AL East Notes: Rays, Biagini, Yankees
Some items from around the AL East…
- When selling and acquiring notable players in trades over the years, the Rays have done well in acquiring low-level minor leaguers in these deals and developing them into valuable pieces, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Impressive young players and prospects like Daniel Robertson, Jake Bauers, Willy Adames, Lucius Fox, and Patrick Leonard weren’t the headline pieces in recent trades but they’re all big parts of the Rays’ future (and Robertson part of the present, hitting well in a utility role for Tampa this season). “There is less certainty with them, and their potential impact is further away,” president of baseball operations Matt Silverman said. “But if we do our homework well and they continue to develop, these players can be a big part of our long-term success. It’s where our patience and our long-term focus can really benefit us.”
- Joe Biagini pitched well in his first MLB start today, moving from the Blue Jays bullpen to the rotation to throw four innings of two-hit ball with only one unearned run allowed in Toronto’s 2-1 win over the Rays. The performance will earn Biagini another start, Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith writes, as the Jays continue to look for rotation help with J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez still on the DL. Sanchez could be ready to return on Sunday, Nicholson-Smith writes, and Mike Bolsinger could be in line for a spot start sometime this week.
- Do the Yankees have a better bullpen now than they did last year with Andrew Miller in the fold? George A. King III of the New York Post observes that with Adam Warren, Jonathan Holder and Tyler Clippard all pitching well, the Yankees have more depth in the pen to better bridge leads to Dellin Betances and Aroldis Chapman. The only “weak link” is Tommy Layne, King writes, who has a 9.45 ERA through his first 10 appearances (6 2/3 IP) of the season. If Layne continues to struggle, I would think the Yankees would target left-handed relief help at the deadline, since Chasen Shreve is the only other situational lefty available.
NL Central Notes: Cubs, Guerra, Reds
Here’s the latest from around the NL Central…
- While the Cubs‘ trade deadline moves may not reach the blockbuster level of last year’s Aroldis Chapman trade, the team has the resources to make upgrades if necessary, CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney writes. The Cubs’ hot start and their clear need at the back of the bullpen led to the aggressive Chapman move, GM Jed Hoyer said, though it’s still a bit early to say what the most pressing need is for this year’s team. “You can’t get in a cycle where you’re always doing something for rentals,” Hoyer said. “But at the same time, every season is sacred and you only have (so many chances). There are going to be years where things don’t come together, you have injuries, another team runs away with it. That’s going to happen. So when you know you’re in a good position, (go for it).”
- Junior Guerra and the Brewers hope the right-hander can return by the end of May, manager Craig Counsell told MLB.com’s George Van Benko and other reports. Guerra threw two innings of a simulated game against Class-A hitters on Saturday and is scheduled for a live batting practice on Wednesday in Milwaukee. Guerra strained his right calf on Opening Day, with initial estimates putting him out of action for at least six weeks, according to Counsell.
- The Reds‘ rebuild is examined by Tyler Kepner of the New York Times, who writes that as part of the process, Cincinnati has spent heavily to upgrade its scouting, analytics, sports science and medical departments. The Reds, who are the only team to never have a Japanese player on their roster, have also invested in a Pacific Rim scouting department.
Marlins To Sign Mike Aviles To Minors Contract
The Marlins have agreed to sign veteran infielder Mike Aviles to a minor league deal, Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel reports. The deal will become official once Aviles passes a physical, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald tweets.
Aviles hit .210/.258/.269 over 181 PA for the Tigers last season and was traded to the Braves as part of the deal that brought Erick Aybar to Detroit last August. Aviles was released just a few days later without ever playing a game for Atlanta, and he hasn’t caught on with a big league organization since, though he did play for Puerto Rico during the World Baseball Classic. Healey reports that Aviles is working out at the Marlins’ extended Spring Training camp (undoubtedly to get back into full playing shape after missing out on regular spring work) and will see some action there before heading to Triple-A.
The Marlins’ infield situation received a pair of blows on Sunday with the news that Martin Prado is likely headed back to the DL with another hamstring injury, while Miguel Rojas may also require a 10-day DL stint due to an injured thumb. Aviles isn’t expected to step into the big league roster, however, but rather to provide depth at Triple-A in place of J.T. Riddle, who is likely to be called up as Prado’s replacement.
Aviles has seen extensive action at shortstop, second and third base over his 11-year career, not to mention even some starts at all three outfield positions. This versatility and a well-regarded clubhouse presence has helped Aviles sustain a memorable career, despite a lack of production (a career .262/.295/.378 slash line in 3137 PA) at the plate.
Tigers Release James Loney
The Tigers have released first baseman James Loney, as announced by the club’s Triple-A affiliate in Toledo (hat tip to John Wagner of the Toledo Blade). The move was made to create a roster spot for JaCoby Jones, who was assigned to Triple-A after his Tigers DL stint ended.
The news makes for an unfortunate birthday present for Loney, who turns 33 years old today. The veteran signed a minor league deal with Detroit on April 12 after being released from another minors deal with the Rangers near the end of Spring Training. Heading into today’s action, Loney had hit .200/.351/.222 over 57 plate appearances for Toledo.
After spending his first 10 seasons with the Dodgers and Rays, Loney has bounced around with four different organizations (Padres, Mets, Rangers, Tigers) since being released by Tampa Bay in April 2016. He did score quite a bit of playing time for New York last season, hitting .265/.307/.397 over 366 PA as a replacement for the injured Lucas Duda.
Given Loney’s experience and left-handed bat, he seems like a good bet to catch on with another team as minor league depth. He owns a career .295/.349/.431 slash line against right-handed pitching, and while his once outstanding first base defense has declined in recent years (as per UZR/150 and Defensive Runs Saved), Loney can still provide at least average glovework.
Detroit, of course, has no pressing need at first base on the MLB level with Miguel Cabrera locking down the position. Alex Avila, Andrew Romine and Jim Adduci can play the position as backups, and youngster John Hicks (since demoted to Triple-A) hit quite well filling in for Cabrera during a recent DL stint.
Mets Suspend Matt Harvey
4:22pm: It’s possible Harvey will file a grievance over the suspension, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman. “This will end up in a grievance,” one source told Heyman. However, other sources Heyman spoke with indicated that Harvey’s unsure if he’ll contest the ban.
1:20pm: Harvey did not show up at Citi Field for the Mets’ game Saturday, per FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, with a source telling him that Harvey had a migraine. The source also cited a potential miscommunication issue between Harvey and the Mets, but the club “evidently saw it differently,” writes Rosenthal (Twitter links).
12:47pm: Harvey’s suspension is the result of “a compilation of issues” going back to last season, report Seth Walder and Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Prior to Saturday’s game, Mets owner Fred Wilpon and COO Jeff Wilpon engaged in a “heated” on-field conversation that was believed to be about Harvey, an industry source told Walder and Ackert.
9:40am: The Mets have suspended right-hander Matt Harvey three days without pay for a violation of club rules, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter links here). The ban began Saturday and will run through Monday, meaning Harvey won’t make his scheduled start Sunday against the Marlins.
With Harvey temporarily unavailable, the Mets have selected the contract of Triple-A left-hander Adam Wilk, who will start against Miami. To create room for Wilk on the 40-man roster, the Mets have moved injured ace Noah Syndergaard from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day DL, which had been expected to happen.
The Mets are unwilling to reveal the reason for Harvey’s brief suspension, per DiComo, with manager Terry Collins saying, “We’ll keep it in-house, the way it’s supposed to be.”
Sunday’s development continues a less-than-ideal year-plus for Harvey, who hasn’t resembled his previous top-of-the-rotation form since the beginning of last season. Harvey logged a 4.86 ERA over 92 2/3 innings in 2016, and then underwent season-ending thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in July. In his return this season, the 28-year-old has continued to throw hard, yet his once-high strikeout rate has dropped to 5.14 per nine innings and he has posted a career-worst walk rate (3.34 per nine) over 35 frames. Thanks in part to his declining K/BB ratio and swinging-strike percentage (7.4, down from 11.7 from 2012-16), not to mention a sky-high home run-to-fly ball ratio (21.2 percent), Harvey’s ERA sits at a lofty 5.14 through six starts.
As of now, the only Mets starter who has gone through 2017 without any real issues is Jacob deGrom. Syndergaard, Steven Matz and Seth Lugo are all shelved with injuries, while Robert Gsellman and Zack Wheeler haven’t been as effective as they were previously (though it’s understandable in Wheeler’s case, as he’s returning from Tommy John surgery).
NL Notes: Braun, Harvey, Marlins, Giants
Outfielder Ryan Braun will gain 10-and-5 rights next Sunday, theoretically making it more difficult for the Brewers to trade him. That doesn’t matter to either Braun or Brewers general manager David Stearns, both of whom told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that the six-time All-Star’s forthcoming 10-and-5 status is irrelevant. As Braun noted in his discussion with Haudricourt, he already has a no-trade clause that can prevent him from vetoing a deal to all but six teams – most of which are conveniently based in his home state of California. “There’s only a couple of teams that would be any possibility now, and there’s only a couple of teams that would be any possibility after, so it’s not going to really change anything,” said Braun. “I don’t think it will play much of a role or have any significance.” If the Brewers do shop the 33-year-old Braun, they’re not going to eat a significant portion of the ~$75MM remaining on a contract that runs through 2020 (there’s a $4MM buyout for 2021) or deal him without receiving quality prospects, per Haudricourt, whose piece contains more quotes from Braun and is worth a full read.
More from the National League:
- Suspended Mets right-hander Matt Harvey is facing a career crossroads, opines Buster Olney of ESPN. Harvey’s days as a dominant starter are likely over, posits Olney, though he contends that the 28-year-old still has time to turn back into a reliable option. Aside from improving on the mound, Harvey will have to restore a reputation that’s at an all-time low among rival evaluators, according to Olney. There are questions about the hurler’s conditioning and dedication, which, along with his on-field struggles, are red flags as his first foray into free agency nears. Harvey is scheduled to hit the open market after the 2018 season, but he could end up in a different uniform as early as this year if the Mets are out of contention around the deadline and elect to cut ties with the erstwhile ace via trade, Olney writes.
- Marlins third baseman Martin Prado missed a sizable portion of April with a right hamstring strain, and he left the team’s game Sunday with a similar issue. As a result, Marlins manager Don Mattingly expects Prado to head back to the disabled list, tweets Tim Healey of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. What’s more, another of the Marlins’ third base choices, Miguel Rojas, suffered a right thumb injury Sunday and could also require a DL stint. Fortunately for the Fish, they have another capable hot corner option in Derek Dietrich, though he has started slowly this year (.224/.348/.293 in 69 plate appearances).
- Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford, on the DL since April 26 with a right groin strain, could rejoin the team as early as Tuesday, relays John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Crawford will play a Double-A rehab game Monday, and if he gets through it unscathed, his first career DL stint will end.
- The Mets are debating whether to put shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera on the DL, manager Terry Collins told reporters, including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, on Sunday (Twitter link). Cabrera “jammed up” his left thumb Saturday, per Collins, but an MRI taken Sunday didn’t reveal any ligament damage, GM Sandy Alderson told MLB Network Radio (via DiComo). Given that Cabrera’s unlikely to miss a lot of time, the Mets won’t use his injury to promote top prospect Amed Rosario, a source informed DiComo.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Orioles, Red Sox, D-backs, Jays, Bucs, Phils, NY
This week in baseball blogs:
- Now On Deck delves into the feud between the Orioles and Red Sox.
- Inside the ‘Zona examines the Diamondbacks’ payroll situation, while BP Toronto does the same with the Blue Jays’.
- Extra Innings: Baseball Around The World chats with Mariners shortstop Jean Segura about the World Baseball Classic.
- Big Three Sports focuses on the quality (or lack thereof) of baseball broadcasts and the sport’s pace-of-play concerns.
- The 3rd Man In offers a detailed mock draft.
- North Shore Nine weighs in on whether Pirates owner Bob Nutting is a hero or a villain.
- Camden Depot wonders if Orioles righty Dylan Bundy will emerge as the franchise’s first post-Mike Mussina ace.
- Clubhouse Corner writes about the emergence of a new core in the Big Apple.
- Chin Music Baseball analyzes Red Sox ace Chris Sale‘s early season dominance.
- PhilliesNation highlights a potential service time issue with highly touted shortstop prospect J.P. Crawford.
- The Point of Pittsburgh marvels at how right-hander Ivan Nova has turned his career around in Pittsburgh.
- The Unbalanced checks in on the longest home runs of the season thus far.
- Sports Heaven argues that Angels center fielder Mike Trout‘s defensive play is overrated.
- Rising Apple isn’t confident that the Mets will be able to withstand their onslaught of injuries.
- The Runner Sports recaps the Yankees’ April.
- Outside Pitch MLB observes that Red Sox closer Craig Kimbrel has regained his elite form.
- Sports Talk Philly opines that the Phillies should consider extending righty Jeremy Hellickson.
- Pirates Breakdown places the blame on the Bucs’ players for the team’s sub-.500 start.
- PhoulBallz talks with Phillies Single-A pitching prospect Trevor Bettencourt, who was part of a combined no-hitter Saturday.
- MetsMind and Mets Daddy have separate pieces on outfielder Michael Conforto.
- Everything Bluebirds makes a case that catcher Russell Martin is the Blue Jays’ most important player.
- Die Hard NYY is bullish on Yankees Double-A pitching prospect Chance Adams.
- The Runner Sports (links here) profiles Astros righty prospect Akeem Bostick and a pitcher the team could target in the first round of this year’s draft.
- When Sid Slid shares its latest Braves prospect hot sheet.
- Call To The Pen looks at what’s ahead for the Phillies this month.
- Pinstriped Prospects breaks down some potential picks for the Yankees in the upcoming draft.
- District On Deck ranks Nationals manager Dusty Baker’s top five quotes from April.
- Rotisserie Duck names the greatest players to wear single-digit uniform numbers.
- Chris Zantow revisits the day then-Brewer Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s career RBI record.
- MLB451 takes a look at the history of No. 2 in the Yankees organization as they prepare to retire it in honor of Derek Jeter.
- Jays Journal lists the walk-up music of Toronto’s hitters.
Please send submissions to ZachBBWI @gmail.com.
Mets Claim Tommy Milone From Brewers
The Mets, continuing an eventful Sunday, have claimed left-hander Tommy Milone off waivers from the Brewers, reports Marc Carig of Newsday (Twitter link). Milone had been in limbo since the Brewers designated him for assignment on Monday.
The 30-year-old Milone could step into the Mets’ injury-laden rotation immediately, replacing Rafael Montero, a source told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (on Twitter). Ace Noah Syndergaard went down with a partially torn right lat last week and won’t return until after the All-Star break, while Steven Matz and Seth Lugo have dealt with elbow injuries, and Matt Harvey, Robert Gsellman and Zack Wheeler have produced back-of-the-rotation-caliber results this year. Moreover, quality depth has been lacking behind the Mets’ healthy starters, evidenced by the miserable spot starts Montero and Adam Wilk have turned in this week.
With a 4.21 ERA, 6.46 K/9 and a 2.23 BB/9 over 709 1/3 major league innings (135 appearances, 121 starts), Milone’s resume suggests he’ll serve as an upgrade over the likes of Montero and Wilk. However, Milone has struggled mightily to prevent runs dating back to last season, having combined for a 5.88 ERA across 90 1/3 frames with the Twins and Brewers. Nevertheless, with just over $1MM in salary remaining on the $1.25MM he signed with Milwaukee in the offseason, Milone comes at a low price for the Mets. He’s also controllable via arbitration through 2018.
Orioles Activate Chris Tillman
The Orioles have activated right-hander Chris Tillman from the disabled list in time to make his season debut Sunday against the White Sox. To open up a spot on its roster for Tillman, Baltimore has optioned reliever Stefan Crichton to Triple-A.
Tillman spent the first month-plus of the year on the shelf with a shoulder injury, an issue that began toward the end of last season, general manager Dan Duquette revealed last month.
“We probably could have done a better job getting him back….I’m not sure we rushed him,” said Duquette. “I’m just disappointed he didn’t start the season with us. We had plenty of time to work with him. The shoulder was bothering him at the end of last year.”
Even without Tillman, their most established starter, the Orioles have begun the season with an outstanding 19-10 record. The O’s success has come without much help from starters Kevin Gausman and Ubaldo Jimenez, who have combined for a 7.00-plus ERA in 54 innings this season, leaving Dylan Bundy, Wade Miley and occasional fill-in Alec Asher to pick up the slack.
The 29-year-old Tillman should give the Orioles’ rotation another capable option, as he made at least 30 starts in each of the previous four seasons and finished three of those campaigns with a sub-4.00 ERA. In 172 innings last year, Tillman recorded a 3.77 ERA, 7.33 K/9, 3.45 BB/9 and a 41.2 percent ground-ball rate. He’ll try to better that production in 2017, his final season under Orioles control, and make a case for a lucrative contract.
Five Teams Interested In Doug Fister
A month after they first drew a connection to free agent right-hander Doug Fister, the Mets are still considering signing the 33-year-old, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. New York was among four teams to watch Fister throw last week, joining the Blue Jays, Diamondbacks and Angels, reports Cotillo, who adds that the Giants also took a recent look at him.
The Mets’ rotation is in far worse straits than it was when they were eyeing Fister in early April. Ace Noah Syndergaard has since landed on the disabled list with a partially torn right lat, and he’s unlikely to return until after the All-Star break. Meanwhile, Steven Matz and Seth Lugo still haven’t pitched this year as a result of elbow problems, and Matt Harvey, Robert Gsellman and Zack Wheeler have logged subpar results. In the Mets’ view, Harvey also hasn’t been a model member of the organization behind the scenes, evidenced by the three-day suspension he’s currently serving.
The other four teams targeting Fister have also seen their rotations deal with injuries. Two of Toronto’s top starters, Aaron Sanchez and J.A. Happ, are on the DL. Arizona lost Shelby Miller to a season-ending elbow injury last month, leaving it without an obvious solution to team with Zack Greinke, Robbie Ray, Taijuan Walker and Patrick Corbin. Los Angeles is without two of its starters, Garrett Richards and Tyler Skaggs, both of whom are on the DL. Lastly, San Francisco’s ace, Madison Bumgarner, will sit out until at least midsummer thanks to a dirt bike accident, and fellow starters Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija, Matt Moore, Matt Cain and Ty Blach have recorded mediocre to poor results in the early going.
Like the Giants’ starters, the soft-tossing Fister hasn’t been all that effective of late. Once a legitimate middle-of-the-rotation arm (if not more), Fister produced like a back-end type with the Nationals and Astros from 2015-16, posting a 4.48 ERA and a 4.68 FIP in 283 1/3 innings. Further, whether he signs a major league deal or a minor league pact, Fister will surely need some time to tune up at the lower levels before potentially contributing in the big leagues this season.