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Tigers Designate Drew Hutchison For Assignment

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After this afternoon’s game, the Tigers announced to reporters that right-hander Drew Hutchison has been designated for assignment. Third baseman Jeimer Candelario will likely be activated from the injured list in a corresponding move. (Twitter links from Evan Woodbery of MLive.)

After today, all teams in baseball will be allowed to use no more than 13 of their 26 active roster spots on pitchers. Many teams, including the Tigers, have been opting for a 14-12 ratio of pitchers to position players recently, meaning that transactions of this nature will be inevitable to even things out.

Hutchison, 31, is no stranger to being designated for assignment by the Tigers, as this is the third such instance in the past year. A starting pitcher earlier in his career, he had a rough season in 2018 and didn’t make it to the big leagues at all in either 2019 or 2020. The Tigers signed him to a minor league deal for the 2021 season, eventually selecting his contract in August. He was DFA’d after just over a week and sent to the minors before being selected again in September.

After reaching free agency at season’s end, he signed another minor league deal with Detroit for this campaign. He made the Opening Day roster but was sent into DFA limbo in May, eventually reaching free agency but signing yet another minors deal with the Tigers. He made it back to the bigs less than a week ago and is now, once again, designated for assignment. He has a 4.81 ERA through 24 1/3 innings on the year.

The club’s rotation has been decimated by injuries this year, forcing them to continually scramble for options to cover innings. Hutchison got the start today and managed to get through 4 2/3. With three off-days coming up between now and the end of the month, they should be able to get by for a while a four-man rotation of Tarik Skubal, Beau Brieske, Alex Faedo and Rony Garcia. However, July with be a different story, with 19 games in just 17 days going into the All-Star break, thanks to a pair of doubleheaders. If Hutchison continues his pattern of re-signing with Detroit after clearing waivers, it’s possible they will need his services again in a few weeks.

As for Candelario, he was slumping miserably before hitting the injured list a few weeks ago. He seemed to establish himself as the club’s future everyday third baseman by hitting .278/.356/.458 over 2020 and 2021, producing a wRC+ of 123. However, this year, he hit just .181/.236/.319 for a 58 wRC+ before landing on the shelf with a shoulder injury. He’ll look to get things back on track as things go forward. In his absence, most of the playing time at the hot corner has gone to super utility player Harold Castro, who has played every position on the diamond except catcher in his career.

Manny Machado Diagnosed With Ankle Sprain

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Padres’ third baseman Manny Machado was removed from today’s game after suffering an injury. In attempting to beat out a play at first, Machado landed awkwardly on the bag and immediately collapsed in pain, eventually requiring help to depart the field of play. Despite appearing to be quite a gruesome occurrence on video replays, the Padres announced that X-rays came back negative, announcing the injury as a left ankle sprain.

The fact that Machado seems to have avoided a fracture is surely good news, but it doesn’t mean the Padres and Machado are completely out of the woods. As noted by Annie Heilbrunn of the San Diego Union-Tribune, ankle sprains can still sideline players for weeks.

Though the club has yet to make a more detailed announcement about the severity of the sprain or Machado’s expected absence, it will likely be a serious blow to the club no matter what, as Machado has been having perhaps the best season of his career and has arguably been the best player in baseball to this point of the season. Given that Machado has already been one of the better players in the sport over the past decade, the fact that he’s taken his game to new heights this year surely highlights what a great season he’s having. His .329/.401/.548 line amounts to a 164 wRC+, one of the top ten such numbers in the majors. Combined with his usual excellent defensive work, he’s accrued 4.2 wins above replacement on the year already, according to FanGraphs, putting him tops among all players in the sport.

Due to those MVP-level contributions, the Padres are having an excellent season thus far, coming into today with a 41-26 record, just half a game back of the Dodgers in the NL West. However, the infield depth will be tested without Machado, as the club has also been papering over the absence of Fernando Tatis Jr., who is still making his way back from an offseason injury. Most of the shortstop work has gone to Ha-Seong Kim, with Jake Cronenworth at second base. Sergio Alcantara has been acting as the bench/utility infielder, though he’s hitting just .171/.195/.256 on the year and hasn’t fared much better in his career. Jurickson Profar has loads of infield experience but has only played left field this year and is having the best offensive showing of his career. He could be moved into the infield mix, but the club might also be loath to disrupt his groove. C.J. Abrams struggled in his first taste of MLB action but has been playing well in Triple-A since being optioned.

Regardless of who takes over for Machado, it will be certainly be a downgrade. That’s not a shot at any of the other players, but more a testament to just how good Machado has been this year. Even Machado himself was unlikely to sustain that pace, as his .366 BABIP on the year far outpaced his career mark of .300. All teams deal with the challenge of injuries over the course of a season, of course, but for the Padres, there’s no doubting this will be one tough to bear.

Roster Moves: Twins, Angels, Rockies

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The Twins have activated Kyle Garlick from the 10-day injured list. In a corresponding move, Trevor Megill was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. The latter move is retroactive to June 16th. Megill has made just eight appearances, but he’s looked good with a 2.08 ERA/2.99 FIP over 13 innings with a 15-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Garlick had been hitting with some pop before he went down. He owns a .250/.324/.567 line with six home runs in 68 plate appearances. He’ll jump back into the mix against southpaws for the Twins. In other moves…

  • The Angels have optioned infielder Jack Mayfield to Triple-A and recalled southpaw Kenny Rosenberg, per the team. Mayfield just joined the club two days ago, and now he’s on his way back to Triple-A. Rosenberg gives them a much-needed fresh arm after yesterday’s doubleheader. The southpaw has made two appearances for the Angles this year, his first two in the bigs, tossing six innings and giving up five earned runs.
  • The Rockies made a trio of roster moves today. Garrett Hampson was activated from the COVID Injured List, Alan Trejo was optioned back to Triple-A, and Tyler Kinley was moved to the 60-day injured list, per Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette (via Twitter). Trejo, 26, has appeared in just 11 games for the Rockies, slashing .231/.250/.333 over 40 plate appearances. Hampson, once a highly-touted prospect, has been unable to establish himself as a cornerstone piece, slashing just .236/.321/.375 over 83 plate appearances.

Nationals Release Dee Strange-Gordon

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The Nationals have requested unconditional release waivers for Dee Strange-Gordon, per the team. The infielder/outfielder was designated for the assignment last week. This means two things: no team put a claim in on him, and Strange-Gordon did not want to accept an assignment to the minor leagues.

Given those two facts, it’s not easy to see where Strange-Gordon will find his way back to the Majors. That said, his speed is a truly exceptional talent, and there’s always room in the game for it on a limited basis. We have seen speedsters like Strange-Gordon used as playoff specialists in the past, so that’s a potential role for him down the line. For now, however, it would seem unlikely that he finds a long-term home.

Strange-Gordon was signed by the Nationals this winter on a non-guaranteed minor league deal. He went on to hit .305/.305/.356 in 59 plate appearances with three stolen bases in five attempts. For Strange-Gordon it was more of the same, with low walk rates and minimal power limiting his offensive utility. His speed is dynamic, and if he can get on base enough to utilize it, he has a weapon worth unleasing. Right now, however, the 34-year-old will have to wait and look for a new opportunity.

Dodgers Place Mookie Betts On 10-Day Injured List, Activate Andrew Heaney

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As expected, the Dodgers have placed Mookie Betts on the 10-day injured list and recalled Zach McKinstry. They also activated starter Andrew Heaney, optioning Reyes Moronta.

Betts excellence has become almost commonplace, as he’s again putting together a season that should merit MVP consideration if he’s able to return healthy. The former MVP is hitting .273/.349/.535 for a 148 wRC+. Combining that batting line with his excellent defense and baserunning, Betts has already accrued 3.3 wins above replacement on the year, in the estimation of FanGraphs.

As much as it hurts to lose Betts, Heaney is a big return for the Dodgers. Los Angeles is eager to see what exactly they have in Heaney, who made two scoreless starts at the outset of this season before going on the injured list. The former Angel is coming off a disastrous season, of course, in which he logged an overall 5.83 ERA/4.85 FIP with the Angels and Yankees. He became basically unplayable while in pinstripes, but looks to bounce back in Dodger blue.

Moronta, 29, losing his spot on the big league club for now. Moronta has been consistently good in the Majors, though is mostly limited samples. He has made eight appearances this season with an even 2.00 ERA and 2.47 FIP. It’s likely that he will return to the bigs at some point this season.

Roster Moves: Reds, Red Sox

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The Reds have placed reliever Alexis Diaz on the 15-day injured list, per Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). Diaz has arguably been the Reds most reliable reliever so far this season, logging 30 innings over 27 appearances with a 2.40 ERA/3.94 FIP. No corresponding roster move has yet been made, but the Reds did make another roster move today…

  • The Reds recalled right-hander Dauri Moreta and optioned TJ Friedl to Triple-A, per the team. Moreta, 25, made 15 appearances but was hit hard to the tune of a 9.88 ERA/9.21 FIP over 13 2/3 innings. He posted better results in Triple-A with a 4.05 ERA in 15 appearances spanning 13 1/3 innings.
  • The Red Sox have officially added James Norwood to the active roster, the team announced. They acquired the right-handed reliever yesterday from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations. Kutter Crawford was optioned to Triple-A to create the roster spot. Crawford, 26, has started a pair of games and pitched eight times in relief with a 6.41 ERA/5.17 FIP covering 19 2/3 innings of work.

 

Giants Activate Alex Cobb, Option Mauricio Llovera

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The Giants have activated Alex Cobb for his start today, as expected. In a corresponding move, Mauricio Llovera was optioned to Triple-A, per MLB.com’s Maria I. Guardado (via Twitter).

Cobb made eight starts at the start of the campaign but struggled in terms of his bottom-line numbers with a 5.73 ERA. He also, however, posted an impressive 2.73 FIP over that same time span. This tends to balance itself out over the long haul, but the discrepancy is especially apparent over a small 37 2/3 inning total.

Bottom line is that the results when Cobb took the hill haven’t been great thus far, but there are definitely some positive things to take away from Cobb’s start. One potential mitigating factor is the neck strain, and we can certainly speculate about how long Cobb might have been afflicted. After posting a 3.98 ERA/2.20 FIP over his first five starts (a total of 20 1/3 innings), Cobb hit a wall in his final three, where his ERA jumped to 7.79 ERA over those 17 1/3 innings. His FIP remained relatively stable at 3.14, even during those supposed clunkers.

The FIP likely takes into account a solid 19-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in those three starts. That’s a 25% strikeout rate and 5% walk rate, both of which are better than average for starters in 2022. But he also got clobbered in that time, yielding 24 hits and a pair of home runs as hitters slashed .338/.373/.493 on a .440 BABIP. That’s well above the .247/.315/.346 line on a .365 BABIP he was giving up in the five starts prior. If we just normalize that .440 BABIP down to .365 BABIP for those final three starts, the batting average against drops from .338 BA to .285 BA, and we can begin to see why FIP would think more highly of Cobb’s future.

Llovera, 26, made 11 appearances (one start), with a 4.66 ERA/4.69 FIP over 9 2/3 innings while serving up five hits and three walks against 10 strikeouts. He is in his first season with the Giants after signing as a free agent from the Phillies this past winter.

Blue Jays To Promote Max Castillo, Option Casey Lawrence

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The Blue Jays will promote right-handed pitching prospect Max Castillo today, optioning right-hander Casey Lawrence, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com (via Twitter). The Blue Jays will need to add Castillo to the 40-man roster, but they have an open spot after outrighting Bowden Francis yesterday.

Castillo will make his Major League debut whenever he first gets in a game. Signed out of Venezuela, the 23-year-old has been with the Blue Jays since the 2016 season. He made it to Triple-A for the first time this season, posting a 0.66 ERA in 27 1/3 innings. This came after putting up a 3.10 ERA over six starts (29 innings) in Double-A. Despite the gaudy numbers, Castillo wasn’t on MLB.com’s, Baseball America’s, or Fangraphs’ list of Blue Jays top 30 prospects. He profiles as a reliever, despite mostly starting games throughout his minor league career.

Lawrence, 34, made just three appearances for the Blue Jays in his first bit of big-league action since 2018 with the Mariners. For his career, he owns a 6.38 ERA/5.10 FIP over 86 career innings with the Jays and Mariners, dating back to his debut in 2017.

NL Notes: Bryant, Marte, Severino

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Kris Bryant is set to begin his rehab assignment on Tuesday, per Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette (via Twitter). The club hopes he’ll be ready to rejoin the team when they head to Minnesota, per MLB.com’s Thomas Harding (via Twitter). Bryant’s first season with the Rockies certainly hasn’t gone as planned. The 30-year-old left fielder has slashed .270/.342/.333 in a mere 73 plate appearances. Needless to say, the former MVP has yet to really make his impact felt on the last-place Rockies.

  • Ketel Marte suffered a grade 1 lateral hamstring strain, per MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert (via Twitter). Marte is day-t0-day for now. The Diamondbacks’ second baseman is hitting .269/.341/.435 over249 plate appearances this season. Unlike in years past, Marte has really been able to settle in at second base this season.
  • Pedro Severino began his rehab assignment playing first base, per The Athletic’s Will Sammon (via Twitter). The Brewers will have a bit of a logjam at catcher when Severino is ready. Victor Caratini and Omar Narvaez have both posted 0.9 rWAR while splitting time behind the dish for the Brewers. It’s not inconceivable that the team could carry three catchers, but doing so wouldn’t necessarily maximize their offense, even if Severino or Caratini spent time at first base.

Brewers Designate Lorenzo Cain For Assignment

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The Brewers have designated Lorenzo Cain for assignment. The move comes on the same day that he reached 10 years of MLB service time. Cain and the club came to a “mutual decision” about today’s roster move, per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com (via Twitter). Jonathan Davis was selected from Triple-A to take his roster spot, per the team.

Cain is one of the most respected players in the game, evidenced here by the Brewers’ willingness to wait until he reached 10 years of service time before the DFA. Cain’s second tour of duty with the Brewers was absolutely a success, despite this season’s struggles. The veteran center fielder was in the last year of the five-year contract he signed with the Brewers when he left Kansas City as a free agent. It’s not clear at this time what the future holds for Cain, but from his comments here, it did not sound like he would be quick to find another club.

This 10-year veteran owns a career .283/.343/.407 line through 4,758 career plate appearances with the Brewers and Royals. He was a key figure at the heart of the Royals’ World-Series-winning team back in 2015, a year in which he finished third in MVP voting. He is a two-time All-Star and a Gold Glove award winner. Though the Gold Glove that he won in 2019 was his only such award, he has long been considered a premier defender in center field.

This season, however, has not been Cain’s finest. He slashed just .179/.231/.234 over 156 plate appearances. This comes on the heels of a .257/.329/.401 effort in 2021 spelled the end for Cain in Milwaukee. Nonetheless, he has been a gigantic figure for this team over the Brewers’ run since 2018 when he joined the Brewers as a free agent on the same day that they traded for Christian Yelich. The two outfielders remade the Brewers into an NL Central contender.

Davis, 30, joins the club for this first look this season. The former Blue Jays and Yankees outfielder has hit .297/.408/.426 across 179 plate appearances in Triple-A this season. For his big league career, Davis owns a .171/.272/.248 slash line in 259 plate appearances spread out from 2018 to 2021 in Toronto and New York.

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