Giants’ Luis Gonzalez, Donovan Walton To Miss Start Of Season
At least one and likely two players won’t be part of the Giants’ Opening Day roster, as outfielder Luis Gonzalez and utilityman Donovan Walton have both been sidelined with injuries. Manager Gabe Kapler told Evan Webeck of the Bay Area News Group (Twitter links) and other reporters that Gonzalez will miss the next 4-6 weeks due to a lower back strain, and the team also told the media that Walton will be out until May due to his recovery from shoulder surgery.
Kapler specified that Gonzalez’s current problem is in a different area than the back strain that hampered the outfielder last season, though it does mark the third time in less than a year that back issues that kept Gonzalez out of action. He missed a little over two weeks in June and July dealing with his first back strain, and Gonzalez was eventually shut down with another strain in late September.
After playing nine MLB games with the White Sox in 2020-21, Gonzalez was placed on waivers after undergoing season-ending surgery and then claimed by the Giants in August 2021. (The team non-tendered Gonzalez over the offseason but re-signed him to a new minor league deal in pretty short order.) As Gonzalez got healthy and started to receive more playing time, it looked like a very canny pickup for San Francisco, as the outfielder had an .869 OPS over his first 112 plate appearances of the 2022 season. Gonzalez even won NL Rookie Of The Month honors for May, but that proved to be the peak of his year, as his numbers (undoubtedly impacted by his ongoing back issues) came back to earth. Gonzalez ended up with a slightly below-average 95 wRC+ in 350 PA, slashing .254/.323/.360 with four homers, 17 doubles, and 10 steals in 12 chances. He also made five mop-up appearances as a pitcher in blowout games, with a 5.68 ERA to show for his 6 1/3 innings on the mound.
Heading into 2023, Gonzalez’s injury will further complicate his path to more playing time in a crowded San Francisco outfield. The Giants were aggressive in adding to their outfield mix over the offseason, as they re-signed Joc Pederson and signed Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto in free agency. Even with Pederson mostly slated DH duty, Haniger and Conforto are expected to be the regular corner outfield combo, with Mike Yastrzemski and Austin Slater penciled into center field. LaMonte Wade Jr., Thairo Estrada, Heliot Ramos, and non-roster invitees Stephen Piscotty and Bryce Johnson might also be considered. Gonzalez has a minor league option remaining, meaning the Giants could send him to Triple-A as further depth once he recovers from his back problem.
Walton underwent his surgery back in September, after his shoulder issues resulted in a 60-day IL placement that prematurely ended his season. Acquired in a trade with the Mariners last May, Walton had 78 total PA in the 2022 season (all with San Francisco) and he hit .158/.179/.303.
The 28-year-old Walton has appeared in each of the last four MLB seasons, though he has only 61 big league games on his resume after being frequently back and forth between the majors and minors with both the Giants and Mariners. Walton has played mostly second base and shortstop during his career, but he has more recently branched out to some third base and left field work in order to add to his versatility and help his chances of sticking in the Show.
The Giants non-tendered Walton last November, but then re-signed him to a new minor league deal in December. Since Walton is out of minor league options, San Francisco might eventually face a tricky roster decision when he is healthy, though that decision is still at least a couple of months away.
Minor MLB Transactions: 12/14/22
Teams have been quite active over the past couple of weeks and a few minor league deals slipped through the cracks. Here’s a quick roundup.
- The Giants signed infielder Donovan Walton to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Walton, 29 in May, began 2022 with the Mariners but was traded to the Giants in May. He spent the year as a frequently-optioned depth piece for the Giants, getting into 25 MLB games and hitting .158/.179/.303, wRC+ of 31. In the minors this year, he hit .248/.353/.403, wRC+ of 94. He was non-tendered at the end of the season but has now re-joined the organization in a non-roster capacity. He has some experience at all four infield positions and left field, giving the club a versatile depth option. If he makes it back onto the 40-man, he’s now out of options and will have to stick on the active roster or else be designated for assignment.
- The Braves signed catcher Joe Hudson to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Hudson, 32 in May, has 18 games of MLB experience stretched across three seasons from 2018 to 2020. He spent 2022 in the Rays’ system, getting into 49 games for the Triple-A Durham Bulls. He hit .226/.345/.489 in that time for a wRC+ of 119. The Braves recently acquired Sean Murphy to be their primary catcher, but sent William Contreras and Manny Piña packing as part of the deal. The club does still have Chadwick Tromp and the oft-injured Travis d’Arnaud but Hudson will give them a depth option with major league experience.
- The Twins signed first baseman Tyler White to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. White, 32, played for the Astros from 2016 to 2019, and a brief stint with the Dodgers, but played in Korea in 2020. He came back to North America for the past two years but has been stuck in Triple-A. Though he generally hits well, his defense is essentially limited to first base at this point, aside from brief stints at third. With the Blue Jays’ system in 2021, he hit .292/.424/.476 for a wRC+ of 141. He split 2022 between the Triple-A teams of the Braves and Brewers, hitting .230/.357/.412, 108 wRC+.
- The Marlins signed infielder Alex De Goti to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. De Goti, 28, has spent his entire career with the Astros thus far, getting into two big league games in 2021. He spent all of 2022 in Triple-A, hitting .253/.352/.377 for a wRC+ of 87. He’s played every position on the diamond in his minor league career except for catcher, even taking the mound for the occasional mop-up stint. He should serve as a versatile depth piece for the Fish.
- The Nationals have signed right-hander Ronald Herrera to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Herrera, 28 in May, has three innings of MLB experience, which came as a 22-year-old back in 2017 with the Yankees. He spent most of 2022 with the Double-A affiliate of the Nats, making 24 starts and throwing 129 innings. He posted a 4.40 ERA in that time with a 21.4% strikeout rate, 6.4% walk rate and 39.8% ground ball rate. The Nats had the worst rotation ERA in the majors in 2022, coming in at 5.97. They’ve signed Trevor Williams to help out but there’s a still a good chance they might have to rely on some depth options throughout the year.
- The Angels signed right-hander Nash Walters to a minor league contract, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Walters, 26 in May, spent his entire career in the Brewers’ organization until getting sent to the Angels in a September 2022 trade. He made his major league debut with the Halos on the last day of the season, facing three batters, retiring one while surrendering one hit and one walk. His minor league work for 2022 amounted to 53 2/3 innings with a 4.70 ERA, 30.2% strikeout rate and 8.2% walk rate. He was non-tendered at the end of the year but has returned to the organization without taking up a spot on the 40-man.
- The Mariners signed right-hander Jose Rodriguez to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. Rodriguez, 27, tossed 21 1/3 innings with the Angels over 2019 and 2020, posting a 2.53 ERA in that time. That number looks impressive but came with an unsustainable 100% strand rate and .226 batting average on balls in play. His 14.1% strikeout rate and 13% walk rate suggest he was lucky to allow so few earned runs. He spent 2022 in the Mets’ system, tossing 76 1/3 innings in Triple-A with a 4.95 ERA, 20.5% strikeout rate, 10.9% walk rate and 42.2% ground ball rate. If he’s able to crack Seattle’s 40-man roster, he still has two option years remaining and can be moved between the majors and minors with regularity.
National League Non-Tenders: 11/18/22
The deadline to tender contract to arbitration-eligible players is tonight at 7:00pm Central. Here’s a rundown of the players on National League teams that have been non-tendered today. This post will be updated as more decisions are revealed. All players non-tendered go directly to free agency
MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected salaries for all arb-eligible players last month.
Later Updates
- The Reds have non-tendered righty Daniel Duarte and minor league outfielder Allan Cerda, taking both off the 40-man roster. Neither had been eligible for arbitration, but Cincinnati will send both into free agency without having to place either on waivers. Duarte made three relief appearances this year, his first as a big leaguer. Cerda, 23 next month, has yet to reach the majors. He hit .198/.350/.401 in 257 plate appearances in Double-A. Cincinnati also announced that six players designated for assignment earlier this week — Aristides Aquino, Jared Solomon, Kyle Dowdy, Derek Law, Art Warren and Jeff Hoffman — were all let go. Both Duarte and Cerda have already agreed to re-sign with Cincinnati on minor league deals, reports Mark Sheldon of MLB.com (Twitter link).
Earlier Moves
- The Braves freed a pair of 40-man roster spots by non-tendering minor league pitchers Brooks Wilson and Alan Rangel. Rangel spent most of this past season in Double-A, while Wilson didn’t pitch in 2022. Atlanta also announced that three players non-tendered earlier this week — Guillermo Heredia, Jackson Stephens and Silvino Bracho — have been let go.
- The Giants have non-tendered relievers Mauricio Llovera and Alex Young and infielder Donovan Walton, clearing three spots on the 40-man roster. Walton was acquired from the Mariners midseason and hit .158/.179/.303 in 24 games with San Francisco. Young made 24 appearances after his contract was purchased from the Guardians. Llovera pitched 17 times after signing a minor league deal last offseason. Additionally San Francisco non-tendered seven players who’d been designated for assignment earlier this week: Drew Strotman, Meibrys Viloria, Colton Welker, Jarlin Garcia, Dom Nunez, Sam Delaplane and Jason Vosler.
- The Pirates non-tendered lefty Manny Banuelos and catcher Tyler Heineman. Both had been designated for assignment earlier this week.
- The Diamondbacks non-tendered righty Reyes Moronta, the team announced. The reliever posted a 4.50 ERA in 17 outings with the Snakes after being claimed off waivers from the Dodgers.
- The Padres announced they’ve cut loose catcher Jorge Alfaro and righty Efrain Contreras. Alfaro had been projected at a $3.6MM salary this season, a hefty amount after a .246/.285/.383 season. Contreras hasn’t pitched in the majors; he had a tough year in High-A and loses his 40-man spot spot as a result.
- The Cubs have non-tendered center fielder Rafael Ortega, as well as minor league pitchers Brailyn Marquez and Alexander Vizcaino. Ortega has seen a decent amount of action the last two years and had a respectable .241/.331/.358 line through 371 plate appearances this past season. Nevertheless, the Cubs opted against a salary in the $1.7MM range for next year. Marquez has been a top pitching prospect but has battled injury issues for the past few years. Vizcaino was part of the Anthony Rizzo trade with the Yankees but didn’t pitch in the minors this year.
- The Nationals non-tendered righty Tommy Romero. He’d been designated for assignment earlier this week. Washington confirmed the previously-reported decisions to part with Luke Voit and Erick Fedde.
- The Brewers cut loose right-handers Trevor Gott, Jandel Gustave and Luis Perdomo. All three were part of Milwaukee’s middle innings mix, with Gustave’s 45 appearances the most among that group. Gott had a 4.15 ERA over 45 2/3 innings after signing a free agent deal last offseason.
- The Rockies non-tendered infielder/outfielder Garrett Hampson, the club announced. The 28-year-old had been projected for a $2.1MM salary. A speedster with the ability to play anywhere up the middle, Hampson just hasn’t hit at the big league level. He’s coming off a .211/.287/.307 showing through 226 plate appearances.
- The Mets announced they’ve non-tendered Sean Reid-Foley and confirmed they’re letting go of Dominic Smith, who’s non-tender was previously reported. This year, Reid-Foley made seven MLB appearances, tossing 10 innings of relief.
- The Dodgers have non-tendered infielder Edwin Rios and utilityman Luke Williams, per a club announcement. Los Angeles also confirmed the previously reported non-tender of former MVP Cody Bellinger. Rios has shown some offensive promise in the past and owns a .212/.299/.492 line through 112 big league games. He missed a good chunk of this past season with a hamstring strain. Williams was claimed off waivers from the Marlins recently; the Dodgers could look to bring him back on a minor league deal.
Giants Claim Patrick Mazeika From Mets
The Giants have claimed catcher Patrick Mazeika off waivers from the Mets, tweets Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com. The Mets had designated him for assignment a few days ago. To open a spot for Mazeika on the 40-man roster, infielder Donovan Walton has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and placed on the 60-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation.
Mazeika, 28, was drafted by the Mets and has spent his entire career with the organization until now. He made his MLB debut last year and has gotten into 61 games between 2021 and 2022. He’s hit just .190/.236/.279 in that time but has much better numbers in the minors. In Triple-A this year, he’s hit .261/.383/.333 for a wRC+ of 105.
The Giants thinned out their catching depth by trading Curt Casali to the Mariners at the deadline. Joey Bart and Austin Wynns are with the big league club, while Yermin Mercedes and Ford Proctor are in the minors, though those latter two also play other positions and are only part-time catchers. Mazeika is also capable of playing some first base, meaning the Giants now have a collection of versatile depth catching options jockeying for playing time.
As for Walton, he was acquired from the Mariners in a May trade, with the Giants optioning him to the minors and recalling him multiple times this year. He was in the minors when injured but has been called up in order to be transferred to the 60-day injured list. This means he will no longer occupy a spot on the 40-man roster, but he will earn major league pay and service time for as long as he’s there.
Giants Place Luis Gonzalez On 10-Day Injured List, Recall Donovan Walton
The Giants have placed outfielder Luis Gonzalez on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain (retroactive to June 22). Veteran utility man Donovan Walton has been recalled to claim his roster spot, per Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic (via Twitter).
Gonzalez was picked up as a waiver claim last year from the White Sox, but he has made a strong play to be a permanent fixture in the San Francisco outfield. The 26-year-old Gonzalez has already posted 1.2 rWAR/1.0 fWAR in 180 plate appearances on the season. While splitting his time across all three outfield spots, he has hit .302/.361/.447 with three home runs and seven stolen bases.
Walton, 28, made at least one appearance with the Mariners in each of the past four seasons, but with 58 plate appearances with the Giants this year, he’s already close to matching his career-high of 69 plate appearances.
Walton fits a classic San Francisco bench player mold with his ability to play multiple positions. Unfortunately for Walton, the Giants lineup currently leans heavily to the left, giving Walton less utility as a platoon player or spot starter. For now at least, Austin Slater would seem to step into the starting lineup, which could give Walton an opportunity for a game in the grass against a particularly tough right-hander.
Astros Acquire Mauricio Dubon
The Astros have acquired utility player Mauricio Dubon from the Giants in exchange for catcher Mike Papierski, as announced by both clubs. Additionally, the Giants have recalled infielder Donovan Walton to replace Dubon on the active roster and assigned Papierski to Triple-A Sacramento.
Dubon, 27, was originally drafted by the Red Sox in in 2013, but went to the Brewers as part of the 2016 Tyler Thornburg trade. He made it up to the big leagues for a two-game cup of coffee before being sent to the Giants as part of the 2019 deadline deal that sent Drew Pomeranz and Ray Black to the Brewers.
Since that time, Dubon has proved to be a useful bench/utility piece for the club. In 179 career games, he’s hit .258/.301/.395 while spending time at second base, third base, shortstop and center field. That batting line amounts to 88 wRC+, about 12% below league average, but his solid defense at multiple positions has still allowed him to accumulate 1.4 wins above replacement for his career, according to FanGraphs.
Those are solid contributions for a part-time player, but it seems that Dubon might have just been squeezed off a talented Giants roster. He and Thairo Estrada play similar roles on the club as right-handed hitting utility options. Tommy La Stella began the season on the injured list after undergoing achilles surgery in October but is currently rehabbing and nearing a return. The club will need to make room for him and it seems like they either preferred Estrada or got an offer on Dubon that tipped the scales in favor of this route. Since Dubon is out of options, sending him to the minors wasn’t going to be possible.
For the Astros, they’ve had disappointing results from their utility players so far this year. Aledmys Diaz is hitting .191/.257/.294 on the year for a wRC+ of 69. Niko Goodrum has been even worse, as his slash line on the year is currently .128/.171/.179, wRC+ of 4. With Jose Altuve and Jeremy Pena both dealing with minor injuries this week, the club’s middle infield mix was starting to look a little wobbly. They’re surely hoping that Dubon can help shore it up.
As for Papierski, he was a ninth round selection of the Astros in the 2017 draft. He’s since worked his way up the minor league ladder, reaching Triple-A last year. His first taste of that level went okay, as he put up a line of .246/.379/.375, 98 wRC+. However, he’s taken a dip so far this year, sitting on a line of .211/.324/.278, 59 wRC+. He’s also been spending less time behind the plate this year, with 11 games at catcher, nine at first base and six at designated hitter. Last year, it was 64 at catcher and 28 at first. If he continues that trend in his new organization, it will put more pressure on him to produce with the bat since he won’t be providing as much defensive value.
Giants Acquire Donovan Walton, Designate Mike Ford
The Giants have acquired infielder Donovan Walton from the Mariners in exchange for pitching prospect Prelander Berroa, according to announcements from both teams. San Francisco has designated first baseman Mike Ford for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster.
Walton, 28 later this month, has appeared in the majors in each of the past four seasons. He’s tallied just 102 cumulative plate appearances across 37 games, though, and his only MLB outing this year saw him enter as a pinch-runner. A left-handed hitter, Walton has posted a modest .196/.260/.315 showing in the majors.
The Oklahoma State product has a more robust body of work in the minors, where he’s a .287/.375/.427 hitter in parts of six seasons. That includes a .302/.391/.518 line in just shy of 400 trips to the plate at Triple-A, and Walton’s hitting .294/.368/.510 through 12 contests there this season. Perhaps of greatest import to the Giants, he’s a versatile defender who has a ton of professional experience in the middle infield. He figures to bounce around the diamond in a utility capacity for a Giants team that has dealt with injuries to both Evan Longoria and Tommy La Stella (although Longoria is making his season debut today). Walton is in his final minor league option year, meaning the Giants can shuttle him between San Francisco and Triple-A Sacramento for the remainder of the season if he sticks on the 40-man roster.
Walton, somewhat ironically, becomes the third infielder the Giants have acquired from Seattle in as many weeks. San Francisco also picked up Kevin Padlo on April 26 and acquired Ford on April 30. Both those deals were for cash considerations, but the M’s recoup a minor league arm in exchange for Walton.
Berroa, a 22-year-old righty, originally signed with the Twins as an amateur out of the Dominican Republic. San Francisco acquired him at the 2019 trade deadline, and he’s spent the past few seasons in the lower levels of the farm system. Baseball America named Berroa the #29 prospect in the Giants’ system over the offseason, writing that he owns a mid-upper 90s fastball and a solid slider. The outlet suggested Berroa’s control is a work of progress but that he has a chance to develop into a back-of-the-rotation starter.
Over four appearances with High-A Eugene this season, Berroa has worked 13 1/3 innings of one-run ball. He has 16 punchouts and six walks, a continuation of the high-strikeout, high-walk ways he’s shown throughout his young career. Berroa will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft this winter if he’s not added to the Mariners’ 40-man roster.
Ford, meanwhile, suited up in just one game in black and orange. He collected a single in four plate appearances and has a .271/.417/.417 line over 60 Triple-A plate appearances this season. It’s the second time this year that Ford has been designated for assignment, as a DFA preceded the aforementioned trade from Seattle to San Francisco. The Giants will have a week to trade the 29-year-old or try to run him through outright waivers.
Mitch Haniger Tests Positive For COVID-19
Mariners outfielder Mitch Haniger has tested positive for COVID-19, per MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer (via Twitter). He has been placed on the injured list, while Donovan Walton has been recalled to claim his roster spot, the team announced.
With Haniger out for probably at least five days, the pressure should alleviate somewhat from the young duo of Julio Rodriguez and Jarred Kelenic, both of whom have started slowly at the plate. Abraham Toro, meanwhile, is the likeliest to move into the starting lineup while Haniger is away. Toro is at the hot corner today, with Eugenio Suarez moving to designated hitter. Haniger has started six games in right field and two at designated hitter for the M’s so far this season. He, too, is off to a slow start, slashing .176/.200/.471 over 35 plate appearances.
Walton, 27, figures to be back and forth from Triple-A a bit this season, as the lefty-swinging utility player has an option remaining. He has appeared with the Mariners in each of the past three seasons, but never seeing more than 69 plate appearances in a given year. In total, Walton has stepped to the dish 92 times and slashed .196/.260/.315 while appearing at second base, third base, shortstop, and left field.