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Orioles Outright Evan Phillips

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The Orioles announced Wednesday that right-hander Evan Phillips has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Norfolk. Baltimore’s 40-man roster is down to 36 players.

Phillips, 26, was acquired in the 2018 trade that sent Kevin Gausman and Darren O’Day to the Braves. He’s been up and down with the O’s since that trade, pitching to a 7.36 ERA with an impressive 65 strikeouts (12.3 K/9) but an alarming 36 walks (6.8 BB/9) through 47 2/3 frames as a member of the Baltimore ’pen.

Control issues have been a problem even in the upper minors, although Phillips does also own a 3.41 ERA and 10.8 K/9 in 121 Triple-A innings. Phillips sits a bit north of 94 mph with his heater but doesn’t possess the type of high-end spin rate or swinging-strike rates on the pitch one would expect from a pitcher with his strikeout rates.

Cubs Select Josh Phegley, Designate Josh Osich

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The Cubs have selected the contract of catcher Josh Phegley from their alternate training site and designated left-handed reliever Josh Osich for assignment in order to open roster space, per a club announcement. Phegley will make the team’s Wild Card roster.

Phegley, 32, logged 18 plate appearances with the Cubs earlier this season but struggled in that short sample, collecting just one hit and one walk while getting plunked by a pitch in that time as well. He’ll be a third catcher behind Willson Contreras and Victor Caratini this series and give the Cubs a bench option who hit .233/.282/.397 in 300 games with the A’s from 2015-19.

Osich, also 32, allowed six runs (three earned) on five hits with four strikeouts in just 2 2/3 innings over four games with the Cubs. Osich notched a 4.66 ERA in 67 2/3 innings with the Cubs last year while posting a 61-to-15 K/BB ratio in that time. However, he carries just a 5.02 ERA and 5.21 FIP in 206 1/3 big league innings to this point in his career. Osich can become a free agent if he goes unclaimed on waivers.

White Sox Release Steve Cishek; Ross Detwiler Elects Free Agency

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The White Sox have released right-hander Steve Cishek, according to the MLB.com transactions page.  Both Cishek and left-hander Ross Detwiler were designated for assignment earlier this week, and Detwiler is also on the move, as the southpaw has elected to become a free agent.

After pitching for the Cubs in 2018-19, Cishek moved to the south side of Chicago after signing a one-year free agent deal with the White Sox last winter.  Cishek earned $5.25MM in guaranteed salary, and he will get $750K as a buyout of the $6.75MM club option on his services for the 2021 season.

For that $6MM investment, the White Sox received a 5.40 ERA, 2.33 K/BB rate, and 9.5 K/9 over 20 innings from Cishek.  As noted by MLBTR’s Steve Adams last Thursday, much of the damage done to Cishek’s ERA came early in the season — Cishek allowed seven runs over his first 5 2/3 innings of work (in seven games) before settling down to allow five runs over his next 14 1/3 innings (15 appearances).  That said, Cishek also had the highest HR/9 and the lowest ground-ball rate of his 11 MLB seasons, albeit in the small sample size of the abbreviated 2020 campaign.

While Cishek had a tough start and a solid finish to his season, Detwiler was the opposite story.  The lefty didn’t allow a run until his 10th appearance of the season, and had a sterling 1.47 ERA over his first 18 1/3 innings pitched.  Unfortunately for Detwiler, a disastrous final outing more than doubled his runs allowed total for the entire season, though his final numbers (3.20 ERA, 3.00 K/BB rate, 6.9 K/9 in 19 2/3 IP) are more than respectable.

With 23 combined Major League seasons on their resumes, Cishek and Detwiler offer a lot of experience for teams looking for veteran bullpen depth this offseason.  The two veterans, however, will face a lot of competition for jobs amidst a deep field of free agent relievers that will only grow longer once more teams begin their offseason roster maintenance.

White Sox Reinstate Leury Garcia From 45-Day IL, Designate Alex McRae

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The White Sox have reinstated utilityman Leury Garcia from the 45-day injured list and included him on their postseason roster, the team announced.  Righty Alex McRae was designated for assignment to create roster space.

Garcia hasn’t played since August 10, as a severed thumb ligament required surgery.  The 29-year-old was off to a pretty nice start, hitting .271/.317/.441 over his 63 regular season plate appearances, getting a lot of action at shortstop (due to Tim Anderson’s own IL stint) and second base (before Nick Madrigal was called up to the big leagues).  Garcia has been known more for his versatility than his switch-hitting bat over his eight MLB seasons, and his ability to play all over the diamond will make him a nice bench piece for the Sox during their postseason run.  As a member of the White Sox organization since 2013, this playoff appearance surely feels extra sweet for Garcia after seven losing seasons.

McRae only appeared in two games for Chicago this season, tossing three scoreless innings.  The right-hander signed a minor league deal with the White Sox last winter after spending his first six pro seasons in the Pirates organization.  McRae saw Major League action in both 2018 and 2019, posting a combined 8.18 ERA, 6.5 K/9, and 1.14 K/BB rate over 33 innings for Pittsburgh.

Astros Sign Yuli Gurriel To One-Year Extension

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11:10am: Gurriel will earn $250K upon reaching 300 and 350 plate appearances, tweets The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. He’ll also earn $350K for reaching 400 and 450 plate appearances as well as $400K for reaching 500 and 550 plate appearances.

10:32am: Just hours before postseason play begins, the Astros announced that they’ve extended first baseman Yuli Gurriel on a one-year deal that includes a club option for the 2022 season. The 36-year-old Wasserman client would’ve been a free agent this winter but will instead return for at least a sixth season in Houston.

Yuli Gurriel | Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports

Gurriel will be guaranteed $7MM on the contract, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (via Twitter). That comes in the form of a $6.5MM salary and a $500K buyout on an $8MM option for the 2022 season. He can also earn another $2MM worth of incentives on the deal.

The 2020 season hasn’t been a good one for Gurriel, who has followed last year’s superlative .298/.343/.541 slash with a dismal .232/.274/.384 batting line in 2020. The downturn at the plate doesn’t seem to have scared off first-year GM James Click, owner Jim Crane and the rest of the Astros’ decision-makers, however. “We’re excited to bring him back and get this done before the playoffs,” Click tells reporters (Twitter link via FOX 26’s Mark Berman).

Gurriel was just one of many impending free agents for Houston. They’re still facing the prospect of losing an entire outfield, with each of George Springer, Michael Brantley and Josh Reddick slated to hit the open market.

The emergence of top prospect Kyle Tucker fills one of those previously expensive outfield slots on the cheap, but it remains to be seen how the Astros will address the additional pair of vacancies. Crane has repeatedly voiced a desire to keep Springer in Houston long term, but extension talks have obviously yet to bear fruit.

Even with all those salaries coming off the books, the Astros already had just shy of $117MM committed to the team’s 2021 payroll. Gurriel’s new deal pushes that sum north of $122MM. A hefty portion of that payroll commitment is the $33MM owed to Justin Verlander, who will likely miss all of next year due to Tommy John surgery.

Despite the gut-punch of losing their ace and possibly seeing the likes of Springer and Brantley walk out the door, though, the Astros’ decision to re-sign Gurriel at what looks to be a relatively aggressive rate is at least an early signal of a continued win-now outlook.

Gurriel earned $8.3MM in 2020, so this new salary does represent a bit of a pay cut. However, non-star-caliber first basemen have seen the market rate for their services continually deteriorate in recent years. Between that trend, the considerable revenue losses that have hit the league’s 30 teams and Gurriel’s 2020 struggles, it’s a bit surprising to see him land a $7MM guarantee. The contract likely reflects that the Astros have come to value Gurriel for reasons beyond his production at the plate and that the team is confident in his ability to rebound.

The new contract further thins out what was already a bleak crop of free-agent first basemen. Other clubs seeking options at the position will likely need to invest in a rebound candidate or else take to the trade market as they search for upgrades.

Astros Designate Joe Biagini, Select Chas McCormick

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The Astros have designated right-hander Joe Biagini for assignment, general manager James Click announced to reporters prior to today’s opening round against the Twins (Twitter link via Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). His roster spot will go to outfielder Chas McCormick who has been included on Houston’s postseason roster. McCormick becomes the third player promoted to the big leagues for a potential postseason MLB debut today — joining Minnesota’s Alex Kirilloff and Tampa Bay’s Shane McClanahan.

McCormick was a 21st-round pick for the Astros in the 2017 draft, and he has made a relatively quick trip up Houston’s minor league ladder, already reaching Triple-A ball in 2019.  Over 1126 plate appearances in the minors, the 25-year-old McCormick has hit .276/.360/.400, with 20 homers and 41 steals (out of 53 chances).  MLB Pipeline rates McCormick as the 24th-best prospect in the Astros’ farm system, citing his “solid raw power,” ability to play all three outfield positions, and a “grinder makeup [that] allows him to get the most out of his tools.”

The Astros’ starting outfield mix is heavy in left-handed hitters, so McCormick’s right-handed bat will provide a bit of balance if necessary off the bench.  Myles Straw is the only other right-handed hitting outfielder on Houston’s postseason roster, though backup infielder Aledmys Diaz has played a handful of games in the outfield over his career.

It’s been a tough year for Biagini, who only appeared in four games due to a shoulder injury and then a demotion to the Astros’ alternate training site.  Biagini allowed damage in all four of his outings, finishing with a ghastly 20.77 ERA over 4 1/3 innings of work.  The righty is arbitration-eligible this winter (his third of four trips as a Super Two player), but Biagini’s struggles both in 2020 and even since joining the Astros last season make him seem like a non-tender candidate.

Twins Designate Sean Poppen For Assignment

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The Twins announced this morning that right-hander Sean Poppen has been designated for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to top outfield prospect Alex Kirilloff, who is being promoted for his MLB debut in Minnesota’s Wild Card showdown with the Astros.

Poppen, 26, has seen limited big league time with the Twins in each of the past two seasons, pitching to a combined 6.19 ERA and 3.33 FIP with a 19-to-9 K/BB ratio in 16 innings of relief. A 19th-round pick by the Twins back in 2016, Poppen carries a 3.84 ERA and a 68-to-27 K/BB ratio in 61 innings of work in Triple-A. He averages 94 mph on his sinker and has multiple minor league options remaining beyond the 2020 season, which could prompt another club to take a speculative look with a waiver claim.

Rays Designate Sean Gilmartin For Assignment

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The Rays have designated left-hander Sean Gilmartin for assignment in order to open a spot on the roster for top pitching prospect Shane McClanahan, tweets Juan Toribio of MLB.com.

A former first-round pick and top pitching prospect himself, Gilmartin had a strong rookie campaign with the Mets as a Rule 5 pick back in 2015 but hasn’t found much success in the big leagues since. He logged just 4 1/3 frames with Tampa Bay this season, yielding four runs on seven hits and four walks with five strikeouts. Since that sharp rookie season, Gilmartin has a combined 6.09 ERA in 54 2/3 innings. He did notch a 3.95 ERA through 66 innings in an extremely hitter-friendly Triple-A setting last year, though Gilmartin carries a more pedestrian 4.93 mark in 486 frames at that level. He’ll be a minor league free agent at season’s end, assuming no other club claims him.

Rays Add Top Prospect Shane McClanahan To Playoff Roster

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The Rays are adding top left-handed pitching prospect Shane McClanahan to their postseason roster, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. They’ll need to make a 40-man roster move to formally select the 2018 first-rounder’s contract.

McClanahan, 23, was selected with the No. 31 overall pick out of the University of South Florida. He split the 2019 season across three levels — Class-A, Class-A Advanced and Double-A — while pitching to a combined 3.36 ERA with 11.5 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and 0.52 HR/9. He currently ranks 79th on Baseball America’s end-of-season Top 100 prospect rankings and 99th at MLB.com. FanGraphs isn’t quite as bullish, listing him 10th within his own organization.

Armed with an upper-90s heater, a plus breaking ball and a potentially average changeup, McClanahan has the potential to eventually slot into the Rays’ rotation. That almost certainly won’t be his role this postseason, as he’ll likely instead give Kevin Cash a hard-throwing lefty with whom opposing advance scouts may not be especially familiar. MLB.com’s report on McClanahan gives him the upside of a No. 3 starter or better while noting that the effort in his delivery gives some scouts pause in projecting him as a starter. Even if the ’pen is his home in the long run, McClanahan’s power fastball and plus curve give him the tools to serve as a formidable relief weapon with Tampa Bay.

McClanahan won’t gain any big league service time for the days spent on the Rays’ postseason roster, but he’ll be added to the 40-man roster sooner than was necessary to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft and now firmly put himself in position for a big league opportunity early in the 2021 campaign. The Rays may still want to see McClanahan get some work in Triple-A next season, but a strong showing during a deep postseason run could also force the organization’s hand.

Twins To Add Top Prospect Alex Kirilloff To Playoff Roster

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In a surprise move, the Twins are set to promote top outfield prospect Alex Kirilloff for what would be his MLB debut during the first round of the postseason. Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported last night that the move was being discussed, and both Seth Stohs of TwinsDaily.com and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com (Twitter link) hear that Kirilloff is indeed being added to the big league roster. His contract will need to be formally selected, although fellow rookie outfielder Brent Rooker is on the 10-day IL with a season-ending forearm fracture, so he could just be moved to the 45-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster.

Alex Kirilloff | David Dermer-USA TODAY Sports

Kirilloff, 22, was the No. 15 overall pick of the 2016 draft. He missed the 2017 due to Tommy John surgery but cemented himself as one of the game’s top 50 overall prospects when he laid waste to Class-A pitching in his 2018 return. The Pittsburgh native split that season between Class-A and Class-A Advanced, posting a combined .348/.392/.578 slash with 20 homers, 44 doubles and seven triples in just 561 plate appearances. He followed that up with a .283/.343/.413 slash that was good for a 121 wRC+ in the pitcher-friendly Double-A Southern League last year.

The move to bring Kirilloff up could very well mean bad news for either Byron Buxton or Josh Donaldson, each of whom has been hobbled by injuries recently. Buxton showed concussion symptoms after being hit in the head by a pitch late last week, while Donaldson has again been dealing with calf issues. Both Buxton and Donaldson worked out with the club yesterday, and manager Rocco Baldelli tabbed it a “relatively good day” for both players.

If and when Kirilloff is added to the roster there’s no guarantee he’ll draw a start in the series. Even if Buxton is sidelined, the club could lean on Eddie Rosario, Jake Cave and Max Kepler across the outfield. Kirilloff, as is the case with that trio, is a left-handed bat, so he wouldn’t even necessarily draw a platoon-based date with Houston lefty Framber Valdez. At the very least, however, he’d give the club an intriguing lefty bat to pinch-hit. Kirilloff has experience at all three outfield positions and at first base as well, so Baldelli could work him into the mix in a variety of ways.

Kirilloff won’t get any big league service time for appearing on the Major League roster in the playoffs, but his promotion only further confirms that he’s on the cusp of an audition as an everyday piece in Minnesota. The only question is just where he’ll slot in. The Twins locked Kepler up on a five-year extension just last year and control Buxton through the 2022 season. Rosario, meanwhile, is only controlled through 2021. Between fellow top 100 prospect Trevor Larnach and the aforementioned Rooker, Minnesota is well stocked with corner outfield bats that are MLB-ready or quite close to it.

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