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Rays Claim Zack Littell

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The Rays have claimed right-hander Zack Littell off of waivers from the Red Sox, according to Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe. The Rays have transferred Garrett Cleavinger to the 60-day IL to clear space on the 40-man roster for Littell, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

Littell, 27, was acquired by the Red Sox from the Rangers last week in exchange for cash considerations. In three innings of work with the Red Sox, Littell struggled, allowing 3 runs on four walks (one intentional) and three hits while striking out just two. An eleventh round pick by the Mariners in the 2013 draft, Littell made his debut for the Twins in 2018, pitching to a 4.52 ERA with the club in 63 2/3 innings over the course of the next three seasons.

The best season of Littell’s career to this point came in 2021, as a member of the Giants. In 61 2/3 innings of work that season, Littell posted a phenomenal 2.92 ERA (142 ERA+) with a 3.87 FIP. That season, Littell struck out a career-high 25% of batters faced while walking 9.5%. The then 25-year-old also posted a career high 46.9% groundball rate during the 2021 campaign. Unfortunately, Littell’s previous struggles returned in 2022, as he posted a 5.08 ERA in 44 1/3 innings with San Francisco.

Without options remaining, Littell figures to factor into the Rays’ bullpen that has posted the third best ERA in the majors as a group thanks to stellar performances from the likes of Jason Adam, Colin Poche, and Ryan Thompson in addition to Cleavinger, who is likely out for the season after suffering an ACL injury.

Rays’ Garrett Cleavinger Likely Done For Season With ACL Injury

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Earlier today, the Rays announced that they had placed left-hander Garrett Cleavinger on the 15-day injured list with a right knee sprain and recalled right-hander Trevor Kelley in a corresponding move. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times now reports that Cleavinger has an injury to his anterior cruciate ligament and is likely out for the season.

Cleavinger departed yesterday’s game against the Yankees after appearing to hurt himself while trying to tag out Aaron Hicks during a rundown (Twitter video courtesy of Bally Sports Sun: Rays). It seemed likely that the lefty would have to miss some time but he now seems to be facing a significant absence that is obviously a rough development for both him and the team.

The 29-year-old southpaw has bounced around the league in his career, having been drafted by the Orioles but getting flipped to the Phillies in the 2017 trade that sent Jeremy Hellickson to Baltimore. He made his major league debut with the Phils in 2020 but got into just one game and then was flipped to the Dodgers in the offseason. He spent the next couple of years as a frequently-optioned depth arm for the Dodgers but was traded to the Rays at the 2022 deadline, likely at least partially motivated by the fact that he would be out of options in 2023.

Amid all those transactions, he’s managed to get into 55 games over the past four seasons with a combined 3.52 ERA in that time. His 29.8% strikeout rate is quite strong but he’s also walked 11% of batters faced. He was posting similar results this year, with an ERA of 3.00 along with a 29.2% strikeout rate and 12.5% walk rate. He’s already on the 15-day IL but will surely be transferred to the 60-day whenever the club needs his roster spot. He will continue to a major league salary and service time for the remainder of the schedule.

As for the Rays, they will now proceed without Cleavinger in the bullpen, leaving Colin Poche and Jalen Beeks as their left-handed relief options. Josh Fleming is also in the mix though he’s been working more as a bulk guy behind an opener as opposed to a more traditional reliever.

AL East Notes: Cleavinger, Guerrero, Severino

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Rays reliever Garrett Cleavinger suffered a knee injury during the 10th inning of today’s 7-6 victory over the Yankees.  Manager Kevin Cash told reporters (including Kristie Ackert of the Tampa Bay Times) that Cleavinger’s knee “grabbed on him” during a critical rundown play that eventually saw Aaron Hicks thrown out at home plate while trying to score the go-ahead run.  More will be known once Cleavinger undergoes testing, but Cash indicated that the left-hander will likely be placed on the 15-day injured list.

Like most hurlers on the league-leading Rays, Cleavinger is having a nice season, with a 3.00 ERA over 15 appearances and 12 innings pitched.  A 13% walk rate and a .160 BABIP are red flags, but Cleavinger is missing a lot of bats (30.4% strikeout rate) and is doing an excellent job of inducing soft contact.  Tampa has Colin Poche, Jalen Beeks, and Josh Fleming already in the bullpen as other left-handed options, though Fleming has recently been enlisted into bulk pitcher duty.  If the Rays aren’t concerned about keeping the lefty/righty balance in their pen, they can turn to any number of arms in the farm system, and hopefully Cleavinger won’t be sidelined for too long.

More from around the AL East…

  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has missed the Blue Jays’ last two games due to soreness in his left wrist, though MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson tweets that Guerrero was feeling slightly better today.  Naturally the Jays are being as cautious as possible with the star slugger, while also hoping that Guerrero can avoid an IL stint altogether.  Toronto has off-days on both Monday and Thursday this week, and manager John Schneider said Guerrero will be re-evaluated prior to the Jays’ game Tuesday with the Phillies.
  • Luis Severino is slated for a Triple-A rehab start on Wednesday or Thursday this week, as the Yankees right-hander gets closer to making his 2023 debut.  Severino suffered a right lat strain near the end of Spring Training that resulted in a season-opening stint on the 15-day IL, though he told reporters (including Greg Joyce of the New York Post) that he felt the Yankees were being too conservative in his rehab plan.  For instance, Severino thought he could’ve started his rehab assignment last week rather than throwing a 40-pitch simulated game, as he felt working in a proper game environment with a pitch clock was more helpful in getting him ready for a big league return.  New York manager Aaron Boone said that Severino will need to make at least two rehab starts before being reinstated from the IL, so given the team’s cautious approach, Severino might not be back until the Yankees’ May 23-25 series with the Orioles.

Rays Option Ryan Yarbrough, Recall Garrett Cleavinger

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The Rays have optioned left-hander Ryan Yarbrough to Triple-A Durham today and recalled fellow lefty Garrett Cleavinger to take his place, the team announced today. Yarbrough had started last night’s game against the Red Sox, and as the Rays have two days off next week, his next turn in rotation may have been skipped regardless.

Indeed, with rosters set to expand to 28 on the first of September, the move could well be a temporary measure to give manager Kevin Cash an extra arm in the bullpen. The move marks the first trip to the Rays’ active roster for Cleavinger, who was acquired from the Dodgers in an under-the-radar deadline move that sent minor league outfielder German Tapia to Los Angeles. In 4 1/3 innings across four games with the Dodgers this season, the 28-year-old southpaw posted an unsightly 10.38 ERA (and 2.08 WHIP), though he’s compiled a 2.37 ERA across 31 Triple-A innings between Oklahoma City and Durham. In the majors, he’s thus far posted a 4.70 ERA (6.25 FIP) across 23 innings in parts of three seasons with the Phillies and Dodgers.

The move marks the latest setback in what’s been an up-and-down year for the 30-year-old Yarbrough. After opening the season on the IL with groin tightness, the lefty has struggled to find consistent success, posting a 4.87 ERA (4.49 FIP) across 68 1/3 innings in the same sort of hybrid role he’s occupied since his 2018 debut.

While these numbers bear a striking resemblance to his 2021 output (5.11 ERA, 4.45 FIP), they still fall well short of his career marks (4.37 ERA, 4.10 FIP). Yarbrough’s advanced stats don’t offer a clear reason for the decline. His strikeout rate has dropped a bit, from 20.3% across his first three seasons to 17.9 % in the last two, but he’s continued to limit hard contact, allowing a hard-hit rate (the percent of balls in play with an exit velocity of 95 mph or more) of only 29.6%, nearly 10% below the league-wide average while his walk rate has inched downwards.

Regardless of the cause of the dip, it will be interesting to see how the Tampa front office handles Yarbrough in the offseason. He’s making $3.85MM this season in his second season of arbitration eligibility and could be a non-tender candidate for the financially constrained Rays.

Rays Acquire Garrett Cleavinger From Dodgers

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The Rays and Dodgers announced a deal sending reliever Garrett Cleavinger from Los Angeles to Tampa Bay. Minor league outfielder Germán Tapia is headed back the other way. To create a spot on the 40-man roster, Tampa Bay designated reliever Luke Bard for assignment. The move frees a roster spot for the Dodgers as they look for upgrades over the next day.

Cleavinger doesn’t have a whole lot of big league experience, tallying 23 innings over the past three seasons. Four of his 27 MLB appearances have come this season, but he’s spent the bulk of the year at Triple-A Oklahoma City. Cleavinger owns a 2.79 ERA through 29 Triple-A innings on the season. He’s fanned an excellent 37.9% of opponents, but he’s also walked a massive 13.7% of batters faced.

It’s been a similar story for the 28-year-old southpaw at the big league level. He’s punched out an above-average 25.9% of opponents in the majors, but he’s doled out free passes at a 13.4% clip. Owner of a fastball that averages just shy of 96 MPH and a low-80s breaking ball with strong spin and downhill action, Cleavinger obviously has intriguing raw stuff. He’s not yet been able to control it consistently enough to carve out a permanent big leaguer roster spot. but he can bounce between Tampa Bay and Triple-A Durham for the rest of this season — his final minor league option year.

Bard, who was displaced on the roster, tossed 14 innings over eight big league outings this season. He had a 1.93 ERA but a meager 14.3% strikeout rate and an elevated 12.5% walk percentage. Bard has much better strikeout and walk numbers through 19 appearances with Durham, but marked home run troubles there have contributed to a 4.88 ERA. The 31-year-old can be traded between now and tomorrow’s deadline, but it’s likelier he’ll find himself on waivers over the next few days.

Tapia, an 18-year-old outfielder from the Dominican Republic, has spent the past two seasons in rookie ball. He’s a 6’2″ right-handed hitter who has played in the corner outfield thus far as a professional.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first reported the deal.

Dodgers Select Shane Greene, Transfer Victor Gonzalez To 60-Day IL

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The Dodgers announced a series of roster moves today, one of them being the recall of Michael Grove, which was reported yesterday. Shane Greene will also be joining the team, though he wasn’t previously on the 40-man roster. To make room on the active roster, Reyes Moronta and Garrett Cleavinger have been optioned. For Greene’s spot on the 40-man, Victor Gonzalez was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

This will be the ninth MLB season for Greene, once he gets into a game. His career has been a bit of a rollercoaster, as he’s often oscillated between good and bad seasons. After posting ERAs north of 5.00 with the Tigers in 2015 and 2016, he turned things around in 2017. Across 67 2/3 innings that year, he had a 2.66 ERA, 25.8% strikeout rate and 12% walk rate. It was a 180-degree turn the next year, as his ERA shot up above 5.00 again in 2018. The next two years, he was good again, with ERAs of 2.30 and 2.60 in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Last year, the wheel of fortune spun him around again, as his ERA went up to 7.23.

That 7.23 ERA is a bit misleading, however, as Greene didn’t sign with the Braves until May and struggled to get into a groove after missing Spring Training. He had an 8.47 ERA with Atlanta before being released in August and latching on with the Dodgers. He put up a much more palatable 4.05 ERA in Los Angeles to finish the year, though in a small sample of just 6 2/3 innings. The club brought him back into the organization on a minor league deal in March. He has a 5.87 ERA in Triple-A so far this year, though the club evidently isn’t scared off by those results in a small sample of 7 2/3 innings.

The transfer of Gonzalez doesn’t come as a shock, as he underwent arthroscopic debridement surgery on his pitching elbow recently. The 60-day clock starts from his initial placement in April, meaning he won’t be eligible to return until early June. Though the club hopes he can return at some point this season, it doesn’t seem like it will be any time soon.

Dodgers Activate Tommy Kahnle

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The Dodgers announced that right-handed pitcher Tommy Kahnle has been activated off the injured list, relays J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group. Lefty Garrett Cleavinger has been optioned to create space on the active roster.

Kahnle, 32, last pitched in a major league game July 26, 2020, when with the Yankees. He underwent Tommy John surgery after that and has been working his way back to health ever since. Many pitchers have been able to secure themselves two-year deals while recuperating from TJS, with the team usually backloading the contract due to the fact that they won’t get any contributions in the first year. Kahnle signed such a deal with the Dodgers, earning $750K last year and $3.45MM this year, with a further $750K available in incentives.

Kahnle oscillated between dominating and struggling during the seasons preceding his surgery. In 2017, split between the White Sox and Yankees, he threw 62 2/3 innings with a 2.59 ERA, incredible 37.5% strikeout rate and 6.6% walk rate. The next year, however, just about everything went in the wrong direction, as his ERA shot up to 6.56, with a 28% strikeout rate and 14% walk rate. He was able to swing the pendulum back the other way in 2019, though not quite as dominant as 2017. In 61 1/3 innings, he registered a 3.67 ERA, with 35.5% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk rate. He threw just a single inning in 2020 before hitting the injured list.

In 6 1/3 innings of rehab work in the minors so far this year, he’s allowed two earned runs while striking out seven and walking just one. He’ll add another powerful arm to the Dodgers’ bullpen mix, jockeying for high-leverage roles with Daniel Hudson and Brusdar Graterol, forming an impressive bridge to closer Craig Kimbrel.

Dodgers Select Steven Souza Jr.

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The Dodgers announced they have selected outfielder Steven Souza Jr. to the big league club. Utilityman Zach McKinstry was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City to open an active roster spot, while reliever Garrett Cleavinger has been transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list to clear 40-man roster space.

Souza is up for his second stint of the season with L.A. Signed to a minor league deal at the end of Spring Training, Souza was promoted to the big leagues in mid-June. He wound up designated for assignment after just thirteen games. After passing through waivers and very briefly reaching free agency, Souza signed a new minors pact with the Dodgers and has been with Oklahoma City over the past couple months.

A seven-year big league veteran, Souza had a strong year with the Rays in 2017, hitting .239/.351/.459 and popping thirty homers. He floundered upon being traded to Arizona that offseason, though, and he hasn’t gotten much big league time since suffering a catastrophic knee injury in Spring Training of 2019 that cost him that entire season. The 32-year-old has performed well with Oklahoma City this season, though, hitting .247/.387/.504 with nine home runs and a massive 16.7% walk rate over 186 plate appearances at the minors’ top level. Because Souza was in the Dodgers’ organization by August 31, he will be eligible for their postseason roster even though his addition to the 40-man roster comes during the month of September.

Cleavinger landed on the 10-day IL on August 8 because of a right oblique strain. Today’s transfer rules him out for sixty days from that date, so his regular season is officially over. Cleavinger could’ve theoretically make it back if the Dodgers go on a deep postseason run, but manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register) that he won’t return this year. Acquired from the Phillies over the offseason, Cleavinger gave Los Angeles eighteen innings of eleven-run ball (six earned) in his first season with the club.

Dodgers Select Justin Bruihl, Place Garrett Cleavinger On IL

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The Dodgers are placing Garrett Cleavinger on the IL with a right oblique strain, per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Taking his place on the roster will be Justin Bruihl. The club had an open spot on the 40-man roster, meaning a corresponding move is not necessary.

Bruihl, an undrafted free agent out California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo, is a 24-year-old lefty. He pitched 15 Double-A innings this year with an ERA of 1.20, earning himself a promotion to Triple-A. In 22 2/3 innings there, he has an ERA of 3.57. He has excellent strikeout and walk rates at both levels.

For Cleavinger, this is yet another bounce in a season full of them. He’s been optioned four times and this will be his second IL stint. In 18 MLB innings this year, he has an ERA of 3.o0, with a decent strikeout rate of 25%, but an elevated walk rate of 14.3%.

In other Dodgers news, Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times reports that Gavin Lux is about to begin a rehab assignment and that Corey Knebel is expected to be activated Tuesday. Lux has been out since mid-July with a hamstring injury. There might not be much room for him in the middle infield once he’s healthy, given that Corey Seager is back and has been joined by newly-acquired Trea Turner. In 313 plate appearances this year, Lux has a slash line of .227/.307/.349, for a wRC+ of 83.

The return of Knebel will be most welcome, since the Dodgers bullpen has been weathering a slew of injuries lately. The righty has only thrown six innings this year on account of a lat strain but can be a potent weapon when healthy. From 2015 to 2018, he threw 214 1/3 innings out of Milwaukee’s ’pen, with an ERA of 3.02 and a massive strikeout rate of 35%. But health has been the big issue in recent years, as he’s only thrown 19 1/3 innings since that time due to various injuries.

Dodgers Place Tony Gonsolin On 10-Day Injured List

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The Dodgers have placed right-hander Tony Gonsolin on the 10-day injured list due to right shoulder inflammation, and also sent right-hander Brusdar Graterol and outfielder Luke Raley to Triple-A.  The trio of moves clears the way for Max Scherzer to be activated onto the Dodgers’ roster, while righty Edwin Uceta and southpaw Garrett Cleavinger were called up from Triple-A.

It seems likely that Gonsolin’s shoulder issue contributed to his tough start last night, as he lasted only 1 2/3 innings while allowing two runs on a hit and five walks in the Dodgers’ 6-5 loss to the Diamondbacks.  Control has been an uncharacteristically major issue for Gonsolin this season, as his 16.5% walk rate is one of the worst of any pitcher with at least 30 innings tossed.

Since Gonsolin didn’t debut this season until June 9 due to shoulder inflammation, the Dodgers have been limiting his workload, but the right-hander has still been posting some quality results.  Gonsolin has a 2.78 ERA despite his problem with free passes, as he has an above-average 26.6% strikeout rate and done a good job at limiting hard contact.

Gonsolin joins Clayton Kershaw and the newly-acquired Danny Duffy on the injured list, as Scherzer’s acquisition was intended to help correct the lack of available rotation depth.  If everyone is healthy, Los Angeles will have a fearsome array of pitchers available for the playoffs, though even the Dodgers’ depth has been tested by multiple pitching injuries this season.

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