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White Sox Designate Michael Ynoa For Assignment

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The White Sox announced Thursday that they’ve reinstated closer David Robertson from the paternity list and designated righty Michael Ynoa for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster.

Ynoa was once one of the most promising prospects ever to come out of the Dominican Republic, signing with the Athletics for a then-record $4.25MM back in 2008. He rated as the game’s No. 54 prospect the following offseason, per Baseball America, but he never delivered on that considerable potential. Elbow soreness and tendinitis wiped out his first year as a pro, and that was followed by Tommy John surgery a year later. Upon returning, he delivered mostly middling results in the Athletics’ minor league system.

Now 25 years of age, Ynoa made his MLB debut with the Sox last year, pitching to a 3.00 ERA in 30 innings but limped to a 5.90 mark through a nearly identical sample size of 29 frames with the 2017 Sox. He’s shown some ability to miss bats, but control has been an issue for Ynoa, who has a 53-to-39 K/BB ratio through his 59 Major League innings to date. He also experienced a significant dip in fastball velocity this season (though he still averaged 92.4 mph), while each of his strikeout, walk, home run and grounder rates trended in the wrong direction.

Royals In Market For Pitching Upgrades, May Pursue Rotation Rentals

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On the heels of a 22-10 run over their past 32 contests, the Royals are in the market for upgrades in both their rotation and the bullpen, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman.

“We’re evaluating the landscape, and paying close attention to what may be available in the pitching market,” GM Dayton Moore tells Heyman. “…We’re looking to improve our roster and make it more balanced for the second half. … I don’t know why anyone thought we’d be sellers.” Those comments largely back up recent statements made by manager Ned Yost on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM and to reporters following last night’s game (link via the Kansas City Star’s Rustin Dodd).

Heyman goes on to add that the Royals aren’t likely to have too much payroll flexibility due to the fact that they entered the season with a franchise-record $145MM payroll. However, there’s a belief that Kansas City is open to adding a veteran starter on an expiring contract, according to Heyman. A look at MLBTR’s list of 2017-18 free agents shows starters that fit the bill, though obviously not all of those arms are available in trades, and some may not fit into an apparently tight Royals budget.

The following names are purely my own speculation, but if the Royals are aiming to add affordable rotation rentals, any of this bunch could make some sense (listed from lowest salary to highest salary):

  • Trevor Cahill: Cahill was only just activated off the disabled list after missing seven weeks due to a strained right shoulder. While he doesn’t come with much in the way of name value these days, Cahill has broken out in his return to a big league rotation, throwing 45 2/3 innings with 10.8 K/9, 3.7 BB/9 and a 62.3 percent ground-ball rate. That’s led to a 2.96 ERA that is backed by a 2.98 FIP, 3.25 xFIP and 3.51 SIERA. He’s earning just $1.75MM in 2017, so from a financial standpoint, he’s an ideal fit.
  • Jhoulys Chacin: Teammates with Cahill, Chacin is also earning $1.75MM this year. He’s been the more durable of the two, and although he posted terrible numbers early in the year, he’s logged a 2.98 ERA with a 39-to-15 K/BB ratio and a 50.4 percent grounder rate over his past 42 1/3 innings. He’s hardly an impact upgrade, but right now it doesn’t look like there’ll be an impact rental available at all.
  • Scott Feldman: The 34-year-old has been the Reds’ best starter this season, turning in 102 2/3 innings of 3.94 ERA ball. Feldman’s 7.5 K/9 mark is the best of his career, and he’s averaging a reasonable 2.9 walks per nine innings with a 45 percent ground-ball rate. Despite playing his home games at Great American Ball Park, he’s managed to limit home runs (1.1 HR/9). Feldman has a cheap $2.3MM base salary, though he’s already added $1.3MM worth of incentives and will tack on another $300K after his 20th start. Since this is all speculative anyhow, the Reds have a number of shorter-term bullpen pieces that could move (e.g. Drew Storen, Blake Wood) plus a shortstop that would be a significant upgrade for the Royals’ infield.
  • Alex Cobb: It’s worth debating whether Cobb will even be available because of the fact that the Rays are contending, but Tampa Bay will almost certainly lose him for nothing this offseason as a free agent rather than make him a qualifying offer that could top $18MM. Cobb carries a 4.01 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 44.6 percent grounder rate in 107 2/3 innings. He hasn’t been the borderline ace that he was prior to Tommy John surgery, but he’s earning an affordable $4.2MM. From the Rays’ vantage point, they’ll get Matt Andriese back in August while Jose De Leon and Blake Snell wait in the wings for full-time rotation spots. And, Jacob Faria has already laid claim to a starting job with five brilliant starts.
  • Derek Holland: Holland has given the division-rival White Sox 16 starts of 4.52 ERA ball and a total of 87 1/3 innings, but his production has cratered over the past month or so. He’s averaging 7.8 K/9 but 3.7 BB/9 and 1.75 HR/9. Metrics like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all actually feel that he’s been somewhat fortunate to hold down that 4.52 ERA. Holland is affordable, though, with a $6MM base salary and $2MM worth of incentives ($1MM for reaching 150 innings and another $1MM for 200 frames).
  • Lance Lynn: As is the case with Cobb, Lynn is no lock to be available. The Cards are a manageable 5.5 games out of the NL Central lead and may take their deadline course of action down to the wire. However, they could also simply slide Luke Weaver into Lynn’s rotation spot, so there’s room to move him even if they still aim to contend. Lynn has a 3.87 ERA with 8.6 K/9, 3.5 BB/9 and a 42.3 percent ground-ball rate through 95 1/3 innings in his first year back from Tommy John. But, he’s also been torched for 1.9 HR/9, as 19.6 percent of the fly-balls he’s yielded have left the yard. That’s a 10 percent departure from his career mark of 9.3 percent, so perhaps the home run spike is somewhat fluky. If the Royals (or another club) believes him capable of reigning in the homers, Lynn’s $7.5MM salary is hardly backbreaking.
  • Jaime Garcia: Garcia has bombed over his past four starts, allowing five runs or more in each outing. He’s still sporting a 4.55 ERA on the season with a 54.3 percent ground-ball rate, 6.7 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9. None of those are especially eye-catching, and the Royals may well wish the Braves to pay down some of the $5.7MM that remains on his $12MM salary. The Braves, though, are surely open to moving Garcia, who looks to be a steadier option than the Royals’ current fifth starter, Travis Wood.

Other potentially available rentals include Jeremy Hellickson, Johnny Cueto, Marco Estrada and Francisco Liriano, though each of that bunch makes more than anyone listed here and/or has struggled on the mound thus far. Yu Darvish would be the only potential ace that’d be available as a rental, but he’s reportedly likely to stay put even if the Rangers fall out of the race, and the asking price on him would be exorbitant anyhow.

From a broader perspective, Moore’s comments seem to throw cold water on any suggestion that Kansas City would entertain the thought of trading key impending free agents like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas, Lorenzo Cain, Jason Vargas and Mike Minor. (Alcides Escobar, too, is a free agent, though his lack of production makes him a tough sell as a trade candidate anyhow.) Those names have all recently fallen off of MLBTR’s list of this summer’s top 60 trade candidates.

Braves To Release Bartolo Colon

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The Braves are set to release veteran righty Bartolo Colon, who was designated for assignment last week, as Grant McAuley of 929 The Game / CBS Radio first reported (on Twitter). FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes that the Braves didn’t drum up any interest in Colon (presumably, any efforts to do so included Atlanta eating a vast majority of the remaining contract), and he’ll officially hit the open market today.

There have been multiple reports linking the Mets to a reunion with Colon, though Heyman notes that other clubs have some interest as well now that he can be had for the prorated portion of the league minimum — which is roughly $254K through season’s end.

Colon, 44, pitched to an awful 8.14 ERA through 63 innings with the Braves, averaging 6.0 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and 1.57 HR/9 with a 45.6 percent ground-ball rate. Of course, despite those numbers, there’s at least some reason to be optimistic about a turnaround. Colon’s .360 average on balls in play is the highest in baseball among pitchers with at least 60 innings pitched, yet he doesn’t rank anywhere near the top of the league in terms of hard contact allowed. In fact, he’s 23rd out of 129 pitchers in terms of weak contact induced, per that same innings criteria. He’s also posted a bizarrely low 48.2 percent strand rate.

That, of course, isn’t to say that anyone should expect a return to last year’s 3.43 ERA form, though. While ERA alternatives like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all suggest that Colon’s sky-high ERA is due for some correction, each still pegs him right around 5.00. And hitter-friendly SunTrust Park did no favors for Colon (8.25 ERA in 24 innings), the reality is that his ERA was also north of 8.00 on the road, where he surrendered eight of his 11 homers.

Colon’s track record of durability and affable clubhouse persona will likely appeal to a number of teams, but few contending clubs could realistically pick him up and insert him directly into the rotation. Of course, Colon could still help those teams by reporting to Triple-A to try to get back on track or by joining the bullpen as a long reliever, perhaps eventually proving himself worthy of another look as a starter.

AL Central Notes: Royals, Verlander, Norris, Twins

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While manager Ned Yost won’t be the one ultimately calling the shots prior to the non-waiver trade deadline, the Royals’ skipper didn’t mince words in a recent appearance with Casey Stern on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link). Yost said the Royals are fully planning to function as buyers and not sellers over the next several weeks. “We’re going for this thing,” said Yost, whose Royals currently sit at 44-40 — a half-game back from the division-leading Indians. The Royals still have another 19 games before the non-waiver deadline, but they’ve certainly positioned themselves well over the past month or so, playing at a 22-10 pace since early June.

More from the division…

  • Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander has seen his name pop up more and more on the rumor circuit, but the former AL Cy Young winner told reporters that he’s not at all focused on that possibility (via George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press). Moreover, Verlander’s comments suggest that, to this point, he has not been approached about the possibility of waiving his no-trade clause. “[GM Al Avila] has been very forthcoming with myself,” said Verlander. “He said don’t listen to everything that’s out there. If there’s anything that comes to fruition I’ll be the first to talk to you about it. Until or if that point comes, there’s nothing to think about really.”
  • The Tigers announced today that left-hander Daniel Norris has been placed on the 10-day disabled list due to a left groin strain. Fellow lefty Blaine Hardy is up from Triple-A Toledo to take his spot on the active roster. Norris started yesterday’s game for Detroit and wouldn’t have been called upon again in the first half, so his first half would’ve been done anyway. Viewed through that lens, the move could be a procedural tactic, though MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets that Norris is undergoing an MRI this morning to determine the injury’s severity, so there’s perhaps more at play here than simply getting an extra reliever on the roster for a few days on either end of the break.
  • Though Twins players had a strong relationship with former GM Terry Ryan, Brian Dozier tells ESPN’s Scott Lauber that the club has quickly taken to chief baseball officer Derek Favley and GM Thad Levine. “They were always upfront with me, honest, and that’s one thing I respect more than anything,” said Dozier, one of this offseason’s most oft-discussed trade candidates. “…They’re always bouncing ideas off of us, from the biggest of things to the smallest of things, like not taking BP. They have a collaborative effort and find every possible solution to what’s going to make this thing work. That’s their best trait, I think.” Falvey spoke with Lauber about the team’s blend of scouting and a rapidly growing analytics practice. And, as Lauber writes, Falvey also isn’t taking the team’s status as contenders for granted. Echoing Levine’s recent comments about being open to adding long-term assets, Falvey told Lauber: “If we can find ways to add to that group that builds toward the future, that’s what we’ll look for.”

Cubs To Recall Kyle Schwarber, Place John Lackey On DL

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7:55am: Rogers now tweets that the Cubs will place John Lackey on the 10-day DL due to plantar faciitis, though it’s possible that due to the off-time afforded by the All-Star break, Lackey won’t even miss a start. Lackey started yesterday’s game for the Cubs and wasn’t in line to make another appearance in the first half anyhow.

7:36am: The Cubs will recall Kyle Schwarber from Triple-A Iowa today after a brief demotion to the minors, reports ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers. He’s expected to be available for today’s game against Milwaukee.

The 24-year-old Schwarber got off to a dreadful start in 2017, hitting just .171/.295/.378 through his first 261 plate appearances. While Schwarber did belt 12 homers in that time, he also struck out in nearly 29 percent of his plate appearances and hit 10 infield flies to go along with a lowly 12.3 percent line-drive rate.

Schwarber’s demotion was never expected to be especially lengthy in nature, however, and he’s clobbered Triple-A pitching in 11 games following the quick mental respite. In 44 plate appearances, the former No. 4 overall draft pick hit .343/.477/.714 with four homers and a double. He did strike out 12 times (27 percent), but he also drew eight walks.

Jon Jay has seen the bulk of the playing time in left field since Schwarber was sent down and has hit well (.268/.318/.463 in 44 PAs), but Schwarber figures to reclaim the majority of playing time in left upon his return. The corresponding move for Schwarber’s return isn’t yet known, but there are no obvious demotion candidates on the position-player side of the equation, and the Cubs are currently deploying an eight-man bullpen.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/5/17

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We’ll track the latest notable minor moves in this post:

  • Rays reliever Danny Farquhar has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Durham, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Farquhar had been in DFA limbo since June 28. Before that, he opened the year with 35 reasonably effective innings in Tampa Bay, where he recorded a 4.11 ERA, 8.5 K/9 against 5.7 BB/9, and a 44.4 percent ground-ball rate.
  • The Yankees have released left-handed reliever Tommy Layne, tweets Conor Foley of the Times-Tribune. New York designated Layne on June 10, after which it outrighted him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Layne was solid over 6 2/3 innings at Triple-A, as he yielded two earned runs on four hits and two walks. He hasn’t fared well at the major league level this year, though, with a 7.62 ERA, 6.23 K/9 and 5.54 BB/9 over 13 frames.
  • The Blue Jays have traded infielder Jonathan Diaz to the Yankees, Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo announced (on Twitter). This will be the second stint with the Yankees organization for the 32-year-old Diaz, who was in Scranton last season. The majority of Diaz’s professional career has been spent with the Toronto organization, which selected him in the 12th round of the 2006 draft, though his initial major league action came with the Red Sox in 2013. He then returned to the Jays and cracked their roster for brief periods in both 2014 and ’15. In all, Diaz has collected 65 major league PAs and batted .145/.242/.164. He owns a .226/.341/.291 line in 2,314 PAs at Triple-A.

Earlier update:

  • Rangers righty Preston Claiborne accepted an outright assignment after clearing waivers, per a club announcement. He was designated recently following a single appearance out of the Texas pen. That was Claiborne’s first MLB action since 2014; he missed all of the ensuing season with a rotator cuff injury. Claiborne, 29, showed well at the Double-A level last year with the Giants and opened the 2017 season at the Rangers’ top affiliate. Over 26 1/3 Triple-A innings, he owns a 1.37 ERA with 10.6 /9 against 3.8 BB/9. He’ll look to maintain that productivity upon his return while waiting for a new opportunity to open at the major league level.

Injury Notes: Orioles, Angels, Twins, Braves

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The Orioles activated closer Zach Britton on Wednesday, when he was first eligible to come off the 60-day disabled list. The left-hander had been on the shelf since early May with a forearm strain. Britton has been on the DL twice this year on account of forearm issues, which has limited him to just nine appearances. He took the mound Wednesday for the first time since May 4, working around a single and a walk to toss a scoreless inning.

More of the latest injury updates from around the majors:

  • Angels center fielder Mike Trout began a Single-A rehab assignment Wednesday, Maria Guardado of MLB.com was among those to report (on Twitter). The 25-year-old superstar has been out since he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb at the end of May, forcing him to undergo surgery. The Trout-less Angels have only gone 17-18, but that has been enough to keep them in the wild-card picture in the American League. They’re just 2.5 games out of a playoff spot, and Trout should return right after the All-Star break.
  • One of Trout’s Angels teammates, reliever Huston Street, joined him on the 10-day DL on Wednesday (retroactive to Monday) with a right adductor/groin strain. The Angels recalled righty Eduardo Paredes to take his place. The Halos just activated Street from the DL on June 22, which came after he missed the first two-plus months of the season with a strained right lat muscle. Street, 33, fared nicely during his short-lived healthy period, throwing four scoreless innings and allowing two hits and a walk, though another DL trip won’t do him any favors in what’s likely a contract year. The former closer has a $10MM club option for 2018, but the Angels are sure to pay him a $1MM buyout instead.
  • Righty Matt Shoemaker, yet another member of the Angels, has suffered a setback in his recovery from a forearm strain, writes Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times. Shoemaker, out since mid-June, experienced soreness during a rehab start Tuesday. Now, Shoemaker will have to undergo more tests on his forearm. “He had some of the same symptoms crop back up,” said manager Mike Scioscia. Shoemaker has recorded a 4.52 ERA, 8.0 K/9 and a 3.24 BB/9 across 77 2/3 innings this season.
  • The Twins sent left-hander Hector Santiago to the 10-day DL on Wednesday for the second time in a month and recalled righty Alan Busenitz, tweets Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Santiago, who’s dealing with upper back pain, first went on the DL on June 7 with a shoulder strain. He returned to make two starts, the latest of which came Sunday. Overall, Santiago has struggled to a 5.63 ERA, with 6.53 K/9, 3.97 BB/9 and a 30.2 percent ground-ball rate, over 70 1/3 frames.
  • The Braves have placed reliever Arodys Vizcaino on the 10-day DL with a strained right index finger, per Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  Atlanta recalled righty Matt Wisler to take the spot of Vizcaino, who has produced excellent results this season. The 26-year-old has posted a 2.38 ERA, 10.32 K/9 and 3.18 BB/9 in 34 innings.

Finding The Yankees A First Baseman

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With lefty-swinging spring training masher Greg Bird and powerful right-hander Chris Carter, the Yankees appeared to have a promising first base tandem on hand at the outset of the season. Instead, the position has been an utter disaster throughout 2017 for the playoff-contending Bombers, whose first basemen entered Wednesday with a putrid .175/.271/.331 batting line and the majors’ second-worst fWAR (minus-1.2).

Bird hit a ghastly .100/.250/.200 in 72 plate appearances before going on the disabled list with a foot injury at the beginning of May. The 24-year-old hasn’t played since, and there’s a real chance he won’t return at all this season. Meanwhile, after clubbing a National League-leading 41 home runs with the Brewers last year, Carter has batted a weak .201/.284/.370 with eight homers in 208 PAs with the Yankees, who added him on a $3.5MM deal in February. The 30-year-old’s output has been so poor that the Yankees have booted him off their 40-man roster twice since late June, including on Tuesday. Now in DFA limbo, it’s possible Carter won’t put on a Yankees uniform again.

With the Bird-Carter duo having flopped and injuries having limited Tyler Austin to 15 PAs, the Yankees are down to Ji-Man Choi at first base. In his first taste of major league action last year, Choi hit a non-threatening .170/.271/.339 in 129 trips to the plate with the Angels. While the 26-year-old homered in his Yankees debut Wednesday, there’s nothing to suggest that the offseason minor league signing is capable of holding down a regular job in the majors, especially for a team with playoff hopes. So, with the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline approaching, New York is probably going to have to find an established first baseman over the next three-plus weeks. Fortunately for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, there shouldn’t be a shortage of attainable options.

Yonder Alonso

Potential Rentals:

Yonder Alonso, Athletics: The out-of-contention A’s are open to dealing Alonso, who’s enjoying a career year as an impending free agent. Previously a disappointment at the plate, the former top prospect bought into the fly ball revolution over the winter and has since produced a fantastic .283/.377/.575 line with 19 homers in 276 PAs this season. As a lefty-swinger with a 50 percent fly ball rate (up from 32.6 percent between 2010-16), the 30-year-old is an obvious fit for Yankee Stadium and its short porch in right field.

Lucas Duda, Mets: Another left-handed hitter, the slugging Duda has a longer track record than Alonso and is in the midst of another fine season (.249/.359/.548 with 14 HRs in 231 PAs). On paper, he makes plenty of sense for the Yankees, but would the Mets help their crosstown rivals strengthen their roster for a playoff run? The Queens-based club is reportedly open to moving players on expiring contracts, and Duda is among several of its veterans scheduled to hit free agency in the offseason.

John Jaso, Pirates: Jaso doesn’t offer the upside of either Alonso or Duda, but the 33-year-old has still logged respectable offensive numbers throughout his career. That includes the current season, in which Jaso has posted a .251/.330/.467 line 188 PAs. Jaso has packed more of a punch than usual this year, having recorded a .216 ISO (his career high is .180) and seven homers, putting him on pace to surpass the personal-best 10 he hit in 2012. Like Alonso, Jaso’s hitting more fly balls (48 percent, up from a career 34 percent), so it seems he’d also benefit from a move to Yankee Stadium.

Controllable Possibilities:

Brandon Belt

Brandon Belt, Giants (signed through 2021): Belt, 29, is in the first season of a five-year, $72.8MM contract, which is an eminently reasonable deal when you consider what he has accomplished during his career. Nevertheless, the last-place Giants might listen to offers for Belt, who has been one of their few bright spots this season. While Belt’s numbers have taken steps backward this year, he has still put up an attractive .235/.343/.464 line with 16 long balls in 353 trips to the plate. Considering Belt’s track record and affordable contract, San Francisco should be able to acquire a solid prospect haul if it actually does move him. Whether the Yankees would be willing to part with multiple quality prospects for a first baseman is unclear, but the idea of Belt going from a ballpark that suppresses left-handed power to one that accentuates it is intriguing.

Justin Bour, Marlins ($552,500 salary this year; arbitration eligible through 2020): The left-handed, hulking Bour calling Yankee Stadium home is also enticing, and the Bombers have shown interest in him this year. As is the case with Belt, Bour’s combination of productivity and affordability would make him a fairly expensive target. Unlike in previous seasons, the Marlins have given Bour a legitimate chance to play against same-handed pitchers this year, and he hasn’t disappointed. Overall, Bour has slashed .285/.361/.546 with 18 homers and a .261 ISO in 280 PAs.

Jose Abreu, White Sox ($10.825MM salary this year; arbitration eligible through 2019): Acquiring both Abreu and left-hander Jose Quintana from the White Sox would take care of two needs at once for the Yankees, whose rotation could use a short- and long-term upgrade. Quintana would provide that, while Abreu would lock down first and/or designated hitter through 2019, but reeling in the pair would cost a prospect bounty. Chicago would presumably ask a lot just for the 30-year-old Abreu, who has been an adept hitter since coming over from Cuba prior to the 2014 season. The righty’s at .290/.340/.512 with 16 HRs and a career-best 16.7 percent strikeout rate across 362 PAs this year.

Matt Adams, Braves ($2.8MM salary this year; arbitration eligible through 2018): The Braves surrendered very little when they acquired Adams from the Cardinals in late May, but the 28-year-old has since hit an outstanding .290/.337/.594 in 169 PAs. The lefty has been so good that the Braves are experimenting with longtime first baseman and franchise cornerstone Freddie Freeman at third base as a way to keep Adams’ bat in the lineup. The 40-42 Braves remain well out of a playoff spot, though, so it would behoove them to listen to offers for Adams in the coming weeks and see if they can flip him for more than they gave up. Adams’ track record shows he’s more of a decent hitter than a great one, but even average production from first would be a sizable improvement over what the Yankees have gotten from the position this year.

Tommy Joseph, Phillies (not arbitration eligible until after the 2019 season): With big-hitting first base prospect Rhys Hoskins trying to force his way to the majors, Joseph might not be a Phillie for much longer. Whether the 25-year-old would be a worthwhile target for the Yankees is up for debate, though. The Yankees may already have a Joseph of their own in the soon-to-return Austin, another righty-hitting 25-year-old. As such, trading assets for Joseph might not make be logical from their standpoint. While Joseph is more established than Austin, the former hasn’t been anything special in the big leagues. He’s batting a so-so .245/.303/.442 through 304 PAs this year. Of course, in fairness to Joseph, his output has been far better than the numbers Yankees first basemen have compiled in 2017.

Overview

After beginning the year an AL East-best 38-23, the Yankees have dropped 16 of 22 to fall to 44-39. They’re now second in their division, a lofty 4.5 games behind the Red Sox, and only have a one-game lead on a wild-card spot. First base has been one of the major reasons for the Yankees’ recent downfall, so they’ll have to do something in the coming weeks to improve an area that has been a black hole all season. With no obvious in-house solutions (no, they’re not going to move towering right fielder and AL MVP front-runner Aaron Judge to first), there’s a good chance one of the above names will end up in the Bronx by month’s end.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Orioles Acquire Milton Ramos From Mets

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The Orioles have acquired shortstop Milton Ramos from the Mets for international signing bonus slots, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link).

Baltimore, which is known for largely eschewing the international market, has now acquired several players in 2017 in exchange for bonus slots. After this year’s international signing period opened Sunday, the Orioles landed pitchers Matt Wotherspoon and Jason Wheeler from the Yankees and Dodgers, respectively. Previously, the O’s picked up the likes of Damien Magnifico, Paul Fry and Alex Katz for international spending space earlier this season.

The 21-year-old Ramos, who topped out as Baseball America’s 19th-best Mets prospect after the 2015 campaign, has hit just .242/.296/.312 at the lower levels of the minors since New York chose him in the third round of the 2014 draft. He owns a .227/.272/.276 line in 197 plate appearances at Single-A this season. He’ll remain at that level with the Orioles, per Kubatko.

It’s unclear how much international money the Orioles have traded away during the current period, but they opened the proceedings with $5.75MM. The Mets entered Sunday with $4.75MM to work with and have since agreed to use a combined $3.6MM on Dominican shortstops Ronny Mauricio and Adrian Hernandez.

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