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Minor MLB Transactions: 6/27/21

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The latest minor moves around the league:

  • Right-hander Joe Harvey has elected free agency after clearing outright waivers, according to his transactions log at MLB.com. The 29-year-old reliever was designated for assignment by the Rockies earlier in the week. He hasn’t pitched in an MLB game this season, but he combined for 21 1/3 innings of 4.22 ERA/5.25 SIERA ball with Colorado and the Yankees between 2019-20.
  • Outfielder Mason Williams has also elected free agency after clearing waivers earlier this week, per his MLB.com transactions log. The 29-year-old garnered brief time with the Mets this season, appearing in 17 games while the big league team was dealing with a series of outfield injuries. Williams has reached the big leagues in each of the past seven seasons- logging time with both New York clubs, the Reds and the Orioles along the way- but he’s only tallied a total of 289 MLB plate appearances. The left-handed hitter owns a .265/.308/.366 line with four home runs at the highest level.

Mets Select Jerad Eickhoff, Designate Mason Williams

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The Mets have selected the contract of right-hander Jerad Eickhoff.  Outfielder Mason Williams was designated for assignment to create space on the 26-man and 40-man rosters.

Eickhoff signed a minor league deal in December that will now pay him $1.5MM for reaching the big league roster.  The righty (who turns 31 in July) has spent his entire MLB career in the NL East, having pitched with the Phillies from 2015-19 and initially looking like he could be a solid member of the rotation.  Injuries overshadowed Eickhoff’s last three years in Philadelphia, however, and after being cut loose by the team, he inked minors contracts with the Padres and Rangers in 2020 but didn’t see any big league action.

After a doubleheader against the Nationals yesterday and another doubleheader set for Monday against the Braves, the Mets will give Eickhoff a quick opportunity to take the ball.  Eickhoff could receive a start in one of Monday’s two games, unless he is needed to relief duty in today’s game against Washington.  Since New York has yet another doubleheader coming up on Friday against the Phillies, Eickhoff might find himself in line for another outing over that weekend series against his old team.  Joey Lucchesi just went on the 10-day IL, leaving the Mets a little shorthanded for pitching depth during this busy week.

Williams hit .212/.297/.333 in 37 plate appearances after his contract was selected by New York in late May.  Once a top prospect coming up in the Yankees’ farm system, Williams has only played sparingly over parts of seven MLB seasons with the Yankees, Reds, Orioles, and this year’s action with the Mets.

Mets Make Several Roster Moves

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The Mets have reinstated first baseman Pete Alonso, outfielder Kevin Pillar and reliever Seth Lugo from the injured list, Tim Healey of Newsday was among those to report. In other moves, the Mets designated outfielder Cameron Maybin and right-hander Sam McWilliams for assignment; selected outfielder Mason Williams; and optioned outfielder Khalil Lee, catcher Patrick Mazeika and reliever Sean Reid-Foley.

The returns of Alonso, Pillar and Lugo (all previously reported) will add some reinforcements to a New York team that has been ravaged by injuries this year. Despite their health issues, though, the Mets have started a solid 25-20 en route to a 3 1/2-game lead in the National League East.

Thanks in part to their injuries, the Mets acquired Maybin from the Cubs on May 18. The Mets bought extremely low on Maybin, whom they picked up for a dollar, but they got little bang for their buck. The 34-year-old totaled 33 plate appearances, collected one hit (a single) and struck out 12 times before they designated him.

McWilliams, meanwhile, signed a major league contract with the Mets last offseason despite having never pitched in the bigs. He also hasn’t reached the majors this season, instead throwing 8 1/3 innings of 10-earned run ball at the Triple-A level. The 25-year-old owns an ugly 8.60 ERA with 53 strikeouts against 25 walks in 52 1/3 Triple-A frames.

Mets Expected To Activate Pete Alonso, Select Mason Williams

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The Mets are planning to reinstate first baseman Pete Alonso from the 10-day injured list, reports Buster Olney of ESPN (Twitter link). He’ll return from a hand sprain after spending the minimum amount of time on the IL. The 2019 NL Rookie of the Year got off to a fantastic start to the 2021 season, but his production has cratered since he was hit by a pitch on May 5. Mets fans are surely hoping the brief reset will allow him to recapture his previous levels of production.

Alonso isn’t the only Mets position player returning to the field in the near future. Kevin Pillar is expected back within the next few days, Olney also reports. The 32-year-old outfielder suffered multiple nasal fractures when he was hit in the face by a Jacob Webb fastball just under two weeks ago. Considering how frightening that scene was, it’s nothing short of remarkable Pillar is seemingly in line to come back as quickly as he is.

Even once Pillar returns, the Mets will still find themselves short in the outfield. Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Albert Almora Jr. and Johneshwy Fargas all remain on the IL. In their absences, the Mets have mostly relied upon Dominic Smith, Cameron Maybin, Billy McKinney and Brandon Drury in the grass.

To add to that outfield mix, New York is planning to select Mason Williams, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link). The 29-year-old Williams has gotten to the big leagues in each of the past six seasons, although he’s never topped 132 plate appearances in any given year. Once a well-regarded prospect in the Yankees system, Williams signed a minor-league deal with the Mets last month. He’s raked at Triple-A Syracuse in the early going, hitting .373/.458/.569 over 59 plate appearances. A 40-man roster move will be necessary to create space for Williams’ formal selection.

Orioles Outright Asher Wojciechowski, Release Mason Williams

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The Orioles have sent right-hander Asher Wojciechowski outright to Triple-A Norfolk after he cleared waivers and released outfielder Mason Williams from their alternate training site in Bowie, per a club announcement. That Wojciechowski was outrighted to Norfolk and not to the alternate site indicates that he has been removed from the team’s player pool.

Barring a new minor league pact this winter, it seems likely that this will end Wojciechowski’s time with the Orioles. He’s been outrighted in the past and will be eligible to opt for free agency after the season. (Technically, he could do so immediately, although it’s hard to imagine him latching on with another club with such limited time remaining on the schedule.)

Baltimore picked Wojciechowski up from Cleveland in exchange for cash last summer, plugging the journeyman into a rotation vacancy that he he ultimately turned into a full-time spot for more than a year. He posted serviceable numbers in 2019, logging a 4.92 ERA with an 80-to-28 K/BB ratio in 82 1/3 frames, and even tossed a 10-strikeout, 7 1/3-inning scoreless gem against the Red Sox in his best Baltimore outing. However, the 2020 campaign saw Wojciechowski limp to a 6.81 ERA and 6.67 FIP in 37 frames, and the O’s eventually moved on to younger options.

The 31-year-old Wojciechowski has spent parts of four seasons in the Majors, also appearing with the Astros and Reds, although that 2019 season in Baltimore was his best in the Majors. He has a solid Triple-A track record and plenty of experience at that level (635 innings), so he could serve as a depth option elsewhere in the league this winter or perhaps field interest from teams overseas.

As for the 29-year-old Williams, he appeared in 21 games with the O’s from 2019-20 but hit just .208/.250/.271 in 52 plate appearances. He was outrighted to the alternate site earlier this month. The former top prospect has never found his footing in the Majors. He did slash .293/.331/.398 in 132 plate appearances with the 2018 Reds, but that marked his career-high in plate appearances at the MLB level. He’s a .272/.309/.370 hitter in the big leagues and carries a .746 OPS through parts of five Triple-A seasons.

Chris Davis Out For Season

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SEPTEMBER 19: Davis is out for the rest of the season, manager Brandon Hyde tells reporters (including Roch Kubtako of MASNsports.com).

SEPTEMBER 14: The Orioles have placed first baseman Chris Davis on the 10-day injured list with left knee patellar tendinitis, per a team announcement. They also released utility player Stevie Wilkerson, activated outfielder Austin Hays and outrighted outfielder Mason Williams to their alternate site after he cleared waivers.

This is the second IL stint in the past few weeks for Davis, who was previously out from Aug. 19-Sept. 11 with the same injury. Davis appeared in one game since coming off the IL the first time, and now it seems that his season could be over. If so, it will go down as the fourth straight dreadful campaign for the former star, who has batted .115/.164/.173 with no home runs in 55 plate appearances in 2020.

Wilkerson hasn’t played at all this season after suffering a broken finger in late July. The 29-year-old was a regular for the Orioles last season, but he struggled to a .225/.286/.383 line with 10 home runs in 361 plate appearances in 2019.

Williams will stay in the organization just a few days after the Orioles designated him for assignment. They’ve designated and outrighted Williams twice in the past couple weeks.

Orioles Designate Mason Williams For Assignment

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The Orioles announced that they’ve designated outfielder Mason Williams for assignment.

Now 29 years old, Williams was a first-round pick of the Yankees in 2010 who hasn’t established himself in the majors. He’s only a .272/.309/.370 hitter across 252 plate appearances, including 52 with the Orioles since 2019. Williams went 2-for-18 with nine strikeouts this season before the Orioles before Friday. They previously DFA’d Williams on Sept. 1 and then outrighted him Sept. 4, only to bring him back for a short period.

Anthony Santander Has Strained Oblique, Could Miss Remainder Of Season

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Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander is headed to the 10-day injured list after suffering a strained oblique, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Manager Brandon Hyde said that Santander will miss “significant time” due to the injury, and with just about three weeks left in the regular season, that could mean the end of Santander’s 2020 campaign.

Santander, 25, had been in the midst of a breakout season, to the extent that one can “break out” in a 60-game season. He’s rocking a .890 OPS (which would be a career-best by a wide margin) and has been the Orioles’ most valuable player by Baseball-Reference’s version of WAR. With 11 home runs in 37 games, he’s maintained his penchant for hard contact while cutting down and strikeouts and taking more walks.

He’s done all of the above while grading out as an above-average defender in right field, painting a picture of Santander as one of the bright young stars leading the O’s on the path back to contention. Unfortunately, they’ll be without him for most—if not all—of the remainder of 2020, a season in which Baltimore has surprised many with a competitive 17-21 record.

The Orioles recalled outfielder Mason Williams to the active roster not long after he was designated for assignment and subsequently outrighted to the team’s alternate training site. He’ll serve as a depth outfielder, with DJ Stewart likely assuming the bulk of the right field duties in Baltimore. Stewart is hitless in 16 at-bats this season, though an absurd 32.1% walk rate has carried him to a .385 OBP despite those struggles. A regular outfield role in Santander’s absence should be a good opportunity for Stewart, who has played in just 71 Major League games since debuting in 2018.

Orioles Place Alex Cobb On Injured List, Outright Mason Williams

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The Orioles announced Friday that righty Alex Cobb has been placed on the injured list. Right-hander Branden Kline has been selected from the team’s alternate training site in his place. Additionally, outfielder Mason Williams cleared waivers and was assigned outright to the alternate site, while infielder Ramon Urias has been added as the 29th man for today’s twin bill.

No reason was provided for Cobb’s IL placement, and manager Brandon Hyde would only state that the club is “following protocol” and hopes Cobb can return soon (Twitter link via MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski). That will surely lead to Covid-19 speculation, although it’s worth reminding that a player can be placed on the Covid-19 IL not only for testing positive but also for exhibiting symptoms or coming into contact with someone who has since tested positive. Righty Tom Eshelman will start in Cobb’s place today.

Cobb, 32, is in the midst of what has been a mostly solid rebound campaign. He was torched by the Blue Jays in his most recent start but still carries a 4.33 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 1.27 HR/9 and an impressive 55.9 percent ground-ball rate. He was viewed as a possible trade candidate prior to the deadline earlier this week, though Baltimore surely would’ve had to pay down the bulk of his contract in order to facilitate a deal; Cobb is being paid a $14MM salary in 2020 (prorated to $5.04MM) and is also set to be paid $15MM in 2021 — the final season of his four-year, $57MM deal.

The 28-year-old Kline was hit hard in his debut campaign last year, yielding a 5.93 ERA with a 34-to-19 K/BB ratio and nine homers allowed in 41 innings. Last year’s poor showing aside, however, Kline has had some success in the upper minors. The 2012 second-rounder missed all of the 2016-17 seasons but came back with a brilliant 1.64 ERA, 9.7 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 through 65 2/3 minor league frames. He’ll give the O’s some depth in the ’pen with Cobb sidelined for a yet-to-be-determined period of time.

Williams, 29, went 2-for-11 with the O’s in a small sample before he was removed from the roster. The former Yankees prospect had a solid showing with the 2018 Reds when he hit .293/.331/.398 in a career-high 132 plate appearances, but he hasn’t had much success (or opportunity) at the MLB level outside that 51-game stint. He’ll stay on hand as depth in the team’s 60-man player pool and is eligible to rejoin the club later this season, should a need arise.

Orioles Select Dilson Herrera’s Contract, Designate Mason Williams

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The Orioles have selected the contract of infielder Dilson Herrera to their big league roster, the team announced.  In corresponding move, outfielder Mason Williams was designated for assignment to create a 40-man roster spot.  The O’s also called up outfielder DJ Stewart from the alternate site.

Herrera signed a minor league deal with the O’s during the offseason, and he is now set to appear in his fourth Major League season of his decade-long pro career.  Breaking in with the Mets in 2014-15, Herrera’s only MLB action since was a 53-game stint with the Reds in 2018.  Herrera has only a .203/.293/.394 slash line over 266 career plate appearances in the Show, but he can provide the Orioles with multi-positional bench depth all over the infield (particularly at second and third base) and even maybe in the corner outfield slots.

Williams was another of Baltimore’s minor league winter signings, and posted a .545 OPS over seven games and 11 PA this season.  Once a highly-touted prospect while coming up in the Yankees’ farm system, Williams hasn’t been able to translate that promise into production, though he has also received only 245 career Major League plate appearances.  Williams has hit .281/.318/.382 for the Orioles, Reds, and Yankees since the start of the 2015 season.

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