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NL East Notes: Wright, Nationals, Hand, Phillies

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David Wright’s last game was on May 27, 2016, which means that over a year has passed since the star third baseman has taken the field for the Mets.  As Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News writes, Wright’s absence is heavily felt both on the field and inside the Mets clubhouse.  Since Wright was recently shut down from throwing during his recovery from a shoulder impingement, it doesn’t look like Wright will return any time soon.  Wright played in just 75 games in 2015-16 thanks to spinal stenosis and neck surgery, and given the seriousness of these injuries, it’s no surprise that there has been retirement speculation, though Wright himself has said that he enjoys the process and is hopeful of a return.

Here’s the latest from around the NL East…

  • The Nationals are one of many teams who have interest in Padres southpaw Brad Hand, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Twitter link).  Reports from earlier this week indicated that that Padres were getting a lot of trade buzz about Hand, who has posted a 2.00 ERA, 11.7 K/9 and 3.18 K/BB rate in 27 innings this season.  It isn’t surprising that Washington is one of the teams in the mix given the Nats’ bullpen issues this season — Nationals relievers entered the day with a cumulative 5.17 ERA, the highest bullpen ERA in baseball.
  • The Phillies haven’t seen much return on their offseason strategy of adding veterans on short-term deals, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.  Joaquin Benoit, Clay Buchholz, Jeremy Hellickson, Howie Kendrick, and Michael Saunders have all been either injured or largely ineffective in the season’s first two months.  While this isn’t a huge competitive concern to the rebuilding Phils, Gelb notes that if these veterans continue to struggle, it could lead to questions about the evaluation process used by GM Matt Klentak’s front office to pursue these players.

MLBTR Originals

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

  • Five officials working for Major League teams in an international scouting capacity provided MLBTR contributor Chuck Wasserstrom with a wide-ranging and comprehensive scouting report on Japanese superstar Shohei Otani.  Widely rumored to be pursuing a move to North American baseball this winter, Otani’s two-way abilities drew heavy praise from the five evaluators.  Names like Yu Darvish, Justin Verlander, Curtis Granderson and Paul O’Neill were mentioned as possible comps for Otani’s pitching and hitting abilities, though there was a general feeling that Otani has a better chance at elite status as a pitcher.
  • Also from Chuck, the latest installment of his Inside The Draft Room series features an interview with Mike Trout, as the Angels superstar re-lives the experience of being picked 25th overall in the 2009 draft.
  • MLBTR is happy to welcome Twins right-hander Trevor May to our roster of contributors.  Trevor’s first entry focuses on why he is available to write for MLBTR in the first place — the torn UCL he suffered during Spring Training that required Tommy John surgery and a year-long rehab.
  • The 2017-18 free agent class could get a boost from several notable players who can exercise opt-out clauses in their contracts after the season.  MLBTR’s Steve Adams looks at Justin Upton, Masahiro Tanaka, Johnny Cueto and others who will have to decide whether to forego their current guaranteed deals in search of more money and more years on the open market.
  • Lorenzo Cain is having another good year for the Royals, providing his customary strong defense and baserunning while increasing his walk totals.  On the flip side, as MLBTR’s Jeff Todd notes in his Free Agent Stock Watch profile of Cain, the Royals outfielder has seen a big dropoff in power department.  This could have implications on Cain’s next contract, as Jeff considers what Cain could earn in free agency this offseason with or without some solid power numbers on his resume.
  • Also from Jeff, he looks at 10 relievers who were forced to settle for minor league deals last winter but are providing their teams with strong results this season.
  • Which New York outfielder would you rather have as a long-term cornerstone — the Mets’ Michael Conforto or the Yankees’ Aaron Judge?  Connor Byrne put the question to the MLBTR audience, with just under 56.5% of readers polled preferring Judge.

Injury Notes: Trout, Kendrick, Happ, Liriano, Gray

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Updates on some injury situations around baseball….

  • Mike Trout sprained his left thumb while sliding into second base in today’s game against the Marlins, which led to the Angels superstar to leave the game an inning later.  (Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register was one of many with the details.)  X-rays were negative on the injury, though more will be known once Trout undergoes an MRI tomorrow.  Trout has never been on the disabled list in his career, though he did miss a few games earlier this month with a hamstring issue.  Needless to say, losing Trout would be an enormous blow to an Angels team that is hanging in in the AL wild card race despite a plethora of pitching injuries and a lack of team hitting, Trout’s incredible .337/.461/.742 slash line notwithstanding.
  • Howie Kendrick is expected to be activated from the DL tomorrow, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki tweets.  The veteran was off to a good start in his first 10 games with the Phillies before hitting the DL in mid-April with an oblique strain.  He was the starting left fielder in all 10 of his games, though one might expect the versatile Kendrick to be moved around the diamond since Aaron Altherr has broken out since taking over in left.
  • The Blue Jays could get both J.A. Happ and Francisco Liriano back from the DL this week, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi writes.  Happ could be activated as early as Tuesday for a start against the Reds, as though he may be limited to 65-70 pitches, the Jays bullpen could pick up the slack (assuming Marcus Stroman doesn’t have an abbreviated start on Monday, of course).  Happ has been sidelined since mid-April due to elbow inflammation, while Liriano hit the DL earlier this month due to shoulder inflammation.  Liriano is scheduled for a rehab start tonight and is tentatively slated to return to the Jays for a start against the Yankees on Friday.
  • Rockies righty Jon Gray threw a bullpen session today as he continues his recovery from a fractured left foot.  Manager Bud Black told the Denver Post’s Nick Groke and other reporters that Gray will undergo leg-strengthening exercises this week in order to allow for fielding practice, and then Gray will embark on a rehab assignment.  Despite this rough outline, there is “no timetable for when he returns to a game,” Black said.  Gray made only three starts before suffering his stress fracture, though his absence hasn’t stopped the surprising Rockies from posting the National League’s best record.

Nolan Reimold Retires

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Former major league outfielder Nolan Reimold has retired, according to Michael Pfaff, the president of the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League (Twitter link). Reimold joined the Ducks last month and ultimately slashed .238/.359/.397 in 78 plate appearances with the club.

Before partaking in indy ball, the 33-year-old Reimold had stints with the Orioles, Blue Jays and Diamondbacks from 2009-16 and typically served as a respectable major league hitter. With the exception of 2014 – which he divided between Toronto and Arizona – Reimold spent each of his seasons with the Orioles, who selected him in Round 2 of the 2005 draft. Overall, the righty-swinger was a viable option against pitchers of either handedness during his big league days and ended up batting .246/.323/.422 in 1,556 trips to the plate. He logged his best year as a rookie, hitting .279/.365/.466 with career highs in home runs (15), stolen bases (eight) and PAs (411).

Reds Acquire Darnell Sweeney From Dodgers

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The Dodgers have traded infielder/outfielder Darnell Sweeney to the Reds for future considerations, tweets J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group.

Los Angeles has now traded Sweeney twice, the first time coming when it sent him to Philadelphia in 2015 to acquire second baseman Chase Utley. Then, the Dodgers got Sweeney back last offseason as part of the return they received from the Phillies in trading veteran infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick. Sweeney returned to LA in the deal with infielder Darin Ruf. Given that Ruf is now playing in the Korea Baseball Organization, the Dodgers have nothing to show for the Kendrick trade anymore.

Sweeney, a 26-year-old switch-hitter, has seen major league action in one season – 2015 – and hit .176/.286/.353 during that 98-plate appearance showing with the Phillies. The plurality of his work has come at Triple-A, where he owns a .250/.314/.383 slash in 1,100 PAs (including a .227/.290/.412 line in 131 Pacific Coast League plate trips this season). While Sweeney hasn’t gotten on base much in the minors, he is somewhat of a threat when he does, having swiped 141 bags at Triple-A (albeit with 67 caught stealings). Defensive versatility is a selling point for Sweeney, who has lined up at second, short, third and two outfield positions (left and center) in the minors.

Heyman’s Latest: Royals, Marlins, Tribe, Tigers, Mets, Yanks, Astros

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With the trade deadline drawing nearer, FanRag’s Jon Heyman lists 70 players who could end up on the block over the next two months. Heyman ranks the players in order of name value and includes the likes of Zack Greinke, Justin Verlander, Josh Donaldson and Ryan Braun near the top of the list. Check out the full piece for an in-depth look at which stars and role players might switch uniforms this summer.

Now the latest from Heyman’s American League and National League notes columns:

  • Prior to the season, Royals impending free agent first baseman Eric Hosmer shot down a report that he was seeking a 10-year deal. But there’s still a belief within the organization that he will request something close to a decadelong pact in the coming months, per Heyman, who adds that Hosmer is the soon-to-be free agent the Royals most want to keep. However, Kansas City hasn’t made a serious offer to Hosmer on account of what could be a lofty asking price, and the team expects the 27-year-old to reach free agency. Fellow longtime Royals Mike Moustakas (third base), Lorenzo Cain (center field) and Alcides Escobar (shortstop) are also likely to hit the market in the offseason. Moustakas is the Royals’ biggest priority after Hosmer, suggests Heyman, while they seem resigned to the idea that Cain will find a larger payday elsewhere. Escobar, the weakest player of the four, could re-sign if the price is right. At one point, he was seeking $10MM per year, but his cost has come down thanks to his dreadful offensive start (.174/.203/.228 in 196 plate appearances). Meanwhile, right-hander Ian Kennedy probably won’t opt out of the remaining three years and $49MM left on his contract, Heyman writes.
  • Alex Rodriguez could still factor into the Marlins’ next ownership group if the faction including Tagg Romney, Tom Glavine and Dave Stewart lands the franchise. Given A-Rod’s controversial past, the Romney team is keeping him “at arm’s length” for now; even if they weren’t, Rodriguez isn’t allowed to be part of an ownership group as long as he’s still collecting a salary from the Yankees. The 41-year-old’s contract with the Bombers expires at season’s end. His former teammate Derek Jeter, who’s vying with Jeb Bush and against Romney & Co. to purchase the Marlins, isn’t planning to invest much money, says Heyman. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported Saturday that Bush and Jeter are leading the race to acquire the franchise.
  • Heyman reported in April that the Indians would look to extend first baseman/designated hitter Carlos Santana, but discussions between the two sides still haven’t taken place. They might not occur, either, as Heyman relays that Santana is likely to hit free agency at season’s end. At .219/.321/.390 in 215 PAs, the 31-year-old hasn’t carried his typically above-average production into this season so far, but he continues to exhibit quality plate discipline with 27 walks against 31 strikeouts. Santana’s walk rate has dropped in each season since 2014, however, and is now at a career-low 12.6 percent.
  • When the offseason rolls around, odds are that Tigers left fielder Justin Upton will not opt out of the remaining four years and $88MM left on his deal, reports Heyman. “Not happening,” one rival general manager said of a potential opt-out. Upton hasn’t lived up to his lucrative contract in his year-plus in Detroit, putting him on track to take the bird-in-the-hand approach.
  • It appears first baseman Lucas Duda is in his final season with the Mets, as Heyman implies that he’s primed to sign elsewhere over the winter. The 31-year-old power hitter has been among the Mets’ top players this season, having slashed .267/.406/.570 with six home runs in 106 PAs, but they do have a well-regarded youngster behind him in Dominic Smith. Baseball America sees Smith, 21, as the game’s 65th-best prospect.
  • Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez is making $557,900 this year, according to Heyman, who reported in March that the backstop had agreed to a salary worth more than the minimum of $535K.
  • Add the Astros to the list of teams interested in Cuban shortstop prospect Jose Israel Garcia, who recently became a free agent. The Astros have already exceeded their pool allotment for the 2016-17 international free agent class, which could indicate that they’re looking to sign the 19-year-old Garcia before the period ends June 15.

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Yanks, Bucs, O’s, M’s, Astros, ChiSox, Phillies, Jays

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This week in baseball blogs:

Please send submissions to ZachBBWI @gmail.com.

AL Notes: Red Sox, Athletics, Indians

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In the event left-hander David Price falters this year in his return from elbow problems, the playoff-contending Red Sox will be forced to scour the trade market to bolster their rotation, observes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald. Jose Quintana, Sonny Gray, Gerrit Cole and Chris Archer represent high-end starters who could end up on the move prior to the trade deadline, notes Silverman, who doubts that the Red Sox would be able to put together a deal for any of the four. Even without factoring Cole into the mix, the Red Sox are bullish on the Pirates’ pitching at both the major and minor league levels, according to Silverman. If Boston and Pittsburgh don’t swing a deal, Miami right-hander Dan Straily could also be a possibility, though Silverman is skeptical that the Sox would meet the Marlins’ likely high asking price for him. Conversely, Silverman regards Royals left-hander Jason Vargas as an ideal fit for Boston and Twins righty Ervin Santana as a “perfect bridge-type acquisition.” Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported Saturday that Vargas and Santana are generating buzz as the trade deadline draws closer.

More from Boston and two other American League cities:

  • For the second time this season, a shoulder issue will force Athletics right-hander Kendall Graveman to the disabled list, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Graveman, who’s dealing with soreness and will head to the DL on Monday, is likely to miss more time than he did when he previously sat out from April 15-26, per Slusser. When on the mound this year, the sinker-throwing Graveman has logged a 3.83 ERA, 6.13 K/9, 2.68 BB/9 and a 50.7 percent ground-ball rate. For now, his spot in the rotation will go to Daniel Mengden, a righty who has spent the year at Triple-A after undergoing offseason foot surgery. Mengden debuted in the majors with 14 starts and 72 innings last year, posting a 6.50 ERA (with a more encouraging 4.34 FIP), and has recorded strong results in the minors this season (2.21 ERA, 8.85 K/9, 2.21 BB/9 in 20 1/3 frames).
  • As expected, the Indians have demoted righty Danny Salazar to the bullpen, the Associated Press was among those to report. Salazar will serve as a relief option for the Tribe beginning Wednesday, but he could start again as early as next week, according to Terry Francona. The manager indicated that Cleveland is placing Salazar in the bullpen to help him regain his confidence. Home runs and walks have been the key contributors to Salazar’s 5.50 ERA, up nearly two full runs from the combined 3.72 mark he put up in 484 1/3 innings from 2013-16. On the positive side, the hard-throwing 27-year-old is second to Chris Sale among starters in K/9 (12.45) and ranks behind only Sale and Max Scherzer in swinging-strike rate (15.4 percent).
  • It looks as though the Red Sox are targeting next weekend for third baseman Pablo Sandoval’s activation from the DL, writes Ryan Hannable of WEEI.com. Upon his return, Sandoval – unavailable since late April because of a right knee sprain – will provide a much-needed option at third for a team that’s dealing with significant injuries to Marco Hernandez and Brock Holt. Boston’s third basemen have been utterly inept this year, having slashed a paltry .231/.281/.316 in 243 plate appearances. Sandoval didn’t look like part of the solution prior to his injury, though, with a .213/.269/.377 showing in 67 trips to the plate.

Cardinals Place Kolten Wong On DL, Promote Paul DeJong

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The Cardinals have placed second baseman Kolten Wong on the 10-day disabled list with a left elbow strain. His roster spot will go to infield prospect Paul DeJong, whose contract has been purchased from Triple-A.

[RELATED: Updated Cardinals Depth Chart]

After a down season last year in which he lost playing time at the keystone to Jedd Gyorko, Wong created a mini-controversy in March when he expressed unhappiness about being part of a timeshare at second base. The 26-year-old quickly walked back those comments, though, and he and Gyorko have managed to coexist this season. The power-hitting Gyorko has mainly played third base, leaving second to Wong, who has improved offensively this season. Wong has slashed .278/.378/.414 with 18 walks and 20 strikeouts in 157 plate appearances, but the normally adept defender hasn’t been as effective in the field as he has been at the plate (minus-two Defensive Runs Saved, minus-12.7 UZR/150).

With Wong on the shelf, Gyorko and Greg Garcia present the Cardinals’ most logical options to fill in at second. Those two, along with Jhonny Peralta and DeJong, also offer options at the hot corner. DeJong, 23, is only two years removed from going to the Cardinals in the fourth round of the draft. He now ranks as the Redbirds’ 11th-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, which classifies the potential shortstop’s power as “legitimate.” DeJong has shown off that power at Triple-A this year, having swatted 11 home runs and posted a .247 ISO in 182 trips to the plate. Overall, the righty-swinger has batted a strong .294/.331/.541, though his walk and strikeout rates (4.4 percent and 24.7 percent, respectively) could certainly stand to improve.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/28/17

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Sunday’s minor moves from around baseball:

  • The Red Sox have selected the contract of right-handed reliever Blaine Boyer from Triple-A and optioned left-hander Brian Johnson, per a team announcement. Boyer joined the Red Sox on a minor league contract in the latter half of April and has since thrown 14 1/3 innings with Pawtucket, where he has allowed five earned runs on 12 hits and seven walks (with 12 strikeouts). Boston is the eighth major league destination for the 35-year-old Boyer, who has recently generated quality results at baseball’s highest level despite having issues missing bats. As a member of the Padres, Twins and Brewers from 2014-16, the soft contact specialist logged a 3.31 ERA in 171 1/3 frames and helped offset a subpar K/9 (4.63) with an above-average BB/9 (2.31) and a respectable ground-ball percentage (47.1).
  • The Mariners announced Sunday that they’ve selected righty reliever Ryne Harper’s contract from Triple-A and optioned fellow righty Robert Whalen. The 28-year-old Harper could be in line to throw his first major league pitch after working in the minors since the Braves chose him in the 37th round of the 2011 draft. Atlanta sent Harper to Seattle in 2015 in exchange for reliever Jose Ramirez, and the former has been quite effective with the Mariners organization since the trade. Harper posted a 2.51 ERA, 12.57 K/9, 3.31 BB/9 and a 53.3 percent ground-ball rate in 68 Double-A innings last year. He has also been productive this year in his first taste of Triple-A action, having registered a 1.89 ERA, 11.37 K/9, 4.26 BB/9 and a 39.5 percent grounder rate in 19 frames.

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