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NL West Notes: Padres, Tatis, Wood, Dodgers

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While the Padres were swept in today’s doubleheader against the Phillies, dropping their season record to 44-49 that puts them ten games back in the NL West, the club is nonetheless expected to pursue additions prior to August 1’s trade deadline. Club chairman Peter Seidler indicated as much earlier in the month, and now Jon Heyman of the New York Post adds additional details about the team’s expected deadline approach. While San Diego will look to make additions, Heyman suggests it will be a far more modest than the massive outlay last year that brought back Juan Soto, Josh Hader, and Josh Bell. The club reportedly hopes to add a bat to the lineup, along with possibly a relief arm to the bullpen.

With clear starters entrenched all across the infield and outfield, the clearest hole in the club’s lineup appears to be at designated hitter. The club recently released Nelson Cruz, and fellow offseason signing Matt Carpenter has struggled similarly with a 76 wRC+ in 191 plate appearances this season. Rougned Odor and Brandon Dixon have also mixed in recently, though both are also hitting well below league average. Given this need at DH, the Padres should have plenty of options on the rental market. Speculatively speaking, Tommy Pham woulld certainly improve the club’s production at the DH spot, while a more versatile player like Cody Bellinger could do the same while also mixing in at all three outfield spots and at first base.

More from around the NL West…

  • Sticking with the Padres, Fernando Tatis Jr. exited play against the Phillies today with an apparent injury. As noted by Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribune, manager Bob Melvin told reporters that Tatis suffered a twisted ankle on the warning track and left the game after his ankle began to swell. Tatis is currently considered day-to-day, though given Tatis’s injury history and importance to the Padres, it would hardly be surprising if the club decided to sit him for a game or two to ensure the issue doesn’t become more significant.
  • Giants left-hander Alex Wood is slated to take the ball for a start tomorrow against the Pirates, as noted by Susan Sussler of the San Francisco Chronicle. Across 50 innings of work this season, Wood sports a 4.68 ERA and 4.74 FIP. He was moved to the bullpen at the end of June and sports a 3.09 ERA in 11 2/3 innings of work since then, including two five-inning, scoreless appearances. Now, Wood will get another opportunity as a member of the club’s starting rotation where he will be joined by Logan Webb, Alex Cobb, and Ross Stripling.
  • The Dodgers have struggled to keep their starting pitchers healthy this season as each of Clayton Kershaw, Julio Urias, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Noah Syndergaard, Ryan Pepiot, Michael Grove, and Gavin Stone have spent time on the injured list throughout the season. Fortunately for LA, the club appears poised to get reinforcements from the injured list in the near future, with both Syndergaard and Pepiot beginning rehab assignments with Triple-A Oklahoma City per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Pepiot made his first appearance since Spring Training with Oklahoma City yesterday, allowing one run over two innings while racking up two strikeouts. Syndergaard, meanwhile, allowed two runs on four hits over five innings of work in a start this evening, striking out six without issuing a walk. Both pitchers, if healthy and effective, figure to impact a Dodgers club that has surged to recapture the lead in the NL West race in recent days.

Twins Notes: Miranda, Polanco, Prielipp

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The Twins suffered another hit to their infield depth today, as they placed third baseman Jose Miranda on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. In a corresponding move, the club called up outfielder Matt Wallner from Triple-A.

It’s been a brutal year at the plate for Miranda, who entered the season as the club’s starting third baseman but was demoted to Triple-A after slashing just .220/.275/.318 in his first 142 plate appearances this season. Since then, the Twins have been ravaged by injuries across the infield that prompted the club to give Miranda another look in the big leagues despite his meager .255/.326/.360 slash line at the Triple-A level. He ultimately recorded just 10 more at-bats in the big leagues before going down with injury, going 1 for 10 with a strikeout and no walks.

Now Miranda is joining fellow infielders Jorge Polanco, Nick Gordon, and Royce Lewis on the injured list. With that group out, the Twins seem poised to rely on Edouard Julien, Kyle Farmer, and Donovan Solano around the infield alongside Alex Kirilloff at first base and Carlos Correa at shortstop. Fortunately, reinforcements may be on the way in the near future. As noted by MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park, Polanco is poised to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, indicating he’s nearing a return to the big league club. Polanco has played just 30 games this season due to injuries, and has struggled somewhat at the plate when healthy as evidenced by a .250/.291/.450 slash line (104 wRC+) that’s a far cry from the .272/.339/.455 (116 wRC+) he offered from 2018-22.

Polanco’s difficult year has allowed for the emergence of Julien, who has raked to the tune of a .279/.355/.515 slash line, good for a wRC+ of 140. With Byron Buxton entrenched as the club’s designated hitter and both Polanco and Julien limited to second base defensively, it will be a challenge for the Twins to find adequate playing time for both hitters. Last time Polanco was activated off the injured list, the club optioned Julien to Triple-A to allow both regular at-bats. Since his return to the big leagues on June 10, however, Julien has slashed a fantastic .324/.393/.568, underscoring his importance to the Twins’ lineup as currently constructed.

While Polanco’s return is certainly encouraging, Twins fans received much more concerning news today regarding the health of top pitching prospect Connor Prielipp. Per Park, Prielipp is slated to undergo surgery on his UCL next Monday, though the extent of the surgery won’t be known until the procedure occurs. The club’s second round pick in the 2022 draft, Prielipp has managed just 6 2/3 innings of work in his pro debut this season due to injuries. As noted by Park, this won’t be the first time Prielipp goes under the knife due to UCL issues, as the lefty underwent Tommy John surgery while in college back in 2021.

AL West Notes: Angels, Leiter, Astros

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After a strong start to the 2023 campaign, the Angels have faltered with a 4-14 record over their last 18 games. That slip to fourth place in the AL West has been accompanied by a rash of major injuries to key players like Mike Trout, Anthony Rendon, and Gio Urshela. Fortunately for the club, the tides of their injury misfortune may be turning. MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger notes that both infielder Brandon Drury and catcher Logan O’Hoppe have progressed to hitting off a tee in their injury rehab processes.

Drury, in a particular, seems poised for a quick return, as Bollinger adds that he hopes to return from injury “in a few days.” O’Hoppe is farther away, considering his initial recovery timeline of four to six months after undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum back in April. Still, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register indicates that O’Hoppe’s recovery is going well, as he told reporters that his healing process following the surgery is expected to end next week, allowing him to focus on baseball activities going forward. While no specifics were given regarding O’Hoppe’s timeline for return, his most recent comments seem to leave the possibility of a late-season return on the table, which is excellent news given his status as the Angels’ top prospect entering the 2023 campaign.

More from around the AL West…

  • It’s been a frustrating season for the Rangers and 2021 second overall pick Jack Leiter. After his selection in the 2021 draft, Leiter entered the 2022 season as a consensus top-25 prospect in the sport. Since then, however, he’s struggled mightily when pitching at the Double-A level, with a 5.54 ERA in 92 2/3 innings of work last season that saw him fall off many top 100 lists entering the 2023 campaign. Things haven’t gotten better from there, as Leiter has posted an eerily similar 5.52 ERA in 15 starts (65 1/3 innings) this season. Leiter’s struggles culminated in the club moving him to the development list yesterday, taking him off the Double-A active roster. Per Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today, the club hopes to work with Leiter on his mechanics in a more controlled environment than minor league starts can provide, and has offered no timetable for Leiter’s return to game action. It’s a deeply disappointing update for Rangers fans, as the 54-39 club would surely benefit from the front-line production Leiter was expected to provide when he was selected with the second overall pick two years ago.
  • While the Astros have not been shy about their desire to acquire rotation help ahead of the trade deadline on August 1, Astros GM Dana Brown recently discussed with reporters (including MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart) the club’s back-up plan in the event that the club fails to acquire a surefire starter for the rotation over the next couple of weeks. Brown indicated that the club would consider a second half call-up for right-hander Spencer Arrighetti to help supplement the rotation if reinforcements are still necessary after the deadline. A sixth-round pick in the 2021 draft, Arrighetti a 4.21 ERA in 72 2/3 innings of work between the Double- and Triple-A levels this season. While Arrighetti seems unlikely to provide the same impact a rental starter such as Lucas Giolito or Eduardo Rodriguez could offer, the Astros have managed to find success while relying on unheralded rookies this season, including J.P. France, Ronel Blanco, and Shawn Dubin.

NL Central Notes: Cubs, Stroman, Burnes, Wainwright

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As the trade deadline on August 1 creeps ever closer, the Cubs stand as one of a handful of teams that has yet to make a decision regarding whether they will be buyers or sellers this trade season. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer spoke to 670 The Score on Friday regarding the club’s plans. Hoyer asserted that “there is nothing we want more than to add” at the coming deadline, though he made clear the club was willing to pivot if buying at the deadline seemed imprudent.

The Cubs currently sit at a record of 43-48 following today’s win against the Red Sox, a record that will leave them seven games out of first place following this evening’s game between the Reds and Brewers. While the club’s +27 run differential is by far the best in the NL Central, Hoyer acknowledged that in order to justify buying at the deadline, “We need to make up ground on first place, and we need to make up ground on .500.”

Should the Cubs fail to do so over the next two weeks, the club seems poised to shop players like center fielder Cody Bellinger and right-hander Marcus Stroman to contending clubs. Stroman, whose lack of extension talks with the club has been well documented, told reporters (including Bruce Levine of The Score) today that he does not expect an extension offer from the Cubs prior to the trade deadline. Even if he’s traded, however, Stroman indicated he would have interest in returning to Chicago on a new contract during the offseason. Stroman can opt-out of the final year and $21MM on his contract after the 2023 campaign comes to a close, and seems all but certain to do so after posting a 2.88 ERA in 118 2/3 innings across his first 20 starts of the season.

More from around the NL Central:

  • While Stroman’s future is up in the air, the same can’t be said for Brewers ace Corbin Burnes, who told reporters (including MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy) that GM Matt Arnold has privately told him that he will not be traded. That matches what Arnold has said publicly, as he previously indicated that Milwaukee would look to add at the deadline and would not consider moving either Burnes or shortstop Willy Adames. The news hardly comes as a surprise given the step back Burnes has taken this season relative to the Cy Young-caliber performance he offered from 2020-22, during which time he posted a 2.62 ERA and 2.40 FIP across 428 2/3 innings of work. In 2023, Burnes has been more solid than spectacular, with a 3.73 ERA and 4.07 FIP in 19 starts with a reduced 24.8% strikeout rate.
  • Cardinals veteran Adam Wainwright has endured a difficult season as he prepares to retire following the 2023 campaign. In 11 starts with St. Louis this season, Wainwright posted a ghastly 7.66 ERA and 5.87 FIP prior to heading to the injured list prior to the All-Star break with a shoulder strain. Wainwright is expected to return to the mound this season, however, and manager Oli Marmol today provided an update on the veteran’s status. In conversation with reporters, including MLB.com’s John Denton, Marmol noted that Wainwright was set to resume throwing off a mound on Monday after receiving multiple shots in his shoulder to help alleviate pain. Once back on the mound, Wainwright will be built up to return to the club’s rotation later this season.

Injury Notes: Edman, Candelario, Gausman, Sborz

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Tommy Edman was placed on the Cardinals’ 10-day injured list on July 7, as the multi-positional regular was suffering from inflammation in right wrist.  A clean MRI provided some hope that Edman could be back soon after the All-Star break, but that doesn’t look like it will be the case, as manager Oli Marmol told reporters (including MLB.com) that Edman received an injection in his wrist.  As a result, Marmol said it will be “several more days” before Edman can return.

Rotating between shortstop, second base, center field, and right field this season, Edman’s versatility and switch-hitting bat have been very helpful to St. Louis, even if his production at the plate has dropped off.  Edman had a 108 wRC+ over 630 plate appearances in 2022, but he had only a 91 wRC+ (and a .237/.303/.391 slash line) over 307 PA thus far in 2023.  It could be that the move to the outfield is hurting Edman’s hitting, as his offense has badly tailed off since the Cardinals started regularly starting him in center field in late May.  With St. Louis looking like probable sellers at the deadline, it remains to be seen how Edman might fit into what could be a remodeled mix around the diamond, though the first order of business for the 28-year-old is just to get healthy.  To be clear, there hasn’t been much trade buzz around Edman himself, and his lingering injury would certainly seem like a further obstacle to any sort of deal.

More injury updates from around baseball…

  • Jeimer Candelario is a much clearer trade candidate as the deadline approaches, but the Nationals third baseman got an injury scare of his own yesterday when he injured his thumb during a pregame fielding drill.  Manager Davey Martinez described the injury as a bone bruise, and Candelario tried to play through the pain but had to leave the game after his first at-bat.  Candelario is day to day for now, as Martinez told reporters (including Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com) that the infielder was hoping to be ready as soon as tonight’s game with the Cardinals.  While there’s no truly good time for an injury, the timing is particularly bad for Candelario and the Nats with the deadline approaching.  Even a minimal IL stint will likely impact the club’s chances of maximizing value in a trade, or it could scuttle the chances of a deal altogether.
  • Blue Jays righty Kevin Gausman was scratched from his scheduled start today due to soreness in his left side, with Chris Bassitt instead taking the hill against the Diamondbacks.  Jays manager John Schneider told The Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath (Twitter links) and other reporters that Gausman first felt the discomfort after his last start before the All-Star break, but an MRI didn’t reveal any injury.  As such, Gausman might be able to return as early as Tuesday when the Blue Jays begin a series with the Padres.  It’s no surprise that Toronto is being cautious with their ace, as a healthy Gausman (who leads all MLB pitchers with 4.0 fWAR) is critical to the Jays’ chances of reaching the postseason.
  • The Rangers placed right-hander Josh Sborz on the 15-day injured list due to right biceps tendinitis, with a backdated placement date of July 12.  Left-hander John King was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.  Sborz has been rocked for nine earned runs over his last 9 1/3 innings (four appearances) of work, spoiling what had been a quietly solid season for the righty in the Texas bullpen.  In his previous 34 1/3 innings, Sborz had posted a 2.62 ERA while limiting opposing batters to a .460 OPS.  Texas has already made an early trade for Aroldis Chapman in an attempt to shore up its inconsistent bullpen, and more relief help might be needed by the deadline if Sborz will now miss a significant amount of time.

Red Sox Notes: Bloom, Deadline Plans, First Base, Sale

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A little under three weeks ago, chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom wasn’t yet sure how the Red Sox might approach the trade deadline, or whether not the team might lean more towards buying or selling.  Since then, the Sox have been doing their best to force the front office’s hand, winning nine of their last 10 games and moving to a 49-43 record.  The Red Sox are two games out of a wild card berth and, despite a competitive AL East and AL playoff picture in general, it looks like Boston will be some kind of factor in the coming weeks and months leading up to October.

That said, Bloom’s overall perspective about the deadline hasn’t entirely changed, though naturally he is happy with how the Sox have been playing.

“I think the this bigger picture of how we’ve gotten here and how it’s come through a lot of progress from a lot of good performances from our long-term core — whether that’s young players or veteran players — is really encouraging in terms of where the arrow is pointing,” Bloom told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com.  “We’re gonna keep that in mind, too.  We feel like we’re making a lot of progress and we just want keep layering on more and more positive things toward that ultimate goal of a championship club.”

Bloom was clear that long-term competitiveness is still the front office’s overarching goal, yet competing this season certainly seems possible.  The CBO noted that the core’s development “has not only given us a chance to stay in this race in 2023, but I think has made us — and hopefully a lot of people who care about this team — really optimistic about where this is headed longer-term….Obviously what happens in the short-term, on some level we’re gonna need to factor that in and be responsive to it.  As long as we keep seeing the things we wanna see from our core guys, that’s obviously something that we’re gonna keep front and center.”

Trade talks have already been ongoing in advance of the August 1 deadline, and Bloom again implied that the Red Sox (like many teams) won’t be clear buyers or sellers.  The Sox could try to make deals that fall into either category, or they “might just be baseball trades that help everybody accomplish what they’re trying to accomplish.”  While the standings could certainly provide more clarity over the next two weeks, there are enough teams at least on the fringes of contention that Bloom feels “the [trade] conversations are just gonna require more creativity.”

While Bloom didn’t cite any areas of need heading into the deadline apart, Bloom did make a point of saying that the Red Sox weren’t looking for first base help, since the team is happy with its tandem of Triston Casas and (when he isn’t at DH or third base) Justin Turner.  It amounts to a vote of confidence in Casas, who has finally started hitting after a lengthy cold streak to begin the season.  Casas hit .184/.300/.342 over his first 180 plate appearances, but has since delivered a much improved .297/.383/.515 slash line in his last 115 PA.

Obviously the Red Sox weren’t going to just give up on a former top prospect who is only in his second MLB season, yet Casas’ recent results have helped solidify his place in Boston’s core, and as a contributor to their 2023 plans.  “Triston is learning and growing.  He’s clearly not a finished product yet, but when you look at the trajectory, he is moving in the right direction here offensively,” Bloom said.

Pitching would also seem to be a target need at the deadline, as while the Red Sox have a lot of injured arms projected to return relatively soon, there isn’t any guarantee that those hurlers will return on schedule, or be effective when they do return.  “Just because you have some of those guys that you expect to be back in action in August doesn’t mean you’re not looking to find other ways to help yourself,” Bloom said.

Chris Sale is one of those injured pitchers on the road to recovery, and manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MLB.com’s Ian Browne) that Sale is slated for a bullpen session on Tuesday.  Sale suffered a stress reaction in his shoulder blade and will be out until at least the start of August, as per the minimum absence time required by his 60-day IL placement.  Since Sale is only starting to throw off a mound now, it seems likely that his ramp-up and rehab work will keep him out for longer than the first week of August.  Sale also noted two weeks ago that his injury “isn’t a very common issue” for a pitcher, so it may be a while before a solid rehab plan is finalized.

NL West Notes: Freeland, Jameson, Corbin, Ohtani, Dodgers

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Rockies southpaw Kyle Freeland suffered a dislocated right shoulder while making a diving attempt at a Brett Wisely bunt in today’s 1-0 loss to the Giants.  Freeland was in obvious pain on the field, and told reporters (including Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post) afterwards that “that was one of the worst feelings I’ve had, pitching-injury-wise.”  An MRI tomorrow will check for any further damage, but perhaps the one plus is that the dislocated shoulder quickly went back into the socket, as Freeland said x-rays were taken to examine the shoulder and rule out any broken bones.

A trip to the 15-day injured list is certainly coming for Freeland following the All-Star break, and it remains to be seen how long he’ll be sidelined, though it at least helps that his pitching arm wasn’t injured.  Freeland has a 4.72 ERA and the Statcast numbers aren’t fond of his work, but perhaps his the most important statistic for the season is a team-leading 103 innings.  With so many Colorado pitchers already being lost to injuries this season, Freeland’s durability had been a positive for the club, but now the left-hander is himself looking at a substantial stint on the IL.

More from around the NL West…

  • Diamondbacks right-hander Drey Jameson is receiving second opinions about the elbow problem that saw him moved to the 60-day IL yesterday, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including the Arizona Republic’s Theo Mackie).  Lovullo said that “something’s going on” with Jameson’s UCL, and “there’s stuff there that needs to be thoroughly looked at before we can start to make a firm judgment” on a next course of action.  The worst-case scenario of a Tommy John surgery would keep Jameson out of action for at least 12 months and could threaten his availability for any of the 2024 season.  The 25-year-old Jameson is one of Arizona’s more intriguing young arms, and he has a 2.63 ERA working as both a starter and a reliever over 65 career MLB innings in 2022-23.
  • Sticking with the Diamondbacks, Corbin Carroll’s quick emergence as a star has made the club look brilliant for taking him 16th overall in the 2019 draft, and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic writes about some of the factors that went into both the Snakes’ selection and why Carroll was still available in the middle of the first round.  Carroll’s relatively small size (5’10”, 165 pounds) and doubts about his ability to hit for power turned off some teams, and since Carroll was playing high school ball in the Pacific Northwest, there were some questions about the quality of competition he was dominating.  D’Backs assistant GM Amiel Sawdaye admitted that he didn’t think Carroll had the kind of power potential he’s shown in the majors, but “we’re not afraid to take shorter players.  [Good players] come in different sizes.  There is a difference between being short and being small.  Short and strong is good.  It’s great to be a hitter if you’re short and strong.”
  • Shohei Ohtani has long been on the Dodgers’ radar, both when he was a high school player and when he first make the jump from NPB to the majors.  Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times writes about the Dodgers’ interest in Ohtani, which was first hampered when the Nippon-Ham Fighters convinced him to stay in Japan by letting him be a two-way player.  When Ohtani came to the majors, the Dodgers missed out again because the National League didn’t have the DH available, whereas the Angels could offer Ohtani a two-way opportunity via the designated hitter role.  With Ohtani set for free agency this winter, there is a widespread belief among many in the game (including several anonymous agents and rival executives) that the Dodgers will end up landing Ohtani to what is expected to be a record-setting contract.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Polanco, Benintendi

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Tigers right-hander Matt Manning through 6 2/3 hitless innings yesterday, combining with Jason Foley and Alex Lange to throw the ninth no-hitter in franchise history. While the decision to pull a starter in the midst of a no-hitter is always a controversial one, manager A.J. Hinch shed additional light on the decision following yesterday’s game, noting to reporters (including Chris McCosky of The Detroit News) that Manning had been struggling through the outing and was evaluated by team trainers between each inning. Manning expanded on Hinch’s comments, noting that he tweaked his side during the second inning. Fortunately, it appears Manning avoided a more serious injury, and the 25-year-old hurler will have the opportunity to rest during the All Star break ahead of the second half.

The Tigers also offered an update regarding left-hander Tyler Alexander today. Alexander was placed on the 60-day injured list with a left lat/shoulder strain last week, a move that seemingly indicated the lefty’s season could be in jeopardy. Following an MRI, the club has more clarity regarding Alexander’s timeline for return. Per McCosky, Alexander will avoid surgery but be shut down for three months. He’ll resume a throwing program in October that should leave him able to return in time for Spring Training in 2024. Alexander had posted a 4.50 ERA and 4.13 FIP in 44 innings of work across 25 appearances this season.

More from around the AL Central…

  • Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey told reporters (including Betsy Helfand of the Twin Cities Pioneer Press) that second baseman Jorge Polanco is expected to start a rehab assignment in the near future as he recovers from a hamstring strain he suffered early last month. Polanco has been limited to just 30 games this season and has slashed .250/.291/.450 when healthy enough to play. While Polanco has been out, youngster Edouard Julien has filled in at the keystone very well with an impressive .264/.345/.273 slash line in 149 plate appearances this season.
  • White Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi has been dealing with a right wrist issue recently, which Scott Merkin of MLB.com says has been “addressed” according to manager Pedro Grifol. Benintendi hasn’t played since Friday, but is expected to return to action after the All Star break in Atlanta. Benintendi hasn’t been as impactful this season as the White Sox were surely hoping when they signed him to a five-year deal this past offseason, slashing .280/.347/.369 with just one home run in 314 plate appearances, good for a roughly league average wRC+ of 99. The Sox entered play today with a record of just 38-53 this season, but are surely hoping an extended rest for Benintendi ahead of the midsummer classic will allow him to return healthy and more impactful in the second half.

NL East Notes: Alvarado, Fried, Minter

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The Phillies announced this morning that left-hander Jose Alvarado has been placed on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to July 7) with inflammation in his left elbow. When healthy, Alvarado has been excellent with a 1.38 ERA and 2.33 FIP in 26 innings of work this season. With Alvarado joining right-hander Seranthony Dominguez on the IL, Gregory Soto, Matt Strahm, and Jeff Hoffman appear to be the top set-up options for closer Craig Kimbrel.

It’s unclear exactly how long Alvarado is expected to be out, but this is his second IL stint for the issue this season; Alvarado previously went on the shelf in early May for left elbow inflammation and missed a month before returning in early June. That being said, the Phillies are surely hoping for improved health from Alvarado going forward. The club signed Alvarado to an extension back in February that guarantees him a salary of just over $9MM in both 2024 and 2025. Given that, it’s of little surprise that Matt Gelb of The Athletic indicates Philadelphia is going to “take their time” regarding Alvarado’s injury.

More from around the NL East…

  • Braves fans will surely be encouraged to learn that lefty Max Fried is poised to take the ball for Triple-A Gwinnett, per an announcement by the Stripers. Fried has been on the injured list since early May due to a forearm strain. The ace’s return would serve to further bolster a Braves club that has emerged as a juggernaut in recent weeks, with a 26-5 record since the beginning of June that has catapulted them to an MLB-best 60-28 record. They’ve done all that without both Fried and right-hander Kyle Wright, relying on a rotation of Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, and Bryce Elder with the likes of Jared Shuster, AJ Smith-Shawver, Michael Soroka, Dylan Dodd, and Kolby Allard combining to handle the last two spots.
  • Sticking with the Braves, left-hander A.J. Minter exited yesterday’s game with left pectoral tightness but woke up feeling good today, as relayed by David O’Brien of The Athletic. It’s been a strange season for Minter, as the lefty has struggled to a 4.91 ERA in 40 1/3 innings of work despite sterling peripherals, including a 2.84 FIP. That being said, Minter’s ugly ERA figure is inflated by an extremely low 57.3% strand rate and has been dropping rapidly in recent weeks, as the lefty has posted a 1.56 ERA in his last 20 appearances. As he’s settled back in as a top set up option for closer Raisel Iglesias, it’s surely a relief to Braves fans that Minter seems unlikely to miss time beyond today’s game.

AL East Notes: Mountcastle, Yankees, Ryu

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The Orioles welcomed first baseman Ryan Mountcastle back from the injured list this morning, per a team announcement. 2023 has been a difficult season for Mountcastle, as the slugger slashed just .227/.264/.421 in 261 plate appearances before heading to the injured list with vertigo in mid-June.

Mountcastle spoke to reporters, including Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner, about his struggles with vertigo and how it impacted his hitting. He explained that he dealt with waves of dizziness that made baseball appear to be the size of a pea while he was in the batters’ box prior to going onto the IL, and that while he’s felt better in recent days, there’s no way of knowing whether the issues with crop up again in the future. For now Mountcastle figures to join the club’s outfield and DH mix alongside the likes of Ryan O’Hearn, Aaron Hicks, and Anthony Santander.

More from around the AL East…

  • The Yankees received a pair of positive injury updates today regarding their pitching staff. Right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga threw off a mound for the first time since going on the IL back in April, as manager Aaron Boone told reporters (including Max Goodman of NJ Advance Media). Meanwhile, left-hander Nestor Cortes threw a 20-pitch live bullpen session today, as relayed by MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Both Boone and Cortes indicated the session went well, with Cortes adding that his next bullpen session will take place this coming Thursday. While Loaisiga has thrown just 3 1/3 innings this season and Cortes has struggled with a 5.16 ERA across 11 starts this season, the return of both players before season’s end would surely provide a boost to the Yankees, given their past successes.
  • Blue Jays left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu is poised to take the mound for Toronto’s Single-A affiliate in Dunedin today, per an announcement by the minor league club. Ryu, 36, is rehabbing after undergoing Tommy John surgery last season and, per MLB.com, was sitting 87-88 with his fastball during his previous rehab outing in the Florida Complex League. That velocity isn’t far from where he’s expected to be at the big league level, and MLB.com indicates that Ryu could return “within the month” after building up to take on a starter’s workload. Ryu’s return could help shore up Toronto’s rotation depth down the stretch, an area that GM Ross Atkins highlighted as a focus ahead of the trade deadline on August 1.
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