Yankees Place Jose Trevino On 10-Day IL With Grade 2 Quad Strain
TODAY: Trevino has been diagnosed with a grade 2 quad strain and will be out for “some time,” Aaron Boone told reporters (including Brendan Kuty of The Athletic) this afternoon.
July 13: Catcher Jose Trevino has been placed on the Yankees’ 10-day injured list due to a left quad strain, the team announced prior to today’s game. Carlos Narvaez was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move, and will now share catching duties with Austin Wells until Trevino recovers.
The injury occurred late in Friday’s 4-1 Yankees win over the Orioles, when Trevino slid home while scoring a run in the ninth inning. Manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Greg Joyce of the New York Post) today that a timeline isn’t yet known for Trevino’s return, as the catcher has returned to New York to undergo testing.
The lefty-righty platoon of Trevino and Wells have split the playing time almost as evenly as possible this season, as both players entered Saturday with exactly 59 games and 186 plate appearances apiece. Trevino has been the slightly more productive of the two at the plate, with eight homers and a .244/.303/.411 slash line to Wells’ five home runs and .219/.312/.369 slash.
This translates to a 103 wRC+ for Trevino and a 97 wRC+ for Wells, and while Wells has been a strong defender in his own right, Trevino has continued to post his typical elite framing and blocking numbers. While the Yankees might’ve preferred to see a former top-100 prospect like Wells have a bigger breakout in his first full Major League season, Trevino’s steady veteran presence and glovework has been a big boost to the team.
More will be known about Trevino’s recovery timeline once tests are complete, but if he is going to miss an extended period of time, it’ll put more pressure on Wells and rookie Narvaez to keep things steady at the catching position. (Narvaez was briefly called up to the 26-man roster earlier this season but didn’t receive any in-game action, so he has yet to make his MLB debut.) Ben Rice could be an option for some catching duty, though Rice has only caught one inning in his own rookie season, and New York will need him more pressingly at first base while Anthony Rizzo is out. Depending on how long Trevino is out, the Yankees might now consider adding some veteran catching depth at the trade deadline, or perhaps sign an experienced backup to play ahead of Narvaez.
Latest On Garrett Crochet’s Trade Market
The White Sox’s reported desire to deal dominant youngster Garrett Crochet this summer has made the southpaw one of the most intriguing players to watch in the days leading up to the trade deadline on July 30, and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale noted this morning that Chicago still intends to deal the lefty this summer even as rival GMs express uncertainty regarding whether or not a deal will come together. Nightengale goes on to note that while the Padres made a “recent” offer to the South Siders for Crochet, White Sox brass “quickly dismissed” the proposal.
This isn’t the first report to suggesting that the White Sox have been dismissive of offers from rival clubs, as reporting earlier this month suggested the Dodgers have also put forth an offer that was ultimately rejected. Still, it’s somewhat notable that San Diego’s offer for the lefty’s services was turned down given the fact that the Padres were reportedly the “most aggressive” team in their pursuit of the lefty’s services as recently as last month. It’s certainly possible that other clubs have become more aggressive in their pursuits of Crochet since then, but the news is nonetheless the latest signal that the price for the youngster’s services will be steep.
An exorbitant asking price is somewhat understandable given Crochet’s unique combination of youth, dominance, and team control. The 25-year-old has pitched to a 3.02 ERA in 107 1/3 innings of work this year with even stronger peripheral numbers, as he leads the majors with a whopping 150 strikeouts. That’s good for a 35.2% strikeout rate, and Crochet complements that heavy dose of K’s with a microscopic 5.4% walk rate and a strong 45.7% groundball rate. A starting pitcher with that sort of elite talent is extremely hard to come by in any case, much less at an age when some pitchers have yet to even establish themselves at the majors and with team control that runs through the end of the 2026 season.
While there’s been questions about whether or not Crochet will be able to remain in the rotation down the stretch after already more than doubling his total number of innings as a professional in the first half, the lefty would surely be a valuable asset even in a bullpen role for the second half this year before returning to the rotation in 2025. Given that, it’s hardly a surprise that Crochet is reportedly receiving widespread interest from clubs around the league. That should allow the White Sox to set the asking price on his services quite high, particularly given the fact that they could try to deal him again this winter if talks end up stalling out.
One clue as to where the Sox may set the bar regarding Crochet is that Nightengale suggests Chicago is “insisting” on Yankees outfield prospect Spencer Jones as part of the return for the lefty’s services in negotiations with New York. Jones, the Yankees’ first round pick in the 2022 draft, was a frequently discussed prospect this winter as the club resisted requests for him to be included in deals with various trade partners throughout the winter. He entered the season as a consensus top-100 prospect in the sport, with some services even ranking him in the top 30 or higher. A slow start to the season at Double-A saw most outlets settle on placing Jones in the top-75 range earlier this year, though he’s heated up in recent weeks and may have seen his prospect stock start to rebound a bit. Either way, reporting last week indicated that the Yankees remain unwilling to part with Jones, suggesting that a deal between New York and Chicago is unlikely unless one side or the other folds regarding the hulking outfield prospect.
Yankees Promote Jorbit Vivas
12:55pm: The Yankees have formally announced the moves. Davis is headed to the IL with a bout of the stomach flu. His stint is retroactive to July 9, meaning he’ll be eligible for activation a week from now.
11:51am: The Yankees are calling up infield prospect Jorbit Vivas for his major league debut, reports SNY’s Andy Martino. He’s already on the 40-man roster, so only a 26-man roster move will be necessary. That’ll come in the form of a 10-day IL placement for infielder J.D. Davis.
Vivas, 23, came to the Yankees alongside lefty Victor Gonzalez in the offseason trade that sent infield prospect Trey Sweeney to the Dodgers. The 5’9″, 171-pound lefty hitter has primarily split his time between second base and third base in the minors. He’ll give the Yankees an option at both positions. Second base has been Vivas’ primary position (and the one at which he’s more well regarded defensively), but the Yankees have particularly struggled with regard to production from the hot corner this season.
In 169 plate appearances at the Triple-A level in 2024, Vivas has turned in a .258/.404/.424 slash. He’s swatted five homers, six doubles and a triple — chipping in nine stolen bases in 13 attempts. Vivas has also shown strong bat-to-ball skills and an incredibly disciplined approach, drawing a walk in 17.2% of his plate appearances against an 18.3% strikeout rate.
Baseball America ranked Vivas 14th among Yankees farmhands on their updated ranking of the team’s top-30 prospects just three days ago. MLB.com ranks him 15th in the system. BA’s scouting report suggests that his power is presently well below average but could still grow to the point where he can reach double-digit homers in a given season. (Being a lefty hitter at Yankee Stadium won’t hurt in that regard.) Still, Vivas’ most highly regarded tools are an above-average hit tool, average speed, a solid glove at second base and his terrific strike zone awareness.
Yankees second basemen this season have posted a collective .224/.296/.336. Most of that has been Gleyber Torres, who struggled mightily in April, rebounded in May/June, and has again fallen into a woeful July slump. At third base, the combination of Jon Berti, Oswaldo Cabrera and DJ LeMahieu has posted an even more bleak .236/.297/.314 slash. Given the dearth of production at both spots, Vivas should get the opportunity to spell both Torres and LeMahieu, who currently occupy the regular roles at those two positions.
Yankees Have Discussed Jazz Chisholm
The Yankees have had some discussions regarding Jazz Chisholm Jr., writes Jon Heyman of the New York Post. It’s not clear how serious New York’s interest is or whether they’ve been in contact with Miami’s front office.
Chisholm will be the subject of ample trade chatter over the next three weeks. Craig Mish of the Miami Herald wrote earlier in the week that there’s increased belief around the industry that he’ll be dealt. The Marlins probably won’t take many players off the table as they continue the rebuild they truly commenced with the Luis Arraez trade at the start of May. Thanks to a brutal series of injuries that has decimated their rotation, Chisholm is probably Miami’s most valuable deadline trade chip.
[Related: Top 50 Trade Candidates]
The lefty-hitting Chisholm connected on his 12th homer of the season in today’s loss to the Astros. He’s carrying a slightly above-average .255/.324/.419 slash line through 377 plate appearances. Chisholm has stolen 18 bases but been thrown out on eight occasions. He’s walking at an average 8.5% clip while striking out just over a quarter of the time.
It might not be dominant production, but Chisholm at least looks like a solid everyday player. Some teams could still view him as an upside play at age 26. Chisholm was a staple on top prospect lists thanks to his evident combination of athleticism and raw power potential. He’s shown glimpses of that ceiling at the big league level — most notably during an All-Star 2022 season in which he hit .254/.324/.535 over his first 60 games. Chisholm’s seeming breakout year was cut short by a stress fracture in his back. He has been a good but not elite player over the past season and a half, hitting .253/.314/.436 with 30 longballs and 40 steals over 755 plate appearances.
That more recent stretch has coincided with a position change. Chisholm was a middle infield prospect who broke into the majors as a primary second baseman. The Marlins moved him to center field when they acquired Arraez going into ’23. Defensive metrics are mixed on his outfield work. Defensive Runs Saved has rated Chisholm 14 runs below average in more than 1500 center field innings. Statcast has him as a neutral defender.
While the Yankees don’t necessarily need outfield help, they should be looking for ways to deepen the lineup. New York has Juan Soto and Alex Verdugo in the corner positions. Aaron Judge has played mostly designated hitter since Giancarlo Stanton landed on the injured list, drawing Trent Grisham into the lineup in center field. Playing Grisham regularly isn’t ideal, but Stanton could be back around the deadline (thereby pushing Judge back to center).
Miami hasn’t played Chisholm for a single inning on the infield dirt since 2022. Manager Skip Schumaker flatly shot down the idea of getting him infield reps after the Fish designated Tim Anderson for assignment at the start of July (X link via Isaac Azout of Fish on First). Other teams may be more willing to rotate Chisholm into the middle infield, at least on occasion. Heyman suggests that if the Yankees were to make a serious run at Chisholm, it’d likely be with an eye to the infield. Neither Gleyber Torres nor DJ LeMahieu have gotten things going offensively, leaving the Yankees without much production from second or third base.
Chisholm is under team control for two and a half seasons, so Miami should net a significant return if they do move him. He’s making just $2.625MM this year, a little less than half of which has yet to be paid.
Yankees Sign Tim Mayza To Minor League Deal
The Yankees have signed left-hander Tim Mayza to a minor league deal, according to a report from Brendan Kuty and Katie Woo of The Athletic. The lefty will presumably be assigned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shortly.
Mayza, 32, was recently released by the Blue Jays as he’s had an awful season thus far. He made 35 appearances for the Jays, logging 24 2/3 innings with 8.03 earned runs allowed per nine. His 9.9% walk rate on the year is passable but he has only struck out 13.2% of batters faced and his ground ball rate has been subpar at 39.1%.
Despite the recent struggles, it’s easy to see why the Yanks would be interested. Mayza underwent Tommy John surgery late in 2019 and missed all of 2020, but has was quite good between that absence and this year’s dip. Over the 2021-23 period, he made 193 appearances for the Jays with a 2.67 ERA, 24.9% strikeout rate, 6.3% walk rate and 58.3% ground ball rate. He earned four saves and 56 holds for the Jays in that time.
All those numbers have moved in the wrong direction here in 2024, but there are reasons to suspect he’s not been as bad as an 8.03 ERA would suggest. His .367 batting average on balls in play and 54.8% strand rate have both been on the unfortunate side of average, which is why his 4.91 FIP and 5.08 SIERA paint a rosier picture of his work this year. The lack of strikeouts and ground balls this year undoubtedly exacerbated that bad luck a bit, but expecting some better results going forward is within reason.
The Yanks have been trying to solve the left-handed relief portion of their roster this season. Victor González was recently bounced off the roster after some shaky outings. Caleb Ferguson has held onto his spot despite a 5.46 ERA this year. They recently bought low on veteran groundballer Tim Hill and have also given limited looks to Anthony Misiewicz and Josh Maciejewski.
If Mayza can turn a corner and show that the first half of 2024 was just a bad stretch, there’s a path for him to get into that mix. The Yanks can get an up-close look at him for the next few weeks while they also assess who could be available on the trade market prior to the July 30 deadline.
Mayza is making $3.59MM this year but the Jays are on the hook for that since they released him. If the Yanks add him to the roster at any point, they would only have to pay him the prorated version of the league minimum for any time Mayza spends on the roster, with that amount subtracted from what the Jays pay. Mayza crossed over five years of service time earlier this year and can no longer be optioned to the minors, but if he gets a 40-man roster spot at some point, he can be retained via arbitration for the 2025 season.
AL Central Notes: Crochet, Jones, Allen, Meadows, Flaherty
Since half the league has reportedly shown interest in White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet, it isn’t surprising that a contender like the Yankees are on that list, as the New York Post’s Jon Heyman writes that the Bombers “very much like Crochet.” However, the Yankees still aren’t keen to part with top prospect Spencer Jones, who was known to be a chief White Sox target when Chicago and New York discussed a possible Dylan Cease trade last offseason before Cease was dealt to the Padres.
While Heyman isn’t sure if Jones is necessarily still a priority get for the White Sox, the 2022 first-rounder’s stock is likely still quite high despite only okay numbers at Double-A Somerset. After a very slow start to the season, Jones’ bat has started to cook over the last six weeks, bringing his season slash line to .241/.322/.408 over 320 plate appearances. Baseball America (73rd) and MLB Pipeline (74th) still have Jones within their top-75 prospect lists, and both outlets rank him behind only Jasson Dominguez as the top minor leaguer in the New York farm system.
More from around the AL Central…
- The Guardians optioned left-hander Logan Allen to Triple-A today to create a roster spot for the newly-acquired Spencer Howard. Manager Stephen Vogt told MLB.com’s Mandy Bell and other reporters that the demotion is “an opportunity for Logan to go down and get some consistency back….And so he’s been working really hard on some delivery, some different things that are going to help him with that consistency.” Allen had an impressive 2023 rookie season but has run into a sophomore slump this year, posting a 5.67 ERA and a wealth of subpar secondary metrics over 18 starts and 87 1/3 innings.
- Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows suffered a right hamstring injury while trying to steal second base in the eighth inning of today’s 5-1 win over the Reds. More will be known after Meadows undergoes testing, but manager A.J. Hinch admitted to media (including Bally Sports Detroit) that “I don’t love what I heard from the get-go” after initial talks with Meadows and the team’s training staff. Meadows was only just called back up to the Tigers’ roster after a two-month stint in Triple-A, as the defensive standout was trying to get his bat going after an ice-cold performance at the plate in April.
- In other Tigers injury news, Jack Flaherty is tentatively scheduled to start against the Guardians on Thursday. Flaherty’s last turn through the rotation was skipped after he received an injection to help treat a recurring back issue, and Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press writes that Flaherty also received another injection earlier in June. Even after a shaky performance in his last start, Flaherty still has a 3.24 ERA in 89 innings during what has been a nice comeback season for the right-hander. Since Flaherty is considered a prime trade candidate heading into the deadline, a few more healthy and effective starts would go a long way to ease the doubts of any potential suitors, and help the Tigers land a bigger return in a deal.
AL East Notes: Martin, Torres, Garcia
The Red Sox placed Chris Martin on the 15-day injured list yesterday (retroactive to July 4) and called up left-hander Cam Booser from Triple-A to fill Martin’s spot in the bullpen. Martin is suffering from right elbow inflammation, and manager Alex Cora told the Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams and other reporters that there isn’t yet any plan for Martin to undergo any testing. The hope is that the 15-day rest (which encompasses the All-Star break) is all it takes for Martin to feel better and return to the mound.
This is the second time Martin has been on the IL this week, as he also missed two weeks in June dealing with anxiety. Over 26 1/3 innings this season, the right-hander has a strong 27.9% strikeout rate and an elite 1.9% walk rate, while posting an 3.42 ERA that has been inflated by some troubles with home runs. Martin’s SIERA is 2.44, by comparison, and his .313 BABIP reflects a bit of bad batted-ball luck. Despite the time spent on the injured list, Martin still leads the Red Sox with 10 holds and is the club’s top set-up option for closer Kenley Jansen.
More from around the AL East…
- Gleyber Torres continues to be bothered by a nagging groin injury, as the issue forced the Yankees second baseman to make an early exit from yesterday’s 5-3 loss to the Red Sox. Torres isn’t in today’s lineup, as it appears New York is giving him at least one day of rest — considering how Monday is an off-day for the Yankees, it seems conceivable that Torres also might not play Sunday in order to receive a more extended break. The groin problem is the latest wrinkle in what has been a rough season for Torres, who is hitting only .223/.297/.344 with eight home runs in 355 plate appearances.
- Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo today, and Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling (X link) writes that Garcia might just need one appearance before rejoining Toronto’s active roster. Even if Garcia does get a second outing on Tuesday, it looks like the right-hander should be on pace to be activated from the 15-day IL before the All-Star break. Garcia has been on the IL since June 17 due to ulnar neuritis in his throwing elbow, and a healthy return would be huge both for the Jays’ struggling bullpen, and for Garcia’s value heading into the July 30 trade deadline. With the Blue Jays increasingly looking like sellers, a pending free agent like Garcia is a natural candidate to be moved before the deadline.
Phil Bickford Elects Free Agency Following DFA By Yankees
Reliever Phil Bickford elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment by the Yankees, according to a team announcement. New York had designated the right-hander for assignment on Sunday. He evidently cleared waivers.
Bickford only spent a little more than a week on the MLB roster. He signed a minor league pact in early April after being released by the Mets at the end of camp. The former first-rounder pitched to a 2.93 ERA across 27 2/3 innings with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He struck out almost 30% of opposing hitters against a 10.3% walk rate. That’s a few more free passes than ideal but isn’t unmanageable.
It was an impressive enough minor league showing to get Bickford a brief look in the Bronx. He couldn’t carry that over against MLB competition. Bickford worked five innings, allowing nine runs (eight earned) on eight hits and a walk. Bickford tossed scoreless outings in his first two appearances before allowing runs in each of his final three games. That included a five-run outing against the Blue Jays on Saturday in which Bickford only logged two outs.
The 28-year-old (29 next week) topped 50 MLB innings in every season from 2021-23. Bickford managed a 2.81 ERA between the Brewers and Dodgers three years ago. He allowed nearly five earned runs per nine in the next two seasons, albeit with solid strikeout and swinging strike numbers. Bickford will likely sign another minor league deal in the next few days. The Yankees could look to bring him back, as it’s not uncommon for players to re-sign with their prior organization after declining an outright assignment.
Yankees Designate Phil Bickford, Select Josh Maciejewski
The Yankees announced that right-hander Phil Bickford has been designated for assignment. The move opens a roster space for left-hander Josh Maciejewski, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A.
Bickford’s own minor league contract was selected to New York’s roster just on June 21, and the veteran righty allowed eight earned runs over five innings (in five appearances) for an ugly 14.40 ERA. The majority of that damage took place in Saturday’s game, as Bickford was charged for five runs in just two-thirds of an inning of relief work in the Yankees’ 9-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
Today’s move brings a fresh arm into the Yankees bullpen, and returns Bickford to the DFA wire for the third time in his career. Bickford’s previous designations resulted in a change of uniform — the Dodgers claimed him off waivers from the Brewers in May 2021, and the Mets acquired Bickford as part of a deadline day trade last August. Since Bickford is out of minor league options, the Yankees had to designate him and risk losing him on waivers before the club is free to outright him off the 40-man roster.
Maciejewski was designated and outrighted himself back in April, shortly after he made his Major League debut in the form of a single inning of relief work in New York’s 7-0 win over the Marlins on April 8. A 10th-round pick for the Yankees in the 2018 draft, Maciejewski is more of a pitch-to-contract type of hurler than a strikeout artist, and he has a 4.95 ERA over 83 2/3 career Triple-A innings. His second trip to the majors will see Maciejewski join Caleb Ferguson and Tim Hill as the left-handed options in New York’s relief corps.
Jed Hoyer Discusses Trade Deadline, Cubs’ Struggles
The Cubs’ 4-2 loss to the Brewers Friday dropped Chicago to a 38-45 record, and a .458 winning percentage that tops only the Marlins and Rockies among all National League teams. With a 17-31 mark in their last 48 games, the Cubs simply haven’t been playing good baseball for the better part of two months, leading to a lot of speculation about the team’s plans heading into the July 30 trade deadline.
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer addressed this topic and many others when speaking with reporters (including The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma and ESPN’s Jesse Rogers) prior to yesterday’s game, saying “I don’t think it’s time yet for that full conversation” given that the deadline is still a month out. However, Hoyer admitted that “we’ve backed ourselves into a bit of a corner” and things needs to turn around quickly.
“We have to play well this month,” Hoyer said. “I think you have to be a realist when you get to that point….You have to make the best decisions for the organization based on the hand you’re dealt that year. We’ll see what that is.”
It was just last season that the Cubs were 45-51 on July 20 before rattling off an eight-game winning streak that convinced Hoyer to make moves to bolster the roster at the deadline, rather than sell. Jeimer Candelario was acquired in a trade with the Nationals and helped Chicago post a scoring 18-9 record in August 2023, though a late-season fade left the team just short of a playoff berth.
If the Cubs get on track with another big win streak, or if they keep losing at this pace, Hoyer’s deadline decision will be relatively easy. Given the team’s win-now mode and the investments made in the roster, it might also be fair to say that the Cubs will be more prone to adding at the deadline if they’re even near the .500 mark but still within striking distance in the wild card race. (Even now, Chicago is just five games out of the last NL wild card berth.)
Turning to how the Wrigleyville squad might approach selling, their same roster-building endeavors also lead to a lack of obvious trade candidates. As Rogers notes, most of the Cubs’ roster is under longer-term control, either via contracts or players under arbitration control. While Chicago hasn’t played well, the idea of the Cubs blowing things up and having a fire sale of their core simply isn’t realistic, so any deadline selling would surely be made with an eye towards contending in 2025.
Hector Neris and Kyle Hendricks are free agents this winter and Neris’ track record would lead to some interest from bullpen-needy teams, even though he and Hendricks have both struggled for much of the season. Cody Bellinger can become a free agent if he opts out of the last two years and $52.5MM of his current contract, though his decent but unspectacular play creates some doubt as to whether or not an opt-out would lead to Bellinger finally landing a big-ticket multi-year contract. This same gray area in regards to Bellinger’s status as a rental or a possible longer-term piece would impact his possible status as a trade candidate come the deadline.
The Cubs opted to keep Bellinger at last year’s trade deadline, though it could be a different story this year barring another July surge. “Teams like the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers have recently had a noticeable scouting presence around the” Cubs, according to The Athletic’s Will Sammon, Katie Woo, Patrick Mooney, and Ken Rosenthal, and Bellinger has long been linked to the Yankees on the rumor mill. The 37-45 Rangers are in even worse shape than the Cubs, but the defending World Series champs are another team who could pivot to selling if they can start winning in July.
Until the deadline nears, all Hoyer and his front office can do is hope their struggling lineup and bullpen in particular perform better. Hoyer’s disappointment was clear, as he said “when you look at where we’ve performed this year with a team that’s stronger [on paper], it’s lesser. Is that frustrating to me? Absolutely. If it’s frustrating to me, I have to imagine it’s frustrating to the fans.”