Notes

NL Central Notes: Reds, Cubs, Taylor

By Nick Deeds | September 23, 2023 at 7:41pm CDT

Reds manager David Bell told reporters (including Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that outfielder Harrison Bader won’t return to the field this year, and that the odds of right-hander Tejay Antone making it back before 2024 are “remote.” While both players were already known to be out for the remainder of the regular season due to their recent placements on the injured list, Bell’s comments pour cold water on hopes of either player making an impact for Cincinnati this postseason in the event the Reds are able to claim one of the NL Wild Card spots. Pending the end of tonight’s game against Pittsburgh, the Reds currently sit two games behind the Cubs for the final NL Wild Card spot. The club is also one game back of the Marlins, the top NL club currently outside the postseason picture.

Antone made just five appearances out of the bullpen for the Reds this year due to injuries, but was dominant in that limited action with a 1.59 ERA and a 33.3% strikeout rate in 5 2/3 innings of work. Given the right-hander’s strong track record in Cincinnati when healthy, he figures to feature prominently in the club’s plans next year even in the event he doesn’t return this season.

The same can’t be said for Bader, a pending free agent who joined the Reds after being placed on waivers by the Yankees at the end of August. Bader had struggled with the bat in New York, slashing just .240/.278/.365 in 84 games with the club, but more than made up for it with his superlative glovework in center field. Unfortunately, his time in Cincinnati saw his work with the bat deteriorate even more as he posted a brutal .161/.235/.194 slash line in 14 games that was good for a wRC+ of just 15. That said, between his strong defense in center field and a much more promising career wRC+ of 92, Bader figures to hit free agency after the season with a chance to land a healthy contract.

Today’s injury news for the Reds isn’t all bad, however. Rookie infielder Matt McLain, who went on the injured list with an oblique strain nearly a month ago, is on the verge of returning per MLB.com. As discussed by Bell, McLain is headed for a rehab assignment at the Triple-A level and figures to play two games there before returning to the major league club, with Tuesday’s game against the Guardians standing as the club’s current target for McLain’s return. Assuming he’s fully healthy, McLain should bolster the club’s lineup in a big way given his .290/.357/.507 slash line in 403 trips to the plate this year.

More from the NL Central…

Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman made his first start since July this afternoon, taking the ball against the Rockies at Wrigley Field. Stroman was activated from the injured list earlier this month to join the club’s bullpen and did well in that role, striking out four while allowing only an unearned run on two hits and a walk in three innings of work. Stroman’s return to the rotation left right-hander Javier Assad as the odd man out in the club’s starting plans. That being said, with Stroman not yet fully built up to a starter’s workload, Assad took the ball in relief of the veteran for four scoreless innings today, lowering the youngster’s ERA to 2.88 on the season. With Stroman back in the rotation, Assad figures to be a valuable multi-inning weapon for the Cubs out of the bullpen down the stretch. Chicago has plenty of high leverage opportunities available with Adbert Alzolay, Michael Fulmer, and Brad Boxberger all currently on the injured list.
Brewers outfielder Tyrone Taylor hasn’t played since Wednesday and was once again held out of the lineup today, with manager Craig Counsell indicating to MLB.com that the 29-year-old was dealing with some hamstring tightness. The club has decided to act cautiously rather than risk losing Taylor to an injury that could keep him out of the postseason, though Counsell added that he hopes Taylor will be able to return to the lineup for tomorrow’s game against the Marlins. Taylor was ice cold to start the year, resulting in a lackluster season slash line of just .233/.270/.408 in 210 plate appearances, but he’s been one of Milwaukee’s strongest offensive contributors since the start of August with a scorching hot .291/.341/.581 slash line including 11 doubles, a triple, and seven homers in 126 trips to the plate. Blake Perkins has gotten additional reps in the outfield in recent days with Taylor temporarily shelved.

AL Central Notes: Keller, Paddack, Allen

By Nick Deeds | September 23, 2023 at 6:21pm CDT

Royals right-hander Brad Keller spent most of the 2023 campaign on the injured list due to a right shoulder impingement, and though he was activated briefly early this month, he quickly found himself back on the shelf due to what the club described as “symptoms associated with thoracic outlet syndrome.” His placement back on the IL had already ended his 2023 season, but manager Matt Quatraro told reporters (including Jaylon T. Thompson of the Kansas City Star) that Keller has indeed been diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome. Quatraro added that Keller has not yet decided a course of action regarding his injury and figures to decide in the coming days about his path forward.

It’s brutal news for Keller, who is poised to depart the Royals for free agency once the 2023 season comes to a close. Keller looked to be a quality mid-rotation starter in the early seasons of his career, posting a 3.50 ERA and 3.90 FIP in 360 1/3 innings of work between 2018 and 2020. Unfortunately, he’s suffered a significant downturn in production since then, with a 5.14 ERA and 4.80 FIP across 314 2/3 innings since the start of the 2021 campaign. In that time, Keller’s walk rate crept up to 11.5%, well above the 9.1% figure he posted in the first three seasons of his career. While Keller was striking out more batters as well, it wasn’t enough to compensate for the additional walks, to say nothing of a sustained spike in the percentage of his fly balls leaving the yard for home runs in recent years. After posting an HR/FB of just 8% in the first three years of his career, that number spiked to 13% the last three seasons.

With less than two months until free agency figures to open, Keller faces a significant degree of uncertainty about the future of his career after spending his entire major league career to this point with the Royals. Surgery to correct TOS has rarely seen players return to the majors and enjoy success, with Stephen Strasburg and Chris Archer among the arms who have seen their careers impacted by the procedure in recent years. One example of a player who has returned effectively is Arizona right-hander Merrill Kelly, who stands as a prime example of the fact that not all types of TOS have the same long-term outlook.

More from around the AL Central…

The Twins could welcome right-hander Chris Paddack back to the major league roster as soon as tomorrow, according to Dan Hayes of The Athletic. Paddack, 27, has been on the IL since last spring after undergoing Tommy John surgery, but has long been been considered a possible late-season option for Minnesota’s pitching staff. It seems that possibility is on the verge of coming to fruition, with The Athletic’s Aaron Gleeman noting that Paddack is expected to contribute as a reliever out of the bullpen rather than a member of the rotation upon being activated. Paddack looked impressive in his most recent rehab outing at Triple-A, where the righty struck out five on two hits and a walk across three scoreless innings of work.
The Guardians have placed left-hander Logan Allen on the 15-day injured list with left shoulder inflammation, per MLB.com’s Mandy Bell. The move brings an end to Allen’s rookie season. It was an impressive start to the young southpaw’s career, as he posted a solid 3.81 ERA (110 ERA+) with a 4.20 FIP across 24 starts with the Guardians this year. Allen and fellow rookies Tanner Bibee and Gavin Williams are the latest young arms to slide into the club’s rotation from their farm system, and figure to join more established arms like Shane Bieber and Triston McKenzie as quality rotation options as Cleveland looks ahead to the 2024 campaign.

AL West Notes: Astros, Anderson, Rendon, Murphy

By Nick Deeds | September 23, 2023 at 5:19pm CDT

The Astros have been without outfielder Michael Brantley for most of the past week due to soreness, which according to manager Dusty Baker (as relayed by The Athletic’s Chandler Rome) is “mostly” in his surgically repaired shoulder. That’s troublesome news for Houston, as the veteran outfielder has played in just 12 games since he was shut down for shoulder surgery last summer. That Brantley’s been forced off the field by his ailing shoulder once again raises questions as the Astros gear up to defend their title as the reigning World Series champions this fall, though it’s at least somewhat encouraging that the club hasn’t yet elected to place him on the injured list.

Brantley’s absence would normally be expected to allow Yordan Alvarez to move into left field, freeing up the DH spot for a bat like rookie catcher Yainer Diaz. Things aren’t quite that simple, however, as Alvarez is dealing with injury issues of his own. The slugger told reporters, including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart, recently that he hasn’t been able to play the field recently after “feeling something” in his elbow earlier in the month while swinging the bat. The incident has left the Astros acting cautiously with their superstar slugger, who has slashed .293/.410/.578 in 106 games with the club this year. While Rome notes that Alvarez was taking fly balls and throwing in the outfield before today’s game, Matt Kawahara of the Houston Chronicle relayed yesterday that Baker is still trying to avoid using Alvarez in the outfield during games.

With Brantley unavailable and Alvarez seemingly restricted to DH, the club figures to rely on the services of Jake Meyers and Mauricio Dubon in the outfield for the time being. With Kyle Tucker entrenched in right field on an everyday bases and both Meyers and Dubon grading out as solid center fielders defensively, the unfortunate injury situation with Brantley and Alvarez has nonetheless allowed the Astros to improve their outfield defense by moving Chas McCormick into left field rather than utilizing him in center.

More from the AL West…

Angels left-hander Tyler Anderson saw his season come to an end today, as the club placed him on the 15-day IL with left knee soreness (as noted by MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) following today’s game against the Twins. Anderson was poised to start tomorrow’s game for Anaheim, though no replacement starter has been announced to this point. Anderson’s first year with the Angels was a difficult one, as the lefty posted a 5.43 ERA and 4.93 FIP in 141 innings of work. Anderson signed a three-year, $39MM deal with the club early last offseason after posting a fantastic season in 2022 with the Dodgers.
Sticking with the Angels, Bollinger also relays that third baseman Anthony Rendon isn’t expected to return from the injured list this season, according to club manager Phil Nevin. 2023 will go down as yet another injury-marred campaign for the veteran third baseman, who has been on the shelf since early July with a shin injury and has played just 148 games since the start of the 2021 campaign. Rendon, who slashed .236/.361/.318 with a wRC+ of 95 in 183 trips to the plate this year, has three years and roughly $116MM left on his contract with the club headed into 2024.
The Mariners have been without catcher Tom Murphy for over a month due to a thumb fracture and was shut down from baseball activity earlier in September due to the issue. While that diagnosis put the remainder of his 2023 in doubt, it’s possible that there’s reason for optimism regarding Murphy’s ability to return this year, at least in the event that Seattle makes it to the postseason. MLB.com notes that Murphy was poised to undergo an MRI yesterday to determine whether he could resume baseball activities, though no update has been provided regarding the catcher’s status at this point. Murphy’s hit exceptionally well in a back-up role this year behind Cal Raleigh, with a .290/.335/.538 slash line in 159 trips to the plate this year. The club has recently been relying on Luis Torrens as their second catcher in Murphy’s absence.

Red Sox Notes: Imanaga, Breslow, Turner, Jansen, Rafaela

By Mark Polishuk | September 23, 2023 at 2:25pm CDT

NPB standout Shota Imanaga will be posted for Major League teams this offseason, and MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam reports that the Red Sox have “heavily scouted” the Japanese left-hander. Imanaga has a 3.17 ERA over eight seasons and 990 2/3 innings with the Yokohama DeNa Baystars, though North American fans might know him best from his work with Japan’s national team in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Imanaga had a 3.00 ERA over six innings and three appearances, and was the starting pitcher (earning the win) in Japan’s gold-medal game victory over the United States.

MLB Trade Rumors readers are also familiar with Imanaga from our NPB Players To Watch series, as Dai Takegami Podziewski has regularly written about the southpaw as Imanaga looks to be on the verge of heading to the majors. Imanaga will draw plenty of attention from pitching-needy teams, and the Sox certainly figure to make rotation upgrades a major part of their offseason plan under their next head of baseball operations. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the top name available among NPB pitchers this winter, but with at least ten MLB clubs (including the Red Sox) interested in Yamamoto’s services, it is possible Imanaga might be something of a solid backup plan for teams that either can’t land Yamamoto or can’t afford his big price tag.

Braves Notes: Acuna, Morton, Ozuna

By Mark Polishuk | September 23, 2023 at 10:52am CDT

Ronald Acuna Jr. hit his 40th home run of the season in Friday’s 9-6 Braves over the Nationals, putting the star outfielder into some elite company in MLB history. Acuna became just the fifth player — after Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, and Alfonso Soriano — to post a season of at least 40 homers and at least 40 stolen bases. “At least” is a notable qualifier here, as Acuna also has an incredible 68 steals this year, the most of any player in the 40-40 club. (Rodriguez previously held that mark with his 46-steal season in 1998, to go along with his 42 homers.) As such, Acuna is the only member of the 40-50 club, the 40-60 club, and maybe the 40-70 club if he can manage two more swipes over the Braves’ final eight games of the regular season.

You need to go pretty deep into the record books to find a similarly productive blend of both hitting and basestealing prowess in a single season. Among all players in history with a season of at least 68 steals, Acuna’s 170 wRC+ is topped only by Ty Cobb (four times, the last in the 1916 season) and John McGraw (a 178 wRC+ in 1899). In modern times, Acuna is only the fifth player of the 21st century to hit the 68-steal threshold, with Jose Reyes’ 78 steals in 2007 sitting as the highest mark of any player in the 2000s.

Here’s the latest from Atlanta…

Charlie Morton started yesterday’s game but pitched only one inning due to a sprain in his right index finger. The veteran righty will get an MRI today to further access the injury, though initial x-rays Friday were negative. The discomfort was enough that Morton was taken out of the game for at least precautionary reasons, as the Braves obviously don’t want to take any risks with a player’s health this close to the playoffs. “It’s literally, like, such a small piece of my body, and it could have a large impact on how I perform and if I can go, at least to a degree that I’m effective…I’m hopeful that in four or five days, I’ll feel good,” Morton told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Justin Toscano and other reporters. Unless the MRI reveals something serious, Morton isn’t likely to be placed on the 15-day injured list, as that would make him ineligible for the start of the Braves’ NLDS matchup. It remains to be seen how serious Morton’s finger sprain is, but it isn’t ideal for the rotation that Morton is hurting and Max Fried (also sidelined with what seems to be a relatively minor blister problem) was just placed on the 15-day IL yesterday, though the timing allows for Fried to return in time for the start of Atlanta’s first playoff series. Morton is projected to line up as the Braves’ third starter in the postseason, behind Spencer Strider and Fried.
Marcell Ozuna’s terrible start to the season, his down numbers in 2021-22, and his history of off-the-field issues led to speculation that Atlanta was considering outright releasing the veteran and eating the final year-plus of his four-year, $65MM contract. However, the team publicly expressed its confidence in Ozuna in late April, and that confidence also extended behind the scenes, as The Athletic’s David O’Brien (X link) writes that the Braves “weren’t close to cutting him” and “absolutely were not discussing” the possibility. It proved to be a wise decision, as Ozuna has hit .293/.360/.579 with 34 homers over 494 plate appearances since May 1. Ozuna’s 132 wRC+ is the third-highest total of his 11 Major League seasons, indicating that he has plenty left in the tank as he approaches his 33rd birthday in November. Ozuna is set to earn $18MM in 2024, and the Braves hold a $16MM club option ($1MM buyout) on his services for the 2025 campaign.

NL West Notes: Machado, Smith, Giants

By Mark Polishuk | September 23, 2023 at 9:21am CDT

Right elbow surgery seems to be in the cards for Manny Machado, and the star third baseman shed a bit more light on his injury situation when speaking with The Athletic’s Dennis Lin and other reporters Friday. According to his doctors, Machado said he’ll need 5-7 months of recovery time before he is able to both hit and field, meaning he’ll be limited in some capacity heading into Spring Training and potentially for the start of the Padres’ 2024 season. This timeline is still pretty fluid since the nature of Machado’s surgery (for lateral epicondylitis or “tennis elbow”) is very rare among baseball players and among athletes in general, yet the procedure seems like the best method of correcting Machado’s longstanding injury. Since Machado hits and throws from the right side, the elbow issue is keeping him from properly throwing, though he can still manage to hit, albeit with discomfort.

Rookies Eguy Rosario and Matthew Batten have been handling third base while Machado has been limited to DH duty for the last three weeks, and it seems possible the Padres will look for some infield help (whether a short-term veteran third baseman or a more versatile utility type) this winter as a fill-in while Machado recovers. The good news is that Machado has been adjusting well to a designated hitter role, hitting .302/.343/.571 with five home runs over 67 September plate appearances. This includes four hits and two homers in yesterday’s 4-2 win over the Cardinals, which extended San Diego’s winning streak to eight games. With the Padres still in the wild card picture, Machado has said he’ll try to keep playing through the pain unless the club is mathematically eliminated from the playoff race.

Brewers Notes: Counsell, Ashby, Stadium

By Anthony Franco | September 21, 2023 at 7:37pm CDT

With a magic number of three to clinch the NL Central, the Brewers could punch their ticket to the postseason this weekend. It’ll be their fifth playoff appearance in eight full seasons under Craig Counsell, the longest-tenured active skipper in the National League. Nevertheless, Counsell’s future in Milwaukee beyond October isn’t clear. He’s in the final season of a contract extension he signed in January 2020.

Owner Mark Attanasio told reporters last month that Counsell and the team had agreed to defer talks about an extension until after the ’23 campaign. That has led to plenty of speculation about the 53-year-old potentially going elsewhere or leaving the dugout entirely. Jon Heyman of the New York Post writes that Counsell is expected to continue managing in 2024, though his future obviously won’t be entirely clear until the offseason. According to Heyman, Counsell is making $3.5MM with Milwaukee this season.

Attanasio has made clear the Brewers hope to retain Counsell, who has led the team to a 701-621 record (53% win percentage) over his tenure. There aren’t any teams with a current managerial vacancy, though there’s been plenty of chatter about Terry Francona potentially stepping away from the Guardians after this season. The Mets are set to hire David Stearns away from the Milwaukee front office to lead baseball operations at year’s end, which figures to fuel some speculation regarding Counsell until his situation is resolved and/or the Mets make a firm commitment to current manager Buck Showalter.

Elsewhere in Milwaukee:

Left-hander Aaron Ashby will join Triple-A Nashville on a minor league rehab stint, the club informed reporters (including Curt Hogg of the Journal-Sentinel). He’s trying to work back from early-April arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Ashby has been on the injured list all season and has battled shoulder woes at least as far back as last August. While the 25-year-old has shown the ability to rack up strikeouts and grounders at the big league level, his efforts to secure a rotation spot have been held back by inconsistent control and frustrating injury issues. The Brewers are presumably hoping for Ashby to work in short relief stints if he can make it back this fall.
The club also continues efforts to secure funding for renovations to American Family Field, as chronicled by A.J. Bayatpour of CBS 58. Earlier this week, state legislators proposed a spending plan that’d see north of $700MM in renovations as part of an agreement to extend the club’s lease by 20 years to run through the 2050 season. Under that proposal, the team would put in $100MM, the city/county would contribute just over $200MM combined, and the state would pay roughly $411MM. According to Bayatpour, the legislature could vote on the proposal at some point next month.

Injury Notes: Correa, Kim, Feltner, Gallegos

By Leo Morgenstern | September 18, 2023 at 11:00pm CDT

Carlos Correa exited Monday night’s game against the Reds in the first inning following a flare-up of his plantar fasciitis. The shortstop told reporters (including Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com) that he felt a tweak in his heel as he ran to catch a pop fly.

Correa has been playing through the painful condition throughout most of the season. He was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis and a muscle strain in his left foot arch back in May but has avoided a trip to the injured list thus far. The two-time All-Star suggested he could sit out a few games to preserve his body for the playoffs, although he emphasized that neither he nor the Twins have determined a course of action just yet. He acknowledged that time off his feet would do him some good, but even so, he might prefer to keep playing until Minnesota has officially clinched the AL Central crown.

The 28-year-old is in the midst of a down year, slashing just .230/.312/.399. His injury could certainly be responsible for his dip in production, in which case a few days of rest would make even more sense. The Twins are all but certain to reach October, and now is the time for Correa to focus on restoring his health. That being said, it’s understandable why he’d want to take the field every day down the stretch. As the most accomplished and highest-paid player on the roster, the 2017 World Series champion has a leadership role to play in the Twins’ clubhouse.

In other injury news around baseball:

Ha-Seong Kim sits out a second straight game, as he continues to deal with discomfort in his abdomen. The Padres infielder told reporters, including Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune, that he isn’t sure why he feels so unwell, and he’s waiting on test results that he hopes will reveal the cause. Kim has been a bright spot in a difficult season for San Diego, hitting 17 home runs, stealing 36 bases, and playing excellent defense all around the infield. Unfortunately, he has been slumping as of late, with a .204/.291/.282 slash-line over the past month; it’s unclear if his slump has anything to do with his abdominal pain.
The Rockies are preparing to reinstate starting pitcher Ryan Feltner ahead of Tuesday’s contest with the Padres, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com. Feltner has been on the 60-day IL since late May, as he recovered from a concussion and a fractured skull. The Rockies have an open spot on their 40-man roster, so they can reinstate the righty without making a corresponding move. However, they’ll still need to free up a spot for him on the active roster. Feltner was off to a rough start in 2023 (5.86 ERA in eight starts) even before a liner off the bat of Nick Castellanos nearly ended his season. Suffice it to say, it’s remarkable that he’ll be returning to the field after such a scary injury.
The Cardinals have placed Giovanny Gallegos on the 15-day IL with right shoulder rotator cuff tendonitis. Jake Woodford was recalled from Triple-A to take his spot on the active roster. The team told reporters (including Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat) that the injury doesn’t seem serious, but they’re playing it extra safe as the season draws to a close. Indeed, they might have shut the righty down even sooner, but Gallegos wanted to ensure that he had properly addressed the pitch tipping issues he was having earlier in the season.

NL Notes: Fried, Anderson, Braves, McGough, Wiemer

By Mark Polishuk | September 17, 2023 at 10:53pm CDT

Max Fried’s next start is being pushed back, as the Braves southpaw won’t next pitch until sometime during Atlanta’s upcoming series with the Nationals that starts on Thursday. In Fried’s last outing on September 12, he developed a hot spot on his finger, and manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution) that the club was being cautious to prevent Fried from developing a blister. With the NL East clinched, the Braves naturally want to make sure their roster is healthy and set for the playoffs, especially a front-of-the-rotation arm like Fried.

Nick Anderson’s participation on a postseason roster has yet to be determined, as the righty has missed over two months due to a shoulder strain. Anderson will start a Triple-A rehab assignment on Tuesday, but as Toscano notes, the reliever won’t have a lot of time to ramp up since the Triple-A season ends next weekend. Atlanta will get some extra time to decide on Anderson, Jesse Chavez (also on a rehab assignment) and other players on the borderline of its roster due to the first-round bye in the playoffs, and the pitching mix figures to get particular attention. The Braves’ hurlers have been quite good for most of the season, but have a collective 5.60 ERA since August 31 — the fifth-highest in baseball in that span.

NL West Notes: Hazen, Red Sox, Cobb, Freeland

By Mark Polishuk | September 17, 2023 at 9:32pm CDT

The Red Sox have started looking for a new front office boss, and a familiar face might be on their radar since ESPN’s Buster Olney (X link) reports that Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen “is one of the names discussed” as a potential candidate. Hazen is a Massachusetts native and he previously worked for the Sox from 2006-16, including a stint as the club’s general manager during the 2016 season. Hazen was the top lieutenant under president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski that year before Arizona hired him away to lead their front office.

Hazen’s time in the desert has included the lows of two brutal seasons in 2020-21, and the highs of a playoff appearance in 2017, three winning records in six full seasons, and a club that is fighting for another postseason berth with a 79-72 record this year. Between this season’s success and the wealth of quality young talent in Arizona’s farm system, Hazen might not necessarily be too eager to consider a job change, especially considering that the D’Backs have him under contract through the 2024 season (with a club option for 2025).

As Olney notes, Hazen could potentially leverage any interest from the Red Sox into a new extension from the D’Backs, though one would imagine that Arizona was already looking to retain an executive who has seemingly gotten the team back on track. Since the Diamondbacks would have to give permission for Hazen to be interviewed by another club, it’s possible Boston’s interest might go unexplored if the D’Backs aren’t willing to give that consent. It also isn’t known if Hazen is seen as a prime candidate for the Sox, or if they were doing some natural due diligence early in their front office search on an experienced executive with many past Boston ties.

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