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Marlins To Promote Max Meyer

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The Marlins are set to promote top pitching prospect Max Meyer, the team announced on Twitter (with video of him learning the news). Craig Mish of SportsGrid reports (Twitter link) that Meyer will start on Saturday against the Phillies.

It’ll be the major league debut for the right-hander, who flew through the minors. Miami selected Meyer with the third overall pick in the 2020 draft. The University of Minnesota product was the first pitcher off the board, and he’s excelled over his first two years in pro ball. There was no minor league season during his draft year because of the pandemic, and the Fish aggressively assigned Meyer to Double-A Pensacola for his first game action in 2021.

Meyer handled the assignment with aplomb, pitching to a 2.41 ERA through 20 starts. He punched out an above-average 27.2% of opponents while inducing ground-balls on more than half the batted balls he surrendered. Meyer’s walks were a touch high, but it was a promising showing for his first full pro season. He earned a late-season cameo at Triple-A Jacksonville and headed into last offseason as one of the sport’s better pitching prospects.

Entering the 2022 campaign, each of Baseball America, FanGraphs and Kiley McDaniel of ESPN slotted Meyer among the game’s top 100 overall prospects. He drew praise for a mid-upper 90s fastball and a slider that some evaluators considered the best single pitch in the 2020 draft class. The quality of his changeup was a bit more divisive, with FanGraphs and ESPN projecting it to average or better but BA considering it more of a fringy offering.

Meyer isn’t necessarily regarded as a future ace. BA and Keith Law of the Athletic (who slotted him fifth in the Miami system heading into the year) each noted that some evaluators point to his lack of pinpoint fastball command as a reason to project a potential bullpen future. That said, all four outlets suggested Meyer has the potential to be an above-average, mid-rotation or better arm if his command comes along. The Marlins will surely give him every opportunity to cement himself in the starting five over the coming seasons.

This year, the 23-year-old has continued to overpower upper minors hitters. He’s made 12 starts with the Jumbo Shrimp, tossing 58 innings of 3.72 ERA ball. He has a 28.4% strikeout percentage with a 50% grounder rate, and he’s cut his walk rate slightly from 9.6% in Double-A to 8.3% this season. Meyer spent a month on the injured list between mid-May and June, but he’s allowed two or fewer runs in each of his four starts since returning.

It remains to be seen whether Meyer will hold a rotation spot for good now that he’s headed to the big leagues, but there should be an opportunity if the club feels he’s ready for consistent run against MLB hitters. Miami’s top three is set in stone. Sandy Alcantara is performing at a Cy Young level, and Pablo López is having another excellent year. Trevor Rogers has had a disappointing first half, but he’s certainly not in danger of losing a rotation spot after an All-Star 2021 campaign.

The final two spots have been more questionable, in part due to injury. Elieser Hernández and Jesús Luzardo opened the year fourth and fifth on the depth chart. Hernández had a dreadful first few months and was eventually optioned to Jacksonville. He’s since been recalled but has worked in long relief. Luzardo, meanwhile, hit the injured list in May with a forearm strain and has yet to return to the big leagues. Sixto Sánchez hasn’t pitched all season, while Cody Poteet and Edward Cabrera have been on the IL for a while.

Former first-rounder Braxton Garrett has pitched well through seven starts since replacing Hernández in the rotation last month. Daniel Castano has stepped into the #5 role and held his own, working to a 4.35 ERA over six starts. He’s only striking out around 13% of hitters, though, so Meyer will certainly be a more high-octane option. Castano still has an option year remaining, and he can head back to Jacksonville or work out of the major league bullpen as needed.

The upcoming series is critical for the Marlins, who sit at 43-45. They’re three games back in the Wild Card standings. The Phils are one of two teams between them and the Cardinals, who currently hold the final playoff spot in the National League. The next two and a half weeks could shape how general manager Kim Ng and her staff approach the upcoming trade deadline, and they’ll turn to one of the sport’s most interesting young arms at this pivotal stage of the season.

Meyer is not on the 40-man roster, so the Marlins will have to formally select his contract on Saturday. Miami’s 40-man roster is full, but they can clear a roster spot by transferring one of their injured pitchers from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list. Reliever Anthony Bender has already missed almost two months and just began a rehab assignment today, so transferring him would be little more than a formality.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Latest On Orioles’ Deadline Outlook

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The Orioles surprisingly enter deadline season with some questions about the course of action they could take over the next few weeks. Baltimore looked like a slam-dunk seller as recently as ten days ago, but an eight-game win streak that has pulled them within two games of a Wild Card spot at least raises the possibility of the club reconsidering that approach.

It’s unfamiliar territory for general manager Mike Elias, who has been overseeing a complete rebuild since he was hired in November 2018. The baseball operations leader acknowledged as much in a chat with Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic yesterday, saying the O’s could be in position for “one of the more flexible trade deadlines that we’ve encountered.” Elias acknowledged the club’s playoff chances remain low given the strength of the AL East but noted the next few weeks of games could have an impact on the team’s plans.

Even if the O’s continue to play well through the end of the month, the front office is unlikely to push many chips in to add impending free agents. Both Rosenthal and Mark Feinsand of MLB.com float the possibility of Baltimore looking to acquire players under control beyond this season, though. Elias told Rosenthal the front office is of the belief the O’s “2023 picture is increasingly bright,” and Rosenthal writes that team officials have downplayed the chance of parting with controllable core pieces like Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays in the wake of their solid run.

The Orioles are one of a handful of teams in the middle-ground of the standings that could resist strict bucketing into “buyer” or “seller” territory. There’s room for the club to explore dealing away players on shorter-term contracts — particularly if they stumble over the next three weeks and fall a bit out of the playoff picture — while remaining open to opportunities to add more controllable talent. In such a scenario, first baseman Trey Mancini would seemingly be the top trade candidate, as he’s likely to decline his end of a mutual option and hit free agency at the end of the season.

Mancini is the only notable impending free agent on the roster, but Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com notes that starter Jordan Lyles could be made available as well. The right-hander signed a one-year, $7MM guarantee over the offseason. That deal contains an $11MM club option for next season, but that seems likelier to be bought out. Through 17 starts, Lyles has tossed 98 innings of 4.50 ERA ball. He’s thrown plenty of strikes but posted below-average strikeout (18.9%) and ground-ball (40.6%) rates. Lyles is a durable source of innings, and Kubatko writes he’s been a strong veteran mentor for the team’s younger starters. Nevertheless, the Orioles aren’t likely to take him off the table if they field offers on short-term veterans.

As for the possibility of simultaneously looking to add controllable talent, infield and/or rotation pickups could be areas of interest. Rosenthal suggests the O’s may be a fit for Blake Snell if the Padres look to deal a starter to free breathing room against the luxury tax. Whether San Diego is willing to subtract from its rotation depth remains to be seen, but the Friars have virtually no payroll space to accommodate midseason additions if they’re intent on not surpassing the base tax threshold.

San Diego is expected to seek outfield help this summer, and Rosenthal reports they’ve had interest in Baltimore’s Anthony Santander in the past. Santander is playing this season on a $3.15MM salary and is arbitration-eligible through 2024; Snell is counting for $10MM against the Friars’ tax ledger, although his actual salary is a bit higher at $13.1MM. He’s under contract for $16.6MM next year before hitting free agency. Baltimore seems unlikely to accept a straight Snell for Santander swap, but they have virtually no commitments on the books next season and could look into an opportunity to buy low on Snell as part of a larger deal.

Feinsand, meanwhile, hears industry chatter the O’s might try to make a push for Marlins starter Pablo López. Unlike Snell, López is eminently affordable ($2.45MM salary) and arbitration-eligible through 2024. It’s easy to see the appeal for Baltimore, but the vast majority of teams around the league would be involved in Miami were to make López available. The Fish entered play Tuesday four games back in the National League Wild Card race and don’t seem likely to shop the 26-year-old over the next few weeks anyhow.

In either event, Snell and López serve as examples of myriad possibilities Elias and his staff could consider. Baltimore probably won’t be motivated enough to outbid bona fide contenders for top-of-the-market trade candidates like Luis Castillo or Frankie Montas, but they’re at least in position to entertain a wide range of outcomes for the first time in a long while.

Orioles Claim Louis Head From Marlins, Designate Kirk McCarty

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4:30pm: The Orioles have announced the claim and that Head has been optioned to Triple-A. To make room on the 40-man roster, they have designated lefty Kirk McCarty for assignment. McCarty had just been claimed off waivers from the Guardians last week and thrown four innings for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides before heading back into DFA limbo. The O’s will have one week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him.

1:20pm: The Orioles have claimed right-hander Louis Head off waivers from the Marlins, according to Mark Feinsand and Christina De Nicola of MLB.com.

Head, 32, made his major league debut with the Rays last year, throwing 35 innings with a 2.31 ERA, 23.9% strikeout rate, 6.7% walk rate and 31.1% ground ball rate. There was likely some good fortune keeping that ERA down, as Head allowed a .216 batting average on balls in play, well below last year’s .290 league average.

In the offseason, the Rays flipped him to the Marlins for a player to be named later, which was eventually revealed to be Josh Roberson. Here in 2022, the Marlins surely didn’t get what they were hoping for out of Head. Through 23 2/3 innings, he has an unfortunate 7.23 ERA, with a 20.7% strikeout rate, 9.9% walk rate and 26.4% ground ball rate, all of those numbers being worse than league average. He was placed on the IL on June 23 with an impingement in his non-throwing shoulder. He began a rehab assignment three days ago but won’t return to the Marlins, heading to the Baltimore organization instead.

The move is a little curious, as Head still has options. When he finished his rehab assignment, he could have simply been sent to Triple-A as depth, but the Marlins evidently wanted to move on instead. Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers, only release waivers. Although there had not been any public indication he’d been designated for assignment, it appears the Marlins put him on release waivers recently, with the Orioles putting in a claim.

Baltimore has a full 40-man roster at the moment, meaning a corresponding move of some kind will be required to accommodate Head’s addition.

Latest On Pirates’ Trade Possibilities

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Few players who could plausibly be moved this summer would be as impactful a pickup as Bryan Reynolds. The Pirates center fielder isn’t performing at quite his star level from last season, but he’s having another well above-average campaign. Through 335 plate appearances entering play Friday, Reynolds owns a .257/.337/.463 line with 15 home runs, 10 doubles and a trio of stolen bases.

Controllable for another three-plus seasons, there’d be no shortage of interest if the Bucs make him available over the coming weeks. Jon Heyman of the New York Post lists the Yankees, Marlins, Phillies, Padres and Mariners among the teams likely to gauge his availability. There are no surprises among that group, as all five are known to be in the hunt for outfield help and/or have made unsuccessful attempts to pry Reynolds away in the past.

New York has relied on Aaron Judge in center field to great results, but they’ve grown dissatisfied with the continued struggles of Joey Gallo and (to a lesser extent) Aaron Hicks in the corners. They could eye Reynolds either to plug directly into left field or as a center field option capable of kicking Judge back to right. Miami and Philadelphia have direct needs in center field and figure to inquire about various possibilities at the position; the Fish have been linked to Oakland’s Ramón Laureano as well.

San Diego has holes in both corner spots and has watched center fielder Trent Grisham flounder for most of the year. Seattle may have the most robust outfield of any of the reported Reynolds suitors, but Jarred Kelenic struggled enough to be optioned to Triple-A and they’ve not gotten the production they’d anticipated from Jesse Winker or Mitch Haniger this season (the latter on account of injuries).

The quintet, of course, would certainly be joined by other suitors if the Pirates actively shopped Reynolds. Pittsburgh, however, has set a justifiably lofty asking price both at last summer’s deadline and over the winter. That makes him a longshot to actually change hands, and Heyman notes in a separate piece that it remains “unlikely” the Bucs will find a compelling enough offer to make a move.

That may also be true of star closer David Bednar, whom Heyman floats as a possible trade candidate. One of five players the Pirates acquired in the January 2021 Joe Musgrove deal, Bednar has emerged as one of the sport’s best late-inning weapons. Since landing in Pittsburgh, the right-hander has posted a 2.26 ERA while holding opponents to a .187/.255/.321 line in just shy of 100 frames. That includes 39 innings of 2.31 ERA ball this season, with Bednar punching out more than a third of batters faced and likely to earn his first All-Star nod.

The 27-year-old comes with even more club control than Reynolds, as he’s slated to remain in Pittsburgh through 2026. Bednar won’t reach arbitration-eligibility until the 2024 campaign, so there’s no financial pressure for the Bucs to make a deal. Needless to say, they’d have to be blown away by a package to pull the trigger on a Bednar trade as well.

One player the Bucs are virtually assured of trading is starter José Quintana. The veteran southpaw is having a solid bounceback season after signing a $2MM free agent deal over the winter. He’s a sensible back-end rotation target for teams seeking pitching help, and the Bucs have already fielded hits from contenders. As an impeding free agent on a team that won’t come anywhere near the postseason, he’s as good a bet as any player in the league to change uniforms over the next few weeks.

Quintana suggested he’s not dwelling on the possibility of being dealt, saying he’s “(staying) focused on one start at a time” (link via Rob Biertempfel of the Athletic). He acknowledged a move was a possibility, but indicated he’d be open to returning to Pittsburgh in free agency next winter. “For sure, I want to come back here. But I think it’s too soon to talk about that. I want to keep my eyes focused on this season, one start at a time.” Nothing would preclude the Bucs from reengaging with Quintana’s representatives during the offseason if/when he’s dealt this month, but this season’s solid 3.33 ERA/3.96 SIERA make it likely he’ll land a loftier guarantee (and perhaps a two-year commitment) if he continues to pitch well down the stretch.

Marlins Outright Erik Gonzalez

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Infielder Erik Gonzalez cleared outright waivers following last week’s DFA and has been assigned to the Marlins’ Triple-A affiliate in Jacksonville, per the team’s transactions log at MLB.com. Gonzalez, who was designated for assignment last week when the Marlins selected the contract of veteran center fielder Billy Hamilton, has enough service time to reject the assignment and elect free agency if he chooses.

The 30-year-old Gonzalez has had a pair of stints with Miami this season, hitting at a combined .189/.268/.216 clip in a tiny sample of 41 plate appearances. He entered the 2022 season with a more palatable, albeit still well below-average, career batting line of .245/.276/.345 (853 plate appearances).

Miami is the third big league stop of Gonzalez’s seven-year big league career. He’s previously spent time in Cleveland and in Pittsburgh but has primarily filled a utility role. The versatile infielder has never topped 81 games played or 229 plate appearances in a single Major League season.

Along the way, Gonzalez has appeared at all four infield positions and in all three outfield slots, although the vast majority of his time has been split between shortstop (781 innings), third base (655 innings) and second base (384 innings). Gonzalez has plus defensive ratings at all three of those positions per each of Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average, with his work at third base, in particular, standing out (13 DRS, 4 OAA).

The right-handed-hitting Gonzalez opened the year with a .339/.376/.431 showing through 186 plate appearances in Triple-A. He’s a career .268/.308/.396 hitter in just over 1200 plate appearances at that level.

Marlins Select Billy Hamilton, Designate Erik Gonzalez

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The Marlins announced a series of roster moves Friday, selecting the contract of veteran outfielder Billy Hamilton from Triple-A Jacksonville and designating infielder Erik Gonzalez for assignment to clear roster space. Miami also reinstated Joey Wendle from the 10-day injured list and placed slugger Jorge Soler on the 10-day IL with what they’re terming “bilateral pelvis inflammation.”

Miami just signed Hamilton to a minor league contract a couple weeks ago. He made just one appearance with Jacksonville before being called up, and he’s now in position to log his first MLB action of the year. Hamilton adds a speed and defense element to an outfield that has otherwise been lacking a prototypical center fielder. Miami has relied on Jesus Sanchez, who’s probably better suited for a corner outfield role, in center field of late.

Sanchez, of course, will remain the primary center fielder even with Hamilton’s arrival. The fleet-footed veteran hasn’t hit well, putting up only a .213/.269/.299 line since the start of the 2019 campaign. Even with excellent defense and baserunning, that offensive output has been too light to merit regular playing time at the big league level. He’ll add an interesting complementary skill set to the bench for skipper Don Mattingly.

Gonzalez has had a pair of separate stints in the majors this season, the first coming as a COVID replacement. The former Pirate has suited up in 16 MLB games with Miami, playing all four infield spots but not offering much at the plate. Signed to a minor league deal over the winter, Gonzalez has had a nice season in Jacksonville. Through 186 plate appearances with the Jumbo Shrimp, he’s hit .339/.376/.431 and swiped seven bases.

With Wendle back and Soler landing on the IL, Miami will turn the final bench spot over to an outfielder at the expense of some infield depth. Gonzalez, who is out of minor league option years, had to be designated for assignment to be taken off the active roster. Miami will have a week to trade him or, more likely, run him through waivers. If he passes through the wire unclaimed, he’d have the right to elect free agency as a player with over three years of big league service time.

Outrights: Astudillo, Romero

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A couple of recent DFA resolutions to start the morning here at MLBTR…

  • Utilityman Willians Astudillo went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Jacksonville by the Marlins, per the team’s transactions log at MLB.com. The 30-year-old Astudillo appeared in 17 games with the Fish, posting a .270/.289/.351 batting line in 38 plate appearances. True to form, Astudillo struck out just twice and walked only once in that span. That’s par for the course, as Astudillo uncanny bat-to-ball skills and overwhelmingly free-swinging nature have resulted in minuscule 4.7% strikeout and 1.9% walk rates through 571 Major League plate appearances, mostly coming with the Twins from 2018-21. Unfortunately, while he is perhaps more adept than anyone in the game at putting the ball in play, he rarely does so with any authority (career 86 mph average exit velocity, 31% hard-hit rate). The catcher-turned-super-utilityman has also played every position on the diamond, including six innings of mop-up relief in blowouts over the past few years. Astudillo technically reached three years of Major League service time just days before being designated for assignment, so he should have the ability to reject the assignment in favor of free agency if he chooses.
  • Outfielder Stefen Romero has been assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City by the Dodgers after clearing outright waivers, per the team’s transaction log. Romero made it back to the Majors last week after a six-year absence and a lengthy run in Japan, so it was somewhat deflating to see that the Dodgers never actually used him in a game before designating him for assignment. Romero doesn’t have three years of service and hasn’t been previously outrighted, so he’ll head back to OKC in hopes of earning another look at a later date. After hitting .264/.331/.497 in five seasons over in Japan, Romero has posted a similar .270/.337/.461 slash through 102 plate appearances so far in Triple-A with the Dodgers.

Latest On Marlins’ Deadline Plans

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The Marlins, owners of a 34-40 record, have plenty of baseball to play before committing as a buyer or seller at the August 2nd Trade Deadline. Given that record however, Barry Jackson and Craig Mish of the Miami Herald spoke with Miami GM Kim Ng about the club’s upcoming plans given their likely status as deadline sellers.

Ng, like most front office members in June, didn’t throw the towel in on the season, but admitted the team will need to close the gap in the NL East (13 games back of the Mets) or Wild Card race (7 games back of the Cardinals) if her club is to pursue veteran additions at the deadline: “[Y]ou want to be within striking distance. I hope we get there. The club is playing a lot better this month than they were last month. We’re getting healthier.” 

Ng also added that the club will be ready to increase its payroll in the right scenario: “If we feel that we’re within that striking distance, I think [owner Bruce Sherman] will continue to be supportive.” That striking distance won’t be easy to obtain, of course, as two competitive clubs in the Giants and Phillies are currently blocking Miami from even sniffing the Wild Card spots held by the Padres, Braves, and Cardinals.

Should the club end up selling in a month’s time, Mish and Jackson speculate that the team has a few bullpen arms that will be in high demand. The most likely candidates include Anthony Bass (1.74 ERA in 31 innings) and lefty Steven Okert (2.28 ERA in 23 plus innings), two relievers in their thirties with club control that extends beyond this season. Given the club’s crop of pitching on the farm and several other arms of note already in the bullpen, either veteran reliever figures to be expendable if it helps strengthen the club next season.

Interestingly, Mish and Jackson cite the back of the bullpen as an area to improve via trade if the club heats up in the next month. As buyers the club also figures to target “a high-end center fielder,” per the report, though center field will likely be an area to watch even if the team is selling, thanks to the underperformance and misalignment of the team’s current outfield unit. Center field has been an area of focus for Miami dating back to the offseason, but they’ve yet to find a sufficient everyday solution and have instead regularly trotted out a carousel of miscast corner bats.

The Marlins currently hold a 3.9% chance of making the playoffs in the eyes of FanGraphs, but plenty of time remains for the club to turn into bullpen buyers over Steven Okert sellers. Turnarounds from 2021 All-Star Trevor Rogers plus offseason acquisitions Avisail Garcia and Jacob Stallings could go a long way in bolstering a club that is otherwise receiving sneakily elite production atop its rotation and throughout its lineup.

Marlins Place Jazz Chisholm On Injured List

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The Marlins have placed second baseman Jazz Chisholm on the 10-day injured list due to a right lower back strain. Utilityman Luke Williams was recalled from Triple-A Jacksonville to take his spot on the active roster.

Chisholm has been nagged by back issues in recent days. He sat out Sunday’s and Monday’s contests before returning to the lineup yesterday. He departed that game after one at-bat and a lone defensive inning. Christina De Nicola of MLB.com wrote last night that he was headed for an MRI, making it unsurprising he’ll need some time to rehab the injury. The club hasn’t provided any specifics on his potential return.

The 24-year-old Chisholm is having a breakout season, emerging as one of the game’s most electric young talents. He carries a .254/.325/.535 line through 241 plate appearances, hitting 14 home runs and ten doubles while stealing 12 bases. Chisholm has also rated quite well at second base in the eyes of public defensive metrics, making him the team’s most productive position player in the early going.

Miami is likely to turn to Jon Berti at the keystone while Chisholm is out. The 32-year-old is quietly having a strong year himself, posting a .289/.380/.409 mark while leading the majors with 22 steals (a rather remarkable feat considering he’s not actually played enough to qualify for the batting title). Berti had bounced all over the diamond as a utility option for manager Don Mattingly, but he figures to play regularly at second base while leaving the depth work to Williams and Erik González.

Marlins, VP Gary Denbo Part Ways

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The Marlins and vice president of player development and scouting Gary Denbo are parting ways, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid (Twitter link). The 61-year-old had served as a high-ranking member of the Miami front office for the past five seasons.

Denbo came over the Yankees in October 2017, part of a broader organizational overhaul. He was hired just months after Jeffrey Loria sold the franchise to Bruce Sherman’s and Derek Jeter’s ownership group. Jeter was plenty familiar with Denbo from their overlapping stints in New York, and the latter served as a key piece of the franchise’s rebuild over the past few seasons.

Jeter, of course, left the Miami organization in February. Sherman remains on hand as the principal owner, while general manager Kim Ng was tabbed to head baseball operations during the 2020-21 offseason. Considering Jeter’s role in bringing Denbo aboard in the first place, it’s not especially surprising they departed within a few months of one another. Nevertheless, Denbo stepping down will leave a notable hole to fill in the scouting and player development realms.

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