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Ji-Man Choi

Rays Reinstate Ji-Man Choi From 10-Day IL

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The Rays have reinstated first baseman Ji-Man Choi from the 10-day injured list, with utilityman Mike Brosseau heading down to Triple-A as the corresponding move.  Choi will end up missing just beyond the 10-day minimum, as his IL placement for a left groin strain was retroactive to June 3.

It has been an injury-plagued year for Choi, who didn’t make his season debut until mid-May due to arthroscopic knee surgery.  When he has played, however, Choi has been swinging a mighty bat — he has hit .304/.448/.522 with two home runs over the small sample size of 58 plate appearances.  The left-handed hitting Choi will resume his normal role as Tampa Bay’s top option at first base against righty pitching, with Yandy Diaz forming the other half of the platoon.

Brosseau had somewhat quietly been a very productive player over his first two MLB seasons, hitting .284/.343/.500 in 240 PA in 2019-20 and playing all over the field for the Rays.  This year, however, Brosseau wasn’t offering much beyond defensive versatility, with only a .184/.259/.336 slash line in 139 PA.  There is little doubt Brosseau will find himself back in the big leagues at some point this season, and a stint in Triple-A might be just what he needs to get on track at the plate.

AL East Notes: Zombro, Choi, Kluber, Blue Jays, Ward

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Rays pitching prospect Tyler Zombro was struck in the head by a line drive last night during the eighth inning of Triple-A Durham’s game against Norfolk.  Zombro was taken off the field on a stretcher and taken to hospital, as the game was suspended and then later officially halted.

The Rays released a statement on Zombro’s condition earlier today: “As of this morning, Tyler remains under the care of the nurses and doctors at Duke University Hospital. The updates from overnight have been positive, and he remains in stable condition. We are overwhelmed by the support for Tyler and the wishes for his full and speedy recovery from fans and the baseball community alike. We will provide additional updates as he progresses.”

We at MLBTR add our voices to the chorus of support for Zombro, and we’re hoping for all the best in his recovery.

More from around the AL East…

  • Ji-Man Choi has been battling left groin tightness and might require a trip to the injured list.  Choi missed Thursday’s game with the Yankees due to the issue, and Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times) that “I don’t think that he necessarily felt that great today” even after Choi received treatment throughout the game.  Arthroscopic knee surgery in March delayed Choi’s season debut until May 16, and he has been making up for lost time with a scorching .304/.448/.522 slash line in his first 58 plate appearances.  [UPDATE: the Rays have placed Choi on the 10-day IL with a left groin strain.]
  • Corey Kluber’s recovery from a rotator cuff strain is still projected to keep the righty out of action until around the last week of July, but Yankees manager Aaron Boone did provide some positive news in an update with reporters (including Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News).  After receiving second and third opinions from doctors, Kluber is expected to start throwing on flat ground within a few days’ time — his initial diagnosis would have kept him from throwing whatsoever for four weeks.
  • Pitching is the most obvious need for the Blue Jays at the trade deadline, yet Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith suggests that the Jays should also look to add bench help.  As much as the returns of George Springer, Alejandro Kirk, and Cavan Biggio will help matters, adding another bat would guard against any future injuries.  Specifically, a left-handed bat would also balance out a Toronto lineup that leans heavily to the right.
  • Red Sox pitching prospect Thad Ward recently underwent Tommy John surgery, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe reports.  A fifth-round pick for the Sox in the 2018 draft, Ward posted some impressive numbers in his first two pro seasons before making his Double-A debut this season (posting a 5.63 ERA over eight innings).  Both MLB Pipeline and Baseball America ranked Ward as a top-ten prospect in Boston’s farm system, but the right-hander will now be on the shelf for the next 13-15 months, and his entire 2022 could be in jeopardy in the event of a rehab setback.

Injury Updates: Yelich, Choi, Dickerson, Solano, Yaz, Smeltzer

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Christian Yelich began a Triple-A rehab assignment yesterday, playing three innings in left field and receiving two plate appearances.  Back problems have led to two separate injured-list placements for Yelich this season, and limited him to only 10 games and 41 PA for the Brewers.  It isn’t yet clear how long Yelich’s rehab assignment will last before he rejoins the Brew Crew, though manager Craig Counsell is hopeful “we’re in a really good place right now” in terms of getting Yelich fully recovered.

“We’re hoping we’ve turned the corner here,” Counsell told MLB.com’s Sterling Bright and other reporters.  “These are all little signs, and the most important thing we’re going to find out is [how he feels] after the game, and when he wakes up in the morning, and as we kind of move forward here playing back-to-back, and things like that.”

More on other injury situations from around baseball…

  • Ji-Man Choi was activated from the 10-day injured list today, though the first baseman didn’t make an appearance in the Rays’ 12-5 victory over the Mets.  Choi underwent arthroscopic knee surgery just prior to Opening Day and thus has yet to make his 2021 debut.  Choi (who celebrates his 30th birthday on Wednesday) has hit a cool .257/.359/.461 with 30 home runs over 821 PA since being acquired by Tampa Bay in July 2018.  Now that he is healthy, Choi is expected to assume his usual role as Tampa’s primary first base/DH option against right-handed pitching, with Yandy Diaz taking over against left-handed pitchers.
  • The Giants could soon be getting some reinforcements from the IL, as manager Gabe Kapler told reporters (including The San Francisco Chronicle’s Steve Kroner) that Alex Dickerson is within a few days of returning.  Dickerson was placed on the 10-day IL on May 7 due to a right shoulder impingement, so Sunday is the earliest the outfielder could return to action.  Donovan Solano is also slated to play five innings as part of a Triple-A rehab assignment today, as the infielder is working his way back from a right calf strain that sidelined him on April 21.
  • Mike Yastrzemski isn’t in today’s Giants lineup, as Kapler said the outfielder’s left side is “pretty sore” after colliding with the outfield wall in pursuit of an Adam Frazier triple in yesterday’s game.  Kapler didn’t think the injury was particularly serious, though Yastrzemski has already missed some time this season due to a minor oblique strain in his left side.  After a slow start to the season, Yastrzemski’s bat is beginning to heat up, and he is up to a .216/.316/.461 slash line (111 OPS+, 118 OPS+) through 117 plate appearances.
  • Twins left-hander Devin Smeltzer hit the 10-day IL Wednesday due to left elbow inflammation, and it will be “a matter of weeks” before Smeltzer is ready to return, manager Rocco Baldelli told reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press).  Tests on Smeltzer’s elbow revealed no ligament issues but some nerve irritation.  Baldelli said there hadn’t yet been any discussion about moving Smeltzer to the 60-day IL, which would keep the southpaw out of action until after the All-Star break.  Smeltzer has spent most of the last three seasons being shuttled back and forth between the Twins’ roster and either their Triple-A team or alternate training site.  He has appeared in only one game for Minnesota this season, tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings in a 6-2 loss to the Pirates back on April 24.

Ji-Man Choi To Undergo Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

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Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi will be sidelined for three to five weeks after undergoing an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee, manager Kevin Cash announced this morning (Twitter link via Rays broadcaster Neil Solondz). Because the surgery has yet to be performed, a concrete timeline is not yet known, but he’ll likely be out into May. Choi’s surgery is set for tomorrow morning.

Choi has been hobbled by discomfort in his knee this spring and hasn’t suited up for a game since mid-March. He appeared in just five official Grapefruit League games before being shut down, and it now looks as though his absence will ultimately span a couple of months in total. Yoshi Tsutsugo has been logging some time at first base and could see extra at-bats in Choi’s absence, and the Rays also have Yandy Diaz and Mike Brosseau as options there. Second baseman Brandon Lowe played a handful of games at first base in 2019 as well.

The 29-year-old Choi has spent the past two and a half seasons with the Rays, turning in a strong .257/.359/.461 batting line with 30 homers, 45 doubles and three triples through 821 trips to the plate. Based on the strength of that showing, he and the Rays agreed to a one-year, $2.45MM contract over the winter during his first trip through the arbitration process.

AL East Notes: Atkins, Choi, Stewart, Arroyo

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The Blue Jays are having “active conversations” with general manager Ross Atkins about a contract extension, team president Mark Shapiro told Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi.  Atkins’ current deal with the Jays expires at the end of the season, Davidi writes, which means that the extension Atkins inked back in June 2019 was a two-year pact.  Since Shapiro’s own recent extension runs through the 2025 season, it’s fair to speculate whether Atkins’ next contract might have a similar term length.

The Jays have a 337-371 record since Atkins was hired in the 2015-16 offseason, a tenure that began with a postseason appearance in 2016, three down years as the Jays embarked on a rebuild, and then a return to the (expanded) playoffs in 2020.  With a wealth of homegrown young talent and some high-priced free agents — Hyun Jin Ryu, George Springer, Marcus Semien — on the roster, Toronto has the pieces in place to become a consistent contender, marking quite the franchise overhaul in the five-plus years of the Shapiro/Atkins regime.

More from around the AL East…

  • Ji-Man Choi has been sidelined with a knee problem, and Rays manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times) that “we’re preparing as if he will not be ready for us by Opening Day.”  Choi was shut down for 10 days following a cortisone shot on March 13, but Cash said that the team will continue to take it easy with Choi even after that 10-day span is up, in order to prevent further re-aggravation of the knee.  The ever-deep Rays have Yoshi Tsutsugo available to take Choi’s spot as the primary first baseman against right-handed pitching, while Yandy Diaz and Mike Brosseau can cover the position when a lefty is on the mound.  In the likely event of Choi’s placement on the injured list, Cash wasn’t yet sure if the Rays would replace Choi on the roster with another position player, or another pitcher for additional bullpen help.
  • Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart is also in danger of missing the start of the season, as a bad hamstring has kept him out of a proper Spring Training game since March 5.  Stewart has been working out with the team, but manager Brandon Hyde told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and other media that he won’t put Stewart into a game until the outfielder is fully healthy, so “it’s becoming more and more challenging” to envision a scenario where Stewart avoids the IL.  The former first-round pick has shown some solid pop over his brief MLB career, with 14 homers (and a .224/.334/.433 slash line) over 301 career plate appearances from 2018-20.
  • After signing Enrique Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez in the offseason, the Red Sox might have another super-utilityman on hand in Christian Arroyo, as manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo) that Arroyo had recently asked about getting some work as a left fielder.  Over his 85 career big league games and 445 games in the minors, Arroyo has played a lot of third base, second base, and shortstop, but no outfield work.  Adding another position surely can’t hurt Arroyo going forward, whether to carve a future niche for himself as an even more versatile player, or just as a short-term method of earning extra playing time for the Sox this year.

Rays Reassign Wander Franco To Minor League Camp

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The Rays officially started working out Wander Franco at third base yesterday, though manager Kevin Cash insists it’s no more a reaction to the Ji-Man Choi injury than it is a sign that Franco needs to (or will) make the move, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Yandy Diaz and Yoshi Tsutsugo could move from third to first most days while Choi is out, and Joey Wendle will be the third baseman in that case with Mike Brosseau reprising his role from the postseason to take on southpaws.

Lest there be any doubt, the Rays reassigned their top prospect to minor league camp today, per Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com (via Twitter). It appears as if Franco will start the season at Triple-A. Franco was never really expected to be on the opening day roster, despite his enormous potential. He just turned 20 years old on March 1st, and he has yet to appear in a pro game above High-A. Though the minor league seasons won’t start on time, Franco will still be able to work out and train with those in the organization.

In regards to a potential move to third base, that decision will be kicked down the line for now. Whether or not Franco’s best-case future is at short or elsewhere on the infield is one question, but there’s also the Willy Adames issue which will continue to inform the Rays in their decision-making process. Whereas Franco’s bat should have no trouble playing at third, Adames brings the most value with his glove at short, especially if the 25-year-old continues to improve his glovework. Adames, however, will go through arbitration for the first time before next season, and the Rays aren’t shy about flipping talent well before their sell-by date.

Injury Notes: Kelenic, Long Jr., Choi

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Let’s get some injury updates from the American League…

  • Jarred Kelenic is progressing well as he tries to get his left knee back to full strength, per the Athletic’s Corey Brock (via Twitter). The young outfielder plans to meet with the training staff today and set a course to return to action. Kelenic himself was bullish about his ability to make a quick return. Assuming no setbacks, there’s no reason that Kelenic shouldn’t be ready for the season opener. Whether or not he makes the Mariners’ opening day roster will be one of the more closely watched roster decisions around the game. The 21-year-old certainly expects to make the roster, despite only 21 games of experience at Double-A.
  • Shed Long Jr. lost his starting second base job to Dylan Moore last season, and he looked to make a strong impression this spring. Instead, inflammation in his surgically-repaired right shin has kept him out of action entirely, writes the Athletic’s Corey Brock. It now seems unlikely that Long will even be ready in time to make the team. The Mariners had high hopes for Long’s role in 2021, even if he wasn’t the starter at second. After making a bid for a number of utility types in free agency, the Mariners came up empty, presumably leaving room for Long to take on that role – even after slashing .171/.242/.291 in 128 plate appearances in 2020.
  • Ji-Man Choi had his knee examined by the team doctor yesterday after experiencing some tightness, per Adam Berry of MLB.com (via Twitter). The issue hasn’t kept Choi from participating in drills, so the team is not overly concerned at the moment. While Choi’s splits and defensive limitations somewhat minimize his potential role on the team, he brings much-needed thump when he is in the lineup. He also adds to the club as a recognizable and likeable personality. The sometimes-switch-hitting slugger adds the most value against right-handed pitching. He has a career 125 wRC+ against righties. Were he to miss significant time, Yoshi Tsutsugo could step in, while Brandon Lowe could slide over from second or Francisco Mejia could fill the lineup spot as well. The Rays would have a number of potential ways to re-shape their roster. Hopefully, however, no changes will be necessary. That said, Choi is likely to be shut down for a week to ten days, adds Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter).

2021 Arbitration Hearing Results & Post-Deadline Agreements

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January 15 was the deadline for teams and arbitration-eligible players to officially submit salary figures for the 2021, and by the time the day was done, only 13 players didn’t reach agreement on a contract.  The majority of teams now adhere to the “file or trial” strategy, meaning that no further negotiations on a one-year deal will take place between the arbitration deadline and a hearing with an arbiter, which theoretically puts pressure on players to get a deal done if they are wary about taking their case to a third party.

“File and trial” tactics didn’t stop the Astros and Carlos Correa from agreeing to a one-year deal for just the 2021 season, which is also Correa’s last year before gaining free agent eligibility.  We also saw three multi-year deals reached, all from the greater Los Angeles area — the Dodgers reached two-year deals with Walker Buehler and Austin Barnes, while the Angels inked a two-year pact with Shohei Ohtani.

This left nine unresolved cases that went all the way to a hearing (held over Zoom) between an arbiter, the player, his representative(s), and front office personnel arguing the team’s side.  The teams won five of the nine hearings, continuing the very narrow edge teams have held over players in arb cases in recent years — over the last 99 arbitration hearings, teams hold a 51-48 record over players.

For the full list of every salary for every arbitration-eligible player this offseason, check out the MLB Trade Rumors Arb Tracker.  Sticking to the 13 players with unresolved cases from January 15, here’s the rundown…

Avoided Arbitration, One-Year Contract

Avoided Arbitration, Multi-Year Contract

Arbitration Hearings, Won By Player

Arbitration Hearings, Won By Team

Arbitration Hearing Decisions: J.D. Davis, Choi, Santander

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This year’s round of (virtual) arbitration hearings kicked off earlier this week. While a perhaps surprising number of players agreed to one-year deals to avoid arbitration last month rather than risk a hearing, we’ll still have a handful of cases heard by a three-person panel of arbitrators over the next couple of weeks. Some results from the first wave of hearings…

  • Mets third baseman/outfielder J.D. Davis lost his arbitration hearing and will earn $2.1MM in 2021 rather than the $2.475MM at which he filed, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). The 27-year-old has proven to be a good find for the now-former front office regime, hitting .288/.370/.483 with 28 homers and 31 doubles through 682 plate appearances since debuting with the Mets. Davis figures to see action at third base and perhaps in left field again in 2021, and he’ll be eligible for arbitration three more times due to his status as a Super Two player.
  • Rays first baseman Ji-Man Choi won an arbitration hearing against the club and will be paid $2.45MM in 2021, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (via Twitter). The team had filed for a $1.85MM salary. Choi, 29, has spent the past three seasons with the Rays, batting a combined .257/.359/.461 with 30 homers, 45 doubles and three triples in 821 trips to the plate. He slashed .230/.331/.410 in 42 games last year and is controllable through 2023. Choi was one of two outstanding arbitration cases for the Rays — the other being left-hander Ryan Yarbrough, whose trial has not yet taken place.
  • The Orioles won their arbitration hearing over outfielder Anthony Santander, tweets Feinsand. Santander, like Davis, filed at $2.475MM with his club countering at $2.1MM. He’ll earn the lesser of those two sums. The 26-year-old is a former Rule 5 pick who had a solid showing in 2019 before breaking out with a huge performance in 2020. This past season, Santander batted .261/.315/.575 with 11 homers and 13 doubles in just 165 plate appearances. On the whole, he’s given the O’s a .261/.302/.505 slash with 31 homers and 33 doubles in his past 570 plate appearances. There are some obvious OBP question marks, but the power has prompted teams to look at Santander as a possible trade option. He’s also a Super Two player and is controlled through 2024.

Rays Place Ji-Man Choi On Injured List

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TODAY: Choi has been officially placed on the 10-day IL.  Right-hander Oliver Drake has been activated from the injured list to fill the spot on the active roster.

SEPTEMBER 13: Choi has a grade one hamstring strain and is being placed on the 10-day injured list, manager Kevin Cash announced to reporters (including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). The club anticipates a two to three week absence, relays Juan Toribio of MLB.com.

SEPTEMBER 12: Rays first baseman/DH Ji-Man Choi left tonight’s game with what the team described as a left hamstring strain.  Choi apparently suffered the injury while scoring a run in the fourth inning of tonight’s tilt between the Red Sox and Rays, and Yoshi Tsutsugo replaced Choi in the DH spot during what would have been Choi’s next plate appearance.

More will be known about Choi’s status after the game, as depending on the severity of the strain, Choi’s availability for the rest of the regular season and postseason could be in question.  It would be a notable loss to a Rays team that currently has the best winning percentage in the American League and is hopeful of making a deep run into October.

Choi has been Tampa Bay’s primary first baseman against right-handed pitching this season.  Entering today’s action, 125 of Choi’s 143 plate appearances have been against righties, and he owns a .240/.344/.413 slash line in those 125 PA.  While Choi is primarily a left-handed hitter, Choi has dabbled in switch-hitting this year and also even taken a couple of plate appearances as a right-handed hitter against righty pitching, though this experimentation hasn’t led to much production.

Though Choi has gotten the bulk of action at first base, the always-deep Rays have options if Choi did have to hit the injured list.  The left-handed Nate Lowe could slide right into Choi’s role, with Mike Brosseau serving as the top right-handed hitting first base candidate when a southpaw is on the mound.  Yandy Diaz, another righty bat, is currently on the IL with a hamstring injury but there is some hope Diaz could be back before the end of the regular season.

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