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AL West Notes: Chapman, Fiers, Greinke, Cobb, Rodriguez

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X-rays were negative on Matt Chapman’s left foot/shin area after the Athletics third baseman fouled a ball off himself during today’s 8-6 loss to the Rangers.  Chapman’s last plate appearance took place in the third inning, though he returned to the field in the next inning before being removed from the game prior to the top of the fifth.  A’s manager Bob Melvin told The San Francisco Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara and other reporters that Chapman likely won’t play on Sunday out of precaution.

Since the A’s don’t play on Monday, Chapman would get a full two days of recovery time, with an eye towards returning when the Athletics begin a road series with the Royals on Tuesday.  It has been an inconsistent season overall for Chapman, though he has been one of Oakland’s hotter players in the second half, batting .223/.338/.538 with 13 home runs in his 154 plate appearances entering today’s game.

More from the AL West…

  • Mike Fiers has missed almost the entire season due to injury, though the veteran righty might yet be able to return to the Athletics before the 2021 campaign is out.  Fiers threw 25 pitches during a live batting practice session on Friday, and Bob Melvin told reporters (including MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos) that Fiers is set for a Triple-A rehab outing this week.  A right elbow sprain has sidelined Fiers since May 6, so he would almost surely be returning as a reliever if he does get back to Oakland’s active roster, since there doesn’t seem to be enough time for Fiers to ramp up for a starting pitcher’s workload.  Between that elbow sprain and an early-season hip issue, Fiers has tossed only 9 1/3 innings in 2021, with a 7.71 ERA.
  • After being placed on the Astros’ COVID-related injury list on August 31, Zack Greinke is scheduled to return and start on Tuesday when the Astros face the Rangers.  Greinke, his wife, and his two sons all tested positive for the coronavirus despite being fully vaccinated, the right-hander told reporters (including The Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome), and all are now recovered.  Greinke has a 3.66 ERA/4.55 SIERA over 159 2/3 innings this season, as one of the league’s best walk rates (5.0%) has helped Greinke succeed despite a 17% strikeout rate, his lowest K% since the 2005 season.
  • Alex Cobb threw three simulated innings yesterday, and Angels manager Joe Maddon told Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register (Twitter links) that Cobb could potentially be activated off the 10-day IL for a start this week.  Cobb has been out of action since July 30 due to right wrist inflammation.  Despite this missed time and an earlier injured-list stint due to blister problems, Cobb has been one of the Angels’ better starters this year, with a 3.82 ERA/3.65 SIERA, 53.8% grounder rate, and a career-best 25.7% strikeout rate over 77 2/3 innings.
  • Also from Maddon, he announced that right-hander Chris Rodriguez has been shut down for the remainder of the season.  Rodriguez has been on the minor league IL due to a lat strain for almost a month, and he also spent a month on the Angels’ injured list due to shoulder inflammation earlier this season.  Injuries have plagued Rodriguez for much of his pro career, though he did make his MLB debut this year, and posted a respectable 3.64 ERA over 29 2/3 innings (starting two of 15 games).

A’s Select Cam Bedrosian, Transfer Mike Fiers To 60-Day IL

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The Athletics announced Friday that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Cam Bedrosian from Triple-A Las Vegas. Righty Mike Fiers was moved from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, while southpaw Adam Kolarek was optioned to Vegas to open a spot on the 26-man roster. Bedrosian, who began the year with the Reds, was signed to a minor league deal earlier this month. Fiers was placed on the injured list back on May 8 due to a sprained right elbow, and he’ll now be out until at least early July.

Bedrosian, 29, was clobbered for seven runs in just 5 2/3 innings with Cincinnati earlier this season, but he has a strong track record that spans several years with his now-division-rival Angels. From 2016-20, he gave them 225 innings of 3.20 ERA ball with a 3.74 SIERA, a 25.1 percent strikeout rate and a 9.1 percent walk rate. He’s missed fewer bats in recent years after seeing his strikeout rate peak in 2016-17, but Bedrosian has been a largely reliable bullpen option who even saw a bit of an uptick in fastball velocity this year in Cincinnati.

The A’s haven’t provided any sort of update on Fiers’ elbow injury other than the transfer to the 60-day injured list. Oakland brought the righty back on a one-year, $3.5MM deal back in February. He surrendered eight runs on 14 hits, including four homers, and four walks through 9 1/3 innings before landing on the IL earlier this month.

A’s Place Mike Fiers On 10-Day Injured List, Reinstate Burch Smith

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The A’s have placed Mike Fiers on the 10-day injured list with a sprained right elbow, per the team. The move is retroactive to May 7th. This will be Fiers second stint on the injured list this season. The right-hander has been tagged for eight earned runs in just 9 1/3 innings across two starts. He has given up 15 hits while walking four and allowing four home runs.

Burch Smith has been reinstated from the injured list to take Fiers’ place on the roster. The 31-year-old right-hander will go back to the bullpen where he has logged three innings through a pair of relief appearances this season. He allowed one earned run on three hits with a walk and a strikeout.

The A’s now have three potential rotation arms on the injured list in Fiers, Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk.Daulton Jefferies, Grant Holmes, or James Kaprielian could be called upon to join the big league rotation in the next couple of days. All three are on the 40-man roster, though none of the three have significant experience at the Major League level. The A’s have a day off on Monday, so Oakland could push Fiers’ spot in the rotation until as late as Wednesday.

West Notes: Giants, Mariners, Athletics

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Although outfielder Mike Yastrzemski suffered a mild oblique strain Sunday, the Giants are hopeful he’ll avoid the 10-day injured list, manager Gabe Kapler told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle and other reporters. The Giants expect Yastrzemski to miss five to six games, but if he’s not ready beyond then, an IL placement may become necessary. Yastrzemski entered 2021 off back-to-back highly productive campaigns, and though he struggled at the outset of this season, his numbers began turning around before his injury. He has slashed .215/.303/.468 with four home runs in 89 plate appearances.

Here’s more regarding San Francisco and a couple other West Coast franchises:

  • The Giants put right-hander Johnny Cueto on the IL on April 15 with a Grade 1 lat strain, and he’ll sit out for at least a couple more weeks. Kapler revealed Cueto won’t return until May 9 at the earliest, which means he’ll wind up missing at least four starts, Slusser notes. San Francisco’s expectation was that Cueto would only miss two turns when he landed on the shelf. When healthy, Cueto has contributed to what has been an excellent Giants rotation with 20 innings of 1.80 ERA ball and a 24.3 percent strikeout rate against a 5.4 percent walk rate.
  • The Mariners have placed lefty Nick Margevicius on the 10-day IL with left shoulder inflammation and recalled righty Robert Dugger, the team announced. Margevicius’ IL trip comes one day after a disastrous performance in Boston, where he gave up four earned runs on two hits and four walks in a third of an inning. In five appearances (three starts) and 12 innings this year, Margevicius has been tattooed for 16 runs (11 earned) on 13 hits and seven walks. The Mariners are likely to plug righty Ljay Newsome into their rotation to take Margevicius’ place, manager Scott Servais suggested (via Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times). Newsome has held his own across four relief appearances this season, having allowed two earned runs on nine hits with 11 strikeouts against one walk over 10 2/3 frames.
  • The Athletics activated Mike Fiers from the IL on Monday, but the longtime starter will work out of their bullpen for the time being, manager Bob Melvin informed reporters (including Martin Gallegos of MLB.com). That means the A’s will stick with a five-man rotation consisting of Sean Manaea, Chris Bassitt, Frankie Montas, Jesus Luzardo and Cole Irvin. Fiers – who missed the first few weeks of the season with a lumbar strain – will try to bounce back from a disappointing showing 2020 showing in which he notched a 4.58 ERA/5.41 SIERA in 59 innings.

West Notes: Solano, Crawford, Rendon, Fiers, Pena

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Giants second baseman Donovan Solano exited their game against the Phillies on Wednesday with a right calf strain, manager Gabe Kapler announced (Twitter links via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). Kapler admitted that the injury could lead to an IL stint for Solano, who’s off to a .300/.333/.380 start in 54 plate appearances this year. Should he land on the shelf, Tommy La Stella, Mauricio Dubon and Wilmer Flores would be candidates to fill in at the keystone. Brandon Crawford was also removed from this afternoon’s game early, but it seems his issue isn’t as severe. The longtime San Francisco shortstop felt some tightness in his side and was pulled for precautionary reasons, Kapler said (via Andrew Baggarly of the Athletic).

More from the West divisions:

  • Anthony Rendon is “getting really, really close” to returning to the Angels, manager Joe Maddon told reporters (including Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times). The star third baseman landed on the injured list April 12 due to a left groin strain. There’s still no specific date for Rendon’s anticipated return, but it doesn’t seem they’ll be without him too much longer. Because of a trio of postponements, the Angels have only played seven games without Rendon so far, going 3-4 while relying on José Rojas, Jack Mayfield and Luis Rengifo at the hot corner.
  • The Athletics could activate right-hander Mike Fiers from the IL in the coming days, according to Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle. The A’s have gone the first few weeks of the season without Fiers after he suffered a lumbar strain that was initially diagnosed as hip inflammation. Fiers, 35, had a rough 2020 – 4.58 ERA/5.41 SIERA in 59 innings – but the A’s still brought him back on a one-year, $3.5MM guarantee in free agency. He figures to slot back into the A’s rotation when he returns, though it’s unclear whom Fiers will replace if the team sticks with a five-man starting staff.
  • Astros shortstop prospect Jeremy Pena will undergo surgery on his left wrist, Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports. The Astros announced that Pena will require “approximately five months” to recover, meaning his minor league season is likely over before it even began. Pena hadn’t played above High-A ball coming into this year, but Rome notes that he was expected to start this season at the Triple-A level. The 23-year-old, who is regarded as one of the Astros’ best prospects, combined for a terrific .303/.385/.440 slash with seven home runs and 20 steals across 473 plate appearances between High-A and Low-A in 2019.

A’s Select Jed Lowrie, Place Trevor Rosenthal On IL, Designate Skye Bolt

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7:20pm: Rosenthal is dealing with “fatigue” in his shoulder, according to manager Bob Melvin, who said he’s “not really sure” how much time the reliever will miss (per Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle).

11:10am: The Athletics announced Thursday that they’ve selected the contracts of infielder Jed Lowrie and lefty Reymin Guduan from Triple-A Las Vegas. Oakland also optioned righty Daulton Jeffries and lefty A.J. Puk to the alternate training site, placed righties Mike Fiers (hip inflammation) and Trevor Rosenthal (right shoulder inflammation) on the injured list and designated outfielder Skye Bolt for assignment.

Lowrie, 37 in April, returned for a third go-around with the A’s over the winter when he inked a minor league deal. His two-year stint with the Mets proved to be an abject disaster, as he tallied just eight plate appearances over the life of a two-year, $20MM contract. That Lowrie was injured for the bulk of his tenure in Queens was frustrating enough for Mets fans, but the team’s bizarre and cryptic series of non-updates on the veteran infielder’s knee troubles proved extra perplexing. Eventually, the Mets termed Lowrie’s injury as “PCL laxity” in his left knee, but little additional detail was ever provided.

It appears as though Lowrie is healthy now, however, as he not only made the roster but did so on the heels of a respectable Cactus League showing. The switch-hitter tallied 37 plate appearances over the course of 13 games, hitting .265/.297/.559 with a pair of homers and four doubles. The A’s surely would like to see that OBP tick up a bit, which seems quite likely given Lowrie’s career 9.8 percent walk rate. He should factor prominently into the mix for playing time at second base, where the A’s will be missing Tommy La Stella, who signed across the Bay with the Giants on a three-year deal as a free agent.

The shoulder troubles for Rosenthal, meanwhile, are a concerning development. The righty was slowed by a groin strain late in Spring Training, but a shoulder issue is of greater concern. There’s no indication that the injury is especially serious at the moment, but arm troubles of any kind for a pitcher who has a somewhat recent Tommy John surgery in his history (2018) raise a red flag.

The A’s surprised the baseball world by swooping in and signing Rosenthal to a one-year, $11MM contract late in the offseason after he wasn’t able to find a multi-year deal to his liking. The former Cardinals closer returned to prominence with the Royals and Padres last year in overpowering fashion. Rosenthal was a true juggernaut at the back of both teams’ bullpens during the regular season, posting a combined 1.90 ERA with a 41.8 percent strikeout rate. A similar powerhouse showing in 2021 would surely position him nicely for that lucrative multi-year pact he covets, but he’s off to an inauspicious start.

Bolt, meanwhile, will now be traded or placed on outright waivers within the next week. He has just 11 big league plate appearances under his belt but is capable of playing all three outfield spots and carries a .269/.350/.459 batting line in 347 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. He does have a minor league option remaining.

Pitcher Notes: Dodgers, Gray, E-Rod, Yankees, Fiers

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The Dodgers are still deciding among fifth starter options, manager Dave Roberts informed Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times and other reporters Friday. Southpaw David Price is competing against righties Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin, who impressed as rookies during the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series-winning campaign. As a five-time All-Star and a former AL Cy Young winner, Price certainly carries the best track record of the three – not to mention the highest salary – but he didn’t pitch at all last season after opting out over COVID-19 concerns. Any of those three would join Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler, Clayton Kershaw and Julio Urías in what will be a loaded season-opening starting five.

The latest on a few more pitchers around the game:

  • Reds righty Sonny Gray, who has been dealing with a back problem for a couple of weeks, came out of a sim game unscathed Friday, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. After throwing two innings and 30 pitches, Gray said, “I felt good. It was definitely a step in the right direction.” Gray will start the season on the injured list, but he doesn’t expect to miss much time. That’s uplifting news for a Reds starting staff that lost the aforementioned Bauer during the offseason.
  • Eduardo Rodríguez was recently set back by a dead arm but seemed to make some progress this morning. The Red Sox left-hander came out of a bullpen session feeling good about his chances of soon returning to game action, although a season-opening injured list stint remains a possibility (via Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com and Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe). Manager Alex Cora says the club will evaluate how Rodríguez feels tomorrow before making any decisions about his recovery timeline.
  • The Yankees have optioned right-hander Deivi García to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, according to a team announcement. The move suggests Domingo Germán will enter the season as the No. 5 in the Yankees’ rotation behind Gerrit Cole, Corey Kluber, Jameson Taillon and Jordan Montgomery, though odds are that García will make his share of starts this season. The 21-year-old, a former top 100 prospect, made his debut last season with a 4.98 ERA/4.21 SIERA with a 22.6 percent strikeout rate against a stingy 4.1 percent walk rate in 34 1/3 innings.
  • Athletics righty Mike Fiers will begin the season on the injured list, manager Bob Melvin announced to Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle and other reporters. Fiers has been dealing with left hip inflammation since midway through the month and hasn’t faced live hitters during his recovery. His injury could open the door for any of Daulton Jefferies, Cole Irvin or A.J. Puk to at least temporarily join the A’s rotation. Fiers tied for the A’s lead in starts (11) and finished second in innings (59) last season, but he struggled to a 4.58 ERA/5.41 SIERA and managed a personal-worst 14.4 percent K rate.

AL West Notes: Mariners, Fiers, Adell, Whitley, Astros

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The December 2018 trade that sent Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz to the Mets was a transformational moment in Mariners history, as it allowed Seattle to both escape a major salary commitment to Cano and also re-stock its farm system with some prime minor league talent in Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn.  Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto recently discussed the trade with The Athletic’s Corey Brock, looking back at how talks with the Mets developed, and how concurrent discussions with the Phillies about a Diaz trade helped make the Mets even more aggressive about swinging a deal to one-up their NL East rival.

More from around the AL West…

  • An MRI revealed hip inflammation for Athletics righty Mike Fiers, and manager Bob Melvin told Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle (Twitter links) that Fiers will receive an injection and be rested for a couple of days.  Fiers making the Opening Day roster is “a little bit of a long shot” for now, Melvin said.  The manager said yesterday that A.J. Puk or Daulton Jefferies are candidates to fill in for Fiers if an IL trip is required, with Puk the favorite if he is able to get enough innings under his belt during Spring Training.
  • Jo Adell is day-to-day with a knee contusion and will work out today, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group (via Twitter).  Adell had to leave Saturday’s game after a collision with the outfield wall, but the star Angels prospect doesn’t appear to have suffered any major injury setback.
  • Top Astros pitching prospect Forrest Whitley will miss the 2021 season due to Tommy John surgery, but he won’t be moved from the 40-man roster to the 60-day injured list due to a roster rule, as The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan explains.  Because Whitley doesn’t have any MLB service time and because he was optioned to the minors before March 16, the Astros can simply place him on the minor league IL.  This means Houston will have to use a 40-man roster spot on Whitley all season, but the Astros are unlikely to burn a season of Whitley’s service time by moving him from the 40-man to the 60-day Major League injured list.

Pitching Notes: Tigers, A’s, Orioles

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Not only is veteran Julio Teheran hitting as high as 94 mph on the radar gun, but he got three strikeouts on his slider in his most-recent outing, writes Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Said Teheran, “My slider is the best it’s been in a while. The last time I felt my slider was like this was my 2016 All-Star season. That’s the kind of confidence I have right now. I feel like I can throw my pitches anytime I want. My command is there. Just a different game when you have everything working.” The Tigers will owe Teheran $3MM at minimum if he makes the team, so there is a financial component to audition. Still, Detroit has an active payroll of only around $75MM, per Spotrac, and a projected luxury tax payroll of around $94MM. Fangraphs’ estimates for those payroll numbers to be closer to $81MM and $100MM, respectively. In either case, the Tigers shouldn’t need worry about an extra few million if Terehan proves worthy of a rotation spot. In other pitcher news…

  • Mike Fiers suffered a setback and is now questionable for opening day. The Athletics’ right-hander will have an MRI done on his hip/back tomorrow, per John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). In a best case scenario, Fiers would be competing with A.J. Puk for the A’s fifth starter spot, though neither has appeared in a spring contest as of yet. Puk has the higher ceiling, but Fiers would seem to have the inside track on the role after posting a palatable 4.58 ERA/4.94 FIP across 59 innings last season. While he’s out, Daulton Jefferies, Grant Holmes, or James Kaprielian could receive a look out of the rotation. Puk remains a candidate, though they’re likely to be cautious with his usage.
  • Hunter Harvey had been one of the few locks to start the season in the Orioles’ bullpen, but with his latest setback, opportunity knocks for another of Orioles’ hurler, per Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun. With so many roster spots still up for grabs, the Orioles could use Harvey’s spot to secure a job for another short-stint arm, like Cole Sulser, Dillon Tate, or Travis Lakins. But they could also take the opportunity to have yet another starter/piggyback arm on the roster. Even the Orioles’ likely rotation arms – John Means, Keegan Akin, and Dean Kremer – aren’t locks to pitch deep into games. Bruce Zimmermann seems a decent candidate to make the roster as a swingman – and a near lock to see time on the Major League roster at some point in 2021 – but he may need some help filling the middle innings. Tyler Wells would be one such candidate. A starter in the Twins’ system, Wells is a Rule 5 pick who needs to make the roster in order to stay in the organization.

AL West Notes: Astros, Castro, A’s, Fiers, Rangers

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Jason Castro has a strained oblique, Astros manager Dusty Baker told reporters (including Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). The injury has kept the veteran backstop out of Grapefruit League action since last Tuesday, but Castro did return to practice today, per the Houston skipper. There’s no indication at this point that the issue threatens his availability for Opening Day. Castro reunited with his original organization on a one-year deal in January. Martín Maldonado and Garrett Stubbs are the other catchers on the Astros’ 40-man roster.

More from the American League West:

  • Athletics right-hander Mike Fiers felt some back discomfort in his most recent bullpen session, manager Bob Melvin said (via Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle). It isn’t clear whether this will affect Fiers’ readiness for Opening Day. Oakland brought back the veteran starter on a one-year deal over the winter. Melvin also said the A’s expect Frankie Montas to be ready for the start of the regular season after a bout with COVID-19 set him back early in camp, Kawahara writes.
  • The Athletics have not been in attendance for any of Yoenis Céspedes’ recent showcases, per Shayna Rubin of the San Jose Mercury News. “We’re not in position, unfortunately (to sign him),” Melvin said, via Rubin. Céspedes spent the first two-plus seasons of his career in Oakland, finishing runner-up in 2012 AL Rookie of the Year voting. The 35-year-old slugger is looking to return to the big leagues in 2021 after opting out of last season after eight games due to COVID-19 concerns.
  • Non-roster invitee Matt Bush has a good chance to earn a spot in the Rangers’ season-opening bullpen, writes Kennedi Landry of MLB.com. That’s especially the case now that Jonathan Hernández will open the year on the injured list. After a strong two-year start to his MLB career from 2016-17, Bush had a rough 2018 season. He struggled for much of the year, then suffered a UCL tear that September. After rehab failed to correct the issue, Bush underwent Tommy John surgery in July 2019. The timing of that procedure kept him out through the end of 2020.
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