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East Notes: Rays, Walls, Yankees, Britton, Mets, Peterson, Syndergaard

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The Rays have activated Taylor Walls from the injured list, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The move comes after Luis Patino was optioned back to Triple-A yesterday. Walls would give manager Kevin Cash a five-man bench, which would be unusual for the Rays. Still, for now, Walls is back on the active roster, having recovered from a bout of wrist tendonitis. Certainly, the return of Walls puts the immediate future of Wander Franco into question, though there’s been no indication of a roster move at this time. For what it’s worth, Walls held his own with a .222/.337/.333 line in 95 plate appearances, good for a 96 wRC+to pair with stellar marks on the defensive side of the ball — he was credited with 8 DRS, 2.0 UZR, and 2 Outs Above Average in just 214 1/3 innings at short. Staying on the East Coast…

  • Zack Britton is throwing off the mound today for the first time since going on the injured list. He is eligible to return to the Yankees on Monday, per Kristie Ackert of the NY Daily News (via Twitter). Britton has just five appearances on the season. The Yankees might very well try to get him back into games ahead of the All-Star break so as to allow for a measured ramping up process.
  • As for the Mets, David Peterson has been diagnosed with a strained right oblique that will keep him out for around eight weeks, at best guess, but maybe less, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). It hasn’t been a great year for Peterson, who owns a 5.54 ERA/4.77 FIP through 115 starts totaling 66 2/3 innings.
  • Noah Syndergaard, meanwhile, was throwing today, but he timetable remains the same. The Mets are looking tentatively at a September 1st return for Thor, notes DiComo.

Quick Hits: Rays, Glasnow, Roe, Tigers, Boyd, Mets/Nats

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Rays fans can allow themselves some tempered excitement after the latest check-up on Tyler Glasnow. The lanky flamethrower will be shut down for four weeks before beginning to throw again, but that said, they may have located another source of Glasnow’s discomfort, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The latest diagnosis theorizes that his elbow irritation could at least in part be the result of a bone issue, which Glasnow’s doctors will attempt to treat during this period of rest. Of course, much uncertainty remains for Glasnow, whose injury became a bit of a firestarter for the debate around the use of illegal substances. After his injury, Glasnow was vocal in opposition of MLB’s attempt to curtail the use of illegal substances on the mound by way of an in-season mandate.

Neither Glasnow’s injury nor the “sticky stuff” saga will be resolved in the immediate future, however, so let’s turn instead to the latest news on his Tampa teammate: reliever Chaz Roe has cut his rehab short for the time being. Roe has been out since April with a shoulder strain. The latest issue, however, is not with the shoulder, but rather a case of biceps tendinitis, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links). It will be another 7-10 days until he’s able to resume throwing.

Elsewhere around the game…

  • Tigers starter Matthew Boyd has been to see a “number of doctors” about the arm discomfort that landed him on the injured list on June 15th. He won’t pitch again before the All-Star break, but there is no structural damage in the arm, per the Athletic’s Cody Stavenhagen (via Twitter). Detroit plans to be cautious with the 30-year-old southpaw, adds Evan Woodbery of the Mlive Media Group (via Twitter). In 13 starts this season, Boyd has a 3.44 ERA/3.75 FIP across 70 2/3 innings. In terms of the positive, his 6.4 percent walk rate is better than his career norm. On the other side, Boyd’s strikeouts are down (18.8 percent strikeout rate). If all goes well, the Tigers hope to have a healthy Boyd back in the rotation for the second half.
  • The Mets and Nationals will play a doubleheader today. Both teams will add a 27th man to the roster for the day. In the Nationals’ case, right-hander Ryne Harper has stayed with the team after being optioned to Triple-A yesterday, per the team. He will be available out of the pen for manager Davey Martinez in both games. The Mets, meanwhile, recalled right-hander Yennsy Diaz to be their 27th man, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). There was some indication that Albert Almora Jr. would be activated from the injured list, and that’s still a possibility for game two, Dicomo notes.

Rays Place Chris Archer On Injured List, Call Up Brent Honeywell

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The Rays placed Chris Archer on the injured list after he left today’s ballgame. Brent Honeywell will be called up, and he will make his Major League debut opening Sunday’s game, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter).

It wasn’t clear at the time of the injury what exactly happened to Archer, but the injury was apparently severe enough to act quickly in placing him on the injured list. Today was just the second outing of the year for the 32-year-old. Archer suffered right lateral forearm tightness, per ESPN’s Marly Rivera (via Twitter), who adds that the Rays hope Archer will miss just one start.

Honeywell has long been a top prospect for the Rays, but injuries have slowed his path to the Majors. Baseball America had him ranked among the Rays’ top prospects in every season since 2015. He landed in their top-100 prospects in baseball from 2016 to 2020, peaking at No. 14 overall before the 2018 season. Tomorrow will mark an incredible achievement for Honeywell, even if he is unable to become the star hurler the Rays once hoped. Still, expectations are high, and if Honeywell can stay healthy, he still is projected to become a capable piece of the rotation. That said, chances are he’s not on the roster to stay. The Rays will understandably watch his inning count closely.

Rays Place Ryan Sherriff On Restricted List, Select Joseph Odom

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The Rays have placed lefty Ryan Sherriff on the restricted list. The club says that he is “going to take some time away from the game.” To respect his privacy, they will withhold anything more specific for now. Catcher Joseph Odom has been selected to take his place on the roster, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter links).

The 30-year-old Sherriff was one of three southpaws in the Rays’ bullpen. Cody Reed and Jeffrey Springs remain. Big picture, Shane McClanahan and Josh Fleming are two more southpaws who will figure into the Rays’ pitching mix at some point this season. Brendan McKay could also make an impact when he returns from the injured list.

As for Sherriff, he was brilliant for the Rays in his 10 appearances last season. He did not allow a run over 9 2/3 innings while coaxing a 56.7 percent groundball rate. He was a late addition to the playoff festivities, joining the active roster for the World Series and tossing two more scoreless frames.

Odom, 29, is new to the Rays’ organization this season. He signed as a free agent this winter after making his Major League debut with the Mariners in 2020. He slashed .129/.209/.128 across 44 plate appearances. For as long as he’s on the roster, Odom will be a third catching option behind Mike Zunino and Francisco Mejia, which may allow manager Kevin Cash to give Mejia an opportunity to DH. Odom was a member of Tampa’s taxi squad.

Rays Reassign Wander Franco To Minor League Camp

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The Rays officially started working out Wander Franco at third base yesterday, though manager Kevin Cash insists it’s no more a reaction to the Ji-Man Choi injury than it is a sign that Franco needs to (or will) make the move, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Yandy Diaz and Yoshi Tsutsugo could move from third to first most days while Choi is out, and Joey Wendle will be the third baseman in that case with Mike Brosseau reprising his role from the postseason to take on southpaws.

Lest there be any doubt, the Rays reassigned their top prospect to minor league camp today, per Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com (via Twitter). It appears as if Franco will start the season at Triple-A. Franco was never really expected to be on the opening day roster, despite his enormous potential. He just turned 20 years old on March 1st, and he has yet to appear in a pro game above High-A. Though the minor league seasons won’t start on time, Franco will still be able to work out and train with those in the organization.

In regards to a potential move to third base, that decision will be kicked down the line for now. Whether or not Franco’s best-case future is at short or elsewhere on the infield is one question, but there’s also the Willy Adames issue which will continue to inform the Rays in their decision-making process. Whereas Franco’s bat should have no trouble playing at third, Adames brings the most value with his glove at short, especially if the 25-year-old continues to improve his glovework. Adames, however, will go through arbitration for the first time before next season, and the Rays aren’t shy about flipping talent well before their sell-by date.

Season Notes: Pandemic, Rules, Rays, Attendance

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Teams have their hands full today with the opening of the international signing period, as well as the now-passed deadline for arbitration agreements. While we sift through those financials, here’s the latest on how the pandemic continues to affect the sport…

  • MLB hopes to bring back seven-inning doubleheaders and the runner-on-second-base extra-inning rule, writes USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. The league is advocating for a continuation of these rules specifically for fear of the coronavirus continuing to affect the schedule. The league also seems to be in favor of keeping the universal DH and expanded playoffs, though those issues are still being discussed. No rule changes are made official, of course, until the league comes to an agreement with the MLBPA. The debate around expanded playoffs seems particularly challenging right now, as a greater playoff field, in some minds, actually de-incentivizes teams from spending in free agency since they have a greater margin for error. Reduced spending on free agents is a hot button issue right now, and it’s going to be the lens through which the players view many of the topics under discussion for 2021. Nightengale notes that there’s at least a chance that MLB ends up with the same rules in 2021 as in 2020, with the exception of roster sizes dropping back down from 29 to 26.
  • The Rays are planning to allow roughly 7,000 fans per game in 2021, socially distanced and wearing masks, of course, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Of course, much can change between now and April, but the hope is that greater vaccine rollouts can mitigate the number of breakouts around the country. The Rays plan to re-open part of their upper deck seating to help keep fans appropriately distanced. The Rays are prepping best they can to allow fans in for games, but it will still come down to getting approval from MLB and government authorities. The Rays hope to have more information about ticketing ready before the end of February.

Quick Hits: Rule Changes, Angels, McCann

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During a Zoom call with reporters, Rockies manager Bud Black suggested the possibility of teams losing their DH upon pulling their starting pitcher from the game, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The rule change’s purpose would be to deter the use of openers, while keeping some National League strategy in the game in the event that MLB decides to keep the universal DH. That said, Black’s idea could be considered even more outside-the-box than the opener itself, and it doesn’t seem likely to gain much traction. Besides, opener deterrence isn’t necessarily all that high up on the league’s to-do list. Limiting shifts, however, does appear to be gaining in popularity, notes Topkin. Forcing teams to keep two players on each side of the second base bag and keeping infielders on the infield dirt are two ways in which the league could decide to stymie current shifting strategies. Elsewhere…

  • The Angels and catcher James McCann did indeed have mutual interest before the Mets inked their backstop of choice to a four-year deal, per MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger (via Twitter). The Angels have been one of the more aggressive teams so far this winter. With many holes to fill, it’s no surprise that they would check in on a cheaper catching option than superstar free agent J.T. Realmuto.
  • A few catchers have come off the board already, increasing the likelihood that the Angels enter 2021 with Max Stassi and Anthony Bemboom as their catching tandem. That would be fine as far as manager Joe Maddon is concerned, notes Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times. The veteran Stassi would figure to get the first crack at starter reps after slashing .278/.352/.533 across 105 plate appearances last season. Bemboom had a fine showing in 2020, though the 30-year-old has never received more than 60 plate appearances in a season. The Angels are said to be at least exploring bringing in veteran Kurt Suzuki, who is just a year removed from helming a World-Series-winning staff in Washington.

Quick Hits: Tigers, Turner, Rays, Archer, Dodgers, McCullough

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Tigers GM Al Avila wants to remain patient and disciplined this winter when it comes to augmenting their young core through free agency, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Detroit will look to add a catcher, corner outfielder and first baseman, as well as a pitcher or two – but all in due time. Detroit hasn’t posted a winning record since 2016, and they haven’t reached the postseason since a four-year run ended in 2015. Those playoff teams, of course, were led by formidable pitching staffs that included Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Anibal Sanchez, and others, as well as an all-time bat in Miguel Cabrera still in his prime. These Tigers don’t yet have that kind of offensive force, but they’ve begun to graduate some of their highly-touted arms, such as Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal. For now, let’s take Avila’s lead and not get too far ahead of ourselves. Elsewhere…

  • Justin Turner is seeking a three-year deal, per Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. That might be a tough sell for the 36-year-old. Three years might be the ask for Turner, who is represented by GEM Agency, but it’s just as likely a starting point to give their side some wiggle room in negotiations. That said, Turner was a central piece for the World Series champs, slashing .307/.400/.460 across 175 plate appearances in 2020. That’s good for a 140 wRC+. The immediate concern, rather, relates to his viability at third base that far into the future. His glovework earned marks of -2 OAA in 2020 and -1 DRS, both of which are palatable marks. But if there’s significant regression coming for Turner, the glove is where to look first. Regardless, for those clubs looking to add an impact bat in 2021, there aren’t many better than Turner.
  • The Rays have discussed the possibility of a reunion with Chris Archer, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Given the Rays’ tendency to limit starter innings, they need the whole of the staff to be capable of soaking up innings. Archer could certainly help in that regard. Besides, if anyone knows what Archer is capable of, it would be Tampa Bay. For the present, however, the Rays are focused on players who might accept minor league contracts. The payroll likely is what it is, notes Topkin, meaning that if they’re going to add much in the way of salary, we should expect a matching expulsion. They need a catcher, of course, probably a couple, and more generally, GM Erik Neander wants the club to make more contact.
  • Clayton McCullough will replace George Lombard as the first base coach for the Dodgers, per J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group (via Twitter). Lombard was named A.J. Hinch’s new bench coach in Detroit. The rest of the Dodgers’ coaching staff from 2020 are returning. McCullough has been with the Dodgers for seven seasons, serving recently as minor league field coordinator. Prior to joining the Dodgers, he managed at a number of different levels in the Blue Jays’ system.

AL East Notes: Rays, Red Sox, Rich Hill

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Participation in the postseason usually garners a significant revenue bump for qualifying teams, which made it particularly painful for the small-market Rays to miss out on the revenue from 10 home games in 2020. Not only did the Rays lose that potential revenue because of coronavirus, but this year’s playoffs actually cost them money, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. They’re also missing out on their usual revenue-sharing check, as well as, obviously, attendance revenues, notes Topkin. It’s going to have an affect on Rays’ roster decisions this winter. That could mean smaller cost-saving moves like non-tendering Hunter Renfroe, or it could mean more impactful moves like dealing core players Kevin Kiermaier or Blake Snell. Rays GM Erik Neander is likely to be active exploring the trade market, but that’s nothing new for Tampa.

  • Rich Hill finished a successful one-year stint in Minnesota with a 3.03 ERA/3.88 FIP across 8 starts totaling 38 2/3 innings with 7.2 K/9 to 4.0 BB/9. It’s those last two numbers that might trouble the 40-year-old Hill. From 2017 to 2019, Hill posted 10.68 K/9 to 2.97 BB/9 with the Dodgers. Still, Hill was largely effective in 2020 by keeping the ball in the ballpark. But he didn’t accomplish his primary goal: winning a World Series. Hill has only appeared in five postseasons throughout his 16-year career, and he’s never won a World Series. In choosing his next team, writes WEEI’s Rob Bradford, Hill’s primary calculus is playing the odds and trying to find a place to contribute that gives him the best chance of winning a World Series.
  • That said, Hill hasn’t ruled out joining his hometown Red Sox, per Bradford. Hill does offer an assessment of Boston’s needs this offseason, saying, “Bullpen. Work on the bullpen. I think the lineup is good. Get everybody back. Obviously getting Sale back is huge. Eddie [Rodriguez], having him come back, being healthy. And Nathan [Eovaldi]. Those are three really, really, really good guys.” It’ll be tough sledding for the Red Sox in the AL East, though returning Sale and Rodriguez to the rotation would be a healthy start.

AL Notes: Mariners, Graveman, Rotation, Rays, Arozarena

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Kendall Graveman signed back with the Mariners with the expectation of sticking in the bullpen, he said on the Extra Innings Podcast. Graveman pitched out the bullpen consistently for the first time in his career last season for the Mariners, emerging as an option for high-leverage opportunities. The former Oakland Athletic spent 2018 with the Cubs while recovering from Tommy John. He signed with the Mariners and made a couple of starts in 2020, but the bulk of his outings came out of the bullpen. Heading into 2021, he’s fully committed to a bullpen role. He’ll the 30-years-old in December, and though he’s new to the bullpen, Graveman spoke confidently about his ability to adjust and let his stuff play up during shorter outings. The right-hander also spoke about shortening his arsenal. He plans on focusing on what works best and sticking with a couple of his strongest pitches, probably a heater, change, and curve primarily, though he also spoke about working in a two-seamer on occasion as a way to vary the look from the fastball.

  • Even with Graveman firmly in the bullpen, the Mariners plan on use of a six-man rotation in 2021 to help keep starters healthy, per Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. With that in mind, they’re likely to at least explore the starting pitching market in free agency. Marco Gonzales, Yusei Kikuchi, Justus Sheffield, and Justin Dunn figure to return to the rotation in 2021, while Nick Margevicius and Ljay Newsome are the other holdovers. Logan Gilbert could also emerge as a potential option at some point in 2021, if not by Opening Day. Gilbert will turn 24 early in 2021. He finished 2019 with 9 starts in Double-A with a 2.88 ERA.
  • Randy Arozarena’s playoff performance was a dramatic enough affair to spark a feature film. Wonderfilm Media has begun working on an Arozarena biopic with plans for release in 2022 or 2023, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The film, of course, won’t solely portray the postseason. Rather, the film will focus on Arozarena’s journey to MLB from Cuba. Wonderfilm co-founder Bret Saxon said (per Topkin), “We feel like the heart of this movie is his journey, and the people around him, how he was inspiring and helping the family back home. But, for sure, some of those big payoff moments are on the field, so there will be plenty of actual baseball in stadiums.”

 

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