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Quick Hits: Span, Arrieta, Friedman, Translators

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Such notables as Marcus Stroman, Scooter Gennett and Ray Searage celebrate birthdays today, though one of the most famous fictional ballplayers of all time was also “born” on May 1.  Former Red Sox reliever Sam “Mayday” Malone was “born” on this day in 1948, and he posted a 4.01 ERA over 312 2/3 innings for the Red Sox bullpen from 1972-78, as chronicled in a 1993 profile by Sports Illustrated’s Steve Rushin.  That’s rather a strong ERA for Malone given his very mediocre career K/BB rate (40 K’s to 109 walks) and, as Rushin notes, his tendency to give up gigantic home runs.  Here’s some more from around the real-life baseball world…

  • “It was an easy decision” for Denard Span to sign a three-year, $31MM deal with the Giants during the offseason, the outfielder told Bill Ladson of MLB.com.  Not only did Span want to play for a contender, the Giants also showed the most interest in his services.  Other teams were only offering one- or two-year contracts, with the Nationals among the clubs that wanted to give him only a single-year pact, Span said.  The 32-year-old spent 2013-15 with the Nats and accounted for 8.8 fWAR while batting .292/.345/.404.  Span entered today’s action hitting a somewhat underwhelming .256/.358/.344 in his first 107 plate appearances as a Giant, but the contact specialist has continued to show great control of the zone with 14 walks against seven strikeouts.  Also as part of the Q&A piece, Span tells Ladson that he regrets coming back too quickly from the DL last season, as he wished he’d taken a few more weeks to be fully healthy before returning to action.
  • The Astros turned down a trade offer from the Orioles in 2013 that would’ve brought Jake Arrieta to Houston, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com reports.  It’s unknown what the O’s wanted back in the deal, though given how Arrieta has emerged as arguably the game’s best pitcher, the Astros may well be kicking themselves over not accepting the deal.  The Padres, Twins and Nationals were among the other teams also known to have been interested back when Baltimore was shopping the talented but erratic young righty, and the list is probably a lot longer given how Arrieta was widely known to have excellent stuff.  The O’s ended up swapping Arrieta and Pedro Strop to the Cubs in July 2013 for Scott Feldman and Steve Clevenger.
  • The Dodgers face the Rays in a rare interleague matchup this week, with Andrew Friedman returning to Tampa for the first time since leaving the franchise after the 2014 season.  Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times looks back at the five best and five worst moves of Friedman’s nine-year tenure, though Friedman’s overall contribution to the franchise was enormously positive, helping turn the Rays from perennial doormat to regular contender.  “Andrew was one of the cornerstones who helped move the organization to where it is today….His impact will be felt here for decades going forward,” Rays owner Stuart Sternberg said.
  • It wasn’t until this past offseason that the league required all 30 teams to hire a full-time Spanish translator, a move that struck many around baseball as long overdue given the number of Spanish-speaking players in the game, Maria Guardado of NJ Advance Media writes.  While players previously relied on teammates, coaches or team PR personnel to translate for them, a full-time translator is a boon to players who know little or no English in their adjustment to big league life.

Pitcher Notes: S. Miller, Dodgers, Storen, Boxberger

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The Diamondbacks made one of the offseason’s most criticized moves when they sent a significant haul of young talent to Atlanta for right-hander Shelby Miller. One month into the season, the deal looks even worse for the Diamondbacks than its detractors thought it did at the time. Two of the players they gave up, righty Aaron Blair and shortstop prospect Dansby Swanson, have gotten off to impressive starts in the Braves organization. Miller, meanwhile, threw 19 2/3 innings in April and yielded 19 earned runs while walking one fewer hitter (15) than he struck out (16). Regarding Miller’s early difficulties, D-backs general manager Dave Stewart told MLB Network Radio (Twitter link) that expectations are weighing down the 25-year-old. “Shelby Miller is really just feeling some pressure of the trade,” Stewart said.

Here’s the latest on a few more pitchers from around baseball:

  • Blue Jays reliever Drew Storen’s horrid April (eight innings, 14 hits, nine earned runs) won’t deter John Gibbons from continuing to rely on him, the manager told Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. “I plan on just throwing him out there. You’ve got to. Otherwise you’re not very good if he’s not a key guy. The good ones, they all learn how to survive and make adjustments,” Gibbons said. As Nicholson-Smith notes, Storen’s average fastball velocity fell from 94 mph last year to 91.9 in April. On the bright side, he struck out seven batters against just one walk during the season’s first month.
  • Cuban right-hander and offseason Dodgers signing Yaisel Sierra made his U.S. debut Saturday in a Single-A start and struck out seven hitters in four innings, though he allowed eight base runners (six hits, two walks) and three runs, according to Pete Marshall of the San Bernardino Sun. Sierra’s fastball sat in the low 90s and topped out at 94, which is the normal range for the 24-year-old. “I wasn’t good, I wasn’t bad,” he said of his performance.
  • Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood had his best start of the year in a 5-1 loss to the Padres on Friday, throwing seven innings of five-hit, one-run ball while striking out nine and walking one. Wood’s encouraging outing came after a few days of working on a mechanical adjustment, writes Jack Baer of MLB.com. Wood’s delivery became easier to repeat, leading to better command, as a result of lowering his foot during his stride. “When I stride out, my foot off the ground has been fairly higher than it has been in the past,” he said. “It’s something that I thought was the last piece of the puzzle, in terms of my timing and getting my consistency back.” Wood’s performance against the Padres dropped his season ERA from 6.00 to 4.82 and increased his K/9 from a paltry 5.1 to 6.75.
  • Rays closer Brad Boxberger continues making progress in his recovery from core muscle repair surgery on March 17 and should return to the majors later this month after a rehab assignment, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Boxberger went 41 of 47 on save opportunities last season and put up a 3.71 ERA, 10.57 K/9 and 4.57 BB/9 in 63 innings.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Braun, Angels, Yanks, Jays

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Brewers star left fielder Ryan Braun can veto a trade to all teams except the Dodgers, Angels, Marlins, Rays and Nationals, but the idea of rebuilding Milwaukee dealing him “is becoming more realistic,” FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (video link). Braun, 32, will have four years and $76MM left on his contract after this season, and Rosenthal believes he’d make plenty of sense as a complement to Mike Trout and Kole Calhoun in the Angels’ outfield. However, the Angels’ dearth of quality prospects and a potential reluctance on owner Arte Moreno’s part to acquire Braun, given his contract and past suspension for PEDs, are factors that could stand in the way of a trade, Rosenthal adds.

Here’s more from Rosenthal:

  • The Yankees aren’t known for selling at the trade deadline, but if their woeful April performance drags into the coming months, lights-out relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller could be two of the most appealing players available over the summer, Rosenthal says. Chapman, whose 30-game suspension stemming from domestic violence allegations is almost over, will be a free agent at year’s end. Miller has two years and $18MM left on his deal after this season, and Rosenthal doesn’t expect the Yankees to move him if they intend on competing in 2017. If not, though, they could use the deadline to erase his money from their books and stave off a possible decline in their uniform. Miller, 30, hasn’t shown any negative signs this year, having amassed 15 strikeouts over nine scoreless, walk-less innings.
  • Speaking of relievers, the Mets, Giants and Blue Jays will look to fortify their bullpens as the season advances, per Rosenthal. Mets relievers have been outstanding this year, while the other two clubs’ bullpen production has been average or worse. Toronto will get in-house help there eventually in the form of starter Aaron Sanchez, whose innings limit will remove him from the team’s rotation, Rosenthal notes. Sanchez, who has been excellent in a starting role (2.59 ERA, 8.33 K/9, 2.87 BB/9 in 31 1/3 innings), put up a 2.39 ERA with 19 strikeouts and seven walks in 26 1/3 frames out of the Jays’ bullpen last season.
  • Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira could appeal to plenty of teams on a short-term deal if he hits free agency in the offseason, according to Rosenthal. Teixeira’s dedication to fitness might allay some teams’ fears about his age (he’ll turn 37 next April), but he’ll obviously need to stay healthy and compile significant production this season in order to cash in over the winter. Teixeira was terrific last year, slashing .255/.357/.548 with 31 homers in just 111 games to revive his career, but his 89 plate appearances this season haven’t been nearly as promising (.230/.360/.365).

AL East Notes: Mirabelli, Bautista, Kiermaier, Lohse

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Tim Healey of The Hardball Times paints a fascinating portrait of an oddball deal in a deep look at the Red Sox’ 2006 re-acquisition of catcher Doug Mirabelli from the Padres. Truth be told, I don’t have any observations on the piece other than that it demands to be read and is well worth your time.

Here are a few notes from the AL East:

  • MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that while he believes Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista would take less than his reported asking price of more than $150MM over five to six years, he doesn’t believe Bautista would entertain any offers for less than $100MM. Bautista’s alleged asking price was the source of a great deal of controversy in Spring Training, and while $150MM+ doesn’t seem particularly realistic, he would probably have a strong case for $100MM on the open market this winter. Bautista may be 35, but he’s been remarkably consistent since his 2010 breakout and is off to a strong start, batting .247/.394/.519 with four homers and an AL-leading 20 walks drawn.
  • In other extension-related news, the Rays have not seriously engaged with center fielder Kevin Kiermaier about a deal over the last several months, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (Twitter link). Nevertheless, Tampa Bay has given some indication of interest at some point. The 26-year-old seems like the type of player the Rays would target for a bargain contract, as he had only accumulated 1.131 years of service entering the season and is a glove-first player whose on-field value may not translate particularly well into arbitration earnings. Even if he can’t replicate last year’s magical season in the field, he seems like a good bet to continue as a solid asset for years to come. While it seems unlikely that the sides will get anything started in the near term, last year’s Juan Lagares extension looks like as good a comp as one could hope for. Lagares was the same age and featured a similar profile, though he was much more certain at the time to reach Super Two status (and, it’s fair to note, has done less with the bat in his career).
  • Even after adding veteran Wandy Rodriguez, the Orioles continue to stay in touch with righty Kyle Lohse, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com reports. As we’ve heard previously, Baltimore has made an offer to Lohse but, obviously, has yet to reach agreement. It’s still not clear what the 37-year-old is prioritizing in deciding upon a club with which to attempt a bounceback, but the O’s rotation certainly seems to offer a reasonable likelihood of opportunity over the coming months.

Grant Balfour Retires

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Longtime MLB reliever Grant Balfour has officially wrapped up his 12-year MLB career, he tells Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Balfour, 38, last pitched briefly in early 2015 with the Rays.

Last we checked in, Balfour expressed interest in continuing to pitch. Of course, that was at the end of May of 2015, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since being cut loose by Tampa Bay. The veteran tells Topkin that he mulled a return this spring, but decided not to look for a spring invite after beginning to throw.

“It was honestly a great ride, meeting a lot of people and developing friendships along the way,” said the Australian native. “I now look forward to sitting home and being a spectator and be able to spend more time with my family.”

Balfour took some time establishing himself in the majors, but had a nice run of success once he did. Between 2008 and 2013, Balfour run up 380 1/3 innings of 2.74 ERA pitching with 9.7 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9. That made him one of the most reliable pen arms in baseball; eventually, Balfour would take over the Athletics’ closer role, picking up 62 saves in the final two years of that solid stretch of pitching.

After wrapping up a strong three-year run in Oakland, Balfour returned to the Rays after a deal with the division-rival Orioles fell apart over his physical. That represented a homecoming for the reliever, who had finally locked down a steady MLB job in Tampa Bay after prior stints with the Twins and Brewers.

Unfortunately, Balfour didn’t make good on his two-year contract, with age, velocity decline, and control issues telling in the results. Balfour ended 2014 with a 4.91 ERA in 62 1/3 frames, and was removed from the roster just six appearances into 2015 after failing to record strikeout and allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He signed a minor league deal to stay with the Rays organization, and ultimately made eight Triple-A appearances, but didn’t experience enough improvement to make it back to the bigs.

MLBTR congratulates Balfour on his career and wishes him the best in his future endeavors.

Injury Notes: Sandoval, Hedges, Boxberger, Morton, Dodgers

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Here are various notes on injuries from throughout the game.

  • Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval will have Dr. James Andrews examine his injured shoulder on Monday, Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe tweets. Last week, a scheduled exam was canceled because Sandoval’s shoulder was too sore, with the idea that Sandoval would attempt to meet with Andrews at a later date. The Red Sox placed him on the disabled list two weeks ago.
  • Padres catcher Austin Hedges will have surgery to address a hamate fracture and will likely be out six to eight weeks, tweets MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. Hedges spent much of 2015 as the Padres’ backup catcher, but this year, he began the season with Triple-A El Paso (where he was hitting quite well in a small sample) after the Friars acquired Christian Bethancourt. Regardless, it sounds like Hedges, who’s still just 23, will miss a significant chunk of development time.
  • Rays closer Brad Boxberger, who’s missed the entire season so far after having core muscle surgery in March, has been cleared to resume baseball activities, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune tweets. Boxberger remains on track to return to the Rays in mid-May. Alex Colome has collected four saves in his absence.
  • Phillies righty Charlie Morton didn’t receive positive news from an MRI on his injured hamstring on Monday, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes. Morton strained the hamstring on Saturday and was placed on the DL the next day. “Apparently, his MRI wasn’t as good as we were hoping,” says manager Pete Mackanin. “We’re going to see what happens in the next two or three days and see what the next step is. I really don’t know what the next step is, I just know it’s not as good as we were hoping.” Adam Morgan is expected to take Morton’s place in the starting rotation for the time being.
  • Dodgers righty Brandon McCarthy threw a bullpen for team officials yesterday, tweets MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick. The throwing session was the latest step in McCarthy’s recovery after having Tommy John surgery early last season.
  • Another injured Dodgers starter, Hyun-jin Ryu, threw a 30-pitch bullpen today and could soon begin facing live hitters, ESPN’s Doug Padilla writes. Ryu, who is recovering after having labrum surgery last year, had his throwing program delayed after he suffered a groin strain earlier this month. It’s still unclear when he’ll return, Padilla notes.
  • The Dodgers have also announced that they’ve reinstated outfielder Carl Crawford, who had been on the DL for the past two weeks with a back injury. To clear space on their active roster, they optioned righty Zach Lee to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
  • Brewers infielder Scooter Gennett was scratched from tonight’s lineup due to oblique tightness, Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. There’s no immediate word on the severity of the injury. Gennett is off to a hot start this season, batting .258/.361/.516 this year after mostly struggling in 2015.

Minor MLB Transactions: 4/24/16

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Here are today’s minor transactions from around baseball:

  • The Rangers will purchase the contract of southpaw Cesar Ramos on Monday so he can make a spot start in place of the injured Cole Hamels, Texas executive VP of communications John Blake tweets.  There is no word yet on the corresponding moves that would create roster space for Ramos; Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram speculates that Keone Kela could be moved to the 60-day DL and Alex Claudio could head to Triple-A.  Only ten of Ramos’ 251 career games have been starts, though he made seven starts as recently as 2014 with the Rays.  Ramos posted a 2.75 ERA and 2.87 K/BB rate in 52 1/3 relief innings with the Angels last season before being rather surprisingly non-tendered.  He signed a minor league deal with Texas in January.
  • The Rays transferred Alex Cobb to the 60-day DL in order to create a 40-man roster spot for Jhan Marinez, the club announced.  Cobb has been out of action for almost a full year recovering from Tommy John surgery and is expected back late this season.

Earlier Updates

  • The White Sox have recalled right-hander Miguel Gonzalez from Triple-A and optioned righty Erik Johnson in a corresponding move, tweets Scott Gregor of the Daily Herald. Gonzalez will start for the White Sox on Monday in Toronto. Gonzalez joined the Sox as a free agent earlier this month after the Orioles unexpectedly released him. The 31-year-old has made 95 career starts and owns a lifetime 3.82 ERA to go with a 6.47 K/9 and 2.96 BB/9.
  • The Red Sox recalled lefty Henry Owens and right-hander Pat Light, sending southpaw Roenis Elias and righty Noe Ramirez to Triple-A in corresponding moves, per a team announcement. Owens, 23, will start the Red Sox’s game against Houston tonight. He made 11 starts for the Sox last year and logged a 4.57 ERA with a 7.14 K/9 and 3.43 BB/9 in 63 innings. Light has been in Boston’s system since the club used a first-rounder on him in the 2012 draft, and he’s just now breaking into the majors. Light owns an underwhelming 4.63 ERA in 266 1/3 minor league innings, though he has flashed impressive strikeout ability since moving to a relief role last season and can hit 100 mph.
  • The Reds announced that right-hander Tim Melville (who was designated for assignment Friday) cleared waivers and has been outrighted to Triple-A Louisville. The 26-year-old Melville allowed 11 earned runs in nine innings — including two starts — while recording eight strikeouts against nine walks before the Reds designated him. Melville worked to a 4.63 ERA in 151 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level last year in the Tigers organization.
  • The Tigers have placed closer Francisco Rodriguez on the family medical emergency list and recalled left-hander Matt Boyd from Triple-A, the team announced. There’s no word yet on how long Rodriguez will be away from the club. K-Rod has converted on 4 of 5 save opportunities for the Tigers this season, but the process hasn’t been pretty (.75 K/BB ratio, 7.11 ERA). Boyd, whom Detroit acquired from Toronto in the David Price trade last year, debuted in the majors in 2015, logging a combined 13 appearances with the Tigers and Blue Jays. The 25-year-old pitched to an unsightly 7.53 ERA in 57 1/3 innings, though he has been quite successful at the Triple-A level (2.53 ERA, 8.5 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 10 starts dating back to last season).

AL Notes: Yankees, Indians, Rays, Orioles

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Yankees infield prospect Sandy Acevedo was killed in a car accident Saturday night, the team announced. Acevedo was 18 years old. The native of the Dominican Republic signed with the Yankees last year as an international free agent. MLBTR extends its condolences to Acevedo’s family and friends.

In lighter news from around the American League…

  • Indians star left fielder Michael Brantley will rejoin the team Monday, manager Terry Francona said Sunday, and stands a good chance to be activated then, reports Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. The club could option outfielder Tyler Naquin to Triple-A in a corresponding move when it activates Brantley, per Bastian. Brantley has been working his way back from November right shoulder surgery and has played seven minor league rehab games since April 12. The 28-year-old’s return will be a significant boon to the Indians, as he emerged as one of the majors’ most dangerous offensive threats during the previous two seasons.
  • Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times believes the Rays should consider trading for Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy if they plan on contending, even if it means parting with a couple of their top prospects. So far this season, the Rays have gotten almost no offensive production from backstops Curt Casali and Hank Conger. Moreover, base stealers have gone 15 of 15 against the duo. Conger has thrown out just one of 54 runners dating back to last season. Lucroy, on the other hand, has established himself as one of the sport’s premier two-way catchers. The 29-year-old is playing this season on an eminently reasonable $4MM salary and is under team control through 2017 with a $5.25MM club option.
  • In the wake of Yovani Gallardo’s shoulder injury, right-hander Tyler Wilson will stay in the Orioles’ rotation for at least another start, Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com was among those to report (on Twitter). As a result, Vance Worley will remain in a relief role, as Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun pointed out (Twitter link). Wilson was working out of the Orioles’ bullpen before they started him in their 8-3 win over the Royals on Saturday. The 26-year-old allowed three runs on six hits in five innings. He made five big league starts last season and put up a 4.32 ERA/4.05 FIP/5.01 xFIP in 25 frames.

Injury Updates: Rangers, Rays, Reds, Mets

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The Rangers have scratched southpaw Cole Hamels from his start Monday against the Yankees because of left groin soreness, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News was among those to report (on Twitter). Hamels also missed a start last year because of a sore groin, but the club doesn’t believe the injury is serious. It’s currently unclear who will start in his place Monday.

More injury updates on some key major leaguers:

  • In other news concerning an integral member of the Rangers’ rotation, right-hander Yu Darvish is fully healthy and on track for a mid-May return, general manager Jon Daniels told MLB Network Radio on Sunday (Twitter link). Darvish, who missed the 2015 campaign after undergoing Tommy John surgery, could begin a rehab assignment May 1 and rejoin the Rangers on May 16, Grant wrote earlier this week.
  • Another 2015 Tommy John surgery recipient, Rays right-hander Alex Cobb, should return by late July or early August, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Times. Rays closer Brad Boxberger is on course for a mid-May comeback from core muscle surgery, which he underwent in March, adds Topkin.
  • Reds righty Anthony DeSclafani, who’s working his way back from an oblique strain, began his rehab stint Saturday at the Double-A level and threw four innings, allowing three runs, four hits and a walk while striking out five. He’ll next start for Low-A Dayton, per Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). DeSclafani posted a 4.05 ERA with a 7.36 K/9 and 2.68 BB/9 in 184 2/3 innings for the Reds last season.
  • Like Darvish and Cobb, Mets lefty Josh Edgin is also coming back from 2015 Tommy John surgery. Edgin’s recovery is going well and it’s possible he’ll return to the majors next month, according to Adam Rubin of ESPN.com. Edgin served as a shutdown option out of the Mets’ bullpen in 2014, compiling a 9.22 K/9 and 1.98 BB/9 to accompany a stingy 1.32 ERA in 27 1/3 innings.

AL East Notes: Red Sox, Orioles, Rays

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Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski issued a public vote of confidence to manager John Farrell on Friday, writes Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald. “I think John Farrell has done a fine job managing our team,” Dombrowski said. “The only thing I would tell him is the same I would tell any manager: You need to manage with your conviction. Whatever you believe is the right move, you’re the one who is most knowledgeable in the case, and you do what you think is the right thing to do.” The Red Sox won the World Series under Farrell in 2013, but they’ve endured back-to-back sub-.500 seasons since and are a so-so 8-8 this year, leading to calls for his ouster from the team’s fan base. Mastrodonato defends Farrell by pointing out that the Red Sox have played disciplined baseball under him this season (they entered Friday with only six errors and just one caught stealing, as the writer notes). Further, Farrell was right to award Travis Shaw and Brock Holt the third base and left field jobs over Pablo Sandoval and Rusney Castillo, respectively, and has handled the team’s various personalities well – including Hanley Ramirez’s – Mastrodonato offers.

Here’s more from Boston and two of its American League East rivals:

  • Red Sox starters are currently toward the bottom of the league in ERA (5.38) and FIP (4.52), and if the team is looking for outside rotation help around July’s trade deadline, Mastrodonato lists five potential options: Jered Weaver (Angels), Mat Latos (White Sox), James Shields (Padres), Andrew Cashner (Padres) and Scott Kazmir (Dodgers). Of that group, only Shields and Kazmir are signed beyond this season, but both have opt-outs in their contracts at the end of the year. Barring an unexpected fall from contention by the Dodgers, Kazmir seems unlikely to be dealt. If the White Sox continue their winning ways, Latos probably won’t end up on the block, either. In the immediate future, the forthcoming return of lefty Eduardo Rodriguez from a knee injury should buoy the Red Sox’s rotation.
  • There was a report that Orioles right-hander Yovani Gallardo would see team orthopedist Dr. Mike Jacobs regarding his injured shoulder on Saturday. That examination will actually take place today, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. An MRI should offer more clarity on the status of Gallardo, who landed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with tendinitis.
  • With Gallardo on the shelf for at least two weeks, the Orioles need another starter. They may have found a temporary solution in righty Tyler Wilson, who threw five innings of three-run ball in an 8-3 win over Kansas City on Saturday and impressed manager Buck Showalter in the process. “Things don’t seem to bother him mentally. He’s very mentally strong and that bodes well up here,” Showalter told reporters, including Brittany Ghiroli of MLB.com. Showalter indicated that Wilson will start again, per Ghiroli. Wilson, who had been in the Orioles’ bullpen until Saturday, made five big league starts last season and put up a 4.32 ERA/4.05 FIP/5.01 xFIP in 25 innings.
  • Rays outfielder Brandon Guyer was hit by a pitch a major league-record-tying three times Thursday, a feat that had only been accomplished on 22 previous occasions. Guyer also did it once last year, when he was hit an American League-leading 24 times. Guyer, who has already been hit by five pitches this year, told David Laurila of FanGraphs that there isn’t a special skill involved. “There’s no art to it. I promise,” he said. “It’s not something I’m out there looking to do, it just happens. I don’t know how to get out of the way. It’s just instinctual that I don’t move. I’m not afraid.” Thanks in part to his fearlessness, Guyer got on base an impressive 35.9 percent of the time in 385 plate appearances in 2015 and has a tremendous .485 OBP in 33 PAs this season.
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