Headlines

  • Ben Joyce Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery
  • Dodgers Promote Dalton Rushing, Designate Austin Barnes For Assignment
  • Major League Baseball Rules That Permanent Ineligibility Ends At Death
  • Rangers Place Corey Seager On Injured List
  • Cubs Promote Moises Ballesteros
  • Evan Longoria To Sign One-Day Contract, Retire As Member Of Rays
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Tyler Austin

Twins Select Contract Of Chase De Jong, DFA Tyler Austin

By TC Zencka | April 6, 2019 at 10:41am CDT

The Minnesota Twins have selected the contract of right-hander Chase De Jong, while first baseman Tyler Austin will be designated for assignment, per The Athletic’s Dan Hayes (via Twitter).

De Jong, 25, was a 2nd round draft selection of the Blue Jays before seeing time in the Dodgers and Mariners organizations. He joined the Twins via the Zach Duke deal last July, making four starts with Minnesota in 2018, going 1-1 with a 3.57 ERA (4.92 FIP). A rough spring in which he surrendered more runs than innings pitched led to a reassignment to minor league camp, but the Twins are obviously satisfied with the progress he’s made since then.

There was some confusion as to who was getting the call, with various reports from last night suggesting that Zack Littell was being brought up. Littell will remain in Triple-A, however, while De Jong has an opportunity as the Twins’ fifth starter, though someone like Martin Perez could conceivably move from the bullpen to the rotation instead. The Twins have a day off on Monday and another next Thursday following a two-game series with the Mets, so they could conceivably go without a fifth starter until the Blue Jays come to town April 15-18.

Austin, meanwhile, has plenty of pop in his bat, but has yet to consistently get on base in the big leagues. He went 1-4 this season after slashing .230/.287/.480 with 17 home runs in 268 plate appearances between the Twins and Yankees in 2018. Those numbers track with Austin’s career averages as a .232/.291/.469 hitter across a total 371 big-league at-bats. Austin was out of options, so he’ll need to clear waivers before being reassigned.

Share 0 Retweet 6 Send via email0

Minnesota Twins Transactions Chase De Jong Tyler Austin

34 comments

Yankees Acquire Lance Lynn From Twins For Tyler Austin

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2018 at 6:14pm CDT

The Twins and Yankees have announced a trade that will send veteran righty Lance Lynn to New York. First baseman/outfielder Tyler Austin and minor-league right-hander Luis Rijo are headed to Minnesota.

Notably, the Twins will also send some cash in the swap. Lynn is earning $12MM this year, around $4MM of which remains to be paid. The sides will split the paychecks from this point forward. That will allow the Yankees to remain more or less cash-neutral after sending out righty Adam Warren in another trade this evening.

The Yanks clearly prefer Lynn to Warren, as the former will take the place of the latter on the roster. Though Lynn has worked exclusively as a starter since establishing himself in the majors, he seems likely to work from the bullpen upon his arrival in New York. While his numbers lag those of Warren, though, Lynn provides a clear backstop in the rotation.

There have been some positives this year for Lynn. He’s getting swinging strikes (10.1%) and groundballs (50.8%) more than ever before while operating near his peak velocity levels (94.1 mph). Still, there’s no sugarcoating the results. Through 102 1/3 innings in Minnesota, Lynn allowed 5.10 earned runs per nine.

While the magnitude of his difficulties has come as a surprise, many observed that the long-effective hurler seemed a strong candidate for regression when he reached the open market last winter. He had enjoyed a string of seasons in which he suppressed home runs to an extent that did not seem sustainable, then benefited from an unnaturally low BABIP-against (.244) upon returning from Tommy John surgery in 2017. This year, Lynn has allowed a .322 BABIP and 15.0% rate of home runs per flyball.

Of course, the market was aware of those concerns and priced them in. Lynn’s body of work still seemed impressive enough to support a multi-year deal, but he settled for a $12MM pillow contract with the Twins. The organization didn’t get what it bargained for, but then it also doesn’t need to worry about any ongoing salary entanglements.

Austin was a piece the Yankees could part with at will, as he just did not seem to have a place on the active roster and was in his final optionable year. The 26-year-old split the 2018 season between the majors (where he produced at a league-average clip) and Triple-A. In parts of four seasons at the highest level of the minors, Austin carries a .270/.347/.479 sash with 32 home runs through 829 plate appearances. He’ll likely enter camp next year with at least a shot at carving out a role on the 2019 Minnesota roster.

As for Rijo, he won’t turn twenty until September but did recently crack the High-A level. In 39 innings on the year in the low minors, he carries a 2.77 ERA with 32 strikeouts against just three walks.

Jon Heyman of Fancred (Twitter links) first reported the deal, with Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeting it was for Lynn. Both reporters also had further details (Twitter links.)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Photos.

Share 0 Retweet 3 Send via email0

Minnesota Twins New York Yankees Newsstand Transactions Lance Lynn Tyler Austin

222 comments

AL East Notes: Austin, Kelly, Walker, Bogaerts, Holt, Hardy

By Steve Adams | April 27, 2018 at 12:09pm CDT

The suspension appeals for Yankees first baseman Tyler Austin and Red Sox setup man Joe Kelly have both been heard. Austin’s suspension has been reduced from five games to four, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link), while Kelly’s six-game suspension was upheld (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Ian Browne). Both players were suspended and fined for their respective roles in the bench-clearing brawl two weeks back.

Some more notes from the division…

  • With Austin suspended, Neil Walker could pick up those starts at first base, and the opportunity will be an important one for him, writes Newsday’s Steven Marcus. With Austin and rehabbing Greg Bird likely to hold down first base, Gleyber Torres now at second base, Miguel Andujar at third base and Brandon Drury on the mend, Walker’s role with the Yankees is becoming increasingly muddied as he battles through a dismal start to the season. Walker, who is hitting just .172/.232/.203, made no excuses for his poor start and said his shortened Spring Training and injury history aren’t at the root of his struggles.
  • Xander Bogaerts could return to the Red Sox today, writes Chad Jennings of The Athletic (subscription link), which would cut into the playing time of a resurgent Brock Holt, who is hitting .340/.400/.520 through his first 55 trips to the plate. Holt chats with Jennings about his lost 2017 season which was ruined by recurring symptoms of vertigo that impacted him at the plate and in the field. Boston made the decision to hang onto Holt and instead trade Deven Marrero to the D-backs in Spring Training, entrusting Holt to be the primary utility infielder in the process. Now, however, there’s at least some minor injury concern with Holt; he exited last night’s game with tightness in his hamstring and is set to be re-evaluated today (Twitter link via Jennings). If he requires a DL stint, the Sox could potentially just flip Holt and Bogaerts, placing the former on the disabled list while activating the latter.
  • Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tackles a host of Orioles questions from readers in light of the team’s awful start to the season, with topics ranging from the slow starts by Alex Cobb and Chris Tillman to the eventual promotion of Austin Hays. Of note, Kubatko reveals upon being asked about a possible J.J. Hardy reunion that the longtime O’s shortstop “seems quite content at home with his family.” Kubatko notes that he even broached the idea with some within the organization after Tim Beckham’s injury and was told that no one within the org seems to think that Hardy is reconsidering his current situation. The 35-year-old Hardy spent the past seven seasons as Baltimore’s primary shortstop but hit .217/.255/.323 through 73 games in an injury-plagued 2017 season and didn’t sign anywhere as a free agent this winter.
Share 0 Retweet 4 Send via email0

Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Brock Holt J.J. Hardy Joe Kelly Neil Walker Tyler Austin Xander Bogaerts

117 comments

MLB Issues Suspensions, Fines In Wake Of Yankees-Red Sox Brawl

By Jeff Todd | April 12, 2018 at 4:57pm CDT

Major League Baseball has announced a variety of suspensions and fines relating to last night’s dust-up between the Yankees and Red Sox. As Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported on Twitter, New York first baseman Tyler Austin was slapped with a five-game ban while Boston reliever Joe Kelly will sit out six contests.

Both of those players have appealed their suspensions, meaning they won’t go into immediate effect and could still be shortened. Austin was penalized for charging Kelly on the hill and for his role in the melee. Kelly’s ban stemmed from a finding that he intentionally plunked Austin and also participated in the brawl.

Those two are also among those charged with undisclosed fines. Red Sox skipper Alex Cora and Yankees third base coach Phil Nevin were among them. A host of players on the disabled list — CC Sabathia, Dustin Pedroia, Xander Bogaerts, and Marco Hernandez — were also hit with fines for joining the fracas.

If these suspensions are upheld, they’ll hurt the respective teams somewhat but likely won’t have a major impact on the course of the current season. Still, the ongoing tension certainly makes tonight’s series-ending affair between these rivals appointment viewing and sets the stage for an interesting season-long battle between the two division favorites.

Share 0 Retweet 10 Send via email0

Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Joe Kelly Tyler Austin

134 comments

AL East Notes: Bird, Britton, Sedlock, Groome, Int’l

By Jeff Todd | August 25, 2017 at 11:04pm CDT

The Yankees have announced that they will bring first baseman Greg Bird back onto the MLB roster in time for tomorrow’s game, as Sweeny Murti of WFAN first reported on Twitter. Tyler Austin was optioned to create active roster space. Bird is finally back to health after struggling all year with ankle issues. As Murti notes, the 24-year-old turned in an 11-for-26 performance in his rehab stint. The Yankees will surely hope he can maintain that momentum upon his returning after posting an anemic .100/.250/.200 batting line in his first 72 plate appearances on the year.

Here’s more from the AL East:

  • Orioles closer Zach Britton gave some details on the positive outlook surrounding his bothersome left knee, as Roch Kubato of MASNsports.com writes. In the near term, Britton says, he ought to be able to continue pitching as he has since the problem first arose back in 2014. Looking ahead, he doesn’t believe he’ll need even minor offseason surgery.
  • The Orioles will be exercising added caution with another pitcher, prospect Cody Sedlock, Kubatko further explains. Sedlock, 22, is dealing with a forearm strain, though executive VP of baseball ops Dan Duquette says it “sounds like it’s a muscle strain.” Still, Sedlock has already missed time with an elbow issue and the organization is understandably taking care. The 2016 first-rounder owns a 5.90 ERA through ninety frames at the High-A level this year, with 6.9 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9.
  • Likewise, 2016 Red Sox draftee Jay Groome will be shut down with a forearm strain, as Ian Browne of MLB.com tweets. The southpaw entered the season with quite a lot of hype but has encountered some troubles at the Class A level. He threw 44 1/3 innings over 11 starts there, with a 6.90 ERA and 11.8 K/9 against 5.1 BB/9 on his ledger. Of course, Groome only just turned 19, and clearly he’s still showing quite a bit of talent with that impressive strikeout rate. At this point, there’s no reason to think the injury will stunt his progress.
  • The Red Sox and Yankees appear to be gearing up for a big international spending period, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag writes. Both organizations have struck deals to acquire pool money, boosting their initial $4.75MM allocations up to $8MM apiece. Heyman wonders whether the two AL East giants might be lining up a pile of cash to tempt Japanese superstar Shohei Otani, if he decides to make a move to the majors this winter, though it’s certainly also possible that the clubs are simply planning to add as much young talent from Latin America as they can.
Share 0 Retweet 10 Send via email0

Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox New York Yankees Greg Bird Shohei Ohtani Tyler Austin Zach Britton

19 comments

Injury News: Strasburg, Kershaw, Bour, Yankees, Kipnis

By Steve Adams | July 25, 2017 at 4:55pm CDT

The Nationals announced today that right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who exited with a potential injury in his most recent start, had “some nerve impingement that has been alleviated,” as Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post tweets. Earlier in the day, skipper Dusty Baker had told MASNsports.com’s Dan Kolko that Strasburg is feeling better and may actually take the hill for his next scheduled start (Twitter link). Chelsea Janes of the Post, meanwhile, tweets that Strasburg kept in line with typical between-starts routine by playing catch today as well. Janes further adds that Strasburg did not undergo an MRI but did have an ultrasound procedure, which compared favorably to previous exams. It’s been reported that a more serious Strasburg injury may well have impacted the Nats’ deadline plans, but it seems that they’ve avoided that scenario. Janes reported yesterday that in such a case, the bullpen would continue to be a larger priority.

Some more relevant injury news with the deadline less than a week away…

  • While Clayton Kershaw’s injury is obviously a blow to the Dodgers, Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times offers a bit more encouraging detail on the situation. While the team was initially fearful that Kershaw had again injured the disk that he herniated last season, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that a scan confirmed that this injury does not involve last year’s herniated disk. That was the Dodgers’ greatest concern, according to Roberts, who called it a “safe bet” that Kershaw would make it back to the team later during the regular season. Shaikin notes that even the back end of the projected four to six week timeline would have Kershaw back in the rotation in early September. Regarding the potential that Kershaw’s injury pushes the Dodgers to make a run at Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish, Roberts simply stated that every team in baseball would love to have Darvish, but stressed that he has no plans to try to persuade the front office into action: “I can’t put the pressure on. I’m not going to put the pressure on.”
  • The Marlins announced today that first baseman Justin Bour and shortstop JT Riddle have been placed on the 10-day DL due to a right oblique strain and left biceps tendinitis, respectively. There was no timetable given for the return of either player, but oblique strains typically cost a player at least a month. Bour didn’t seem especially likely to be moved anyhow, but the fact that he looks to be facing an absence of a few weeks further limits the chance of any trade involving the 29-year-old slugger.
  • While both Aaron Hicks and Tyler Austin are progressing in their rehab from their respective oblique and hamstring strains, it doesn’t sound as if either is on the verge of a minor league rehab assignment just yet. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch tweets that both are hitting off a tee and playing soft toss, per Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Each has been out since late June, and Girardi told reporters that they’re both at about the same spot in their recovery process, though he declined a specific timetable for either player’s return.
  • Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets that Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis ran the bases on Tuesday, and manager Terry Francona said he could play in rehab games as soon as this coming weekend. That would seem to represent an accelerated timeline, as Francona suggested back on Friday that Kipnis was still “weeks, not days” away from returning to the team.
Share 0 Retweet 3 Send via email0

Cleveland Guardians Los Angeles Dodgers Miami Marlins New York Yankees Washington Nationals Aaron Hicks Clayton Kershaw Jason Kipnis Justin Bour Stephen Strasburg Tyler Austin

10 comments

Yankees Promote Fowler, Select Carter, Designate Williams, Option Andujar

By Steve Adams | June 29, 2017 at 5:10pm CDT

In a dizzying series of roster moves prior to tonight’s game, the Yankees announced that they’ve selected the contracts of top outfield prospect Dustin Fowler and recently outrighted slugger Chris Carter. To clear spots on the 40-man roster, New York designated Mason Williams for assignment and transferred Greg Bird to the 60-day disabled list. The Yankees also announced that a right hamstring strain has landed Tyler Austin on the 10-day disabled list, while third baseman Miguel Andujar has been optioned back to Triple-A after just one game.

The 22-year-old Fowler ranks just inside the game’s Top 100 prospects, per Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com, who have the former 18th-round pick as baseball’s No. 98 overall prospect. Fowler opened the 2017 season in Triple-A and, in his first exposure to that level of pitching, responded with a very strong .293/.329/.542 batting line through his first 70 games. In 313 plate appearances, Fowler has racked up 13 homers, 19 doubles and eight triples to go along with 13 stolen bases.

Callis and Mayo laud the defensive improvements that Fowler has made since signing, noting that he’s gone from a corner-only option to a solid center field defender. They feel his approach at the dish needs some refinement — which is seemingly reflected in his poor 63-to-15 K/BB ratio in those 313 PAs — but note that he makes tons of hard contact and has 20-homer, 20-steal upside in the Majors.

Carter was outrighted off the 40-man just yesterday, but he’ll return to replace the injured Austin as a first base option for the Yankees. Austin has been told that he’s suffered a “high-grade strain” of his hamstring, tweets MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Certainly, that’s an ominous development for the 25-year-old Austin, who looked to have an opportunity to establish himself at first base following Carter’s DFA and Bird’s injury struggles. Austin is headed to Tampa to be examined by a specialist.

Carter signed a one-year deal with the Yankees this winter after what some considered to be a surprising non-tender from the Brewers. Carter led the National League in homers last year, but his huge strikeout totals, lack of OBP and limited defensive value suppressed his price tag to a $3.5MM guarantee on said one-year deal. In 189 plate appearances with New York this season, Carter hit just .204/.286/.383. While he did slug eight homers in that fairly short timeframe, he also struck out in 37 percent of his plate appearances in his first stint with the Yankees.

Williams, 25, has received just 17 plate appearances with the Yanks this season and a total of 68 across the past three seasons, but the once-elite prospect hasn’t delivered at the game’s highest level — or in Triple-A, for that matter. Through those 68 big league PAs, Williams has batted .281/.313/.391, and his cumulative line across parts of three Triple-A campaigns rests at a less-impressive .278/.318/.345 in a much larger sample of 480 PAs.

New York’s 40-man roster is stuffed with outfielders, including Fowler, Brett Gardner, Jacoby Ellsbury, Aaron Judge and Aaron Hicks, while top prospect Clint Frazier is also waiting in the wings. As such, there’s no real path to playing time for Williams, whom the Yankees will have seven days to trade or attempt to pass through waivers.

Yankees fans will undoubtedly be frustrated to see Andujar optioned just one day after going 3-for-4 and plating four runs in his Major League debut, but manager Joe Girardi tells reporters that the decision comes down to a simple desire to get Andujar everyday at-bats at third base (Twitter link via Hoch). While some will undoubtedly clamor for Andujar to play over Chase Headley, the veteran Headley has somewhat quietly rebounded from a poor start to hit .303/.415/.395 across his past 95 trips to the plate.

It certainly remains possible that Andujar resurfaces with the Yankees later this summer, and he certainly figures to be back with the club as a September call-up, at the very least, now that he’s on the 40-man roster.

Baseball America’s Josh Norris first reported Fowler’s promotion (Twitter link). Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported Williams’ DFA (on Twitter).

Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email0

New York Yankees Top Prospect Promotions Transactions Chris Carter Dustin Fowler Mason Williams Tyler Austin

47 comments

Injury Notes: Bird, Austin, Ahmed, Gsellman, Anderson, Jackson

By Steve Adams | June 28, 2017 at 7:30pm CDT

There’s concern within the Yankees organization that Greg Bird won’t make it back at all this season, manager Joe Girardi admitted to the YES Network’s Meredith Marakovits (Twitter link). Bird is still feeling soreness in his injured foot/ankle — an injury that has limited him to just 25 games between the Majors and Triple-A this season. Further complicating the situation is that Tyler Austin could be DL-bound, per Girardi (via ESPN’s Andrew Marchand). Marchand notes that if Austin does indeed land on the disabled list, Chris Carter could make a quick return to the lineup after accepting today’s outright assignment to Triple-A.

More injury news from around the game…

  • The Diamondbacks announced today that backup infielder Nick Ahmed has been placed on the 10-day DL with a fractured right hand, and offseason acquisition Ketel Marte has been recalled from Triple-A Reno in his place. Per MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert, Ahmed had three pins inserted into his hand and will be shut down from baseball activity for the next six weeks (Twitter link). It could be eight weeks before Ahmed, the team’s best defensive infielder, returns to the team. Ahmed is hitting just .251/.298/.419, but his glove will be missed. From 2015-16, Ahmed posted a +32 mark in Defensive Runs Saved and a +19.9 mark in Ultimate Zone Rating. As for Marte, the second key piece acquired in this offseason’s Taijuan Walker/Jean Segura/Mitch Haniger trade, he’ll debut in Arizona on the heels of a .338/.391/.514 batting line thus far in Triple-A.
  • The Mets will be without Robert Gsellman for a few weeks, writes Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Gsellman landed on the 10-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring, becoming the seventh Mets starting pitcher to land on the DL this year. Gsellman is the 17th Mets player to land on the DL this season, MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo notes. Rafael Montero will assume Gsellman’s spot in the rotation, though Ackert notes that the Mets were already considering that move due to Montero’s strong results as of late. Gsellman, meanwhile, has a 6.16 ERA in 76 innings this year, though that mark is partially skewed by a pair of outings this month in which Gsellman allowed a combined 14 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings.
  • Right-hander Chase Anderson exited tonight’s game with what the Brewers have announced as a strained left oblique muscle. There’s no word on how long he’ll miss and won’t be until after the game, but oblique injuries more often than not mean a month or so on the disabled list for a Grade 1 strain and even longer for more severe strains. That’s a brutal loss for the Brewers, who have enjoyed a breakout year from the 29-year-old Anderson thus far. Through 90 1/3 innings, Anderson has a 2.89 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 38.1 percent ground-ball rate. There are occasionally oblique injuries that don’t require such a lengthy absence, though history isn’t on Milwaukee’s side there.
  • The Indians placed Austin Jackson on the 10-day disabled list yesterday after an MRI revealed a strained quadriceps, president of baseball ops Chris Antonetti told reporters (via Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer). Antonetti said that the team’s expectation is that it’ll be three to four weeks before Jackson is able to return to the big league roster. Jackson, 30, is in the midst of a rather quiet rebound season, as he’s hitting a robust .304/.383/.500 through 120 plate appearances this season.
Share 0 Retweet 4 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Cleveland Guardians Milwaukee Brewers New York Mets New York Yankees Austin Jackson Chase Anderson Greg Bird Ketel Marte Nick Ahmed Robert Gsellman Tyler Austin

52 comments

Yankees Designate Chris Carter

By Jeff Todd | June 24, 2017 at 8:21am CDT

After last night’s game, the Yankees announced that first baseman/DH Chris Carter has been designated for assignment. He’ll be replaced by prospect Tyler Austin, who returns to the majors for the first time this year.

Carter was a surprising non-tender after providing the Brewers with 41 home runs last year. The streaky, strikeout-prone slugger ultimately landed in New York on a one-year, $3.5MM deal. Unfortunately for player and team, the results simply haven’t been there this year.

Through 189 plate appearances, Carter has managed eight home runs along with a 70:18 K/BB rate. He has always had a huge amount of swing and miss in his game, but in his more productive years has been able to draw a few more walks while striking out with a bit less frequency. Plus, Carter is bringing a sub-.200 isolated slugging mark that lands well shy of his .241 career average.

All said, the .204/.286/.383 slash that Carter has provided is just not enough output for the Yankees. While defensive metrics grade him as a more-or-less average defender at first, he doesn’t provide any versatility and the Yanks already have a full-time DH in Matt Holliday.

As for Austin, he has already showed some capacity for hitting in the majors after turning in a .241/.300/.458 batting line with five home runs over ninety plate appearances last season. He also struck out 36 times in that stint, and strikeouts remain the big question facing the 25-year-old.

Thus far at Triple-A, Austin has battered International League pitching to the tune of a .292/.355/.552 batting line. That’s actually shy of his output there last year, when he delivered similarly impressive power numbers while also walking at a 13.7% rate and striking out at a 25.2% clip. So far in 2017, Austin is going down on strikes in nearly three of ten plate appearances while drawing free passes less than ten percent of the time.

The hope had never been for Carter to handle regular duties at first base, but he was thrust into the role when Greg Bird struggled and then went down to injury. While Bird works back toward a hopeful return, and with the trade deadline looming, the Yankees decided to make a change. Even if Austin shows himself worthy of a roster spot, it’s possible to imagine the Yankees dabbling in the trade market — particularly if there’s a power left-handed bat available to provide a complement to the existing right-handed-hitting options. Of course, there are other needs as well — especially at third base and in the rotation — so the Yanks’ course remains unclear at this point.

Share 0 Retweet 10 Send via email0

New York Yankees Transactions Chris Carter Tyler Austin

57 comments

AL Notes: McCullers, Morton, Fister, Yankees, Red Sox

By Jeff Todd | June 22, 2017 at 10:09am CDT

Here’s the latest from around the American League:

  • The Astros have weathered the absences of several top starters, though the team is surely looking forward to welcoming them back in time to make a full rotation assessment before the trade deadline. First in line seems to be righty Lance McCullers; as Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle writes, the excellent young hurler is set to return to the bump on Saturday. He has missed time with a lower back issue, but it doesn’t appear to be cause for much concern in the bigger picture.
  • Meanwhile, fellow Astros righty Charlie Morton is scheduled for a short rehab outing tonight, as Kaplan further writes. The hope is that he’ll be ready to make it back to the MLB hill before the All-Star break. Morton has been quite a pleasant surprise, despite the time missed for a lat strain. He has not only provided 57 2/3 solid innings, posting a 4.06 ERA, but has shown the promise of delivering even better results. Morton is sitting in the mid-nineties with his fastball while carrying 10.1 K/9, both of which dwarf his prior full-season marks.
  • The division-rival Angels continue to face pitching questions of their own, but decided to pass on a chance to add veteran righty Doug Fister to the active roster — instead allowing him to return to free agency by exercising his opt-out clause. Los Angeles did want to keep the veteran around, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, who tweets that GM Billy Eppler asked Fister to keep working with the organization’s Triple-A affiliate. But Fister’s camp evidently sees greater opportunity on the open market, where he could conceivably find a MLB roster spot if there’s a team that has an immediate need for pitching and believes Fister is prepared to return to the game’s highest level.
  • It still isn’t clear what the Yankees will do at the first base position for the rest of the year, but it’s an increasingly interesting question. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch looks at the latest. There’s some renewed hope that youngster Greg Bird can work back to health, as he’s set to resume baseball activities soon following a cortisone shot in his problematic ankle. But he’s a total question mark after a long layoff and distinct struggles at the plate this year. Meanwhile, manager Joe Girardi offered a tepid review of Chris Carter, who’s currently the preferred option. Prospect Tyler Austin has been productive at Triple-A, but is also whiffing at a hefty rate.  GM Brian Cashman says that he thinks the club is still best-served by relying on Carter for the time being, while offering optimism that the internal options will come through this year. Still, it’s fair to wonder whether the Yanks will end up exploring the trade market this summer.
  • It seems the Red Sox are positioned to land the top Venezuelan prospect when the new July 2nd signing period opens, Ben Badler of Baseball America writes. Catcher Daniel Flores draws rare praise for his skills behind the dish. And while there’s still some work to do with the bat, Badler says there’s still power to be tapped into for the switch-hitter. You’ll want to read the entire post for a full sense of just why Flores is seen as such a special prospect. It seems Boston could return to the international market with a bang after finishing a one-year ban on bonus pool-limited signings.
Share 0 Retweet 5 Send via email0

Boston Red Sox Houston Astros Los Angeles Angels New York Yankees Charlie Morton Chris Carter Doug Fister Greg Bird Tyler Austin

27 comments
« Previous Page
Load More Posts
Show all

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Ben Joyce Undergoes Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

    Dodgers Promote Dalton Rushing, Designate Austin Barnes For Assignment

    Major League Baseball Rules That Permanent Ineligibility Ends At Death

    Rangers Place Corey Seager On Injured List

    Cubs Promote Moises Ballesteros

    Evan Longoria To Sign One-Day Contract, Retire As Member Of Rays

    Diamondbacks To Promote Jordan Lawlar

    Rockies Fire Bud Black

    Cubs Promote Cade Horton

    Rafael Devers Unwilling To Play First Base

    Pirates Fire Manager Derek Shelton

    Mariners Claim Leody Taveras

    Rangers Hire Bret Boone As Hitting Coach

    A.J. Minter To Undergo Season-Ending Lat Surgery

    Blue Jays Sign Spencer Turnbull

    Blue Jays Sign José Ureña

    Ross Stripling Retires

    Rangers Place Leody Taveras On Outright Waivers

    Triston Casas Likely To Miss Entire 2025 Season Due To Knee Surgery

    Orioles Recall Coby Mayo

    Recent

    The Mariners Need To Shake Up Their Offense

    Twins Place Carlos Correa On Concussion IL

    Diamondbacks Place Eduardo Rodríguez On IL With Shoulder Inflammation

    Athletics Option Osvaldo Bido, Designate Jason Alexander For Assignment

    Pirates Select Nick Solak

    Rockies Select Carson Palmquist

    Brewers Acquire Rob Zastryzny From Yankees

    Poll: National League Playoff Outlook

    Phillies Place Aaron Nola On IL With Ankle Sprain

    Yankees Designate Tyler Matzek For Assignment

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version