Russell Martin Announces Retirement
Four-time All-Star catcher Russell Martin officially announced his retirement on his Instagram page today. Martin thanked many people who helped support him throughout his career, and is now stepping away from the game after 14 MLB seasons’ worth of “timeless memories that I will cherish forever.”
A 17th-round pick for the Dodgers in the 2002 draft, Martin spent his first five Major League seasons and his final season (2019) in Dodger blue. In between his two stints in Los Angeles, Martin played two seasons apiece with the Yankees and Pirates, and four seasons playing the Blue Jays in his home country of Canada.
It didn’t take Martin long to make an impression, as he was a ninth-place finisher in NL Rookie of The Year voting in his 2006 debut season, and he then crushed the “sophomore slump” by winning a Gold Glove and a Silver Slugger Award in 2007. Martin also earned the first of his four All-Star nods that year, later returning to the Midsummer Classic in 2008, as a Yankee in 2011, and as a Blue Jay in 2015.
One of the sport’s better defenders and pitch-framers during his career, Martin would likely have captured more than one Gold Glove had he not spent so many of his prime years in the same league as Yadier Molina. Bringing some extra athleticism to the catcher position, Martin also saw some action elsewhere around the diamond during his career, appearing in 57 games at third base and making a handful of appearances at second base, shortstop, and both corner outfield slots.
Martin complemented his defense with some solid and occasionally excellent hitting, including his Silver Slugger year and a 2014 season with Pittsburgh that saw him hit .290/.402/.430 over 460 PA. That latter season was particularly timely for Martin since it came just before a trip into free agency, and the result was a five-year, $82MM deal that at the time was the second-biggest contract in Blue Jays history. It was the long-term payday that Martin had been seeking after a few underwhelming years, including an injury-marred 2010 season that led the Dodgers to non-tender him that fall.
Winning was a common element for Martin no matter where he went, as he appeared in the postseason in 10 of his 14 seasons. While none of Martin’s teams reached the World Series, he had his share of memorable playoff moments — perhaps most notably a (crowd-assisted) home run off Johnny Cueto as part of a two-homer game for Martin in the Pirates’ Wild Card game victory over the Reds in 2013.
As his career wound down, Martin did plan to play in 2020 and received a few offers from teams, but the pandemic seemed to scuttle any chances of the catcher returning for one final season. He’ll now hang up his cleats after hitting .248/.349/.397 (104 wRC+) with 191 home runs and 1416 hits over 1693 games and 6648 PA in the Show. Martin retires as an icon in Canadian baseball, as only Ferguson Jenkins, Larry Walker, and Joey Votto recorded more career bWAR amongst players born north of the border.
We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Martin on a terrific career, and we also congratulate his family on the impending arrival of a third child (as Martin announced in his Instagram post).
Dodgers Place Max Muncy On 10-Day IL, Select Kevin Pillar
The Dodgers have placed infielder Max Muncy on the 10-day injured list due to left elbow inflammation. Kevin Pillar‘s contract was selected from Triple-A to take Muncy’s spot on the active roster, and Los Angeles moved Tommy Kahnle to the 60-day IL to open up a 40-man place for Pillar. In another move, right-hander Michael Grove was called up to the active roster, while right-hander Ryan Pepiot was optioned to Triple-A.
Muncy knocked his elbow into a wall while chasing a foul ball on Wednesday, and he has missed the Dodgers’ last two games. However, Muncy’s elbow has been an ongoing concern since he partially tore his UCL in the final game of the 2021 regular season. Muncy opted against any type of surgery, but clearly hasn’t been his usual self at the dish, batting only .150/.327/.263 over his first 168 plate appearances.
“We all know he’s been grinding with the arm issue,” manager Dave Roberts told Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times and other reporters on Thursday. Roberts implied at the time that a IL stint would be necessary, saying “I’m going to give him some time off to kind of reset the arm…I don’t know if there’s an aggravation in there. But we just have to kind of temper back a little bit.”
Given the lingering nature of Muncy’s elbow problems, it seems likely that he’ll miss more than just the minimum 10 days, as both the infielder and the Dodgers surely want to make sure he’s properly ready before a return to action. It isn’t known if surgery is being considered as a possibility to correct the issue once and for all, as Muncy said back in March that he was told by doctors that surgery wasn’t necessary.
It is a testament to the Dodgers’ depth and overall quality that L.A. is still dominating the league without much contribution from such key players as Muncy, Justin Turner, Cody Bellinger, and with several pitchers (including Clayton Kershaw) on the injured list. However, for Los Angeles to capture another World Series title, they’ll surely need some help from some of these names come October.
Muncy has been mostly splitting time between second and third base. Turner and the hot-hitting Edwin Rios can handle third base, while Muncy’s absence could mean more time for Gavin Lux and Hanser Alberto at the keystone. Chris Taylor has been exclusively used as an outfielder this season, but the longtime utilityman figures to factor into the infield picture as well, especially with Pillar now on the roster to provide outfield depth.
A veteran of nine MLB seasons, Pillar hit .231/.277/.415 over 347 PA with the Mets last season, and both sides declined their ends of options on Pillar’s services for the 2023 season. Pillar had wait until after the lockout to find his next contract and had to settle for a minor league deal, but he’ll now receive a $2.5MM guaranteed salary for making the Dodgers’ active roster.
Pillar had two opportunities to opt out of his minors deal since the Dodgers hadn’t yet called him up to the majors, and a third opt-out date was set for June 1. Beyond the contractual details, Pillar was also doing a lot to force the Dodgers’ hand by ripping up Triple-A pitching — the outfielder has hit .315/.412/.622 over 153 PA with Oklahoma City this season. It’s probably safe to assume that Pillar (career 88 wRC+) won’t keep up that kind of production in the big leagues, but the Dodgers only need him to handle part-time outfield duty while they figure out the position player mix.
Injured List Transactions: Perez, Perdomo, McGee, Casali
The Royals reinstated catcher Salvador Perez from the 10-day injured list, and optioned catcher Sebastian Rivero to Triple-A in the corresponding move. Perez missed only 11 days while recovering from a sprained left thumb suffered in the first game of a doubleheader on May 17, and the short turnaround time led the Royals to place Perez on the IL in between the two games. Speaking with The Kansas City Star’s Lynn Worthy and other reporters, Perez said that he could be ready to resume catching duties tomorrow, as Perez will be in the DH role for today’s game with the Twins.
Following his huge 48-homer season in 2021, Perez has six homers and an underwhelming .206/.239/.397 slash line over 142 plate appearances to begin the 2022 campaign. Perez has been making some hard contact but with little to show for it, and the longtime Royals backstop hasn’t been helping his cause with one of the lowest walk rates of any hitter in the league.
More on other players coming and going from the injured list…
- The Brewers placed right-hander Luis Perdomo on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow effusion. Righty Miguel Sanchez was recalled from Triple-A to take Perdomo’s spot on the active roster. Milwaukee selected Perdomo’s contract earlier this month and he delivered a 1.74 ERA over 10 1/3 relief innings, but now faces another IL stint. Since Perdomo missed the entire 2021 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, another elbow problem seems ominous, but Brewers manager Craig Counsell told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Todd Rosiak and other reporters that the injury doesn’t appear to be too serious.
- The Giants reinstated left-hander Jake McGee from the 15-day injured list on Friday, though his actual return to the field was delayed by a clerical error. McGee was called into yesterday’s game during the eighth inning, except he couldn’t pitch after the Reds told the umpiring crew that McGee wasn’t listed on the Giants’ official pregame lineup card. As a result, Jose Alvarez was instead brought in to pitch, and Alvarez allowed two runs (one earned) to put the Giants into a deeper hole in an eventual 5-1 loss. While not the wildest thing to happen to the Reds and Giants on Friday, it was the latest odd twist in what has been a rough season for McGee, who posted a 9.58 ERA in 10 1/3 innings out of San Francisco’s bullpen before back tightness sidelined him on May 11.
- In another Giants move from today, the club reinstated catcher Curt Casali from the seven-day concussion IL and optioned Michael Papierski to Triple-A. Casali was thankfully able to return in a minimal amount of time after taking a foul tip off his mask during a May 20 game. This opened the door for Papierski to make his MLB debut, as the catcher appeared in five games while filling in for Casali.
Tommy Pham Suspended For Three Games Over Altercation With Joc Pederson
Reds outfielder Tommy Pham told reporters (including The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Charlie Goldsmith) that he has been issued a three-game suspension for an altercation with the Giants’ Joc Pederson prior to last night’s game. The suspension began with last night’s contest, so Pham will miss the entirety of the Reds’ series with San Francisco. The league has officially announced the suspension, adding that Pham has also been issued a fine.
The incident took place during Friday’s batting practice, with Pederson telling reporters (including John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle) that Pham approached Pederson in the outfield and eventually slapped him across the face during the confrontation. Adding to the bizarre nature of the situation, Pederson said Pham was upset over a past dispute in a fantasy football league from over a year ago, based on what players were or weren’t allowed to be placed on the injured reserve list as per the fantasy league’s rules.
Pham had a different take, saying that he took issue both with Pederson’s fantasy football actions and also some “disrespectful” comments Pederson allegedly made about the Padres, Pham’s former team.
“I didn’t like that, and I didn’t like the sketchy shit going on in the fantasy league. We’ve got too much money on the line, and I look at it like there’s a code,” Pham said.
The Reds initially had Pham in their starting lineup on Friday, though while the game was delayed for over two hours due to weather, Pham was scratched from the lineup. Pham said that during the delay, he was “getting pressured from MLB” as part of the league’s investigation into the incident, and he agreed to a three-game suspension for the duration of the series with the Giants.
Athletics Designate Justin Grimm, Select Austin Pruitt
The Athletics announced that right-hander Justin Grimm has been designated for assignment. Right-hander Austin Pruitt‘s contract has been selected from Triple-A, and Pruitt will replace Grimm on the active roster.
After signing a minor league contract with the A’s during the winter, Grimm made the Opening Day roster and posted a 4.11 ERA, 15.5% strikeout rate, and 9.9% walk rate over 15 1/3 innings out of Oakland’s bullpen. While an unspectacular stat line, it did represent a big step up for Grimm after he posted a 7.33 ERA over 77 1/3 innings from 2017-2020. Grimm didn’t pitch in the majors at all in 2019 or 2021, and in between tossed only 4 2/3 MLB innings with the Brewers in 2020.
Should Grimm clear DFA waivers, he could opt to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A and remain in the Athletics organization. If not, the 33-year-old will hit the open market once more and look for another landing spot in his ninth Major League season. Grimm spent parts of five of those seasons pitching with the Cubs, at times providing some very solid relief out of Chicago’s bullpen, and he was part of the 2016 World Series championship team.
Pruitt was another minor league signing, and he’ll now get another opportunity in the Show after tossing 7 1/3 combined innings with the Astros and Marlins in 2021. A fractured elbow sidelined Pruitt for the entire 2020 season and half of the 2021 season, but he has performed well with Triple-A Las Vegas this year, with a 3.27 ERA and a 20-to-2 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 22 frames of relief work.
The A’s might simply see more upside in Pruitt than in Grimm going forward, plus Pruitt also brings some length as a swingman, long reliever, or piggyback starter. Pruitt made 10 starts over his 67 appearances with the Rays from 2017-19.
Cardinals Release T.J. Zeuch
TODAY: Zeuch has been released, the Cardinals announced.
MAY 21: The Cardinals announced a handful of roster moves prior to tonight’s game. Left-hander Matthew Liberatore, whose imminent promotion was reported yesterday, has now officially had his contract selected. To make room on the active roster, righty Jake Walsh has been optioned to Triple-A Memphis. Fellow righty T.J. Zeuch has been designated for assignment to open up a spot for Liberatore on the 40-man roster.
The Blue Jays selected Zeuch 21st overall in the 2016 draft, with Zeuch then landing at #8 among Toronto prospects the next year, according to Baseball America. However, his prospect stock faded as he climbed the ranks of the minors, dropping to #12 in the system in 2018 and #24 in 2019. BA’s reports on Zeuch noted that his primary pitch, a sinker, was good at generating ground balls, but that Zeuch lacked a strikeout pitch, as his curveball and slider were mediocre.
Those reports have largely proved astute as Zeuch has faced more talented hitters. Over 2019-2021 with the Blue Jays, he threw 49 innings at the big league level, generating worm burners at a decent 50.9% clip but a paltry 14.1% strikeout rate. The blue birds designated him for assignment in July of last year and traded him to the red birds for cash considerations.
After the trade last year, Zeuch threw 38 1/3 innings for Memphis with a 4.93 ERA, 65.7% grounder rate and 21.6% strikeout rate. Unfortunately, things have soured so far this year, as Zeuch has an unsightly 11.64 ERA through 19 1/3 frames. He hasn’t even been getting ground balls at his customary pace, slipping to 36.8%.
The Cardinals will now have a week to trade him or expose him to waivers. It’s possible that a team in need of pitching depth could write off this year’s struggles as a small sample blip and take a shot on him, given his former first-round pedigree. He’s still just 26 years old and is in his final option year, meaning he could be stashed in Triple-A for emergencies.
Orioles Designate Jahmai Jones, Select Cody Sedlock
The Orioles announced a series of roster moves prior to today’s doubleheader with the Red Sox, including the news that right-hander Cody Sedlock‘s contract has been selected from Triple-A. Infielder Jahmai Jones was designated for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster, and righty Beau Sulser was optioned to Triple-A. Additionally, right-hander Denyi Reyes was also called up as the 27th man for the doubleheader.
Jones is headed for DFA limbo just a day after the Orioles announced that the infielder underwent Tommy John surgery. Jones became injured while in the minors, and thus couldn’t be moved to the 60-day injured list unless the O’s officially added him to the big league roster. In designating him for assignment, the Orioles could simply be looking to remove Jones from their 40-man roster without that official call-up, and the team is betting that another club won’t make a claim on Jones given that he’ll miss the rest of the season recovering.
This will be the first Major League opportunity for Sedlock, who was selected with the 27th overall pick of the 2016 draft. Sedlock’s progress was slowed by elbow and shoulder problems, as well as thoracic outlet syndrome, though Sedlock was able to avoid TOS surgery. Between injuries and the canceled 2020 minor league season, Sedlock has only 371 1/3 innings under his belt over parts of six professional seasons.
Making his Triple-A debut in 2021 and continuing with Norfolk this season, Sedlock has only a 5.13 ERA over 59 2/3 innings, with a 25.75% strikeout rate and 9.1% walk rate. Working mostly as a starter throughout his career, Sedlock could be used as a swingman or long reliever in Baltimore, depending on how the Orioles choose to juggle their pitching mix as the team navigates a busy stretch of the schedule.
Rockies Select Chad Smith
The Rockies have selected the contract of right-hander Chad Smith, The Denver Gazette’s Danielle Allentuck reports (Twitter links). In corresponding moves, left-hander Helcris Olivarez was moved to the 60-day injured list due to a shoulder strain, while righty Ashton Goudeau was optioned to Triple-A. Goudeau’s transaction is just an on-paper move, however, as Allentuck notes that Goudeau will act as the 27th man for the Rockies’ doubleheader with the Nationals today.
Not to be confused with the Chad Smith who used to pitch with the Tigers and Athletics, this Smith was an 11th-round pick for the Marlins in the 2016 draft, and was acquired by the Rockies in exchange for Jesus Tinoco back in August 2020. Just a few days shy of his 27th birthday, Smith is now set to make his Major League debut.
Over two seasons with Triple-A Albuquerque, Smith has an impressive 2.58 ERA and 28.9% strikeout rate over 52 1/3 relief innings in 2021-22. After battling control problems for much of his pro career, Smith has shown very good improvement this season with only a 6.9% walk rate over his 19 frames of work. If Smith has been able to harness his command, he could be a very intriguing reliever to watch, given his velocity, ability to miss bats, and his ability to induce grounders (averaging over a 60% groundball rate during his minor league career).
Red Sox Announce Several Roster Moves
The Red Sox announced a set of roster moves prior to their doubleheader with the Orioles today, and as expected, right-hander Josh Winckowski was added to the roster as the 27th man. Winckowski is slated to make his Major League debut when he starts the second game of the doubleheader. In other moves, Hansel Robles was placed on the 15-day injured list, and Hirokazu Sawamura was optioned to Triple-A Worcester, while right-handers Ryan Brasier and Phillips Valdez were called up from Triple-A.
Robles is battling back spasms and hasn’t pitched since May 22 (his IL placement is retroactive to the 25th). In an inconsistent season for the Red Sox bullpen, Robles has emerged as a closer candidate, recording two saves and recording a 2.65 ERA over 17 innings of work. However, the secondary metrics aren’t impressed with Robles’ work — his strikeout rate is only 16.2%, and Robles has benefited from a .188 BABIP.
Sawamura has a solid 3.60 ERA over 15 innings this year, and his demotion is likely less a reflection of his performance than it is about restocking the bullpen with some fresher arms. After pitching in three of the last four days, Sawamura will likely get a short breather in Triple-A before being called back up to Boston in a few days’ time. Brasier (6.28 ERA) and Valdez (6.10) have each struggled at the big league level this year, and will get another chance to turn things around as the Sox continue to look for reliability late in games.
Braves Promote Michael Harris II
The Braves have selected the contract of top outfield prospect Michael Harris II, Justin Toscano of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. Harris will be taking the place of outfielder Travis Demeritte, who was optioned to Triple-A after last night’s game.
It’s an aggressive and somewhat surprising promotion on the Braves’ part, as the 21-year-old Harris has yet to play even in Triple-A ball. However, Harris could be seen as a center field upgrade immediately, as Adam Duvall has hit only .191/.263/.274 over 175 plate appearances. At the very least, the switch-hitting Harris will be sharing time with the right-handed hitting Duvall, though it seems likely that the Braves wouldn’t have called Harris up if they weren’t planning on playing the youngster every day.
Atlanta’s outfield has largely struggled all season, with the notable exception of Ronald Acuna Jr. since his return from the injured list. However, Acuna has missed time with a quad strain over the last few days, and while Acuna was able to pinch-hit last night, the Braves figure to be cautious with their superstar until he is closer to 100 percent.
This provides an opportunity for Harris to give the outfield mix a shot in the arm, and it represents the latest step in what has been a rather quick rise to prominence. A local product born in DeKalb, Georgia, Harris was a third-round pick for the Braves in the 2019 draft, and he had only an okay rookie season before sitting out in 2020 due to the canceled minor league season.
Upon returning to the field, Harris suddenly blossomed, hitting .294/.362/.436 over 420 PA for the Braves’ High-A affiliate, and also hitting seven homers and stealing 27 bases out of 31 chances. This breakout put him on the radar of prospect evaluators, with Baseball America listing Harris as the 46th-best prospect in baseball in their preseason rankings (Baseball Prospectus ranked him 58th, The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked him 61st, and MLB Pipeline ranked him 65st).
Defensively, Harris has played mostly as a center fielder, and received plus grades for his glovework and his throwing arm. (The latter is no surprise, as Harris was also a highly-touted pitcher in high school.) As per Pipeline’s scouting report, Harris was voted the best defensive outfielder in the High-A East league by rival managers.
At the plate, Harris hit exclusively as a left-handed batter in 2021 before returning to switch-hitting this season in Double-A. Harris has been prone to chasing pitches, but improved on that problem as the 2021 season went on, cutting back on his strikeouts while improving his on-base numbers. While Harris has posted big BABIP numbers over the last two seasons, those totals speak to both some good fortune and his plus speed, which allows him to beat out grounders.
Harris hit .305/.372/.506 with five homers and 11 steals (in 14 chances) over 196 PA at the Double-A level, leaving no doubt that his 2021 performance was for real. It was enough to convince Atlanta that Harris is ready for The Show, and yet as always with prospects, it shouldn’t be assumed that Harris will immediately play well in his first taste of the majors.
It could be that the Braves might eventually send Harris down to Triple-A if he struggles, which would halt his MLB service clock. If Harris does stay up, he likely won’t bank enough service time to make him a Super Two candidate (and thus earn a fourth year of arbitration eligibility). Players like Seiya Suzuki and MacKenzie Gore have an early lead in the race to be NL Rookie Of The Year, though there’s plenty of time for Harris to make a late charge, which would benefit both Harris and the Braves via the new Prospect Promotion Incentive plan.