Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

NL Central Notes: Peralta, Heyward, Happ, Reds, Cole

By | at

Jhonny Peralta is back with the Cardinals after being activated from the disabled list, though Peralta told reporters (including Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch) that he’ll have to adjust to being a part-time player for the first time in his career.  “Everybody is doing good and the team — we’re in second place,” Peralta said.  “I understand the situation but it’s kind of hard for me to be on the bench and not play every day, because I know what kind of player I can be….I need to learn to be ready for whatever time or situation it is in the game.”  Peralta was a productive starter for the Cards as recently as the 2015 season, though an injury-plagued 2016 opened the door for Aledmys Diaz and Jedd Gyorko to emerge, and those two have now established themselves as the Cardinals’ regulars at shortstop and third base.  Peralta, who turns 35 later this month, is in the final year of a four-year, $53MM contract and is owed roughly $7.4MM for the remainder of the season.  A trade could be difficult to work given this remaining salary and Peralta’s lack of recent production, though if Peralta is able to get somewhat back into form, he’ll give the Cards some solid veteran infield depth.

Here’s more from around the NL Central…

  • Jason Heyward expects to be activated from the 10-day DL today, which creates an interesting roster decision for the Cubs, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat writes.  Top prospect Ian Happ has looked spectacular since being promoted last week and could stick with the club, through manager Joe Maddon said that the team wants Happ to get regular action wherever he plays, which could be somewhat difficult on Chicago’s crowded big league roster.  “That’s what happens when you’re good is you have tough decisions,” Maddon said.  “The fact that Ian has come up and done so well makes it even more difficult. We’ll try to figure it out and make our best guess.”  Happ brings a lot of versatility as a switch-hitter and a multi-positional player, so the Cubs could get him playing time in a variety of roles and instead demote another bench option such as Tommy La Stella or Albert Almora.  Heyward has missed two weeks due to a sprained right index finger, and was already back in the Cubs’ clubhouse after completing a one-game rehab stint in the minors.
  • The incentive bonuses for Scott Feldman and Drew Storen are broken down by Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer, as Storen has already reached his first incentive threshold (15 appearances) and Feldman will access his bonus money on Monday when he makes his 10th start of the season.  Feldman will earn $100K for that outing, and then another $100K or $200K for each successive start thereafter, up to 25 starts.  The righty also has extra cash available in relief incentives, though Feldman isn’t likely to be moved out of the Reds rotation anytime soon, due to both his own solid performance (a 4.29 ERA in 50 1/3 IP) and Cincy’s lack of healthy alternatives.  Storen has pitched very well out of the Reds bullpen and is in great shape to earn his $750K in available incentives for appearances, though attaining his games-finished bonuses could be difficult with Raisel Iglesias locked in at closer.
  • With the Pirates in last place and facing an uphill battle in the NL Central race, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com argues that the Bucs should deal Gerrit Cole while the right-hander’s trade value is at its highest.  Cole is looking healthy after an injury-shortened 2016 and is pitching well, with a 2.84 ERA, 7.9 K/9, 50.3% grounder rate and 4.17 K/BB rate through 57 innings.  Between this front-of-the-rotation production and Cole being under team control through 2019, the Pirates would stand to obtain a major haul if Cole was dealt.  Gammons speculates that the Astros and Yankees would be the top two suitors, as they have enough minor league depth to afford the big price tag Pittsburgh would demand for Cole’s services.

Injury Notes: Price, Haniger, Kluber, Doolittle, Axford, Ramos, Jones, Ceciliani

By | at

Here’s the latest on some injury situations from around the game:

  • Red Sox lefty David Price only made it through two innings in his rehab outing tonight, as David Ricci of the Boston Globe reports. On the positive side, Price says that he felt that he was in good physical form during and after the outing. Still, it’s unclear what the next step will be for the valuable southpaw, who has yet to pitch this year in the majors while working through an elbow injury. Manager John Farrell said he’ll speak with Price before a course is determined, as the Globe’s Pete Abraham tweets.
  • Meanwhile, the Mariners decided to hold off on starting the rehab assignment of outfielder Mitch Haniger after he felt some mild soreness in his oblique, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports. At this point, the hope is that it won’t cause a significant delay. Haniger, 26, is no doubt chomping at the bit to get back to the big leagues after his outstanding start to the year. Over 95 plate appearances, he carries a .342/.447/.608 batting line with four home runs.
  • The Indians will send righty Corey Kluber out for a 35-pitch sim game tomorrow, per Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (via Twitter). Cleveland’s staff ace will test out his balky lower back and hopefully begin moving back toward the majors. Kluber currently owns an uncharacteristic 5.06 ERA through six outings, though he still carries 9.9 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9.
  • Athletics reliever Sean Doolittle is set to begin throwing from flat ground over the weekend, Joe Stiglich of NBC Sports California was among those to tweet. He could be back on the bump by the middle of next week — though obviously it will still be a while longer before he’s back in the majors. The southpaw has dealt with a shoulder issue that is of added concern given his history, though the hope remains that he has avoided a significant injury this time around. Meanwhile, righty John Axford is set to return from his own shoulder-related DL stint in the next two days, Stiglich also adds on Twitter.
  • Backstop Wilson Ramos is making real progress in his recovery from ACL surgery, Rays manager Kevin Cash said in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (via Jim Bowden, on Twitter). He is already able to get in a crouch in bullpen sessions and has been taking batting practice, which certainly seems to suggest it may not be long until he begins a rehab assignment.
  • The White Sox are encouraged by the early pen sessions turned in by currently DL’ed setup man Nate Jones, as Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com writes. He might only need one or two more controlled sessions before facing hitters in some fashion — either in a sim game or at the start of a rehab assignment. Jones is dealing with a case of elbow neuritis, but could turn into a significant trade piece this summer if he’s able to pick up where he left off upon his return.
  • Blue Jays outfielder Darrell Ceciliani will miss about two or three weeks with a shoulder strain, manager John Gibbons told reporters including Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter link). Ceciliani was injured in unusual fashion, as he tweaked his shoulder while driving a ball out of the park. The 26-year-old had only just returned to the majors before going down, receiving the call despite a rough start to his season at Triple-A.

Top 30 Trade Deadline Candidates For 2017

By | at

It’s time to bring back our trade-deadline power rankings, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. As the summer trade market develops, you can expect more regular updates when modifications to the list are warranted.

As with last year, the approach is pretty straightforward. We’re looking at both trade value and trade likelihood in compiling the list. In terms of value, it starts with overall on-field value — with a premium on an ability to make an impact in the current season — with an adjustment for contract and market factors. As for the probability of a swap, the focus is on potential selling teams’ motivation to deal, with contract status, near and long-term roster fit, and overall competitiveness all weighing heavily. Some teams simply aren’t in a position at present where it makes sense to include their top potential trade chips, but that will evolve over the coming weeks.

You’ll note that the list includes quite a few relievers and short-term veterans. That’s because teams often find a need to add complementary pieces at the deadline, with selling clubs more willing to cash in on that type of asset. You’ll also notice an absence of players from some teams that aren’t in good shape in the standings. But that’s because I have utilized my discretion to hold off on considering players from a few teams that could fall back despite a quick start (e.g., the Twins) or that seem to have reasonable hopes of making a surge back toward contention (e.g., the Blue Jays, Mariners, Giants, Mets).

It’s subjective; it’s debatable; it’s all sure to change over the coming months. And that’s what makes it fun. Here’s the first list, with some additional names and teams to keep an eye on appended at the end:

1. David Robertson, RP, White Sox: The deadline is typically a good time to move closers, and Robertson looks more likely to be as readily available as any. He has also rebounded somewhat from a down 2016 season thus far, though his walk rate is still up a bit. His contract isn’t cheap, but in the context of soaring relief salaries perhaps it’s also not as much of a burden as it seemed over the winter given the turnaround.

2. Lorenzo Cain, OF, Royals: Unless K.C. can author another great run, there’ll be plenty of players available. Perhaps none will be more sought after than Cain, who could be the best rental outfielder dangled. He’s reaching base at a prodigious clip with outstanding plate discipline thus far, though his value would be boosted if he can rediscover some lost power.

3. Zack Cozart, SS, Reds: Few players have boosted their free-agent and trade stock to the extent Cozart has thus far. His suddenly excellent walk rate has combined with his typically good power to make him one of the game’s better-performing hitters through the first six weeks of the season. Given his status as a premium defender up the middle, Cozart could draw plenty of interest as a rental. The only limitation may be the lack of a clear market, though if he keeps this up perhaps a contender will bump another player off of shortstop to make room for Cozart.

4. Yonder Alonso, 1B, Athletics: His stock is rising quickly with a newfound power stroke. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s on a cheap contract that runs out after the season, making him a fairly easy and obvious trade piece if the A’s remain buried in the AL West. Demand is still an open question, but it stands to reason that a few organizations will be looking for a slugger; if J.D. Martinez isn’t ultimately marketed, Alonso could be the top available source of offensive production.

5. Jose Quintana, SP, White Sox: It’s still not certain whether the White Sox will move Quintana, but he’ll undeniably be available. The question here is whether he can tamp down a rising walk rate and get back to his steady productivity. That would go a long way toward drawing sufficient trade offers to get Chicago to bite on moving its best-remaining veteran asset.

6. Kelvin Herrera, RP, Royals: There’s an argument that Herrera could be the top relief arm available, but there are some caveats. Kansas City may elect to hold onto him even if the team is buried, given that he has another year of control. And the 27-year-old has seen a strikeout dip early on, though his swinging-strike rate and velocity remain at typically excellent levels.

7. Tony Watson, RP, Pirates: Though his results this year are outpacing his peripherals, Watson is well-established as a high-end relief arm and is set to enter free agency after the year. While he’s closing for the Pirates, it’s not immediately clear whether he’ll be targeted in that role by contenders. Either way, barring a turnaround from the Bucs, he seems quite likely to be a top trade piece this summer.

8. Pat Neshek, RP, Phillies: With free agency beckoning, the veteran reliever is probably the Phils’ clearest trade piece. He has been excellent thus far, even showing improved performance against left-handed hitting, and could be a very valuable addition for a lot of organizations.

9. Brad Hand, RP, Padres: If Watson can’t hold the line, it could well be that Hand is the top shutdown lefty on the market. He’s running at more than 11 strikeouts per nine yet again — this time with a whopping 15% whiff rate — and currently owns a 1.88 ERA through 24 frames. San Diego doesn’t have to make a deal, since Hand is cheap and comes with two more years of control, but odds are the rebuilding club will see this as an opportune moment to cash in.

10. Jason Vargas, SP, Royals: No, we shouldn’t expect Vargas to keep pitching like an ace. But he is showing a big jump in swinging strikes and doesn’t need to be an elite hurler to be an appealing trade candidate. The typically steady veteran will be a free agent at year’s end and would help patch up many rotations for the home stretch.

11. A.J. Ramos, RP, Marlins: Though he has been effectively wild thus far, there are some worrying signs. Ramos is getting whiffs just 10.8% of the time, the lowest rate of his career, even as his walk rate has ballooned to 5.5 per nine. Still, he’ll have value with an established track record of sub-3.00 ERA pitching in spite of the control problems. He also has an added year of arb control.

12. Joakim Soria, RP, Royals: The 33-year-old is getting a ton of swings and misses (14.5%, best in his career) with the results to match. But he is also continuing his late-career walk rate inflation and has benefited thus far from an absence of dingers. Plus, he isn’t cheap, with a $9MM salary this year and another $11MM due for 2018 (plus an option buyout).

13. Ryan Madson, RP, Athletics: With 8.8 K/9 against just 1.7 BB/9, Madson’s 2.20 ERA through 16 1/3 innings is deserved. And the velocity, health, and whiff rates are all looking good. Like Soria, that’s a nice bounceback from a rough first season under a new contract. Also like Soria, there’s still a fair bit of cash left to go for 2018 ($7.5MM) — and Madson is closing in on 37 years of age.

14. Marcell Ozuna, OF, Marlins: It’s anyone’s guess whether the Fish would pull the trigger on a deal this significant with the team weighing a sale, but Ozuna looks to be the top possible trade chip on a club that is in need of some fresh talent. Ozuna is reaching new heights — .302/.379/.564 with 11 home runs and an 11.2% walk rate through 169 plate appearances — at 26 years of age. While he would also be an obvious extension candidate, the Marlins have already reportedly tried and failed. With two more years of arb control left, now may be the time to move him — and the return could be substantial.

15. Mike Moustakas (3B) & Eric Hosmer (1B), Royals: Both have had their ups and downs early, but would likely represent solid regulars for contenders that need to plug holes. The demand side likely won’t be as robust as in the case of Cain, who could fit on plenty of different teams.

17. Anthony Swarzak, RP, White Sox: Chicago caught lightning in a bottle with the breakout 31-year-old righty, who’ll be back on the market next winter. If he can maintain anything approaching his current form — 1.37 ERA on 10.1 K/9 and 0.9 BB/9 with a league-leading 19.8% swinging-strike rate — as the deadline draws near, he’ll be quite a nice deadline asset.

18. Jed Lowrie, INF, Athletics: The veteran is back on the upswing as he prepares to hit the open market. Injuries and performance issues have limited his value since Lowrie last turned in this kind of effort, but he has done it before. Currently, he’s hitting .268/.345/.436 with five dingers and a 10.1% walk rate through 168 plate appearances.

19. Todd Frazier (3B) & Melky Cabrera (OF/DH), White Sox: Neither veteran is hitting much early on, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still likely trade pieces. While the Sox will likely need to eat some salary even if both bounce back, they seem quite likely to end up playing elsewhere for the second half of the season given that both will hit the open market after the year.

21. Ian Kennedy, SP, Royals: The big question here is how teams will view Kennedy’s contract. He has been as solid as could have been hoped when he signed before the 2016 season, but it’s a backloaded deal and Kennedy is already 32 years old. Whether or not he’s dealt, he’ll enter the winter with a three-year, $49MM player option (or, instead, a $6MM buyout). While that could be a palatable price tag, potential shoppers will need to consider the uncertainty in weighing an offer.

22. Alex Cobb, SP, Rays: We’ve heard that Tampa Bay is already putting out feelers on Cobb, and the team’s rotation depth would allow it to swing a deal for the pending free agent while still maintaining some hope for a Wild Card. The 29-year-old is performing well after returning late last year from Tommy John surgery, but he hasn’t really shown signs yet of fully returning to his pre-injury form. Since the team is still in the pack, he’s the only player from the Rays roster I’m putting on the list at this time.

23. Jeremy Hellickson, SP, Phillies: There’s real concern in Hellickson’s plummeting strikeout tallies, given that he’s also sporting a career-low 7.4% swinging-strike rate while showing a slight velocity decline. And he’s hardly cheap. Still, it stands to reason that the Phillies will look to cash him in this year after holding off on doing so in 2016. (*NOTE: Hellickson left tonight’s game with what appeared to be an injury to his side.)

24. Andrew McCutchen, OF, Pirates: This’ll be a story until a deal comes together. While the Bucs will be hesitant to sell low on the currently scuffling veteran, the team is also on track to be in a clear selling stance this summer.

25. Sonny Gray, SP, Athletics: In a somewhat analogous situation, Oakland is surely wondering when the time will be right to make a move involving Gray. He is delivering a 9.9% swinging-strike rate that’s actually over any single-season mark for his career, but the strikeouts (6.8 per nine) and results (3.97 ERA) haven’t caught up to his 2014-15 levels.

26. David Freese, 3B, Pirates: Now 34 years old, Freese is slashing a robust .271/.373/.443 with three home runs and a career-best 13.3% walk rate. Plus, his strikeout rate has trended down to 16.9%. His two-year, $11MM deal looks like a bargain, though that could motivate the Pirates to hold onto him given the ongoing uncertainty with Jung Ho Kang.

27. Matt Kemp & Nick Markakis, OF, Braves: It’s not quite clear whether Atlanta will end up looking to move these moderately priced veterans, but both are swinging the bat well and could be useful pieces in the right situation.

29. Derek Holland, SP, White Sox: Though Holland has put up excellent results, he is posting typical peripherals that peg him as a back-of-the-rotation arm. The same holds true of rotation-mate Miguel Gonzalez. Both could plug gaps for contenders who need depth.

30. Drew Storen, RP, Reds: Storen’s peripherals are largely in line with what he posted last year, and the velocity has dropped further, but he’s carrying a 1.93 ERA through 18 2/3 frames while relying more heavily on his offspeed offerings. So far, he has tamped down on the gopher balls and is also getting grounders at a career-best 60.8% rate. He’ll need to show that he can sustain this level of success for a while longer before moving up the list, though.

Injured: Nate Jones (White Sox), John Axford & Sean Doolittle (Athletics), Trevor Cahill (Padres)

Also Considered:

Rays: Chris Archer, Jake Odorizzi, Corey Dickerson, Logan Morrison, Alex Colome, Erasmo Ramirez, Danny Farquhar

White Sox: Miguel Gonzalez, Tommy Kahnle, Jose Abreu

Royals: Alcides Escobar, Brandon Moss, Jason Hammel, Mike Minor

Athletics: Stephen Vogt, Trevor Plouffe, Rajai Davis, Matt Joyce, Santiago Casilla

Braves: Kurt Suzuki, Jim Johnson, Arodys Vizcaino, Jaime Garcia, R.A. Dickey, Bartolo Colon, Julio Teheran

Phillies: Freddy Galvis, Cesar Hernandez, Michael Saunders, Daniel Nava, Joaquin Benoit

Marlins: David Phelps, Kyle Barraclough, Edinson Volquez

Pirates: Josh Harrison, Ivan Nova, Gerrit Cole, Juan Nicasio, Wade LeBlanc

Padres: Yangervis Solarte, Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin, Ryan Buchter, Brandon Maurer

Reds: Scott Feldman, Raisel Iglesias, Billy Hamilton

Rockies Release Stephen Cardullo

By | at

The Rockies have released outfielder/first baseman Stephen Cardullo, as Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). But the sides are already in discussions on a new minor-league deal to bring Cardullo back into the fold.

Because Cardullo is out for a few months with a broken wrist, the organization has apparently worked out an arrangement with his reps. It’s not entirely clear why he couldn’t simply have been shifted to the 60-day DL, but clearly it sounds like something is being worked out that will be acceptable for all sides regardless.

Cardullo, 29, made a stunning run to the majors last year with Colorado. He had never played above the Rookie ball level before signing with the organization after a four-year indy ball run. But he excelled at Triple-A and soon found himself playing at the game’s highest level.

Though the Rox obviously like what he brings to the table — and the production has been good at Albuquerque — Cardullo hasn’t yet delivered much in his brief time in the majors. Over 91 total plate appearances over the past two years, he owns only a .190/.253/.321 batting line.

Dodgers Place Justin Turner On 10-Day DL

By | at

6:22pm: Turner has only a Grade 1 strain and is expected to be ready within a “couple weeks,” Roberts told reporters including MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick (via Twitter). The club anticipates utilizing Logan Forsythe at times at third while Turner is out, the skipper added.

5:47pm: The Dodgers have placed third baseman Justin Turner on the 10-day DL, per a club announcement. He has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain.

Los Angeles will dearly miss Turner, who has excelled since re-signing with the team over the winter, for whatever stretch he’s out. He has only hit one home run thus far after swatting 27 last year, but is nevertheless slashing .379/.453/.493 over 162 plate appearances.

Turner will be replaced by outfielder Brett Eibner on the roster, as JP Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group reported, though obviously other arrangements will be needed in the infield. Presumably, the hot-hitting Chris Taylor and utilityman Enrique Hernandez will see added opportunities while Turner is down.

There does seem to be hope, however, that the hammy pull isn’t a particularly significant one. While the visual cues weren’t terribly promising when the injury occurred, manager Dave Roberts told MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (via Twitter) that he was fairly optimistic about the prognosis while noting that a DL placement was quite likely regardless. Of course, that was before the MRI took place; presumably, we’ll learn more about the current expectations before long.

White Sox, Cardinals Favorites For Luis Robert; Reds Likely Out

By | at

TODAY: The Reds likely won’t end up with Robert, president of baseball operations Dick Williams suggested in comments to Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Per Williams, the price is “moving beyond something that we are able to do.” While the club does indeed have interest, says its top baseball decisionmaker, “there’s a certain amount beyond which a franchise in our market just can’t afford.”

YESTERDAY: The White Sox and Cardinals are seen as the two likeliest organizations to land standout Cuban youngster Luis Robert, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. Sources say the same to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports.

That’s not to say that other teams aren’t still involved in pursuit of the 19-year-old phenom, who will officially be eligible to sign this weekend. He will need to ink a deal by June 15th if he wishes to avoid the hard spending caps that will be instituted for the next July 2nd signing period — which seems a certainty at this point. Passan, in fact, suggests that Robert has already selected a team and will sign soon after he is eligible. Furthermore, he cites three sources in stating that the “suggested floor” when teams began submitting bids for Robert was $20MM — a sum that would be accompanied a 100 percent luxury tax.

Among the others that have been tied to Robert are the Reds, Astros, Athletics, and Padres. Neither the Nationals nor the Braves appear to be in pursuit, per Badler, despite going well over their own allocations.  Those organizations have taken close looks at the intriguing prospect and have already accepted the maximum penalties for overshooting their pool allocations.

As Badler explains, the Cards are in a somewhat unique situation because of their lack of draft picks this year. (The club’s top three selections are gone due to the signing of Dexter Fowler and the Astros database access scandal.) That leaves the club with a large war chest with which to work internationally.

The White Sox, meanwhile, have not yet exceeded their 2016-17 pool, meaning they could avoid a two-year ban on $300K+ signings if they don’t get Robert. But Chicago is obviously focused on accumulating high-upside young talent that’s nearing readiness, and Robert is closer to the majors than the typical sixteen-year-old international signee. Notably, per Badler, the club hasn’t lined up deals with high-bonus talent for the ensuing signing period — perhaps suggesting that the organization is eyeing a move on Robert.

Whichever way Robert goes, Passan writes, it’ll be the end of an interesting era of major Cuban signings. For one thing, the pipeline of talent will likely hew to an earlier age, particularly if there’s a continued move to improve relations between the United States and the neighboring island nation. Combined with the new rules prohibiting teams from going past their spending limits on players under 25 years of age — even if they’d be willing to pay a 100% tax on overages — there’s little prospect for another major payday unless and until the system undergoes an unexpected change.

Pirates Claim Jhan Marinez

By | at

The Pirates have claimed righty Jhan Marinez off waivers from the Brewers, per a club announcement (h/t MLB.com’s Adam Berry, on Twitter). He had been designated for assignment earlier in the week.

Marinez, an out-of-options reliever, has scuffled early in 2017, leading to his loss of a roster spot in Milwaukee. Over 16 2/3 frames, he owns a 5.40 ERA with 14 strikeouts and 11 walks.

That said, there are obviously some things to like about the 28-year-old. He was much better last year, with a 3.18 ERA over his 62 1/3 innings. And Marinez is also currently trending northward in both average fastball velocity (sitting over 95.4 with the four-seamer and 94.5 with the two-seamer) and groundball induction (57.4%).

Anthony DeSclafani Cleared To Resume Throwing

By | at

Reds righty Anthony DeSclafani has been cleared to resume throwing, according to John Fay of WCPO.com (via Twitter). DeSclafani has been out all year while resting a sprained ulnar collateral ligament.

While the initial hope was that DeSclafani could begin working back within about a month of the diagnosis, that obviously wasn’t to be. Last we checked in, late in April, doctors had not observed sufficient healing to clear the 27-year-old.

Now, per the report, the medical experts have observed significant improvement in DeSclafani’s UCL. While a precise throwing program is still being worked out, it seems that he’ll begin the march back with hopes of returning to the majors this summer. At this point, clearly, he’ll still need a substantial amount of time to build up arm strength and undertake a rehab assignment.

Cincinnati has struggled to find good innings from its rotation, which desperately misses DeSclafani, among others. Homer Bailey and Brandon Finnegan are also unavailable. (Bailey is a bit further ahead in his own recovery; as Fay adds on Twitter, he’s ready to begin facing live hitters.)

In DeSclafani’s case, the return effort will come at an interesting time. His absence to date has already dented his upcoming trip through arbitration — which will be his first. It has also taken out of consideration as a trade chip, at least temporarily. If DeSclafani can regain the excellent form he showed last year — 3.28 ERA with 7.7 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9 over twenty starts — and stay healthy, he’ll have a case for a solid payday and could be a heavily pursued deadline asset.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/19/17

By | at

Here are today’s minor moves from around the game…

  • The Brewers announced before this afternoon’s game that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Paolo Espino from Triple-A Colorado Springs and optioned left Brent Suter to Triple-A. The 30-year-old Espino is making his Major League debut today against the Cubs after spending parts of 11 seasons in the minors. This year in a tough Colorado Springs environment, he’s pitched to a 2.54 ERA with a 40-to-5 K/BB ratio through 39 innings. Espino has a career 3.54 ERA with 7.9 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 in 465 2/3 Triple-A innings.

Earlier Moves

  • The Marlins have announced that infielder Steve Lombardozzi cleared waivers and was sent outright to their Triple-A affiliate in New Orleans. The veteran could have rejected the outright assignment in favor of free agency but accepted and will continue on in New Orleans in hopes of earning another big league look. The  28-year-old Lombardozzi appeared in just two games with the Marlins and went hitless in eight at-bats. He’s a career .260/.292/.333 hitter in parts of six Major League seasons (this year included).
  • MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports that the Brewers are wrapping up a deal with 17-year-old international free agent Ernesto Martinez Jr. (Twitter links). A first baseman/outfielder out of Cuba, Martinez will receive a fairly sizable $925K bonus when the deal is complete. Sanchez notes that Martinez Jr. is a left-handed hitter and thrower that is also capable of pitching. As MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy points out (also via Twitter), that bonus will be almost entirely covered by the $885K slot that the Brewers received when trading right-hander Damien Magnifico to the Orioles.

Mets Notes: Injuries, Granderson, Rosario

By | at

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick takes a deep look at the Mets’ medical procedures and protocols in the wake of their injury woes. Crasnick notes on Twitter that he spent two weeks and conducted nearly 20 interviews for the piece, and the thoroughness is apparent in a must-read column that is rife with industry opinions and quotes on the Mets’ hierarchy. As Crasnick writes, he was told on multiple occasions that the Mets have a sub-optimal command structure that causes routine problems to become serious issues. Crasnick was also told that the Mets’ lack of a true point person for the medical operations creates too much of an opportunity for COO Jeff Wilpon to insert himself into the picture. “Jeff gets in the middle of everything that’s going on, and he ends up doing more damage,” someone who has been involved of the Mets’ internal operations told Crasnick. “He meddles. I can’t come up with a more appropriate term.” Strength and conditioning coordinator Mike Barwis’ methods were also questioned by multiple people to whom Crasnick spoke.

GM Sandy Alderson stressed to Crasnick that, ultimately, coordination of medical and rehab protocols is his responsibility. The general manager also acknowledged that there’s been plenty of second-guessing when it comes to the notorious refused MRI from Noah Syndergaard. “Would that have shown the lat was subject to a potential tear? We’ll never know,” says Alderson. “…We try to go back and see if there needs to be some systemic change in what we’re doing. That certainly has happened over the last few weeks.” Notably, Alderson adds that the team has considered hiring a director of performance sciences (or a similar title) — something that organizations such as the Astros and Pirates have recently added.

Crasnick’s lengthy column is fascinating, well-crafted and revealing. I strongly recommend a full read, especially for Mets fans. And when you’re done with that, a few more notes out of Queens…

  • Newsday’s Marc Carig spoke with Curtis Granderson about his struggles at the plate this year, and the 36-year-old at least conceded that his age could be a factor in his troubles at the plate. However, Granderson wouldn’t use his age as an excuse and spoke with confidence about being able to turn things around at the plate. Carig spoke with hitting coach Kevin Long and a scout from another club about Granderson’s approach at the plate, with both stating that he’s taken good at-bats that haven’t yet produced results. As Carig points out, though, the window for Granderson to right the ship is closing, as Yoenis Cespedes is nearing a return. At that point, Granderson could face a significant reduction in playing time.
  • The Mets’ decision not to promote top prospect Amed Rosario when Asdrubal Cabrera hit the disabled list frustrated some fans, but as Mike Puma of the New York Post points out, that decision likely wasn’t driven by a desire to avoid Super Two status for Rosario. The promotions of Syndergaard and Jacob deGrom, Puma notes, both came in May during their respective rookie seasons. The Mets knew full well that both would likely be Super Two players and promoted them anyhow due to need. Puma spoke to evaluators from other clubs, with one telling him that Rosario could be ready to play for the Mets but another suggesting that his approach at the plate still needs a lot of work. “He’s an above-average shortstop who can really hit, but he’s not really disciplined at the plate,” said the evaluator. “He definitely needs to improve his [pitch] recognition. In an ideal world you would want to have a guy like this come to a contending club and be a piece rather than coming up and being the center of attention right away.”

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top