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Orioles Notes: Davis, Rotation, Hall

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Chris Davis is probably headed to the disabled list, Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters today (Twitter link via the Baltimore Sun’s Jon Meoli). Earlier in the day, Meoli reported that an MRI on Davis revealed what looks to be a strained oblique muscle, and Showalter confirmed that Davis does indeed have a Grade 1 strain. There’s no timeline for his recovery available just yet, but history suggests that even a Grade 1 oblique strain could sideline Davis for more than a month. David Hall of the Virginian Pilot reports (on Twitter) that slugger David Washington will join the Orioles in place of Davis. However, as MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko notes, rookie Trey Mancini could see the most significant uptick in playing time as he returns to his natural position of first base.

More on the O’s…

  • The Orioles’ awful performance from their rotation has led to a 9-21 slide, dropping Baltimore to a half-game out of last place in the AL East, writes Fangraphs’ Dave Cameron. In that stretch, opponents have posted OBP and slugging marks that nearly mirror Miguel Sano’s current rates. Cameron examines Chris Tillman’s rapid drop in velocity and notes that colleague Jeff Sullivan recently profiled Tillman’s change in arm slot, suggesting that perhaps he’s not quite recovered from recent shoulder injuries. Kevin Gausman’s struggles are more troubling, Cameron continues, given the fact that his stuff appears similar to last year but the results aren’t there. The Orioles need to augment their rotation with multiple arms but have little in the way of minor league reinforcements, and Cameron wonders if that could push them to the trade market this summer. All of these rotation struggles come against the backdrop of a $165MM payroll club that will soon lose Manny Machado, Zach Britton and others to free agency.
  • The Orioles weren’t expecting left-hander D.L. Hall to last until their No. 21 overall selection last night, scouting director Gary Rajsich told reporters on a conference call (link via MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski). Rajsich candidly stated that the Orioles “weren’t real thrilled with our options there” but became increasingly excited as the teams in front of them passed on Hall, whom they held in very high regard. “We project him to be a future starter in our rotation, and it shouldn’t take very long,” said Rajsich of Hall. Of course, Hall was taken out of Valdosta High School in Georgia, so Rajsich’s comment is presumably in reference to Hall’s proximity to the Majors relative to other prep arms. Even a fast-moving high school arm is likely to be several years from realistically sniffing the Majors, though Hall turns 19 in September, so he is a bit more physically advanced than some of his high school peers in the draft.

Minor MLB Transactions: 6/13/17

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We’ll use this post to track the day’s minor moves:

  • Right-hander Nick Tepesch, who was recently released by the Twins, is back with Minnesota on a new minor league deal, per a club announcement. The 28-year-old made one start for the Twins earlier this season and lasted just 1 2/3 innings — his second brief stint in the Majors since a lengthier run with the 2013-14 Rangers. Tepesch struggled to a 5.59 ERA in Triple-A Rochester this season but has a career 3.54 ERA in parts of four seasons at that level. He’s been placed on the minor league DL, per the Twins, but he’ll again function as rotation and bullpen depth when healthy.
  • The Yankees announced that they’ve outrighted southpaw Tommy Layne to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Layne, 32, thrived in the Bronx following a midseason pickup in 2016, but he’s had a rough go of it in 2017. Thus far, he’s totaled 13 innings and been tagged for 11 runs on 16 hits and eight walks with nine strikeouts. Layne has been hit hard by lefties and righties alike, but he’s held same-handed opponents to a .187/.286/.230 line through 346 big league plate appearances.
  • Catcher Francisco Pena has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk following his most recent DFA, per a club announcement from the Orioles. The 27-year-old has already been designated for assignment and outrighted once earlier this season, which afforded him the option to reject this assignment in favor of free agency. However, it appears that Pena will remain with the organization in hopes of securing another look in the Majors. A well-regarded defender, Pena has collected five hits (two homers) in 10 at-bats in the Majors this season. His 60 big league plate appearances haven’t been especially productive, though, and he’s had difficulty getting on base despite showing decent pop in his Triple-A career.

Earlier Moves

  • The Angels have announced that outfielder Shane Robinson was outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers. The eight-year MLB veteran would be entitled to reject the assignment, but it seems he has foregone that option since he’s listed on the Salt Lake roster. Robinson, 32, had a five-game stint in the majors for the Halos after appearing in 65 contests for the organization last year. Over his 772 career plate appearances, Robinson owns only a .227/.295/.300 batting line. But he was slashing a productive .289/.372/.358 in his 183 trips to the plate at Triple-A before his promotion.

Cesar Hernandez Out Six Weeks With Oblique Injury

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The Phillies will be without second baseman Cesar Hernandez for roughly six weeks due to a strained oblique muscle, manager Pete Mackanin tells reporters (Twitter link via Meghan Montemurro of the News Journal).

[Related: Philadelphia Phillies depth chart]

The loss of Hernandez will remove one of the few Phillies that has been enjoying a solid season at the plate from the team’s lineup. Through 259 plate appearances, the 27-year-old switch-hitter has batted .277/.336/.399 with five homers and six RBIs. Hernandez has demonstrated more power than he did in 2016, as he’s already just one homer shy of last season’s total, though it’s come at the expense of a diminished walk rate (10.6 percent in 2016, 7.7 percent in ’17). Hernandez has been four runs above average according to both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating this year, further contributing to his value.

Veteran Howie Kendrick, who has been excellent at the plate since returning from the disabled list himself, has filled in at second base in each of the past two games for the Phils. Kendrick and his .353/.409/.529 batting line (through just 93 plate appearances) can more than adequately fill in for Hernandez, though he’s a prime trade candidate as well. Of course, if the Phils wait until the trade deadline to deal Kendrick, they may be on the verge of getting Hernandez back on the big league roster anyway.

Some fans may clamor to use Hernandez’s injury as a means of getting a look at well-regarded second base prospect Scott Kingery, though there are numerous factors that could make that scenario unlikely. The 23-year-old Kingery, a former second-round pick, is still only in his first run through Double-A ball. There’s also no urgency for the Phillies to rush him, as they currently hold the worst record in the Majors and don’t need to be especially concerned with adding a couple of wins in what looks to otherwise be a lost season. Kingery also is not yet on the 40-man roster and needn’t be added yet this offseason to shield him from the Rule 5 Draft. He has, however, laid waste to opposing pitchers with a .306/.385/.625 with 18 homers and 14 steals through just 58 games.

Edwin Jackson Elects Free Agency

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Right-hander Edwin Jackson has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Orioles and has elected free agency, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.

The veteran Jackson’s time with the Orioles proved to be brief. After pushing an opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Orioles from June 1 back to June 5, the 33-year-old triggered that clause, prompting the Orioles to place him on the big league roster. However, he’d appear in just three games and total a mere five innings with the O’s. In that time, Jackson surrendered four earned runs (seven total runs) on 11 hits and four walks with two strikeouts.

Jackson was solid with Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate, posting a 3.10 ERA with 17 strikeouts against 10 walks in 20 1/3 innings. And he, of course, comes with plenty of big league experience under his belt. Jackson had a productive season as recently as 2015, when he notched a 3.07 earned run average with 6.5 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in 55 2/3 frames between the Cubs and Braves. In all, he’s compiled a 4.65 ERA with 6.9 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9 in 1729 1/3 Major League innings. Jackson, one of the most well-traveled players in Major League history, has now appeared for 12 different big league teams, leaving him one Major League club shy of tying the record 13 franchises for which Octavio Dotel appeared in his career.

Devon Travis Undergoes Knee Surgery

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Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis underwent surgery to “clean up cartilage” in his injured knee, manager John Gibbons tells Sportsnet’s Mike Wilner (Twitter links). While the procedure wasn’t unexpected, it only further underscores that Travis will be out “awhile.” Per Gibbons, the Blue Jays will go with a platoon of Darwin Barney and Ryan Goins at second base in the absence of Travis.

Toronto has yet to place a formal timeline on Travis’ absence, though the 26-year-old acknowledged last week that the new bone bruise and cartilage damage suffered in the same right knee that he suffered in the offseason would keep him out for an extended period. Travis expressed frustration to Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi at the time, explaining that there’s no one incident to which he can tie the injury, which he initially felt after a lengthy flight from Toronto to Oakland.

Travis, who was acquired from the Tigers in exchange for Anthony Gose three years ago, has been a productive force for the Blue Jays when healthy. However, he’s struggled to stay on the field in each of his three seasons with the Jays. In 868 plate appearances with Toronto, Travis has batted .292/.331/.462, but he’s also averaged just 289 plate appearances and 71 games per season (including this year).

Mets Place Asdrubal Cabrera On 10-Day DL

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The Mets have announced that shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera is heading to the 10-day DL with a sprained left thumb. He’ll be replaced for the time being by infielder T.J. Rivera.

While Cabrera launched two home runs yesterday, the lingering issue with his thumb has evidently become significant enough to warrant a rest. His prognosis is not specifically known, though it seems there’s little reason at this point to expect an extended absence.

As Marc Carig of Newsday notes (Twitter links), the switch-hitting Cabrera has been bothered especially while hitting from the right side. With left-handed starters scheduled for the next two days, the club evidently found the timing right to allow him to rest up.

At the same time, the Mets are surely at least thinking about alternatives. The 31-year-old Cabrera has not replicated his productive 2016 season at the plate, though with a .244/.321/.392 slash he hasn’t been a problem at the plate. (That’s good for a 94 wRC+, just under league average.) Trouble is, Cabrera relies on the bat to carry him as an everyday player. Thus far, he has rated as a clear negative in the field and on the bases.

Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Jose Reyes has scuffled to a .188/.261/.293 batting line. He’ll likely slide over to shortstop for now, with the hot-hitting Wilmer Flores stepping in at third. But there’s obvious appeal to the idea of promoting top prospect Amed Rosario, who is performing quite well at Triple-A. The Mets are understandably uninterested in using him as a patch, but at some point perhaps they will decide he’s ready to try to take over the shortstop position more permanently.

Brewers Designate Rob Scahill, Select Brandon Woodruff

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12:58pm: Unfortunately, Woodruff’s debut will need to wait. He has been scratched with hamstring tightness, the club announced.

8:52am: The Brewers have designated righty Rob Scahill for assignment, per a club announcement. His roster spot will go to prospect Brandon Woodruff, who’ll make his first MLB start today.

Scahill, 30, has generated quality results this year, continuing a trend in that regard. Since the start of 2015, he owns a 3.14 ERA over 83 innings. But a peek beneath the surface shows cause for concern. Through his 17 2/3 frames this year, Scahill has recorded just five strikeouts to go with nine walks.

The 24-year-old Woodruff earned top-100 billing from Baseball America before the start of the season. He has moved rather swiftly through the Milwaukee system since being taken in the 11th round of the 2014 draft out of Mississippi State.

Woodruff opened the current season at Triple-A, his first attempt at the highest level of the minors. Through 63 1/3 innings in a dozen starts, he owns a 4.12 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9.

For the Brewers, who are surprisingly pacing the NL Central, the move represents another interesting pitching promotion. The club already bumped up top young lefty Josh Hader, who’s working out of the pen. With a realistic path to contention available, the Brewers will see if these young arms can provide a near-term boost while also getting a glimpse at the organization’s anticipated future staff.

Rangers Acquire Joely Rodriguez

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The Rangers have acquired lefty Joely Rodriguez from the Phillies, per announcements from the organizations. Cash or a player to be named later will go back in return for Rodriguez, who was designated for assignment last week.

Rodriguez, 25, will head to Triple-A on optional assignment with his new organization. He’ll provide a depth option for a Texas club that has received strong contributions from southpaw Alex Claudio but may at some point see fit to add another lefty option to the pen.

After showing well in his first dozen major league games last year, Rodriguez opened the current season in the Phillies’ pen. But he struggled to a 6.33 ERA in 27 frames, coughing up 37 base hits while carrying a subpar 18:15 K/BB ratio. That said, Rodriguez has shown the capability to generate big groundball rates with his power sinker.

Injury Notes: Taillon/Bettis, Davis, Cespedes, Reddick

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The Pirates received an incredibly encouraging start yesterday from young righty Jameson Taillon, who returned from the DL after being treated for testicular cancer. As Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, that outing coincidentally came against the Rockies, meaning that Chad Bettis — who has also battled the same affliction — was on hand. Of course, the road back has not been quite as straightforward thus far for Bettis, who needed chemotherapy, though he has now progressed to participating in long toss. The two right-handed hurlers have communicated often this year, Nesbitt writes in an interesting piece.

Here’s more on some health situations from around the game:

  • Orioles slugger Chris Davis left last night’s contest with what the team is calling a right oblique strain. He is undergoing an MRI this morning, as Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun tweets. Skipper Buck Showalter expressed a generally pessimistic view of Davis’s outlook after the game. Indeed, it’s likely that Davis will head to the DL, according to Jon Morosi of MLB.com (via Twitter), though there’s still nothing official. It’s tough news for a fading O’s team.
  • Also failing to make it through yesterday’s game was Mets star Yoenis Cespedes, who only just returned from a DL stint for leg muscle issues. It turns out, though, that he was dealing with pain in his left heel, as Laura Albanese of Newsday tweets. The heel is actually a long-term issue, rather than a new injury, and it seems there’s hope that it won’t limit Cespedes too significantly. That’ll surely be the team’s hope, as it attempts to climb back from a dreadful start to the season.
  • Astros outfielder Josh Reddick was diagnosed with a “mild concussion” after running into the outfield wall, as Mark Berman of FOX 26 was among those to tweet. His outlook isn’t yet known, and surely depends upon further medical evaluation today. Reddick has provided Houston with a quality .281/.338/.443 batting line though 238 plate appearances, helping the organization to the best record in baseball and a dozen-game lead in the AL West.

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