Shelby Miller Released After Opting Out Of Brewers Contract
The Brewers announced yesterday that righty Shelby Miller has been released. He “exercised the release clause in his contract,” per the announcement.
Miller, who is still just 28 years of age despite debuting way back in 2012, had inked a $2MM deal with the Rangers over the winter. The hoped-for bounceback simply did not occur, however, and he was cut loose after 44 innings of 8.59 ERA pitching.
When he landed with the Brewers, Miller was hoping that a fresh start at Triple-A would finally turn his fortunes after several injury-riddled, disappointing campaigns. He ended up throwing 32 2/3 frames over eight starts, producing a 4.13 ERA on 9.9 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9.
The Milwaukee organization evidently didn’t see enough to warrant a promotion. Instead, Miller will see if he can catch on elsewhere. The best-case scenario would probably be to sign with a club that has some 40-man roster flexibility and a need for innings down the stretch. (The Rangers will foot the bill for all but the league-minimum rate of pay.) Miller will be hoping that a late-season showcase can help boost his appeal in the coming offseason.
NL Central Notes: Moose, Zobrist, Estrada, Cards
The Brewers dropped a big contest but escaped an injury scare tonight, as MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy was among those to cover on Twitter. Infielder Mike Moustakas departed after being hit on the wrist while trying to make a play in the field. Fortunately, x-rays after the game were negative. Though he’s expected to take at least one day off, it seems Moustakas has avoided serious injury. That’s good news for a Milwaukee team that’s struggling to keep pace with the two leaders in the NL Central race.
About those two front-runners …
- It seems the expectation remains that the Cubs will bring Ben Zobrist onto the active roster once rosters expand on September 1st, per Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. That’s still far from official, and Sullivan notes that the team still likely wants to give the veteran more reps before activating him. It remains a mystery just how this unusual situation will play out. The 38-year-old Zobrist is a treasured presence in the dugout but wasn’t in top form before taking personal leave earlier this year. Through a dozen rehab games — spread out to enable him stretches of time to be with his children — Zobrist is hitting .189/.333/.405.
- Cubs prospect Jeremiah Estrada announced today that he underwent Tommy John surgery (h/t Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs, via Twitter). The young righty had been in notable position on the Chicago prospect chart, in the evaluation of the Fangraphs prospect team. A recent over-slot sixth-rounder, Estrada missed all of 2018 and only threw 10 2/3 innings this year before going under the knife. It’s unlikely he’ll pitch competitively in the 2020 season, though there’s still plenty of time for the twenty-year-old to blossom.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch held an interesting chat with Cardinals owner Bill DeWitt Jr. that’s well worth a full read for fans of the club. Pressed on the club’s decisionmaking after three-straight seasons without a postseason appearance, DeWitt did not cede any ground. He rejected any view that the club went cheap this summer, saying the organization remains among the higher-payroll outfits in the league. As for the current front-office leadership group, DeWitt did not seem inclined at all to consider significant change in leadership. “There is always accountability,” he said. “But keep in mind, we’ve had a pretty nice run of success under the current regime with 11 consecutive winning seasons, and when we have missed the playoffs it has been by a very small number of games.” As things stand in the 2019 race, the Cards have a strong chance of breaking their string of playoff absences. But the pressure will increase significantly if that doesn’t come to pass.
Brewers Release Jhoulys Chacin
The Brewers announced today that they have released righty Jhoulys Chacin. He had recently been designated for assignment.
Given that we’re past the point on the calendar when trades are permissible, this outcome was all but inevitable. There was no reason to attempt outrighting him, since the veteran could have elected free agency without sacrificing the remainder of the $6MM owed to him this season.
It’s hard to imagine a rival club taking on that obligation for a hurler who hasn’t been in top form, particularly since Chacin has been on the injured list with an oblique injury. Whether or not he has cleared release waivers isn’t entirely clear from the club’s announcement. Barring a surprise development, he’ll hit the open market.
Chacin, 31, has fallen well shy of the standard he set in the prior two campaigns, over which he threw 373 innings of 3.69 ERA ball (handily outperforming his peripherals in the process). Through 88 2/3 frames over 19 starts in 2019, Chacin has limped to a 5.79 ERA. Fielding-independent ERA estimators didn’t see much cause to blame bad bounces, grading him out at 5.68 (FIP), 5.23 (xFIP), and 5.13 (SIERA).
Even more than he did last year, Chacin leaned hard on his slider, throwing it just over half the time. Doing so likely helped him to a career-high 8.1 K/9 strikeout rate, though Chacin still mustered only a cumulative 7.8% swinging-strike rate.
The biggest problem was with the long ball. He allowed 1.93 per nine on an 18.3% HR/GB rate, both of which are about double the levels he maintained last year. Batters put the ball in the air against him more than ever (38.1%) and did so at a much greater launch angle (16.5 degrees vs. previous high of 11.5). Though Chacin was able to generate a large quantity of harmless infield pops (18.3%), too many balls ended up in the bleachers.
It’s certainly still possible that a team will decide to add Chacin to provide some depth down the stretch. If he ends up making it back to the majors after signing elsewhere, he’ll play at the league-minimum rate for his new club, partially offsetting the cash still owed to him by the Brewers.
NL Injury Updates: Ray, Swanson, Lopez, Jeffress, Cubs, Rockies
We’ll run through a boatload of injury updates from the Senior Circuit as Sunday’s games kick off.
- Diamondbacks southpaw Robbie Ray has been activated from the 10-day injured list, the team announced. The club optioned right-hander Joel Paymaps in a corresponding 25-man move. Ray is back after just ten days away with back spasms to make his 27th start of the season against Milwaukee on Sunday. As always, he’s combined a huge strikeout rate (31.1%) with a few too many walks and longballs to be a true ace, settling in with a solid but not elite 3.99 ERA in 2019.
- Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson completed another rehab game without issue and should be activated from the 10-day injured list tomorrow, tweets MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. The former first overall pick will be a welcome upgrade over the combination of Charlie Culberson and Adeiny Hechavarría, who make up Atlanta’s current shortstop mix. Swanson’s got a solid .265/.330/.468 slash (102 wRC+) for the NL East leaders.
- Marlins right-hander Pablo López is also slated to return to the big leagues tomorrow, tweets Venezuelan baseball writer Daniel Álvarez-Montes (later confirmed by MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro). The 23 year-old was off and running on cementing himself as a part of the Fish’s long-term rotation plans when he went down with a shoulder strain that ultimately cost him two months. On the season, López has logged 76.2 innings with a 4.23 ERA, albeit with more promising strikeout (23.3%) and walk (5.7%) rates.
- In less fortunate news, the Brewers placed right-handed reliever Jeremy Jeffress on the 10-day injured list today with a strained left hip. They’ve recalled fireballing 29 year-old righty Ray Black in his place. Jeffress has had a difficult second half, pitching to a 7.56 ERA in 16.2 innings since the All-Star Break. It’ll be Black’s second MLB stint in Milwaukee since they acquired him and Drew Pomeranz at the deadline for notable infield prospect Mauricio Dubón.
- The Cubs placed left-handed reliever Derek Holland on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist contusion. He sustained the injury when he was struck by a comebacker. Infielder David Bote is back from Triple-A Iowa to replace Holland on the active roster. Bote’s presence was needed to deepen the Cubs’ bench in the absence of star first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who’s day-to-day, tweets Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune. Rizzo left yesterday’s game with back tightness, the club announced.
- Finally, updates on a couple injured Rockies, courtesy of Thomas Harding of MLB.com (Twitter links): veteran right-hander Chad Bettis confirmed he’ll undergo season-ending surgery to correct a right hip impingement, marking the end of a year in which Bettis pitched to a 6.06 ERA. On the other hand, left-hander Kyle Freeland is working through a throwing program in hopes of mounting a late-season comeback from a groin strain, says Harding. Freeland’s 6.98 ERA is one of the chief reasons the Rockies have slumped to a 58-72 record in a year in which they hoped to contend.
Brewers Designate Jhoulys Chacin For Assignment, Select Cory Spangenberg
The Brewers have designated Opening Day-starter Jhoulys Chacin for assignment, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports. IF/OF Cory Spangenberg has also been selected from Triple-A San Antonio, per the team.
Chacin, 31, had hit the IL with a lat-strain a week ago after a dreadful 2019 campaign. The righty, who started some of the biggest games for the Central-winning Crew last season, pitched to a 5.79 ERA/5.69 FIP in the final year of a two-year, $15.5MM deal signed prior to the 2018 season. Chacin’s strikeout rate was actually the highest of his career, but his longstanding command woes re-appeared and he was unable to keep the ball in the park, the one trait at which he excelled so masterfully last season.
Chacin’s 3.50 ERA in ’18 was mostly a mirage – his .250 BABIP, the second-lowest mark in the NL, wasn’t going to be sustained, nor was a 0.84 HR/9 in Milwaukee’s puny Miller Park. Once an extreme sinkerballer in his Coors Field days, Chacin in recent seasons has become heavily reliant on a hard-to-identify slider, a pitch NL hitters have finally begun to figure out. The righty’s grounder rate, at 37.4%, was a career low, and he wasn’t able to throw enough strikes to compensate. Chacin’ll certainly be an intriguing buy-low option for many contenders, a number of which may have designs on inserting the hurler into some sort of righty-heavy relief role.
Spangenberg, now 28, had spent all of ’19 at San Antonio. The longtime Padre has posted some of the league’s highest strikeout rates in recent seasons, and doesn’t much appear to have mollified the issue in AAA, with a K rate still hovering near 30%. Still, he possesses an intriguing power/versaility combo off at the bench, and could conceivably fill in at a number of positions for the Crew down the stretch.
Central Notes: Brewers, Kang, Twins, Buxton, Royals
The latest from baseball’s Central divisions…
- The Brewers have shown interest in signing free-agent infielder Jung Ho Kang to a minor league contract, but it doesn’t appear an agreement will come together before the Triple-A season runs out. The two sides are “bogged down in visa issues,” according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It’s unclear what exactly is causing the problem, but Kang did miss almost all of the 2018 season while with the Pirates because he had difficulty securing a visa on the heels of a third DUI arrest in his homeland of South Korea. Kang returned last year, though, and then re-signed with the Pirates for a $3MM guarantee in November. It proved to be a poor investment for Pittsburgh, which released the 32-year-old Kang in early August after he hit .169/.222/.395 in 185 plate appearances.
- More from Haudricourt, who tweets Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff still isn’t expected to rejoin the club before the middle of September. But Woodruff, who suffered an oblique injury July 21, is making progress. He moved his throwing program to 120 feet off flat ground Friday, which Haudricourt notes is the final step before he returns to the mound. The absence of Woodruff, who has unquestionably been the Brewers’ top starter this year, is an obvious reason why they’re drifting from NL Central and wild-card contention. The 26-year-old Woodruff has broken out with a 3.75 ERA/3.09 FIP and 10.4 K/9 against 2.22 BB/9 over 117 2/3 innings.
- Twins center fielder Byron Buxton is nearing a rehab assignment, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com writes. Buxton hit the IL on Aug. 3 with a left shoulder subluxation – a product of the all-out effort with which he plays. The 25-year-old crashed into the outfield wall while trying to rob Milwaukee catcher Yasmani Grandal of an extra-base hit. Unfortunately for Buxton, not only did he fail to come up with the ball, but he’ll end up missing at least a few weeks because of the attempt. Injuries have been an issue all summer for Buxton, who has gone on the IL three times since June. When healthy, though, this has been a highly productive season for Buxton, owner of a .262/.314/.513 line with 10 home runs, 14 stolen bases and 2.6 fWAR in 295 plate appearances.
- Royals southpaw Danny Duffy will begin a rehab stint at the Double-A level Sunday, Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star relays. A left hamstring strain has kept Duffy out of action since Aug. 3, when Minnesota lit him up for nine runs (eight earned) and four homers across 4 2/3 innings. This has been the second disappointing season in a row for Duffy, who has only managed a 4.93 ERA/5.13 FIP in 100 1/3 frames.
NL Notes: Kang, Brewers, Mets, Reds
After spending several years with the Pirates, who released him Aug. 5, it’s possible free-agent infielder Jung Ho Kang will resurface in the National League Central. Kang took infield practice with the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate in San Antonio on Thursday, as journalist Joe Alexander noted. Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel corroborated Alexander’s report Friday, tweeting that Kang has been working out with the Brewers’ top farm club. Kang and the Brewers have not reached an agreement on a minor league contract yet, though, as general manager David Stearns said the two sides still have issues to work out, per Haudricourt. The once-valuable Kang, 32, is looking to rebuild his stock after batting a hideous .169/.222/.395 in 185 plate appearances with Pittsburgh this season.
Here’s more on a pair of other NL teams…
- Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo finally began a rehab assignment Friday at the Single-A level, Tim Healey of Newsday was among those to report. A bulging disc in Nimmo’s neck has shelved him since May 21, meaning it’s likely he’ll need a solid amount of time to work back, as Healey notes. The Mets have charged into playoff contention in recent weeks despite Nimmo’s absence, though they’ve since lost fellow noteworthy position players Jeff McNeil, Robinson Cano and Dominic Smith to the injured list. Unlike McNeil and Smith, Nimmo was in the throes of a surprisingly difficult season when he went down. After getting on base at a .404 clip and totaling 4.5 fWAR during what looked like a breakout 2018, the 26-year-old Nimmo came out of the gates this season with a .200/.344/.323 line and 0.2 fWAR in 161 PA.
- Cano and closer Edwin Diaz, the Mets‘ two biggest winter acquisitions, have joined Nimmo in enduring trying seasons. The Mets expected the great track records of Cano and Diaz to carry to their organization when they picked up the two during the offseason in a blockbuster trade with the Mariners. Instead, they’ve struggled, and the top best prospects the Mets surrendered – outfielder Jarred Kelenic and righty Justin Dunn – have excelled, as David Schoenfield of ESPN.com observes. Kelenic and Dunn were already well-regarded prospects at the time of the deal, but their stocks have only risen this season. Both players reflected on the swap with Schoenfield, Kelenic saying: “I looked up at a TV and my name was up there as a rumor. I was like, ‘Are you kidding me? Is anyone else seeing this?'” Kelenic was in disbelief the Mets were set to move him just a few months after choosing him sixth overall in the draft. As for Dunn, a Long Island native, he understands why general manager Brodie Van Wagenen dealt him. “He had to do what was best for the organization,” Dunn stated, adding that “he had to do the right move for his team, which was to try and win now.”
- Reds third baseman Eugenio Suarez departed the team’s loss to St. Louis on Friday with a left thumb sprain, per an announcement from Cincinnati. X-rays came back negative on Suarez, who’s day-to-day. The big-hitting 28-year-old’s production has taken steps back this season compared to 2018. However, Suarez has still slashed a more-than-respectable .259/.341/.530 with 33 home runs in 504 PA, further justifying the Reds’ decision to hand him a seven-year, $66MM extension prior to last season.
NL Notes: Carlson, Hader, Hosmer, Ahmed
The Cardinals have promoted top outfield prospect Dylan Carlson to Triple-A, per an announcement from the club’s top affiliate. That puts the 20-year-old switch-hitter right on the doorstep of the big leagues. Carlson turned in a strong .281/.364/.518 batting line with 21 long balls and 18 steals over 483 Double-A plate appearances. It’s not clear whether the club has any thought of a late-2019 MLB promotion for the talented youngster.
More from the National League …
- MLB.com’s Mike Petriello provides an interesting examination of the feast-or-famine experience hitters have had this year against Brewers lefty relief ace Josh Hader. It really is a curious situation, as Petriello explains in full detail. In essence: Hader is harder to make contact against than anyone in baseball. But when batters have put bat to ball this year, they’ve tended to make loud sounds and often ended up trotting the bases. Petriello identifies a few potential causes/fixes for the Milwaukee southpaw. In particular, it seems Hader can work on reducing first-pitch predictability and tightening up his command at times. You’ll certainly want to read the entire piece to appreciate it.
- As he continues to produce middling overall offensive numbers, Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer is showing increasingly yawning platoon splits, as MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell writes. It’s simple enough, in theory, to spell him against southpaws. But that’s tough to do given the club’s mammoth investment in Hosmer. Skipper Andy Green made clear it’s not an immediate possibility. That makes sense, as the Friars have to hope that Hosmer turns a corner and can afford to give him the leash to work things out. But if it comes down to it, the extreme platoon situation actually ought to make it easier in the long run to deal with a contract that has simply not panned out.
- Diamondbacks shortstop Nick Ahmed has long been lauded for his superlative glovework, but has mostly remained an obscure player. Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic highlights the growing value of the 29-year-old, who is now finally marrying his excellent defensive performance with much-improved hitting. With torrid recent streak, Ahmed has reached league-average offensive levels for the season as a whole. Piecoro provides an excellent look at Ahmed’s thus-far successful efforts to avoid chasing pitches out of the zone and make better contact when he does offer. Ahmed, who is earning $3.663MM this season, is entering his final season of arbitration eligibility.
Brewers To Sign Tyler Austin
The Brewers are slated to sign outfielder/first baseman Tyler Austin to a minor-league deal, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). Austin was cut loose recently by the Giants.
While Austin will have to earn his way up to the MLB roster, he could fill a role in the majors. At the deadline, the club shipped away right-handed-hitting slugger Jesus Aguilar. He’s now raking in Tampa Bay while the Brewers appear to be in need of a righty power bat — if only for pinch-hitting and first-base platoon purposes.
Austin, 27, found himself out of a job in San Francisco after a tepid showing in part-time duties there. Over 147 plate appearances in seventy games, he slashed just .185/.279/.400. But Austin was much better against southpaws, as has been the case for his entire career. Through 556 career plate appearances, he’s carrying a spread of more than two-hundred points between his OPS against right-handed (.647) and left-handed (.865) pitching.
Giants Claim Burch Smith, Designate Ryan Dull
The Giants have claimed right-hander Burch Smith off waivers from the Brewers, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com tweets. Smith had been in limbo since the Brewers designated him for assignment Friday. The Giants opened up a spot for Smith by designating fellow righty Ryan Dull for assignment, Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group reports.
Smith’s the second waiver claim since Friday for the Giants, who took Kyle Barraclough from the Nationals then. Smith, like Barraclough, will report to Triple-A Sacramento. The 29-year-old Smith has pitched to an ugly 7.82 ERA/6.69 FIP with 9.95 K/9 against 7.11 BB/9 in 12 2/3 major league innings this season. He has been much better over 77 1/3 Triple-A frames, however, with a 2.33 ERA/4.29 FIP, 9.89 K/9 and 4.31 BB/9.
The 29-year-old Dull lasted only a week on the Giants’ 40-man – they claimed him from the Bay Area rival Athletics last Monday. Dull didn’t throw a pitch for the Giants, instead tossing three frames of three-run ball with their Triple-A affiliate. The once-promising major leaguer has spent the majority of the past two seasons in the minors.