Tyler Clippard Announces Retirement
Veteran right-hander Tyler Clippard took to Instagram yesterday to announce his retirement from professional baseball. A sixteen-year big league veteran, Clippard last played for the Nationals during the 2022 season, making four appearances at the big league level while primarily pitching at the Triple-A level.
“The time has come to announce my retirement from baseball,” Clippard wrote, “Thank you to my parents, my wife, my friends, my teammates, my agent, my coaches and trainers, and everyone else who has supported me along the way!”
Clippard’s professional career began when he was selected in the ninth round of the 2003 draft by the Yankees. He eventually made his big league debut at the age of 22, starting six games for New York in 2007. The audition did not go well, as Clippard posted a 6.33 ERA and 6.68 FIP in 27 innings of work. He was traded to the Nationals that offseason and made just two appearances in the majors in 2008, allowing five runs on 12 hits and 7 walks in 10 1/3 innings of work across his pair of starts.
Clippard move to the bullpen ahead of the 2009 season, and the then 24-year-old righty quickly proved that relief work suited him. Clippard posted a sterling 2.69 ERA while striking out 27.3% of batters faced in 60 1/3 innings of work across 41 appearances. The 2009 season proved to be the start of the most successful stretch of Clippard’s career, as he would dominate toward the back of the bullpen in Washington for years to come.
Over the next five seasons, Clippard posted a 2.63 ERA, 48% better than league average by measure of ERA+, with a 3.24 FIP in 393 1/3 innings of work. Clippard struck out 29% of batters faced while walking 9.1%. He racked up 34 saves across those seasons, primarily coming from the 2012 season when he acted as the club’s closer. The stretch also included both of Clippad’s career All Star appearances. His first All Star nod came in 2011, when the righty posted a phenomenal 1.83 ERA across 88 1/3 innings, good for a whopping 209 ERA+. Clippard struck out 31.6% of batters faced that season while walking just 7.9%, resulting in a career-best 23.7 K-BB%. His 2014 season was nearly as strong, as the then-29-year-old righty posted a 2.18 ERA and 2.75 FIP in 70 1/3 innings of work en route to his second All Star game.
The 2015-17 seasons proved to be tumultuous ones for Clippard, as he suited up for six different teams across the three campaigns. After being traded from the Nationals to Oakland shortly after New Year’s in 2015, Clippard was shipped to the Mets at the trade deadline and signed a two-year deal with the Diamondbacks that offseason before finally returning to his original team in New York via trade at the 2016 deadline. His stay in New York lasted until shortly after the 2017 All Star break, when he was shipped to the White Sox. Chicago flipped Clippard to the Astros just one month later. While Clippard did not appear on the club’s postseason roster, he nonetheless received a World Series ring in 2017 as a member of the Astros’ championship club.
Despite the constant upheaval Clippard faced over those three seasons, his results remained above average: in 205 appearances across the 2015-17 campaigns, Clippard posted a 3.70 ERA (114 ERA+) with a 4.34 FIP and a 25.2% strikeout rate, though his walk rate jumped to 10.6% over that time. Now 33 years old and a veteran of eleven big league seasons, Clippard provided quality innings of relief to Toronto, Cleveland, Minnesota, and Arizona over the next four seasons (3.21 ERA and 3.96 FIP in 182 innings of work) before returning to the Nationals to close out his career.
In all, Clippard’s big league career concludes with a career 3.16 ERA in 807 appearances. The two-time All Star finished 212 games in his career with 74 saves and struck out 956 batters in 872 1/3 innings of work. We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Clippard on his baseball career and wish him all the best as he moves on to his post-playing career.
Jeff McNeil Diagnosed With Partially Torn UCL; Surgery Not Expected
Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left elbow sprain earlier today, with infielder Danny Mendick replacing the 31-year-old on the active roster. McNeil subsequently revealed to reporters (including Tim Healey of Newsday) that the injury is actually a partially torn UCL. While UCL damage is always an ominous sign, both McNeil and manager Buck Showalter downplayed the seriousness of the issue. Per McNeil, the plan is for the veteran infielder to receive a platelet-rich plasma injection into his elbow to help address the tear. Surgery is not currently being considered, and Showalter told reporters today that he expects McNeil will be good to go for Spring Training next season.
With just four games remaining in the 2023 regular season and the Mets not in the postseason picture, McNeil’s placement on the IL brought an end to his 2023 campaign even before the severity of the issue came to light. As was the case for many Mets players this year, the 2023 campaign was a down year for McNeil. On the heels of a resurgent 2022 season where he lead the majors with a .326 batting average and posted a 141 wRC+ in 589 trips to the plate, McNeil slashed a relatively lackluster .270/.333/.378, exactly league average by measure of wRC+.
That league average slash line belies McNeil’s overall value as a versatile, everyday left-handed bat capable of playing all over the diamond, and McNeil figures to be an asset to the Mets next season even if his offense doesn’t rebound to its previous levels. Of course, the club was surely hoping for above average offensive production when they inked McNeil to a four-year, $50MM extension this past offseason. At least three years and $43.75MM remain on the contract, which bought out two of McNeil’s free agent years and added a $15.75MM club option for a third.
Looking ahead to 2024, McNeil should once again figure prominently in the Mets’ plans if he is able to return in time for Spring Training as expected. The club could offer extended looks to youngsters like Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, and Mark Vientos around the infield next year, given the club’s expectation of taking a step back in 2024 and primarily focusing on competing in 2025 and beyond. That being said, McNeil’s versatility should allow him to garner everyday at-bats between second base, third base, and the outfield corners even if the focus winds up being on developing young players next season.
As for Mendick, the 29-year-old utility player has received just 66 plate appearances in the big leagues this year, slashing a brutal .190/.227/.286 during that limited playing time. That being said, Mendick is just one year removed from a much stronger season with the White Sox during which he posted a solid .289/.343/.443 slash line across 106 trips to the plate. He figures to provide multi-positional depth off the bench for New York in the final games of the 2023 campaign.
Mets Shut Starling Marte Down For The Season
Starling Marte has officially been shut down for the season, Mets manager Buck Showalter announced to reporters (including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). The outfielder has been on the injured list with a groin strain since early August.
Up until this point, Marte was holding out hope he could return before the end of the year. However, he also knew it was a possibility he’d need groin surgery in the offseason. He had groin surgery last winter, too, and given his poor performance this season, it seems like he never fully recovered.
It’s understandable why Marte would want to get back in the lineup for one last chance to turn around his disappointing season, but it’s hard to argue with the team’s decision to shut him down. With the Triple-A season complete, he would have had to return without a rehab assignment, and considering the Mets’ 71-85 record, there was never going to be a good reason to rush him back and risk his long-term health. The 34-year-old is under contract for two more seasons, and it is in everyone’s best interest to make sure he’s fully healthy before he gets back on the field.
From 2021-22, Marte was one of the better hitting outfielders in the game. In just over 1,000 plate appearances, he posted an .828 OPS with 28 home runs and 65 stolen bases. Unfortunately, he looked like a shell of his former self in 2023, posting career-worst numbers across the board. His .625 OPS was the lowest of his career by nearly 100 points. Perhaps with an offseason of rest and recovery (and potentially surgery), Marte will be able to rediscover his All-Star form in 2024.
Big Hype Prospects: Caminero, Langford, Holliday, Carter, Marte
As the clock runs out on the 2023 season, we take a look at the Big Hype Prospects who have advanced their hype-levels to all new… levels.
Five Big Hype Prospects
Junior Caminero, 20, SS/3B, TBR (MLB)
(AA) 351 PA, 20 HR, 3 SB, .309/373/.548
The will they/won’t they dance with Caminero finally resolved. Despite foregoing a promotion to Triple-A, the Rays saw fit to inject an offensive weapon into their postseason repertoire. Part of me wonders how much gamesmanship went into leaving Caminero at Double-A, as if the Rays could convince their playoff rivals he wouldn’t be promoted, maybe they would scout him less? A player of his age and profile undoubtedly has exploitable weaknesses, so the deeper the Rays can get into the postseason before those weaknesses are discovered, the better. Caminero batted fifth in his first two MLB games, going 2-for-9 with a walk and producing impressive exit velocities on six batted balls. While small sample caveats apply, the beauty of exit velocity is instant gratification. A 112-mph EV immediately validates a hitter as possessing impressive pop. All the other stats, well, they need more time to mature into larger samples.
Wyatt Langford, 21, OF, TEX (AAA)
(4 levels) 200 PA, 10 HR, 12 SB, .360/.480/.677
With Caminero up, Langford is the next future superstar on the cusp of promotion. We discussed him last week prior to his promotion to Triple-A. Since then, he’s batted .368/.538/.526 in 26 plate appearances with MLB-level exit velocities. Round Rock has a three-game series remaining for the PCL Championship, and I suspect we’ll see Langford join the Rangers upon the conclusion of the series. Where he fits on the roster is less certain. Leody Taveras is a quality defender with a league-average bat, and Evan Carter has performed well in limited action. Langford likely represents a net upgrade on both outfielders, but it can be tough to justify changing something that’s working well. Now might be the wrong moment to mess with team chemistry.
Jackson Holliday, 19, SS, BAL (AAA)
(4 levels) 581 PA, 12 HR, 24 SB, .323/.442/.499
Like Langford, the Norfolk Tides have a championship series over the next three days. If Holliday is summoned to the Majors, it will likely follow these games. He’s had a longer stint in Triple-A, and after a slow start, he’s up to .267/.396/.400 in 91 plate appearances. His average quality of contact is better than a typical Major Leaguer, but his top-end EVs are poor. That’s no cause for concern. Holliday is a teenager. If anything, it might indicate that the Orioles are best served to play it slow rather than forcing an awkward situation with a last-minute promotion. Holliday might represent a modest upgrade over Adam Frazier and Jordan Westburg at second base. He certainly improves upon seldom-used benchman Ryan McKenna. Whether that’s sufficient cause for a promotion is a tough question to answer.
Evan Carter, 21, OF, TEX (MLB)
(CPX/AA/AAA) 513 PA, 12 HR, 25 SB, .288/.413/.450
Though he is deservedly a Top 10 prospect, Carter profiles differently than most of the top names. He’s one of the surest things in the minors. True stardom might be out of his grasp, especially in this rich era of uber-prospects. Then again, no era of baseball has offered players such tangible opportunity to transform their game. The high-floor, low-ceiling expectation is reinforced by a profile, build, and approach that screams “Brandon Nimmo clone.” Nimmo, of course, recently signed a nine-figure deal entering his age-30 season, hence everyone’s comfort ranking Carter highly. Still, nobody expects Nimmo to carry the Mets. He’s a rich man’s complementary piece. Carter seems destined for a similar role.
Carter is off to a hot start in the Majors. Improbably, he’s hit four home runs in 54 plate appearances as part of a .318/.426/.705 batting line. The dingers, in addition to a .400 BABIP, have served to carry his offensive line beyond even the wildest expectations. Look under the hood, and you’ll see Carter produces only modest quality of contact. He has a knack for barreling the ball, but those barrels aren’t impactful. Like Holliday, this is more of a “now” problem than a future concern. He’ll develop more pop as he ages.
Noelvi Marte, 21, 3B/SS, CIN (MLB)
(AA/AAA) 399 PA, 11 HR, 18 SB, .279/.358/.454
There are no questions about Marte’s exit velocities. They’re among the best in the game. Alas, a ball smashed into the ground is still a ground ball. He’s running a predictably high BABIP as the result of his worm murdering. He’s not producing any power numbers despite hitting the ball powerfully. We have every reason to anticipate growth from Marte in the coming years. What we’re seeing now is a fantastic platform for a quality Major Leaguer. At present, he’s roughly a replacement-level performer. He’s batting .293/.350/.380 (96 wRC+) in 100 plate appearances. If he can learn to generate any lift whatsoever, he’ll quickly morph into a dangerous hitter.
Three More
Orion Kerkering, PHI (22): Arguably the top pure relief prospect in the minors (excluding those being developed as starters), Kerkering features triple-digit gas. He lives off a filth-monster slider. After starting the season in Low-A, the right-hander made his big league debut on Sunday. He seems destined for high-leverage postseason innings.
Christian Encarnacion-Strand, CIN (23): Since he has expended his rookie eligibility, this will be Encarnacion-Strand’s last appearance in this column. After an unimpressive August, CES has caught fire in September. Over the last 20 days, he’s batting .378/.429/.778 with six home runs in 49 plate appearances. Volatility will likely always be a part of his game.
Pete Crow-Armstrong, CHC (21): Crow-Armstrong drew a trio of starts shortly after his promotion. He looked overmatched and has since been reduced to a pinch runner/defensive replacement role. I fully expect PCA to fill this same role in the postseason – assuming the Cubs hang onto a Wild Card slot.
Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.
Quick Hits: Moore, Astros, Senga, Royals
The Astros had some interest in Matt Moore when the southpaw was a free agent last winter, and it looks like that interest extended into Moore’s recent visits to the waiver wire. According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, the Astros put claims on Moore when he was put on waivers by both the Angels and Guardians, only to be beaten to the punch both times by Cleveland and then Miami, Moore’s current team. A claiming team was only responsible for the relatively small amount of salary remaining from the one-year, $7.55MM deal Moore signed with the Halos last winter, so it’s safe to assume that most contending teams put in claims on the lefty’s services, so the Astros were maybe a longshot to have Moore fall to them in the waiver order. Houston had has one of the better records in baseball for most of the season, thus putting them behind all the clubs with lesser records (like the Guardians and Marlins) in terms of claims.
It stands to reason that Houston might also look into finally landing Moore when he returns to the free agent market this offseason. In the near-term, however, it is fair to wonder if adding Moore might have helped the Astros avoid their suddenly late-season slump. Houston has lost nine of its last 12 games, dropping the club from first place in the AL West to fighting just to make the playoffs altogether.
Some more items from around baseball as head into the last week of the regular season…
- Kodai Senga has been a major bright spot within a disappointing Mets season, as the right-hander has delivered a 2.96 ERA over 161 1/3 innings in his first year of Major League action. Now that Senga is better adapted to North American baseball, the question is whether or not he might be deployed somewhat differently in 2024, as this season saw the Mets often give Senga extra rest between starts as a way of easing him in from Japanese baseball’s routine of starting pitchers once per week. “It’s a very fluid situation. It’s not just, ‘We want you to go on four days’ rest or not.’ There is a lot of thought that goes into that decision on the team’s end too,” Senga told the New York Post’s Mike Puma, via interpreter. “So I think they will prioritize my health as they did this year. We’ll do my measurements between starts as we did this year, and if everything looks good sometimes it will happen, sometimes it won’t.” Mets pitching coach Jeremy Hefner also noted that Senga’s usage could also be determined by what other pitchers join the rotation next year, as New York is thin in proven starting pitching depth.
- The Royals announced some front office changes earlier this week, with some in-house promotions and an intriguing new hire of Brian Bridges as the club’s new scouting director. Bridges has worked as a national crosschecker with the Giants for the last few seasons, and previously worked with the Braves from 2006-18 as first a scout, and then the scouting director for the last four years of his Atlanta tenure. Speaking with MLB.com’s Anne Rogers, Royals GM J.J. Picollo said Bridges “is widely regarded as one of the best evaluators in the game. His handprints are kind of all over the Braves right now, with players that are still there and players they moved to acquire other pieces to help them win.” Homegrown talent has been a key plank of the Braves’ success in recent years, whereas the Royals are seemingly taking a new approach to their development process, as their post-2016 rebuild has yet to deliver much in the way of quality at the MLB level.
NL East Notes: Arraez, Waldrep, Kay
The Marlins recorded an important win over the Brewers today, allowing Miami to keep pace in the tight NL wild card race. The Fish won despite Luis Arraez‘s absence, as the second baseman didn’t play after making a late exit from Saturday’s game due to a twisted ankle. Arraez had already missed a pair of games this week due to that sore ankle, and exacerbated the problem in somewhat fluky fashion on Saturday. As he told MLB.com and other reporters, Arraez slipped while walking down the dugout steps at the conclusion of the eighth inning, in part because the ballpark had suddenly dimmed the lights for the entrance of closer Tanner Scott.
“It’s frustrating because I need to play….The good thing is I’ve got the day off tomorrow, and then let’s see how I feel the next day,” Arraez said, in reference to Miami’s off-day Monday.
After that break, the Marlins will play their final six games of the regular season — three games against the Mets and three against the Pirates, all on the road. Today’s result notwithstanding, it is hard to imagine the Marlins can push into the playoffs without the Major League batting average leader in the lineup, so Miami fans can only hope that Arraez’s ankle is okay after some rest.
More from the NL East…
- Right-hander Hurston Waldrep‘s season is over, as the Braves prospect won’t pitch again in 2023 after tossing 4 1/3 scoreless innings in his first Triple-A start yesterday. The 24th overall pick of the 2023 draft, Waldrep had pitched so well in his first professional season that there had been some speculation that the Braves could turn to the 21-year-old as a secret weapon out of the bullpen for the end of the regular season and into the playoffs. However, Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that the Braves didn’t want to rush things with the young hurler, and the Triple-A debut came about because the organization wanted Waldrep to get one more outing since the Double-A season is already over. Baseball America and MLB Pipeline each rate Waldrep as the #2 prospect in Atlanta’s farm system, and the righty has delivered a 1.53 ERA and a 33.3% strikeout rate over 29 1/3 total innings, split between A-ball, high-A, Double-A, and Triple-A.
- Prior to tonight’s game with the Phillies, the Mets called up Anthony Kay from Triple-A while optioning right-hander Peyton Battenfield to Triple-A in the corresponding move. It marks Kay’s first stint on New York’s active roster since the lefty was claimed off waivers from the Cubs in mid-September, and he has a 6.35 ERA over 11 1/3 MLB innings with Chicago this season. Selected 31rd overall by the Mets in the 2016 draft, Kay was a notable prospect in the Amazins’ farm system before being dealt to the Blue Jays as part of the Marcus Stroman swap at the 2019 trade deadline. Kay has a 5.60 ERA in 82 innings with Toronto and Chicago at the big league level, and there’s at least a full-circle moment in his career as he finally looks set to make his debut in a Mets uniform.
MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Front Office Changes in Boston and New York, and the New Rays’ Stadium Agreement
The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.
This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Mark Polishuk of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:
- MLBTR continues Previewing The Free Agent Class (1:30)
- The Mets hire David Stearns and the Red Sox fire Chaim Bloom (5:35)
- The Rays announced a new stadium agreement, which could pave the way for league expansion (14:00)
Plus, we answer your questions, including:
- Why would the Nationals prevent Stephen Strasburg from retiring? (21:25)
- Will the prospect promotion incentives affect the trajectory of Jackson Holliday or Jackson Chourio? (25:40)
- Should the Padres trade Juan Soto or hold for one more year? (29:10)
Check out our past episodes!
- Free Agent Class Preview: Catcher and First Base, Germán Márquez Extension and the Dodgers’ Rotation – listen here
- Waiver Claim Fallout, September Call-Ups and the Biggest Strength of Each Playoff Contender – listen here
- MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Shohei Ohtani’s Torn UCL, Free Agent Power Rankings and Stephen Strasburg to Retire – listen here
Edwin Diaz Will Not Return In 2023
Mets closer Edwin Díaz will not return to a major league mound in 2023, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. The two-time All-Star has not suffered a setback, and he will continue to throw bullpen sessions, but the team does not want to jeopardize his health by rushing him back for the tail end of what has become a lost season. When Díaz tore his patellar tendon during the World Baseball Classic, the Mets were preseason favorites for an NL postseason berth. Six months later, they find themselves two losses away from a losing campaign.
Díaz always hoped to come back during the regular season – an ambitious goal, but one within the realm of possibility. He deserves credit for how effectively he has worked toward that objective. As pitching coach Jeremy Hefner told DiComo, the flamethrowing righty has progressed to a point where he could, theoretically, be back in the majors before the end of the year. Indeed, if the Mets were in a more competitive position, he might have already made his return.
However, Hefner expressed concern about the star closer re-aggravating his leg injury while running to make a defensive play or avoiding a comebacker to the mound. Thus, Díaz will have to wait until next March to pitch another game at Citi Field.
New York may not be playing for much this September, but it still comes as disheartening news that Díaz won’t rejoin the ‘pen. Mets relievers rank 13th in the National League with a 4.53 ERA and last with -0.1 FanGraphs WAR. They have had particular trouble since the trade deadline, pitching to a 5.68 ERA and -0.4 fWAR.
In addition to Díaz, Sean Reid-Foley and John Curtiss are on the injured list, while David Robertson was dealt to Miami at the deadline. Meanwhile, four of the eight relievers on the Mets’ active roster have an ERA over five. This bullpen could certainly use Díaz and his electric arm – for a morale boost, if nothing else – but admittedly, that’s hardly a reason to risk his health. He is on track to return at full strength in 2024.
Mets Giving Ronny Mauricio A Look At Third Base
Ronny Mauricio played third base in a major league game for the first time last night, as the Mets took on the Reds at Citi Field.
The Mets no. 4 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, has played just nine games at the hot corner in his professional career, two at Triple-A earlier this year and nine in the Dominican Winter League this past offseason. Prior to that, he had played nothing but shortstop since his professional debut in 2018. However, the Mets have Francisco Lindor firmly entrenched at short for the foreseeable future. If Mauricio is going to earn a more significant role in New York next season, he’ll need to learn a new position.
Mauricio played second base in his first ten games following his promotion on September 1. He has more minor league experience at second than third, having played 56 games at the keystone for Triple-A Syracuse this season. However, third base might be a better fit for his glove long-term. His arm is his strongest defensive tool, and indeed, he showed off his cannon with an excellent throw across the diamond last night. He also made a costly error, allowing a scorching grounder to bounce off his glove and into left field, but it was the exact kind of play that third basemen learn to make. Mauricio’s instincts at the position should improve with experience.
As the young infielder told reporters (including Mike Puma of the New York Post) through an interpreter after the game, “I wasn’t sure whether to charge at it or stay back and it just got me there. I think with a couple of more reps and just working on that I can make that play.”
The 22-year-old also spent time in left field for Syracuse, starting 26 games on the outfield grass. However, the Mets have more depth in the outfield corners than at third base, especially if former top prospects Brett Baty and Mark Vientos continue to underperform. Baty is slashing .212/.282/.314 in his rookie campaign, with nine errors and -4 Outs Above Average. Vientos hasn’t been any better, slashing .205/.251/.337 with three errors in only 18 games at third.
If Mauricio continues to hit well (he’s currently slashing .282/.333/.410) and starts to look more comfortable at third base, he could put himself in a good position for next season. The Mets aren’t giving up on Baty or Vientos anytime soon, but with the way those two have struggled, Mauricio has an opportunity to move up the depth chart.
Mets Claim Anthony Kay From Cubs
The Mets have claimed left-hander Anthony Kay off waivers from the Cubs, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN. The latter club had designated the lefty for assignment earlier this week. The Mets already had a vacancy on their 40-man roster and won’t need to make a corresponding move. The Mets have sent Kay to Triple-A for now, per Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News.
Kay, now 28, returns to his original organization. The Mets selected him with the 31st overall pick in 2016 but traded him to the Blue Jays alongside Simeon Woods Richardson in the 2019 Marcus Stroman deal. The lefty got brief looks at the big league level while with the Jays but wasn’t able to establish himself and was placed on waivers, getting claimed by the Cubs in the winter.
Between the Jays and the Cubs, Kay has thrown 82 innings scattered over the past five major league seasons. He has an earned run average of 5.60 in that time, along with a 22.3% strikeout rate, 12.1% walk rate and 42.2% ground ball rate. He’s generally fared better in the minors, which continues to be the case this year. He has a 4.10 ERA in 37 1/3 Triple-A innings, striking out 31.1% of hitters and keeping the ball on the ground at a 52.4% rate. Those numbers are both strong, though his 13.7% walk rate is still concerning.
Kay will be out of options next year, but the Mets can keep him as a depth arm for now. If he manages to hang onto his roster spot through the winter, he can still be retained for five more seasons after this one.