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Free $500 Fantasy Baseball Contest

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To introduce the new Arcade Mode Fantasy Baseball contests, DraftKings is inviting MLBTR readers to a free fantasy baseball contest with prizes!

Arcade Mode is the new easy-to-draft and fast-scoring fantasy baseball contest. To play, simply select a team of five hitters and one pitcher playing on Monday night. With more scoring and higher bonuses, Arcade Mode makes baseball even more exciting to watch.

Entry into the contest is free. Plus, 150 users will win a prize — guaranteed.

Picking a lineup is simple. Here is a sample lineup from last week:

draftkings

Arcade Mode Fantasy Baseball is the easiest way to add excitement to the baseball season.

How to Enter:

  1.  Draft your five-man roster here
  2.  Enter the contest for free
  3.  Follow your players live as your team moves up the leaderboard and collect any winnings on Monday night

This is a sponsored post from DraftKings.

Taking Inventory: Miami Marlins

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This is the 10th entry in MLBTR’s Taking Inventory Series. Click for entries on the White Sox, Royals, Phillies, Pirates, Giants, Padres, Reds, Braves and Tigers.

While the Marlins have played better of late, they face an uphill climb just to get to within striking distance of postseason contention. The signs point to moving some veteran assets, but there’s also a significant complication. As ownership continues to explore a sale of the team, it’s unclear how that process could bear on the decisions at the trade deadline. One thing is for certain: Adeiny Hechavarria looks to be on the way out the door in the next day or so, with the Rays standing as the rumored front-runner to acquire his services. That move is reportedly driven by an ownership push to clear his salary, so perhaps Jeffrey Loria will continue to shed payroll in the weeks to come.

Here are the Miami players who’ll likely draw some trade consideration:

Rentals

Dustin McGowan, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $1.75MM

The 35-year-old McGowan has revived his career with the Marlins over the past two seasons, tossing a combined 107 innings of 2.78 ERA ball with 8.2 K/9, 2.0 BB/9 and a ground-ball rate of nearly 53 percent. McGowan’s velocity is down this season, but his control has improved as well. A team in need of middle relief help wouldn’t have to part with much to pick him up.

A.J. Ellis, C | Salary: $2.5MM

Ellis hasn’t played much this year, totaling just 63 plate appearances, and in that time he’s batted .200 with a .290 OBP and no extra-base hits. Barring a revival of some sort at the dish, which will be difficult with such limited playing time, he’s unlikely to generate much interest.

Controlled Through 2018

Adeiny Hechavarria, SS | Salary: $4.35MM, arb-eligible 2018

As previously noted, Hechavarria seems decidedly likely to move in the next day or so. The Marlins reportedly are hoping to move him before Tuesday’s series opener, when he’d have to be activated from the DL and would force a corresponding roster move. The Rays and Padres are among the teams currently linked to him, but Hechavarria’s salary and lack of offense should limit the return.

Edinson Volquez, RHP (starter) | Salary: $9MM in 2017, $13MM in 2018

After a terrible start to the season, Volquez has turned it on. His turnaround was highlighted by a June 3 no-hitter against a stacked Diamondbacks lineup, but Volquez was pitching fairly well even before that outing. He’s posted a 3.86 ERA with a 44-to-27 K/BB ratio across his past nine starts, spanning 54 2/3 innings. Volquez is an innings-eater at worst and a slightly above-average starter at best, and his contract, while not a bargain, isn’t outlandish.

David Phelps, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $4.6MM in 2017, arb-eligible 2018

The 30-year-old Phelps broke out as a dominant late-inning weapon for the Marlins in 2016, and while he hasn’t been quite as good in 2017, he’s still a highly desirable bullpen piece. Through 34 innings this season, he’s posted a 3.65 ERA with 9.2 K/9 against an improved 3.4 BB/9 and a 44.9 percent ground-ball rate. And dating back to last season, Phelps has a 2.69 ERA in 123 2/3 innings. Phelps has experience as a starter, including five starts in 2016, so he can definitely handle a multi-inning role. Some teams may even have interest in trying him in the rotation once again.

Tom Koehler, RHP (starter) | Salary: $5.75MM, arb-eligible 2018

The Marlins have reportedly been open to trading Koehler for roughly a month. The righty is currently in Triple-A after a brutal start to the season (7.28 ERA in 38 1/3 innings), and he’s allowed just two runs with a 22-to-5 K/BB ratio in 15 2/3 innings there. Koehler, 30, is hardly teeming with upside, but from 2013-16 he logged a perfectly respectable 4.14 ERA with 6.8 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9. His 2017 performance has probably torpedoed his modest trade value, but Koehler has a fourth starter’s track record and wouldn’t require any notable young talent to acquire.

Brad Ziegler, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $7MM in 2017, $9MM in 2018

Miami’s highest-profile bullpen addition of the offseason, Ziegler has been surprisingly ineffective in 2017 and is currently on the disabled list with a back injury. Ziegler’s ground-ball rate remains elite, and he’s inducing more pop-ups in 2017 as well. But, his strikeout and walk rates have both gone in the wrong direction, and his combination of salary and injury makes it difficult to envision a move at this juncture.

AJ Ramos, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $6.55MM in 2017, arb-eligible 2018

The Marlins’ closer since 2015, Ramos routinely posts gaudy strikeout totals with questionable control. That’s truer than ever in 2017, as he’s currently sporting a career-high 12.2 K/9 against a lackluster 4.9 BB/9. The 30-year-old’s strikeout rate and reasonable salary should create some trade value if Miami looks to move him, though it’s interesting that the Nationals, perhaps baseball’s most bullpen-needy contender, reportedly don’t have all that much interest.

Junichi Tazawa, RHP (reliever) | Salary: $5MM in 2017, $7MM in 2018

Like Ziegler, Tazawa inked a two-year deal in Miami as a free agent this winter but has been a bust to this point in the season. Tazawa’s 6.88 ERA, 6.4 K/9, 4.8 BB/9 and 27.5 percent ground-ball rates are all career-worsts. Right now, he looks more like a DFA candidate than a trade candidate, though he did just return from a month-long stint on the DL, so perhaps he can get back on track now that he’s been deemed healthier. Those numbers, after all, come in a sample of just 17 innings, so it won’t take too long for Tazawa to turn the tide.

Jeff Locke, LHP (starter/reliever) | Salary: $3.025MM, arb-eligible 2018

Non-tendered by the Pirates this past winter, Locke signed a one-year deal with the Fish and missed the first two months of the year with tendinitis in his biceps. He’s healthy now but hasn’t looked much better than he did prior to this offseason’s non-tender. Through 23 2/3 innings, Locke has a 20-to-9 K/BB ratio with an improved 53.8 percent ground-ball rate. He does have a history of serviceable work as a fifth starter and can probably be had for little more than salary relief.

Controlled Through 2019

Marcell Ozuna, OF | Salary: $3.5MM in 2017, arb-eligible through 2019

Ozuna may be the best combination of trade value and actual plausibility of a trade. Ozuna has just two years of control left and a price tag that should soar in arbitration thanks to a career year in ’17, so the Marlins may look to cash in and acquire a haul in return for his bat this summer. Through 74 games/316 plate appearances, Ozuna has hit .319/.383/.575 with 20 homers and 13 doubles. He’s already just three big flies short of his career-high and looks like a virtual lock to clear 30 homers this year. On top of that, Ozuna is capable of playing center field and has played considerably above-average defense in left field thus far in 2017 (+5 Defensive Runs Saved, +4.4 Ultimate Zone Rating). If he’s moved this summer, the Marlins would likely be selling near his peak value.

Martin Prado, 3B | $11.5MM in 2017, $28.5MM through 2019

Re-signed prior to hitting the open market last year, Prado has missed time this season with a pair of hamstring injuries. He’s batted just .278/.301/.392 in 83 plate appearances even when healthy, the Marlins are known to love his clubhouse presence, and his remaining salary looks untradeable at the moment. All of that is to say, Prado seems likely to stay in Miami for now.

Tyler Moore, 1B/OF | $1MM in 2017, arb-eligible through 2019

Moore has belted six homers in a tiny sample of 81 plate appearances while posting an overall .263/.284/.566 batting line. The Marlins picked him up on a minor league deal this winter, and he’s already cleared waivers once. Moore is the type of asset that is routinely flipped for cash or a player to be named later, and he could potentially help another team’s bench in 2017.

Longer-Term Assets

Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Dee Gordon, J.T. Realmuto, Kyle Barraclough, Justin Bour, Dan Straily, Derek Dietrich, Wei-Yin Chen, Adam Conley

Stanton may find his way into some trade rumors this summer, but the reality is that he’s still guaranteed a total of $295MM through the 2027 season and can opt out of his contract following the 2020 campaign. It’s exceptionally difficult to imagine any club taking that contract on, and even if the Marlins find a team that’s interested (and/or if they agree to pay down a huge portion of the deal), Stanton has a full no-trade clause as well. If the Marlins sell, there will be tons of speculation, but Stanton is likely staying put.

Yelich, on the other hand, doesn’t have a no-trade clause but would come with an enormous price tag in a trade a cost-controlled young star on an affordable deal. His offense is down in 2017, but he’s still drawing walks and is actually striking out less than in recent years. Yelich has spent his whole career playing his home games in a pitcher-friendly environment yet still owns a lifetime .289/.366/.424 triple slash in the Majors, to say nothing of quality baserunning skills and excellent left field defense (though he’s playing center in 2017). Yelich is still just 25 years old and is owed $44.5MM from 2018-2021, and his contract has an option for the 2022 season as well.

Gordon, meanwhile, isn’t producing as he did in 2015, though he’s still a nightmare for opposing pitchers on the basepaths and an above-average defender at second base. He’ll earn $38MM from 2018-20 and has an option for the 2021 season, though teams will undoubtedly be a bit wary of Gordon following last year’s PED suspension.

As was the case for the Reds in 2017, Straily has beaten expectations and proven to be a bright spot in the rotation. He boasts a 3.43 ERA with career-best K/9 (9.2) and BB/9 (2.9) rates in addition to a 38.1 percent ground-ball rate. Straily is still controlled through 2020, and though his .259 BABIP looks like it’s due for regression, it’s actually right in line with his career .255 mark. He’s likely improved his trade stock in Miami, and he’ll be arb-eligible for just the first time this winter.

It’s tough to see the Marlins having much interest in moving either Realmuto or Bour, both of whom are healthy, playing terrifically, and are controlled through the 2020 season. Each will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter and should maintain an affordable salary. Barraclough is a bit easier to envision simply due to his control issues and the volatile nature of relievers, but he’s controlled through 2021 and has posted some of baseball’s best strikeout numbers since debuting in 2015.

Dietrich was an above-average bat (.261/.355/.427) without much defensive value from 2014-16, but now he’s not hitting, either. As such, it’s difficult to envision him garnering much interest, though maybe a team in need of a bench piece would be intrigued by his track record and look to buy low. Chen, meanwhile, is completely immovable due to the $52MM remaining on his deal from 2018-20 and a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament that might not allow him to pitch again this season. Conley has pitched to a 7.53 ERA in the Majors this year and a similarly troublesome 6.42 mark in Triple-A. He’s still in his pre-arbitration years, so Miami wouldn’t get any cost savings from dealing him.

5 Key Stories: 6/17/17 – 6/24/17

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Here are the top stories from the past week at MLBTR…

J.D. MartinezMets, Tigers ready to discuss selling veterans at the deadline.  With 2017 increasingly looking like a lost season for both teams, both Detroit and New York are reportedly open to moving some established stars to free up payroll space and acquire some young talent.  Given some of the big names on both rosters, either team could definitely create some major noise at the deadline.  For a longer look at who the Tigers might put on the block, Connor Byrne recently featured the team as part of MLBTR’s Taking Inventory series.

Marlins may be on the verge of trading Adeiny Hechavarria.  The Marlins are one team that has seemingly already turned towards selling, with trade rumors swirling around several relief pitchers and Hechavarria, the longtime Miami shortstop.  A Hechavarria deal could be imminent, according to reports, with the Padres, Rays and possibly at least one mystery team in the mix.

Setbacks for young stars.  Three of baseball’s most promising young players saw their development halted in different ways this past week.  The least-serious but still surprising item of the three was the news that the Cubs demoted Kyle Schwarber to Triple-A, in an attempt to get the young slugger on track in the midst of a disappointing season.  Of larger concern, 20-year-old Dodgers lefty Julio Urias will miss the next 12-to-14 months after undergoing anterior capsule surgery on his throwing shoulder, a major enough procedure that Urias’ future career status now faces a bit of doubt.  Yankees infield prospect Gleyber Torres also saw his year end due to injury, as Torres will miss the rest of the 2017 season recovering from Tommy John surgery.  Torres’ status ends speculation that he would be promoted at some point this year to supplant the struggling Chase Headley as the Yankees’ third baseman.

Freddie Freeman will attempt a move to third base.  In a development that would’ve seemed wholly unlikely just a month ago, the Braves first base cornerstone is planning to return to the field at the hot corner to create room for Matt Adams to stick at first.  Freeman has never played third in his entire pro career and, more pressingly, is still recovering from a fractured wrist.  The Braves acquired Adams in Freeman’s absence and Adams has been on fire ever since, entering play today with a stunning .991 OPS and 12 homers in 143 PA in an Atlanta uniform.  There has been some trade buzz around Adams, though it appears the Braves and Freeman will first try this third base experiment.

Teams part ways with notable veterans.  Several clubs are clearing room on their rosters for younger talent by letting go of underperforming veterans.  The Tigers released former closer Francisco Rodriguez, the Phillies designated and then released Michael Saunders and Jeanmar Gomez, the Royals released veteran righty Chris Young, the Brewers released Neftali Feliz and the A’s designated catcher Stephen Vogt for assignment.  It wouldn’t be surprising to see any of these names pop up on other rosters soon as clubs look for midseason help — already, Vogt was claimed by the Brewers and Feliz was signed by the Royals.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Trade Rumblings: Pirates, Hechavarria, Gyorko, Harvey

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Since the Pirates plan to contend in 2018, they could pursue a “soft sell” at the deadline rather than unload major pieces, Fangraphs’ Travis Sawchik writes.  This would mean keeping big names like Andrew McCutchen or Gerrit Cole unless they receive offers too good to ignore, while perhaps being open to moving the likes of Josh Harrison, David Freese, Juan Nicasio or other bullpen arms.  As Sawchik points out, the Bucs already used this kind of “soft sell” to great effect last summer, when they dealt Mark Melancon to the Nationals and unloaded Francisco Liriano’s contract on the Blue Jays.  Pittsburgh received a good young relief arm in Felipe Rivero for Melancon, and the money saved by moving Liriano allowed the Pirates to re-sign Freese and Ivan Nova, who has become a rotation staple.  (Nova himself was a deadline pickup last year, a sign that the Pirates weren’t merely focused on selling.)

Here’s some more player movement buzz from around the majors…

  • The Orioles are reportedly out of the running for Marlins shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, and ESPN’s Buster Olney (subscription required) writes that a lack of payroll flexibility may have scuttled Baltimore’s chances.  From the Marlins’ standpoint, the O’s wanted to move a comparably salary in a trade to fit Hechavarria’s remaining salary (around $2.17MM for the year) into the budget.  It isn’t clear whether the O’s are lacking in flexibility altogether, or simply weren’t willing to stretch payroll for Hechavarria, who is a quality defender but has delivered virtual replacement-level value in three of the last four seasons.
  • Also from Olney’s column, he opines that Jedd Gyorko could be a big trade chip for the Cardinals if St. Louis decides to sell at the deadline.  Gyorko could be of particular interest to prospect-laden contenders like the Red Sox or Yankees, who are both in the market for third base help.  Gyorko is hitting .291/.350/.500 in 254 PA and is locked up on a very affordable contract through 2019, though as Olney notes, these could also be reasons for the Cards to want to keep Gyorko in the fold.  In my opinion, I would guess that St. Louis would explore moving several other players before considering a Gyorko trade, and even then wouldn’t move him for anything less than a massive return.
  • Olney looks at the Mets’ situation heading into the deadline, as the team is open to moving veterans with an eye to creating payroll and roster space to reload for another run at contention next year.  Another big-picture question is what the Mets will do with Matt Harvey, as the former ace has continued to struggle with injuries, performance, and off-the-field controversy.  It seems like Harvey won’t be in a Mets uniform once his contract is up after the 2018 season, so Olney feels New York could try to move him in a trade or perhaps even non-tender Harvey after the year.

Injury Notes: Conforto, Russell, Anderson, Keuchel, Meadows

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Here’s the latest on some developing injury situations around the game…

  • X-rays were negative on the left hand of Michael Conforto after the Mets outfielder was hit by a Matt Moore pitch today (the SNY MetsBlog has the details).  Conforto remained in the game after being hit but was replaced in the field during the next half-inning.  Conforto is day-to-day with a hand contusion and he said he feels he’ll be able to play by Tuesday, when the Mets next play.  Needless to say, losing Conforto the DL would be yet another major blow to the injury-riddled Mets, as Conforto is in the midst of a big breakout year, entering today with 14 homers and a .288/.406/.553 slash line in 266 PA.
  • Addison Russell left Sunday’s game due to “sharp, pinching pain” in his right shoulder, as he told CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney and other reporters.  The Cubs shortstop has been bothered by shoulder problems since Spring Training, which could be a reason for his below-average wRC+ (83) and his .232/.300/.408 slash line through 250 PA.  It isn’t yet known if a DL stint is required to give Russell an opportunity to fully rest the injury, as manager Joe Maddon described the problem as “kind of a nagging thing” that has “never been debilitating.”
  • Rockies southpaw Tyler Anderson was forced to leave during the third inning of today’s start due to an apparent injury to his left knee, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding was among those to report.  This was Anderson’s first start back since hitting the DL in late May due to inflammation in that same knee, though he made a one-inning relief appearance earlier last week.  Advanced metrics indicate that Anderson has pitched better than his 6.11 ERA would indicate, as he has been plagued by home runs (a whopping 25% homer rate) and bad BABIP luck (.337) over his 63 1/3 IP this season.
  • Astros ace Dallas Keuchel isn’t likely to return from the disabled list until after the All-Star Break, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle writes.  The left-hander was placed on the DL on June 8 due to neck discomfort, the second time Keuchel has been sidelined this season due to neck problems.  The team was known to be taking a very conservative approach to Keuchel’s rehab, and he has yet to begin throwing off a mound, though he has doing some long-tossing at a 120-foot distance.  As Kaplan notes, there isn’t any huge rush to get Keuchel back given the Astros’ big AL West lead, as the team obviously wants to ensure its star lefty is fully recovered and ready for the postseason push.
  • Top Pirates prospect Austin Meadows will miss up to four weeks after receiving a PRP injection for a torn hamstring, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports (Twitter link).  The injury compounds what has already been a difficult season for Meadows, who has hit just .248/.313/.358 over 281 PA at the Triple-A level in 2017.  There had been speculation that Meadows could make his MLB debut sometime this year (possibly if Andrew McCutchen was traded), though that seems less likely in the wake of his lengthy absence and his lack of Triple-A production.  Of course, Meadows still just 22 years old and is regarded as one of the game’s better prospects, so there isn’t any reason yet for long-term concern.

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/25/17

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Here are the latest minor moves from around baseball, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…

  • The Brewers have optioned Lewis Brinson and Jett Bandy to Triple-A, manager Craig Counsell told reporters, including Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter links).  Bandy has been in a major slump at the plate, and his demotion was expected after the Brewers claimed catcher Stephen Vogt off waivers earlier today.  Brinson, one of the game’s top prospects, hit just .100/.206/.167 over 34 PA in his first taste of Major League action, so it isn’t surprising that Milwaukee felt he needed some more Triple-A seasoning.  Brinson’s spot on the roster is expected to be filled by Ryan Braun, as the star outfielder is slated to be activated from the DL before the Brewers take the field again on Tuesday.
  • The Mets have promoted Tim Tebow to High-A affiliate in St. Lucie, the team announced.  Mets GM Sandy Alderson told MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo and other reporters that the team has been intrigued by Tebow’s power and exit velocity, as well as off-the-field intangibles like his clubhouse leadership.  On the field, of course, the former Florida Gators star quarterback has yet to deliver much in the way of results, entering today with a .222/.311/.340 slash line and three homers in 241 PA at Low-A ball.

MLBTR Originals

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Here is the week’s original content from the MLB Trade Rumors team…

  • Jeff Todd’s latest edition of the Top 50 Trade Deadline Candidates featured several changes from the previous list, published just over a week ago, as various players have entered and exited the rankings based on their teams’ fortunes.  One constant has been White Sox closer David Robertson, who has topped all three of Jeff’s Top 50 rankings.
  • Trevor May is providing MLBTR readers with a running diary of his rehabilitation process from Tommy John surgery.  In his latest entry, the Twins right-hander deals with the complications of having both a balky right arm and left leg (the tissue used to repair May’s UCL was taken from his left knee’s gracilis tendon).
  • In the latest three installments of the Taking Inventory series, Connor Byrne explored possible trade chips on the Reds and Tigers rosters, while Jeff looked at who the Braves could shop in the lead-up to the trade deadline.

Quick Hits: Garland, Cardinals, Yankees, Orioles

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Right-hander Jon Garland, 37, hasn’t pitched professionally since the Rockies released him in June 2013. Four years later, Garland is mulling a comeback, according to Scott Merkin of MLB.com. Garland threw Sunday for White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper, as Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com was first to report (via Twitter). Before that, Garland told Levine that his arm feels the best it has in three years. However, he also informed Merkin that he’s unsure if he’s committed to returning because it would mean spending less time with his family. Garland pitched to a 4.37 ERA over 2,100-plus innings with six teams (mostly the White Sox) from 2000-13. He exceeded the 200-inning plateau in six seasons during that span, including a career-high 221 as a member of the World Series-winning White Sox in 2005.

More from around baseball:

  • At 33-40, the Cardinals are already 12 games out of a wild-card spot in the National League. Consequently, their only realistic avenue to the playoffs is to erase a 5.5-game deficit in the NL Central. They’re going to have to start making up ground by next month’s trade deadline, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak admitted to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com. “This team has a chance to do good things, but we have to get it going,” said Mozeliak. “Urgency has to be on the forefront of our thinking. There is no clock in baseball, but time is moving.” Mozeliak revealed that the Cardinals are “open-minded” to buying or selling, but Crasnick argues that taking the latter path could be difficult because they’re not exactly chock-full of trade chips. They already sold one veteran last month, sending first baseman Matt Adams to the Braves for minor league infielder Juan Yepez. While Adams has caught fire since the trade, Mozeliak doesn’t regret shipping him out. “Sometimes a change of scenery for players is what they need,” he noted. “Matt’s killed it, but that’s not to say he didn’t get opportunities a year ago. Sometimes when you make decisions, you know there might be more upside in a player. But unless you can create that availability [for playing time], it’s pretty tough.”
  • The Yankees, mired in their worst stretch of the season, are likely to place outfielder Aaron Hicks on the DL, manager Joe Girardi announced Sunday (Twitter links via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). Hicks left the Yankees’ loss to the Rangers on Sunday with right oblique tightness and will undergo an MRI on Monday, relays Hoch, but the player indicated that he’ll miss three to four weeks. Hicks has surprisingly been among the majors’ most valuable players this year, with a .290/.398/.515 batting line and a 2.7 fWAR. Fortunately for the Yankees, they have a quality replacement in Jacoby Ellsbury, who could come off the DL on Monday. Ellsbury has been out since late May with a concussion. Meanwhile, another of the Yankees’ top performers, second baseman Starlin Castro, has been dealing with a wrist issue for six weeks, tweets Hoch, who adds that he received a cortisone shot Sunday.
  • In better news for the Yankees, left-hander C.C. Sabathia is “progressing very, very well” as he works back from a Grade 2 left hamstring strain, Girardi said (via Matthew Martell of MLB.com). Sabathia threw 35 pitches Sunday in his first bullpen session since hitting the DL on June 15, relays Martell, who writes that the former ace could be back in New York’s rotation by month’s end. Sabathia has been one of the Yankees’ steadiest starters this year, having logged a 3.46 ERA, 7.41 K/9, 2.87 BB/9 and a 49.8 percent ground-ball rate over 75 1/3 innings.
  • The goal is for Orioles closer Zach Britton to return by July 5, manager Buck Showalter told Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com and other reporters on Sunday. Forearm problems have forced Britton to the disabled list twice this year, limiting the two-time All-Star to just nine innings (he last pitched on May 4). While Brad Brach has filled in with aplomb as Baltimore’s closer, the team’s Britton-less bullpen hasn’t been great overall. Orioles relievers entered Sunday ranked 13th in the majors in ERA and 23rd in fWAR.

Cardinals Place Dexter Fowler, Kevin Siegrist On DL

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The Cardinals have placed center fielder Dexter Fowler and reliever Kevin Siegrist on the disabled list, according to Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com (on Twitter). In other moves, the team has optioned outfielder Chad Huffman to Triple-A, recalled outfielder Randal Grichuk and right-hander Mike Mayers, and selected the contract of outfielder Luke Voit, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch was among those to report (Twitter link).

Fowler, who hasn’t played since Wednesday, is dealing with a right heel spur, per Langosch. The big-money offseason signing has pulled his weight offensively for a club that has struggled to a 33-40 start, making his loss another blow to its slim playoff chances. Fowler has slashed .245/.336/.481 with 13 long balls, matching his home run total from last year in nearly 300 fewer plate appearances (277 to 551), and a career-best .237 ISO. The 31-year-old has seemingly taken steps backward in the field, though, after he made progress in the grass with the Cubs in 2016. All told, Fowler has accounted for minus-8 defensive runs saved and a minus-8.3 UZR/150 in 60 games.

At times a dominant member of St. Louis’ bullpen since debuting in 2013, the 27-year-old Siegrist is in the midst of one of his worst seasons and is now battling a cervical spine strain. The left-hander has managed a disappointing 4.28 ERA in 27 1/3 innings. Along the way, Siegrist has posted his lowest strikeout rate per nine (8.23), had issues with control (4.94 BB/9) and experienced a notable velocity drop. Siegrist has also had trouble versus left-handed hitters, who have batted .268/.375/.463 off him this year.

Voit, a 22nd-round pick in 2013, will fill the last spot on the Cardinals’ 40-man roster. The 26-year-old toyed with Triple-A pitchers prior to his promotion, slashing .322/.406/.561 with 12 homers in 293 PAs.

NL Notes: Phillies, Marlins, Cards, Rox, Cubs

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The last-place Phillies will be open for business at the trade deadline, reports Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. While free agents-to-be like Pat Neshek, Howie Kendrick, Jeremy Hellickson, Joaquin Benoit and Daniel Nava stand out as obvious trade candidates, Zolecki suggests that the Phillies could also listen to offers for some controllable players. That list includes first baseman Tommy Joseph, injured second baseman Cesar Hernandez and shortstop Freddy Galvis. Joseph is currently on a minimum salary and won’t even be eligible for arbitration until 2020, but moving him would enable the Phillies to open up first base for prospect Rhys Hoskins, who’s destroying Triple-A pitching. Hernandez, meanwhile, is on a $2.55MM salary and has three arbitration-eligible years remaining. However, he’s blocking another hot-hitting prospect – Scott Kingery, who’s at Double-A. Galvis is the most expensive of the three right now ($4.35MM) and only has another year of arbitration eligibility remaining. Behind him is J.P. Crawford, who hasn’t hit much at Triple-A since debuting there last year. Nevertheless, he still ranks as Baseball America’s 19th-best prospect.

The latest on a few other NL teams…

  • The Marlins probably won’t trade any major pieces as long as their ownership situation is in flux, tweets Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. If true, that would rule out deals involving the likes of Giancarlo Stanton, Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna and J.T. Realmuto, all of whom have been part of rumors this year. However, Frisaro notes that trades featuring lesser players (including Adeiny Hechavarria, Tom Koehler and certain relievers) remain possible.
  • The Cardinals will recall outfielder Randal Grichuk, whom they demoted to the minors May 29, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Redbirds sent down Grichuk after he batted a paltry .222/.276/.377 with a 29.8 percent strikeout rate in 181 plate appearances. He fared better at Triple-A, slashing .270/.313/.603 in 67 PAs, but struck out even more frequently (29.9 percent) and only posted a 4.5 percent walk rate. It’s unclear how often Grichuk will play in his return to St. Louis, at least initially, as the team has gotten terrific production in his spot (left field) from Tommy Pham. The Cardinals also have Dexter Fowler and Stephen Piscotty as everyday outfielders, of course, so there’s no obvious fit for Grichuk in a starting role.
  • Right-hander Jon Gray will make his long-awaited return to the Rockies’ rotation during their series against Arizona next weekend, per Nick Groke of the Denver Post (Twitter links). Gray entered the season as the de facto ace of Colorado’s staff, but he has been out since mid-April with a stress fracture in his left foot. Still, the Rockies have stormed out of the gates at 47-30, and Gray’s return should only help the team’s already high playoff odds. The Rox will deploy a five-man rotation when Gray comes back, meaning someone will have to exit the group, observes Groke.
  • Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks threw Saturday for the first time since going on the disabled list June 8, and he told reporters – including Glenn Sattell of MLB.com – that it was a pain-free session. “The arm felt good. I’ve been doing a lot of shoulder work. It took a few throws to find the arm slot and actually felt pretty normal,” said Hendricks. “I was actually surprised by it.” A return isn’t imminent, though, with manager Joe Maddon noting, “It’s probably aggressive to think he’d be back by the All-Star break, but I don’t want to rule anything out.”

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