AL Notes: Severino, Rays, Wilson, Heaney, Ferrell
Prized Yankees righty Luis Severino was roughed up today and left early after experiencing elbow pain, but the prognosis isn’t nearly as bad as might have been feared. New York announced that he has a triceps strain, but it doesn’t seem that he’s suffered any serious damage. Severino will hit the 15-day DL and won’t touch a baseball for about a week, but it remains to be seen what his path back will be beyond that. The 22-year-old may have been nearing an optional assignment as it was, as he’s failed to follow up on his sparkling debut in 2015, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he takes at least a few turns at Triple-A before returning to the majors.
Here’s more from the American League:
- With the Rays‘ offense struggling, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes that the time to take some fairly drastic measures could be nearing. Entering tonight’s action, Desmond Jennings, Hank Conger and Logan Morrison were each hitting under .200 with OPS marks south of .500, and while each has seen his playing time diminish, Topkin wonders how long each can hold onto his roster spot. Jennings, he notes, does have a minor league option remaining, and fellow outfielder Mikie Mahtook is coming off the disabled list at Triple-A Durham this weekend. While Jennings was once viewed as a building block and is earning $3.3MM this season, Topkin notes that he’s already been reduced to a bench role and is in a 1-for-35 slump, so some time at Triple-A could do him some good. It’d be difficult for the Rays to part ways with Morrison ($4.2MM) when they’re already paying James Loney $8MM not to play for them, but his production has been dismal. Conger, meanwhile, hasn’t hit and has also not made strides in the throwing department, having caught just one of 13 runners. He’d been 0-for-48 prior to the one runner he caught this season.
- The Rangers prioritized defense in bringing back center fielder Drew Stubbs and catcher Bobby Wilson, GM Jon Daniels tells Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News in a podcast interview. The club primarily valued Wilson over Chris Gimenez, who was traded away when the former was added, because Wilson “excels” at things like “working with the pitcher, executing a game plan and reading swings” and other softer elements of the craft of catching. Notably, though, Wilson has also been working to drive the ball more when he has the bat in hand, even at the cost of some swings and misses, and Daniels says he’s noticed an improvement offensively.
- The Angels‘ rotation remains a major question mark as the club seeks to crawl back into things in the AL West, and the status of lefty Andrew Heaney could play a big role in the team’s near and long-term outlook. At present, writes Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, he’s waiting to see how his elbow reacts to a platelet-rich plasma treatment while using meditation to gain any advantage he can. “Right now I’m trying to will my body to heal itself,” he said. “The mind is a powerful thing. … It sounds like a crock, but it can’t hurt.”
- Astros righty Riley Ferrell, a third-round pick in last year’s draft, is likely to miss the rest of the season after undergoing a procedure to “repair an aneurysm in his throwing shoulder area,” GM Jeff Luhnow told reporters including Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. It’s expected that Ferrell will be ready to go for a full 2017, however, and this doesn’t appear to be the kind of traditional shoulder issue that would send up red flags. The 22-year-old had been off to a nice start to his career. He threw well at the Class A level last year and opened the current season with ten innings in which he allowed just two earned runs while racking up 14 strikeouts against a pair of walks.
Injury Notes: Canha, Boxberger, Norris, Cashner, Brantley, Gallardo, Travis, Chirinos
Athletics first baseman/outfielder Mark Canha is weighing surgery to repair a hip impingement, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Undergoing the procedure would keep him out the rest of the way, per the report, but he’s still undecided and will seek a second opinion. It seems that he’ll at least try out a cortisone shot before going under the knife. The 27-year-old had a strong 2015 season, sticking as a Rule 5 pick, but has come out of the gates with a meager .122/.140/.341 slash in 44 plate appearances in 2016.
Here are some more injury updates from around the game that are worthy of note:
- Rays closer Brad Boxberger, who is on the mend from core muscle surgery dating back to Spring Training, threw 22 pitches in an extended Spring Training game yesterday, writes Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. If Boxberger feels good today, he’ll likely begin a rehab assignment early next week (possibly Monday) with an eye toward returning late in the month of May. Boxberger led the American League with 41 saves in 2015 and would immediately deepen a bullpen that ranks 10th in the Majors in ERA but carries a more troubling ranking of 25th in the FIP department.
- The Padres had originally planned to carry three catchers for a short time following the claim of Hector Sanchez, but a hand injury to Derek Norris last night now makes the decision to claim Sanchez all the more critical, writes Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Norris was hit on the hand by a pitch and would ultimately leave the game, and while initial x-rays were negative, he’s undergoing further tests today. Interestingly, Lin notes that the Sanchez claim, initially, would’ve allowed the Padres to use Christian Bethancourt as a pinch-hitter, and there was even some talk of him getting some work in at third base (scouting reports have long touted his arm as an 80-grade tool). However, if Norris is found to have any kind of fracture and will miss some time, those plans will change.
- Meanwhile, the Padres decided to put righty Andrew Cashner on the 15-day DL today after determining that his hamstring wasn’t quite ready to go, as Lin tweets. It certainly doesn’t appear to be a major injury, since Cashner very nearly was allowed to pitch tonight, but it’s nonetheless notable. After all, San Diego doesn’t appear to be primed to contend this year, and Cashner could be an important trade piece — or qualifying offer recipient, if he can really turn things around. But he’s currently allowing just under five earned runs per nine, with ERA estimators not much more optimistic.
- Michael Brantley‘s surgically repaired shoulder is fatigued, reports Cleveland.com’s Zack Meisel, which prompted the Indians to rest him on Tuesday and Wednesday in advance of yesterday’s off-day. Brantley will take batting practice today and be re-evaluated. Per Meisel, Brantley’s shoulder has not been “bouncing back in ideal fashion” following an increase in playing time for the team’s star player. Brantley underwent shoulder surgery over the winter, and while earlier projections had him possibly remaining on the disabled list well into May, he instead beat that timeline by a good margin and was in the Indians’ lineup in late April.
- Orioles righty Yovani Gallardo is set to begin throwing again tomorrow, Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports on Twitter. It’s been a three-week gap since he last picked up a baseball, and Gallardo is only expected to engage in a light toss. His timeline to return to action from a shoulder injury remains uncertain, with at least a couple rehab outings seemingly in his future even if things go well.
- The Blue Jays, meanwhile, now have reason to believe that second baseman Devon Travis will soon be back. Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca tweets that Travis is heading out on a rehab assignment, which will begin a maximum twenty-day stretch in the minors. So long as Travis progresses, he ought to be back in Toronto by early June, it would appear. The 25-year-old burst onto the scene early last year, but he hasn’t played since late July after undergoing a procedure on his left shoulder.
- Likewise, Rangers catcher Robinson Chirinos has been able to throw for each of the last five days, Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. That’s certainly promising, given that he’s recovering from a broken right forearm. Chirinos won’t be eligible to come off of the 60-day DL until June 9th, but Texas would surely like to get him back as close to that date as possible.
Rangers Promote Matt Bush, Option Delino DeShields Jr.
The Rangers have promoted right-hander Matt Bush, per a club announcement and as first suggested by T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com on Twitter. An active roster spot will be cleared by the demotion of center fielder Delino DeShields Jr., who has been optioned to Triple-A.
Bush will make his major league debut at 30 years of age, which obviously wasn’t the hope when he was taken first overall by the Padres back in 2004. Originally drafted as a shortstop, Bush eventually shifted to the mound after failing to develop at the plate.
That might’ve just been a diversion on his way to the majors, but Bush dealt with drug and alcohol problems and eventually found himself in prison. He served 51 months for a hit-and-run in which he nearly killed a man while driving under the influence.
Bush signed with the Rangers over the winter as the latest step in his effort to get his life back in order, and proceeded to impress in camp this spring. He’s now thrown 17 innings of 2.65 ERA ball at the Double-A level, with 9.5 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9.
As for DeShields, 23, roster pressures and prolonged struggles made this something of a foregone conclusion. Once Ian Desmond showed that he could be relied upon in center, with Drew Stubbs also providing a more experienced option, the club apparently felt the time was right for a demotion. After all, Nomar Mazara has performed even better than might have been hoped, Shin-Soo Choo is nearing return, and Josh Hamilton may not be far behind.
DeShields, of course, was a revelation last year as a Rule 5 pick, posting a .261/.344/.374 batting line and 25 stolen bases. That made it easy for Texas to keep him on the roster all year, gaining permanent rights, but DeShields has scuffled in his first 121 trips to the plate in 2016. At present, he is hitting at a .217/.294/.302 clip and has managed only four swipes in seven attempts.
White Sox Acquire Anthony Ranaudo
The White Sox have acquired righty Anthony Ranaudo from the Rangers, according to an announcement from Texas VP of communications John Blake. Right-hander Matt Ball will go back in return.
Ranaudo, 26, was once regarded as a significant prospect with the Red Sox, but was dealt to Texas before the start of 2015. His star had already faded by that point, and he hasn’t done much to right the ship since.
Since going to the Rangers, Ranaudo has thrown 19 innings over which he’s allowed twenty earned runs with 13 strikeouts against 16 walks. His last outing, in particular, was an unmitigated disaster.
But Ranaudo could function in a swingman capacity if needed, and can be stashed in the minors since he is still optionable. And it’s fair to note that the big righty has been somewhat more useful at Triple-A. In his first three starts of 2016, he recorded 18 strikeouts over 13 1/3 innings, while issuing only four free passes and surrendering six hits. And he contributed 118 frames of sturdy-but-unspectacular work at Round Rock last year as well.
Ball, 21, had been showing some promise at the Class A level after converting to a relief role this year following three years as a Rookie ball starter. Over 16 frames, he’s racked up a 24:5 K/BB ratio, though he has permitted eight earned runs as well. Ball was taken in the 11th round of the 2013 draft out of high school, and obviously has moved slowly since joining the Chicago organization.
AL West Notes: Mariners’ Payroll, Wilson, Stubbs, Alvarez
The new Mariners ownership group fronted is prepared to follow through on CEO John Stanton’s comments that “payroll matters” (made at the press conference announcing the ownership change) when the trade deadline approaches, reports Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times, citing a pair of sources that are “intricately tied to the ownership group.” As Baker writes, former CEO Howard Lincoln was required to run all decisions by representatives from Nintendo of America prior to their sale of the majority stake of the club, and the result was often lackluster acquisitions. Even though the sale won’t be formalized until August, however, Nintendo isn’t likely to intervene with payroll matters at this point, and Lincoln, who remains involved in a lesser role, is said to be on board with increasing the payroll as necessary in order to augment a roster that has produced a first-place record through the season’s first 31 games.
More from the AL West…
- John McGrath of the Tacoma News Tribune argues that Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto should act quickly to sign right-hander Tim Lincecum, who threw for more than 20 teams on Friday of last week. While the Mariners don’t necessarily have an immediate rotation need, McGrath points out that several relievers are on the disabled list and adds that there are ominous signs surrounding Felix Hernandez and Hisashi Iwakuma. Pitching injuries are commonplace throughout the league, of course, and adding Lincecum to serve as the next line of defense while working out of the bullpen in the short-term is a sensible play for Dipoto, McGrath opines. There’s logic behind everything McGrath writes, though if a club comes knocking with a firmer promise of a rotation spot, I can envision Lincecum preferring that even to signing with current first-place team that plays in his home town.
- Last week’s acquisitions of Bobby Wilson and Drew Stubbs weren’t exactly the largest moves made by Rangers GM Jon Daniels, writes Gerry Fraley of the Dallas Morning News, but they’re a testament to his importance to the club’s success. The pair of additions is a reminder of Daniels’ willingness to make in-season upgrades, and each of the subtle transactions played a role in a Rangers win over the weekend. Manager Jeff Banister spoke highly about the impact of Daniels’ activity within the clubhouse. “That’s why I love the partnership that I have with JD and the entire front office,” he said. “We’re always in communication about ways to better our ballclub with players who have a different skill set. … It’s a big boost for our guys. They know this front office is willing to work for them.” Banister added that he’d be fine with the idea of Wilson and Stubbs, each of whom was with the Rangers in Spring Training but ended up elsewhere, “unpacking his bags” and sticking with the club.
- The Athletics optioned right-hander Jesse Hahn back to Triple-A this weekend in favor of reliever J.B. Wendelken, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. It’s expected that right-hander Henderson Alvarez, signed to a one-year deal after being non-tendered by the Marlins this winter, will ultimately step into that rotation spot. However, manager Bob Melvin said yesterday that Alvarez needs another pair of rehab starts, which could lead to left-hander Eric Surkamp getting a spot start when the fifth spot in the rotation comes up next.
Rangers Place A.J. Griffin On DL With Shoulder Stiffness
The Rangers have placed right-hander A.J. Griffin on the disabled list with shoulder stiffness, tweets the team’s executive vice president of communications, John Blake. In a corresponding move, Texas recalled left-handed reliever Alex Claudio from Triple-A Round Rock.
Griffin will undergo an examination Monday in Arlington, according to Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link), after exiting his start in the third inning Saturday. Injury troubles are nothing new for Griffin, who missed the previous two seasons because of elbow and shoulder problems. Griffin bounced back well prior to his latest issue, posting a 2.94 ERA, 7.49 K/9 and 3.74 BB/9 in 33 2/3 innings, and will leave a void in a Rangers rotation whose results (3.57 ERA) have been vastly superior to its peripherals (4.52 FIP, 4.67 xFIP).
With Griffin unavailable for what might be an extended period of time, the Rangers could aggressively pursue free agent Kyle Lohse, in whom they’re reportedly interested.
Rangers Interested In Kyle Lohse
If the Angels wish to bolster their depleted rotation by adding free agent Kyle Lohse, they might face competition from a familiar foe, reports MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, who tweets that the AL West rival Rangers are also interested in the 37-year-old. Heyman adds that there may be other clubs in pursuit, too, on the heels of the right-hander’s Thursday showcase.
The Rangers aren’t in need of rotation help as much as the Angels, as Texas’ starters have so far pitched to a 3.48 ERA – the seventh-best mark in the majors. They’re seventh from the bottom in both FIP and xFIP, however, and right-hander A.J. Griffin may have opened up a spot in the rotation when he left his start in the third inning Saturday with stiffness in his throwing shoulder. While Griffin has fared well early this season with a 2.94 ERA, 7.49 K/9 and 3.74 BB/9 in 33 2/3 innings, injuries are nothing new for the 28-year-old – who missed the previous two campaigns because of elbow and shoulder troubles.
If Griffin’s current injury proves serious, it would leave the Rangers with Cole Hamels, Martin Perez, Derek Holland and Colby Lewis as their top four starters. The only member of that group worth counting on is Hamels, which could be why the Rangers are turning their attention outward. Lohse doesn’t exactly look like a cure-all, though, having posted a 5.85 ERA, 6.4 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and 38.6 percent ground-ball rate in 152 innings with Milwaukee last season. He did produce a respectable 3.62 ERA/3.86 FIP/4.10 xFIP in 888 1/3 frames from 2010-14, and the Rangers would certainly hope to get that version of Lohse if they were to sign him.
Regardless of whether Texas lands Lohse, its rotation will get a significant boost soon with the return of ace Yu Darvish, who hasn’t pitched in the majors since August 2014. Darvish, on the comeback trail from March 2015 Tommy John surgery, threw a 50-pitch rehab outing for Triple-A Round Rock on Friday and touched 97 mph several times, according to Anthony Andro of MLB.com. Darvish is on track to rejoin the Rangers either later this month or in early June.
Rangers Sign Drew Stubbs To Big-League Deal
The Rangers have signed veteran outfielder Drew Stubbs to a big-league deal, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram tweets. To clear roster space for him, they’ve optioned lefty Alex Claudio to Triple-A and transferred Josh Hamilton to the 60-day DL. Stubbs is represented by Lagardere Unlimited.
The Braves designated Stubbs for assignment and then released him earlier this week after he hit .237/.310/.316 in 42 plate appearances with Atlanta. Stubbs is a somewhat familiar face for the Rangers — he played for them briefly last year and was in Spring Training with the club this season before he opted out of his minor-league deal.
The 31-year-old Stubbs is a veteran of eight big-league seasons, having also played with the Reds, Indians and Rockies in addition to the Rangers and Braves. He has a career .244/.313/.394 line, generally hitting for good power but striking out frequently. He hasn’t hit well in the past two seasons, although he still appears to be a capable defensive center fielder and can provide a bit of speed off the bench. Delino DeShields has struggled offensively this season as the Rangers’ starting CF, but Stubbs still appears ticketed for a bench role.
AL West Notes: Zych, Butler, Rangers, Richards
The Mariners will be without right-hander Tony Zych for four to six weeks due to the rotator cuff tendinitis that landed him on the disabled list earlier this week, reports Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. When the Mariners originally announced his injury, Zych had yet to have a followup examination back in Seattle. Those tests have now taken place and produced the timeline for which Seattle will be without its quietly excellent setup man. In 30 1/3 innings since being promoted to the Majors last season, Zych has posted a 2.67 ERA, 12.8 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 with a 51.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’s also averaged 95.7 mph on his fastball and has the 14th-best K-BB% among MLB pitchers with a minimum of 30 innings thrown dating back to last season.
- Athletics designated hitter Billy Butler says he’s been left in the dark somewhat as to his lack of playing time, as Jane Lee of MLB.com writes. Butler was careful not to complain about his diminished role, but he did tell Lee that he’s in unfamiliar territory as a part-time player. “I’ve played every day of my life from when I was 7 years old, so this is something new,” he said. “I don’t even know how to exactly prepare for what I’m supposed to do because I’ve never had to do it, so I just try to treat it like I’ve treated everything else, like I’m a starter.” Butler, though, acknowledged the constant change and roster fluctuation that comes with any 162-game season and said he anticipates eventually being able to get another chance to prove he can still be an everyday bat. While he was initially told he wouldn’t be in a straight platoon, that’s how it’s played out for the most part thus far, resulting in just 38 plate appearances for the former Royals star. Butler is earning $10MM this year and has another $10MM coming his way in 2017 as part of a three-year, $30MM deal signed with Oakland.
- The Rangers are flush with possibilities when it comes to their outfield alignment, writes Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports in his latest notes column. Texas officials, according to Rosenthal, have discussed the possibility of shifting Ian Desmond to center field (where he’s already seen a bit of time) upon Shin-Soo Choo‘s return from the disabled list, which would keep a spot open for impressive rookie Nomar Mazara. That could give the struggling Delino DeShields some time to work in the minors. Looking longer-term than 2016, though, Rosenthal notes that the Rangers have a plethora of outfield options, most notably including Lewis Brinson, as well as a pair of infield prospects in Joey Gallo and Jurickson Profar, that may not have clear-cut places to be placed on the roster. The Rangers, he concludes, are exceptionally well-positioned to make a major play at this summer’s trade deadline if need be.
- Not that the Angels need any more injuries in their rotation, but there appears to be some form of issue with ace Garrett Richards, as the Orange County Register’s Jeff Fletcher writes in his latest column. Richards left his most recent outing after four innings due to dehydration, and he’s skipped his regularly scheduled bullpen sessions between starts. According to Fletcher, Richards said that he isn’t hurt but also acknowledged that something is a bit off. “I’m still a little fatigued,” said the Halos’ Opening Day starter. “The body is still tired. I’m still trying to bounce back. Everything doesn’t feel as crisp right now.” The Angels are already without C.J. Wilson and Andrew Heaney, and left-hander Tyler Skaggs has also seen his rehab from Tommy John surgery slowed by some biceps tendinitis. Richards, now, is questionable for his scheduled Friday outing.
Indians Acquire Chris Gimenez, Designate Adam Moore
The Indians have acquired catcher Chris Gimenez from the Rangers, Texas VP of communications John Blake announced. Cash considerations are going back in the deal.
Cleveland has designated fellow backstop Adam Moore to clear roster space, the club announced. Gimenez himself had been in DFA limbo after Texas acquired Bobby Wilson to join its catching mix.
For the Indians, Gimenez will help fill the void left by the injured Roberto Perez, who’s on the DL and could miss significant time with a broken thumb. Gimenez is only returning to readiness now after dealing with an ankle infection. The 33-year-old has long been a reserve backstop; last year, with the Rangers, he contributed a .255/.330/.490 slash in 113 plate appearances.
The 31-year-old Moore has seen action in each of the last seven MLB seasons, but has only picked up 287 MLB plate appearances in that span. He owns a lifetime .201/.241/.309 batting line.