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Phillies To Sign Nick Hundley

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TODAY: There is a deal in place, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link).

YESTERDAY: The Phillies are closing in on a minor league contract with veteran catcher Nick Hundley, Roster Roundup reports (Twitter link).

With J.T. Realmuto holding down everyday duties, Hundley gives the Phils more backup depth beyond Andrew Knapp, who has only a .191/.315/.266 slash line through 113 plate appearances.  Knapp hit decently well in his 2017 rookie season, but has since posted very subpar offensive numbers, plus unimpressive framing and blocking statistics.

Hundley’s own defensive metrics, not to mention his caught-stealing numbers, have also been in decline, though the 35-year-old has traditionally been able to deliver a bit more at the plate, his lackluster 2019 slash line notwithstanding.  Hundley was a career .248/.300/.406 hitter heading into this season, though back and knee problems limited him to just 73 PA with the Athletics this season.  Oakland released Hundley two weeks ago.

Latest On Jake Arrieta

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Phillies right-hander Jake Arrieta has spent a large portion of the season trying to pitch through a bone spur in his elbow. Now, though, the pain could force him to the operating table.

After the Phillies’ loss to the Giants on Sunday, Arrieta told Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia and other reporters that his elbow “hurts every day.” On whether he’ll continue working through the issue, Arrieta said: “I don’t necessarily want to make a decision right now. We’ll have the off day Monday and maybe have a conversation on Tuesday.”

Arrieta’s elbow problems would seem to at least partially explain the former Cy Young winner’s severe drop-off this season. The 33-year-old turned in another poor performance Sunday, yielding five earned runs on seven hits in three frames, and hasn’t recorded the definition of a quality start (at least six innings, three earned runs or fewer) since June 19. Arrieta’s struggles have led to a 4.64 ERA/4.89 FIP over 135 2/3 innings in a season that has become increasingly disappointing for the Phillies.

On the heels of an ultra-aggressive winter, Philadelphia opened the campaign with National League East title aspirations. The club delivered early, sitting nine games over .500 as recently as June 9, but it’s now a mediocre 60-58. While the Phillies are still a manageable two games behind a wild-card spot, they’re nine back in the NL East, where they sit in fourth place.

It’s clear the Phillies’ starting staff is among the primary reasons they’ve essentially tread water to this point. Aside from Aaron Nola, no starter they’ve consistently trotted out has been all that effective. Even Nola’s aggregate production has fallen off from 2017-18. But there’s no bigger letdown in the bunch than Arrieta, whose days as a front-end starter have appeared over throughout his time with the Phillies.

Since inking a three-year, $75MM contract entering 2018, Arrieta has given the Phillies 308 1/3 innings of 4.26 ERA/4.53 FIP ball. The ex-Cub’s deal gives him the ability to opt out after this season, but thanks to his middling output and injury situation, that isn’t going to happen. Likewise, the Phillies aren’t going to exercise an option that would add two years and $40MM to the pact. As a result, Arrieta will earn $20MM in 2020, which seems likely to wind up as his last season with the Phillies.

Rays Sign Dylan Cozens To Two-Year Minor League Deal

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The Rays have signed former Phillies OF Dylan Cozens to a two-year minor-league deal, Josh Tolentino of The Athletic reports.

The hulking Cozens, 25, has missed much of the ’19 season with a toe injury that ultimately required surgery in mid-May. Prior to hitting the shelf, the former second-round pick had slashed .167/.333/.462 for Triple-A Lehigh-Valley, with an extreme 20.2% BB/ 42.4% K plate-discipline profile.

Cozens, who’s had trouble finding a position throughout his minor-league tenure with the Phils, famously smashed 40 homers in 134 2016 games in AA-Reading’s bandbox of a park. After a too-aggressive approach early in his minor league career, the lefty’s tightened things up, posting walk rates above 10% in each of the last four seasons. In a 44 plate-appearance cameo for last season’s Phils, Cozens posted just a 58 wRC+ while punching out nearly 55% of the time.

Phillies To Sign Nick Vincent

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10:00pm: There is indeed a deal in place, per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter).

9:50pm: The Phillies are “working toward” a deal with righty Nick Vincent, per Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadephia (Twitter link). If completed, it’ll be a minors pact.

Vincent is one of several veteran players who have entered the open market in recent weeks. With no possibility of striking trades for players on MLB contracts, contenders are stockpiling all the depth they can.

Things were going well enough for Vincent to open the year, after he earned an Opening Day roster spot with the Giants. Working in a multi-inning capacity, he made it through 24 innings over 14 appearances with a 2.25 ERA. Then came a brutal, four-appearance stretch in which he coughed up 13 earned runs.

That stretch ended when Vincent went on the injured list with a pectoral injury. He has been sidelined ever since. The Giants elected to set him loose rather than adding him back to the active roster after watching Vincent’s rehab work. He did rack up a dozen strikeouts without a walk over seven appearances.

For the most part, Vincent has been much the same reliever as always in 2019. He carries an 11.3% swinging-strike rate with 8.8 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9, numbers that sit right at his career average. With a long track record of strong work — he owns a lifetime 3.38 ERA in 362 2/3 MLB frames — Vincent was sure to secure an opportunity somewhere. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him back in the majors in relatively short order.

Phillies Place Jay Bruce On IL, Recall Adam Haseley

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The Phillies are sending outfielder Jay Bruce right back onto the 10-day injured list, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported (via Twitter) and the team has now announced. He had just returned from an oblique injury, but has now been diagnosed with a flexor strain in his left arm.

Outfielder Adam Haseley had been shipped back down to Triple-A to make way for Bruce. Instead, he’ll come right back onto the active roster. (The usual requirement of a 10-day stay in the minors is waived since he’s coming up to replace an injured player.)

Phillies Reinstate Jay Bruce From 10-Day IL

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The Phillies have activated Jay Bruce from the 10-day injured list, as per a team announcement.  Outfielder Adam Haseley has been optioned to Triple-A to create space for Bruce on the 25-man roster.

A right oblique strain sent Bruce to the IL on July 17, so such a relatively short absence is good news for both Bruce and the Phils, considering how oblique injuries often sideline players for at least a month, and often longer.  Now, the left-handed slugger will return to the Philadelphia lineup after already contributing a .256/.273/.564 slash line and 10 homers over 121 PA since being traded from the Mariners in June.

It remains to be seen how Bruce will be regularly deployed, since the newly-acquired Corey Dickerson will be taking over left field and obviously right fielder Bryce Harper isn’t going anywhere.  Both Dickerson and Harper are left-handed, so there’s even less opportunity for Bruce to get platoon action.  Rather than relegate Bruce to bench duty, however, Haseley’s demotion would seemingly indicate that Dickerson (or maybe even Harper in a pinch) could play center field against some right-handed starters, with the switch-hitting Roman Quinn playing in center when a lefty is on the mound.  It doesn’t exactly make for an ideal defensive alignment, but the Phillies might see it as a necessary evil if Bruce’s bat sparks a middling offense.

Haseley, the eighth overall pick of the 2017 draft, made a respectable accounting of himself in his first taste of big league action.  Haseley hit .274/.315/.452 with three homers over 89 plate appearances, while flashing some above-average glovework in the outfield.

NL Injury Notes: Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies, Brewers

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Dodgers southpaw Rich Hill has made just one appearance in relief since he revived his career in 2015, but it’s possible he’ll finish the season in bullpen when he comes off the injured list, Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register relays. Hill has been out since June 20 with a flexor tendon strain, and while his recovery’s going well, he may not have enough time to build up his arm strength for a return to the Dodgers’ rotation. “Ideally, starting is the priority,” said Hill, but he’s just eager to “get back to pitching” in some capacity. Meanwhile, utilityman Chris Taylor – who fractured his left forearm July 14 – remains hopeful he’ll come back at the low end of the four- to six-week period the Dodgers said he would miss. Taylor will first have to embark on a rehab assignment, though, and he hasn’t progressed to that point yet.

More from the NL…

  • Cubs reliever Brandon Kintzler is dealing with pectoral discomfort, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times was among those to report. The Cubs will have more information on Kintzler on Tuesday, but a stint on the injured list would be another unwelcome development for a bullpen that just lost closer Craig Kimbrel to the IL. Kintzler has rebounded from a rocky 2018 to serve as one of the Cubs’ go-to bullpen arms this season. The 35-year-old right-hander has pitched to a 2.33 ERA/3.45 FIP with 7.77 K/9, 1.94 BB/9 and a 53.3 percent groundball rate in 46 1/3 innings.
  • The Phillies are “optimistic” injured lefty reliever Adam Morgan will pitch again this year, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. A second opinion confirmed Morgan won’t need surgery after a flexor strain forced him to the IL on Aug. 2. He won’t return to throwing for two weeks, however, and that’s assuming he gets through that time frame without pain. Morgan owns a 3.94 ERA/4.33 FIP with 8.8 K/9 and 3.03 BB/9 across 29 2/3 frames. Lefties have hit a horrid .143/.250/.204 against him.
  • The Brewers sent one of their top starters, righty Zach Davies, to the IL with a back issue on Monday. Davies discussed the problem with Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other reporters, saying he’s “not concerned” it’ll lead to a lengthy absence. Davies has fallen flat over his most three most recent outings, though the wild card-contending Brewers can ill afford to go without another starter for a long period. They were already sans their No. 1, Brandon Woodruff, as well as Jhoulys Chacin before Davies hit the shelf. To this point, Davies has defied underwhelming peripherals to post a solid 3.74 ERA in 122 2/3 innings.

Post-Deadline Outrights: Flynn, De La Cruz, Guerra, Blazek

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In the immediate aftermath of the trade deadline, a handful of clubs cleared 40-man roster space with a series of designations. Many of those players have since cleared waivers, and we’ll round up those minor moves here…

Latest Moves

  • The Royals announced that southpaw Brian Flynn was outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers.  Flynn has a 5.22 ERA over 29 1/3 innings for K.C. this season, a disappointing result for a reliever who posted solid numbers out of the Royals’ bullpen in both 2016 and 2018.

Earlier Today

  • Cubs minor-league right-hander Oscar de la Cruz has cleared waivers. The 24 year-old has seen his once-lofty prospect status deteriorate due to a combination of injuries, command woes, and a suspension for a masking agent. He’ll remain with the club’s AA affiliate in the Southern League.
  • Nationals right-handers Javy Guerra and Michael Blazek each cleared waivers and were outrighted to Triple-A Fresno. Because each veteran has previously been outrighted, they may elect free agency, but the shaky Washington bullpen could plausibly offer them the best opportunity to return to the big leagues in short order.
  • Giants right-handed reliever Dan Winkler was outrighted. San Francisco acquired him as a salary offset in the Mark Melancon trade but never had any interest in letting him see the field amidst a disappointing 2019 season. Winkler can elect free agency because he has over three years of MLB service.
  • Rockies left-handed relief arm Harrison Musgrave will remain on hand at Triple-A Albuquerque after clearing. The 27 year-old has had little success in 45 MLB games in Colorado over the past two seasons.
  • Diamondbacks right-hander Joey Krehbiel will remain on-hand at Triple-A Reno. Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel named the 26 year-old reliever a prospect to watch thanks to a plus changeup preseason, but he’s had a nightmarish season in the Pacific Coast League.
  • Veteran catcher Tim Federowicz has cleared. The backstop had been playing for the Rangers, but he may elect to catch on elsewhere on a minor-league deal.
  • Phillies corner infielder Mitch Walding has also cleared waivers. He’ll remain in Triple-A Lehigh Valley, where he’s struggled to make contact in 2019.
  • Eric Stamets, the Indians’ Opening Day shortstop, has cleared as well. The 27 year-old has put up anemic offensive numbers with Triple-A Columbus, where he’ll continue to try to right the ship, over the past two seasons.

Phillies Option Maikel Franco

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The Phillies have optioned Maikel Franco to Triple-A Lehigh Valley in a surprising move, the club announced. Brad Miller has been activated from the 10-day injured list to take Franco’s place on the 25-man roster.

Perhaps Franco’s demotion shouldn’t be all that eyebrow-raising. After all, he hasn’t done much to warrant a roster spot. His .231/.296/.405 slash translates to a 70 wRC+, easily the worst offensive output by any of the league’s 24 qualified third basemen. On top of that, Franco doesn’t come with a strong defensive reputation at the hot corner, making his woeful offense all the more troubling. Tied for the National League’s final Wild Card spot, evidently the Phils decided they could no longer tolerate such a lack of production.

Nevertheless, the Phillies have run with Franco as their starting third baseman for more or less four years. He’s never been all that productive, but the club has never gone out and acquired a definitive upgrade, suggesting they still believed in him long-term, at least somewhat. Moreover, Franco’s putrid numbers at the plate seem a bit misleading. His walks and strikeouts are both at career-best levels (although the walks may be a result of his frequently hitting eighth in an NL lineup), and he’s no doubt unlucky to have a meager .228 BABIP.

Evidently, the organization felt whatever positive regression might be forthcoming for Franco at the plate wouldn’t be meaningful enough to wait for. Franco will arbitration-eligible for the third time this winter and is tracking as a probable non-tender candidate, although he’ll have two months to right the ship.

Interestingly, Philadelphia will move Scott Kingery to third base in Franco’s stead, tweets Matt Gelb of the Athletic. A former second base prospect, Kingery has MLB experience all around the diamond but has played mostly center field this season. Presumably, Roman Quinn will get a longer leash in center with Kingery back on the dirt.

Philadelphia will also welcome back the 29 year-old Miller, a longtime utilityman for the Mariners and Rays who had a fantastic showing with the Yankees’ Triple-A affiliate earlier in the season. He offers a left-handed bat with some power and more defensive versatility than Franco, but defensive metrics have never been fond with his glove at any position and he brings a significant amount of swing-and-miss.

Pirates Claim Yacksel Rios

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The Pirates have claimed Phillies reliever Yacksel Rios, the teams announced Saturday.

Rios, 26, has appeared in 53 games (all in relief) for the Phillies over the last three seasons. He’s flashed consistent bat-missing ability (9.00 career K/9) but has been much too homer-prone (1.96 HR/9) to firmly establish himself among the team’s late-inning options. Rios’ 96.0 average fastball velocity remains prime and perhaps represents fertile clay for new pitching coach Ray Searage to mold, but his shaky command has a long way to go.

Aside from the inimitable Felipe Vazquez, the Pittsburgh pen has been dreadfully short on production of late. Kyle Crick started strong but his again seen his command regress to pre-2018 levels, and neither Richard Rodriguez nor the volatile Keone Kela have been able to reprise past-year performances. Rios, it would seem, should be afforded a long look at some point.

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