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Rays Place Manuel Margot On Injured List

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The Rays have placed outfielder Manuel Margot on the 10-day injured list, as relayed by team broadcaster Neil Solondz. Right-handed pitcher Ralph Garza Jr. has been recalled in a corresponding move.

The loss of Margot is certainly a blow for the Rays, as he was off to an excellent start to the season. For most of his career, he’s provided value with his elite speed and defense, despite hitting slightly below league average. His career batting line is .255/.310/.393, amounting to a wRC+ of 92, or 8% below average. But in 2022, he’s hitting .348/.412/.500 for a wRC+ of 178, allowing him to produce 1.2 fWAR in just 27 games. No timetable was provided for his absence.

The Rays are adept at putting together excellent depth across their roster and should be able to weather Margot’s departure. Margot missed Tuesday and Wednesday’s game due to this hamstring issue and then was the designated hitter on Friday and Saturday. Kevin Kiermaier, Randy Arozarena, Harold Ramirez, Brett Phillips and Vidal Brujan got the outfield playing time in those games.

By adding another arm to the active roster, the Rays now have 12 position players and 14 pitchers on the club. This is allowed for now and through May 29, after which a 13-pitcher maximum will take effect. Unless Margot is ready to return before then, the club will have to add another position player into the mix. It’s possible that outfield prospect Josh Lowe, who was with the team earlier this year, could be considered for such a promotion. Since being optioned, he’s hit will in Triple-A with a slash line of .270/.341/.676. However, he does have a 48.8% strikeout rate working against him at the moment.

Michael Pineda Won’t Require Surgery For Fractured Finger

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May 15: The Tigers announced that they have placed Pineda on the IL, as expected, with Victor Reyes heading in the other direction as a corresponding move.

May 14: Tigers right-hander Michael Pineda had to leave today’s game in the second inning after being hit in his throwing hand by a Ramon Urias line drive.  Following the game, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck) that Pineda had suffered a fractured right middle finger.  A trip to the injured list is inevitable, and Hinch said that Pineda will visit specialists to determine the next course of action in recovery.

It’s a tough outcome for both Pineda and the Tigers, who are already missing multiple members of their ideal starting rotation.  Matt Manning (shoulder discomfort) may be within a week or two of returning to action, but Casey Mize (elbow sprain) didn’t last long in his first rehab start, and his rehab assignment has now been paused.  Tyler Alexander also made some spot starts earlier this season, before a left elbow sprain put the southpaw on the shelf.

Pineda missed some time himself at the start of the year, as visa issues delayed his arrival to Spring Training and thus his preseason prep was delayed.  Though five starts and 22 1/3 innings, Pineda has a 3.22 ERA, though with only a 13.63% strikeout rate.  While that K% is a particular low, Pineda’s story for the last four seasons has been delivering some solid bottom-line numbers (3.77 ERA over 303 innings) despite generally unimpressive peripherals.  Pineda signed a one-year, $5.5MM deal that contains up to $2.5MM in bonus money based on innings totals, but he’ll have trouble hitting any of those innings thresholds if he misses substantial time on the IL.

The Tigers signed Pineda to add some veteran experience to their young staff, and just five weeks into the season, that pitching depth has already been sorely tested.  Tarik Skubal has been excellent and Eduardo Rodriguez has started to turn things around after a rough start, but Detroit has turned to Beau Brieske, Alex Faedo, and Joey Wentz to all make their first Major League starts.

Faedo was already expected to be recalled from Triple-A to start Monday’s game, and Brieske will likely stick in the rotation after having posted some decent results to date.  Wentz could also get another look for a start or two until the Tigers feel Manning is ready to be activated from the injured list.

Brewers To Place Jandel Gustave On Injured List

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Right-handed pitcher Jandel Gustave injured his right hamstring during last night’s game and will be placed on the injured list today, Brewers manager Craig Counsell tells Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The corresponding move is not known at this time.

Acquired from the Pirates in June of 2021, Gustave threw 18 1/3 innings out of the Milwaukee bullpen last year. He had a 3.44 ERA in that span, along with a 16.5% strikeout rate, 6.3% walk rate and 43.6% ground ball rate. This year, he’s been racking up more strikeouts but getting worse results overall. In 13 innings on the season, he’s getting Ks at a 25% clip but has seen his ERA jump up to 5.54.

The issue seems to be the long ball, as his HR/FB% has jumped up to 16.7% this year, compared to 11.8% last year. That’s particularly noteworthy given that the league wide trend is moving in the other direction. Last year’s HR/FB% was 10% across the entire MLB season, but it has dropped to just 7.8% this year, with some people blaming humidors or the changed structure of the ball itself or both.

The Brewers will likely add another arm to take Gustave’s place in the bullpen. He was just recalled on Friday as Brent Suter went on the paternity list to be with his family for the birth of his daughter. Players on the paternity list have to miss one game but no more than three. If Suter is able to return, he will be eligible, but he is also allowed to miss one more game. If he doesn’t come back for today’s game, the club has Dylan File, Alec Bettinger, Angel Perdomo and Miguel Sanchez as arms that are on the 40-man roster but not the active roster.

Astros Acquire Mauricio Dubon

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The Astros have acquired utility player Mauricio Dubon from the Giants in exchange for catcher Mike Papierski, as announced by both clubs. Additionally, the Giants have recalled infielder Donovan Walton to replace Dubon on the active roster and assigned Papierski to Triple-A Sacramento.

Dubon, 27, was originally drafted by the Red Sox in in 2013, but went to the Brewers as part of the 2016 Tyler Thornburg trade. He made it up to the big leagues for a two-game cup of coffee before being sent to the Giants as part of the 2019 deadline deal that sent Drew Pomeranz and Ray Black to the Brewers.

Since that time, Dubon has proved to be a useful bench/utility piece for the club. In 179 career games, he’s hit .258/.301/.395 while spending time at second base, third base, shortstop and center field. That batting line amounts to 88 wRC+, about 12% below league average, but his solid defense at multiple positions has still allowed him to accumulate 1.4 wins above replacement for his career, according to FanGraphs.

Those are solid contributions for a part-time player, but it seems that Dubon might have just been squeezed off a talented Giants roster. He and Thairo Estrada play similar roles on the club as right-handed hitting utility options. Tommy La Stella began the season on the injured list after undergoing achilles surgery in October but is currently rehabbing and nearing a return. The club will need to make room for him and it seems like they either preferred Estrada or got an offer on Dubon that tipped the scales in favor of this route. Since Dubon is out of options, sending him to the minors wasn’t going to be possible.

For the Astros, they’ve had disappointing results from their utility players so far this year. Aledmys Diaz is hitting .191/.257/.294 on the year for a wRC+ of 69. Niko Goodrum has been even worse, as his slash line on the year is currently .128/.171/.179, wRC+ of 4. With Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena both dealing with minor injuries this week, the club’s middle infield mix was starting to look a little wobbly. They’re surely hoping that Dubon can help shore it up.

As for Papierski, he was a ninth round selection of the Astros in the 2017 draft. He’s since worked his way up the minor league ladder, reaching Triple-A last year. His first taste of that level went okay, as he put up a line of .246/.379/.375, 98 wRC+. However, he’s taken a dip so far this year, sitting on a line of .211/.324/.278, 59 wRC+. He’s also been spending less time behind the plate this year, with 11 games at catcher, nine at first base and six at designated hitter. Last year, it was 64 at catcher and 28 at first. If he continues that trend in his new organization, it will put more pressure on him to produce with the bat since he won’t be providing as much defensive value.

Injury Notes: Votto, Meadows, Canning, Howard

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Decked out in a snazzy Dr. Strange jersey for a “Marvel Night” promotion, Joey Votto played the first game of a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville tonight.  Votto was placed on the COVID-related injured list on May 3, and Reds manager David Bell told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon) that “it’s really hard for me to know” exactly how long Votto’s rehab assignment will last.  The veteran slugger will play today and tomorrow for the Bats, and Bell seemed to imply that it could be a somewhat lengthy stint, saying “it was encouraging that he’s playing tonight.  Not too long ago, he wasn’t feeling well.”

Sheldon believes Votto could be activated from the IL when the Reds visit his hometown of Toronto on May 20-22.  Obviously the top priority is simply that Votto is healthy and can get properly prepared for his return, but this absence could also serve as a reset for the 38-year-old’s season.  Pretty much everything has gone wrong for the Reds thus far in 2022, including Votto’s ice-cold .122/.278/.135 slash line over his first 90 plate appearances.

More on other injury situations from around baseball…

  • Griffin Canning has spent the entire season on the 60-day IL due to a stress reaction in his lower back, and he felt some discomfort during a recent two-inning simulated game.  Angels GM Perry Minasian told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register) that it’s a relatively minor setback that won’t require any more testing, but Canning is “going to take a little more time with our medical staff in Anaheim and we’ll take it day by day.”  June 6 is Canning’s first eligible day to leave the injured list.  The 26-year-old (and former top 100 prospect) has a 4.73 ERA over 209 1/3 career innings with the Angels, a tenure highlighted by a Gold Glove in the 2020 season.  With the Angels intending to keep their six-man rotation going for the remainder of the year, the Halos will need Canning healthy to provide extra depth in the coming months.
  • Austin Meadows has missed the Tigers’ last two games due to what the outfielder described as vertigo-like symptoms and a sensation of spinning.  “I don’t know if it’s an infection or just inner ear dizziness,” Meadows told The Detroit Free Press’ Evan Petzold and other reporters.  Referring to missing three of four games during a recent series against the Astros, Meadows said “I was pretty sick in Houston.  I had a sinus infection, so I don’t know if it’s a residual effect from that, or whatever is it.”  On the plus side, Meadows did a normal set of baseball drills prior to today’s game, so he might not be far away from a return.  Meadows has hit .270/.365/.350 over 115 PA, good for a 120 wRC+ that is easily the best of any regular in the offensively-challenged Detroit lineup.
  • Cubs prospect Ed Howard’s season is in jeopardy after suffering a hip injury in a High-A game earlier this week.  While trying to avoid a tag at first base, Howard fell to the ground in awkward fashion and was in obvious pain on the field.  Howard and the organization are still trying to determine the next course of action in dealing with the injury, but speaking to The Chicago Tribune’s Meghan Montemurro and other reporters, Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer implied Howard’s 2022 campaign was over, saying “It’s a shame that his season is going to be cut short.”  The 20-year-old shortstop was the 16th overall pick of the 2020 draft, and is currently ranked 14th by MLB Pipeline and 18th by Baseball America on the pundits’ lists of the top prospects in Chicago’s farm system.  Howard’s bat is still a work in progress, but Pipeline cites him as “one of the best defenders in the entire minors.”

Guardians Hire T.J. Rivera For Coaching Position

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The Guardians have hired T.J. Rivera for a coaching role, according to agent Phil Terrano of Agency 1 Sports.  This brings an end to Rivera’s playing career after 11 seasons, and the veteran infielder took to Instagram to thank his family, friends, and many supporters who helped him along the way.

Rivera was an undrafted player, beginning his pro career when he signed a free agent deal with the Mets in 2011.  All of his big league experience came in a New York uniform, as Rivera (a Bronx native) hit a very solid .304/.335/.445 over 344 career plate appearances with the Mets in 2016-17.  Unfortunately for Rivera, he was a somewhat rare case of a position player whose career was sidetracked by Tommy John surgery, as he missed all of 2018 recovering from both his TJ procedure and more elbow problems that lingered into 2018 and 2019.

Since being let go by the Mets in 2019, Rivera caught on with the Nationals, Pirates, and (twice) with the Phillies, and he also played in Puerto Rico and in independent baseball.  Another call to the bigs never came, and Rivera certainly wasn’t helped by the cancellation of the 2020 minor league season.  Rivera had more good numbers at the minor league level, hitting .316/.363/.431 over 3044 PA across various affiliated teams.

At age 33, Rivera has now decided to hang up his glove, and is moving onto a new phase of his baseball career with the Guardians.  We at MLBTR congratulate Rivera on a fine career and we wish him all the best in his coaching endeavors.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Day-To-Day With Groin Injury

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Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr. has missed his team’s last three games with a right groin injury suffered in Tuesday’s game with the Red Sox, but it doesn’t appear to be a significant issue.  After undergoing an MRI today, Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Bowman) that imaging revealed “nothing big” about the injury.

“It’s the best news possible….He’s just going to be day to day,” Snitker said.  “I don’t know how long it will be.  But there’s nothing from the MRI that showed he’s going to be shut down.”

In other positive news, Snitker said that Acuna’s issues are just with his groin, not with the ACL that was torn last July.  Acuna has played in only 10 games since returning from that long injury rehab, but hasn’t missed a beat in hitting .282/.391/.487 over 46 plate appearances.

It’s possible Acuna could be back in Atlanta’s lineup for Monday’s game against the Brewers, as Snitker indicated that the outfielder probably won’t play on Sunday.  Bowman noted that the team doesn’t yet seem to be considering a trip to the 10-day injured list, though one would imagine if Acuna was still unavailable Monday, the Braves might make a move to keep them from being shorthanded for yet another game.

The silver lining of Acuna’s absence is that Travis Demeritte and William Contreras have both been on a tear at the plate, but naturally Atlanta needs Acuna back healthy as quickly as possible.  Shared struggles from Adam Duvall, Marcell Ozuna, and (the injured) Eddie Rosario have meant that the Braves haven’t gotten much from their outfield mix this season.  Braves outfielders have combined for -0.7 fWAR this season, tied with the A’s for the lowest total among outfield corps in the majors.

Trayce Thompson Elects Free Agency

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The Padres announced that outfielder Trayce Thompson has chosen to become a free agent after clearing outright waivers.  Thompson was designated for assignment four days ago, and since he had been previously outrighted during his career, Thompson could elect free agency rather than accepting the outright option.

After signing a minor league deal with San Diego in late March, Thompson got back to the big leagues in late April when the Padres selected his contract.  The 31-year-old appeared in six games with the Friars, with only one hit and two walks over 16 plate appearances.

The well-traveled Thompson will now hit the open market once more.  A second-round draft pick for the White Sox in 2009, Thompson’s tools (including excellent speed and the ability to play all three outfield spots) have gotten him plenty of looks over the years, but it has yet to manifest into regular production at the Major League level.

Appearing in six of the last eight MLB seasons, Thompson has a career .205/.280/.397 slash line over 640 plate appearances with five different teams.  Most of that time was spent with the White Sox and Dodgers, with briefer stints with the Padres, Cubs, and Athletics.  Thompson has also seen time in the minors with the Yankees, Guardians, and Diamondbacks but didn’t see any big league action with those three clubs.

Angels Reinstate Matt Duffy From IL; Designate Aaron Whitefield

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The Angels made four roster moves, including the reinstatement of infielder Matt Duffy from the COVID-related injury list.  Right-hander Andrew Wantz was also called up from Triple-A Salt Lake, while infielder Jack Mayfield was optioned to Triple-A, and outfielder Aaron Whitefield was designated for assignment.

After manager Joe Maddon hinted earlier today that Duffy could be activated for the second game of today’s doubleheader with the Athletics, Duffy will indeed be available for the nightcap.  Both Mayfield and Whitefield were in the starting lineup for the first game as the right fielder and center fielder, respectively, in a 4-3 Anaheim loss.

Duffy spent two weeks on the IL, and the lack of an injury designation implied that his absence was related to COVID-19.  Over his first 41 plate appearances, Duffy was off to a decent start, hitting .278/.366/.306 while getting starts at both second base and first base.  This figures to be Duffy’s role going forward, as the veteran will continue to work with Tyler Wade, Andrew Velazquez, and Luis Rengifo in the Angels’ middle infield picture while David Fletcher is sidelined following adductor muscle surgery.

Mayfield had also been seeing some utility duty, while Whitefield played five games in the outfield after Los Angeles selected his contract from Triple-A earlier this week.  Whitefield’s previous MLB experience consisted of three games with the Twins in 2020, and in eight pro seasons, the 25-year-old has hit .246/.311/.352 over 1920 PA in the minors with Minnesota and Anaheim.  Outfield defense and speed (164 steals in 211 opportunities) were Whitfield’s calling cards in the minors, and another team in need of such a skillset could give the Australian a look on the DFA wire.

Dodgers To Promote Michael Grove

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The Dodgers will promote right-handed pitching prospect Michael Grove on Sunday, and Grove will make his MLB debut in some capacity during Los Angeles’ game with the Phillies.  Manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including J.P. Hoornstra of The Southern California News Group) that Grove will either work as a starter, or as a bulk pitcher behind an opener.

The 25-year-old Grove was a second-round pick for the Dodgers in the 2018 draft, and could have gone higher if he hadn’t had over a full season of college ball wiped out by Tommy John surgery.  Both MLB Pipeline (23rd) and Baseball America (24th) place the righty within their rankings of the team’s top 30 prospects, citing his big fastball that sits in the 96-99mph range, and with Pipeline also giving his slider a 60 grade on the 20-80 scouting scale.

A midseason arm slot adjustment helped Grove achieve better results at Double-A last season, and he has kept it going this year with a 2.76 ERA, 32.8% strikeout rate, and 7.5% walk rate over 16 1/3 frames (still at the Double-A level).  The drop in walk rate is a particularly good sign given the control problems that hampered Grove earlier in his minor league career, and he has allowed only one home run this season after giving up 26 long balls during his first 122 2/3 pro innings.

Scouts aren’t sure if Grove’s stuff will allow him to remain as a starter in the big leagues, or if he could eventually be used as a bullpen weapon.  Theoretically, Grove could be an intriguing choice as a multi-inning reliever if L.A. doesn’t feel he can succeed in a normal starting role, and the Dodgers’ creative pitcher usage allows for many possibilities for Grove’s future.

For now, he’ll get to bypass Triple-A and jump right to the big leagues.  Clayton Kershaw’s recent trip to the 15-day injured list left the Dodgers down two starters (Kershaw and Andrew Heaney), and in need of some rotation help during a stretch of 31 games in 30 days.  Prospect Ryan Pepiot also recently made his MLB debut and could be the likeliest candidate for a more extended look, so it’s possible Sunday’s outing could be a one-off for Grove.

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