Pitching Notes: D-backs, Cubs, Verlander
Diamondbacks starter Robbie Ray is drawing interest from “a few teams” as a bullpen possibility, Bob Nightengale of USA Today writes. The 28-year-old left-hander has only made three relief appearances in his career (none since his first season in 2014); however, after several respectable seasons as a starter, the soon-to-be free agent has tanked in 2020. He owns an awful 8.33 ERA/7.77 FIP with 8.33 BB/9 across 27 innings this year, though some clubs may have hope that Ray’s high-strikeout ways will lead to success in the bullpen during the stretch run of the season. That said, there’s no guarantee the Diamondbacks will move Ray before the Aug. 31 deadline, as they entered Monday a manageable two games back of a wild-card spot.
- More on the Diamondbacks, who made righty Merrill Kelly a late scratch before his start Monday. It was easy to speculate on a potential trade when that happened, but it turns out Kelly is dealing with a nerve impingement in his pitching shoulder, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic tweets. The club has placed Kelly on the 10-day injured list as a result and recalled righty Riley Smith. Kelly has been quite effective this season, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams explained Monday, so losing him is a blow to the D-backs’ playoff hopes and perhaps a less-than-ideal development heading into the deadline.
- Cubs southpaw Jose Quintana and righty Tyler Chatwood will come off the injured list Tuesday, Gordon Wittenmyer of NBC Sports Chicago reports. Quintana, who has been out all season after undergoing left thumb surgery, will work from the bullpen upon his return. That’s relatively new territory for Quintana, who has totaled just four relief appearances out of 250 in his career. As Wittenmyer notes, though, Quintana could find himself back in a starting role soon if Chatwood or Alec Mills falters (Mills didn’t in a win over Detroit on Monday). Chatwood, who will start Tuesday, turned in a pair of great outings to open the season, but he went on the IL with a back issue after the Royals shellacked him for eight earned runs on 11 hits in 2 1/3 innings on Aug. 6. He’s now set to rejoin Mills, Yu Darvish, Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester in the Cubs’ rotation.
- It has been nearly a month since the Astros shut down ace Justin Verlander because of a right forearm strain, but the reigning AL Cy Young winner continues to make progress in his recovery. Manager Dusty Baker issued an update on Verlander on Monday, saying to Mark Berman of Fox 26 and other reporters: “I think he threw 20 pitches yesterday. He said he felt pretty good. That’s a positive sign.” It’s still unknown whether Verlander will make it back this year, especially with only about a month remaining in the regular season. Houston has started 15-13 despite only one appearance from Verlander (and several other notable injuries), putting the team two games back of a wild-card spot.
Red Sox Notes: Xander, Bloom, Barnes, Holt
A clause in Xander Bogaerts‘ six-year, $120MM contract extension with the Red Sox will allow the shortstop to gain full no-trade protection once he reaches seven full years of service time. With the 2020 season’s prorated service time calendar in mind, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal recently observed that Bogaerts will hit that seven-year threshold on September 6, leaving Rosenthal wondering whether the Sox could accelerate their rebuild by offering Bogaerts prior to the August 31 trade deadline.
Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom didn’t completely dismiss the concept of a Bogaerts trade during a recent appearance on WEEI’s Greg Hill Show (hat tip to WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford), though that was because, as Bloom noted, “philosophically, I would never want to come out and just unequivocally say somebody is untouchable.” Even if Bogaerts isn’t officially “untouchable,” Bloom stressed that “Xander is a core player for us….I don’t think we’re doing our job if we’re not listening, but it doesn’t mean that it’s something we’re trying to do by any stretch.”
In regards to Bogaerts’ impending acquisition of no-trade rights, Bloom said “I don’t think something like that would change our approach here….I know that news has been out there but it’s not something that is at front of mind for us in terms of how we’re approaching the deadline.”
More from Fenway Park…
- Matt Barnes could be a much likelier trade candidate for the Sox, as the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier reports that Barnes was a popular target for rival teams both at last year’s deadline and in the offseason. The Red Sox weren’t ready to move Barnes in July 2019 but could be more open to the concept now; Boston has already dealt two relievers and seem to be going into at least a mini-rebuild or reload in advance of the 2021 campaign. Barnes might now get some save chances with Brandon Workman gone, both because Barnes is the logical next man up as closer and perhaps due to the team’s desire to showcase Barnes prior to the deadline.
- After the Brewers designated Brock Holt for assignment earlier today, speculation immediately arose among Boston fans that the longtime fan favorite could be a fit to return to the Sox roster. Speier threw some cold water on that speculation, however, noting that adding a veteran like Holt would run counter to the the team’s desire to get a look at younger players who could be longer-term pieces.
AL Injury Notes: Simmons, Yankees, S. Perez, Astros
The Angels reinstated Andrelton Simmons from the 10-day injured list and placed catcher Max Stassi (right quad strain, knee bruise) on the IL, the team announced. Simmons is back after a three-plus-week absence because of a sprained left ankle. It could be an interesting upcoming 10 days for Simmons, a soon-to-be free agent whom the non-contending Angels may choose to move before the Aug. 31 trade deadline. Regardless, the 30-year-old Simmons will spend the next month-plus trying to boost his stock before he reaches the open market for the first time in his career. He dealt with injury issues (including to his ankle) during a down season in 2019, and he has hit a mere .188/.188/.250 in 16 plate appearances this year.
- Yankees manager Aaron Boone issued updates Friday on a few of their key players who are on the IL, telling WFAN (via Marly Rivera of ESPN.com) that right fielder Aaron Judge is “likely” to be in the Yankees’ lineup for their next game (that won’t be this weekend, as their series with the Mets was postponed). Judge has been down for a week with a mild calf strain. Meanwhile, second baseman DJ LeMahieu is doing “significantly better” as he recovers from the left thumb sprain that sent him to the IL last weekend. And reliever Zack Britton, whom the Yankees shelved Thursday with a strained left hamstring, should recover “on the shorter side.”
- The Royals announced that they’ve placed catcher Salvador Perez on the IL, retroactive to Aug. 18, with left eye central serous chorioretinopathy and recalled left-hander Randy Rosario. Perez’s issue has bothered him since last weekend and hampered his vision, though it’s not believed to be a long-term problem. After missing all of last year because of Tommy John surgery, Perez was enjoying a strong return season with a .307/.326/.511 line, four home runs and a 25 percent caught-stealing percentage prior to going to the IL.
- Astros outfielder Michael Brantley is eligible for activation Saturday, but manager Dusty Baker told Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle and other reporters he’s “not real optimistic” that will happen. It seems Brantley will need a bit more time to recover from a right quad injury that has kept him out since Aug. 11. Baker also suggested (via Rome) that yet another Astro – right-hander Josh James – will probably go on the IL. James suffered a hip injury and had to be helped off the field in Colorado on Thursday. That continued a nightmare of a season for James, who has surrendered 13 earned runs on 12 hits and 14 walks (with 13 strikeouts) in 10 2/3 innings.
60-Man Player Pool Additions: D-backs, Rangers, Brewers
The latest 60-man player pool moves from around the league, all via team announcements…
- Outfielder Kristian Robinson is now in the Diamondbacks’ pool (not the one at Chase Field just yet). The club signed the Bahamian for a $2.5MM bonus in 2017, and he’s now the Diamondbacks’ No. 1-ranked prospect at MLB.com, which also ranks him 47th overall in the sport. MLB.com calls the 19-year-old “a physical specimen” who could develop into a “revered” slugger in the majors. Robinson divided last year between low-A and Single-A, slashing .282/.368/.514 with 14 home runs in 291 plate appearances.
- The Rangers have added second baseman Justin Foscue, their first-round pick this year, to their pool. The 21-year-old Foscue joined the Rangers as the 14th overall choice after an outstanding run at Mississippi State. Texas locked him up for a below-slot bonus ($3.25MM) in late June.
- Catcher Payton Henry is now at the alternate training site of the Brewers, who used a sixth-round pick on him in 2016. The 23-year-old Henry, who hit .242/.315/.395 with 14 home runs in 482 plate appearances at Single-A last season, possesses “considerable raw power” and has made enough progress behind the plate to stick as a catcher, Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs writes.
IL Placements: P. Baez, Knebel, Swanson, Wieters
There were several 10-day injured list placements around the majors Thursday afternoon. Here’s a rundown…
- The Dodgers placed reliever Pedro Baez on the IL with a right groin strain and recalled righty Josh Sborz. Baez was in the midst of yet another quality season before the wheels came off in his three most recent appearances, in which he allowed a combined four earned runs on three hits (including two homers) in 2 2/3 innings. In all, he has pitched to a 3.97 ERA/5.35 FIP with 6.35 K/9 and 3.97 BB/9 over 11 1/3 frames.
- Brewers reliever Corey Knebel went down with a strained left hamstring. The team recalled infielder/outfielder Mark Mathias to take Knebel’s roster spot. 2020 has been a rough go for Knebel, a former star closer who has slumped in his first action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in March 2019. The 28-year-old, who has allowed at least one earned run in five of nine appearances, owns a 9.45 ERA with 9.45 K/9 and 5.4 BB/9 across 6 2/3 innings.
- The Mariners sent righty Erik Swanson to the shelf with an ominous-sounding injury – a forearm strain. Despite averaging almost 96 mph on his fastball and totaling seven strikeouts against one walk, Swanson has allowed nine earned runs on seven hits and three HRs in 5 1/3 innings.
- The Cardinals put catcher Matt Wieters on the IL when they activated starting backstop Yadier Molina. Wieters is dealing with a left toe contusion. Andrew Knizner will back up Molina in place of Wieters, who has gone without a hit in 13 plate appearances on the year.
Health Notes: Francona, Rays, Hamels, Phils, Grandal
Indians manager Terry Francona will miss their series against the Pirates to undergo surgery for gastrointestinal problems, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com relays. Bench coach Sandy Alomar is managing the team during Francona’s absence. This is the second procedure Francona has undergone in the past month to address the issue. MLBTR wishes him a speedy recovery and hopes to see him back in the Cleveland dugout as quickly as possible.
- Injured Rays right-hander Charlie Morton came out of an “intense bullpen session” unscathed, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. It’s possible Morton will return this weekend after heading to the injured list Aug. 10 with shoulder inflammation. That continued a disappointing opening to the season for Morton, who struggled through his first four starts. Meanwhile, reliever Oliver Drake will begin a throwing program as he works back from the right biceps tendinitis that forced him to the IL on Aug. 9. However, there’s no word on a potential return date.
- Braves manager Brian Snitker stated Tuesday that left-hander Cole Hamels is still “a little ways” from throwing off a mound, Mark Bowman of MLB.com tweets. The Braves remain hopeful Hamels will pitch this year, but time’s obviously of the essence with the regular season due to end in late September. Hamels was a headline-grabbing offseason signing for the Braves, but the triceps injury he has dealt with may stop the pending free agent from ever pitching for them.
- Phillies center fielder Roman Quinn received clearance to come off the COVID-19 injured list Tuesday, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer was among those to report. Quinn went to the IL this past weekend after experiencing mild symptoms, though he didn’t test positive for the virus then. His latest test came back negative, enabling him to rejoin the team.
- The White Sox are hopeful that catcher Yasmani Grandal will return “by the end of the week,” according to manager Rick Renteria (via Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times). Grandal exited the team’s game Monday with a stiff back.
AL Injury Notes: Yordan, White Sox, Donaldson, A’s
Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez was out of their lineup for the second straight day on Monday on account of right knee soreness, and it doesn’t seem as if a return to a regular role is imminent. While Alvarez’s MRI on Monday came back negative, he may only be a pinch hitter for the club in the near term, Alyson Footer of MLB.com writes. Alvarez’s lack of availability (he didn’t debut until Aug. 14 because of coronavirus-related problems) has been an enormous blow to a Houston team that has also dealt with several other significant health woes in the early going. The club lost yet another standout Saturday when it placed outfielder Michael Brantley on the IL with a right quad injury.
- General manager Rick Hahn issued updates Monday on a pair of injured White Sox, second baseman Nick Madrigal and left-hander Aaron Bummer (Twitter links via James Fegan of The Athletic). The news on Madrigal is encouraging, as Hahn said the rookie has resumed “virtually all baseball activities” and remains on track to return by the end of this month after separating his shoulder Aug. 5. On the other hand, there’s no timetable for Bummer, who went to the IL on Aug. 8 with a left biceps strain. The groundball-heavy Bummer was off to a great start before then and seemed as if he was on his way to a second straight season as one of the game’s most effective relievers. Now, Bummer only has a little more than a month to return to regular-season action, and he’ll have to go through a throwing program before then.
- Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson isn’t dealing with any issues in his recovery from a right calf strain, Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. Donaldson went on the IL on Aug. 7, and it remains unclear when the big-money offseason signing will return to their lineup. The 34-year-old came out of the gates slowly prior to the injury, albeit over a mere 27 plate appearances, as he hit .182/.296/.318 with one home run. Nevertheless, The Twins have started 15-8 and sit atop the AL Central – a division they won last season.
- Athletics right-hander Burch Smith headed to the IL over the weekend with a a forearm strain, which is always ominous for a pitcher. Manager Bob Melvin said Monday that Smith does not have any structural damage, but it’s up in the air whether he’ll pitch again in 2020, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle relays. Smith has been part of a slew of organizations, but he finally seemed to find a home in Oakland this season before the injury. The 30-year-old has logged a 2.25 ERA/2.30 FIP with 9.75 K/9 and 0.75 BB/9 in 12 innings from the A’s bullpen.
NL Health Notes: Braves, Mets, Cards, Giants, Padres, Dodgers
The Braves placed outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. on the injured list Saturday (retroactive to Aug. 12) because of left wrist inflammation, and the team’s hope then was that Acuna would be back by the upcoming weekend. However, there’s still no timetable for the superstar’s return, per The Athletic’s David O’Brien, who reports he’s continuing to battle soreness in his wrist. Meanwhile, second baseman Ozzie Albies – whom the Braves put on the IL on Aug. 5 with a bone contusion in his right wrist – is progressing but still has a ways to go, according to O’Brien.
- Mets starters David Peterson and Jacob deGrom will take the ball as scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, Tim Healey of Newsday relays. Peterson had to leave his previous start last Thursday against the Nationals with left shoulder fatigue, while the club scratched deGrom on Friday because of a stiff neck. They’ve been the two best members of the rotation this year for the struggling Mets, as Peterson has performed like one of the game’s top rookies and the back-to-back Cy Young winner deGrom has continued to shine.
- Cardinals righty Carlos Martinez and infielder Edmundo Sosa have been cleared to resume baseball activities, manager Mike Shildt announced to Mark Saxon of The Athletic and other reporters. They’re two of the many Cardinals who recently tested positive for the coronavirus. It’s not clear when either could return, as Shildt noted they’ll need time to build themselves back up. Martinez, long a key part of the Cardinals’ pitching staff, made one very rocky appearance earlier this season. Sosa hasn’t played in the majors this year.
- Giants righty Jeff Samardzija will begin a throwing program Wednesday, according to the club (via Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle). Samardzija went on the injured list Aug. 8 with a shoulder impingement, which came after he opened the season with three rough performances. The pending free agent, 35, owns a ghastly 9.88 ERA across 13 2/3 innings, has already given up 18 hits and six home runs, and has only struck out five hitters.
- The Padres placed catcher Francisco Mejia on the IL on Monday with a thumb bruise, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. With him and outfielder Tommy Pham (previously reported) headed to the shelf, the Padres recalled backstop Luis Torrens and utility player Ty France. Prior to going on the IL, Mejia got off to a woeful start this year with an .079/.146/.184 line in 41 plate appearances. He and fellow Padres catcher Austin Hedges have combined for a disastrous minus-1 wRC+ over 79 trips to the plate thus far.
- The Dodgers announced that they’ve placed infielder Edwin Rios on the IL with a left hamstring strain and recalled lefty Adam Kolarek. The Rios injury is a blow to the Dodgers’ offense, as even though he’s just a part-time player, the 26-year-old has done nothing but hit since debuting last season. So far in 2020, Rios has slashed .276/.323/.690 with three home runs in 31 plate appearances.
Injury Notes: Alvarez, Pham, Franmil, Judge
Yordan Alvarez was a late scratch from today’s Astros lineup, as the young slugger continues to battle knee issues. Manager Dusty Baker told the Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome and other reporters that Alvarez arrived at the ballpark feeling knee soreness, which Baker suspected was from an awkward slide into third base during Saturday’s game. Alvarez has been dealing with bad knees throughout his young career, and he has already been limited to DH duty for this season.
Since past tests haven’t revealed any structural problems, it could be that Alvarez’s knees could simply limit him going forward, perhaps both in 2020 and beyond. It certainly isn’t what you want to see from a 23-year-old player, especially one who has been so productive even amidst this knee pain, and Baker acknowledged that the team will keep a close eye on managing Alvarez for the rest of the season.
More on some of the many injury situations popping up on a daily basis around baseball…
- Tommy Pham was removed during a ninth-inning at-bat during today’s Padres/Diamondbacks game. Pham was seemingly favoring his hand after hitting a foul ball, and left after a consultation with a team trainer. This is the second straight game Pham has left early, as he was removed during the second inning of Saturday’s contest due to cramping in both calves. However, he was back in today’s starting lineup as the DH and didn’t seem any worse for wear, going 1-for-4 with a walk and a stolen base. [UPDATE: the Padres are worried Pham has a broken hamate bone, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.]
- Franmil Reyes hit two home runs during the Indians‘ 8-5 victory over the Tigers today, though Reyes’ big day had a painful ending after he was hit in the left hand by a pitch during a ninth-inning plate appearance. Reyes was removed from the game, though he was diagnosed with only a contusion after x-rays were negative. It seems likely Reyes will miss a game or two, though an injured list placement doesn’t seem likely at this point. Reyes has been one of the few highlights for a struggling Cleveland lineup, as Reyes has hit .316/.366/.553 with five home runs.
- Aaron Judge‘s 10-day IL stint may be a minimal one, as the Yankees star told Newsday’s Roger Rubin and other media that he is already recovered from his minor calf strain just two days after his placement. “I was begging for just a couple days…and I don’t need 10 days to be feeling good. I already feel 100 percent now,” Judge said. While Judge is “frustrated with myself not being out there,” he “wouldn’t say I’m frustrated with the organization. This shows how much the organization cares for me and looks out for my well-being.” Given how much time Judge (and other Yankees players) have missed due to injury in recent years, it makes sense that the club would be as cautious as possible in making sure a seemingly minor injury didn’t blossom into a bigger issue.
NL West Notes: Oberg, Rockies, Bumgarner, Cueto
Rockies reliever Scott Oberg is on the 45-day injured list due to blood clots in his throwing arm, marking the third time blood clots have interrupted Oberg’s career. It remains to be seen if Oberg will be able to return during the 2020 season, though the right-hander told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding that he fully intends to keep pitching. “If this is what it’s going to have to be, it’s just another hurdle to overcome. I’ve dealt with the adversity road plenty of times,” Oberg said. After already undergoing three different procedures in the past, it isn’t yet certain if a fourth surgery will be required; Oberg has consulted with doctors and specialists about his latest issue, with more consultations planned for the coming week.
More from around the NL West…
- With Oberg and the struggling Wade Davis both on the IL, the Rockies‘ search for a closer is still ongoing. It seemed as if Jairo Diaz was laying claim to the job, though after a rough outing (three walks, one hit, and two unearned runs in two-thirds of an inning) today, manager Bud Black told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post and other media that the club has no “designated closer.” It seems likely that Diaz will still get some save chances as part of the Rockies’ closing committee, though Yency Almonte, Carlos Estevez, Daniel Bard, and possibly others could all figure into the ninth inning depending on the situation.
- Madison Bumgarner will throw a 50-pitch simulated game on Monday, a week after the southpaw was placed on the 10-day injured list due to a back strain. Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic) that the simulated game “is a way for us to see how he looks, see how he feels and have him evaluate how his body feels and give us that information and determine what the next step is moving forward.” Piecoro notes that Bumgarner is still expected to miss at least one more start while on the IL, though the left-hander might not miss much beyond the 10-day minimum if he reports a clean bill after the sim game.
- Could Johnny Cueto be turning himself into a trade candidate? With the Giants in last place and looking like deadline sellers, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that Cueto could get some attention from teams looking for veteran pitching. Cueto has a 4.62 ERA, 1.73 K/BB rate, and 6.8 K/9 through 25 1/3 innings this season, some fairly middling numbers that ERA indicators (4.72 FIP, 5.55 xFIP, 5.28 SIERA) hint could or should be worse. On the plus side, Statcast metrics show that Cueto is doing a good job of limiting hard contact, and Cueto is averaging 91 mph on his fastball, roughly the same average velocity he was posting in the couple of seasons prior to his August 2018 Tommy John surgery. The Giants would likely have to eat some money to accommodate a trade, given that Cueto is owed $21MM in 2021, there is a $5MM buyout of his $22MM club option for 2022, and he is also owed the prorated remainder of his original $21MM salary for the rest of this season.