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Marlins Outright Archie Bradley

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The Marlins have sent reliever Archie Bradley outright to Triple-A Jacksonville, according to the transactions log at MLB.com. The veteran righty has the ability to decline the assignment in favor of free agency while retaining his guaranteed salary, since he has over five years of MLB service.

Bradley signed a minor league pact with Miami in April. He pitched nine times (including a five-inning start) for their top affiliate, posting a 16:5 strikeout-to-walk ratio through 18 1/3 innings. He allowed 13 runs in that time, although only six were earned. That performance was enough for the Fish to call him up three weeks ago.

The former seventh overall pick logged four relief outings in Miami, tallying 7 1/3 innings. He surrendered 10 runs on 14 hits, striking out seven and walking three. Bradley didn’t generate many swinging strikes in that brief look and lost his roster spot over the weekend. After going unclaimed on waivers, he’ll decide whether to report back to Jacksonville or explore other opportunities on the open market.

Bradley is up to parts of nine seasons as a big league pitcher. He was an effective middle innings option as recently as 2021, when he posted a 3.71 ERA through 51 innings for the Phillies. His 2022 campaign was a significant struggle, as an elbow fracture and forearm strain kept him to 21 appearances with a 4.82 ERA that is his worst since he moved to relief (aside from this year’s small sample).

Marlins Place Jazz Chisholm Jr. On IL, Designate Eli Villalobos

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The Marlins have placed outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. on the 10-day injured list due to a left oblique strain, per Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase (Twitter links). This move opens an active roster spot for infielder/outfielder Dane Myers, whose impending promotion was reported earlier. Right-hander Eli Villalobos was designated for assignment to open a 40-man spot for Myers.

It’s yet another frustrating injury setback for Chisholm, who has dealt with a number of them over the past year. He broke out with a strong .254/.325/.535 showing last year, 139 wRC+, but was placed on the injured list at the end of June. He was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back and didn’t return in the second half of the season. Here in 2023, he played 39 games while transitioning from second base to center field before landing on the IL due to turf toe. He’s now back on the IL yet again just one week after being reinstated.

The timing of this injury is particularly unfortunate, as he had been red hot in the past week, hitting .348/.375/.696. That’s a small sample size, but it was an encouraging sign as he had hit just .229/.291/.403 earlier in the season. He’ll now be out of action for an undetermined amount of time. Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald relays that Chisholm will get an MRI to determine the severity but it’s at least serious enough for the club to have him sit out the next seven games leading into the All-Star break.

As for Villalobos, 26, he was just claimed off waivers from the Pirates a week ago but is now quickly in DFA limbo yet again. It’s been a busy few months of transactions for the right-hander, who was originally added to the Marlins’ roster in November. He was designated for assignment in April and went to the Pirates on waivers before coming back to the Fish last week.

Amid all those transactions, he’s managed to throw 23 innings in the minors this year with a 6.26 ERA. His 21.2% strikeout rate is close to average but his 19.5% walk rate is more than double the major league par. His results last year were far stronger, as he posted a 2.86 ERA while striking out 32.7% of opponents and walking just 9.4%.

The Marlins will now have a week to trade him or pass him through waivers. Despite his numbers this year, he could garner interest based on last year’s work and the fact that he still has a full slate of options.

Marlins To Select Dane Myers

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The Marlins are planning to select the contract of infielder/outfielder Dane Myers prior to today’s game, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid and the Miami Herald (Twitter link). They’ll need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move to open a spot for Myers, who’ll be making his MLB debut.

Myers, 27, was a sixth-round pick by the Tigers in 2017 but made his way to the Marlins organization this offseason by way of the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. He’s had a monster season between Double-A and Triple-A, slashing a combined .335/.423/.533 with 13 homers, eight doubles, a pair of triples and an impressive 16-for-17 showing in stolen base attempts.

That production is all the more impressive when considering that Myers was drafted as a pitcher and spent the first three years of his pro career on the mound. He barely hit at all from 2017-19, didn’t play during the canceled minor league season in 2020, and has only been a position player since the 2021 season. He’s logged time in all three outfield spots this season and also played both infield corners.

Myers will give the Fish another right-handed bat to further deepen a lineup that is among the best in baseball versus southpaws. Marlins hitters have posted a combined .301/.350/.442 batting line against left-handed pitching this season — a major reason they find themselves leading the pack in the National League Wild Card chase.

Marlins Select Jeff Lindgren

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The Marlins have selected the contract of right-hander Jeff Lindgren and optioned fellow righty George Soriano to Triple-A, as noted by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. Lindgren takes the 40-man roster spot opened up by the club’s decision to designate veteran reliever Archie Bradley for assignment yesterday.  Miami’s 40-man is now at capacity.

Lindgren, 26, made his MLB debut with the Marlins earlier this season. The righty allowed four runs on four hits and three walks over five innings without recording a strikeout in a five-inning relief appearance back in April. Since then, he was designated for assignment, selected back onto the roster, and then designated for assignment again without making an additional appearance. While Lindgren had the option to test free agency after being outrighted for a second time, he opted to stick in the Marlins organization. In 61 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level this season, Lindgren has posted a 4.55 ERA. McPherson indicates that Lindgren will be a long man out of the bullpen for the Marlins going forward.

As for Soriano, the 24-year-old hurler sports an impressive 1.98 ERA over 13 2/3 innings since making his MLB debut with the Marlins back in April. After providing 3 2/3 scoreless innings of work against the Braves yesterday, Soriano heads back to Triple-A, though the righty hasn’t been able to replicate his success at the big league level in the minors this season. In 25 1/3 innings with the club’s affiliate in Jacksonville, Soriano has posted a 5.33 ERA. He’ll look to improve those results while waiting for his next big league opportunity.

Marlins Designate Archie Bradley For Assignment

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The Marlins designated right-hander Archie Bradley for assignment, and recalled righty George Soriano from Triple-A Jacksonville.  Bradley pitched in Miami’s 16-4 loss to the Braves yesterday, allowing seven runs over 2 1/3 innings of work.

All told, Bradley has a 12.27 ERA over 7 1/3 total innings since the Marlins selected his contract from Triple-A in mid-June.  Bradley’s stint in free agency extended into the regular season, as he didn’t sign his minor league deal with Miami until almost two weeks into April.  Missing Spring Training has surely contributed to Bradley’s lack of form, though he did pitch pretty well in Jacksonville, posting a 2.95 ERA in 18 1/3 Triple-A innings.

Bradley was a solid-to-very good reliever with the Diamondbacks, Reds, and Phillies from 2017-21, highlighted by a stint as Arizona’s closer and even a 20th-place finish in NL MVP voting in 2017 as a nod to a dominant relief campaign.  However, things started to go south for Bradley during an injury-plagued 2022 season with the Angels, as he was limited to 18 2/3 innings due to multiple injuries, most prominently an elbow fracture.  He also had a forearm strain right at the end of September, which set back his offseason prep work.

The Marlins have seen enough to move on from the 30-year-old, but it seems likely that Bradley’s past track record and pedigree will earn him a look with another team.  While Bradley may not be quite ready to face Major League batters yet, another extended stint in Triple-A might help him get on track and get fully ramped up after his unusual offseason.  Miami could also keep him in the organization if Bradley clears waivers and accepts an outright assignment to Triple-A, though Bradley has enough big league service time to elect free agency rather than agree to an outright.

MLB Announces 2023 All-Star Starters

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Major League Baseball announced the starting lineups for the 2023 All-Star Game this evening. This year’s All-Star Game will take place at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park on July 11. The starting pitchers and reserves will be announced at a later date.

American League

National League

* Currently on injured list with sprained toe

Marlins Claim Eli Villalobos; Reinstate Jazz Chisholm Jr., Jean Segura

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The Marlins announced a series of roster moves to reporters, including Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. Outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. and infielder Jean Segura have each been reinstated from the injured list. Infielder Jacob Amaya and infielder/outfielder Garrett Hampson were optioned to Triple-A Jacksonville in corresponding moves. Additionally, they claimed right-hander Eli Villalobos off waivers from the Pirates and assigned him to Double-A Pensacola.

Segura is back after barely a minimum stint on the IL due to a left hamstring strain, but Chisholm’s absence has been much more significant. He landed on the shelf in mid-May after suffering turf toe when colliding with the wall while attempting to make a catch. The estimated timeline that was given at that time was four to six weeks and he’s now returning at the long end of that window.

Prior to that injury Chisholm was attempting to transition from second base to center field. The early reviews were mixed, as he earned three Outs Above Average but a -6 from Defensive Runs Saved and a score of -0.3 from Ultimate Zone Rating. He was undoubtedly slumping at the plate, however, as he’s hit .229/.291/.403 so far this year compared to a .254/.325/.535 line last year. Now that he’s back, he’ll look to get into a good groove offensively and continue getting accustomed to his new position.

As for Villalobos, he turns 26 years old today and will celebrate that birthday by rejoining his original organization. He had spent his entire career in the Marlins’ system until getting claimed off waivers by the Pirates in April but is now back with the Fish yet again.

He was originally placed on the club’s 40-man roster in November to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 draft. He got that roster spot based on a strong 2022 season in which he posted a 2.86 ERA in 78 2/3 innings in the minors, striking out 32.7% of opponents while walking 9.4% of them. This season, his control seems to have gone out the window as he has a 20.6% walk rate between the two organizations, pushing his ERA to 5.73 on the year.

Despite the recent struggles, the Marlins are obviously very familiar with Villalobos and will try to get him back on track.  There won’t be too much of a rush as he’s in his first option year and can remain a depth option in the minors for the next two seasons, though he will have to continue to justify his spot on the 40-man roster.

Marlins Notes: Perez, Cueto, Rogers, Chisholm

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Right-hander Eury Perez has been just about everything the Marlins could have hoped for when they promoted the 20-year-old top prospect to the majors directly from the Double-A level. In eight major league starts this season, Perez has posted a sensational 1.54 ERA in 41 innings of work. While those numbers are already fantastic, Perez has been even more impressive over his last five starts. In that time, he’s allowed a microscopic ERA of just 0.33 while striking out 29 in 27 innings and walking just 7.8% of batters faced. A single solo home run represents the only baserunner to cross home plate against Perez during that period.

With the youngster on such an impressive run of late, one might assume that the Marlins plan to continue riding the wave of Perez’s success as the club attempts to parlay a solid start to the season into a playoff appearance. After all, Miami’s 43-34 record leaves them in second place in their division and firmly in the NL wild card picture alongside the Giants and Dodgers. According to Craig Mish of the Miami Herald, however, the plan might not be that simple. While Mish notes that Perez is expected to make at least two more starts, one tomorrow against the Pirates and the other next weekend against the Braves, he also notes that pumping the brakes on Perez from then until after the All Star break is “something [that’s] under consideration.”

Mish’s report comes on the heels of him noting earlier this month that the Marlins were planning to “slow down” Perez in order to manage his innings and hopefully leave him healthy and available for the end of the 2023 campaign and a potential postseason run. Perez has already thrown 72 innings between Double-A and the majors this season despite the fact that he’s never thrown more than 77 innings in a season during his professional career. With Perez’s arm quickly heading toward uncharted territory, it’s somewhat understandable for Miami to exercise caution with their young phenom, even as the club is in the middle of a surprisingly competitive season.

Should Perez indeed take a seat for a few turns through the rotation, the Marlins will have to find another starter to line up alongside Sandy Alcantara, Jesus Luzardo, Braxton Garrett, and Bryan Hoeing. Miami’s rotation depth has been tested significantly throughout the season, with each of Edward Cabrera, Johnny Cueto, and Trevor Rogers currently on the injured list. The club has indicated that Cabrera’s stay on the IL is expected to be a brief one, though, and Cueto is also progressing towards a return (as noted by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald) after his third rehab start at the Triple-A level on Thursday.

Rogers, on the other hand, is not expected back any time soon. Per McPherson, the left-hander is dealing with a partial tear in his right lat, an ailment Rogers himself tells reporters is rather rare for left-handed pitchers. On a more optimistic note, Rogers notes that he believes he’ll be able to avoid surgery, and that he’s currently hoping to have more clarity on when he can resume throwing following the All Star break. Rogers, of course, impressed in 2021 with a 2.64 ERA in 133 innings of work en route to the first All Star appearance of his career. The lefty hasn’t measured up to that career year since then, however, with a 5.26 ERA and 4.32 FIP in 27 starts since the start of the 2022 campaign.

McPherson also discussed the timetable for center fielder Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s return to action, which manager Skip Schumaker told reporters could come as soon as the club’s upcoming road trip through Boston and Atlanta, which is set to start on Tuesday. It’s been a mixed year for Chisholm so far, as the 25 year old has slashed just .229/.291/.403 coming off an All Star appearance in 2022. That performance is good for a wRC+ of just 90, 10% below league average. On the other hand, the youngster has taken to his new and difficult defensive position admirably despite his lack of experience; his +3 OAA in center field ranks in the 86th percentile of all fielders this season despite Chisholm having played just 39 games.

Marlins Outright Daniel Castano

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The Marlins have sent left-hander Daniel Castano outright to Triple-A Jacksonville, as reflected on the MLB.com transaction log. Since Miami hadn’t previously designated him for assignment, the move drops the club’s 40-man roster count to 39.

It’s the second time this year in which the Fish have run Castano through waivers. Miami DFA him in mid-January after finalizing their free agent deal with Johnny Cueto. He started the season as a non-roster player in Jacksonville but was selected onto the big league club when Cueto landed on the injured list a few days into the year. He made one relief appearance, was optioned back out, and then landed on the minor league IL himself.

Castano spent a couple months on the shelf with an undisclosed injury. He’s throwing again, beginning a rehab stint in rookie ball. Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers, but Castano’s return to health allowed Miami to do so this week. He again went unclaimed, though it’s possible he’ll now head to the open market. Players who have been outrighted multiple times in their careers can decline the assignment in favor of minor league free agency.

It’s unclear whether Castano will stick with Miami. The Baylor product has been in the organization since he was acquired from the Cardinals alongside Sandy Alcantara, Zac Gallen and Magneuris Sierra for Marcell Ozuna. This year’s lone appearance marked the fourth straight season in which he’s suited up for the Fish at the big league level. He’s logged 86 2/3 innings of 4.15 ERA ball, striking out a well below-average 12.4% of opposing hitters. Castano has a 3.95 ERA while punching of 20.1% of batters faced in parts of three Triple-A seasons.

Five Bats Improving Their Stock Ahead Of Free Agency

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With the midpoint of the 2023 regular season fast approaching, the 2023-24 free agent class is beginning to solidify. The coming class has long been considered one deep in pitching but light on potentially impactful hitters. While that evaluation has mostly held up throughout the first half of the season, a handful of surprising hitters are on track for a healthy payday this winter, should their performance hold up throughout the rest of the year.

Each of these players has appeared primarily as a DH in 2023, meaning they would offer prospective suitors little in the way of defensive value. Still, each could find himself among the top options for teams looking to add thump to their lineup without breaking the bank for the likes of Shohei Ohtani or Matt Chapman. Let’s take a look at five hitters who are helping to transform the complexion of the coming class of free agent hitters, in ascending order based on their wRC+ in 2023:

Justin Turner, Red Sox (121 wRC+):

After nine seasons with the Dodgers, the club’s longest tenured hitter departed Los Angeles over the offseason, eventually landing with the Red Sox on a complex two-year deal with an opt-out following the 2023 campaign. Despite concerns that the veteran infielder was headed for a downturn in terms of production as he entered his late thirties, Turner has managed to stave off father time through his first 67 games in Boston, slashing .278/.356/.451 across 289 plate appearances.

That quality slash line comes with excellent peripheral numbers, as well: his 14.5% strikeout rate remains elite, and his 9.7% walk rate is well above league average in its own right. His chase rate has actually improved since last season, as his 65th percentile rank in 2022 has leapt to the 80th percentile in 2023. Those improvements leave Turner with a .363 xwOBA that would be his best in a 162 game season since 2019. While there’s some cause for concern about the veteran’s power production going forward, as his barrel rate has dipped from 8% last season to just 6% in the current campaign, Turner seems all but certain to beat the $6.7MM he’d be leaving on the table by returning to the open market this offseason as long as he stays healthy and avoids a significant downturn in production in the second half.

Andrew McCutchen, Pirates (122 wRC+):

After posting the first below-average offensive season of his career (98 wRC+) with the Brewers in 2022, McCutchen decided to return to Pittsburgh, where the veteran outfielder was drafted in the first round of the 2005 draft, played for nine seasons, and earned an MVP award. He and the Pirates agreed to a one-year, $5MM deal that has worked out splendidly for both sides: McCutchen has slashed .262/.379/.424 across 256 plate appearances in his age-36 season while recording his 2,000th hit in a Pirates uniform as the club has bucked expectations in the first half of the season, posting a 34-36 record that leaves them just 2.5 games out of first place in the NL Central.

When McCutchen returns to free agency following the 2023 campaign, the decorated veteran figures to have recorded his 300th home run and 400th double in addition to his aforementioned 2,000th hit. On top of those career milestones, McCutchen has experienced nothing short of a career renaissance in returning to Pittsburgh. His 19.5% strikeout rate is the lowest its been since he left Pittsburgh following the 2017 season, while his 16% walk rate ranks sixth among all qualified hitters. His chase rate is similarly elite, ranking in the 95th percentile of qualifying hitters. Though he’s appeared in the outfield just eight times this season, McCutchen’s resurgence in 2023 seems all but guaranteed to allow him to continue his career into 2024 and beyond, whether that be with the Pirates or elsewhere.

J.D. Martinez, Dodgers (131 wRC+):

While the previous two veterans on this list have found success by combining roughly average power with elite plate discipline, Martinez has largely done the opposite throughout his career. Once among the league’s most fearsome sluggers as he challenged for a Triple Crown in the AL back in 2018 en route to a 4th place finish in MVP voting, Martinez’s final seasons in Boston saw the slugger’s production decline, as he posted a wRC+ of 116 from 2020-22 with an ISO of just .199 after posting marks .228 or higher in every season from 2014-2019.

After signing with the Dodgers on a one-year deal worth $10MM, Martinez seems to have rediscovered his power stroke in 2023. He’s already slammed 16 home runs in 55 games this season, matching the total he managed across 139 games in 2022. That being said, the renewed power has come at the cost of plate discipline: Martinez’s 5.6% walk rate would be his lowest over a full season since 2013, while his 29.9% strikeout rate would be the highest of his entire career. Still, it’s hard to argue with the results, as Martinez’s current wRC+ and xWOBA would both be his best since the aforementioned 2019 season if maintained over a full season while his ISO leads the majors among qualified hitters. In his return to free agency this offseason, Martinez figures to offer elite power production out of the DH spot, even entering his age-36 campaign.

Joc Pederson, Giants (149 wRC+):

The Giants raised some eyebrows this past offseason by extending Pederson a Qualifying Offer after a phenomenal 2022 campaign, but the lefty-swinging slugger has quieted doubters by improving on last season’s performance in 137 plate appearances in 2023. While his .237 ISO has dipped slightly as compared to last season’s .247 mark, Pederson has more than made up for it by raising his walk rate from an above-average 9.7% clip in 2022 to a whopping 14.6% this season as his 21.2% strikeout rate in 2023 would be his lowest since 2018.

What’s more, unlike the three veterans we’ve discussed to this point, Pederson will be just 31 years old on Opening Day 2024, making him a safer bet to stave off age-related decline than any of Turner, McCutchen, and Martinez. That being said, Pederson is not without flaws. He sports a worrisome platoon split, with just a .626 OPS against lefties in his career, and has largely been platoon-protected during his time with San Francisco. What’s more, he’s struggled to stay healthy this year, with two stints on the injured list already in the young 2023 campaign. Despite those flaws, though, Pederson’s lefty power figures to be represent one of the more impactful bats available via free agency this offseason.

Jorge Soler, Marlins (150 wRC+):

After struggling to a below-average .207/.295/.400 slash line in the first year of his three-year, $36MM pact with the Marlins last season, Soler has exploded in 2023 as one of the top power threats in the majors. His .298 ISO ranks fifth among all qualified major leaguers, behind only Martinez, Ohtani, Pete Alonso, and Yordan Alvarez. He’s already clobbered 20 home runs in just 282 plate appearances this season, matching the pace of his 48-homer campaign with the Royals in 2019. Soler has paired that elite power production with an elite 12.8% walk rate that would be a career best over a full season. While he’s still striking out at an elevated 24.1% clip, that figure is still a marked improvement over last season, during which he punched out in 29.4% of his plate appearances.

Like Pederson, Soler is in the midst of his age-31 season, meaning he could be an attractive candidate for multi-year offers from power-needy teams this offseason. Soler also boasts a more palatable platoon split: while he hits lefties far better than righties for his career, he’s still managed a .775 OPS against right-handers in his career, including a .807 figure in 2023. That being said, one potential cause for concern regarding Soler is his health, as the slugger spent the majority of the second half on the shelf with lower back spasms in 2022. If Soler can stay healthy and productive throughout the second half of the 2023 campaign, however, he could put his reputation as one of the sport’s most mercurial hitters to rest and emerge as one of the top offensive players in the coming free agent class, easily eclipsing the $9MM he would leave on the table by opting out of his deal with the Marlins to test free agency.

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