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Padres Select Reiss Knehr

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The Padres announced they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Reiss Knehr. He’ll get the start tonight against the Rockies in his major league debut.

Knehr wasn’t a high-profile amateur, falling to the 20th round in the 2018 draft coming out of Fordham University. He has significantly upped his stock during his brief time in pro ball, though, now projecting as one of the more promising pitching prospects in the San Diego organization. Entering the season, each of Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs, Keith Law of the Athletic and Baseball America slotted Knehr among the top twenty prospects in a still-strong farm system. Those evaluators credit him with a low-mid 90s fastball and promising changeup and slider. There’s still some question whether Knehr’s command is sharp enough to allow him to function as a starting pitcher long-term, but all three outlets suggest he should be a valuable part of a pitching staff in some capacity.

The 24-year-old has spent the entire season with the Padres’ Double-A affiliate in San Antonio. He’s tossed 55 1/3 innings over eleven starts, working to a 3.90 ERA. Knehr’s 20.4% strikeout rate is down from the lofty 27.9% mark he managed in High-A in 2019, while his 9.8% walk percentage is right around average. Knehr has generally induced ground balls at a solid clip in the minors and has surrendered just four home runs this year.

@mlbhawk was first with the news of Knehr’s promotion.

Injured List Returns: Hoerner, Benintendi, Villar, Snell

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The Cubs activated Nico Hoerner off the 10-day injured list prior to today’s 3-2 loss to the Reds, with infielder Sergio Alcantara optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.  Hoerner has been out of action since May 26 due to a left hamstring strain, and that was after already missing time earlier in May with a left forearm strain.  Since Hoerner wasn’t called up from the alternate training site until April 22, today marked only the 22nd game of the season for the former top prospect.

Hoerner only showed flashes of his promise during the 2019-20 seasons, but was off to a strong start this year, hitting .338/.405/.432 in his first 84 plate appearances of the 2021 campaign.  The Cubs are desperate for any sort of reinforcements, as a nine-game losing streak has sent them spiraling down the NL Central standings and down to an even 42-42 record.

More on some notable names returning to action today…

  • Andrew Benintendi was activated off the Royals’ 10-day IL prior to the team’s 6-2 loss to the Twins.  A right rib fracture sent Benintendi to the IL on June 14, and the relatively quick return is a particularly good sign considering that rib injuries essentially ruined the outfielder’s 2020 season.  Benintendi had done a good job of bouncing back from that down year, hitting .283/.340/.429 with eight home runs over 241 plate appearances.  The Royals optioned Edward Olivares to Triple-A to make room for Benintendi’s activation.
  • In between games of their doubleheader with the Yankees, the Mets activated infielder Jonathan Villar off the 10-day IL, with outfielder Albert Almora Jr. going down to Triple-A.  Villar had a retroactive placement of June 22 with a right calf strain, so he’ll miss only slightly beyond the 10-day minimum.  Amidst multiple injuries within the Mets’ infield this season, Villar has ended up being a major contributor, hitting .246/.333/.410 with six homers in 208 PA while seeing the bulk of action as New York’s starting third baseman.
  • Blake Snell tossed four shutout innings in the Padres’ 11-1 rout of the Phillies today, as Snell was activated off the injured list in time for the start.  Snell was technically placed on the COVID-related IL while battling a case of food poisoning, which is why he was able to be activated today despite landing on the injured list on June 30.  (Snell tested negative for COVID-19.)  While Snell has a 4.99 ERA for the season, he has now tossed nine scoreless innings over his last two outings, hinting at a potential turnaround for the lefty’s first season in San Diego.  Right-hander Mason Thompson was optioned to Triple-A to create roster space for Snell.

Padres’ Prospect CJ Abrams Out For The Season

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Padres shortstop prospect CJ Abrams has been diagnosed with a fractured left tibia and sprained MCL, reports Dennis Lin of the Athletic (Twitter link). His recovery comes with a three-month timetable, ending his season. He suffered the injury during an on-field collision on Wednesday.

Abrams is one of the sport’s most electrifying minor league talents. Each of Baseball America, Keith Law of the Athletic, and Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs ranked him among the game’s top 11 overall prospects entering the year. The 6th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Abrams draws praise for his abilities on both sides of the ball. A top-of-the-scale runner and extremely advanced hitter, the 20-year-old is seen as a potential future star.

He’s reached the high minors for the first time this season. Through 183 plate appearances with Double-A San Antonio, Abrams has hit .296/.363/.420 with a pair of home runs and 13 stolen bases. That’s quality production from any player in a pitcher-friendly environment, but it’s particularly impressive considering Abrams’ youth.

Abrams never seemed especially likely to make an impact at the major league level this season. Because of last year’s canceled minor league campaign, he has all of 348 plate appearances since being drafted out of a Georgia high school. He also doesn’t need to be added to the 40-man roster this winter. Any small chance that existed of Abrams making his major league debut this year is now gone, although the expectation seems to be he’ll have a relatively normal offseason and be ready for Spring Training in 2022.

Padres Place Blake Snell On 10-Day Injured List

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The Padres have placed left-hander Blake Snell on the 10-day injured list due to illness.  Right-hander Miguel Diaz has been called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.

Snell was scratched from last night’s start due to his illness, though it is fair to guess that he might not miss more than the minimum 10 days.  There aren’t any coronavirus concerns, as Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune notes that Snell tested negative for COVID-19 and is also fully vaccinated.

While perhaps not a long-term absence for Snell, his IL placement catches the Padres at a particularly inopportune time, as Dinelson Lamet is also on the injured list.  Ryan Weathers is already lined up to start tomorrow, but another starter will be required since San Diego doesn’t have an off-day until the All-Star break.  Diaz is one possibility since he has already been stretched out for multi-inning relief work and has already made two “starts” (in something of a piggyback capacity) this season.  The Padres could rely on bullpen games or piggyback outings to get by until Snell is healthy.

In his first season in San Diego, Snell has struggled to a 5.29 ERA over 66 1/3 innings, though he is coming off five shutout innings of the Dodgers in his most recent start.  Snell’s 4.12 SIERA is more palatable and he has a .329 BABIP, but he also has a career-worst 13.2% walk rate and 41.5% hard-hit ball percentage.

Dan Altavilla Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

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Padres reliever Dan Altavilla has undergone Tommy John surgery, he announced on Twitter. That’ll obviously prevent him from pitching again in 2021, and he’s likely to miss most or all of the 2022 season given the procedure’s 12-16 month general recovery timetable.

Altavilla made two appearances this year before going on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. He was transferred to the 60-day IL in late May. Evidently, his attempts to rehab the injury without surgery proved unsuccessful.

The 28-year-old has pitched in the majors in each of the past six seasons. Altavilla broke in with the Mariners and went to San Diego before last summer’s trade deadline as part of the seven-player Austin Nola deal. In 116 MLB innings, the right-hander has worked to a 4.03 ERA/4.11 SIERA with an above-average 26.1% strikeout rate but an elevated 12.1% walk percentage.

Altavilla signed an $850K deal with the Friars to avoid arbitration over the winter. Since he barely pitched this year, he’d be in line for the same or marginally higher amount if tendered a contract for 2022. That’s hardly bank-breaking money, but it’s possible the Padres decide to non-tender Altavilla rather than devote a 40-man roster spot to him all winter. (Players have to be reinstated from the IL over the offseason). If San Diego does tender Altavilla a contract, he’d be controllable through 2023.

Padres Place Dinelson Lamet On Injured List With Forearm Inflammation

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Before this afternoon’s game against the Diamondbacks, the Padres placed right-hander Dinelson Lamet on the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his throwing forearm. James Norwood was recalled from Triple-A El Paso to replace him on the active roster.

Lamet left last night’s start in the third inning due to what manager Jayce Tingler called forearm “fatigue.” Today’s diagnosis of inflammation is a bit more concerning at first glance, although the team has yet to provide any other update.

It’s the continuation of a rather alarming series of arm issues for Lamet, who underwent a Tommy John surgery in April 2018. His breakout 2020 season was ended early after he felt biceps discomfort in his final regular-season start last September. The Padres played things cautiously with Lamet, bringing him along slowly and having him begin this season on the injured list. The 28-year-old returned in late April but left his first start with forearm soreness. He was back by early May but is now dealing with renewed issues in the area.

In between the injuries, Lamet has shown top-of-the-rotation ability. He pitched to a pristine 2.09 ERA/3.16 SIERA across 69 innings during last year’s shortened season, earning him a fourth-place finish in NL Cy Young award balloting. Lamet hasn’t quite pitched at that level this season, but he’s again been effective. Through 34 1/3 frames, he’s worked to a 3.67 ERA/3.82 SIERA. Ryan Weathers, recently optioned to Triple-A, looks likely to be recalled to assume Lamet’s rotation spot while he’s out.

Dinelson Lamet Leaves Game With Forearm Fatigue

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JUNE 27: Lamet felt some “fatigue in his forearm area” and had trouble getting the feel for his slider, manager Jayce Tingler said after the game (via AJ Cassavell of MLB.com). It’s not yet clear whether an injured list stint is under consideration.

JUNE 26: Dinelson Lamet was pulled after just 2 1/3 innings from his start tonight against the Diamondbacks, per MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell (via Twitter). The trainer came out to the mound after an apparent dip in velocity, and Lamet was removed from the game.

The Padres are on high alert when it comes to Lamet’s injury status. A UCL strain delayed Lamet’s start to the season. Forearm inflammation ended his first start of the season after just two innings. The Padres have remained conservative, limiting Lamet to three innings or less in each of his first six appearances. Only in June was he stretched out to four and five innings per start.

Watching his innings has worked in terms of performance. Lamet owns a 2.81 ERA/2.77 FIP in 32 innings with a 27.2 percent strikeout rate and 8.1 percent walk rate — both of which are better than league average. Those numbers did not hold against the last-place Diamondbacks on Saturday night, however, as he surrendered four earned runs on six hits — including two home runs — in 2 1/3 innings. He recorded one strikeout.

Fernando Tatis Jr. Leaves Game With Possible Shoulder Injury

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10:09PM: Tatis was removed for precautionary reasons, Padres manager Jayce Tingler told The Athletic’s Dennis Lin and other reporters after the game.  “We feel like we’re in a fairly decent position.  The trainers think (his shoulder is) nowhere near where it’s been earlier on in the year,” Tingler said.

8:32PM: Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. left tonight’s game in the top of the fifth inning after appearing to hurt his shoulder.  According to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link), Tatis seemed “to jar his left shoulder diving for a ball” off the bat of Reds outfielder Tyler Naquin.  Tatis left the field after a visit from the team trainer.

More will be known after the game, though any sort of shoulder problem is of particular concern given that Tatis is already playing with a slight labrum tear in that same left shoulder.  Tatis suffered the tear while taking a big swing during an at-bat early in April, though what seemed like a very serious injury at the time resulted in only a minimal 10-day stint on the injured list.

It could be that the Padres were simply being as cautious as possible in removing Tatis at the first sign of any shoulder discomfort, and this current issue might not require another IL visit at all for the star shortstop.  Needless to say, any sort of absence for Tatis would be a blow to San Diego given the fantastic numbers (.285/.364/.675 with 22 home runs) that he has posted over 231 plate appearances this season.  Tatis entered Saturday as the NL leader in homers, RBI (50), and OPS, while his .677 slugging percentage was leading all MLB hitters.

Padres Place Pierce Johnson On 10-Day Injured List, Outright Sam McWilliams, Select Daniel Camarena

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The Padres announced a trio of moves tonight, first and foremost placing right-hander Pierce Johnson on the 10-day injured list with right triceps inflammation. The move is retroactive to June 18th. The Padres selected the contract for southpaw Daniel Camarena from Triple-A El Paso to take Johnson’s roster spot.

Johnson, 30, has been a productive member of the Friars’ bullpen when healthy. He rides an unconventional curve-forward arsenal, throwing his hook 73.1 percent of the time this season. He compliments his high-spin curveball with a 95.5 mph power sinker. The combo put Johnson in the 93rd percentile league-wide by K-rate with a 34.8 percent strikeout rate. In 27 appearances, he’s has a 3.57 ERA/2.84 SIERA over 22 2/3 innings with three holds and a blown save.

Camarena, 28, has yet to make his Major League debut, but he’s likely to do so either today or tomorrow, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (via Twitter). He was a drafted out of San Diego area Cathedral Catholic High School in the 20th round by the Yankees way back in 2010. He career took a hit, however, when he underwent Tommy John surgery, which caused him to miss the entire 2015 season.

The 6’0″ lefty rehabbed and reached Triple-A in 2016, but he’s been unable to break through. Baseball America had him as the Yankees’ 31st-ranked prospect back in 2017, writing, “Camarena’s fastball typically sits in the low-90s but touched 93 in the middle portion of the season before backing up again as the fatigue from a lost year set in down the stretch. He coupled the fastball with a full offspeed arsenal that included an above-average changeup, a get-me-over curveball and a slider he added this year to give him an extra weapon against righthanders.”

BA pegged him for a back-end rotation arm, but he became a minor league free agent before receiving a big-league opportunity in New York. In eight starts with El Paso this season, Camarena finally earned his call-up with a 3.00 ERA in 39 innings, where he has allowed 33 hits and 11 walks while notching 24 strikeouts.

Lastly, recently-acquired right-hander Sam McWilliams was also outrighted to Triple-A. The 6’7″ McWilliams impressed scouts this past winter, driving a mini-auction for his services. He ultimately signed with the Mets. The well-traveled McWilliams has spent time with Philadelphia, Arizona, Tampa Bay, New York, and the Padres, reaching Triple-A with the Rays in 2019. He’s been knocked around at the highest level of the minors this season, giving up 15 earned runs in 12 1/3 innings between the Mets’ and Padres’ Triple-A clubs. Control has been his bugaboo; McWilliams has a 25.4 percent walk rate this season.

Padres Add Daniel Camarena To Taxi Squad

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5:24 pm: Camarena will not be added to the active or 40-man rosters at this time, manager Jayce Tingler told reporters (including Lin). He’s only being added to the club’s five-man taxi squad for the moment.

3:21 pm: The Padres are planning to select the contract of left-hander Daniel Camarena, reports Dennis Lin of the Athletic (Twitter link). The 28-year-old will make his MLB debut if he gets into a game. The Padres 40-man roster is full, so they’ll need to make a corresponding move to finalize Camarena’s promotion.

Camarena hasn’t yet played in the majors, but this won’t be his first big league call-up. The Yankees selected Camarena to the MLB roster on July 6, 2019. He didn’t get into that night’s game, and New York optioned him the next day. Camarena didn’t return to the Bronx, as he suffered an injury in Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shortly thereafter and wound up released. The Padres signed him to a minor league deal entering 2020. He spent all of last season at the Friars alternate training site and remained in the organization for 2021.

Assigned to Triple-A El Paso, Camarena has made eight starts this season. Over 39 frames, he’s pitched to a 3.00 ERA that ranks fourth-lowest among the 38 Triple-A West pitchers with at least 20 innings. That hasn’t come with particularly stellar strikeout or ground ball numbers, though. Camarena has punched out just 15.2% of batters faced while inducing grounders at an average 43% clip, and he’s benefitted from a lofty 81.5% strand rate and .231 batting average on balls in play against him. To his credit, Camarena has always been a quality strike-thrower, and that’s continued this season. The southpaw has walked just 7.0% of opposing hitters with the Chihuahuas.

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