Mets Claim Edwin Uceta From Pirates
The Mets announced that they have claimed right-hander Edwin Uceta off waivers from the Pirates and optioned him to Triple-A. Uceta had been designated for assignment by Pittsburgh earlier this week. In order to open a roster spot for him, the Mets transferred righty Sam Coonrod to the 60-day injured list.
Uceta, 25, has been extremely popular on the waiver wire. He spent the early parts of his career with the Dodgers but was claimed off waivers by the Diamondbacks in October of 2021. He spent one season with the Snakes, though they put him on waivers in January of this year. Over the past few months, he’s been claimed by the Tigers, the Pirates and now the Mets, making for four claims in the past year and a half and three in just the past few months.
Amid all of that, he’s been able to make 24 major league appearances, 14 with the Dodgers in 2021 and 10 more with the D’Backs last year. He has a 6.27 ERA in that time, striking out 23% of opponents, walking 11.5% and getting grounders at a 37.1% clip.
What’s surely enticing to clubs is that Uceta has shown huge strikeout stuff in the minors, posting a 29.5% strikeout rate in Triple-A in 2021 and then 32.7% at that level last year. He’s also paired that with high walk rates and ERAs just under 5.00 in both instances, but there’s enough to dream on there that clubs keep giving him a shot. He still has an option year so the Mets can keep him in the minors and see if Uceta can better harness his stuff.
The club’s bullpen depth has taken a few hits already in the early parts of the season. Edwin Díaz required knee surgery that is likely to be season-ending, while Bryce Montes de Oca required Tommy John surgery. Tommy Hunter, Stephen Ridings and Coonrod are also on the IL with various ailments. By grabbing Uceta off waivers, the Mets have added a bit of optionable depth to their roster.
As for Coonrod, this transfer doesn’t come as a shock since he was recently diagnosed with a high-grade lat strain and wasn’t likely to be available in the near future. This move makes him ineligible to return until late May at the earliest.
Pirates’ Jared Triolo Undergoes Hamate Surgery
Pirates infield prospect Jared Triolo underwent surgery to repair a hamate bone injury late last month, the club’s director of sports medicine Todd Tomcyzk informed reporters this morning (relayed by Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). He’ll be shut down for four-to-six weeks before potentially beginning baseball activities, meaning his absence from game action is likely to cost multiple months.
Triolo, 25, was selected by Pittsburgh with the 72nd overall pick in the 2019 draft. A right-handed hitter, Triolo put up a solid .282/.376/.419 line over 495 plate appearances for Double-A Altoona last season. He only connected on nine home runs but demonstrated strong strike zone awareness, walking at an excellent 12.7% clip against a 17.6% strikeout rate. He also swiped 24 bases in 29 attempts.
The University of Houston product is primarily a third baseman, where he draws strong defensive reviews from scouts. Pittsburgh gave him 19 starts at shortstop in Double-A as well, demonstrating they believe his glove can translate (at least on occasion) to the infield’s most demanding position.
Pittsburgh added Triolo to the 40-man roster last winter to ensure they wouldn’t lose him in the Rule 5 draft. He’s yet to play a single game in Triple-A and would presumably have been ticketed for the Bucs’ top affiliate in Indianapolis to start the season. Triolo could factor into the MLB mix at some point later in the year, particularly if there’s an injury to either of Oneil Cruz or Ke’Bryan Hayes, but he’ll first have to get healthy himself. Given his recovery timetable, it’s possible the Pirates place him on the major league 60-day injured list at some point. Doing so would require paying him at the MLB minimum rate while he rehabs but would clear a spot on the 40-man roster should Pittsburgh require one for another transaction.
Pirates Select Tyler Heineman, Designate Edwin Uceta
The Pirates announced a batch of roster moves prior to tonight’s game. Catcher Austin Hedges was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list. Fellow catcher Tyler Heineman was selected to take his active roster spot. In order to open a spot for Heineman on the 40-man, right-hander Edwin Uceta was designated for assignment. Additionally, outfielder Ryan Vilade, who was designated for assignment last week, cleared waivers and was assigned to Triple-A Indianapolis.
Hedges, 30, has long been considered one of the game’s better defensive backstops, though he doesn’t provide much on offense. His career batting line of .189/.247/.330 amounts to a wRC+ of 54, indicating he’s been 46% below league average at the plate. But he’s racked up 75 Defensive Runs Saved since debuting in 2015, the highest total in the majors during that stretch. He signed with the Bucs in the offseason for one year and $5MM, a sensible match given that he could work with the rebuilding club’s young pitching staff.
It’s unclear exactly how Hedges sustained this concussion, but the club will have to proceed without him for at least the next week. Jason Delay is already on the roster and Heineman will now join him to form the club’s catching duo for the time being. Heineman, 32 in June, has 82 games of major league experience with a .214/.279/.276 batting line and +6 DRS. Both he and Delay have options, so either could be sent to the minors when Hedges returns.
Uceta, 25, has changed jerseys quite a few times in the past little while. The Pirates just claimed him off waivers from the Tigers two days ago, with the latter club claiming him off waivers from the Diamondbacks in January. He spent just one year in Arizona, as that club claimed him off waivers from the Dodgers at the end of the 2021 season. He posted a 5.82 ERA for the Snakes last year and a 4.86 mark for their Triple-A club. He only struck out 17.8% of hitters he faced in the big leagues but he had a 32.7% rate in the minors, though that came with a 14% walk rate. The Pirates will now have a week to trade him or try to pass him through waivers.
Vilade, who just turned 24 in February, has just seven plate appearances of experience in the big leagues, which came with the Rockies in 2021. He struck out once and walked once without recording a hit. A career .281/.357/.410 hitter in the minor leagues, Vilade has experience at each of shortstop, third base, first base, and the three outfield spots during his minor league career. In addition to his positional versatility, Vilade’s fairly low strikeout rate (17.4%) and solid walk rate (10.0%) in the minor leagues indicate a potentially valuable bench piece at the big league level, but for now he’ll wait for an opportunity with the Pirates at Triple-A. As a player with less than three years of big league service time who has not yet been outrighted in his career, Vilade cannot reject his outright assignment.
Tommy John Surgery Among Options Under Consideration For Pirates’ JT Brubaker
The Pirates placed starter JT Brubaker on the 60-day injured list over the weekend, officially keeping him out of action through late May. The right-hander has been dealing with discomfort in his throwing elbow, a nebulous but alarming issue for any pitcher.
While the Pirates haven’t yet provided a formal diagnosis or treatment plan, Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Tommy John surgery is among the considerations. That’s not to say surgery is inevitable or necessarily likely, but it affirms Brubaker is dealing with a potentially serious issue.
Brubaker had entered spring camp assured of a spot in the Pittsburgh rotation. He took the ball 28 times last year, ranking second on the team with 144 innings. He allowed 4.69 earned runs per nine. That uninspiring mark was paired with more interesting peripherals, as he posted roughly average strikeout, walk and grounder rates. Brubaker punched out 22.8% of opponents, walked batters at an 8.4% clip and kept the ball on the ground 44% of the time.
An elevated .334 batting average on balls in play contributed to Brubaker’s mediocre results. Had his ERA more closely approached his passable underlying marks, he could have generated some attention at this summer’s trade deadline. Instead, Brubaker is going to miss at least a good chunk of the first half and could wind up needing season-ending surgery. He has exactly three years of major league service and qualified for arbitration last offseason, agreeing to a $2.275MM salary. He remains controllable through 2025.
With Brubaker on the shelf, righty Johan Oviedo has stepped into the starting five. Acquired from the Cardinals in last summer’s José Quintana/Chris Stratton trade, the 25-year-old Oviedo started seven games for Pittsburgh down the stretch. In 30 2/3 frames, he put up a 3.23 ERA despite walking nearly 12% of opponents. His ’23 season debut didn’t go well, as he was tagged for five runs (including three homers) over 4 2/3 innings during tonight’s outing in Boston. Mitch Keller, Rich Hill, Vince Velasquez and Roansy Contreras round out the present starting staff.
NL Central Notes: Reynolds, Williams, Senzel, Santillan
Even with three games already in the books on the Pirates‘ 2023 season, Bryan Reynolds‘ contract status is still the biggest story in Pittsburgh baseball, given the reports from earlier this week suggesting the two sides had made a lot of progress towards an extension. The deal in question appears to be an eight-year, $106MM pact, yet the sticking point appears to be the Pirates’ reluctance to include an opt-out clause for Reynolds following the 2026 season.
It isn’t clear if anything has changed in talks, as Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter links) hears from both sides that, essentially, they “haven’t heard anything” about any further progress. Mackey notes that GM Ben Cherington didn’t mention anything about Reynolds or the contract talks during his weekly radio show today, though naturally it would’ve been a little surprising to hear an executive make any significant public comment on contract negotiations that (apparently) are still ongoing. Opening Day was reportedly viewed as a deadline to get an extension finalized, and while that deadline was completely unofficial, it begs the question or whether or not Reynolds and the Bucs can solve the impasse soon or if the matter might be tabled until the offseason…..or, if Reynolds might be traded elsewhere before the deadline.
More NL Central items….
- Devin Williams was hit in the arm by a Dansby Swanson line drive during the ninth inning of yesterday’s game, though Williams remained on the mound to close out the Brewers‘ 3-1 win over the Cubs. Williams told MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy and other reporters that the liner “glanced off” his right elbow and “it didn’t feel too good,” leading to a bit of lingering soreness today. While the injury doesn’t appear to be serious, Williams and manager Craig Counsell said that the reliever’s availability for today’s game wouldn’t be known until Williams did some pregame warmups. [UPDATE: Williams didn’t pitch in Milwaukee’s 9-5 win over Chicago, but Counsell said the reliever was available if called upon.]
- Nick Senzel and Tony Santillan are slated to begin rehab assignments at Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday, Reds manager David Bell told reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer). Both were hampered by injuries that pushed back their Spring Training work, as Senzel underwent toe surgery during the offseason and Santillan was still recovering from a lower back issue that plagued him during the 2022 campaign. Barring any setbacks, however, Senzel and Santillan appear to be on pace to join the Reds by around the middle of April, with Senzel perhaps moving into a utility role and Santillan stepping back into Cincinnati’s bullpen.
Pirates Claim Edwin Uceta, Transfer JT Brubaker To 60-Day IL
The Pirates announced this afternoon that they have claimed right-hander Edwin Uceta off waivers from the Tigers. Detroit had designated Uceta for assignment ahead of Opening Day alongside Rony Garcia, who was outrighted to Triple-A, in order to make room for Chasen Shreve and Trey Wingenter on the 40-man roster. In a corresponding move, right-hander JT Brubaker was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Uceta has been optioned to Triple-A.
Brubaker had previously been placed on the 15-day IL to open the season due to what the Pirates termed as “elbow discomfort”. No timetable was given for Brubaker’s return, but given his transfer to the 60-day IL, it’s safe to say he won’t return until at least June. Though Brubaker has been part of the Pirates rotation since the shortened 2020 season with an unimpressive career ERA of 4.99, there was reason for optimism headed into 2023, as his 2022 season featured solid peripherals that indicated he could be a quality starter going forward: despite a 4.69 ERA, he had a solid 3.92 FIP along with a 44% groundball rate, a 22.8% strikeout rate, and a 8.4% walk rate that all paint him as a roughly league average starter for the 2022 campaign. With Brubaker set to miss an extended period of time, Johan Oviedo, who the Pirates acquired from the Cardinals in last summer’s Jose Quintana deal, figures to have a more secure hold on a rotation spot.
As for Uceta, the 25 year-old right-hander has seen big league action in each of the past two seasons, but has struggled in a small sample both times. Between his time with the Dodgers in 2022 and the Diamondbacks in 2022, Uceta has posted a 6.27 ERA in 37 1/3 innings, though his 4.46 FIP indicates there may be some bad luck baked into those results. The Tigers claimed him on waivers this offseason before designating him for assignment after he posted a 4.91 ERA in camp, though he did strike out 29.2% of batters faced during his 11 innings of work this spring. Uceta has demonstrated the ability to work in either short relief or multi-inning long relief during his career and figures to serve as depth for the Pirates bullpen in Triple-A.
Central Notes: Senzel, Stephenson, Nevin
Reds outfielder Nick Senzel is starting the 2023 season on the injured list as offseason toe surgery delayed his start to Spring Training. It was expected that he would be taking over the regular center field job in Cincinnati once healthy but he might transition into more of a utility role. Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the club is preparing him to serve in such a role and he could play third base and the corner outfield positions during his rehab.
Senzel, 28 in June, has a very small amount of third base experience in the big leagues, 32 innings over the past two seasons. He has a slightly largely tally of 49 innings at second base but then over 2,000 innings in center field. Switching things up while also trying to get ready for the season will be a challenge, but it’s understandable why the club would want him to try. He’s hit just .240/.303/.360 in his career so far for a wRC+ of 74. That production isn’t great for a lineup regular but would be more palatable for a multi-positional role player.
2023 is seen by some as a make-or-break year for Senzel, as he’s now into his arbitration years and is making a $1.95MM salary. Despite his tepid production so far, he’s continued to get chances based on the fact that he was once one of the top prospects in the league. Baseball America had him in the top 10 of all MLB prospects in three straight years beginning in 2017. He could be retained via arbitration through 2025, though he’ll have to show the club he’s worth the continued investment. Taking a step forward at the plate would be great but he may also add more defensive versatility this year.
More notes from the central divisions…
- The Pirates have informed reporters, including Justice delos Santos of MLB.com, that right-hander Robert Stephenson is beginning a rehab assignment tonight with Triple-A Indianapolis. The righty had been slowed by some arm discomfort this spring and was placed on the 15-day injured list yesterday, with the club describing his ailment as elbow inflammation. Stephenson had a lopsided season in 2022, posting a 6.04 ERA with the Rockies but a 3.38 mark after the Bucs claimed him off waivers. His strikeout rate went from 18.8% with Colorado to 36% with Pittsburgh. The Pirates were bullish enough to give him a $1.75MM salary for 2023, his last arbitration year before he’s slated for free agency. IL placements on Opening Day can be backdated to March 27, meaning Stephenson could be activated April 11 if all goes well between now and then.
- The Tigers announced that infielder Tyler Nevin is beginning a rehab assignment today. Acquired from the Orioles in an offseason trade, Nevin suffered an oblique strain three weeks ago and was placed on the injured list yesterday. He hit just .197/.299/.261 with the O’s last year but had a strong .291/.382/.479 line in Triple-A. Prior to the injury, he was in the mix for a third base job alongside Nick Maton and Ryan Kreidler, and the club also recently acquired Zach McKinstry. Nevin still has an option and could potentially stick in Triple-A Toledo when his rehab is done. With his IL placement backdated to March 27, he’ll be eligible to be reinstated on April 6.
Still No Agreement Between Pirates And Bryan Reynolds Due To Opt-Out Clause
March 31, 2:05pm: Reynolds was looking for an opt-out after 2026, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Reynolds is currently slated for free agency after 2025, so the Pirates would only gain one extra year of control in the event they agreed to that contract and he eventually opted out.
March 31, 1:35pm: Some more details on the negotiations come from Mackey (Twitter links one, two and three). He says that the eight-year, $106MM deal being discussed includes 2023 and that Reynolds is willing to backload the deal so that triggering his opt-out means walking away from the biggest salaries.
March 31, 12:40pm: The conceptual issue is indeed an opt-out clause, reports Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic. He adds that the two sides have come to an agreement around $106MM on the guarantee, roughly the middle point between the previous asking prices, but that Reynolds and his reps want an opt-out that the Pirates appear unwilling to give thus far.
March 30: The Pirates and outfielder Bryan Reynolds have been discussing a contract extension in recent days, with today’s opener reportedly considered a cutoff point. The season has now begun and it appears that there’s still no deal in place, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post, who adds that the two sides have an agreement on dollars but a “major conceptual issue” is getting in the way.
To this point, it’s unclear what this conceptual issue is. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette confirms Heyman’s report (Twitter links) and adds that the hangup is not “years/dollars or size of the thing.” If it’s not the length or the guarantee, it could be something like an opt-out or a no-trade clause, though that’s merely speculation.
Regardless of what the issue is, the fact that the two sides got closer on the money is encouraging. Discussions earlier this winter reportedly had the Pirates offering something in the $75-80MM range over six years while Reynolds’ camp was aiming for $134MM over eight years. The two sides were so far apart that Reynolds requested a trade. The Pirates appeared generally unmoved by that request and seemingly had no desire to drop their sky-high asking price. It’s a somewhat positive sign that the talks have been fruitful enough that a deal seems close, though it hasn’t yet gotten over the line.
It has been reported in recent days that the Opening Day game is something of a deadline for negotiations. The Pirates have now started their first game of the season and it seems a deal still isn’t in place. However, Mackey reports that both sides still view it as being possible.
Whether or not a deal comes together in the coming days or weeks remains to be seen. If the talks eventually end without a new deal, there’s nothing preventing further talks from starting down the road, though players often like to use Opening Day as a point to focus less on contractual matters and more on their on-field duties. Reynolds will be making $6.75MM this year as part of a two-year deal to avoid arbitration he signed going into 2022. The Pirates can still retain his services via arbitration for 2024 and 2025, with Reynolds currently slated for free agency after that. He’s coming into this season with a career batting line of .281/.361/.481 for a wRC+ of 126.
Pirates Designate Ryan Vilade For Assignment
The Pirates announced Thursday that they’ve designated outfielder Ryan Vilade for assignment and selected the contracts of left-hander Rob Zastryzny and catcher Jason Delay, both of whom were in spring training as non-roster invitees. Lefty Jarlin Garcia (nerve injury) was placed on the 60-day injured list to open a second spot on the 40-man roster. Righties JT Brubaker (right elbow discomfort) and Robert Stephenson (right elbow inflammation) have both been placed on the 15-day injured list as well.
Vilade, 24, was claimed off waivers from the Rockies back in November. He ranked among Colorado’s best prospects just one year ago but struggled in his second go through the Triple-A level, slashing a tepid .249/.345/.352 with five homers and ten steals through 99 games in that hitter-friendly setting. Originally drafted as a shortstop, Vilade has moved down the defensive spectrum, first shifting to third base before a move to the outfield corners. He went just 3-for-18 without an extra-base hit this spring, finishing with a .167/.211/.167 line in 19 trips to the plate. The Pirates will have a week to trade Vilade, release him or pass him through outright waivers.
Zastryzny, 31, returned to the Majors in 2022 after a three-year layoff and tossed four innings between the Mets and Angels. He’s making the first Opening Day roster of his 10-year professional career, Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic points out (Twitter link). Zastryzny earned it this spring, punching out 10 of his 29 opponents against one walk while firing 7 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.
In parts of four big league seasons, mostly with the Cubs, Zastryzny has a 4.66 ERA and a 34-to-17 K/BB ratio in 38 2/3 innings of work. His Triple-A numbers across six seasons are generally similar, albeit with slightly better strikeout and walk rates. Zastryzny will give manager Derek Shelton a second lefty in the ‘pen, joining Rule 5 pick Jose Hernandez.
Delay, 28, made his big league debut with the Bucs in 2022 but was removed from the 40-man roster and re-signed to a minor league deal. He had a rough showing in camp, going just 3-for-20 with three walks, but he’s a strong defensive backstop and likely landed the backup gig by virtue of his glove. Delay posted plus framing marks last season, has a career 31% caught-stealing rate in the minors and was credited with two Defensive Runs Saved in 436 innings behind the dish last year. He beat out fellow non-roster invitees Kevin Plawecki and Tyler Heineman and will open the season as the backup to defensive standout Austin Hedges.
Garcia’s placement on the 60-day IL comes as little surprise. The team announced he’d be shut down midway through camp, and after a ten days of not throwing, they further announced that he was dealing with a nerve injury in his biceps and would continue to be shut down for as many as four to five weeks. He’ll need to completely build back up after that delay. Stephenson pitched just two innings this spring and was slowed by elbow discomfort, and Shelton acknowledged last week that an IL stint was likely.
There’s more concern with regard to Brubaker. Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweeted this morning that Brubaker’s elbow injury is “not minor” and the Pirates fear there’s a chance he could be lost for the season. The team hasn’t provided a formal diagnosis or update beyond today’s placement on the injured list, but additional news on Brubaker will likely follow in the near future. The 29-year-old Brubaker made 28 starts last season and pitched to a 4.69 ERA but with much more encouraging marks in FIP (3.92) and SIERA (3.97).
Pirates, Bryan Reynolds Continue To Discuss Extension; Start Of Regular Season Reportedly Seen As Deadline
The Pirates and star outfielder Bryan Reynolds remain engaged in discussion talks, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post (Twitter link) and Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (on Twitter). Both Heyman and Mackey suggest that tomorrow appears to be the deadline for an agreement, with Mackey indicating the 4:10pm EST first pitch of the club’s game in Cincinnati would be the cutoff point.
Whether a deal can come together remains to be seen. Mackey reports that both team and player have budged on their previous dollar figures, closing the gap and offering some optimism. Yet Robert Murray of FanSided cautions that “major hurdles” still have to be jumped, suggesting there remains a relatively significant split for the sides to sort out.
The Reynolds saga has taken a number of twists and turns throughout the offseason. Extension talks stalled at the beginning of the winter. The Pirates had reportedly offered somewhere in the $75-80MM range over six seasons, while his camp had reportedly countered at eight years and $134MM. The switch-hitting outfielder then requested a trade, which the Pirates showed no inclination to grant. While Reynolds never publicly disavowed the trade request, he softened his stance this spring and expressed a willingness to reengage with Pittsburgh on the extension front.
Reynolds is set to make $6.75MM this season after avoiding arbitration on a two-year pact last May. He’ll be eligible for the arbitration process twice more after this season barring an extension. He’s slated to hit free agency after the 2025 campaign, when he’d be entering his age-31 season.
If no deal comes together, Reynolds would almost assuredly find himself back in trade rumors over the summer. Pittsburgh again seems a long shot to compete for a playoff spot this year. If Reynolds is hitting at anything like the .262/.345/.461 level he managed last season, he’d be one of the more coveted trade candidates closer to the deadline. The Bucs will hope to avoid that situation by hammering out a new contract within the next 16 hours.