White Sox Release John Mayberry Jr.
The White Sox have released outfielder John Mayberry Jr., the team’s Triple-A affiliate announced (Twitter link).
Mayberry had signed a minor league pact with the Sox back on Aug. 7, though his stay with the team’s Triple-A affiliate lasted just 13 games. In those 13 games, the 31-year-old was unable to correct the struggles he displayed earlier this season with the Mets, batting .162/.225/.189 in 40 plate appearances. Typically a potent weapon against left-handed pitching, Mayberry has slashed a combined .175/.246/.381 in 69 plate appearances versus southpaws in the Majors and minors. Throughout his big-league career, Mayberry has hit .260/.315/.517 against lefties.
Shane Greene To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery
4:07pm: Head trainer Kevin Rand said that Greene will begin throwing in two months and is expected to be ready for Spring Training, per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
3:50pm: Tigers right-hander Shane Greene will undergo season-ending surgery, manager Brad Ausmus told reporters, including MLive.com’s James Schmehl and MLB.com’s Jason Beck (Twitter links). Doctors will operate on Greene’s right shoulder to repair an issue with his circumflex artery, which has been causing psuedoaneurysm symptoms in his right arm. Greene had been experiencing numbness in his throwing hand.
The 26-year-old Greene was acquired from the Yankees this offseason in a three-team deal that sent Didi Gregorius from the D-Backs to the Yankees and lefty Robbie Ray from the Tigers to the D-Backs. Greene’s torrid start to the season generated quite a few headlines, but it was largely fueled by a microscopic BABIP, and his strikeout rate had plummeted with the Tigers. He struggled from late April through early June and found himself demoted to Triple-A, though it’s very possible that the issue he’s now getting corrected has been affecting him for a large portion of the season.
Greene presumably would’ve been in line for a September call-up in order to perhaps earn a guaranteed role in Detroit’s rotation in 2016. However, he’ll now enter the offseason with a bit more uncertainty surrounding his 2016 status. Anibal Sanchez and Justin Verlander are locks to return to the rotation next year, health permitting, and trade acquisitions Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd would seem to have strong cases as well. Greene figures to be in the mix along with that pair of young lefties along with right-hander Buck Farmer and lefty Kyle Lobstein.
Of course, new general manager Al Avila may want to bring in some additional rotation options either via free agency or trade. Following Dave Dombrowski’s exit from the Detroit front office, Avila’s comments had a win-now tone, so it seems reasonable to expect that he’d seek some more stability in the starting rotation this winter.
Chris Perez Retires
Right-hander Chris Perez has retired, as the International League transactions page first reflected and as the Orioles have confirmed to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (via Twitter). Baltimore had inked Perez while he was in the midst of a 50-game suspension for recreational drug use.
Perez is only 30 years old, though he’s seen action in seven MLB campaigns and thrown 379 1/3 career innings from the pen. He compiled a 3.51 ERA in that span, averaging 8.6 K/9 against 3.9 BB/9 while racking up 133 total saves.
Things haven’t been very smooth for Perez in recent years, on or off the field. Cleveland released him after a mediocre 2013 season (and otherwise would have non-tendered him), and he continued to put up marginal results after signing an incentive-laden free agent contract with the Dodgers.
Perez was twice hit with bans relating to a drug of abuse, and failed to reach the majors this season after signing a minor league pact with the Brewers. He opted out of that deal earlier in the year, but has not made any appearances since.
Of course, Perez did have some quality moments in his career. He’d been a regular contributor previously, but 2010 marked the emergence of the then-24-year-old as a late-inning arm. Including that campaign and the two that followed, he put up 180 1/3 frames of 2.84 ERA pitching while serving as the Indians’ closer — the role for which he’ll be best remembered.
Rangers Claim Chris Rearick
The Rangers have claimed lefty Chris Rearick off waivers from the Padres, Texas executive VP of communications John Blake announced on Twitter. Rearick was designated recently by San Diego to clear space for the addition of righty Jon Edwards to the 40-man roster.
Rearick, 27, has spent most of his time pitching in the upper minors over the last several seasons. While he compiled good numbers throughout his minor league career heading into the 2015 campaign, walks have become a sudden problem. He has averaged six or more free passes in his 44 MiLB frames and his three MLB innings while seeing his overall strikeout rates plummet.
Three Needs: Colorado Rockies
With September around the corner, the focus for many teams (and their fans — specifically those who read MLBTR with regularity) will shift to the upcoming offseason. A third of the teams in the league currently find themselves more than seven games back from a playoff spot, and about half the teams in baseball are 5.5 games or more away from even securing a Wild Card playoff berth.
We’ll be looking at every team in the league in depth with MLBTR’s annual Offseason Outlook series. For the time being, though, we’re taking preliminary big-picture looks at what some of the non-contending clubs will need to focus on in order to reverse their current standing.
The Rockies are up first as we look at three needs for the upcoming offseason…
1. Increase their willingness to trade hitters. It’s easy enough for people to answer the question when asked, “Who was the last impact bat the Rockies traded away?” thanks to this July’s Troy Tulowitzki blockbuster. However, prior to that swap, the most recent instance of the Rockies trading a significant hitter came in the 2013-14 offseason when they traded Dexter Fowler. Prior to that, it’s probably Matt Holliday — all the way back in 2008. For a team that struggles to develop pitching but seems to routinely produce above-average bats (even after adjusting the numbers to account for Coors Field’s impact), it’s puzzling that they’ve shown such reluctance when it comes to trading hitters. The Tulo trade was a good start, but moving Carlos Gonzalez and perhaps someone like Charlie Blackmon should be a consideration for new GM Jeff Bridich, assuming owner Dick Monfort won’t stand in the way of such a deal.
2. Find a long-term solution at catcher. The Rockies have had a revolving door at catcher for quite some time (Wilin Rosario, Miguel Olivo, Chris Iannetta, Yorvit Torrealba), but more troubling has been the lack of a premium defender at the position. Nick Hundley has been solid with the bat in his first season in Denver, but he also ranks as the worst pitch-framer in all of baseball, per StatCorner.com and second-worst per Baseball Prospectus. Rockies pitchers are already at enough of a disadvantage due to their home environment, and adding a catcher that can help get them ahead in the count via framing would do wonders, even if he comes without a big bat. The Rockies have premium defenders at third base and second base (and had one at shortstop in Tulo); that same emphasis should be applied behind the plate.
3. Overhaul the pitching staff. Yes, it’s obvious. No, it isn’t terribly insightful. But, for a team that has used 12 starters and received a collective 5.34 ERA/4.96 FIP in 2015 (to say nothing of a relief corps with a league-worst 5.00 bullpen ERA), it has to be mentioned. Jon Gray may yet develop into a mid-rotation arm or better, and the Rockies probably still have hope for Eddie Butler as well. Neither is a sure thing at this point, however, and only Gray shows the promise of turning into a strikeout pitcher for Colorado. Dating back to 2007, the Rockies’ collective rotation has posted a K/9 rate greater than 6.5 just twice — 6.8 in 2009 and 7.3 in 2012. The Rockies are right to prioritize ground-ball pitchers, but Colorado’s lack of strikeouts in such a hitter-friendly park is particularly detrimental. Luring free-agent strikeout pitchers to Coors Field is a difficult task, as it requires the team to overpay. However, targeting high-strikeout arms in trades should probably be a priority for the Rockies; recent trade acquisitions for the rotation have included ground-ball pitchers such as Jordan Lyles, Brett Anderson and Wilton Lopez. Bridich’s prioritization of power arms in the Tulo trade was evident, and the continuation of that emphasis could go a long way toward finally developing a pitching staff that can have some degree of success pitching at altitude.
Yankees Activate Michael Pineda, Designate Chris Capuano
The Yankees have designated lefty Chris Capuano yet again, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets. His roster spot was needed for the activation of righty Michael Pineda. (New York also optioned Nick Rumbelow and activated Nick Goody, both of whom are also right-handed pitchers.)
Remarkably, this marks the fourth time in the last month that Capuano has hit DFA limbo. With a $5MM salary for this season and an unsightly 7.71 ERA, Capuano has cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A on the three prior occasions.
The return of Pineda came somewhat sooner than had been expected, as he ultimately missed about a month with a right forearm strain. His health and effectiveness will obviously be critical down the stretch as the Yankees fight for the division title. And Pineda will also be pitching for his next contract, as he’ll hit arbitration for the second (and second-to-last) time over the winter looking to build off of his $2.1MM salary from the present season.
Poll: How Should The Red Sox Handle HanRam?
It was reported yesterday that the Red Sox are preparing to move Hanley Ramirez from left field to first base for the 2016 season (if not before). Ramirez has struggled badly defending on the grass, and the team did not have a clear solution at first. Two birds, one stone for new president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski.
But is it really that simple? We’ve heard conflicting viewpoints all year as to whether another position change for HanRam will be better or worse. Some have pointed out that he will impact the entire infield defense by playing at first, while others have noted that the long-time shortstop ought to be able to handle the transition.
Many American League teams would have considered shifting Ramirez to a DH role, and that may still happen down the line. But with David Ortiz entrenched in that spot for at least another season, it’s not an immediate option.
Alternatively, Ramirez could be shifted back to third base. After all, he’s spent most of his career on the left side of the infield. But there were already indications he was a less-than-ideal candidate there before he moved. And such a plan would, needless to say, be complicated by the presence of fellow offseason signee Pablo Sandoval — who also looks to have negative trade value at present.
Other than continuing the outfield experiment, the only other seemingly viable route would be an attempt at a trade. That’s complicated by the fact that, outside of a productive April, Ramirez has fallen far shy of expectations at the plate. While plenty of clubs would be happy to bet on a turnaround, given his long history of production, Ramirez hardly represents a free roll of the dice. He’s promised $66MM over the next three years, with a very achievable vesting clause that could tack on another $22MM.
We’ve seen which way Boston seems to be headed with Ramirez. But was that the best option? State your opinion in the following poll:
How Should The Red Sox Handle HanRam?
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Deal him for another bad contract and move on 40% (4,854)
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Move him to first -- he's an infielder by trade 37% (4,546)
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Move him to third and trade Panda instead 18% (2,140)
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Other (have a better idea? share it in the comments) 3% (339)
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Give him more time in left field 3% (333)
Total votes: 12,212
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/26/15
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- The Pirates have outrighted right-hander Josh Wall to Triple-A, as the MLB.com transactions page reflects. Wall has indeed cleared waivers and accepted his assignment, MLBTR’s Zach Links has learned. Though he was called up recently by the Bucs, Wall never made an appearance and was designated for assignment on Friday. He does have a smattering of big league action over the last three seasons, but Wall has spent most of his time of late at Triple-A. This year, he’s worked to a 2.84 ERA with 8.8 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 (and a career-low 6.5 hits per nine) across 31 2/3 frames at Indianapolis.
NL Notes: Brewers GM, Francoeur, Braves, Urias
There’s been a good deal of speculation surrounding the Brewers‘ GM opening, and ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick hears (Twitter link) two more names making their round of speculation: Braves assistant GM John Coppolella and Rays director of player personnel Matt Arnold. Coppolella has long been speculated to be Atlanta’s GM of the future, but John Hart is currently serving as the team’s president of baseball operations. Arnold has moved up from Rays pro scouting director to his current position over the past few seasons.
A few more late-night notes pertaining to the National League…
- Jeff Francoeur is open to a return to the Phillies even in another rebuilding season, he tells MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. “I like where we’re going right now,” Francoeur explained. “Hell, we have the [fourth]-best record in the National League in the second half. At the same time, I’m not saying I’ve got to play every day, but I would want an opportunity to play if I’m playing well. I’m not saying every day, though.” A potential return for Francoeur, of course, will depend largely on the team’s impending front office decisions, which the outfielder acknowledged. Zolecki adds that he, too, hears that the Phillies pulled Francoeur back off waivers when he was claimed, adding that the Pirates were possibly the team.
- Five young Braves prospects were injured in a bus accident in the Dominican Republic over the weekend, as MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez writes. Fortunately, most of the injuries were minor, though 18-year-old Luis Martin Severino Galvan is said to have suffered a broken leg.
- Dodgers top prospect Julio Urias is not under consideration for a call-up in early September, manager Don Mattingly told reporters, including Mark Saxon of ESPN Los Angeles. “He probably would not be one of the guys we see right away,” said Mattingly. However, the team hasn’t entirely ruled out the possibility of Urias — a consensus Top 5 prospect — debuting later in the month and pitching in relief, Saxon writes. Urias only turned 19 years old earlier this month, but he’s already pitching at the Double-A level, where he has a 3.03 ERA with 10.3 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9 in 62 1/3 innings (12 starts).
Injury Notes: Martin, Sabathia, Affeldt, Stanton
Rangers center fielder Leonys Martin will have surgery tomorrow to remove the hamate bone from his right hand, reports Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (on Twitter). Martin was optioned to Triple-A in early August due to severe struggles in the Majors but had batted .297/.372/.541 with a pair of homers in nine Triple-A contests. Per Wilson, he’ll be able to play defense again in two weeks’ time and could hit in four to six weeks. Martin most likely would’ve rejoined the Rangers’ active roster on Sept. 1, but it seems that his return to the active roster will be delayed.
A few more injury notes from around the game…
- Upon meeting with doctors, CC Sabathia learned that he won’t need surgery to repair his arthritic knee, writes George A. King III of the New York Post. Sabathia hopes he can return in early September, and the lefty tells King he’ll pitch with the Yankees in any capacity upon his return, as his main priority is helping the team win. “If that means pitching out of the bullpen, it is what it is,” said Sabathia. “I am not here to make that decision, that’s not for me to make.” Sabathia did add that he feels like he could start, if healthy. Manager Joe Girardi said yesterday that there was a chance Sabathia would be out for the season, but that now seems unlikely.
- The Giants‘ injury troubles continued today, as lefty reliever Jeremy Affeldt landed on the 15-day disabled list due to a subluxed left knee sustained when playing with his children, per an Associated Press report. The 36-year-old Affeldt hasn’t been himself this season, struggling to a 5.46 ERA with 5.7 K/9 against 4.0 BB/9 in 31 1/3 innings. His injury nonetheless thins out the bullpen for the Giants, who have turned to Triple-A right-hander Mike Broadway.
- Giancarlo Stanton believes he’s about 10 days away from returning to the lineup, writes MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro, meaning he’d tentatively come off the disabled list on Sept. 4. Stanton has been absent from the Marlins since breaking his hamate bone on June 26 and undergoing surgery two days later.