Diamondbacks Could Pull Merrill Kelly From Rotation
With a team-high 26 starts, right-hander Merrill Kelly has been a staple in the Diamondbacks’ rotation this season, but he may be on his way to their bullpen. The Brewers steamrolled Kelly over 4 1/3 innings on Friday, scoring six runs on eight hits and four walks (with five strikeouts), and Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo suggested afterward they could pull him from their rotation, per Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic.
A former Rays farmhand, Kelly immigrated to Korea prior to 2015 and posted quality results in the KBO over the ensuing four seasons, which convinced the Diamondbacks to hand him a two-year, $5.5MM contract last December. Kelly has looked like a wise investment for most of 2019, evidenced by the 3.77 ERA he possessed as recently as July 18, but his output has declined since then. Having allowed six-plus earned runs in three of his past six starts, Kelly now owns a 4.86 ERA/4.77 FIP with 7.32 K/9, 2.58 BB/9 and a 40.7 percent groundball rate in 146 1/3 innings. Home runs have been particularly problematic for Kelly, who has surrendered 1.6 per nine and has given up two or more on four occasions since July 23.
Despite Kelly’s troubles in the past few weeks, he has still been a rare consistent presence in Arizona’s rotation thus far. The club traded ace Zack Greinke to Houston at last month’s deadline, leaving it with Kelly and the now-injured Robbie Ray as its only hurlers with 20-plus starts. The emergent Luke Weaver has been out since late May with forearm problems, meanwhile, and Taijuan Walker hasn’t pitched since early 2018 on account of Tommy John surgery and a shoulder strain.
The Diamondbacks are now down to Kelly, deadline acquisitions Mike Leake and Zac Gallen, and Alex Young in their rotation, though Ray could come off the IL this weekend. Even with Ray, that’s not the most inspiring group, which helps explain why the Snakes have faded from playoff contention as the season has progressed. They’re a game under .500 (64-65) and 5 1/2 out of a wild-card spot.
Brian Anderson Suffers Broken Bone In Left Hand
This season has been a struggle for the Marlins, who have posted the National League’s worst record (45-81) and scored the second-fewest runs in baseball. Third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson has been one of the few bright spots in their lineup, but his season may have come to an end Friday. Anderson suffered a fractured fifth metacarpal in his left hand after Phillies right-hander Vince Velasquez hit him with a 93.9 mph fastball, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com was among those to report.
If we have seen the last of Anderson in 2019, it’ll go down as a second straight effective campaign for the 26-year-old. In his first extensive major league action a year ago, Anderson slashed .273/.357/.400 with 11 home runs and a 113 wRC+ across 670 plate appearances. He has logged almost matching production on a per-PA basis this season, having recorded a 114 wRC+ over 520 attempts. Thanks in part to a red-hot August, he’s a .261/.342/.468 hitter with 20 homers and a .207 ISO – up 80 points from 2018.
The Marlins will recall outfielder Austin Dean from Triple-A New Orleans to replace Anderson, per Andy Slater of 640 The Hurricane. Dean has racked up a combined 210 PA with the Marlins dating back to last season, though he has limped to a .216/.252/.352 line with six HRs in that span.
Central Notes: Brewers, Kang, Twins, Buxton, Royals
The latest from baseball’s Central divisions…
- The Brewers have shown interest in signing free-agent infielder Jung Ho Kang to a minor league contract, but it doesn’t appear an agreement will come together before the Triple-A season runs out. The two sides are “bogged down in visa issues,” according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It’s unclear what exactly is causing the problem, but Kang did miss almost all of the 2018 season while with the Pirates because he had difficulty securing a visa on the heels of a third DUI arrest in his homeland of South Korea. Kang returned last year, though, and then re-signed with the Pirates for a $3MM guarantee in November. It proved to be a poor investment for Pittsburgh, which released the 32-year-old Kang in early August after he hit .169/.222/.395 in 185 plate appearances.
- More from Haudricourt, who tweets Brewers right-hander Brandon Woodruff still isn’t expected to rejoin the club before the middle of September. But Woodruff, who suffered an oblique injury July 21, is making progress. He moved his throwing program to 120 feet off flat ground Friday, which Haudricourt notes is the final step before he returns to the mound. The absence of Woodruff, who has unquestionably been the Brewers’ top starter this year, is an obvious reason why they’re drifting from NL Central and wild-card contention. The 26-year-old Woodruff has broken out with a 3.75 ERA/3.09 FIP and 10.4 K/9 against 2.22 BB/9 over 117 2/3 innings.
- Twins center fielder Byron Buxton is nearing a rehab assignment, Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com writes. Buxton hit the IL on Aug. 3 with a left shoulder subluxation – a product of the all-out effort with which he plays. The 25-year-old crashed into the outfield wall while trying to rob Milwaukee catcher Yasmani Grandal of an extra-base hit. Unfortunately for Buxton, not only did he fail to come up with the ball, but he’ll end up missing at least a few weeks because of the attempt. Injuries have been an issue all summer for Buxton, who has gone on the IL three times since June. When healthy, though, this has been a highly productive season for Buxton, owner of a .262/.314/.513 line with 10 home runs, 14 stolen bases and 2.6 fWAR in 295 plate appearances.
- Royals southpaw Danny Duffy will begin a rehab stint at the Double-A level Sunday, Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star relays. A left hamstring strain has kept Duffy out of action since Aug. 3, when Minnesota lit him up for nine runs (eight earned) and four homers across 4 2/3 innings. This has been the second disappointing season in a row for Duffy, who has only managed a 4.93 ERA/5.13 FIP in 100 1/3 frames.
AL East Notes: Red Sox, Price, Orioles, Rays
Left-hander David Price had been a candidate to come off the injured list and start for the Red Sox on Sunday, but that won’t happen, Scott Miller of Bleacher Report was among those to report. Price, out since Aug. 8 with a left wrist problem, is instead another several days from returning. He’ll throw a 55-pitch simulated game Tuesday, after which the Red Sox will decide a next course of action, according to manager Alex Cora. That’s unfortunate news for Boston, which is a potentially insurmountable seven games back of the American League’s last wild-card spot and whose rotation has been an issue throughout the season. Price didn’t help the Red Sox’s cause in his most recent starts, as his ERA skyrocketed from 3.16 on July 14 to 4.36 after the last time he took the ball. But the 33-year-old has still been among the club’s most effective starters this season. His K/BB ratio (4.06) ranks 26th out of 103 pitchers who have thrown at least 100 innings in 2019.
- The Orioles fired a combined 11 members of their front office and scouting departments Friday, Rich Dubroff of BaltimoreBaseball.com relays. Tripp Norton, who had been the Orioles’ director of baseball operations dating back to 2012 (and was with the O’s since 1998), was the most prominent member of the organization to lose his job. The club also parted with scout Nathan Showalter, son of ex-Baltimore manager Buck Showalter. First-year general manager Mike Elias, who’s attempting to remake the front office in his image, said the team will “be very busy bringing people into this organization” to replace those it let go.
- Red Sox infielder Michael Chavis started a rehab assignment Friday, according to the team’s Triple-A affiliate in Pawtucket. Chavis went to the IL on Aug. 12 with an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder, continuing what has been a rough month for the 24-year-old. While Chavis was amid a slump when he landed on the shelf, he has enjoyed a respectable rookie year overall. Chavis has batted .254/.322/.444 with 18 home runs in 382 plate appearances and 95 games, during which he has split time between first and second base.
- The Rays activated lefty Anthony Banda from the 60-day injured list Friday and optioned him to Triple-A Durham, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com. They placed infielder Brandon Lowe (out for the season) on the 60-day IL in a corresponding 40-man move. Banda hasn’t pitched in the majors since undergoing Tommy John surgery in June 2018, though perhaps he’ll serve as a late-season reinforcement for the Rays. The 26-year-old has struggled at the Triple-A level this season, though, evidenced by a 5.57 ERA/6.14 FIP across 21 innings.
Austin Riley, Darren O’Day Start Rehab Assignments
Braves outfielder/third baseman Austin Riley and reliever Darren O’Day started rehab assignments Friday, the team announced. Riley’s playing at the Single-A level, while O’Day is beginning at the rookie level.
The rookie Riley has been on the injured list since Aug. 8 with a sprained knee. The 22-year-old had been in the midst of a cold stretch before hitting the shelf, but he has still given the Braves decent overall production this season. Riley has slashed .242/.294/.504 with 17 home runs and a .263 ISO in 255 plate appearances on the offensive side, and has chipped in 4 Defensive Runs Saved and a 3.8 Ultimate Zone Rating as a left fielder. His absence, not to mention those of fellow injured outfielders Nick Markakis and Ender Inciarte, has weakened the Braves’ depth in the grass. Still, the team has won five in a row and continues to hold a comfortable lead of 5 1/2 games in the National League East.
The Braves’ success this year has come in spite of a maligned bullpen – one that hasn’t gotten a single out from O’Day. The longtime Oriole still hasn’t thrown a pitch for the Braves since they acquired him from the O’s (in a deal centering on the now-gone Kevin Gausman) at the July 2018 trade deadline. O’Day, who was included in the swap for financial purposes, was dealing with a hamstring injury at the time, but a forearm strain has kept him off a major league mound this season.
The 36-year-old O’Day did quality work for Baltimore over 20 innings in 2018, continuing a rather effective career that began in 2008 with the Angels. To this point, O’Day has amassed 555 frames of 2.56 ERA/3.47 FIP ball with 9.28 K/9 and 2.46 BB/9. He’s on a $9MM salary this year, the last season of his contract.
Latest On Willson Contreras
The Cubs are making do without top backstop Willson Contreras, but it largely goes without saying that the club anxiously awaits his return. There’s optimism within the organization about his health status, manager Joe Maddon told reporters including Tony Andracki of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link).
Contreras has been sidelined since early August with a hamstring strain. At the time, the expectation was that he’d miss about a month of action, and it’s clear he’ll be sidelined at least that long — if not a bit longer. But it’s relieving to hear that things have progressed well to this point.
At present, Contreras has yet to resume baseball activities. Instead, he’s still building up strength in the region of the strain. Both club and player have every intention of exercising ample caution. In addition to the fact that Contreras has previously experienced issues in that area of the body, he’s facing a tight timeline within which to return. A setback would potentially be disastrous with just five weeks remaining in the regular season.
It’s not clear precisely how soon Contreras could be back. The timeline will obviously depend upon the particulars of his recovery. But Maddon noted that his first-choice backstop could begin picking up baseball activities as soon as next week.
Jose Urena Could Return As Marlins’ Closer
Marlins right-hander Jose Urena hasn’t pitched since June 7 on account of a lower back strain, though his season doesn’t look over. Manager Don Mattingly announced Friday that Urena could return in September as the Marlins’ closer, per Craig Mish of FNTSY Radio.
At 45-81, owner of the worst record in the National League, Miami hasn’t had much use for a closer this season. Indeed, the team traded Sergio Romo – by far its saves leader – prior to last month’s deadline. Nevertheless, it’s good news that the 27-year-old Urena, one of the Marlins’ several promising 20-something pitchers, is likely to make it back this season. Urena reportedly generated interest from other clubs prior to landing on the shelf, and if he returns this year and ends the campaign in solid fashion, he could wind up as a winter trade chip for the rebuilding Fish.
Urena entered 2019 as something of a workhorse for Miami, for which he delivered 169 innings or more of sub-4.00 ERA ball in each of the previous two years. He wasn’t as successful this year before his injury, though, as he pitched to a 4.70 ERA/4.59 FIP with 6.15 K/9 against 2.77 BB/9 and a 50.6 percent groundball rate in 74 2/3 frames. But Urena did fire fastballs at an average of nearly 96 mph in that span, and perhaps his above-average velocity will play up in a short relief role.
Luke Voit Begins Rehab Assignment
Yankees first baseman Luke Voit is set to begin a minor league rehab assignment tonight, James Wagner of the New York Times reports. The Yankees are hopeful Voit will rejoin them when they begin a homestand next Friday, per Wagner.
This has been an injury-limited summer for Voit, who has been dealing with core problems since the end of June. He landed on the injured list July 2 with an abdominal strain, returned after 10 days off and then wound up back on the shelf July 31 on account of a sports hernia. There was fear then that Voit would require season-ending surgery, which looked all the more concerning when fellow first base option Edwin Encarnacion suffered a fractured right wrist in early August. But it appears the first-place Yankees will at least welcome Voit back this season.
Dating back to the most recent appearances of Voit and Encarnacion, New York has turned to DJ LeMahieu and Mike Ford at first. LeMahieu, of course, is a batting title contender who has proven himself as one of the best free-agent signings of last offseason. On the other hand, Ford has logged below-average production over the first 102 plate appearances of his career.
Chasen Bradford Underwent Tommy John Surgery
Mariners reliever Chasen Bradford recently underwent Tommy John surgery, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). That makes it unlikely that he’ll return to action before the end of the 2020 campaign.
Bradford missed time earlier this year with a shoulder injury and then a forearm strain. Indication was at one point that he wasn’t expected to require any sort of surgery, but that obviously proved optimistic.
The 30-year-old Bradford has thrown in each of the past three MLB campaigns. He turned in a productive 2018 effort, working to a 3.69 ERA in 53 2/3 innings, but only made it through a dozen appearances this year before hitting the shelf.
A former 35th-round pick, Bradford will end the present season with just over two years of MLB service. He won’t yet be eligible for arbitration, but it seems unlikely he’ll hang onto his 40-man spot throughout the offseason.
Angels Activate Andrelton Simmons, Designate Wilfredo Tovar
The Angels announced today that star shortstop Andrelton Simmons has been activated from the injured list. He is returning from a long absence due to a severe ankle sprain.
Infielder Wilfredo Tovar was designated for assignment to create roster space. In other news, the club officially placed Griffin Canning on the injured list — he was declared out for the season yesterday — while recalling southpaw Jose Suarez.
It’s all but certainly too little, too late for the sinking Halos. But it’s still good to see Simmons return to action. The peerless defensive aficionado hadn’t been hitting quite as well as he did in his prior two campaigns, but will now have a chance to get back on track before the season wraps up.
Tovar, 28, received his lengthiest stint in the majors this year for the Angels. Through 88 plate appearances in 31 games, he managed only a .193/.239/.253 slash line.