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Yankees Recall Oswald Peraza, Place Giancarlo Stanton On 10-Day Injured List

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4:18PM: Stanton has a Grade 2 hamstring strain, ESPN’s Marly Rivera reports (Twitter link). The increased severity of the strain likely means a longer stint on the IL, with Stanton facing perhaps at least a month away.

10:30AM: According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the Yankees have recalled shortstop Oswald Peraza to the major league club. To make room for Peraza on the active roster, MLB Network Radio’s Jim Bowden notes that Giancarlo Stanton is being placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain, for which he’s set to undergo an MRI this afternoon.

Peraza, 23 in June, made his big league debut for the Yankees last season, impressing with a .306/.404/.429 slash line (good for a 146 wRC+) in 18 games while playing strong defense at both second base and shortstop. Peraza spent spring training battling for the starting shortstop job with the Yankees, though he ultimately lost out on the role to top prospect Anthony Volpe. A consensus top 100 prospect in his own right, Peraza has 502 plate appearances at the Triple-A level across the past three seasons, posting a .263/.331/.434 slash line in that time.

As for Stanton, this hamstring issue is the latest in a series of leg injuries over the past few seasons. Stanton went on the IL twice in 2022, once for a minimum stay due to a calf strain and once for a month due to tendonitis in his left Achilles. Stanton also missed two weeks in 2021 with a quad strain, most of the shortened 2020 season due to a hamstring strain, and most of the 2019 season due to a knee sprain. For a player with Stanton’s injury history, a hamstring issue is of particular concern, though the extent of the injury and a timetable for Stanton’s return to action will not be known until the results of today’s MRI are revealed.

When healthy, Stanton has been long been among the game’s most fearsome hitters. Though he hasn’t quite reached the heights he did with the Marlins (where he posted a 149 wRC+, made four All Star appearances, and won an MVP award from 2012-2017) since his trade to the Bronx, Stanton has still posted a strong 129 wRC+ in a Yankees uniform while clubbing 115 home runs in just 461 games. That being said, he’s seen a downturn in his overall production in recent years, as he has gotten on base at just a 32.7% clip since the start of the 2021 season, including a concerning .297 OBP in 110 games last year. Some of that can be attributed to a deflated .227 BABIP, but it’s also worth noting that Stanton’s 30.3% strikeout rate in 2022 was his highest in a full season since his rookie year.

While Stanton is on the shelf, Peraza seems likely to step into the lineup at second base, allowing Gleyber Torres to fill in for Stanton at DH. Stanton’s injury leaves the Yankees outfield mix in further flux, as Harrison Bader has not yet played for the club in 2023 due to an oblique strain. That leaves reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge as the club’s regular center fielder, while Franchy Cordero, Willie Calhoun, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Aaron Hicks mix and match in the corners.

Red Sox Select Jake Faria, Place Chris Martin On 15-Day IL

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10:38PM: There are “no red flags as far as structure” to Martin’s shoulder, manager Alex Cora told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo and other reporters.  The Red Sox are hopeful that Martin might be facing just a minimal 15-day absence.

12:12PM: The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves this afternoon, placing right-hander Chris Martin on the 15-day IL (retroactive to Thursday) with right shoulder inflammation. To replace Martin on the active roster, the club has selected the contract of right-hander Jake Faria from Triple-A. To clear a 40-man roster spot for Faria, the club has transferred right-hander Wyatt Mills, who is suffering from right elbow inflammation, to the 60-day IL.

Martin debuted with the Rockies back in 2014, but struggled to a 6.19 ERA in the first two seasons of his big league career before departing for Japan, where he dominated in the NPB to the tune of a 1.12 ERA in 88 1/3 innings of work. That performance earned him another shot in the big leagues, where he’s been a successful setup man ever since. Since the start of the 2018 season, Martin has posted a 3.41 ERA (135 ERA+) with a 3.06 FIP in 221 2/3 innings of work.

While his top-level run prevention numbers last season left something to be desired in the beginning of his season as a member of the Cubs, his 4.31 ERA in his 31 1/3 innings as a Cub were inflated by a .393 BABIP. Underlying metrics saw him strike out 30.1% of batters while walking just 3%, leaving him with a 3.01 FIP during his time with in Chicago. Those strong underlying stats manifested in a dominant stretch run following a midseason trade to the Dodgers: in 24 2/3 innings in Dodger blue, Martin posted a fantastic 1.46 ERA with a microscopic 1.13 FIP.

That left Martin entering free agency with a 3.05 ERA, 2.18 FIP, 32.9% strikeout rate, and 2.2% walk rate in 2022. Those numbers were strong enough to net him a two-year, $17.5MM deal with the Red Sox, where he figured to slot into the back of the Boston bullpen alongside fellow offseason signing Kenley Jansen. Those plans will now be put on hold for awhile, however, with Martin headed to the IL. No timetable has been announced for his return. While Martin is on the IL, John Schreiber and Josh Winckowski figure to handle late-inning duties alongside Jansen.

With Martin on the shelf, the Red Sox turn to Faria. The 29 year old did not pitch in the majors in 2022, though he has a career 4.70 ERA (90 ERA+) with a matching 4.74 FIP in 203 big league innings with a 20.9% strikeout rate a 10% walk rate. After spending 2022 in the minors with the Twins, where he struggled to a 7.48 ERA in 43 1/3 innings of work, Faria signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox back in February.

Mills was acquired from the Royals in a trade this winter, but was shut down last month with elbow inflammation. He has a career 6.21 ERA in 42 big league innings, albeit with a much more palatable 3.84 FIP.

Rockies Notes: Marquez, Grichuk, Bard, Senzatela

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The Rockies provided updates to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding (Twitter links) and other reporters about several injured players, including right-hander German Marquez.  After Marquez was placed on the 15-day injured list last Wednesday due to forearm inflammation, the initial diagnosis was Marquez had avoided any serious injury and might be back in relatively short order.  A good step was taken in that direction today as Marquez started throwing for the first time since his IL placement, engaging in a game of catch prior to the Rockies’ game with the Mariners.

It remains to be seen how long Marquez might be sidelined, as even with a minor forearm issue, the Rox aren’t going to rush the hurler back into action.  Marquez’s first three starts in the year resulted in a 4.41 ERA over 16 1/3 innings, and while it’s a small sample size, early points of interest include some improved control (a very good 3.2% walk rate) and a marked increase in Marquez’s usage of his slider.  The righty is still allowing a lot of hard contact and is striking out batters at a subpar rate, but that was also often the case for Marquez in his better seasons.

Randal Grichuk and Daniel Bard both started rehab assignments at Triple-A today, after first working in games during extended Spring Training.  Neither player has yet made their season debut — Grichuk underwent surgery in early February to correct a bilateral sports hernia, while Bard was placed on the 15-day IL just prior to Opening Day due to anxiety issues.  Grichuk naturally has a more set recovery timeline, as he was initially expected to be back by mid-April, and it looks like he’ll return to Colorado’s lineup only slightly after that projected date.  Bard’s timeline is more fluid due to the uncertainty of anxiety issues, but the start of a rehab assignment indicates that he might be closing in on a return to the Rockies’ bullpen.

Antonio Senzatela’s return is still a ways away, as the righty is recovering from a torn ACL suffered last August.  However, Senzatela did pitch two innings in an extended Spring Training game on Friday, and he’ll pitch in another extended camp game on Tuesday.  Depending on how Senzatela comes out of Tuesday’s outing, the Rockies might then set a course for his rehab plan.  The initial expectation was that Senzatela might be back in the majors by May, and Colorado starting the season with Senzatela on the 15-day IL (instead of the 60-day IL) is indicative of their hope that the right-hander don’t miss too much more time.

East Notes: Fried, Bello, Red Sox, Donaldson, Bader, Garcia

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Left-hander Max Fried is slated to make his return to the mound on Monday, when the Braves open up a three-game series against the Padres.  Atlanta manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including David O’Brien of The Athletic) that Fried will be activated from the 15-day injured list prior to the game.  Fried will end up missing only 16 days due to a strained left hamstring, as he went to the IL on April 4 but with a backdated placement of April 1, so ensure a quicker return as long as the hamstring issue turned out to be pretty minimal.

With Fried and Kyle Wright now healthy, Atlanta’s rotation is more or less back in its expected form, with Fried, Wright, Spencer Strider, and Charlie Morton comprising the top four, and Bryce Elder pitching well in a bid to cement his spot.  The Braves had planned to use Jared Shuster or Dylan Dodd as the fifth starter heading into the season, but while the two rookies have struggled against MLB hitters, while Elder has an impressive 1.53 ERA over three starts and 17 2/3 innings.

More from both the NL and AL East divisions…

  • Brayan Bello is also expected to be activated from the 15-day IL on Monday, as the Red Sox righty will make his season debut in a start against the Angels.  Bello dealt with some forearm tightness early in Spring Training, which delayed his ramp-up enough that a short IL stint was necessary to open the season.  With Bello expected to be a regular starter, the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier suggested that the Sox might utilize a six-man rotation until their next off-day on April 27, in order to give a bit more rest to a pitching staff that hasn’t many good results early in the season.  Tanner Houck might ultimately be the odd man out of the rotation, and while Houck told Speier that he would prefer to stay as a starter, “I don’t have much say over it.  We’ll have conversations, but I can only go out there and compete and put my best foot forward and continue to fight for the spot.”
  • The Yankees are likely to activate Josh Donaldson from the 10-day IL on Wednesday, manager Aaron Boone told ESPN’s Marly Rivera and other reporters.  Donaldson will play in a minor league rehab game on Tuesday and then take the field against the Angels on Wednesday.  A right hamstring strain sent Donaldson (retroactively) to the injured list on April 6, and his return will provide some relief to a lineup that is missing Giancarlo Stanton and Harrison Bader.  In Bader’s case, he has been working out and taking part in baseball activities at Yankee Stadium, and Boone indicated that a minor league rehab assignment might begin this week as Bader makes his way back from a left oblique strain.
  • X-rays were negative on Avisail Garcia’s right wrist after the Marlins outfielder was hit while swinging at a pitch in today’s game.  Jesus Sanchez had to replace Garcia to finish the rest of the plate appearance, but Garcia looks to have avoided serious injury, even if the Marlins might hold him out a day or two to monitor the wrist.  After a rough first season in Miami, Garcia’s struggles have continued in 2023, as he has hit only .162/.225/.270 over his first 41 plate appearances.

Royals Place Kris Bubic On 15-Day Injured List

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The Royals placed left-hander Kris Bubic on the 15-day injured list due to a flexor strain in his left forearm.  Left-hander Josh Taylor was called up to take Bubic’s spot on the active roster.

Bubic pitched well in his first two starts of the season, but was touched up for five runs on 10 hits and a walk over five innings in yesterday’s outing against the Braves.  Bubic felt some forearm soreness in the aftermath and thought it might have been due to the game’s cooler temperatures, but unfortunately he’ll now face a larger problem in the form of a flexor strain.  It isn’t yet known what kind of timeline Bubic is facing for a recovery, as Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters (including Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star) that Bubic was “getting further diagnostics” on the injury.

Even if Bubic is able to avoid serious injury, the IL stint is still an unwelcome setback for a pitcher hoping to break out in his fourth Major League season.  Bubic was the 40th overall pick of the 2018 draft, and one of the young arms Kansas City was counting on as the linchpins of their rebuilding period.  Of that group, however, only Brady Singer has really stepped up at the big league level — Daniel Lynch, Jackson Kowar, and Bubic have all struggled to some degree, though Bubic has at least done enough to retain his spot in the K.C. rotation.

Bubic had a 4.89 ERA over 309 innings with the Royals from 2020-22, posting below-average walk and strikeout rates while struggling to limit hard contact.  In the small sample size of his 2023 efforts, Bubic’s 23.5% strikeout rate is a bit above average, while his control (2.9% walk rate) has been excellent.

Taylor will give the Royals more depth in the bullpen, which might be helpful in filling Bubic’s rotation spot since Quatraro suggested that an opener is a possibility.  However, due to an upcoming off-day, the Royals won’t need a fifth starter until April 25, giving the team some time to plan their next step.  If a traditional starter is used, Kowar, Max Castillo, or Jonathan Heasley might be options at Triple-A.

Red Sox Claim Brennan Bernardino From Mariners

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The Red Sox announced that left-hander Brennan Bernardino has been claimed off waivers from the Mariners.  Bernardino was designated for assignment earlier this week.  To create 40-man roster space, the Sox moved righty Zack Kelly to the 60-day injured list.

Beginning his pro career as a 26th-round pick for the Reds in the 2014 draft, Bernardino finally made it to the big leagues last season, appearing in two games for Seattle and posting 2 1/3 innings of work.  Some nice numbers with Triple-A Tacoma in 2022 helped pave the way for Bernardino’s MLB debut, but the results haven’t been there in a small sample size this year, as the southpaw had a 12.00 ERA in six innings for Tacoma this season.

Bernardino’s career has taken him through the affiliated minors (with Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Seattle) and also to the Mexican League for parts of three seasons.  He’ll now add Boston to his resume, giving the Red Sox some extra left-handed relief depth.  Richard Bleier is the only lefty in Boston’s Major League bullpen, as Joely Rodriguez is on the injured list and Ryan Sherriff is at Triple-A.  In all likelihood, Bernardino will join Sherriff as the top left-handed options in Worcester should the Sox feel the need for more southpaw help in the Show.

Kelly was placed on the 15-day IL three days ago due to elbow inflammation, though Kelly was so obviously distraught while leaving the mound that it certainly seemed like he had suffered a more serious injury.  Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MLB.com’s Ian Browne) yesterday that Kelly’s MRI results were going to be viewed by the doctor who performed Kelly’s internal bracing procedure in 2020.  No official word has come about Kelly’s status, though the 60-day IL placement will keep the right-hander on the shelf until at least mid-June.

Pirates Place Rob Zastryzny On 15-Day Injured List

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Prior to today’s game, the Pirates placed left-hander Rob Zastryzny on the 15-day injured list due to discomfort in his throwing elbow.  Righty Yohan Ramirez was called up from Triple-A to take Zastryzny’s spot on the active roster.

Zastryzny pitched just yesterday, facing four batters and recording one out in an appearance against the Cardinals.  With a hit and two walks amidst those four batters faced, Zastryzny clearly wasn’t sharp, and it’s safe to assume that his elbow issue impacted his performance.  The concern now is whether or not Zastryzny might be facing a more serious injury, as Pirates senior VP of baseball operations Bryan Stroh said today in a radio appearance that Zastryzny will be visiting a specialist when the club returns to Pittsburgh on Monday.

After being non-tendered by the Angels during the offseason, Zastryzny signed a minor league deal with the Pirates and broke camp with the club.  Even before Saturday’s outing against St. Louis, it hadn’t been smooth sailing for Zastryzny, as he has a 7.94 ERA over 5 2/3 total innings this season.  Control has been the biggest problem, as the lefty has almost as many walks (five) as strikeouts (six).

This is Zastryzny’s fifth MLB season, as he returned to the Show in 2022 after not getting any big league action in any of the previous three years.  The southpaw pitched for the Cubs in 2016-18, then spent the next three seasons pitching on minor league deals (with the Dodgers, Orioles, and Marlins) and with the independent Long Island Ducks.

With Zastryzny now sidelined, Jose Hernandez is the only left-hander in Pittsburgh’s bullpen, as Jarlin Garcia is on the 60-day IL due to a nerve injury in his biceps area.  Caleb Smith, Angel Perdomo, and Daniel Zamora are lefties with MLB experience who are pitching at Triple-A, but the Pirates would first have to make a 40-man roster move to add any of the three southpaws to their active roster.

Padres Announce Several Roster Moves

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The Padres announced a series of roster moves ahead of this afternoon’s game against the Brewers, optioning right-hander Domingo Tapia and utiltyman Brandon Dixon to Triple-A while recalling catcher Brett Sullivan and right-hander Reiss Knehr. The moves come on the heels of a recent injury to catcher Luis Campusano, who jammed his thumb catching a bullpen session. According to MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell, x-rays on Campusano’s thumb came back negative, but he will still be sidelined due to considerable swelling. It appears that, at least for now, Campusano will avoid a stint on the injured list, with the Padres instead opting for a three catcher roster while the 24 year-old is sidelined.

Tapia, 31, made his debut in 2020 with Boston and posted strong numbers from 2020-2021, sporting a 2.61 ERA and 3.62 FIP across 38 innings split between the Red Sox, Mariners, and Royals. He struggled badly in 17 innings with Oakland last year, however, posting a 8.47 ERA and 5.11 FIP. While those numbers are somewhat inflated by his .387 BABIP and unfortunate 62.2% strand rate, Tapia’s struggles were somewhat deserved, as well, as he actually walked more batters (14) than he struck out (12) with the A’s. Control problems have been an issue for Tapia even outside of Oakland, however, has he sports a career 13.1% walk rate and has never posted a walk rate lower than 10% in a season.

With Tapia headed to Triple-A, Knehr is set to join the Padres bullpen for the first time this season. The 26 year-old righty has pitched for the Padres in the big leagues in each of the past two seasons, with a 4.64 ERA in 42 2/3 innings over that time. Knehr struggles with control as well, with walk rates consistently over 10% in both the major leagues and Triple-A. Still, he’ll provide a fresh arm for the Padres bullpen, which has recently been taxed thanks to short starts from the club’s six-man rotation.

Dixon, meanwhile, heads to Triple-A to make room for a third catcher on the roster. The 31-year old struggled in his limited playing time with the club this season, recording just one hit and no walks while striking out eight times in his ten plate appearances with the club. Still, he figures to provide depth in the minors for the Padres, particularly given his versatility. Dixon has played all three outfield spots as well as first, second, and third base in the majors throughout his career.

Sullivan, 29, has yet to make his major league debut to this point in his career. A 17th round draft pick by the Rays in the 2015 draft, Sullivan signed with the Brewers on a major league deal during the 2021-22 offseason but was traded to the Padres in the deal that sent Victor Caratini to Milwaukee before appearing in a game for the organization. Sullivan has served as catching depth in the upper minors for the Padres ever since, and now figures to get his shot in the big leagues while Campusano is on the mend. A career .273/.321/.430 hitter in the minor leagues, Sullivan has experience in the outfield corners and at third base in addition to behind the plate.

White Sox Select Adam Haseley, Place Hanser Alberto On 10-Day IL

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Per The Athletic’s James Fegan, the White Sox have selected the contract of outfielder Adam Haseley. In addition, infielder Hanser Alberto has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Saturday) with a left quad strain. Infielder Nick Solak was designated for assignment to make room for Haseley on the 40-man roster.

Haseley, who celebrated his 27th birthday earlier this week, was taken 8th overall in the 2017 draft by the Phillies, but has failed to live up to that promise he showed as a prospect to this point in his career. In 355 plate appearances with Philadelphia, Haseley slashed just .264/.322/.373 before being traded to the White Sox ahead of the 2022 season. The outfielder only made it into 14 games with his new club in 2022, posting a 73 wRC+ in those games prior to being outrighted by Chicago during the offseason. With Alberto headed to the injured list, Haseley will now get another chance in the big leagues, where he will likely be the fourth outfielder on the roster, backing up Andrew Benintendi, Luis Robert Jr., and Oscar Colas.

Haseley will take the roster spot of Alberto, who is headed to the injured list without a timetable for his return. A veteran now playing in his 8th MLB season, Alberto has ever hit much in his career, posting a .271/.293/.380 line across 1406 plate appearances while only cracking 90 wRC+ once in his career, in 2019 with the Orioles. Still, the 30 year old remains a useful bench piece by virtue of his career strikeout rate of just 12.2% and his positional versatility; Alberto has played all four infield spots and the outfield corners in his career. With Alberto on the shelf, that should make more playing time available to fellow bench infielder Romy Gonzalez.

As for Solak, the utilityman spent the past four seasons as a member of the Rangers, slashing .252/.327/.372 (93 wRC+) in 974 plate appearances while playing primarily second base, though he’s also seen time at third base, left field, and even center field during his career. Solak was shipped from Texas to Cincinnati at the beginning of last offseason, and since then has bounced to the Mariners and the White Sox. Now, he figures to look to catch on with his fifth club in the past six months. That should be an attainable goal, considering the attractiveness of optionable infield depth.

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