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AL East Notes: Orioles, Casas, Story, Schmidt

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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.

Red Sox Notes: Casas, Story, Mata, Hernandez

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“It will be a while” before Triston Casas is ready for a minor league rehab assignment, Red Sox manager Alex Cora told the Boston Globe’s Julian McWilliams and other reporters on Friday.  Casas hasn’t played since April 20 due to a rib fracture and torn rib cartilage, and he is already well beyond even the broad 3-to-9 week timeframe Casas initially floated three months ago, though the first baseman noted that the nature of the injury led to a lot of fluidity.

In yesterday’s update, Cora said Casas was taking soft toss swings and is hitting off a tee, but is still dealing with some nagging discomfort in his side.  Until that discomfort entirely subsides, Casas and the Sox can’t really move forward with any kind of concrete plan for even a steadier ramp-up, let alone any minor league rehab work.  Cora did say that Casas would play again in 2024, but “we don’t know yet” when a return was feasible.

Casas finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting in 2023, and was off to a hot start (.244/.344/.513 with six home runs) in his first 90 plate appearances this season.  Dominic Smith and several other players have gotten time at first base in Casas’ absence, but since nobody has been producing, it stands to reason that the Red Sox could target a first base-capable player at the deadline if Casas is still several weeks away from factoring into the club’s plans.

Some more unexpected later-season reinforcements could come from Trevor Story, who told reporters (including MassLive.com’s Sean McAdam) on Friday that he and the Red Sox were “having conversations about” Story getting back onto the field before the 2024 campaign is over.  Both Story and Cora stopped short of saying that a return was in the cards, yet it is notable that Story has made such quality progress rehabbing what was thought to be a season-ending shoulder surgery in April.

“Just getting the strength back and getting the motion back…I’ve made a lot of really good strides there,” Story said.  “It’s close, man.  It’s close.  Especially from how it was early on.  It was not in good shape.  It’s been a crazy turnaround the last month and a half and we’re riding that momentum.”

Story injured his shoulder while diving for a grounder in just his eighth game of the season, continuing what has been an injury-plagued tenure in Boston for the former All-Star.  Since inking a six-year, $140MM free agent deal in March 2022, Story has played in only 145 games — UCL surgery cost him all but 43 games of the 2023 season, and wrist and heel injuries limited him to 94 appearances in 2022.  Unsurprisingly, these health woes have led to subpar performance when Story has been able to play, as he has a modest .227/.288/.394 slash line in 598 PA in a Red Sox uniform.

Bryan Mata is also no stranger to injuries, as Tommy John surgery and a teres major strain sidelined him for most of the 2021-23 seasons.  This year, hamstring and lat problems emerged to keep Mata again spending most of the year rehabbing, and now his latest rehab assignment has been halted due to right elbow inflammation.  Mata was right at the end of the 30-day window for that assignment, though his latest injury now resets the clock and Mata will be able to start another 30-day rehab assignment when he is able to get back onto the mound.

Though he has yet to make his MLB debut, Mata is out of minor league options, leaving Boston in a bit of a quandary when it comes to his future.  The Red Sox can’t assign him to the minors without first designating the right-hander for assignment and exposing him to waivers, so when Mata is finally ready to play, the Red Sox will have to put him on the active roster or go the DFA route.

While getting healthy has obviously been more important than the on-field results during Mata’s rehab work, he has a 4.50 ERA over 22 total innings for four different Red Sox minor league affiliates this season, with a 19.15% strikeout rate.  It isn’t nearly the form that Mata showed in his past days as one of Boston’s top pitching prospects, and with another setback again stopping his progress, it is still a question about when or even if Mata might eventually surface as part of the team’s big league staff.

In other Red Sox news, the team was known to have been interested in Teoscar Hernandez last offseason, and the slugger said this week in an appearance on the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast (hat tip to WEEI’s Rob Bradford) that the Sox and Dodgers were the two finalists for his services.  Hernandez said the Red Sox offered a two-year, $28MM contract, but he instead opted for a one-year, $23.5MM deal with Los Angeles.

“At the end, I thought [the Red Sox] were going to make it, but unfortunately they had to wait because they had to make some moves and other stuff,” Hernandez said.  “I couldn’t wait any longer, so that’s why I decide at the moment to go to the Dodgers.”

Hernandez went into the winter seeking a three-year contract, but when neither Boston or any other suitor was willing to guarantee a third year, he instead opted for the one-year contract with the Dodgers, to allow for a chance at a rebound season and a quick return to free agency next winter.  The strategy has worked out quite well, as Hernandez has hit 19 homers with a .261/.326/.476 slash in 406 PA for Los Angeles, and now has a much stronger case for a three-year pact as he enters his age-32 season.

Beyond the contractual logistics, Hernandez also admitted that the Dodgers’ win-now approach and track record of success further attracted him to the organization, though he was quick to note that “the Red Sox are really good right now and they have amazing players.”  The Sox and newly-hired chief baseball officer Craig Breslow were often criticized for their relatively low-key offseason that didn’t see a lot of high-dollar splurges, yet Boston has a 53-43 record and is in possession of an AL wild card berth.

Red Sox Acquire Vladimir Gutierrez

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The Red Sox announced Thursday evening that they’ve acquired right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez from the Brewers in exchange for cash and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester. Milwaukee designated Gutierrez for assignment earlier in the week. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, Boston transferred injured shortstop Trevor Story from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. Story underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last week. The Sox also announced that lefty Joe Jacques was optioned to Worcester following today’s game.

The 28-year-old Gutierrez originally signed with the Reds on a hefty $4.75MM bonus (plus a 100% tax on that bonus) in 2016 after defecting from his native Cuba. He profiled as one of Cincinnati’s top pitching prospects for a few years before making his MLB debut in 2021. The 6’1″, 205-pound righty pitched 150 2/3 innings for the Reds from 2021-22, turning in a 5.44 ERA with a 17.3% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate that were both worse than league-average.

Despite those struggles, Gutierrez would likely have received a longer look with the Reds — had he remained healthy. His elbow had other ideas, as a torn ulnar collateral ligament in ’22 led to Tommy John surgery. Gutierrez returned to the mound to toss a handful of minor league innings last September but didn’t get back to the big leagues. He was removed from Cincinnati’s 40-man roster and became a free agent following the season. After a few showcases for big league scouts, he signed a minor league deal with the Marlins.

It’s been a whirlwind three weeks for Gutierrez, who was selected to the Marlins’ 40-man roster and pitched four innings of long relief to help spare their taxed bullpen. That four-inning appearance meant he’d be unavailable for several days, so the Fish designated him for assignment to clear space for another fresh arm in the ’pen. Miami surely hoped to be able to pass Gutierrez through waivers and keep him as a depth option, but the Brewers scooped him up off waivers on April 5. He was rocked for seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in his lone Triple-A start with Milwaukee, who designated Gutierrez themselves in order to bring fellow righty Tobias Myers up to the MLB roster.

Now with his third team in a span of three weeks, Gutierrez will hope to get into a groove in Worcester and pitch his way into a big league opportunity. The Red Sox lost Lucas Giolito for the season before Opening Day, and they’ve more recently placed Garrett Whitlock (oblique strain) and Nick Pivetta (flexor strain) on the injured list. That leaves the Sox with a rotation including Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford, Tanner Houck and Cooper Criswell. Veteran Chase Anderson is on hand as a long man in the ’pen and could move into the rotation following Whitlock’s IL placement just yesterday. Gutierrez joins lefty Brandon Walter and righty Naoyuki Uwasawa as a rotation depth option on the 40-man roster.

Trevor Story Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

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April 12: Boston announced that Story underwent successful surgery to repair his posterior labrum as well as an internal fixation of the fracture of his glenoid rim.

April 9: Speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning before the Red Sox home opener, manager Alex Cora said there is “concern” regarding the “bone structure” of Trevor Story’s shoulder (per Speier). Story landed awkwardly on his shoulder during last Friday’s game against the Angels and wound up on the 10-day injured list the next day with what the team called a “left shoulder dislocation.” The shortstop will meet with noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a second opinion, with shoulder surgery a possibility (per Speier). Story will have surgery to repair a fractured glenoid, Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow told reporters (including Alex Speier of The Boston Globe). His timetable to return is roughly six months, so he will miss the remainder of the regular season.

According to Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic, Cora plans to run with a pair of platoons in the middle infield going forward. The lefty-batting David Hamilton and righty-batting Romy Gonzalez will split time at shortstop, while the lefty-batting Pablo Reyes and righty-batting Enmanuel Valdez share duties at second base. Center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela is another option for either position. While Rafaela already looks like a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center, the Red Sox have significantly more outfield depth than infield depth right now. Jarren Duran can slide over to center field, while Tyler O’Neill and Wilyer Abreu cover the corners.

Finally, Cora also mentioned that Vaughn Grissom will take reps at shortstop during his upcoming rehab assignment (per Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe). The plan is still for Grissom to primarily play second base (per McCaffrey), but he has plenty of minor league experience at short, and the Red Sox could be all hands on deck if their veteran shortstop goes under the knife.

Story knew right away he had a “significant injury” (per Christopher Smith of MassLive) but, as of the weekend, had not yet given up hope that he would return in 2024. Unfortunately, the second opinion he receives from Dr. ElAttrache could mark the end of his season. Brewers outfielder Garrett Mitchell needed surgery after a similar injury last April and returned for just the final four games of the year.

Red Sox Place Trevor Story On Injured List With Shoulder Subluxation

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The Red Sox placed shortstop Trevor Story on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder subluxation this evening, per a team announcement. Infielder David Hamilton was recalled to take Story’s place on the active roster. The news comes on the heels of Story exiting yesterday’s game after diving to field a groundball. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow informed reporters, including Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, that it’s not yet clear if Story will need surgery or will play again this season. Story is set to undergo an exam on Monday to determine if he’s sustained any structural damage that would require him to go under the knife.

It’s the latest brutal development for Story during his Red Sox tenure, which has been fraught with injury-related struggles. Story, 31, enjoyed a run as one of the game’s best offensive shortstops from 2018 to 2020, slashing an impressive .292/.355/.554 while earning two All Star appearances, two Silver Slugger awards, and three top-12 finishes in NL MVP voting. Since coming to Boston on a six-year, $140MM deal prior to the 2022 season, however, Story has appeared in just 145 games with a .227/.288/.394 slash line amid wrist, heel, and UCL injuries. Now the latest injury to plague Story since joining the Red Sox has put the remainder of his 2024 season in doubt after he appeared in just 43 games last season.

With Story likely sidelined for at least a significant period, if not the entire season, the Red Sox are now set to turn to a patchwork infield mix featuring Enmanuel Valdez, Pablo Reyes, and Hamilton up the middle with Romy Gonzalez as another option on the club’s 40-man roster. Reyes has the most big league experience of that group, with a .255/.317/.363 slash line in 216 career big league games that’s good for a wRC+ or 83, while Valdez’s 87 wRC+ in 57 career major league appearances leads the group.

Taking Story’s place on the roster for the time being is Hamilton, a 26-year-old who made his MLB debut with the Red Sox last year. The youngster appeared in just 15 games with the club during his first big league season and struggled at the plate, slashing a paltry .121/.256/.182 in that brief stint. He posted stronger numbers at the Triple-A level, slashing .247/.363/.438 in 103 games while splitting time between shortstop, second base, and center field.

None of those options inspire confidence, though the club’s outlook up the middle could improve when infielder Vaughn Grissom makes his season debut after being sidelined with a hamstring strain to open the season. Per MLB.com, Cora has suggested that Grissom could begin a rehab assignment in the near future, potentially setting up a return in late April or early May. Grissom was set to open the season as the club’s starting second baseman prior to his injury, though it’s possible that a prolonged absence by Story could lead the Red Sox to experiment with Grissom at shortstop, where he spent the majority of his time in the minor leagues.

One other option at the club’s disposal would be to use top prospect Ceddanne Rafaela on the infield dirt. The youngster has acted as the club’s regular center fielder this season but has experience in the major and minor leagues at both shortstop and second base. Moving Rafaela to the infield would also free up additional at-bats in the club’s crowded outfield mix, which features Jarren Duran, Tyler O’Neill, Wilyer Abreu, and Mastaka Yoshida in addition to Rafaela himself. Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe relays that Breslow downplayed the idea of Rafaela moving to the infield, however, noting the value of the youngster’s superb glovework in center field.

Trevor Story Exits With Left Shoulder Pain

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Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story injured his shoulder on Friday as he dove to field a groundball. He hit the ground in significant distress and eventually left the game holding his arm. Shortly afterward, the team told reporters (including Christopher Smith of MassLive) that he exited with “left shoulder pain.” Presumably, the Red Sox will provide more details after the game, although Story might need further evaluation on Saturday before receiving a proper diagnosis.

Story has been something of an injury magnet throughout his career, spending time on the injured list in six of his first eight MLB seasons from 2016-23. He tore a thumb ligament in 2016, suffered a shoulder strain in 2017, sprained his thumb in 2019, dealt with elbow inflammation in 2021, and fractured his wrist (and suffered a heel contusion) in 2022. Most recently, he spent the first four months of the 2023 season recovering from an internal brace procedure to repair his UCL.

The Red Sox, who signed Story to a six-year, $140 million contract ahead of the 2022 campaign, were counting on him to be their regular shortstop this year. He struggled tremendously at the plate in 2023, slashing .203/.250/.316 in 43 games. However, he looked phenomenal at shortstop, producing 8 DRS and 8 OAA in just 314 defensive innings. Surely, the Red Sox were hoping that after a regular, healthy offseason, Story could get back on track at the plate. Over his first seven seasons, he produced an .849 OPS and 111 wRC+.

Instead, it seems as if Story is headed to the injured list early in 2024. Boston is low on infield depth with second baseman Vaughn Grissom already on the IL, but Pablo Reyes can cover at shortstop. Meanwhile, utility man Romy Gonzalez, currently at Triple-A, is a likely candidate to fill an empty spot on the bench.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: The Streaking Mariners, the Struggling Angels and Injured Aces

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

  • The scorching hot Mariners (2:15)
  • The ice cold Angels (6:20)
  • The Rangers will be without Josh Jung for a while, impacting them and the Rookie of the Year race (8:45)
  • Shane McClanahan could be out for the year and maybe part of 2024 as well (13:15)
  • Yankees put Carlos Rodón back on the injured list (18:35)
  • Red Sox get Trevor Story back (21:35)

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • Any chance that the Cubs try to sign Cody Bellinger to a long term deal? (24:35)
  • Of all the players on the Dodgers’ injured list, which will have the most immediate impact both now and for the postseason not named Clayton Kershaw? (30:15)
  • Are the Angels’ manager and general managers jobs respectively in jeopardy if they fail to make the playoffs? (33:25)

Check out our past episodes!

Red Sox Designate Yu Chang For Assignment, Activate Trevor Story

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The Red Sox have designated infielder Yu Chang for assignment, with manager Alex Cora confirming the move to reporters (including Chris Cotillo of MassLive). His roster spot will go to Trevor Story, who has now been activated from the 60-day injured list.

Story underwent elbow surgery in January, an internal brace procedure that was clearly going to put him out of action for a long time. The club didn’t put a specific timeline on it then, saying that Story could return late in the 2023 campaign, though chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom said at the time it was “not something at this stage we want to bank on.”

The Sox have been spinning plates at the shortstop position even since that news, with Chang, Enrique Hernández, Pablo Reyes, David Hamilton, Christian Arroyo, Bobby Dalbec and Enmanuel Valdéz all having seen some time there, while Adalberto Mondesí was acquired in the offseason but has spent all year on the IL thus far. None of those players have proven to be a standout, with Hernández having since been traded to the Dodgers, Arroyo outrighted off the roster, while Hamilton, Dalbec and Valdéz are in the minors on optional assignment.

In the case of Chang, he got some fairly regular playing time early on but suffered a fractured hamate in late April and didn’t return until early July. In 39 games around that IL stint, he’s hit just .162/.200/.352 this year. He’s played all four infield positions and has been graded well at each of them but the offense is clearly lacking. He’s out of options and so the club had little choice but to remove him from the roster.

That’s generally been the narrative around Chang in his career, as he is capable of providing strong defense at various positions but hasn’t found a way to contribute much with the bat. His career batting line is now .204/.265/.359 through 650 plate appearances.

Despite that tepid offensive performance and his out-of-options status, he’s generally drawn interest from clubs around the league. Last year, he bounced from the Guardians to the Pirates, Rays and Red Sox but didn’t carve out a lasting role with any of the four. With the trade deadline now behind us, the Sox will have to put Chang on waivers, either the outright or the release variety. It’s possible that he garners interest yet again, perhaps on a club outside contention that can give him regular playing time to try to get into a groove. He can be retained via arbitration for two seasons beyond this one.

Story will now step back onto the roster, though Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported yesterday that he will play every other day for now, as he continues ramping back up to regular action. With Chang now off the roster, Reyes will likely share some of the shortstop duties as Story continues to build up to a full-time role.

AL East Notes: Rizzo, Story, Glasnow

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Yankees first baseman Anthony Rizzo went on the injured list last week with post-concussion syndrome following a collision with Padres start Fernando Tatis Jr. at first base back in May. Given Rizzo went from a clear All Star candidate (146 wRC+) to the worst hitter in the majors (43 wRC+) following the collision, the revelation that Rizzo has been dealing with concussion symptoms has sparked confusion regarding him continuing to play over the past two months. To that end, The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner interviewed Rizzo regarding the situation, and in an article today discussed Rizzo’s slump over the past few months, his injury, how it was handled, and if he wishes anything had been done differently.

Throughout the interview, Rizzo emphasized that he didn’t believe anything was wrong despite other people suggesting the collision may have impacted him: “You know yourself as a hitter and you know what your strike zone is,” Rizzo told Kirschner, “When it all disappeared, you’re like what is going on? You don’t think it’s because of a collision. My agent said something about the collision. My parents said something… Every time someone said something like that, I would get mad at them because I don’t need excuses in this game… everyone struggles in baseball.”

With Rizzo on the shelf without a timetable for return, the Yankees will look to salvage a season in which they sit 3.5 games out of a wild card spot despite a solid 58-53 record without their everyday first baseman and most reliable left-handed bat. Jake Bauers, who has hit well (122 wRC+) in a part time role with New York this season, has taken over at first base since Rizzo hit the IL.

More from around the AL East…

  • Red Sox shortstop Trevor Story will remain in the minor leagues until his rehab assignment reaches the maximum of 20 days later this week, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. Smith adds that manager Alex Cora says Story will be reevaluated after playing on Tuesday and Wednesday, as the shortstop has struggled to bounce back following back-to-back games played. Story is in year two of his six-year, $140MM contract with Boston and has yet to play in the majors this season as he works his way back from elbow surgery. With Story on the shelf, the Red Sox are currently relying on Yu Chang and deadline acquisition Luis Urias up the middle.
  • Rays right-hander Tyler Glasnow was scratched from his start against the Tigers today due to back spasms, as noted by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Right-hander Erasmo Ramirez took Glasnow’s place as the starter for this afternoon’s game. Topkin also relayed that manager Kevin Cash doesn’t believe the issue will require a trip to the injured list, with Glasnow potentially being able to return to the mound as soon as later this week against the Cardinals, though Glasnow won’t see a doctor regarding the issue until tomorrow. With Taj Bradley back in the minor leagues and Shane McClanahan having gone on the injured list last week, an IL stint for Glasnow would leave the Rays with only Zach Eflin and Aaron Civale as traditional starters in their rotation.

AL East Notes: Story, Mullins, Green

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Red Sox infielder Trevor Story is beginning a rehab assignment today, with Ian Browne of MLB.com relaying the details. Story will play five innings at shortstop in Friday’s game before serving as the designated hitter on Saturday and returning to the shortstop position on Sunday.

The shortstop position in Boston has been in flux since it was reported in January that Story had undergone internal brace surgery on his right elbow. They’ve rotated various players through the position in his absence, including Enrique Hernández, Yu Chang, Pablo Reyes and others. The Red Sox have a collective .216/.272/.322 batting line from the position, which translates to a wRC+ of 59, placing them 27th out of the 30 clubs in the league.

Story is a career .268/.336/.513 hitter and would certainly be a boost if he could come back at that level, though it’s no guarantee that he will. He hit .251/.329/.471 in his final year in Colorado and then .238/.303/.434 last year. After missing all of this season so far, it remains to be seen what form he will be in when he gets back. The Sox are currently three games out of a playoff spot and even a diminished version of Story should be an upgrade over the production they’ve had from the shortstop position thus far.

Some more notes from the toughest division in the league…

  • The Orioles placed outfielder Cedric Mullins on the injured list earlier this week due to a groin strain, his second trip to the IL this year for that injury. Just the day prior, he had said he was hoping to avoid the IL, which made it fair to expect this stint would be minimal. That may not be the case, however, with Mullins providing more details to the media yesterday. He said that new symptoms emerged once his soreness went away, per Danielle Allentuck of the Baltimore Banner, with no timeline for his return right now. He said he’s hopeful of returning for the back end of the season, per Rich Dubroff of Baltimore Baseball. That murkier timeline is surely an unpleasant development for the O’s, as Mullins continue to be an impact player when healthy. He’s hit .259/.347/.454 this year for a wRC+ of 123 and stolen 14 bases. His progress in the weeks to come will hopefully provide some more clarity but it doesn’t seem like an immediate return is likely.
  • Blue Jays reliever Chad Green is set to begin a rehab assignment on Saturday, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The Jays signed Green in the offseason to a convoluted deal, knowing that he wouldn’t be an option in the first half after undergoing Tommy John surgery last year. He’s now rehabbing at an interesting time of the season, with the trade deadline just over the horizon. The righty has 272 appearances under his belt with a 3.17 ERA,  32.5% strikeout rate and 6.3% walk rate. All contending clubs are looking for relief help at this time of year but Green’s impending return gives the Jays a chance to have that bullpen boost come from within. They are currently 54-43 and tied with the Astros for the second Wild Card spot. Green’s return will also give the club a couple of months to evaluate his status before deciding on the layered option structure of his contract. They first have to decide on triggering a three-year, $27MM option with $1MM in bonuses. If they decline, Green can exercise a 2024 player option with a $6.25MM salary and $2MM in bonuses. If he declines that, the Jays can trigger a two-year, $21MM option with $1MM in bonuses.
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