Jeff Mathis Suffers Fractured Hand
Diamondbacks catcher Jeff Mathis has been diagnosed with a fractured right hand, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports on Twitter. He suffered the injury in last night’s game; initially it was believed he had escaped any broken bones.
It’s not yet known how long Mathis is expected to miss, but this seems like a fairly significant injury. It’s an avulsion fracture, per Piecoro, meaning that the ligament pulled away some amount of bone. (That seemingly makes it all the more impressive that Mathis initially stayed in the game.)
Whether or not surgery is required, the veteran receiver figures to miss a decent stretch. With Arizona fighting to keep a hold on a Wild Card, while also looking ahead to a hoped-for postseason berth, the club will need to figure out how to fill in for Mathis.
It’s possible that the D-Backs will simply utilize the open roster spot to address some other area of need, as the club does carry three players capable of lining up behind the dish. Chris Herrmann has seen plenty of action at catcher while also playing first base and the corner outfield. Then again, he hasn’t hit nearly as much as he did last year, with a .158/.250/.321 batting line that falls shy of the work of even the light-hitting Mathis. Arizona also recently acquired John Ryan Murphy, though he has struggled to get his bat going at Triple-A this year.
Scott Feldman Undergoes Knee Surgery
Reds righty Scott Feldman will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery today, per a club announcement (h/t MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon, on Twitter). His right knee was cleaned up in the arthroscopic procedure.
With that news, the 34-year-old will almost certainly return to the open market before throwing another pitch for Cincinnati. The 13-year MLB veteran had joined the club on a one-year, $2.3MM pact over the winter.
It seemed at one point that Feldman would make for an interesting summer trade chip for the Reds, given his cheap salary and solid performance through the end of June. Since then, however, he has made only four starts, over which he has surrendered 18 earned runs in just 13 2/3 innings.
David Wright Begins Rehab Assignment
Mets third baseman David Wright will begin a rehab assignment this evening, per a club announcement. He is in the lineup as the DH for the organization’s High-A affiliate.
A succession of shoulder, neck, and back injuries have conspired to limit the 34-year-old in recent years. Wright has yet to play this year and has appeared in only 75 games since the start of the 2015 campaign.
While it’s promising to see the initiation of a rehab assignment, there’s still vast uncertainty surrounding the former All-Star. For one thing, the bigger hurdle will come when Wright attempts to play the field; after all, throwing issues thwarted his progress this spring. For another, Wright will need to show that he can not only get healthy but stay that way, as each of his prior attempts at returning have ended with yet more maladies.
MLBTR Chat Transcript: Free Agency, Club Options, Opt-Outs
Click here to read a transcript of Tuesday’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
Vince Velasquez To Undergo Surgery For Vascular Issue
Phillies righty Vince Velasquez is headed for surgery to address a vascular problem that has caused issues with Velasquez’s right middle finger, manager Pete Mackanin tells reporters including MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki (via Twitter).
It’s never great to end a season with a medical issue, but it sounds as if Velasquez will not require a terribly significant procedure. GM Matt Klentak tells Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link) that Velasquez will only need six to eight weeks of recovery time. Philadelphia has already placed Velasquez on the 60-day DL.
Today’s news raises new concerns for the talented 25-year-old, who has dealt with some arm issues and questions about his long-term role while also flashing quite a lot of talent through his first 258 2/3 MLB innings. Velasquez broke into the bigs with the Astros, but moved to Philadelphia as part of the trade that sent young closer Ken Giles to Houston.
Velasquez made 24 starts for the Phils in 2016, posting a solid 4.12 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9. Sporting a 94.7 mph average fastball velocity and 11.2% swinging-strike rate, Velasquez was dominant at times. But he was also touched for 1.4 home runs per nine innings, a problem that has grown in 2017.
Thus far in the present season, Velasquez has permitted 1.88 long balls per regulation game while carrying only about half the K%-BB% (10.8%) that he did last year (19.4%). The results have followed, as he has only lasted 72 innings over 15 outings and carries an ugly 5.13 ERA.
Despite those struggles, Klentak says that the organization still views Velasquez as a starter. Indeed, there’s little reason for the team not to keep giving him opportunities to stick in the rotation. The Phils likely won’t view themselves as likely contenders in 2018, Velasquez has shown an intriguing ceiling.
So long as Velasquez can return to health by the time camp rolls around — and he’ll have plenty of time to do so — the Phillies will likely pencil him into one of the team’s five starting slots. Philadelphia has a variety of internal options who’ll likely do battle, though, and seems likely to introduce some veteran competition (if not commit a rotation spot or two to a free agent or trade target), so nothing will be assured.
Phillies To Sign Henderson Alvarez
Right-hander Henderson Alvarez is in the process of signing on with the Phillies, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (Twitter links). It’s a minors pact that would pay Alvarez at a $750K annual rate for any time he spends in the big leagues this year.
Alvarez turned in a 2.65 ERA over 187 innings back in 2014, earning an All-Star nod and Cy Young consideration, but has battled significant shoulder injuries ever since. Two surgeries and extensive rehab has kept him from pitching in the majors since early 2015.
The righty put on a showcase earlier this summer in hopes of landing an opportunity, but ended up settling for a shot with the indy ball Long Island Ducks. He has made seven starts this year, working to a 3.09 ERA in 32 frames. Alvarez also managed only 13 strikeouts against 14 walks in that span, though his health is surely more important than the results at this point.
Heyman does note that Alvarez has been clocked at up to 98 mph with his fastball. That would appear to suggest that he has at least regained any lost arm strength. Alvarez sat between 94 and 95 with the heater for most of his time in the majors, but had suddenly dropped to the low nineties in his four starts before hitting the DL back in ’15.
The Phillies could simply like the idea of bolstering their depth down the stretch, but the club may see a larger opportunity here, too. By giving Alvarez a chance at a late-season MLB platform, the Phils will also be getting an up-close look at the potential reclamation candidate. And Alvarez can still be tendered arbitration one final time, giving the team an option to retain him for 2018.
West Notes: Lowrie, Ramirez, Wood, Holland
It seems increasingly plausible that the Athletics may not only keep second baseman Jed Lowrie for the remainder of the season, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle suggests, but also for the 2018 campaign. It seems a foregone conclusion that the club will exercise the veteran’s $6MM club option, though he could still be traded over the winter. Assuming that Lowrie remains in Oakland when the calendar flips to September, the focus will turn to assessing the desirability of retaining him as opposed to turning the reins over to youngster Franklin Barreto. Slusser notes that, despite the team’s general youth movement, there’s a feeling that Barreto could stand to receive a fair bit more developmental time at Triple-A before he is fully exposed to MLB pitching.
Here’s more from out west:
- The Angels aren’t sure when they’ll get righty J.C. Ramirez back from an elbow injury, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register writes. Ramirez has been shut down with what has been diagnosed as a strain. “He’s in a no-throw situation as we assess his strength,” says GM Billy Eppler. Ramirez, 29, has been quite the pick-up for the Halos. Since joining the organization last year, he has provided 193 2/3 innings of 3.86 ERA pitching — a distinct turnaround from the marginal results he had produced previously.
- It’s likely that Dodgers lefty Alex Wood will skip at least one start, Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times was among those to report (Twitter links). Wood showed a downtick in velocity and coughed up three home runs in his outing yesterday, though he was able to complete six innings. After the game, manager Dave Roberts said that Wood had experienced a recurrence of inflammation in his SC joint. Given the Dodgers’ place in the standings, there’s little reason to take a risk.
- Struggling Rockies closer Greg Holland says he’s just not throwing enough “quality pitches,” as Nick Groke of the Denver Post writes. Manager Bud Black suggested there’s no cause for broader concern, while Holland noted that he has “been getting beat with mistakes in the middle of the plate.” The veteran righty was carrying a 1.56 ERA entering play on August 6th, but that number has more than doubled over his last five appearances. Assuming he can figure things out, Holland figures to be a key part of the Rockies’ hopeful run to and through October — and quite an interesting free agent to watch once the season ends.
Marlins Designate Javy Guerra
The Marlins have designated righty Javy Guerra for assignment, per a club announcement. His roster spot will go to southpaw Jarlin Garcia, who was activated from the DL.
Guerra has had some success in the majors, compiling a 3.10 lifetime ERA over 162 1/3 frames. Most of those came with the Dodgers in 2011 and 2012, and he also enjoyed a productive run in 2014 with the White Sox.
That said, the 31-year-old has seen only minimal MLB action over the past three seasons. This year, Guerra appeared in 5 2/3 innings for Miami, allowing four earned runs while both walking and striking out five opposing batters. He also struggled to a 4.99 ERA with 7.6 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 in his 48 2/3 frames at Triple-A New Orleans.
Shelby Miller Hires Roc Nation Sports
Diamondbacks righty Shelby Miller has hired Roc Nation Sports and agent Kyle Thousand to represent him, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal reports on Twitter.
Miller, who’s still just 26 years of age, underwent Tommy John surgery in mid-May. So long as his recovery goes well, he ought to be ready to go at some point in the middle of the 2018 season.
Through 22 innings, Miller had shown some signs of bouncing back from a rough 2016 campaign. In particular, the right-hander was working at a career-high 95.4 mph average fastball velocity and 9.6% swinging-strike rate — though he also allowed a dozen walks to go with twenty strikeouts.
Arizona will have to think hard about whether to tender Miller a contract, though odds are the team will deem it a worthwhile risk. Miller won’t command much of a raise on the $4.7MM salary he commanded for 2017, and he’ll still be controllable for another season through the arb process.
If the D-Backs do indeed offer Miller arbitration, then, the club will effectively retain an option year at what could be an appealing rate of pay for Miller’s age-28 season in 2019. While the team looks to have a strong starting five on hand regardless, given the emergence of Zack Godley, maintaining depth and holding onto Miller’s upside will surely hold appeal. Plus, Patrick Corbin is slated for free agency after the 2018 campaign. And if the Snakes do end up with a rotation logjam, they can always utilize extra arms as trade pieces.
As always, you can find up-to-date MLB agency information at MLBTR’s Agency Database.
MLB Daily Roster Roundup: Bush, Ramirez, Sano
IMPACT ROSTER MOVES
- LAA: SP J.C. Ramirez (strained elbow) and RP Andrew Bailey (strained shoulder) placed on 10-Day DL; SP Tyler Skaggs reinstated from Bereavement List; RP Jose Alvarez recalled from minors. | Angels Depth Chart
- MIN: 3B Miguel Sano (stress reaction in shin) placed on 10-Day DL; RP Nik Turley optioned to minors; 1B Kennys Vargas recalled from minors; SP Tim Melville has contract purchased from minors. | Twins Depth Chart
- Eduardo Escobar played 3B in both ends of Monday’s double-header; Vargas and Mitch Garver are likely to platoon (1B/DH) while Sano is out.
- Turley stayed on the roster as the 26th man for the double-header.
- TEX: RP Matt Bush (strained knee) placed on 10-Day DL; INF/OF Phil Gosselin optioned to minors; 1B/OF Ryan Rua recalled from minors; RP Nick Gardewine has contract purchased from minors. | Rangers Depth Chart
- Joey Gallo has avoided the disabled list for now, but was out on Monday due to concussion-like symptons.
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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES
- ARZ: SP Robbie Ray will be activated from 7-Day DL on Thursday August 24th. | Diamondbacks Depth Chart
- CWS: SP Lucas Giolito will be recalled from minors on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Daryl Van Schowen of the Chicago Sun Times. | White Sox Depth Chart
- HOU: C Brian McCann will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Thursday August 24th, according to Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle. | Astros Depth Chart
- KCR: C Salvador Perez will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Tuesday August 22nd or Wednesday August 23rd, according to Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com. | Royals Depth Chart
- LAD: SP Brock Stewart will be recalled from minors on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. | Dodgers Depth Chart
- NYM: SP Steven Matz (elbow nerve irritation) will be placed on 10-Day DL; he’ll undergo surgery in the near future. | Mets Depth Chart
- Tommy Milone will start in Matz’s place on Tuesday.
- NYY: SP Masahiro Tanaka will be activated from 10-Day DL on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. | Yankees Depth Chart
- RP Bryan Mitchell was optioned to the minors as the corresponding move.
- PHI: SP Nick Pivetta will be likely recalled as the 26th man for the double-header on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Matt Gelb of the Philly Inquirer. | Phillies Depth Chart
- TBR: SP Alex Cobb will be activated from 10-Day DL on Thursday August 24th, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. | Rays Depth Chart
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MINOR TRANSACTIONS
- ARZ: RP Matt Koch recalled from minors; RP Braden Shipley optioned to minors. | Diamondbacks Depth Chart
- ATL: RP Dan Winkler activated from 60-Day DL; RP Rex Brothers optioned to minors. | Braves Depth Chart
- Winkler retains Rule 5 status—he was selected from the Rockies prior to the 2015 season—and is still more than 60 days short of fulfilling the 90-day requirement for the Braves to take fill control of his rights.
- CWS: SP Carson Fulmer recalled from minors as the 26th man for Monday’s double-header. | White Sox Depth Chart
- STL: 1B Luke Voit optioned to minors. | Cardinals Depth Chart
- Stephen Piscotty remains on the 25-man roster after served as the 26th man for Sunday’s Little League Classic.