Phillies Release Casey Fien
The Phillies announced that they’ve released veteran right-hander Casey Fien.
Fien, 33, had been on the 60-day disabled list due to an impingement in his right shoulder and would’ve required a 40-man roster spot in the month of September upon his activation from the DL. Instead, the Phils will cut him loose and use that slot to look at other options in the season’s final month.
Philadelphia acquired Fien from Seattle back in early May, but Fien didn’t log much time in the Majors for either the Phillies or the Mariners this year. In a total of 12 innings, he was tattooed for 17 runs on 23 hits and six walks with 10 strikeouts.
Fien had a nice run with the Twins from 2012-15, pitching to a 3.54 ERA with 7.9 K/9 against 1.6 BB/9 in 223 2/3 innings, but he’s now struggled to a 7.19 ERA with the Twins, Dodgers, Mariners and Phillies over the past two seasons. If he’s healthy, though, he’ll likely find some minor league offers this winter, which would afford him the opportunity to break camp with a big league club in Spring Training next year.
Giants Outright Jae-Gyun Hwang
The Giants have outrighted infielder Jae-gyun Hwang off the 40-man roster to clear a spot for catcher Tim Federowicz, tweets Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. That means that Hwang won’t receive a September call-up for the Giants, and it likely spells the end of his time in the organization.
A star in the Korea Baseball Organization, where he batted .335/.394/.570 in his final season with the Lotte Giants, Hwang signed a minor league contract with San Francisco this past offseason in hopes of eventually solidifying himself as an everyday option in the Majors. While he posted a solid .287/.334/.458 in 380 Triple-A plate appearances, though, Hwang received only a scarce handful of at-bats with the big league club; in a meager total of 57 plate appearances, he posted a .154/.228/.231 batting line with one homer and one double.
Hwang won’t have the ability to elect free agency until after the season, so the outright effectively ends his first season of American pro ball before he ever got much of a chance in the Majors. It’s not clear at this time whether his camp will pursue further Major League opportunities in 2018 and beyond or if he’ll return to South Korea, where he’d surely draw lucrative offers in the KBO.
MLB Daily Roster Roundup: Verlander, Upton, Maybin
IMPACT ROSTER MOVES
- HOU: SP Justin Verlander (and approximately $16MM) acquired from the Detroit Tigers for C Jake Rogers, OF Daz Cameron, SP Franklin Perez, and PTBNL/cash ; C Evan Gattis (wrist soreness) placed on 10-Day DL; C Juan Centeno recalled from minors; OF Cameron Maybin claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels; RP Dayan Diaz designated for assignment. | Astros Depth Chart
- Centeno was the catcher and batted 8th in Friday’s game.
- LAA: OF Justin Upton (and approximately $1MM) acquired from the Detroit Tigers for SP Grayson Long and a player to be named later; 2B Brandon Phillips acquired from the Atlanta Braves for C Tony Sanchez. | Angels Depth Chart
- PHI: SP Jerad Eickhoff (nerve irritation in hand) placed on 10-Day DL; RP Ricardo Pinto recalled from minors; RP Juan Nicasio claimed off waivers from Pirates; 1B Brock Stassi designated for assignment. | Phillies Depth Chart
- TEX: SP Miguel Gonzalez acquired from the Chicago White Sox for 3B Ti’Quan Forbes; RP Anthony Bass designated for assignment. | Rangers Depth Chart
[Related: MLB Lineup Tracker | MLB Disabled List Tracker | MLB Rotation Depth Tracker ]
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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES
- ATL: RP Rex Brothers will be recalled from minors; RP Ian Krol and RP Luke Jackson will be activated from 10-Day DL on Friday September 1st; INF Johan Camargo, INF/OF Adonis Garcia and INF/OF Danny Santana are expected to be activated from 10-Day DL on Monday September 4th, according to Dave O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. | Braves Depth Chart
- BAL: SS J.J. Hardy will be activated from 60-Day DL on Friday September 1st, according to David Hall of the Virginian-Pilot; C Chance Sisco and 1B/OF Pedro Alvarez will have contracts purchased from minors; OF Joey Rickard will be recalled from minors on Friday September 1st, also according to Hall. | Orioles Depth Chart
- BOS: 2B Dustin Pedroia will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Friday September 1st, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com. | Red Sox Depth Chart
- CHC: INF/OF Mike Freeman and RP Dillon Maples will have contracts purchased from minors; C Victor Caratini will be recalled from minors; RP Justin Grimm will be activated from 10-Day DL on Friday September 1st, according to Patrick Mooney of CSNChicago. | Cubs Depth Chart
- CHC: SP Jon Lester will be activated from 10-Day DL on Saturday September 2nd, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. | Cubs Depth Chart
- CLE: OF Greg Allen will have contract purchased from minors on Friday September 1st, according to Keith Law of ESPN; SP Josh Tomlin will be activated from 10-Day DL on Sunday September 3rd, according to Zack Meisel of The Athletic. | Indians Depth Chart
- CWS: SP Reynaldo Lopez will be activated from 10-Day DL on Friday September 1st, according to Dan Hayes of CSNChicago. | White Sox Depth Chart | TOP PROSPECT ALERT!
- HOU: SS Carlos Correa will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Sunday September 3rd or Monday September 4th, according to Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. | Astros Depth Chart
- LAD: SP Clayton Kershaw will be activated from 10-Day DL on Friday September 1st, according to the team; OF Andre Ethier will be activated from 60-Day DL on Friday September 1st, according toKen Gurnick of MLB.com.; OF Alex Verdugo will have contract purchased from minors, according to J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group. | Dodgers Depth Chart | TOP PROSPECT ALERT!
- LAD: SP Brock Stewart will be recalled from minors on Saturday September 2nd, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. | Dodgers Depth Chart
- LAD: SP Alex Wood will be activated from 10-Day DL on Sunday September 3rd, according to Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times. | Dodgers Depth Chart
- MIA: SP Dillon Peters will have contract purchased from minors on Friday September 1st, according to Joe Frisaro of MLB.com. | Marlins Depth Chart
- MIL: C Andrew Susac and RP/SP Brent Suter will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Friday September 1st, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com; SP Brandon Woodruff will be recalled from minors on Saturday September 2nd, according to the team. | Brewers Depth Chart
- NYM: SP Matt Harvey will be activated from 10-Day DL on Saturday September 2nd, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. | Mets Depth Chart
- SEA: OF Jarrod Dyson will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Friday September 1st, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com. | Mariners Depth Chart
- STL: SP Jack Flaherty will have contract purchased from minors on Friday September 1st, according to the team; SP Sandy Alcantara will have contract purchased from minors on Friday September 1st, according to Jose de Jesus Ortiz of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. | Cardinals Depth Chart | TOP PROSPECT ALERT!
- WSH: RP Enny Romero will be activated from 10-Day DL and RP Austin Adams will be recalled from minors on Friday September 1st, according to Mark Zuckerman of MASN. | Nationals Depth Chart
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MINOR TRANSACTIONS
- CIN: C Tucker Barnhart placed on Paternity Leave List; C Chad Wallach recalled from minors. | Reds Depth Chart
- CHC: OF Leonys Martin acquired from the Seattle Mariners for player to be named later or cash considerations. | Cubs Depth Chart
- Martin will presumably be added to the 25-man roster in September.
- NYY: RP Giovanny Gallegos recalled from minors; RP Caleb Smith optioned to minors; C Erik Kratz acquired from the Cleveland Indians for cash considerations. | Yankees Depth Chart
- Kratz will presumably be added to the 25-man roster in September.
- STL: RP John Gant recalled from minors; RP Kevin Siegrist activated from 10-Day DL and designated for assignment. | Cardinals Depth Chart
Cubs Acquire Leonys Martin
The Cubs announced to reporters just before tonight’s deadline for postseason roster eligibility that they’ve acquired outfielder Leonys Martin and cash from the Mariners in exchange for a player to be named later or cash (Twitter link via Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times).
The addition of Martin will give the Cubs a fleet-footed reserve outfielder to serve as a pinch-runner and/or late-inning defensive upgrade, at the very least, over the season’s final month. While such players aren’t rostered throughout the bulk of the regular season, the month of September is its own animal; rosters expand to 40 beginning Sept. 1, allowing teams the luxury of having this type of highly specialized player on board.
Of course, Martin isn’t that far removed from being regarded in considerably better fashion. He logged a .247/.306/.378 batting line with 15 homers and 24 steals as Seattle’s primary center fielder in 2016. While that line checks in below the league average, Martin’s glove and baserunning prowess still allowed him to check in at 2.2 wins above replacement, per Fangraphs. And from 2013-14, Martin contributed more than six total WAR thanks largely to his speed and defense.
While those heights appear likely to be squarely in the past for Martin, he’s posted a strong .307/.348/.494 batting line with 11 homers and 25 steals in 87 Triple-A contests this season. He’s earning $4.85MM this year after avoiding arbitration last offseason, but the inclusion of cash from the Mariners surely indicates that they’re picking up the majority of the tab on that salary. Martin seems a likely candidate to join the Cubs’ big league roster in the very near future, where he’ll look to improve on the dismal .174/.221/.287 slash he’s posted through 122 plate appearances in the Majors this year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Angels Acquire Brandon Phillips
10:59pm: The Braves have now formally announced the trade.
10:17pm: Braves GM John Coppolella has acknowledged the deal to David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution (Twitter links). While there’s been no formal press release announcing the swap, Coppolella tells O’Brien that the Angels were the ones who approached the Braves on the deal. Atlanta felt it was a chance to reward Phillips by allowing him to receive the $500K trade assign bonus in his contract and also get a chance to play in the postseason.
10:08pm: Phillips’ contract calls for a $500K assignment bonus in the event that he is traded, and the Angels will be responsible for paying that sum, Bowman tweets.
9:55pm: The Angels have swung a deal to acquire infielder Brandon Phillips from the Braves, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). Reports earlier today indicated the sides were close to a swap, with the only hang-up being whether Phillips would accept the deal. (He could block a trade to the Halos and eleven other teams by the terms of his contract.) According to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, the Angels are sending former big league catcher Tony Sanchez to the Braves in return (Twitter link).
Phillips recently shifted from second base to third base in Atlanta to accommodate the promotion of presumptive second baseman of the future Ozzie Albies, but he figures to slide back to his natural position of second base in Anaheim. While he’s no longer the offensive force that he once was, Phillips and his .291/.329/.423 slash line will be a marked upgrade for an Angel club that has seen its second baseman post a collectively abysmal .196/.271/.318 batting line in 2017.
While Phillips represents an immediate upgrade to the Angels’ Wild Card chances in the American League, he’s as pure a rental as they come; the three-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover will hit free agency following the 2017 season. However, by acquiring Phillips on Aug. 31, the Halos have ensured that he’ll be eligible for their postseason roster in the event that they do ultimately secure a Wild Card berth. At present, they’re 1.5 games behind the Twins for the second slot in the American League and 2.5 games back of the Yankees for the top Wild Card slot.
That Sanchez, a former top pick who has now been relegated to journeyman status, is the return for Phillips speaks to the fact that the veteran infielder did not carry significant trade value. The Reds shipped Phillips to Atlanta this offseason and picked up all but $1MM of his remaining salary, and the Braves will presumably shed that commitment while giving the 36-year-old Phillips a chance to return to postseason play — an opportunity he wouldn’t have been afforded in Atlanta this season.
Sanchez has posted a .272/.355/.374 slash in Triple-A this season, and while he could conceivably be a September call-up, it seems unlikely that the Braves would carry him on the 40-man roster all winter. In all likelihood, his time with the organization will be limited.
For the Braves, shedding Phillips provides a relatively nominal amount of cost-savings but also opens regular at-bats for younger options to prove themselves capable pieces of the future in the season’s final month. Albies was already penciled in at second base, while Dansby Swanson has demonstrated immense improvements at shortstop upon his recent recall from Triple-A. Johan Camargo, another young infielder who has taken a step forward with a successful, albeit BABIP-driven rookie campaign, could be in line for at-bats at the hot corner down the stretch.
Atlanta could also use the now-vacated at-bats to take a second look at Rio Ruiz — a former fourth-round pick of the Astros that signed a huge bonus out of the draft and came to the Braves alongside Mike Foltynewicz as part of the Evan Gattis trade. While Ruiz underwhelmed in his first taste of big league action, he only turned 23 years old in late May and has shown a bit of pop in Triple-A this year.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Astros, Tigers Reportedly Fail To Complete Justin Verlander Trade
10:58pm: As covered in detail here, the sides managed to pull off a last-minute blockbuster.
10:55pm: The Astros were apparently unable to swing a last-minute deal to land Tigers ace Justin Verlander, though the reasons why remain unclear. Detroit News journalist Chris McCosky said a deal was mostly in place with the Astros, then said that Verlander had nixed the proposed arrangement, and finally concluded it wasn’t clear if Houston had backed out (links to Twitter). Meanwhile, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that it’s not yet clear what happened, but that the “Tigers are not blaming” the veteran right-handed hurler.
For Houston, this evidently represents the latest thwarted effort to add an impact arm. The club was reportedly close to landing Zach Britton and perhaps another pitcher at the non-revocable waiver deadline, but both deals fell through. Now, it seems, the team has missed on Verlander, who previously cleared revocable waivers but still maintained his full no-trade protection.
Talks between the teams were long been held up by an evident failure to agree on a return, but evidently gathered steam late today. As of midnight EST tonight, clubs can no longer add players from outside the organization and then utilize such players on their postseason roster.
The ‘Stros are rich in prospects, but had remained hesitant to part with their best young talent while also taking on a significant piece of the $56MM still guaranteed to Verlander over the next two seasons. Meanwhile, the Tigers were said to be holding out for real talent in parting with one of their franchise’s best all-time players.
Latest On Justin Verlander
10:47pm: The Tigers are “still busily working [the] phones,” tweets Bob Nightengale of USA Today, with Verlander’s status as yet uncertain.
10:27pm: There are a variety of reports emerging late that paint a somewhat confusing picture. Detroit News journalist Chris McCosky said a deal was close with the Astros, only to report shortly thereafter that Verlander had nixed the proposed arrangement (links to Twitter). Now, McCosky says it’s not clear if Verlander exercised his no-trade clause or if the Astros backed out. Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter) and Mark Berman of FOX 26 (via Twitter) had also suggested that a deal was getting closer.
9:05pm: The Cubs still aren’t willing to meet the Tigers’ asking price, per David Kaplan of CSN Chicago (via Twitter). Chicago is believed to be the only team willing to take on most or all of Verlander’s salary, per ESPNChicago.com’s Jesse Rogers (Twitter link), though indications remain that a deal is not likely at this late stage.
8:16pm: One source tells ESPN Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link) that talks involving Verlander are believed to be “dead” with less than three hours to go before the deadline to add players with eligibility for postseason rosters.
6:24pm: The Cubs and Astros — two teams with prior reported interest — spoke with Detroit today, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports (via Twitter). Both learned that the Tigers’ asking price on Verlander has not changed. Whether or not either of those two hypothetical suitors remains engaged on Verlander is not clear.
2:29pm: While Detroit is indeed asking around about Verlander trades, FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that a trade of Verlander remains “possible but not probable.” As of yesterday, Tigers brass was reportedly not optimistic about reaching a deal for Verlander.
1:49pm: The Tigers are in “active discussions” on the possibility of a Justin Verlander trade in advance of tonight’s deadline for postseason roster eligibility, reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter links). Per Morosi, each of Verlander, Shane Greene and Alex Wilson is in play as the Tigers are “making clear” to other clubs that they are embarking on a rebuild.
The inclusion of Greene and Wilson is surprising, if for no other reason than it suggests that both affordable relievers have perhaps cleared revocable waivers. Morosi doesn’t explicitly state that, but both would need to have cleared in order to be discussed in trades or, at the very least, have been claimed off revocable waivers in the past day or so (which would leave Detroit able to negotiate with only the claiming team). The Astros have remained in contact with the Tigers regarding Verlander over the past 48 hours, Morosi further adds.
Detroit is already on the verge of unloading one massive contract, as the Tigers have reportedly agreed to trade Justin Upton to the Angels. Certainly, the Tigers will be looking for more than just salary relief in exchange for Verlander, who has been dominant over the past couple of months after a slow start to the season, however. Verlander is owed $56MM from 2018-19.
Rangers Acquire Miguel Gonzalez
The Rangers have struck a deal to add righty Miguel Gonzalez from the White Sox, as Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun first reported (Twitter link). Per the report, the Orioles were also attempting to bring back the veteran starter, but weren’t willing to meet the asking price. Infielder Ti’Quan Forbes will go to Chicago in return. The Rangers have designated righty Anthony Bass to open a roster spot.
Though Texas isn’t exactly in prime position to snag a Wild Card berth — the team entered play today three games out and dropped its contest — it seems the club is at least interested in keeping that possibility open. Gonzalez will help bolster a rotation that no longer features Yu Darvish and has seen numerous other pitchers struggle. If they can crack the postseason, the Rangers will be able to utilize Gonzalez on their roster.
The White Sox have been quite aggressive in moving veterans, and Gonzalez now becomes the latest to go. The 33-year-old has been a steady presence since coming to Chicago after a four-year run in Baltimore. He’s earning $5.9MM this year — about $1MM of which remains to be paid — and will be a free agent at season’s end.
On the season, Gonzalez owns a 4.30 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 to go with a 38.1% groundball rate over 127 2/3 innings. He has been quite good since returning from a mid-summer DL stint, spinning 49 frames of 2.94 ERA ball — albeit still with just 35 strikeouts against 19 walks.
Despite the underwhelming peripherals, Gonzalez has typically managed to limit hard contact and suppress batting average on balls in play; opposing hitters carry a .278 BABIP against him over his six-year career. He doesn’t work with much velocity, but mixes five pitches and has managed to post a lifetime 3.88 ERA over 843 MLB frames.
Forbes only just turned 21 and was a second-round pick in 2014. But he has not really shown much yet as a professional. While playing mostly at third base this season, which he has split between the Class A and High-A levels, Forbes carries a meager .234/.281/.344 batting line with 11 home runs through 517 plate appearances.
The 29-year-old Bass has seen action in six MLB campaigns, but was bombed in two appearances this year with Texas. He has pitched to a 4.17 ERA in 84 1/3 Triple-A innings, though, with 10.2 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Orioles To Promote Chance Sisco, Pedro Alvarez
We’ll see a number of promotions beginning tomorrow, as active rosters will expand to include any and all players on the 40-man. The Orioles have some particularly notable players slated to come up, per David Hall of the Virginian-Pilot (Twitter links): Baltimore will call up top catching prospect Chance Sisco along with veteran slugger Pedro Alvarez.
Sisco, 22, was seen as a consensus top-100 prospect league-wide entering the season. He hasn’t hit a ton this year at Triple-A, his first full season at that level, but does own a solid .267/.340/.395 batting line with seven home runs through 388 plate appearances.
Despite that modest slash line, Baseball America still rated him as the game’s No. 29 overall prospect on their midseason top 100. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com ranked Sisco as baseball’s No. 50 prospect on their own summer top 100, while Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen pegs him 83rd.
For the time being, Sisco will likely see only limited duty behind Welington Castillo and Caleb Joseph. But with Castillo facing an opt-out decision after the season — one which he seems fairly likely to take in the affirmative — the O’s could end up relying on Sisco quite a bit next year.
As for Alvarez, he’ll function as a bench bat against right-handed pitching for the O’s. He has swatted 26 homers in his 590 plate appearances at Norfolk on the season, though he does carry only a .293 on-base percentage.
Baltimore is also bringing up outfielder Joey Rickard and righty Jimmy Yacabonis for September, according to Hall. For now, at least, the team doesn’t plan to promote veteran third baseman Chris Johnson. He has slashed .307/.336/.517 over 253 trips to the plate, but would (like Alvarez) require the opening of a 40-man roster spot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Angels, Braves Discussing Brandon Phillips Swap
9:01pm: While awaiting a decision from Phillips, the teams are still “working to finalize details,” ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets. Still, though, it seems the matter hinges on Phillips’s own decisionmaking, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweeted earlier.
7:00pm: The Angels and Braves are attempting to work out a deal that would send infielder Brandon Phillips to Los Angeles, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (Twitter link). Phillips, who was a late scratch from the lineup tonight, is considering right now whether to accept a deal, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets. He can block trades to a dozen clubs; presumably, the Halos are one of them.
Since cutting ties with Danny Espinosa earlier in the year, the Angels have relied heavily upon Kaleb Cowart at second base. But Cowart is slashing just .233/.289/.411 over 99 plate appearances on the year and has struggled badly of late. Having already added Justin Upton earlier today, the Halos are understandably looking to further bolster their lineup by targeting an area where they can make a relatively significant improvement at a marginal cost.
Phillips, 36, came to Atlanta from the Reds over the winter. He’s earning $14MM this year, but Cincinnati is covering all but a million of that sum. With less than $200K left on the Braves’ share of the bill, Phillips is an affordable option — though he also would stand to take home a $500K assignment bonus under a clause negotiated when he approved the trade to the Braves.
There’s also now some added versatility for the long-time second baseman, who has seen action at the hot corner for the first time this year. While he’s no longer a premium defender at second, Phillips is still a sturdy gloveman there and has drawn good reviews during his limited action at third.
With his typical low-walk, high-contact approach, Phillips has posted a .291/.329/.423 batting line over 499 plate appearances, with 11 home runs and 10 steals. That’s right around the league average in terms of overall offensive productivity, just where Phillips has landed in each of the prior five campaigns.
All told, though Phillips is far from a top-end second baseman, he has been a steadily useful player. For a team like the Angels, who have quite an evident need at second base, he could be quite a handy addition down the stretch and into the postseason.