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Anthony Misiewicz

Cardinals Acquire Anthony Misiewicz, Designate James Naile

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The Cardinals announced that they have acquired left-hander Anthony Misiewicz from the Royals in exchange for cash considerations. The Royals had designated him for assignment recently when Zack Greinke’s signing was made official. The create room on their 40-man roster, the Cardinals designated right-hander James Naile for assignment.

Misiewicz, 28, was drafted by the Mariners and broke into the majors with them in 2020. He struck out 30.1% of batters faced in that debut but an elevated .367 batting average on balls in play nudged his ERA up to 4.05. That strikeout rate was higher than anything he had done in the minors and now seems to have been a small sample blip. In the past two seasons, which included getting dealt to the Royals at last year’s deadline, he’s struck out 22.4% of batters faced but walked just 7%, as he posted a 4.52 ERA over 98 appearances.

It’s possible that Misiewicz deserved better than that ERA would indicate. His .321 batting average on balls in play and 70% strand rate over the past couple of years are each a bit on the unfortunate side of average. ERA estimators like his 3.88 FIP and 3.77 SIERA paint a bit of a nicer picture. Like most southpaws, he’s better against left-handed hitters. For his career, he’s held them to a .250/.288/.361 line while righties have hit .283/.348/.480 against him.

The Cardinals figure to have Génesis Cabrera as their primary left-handed option out of their bullpen, with other options on the 40-man roster including Packy Naughton, JoJo Romero and Zack Thompson. All of those players, including Misiewicz, have options and may end up shuttling between Triple-A and the majors as the season progresses unless one of them can separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

As for Naile, this is a very ill-timed transaction for him as today is his 30th birthday. After spending many years in Oakland’s farm system, he reached free agency and signed a minor league deal with the Cards last year. He pitched well enough to crack the club’s roster in June, eventually posting an ERA of 5.00 over nine MLB innings. In 73 1/3 frames at Triple-A, he had a 3.31 ERA, 20.2% strikeout rate, 6.6% walk rate and 53.4% ground ball rate. That latter number is his best selling point as he’s run kept the ball on the ground all throughout his minor league career.

The Cards will now have one week to trade Naile or pass him through waivers. He still has a couple of option years and hardly any service time, which could intrigue clubs looking for some extra pitching depth. Roster spots are at a premium at this time of year but flexibility is about to go up with the return of the 60-day injured list next week.

Royals Designate Anthony Misiewicz For Assignment

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The Royals announced that left-hander Anthony Misiewicz has been designated for assignment.  The move creates roster space for Zack Greinke, whose one-year deal with Kansas City was officially announced today.

A veteran of three MLB seasons, Misiewicz was acquired from the Mariners in a pre-deadline trade last August, after Seattle had also DFA’ed the southpaw.  Misiewicz posted a 4.61 ERA and only a 14% strikeout rate over 13 2/3 frames with the Mariners last year, but at least got on track on the strikeout front by delivering a 4.11 ERA and 29.7 K% in his first 15 1/3 innings in Kansas City.

It was a promising return to form for Misiewicz, who had a 4.05 ERA and 30.1% strikeout rate over 20 innings in his 2020 rookie season with the Mariners, but both his ERA (4.61) and his ability to miss bats both declined during 54 2/3 frames of work in 2021.  Misiewicz posted respectable but not eye-opening strikeout totals during his minor league career, though naturally some uptick in K’s was to be expected after he moved to relief pitching.  The left-hander was almost exclusively a starter from 2015-19, but shifted into a full-time bullpen role upon making his debut in the big leagues.

Misiewicz isn’t a particularly hard thrower for a relief pitcher, though he does have some good spin on his pitches, particularly his curveball.  Between this skillset, his decent numbers at the MLB level, and the general need for left-handed pitching around the sport, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another club pluck Misiewicz off the DFA wire.  Misiewicz is also controllable through the 2026 season, providing another benefit for any interested teams.  The Royals have Amir Garrett and new acquisitions Aroldis Chapman and Josh Taylor all lined up as the top left-handed options in their bullpen, so while Misiewicz became expendable from the team’s perspective, K.C. would probably prefer that he sneaks through the waiver wire so he can be retained as minor league depth.

Royals Place Zack Greinke, Josh Staumont On Injured List

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The Royals announced that starter Zack Greinke is headed to the 15-day injured list, retroactive to August 21, with forearm tightness. Reliever Josh Staumont is also going on the 15-day IL with biceps tendinitis. Collin Snider and Anthony Misiewicz were recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take the vacated active roster spots.

Greinke last took the mound on Sunday but came out of his start against the Rays after four innings due to forearm discomfort. How severe the issue is remains unclear, but it’s worrisome enough the Royals will keep him out of action for at least the next two weeks. It comes at an unfortunate time, as Greinke had allowed only three earned runs in 16 1/3 innings over his most recent three starts. Of course, with the Royals near the bottom of the American League standings and looking ahead to 2023, there’s little reason for Greinke and the club not to exercise caution with any arm issues.

Signed to a one-year, $13MM guarantee over the offseason, Greinke has made 21 starts during his second stint in Kansas City. He owns a 4.14 ERA through 108 2/3 innings despite a career-low 13.7% strikeout rate. The 38-year-old no longer throws hard or misses many bats, but he retains elite command and has provided the club with generally solid back-of-the-rotation production. He’ll again hit the free agent market this winter.

Staumont has had a very inconsistent 2022 campaign. Long considered one of the organization’s top pitching prospects, Staumont looked to have settled in as a quality late-game reliever over the prior two seasons. Between 2020-21, he tossed 90 1/3 innings of 2.76 ERA ball while striking out 29% of batters faced. As he had throughout his minor league career, he struggled to throw strikes at times, but his power arsenal was on full display.

He’d remained generally effective through the first few months of this season, working to a 3.67 ERA with a 27.1% strikeout percentage through the All-Star Break. Things have gone completely off the rails in the second half, however, as he’s been tagged for 16 runs with 11 strikeouts and walks apiece in 10 2/3 innings over his past 12 outings. Staumont will be eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter and is controllable through 2025.

Misiewicz is now in position to make his team debut. Acquired from the Mariners at the start of the month, he was promptly optioned to Omaha. He’s allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings there since the trade, striking out seven with just one walk. The left-hander had made 104 MLB appearances with Seattle over the past three seasons, working to a 4.48 ERA over 88 1/3 frames.

Royals Acquire Anthony Misiewicz

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The Mariners announced that they have traded left-hander Anthony Misiewicz to the Royals for cash considerations. The lefty had been designated for assignment yesterday.

Misiewicz, 27, seemed to have a nice breakout during the 2020 season, throwing 20 innings out of Seattle’s bullpen during that shortened campaign with a 4.05 ERA, with a 28% ground ball rate, solid 7.2% walk rate and excellent 30.1% strikeout rate. Unfortunately, he couldn’t quite carry that over into the following seasons, as his ERA shot up to 4.61 in both 2021 and here in 2022. His strikeout rate fell to 22.5% last year and dropped even further to 14% here in 2022. He got optioned to Triple-A in June and has fared better in a small sample of 12 1/3 innings, logging a 3.65 ERA, 23.6% strikeout rate, 10.9% walk rate and 51.5% ground ball rate.

For the Royals, they will add a controllable reliever to their lefty bullpen depth chart. Misiewicz came into the season with exactly two years of MLB service time and won’t be able to cross the three-year mark this year due to his having already spent about six weeks in the minors. They can keep him in the minors and see if he can get into a good groove. Amir Garrett is currently the only southpaw in the big league club’s bullpen, meaning there’s a path for Misiewicz to earn his way back onto the roster.

Mariners Place Julio Rodriguez, Dylan Moore On 10-Day IL; Ty France To Undergo MRI

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The Mariners placed outfielder Julio Rodriguez (right wrist contusion) and utilityman Dylan Moore (back spasms) on the 10-day injured list.  Jarred Kelenic has been called up from Triple-A, and first baseman/outfielder Jack Larsen’s contract has been selected from Double-A.  To make room for Larsen on the 40-man roster, left-hander Anthony Misiewicz has been designated for assignment.

Last night’s 5-4 win over the Astros was a costly victory for the Mariners, as Rodriguez, Moore, and Sam Haggerty (due to a cut on his forehead) all had to leave the game, making Seattle’s late-inning triumph all the more improbable.  If that wasn’t enough, Ty France is also set to undergo an MRI, as his bothersome left wrist injury again flared up late in the game.

Rodriguez’s injury drew the most immediate concern after the star rookie was hit on the right hand while swinging, though x-rays were negative.  Rodriguez is still sore enough that he won’t be able to swing for the next 4-5 days, manager Scott Servais told Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times and other reporters, and thus the IL stint was necessary to both keep the Mariners from being undermanned and to give Rodriguez time to get healthy.

There’s no easy way to replace Rodriguez, who has quickly cemented himself as both the present and future of Seattle baseball.  The outfielder is the heavy favorite to capture AL Rookie Of The Year honors, unless this IL stint lingers or impacts Rodriguez’s production once he does return.  Likewise, France also made the AL All-Star team this year and has basically done nothing but hit since the M’s acquired him from the Padres at the 2020 trade deadline.

Rodriguez and France are the Mariners’ two team leaders in fWAR, so losing at least one and potentially both to injury just prior to the trade deadline leaves Seattle’s front office in a tight spot.  President of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto implied that after the Luis Castillo trade, the M’s could be done with any huge moves, and were relying on Mitch Haniger’s return to boost the offense rather than rely on any outside pieces.  The Mariners still have over 52 hours to monitor and evaluate Rodriguez and France before the 5pm CT deadline on August 2, but if there’s any uncertainty, the aggressive Dipoto might opt to swing at least a depth trade for the lineup just in case.

Moore has been a valuable player in his own right, posting a 116 wRC+ (from five homers and a .197/.350/.367 slash line in 185 PA) and playing at least one game at seven different positions around the diamond this season.  Abraham Toro will have to pick up some of the utility slack in the interim, though Toro has mostly played only second and third base during his two seasons with the Mariners.  Back spasms might not sideline Moore for much beyond the 10-day minimum, yet Dipoto could also explore adding a multi-position player to help fill Moore’s shoes in the short term.

Kelenic will get another opportunity to establish himself in the majors after struggling badly in first 473 plate appearances in the Show.  Kelenic has hit .173/.256/.338 as a big leaguer, with an ungainly 30% strikeout rate.  That swing-and-miss has crept into Kelenic’s work in the minors, as though he is hitting well at Triple-A, his strikeout rate over 252 PA for Tacoma this season is 23.8%, considerably up from 15.4% in 143 Triple-A PA in 2021.

Larsen went undrafted in 2017, but after inking a deal with the Mariners shortly after the amateur draft, the UC San Diego product is now on the verge of his Major League debut without so much as a cup of coffee at the Triple-A level.  The 27-year-old has played all three outfield positions and a handful of games as a first baseman, though Larsen hasn’t played any center field this year.  At the plate, Larsen has hit .266/.371/.444 in 564 career PA in Double-A ball.  Neither Baseball America or MLB Pipeline rate Larsen as one of the 30 best prospects in Seattle’s farm system.

Misiewicz has been a regular in the Mariners’ bullpen for the last three seasons, but he was optioned to Triple-A in June after posting a 4.61 ERA and only a 14% strikeout rate in 13 2/3 innings this season.  The M’s are known to be looking for bullpen help before the deadline, and left-handed relief could be a particular need, as Misiewicz’s struggles further lessened a pen already thin on southpaws.  It isn’t out of the question that Misiewicz could be claimed on DFA waivers, given how other clubs are constantly on the hunt for left-handed relief.

AL Notes: Mariners, Lewis, Castillo, Misiewicz, White Sox, Giolito

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The Mariners were hopeful that reigning Rookie of the Year Kyle Lewis would begin a rehab assignment on Friday, but those plans were dashed by soreness in his surgically-repaired right knee, per The Athletic’s Corey Brock. Lewis went under the knife in June after just 147 plate appearances. His offense was down a little to a .246/.333/.392 triple slash line, but even ignoring the small sample caveat, that’s still good for a 107 wRC+.

Lewis’ delay is unfortunate, especially given the struggles of Jarred Kelenic in center.  Jake Fraley and Taylor Trammell have helped out in center as well, but Fraley is on the injured list and Trammell is in Triple-A. Somewhat improbably in the playoff hunt, the Mariners could certainly use better than the 50 wRC+ that Kelenic is providing, but given this latest setback for Lewis, any improvement will likely have to come from Kelenic himself. In other news…

  • The Mariners expect bullpen reinforcements soon. Diego Castillo and Anthony Misiewicz are on their way back from the injured list, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (via Twitter). Misiewicz has been one of their more reliable relievers on the season, and Castillo was intended to take over the closer role when he was acquired at the deadline. Paul Sewald has claimed that job for now, so it will be worth watching where manager Scott Servais chooses to work Castillo back into the mix. [UPDATE: the Mariners have officially reinstated Castillo and Misiewicz from the IL.]
  • Lucas Giolito’s hamstring strain may ultimately be a good thing for the White Sox righty. A short stint on the injured list will allow him to reset and adjust some of his mechanics, per Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. On finishing his delivery, Giolito said, “When my finish gets violent, I am recoiling on the pitch and my leg stiffens out. It’s almost like I am falling backwards. I don’t want to be there. It’s a bad habit. When I am strong on my front leg, even with a little bend, it allows me to get through the pitch, which leads to more extension going forward. I feel I am more consistent when I am more athletic and stronger through my finish.”

Mariners Place Jake Fraley, Anthony Misiewicz On 10-Day Injured List

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The Mariners made a handful of roster moves today. They placed Jake Fraley on the 10-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. Anthony Misiewicz was also placed on the injured list because of a left forearm strain.

Fraley has made headway this season in making himself a big league outfielder, slashing .213/.359/.388 in 220 plate appearances, making his season thus far worth 1.5 rWAR. Misiewicz, meanwhile, has made 54 appearances covering 46 1/3 innings. He has a 4.08 ERA/3.32 FIP, 24.1 percent strikeout rate, 5.6 percent walk rate, and 44.9 percent groundball rate.

To fill their roster spots, Wyatt Mills was recalled from Triple-A, and Jimmy Yacabonis had his contract selected. To make room on the 40-man roster, Shed Long was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Long went on the injured list on July 30, so he’s very likely done for the year. Keynan Middleton was also outrighted to Triple-A Tacoma.

Yacabonis will make his first appearance in the bigs since last year when he made two appearances with the Mariners. For his career, he owns a 5.71 ERA/6.05 FIP across 104 innings, mostly with the Orioles from 2017 to 2019. The 29-year-old right-hander has been sharp in Triple-A this season, tossing 31 1/3 innings with a 1.74 ERA. He will provide the Mariners with some length out of the bullpen should they need it.

Latest On Mariners COVID Situation

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MAY 22: Dugger and Misiewicz were each reinstated from the IL before this evening’s game against the Padres, per a team announcement. Fletcher and Mills were optioned back to Tacoma.

MAY 21, 6:17pm: The Mariners announced a series of roster moves related to the positive test. Right-handers Robert Dugger, Drew Steckenrider and Will Vest were all placed on the IL, as was lefty Anthony Misiewicz. The Mariners did not indicate that a player tested positive but rather that the moves were made “out of an abundance of caution” due to a “potential” positive. Further testing and contact tracing is being conducted.

In a slate of corresponding moves, the Mariners reinstated right-hander Keynan Middleton from the injured list, selected the contract of journeyman infielder Eric Campbell and recalled three relievers from Triple-A Tacoma: lefty Aaron Fletcher and righties Wyatt Mills and Yohan Ramirez.

MAY 21, 2:08pm: The Mariners are dealing with a COVID-19 situation, as reported by both The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan.  At least one player has tested positive for the virus, Passan reports, “and there is concern within the organization that the relatively low level of vaccination within the clubhouse could be problematic.”  Not only are the Mariners under the league-mandated 85% vaccination threshold for the lessening of COVID protocols, but the M’s “are among the least-vaccinated teams in” the entire league.

The Mariners are in San Diego tonight to begin a three-game series with the Padres.  Any of those games or perhaps even the three-game set with the Athletics from May 24-26 could perhaps face postponement in the event of a widespread outbreak amongst the team, though there isn’t yet any word that the M’s have anything beyond just the one positive test.

Mariners Select Jose Marmolejos, Joe Hudson, Anthony Misiewicz

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The Mariners will have a few more new faces on their roster in 2020 in outfielder Jose Marmolejos, catcher Joe Hudson and left-hander Anthony Misiewicz when their season begins Friday. The team added all three to their 40-man roster on Thursday.

Marmolejos, whom the Mariners signed to a minor league contract during the offseason, had been with the Nationals since 2011. The 27-year-old regularly posted above-average production with Washington’s minor league affiliates, including during 2019 when he hit .315/.366/.545 with 16 home runs in 382 plate appearances in Triple-A. Marmolejos hasn’t played in the majors yet, but he might get a legitimate chance to prove himself with the Mariners, who are missing their best outfielder – the injured Mitch Haniger. Marmolejos, Kyle Lewis and Mallex Smith may comprise their season-opening outfield.

The Mariners will also see what they have in Hudson, a 29-year-old whom they signed to a minors deal last winter. Hudson totaled just 13 PA with the Angels and Cardinals in the majors from 2018-19, though he has posted a useful .734 OPS in 383 PA at the Triple-A level. Hudson will back up Austin Nola in Seattle, which will open 2020 without starting catcher Tom Murphy because of a fractured metatarsal in his left foot.

Misiewicz, 25, is in his second Mariners stint. The M’s chose Mislewicz in Round 18 of the 2015 draft, traded him to Tampa Bay in 2017 and then re-acquired him from the Rays later that year. He divided last season between Double-A and Triple-A and notched a 4.59 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 over 131 1/3 innings.

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