David Wright Diagnosed With Shoulder Impingement
6:20pm: A pair of Mets sources tell Kristie Ackert and Christian Red of the New York Daily News that the news on Wright’s shoulder following today’s examination is “not good.” Mets GM Sandy Alderson told reporters today that Wright’s shoulder woes are related to last year’s surgery to address a herniated disk in his neck and conceded that this latest setback makes Wright’s Opening Day availability “questionable.” The longtime Mets captain also had a platelet-rich plasma injection in his shoulder to reduce inflammation this spring.
Wright “is not going to be throwing for a couple of weeks” and will be focusing on exercises to strengthen his shoulder, though he can also continue to serve as a DH in spring contests. Asked about the possibility of Wright shifting across the diamond to first base, Alderson told the media: “Well, if he can’t throw, it makes every position less realistic. … [O]ur goal is to get him back to third base.”
8:27am: Mets third baseman David Wright will have to halt his throwing program after being diagnosed with a shoulder impingement, as Mike Puma of the New York Post was among those to report (Twitter links). Though it seems he’s still able to swing the bat at present, the news represents a delay in Wright’s timeline to return to the majors.
This is hardly the first roadblock that the veteran has faced, of course. He battled a serious back condition (spinal stenosis) last spring and throughout the season, only to see his comeback bid end with neck surgery. Now 34 years of age, Wright has played in just 75 games over the past two seasons.
At this point, the ability to throw the baseball seems to be the major limiting factor, as Wright has ramped up his hitting at a considerably quicker rate. For the DH-less Mets, though, there’s little function for the veteran if he’s unable to play the field, so he’ll need to build up arm strength before he can see time on the active roster.
Wright was already facing a time crunch in terms of preparing for Opening Day, as he had yet to begin regular work in the field. With this latest setback, it seems all but certain he’ll open the season on the DL. While that’s hardly an unexpected result for the club, which is no doubt taking the long view here, it’s disappointing to see other issues arising as Wright seeks to somehow play through the significant health conditions he has encountered.
The Mets have already foreseen the need to cover for missed time from Wright, of course, so it’s not as if the team will need to rush out and find a replacement. Jose Reyes and Wilmer Flores are both available to fill in, and the open roster spot may clear some additional daylight for players such as T.J. Rivera, Gavin Cecchini, and Matt Reynolds.
AL Central Notes: White Sox, Royals, Romero, Jimenez
In an interview with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, White Sox GM Rick Hahn again stated that there’s “no economic pressure” and “no timing pressure” to trade left-hander Jose Quintana. “It’s more about making sure if we were to make a major move, that we are getting an appropriate return,” Hahn continued. While the Sox have had numerous trade discussions centering on Quintana this winter, Hahn noted that there’s yet to be an offer presented to the team that made the front office think, “Boy we better move now or we are going to be kicking ourselves.” The South Side GM also once again touched on a few significant trades that fell through at the eleventh hour, noting that the “frustration lingers a little longer than the satisfaction of getting a deal done.”
More from the American League Central…
- Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star writes that the Royals‘ competition at second base — which features Cheslor Cuthbert, Whit Merrifield, Christian Colon and Raul Mondesi — won’t necessarily produce one everyday option at the position. Manager Ned Yost acknowledged yesterday that the Opening Day second baseman “probably” would not play there on an everyday basis this coming year, unless one of the candidates outright runs away with the job this spring. Yost also noted that Cuthbert, who is out of minor league options, could be an especially important piece for Kansas City in April, as the team is planning to incorporate some extra days of rest into Mike Moustakas‘ schedule following last year’s season-ending ACL tear.
- The Twins have unearthed a surprising pitching prospect in righty Fernando Romero, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star-Tribune writes. A 22-year-old power pitcher who is expected to open the season at Double-A, Romero has opened eyes with his big arm at camp. Injuries have limited his professional time, but Romero has already shown plenty to make the organization glad that it invested a relatively meager $260K to sign him — a deal that was struck within half a day after the club first saw him throw. The Dominican righty logged a sensational 1.89 ERA with a 90-to-15 K/BB ratio in 90 1/3 innings across two Class-A levels last season. And while he didn’t receive an abundance of fanfare on prospect rankings, ESPN’s Keith Law did tab Romero as the game’s No. 65 overall farmhand (subscription required/recommended).
- Speaking of prospects in the AL Central, MLB.com’s Jason Beck writes that the Tigers aren’t planning on rushing 22-year-old righty Joe Jimenez to the Majors. Manager Brad Ausmus called Jimenez, who posted a 1.51 ERA, 13.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 across three minor league levels last season, “an extreme long shot” to make the Opening Day roster in Detroit this season. Jimenez’s fastball plays well enough to be a Major League offering right now, Ausmus elaborated, but the young righty is still “honing and working on” his secondary offerings. As we recently noted when breaking down the Tigers’ Spring Training battles, Jimenez is one of several candidates for what could be just one vacant bullpen spot in Detroit.
AL West Notes: Darvish, Dyson, Harris, Zych
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports took a close look at Rangers third base coach Tony Beasley’s battle with cancer last year. It’s an interesting read that highlights Beasley’s remarkable attitude and his relationship with the club even while undergoing treatment.
Here’s more from the AL West:
- The Rangers “would love” to find accord with righty Yu Darvish on a new contract, owner Ray Davis told reporters including Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (links to Twitter). Davis did note, though, that the club is already at record spending levels and wants to stay beneath the luxury tax line. That doesn’t appear to be a significant limiting factor at this point, and certainly the owner didn’t delve into many details, but it seems as if Texas will have its limits in contract talks with the staff ace.
- Meanwhile, the Rangers are keeping an eye on late-inning righty Sam Dyson, who is dealing with a slight wrist injury. As Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports on Twitter, Dyson suffered a sprain upon falling, though it doesn’t seem as if it’s a major issue. The reliever has already begun throwing.
- Astros righty Will Harris left his appearance today upon experiencing groin discomfort, as MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart tweets. But the issue isn’t believed to be a serious one, with Harris expressing a lack of concern. Harris, 32, inked a two-year deal over the winter that could prove to be quite a bargain for the club if he can maintain anything approaching his excellent 2016 effort.
- Mariners righty Tony Zych will take the bump today for the first time this spring, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets. Zych will be looking to reestablish himself after an injury-plagued 2016 season in which he struggled with control when he was healthy. He’s working back from a shoulder procedure, and seems unlikely to be ready by Opening Day, but could give the M’s another live arm if he can get back to full health.
MLBTR Chat Transcript
Click here to read a transcript of today’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
Minor MLB Transactions: 2/28/17
Here are the day’s minor moves, courtesy of Baseball America’s Matt Eddy:
- The Marlins added infielder Steve Lombardozzi on a minors deal. He’ll serve as infield depth but doesn’t figure to have much of a shot at cracking the Opening Day roster. Lombardozzi, 28, last appeared in the majors in 2015. He split last year between the independent leagues and the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate.
- Another former MLB infielder, 27-year-old Nick Noonan, is headed to the Brewers on a minors pact. He has a fair bit less major league time than does Lombardozzi, but was able to reach the bigs last year with the Padres. Noonan spent most of the season at Triple-A, slashing .301/.338/.427 over 374 plate appearances.
- The Padres have inked righty Justin De Fratus to a minor-league arrangement. He’s looking to make it back to the majors after spending a portion of 2016 in the upper minors in the Nationals organization. De Fratus, 29, worked to a 5.23 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 over 20 2/3 innings.
- Righty Caleb Cotham has agreed to a minor-leaguedeal with the Mariners. He scuffled to a 7.15 ERA in 34 MLB innings over the past two seasons, but has shown more in the past in the upper minors. In 2015, he worked to a 2.21 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 over 57 innings split between Double-A and Triple-A.
- The Orioles have struck a minors deal with former farmhand Chris Jones. Now 28, Jones spent the 2016 season with the Angels organization, working to an unsightly 6.92 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9. He had performed better with the O’s, though he has yet to earn his way to the game’s highest level.
NL East Notes: Suzuki, Eickhoff, Tebow
The action this morning has been in the NL East, with the Nationals making an important bullpen addition and the Mets receiving some unfortunate injury news. Nats fans may also want to have a look at a profile of manager Dusty Baker penned by Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. For followers of other organizations in the division, here are a few more notes:
- Braves catcher Kurt Suzuki is drawing praise for his handling of knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, as MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes. Dickey himself and manager Brian Snitker both said that the veteran Suzuki did well receiving the tricky righty in his first attempt in game action. That may bode well for his bid to carve out playing time, as the organization intends to utilize either Suzuki or Tyler Flowers as the primary knuckleball catcher. It’s not yet clear how the playing time will be allocated between the two backstops out of the gate, though that seems likely to change throughout the season depending upon performance. Anthony Recker is also on hand as an option behind the dish, but he doesn’t appear to have a clear path to a roster spot.
- Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com checks in on Phillies righty Jerad Eickhoff, who has continued to impress the club this spring. Asked about Eickhoff’s ceiling, skipper Pete Mackanin said that the 26-year-old hurler “is a pretty darn good pitcher right now” — an assessment that certainly is supported by his strong showing in 2016. Eickhoff is a notably hard worker, per Salisbury, who explains that he’s focusing currently on refining his change. The righty himself certainly isn’t tamping down expectations. “I think the sky is the limit,” he said. “I’m going to continue working, whether it’s being Greg Maddux-esque with command or having a good breaking ball, or throwing a changeup like Maddux and guys like that did. There’s always something I’m working on and trying to develop and sharpen up.”
- With Tim Tebow drawing his share of attention at Mets camp, though he’s working on the minor-league side, his comments yesterday drew an interesting take from Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. Having previously asserted that he intends to push toward the majors, Tebow struck a somewhat different tone, saying that his “ultimate goal is to be able enjoy it every day.” Davidoff argues that his tweaked stance ought to free fans to simply enjoy (or ignore) Tebow as a sideshow, rather than continuing to debate whether the former NFL QB has any future in the game worthy of the attention he has received.
Nationals To Sign Joe Blanton
The Nationals have struck a one-year deal with reliever Joe Blanton, pending a physical, according to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Blanton is slated to receive a $4MM guarantee with $1MM in available incentives, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.
$3MM of that salary will be deferred, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter) and Barry Svrluga of the Washingon Post (Twitter links) report, with $1MM payable in 2018 and the other $2MM kicked to 2019. Blanton will take home an additional $250K apiece upon reaching fifty and sixty innings, along with a nice $500K payout if he gets to seventy.
Though he’s coming off of a second consecutive season of steady bullpen production, the 36-year-old had languished on the market this offseason. When catcher Matt Wieters joined the Nats, Blanton was left as the last available name on MLBTR’s list of the top fifty free agents.
[RELATED: Updated Nationals Depth Chart]
It’s easy to see the fit in D.C., where the bullpen has remained somewhat in flux after the organization missed on closer targets Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon. While Blanton doesn’t seem likely to factor directly into the competition for the ninth inning job, he’ll deepen the team’s late-inning corps.
It wasn’t long ago that Blanton seemed like he might be headed for retirement. His last full season as a starter came in 2013, when he scuffled to a 6.04 ERA with the Angels, and he sat out the following campaign. But the righty reemerged with the Royals in 2015, and thrived yet more upon moving to the Pirates that year in a mid-season trade.
The surprising showing of the newly minted reliever led to a $4MM deal with the Dodgers last year. That signing paid big dividends for Los Angeles, as Blanton worked to a 2.48 ERA with 9.0 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9. He carried a sturdy 80-inning workload, allowing just 55 base hits in that span.
It would be unwise to expect Blanton to continue generating a meager .240 batting average on balls put in play against him, but his other peripherals portend continued success. Though he drew far less grounders than usual (32.5% against a career average of 43.9%), Blanton tamped down the long balls that plagued him in the second half of his time working from the rotation. And he generated swinging strikes at an excellent 14.2% clip, representing an increase over his already-strong 2015 numbers (13.0%).
Beyond the ability he displayed, Blanton showed he’s still capable of carrying a heavy burden for a reliever while retaining his arm speed deep into his career. He averaged a career-best 91 mph with his fastball last year, with his slider and curve also rating as above-average offerings. While his change wasn’t as productive in 2016, Blanton’s starter’s arsenal also gives him some added flexibility. Though he surrendered free passes more frequently to the 111 lefty batters he faced than the 204 righties that came to the plate against him, Blanton held southpaw hitters to an anemic .186/.288/.258 batting line.
That’s not to say that Blanton comes without questions. He did falter in the NLCS, though he was aces for the Dodgers in their thrilling divisional series against the Nats, when he provided five scoreless innings over which he allowed just a single base knock and compiled five strikeouts against one walk. Of greater concern is his ability to continue succeeding while giving up a fair amount of hard contact (34.3%) while permitting many more flyballs (45.6%) than grounders (32.5%). And he did that while generating far fewer harmless infield pop-ups than he had in 2015 (15.2% versus 5.3%). If a few more of those flies end up in the seats — which is always possible when Nats Park heats up over the summer — then there could be some regression in store.
Regardless, it’s a solid value for the Nationals, who will add Blanton to a righty setup mix that also includes Blake Treinen, Shawn Kelley, and youngster Koda Glover. One of those three seems likely to take the closer’s job, though lefty Sammy Solis could also enter that discussion. Veteran right-handers Joe Nathan and Matt Albers now seemingly face taller odds in their bids to crack the Opening Day roster. It’s still tempting to wonder whether the organization will pursue an experienced closer before camp breaks, though the addition of Blanton likely draws down the available resources and reduces the likelihood of another significant move.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Quick Hits: International, Shifts, Rules
To wrap up a quiet day in the transactional world, here are a few interesting links from around the game worth a look:
- Ben Badler of Baseball America provides a breakdown of the recent MLB international amateur showcase. Many of the players on hand already have lined up deals, says Badler, with some even arguing that the event prods players and teams to reach earlier agreements than they would otherwise. In addition to infielder Wander Franco, who the Rays are expected to sign with this year’s biggest July 2 bonus, Badler says that catcher Daniel Flores was highly impressive. Flores has the upside of becoming a top-flight receiver, per the report; the Rangers are expected to land him.
- Shifting remains an intriguing and evolving element of today’s game, but Eno Sarris of Fangraphs analyzes whether it may have reached a saturation point. Hitters have responded with increased lift and more opposite-field groundballs, he says. And there are indications that teams are stretching the concept right to the edge of usefulness. While it’s not quite to a “high-water mark” yet, Sarris posits, that point may be on the horizon.
- As Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports writes, the league is looking into changes to the game ball that would increase its tackiness. The hope, it seems, is to avoid some of the preparation required to get a baseball ready for action — and to forego the need for pitchers to resort to less-than-authorized means of obtaining their preferred grip.
- Meanwhile, MLB and the player’s association continue to discuss ongoing changes and address the implications of the new CBA. In his latest comments, relayed by Evan Woodberry of MLive.com, MLBPA chief Tony Clark rejects the notion that the new agreement depressed player salaries in free agency this winter, saying it’s far too soon to evaluate. He also offered some thoughts on the arbitration process, noting that the impact of various statistics can change without any real warning or explanation from arb panels (which only decide on a number, without setting for their reasoning). “It’s always an interesting back-and-forth, and in some ways you’re throwing darts with what you think is resonating,” he said. “Introductions of new concepts and ideas always happen. Making a one-year determination as to whether or not you have to blow up the entire system doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. We’ll have to see how things progress moving forward.”
Possible Landing Spots For Pedro Alvarez
Lefty slugger Pedro Alvarez is a limited player, but he’s just thirty years of age and is coming off of a season in which he slashed .249/.322/.504 with 22 long balls in just 376 plate appearances. Most of the damage, as usual, came against righty pitching. And Alvarez is best kept away from a fielding glove (though he did see time last year at third base). But he has actually generated positive baserunning ratings of late, and the overall package still makes him a potent DH option and bench bat — the same basic formula that landed him a $5.75MM contract last year from the Orioles.
On the one hand, we’ve seen other such hitters fall shy of expectations. Adam Lind, for example, took just $1.5MM from the Nationals. And older lefty sluggers such as Ryan Howard and Justin Morneau also remain available. (The right-handed Billy Butler, among others, also has yet to sign.) Of course, it’s easy to forget that Alvarez waited until March to sign last year, so perhaps it’d be unwise to count out agent Scott Boras’s ability to find money when it’s least expected.
As team sort through their internal options, perhaps an injury or renewed assessment could turn the tide for Alvarez. While it would be foolish to overstate his impact at this stage — he’s no longer an everyday third baseman who can provide over thirty long balls — there’s little reason to think that Alvarez isn’t a useful MLB player. And the fact that he can still handle third base in a pinch doesn’t hurt.
Here are seven landing spots that make some degree of sense; weigh in with your pick in the poll below.
- White Sox [Current Depth Chart] — Chicago currently projects to have quite an unproven MLB roster on Opening Day, and yet more holes could open if the club pulls off a spring trade or two. Unless the team shifts Melky Cabrera to the DH hole, that spot is wide open at present. Adding the veteran hitter might help keep fans in the seats and ease the transition that the club is overseeing.
- Twins [Current Depth Chart] — Though Kennys Vargas, Byung Ho Park, and Robbie Grossman currently factor in the picture as DH candidates in Minnesota, there has been some rumored interest — though there are also indications that it’s overstated. The Twins do have good reason to see what they have in that trio, though perhaps the club could also see the merit in adding a proven slugger to the stable.
- Rangers [Current Depth Chart] — If we suppose that Shin-soo Choo is still deemed capable of playing the outfield without yet another injury, and that Texas still isn’t sold on Joey Gallo, then perhaps there’s still some room for Alvarez on the roster. Alvarez’s camp reportedly tried to get the Rangers to bite before they added Mike Napoli, but it’s not clear whether the interest as reciprocated.
- Athletics [Current Depth Chart] — Catcher Steven Vogt and first baseman Yonder Alonso both hit from the left side, and each could spend time at DH, but adding Alvarez would give the team another weapon against righties. Even if power prospect Ryon Healy is on the roster, the right-handed hitter would still have plenty of opportunities at the corner infield spots as well as the DH hole.
- Orioles [Current Depth Chart] — It’s a bit of a stretch at this point, but if Baltimore is willing to give Mark Trumbo time in right field, Alvarez could make a return. That’d likely mean punting on Rule 5 picks Anthony Santander and Aneury Tavarez, and perhaps passing over a third lefty hitting outfielder in Michael Bourn, but the O’s have not shied away from loading up on sluggers in recent years.
- Mariners [Current Depth Chart] — This really comes down to one question: does Seattle fully believe in Dan Vogelbach? The young southpaw slugger is slated to battle for playing time with Danny Valencia at first base, but if the M’s feel he’s not quite ready to handle a significant load in the majors, then perhaps they could pivot to Alvarez.
- Phillies [Current Depth Chart] — If there’s a National League team that could make some sense, it’s probably the Phils. While they’d like to see what Tommy Joseph can do at first, he’s hardly a slam dunk and currently lacks a platoon partner. The rebuilding club could split time there and perhaps see if Alvarez becomes a deadline trade chip.
Which team do you think will sign Alvarez? (Link for app users.)
Who'll Sign Pedro Alvarez?
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White Sox 19% (1,437)
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Other (American League) 19% (1,385)
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Athletics 13% (974)
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Orioles 11% (786)
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Phillies 11% (778)
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Mariners 8% (614)
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Other (National League) 7% (502)
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Twins 7% (485)
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Rangers 6% (446)
Total votes: 7,407
Make Or Break Year: Travis d’Arnaud
MLBTR is rebooting its “make or break year” series, in which we analyze players who enter the season with up-and-down track records but also an opportunity to stake a claim to significant future earnings.
This time last year, Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud was looking to build off of a 2015 season in which he established himself as an offensive force, but also continued to deal with a troubling run of injuries. Now, he’s not only still facing the critique that he can’t stay healthy, but also needs to restore his trajectory as a high-quality option behind the dish.
Injuries remain the major question mark. Over his professional career, d’Arnaud has suffered a series of concussions that are all the more concerning given his position of choice. And that’s not all. The hard-working backstop’s health read-out sounds like a game of Operation, as he has racked up problems high, low, and in-between. Hand and elbow, foot and knee, and back injuries were all on the list even before the 2016 season.
There’s no denying the trouble that d’Arnaud had last year, both before and after a rotator cuff strain sent him to the DL and further clogged his medical rap sheet. He ended the year with a .247/.307/.323 batting line and just four home runs over 276 plate appearances. While his 6.9% walk rate and 18.1% strikeout rate aren’t out of line with career norms, the anemic .076 isolated slugging mark represents a big step back.
The defensive side of the equation brings yet more questions. While he continued to rate well in the pitch-framing department, d’Arnaud cut down just 17 of the 61 baserunners who attempted to steal against him — though certainly the Mets’ staff deserves a hefty share of the blame there. Despite d’Arnaud’s stalling bat, which he hopes to fix with improved swing mechanics, Mets manager Terry Collins says that “the defensive side” is “where we’ve got to really focus.” As John Harper of the New York Daily News recently reported, the young backstop’s pitch calling may have compromised his standing with the Mets’ talented pitching staff.
Given those struggles, there’s a lot for d’Arnaud to prove to an organization that has designs on contending in 2017. That’s not to say that the club doesn’t have confidence in a rebound, as it did decide to pass on potential upgrades behind the dish this winter. Light-hitting veteran Rene Rivera isn’t really suited for more than reserve duty, while Kevin Plawecki has yet to translate his offensive success in the upper minors to the game’s highest level. As Harper writes, the organization could change tack and seek an alternative — as soon as this year’s trade deadline — if d’Arnaud fails to recover his standing.
All that said, there are reasons to hope that the former first-round draft pick can make good on his obvious talent. After a solid 2014 season, d’Arnaud turned in a big (albeit injury-shortened) 2015 campaign at 26 years of age. In his 268 plate appearances that year, d’Arnaud slashed a robust .268/.340/.485 and swatted a dozen long balls, leading some to expect he’d soon establish himself as one of the game’s premier offensive threats from behind the plate. Defensively, the metrics love d’Arnaud’s pitch presentation, which many organizations have adopted as a critical element in assessing catching value. And he only just turned 28 years of age, so it’s not as if there aren’t prime seasons remaining.
While he’s still young, d’Arnaud’s future direction will be determined on the field this year — so long as he can stay in uniform and avoid yet more trips to the DL. His limited playing time has also tamped down his earnings, so he’s only set to take home $1.875MM in his first season of arbitration eligibility; cost pressures, then, won’t likely play much of a role. But as the Mets plot a course for the three further years over which they control d’Arnaud, which coincide with the team’s contract rights over several other core players, they’ll no doubt be assessing carefully the extent to which d’Arnaud is capable of providing the offensive production and defensive work that the organization needs at the catching position.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.