The Opener: A’s, Morel, Brewers
As the 2023 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:
1. A’s stadium deal on the horizon?
Yesterday, it was reported that the Athletics have reached a tentative agreement with Nevada legislators regarding the financials for a stadium in Las Vegas. Though the deal has not been made official, it’s possible that process could begin quickly. Mick Akers and Steve Sebelius of the Las Vegas Review Journal note that the A’s stadium bill still needs to be formally presented to the state’s legislature, a move which could happen as soon as today. If passed by the legislature and signed into law by Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, the stadium project will still have to be approved by a handful of other parties, but the most significant hurdle in the A’s relocation effort will have been cleared.
2. Morel’s hot streak:
Cubs youngster Christopher Morel is off to a torrid start in 2023. After tearing up Triple-A to the tune of a .330/.425/.730 slash line across 29 games to open the season, Morel was promoted to Chicago and has seen his production reach new heights while playing second base and all three outfield spots. In twelve major league games so far this season, Morel boasts a slash line of .367/.404/.980 that’s good for an unbelievable 265 wRC+. His nine home runs leave him tied for 32nd in the majors with sluggers like Freddie Freeman, Paul Goldschmidt, and Juan Soto despite having played less than a quarter of the games that the aforementioned trio have.
Perhaps most impressively, Morel is now on a five-game streak with at least one home run after launching a solo homer off Mets right-hander Stephen Nogosek last night. Should Morel hit another long ball, he’ll become just the 34th player in major league history with a home run streak of six games or longer. Morel and the Cubs take on the Mets tonight at 6:40pm CT.
3. Brewers’ rotation:
The Brewers have an entire rotation’s worth of arms on the injured list, with each of Brandon Woodruff, Wade Miley, Eric Lauer, Aaron Ashby and Jason Alexander sidelined at the moment. The slate of injuries prompted Milwaukee to bring in veteran righty Julio Teheran, who reportedly agreed to a big league deal with the Brewers yesterday after opting out of a minor league pact with the Padres a day prior. The Brewers have yet to announce the move, though with Thursday’s starter currently listed as TBD, they’ll likely do so in the near future (assuming that start is earmarked for Teheran). Milwaukee has an open 40-man spot but will still need to make a corresponding 26-man roster move to add Teheran.
With so many arms on the injured list, it’s fair to wonder whether the Brewers might look for further ways to bolster that rotation depth. Prior to the agreement with Teheran, general manager Matt Arnold told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy that the Brewers had also considered prospect Robert Gasser for his debut, making him a name to keep an eye on in the event of further injuries.
Diamondbacks Release Jandel Gustave
Right-hander Jandel Gustave has been released by the Diamondbacks, reports Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America.
Gustave, 30, was with the Brewers last year but was non-tendered at season’s end and signed a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks in the winter. He made nine appearances with the Triple-A Reno Aces this year with an unfortunate 16.43 ERA before landing on the minor league injured list about a month ago. It’s not publicly known what his injury is, but it’s possible it contributed to his poor results this year.
Prior to this season, he’s been able to produce quality results in the big leagues. He has a 3.56 ERA in his career over 91 innings, dating back to 2016. He spent 2021 and 2022 with the Brewers, tossing 46 1/3 innings over 41 appearances with a 3.69 ERA. He struck out 20.1% of batters faced while walking 8% and got grounders at a 48.2% clip.
Gustave will now be free to sign with any club, though his unknown injury situation will undoubtedly be a factor in how much interest he draws on the open market. If he’s healthy, he should intrigue clubs based on his track record of effective big league work. Should he eventually find his way back onto a major league roster, he still has an option year remaining and a service time count of 4.027.
Orioles Sign Ben DeLuzio To Minor League Deal
The Orioles have signed outfielder Ben DeLuzio to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He has reported to the Triple-A Norfolk Tides and is in the lineup for tonight’s game.
DeLuzio, 28, was with the Cardinals last year but was non-tendered at season’s end and became a free agent. He signed a minor league deal with the Cubs this winter but didn’t make the club out of camp and was released. He landed with the Dodgers on another minor league deal but he hit just .180/.286/.258 in Triple-A and was again released last week, now landing with the Orioles.
His only major league experience came with the Cards last year, when he hit .150/.292/.200 in a small sample of 25 plate appearances. Although he didn’t steal a base in that time, his speed and defense are his best assets. He stole 30 bases in Triple-A last year and added another five in his brief stint with the Dodgers this year. While he was in the majors last year, Statcast pegged his sprint speed in the 98th percentile.
The Orioles already have plenty of speed, as their collective 43 steals put them fifth out of the 30 clubs in the league. Nonetheless, if DeLuzio can take a meaningful step forward with the bat, he could serve as an intriguing bench piece for the club, serving as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. He hit .283/.359/.430 in the minors from 2019 to 2022 and perhaps is capable of a stronger showing than what he’s mustered here in 2023 so far. If he’s able to make the roster, he has a full slate of options and less than a year of service time.
Miguel Andujar Accepts Outright Assignment From Pirates
May 23: As expected, Andujar has once again accepted his outright assignment, per Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
May 22: The Pirates have outrighted outfielder Miguel Andujar to Triple-A Indianapolis, per his transactions tracker at MLB.com. That suggests he cleared waivers after being designated for assignment last week.
It’s hardly a shock that Andujar, 28, didn’t get scooped up by one of the 29 other clubs off waivers. He hit just .161/.212/.387 in his 33 plate appearances since having his contract selected at the end of April. He had already passed through waivers in January and that mediocre performance didn’t do much to increase his stock around the league, though he did hit a much stronger .284/.364/.500 in Triple-A prior to getting called up.
The peak of his career so far came with the Yankees back in 2018 when he hit 27 home runs and slashed .297/.328/.527, leading to a second-place finish in American League Rookie of the Year voting behind Shohei Ohtani. But shoulder surgery wiped out much of his 2019 and he found his third base position staffed by players like DJ LeMahieu and Gio Urshela when he returned, pushing him to a depth role and a move to the outfield. Since then, he continually mashes in the minors but struggles when given another chance in the majors. Going back to the start of 2020, he’s hit .291/.346/.508 on the farm but just .237/.268/.354 in the show.
Andujar technically has the right to reject this outright assignment and elect free agency, both because he has more than three years of service time and a previous outright. However, he lacks the five years of service required to reject it while retaining his salary. He’s making $1.525MM for the season, which likely led to him going unclaimed both times he was on waivers and him accepting the outright assignment the first time. It seems likely he will accept the outright a second time and stick with in the Pirates’ organization, trying to work his way back to the majors yet again.
Tim Locastro To Undergo Thumb Surgery
Mets outfielder Tim Locastro will have surgery on the torn ulnar collateral ligament in his thumb, with manager Buck Showalter relaying the news to reporters, including Tim Healey of Newsday.
Locastro, 30, joined the Mets on a minor league deal this winter and made the club’s Opening Day roster. He got into 11 games with the Mets in the early going, though only made 10 trips to the plate since he was largely serving as a pinch runner and defensive replacement. He then landed on the injured list April 17 due to back spasms, heading out on a rehab assignment about two weeks later. It appears that he injured his thumb during that rehab, with Showalter telling Healey that it occured when diving back into first base. It seems the issue is serious enough that he will now have to go under the knife.
The outfielder is already on the 60-day injured list, having been transferred there when Gary Sánchez was added to the roster last week. That makes Locastro officially ineligible to return until mid-June, 60 days from his initial IL placement. The Mets haven’t announced a timeline on his return but the surgery will undoubtedly keep him out of action well beyond the next few weeks. Gilberto Celestino of the Twins also underwent surgery on the UCL in his thumb this year, with that club announcing his timeline as six to eight weeks. It’s now been almost 12 weeks and he’s yet to begin a rehab assignment. Not all injuries are the same but it seems like Locastro won’t be an option for some significant period of time.
Locastro wasn’t going to be a core member of the club but the Mets likely gave him a roster position to take advantage of his baserunning abilities. His sprint speed was ranked in the 99th percentile last year and he has 43 career steals in 48 attempts. The club’s 31 steals on the year place them right in the middle of the league, tied with three other clubs in 14th place. Though Starling Marte, who has 12, is the only player on the roster with more than four. Locastro has a career batting line of .224/.325/.326 in 559 plate appearances.
Dodgers Transfer Dustin May To 60-Day Injured List
The Dodgers announced that they have officially selected the contract of pitching prospect Bobby Miller, whose imminent promotion was reported a couple of days ago. Right-hander Tyler Cyr was placed on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder impingement, retroactive to May 21, opening a spot for Miller on the active roster. To make room on the 40-man, righty Dustin May was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
May, 25, left his start on May 17 after throwing just one inning. His injury was later announced as a flexor pronator strain that would keep him out of action for four to six weeks and he was placed on the 15-day injured list the next day. This transfer will extend that timeline slightly, as he now will be ineligible to return until the middle of July. Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports that May won’t pick up a baseball for six weeks, after which he’ll be re-evaluated and a plan for the next steps will be formulated.
There will still be time later in the year for May to finish strong but 2023 is going to go down as yet another truncated campaign for the talented righty. He’s appeared in each of the five most recent major league seasons but has yet to log even 60 innings in any individual year. He came up part way through 2019 then the 2020 season was shortened by the pandemic. He lasted just five starts in 2021 before Tommy John surgery put him out of action, with May eventually returning to make six starts late in 2022. He was on track for a full and healthy season here in 2023 but is now on the IL again after taking the ball nine times.
Amid all of those frustrations, he has shown his talent with his results. He has a 3.10 ERA in 191 2/3 innings to this point in his career, striking out 22.5% of batters while walking 7.4% and getting grounders at a 49.9% clip. Unfortunately, as mentioned, that has been scattered across five different seasons due to various factors.
The Dodgers will now have to proceed without May for the next couple of months, which isn’t their only rotation challenge. Julio Urías recently landed on the injured list as well, joining depth starters Michael Grove and Ryan Pepiot. They are also without Clayton Kershaw for the moment, though he is on the bereavement list and could return shortly. There’s also Tony Gonsolin, Noah Syndergaard, Gavin Stone and now Miller jumping into the fray.
Miller has a 100 mph fastball and is generally considered one of the better prospects in baseball, though he’s off to a rough start here in 2023. He has a 5.65 ERA through four Triple-A starts but had a much better 3.38 ERA in his four starts at that level last year. Both Urías and Grove seem like they will be able to return in the near future, which will improve the club’s depth and give them some decisions to make about who stays and who goes.
Marlins Select Jonathan Davis, Transfer Johnny Cueto To 60-Day IL
The Marlins have selected the contract of outfielder Jonathan Davis, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald. Fellow outfielder Peyton Burdick was optioned in a corresponding move while right-hander Johnny Cueto was transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man.
Davis, 31, was acquired from the Tigers in a trade just yesterday and will immediately jump onto Miami’s roster. After signing a minor league deal with the Tigers this winter, he had hit .258/.336/.516 in 141 Triple-A appearances before the deal, launching five home runs and stealing five bases.
He has appeared in the five previous major league seasons as a part-time player, getting into 171 contests over those five campaigns. He’s hit just .185/.291/.245 in that time but swiped 18 bags and his defense has been worth eight Outs Above Average.
The Marlins have been dealing with some challenges in their outfield of late, with each of Jazz Chisholm Jr., Avisaíl García and Jesús Sánchez are on the injured list. They’ve also gotten some tepid offensive production from players like Garrett Hampson as well as Burdick, who is slashing just .182/.270/.333 through 37 plate appearances so far this year. He has a far better .293/.381/.636 in Triple-A this year but hasn’t been able to translate it to the big leagues. He’ll now head back to the farm for some more work down there.
As for Cueto, 37, he was placed on the injured list with right biceps tightness after lasting just one inning in his first start of the year. He has recently been playing catch, per McPherson, but has yet to begin a rehab assignment. He’ll now be officially ineligible to return until 60 days from that initial IL placement, which was April 4. That means he can’t return prior to June 3 but that didn’t seem to be a likely outcome anyhow. Once he’s healthy, he’ll need a few weeks to ramp back up to a full starter’s workload, essentially redoing his Spring Training.
It’s certainly not the ideal outcome that the Marlins had hoped for when signing Cueto to a one-year, $8.5MM deal this winter, though their rotation is in decent shape without him. They recently called up top prospect Eury Pérez to join Sandy Alcantara, Jesús Luzardo, Edward Cabrera and Braxton Garrett. That keeps them in good form for the time being, but Cueto’s absence will mean they have one less depth option on hand. The Marlins have a $10.5MM club option for 2024 with a $2.5MM buyout, making it a net $8 decision.
Blue Jays Select Ernie Clement
The Blue Jays announced a batch of roster moves today, reinstating right-hander Adam Cimber from the injured list and selecting the contract of infielder Ernie Clement. In corresponding moves, right-hander Thomas Hatch and infielder Otto López were optioned to Triple-A. To open a spot on the 40-man for Clement, right-hander Mitch White was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
Clement, 27, was signed to a minor league deal during Spring Training. He’s been playing for Triple-A Buffalo so far this year, having hit an excellent .328/.408/.512 through 145 plate appearances. He has walked at an 11.7% clip and has a microscopic strikeout rate of 2.8%. He’s also stolen six bases and has bounced around the diamond, playing all four infield positions and some left field.
That strong showing will get him back to the big leagues, where he already has a bit of experience. He first made it to the show with Cleveland in 2021 and then went to the Athletics on a waiver claim last year. He was able to provide plenty of defensive versatility, bouncing to those four infield spots and left field, but didn’t do too much with the bat. In 312 trips to the plate in those two seasons, he hit just .204/.261/.264. The A’s released him in March of this year, allowing the Jays to scoop him up on that minor league deal.
The Jays recently placed utility infielder Santiago Espinal on the injured list and recalled López to take his place but will now give Clement that job instead. If he can bring up even a portion of that Triple-A offense and combine it with his ability to play multiple positions, he could be an attractive bench piece for the club. He still has an option year and between one and two years of service time, meaning he could potentially stay in a depth role for a while, provided he continues to justify his spot on the 40-man roster.
As for White, he began the year on the injured list due to elbow inflammation and has yet to return. He was recently on a rehab assignment but had it shut down due to shoulder soreness, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Since a return wasn’t imminent, it’s not a shock to see him transferred. He’ll now be ineligible to return until 60 days from his initial IL placement, meaning he can technically come back this weekend, though it doesn’t seem he’s healthy enough for that to be a real possibility.
Royals Select Nick Wittgren
The Royals have selected the contract of right-hander Nick Wittgren, optioning fellow righty Max Castillo in a corresponding move. The 40-man roster already had an open spot due to Hunter Dozier getting designated for assignment yesterday.
Wittgren, 32 next week, has pitched in the seven previous major league seasons for Miami, Cleveland and St. Louis. By the end of the 2020 season, he had made 198 appearances with a 3.36 ERA, 23.4% strikeout rate, 6.8% walk rate and 38.2% ground ball rate. Unfortunately, he’s fell on hard times in the next two seasons, with his ERA jumping to 5.05 in 2021 and 5.20 last year. His strikeout rate got as high as 28.6% in 2020 but then dropped to 23.6% the year after and all the way to 12.7% in 2022.
He was outrighted by the Guardians after 2021 and signed with the Cardinals for 2022 but was released in July. He signed a minor league deal with the Royals this winter and has been pitching for Triple-A Omaha this year, posting a 1.25 ERA in 21 2/3 innings. He’s struck out 24.1% of opponents faced while walking 7.6% of them, getting grounders at a 42.3% clip.
That solid showing will get Wittgren another shot at the big leagues. If he can carry over any of those strong results, it would be a boost to the struggling Kansas City bullpen. The club’s relievers have a collective 4.71 ERA on the year, placing them 26th out of the 30 teams in the league.
NPB Watch: May Edition
It’s time for an update on NPB players who may be making their way to MLB in the near future. Here are the seven players that we are keeping track of at MLBTR. Learn more about their play styles and background in the previous article.
Let’s get started.
Players likely available in the 2023 offseason (most rumored or have publicly announced desire to play in MLB)
1. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Orix Buffaloes
The two-time Pacific League MVP has had a “slow” start to the season by his standards. Yamamoto has been consistent and his numbers are as solid as ever, with a 2.35 ERA, 27.6 K%, 6.4 BB%, 2.15 FIP in 38 ⅓ innings, but he’s yet to have the signature performance of the season.
For reference, the Buffaloes ace’s best month last season was June, with a 0.56 ERA in four starts, most notably tossing his first career no-hitter.
Yamamoto was scratched from his planned start this past weekend due to illness but has not been limited by injury thus far, despite concerns.
2. Shota Imanaga, Yokohama DeNA Baystars
In five starts, Imanaga has a 3.48 ERA, 28.4 K%, and 1.6 BB% in 31 innings. The Baystars ace was off to a hot start to the season, tossing 8 innings of shutout ball in his season debut and following it up with a 7-inning shutout performance where he struck out 12. He’s struggled in the following two starts, however, giving up four runs in five innings and five runs in four innings respectively, and allowing a total of four homers.
In his most recent start this past weekend, Imanaga had a solid performance against the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, allowing three runs in seven innings. The three runs came from two home runs, however, so the long ball continues to be an issue for the left-hander in the early going.
Imanaga officially earned his domestic free-agent rights on May 19, but remains focused on the season. “I never thought I’d be in this position to earn this [free agency], and I want to give back to everyone who has been a part of my journey,’ Imanaga said.
3. Kona Takahashi, Saitama Seibu Lions
Takahashi has had an impressive start to the year. In his eight starts, the Lions ace has an NPB-best 1.47 ERA, holding hitters to a .182 average, striking out 22.9% of hitters and walking 13.6%, in 55 innings. The biggest factor in his improvement is increased average fastball velocity, which has gone up to 94 mph, compared to 91.56 mph last season. His splitter has been the perfect complement to his improved fastball, hitters are only .068 against it.
Beyond his elite numbers, Takahashi’s strong mentality and his pride as the Lions’ ace have particularly stood out. After his most recent start where he tossed six innings of shutout ball, Takahashi said, “I wanted to be on the mound longer than the opposing pitcher. In order to continue improving, I will reflect on this start so that I can go even deeper into games.”
He outdueled Yamamoto in their April 22 matchup, holding the Buffaloes to two runs and five hits in a complete game. He almost outdueled Yamamoto again on May 6, exiting the game after six innings of one-run ball, but the bullpen was unable to keep the lead.
Takahashi has certainly met the challenge from GM Watanabe and Manager Kazuo Matsui thus far
4. Yuki Matsui, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles
Became the fastest pitcher in NPB to reach 200 career saves earlier in the season. The Golden Eagles closer has been dominant as ever and has not allowed an earned run in his 12 appearances. He has 6 saves on the season, and hitters are hitting just .095 against him. The lefty hasn’t gotten much work as other relievers so far, as the Eagles have the second-worst record in NPB and sit in last place in the Pacific League.
Matsui officially earned his overseas Free Agent rights on April 27. “It’s still April, so there’s not much to think about,” Matsui said in a statement.
5. Naoyuki Uwasawa, Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters
After a nightmarish start to the season, Uwasawa has settled down and is finding his groove. In his last four starts, he’s completed at least 7 innings and has a 2.35 ERA in 30 ⅔ innings. The Fighters right-hander has a 3.72 ERA on the season, striking out 17.9% of hitters and walking 10.8% in 46 innings.
In his most recent start, the 29-year-old right-hander tossed his first shutout since 2018 against the Saitama Seibu Lions, where he fanned 9 and allowed just 4 hits.
Younger stars to keep an eye on
1. Roki Sasaki, Chiba Lotte Marines
The “Monster of Reiwa” is off to a dominant start, posting a 0.84 ERA, fanning 43.5% of hitters while walking just 4.3%. Hitters are only hitting .124 against him, and he has a FIP of 0.65.
He’s been sidelined since his May 5 start where he exited in the 5th inning because of a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand. He was initially scheduled to pitch on May 21 but was pushed back to May 28, after the starting rotation was reshuffled by a rain-out.
2. Munetaka Murakami, Tokyo Yakult Swallows
The young Swallows slugger had a disastrous first month of the season. In 25 games, he hit .157/.311/.265, 2 HR, 15.5 BB%, 37.9 K%, and 12 RBI in 103 plate appearances. Murakami-sama is beginning to look more like his Triple-Crown winning self in May, hitting .278/.381/.556, 4 HR, 14.3 BB%, 23.8 K%, and 10 RBI in 63 plate appearances (as of May 19).
One of the major factors in Murakami’s early season slump is his struggle to hit right-handed pitching. Murakami is hitting a measly .169 against right-handed pitching, and striking out at a 37.7% rate. The slump is also affecting his already sub-par defense at third base where he has 8 errors, the most out of all position players in NPB.
Honorable Mentions
The following players have either expressed their desire to play in the big leagues, been rumored by Japanese media, or have drawn interest from MLB scouts but have factors (age, team stance on posting system) preventing a potential move. I’ve also added top performers who may be of interest.
Kazuma Okamoto, Corner Infielder, Yomiuri Giants; Shosei Togo, right-handed starting pitcher, Yomiuri Giants; Keiji Takahashi, left-handed starting pitcher, Tokyo Yakult Swallows; Taisei Ohta, right-handed reliever, Yomiuri Giants; Hiroto Takahashi, right-handed starting pitcher, Chunichi Dragons; Kaima Taira, right-handed starting pitcher, Saitama Seibu Lions; Atsuki Yuasa, right-handed reliever, Hanshin Tigers; Shinnosuke Ogasawara, left-handed starting pitcher, Chunichi Dragons; Shunpeita Yamashita (NEW!), Orix Buffaloes; Tatsuya Imai (NEW!), Seibu Lions; Takahisa Hayakawa (NEW!), Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles; Atsuki Taneichi (NEW!), Chiba Lotte Marines