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Injury Notes: Carpenter, Gonsolin, Kopech, Lowe

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The miraculous Matt Carpenter comeback was put on pause last month when the infielder/outfielder for the Yankees fractured his foot. On August 10, it was reported that he would need surgery and be reevaluated in a month, with the club hopeful he could return in 6-8 weeks. Here we are almost a month later and Carpenter has made progress but not much. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com reports that Carpenter underwent some X-rays that showed healing but it isn’t enough to get him out of his protective walking boot. He’ll be reevaluated again in 10-14 days, says manager Aaron Boone.

That essentially eliminates any chance of Carpenter returning at the short end of that 6-8 time frame and even puts the longer end of it in doubt. By the time that next evaluation rolls around, it will already have been six weeks since the injury. Even if Carpenter gets good news at that point, he will surely need some kind of rehab assignment to get him back into game shape after such a long layoff. That could also be a challenge if the injury lingers, as most minor league teams will be winding down their seasons in the coming weeks. The Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are the Yankee affiliate that goes the latest, though their last scheduled game is September 28, three weeks from today.

Prior to the injury, Carpenter was on an absolute tear, hitting 15 home runs in 47 games and slashing .305/.412/.727 for a wRC+ of 218. It’s all the more remarkable given that Carpenter was hitting at a below-average rate in the previous three seasons. The club has seemingly missed that hot bat, going 10-13 since August 10. They have a 4 1/2 game lead over the Rays and a six game cushion on the Blue Jays in the AL East race.

Some other tidbits from around the league…

  • Dodgers righty Tony Gonsolin was placed on the IL due to a forearm strain August 29, but since the move was retroactive to August 26, he’s eligible to come off in a few days. Gonsolin has been playing catch in recent days, which is perhaps a sign that he’s not far from returning. However, it’s not all good news, with Juan Toribio of MLB.com relaying word from manager Dave Roberts that Gonsolin isn’t progressing as quickly as they initially hoped for. The Dodgers are virtually guaranteed a bye through the first round of the playoffs and can take their time with Gonsolin, though it’s at least noteworthy that the plan isn’t on schedule so far. The righty had enjoyed a tremendous breakout season, throwing 128 1/3 innings with a 2.10 ERA, 23.7% strikeout rate, 7.2% walk rate and 43.2% groundball rate.
  • White Sox righty Michael Kopech landed on the IL August 23 due to a knee strain but was activated today after a minimum stint. After missing all of 2019 and 2020, Kopech threw 69 1/3 innings last year and has already jumped up to 110 2/3 here in 2022, coming into today’s action. He’s fared well overall on the season, registering a 3.58 ERA, though his 21.4% strikeout rate and 12% are both a bit worse than league average, with a .228 BABIP likely helping him keep that ERA down. The club will be looking for a strong finish from Kopech and the team overall, as they are currently three games back of the Guardians in the Central and 7 1/2 out of a Wild Card spot.
  • The Rays have reinstated infielder Brandon Lowe from the IL, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Lowe landed on the shelf due to a right triceps contusion but has now returned after a minimum stay. It was the second IL stint of the year for Lowe, who also missed about two months due to a back issue. Despite the multiple ailments, he’s still hitting .234/.319/.405 on the season for a wRC+ of 114. That’s a bit of a drop-off from his previous seasons but still 14% above league average. Tampa is in the thick of all the American League action, sitting 4 1/2 games behind the Yankees in the East while grappling with the Mariners and Blue Jays for the top Wild Card spot.

Rays Activate Yonny Chirinos

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The Rays have activated right-hander Yonny Chirinos from the 60-day injured list, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Today’s scheduled starter Drew Rasmussen has been placed on the paternity list. JT Chargois will act as opener, with Chirinos potentially coming in after him. Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extra Base first reported that the activation of Chirinos was imminent. The Rays already had a vacancy on their 40-man roster after designating Matt Wisler for assignment yesterday.

If Chirinos does indeed pitch tonight, it will be his first time on a major league mound in over two years, as his last appearance was in August of 2020. He underwent Tommy John surgery that month, which wiped out his 2021. He then fractured his elbow in October of last year, which pushed his return even farther down the road.

Prior to that lengthy layoff, he looked to be establishing himself as a core member of Tampa’s rotation. He debuted in 2018 with 18 appearances, and though only seven of them were officially starts, the rest featured Chirinos as the bulk pitcher behind an opener. He threw 89 2/3 innings that year with a 3.51 ERA, 20.3% strikeout rate, 6.8% walk rate and 43.7% ground ball rate. In 2019, he got up to 133 1/3 frames, with a 3.85 ERA, 21.5% strikeout rate, 5.3% walk rate and 43.3% ground ball rate. He was only able to make three starts in 2020 before landing on the injured list.

He has recently returned to a mound in the minors as part of a rehab assignment. His most recent outing was September 1, when he threw 39 pitches over three innings for the Triple-A Durham Bulls. That means the Rays likely won’t be able to count on him for a full starter’s workload as of tonight, but he could certainly factor into their plans in some way.

The Tampa rotation has a number of question marks floating around it at the moment. Shane McClanahan was just placed on the IL due to a shoulder impingement a week ago. It’s possible he could return after his 15-day minimum stay is up, though that still remains to be seen. Assuming Rasmussen returns shortly (paternity list stints are for 1-3 days), then he will jump back into the rotation with Corey Kluber, Luis Patino and Jeffrey Springs. Another wild card factor is Tyler Glasnow, who is also making his way back from Tommy John surgery. Topkin relays that Glasnow is potentially going to start a rehab assignment tomorrow, though he still needs some time to ramp up, with first start planned to be just a single inning.

Another factor to consider is the schedule. After playing today and tomorrow, the Rays have Thursday off before embarking on a stretch of playing 18 games in 17 days, thanks to a doubleheader in Toronto on September 13. It will likely be all hands on deck for that stretch, meaning Chirinos could potentially get a few turns through the rotation, even if Rasmussen and McClanahan return promptly. The Rays are currently five games back of the Yankees in the American League East, in addition to holding onto one of three Wild Card spots, tightly bunched up with the Mariners and Blue Jays.

Injury Notes: Franco, Verlander, Arano

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Rays shortstop Wander Franco resumed his rehab assignment yesterday, slotting in as the designated hitter for the Triple-A Durham Bulls as he attempts to return from July hamate surgery. The plan, as relayed by Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times, is for Franco to stick with the Bulls for a few more games and rejoin the Rays for their series against the Blue Jays on September 12.

Of course, this is contingent on Franco feeling well in the coming days. He attempted to begin a rehab assignment a few weeks ago but was pulled off due to continued soreness in his hand. It seems like he’s in a better position this time around, however. “This is definitely the best I’ve felt since the injury,” Franco tells Topkin, via interpreter Manny Navarro. “That’s probably the most important thing, if he feels good where he’s at, where we’re at,” manager Kevin Cash said.

Getting Franco back for the final few weeks of the regular season would certainly be a boon for the Rays. They are currently five games back of the Yankees in the battle for the AL East crown and sandwiched between the Mariners and Blue Jays in the Wild Card picture. The club also put second baseman Brandon Lowe on the IL last week, which further subtracted from their infield depth.

Other injury notes from around the league…

  • Astros righty Justin Verlander went on the IL a week ago due to a calf injury, with both Verlander and general manager James Click expressing optimism that a significant absence wouldn’t be necessary. However, Verlander probably won’t return after the 15-day minimum, Click tells Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. The Astros are fortunate enough to be sitting on a record of 86-48, six games ahead of the Yankees for the best record in the American League and 17 games ahead of the Central-leading Guardians/Twins. That means the club is cruising to a first round bye and can allow Verlander to return at whatever pace is best for his health, as opposed to rushing him back for meaningful games down the stretch. Prior to the injury, the 39-year-old was having an incredible season, especially when considering he effectively missed the previous two years. He’s thrown 152 innings in 2022 with a 1.84 ERA, 26.5% strikeout rate and 4.5% walk rate. By surpassing the 130-inning mark, he has vested a $25MM player option for next year, but would likely be able to do better than that on the open market if he declined the option.
  • The Nationals placed right-hander Victor Arano on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to September 2, due to a right shoulder strain. The club hasn’t released any information about Arano’s timeline, but with only about four weeks left on the schedule, it’s possible that this ailment will end his season. He’s thrown 42 innings so far this year, his first MLB action since 2019. He has a 4.50 ERA, 23.5% strikeout rate, 6.4% walk rate and 51.6% ground ball rate. A 58.9% strand rate is probably inflating that ERA, with advanced metrics like FIP (3.71), xFIP (3.45) and SIERA (3.12) thinking he deserved much better. The 27-year-old will cross three years of MLB service time by season’s end, meaning he will qualify for arbitration for the first time.

Rays Designate Matt Wisler For Assignment

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The Rays have designated right-hander Matt Wisler for assignment, per a team announcement. His roster spot will go to righty Luis Patiño, who has been recalled to start today’s game against the Red Sox.

Wisler, 29, began his MLB career with Atlanta, mostly as a starter. He had been a highly-touted prospect, landing in the top 50 on Baseball America’s top 100 in both 2014 and 2015. However, he didn’t fare so well in his first tastes of the majors and eventually transitioned to more bullpen work. As a reliever, he started leaning heavily on his slider, having a tremendous breakout with the Twins in 2020. During that shortened campaign, Wisler threw 25 1/3 innings over 18 games, including four starts, though none longer than two innings. He registered a tiny 1.07 ERA that year along with a 32.7% strikeout rate. Despite that excellent showing, he was non-tendered by the Twins, perhaps due to his 13.1% walk rate.

Wisler then signed with the Giants for 2021 but struggled to a 6.05 ERA, getting flipped to the Rays in June last year. He’s been solid since the move to Tampa, registering a 2.15 ERA in the post-trade portion of 2021 and then a 2.25 ERA here in 2022. That ERA is nice, but the Rays are likely moving on because of some less-impressive numbers under the hood. His control is fine, with an 8% walk rate on the year, but Wisler’s 19.9% strikeout rate is a noticeable drop from the previous three seasons, where he was hovering around the 30% mark. The reason why that hasn’t resulted in more earned runs is probably his .198 batting average on balls in play this year. Wisler’s 30.7% hard hit rate is in the 93rd percentile in terms of limiting hard contact this season, but that BABIP is still about 100 points lower than his career mark coming into the year. The Rays must have been expecting some regression, based on this decision to let him go.

With the trade deadline having passed, Wisler will be placed on outright waivers or release waivers in the coming days. There’s little distinction between the two in this case, as Wisler has over five years of MLB service time. That means he has the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency without forfeiting any salary. He and the Rays avoided arbitration in March by agreeing to a $2.16MM contract for the season, leaving about $345K to be paid out.

For teams considering a claim, Wisler is certainly an interesting case. He has continued to increase his slider usage each year, throwing it 70.5% of the time in 2019, followed by 83.4% in 2020, 90.9% last year and 91.5% this season. That led to huge strikeout numbers the first three years, though not so much this season. He’s a free agent this winter, meaning there would be no long-term benefits to claiming him. The short-term appeal would also be limited by the fact that the postseason eligibility date has passed. That means another team could use Wisler down the stretch but not in the postseason. If he clears waivers, the Rays would be on the h0ok for the remainder of that salary. Wisler could elect free agency and sign with any club, who would only have to pay him the prorated league minimum, with that amount being subtracted from what the Rays pay.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweeted the roster moves prior to the official announcement.

J.P. Feyereisen Suffers Injury Setback, Likely To Miss Remainder Of Season

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Rays reliever J.P. Feyereisen is dealing with renewed shoulder discomfort, manager Kevin Cash announced (via Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). It’s now “highly unlikely” he’ll make it back to the mound in 2022, per Cash. Feyereisen has been out since early June with what was initially termed a shoulder impingement.

It’s a tough blow to the Tampa Bay bullpen. Feyereisen was quietly one of the most effective relievers in the game early in the season. He only allowed one unearned run in 24 1/3 innings through June 2, the only pitcher in the majors to work 20+ frames without allowing an earned run. He certainly wouldn’t have sustained that pace over a full season, but the right-hander struck out a very strong 29.1% of opponents while posting an excellent 5.8% walk rate. He generated swinging strikes on 16.3% of his total offerings, a top 30 mark leaguewide (minimum 20 innings).

Feyereisen has been brilliant for more than a calendar year. The Rays acquired him from the Brewers in the May 2021 deal that sent Willy Adames to Milwaukee and also brought back Drew Rasmussen (a trade with which both clubs must be thrilled in retrospect). Since first donning a Rays uniform, Feyereisen has worked to a sparkling 1.48 ERA across 61 innings.

That quality showing seems likely to make him a core piece of Cash’s relief corps over the coming seasons. Feyereisen entered the season with one year and 108 days of MLB service time. He’s collected service time while on the injured list and will hit a full season, bringing him to 2.108 years this offseason. That seems likely to fall a bit shy of the Super Two cutoff for early arbitration eligibility — that date changes annually, but last year’s cutoff was set at 2.116 years, for reference. In that case, he’d make around the league minimum salary next season. Even if the Super Two cutoff is low enough that Feyereisen qualifies, he’ll still be plenty affordable in arbitration and is controllable through 2026.

Every Team’s Initial September Call-Ups

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Each season as the calendar flips to September, we see a flurry of transactions around Major League Baseball. Active roster sizes jump from 26 to 28 for the season’s final month, with teams permitted to bring up no more than one additional pitcher. We’ve already covered a host of transactions with 40-man roster implications throughout the day at MLBTR. Here’s a full round-up of teams’ initial September roster moves.

American League West

Houston Astros:

Los Angeles Angels:

Oakland Athletics

Seattle Mariners

  • Reinstated LHP Matthew Boyd from 60-day injured list
  • Recalled OF Taylor Trammell from Triple-A Tacoma
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Texas Rangers

  • Selected contract of RHP Jesus Tinoco from Triple-A Round Rock
  • Recalled OF Nick Solak from Triple-A Round Rock
  • Corresponding move: Transferred RHP Josh Sborz to 60-day injured list

American League Central

Chicago White Sox

  • Recalled OF Adam Haseley from Triple-A Charlotte
  • Recalled RHP Matt Foster from Triple-A Charlotte
  • Corresponding move: None required

Cleveland Guardians

Detroit Tigers

Kansas City Royals

  • Selected contract of RHP Daniel Mengden from Triple-A Omaha
  • Recalled OF Nate Eaton from Triple-A Omaha
  • Corresponding move: None required

Minnesota Twins

  • Added LHP Austin Davis (previously claimed off waivers from Red Sox) to active roster
  • Selected contract of OF Billy Hamilton from Triple-A St. Paul
  • Corresponding move: Transferred OF Trevor Larnach to 60-day injured list

American League East

Baltimore Orioles

  • Selected contract of 1B Jesus Aguilar from Triple-A Norfolk
  • Recalled LHP DL Hall from Triple-A Norfolk
  • Corresponding move: Designated INF Richie Martin for assignment

Boston Red Sox

New York Yankees

  • Recalled SS Oswald Peraza from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre
  • Activated INF Marwin Gonzalez from paternity list
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Tampa Bay Rays

  • Reinstated RHP Matt Wisler from the 15-day injured list
  • Recalled INF Jonathan Aranda from Triple-A Durham
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Toronto Blue Jays

  • Recalled RHP Casey Lawrence from Triple-A Buffalo
  • Added OF Bradley Zimmer (claimed off waivers from Phillies this week) to active roster
  • Corresponding moves: None required

National League West

Arizona Diamondbacks

Colorado Rockies

  • Recalled INF Alan Trejo from Triple-A Albuquerque
  • Recalled RHP Chad Smith from Triple-A Albuquerque
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Los Angeles Dodgers

  • Reinstated LHP Clayton Kershaw from 15-day injured list
  • Recalled 3B Miguel Vargas from Triple-A Oklahoma City
  • Corresponding moves: None required

San Diego Padres

  • Recalled INF Matt Beaty from Triple-A El Paso
  • Recalled RHP Reiss Knehr from Triple-A El Paso
  • Corresponding moves: None required

San Francisco Giants

National League Central

Chicago Cubs

  • Selected contract of RHP Jeremiah Estrada from Triple-A Iowa
  • Recalled INF David Bote from Triple-A Iowa
  • Corresponding move: Transferred Wade Miley from 15-day injured list to 60-day injured list

Cincinnati Reds

Milwaukee Brewers

  • Recalled RHP Luis Perdomo from Triple-A Nashville
  • Recalled OF Esteury Ruiz from Triple-A Nashville
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Pittsburgh Pirates

  • Recalled RHP Johan Oviedo from Triple-A Indianapolis
  • Recalled OF Calvin Mitchell from Triple-A Indianapolis
  • Corresponding moves: None required

St. Louis Cardinals

  • Selected contract of OF Ben DeLuzio from Triple-A Memphis
  • Recalled RHP James Naile from Triple-A Memphis
  • Corresponding moves: None required

National League East

Atlanta Braves

  • Reinstated IF Orlando Arcia from 10-day injured list
  • Added recently-claimed RHP Jesse Chavez to active roster
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Miami Marlins*

New York Mets

Philadelphia Phillies

  • Selected contract of RHP Vinny Nittoli from Triple-A Lehigh Valley
  • Recalled C Donny Sands from Triple-A Lehigh Valley
  • Corresponding moves: None required

Washington Nationals

  • Recalled C Tres Barrera from Triple-A Rochester
  • Recalled RHP Mason Thompson from Triple-A Rochester
  • Corresponding moves: None required

*Marlins moves reported by Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link)

Rays, Ryan Burr Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Rays recently agreed to a minor league contract with reliever Ryan Burr, according to his transactions log at MLB.com. The right-hander has confirmed the agreement on his Instagram page. He’s headed to the team’s Florida complex for now but will presumably be sent to Triple-A Durham after he builds into game shape.

Burr hasn’t pitched since being released by the White Sox in mid-June. He’s made eight relief appearances for the South Siders this year, allowing seven runs (six earned) through nine innings. Optioned to the minor leagues in late May, Burr quickly wound up on the injured list with an undisclosed health concern. Chicago released him a few weeks later. Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers, so the only options for Chicago to take him off the 40-man roster were to place him on the MLB injured list or release him.

A former Diamondbacks draftee, Burr never reached the majors with Arizona. He’s suited up in parts of four MLB seasons with the ChiSox, however, including a career-high 36 2/3 frames last year. Burr posted a 2.45 ERA in 2021 but only struck out 21.9% of batters faced while walking a very high 13.9% of opponents. Those strikeout and walk numbers are generally in line with his career marks.

That said, Burr has shown some reasons to believe he could be a solid middle reliever if healthy. He works in the mid-90s with his fastball, averaging 94.5 MPH during his big league time this season. He’s also generated grounders on over half the batted balls he’s surrendered in his career, and he owns a 3.16 ERA over parts of three years in Triple-A.

Now that he’s in the Tampa Bay organization, Burr could theoretically be a postseason option if he impresses the club over the next five weeks. Players in an organization by September 1 but not on a team’s 40-man roster can be added to the playoff roster to replace a player on the injured list via petition to the commissioner’s office. Of course, his initial priority will be getting back to full strength and pitching his way back to the majors.

Rays Place Shane McClanahan, Brandon Lowe On IL

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4:05pm: Topkin relays word from Cash, who says that McClanahan’s MRI confirmed the impingement diagnosis, describing it as a “best case scenario.” McClanahan will get a cortisone shot and could return after the 15-day minimum absence.

1:00pm: The Rays announced that they have placed starter Shane McClanahan on the 15-day injured due to a left shoulder impingement and infielder Brandon Lowe on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to August 28, with a right triceps contusion. Infielder/outfielder Vidal Brujan and right-hander Calvin Faucher have been recalled in corresponding moves.

McClanahan’s move may be disappointing but it’s hardly surprising. He was scheduled to start yesterday but felt his injury pop-up while throwing his pregame bullpen and never actually threw a pitch in the game. He and manager Kevin Cash both expressed cautious optimism after the game, feeling that an extended absence wouldn’t be necessary. That might still prove to be true, but it appears the team feels he needs at least two weeks before he can contribute again. Whether he will need longer than that still remains to be seen.

Even if he does miss just the minimum amount of time, it will still be a significant loss for Tampa. The southpaw has thrown 147 1/3 innings this year with a 2.20 ERA, 32.5% strikeout rate, 5.4% walk rate and 52.3% ground ball rate. That elite production has put him squarely in the American League Cy Young debate. Though the Rays are known for stockpiling quality depth pieces, any team would suffer from losing that caliber of performance.

As for Lowe, it’s been a frustrating stop-and-start season for him, with this just the latest setback. He first landed on the IL in mid-May due to low back discomfort. He ended up missing about two months due to that ailment, returning in mid-July. He was then hit by a pitch on Friday and was diagnosed with an elbow contusion at the time. He has sat out the club’s past few games, but it seems that the injury is lingering enough that they’ll have him sit out for at least another week. Despite those injuries, he’s still been able to produce for Tampa, hitting .234/.319/.405 in 61 games. That amounts to a wRC+ of 114, a drop from last year’s 137 but still 14% above league average.

With both Lowe and McClanahan out of action, the Rays will have to get by with a weakened rotation and lineup for a while. They are currently in possession of the top Wild Card spot in the American League, though the Mariners are just half a game behind and the Blue Jays separated from the Rays by just a single game. There’s a bit more breathing room until the best non-playoff teams, with the Orioles and Twins three games back. Nevertheless, it figures to be a tight race over the remainder of the schedule, with just five weeks left to go, with the Rays surely hoping to secure not just a playoff spot but also earn home field advantage in the first round by keeping the top Wild Card slot. Hopefully, a little bit of time off for Lowe and McClanahan will allow them to return and contribute down the stretch.

Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times announced the move before the official announcement (Twitter links).

Shane McClanahan Scratched From Start With Shoulder Impingement

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9:18pm: Both Cash and McClanahan expressed some amount of optimism postgame McClanahan wouldn’t need to miss much time (Topkin links). That won’t officially be determined until tomorrow’s imaging results come back, of course.

6:52pm: Rays ace Shane McClanahan was scratched from tonight’s start against the Marlins shortly before game-time. The star southpaw felt discomfort while warming up in the bullpen and was visibly upset (video link provided by Rob Friedman). The club later announced his preliminary diagnosis as a shoulder impingement (h/t to Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Florida). He’s set to undergo additional imaging tomorrow, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times.

The team will provide more information in the coming days, but it’s obviously a worrisome development. Shoulder issues are a concern for any pitcher, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if McClanahan winds up on the 15-day injured list. Even a brief absence would be a notable blow for a Tampa Bay club that currently occupies the top Wild Card spot in the American League. The Rays are just a half-game up on the Mariners and a game clear of the Blue Jays, with a three-game gap between themselves and the nearest current non-playoff team (the Orioles).

Their place in the standings makes the final five weeks crucial as the Rays look to lock down a fourth straight playoff appearance. One could argue there’s no player more pivotal to those efforts than McClanahan, the American League’s All-Star Game starter and one of the top pitchers in the sport. After a productive rookie season in which he posted a 3.43 ERA through his first 25 big league starts, McClanahan has placed himself among the game’s elite arms this year. He’s worked to a sparkling 2.20 ERA across 24 outings and 147 1/3 frames. The former first-rounder has struck out an elite 32.5% of batters faced and induced ground-balls at a huge 52.3% clip while only walking 5.4% of opponents.

McClanahan has made a strong case for AL Cy Young award consideration, jointing the likes of Justin Verlander (who landed on the IL this afternoon), Dylan Cease and Framber Valdez among the Junior Circuit’s top starters. If healthy, McClanahan would be skipper Kevin Cash’s obvious choice for Game 1 of a possible playoff series.

The Rays have dealt with myriad pitching injuries this season. The bulk of those have come in the bullpen, but they’ve been without Tyler Glasnow all season as he rehabs from last year’s Tommy John procedure and have lost high-end prospect Shane Baz for two extended stretches. It’s possible both Glasnow and Baz could factor into the mix down the stretch, giving Tampa Bay a potentially enviable stockpile of arms if they’re at full strength.

Rays Option Ryan Yarbrough, Recall Garrett Cleavinger

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The Rays have optioned left-hander Ryan Yarbrough to Triple-A Durham today and recalled fellow lefty Garrett Cleavinger to take his place, the team announced today. Yarbrough had started last night’s game against the Red Sox, and as the Rays have two days off next week, his next turn in rotation may have been skipped regardless.

Indeed, with rosters set to expand to 28 on the first of September, the move could well be a temporary measure to give manager Kevin Cash an extra arm in the bullpen. The move marks the first trip to the Rays’ active roster for Cleavinger, who was acquired from the Dodgers in an under-the-radar deadline move that sent minor league outfielder German Tapia to Los Angeles. In 4 1/3 innings across four games with the Dodgers this season, the 28-year-old southpaw posted an unsightly 10.38 ERA (and 2.08 WHIP), though he’s compiled a 2.37 ERA across 31 Triple-A innings between Oklahoma City and Durham. In the majors, he’s thus far posted a 4.70 ERA (6.25 FIP) across 23 innings in parts of three seasons with the Phillies and Dodgers.

The move marks the latest setback in what’s been an up-and-down year for the 30-year-old Yarbrough. After opening the season on the IL with groin tightness, the lefty has struggled to find consistent success, posting a 4.87 ERA (4.49 FIP) across 68 1/3 innings in the same sort of hybrid role he’s occupied since his 2018 debut.

While these numbers bear a striking resemblance to his 2021 output (5.11 ERA, 4.45 FIP), they still fall well short of his career marks (4.37 ERA, 4.10 FIP). Yarbrough’s advanced stats don’t offer a clear reason for the decline. His strikeout rate has dropped a bit, from 20.3% across his first three seasons to 17.9 % in the last two, but he’s continued to limit hard contact, allowing a hard-hit rate (the percent of balls in play with an exit velocity of 95 mph or more) of only 29.6%, nearly 10% below the league-wide average while his walk rate has inched downwards.

Regardless of the cause of the dip, it will be interesting to see how the Tampa front office handles Yarbrough in the offseason. He’s making $3.85MM this season in his second season of arbitration eligibility and could be a non-tender candidate for the financially constrained Rays.

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