Athletics Outright Austin Allen
Catcher Austin Allen has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas, the Athletics announced. He will remain with the organization but will no longer occupy a spot on the 40-man roster.
Allen originally had his contract selected for the first time when he was a Padre, before the 2019 season. He saw limited big league action that year and then was traded to Oakland as part of the Jurickson Profar deal. He’s appeared in the majors in four seasons now, but only has 57 games on his ledger, hitting .195/.252/.288 in that time.
Having exhausted his option years, Allen could no longer be sent to the minors without clearing waivers first. It seemed possible that a team in need of some help behind the plate could have taken a shot on him, given his .323/.365/.623 line in Triple-A for his career. Instead, he will have to return to that level and try to earn his way back into a roster spot, as he didn’t have the requisite service time to reject an outright assignment.
For the A’s, their catching corps now consists of Sean Murphy and Christian Bethancourt at the big league level. Should either of those two get hurt, Allen will be available as depth. Stephen Vogt is also on the injured list and could re-enter the mix at some point. A’s fans will also be looking forward to the eventual promotion of prospect Shea Langeliers. Acquired in the Matt Olson trade, Langeliers is off to a booming start with his new organization. In 22 Triple-A games this year, he’s hit 10 home runs and is slashing .325/.432/.738 overall, producing a 187 wRC+.
Giants Outright Jason Krizan, Activate Mike Yastrzemski
The Giants informed reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle) that outfielder Jason Krizan has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento. The Giants also activated Mike Yastrzemski from the COVID-19 injured list. San Francisco’s 40-man roster now sits at 39, although they still have three players on the COVID IL who don’t currently count against that tally.
Krizan was selected last week when the Giants lost both Brandon Belt and Dominic Leone to the COVID list. While it came under unfortunate circumstances, it marked a heart-warming culmination of a long journey for the lefty-hitting outfielder. Krizan has played in parts of 11 minor league seasons, and his perseverance was rewarded with an MLB debut a bit shy of his 33rd birthday.
Unsurprisingly, Krizan’s stay on the major league roster proved brief this time around. He appeared in three games and collected his first hit (a single off the Nationals’ Josiah Gray) in eight at-bats. He’ll rejoin the River Cats, where he’s hitting .224/.350/.347 in 60 plate appearances this year, and try to work his way back to the majors.
San Francisco also announced they’ve signed left-hander Darien Núñez to a minor league contract (via Slusser). The Giants claimed Núñez off release waivers from the Dodgers last week. He had just undergone Tommy John surgery and won’t return until some point in 2023. The Giants quickly released him themselves but brought him back on a deal that won’t require dedicating him a 40-man roster spot or paying him a major league salary while he rehabs. Núñez appeared in six major league games with L.A. last season.
Yastrzemski got off to a decent start before landing on the shelf, hitting .267/.340/.356 through his first 50 plate appearances. He’ll slot right back into the lineup, starting in right field and hitting sixth tonight against Dodger starter Tony Gonsolin.
Reds Select Albert Almora, Ronnie Dawson
The Reds announced this evening that outfielders Nick Senzel and Tyler Naquin have been placed on the COVID-19 injured list. Fellow outfielders Albert Almora Jr. and Ronnie Dawson have been selected to the majors as designated COVID substitutes.
It’s the second time this season that both Senzel and Naquin have gone on the virus list. They join first baseman Joey Votto, who hit the COVID list yesterday. The team didn’t announce whether either player has tested positive, is dealing with symptoms, or has been identified as a close contact.
That the team specified Almora’s and Dawson’s selections as being of the “substitute” variety is notable for their roster status. Under the 2022 health and safety protocols, the commissioner’s office has the sole discretion to determine whether a team has been sufficiently impacted by COVID to call up “substitute” players. If granted permission, the team can then return those substitutes back to Triple-A (and, if he was not previously on the 40-man, off the roster entirely) without utilizing a minor league option or passing the player through waivers.
Neither Almora nor Dawson were previously on the 40-man roster. Almora inked a minor league contract over the offseason, while the Reds plucked Dawson from the Astros in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 draft. Both players can thus be taken off the 40-man and returned to Triple-A Louisville without clearing waivers as the team gets healthier.
Almora is the more familiar name for most fans. A top ten pick of the Cubs in 2012, he spent a few seasons as Chicago’s primary center fielder. Almora played strong defense and hit at a roughly league average level for his first couple years in the majors, but his offensive output turned downwards beginning in 2019. He played in 47 games but only tallied 54 plate appearances for the Mets last season. He has gotten off to a productive if atypical start at Louisville, hitting .380/.392/.460. Almora has walked just once in 51 plate appearances, but he’s also only punched out twice.
Dawson is an Ohio native who played collegiately at Ohio State. He made a brief debut with Houston last season, tallying six plate appearances in three games. The 26-year-old is hitting .283/.377/.435 over 106 plate appearances with the Bats. He has suited up at all three outfield positions but spent the majority of his time in the corners.
NL East Notes: Bassitt, Harper, Marlins, Meyer, Ramirez
Both Chris Bassitt and Mets GM Billy Eppler declined to comment on whether any contract extension talks had taken place between the two sides, though a source tells The New York Post’s Joel Sherman that “nothing has been explored yet.” Since Bassitt is slated to become a free agent after the season, it would be a little surprising to see him sign an extension before testing the market for the first time, particularly since the righty is building a strong case for a pricey multi-year contract this winter. Over his first 31 innings in a Mets uniform, Bassitt has a 2.61 ERA, 28.1% strikeout rate, and 6.6% walk rate.
Locking up Bassitt would help the Mets solidify their 2023 rotation, as Jacob deGrom, Carlos Carrasco, and Taijuan Walker could all be free agents this winter. An extension would also allow Bassitt and the team to avoid the shorter-term problem of an arbitration hearing set for May 23. While this could be the 33-year-old Bassitt’s best (or only) chance to sign a big multi-year deal, he might prefer to just stay in New York if the Mets were to offer him such a deal right now, and the Mets have certainly shown they’re willing to spend for premium talent. For his part, Bassitt said that he has enjoyed pitching for the Mets and that he’d be open to extension talks.
More from around the NL East…
- Bryce Harper has been bothered by a mild right elbow strain for several weeks now, though MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki tweets that “nothing really has changed” following Harper’s latest visit with a team doctor. It isn’t known when Harper will try throwing again, so the reigning NL MVP will continue to serve as the Phillies‘ designated hitter. Harper hasn’t played right field since April 16, but has still been productive (.288/.307/.542 with three home runs) over 62 plate appearances as a DH-only player.
- Elieser Hernandez allowed five earned runs in four innings against the Diamondbacks today, boosting the struggling Marlins right-hander’s ERA to 6.66 over 24 1/3 innings this season. This outing won’t end speculation about whether the Marlins could promote top prospect Max Meyer to replace Hernandez in the rotation, and Barry Jackson and Craig Mish of The Miami Herald write that the Fish are likelier to use Meyer as a starter than as a reliever whenever Meyer gets the call for his MLB debut. “The organization still is a big believer in Hernandez,” according to Jackson/Mish, but that doesn’t mean the Marlins couldn’t opt to move Hernandez to the pen to accommodate Meyer. A trade also can’t be ruled out, since Hernandez has drawn interest from other teams in the past. For now, Meyer could be Miami’s top choice for an immediate rotation fill-in, since Braxton Garrett, Edward Cabrera, and Sixto Sanchez are all rehabbing injuries.
- Also from Jackson and Mish, the Marlins were among the teams who talked with the Guardians about a possible Jose Ramirez trade prior to Ramirez’s new contract extension. “No serious discussions took place” between Cleveland and Miami, and it was known that the Guards were asking for a huge return in any deal. The Marlins’ young pitching depth arguably made them one of the teams that could have realistically met the Guardians’ big asking price, though it’s all a moot point now that Ramirez has been extended.
Mariners Sign Fernando Abad To Minors Contract
The Mariners have signed left-hander Fernando Abad, as announced earlier today by Saraperos De Saltillo, Abad’s Mexican League club. It appears to be a minor league contract, as Triple-A Tacoma broadcaster Mike Curto reported that Abad will pitch for the affiliate tonight.
After not landing a contract with an MLB club over the offseason, Abad’s 2.25 ERA over four innings of Mexican League action was enough to get the Mariners’ attention. Anthony Misiewicz is the only left-hander in Seattle’s current bullpen, so there’s some opportunity for Abad to win a job if he performs well at Triple-A.
The 36-year-old Abad has suited up for seven different teams over his 10 MLB seasons, plus some stints in independent ball as well as the Mexican League. There have been plenty of ups and down over Abad’s long career, but he has generally been a pretty solid bullpen arm, able to deliver good results against both left-handed and right-handed batters.
Despite a lack of velocity and big strikeout totals, Abad has a 3.77 ERA over 348 1/3 career innings in the bigs. However, only 30 2/3 of those frames have come over the last four seasons, as Abad didn’t see any MLB action in either 2018 or 2020. Most recently, he posted a 5.60 ERA over 17 2/3 innings with the Orioles last season.
Orioles’ Chris Ellis Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery
Orioles right-hander Chris Ellis will miss the rest of the 2022 season after undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery today, manager Brandon Hyde told reporters (including The Baltimore Sun’s Andy Kostka). Dr. Keith Meister performed Ellis’ surgery today in Arlington.
It’s a rough outcome for Ellis, as arthroscopic procedures usually take the form of “clean-up” procedures, or at least less-serious types of surgeries that can allow a pitcher to return after perhaps 2-3 months, depending on the situation. In this case, however, there was obviously enough wrong with Ellis’ shoulder to require a lengthy recovery period. Ellis was also placed on the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation late last season, so it could be that his injury has lingered for some time.
Ellis elected free agency after being outrighted off Baltimore’s 40-man roster last year, and he re-signed with the club on a new minor league deal in mid-March. The O’s selected the righty’s contract on April 19 and he made two starts that differed wildly in quality. After tossing 4 1/3 shutout innings against the Athletics on April 19, Ellis didn’t record a single out while allowing five earned runs to the Angels on April 24. That latter start saw Ellis removed from the game in the first inning due to shoulder problems, and he was placed on the IL two days later with what was termed as shoulder inflammation.
The 29-year-old Ellis has a 3.12 ERA over 34 2/3 career innings in the majors, pitching in parts of the 2019, 2021, and 2022 seasons with the Royals, Rays, and Orioles. (Ellis didn’t pitch in 2020 due to the canceled minor league season.) He has bounced around to several other organizations during his eight pro seasons, and was part of the trade package sent by the Angels to the Braves in the Andrelton Simmons trade back in November 2015. Ellis had only 62 official days of Major League service time prior to the 2022 season, and he’ll continue to amass more service time once the Orioles place him on their 60-day injured list.
Blue Jays Select Casey Lawrence, Designate Gosuke Katoh
The Blue Jays have selected the contract of right-hander Casey Lawrence and designated infielder Gosuke Katoh for assignment. In another corresponding move, left-hander Andrew Vasquez was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
Lawrence is now on the verge of his first appearance in The Show since the 2018 season. The righty posted a 6.64 ERA over 78 2/3 innings with the Blue Jays and Mariners in 2017-18, and after being let go by the Mariners following that 2018 campaign, Lawrence pitched in Japan in 2019 and inked a minors deal with the Twins prior to the 2020 season, but ended up not pitching at all due to the canceled minor league season.
Lawrence returned to the Jays on another minors deal in 2021 and he has posted some solid numbers with Triple-A Buffalo as a starter and reliever for the last two seasons. He’ll most likely work out of Toronto’s bullpen as a long man, though he could provide some extra depth behind Ross Stripling and Yusei Kikuchi. Normally a swingman, Stripling has been filling in for the injured Hyun Jin Ryu, while Kikuchi has been inconsistent thus far in the 2022 season.
A longtime member of the Yankees farm system, Katoh bounced around to the Marlins, Padres, and Blue Jays on minor league contracts over the last three seasons before finally getting his first MLB opportunity this season with Toronto. Katoh had only one hit over 11 PA but he also walked three times and scored two runs while playing some first base and second base.
Nationals Claim Cory Abbott, Move Sean Doolittle To 60-Day IL
The Nationals announced that right-hander Cory Abbott has been claimed off outright waivers from the Giants. Abbott has been optioned to Triple-A, and left-hander Sean Doolittle has been moved to the 60-day injured list to create a 40-man roster spot. Abbott is changing teams for the second time in two weeks, as San Francisco only acquired him from the Cubs (for cash considerations) on April 21 after Chicago had previously designated Abbott for assignment.
A second-round pick for the Cubs in the 2017 draft, Abbott has pitched at the Triple-A level over the last two seasons and not gotten great results, with only a 5.82 ERA over 102 innings for Triple-A Iowa. Abbott has a 29.56% strikeout rate in Triple-A ball, but he has also struggled with his control and particularly with the home run ball. The righty has allowed an ungainly 22 homers over his 102 innings in Iowa.
Still, given Abbott’s draft pedigree and his ability to miss bats, it isn’t surprising that multiple teams have now shown an interest in his services. Abbott has worked exclusively as a starter in the minors and made one start during his seven-game cup of coffee with the Cubs in 2021 — he posted a 6.75 ERA over his only 17 1/3 innings in the majors to date.
Given the lack of production from the Nationals rotation this season, D.C. might consider Abbott as either a depth option or even as a candidate to make some starts. Abbott could get a nod over Joan Adon or Aaron Sanchez, as the Nats continue to try and tread water until Stephen Strasburg and Joe Ross are back from the injured list.
Doolittle’s status is also cause for concern, as he’ll now be sidelined until at least late June. Washington placed Doolittle on the 10-day IL on April 20 with a left elbow sprain, and it was already known at the time that Doolittle would be missing more than just 10 days. The former All-Star is trying to get back on track after a couple of down seasons, and was off to a great start in 2022, tossing 5 1/3 shutout innings with only a single hit allowed over his first six appearances.
Reds Claim Robert Dugger From Rays
The Reds have claimed right-hander Robert Dugger off waivers from the Rays. Tampa Bay designated Dugger for assignment on Monday.
After signing a minor league deal with the Rays during Spring Training, Dugger’s tenure with the club will end after a single game. The Rays selected Dugger’s contract on May 1 and he tossed 5 1/3 innings of relief work after starter Josh Fleming was hit hard in a 9-3 loss to the Twins.
Dugger has now made at least one appearance in each of the last four MLB seasons, albeit in sparing fashion — he has pitched 76 innings over 24 total games with the Marlins, Mariners, and Rays. Dugger started 12 of those games and has primarily worked as a starter throughout his minor league career, so he automatically becomes a rotation candidate for a Reds team that has been plagued with injuries.
Luis Castillo, Mike Minor, and Nick Lodolo are all still working their way back from the IL, so in the interim, Dugger could potentially start for Cincinnati as early as Saturday, when the Reds host the Pirates in a doubleheader. The struggling Reds don’t have another off-day until May 16, so some arms will be needed to eat innings until some of the regular starters return from the injured list.
Royals Place Carlos Santana On 10-Day Injured List
First baseman Carlos Santana has been placed on the Royals’ 10-day injured list due to right ankle bursitis. Emmanuel Rivera was called up from Triple-A to take Santana’s spot on the active roster.
Kansas City manager Mike Matheny told reporters (including MLB.com’s Anne Rogers) that Santana suffered the injury while running the bases in Monday’s game, and continued soreness caused Santana to be a late scratch from Tuesday’s lineup. No specific timeline was suggested for Santana’s return, but he might not be out of action too far beyond the 10-day minimum.
While it seems as though Santana has escaped a serious injury, the absence is still unlucky, as Rogers notes that Santana has finally started to produce at the plate. The veteran slugger’s four-game hitting streak is pretty modest, yet it still stands out as a positive sign after Santana hit only .104/.307/.188 over his first 62 plate appearances. After signing a two-year, $17.5MM free agent deal with the Royals in the 2020-21 offseason, Santana has still yet to get on track in a K.C. uniform, as he struggled through an injury-hampered 2021 campaign.
Hunter Dozier or Ryan O’Hearn are probably the likeliest candidates to fill in at first base during Santana’s absence. Top prospect Nick Pratto is hitting pretty well at Triple-A, though the Royals might not call Pratto up and start his MLB service clock if Santana is only going to miss a couple of weeks.