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Francisco Lindor To Begin Rehab Assignment

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Jason Kipnis is already returning to the Tribe’s 25-man roster, but there’s more promising news coming out of Cleveland as superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor gets set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus, per MLB.com’s Mandy Bell (via Twitter). As MLBTR readers no doubt remember, Lindor first hit the injured list with a calf strain before compounding that injury with a high left ankle sprain, depriving the game of one of its brightest young stars so far in 2019.

The AL Central’s reigning champs (three years running) have more-or-less held serve thus this season without their MVP candidate, though they’re not exactly tearing the cover off the ball at 3.47 runs per game. Their 8-7 record after today’s loss to Kansas City maintains a second place stalemate with Detroit, who both trail division-leading Minnesota (8-4).

Credit the Indians for not panicking despite missing their middle infield to start the year. Granted, such patience was afforded them because they preside over what’s been the worst division in baseball the last few seasons. And though their 2019 record versus their familiar foes so far (4-7) might suggest a looming divisional struggle, most do not portend the sort of white-knuckle competition facing other playoff hopefuls throughout the majors. And while the Royals and White Sox are more-or-less counted out already, Detroit has played better than expected despite injuries to their pitching staff, while the Twins remain a difficult team to project given their high volume of castoffs (C.J. Cron, Blake Parker) and reclamation projects (Jonathan Schoop, Michael Pineda, Martin Perez), as well as both young stars looking to bloom (Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Jose Berrios) and aging stars staving off decline (Nelson Cruz).

Still, the Indians’ ragtag lineup held things together through the first few weeks and now look to hit the ground running with the additions of veterans Carlos Gonzalez and Jason Kipnis this week. Stand-in Brad Miller is no longer with the club after his DFA earlier today, while Lindor’s primary understudy Eric Stamets survived the first round of cuts despite carrying a speaks-for-itself .059/.154/.088 line through 40 plate appearances. Given Lindor’s career .288/.350/.487 and 5.7 average annual fWAR, the Indians no doubt eagerly anticipate his return.

Indians To Designate Brad Miller For Assignment

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The Indians informed Brad Miller that he has been designated for assignment, per MLB.com’s Mandy Bell (via Twitter). Jason Kipnis returns from the injured list to take Miller’s spot on the roster, adds Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com (via Twitter).

Miller filled in admirably for the Tribe through the season’s first two weeks, as manager Tito Francona slotted him into the lineup at second base to start 11 of their first 14 games. While his stay in Cleveland was short, he worked a .250/.333/.438 batting line with four extra base hits over that span – perhaps showing enough pop to get another look elsewhere. A significant amount of swing-and-miss remains in Miller’s game, as he struck out at a 27.8 K% clip, not at that far off from his 23.6 career K-rate.

Over a seven-year career with stopovers in Seattle, Tampa Bay and Milwaukee (before Cleveland), Miller owns a .239/.313/.409 slash line with 76 career home runs, which comes to a roughly league-average rate by measure of weighted runs created plus (99 wRC+). That’s essentially the expectation asked of and fulfilled by Miller for the Indians while their regular starting middle infield worked their way back from injury.

Kipnis figures to reclaim regular starting duties at second base so long as he can stay healthy. Kipnis brings his .263/.337/.417 line to a Cleveland lineup that also added veteran Carlos Gonzalez today. On its face, Kipnis doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade from what Miller has provided thus far, but if nothing else, he represents a stabilizing veteran presence as the longest-tenured position player on the Cleveland roster. The 32-year-old Chicago native has been in the organization since they drafted him in the second round of the 2009 draft, while he made his major league debut in 2011.

 

AL Notes: Royals, Gordon, Yanks, BoSox, Holt

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Royals left fielder Alex Gordon has considered retiring after 2019, the last guaranteed season of his four-year, $72MM contract, Rustin Dodd of The Athletic reports (subscription required). That decision’s on hold for the time being, but now the question is whether the career-long Royal, 35, will finish the season with the club. Gordon has gotten off to such a superb start this year that Dodd notes he could emerge as a viable in-season trade candidate for the rebuilding Royals. But Gordon has 10-and-5 rights, meaning he’d be able to kibosh any trade, and his lofty salary ($20MM this year and a $4MM buyout in 2020) further complicates matters. While Gordon was an indispensable piece for the Royals in his younger days, his production has fallen flat since he received his contract. However, as Dodd explains, Gordon may have revived his career thanks to a mechanical adjustment he made last August. Gordon ended 2018 on a positive note and has come back with a vengeance this year, evidenced by his .356/.456/.667 line with three home runs and more walks (seven) than strikeouts (five) in 57 plate appearances. He has already totaled 1.0 fWAR, compared to a paltry 0.5 in 1,057 PA from 2016-17.

Now the latest on a few other AL notables…

  • Big-ticket offseason pickup James Paxton has struggled so far as a member of the Yankees, which led the left-hander to talk with his sports psychologist, Sweeny Murti of WFAN tweets. The former Mariner revealed he had been putting too much pressure on himself to succeed with his new team, though he now believes he’s on the right track. Paxton also found out from Yankees special advisor Carlos Beltran that he was tipping his curveball grip in his most recent start, an ugly showing in Houston on April 10. He’ll attempt to incorporate Beltran’s advice against Boston on Tuesday.
  • Speaking Sunday with reporters, including Bryan Hoch of MLB.com and Erik Boland of Newsday, Yankees center fielder Aaron Hicks said he feels “great” and could take on-field batting practice in the next week. There’s still no timetable for his return, though. Hicks has been dealing with a lower back issue since early March, shortly after the Yankees inked him to a seven-year, $70MM contract extension. Although his absence has deprived the Yankees of one of the game’s preeminent center fielders, battle-tested reserve Brett Gardner has delivered passable offensive production (90 wRC+ in 61 plate appearances) in his stead.
  • Red Sox utilityman Brock Holt is eligible to come off the 10-day injured list Monday, but he won’t return until at least “late in the week,” Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com writes. Holt, who has been on the IL since April 6 with a scratched right cornea, will see a doctor Tuesday and could then embark on a rehab assignment. Prior to his injury, the 30-year-old Holt got off to a slow start, as have fellow Red Sox second basemen Dustin Pedroia and Eduardo Nunez.

Injury Notes: Trout, Jeffress, Benintendi, Cobb, LeBlanc

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Angels megastar Mike Trout, who has been unavailable for several days due to a groin injury, has shown improvement and will rejoin the Angels for their series in Texas, per Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group. He remains day-to-day and it is yet unclear when he will be ready to return to the lineup, but the update is certainly welcome news for the Angels. Trout exited the Angels’ April 9 contest with the Brewers after suffering a right groin strain and remained in Los Angeles while the rest of the team traveled to Chicago. The club has managed well in Trout’s absence, finishing a three-game sweep of the Brewers and winning one of two games against the Cubs, with Sunday’s rubber match postponed. The news should certainly inspire some optimism for Angels fans, who have collectively been holding their breath since Trout’s injury. Considering the circumstances, it would feel like the best-case scenario for the Halos to get their franchise cornerstone back after just a handful of games, a stretch in which the team has maintained its winning form.

Here are the latest updates on other injuries from around Major League Baseball…

  • Brewers reliever Jeremy Jeffress has completed his rehab assignment and will rejoin the Brewers on Monday, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Jeffress, a stalwart of the Brewers’ dynamic bullpen in 2018, has been on the shelf for the beginning of the season with a shoulder issue, which has since been resolved, says Haudricourt. He will join Josh Hader in a Milwaukee bullpen that will be without Corey Knebel, who underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this season.
  • In Sunday’s victory over the Orioles, Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi fouled a ball sharply off his right foot and had to exit the game. In some good news for the Sox, though, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports that x-rays on Benintendi’s foot returned negative results, though Benintendi will be day-to-day with a foot contusion.  He was replaced in left field by Blake Swihart on Sunday, who could continue to serve as Benintendi’s substitute if he misses any time.
  • Orioles righty Alex Cobb, out since April 6 with a lumbar strain, won’t come off the IL when first eligible, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com was among those to report. It doesn’t appear Cobb will miss much more time, however. Manager Brandon Hyde indicated he could start during the Orioles’ upcoming series against the Twins, which runs from April 19-21. Cobb pitched well in his lone start of the season, an April 4 loss to the Yankees in which he threw 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball.
  • Seattle Mariners southpaw Wade LeBlanc will miss 4-6 weeks with a grade 2 oblique strain, skipper Scott Servais told reporters, including The Athletic’s Corey Brock (Twitter link). With LeBlanc headed to the 10-day IL, the team has called up right-hander Erik Swanson from Triple-A. Swanson will take LeBlanc’s place in the starting rotation and is slated to make his first Major League start on Wednesday.

Brewers Acquire David Freitas From Mariners

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The Brewers and Mariners have made a trade, per a Mariners team announcement. The Brewers will acquire catcher David Freitas from Seattle in exchange for minor league pitcher Sal Biasi. Freitas will report to Triple-A with his new team.

In Freitas, who had been playing in Triple-A, the Brewers will add veteran catching depth. The 30-year-old appeared in 36 games with Seattle last season, after spending several years in the minor leagues with the Nationals, Athletics, Orioles, Cubs, and Braves organizations. In 106 Major League plate appearances in 2018, Freitas posted an unimpressive .215/.277/.312 slash line. However, his Triple-A numbers in the last two seasons have been more encouraging: Freitas worked to a .955 OPS in 36 games in 2018, and the early returns in 2019 have been equally promising. He will enter the Brewers’ catching mix behind Yasmani Grandal and Manny Pina, with Jacob Nottingham also on the 40-man roster. Though opportunities at the MLB level may be limited behind the Grandal/Pina combination, Freitas should slot in as the third catcher if needed.

In return, the Mariners will acquire Sal Biasi, a 23-year-old right-handed relief pitcher currently at the Class-A level. Biasi was the Royals’ 11th-round selection in the 2017 draft, but was traded last season to Milwaukee in a minor-league swap. In 116 career minor league innings, Biasi has posted a solid 3.26 ERA and an even 9.0 K/9, compared to 3.9 BB/9. He will represent added depth to the M’s improving farm system.

 

Dodgers Option Dennis Santana, Recall Josh Sborz

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The Dodgers have optioned right-handed pitcher Dennis Santana to Triple-A Oklahoma City and will recall fellow righty Josh Sborz to take his place on the active roster, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com.

The move represents a bullpen swap for the Dodgers, who have struggled to settle on a stable option to round out the bullpen. Santana, just 23 years of age, had appeared in three games for the Dodgers, compiling six strikeouts in five innings of work. However, he allowed six hits and walked four batters in that span. Santana’s promotion came after the Dodgers demoted Brock Stewart, who opened the season as the team’s long reliever; now, it appears that the Dodgers will once again look elsewhere to fill the role.

Enter Sborz, a 25-year old right-hander who has yet to debut in the Major Leagues. A second-round selection of the Dodgers in 2015, will get his first taste of the big leagues after throwing two scoreless appearances for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate to start the season. Last season marked his first in a full-time bullpen role; he had previously functioned as a starting pitcher in his professional career. At Triple-A in 2018, Sborz struck out 47 batters in 37 innings of work and did not allow a single home run.

Braves Place Arodys Vizcaino On IL, Option Sean Newcomb

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The Braves have placed closer Arodys Vizcaino on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to April 11, and optioned left-hander Sean Newcomb to Triple-A Gwinnett, Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. In corresponding moves, the team recalled righties Jacob Webb and Dan Winkler from Gwinnett.

Vizcaino has been battling shoulder inflammation, which is part of the reason why he hasn’t pitched since April 7. This is the second straight year in which Vizcaino has dealt with shoulder problems. He did open the season in decent fashion, though, with four innings of one-run, three-hit ball and six strikeouts against three walks. His absence should lead to more save opportunities for co-closer A.J. Minter, who converted his lone chance on April 8.

Newcomb, 25, emerged as a capable starter for the Braves from 2017-18, when he combined for a 4.06 ERA/4.16 FIP and 9.14 K/9 over 264 innings. However, Newcomb walked 4.7 batters per nine during that span and has continued to fight control problems this year. Prior to his demotion, Newcomb posted more walks (eight) than strikeouts (five) across his first three starts, during which he yielded a combined six earned runs. There’s no indication how long Newcomb will stay in the minors, but for now, his rotation spot is likely to go to fellow promising youngster Touki Toussaint. The just-recalled righty impressed during six innings of relief in a win over the Mets on Saturday.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Surprises, Clevinger, Gore, Stroman

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This week in baseball blogs…

Submissions: ZachBBWI @gmail.com

Matt Moore To Undergo Knee Surgery

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Tigers left-hander Matt Moore will undergo surgery on his injured right knee Wednesday, Jason Beck of MLB.com reports. It’s unclear how much time Moore will miss, though he’s hoping to sit out just four to six weeks, per Beck.

Moore, who damaged his meniscus April 7, had been rehabbing in hopes of avoiding surgery. However, the 29-year-old “did not feel improvement,” Beck notes. Moore had gotten off to a marvelous start prior to the injury, as he tossed 10 innings of scoreless, three-hit ball with nine strikeouts, one walk and a 59.1 percent groundball rate. It was an especially encouraging run considering Moore scuffled over the past few years with the Rays, Giants and Rangers. As a result, the former elite prospect had to settle for a $2.5MM deal with rebuilding Detroit in the offseason.

It’s not yet known who will slide into the Tigers’ rotation during Moore’s absence, though southpaws Daniel Norris and Blaine Hardy may be the most likely candidates on their 25-man roster. Two Triple-A starters, Ryan Carpenter and Matt Hall, are also members of Detroit’s 40-man. To this point, the Tigers have only needed five starters, including Moore. Not only did he give them tremendous production before going on the IL, but Matthew Boyd has pitched like a breakout star, while Jordan Zimmermann, Tyson Ross and Spencer Turnbull have served as fine complements. Their performances have helped make up for the loss of righty Michael Fulmer, who won’t pitch this year after undergoing Tommy John surgery last month, and have been instrumental in the Tigers’ 8-6 start.

Indians Select Carlos Gonzalez’s Contract

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SUNDAY: The Indians have selected Gonzalez’s contract, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, they optioned right-hander Jefry Rodriguez to the minors and transferred righty Mike Clevinger to the 60-day injured list.

SATURDAY, 11:37AM: Gonzalez is expected to join the roster before the Indians’ Sunday afternoon game against the Royals, as per Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

9:29AM: The Indians will select the contract of outfielder Carlos Gonzalez from Triple-A, according to reporter Jorge Urribarri (Twitter link).  As per the terms of Gonzalez’s minor league deal, he’ll now earn a guaranteed $2MM for making the Major League roster, plus another $1MM is available in incentive bonuses.  Cleveland’s 40-man roster is full, so at least one more move will need to be made to accommodate Gonzalez on the MLB roster.

With the promotion, Gonzalez won’t have to face a decision about an April 20 opt-out date in his minors contract, though it seemed pretty likely that he would be back in the big leagues relatively soon given the unsettled state of the Tribe’s outfield.  The man they call “CarGo” also did his best to force the issue by posting a 1.004 OPS over 29 Triple-A plate appearances.

Gonzalez signed with Cleveland in mid-March, ending what had been a pretty quiet trip through free agency for the 33-year-old, as least in terms of known rumors.  The veteran was forced to settle for a non-guaranteed pact in the wake of a season that saw him hit .276/.329/.467 with 16 homers in 504 plate appearances for the Rockies — respectable numbers on paper, if still below-average offensive production (96 wRC+, 98 OPS+) considering the Coors Field factor.

On a more positive note, Gonzalez was worth 1.7 fWAR after a sub replacement-level (-0.1 fWAR) season in 2017, and he also had his best year on the basepaths in years, as per a +3.6 grade in Fangraphs’ Base Running metric.  Gonzalez also had something of a rebound defensively, with a +6.9 UZR/150 over 1004 1/3 innings as a right fielder in 2018 and a +2 Outs Above Average rating via StatCast, though the Defensive Runs Saved (-8) metric was much more negative about his glovework.

Cleveland entered the season with one of the shakier outfield situations in baseball, especially among contending teams.  While Leonys Martin has been a bright spot in center field and Tyler Naquin has performed well as the regular right fielder, Jake Bauers, Jordan Luplow, and Greg Allen are all off to dreadful starts.  Gonzalez figures to take the bulk of right field time from Naquin, though it leaves something of an imperfect fit since Gonzalez, Naquin, and Bauers (the top corner outfield options) are all left-handed hitters.  This situation figures to lead to fewer at-bats for Hanley Ramirez in the DH role, as Ramirez may only see action whenever the Tribe faces left-handed pitching.

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