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Rays Acquire Dan Jennings From White Sox

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The Rays have begun to bolster their bullpen, announcing on Thursday that they’ve acquired lefty reliever Dan Jennings from the White Sox in exchange for first base prospect Casey Gillaspie. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays designated right-hander Diego Moreno for assignment.

[Related: Updated Chicago White Sox depth chart and Tampa Bay Rays depth chart]

Dan Jennings | Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay has been known to be interested in picking up a left-handed reliever, and they’ve reportedly checked in on the likes of San Diego’s Brad Hand and Detroit’s Justin Wilson in recent weeks. Both relievers are reportedly attached to exorbitant asking prices, however, which likely prompted the Rays to shift to another southpaw that they can control beyond the current campaign. Notably, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets that the Rays are still looking at bigger names on the relief market, so there could yet be further additions to the Tampa Bay bullpen.

Jennings, 30, has been a solid bullpen piece for the Sox since being acquired prior to the 2015 season in a shrewd trade by Chicago GM Rick Hahn. (The Sox sent righty Andre Rienzo to Miami in exchange for Jennings.) Jennings has totaled 161 1/3 innings out of the South Siders’ bullpen in the past three seasons, and while his 7.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 marks don’t stand out, he’s used a 59.1 percent ground-ball rate and a paltry 23.7 percent hard-contact rate to help him to a 3.12 ERA in that time.

While he’s long been effective against lefties, Jennings has been flat-out lethal against southpaw swingers in 2017, limiting them to a feeble .164/.286/.211 batting line through 85 plate appearances. He’s also earning just $1.4MM in 2017 and can be retained for another two years via arbitration, making him a nice longer-term piece for the Rays’ bullpen.

Jennings becomes the second reliever that the White Sox have flipped in a one-for-one swap involving a solid offensive prospect in as many days. (Anthony Swarzak officially went to the Brewers in exchange for outfielder Ryan Cordell yesterday.) Gillaspie, 24, was the Rays’ first-round pick in the 2014 draft and entered the season ranked as the game’s No. 74 overall prospect in the eyes of Baseball America. That ranking came on the heels of a strong .286/.387/.482 batting line in 555 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A in last year’s age-23 campaign.

The 2017 season has been a struggle for Gillaspie, however. He’s slumped to a .227/.296/.357 slash through his first 395 PAs with Triple-A Durham and had slipped from fifth to tenth on MLB.com’s rankings of the organization’s top 30 prospects. That said, MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo still placed a solid 50 grade (on the 20-80 scouting scale) on Gillaspie’s overall potential moving forward, praising the switch-hitter’s “untapped power potential” and touting him as at least a league-average defender at first base.

CSN Chicago’s Chuck Garfien tweets that Gillaspie, the younger brother of former White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie, is currently dealing with a broken toe and is expected to be out for another one to two weeks. He’ll then report to Triple-A Charlotte.

Losing his roster spot as a result of the trade will be the 30-year-old Moreno, who has tossed 5 2/3 frames out of the Rays’ bullpen this season and allowed three earned runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Moreno’s biggest claim to fame is being one of the two players traded by the Pirates to the Yankees in the 2012 swap that sent A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh. He has just 16 innings at the big league level but has posted a more palatable 3.70 ERA with 8.3 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 through 165 1/3 career innings in Triple-A.

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick first reported that the Rays were closing in on a trade for a left-handed reliever (Twitter link). Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported the specifics (also on Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

A’s Designate John Axford For Assignment

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The Athletics announced that veteran right-hander John Axford has been designated for assignment as part of a series of roster moves. Catcher Ryan Lavarnway’s contract has been selected from Triple-A, and he’ll take Axford’s spot on the 40-man roster. Lavarnway will step into the 25-man roster spot of  fellow catcher Josh Phegley, who is headed to the 10-day DL with a strained left oblique muscle. Right-hander Ryan Dull, meanwhile, has been activated from the 10-day disabled list. The San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser suggested last night that Axford could be designated for assignment to upon Dull’s return.

The 34-year-old Axford posted solid results in the first season of a two-year, $10MM contract with the A’s in 2016, but his longstanding struggles with control have resurfaced in a significant manner in 2017. Axford has issued 17 walks in 21 innings this season, and he’s paired those control troubles with his highest home-run rate since 2013. He’s still averaged a strikeout per inning with a 50 percent ground-ball rate and an average fastball velocity of 95 mph, but his overall ERA rests at 6.43. ERA alternatives such as FIP (5.73), xFIP (5.31) and SIERA (5.17) don’t paint a much rosier picture for Axford’s work in 2017.

Nationals To Promote Erick Fedde, Place Stephen Strasburg On DL

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July 27: The Nationals are officially terming Strasburg’s injury as a nerve impingement in his right elbow, per this morning’s announcement of Strasburg’s DL placement. Left-hander Sammy Solis has been recalled to give the bullpen some extra depth for the time being, while Fedde is slated to start in place of Strasburg on Saturday.

July 26, 9:36pm: Manager Dusty Baker confirmed after the game that Fedde is coming up and that Strasburg will be placed on the 10-day disabled list (Twitter link via Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post). The skipper was “adamant” that Strasburg will only miss one start, Janes adds.

8:05pm: The Nationals are calling up top pitching prospect Erick Fedde, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter). The former first-round pick, who ranked 70th on Baseball America’s midseason list of the game’s top 100 prospects, will likely start in place of Stephen Strasburg, Sherman adds.

Erick Fedde

Fedde, 24, was Washington’s first-round selection in the 2014 draft. The Nats made him the No. 18 overall pick that season despite the fact that he had Tommy John surgery not long before the draft. He’s spent most of his career in the minors as a starter but was briefly moved to a relief role in part to limit his innings but also given the potential for a midseason promotion to help a struggling Nationals relief corps.

The Nationals recently moved Fedde back to a rotation role, and while he was torched for six runs without recording an out in his initial return to the rotation, he’s allowed just three runs on 10 hits and no walks with eight strikeouts in his past 11 2/3 frames. Overall, he’s worked to a 3.72 ERA with 8.0 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9 with well above-average ground-ball tendencies in 77 1/3 innings between Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse this season.

Fedde dropped out of the top 100 on MLB.com’s midseason rankings, but Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo still rank him third among Washington farmhands. Their report notes that he sits 91-94 mph with his fastball and can run his velocity a bit higher when needed. He pairs that with a plus slider, average changeup and above-average control, giving him a third starter’s ceiling, per Callis and Mayo.

While this seems like it could very well be a spot start for Strasburg, whose injury isn’t believed to be serious, there’s an obvious opening at the back of the Washington rotation as well. Joe Ross underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this month, and the Nats have since relied on veteran Edwin Jackson to make a pair of starts. Jackson has been serviceable in those two outings, but Jackson struggled with the Orioles earlier this season and hasn’t enjoyed big league success as a starting pitcher since 2012 (his last run with the Nationals).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Braves To Option Dansby Swanson

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The Braves are sending shortstop Dansby Swanson down to Triple-A Gwinnett to receive everyday at-bats as they look to break him out of a lengthy slump, tweets Mark Bowman of MLB.com.

[Related: Updated Atlanta Braves depth chart]

The No. 1 overall pick by the Diamondbacks in the 2015 draft, Swanson was traded to the Braves alongside Ender Inciarte and Aaron Blair in the widely panned Shelby Miller trade. After just 529 minor league plate appearances, he burst onto the scene with a .302/.361/.442 batting line through 145 plate appearances late in the 2016 season.

Swanson got off to a terrible start to the season but righted the ship from early May through July 1, hitting .282/.352/.420 with a dozen doubles and four homers through 196 plate appearances. Unfortunately, he’d fallen into a brutal 2-for-40 slump and begun to lose some playing time to the hotter-hitting Johan Camargo.

By all accounts, Swanson is still largely viewed as the shortstop of the future in Atlanta despite what can be described, at best, as an up and down 2017 campaign. He’s yet to take a full season’s worth of plate appearances in the Majors or in the minors, so at 23 years of age Swanson should hardly be considered any kind of lost cause. In all likelihood, Swanson will get another chance to prove himself at the Major League level later this season after working to sort out some kinks in a lower-pressure environment.

From a service time standpoint, he’s currently just nine days away from reaching a full year, so it’s exceedingly likely that he’ll still end up with one-plus year of service this offseason. That’d still leave him on pace to be eligible for arbitration upon completion of the 2019 season and eligible for free agency in the 2022-23 offseason.

Rockies Acquire Pat Neshek

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The Rockies announced that they’ve acquired right-hander Pat Neshek from the Phillies in exchange for minor league infielder Jose Gomez and minor league right-handers J.D. Hammer and Alejandro Requena. Lefty Tyler Anderson has been moved to the 60-day DL to clear a roster spot.

[Related: Updated Colorado Rockies depth chart and Philadelphia Phillies depth chart]

Pat Neshek | Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Neshek, 37 in September, has proven to be a strong offseason pickup for the Phillies, who effectively acquired the side-armer and his $6.5MM contract in a salary dump. Through 40 1/3 innings out of the Philadelphia bullpen, Neshek has averaged 10.0 K/9 and 1.1 BB/9 with a 37 percent ground-ball rate en route to a pristine 1.12 ERA. Neshek’s 13.6 percent swinging-strike rate is the best mark he’s posted since his rookie year with the Twins way back in 2006, and the paltry 24.5 percent hard-contact rate he’s allowed ranks as the 24th-best out of 163 qualified relievers.

In Neshek, the Rockies are adding a rental arm — Neshek is a free agent at season’s end — to a relief corps that has looked to show signs of fatigue in recent weeks. Colorado had a top-heavy bullpen that posted middle-of-the-pack results in April and May but has fallen off considerably since the calendar flipped to June. Over the past 30 days, Rockies relievers have posted a 4.74 ERA and a 4.92 FIP, each of which rank among the worst collective marks in baseball. Adam Ottavino and Jordan Lyles, in particular, have struggled as of late, but adding Neshek to the mix will give first-year manager Bud Black another quality arm to pair with the likes of Greg Holland and Jake McGee, taking some pressure off other arms further down the pecking order.

The 20-year-old Gomez ranked 21st in a deep Rockies farm system on the recently released midseason top 30 prospect list from Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. He’s played all over the infield but profiles best at second base in the long run, per that report, though he’s a ways off from the Majors anyhow after spending the bulk of the season in Class-A. Gomez is hitting .324/.374/.437 with four homers, 20 doubles and a pair of triples thus far in 2017. He’s also swiped 18 bases, though he’s been caught on another 11 attempts, suggesting that he needs further refinement in that area if he’s to be much of a threat on the bases later in his pro career.

In addition to having an excellent name, the 23-year-old Hammer boasts an outstanding strikeout rate thus far through the first year-plus of his professional career. The Marshall University product was Colorado’s 24th-round pick in the 2016 draft and has pitched to a 3.15 ERA with 12.3 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 since joining the Rockies organization. Hammer, who has also posted a ground-ball rate north of 50 percent as a pro, has worked exclusively out of the bullpen, though he’s pitched in Class-A this season and is older than much of his competition. Fangraphs’ lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen tweets that Hammer possesses a plus fastball and average curveball but presently has below-average control.

Requena, 20, has worked as a starter at the Class-A level this season, totaling 117 innings across 19 starts with 7.5 K/9, 1.9 BB/9 and a 47.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’s demonstrated very strong control throughout his professional career to date and is enjoying solid results in his first year of full-season ball despite being nearly two years younger than the average age of his competition.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Trade Chatter: Gray, Blue Jays, Twins, Red Sox, Reed

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There’s a belief among teams that most clubs have let the Athletics know which piece or pieces they’re comfortable parting with as headliners in a potential Sonny Gray trade, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Interested parties feel that one club will eventually separate itself before Gray’s scheduled start on Sunday, Sherman continues, adding that the current belief is that the Yankees have offered the best package thus far. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported yesterday that the Yankees were “making progress” in negotiations with the Athletics and added that New York has also discussed Yonder Alonso in those talks.

Some more rumblings with Monday’s 4pm ET non-waiver deadline looming…

  • Also from Sherman, the Blue Jays are still only interested in dealing their impending free agents and haven’t changed their unwillingness to move players like Josh Donaldson, Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez or Roberto Osuna. Toronto plans to try to move Marco Estrada, Francisco Liriano, Joe Smith and Jose Bautista, and, as Sherman notes, could find success in dealing Bautista in August if a match doesn’t surface this month. (I’d add that like Bautista, Liriano is also highly likely to clear revocable trade waivers next month.) Despite struggling through his worst season since breaking out with the Blue Jays seven years ago, Bautista has generated a bit of interest from other clubs, according to Sherman.
  • MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets that the Twins are at least open to the idea of moving Ervin Santana and Jaime Garcia if their recent struggles don’t turn around before the non-waiver deadline. Minnesota dropped below .500 for the first time since April after a pair of losses to the Dodgers, and the Royals are surging toward the top of the division as well. Santana has struggled over the past month and a half but would still figure to draw interest as a fairly reasonably priced rotation stabilizer, even if his ERA has never been supported by peripheral metrics. And while some may raise an eyebrow at the notion of moving Garcia, I’d point out that since the Twins took on all of the money owed to Garcia, they could offer to flip him, still pay his contract, and potentially receive a better prospect than the Huascar Ynoa, whom they traded to Atlanta to get Garcia in the first place.
  • The Red Sox may not add another bat to the mix after acquiring Eduardo Nunez, per MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (Twitter links). Boston has seen Mookie Betts, Andrew Benintendi and Mitch Moreland each struggle of late, but the team believes that when that group emerges from its slump, the offense won’t be much of an issue. Rather, the BoSox are currently focusing on adding another arm to the bullpen.
  • ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets that he spoke to a scout whose team has interest in Mets closer Addison Reed that expressed some concern that Reed has been overworked by manager Terry Collins. Only 10 relievers in baseball have more appearances than Reed’s 47, and five of them are situational relievers whose innings count is considerably lower than Reed’s total of 48. By my count, Reed has worked more than an inning on six occasions this year, and he’s also worked on three consecutive days four different times.

Jeff Samardzija Unlikely To Waive No-Trade Clause

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Jeff Samardzija’s name has come up frequently in recent trade rumors, but the 32-year-old right-hander’s five-year, $90MM contract allows him to block trades to all but eight teams. Moreover, Samardzija tells Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News that if approached by the Giants about a trade to one of the teams over which he has veto power, he wouldn’t be interested in waiving the clause.

“I love being here,” said Samardzija shortly after praising the Giants’ core players and suggesting that the team fully believes it can turn the tide next season. Samardzija smiled yesterday when telling Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he “[doesn’t] remember” the eight teams to which he can be traded without his approval (Twitter link), but Baggarly now reports the full list in a separate column.

According to Baggarly, Samardzija can be traded to the Red Sox, Cubs, Mets, Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, Athletics and Nationals without his consent. All other teams — including the Astros, who have been the team most frequently connected to Samardzija on the rumor circuit — require Samardzija’s consent, and it doesn’t sound like he’s interested in green-lighting any proposals.

Samardzija is owed $18MM annually and has struggled in the estimation of traditional metrics this season. He’s sporting a 5-11 record with a 4.85 ERA, but most other statistical means of evaluation are rather bullish on the righty. He’s averaging 9.7 K/9 against 1.1 BB/9, both of which would be the best marks of his career, and leading the Majors in K/BB ratio. His 43.3 percent ground-ball rate is only a tick below average, and he’s inducing more swings at pitches out of the strike zone than he ever has before. Samardzija’s fastball velocity has also held strong at an average of just over 94 mph, and he’s averaging nearly 6 2/3 innings per start. Metrics like FIP (3.49), xFIP (3.13) and SIERA (3.28 prior to today’s strong outing) all view him much more favorably than earned run average.

Samardzija has struggled with men on base, in part due to the fact that he’s one of many pitchers throughout the league that has seen his HR/9 rate and HR/FB ratio spike as balls are leaving the yard at a higher rate than ever before in MLB history. And while his durability and K/BB numbers are impressive, some teams will no doubt express some skepticism that Samardzija would be able to better keep the ball in the yard by vacating the spacious AT&T Park as his home stadium. The remaining money on his contract also figures to be a concern to come clubs, as he represents a fairly sizable commitment to those that are near the luxury tax threshold.

All of that sounds to be mostly a moot point anyhow. Among the teams to which Samardzija can be moved, the Red Sox don’t seem likely to pursue a starter, while the Mets and A’s aren’t contending. The Angels are a fringe contender at best and have luxury tax concerns, while the Nationals are said to be more focused on relievers and may shy away from the money remaining on his deal. It’s at least possible that one of the other teams listed shows some interest, but the Yankees are presently focused on Sonny Gray, while the Cubs have already added Jose Quintana and the Dodgers have been most heavily linked to Yu Darvish (to say nothing of the longstanding Dodgers/Giants division rivalry).

Trade Market For Left-Handed Relievers

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It’s a top-heavy market for left-handed relief help this summer, though there are still a few names of interest beyond the top available relievers. Sean Doolittle and Ryan Buchter are the biggest names to change hands thus far, though fellow lefties Tyler Webb and Travis Wood have also changed teams. Here’s a look at the rest of the market…

Rentals

Tony Watson, Pirates | Salary: $5.6MM ($2.05MM remaining through season’s end)

The Pirates have worked their way back into contention, but they showed last year that they’re willing to move rental assets even when in striking distance of a postseason berth by trading Mark Melancon to the Nationals. Watson doesn’t have the same value that Melancon carried, but the Bucs won’t consider making him a qualifying offer, so the alternative is to lose him for nothing at season’s end. Unlike last season, Pittsburgh has a shot at the division and not just a Wild Card spot, so perhaps they’ll be less willing to move a contributing asset this time around. Watson has a 3.63 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 43.8 percent ground-ball rate, though he’s been hit harder than those numbers might indicate (4.78 FIP, 4.62 xFIP).

Clayton Richard, Padres | $1.75MM ($641K remaining)

Richard got off to a solid start to the year in the Padres’ rotation but has been rocked since mid-June. He’s nonetheless an affordable arm with a recent track record of some bullpen success (2015 Cubs). Richard has struggled against lefties and righties alike, but the asking price here shouldn’t be prohibitive for any team looking to speculate.

Francisco Liriano, Blue Jays | $13MM ($4.76MM remaining)

Like Richard, Liriano has spent the season as a starter. He’s struggled all year, though, and while he doesn’t have considerable bullpen experience, he’s held left-handed opponents to a dreary .241/.267/.379 batting line with a 16-to-1 K/BB ratio and a 52.5 percent ground-ball rate. He may draw interest as a rotation option, but speculatively speaking, Liriano is an intriguing option as a situational lefty.

Controlled Through 2018

Justin Wilson, Tigers | $2.7MM salary in 2017, arbitration-eligible for 2018

One of the most desirable trade commodities in all of baseball, Wilson has turned in 39 1/3 frames with 12.6 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 with a 36.1 percent grounder rate en route to a 2.75 ERA. His modest salary and success against both lefties and righties gives Wilson widespread appeal and makes him one of the likeliest players to be traded between now and Monday’s non-waiver deadline. The Tigers have reportedly discussed packaging him with larger contracts, though a standalone trade of Wilson would likely net them the best possible return.

Zach Britton, Orioles | $11.4MM in 2017, arbitration-eligible for 2018

Britton brings plenty of name value and one of the game’s most impressive track records to the table. However, he’s earning $11.4MM this year and has missed most of the season with a forearm injury. He’s also been somewhat unimpressive when healthy (3.50 ERA, 7.0 K/9, 4.0 BB/9, albeit with a typically brilliant 69.5 percent ground-ball rate). The O’s are said to be reluctant to move him anyhow, and given his 2017 health issues and results, it’s tough to see a team parting with elite prospects to land him.

Jerry Blevins, Mets | $5.5MM in 2017, $7MM club option for 2018 (with a $1MM buyout)

There hasn’t been much indication that the Mets plan to move Blevins, who has 44 strikeouts and 16 walks (two intentional) in 31 1/3 innings. The Mets seem intent on competing in 2018, and they hold an affordable option over Blevins, who has been excellent for them.

Aaron Loup, Blue Jays | $1.125MM in 2017, arbitration-eligible for 2018

The 29-year-old Loup hasn’t been all that tough on lefties since 2014 and has a 5.09 ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 4.6 BB/9 with a 55.8 percent ground-ball rate this season. He’s affordable, but his lack of results dating back to 2015 don’t exactly make him an appealing candidate. The Jays surely wouldn’t mind moving him, however, and Loup does miss bats and rack up grounders.

Extended Control Rights

Brad Hand, Padres | $1.4MM in 2017, arbitration-eligible through 2019

As is the case with Wilson, Hand is one of the most highly sought after assets in the game. He’s been lights-out since the Padres claimed him off waivers early last season, working to a combined 2.63 ERA with 11.4 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 47 percent ground-ball rate through 140 1/3 innings out of the San Diego bullpen. Because he’s earning just $1.4MM this season and is controlled for another two years beyond the current campaign, Hand figures to come with one of the highest asking prices of any reliever on the market. The Friars could still wait to move him until the offseason if they don’t find an offer to their liking, as chairman Ron Fowler indicated earlier today, but it’s also natural for the team to suggest a willingness to wait until the offseason when marketing a controllable asset at the deadline.

Dan Jennings, White Sox | $1.4MM in 2017, arbitration-eligible through 2019

A hefty ground-ball rate has helped Jennings to turn in solid results over the past three seasons despite pedestrian K/BB numbers. Since joining the ChiSox in 2015, Jennings has a 3.12 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 4.0 BB/9 and a 59.1 percent ground-ball rate. He’s flat-out dominated left-handed hitters this season, holding them to a putrid .164/.286/.211 batting line. GM Rick Hahn is willing to listen on just about anyone, and Jennings should be no exception.

Kevin Siegrist/Tyler Lyons, Cardinals | $1.6375MM for Siegrist, arb-eligible through 2019; pre-arbitration for Lyons, arb-eligible through 2020

There’s no definitive word that the Cards will be open to moving either of this pairing, though newly minted president of baseball ops John Mozeliak has gone on record to suggest that he’s not afraid to make changes after his team hasn’t performed up to expectations. Both lefties are throwing reasonably well and are under 30 (Lyons is 29, Siegrist 28). Siegrist has been roughed up by lefties this season and has seen his control regress (4.8 BB/9) after making improvements in 2016. Lyons has been solid against lefties and righties alike in a smaller sample of innings and is currently sporting a career-high 10.1 K/9. The Cards also have Zach Duke and Brett Cecil in their ’pen, but Duke is only just returning from Tommy John surgery while Cecil is just a few months into a massive four-year contract that no team is likely willing to absorb.

Tony Cingrani, Reds | $1.825MM in 2017, arbitration-eligible through 2019

Cingrani has a history of missing bats (career 9.2 K/9) but also has long displayed questionable control (4.5 BB/9). Durability is a concern with Cingrani, too, as he spent more than a month on the DL with an oblique strain this season and has three other MLB DL stints plus a pair of minor league DL stints in recent years. He’s also given up seven runs in his past four outings, ballooning his ERA from 2.55 to 4.98 in the process, and has surrendered a troubling five homers to lefties in 2017.

Josh Edgin, Mets | $675K in 2017, arbitration-eligible through 2019

The 30-year-old Edgin’s velocity and strikeout rate have yet to return to their pre-Tommy-John levels after the southpaw’s 2015 operation. Edgin’s 27-to-18 K/BB ratio doesn’t inspire much confidence, and he’s been hit fairly hard by both righties and lefties. Edgin did show promise in a three-year stretch with the Mets from 2012-14, but that was a long time ago now.

Sam Freeman, Braves | Pre-arbitration in 2017, arbitration-eligible through 2020

The 30-year-old Freeman doesn’t have much of a track record, but he’s whiffed 36 batters in 34 1/3 innings this season while posting a gaudy 60 percent ground-ball rate. He’s averaging nearly 95 mph on his heater as well. Lefties are hitting just .211/.286/.281 against him this year, and his 3.93 ERA is solid, if unspectacular. As for the bad news, Freeman has averaged 4.8 BB/9 this season and 5.1 BB/9 in his career. The Braves would no doubt move Ian Krol as well, but Krol has struggled more than any reliever on this list.

Avisail Garcia Placed On DL With Strained Thumb Ligament

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White Sox outfielder Avisail Garcia has been diagnosed with a strained ligament in his thumb and will be placed on the DL, per a team announcement. Garcia will miss approximately two weeks with the injury, tweets MLB.com’s Scott Merkin. CSN Chciago’s Chuck Garfien tweets that Garcia will undergo an MRI for further evaluation. A corresponding move has not yet been announced.

[Related: Updated Chicago White Sox depth chart]

While Garcia hasn’t been among the most discussed White Sox trade candidates, it certainly stands to reason that the Chicago front office would’ve listened to offers on the 26-year-old. He’s controlled only through the 2019 season and has enjoyed the most productive season of his career at the plate. Through 363 plate appearances, Garcia is hitting .303/.347/.485 with 13 home runs, 17 doubles and three triples. He’s also turned in slightly above-average marks in right field, per Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating, for the second straight season. The injury makes a move involving Garcia considerably less likely, however.

Much of Garcia’s 2017 production looks attributable to a career-high BABIP that has begun to come back to earth in recent weeks, though he’s improved his strikeout rate to a career-best 21.5 percent and has substantially increased his overall contact rate at the plate as well. He’s also sporting a career-best homer-to-flyball ratio (19.7 percent) and has seen a corresponding uptick in isolated power (.182).

With both Avisail and Leury Garcia on the shelf, the White Sox could give waiver pickup Alen Hanson more looks in right field. The team also has Willy Garcia as an option in Triple-A. Outfield prospect Ryan Cordell, acquired in the trade that sent Anthony Swarzak to the Brewers, would likely be an option were it not for the fact that he’s been on the minor league disabled list since late June. White Sox GM Rick Hahn elaborated on Cordell’s back injury, telling reporters that it’ll probably take another few weeks to resolve and suggesting that Cordell could be sidelined until the instructional league in September (Twitter link via the Daily Herald’s Scot Gregor).

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