Jose Ramirez Removed From Game, Undergoes MRI
It was in the first inning of tonight’s game with the Royals that Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez swung and missed on a high fastball from pitcher Glenn Sparkman. That, in and of itself, wouldn’t be news–except for the fact that Ramirez signaled for trainers following his swing and was promptly removed from the contest.
Shortly thereafter, the Columbus Clippers–the Indians Triple-A affiliate– removed infielder Yu Chang from their lineup in a game against the Toledo Mud Hens. If you’re reading tea leaves, the conjunction of these two events would seem to be related, and a tweet from MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince confirms that Chang will be called up in the event of an IL placement for Ramirez (link). Castrovince goes on to reveal that Ramirez underwent an MRI on his right wrist tonight, but that it doesn’t appear as if the team will issue a “substantial” update this evening. Meanwhile, Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal heard from manager Terry Francona tonight that Ramirez has been dealing with wrist discomfort for “a while” (link).
A sustained absence for Ramirez would seem to spell some level of doom for the Tribe. After back-to-back poor halves to close last season and open this one, Ramirez has reemerged this summer as an offensive beast. His .327 batting average, 13 home runs, and 6 steals through 40 second-half games have gone a long way toward maintaining the team’s position atop the AL Wild Card race–despite a 3-7 record in their last 10 games entering play Saturday. At time of posting, the Indians sit in a three-way tie with the Tampa Bay Rays and the surging Oakland Athletics in a battle for the postseason’s two final play-in spots.
AL Notes: Encarnacion, Gallo, Buxton
The Yankees dropped a 2-1 decision to the Dodgers in L.A. on Saturday, but the game wasn’t without one historic highlight for New York fans. Aaron Judge‘s solo home run in the fourth inning was the club’s 58th dinger in August–tying the record for most team home runs in a single month. Judge’s homer put the club even with the 1987 Orioles, who hit 58 home runs in 28 games, and the 1999 Mariners, who accomplished this feat in 27 games. The Yankees, of course, have only played 23 games so far this month and will have six more August games to carve out a singular place in the power-hitting record books.
Their chances of doing so would be much aided by the return of slugger Edwin Encarnacion, who has been out of action since fracturing his wrist on Aug. 3. As it turns out, Encarnacion has at least resumed some baseball activity, as James Wagner of the New York Times relays that the 1B/DH has begun taking ground balls and hitting off a tee (link). It’s obviously doubtful that Encarnacion will get back before September, but his return could just as well power another historic Bronx power binge in the season’s final month.
More from around the American League…
- T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com has several updates on injured Rangers players (link). In summary: Jesse Chavez may need season-ending elbow surgery, outfielder Hunter Pence will be sidelined for a few days with a back ailment, and, most notably, outfielder Joey Gallo is swinging a bat again in recovery from surgery to repair a broken hamate bone. “This is a tolerance thing,” manager Chris Woodward said. “If the pain is causing his swing to be off, I’m not going to play him. But he needs to play and finish the season, more for him than for us.” Gallo was experiencing his best season in the bigs before being waylaid by injury, as he increased his BB% to an Olympian 17.5% rate in 2019 en route to a .253/.389/.598 batting line (145 wRC+) through 70 games.
- Darren Wolfson of KSTP reports that Twins centerfielder Byron Buxton is set to head out on a rehab assignment, according to manager Rocco Baldelli (link). Buxton will report to the Cedar Rapids Kernels, a Midwest League affiliate with a strong case for the award for “Best Minor League Team Name”. There, Buxton will work to shake off rust resulting from his nearly month-long absence due to shoulder issues. At 77-51, the Twins sit 2.5 games up on the Indians for pole position in the AL Central, and the club would certainly benefit from the reintegration of both Buxton’s defense (10 DRS in 2019) and bat (110 wRC+ in 295 at-bats this year).
Pitcher Notes: Pressly, Verlander, Pivetta
All-Star Astros relief ace Ryan Pressly underwent surgery on his right knee Friday, but the right-hander is determined to make it back to action before the end of the season, as detailed in a piece from Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. “It’s always frustrating when you miss time, rather it being in Spring Training or offseason, or even now,” Pressly said. “Stuff like this happens. It’s a baseball injury and you just have to figure out a way to get back as fast as you can.”
Pressly had already missed time with a knee injury this summer, so Astros fans are surely hoping that this direct address of the hurler’s nagging injury will get him ready for the postseason. Statistically speaking, there’s basically nothing to dislike about Pressly’s 2019 output. With a 2.50 ERA, 11.62 K/9 rate, and SwStr% exceeding 17% in 50.1 innings this year, Pressly should give October opposition another thing to fear aside from the Stros’ vaunted starting trio of Gerrit Cole, Zack Greinke, and Justin Verlander.
More notes on pitching from around the game of baseball…
- Speaking of Verlander, Chris Thomas of the Detroit Free Press has details on a recent, bizarre incident in Houston involving the veteran pitcher and journalist Anthony Fenech. In a possible violation of the MLB’s collective bargaining agreement, the Astros denied clubhouse access to Fenech (a Detroit Free Press writer) this week, after being requested to do so by Verlander. As Thomas’ report lays out, Verlander is apparently still sour over several perceived violations on his privacy by Fenech during the pitcher’s days in Detroit, including Fenech’s tweeting of a private, astronomy-centric conversation between Verlander and Al Kaline in 2017. Obviously, readers should bear in mind that this Free Press article is likely to advocate for an employee facing possibly unfair public scrutiny, but it does offer interesting insight into the fiery, vigilant personality that Verlander employs both on and off the mound.
- 26-year-old righty Nick Pivetta has been sent to Triple-A Lehigh Valley, courtesy of a Phillies organization that has watched him struggle to a 5.38 ERA in 88.2 innings in 2019. Pivetta, long touted as a potential breakout candidate due to his bat-missing abilities, has been particularly stung by the long ball this year, as 22.4% of flyballs against him have left the yard. Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports paraphrases manager Gabe Kapler as having said that Pivetta needs to use this demotion to “look in (the) mirror and show more accountability” (link).
NL Notes: Votto, Franchy, Doolittle
Reds legend Joey Votto will be eligible to return from the injured list on Sunday, but it appears that the plate discipline devotee will need at least a few more days before resuming his role as the elder statesman on the Cincy lineup card. “He’s making a lot of progress,” manager David Bell told Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “Still no date. I know he’s eligible tomorrow. That won’t happen. Maybe not too far behind.”
Votto did some on-field work in rehab for his lower back injury on Friday. Cincinnati has around a 1% chance of reaching the playoffs this year on the strength of a 60-67 record entering Saturday, so Votto’s return will likely be mostly about gaining a little feel-good momentum entering 2020–a year in which the Reds expect to compete, as evidenced by their deadline acquisition of ace Trevor Bauer.
More jottings from around the National League this weekend…
- For Padres fans suffering through their 13th-consecutive season without a playoff appearance, there has been no greater “what if” story in recent years than the continued tease offered by outfielder Franchy Cordero. Long noted for his prodigious raw power and tantalizing athletic gifts, Cordero’s path toward center field playing time has been submarined by repeated injury–an unfortunate circumstance given the recent-year struggles of center fielders Wil Myers and Manuel Margot. Now, as noted in a tweet from MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell, Cordero is back on the rehab trail. While it was a wonky elbow that sidelined Cordero for most of 2018 and the beginning of this year, it was a hurt quad that has delayed his rehab for the last two months. Saturday marked Cordero’s first game in the resumption of his rehabilitative assignment, as the outfielder appeared at DH in the Arizona League. Manager Andy Green, however, has apparently learned to be cautiously optimistic in regard to Franchy’s injuries–with the key word being “cautiously”. “He’s on the path toward returning,” Green said. “It’s not a short path, though.”
- Mark Zuckerman of MASN provides partial updates on Nationals arms Roenis Elias and Sean Doolittle, saying that Elias is “heading in the right direction” and that Doolittle should be ready for activation when his IL stint is up on August 28th (Twitter link). Does it even bear repeating that the Nats are in need of as much pitching help as they can get? Elias, for his part, appeared in just one D.C. game before being felled by injury. Between Seattle and Washington this year, the veteran has a 3.59 ERA through 47.2 relief innings, although his 4.68 xFIP indicates that he should be due for some bad luck regression if he does indeed make it back soon. Doolittle, for his part, has been the subject of a great deal of armchair psychology in recent weeks, as a rough stretch of play (10 earned runs in his last 5 appearances) culminated in his placement on the 10-day injured list with a knee injury. Nats relievers have amassed a 6.00 ERA on the year.
Pablo Sandoval To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
The Giants have announced that third baseman Pablo Sandoval will undergo Tommy John surgery, effectively ending his season and clouding his availability for 2020. Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com further elucidates that Sandoval was evaluated by Dr. Neal ElAttrache on Wednesday, who recommended surgery on the injured right elbow of the San Francisco fan favorite (link) The surgery will take place in the first week of September.
Sandoval was placed on the injured list on Aug. 14 with what was believed to be bone chips in his right elbow. Apparently, a further look from Dr. ElAttrache revealed the need for reconstruction of his UCL. This is certainly a most inauspicious end to the five-year, $95MM contract that Sandoval signed in 2015 with the Red Sox, although perhaps this news should be used as a chance to recognize Sandoval’s late resurgence with San Francisco, rather than another opportunity to rehash his tabloid-magnified struggles with Boston from 2015-2017.
While “Kung Fu Panda” was indeed one of the worst players in the bigs over that span, with -2.2 WAR amassed between ’15 and ’17, 2019 has offered the big-bodied third baseman an opportunity to provide at least passable production for the club that originally brought him to fame. His .269/.314/.509 (109 wRC+) line, buttressed by 14 home runs and a personal-best .240 ISO in 295 trips to the plate, earned him consistent looks in manager Bruce Bochy‘s lineup this year, as San Francisco fans were treated to what will likely be their last look at the World Series-winning alignment of Bochy, Madison Bumgarner, Sandoval, Joe Panik, and others.
Padres Call Up Austin Allen, Option Eric Yardley
The Padres have announced the promotion of 25-year-old catcher Austin Allen to the active roster. Sidewinding reliever Eric Yardley will be optioned back to Triple-A El Paso after appearing in just two games with the team. This will be Allen’s third stint with the team in 2019–his first year of action in the big leagues.
Allen’s recall should not be seen as having a great impact on the already crowded picture behind the San Diego dish. While Andy Green continues to dole out something of a 60/40 playing time split between Francisco Mejia and Austin Hedges, Allen’s promotion will likely be made in an effort to bolster the team’s tepid bench group. MLB.com beat writer AJ Cassavell points out that the Padres are in “dire need of bench help”–a fairly accurate portrait, considering that manager Andy Green has recently only had Hedges, Wil Myers, and rookie Ty France to turn to in search of late-inning at-bats.
In his previous two call-ups, Allen only managed a .250/.327/.318 line, but his minor league track record bears the markings of a potentially forceful big league bat. Across five seasons and 1998 at-bats in the developmental ranks, Allen owns a .296/.354/.490 batting line–production impressive from a player at any position, let alone a catcher. It remains to be seen how he will be deployed in the field for the team moving forward; Allen does have one appearance at first base this season, but that position is entrenched by the person and contract of one Eric Hosmer.
Yardley was called upon to spin 2.2 innings of work in last night’s 11-0 nothing beating at the hands of the Red Sox, but will be summarily issued back to Triple-A after amassing a 9.00 ERA across three innings this week. His own minor league track record portends a useful arm, as Yardley’s 2.63 ERA in 61.2 Triple-A innings this year is rather impressive considering the PCL confines in which he has been pitching.
Tigers Select Willi Castro
The Tigers have selected the contract of INF Willi Castro from Triple-A Toledo, the team reports.
Castro, 22, was acquired in a Deadline Day deal last season from Cleveland in exchange for Leonys Martin. The team’s 7th ranked prospect, per FanGraphs, was decent (his 112 wRC+ ranked 51st among all players with at least 200 plate appearances in the International League this season) in 525 PAs for Toledo in ’19, slashing .301/.366/.467 as the team’s primary shortstop. MLB.com lauds the prospect’s “soft hands, actions, and arm strength” at the position while noting that the switch-hitter will need to improve on both sides of the ball to become an everyday player.
Castro was called up to replace INF Niko Goodrum, whose most recent groin strain could be a season-ender. In 472 plate appearances for the club this season, Goodrum posted a solid 1.9 fWAR, though his strikeout rate took off on him during summer’s dog days, and the switch-hitter slashed just .215/.296/.393 against right-handed pitchers on the year.
Mets Designate Aaron Altherr For Assignment
The Mets have designated outfielder Aaron Altherr for assignment, Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News reports.
It’ll be the fourth designation this season for Altherr, who was outrighted by New York in June after being cut loose by the Phillies and Giants earlier in the campaign. It’s been a season to forget for the 28-year-old, who’s slashed an ugly .082/.136/.164 (-22 wRC+) in 64 plate appearances. He did show signs of life in a brief stint with Triple-A Syracuse, slashing .274/.384/.565 in 73 plate appearances with the club.
It’s been a rollercoaster career for the longtime Phillie, who’s alternated sturdily productive seasons (2015, 2017) with outright dreadful ones (2016, ’18, and ’19) since his debut late in 2014. Altherr still boasts a mostly even split vs righties and lefties over the course of his big-league tenure, so he’ll mostly need to work on cutting down the strikeouts if he’s to stick as a bench option at the MLB level.
Braves Sign Francisco Cervelli
The Braves have signed catcher Francisco Cervelli to a major-league deal, the team reports.
Cervelli, 33, was granted his release Thursday by Pittsburgh to allow the 12-year-vet to join a contender down the stretch. After reportedly declaring in early July that his big-league backstop tenure, marred by persistent concussive setbacks, had come to its end, Cervelli reversed course, anchoring down on a proposed course that would again find him behind the dish as soon as he was able. He appears, after just six rehab games, to have reached that point.
The longtime Yankee backstop, who came into his own mid-decade with the Buccos after taking the reins from Russell Martin, has slumped to his worst career season in ’19, slashing just .193/.279/.248 in 123 plate appearances. Still, Cervelli’s just a year removed from a 125 wRC+, 2.6 fWAR line in just 404 PAs, so there may yet be some juice left in that tank.
He’ll look to stabilize a wobbly catching situation in Atlanta, where longtime starter Tyler Flowers has slumped miserably in the season’s second half, slashing just .188/.257/.359 in near-full-time duty. Whether or not Cervelli will receive regular time behind the dish isn’t yet clear, but a few more withered Flowers efforts and the Venezuelan could be thrust quickly into the mix.
Brewers Designate Jhoulys Chacin For Assignment, Select Cory Spangenberg
The Brewers have designated Opening Day-starter Jhoulys Chacin for assignment, Robert Murray of The Athletic reports. IF/OF Cory Spangenberg has also been selected from Triple-A San Antonio, per the team.
Chacin, 31, had hit the IL with a lat-strain a week ago after a dreadful 2019 campaign. The righty, who started some of the biggest games for the Central-winning Crew last season, pitched to a 5.79 ERA/5.69 FIP in the final year of a two-year, $15.5MM deal signed prior to the 2018 season. Chacin’s strikeout rate was actually the highest of his career, but his longstanding command woes re-appeared and he was unable to keep the ball in the park, the one trait at which he excelled so masterfully last season.
Chacin’s 3.50 ERA in ’18 was mostly a mirage – his .250 BABIP, the second-lowest mark in the NL, wasn’t going to be sustained, nor was a 0.84 HR/9 in Milwaukee’s puny Miller Park. Once an extreme sinkerballer in his Coors Field days, Chacin in recent seasons has become heavily reliant on a hard-to-identify slider, a pitch NL hitters have finally begun to figure out. The righty’s grounder rate, at 37.4%, was a career low, and he wasn’t able to throw enough strikes to compensate. Chacin’ll certainly be an intriguing buy-low option for many contenders, a number of which may have designs on inserting the hurler into some sort of righty-heavy relief role.
Spangenberg, now 28, had spent all of ’19 at San Antonio. The longtime Padre has posted some of the league’s highest strikeout rates in recent seasons, and doesn’t much appear to have mollified the issue in AAA, with a K rate still hovering near 30%. Still, he possesses an intriguing power/versaility combo off at the bench, and could conceivably fill in at a number of positions for the Crew down the stretch.