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Braves Reinstate Orlando Arcia, Option Vaughn Grissom

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The Braves have reinstated infielder Orlando Arcia from the 10-day injured list, per a team announcement. In a corresponding move, the club optioned shortstop Vaughn Grissom to Triple-A. Arcia had been out with a microfracture in his left wrist since mid-April.

The move comes as something of a surprise, as Arcia will return to the club without a rehab assignment after reportedly beginning to take dry swings just a few days ago. Arcia opened the season as the club’s regular shortstop prior to his injury and got off to a hot start with a .333/.400/.511 slash line with a 149 wRC+ in 13 games. That hot start earned him a contract extension that will keep the 28-year-old under team control through the 2026 season.

Given his success at the plate this season prior to his injury, it seems reasonable to expect Arcia to once again get the lion’s share of playing time at shortstop. Prospect Braden Shewmake was promoted recently and received a start at shortstop, but with Arcia back on the roster seems likely to settle into an infield utility role behind Arcia, second baseman Ozzie Albies and third baseman Austin Riley. The 25-year-old Shewmake has yet to record his first hit in the major leagues, but saw a power surge early this season in the minor leagues, as his five home runs in just 110 plate appearances nearly matches the seven he hit last year in 307 plate appearances. Still, his overall Triple-A slash line of .255/.307/.415 casts him as a glove-first option in the big leagues who doesn’t figure to hit much.

With Arcia returned and Shewmake taking up a utility role in the infield, the 22-year-old Grissom is left heading to Triple-A as the odd man out. Grissom made his major league debut last season, filling in for Albies at second base, and impressed in 41 games with a slash line of .291/.353/.440 that was good for a wRC+ of 121. Though his 21.8% strikeout rate and high .350 BABIP left room for concern, the biggest question mark surrounding Grissom was his defense, which he spent the offseason trying to improve with infield coach Ron Washington.

Unfortunately for both Grissom and the Braves, the young shortstop’s start to the season has been something of a disaster. Grissom has taken a significant step back at the plate, with a slash line of just .277/.314/.308 in 70 plate appearances that leaves him 29% below league average by measure of wRC+. Meanwhile, his defense has been a major concern, with six errors in 18 starts at shortstop and defensive metrics that give him concerning ratings across the board. In particular, Grissom’s -4 Outs Above Average leave him in just the third percentile among MLB fielders and cast him the third worst defensive shortstop in the majors, ahead of only Enrique Hernandez of the Red Sox and CJ Abrams of the Nationals. Given Grissom’s pronounced struggles, it seems reasonable to expect him to work on things at the Triple-A level for the foreseeable future, unless another injury around the infield forces the club’s hand.

The A’s May Have Found A Hidden Gem On The Waiver Wire

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2022 was a year of change for Brent Rooker, who was a member of four different organizations within the span of seven months.  After five years with the Twins, Rooker was dealt along with Taylor Rogers to the Padres for Chris Paddack and Emilio Pagan in April 2022.  From there, Rooker found himself on the move again at the trade deadline when San Diego sent him to the Royals for catcher Cam Gallagher.  Rooker finished out the season in K.C. but was designated for assignment in November, paving the way for the Athletics to claim him off waivers.

As Rooker noted in a chat with MLBTR readers back in February, the specific timing of the trades made things particularly difficult since “one came on Opening Day of the Major League season and one was the very last deal of the deadline.  I knew it was definitely possible that I was going to get moved at the deadline but once we reached 4:00 [PM EST], I thought I was safe, only to get called about 15 minutes later.”

“The moving around is tough and its hard to get settled or into a routine with so much constant change.  That being said, its just part of the job and something you have to learn to work through.  I’m incredibly excited to be with Oakland and hope to play well and earn some major league opportunities!”

Stability isn’t usually a word associated with an A’s franchise that has made a habit of roster overhauls, including the latest fire sale that has seen the Athletics part ways with several prominent veterans as part of the latest rebuild.  The result hasn’t been pretty, as the A’s entered play today with a league-worst 7-26 record, and the increasing possibility of a move to Las Vegas has led to a lot of public discord amongst Oakland fans.

Though it all, however, Rooker has become a major bright spot in the early portion of the 2023 season.  Entering the year with a career .200/.289/.379 slash line over 270 plate appearances in the majors, Rooker has exploded to hit .333/.442/.726 with 10 home runs over his first 104 PA in an Athletics uniform.  Rooker’s slugging percentage and 218 wRC+ lead all qualifies hitters, and his on-base percentage also leads the American League.

This kind of huge breakout caught even Rooker himself a little off-guard.  “In a vacuum, the numbers themselves are more than I ever thought I could do,” Rooker told MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos and other reporters last week.  “That’s not taking away the confidence I have in myself.  That kind of production for a month’s worth of games is probably past even my expectations of myself, so that’s been a pleasant surprise for me.”

Such high-level production isn’t totally alien to Rooker, who has pretty consistently mashed minor league pitching over five seasons on the farm.  This includes a career .274/.387/.590 slash line over 906 PA at the Triple-A level, which is a standout performance even with the caveat of 273 of those plate appearances coming in the hitter-friendly environment of the Pacific Coast League (with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate).  Rooker also carried some prospect pedigree as the 35th overall pick of the 2017 draft, and he was ranked 92nd on Baseball America’s top-100 prospects list prior to the 2018 season.

Despite this resume, Rooker couldn’t really break though on a Minnesota team that already had multiple up-and-coming outfielders on the active roster or in the farm system all vying for playing time.  Rooker’s cause wasn’t helped when he suffered a fractured forearm in just his seventh big league game in 2020, and his only other extended taste of MLB playing time came in 2021, when he batted .201/.291/.397 over 213 PA for the Twins.

Still, that rough season had just enough glimmers of hope for Rooker that he told Gallegos and company that it has contributed to his big 2023 numbers.  “The last two years, I’ve just been trying to figure out how to extend those good times that I had,” Rooker said.  “I knew I could do it because I’d have weeks in Minnesota where I’d hit really well with a lot of success.  That put it in my head and heart that I was good enough to do it.  I just had to figure out how to do it for longer periods of time.”

It is probably safe to assume that some regression is inevitable, due to both Rookier’s .340 BABIP and the lack of track record to back up his early standing as an elite hitter.  That said, there hasn’t been much luck in what Rooker has been doing, as his .479 wOBA is above his xwOBA….but not by much, as Rooker’s .447 xwOBA is still in the 99th percentile of all hitters.  His barrel rate and walk rate are also both outstanding, and his overall hard-hit ball rate is well above league average.  Strikeouts have been a persistent issue for Rooker throughout his career, but cutting his strikeout rate down to even a modest 22.1% (within the 49th percentile of hitters) has helped greatly, given what Rooker is doing with all that extra contact.

Landing a possible late bloomer on the waiver wire is a dream for any team, particularly a rebuilding Oakland club in sore need of some good news.  Rooker entered the season with only one year and 59 days (1.059) of MLB service time, so he wouldn’t even gain arbitration eligibility until after the 2024 season, and free agency until after the 2017 season.  Naturally, five great weeks doesn’t automatically turn a 28-year-old player into a building block, but if nothing else, Rooker’s presence gives the Athletics something to think about as they approach the trade deadline.

To be clear, all of that team control might make it unlikely that Rooker himself is traded, as the A’s might be intrigued enough to see what they really have in the outfielder beyond 2023.  The idea can’t be entirely ruled out given the Athletics’ scored-earth approach to their rebuild process, but dealing Rooker after a big first half might backfire if Rooker does continue to be a quality regular going forward — “selling high” would perhaps become selling too soon.

Rooker has seen a lot of time at DH, and has seen some time in both corner outfield positions with borderline passable glovework.  Not that Rooker is in any danger of losing at-bats at this point, but if any of Ramon Laureano, Tony Kemp, or Jesus Aguilar are moved at the deadline, that just opens up more playing time for Conner Capel or JJ Bleday, with Rooker picking up any extra at-bats in the corner outfield or at DH.  Kemp and Aguilar are the likeliest to be moved since they aren’t under contract beyond 2023, and while Laureano is arbitration-controlled through 2025, he has received some trade interest in the past.

NL Notes: Mays, Harris, Azocar, Carrasco, Syndergaard

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Happy birthday to the legendary Willie Mays, who turns 92 years old today.  All 22 seasons and 2992 games of Mays’ MLB career was spent in the National League, mostly with the New York/San Francisco Giants and then parts of his two last seasons back in the Big Apple with the Mets.  Among players who played exclusively in the NL during their career, only Pete Rose and Stan Musial had more games in the Senior Circuit than Mays.

Let’s say hey to these items from around the NL….

  • Michael Harris II made his return to the Braves’ lineup tonight, back in his customary spot in center field after missing Atlanta’s previous two games.  There was some concern after Harris left Wednesday’s game with a jammed right knee, but he was able to avoid both the injured list and a significant layoff, even though he’ll at least temporarily be placing with a knee brace.  Harris told The Athletic’s David O’Brien and other reporters that running with the brace won’t slow him down, though he is a little uncertain about how his sliding might be impacted.  A lower back strain already sent Harris to the IL earlier this season, and today marks only the 13th game of 2023 for the reigning NL Rookie Of The Year.
  • Padres outfielder Jose Azocar told reporters (including Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune) that he received a cortisone shot in his bothersome left elbow, but an MRI revealed only inflammation.  Azocar was retroactively placed on the 10-day IL on May 3, and manager Bob Melvin thinks the outfielder might be able to resume baseball activities within a few days’ time.  Azocar has a modest .244/.262/.293 slash line over 45 plate appearances, as the backup has made a few extra starts due to other injuries in the Padres’ outfield and the remaining games on Fernando Tatis Jr.’s suspension.
  • Carlos Carrasco has hit another health setback, as Mets GM Billy Eppler and manager Buck Showalter told reporters (including Abbey Mastracco of the New York Daily News) that the right-hander is battling an illness.  This has pushed back plans to start a rehab assignment for Carrasco this weekend, as the veteran continues to work his way back from a bone spur in his throwing elbow.  Carrasco struggled to an 8.56 ERA over his first three starts and 13 2/3 innings before going on the IL.
  • It has also been a tough road for Noah Syndergaard in 2023, as his Dodgers tenure has begun with a 6.32 ERA over his first six starts and 31 1/3 innings since signing a one-year, $13MM free agent deal.  However, manager Dave Roberts told the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett and other reporters that even as L.A. continues to juggle its rotation, the club isn’t considering removing Syndergaard from the starting five.  The righty will get some extra time between starts, with Syndergaard projected for an eight-day break before his next scheduled outing on Tuesday.  Both Michael Grove and Gavin Stone made some starts while Tony Gonsolin was on the injured list, but with Gonsolin now back and Grove now on the IL with a groin injury, the Dodgers will now stick with a normal five-man rotation.  Roberts said that rather than keep Stone in the majors for another start and a brief shift to a six-man rotation, “there’s maybe a potential cost of getting guys out of their rhythm” given that Los Angeles also has an off-day on Thursday.

Mariners Place Penn Murfee On 15-Day Injured List

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The Mariners have placed right-hander Penn Murfee on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).  Right-hander Juan Then is being called up from Double-A in the corresponding move, and Then’s first appearance will mark his MLB debut.

Murfee made his own Major League debut in 2022 and immediately contributed to Seattle’s bullpen, posting a 2.99 ERA over 69 1/3 innings.  Murfee’s strikeout and walk rates were well above average, and he was one of the league’s best at inducing soft contact.  The overall results have improved this season as per Murfee’s 1.38 ERA over 15 innings, except with the red flag of a drastically inflated 16.7% walk rate.  A tiny .143 BABIP has certainly helped Murfee avoid much damage, though his SIERA is 4.52.

Walks have been a problem for the Mariners’ bullpen as a whole this season, even though the relief corps has still been quite solid overall.  However, it isn’t good news that the M’s are now missing two notable relievers in Murfee and Andres Munoz, who has spent close to a month on the 15-day IL due to a right deltoid strain that seems to be a bit more troublesome than initially anticipated.  For what it’s worth, Murfee’s elbow inflammation also seems relatively minor, as Divish tweets that the Mariners were hoping he could avoid an IL trip altogether.

Then was added to Seattle’s 40-man roster back in November, protecting righty from selection in the Rule 5 Draft.  Then was an international signing for the Mariners in 2016, and after being traded to the Yankees in November 2017, was re-acquired as part of the Edwin Encarnacion trade in June 2019.  Once the 2019 season was complete, things started to go sideways for Then, who (like all minor leaguers) lost the 2020 season to the pandemic, and then struggled through two injury-shortened seasons at the high-A and Double-A levels in 2021 and 2022.

MLB Pipeline ranks Then 23rd on their list of the Mariners’ top 30 prospects, noting that his performance in the Arizona Fall League merited a return to the ranking and apparently indicated that his elbow problems were behind him.  Back at Double-A this season, Then has a 27.5% strikeout rate and 7.5% walk rate over nine innings of work, but also a 5.00 ERA.

To this end, promoting Then to the majors and skipping Triple-A entirely seems like an aggressive move for the Mariners, based both on results and the fact that Then has pitched only 30 total innings (counting AFL and Dominican Winter League work) since the start of the 2022 season.  It could be that the M’s might be viewing Then as just a short-term add before figuring out a 40-man roster opening to accommodate another pitcher.

Red Sox Aiming To Activate James Paxton Next Week

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James Paxton is on the verge of his first Major League game in over two years, as Red Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MLB.com’s Ian Browne) that Paxton will join the team this week.  Paxton won’t start during Boston’s upcoming two-game series with the Braves, which indicates that he’ll pitch at some point during the three-game series between the Cardinals and Red Sox from May 12-14.

Paxton underwent Tommy John surgery in April 2021 as a member of the Mariners, but the Red Sox made something of a speculative move by signing the left-hander to a free agent deal during the 2021-22 offseason.  That contract contained a pair of club options (each worth $13MM) for the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but also a $4MM player option Paxton could exercise if the Sox declined those club options.  With Paxton missing the entire 2022 campaign due to both his TJ rehab and then a lat tear, Boston indeed declined its club options, and Paxton triggered his $4MM option to ultimately make his deal a two-year, $10MM pact overall.

If those past injuries weren’t enough, Paxton also had a Game 1 hamstring strain during Spring Training that delayed his ramp-up period to the point that another 15-day IL stint was required to begin the 2023 season.  Pitching in six games at Triple-A Worcester during his rehab, Paxton has a 6.23 ERA over 21 2/3 innings, largely due to one disastrous outing (the only relief appearance of his six games) that saw him tagged for seven runs in two-thirds of an inning on April 19.  In his last two rehab starts, Paxton allowed only two runs over 10 1/3 total innings, and he topped the 90-pitch threshold in both games.

The Red Sox don’t play on either Monday or Thursday, and they also have off-days on May 18, 25, and 29th.  This gives the club some flexibility in how they arrange their pitching staff when Paxton returns, and Garrett Whitlock is also expected to be activated from the 15-day injured list this week.  Cora said the Sox are considering the possibility of a six-man rotation to accommodate a full rotation, though the preponderance of upcoming off-days could lead to some extended time between starts if the Red Sox did try a larger rotation.

Guardians Option Oscar Gonzalez To Triple-A

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After hitting only .192/.213/.288 over his first 75 plate appearances, Guardians outfielder Oscar Gonzalez has been optioned to Triple-A Columbus.  Infielder Tyler Freeman has been called up to replace Gonzalez on Cleveland’s active roster.

Gonzalez is the second prominent Guardians player to be optioned in the last three days, after Zach Plesac was also sent down to Columbus on Thursday.  Plesac was more of an established big leaguer than Gonzalez, yet both moves are indicative of how the Guards are trying to shake things up after an underwhelming 14-18 start to the season.

One of several young players who contributed to the Guardians’ success in 2022, Gonzalez made his MLB debut last season and hit .296/.327/.461 with 11 homers over 382 PA in his rookie season.  His most memorable moments included a pair of walkoff hits in the postseason — the 15th-inning home run that allowed the Guardians to eliminate the Rays in the Wild Card Series, and a walkoff single that led Cleveland to a win over the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS.

Despite this early success, Gonzalez displayed some weak points that have continued into 2023.  He has ranked near the bottom of the walk in both walk rate and chase rate in both seasons, even if his actual strikeout rate is above average.  Gonzalez’s hard-hit rate has also plummeted from a respectable 40.1% in 2022 to just 31% this year.

The Guardians entered the season using Gonzalez and Will Brennan in a right field platoon, with Brennan seeing the majority of at-bats as a left-handed hitter.  Manager Terry Francona told reporters (including Cleveland.com) that the team’s desire to use Gonzalez on a more regular basis contributed to the decision to send him to Triple-A.

“We might be doing Oscar right now a disservice by playing him sparingly….Last time we called him up, he had a lot of at-bats under his belt and felt really good about himself.  So we’re going to hopefully get him going again, as opposed to playing him every so often,” Francona said.

Freeman might be an example of this very tactic, as the former top-100 prospect (who also made his MLB debut in 2022) returns to the majors on the strength of a hot streak with Columbus.  The Guardians called Freeman up for two games in April, but Freeman has otherwise spent the season at Triple-A, and is batting .329/.468/.482 over 109 PA with the Clippers.

It remains to be seen where Freeman will fit into Cleveland’s lineup or how often he’ll play, but Gabriel Arias is notably getting the start in right field today for the Guardians against the Twins (and right-handed starter Sonny Gray).  Arias is yet another highly-touted prospect from the Guardians’ farm system, but he hasn’t shown much over an even 100 plate appearances at the big league level.  Only 43 of those PA have come this season, so Arias and Freeman might get some looks as part of the right field platoon even though both are infielders by trade.  Arias has made a handful of appearances as a left fielder during his career but today marks his pro debut in right field.

Astros Promote J.P. France

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TODAY: France was officially called up, with the Astros sending right-hander Ronel Blanco to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

MAY 5: The Astros are calling up right-hander J.P. France, reports Mark Berman of Fox 26. He is expected to start Saturday’s game against the Mariners, per Chandler Rome of The Athletic, which will be his major league debut. He’s on the 40-man roster but will require a corresponding move to get him on the active roster.

Now 28, France was selected by the Astros in the 14th round of the 2018 draft and signed for a $1K bonus. He’s since outperformed that modest draft position with some strong work as a swingman in the minors. In 2021, he split his time between Double-A and Triple-A, throwing 114 innings over 18 starts and seven relief appearances. He posted a 3.79 ERA with a strong 32.2% strikeout rate but a 10.7% walk rate. Last year, he was back in the swing role but exclusively in Triple-A. He made 15 starts and 19 relief appearances, posting a 3.90 ERA in 110 2/3 innings. He struck out 28.3% of batters faced but walked 10.6% of them.

He would have been eligible to be selected in the most recent Rule 5 draft, but the Astros added him to their roster in November to ensure that didn’t happen. Baseball America then put him on their list of top 30 prospects in the organization for the first time, giving him the #21 slot coming into this year. Their report notes that he doesn’t have overpowering stuff but relies on unpredictability, willing to throw any of his five pitches at any time to keep hitters off balance.

He’s been back in Triple-A to start this year, with three starts and a couple relief appearances. The walks are still an issue, coming in at a 14.3% clip so far this year, but he’s also struck out 33.8% of opponents and gotten grounders on 53.8% of balls in play for a 2.33 ERA.

The Astros came into the year with a strong rotation, even while allowing Justin Verlander to depart for the Mets. The on-paper group would have been Lance McCullers Jr., Framber Valdez, Luis Garcia, Cristian Javier and José Urquidy. Unfortunately, McCullers was shut down in spring with arm soreness and still doesn’t seem close to a return, not having begun a rehab assignment yet. That pushed the top depth starter, Hunter Brown, into the rotation to start the year. More recently, the club saw both Garcia and Urquidy hit the injured list in the past week, further depleting the rotation.

The timelines on those recent injuries are still a little murky but the club will have to proceed for at least a couple weeks with just Valdez, Javier and Brown remaining from their season opening rotation. France will come up and make at least one start to help out. Brandon Bielak is also with the club and threw 75 pitches of long relief on Monday, perhaps allowing him to factor in at some point. Forrest Whitley and Shawn Dubin are also on the 40-man and could be options as well.

Red Sox Acquire Zack Littell, Select Him Onto MLB Roster

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TODAY: As expected, the Red Sox selected Littell’s contract and he is now part of their active roster. In corresponding moves, Ort was optioned to Triple-A and Adam Duvall was shifted to the 60-day injured list. Duvall was placed on the 10-day IL just under four weeks ago due to a fractured wrist, and since it will still be a couple of weeks before Duvall is even able to start swinging, his move to the 60-day IL opens up a 40-man roster spot for Boston.

MAY 5, 11:38pm: Littell’s contract with the Rangers contained an upward mobility clause requiring the Rangers to trade him or promote him to the majors if another club was willing to add him to the MLB roster, reports Alex Speier of the Boston Globe (Twitter link). The Red Sox expressed a willingness to do so, leading to the trade. While Littell was initially assigned to Triple-A Worcester, he’s expected to be formally promoted to the major league roster shortly.

5:30pm: The Red Sox have acquired right-hander Zack Littell from the Rangers, reports Kennedi Landry of MLB.com, with cash considerations going the other way. Littell wasn’t on the club’s 40-man roster, so no corresponding moves will be necessary.

Littell, 27, was with the Giants the past two years but was outrighted off their roster at the end of last season and elected free agency. He signed a minor league deal with the Rangers in the winter and had been pitching well in Triple-A. Through 12 innings for the Round Rock Express, he had a 2.25 ERA, striking out 33.3% of opponents against a tiny walk rate of 4.2%.

That’s a stronger performance than he’s managed in the big leagues recently. With San Francisco in 2021 and 2022, he tossed 106 innings with a 3.82 ERA, 23.1% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate. It seems the Red Sox were encouraged enough by the small sample improvements to take a shot on him, while the Rangers were seemingly content to let him go and pocket some cash.

Littell is out of options, meaning that he’d have to stick in the big leagues if he gets back there, or else be designated for assignment. But in the event he does back to the bigs and sticks, he could be retained for future seasons. He came into this season with three years and 67 days of service time, meaning he could get to the four-year mark in 2023 if called up soon. Even in that case, he’d have a couple more arb years before getting to the six-year mark and automatic free agency, though a delayed call-up could push that back.

The Sox have dealt with a handful of injuries to their relief corps this year, as Zack Kelly, Joely Rodríguez and Wyatt Mills are all on the injured list. Right-hander Kutter Crawford joined them today when the Sox put him on the IL with a left hamstring strain, recalling righty Kaleb Ort to take his place. Littell will give the club a bit of extra non-roster depth and try to work his way back to the majors.

Reds Activate Wil Myers, DFA Matt Reynolds

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The Reds announced they’ve activated Wil Myers from the injured list and designated infielder Matt Reynolds for assignment.

It’ll be the minimum time possible on the IL for Myers, who went on the IL due to neck spasms last month. The veteran signed a one-year, $7.5MM deal with the Reds this winter, but has struggled to a .222/.292/.321 line with two home runs through his first 89 plate appearances of the season. A big concern for the Reds is the spike in strikeouts for the veteran, who’s punched out in 34.8% of his plate appearances so far this season, a number that’s been rising year-on-year since his impressive 2020 season.

With Myers back, the team parts ways with utility-man Reynolds. The 32-year-old got into just two games for the Reds this season, tallying a single hit in five plate appearances. It’s his second season in Cincinnati, and in a far more extended run in the bigs last year Reynolds hit .246/.320/.332 with three home runs in 273 plate appearances.

Primarily an infielder, Reynolds has also logged time in the outfield, spending time at every position bar catcher throughout his career. He’ll now be exposed to the rest of the league via the waiver wire.

White Sox Designate Jake Diekman, Franklin German; Select Alex Colomé, Sammy Peralta

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May 6: The White Sox have requested unconditional release waivers on Diekman following his DFA earlier in the week, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun Times relays.

May 2: The White Sox announced a massive series of roster moves today, including reinstating infielders Tim Anderson and Hanser Alberto from the injured list. Additionally, they selected the contracts of right-hander Alex Colomé, left-hander Sammy Peralta and outfielder Billy Hamilton, the latter move having already been reported earlier today. To make room for all of those players, righty Joe Kelly was placed on the paternity list, infielder/outfielder Romy González was placed on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation, outfielder Óscar Colás and infielder Lenyn Sosa were optioned to Triple-A while lefty Jake Diekman and righty Franklin German were designated for assignment. One spot on the 40-man roster was already open after A.J. Alexy was outrighted last week.

The White Sox have been off to a terrible start this year, going 8-21 as multiple key players have dealt with injuries. It was reported on the weekend that Anderson and Alberto would be coming back today, so those moves aren’t surprising. But it seems the club has decided to use their returns to springboard an incredible roster shakeup, with 11 players involved in today’s shuffling as they try to alter their trajectory.

Diekman, 36, has a lengthy track record of effectiveness in the big leagues but has fallen on hard times in recent years. At the end of 2021, he had a 3.73 ERA through 529 career appearances. His 12.7% walk rate was definitely on the high side but he also struck out 29% of batters faced and got grounders on 47.9% of balls in play. His ERA was a bit high at 4.23 with the Red Sox at the deadline last year when they flipped him to the Pale Hose for Reese McGuire, a player to be named later and cash. Unfortunately, he posted a 6.52 ERA with the Sox the rest of the way and has a 7.94 mark so far this year. He’s walked an incredible 22.4% of batters faced this season, exacerbating a longstanding issue and getting himself bumped off the roster.

The Sox will now have a week to trade Diekman or pass him through waivers but the interest around the league is unlikely to be widespread. Left-handed relief is always in demand but Diekman is making $3.5MM this year and has a $1MM buyout on a $4MM club option for 2024. Given his recent struggles, no team will want to take on that money, meaning he will likely pass through waivers unclaimed. Once he does so, he has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency.

Also designated for assignment is German, 25, who made his major league debut with the Red Sox last year but changed the color of his Sox via a February trade. Though he got five appearances in the big leagues last season, he spent most of the year in Triple-A, posting a 2.58 ERA with a 30.5% strikeout rate and 10.6% walk rate. Unfortunately, everything has gone in the wrong direction since the deal. He has an ERA of 7.15 in Triple-A so far this season, with his strikeout rate having dipped to 26.7% and his walks up to 15%.

One of those roster spots will go to Colomé, 34, who has a long résumé of work in the big leagues, including a previous stint with the White Sox. He has a 3.34 ERA over his career but has seen his results slip in the past couple of seasons. He had a tiny 0.81 ERA in the small sample of the shortened 2020 season but saw that jump to 4.15 and 5.74 in the subsequent campaigns. He signed a minor league deal with the Nationals this winter but didn’t make the club out of camp and opted out, jumping to the White Sox on another minors deal. He has a 2.25 ERA through his first 10 appearances in Triple-A this year, but with some good luck seemingly helping him out. He’s stranded 84.9% of baserunners despite an 18.9% strikeout rate and 10.8% walk rate.

Also joining the club’s bullpen will be Peralta, which will be a bit of an early birthday present for him, as he turns 25 next week. An 18th round selection in the 2019 draft, he has climbed the minor league ladder in the years since. He split last year between Double-A and Triple-A with a combined 3.77 ERA in 62 innings, striking out 29.2% of batters faced while walking 8.5%. He has a 3.52 ERA so far this year through 15 1/3 Triple-A innings.

In addition to all that 40-man roster shuffling, the club also optioned Colás. He will still be on the 40-man but it’s notable that he’s seemingly been pushed out of the club’s plans for the time being. He had no major league experience coming into this year but was a bit older and more experienced than a typical prospect since he had already played in the Cuban National Series and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.

He was given the club’s everyday right field job this year but has hit just .211/.265/.276 through 25 games for a wRC+ of 51. He was just added to the club’s roster in March and has a full slate of options, which the club will now use to get him some more seasoning in the minors. He hit an incredible .314/.371/.524 in the minors last year, going from High-A to Double-A to Triple-A, but only seven of his 117 games were at the highest level. He’ll now head back to Charlotte to work his way back to the majors. This could have ramifications for his service time, since he was previously on pace to get a full year in 2023 but now will end up shy of that once he spends 20 days in the minors, which would push back his free agency and perhaps his arbitration as well.

Andrew Benintendi and Luis Robert Jr. would normally be in left and center field, respectively, but the latter has been dealing with a minor injury of late. With Colás now optioned out, right field could be shared by some mix of Eloy Jiménez, Gavin Sheets and Adam Haseley, with Hamilton perhaps entering the mix as well.

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