Mets Claim Tyson Miller
The Mets claimed right-hander Tyson Miller off waivers from the Dodgers, per announcements from both teams. Miller has been optioned to Triple-A Syracuse, per the Mets.
Miller, 28, has been a member of the L.A. organization for a bit less than a month. The Dodgers acquired him from the Brewers in a cash transaction in mid-July. Miller made one two-inning appearance a couple weeks later, allowing two runs on three hits. He’s pitched twice with OKC on optional assignment.
The right-hander has appeared for four teams over parts of three big league seasons. He has just 27 innings at the highest level, carrying an even 8.00 ERA. Miller’s underlying marks are well below-average in that limited big league look. He owns a 4.69 ERA over 228 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level. He’s fanned a little more than a quarter of opponents in Triple-A against a slightly elevated 10% walk rate.
Miller is in his final option year, so he can be shuttled between Triple-A Syracuse and Queens for the remainder of the season. The Mets depleted their pitching depth at the trade deadline when they sold off and sent David Robertson, Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer to other clubs. Miller will give them a depth option for the remainder of the year. He’s worked primarily out of the bullpen in 2023 but does have experience as a starter under his belt as well.
Placing Miller on waivers cleared a 40-man roster spot for the Dodgers to reinstate Ryan Pepiot from the 60-day injured list and option him to Triple-A. The former top prospect had secured the fifth spot in the starting staff at the end of Spring Training. An oblique strain just before exhibition play wrapped unfortunately dashed that, sending him to the IL for upwards of four months.
The 25-year-old righty has made four rehab appearances with Oklahoma City over the last three weeks. He threw 70 pitches on Monday as he continues to build up to a starting workload. It doesn’t seem the Dodgers feel he’s quite ready to return to MLB action, but his reinstatement suggests he’s not far off.
L.A. Notes: Kershaw, Buehler, Ohtani, Drury, Trout
The Dodgers were well-established as searching for pitching upgrades ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. In the end, they managed to make some minor additions, adding right-handers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly in a deal with the White Sox and picking up left-hander Ryan Yarbrough from the Royals, but failed to land any of the impactful starters that were moved like Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Jordan Montgomery. The club had a deal in place with the Tigers to acquire lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, though Rodriguez vetoed the trade using his 10-team no-trade list, which included the Dodgers. After failing to acquire an impact starter at the deadline, the club will have to lean heavily on the group of arms already in the organization down the stretch.
To that end, the Dodgers relayed good news regarding a pair of arms currently on the injured list yesterday starting with lefty veteran Clayton Kershaw. The 35-year-old future Hall of Famer delivered a 2.55 ERA in sixteen starts prior to going on the IL at the end of June and could return to the mound as soon as next week for the Dodgers. As noted by J.P. Hoornstra of the Orange County Register, Kershaw’s most recent simulated game inspired confidence in manager Dave Roberts to the point that he suggested Kershaw likely won’t require a rehab assignment in the minor leagues before returning to the big league club. Per Hoornstra, one more bullpen session is on the docket for the club’s veteran ace before they decide whether he’ll make his return in Arizona on either Tuesday or Wednesday or wait to face the Rockies at Dodger Stadium later in the week.
The Dodgers also had positive news to offer regarding right-hander Walker Buehler, who has missed the entire season to this point while rehabbing Tommy John surgery. As relayed by Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, Roberts indicated yesterday that Buehler has nearly reached the point in his recovery process where he will begin a minor league rehab assignment. Earlier this season, Buehler expressed a desire to make it back to the majors this year, with a target date of September 1. That goal seemingly remains unchanged, though it was initially thought that a September return for Buehler would likely come as a member of the Dodgers’ bullpen. Roberts indicates that isn’t the case, however, as the righty will be built up as a starter as he aims to return to the majors next month.
A healthy and effective Buehler would be a huge boon for a Dodgers rotation that has seen its starting staff struggle to a 5.86 ERA since Kershaw’s last start back in June. Prior to his injury-shortened 2022 campaign, Buehler had been one of the best starters in the game over the past four seasons, with a 2.82 ERA and 3.16 FIP across 564 innings of work between 2018 and 2021. That included a sensational 2021 campaign, where Buehler finished fourth in Cy Young award voting after throwing 207 2/3 innings of 2.47 ERA baseball.
More from the other side of town…
- Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani exited his start against the Mariners yesterday after just four innings due to cramping in his middle finger, as noted by ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez. The Angels phenom stayed in the game as a hitter, but the departure continues a worrying trend of issues hampering Ohtani on the mound, as he dealt with a cracked fingernail and blister on that same finger last month. Since his battle against those injuries began, he’s struggled on the mound with a 5.52 ERA across his last five starts. While the combined thirteen scoreless innings from his last two starts would normally be encouraging, the prospect of Ohtani potentially missing a start is a worrisome one for the Angels, who at 56-54 need every win they can get if they’re to make the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
- While Ohtani’s health is in question, the Angels received a positive update regarding the status of infielder Brandon Drury yesterday, per MLB.com. Drury, who has been on the shelf with a shoulder contusion since the end of June, started a minor league rehab assignment on Tuesday and is scheduled to play another rehab game tonight. If that goes well, it’s possible he’ll rejoin the major league roster as soon as tomorrow to contribute to an infield mix that has primarily relied on Mike Moustakas, C.J. Cron, Zach Neto, Luis Rengifo, and Eduardo Escobar in recent weeks. When on the field, it’s been a strong season for Drury, who sports a 122 wRC+ in 75 games with the club while playing first and second base for the Angels.
- While he may not be as close to returning as Drury, the Angels also received good news regarding veteran superstar Mike Trout yesterday. Trout underwent surgery to remove a fractured hamate bone in early July with a four-to-eight week timeline for return. It sounds like Trout’s return may come on the earlier end of that spectrum, as manager Phil Nevin reports that Trout had progressed to hitting off a tee yesterday, per MLB.com, adding that his ramp-up to returning to game action should be a quick one. It’s been a relative down season for Trout, as he’s slashed “only” .263/.369/.493 with a wRC+ of 137 in 81 games. Those excellent numbers may be a far cry from his career wRC+ of 170, but the 31-year-old superstar is well established as not only one of the greats of today’s game, but one of the finest hitters in baseball history.
Eduardo Rodriguez Discusses No-Trade, Opt-Out Rights
Among the biggest stories of yesterday’s deadline was a trade that didn’t happen. The Tigers and Dodgers lined up an agreement that would’ve sent left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez to Los Angeles.
The Dodgers were among the 10 teams on a no-trade list which Rodriguez had built into his free agent deal with Detroit, however. The hurler blocked the trade and Detroit ended up holding him past the deadline. He’ll finish the year in the Motor City, though it remains to be seen what the future holds beyond that.
Rodriguez is able to opt out of the final three years and $49MM on his contract at season’s end. From a strict financial perspective, it looks as if doing so will be a fairly easy choice. The 30-year-old has a 2.96 ERA through 94 1/3 innings while striking out more than a quarter of opponents. He’s been inconsistent since returning from a finger injury but looked like the #2 caliber starter Detroit had envisioned earlier in the year.
Rodriguez met with reporters after today’s win over Pittsburgh. He understandably declined to delve into the reasons behind the veto, saying he “wasn’t feeling really comfortable with (the trade)” and made the decision to stick in Detroit after “thinking about my future and my family” (link via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free-Press).
The southpaw’s agent, Gene Mato, released a statement on Twitter in response to fan criticism leveled at Rodriguez in the wake of his decision:
“I negotiated a no-trade clause in his contract for a reason,” Mato wrote. “With all of the money, glamor and fame that comes with being a professional athlete there is also a very difficult, personal side. … Eduardo is one of the best left-handed starting pitchers in baseball but he is also a human being who wants stability for his family. They are comfortable living in the Detroit area and have adjusted well.
As for the Dodgers in particular, once I was granted permission to speak with them regarding the trade, we did our best to come up with a way to make it happen where everyone was comfortable with the outcome. We just ran out of time.”
Rodriguez also said he was quite happy in Detroit but declined to answer when asked if blocking the trade would have any bearing on his opt-out decision. “If I had a magic ball and I could tell you what was going to happen in the future, I’d probably tell you right away,” he told reporters. “But right now I’m here, I’m with this organization. I’m signed here for a long time. I feel happy with everything. My family feels happy in Detroit. I feel happy with the teammates and everything, the organization. I’d really love to stay here, and that’s why I made that decision.”
Barring a second-half collapse, Rodriguez should be in position to easily top $49MM on the open market. Pitchers like Robbie Ray and Kevin Gausman have beaten nine figures at the age Rodriguez is now. Jameson Taillon and Taijuan Walker got four-year deals worth $68MM and $72MM, respectively, coming off less impressive platform seasons than the one Rodriguez is putting together.
Rodriguez’s ERA is much better than it was two years ago, when he landed $77MM and the opt-out clause, although his peripherals are largely the same. He’s obviously older but wouldn’t cost a signing team a draft choice this time around. Rodriguez rejected a qualifying offer preceding his first trip to free agency; he can’t receive another QO since the CBA prevents a player from getting more than one in their careers.
It all points towards a likely opt-out. Still, the Tigers have a couple months of exclusive negotiating rights if they’re interested in opening conversations about keeping him off the market. Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic wrote last night that Rodriguez could be open to restructuring his contract — presumably discussing a pay bump that’d get him to waive the opt-out clause — but there’ve only been cursory talks between the Tigers and the pitcher over the course of the season.
Whether there’ll be more serious negotiations over the next couple months remains to be seen. In the interim, Rodriguez will continue taking the ball every fifth day as the anchor of an otherwise fairly young Detroit rotation. The Tigers shipped out Michael Lorenzen yesterday, leaving them with a starting five of Rodriguez, Tarik Skubal, Reese Olson, Matt Manning and Joey Wentz. Righty Spencer Turnbull is on a rehab stint and could soon bump Wentz from the group.
Dodgers Acquire Ryan Yarbrough
The Dodgers have acquired left-hander Ryan Yarbrough from the Royals, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and Juan C. Toribio (Twitter link). Kansas City is receiving minor league infielders Devin Mann and Derlin Figueroa, Feinsand reports in a follow-up tweet.
While the Dodgers made bids for such high-profile pitchers as Justin Verlander and Eduardo Rodriguez prior to the deadline, they’ll still come away with some rotation help in Yarbrough, who has a 3.08 ERA over 38 innings and seven games as a starter for Kansas City this season. Of course, that also comes with a 7.62 ERA over 13 innings as a reliever, but Yarbrough has looked very sharp since he was moved into the K.C. rotation in April.
On-field performance has been a secondary story to Yarbrough’s 2023 season, as the southpaw suffered multiple facial fractures after being struck by a Ryan Noda line drive back on May 7. The injuries sent Yarbrough to the 60-day IL, but he thankfully returned in good health and has been in great form on the mound, with a 2.19 ERA over 24 2/3 innings since being activated off the injured list.
Yarbrough’s secondary metrics are the definition of a mixed bag. On the one hand, his 86.9% fastball velocity, fastball spin rate, and 13.7% strikeout rate are near the very bottom of the league. His 3.8% walk rate, however, is among the league’s elite, and he has done an excellent job of inducing soft contact. His 4.24 ERA is much lower than his 4.97 SIERA, which perhaps better reflects this curious set of Statcast numbers and the move from relief pitching to starting pitching.
The Dodgers have long had a knack for both helping pitchers find a new level of performance or helping them revive their careers altogether, so there’s plenty of promise for Yarbrough in this change of scenery. The left-hander is likely to get some more starts in an L.A. rotation that includes another new face in Lance Lynn, and the Dodgers now technically have seven healthy starting options in Lynn, Yarbrough, Tony Gonsolin, Julio Urias, and rookies Bobby Miller, Emmet Sheehan, and Michael Grove.
At least two of the youngsters will be moved to Triple-A or to the bullpen in the aftermath of the deadline, and once Clayton Kershaw returned from the 15-day injured list. Yarbrough could also work as a reliever himself, or in a swingman capacity as the situation warrants. He is quite familiar with such a role, both with the Royals this season and from his previous time as a starter, reliever, opener, and bulk pitcher with the Rays from 2018-22.
It’s a rental move for Los Angeles, as Yarbrough is a free agent after the season. He is still owed roughly $1.1MM as the remainder of his $3MM salary for the 2023 season, putting a bit of extra money on the ledger of a Dodgers team already well over the first luxury tax tier ($233MM). With much still to be settled in the wake of the deadline, Roster Resource projects the Dodgers as just narrowly under the $253MM second tier, and staying under that threshold would at least mean a slightly lesser financial penalty for the Dodgers as they pay into the tax for the third consecutive season.
With a one-year deal, Yarbrough was seen as a potential deadline trade chip from basically the moment he signed with the Royals, and Kansas City’s disastrous season only made a deal even more likely. The latest of K.C’s many swaps brings in two more prospects, including a player in Mann ranked by both Baseball America (24th) and MLB Pipeline (29th) within the top 30 of the Los Angeles farm system.
Mann was a fifth-round pick for the Dodgers in 2018, and might be ready for a big league look after hitting .307/.402/.541 with 14 homers over 386 plate appearances at the Triple-A level this season. While the hitter-friendly nature of the Pacific Coast League brings some pause to Mann’s numbers, the 26-year-old has hit pretty well over the course of his minor league career. “Mann is a well-rounded player who does a little bit of everything,” according to Baseball America’s scouting report, and his “bat and defensive versatility give him a chance to carve out a career as a lefty-mashing reserve.” Mann has played all four infield positions and left field this season, and he has logged some time in the other two outfield positions in past years.
The 19-year-old Figueroa was an international signing for L.A. in 2021, and he has hit .237/.372/.376 over 113 PA at the rookie ball level this season. While still very early in his pro career, Figueroa has at least shown a knack for getting on base, even if his overall hitting ability needs some polish. Like Mann, Figueroa is a multi-positional player — he has seen time at first base and both outfield corners this season, and played all the other infield positions in his first two seasons.
Eduardo Rodriguez Not Traded; Vetoed Deal To Dodgers
5:05pm: The Tigers did not trade Rodriguez, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. If Rodriguez opts out of his contract after the season as expected, the 2023 trade deadline will have to be viewed as a missed opportunity for the club, as he is ineligible for a qualifying offer. According to Rosenthal’s colleague Fabian Ardaya, Rodriguez vetoed the trade to the Dodgers due to “a desire to remain closer to family on the east coast.”
3:54pm: Tigers lefty Eduardo Rodriguez invoked his no-trade clause to kill a trade to the Dodgers, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Passan writes that a deal was in place pending Rodriguez’s approval, but is now dead. Rodriguez’s contract allows him to block deals to ten teams annually, and the Dodgers were on his list. Now, the Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris has approximately one hour before today’s trade deadline to find a new deal for Rodriguez.
Earlier this afternoon, the Tigers reached an agreement to send Rodriguez’s rotation-mate Michael Lorenzen to the Phillies for infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee. Finding a match for Rodriguez is crucial for Detroit, because he’s possibly the best starting pitcher on the trade market, he’s ineligible for a qualifying offer after the season, and he’s likely to opt out of his remaining three years and $49MM. The Tigers still have 19 teams to which Rodriguez cannot block a deal.
The Padres were said to have interest in Rodriguez, but that may have changed upon their acquisition of Rich Hill. Plus, it’s possible Rodriguez’s aversion to the Dodgers is a geographical thing and the Padres are also on his list. The Orioles, Reds, and Diamondbacks could still be possibilities.
The Dodgers, though they’ve added Lance Lynn, have now missed out on top targets Justin Verlander and Rodriguez. It’s unclear on where they may turn; yesterday, Jack Harris of the L.A. Times suggested Plan C could be to do nothing. The Cardinals’ Jack Flaherty is still a candidate to move.
Mets Acquire Phil Bickford, Adam Kolarek From Dodgers
The Mets acquired pitchers Phil Bickford and Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers, tweets Robert Murray of FanSided. The Dodgers will receive cash as compensation, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
Bickford, a 28-year-old righty, was designated for assignment on Saturday to clear a spot for the newly-acquired Joe Kelly. Bickford made the Dodgers’ Opening Day bullpen this year, but hit the IL in June with lower back tightness. All of his key stats moved in the wrong direction this year, with his strikeout rate dropping to 25.3%, his walk rate spiking to 13.7%, and his groundball rate dropping to 29.5%. That’s led to a 5.14 ERA, which is up from 4.72 last year. At his best for the Dodgers in 2021, Bickford was able to punch out nearly 30% of batters and walk fewer than 10%.
Kolarek, a 34-year-old southpaw, signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers last December. Despite some shaky work at Triple-A, the Dodgers selected his contract in mid-June, which resulted in his lone big league appearance so far this year. After that, Kolarek cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A. He has 144 2/3 big league innings to his name, also logging time with the Rays and A’s.
The pair of arms represent a couple of depth pieces for the Mets, who recently shipped out relievers Dominic Leone and David Robertson as well as future Hall of Famers Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Despite plans to take a step back for at least the 2024 season, the Mets held on to veteran relievers Adam Ottavino and Brooks Raley.
Tigers Acquire Eddys Leonard
The Tigers and Dodgers swung a minor deal just before the deadline, as J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group tweets that Detroit acquired infielder Eddys Leonard for cash considerations. The Dodgers designated Leonard for assignment earlier this week as a way to open a roster spot for new acquisitions.
Leonard, 22, has a 96 wRC+ in 388 Double-A plate appearances this year while playing shortstop. Prior to the season, Baseball America gave Leonard a 45 grade as a prospect, suggesting he “projects to be an offensively-driven utilityman if he can refine his pitch selection.” BA notes that Leonard, a former $200K signing out of the Dominican Republic, was adversely affected by the inability to access the Dodgers’ coaches and facilities during the 2021 lockout.
MLB.com rated Leonard 14th among Dodgers prospects, also with a 45 grade. Both outlets praised Leonard for his bat speed, but suggested he had not yet found his defensive home.
Though Tigers GM was unable to cash in on veteran lefty Eduardo Rodriguez prior to the trade deadline, beyond Leonard he was able to acquire infield prospect Hao-Yu Lee from the Phillies for Michael Lorenzen.
Rockies Acquire Justin Bruihl
The Rockies have acquired left-hander Justin Bruihl from the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand.
Bruihl was designated for assignment late last week alongside infielder Eddys Leonard to make room for right-handers Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly. The 26-year-old lefty made his debut for the Dodgers in 2021 with a solid 2.89 ERA and 3.97 FIP in 18 2/3 innings of work. While he’s taken a step back in subsequent years, a career 3.65 ERA in 66 2/3 innings of work indicates he can be a solid middle relief option from the left-hand side. That being said, his 4.48 FIP and well below-average 15.6% career strikeout rate indicate he’s unlikely to be much more than that,
In Colorado, Bruihl figures to slot into a bullpen that already lost Brad Hand earlier today and could still see Brent Suter traded before the deadline as well. Should Suter follow hand out the door, Bruihl will be the sole lefty in the Rockies bullpen and could play his way into higher leverage work alongside the likes of Justin Lawrence and Daniel Bard. As for the Dodgers, the move officially ends Bruihl’s time with the club, though LA still has plenty of left-handed options for their bullpen, including Alex Vesia, Caleb Ferguson, and Victor Gonzalez.
Dodgers “In Hot Pursuit” Of Eduardo Rodriguez; Padres Interested
With less than seven hours to go until the trade deadline, the Tigers hold a pair of key starting pitcher cards in southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez and righty Michael Lorenzen. Yesterday morning, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale said the pair would “definitely” be traded, and this morning MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand said the Tigers are “expected to trade” both.
Asking prices appear to be high, according to Feinsand, though we rarely hear asking prices described any other way. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic says the same, after talking to rival executives.
The Dodgers “are in hot pursuit” of Rodriguez, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post. Jack Harris of the L.A. Times spoke to “multiple people with knowledge of the team’s thinking unauthorized to speak publicly,” and then wrote yesterday that the club’s Plan B after Justin Verlander “could be” a pursuit of Rodriguez. Harris said the Dodgers “had maintained interest” in E-Rod as of Monday afternoon. The Dodgers added Lance Lynn to their embattled rotation in a trade with the White Sox a few days ago.
Never a team to sit on the sidelines with good players available – even five games out of the wild card – the Padres are “said to be high” on Rodriguez and “could make a push” for him, reports Feinsand. The Padres seem to have some level of interest in Verlander as well, according to Heyman.
Rodriguez, 30, owns a 2.95 ERA on the season with a 25.9 K%, 6.0 BB%, and 40.5% groundball rate. He missed all of June with a left index finger pulley rupture. He’s pitched to an unpleasant 5.66 ERA in four starts since returning from the injury, but his peripheral stats were in line with his season marks and two of the four starts were solid. Though Rodriguez is scheduled to take on the Pirates tomorrow at PNC Park, he may have already made his last start in a Tigers uniform.
Rodriguez is owed about $4.67MM this year and $49MM from 2024-26, but he’s generally viewed as a rental given the likelihood he opts out of those final three years after the season. While all opt-out clauses represent downside risk for an acquiring team, things would have to go quite badly for E-Rod in the next two months for him to forgo the clause.
The Orioles, who traded Rodriguez to the Red Sox in a significant deadline deal for Andrew Miller nine years ago, are a potential suitor for both Tigers starters. Last week, Feinsand named a slew of teams that had been scouting Rodriguez. Some have since acquired a starting pitcher, but others included the Reds, Phillies, and Diamondbacks. On the topic of the Reds, Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic wrote of “whispers Monday” about Cincinnati “being a suitable destination for Rodriguez.”
Lorenzen, 31, is a pure rental with about $2.8MM left on his contract, plus possible $250K performance bonuses for innings benchmarks. Lorenzen represented the Tigers in the All-Star game, though he’s never been a strikeout pitcher. He has seemingly turned a corner with some of the best control of his career, though his peripheral stats generally don’t support a 3.58 ERA. Lorenzen has a 3.96 mark over his last nine starts, and something in that range would likely match a buyer’s expectations. The Marlins, Orioles, Astros, and Rays have been linked to Lorenzen, but the Rays have since added Aaron Civale.
Mets, Astros Continue To Discuss Justin Verlander
8:39pm: Andy Martino of SNY tweets that a deal between the Astros and Mets is not imminent, though it’s certainly possible talks could yet pick up steam.
7:14pm: The Astros and Mets continue to discuss possible Justin Verlander trades, reports Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. Rosenthal writes that New York is trying to deal the future Hall of Famer before tomorrow evening’s deadline. Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that talks between Houston and the Mets have accelerated within the past day.
It’s unclear how likely a deal is to pull off. Nightengale notes the Dodgers remain in the picture, for one. There’s also the matter of Verlander’s hefty contract and full no-trade rights, although the reigning AL Cy Young winner is certainly plenty familiar with Houston. Astros GM Dana Brown said on MLB Network Radio this afternoon the club was no longer prioritizing adding to the rotation; Rosenthal writes that Houston owner Jim Crane could get involved in discussions to try to bring Verlander back though.
More broadly, Chandler Rome of the Athletic tweets that Houston is now again focused on the rotation. The Astros expect to welcome José Urquidy back from the 60-day injured list this week, reducing the need for a depth pickup. Of course, a Verlander acquisition would be far more than that.
It’s a fascinating situation two days after the Mets traded Max Scherzer to the Rangers. Verlander could well follow his former teammate out of Queens, and it seems there’s genuine interest on the Astros’ part in making them direct competitors for an AL West title. Verlander has a 3.15 ERA despite an average 21% strikeout rate through 16 starts. He’s making $43.333MM in each of the next two seasons and has a $35MM vesting/player option for the 2025 campaign. The Mets would certainly have to kick in some money, as they did with Scherzer, but figure to be open to doing so as they look to continue adding upside to the farm system.