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Minor MLB Transactions: 4/8/17

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Saturday’s minor moves:

  • The Blue Jays have selected the contract of right-hander Casey Lawrence and moved right-hander Bo Schultz from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day DL, per a team announcement. Lawrence, who has been with the Jays organization since signing as an undrafted free agent in 2010, could now be in position to log his first major league action. The 29-year-old saw significant time at the Triple-A level last season, when he posted a 3.83 ERA, 6.0 K/9 and 2.48 BB/9 in 87 innings and 15 appearances (all starts). Most of Lawrence’s work has come at Double-A, where he has pitched to a 4.23 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9 in 410 1/3 frames (70 appearances, 65 starts).

Rosenthal’s Latest: Yankees, Rockies, L. Robert, Orioles, Mariners

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Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez left Saturday’s game in Baltimore with a right biceps strain, per a team announcement. There’s no timetable for his return, tweets FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, but it’s worth noting that Angels righty Garrett Richards landed on the 10-day disabled list Friday with a right biceps strain. It’s possible Sanchez’s injury will be more severe, of course, which would be a terrible development for the Yankees. The 24-year-old deservedly entered the season with significant hype surrounding him after hitting an astounding .299/.376/.657 with 20 home runs in 229 plate appearances as a rookie in 2016.

More from Rosenthal:

  • When it comes to potentially acquiring starting pitching help this summer, the Rockies could be a team to watch, says Rosenthal (video link). Colorado might have enough young talent to swing a deal for White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana or Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray, posits Rosenthal, who notes that Baseball America regards its farm as the 10th-best system in the majors (ESPN’s Keith Law ranks it an even better ninth).
  • The White Sox, Astros, Padres, Reds and Cardinals are the teams with the most interest in highly touted outfield prospect Luis Robert, reports Rosenthal. If he’s cleared to sign by June 15, the 19-year-old will go down as the last Cuban amateur to sign for big money – should the new collective bargaining agreement rules remain in place for a while, that is. Ben Badler of Baseball America has reported on multiple occasions that the White Sox are the favorites to land Robert. Unlike the ChiSox, all of the Astros, Padres, Cardinals and Reds have already exceeded their 2016-17 international bonus pools.
  • With Manny Machado, Zach Britton and Adam Jones slated to become free agents after next year, the Orioles might look far different on the field by the 2019 season. Changes could be coming off the field, too, as both GM Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter will also see their contracts expire when the 2018 campaign concludes, per Rosenthal. Showalter isn’t looking to leave Baltimore, according to Rosenthal, though he’ll turn 61 next month, leading to questions as to whether he’ll transition to a front office job sometime soon.
  • The Mariners’ competitive window might only stay open through next season, observes Rosenthal, who points out that Nelson Cruz, Jean Segura, Drew Smyly, Hisashi Iwakuma and Leonys Martin are scheduled to hit free agency after the 2018 campaign. General manager Jerry Dipoto made it clear over the winter that the Mariners are in “win-now” mode, which makes sense considering those soon-to-be free agents, not to mention that integral players such as Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager and Felix Hernandez are either in their 30s or will be soon. The Mariners don’t have a deep farm system, either, as both Baseball America and Law place it in the majors’ bottom 10.

The Inner Monologue of @DimTillard Clubhouse Edition

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It’s 11:30am on Saturday, April 8th, 2017.  My name is Tim Dillard.  Two days ago, I started my 15th season in professional baseball.  And even though I’m SUPER underqualified, I’ve journaled my Inner Monologue in three other posts for MLB Trade Rumors (Part 1) (Part 2) (Opening Day).

11:34am  I’m currently at the ballpark in Triple-A Colorado Springs, and have relief pitcher stretch at 1:00pm.  But until then, I’ve decided to jot down some thoughts.

11:36am  The multiple clubhouse TVs are showing baseball games while the clubhouse speakers are pumping out rapper 50 Cent’s music playlist.  In fact, he just told Shawty that it’s his birthday.  Congrats Shawty!

11:37am  One of the TVs has Tim Tebow coverage … looks like congratulations are in order again!  It appears Tebow hit a two-run home run the other day in his first-ever professional minor league at bat!  WOW!  Watching the replay of his post-game SportsCenter interview, reminds me of the two-run home run I hit last year in my first minor league at bat of the season.  Though … his post-game SportsCenter interview ran a bit longer than mine did.

11:43am  Okay, I was wrong — one TV has golf on it.  The Masters is on, I’m being told.  I’m also being told that I look like the homeless caddy from Happy Gilmore.  Must be this mesmerizing BEARD I’m parading around.

11:45am  Every year I’m impressed how versatile and knowledgable baseball players really are!  Right now golf advice is running rampant.  But next week, hockey sticks and body checking will start creeping into the locker room.  And after that usually comes overly-giant hats and jockey evaluating in honor of the Kentucky Derby.

11:52am  And whenever something is being thrown away in the clubhouse, you’ll always hear a “Jordan!” or “Kobe!” … or maybe it’s “Curry!” now.  Players talk basketball the entire baseball season … probably ’cause the NBA Playoffs last five months.

11:53am  But every four years, I daresay the FIFA World Cup takes over everything!  Complete with jerseys, reenactments, and multiple soccer balls!  And I bet there’s a spike in the sale of soccer cleats as well!

11:55am  FIFA is a big deal because a baseball clubhouse is home to so many backgrounds and nationalities.  It’s just a beautiful melting pot of pride and awesome!

11:57am  50 Cent is still at it … “I love you like a fat kid love cake.”  Probably my favorite 50 Cent lyric!

12:01pm  Remember a few years ago when 50 Cent threw out the ceremonial first-pitch at a Mets game?  And it was just the worst first pitch ever?  And everybody was making fun of him?  I didn’t … I’ve thrown pitches that bad before, and I’ve done it without being shot nine times.

12:04pm  The ceremonial first pitch in baseball dates back over a hundred years! (At least I think — Google if you care enough.)  What a special tradition, though!  I’ve witnessed hundreds over my career.  In fact, I was actually going to propose to my wife during a ceremonial first pitch!

12:10pm  I was pitching for the Class A+ Brevard County Manatees in 2005, and decided to propose at one of our games!  My plan was to get stadium management to trick my now-wife into throwing the first pitch, and I was going to disguise myself as the catcher.  So after catching her throw, I was going to run out to the mound to give the ball back.  But then drop to a knee, remove my catcher’s mask, and whip out the ring!

12:16pm  Now, I know what you’re thinking… “WHAT AN AWESOME IDEA!” right?  Well, about a week before the plan was to be executed, my now-wife and I see a sports proposal on TV.  Then she turns to me and nonchalantly says, “If you ever tried something like that, I’d say no.”

12:19pm  Okay so I’m not the brightest tool in the drawer, but kinda got the feeling an on-field proposal could be a bad idea.  “Now I know, and knowing is half the battle.” -G.I. Joe

12:23pm  But I have learned a lot over my many years in baseball.  Simple things.  For instance: don’t put a “BRU CRU” vanity plate on your car just because you’re in the Milwaukee Brewers organization.  And don’t get a tattoo of a flaming baseball on your arm, just in case you stop throwing hard one day. (I’ll admit I’ve done one of these.)

12:28pm  Being around baseball for a long time also has its perks.  Like: no matter what clubhouse I’m in … my phone already has the password, and automatically connects to the wi-fi.  And of course, infinite access to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

12:33pm  Thanks to a generous teammate sitting next to me, I can safely say that the local gas station’s Rice Krispy treats are on point!

12:34pm  Clubhouse manager is walking around delivering the daily packages.  I don’t get a lot of mail these days.  But all the young prospects get boxes everyday!  Stuff like spikes, batting gloves, shower shoes, portable chargers, Bruce Lee shirts, candy, disco ball, camo tights, Quench Gum, cribbage board, Aerobies.

12:36pm  Hey I actually did get mail!  Crap.  It’s from my bank.  Says my credit card was compromised again and sent me a new card. Looks like they got suspicious from purchases made last week in Arizona, Wisconsin, and Colorado… and one online order for exotic beard oil.

12:38pm  CRAP!  I need to hurry up.  Don’t want to be late for stretch!

12:38pm  Come to think of it, when I was a kid, my brothers and I weren’t allowed to use the word crap.  It was on the bad word list.  My mom would wash our mouths out with soap if we let the crap word fly.  I still have a hard time using Dial soap.

12:41pm  Ah yes, the clubhouse… so full of life and sound.  Like a cross between Chuck E. Cheese and a Play It Again Sports.

To Be Concluded…

Giants To Sign Melvin Upton Jr.

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3:12pm: Upton will sign with the Giants, Feinsand reports (Twitter links). Upton’s deal will be of the minor-league variety, and he will report to Triple-A Sacramento. He is a client of Reynolds Sports Management.

As noted below, the Giants can use extra outfield depth, and Upton could conceivably play left field against lefties, pairing with Jarrett Parker. As Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets, the Giants until recently did not seem to have interest in Upton. Parker and the Giants’ other left fielders have started the season poorly, though, with Parker going 0-for-10 with six strikeouts. The Giants’ change of heart might have had something to do with those struggles.

The Giants also have Mac Williamson for the sort of role Upton might eventually occupy, although Williamson is currently on the DL with a quad injury. Another potential option, Michael Morse, is also currently hurt. The Giants also recently signed another veteran, Drew Stubbs, to bolster their supply of outfielders. The Giants had also been connected to free agent Angel Pagan, who of course is no stranger to the organization; Upton’s signing perhaps makes a reunion less likely.

2:50pm: Free agent outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. is likely to sign with a National League team today, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets. The Blue Jays released Upton last week after telling him he wouldn’t make their club out of Spring Training.

The identity of the signing team isn’t currently known. Speculatively, the Giants could use a bit of extra depth, and the right-handed Upton could be a fit, with left-handed Jarrett Parker in left field. If Upton and the Braves might have interest in a reunion, that club has been known to have interest in bench help, and they have left-handed Nick Markakis in right. The Padres have a very young outfield and presumably have memories of Upton’s previous tenure there; they might see him as a stabilizing presence. Upton might also be a decent short-term fit in Colorado, where lefty Gerardo Parra is playing left while David Dahl nurses a rib injury.

Of course, Upton could also potentially sign a minor-league deal elsewhere and wait for an opportunity. But he might be able to find a situation where he can play right away, or close to it. He hit poorly down the stretch last year with the Blue Jays, but as Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe pointed out earlier today, Upton previously having revived his career in San Diego might convince interested teams to gamble on his upside. He seems likely to generate more interest than the typical minor-league free agent. The Padres are also paying the bulk of his remaining salary, so interested teams won’t have to worry much about his cost.

Nationals Select Jeremy Guthrie’s Contract

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The Nationals have announced that they’ve selected the contract of veteran righty Jeremy Guthrie, as expected. They’re cleared space for him on their active roster by optioning outfielder Michael Taylor to Triple-A Syracuse. Guthrie will start tonight against the Phillies.

Guthrie, who turns 38 today, last appeared in the big leagues in 2015, when he struggled with the Royals. He pitched in the Marlins and Padres farm systems last season and struggled, posting a 6.60 ERA or higher at each stop. Nonetheless, the Nationals signed him to a minor-league deal, and he posted a 2.41 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings this spring. The Nationals are giving Stephen Strasburg an extra day of rest after his start Monday, and they can’t promote Joe Ross back to the big leagues yet after optioning him to Triple-A on Sunday. So Guthrie will get Saturday’s start after being out of the Majors for over a year.

Guthrie, a first-round pick in the 2002 draft, eventually blossomed into a solid mid-rotation starter with the Orioles. Never a strikeout artist, his calling cards were decent control and durability — he’s pitched at least 200 innings in a season five times in his 12-year big-league career, posting a 4.37 ERA, 5.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 over nearly 1,800 Major League frames.

Cafardo’s Latest: Beane, Marlins, Royals, Upton, Las Vegas

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Here are the highlights of the latest from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

  • 15 years after rejecting an offer from the Red Sox that would have made him the highest-paid GM in the game, the Athletics’ Billy Beane says he doesn’t regret staying in Oakland. “It turned out pretty well for the Red Sox and I have had a great run here and have enjoyed it here a great deal,” says Beane, citing a desire to be closer to his family as one reason he stayed. The Red Sox, of course, instead hired Theo Epstein, who led them to their first two World Series since 1918.
  • The Marlins feel they’ve made a significant upgrade in replacing hitting coach Barry Bonds with Mike Pagliarulo. Bonds obviously knew how to hit, as Cafardo notes, but “communicating it and devoting himself to it became an issue.” Pagliarulo has been proactive about developing plans for Marlins hitters. The Giants, meanwhile, hired Bonds as a special advisor.
  • Melvin Upton Jr. might not remain a free agent for long, Cafardo writes. Upton hit poorly in his brief stint with the Blue Jays, but had previously revived his career in San Diego, and there’s hope he can once again turn things around. “You just never know when you get him on the uptick and that feeling is what teams are going to look for when they need an outfielder,” says one American League evaluator. The Padres are paying most of Upton’s remaining salary, so he’ll be a cheap addition for his next team.
  • The Royals began their season by getting swept by the Twins and will have to perform well in the next few months, or else the team could move quickly to deal free-agents-to-be like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and Lorenzo Cain. Jason Hammel and Ian Kennedy could also hit the market if the Royals were to struggle.
  • The city of Las Vegas “really wants” an MLB team, particularly after landing an NFL team in the Raiders, Cafardo writes. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has previously expressed interest in Las Vegas as an MLB market.

Collin McHugh Shut Down For Six Weeks

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Astros righty Collin McHugh has been shut down for six weeks with a posterior impingement of his right elbow, the team has announced. An MRI did not reveal problems with his ulnar collateral ligament. McHugh will avoid surgery and will be reevaluated after six weeks. McHugh had begun the season on the DL due to right shoulder tendinitis, and he was pulled from a Triple-A rehab start earlier this week with elbow discomfort.

The 29-year-old McHugh posted a 4.34 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 184 2/3 innings with the Astros last year, continuing a solid three-year run that began when he posted a 2.73 ERA and finished fourth in AL Rookie Of The Year voting after the Astros claimed him from the Rockies in the 2013-14 offseason. He was set to open 2017 once again in the Houston rotation. In his absence, the Astros will continue to rely on their depth, with both Joe Musgrove and Mike Fiers joining Dallas Keuchel, Lance McCullers and Charlie Morton. There’s also Chris Devenski and long reliever Brad Peacock, both of whom have MLB starting experience.

In Triple-A Fresno, the Astros also have top prospect Francis Martes, although they might like him to get some experience at that level before joining the big-league rotation. Righty Brady Rodgers also appears to be a reasonable depth option.

Significant trades rarely occur this early in the season, so it stands to reason that the Astros might wait before making a huge move to replace McHugh. It’s worth noting, though, that they were connected to the White Sox’ Jose Quintana throughout the offseason and have more than enough young talent to complete a major trade. In lieu of that, it perhaps wouldn’t be surprising if they attempted some sort of minor transaction to round out their starting pitching depth.

5 Key Stories: 4/1/17 – 4/7/17

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Here are this week’s biggest stories from around MLBTR:

Stephen PiscottyCardinals extend Stephen Piscotty. This week, the Cardinals announced they’d extended outfielder Stephen Piscotty for six years and a $33.5MM guarantee, with a club option and performance escalators that can bring the value of the deal to $50.5MM. It was the latest in a series of Cardinals extensions — the club also finalized its three-year extension for Yadier Molina this week.

Blue Jays release Melvin Upton Jr. The Blue Jays parted ways with the 32-year-old Melvin Upton Jr. after determining he wouldn’t make their Opening Day roster. Upton batted .196/.261/.318 in 165 plate appearances with the Jays after they acquired him from the Padres last July.

Braves sign Ryan Howard to minor-league deal. Ryan Howard, once one of the NL’s most feared sluggers, languished on the free-agent market all offseason and only reached a new deal this week, signing with the Braves. Of course, with Freddie Freeman in tow, the Braves’ plans for Howard are currently up in the air.

Key pitchers suffer injuries. The first week of the season generally isn’t a big one for transactions, but there are frequently reports of new injuries. Two righties suffered significant injuries this week — Junior Guerra of the Brewers (who will miss six weeks or more with a strained calf) and Seth Lugo of the Mets (who has a slight UCL tear that he and his doctors will address with a platelet-rich plasma injection and rest). Also, Angels righty Garrett Richards also suffered a biceps strain, and lefty Rich Hill headed to the DL with a blister.

Padres place three Rule 5 picks on active roster. The way the Padres set their Opening Day roster perhaps isn’t the most impactful story, but the team’s eye-opening decision to place three Rule 5 Draft picks (Miguel Diaz, Luis Torrens and Allen Cordoba) on their 25-man roster (along with four other players younger than 24) received its fair share of attention this week, both on the site and on Twitter. The team’s Opening Day payroll for its current players was just $33MM, less than it’s paying Upton, James Shields and Hector Olivera, who are no longer with the team.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

White Sox Sign Ryan Raburn To Minor-League Deal

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The White Sox have signed corner outfielder Ryan Raburn to a minor-league deal, Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com tweets. Raburn is a CSE client.

The Reds released Raburn late in Spring Training. He was subsequently connected to the Braves, but it appears he has selected the White Sox instead. The 35-year-old batted a modest .220/.309/.404 for the Rockies last season, failing to provide much offense despite the advantage of Coors Field. The White Sox, though, probably feel more intimately familiar with Raburn’s play from the prior seasons of his career, all of which was spent in the AL Central with Detroit and Cleveland. Raburn batted a terrific .301/.393/.543 for the Indians in part-time duty in 2015, continuing a recent pattern in which he’s alternated great seasons with poor ones.

The White Sox could potentially provide opportunities for Raburn down the line. He mostly played left field last season, but he has also played right in the past, and the White Sox’ current right fielder, Avisail Garcia, has had three straight underwhelming seasons. The White Sox also aren’t especially strong at DH, where recent minor-league signing Cody Asche currently tops their depth chart.

Reds Select Bronson Arroyo’s Contract

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The Reds have announced that they’ve selected the contract of veteran righty Bronson Arroyo, as expected. To clear space for Arroyo on their active roster, they’ve optioned righty Barrett Astin to Triple-A Louisville.

The 40-year-old Arroyo will take the mound today for the Reds in his first big-league action since 2014, joining an uncertain Cincinnati rotation that also includes Scott Feldman and Brandon Finnegan along with a variety of young arms. (The team’s rotation schedule is uncertain after Feldman pitches Sunday and Finnegan on Monday; Amir Garrett and Rookie Davis have also started for the Reds so far this season.) Arroyo signed a minor-league deal with his old team in the offseason after missing most of the last two seasons after having Tommy John surgery and dealing with rotator cuff tears. Arroyo’s return to the Majors at age 40 after such significant injury issues suggests serious perseverance.

Before his injuries, Arroyo was a prolific innings-eater, pitching 199 or more innings in a remarkable nine straight seasons from 2005 through 2013. It remains to be seen if he can sustain anything resembling that kind of durability now, of course, given his age and health record. He made the Reds’ rotation after pitching 7 2/3 innings while allowing four runs and striking out six this spring, although the team waited to place him on their roster so that he could pitch a minor-league start last week.

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