NL West Notes: Friedman, Ryu, Giants, Rockies
Some news from around the NL West…
- While Clayton Kershaw‘s health status will surely be the biggest factor in the Dodgers‘ deadline plans, the club has “a number of target guys we are interested in irrespective of what’s going on,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman tells ESPN.com’s Doug Padilla. “Of course, as things play out the next few weeks, the importance of certain areas will grow and others will decrease. But it’s still pretty early on in those conversations.” L.A. has already made one notable move for pitching (picking up Bud Norris) in the wake of Kershaw’s back injury.
- The Dodgers could also get an internal pitching boost with Hyun-Jin Ryu‘s return, as Friedman told reporters (including MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick) that Ryu could be back soon after the All-Star break or perhaps even this week. Ryu missed all of 2015 and all of this season due to shoulder problems, including recovery from labrum surgery in May 2015.
- The Giants will be getting Sergio Romo, Joe Panik and other notable regulars back from the DL within the next couple of weeks, though as Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle notes, it will create a bit of a roster crunch due to the number of out-of-options players on the current 25-man. Schulman speculates that Ruben Tejada could be the first of the out-of-options crew to be designated for assignment since Tejada has cleared waivers twice this season.
- Rockies GM Jeff Bridich tells Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post that the team is “going to keep our eyes and ears open to everything” heading into the trade deadline. While Bridich was excited that the Rockies are still within striking distance of the NL wild card race, Saunders figures the club will ultimately end up being deadline sellers, rather than buyers. Saunders cites Jorge De La Rosa as “Colorado’s most realistic trade possibility,” with the likes of Daniel Descalso, Nick Hundley, Boone Logan and Mark Reynolds also possible candidates to be moved. Carlos Gonzalez will garner the most trade buzz but Saunders believes Gonzalez will remain with the team not just through the rest of this season but into the 2017 campaign as well.
Quick Hits: Red Sox, Giants, Reds, Angels
Red Sox manager John Farrell addressed his job security Friday, telling reporters, including Ryan Hannable of WEEI, “We’ve come off a tough month. Finished with a disappointing trip through Texas and Tampa. I can understand that question, the potential speculation that is out there.” The Red Sox followed a 10-16 June by leading off July with a win Friday, but they suffered a stunning 21-2 loss to the Angels at Fenway Park on Saturday. That won’t help Farrell – who said the performance “embarrassed” him (Twitter link via Ian Browne of MLB.com) – though his 43-37 team still holds one of the American League’s two Wild Card spots through nearly half the season.
More from Boston and three other major league cities:
- Farrell didn’t want to commit to right-hander Clay Buchholz making another start after his poor outing last Sunday, and now the manager is in the same position after Saturday’s result, Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald was among those to report (Twitter link). Buchholz threw 4 1/3 innings and allowed six runs (three earned) on seven hits and a walk, raising his ERA/FIP/xFIP trio to an ugly 5.91/6.03/5.51 through 80 2/3 frames this season.
- The first-place Giants continue to hunt for starting pitchers, tweets the San Francisco Chronicle’s Henry Schulman, who reported two weeks ago that the team was searching for rotation help. Giants starters entered Saturday ranked sixth in the majors in both ERA (3.62) and fWAR (7.8), though nearly all of the rotation’s value has come from Johnny Cueto, Madison Bumgarner and Jeff Samardzija. With those three in the fold, odds are the Giants are only looking for a back-end type to improve on Jake Peavy, Albert Suarez and the currently injured Matt Cain.
- While Raisel Iglesias‘ shoulder injury-forced shift to the Reds’ bullpen could hurt his earning power in the long run, the 26-year-old told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com that he’s enjoying his new role. “I feel really good coming out of the bullpen,” the righty said through an interpreter. “I’ve got my routine now. Coming out of the bullpen is something I did when I was in Cuba.” Iglesias has been a breath of fresh air in relief for the Reds, whose bullpen is the majors’ worst. In 7 1/3 innings and four appearances since returning from a nearly two-month disabled list stint June 21, Iglesias has yielded just one run on three hits and three walks.
- Angels setup man Joe Smith has come off the DL in time to serve as a potential deadline chip for the last-place Halos, writes Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. It’s worth noting that the right-hander, who had been on the DL witIh a hamstring strain since June 7, has seen his ERA (3.78) and K/9 (5.81) fall well below his career marks of 2.92 and 7.48 in 26 1/3 innings this season. The ground-ball-inducing 32-year-old is on a $5.25MM salary and will hit free agency in the offseason.
Latest On Yulieski Gurriel
Yulieski Gurriel remains a fascinating piece of the transactional picture as the deadline approaches, and Jon Heyman of todaysknuckleball.com writes that his market is heating up. The Marlins held a workout with the Cuban star, per the report, with the Giants also showing “strong interest” — though they’ve yet to host him for an up-close look.
We’ve already heard of San Francisco’s possible involvement, which GM Bobby Evans downplayed in recent comments. Other reports have connected the infielder to the Dodgers, Astros, Mets and Yankees, all of whom have held workouts. Heyman notes also that the Red Sox have taken a look, though he adds that Boston isn’t seen as being a likely destination.
The 32-year-old Gurriel is a legend in his home nation, where he has been one of the best players since reaching Serie Nacional as a teenager. And he also showed well in a brief stint in Japan’s NPB two years back. With an advanced bat and polished glove that’s capable of slotting in at third, second, and perhaps the corner outfield, it’s not hard to imagine a fit with many organizations.
Gauging his value is another matter. While there’s some possibility that he’ll be viewed as a deadline addition of sorts, the expectation is that Gurriel will need a decent bit of time to get up to speed in the minors after a long layoff from competitive action. That uncertainty leaves some room for variability.
Rival executives tell Heyman that Gurriel is looking for a deal that would cover this season and four more thereafter. His camp seems to be seeking something in the range of $10MM to $12MM per year, with one source telling Heyman that it wouldn’t be surprising if the veteran could achieve between $40MM and $50MM in total guarantee over a three or four-year term.
MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently examined the possible market for Gurriel’s services, though that piece was written before the recent connections were reported. He and Steve Adams suggested that the contract given to Hector Olivera by the Dodgers (about $10MM annually) as a comparable. In this case, though, a shorter length (given his age) and perhaps a greater AAV (given his better pedigree and the market situation) are certainly possible.
Jay Bruce Willing To Waive No-Trade Clause In Deal To Contender
Reds outfielder Jay Bruce has a limited no-trade clause, but doesn’t intend to use that to hold up a deal to a contending club this summer, MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon reports. Bruce sits at the top overall spot on MLBTR’s most recent top trade candidates list.
The NTC would let Bruce reject deals to the Yankees, Red Sox, Athletics, Rays, Marlins, Twins, Indians and Diamondbacks. Jon Heyman of todaysknuckleball.com repored earlier today that Bruce would quite likely be willing to go to Cleveland, and it appears that he’d also be amenable to other hypothetical landing spots. Rumblings have connected Bruce to a variety of clubs, including the Dodgers, Giants, White Sox, and Royals since the start of the season.
Bruce, 29, tells Sheldon that he’s willing to “consider waiving the no-trade clause for all types of reasons,” with “no blanket reason I wouldn’t.” The veteran said he’d need to take each situation as it comes, with agent Matt Sosnick saying that such a choice has yet to be brought to their attention.
Bruce continued on to emphasize that he’d be quite interested in an opportunity to join an organization that has designs on contending. “If I am moved, which has seemed likely for the last year and a half, I’d like to go where the team is mostly likely to win,” he said. “Teams that want me are likely seeking somebody to help them win.”
Notably, Sosnick suggested that Bruce won’t necessarily be looking to utilize the clause for leverage with regard to his contract. “We’re not setting in stone any financial qualifiers,” he said. “If the deal is good for Jay and good for the Reds, he would consider anything — including waiving the no-trade. … There is no team that he would unequivocally not go to.”
Bruce has increasingly cemented his status as a premium trade piece, as he is once again hitting like the All-Star-caliber player he was from 2011 through 2013. The two intervening seasons are easier and easier to forget, as he carries a .279/.325/.568 slash with 17 home runs and a league-leading six triples into July. Bruce’s early-career extension is another asset: he’s earning $12.5MM this year and can be controlled for $13MM in 2017, which is particularly appealing with a dearth of young sluggers on the upcoming free agent market.
Giants To Designate Jake Smith, Select Grant Green
The Giants will designate righty Jake Smith for assignment, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area reports on Twitter. The team needed to clear a 40-man spot to make way for infielder Grant Green, who has been promoted.
[Related: Updated Giants Depth Chart]
Smith, 28, has made a u-turn after his stellar 2015 campaign. Over 84 1/3 frames last year at High-A, he allowed just 2.35 earned runs per nine with 12.6 K/9 against only 2.2 BB/9. While the strikeouts are still there through his first 20 1/3 innings at the Double-A level, Smith has walked nearly as many batters as he has K’ed and currently sports a 7.08 ERA.
The 28-year-old Green will now suit up with his third major league club from California after previously seeing action with the Athletics and Angels. He has not managed to hit enough at the MLB level over his first 300 trips to the plate to make up for a suspect glove, and joined San Francisco as a minor league free agent. Green owns a .294/.321/.437 batting line over 250 plate appearances this year with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate.
NL West Notes: Schumaker, Urias, Dodgers, Arroyo
The Padres have brought back Skip Schumaker … but he won’t be wearing a uniform. As MLB.com’s Carlos Collazo writes, the recently-retired utilityman will join the organization as an assistant to baseball operations and player development. Schumaker was in Spring Training with San Diego this season before he decided to call it a career midway through camp. Clearly, though, the longtime big leaguer made a positive impression on his final organization, leading to his new role with the team. Skipper Andy Green says that Schumaker will be “making his rounds in the organization, offering insight at different levels.”
A few more notes from the NL West…
- Julio Urias will likely stick in the Dodgers rotation through the All-Star break, manager Dave Roberts told reporters including MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick (links to Twitter). With the club struggling to bridge the gap to its injured starters — particularly with Clayton Kershaw now questionable for his next outing — Roberts acknowledged that a near-term deal for a starter is a “possibility.” That seems to match with the earlier report suggesting a possible match with the Rays on Erasmo Ramirez.
- The Dodgers have placed infielder Enrique Hernandez on the DL with inflammation in his rib cage, as Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times writes. That opens a roster spot for the promotion of righty Brock Stewart — who Jason Martinez of MLBTR/Roster Resource recently profiled. Stewart battled through some early struggles but logged five innings in his debut outing. (You can check out the new-look depth chart for Los Angeles right here.) More troublesome for the Dodgers, however, is the fact that Joc Pederson may need to join Hernandez on the disabled list, per McCullough. Pederson injured his right shoulder when he crashed into the wall making a spectacular grab the other night, and while initial x-rays revealed no broken bones, the outfielder told the media that he could scarcely lift his arm yesterday, noting that he had difficulty even getting dressed or putting on deodorant due to the lack of mobility.
- Speaking of Stewart, Fangraphs’ David Laurila writes that he spoke to the infielder-turned-pitcher last summer about how pitching was never the avenue via which he expected to enter professional baseball. However, struggles at the plate during his junior season at Illinois State led a coach to suggest to him that his future may be on the mound, and his father (a pro scout for the Rays), agreed. Last summer, Stewart explained to Laurila that his velocity sat 90-92 and touched 94 mph, and described his slider rather timidly. Now, Laurila notes, Stewart tops out at 96 mph and has a much-improved slider, which have helped him reach the Majors with the Dodgers despite the fact that he opened the season at Class-A Advanced and had never pitched at a higher level.
- Those clamoring for the Giants to promote top prospect Christian Arroyo will have to wait, as Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. “You won’t see Arroyo,” GM Bobby Evans said earlier when asked about the possibility of Arroyo replacing the injured Joe Panik, and indeed the club proceeded to add Ruben Tejada instead of the youngster. It certainly seems as if San Francisco doesn’t feel that the 21-year-old is fully prepared for the majors, as Super Two considerations aren’t an issue at his stage of the year. Arroyo is only now in his first stint at Double-A, and isn’t exactly dominating the level with a .279/.321/.390 slash. Arroyo entered the year rated as Baseball America’s No. 62 overall prospect and the No. 82 prospect over at MLB.com.
International Notes: July 2 Preview, Maitan, Braves, Padres
Baseball America’s Ben Badler has compiled scouting reports on the Top 50 prospects on the upcoming July 2 international market, in addition to providing projected landing spots for each player on the list. The exhaustive report on the international scene requires a BA subscription, but it’s highly recommended for those who wish to dive headfirst into learning about the upcoming glut of talent that will be injected into most clubs’ minor league pipelines. Those looking to learn more about the process can also check out this primer from Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs, who also provides a ranking of the class (with further explanation here).
Here are just a few highlights from Badler’s excellent work on the topic, which deserves a full read:
- Badler takes a particularly close look at top prospect Kevin Maitan, who he says may be a better prospect than Miguel Sano was as a teenager. The link comes with a lengthy and detailed scouting report, including discussion of the question whether Maitain will be able to stay at shortstop for the long run. Scouts are divided on the likelihood, but all seem to agree it’s at least a plausible outcome.
- Maitan has long been said to be heading for the Braves, and we’ve yet to hear anything to change that expectation. Atlanta has lined up a big batch of spending, but Badler provides a bit of context for just how large: he says it “should look comparable to what the Yankees did in 2014-15.” (You can refresh yourself on New York’s shock and awe campaign here.)
- The Padres appear headed in that direction, too, as Badler says that a $30MM to $35MM spend might be their floor. In addition to big activity on the Cuban market, San Diego is in line to add eight of the top fifty available players. As for the Nationals, who are also believed to be pacing the market in spending, it might not be quite that dramatic. But Washington could still come away with three of the fifteen best prospecs on the market.
- The Astros, too, seem ready to drop some big cash — including a $3.5MM bonus for Cuban shortstop Anibal Sierra. Houston is eyeing five of the top fifty names on Badler’s list, he notes. One player that could be ticketed for the ‘Stros is fifth overall prospect Freudis Nova.
- Nova had been connected to the Marlins before failing a PED test. Now, Badler explains, Miami has a big chunk of pool availability and little in the way of commitments. The club could deal that away or see if it can find a nice price on the Cuban market.
- It also remains to be seen what the Reds will do, but Badler explains that things could go in either of two directions. Cinci could trade for some added bonus pool space to add Cuban shortstop Alfredo Rodriguez and a few smaller signings without hitting the penalty. Or, the team could enter the broader Cuban market and blow past its limits.
- The White Sox are expected to land slugging prospect Josue Guerrero — who, yes, is a part of the famous family. Despite being quiet in recent years, the Athletics are in position to add some talent, including George Bell, whose father (same name) was a quality big leaguer.
- The Brewers aren’t believed to have any seven-figure bonuses lined up, but could still add a high number of interesting players with the fifth-highest spending availability in the game. Likewise, the Phillies are expected to spread their cash.
- Of course, not every team will have the opportunity to spend lavishly this period; the Dodgers, Yankees, Cubs, D-backs, Angels, Rays, Red Sox, Giants, Royals and Blue Jays are each prohibited from spending more than $300K on international amateurs after incurring maximum penalties, though that doesn’t mean those organizations don’t have a chance to find some talent.
Giants Select Ruben Tejada, Place Joe Panik On Concussion DL
The Giants have selected the contract of infielder Ruben Tejada, as Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area first tweeted. To create roster space, the club placed second baseman Joe Panik on the 7-day concussion DL and put Chris Heston on the 60-day DL.
[Related: Updated Giants Depth Chart]
Tejada joined the Giants on a minor league deal after opening the season with the Cardinals. (First, of course, he was cut loose by the Mets just before the season began.) The 26-year-old hasn’t shown much at the plate this year, and is typically a slightly-below-average hitter, but the club is obviously in need of dependable infielders given its injury situation.
The loss of Panik comes at an inopportune time, as third baseman Matt Duffy is already on the DL — along with utilitymen Kelby Tomlinson and Ehire Adrianza. Panik had been plunked recently, but the effects of the beaning only took hold a few days later.
It still seems that the Giants can expect most of these players back in relatively short order, but the uncertainty could increase the club’s apparent interest in adding another infield piece. San Francisco has been tied to players such as Yunel Escobar (link) and Yulieski Gurriel (link) in recent weeks, though we’ve heard even more chatter about the possibility that the club could pitching or outfield help.
Rosenthal’s Latest: Gurriel, Erasmo, D-Backs, Royals, Lohse, Taylor
In his latest notes column, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports looks at the developing market for Cuban star Yulieski Gurriel. Discussing his team’s reported interest, Giants GM Bobby Evans tells Rosenthal that he is primarily looking to “be as thorough as we can when it comes to international talent,” not angling to replace a starter in the infield. In Rosenthal’s opinion, Gurriel fits best with the Mets, who could use him at third this year and then utilize him there or at second in the seasons beyond, depending upon how things shake out. Needless to say, Gurriel figures to be a fascinating player to watch over the coming weeks.
Here are some more highlights from the post:
- The Dodgers have engaged the Rays in talks regarding righty Erasmo Ramirez, according to Rosenthal. Though he’s working out of the pen for Tampa Bay, the Dodgers would intend to utilize Ramirez in the rotation — at least initially. He has spent most of his career as a starter, and presumably would offer the club a swingman/long-relief option down the line. With several youthful and recently-injured starters in the picture in L.A., it’s not hard to see the match.
- Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart says that the organization is getting trade interest in both Brad Ziegler and Daniel Hudson, with some teams even asking about landing both arms. However, Arizona is not yet ready to concede the 2016 campaign, particularly after improved play of late. Stewart also suggested again that the club would rather extend both of the late-inning righties, each of whom is a pending free agent, rather than shipping them out.
- Despite their position-player gaps — most of which are being filled with surprising aplomb by unheralded players — the Royals‘ biggest need is starting pitching, Rosenthal argues. GM Dayton Moore says that the club is “not overly concerned” about third base or right field, which are currently manned by Cheslor Cuthbert and Paulo Orlando. “If we had to make a decision today, we’d probably go with what we’ve got,” he said. But the architect of the reigning World Series champs also noted that the starting pitching market isn’t showing the same kind of top-quality veterans that it did last year, making it a “challenge” to find a real upgrade for the staff.
- Speaking of that thin market, Rosenthal says that teams are not unaware of the fact that Kyle Lohse can still opt out of his his deal with the Rangers after recently being bypassed for a promotion. Though the veteran owns only a 5.23 ERA in 51 2/3 Triple-A innings on the year, he is sitting at a typical 6.1 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 and obviously comes with a lengthy track record of quality major league pitching. (Note: it’s unclear precisely what opt-out situation Lohse has; the deal included a June 1 date that has obviously already passed, but may allow him to force the Rangers’ hand if another team offers a big league opportunity.)
- Rosenthal says that the Nationals have previously discussed center fielder Michael Taylor in trade talks and suggests they could do so again this summer in search of a top relief arm. Taylor would certainly make for an interesting piece to dangle: he still possesses tantalizing tools despite his difficulties in harnessing the strike zone and only just turned 25.
West Notes: Greinke, Urias, Panik, Karns, Rangers
The D-backs announced that ace Zack Greinke left tonight’s game after two innings with tightness in his left oblique. The severity of the injury isn’t known, but the D-backs have already suffered quite a few injuries this season and can ill afford to lose Greinke for any substantial period of time. Since a rocky start to the season, Greinke has turned in a 2.58 ERA over 11 starts dating back to April 30. Arizona has already lost A.J. Pollock for much of the season (if not all of it) and also has Rubby De La Rosa, David Peralta, Chris Owings and Socrates Brito on the disabled list at this time.
More from the game’s western divisions…
- The Dodgers‘ rash of injuries in the rotation has the team re-thinking the looming shutdown of top prospect Julio Urias, tweets Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times. The team may rely on Urias in the rotation for as long as it can despite the fact that his innings are a concern coming off a season in which the 19-year-old threw just 80 1/3 total innings at the minor league level. Including tonight’s six-inning start, Urias has already thrown 77 innings this season between the Majors and minors.
- Giants second baseman Joe Panik was scratched from tonight’s game after displaying concussion-like symptoms, writes Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. While Panik hasn’t sustained a head injury within the past few days, he was struck on the helmet by a Matt Moore pitch on June 18, and Schulman writes that the symptoms appear to be a delayed effect of that occurrence. Panik could land on the 7-day disabled list tomorrow, Schulman adds.
- The Mariners have moved right-hander Nate Karns to the bullpen, as MLB.com’s Greg Johns writes. Seattle is getting injured hurlers Taijuan Walker and Wade Miley back this week, and veteran lefty Wade LeBlanc pitched well in his Mariners debut. Manager Scott Servais tells Johns that the move isn’t considered a permanent one for Karns but explains that the team is hoping to get Karns back on track following a rough patch of starts in recent weeks. Karns posted a 7.33 ERA in the month of June after logging a strong 3.43 mark over the season’s first two months, and the 17 walks he issued in 23 1/3 innings this month speak to the fact that there’s more than simple poor fortune at play in his struggles.
- Rangers GM Jon Daniels tells Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that he’s more focused on getting injured pitchers Yu Darvish, Derek Holland, Colby Lewis, Keone Kela and Tanner Scheppers healthy right now than he is on the trade market. Kela, according to Daniels, is the closest of the bunch to returning and could be back prior to the All-Star break (which would be ahead of his initially projected schedule). However, Daniels also tells Grant that he won’t take the 10-game lead that Texas carried into play today for granted and assume that he has the luxury of too much patience. “We’re aware of where we are, but I try not to look at things that way,” said Daniels of the his club’s sizable division lead. “We’re very cognizant of what can happen quickly.” Part of the reason for not yet placing a significant emphasis on trade talks may be a lack of willing trade partners, as well; Daniels told WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford on Monday that there simply isn’t much quality pitching available on the trade market.