Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Brandon Lowe

Rays Place Shane McClanahan, Brandon Lowe On IL

By | at

4:05pm: Topkin relays word from Cash, who says that McClanahan’s MRI confirmed the impingement diagnosis, describing it as a “best case scenario.” McClanahan will get a cortisone shot and could return after the 15-day minimum absence.

1:00pm: The Rays announced that they have placed starter Shane McClanahan on the 15-day injured due to a left shoulder impingement and infielder Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 28, with a right triceps contusion. Infielder/outfielder Vidal Brujan and right-hander Calvin Faucher have been recalled in corresponding moves.

McClanahan’s move may be disappointing but it’s hardly surprising. He was scheduled to start yesterday but felt his injury pop-up while throwing his pregame bullpen and never actually threw a pitch in the game. He and manager Kevin Cash both expressed cautious optimism after the game, feeling that an extended absence wouldn’t be necessary. That might still prove to be true, but it appears the team feels he needs at least two weeks before he can contribute again. Whether he will need longer than that still remains to be seen.

Even if he does miss just the minimum amount of time, it will still be a significant loss for Tampa. The southpaw has thrown 147 1/3 innings this year with a 2.20 ERA, 32.5% strikeout rate, 5.4% walk rate and 52.3% ground ball rate. That elite production has put him squarely in the American League Cy Young debate. Though the Rays are known for stockpiling quality depth pieces, any team would suffer from losing that caliber of performance.

As for Lowe, it’s been a frustrating stop-and-start season for him, with this just the latest setback. He first landed on the IL in mid-May due to low back discomfort. He ended up missing about two months due to that ailment, returning in mid-July. He was then hit by a pitch on Friday and was diagnosed with an elbow contusion at the time. He has sat out the club’s past few games, but it seems that the injury is lingering enough that they’ll have him sit out for at least another week. Despite those injuries, he’s still been able to produce for Tampa, hitting .234/.319/.405 in 61 games. That amounts to a wRC+ of 114, a drop from last year’s 137 but still 14% above league average.

With both Lowe and McClanahan out of action, the Rays will have to get by with a weakened rotation and lineup for a while. They are currently in possession of the top Wild Card spot in the American League, though the Mariners are just half a game behind and the Blue Jays separated from the Rays by just a single game. There’s a bit more breathing room until the best non-playoff teams, with the Orioles and Twins three games back. Nevertheless, it figures to be a tight race over the remainder of the schedule, with just five weeks left to go, with the Rays surely hoping to secure not just a playoff spot but also earn home field advantage in the first round by keeping the top Wild Card slot. Hopefully, a little bit of time off for Lowe and McClanahan will allow them to return and contribute down the stretch.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times announced the move before the official announcement (Twitter links).

Rays Make Several Roster Moves

By | at

The Rays have made a number of roster moves today. In terms of additions to the active roster, Brandon Lowe was activated from the 60-day injured list and Ryan Yarbrough was recalled from the taxi squad, per Neil Solondz of the Rays (via Twitter). To make room on the 40-man roster for Lowe, centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier was transferred to the 60-day injured list with left hip inflammation. To create the active roster space, Ralph Garza Jr. and Jonathan Aranda were both optioned to Triple-A.

Lowe has been one of the Rays top position players as the organization has surged to prominence over the last couple of seasons. Second base has become a full team effort with Lowe on the shelf. Aranda, Taylor Walls, Vidal Brujan, Yu Chang, and Isaac Paredes all started at the keystone in July. Lowe has been out since May 15 with a lower back injury. Before the injury, he racked up 133 plate appearances with a .212/.293/.415 triple slash line.

For his small part, Aranda stepped in nicely for a seven-game stretch, going 6-for-16 at the plate, striking out three times without taking a walk. It was the first bit of big league action for the 24-year-old infielder.

Yarbrough tossed 34 innings for the Rays earlier this season with a 5.82 ERA/5.35 FIP. The crafty southpaw has been as consistent a presence as the Rays allow over the past five seasons.

In a separate deal, the Rays have claimed Cooper Criswell off waivers from the Angels and optioned him to Triple-A, per Solondz. To make room on the 40-man roster, Shane Baz was transferred to the 60-day injured list. The 25-year-old Criswell made his Major League debut for the Angels last season, making a single start. He has registered a 3.50 ERA through 18 innings in Triple-A this season.

Rays Claim Yu Chang, Transfer Brandon Lowe To 60-Day IL

By | at

The Rays are claiming Yu Chang from the Pirates, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Pittsburgh designated the infielder for assignment last week. To create a spot on the 40-man roster, Tampa Bay transferred second baseman Brandon Lowe from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list.

Chang heads to his third organization of the season. A longtime member of the Cleveland farm system, the right-handed hitter saw action with the MLB club every year between 2019-22. Despite a decent prospect pedigree, Chang never secured regular playing time in a series of generally strong infields, and he struggled when he did find his name in the lineup. The Taiwan native hit only .208/.265/.372 with a lofty 28.5% strikeout rate over 358 plate appearances in Cleveland, bouncing on and off the active roster for his first three years.

That shuffle exhausted all of Chang’s minor league option years, and the Guardians were left to carry him on the big league roster or take him off the 40-man this season. They kept him in the big leagues for a couple months but eventually designated him for assignment in late May. Pittsburgh acquired him for cash considerations a few days later, but Chang continued to scuffle during his month in the Steel City.

Through 18 games as a Pirate, Chang hit .135/.237/.212 with a 42.4% strikeout percentage (18 in 49 plate appearances). The Bucs quickly moved on, and the Rays become the next team to take a low-risk shot to see if they can unlock some of his upside. Chang appeared among Baseball America’s ranking of Cleveland’s top 30 prospects each season from 2015-21, drawing praise for his plate discipline, serviceable power and ability to play all around the infield. As he’s reached the upper levels, however, Chang has shown an alarming propensity for swinging and missing.

It’s possible Chang’s stay in Tampa Bay also proves brief. Because he’s out of options, he has to stick on the active roster or again be designated for assignment. The Rays have a fair bit of infield depth, with Wander Franco ensconced at shortstop and the hot-hitting Isaac Paredes bouncing between second and third base. Yandy Díaz is on hand as a corner option, while former top prospects Taylor Walls and Vidal Bruján can cover virtually anywhere on the dirt. Each of Walls and Bruján has struggled at the plate this season and do have options remaining, however, so the Rays could decide to send either player back to Triple-A Durham once Chang reports to the team.

The infield mix will only become deeper once Lowe is able to make his return. Tampa Bay’s starting second baseman has been out since May 16 while battling a stress reaction in his lower back. Today’s transfer rules him out for 60 days from that initial placement, meaning he’ll be eligible to return right around the All-Star Break.

Lowe progressed to taking batting practice last week, but manager Kevin Cash noted at the time he was still a ways from returning to MLB action (Topkin link). He’ll surely need to head out on a minor league rehab assignment before stepping back into the big league lineup, so the decision to move him to the 60-day IL isn’t a surprise.

Brandon Lowe Diagnosed With Stress Reaction, Shut Down For At Least Three Weeks

By | at

The Rays announced Tuesday that second baseman Brandon Lowe, who went on the injured list due to lower back discomfort yesterday, has now been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his back. He’ll be shut down from all baseball activity for the next three weeks before he’s reevaluated. Even in a best-case scenario that sees him cleared at the three-week mark, Lowe would surely require a rehab stint after a shutdown of that length. That means he’s likely to be sidelined a month at the very least, with the obvious possibility of an even lengthier absence than that.

It’s a tough blow for the Rays, given Lowe’s track record as one of their better all-around performers in recent years. He’s gotten out to a slow start in 2022, though he’s still delivered some extra-base pop, evidenced by his five homers, five doubles and two triples. He’d seemingly turned the corner in May, too, slashing a huge .282/.378/.615 with seven extra-base hits over his past 11 games.

If there’s a silver lining for the Rays, it’s that they’re deep in middle-infield options. Top prospect Vidal Brujan could certainly see an uptick in playing time if Lowe is to miss considerable time, and the Rays also have Taylor Walls and spring trade acquisition Isaac Paredes as alternate options on the big league roster. Down in Triple-A, Ford Proctor and Jonathan Aranda both have experience at second base and are on the 40-man roster, although second base is neither player’s primary position.

The most straightforward course of action would be to install Brujan as the primary second baseman in Lowe’s stead. He’s long ranked among the game’s best minor leaguers, ranking among the top 100 prospects at Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, MLB.com, FanGraphs and other outlets dating back to the 2018-19 offseason. He’s had a slow start in the big leagues this year but has received only 21 plate appearances without a regular role in the lineup. The 24-year-old switch-hitter was batting .300./400/.467 in 70 Triple-A plate appearances and is generally lauded for a combination of his plus-plus speed, plus hit tool and above-average defense.

Even if Brujan picks up the pace and produces as the team has long hoped, they’ll still hope for as quick a return as possible for Lowe, who slugged a career-best 39 home runs for Tampa Bay just last season. The second-place Rays are currently five and a half games behind the division-leading Yankees. Lowe is being paid $4MM this year while playing out the fourth season of a six-year, $24MM contract extension that spans the 2019-24 seasons. The Rays also hold a $10.5MM club option for the 2025 season and an $11.5MM option for the 2026 season.

Rays To Place Brandon Lowe On Injured List

By | at

The Rays are planning to place second baseman Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list, manager Kevin Cash told media members (including broadcaster Neil Solondz and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). He’s dealing with a lower back issue and will head for further testing to determine the extent of the injury. Isaac Paredes will be recalled from Triple-A Durham to take his place on the active roster.

It’s obviously a tough blow for the Rays, who trail the Yankees by four and a half games in the early going. Lowe is one of the team’s top position players, an impact bat capable of slotting both at the top and in the middle of the lineup. The University of Maryland product blasted 39 home runs last season en route to a tenth-place finish in AL MVP balloting, his second consecutive year earning down-ballot support. Lowe strikes out a bit more often than the average batter, but he typically draws enough walks to maintain strong on-base numbers and is one of the game’s better power hitters.

Lowe is off to a bit of a slow start by his lofty standards. He’s hitting just .212 with a .293 on-base percentage through 32 games, and each of his early triple-slash marks are career worsts. That’s in the context of a league-wide offensive outage through the season’s first month and a half, though, and Lowe’s production has still been solid against that backdrop. The left-handed hitter has been 16 percentage points above-average by measure of wRC+, and he’s started 28 of the club’s 35 games at the keystone.

Tampa Bay does have a collection of highly-regarded young infielders capable of stepping into a greater role. Taylor Walls has been playing regularly all around the infield, and he and Vidal Bruján figure to see steady playing time. Paredes, acquired from the Tigers just before Opening Day for Austin Meadows, could see time at either of second or third base. As he has throughout his young career, he’s hitting very well at Triple-A. Paredes has a .263/.354/.484 mark in 25 games with Durham.

Rays Activate Brandon Lowe, Designate Kean Wong

By | at

The Rays have activated rookie Brandon Lowe from the 60-day injured list. Fellow infielder Kean Wong has been designated for assignment to open 40-man roster space. Lowe is hitting fifth in today’s lineup and playing second base.

Lowe’s return is a welcome sight for Rays’ fans. He last played July 2, when he went down with a bone bruise on his shin from a foul ball. After experiencing difficulty moving laterally for weeks, Lowe embarked on a minor-league rehab assignment in August, where he strained a quad. Initially believed to be season-ending, Lowe has somewhat remarkably returned for the season’s final seven games.

The timing couldn’t be better for a Rays’ club that sits a game up on Cleveland for the AL’s final postseason spot entering play today. Any hope Tampa has at making a playoff run involves the Wild Card, as the Yankees have officially sewn up the AL East. Tampa sits two games behind Oakland for the AL’s top Wild Card position.

The return of Lowe for the season’s final week (and potential postseason play) gives the Rays one of their most impactful bats. The 25-year-old was slashing .276/.339/.523 (128 wRC+) at the time of his injury, perhaps the frontrunner for AL Rookie of the Year. That honor will almost certainly go to Yordan Álvarez now, but Lowe nevertheless looks like a key piece in Tampa short and long-term.

Lowe’s slash line is inflated by a .381 batting average on balls in play and masks a concerning 33.9% strikeout rate, so it’s difficult to imagine he’ll remain this productive at the dish. That said, Lowe’s 90.7 MPH average exit velocity is quite strong, so he should continue to be a bona fide power threat even if his on-base numbers drop off some moving forward. For a quality baserunner and versatile defender capable of playing second base, that’s more than enough to be a key piece on a contender.

Wong, 24, is also a left-handed hitting second baseman, although he’s not generally viewed as anywhere near the caliber of player Lowe is. Nevertheless, he’s been productive in the high minors for quite some time, seemingly a victim of the Rays’ crowded infield mix. He got his first big league call this September after slashing .307/.375/.464 in 506 plate appearances in his third season with Triple-A Durham. Wong, the younger brother of Cardinals’ second baseman Kolten Wong, comes with a clean slate of team control and option seasons. Between that roster flexibility, his defensive profile and high-minors offensive track record, it would be surprising if another organization with a little more uncertainty in the infield didn’t take a flier on him on the waiver wire.

Injury Notes: Suzuki, Adams, Lowe, Freeland

By | at

Nationals catcher Kurt Suzuki returned to the D.C. lineup tonight for the first time in nearly two weeks, logging a pinch-hit, bases-clearing double in the 10th inning of a game against the Marlins. Though he’s back to swinging a stick for the Wild Card-contending Nats, it isn’t as if he’s altogether healed from the elbow issues that first sidelined him on Sept. 7. As he told Mark Zuckerman of MASN Sports, Suzuki is simply going to have to play through pain if he wishes to help his club into October. “Shoot, I’m 35 years old. I’m going to be 36 (on Oct. 4),” the catcher said. “If I get hurt, knock on wood, it’s not going to be just a little rest thing…At the same time, I don’t know how many times I’m going to have the opportunity to get to the playoffs.”

If Suzuki’s ongoing presence is a question of pain tolerance, the Nats should be sure to have plenty of aspirin on hand for the veteran backstop. After all, his .260/..319/.473 line (100 wRC+) through 301 plate appearances this year is vastly superior to the output offered by teammate Yan Gomes in 2019 (.221/.316/.370 slash in 329 plate appearances).

More notes about athletes dealing with their own share of September pain…

  • As noted by Greg Johns of MLB.com, Mariners reliever Austin Adams crumpled into a heap after tweaking his knee while covering first base in tonight’s game against the Orioles (link). Adams, 28, had to be helped off of the field by trainers. After kicking around the Angels and Nationals organizations since being drafted in 2012, Adams had appeared to find a comfortable home with Seattle in 2019. In his first prolonged big league exposure, the righty has logged a whopping 15.06 K/9 rate in 31.2 innings this year, with solid ERA (3.98) and FIP (3.12) indicators.
  • Rays youngster Brandon Lowe was back in uniform and manning second base today–albeit only in a sim game. Still, manager Kevin Cash thinks the rookie is almost ready to return from a left quad strain that has sidelined him since being injured in a rehab appearance in late July. “He’s close,” Cash told Juan Toribio of MLB.com (link). “I saw a video of him going first to third, and he’s running a lot better. I’m not going to say he’s back to his normal speed yet — he’s going to have to manage that whenever he does get activated — but we’re encouraged that the at-bats have been really good, the defense has been really good, it’s just running and getting out of the box and us having enough trust in him that he can manage that.” Lowe hasn’t played since July 2nd, when leg issues first befell him. Because Lowe is on the 60-day IL, the team would have to clear a 40-man spot to facilitate his return.
  • Rockies starter Kyle Freeland has been activated by the club and started tonight’s game against the Dodgers. Logging two scoreless innings in something of an “opener” capacity this evening, Freeland penned something of a modestly positive chapter in what has been an otherwise forgettable 2019 saga. With a sky-high 6.98 ERA (6.13 FIP) in 99.1 innings entering tonight’s game, Freeland has been a chief culprit in Colorado’s ’19 pitching woes. Interestingly, Jeff Saunders of the Denver Post penned a column today examining baseball’s offensive explosion in 2019, citing Freeland as one player who will be difficult to evaluate this offseason in part because of the possible “juiced” quality of this year’s baseball (link). Said Saunders: “In my opinion, the  “juiced baseball” really hurt Rockies left-hander Kyle Freeland this season. I’m not making excuses for Freeland’s 6.98 ERA and 25 home runs served up in 20 starts, because he was clearly off his game and his mechanics were out of whack. But I also think it’s true that Freeland became a little gun shy because his slider wasn’t breaking as it should and he gave up a number of cheap home runs.” There may be some merit to this thinking. Freeland posted a 22.9% HR/FB rate this season while home run records were shattered league-wide.

Latest On Yonny Chirinos, Brandon Lowe

By | at

The Rays’ pitching staff has gotten a couple major injury reinforcements back in recent days as the club attempts to earn an American League wild-card spot. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow returned from a months-long absence Sept. 8, while lefty Blake Snell came back Tuesday after sitting for several weeks. Righty Yonny Chirinos, out since Aug. 4 with middle finger inflammation on his pitching hand, isn’t far away from rejoining those two, Juan Toribio of MLB.com relays. Chirinos’ 40-pitch simulated game Monday “went really well,” according to manager Kevin Cash, who added “there’s a good chance” his next outing will come in the majors.

Like Glasnow and Snell, Chirinos has been one of the Rays’ most reliable starters in 2019. The 25-year-old has recorded a 3.62 ERA/4.17 FIP with 7.82 K/9 against 1.99 BB/9 in 126 2/3 innings (23 appearances, 17 starts). However, it’s not yet clear whether Chirinos will return as a starter or a reliever, per Toribio. Either way, Chirinos doesn’t figure to give the Rays a great deal of length. Notably, Glasnow has worked in two- to three-inning stints in a pair of appearances since his comeback, while Snell threw just 26 pitches against the Dodgers in his first start since July.

Meantime, the Rays will continue to go without injured infielder Brandon Lowe through at least their upcoming homestand, Toribio reports. That runs from Sept. 20-25, so if Lowe does get back on the field this regular season, he’ll play in a maximum of three more games. It would arguably be a bonus for Tampa Bay to receive anything more from Lowe, though, as he not long ago looked as if his shin issue would definitely prevent him from playing again this season.

Lowe hasn’t taken the field since July 2, and though Cash said his timing at the plate and infield work are back to normal, he’s not yet able to run at full strength. Whether or not we have seen the last of the 25-year-old Lowe this season, his rookie campaign will go down as an eminently successful one. Lowe slashed .276/.399/.523 with 16 home runs and 2.5 fWAR in 307 plate appearances before the injury interruption.

AL East Notes: Rays, Yanks, Red Sox, Hazen, Mayza

By | at

The latest on four of the American League East’s five teams…

  • As of three weeks ago, the Rays expected injured infielder Brandon Lowe to miss the rest of the regular season. That might not happen, though, as manager Kevin Cash suggested Friday that Lowe and right-hander Yonny Chirinos could return, Juan Toribio of MLB.com tweets. Lowe was amid one of the league’s best rookie seasons when he went down July 3 with a shin injury, while Chirinos was among the Rays’ top starters before landing on the shelf Aug. 5 with a finger injury. Despite their ongoing absences, Tampa Bay continues to hold an American League wild-card spot, albeit by the thinnest of margins. The Rays are a half-game up on the Indians for the league’s No. 5 seed.
  • It’s in question how much more the injury-plagued Yankees will get from catcher Gary Sanchez and designated hitter/first baseman Edwin Encarnacion this season. Sanchez suffered a strained groin Thursday, per Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. The Yankees are “hopeful” he’ll come back this year, Ackert writes. Meanwhile, Encarnacion incurred a mild internal oblique strain Thursday, though it’s not yet clear how much time Encarnacion will miss. The 36-year-old already sat out almost all of August because of a fractured right wrist.
  • Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen was a speculative target for the Red Sox after they fired president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski on Sunday. But Hazen, who worked under Dombrowski in Boston before going to Arizona in 2016, is officially out of the picture after signing an extension Friday. Even before Hazen agreed to that deal, the Red Sox didn’t reach out to the Diamondbacks to request an interview, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports. Extension or not, Hazen was already under contract with the D-backs, so they could have shot down the Red Sox had they approached the Snakes with interest in talking to him.
  • Reliever Tim Mayza left the Blue Jays’ win over the Yankees on Friday with a left elbow injury, the team announced. It was an ugly scene: Mayza threw a pitch way behind New York shortstop Didi Gregorius, went to the ground clutching his forearm and looked to be in tears (video via Keegan Matheson of MLB.com). Mayza will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet relays, but it won’t be a surprise if his wayward pitch to Gregorius goes down as his last of 2019. At this point, Mayza and the Jays are surely hoping the issue doesn’t prove severe enough to shelve him for any portion of next season.

Health Notes: Carrasco, B. Lowe, R. Hill, Tigers, Mariners

By | at

The Indians and right-hander Carlos Carrasco are gaining hope he’ll be able to help their bullpen this year, Ryan Lewis of Ohio.com reports. Carrasco’s amid a remarkably encouraging recovery from leukemia, an illness that put a stop to his season in late May. Since beginning a rehab assignment at the Double-A level, the 32-year-old has tossed 2 2/3 innings of no-hit, five-strikeout ball, showcasing solid velocity in the process. The Indians will now move Carrasco’s rehab stint to Triple-A Columbus, where he’ll throw around two innings Sunday, according to manager Terry Francona.

  • Rays infielder Brandon Lowe’s season is seemingly over, but he’s not giving up on a return, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times relays. Lowe, who has dealt with shin and quad injuries over the past couple months, explained Friday that he’s aiming to rejoin the Rays during the postseason. A playoff berth isn’t a certainty for the Rays, but at half a game up on the AL’s top wild-card spot, they’re on track to earn a spot. Although he hasn’t played in a while, Lowe’s among the reasons for the club’s success. The 25-year-old rookie wrapped up his regular season with a terrific .276/.339/.523 line, 16 home runs and 2.5 fWAR in 307 plate appearances.
  • Dodgers lefty Rich Hill will throw a bullpen session Saturday for the first time since landing on the IL on June 20 with a flexor tendon strain, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times tweets. Hill estimates he’ll rejoin the Dodgers’ staff in two weeks, per Castillo, though it’s doubtful he’ll start for them again this season. The 39-year-old could at least be an asset out of LA’s bullpen heading into the playoffs, however.
  • The Tigers have placed utilityman Niko Goodrum on the IL with a left groin strain, the team announced. Goodrum, one of the few reasonably effective hitters in the Tigers’ lineup, has put up a .248/.322/.421 line with 12 homers and a dozen stolen bases across 472 plate appearances. Not only that, but the versatile 27-year-old has totaled double-digit appearances at first, second, short and in the outfield.
  • The Mariners have shut outfielder Mitch Haniger’s rehab down temporarily as he deals with a back issue, according to Greg Johns of MLB.com. It’s a new injury for Haniger, who suffered a ruptured testicle June 6 and hasn’t suited up for a major league game since. He appeared in three rehab games before the back problem cropped up.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top