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Mariners, Ty Buttrey Agree To Minor League Deal

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Reliever Ty Buttrey agreed to a deal with the Mariners, he announced this afternoon (on X). It’s presumably a minor league contract with a Spring Training invite.

Buttrey, 31 in March, is looking to get back to the majors for the first time since 2020. The former fourth-round draftee pitched in the big leagues each year between 2018-20. Buttrey made 115 appearances for the Angels, allowing fewer than four earned runs per nine innings in each of his first two seasons. He struggled during the shortened season, posting a 5.81 ERA in 26 1/3 frames.

On the eve of the 2021 campaign, Buttrey announced he was stepping away from baseball. He sat out that season but made his return in ’22. The righty spent that year in Triple-A with the Halos, losing his spot on the 40-man roster midseason. He signed a minor league pact with the Astros for 2023.

Buttrey opened the season on the minor league injured list. He missed three months before being reinstated on June 30. He went on to make 14 appearances with Houston’s Triple-A team. Buttrey allowed 11 runs in 13 2/3 innings, largely thanks to the 13 walks he issued. That understandably wasn’t sufficient to get him a big league look, leading the Astros to release him at the beginning of August.

While Buttrey hasn’t found much success in the last couple years, there’s no risk for the Mariners in taking a look at him in camp. During his first couple seasons with the Halos, he looked like an above-average MLB reliever. Between 2018-19, Buttrey struck out 27.4% of opponents with a 3.86 ERA in 88 2/3 innings while sitting in the 96-97 MPH range with his fastball. He’ll likely open next season at Triple-A Tacoma as bullpen depth. Seattle also added righty Joey Krehbiel on a minor league pact this afternoon and has signed similar deals with Cory Abbott, Jhonathan Diaz, Kirby Snead, Brett de Geus and Tyson Miller over the offseason.

Astros To Select Corey Julks, César Salazar

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The Astros informed reporters of a handful of roster decision this afternoon (relayed by Brian McTaggart of MLB.com and Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). Most notably, outfielder/third baseman Corey Julks and catcher/first baseman César Salazar are making the Opening Day roster. Neither player is yet on the 40-man roster, so the club will have to formally select their contracts in the next few days.

Houston will carry three catchers to start the season, as backstop Yainer Diaz is also breaking camp behind veteran starter Martín Maldonado. Díaz is already on the 40-man after making his MLB debut late last season. Catcher Korey Lee, outfielder Bligh Madris, infielder/outfielder J.J. Matijevic and infielder Rylan Bannon were all optioned, while non-roster invitees Dixon Machado, Justin Dirden, Austin Davis and Ty Buttrey were reassigned to the minor leagues.

Julks is a Texas native who attended the University of Houston. An eighth-round pick by his hometown club in 2017, he’s played five minor league seasons. The 27-year-old had a strong season with Triple-A Sugar Land last year, hitting .270/.351/.503 with 31 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 27 attempts. Baseball America slotted him as the #27 prospect in the Houston system this offseason as a result, the first time he’d placed among the organization’s top 30 farmhands. The outlet credits him with roughly average tools across the board and suggests he could step immediately step in as a fourth outfielder. He’ll earn that opportunity after a .275/.318/.550 showing in 40 plate appearances this spring.

Salazar, also 27, was a seventh-round pick in 2018 out of the University of Arizona. The 5’9″ backstop spent the majority of last season with Double-A Corpus Christi. He posted a solid .277/.350/.489 line while connecting on 16 longballs in 85 games. Salazar only walked at a 6.8% clip but kept his strikeouts down to a modest 16.5% rate. While he only has 18 games of Triple-A experience, the Astros are confident he’ll be able to handle the jump to take on big league arms. He’ll add a left-handed bat to the bench and give skipper Dusty Baker some added flexibility to sub out Maldonado for a pinch-hitter as long as Houston carries three catchers.

Diaz is one of the organization’s best offensive prospects. The 24-year-old only got into six MLB contests last year but combined for a .306/.356/.542, 25-homer showing in the minors. He adds a bat-first complement to Maldonado behind the dish and could also see occasional starts at first base or designated hitter.

Houston will need to create a pair of spots on the 40-man roster. Placing second baseman Jose Altuve on the 60-day injured list feels like an inevitability, as he won’t begin baseball activities for two months after fracturing his thumb. Starting pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. could be another 60-day IL candidate as he’s slowed by a forearm strain, though general manager Dana Brown was noncommittal on that possibility today (via Rome).

Astros, Ty Buttrey Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Astros have agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Ty Buttrey, as first reported by Sam Blum of the Athletic (Twitter link). He’ll get a non-roster look in big league camp this spring.

Buttrey has pitched in parts of three MLB seasons, all of which came as a member of the Angels. His best season came in 2019, when he provided the Halos 72 1/3 innings of 3.98 ERA ball with a 27.2% strikeout rate out of the bullpen. He had a rough go during the shortened 2020 campaign, though, striking out just 16.1% of batters faced en route to a 5.81 ERA through 26 1/3 innings.

While Buttrey could’ve still factored into the MLB bullpen the next season, he stepped away from the game just before Opening Day. Buttrey noted at the time he “couldn’t help but notice that (his) love and passion for this game had started to diminish.” He sat out the 2021 campaign but made a comeback effort last winter. The Halos welcomed him back onto the 40-man roster but kept him in Triple-A Salt Lake to start the season.

The 29-year-old struggled immensely through his first couple months with the Bees. After allowing nine runs through his first 12 1/3 frames, he was designated for assignment in June. Buttrey went unclaimed on waivers and closed out the year on an outright assignment to Salt Lake. He concluded the season with a 5.94 ERA through 36 1/3 frames, posting a below-average 17.9% strikeout percentage and a hefty 13.7% walk rate. Buttrey generated grounders on half the batted balls he allowed, but he’d need to improve upon the strikeout and walk numbers to earn a big league look.

Buttrey will try to demonstrate better form in camp with the Astros. He admitted at the time of his DFA last summer he “(had) work to do to get … back to peak form” in the wake of his season away. With another offseason of preparation, he’ll look to crack a role in a strong Houston bullpen. The Astros have a number of bullpen spots sewn up, with Ryan Pressly, Rafael Montero, Héctor Neris, Bryan Abreu, Ryne Stanek and Phil Maton locked into roles if healthy. Seth Martinez figures to have the inside track at another job, while Houston could also look to integrate a left-hander into that righty-heavy mix. Buttrey joins southpaw Austin Davis as an experienced non-roster player who’ll get a look in Spring Training.

Astros Claim Dillon Thomas From Angels

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The Astros have claimed corner outfielder Dillon Thomas off waivers from the Angels, according to announcements from both teams. Fellow outfielder Jake Meyers has been transferred from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Los Angeles also announced that reliever Ty Buttrey has passed through waivers unclaimed and been sent outright to Triple-A Salt Lake.

Thomas remains in the AL West, where he’ll look to reach the majors with a third separate team. The 29-year-old has gotten cups of coffee with the Mariners and Angels over the past couple seasons, but he’s appeared in just five total games. His stint in Anaheim was particularly brief. Thomas was selected to the majors last Wednesday while the club dealt with a brief absence for Mike Trout. He was on the active roster for three days, suiting up once, before being designated for assignment.

Signed by the Halos to a minor league contract over the winter, Thomas earned a 40-man spot with quality work in the upper levels of the system. The left-handed hitter posted a .295/.398/.489 mark with eight home runs across 211 plate appearances in Salt Lake. Thomas walked at a strong 10.9% clip against a roughly average 23.7% strikeout rate, apparently catching the attention of the Astros front office in the process.

While Thomas will start his organizational tenure in Sugar Land, the opportunity to earn a big league call with the Astros figures to be particularly sweet. Thomas is a Houston native who’d been committed to Texas A&M before signing with the Rockies out of Westbury Christian School a decade ago. He still has a pair of minor league option years, so he can bounce between Houston and Sugar Land for the next couple seasons if he holds a 40-man roster spot.

Meyers’ transfer makes room for Thomas, but it’s strictly a procedural move. The 25-year-old has been on the injured list all season while recovering from shoulder surgery. He’s already spent more than 60 days on the IL, so he’s still eligible to return whenever he’s ready from a health perspective. That figures to be in the coming days, as he’s spent the past couple weeks on a rehab assignment with the Space Cowboys.

Buttrey, meanwhile, sticks in the Angels organization but will no longer hold a spot on the 40-man roster. Initially designated for assignment when Thomas was called up, the righty will try to work his way back to the majors as a member of the Bees. Buttrey sat out the 2021 season after stepping away from the game, and he’s shown some signs of rust upon returning. Through 12 1/3 innings, he’s allowed nine runs while striking out just five.

Angels Select Dillon Thomas, Designate Ty Buttrey

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The Angels have selected outfielder Dillon Thomas onto the major league roster, according to a club announcement. They’ve also recalled Jack Mayfield from Triple-A Salt Lake, optioned José Suarez and placed Luis Rengifo on the paternity list. Reliever Ty Buttrey has been designated for assignment to open space for Thomas on the 40-man roster.

Thomas inked a minor league contract with the Halos over the offseason. The 29-year-old has spent the year in Salt Lake and performed quite well, hitting .295/.398/.489 with eight home runs in 211 plate appearances. Thomas has drawn walks in a strong 10.9% of his trips while striking out at a roughly league average level (23.7%). It’s his second consecutive solid year of Triple-A work, as he posted a .269/.377/.448 line with the Mariners top affiliate in 2021.

Seattle gave Thomas a brief look at the MLB level last summer, getting him into four games. The Houston native will hope for a longer stay on the roster this time around, although he does have a pair of minor league option years remaining and can be moved between Anaheim and Salt Lake.

Thomas, who has some experience in center field but has spent most of his minor league career in the corners, adds some depth while the team plays things cautiously with Mike Trout. The three-time MVP left last night’s game early with left groin tightness. It doesn’t seem to be a concern, as team trainer Mike Frostad told reporters (including Sam Blum of the Athletic) that Trout is day-to-day. Juan Lagares will get the start in center field tonight, however.

Buttrey, meanwhile, loses his 40-man roster spot after struggling in Triple-A. He’s tossed 12 1/3 innings of nine-run ball, striking out only five batters while issuing a trio of walks. Buttrey has induced grounders on almost 60% of batted balls, but he wasn’t missing enough bats to be on the radar for an MLB call. The 29-year-old frankly acknowledged after his DFA (Twitter link) that he “(has) work to do to get myself back to peak form. … The best players will play and I’m not one of them yet. We will see what happens over the next few days, if not I’ll be back in Angel Stadium when the time is right.”

It’s not especially surprising that Buttrey hasn’t been at top form to this point, as he’s making his way back after sitting out the 2021 campaign. The right-hander stepped away from the game last April, saying at the time he’d begun to lose his passion and love for the sport. After a year away, Buttrey embarked on a comeback in January, and he’s occupied a spot on the 40-man roster since April.

The Angels will now have a week to trade Buttrey or try to run him through outright waivers. He struggled to a 5.81 ERA over 26 1/3 big league frames during the shortened 2020 season, but he’d posted a 3.98 mark with a quality 27.2% strikeout rate in 2019.

Angels Designate Justin Upton For Assignment

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The Angels have designated Justin Upton for assignment, per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (via Twitter). Upton is owed $28MM this season in the last year of his deal. Anyone who claims Upton would have to take on the $28MM contract, so the likelihood here is that Upton will soon before a free agent.

The Angels appear ready to go young in the outfield. The burden to flank all-world superstar Mike Trout in the outfield will now fall to highly-touted prospects Jo Adell and Brandon Marsh. Taylor Ward, 28, will also be in the mix for playing time there.

As for Upton, the 34-year-old has proved a streaky hitter in recent years, though his final line came in at just .211/.296/.409 over 362 plate appearances. He did, however, still slug southpaws to the tune of .225/.355/.483. As a free agent, Upton could be a low-cost option to provide some value in a short-side platoon. He’s also been working out at first base this spring, which could give an avenue to playing time somewhere. Speculatively speaking, the Red Sox, Padres, Tigers, Rangers, Dodgers, or Rockies might be interested in giving Upton a look in this capacity.

Today’s move ends what has to be considered an overall disappointing tenure in L.A. for Upton, given that he hit a modest .232/.322/.443 with 75 home runs over his 1512 PA in an Angels uniform. Injuries were undoubtedly a factor, as Upton has battled back problems in recent years and also missed the majority of the 2019 season with both knee issues and turf toe.

While Upton’s numbers as an Angel still work out as above-average (106 OPS+) offensive production, more was expected given Upton’s salary. The Halos acquired Upton from the Tigers in August 2017, and though Upton had an opt-out clause following that season, the two sides worked out a new contract extension to keep Upton in Anaheim. The new deal guaranteed Upton $106MM covering the 2018-22 seasons.

In a corresponding move, Ty Buttrey was reinstated from the restricted list and placed on the 40-man roster. The right-handed reliever has been optioned to Triple-A, per the team. Buttrey had been on the restricted list since last April when he decided to take some time away from baseball, but decided over the winter to return.

Ty Buttrey Looking To Resume MLB Career

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After stepping away from baseball last April, former Angels right-hander Ty Buttrey said during a Twitter Spaces conversation tonight that he wanted to return to playing (hat tip to Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group).  Buttrey has remained on the Angels’ restricted list for the last nine-plus months.

A fourth-round pick for the Red Sox in the 2012 draft, Buttrey was dealt to Anaheim as part of the July 2018 trade that sent Ian Kinsler to Boston.  The trade led to Buttrey making his big league debut, and he emerged as a solid member of the L.A. bullpen in 2018-19, posting a 3.86 ERA and 27.4% strikeout rate in 88 2/3 innings of those two seasons.

The strikeouts dropped off to just a 16.1% rate in 2020, however, as Buttrey struggled to a 5.81 ERA over 26 1/3 frames.  The diminished K% was just one of several subpar Statcast metrics on Buttrey’s record, though he was far from the only player to struggle amidst the unusual circumstances of the abbreviated 2020 season.  The Halos were expecting Buttrey to rebound last year, but instead, the 28-year-old wanted to leave the grind of big league life.

“I couldn’t help but notice that my love and passion for this game had started to diminish.“,” Buttrey explained as part of a an Instagram post about his decision.  Simply making it as a professional ballplayer seemed enough for Buttrey, who said “I completely lost the drive to continue doing something that I didn’t love because in my mind, I already accomplished it.  It was never my dream to make it to the Hall of Fame, win a World Series, or become an All-Star.  In my head, I accomplished what I wanted, to prove people wrong and accomplish something extremely hard.”

Angels manager Joe Maddon told MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger and other reporters last spring that Buttrey informed the team of his decision prior to the team optioning the righty to the minors at the end of Spring Training.  Going by Maddon’s statements of support, the door would seemingly be open for Buttrey to return to the Angels once the lockout is over, and the team could get a look at him in camp before deciding on any next move.

Angels Place Ty Buttrey On Restricted List

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APRIL 3: Buttrey has released a statement via Instagram explaining his reasons for stepping away from the game, posted to Twitter here by the Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.  Buttrey made his decision for his own personal happiness, saying that “My whole life I’ve played the game for everyone else.  I just wanted to prove everyone wrong….As time went on, baseball became more of a business and less of a game.  I couldn’t help but notice that my love and passion for this game had started to diminish.”

Initially driven by the challenge of overcoming his doubters and making a good living for himself, Buttrey grew increasingly dissatisfied, saying “Unfortunately, money and proving people wrong are short-term motivators, especially when you never actually loved the game you dedicated the last 24 years of your life to.  I dreaded every aspect of the process to become the best, but who the hell throws away 24 years of work?  I want to finally be known as just Ty, not Ty, the baseball player.  I completely lost the drive to continue doing something that I didn’t love because in my mind, I already accomplished it.  It was never my dream to make it to the Hall of Fame, win a World Series, or become an All-Star.  In my head, I accomplished what I wanted, to prove people wrong and accomplish something extremely hard.”

“I couldn’t be any more excited to finally become just Ty.  I love my family, my close teammates, friends and especially Halo Nation.  I’m tired of not being there for my loved ones, and I’m tired of pretending and lying to the best fan base in the world.  Life is super simple.  Find your true passion, find people you love and don’t give a damn what any person outside those lines thinks.  People love to have control over others.”

“It’s time for Sam [Buttrey’s wife] and I to start living the life we really want.  I am beyond excited to finally be a normal, hardworking dude, that loves his family and friends. Life is short so just do what you love and don’t ever look back!  I’m going to miss the fans more than I’m going to miss the game.  I want to thank everyone who has supported my wife and I throughout my entire career and the Angels organization for believing in me and giving me the opportunity.”

APRIL 2: In surprising news, Angels right-handed reliever Ty Buttrey has chosen not to report to the team, manager Joe Maddon told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register and other media members. Buttrey is walking away from the game, at least for now, and the Angels have placed him on the restricted list.

Buttrey joined the Angels in a 2018 trade with the Red Sox for second baseman Ian Kinsler, the year the hurler debuted in the majors. He has since pitched to a 4.30 ERA/3.70 SIERA, averaged 96.1 mph on his fastball, and logged a 24.8 percent strikeout rate against a 7.5 percent walk rate in 115 innings. However, Buttrey posted career-low numbers in 2020, when he notched personal lows in ERA (5.81) and strikeout percentage (16.1) over 26 1/3 frames. The 28-year-old hadn’t been due to become eligible for arbitration until after this season.

Despite last year’s downturn in performance, Buttrey looked like a good bet to occupy a spot in the Angels’ remade bullpen when the spring started. The Angels optioned Buttrey earlier in the week, though, leaving him out of their season-opening picture.

“He’s going to be a big part of how we conclude this year,” Maddon said when the Angels demoted Buttrey (via Daniel Guerrero of MLB.com), but it’s now possible he won’t pitch at all this season or ever again.

Angels Option Ty Buttrey, Sign Noe Ramirez

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The Angels bullpen finished 12th in the Majors by measure of FIP in 2020 and 21st by ERA, but the most gaudy failures came at the end of games. The Angels blew 14 saves, the most in the Majors. New GM Perry Minasian acted decisively to address their bullpen woes this winter. Raisel Iglesias was the big get coming over from Cincinnati, but he’s not the only new face: Alex Claudio signed early in December, Junior Guerra in January, and Aaron Slegers was acquired via trade from the much-vaunted Tampa bullpen.

They continued to tinker with their bullpen mix with a pair of moves today. In a surprising development, the club optioned Ty Buttrey to Triple-A, the team announced. After joining the Angels from Boston along with Williams Jerez as part of the Ian Kinsler deadline deal in 2018, Buttrey posted a 1.4 fWAR season in 2019 in 72 appearances covering 72 1/3 innings. He earned his 3.98 ERA/3.58 SIERA while striking out 27.2 percent of hitters and walking just 7.4 percent. Entering 2020, Buttrey was a key variable in the Angels’ run-prevention equation.

Over 27 games in 2020, however, Buttrey’s strikeout rate fell to a concerning 16.1 percent. His ERA- saw a year-over-year spike from 87 to 132. He was responsible for four of the Angels’ 14 blown saves while notching just a pair of holds. The North Carolina native converted 26 holds the year prior. His velocity fell from 97.1 mph to 96.1 mph, and while that still ranked in the 88th percentile for fastball velocity, his whiff rate with the offering fell from 25.5 percent to 16.8 percent. Perhaps more to the point, his slider suffered significantly diminished side-to-side break. He recorded just one strikeout with his slider while opponents hammered it for a .511 expected slugging mark. He’ll now begin the 2021 season at the Angels’ alternate site looking “to regain the consistency that eluded the right-handed in his third major-league season,” writes Kevin Modesti of the Orange County Register.

The Angels also moved quickly today to bring right-hander Noe Ramirez back to the organization after he was released by the Reds. Terms of the deal haven’t yet been released, but it’s not believed to be a Major League deal. Ramirez, of course, was the primary Major League piece sent to Cincinnati in exchange for Iglesias. Like Buttrey, he also began his career with the Red Sox before the Angels claimed him off waivers in 2017. From 2018 to 2020, Ramirez logged 172 innings over 141 appearances out of the Angels’ pen with a 4.13 ERA/3.63 SIERA. Ramirez’s strikeout rate also fell alarmingly in 2020, though a favorable HR/FB rate helped produce a 3.00 ERA despite the uninspiring peripherals.

On the whole, Ramirez has been much more effective against same-handed hitters. That trend was amplified in 2020 as righties hit just .173/.267/.269 off Ramirez compared to lefties, who successfully produced a .273/.360/.455 line. Against the 60 right-handed hitters he faced, Ramirez logged a 23.3 percent strikeout rate, which isn’t all that far off his career 28.8 percent mark. He failed to strike out any of the 25 left-handed hitters he faced, however, compared to a 19.7 percent strikeout rate against lefties for his career. He has long been more effective against righties, but if the properties of his work continue as seen in 2020, he’ll require heavily-scripted usage to be an effective piece of manager Joe Maddon’s pen.

Health Notes: Paxton, Rodgers, Morrow, Buttrey

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As spring training games kick off, let’s check in on some injury situations around the game.

  • The early stages of James Paxton’s recovery from February back surgery have been promising, reports Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Paxton is “optimistic” he’ll begin a throwing program around ten days from now, relays Ackert. Paxton suggested he could be back in the Yankees’ rotation by May, which would be at the early end of the three to four month estimate for his recovery immediately post-surgery. A prompt return from the southpaw is perhaps even more important with Luis Severino now dealing with uncertainty of his own. The 31-year-old Paxton posted a solid 3.82 ERA with strong strikeout (29.4%) and walk (8.7%) rates over 150.2 innings in his first season in pinstripes in 2019.
  • Rockies’ infielder Brendan Rodgers is ahead of schedule in his own recovery from surgery. The season-ending shoulder procedure he underwent last June was expected to keep him out until sometime in May, reports Thomas Harding of MLB.com, but that timetable could be moving up. Rodgers is hitting without pain, Harding reports, and the infielder estimated he could log reps at DH by March 3. The next step, Harding adds, is for Rodgers to begin a throwing program from shortstop, although he’s already throwing from 160 feet without pain, he says. The former top prospect tells Harding not to rule out a potential Opening Day return.
  • In less promising news, Cubs’ reliever Brandon Morrow has been shut down “for at least a few days” with a “mild right upper chest strain,” reports Jordan Bastian of MLB.com (Twitter link). Morrow’s timetable for return is unclear, Bastian adds. Standing alone, a non-arm problem wouldn’t be all that worrisome at this stage of spring training. With Morrow’s litany of prior injuries, though, it’s certainly concerning to hear he’s again fighting through pain. Morrow re-signed with the Cubs on a minor-league deal this offseason after injuries wrecked his first two years with the organization. When healthy, the 35-year-old has proven a highly-effective option in the late innings.
  • Another high-leverage reliever, Angels’ right-hander Ty Buttrey, expects to throw off a mound by next Thursday, reports Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Buttrey suffered an intercostal strain last week, but it never seemed particularly serious. He should be a full go for Opening Day, Fletcher adds.
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