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Javy Guerra

Angels Sign David Huff, Outright Javy Guerra

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The Angels have signed southpaw David Huff to a minor league deal, MLBTR has learned. In other pitching news, the club outrighted righty Javy Guerra after he cleared waivers, Halos media relations rep Adam Chodzko announced via Twitter.

Huff, 31, is expected to work as a starter at Triple-A. He’ll present Los Angeles with a swingman option moving forward as the team continues to build out its pitching depth amidst significant uncertainty in its staff.

After signing on with the Royals before the season, Huff opened with a strong showing at Triple-A Omaha and ultimately opted out of his deal with Kansas City. Over 23 2/3 innings of relief in a dozen outings, Huff racked up 29 strikeouts against just two walks, though he did surrender 29 hits while recording a 4.18 ERA. He has appeared in each of the last seven major league seasons, working to a 5.08 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 in 388 frames.

Guerra is a one-inning reliever who’ll also continue to provide the organization with an arm on call. He has seen limited MLB action in each of the last two seasons after previously playing important roles with the Dodgers and White Sox. Prior to his brief call-up this year, he carried a 2.19 ERA in 12 1/3 Triple-A innings, with his 10.2 K/9 accompanied by a less-than-promising 7.3 BB/9.

Angels Designate Javy Guerra For Assignment

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Following last night’s loss to the Cardinals, the Angels designated right-hander Javy Guerra for assignment, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). As Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweeted, both Yunel Escobar and Cliff Pennington are day-to-day with minor injuries right now (a jammed thumb and a hamstring cramp, respectively), thus making it seem likely that an infielder will be recalled to take Guerra’s place today.

Guerra, 30, started his 2016 season with three shutout innings but didn’t retire a batter in either of his two most recent appearances, leaving him with three earned runs on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts this season. The former Dodgers closer has appeared sparingly in the Majors over the past two seasons, totaling just 4 2/3 innings at the big league level. He missed much of the 2015 season after failing a second test for a drug of abuse while in the minors and thus receiving a 50-game suspension.

Overall, Guerra has a 3.99 ERA in 79 innings at the Triple-A level and a 2.99 ERA in 153 1/3 innings in the Majors. He’s averaged nearly eight strikeouts and roughly four walks per nine innings at both Triple-A and in the Majors, and his fastball sat at 92.3 mph in his brief showing this season. Guerra is out of minor league options, so any club that claims him will have to keep him on its Major League roster. In the event that he clears waivers and is outrighted to Triple-A, he’ll have the option to reject the assignment in favor of free agency, as he’s been outrighted previously in his career.

Minor MLB Transactions: 2-10-16

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Here are the day’s minor signings from around the league…

  • The Angels have signed right-hander Javy Guerra to a minor league deal, reports Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times (on Twitter). The former Dodgers closer served a 50-game suspension last season for a drug of abuse but will look to work his way back into a big league bullpen with the Halos. Last year, Guerra was limited to a total of just 5 1/3 innings between the Majors and minors, due largely to his suspension. However, he tossed 46 1/3 innings of 2.91 ERA ball for the White Sox in 2014 and has high-leverage experience as well, having saved 21 games for the Dodgers as a rookie in 2011. All told, Guerra has a 2.87 ERA with 7.5 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and a 43.3 percent ground-ball rate in 150 1/3 innings between L.A. and Chicago.
  • Infielder Brandon Hicks has agreed to a minor league deal and an invite to big league Spring Training with the Dodgers, SB Nation’s Eric Stephen tweeted yesterday. The most recent big league action for the 30-year-old Hicks came with the 2014 Giants, when he received 242 plate appearances across 71 games. While Hicks didn’t hit for average whatsoever, he did show some power. That did little to mask his 32 percent strikeout rate, though, and he finished with an overall batting line of .162/.280/.319 with San Francisco. Hicks struggled with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate last season but is a career .244/.327/.429 hitter in parts of six seasons at that level.

Minor Moves: Javy Guerra, Reid Brignac

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Here are today’s minor moves from around the league…

  • White Sox right-hander Javy Guerra has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Charlotte, reports Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago (via Twitter). Guerra was designated for assignment last week and outrighted over the weekend, but he had the option of rejecting the outright assignment in favor of free agency. Instead, he’ll suit up with the Knights in hopes of soon receiving another opportunity in the big league ’pen with the ChiSox.
  • The Marlins announced that utility infielder Reid Brignac has been outrighted to Triple-A New Orleans. The former top prospect has the right to reject the assignment in favor of free agency, as he’s been outrighted in the past. With the Marlins, the 29-year-old Brignac collected a pair of base hits and three walks in 17 plate appearances — 13 of which came as a pinch-hitter. A former second-round pick, Brignac was at one time a consensus Top 20 prospect in all of baseball as he rose through the ranks of the Rays organization. He’s yet to live up to that potential, though he’s still been regarded well enough to receive big league playing time in each season dating back to 2008. Capable of handling shortstop, second base and third base (in addition to a brief corner outfield cameo), Brignac is a lifetime .219/.266/.310 hitter in the Majors.

Minor Moves: Hector Ambriz, Javy Guerra

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Here are Sunday’s minor moves from around MLB:

  • The Nationals have signed righty Hector Ambriz, who had been with the independent Long Island Ducks, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets. Ambriz, 30, pitched briefly for the Padres last season, spending most of the year pitching respectably out of the bullpen for Triple-A El Paso, with a 3.93 ERA, 7.0 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9. He pitched 36 1/3 innings for the 2013 Astros, posting a 5.70 ERA with 6.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9.
  • The White Sox have outrighted right-hander Javy Guerra to Triple-A Charlotte, tweets JJ Stankevitz of CSNChicago.com. Guerra was designated for assignment Wednesday when he was activated from the disabled list. The 29-year-old made just three appearances for the White Sox this season before shoulder inflammation landed him on the DL. Guerra will use his time at Charlotte to round into the form he showed in 2014 in the White Sox’s bullpen (2.91 ERA, 7.4 K/9, and 3.9 BB/9 in 46 1/3 innings over 42 games).
  • Per MLBTR’s DFA Tracker., Anthony Swarzak (Indians), Reid Brignac (Marlins), and Ronald Torreyes (Astros) remain in DFA limbo.

White Sox Designate Javy Guerra For Assignment

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The White Sox announced that they’ve returned right-hander Javy Guerra from his rehab assignment at Triple-A, reinstated him from the disabled list and designated him for assignment.

Guerra, 29, had been rehabbing from right shoulder inflammation down at Charlotte after appearing in just three games for the Sox this season. Guerra, however, was a nice piece in the Chicago bullpen last year, working to a 2.91 ERA with 7.4 K/9, 3.9 BB/9 and a 40. percent ground-ball rate. Those 46 1/3 innings translated to an ERA+ of 132, though his adjusted FIP and xFIP were below the league average.

Guerra broke into the league in 2011 with the Dodgers and spent the bulk of that, his age-25 campaign, as their closer, racking up 21 saves in 46 2/3 innings. For his career, the Texas native has enjoyed excellent bottom-line results, including a 2.87 ERA with 125 strikeouts against 57 unintentional walks in 150 1/3 innings. He has, however, missed a good bit of time due to knee surgery and shoulder surgery in 2012.

Players Avoiding Arbitration: Thursday

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As we approach tomorrow’s deadline for exchanging filing numbers, the volume of arb deals will increase. All arb agreements can be monitored using MLBTR’s 2015 Arbitration Tracker, but here are today’s smaller agreements, with all projections referring to those of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz:

  • The Indians have avoided arbitration with third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall and agreed to a one-year, $2.25MM deal, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link).  It’s a slight bump over Chisenhall’s projected $2.2MM salary.  Chisenhall hit .280/.343/.427 with 13 homers in 533 PA with the Tribe last season.
  • The Indians and left-hander Marc Rzepczynski have agreed to a one-year, $2.4MM contract to avoid arbitration, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter link).  Rzepczynski surpassed his projected salary with the contract, as he was pegged to earn $1.9MM next season.  The southpaw posted a 2.74 ERA, 2.42 K/BB rate and an even 46 strikeouts over 46 innings out of Cleveland’s bullpen last season.
  • The Nationals and catcher Jose Lobaton will avoid arbitration after agreeing to a deal, CSN Washington’s Mark Zuckerman reports.  Lobaton will earn $1.2MM, FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi tweets, which exactly matches his projected 2015 salary.  Lobaton hit .234/.287/.304 over 230 PA in backup duty for the Nats last season.
  • The Athletics and outfielder Craig Gentry agreed to a one-year, $1.6MM deal to avoid arbitration, FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi tweets.  Gentry was projected to earn $1.5MM.  After posting a .759 OPS over 556 PA in 2012-13, Gentry took a step back at the plate last season, slashing just .254/.319/.289 over 258 plate appearances but still providing tremendous defense (a +16 UZR/150).
  • The Nationals have avoided arbitration with second baseman Danny Espinosa, agreeing to a one-year, $1.8MM contract, James Wagner of the Washington Post reports.  This deal falls below Espinosa’s projected $2.3MM contract, though Espinosa hit .219/.283/.351 in 364 plate appearances for the Nats last season and managed only a .465 OPS in 167 PA in 2013.
  • The Indians agreed to a one-year, $2.337MM deal with right-hander Carlos Carrasco, according to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (via Twitter).  This figure is a significant increase over the $1.4MM contract that was projected for Carrasco in his first arb-eligible year.  The righty enjoyed a breakout 2014 season, posting a 2.55 ERA, 9.4 K/9 and 4.83 K/BB rate over 134 innings with the Tribe.  Carrasco pitched mostly out of the bullpen but also delivered several quality starts down the stretch.
  • The Dodgers and outfielder Chris Heisey agreed to a one-year deal worth $2.16MM to avoid arbitration, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman tweets.  This is slightly less than the $2.2MM Heisey was projected to earn.  Heisey is coming off a .222/.265/.378 slash line over 299 PA with the Reds last season and was dealt to L.A. last month.
  • The Angels inked catcher Drew Butera to a one-year, $987.5K deal to avoid arbitration, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports.  Butera was projected to earn $900K next season.  The catcher posted a .555 OPS in 192 PA with the Dodgers last season and was dealt to the Halos last month.
  • The Nationals agreed to a one-year, $2.25MM contract with Craig Stammen, avoiding arbitration with the right-hander, CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter).  This figure slightly tops Stammen’s projected $2.1MM contract.  Stammen posted a 3.84 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and a 4.00 K/BB rate over 72 2/3 innings out of Washington’s bullpen last season.
  • The Cardinals agreed to a one-year, $1.65MM deal with outfielder Peter Bourjos to avoid arbitration, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.  Bourjos was projected to earn $1.6MM.  Bourjos displayed his usual top-shelf defense with the Cards last season but only hit .231/.294/.348 over 294 PA.

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White Sox Outright Javy Guerra To Triple-A

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The White Sox have outrighted right-hander Javy Guerra off their 40-man roster and assigned the reliever to Triple-A Charlotte, Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports (Twitter link).  The Sox claimed Guerra off waivers from the Dodgers on Wednesday.

Guerra posted a 2.45 ERA in 91 2/3 relief innings with Los Angeles in 2011-12, though his peripherals suggested that he may have been a little fortunate to post such a low number.  He struggled in 2013, managing only a 6.75 ERA over 10 2/3 IP and spending much of his season in the minors.

Rangers Claim Seth Rosin; White Sox Claim Javy Guerra

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Two Dodgers players have been claimed off of waivers, the club announced. The Rangers have claimed Rule 5 righty Seth Rosin, while the White Sox claimed reliever Javy Guerra.

Rosin was selected in the Rule 5 draft by the Mets from the Phillies, and then had his right shipped to Los Angeles. Now, the Rangers will become the third team to give him a look. The 25-year-old put up a 4.33 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 126 2/3 innings for the Phillies' Double-A affiliate in 2013. 

Guerra, 28, spent time as the Dodgers closer in 2011, and has a lifetime 2.90 ERA in 102 1/3 MLB innings. But he fell out of favor in Los Angeles last year after posting a rough 6.75 ERA in 10 2/3 frames, and saw his chances at a pen slot evaporate as the team made several additions over the offseason.

Javy Guerra Drawing Trade Interest

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Dodgers reliever Javy Guerra is drawing trade interest from several teams, a source tells MLB Daily Dish's Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). The Dodgers designated Guerra for assignment last weekend.

It's not surprising that Guerra is attracting interest. He was a key part of the Dodgers' bullpens in both 2011 and 2012, serving as their closer in parts of both seasons. He spent much of 2013 in Triple-A Albuquerque, but he posted good numbers in a tough environment for pitchers, with a 3.66 ERA, 8.2 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 in 39 1/3 innings. He's also only 28 and is not yet arbitration-eligible. He is out of options, which limited the Dodgers' flexibility with him following an offseason in which they signed free-agent relievers Brian Wilson, Chris Perez and Jamey Wright.

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