- Pirates director of sports medicine Todd Tomcyzk updated some of the team’s injury situations in a chat with reporters (including The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel and MLB.com’s Adam Berry) today. Francisco Cervelli could begin a rehab assignment this weekend, as the catcher has resumed full baseball activities after being cleared of concussion symptoms. Cervelli has been on the disabled list since June 22.
- The outlook is more ominous for right-hander Chad Kuhl, who was diagnosed with a strained right forearm after undergoing an MRI. “Doctors have recommended a conservative treatment at this time,” Tomcyzk said, so Kuhl won’t be facing a surgical procedure in the near future. Kuhl has a 4.37 ERA, 7.9 K/9 and 2.21 K/BB rate over 313 career innings and 61 starts for the Pirates.
Pirates Rumors
Pirates Designate Enny Romero
The Pirates have designated lefty Enny Romero for assignment after activating him from the disabled list, per a club announcement. In other moves, the club promoted righty Nick Kingham and optioned infielder/outfielder Jose Osuna.
While the club’s maneuvering did not require a 40-man spot, Romero’s return to health forced a decision. He is out of options, meaning he had to be added back to the active roster or cut loose.
Romero was very nearly designated earlier in the year, before his shoulder injury was discovered. The hard-throwing southpaw, who was claimed from the Nationals in April, has thrown only six MLB frames on the season.
NL Central Notes: Norris, Turley, Reds
The Cardinals’ signing of Bud Norris didn’t come with much fanfare, but he’s cemented himself in the ninth inning in St. Louis and now tells Rick Hummel of the Post-Dispatch that he hopes to remain with the Cardinals for the long haul. “I get chills on my neck thinking about it,” said Norris. “Yes, I would love to end my career here and I would love to have a multi-year contract here. That would mean the world to me and my family … There’s something very, very special about this place.” Norris said he’s willing to pitch in any role over the long run, though after originally being reluctant about the transition from rotation to bullpen, he’s now embraced the mindset of a late-inning reliever and enjoys the challenge. Through 33 2/3 innings this season, Norris has pitched to a 3.21 ERA with even better supporting metrics — 11.8 K/9, 1.3 BB/9, 1.07 HR/9, 2.65 FIP, 2.41 xFIP. He’s playing on a one-year, $3MM deal with the Cards, though he’s certainly well on his way to earning a raise.
More from the division…
- The Pirates announced this morning that left-hander Nik Turley has been reinstated after the completion of his 80-game PED suspension. He was, however, immediately placed on the 60-day disabled list to a left elbow strain. No further context or timeline was given in the team’s brief press release. It’s not clear at all, then, whether Turley will ever even suit up for the Pirates. Pittsburgh claimed the 28-year-old off waivers from the Twins over the offseason, but if he doesn’t end up pitching for the team this season, it’s hard to envision him keeping a 40-man roster spot in the coming offseason. Turley was hit hard in the Majors last year, allowing 22 runs in 17 2/3 innings, but he also posted an impressive 2.66 ERA with 10.5 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 in 67 2/3 innings of work in Triple-A.
- The Reds have played at nearly a .500 clip since Jim Riggleman took over the team in April, and while there’ll be speculation about the possibility of him keeping the job, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes (subscription required) that the Reds “plan to conduct a wide search” at season’s end regardless of how the club finishes out the year. As Rosenthal notes, Riggleman joined the organization as the team’s Double-A manager in 2012 under then-GM Walt Jocketty, but current president of baseball operations Dick Williams may prefer to hire his own preferred choice rather than stick with a manager who was not initially his own hire.
Pirates Release Johnny Hellweg To Pursue Opportunity In Japan
June 29: Hellweg has signed with the Hiroshima Carp, per an announcement from the club (link via the Japan Times). He’ll earn a $300K base salary and can increase that total via incentives.
June 25: The Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate announced on Monday that right-hander Johnny Hellweg has been granted his release in order to pursue an opportunity to play in Japan. Tim Williams of PiratesProspects.com first tweeted the news.
Hellweg, 29, was once considered one of the Angels’ better prospects and was one traded to the Brewers alongside Jean Segura in the 2012 Zack Greinke blockbuster. Hellweg wasn’t able to establish himself with the Brewers, however, totaling just 30 2/3 innings with Milwaukee in 2013. Hellweg sustained a torn ulnar collateral ligament in 2014 that limited him to 20 innings that season, and he pitched just 60 2/3 innings in Triple-A in his final season with the Brewers organization in 2015.
Since that time, Hellweg has pitched for the Padres and has had two stints with the New Jersey Jackals of the independent Can-Am Association as well. The 2018 season was his second in the Pirates organization, and he’d been throwing quite well in Triple-A, leading to the interest from overseas. In 27 innings, he’s posted a 1.33 ERA with 8.3 K/9 against 4.3 BB/9 with a superlative 68.1 percent ground-ball rate.
Pirates Select Tanner Anderson, Place Sean Rodriguez On DL
The Pirates announced Wednesday that they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Tanner Anderson from Triple-A Indianapolis and placed infielder/outfielder Sean Rodriguez on the 10-day DL with a strained right quadriceps. Right-hander A.J. Schugel was moved from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL to clear a 40-man roster spot.
[Related: Pittsburgh Pirates depth chart]
Anderson, 25, was the Pirates’ 20th-round pick back in the 2015 draft. While he’s never been considered to be among the organization’s very best prospects, he’s steadily risen through the ranks and been a steadily above-average performer along the way. This season in Triple-A has been no exception, as he’s worked to a tidy 2.34 ERA through 34 2/3 innings of relief work.
Anderson has never posted especially impressive strikeout numbers and is averaging just 6.2 whiffs per nine innings pitched in 2018. However, he’s long demonstrated outstanding control and has posted a ground-ball rate of at least 61.3 percent at each minor league stop. The Pirates shifted Anderson from the rotation to a relief role last season, and he’ll carry a gaudy 65.7 percent grounder rate with him to the Pittsburgh bullpen.
As for Rodriguez, the 33-year-old has struggled immensely at the dish in each of the past two seasons. Signed by the Braves a two-year contract in November 2016, Rodriguez suffered a shoulder injury in a car accident later that offseason and wound up missing a significant chunk of the 2017 season. He was traded back to the Pirates last summer, but the early struggles he had in Atlanta carried over to his return trip to the Buccos. Over the past two seasons, Rodriguez is hitting .157/.273/.285 in 290 plate appearances.
Kuhl Exits With Forearm Discomfort
The Pirates announced tonight that right-hander Chad Kuhl exited his start after four innings due to discomfort in his right forearm. Forearm discomfort can be ominous in and of itself, but Kuhl’s exit is made all the more concerning by the fact that he uncorked three wild pitches, walked a pair and threw just 40 of his 73 offerings on the evening for strikes. There’s been no word on Kuhl since the Bucs and Mets wrapped up tonight’s game, but if he requires a DL stint, the Pirates can turn to righty Nick Kingham once again. While he’s currently in the minors, Kingham has pitched well both in the Majors and in Triple-A so far this season.
Pirates, No. 36 Pick Gunnar Hoglund Still Negotiating
- Over the coming weeks, of course, we could begin to see some situations develop that warrant closer attention. It seems there’s at least a bit of uncertainty between the Brewers and their top pick, Brice Turang. The same can be said with regard to a few other talented young players. Ethan Hankins, the No. 35 overall selection, is still in talks with the Indians, as GM Mike Chernoff says and MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets. But he also has an arrangement in place with Chipola College’s JuCo baseball program that would enable him to play a year and then re-enter next year’s draft, Doug Freeman of Prep Baseball Report tweets. Similarly, Pirates draftee Gunnar Hoglund — who went one pick after Hankins — has begun attending summer school orientation at Ole Miss, per Kiley McDaniel of Fangraphs (via Twitter).
Pirates Notes: Taillon, McCutchen
- The Pirates had some discussions with Andrew McCutchen about a longer-term extension following the outfielder’s MVP season in 2013. At the time, McCutchen was just two years into what ended up being (thanks to a club option) a seven-year, $65.25MM deal with the Bucs. According to Heyman, McCutchen had some regret about signing that deal, which kept him from hitting the open market after the 2015 season and ended up being an enormous bargain for Pittsburgh. Further extension talks didn’t go far, however, as McCutchen and his team made mention of Joey Votto’s ten-year, $225MM deal with the Reds as a potential comparable.
[SOURCE LINK]
- There is “no chance” that the Pirates would trade Jameson Taillon, a source tells Heyman. Pittsburgh could yet decide to move some veterans at the deadline but Taillon seems untouchable, given his good season and four remaining years of team control.
- The Pirates had some discussions with Andrew McCutchen about a longer-term extension following the outfielder’s MVP season in 2013. At the time, McCutchen was just two years into what ended up being (thanks to a club option) a seven-year, $65.25MM deal with the Bucs. According to Heyman, McCutchen had some regret about signing that deal, which kept him from hitting the open market after the 2015 season and ended up being an enormous bargain for Pittsburgh. Further extension talks didn’t go far, however, as McCutchen and his team made mention of Joey Votto’s ten-year, $225MM deal with the Reds as a potential comparable.
Pirates Place Michael Feliz On DL
- The Pirates have sent reliever Michael Feliz to the 10-day DL with right shoulder inflammation and recalled righty Clay Holmes from Triple-A Indianapolis, the team announced. The hard-throwing Feliz has endured a rough season in his first year with the Pirates, who acquired him from Astros as part of the teams’ Gerrit Cole trade over the winter. Feliz ranks second among Pirates relievers in innings pitched (32 2/3) and has struck out 10.74 hitters per nine, but a high walk rate (4.41 BB/9) and a low grounder percentage (30.7) have helped lead to a 5.51 ERA.
2018 Amateur Signings: 6/22/18
Let’s round up Friday’s draft deals of note. As always, the rankings referenced come courtesy of Fangraphs, MLB.com, Baseball America and ESPN’s Keith Law; Fangraphs and MLB.com scouting reports are available to the public free of charge, while the others require subscriptions.
- The Pirates have a deal with second-rounder Braxton Ashcraft, MLB.com’s Jim Callis tweets. Aschcraft’s $1,825,000 bonus comes in well over the slot value for the 51st overall selection ($1,382,400). The Baseball America (#58) and MLB.com (#64) analysts were highest on the reputedly athletic hurler, who’s regarded more for his projectability than his present ability on the mound. He’ll forego a commitment to Baylor to join the Bucs, who have inked most of their top picks but are still trying to work things out with sandwich round selection Gunnar Hoglund.
- Astros second-rounder Jayson Schroeder also lands over slot, Callis tweets. Like Ashcraft, Schroeder is a high-school righty who still needs polish but has shown promising tools. He’ll take home a $1.25MM bonus after being taken 66th overall, a choice that carried a $965,300 allocation. Schroeder had been slated to attend the University of Washington.
- The Brewers announced their deal with second-round choice Joe Gray, with Callis again tweeting the dollars. Gray lands right at the $1,113,500 allocation for the 60th selection. He’s another toolsy player who’ll forego a collegiate commitment, but in his case he’s an outfielder who has decided against a run at the University of Mississippi. A quality defender with power, Gray is seen as possessing significant upside — if his hitting ability can catch up to his other talents. Notably, the Brewers have yet to ink first-rounder Brice Turang. And amateur scouting director Tod Johnson suggested today that a deal is not inevitable, telling Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (Twitter link): “Obviously he and his family have to make a decision as to whether he wants to get on the field and start playing professionally, or go down to LSU and go that route.”
