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Pitcher Notes: Buchholz, Boxberger, Gray, Wilson

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Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz is displeased with his demotion to the bullpen, writes Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. Buchholz declined to talk to reporters for the second straight day and threw in a curse word as he walked away from them Saturday, according to Drellich. Manager John Farrell has left the door open for Buchholz to return to the rotation, saying, “While he might not like the current situation, that’s where we are. If he pitches to his talents and abilities, that role can potentially change.” Buchholz, 31, has been a solid starter for most of his career, but he put up a 6.35 ERA, 5.88 K/9 and 3.91 BB/9 in 56 2/3 innings in that role this year and will try to right the ship as a reliever.

Here’s more on a few other established pitchers:

  • The Rays will slowly transition reliever Brad Boxberger back into the closer role when he returns soon from core muscle surgery, manager Kevin Cash said (via Sam Blum of MLB.com). The righty led the American League in saves last year (41), but thanks to the brilliance of fill-in Alex Colome, the Rays haven’t missed him in the ninth inning. Nonetheless, Boxberger’s presence will aid a Rays bullpen that has been mediocre this year. In 137 2/3 innings from 2014-15, Boxberger compiled a 3.03 ERA, 12.55 K/9 (seventh among qualified relievers) and 3.67 BB/9.
  • Athletics right-hander Sonny Gray threw a 35-pitch first bullpen session Saturday – his first BP session since going on the disabled list last Sunday with a trapezius injury – per Jane Lee of MLB.com. Gray “feels good,” manager Bob Melvin said afterward, and could return on or shortly after June 5.
  • Two big-name Angels, southpaw C.J. Wilson and righty Tim Lincecum, are on similar timelines to make their major league debuts this year, tweets Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Wilson, who has been out all season with an injured left shoulder, will make his first of at least two starts with Triple-A Salt Lake City on Monday.
  • In case you missed it, the White Sox and Padres are discussing a James Shields trade.

Injury Notes: A-Rod, Teixeira, Shelby, C.J., Forsythe, Flores

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Alex Rodriguez is back in the Yankees’ lineup after a quick rehab stint, but fellow veteran slugger Mark Teixeira is still out. It remains to be seen whether Teixeira will eventually require a DL stint, but for now he’s simply taking some time and waiting for a cortisone shot to take effect, as MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch tweets. An MRI seemingly cleared him of any new neck issues, ESPNNewYork.com’s Andrew Marchand tweets, so it seems to be an optimistic outlook. Meanwhile, the Yanks have placed southpaw Chasen Shreve on the DL while his left shoulder is checked out, Hoch also tweets.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the game:

  • Shelby Miller continues to be limited by a finger injury, Diamondbacks manager Chip Hale said today, as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Already struggling on the hill, Miller’s difficulties were exacerbated when he scraped his hand on the dirt in his follow-through. Hale “still not where we’d like it to be,” which Piecoro suggests could set the stage for a DL stint. The 25-year-old owns an unsightly 7.09 ERA in 45 2/3 innings on the season, with just thirty strikeouts to go with 29 walks. When asked whether Miller could be sent to the minors, GM Dave Stewart didn’t reveal much but also didn’t rule out the idea, as Jack Magruder of Fanragsports.com tweets. “We want to get him on track the best way we can,” said Stewart. “We will figure it out and do what’s needed.”
  • Angels southpaw C.J. Wilson made his rehab debut yesterday, as Pete Marshall of the Orange County Register writes. The 35-year-old is one of several hurlers filtering back up towards the majors for the Halos, which could eventually lead to some interesting roster decisions. For now, he says his command and mechanics were in a good place, and didn’t suggest that his balky left arm was a problem. It’s certainly promising that Wilson was able to work up to 56 pitches while lasting into the fifth inning. He hopes to make it back to the majors by early to mid-June.
  • Also potentially returning in the middle of next month is Logan Forsythe of the Rays, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). His shoulder has improved to the point where he’s able to take grounders, leading to some hope that he could join the Rays at some point after they wrap up an upcoming road trip.
  • Mets infielder Wilmer Flores appears ready for activation after a rehab game at Double-A, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com tweets. The 24-year-old was off to a slow start, with a .180/.255/.280 slash, before heading to the DL with a hamstring strain. New York lost first baseman Lucas Duda, and Flores could conceivably be part of the solution — with the team’s trade plans somewhat dependent upon how much it trusts Flores and other internal options.

Rays Designate Jake Goebbert

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The Rays have designated first baseman/outfielder Jake Goebbert for assignment, as Roger Mooney reports on Twitter. Righty Ryan Garton was called up, creating the need for a 40-man spot, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted earlier.

Goebbert, 28, has seen just one major league stint in his career, slashing .218/.313/.317 in 115 plate appearances with the Padres in 2014. But he’s shown a high-OBP approach in the upper minors, making him a popular name on the waiver wire — which is how Tampa Bay grabbed him earlier in the year from the Pirates. Goebbert has struggled thus far at Triple-A Durham, though, with a meager .163/.258/.221 batting line in his 97 plate appearances.

The 26-year-old Garton earned his first big league promotion with a strong campaign in his first go at Triple-A. He’s shown improved command and punch-out ability in recording 11.5 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9. Over 22 2/3 frames, Garton owns a 2.38 ERA.

Details On Carlos Beltran’s No-Trade Clause

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Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran can block trades to 15 clubs under the terms of his limited no-trade clause, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, who explores the possibility of a deal involving the veteran. Among the teams to which Beltran could be dealt without consent are the Indians, Nationals, Royals, Cardinals, Rays, Tigers, and Dodgers, per the report.

Of course, it’s far from clear whether New York will end up entertaining such a move. The club has moved back to within striking distance in the AL East already, and there’s plenty of time left before the deadline.

Parting with Beltran wouldn’t necessarily mean abandoning hope for the present season, Olney suggests. Shipping him out would free up opportunities for highly-regarded young players such as Aaron Hicks and Aaron Judge. They could be expected to provide value now while helping prepare for bigger roles in 2017 and beyond.

It’s fair to wonder just how much trade value Beltran would carry. On the one hand, he recently turned 39 and is a subpar outfielder (especially if one credits Defensive Runs Saved). On the other, he’s a highly respected veteran who is currently running out a productive .274/.299/.522 batting line, largely matching his overall production levels from last season (about 20% above league average).

Salary will certainly play a role, too, as Beltran is owed a healthy $15MM this season before reaching free agency at year’s end. Whether or not the market is receptive to that overall package remains to be seen, but presumably the Yankees won’t make a move unless they receive some kind of interesting return (barring a full-blown collapse in the next two months). That’s especially true given the uncertainty of Hicks and Judge as well as the fact that aging sluggers Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez come with their own blend of health, age, and performance questions.

Kevin Kiermaier Likely Out Eight To Ten Weeks Due To Hand Surgery

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Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier will require surgery to repair a pair of fractures in his left hand and will miss the next eight to 10 weeks of action as a result, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (links to Twitter). Kiermaier was reported to have suffered a pair of fractures this past weekend and has already been placed on the disabled list, with Mikie Mahtook being recalled in his place, but the length of his required absence remained unknown to this point.

The 26-year-old Kiermaier suffered the injury on Saturday this week in an attempt to make a diving catch on a James McCann fly to shallow center and immediately came off the field before trainers could even reach him on the outfield grass. He’s in the midst of a solid season for Tampa Bay, hitting .236/.307/.447 with strong contributions in defense and baserunning. Kiermaier has quickly emerged as one of baseball’s premier defenders, winning a Gold Glove in a 2015 season that saw him post marks of +42 and +40.7 in Defensive Runs Saved and UZR/150, respectively. In addition to his excellent range, Kiermaier racked up 15 outfield assists in 2015, tying him for third place among all Major League outfielders.

With Kiermaier sidelined for upwards of two months, the Rays will have some options to mix and match in center field. Mahtook, a former first-round pick, has plenty of experience in center field, and while he doesn’t come with Kiermaier’s defensive prowess (few do), he’s batting .333/.416/.487 at Triple-A this season and slashed .295/.351/.619 in his MLB debut last season (115 plate appearances). The Rays also have Desmond Jennings as an experienced center field option, though Jennings’ star has dimmed due to injuries and underperformance at the plate in recent seasons, and he’s played primarily left field since 2014. Brandon Guyer, too, has some limited experience in center field and could get a look there, as does utilityman Brad Miller.

AL East Notes: Gallardo, Erasmo, Hill, Miller

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Yovani Gallardo threw a bullpen session this morning, the first time he has thrown off a mound since hitting the DL a month ago with shoulder tendinitis.  Gallardo and Orioles manager Buck Showalter told reporters (including MLB.com’s Fabian Ardaya) that the righty could toss another bullpen and then a simulated game later this week, though much will depend on how Gallardo is feeling in the wake of today’s session.  Here’s more from around the AL East…

  • Erasmo Ramirez has been a boon to the Rays in an old-school “fireman” relief role, able to pitch multiple innings at any point late in a game.  R.J. Anderson of CBSSports.com explores why Ramirez has been an ideal fit for this role and how the Rays’ usage of the righty could inspire other teams to turn their own relievers into firemen.
  • It looks like the Red Sox made a mistake in letting Rich Hill get away in free agent last winter given how the veteran has pitched since joining the A’s, Peter Gammons writes in his latest GammonsDaily.com piece.  With the A’s struggling and Hill standing out as possible deadline trade bait, Gammons suggests the Sox could re-acquire Hill to bolster the back half of their rotation.
  • The Hill-to-Boston scenario is also explored by ESPN’s Buster Olney in his latest subscription-only column, and he also opines that Yankees setup man Andrew Miller would be a great fit for the Giants.  Miller is signed through 2018 so San Francisco would gain a long-term bullpen piece to guard against any of all of their top relievers (Santiago Casilla, Javier Lopez, Sergio Romo) leaving in free agency this winter.  Miller’s availability could depend on whether or not the Yankees are still in a pennant race themselves, though Olney notes that New York has enough elite bullpen depth to shop Miller or Aroldis Chapman even if the club is in contention.
  • In other AL East news from earlier today, the Blue Jays have made Drew Storen available and the Red Sox are prepared to spend on midseason upgrades if necessary.

Minor MLB Transactions: 5/22/16

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Here are today’s minor moves from around baseball:

  • The Rays have promoted right-hander Tyler Sturdevant from Triple-A Durham and demoted righty Steve Geltz, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (on Twitter). Sturdevant, who served a 50-game PED suspension last year, is now in position to make his big league debut after accumulating outstanding numbers over 318 1/3 frames in the minors (2.74 ERA, 9.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9). Geltz gave up two earned runs in an inning of work Sunday and ran his ERA up to 6.06 in 16 1/3 innings with Tampa Bay this season.
  • The Tigers have recalled right-hander Buck Farmer from Triple-A Toledo and optioned righty Drew VerHagen, per Jason Beck of MLB.com (Twitter link). Farmer has already accrued 8 1/3 impressive innings for the Tigers this season and logged a 2.16 ERA, 10.8 K/9 and 3.24 BB/9. VerHagen threw an inning for the club Sunday and allowed two earned runs, giving him a 7.11 ERA in 19 frames this year.
  • The Angels have selected the contract of left-hander Lucas Luetge, who will fill Tim Lincecum’s roster spot, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. Luetge, whom the Halos signed in November, owns a 4.35 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 4.8 BB/9 in 89 major league innings.
  • The Indians have recalled right-hander Austin Adams from Triple-A Columbus and sent southpaw Kyle Crockett down, according to Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal (Twitter link). Adams was lights-out over 16 1/3 frames with the Clippers prior to today, putting up a 1.10 ERA, 9.92 K/9 and 2.76 BB/9. He hasn’t been nearly that effective at the big league level, though, with a 4.69 ERA, 6.02 K/9 and 3.12 B/9 in 40 1/3 innings. The demotion of Crockett, who has given up a whopping six earned runs on seven hits in just 3 2/3 innings this season, will leave the Indians’ bullpen without a left-handed option.

Kevin Kiermaier Suffers Fractures In Left Hand

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SUNDAY: The Rays have officially placed Kiermaier on the 15-day disabled list and called up Mahtook, per a team announcement.

SATURDAY, 7:37pm: The Rays will indeed promote Mahtook to take Kiermaier’s place, tweets Topkin.

5:34pm: Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier suffered two fractures in the metacarpal bones in his left hand Saturday, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Kiermaier will see a specialist Monday regarding the injury, which occurred on a fifth-inning diving attempt in Detroit and caused him to leave the game. It won’t be known how much time Kiermaier will miss until he’s checked out, but it’s fair to expect a several-week absence for the 26-year-old.

The loss of Kiermaier, among the elite defenders in baseball, will be a significant one for the Rays. Since bursting on the scene in 2014, Kiermaier has quietly established himself as one of the league’s top all-around players. In addition to his defensive prowess, the lefty-swinging Kiermaier has acquitted himself well offensively, having hit .260/.306/.435 with 25 home runs in 1,034 plate appearances over the past two-plus seasons. His base-running ability has further buoyed his value during that time, as he has racked up 29 stolen bases. Six of those steals have come this year for Kiermaier, who has provided an above-average offensive line of .236/.307/.447 in 137 trips to the plate.

In Kiermaier’s absence, the Rays are primed to call up Mikie Mahtook, according to Topkin (Twitter link). After putting up excellent numbers in his major league debut last season (.295/.351/.619 with nine homers in 115 PAs), Mahtook has continued thriving at the Triple-A level this year. In 87 PAs, the 26-year-old has batted .316/.402/.474.

Rays Release Carlos Corporan

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The Rays have released backstop Carlos Corporan, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports on Twitter. His role at Triple-A is now occupied by J.P. Arencibia, whose signing was announced by the club.

Corporan, 32, is a switch hitter with a good deal of major league experience. He owns a .218/.280/.342 lifetime batting line over 780 plate appearances in parts of six seasons. But he struggled last year with the Rangers and has failed to re-establish himself since.

The Yankees inked Corporan to a minor league deal over the winter, and dealt him to Tampa Bay just before the start of the season. He’s put up a meager .200/.246/.308 slash in his 70 plate appearances at Triple-A Durham on the year.

While that’s not a terribly exciting package of results with the bat in hand, Corporan is generally regarded as a sturdy presence behind the dish. It doesn’t hurt, of course, that he’s capable of hitting from both sides and has spent so much time in the bigs — not to mention the relative scarcity of palatable receivers around the league.

Rays To Sign J.P. Arencibia

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The Rays are set to sign veteran catcher J.P. Arencibia, who recently asked for his release from a contract with the Phillies, to a minor league deal, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

The 30-year-old Arencibia will return to the organization with which he posted outstanding results in a brief stretch of time in 2015, batting .310/.315/.606 with six homers in 73 plate appearances. His experience with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate this season was another story, as he struggled to a .167/.167/.271 line in 48 trips to the plate, but he’ll seek better results and a perhaps clearer path back to the Major Leagues in his second stint with Tampa Bay.

Currently, the Rays have Hank Conger and Curt Casali splitting catching duties at the big league level. However, Conger is hitting just .170/.220/.170 in 50 plate appearances and has continued to struggle in preventing stolen bases (although to his credit, he’s nabbed three of the past four runners that have attempted). The Rays, currently 23rd in the Majors in runs scored, could certainly stand to inject some offense into the bottom of their lineup, and Arencibia provides an option that could help them achieve that goal in the near future if Conger isn’t able to right the ship. While Arencibia has a history of OBP struggles and strikeouts, he has undeniable power, with 80 homers and a .200 ISO (slugging minus batting average) in 1687 plate appearances at the big league level.

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