Injury Notes: A-Rod, Teixeira, Shelby, C.J., Forsythe, Flores
Alex Rodriguez is back in the Yankees‘ lineup after a quick rehab stint, but fellow veteran slugger Mark Teixeira is still out. It remains to be seen whether Teixeira will eventually require a DL stint, but for now he’s simply taking some time and waiting for a cortisone shot to take effect, as MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch tweets. An MRI seemingly cleared him of any new neck issues, ESPNNewYork.com’s Andrew Marchand tweets, so it seems to be an optimistic outlook. Meanwhile, the Yanks have placed southpaw Chasen Shreve on the DL while his left shoulder is checked out, Hoch also tweets.
Here are a few more injury notes from around the game:
- Shelby Miller continues to be limited by a finger injury, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said today, as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Already struggling on the hill, Miller’s difficulties were exacerbated when he scraped his hand on the dirt in his follow-through. Hale “still not where we’d like it to be,” which Piecoro suggests could set the stage for a DL stint. The 25-year-old owns an unsightly 7.09 ERA in 45 2/3 innings on the season, with just thirty strikeouts to go with 29 walks. When asked whether Miller could be sent to the minors, GM Dave Stewart didn’t reveal much but also didn’t rule out the idea, as Jack Magruder of Fanragsports.com tweets. “We want to get him on track the best way we can,” said Stewart. “We will figure it out and do what’s needed.”
- Angels southpaw C.J. Wilson made his rehab debut yesterday, as Pete Marshall of the Orange County Register writes. The 35-year-old is one of several hurlers filtering back up towards the majors for the Halos, which could eventually lead to some interesting roster decisions. For now, he says his command and mechanics were in a good place, and didn’t suggest that his balky left arm was a problem. It’s certainly promising that Wilson was able to work up to 56 pitches while lasting into the fifth inning. He hopes to make it back to the majors by early to mid-June.
- Also potentially returning in the middle of next month is Logan Forsythe of the Rays, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). His shoulder has improved to the point where he’s able to take grounders, leading to some hope that he could join the Rays at some point after they wrap up an upcoming road trip.
- Mets infielder Wilmer Flores appears ready for activation after a rehab game at Double-A, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets. The 24-year-old was off to a slow start, with a .180/.255/.280 slash, before heading to the DL with a hamstring strain. New York lost first baseman Lucas Duda, and Flores could conceivably be part of the solution — with the team’s trade plans somewhat dependent upon how much it trusts Flores and other internal options.
AL East Notes: Travis, Sox Pen, Sanchez
Second baseman Devon Travis is on his way back up to the Blue Jays, according to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). He’ll finally make it back from shoulder issues that have kept him away from the club since late last July. Travis impressed in his first 239 big league plate appearances, putting up a .304/.361/.498 slash with eight home runs. Even if he can’t keep up that pace, there’s every hope that he’ll significantly upgrade a unit that owns one of the league’s least productive batting lines.
Here are a few more notes from the AL East:
- The loss of Carson Smith leaves the Red Sox in need of an additional quality pen arm, Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald writes. That’s not to say there’s any particular rush to the trade market, which president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski made clear would not be the case. But Drellich argues that the organization needs to begin lining up targets for the summer. Meanwhile, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford takes a look at a few possibilities who could be available.
- Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez suffered what GM Brian Cashman is calling a “cracked thumb” in last night’s action, Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre beat writer Shane Hennigan tweets. The 23-year-old is one of the game’s most highly-regarded backstop prospects, and seemed ready for a full shot at the majors after opening the year with a .290/.333/.529 slash in 147 plate appearances. Of course, the Yankees are all set at the big league level for the time being. The club will hope that the injury won’t take too big a chunk out of Sanchez’s season, but his outlook remains unclear at present.
Minor MLB Transactions: 5/24/2016
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- The Angels announced tonight that right-handers A.J. Achter and Al Alburquerque, each of whom was designated for assignment recently, have cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Salt Lake. Achter was an offseason waiver claim from the Twins, whereas Alburquerque inked a one-year deal as a free agent. The 27-year-old Achter has allowed six runs on 15 hits and three walks in 11 1/3 innings while striking out just four. Alburquerque, 29, hasn’t appeared in a big league game for the Halos this season, though he was recently brought up from Triple-A. He posted a 2.40 ERA with Salt Lake and fanned 15 batters in 15 innings, though he also walked nine in that time and threw three wild pitches. Control has long been an issue for Alburquerque.
- The Orioles announced that they’ve selected the contract of lefty Ashur Tolliver from Double-A Bowie today. The 28-year-old has seen his career slowed by injuries but has enjoyed a very strong season at Double-A thus far, recording a 2.42 ERA with a 25-to-8 K/BB ratio in 26 innings of work. Tolliver will step into the lefty relief role on the Orioles’ roster that was vacated by yesterday’s trade of Brian Matusz to the Braves.
Earlier Moves
- First baseman/outfielder Travis Ishikawa is on the market again after being released by the White Sox Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago tweets. He scuffled to a .201/.277/.344 batting line in 175 plate appearances at Triple-A Charlotte. The eight-year MLB veteran, now 32 years of age, owns a lifetime .255/.321/.391 batting line in 1,050 trips to the plate at the major league level.
- The Phillies have announced the signing of Cuban outfielder Osmel Aguila to a minor league deal, the club announced. The 27-year-old hasn’t played in the Serie Nacional since 2014. Overall, he owns a .280/.384/.447 batting line over 1,310 in the top Cuban domestic league.
- Angels righty Danny Reynolds has been assigned to Triple-A after clearing outright waivers, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reports on Twitter. That ends the DFA carousel for the 24-year-old, at least for the time being. He’ll need to show improved command to earn a shot in the L.A. pen.
- The Orioles released infielder Steve Tolleson, David Hall of the Virginian-Pilot tweets. The 32-year-old has spent time with the O’s and Jays in recent years, and owns a .245/.299/.372 slash in his 363 career plate appearances at the major league level. He has dealt with injuries early in 2016 and has only appeared in eight games to date.
- First baseman Cody Decker was released by the Rockies, per Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, who rounded up several transactions of note that have yet to appear here at MLBTR. Decker had solid power numbers, as usual, at Triple-A but he also received only 78 plate appearances and struck out in thirty of them.
- The Tigers have cut ties with several minor league veterans, including catcher Humberto Quintero, via Eddy. Now 36, Quintero failed to crack the bigs last year after a dozen consecutive years in which he spet at least some time in the show. He was hitting .250/.297/.333 at Triple-A over 65 pate appearances.
- The Brewers released righty Jim Miller, the Baseball America report provides. He was off to a 7.41 ERA in 17 innings at Triple-A, with 19 punch-outs but also 11 walks. Miller, 34, had a solid campaign for the A’s back in 2012 but hasn’t done much at the major league level before or since.
- Yankees release outfielder Jared Mitchell, Eddy adds. The 27-year-old, a former first-round pick, was off to a .250/.337/.361 start in 83 plate appearances at Double-A. He’s never managed to develop any consistency at the plate in a seven-year minor league career.
- The Phillies released outfielder Alfredo Marte, Eddy reports. Hes seen minimal action in parts of three MLB seasons, and was acquired by the Phils as the team sought to build out its outfield depth. But Marte has recorded just five hits and a single walk over 37 plate appearances on the year at the highest level of the minors.
Yankees Claim Layne Somsen From Reds
The Yankees have claimed righty Layne Somsen off waivers from the Reds, per an announcement from New York. It appears that he was placed on outright waivers to clear a 40-man spot.
Somsen, who’ll soon turn 27, was greeted roughly in his first two major league appearances. But he’s shown some promise in the minors, including a 19-inning run at Triple-A this year in which he’s allowed just four earned runs on ten hits with a strikeout per frame against seven walks.
Details On Carlos Beltran’s No-Trade Clause
Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran can block trades to 15 clubs under the terms of his limited no-trade clause, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, who explores the possibility of a deal involving the veteran. Among the teams to which Beltran could be dealt without consent are the Indians, Nationals, Royals, Cardinals, Rays, Tigers, and Dodgers, per the report.
Of course, it’s far from clear whether New York will end up entertaining such a move. The club has moved back to within striking distance in the AL East already, and there’s plenty of time left before the deadline.
Parting with Beltran wouldn’t necessarily mean abandoning hope for the present season, Olney suggests. Shipping him out would free up opportunities for highly-regarded young players such as Aaron Hicks and Aaron Judge. They could be expected to provide value now while helping prepare for bigger roles in 2017 and beyond.
It’s fair to wonder just how much trade value Beltran would carry. On the one hand, he recently turned 39 and is a subpar outfielder (especially if one credits Defensive Runs Saved). On the other, he’s a highly respected veteran who is currently running out a productive .274/.299/.522 batting line, largely matching his overall production levels from last season (about 20% above league average).
Salary will certainly play a role, too, as Beltran is owed a healthy $15MM this season before reaching free agency at year’s end. Whether or not the market is receptive to that overall package remains to be seen, but presumably the Yankees won’t make a move unless they receive some kind of interesting return (barring a full-blown collapse in the next two months). That’s especially true given the uncertainty of Hicks and Judge as well as the fact that aging sluggers Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez come with their own blend of health, age, and performance questions.
Mets Have “Some Curiosity About” Padres’ James Loney
The Mets have at least “some curiosity about” Padres first baseman James Loney, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter links). Loney’s representatives at the Legacy Agency are expected to contact the club today to see if there’s a fit.
While Loney remains under control of the Padres, he’s reportedly able to opt out of his contract if a major league opportunity arises with another organization. As I explained this morning in breaking down New York’s options with Lucas Duda sidelined, Loney looks to be one of the most viable targets for the club.
Playing at Triple-A to open the year, Loney owns a .333/.368/.417 slash over 155 plate appearances with two home runs and just ten strikeouts to go with his nine walks. That’s not a terribly surprising batting line for the 32-year-old, who is a somewhat atypical hitter for a first baseman. Over his decade of major league experience, Loney has slashed .285/.338/.411, relying on average and low strikeout tallies to make up for a lack of pop.
Loney has also generally graded out well with the glove, though defensive metrics viewed him as a slightly below-average performer at first in each of his last two major league seasons. He also won’t require any kind of payroll hit beyond the league minimum, as the Rays released him this spring when trade partners failed to materialize. Tampa Bay remains obligated for his $8MM salary.
With San Diego rostering both Wil Myers and Brett Wallace, it doesn’t appear as if the Padres will be motivated to move Loney up to keep him in the organization. Wallace is hardly untouchable, but his salary is guaranteed and he’s capable of playing third base. On the other hand, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney has noted on Twitter, San Diego would have the option of elevating Loney if another team offers him a big league job, which also means the club could potentially extract some trade value.
The Mets will, no doubt, consider alternatives. The left-handed-hitting Loney wouldn’t make much sense on the roster when Duda returns, after all, and it’s probably worth at least checking to see if there’s a better match elsewhere. As covered in the above-linked post, there are a lot of possibilities out there, though ultimately a low-risk fill-in would make plenty of sense.
One hypothetical candidate, Nick Swisher of the Yankees, does not appear to be a fit. Sherman notes that the Mets don’t have interest in the veteran, who has continued to post meager numbers at Triple-A.
Injury Notes: Darvish, Zimmermann, Miggy, A-Rod, Brewers
Here’s the latest on some notable names who are either preparing to return from the DL or could miss a bit of time…
- Yu Darvish threw six shutout innings in a rehab start today and is on track to return to the majors on Saturday against the Pirates. The Rangers ace told reporters (including Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram) that he felt good after the 87-pitch outing, which wrapped up a very impressive rehab stint that saw Darvish allow just two earned runs over 20 minor league innings. Darvish missed the entire 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery and hasn’t pitched in a Major League game since August 2014.
- Jordan Zimmermann left during the sixth inning of today’s game with what has been diagnosed as a right groin strain. The Tigers ace underwent an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, manager Brad Ausmus told MLB.com’s Jason Beck and other media, and it isn’t yet known if Zimmermann will require a DL stint or even a missed start. Needless to say, losing Zimmermann to the DL would be a major blow to a Detroit rotation that entered Sunday with a 4.76 staff ERA, seventh-worst in all of baseball. Zimmermann has been the lone bright spot, and after today’s outing he has a 2.52 ERA over his first 60 2/3 innings as a Tiger. Slugger Miguel Cabrera also suffered a bruised left knee after being hit by a pitch during the same game, though Ausmus doesn’t expect that injury to be too serious.
- Alex Rodriguez will return from the 15-day DL on Tuesday, Yankees skipper Joe Girardi told reporters (including Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News). A-Rod was rumored to be set for activation this weekend but Girardi chose to wait until after the Yankees’ Monday off-day to give the veteran slugger extra time to fully recover a hamstring strain.
- Brewers GM David Stearns updated Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on several injured Milwaukee players. Sean Nolin recently received a PRP injection to see if he can avoid Tommy John surgery; the southpaw suffered a slightly torn UCL during Spring Training. Rule 5 draft pick Zack Jones has spent the entire season on the DL with shoulder stiffness and Stearns hopes Jones can begin a rehab assignment in early June. Former top outfield prospect Rymer Liriano is still recovering after being hit in the face with a pitch during Spring Training and there isn’t any timetable for a return. Stearns said there is a chance Liriano could miss the entire season. Also in the piece, as previously reported, reliever Will Smith will begin a rehab assignment this week with an eye towards returning to the Brewers’ roster in the first week of June.
AL East Notes: Gallardo, Erasmo, Hill, Miller
Yovani Gallardo threw a bullpen session this morning, the first time he has thrown off a mound since hitting the DL a month ago with shoulder tendinitis. Gallardo and Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters (including MLB.com’s Fabian Ardaya) that the righty could toss another bullpen and then a simulated game later this week, though much will depend on how Gallardo is feeling in the wake of today’s session. Here’s more from around the AL East…
- Erasmo Ramirez has been a boon to the Rays in an old-school “fireman” relief role, able to pitch multiple innings at any point late in a game. R.J. Anderson of CBSSports.com explores why Ramirez has been an ideal fit for this role and how the Rays’ usage of the righty could inspire other teams to turn their own relievers into firemen.
- It looks like the Red Sox made a mistake in letting Rich Hill get away in free agent last winter given how the veteran has pitched since joining the A’s, Peter Gammons writes in his latest GammonsDaily.com piece. With the A’s struggling and Hill standing out as possible deadline trade bait, Gammons suggests the Sox could re-acquire Hill to bolster the back half of their rotation.
- The Hill-to-Boston scenario is also explored by ESPN’s Buster Olney in his latest subscription-only column, and he also opines that Yankees setup man Andrew Miller would be a great fit for the Giants. Miller is signed through 2018 so San Francisco would gain a long-term bullpen piece to guard against any of all of their top relievers (Santiago Casilla, Javier Lopez, Sergio Romo) leaving in free agency this winter. Miller’s availability could depend on whether or not the Yankees are still in a pennant race themselves, though Olney notes that New York has enough elite bullpen depth to shop Miller or Aroldis Chapman even if the club is in contention.
- In other AL East news from earlier today, the Blue Jays have made Drew Storen available and the Red Sox are prepared to spend on midseason upgrades if necessary.
Minor MLB Transactions: 5/20/16
Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- Southpaw Phil Coke has been outrighted by the Yankees after he was designated for assignment on Tuesday, Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees Blog tweets. Coke wasn’t effective in his six innings over three appearances on the year, though he did show that he’s still capable of delivering his fastball at around 93 mph. The veteran bounced around last year after a five-year run with the Tigers ended followiing the 2014 season. He’ll accept the assignment, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets.
- The Indians released righty Felipe Paulino so that he can pursue an opportunity in Japan, the club announced. A six-year MLB veteran who last appeared in the majors in 2014 with the White Sox, Paulino had converted to full-time relief work with Cleveland. Over his 13 frames, he allowed just four earned runs and five hits, though his 10:5 K/BB ratio was somewhat less promising.
- The Angels have acquired infielder Ryan Jackson from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations, the Phillies announced. Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times tweets that Jackson will be assigned to Triple-A Salt Lake. Jackson, 28, returns to the Angels organization after pending the majority of the 2015 season playing for their Triple-A affiliate (he also went hitless in 14 plate appearances for their big league club last season). Jackson split last season between the Royals and Angels organizations and hit a combined .294/.372/.374 in 362 plate appearances. He’ll give the Halos some depth at shortstop with both Andrelton Simmons and Cliff Pennington on the disabled list — a pair of injuries that has forced the club to acquire Brendan Ryan from the Nationals and bring Gregorio Petit up from Salt Lake. Jackson was not on the 40-man roster, so no corresponding move is necessary for the Halos.
Yankees Sign Neal Cotts To Minor League Deal
The Yankees announced that they’ve signed left-handed reliever Neal Cotts to a minor league contract. The Pro Star Management client will report to the club’s Triple-A affiliate, according to the team.
Cotts, 36, recently opted out of a minor league pact with the Angels. The 10-year Major League veteran had been throwing well with the Angels’ Triple-A affiliate in Salt Lake, posting a 3.29 ERA with 13 strikeouts against three walks in 13 2/3 innings. Last season, he split the year between the Brewers and Twins after signing a one-year, $3MM contract with Milwaukee and posted a combined 3.41 ERA in 63 1/3 innings while holding opposing lefties to a .186/.243/.330 batting line. Injuries kept Cotts out of the Majors from 2010-12, but since returning with the 2013 Rangers, he’s posted a cumulative 3.03 ERA with 186 strikeouts against 63 walks (six intentional) in 187 innings of work.