AL East Notes: Jansen, Yankees, LeMahieu, Webb, Mountcastle
Kenley Jansen enjoyed ten straight years of playoff baseball before signing a two-year, $32MM free agent contract with the Red Sox during the 2022-23 offseason, and barring a late surge from Boston in the last two weeks of play, Jansen is now on pace for back-to-back without any postseason action. As he heads into free agency this winter, it therefore isn’t surprising that Jansen is “always gonna look for winning. Contending,” the closer told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. “That’s going to be my priority…I want to be in a situation where we can contend for a title. That’s it.” This doesn’t necessarily mean Jansen wouldn’t consider a return to the Sox, as Jansen praised the team’s young talent and said he “had a blast wearing this uniform, playing for these fans.”
Even as he approaches his 37th birthday, Jansen has no plans to retire, suggesting that he’d like to pitch “at least until I’m 40-42.” There isn’t much on-field evidence that Jansen is running out of steam, as he remains an effective late-game weapon with a 3.48 ERA in 51 2/3 innings and 26 saves in 30 chances for Boston in 2024. Jansen figures to get a lot of attention in free agency this winter, and Cotillo suggests that the Yankees could look at Jansen as a potential replacement for Clay Holmes. The Red Sox and Giants were the only teams publicly linked to Jansen’s market in his prior stint as a free agent, but Cotillo writes that New York “made a serious run at Jansen before he” joined the Red Sox.
More from around the AL East….
- Sticking with the Yankees, DJ LeMahieu discussed his hip impingement with The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty, saying that he received a cortisone shot on Thursday to hopefully aid the healing process. LeMahieu hasn’t played since September 3 but he believes he’ll be able to return to New York’s lineup before the season is over. While players generally have a more optimistic view of their injuries, this does represent a more positive outlook than manager Aaron Boone‘s more non-committal answer earlier this week, when the skipper said “I wouldn’t necessarily rule it [a LeMahieu return] out, but I wouldn’t count on it, either.” In between this injury and the foot issue that cost him the first two months of action, LeMahieu has struggled to a .204/.269/.259 slash line over 228 plate appearances this season. Even if he is healthy enough to play, LeMahieu’s lack of production might well cost him a spot on New York’s playoff roster.
- Jacob Webb‘s activation from the Orioles‘ injured list could happen during the team’s current series with the Tigers, manager Brandon Hyde told MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko and other reporters. Before a bout of elbow inflammation sent him to the 15-day IL on August 4, Webb was one of Baltimore’s more solid relievers, delivering a 3.08 ERA over 49 2/3 innings and 53 appearances out of the Orioles bullpen. Of the many players on the Orioles’ IL, Webb seems closest to returning, though Danny Coulombe is continuing a minor league rehab assignment and might not be far off. Jordan Westburg has resumed baseball activities and is hitting in a batting cage as he works his way back from a fractured hand.
- Ryan Mountcastle is still in the early stages of a hitting progression, but Hyde wasn’t sure if the Orioles first baseman will be back before the regular season is over. Mountcastle’s IL stint due to a sprained left wrist began on August 23, and he has hit .265/.305/.425 with 13 home runs in 485 PA. As Kubatko writes, the loss of Mountcastle’s steady production has been more glaring since first base replacement Ryan O’Hearn has been caught in an ugly slump.
AL East Notes: Orioles, Casas, Story, Schmidt
Orioles general manager Mike Elias spoke to reporters (including Roch Kubatko of MASN Sports) ahead of today’s game against the Rays, offering updates on several injured players. First and foremost, he expressed optimism regarding starter Grayson Rodriguez, who landed on the 15-day IL last week. Elias described Rodriguez’s right lat/teres injury as “pretty mild” – much less serious than the similar injury he suffered in 2022 – and said the team is hoping to have him back in the rotation by late September. The young right-hander has a 3.86 ERA across 20 starts this season, and Elias made it clear that the Orioles are still hopeful he will play an “enormous” role for the team come October.
Discussing his club’s minor league rotation depth while Rodriguez is out, Elias named Cade Povich, Cole Irvin, and, interestingly, Brandon Young of Triple-A Norfolk. Povich, 24, is a top prospect and has a spot on the 40-man roster, while Irvin, 30, has six seasons of MLB experience. Young, 25, doesn’t have Povich’s prospect pedigree or Irvin’s big league resume, but he is enjoying a strong season; he has a 3.82 ERA and 2.92 FIP across 20 games between Double-A and Triple-A. Barring another injury, the Orioles rotation is set with Corbin Burnes, Zach Eflin, Trevor Rogers, Dean Kremer, and Albert Suarez. Still, Young is a name worth keeping an eye on.
Elias also provided some good news about several Orioles relievers. Jacob Webb hit the IL last week with inflammation in his right elbow, but tests revealed no structural damage. The club is hopeful his IL stint will be a short one, perhaps no longer than the minimum 15 days. Webb has pitched well for Baltimore since joining the club last August. In 71 2/3 innings, the 30-year-old has a 3.14 ERA and 3.98 SIERA as a middle relief option for manager Brandon Hyde. The Orioles are also planning to have Danny Coulombe back in late September. Coulombe, who has a 2.68 ERA over the past two seasons, has been out since June, when he had surgery to remove bone chips in his left elbow. Finally, Elias touched on Félix Bautista‘s rehab, explaining that things are “going really well” for the star closer as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. He will not pitch for Baltimore this year, in the regular season or the playoffs, but he is set to throw off a proper mound next week as he prepares himself for a full and healthy 2025 campaign.
On the position player side of things, Elias noted that there is “still time” for Jordan Westburg to get back on the field before the end of the regular season. The All-Star infielder has been out since he fractured his right hand on July 31. He has 18 home runs, an .815 OPS, and 2.8 FanGraphs WAR over 101 games this year. Elias also expressed hope that Heston Kjerstad won’t be out for “too much longer” as he continues to recover from a concussion. The GM acknowledged that it’s “pretty mild” as far as concussions go, but the team is still taking his symptoms “really seriously” and will not bring him back until they make sure he is “totally out of the woods.” The Orioles had previously optioned Kjerstad back to Triple-A, but placing him back on the injured list reverses the option.
In additional injury news from around the AL East…
- Red Sox first baseman Triston Casas is reportedly “close to returning” from his rib cage injury, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. He is currently on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester, and Cotillo suggests Casas could be back in the majors as soon as Thursday. Boston will need to activate him once he maxes out his minor league rehab time on August 18, but it appears the slugger could be back in the lineup a few days sooner. Casas hit six home runs over his first 22 games this season before suffering his injury, and his big lefty bat will undoubtedly be a huge boost to the Red Sox’s lineup.
- Meanwhile, Trevor Story is about to take what manager Alex Cora describes as a “huge step” toward returning this season, according to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. The shortstop, who has been out since April after undergoing shoulder surgery, will take batting practice on Monday. His surgery seemed to be season-ending back in April, but Cora now believes the two-time All-Star will be back with the Red Sox before the end of the year. Story himself suggested that his return has gone from “a maybe” to “a reality.” He is already ready to return defensively, and he is making excellent progress swinging the bat. He says his swings have felt “really good” with “no hesitation or hold back.”
- Finally, Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt told reporters (including Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post) that it is “very realistic” to expect he will return to the club before the end of August. The right-hander has been out since May with a right lat strain. Over his first 11 starts, Schmidt pitched to a sparkling 2.52 ERA and 3.64 SIERA. Meanwhile, since his last appearance, Yankees starters rank second-last in the AL with a 5.22 ERA. Their problems go far beyond Schmidt’s injury, but it will surely help to have him back in the fold. It’s not clear how manager Aaron Boone will arrange his rotation once Schmidt returns, but Boone was reportedly “thrilled” with Schmidt’s performance in a live batting practice session earlier today (per Joel Sherman of the New York Post). There will be a job for Schmidt when he’s ready, even if he has to push a more established arm – like Marcus Stroman or Nestor Cortes – out of the rotation.
Jacob Webb Wins Arbitration Hearing Over Orioles
Reliever Jacob Webb prevailed in his arbitration hearing against the Orioles, as first reported by Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner (X link). He’ll make the $1MM sought by his camp at KHG Sports Management as opposed to the team’s $925K filing figure.
Webb has only spent a couple months in Baltimore. The O’s snagged him off waivers from the Angels in early August. The 30-year-old righty had a strong finish to the season, turning in a 3.27 ERA through 22 innings. He finished the season with a personal-high 53 2/3 frames between the two clubs. Webb struck out nearly a quarter of batters faced and worked to a 3.69 ERA behind an excellent 15.1% swinging strike rate.
Control remained an issue, as Webb walked almost 13% of opposing hitters. He hasn’t had great command at any point in his career, but he’s generally found success regardless. Webb has a sub-3.00 ERA in 130 1/3 big league frames between Atlanta, Los Angeles and Baltimore. That seems likely to earn him a spot in the season-opening relief group for the Orioles. Webb is out of options, so the O’s would need to trade him or put him on waivers if they decide not to carry him on the big league roster.
Teammate Austin Hays also won his hearing against the O’s this afternoon. Tuesday marked a strong day for the players on the arbitration side. In addition to Webb and Hays, Mauricio Dubón, Taylor Ward and Phil Bickford all came out ahead. After teams won the first two arbitration cases last week, the players have won five straight. Baltimore has one unresolved case. First baseman Ryan O’Hearn is seeking a $3.8MM salary, while the team countered at $3.2MM.
Requested Salary Figures For 22 Players Who Didn’t Reach Agreements By Arbitration-Filing Deadline
Today was the deadline for teams and players eligible for arbitration to exchange salary figures for the 2024 season ahead of possible arbitration hearings. And, as usual, the vast majority of eligible players worked out deals for 2024 (and, in some cases, beyond) before the deadline this afternoon. While these agreements are all listed in MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker, unfinished business remains around the league. 22 players have not yet settled on a salary for the 2024 and are therefore at risk of having their salaries determined by an arbiter. That number is down considerably from last season, when 33 players exchanged figures. Of note, this list does not include Brewers right-hander Devin Williams. While the sides exchanged figures earlier this evening, they managed to avoid arbitration after the deadline had passed.
This year, arbitration hearings will begin on January 29th and run through February 16th, two days after pitchers and catchers are due to report for Spring Training. While there’s nothing stopping teams and players from settling to avoid arbitration between now and their hearing, the majority of clubs employ a “file and trial” approach to arbitration hearings, stopping negotiations prior to the formal exchange of figures in order to put additional pressure on players to agree to a deal early. While this approach generally puts a moratorium on discussion of one-year deals, teams are typically still willing to discuss multi-year pacts beyond today’s deadline.
Below are the 22 players who have yet to reach an agreement regarding their 2024 salaries, as well as the players’ requested salaries and the counteroffers issued by clubs. The league tends to pay close attention to arbitration salaries because outliers can serve as precedent going forward, raising the bar both for individual players and players as a whole in the future. That reality incentivizes teams to strictly stick to a “file and trial” approach in arbitration and risk a tense hearing between club and player rather than bridge even fairly minimal gaps between club and player salary figures.
[RELATED: Arbitration projections from MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz]
14 of the league’s 30 clubs have at least one case that has yet to be settled. The Orioles have the most cases that have yet to be settled, with five players on track for a hearing against the club. That being said, it’s worth noting that Baltimore has a massive, 17-player class of arbitration-eligible players, so it’s hardly a surprise that they wound up exchanging figures with an elevated number of players. Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. submitted the highest salary figure among all players headed for a hearing at $19.9MM, while the Rangers and outfielder Adolis Garcia narrowly top Guerrero and the Blue Jays for the largest gap between figures, with $1.9MM separating Garcia’s request of $6.9MM from the Rangers’ $5MM counteroffer.
The total list, which will be updated as settlements are reached and the results of hearings are made available…
- Taylor Ward: $4.8MM in desired salary….Angels offered $4.3MM (via MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand)
- Jose Suarez: $1.35MM….Angels $925K (via Feinsand)
- Mauricio Dubon: $3.5MM….Astros $3MM (via Feinsand)
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: $19.9MM….Blue Jays $18.05MM (via Shi Davidi of Sportsnet)
- Tommy Edman: $6.95MM….Cardinals $6.5MM (via Feinsand)
- J.D. Davis: $6.9MM….Giants $6.55MM (via Feinsand)
- Luis Arraez: $12MM….Marlins $10.6MM (via Feinsand)
- Tanner Scott: $5.7MM….Marlins $5.15MM (via Feinsand)
- Jazz Chisholm Jr.: $2.9MM….Marlins $2.625MM (via Feinsand)
- Phil Bickford: $900K….Mets $815K (via Feinsand)
- Austin Hays: $6.3MM….Orioles $5.85MM (via Feinsand)
- Ryan O’Hearn: $3.8MM….Orioles $3.2MM (via Feinsand)
- Danny Coulombe: $2.4MM….Orioles $2.2MM (via Feinsand)
- Cionel Perez: $1.4MM….Orioles $1.1MM (via Feinsand)
- Jacob Webb: $1MM….Orioles $925K (via Feinsand)
- Alec Bohm: $4MM….Phillies $3.4MM (via Feinsand)
- Adolis Garcia: $6.9MM….Rangers $5MM (via Feinsand)
- Harold Ramirez: $4.3MM….Rays $3.8MM (via Feinsand)
- Jason Adam: $3.25MM….Rays $2.7MM (via Feinsand)
- Jonathan India: $4MM….Reds $3.2MM (via The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Gordon Wittenmyer)
- Casey Mize: $840K….Tigers $815K (via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic)
- Nick Gordon: $1.25MM….Twins $900K (via Feinsand)
Orioles Claim Jacob Webb
The Orioles announced Monday that they’ve claimed righty Jacob Webb off waivers from the Angels. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, right-hander Austin Voth was transferred from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL. Voth has already been out since mid-June due to elbow discomfort.
Webb, 29, was designated for assignment in Anaheim over the weekend. He’s appeared in 29 games this season, pitching to a 3.98 ERA through 31 1/3 innings. Webb has fanned 24.3% of his opponents but has also issued free passes at a far-too-high 14.3% clip so far on the season. He’s sitting just shy of 95 mph with his average fastball, inducing swinging-strikes at a strong 12.5% rate and has shown a knack for inducing fly-balls in the infield. On the flip side, Webb has been far too homer prone and has benefited from a .218 average on balls he’s unlikely to sustain.
Since Webb is out of minor league options, he’ll report directly to the big league bullpen. The O’s can’t send him down to the minors without first designating him for assignment and passing him through waivers. If Webb is able to continue his run of strong results and/or improve upon the command issues he’s experienced in Anaheim this season, he’d be arbitration-eligible through 2026 season.
Prior to his stint with the Halos, Webb’s only big league experience had come with the Braves, for whom he pitched during the 2019-21 seasons. He’s compiled a career 2.91 ERA in 108 1/3 innings, albeit with a roughly average strikeout rate (22.6%), a hefty walk rate (11%), and this year’s uncharacteristic home run problems (1.71 HR/9 in ’23; 1.16 career).
Angels Designate Jacob Webb For Assignment
The Angels have designated right-hander Jacob Webb for assignment, per a team announcement. Left-hander Kenny Rosenberg was selected to the roster in a corresponding move. J.P. Hoornstra of The Orange County Register was first with the news.
Webb, 30 later this month, made his MLB debut with the Braves back in 2019. Over 32 1/3 innings in his debut season, Webb impressed with a 1.39 ERA, though a roughly league average 4.30 FIP indicated some good fortune baked into those results. His ratios normalized somewhat over his next two seasons of work with the Braves, as he posted a 3.25 ERA and 3.76 FIP in 42 appearances between the 2020 and 2021 campaigns.
That solid track record seemed to leave Webb poised to play a role in the Atlanta bullpen as a useful relief arm with options remaining, but he struggled badly in the minors during the 2022 campaign, with a 6.06 ERA in 35 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level as Webb was shuffled between the Braves and Diamondbacks organizations. That performance led to him being outrighted off the club’s roster in June, allowing him to elect free agency last November. Shortly thereafter, Webb inked a minors deal with the Angels, bringing him to his third organization of the calendar year. He was selected to the major league roster back in May and pitched fairly well in 29 appearances with the Angels this season, posting a 3.98 ERA in 31 2/3 innings of work, though his walk rate, which stood at a 9.6% figure for his career entering the 2023 campaign, spiked to a concerning 14.3%.
Going forward, the Angels will have seven days to waive or release Webb. In the event he clears waivers, the Angels will have the opportunity to outright Webb to Triple-A, though as a player previously outrighted in his career he’ll have the opportunity to reject that assignment and test free agency. While the command issues Webb has faced this season are certainly cause for concern, the right-hander could nonetheless be an interesting option for a team looking to add to their bullpen depth.
Webb’s roster spot will go to Rosenberg, a 28-year-old southpaw who made his MLB debut with the Angels last year, tossing 10 2/3 innings with a 4.22 ERA and 4.52 FIP. This will be Rosenberg’s first appearance in the big leagues this season, as he’s operated as a starter at the Triple-A level to this point in the season. His 4.93 ERA certainly leaves something to be desired, but that figure is inflated by the heightened offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League. Rosenberg has punched out 27.8% of the batters he’s faced this season while walking 10.7%. He figures to be a multi-inning relief option for the Angels going forward, a role he’ll share with Jaime Barria.
Angels Select Reyes Moronta, Jacob Webb
The Angels announced a flurry of roster moves a the club selected the contracts of right-handers Reyes Moronta and Jacob Webb. The club also announced that left-hander Aaron Loup had been activated from the 15-day injured list, while righties Andrew Wantz, Jimmy Herget, and Zack Weiss were each optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. Moronta and Webb will take the 40-man roster spots vacated by Brett Phillips and Ryan Tepera, both of whom were designated for assignment by the club earlier this week.
Moronta, 30, made his big league debut for the Giants in 2017. He would remain a part of the club’s bullpen mix until 2021, when the club outrighted the righty off the roster, leading him to declare free agency. During his time with the Giants, Moronta excelled on the mound, with a 2.65 ERA that was 52% better than league average by ERA+ and 3.44 FIP in 132 1/3 innings of work. Despite the excellent results leading him to be seen a quality late-inning option, the Giants elected to part ways with the right-hander after shoulder surgery, which cost Moronta his entire 2020 season, proved to have sapped his velocity. While he averaged 97.2 mph on his four-seamer in 2019, the pitch’s velocity had dropped more than three ticks to just 93.9 mph when Moronta returned to the mound in 2021.
Following his departure from San Francisco, Reyes spent 2022 as a member of the Dodgers and Diamondbacks organizations, with a 4.30 ERA and 4.41 FIP in 37 2/3 innings of work. Despite the downturn in performance, he secured a minor league deal with the Rangers during the offseason, though the club released him once it was clear he would not make the roster out of camp. That led him to sign a minor league deal with the Angels earlier this month. Now, Moronta join the Halos’ bullpen just ten days after signing with the organization.
Webb, meanwhile, posted a 2.47 ERA over 76 2/3 innings of work as a member of the Braves from 2019-2021, though a 3.99 FIP indicates there was some good luck baked into those excellent top line results. Webb did not appear in the majors last season, posting a 6.06 ERA in 35 2/3 innings during an injury-plagued 2022 campaign. Webb elected free agency during the offseason, eventually signing with the Angels on a minor league deal. While Webb has struggled to a 6.75 ERA in 17 1/3 innings of work so far for Salt Lake this season, the Angels will hope he can get things back on track in the major league bullpen going forward.
The pair of right-handers are joined in the Angels bullpen by Loup, who is returning from the injured list after suffering a hamstring injury earlier this season. Loup signed a two-year, $17MM deal with the Angels ahead of the 2022 season, and delivered a 3.84 ERA with a 3.76 FIP in 58 2/3 innings of work last season. Now in his age-35 season, Loup struggled in nine innings of work this year prior to his injury, posting a 7.00 ERA on nine hits and seven walks (two of which were intentional) against just eight strikeouts. Of course, the veteran lefty came into the 2023 campaign with a career ERA of just 3.15 over his eleven previous seasons in the majors, leaving the Angels with reason for optimism he can turn things around and join Carlos Estevez and Matt Moore as a late-inning option going forward.
The 27-year-old Wantz has performed the best this season of the three righties ticketed for Triple-A, with a 3.32 ERA in 21 2/3 innings so far this season. Herget, 29, has struggled to a 4.38 ERA in 12 1/3 innings so far this season after posting a sterling 2.48 ERA in 69 innings of work for the Angels last season. Weiss, meanwhile, made just two appearances for the Angels prior to his demotion, with three hits, a home run, and a walk against two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of work. All three figure to be depth options for the Angels’ bullpen going forward.
Angels Sign Jacob Webb To Minors Contract
The Angels have agreed to sign right-hander Jacob Webb to a minor league contract, FanSided’s Robert Murray reports (Twitter link). Webb became a free agent after spending much of the 2022 season with the Braves’ Triple-A affiliate.
Webb was an 18th-round pick for the Braves in the 2014 draft, and he has spent his entire career in Atlanta’s organization apart from a brief stint with the Diamondbacks last season. The D’Backs claimed Webb off waivers in April, and he made six appearances at Triple-A and some time on the Major League roster (without appearing in a game) before the Braves re-acquired Webb back in a trade last June.
Injuries hampered Webb last season, and he had only a 6.06 ERA over 35 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level with the Braves’ and Diamondbacks’ top affiliates. He didn’t pitch at all at the MLB level, after posting a 2.47 ERA in 76 2/3 frames for Atlanta in parts of the 2019-21 seasons, topping out at 34 1/3 frames in 2021. Webb also pitched 1 2/3 innings during the NLCS, and earned a World Series ring for his role in Atlanta’s championship season.
Despite that 2.47 ERA, Webb’s 4.28 SIERA and modest 21.9% strikeout rate perhaps better reflect why the Braves first parted ways with him a year ago, and he also had a checkered injury history. Still, there isn’t much risk for the Angels in taking a look at Webb in camp and seeing if he can compete for a bullpen job. As Murray notes, Webb is a known quantity to Angels GM Perry Minasian, who worked in Atlanta’s front office from 2017-20 before being hired by Los Angeles.
Though Webb doesn’t record a ton of strikeouts, he does have some swing-and-miss in his game, with an impressive 13.8% swinging-strike rate over his brief MLB career. If he can continue to miss bats, generate soft contact and (perhaps most importantly) stay healthy, Webb might end up being a nice under-the-radar pickup for the Angels.
Braves Designate Jacob Webb For Assignment, Reinstate Collin McHugh
The Braves have reinstated Collin McHugh from the COVID injured list and designated reliever Jacob Webb for assignment, per The Athletic’s David O’Brien (via Twitter).
Webb spent the past three seasons in Atlanta’s bullpen, making two postseason appearances en route to winning a ring last season. He was selected off waivers by the Diamondbacks in April before Atlanta purchased his contract back last week. Webb made six appearances in Triple-A with Arizona, posting a 10.12 ERA in a small-sample 5 1/3 innings. He has not appeared in the Majors this season.
McHugh should be a key cog for the Braves as they try to make up ground in the NL East. The 34-year-old has appeared in 21 games this season with a 3.42 ERA/2.21 FIP across 23 2/3 innings. He’s in the first year of a two-year guaranteed deal with a team option for 2024.
Braves Acquire Jacob Webb From Diamondbacks
Right-hander Jacob Webb is back with the Braves, who announced on Tuesday that they’ve reacquired Webb from the D-backs in exchange for cash. Arizona had designated Webb for assignment over the weekend. The Braves placed righty Collin McHugh on the injured list in a corresponding move. An injury designation was not announced, nor was a corresponding 40-man roster move. That suggests that McHugh has been placed on the Covid-related injured list.
Atlanta designated Webb for assignment during the first week of the season, and the D-backs, who had the No. 1 waiver priority at the time, quickly scooped him up. Webb hasn’t appeared in the big leagues yet this season and has spent most of the minor league season on the injured list, though he returned to the mound late last month. He’s been jumped for six runs in 5 1/3 innings so far on the season, but the 28-year-old righty has fanned seven of 26 opponents (26.9%) and recently turned in consecutive scoreless outings (one inning apiece).
Webb has spent parts of three seasons in the Majors with the Braves, pitching to a pristine 2.47 ERA in 76 2/3 frames overall. His 21.9% strikeout rate and 9.6% walk rate are both worse than the league average, though, and fielding-independent metrics suggest that number is due to regress. Be that as it may, Webb is an optionable 28-year-old who averages 94.5 mph on his heater and has a knack for inducing weak contact (career 88.1 mph exit velocity and 31.8% hard-hit rate). It’s not hard to see why the D-backs were interested once he hit waivers, nor is it difficult to see why Atlanta would work out a deal to bring him back once a bullpen need arose.
The Braves haven’t announced whether McHugh tested positive or is on the Covid list for other reasons, though David O’Brien of The Athletic tweets that McHugh indeed tested positive. MLB’s 2022 health regulations stipulate a 10-day absence, though a pair of negative PCR tests and approval from a trio of medical professionals (team doctor, league-appointed doctor, MLBPA-appointed doctor) can override that 10-day requirement.
In 23 2/3 innings with the Braves, McHugh has notched a solid 3.42 ERA with a strong 26.3% strikeout rate and an excellent 5.3% walk rate. He signed a two-year, $10MM contract with the Braves over the winter, and Atlanta holds a third-year option over McHugh as well.