Yankees Planning To Activate Harrison Bader On Tuesday
Harrison Bader finally looks ready to make his Yankees debut, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News) that Bader will “likely” be activated from the 60-day injured list prior to Tuesday’s game against the Pirates. Bader played the sixth game of a minor league rehab assignment today with Double-A Somerset.
Bader’s last Major League appearance was back on June 26, before he was sidelined due to plantar fasciitis in his right foot. Even while Bader was still on the mend, the Yankees acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline in exchange for Jordan Montgomery. The swap has already become infamous in the view of many Bronx fans, considering that Bader has yet to even take the field for New York while Montgomery has pitched well in St. Louis.
The Yankees’ 24-30 record since the All-Star break has led to some general unrest amongst the fanbase, though the team still has a 5.5-game lead in the AL East. If Bader is recovered and able to play at his usual level, however, there will be a lot less second-guessing given Bader’s proven defensive excellence. He is the reigning NL Gold Glove winner in center field, and even with his foot problems hampering his play this season, Bader still has a +9.6 UZR/150 and +6 Outs Above Average over 588 2/3 innings in center.
Offense has been a bit more of a question mark for Bader, who slashed .256/.303/.370 over 264 plate appearances with the Cardinals this season. But, it is also quite possible the injury also impacted Bader at the plate, as he was an above-average hitter (111 wRC+) in both 2020 and 2021.
Bader went into detail about his health situation in an interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal earlier this week, saying that his foot issues first arose during Spring Training. Between both the plantar fasciitis and the swelling of the bone marrow edema, Bader had to cut an initial rehab assignment (back when he was still a Cardinal) short in July after one minor league game. Now, Bader believes he is ready to return, even if his right foot is still “a little uncomfortable.”
Aaron Judge‘s all-timer of a season has helped paper over a Yankees outfield that has struggled as a whole, with Judge even getting some time in center field rather than his usual spot in right field. Aaron Hicks and the now-traded Joey Gallo both struggled, and deadline pickup Andrew Benintendi played only 33 games in the pinstripes before undergoing hamate surgery, putting Benintendi’s availability for the rest of the regular season in doubt.
The Yankees have addressed their outfield needs by giving Giancarlo Stanton some time in right field, and they’re also turned to a wide array of experienced and younger players (i.e. Miguel Andujar, Estevan Florial, Marwin Gonzalez, Tim Locastro, Oswaldo Cabrera, Matt Carpenter) to eat some innings on the grass. In theory, Bader will play just about every day, though he’ll likely get some rest against some right-handed pitchers to help manage any lingering foot soreness he might have after missing so much of the season.
That leaves less playing time for everyone else, including Hicks. Even after two hits and a home run in today’s victory over the Brewers, Hicks is batting only .216/.327/.308 over 420 PA this season. While the outfielder has been healthy after several injury-plagued years, he hasn’t shown much of the offensive form that he delivered over his first four seasons in New York (123 wRC+ from 2017-20) when he was able to play.
Hicks is owed $30.5MM from 2023-25, but there has already been speculation that the Yankees could be looking to move on if a trade can be arranged. For his part, Hicks acknowledged the struggles in an interview with The New York Post’s Dan Martin, saying “things are tough in New York. I don’t have an answer. If they feel this isn’t the right fit for me, that’s their call. If I do go to another team, I know I can help them win.”
Hicks has no issue in stepping aside for Bader, saying “I expect [Bader] to come in and start playing every day, as he should. He got traded here to help us win. We need him to be himself to win a World Series.” That said, Hicks also felt his struggles weren’t being helped by a lack of playing time: “It’s extremely hard when I play a game and then I’m off for three days and now there’s another outfielder out there…As of right now, I feel the more I play, the better I’m gonna play. That’s not what’s going on right now.”
It all adds up to a tough Catch-22 for Hicks — he may not be able to hit better without steady at-bats, and yet his lack of production isn’t making a case for that regular playing time. Looking ahead to 2023, Hicks said he is planning to add some bulk, after losing weight last offseason in the wake of wrist surgery.
“I wanted to get faster and healthy, but me playing at 200 pounds isn’t it. I haven’t been impacting the ball like I wanted to,” Hicks said. “It’s really showed, with my power down. I wanted to be quicker and it didn’t work out that way.”
AL East Notes: Montas, Rizzo, Kirk, Mountcastle, Red Sox
Frankie Montas is going to undergo an MRI after feeling some discomfort in his right shoulder during yesterday’s game. Montas told the New York Post’s Jon Heyman and other reporters that he is “feeling optimistic about” the injury and “I don’t think it’s anything crazy,” yet naturally any type of shoulder issue is a potential problem, especially this late in the season. Montas also missed time with shoulder soreness back in July when he was still a member of the Athletics, as he went 18 days (including the All-Star break) between starts while resting up.
An injury would only continue what has been a difficult beginning to Montas’ tenure in the Bronx. The Yankees acquired Montas in one of the most notable pre-deadline trades, yet the right-hander has posted a 6.35 ERA over eight starts and 39 2/3 innings in the pinstripes. Even if the MRI reveals nothing severe, the Yankees could opt to skip Montas for a turn in the rotation, or perhaps even place him on the 15-day injured list in order to get him fully recovered and perhaps on track in general heading into the postseason.
More from around the AL East…
- In better injury news for the Yankees, Anthony Rizzo is tentatively slated to return to the lineup on Sunday, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner tweets. Rizzo hasn’t played since August 31 due to a epidural he received to try and alleviate nagging back pain, and Rizzo also had to deal with migraine headaches as a side effect of that epidural. With only a .200/.282/.371 slash line over his last 78 plate appearances before going on the 10-day injured list, it was clear Rizzo’s back was hampering his play, as the veteran has otherwise been one of New York’s top hitters all season. A healthy and productive Rizzo would be a huge boost to the Yankees in their push for a World Series title.
- Alejandro Kirk has missed the Blue Jays‘ last four games due to hip tightness, but interim manager John Schneider told reporters (including Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi) that Kirk did some running and other baseball activities today. It is possible Kirk could return to action on Sunday, when Alek Manoah is the scheduled starter — Kirk has been behind the plate for every pitch Manoah has thrown this season. This brief absence could also serve as something of a reset for Kirk, whose big first half earned him an All-Star nod, but the catcher has a modest .261/.352/.338 slash line over 182 PA since the All-Star break.
- Initial x-rays were negative on Ryan Mountcastle‘s left elbow after the Orioles first baseman was hit by a Jose Berrios pitch in the second inning of today’s game. Mountcastle was removed in the bottom half of the frame with what the team described as an elbow contusion. While Mountcastle’s .243/.295/.429 numbers over 542 PA represents a dropoff (especially in slugging percentage) from his 2021 production, his 103 wRC+ is still above the league average, and he has hit 22 homers this season.
- The Red Sox are facing a 40-man roster crunch this winter, and The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier takes a look at some of the names (some a lot more certain than others) to be added to the roster in advance of the Rule 5 Draft. For some of these players on the borderline, the remaining two-plus weeks of the regular season will serve as a chance to catch the eye of Red Sox brass.
Yankees Activate Aroldis Chapman, Designate Ryan Weber
The Yankees announced they’ve reinstated reliever Aroldis Chapman from the 15-day injured list. To clear a spot on the active roster, New York designated righty Ryan Weber for assignment. New York’s 40-man roster tally drops to 38.
Chapman missed around three weeks recovering from an infection arising from a tattoo. The bizarre issue marked the latest frustration in what has been a disappointing overall season for the flamethrowing southpaw. Chapman has worked to a career-worst 4.70 ERA across 30 2/3 innings.
His formerly elite strikeout rate has fallen to a slightly above-average 25.7%, while he’s walking batters at an unacceptable 16.2% clip. New York already bumped Chapman from the ninth inning in favor of Clay Holmes, and it remains to be seen where he stands in the left-handed pecking order for manager Aaron Boone as the playoffs approach. Wandy Peralta and Lucas Luetge have each been solid this year, with Peralta thriving against same-handed opponents.
As for Weber, he finds himself in a familiar position. The soft-tossing righty has been on and off the Yankees roster a few times this season, with New York frequently calling upon him as a depth arm. He’s never carved out a permanent spot on the big league club, though, and he’s now been designated for assignment for a fourth time this year. Because he’s out of minor league options, the Yankees continuously have to run him through waivers to take him off the big league roster.
The 32-year-old has remained with New York after each previous DFA, either via accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre or quickly returning on a new minor league deal after electing free agency. He’s pitched well through the constant shuffling, tossing 10 2/3 innings of one-run ball at the MLB level while posting a 3.86 ERA over 39 2/3 Triple-A frames. Weber’s 16.5% strikeout rate with Scranton has been typically modest, but he’s induced plenty of ground-balls and only walked 3% of opponents there.
Yankees Designate Ronald Guzmán For Assignment
Sep. 12: The Yankees announced that Guzmán was outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Since he has over three years of MLB service time, he is eligible to reject this assignment and return to free agency, though it’s unclear if he has chosen to do so.
Sep. 10: The Yankees announced that they have designated first baseman Ronald Guzmán for assignment. Josh Donaldson was activated from the paternity list in a corresponding move.
Guzmán, 27, was just selected to the roster a few days ago to give the Yanks another option at first base when Anthony Rizzo went on the injured list. Since then, the club also placed DJ LeMahieu on the IL, further depleting the depth chart at first. The start at that position has gone to Marwin Gonzalez in each of the past three games as well as today, indicating the Yankees are evidently satisfied enough with his performance to let Guzmán go. Guzmán got six plate appearances in his short time on the roster but went hitless while striking out in five of them.
Despite that poor showing in a very small sample, Guzmán was having a much better season prior to his call-up. In 90 Triple-A games this year, he’s hit 12 home runs while walking in 11.8% of his plate appearances, leading to a .260/.357/.466 batting line that amounts to a 119 wRC+. The strikeouts were present there as well, however, as he went down on strikes 27.6% of the time.
Since the trade deadline has passed, the Yankees will placed Guzmán on waivers in the coming days. He has over three years of MLB service time, meaning he would have the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency. Should any team decide to put in a claim, he can be retained for a further three seasons via arbitration.
Marly Rivera of ESPN reported Guzmán’s DFA before the official announcement.
Yankees Notes: LeMahieu, Rizzo, Cabrera, Bader, Pitching Staff
3:26PM: LeMahieu discussed his toe injury with Rivera and other reporters, saying that he had yet to begin any baseball activities since he isn’t able to rotate his right foot. LeMahieu is hopeful he might be able to return when the Yankees begin a homestand on September 20, though Boone wasn’t quite as optimistic about that potential return date.
9:25AM: The Yankees were largely able to avoid the injury bug in the early part of the year but it’s caught up with them here in the latter part of the schedule. The club currently has 15 players on the IL, which includes five position players and 10 pitchers. Marly Rivera did a thorough roundup at ESPN, including comments from manager Aaron Boone.
First baseman Anthony Rizzo has been out of action for over a week now but seems to be trending towards a return to baseball activities. A lingering back issue led to him getting an epidural as treatment, but that had the unfortunate side effect of giving Rizzo migraines. Rivera reports that Rizzo received a blood patch to try to alleviate the migraines, which Boone characterized as a success. “Immediately, they had him moving around and walking,” Boone said. “And I think it freed him up right away. Headaches are gone so far.”
Boone then added that if Rizzo feels good today, they will start ramping up baseball activities. While that sounds like good news, the next steps are still a bit murky. Though Boone is hoping for Rizzo to be back in the lineup within a week, it will depend on how things progress. “It’ll kind of depend on how the ramp-up goes. Hopefully, we’ve gotten through what we need to, and now we can start building that process. We’ll just pay attention to how he’s doing and how long it takes him to get rolling.”
With Rizzo and DJ LeMahieu out of action, the Yanks took a shot on Ronald Guzmán, though he was designated for assignment after just a few days. Marwin Gonzalez is holding down the position for now, with Rivera reporting that rookie Oswaldo Cabrera currently penciled in as the backup. Cabrera definitely has versatility, having played a lot of second base, third base and shortstop in his career, as well as some outfield work. He’s never played first base, however, though that doesn’t seem too concerning to the Yanks. Rivera reports that Cabrera has been practicing his work at first, getting a nod of approval from infield coach Travis Chapman.
There could be reinforcements coming for the outfield as well, with Harrison Bader inching closer to his Yankee debut. Acquired from the Cardinals on deadline day, Bader was on the IL at the time with plantar fasciitis and hasn’t been able to officially don the pinstripes just yet. He is going to start a rehab assignment today, though only serving as designated hitter initially. “It’s really just a matter of getting on a baseball field, checking off boxes in terms of feeling comfortable physically at game speed, and once those are checked, I’m going to go and be a winning player for this team,” Bader said.
Giving more details about the rehab, Boone said that Bader will DH today for the Double-A Somerset Patriots, who then have an off-day on Monday, with Bader building up after that. “It’ll probably be at least a week,” Boone said. “If we get through that week, and the buildup is going fine, he could be in play then when we start the homestand.” The homestand Boone referred to begins on September 20, which would give Bader a chance to contribute over the final two weeks of the regular schedule.
As for the pitching staff, the Yanks could have many options over the horizon, as a whole fleet of arms are rehabbing and nearing a return. Aroldis Chapman, Miguel Castro and Zack Britton are all scheduled to pitch for the Patriots today, with Chapman and Castro potentially returning for the same homestand as Bader. Scott Effross isn’t quite at the rehab stage but is gearing up to it. Additionally, Luis Severino is ready for launch but will make one more rehab start since the big league club has a couple of off-days that negate the need for his services in the short term.
The health of all these players, and the roster in general, will be hugely important for the Yankees in the final few weeks of the season. Not so long ago, it seemed that they were in cruise control, leading the AL East by as much as 15 1/2 games in July. This pile of injuries has helped slow the team down and whittle their lead over the Rays to just 4 1/2 games as of today, with the Jays just half a game behind Tampa. With just over three weeks left in the regular season, the Yanks will be hoping to fend off their competitors and keep the division title, which would be hugely important for their postseason chances. Whoever wins the East will almost certainly get a bye through the first round, whereas those who settle for a Wild Card slot will have to survive a best-of-three series to stay alive.
Outrights: VanMeter, Vieaux, Bard, Araúz, Medina, Castro, Jewell
Catching up on some players who were recently designated for assignment…
Latest Moves
- The Pirates outrighted left-hander Cam Vieaux and infielder Josh VanMeter to Triple-A after the duo each cleared waivers, according to John Dreker of Pirates Prospects (Twitter link). Vieaux and VanMeter were each designated for assignment earlier this week. VanMeter hit .187/.266/.292 over 192 PA with Pittsburgh this season, while playing all over the field as a defensive fill-in. Vieaux made his MLB debut this year, with a 10.38 ERA over 8 2/3 innings in his first taste of big league action.
- The Yankees announced that right-hander Luke Bard has been outrighted to Triple-A. Since this isn’t the first time Bard has been outrighted in his career, he can opt for free agency rather than accept the Triple-A assignment. The righty pitched one game in the pinstripes after being claimed off waivers from the Rays in early August, and for the 2022 season in total, Bard has a 1.80 ERA over 15 innings with Tampa Bay and New York.
Earlier Today
- The Orioles announced that infielder Jonathan Araúz cleared outright waivers and has been assigned to Triple-A Norfolk. He was claimed off waivers from the Red Sox in June and has gotten into 15 games at the big league level this year between the two clubs. The 24-year-old hit just .132/.150/.211 in that time but provided defensive versatility by playing second base, third base and shortstop. In 35 Triple-A games this year, he’s hit .192/.264/.238. Since this is the first outright of his career and he has less than three years of MLB service time, he won’t have the right to reject the assignment and become a free agent.
- The Mets outrighted right-hander Adonis Medina, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Medina, 25, was acquired from the Pirates in April for cash considerations and has been tossed between Triple-A and the majors all year long. In 23 2/3 MLB innings, he has a 6.08 ERA, 15.5% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate. In 26 2/3 innings for Syracuse, he has a much better 3.71 ERA and 20.2% strikeout rate, though a much higher walk rate of 12.1%. This is the first outright of his career and he has less than three years of MLB service time, meaning he will have to accept the outright assignment to Syracuse.
- The Cubs sent right-hander Kervin Castro outright to Triple-A Iowa, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The 23-year-old began the season with the Giants but went to the Cubs on a waiver claim in August. Between the two clubs, he’s thrown 12 1/3 MLB innings this year, but with a 10.22 ERA and 12.3% walk rate. In 34 2/3 Triple-A innings between the two organizations, he has a 5.19 ERA with a 16% walk rate. He has less than three years of MLB service time and this is his first career outright, meaning he will not be eligible to reject this assignment.
- The Twins sent right-hander Jake Jewell outright to Triple-A St. Paul, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. The 29-year-old began the year with the Guardians on a minor league deal, getting selected to the big league roster in August but getting optioned before appearing in a game. He lasted just over a week on the 40-man roster before getting designated for assignment and landing with Minnesota on waivers. In 48 2/3 Triple-A innings between the two organizations, he has a 3.14 ERA, 25.9% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate. Unlike the others on this list, he has been previously outrighted in his career. That gives him the right to reject this assignment and elect free agency, though it’s unclear at this point if he has done so.
Yankees Place DJ LeMahieu On Injured List
The Yankees announced that infielder DJ LeMahieu is headed to the 10-day injured list, retroactive to September 5, with toe inflammation on his right foot. Miguel Andújar has been recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to take his spot on the active roster. New York also reinstated starter Nestor Cortes from the IL after optioning out Deivi García following last night’s ballgame.
LeMahieu has been out of action since Sunday dealing with the toe discomfort. He’s battled the issue off and on for a few weeks, and he’ll need at least another week off to recover. It certainly appears as if the discomfort has had an effect on LeMahieu’s performance, as he’s struggled mightily of late. Going back to the start of August 1, he’s hitting .187/.254/.243 through 119 trips to the plate. That’s obviously nowhere close to the .285/.389/.424 line he carried through the end of July. Precisely when LeMahieu started hurting isn’t clear, but he’s seemingly been operating at less than full strength.
The organization hasn’t provided a specific timetable for his return, although the fact that they’ve waited a few days to put him on the IL could suggest they don’t anticipate it being a long-term absence. New York also just lost Anthony Rizzo to the IL, though, leaving them particularly short-handed on the infield. They called up former Ranger first baseman Ronald Guzmán this week, and he started one of the club’s games in their doubleheader against the Twins yesterday. Utilityman Marwin González got the nod there in the nightcap, and he’s back in the lineup at first tonight. Gleyber Torres, Josh Donaldson (who’s currently on paternity leave), Isiah Kiner-Falefa, rookie Oswald Peraza and Andújar round out the healthy infield mix at the moment.
The silver lining of today’s news is that the Yankees welcome Cortes back from his own IL stint. He only missed a bit more than two weeks with a groin issue. The southpaw owns a 2.68 ERA through 131 innings on the season. He’ll make his 24th start of the year tonight against Minnesota.
The Yankees enter play Thursday holding a five-game lead over the Rays in the AL East. They’re five games back of the Astros for the top record in the Junior Circuit, seemingly setting themselves up to secure the #2 seed in the postseason. A second-half swoon has knocked the club off its once-historic pace, but they’ve still got a strong chance of securing a first-round bye.
Injury Notes: Carpenter, Gonsolin, Kopech, Lowe
The miraculous Matt Carpenter comeback was put on pause last month when the infielder/outfielder for the Yankees fractured his foot. On August 10, it was reported that he would need surgery and be reevaluated in a month, with the club hopeful he could return in 6-8 weeks. Here we are almost a month later and Carpenter has made progress but not much. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports that Carpenter underwent some X-rays that showed healing but it isn’t enough to get him out of his protective walking boot. He’ll be reevaluated again in 10-14 days, says manager Aaron Boone.
That essentially eliminates any chance of Carpenter returning at the short end of that 6-8 time frame and even puts the longer end of it in doubt. By the time that next evaluation rolls around, it will already have been six weeks since the injury. Even if Carpenter gets good news at that point, he will surely need some kind of rehab assignment to get him back into game shape after such a long layoff. That could also be a challenge if the injury lingers, as most minor league teams will be winding down their seasons in the coming weeks. The Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are the Yankee affiliate that goes the latest, though their last scheduled game is September 28, three weeks from today.
Prior to the injury, Carpenter was on an absolute tear, hitting 15 home runs in 47 games and slashing .305/.412/.727 for a wRC+ of 218. It’s all the more remarkable given that Carpenter was hitting at a below-average rate in the previous three seasons. The club has seemingly missed that hot bat, going 10-13 since August 10. They have a 4 1/2 game lead over the Rays and a six game cushion on the Blue Jays in the AL East race.
Some other tidbits from around the league…
- Dodgers righty Tony Gonsolin was placed on the IL due to a forearm strain August 29, but since the move was retroactive to August 26, he’s eligible to come off in a few days. Gonsolin has been playing catch in recent days, which is perhaps a sign that he’s not far from returning. However, it’s not all good news, with Juan Toribio of MLB.com relaying word from manager Dave Roberts that Gonsolin isn’t progressing as quickly as they initially hoped for. The Dodgers are virtually guaranteed a bye through the first round of the playoffs and can take their time with Gonsolin, though it’s at least noteworthy that the plan isn’t on schedule so far. The righty had enjoyed a tremendous breakout season, throwing 128 1/3 innings with a 2.10 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate and 43.2% groundball rate.
- White Sox righty Michael Kopech landed on the IL August 23 due to a knee strain but was activated today after a minimum stint. After missing all of 2019 and 2020, Kopech threw 69 1/3 innings last year and has already jumped up to 110 2/3 here in 2022, coming into today’s action. He’s fared well overall on the season, registering a 3.58 ERA, though his 21.4% strikeout rate and 12% are both a bit worse than league average, with a .228 BABIP likely helping him keep that ERA down. The club will be looking for a strong finish from Kopech and the team overall, as they are currently three games back of the Guardians in the Central and 7 1/2 out of a Wild Card spot.
- The Rays have reinstated infielder Brandon Lowe from the IL, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Lowe landed on the shelf due to a right triceps contusion but has now returned after a minimum stay. It was the second IL stint of the year for Lowe, who also missed about two months due to a back issue. Despite the multiple ailments, he’s still hitting .234/.319/.405 on the season for a wRC+ of 114. That’s a bit of a drop-off from his previous seasons but still 14% above league average. Tampa is in the thick of all the American League action, sitting 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the East while grappling with the Mariners and Blue Jays for the top Wild Card spot.
Yankees Designate Luke Bard For Assignment
11:43AM: The Yankees have made their host of moves official, including Rizzo’s IL placement, Bard’s DFA, and Guzman’s selection to the active roster. In addition, third baseman Josh Donaldson was placed on the paternity list, right-hander Deivi Garcia was called up from Triple-A, and Miguel Andujar was called up as the 29th man for today’s doubleheader.
8:02AM: The Yankees have designated right-hander Luke Bard for assignment, as first indicated on the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Presumably, his 40-man spot will go to first baseman Ronald Guzman, who was in the clubhouse yesterday and is set to be selected to the big league roster to fill the spot of the injured Anthony Rizzo. However, the Yankees have yet to formally announce the move, so it remains to be seen whether there are additional transactions on the horizon.
Bard, 31, was a waiver claim out of the Rays organization a month ago but has appeared in just one game with the Yankees (during which he tossed a shutout inning). He’s spent the rest of his stint with the organization in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, where he’s yielded four earned runs on nine hits and four walks with eight punchouts in eight innings of work.
Overall, Bard carries a 1.80 ERA in 15 big league frames and a 4.78 mark in 32 Triple-A innings. The 2022 season as marked Bard’s first game action since 2020, as he missed the entire 2021 campaign while rehabbing from April hip surgery — an injury that ultimately ended a four-year stint in the Angels organization.
Bard has now appeared in parts of four minor league seasons and between the Halos, Rays and Yankees, recording a 4.44 ERA in 81 innings. This year’s 94.1 mph average on his fastball is right in line with previous seasons, as is his top-of-the-charts spin rate on the pitch; Bard led the Majors in four-seam spin in 2018-19 and is in the 99th percentile this season. That trait alone obviously isn’t going to lead to instant success, but it’s been appealing enough to keep Bard on 40-man rosters for the bulk of the past several years.
At this point in the season, the Yankees won’t have any choices with Bard other than to place him on outright waivers or release waivers. Either way, he’ll be made available to the 29 other clubs. He’s been outrighted once in the past, when he cleared waivers last October while still on the mend from that hip procedure. As such, even if he goes unclaimed on waivers, he’d have the ability to reject an outright assignment to Scranton in favor of free agency.
Yankees To Place Anthony Rizzo On IL, Select Ronald Guzmán
The Yankees were rained out today but will place first baseman Anthony Rizzo on the 10-day injured list prior to tomorrow’s doubleheader, per Lindsey Adler of The Athletic, relaying word from manager Aaron Boone. Fellow first baseman Ronald Guzmán will have his contract selected in a corresponding move. Marly Rivera of ESPN first noted that Guzmán was in the Yankee clubhouse. Guzmán is not currently on the 40-man roster, meaning a corresponding move of some kind will be required to open a spot for him there.
The 27-year-old Guzmán spent his entire career with the Rangers until this year. From 2018 to 2021, he got into 243 games, hitting 31 home runs in that time but striking out often and producing poor batting averages. He’s struck out in 28.8% of his career plate appearances thus far, well above this year’s 22.3% MLB average. His overall batting line is .227/.304/.414, production that was 16% below league average, as evidenced by his wRC+ of 84. He was outrighted by the Rangers at the end of last season and elected free agency.
In March, the Yanks brought Guzmán aboard on a minor league deal, sending him to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. In 90 games there this year, Guzmán is still striking out 27.6% of the time but he’s also walked in 11.8% of his plate appearances and added 12 long balls. In total, he’s slashing .260/.357/.466 for a wRC+ of 119. He’ll try to bring some of those improved results up to the majors, with his left-handed bat making a nice fit for the short porch in right field.
The reason the Yankees have opted to bring up Guzmán is due to the situation surrounding their regular first baseman Rizzo. Dealing with back problems for much of the season, he hasn’t played in a week after undergoing an epidural on Thursday. While it’s hoped that this will lead to greater relief for Rizzo in the long run, he’s dealing with some side effects in the short term. Yesterday, manager Aaron Boone told Andy Martino of SNY yesterday that Rizzo was dealing with some headaches after the epidural. In a video shared by SNY on Twitter, Boone says that the headaches are now keeping Rizzo from playing more than the back issue.
Rizzo is having a strong season overall but has slumped recently, with the creeping back injury possibly playing some role in that. Through the end of July, he was hitting .228/.348/.504 but has only hit .208/.299/.442 since the calendar flipped to August. Signed to a two-year, $32MM deal in the offseason, Rizzo can opt out of the final one year and $16MM this winter and return to free agency if he so wishes. With Rizzo out of action for the past week, DJ LeMahieu has seen most of the time at first. However, LeMahieu needs some time off himself, with Adler relaying word from Boone that the infielder is dealing with a toe issue. The club will hope that Guzmán can step in and help make up for the absence of Rizzo and the banged-up LeMahieu. Leading the AL East by as much as 15 1/2 games earlier this year, the Yanks are now just 5 and 5 1/2 games ahead of the Rays and Blue Jays, respectively.
Should Rizzo return to health in a few days, Guzmán can’t be easily sent back down to the minors as he is out of options. Since the trade deadline has passed, if the club wants to remove him from the active roster, they would have to designate him for assignment and then put him on waivers. However, if he plays well enough to hang onto his roster spot, he could be retained for future seasons via arbitration.