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Rockies To Select Jose Urena

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The Rockies are planning to select right-hander José Ureña to start tomorrow night’s game against the Dodgers, tweets Danielle Allentuck of the Colorado Springs Gazette. Ureña, who signed a minor league contract in May, is not yet on the 40-man roster.

Since joining the organization, the 30-year-old has made five starts with Triple-A Albuquerque. Ureña has been tagged for a 7.29 ERA through 21 innings with the Isotopes, only striking out 13.9% of batters faced while walking more than 11% of opponents. The Rox’s front office clearly doesn’t believe that rough showing is representative of Ureña’s current form. Albuquerque is one of affiliated ball’s most hitter-friendly environments, which no doubt hasn’t helped his cause.

Ureña has struggled of late at the big league level as well. A former Marlin and Tiger, he posted an ERA above 5.00 in each season from 2019-21. He broke camp this season with the Brewers in a relief role and allowed five runs (three earned) in 7 2/3 frames, walking five while striking out three. Milwaukee fairly quickly cut bait, designating him for assignment a few weeks into the season. Ureña has remained adept at keeping the ball on the ground, though, and he posted a pair of sub-4.00 ERA seasons in Miami in 2017-18.

The Rockies lost Antonio Senzatela to the 15-day injured list last week, as the righty is dealing with shoulder inflammation. Ryan Feltner has been the top depth option behind the club’s primary starting five, but he’s been on the minor league injured list over the past week while dealing with a rhomboid strain. Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post writes that Feltner is expected to pitch for the Isotopes this weekend after a successful simulated game today, but he won’t be an option for tomorrow’s contest.

Colorado’s 40-man roster is full, so they’ll need to make a corresponding transaction to accommodate Ureña’s promotion. The Rox have just two players on the major league 10-day or 15-day IL: Senzatela and first baseman Sean Bouchard, who went on the shelf with an oblique strain last week. The Rockies could bring up Colton Welker from the minors and put him on the major league 60-day IL to free a spot on the 40-man roster, as Welker underwent season-ending shoulder surgery last month. Doing so would require paying him at the MLB minimum rate, however.

In other Rockies news, the team informed reporters that reliever Tyler Kinley underwent successful elbow surgery recently (Allentuck link). He’s expected to be sidelined roughly one calendar year. Colorado announced that Kinley would require a season-ending procedure in mid-June, but the team didn’t specify whether he’d need a full Tommy John procedure or a less invasive surgery. The one-year timeline would seem to point towards the latter outcome, although he’s apparently still unlikely to be back on an MLB mound much before next season’s All-Star Break.

Roster Moves: Twins, Angels, Rockies

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The Twins have activated Kyle Garlick from the 10-day injured list. In a corresponding move, Trevor Megill was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. The latter move is retroactive to June 16th. Megill has made just eight appearances, but he’s looked good with a 2.08 ERA/2.99 FIP over 13 innings with a 15-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Garlick had been hitting with some pop before he went down. He owns a .250/.324/.567 line with six home runs in 68 plate appearances. He’ll jump back into the mix against southpaws for the Twins. In other moves…

  • The Angels have optioned infielder Jack Mayfield to Triple-A and recalled southpaw Kenny Rosenberg, per the team. Mayfield just joined the club two days ago, and now he’s on his way back to Triple-A. Rosenberg gives them a much-needed fresh arm after yesterday’s doubleheader. The southpaw has made two appearances for the Angles this year, his first two in the bigs, tossing six innings and giving up five earned runs.
  • The Rockies made a trio of roster moves today. Garrett Hampson was activated from the COVID Injured List, Alan Trejo was optioned back to Triple-A, and Tyler Kinley was moved to the 60-day injured list, per Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette (via Twitter). Trejo, 26, has appeared in just 11 games for the Rockies, slashing .231/.250/.333 over 40 plate appearances. Hampson, once a highly-touted prospect, has been unable to establish himself as a cornerstone piece, slashing just .236/.321/.375 over 83 plate appearances.

Tyler Kinley To Undergo Elbow Surgery

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Rockies reliever Tyler Kinley has been diagnosed with an elbow strain and a flexor tear in his forearm, manager Bud Black told reporters (including Danielle Allentuck of the Colorado Springs Gazette). He’ll undergo surgery and is likely to miss at least the rest of the 2022 season.

The nature of the procedure isn’t yet clear, as it seems the extent of the damage will be determined once he goes under the knife. A full Tommy John surgery is still on the table, but it’s also possible the injury isn’t quite severe enough to demand a complete reconstruction. Kinley will be facing a long-term absence in any event, but the hope is certainly to avoid Tommy John — which would cost him most or all of next season as well.

It’s the end of what had been shaping up as a career-best season for Kinley. Through 25 appearances, the right-hander posted a sparkling 0.75 ERA while striking out 27% of opposing hitters through 24 innings. He certainly wasn’t going to keep runs off the board at that pace all season, but Kinley generated swinging strikes at an excellent 16.7% clip and looked amidst a genuine breakout. Black had entrusted him with higher-leverage work, and he’d already matched last season’s personal high with 10 holds.

Kinley’s elbow issue will unfortunately bring that to an end, and it’s at least possible he’s thrown his final pitch as a Rockie. The 31-year-old agreed to a $1.025MM salary to avoid arbitration this past offseason, and he’s slated to go through that process twice more before reaching free agency after the 2024 campaign. Kinley’s stellar first couple months will earn him a bit of a raise if he’s tendered a contract, although he’d have certainly found himself in better financial position had he stayed healthy and continued to perform all season.

If Kinley’s able to return relatively early next season, then it seems likely the Rox would keep him around given his modest price point. Yet if the procedure will keep him out for the majority or all of 2023, it’s possible they let him go and reallocate his salary and spot on the 40-man roster. Kinley will assuredly be transferred to the 60-day injured list to free a 40-man spot during the season, but he’ll have to be reinstated shortly after the conclusion of the World Series.

Rockies Place Tyler Kinley On 15-Day Injured List

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The Rockies placed right-hander Tyler Kinley on the 15-day injured list, as Kinley is dealing with an ulnar nerve injury in his throwing elbow.  The placement is retroactive to June 9.  Right-hander Chad Smith has been called up from Triple-A to take Kinley’s spot in the Colorado bullpen.

Now in his third season with the Rockies, Kinley has had a breakout year, posting an 0.75 ERA, 27% strikeout rate, and 6.0% walk rate over 24 innings.  Even with advanced metrics factored in, Kinley’s 2.88 SIERA is still indicative of a fine performance, and Kinley has become the top set-up option behind closer Daniel Bard.  Kinley, Bard, and Alex Colome have been pretty much the only effective arms in the Rockies’ bullpen this season, so Kinley’s absence will further hamper a struggling relief corps.

It also isn’t yet clear how much time Kinley might miss, or if surgery could be a possibility.  If his ulnar nerve is only irritated, Kinley could conceivably be back in action relatively soon (if beyond the minimum 15 days).  However, if the injury is more serious, Kinley’s season may be in jeopardy.

The 31-year-old is in his first year of arbitration eligibility, having agreed to an arb-avoiding $1.025MM deal back in November.  Losing a big chunk of this breakout year to the IL would certainly hamper Kinley’s earning potential for 2023, though his price tag would also be low enough that the Rockies would probably still tender him a contract.

Tender Deadline Signings: 11/30/21

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With the deadline to tender contracts to arbitration-eligible players looming tonight at 8pm ET — the MLBPA and MLB jointly agreed to move the deadline up a couple days due to the looming expiration of the collective bargaining agreement — we’ll likely see a slew of arbitration-eligible players signing one-year deals.

It’s commonplace for a large batch of players to sign deals in the hours leading up to the tender deadline. “Pre-tender” deals of this nature often fall shy of projections due to the fact that teams use the looming threat of a non-tender to enhance their leverage. Arbitration contracts at this juncture are often take-it-or-leave-it propositions, with the “leave it” end of that arrangement resulting in the player being cut loose. Given the widely expected lockout, there could be more incentive than usual for borderline non-tender candidates to take those offers rather than being cast out into free agency just hours before a transaction freeze is implemented.

As a reminder, arbitration contracts are not fully guaranteed. In a typical year, a team can cut a player on an arb contract at any point before the halfway point in Spring Training and only be responsible for 30 days’ termination pay (about one-sixth of the contract). Releasing a player in the second half of Spring Training bumps the termination pay to 45 days of his prorated salary.

MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected salaries for each team’s arbitration-eligible players last month, although for many of the players listed below, this isn’t so much avoiding arbitration as it is avoiding a non-tender. Here’s a look at today’s agreements…

  • The Yankees have agreed to deals with infielder Gio Urshela and right-hander Domingo German, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter links). Urshela will make $6.55MM, while German has agreed to a $1.75MM deal. Urshela has two seasons of control remaining; German is controllable for three years. Urshela is coming off a .267/.301/.419 showing while playing third base and shortstop. German tossed 98 1/3 innings of 4.58 ERA ball.
  • The Twins have signed three arbitration-eligible pitchers, per reports from Feinsand and Darren Wolfson of SKOR North (on Twitter). Right-hander Jharel Cotton signed for $700K, reliever Caleb Thielbar lands $1.3MM and reliever Tyler Duffey signs for $3.8MM. Thielbar and Duffey were both productive members of the Minnesota relief corps in 2021. Cotton was recently claimed off waivers from the Rangers.
  • The Giants have agreed to terms with outfielder Austin Slater on a $1.85MM deal, reports Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic (Twitter link). The 28-year-old (29 next month) appeared at all three spots on the grass while hitting .241/.320/.423 over 306 plate appearances in 2021.
  • Reliever Emilio Pagan and the Padres have agreed on a $2.3MM deal, reports Rosenthal (on Twitter). The 30-year-old worked 63 1/3 innings of 4.83 ERA/3.93 SIERA ball this past season.
  • The Diamondbacks agreed to a $2MM deal with left-hander Caleb Smith, reports Zach Buchanan of the Athletic (via Twitter). The 30-year-old posted a 4.83 ERA/4.68 SIERA across 113 2/3 innings in a swing capacity in 2021.

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NL Notes: Realmuto, Padres, Nola, Rockies, Reds, Delmonico

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Initially expected to make his Spring Training debut as a designated hitter this afternoon, J.T. Realmuto wound up scratched from the lineup. It seems there’s no cause for alarm, with Phillies manager Joe Girardi saying the star catcher just had some general body soreness after working in a simulated game yesterday (via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). The Phillies continue to hope Realmuto will be available on Opening Day, with Girardi reiterating to MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link) that “the important day (in his recovery) is April 1.” Realmuto suffered a fracture in his right thumb last month.

More from the National League:

  • Like Realmuto, Padres catcher Austin Nola is recovering from a broken digit (in his case, a fractured left middle finger). Nola will test his ability to grip a bat in the next couple days, says manager Jayce Tingler, who expressed some optimism the backstop could be ready for Opening Day (via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune). It seems the more likely outcome is a brief injured list stint, as Acee notes the typical timeline for a return from similar injuries is four-to-six weeks. Nola suffered his break March 13, a little less than three weeks before the season opener. If the 31-year-old indeed hits the IL, the Padres would open with a Víctor Caratini/Luis Campusano catching tandem.
  • Rockies reliever Tyler Kinley has been sidelined the past two weeks with left oblique soreness, writes Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. Kinley is scheduled to throw a simulated game tomorrow but manager Bud Black acknowledged a season-opening injured list stint is a possibility. Bullpen mate Scott Oberg looks likely to be on the Opening Day roster, Black says (via Saunders). That’s welcome news, as the quality right-hander missed the entire 2020 season due to recurring blood clots in his throwing arm. Oberg underwent thoracic outlet surgery last September.
  • Nicky Delmonico went to high school with Reds centerfielder Nick Senzel, and they may have a chance to be teammates in Cincinnati. Delmonico is 6-for-17 in Spring Training after signing a minor league deal. That performance, as well as his ability to play first base, has the Reds considering selecting the non-roster invitee’s contract, per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Shogo Akiyama will start the year on the injured list, and with first baseman Joey Votto uncertain for Opening Day after contracting COVID-19, Delmonico’s particular brand of versatility may fit the bill. In four seasons with the White Sox, Delmonico owns a .224/.312/.384 triple slash line across 574 plate appearances with a 24.0 percent strikeout rate and solid 9.8 percent walk rate.

Waiver Claims: Kinley, Rodriguez, Diplan

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A spate of waiver claims have hit the wire this afternoon …

  • The Rockies claimed righty Tyler Kinley from the Marlins. Righty Joe Harvey was designated for assignment to create 40-man space in Colorado. Kinley, a 28-year-old righty, carried an ugly 46:36 K/BB ratio in 49 1/3 MLB frames last year. But he also managed a 3.65 ERA on the year, generated a 12.9% swinging strike rate, and carried a mid-nineties heater. He was a Rule 5 pick by the Twins in 2018, so it’s clear that multiple clubs are intrigued by his raw potential. He has a pair of minor league options remaining, so he’s a sensible and affordable depth option for the Rockies, who opened the season by proclaiming a lack of payroll flexibility.
  • The Brewers announced that they claimed infielder Ronny Rodriguez from the Tigers. The 27-year-old has struggled in two seasons with the Detroit organization, showing some power and defensive versatility but demonstrating some of the worst on-base skills in the league. Through an even 500 plate appearances at the MLB level, Rodriguez is a .221/.254/.396 batting line. He still has multiple option years remaining, so he can be shuttled between Triple-A and the Majors in both 2020 and 2021.
  • Also departing the Tigers is right-hander Marcos Diplan, who was claimed by the Orioles, per a team announcement. He appeared in 38 games between the Double-A affiliates for the Twins and Brewers, totaling 68 2/3 innings of 4.85 ERA ball with 9.6 K/9 against 5.8 BB/9. Diplan was ranked among the Brewers’ 10 to 20 best prospects back in 2017 but has seen his stock dip in recent seasons as he’s begun to bounce around the waiver circuit. Notably, Diplan was has now been claimed by the Tigers and Orioles this winter — the teams with the No. 1 and No. 2 waiver priorities. He has a minor league option remaining.

Marlins Select Tyler Kinley, Peter O’Brien

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The Marlins announced Tuesday that they’ve selected the contracts of right-hander Tyler Kinley and first baseman/outfielder Peter O’Brien from Triple-A New Orleans. Veteran infielder Martin Prado and first baseman/outfielder Garrett Cooper were each transferred to the 60-day DL in order to clear space on the 40-man roster.

This promotion will mark the Marlins debut for Kinley, whom the Marlins selected in the 16th round of the 2013 draft, but it won’t be his big league debut. Kinley, 27, was selected by the Twins in last December’s Rule 5 Draft and broke camp in Minnesota, though he lasted just 3 1/3 innings before being cut loose. The righty has big-time velocity, averaging 96 mph on his heater and reaching triple digits at times, but as is so often the case, control has been an issue for him. Kinley averaged five walks per nine innings pitched in New Orleans this season, though a 12.6 K/9 mark helped him to mitigate some of the damage.

In 3 1/3 innings with the Twins this season, Kinley was clobbered for nine runs on nine hits and four walks with four strikeouts. In his 40 Triple-A frames, though, he posted a much better 2.93 ERA despite his struggles to locate the ball effectively.

O’Brien, meanwhile, came to the Marlins from the Dodgers (in exchange for cash) back in a minor June swap. He wasn’t hitting his weight with the Dodgers’ Double-A affiliate (.150/.241/.390), but he’s righted the ship with the Miami organization. In 174 PAs with the Marlins’ Double-A affiliate, O’Brien hit .215/.345/.514, and he’s currently hitting .277/.385/.598 through 135 Triple-A PAs in his new organization. O’Brien still strikes out far too much, but he’s dropped his strikeout rate from a ghastly 39.3 percent in the Dodgers organization to 28.9 percent since the trade.

This won’t be O’Brien’s first look in the Majors. Back in 2014, the D-backs actually traded Prado to the Yankees in order to acquire O’Brien, betting on his considerable raw power in spite of some pronounced defensive question marks. The uncertainty surrounding O’Brien’s glovework — he was a catcher at the time of that trade — proved valid, as he’s since spent time at first base and in the outfield corners. He’s yet to produce in the Majors and has struggled in the upper minors in recent seasons as well, but his run with Miami has been his most encouraging showing at any level since his 2015 season with Arizona’s top minor league affiliate.

Beyond those moves, the Marlins also announced that both Jarlin Garcia and Elieser Hernandez were activated from the 10-day disabled list. Additionally, infielder/outfielder Christopher Bostick was recalled from New Orleans, though each of that trio was already on the 40-man roster.

Twins Place Miguel Sano On DL, Designate Dietrich Enns

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The Twins have announced a series of roster moves today. Star third baseman Miguel Sano is heading to the 10-day DL with a hamstring strain, with infielder Gregorio Petit replacing him on the active roster after his contract was selected.

To create a 40-man opening, the Minnesota organization has designated southpaw Dietrich Enns for assignment. The club also announced that previously DFA’ed righty Tyler Kinley, a Rule 5 pick, has been returned to the Marlins.

The Twins had hoped to avoid a DL stint for Sano. After all, the last thing the team needs is another key player out of action. But his injury evidently did not improve enough to forestall the placement.

Petit, 33, is obviously not going to make up for the loss of Sano’s power bat in the lineup. The veteran utilityman has compiled only a .249/.291/.353 lifetime slash in 426 MLB plate appearances. But he’ll help round out the roster for at least a few days’ time.

As for Enns, who is nearing his 27th birthday with just four MLB frames under his belt, it seems the Twins were not optimistic that he’d be a notable contributor in the near term. Acquired from the Yankees in last summer’s Jaime Garcia deal, Enns had worked to a 4.50 ERA with as many strikeouts as walks (11 each) in his twenty Triple-A frames this year. He has previously produced outstanding results in the minors, though evidently teams do not quite anticipate him carrying that effectiveness into the majors.

AL Central Notes: Yost, Hale, Kinley, Wilson

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Ned Yost’s current contract expires at season’s end, but Royals general manager Dayton Moore tells Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports that the organizational hope is that Yost will be managing the team beyond this season. “We definitely want him back,” Moore said.Heyman indicates that the decision on whether Yost remains in Kansas City appears to be one that is dependent on Yost’s own personal preferences. Yost hasn’t made up his mind about managing beyond 2018 yet, tweets MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan, who notes that Moore has suggested for years that Yost will effectively have the reins in Kansas City for as long as he likes. Rustin Dodd of The Athletic tweets that Yost says his goal is to see the rebuild through to the point where his successor will be positioned for early success.

More from the division…

  • The Twins tried to sign right-hander David Hale this offseason, GM Thad Levine told reporters today after claiming Hale off waivers (link via MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger). “We think we may have been the runners-up to the Yankees in terms of enticing him to come to Spring Training,” said Levine. “From a pitch profile standpoint, we’ve liked him. I think at this stage in the year, it’s important to add to your depth, and we did that. He can pitch in a variety of roles.” The 30-year-old Hale has a 4.33 ERA, 6.1 K/9, 3.1 BB/9, 1.0 HR/9 and a 52.1 percent ground-ball rate in 180 1/3 innings at the Major League level.
  • Also from Bollinger’s piece, the Twins are hoping they can find a way to retain right-hander Tyler Kinley, whom they selected in the Rule 5 Draft but designated for assignment yesterday. Kinley will first have to be exposed to waivers, but if he clears, the Twins could look to work out a trade with the Marlins that would allow them to keep Kinley in their minor league ranks. “We’ve talked about the possibility of what had to be done, even last night, to be able to keep him in a Twins uniform,” manager Paul Molitor told reporters. “I don’t know how likely that is. But we’ll see what kind of response and interest there is.”
  • Tigers reliever Alex Wilson is going through the toughest stretch of his career, he told reporters after serving up a walk-off homer to Corey Dickerson today (links via Evan Woodbery of MLive.com and George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press). “The only other time I can think of searching a little bit was Double-A, my first go-round in Double-A,” said Wilson. “And that was just learning curve. It’s not so much that anymore. I feel good about what I’m doing. It’s just not being rewarded right now.” Woodery notes that the Tigers have been quick to take action with struggling players this season, optioning Mikie Mahtook and designating Drew VerHagen for assignment. However, Woodbery adds that the Tigers will likely try to get him straightened out in some low-leverage spots before considering a more drastic move. As he points out, Wilson does have a minor league option remaining.

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