Padres Acquire Mitch Moreland
The Padres have acquired first baseman Mitch Moreland from the Red Sox. Prospects Hudson Potts and Jeisson Rosario are headed to Boston in return.
Moreland, 34, has been in Boston since the start of 2017. On the whole, he’s been a little better than average at the plate, combining for a .251/.332/.471 line (108 wRC+). He has been on an absolute tear this season, though, blasting eight home runs in 79 plate appearances en route to a .328/.430/.746 slash. Moreland has always hit the ball hard, generally avoided strikeouts and drawn his fair share of walks.
Like incumbent Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer, Moreland’s a left-handed bat, but he could complement right-handed hitting DH Ty France. Thanks in part to strong contributions from Hosmer and France, San Diego’s lineup has been among the best in baseball this season. Moreland is owed the balance of his $925K prorated salary and comes with an affordable $3MM club option for 2021.
In exchange, Boston picks up a pair of well-regarded prospects. Both Potts and Rosario were included among Baseball America’s top 30 Padre farmhands midseason. Potts, a 21-year-old third baseman, draws praise for his big-time raw power and comes with a first-round pedigree, but some scouts question his bat-to-ball skills. He performed well in the low minors, but scuffled a bit last season, when he hit .227/.290/.406 with a 28.6% strikeout rate in Double-A. In fairness, Potts was very young for that level, and the Texas League’s an extremely pitcher-friendly environment regardless.
Rosario, 20, was a high-priced international signee from the Pads’ vaunted 2016 J2 class. He draws ample praise for his athleticism and center field defense, although it’s up in the air how much impact he’ll make offensively despite seemingly exceptional plate discipline. Rosario has topped out at the High-A level, where he hit .242/.372/.314 with three home runs in 525 plate appearances.
All told, it’s a pretty strong haul for Boston, especially since Moreland’s fantastic start hadn’t helped propel them past an 11-22 record. That said, roster rules help explain why the Padres were willing to part with both players. Each needs to be added to the 40-man this offseason or else be exposed to the Rule V draft. The Pads, who continue to progress their swath of strong prospects to the high minors and above, have a seeming roster crunch incoming. The Red Sox, on the other hand, don’t have a particularly well-regarded farm system and can more easily find roster space for Potts and Rosario this offseason.
To clear immediate space for the prospects in their 60-man player pool, Boston released infielder Marco Hernández. The 27-year-old amassed a .265/.300/.342 line in parts of three seasons in Boston.
Robert Murray first reported that Moreland had been traded to San Diego (Twitter link). Dennis Lin of the Athletic first reported the return (via Twitter).
Padres Acquire Trevor Rosenthal
The Padres have officially acquired right-handed reliever Trevor Rosenthal from the Royals, both teams have announced. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported that the two sides were nearing an agreement. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports that outfielder Edward Olivares is part of the return headed to Kansas City in the deal. In addition, a player to be named later will go to the Royals in the deal, per Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
Rosenthal, 30, has emerged as one of the most sought-after relief pitchers on the trade market, representing a dramatic turnaround from a disastrous 2019 season—his return from Tommy John Surgery, which cost him the previous year—that saw him walk 26 batters in just 15 1/3 innings of work.
However, it seems that Rosenthal has for the most part returned to the form that made him an All-Star closer with the Cardinals in the first leg of his career. He’s grounded his walk numbers while striking out as many batters as ever, and he’s boasting a nice 3.29 ERA to match.
The Royals brought Rosenthal aboard as a minor-league signing last winter, and they’ve parlayed that low-cost acquisition into a nice payoff, not only getting 13 games of solid pitching from Rosenthal, but now acquiring a pair of pieces (the second of which remains unknown) that are more in line with the organization’s long-term outlook.
Rosenthal will join the Padres with the expectation that he’ll bolster a Padres bullpen that’s been worn down by injuries to Kirby Yates and Drew Pomeranz. Emilio Pagan and Craig Stammen have struggled to fill Yates’s shoes, and for the first time in years the Padres find themselves in position to make a win-now move to strengthen their best roster in recent memory. Rosenthal is only under contract through this year, so he’s a true rental, but his acquisition addresses a glaring need for San Diego.
Rosenthal, who by making the Royals’ MLB roster secured a $2MM base salary for the season, is only owed about $350K for the remainder of the year (due to prorated salaries and roughly half the season in the books), so there’s little obligation on San Diego’s end, outside of the prospect capital required to bring Rosenthal aboard.
The 24-year-old Olivares will depart the Padres after getting his first shot at the big leagues this year. Originally acquired from the Blue Jays in 2018, Olivares has forged a solid minor-league track record, including a 2019 season in which he slugged 18 home runs and stole 35 bases at the Double-A level. To start this year, he’s hit just .176/.222/.294 for the Padres, but he’s still just 34 at-bats into his Major League career.
Latest On Padres’ Deadline Plans
With this year’s trade deadline just a few days away, the long-suffering Padres are in the rare position of entering the proceedings as one of the National League’s top contenders. At 18-13, the Padres own the NL’s No. 1 wild-card spot by a game and a half, giving them a legitimate shot to break a 13-year playoff drought this season.
General manager A.J. Preller is cognizant of the opportunity the Padres have, though in regards to the deadline, he said Tuesday (via Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune): “The focus has been mostly internal. We like our group and our team.” At the same time, the team’s “open to any possibility,” according to Preller.
Padres chairman Ron Fowler also used the word “open” when discussing their deadline strategy with Dennis Lin of The Athletic (subscription link). But Fowler suggested the team’s financial concerns – which he detailed in July are still very real, as he added that “we know next year is going to be tough because we expect restricted seating (at home games) and full (player) compensation, so you have to go in with your eyes open.”
Economic challenges won’t stop the Padres from trying to better themselves at the deadline, but it seems they’re more focused on adding players who will be able to help for multiple years than bolstering their roster with rentals. The rotation, bullpen, catcher and the outfield are all spots the Padres could look to upgrade, Lin reports.
For the most part, the Padres’ starting staff has been a strength in 2020. Dinelson Lamet, Zach Davies and Garrett Richards have done more than enough to justify their spots; on the other hand,, Chris Paddack has struggled after an excellent rookie season and no one else has stood out, either. But if the Padres don’t acquire outside help, they’ll have the option of calling up Joey Lucchesi or highly touted prospect MacKenzie Gore from their 60-man player pool. The 21-year-old Gore’s “viewed strictly as a starter,” Lin writes, so the Padres won’t promote him unless it’s to boost their rotation.
Meanwhile, although the Padres’ bullpen has fared better of late, the unit still possesses the majors’ fourth-worst ERA and its seventh-highest FIP. The Padres lost their best reliever, left-hander Drew Pomeranz, to a shoulder injury last Friday, though Lin notes that he should return soon. That’s great news for the Padres, as Pomeranz has been among the elite relievers in baseball this year. Even if he’s healthy, however, upgrading the bullpen should be a priority for San Diego. After all, aside from Pomeranz, nobody in their relief group has managed to combine strong bottom-line production and high-end peripherals this season. Furthermore, the Padres are missing a handful of relievers – Kirby Yates, Jose Castillo, Andres Munoz and Trey Wingenter – because of various injuries.
Unlike the Padres’ bullpen, their offense has been one of the game’s most potent so far. They currently rank fifth in the league in wRC+ (117), but that success has come in spite of awful production from their catchers. Austin Hedges, Francisco Mejia and Luis Torrens have combined to bat .129/.206/.29o in 108 plate appearances, so it makes sense that the Padres are seeking aid at the position. They’ve been much better off in the outfield, thanks to a reborn Wil Myers and a terrific showing from Trent Grisham. Those two aside, though, Padres outfielders haven’t done much to help the club’s cause. Tommy Pham fell flat before landing on the IL with a broken hamate bone Aug. 17, while Jurickson Profar, Edward Olivares, Jorge Mateo and Abraham Almonte have logged weak numbers in their own right.
While this San Diego team does have some flaws, its odds of a playoff return look great at the moment, as FanGraphs pegs its postseason chances at 94.1 percent. One poor stretch could sink just about any club during a 60-game campaign, though. With that in mind, Preller’s surely not resting on on his laurels leading up to the deadline.
Multiple Games On Wednesday Postponed
8:28pm: The league issued a statement expressing support for those who opted out of playing Wednesday. “Given the pain in the communities of Wisconsin and beyond following the shooting of Jacob Blake, we respect the decisions of a number of players not to play tonight. MLB remains united for change in our society & we will be allies in the fight to end racism and injustice.”
8:04pm: Dodgers-Giants has also been postponed, according to J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group. The plan is for the two to play a doubleheader Wednesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area relays.
7:27pm: “We’re likely to play tomorrow,” Brewers manager Craig Counsell said (via Jeff Passan of ESPN). The league has since confirmed that the Brewers and Reds will play a doubleheader Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Mariners and Padres figure to do the same, Acee suggests.
6:08pm: The Mariners have voted against playing their game versus the Padres tonight, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. The game has been postponed, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
5:07pm: The Brewers have elected against playing Wednesday’s game against the Reds, Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal reports. The club made the decision in response to the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wis. The Reds are on board with the Brewers’ choice, Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets.
The Brewers are the second Milwaukee pro team to make this move, following the NBA’s Bucks, who aren’t playing their scheduled playoff contest against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday. The NBA decided after that to postpone all of its postseason games for the day, and it’s unclear if or when the league will resume in 2020.
As the Brewers were deciding whether to play Wednesday, star reliever Josh Hader said (via Bob Nightengale of USA Today): “It’s a tremendous stand. We have to bring light to this situation that we have, it’s a big thing.”
The Brewers and Reds are slated to pick up their series Thursday in Milwaukee, but it’s unknown whether that will happen or whether they’ll play a doubleheader if they do take the field then.
Padres Place Drew Pomeranz On Injured List
The Padres announced that they have placed left-hander Drew Pomeranz on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 19, with a shoulder strain. The team recalled righty Luis Perdomo to take Pomeranz’s place on its roster.
This is an awful blow to a Padres bullpen that has gotten marvelous production from Pomeranz in the first season of a four-year, $34MM contract. The 31-year-old has yet to allow a run through his first nine innings this season, and opposing offenses have managed a meager one hit off him. Pomeranz has also logged 12 strikeouts against three walks, converted all four of his save chances and added five holds. All things considered, he has been one of the elite relievers in baseball in 2020.
Pomeranz aside, San Diego’s relief corps has been anything but elite thus far. Despite Pomeranz’s near-flawless output, the unit currently ranks 27th in ERA (6.08), 26th in FIP (5.46) and 22nd in K/BB ratio (2.17). Cal Quantrill and Matt Strahm are the only other relievers on the team with sub-5.00 ERAs, but their success has come in spite of far less encouraging peripherals.
It’s unclear how much time Pomeranz will miss, but the fact that he’s dealing with a shoulder issue is a troubling development. Even if San Diego believes he’ll be back in short order, the 15-12 club – which has its sights set on its first playoff berth since 2006 – figures to seek bullpen help prior to the Aug. 31 trade deadline. That likely would have been true even with a healthy Pomeranz.
Ian Gibaut, Chris Woodward Suspended Over Machado/Tatis Incident
AUG. 19: Gibaut’s suspension was reduced to two games and he has dropped his appeal, the Rangers announced. He’ll begin serving the ban tonight.
AUG. 18: Major League Baseball has suspended Rangers right-hander Ian Gibaut three games and manager Chris Woodward one game for a controversial incident Monday that saw Gibaut throw behind Padres star Manny Machado. Gibaut and Woodward were also both fined. Gibaut is appealing his suspension while Woodward will serve his suspension for today’s game.
During Monday’s game, the Padres were leading the Rangers 10-3 in the eighth inning when Fernando Tatis Jr. came to the plate with the bases loaded. Tatis swung on a 3-0 pitch from Juan Nicasio that resulted in a grand slam, prompting Gibaut to replace Nicasio on the mound. Machado was the next batter up after Tatis, and Gibaut’s first pitch to Machado was behind the third baseman’s back. No ejections or warnings were issued after the pitch, though the umpiring crew did meet on the field to discuss the situation.
After the game, Woodward told MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell and other reporters that wasn’t pleased by Tatis’ swing. “There’s a lot of unwritten rules that are constantly being challenged in today’s game. I didn’t like it, personally,” Woodward said. “You’re up by seven [runs] in the eighth inning; it’s typically not a good time to swing 3-0. It’s kind of the way we were all raised in the game. But, like I said, the norms are being challenged on a daily basis, so — just because I don’t like it doesn’t mean it’s not right.”
Even Tatis’ own manager Jayce Tingler wasn’t entirely pleased, noting that Tatis missed a take sign on the pitch. “He’s young, a free spirit and focused and all those things. That’s the last thing that we’ll ever take away. But it’s a learning opportunity,” Tingler said.
Woodward and Tingler each received widespread criticism for their comments, with Woodward’s citation of baseball’s “unwritten rules” drawing particular derision. Many current and past players (including such legends as Reggie Jackson and Johnny Bench) have defended Tatis, with Cardinals ace Jack Flaherty providing perhaps the most succinct counterpoint: “Don’t like it… don’t fall behind 3-0, pretty simple.“
The suspensions to both Gibaut and Woodward indicate a clear feeling on the part of the league that the pitch to Machado was intentional, and to that end, it is somewhat surprising that Woodward only received one game (if the league felt he directed Gibaut to throw behind Machado). MLB has taken a generally stricter line for on-field discipline this year as part of their health and safety procedures, though this particular incident didn’t lead to anything like a brawl or even an open argument between the two teams.
Mariners Acquire Jimmy Yacabonis
The Mariners announced that they’ve acquired non-roster right-hander Jimmy Yacabonis from the Padres in exchange for cash. He’d been in San Diego’s 60-man player pool at their alternate training site and will now head to the Mariners’ alternate site.
Yacabonis, 28, spent parts of the 2017-19 seasons in the Orioles’ bullpen but has yet to find his footing in the big leagues. He’s tallied 101 2/3 innings but carries a 5.75 ERA with 6.6 K/9 against 5.0 BB/9 in that time. The former 13th-round pick averages about 94 mph on a fastball that generates above-average spin, and he has a solid enough track record in the minor leagues despite his lack of success in the Majors. He’ll give the Mariners a bit of bullpen depth and may eventually emerge as an option to join a bullpen that could undergo some changes between now and the Aug. 31 trade deadline.
Padres Promote Adrian Morejon
As expected, the Padres have called up left-hander Adrian Morejon from their alternate training site. The team made this announcement in advance of Morejon’s scheduled start against the Rangers this afternoon. Righty Luis Perdomo was optioned to the alternate training site to create roster space.
This will be Morejon’s second stint in the big leagues, and there isn’t really anywhere to go but up after he posted a 10.13 ERA through eight innings and five appearances (two of them starts) in 2019. A bothersome shoulder may have been partially to blame for Morejon’s issues, as he was sent to the injured list last August and was eventually shut down for the season.
Of course, Morejon is hardly the only player to have an underwhelming MLB debut, and the southpaw is still considered one of the sport’s more intriguing pitching prospects. He has been a staple of top-100 prospects lists for the last few years, with Keith Law (72nd), Baseball Prospectus (75th) and Baseball America (89th) all including Morejon on their pre-2020 rankings. Morejon was the headliner of the Padres’ spending splurge in the 2016-17 international signing period, as the Cuba native signed for an eye-opening $11MM bonus.
It wasn’t too long ago that Perdomo was holding down a spot in San Diego’s rotation, as the right-hander amassed 310 1/3 innings for the Friars in 2016-17, starting 49 of 64 games. Injuries hampered the groundball specialist in 2018, however, and Perdomo has been since used primarily as a reliever while yo-yoing between the majors and Triple-A. Perdomo did post a solid 4.00 ERA, 3.06 K/BB rate, 60.6% grounder rate, and 6.9 K/9 over 72 innings in 2019, though he had had a rougher go of things this season (8.10 ERA over 10 innings).
Kirby Yates Likely To Undergo Season-Ending Elbow Surgery
AUGUST 17: Yates went for a second opinion with elbow specialist Dr. Keith Meister on Monday, and now expectations are that he’ll undergo season-ending surgery, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. Yates would need six-plus weeks to recover from the procedure.
AUGUST 16: Yates’ MRI revealed bone chips in the back of his elbow, manager Jayce Tingler told reporters (including Dennis Lin of the Athletic). He’ll head for a second opinion on Monday.
AUGUST 15: The Padres have placed reliever Kirby Yates on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, the team announced. His roster spot will be taken by right-handed pitcher David Bednar, who has been recalled.
Yates is set to undergo an MRI today to clarify the injury to Yates’s elbow, which forced the 33-year-old out of last night’s game against the D-Backs. It was initially described as discomfort in “the back of his elbow.”
It had been a slow start to the season for the defending NL saves leader, who has thus far posted an uncharacteristic 12.46 ERA in 4 1/3 innings. His usual strikeout production has been there, but that’s been offset by an equally high number of walks (8 K/4 BB).
While the injury to Yates is an unquestionable blow to the San Diego bullpen, manager Jayce Tingler will have several options at his disposal to close games, including Emilio Pagan, Craig Stammen, and Drew Pomeranz. The latter two combined for just 10 career saves prior to this season, but Pomeranz has amassed four saves this year and has been the Padres’ most reliable reliever thus far. Pagan, meanwhile, was an accomplished closer for the Rays last year.
NL Health Notes: Braves, Mets, Cards, Giants, Padres, Dodgers
The Braves placed outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. on the injured list Saturday (retroactive to Aug. 12) because of left wrist inflammation, and the team’s hope then was that Acuna would be back by the upcoming weekend. However, there’s still no timetable for the superstar’s return, per The Athletic’s David O’Brien, who reports he’s continuing to battle soreness in his wrist. Meanwhile, second baseman Ozzie Albies – whom the Braves put on the IL on Aug. 5 with a bone contusion in his right wrist – is progressing but still has a ways to go, according to O’Brien.
- Mets starters David Peterson and Jacob deGrom will take the ball as scheduled Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, Tim Healey of Newsday relays. Peterson had to leave his previous start last Thursday against the Nationals with left shoulder fatigue, while the club scratched deGrom on Friday because of a stiff neck. They’ve been the two best members of the rotation this year for the struggling Mets, as Peterson has performed like one of the game’s top rookies and the back-to-back Cy Young winner deGrom has continued to shine.
- Cardinals righty Carlos Martinez and infielder Edmundo Sosa have been cleared to resume baseball activities, manager Mike Shildt announced to Mark Saxon of The Athletic and other reporters. They’re two of the many Cardinals who recently tested positive for the coronavirus. It’s not clear when either could return, as Shildt noted they’ll need time to build themselves back up. Martinez, long a key part of the Cardinals’ pitching staff, made one very rocky appearance earlier this season. Sosa hasn’t played in the majors this year.
- Giants righty Jeff Samardzija will begin a throwing program Wednesday, according to the club (via Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle). Samardzija went on the injured list Aug. 8 with a shoulder impingement, which came after he opened the season with three rough performances. The pending free agent, 35, owns a ghastly 9.88 ERA across 13 2/3 innings, has already given up 18 hits and six home runs, and has only struck out five hitters.
- The Padres placed catcher Francisco Mejia on the IL on Monday with a thumb bruise, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune tweets. With him and outfielder Tommy Pham (previously reported) headed to the shelf, the Padres recalled backstop Luis Torrens and utility player Ty France. Prior to going on the IL, Mejia got off to a woeful start this year with an .079/.146/.184 line in 41 plate appearances. He and fellow Padres catcher Austin Hedges have combined for a disastrous minus-1 wRC+ over 79 trips to the plate thus far.
- The Dodgers announced that they’ve placed infielder Edwin Rios on the IL with a left hamstring strain and recalled lefty Adam Kolarek. The Rios injury is a blow to the Dodgers’ offense, as even though he’s just a part-time player, the 26-year-old has done nothing but hit since debuting last season. So far in 2020, Rios has slashed .276/.323/.690 with three home runs in 31 plate appearances.