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Marlins Notes: Trade Targets, Volquez, Sale Progress

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Here’s the latest out of Miami:

  • With the team set to be sold at some point in the near future, the Marlins appear to be lining up for some significant moves at the deadline. As Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports, the Fish appear to be targeting a few organizations in particular as they look to shop their biggest contracts. Marlins scouts are taking a hard look at the systems of the Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers, Rockies, and Cubs, per the report. Whether that’s based upon demand coming from those organizations or instead Miami’s own interest in certain prospects isn’t entirely clear; obviously, plenty of other teams will likely end up engaging with the Marlins in what is shaping up to be an interesting deadline period.
  • Miami is not concerned about righty Edinson Volquez, Spencer also notes. Though he experienced left-knee discomfort in his most recent start, skipper Don Mattingly suggested the veteran will be ready to go after the All-Star break. He could well be one of the players dangled in trade talks over the next few weeks.
  • The less-than-straightforward Marlins sale process remains in flux as the organization prepares to host the All-Star Game. Bidding groups led by Tagg Romney, on the one hand, and Derek Jeter, on the other, have each run into issues, according to a report from Claire Atinson, Ken Davidoff, and Josh Kosman of the New York Post. In fact, the Romney group may even have pulled out of the process altogether, per the report. Jeter’s group, meanwhile, no longer has the backing of one key investor. That could place a third bidder, Jorge Mas, in position to make a deal. But it’s also possible that Jeter could try to “convince MLB to push back a decision date … possibly to the end of the season in October,” sources tell the Post.
  • Mas has attempted to get the Marlins to agree to an exclusive negotiating window, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, but that has yet to occur. Still, the report suggests, the process could be only weeks away from completion. While Mas is said to be in the driver’s seat, Heyman hears that the Romney-led group may still be involved.

Brewers Sign First-Rounder Tristen Lutz

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The Brewers have signed supplemental first-rounder Tristen Lutz, reports Jim Callis of MLB.com (Twitter link). Lutz, a high school outfielder and the 34th overall selection, landed an over-slot deal worth $2,532MM (up from the $1,983,600 value of the pick).

MLB.com (No. 34), Baseball America (No. 35) and ESPN’s Keith Law (No. 39) gave Lutz similar rankings entering the draft, though the 18-year-old lagged behind on FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen’s big board (No. 61). The right-handed Lutz’s bat is “easy” to believe in, according to BA, which notes that the 6-foot-3, 220-pounder already possesses a “pro-ready body.” The other outlets also offer promising assessments regarding the former University of Texas commitment’s offensive game, and the general belief is that he’ll end up in right field if he cracks the majors.

With Lutz officially in the fold, the Brewers have now locked up their first several picks of 2017, as MLB.com’s draft tracker shows. While the Brewers went above slot to sign Lutz, they previously saved over $500K in inking their top choice, No. 9 overall selection Keston Hiura, to a deal worth less than the value of his pick.

Brewers Select Contract Of Michael Blazek

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  • The Brewers announced that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Michael Blazek from Triple-A Colorado Springs. The 28-year-old was outrighted off the 40-man roster earlier this year but remained in the organization and has posted a solid 3.13 ERA in that extremely hitter-friendly setting. While all of Blazek’s 104 career appearances in the Majors have been in relief, he’s been working as a starter for his past 10 trips to the hill in Triple-A. MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy suggests (via Twitter) that Blazek could very well pitch today in relief of left-hander Brent Suter. Piggybacking the two would certainly make some sense, as Suter may not be fully stretched out with his most recent start coming back on June 13. Milwaukee already had an open spot on the 40-man, so there’s no corresponding 40-man move needed to accommodate Blazek.

NL International Signings: 7/2/17

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Here are some notable National League international signings not yet covered elsewhere on MLB Trade Rumors.  All signing information can be found in these invaluable compilations of the initial flurry of July 2 action from Baseball America’s Ben Badler and MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez; the information here is from those sources unless otherwise credited…

  • The Mets agreed to deals with Dominican shortstops Ronny Mauricio and Adrian Hernandez.  Mauricio will get a $2.1MM bonus while Hernandez receives $1.5MM.
  • The Phillies reached agreement with Dominican shortstop Luis Garcia on a deal with a $2.5MM bonus.
  • The Marlins have agree to sign Ynmanol Marinez, a shortstop from the Dominican Republic.  The exact figures on Marinez’s bonus aren’t known, though the 16-year-old will get in the neighborhood of $1.3MM-$1.5MM.
  • The Brewers agreed to sign Dominican outfielder Larry Ernesto for a bonus in the range of $1.7MM-$1.8MM (BA had the lower figure, MLB.com the higher).  Milwaukee has also reached a deal with Venezuelan outfielder Carlos Rodriguez for a $1.355MM bonus.
  • The Cubs agreed to sign Mexican shortstop Luis Verdugo for a $1MM bonus.
  • The Diamondbacks have an agreement with outfielder Kristian Robinson.  The 16-year-old native of Nassau, Bahamas will receive $2.5MM from Arizona.

Brewers’ Chase Anderson Likely To Miss 4-6 Weeks

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SATURDAY: After meeting with team doctors and getting an MRI, Anderson expects to miss four to six weeks, per McCalvy (on Twitter).

WEDNESDAY: The Brewers will put right-hander Chase Anderson on the 10-day disabled list, tweets MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. Milwaukee announced tonight that Anderson exited his start with a strained left oblique muscle that he suffered on a swing at the plate. McCalvy adds that Anderson is facing a “long absence” and notes that the righty said he felt as if he’d been stabbed in the side upon taking the swing that caused the injury.

Oblique strains often lead to an absence in the four to six week range, though there’s no word yet on the severity of the strain. While Grade 1 strains often come with that roughly month-long timetable, Cole Hamels missed upwards of eight weeks with an oblique issue this year. Tyler Skaggs was diagnosed with a Grade 2 oblique strain back on May 1 and was given a projected recovery time of 10 to 12 weeks.

[Related: Milwaukee Brewers depth chart]

An absence of even a month for Anderson is a terrible loss for the Brewers. The 29-year-old is in the midst of a breakout season, as he’s worked to an outstanding 2.89 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 38.1 percent ground-ball rate in 90 1/3 innings this year. Acquired from the Diamondbacks alongside prospect Isan Diaz (and some of Aaron Hill’s remaining contract) in the trade that sent Jean Segura to Arizona, Anderson avoided arbitration as a Super Two player this offseason and is earning $2.45MM in 2017. He’s controllable for another three years via arbitration.

With Anderson on the shelf, the Brewers will need to fill a spot in what’s been a surprisingly solid rotation. Right-handers Jimmy Nelson, Zach Davies, Matt Garza and Junior Guerra will remain in the starting rotation, but alternatives options Wily Peralta and Brandon Woodruff are both presently on the disabled list. Speculatively speaking, the club could try stretching lefty Josh Hader back out into a starting role, though it seems likelier that he remains in the ’pen, with Milwaukee turning to Paolo Espino, Taylor Jungmann or another depth option from the minors.

Attanasio On Brewers' Deadline Plans

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  • Brewers owner Mark Attanasio also commented on his team’s state of affairs, and Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel has the story. While Milwaukee has surprisingly managed to stay out in front in the NL Central, Attanasio says he has expressed to GM David Stearns and skipper Craig Counsell that “there would be no pressure from me to divert from the plan.” (That, of course, is a reference to the organization’s long-term vision to build a sustainable winner.) Attanasio suggested that Stearns’s sober decisionmaking process has bought him significant operation leeway, though surely that same fact will lead to a calculated approach to the deadline. Still, the owner acknowledged that he’s excited to see his team in first: “I’ll admit my expectations are higher. How could they not be?”

Angels Acquire Nick Franklin

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The Angels have acquired infielder/outfielder Nick Franklin from the Brewers, per a team announcement. He had been designated for assignment; the deal sends cash or a player to be named later to Milwaukee.

The Halos’ plans for the versatile Franklin aren’t immediately clear, though he will be heading to the active roster as he is out of options. That will most likely be easier to assess when the club makes a corresponding move to open a roster spot, which hasn’t yet occurred.

Franklin, who’s still just 26, hasn’t hit much this year, with a .195/.258/.317 slash in his 89 plate appearances for Milwaukee. But he hit much better (.270/.328/.443) in reserve duty last year and was long regarded as a quality prospect before he reached the majors.

 

Brewers Outright Tyler Cravy, Select Rob Scahill

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The Brewers have outrighted right-hander Tyler Cravy, per a club announcement. Milwaukee selected the contract of righty Rob Scahill while optioning righty Jorge Lopez — after just one outing — to open an active roster spot.

A need for fresh arms in the pen drove the decision. Obviously, Cravy himself represented an option, but evidently Milwaukee wasn’t swayed by his work this year at Triple-A.

Cravy, who’ll soon turn 28, worked to a 2.86 ERA over 28 1/3 MLB innings last year, with 7.0 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9. He also sported an intriguing 11.3% swinging-strike rate. But he had struggled during his time at Colorado Springs, and that continued in 2017. Over 26 2/3 frames thus far at the highest level of the minors, Cravy owns a 5.06 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9.

Instead, the club will go with Scahill, who has himself been removed from the 40-man roster once already this year. The 30-year-old, a six-year MLB veteran, managed only five strikeouts (while issuing nine walks, three of which were intentional) in his 17 2/3 MLB innings prior to that move. Scahill has gone on to post much better numbers at Tripe-A, with a 2.45 ERA and 6.9 K/9 against 1.5 BB/9 in his 16 appearances.

Chase Anderson Exits With Oblique Strain

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  • Right-hander Chase Anderson exited tonight’s game with what the Brewers have announced as a strained left oblique muscle. There’s no word on how long he’ll miss and won’t be until after the game, but oblique injuries more often than not mean a month or so on the disabled list for a Grade 1 strain and even longer for more severe strains. That’s a brutal loss for the Brewers, who have enjoyed a breakout year from the 29-year-old Anderson thus far. Through 90 1/3 innings, Anderson has a 2.89 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 38.1 percent ground-ball rate. There are occasionally oblique injuries that don’t require such a lengthy absence, though history isn’t on Milwaukee’s side there.

Knocking Down The Door: Burnes, Granite, Mahle, Moya, Smith

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“Knocking Down the Door” is a weekly feature that identifies minor leaguers who are making a case for a big league promotion.

Corbin Burnes, SP, Milwaukee Brewers (Double-A Biloxi)

The Brewers’ starting rotation has been much better than expected and, arguably, the biggest reason why they’re sitting atop the NL Central with a 41-37 record. But while their five starters are healthy and performing well at the moment, the team’s rotation depth has taken a hit as of late. Top prospect Josh Hader was moved to a relief role in order to balance out a right-handed heavy bullpen, and Brandon Woodruff landed on the disabled list when he suffered a strained hamstring just before his MLB debut. All of a sudden, Burnes is not only rocketing up the prospect lists with his impressive performance in 2017, he could actually help a playoff-contending Brewers team at some point.

A fourth-round pick in last year’s draft, Burnes posted a 1.05 ERA in 10 High-A starts before a June promotion to Double-A. The 22-year-old right-hander hasn’t slowed down one bit, allowing two earned runs and 10 hits over 23 2/3innings in his four Southern League starts. He threw close to 140 innings in 2016 between the NCAA and the Minor Leagues, so it’s realistic that he can exceed 150 innings this year—he’s currently at 83 2/3—and that some of those innings might actually be thrown at the Major League level.

Brewers Depth Chart

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Zack Granite, OF, Minnesota Twins (Triple-A Rochester)

The Twins’ patience with Byron Buxton paid off as he was productive over a 146 plate appearance stretch (.746 OPS from April 21-June 14) after a slow start. But he’s gone ice cold again—he’s 5 for his last 38 with no extra bases and 13 strikeouts—while the Twins have been one of the worst offenses in baseball this month. If they’re looking for a spark, and a player who can at least spell Buxton occasionally in center field, it’s becoming clear that Granite could be a solution.

After his third consecutive two-hit game on Monday, the 24-year-old has a Triple-A slash line of .365/.419/513 in 48 games. His 17 walk-to-22 strikeout ratio might be his most enticing stat considering that Buxton and left fielder Eddie Rosario have combined for 34 walks and 127 strikeouts.

Twins Depth Chart

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Tyler Mahle, SP, Cincinnati Reds (Triple-A Louisville)

Mahle is the first player to earn “Knocking Down The Door” honors for a second time in 2017, although he was dominating at the Double-A level when I pegged him as a potential call-up in early May. This time around, he’s coming off of an impressive Triple-A debut in which he pitched four-hit ball over six innings with no earned runs allowed and nine strikeouts.

A struggling Reds’ rotation was hoping for a shot in the arm with Homer Bailey and Brandon Finnegan both back from the disabled list. But Bailey’s 2017 debut was disastrous (1 2/3 IP, 8 ER) and Finnegan is headed back to the DL with a shoulder injury. The Reds have already used an NL-leading 12 starting pitchers and are certain to dip into their farm for reinforcements again at some point. Will the 22-year-old Mahle be the 13th?

Reds Depth Chart

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Gabriel Moya, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks (Double-A Jackson)

Fernando Rodney and Archie Bradley have been the keys to solidifying what appeared to be a very suspect Diamondbacks bullpen heading into the season. But, will it hold up down the stretch as they try to lock down their first playoff berth since 2011? It would be a surprise if general manager Mike Hazen didn’t acquire some late-inning help prior to July 31st, but they could also take a look at some potential in-house options prior to the deadline. Moya, a 22-year-old who has been close to unhittable as the Double-A closer, should be considered.

The left-hander out of Venezuela has allowed a run in only two of his 26 appearances while holding opponents to a .139 batting average and walking only 12 hitters with 52 strikeouts in 34 1/3 innings. Right-handed hitters have a .107 batting average against him, which is at least an indication that he could be more than a situational reliever.

Diamondbacks Depth Chart

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Caleb Smith, SP, New York Yankees (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre)

With Chance Adams still waiting for a much-deserved and much-anticipated MLB call-up, Smith’s work in Triple-A has gone relatively unnoticed. The 25-year-old lefty has made 14 starts in 2017 and has allowed two earned runs or less twelve times, including back-to-back gems (13 IP, 0 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 13 K) to lower his ERA to 2.84 with impressive peripherals across the board (6.5 H/9, 2.3 BB/9, 8.5 K/9).

Yankees Depth Chart

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