August 22.  Verlander would become the sixth member of a six-man rotation Houston is planning to deploy during a busy stretch of the schedule, as after receiving three off-days within the first 15 days of August, the Astros then play every day from August 16 through September 2.  Assuming Verlander returns in his usual top-of-the-rotation form, he’ll be a giant boost to a Houston team that is battling the Mariners for the AL West title, and will again be looking to make another deep playoff run.  Between this neck problem and a season-opening bout of shoulder inflammation, Verlander has been limited to 57 innings in his 19th Major League season, but he has a solid 3.95 ERA when available to pitch.

More from around the AL West…

  • Julio Rodriguez hasn’t played July 21 due to a high ankle sprain, but the Mariners outfielder has been taking part in some moderate-intensity running exercises as part of his recovery process.  Manager Scott Servais told MLB.com and other media earlier this week that Rodriguez’s injury is viewed as a day-to-day situation by the team, as Rodriguez might be activated from the 10-day injured list without the need for a rehab assignment.  “The swinging really isn’t the issue, from what [Rodriguez] said.  It’s just more of the running and trying to get up to speed and taking the turns, things like that,” Servais noted.  As such, Seattle could try using Rodriguez as a designated hitter if the team wants to take it easy on his ankle.  The uncertain nature of high ankle sprains and the lack of a timetable makes it unclear when J-Rod might be back in action, but it could technically be as early as this coming week if he shows quick improvement and is able to run passably well.
  • Jacob deGrom threw a live batting practice on Thursday, with Rangers skipper Bruce Bochy telling reporters (including Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News) that deGrom will have another live BP session during the Rangers’ upcoming August 12-14 series in Boston.  This is the first time deGrom had faced live hitters during his rehab from a June 2023 Tommy John surgery, and the four-time All-Star remains on pace with the standard 13-14 month recovery timeline.  Since he’ll have a third bullpen session and then a minor league rehab assignment, deGrom might not return to the Texas roster before the end of August, but the veteran should be able to log some big league innings before 2024 is out, and gain some peace of mind about his health heading into the offseason.

Mariners Select Troy Taylor

By | at

The Mariners announced that the contract of right-hander Troy Taylor has been selected from Double-A Arkansas.  Righty Eduard Bazardo was optioned to Triple-A to create room on the active roster, and no further transaction was required since Seattle had an open space on its 40-man roster.

Taylor was a 12th-round pick in the 2022 draft, and a dominant showing in his second pro season has put the 22-year-old in line for his Major League debut.  Over a combined 42 2/3 innings with Double-A Arkansas and high-A Everett, Taylor has a 1.27 ERA, 27.6% strikeout rate, 8.59% walk rate, and outstanding grounder rates.  The performance was impressive enough for the Mariners to add him to the 40-man roster, giving Taylor the nod ahead of other Triple-A arms already on the 40-man.

A full-time reliever in both college ball and in the professional ranks, MLB Pipeline’s scouting report feels Taylor has a “closer’s profile,” while Baseball America feels Taylor “has the stuff to be a mid-leverage reliever with further development.”  (BA has Taylor 21st on its list of the top 30 Mariners prospects, while Pipeline has him a bit lower in 23rd.)  Both outlets describe Taylor’s slider and fastball as plus pitches, if control can sometimes be an issue since the two pitches both have a lot of movement.  Taylor’s fastball sits in the 94-96mph range and he has dial it up to 98mph on occasion.

The M’s aren’t likely to use Taylor in many high-leverage situations right away, given how pitching key innings in a pennant race is a lot to ask of a pitcher in his first exposure to big league hitters.  Still, Taylor brings another intriguing  arm to an overall solid Mariners bullpen, and Taylor could help make up for the continued injury absence of Gregory Santos.

MLBTR Podcast: Fallout From The Trade Deadline And Mike Trout Injured Again

By | at

The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Mariners Sign Josh Fleming To Minor League Deal

By | at

The Mariners have signed left-hander Josh Fleming to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Tacoma, as relayed by Tacoma Rainiers broadcast Mike Curto on X (link). Fleming elected free agency on the day of the trade deadline after being designated for assignment by the Pirates the week prior.

Fleming, 28, was a fifth-round pick by the Rays in the 2017 draft and spent his entire career in Tampa prior to the 2024 season. The southpaw made his big league debut back in 2020 and enjoyed a solid rookie season with a 2.78 ERA and 4.40 FIP in seven appearances, including five starts, that totaled 32 1/3 innings of work. Fleming struck out just 19.2% of opponents in that first season as a big leaguer but made up for that with an eye-popping 63.7% ground ball rate. Those strong results led the Rays to offer Fleming an expanded role the following year as he posted a career-best 104 1/3 innings of work in 2021. Unfortunately, the lefty struggled with the larger role and posted a lackluster 5.09 ERA, though it’s worth noting that his 4.27 FIP and 4.36 xFIP both indicate that he pitched better than that top-level run prevention number might otherwise suggest.

After his lackluster 2021 season, Fleming saw his role in Tampa reduced somewhat as he pitched just 35 innings for the big league club in 2022 followed by 51 2/3 innings of work in 2023. Once again splitting time between the bullpen and starting rotation, Fleming pitched to a combined 5.40 ERA with a 5.16 FIP, a 13.8% strikeout rate, and a 7.9% walk rate. He continued to generate grounders at an impressive 61.4% clip in those years until his 2023 season ended early due to a bout of elbow inflammation. The combination of injury concerns and ineffectiveness led the Rays to designate Fleming for assignment, and while he was snapped up off the waiver wire by the Phillies the lefty became a free agent not long afterwards when Philadelphia non-tendered him.

The southpaw ended up remaining in Pennsylvania despite that non-tender, however, as he eventually signed with the Pirates on a split contract back in February. Fleming made the club’s Opening Day roster out of Spring Training and pitched fairly well for Pittsburgh over the first month of the season. Things took a sharp turn for the worse in May, however, as Fleming allowed nine runs (eight earned) in just three innings of work across four appearances before eventually being outrighted off the club’s roster. He remained with the Pirates in the minors and eventually returned to the roster in mid-June. He pitched well for the club following his return with a 1.46 ERA in 12 1/3 innings of work, though he did so with questionable peripherals as he walked more batters (five) than he struck out (four). That led the Pirates to DFA him once again, though this time he decided to return to free agency rather than remain in the minor leagues with Pittsburgh.

Now, Fleming will join a Mariners organization that currently has just one left-handed pitcher (reliever Tayler Saucedo) on the active roster. Gabe Speier and Jhonathan Diaz are both lefty options in the minors already on the 40-man roster, though each has struggled at the big league level this year. That could leave a clear shot at a big league job for Fleming if he can impress Mariners brass with his performance at the Triple-A level, where he’ll have to contend with the inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League.

Marlins Claim Brett de Geus

By | at

The Marlins have claimed right-hander Brett de Geus off waivers from the Mariners and optioned him to Triple-A Jacksonville, per announcements from both big league clubs. Seattle had designated him for assignment last week when they claimed righty Jonathan Hernández off waivers from the Rangers. The Fish opened a 40-man roster spot earlier today when infielder/outfielder Nick Gordon was designated for assignment to open an active roster spot for Derek Hill, another waiver claimee.

de Geus, 26, signed a minor league deal with the Mariners in the offseason and was selected to their roster in the second week of April. He spent most of the season on optional assignment, only making four appearances for the big league club.

He also pitched for the Rangers and Diamondbacks in 2021 and the combination of those different MLB stints now gives him 53 1/3 big league innings with a 7.26 ERA. His 17.1% strikeout rate is subpar but his 9.9% walk rate is passable while his 51.4% ground ball rate is strong.

That’s generally been the recipe with de Geus. He has 32 Triple-A appearances this year with a 15% strikeout rate, 7% walk rate and 56.6% ground ball rate. The 6.60 ERA at that level this year isn’t pretty but a .365 batting average on balls in play and 59.4% strand rate have surely helped pushed some extra runs across the plate. He spent most of last year with the Double-A affiliate of the Royals, tossing 35 1/3 innings with a 2.80 ERA, 20.6% strikeout rate, 5.6% walk rate and 56.4% ground ball rate.

The Marlins have undergone a massive roster shakeup in the past two weeks. They traded away A.J. Puk, Jazz Chisholm Jr. Trevor Rogers, Tanner Scott, Bryan Hoeing, Bryan De La Cruz, Huascar Brazobán, Josh Bell and JT Chargois prior to the deadline. They brought back numerous prospects in those deals and also had open roster spots to claim Forrest Wall, David Hensley, Jesús Tinoco, Cristian Pache, John McMillon, Hill and de Geus off waivers.

de Geus will provide the Marlins with some depth in the minors who could be called upon whenever they need a ground ball specialist or just a fresh arm in general. He can still be optioned for the rest of this season and two additional campaigns. He also has just over one year of service time, meaning he could theoretically stick on the roster for a long time if he continues to justify his spot.

AL West Notes: Tucker, Miller, Mariners

By | at

Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker has been on the injured list due to a right shin contusion for nearly two months now, but it doesn’t appear as though he’s likely to join the club’s lineup anytime soon as they attempt to pull away from the Mariners in a tight race for the AL West crown. As manager Joe Espada told reporters (including Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle) earlier today, the club is not yet certain if Tucker will be able to contribute in the majors at any point in the month of August. Espada described the situation with Tucker as a day-to-day situation, adding that while it’s a “possibility” he could play at some point this month it would be “too aggressive” for him to commit to that timeline.

It’s a frustrating update for Astros fans, as Tucker had been without a doubt the club’s best hitter prior to the injury. In 262 trips to the plate across 60 games this year, the 27-year-old was slashing an otherworldly .266/.395/.584 (172 wRC+) that made him one of the top bats in the entire sport at the time of his injury. In his absence, the Astros have turned their season around in a big way with a 32-19 record since the start of June thanks in large part to strong offensive performances from previously-struggling players like Yainer Diaz and Alex Bregman. With more of the Houston lineup contributing on a daily basis in recent weeks, it’s easy to imagine the return of Tucker providing the lineup with an additional spark that could help buoy the club as they pursue their eighth consecutive appearance in the ALCS. Of course, even a return sometime in September could give the young star plenty of time to prepare for a potential playoff run while still meaningfully contributing to games down the stretch.

More from around the AL West:

  • The Athletics offered a positive update regarding injured closer Mason Miller today, as relayed by MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos. According to Gallegos, Miller played catch without his cast today as he rehabs from a fractured finger in his non-throwing hand. The next step for the righty is to throw a live bullpen session in a simulated game on Monday. The 25-year-old phenom has become one of league’s best-known relievers this year by dominating to a 2.21 ERA with a 1.72 FIP in 40 2/3 innings of work as Oakland’s closer, a role that’s seen him rack up 15 saves. Miller last pitched on July 22 and was placed on the IL a few days later after fracturing his left pinkie finger in the club’s training room. If that bullpen session goes well, it seems possible that the righty might be able to skip a rehab assignment entirely and return not long after he’s first eligible to come off the shelf on August 7.
  • Mariners fans received some unfortunate news from down on the farm recently as Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports that shortstop Felnin Celesten underwent season-ending surgery to repair a preexisting hamate injury. Celesten, 18, is the club’s #5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline and was among the top prospects of the 2023 class of international amateurs. Signed out of the Dominican Republic to a $4.7MM bonus, Celesten is considered a high-floor prospect with a strong defensive reputation at shortstop and solid all-around tools. In his first taste of stateside ball this year, Celesten slashed an excellent .352/.431/.568 in 32 Arizona Complex League games before being sidelined by injury. It seems likely he’ll get his first taste of full-season ball sometimes next year once he’s returned from rehab.

Doug Creek Passes Away

By | at

Former major leaguer Doug Creek has passed away, according to multiple sources, including The Journal out of Martinsburg, West Virginia. The left-hander died at the age of 55 due to the effects of pancreatic cancer.

Creek was born in Winchester, Virginia in 1969 and went on to attend Georgia Tech. He worked as a starting pitcher for the Yellow Jackets and was drafted by the Cardinals with a seventh-round pick in 1991. In the minor leagues, he continued working out of the rotation until he got near the majors and was then shifted into a relief role.

He was able to make his major league debut with the Cards in 1995, tossing 6 2/3 scoreless innings that year. Prior to the 1996 season, he was traded to the Giants alongside Rich DeLucia and Allen Watson for Royce Clayton and a player to be named later, who was later named as Chris Wimmer.

Creek made 63 appearances for San Francisco in 1996 but with a 6.52 ERA. In 1997, an attempt was made to get Creek stretched back out, though without success. He had a 6.75 ERA in three major league starts and a 4.93 ERA in Triple-A. He went overseas for the 1998 season, pitching for the Hanshin Tigers of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. He made six starts and one relief appearance with a 5.65 ERA.

He returned to North American ball and then spent the next few years as a journeyman left-hander, pitching for the Cubs, Devil Rays, Mariners, Blue Jays and Tigers. He finished his career with 289 1/3 innings pitched over 279 appearances. He had a 5.32 ERA, 22.2% strikeout rate and 15.1% walk rate. After leaving the baseball field, he headed out to the water. According to his obituary, he became a charter boat captain in Tampa Bay and competed as an angler on the Redfish Circuit.

We at MLBTR join the baseball world in sending our condolences to Creek’s family, friends, former teammates and coaches and all those mourning his passing.

Mariners Claim Jonathan Hernandez

By | at

The Mariners announced they’ve claimed reliever Jonathan Hernández off waivers from the division-rival Rangers. Seattle designated righty Brett de Geus for assignment to open a spot on the 40-man roster. The M’s also announced that trade pickup JT Chargois has joined the team and will step into the MLB bullpen. Gregory Santos lands on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to August 1, with biceps inflammation.

Hernández, 28, changes teams for the first time in his career. He spent more than a decade as a member of the Rangers organization after signing in January 2013. Hernández reached the big leagues in the second half of the 2019 season, not long after his 23rd birthday.

The right-hander had a couple solid seasons to start his MLB career. He turned in a 2.90 ERA across 31 innings during the shortened 2020 schedule. He lost the entire following season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April ’21. Hernández returned for the second half in 2022 and looked to be picking up where he’d left off. He tossed 30 1/3 frames of 2.97 ERA ball for the stretch run. He picked up four saves and 10 holds while finishing 16 games as a medium-leverage reliever.

Things have gone downhill over the past two seasons. Hernández struggled to a 5.40 earned run average a year ago. Texas shuttled him back and forth between Triple-A on a few occasions, burning his final minor league option in the process. That meant the Rangers needed to keep him on the MLB roster this season.

Texas gave Hernández plenty of runway, affording him 41 innings across 26 appearances, but his results didn’t turn around. He allowed a 5.05 ERA with a career-worst 19.9% strikeout percentage and a lofty 14.4% walk rate. The Rangers pushed him out of their bullpen (and thus off the 40-man roster) on Tuesday with their deadline pickup of Andrew Chafin from the Tigers.

Seattle will try to help Hernández right the ship. They’ll also need to keep him on the big league roster unless they decide to designate him for assignment themselves. Hernández still averages nearly 97 MPH on his sinker and misses a decent number of bats with his slider. That solid raw stuff has too often been undercut by poor command, but there’s minimal cost for the M’s in taking a look. They’re assuming a little less than $400K on his $1.245MM salary for the stretch run. Hernández would be under arbitration control for another two seasons if he holds his bullpen spot in Seattle.

The Mariners added de Geus to their 40-man roster back in April. He has made four big league appearances, working 3 1/3 frames of one-run ball. Seattle has mostly kept the 26-year-old on optional assignment to Triple-A Tacoma, where he has allowed a 6.60 ERA across 30 innings in the Pacific Coast League.

de Geus is a former teammate of Hernández with the ’21 Rangers, who plucked him from the Dodgers in the Rule 5 draft. He combined for 50 innings of 7.56 ERA ball between the Rangers and Diamondbacks that season and didn’t get back to the big leagues until this year. Seattle will likely put him on waivers this weekend.

As for Santos, the offseason trade pickup missed most of the first half due to a lat strain. He returned to make six appearances before leaving Wednesday’s appearance with biceps soreness. He’ll miss at least the next two weeks, though Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times fortunately tweeted this afternoon that imaging came back clean.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top