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MLB Mailbag: Go, Arraez, Mariners, Red Sox, Braves

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Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers sent in their mailbag questions, and I answered a bunch of them!  Let's get to it.  For those surprised to see the paywall, please read the explanation here.

Chris asks:

It's my understanding that Woo-Suk Go was included in the Luis Arraez trade mostly for salary relief.  What is going wrong for Go so far that caused the Padres to change their minds on him so soon after signing him?

The way things went down with the Padres and Go was a bad look for the team:

  • Sign him to a two-year, $4.5MM free agent deal in January
  • Watch him get hammered in six spring training outings; send him to Double-A
  • Go pitches well in ten outings aside from an inflated BABIP
  • Include him in the Arraez deal as an apparent salary dump, four months after the signing and without using him in the Majors

While the standard XX-B free agent has to consent to a trade if he's signed and then traded before June 15th, Go was signed internationally, so he had no say in the matter.

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A’s Select Tyler Ferguson, Designate Lazaro Armenteros For Assignment

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The A’s announced they’ve selected reliever Tyler Ferguson onto the major league roster. Dany Jiménez was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, Oakland designated Lazaro Armenteros for assignment.

Ferguson gets his first major league call at age 30. A Vanderbilt product, he entered the professional ranks in 2015 as a sixth-round pick of the Rangers. Ferguson topped out at High-A in the Texas system and was released shortly before the start of the 2019 season. He bounced between the independent Can-Am and American Associations between brief affiliated stints in the Dodgers and Braves systems. Ferguson made it as high as Triple-A with Atlanta before qualifying for minor league free agency.

The right-hander spent last season working in multi-inning relief with Arizona’s top farm team in Reno. He posted a 5.49 ERA over 78 2/3 innings and returned to free agency. The A’s signed him to a minor league deal with an invitation to MLB camp early in the winter. He tossed 8 2/3 innings of one-run ball this spring and opened the regular season in Vegas.

Ferguson has logged 15 frames over 14 appearances for the Aviators. He has allowed eight runs (only four of which were earned) while striking out 24 hitters. That strong start was enough to crack the A’s bullpen after a nearly decade-long climb through the professional ranks. He steps in for Jiménez, who has walked 13 of his first 67 opponents.

Armenteros, 25 this month, has yet to reach the big leagues. The right-handed hitting outfielder was a high-profile amateur signee out of Cuba back in 2016. Massive strikeout totals have long since damaged his prospect stock. Even though Armenteros hadn’t shown signs of significantly improving his contact skills, the A’s surprisingly added him to the 40-man roster to keep him from getting to minor league free agency at the start of last offseason.

The A’s assigned Armenteros to Triple-A for the first time this year. He has punched out a staggering 37 times in 72 plate appearances, making him the only Triple-A hitter (minimum 50 PAs) to strike out more than half the time. He’ll likely end up on waivers in the next few days. Assuming he goes unclaimed, the A’s could assign him back to Las Vegas without keeping him on the 40-man roster.

The Opener: Pitchers’ Duel, Yankees/Astros, Recent Opt-Outs

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As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Pitchers’ Duel in Atlanta:

Just two weeks after Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford faced off against Cubs lefty Shota Imanaga in an early-season pitcher’s duel that pitted the then-best righty and lefty in baseball by ERA against each other in Boston, Crawford will again take the mound opposite one of the other best starting pitchers in the league to this point in the young 2024 season: Braves right-hander Reynaldo Lopez. Crawford sports an excellent 1.56 ERA with a 2.52 FIP and a 24.2% strikeout rate through seven starts this season. Those figures are very similar to those posted by Lopez in five starts this season: a 1.50 ERA, 2.94 FIP and 27% strikeout rate.

Those hot starts have left Crawford as the fifth-best starter in baseball by ERA with at least 30 innings of work this season, while Lopez ranks fourth. The strong results early in the season are all the more impressive given the fact that neither hurler was starting games this time last year; Lopez had pitched almost exclusively in relief over the past two seasons before being stretched out by Atlanta this winter, while Crawford was bumped to the bullpen in early April of last year and did not return to the Boston rotation until June. The two righties are set to face off this at 7:20pm local time this evening in Atlanta.

2. Series Preview: Astros @ Yankees

A three-game set featuring one of the more heated inter-division rivalries in recent years is set to kick off at 7:05pm local time in the Bronx this evening as the Yankees host the Astros. The look of the rivalry is very different six weeks into the regular season than it was in 2023, however. Last season saw the Astros capture their sixth-consecutive full-season AL West crown and make their seventh-consecutive trip to the ALCS as the Yankees missed the postseason for the first time since 2016, but this year the Astros have struggled badly in the early going while the Yankees have gotten off to a strong start on the back of offseason addition Juan Soto.

That’s left the Astros (12-22) with a nearly mirror opposite record to the surging Yankees (23-13) headed into this week’s series. It’s an important series for both clubs, with Houston desperate to make up ground in the AL West and avoid falling even further out of the playoff picture while the Yankees sit just one game back of the AL East-leading Orioles. Tonight’s game will see the Astros send future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander (2.08 ERA in 2024) to the mound opposite Yankees righty Luis Gil (3.19 ERA). Gil will be followed by left-hander Carlos Rodon (3.68 ERA) on the mound for New York tomorrow, while the Astros figure to counter with youngster Spencer Arrighetti (8.27 ERA). Right-handers Ronel Blanco (2.09 ERA) and Marcus Stroman (3.41 ERA) will finish off the series for the Astros and Yankees respectively on Thursday.

3. Recent veterans who’ve opted out:

First baseman Mike Ford, left-hander Chasen Shreve and right-hander Mychal Givens opted out of their respective minor league deals with the Reds, with the Rangers and with the Marlins last week.

Ford, in particular, has had a massive start to the season in Triple-A, hitting .297/.381/.538 with six homers in 105 plate appearances. That followed a huge spring training performance in which he hit .455/.486/.727 in 35 trips to the plate. Shreve posted a 2.61 ERA in 10 1/3 Triple-A frames and posted a 4.63 ERA in 44 1/3 big league innings last year. He’s worked to a career 3.97 ERA in 356 MLB frames. Givens was tagged for 10 runs in 11 1/3 innings with the Marlins’ top affiliate, but half of those came in his first appearance of the season after signing late in spring training. Knee and shoulder injuries limited him to four innings last year, but he has a lengthy track record as a successful late-inning arm. Any of the three could help out a big league club and should come off the board again before long.

Will Justin Verlander Be Traded This Summer?

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With the Astros out to a rough start here in 2024, speculation has been mounting that they may have to consider a deadline selloff this summer. Righty Justin Verlander is in the final guaranteed season of his contract and would be a logical candidate for a trade, but Bob Nightengale of USA Today throws some cold water on the possibility.

Verlander has a full no-trade clause, which he waived last summer in order to go from the Mets to the Astros. Nightengale reports that the Dodgers, Rays and Mariners were all heavily involved for the veteran righty, but that he would only waive his no-trade to return to Houston since he loves playing there. Nightengale infers from this that Verlander isn’t likely to waive his no-trade again in order to be sent packing from Houston.

Despite Verlander’s love of being an Astro, it’s possible he will have to weigh that against his desire to compete. He cited a desire to win as his reason for signing with the Mets, though that plan didn’t work out and he eventually returned to Houston in his pursuit of another ring. The Astros are 12-22 at the moment and face a steep climb back into contention. The Playoff Odds at FanGraphs have dropped to 39.9%, after being at 86.2% at the start of the season. The PECOTA Standings at Baseball Prospectus are more optimistic, however, still giving them a 64.1% chance.

If the club can’t get back into the mix by July, perhaps Verlander would warm to the idea of moving to another contender, especially since he’s now 41 years old and is surely aware that he may only have so many chances left. He has a 2.08 earned run average so far this year and should receive plenty of interest. As Bob mentioned, teams like the Dodgers, Rays and Mariners were trying to get him last summer, and previous reporting also had clubs like the Giants, Atlanta, Padres and Orioles on the phone.

Verlander may not be a pure rental since he has a conditional player option for 2025. As part of the two-year deal he signed with the Mets going into 2023, if he throws 140 innings in 2024, he has a $35MM player option for 2025.

Verlander started the season on the injured list, which slightly lowered his chances of getting to 140 innings, but he still has plenty of time to get there. He didn’t make his debut this year until April 19 and has only logged 17 1/3 innings over three starts so far. But he also started last year on the IL, not debuting until early May, then stayed healthy the rest of the way and got to 162 1/3 innings. Another injury absence could tighten things, but he currently has plenty of room to get to 140 as things stand.

Player options often make clubs reluctant to acquire such players at the deadline because of the varying outcomes. If the player finishes the season strong, he will leave after being on the club for just a couple of months. If he performs poorly or gets injured, the team will be stuck with him for another year. But it’s worth pointing out that the extreme downside of a really significant injury won’t be present. Per Baseball Prospectus, the option also has a condition that “an independent physical exam determines Verlander does not have a right arm injury which would prevent him from being on the active roster for Opening Day 2025.”

That clause would protect clubs against the nightmare scenario where they trade for Verlander, he crosses the 140-inning mark but then requires Tommy John surgery or some other significant procedure. In that situation, Verlander would not have the right to exercise his player option. There’s still the chance of Verlander simply struggling due to his advancing age and triggering the player option, but there’s some downside protection there as well. As part of last year’s trade, the Mets agreed to cover half the option if it vests.

Verlander is making $43.33MM this year but the Mets are covering $31.3MM of that, as reported by Kristie Rieken of the Associated Press at the time of last year’s trade. That means the Astros are only on the hook for about $12MM this year, which will be down closer to $4MM by the time the deadline rolls around.

Despite his age, Verlander has continued to pitch extremely well and could be highly sought after this summer. His peripherals don’t really support his 2.08 ERA so far this year, since he has struck out just 19.1% of opponents while giving out walks at a 10.3% clip. He’s had help keeping runs off the board so far from a .239 batting average on balls in play and 93% strand rate. But it’s also a small sample size of three outings after being on the IL.

Last year wasn’t quite as dominant as his Cy Young-winning season in 2022, but he still put up a 3.22 ERA over his 27 starts. His 21.5% strikeout rate wasn’t strong but he also limited walks to a 6.7% clip.

Ultimately, there are a lot of factors that will determine whether Verlander is traded or not. The performance of the club will obviously be one of them, as Verlander would naturally be off the table if they get back into the playoff mix. If they stay out, Verlander’s feelings towards Houston might have him leaning against approving a trade, but he may prefer competing elsewhere if it’s a lost season for the Astros. It’s also unknown if the club would prefer to eat what they owe to Verlander to improve the prospect return, versus getting some other club to take on the money as a way of reducing their competitive balance tax calculation. Verlander staying healthy and pitching well will also be important, of course, especially with the player option up in the air.

There’s also the club’s long-term plans to consider. Max Scherzer wasn’t planning to leave the Mets last year until he found out the club was planning a sort of bridge year in 2024, which prompted him to approve a deal to the Rangers. If the Astros stay out of contention through the summer, they will have some tough decisions to make. Alex Bregman is an impending free agent and would be a logical trade candidate. Players like Kyle Tucker, Framber Valdez and José Urquidy are slated for free agency after 2025, meaning they could be kept for another chance at competing next year or could be made available this summer as part of a larger reset. If that latter possibility opens up, it seems fair to assume that Verlander’s desire to stay in Houston would diminish, for the rest of this year and 2025.

What do you think is most likely for Verlander in the months to come? Have your say in the poll below!

Will Justin Verlander be traded this summer?
Yes 50.10% (3,006 votes)
No 49.90% (2,994 votes)
Total Votes: 6,000

Steven Kwan Expected To Miss Around Four Weeks

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The Guardians placed American League batting leader Steven Kwan on the injured list this afternoon. Testing revealed the underrated left fielder suffered an “acute” strain of his left hamstring, tweets Zack Meisel of the Athletic. Kwan is expected to be sidelined for about a month.

It is tough news given Kwan’s scorching start to the season. The left-handed hitter has turned in a .353/.407/.496 batting line over 145 plate appearances. Kwan has walked as often as he’s gone down on strikes (11 times apiece). It looked to be a massive rebound after he had a league average .268/.340/.370 slash in his second big league campaign. Paired with his characteristically elite left field defense, Kwan has been one of the sport’s most valuable players through six weeks.

The silver lining is that Cleveland has a high-upside replacement stepping into the lineup. The Guards promoted top prospect Kyle Manzardo as the corresponding move for Kwan’s IL placement. Manzardo should get everyday run at designated hitter after hitting .303/.375/.642 to start the season at Triple-A Columbus. Estevan Florial, who has been Cleveland’s primary DH, should see the majority of the left field work in Kwan’s absence. That was the arrangement Stephen Vogt ran in this evening’s 2-1 win over the Tigers. (Manzardo struck out in his first three big league at-bats.)

Cleveland’s outfield injuries aren’t exclusive to the major league level. Top prospect Chase DeLauter has been diagnosed with a fractured fifth metatarsal in his left foot, the team announced over the weekend (link via Mandy Bell of MLB.com). The 22-year-old is going to see a specialist to weigh his treatment options.

This is unfortunately not unfamiliar territory for DeLauter, whom the Guardians selected 16th overall two years ago.. He also suffered a fracture in that foot over the 2022-23 offseason. That required surgery and prevented him from making his season debut until early June. DeLauter tore through High-A pitching when he returned, hitting .366/.403/.549 in 42 games. He earned a late-season bump to Double-A and was widely regarded as a Top 50 minor league talent going into this year.

DeLauter continued to rake in Spring Training, connecting on four homers while hitting .520 in 13 exhibition games. That didn’t carry over into his first few weeks at Double-A Akron, as he was off to a .197/.296/.295 start over 71 plate appearances. That’s a small sample in a cold early-season setting, so it likely wasn’t of much concern to the organization. The potential for another extended injury absence — particularly with a second foot injury — is more worrisome, though it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to rehab without surgery this time around.

Dodgers Reinstate Walker Buehler, Place Joe Kelly On IL

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May 6: Los Angeles officially activated Buehler, as expected. To clear space on the roster, the Dodgers placed Joe Kelly on the 15-day injured list. The veteran reliever is dealing with a posterior shoulder strain.

Kelly is the fifth Dodger reliever on the shelf, joining Evan Phillips, Brusdar Graterol, Ryan Brasier and Connor Brogdon. Kelly has pitched to a 4.73 ERA through 13 1/3 innings on the season. His strikeout rate has dropped from an excellent 35.7% clip to a solid but not elite 24.1% mark in the early going, though he continues to throw exceptionally hard and is still inducing plenty of grounders.

May 2: The Dodgers will activate Walker Buehler from the 15-day injured list on Monday, manager Dave Roberts told the L.A. beat after last night’s win over the Diamondbacks (link via Fabian Ardaya of the Athletic). He’ll take the ball to kick off a series against the Marlins.

It’ll be Buehler’s first major league appearance since June 10, 2022. The two-time All-Star went on the injured list 12 starts into the ’22 season with a flexor strain. After an unsuccessful attempt to rehab, he underwent a Tommy John procedure in August. That was the second such surgery of his career. Buehler also underwent Tommy John shortly after the Dodgers selected him out of Vanderbilt back in 2015.

While there was initially some thought that the right-hander could make a return late in 2023, he and the team decided it was better to play things safe and look ahead to ’24. The Dodgers started Buehler on the IL this season to afford him ample time to build back to peak form. He’d very likely have been on some kind of innings limit anyhow, so it’s understandable the Dodgers didn’t want to push him back onto the MLB roster too quickly.

Buehler began a rehab stint right around Opening Day. That stay in the minors probably lasted a little longer than the organization intended. Buehler was knocked out of his third appearance early when a comeback liner hit him in the throwing hand. That didn’t lead to any kind of serious injury but slightly delayed his pitch count build-up. Buehler walked four hitters in 2 2/3 innings in his fourth outing, so the Dodgers gave him two more Triple-A appearances to continue shaking off the rust.

While his cumulative results on the rehab stint — a 4.15 ERA with 21 strikeouts and nine walks in 21 2/3 frames — were middling, Buehler is coming off his cleanest outing. He tossed five innings of one-run ball for Triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Buehler punched out five and didn’t issue a walk. He pushed his pitch count to 75, so he should be able to handle something approaching a standard starter’s workload immediately.

Buehler will get a soft landing in his season debut, as he’ll take on a Miami club that ranks 28th in on-base percentage and 29th in slugging. If he’s able to recapture his pre-surgery form, he shouldn’t have any issue taking on more challenging offenses as the season progresses. Buehler was one of the sport’s best pitchers between 2018-21, combining for a 2.82 ERA over 95 outings. He was off to a more pedestrian start to 2022, pitching to a 4.02 ERA through 65 frames with a diminished 21.2% strikeout rate. Buehler’s velocity and swinging strike percentage were in line with their previous levels, though, so he’d likely have turned in his typical top-of-the-rotation results down the stretch if not for the injury.

The Dodgers have gotten solid production out of their rotation thus far. They rank eighth in the majors with a 3.48 earned run average and sit sixth with a 24.1% strikeout rate. It has been a top-heavy group, though. Tyler Glasnow has been excellent. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has rebounded from a nightmare MLB debut to rattle off a 1.64 ERA in the subsequent six starts. The back half of the rotation has been shakier.

James Paxton’s solid 3.51 ERA belies an untenable 22:15 walk-to-strikeout ratio. Gavin Stone has struggled. Bobby Miller landed on the injured list after three starts with shoulder inflammation. Emmet Sheehan, Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw and Dustin May have been on the shelf all year. Landon Knack turned in decent results over three starts since Miller’s injury. The Dodgers optioned him back to OKC yesterday.

The 2024 campaign is a crucial one for Buehler personally. He’ll be a first-time free agent next winter. His health history will likely worry some teams regardless of how he performs over the next five months, but he’s one of the higher-ceiling pitchers in the upcoming class. If he stays healthy from here forward, he could position himself well for a long-term deal heading into his age-30 season.

Giants Notes: Murphy Timeline, Snell Update

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The Giants placed backup catcher Tom Murphy on the injured list due to a knee sprain over the weekend but didn’t provide a timetable for his return, as the veteran was headed for an MRI to determine the severity of the injury. Skipper Bob Melvin announced to the Giants beat today that imaging revealed a Grade 1 to 2 sprain.  Murphy won’t require surgery but is expected to be out of action for at least four to six weeks (X link via Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic).

The relatively lengthy absence for Murphy comes at a time when the Giants are also without starting catcher Patrick Bailey, who’s on the injured list due to ongoing concussion symptoms. San Francisco traded former No. 2 overall pick Joey Bart to the Pirates early this season because he was out of minor league options and the team didn’t want to carry three catchers in the long term. Since that swap, both catchers ahead of him on the depth chart have gone down with injuries. The result is a catching corps consisting of former Rule 5 pick Blake Sabol and recently promoted journeyman Jakson Reetz (who homered in his first game with the Giants yesterday).

Murphy, 33, has gotten out to a dismal .118/.211/.235 start after signing a two-year, $8.3MM deal over the winter. That’s come in a sample of just 38 plate appearances, however, far too small to glean meaningful conclusions. In 807 plate appearances with Seattle from 2019-23, Murphy batted .250/.324/.460 with 38 home runs. He was particularly dangerous against left-handed opponents, bashing them at a .287/.379/.539 clip.

With both Bailey and Murphy on the shelf and Bart now in Pittsburgh, the Giants’ catching depth has quickly dried up. Sabol is in line for the lion’s share of playing time, but he hit just .235/.301/.394 last season with a 34% strikeout rate. He was hitting .243/.378/.324 in Triple-A Sacramento this season, again showing worrying contact issues (30.8% strikeout rate). Reetz appeared in 15 games with Sacramento prior to his call-up and batted .217/.357/.435 in 57 plate appearances. Yesterday’s home run came in his first big league at-bat since 2021 — just the third MLB plate appearance of his career. Reetz is a career .234/.328/.478 hitter in parts of four Triple-A seasons.

It’s not a great update for the Giants, but Murphy avoided a worst-case scenario that’d have sidelined him for a much longer period. The Giants also provided a small update on reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell on Monday, with Melvin telling the team’s beat that the lefty pitched a bullpen session without issue and is slated to pitch three innings in a simulated game against live hitters tomorrow (X link via Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle). Snell, who was rocked for an 11.57 ERA through his first three starts, hit the 15-day IL due to an adductor strain last week.

Blue Jays, Aaron Sanchez Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Blue Jays are in agreement with right-hander Aaron Sanchez on a minor league contract, reports Sportsnet’s Jamie Campbell (X link). He joins Beau Sulser as recent non-roster signees to add rotation depth to the organization.

Sanchez returns to the team with which he’s had by far the most success. The Blue Jays selected him 34th overall in the 2010 draft. The sinkerballer made it to the big leagues late in the ’14 campaign. He worked in a swing role during his first full MLB season before a full-time move to the rotation in 2016. Sanchez had a career year, turning in an AL-best 3.00 ERA over 30 starts. He earned an All-Star nod and finished seventh in Cy Young balloting.

Things went downhill from there. Sanchez lost a good portion of the 2017 season to injury. He struggled between 2018-19 and was moved to the Astros in something of a sell-low deadline deal for outfielder Derek Fisher. Sanchez has never found his footing since leaving Toronto. He has appeared for four teams since the trade, logging a cumulative 114 innings. He owns a 5.21 ERA with a modest 16.5% strikeout rate. His last MLB work came with the Nationals and Twins in 2022.

Sanchez spent last season in Triple-A between the Minnesota and Arizona systems. He started 20 of 22 appearances and threw 89 1/3 innings but allowed 5.54 earned runs per nine. He struck out 16.1% of opponents while issuing walks nearly 15% of the time.

While Sanchez might need some time to work into game shape, he’ll presumably report to Triple-A Buffalo within the next few weeks. Toronto has lost depth starters Yariel Rodríguez and Bowden Francis to the injured list recently. Rodríguez’s placement coincided with Alek Manoah’s return, so the Jays still have a defined front five with Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, José Berríos, Yusei Kikuchi and Manoah. They’re light on depth beyond that group, with Paolo Espino standing as the only other experienced starter on the 40-man roster.

A’s Place Joe Boyle On Injured List

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The A’s announced they’ve placed starter Joe Boyle on the 15-day injured list due to a lower back strain. Left-hander Hogan Harris was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move.

Boyle, 24, won a spot in the season-opening rotation. The Notre Dame product has had a rough beginning to the 2024 campaign, however. He has only tallied 27 2/3 innings over seven starts. That’s in part because of yesterday’s injury, but it also reflects an inordinate number of deep counts. Boyle has issued an American League-high 23 walks, a near-18% rate. He has also uncorked four wild pitches and hit a batter.

Control has been the big question dating back to Boyle’s college days. The 6’7″ righty has huge stuff. His fastball sits in the 96-97 MPH range on average, while his upper-80s slider is capable of missing plenty of bats. Boyle has racked up strikeouts in the minor leagues, but massive walk rates have led most prospect evaluators to project him to the bullpen.

The A’s have kept Boyle in the rotation to this point. He impressed over his first three MLB starts late last season. Acquired from the Reds in the Sam Moll deadline deal, he made his big league debut in September. Boyle punched out 15 and only issued five walks over 16 innings down the stretch.

He’ll need to wait at least a few weeks before he can try to recapture last fall’s form. The A’s are down to Paul Blackburn, JP Sears, Alex Wood and Ross Stripling in the rotation. They’re off on Thursday, so they could get by with a four-man rotation until the middle of next week. At that point, Oakland will need to go beyond their top five starters for the first time all season. Rule 5 pick Mitch Spence has pitched well in a multi-inning relief role and seems the likeliest candidate to move into the rotation after logging 4 2/3 innings behind Boyle yesterday. Harris has been working as a starter in Las Vegas, but he has been tagged for an earned run per inning over 21 frames in the Pacific Coast League.

White Sox Recall Mike Clevinger

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The White Sox announced today that right-hander Mike Clevinger has been recalled from Triple-A Charlotte. He is starting today’s game against the Rays. Fellow righty Dominic Leone was placed on the 15-day injured list with lower back tightness, retroactive to May 5, in the corresponding move.

Clevinger, 33, is a veteran with over five years of major league service time. That means he can’t be optioned to the minors without his consent. But he lingered in free agency this winter, not agreeing with the White Sox until early April, and agreed to be sent down to the farm to get properly built up for a starter’s workload.

It was reported last week that the Sox would be shuffling their rotation, with Clevinger and Brad Keller taking roles, though it’s still unclear who will be bumped out. Youngsters Nick Nastrini and Jonathan Cannon had each made multiple starts for the club, but both have been optioned back to the minors in recent weeks. Erick Fedde has had the strongest results so far this year with a 3.46 earned run average. Garrett Crochet’s 5.31 ERA doesn’t look nice but his 32.3% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate are both strong.

Michael Soroka has a 6.48 ERA on the year with uninspiring peripherals to match. His 47.8% ground ball rate is solid but he has walked 12.6% of batters faced while striking out just 10.6%. Chris Flexen also has pretty unremarkable peripherals, including a 13.6% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate, but his 4.85 ERA is at least somewhat passable.

Soroka is still listed on MLB.com as tomorrow’s starter with Flexen the day after. Perhaps they will each get a chance to throw once more before the Sox make a decision, but the club now have six starters to choose from with Clevinger, Keller, Fedde and Crochet also in the mix.

The Sox are 8-26 at this point and clearly won’t be competing this year. Still, the return of Clevinger will hopefully act as a stabilizing force in the rotation as he perhaps sets himself up as a potential trade candidate this summer.

Clevinger was a borderline ace from 2017 to 2020, throwing 489 1/3 innings with a 2.96 ERA, 28% strikeout rate and 9% walk rate. But he required Tommy John surgery after 2020 and hasn’t quite returned to his previous form. He missed 2021 and then had a 4.33 ERA in 2022, with his strikeout rate falling to 18.8%. Last year, he got his strikeout rate up slightly to 20% and dropped his ERA to 3.77, but was still not quite as his pre-surgery levels.

He could have been a trade candidate last summer, since the Sox were also selling at that time, though his health may have played a role there. Right biceps inflammation sent him to the injured list in mid-June and he wasn’t activated until July 27, just before the deadline. He was also later placed on waivers and went unclaimed, though that may have been due to his contract having a $4MM buyout on a mutual option, so any claiming team would have had to absorb that cost. It was also reported in early 2023 that he was the subject of a domestic violence investigation, which could have impacted the interest around the league, though that investigation concluded in March of last year without MLB giving Clevinger any punishment.

This year’s deal is a straight one-year pact with a $3MM base and $3MM of incentives. If Clevinger is healthy and pitching well this summer, the Sox would surely make him available in trades given their ongoing rebuild and poor record.

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