AL Central Notes: Tigers, Ramirez, Twins, Gomez
The time has come for the Tigers to enter the sellers’ market, writes Jon Morosi of FOX Sports. Names like David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Rajai Davis, among others, should be marketed over the coming 10 days in an attempt to avoid a lengthy rebuild in the Motor City. However, Morosi notes that there’s more to the likely trades of veteran players than just a one-year selling cycle. Rather, he writes this could very well represent the beginning of a new philosophy for the Tigers. Sources tell Morosi that Christopher Ilitch (son of owner Mike Ilitch) has taken a greater influence over the Tigers’ business operations than his father, whose focus has shifted to the construction of a new arena for the Detroit Red Wings. As such, the Tigers’ aggressively escalating payroll may take a step back in the coming years. However, the team can avoid a lengthy rebuild by acquiring strong packages for stars Price and Cespedes. Specifically, he wonders if the Dodgers would part with a combination of Grant Holmes, Jose De Leon and Cody Bellinger for Price, while speculating that names such as Brett Phillips and Vincent Velasquez could be in play if Houston makes a run at Cespedes.
Here’s more from the AL Central…
- The Tigers have a brief window to change the front office’s mind on becoming a seller, writes MLive.com’s Chris Iott. Each of their next nine games will come against teams with negative run differentials, he points out. However, Iott also notes that if GM Dave Dombrowski is to extract maximum value for Price and/or Cespedes, he’ll need to begin laying groundwork for trades sooner than the final two days of the non-waiver trading period. The implication there, seemingly, is that it’s possible Dombrowski has already begun to do so, or will begin shortly, and could receive an offer he must take before Detroit has a chance to turn the tide.
- Morosi tweets that Indians infielder Jose Ramirez could make for an intriguing trade candidate in the next 10 days. He has a strong defensive reputation in the minors, and Ramirez is also enjoying a strong season at the plate in Triple-A. However, he’s blocked by Francisco Lindor, who rated as one of the best prospects in all of baseball prior to his debut. Ramirez hit .265/.307/.353 in 280 plate appearances with Cleveland’s big league club from 2013-14, but he slumped to .176/.243/.235 in 173 PAs this season before Lindor took the reins at short. Ramirez has played more second base than short in the minors, and some scouts feel he’s better suited there than at shortstop, but one can imagine clubs with needs at either middle infield spot showing interest.
- Twins top decision-makers got together on a conference call last night to discuss the club’s top need heading into the trade deadline, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. However, there’s somewhat of a divided camp among the Twins’ brass right now. That’s not particularly surprising, considering that despite their second place standing in the AL Central, the Twins could use upgrades in the bullpen, behind the plate and at shortstop.
- Berardino does note (Twitter link), however, that despite some reports connecting the Twins to a reunion with Carlos Gomez, Minnesota isn’t particularly interested in reacquiring its former center fielder from the Brewers. The Twins do have nice outfield depth, with Byron Buxton nearing a return from the DL, Aaron Hicks hitting and fielding well in 2015 and the likes of Torii Hunter, Eddie Rosario and Oswaldo Arcia to fill out the rest of the outfield.
Trade Market For Third Basemen
The Pirates have lost both Josh Harrison and Jordy Mercer to injury, severely compromising their infield depth. It’d make sense to see Pittsburgh connected to a number of third basemen in the coming days. They’re not the only team with uncertainties at the hot corner either, as the Mets still don’t know when David Wright will return. Multiple teams would be open to adding a bench bat/utility option capable of handling third base. And, other clubs, such as the White Sox and Indians, may be interested in adding a controllable option to solidify the position in 2016. Here’s a look around the league at some names that could make sense as trade candidates.
Starting Options
Juan Uribe (Braves), Chris Johnson (Braves), Kelly Johnson (Braves), Aramis Ramirez (Brewers), Martin Prado (Marlins), Cody Asche (Phillies), Will Middlebrooks (Padres), Luis Valbuena (Astros), Brett Lawrie (Athletics)
- The Braves possess a trio of veteran options that could fill a need for any club at third base, though trading Chris Johnson will be extremely difficult due to the remaining $19.99MM that he’s guaranteed through 2017. He’s looked overmatched as a starter more often than not, but Johnson does have a pair of nice seasons under his belt, mostly due to BABIP inflation. At the very least, Johnson handles left-handed pitching well. He could be flipped in a swap of bad contracts or have his contract absorbed by another club to entice Atlanta to part with greater talent in a trade.
- Uribe and Kelly Johnson are both versatile veterans that have performed well with the Braves. Uribe’s hit .279/.346/.456 with seven homers and sound defense since coming over from the Dodgers. Johnson’s return to Atlanta has resulted in a .275/.323/.455 slash line. He can play anywhere on the diamond and hasn’t spent much time at third in 2015, but he does have 539 innings there over the past three seasons. Uribe has $2.73MM remaining on his contract, while Johnson’s remaining $631K is a manageable sum for any team.
- Ramirez falls into the “expensive veteran” category and probably wouldn’t command a significant return due to his contract and early-season struggles. He’s still owed $5.89MM this season, but on the plus side, his bat has come to life over the past month. This is an admittedly arbitrary endpoint, but dating back to June 7, Ramirez is hitting .308/.357/.521 in 34 games. Perhaps that’s enough to pique another club’s interest.
- The Marlins have shown zero interest in trading Prado, but the versatile veteran could slide into a number of teams’ rosters at a variety of positions. He spent a month on the disabled list recently but has looked fine since being activated, collecting five hits (two doubles) in 15 at-bats. A small sample, to be sure, but Prado’s hitting a respectable .275/.317/.375 on the season as a whole, and those numbers would trend upward away from Marlins Park, most likely. He’s controlled through 2016, however, so Miami likely wants to keep him around to take another shot at contending next year.
- Once one of the Phillies’ top prospects, Asche has moved to left field to accommodate the emergent Maikel Franco. Asche was solid, if unspectacular at the plate in 2014, homering 10 times to go along with a .252/.309/.390 batting line (96 OPS+) in 434 plate appearances. However, the 25-year-old’s body of work as a whole in the Majors has produced just a .246/.298/.379 batting line. The Phillies need all the young talent they can get, but perhaps they could swap Asche with another struggling prospect and see if a change of scenery (and, in Asche’s case, a return to his natural position) helps both.
- A change of scenery did little to benefit Middlebrooks, as it’s been more of the same for the 26-year-old in San Diego. He’s still showing some power, but he’s walking less than ever and has just a .213/.242/.362 batting line with the Padres. His strikeout rate is down, so perhaps if he can find the 40 or so points missing from his career BABIP mark, the offense would at least look passable.
- Valbuena’s started at third base all year in Houston and has one of the most bizarre batting lines in baseball this season. At 29 years old, he’s exploded with the most power of his career (19 homers, .228 ISO), but he’s hitting just .207/.290/.435 overall. With Jed Lowrie on the mend, the Astros could conceivably afford to move Valbuena to a team in need of some pop at third base (or at second base).
- Lawrie’s name hasn’t come up as a trade candidate to this point, but if Oakland ends up selling, there’s little reason to think that Billy Beane wouldn’t at least entertain the thought of moving Lawrie. After a slow start, Lawrie’s hitting .298/.331/.444. He’s controllable for two seasons beyond he current campaign, so he’d require a club to part with significant talent in order to land him.
Utility Players/Backups/Displaced Veterans
Alex Guerrero (Dodgers), Alberto Callaspo (Dodgers), Gordon Beckham (White Sox), Mike Aviles (Indians), Aaron Hill (Diamondbacks), Cliff Pennington (Diamondbacks), Yangervis Solarte (Padres), Marwin Gonzalez (Astros), Eduardo Escobar (Twins), Eduardo Nunez (Twins), Hernan Perez (Brewers), Joaquin Arias (Giants), Ehire Adrianza (Giants), Conor Gillaspie (White Sox), Casey McGehee (Marlins)
- Guerrero’s been a utility player in L.A. this season and has played sparingly. He’s shown great power when in the lineup, however, homering 10 times in 166 plate appearances. There’s a clause in his contract that allows him to become a free agent at season’s end if traded, though at least one report has indicated that he’d waive that clause in order to receive everyday playing time. That seems like a lot of leverage to give up, so I’m skeptical, but he could benefit from a greater role elsewhere.
- Callaspo, Beckham, Aviles, Hill and Pennington each have some money remaining on their deals (well — a ton of money in Hill’s case, as he’s owed $17MM through the end of next season). None of the group is hitting at all in 2015, though Aviles is performing the best at the plate. Aviles and Pennington both have the bonus of being able to play shortstop and second base. Hill, Beckham and Callaspo can all play second or third.
- Solarte, Gonzalez, Escobar and Nunez can all play all over the infield, and both Nunez and Escobar have seen corner outfield time as well. Each of these four has been penciled in as something a bit more than a utility player recently, though no one from this group has showed sustained success at the plate. The Twins and Astros are both contending, so they’d likely need to receive Major League talent back to part with their utility options.
- Perez, Adrianza and Arias are all capable of handling multiple positions as well, but each has posted dismal numbers at the plate this season.
- Gillaspie, who saw the bulk of starts at third base for Chicago over the past few seasons, was recently designated for assignment. He’s not a great defender and doesn’t hit lefties, but he’s a competent bat against right-handed pitching and has shown enough power to hit double-digit homers. McGehee was released by the Giants and returned to Miami, where he resuscitated his career in 2014. However, he hasn’t hit much at either stop this season.
Currently in the Minors
Lonnie Chisenhall (Indians), Matt Davidson (White Sox), Mike Olt (Cubs), Erisbel Arruebarrena (Dodgers), Matt Dominguez (Brewers), Elian Herrera (Brewers), Kevin Frandsen (Giants), Ryan Roberts (A’s), Steve Lombardozzi (Pirates)
As I did in looking at second basemen, I kept the “currently in the minors” section to players who have some degree of big league experience already. Chisenhall was a starter as recently as last season, but he’s never strung together any consistent success, is a poor defender and has struggled against left-handed pitching. Davidson and Olt both graced Top 100 prospect lists a couple of years ago, but both have issues making contact. Arruebarena’s a defensive specialist at shortstop that is owed about $14.26MM through 2018. Dominguez hasn’t hit at Triple-A with the Brewers or Astros in 2015, though he’s still just 25 years old and has shown 20-homer pop in the Majors before. Herrera’s a utility option that is hitting well at Triple-A but hasn’t hit in 470 big league plate appearances. Frandsen, 33, and the 34-year-old Roberts are both veteran righty bats that can play multiple positions. Each is hitting well in the minors. Lombardozzi represents another versatile option that’s never hit much in the Majors.
AL East Deadline Notes: Jays, Sox, Yankees, Rays
Blue Jays fans are watching the coming trade deadline with as much anticipation as any group of supporters, as GM Alex Anthopoulos has spoken quite a bit about the club’s intention to look hard at making impactful additions. As Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca writes, it’s worth considering the club’s summer trade history both to gain some insight into how the organization operates and to better appreciate the reasonable expectations. Toronto faces a “tricky time,” says Davidi, who provides a lengthy overview of past deals. Likewise, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal breaks down the recent deadline work of Red Sox GM Ben Cherington, who faces tough questions as his club has stumbled coming out of the All-Star break.
Here’s more from the AL East:
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman indicated that he does not expect to strike a major deal this summer, as Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports. “I would predict it more likely not doing anything than doing something significant,” Cashman said. “We’re making our phone calls, talking to all clubs involved. We’ve practically analyzed everything.” In addition to citing his belief in the club’s current options, Cashman said that the “the acquisition costs might be prohibitive or that unicorn might not exist.”
- Going into further detail, Cashman indicated that the Yankees are unlikely to go get a big-time arm to add to their staff, as Feinsand further reports. “Are there available starters that are better? Yes, but the acquisitions cost are certain players that I have no intention of moving at this stage,” Cashman said. “I would say the smarter play would be to hold off on shooting any of those particular bullets.”
- Neither do the Yankees seem likely to be aggressive in attempting to upgrade at second base. Cashman said that the infield market was particularly thin, noting that it was hard even to identify available options that could theoretically provide better production than incumbent Stephen Drew. Cashman also addressed the decision to send down young second baseman Rob Refsnyder, saying he preferred that approach to designating another player for assignment. “I can get Refsnyder back,” he said. “As we approach the trade deadline, I think it’s better to have all assets in play to give us as much flexibility as we can have.”
- Rays owner Stuart Sternberg indicated that his club will also likely rely primarily on internal options rather than making a deadline splash, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. “People say, ‘Buyer? Seller?’ It will be no different than we’ve done in years past,” said Sternberg. “I think we’re in almost precisely the same spot we’ve been in every year since ’08. Which is, we’re close, we feel we have a really good team. We’d like to see our team on the field all at once. And we’ll try to be opportunistic.” Though the team has obviously scuffled of late, and will be prepared to sell if it falls too far back, the Tampa Bay owner said he hopes to remain in contention and believes the current roster is good enough — especially with players returning from injury — to stay in the mix.
Injury Notes: Upton, Aoki, Lincecum, Stanton, Crawford, Morneau, Morrow
Padres outfielder Justin Upton sat out today’s game with left oblique tightness, but remains hopeful that he’ll avoid a DL stint, MLB.com’s Corey Brock reports. Needless to say, it’s not a great time for the injury to crop up: the team is perhaps taking a final shot at re-entering the postseason hunt before the deadline. And if it can’t, the pending free agent may be one of the most important players marketed this summer. Assistant GM Josh Stein said that Upton will likely miss “a couple of days,” but any absence beyond that may be rather concerning.
Here are some more injury notes from around the league:
- The Giants expect to welcome back outfielder Nori Aoki in relatively short order, as Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. That’s certainly good news for San Francisco, as a successful return of Aoki (joining Hunter Pence in that regard) would reduce or even eliminate the team’s need to add an outfielder at the deadline.
- Meanwhile, Giants starter Tim Lincecum has been out with an arm injury, but manager Bruce Bochy revealed today that he’s also received treatment for “degenerative” hip issues, as Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. The problem, which is not considered to be a threat to his career, has existed since late last year. Lincecum received cortisone shots and is set to resume throwing in a few days, but as Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News wrote earlier today, it’s far from clear whether he’ll ever again impact the Giants staff.
- Marlins star Giancarlo Stanton is preparing to resume swinging, though his timeframe remains unclear, as Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports. While that’s great news for anyone who enjoys the game of baseball, Stanton obviously will not return in time to impact the team’s deadline plans.
- Spencer provides several other updates on injured Marlins: Righty Jarred Cosart, who was acquired on deadline day last summer has again been diagnosed with vertigo. And fellow starter Henderson Alvarez has struggled quite a bit as he tries to work back from shoulder inflammation on a rehab stint.
- The Dodgers will welcome back outfielder Carl Crawford from the 60-day DL, as Carlos Collazo writes for MLB.com. A right oblique injury has shelved him for quite some time, and it looks like he’ll be headed for a bench role upon his return. Fellow highly-paid corner outfielder Andre Ethier has played well this year, leaving Crawford without an obvious spot in the regular lineup. It remains to be seen whether the always-active Dodgers will look to move either player (or one of the team’s numerous other options) over the coming weeks.
- Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau says that he still hopes to make it back to the team this year, as Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes. The veteran has managed to resume baseball activities as he seeks to work back from a concussion and neck sprain, and says the latter is a larger concern than the former. Certainly, it’s good to hear that Morneau’s long battle with concussion issues is not the primary cause for his long absence, and he adds that he has no plans to retire at this point. Morneau once looked like a possible trade candidate, though that ship has probably sailed. It remains to be seen how things will progress on his contract, which includes a $9MM mutual option ($750K club buyout) for next season.
- The Padres appear set to send righty Brandon Morrow out on a rehab assignment as soon as this weekend, Beth Maiman of MLB.com reports. It will obviously be hard for San Diego to rely on much of a contribution from the 30-year-old in spite of that promising development, as he has dealt with various arm issues for much of his career. Morrow, who was added on a cheap, one-year deal, threw 33 innings of 2.73 ERA ball earlier in the season.
Tigers May Deal David Price, Yoenis Cespedes
The Tigers are preparing for the possibility of dealing ace David Price and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes at the deadline, according to a report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
GM Dave Dombrowski tells Nightengale that the team has yet to reach a final decision. But other sources inside and outside the organization reportedly say that Detroit will market those free agents-to-be unless owner Mike Ilitch intervenes with a “veto.”
Dombrowski certainly left open the possibility of a sell-off in his comments to USA Today. “At this point, our focus is trying to win right now,” he said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to qualify for the playoffs. Things can turn dramatically over a 10-game period. But you have to play well, at some point, on a consistent basis. We’re at a point where we have to do what’s best in our heart for the franchise.”
The addition of Price and/or Cespedes to the trade market would certainly represent a dramatic alteration of the market. Both are 29 years of age and in the midst of highly productive campaigns.
Price is an undisputed ace, and would immediately join (and arguably displace) Johnny Cueto and Cole Hamels at the top of the starting pitching market. He owns a 2.32 ERA over 132 innings, with 8.7 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9. Those numbers are right in line with — or, in the case of his bottom-line results, even better than — his outstanding career numbers.
Cespedes, meanwhile, is in the midst of the best overall campaign of his career. His 120 wRC+ paces any batting line he’s carried over a full season since his debut year. And he has earned career-best defensive ratings for his work in left. All told, Cespedes has already racked up 3.1 fWAR on the year.
It is not clear whether the Tigers will consider moving other players whose control is up after the year, to say nothing of longer-term assets. Closer Joakim Soria, starter Alfredo Simon, catcher Alex Avila, and outfielder Rajai Davis are among the members of the current roster who are slated for free agency. Soria and Davis have both enjoyed quality seasons, while Simon and Avila have been less productive, but all of those players would figure to draw varying levels of interest.
If Detroit moves some of its key veterans, it appears that it will do so with the intention of getting near-term value from those expiring assets. “We’re not thinking of rebuilding,” said Dombrowski, “but if we have to, it would be a case of regrouping.” The long-time executive emphasized that he believes the organization has a better stock of “good young players than people think,” making clear that he sees plenty of cause for hope in 2016.
Prior to the All-Star break, Dombrowski maintained that the team was focused on the present. But having entered play today ten-and-a-half games back of the division-leading Royals, the Tigers seem less optimistic of their immediate outlook. The loss of Miguel Cabrera for much of the second half, obviously, also tells large in that assessment.
Angels Prioritizing Control In Search For Bat
The AL West-leading Angels have long been said to be searching for a bat, and MLB.com’s Alden Gonzalez provides additional details on the club’s thinking. Though the deadline is less than two weeks away, the team is still “casting a wide net.”
Los Angeles does prefer a left-handed bat that can slot in left field, but is even more concerned with obtaining a player that can be controlled past this season. With numerous big league positions set to open up in 2016, it seems that the team is interested in utilizing the deadline as an opportunity to find some answers for the present and the near future.
While the Angels will consider a rental acquisition, says Gonzalez, Justin Upton of the Padres is not among the players being considered. He could be the biggest bat dealt, and the Angels feel that San Diego has placed too high a price tag on the soon-to-be free agent.
The club’s preferred angle, per the report, would be to move starter C.J. Wilson as part of a deal. Though Wilson has been a fairly steady presence in the rotation, the organization would like to move some of his big salary in order to free space under the luxury tax line for the coming offseason.
With the club playing quite well of late, assistant GM Matt Klentak said that it will not be pressed into a move it doesn’t believe in just to get something done. “We will continue to survey the trade market for possible upgrades that we feel make sense, but we don’t feel pressure to make a move just for the sake of making a move,” said Klentak. “We believe in the group we have.”
Giants Designate Jean Machi For Assignment
The Giants have designated reliever Jean Machi for assignment, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports on Twitter. His roster spot was needed for the activation of starter Tim Hudson.
Machi, 33, was a late bloomer who provided San Francisco with a bunch of good innings over the last two seasons. Combined, he tossed 119 1/3 frames of 2.49 ERA ball with 7.7 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9.
Things have been different thus far in 2015, however. Machi has allowed 5.14 earned runs per nine over 35 innings, with 5.7 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9. His fastball velocity remains steady in the 92 to 93 mph range, however, so there’s good reason to think he’ll see another chance at the big leagues this season.
Mets Notes: Cuddyer, Conforto, Trade Targets
The Mets are currently squared off with the Nationals in a key mid-season match-up. Despite entering the series just two games back in the division, New York faces a lot of scrutiny due to its scuffling offense.
Here’s the latest:
- Michael Cuddyer‘s knee problems are an increasing concern for the Mets, as Marc Carig of Newsday reports. If one final effort at managing the pain proves unsuccessful, Cuddyer will likely hit the DL. An extended absence from the club’s major offseason acquisition would only increase the team’s already pressing need for offense.
- Of course, any missed time from Cuddyer will also increase calls for the team to promote well-regarded outfield prospect Michael Conforto. But as Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports, that move remains unlikely. There is at least some consideration being given to a call-up, but the club does not believe that the second-year professional is the answer it is looking for right now. As Mike Puma of the New York Post explains on Twitter, the lack of viable alternatives at the Triple-A level means it is necessary to entertain the thought if Cuddyer has to go on the DL.
- All said, it seems as if GM Sandy Alderson is looking more for complimentary pieces than “one transformational bat,” according to Carig (Twitter links). That is reflected, to some extent, in the identity of the young players that internal and external executives see as being viable trade pieces. Per Carig, New York has little stomach for moving its most prized pre-MLB position talent (Conforto and shortstop Amed Rosario), but might be willing to deal well-regarded youngsters (and top-ten MLB.com organizational prospects) Brandon Nimmo, Gavin Cecchini, Jhoan Urena, and Matt Reynolds (among others).
- There are any number of outfielders that could be available to the Mets, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post says that one name to consider is Ryan Raburn of the Indians. Per Sherman, Cleveland is interested in picking up younger bats if it moves Raburn and/or fellow part-time Indians outfielder David Murphy. While the Mets prefer the idea of adding a Ben Zobrist-type super-utility player or a left-handed-hitting player capable of manning center — Sherman mentions Gerardo Parra — Raburn may be a more practicable target given his manageable salary and likely reasonable prospect cost.
NL Central Notes: Reds, Parra, Bruce, Cardinals, Pirates
It’s more accurate to characterize the Reds as “listening” than in gathering up kindling for a fire sale, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com tweets. Other teams indicate that Cincinnati does not seem to be in a hurry to deal potential rental pitchers Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake. It still seems reasonable to expect that both of those soon-to-be free agents will be moved, though the team does have a number of other assets that pose more difficult strategic questions.
Here’s more on the Reds and the rest of the NL Central:
- Reds reliever Manny Parra has a strained left elbow, leading MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon to suggest on Twitter that the southpaw is unlikely to be dealt this month. The 32-year-old free-agent-to-be has not performed as hoped for since signing a two-year pact with Cincinnati, though he does carry peripherals that suggest he’s been better in 2015 than his current 4.00 ERA. With a $3.5MM salary this season, Parra certainly could be an August trade piece if he’s able to return to health.
- Some rival executives have speculated that there could be a potential match between the Reds and Royals on outfielder Jay Bruce, Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star tweets. He adds that Cincinnati scouts have been taking a look at K.C.’s Triple-A and Double-A affiliates. With Alex Gordon out and Alex Rios having struggled (though he has picked things up of late), it’s easy to see why there might be some interest from the Royals in the fairly affordable and talented 28-year-old.
- While the Cardinals‘ need for a left-handed bat is fairly straightforward to assess, the club’s preferred route on the pitching side is somewhat harder to peg, writes Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The team certainly has rotation options, Strauss explains, and GM John Mozeliak said recently that the quality work of the staff makes it unfair to say the club is “out on the market looking for starting pitching.” But with some cause for trepidation over the number of innings being shouldered by key starters and relievers, says Strauss, it appears likely that St. Louis will look to make some kind of pitching addition (as it has in each of the last four seasons). “I still think we have internal resources to handle the pitching, but I’m not going to ignore the market or not remain opportunistic if something comes up that makes sense for us,” said Mozeliak.
- The Pirates have at least some interest in Padres outfielder Justin Upton, but will likely look first at infield additions if the team feels it necessary to fill in for the injured Jordy Mercer, Jon Morosi of FOX Sports tweets. We just learned that Mercer is expected to miss at least six weeks of action, which certainly suggests the possibility of an acquisition — particularly given that Josh Harrison is also out. Of course, it is entirely unclear whether Pittsburgh will be looking more for a major contributor or a competent fill-in. The latter may be more likely given that both Mercer and Harrison figure to return this year, at least so far as has been reported publicly.
Jordy Mercer Out Six Weeks With MCL Sprain
The Pirates announced today that shortstop Jordy Mercer has been placed on the disabled list with a sprained medial collateral ligament in his left knee as well as a lower leg contusion. The injury, which comes with a recovery time of approximately six weeks, per the team, was sustained on a controversial takeout slide (video link) by Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez.
To fill Mercer’s spot on the roster, the Pirates selected the contract of Brent Morel. First baseman Corey Hart was transferred to the disabled list to make room for Morel on the 40-man roster.
The loss of Mercer further depletes Pittsburgh’s infield depth. Starting third baseman Josh Harrison is already on the shelf for up to six more weeks with a torn ligament in his thumb, which has caused offseason pickup Jung Ho Kang to shift into a full-time role at the hot corner. Presumably, Kang will now take over as the club’s shortstop, with Morel playing third base. As Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review tweets, acquiring a right field upgrade probably becomes a luxury for the Pirates, with the focus shifting to a third base upgrade.
The list of third base candidates believed to be available is relatively limited, with Aramis Ramirez from Milwaukee standing out as the most oft-mentioned possibility. Atlanta’s Chris Johnson, of course, is available, though his contract has stood as a significant road block. His Braves teammate, Kelly Johnson, is a versatile bat that could potentially play some third base in the short term. Utility options such as Cliff Pennington and Clint Barmes, who was with the Pirates from 2012-14, could potentially be acquired to step in at shortstop, with Kang remaining at third base.