Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Guardians Designate Kolby Allard For Assignment

By | at

The Guardians designated left-hander Kolby Allard for assignment Thursday, per a team announcement. Between Allard’s DFA and right-hander Luis Ortiz’s placement on paid administrative leave while he is the subject of a gambling investigation by the league, Cleveland needed to fill a pair of roster spots. They’ve recalled lefties Joey Cantillo and Doug Nikhazy from Triple-A to round out the staff. Cantillo will start tonight’s game in place of Ortiz.

Allard, 27, was a first-round pick by the Braves back in 2015. He ranked among Atlanta’s most promising young pitchers for several years but never established himself in the rotation there, in no small part due to a series of back injuries that limited his time on the field and impacted his production when he was able to take the mound.

Atlanta traded Allard to Texas in exchange for Chris Martin back in 2019, and he spent parts of four seasons struggling as an up-and-down member of the Rangers’ staff. He returned to the Braves in 2023 and spent 2024 with the Phillies, getting hit hard in both stops. By the time Cleveland signed Allard to a minor league deal this past offseason, he had a career 5.99 ERA in 272 innings.

On the surface, things have gone well for Allard in Cleveland. He’s pitched 35 1/3 innings, mostly in long relief, and posted a terrific 2.55 earned run average. That number doesn’t tell the whole story, however; Allard’s 10.5% strikeout rate is the lowest among the 318 pitchers who’ve tossed at least 30 innings in 2025. Entering the season, he’d seen nearly 16% of the fly-balls he’s allowed in his career land over the fence as home runs. He’s at just 3.6% in that regard this year, which seems bound to regress — as does his 81% strand rate (66% entering the season). Allard’s 3.60 FIP is more than a full run north of his actual ERA, and metrics like xFIP (5.19) and SIERA (5.07), which normalize that fluky home run rate, are even more bearish.

The Guardians will either trade Allard or place him on waivers within the next five days. Waivers are a 48-hour process, so he’ll know the outcome of his DFA within a week’s time. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, Allard will be able to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency — as is his right as a player who’s previously been outrighted in his career. Any team that takes a flier on Allard would be able to control him through the 2026 season via arbitration.

Yankees Have Shown Interest In Ryan McMahon

By | at

As the Yankees search for infield upgrades to address their need for either a second baseman or third baseman — Jazz Chisholm Jr. can play either spot — they’ve reached out to the Rockies regarding the potential availability of Ryan McMahon, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. While the Rockies have been unwilling to entertain offers for McMahon in the past, Heyman suggests that they’re willing to listen this time around as they barrel toward a potentially historic loss total in 2025. He adds that New York has yet to contact the D-backs about Eugenio Suarez, though that has more to do with Arizona being within arm’s reach of a Wild Card spot (three games back) than a lack of interest.

McMahon would bring a major upgrade to a Yankees infield that has felt one player short all season. Chisholm has split his time almost evenly between second base (251 innings) and third base (214 innings), performing well with the bat at both spots. He’s hitting .240/.339/.490 on the season and has swatted 14 homers to go along with 10 steals. His 28.2% strikeout rate is up nearly four percentage points over his 2024 levels, but Chisholm’s 11.5% walk rate is far and away a career-high mark.

Chisholm told The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner earlier this week that he knows he’s a better defender at second base and that he’d prefer to be playing there if all else were equal, but he’s happy to do “whatever it takes to help the team win.” A trade for McMahon (or another third baseman) could kill two birds with one stone: solidify the hot corner and get Chisholm back to the position at which he’s most comfortable and best-suited to play.

Earlier this year, it looked as though the Rockies may have missed the boat on trading McMahon. He drew considerable interest in the weeks and months leading into last summer’s trade deadline, but McMahon is reportedly a favorite of Rox owner Dick Monfort, who wasn’t keen on shipping out an All-Star infielder who’s signed affordably through 2027. McMahon wound up falling into a deep slump over the season’s final two months and started the 2025 campaign with the least-productive month of his big league tenure. He entered the month of May hitting just .147/.273/.235 with a sky-high 35.5% strikeout rate.

McMahon homered on May 1, however, and it’s been business as usual for him since. He’s largely back into All-Star form, hitting at a .253/.343/.468 clip with 10 homers, nine doubles and a triple in his past 216 turns at the plate. It should be noted that he’s currently in a bit of a cold spell, with just two hits and 11 strikeouts in his past 23 plate appearances, but nothing so drastic or prolonged as his swoon from August through April (.179/.272/.275, 320 plate appearances). He’s still hitting only .216/.318/.387 on the season because of that disastrous first month, but the trend lines in May and most of June were quite favorable.

On top of his resurgent bat, McMahon has maintained his status as a premium defensive player. Both Defensive Runs Saved (3) and Statcast’s Outs Above Average (3) grade him as a positive in 2025. He’s not on quite the same pace as he was in 4434 innings from 2021-24 (50 DRS, 38 OAA), but McMahon is an unequivocal plus defender at the hot corner who also has ample experience and strong defensive grades at second base.

McMahon’s contract is surely appealing to the Yankees as well. He’s not necessarily a raucous bargain, but the former No. 42 overall draft pick is being paid $12MM this season and is owed $16MM in both 2026 and 2027. The Yankees would pay a 110% tax on his contract’s annual value, given their status as a third-time offender in the top tier of luxury penalization, but McMahon’s six-year, $70MM extension is still well shy of the market rate for a plus defensive third baseman with 25-homer pop.

Heyman also suggests that Pirates third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes is at least “on the Yankees’ radar” as a change of scenery candidate, though he’d be a pure project. Hayes is an elite defender whose offensive output has cratered after recurring back troubles have popped up in recent years. He’s playing out an eight-year, $70MM contract signed with Pittsburgh prior to those back troubles surfacing. The Pirates owe him a $7MM salary this season and are on the hook for an additional $36MM over the contract’s final four guaranteed seasons (2026-29).

Hayes is hitting well over the past three weeks (.324/.342/.405 in 76 plate appearances), but it’d be a pretty big leap of faith to expect that to continue, considering the 28-year-old’s composite .239/.289/.297 slash in 714 plate appearances dating back to Opening Day 2024. Still, given the strength of his glove, his above-average speed and solid contact skills, Hayes at least makes sense for infield-needy clubs to track as a long-shot trade candidate.

Mets Place Paul Blackburn, Dedniel Núñez On Injured List

By | at

3:20pm: Núñez tells Anthony DiComo of MLB.com that Tommy John surgery is a possibility for him. Presumably, he will undergo some more tests before a final determination is made.

2:05pm: The Mets announced a series of roster moves today. Right-hander Paul Blackburn has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to June 30th, with a right shoulder impingement. Righty Dedniel Núñez has also been placed on the 15-day IL, in his case due to a right elbow sprain. Righty Blade Tidwell was also optioned to Triple-A Syracuse. To take those three roster spots, they recalled righties Austin Warren and Justin Hagenman and selected Rico Garcia. The Garcia move was reported last night and there was an open 40-man spot for him.

It’s unclear when Blackburn’s injury popped up or how serious it is. He started for the Mets on Saturday and only went one inning, though that didn’t appear to be an injury situation. He recorded three outs before a rain delay of an hour and a half commenced. He returned to the mound after that delay but allowed five straight hits before being pulled.

Updates will surely be forthcoming but it’s a notable situation regardless. Just a few weeks ago, the Mets had so much starting pitching that Blackburn himself was the subject of trade rumors and it seemed like Frankie Montas might end up in a long relief role. But at the very moment those Blackburn rumors were trickling out to the public, Kodai Senga collapsed on the field with an obvious injury. He went on the IL with a strained hamstring. A few days later, Tylor Megill hit the IL with a sprained elbow. Then Griffin Canning ruptured his Achilles. Now Blackburn follows that group to the IL.

It highlights how quickly a pitching surplus can evaporate and puts the Mets in a tough spot. Their previously overloaded rotation is now down to Montas, Clay Holmes and David Peterson. The club played a doubleheader yesterday, with Holmes starting one game and Tidwell serving as a bulk reliever in the second.

In the immediate short term, Peterson is starting tonight. Hagenman and Garcia can pitch multiple innings per outing. Brandon Waddell is also an option for that, though he covered three frames yesterday behind Holmes. In coming days or weeks, Sean Manaea could come off the IL and rejoin the rotation, as he has been on a rehab assignment lately. Despite being on the IL for an oblique strain, he recently required a cortisone shot for a loose body in his elbow. The Mets have downplayed that, however, and he tossed three innings in a Double-A start yesterday.

The Mets have an off-day on Monday and then the All-Star break is just over the horizon, which could give them a chance to reset. They have other guys they could call upon, with Jonathan Pintaro on the 40-man roster. Prospect Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean are in Triple-A but neither is one the 40-man and Sproat has a 5.43 earned run average on the year.

Add it all up and it seems highly likely that the Mets will be looking to add starting pitching at the deadline later this month, which is quite a turnaround from a few weeks ago, when they almost sold some off.

Núñez is a reliever but his injury is just an additional challenge for the taxed pitching staff. It’s unclear how serious his injury is but anything involving a pitcher’s elbow is always a concern. Between last year and this year, he has given the Mets 44 2/3 relief innings with a 2.82 ERA.

Photo courtesy of Jason Parkhurst, Imagn Images

Nabil Crismatt Opts Out Of Phillies Deal

By | at

Right-hander Nabil Crismatt triggered an opt-out in his minor league deal with the Phillies and has been granted his release, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post. He’s now a free agent who can sign with any club.

Crismatt, 30, has pitched in parts of five major league seasons between the Padres, Cardinals, D-backs and Dodgers. He’s worked almost exclusively as a reliever, logging a 3.71 ERA with a 21.5% strikeout rate, a 7.2% walk rate and a 50.3% ground-ball rate in 177 big league innings.

It’s a nice track record out of the ’pen, but the Phillies opted to stretch Crismatt out and deploy him out of the rotation in Triple-A. He’s spent about half his time in parts of seven Triple-A seasons in that role. Crismatt has pitched well in 15 starts with the Phillies’ top affiliate in Lehigh Valley, recording a 3.81 ERA in 80 1/3 innings. His 16.3% strikeout rate and 88.1 mph average fastball are well below average, but he’s only allowed a 5.1% walk rate.

Crismatt doesn’t have a dominant major league track record, but he’s pitched well in low-leverage settings and regularly avoided hard contact. He’s been particularly sharp of late in Triple-A, pitching to a 3.12 ERA and walking only two batters over his past 26 innings. Teams in search of depth in the rotation or some length in the bullpen could take a low-cost look at the well-traveled righty.

Poll: Will The Royals Trade Seth Lugo?

By | at

The Royals’ 2025 season has not gone as they surely hoped it would after they surprised the baseball world with a playoff berth in 2024 and invested heavily into the team over the offseason. While they entered June over .500, a brutal 8-18 swoon last month left the team very abruptly buried in the AL playoff picture. Their 40-47 record leaves them with a 14-game deficit in the AL Central that already seems all but impossible to overcome, and even their Wild Card positioning leaves them 5.5 games back of a playoff spot. A rotator cuff strain sidelined Cole Ragans last month, and the loss of the club’s lefty ace will make it even harder for them to turn things around.

All of that has left the Royals looking like a potential deadline seller. A closer look at the club’s roster reveals very few short-term assets who would bring back a significant haul on the trade market, however. Hunter Harvey is injured, while Cavan Biggio and Mark Canha have both been well below average hitters this year. That leaves right-hander Seth Lugo as the only player on the roster who can depart for free agency this winter who could bring back a notable return for the Royals.

There’s few contenders who wouldn’t benefit from adding Lugo to their rotation. The right-hander was the runner-up for the AL Cy Young award last year with a dominant season, and he’s kept the good times rolling in 2025 with a sparkling 2.74 ERA in 15 starts. That’s the sort of front-of-the-rotation, surefire playoff starter that contenders dream of adding to their rotation mix, at least on paper. If Lugo could bring back an exciting return for the Royals, particularly an MLB-ready return, then it could make sense to sell the righty in order to maximize the 2026-30 seasons, after which point superstar Bobby Witt Jr. will have his first opportunity to opt-out of his extension and test free agency.

As clearcut as the argument for dealing Lugo may sound, however, there are real reasons to think the Royals may hesitate. For one thing, a monster return for Lugo is hardly guaranteed. As strong as his raw run prevention numbers have been this year, his peripherals tell a different story. The veteran’s strikeout rate has ticked slightly downward, his walk rate has jumped up to 8.0% after sitting at 5.6% last year, and his otherworldly ability to keep the ball in the park last year appears to have been a single-season mirage. With a 4.18 FIP and 4.10 SIERA, it’s possible rival clubs will value Lugo as more of a mid-rotation starter than a recent Cy Young candidate.

His value is further decreased by the $15MM player option he holds for the 2026 season. That’s a figure Lugo would certainly be able to beat in free agency if healthy, meaning that he’s very likely to opt out unless he suffers an injury, at which point the acquiring club would be on the hook for the full price and likely get minimal production. Similar contractual situations have caused issues in trade talks in the past. Both the Cubs and Yankees have entertained trade offers on Marcus Stroman in recent years but found difficulties getting much of a market for his services due to “poison pill” contract options, and even future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer had to waive his ability to opt out of the 2024 campaign for the Rangers to be willing to acquire him from the Mets during the summer of 2023. It’s not at all difficult to believe interested teams could have similar reservations regarding Lugo.

If the return for Lugo isn’t robust, it’s not hard to imagine the Royals just keeping the veteran. While Witt is young and under long-term control, other pieces of the club’s core like Michael Wacha, Carlos Estevez, and Salvador Perez aren’t exactly getting any younger. Even younger players like Jonathan India and Kris Bubic aren’t far from the end of their team control windows, and that could leave the Royals motivated to try to make the 2026 season count. Keeping Lugo in the fold would help that goal, and while it’s typically unlikely for a small market club to keep a star player in free agency, that may not be the case in this instance.

With Lugo eligible for the Qualifying Offer this winter, it’s not impossible to imagine him either sticking around on that one-year pact if it’s offered to him or the sides using it as a jumping off point to work out an extension. The Royals typically wouldn’t be expected to have the sort of financial muscle needed to retain a pitcher of Lugo’s caliber, but the veteran turns 36 this November and would likely be limited to short-term offers in free agency even if he isn’t attached to the Qualifying Offer. Should Kansas City extend him the QO, it could further depress his ability to land a big contract. If the Royals like their odds of keeping Lugo around after this year, it would be understandable if they decided not to trade him.

How do MLBTR readers think the Royals will ultimately handle Lugo? Will he be traded this summer, or will they hold onto him and hope to keep him around longer term? Have your say in the poll below:

Brandon Woodruff To Start For Brewers On Sunday

By | at

Woody’s return is finally almost here. The Brewers have right-hander Brandon Woodruff listed as their probable starter for Sunday’s game against the Marlins. He is currently on the 60-day injured list and will need to be reinstated to the 40-man roster, though that should be as easy as transferring outfielder Garrett Mitchell the other way. Mitchell is currently on the 10-day IL but is out for the season due to shoulder surgery. The Brewers would still need to open an active roster spot.

The start will mark the end of an injury odyssey of almost two years. Woodruff last pitched in a major league game on September 23rd of 2023. Coincidentally, that game was at loanDepot Park, the same venue where Woodruff will take the mound in a few days.

After that start in Miami, Woodruff was sidelined by an injury to his throwing shoulder. Shortly thereafter, he required surgery to repair the anterior capsule in that shoulder. At the time of that procedure, it was expected that Woodruff would miss most or all of the 2024 season.

There’s never a good time for such a surgery but it was particularly awkward since that was slated to be his final arbitration year, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a salary of $11.6MM. The Brewers reportedly discussed some trades but ultimately just non-tendered Woodruff, sending him to free agency. The two sides were eventually able to reunite on a backloaded two-year deal. The $17.5MM guarantee was spread out as a $2.5MM salary in 2024, a $5.5MM salary in 2025 and then a $10MM buyout on a $20MM mutual option. That deal allowed the Brewers to hang onto Woodruff for his recovery and eventual return to the mound, while kicking most of the financial commitment down the road.

Woodruff did eventually miss the entire 2024 season. There once seemed to be a chance for him to return to the mound early in 2025, but that path had a few twists and turns. He began a rehab assignment in April but was pulled off of that in May due to right ankle tendinitis. He restarted that rehab but a comebacker struck his throwing elbow in early June, setting him back yet again. He restarted the rehab once more, throwing 82 pitches for Nashville on Sunday.

It’s anyone’s guess what Woodruff can provide after such a long time away, but he had a really strong run prior to the shoulder problems. From 2019 to 2023, he tossed 595 innings with a 2.93 earned run average, 30% strikeout rate, 6.3% walk rate and 41.5% ground ball rate.

This year, he has logged 42 minor league innings with a 2.79 ERA. His 20.6% strikeout rate is well down from his pre-surgery form. His fastball is averaging 91.9 miles per hour in his Triple-A starts this year, well down from the 96-97 mph range he was in a few years ago. Perhaps he is still ramping up his strength from the long layoff, with the stop-and-start nature of his rehab presumably not helping.

Time will tell what kind of performance the Brewers get from Woodruff, but he joins an increasingly crowded rotation picture. That’s a remarkable turn of events compared to a few months ago, when the club was scrambling to patch the starting group together.

As of today, the Milwaukee rotation consists of Freddy Peralta, Chad Patrick, Jacob Misiorowski, Jose Quintana and Quinn Priester. Peralta’s strikeout rate is down a bit but he has a 2.91 ERA on the year. Misiorowski had a wobble in his most recent start but was dominant in his first three. Patrick has a 3.51 ERA on the year while Priester is at 3.35, though the latter is getting more grounders and fewer strikeouts. Quintana has a 3.30 ERA, though with some shaky peripherals.

Despite some early-season injuries, the Brewers have built up a rotation surplus. They optioned guys like Logan Henderson and Tobias Myers to Triple-A. They were going to bump Aaron Civale to the bullpen until he asked for a trade and was flipped to the White Sox. Now Woodruff is going to be added into the mix. Nestor Cortes, who has been sidelined since April due to a flexor strain, started a rehab assignment with three innings for Nashville yesterday. Robert Gasser, recovering from last year’s Tommy John surgery, could be a factor down the stretch.

The Brewers are clearly in win-now mode. Their 48-38 record puts them in possession of the second National League Wild Card spot, two games up on the Padres and Cardinals. Pitching surpluses have a tendency to disappear quickly but the Brewers have a tight budget and could perhaps use some of this pitching to bolster other parts of the roster. Woodruff, Quintana and Cortes are all impending free agents. Peralta’s deal has an affordable $8MM club option for 2026.

Photo courtesy of William Glasheen, Imagn Images

Royals Interested In Bryan Reynolds

By | at

The Royals have been looking for outfield upgrades for years and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports that they have interest in Bryan Reynolds of the Pirates, though Rosenthal adds that talks haven’t yet gained momentum and Kansas City is also interested in other hitters.

Reynolds, 30, has been one of the faces of the Pirates for years. As the club has struggled to win, he has been one of their few consistently strong performers. Just over two years ago, they signed him to a seven-year, $100MM extension, the largest guarantee the franchise has ever given out.

Despite his status with the club, it appears he is at least somewhat available. The Pirates are 38-50 and nine games out of a playoff spot, putting them clearly in seller position. Recent reporting indicated that they will have very few off-limits players in trade talks this month, with Paul Skenes and Andrew McCutchen reportedly the only players who will be truly off the table.

Willingness to discuss a trade doesn’t mean it will actually happen but picking up the phone suggests a non-zero chance. Reynolds is now into his 30s and his performance has dipped a bit this year. He has a line of .237/.301/.393 on the season, which translates to a wRC+ of 90. He came into this year with a career line of .276/.352/.470 line and a 121 wRC+. He’s never been an especially strong defender, so he needs to hit to provide value.

It’s possible the baseball gods are responsible for the dip. Reynolds came into this year with a career .328 batting average on balls in play but he has just a .295 BABIP this season. That’s despite the fact that his batted-ball metrics have actually improved. His 49.1% hard hit rate, 91.8 mile-per-hour exit velocity and 11.5% barrel rate are all career highs.

It makes for a tricky calculus for the Pirates. As mentioned, Reynolds is an esteemed member of the franchise and has been signed to the largest contract in franchise history. Trading that deal barely two years after it was signed would surely be a bad public relations move at a time when the fan base is already unhappy. From a pure baseball perspective, it would also be tricky. Moving Reynolds now could be a bit of a sell-low move since his surface-level stats are down but the numbers under the hood look fine.

On the other hand, the Pirates always have a tight budget and the Reynolds deal still has five years and $76MM remaining after this year, including the buyout on a 2031 club option. There will be about $4MM left of this year’s $12MM salary at the end of July, meaning there would be about $80MM in total left to be paid out at the deadline. With a lack of sellers this year, perhaps the Bucs are dreaming about moving on from a big chunk of change owed to an aging player while they have the chance, perhaps getting something useful back in return.

But of course, that would require some club to have faith in Reynolds bouncing back from this year’s swoon. It’s possible clubs have some skepticism around that. If Reynolds were declared a free agent today, he probably wouldn’t get an $80MM deal, which arguably makes the deal underwater. The Pirates could eat some money in the deal to improve the return but that could exacerbate the P.R. issue. Not only would they be trading away the largest deal in franchise history after a short amount of time, but they would be paying Reynolds to play elsewhere.

For the Royals, as mentioned, their outfield has been an ongoing problem. Kyle Isbel and Drew Waters lead the team in plate appearances from the outfield spots this year but each has a wRC+ of 66. A two-year deal for Hunter Renfroe was a dud and he has been released. Jac Caglianone is getting his first taste of major league playing time but hasn’t got into a groove yet. The MJ Melendez experiment went on for years before he got sent to the minors.

That’s been a big part of the club’s top-heavy offense. Last year, they were able to succeed thanks to an outstanding season from Bobby Witt Jr., along with some decent contributions from Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino, but the lineup was otherwise lackluster. This year, Witt is still quite good but not quite at last year’s pace. Perez has fallen off more significantly. A big surge from Maikel Garcia has compensated for those dips somewhat, but it’s still a lineup with a number of holes.

The club has a collective .243/.298/.364 line and 81 wRC+, production that is worse than every big league club apart from the White Sox and Rockies. They have still managed to hang in contention thanks to their pitching but are 5.5 games out of a playoff spot at the moment. Providing a jolt to the lineup would surely improve their chances of making gains in the race.

Though the Royals spend a bit more money than the Pirates, they’re not exactly top dogs in that department. Witt’s extension is the only deal in their franchise history larger than the $100MM that the Pirates gave to Reynolds. Taking on $80MM as part of a midseason deal would be no small matter.

Perhaps they view that as an opportunity that is normally not available to them. As Rosenthal points out, they were connected to Anthony Santander this winter, but he ultimately signed with the Blue Jays. That was technically a five-year, $92.5MM deal but it’s actually worth about $70MM when factoring in deferrals. The Royals also had reported interest in Jurickson Profar, who signed with Atlanta on a three-year, $42MM deal. Perhaps it’s a coincidence, but those two and Reynolds are all switch-hitters.

After struggling to find free agents willing to take their money, perhaps they view this as a chance to get around that problem. Reynolds doesn’t have a full no-trade clause but does have the ability to block trades to six teams. It’s unknown if the Royals are one of the six on his list. But as mentioned, the $80MM has to be a factor. That’s more than what Profar and Santander got, when considering the deferrals. If the Royals didn’t have the money to finish those kinds of deals in the winter, do they have it now?

Turning back to Pittsburgh, it’s not as though they are so overflowing with bats that they can flippantly discard them. The main reason they are in seller position this year is because of their tepid offense, as their pitching is actually quite good. That largely seems to be the case going forward as well, since they have an enviable collection of young arms but a lack of impact bats. They don’t have a qualified hitter with a wRC+ above 112 this year. 38-year-old McCutchen is the only one with a wRC+ higher than 102. Reynolds is scuffling a bit this year but he’s still one of the better bats in the lineup and trading him would deal a huge blow to their future offense.

It’s a very interesting fit in many ways. The Royals have clearly tried to get a player like Reynolds for years, so it’s understandable they would have interest. But would they be able to make it work financially? The Pirates naturally have to consider ways to make the most of this lost season. But the front office in Pittsburgh would have to also consider the P.R. hit and the downgrade to next year’s offense. They surely want to contend in 2026 and their pitching makes that possible, but the lineup is already bad and would get worse without Reynolds in it.

Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images

Guardians’ Luis Ortiz Placed On Leave Due To “Ongoing League Investigation”

By | at

11:00am: Zack Meisel and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic report that the investigation pertains to gambling.

9:35am: Guardians right-hander Luis Ortiz has been placed on non-disciplinary paid  leave through the All-Star break due to an “ongoing league investigation,” according to announcements from both the team and the league. The leave was jointly agreed upon by the league and the Players Association. The Guardians’ statement noted that they are not permitted to comment further at this time. Neither the league nor the team provided specific details on the nature of the investigation.

Ortiz, 26, is in his first season with Cleveland after coming over from the Pirates in exchange for first baseman Spencer Horwitz. He stepped right into the Guardians’ rotation and has started 16 games, tossing 88 2/3 innings with a 4.36 ERA, a 25.1% strikeout rate and an 11% walk rate.

Ortiz had been slated to start tonight’s game for Cleveland, but left-hander Joey Cantillo will make that start instead. He’ll join a rotation also including Tanner Bibee, Gavin Williams, Logan Allen and Slade Cecconi. The Guardians lost righty Ben Lively to Tommy John surgery earlier this season, while longtime ace Shane Bieber’s return from last year’s Tommy John procedure was slowed by a minor setback. Bieber recently resumed throwing.

Giants, Matt Gage Agree To Minor League Deal

By | at

The Giants and lefty Matt Gage have agreed to a minor league contract, per his transaction log at MLB.com. The Paragon Sports client has been assigned to Triple-A Sacramento for the time being. Gage was designated for assignment by the Tigers last week and elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment.

The 32-year-old Gage tossed 5 2/3 shutout innings for the Tigers this season, bringing his career totals to 25 1/3 frames of 1.42 ERA ball. That’s come in small looks across parts of three seasons with Toronto, Houston and Detroit. Gage doesn’t throw especially hard, sitting 91.9 mph with his four-seamer this season, but he’s still fanned a solid 22.5% of his big league opponents against a more elevated 10.8% walk rate.

Despite those strong big league results, Gage has never gotten an extended look. He’s spent the bulk of his career in Triple-A, where he carries a 4.64 ERA, 20.9% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate in 316 1/3 innings. He was excellent with the Tigers’ top affiliate this season, however, pitching 32 1/3 innings with a 1.67 ERA, a 22.8% strikeout rate and a vastly improved 3.3% walk rate.

San Francisco currently has two lefties in the bullpen: Erik Miller and Joey Lucchesi. The former has a tidy 1.50 ERA on the season but has more combined walks (20) and hit batters (3) than he does strikeouts (22), which makes his ability to sustain that production questionable, at best. Lucchesi was only recently summoned to the majors and has allowed three runs in six innings so far. Gage will provide another depth option beyond that pair as the Giants jostle with the Mets, Brewers, Padres, Cardinals, Reds and D-backs in a tightly contested NL Wild Card race. At present, San Francisco sits a half-game back from the final Wild Card position.

The Opener: Mariners, Muncy, Jays, Yankees

By | at

Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Mariners rotation shuffle:

The Mariners optioned fifth starter Emerson Hancock to the minors yesterday. While they don’t necessarily need a fifth starter for a few days, manager Dan Wilson told reporters yesterday right-hander Logan Evans will be getting the start in today’s game (via Andrew Destin of the Associated Press). That will allow the Mariners to push righty Bryan Woo and the rest of the rotation back a day to get some extra rest ahead of the All-Star break. A rookie who made his MLB debut earlier this year, Evans has a 3.38 ERA in seven MLB starts despite a 4.76 FIP. He’ll be tasked with taking on the Royals and righty Seth Lugo later today, and his performance could end up deciding whether he remains in the rotation for the remainder of the first half or if he’s replaced with another spot starter down the line.

2. Muncy to undergo MRI:

Dodgers infielder Max Muncy needed to be helped off the field yesterday after suffering a knee injury on the bases, but after the game manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including MLB.com’s Sonja Chen) that the team is “optimistic” after initial testing. Still, Muncy is being sent for an MRI today to determine the severity of the injury. Those results could be back in time for the club’s game against the White Sox tonight. An IL trip for Muncy would likely mean an opening for Hyeseong Kim to receive more frequent playing time, though losing a .252/.377/.461 hitter like Muncy from the lineup would certainly be a blow for the Dodgers.

3. Blue Jays challenge for the AL East lead:

Yesterday’s game between the Blue Jays and Yankees was a wild one. The Jays broke out to an 8-0 lead, only for the Yankees to come all the way back before Toronto ultimately won 11-9. After that exciting win, the two clubs now sit tied atop the AL East heading into the final game of the series. Veteran Chris Bassitt has a 4.29 ERA in 17 starts this year and will be on the mound for Toronto coming off a blow-up outing where he surrendered nine runs (eight earned) in just two innings against the Red Sox. He’ll try to turn things around against Yankees righty Clarke Schmidt, who has a 3.09 ERA in 13 starts this season.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top