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Hyun Jin Ryu To Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery

By Anthony Franco | June 18, 2022 at 11:00am CDT

JUNE 18: Hyun Jin Ryu underwent successful Tommy John surgery, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet (via Twitter). The typical recovery time is 12-to-18 months, meaning Ryu could miss all of the 2023 season, as well as the rest of this year.

JUNE 14: Blue Jays left-hander Hyun Jin Ryu will undergo elbow surgery, general manager Ross Atkins informed reporters (including Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports). It’s not yet known whether Ryu will require a full Tommy John reconstructive surgery or a partial repair — it’s not uncommon for the extent of the ligament damage to be unclear until the surgeon has actually begun the procedure — but he’ll miss the remainder of the 2022 season in either case.

The former All-Star has been on the injured list for the past two weeks after being diagnosed with a forearm strain and elbow inflammation. It was his second arm-related stint of this season, as he also missed a few weeks between April and May with forearm inflammation. This stay will unfortunately last significantly longer than the first, as Ryu won’t be able to avoid going under the knife this time around.

Ryu has dealt with some arm issues in the past, missing most of the 2015-16 seasons while a member of the Dodgers. He underwent surgery to repair a labrum tear in his shoulder in May 2015, with that injury costing him the entirety of the season. He battled elbow tendinitis the following year, making only one MLB start before being shut down. Ryu returned to pitch in 25 games in 2017, though, and while he’s had a handful of IL stints in the years since then, he’d mostly avoided any arm concerns until recently.

After a 2019 campaign in which Ryu tossed 182 2/3 innings of 2.32 ERA ball, the Jays signed him to a four-year, $80MM free agent deal. Ryu was brilliant during the first season of that contract, taking all 12 turns through the rotation during the shortened campaign and posting a 2.69 ERA. His results took a rather notable step back last year, as he managed a 4.37 mark through 169 frames. Ryu stayed healthy aside from a minor neck issue in September, but he looked more the part of a strike-throwing innings eater than a top-of-the-rotation force.

The 35-year-old never seemed to get comfortable this season, perhaps as a result of his battles with forearm discomfort. He worked 27 innings, pitching to a 5.67 ERA with a personal-low 14.2% strikeout rate. Ryu also posted the worst swinging strike mark of his career (7.6%), and the UCL injury will cut his season short after just six starts.

A specific timeline for his recovery won’t be known until after he goes under the knife, but it’s possible he’s already thrown his final pitch in a Toronto uniform. The South Korean hurler is due the balance of his $20MM salary this season and under contract for $20MM next year, the final season of his deal. If he were to undergo a full reconstructive surgery, it’s possible he’ll miss the entirety of the 2023 campaign.

In the nearer term, the win-now Blue Jays will have to move forward with their rotation alternatives. It’s still a quality group, with offseason signee Kevin Gausman and second-year star Alek Manoah posting excellent numbers. José Berríos has struggled but isn’t in any danger of losing his rotation spot given his track record, while Toronto signed the enigmatic Yusei Kikuchi to a three-year contract over the winter. Swingman Ross Stripling has stepped into the final spot and performed well through seven starts, although he’s coming off a rough 2020-21 stretch.

Atkins acknowledged Ryu’s injury makes it likelier they’ll bolster the group via trade this summer (via Shi Davidi of Sportsnet). He unsurprisingly didn’t tip his hand as to whether they’d look for a stable back-end type or prioritize a higher-impact arm like Oakland’s Frankie Montas or Cincinnati’s Luis Castillo. Toronto should have the payroll flexibility and urgency to at least check in on a broad range of possibilities. The Jays enter play Tuesday in possession of the American League’s top Wild Card spot but eight games behind the Yankees in the AL East.

Cubs Place Frank Schwindel On 10-Day Injured List, Recall Alfonso Rivas

By TC Zencka | June 18, 2022 at 10:31am CDT

The Cubs have placed first baseman Frank Schwindel on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (via Twitter). Alfonso Rivas has been recalled from Triple-A to claim the open roster spot.

Schwindel was a surprise performer for the Cubs last year, but Frank the Tank hasn’t had the type of follow-up season that he hoped. Over 245 plate appearances, Schwindel has slashed .237/.282/.386 with eight long balls. He’s been better of late, however, with a .278/.328/.407 line in June.

Rivas jumps right into the starting lineup today, batting eighth and playing first base. The 25-year-old has been up and down with the big league club all season, slashing .194/.296/.301 across 108 plate appearances. He’s crushed in Triple-A, though he’s stepped to the plate a mere 27 times.

Giants Notes: Boyd, Wade Jr., Cobb

By TC Zencka | June 18, 2022 at 9:03am CDT

Giants starter Matthew Boyd suffered a flexor strain while rehabbing from surgery, and he’ll now be shut down for at least four weeks, per MLB.com’s Maria I. Guardado (via Twitter). Boyd is a free agent at the end of this season, and at this stage, one has to wonder what, if anything, Boyd will be able to offer the Giants this season. San Francisco signed Boyd as a free agent after he was released by the Tigers.

LaMonte Wade Jr.’s return, however, does appear imminent as the outfielder/first baseman has begun a rehab assignment. Wade Jr. is coming off a breakout season in 2021 in which he slashed .253/.326/.482 with 18 home runs over 381 plate appearances. It will be interesting to see where Wade Jr. fits in upon his return. The Giants mix and match with the best of them, but on the surface level, the lefty-swinging trio of Mike Yastrzemski, Joc Pederson, and Luis Gonzalez would seem to have the outfield covered for the time being. For that matter, veterans Brandon Belt and Tommy La Stella, also left-handers, have been taking at-bats at first base and designated hitter, respectively. Still, it’s a long season, and the Giants will no doubt find a way to return Wade Jr. to the mix when he’s ready.
Alex Cobb is set to make his return to the rotation on Sunday. A roster move will likely come sometime after tonight’s game. The Giants have thrived at regenerating former starters in low-power mode, but Cobb struggled through his first eight starts, serving up a 5.73 ERA, though a 2.63 FIP suggests he may have had some bad luck. He did, after all, post a strong 47-to-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio across 37 2/3 innings.

Big Hype Prospects: Henderson, Harris, De La Cruz, Brash, Valera

By Brad Johnson | June 18, 2022 at 7:17am CDT

This week, we (mostly) delve deeper into the minors to examine some fast-rising future stars.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Gunnar Henderson, 20, 3B/SS, BAL (AAA)

(AA) 208 PA, 8 HR, 12 SB, .312/.452/.573

Few prospects have done more to improve their stock than Henderson. Coming off a passable but unspectacular 2021 season, Henderson has torched minor league pitching. Since earning a promotion to Triple-A, he’s continued to punish opposing pitchers to the tune of .286/.500/.536 with two home runs in 40 plate appearances. He also has 12 walks against just five strikeouts. In Double-A, he posted 19.7 percent walk and 18.3 percent strikeout rates.

His outlandish performance to date is backed by scouting observations. I spoke with Orioles Director of Player Development Matt Blood prior to the season, and he specifically highlighted Henderson as someone who has turned the corner mentally. Last year, Henderson had some of the markers of passivity – namely a high walk rate, high strikeout rate, and a modest swinging strike rate. This season, he’s reportedly improved upon his selectivity, punishing pitches in the zone while continuing to spit on those outside the zone.

Henderson currently ranks 45th on the MLB Pipeline Top Prospects List. At this rate, he’ll soon join the Top 10 – unless he races to the Majors before the listmakers have time to adjust. The folks who curate your favorite prospect list tend to be quite conservative about upgrading guys based on a partial-season breakout, and with reason! We’ve seen many players post astronomical half-seasons only to later resume a more ordinary development path.

Michael Harris II, 21, OF, ATL (MLB)

70 PA, 2 HR, 2 SB, .328/.357/.537

To the best of my knowledge, Harris was the third position player to be promoted straight from Double-A to a Major League starting lineup this season. The first, C.J. Abrams, was overexposed in the Majors. Cubs utilityman Christopher Morel looks right at home in the big leagues. So too does Harris.

Harris makes low-angle contact with an all-fields approach. He’s also making frequent hard and barreled contact. Both rates are above league average as measured by Statcast. Taken together, he has the traits of a high batting average hitter. Where he seemingly lags is plate discipline. He’s taken a swing-happy approach in his first exposure to the Majors. He’s especially prone to offering at pitches outside of the zone. His in-zone swing rate is only a hair above league average. His contact rate is roughly league average too. In other words, his aggression hasn’t proven costly. Yet.

It’s not uncommon for physically gifted prospects to reach the Majors, perform surprisingly well, then slump once scouting reports adjust. In Harris’ case, scouts are going to advise a bevy of breaking balls out of the zone. If he plunges into a slump, he might get a belated taste of Triple-A. If he adjusts quickly or otherwise holds his own, then he’s probably here to stay.

Harris is the midst of an eight-game hitting streak over which he’s batting .433/.469/.800 with both of his home runs and steals.

Elly De La Cruz, 20, 3B/SS, (A+)

222 PA, 12 HR, 17 SB, .304/.351/.594

If you haven’t already heard about De La Cruz, expect to see his name appearing in more and more articles. Scouts love his build – he has light-tower power, near-elite speed, and a cannon of an arm. He already makes some of the loudest contact in the minors. While he’s mostly worked at shortstop, there’s an expectation he’ll eventually move to third base or perhaps even center field.

A prospect of De La Cruz’s ilk always comes with caveats. His plate discipline can be (generously) described as questionable. His current 6.3 percent walk rate is a marked improvement over the 4.8 percent rate he posted last season. Meanwhile, his 30.6 percent strikeout rate is right in line with his previous performance.

Given his current contact profile, he could fall into a Javier Baez-like mold. Or perhaps Oneil Cruz is the better comp. After all, they’re both physical mutants who might stick at shortstop. Cruz happened to post similar numbers as a 20-year-old in High-A, then held his own in Double-A later that year. Cruz even had questions about his plate discipline. The Reds have no incentive to rush De La Cruz, but he should sniff the upper minors in the coming months.

Matt Brash, 24, SP/RP, SEA (AAA)

19 IP, 3.32 ERA, 15.16 K/9, 5.21 BB/9

Brash entered the season in the Mariners rotation, dazzled in his debut, then proceeded to walk the world. I recall watching that first outing and worrying what would happen when hitters stopped swinging at his breaking balls out of the zone. He didn’t show any sign of being able to command anything within the strike zone. Sure enough, it quickly became a problem. The Mariners made the decision to demote him from the Major League rotation straight to the Triple-A bullpen. A relief role offers a more direct path for pitchers with Brash’s combination of filthy stuff and poor command.

Signs are pointing in the right direction. After some initial command-related struggles, Brash has shoved over his last 10 appearances. His 10-inning scoreless streak dating back to May 25 includes just five hits and two walks compared to 16 strikeouts. He once again appears to be ready for prime time. Unfortunately for him, the Seattle bullpen is fairly robust and will soon need to make way for Ken Giles (who happens to be flailing in his rehab assignment). Brash may need to await a couple injuries to reclaim a role.

George Valera, 21, OF, CLE (AA)

236 PA, 10 HR, 2 SB, .291/.398/.513

Expectations for Valera vary greatly depending on the source. I’ve seen Cleveland fans compare him to Mike Trout. I’ve also seen open skepticism about his hit tool. His performance this season hasn’t exactly supported either of these extreme interpretations. Instead, he seems to be trending as a steady regular outfielder.

Statistically, Valera works counts and runs a tolerable 11.6 percent swinging strike rate. That’s helped him to around a 23 percent strikeout rate any time he’s settled into a level. His strikeout rate tends to spike above 30 percent when he moves up a level. He’s seemingly nearing a promotion to Triple-A. We should probably expect another temporary surge in strikeouts when it happens. His pattern of struggling then dominating each rung of the minor league ladder is reminiscent of Jo Adell. Valera’s discipline should serve to ensure some kind of big league role.

Five More

Zack Gelof, OAK (22): A 2021 draftee, the Athletics promoted Gelof straight from Low-A to Triple-A last season where he held his own in a 13-plate appearance trial. They assigned him to Double-A this season. He’s hit .315/.372/.458. Gelof recently tore the labrum of his non-throwing shoulder and could miss the bulk of this season depending on the treatment plan.

Jackson Chourio, MIL (18): Every season, there’s one teenaged prospect who catches the imagination of every prospect watcher. Last year, it was De La Cruz. This season, it’s Chourio. Scouting reports abound with praise for the young outfielder. He’s currently swatting .347/.394/.599 with six home runs and five steals in 160 plate appearances. It’s uncommon for well-rounded athletes to show this much power as an 18-year-old. Chourio is a long way from the Majors, but his path is already paved. He just has to stay on it, and walk the remaining miles.

Andrew Painter, PHI (19): Painter made a mockery of the complex league, posting a 1.40 ERA with 16.06 K/9 and 3.72 BB/9. He’s shown advanced feel for a pitcher his age. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen notes how well he combines a high, arm-side fastball with a biting slider. He also throws a curve and changeup, both of which lag behind his two primary offerings. He’ll need to develop those in order to stick in the rotation. Painter was recently promoted to High-A.

Bobby Miller, LAD (23): A flamethrowing right-hander, Miller has experienced mixed results in Double-A. He’s posted a 4.60 ERA with 9.57 K/9 and 3.26 BB/9. There’s a Hunter Greene-ish feel to Miller. His fastball runs over 100-mph with regularity, but certain characteristics cause it to play down. There’s relief risk here, especially if the Dodgers don’t trade him. They have the resources to use him in whichever role provides the most instant gratification.

Noelvi Marte, SEA (20): Last week, I observed that a sliver of the shine has come off Marte. A prominent writer reached out for my sources, and I realized I’d misplaced the relevant comment. I’ll do a better job sourcing my material going forward. Presently Marte is putting up slightly better than average production as one of the youngest players in High-A. He remains an exciting prospect.

Anthony Rendon To Undergo Season-Ending Wrist Surgery

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 11:03pm CDT

6:17PM: The Angels have officially placed Rendon on the 10-day IL, and called up infielder Jack Mayfield from Triple-A. Rendon will probably be held back from a 60-day IL placement until the Halos have need for an extra 40-man roster spot.

Angels team trainer Mike Frostad also gave reporters (including MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger) some details on Rendon’s status, saying that Rendon will need 4-6 months to recover. Rendon has a subluxed tendon, and tried to play through the discomfort, though it was known that surgery would eventually be needed to fix the problem.

4:10PM: Angels third baseman Anthony Rendon will undergo surgery on his right wrist next week, the team announced. The procedure will sideline Rendon for the remainder of the 2022 season.

Rendon spent two weeks on the injured list due to soreness in that same wrist earlier this season, and he has missed the last couple of games after re-aggravating the problem. Angels manager Phil Nevin intimated that Rendon was a pinch-hitting possibility as recently as yesterday, so today’s news comes as an unwelcome surprise, and an indication that further testing revealed a more severe problem with Rendon’s wrist.

This will mark the second straight season cut short by surgery for Rendon, as he underwent a hip procedure last August that prematurely ended his 2021 season. That year had already been shortened by multiple trips to the IL for groin, knee, and hamstring injuries, with Rendon’s hip ultimately bearing the brunt as he tried to compensate for those other lower-body problems.

Rendon will finish the season with a .228/.324/.383 slash line and five home runs over 188 plate appearances. While this still works out to above-average offensive production (106 wRC+), it is far below the standard Rendon yet during his heyday with the Nationals, or even in his first Angels season in 2020. Since the start of the 2021 campaign, Rendon has hit only .235/.327/.383 in 437 PA, and played in only 103 games.

The Angels signed Rendon to a seven-year, $245MM free agent deal in December 2019, and apart from Rendon’s strong performance in the shortened 2020 campaign, this deal is already showing signs of joining the Albert Pujols, Josh Hamilton, and Justin Upton contracts in the Angels’ recent history of expensive misfires. Rendon still has four more years to make good on the deal, of course, but he turned 32 earlier this month and now has two lost seasons under his belt.

Rendon’s injury continues a nightmarish stretch for the Angels. In possession of a 27-17 record and a playoff berth on May 24, the Halos have since lost 18 of 21 games, including a 14-game losing streak. Manager Joe Maddon was already fired, and the Angels now face an uphill climb just to break their string of losing seasons, let alone get back into the wild card hunt. While it is still mid-June and plenty of the season remains, losing Rendon creates yet another hole in an already shaky roster.

Matt Duffy and Tyler Wade figure to handle third base duties in Rendon’s absence, which further weakens second base since that duo and Luis Rengifo were juggling time at the keystone. David Fletcher was placed on the 60-day IL in the aftermath of adductor surgery, and in a best-case scenario would return around the All-Star break. Jack Mayfield, Jose Rojas and Kean Wong are also in the organization, but are imperfect solutions to an already-shaky infield picture. Should the Halos get back into the playoff picture, any of shortstop, second, or third base could be target areas for the trade deadline, depending on who was available and how Anaheim shuffled its other personnel around the diamond.

AL Notes: Moncada, Blue Jays, Verlander, Athletics

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 10:00pm CDT

Yoan Moncada left tonight’s game due to right hamstring tightness, an injury seemingly suffered when Moncada was running out a grounder in the top of the second inning. Moncada returned to play third base in the bottom half of the frame but was replaced in the field by Josh Harrison in the next inning.

More will be known about Moncada’s status after further tests take place, but another injury is the last thing Moncada and the White Sox need. An oblique strain suffered near the end of Spring Training kept Moncada from playing until May 9, and he is hitting a mere .179/.230/.292 over his first 113 plate appearances. Should Moncada need to miss time, the Sox would at least have a ready replacement in the hot-hitting Jake Burger, and Danny Mendick could also find more playing time once Tim Anderson returns from the IL next week and regains his normal shortstop position. However, a Moncada injury would represent yet another setback for a White Sox club that hasn’t been able to play with its ideal first-choice lineup all season.

Cubs Outright Clint Frazier To Triple-A

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 9:12pm CDT

The Cubs have outrighted Clint Frazier off their 40-man roster, after the outfielder cleared waivers. According to ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers (Twitter link), Frazier has elected to accept the assignment to Triple-A Iowa, rather than elect free agency.

Chicago signed Frazier to a one-year, $1.5MM deal just prior to the lockout, and about a week after the Yankees released the outfielder (essentially an early non-tender, as Frazier was projected to earn $2.4MM through the arbitration process). Frazier has hit .216/.356/.297 over 45 plate appearances this season, with his campaign broken up by a missed month of action due to an appendectomy. Frazier was designated for assignment last week, and it is perhaps a sign of how his stock has fallen that no teams put a claim on a player who isn’t far removed from being one of baseball’s top prospects.

There was some speculation that Frazier would refuse the outright assignment and instead test the open market again, though there is logic in his decision to remain in the Cubs organization. For one, Frazier might just be looking to get some consistent playing time after his lost month, and his market surely wasn’t helped by his lack of production this far in 2022. It stands to reason that Frazier might get another chance in Chicago later in the season, should the Cubs move some veteran players prior to the trade deadline.

The fifth overall pick of the 2013 draft, Frazier is now in his sixth MLB season, and he showed some flashes of his potential during his five years in the Bronx. However, a lack of consistency and some health issues kept Frazier from locking down a regular spot in the Yankees’ lineup, and vertigo-like symptoms kept Frazier off the field for most of the final three months of the 2021 season.

Diamondbacks Select Buddy Kennedy

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 8:16pm CDT

The Diamondbacks selected the contract of infielder Buddy Kennedy from Triple-A Reno today, as part of a trio of roster moves. Outfielder Jake McCarthy was optioned to Triple-A to create space on the 26-man roster, while right-hander Humberto Castellanos was moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL, thus creating a spot for Kennedy on the 40-man roster.

Kennedy is acting as the DH in Arizona’s lineup tonight, and it will mark the Major League debut for the 23-year-old. A fifth-round pick for the Diamondbacks in the 2017 draft, Kennedy has hit well as a pro, including a .296/.384/.429 slash line over 229 plate appearances at Reno this season (his first taste of Triple-A ball).

MLB Pipeline rates Kennedy as the 21st-best prospect in the Snakes’ farm system, and according to the Pipeline scouting report, “he projects to be an average hitter who gets on base and collects 20 or so homers at the highest level.” Kennedy’s 2022 numbers have continued the improvement he showed last year in generating walks, and he makes solid contact. Defensively, Kennedy could fit best as a utilityman rather than an everyday infielder, as he has played mostly third base with some experience at second base and a handful of games as a first baseman.

Kennedy could work as the right-handed hitting complement to Josh Rojas at third base, or fit into the DH mix when a left-handed starter is on the mound (like tonight’s matchup against the Twins’ Devin Smeltzer). The Diamondbacks’ lineup is heavy on left-handed bats, and are near the bottom of the league in production against left-handed pitching, so some extra pop from the right side of the plate is definitely a need.

Castellanos hit the 15-day IL with a right elbow strain on June 1, and the righty will now be sidelined until at least the start of August. Over 44 1/3 innings for the D’Backs this season, Castellanos posted a 5.68 ERA.

Padres Place Joe Musgrove On COVID-IL, Activate Mike Clevinger

By Mark Polishuk | June 17, 2022 at 7:35pm CDT

The Padres activated right-hander Mike Clevinger from the COVID-related injury list today, while also placing righty Joe Musgrove on the COVID-IL. In other moves, righty Reiss Knehr was called up from Triple-A El Paso, Kyle Tyler was optioned to Triple-A, and Matt Beaty was shifted to the 60-day IL.

Clevinger ended up missing a week of action, and he told reporters (including The Athletic’s Dennis Lin) that his symptoms were caused by a case of the flu that hit his entire household, rather than COVID-19. For now, Clevinger is available to pitch out of the bullpen during the Padres’ weekend series against the Rockies, until San Diego can figure out how to fit him back into the rotation.

Musgrove’s situation could create an obvious opening, as Musgrove is set to start Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks. It isn’t known if Musgrove has actually tested positive or if his placement was precautionary (due to symptoms or being a close contact), but in the latter situation, he could possibly be back in plenty of time to make that scheduled start.

Musgrove has been one of baseball’s best pitchers this season, while Clevinger has also pitched well over four starts, though his season has been delayed by IL stints due to a knee injury and a triceps strain. Clevinger missed all of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery, so these additional health setbacks are surely a frustration to the 31-year-old, even if none of these injuries have been overly serious.

Once everyone is healthy, Nick Martinez will likely head back to the bullpen, as the Padres continue to manage a six-man rotation. Blake Snell is the only member of this group that hasn’t pitched well in 2022, though Snell also missed over a month at the start of the season due to an adductor strain.

White Sox Sign Dan Winkler To Minor League Deal

By Anthony Franco | June 17, 2022 at 6:52pm CDT

The White Sox have signed reliever Dan Winkler to a minor league contract, according to an announcement from their Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte. He’ll step onto the Knights’ active roster in hopes of earning his way to the big leagues.

Winkler opted out of a minor league deal with the Rangers a couple weeks back. He’d spent the first two months of the season with Texas’ top farm team, working to a 3.50 ERA across 18 innings. Winkler punched out a stellar 32.1% of batters faced with a massive 18% swinging strike rate, but he struggled mightily with his control. The righty handed out free passes to 16% of opponents, and the Rangers elected to let him hit the open market rather than bring him to the major leagues.

If Winkler can make it onto the Sox’s active roster, he’d return to the city where he spent the 2020-21 campaigns. The 32-year-old pitched two seasons on the north side with the Cubs, tossing 58 innings across 65 appearances. Walks were similarly an issue during his most recent MLB run as they’ve been in Triple-A this year, and he posted a 5.22 ERA last season before being released in August. Winkler’s now a few years removed from his days as a high-leverage arm with the Braves, which included a 3.43 ERA showing back in 2018.

The White Sox’s bullpen ranks 21st with a 4.21 ERA, a mid-tier showing that registers as a disappointment considering how much the club has invested in that area of the roster. That’s partially a reflection of health issues, though, as Joe Kelly has already had a pair of injured list stints. Kelly is now back, but each of Aaron Bummer, Liam Hendriks and Kyle Crick have landed on the IL within the past seven days. Chicago backfills the organization with an experienced non-roster depth option in Winkler.

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