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Dodgers Acquire Adam Kolarek

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The Dodgers have acquired lefty Adam Kolarek, as first reported by ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan (Twitter link). Niko Hulsizer is heading to the Tampa Bay organization, as Robert Murray of The Athletic first tweeted.

Kolarek, 30, has seen action in each of the past three seasons. He’s through 43 1/3 innings of 3.95 ERA ball this year, with 7.5 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 along with a big 64.3% groundball rate. Kolarek ought to represent a lefty-on-lefty option for the Dodgers. He has held eighty opposing southpaw hitters to a meager .187/.238/.293 batting line this year.

Hulsizer is a 22-year-old outfielder and 2018 18th-round draft pick. He’s showing well to open his professional career. After a strong start to the season at Class A, Hulsizer has slashed .259/.327/.506 in 98 plate appearances at the High-A level, though he has already compiled 33 strikeout as well.

Dodgers Acquire Jedd Gyorko

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3:33pm: Southpaw Tony Cingrani is heading to St. Louis, likely for salary relief (as he’s out for the year), along with righty Jeffry Abreu. The Dodgers also obtain international spending capacity and cash considerations in unannounced amounts.

2:15pm: The Dodgers have struck a deal to add infielder Jedd Gyorko from the Cardinals, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). The return isn’t yet known.

Gyorko, 30, is playing on a $13MM salary this year ($5MM of which is still property of the Padres) and comes with a $13MM option ($1MM buyout) for next season. It’s not clear whether the Dodgers will be stepping into the full obligation.

Though he’s currently on the injured list, Gyorko is expected back in relatively short order. He’s on the 60-day injured list at present, which means the Dodgers don’t have to open a 40-man roster spot for him.

The Dodgers certainly have a wide array of players that fit Gyorko’s general description as a multi-positional player with a nice track record at the plate. But several of those players are currently dealing with injury issues, so the L.A. brass obviously decided to snag another.

Gyorko will be looking for a bounce back when he arrives with his new team. He hasn’t seen much action this year but has struggled when he has been available. But he was a consistent hitter over the prior three seasons in St. Louis, carrying a cumulative .259/.331/.463 batting line with 61 total long balls.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Closer Market Rumors: Diaz, Vazquez

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The Mets have numerous top trade chips on the market right now, including marquee offseason acquisition Edwin Diaz. The talented young closer remains highly valuable despite his 4.95 ERA, though it’s likewise true that there’s little chance the Mets would be able to recoup what they gave up to get him over the winter. Beyond the fact that Diaz is now just months away from arbitration, the Mets simply paid a hefty fee for Diaz at the outset. In addition to parting with rising prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, the club took on $64MM in new salary (after netting out the cash and salaries exchanged).

While that’s a particularly painful price in retrospect, the New York organization must now think primarily about what it wants its roster and payroll to look like moving forward. The latest on Diaz and the rest of the closer market:

  • Despite Diaz’s struggles in the earned-run department, there’s “significant” demand for his services, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription link). At present, the Dodgers, Rays, Braves, and Padres are teams with active interest. Several of those teams have been linked clearly to Diaz of late.
  • While Rosenthal had also listed the Red Sox, who were connected yesterday to Diaz by ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, it seems that possibility has already fizzed. That match “remains unlikely,” Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports on Twitter. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand adds Raisel Iglesias of the Reds and Shane Greene of the Tigers as other top relievers unlikely to end up in Boston. (Twitter link.) The Braves, on the other hand, do indeed still seem to be in pursuit of Diaz. Per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, via Twitter, the Mets have continued to examine the Atlanta farm. From the Braves’ side, it seems Diaz is the top target, with starters Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler of ongoing but lesser interest.
  • If there’s a clear alternative to Diaz, it’s ace Pirates reliever Felipe Vazquez. The high-octane lefty has hit another gear in 2019, with 14.1 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9 to go with his shiny 1.87 ERA on the season. We’ve seen him connected recently to the Dodgers, but there’s no indication the sides have momentum. Indeed, Rosenthal adds (in the above-linked column) that the Bucs are putting such a high price on Vazquez that he “essentially is not available.” That may be a bargaining ploy to see if a rival comes forward with a monster offer, but it’s certainly understandable that the Pirates aren’t just putting Vazquez up for auction. Rosenthal cites anonymous front office opinion that the Pittsburgh roster doesn’t have enough to compete in the near-term to justify keeping an asset such as Vazquez. That may well be the case, but it doesn’t mean the club should sell him short — particularly after seeing what the M’s were able to pry from the Mets for Diaz last winter.

Dodgers Sign Tyler Thornburg

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It’s not the type of relief acquisition Dodgers fans have been hoping for, but the team recently signed free agent Tyler Thornburg, Rob Bradford of WEEI relays. It’s a minor league contract for the right-hander, who had been available since the Red Sox released him July 10. Despite signing with the Dodgers before the All-Star break, Thornburg hasn’t pitched for any of their affiliates yet, according to Bradford.

The 30-year-old Thornburg has gone through a sharp, injury-caused fall from grace since a brief run as one of the game’s top relievers. Thornburg debuted with the Brewers in 2012, but it took until 2016 for him to enjoy what looked like a breakout season. That year, Thornburg recorded a sparkling 2.15 ERA/2.83 FIP with 12.09 K/9 and 3.36 BB/9 in 67 innings. The Brewers sold high on Thornburg during the subsequent offseason, sending him to the Red Sox for a pair of infielders – Travis Shaw and Mauricio Dubon – as well as righty Josh Pennington.

Boston was expecting Thornburg to be an integral part of its bullpen in 2017, but he instead missed the entire season because of shoulder problems that led to thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. While Thornburg made it back last year, he stumbled to a 5.63 ERA/6.04 FIP with 7.88 K/9 and 3.75 BB/9 in 24 innings. Thornburg wasn’t part of the Red Sox’s World Series-winning roster during the fall, and a hip impingement this season limited him to 18 2/3 frames of 7.71 ERA/5.42 FIP pitching (with 10.61 K/9 against 4.62 BB/9) before the Sox cut the cord.

Pitching Chatter: Vazquez, Diaz, Ray, Colome, Greene

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As the Dodgers continue to try to pry closer Felipe Vazquez loose from the Pirates, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (Twitter link) that the sides are at a bit of an impasse. It seems the Bucs would (quite understandably) like to receive soaring L.A. prospect Gavin Lux, a versatile infielder who has completely obliterated Triple-A pitching (.474/.553/.918 in 114 plate appearances with eight home runs and a 17:17 K/BB ratio) since a mid-season promotion. The clubs may well be engaged in a bit of a staring contest as the deadline draws near.

More news and rumors from the pitching market …

  • The Rays may have faded in the AL East, but they’re not planning to go quietly. Olney tweets that the club is “doing work” on Mets reliever Edwin Diaz, making for an intriguing (if vague) connection. Beyond the obvious appeal of a high-charged young hurler who has shown a past ability to dominate like few others, there are a few other reasons to like this match. Diaz’s run of poor results will limit his arbitration earning power, boosting his appeal to the payroll-conscious Rays. And as Mike Petriello of MLB.com explains, there are plenty of reasons to believe that Diaz is every bit as good as ever before.
  • Rival organizations “fully expect” the Diamondbacks to deal southpaw Robbie Ray, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). Arizona GM Mike Hazen continued to acknowledge his club’s tricky middle ground while avoiding a firm commitment to a particular course of action, as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. The top baseball ops man did acknowledge that there’s a possibility the team could pull off enough sell-side moves that it wouldn’t make sense to reload in the offseason. At the moment, the Brewers, Astros, and Yankees are among the teams with active talks or interest in Ray, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter).
  • With a real shot at a much-anticipated return to the top of the heap in the NL Central, the Cardinals could yet swing a big deal. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription link) that the St. Louis ballclub is interested in a controllable starter. Beyond that, the Cards’ precise plans remain a bit difficult to ascertain. The club is interested in lefty relief pitching, though that’s a trade deadline staple for many contenders. We haven’t seen the team connected prominently to any high-end hurlers, but a bold move seems tempting.
  • We’ve seen the Yankees connected to a wide variety of hurlers in recent weeks, with the club focused primarily on starters but also entertaining relief upgrades. They’ve recently chatted with the Tigers about old friend Shane Greene, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (Twitter link). Most contenders are no doubt at least checking in on Greene, who’s among the likeliest players in baseball to be traded in the coming days.
  • Similarly, the Phillies have cast an exceedingly broad net. Their relief situation remains problematic; now, there are indications that David Robertson’s rehab may drag into September, as Nightengale was among those to tweet. Another name to add to the list of Phils possibilities: Alex Colome of the White Sox. Morosi tweets that there’s “continued interest” on the part of the Philadelphia organization.

Cardinals Acquire Zac Rosscup

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The Cardinals have acquired lefty Zac Rosscup from the Dodgers, per a club announcement. He had been designated for assignment recently.

Cash considerations are going to Los Angeles in return. Rosscup will begin his tenure with his new organization on optional assignment at Triple-A.

Rosscup, 31, has already appeared with three other clubs this season. He owns a 5.16 ERA in 83 2/3 career innings at the game’s highest level, averaging a healthy 12.2 K/9 but also an ugly 5.9 BB/9. The free passes have been a particular issue this season.

In other moves from the Dodgers, utilityman Kike Hernandez is going on the 10-day injured list with a sprained hand. The club optioned down righty Jaime Schultz while activating just-acquired infielder Kristopher Negron and calling up righty reliever Josh Sborz.

Dodgers Acquire Kristopher Negron

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The Dodgers have announced the acquisition of utilityman Kristopher Negron from the Mariners in exchange for minor league infielder Daniel Castro.

Originally acquired from the D’Backs last August, Negron has appeared in 27 total games for Seattle, including nine outings this season.  The 33-year-old has a career .216/.289/.328 slash line over 357 career MLB plate appearances in parts of six seasons, though his ability with the bat is much less important to the Dodgers than the versatility that Negron brings in the field.

Negron has started multiple games at every position on the diamond except pitcher and catcher over his career, making him a fit for a Dodger roster that just lost Enrique Hernandez to the injured list.  With both Hernandez and Chris Taylor injured, L.A. was in need of a short-term backup behind Corey Seager at shortstop.

Castro joined the Dodgers on a minor league contract over the offseason, and has hit .241/.304/.295 over 185 Triple-A plate appearances this year.  Castro is another player who can play all over the field, with extensive experience as a shortstop and second baseman, plus some time as a right fielder and third baseman.  He is a veteran of 98 big league games with the Braves and Rockies from 2016-18, with a .505 OPS over 286 PA in the Show.

Braves, Dodgers, Rays, Jays Pursuing Edwin Diaz

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Just four months into his first season with the Mets, ballyhooed winter acquisition Edwin Diaz has already emerged a potential trade chip amid a disappointing campaign. The Braves, Dodgers, Rays and Blue Jays are among the teams in on the right-handed closer, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. Andy Martino of SNY.tv passes along different information on the Braves, tweeting there’s “no traction” on Diaz to Atlanta.

The fact that Atlanta, Los Angeles and Tampa Bay are rumored to have interest in Diaz isn’t a shock. They’re all contending teams that are known to be in the market for bullpen help. The inclusion of rebuilding Toronto looks especially intriguing on paper, though it’s possible Diaz wouldn’t ever throw a pitch for the Blue Jays. The club could instead acquire Diaz and flip him to the Braves – one of the Mets’ division rivals – for prospects, according to Puma.

It’s the latest creative trade idea involving Diaz, whom the Mets are reportedly considering putting in a package with righty starter Zack Wheeler before Wednesday’s deadline. But whether anyone will even be able to pry Diaz out of New York is up in the air. Diaz was rookie general manager Brodie Van Wagenen’s signature offseason addition, so BVW has predictably indicated it would take an enormous return for the Mets to deal him away so soon.

Van Wagenen, for his part, surrendered two of the game’s top prospects – outfielder Jarred Kelenic and righty Justin Dunn – in a package for Diaz and second baseman Robinson Cano. The Mets also took on $100MM of Cano’s remaining money to get Diaz, but the trade has blown up in the non-contending club’s face so far. The typically great Cano may be deteriorating at the age of 36, while Diaz hasn’t been able to match his otherworldly 2018 swan song in Seattle.

The hard-throwing Diaz arrived in New York as a celebrated bullpen savior after closing 57 of 61 opportunities, posting a 1.96 ERA/1.61 FIP and logging 15.22 K/9 against 2.09 BB/9 in 73 1/3 innings last season. The Mets’ version has been lit up for a 4.81 ERA over 39 1/3 frames and blown as many saves as he did last season (in 35 fewer chances). The home run ball has been a major concern this year for Diaz, who yielded HRs on a career-best 10.6 percent of flies in 2018. That figure has shot to a personal-worst 17.9 percent this season as his groundball numbers have fallen precipitously.

Even factoring in the difficulties Diaz has endured in 2019, there’s plenty to like – including his 97 mph heat, pre-2019 track record and the 3.50 FIP, 13.96 K/9 and 2.97 BB/9 he has logged this season. Diaz has also suffered from poor luck, it seems, evidenced in part by a .407 batting average on balls in play against and a wide gap between the .336 weighted on-base average/.271 xwOBA that hitters have recorded off him.

Diaz may be a prime candidate for a turnaround, which – coupled with his team control – helps make him extremely attractive to the Mets and other clubs. The 25-year-old’s earning just over $600K this season and will go through the first of three potential trips through arbitration over the winter. However, whether he’ll do so as a Met or as a member of another team is now surprisingly in question.

Latest On Marcus Stroman

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The Dodgers, according to an interesting piece of scuttlebutt from The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, are “considering” adding a starting pitcher via the trade market, and sources have indicated that Marcus Stroman is among their leading targets. According to this report, the team would transfer a current starter to the bullpen if they acquired someone of Stroman’s ilk, thereby circumventing the trade market’s lack of high-impact relief options.

However, the Dodgers may not be able to get their hands on the diminutive righty–at least not if the Astros have anything to say about the matter. According to a separate tweet from Rosenthal, the Astros are “mounting a push” for a Stroman acquisition. Their eagerness toward such a move is said to be motivated, in part, by a reluctance to meet New York’s asking price for Noah Syndergaard.

At this point, rehashing the relative merits of Stroman seems like a bit of a Sisyphean task: we know that the Toronto-grown pitcher is enjoying a nice 2019 season (3.52 FIP in 124.2 innings); we know, also, that he is rebounding from a somewhat fluky run of poor results in 2018 (5.54 ERA vs. 3.91 FIP in 102.1 innings last year); and, alas, we understand that he is earning an eminently affordable sum of $7.4MM this year, with a fourth and final year of arbitration control remaining in 2020.

What is more germane to the conversation here is the insight offered into the trade deadline strategy of two respectively powerful clubs. The Dodgers, an organization never unwilling to stockpile big league depth, would add Stroman to a largely effective mix of pitchers; on the year, their starters have logged a 4.02 ERA–good enough for ninth in the bigs in this homer-happy 2019. However, adding a durable arm like Stroman, as noted above, would allow them to circuitously improve their bullpen. Kenta Maeda, for one, was an interesting option out of the bullpen last year and could shift there once more; alternatively, the Dodgers could choose to simply rest the powerful-yet-young right arm of one Walker Buehler in a gear-up for the postseason. Buehler, Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Stroman, and Ross Stripling would certainly make for an extremely intimidating playoff staff.

The Astros, meanwhile, have been involved in rotation-centric trade rumors for quite some time, despite their staff’s fourth-ranked 3.79 collective ERA. This news, as much as anything, gives further credence to the idea that New York is mounting sky-high demands for Syndergaard, and that teams like Houston may begin shifting attention to Stroman as a more cost-friendly alternative. Adding Stroman would obviously be a coup for any postseason-seeking squad, and one has to wonder if the Astros’ strong interest isn’t spurred partly by an interest in 2020. With Gerrit Cole looming on the precipice of free agency, the club may be looking to shore up its potential for this year and beyond.

NL Injury Notes: Phillies, Mets, Dodgers

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When we last checked in on Phillies reliever David Robertson four weeks ago, he was hoping to return from a right flexor strain by the end of this month. That isn’t going to happen, though. While Robertson is advancing in his recovery, he’s not “progressing as fast as we all had hoped he would,” manager Gabe Kapler said Saturday (via Matt Gelb of The Athletic). This continues a Murphy’s Law season for Robertson, whose impressive production and durability helped him secure a a two-year, $23MM with the Phillies in free agency last winter. The 34-year-old hasn’t pitched since April 14, though, and in the seven appearances he logged toward the beginning of the season, Robertson gave up four earned runs on eight hits and six walks (with six strikeouts) in 6 2/3 innings. His lack of availability is among the reasons the Phillies could decide to add to their bullpen by Wednesday’s trade deadline.

  • The Mets have placed first baseman/outfielder Dominic Smith on the injured list with a stress reaction in his left foot, per Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News. It’s unclear how much time Smith will miss, but for now, outfielder Aaron Altherr is up from Triple-A Syracuse to take his place. In what has been an unpleasant season for the Mets, Smith has been a legitimate bright spot. After a couple seasons of subpar major league production, the former high-end prospect has slashed .278/.352/.506 with 10 home runs in 196 plate appearances this year.
  • In further unfortunate news for the Mets, injured outfielder Brandon Nimmo is “still a ways away from game action,” manager Mickey Callaway revealed Saturday (via Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). Nimmo shouldn’t return for “at least several weeks,” DiComo writes. The 26-year-old hasn’t played in over two months because of a bulging disc in his neck. Before that, Nimmo struggled to follow up on what looked like a breakout 2018 showing. He hit .200/.344/.323 with three HRs in 161 PA prior to landing on the shelf.
  • The Dodgers are set to place utilityman Enrique Hernandez on the IL with a left hand issue, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times tweets. It hasn’t been a great year at the plate for Hernandez, who has hit .238/.309/.433 in 356 trips, but he has slugged 16 home runs on the season and been on a tear of late. Hernandez slashed .352/.417/.574 this month. His absence should primarily leave second base to Max Muncy.
  • Phillies righty Jerad Eickhoff will begin a rehab assignment during the upcoming week, Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. Biceps tendinitis has kept Eickhoff out of action since June 16. He slumped to a 5.71 ERA/6.51 FIP over 58 1/3 innings as a starter and reliever before his IL stint.
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