AL Roster Notes: Travis, Faria, Kinsler, Hahn
Devon Travis has suffered a new bone bruise and cartilage damage in his surgically repaired right knee that has prompted the Blue Jays to place him on the 10-day disabled list, reports Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The injury is rather mysterious, it seems as Travis felt fine when boarding a flight to Oakland on Sunday evening but was unable to bend his knee without discomfort when the plane landed. He’ll be examined by the same specialist that performed his offseason knee surgery in the near future, and manager John Gibbons acknowledged to Davidi and other reporters that Travis’ injury won’t be a quick one. There’s no timetable for the return of Travis, who has batted .259/.291/.438 with five homers, four steals and strong defense at second base through his first 50 games of the season.
Here are a few quick roster moves from around the American League.
- The Rays will promote righty Jacob Faria to make his big-league debut Wednesday in a start against the White Sox, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. The 23-year-old Faria has never been regarded as an upper-echelon prospect (he currently ranks ninth among Rays prospects, according to MLB.com), but he’s in the midst of a strong season at Triple-A Durham, with a 3.07 ERA, 3.4 BB/9 and an outstanding 12.9 K/9 in 58 2/3 innings thus far. MLB.com notes that he works in the low 90s, keeps the ball down and has a promising chanegup, although his breaking stuff is usable but below average. Having Faria start Wednesday will give Rays starters Jake Odorizzi, Alex Cobb and Erasmo Ramirez an extra day of rest.
- The Tigers have announced that they’ve reinstated second baseman Ian Kinsler from the 10-day DL and optioned outfielder JaCoby Jones to Triple-A Toledo. They also announced that catcher James McCann, who suffered a hand laceration after being hit by a pitch late last month, would begin a rehab assignment with Toledo tonight. The Tigers placed Kinsler on the DL on May 27; it appears the hamstring strain that landed him there isn’t especially serious, because he’s back after the minimum time. The 34-year-old is off to a slow start this season, batting .234/.331/.365.
- The Athletics have announced that they’ve reinstated righty Jesse Hahn (triceps strain) from the 10-day DL and optioned 1B/OF Matt Olson to Triple-A Nashville. Hahn will start tonight against the Blue Jays. Like Kinsler, Hahn spent the minimum required time on the DL. He even made one rehab start with Class A+ Stockton in his brief time on the shelf. The 27-year-old has a 3.81 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 49 2/3 innings in the big leagues this season. Olson, once one of the Athletics’ top prospects, has collected just four plate appearances in two stints with the big club this year despite batting a terrific .285/.374/.575 in 206 plate appearances for Nashville.
AL East Notes: Austin, Beliveau, Rays, Sox
The Yankees announced that they’ve reinstated first baseman/outfielder Tyler Austin from the 60-day disabled list and optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Austin, who suffered a foot fracture in Spring Training, has been limited to just 13 games on a rehab assignment thus far in 2017. He’s hit quite well in that time and comes with a very solid track record of performance in Triple-A. Given the terrible performance the Yankees have received their first basemen this season — they’re hitting a collective .150/.265/.278 this season — Austin could factor into the Major League mix for playing time if he continues to hit well in Triple-A.
More from the AL East…
- The Blue Jays appear set to add left-hander Jeff Beliveau to their roster, per Ben Nicholson-Smith and Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The 32-year-old has 45 innings of big league experience but hasn’t been in the Majors since 2015 due partly to the fact that he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum that year. Beliveau has a 4.00 ERA in his time as a Major Leaguer and turned in a 2.54 mark in the Orioles’ minor league system last year. He’s punched out 43 hitters in 32 innings this season with Triple-A Buffalo en route to a 3.09 ERA. Beliveau isn’t on the 40-man roster, but the Jays do have an open 40-man spot.
- Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes that he expects the Rays to dip into their minor league depth this week and summon a young arm such as Jacob Faria or Jose De Leon in an effort to rest what looks, at present, to be an overtaxed rotation. Calling up a promising young arm for a spot start on Wednesday would allow the Rays to get an extra day of rest for Alex Cobb, Jake Odorizzi and Erasmo Ramitez, Topkin notes. Both De Leon and Faria stand out as potential long-term pieces for a Tampa Bay rotation that is set to lose Cobb to free agency following this season and is oft-rumored to be entertaining offers on its more established arms.
- Red Sox president of baseball ops Dave Dombrowski feels it’s too early to determine the team’s greatest needs for this year’s trade deadline, writes MassLive.com’s Jen McCaffrey. Dombrowski calls this stage of the season an “information-gathering time period” and notes that there are still too many questions to pinpoint one specific need. The Sox have a number of players that are currently injured or will soon return from injuries, and the recovery and performance of players such as Pablo Sandoval, Dustin Pedroia and Brock Holt (among others) could certainly impact the team’s trade strategies.
Injury Notes: Werth, Travis, Verlander
Updates on some developing injury situations from today’s action….
- Jayson Werth fouled a ball off his left foot on Saturday and was seen on crutches in the Nationals clubhouse following today’s game. Manager Dusty Baker told MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman (Twitter link) and other reporters that X-rays were negative on Werth’s foot but the situation was “not looking good for” the veteran outfielder. After two down seasons, Werth has rebounded to hit .262/.367/.446 over 196 PA this year, and a DL stint would further hamper a Washington outfield that has already lost Adam Eaton for the season.
- X-rays were negative on Devon Travis‘ left hand after the Blue Jays second baseman was hit by a Luis Severino pitch in the seventh inning of today’s 3-2 Jays victory. Travis finished the inning on the basepaths and then left the game. The club will monitor the situation to see if Travis requires a DL stint, though he seems likely to miss at least a couple of games given his painful description of the injury. “I thought I broke it. It was really scary. My hand was throbbing so bad, I couldn’t really open it or close it — and I definitely wasn’t about to slide on it and lift myself up on it,” Travis told MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson and other media. Travis has a .257/.285/.437 overall slash line for his roller-coaster of a season, as he followed up a dreadful April (.388 OPS) with a red-hot May (1.019 OPS).
- Justin Verlander left during the third inning of today’s 7-4 Tigers win due to groin tightness, a move manager Brad Ausmus said was precautionary in nature (as per MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery and other reporters). Verlander will undergo an MRI just to make sure there isn’t any significant damage, and Ausmus feels the ace should make his next start, though it could be pushed back a day due to an off-day in Detroit’s schedule. Verlander is off to a slow start to the 2017 season, with a 4.63 ERA and career highs in BB/9 (4.24) and hard-hit ball rate (34.2%) through 70 innings.
AL East Notes: Alvarez, Ellsbury, Sanchez, Ramos, Boxberger, Torres
Pedro Alvarez and the Orioles agreed to extend their relationship beyond Alvarez’s original June 1 opt-out date, though that extension is up today, David Hall of the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot reports (Twitter link). “Anything remains possible” between the two sides, Hall writes, which isn’t a surprise given the number of moving parts within Alvarez’s situation. The slugger has only a .224/.295/.452 overall slash line at Triple-A this season, though he has been on a major hot streak over the last two weeks. Alvarez’s transition to becoming an outfielder also remains very much a work in progress, which limits his ability to find a spot on Baltimore’s 25-man roster.
Here’s more from around the AL East…
- Jacoby Ellsbury has been shut down due to a return of his concussion symptoms, Yankees manager Joe Girardi told media (including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch). Ellsbury suffered the injury after a collision with the outfield wall while making a catch on May 24, and he has already spent more than the minimum seven days on the concussion DL. The veteran is off to a strong .281/.349/.422 start over his first 153 plate appearances, though New York has a very capable center field replacement in Aaron Hicks while Ellsbury recovers.
- Blue Jays righty Aaron Sanchez may begin throwing as soon as tomorrow, manager John Gibbons told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and other reporters. Sanchez hasn’t thrown a pitch since May 19 in an effort to fully recover from the blister and fingernail problems that have plagued him all season, leading to three separate DL stints. It may still be a while before Sanchez returns to the mound, as Gibbons said the right-hander will “definitely” require a rehab assignment after he is able to begin throwing.
- Wilson Ramos is aiming to make his Rays debut in late June, after completing a 20-day minor league rehab stint, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes. Ramos has reportedly been making solid progress in his recovery from the ACL and meniscus tears he suffered in the last week of the 2016 season.
- Also from Topkin, Rays reliever Brad Boxberger is also looking to return from the DL late this month. Boxberger will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday that is tentatively scheduled to last for three weeks. The right-hander will require a lengthy ramping-up process after missing much of Spring Training with a lat strain, and then suffering a flexor strain in his throwing shoulder.
- Gleyber Torres has spent the bulk of his Triple-A time at third base, and the top Yankees prospect could very well get a crack at the position in the big leagues this season if Chase Headley continues to struggle. NJ Advance Media’s Brendan Kuty talks to Yankees third base coach and infield instructor Joe Espada about Torres’ defensive abilities and the challenges in moving from shortstop to the hot corner.
Blue Jays Reportedly Release Mat Latos
The Blue Jays have released right-hander Mat Latos from their Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo earlier this week, according to Buffalo broadcaster Ben Wagner (Twitter link). The team has yet to formally announce the move.
The 29-year-old Latos inked a minor league deal with Toronto this offseason and has made three starts for the big league club this season, allowing a total of 11 runs on 19 hits and eight walks with 10 strikeouts in 15 innings. Latos has posted a more favorable 3.80 ERA with a 24-to-13 K/BB ratio in 26 innings with Toronto’s Triple-A affiliate. While a number of players have opt-out provisions in their contract this time of year, Wagner specified in a second tweet that Latos’ release was a team decision.
It’s been a struggle for Latos over the past two-plus seasons, as he now owns a 5.05 ERA in his past 201 1/3 innings. Injuries, beginning with left knee surgery in 2014, have played a role in his decline, as has the fact that his velocity has dipped from the 93-94 mph range to the 90-91 mph range. Latos, who has spent time with the Marlins, Dodgers, Angels, White Sox, Nationals and Jays over the past three years, will now look to join a rather remarkable seventh organization since Opening Day 2015.
Blue Jays Designate Mike Bolsinger
The Blue Jays have designated righty Mike Bolsinger, per a club announcement. His roster spot will go to fellow righty Leonel Campos, who was recalled from Triple-A.
[Related: Updated Toronto Blue Jays depth chart]
Bolsinger, 29, has logged 25 2/3 innings with the Jays this season (five starts) and posted a 5.61 ERA with a 21-to-19 K/BB ratio. That level of control issue is atypical for Bolsinger, who in seasons past has demonstrated solid if unspectacular BB/9 rates. While the righty has struggled in each of the past two big league campaigns, he’s not far removed from a nice 2015 season in which he tossed 109 1/3 innings of 3.62 ERA ball for the Dodgers, averaging 8.1 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 with a 53.1 percent ground-ball rate.
Bolsinger’s Triple-A track record includes a 3.96 ERA in 307 innings with better than a strikeout per frame, respectable control (3.3 BB/9) and considerably above-average ground-ball tendencies. Bolsinger has already been designated for assignment and cleared waivers once this season, so it’s possible that history will repeat itself in that regard. Of course, even if it does, he’d have the option to elect free agency rather than accept an outright assignment back to Buffalo. And, it also remains possible that a club with considerable rotation deficiencies takes a chance on a change of scenery bringing about a return to the right-hander’s 2015 form.
Any club that claims Bolsinger off waivers or acquires him in a minor trade will need to add him directly to the Major League roster, as he’s out of minor league options and can’t be sent to Triple-A without first clearing waivers.
AL East Notes: Sandoval, Torres, Frieri, Pearce, Britton
It’s likely too soon to expect the Red Sox to make any significant moves — indeed, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said yesterday that the market hasn’t really developed yet, as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe tweets. But that doesn’t mean the club is not readying for the deadline. As Tim Britton of the Providence Journal writes, third base is an obvious area to target — even with Pablo Sandoval returning from the DL. Dombrowski acknowledged that the veteran’s “so-so” play early on has left the organization feeling unsettled at the hot corner. “We think he can do it,” said Dombrowski. “But now he’s got to go out and do it for us.” Of course, there are some other internal possibilities. Deven Marrero has impressed with the glove and hit two home runs last night, though his overall offensive work (in the both the majors and at Triple-A) remains uninspiring. And then there’s top prospect Rafael Devers, who’s playing at Double-A at twenty years of age.
While we watch to see how the third base situation shakes out in Boston, here are some more notes from the AL East:
- It’ll be interesting to see whether and when the Yankees make their own decisions in the infield. As ESPN.com’s Andrew Marchand writes, top prospect Gleyber Torres could represent an alternative to Chase Headley at third base. Torres, who draws big praise for his poise, just earned a promotion to the highest level of the minors after posting a strong .273/.367/.496 batting line (with 17 walks against 21 strikeouts) in 139 plate appearances at Double-A.
- The Yankees will soon face a decision on veteran reliever Ernesto Frieri, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag notes on Twitter. Frieri, 31, can opt out from his minors deal tomorrow. He has been effective through twenty Triple-A frames, allowing five earned runs on just 11 hits while compiling 23 strikeouts against eight walks. Frieri was last a reliable MLB contributor in 2013.
- Blue Jays outfielder Steve Pearce is still “at least” a few more weeks away, manager John Gibbons tells MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm (Twitter link). The 34-year-old went to the DL recently with a calf strain. He had been off to a rough start to the season, slashing just .205/.256/.373 with 24 strikeouts and just five walks through 90 plate appearances. Fortunately for Toronto, Ezequiel Carrera has hit well in Pearce’s stead.
- It seems that Orioles closer Zach Britton is proceeding as hoped as he works back from a forearm strain. Per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, via Twitter, Britton is now ramping up his throwing on flat ground. It doesn’t appear that he has taken to the mound as of yet, though there also haven’t been any setbacks so far. While the club isn’t yet ready to put a specific timeline on the lefty, the original schedule still seems reasonable.
Injury Notes: Polanco, Pedroia, Happ, Mets, Nats, Palka
The Pirates seemingly made it through a scare today after outfielder Gregory Polanco was carted off the field following a collision with the wall. As Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review first tweeted, Polanco escaped with only a sprained ankle. Still, the severity isn’t quite clear and may not be until the joint responds overnight. As Stephen Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets, Polanco did require a walking boot after the game.
Here are some more injury updates from around the game:
- Some fears were seemingly put to rest for Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia after an X-ray on his wrist came back clean, as Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald was among those to report. But Pedroia, who was injured in a collision while running to first base, has yet to undergo an MRI. The team is sending him back to Boston for a closer look tomorrow morning, with his status to be assessed thereafter.
- The Blue Jays will welcome back starter J.A. Happ from the DL tomorrow, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports on Twitter. Happ, 34, was sidelined after his third start of the year with elbow inflammation. He had recorded twenty strikeouts against four walks in his first 16 innings on the year after racking up 195 frames of 3.18 ERA ball in 2016.
- There are some updates on notable injured Mets players, courtesy of Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. Closer Jeurys Familia says he is “feeling good” and thinks he can resume throwing within about two weeks — possibly setting up a return as soon as late August. Both Steven Matz and Seth Lugo, meanwhile, will take additional rehab starts before returning to the majors. They are said to be slated for the rotation, with Robert Gsellman expected to move to the bullpen. Meanwhile, star outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is looking at another week or ten days before he’s back, though the team is treading carefully. The current issue — not his hamstring, for which he originally went on the DL, but his quadriceps — is apparently tied to the injury that kept Cespedes out of action for a stretch last year.
- As for the division-rival Nationals, the bench got some good news today. Stephen Drew made it back from the DL today after a long layoff for a hamstring strain, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports. And it seems that Chris Heisey may be ready to return much more quickly than seemed likely when it was learned that he had a torn biceps tendon. Heisey is already on a rehab assignment, in fact, since it turns out he can essentially play through the injury. As manager Dusty Baker put it: “Boy, if you’re going to get hurt, I guess you gotta hurt something that you really don’t need.”
- Twins outfield prospect Daniel Palka is out “indefinitely” after suffering a fractured left index finger, as Triple-A Rochester PR official Nate Rowan tweets. The 25-year-old has shown big-time power in the minors, but also swings and misses with some frequency. He has yet to conquer the highest level of the minors; through 171 plate appearances this year, he owns a .261/.316/.452 batting line with eight long balls.
Injury Notes: Trout, Kendrick, Happ, Liriano, Gray
Updates on some injury situations around baseball….
- Mike Trout sprained his left thumb while sliding into second base in today’s game against the Marlins, which led to the Angels superstar to leave the game an inning later. (Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register was one of many with the details.) X-rays were negative on the injury, though more will be known once Trout undergoes an MRI tomorrow. Trout has never been on the disabled list in his career, though he did miss a few games earlier this month with a hamstring issue. Needless to say, losing Trout would be an enormous blow to an Angels team that is hanging in in the AL wild card race despite a plethora of pitching injuries and a lack of team hitting, Trout’s incredible .337/.461/.742 slash line notwithstanding.
- Howie Kendrick is expected to be activated from the DL tomorrow, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki tweets. The veteran was off to a good start in his first 10 games with the Phillies before hitting the DL in mid-April with an oblique strain. He was the starting left fielder in all 10 of his games, though one might expect the versatile Kendrick to be moved around the diamond since Aaron Altherr has broken out since taking over in left.
- The Blue Jays could get both J.A. Happ and Francisco Liriano back from the DL this week, Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi writes. Happ could be activated as early as Tuesday for a start against the Reds, as though he may be limited to 65-70 pitches, the Jays bullpen could pick up the slack (assuming Marcus Stroman doesn’t have an abbreviated start on Monday, of course). Happ has been sidelined since mid-April due to elbow inflammation, while Liriano hit the DL earlier this month due to shoulder inflammation. Liriano is scheduled for a rehab start tonight and is tentatively slated to return to the Jays for a start against the Yankees on Friday.
- Rockies righty Jon Gray threw a bullpen session today as he continues his recovery from a fractured left foot. Manager Bud Black told the Denver Post’s Nick Groke and other reporters that Gray will undergo leg-strengthening exercises this week in order to allow for fielding practice, and then Gray will embark on a rehab assignment. Despite this rough outline, there is “no timetable for when he returns to a game,” Black said. Gray made only three starts before suffering his stress fracture, though his absence hasn’t stopped the surprising Rockies from posting the National League’s best record.
Anthony Alford To Undergo Wrist Surgery
SATURDAY, 6:53pm: Alford will indeed undergo surgery and is likely to miss at least four to six weeks, per Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com.
9:07am: The Jays have announced that Alford will meet with hand specialist Dr. Donald Sheridan next week and that he’s likely to have surgery.
WEDNESDAY: The Blue Jays have placed outfielder Anthony Alford on the 10-day DL, as Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca first reported on Twitter. Per the club’s announcement, Alford has been diagnosed with a fractured hamate bone in his left wrist.
Alford, 22, had only recently been called up for his first taste of the big leagues. At the time, it wasn’t clear whether he’d hold down a roster spot for more than a brief stretch. Now, Alford will accrue major league service time while he heals. His expected recovery timeline isn’t yet known, though typically such injuries require around six weeks of down time.
Injuries rarely come at opportune moments, but the timing is particularly unfortunate here. Alford was off to a strong start at Double-A, slashing .325/.411/.455 with 16 walks against 24 strikeouts before his promotion. That came on the heels of a tepid 2016 performance, and the club surely hoped to see him extend that momentum — perhaps setting the stage for holding down a regular MLB role.
From the team’s perspective, it also hurts to see Alford’s service clock run while he’s out. It’s possible for the youngster to pick up as many as 136 days of service this year. Even if he ends up returning and being optioned later in 2017, thus limiting the tally, the service days accrued now could potentially play a role in determining when Alford reaches arbitration or even free agency.
Coming up to take the open spot on the active roster is Dwight Smith Jr. The 53rd overall pick in the 2011 draft, Smith had recently been optioned after making his own MLB debut following a strong showing to open the season at Triple-A.