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The Opener: Ruiz, Graterol, Astros, Mariners

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With the beginning of All-Star festivities just around the corner, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:

1. Ruiz to undergo testing:

A’s outfielder Esteury Ruiz injured his throwing shoulder while diving back towards first base during yesterday’s win over the Tigers, manager Mark Kotsay told reporters, including Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Ruiz will undergo x-rays and potentially an MRI today. The 24-year-old rookie, who was shipped to Milwaukee from the Padres in the Josh Hader trade at the deadline last year before joining Oakland in the three-team deal that sent Sean Murphy to Atlanta, has had an unusual season as the club’s starting center fielder. Ruiz owns a slash line of just .257/.310/.329 across 369 plate appearances this season, good for a wRC+ of just 85.

While that performance at the plate certainly leaves something to be desired, it’s been paired with solid defense in center field and a whopping 43 stolen bases, a figure that leads the majors. With fellow outfielder Ramon Laureano already on the injured list himself, outfielder JJ Bleday seems likely to slide over to center if Ruiz misses time, opening up more starts for Brent Rooker and Seth Brown in the outfield corners.

2. Dodgers to make IL decision on Graterol:

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic) that right-hander Brusdar Graterol has been dealing with an arm issue that’s caused him to be unavailable for the past two days. Trips to the injured list can be backdated a maximum of three days, so it’s hardly shocking that Roberts indicated a decision on whether Graterol will require an IL stint for the issue will be made prior to tonight’s game against the Pirates.

Graterol, 24, is among the few bright spots in the Dodgers’ bullpen this season. The hard-throwing righty sports an ERA of just 1.95 with a 3.10 FIP in 37 innings of work. Alongside closer Evan Phillips and left-hander Caleb Ferguson, Graterol creates the backbone of a Dodgers bullpen that has struggled outside of its core, resulting in collective 4.47 ERA that ranks seventh-worst in the majors. Should Graterol miss time, lefties Alex Vesia, Justin Bruihl, and Victor Gonzalez are all on the 40-man roster at the Triple-A level, as is righty Nick Robertson.

3. Series Preview: Astros vs. Mariners

A series to watch begins in Houston this evening, as the Astros take on the Mariners. The Astros haven’t looked like the same dominant team that stormed to their second World Series championship in six seasons last October, sporting a 49-38 record that puts them in second place in the AL West. Similarly, the Mariners have slipped since ending MLB’s longest active postseason drought last year, with a record of just 42-43 in 2023.

The four-game set, which kicks off 7:10pm CT this evening, could have significant implications for both clubs going forward. The Astros are just two games behind the Rangers for the division crown after going 8-2 over their last ten games. With Texas facing a 34-52 Nationals squad in their final series before the All-Star break, Houston will likely need a strong series to stay on their heels. Meanwhile, the Mariners are one of several preseason playoff contenders who have struggled to this point in the 2023 campaign. A particularly strong or weak showing during this series from Seattle could impact their front office’s decision-making ahead of the trade deadline on August 1.

The Mariners will send George Kirby, Luis Castillo, Bryan Woo and Logan Gilbert to the mound. Houston, meanwhile, has tonight’s starter listed as TBD, with a trio of Hunter Brown, Framber Valdez and Brandon Bielak to follow. Chandler Rome of The Athletic tweets that Cristian Javier will not start a game during the team’s final series before the break.

Get Unparalleled MLB Transaction Analysis From Our Baseball Industry-Endorsed Experts

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MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Free Agent Power Rankings and Aroldis Chapman to the Rangers

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

Check out our past episodes!

  • The Angels Trade for Infielders, Indecisive NL Central Teams and Aaron Judge’s Toe – listen here
  • Exciting Youth Movements in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, Bad Central Divisions and the Dodgers Want Pitching – listen here
  • Marcus Stroman Lobbies for Extension, Mets’ Woes and Astros Seeking Bats – listen here

Roberts: Pursuing Right-Handed Bat “Makes Sense” For Dodgers

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As is customary, the Dodgers enter deadline season looking to add to the roster. Los Angeles holds the National League’s second Wild Card spot and sits 2 1/2 games behind the Diamondbacks in the NL West.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has already acknowledged the club is likely to pursue rotation help — and that was before they knew Dustin May would not return this season. Manager Dave Roberts suggested this evening the team could benefit from bringing in a right-handed hitter as well.

“I think a right-handed bat makes sense,” Roberts told reporters (including Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times). The skipper pointed to the uncertain health status of righty-hitting utility player Chris Taylor as reason to explore outside help. Taylor has been on the injured list for two weeks because of a bone bruise in his right knee. Roberts said over the weekend that he’d be out through the All-Star Break, and tonight’s suggestion about potential external reinforcements could indicate the club is concerned about a fairly lengthy absence.

Even independent of the knee issue, there’s a case for the Dodgers scaling back Taylor’s role. He has hit just .217/.293/.397 with a 35.1% strikeout rate in 636 trips to the plate since the start of last season. Taylor has hit seven homers in 62 at-bats against left-handed pitching this year, but he has had a tough time getting on base consistently against pitchers of either handedness.

The Dodgers are also without Trayce Thompson, who entered the year expected to serve as the right-handed part of a center field platoon with James Outman. Los Angeles has Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Will Smith and the middle infield tandem of Miguel Vargas and Miguel Rojas who hit from the right side. Betts, Martinez and Smith are three of the better hitters in the sport, but Vargas and Rojas have struggled offensively. Backup catcher Austin Barnes isn’t much of a threat at the dish. Righty-swinging fourth outfielder Jonny DeLuca doesn’t have much big league experience.

Los Angeles could cast a wide net positionally if they indeed seek out a right-handed bat. Betts has shown himself capable of manning the middle infield or taking an outfield spot, so he could bounce around to accommodate a new acquisition. That’s also true of Taylor whenever he’s able to return from the injured list.

Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong, Mark Canha and Adam Duvall are among the right-handed hitters who could be available at the deadline with their current teams in uncertain competitive situations. The Reds are fighting for an NL Central title but could still make former #2 overall pick Nick Senzel available as a change-of-scenery candidate given their influx of infield talent.

Senzel hasn’t hit righties at all this year but carries a .373/.422/.627 line in 64 plate appearances against southpaws and can bounce between the infield and outfield. Outfielder Lane Thomas is destroying left-handed pitching for the Nationals this season; he’s controllable through 2025 and would be tough to pry away, but a rebuilding Washington club seems unlikely to take him off the table entirely in trade discussions.

White Sox Sign Jordan Holloway To Minor League Deal

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The White Sox signed right-hander Jordan Holloway to a minor league contract, according to an announcement from their Triple-A affiliate. He’ll join their top farm club in Charlotte.

Holloway had just opted out of a minor league pact with the Cubs over the weekend. He lands with their crosstown rivals in hopes of getting an MLB look for the first time this season. The right-hander had signed a non-roster pact with the Cubs in January but only made eight appearances for their Triple-A team. He allowed 12 runs in seven innings, striking out 15 but walking nine and allowing 10 hits.

That unsurprisingly didn’t get Holloway a look at Wrigley Field. He has reached the majors in each of the previous three seasons, though, with all of that experience coming for the Marlins. The 6’6″ hurler sandwiched single outings in 2020 and ’22 around a career-high 36 MLB frames two years ago. He posted an even 4.00 ERA with a serviceable 22.6% strikeout rate but a massive 16.5% walk percentage over that stretch.

Now 27, Holloway has logged parts of nine seasons in the minor leagues. He has a 4.87 ERA in 373 2/3 minor league frames. He has shown some bat-missing ability and has averaged around 95 MPH on his fastball during his MLB looks, but he’s generally struggled to throw strikes throughout his pro career.

Royals Place Zack Greinke On Injured List

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The Royals placed Zack Greinke on the 15-day injured list this afternoon, recalling reliever Dylan Coleman to take the vacated roster spot. Greinke is dealing with shoulder tendinitis.

It doesn’t seem to be a particularly serious issue. Anne Rogers of MLB.com relays (0n Twitter) that the Royals are hopeful Greinke may only have to skip one turn through the rotation thanks to the upcoming All-Star Break. That suggests a minimal IL stint is a possibility, though he’ll meet with a doctor tomorrow to determine the next steps in his recovery.

Greinke’s absence is unlikely to change the Royals’ fortunes much. At 25-61, Kansas City looks ticketed for a last-place finish in the AL Central and a bottom three showing in MLB. It could have some implications for the trade market if he’s not able to return around the time he’s first eligible. Greinke is respected enough to draw some attention from other clubs this summer, even as he carries a 5.44 ERA thanks to a pair of clunkers in his last three starts.

Players on the injured list can still be traded, so Greinke would be able to move even if he’s not back on the mound by August 1. That seems unlikely, though, especially since K.C. would probably only move him if the six-time All-Star seeks a trade. Greinke has signed with the Royals on successive one-year contracts the past two seasons, preferring to return to the place where he began his career over two decades ago. He is playing this season on an $8.5MM salary and could almost double that mark via an innings-based incentive package.

MLB Finalizes Home Run Derby Participants

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Major League Baseball has announced the field for the 2023 Home Run Derby. The full list of participants:

It is a single-elimination bracket. First-round matchups are as follows: Robert/Rutschman, Alonso/Rodríguez, Betts/Guerrero, García/Arozarena. Rodríguez and Alonso are the only two repeat players from last year’s event. Alonso had won the event back-to-back times in 2019-21 (there was no Derby in 2020 because of the pandemic) before Rodríguez knocked him out in the semifinal round last season. Juan Soto took down Rodríguez to win the tournament but declined to try to defend his title.

The Derby will take place Monday evening at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park. Under the collective bargaining agreement, the winner will receive $1MM. The runner-up takes home $500K, while every other participant receives $150K. The player who hits the longest home run wins $100K.

Mike Trout Undergoes Hamate Surgery

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July 5: Manager Phil Nevin tells reporters, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, that Trout underwent surgery to address his fracture. His timeline for return is four to eight weeks.

July 4: The Angels announced that Mike Trout has been placed on the injured list with a left hamate fracture. Right-hander Víctor Mederos was also optioned to Double-A Rocket City. In corresponding moves, outfielder Jo Adell and right-hander Gerardo Reyes were recalled.

The club has yet to provide any kind of estimate timeline on Trout but an absence from a hamate fracture is typically measured in weeks. For example, Mariners outfielder Taylor Trammell was diagnosed with a hamate fracture in February with a provided seven-week timeline for his recovery and he began a rehab assignment two months later. Andrew Benintendi suffered the same injury at the start of September while with the Yankees last year and never returned, despite the Yanks making it to the ALCS and playing until October 23. Each player and injury is different, but it seems reasonable to expect Trout will be out of action for roughly six to eight weeks.

Obviously, this is a tremendous blow for the Angels on a number of fronts. Trout has been one of the better players in baseball for over a decade now, having already won three Most Valuable Player awards and a litany of other accolades. He’s hit .301/.412/.582 in his career for a wRC+ of 170 while stealing 206 bases and providing excellent center field defense. He’s been a bit below that this year, but even his relative “down” year still has him at .263/.369/.493 and a 137 wRC+.

Losing one of the best players in the world for an extended stretch of time would be rough news for any club, but it will be particularly noteworthy for this Angels squad. Despite a roster featuring superstars like Trout, Shohei Ohtani and others in recent years, they have frequently been felled by injuries and a lack of depth. They haven’t had a winning record since 2015, haven’t made the playoffs since 2014 and haven’t won a postseason game since 2009.

The 2023 season has already been in the spotlight since Ohtani is in his final year of club control before he qualifies for free agency. The club has been acting aggressively to try to win this year, both to take advantage of Ohtani’s production while they still have him and to convince him to stay by constructing a winning roster around him. They spent their offseason acquiring complementary players like Brandon Drury, Hunter Renfroe and Carlos Estévez. They aggressively promoted prospects like Zach Neto, Ben Joyce and Sam Bachman. Due to a recent rash of injuries to infielders like Neto, Drury, Gio Urshela and Anthony Rendon, they went out and traded for veterans Eduardo Escobar and Mike Moustakas.

Currently, the club is 45-42, three games back of the Yankees for the final Wild Card spot in the American League, with the Blue Jays in between them. They certainly have a shot to break their postseason drought, but their odds will certainly go down without Trout. Some fans of other clubs may start salivating at the idea of the club deciding to blow it all up and trade Ohtani, but given the way the Angels have behaved this year, it seems more likely that they will be aggressive in adding to the roster to make up for Trout’s absence.

For now, they will likely use Mickey Moniak in center. He’s having a breakout year at the plate, hitting .307/.336/.658 through 119 plate appearances for a 168 wRC+. He’s mostly played the corners in deference to Trout but has solid defensive marks in center. That will create challenges though, as the left-handed hitting Moniak has largely been shielded from lefties, having just 10 trips to the plate this year without the platoon advantage. Adell hits from the right side and could take the short side of the platoon but he’s struggled in the big leagues overall. In 561 plate appearances dating back to 2020, he’s hit just .215/.261/.362. He’s performing better in Triple-A this year but that’s nothing new for him.

However it plays out, the Angels are in a challenging spot for now and will be a fascinating club to watch. With less than a month until the August 1 deadline and the team just outside the postseason picture, each game will continue to take on increased significance as things progress.

Wyatt Mills Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

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The Red Sox announced to reporters that right-hander Wyatt Mills underwent a successful reconstruction of the right ulnar collateral ligament, the procedure also known as Tommy John surgery.

Mills, now 28, came over to the Red Sox from the Royals in an offseason trade. However, he was shut down in the spring with elbow inflammation and has spent the entire season on the injured list. It will now go down as an entirely lost season for the righty and he’s likely to lose much of the 2024 campaign as well, given that the procedure typically requires a recovery period of 14 to 18 months.

Originally a draft pick of the Mariners, Mills worked his way up to the big leagues with that club and made his debut in 2021. He posted a 9.95 ERA in a small sample of 12 2/3 innings that year. He had better results in the first half of 2022, with a 4.15 ERA in 8 2/3 innings at the major league level along with a 1.83 ERA in 19 2/3 innings at Triple-A.

The Royals then acquired him as part of the deal where they flipped Carlos Santana to the Mariners. After that deal, Mills registered a 4.79 ERA in 20 2/3 innings in the bigs and a 2.57 mark in 14 Triple-A frames. He finished the year with a 29.9% strikeout rate in the minors while getting grounders on around half the balls he allowed in play. He walked 12.7% of Triple-A hitters and 10.2% in the bigs, but there was clearly a strikeout-grounder combination that intrigued the Red Sox.

Mills lost his roster spot when the Royals signed left-hander Ryan Yarbrough in December, getting designated for assignment. Boston was willing to give him a shot and flipped minor leaguer Jacob Wallace to the Royals to facilitate a deal, also designating first baseman Eric Hosmer for assignment to get Mills onto their roster. The fact that Mills still had an option remaining and less than one year of service time was surely a part of the appeal.

Unfortunately for both Mills and the Sox, the elbow issue has prevented him from making his club debut thus far. He’ll earn a full year of service time here in 2023 while spending the entire campaign on the IL. He’s already on the 60-day IL and isn’t taking up a roster spot but he’ll have to be added back in the winter since there’s no injured list in the offseason. The Sox could put him back on the 60-day IL once Spring Training begins, though he will have to hang onto his 40-man roster spot all winter long.

Rockies Outright Jorge Alfaro

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The Rockies have sent catcher Jorge Alfaro outright to Triple-A Albuquerque, per his transactions tracker at MLB.com. That indicates he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment last week. He has the right to reject this assignment in favor of free agency but it’s not publicly known if he has done so.

Alfaro, 30, began the year on a minor league deal with the Red Sox. He mashed for the Triple-A club, hitting .320/.366/.520 in 191 plate appearances. He opted out of that deal and landed with the Rockies, who added him to their major league roster a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, he slashed just .161/.188/.387 in his 32 trips to the plate and was cut from the roster last week.

This has been a frustrating pattern for Alfaro, who has continually shown promise in the minors and then floundered in the majors. His career batting line in the big leagues is .254/.302/.396 whereas his Triple-A line is a much stronger .270/.317/.434. Since he’s generally considered a subpar defender behind the plate, that mercurial offensive performance has led to him continually bouncing on and off of rosters.

Since Alfaro has more than five years of major league service time, he has the right to reject an outright assignment while retaining his salary. He’ll therefore have to decide between reporting to Albuquerque and hoping for another shot with the Rockies or returning to the open market to see if there are other opportunities waiting for him. Since every club in the league just passed on the chance to grab him off waivers, he would probably be limited to minor league offers.

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