Blake Snell Slated To Return Next Week
Rays lefty and reigning American League Cy Young winner Blake Snell is scheduled to return to action next week, he tells reporters including Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). Snell will take the ball on Tuesday with the expectation of throwing about three innings.
Snell last appeared in late July, at which time he was sidelined with loose bodies in his pitching elbow. He has been working back since undergoing surgery to alleviate the issue. The absence has been a bit longer than initially anticipated.
It’s great news for the Rays, who’ll allow Snell to get his competitive rehab work in at the MLB level. There aren’t any more Triple-A games for Snell to appear in. And the Rays’ adaptable pitching staff is accustomed to covering for short starts and bulk appearances.
Snell will join righty Tyler Glasnow in returning with partial availability. Unlike Glasnow, who had been firmly on the rise when he hit the shelf, Snell had taken a step back early in the season. Through 101 innings over his twenty starts to this point, Snell carries a 4.28 ERA.
That said, the Tampa Bay organization has every reason to believe that Snell can get back to being the monster he was in 2018. He had been much the same pitcher by most measures — if not better. He maintained a 3.1 BB/9 walk rate while raising his strikeout game (12.1 K/9, 17.8% swinging-strike rate) and lowering his xwOBA (.263).
There isn’t much time left for Snell to build up his pitch count. He’ll be able to make three total outings before the end of the regular season, so it’s reasonable to presume he’ll still be climbing northward come crunch time. But he’d likely be nearing full availability. And if he goes every fifth day, Snell will be on turn to start the Wild Card game.
Athletics Release Chris Herrmann
The Athletics announced today that catcher Chris Herrmann was released. He had rejected an outright assignment after clearing release waivers.
Herrmann was dropped from the MLB roster recently when the A’s decided to add backstop Beau Taylor. The club preferred the long-time minor-leaguer, who has a notable amount of experience with some of the organization’s recently promoted young pitchers.
While Herrmann was and is earning at a $1MM rate this year, the Oakland org wasn’t getting what it had hoped for out of the 31-year-old. He drew that deal after a strong offensive showing last season, but was slashing just .202/.280/.274 in 94 plate appearances this year before being cut loose.
Indians Designate Josh Smith
The Indians have designated lefty Josh Smith for assignment, per MLB.com’s Mandy Bell (via Twitter). That’s the corresponding move for the club’s already announced promotion of James Karinchak.
Smith seemingly found another gear at 29 years of age. The long-time minor-leaguer earned his first MLB call-up after racking up a 74:24 K/BB ratio in 52 2/3 innings at Triple-A.
Unfortunately, the walks also piled up in Smith’s brief big-league showing. Over 8 1/3 frames, he struck out a dozen batters but also doled out eight free passes and recorded a lowly 7.5% swinging-strike rate.
Pirates Claim Williams Jerez
The Pirates have claimed southpaw Williams Jerez off waivers from the Giants, per a club announcement. Righty Kyle Crick — another former Giant who was injured recently in memorable fashion — was moved to the 60-day injured list to create roster space.
Jerez had been designated for assignment after a brief MLB showing with the San Francisco club, during which he walked six hitters over six innings. He had earned the promotion with a promising showing at the Triple-A level. In 56 innings on the year, Jerez carried a 3.86 ERA with 9.8 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9. He limited left-handed hitters to a paltry .174/.260/.314 collective batting line.
The Bucs will utilize Jerez in the majors late in 2019, the team has announced. He’ll have an opportunity to stake a claim to holding a 40-man spot throughout the winter. Ironically, he’ll also join Chris Stratton in Pittsburgh after being dealt for him late in Spring Training, as Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group notes on Twitter.
Indians Recall Bradley Zimmer
2:11pm: This move is now official.
12:16pm: The Indians are “expected” to recall outfielder Bradley Zimmer from Triple-A Columbus, tweets Zack Meisel of The Athletic. He’ll join righty James Karinchak as a late September call-up for an Indians club that is hosting the division-leading Twins for a pivotal three-game series this weekend. Cleveland currently trails Minnesota by 3.5 games.
It’ll be the first time that Zimmer, 26, has been on the active Major League roster since last June, when he incurred a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery and an eight- to 12-month recovery timetable. The 2014 first-round pick has played in 15 minor league games, including an impressive .364/.440/.636 run in six games with Columbus.
Zimmer debuted to great fanfare with the 2017 Indians. Heralded as a top prospect for most of the interim between that 2014 draft and his MLB debut, he announced his presence with a .308/.388/.518 slash through his first 100 plate appearances before fading badly with greater exposure to MLB pitching. Over his final 229 plate appearances that season, Zimmer hit .212/.271/.327 and struck out at a 30.5 percent clip. He couldn’t snap out of that funk in 2018, either, hitting .226/.281/.330 through 114 plate appearances prior to injuring his shoulder.
Zimmer returns to a vastly different outfield mix than the one he left. At the time of his injury, none of Oscar Mercado, Franmil Reyes, Yasiel Puig, Jake Bauers or Jordan Luplow were even in the organization. And while Puig is a free agent at season’s end, the rest of that group is controllable for the foreseeable future. That’s also true of speedster Greg Allen and the currently injured Tyler Naquin, which further complicates Zimmer’s path back to a prominent role with the team. He’s likely to be utilized in a limited capacity down the stretch, given that glut of outfield options, so he may have a difficult time making an impression on the club’s decision-makers this month. Zimmer does have a minor league option remaining beyond the 2019 season, so the club can send him to Triple-A next spring if that’s determined to be the best course of action.
Dodgers Activate Max Muncy
The Dodgers announced that they have activated infielder Max Muncy from the injured list. He had been sidelined with a fractured wrist.
Fortunately, the injury ended up requiring only a brief absence. While the Dodgers will likely take it slow with the 29-year-old slugger upon his return, there’s obviously no concern that he’s at risk of further injury.
The Los Angeles organization will spend the next two weeks firming up its postseason roster plans and getting the right amount of reps to the right players. Muncy hasn’t been sidelined for long, but he’ll obviously want to get plenty of looks at big-league pitching to prepare for what is hoped to be a deep playoff run.
Muncy hasn’t been quite as awesome this year as he was in his stunning 2018 breakout campaign, but he has remained a top-end offensive player. Through 534 plate appearances, Muncy carries a .253/.375/.525 batting line with 33 home runs.
MLBTR Chat Transcript
Click here to read a transcript of Friday’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
AL East Notes: Alford, Orioles, Chacin
Longtime Blue Jays prospect Anthony Alford will be out of options next spring, increasing his urgency to make an impression with the club, Laura Armstrong of the Toronto Star writes. That said, opportunities in a crowded Toronto outfield aren’t necessarily easy to come by. Manager Charlie Montoyo said this week that he plans to “try to play him just like anybody else,” Armstrong notes, but the sheer volume of outfielders will inherently limit Alford’s time on the field.
The Jays also have Teoscar Hernandez, Derek Fisher, Billy McKinney and Jonathan Davis vying for playing time in addition to Randal Grichuk, who signed a five-year contract earlier this year. Furthermore, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. could soon return the injured list. Alford has seen time in parts of three seasons but still has just 24 games in the Majors to his credit — during which he has not been productive. The former two-sport star also slashed a rather lackluster .259/.343/.411 in Triple-A this season. Injuries and his time in football have played a role in limiting Alford’s development, who indeed needs to make a favorable impression at the MLB level sooner rather than later.
More from the AL East…
- The Orioles, too, are trying to evaluate their long-term outfield mix by getting as looks at Austin Hays, DJ Stewart and Mason Williams this month, as explored by MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko. The club views Hays as a potential opening day center field candidate next season, Kubatko notes. Hays made his MLB debut as a 21-year-old in 2017 but played only about a half season’s worth of games in 2018 and 2019, thanks in part to a fractured ankle that required surgery. Prior to his debut, Hays was one of the fastest-rising prospects in all of baseball, and it seems the organization hasn’t soured on him even after a regime change in the front office. Kubatko adds that the Orioles would like to keep Williams, a former top prospect with the Yankees, in the organization this offseason, so it seems he’ll have a chance to stick on the 40-man roster. Stewart, meanwhile, posted big numbers in Triple-A but was also limited by ankle and concussion issues. Beyond that, GM Mike Elias spoke to Kubatko about the difficulty of evaluating players based on Triple-A results at a time when changes to the baseball have clearly skewed the offensive environment.
- Jhoulys Chacin has thrown well with the Red Sox since signing a minor league deal there, writes Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe, who wonders if the righty could be making a case for a job next season. The Red Sox’ lack of pitching depth proved to be a significant flaw in 2019, and Chacin would represent a low-cost option who has fit in well with his new teammates. Abraham recounts the story of how Chacin came to be with the Sox, outlining a pressure-filled bullpen session that served as an audition for the veteran righty. “They wanted to see me pitch and said maybe they would give me an opportunity,” Chacin recalls. “I had 30 pitches to show them what I could do.” Since passing that test and landing a roster spot, Chacin has tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings with two hits, three walks and seven strikeouts.
Boras Corp. Amateur Department Research Job Opening
From time to time, as a service to our readers, MLB Trade Rumors will post job opportunities of possible interest that are brought to our attention. MLBTR has no affiliation with the hiring entity, no role in the hiring process, and no financial interest in the posting of this opportunity.
Position: Boras Corp. Market Research Analysis & Presentation Design
Location: Southern California
Description:
From our Southern California office you will help support a team of representatives by analyzing baseball markets, creating marketing and presentation materials using multi-media, and managing performance and information databases. The ideal candidate is a creative thinker, well-organized, a good communicator, and team-oriented. While previous experience in baseball is not required, the candidate must possess a passion for the game. This is a full-time position we aim to fill as soon as possible. It is located in Newport Beach, CA (relocation to Orange County is not provided).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Keynote, Apple iBooks familiarity.
- Experience in creating presentations
- Prior baseball or team sports experience.
To Apply:
To apply, please send an email with the subject “Research Position” to baseballresume@gmail.com by September 29, 2019.
The body of the email should contain the following, in this order:
- Your resume.
- In addition to the traditional resume information, please be sure to include any details about athletic experience.
- Your full contact information.
- How you obtained this listing.
- Your minimum annual salary requirement (needs to be a specific dollar figure).
Emails that do not contain all of this information will not be considered. Please do not send cover letters or attachments. Any application with an attachment will be discarded. Non-local candidates must be able to find transportation to Southern California to interview.
Digging Into The Cubs’ Looming Decision On David Phelps
When David Phelps signed with the Blue Jays this past offseason, his $2.5MM contract contained a club option for the 2020 season initially that was valued at $1MM — a likely reflection of the fact that his performance and general health were question marks coming off Tommy John surgery. Unsurprisingly, the contract allowed for him to boost the value of that option with a solid showing in 2019.
Activated from the IL on June 17 and traded to the Cubs on July 30, Phelps has been terrific for both teams, working to a combined 3.18 ERA with a 30-to-12 K/BB ratio in 28 1/3 innings (33 appearances). When he took the mound for the 30th time in 2019, he boosted the value of his 2020 option from that initial $1MM baseline to $3MM. He’s also already earned $500K of incentives and will earn another $250K when he makes his 35th appearance. If Phelps takes the ball seven more times before the end of the regular season, he’ll again boost the value of his option, this time to $5MM, and secure another $350K bonus.
The level at which his 2020 option settles is of particular intrigue because that will also determine the amount of incentives available to him next year. Phelps’ contract came with three different possible tiers of incentives, each of which was based on the option’s ultimate value. MLBTR has learned some of the specifics surrounding those incentive packages. If his option is valued at $3MM (i.e. he appears in 39 or fewer total games), Phelps would be able to earn an additional $2.75MM in appearance-based bonuses: $250K for reaching 25, 30 and 35 games as well as $400K for reaching 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 games.
Were he to reach that 40-appearance threshold in 2019 and boost the value of the option to $5MM, he’d be able to earn an additional $1.5MM in appearance-based bonuses: $150K for reaching 25, 30 and 35 games as well as $210K for reaching 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 games. Both tiers contain added incentives for games finished, but the Cubs’ signing of Craig Kimbrel doesn’t bode well for Phelps’ chances of an extended run as the team’s closer.
All of those factors will be weighed by the Cubs when they determine whether to bring Phelps back for the 2020 season, as will the fact that they stand to see a large chunk of their ‘pen depart via free agency. Brandon Kintzler, Pedro Strop, Steve Cishek, Derek Holland, Xavier Cedeno, Tony Barnette and Brandon Morrow (who didn’t throw a pitch in 2019) are all off the books at season’s end.
From a pure performance standpoint, Phelps has improved as the season has worn on. His fastball averaged 92.1 mph with the Jays but is up to 92.8 mph with the Cubs. That’s still less than the 94.4 mph he averaged prior to Tommy John surgery, but the life on that heater does seem to be coming back. Phelps also managed just a 5.4 percent swinging-strike rate in Toronto but has seen that rate leap to 11.1 percent in Chicago — a rate that would represent a career-high. He’s also benefited from a sky-high 98.6 percent strand rate with the Cubs, though, which no pitcher can be expected sustain over a larger body of work. Phelps has held righties in check nicely (.232/.311/.377) but struggled against opposing lefties (.263/.349/.553).
Phelps’ usage over the regular season’s final couple of weeks will be worth monitoring, as it may ultimately play a large role in determining whether he’s back with the team in 2020 or searching for a new deal in free agency this winter. Neither the $3MM or $5MM price point is any sort of back-breaker, particularly with a fair bit of money coming off the books. But the Cubs also likely want to maintain as much flexibility as they can, and tacking on an extra $2MM to Phelps’ option is probably something they’d like to avoid, if possible, unless they’re planning to decline the option either way. There’s no buyout on the option, so this’ll be a straight $3MM or $5MM decision, depending on how many more times Phelps takes the ball prior to Sept. 29.