NL Notes: Stanton, Spangenberg, Hernandez, Reds
The Marlins are “willing to engage” other clubs in trade talks regarding Giancarlo Stanton, tweets MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. That much has already been clear — Yahoo’s Jeff Passan indicated yesterday that four clubs had already had some level of dialogue with the Marlins regarding Stanton, who has cleared revocable waivers — but Morosi adds that there have yet to be any serious negotiations regarding the current MLB home run leader. Stanton is the hottest hitter on the planet right now, but he’s also owed a staggering $298.64MM through the end of the 2027 campaign. And while he can technically opt out after the 2020 season, doing so would mean forfeiting the remaining seven years and $218MM on his deal as he heads into his age-31 campaign. Stanton also has a full no-trade clause, which only adds a further layer of complexity.
A few more notes from the National League…
- After an injury-ruined 2016 season, Padres third baseman Cory Spangenberg has begun to force his way into the team’s plans, writes MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. Spangenberg tore his right hamstring on two different occasions last year and was limited to 14 games, and he opened the 2017 campaign in Triple-A El Paso. The former first-round pick finally received regular playing time in the Majors this summer, and he’s run with the opportunity while thoroughly impressing manager Andy Green, Cassavell writes. “He was angry about being in the Minor Leagues, thought he belonged in the big leagues and handled it right,” Green added. “He’s gone out and proved it. He’s earned his spot.” Spangenberg entered play Wednesday hitting .280/.333/.442 on the season and .336/.413/.617 in the second half. The strong play of Spangenberg and second baseman Carlos Asuaje has pushed Yangervis Solarte to shortstop in recent weeks.
- Right-hander David Hernandez tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that the Diamondbacks organization feels like home, and just a couple of weeks into his second stint with the team, it “kind of feels like [he] never left.” Hernandez discussed his struggles in recent seasons with Piecoro and also credits the addition of a slider to his fastball/curveball repertoire as a key factor in his resurgence. Hernandez acknowledges that he was wary of using the new pitch in Spring Training with the Giants, as he was trying to earn a roster spot and was reluctant to use a pitch that he had only recently adopted. He began mixing it in with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate, though, and the results have been terrific. All three of Hernandez’s offerings carry positive pitch values (per Fangraphs), and he’s posted a 2.01 ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9 through 40 1/3 innings this year.
- The Reds may have more question marks in their pitching staff heading into the final six weeks of the season than they did entering the year, writes Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The cavalcade of injuries that has beset the team’s rotation has deprived the Reds of looks at a number of young arms and also created uncertainty around preseason rotation locks such as Anthony DeSclafani and Brandon Finnegan. A six-man rotation could be on the horizon, Buchanan notes, and Robert Stephenson is already set to rejoin the rotation this weekend. Manager Bryan Price also indicated that right-hander Sal Romano will continue starting, per Buchanan. The skipper also indicated that righty reliever Austin Brice could be done for the year due to a lat injury.
MLBTR Chat Transcript: Nationals, Stanton, Verlander
Click here to view the transcript for MLBTR Chat With Jason Martinez: August 16, 2017
Astros Acquire Tyler Clippard
AUG. 16: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that the Astros sent $1MM to the White Sox in the trade, which covers the bulk of Clippard’s remaining contract. (Clippard was owed a total of roughly $1.14MM at the time of the trade.)
AUG. 13: The Astros have acquired reliever Tyler Clippard from the White Sox for a player to be named later or cash considerations, according to announcements from both teams.
[Updated Astros & White Sox Depth Charts]
This is the second trade of the season involving the 32-year-old Clippard, who went from the Yankees to the White Sox last month in a deal that saw major leaguers David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Todd Frazier head to New York. Clippard struggled to prevent runs this year as a Yankee, with whom he pitched to a 4.95 ERA over 36 1/3 innings, in part because of a bloated walk rate (4.77 per nine). Clippard did post a 10.44 K/9 with the Yankees, though, and allowed just two earned runs in 10 frames with the White Sox. The right-hander also added 12 strikeouts against five walks during that span.
The Astros have been quiet this summer in terms of trades, with longtime starter and now-reliever Francisco Liriano serving as their most prominent in-season acquisition. And while the Astros possess the best record in the American League, 72-45, and a bullpen that ranks fifth in the majors in fWAR (4.9), their relief corps has scuffled of late. Over the past 30 days, Houston’s bullpen has logged the league’s sixth-worst ERA (4.96).
Considering he has been successful with multiple teams as both a setup man and a closer since debuting in 2007, Clippard may help the Astros overcome their recent issues. However, as someone who generates a lot of fly balls (his 52.1 percent FB rate ranks fourth worst among relievers), Clippard might not be a great fit for home run-friendly Minute Maid Park. Nevertheless, he’ll slot into a bullpen that currently features a few other proven options – Ken Giles, Chris Devenski and Luke Gregerson – and has seen youngster Joe Musgrove dominate. The team could also be close to welcoming back Will Harris, who has been on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation since July 28.
For the White Sox, parting with Clippard likely wasn’t an especially difficult decision. The rebuilding club has been selling off veterans dating back to last winter, after all, and Clippard’s an impending free agent whom Chicago acquired in large part to help balance out money in its trade with the Yankees. Clippard is on a $4.25MM salary and is due roughly $1.14MM of that through season’s end.
Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network first reported that the Astros were trying to acquire Clippard (Twitter link). Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweeted that a trade was close. FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweeted that Clippard was indeed on his way to the Astros. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Injury Notes: Tanaka, Angels, Diekman, Wahl, Lugo, Nats
Masahiro Tanaka is on the disabled list due to some inflammation in his shoulder, but he could be back with the Yankees as soon as next week, per WFAN’s Sweeny Murti (Twitter link). Murti also notes that lefty CC Sabathia is slated to come off the DL on Saturday. Tanaka will throw a bullpen session tomorrow, and if that goes well, he’ll return to the rotation next week against the Tigers. Demonstrating that this is a minor issue will be key for Tanaka and the Yankees; Tanaka has pitched quite well over his past nine starts and been solid dating back to late May, perhaps positioning him to opt out of the remaining three years on his contract. And the Yankees, of course, are currently in possession of an AL Wild Card spot and are also 4.5 games back of the Red Sox in the AL East.
A few more injury updates of note from around the league…
- The Angels have received some good news on the rotation front, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Left-hander Andrew Heaney will return to the mound on Friday in Baltimore — his first big league appearance in roughly 16 months. Heaney underwent Tommy John surgery last year — one of many blows to what had looked on paper to be a promising Angels pitching staff. Now 26 years of age, Heaney turned in 105 2/3 innings of 3.49 ERA ball with 6.6 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in his first season with the Halos back in 2015. A healthy Heaney would be a boost to a surging Angels club that now finds itself in the thick of the AL Wild Card race. Fletcher also tweeted yesterday that, per manager Mike Scioscia, right-hander Garrett Richards will face hitters later this week, though it’s not yet clear when Richards could return to a big league mound.
- Left-hander Jake Diekman is getting closer to returning to the Rangers‘ bullpen. Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets that Diekman will begin a rehab assignment with the Rangers’ Double-A affiliate on Thursday, during which he’s slated to throw 15 pitches. The 30-year-old southpaw was a key piece of the Texas bullpen in 2015-16 after coming over from the Phillies alongside Cole Hamels, but he’s yet to pitch this season due to a trio of surgeries he’s undergone to combat ulcerative colitis.
- The Athletics announced yesterday that right-hander Bobby Wahl‘s season is over after he underwent surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome. TOS surgery has become increasingly popular in recent seasons, though the success rate on it doesn’t appear to be as high as other common surgeries for pitchers. The 25-year-old Wahl posted terrific numbers in Double-A and Triple-A last season, and he made his big league debut with Oakland earlier in 2017. In 7 2/3 frames, he allowed four runs on eight hits and four walks with eight strikeouts.
- The Mets placed right-hander Seth Lugo on the 10-day DL yesterday with an impingement in his right shoulder, and Lugo emphasized today that he doesn’t feel surgery is required for either his previously injured elbow or his shoulder, as MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo writes. Lugo is hopeful of missing just one or two starts with his current issue. “The doctors said this is an inoperable situation,” said Lugo. “…Surgery’s not even a though.” Lugo missed the first two months of the season after being diagnosed with a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.
- Nationals manager Dusty Baker gave some quick updates on a number of ailing players, writes Byron Kerr of MASNsports.com. Outfielder Jayson Werth is still going through a running program and isn’t yet ready for a rehab assignment, per Baker. Werth will need to play consecutive nine-inning games before being activated. Baker also revealed that while he initially thought right-hander Ryan Madson was dealing with a blister issue on his finger, it appears that is not the case. Madson has “something in his finger” that the Nats are currently analyzing. Bryce Harper, meanwhile, is traveling with the team as he gets treatment on his injured left knee.
Blue Jays Designate J.P. Howell, Mike Ohlman
The Blue Jays announced on Wednesday that they’ve designated veteran left-hander J.P. Howell and catcher Mike Ohlman for assignment. The moves will clear roster space for right-hander Dominic Leone (activated from the bereavement list) and catcher Miguel Montero (activated from the 10-day disabled list).
Howell, 34, has been limited to 11 innings this year due to discomfort and tightness in his left shoulder. He returned earlier this month and has made three appearances since his activation, allowing a solo homer in an otherwise perfect 2 1/3 innings of work (with one strikeout). Overall, though, he’s posted a 7.36 ERA with six punchouts against seven walks in his short time with the Jays.
Despite logging a 2.49 ERA with 8.1 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 from 2013-16 with the Dodgers, Howell settled for a one-year deal worth $3MM this winter. He averaged just 85 mph on his fastball earlier this year but has added another mile or so to that total since being activated from the disabled list. Howell thrived with just an 86-87 mph average heater in L.A., so he’s had success with middling velocity in the past. He’s still owed about $754K of that $3MM guarantee through season’s end.
As for the 26-year-old Ohlman, the former Cardinals/Orioles farmhand made his MLB debut with Toronto in 2017, appearing in seven games and collecting three base knocks in 13 trips to the plate. He’s a career .245/.339/.436 hitter in 495 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.
Athletics Designate Zach Neal
The Athletics have designated righty Zach Neal for assignment, according to MLB.com’s Jane Lee (via Twitter). Presumably, the move was made to open a 40-man spot for the just-added Sam Moll.
Neal, 28, has functioned as an optionable swingman for Oakland over the past two years, with an unusual blend of elite control and (at least in the minors) a demonstrated ability to induce infield pop-ups. He was outrighted last year, but added back to the 40-man when he was called up earlier in 2017.
All said, Neal owns a 4.89 ERA through 84 2/3 MLB innings, with just 37 strikeouts to go with only 7 walks. He has struggled in the upper minors, too, with only a 4.99 ERA and 4.3 K/9 against 1.0 BB/9 over 74 frames.
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/16/17
Here are some of the latest minor moves from around the game, courtesy of Baseball America’s Matt Eddy except where otherwise noted:
- The Mariners outrighted right-hander Christian Bergman to Triple-A after he cleared waivers, per a club announcement. Bergman, 29, had the right to opt for free agency now or at the end of the season; given that he’s now listed on Tacoma’s roster, it seems he’ll wait and consider the latter option when the time comes. Bergman, 29, has thrown 51 1/3 innings on the year for Seattle, working to a 4.91 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9.
- Outfielder Daniel Robertson will return to the Indians on a minors deal after being designated for assignment and then released, the club announced. The 31-year-old has appeared in each of the past four MLB campaigns — each time with a different team. This year, he took 88 plate appearances for Cleveland, slashing .225/.287/.338. While it’s not clear whether Robertson will factor at the major league level again this year, the fleet-footed, high-contact 31-year-old could conceivably make for a useful bench piece once rosters expand in September.
- The Diamondbacks have added right-handers Andury Acevedo and Louis Coleman on minors deals. Acevedo, who’ll soon turn 27, was intriguing enough to land a 40-man spot with the Cubs a few years back, but has yet to show any consistency on the mound in the upper minors. As for Coleman, who threw 48 innings of 4.69 ERA ball last year for the Dodgers, he’ll return to Arizona after briefly testing the open market. He has worked to a 2.05 ERA with 10.6 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 over 57 innings this year in stints with the D-Backs’ and Reds’ top affiliates.
- Heading to the Reds on a minors deal is slugging outfielder Adam Walker. He has bounced around via waiver claims and minor-league deals of late, seeing time in three organizations thus far in 2017. All told, he has compiled a tepid .185/.220/.410 batting line — with a dozen home runs but also 88 strikeouts against just ten walks — in his 241 plate appearances in the upper minors.
- The White Sox released infielder Grant Green, who had previously seen brief action in the majors this year with the Nationals. On the season, Green owns an overall .232/.306/.300 slash over 245 plate appearances at the Triple-A level with those two organizations. The 29-year-old was once considered a notable possible contributor with the Athletics and Angels, but has managed only a .248/.283/.336 batting line in his 353 trips to the plate in the majors.
- Six-year MLB veteran Collin Cowgill has been released by the Padres. Cowgill, 31, joined the organization on a minors deal over the winter, but never earned a crack at a return to the majors. He carries a .235/.297/.390 slash through 220 plate appearances
- Finally, the Rangers have released lefty Bobby LaFromboise and righty Jaye Chapman. The former has made 27 MLB appearances and shown some intriguing numbers at times, but struggled last year at Triple-A with the Phillies and was sidelined for much of the current season. The 30-year-old Chapman, meanwhile, is looking to work back toward the majors for the first time since his lone stint back in 2012. But he was hit hard in his 36 2/3 innings at Triple-A Round Rock, with a 6.63 ERA and 6.9 K/9 against 5.2 BB/9.
Luhnow: “Expectations Very Low” For Astros To Add Starter
Astros GM Jeff Luhnow suggested today that he doesn’t anticipate making another significant acquisition this month. In an appearance on the Josh Innes Show on SportsTalk 790, the Houston executive said in particular that the team isn’t likely to add a starter.
“Right now I would set expectations very low that anything happens between now and the end of the month,” Luhnow said when asked about the possibility of bolstering the rotation. While he noted that the club will “continue to monitor” the market, Luhnow indicated there are no ongoing talks to pick up another arm.
While we heard yesterday that the ‘Stros have had some recent chats with the Tigers about Justin Verlander, it also seemed that there was no real momentum toward a deal. The longtime Detroit ace is just one of many players to have cleared waivers this month, though he’s actually the only starter to have reportedly done so to this point.
Despite Luhnow’s understandably cautious comments, perhaps it’s still possible something could come together. Houston and Detroit have “a good understanding of the other’s position” in trade talks, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). That situation, he suggests, could yet set the stage for a late-breaking deal later this month.
Beyond Verlander, it’s tough to identify a plausible target for Houston during the August trade season. An unknown organization has placed a claim on Blue Jays righty Marco Estrada, though there’s no indication it was the Astros or that any deal is likely. A variety of other hurlers could also conceivably make for August trade candidates, though none have been tied to Houston.
While the Astros would surely like to upgrade their overall pitching mix, the team has made clear it won’t reach on a valuation to do so. And there’s little reason for the club to add an arm for depth purposes, with the division in hand and plenty of viable rotation pieces on the staff. If anything, it would seem the organization would have potential interest in adding a hurler worthy of taking the ball to start a postseason game.
It’s worth your time to give a listen to the remainder of the interview as well. Luhnow discussed a variety of topics, including the recent acquisition of Tyler Clippard — a pitcher the team has “had [its] eye on for a couple years” — and the outlook on young contributors Derek Fisher and Francis Martes.
Jered Weaver Announces Retirement
Padres right-hander Jered Weaver has announced his retirement through a team press release. The former Angels ace had an impressive 12-year career in the majors.
Weaver, 34, had been on the disabled list for much of the season with hip issues. In a statement, he explained that he has not been able to get back to health. “While I’ve been working hard to get back on the mound, my body just will not allow me to compete like I want to,” says Weaver.
“Many thanks to the Padres organization for the opportunity to play in the amazing city of San Diego. You have been very professional and respectful during this process and I really appreciate that. I would also like to thank my teammates for welcoming me in with open arms and for all the support throughout the season. I’m excited for the next chapter in life and making up for lost time with my family. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years. It was a great ride!”
Undoubtedly, Weaver will be best remembered for his long run of success with the Halos from 2006 through 2016. He topped two thousand total innings with the organization, working to a 3.99 ERA there.
That overall record tends to understate just how good Weaver was in his prime. In particular, in a five-year span beginning in 2010, he spun over a thousand frames of 2.99 ERA ball with 7.6 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9. The first three of those campaigns included All-Star nods and top-five Cy Young finishes.
A former first-round draft pick out of Cal State, Weaver moved quickly through the Angels’ farm system. He played a significant role in driving several of the team’s postseason appearances. Over seven total appearances in the postseason, he threw 27 2/3 innings and compiled a 2.60 ERA.
More recently, Weaver dealt with health issues and a notable drop in velocity. Never a hard thrower, he sat below 85 mph with his fastball over the past three seasons but still managed to gut out 379 1/3 innings over 66 starts. The final nine of those came with San Diego.
The Friars had inked Weaver to a one-year, $3MM contract following the conclusion of the long-term extension that Weaver signed with Los Angeles six years ago this month. He never got going with his new organization, though, managing only a 7.44 ERA with 23 strikeouts in his 42 1/3 frames before hitting the DL.
That late fade doesn’t detract from a top-quality overall career. Weaver wraps things up with 34.8 rWAR and 30.3 fWAR on his ledger. He also notched a memorable no-hitter in 2012. MLBTR offers Weaver a tip of the cap and best wishes for his future endeavors.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
8 Candidates To Be Acquired Via Waiver Claim
Following the July non-waiver trade deadline, revocable waivers present obstacles for teams wishing to trade players on their 40-man rosters. If a player clears waivers, his team can trade him anywhere. If he’s claimed on waivers, though, the player’s team can only trade him to the team that claims him.
Occasionally, though, when a player is claimed, his team will simply allow him to depart, in which case the player (and his contract) will head to the new team. Such moves are somewhat rare, perhaps for obvious reasons — the player must be good enough, and his salary favorable enough, for the new team to take on the contract, but he must not be a valuable enough asset for his old team to keep him or seek something in return. There has been one such move already this August — the Pirates claimed reliever George Kontos from the Giants, and the Giants simply let Kontos (and the remainder of his $1.75MM 2017 salary) depart. Higher-profile players also occasionally change teams in this manner. For example, Manny Ramirez went from the Dodgers to the White Sox via a waiver claim in August 2010, with the White Sox taking on $3.8MM in salary.
Here, we’ll speculate on players who could meet similar fates at some point this month. Before we begin, some caveats. First, these sorts of moves are hard to predict. If we’d written this list two weeks ago, for example, Kontos (who’s productive, has a reasonable salary, and is eligible for arbitration for two more seasons after this one) probably wouldn’t have been on it. Second, not all waiver activities make it into published reports, and it’s possible some of the players below have gone through the process already this month. Third, there are occasionally August trades that effectively function as waiver claims, in which a team claims a player, then pays only a nominal return for him. Such transactions officially are trades, but are very much like pure revocable waiver claims. The Pirates’ acquisition of Sean Rodriguez from the Braves earlier this month was one example.
With that in mind, here are a few players who could conceivably head from one team to another this month via a revocable waiver claim.
Rajai Davis and Santiago Casilla, Athletics. The 36-year-old Davis makes $6MM, is a free agent at the end of the season, and has not hit well this year, with a .236/.294/.358 line thus far. The Athletics might prefer to be rid of his salary, particularly since his departure would open opportunities for prospect Boog Powell. At the same time, a contender might value Davis’ experience and basestealing ability enough to claim him. Casilla would be a somewhat trickier proposition, since he’s owed about $6MM total through 2018 and is having a decent season (though he has hardly been flawless, as we saw last night). But the Athletics might decide to go in a different direction and shed salary, particularly since Casilla is 37. He could also potentially clear waivers, if he hasn’t already.
Carlos Gomez and Andrew Cashner, Rangers. Gomez’s comeback has continued this season, with 15 homers and a .251/.339/.455 line, but he’s making $11.5MM this year and is a free agent in the fall. Cashner also has a relatively hefty salary, at $10MM, and is also an impending free agent. It’s unclear how teams might value him, since his 3.32 ERA this season doesn’t match his poor 4.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9, but he did reportedly attract interest at the trade deadline.
Drew Storen, Reds. Storen is a former closer who’s making a not-insignificant salary ($3MM) and is a free agent after the season. Storen has been good enough this year to be useful to a contender (3.75 ERA, 7.9 K/9, 3.6 BB/9, 52.1 GB%) but not so good that the Reds would be able to seek much for him.
Lucas Duda and Steve Cishek, Rays. The Rays are still in the Wild Card race, but have lost four straight and are now behind five other teams in the densely packed AL field. Duda and Cishek are good players, but it seems possible the salary-conscious Rays could consider jettisoning the pending free agents if the team’s recent woes continue. Duda makes $7.25MM this season, while Cishek makes $6MM.
Dee Gordon, Marlins. This one seems like a longshot, but it’s worth at least noting here. Gordon is owed about $40MM through 2020. There was interest in him at the trade deadline, although his salary was a sticking point for some clubs. It’s unclear how the Marlins’ new owners might think about Gordon during a season in which he’s batting .299/.339/.361, and a team like the Angels might be inclined to claim him. There’s also precedent for a player with a contract as significant as Gordon’s changing teams via a revocable waiver claim — in 2009, the Blue Jays allowed Alex Rios and the $62MM remaining on his contract to depart for the White Sox. Of course, it would probably be terrible PR for Marlins ownership’s first significant move to be an enormous salary dump, and Gordon, despite his PED history and mediocre 2016 season, is still a useful player — and a fairly young one at 29.