Player Pool Additions: 8/31/20
Today’s player pool news:
- The Rays are adding shortstop prospect Greg Jones to their 60-man player pool, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com (Twitter link). The club’s first-rounder out of UNC-Wilmington in 2019, he’s now the #12 prospect in a stellar Tampa farm system, according to Baseball America. The switch-hitting speedster didn’t advance past the short-season New York-Penn League in his first pro action, so he’s surely not on the radar for an MLB call in 2020. Rather, he’ll get an opportunity for additional instruction in front of Rays’ player development staff.
Giants Acquire Anthony Banda
The Rays have traded left-hander Anthony Banda to the Giants, Robert Murray reports. The Giants sent cash considerations in return, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle was among those to tweet. To make room for Banda, the Giants placed outfielder Joey Rickard on the 60-day injured list with left elbow inflammation.
The 27-year-old Banda spent a short time in limbo, as the Rays designated him for assignment Sunday. Banda’s a former top 100 prospect whom the Rays acquired from the Diamondbacks in a three-way trade entering the 2018 season, though he hasn’t made much of a major league impact so far. Banda wound up throwing just 51 1/3 innings with the Rays, including seven frames this year, and recording a 5.96 ERA (and a far better 3.67 FIP) with 7.19 K/9 against 3.16 BB/9.
Central News & Rumors: Hader, Burnes, Twins, Norris, Romine, Tigers, Chatwood, Gio
The Brewers are receiving a lot of interest on Josh Hader and Corbin Burnes, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (all links to Twitter), though there isn’t any sign that Milwaukee would consider moving either reliever for anything less than a major offer, particularly for Hader. Brett Anderson or David Phelps are perhaps more realistic options to be dealt if the Brewers opt to move an arm. The Yankees and Twins are two of the clubs who have been in touch with the Brew Crew about Hader, but there hasn’t been much indication that talks led anywhere.
Let’s dive into some news and trade buzz from around both the NL and AL Central divisions…
- The Tigers are drawing interest in catcher Austin Romine and left-hander Daniel Norris, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports in both a tweet and a longer notes column. The Rays are one team linked to Norris, who has impressed by posting a 2.40 ERA, 7.2 K/9, and 4.00 K/BB rate over 15 innings. The former second-round draft pick has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and missed part of Summer Camp recovering from a positive COVID-19 test, though he has performed well as a multi-inning reliever for the Tigers this year. Romine has also enjoyed a strong season with a .291/.309/.418 slash line over 81 PA, though his trade chip status could have a late wrinkle — the Tigers scratched him from today’s lineup due to right knee soreness.
- Tyler Chatwood left today’s outing due to right elbow discomfort, according to the Cubs. The righty bounced a pitch to the plate in the third inning, with manager David Ross telling ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers and other reporters that Chatwood initially felt a problem while throwing a breaking ball on the previous pitch. Chatwood was making his second start back from the injured list after missing much of August with a back strain. Elbow problems aren’t good news for any pitcher, though it is particularly concerning in Chatwood’s case since he already has a Tommy John surgery on his record.
- The injury bug also struck on the south side of Chicago, as the White Sox placed left-hander Gio Gonzalez on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to August 27) with a right groin strain. Gonzalez’s first year with the Sox hasn’t been a smooth one, as he has a 5.11 ERA over 24 2/3 innings and a 1.5 HR/9 that is almost twice his 0.8 career average. His most recent outing was, intriguingly, 3 2/3 inning of shutout relief against the Cubs, which could hint at Gonzalez’s role for the White Sox when he returns from the IL.
Rays Reinstate Brendan McKay From IL, Designate Anthony Banda
The Rays have reinstated Brendan McKay from the injured list and sent him to the team’s alternate training site. Left-hander Anthony Banda has been designated for assignment to create a 40-man roster spot.
McKay is out for the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery, but the Rays had to officially bring him back off the COVID-19 injured list, and thus needed to create an opening on the 40-man. McKay tested positive for the coronavirus during Summer Camp and wasn’t cleared to participate at the alternate training site until early August.
The procedural move leaves Banda in DFA limbo. The southpaw had an ugly outing today, allowing five runs in an inning of work during the Rays’ 12-7 win over the Marlins. Banda has a 10.29 ERA over seven innings for Tampa Bay this season, with more walks (five) than strikeouts (four). Once a well-regarded prospect in his minor league days, Banda has yet to establish himself over 51 1/3 Major League innings since the start of the 2017 season, with a big chunk of that time spent rehabbing after Tommy John surgery.
Rangers “Discussing” Joey Gallo In Trades
7:23PM: The Rays and Padres are two of the clubs with interest in Gallo, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
2:25PM: As speculation about ace Lance Lynn abounds, the Rangers are also floating another star in trade talks: Texas is “discussing” Joey Gallo in potential trades, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan. As with Lynn, expect the asking price for Gallo to be quite high, so we’ll have to wait to see just how motivated Texas is to deal its slugging outfielder.
Gallo turned a corner last season, blossoming into more than merely a homer-happy strikeout machine. Make no mistake, the dingers and strikeouts were still there in abundance, but his offensive game took an overall step forward, with Gallo looking like a more well-rounded slugger. His batting average climbed to a respectable .253, OBP up to .389, and accordingly his OPS elevated into elite territory, finishing the year at .986. Granted, a hamate injury limited Gallo to just 70 games played, but there were plenty of indications that production of that caliber was the new normal for the 26-year-old.
Gallo has shown himself to be a solid defender, having played all three outfield positions in the past and settling into right field this year. He’s an all-around athlete, with speed and ample arm strength making him more than a one-dimensional slugger. Those things, along with his age and remaining team control—he’s got two years of controllability left, first eligible to reach free agency after the 2022 season—will lead the Rangers to demand a significant return for their best offensive player.
Alas, Gallo has stumbled out of the gates in 2020, managing an unspectacular .774 OPS, though there has been no shortage of homers, walks, and strikeouts. But if Gallo has struggled this year, the surrounding lineup hasn’t offered much help. Texas has scored the third-fewest runs in baseball, with only the Marlins and Cardinals (who’ve played just 24 games) trailing them. That’s led to a 12-20 record, leaving them with slim chances to crack even an expanded postseason bracket.
Interested teams will note that Gallo is represented by Scott Boras, whose clients don’t often go for extensions. Of course, the Rangers are consider that factor as well, and they’d be remiss not to listen to offers for a player who might not stick around for the next contending Rangers team. To be sure, there’s no pressure to pull the trigger on a deal right now, but Texas will have to weigh its confidence in working out an extension with Gallo if they intend to hang on to him.
There’s no word on specific teams that have inquired about Gallo, but one figures there’d be widespread interest in a controllable, athletic outfielder who brings value both at the plate and in the field.
Of course, trading Gallo would seemingly signify the Rangers’ intent to launch a full-scale rebuild, something they haven’t committed to over the last few years as they mire in a sort of baseball purgatory. They’ve struggled to build a cohesive position player group, with players like Rougned Odor and Nomar Mazara displaying wild inconsistency interspersed with massive potential. Mazara, of course, is in Chicago while Odor has floundered this year. Texas is hampered by a hefty contract for shortstop Elvis Andrus, whose OPS has plummeted to just .494 on the season.
The Rangers fluttered around .500 with Gallo in the lineup last year, which surely informed their decision to spend the following winter strengthening the Major League roster, trading for Corey Kluber and inking contributors like Todd Frazier, Kyle Gibson, and Jordan Lyles. Evidently, those moves haven’t panned out, and it may be time for the Rangers to reverse course.
With Lynn and Gallo in their possession—arguably the best pitcher and position player on the trade market—the Rangers have the power to shape this year’s trade deadline, which is shaping up to be a seller’s market. Both Lynn and Gallo could be critical pieces for contending teams, the type of trade that pushes a contending team over the top. Right now, they look like the team to watch.
Cubs Acquire Jose Martinez From Rays
The Cubs are acquiring designated hitter José Martínez from the Rays, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan (Twitter link). Chicago is sending two players to be named later or cash considerations in exchange. Catcher Josh Phegley has been designated for assignment to clear roster space.
Martínez burst onto the scene with the Cubs’ archrival Cardinals between 2017-18, hitting .306/.369/.478 over those two seasons. Since the start of 2019, Martínez has put up a more pedestrian .264/.339/.406 mark split between St. Louis and Tampa Bay, although he’s continued to feast on left-handed pitching in that time.
The Rays just picked Martínez up from St. Louis over the offseason in a trade that sent top pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore to the Cardinals and also brought back outfielder Randy Arozarena. He played a little bit of first base in Tampa but will obviously be seen almost exclusively as a DH in Chicago, where Anthony Rizzo has first locked down. Martínez will make just over $320K the rest of this season, followed by two additional years of arbitration control. With Martínez gone, Tampa figures to lean more heavily on Yoshi Tsutsugo and Ji-Man Choi at first base/DH.
Jalen Beeks To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
The Rays received a slew on unfortunate injury news this afternoon, with Juan Toribio of MLB.com reporting that left-hander Jalen Beeks is set to undergo Tommy John surgery on Wednesday. Fellow reliever Chaz Roe will also have his season cut short, with the Rays transferring him to the 45-day injured list. Finally, two new players have hit the injured list: catcher Mike Zunino and lefty Ryan Yarbrough will head to the 10-day IL, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.
Catcher Kevan Smith and 1B/OF Brian O’Grady have been added to the active roster.
Wit Beeks on the 45-day injured list, we’ve known that his season was over, but the Rays were awaiting word of the severity of Beeks’s injury, which was first reported as an elbow sprain. Thus continues the Rays’ plague of injuries, which have gutted the pitching staff to an alarming extent.
Yonny Chirinos, Colin Poche, Brendan McKay, and Andrew Kittredge have already endured season-ending injuries, with Charlie Morton, Jose Alvarado, Nick Anderson, and others spending time on the injured list.
Beeks, for his part, had been enjoying his best Major League season to date, on pace for career bests in virtually every significant category. After averaging 7.6 K/9 over the last two years, that number climbed up to 12.1 K/9 through 19 1/3 innings this year. Simultaneously, his walk rate plummeted to a career low, leading to a minuscule 1.76 FIP.
His loss will be a considerable blow to the already-thin Tampa bullpen, which now finds itself without Chaz Roe for the season—also due to an elbow issue. Zunino, meanwhile, is dealing with oblique pain, and Yarbrough is experiencing left groin tightness. He’s the eleventh Rays pitcher to be sidelined due to injury since the beginning of Spring Training 2.0.
Rays Interested In Christian Vazquez
Looking to upgrade behind the plate in both 2020 and beyond, the Rays have shown interest in Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez, according to The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli and Eno Sarris (subscription required). “Early discussions” between the two clubs have seen the Sox look at adding young pitching in return.
With the Rays holding World Series aspirations, the Red Sox in seller mode, and former Rays VP of baseball operations Chaim Bloom now running Boston’s front office, the two AL East rivals make a lot of sense on paper as natural trade partners. Vazquez in particular would fill a major need for Tampa Bay, given that catcher has been a longstanding problem position for the team.
The catching combo of Mike Zunino and Michael Perez have produced sub-replacement level numbers in 2020, as the duo (and Kevan Smith, who made two plate appearances) have combined for a collective .160/.241/.340 slash line in 112 PA. While Vazquez himself hasn’t had an exceptional year at the plate, his .260/.294/.423 line over 109 still represents a marked improvement over the Rays’ current catching mix. Plus, Vazquez’s highly-regarded defensive and game-calling abilities would also provide a boost.
After hitting .276/.320/.477 with 23 homers last season, Vazquez’s production has taken a step backwards. The catcher’s 27.5% strikeout rate and 4.6% walk rate are both career lows, his hard-hit ball rate is down considerably from 2019, and his .253 xwOBA is in the bottom fifth percentile of any player in baseball. Now in his sixth MLB season, Vazquez’s offensive numbers have been somewhat all over the board, as he preceded his career-best 2019 with a dreadful 2018 campaign. Evaluating Vazquez’s bat through only 112 PA, of course, is a difficult task — in a normal season, Vazquez could just be off to a slow start.
As with any Rays trade target, money is a factor, though Vazquez’s contract is reasonable for even a low-spending team like Tampa Bay. He is owed approximately $780K for the remainder of this season, $6.25MM in 2021, and there is a $7MM club option his services for 2022 that can be bought out for $250K. Since the Rays were willing to commit $4.5MM to Zunino this season, it stands to reason that they would be open to spending a bit more in 2021 for what they hope would be considerably better production both offensively and defensively.
Vazquez’s modest contract and extra year (or years) of control make him a particularly interesting trade chip for a Red Sox team that seems to be more or less open to moving almost anyone prior to Monday’s trade deadline. While the Rays can technically only trade players currently on their 60-man player pool, they could work around that restriction simply by making a handshake deal to trade any prospect now and then reveal that prospect as a “player to be named later” within a few months’ time. Bloom’s familiarity with Tampa Bay’s highly-rated farm system could put any number of minor league arms in play for a potential deal.
Player Pool Additions: Giants, Mets, Rays, Nats
Teams have been tinkering with their 60-man player pools throughout the 2020 season, at times cutting veterans to make room for prospects and at times cutting bait on some lower-tier organizational pieces in order to make room for more experienced additions (be they via waiver claim, free-agent signing, etc.). There have been several clubs to announce additions to their player pools already Friday, and while such moves seem innocuous, it’s of course worth pointing out that adding a player to the 60-man pool makes him eligible to be traded.
That doesn’t mean all of the players added to pools today are on the trading block — far from it. We’ve also already seen the Marlins (in the Richard Bleier trade) and the Blue Jays (in the Taijuan Walker trade) take advantage of using players to be named later to get around the rule that only players in a 60-man pool are eligible to be traded. Both sent a PTBNL to their trade partner, each of whom is expected to be a non-60-man player that will be announced after the season.
So while not all of today’s additions will change hands, it’s still notable that some of these players now could change hands without needing to be listed as a PTBNL. In that scenario, a new club could get a look at said player at its alternate training site and, if close enough to the Majors, perhaps even promote them in September.
Here’s a quick rundown…
- The Giants announced that first baseman/outfielder Chris Shaw and righty Melvin Adon were added to the 60-man player pool. Shaw, 26, was San Francisco’s first-round pick (No. 31 overall) back in 2015 and rated among the club’s best prospects for several years. His shine has worn off, however, after some shaky showings in the upper minors and the Majors. Shaw carries a .280/.328/.538 slash in 1092 Triple-A plate appearances but has struck out at a 30 percent clip there. He’s hit .153/.244/.222 in 82 big league PAs. Speculatively, he seems like a change-of-scenery candidate. Adon, also 26, received an 80 grade on his heater at FanGraphs this offseason and was called the hardest thrower in the minors by Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel. However, they also gave him just 30 command on the 20-80 scale and called his chances of realizing his ceiling low due to his inability to locate. Adon walked 34 batters, hit another and threw 11 wild pitches in 55 1/3 innings last year.
- The Mets added third baseman Brett Baty, tweets Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Baty, 20, was the No. 12 pick in the 2019 draft and is considered to be among the organization’s top prospects. He divided last year between rookie and Low-A ball, where he batted .234/.368/.452 with seven home runs in 228 plate appearances. Now that Baty’s in the fold, the Mets have all of their top five prospects in the player pool — including Andres Gimenez in the Majors — as DiComo points out.
- Right-hander Brent Honeywell has been added to the Rays‘ pool and reported to their alternate site in Port Charlotte, tweets MLB.com’s Juan Toribio. The highly touted Honeywell underwent Tommy John surgery in February 2018, hasn’t pitched since and may not take the mound for the Rays this season. By adding Honeywell to their pool, though, the Rays will give the 25-year-old an opportunity to rehab while facing professional hitters, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times notes. For now, though, “there are still plenty of boxes” for Honeywell to check before he makes his MLB debut, according to manager Kevin Cash.
- The Nationals already added righty Sterling Sharp and outfielder Jeremy De La Rosa earlier today (as covered here), and this afternoon they announced two more additions: infielders Jackson Cluff and Drew Mendoza. Both have reported to the alternate site in Fredricksburg. Cluff was a 2019 sixth-rounder who spent his first pro season in Single-A, where he batted .229/.320/.367 with five homers and 11 steals in 280 trips to the plate. The 23-year-old is now generally regarded as one of the Nationals’ top 20 prospects. Mendoza, another 2019 draft choice (third round, No. 94), hovers around Washington’s top 10 farmhands at multiple outlets. The 22-year-old also spent 2019 at Single-A, slashing .264/.377/.383 with four HRs and three steals in 239 plate appearances.
Rays Acquire Cody Reed
The Rays have acquired left-hander Cody Reed from the Reds for righty Riley O’Brien, C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic tweets. To make room for Reed, Tampa Bay placed newly acquired outfielder Brett Phillips on the COVID-19 injured list as he goes through intake protocols, the team announced. Meanwhile, O’Brien is now a member of the Reds’ 60-man player pool, per Rosecrans.
The Reds designated Reed for assignment earlier this week after he started 2020 with 9 1/3 innings of 10-hit, six-earned run ball with 10 strikeouts and eight walks. But the 27-year-old was effective for Cincinnati in 2018-19, and the AL East-leading Rays are in a position where they need to acquire pitching help in the wake of several injuries – including to notable bullpen arms in Nick Anderson, Jose Alvarado, Jalen Beeks, Oliver Drake, Andrew Kittredge, Colin Poche and Chaz Roe.
In the event Reed turns things around in a Rays uniform, he could be a multiyear piece for the club, as he’s not due to reach free agency until after 2024. However, Reed doesn’t have any minor league options remaining, so he’ll have to stick on the Rays’ MLB roster or be subjected to the waiver wire.
The Reds are getting a promising farmhand in O’Brien, a 25-year-old who made his Double-A debut in 2019 and registered a 3.93 ERA/3.49 FIP with 9.44 K/9, 3.8 BB/9 and a 45.7 percent groundball rate in 68 2/3 innings. Prior to the trade, O’Brien ranked as a top 25 Rays prospect at MLB.com (No. 20), Baseball America (24) and FanGraphs (24). MLB.com, the most bullish of those outlets, writes that O’Brien has the potential to amount to a mid-rotation starter or “a late-inning force,” depending on whether he’s able to improve his control.