Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Red Sox Sign Blaine Boyer To Minors Contract

By | at

The Red Sox have signed veteran right-hander Blaine Boyer to a minor league deal, as per the official Twitter feed of the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox.  Boyer is represented by Moye Sports Associates.

Should Boyer make it to Boston’s MLB roster, the Red Sox will be the eighth team Boyer has suited up with, and 2017 will mark his 11th season as a big leaguer.  The 35-year-old signed a minors deal with the Braves earlier this winter but was released during Spring Training.

Boyer posted a 3.95 ERA, 3.5 K/9 and 1.53 K/BB rate over 66 innings out of the Brewers bullpen last season.  The soft-contact and ground-ball specialist (Boyer has a 51.9% career grounder rate) has long been able to generate good results despite a lack of strikeouts, as Travis Sawchik observed in a piece for Fangraphs last January.  Since making a comeback to the majors three years ago, Boyer has a 3.31 ERA over 171 1/3 innings for the Brewers, Twins and Padres, despite only amassing 88 strikeouts in that stretch.

A grounder-heavy arsenal would seem like a good fit at Fenway Park, and Boyer gives the Sox some extra relief depth.  The Red Sox have three notable relievers (Tyler Thornburg, Roenis Elias and Carson Smith) on the disabled list.

J.A. Happ Placed On 10-Day DL With Elbow Inflammation

By | at

2:38PM: The Blue Jays officially placed Happ on the DL.  Infielder Ty Kelly has been recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

9:19AM: Blue Jays southpaw J.A. Happ is likely to require a 10-day DL stint due to inflammation in his left elbow, according to Jon Paul Morosi of the MLB Network and MLB Network Radio’s own Twitter account (Twitter links).  The good news, as per Morosi, is that Happ’s injury isn’t thought to be serious in the wake of the left-hander’s medical evaluation on Monday.  It seems possible, then, that Happ could be back as soon as his mandatory 10 days are up, though Toronto could also decide to give Happ more recovery time for the sake of being cautious.

Elbow soreness forced Happ to leave the mound during the fifth inning of Sunday’s 11-4 loss to the Orioles.  The left-hander has 20 strikeouts and zero walks over his 16 innings pitched in this young season, though Happ has a 4.50 ERA thanks to four home runs allowed in that stretch.  Happ is coming off the best season of his 11-year career, a 20-win campaign in 2016 that saw him post a 3.18 ERA, 2.72 K/BB rate and 7.5 K/9 in 195 innings.

Happ’s likely absence creates yet another problem for the struggling Blue Jays, who are off to a rough 2-10 start to the season.  Happ joins Josh Donaldson, Aaron Sanchez and J.P. Howell on the disabled list, and with Happ and Sanchez now both missing time, the Jays face an immediate test of their rotation depth.  The Jays have Mat Latos, Brett Oberholtzer, Mike Bolsinger and T.J. House available at Triple-A as possible fill-ins.  A decision won’t need to be made until the Jays open a series against the Angels on Friday, as Marcus Stroman, Francisco Liriano and Marco Estrada are all scheduled to start Toronto’s next three games.

Starling Marte Suspended 80 Games For Positive PED Test

By | at

Pirates outfielder Starling Marte has been suspended for 80 games due to a positive PED test, the league announced.  Marte tested positive for Nandrolone, an anabolic steroid.  As per Major League Baseball’s PED policy, Marte will receive the 80-game suspension assigned to first-time offenders, he won’t be paid during his suspension (which will cost Marte roughly $2.4MM of his $5MM salary for the season) and he’ll be ineligible for Pittsburgh’s postseason roster if the Bucs make the playoffs.

The shocking news leaves the Pirates (and MLB itself) without one of the game’s most well-rounded young stars.  Marte hit .292/.349/.448 with 53 homers and 148 steals over 2273 PA from 2013-16, his first four full seasons in the big leagues, amassing 16.7 fWAR in that stretch.  He made his first All-Star appearance last year and is a two-time Gold Glove winner for his outstanding left field defense.  Marte displayed such excellent glovework that the Pirates moved him into the starting center field job this season, with longtime face of the franchise Andrew McCutchen shifting to right field and Gregory Polanco going from right to left field.

Starling MarteThe Pirates clearly saw Marte as a long-term building block, signing him to a six-year, $31MM extension (with club options for 2020 and 2021) prior to the 2014 season.  Beyond his remaining post-suspension dollars this season, Marte is slated to earn $17.5MM in 2018-19, with a $11.5MM salary/$2MM buyout on the 2020 club option and $12.5MM salary/$1MM buyout for 2021.

[updated Pirates depth chart at Roster Resource]

There’s no good way for the Pirates to truly replace such an important player, and their outfield depth is further limited by Polanco missing time recently due to a minor groin injury.  The short-term answer would be to move McCutchen back to center, despite his declining glove, and giving more time to Adam Frazier, John Jaso, or even Josh Harrison in a corner outfield spot.  The move with longer-term implications for the Pirates would be to promote Austin Meadows, one of the game’s best prospects.  Meadows hasn’t hit well in Triple-A so far this season, however, and he has just 186 total PA at the Triple-A level.  The Pirates might want to hold off on promoting the 21-year-old both until they’re sure he is ready, and of course service time considerations are also likely a factor for the small-market team.

Marte released the following statement (hat tip to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports) to fans and media:

“I have been informed that I have tested positive in one of the tests that are regularly done in my job. In this very difficult moment I apologize to my family, the Pittsburgh Pirates, my teammates, my fans, and baseball in general. Neglect and lack of knowledge have led me to this mistake with the high price to pay of being away from the field that I enjoy and love so much. With much embarrassment and helplessness, I ask for forgiveness for unintentionally disrespecting so many people who have trusted in my work and have supported me so much. I promise to learn the lesson that this ordeal has left me. God bless you.”

Pirates club president Frank Coonelly also made a public statement in regards to Marte’s suspension:

“The Pittsburgh Pirates fully support MLB’s Joint Drug Agreement, including the very tough penalties for violations of its prohibitions. We are disappointed that Starling put himself, his teammates and the organization in this position. We will continue to fight for the division title with the men who are here and will look forward to getting Starling back after the All-Star break.”

The Pirates have called up Jose Osuna to take Marte’s spot on the 25-man roster.  Osuna, 24, is a first baseman/outfielder who is getting his first taste of the majors after eight years in Pittsburgh’s farm system.  Baseball America ranks Osuna as the 26th-best prospect in the Pirates’ system and describes him as a good defensive first baseman but a below-average corner outfielder, so this could hint that Jaso or even Josh Bell could be getting some time in the corners help replace Marte.

Photo courtesy of Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports Images

Quick Hits: Agency News, Robert, Hochevar, Thames, Lindor

By | at

The CSE Talent agency announced that it has purchased Arland Sports, with Arland founder Jason Wood taking over as the president of CSE’s baseball division.  Arland Sports’ client list includes such notable big leaguers as Jake Odorizzi, Devon Travis, David Phelps and Andrew Benintendi.  It isn’t known whether these players or any of Arland Sports’ other clientele will be joining Wood under the CSE umbrella, so stay tuned for any potential representation changes via MLBTR’s Agency Database.  Here are some more news and notes from around the game…

  • Early indications are that Cuban outfielder Luis Robert will be cleared for free agency during the current international signing period, Baseball America’s Ben Badler reports, though nothing has yet been finalized.  If Robert is cleared before the stricter international bonus rules come into play during the next signing period (which opens on July 2), he stands to score a much larger payday than he would if his free agency isn’t granted until after the end of the current signing period on June 15.  Robert had a private workout for the Astros in the Dominican Republic and he is scheduled for workouts with the Athletics and Reds next week; the Padres, Cardinals and White Sox are also expected to bring the 19-year-old in for workouts.  Chicago is the only one of those six teams that hasn’t already exceeded its 2016-17 bonus pool limit, though Badler has reported that the White Sox may be the favorites to sign the highly-touted Robert.
  • Luke Hochevar could potentially sign with a team in the second half of the season, though MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan hears that “2017 is more than likely a wash for him.”  Hochevar underwent thoracic outlet syndrome surgery last August and was originally projected to be ready when Spring Training camps opened in February.  Hochevar’s surgery, however, was “much more complicated” than a similar procedure for Royals prospect Kyle Zimmer (who had his TOS surgery last July and is back pitching in the minors), and thus Hochevar is apparently facing an extended recovery time.  The 33-year-old Hochevar already missed all of 2014 due to Tommy John surgery, though the former first overall draft pick posted strong numbers in 2013, 2015 and 2016 out of the Kansas City bullpen.
  • Eric Thames is one of the early stars of the 2017 season, as the Brewers slugger is leading the league in homers (seven), runs (15), and slugging percentage (an even 1.000) while also hitting .405 and posting a .479 OBP through 48 plate appearances.  USA Today’s Bob Nightengale profiles Thames’ unique personality and unlikely career path, as he bounced around several MLB organizations before becoming a Ruthian superstar in South Korea from 2014-16.
  • Francisco Lindor would be short-changing himself by signing an extension worth anything less than $100MM, Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan opines.  Lindor is off to a huge start in 2017, and while he is five seasons away from free agency, the Indians shortstop is putting himself in line for a massive payday.  Assuming Lindor keeps producing all season, Passan argues that Lindor could ask for something in the realm of Mike Trout’s six-year, $144MM deal from the Angels.

Clay Buchholz To Miss 4-6 Months After Flexor Tendon Surgery

By | at

Clay Buchholz underwent surgery to fix a torn flexor pronator mass in his right forearm, the Phillies announced.  CSNNE’s Jared Carrabis reported last night that the Phillies right-hander had decided upon surgery to fix his injury.  Buchholz visited Dr. James Andrews to get a second opinion on his diagnosis earlier this week, and Dr. Andrews performed the procedure earlier today.

Buchholz is expected to be out of action for anywhere from four to six months recovering from the surgery, so Buchholz’s 2017 season is in major jeopardy unless his recovery period hits the low end of that timeframe.  Buchholz was diagnosed with the injury last week, and as MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted at the time, several notable pitchers in recent years have faced similar injuries with a rather wide and varied range of DL stints.  Buchholz’s own situation still seems somewhat fluid given the two-month window for his projected time on the disabled list, though Buchholz has a pretty substantial injury history that could factor into his recovery, including a right flexor strain that cut short his 2015 season.

Even if a return is possible before the 2017 campaign is out, obviously this injury is a huge blow to both Buchholz and the Phillies.  After acquiring the right-hander in a December trade with the Red Sox, the Phils were counting on Buchholz for some veteran stability for their rotation and perhaps even a late-career breakout with a change of scenery and a move to the National League.  Buchholz has looked like a front-of-the-rotation arm at some points during his 11-year career while also enduring his share of (partially injury-related) struggles.  The Sox shifted Buchholz to the bullpen last season, though he pitched well after returning to the rotation late in the year.

After just two starts and 7 1/3 innings with the Phillies, Buchholz has an ugly 12.27 ERA.  Looking beyond this season, Buchholz is in scheduled to hit free agency this winter, and another significant injury on his record will impact his chances of landing a multi-year contract.  Buchholz is probably headed for a one-year guarantee at the most, or possibly even a minor league deal loaded with contract incentives.

Righty Zach Eflin has been called up to take Buchholz’s rotation spot, with Eflin scheduled to start tonight’s game against the Mets.

NL Central Notes: Kang, Barbato, Mozeliak, Williams

By | at

The appeals hearing for Jung Ho Kang’s DUI sentence has been set for May 25, Yonhap News’ Jeeho Yoo reports (Twitter link).  Kang received an eight-month sentence that was suspended for two years, which theoretically cleared the way for the infielder to return to the Pirates this season, though Kang has yet been unable to receive a visa to return to the United States.  Between the May 25 date, any further visa hurdles and some necessary minor league time to get in playing form, it seems like Kang may not appear in a Pirates uniform until the second half of the season (if at all).

Here’s more from around the NL Central…

  • The Pirates will use the newly-acquired Johnny Barbato as a multi-inning reliever at Triple-A “and go from there,” MLB.com’s Adam Berry tweets.  The Yankees stretched Barbato out as a starter during the spring, so the Bucs seem to have some flexibility in using Barbato as a depth piece for either the rotation or bullpen depending on needs during the season.
  • With the Cardinals are off to a National League-worst 4-9 start, GM John Mozeliak told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch) before Monday’s game that all ideas about improving the team are being considered.  “In terms of personnel moves or roster changes, I don’t think there’s anything I could go to right now in [Triple-A] Memphis that’s necessarily going to directly change the trajectory of this club,” Mozeliak said.  “But I will say that everything is on the table right now, so if we continue down this path, we may have to do something different.”  Changes seem to include less playing time for Jhonny Peralta and Matt Adams, while Mozeliak also said the team would consider a position change for Matt Carpenter.
  • Reds GM and president of baseball operations Dick Williams took an unusual path to his position, as he explains to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand in a wide-ranging Q&A piece.  Williams discusses such topics as not exploring a baseball career until his mid-30’s, his family’s ties to the Reds franchise, Joey Votto’s importance as a franchise leader, and more.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Blue Jays, Donaldson, Braun, Orioles

By | at

FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal shares some news from around baseball in his latest notes column…

  • Josh Donaldson is expected to spend 2-4 weeks on the DL recovering from a calf injury.  Though the Blue Jays are in dire need of Donaldson’s bat, I would suspect the team would err on the side of caution and keep Donaldson out of action until he has completely healed, given that the third baseman has been bothered by this injury dating back to Spring Training.
  • With the Blue Jays off to a 2-10 start, Rosenthal figures the team will likely be dealing veterans at the July trade deadline but “a major deconstruction would be a tough sell” to fans.  A complete rebuild would erase most or all of the gains made in ticket sales and TV ratings during the last two years, when the Jays twice reached the postseason.  Rosenthal believes the Jays could use “a strategic re-set” and still aim to contend in 2018.  If Toronto does sell at the deadline, they could limit themselves to trading players who will be free agents after 2017 (such as Marco Estrada, Jose Bautista or Francisco Liriano).  The tougher calls, of course, would be on deciding to trade Donaldson or J.A. Happ, who are under contract through the 2018 season.
  • Ryan Braun will gain 10-and-5 rights on May 14, according to Rosenthal, not on May 24 as previous reports have suggested.  No matter the date that the Brewers slugger can gain full no-trade control, however, Rosenthal echoes earlier reports that suggest little will change with Braun’s trade status once he becomes a 10-and-5 player.
  • The Orioles’ lack of international spending is “an ownership decision,” Rosenthal hears from Baltimore executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette.  Ben Badler pulled no punches in criticizing the Orioles’ meager spending on international amateur free agents in a piece for Baseball America earlier this week, and Rosenthal adds that the O’s have also spent the least of any team on amateur draft signings over the last three years.  While Duquette notes that several homegrown prospects are currently on Baltimore’s MLB roster, Rosenthal points out that with so many big names (i.e. Manny Machado, Adam Jones, Zach Britton) slated for free agency after 2018, the O’s are lacking in young depth to fill what could be several significant roster holes.
  • Two sources tell Rosenthal that Duquette wasn’t happy with how the Orioles’ medical staff handled Chris Tillman’s shoulder injury.  Duquette didn’t specifically comment on this report to Rosenthal, only saying that “We probably could have done a better job getting him back….I’m not sure we rushed him.  I’m just disappointed he didn’t start the season with us.  We had plenty of time to work with him.  The shoulder was bothering him at the end of last year.”  Tillman and the O’s are targeting a return date of early May for the right-hander to make his season debut.

Pitching Injury Notes: Graveman, Lugo, Tillman, Ross

By and | at

Athletics right-hander Kendall Graveman has been placed on the 10-day disabled list, retroactive to this past Saturday, due to a strained right shoulder, per a club announcement. Catcher Bruce Maxwell has been recalled from Triple-A to fill Graveman’s spot on the 25-man roster. While A’s fans are undoubtedly disheartened to see the 26-year-old Graveman land on the shelf, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets that there are no indications that the injury is severe. Slusser notes that she’d be surprised to see Graveman miss more than one start, so it seems that Oakland is merely taking advantage of the shortened minimum stay on the DL to help keep the roster full while Graveman recovers.

A few more injury notes from around the game…

  • Mets righty Seth Lugo is set to begin a throwing program after taking two weeks off, per The Record’s Matt Ehalt (Twitter link). Lugo, who is hoping to avoid surgery after being diagnosed with a partial tear in his ulnar collateral ligament, will begin his program by throwing from 60 feet. Ehalt adds. Lugo and southpaw Steven Matz are both presently on the DL for the Mets, which has considerably thinned out the club’s rotation depth.
  • Chris Tillman was able to make his first rehab start yesterday, appearing with the Orioles’ Double-A affiliate, as Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun reports. Though he says he is still having trouble getting his problematic shoulder loose, he says he’s “good to go” once he’s able to do so. Tillman suggested he is learning to deal with the constraints of the balky joint, though how that’ll work out at the game’s highest level is anyone’s guess. The righty sat in the upper eighties with his fastball yesterday, though he did top out at 91 — which is where he typically works. So long as he’s able to rebound from this first outing, Tillman will continue to increase his pitch count in further rehab starts.
  • The back issues that have slowed the rehab progress of Rangers’ righty Tyson Ross are still hanging around, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News reports on Twitter. Since he has yet to return to the mound, it now seems that his early-May target to return to the majors will move back by at least a week or two. Ross had seemed to be nearing a full recovery from thoracic outlet surgery when the seemingly minor back issue cropped up.

Rich Hill Heads Back To 10-Day DL

By | at

After his blister problem reappeared in his most recent outing, Dodgers lefty Rich Hill is heading back to the DL, per a club announcement. For the time being, corner outfielder/infielder Rob Segedin is headed up to the active roster while Alex Wood will take the open rotation spot.

There’s plenty of uncertainty in Hill’s situation. As things stand, the team is examining ways to treat the ongoing problem, though there’s no timetable at present and it seems there’s little in the way of clear answers. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged that the organization’s medical staff has been stymied thus far in its efforts to get at the root cause, as MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick reports on Twitter. (Gurnick provided more detail on the confounding issue earlier today.)

The strategy of utilizing the 10-day DL to provide rest obviously wasn’t successful on its own. As Roberts notes, and Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times tweets, “ten days wasn’t enough.” Whether additional rest will provide a solution obviously isn’t known, though presumably that’s one possible action. It’s even possible that the veteran southpaw could move to the bullpen upon his return, Roberts says (as Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register tweets), with the idea presumably being that shorter stints may help alleviate the problem.

Fortunately, the Dodgers do have ample depth built into their plans. Every member of the current MLB staff has at least some significant recent injury on his record, but the current top five seems to be a strong and healthy unit at the moment. Swingman Ross Stripling could also step into the rotation, while Triple-A starters Julio Urias and Joe Gunkel could also be called upon. Scott Kazmir and Brock Stewart both represent additional starting options who are currently on the mend.

While the organization always knew there was some health risk with the 37-year-old Hill, that doesn’t soften the blow. The Dodgers promised Hill $48MM over three years to bring him back into the fold, so while a bullpen move might at least allow him to contribute and stay fresh while the team looks for a permanent fix, such an approach would surely not return value on the contract over the long run.

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