David Robertson Undergoes Tommy John Surgery
Phillies righty David Robertson, who negotiated a two-year, $23MM deal prior to the season on his own behalf, has undergone Tommy John Surgery and will miss the rest of this season and all of 2020, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Robertson, 34, had been one of baseball’s premier relievers for nearly the entire decade, posting 12.8 fWAR since his breakout 2011 season, fourth highest among all MLB relievers over that span. He’d also been among the most heavily-used, tying Kenley Jansen for fourth in the majors with 521 2/3 IP over the same stretch. Add 33 2/3 postseason innings to that mark, and only Indians righty Tyler Clippard has thrown more reliever innings this decade than the 5’11 righty.
Barring an unforeseen extension or re-up clause, Robertson’s tenure with Philadelphia has likely come to an end after just 6 2/3 total IP. It’s unclear if Robertson will aim to re-stake his claim at the back-end of a big-league bullpen in coming seasons, but elbow reconstructive surgery has not been kind to mid-30s arms, and Robertson’s cutter-heavy repertoire, the staple of a unheralded mix that baffled AL hitters for years on end, may be affected more than most.
It’s the second major elbow injury in the Philly bullpen this season – youngster Seranthony Dominguez also hit the shelf in June with a UCL injury of his own. The club’s also seen lynchpins Pat Neshek, Tommy Hunter, and Adam Morgan beset with maladies themselves in recent months, leaving a shaky back-end mix of Hector Neris, Nick Pivetta, Juan Nicasio, and Jose Alvarez. Not much was done to help the beleaguered pen at the deadline, so the club’ll have to hope its patchwork unit doesn’t come apart at freshly-stitched seams down the stretch.
Rhys Hoskins Undergoes X-Ray On Hand
The Phillies staged one of the most memorable comebacks of the season Thursday, rallying from a 5-1 ninth-inning deficit against the Cubs to pull off a 7-5 victory. The game ended on a walk-off grand slam from outfielder Bryce Harper, with first baseman Rhys Hoskins among the players he knocked in. Hoskins got on base after taking a Pedro Strop pitch off the right hand, and it’s possible he suffered an injury in the process. The slugger underwent an X-ray on his hand afterward, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia was among those to report. Hoskins is optimistic he’ll be OK, but there’s no official word on his status yet.
Although Thursday was a resounding success for the Phillies, losing Hoskins would dampen enthusiasm in regards to their outlook. The club’s Harper-led triumph Thursday completed a three-game sweep of Chicago and raised Philadelphia’s record to 63-55. The Phillies are now just a game back of the Cubs for the National League’s second wild-card spot. Although Hoskins has been cold in August, the 26-year-old has still been one of the driving forces behind the Phillies’ solid record. Hoskins has batted .241/.381/.485 (125 wRC+) with 24 home runs and 2.4 fWAR across 532 plate appearances.
Along with posting quality production, Hoskins has been among the Phillies’ most durable players. To this point in the season, only two of the team’s other players – catcher J.T. Realmuto and third baseman Maikel Franco – have started games at first, and they’ve each done so just once. It’s unclear which Phillie would receive the bulk of the work at first in the event of a Hoskins injured list stint, but just-promoted veteran Logan Morrison seems like a strong bet.
NL East Notes: Zimmerman, Phillies, Lowrie, Marlins
Ryan Zimmerman is in the final guaranteed year of his contract, and the longtime Nationals staple tells MLB.com’s Bill Ladson that he has yet to speak to GM Mike Rizzo or team ownership about what he hopes will be a continued relationship in 2020 and beyond. The Nats hold an $18MM club option ($2MM buyout) on Zimmerman for next season that is highly unlikely to be exercised, given the veteran’s injuries and declining production in recent years. Zimmerman is very eager to finish his career with the only franchise he has ever known, and reiterated that he is open to playing the rest of his career by ear, even returning just in a platoon situation at first base.
“I’m willing to come back [to Washington] and do one year, year by year, for a lot less money,” Zimmerman said. “I don’t think the money matters to me anymore. I just want to continue to play baseball and keep playing baseball in D.C. I’m lucky that my kids are here. My family is here.” If the Nats didn’t want to keep Zimmerman on the roster, he stopped short of saying he’d retire, though “it would be a tough decision to leave my family and not be around” while playing in another city.
Here’s more from around the NL East…
- The Phillies‘ surprise hire of former manager Charlie Manuel as the team’s new hitting coach is explored by Matt Gelb of The Athletic (subscription required), who wonders if it could be a harbinger of future moves if the Phils continue to underachieve. Owner John Middleton, as per Gelb, “has solicited opinions in recent weeks from inside and outside the organization to gain a clearer picture of his franchise’s warts,” and Middleton also “became a decisive voice in” Manuel’s hiring. It stands to reason that further coaching changes could be made, or manager Gabe Kapler could be on the hot seat, as he is only under contract through the 2020 season.
- Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen gave reporters (including the New York Post’s Mike Puma) an update on Jed Lowrie on Wednesday, saying that Lowrie has been participating in simulated games, including running, fielding, and hitting drills. Due to a string of knee, hamstring, and calf injuries, Lowrie hasn’t played at all this season, and despite his recent progress, it still isn’t clear if he’ll be able to make it onto the field. Van Wagenen is still hopeful Lowrie can play in 2019, though he also didn’t reveal any plans for a minor league rehab assignment. Since Lowrie would obviously need a good deal of time to ramp up, there isn’t a lot of opportunity left for an overly-lengthy rehab assignment, given that the minor league season comes to a close in early September.
- Marlins CEO Derek Jeter was non-committal about the idea of moving in the fences at Marlins Park for 2020, telling MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro and other reporters that the organization would “maybe” consider such an idea. As Frisaro notes, Marlins Park has allowed the second-fewest home runs of any stadium in baseball since the start of the 2012 season (when the Miami ballpark opened), and while the Marlins’ oft-disappointing lineups have undoubtedly played a role in this power outage, players on all teams have been constantly bedeviled by the ballpark’s big dimensions.
Phillies Claim Jared Hughes
The Phillies announced that righty Jared Hughes has been claimed off waivers from the Reds. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Phils placed right-hander Edubray Ramos on the 60-day injured list.
In claiming Hughes, Philadelphia absorbs the roughly $531K still owed to the right-hander for the remainder of the season. Hughes is in the last guaranteed season of a two-year, $4.5MM contract, though the Phillies have a club option on his services (for $3MM with a $250K buyout) for the 2020 season. For the present, Hughes is a relatively low-cost pickup for a Phillies team that has sorely needed some help for its injury-riddled bullpen, though Hughes hasn’t been in the best of form in recent weeks.
After an outstanding debut year in Cincinnati that saw him post a 1.94 ERA over 78 2/3 innings, Hughes came back to earth in 2019, posting a 4.10 ERA, 6.3 K/9, and 1.79 K/BB rate over 48 1/3 frames. The extreme ground-ball pitcher has continued to keep the ball out of the air, as evidenced by a 60.7% grounder rate, but he has suffered when batters have gotten some arc — Hughes has a 20% homer/fly ball rate, far above his 12.3% career average.
Despite the extra homers, however, Hughes only really started to run into some struggles recently. He had a 2.88 ERA as late as July 24 before enduring a nightmarish inning against the Rockies on July 26 that saw him allow six runs. That began a stretch of six outings that saw Hughes post a 10.57 ERA over 7 2/3 innings of work, with as many walks (five) as strikeouts, and not a single home run allowed to account for that damage. Hughes also served a three-game suspension for his role in the already-infamous brawl between the Reds and Pirates on July 30.
The Reds have been one of the league’s more active teams since the trade deadline, particularly on the pitching front. Cincinnati claimed Kevin Gausman off waivers from the Braves, signed veterans Brad Boxberger, Junichi Tazawa and Tim Collins to minor league contracts, and parted ways with Hughes and David Hernandez. Since it seemed Hughes was no longer in the club’s plans for 2020, the Reds save a bit of cash by letting him go to the Phillies now rather than paying a buyout at season’s end.
Phillies Select Logan Morrison
4:26pm: Morrison’s contract has indeed been selected, per a club announcement. He’ll fill the 25-man roster spot that was vacated with Jake Arrieta landing on the 10-day IL with what looks to be a season-ending elbow issue. Righty Jerad Eickhoff was moved to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man roster spot for Morrison.
1:33pm: The Phillies will select the contract of veteran first baseman Logan Morrison from Triple-A Lehigh Valley today, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (via Twitter). He’ll join the roster a day after fellow lefty slugger Corey Dickerson exited the game with an apparent hand injury after being hit by a pitch from Jose Quintana.
The 31-year-old Morrison had an awful season in 2018 when he tried to play through a hip injury with the Twins. That issue, initially believed to be an impingement, wound up being far more severe, as season-ending surgery also revealed a torn labrum in Morrison’s hip. Morrison still managed to swat 15 home runs with the Twins in 359 plate appearances last year, but his overall .186/.276/.368 batting line was obviously an eyesore.
Morrison inked a minor league deal with the Yankees earlier this summer once he was sufficiently recovered from that procedure, but he didn’t make it to the big leagues in the Bronx despite laying waste to Triple-A pitching in Scranton. He then signed on with the Phillies and hasn’t missed a beat in Triple-A. In fact, he’s been even better with the Phillies’ top affiliate. Overall, in a combined 233 Triple-A plate appearances, Morrison has ripped 18 home runs and 16 doubles while putting together a superlative .308/.369/.640 batting line. Even in a league-wide, supercharged offensive environment in Triple-A this season, Morrison’s bat has been more than 50 percent better than that off an average hitter (by measure of wRC+).
With the Phils, Morrison will look to sweep last year’s woeful ratios under the rug and bounce back to the 2017 form that saw him hit .246/.353/.516 with a career-high 38 home runs as a member of the Rays.
Jake Arrieta’s Season Likely Over
The Phillies have placed right-hander Jake Arrieta on the 10-day injured list, and Arrieta himself told reporters today that his season is likely over (Twitter link via Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune). “I’ll probably miss the remainder of the season,” said Arrieta, who is slated to undergo an MRI on Thursday.
The elbow troubles that are sidelining Arrieta aren’t a new revelation. Early in July, it was announced by the Phils that Arrieta was pitching through bone spurs in his elbow that would require eventual surgery. Arrieta has continued to pitch through the discomfort, though it seems as though he’s now reached a tipping point. Right-hander Zach Eflin, who was recently dropped to the bullpen, will return to the rotation to start in place of Arrieta on Saturday, tweets Scott Lauber of Philly.com.
It’s been a rather middling season for Arrieta, 33, as he’s pitched to a 4.64 ERA with 7.3 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9 through 24 starts — a total of 135 1/3 innings. Arrieta carried a 3.96 ERA through Memorial Day, but the summer hasn’t been kind to him as he’s pitched through those injuries; over his past 65 2/3 frames, he’s stumbled to a 5.76 ERA with a 51-to-25 K/BB ratio, four hit batters and a dozen home runs allowed.
Arrieta is in the second season of a three-year, $75MM contract that contains an opt-out clause after the 2019 season. Given the current injury and his summer struggles, that opt-out seems decidedly unlikely to be exercised, meaning he’ll remain under contract in Philadelphia through the 2020 season, when he’s slated to earn $20MM. The Phillies also hold a two-year, $40MM club option on Arrieta that they’ll surely forgo in light of his current health and recent struggles.
With Arrieta headed to the shelf for what looks to be the duration of the year, the Phillies will lean on Aaron Nola, Eflin, Vince Velasquez and a pair of recent newcomers — Drew Smyly and Jason Vargas — to round out the rotation for now. Both Smyly and Vargas have given the Phillies a pair of strong outings, though Smyly’s two most recent turns haven’t been as sharp. The Phillies have fallen to nine games out of the division lead in the NL East but are still just two games out of an NL Wild Card spot.
Phillies Replace Hitting Coach John Mallee With Charlie Manuel
In a rather surprising turn, the Phillies have announced that hitting coach John Mallee has been “relieved … of his duties.” He’ll be replaced by none other than Charlie Manuel, the club’s grizzled former skipper. MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki first tweeted the news.
It’s a decidedly old-school turn for the uber-contemporary Phils. There are some echoes here of a move earlier this year by the division-rival Mets, who installed the 82-year-old Phil Regan as pitching coach and have seemingly benefited from the move. Manuel, 75, has remained a visible figure in the Phillies organization since finishing his time as the manager, but has not occupied a rigorous, everyday role. It seems likely he’ll only be asked to man his new post for the remainder of the present season.
There’s little question the Phillies are in need of a jolt. They’ve steadily slipped behind the Braves, Nats, and Mets since holding the NL East lead in mid-June. Now, the Philadelphia club is separated from postseason position by two games and multiple other teams.
Manuel has long been lauded for his hitting acumen, so he’ll be asked to help the club’s batters with their mechanics and approach. That’s certainly an area of need, given that the Phillies have collectively produced at a mediocre 90 wRC+ clip over the past thirty days. But it seems this move says as much about a need for veteran grit and gravitas as it does a desire to modify the organization’s batting tutelage. And it’s a clear sign that Phillies upper management is not pleased with the way the season has progressed after a winter chock full of big investments.
Phillies To Sign Nick Hundley
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
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
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.