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Added To 40-Man Rosters: O’Brien, Stauffer, Hill, Baron, Ramirez

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With Triple-A seasons coming to a close, there’s been another wave of players whose contracts of have been selected to their respective teams’ 40-man rosters. Here’s a list of today’s 40-man moves…

  • The D-Backs announced that they’ve selected the contract of slugging prospect Peter O’Brien. The catcher-turned-outfielder was the key piece that Arizona picked up from the Yankees in last summer’s Martin Prado swap. The 25-year-old O’Brien batted .284/.332/.551 and belted 26 homers this season for Triple-A Reno. The knock on O’Brien has long been his lack of a true position. Arizona seemed to be of the belief that he could remain behind the plate, but that’s no longer the case, as he’s been shifted to the outfield. That thinking led the D-Backs to leave their catching vacancy largely unaddressed this winter, although the midseason acquisition of Welington Castillo has certainly shored things up on that front. Evan Marshall was moved to the 60-day DL to accommodate O’Brien’s addition.
  • The Mets have selected Tim Stauffer’s contract, tweets Adam Rubin of ESPN New York. Stauffer, who can serve in a long relief capacity for manager Terry Collins, began the season with the Twins after signing a one-year, $2.2MM contract as a free agent. The longtime Padres hurler got off to a dreadful start in Minneapolis, though, posting a 6.60 ERA in 15 innings before being released. Stauffer went to indy ball, pitching 16 innings for the Sugar Land Skeeters before the Mets signed him to a minor league deal. He notched a 2.48 ERA in eight Triple-A starts for the Mets.
  • The Red Sox have selected Rich Hill’s contract, as first reported by Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal (Twitter link). The 35-year-old spent parts of three seasons in Boston from 2010-12 and had a 2.83 ERA in 54 innings between the Triple-A affiliates for the Red Sox and Yankees. He also had a brief stop in indy ball this season, pitching well in 11 frames for the Long Island Ducks.
  • The Mariners announced that they’ve selected the contracts of catcher Steven Baron and right-hander J.C. Ramirez. Baron, 24, hit .265/.334/.361 between Double-A and Triple-A this season, catching 28 percent of opposing base stealers. As for Ramirez, the 27-year-old has a strong 2.72 ERA at the Triple-A level this season and also worked to a 4.11 ERA in 15 1/3 innings with the Diamondbacks. Seattle picked him up from the D-Backs in exchange for cash considerations in late July. Charlie Furbush was transferred to the 60-day DL in order to clear room for one of the two additions.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Nats, Fredi, Eovaldi, Samardzija

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Let’s take a look at some of the latest news and notes from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports:

  • Contrary to reports at the time, the Nationals never contacted Dave Dombrowski during his brief open market run earlier this year, says Rosenthal. That only serves to reinforce the notion that GM (and president of baseball operations) Mike Rizzo is not in jeopardy — barring some as-yet unknown conflict between him and ownership. Manager Matt Williams is another matter, of course, and Rosenthal notes that it will be interesting to see how the organization proceeds in assessing its options given Rizzo’s very public support for the man he hired to lead the club on the field.
  • There are some rumblings that Braves players are “frustrated” with skipper Fredi Gonzalez, per the report. Gonzalez has seen his share of replacement rumors, but is under contract through next year. Rosenthal suggests the club may be looking ahead at a new manager for 2017, but queries whether an earlier move should be considered.
  • The Yankees are holding their breath on Nathan Eovaldi’s elbow, as noted earlier today. Rosenthal notes that the team was aware there was some risk given the relatively young age at which the now-25-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery. Interestingly, he adds that one motivating factor in acquiring Eovaldi was that New York noticed significant splits between the righty’s work with poorly-rated framer Jarrod Saltalamacchia (4.85 ERA last year) and the well-regarded Jeff Mathis (3.58 ERA).
  • Rosenthal also takes an initial look at valuing free agent-to-be Jeff Samardzija of the White Sox. The 30-year-old might be left looking to match James Shields (four years, $75MM) after his uninspiring campaign. Shields obviously had a much more consistent record of quality results, of course, but was significantly older and had accumulated nearly 1,000 more innings when he hit the market. (Note: if you’re interested in reading more on Samardzija’s market situation, check out the lengthy analysis from MLBTR’s Steve Adams in a recent edition of the MLBTR Mailbag.)

East Notes: Eovaldi, Gee, Black, Phils, Parra

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The Yankees will shut down righty Nate Eovaldi for at least two weeks with elbow inflammation, as WFAN’s Sweeny Murti reports on Twitter. While New York will obviously hope that amount of rest will be sufficient, ESPNNewYork.com’s Andrew Marchand tweets that it’s possible Eovaldi won’t return this year. That would be a significant blow to the Yankees, as the righty has generated solid reviews from ERA estimators and increasingly achieved the results to match. Added in the winter trade that sent Martin Prado to the Marlins, Eovaldi can be controlled for two more seasons via arbitration.

Here are a few more notes from the eastern divisions:

  • With the Triple-A season now concluded, the Mets have apparently elected not to bring back righties Dillon Gee and Vic Black, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com notes (Twitter links). The 29-year-old Gee had long seemed like an obvious September call-up after previously being outrighted, but it seems the relationship has soured somewhat. Because he accepted an outright assignment, Rubin notes, Gee can elect free agency at the end of the year. If he doesn’t, of course, he’s almost certain at this point to be released or non-tendered by the club. As for Black, if he was not worth a 40-man spot now, it’s hard to imagine that the Mets will give him one later this fall to keep him from becoming a minor league free agent.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. explains that he is not yet focused on next summer’s draft, but nevertheless has some ideas about the team’s intentions, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports. Philadelphia is not worried about whether or not it lands the top overall pick, says Amaro, and won’t adjust its big league decisions based on any such considerations. As for the draft itself, Amaro offered some general thoughts. “There is some pretty good pitching up top,” he said. “I think we’re going to be pitching intensive. Obviously, we always try to take the best player, but I think our mindset is probably pitching.”
  • Orioles outfielder Gerardo Parra may be able to land a free agent deal in the mold of that of Nick Markakis, opines Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com, but his current team should not value him that highly. As I noted in a recent look at Parra’s free agent case, a four-year deal certainly seems plausible for the still-youthful veteran, though it’s certainly possible too that he could settle for three or take a slightly lower AAV than did Markakis. I tend to agree that Baltimore will not and should not be the team to give out that kind of contract, though that assessment depends upon the team’s still-unclear strategic direction.

Minor MLB Transactions: 9/7/15

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league…

  • Righties Brandon Kintzler and Preston Guilmet were outrighted off of the 40-man roster by the Brewers, the club announced. As Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel explains, the 31-year-old Kintzler has dealt with injuries after serving as a reliable bullpen piece in recent seasons. Over the last two years, he contributed 135 1/3 innings of 2.93 ERA pitching with 5.9 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9. Guilmet, 28, has bounced around quite a bit on the waiver wire and ultimately saw action in four teams’ systems this year. While he struggled in limited big league action, Guilmet worked to a 2.19 ERA with 8.4 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 in his 49 1/3 Triple-A frames. Milwaukee also selected the contract of catcher Nevin Ashley, who will see his first big league action at 31 years of age after putting up a solid .306/.374/.442 batting line in 381 Triple-A plate appearances this year.
  • Also outrighted today was righty Jake Buchanan of the Astros, per a club announcement. Recently designated for assignment, the 25-year-old Buchanan owns a 4.06 ERA over his 44 1/3 innings with Houston since the start of 2014. He has struck out 5.1 and walked 3.2 batters per nine in that span.
  • The Yankees announced that they have once again selected the contract of left-hander Chris Capuano. This should be the final 40-man transaction of the season for Capuano, whose tumultuous season has seen him jettisoned from the 40-man roster numerous times. Capuano was, in fact, designated for assignment four times within one calendar month from late July through late August, though the DFA roller coaster should be over for him thanks to expanded September rosters. The 37-year-old veteran has struggled with the Yankees in 2015, totaling a 7.71 ERA in 35 innings. He posted a solid 4.25 mark in 65 2/3 innings for the Yankees last season but has seen his control take a step back, among other issues, in 2015. To clear room for Capuano on the 40-man roster, lefty Jacob Lindgren was activated from the minor league DL, recalled to the Majors and placed on the 60-day disabled list.
  • The Giants announced that they’ve transferred Tim Lincecum to the 60-day disabled list to clear a 40-man roster spot for right-hander Brett Bochy, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A. Bochy, 28, has just 3 1/3 innings of big league experience — all of which came in 2014. He’s spent the 2015 campaign at Triple-A, where he’s recorded an impressive 2.95 ERA with 6.7 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in 58 innings of relief. He is the son of Giants manager Bruce Bochy.

AL Central Notes: Sano, Cueto, Indians

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Miguel Sano’s debut with the Twins has beeen nothing short of outstanding, and in light of that success, 1500 ESPN’s Derek Wetmore reexamines Sano’s highly publicized signing with the Twins as an international free agent back in 2009. Sano, whose signing is chronicled in the 2011 documentary Ballplayer: Pelotero, signed with the Twins for $3.15MM six years ago. The Pirates were said to have made an offer of $2.6MM at the time, and Wetmore spoke to a person involved in the negotiations that said the Yankees made an offer in the $3MM range as well. Mutual respect between the Twins and agent Rob Plummer played a large role in Sano’s eventual decision, Wetmore writes, and VP of player personnel Mike Radcliff gave longtime Twins international scout Fred Guerrero quite a bit of credit as well when speaking to Wetmore about the signing. The 2009 international class has a chance to be one of the best — if not the best — in Twins history, as Minnesota not only landed Sano, but Top 100 prospect Jorge Polanco ($775K) and likely Top 100 prospect Max Kepler ($800K) as well.

Here’s more from the AL Central…

  • Johnny Cueto’s struggles with the Royals are cause for concern among fans, but manager Ned Yost expressed confidence that he can turn it around following a tough loss yesterday, writes Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. Cueto, who has a 4.86 ERA in eight starts with the Royals and has yielded 21 runs over his past 20 innings, is believed by the team to be experiencing mechanical issues — specifically his shoulder flying open. However, Yost and Cueto didn’t feel that was the issue on Sunday, and the right-hander plans to spend extra time watching video to pinpoint the source of his struggles. Cueto was acquired to be the team’s postseason ace, writes ESPN’s Christina Kahrl, but prolonged struggles could lead to Yordano Ventura taking over as the team’s top arm. Kahrl dives into some of the numbers behind Cueto’s recent troubles, noting that his velocity remains sound, but he’s seeing less break on his slider, which could be causing problems.
  • Despite the departure of president Mark Shapiro, Indians fans shouldn’t expect to see a dramatic change in the club’s philosophy or approach to free agency, writes Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer in his latest mailbag piece. Those who had reported to Shapiro will now instead report to owner Paul Dolan, and Dolan’s influence will still of course be strong. Signing players such as Chris Davis won’t be happening this winter, Hoynes says confidently, and he doesn’t expect to see top prospects such as Clint Frazier or or Bradley Zimmer traded in order to provide immediate offensive upgrades, either.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Amaro, Eppler, Keuchel

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Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, via a video on FOX Sports:

  • The Phillies haven’t yet decided what to do with GM Ruben Amaro. On the surface, that seems strange, since other teams could soon hire top GM candidates to fill their open positions. The likely reason the Phillies haven’t made a move, Rosenthal suggests, is that incoming club president Andy MacPhail prefers not to rush decisions.
  • Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler is reportedly a top candidate for the open Angels GM job, and he wants the position, even though accepting it would mean working around owner Arte Moreno and influence-wielding manager Mike Scioscia. Eppler is from Southern California and would like to return to the area, Rosenthal says.
  • Dallas Keuchel has put himself in a good negotiating position in potential extension talks with the Astros and he ought not to be desperate to accept one, Rosenthal opines. Keuchel will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this offseason and is already set for a significant payout in 2016, one that would only increase if he wins the Cy Young award. On top of that, it’s extremely unlikely that the Astros would non-tender him the following offseason, so he has already nearly guaranteed himself two years of good salaries.

Front Office Notes: Angels, Eppler, Marlins, Jennings

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The front office rumblings are coming at a steady pace now. Needless to say, there are a lot of moving parts in the multiple front offices in the midst of turnover around the league. Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs breaks down some of the names and considerations that will be in play over the coming months.

On to the latest news and rumors:

  • Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler seems to be an oft-spoken name early in the GM hiring season, and ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets that Eppler is “expected to be a strong frontrunner” for the Angels’ opening. While Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports added on Twitter that Los Angeles had yet to request permission from New York to speak with Eppler, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times later tweeted that the clubs have been in contact regarding that matter.
  • Eppler will have competition, of course, and DiGiovanna further tweets that the Angels have been in touch with other teams seeking permission to speak with their executives. It’s still unclear at present how many will get serious consideration for the role, he adds.
  • The Marlins’ lower-level front office changes continued today, as the team fired pro scout Mikey White, per Rosenthal (Twitter links). White was close with GM-turned-manager (and possible future GM) Dan Jennings, says Rosenthal, as was recently-reassigned VP of player personnel Craig Weissman.
  • It’s not clear that anything should be read into those tea leaves, as MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro reports that there were “strong indications” today that Jennings is likely heading back into the Marlins’ general manager position after the season. Jennings had a meeting yesterday regarding the organization’s future direction, though he declined to discuss it. He’s also been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Seattle opening.

New York Notes: Teixeira, Harvey, Bullpens

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The Yankees and Mets are both firmly in the playoff picture, with the Yanks currently occupying a Wild Card spot and the Mets holding a six-game lead over the Nationals in the NL East. Here’s the latest on each club…

  • Though the Yankees had to put Mark Teixeira on the DL and will be without him for a week, the team isn’t planning to pursue any outside help at first base, GM Brian Cashman tells Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Astros slugger Chris Carter and the Marlins’ Casey McGehee have cleared waivers, Sherman reports, and while neither wouldn’t be eligible for the postseason roster if acquired, either could pair with Greg Bird at first base in Teixeira’s absence. However, Cashman doesn’t think the Yankees can find a definitive improvement over their internal options, suggesting that he doesn’t think too highly of either right-handed corner option mentioned by Sherman.
  • Agent Scott Boras feels that the Mets are putting Matt Harvey in danger by not strictly adhering to Dr. James Andrews’ recommended limit of 180 innings. “Any club that chooses to defy a surgeon’s wishes is putting the player in peril,” Boras tells CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. GM Sandy Alderson contends that he’s consulted with doctors all year and considered any innings limit placed on Harvey to be “soft” in nature. Boras disagrees: “Expert opinion by medical practitioners is not a soft number. There are no soft numbers. These are medical practitioners providing opinions about when a pitcher is at risk, and when a pitcher isn’t at risk.” The Mets plan to skip one of Harvey’s starts in advance of the playoffs, but the righty has still totaled 166 1/3 innings this season, so he’s on pace to pitch far more than 180, especially if the Mets make a deep postseason run. In that scenario, Alderson said that Harvey would be monitored on a “case by case” basis.
  • Bullpen workload is a challenge for both Joe Girardi and Terry Collins down the stretch, writes the Post’s Ken Davidoff. Each skipper has a pair of late-inning weapons (Andrew Miller and Dellin Betances for Girardi; Jeurys Familia and Tyler Clippard for Collins), but each has had a heavy workload that will need to be monitored heading into October. As Davidoff notes, the presence of Clippard has been a godsend for the Mets, who had hoped to rely on a quartet of power arms — Vic Black, Bobby Parnell, Jenrry Mejia and Familia — only to see all but Familia work their way out of the team’s late-inning plans in one way or another.

Minor MLB Transactions: 9/3/15

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league…

  • Two recently-designated Padres lefties have cleared waivers and received outright assignments, per Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter). Caleb Thielbar and Chris Rearick will both remain in the San Diego organization. The 28-year-old Thielbar has not received many innings at the big league level after two strong campaigns with the Twins. And Rearick will, it appears, end up back where he started before a recent flurry of claims, DFAs, and outrights.
  • Another left-handed reliever, James Russell of the Cubs, has also been outrighted, per MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat (via Twitter). Russell’s return to Chicago has not gone quite as well as hoped, as he’s worked to a 5.29 ERA in 34 frames with 5.3 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9.
  • The Yankees announced today that they have outrighted infielder Cole Figueroa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Yanks designated Figueroa, 28, for assignment earlier this week to make room for a series of September call-ups. He went 2-for-8 in a pair of games with New York at the big league level in 2015 but has spent most of the season at Scranton, where he’s batted .291/.361/.368 in 492 PAs. Figueroa can elect minor league free agency this winter.

East Notes: Bradley, Bour, Sabathia

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The Red Sox’ patience with Jackie Bradley Jr. is finally paying dividends, as Rob Bradford of WEEI.com writes. As Bradford explains, it’s not just about the results on the field. Bradley has, of course, been producing at a remarkable rate since his most recent call-up, but he’s also presented a different kind of demeanor, coachability, and comfort. Always a highly-regarded defender and a consistent offensive producer in the minors, Bradley seems to be putting it all together at the big league level in his age-25 season.

A few more notes out of the game’s eastern divisions …

  • The Marlins are giving an extended look at first baseman Justin Bour to see if he could play an expanded role in the future, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro writes in a fan Q&A. The left-handed-hitting Bour is getting more plate appearances against southpaws at present. He owns a strong .252/.321/.449 slash with 15 home runs over 336 plate appearances, though he really has yet to be exposed to left-handed pitching at all to date. Another matter that could need addressing is the fact that defensive metrics are not fans of his efforts with the glove thus far.
  • Yankees lefty CC Sabathia says he’s feeling good about his progress as he works to return to the mound, as George A. King III of the New York Post reports. “No pain, I’m excited,” Sabathia said of this right knee. GM Brian Cashman said recently that Sabathia will be utilized as a starter when he is activated. There had been some indication that the club was considering utilizing the high-priced former ace in a relief role.
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