Pirates Rumors

Rosenthal On Astros, Rangers, Nova, CBA

By charliewilmoth | September 10, 2016 at 3:11pm CDT

Here’s the latest from Ken Rosenthal, via a video at FOX Sports.

Some members of the Astros are frustrated that the team didn’t deal for a top starter at the August 1 trade deadline, but GM Jeff Luhnow says the team ultimately didn’t make a big acquisition because teams were requesting big hauls in return, including players already contributing at the big-league level. Rosenthal notes that the Astros had previously had a surplus of starters, leading them to deal Dan Straily and then, months later, Scott Feldman for minimal returns (or perhaps seemingly minimal returns, since it’s way too early to get a clear read on Lupe Chavez, the very young pitcher the Astros got from the Blue Jays for Feldman). With Lance McCullers and Dallas Keuchel now hurt, though, the Astros might not have enough top starting pitching.
The Rangers attempted to acquire Ivan Nova from the Yankees last month, with the talks occurring very close to the deadline. The Yankees, of course, sent Nova to the Pirates, where he has had tremendous success in their rotation. Nova has posted a 2.53 ERA, 6.2 K/9 and a remarkable 0.4 BB/9 in 46 1/3 innings for Pittsburgh. It’s impossible to say, of course, whether Nova would have had similar success in Texas, which is a completely different context in which to pitch, perhaps especially for someone like Nova, who struggled with allowing home runs in New York. But he might well have been able to help a team that has seen A.J. Griffin and Lucas Harrell struggle at the back of its rotation over the past month.
MLB’s Collective Bargaining Agreement is due to expire at the beginning of December, but the two sides would prefer to have a new agreement in place by the beginning of November. The free agent market could unfold slowly without a new labor deal, with teams reluctant to commit to free agents without a clear idea of the rules going forward.

NL Notes: Jay, Campos, Gutierrez, Feliz

By Jeff Todd | September 7, 2016 at 10:12am CDT

Padres outfielder Jon Jay officially returned to action last night, making his first plate appearance since the 19th of June. As Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune explains, the 31-year-old stayed busy during his rehab from a fractured forearm. While he says his focus remains on “going out and proving to everyone that I’m healthy and I can still play at a high level,” Jay also spent time focusing on other aspects of the game. “I love this game of baseball, and in the future you never know what’s going to happen,” said Jay. “I would maybe want to coach or be involved in the game still with player development or whatever it might be. I’m kind of working on those things now so that if an opportunity does come in the future, I’m ready for it.” First things first, though: Jay will be playing to help set up his next contract, as he’ll reach the open market this fall. Mutual interest in a return to San Diego won’t be explored further until that time, both he and manager Andy Green noted.

Pirates Designate Kelvin Marte, Curtis Partch

By Jeff Todd | September 6, 2016 at 2:03pm CDT

The Pirates have designated both lefty Kelvin Marte and righty Curtis Partch, the team announced. Their 40-man spots were needed to accommodate the organization’s latest wave of call-ups, which includes Tyler Glasnow, Pedro Florimon, Drew Hutchison, and Trevor Williams.

The 28-year-old Marte made his major league debut this year, throwing three and one-third scoreless innings but allowing two walks and five hits in that span while recording only a lone strikeout. He has converted to a relief role at Triple-A after previously working mostly as a starter, and carries a 3.67 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 over 73 2/3 frames there.

Partch, 29, was bombed in his two MLB appearances this year. But he was rather effective in his own stint at Indianapolis, compiling a 2.24 ERA in 60 1/3 frames. Partch notched sixty strikeouts in that span, though he also racked up thirty free passes.

The group of call-ups certainly holds some interest. Glasnow is the team’s highest-rated prospect, and he’ll return after making his debut earlier in the year. Trevor Williams has impressed at Triple-A despite lacking gaudy strikeout numbers. Florimon always seems to play a role somewhere in September, given his versatile glove.

And then there’s Hutchison, who was picked up in the somewhat controversial trade that sent Francisco Liriano (plus his contract) and two prospects to the Blue Jays at the trade deadline. The 26-year-old, who will be arbitration-eligible again next year, has worked to a 4.50 ERA in his 36 frames with Indy, with peripherals (7.0 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9) that fall shy of his work earlier this year at Buffalo.

NL Central Notes: Maddon, Nathan, Bruce, Nova

By Mark Polishuk | September 4, 2016 at 7:59pm CDT

Some items from around the NL Central…

Joe Maddon is hardly the first manager to embrace his players’ versatility, though Joel Sherman of the New York Post notes that though few have done it to the sheer extent of the Cubs’ skipper. Chicago’s dominant lead in the standings has given Maddon some leeway to experiment, though it could also be argued that the Cubs are enjoying such a great season because Maddon has been so canny about pursuing every possible advantage to help his team win. Sherman feels that other teams could use the Cubs as a blueprint for future roster construction, as having multi-positional players around can solve many issues.
Joe Nathan was understandably let down about being released by the Cubs last month, the veteran reliever tells ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers. Nathan signed with Chicago in May and eventually pitched in three games for the Cubs after completing his rehab from Tommy John surgery. “In their defense I don’t think they foresaw picking up [Aroldis] Chapman, picking up Joe Smith, and their bullpen shaping up the way it was,” Nathan said. “On that side of it I completely understand. Still, it was a disappointing turn of events. Things went from ’this is the plan’ to ’now what?’ ” Nathan said that Cubs president Theo Epstein personally informed him about the release, and the veteran reliever didn’t have any hard feelings towards his former club. Of course, Nathan’s disappointment has been mitigated by the fact that he signed on with another contender in the Giants.
When Jay Bruce learned he was going to be dealt, the outfielder asked the Reds to trade him “anywhere but New York,” Hal McCoy of the Dayton Daily News writes. No specific reason was given for Bruce’s reported misgivings about joining the Mets. Bruce has, in fact, badly struggled since joining the Mets in a deadline deal, entering today with only a .198/.270/.327 slash line and three homers over 111 plate appearances.
With Ivan Nova pitching well since joining the Pirates in July, Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review thinks the Bucs could “consider being aggressive in approaching Nova with an extension” before the righty hits free agency in the offseason. As MLBTR’s Charlie Wilmoth recently noted in a Free Agent Stock Watch piece, a strong finish from Nova could line him up for as much as a three-year deal this winter; he’ll stand out in a very thin pitching market and teams could see him as a new J.A. Happ, who blossomed after going to Pittsburgh last season and has continued to pitch well in Toronto. Extending Nova now would save the Bucs some money, since it’s possible his market could grow to the point that he is priced out of the Pirates’ comfort zone. That said, my guess would be that Nova will forego an extension to at least test the open market, given that he’s so close to free agency.

Injury Updates: Strasburg, Shoemaker, Pirates, Hamilton

By Mark Polishuk | September 4, 2016 at 6:02pm CDT

Here’s the latest health updates on some key names from around baseball…

Stephen Strasburg could “possibly” start for the Nationals on Wednesday, manager Dusty Baker told reporters, including Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post (Twitter link). Strasburg was placed on the DL with a sore right elbow on August 21, so he would have only missed slightly beyond the 15-day minimum should he indeed return on Wednesday. Baker said Strasburg threw well in a bullpen session today but the club will see how the star righty is feeling tomorrow before any decisions are made.
Angels righty Matt Shoemaker was hit in the head with a line drive off the bat of Kyle Seager today. Shoemaker didn’t lose consciousness during the scary incident, and the Halos announced that he had suffered a laceration but was alert and responsive. A CT scan revealed that Shoemaker suffered a small skull fracture and a hematoma, and he’ll stay in hospital overnight and visit a neurologist (as per Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times).
The struggling Pirates could get some reinforcements in the form of Jung Ho Kang and Gerrit Cole, skipper Clint Hurdle told reporters (including Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). Kang, who went on the DL with a left shoulder injury on August 20, could return to the active roster as early as Monday. Cole’s DL placement due to right elbow inflammation was retroactive to August 25, and the Pirates have him tentatively scheduled to start on September 12 against Philadelphia. Cole threw a 30-pitch bullpen session yesterday and has to get through two more side sessions scheduled for next week before the Bucs give him the green light to return.
Reds outfielder Billy Hamilton exited today’s game with the Cardinals after suffering a left oblique strain during the third inning. The severity of the injury isn’t known, as while Reds manager Bryan Price told reporters (including Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that Hamilton will likely be out of action for a few games, oblique injuries generally take much longer to heal. Jose Peraza is the Reds’ top center field option while Hamilton recovers. It’s not out of the question that Hamilton will miss the rest of the season, which would bring a disappointing end to a campaign that saw Hamilton (.260/.321/.343) post career highs in batting average and OBP over 460 plate appearances, while stealing a league-leading 58 bases.

Injury Notes: Wright, Cole, Bailey, Floyd

By Connor Byrne | September 3, 2016 at 6:40pm CDT

Red Sox knuckleballer Steven Wright continues to deal with right shoulder issues, leading the club to scratch him from his scheduled Tuesday start in San Diego, manager John Farrell said Saturday (Twitter link via Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe). Clay Buchholz is likely to replace Wright, who hurt his shoulder while pinch running in early August and will next go for a second opinion on it. Wright has endured a stint on the disabled list and two poor starts since suffering the injury, though his numbers began going downhill toward the end of June. The pristine 2.01 ERA he had through June 20 is now up to 3.33 (still a terrific number) through 156 2/3 frames.

More injury updates:

Pirates ace Gerrit Cole threw off a mound Saturday for the first time since Aug. 24, his most recent start, and tossed 30 pitches – all of which were fastballs. “It went really well. I felt pretty good,” Cole said afterward (via Andrew Erickson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). Cole has been on the DL since Tuesday, retroactive to Aug. 25, with right elbow inflammation – which is the latest in a series of ailments that have troubled him this year. He was previously on the DL for a month earlier this summer with a right triceps muscle strain. The earliest Cole can return from his current injury is Friday. Despite an ugly four-start stretch prior to his DL placement, Cole has still notched a 3.55 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 2.53 BB/9 in 114 innings this season.
The Reds don’t expect the tightness Homer Bailey is dealing with in his right biceps to end his season, writes Cody Pace of MLB.com. “At this point, we’re not discussing that,” manager Bryan Price said in regards to the possibility of shutting down Bailey. “But it would be something that we would discuss. We’re not going to force this to happen. That’s not the goal. The goal is to get him healthy and not have to look back and not have to be as conservative as we have on the front end of this rehab.” Bailey, who exited his start last Sunday after just one inning, returned July 31 on the heels of missing nearly all of last season and the first four months this year because of May 2015 Tommy John surgery. Bailey’s latest injury is unrelated to his elbow, fortunately, but his comeback hasn’t gone smoothly this year. In 23 innings, the 30-year-old has allowed 17 earned runs on 35 hits, though he has amassed a prolific 27 strikeouts against seven walks. The Reds owe him $68MM through 2020.
The sprained right shoulder capsule that has kept Blue Jays reliever Gavin Floyd out since late June will likely end his season, per Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com. The injury, which was initially diagnosed as a torn lat muscle, shouldn’t affect Floyd’s ability to pitch in 2017. The impending free agent turned in a respectable performance this year as part of Toronto’s bullpen, recording a 4.06 ERA, 8.31 K/9 and 2.32 BB/9 in 31 innings.

Pirates, Mariners Complete Arquimedes Caminero Swap

By Jeff Todd | September 1, 2016 at 7:17pm CDT

The Pirates and Mariners have completed the deal that sent righty Arquimedes Caminero to the Mariners a few weeks back. Per an announcement from Seattle, lefty Jake Brentz and righty Pedro Vasquez will go to Pittsburgh to wind up the trade.

Caminero, 29, has been a solid piece for the M’s since the deal, cutting his walk rate but otherwise largely continuing to deliver useful but hardly world-beating frames. On the year, he has thrown 55 innings of 3.60 ERA ball with 7.0 K/9 against 4.1 BB/9.

Pittsburgh will pick up a pair of young arms in return. The 21-year-old Brentz has experienced some command issues early in his career, but generated better than a strikeout per inning at the Class A and High-A level for most of the season. Vasquez, 20, earned a mid-season promotion out of Rookie ball and has turned in a 2.28 ERA with 6.2 K/9 against just 0.8 BB/9 in his eight starts at Class A Clinton.

Orioles Acquire Kyle Lobstein, Designate Ashur Tolliver

By Jeff Todd | August 31, 2016 at 1:33pm CDT

The Orioles have acquired lefty Kyle Lobstein from the Pirates in a deal that will send fellow southpaw Zach Phillips to Pittsburgh. Meanwhile, Baltimore has designated yet another lefty, Ashur Tolliver, for assignment to create roster space.

Lobstein, 27, was designated by the Bucs after providing 25 middling frames on the year. His 3.96 ERA was serviceable, but with just 15 strikeouts against a dozen walks there were signs of trouble. On the other hand, Lobstein was as good against same-handed hitters as he was susceptible to those who carried the platoon split. While the O’s will surely hesitate to let him face any righty bats, he may well prove useful as a pure LOOGY with rosters expanded in September.

Having already placed Lobstein in DFA limbo, the Pirates had little leverage. But they’ll add a non-40-man southpaw in Phillips who can provide an option if a need arises. The 29-year-old owns a 4.45 ERA with 12.5 K/9 against 4.5 BB/9 over 60 2/3 Triple-A frames on the year.

Adding to the price for Lobstein is the possible loss of Tolliver — who may yet remain in the organization if he clears waivers. The 28-year-old reached the majors briefly for the first time this year, and has shown some promise in the upper minors in recent years. His walk rate has been unsteady, but Tolliver has struck out more than a batter per inning in each of the last three seasons on the farm.

Injury Notes: Vizcaino, Kershaw, Cole, Marlins

By Steve Adams | August 30, 2016 at 11:18pm CDT

The Braves announced today that right-hander Arodys Vizcaino has been placed on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to Aug. 24) due to inflammation in his right shoulder. The 25-year-old Vizcaino spent the majority of the season as Atlanta’s closer and was an oft-speculated-upon trade target in advance of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline, but Vizcaino suffered an oblique strain in mid-July, which shelved him through Aug. 18 and removed the plausibility of a trade. Jim Johnson has taken over the ninth inning in his stead and handled the role fantastically, but Johnson is a free agent at season’s end, so Vizcaino will have the opportunity to reclaim the ninth inning next season. Braves manager Brian Snitker told reporters, including Mark Bowman of MLB.com, that he believes Vizcaino will be able to be activated when he is first eligible on Sept. 9.

A few more notable injury situations from around the league…

Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw pitched two innings in a simulated game today and is likely headed for a minor league rehab assignment before rejoining the big league team, writes Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times. “I think it will take a little bit of time to build him up in a way for him to be strong through September and hopefully October, as well,” said president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. The hope is that he’ll only require a single rehab outing before returning to the big league club, which could put him in line for an early September date. McCullough also notes that Brandon McCarthy, Brett Anderson and Scott Kazmir all pitched simulated games as well, and Kazmir is the closest to returning. Kazmir threw five innings today and, unlike his injured peers, may not require a minor league rehab stint.
Renowned surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache examined Gerrit Cole’s balky right elbow and found no ligament damage, bone spurs or bone chips, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The Pirates ace had only inflammation in his elbow and is expected to return to the team before the regular season is over. Pirates athletic trainer Todd Tomczyk told Biertempfel that the direct source of Cole’s elbow discomfort isn’t known, though the possibility exists that an early-season rib injury led to some altered mechanics that brought about the pain. “I would say it’s tough to say that they’re not related,” said Cole of the rib injury, the triceps strain he suffered in June and the current elbow inflammation. “We do the same motion every time. Anytime that something causes you to alter that kind of thing, you run the risk of paying the price somewhere else.”
Marlins lefty Adam Conley has been cleared by doctors to resume throwing and played catch Tuesday for the first time since going on the disabled list, per MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. Barring any further setbacks in his recovery from tendinitis in his left middle finger, he could return to the Miami rotation in three weeks, Frisaro adds. Furthermore, he writes, lefty Wei-Yin Chen is progressing through a throwing program as he rehabs an elbow strain and is also a possibility for a late-September return. Getting either southpaw back would be a boon to a Marlins rotation that is trying to keep the team afloat in the Wild Card hunt. Miami dropped its fourth straight game today but is still a very manageable 3.5 games back from the second Wild Card spot in the National League.

Pirates Designate Kyle Lobstein For Assignment

By Steve Adams | August 30, 2016 at 6:47pm CDT

The Pirates announced that they have selected the contract of left-handed pitcher Kelvin Marte and, in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster, designated fellow southpaw Kyle Lobstein for assignment. Additionally, the Bucs have recalled infielder Alen Hanson from Triple-A and optioned right-hander Jameson Taillon and lefty Steven Brault to their rookie-level affiliate in the Appalachian League. (That pair figures to be recalled in short order once rosters expand, of course.)

Lobstein, 27, was acquired by Pittsburgh in an offseason trade with the Tigers and wound up tossing 25 innings out of manager Clint Hurdle’s bullpen this season. The soft-tosser worked to a 3.96 ERA with a 15-to-12 K/BB ratio and a 50 percent ground-ball rate while holding opposing lefties to a comedic .083/.241/.083 slash line in an admittedly small sample of 29 plate appearances. Right-handed batters, consequently, tattooed Lobstein at a .324/.400/.507 clip in 81 PAs. In 128 career innings at the big league level, Lobstein has a 5.06 ERA with 5.2 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 49.8 percent ground-ball rate.

As for Marte, the 28-year-old will be making his big league debut if he gets into a game with the Bucs. The longtime Giants farmhand has pitched to a 3.67 earned run average in 73 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level this season and owns a lifetime 3.39 ERA in 790 2/3 minor league innings.

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