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Brad Brach

Minor MLB Transactions: 3/26/22

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The Marlins optioned Bryan De La Cruz, Nick Fortes, Alex Jackson, and Lewin Diaz to Triple-A, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (via Twitter). Diaz’s demotion might raise an eyebrow or two, but Jesus Aguilar and Garrett Cooper have first base covered at the big league level. De La Cruz’s demotion is the more surprising of the bunch, as the 25-year-old was thought to be in contention for at-bats in center field after posting a 115 wRC+ in 219 plate appearances last year.

Of course, Miami’s well-advertised desire to add a center fielder might have been clue enough to suggest the organization did not expect De La Cruz to be “the guy” in center. Offseason additions Jorge Soler and Avisail Garcia have the outfield corners locked down, while Jesus Sanchez becomes the frontrunner to start opening day in center. Brian Anderson will see time in the outfield as well, while Jon Berti will backup center. Delino DeShields and Roman Quinn remain in competition for a roster spot, notes Joe Frisaro of Man On Second Baseball (via Twitter). In other roster moves…

  • The Pirates have optioned top pitching prospect Roansy Contreras to Triple-A, one of a number of roster moves made in anticipation of opening day. Yerry De Los Santos, Enmanuel Mejia, Hunter Stratton, and southpaw Blake Weiman were also reassigned to minor league camp, per the team. Contreras, the former Yankees’ farmhand, is the prospect of particular note here, the Pirates’ fourth-ranked prospect, per Baseball America. The 22-year-old made his Major League debut in 2021 in a scoreless, 3-inning outing, but he was not expected to make the opening day rotation. After all, though he made his debut, he also made just one start in Triple-A last season, spending most of the year in Double-A, pitching to a 2.65 ERA/2.74 FIP across 54 1/3 innings spanning 12 starts.
  • The Braves reassigned Brad Brach and Michael Harris II to minor league camp, the team announced. Brach posted a 3.05 ERA over 415 appearances from 2012 to 2018 with the Padres, Orioles, and Braves. In the three years since, however, Brach has struggled to a 5.77 ERA with the Mets, Cubs, and Reds. In Cincinnati last season, Brach logged a 6.30 ERA/5.04 FIP in 30 innings over 35 appearances. Harris, 21, slashed .294/.362/.436 in 420 plate appearances in High-A last season.

Braves Sign Brad Brach, Nick Vincent To Minor League Deals

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The Braves have added right-handers Brad Brach and Nick Vincent on minor league deals with invitations to big league camp, per Bill Shanks of SportsRadio WXKO. (Twitter links)

Brach, 36 next month, has pitched in the past 11 MLB seasons. However, his effectiveness has dropped in recent years, as he hasn’t posted an ERA under 5.00 since 2018. In the past three years, he’s appeared in 107 games, putting up an ERA of 5.77. His 24.4% strikeout rate in that time was above average, but he paired that with an unfortunate 14.4% walk rate. Last year, he threw 30 innings for the Reds, but was released in September with an ERA of 6.30 on the campaign.

Vincent, 36 in July, has pitched in each of the past ten MLB seasons, never finishing a campaign with an ERA higher than the 4.43 he had in 2019 and 2020. Last year, in 12 2/3 innings for the Twins, he got his ERA all the way down to 0.71. However, that was a tiny sample and largely based on an unsustainable .161 batting average on balls in play, leading every advanced metric to cast doubt on that ERA.

The Braves have been busy bolstering their bullpen in recent days, adding Kenley Jansen, Collin McHugh and Tyler Thornburg. The additions of Brach and Vincent give the club a veteran safety net, should they require one.

Reds Activate Jesse Winker From IL, Release Brad Brach

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The Reds announced Friday that outfielder Jesse Winker has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Fellow outfielder Tyler Naquin will head to the IL in his place due to bruised ribs, thus opening a spot on the active roster. Meanwhile, veteran right-hander Brad Brach, who was designated for assignment Monday, has been released.

Winker, 28, went down with an intercostal strain more than a month ago. His absence from the lineup has clearly been felt, as what was a powerhouse offense for Cincinnati early in the season now ranks 28th in the Majors with 96 runs scored over the past 30 days. Obviously, there’s more at play than just Winker’s injury with such a glaring downturn, but he’s been a huge part of the Reds lineup, batting .307/.395/.560 with 24 home runs, 32 doubles and a triple through 481 plate appearances.

The 30-year-old Naquin was one of the Reds’ best hitters early in the season and, after a prolonged slump, heated back up for a blistering three week stretch to close out the month of August. From Aug. 11-30, he turned in a ridiculous .420/.474/.812 batting line with six homers, seven doubles and a triple through 76 plate appearances. He’s been banged up recently, however, missing much of the past week after a collision with teammate Jose Barrero. Naquin’s IL stint is retroactive to Sept. 14, so he can return in a week’s time if his ribs have healed sufficiently.

Brach, 35, was designated for assignment Monday after a rough stretch out of the Cincinnati ’pen. He got out to a brilliant start with the Reds, firing 20 innings of 2.25 ERA ball with a 28.6 percent strikeout rate and a 54.9 percent ground-ball rate. His past 15 outings, however, have been an immense struggle. He’s totaled just 10 innings in that time and been tagged for 16 runs on 17 hits and nine walks with nine strikeouts. He missed a month of action himself due to a shoulder impingement, so it’s certainly possible he wasn’t pitching at 100 percent during that rapid downturn.

Cincinnati is 3-7 over its past 10 games and has lost possession of an NL Wild Card spot in recent days. The division-rival Cardinals hold a one-game lead over the Reds for that second spot, and the Padres are also a half-game up on the Reds as they try to keep their playoff hopes alive.

Reds Designate Brad Brach For Assignment

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The Reds announced Monday that they’ve designated veteran right-handed reliever Brad Brach for assignment in order to open a spot on the roster for infielder Kyle Farmer, who has been reinstated from the paternity list.

Brach, 35, joined the Reds earlier this year on a minor league pact and got out to a brilliant start with his new club. Through his first 20 innings in Cincinnati, Brach pitched to a 2.25 ERA with a strong 28.6 percent strikeout rate and a hefty 54.9 percent ground-ball rate. His 10.7 percent walk rate was a bit worse than league average but far from egregious.

It’s been a swift decline for Brach since that time, however. Over his past 15 appearances he’s managed only 10 innings and yielded 16 earned runs on 17 hits and nine walks with nine strikeouts (16.4 percent strikeout and walk rate alike). Brach missed nearly a month with a shoulder impingement along the way, which surely played no small part in his downfall after that hot start.

Brach was one of the game’s steadier setup men during his 2012-18 peak with the Padres and the Orioles. In 449 innings during that time, he logged a 3.05 ERA, fanned more than a quarter of the batters he faced (at a time when the league-wide strikeout rate was lower than it presently is) and averaged fewer than a homer allowed per nine innings pitched (0.92 HR/9) — no small feat given that five of those seasons were spent calling Oriole Park at Camden Yards his home stadium.

Brach has since spent time with the Cubs, Mets and Reds — in addition to a minor league deal with the Royals this past spring. He pitched quite well down the stretch for the ’19 Mets and parlayed that into a 2020 return to Queens, but he was hit hard in 12 1/3 innings last year. The consistency he once enjoyed has begun to elude him, but Brach’s work prior to the shoulder injury this season suggests he’s still a capable reliever when he’s right.

The Reds will place Brach on outright waivers or release waivers in the coming days, and any club will be able to claim him for the final few weeks of the regular season. He’s a free agent at the end of the year.

Reds Activate Brad Brach, Option Alejo Lopez

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The Reds have activated right-handed pitcher Brad Brach from the injured list, per a team announcement. In a corresponding move, infielder Alejo Lopez has been optioned Triple-A.

Signed to a minor league deal May 6th, the Reds selected Brach’s contract May 21st. The righty went on to log 29 innings out of the Cincy bullpen, with an ERA of 5.59. Barring a strong finish, this would be Brach’s third consecutive season with an ERA north of 5.00, after seven solid seasons split between the Padres, Orioles and Braves.

Brach’s 24.1% strikeout rate on the year is close to league average, but command has been the issue for him of late. His 12.8% walk rate is well above the league-wide rate of 8.7%, though it’s at least an improvement over the ghastly 24.1% rate he put up in 2020.

Despite dealing with bullpen issues all year, the Reds find themselves holding down the second National League wild card spot, going into today’s games with a half game lead over the Padres. Brach figures to be used in low-leverage situations for the time being, with Mychal Givens, Michael Lorenzen, Lucas Sims and Amir Garrett covering the high-leverage spots.

Reds Notes: Castellanos, Winker, Brach, Senzel

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Nick Castellanos figures to be one of the offseason’s most sought-after free agency commodities, as there doesn’t appear to be much doubt that the outfielder will opt out of the final two years and $34MM of his current Reds contract.  Such talks, however, are to be saved for the offseason, as Castellanos told The Detroit News’ Chris McCosky and other reporters that he is only thinking about the Reds’ playoff race.

“Any speculation about free agency is nothing that’s come from my mouth,” Castellanos said.  “Right now, the only thing that’s next for me is focusing on winning here.  We have a chance to win here.  I’m not going to squander that opportunity by thinking about something that’s after the season.”

Castellanos entered today’s action with 26 homers and a .321/.377/.578 slash line over 478 plate appearances, a performance that earned the first All-Star nod of his career.  As he approaches his age-30 season, Castellanos looks well-positioned to land a much heftier deal than two years/$34MM, though playing for a winning team is his chief priority.  The Reds will have to come up with a big offer to keep Castellanos in the fold, but their case of providing Castellanos with a winning environment will be bolstered if they can reach the postseason for the second consecutive year.

A healthy Jesse Winker would greatly help Cincinnati’s chances of landing the second NL wild card berth, as the slugger has been on the 10-day injured list since August 16 due to an intercostal strain.  Reds manager David Bell told reporters (including MLB.com’s Mike Petraglia) that Winker could start a minor league rehab assignment next weekend, “on the very positive, optimistic end of things.”  While there is clearly a lot of caution baked into Bell’s statement, he noted that Winker is “definitely progressing,” with an increased amount of baseball activity expected for this week.

Brad Brach, meanwhile, has already started a rehab assignment at Triple-A Louisville and is on pace to be back in Cincinnati’s bullpen sometime this week.  Brach went on the 10-day IL on August 8 due to a right shoulder impingement, after posting a 5.59 ERA over his first 29 innings in a Reds uniform.

The outlook is much less clear for Nick Senzel, however.  Bell told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon and other reporters that Senzel recently had a second opinion about his surgically-repaired left knee, and “It seems that it’s going to take a while for him to get back and healthy.  I don’t know what that means for the rest of the season, but it didn’t sound like it was going to be any time real soon.”

Senzel underwent the arthroscopic procedure in late May and was supposed to miss only 4-6 weeks, though he was eventually moved to the 60-day IL.  The Reds activated him in mid-August, only to send Senzel back to the IL after fluid was discovered in his knee.  Senzel is currently rehabbing at the Reds’ Spring Training facility in Arizona, hoping to make a return and salvage something from what is unfortunately looking like a lost season.  The second overall pick of the 2016 draft has been hampered by multiple injuries during his brief career, limiting him to 163 games (and a .246/.308/.396 slash line) and 616 PA since the start of the 2019 season.

NL Central Notes: Indians, Reynolds, Winker, Brach, Hayes, Escobar

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The Indians were known to be looking at outfield help in the lead-up to the trade deadline, and The Athletic’s Zack Meisel reports that Cleveland checked in on a pair of major NL Central names — the Tribe spoke to the Pirates about Bryan Reynolds, and with the Reds about Jesse Winker.  It isn’t known if any serious talks took place about potential deals, or if the Indians were just doing their due diligence and were quickly rebuffed.

The Pirates are reportedly viewing Reynolds as a building block and aren’t looking to move him (at least for anything less than a gigantic offer).  As for the Reds, it wasn’t even certain if they were going to be deadline sellers at all, even though Cincinnati had only a 39-40 record at the end of June.  However, the Reds have gone 32-21 since July 1 and now hold a 1.5-game lead over the Padres for the second NL wild card slot.  Given how Winker has developed into one of the game’s best bats, it’s safe to assume the Reds won’t be very open to offseason trade inquiries about his services, short of any “too good to be true” proposals.

More from the NL Central…

  • Speaking of Winker, the slugger has recently started some baseball activities as he continues to work his way back from an intercostal strain.  Reds manager David Bell told The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bobby Nightengale and other reporters that Winker has begun throwing and strengthening exercises, and he’ll start swinging a bat sometime this week.  Nightengale writes that Winker is “is still a couple of weeks away” from being activated from the 10-day injured list, after Winker was first placed on the IL on August 16.
  • Also from Bell’s update to reporters, Brad Brach should begin a minor league rehab assignment this week.  A right shoulder impingement sent Brach to the IL on August 8.  Brach signed a minors contract with the Reds in May, and he has posted a 5.59 ERA over 29 relief innings since joining the big league roster.
  • X-rays were negative on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ right hand after the Pirates third baseman left today’s game with a hand contusion, manager Derek Shelton told reporters (including The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Jason Mackey).  Hayes was replaced at third base for the top of the eighth inning during the Bucs’ 4-3 win over the Cardinals.  Fortunately, the injury appears to just a day-to-day situation for the rookie, who has already missed two months of the season due to a wrist injury.  Over 312 plate appearances, Hayes has a modest .246/.317/.370 slash line and five home runs this year.
  • Eduardo Escobar was playing catch on the field prior to today’s Brewers game, The Athletic’s Will Sammon reports (via Twitter).  Escobar was retroactively placed on the 10-day IL due to a right hamstring strain on August 23, and was given an initial recovery timeline of 10-14 days.  After being acquired in a trade with the Diamondbacks, Escobar appeared in only 21 games with his new team before being sidelined.  Escobar was Arizona’s All-Star representative this season, and he has hit .252/.307/.473 with 24 homers over 489 combined PA with the D’Backs and Brewers.

Reds Activate Lucas Sims, Place Brad Brach On IL

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The Reds have activated Lucas Sims from the IL, per Mark Sheldon of MLB.com. Brad Brach will be heading the other direction in a corresponding move, going on the IL with a shoulder impingement.

Sims has been out since late June with an elbow sprain. At the time, it was expected that he would miss about a month, a timeline that proved to be just a tad optimistic. The 27-year-old has been an important member of a Reds bullpen that has been a source of frustration for the club this year. His 5.02 ERA looks high but all the advanced metrics like him better. (3.26 xERA, 3.45 FIP, 3.75 xFIP, 3.19 SIERA) This optimism is borne out by his excellent strikeout rate of 34.9%, although his walk rate is a bit high at 11.9%.

As for Brach, a timeline for his injury is unknown. But a shoulder issue is always worrisome for a pitcher. The 35-year-old has thrown 29 innings for the Reds this year, with a 5.59 ERA, strikeout rate of 24.1% and walk rate of 12.8%.

Reds Place Nick Senzel, Wade Miley On 10-Day Injured List

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The Reds placed infielder/outfielder Nick Senzel and left-hander Wade Miley on the 10-day injured list, the team announced.  Senzel is dealing with left knee inflammation while Miley has a left foot sprain.  In other moves, Cincinnati also designated right-hander Carson Fulmer for assignment, selected the contract of right-hander Brad Brach, and called up outfielder Scott Heineman and righty Ashton Goudeau.

Senzel has missed the last three games with the knee issue, and he’ll now make what has unfortunately become a rather familiar trip to the injured list.  The 25-year-old has been set back by a wide variety of health problems in his young career, ranging from shoulder surgery to injuries to his ankle, groin, and finger, as well an illness-related absence last season and multiple bouts of vertigo.  The second overall pick of the 2016 draft, Senzel has yet to really capitalize on his potential due to all these injuries, with a modest .246/.308/.396 slash line over his first 616 plate appearances in the majors.

Miley left his most recent start after 4 2/3 innings due to his foot injury.  An MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage, so it’s possible Miley could return after just the minimum 10 days, and perhaps only miss one start thanks to a Reds off-day on May 24.  The veteran southpaw has a 3.50 ERA/3.72 SIERA over 43 2/3 innings this season, succeeding despite a below-average strikeout rate by limiting hard contact.  Miley’s year, of course, was highlighted by his no-hitter against the Indians on May 7.

Brach signed a minors contract with Cincinnati earlier this month, after he elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment to the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate in April.  The 35-year-old has already been a member of three different organizations in 2021, after being released by the Mets in February.  Brach’s first appearance for the Reds will officially put him on the books for his 11th Major League season, though he struggled over 66 2/3 innings with the Cubs and Mets in 2019-20.

Fulmer has been well-traveled himself over the last year, as he has been claimed five times off the DFA wire since July 2020.  Beginning with the White Sox, Fulmer’s sojourn included stints with the Tigers, Orioles, and two different stops with the Pirates before landing with the Reds in March.  The results haven’t been good for Fulmer in Cincinnati, however, as he posted a 6.66 ERA over 25 2/3 frames out of the Reds bullpen.  It’s probably fair to assume that Fulmer’s time with the Reds could be nearing an end, given his past popularity on the waiver wire.

Goudeau can even top Fulmer’s mark, as Goudeau has been a part of six different waiver claims and six different organizations since November.  After making his MLB debut with 8 1/3 innings for the Rockies in 2020, Goudeau now looks to be in line to make his first Major League appearance of 2021 after his many trips through DFA limbo.

Several Veterans In The Mix For Spots On Team USA Roster

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Former All-Stars David Robertson and Todd Frazier are planning to head to the U.S. Olympic Team’s training camp in Port St. Lucie, per a pair of reports from MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and the New York Post’s Joel Sherman (Twitter links). Sherman adds that righty Brad Brach is on Team USA’s provisional roster as well, though he’s pitching with the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate at the moment, so a call to the Majors would take priority. Meanwhile, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets that Homer Bailey and Edwin Jackson are both expected to pitch for the club. Team USA, set to be managed by longtime Halos skipper Mike Scioscia, will play in a qualifier beginning May 31.

Robertson, now 36, signed a two-year, $23MM contract with the Phillies prior to the 2019 season. He’d been the game’s most durable reliever prior to that contract, averaging 65 appearances and 65 innings per year over the preceding nine seasons. Unfortunately, that run came to an end with a pair of injury marred seasons in Philadelphia that culminated in the aforementioned Tommy John procedure. Robertson tossed just 6 2/3 innings in his two years with the Phillies. He’s still hoping for a big league return at some point, per Feinsand.

Frazier recently elected free agency after being designated for assignment by the Pirates. He put together a nice Spring Training with the Bucs, hitting .250/.353/.643 with three homers in 34 plate appearances. Upon being added to the big league roster and joining the club in the regular season, however, Frazier fell into a 3-for-35 slump before being designated and clearing waivers. He’ll look to get back on track in this latest venture, which could conceivably serve as a showcase opportunity or ultimately lead to a spot on the Olympic roster.

Neither Bailey nor Jackson signed with a big league club over the winter. Bailey spent the 2020 season with the Twins but was injured for much of the season. He enjoyed a respectable season between the Royals and A’s in 2019, however, tossing 163 1/3 innings of 4.57 ERA ball with a 21.4 percent strikeout rate and a 7.6 walk rate. Jackson hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since allowing more runs than innings pitched between the Blue Jays and Tigers in 2019, though he had a nice 2018 campaign in Oakland (92 innings, 3.33 ERA).

Notably, Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times reported this week that Team USA also reached out to Ryan Braun about a possible match. Braun, who has also received interest from Team Israel, tells Shaikin that suiting back up for any team “doesn’t make sense for me,” adding that he “couldn’t imagine being happier or enjoying life more” than he is right now while spending time with his family. Braun said back in March that he’s “strongly leaning” toward retirement, and while he tells Shaikin he’s leaving the door cracked in case he finds himself missing the game in the future, it doesn’t sound as though Braun has any interest in returning to the game right now.

Team USA has yet to formally announce its roster or a list of players who’ll train at their camp in Port St. Lucie, Fla., but Baseball America’s Kyle Glaser reported late last month that players on 40-man rosters would not be eligible for the team. The qualifier tournament runs May 31-June 5 and features the United States, Canada, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.

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