NL Central Notes: Cutch, Garza, Cardinals, Grichuk, Cubs
“Of course, this is where I want to be,” Andrew McCutchen tells MLB.com’s Bill Ladson amidst trade rumors that have swirled around the Pirates star for the better part of a year. “I’ve never thought about anything else. This is the only uniform that I’ve ever worn. This is somewhere I want to be. I can’t control the business side — where I am or whatnot. I don’t focus on that.” After a rough 2016 season and a slow start to 2017, McCutchen has been hot over the last couple of weeks as he tries to help keep the Bucs afloat in a crowded NL Central race. While the Pirates are 26-32 and in last place, they’re still only 4.5 games out of first place.
Here’s more from around the division…
- The Brewers announced that right-hander Matt Garza has been placed on the 10-day DL (retroactive to June 4) with a chest contusion. Garza had an abbreviated four-inning start on Saturday after colliding with teammate Jesus Aguilar at first base when both were trying to make a fielding play. After a couple of rough seasons, Garza is posting some solid results this year, with a 3.83 ERA, 2.75 K/BB rate and 6.6 K/9 over 44 2/3 IP for Milwaukee.
- As part of a Cardinals-related chat with readers, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch figures the Cards would prefer to make a trade relatively soon if one could be found, rather than wait until closer to the July 31 trade deadline to add reinforcements. A big trade that costs the Cardinals multiple top prospects (say, to acquire a player like the Marlins’ Marcell Ozuna) might be necessary to really shake up the struggling offense, Goold opines. The Cards may have a tougher time finding a bat this summer than their rivals in Chicago may have in finding a starter, however, as Goold hears that pitching is expected to be more available than hitting at the deadline.
- Goold’s mailbag piece offers several items about the Cardinals‘ minor league core players, trade speculation and this intriguing tidbit: “watch for where he [Randal Grichuk] is assigned next. That will tell us if the Cardinals are trying to find out” Grichuk’s trade value. St. Louis recently optioned Grichuk all the way down to the Class-A Advanced level to work with team offensive strategist George Greer in an effort to overhaul Grichuk’s approach at the plate. The Cards would certainly be selling low if they did decide to move Grichuk, given his struggles this season and his troubles in getting on base (a .289 OBP) last year. Still, Grichuk turns 26 in August and is a former first-rounder who put up an .877 OPS over 350 for the Cardinals in 2015, so he could be an intriguing trade chip.
- Speaking of the Cubs‘ search for pitching, Eddie Butler and Mike Montgomery are trying to retain their jobs as the team’s fifth starter and potential spot starter, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. Butler, a former top Rockies prospect, has a 3.75 ERA over 24 innings this season while Montgomery has a 2.21 ERA over 36 2/3 relief frames. Neither pitcher has terribly impressive peripheral stats, however, so it still seems likely that Chicago will try to acquire a higher-level arm and keep Butler, Montgomery and the injured Brett Anderson as rotation depth.
- While it would some major financial and roster wrangling to see Bryce Harper join the Cubs when he hits free agency in the 2018-19 offseason, Kris Bryant told CSNChicago.com’s Patrick Mooney and other reporters that he and Harper have had some casual conversations about being teammates. “I think we might have talked about it, just like messing around. Like it would be cool to play with you again,” Bryant said, referring to he and Harper playing together as youngsters in the Las Vegas area. “(It’s not) like Kevin Durant: ‘I want to play there.’ But I would say if that were able to happen and work out like that, gosh, it would be exciting.” This sounds like the type of general banter that probably happens quite a bit between friends who play on different teams, though everything involving Harper’s heavily-anticipated foray into the free agent market is likely to draw attention between now and the end of the 2018 season (unless, of course, he signs an extension with the Nationals).
Central Notes: Phillips, Verlander, Royals, Cardinals
The Brewers announced that third baseman Travis Shaw has been placed on the paternity list, with center field prospect Brett Phillips getting his first MLB promotion to temporarily take Shaw’s roster spot. Phillips is just a year removed from being a consensus top 100 prospect throughout the game, but a rough 2016 campaign in which he batted just .229/.332/.397 caused his stock to drop a ways heading into the ’17 season. He’s done well to restore some of the hype this year, however, hitting a robust .297/.369/.589 with 11 homers, 10 doubles and four triples, albeit in the hitter-friendly environs of Colorado Springs. Phillips’ first big league look seems likely to be brief in nature, given that he’s replacing someone on paternity leave, but his strong play could force him into the Brewers’ plans later this summer. Those interested in getting to know a bit more about Phillips can check out his 2015 appearance on the MLBTR Podcast.
More from the Central divisions…
- The Tigers announced today that an MRI on Justin Verlander came back clean, and he’ll be reevaluated as the week progresses. (Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press first reported that there was no structural damage revealed by the MRI.) Verlander exited his most recent start early due to discomfort in his groin, though it seems that he’s at least managed to stave off a serious injury. His next start, however, remains TBD according to the Tigers (though Fenech noted that he’s expected to make that outing). Verlander has had an up-and-down season, as his ERA presently rests at 4.63 through 70 innings of work. Outside of 2016 Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer, the Tigers have seen their rotation struggle. Verlander, Jordan Zimmermann, Matt Boyd and Daniel Norris have combined for a 5.18 ERA on the season, and of the four, Norris’ 4.47 ERA is the best mark.
- Although Eric Skoglund‘s second start with the Royals wasn’t pretty, he’ll still likely remain in the rotation for the time being, manager Ned Yost told reporters (link via Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star). Danny Duffy will likely remain sidelined through the All-Star break, and Dodd notes that Nate Karns‘ recovery from an extensor strain is progressing rather slowly. “I need starters,” Yost said flatly. “I don’t have Karns. I don’t have Duffy. So I imagine [Skoglund’s] going to get another start. That’s not a fair judge right there (on Sunday).”
- The Cardinals‘ decision not to add an impact bat this offseason is biting the team, writes Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, but Ortiz also argues that at this point it’s too late to make a significant play for a bat. Adding the necessary caliber of player would be too costly to a farm system that has routinely produced quality big leaguers that help to build a sustainable contender in St. Louis. The fact that the NL Central is weaker than expected could still allow the Cards to sneak into the postseason via the Wild Card and hope that their pitching can carry them, Ortiz concludes, adding that the offense and improved defense should once again be offseason priorities.
Brewers Acquire Yeison Coca From Red Sox To Complete Tyler Thornburg Trade
10:07am: Both teams have now announced the trade. Coca is headed to Milwaukee’s extended Spring Training program for the time being, according to the Brewers.
9:50am: The Brewers will acquire minor league shortstop Yeison Coca from the Red Sox as the player to be named later in the offseason Tyler Thornburg/Travis Shaw trade, according to Evan Drellich of CSN New England (Twitter link).
Coca, 18, signed with the Red Sox back on July 2 in 2015 as a 16-year-old and has just one full season of pro ball under his belt. He spent the 2016 campaign with Boston’s affiliate in the Dominican Summer League, hitting .307/.370/.409 with a homer, five doubles, nine triples and 12 stolen bases (in 17 attempts). Baseball America rated Coca as the Red Sox’ No. 25 prospect this offseason, noting that he shows the instincts and defensive aptitude to eventually be an everyday shortstop with above-average bat-to-ball skills and below-average power. Certainly, any up-the-middle player with the potential to stick at his position is a valuable commodity. But, Coca is a long ways from realizing his potential, and there’s a fairly notable attrition rate among promising teenage shortstops.
Regardless of what happens with Coca, the trade has been overwhelmingly lopsided in Milwaukee’s favor to this point. Shaw has gotten off to an outstanding start with the Brewers, hitting .292/.339/.530 with 10 homers, 16 doubles and a triple through 210 plate appearances. While he’s only seen 57 PAs against lefties, he’s held his own in that limited sample, hitting .250/.316/.442. In a larger sample of 161 PAs while holding the platoon advantage, Shaw has laid waste to right-handers with a .307/.348/.560 triple slash.
The Brewers also added minor league righty Josh Pennington, who has yet to pitch in 2017, and minor league infielder Mauricio Dubon in that trade. The 22-year-old Dubon is hitting .294/.346/.383 with 25 steals (in 32 attempts) through 56 games for Milwaukee’s Double-A affiliate in Biloxi.
Thornburg, on the other hand, has yet to pitch for the Red Sox at all due to a nebulous shoulder issue. The righty has been shut down since Spring Training due to ongoing discomfort in his right shoulder, but there’s been no firm timetable placed on his recovery nor any suggestion of surgery to this point in the season. A healthy Thornburg would help to balance the scales on that trade, so to speak, but the strong play from both Shaw and Dubon is only magnified by a lack of infield depth (specifically at third base) that has plagued Boston throughout the 2017 season.
Central Notes: Royals, Cardinals, White Sox, Brewers
Five games back of a playoff spot, the Royals aren’t ready to sell yet, but contending clubs are eyeing their potential trade chips, reports Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. The changed qualifying offer system in the new collective bargaining agreement could impact the Royals’ decisions, per Dodd, who notes that draft-pick compensation isn’t as appealing as it was previously. Had the Royals been in this situation last year, they could have kept impending free agents such as Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas, issued them qualifying offers and landed first-round picks had they signed elsewhere. Now, in order to secure a first-rounder, KC would need to offer a QO, have the player reject it and then join another team for $50MM-plus. Otherwise, if a player signs someplace else for less than $50MM, the Royals will get a pick after the second round.
More from the Central divisions:
- The Cardinals will have to decide before the trade deadline whether their current lineup will suffice, observes Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Ranking 26th in the majors in runs and 21st in wRC+, the Cardinals’ offense lacks a hitter capable of inspiring fear in opposing teams, several talent evaluators told Goold. They’re unlikely to acquire that type of hitter if he’s only a short-term rental, though, as Goold relays that the Redbirds “remain reluctant” to sacrifice significant assets for a stopgap. Internally, St. Louis isn’t convinced it needs to make a notable upgrade offensively. Rather, the club could pin its hopes on Matt Carpenter, Dexter Fowler and Aledmys Diaz recovering from slow starts. All three, especially Carpenter, have been resoundingly successful offensive producers in recent seasons.
- Writing for MLB.com, Cuban outfield prospect Luis Robert acknowledges that the White Sox “probably were the team that offered more money” than anyone else, which was key in his decision to sign with the team for $26MM last weekend. It also helped the White Sox’s cause that they’ve never shied away from adding Cuban players. That includes first baseman Jose Abreu, who “can be a big help for me, because he is a veteran and has experience in this league,” posits Robert. The 19-year-old believes he’ll need a full year in the minors before he’s ready to contribute at the big league level.
- Third baseman Travis Shaw has been a steal thus far for the Brewers, opines Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. Shaw, whom the Brewers acquired in an offseason trade with Boston, has slashed .296/.341/.538 with 10 home runs and five steals across 214 plate appearances with his new team. The 27-year-old is relishing his time in Milwaukee, telling Kepner: “I miss the guys over there, but coming over here was a blessing for me,” Shaw said. “I get a chance to play every single day. They wanted me, the ballpark fits my strengths a little bit more, and so far everything’s gone very smoothly. I’m glad I’m over here.”
Quick Hits: Greinke, Hazen, D’Backs, Felix, Iwakuma, Royals
The trade that brought Zack Greinke to the Brewers from the Royals in December 2010 is still making an impact on multiple franchises over six years later, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. The players involved in that deal (Greinke and Yuniesky Betancourt for Lorenzo Cain, Alcides Escobar, Jeremy Jeffress and Jake Odorizzi) have since been involved in several other blockbuster trades and transactions, such as the Royals sending Odorizzi to Tampa Bay as part of the package that sent James Shields and Wade Davis to K.C., or the Brewers parting ways with Greinke in 2012 and getting Jean Segura back from the Angels. It’s quite a remarkable list of trades linked to that original deal, with the Royals of course standing out as the big winner thanks to their 2015 World Series title.
Here’s some more from around the baseball world as we head into the new week…
- While some reports have suggested that the Diamondbacks would be open to trading Greinke, A.J. Pollock or Patrick Corbin even if the team is in contention, GM Mike Hazen told Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that such a major trade wouldn’t make sense for a team in the playoff race. “If the opportunity has passed on trading one guy or two guys as opposed to the opportunity to win? To me, I’m going to take that tradeoff. That’s a tradeoff that I think we have to take,” Hazen said. None of the aforementioned three players are free agents this winter, Hazen noted, so the club doesn’t have any specific need to trade any of them immediately. Even after today’s loss to the Brewers, the D’Backs are still 31-21 on the year and they hold a 4.5 game lead on the second NL wild card slot.
- Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma are tentatively scheduled to return to the Mariners rotation in mid-to-late June, MLB.com’s Greg Johns writes, though both pitchers are still in the very early stages of their recovery process. Hernandez (righth shoulder bursitis) and Iwakuma (right shoulder inflammation) each threw their first bullpen sessions today, and still have multiple more bullpens and then minor league rehab outings to undertake before leaving the disabled list.
- Teams interested in the Royals‘ trade chips are being told that K.C. is still trying to contend, ESPN’s Buster Olney writes (subscription required). At 21-28, the Royals have the worst record in the American League but they sit just 4.5 games out of a wild card spot and 6.5 games behind the AL Central-leading Twins. Given the parity within the league and the Royals’ natural resistance to break up their longstanding core until they have to, it could still be some weeks before we know whether the Royals are clear buyers or sellers at the deadline.
- Several contenders have been boosted by players capable of playing multiple positions, and the next step could be players who can provide bench depth both on the field and on the mound, Peter Gammons writes in his latest GammonsDaily.com entry. The Dodgers are toying with the idea of using Brett Eibner as both an outfielder and reliever, and teams could consider grooming their own two-way players if Eibner succeeds in this role.
NL Notes: Pirates, Mets, Cubs, Brewers
In welcome news, the Pirates have announced that right-hander Jameson Taillon will begin a rehab assignment at Double-A on Sunday, which should put him in position to return to the majors by late June. The 25-year-old Taillon underwent surgery for testicular cancer on May 8 and was cleared to resume baseball activities less than two weeks later.
More from the National League:
- Mets ownership has given no indication that manager Terry Collins is in danger of losing his job, but the skipper does have critics within the front office, reports Marc Carig of Newsday. After back-to-back playoff seasons – including a World Series berth in 2015 – injury-plagued New York has gotten off to a 20-26 start this year and Collins’ bullpen management “has left some Mets officials fuming” along the way, writes Carig. However, Collins has the full support of owner Fred Wilpon, according to Carig, and could survive the season. The 68-year-old Collins became the longest-tenured manager in Mets history last week, having taken the reins back in 2011. He’s in the final year of his contract.
- The Cubs have relegated left fielder Kyle Schwarber to a platoon role for the time being, meaning the lefty-swinger won’t face southpaws, manager Joe Maddon told reporters Friday (via Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune). “If he’s not swinging the bat well against righties, it’s a bad assumption he’s going to do well against lefties,” said Maddon, who sat Schwarber against Dodgers lefty Alex Wood on Friday. “I’m just putting him in a deeper hole by throwing him out there just based on really bad logic.” The powerful Schwarber, 24, entered the season with no shortage of hype after missing nearly all of last year with torn knee ligaments, but he has stumbled to a .183/.303/.356 line in 188 plate appearances (.147/.310/.265 in 42 tries versus lefties).
- Brewers first baseman Eric Thames has already been tested for performance-enhancing drugs at least five times this year, but the league isn’t conspiring against the slugger, writes FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. Rather, drug testing has gone up across the majors thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement, which likely explains Thames’ regular tests, posits Rosenthal. Thames was also tested “frequently” as a superstar with the Korea Baseball Organization from 2014-16, but there’s no account of a failed test there or with the Brewers, sources told Rosenthal.
Brewers Place Ryan Braun On 10-Day DL, Activate Junior Guerra
12:42pm: The Brewers have indeed placed Braun on the DL and activated Guerra, per a club announcement.
May 26, 8:30am: Braun will head back to the DL with the same calf issue from which he just returned, the outfielder tells Haudricourt. “I knew, obviously, when I came back I wasn’t at 100% but I was hoping it was good enough,” said Braun. “I was optimistic I’d be able to work through it.”
Haudricourt writes that given the recurrence of the original injury, Braun is likely facing a DL stint that’ll be lengthier than the 10-day minimum. However, there has not yet been any indication of an exact timeline on his recovery. As Haudricourt point out, the Brewers can simply swap out Braun for right-hander Junior Guerra, who is expected to be activated from a calf injury of his own. Of course, that could be a short-term move, as flipping Guerra and Braun would leave manager Craig Counsell a bit short-handed in terms of position players.
[Related: Updated Milwuakee Brewers depth chart]
May 25: The Brewers will place outfielder Ryan Braun on the 10-day DL, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter links). The veteran left tonight’s action with left calf tightness.
Braun, 33, has been his typical self at the plate thus far, carrying a .265/.353/.529 batting line with seven long balls through 116 plate appearances. He has helped the Brewers to a surprisingly solid start, though the team still faces a big challenge to stay in contention all year long.
Clearly, his absence will tell. Though there’s no reason at present to think it’ll be an extended one, there is added concern here given that Braun was only just activated. Milwaukee will surely hope to allow him to recovery fully before bringing him back. Whether the injury could have any bearing on Braun’s potential summer trade candidacy isn’t apparent at this time.
There’s no word yet on a replacement, but it’ll be interesting to see whether Milwaukee gives the nod to top prospect Lewis Brinson. The exciting center fielder has compiled a .308/.396/.483 batting line over his 144 trips to the plate at Triple-A this year. Though he has fallen off a bit of late, it’s notable that Brinson has already managed 16 walks to go with thirty strikeouts — after drawing just 21 free passes (against 87 strikeouts) in 434 plate appearances in 2016.
Central Notes: Zambrano, Brewers, Robert, Gose
Long-time Cubs righty Carlos Zambrano will return to the hill, per Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com (via Twitter). At this point, though, there’s no indication he has his sights set on a return to the majors; rather, the soon-to-be-36-year-old will suit up for Venezuelan Winter League action. Zambrano last pitched in the majors in 2012 and spent time in the minors in 2013 before hanging up his spikes. Before that, he threw 1,826 2/3 innings of 3.60 ERA ball for the Cubs from 2001 through 2012.
Let’s take a look at the latest from the game’s central divisions:
- Brewers GM David Stearns talked about his team’s promising start and what it might (or might not) mean for his deadline planning, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel writes. Stearns is undeniably pleased with the fact that his club sits atop the NL Central standings, and didn’t shy away from the possibility that the wins could continue to come sooner than had been anticipated. But he also suggested that the imperative of sustainable building would largely remain the same. “The plan is to consistently win major league games over a period of years,” he said. “If that process begins a little bit sooner than people expected, that’s great. And we’ll react accordingly. But it doesn’t change our strategy; it doesn’t change our plan.”
- With the White Sox reportedly beating out the Cardinals to sign Cuban prospect Luis Robert, Bernie Miklasz of 101sports.com wonders whether St. Louis should have been more aggressive in its bidding. You’ll need to read through his entire argument to see how you feel, but the gist is the view that the organization ought to have been willing to stake a greater bet on a potential impact talent — particularly given the fact that it had a unique opportunity with many big spenders unable to go after Robert and plenty of available resources given the team’s meager draft assets this summer.
- The Tigers‘ efforts to transition Anthony Gose from outfielder to pitcher became official today, as he was activated at Class A Lakeland to work out of the pen. While he didn’t escape from his first inning of action unscathed, Gose did make quite an impression. Per Lakeland assistant GM Dan Lauer, on Twitter, Gose was clocked at 99 mph with his debut heater.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Mets, Royals, D-backs, Brewers
The Mets have not resumed contract extension talks with second baseman Neil Walker, and it’s doubtful they will before the offseason, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). New York would rather enter the winter with flexibility at various positions than commit to Walker, with whom it discussed a three-year deal in the $40MM range before tabling talks in February. Walker, 31, is on a $17.2MM salary after accepting a qualifying offer last fall, and has returned from a season-ending back injury in 2016 to post a decent .255/.327/.423 line in 168 plate appearances this year.
More from Rosenthal:
- Center fielder Lorenzo Cain might end up as the Royals’ most valuable trade asset in the coming months, posits Rosenthal, who relays that the team isn’t convinced first baseman Eric Hosmer would bring back a “sufficient return.” Hosmer’s hitting a solid .299/.362/.408 in 174 PAs, but that’s not great production relative to his position, and first base typically isn’t an in-demand area around the deadline, notes Rosenthal. The same goes for third base, which could make it difficult for the Royals to move Mike Moustakas – another of their high-profile impending free agents – for a sizable return. Meanwhile, pitchers Jason Vargas, Kelvin Herrera and Mike Minor are also names to watch as the Royals potentially prepare to sell.
- With a 25-18 record and a plus-43 run differential, the Diamondbacks don’t look like sellers in the making, admits Rosenthal. Nevertheless, the D-backs are going to have to replenish their barren farm system at some point, says Rosenthal, who reports they’re likely to entertain offers for center fielder A.J. Pollock and left-hander Patrick Corbin prior to the trade deadline and/or in the offseason. Both players are only signed for another year, putting their futures in question.
- As is the case with Arizona, Milwaukee has easily outperformed expectations thus far. The Brewers entered Saturday having posted the same record as Arizona (25-18, with a plus-34 run differential), and their success is a “potential nightmare” for general manager David Stearns, one executive told Rosenthal. It’s doubtful Stearns believes the franchise’s rebuild is complete, yet owner Mark Attanasio might push to add, not subtract, if Milwaukee hangs around the playoff race in the coming months, per Rosenthal. To their credit, the first-place Brewers currently rank among the majors’ top 10 teams in runs scored (second), wRC+ (eighth) and pitching fWAR (eighth).
Pirates Claim Jhan Marinez
The Pirates have claimed righty Jhan Marinez off waivers from the Brewers, per a club announcement (h/t MLB.com’s Adam Berry, on Twitter). He had been designated for assignment earlier in the week.
Marinez, an out-of-options reliever, has scuffled early in 2017, leading to his loss of a roster spot in Milwaukee. Over 16 2/3 frames, he owns a 5.40 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 11 walks.
That said, there are obviously some things to like about the 28-year-old. He was much better last year, with a 3.18 ERA over his 62 1/3 innings. And Marinez is also currently trending northward in both average fastball velocity (sitting over 95.4 with the four-seamer and 94.5 with the two-seamer) and groundball induction (57.4%).