Minor MLB Transactions: 5/9/17
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- Angels lefty John Lamb has received a fifty-game suspension for his second positive test for a drug of abuse, as Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times was among those to tweet. The 26-year-old received 24 MLB starts over 2015-16 with the Reds, who acquired him in the Johnny Cueto deal. But he struggled to a 6.17 ERA in that span, striking out 8.7 batters per nine while issuing 3.8 walks per nine and allowing 142 base hits — 22 of them long balls. Lamb caught on with the Halos on a minors deal after he was cut loose by Cincinnati over the winter.
- The Dodgers have inked lefty Logan Darnell to a minors pact, as Triple-A Oklahoma City broadcaster/media relations director Alex Freedman announced on Twitter. Darnell, 28, has 24 MLB frames under his belt, all of those coming in 2014 with the Twins. Last year, he worked to a 3.53 ERA over 109 2/3 Triple-A frames. He wasn’t exactly generating great results with the indy ball Somerset Patriots, but evidently showed enough to catch the eye of the Dodgers’ brass.
- Righty Justin De Fratus has signed a minor-league deal with the Mariners, the indy ball Southern Maryland Blue Crabs announced on Twitter. De Fratus, 29, spent parts of five years in the majors with the Phillies. But he struggled in 2015 and then bounced around the minors last season.
- The Cardinals have released reliever Mitch Harris, as Glenn Sattell of MLB.com reports. The 31-year-old has continued to struggle with elbow issues. He had made a notable big league debut in 2015, making it to the majors after putting his professional career on hold during a stint in the Navy. The Naval Academy grad worked 27 innings of 3.67 ERA ball that year, though he managed only 5.0 K/9 against 4.3 BB/9 in that stretch.
Minor MLB Transactions: 5/9/17
Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- The Twins reinstated ByungHo Park from the minor league disabled list and cleared a spot on the Triple-A roster by releasing outfielder Quintin Berry, tweets Nate Rowan of the Rochester Red Wings’ public relations department. The 32-year-old Berry batted .194/.275/.278 in 40 plate appearances over 14 games with Rochester prior to his release. Berry hasn’t appeared in the Majors since the 2015 campaign, though his excellent speed and baserunning prowess have landed him on expanded September rosters for the Red Sox, Orioles and Cubs as a late-inning pinch-running option/defensive replacement off the bench. Berry is a career .265/.336/.368 hitter in 342 MLB plate appearances and has a collective .242/.339./.304 slash in parts of seven Triple-A seasons.
- Left-hander Mitch Harris announced on Instagram today that he’s no longer a part of the Cardinals organization (presumably meaning that he was released by the club). Harris, who is rehabbing from the same “primary repair” operation that former teammate Seth Maness had last August, had made just two appearances in Triple-A thus far in 2017. Harris sports a 3.64 ERA in parts of three Triple-A seasons (including this year) and logged a 3.67 ERA with 5.0 K/9 against 4.3 BB/9 in 27 innings for the Cards back in 2015.
Pitching Notes: Diekman, Imhof, Mets, Jays, Reds/Arroyo, Marquis, Urias, Nats, Harris
Rangers lefty Jake Diekman underwent successful surgery to remove his colon, with several more procedures to come as he battles ulcerative colitis. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News has the latest, including video diary entries from Diekman himself. It’s well worth a watch to learn more about the unfortunate affliction and Diekman’s fight. We hope to see him back on the mound as soon as possible.
There won’t be a return in the offing for Phillies lefty Matt Imhof, who lost his eye in a terrible accident involving exercise bands. As Imhof himself writes in a moving piece for ESPN.com, he’s returning to finish his degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and will retire from the sport. He says it’s not just due to the injury, though; as he writes, “the truth is I need a change of pace after 20 years of doing the same thing.” You’ll want to give a full read to the southpaw’s powerful story of coming to grips with — and not being defined by — his injury.
As we wish the best to Diekman and Imhof, here’s the latest on the market for pitching:
- As the Mets look to bolster their bullpen, the team is still weighing a variety of free agents, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). In addition to keeping open the possibility of a reunion with lefty Jerry Blevins, the Mets are also considering righties Sergio Romo and Joe Smith.
- The Blue Jays are also keeping in touch with Blevins, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. Toronto’s search for a southpaw reliever has also led it to consider Craig Breslow, per the report. The team was among those to check out his new mechanics recently.
- The Reds are exploring a reunion with former starter Bronson Arroyo, as Buster Olney of ESPN.com reports (Twitter links). Unsurprisingly, the team is not interested in guaranteeing him a roster spot, as Arroyo is two full years removed from appearing in the majors and has dealt with significant arm issues of late. GM Dick Williams confirms that the team has watched Arroyo throw and is weighing a signing, per MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon (Twitter links). Beyond a move on Arroyo or other candidates for minor-league deals, Cincinnati is done with its free-agent signings, Williams adds.
- Speaking of longstanding veterans weighing returns, righty Jason Marquis suggested in an appearance on MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (Twitter link) that he’s open to reviving his career. The 38-year-old last appeared in a nine-start stint with Cincy in 2015, but he’s set to pitch for Team Israel in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.
- While Dodgers lefty Julio Urias showed plenty in 2016 to warrant a rotation spot in the coming season, innings considerations may hold him back to start the year. As Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times tweets, skipper Dave Roberts says that the organization may keep him in extended Spring Training at the beginning of the 2017 campaign. Such an approach would not only ensure that Urias is available for good once he does make it up, but would afford more opportunities for the organization to see what it has in its variety of interesting, injury-plagued arms. Over at Fangraphs, Craig Edwards takes a look at what’s shaping up to be a fascinating staff.
- There’s an argument to be made that the Nationals not only need to address their closer situation, but also ought to bolster their rotation depth, as Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post writes. While the team’s five-man starting unit is likely set, which perhaps limits their ability to promise opportunities to free agents, a swingman could make sense. Janes mentions Travis Wood as at least a hypothetical match, and he would indeed seem to make a sensible fit.
- 31-year-old Cardinals reliever Mitch Harris is hoping to join former teammate Seth Maness in bouncing back from a “primary repair” procedure to his right elbow, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports. Harris last pitched competitively in 2015, but will be ramping up for a full spring after undergoing the surgery last summer. Because his surgeon was able to attempt that less-invasive approach, as opposed to a full UCL replacement, there’s a possibility of a much swifter return to the hill — though Harris will first need to earn his way into MLB camp after failing to receive an invite.
Cardinals Outright Harris, Rosario, Ohlman
The Cardinals have outrighted right-handed reliever Mitch Harris and catchers Alberto Rosario and Mike Ohlman, per Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The 30-year-old Harris spent the season on the 60-day disabled list. The Cards had hoped that he could return from Tommy John surgery in June 2015 to make an impact on the roster this season, but Harris didn’t end up pitching in the Majors or minors this year. The Naval Academy product made his MLB debut last season and tossed 27 innings of 3.67 ERA ball with 5.0 K/9, 4.3 BB/9 and a 45.1 percent ground-ball rate. In addition to the 27 frames he compiled in 2015, Harris has a 2.92 ERA with 7.2 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in his minor league career.
Rosario, 29, made his MLB debut this season, hitting .184/.225/.237 over the life of 41 plate appearances. He’s never hit all that much, as evidenced by his .253/.302/.327 line in parts of five Triple-A seasons, though he’s caught 42 percent of attempted base-stealers throughout his 11-year minor league career.
Ohlman, 25, is a former Orioles farmhand that spent his second season with the Cardinals organization in 2016. The 25-year-old split the 2016 season between Double-A and Triple-A, where he batted a combined .287/.344/.434. Ohlman saw 54 games/186 plate appearances at the Triple-A level this year — his first exposure to that level of competition — and fared well with the bat, hitting .280/.333/.464.