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Nationals Claim Mike Ford

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The Nationals announced Monday that they’ve claimed first baseman Mike Ford off waivers from the Rays and opened a spot on the 40-man roster by transferring right-hander Joe Ross from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. Tampa Bay had designated Ford for assignment over the weekend.

Ford, 29, had a big showing with the Yankees as a rookie in 2019 when he batted .259/.350/.559 with a dozen home runs in 163 plate appearances. He’s had a near-identical sample of 156 plate appearances since that time, however, and managed just a .134/.250/.276 batting line in the big leagues. The Yankees moved on from Ford back in June when they designated him for assignment, and while the Rays acquired him shortly thereafter, he never got called to the big leagues with Tampa Bay.

Instead, Ford has spent his time with the Rays rediscovering his swing in Triple-A Durham. He’d gone just 2-for-24 with eight strikeouts in 29 plate appearances with the Yankees’ top minor league affiliate this year, but Ford righted the ship (to an extent) with a .243/.346/.529 batting line in 162 Triple-A plate appearances in the Rays organization.

Ford will now join a Nationals club that went through a broad-reaching sell off prior to the trade deadline — a housecleaning effort that could lead to him getting some opportunities down the stretch. He’s been optioned to Triple-A Rochester for the time being, but Ford has another five years of club control remaining so they could take a look at him as a longer-term option at first base (or, if it comes to the National League, designated hitter). Josh Bell has been Washington’s primary first baseman this season but recently made an outfield appearance, which could allow the Nats a path to getting a look at both players at the plate.

As for Ross, the move to the 60-day IL comes as little surprise. The Nats recently announced that the righty was found to have an ulnar collateral ligament injury earlier this month, but he won’t require surgical repair. Still, given the nature of his injury and the remaining time on the calendar, it never looked likely that he’d make it back to the mound in 2021.

AL East Notes: Archer, Cruz, Urshela, Blue Jays

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Chris Archer’s long-awaited return from the IL didn’t go as planned. The righty returned to the hill today after spending more than four months on the shelf, but then left the game after throwing 41 pitches over two innings due to hip tightness. Although Archer initially went on the IL in April because of forearm tightness, his rehab was slowed by hip soreness in recent weeks. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times relays word from Rays’ manager Kevin Cash, who says that today’s hip soreness was not in the same spot as the previous hip issues. Archer himself told Joey Johnston of the Tampa Bay Times that coming out of the game was precautionary. “I noticed a little drop in my fastball [velocity], and I felt the tightness in my hip,” Archer said. “…I thought it was smart to take a little breather, leave it at two innings.” The hurler has now thrown just 6 1/3 innings since the end of the 2019 season, after missing all of 2020 because of undergoing surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome. Whether this is a minor setback or something more serious remains to be seen. In spite of his early exit, the Rays racked up a 9-0 victory over the White Sox, moving to 4 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees.

More from the AL East…

  • Nelson Cruz was placed on the COVID IL earlier today, but it seems that was mostly precautionary. Per Topkin, Cruz just didn’t feel well this morning. Assuming he doesn’t test positive, Cruz should return to the squad as soon as he feels better. (The COVID IL has no minimum stay.) The 41-year-old was in the midst of yet another excellent season at the plate when he was traded from Minnesota to Tampa, though he’s slumped a bit since then. His .198/.257/.448 line since joining the Rays is a far cry from the numbers he put up before the move, though in a small sample size of just 24 games.
  • Yankees’ infielder Gio Urshela is beginning a rehab assignment tonight, per a team announcement. The 29-year-old has been on the IL for about three weeks due to a hamstring strain. It’s been a frustrating few weeks for Urshela, having only played six games since mid-July because of this hamstring issue as well as the Yankees’ lengthy COVID situation. Despite all that, Urshela still has a nice line of .274/.315/.439 on the year, producing a wRC+ of 106. That’s a drop-off from his excellent 2019-2020 production, but still above league average and would be an upgrade to the Yankees’ current lineup. With Gleyber Torres also on the IL, the Yanks have largely been using Rougned Odor and Andrew Velazquez on the left side of the diamond, neither of whom have matched Urshela’s production on the year. Since joining the Yankees, Odor’s slash line is .216/.297/.404, wRC+ of 92, whereas Velazquez is at .242/.265/.424, wRC+ of 84.
  • Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi provides updates on some injured Blue Jays. (Twitter links) Catcher Danny Jansen is close to starting a rehab assignment as he works his way back from a hamstring strain. Ross Stripling has started throwing after being shut down due to an oblique injury. But of course, the most notable wounded Blue Jay is George Springer, who recently landed on the IL with a knee sprain. The star outfielder has only been able to play 49 games this year due to various injuries, but has been outstanding when healthy. His .269/.362/.610 slash line is 58% better than league average, per wRC+. Amongst MLB players with more than 200 plate appearances this year, only four of them are above Springer in that regard. In other words, his health is tremendously important to a team that is 4 1/2 games out of a playoff spot. But as Davidi says, despite doing some hitting, Springer still has to run the bases before being considered for game action.

Rays Place Nelson Cruz On COVID-19 Injured List

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The Rays have placed designated hitter Nelson Cruz on the COVID-19 injured list, the team announced. Right-hander Chris Mazza has been recalled from Triple-A Durham to take his active roster spot.

The team hasn’t announced whether Cruz tested positive for the virus or has simply been experiencing symptoms. Cruz was originally penciled into today’s starting lineup against the White Sox. Brett Phillips has been plugged into the lineup in his place, taking right field while bumping Austin Meadows to Cruz’s customary DH position.

Cruz is only hitting .198/.257/.448 over 96 plate appearances since being acquired by Tampa Bay in late July. He mashed at a .294/.370/.537 clip with the Twins before the trade. The Rays currently hold a four-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East race.

Rays Designate David Hess For Assignment

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The Rays announced they’ve designated right-hander David Hess for assignment. The move clears space on the active and 40-man rosters for Chris Archer, who has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list as expected.

It’s a quick turnaround for Hess, who was just selected to the roster yesterday. He didn’t make an appearance in Tampa Bay’s 8-4 win over the White Sox and will now find himself on waivers. It could be a very brief second tenure in the organization for Hess, who signed a minor league deal on Thursday.

Hess began the year with Tampa Bay on a different minor league pact. He pitched very well for Triple-A Durham, working to a 2.81 ERA across 32 innings. Along the way, the 28-year-old punched out a strong 28.9% of opponents while posting a minuscule 3.9% walk rate. That caught the attention of the Marlins, who acquired him in early July and immediately added him to the big league club. Hess posted an even 8.00 ERA over 18 innings with the Fish before being designated for assignment.

Hess cleared waivers last week, so there would seem to be a good chance he’ll do so again. He has the right to elect free agency if he passes through unclaimed, which he did after being outrighted by Miami.

Rays Designate Mike Ford For Assignment

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The Rays designated first baseman Mike Ford for assignment.  The move opened up a 40-man roster spot for righty David Hess, whose contract was selected earlier today.

Tampa Bay acquired Ford in a trade with the Yankees back in June, and Ford could now potentially move on (via trade or waiver claim) without ever appearing in a big league game in a Rays uniform.  Ford has done his part to attract attention, hitting .243/.346/.529 with 11 home runs over 162 PA with the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate.  He also played a few games at third base, adding some defensive versatility to his resume after spending the large majority of his career as a first base-only type.

Ford broke into the majors in impressive fashion in 2019, hitting .259/.350/.559 with 12 homers over his first 163 PA in the Show.  Since the start of the 2020 season, however, Ford has only a .526 OPS over 156 PA at the MLB level, all with New York.

Between Ford’s strong minor league numbers, his left-handed power potential, and the fact that he is controlled through the 2025 season, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see another team take a flier on a waiver claim.  The Blue Jays could be a speculative team to watch, as they reportedly had interest in Ford before the Yankees moved him to Tampa.

David Hess To Rejoin Rays

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The Rays are bringing David Hess back into the fold, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Cathy Peek McEwen). In a corresponding move, Chris Mazza has been optioned to Triple-A, per Rays’ host Neil Solondz (via Twitter).

Hess was traded from the Rays to the Marlins earlier this season. After 14 appearances covering 18 innings with a 8.00 ERA, the Marlins designated him for assignment and he elected free agency. Hess will presumably join the Rays bullpen in the near future.

The 28-year-old Hess spent seven seasons in the Orioles organization after being selected in the fifth round of the 2014 draft. He debuted with Baltimore in 2018 and was an up-and-down member of their staff over the next three seasons, pitching to a 5.86 ERA through 190 1/3 innings.

Rays Expected To Activate Chris Archer On Sunday

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The Rays are prepared to activate right-hander Chris Archer from the 60-day injured list on Sunday, relays Neil Solondz. Presumably, Archer will take the ball to start that afternoon’s game against the White Sox. The Rays will need to make a corresponding 40-man roster move this weekend.

Archer missed the entire 2020 season with the Pirates after undergoing surgery to correct thoracic outlet syndrome last June. Nevertheless, Tampa Bay brought back the 32-year-old on a one-year deal over the winter. The hope was that he’d be able to find something resembling the form that made him a two-time All-Star during his first run as a Ray, but injuries have continued to get in the way.

While Archer began the year healthy, he landed on the IL after just two appearances due to forearm tightness. The initial hope was that he’d be back in relatively short order, but he ultimately required a more than four-month recovery timeline. Archer began a minor league rehab assignment last month, but that was halted temporarily as he battled left hip soreness. He restarted that assignment a couple weeks ago and reached 71 pitches during his most recent outing with Triple-A Durham.

The Rays have continued to thrive in spite of Archer’s absence. Tampa Bay sits at 75-48, giving them a four game advantage over the Yankees in the American League East.

Orioles Claim Chris Ellis, Designate Cesar Valdez For Assignment

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The Orioles announced Friday that they’ve claimed righty Chris Ellis off waivers from the Rays and designated right-hander Cesar Valdez for assignment. Meanwhile, left-hander Ryan Hartman, who was designated for assignment earlier in the week, went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Norfolk.

Ellis, 28, pitched four shutout innings with seven strikeouts against the Orioles earlier this week. The Rays had selected him to the MLB roster in order to get a fresh arm in the ’pen, but it proved to be a one-off appearance for Ellis in spite of that fine work. The O’s, who currently have the game’s worst record, have top priority on the waiver wire.

Ellis has had a rough season in Triple-A, pitching to a 6.32 ERA in 57 innings with below-average strikeout and walk rates and 14 home runs allowed. He’s had a rough couple of seasons in Triple-A but has had some success at that level in the past and comes to the Orioles with a bit of pedigree. He’s a former third-round pick and well-regarded prospect who was included in a pair of trades for notable big leaguers (Andrelton Simmons and Jaime Garcia), and the Royals liked him enough to select him in the Rule 5 Draft back in the 2018-19 offseason as well.

The Orioles are a good landing spot for a pitcher like Ellis, who has had some success in the upper minors but has yet to get much of a real look in the Majors. The O’s can afford to give him a look in the rotation or try him out of the bullpen if they like. Ellis also has all three minor league options remaining, so he can give them flexibility both now and in future seasons — if he sticks on the 40-man roster.

Valdez, 36, became the Orioles’ unlikely closer after signing a minor league deal in January 2020 and working his way back to the Major Leagues for the first time since 2017. His career arc has been atypical, to say the least, as Valdez debuted as a 25-year-old in 2010 and then did not appear in the Majors again until that 2017 return. The 2020-21 seasons mark the first time that he’s ever pitched in consecutive MLB seasons. Between MLB stints, he’s pitched professionally in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Taiwan.

Valdez didn’t simply return to the big leagues in 2020 — he thrived. Upon debuting with the Orioles, he pitched 14 1/3 innings and held opponents to two earned runs on seven hits and three walks with a dozen strikeouts. His success carried into 2021, too, at least in the early portion of the season. Valdez pitched to a 2.50 ERA with a sterling 21-to-4 K/BB ratio through his first 18 innings this season, accumulating eight saves along the way. Valdez found that success in spite of a “fastball” that barely averages 85 mph, relying heavily on a 78 mph changeup he refers to as the “dead fish.”

It’s been a swift decline since late May, however. Valdez was tagged for three runs in consecutive outings late in May and hasn’t been able to right the ship. Dating back to May 24, Valdez has pitched 27 1/3 innings and allowed a whopping 24 runs on 41 hits (including eight homers) and nine walks with 23 strikeouts.

It’s possible another club will take a look at Valdez on outright waivers, as he’s not yet arbitration eligible. He’s out of minor league options, though, meaning any club who does place a claim will need to carry him on the active roster or else try to pass him through waivers a second time before being able to send him down.

Mariners Claim Kevin Padlo

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The Mariners have claimed infielder Kevin Padlo off waivers from the Rays, per a club announcement. Right-hander Justin Dunn was moved from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Dunn has already spent 63 days on the IL, so the shift to the 60-day IL is an entirely procedural move.

Padlo, 25, made his big league debut with the Rays in 2021 but went just 1-for-12 in 14 plate appearances before being optioned back down to Triple-A Durham, where he’s struggled to a .174/.270/.379 batting line in 282 plate appearances on the season.

While those numbers are obviously unsightly, Padlo entered the year ranked comfortably within the middle ranks of a deep Rays’ farm system, sitting 25th at FanGraphs and 20th at Baseball America. Huge raw power from the right side of the plate is Padlo’s calling card, and he had it on full display in the 2019 season when he posted a combined .265/.389/.538 batting line with 21 home runs and 31 doubles. Most of Padlo’s 2019 season was spent in a very pitcher-friendly Double-A setting, but upon being bumped to Triple-A Durham, he ripped nine home runs in just 145 plate appearances and batted .290/.400/.595.

Third base has been Padlo’s primary position in the minors, though there’s some skepticism as to whether he can remain there. He’s also spent time at first base, and FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen suggests that his eventual role could be a righty-hitting role player who bounces between all four corner spots and designated hitter.

Padlo has some strikeout issues, with a career 25.4 percent mark in the minors and a 33 percent mark in 2021, but he’s also walked in 13.6 percent of his career plate appearances. He has a minor league option remaining beyond the current season, so he can give the M’s some corner depth for the next year-plus as he looks to right the ship in the upper minors.

Rays, David Hess Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Rays and right-hander David Hess are in agreement on a minor league contract, MLBTR has learned. He’ll head to Triple-A Durham for the time being. Hess is represented by Total Sports.

Hess, 28, opened the season in Durham after signing a minor league pact with Tampa Bay over the winter. He pitched quite well there before being traded to the Marlins in a July 4 swap that sent minor league righty Justin Sterner from Miami to the Rays. The Marlins immediately selected Hess to the big league roster upon acquiring him, but he wound up pitching just 18 innings there before being designated for assignment. He rejected an outright assignment in favor of free agency earlier this week.

Things were going fine for Hess in Miami for the most part early in his tenure. He worked to a 3.94 ERA with a 15-to-8 K/BB ratio through his first 11 appearances and 16 innings before being ambushed for seven runs in a single frame by the Rockies at Coors Field. He yielded another run in his next outing before being designated, ultimately concluding his time as a Marlin with an unsightly 8.00 ERA.

Hess pitched well with the Rays’ Triple-A affiliate to begin the year, however, working to a 2.81 ERA with a 28.9 percent strikeout rate and a tiny 3.9 percent walk rate in 32 frames. He’ll head back to that same environment for now and hope to rediscover that success.

A fifth-round pick of the Orioles back in 2014, Hess has now seen Major League time in parts of four seasons. He’s had some stretches of success, particularly late in his debut campaign in 2018, but has yet to find the consistency needed to stick at the big league  level. Hess carries a 6.05 ERA in 208 1/3 Major League innings but a more palatable 3.55 ERA with a 26 percent strikeout rate and 7.3 percent walk rate in parts of three Triple-A seasons (119 innings).

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