Red Sox Designate Michael Feliz For Assignment
The Red Sox have designated Michael Feliz for assignment, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com (via Twitter). Reliever Kaleb Ort will be added to the roster today to take Feliz’s roster spot, adds Cotillo.
Boston originally signed Feliz last August, but the Athletics claimed him off waivers just a month later. The Red Sox signed Feliz again this offseason. The 29-year-old has just one appearance on the year. In Triple-A, Felix logged 24 2/3 innings across 18 outings (three starts) with a 3.28 ERA.
The bullpen is one area where Chief Baseball Officer Chaim Bloom may look to upgrade the roster before the August 2nd trade deadline, writes Cotillo. Garrett Whitlock is working his way back through a rehab assignment, so there’s at least one internal improvement on the way. The Red Sox also expect Josh Taylor to come back and be a weapon from the left side.
As for Feliz, the 29-year-old will again be exposed to waivers. Feliz has spent time with the Astros, Pirates, Reds, and Athletics, in addition to the Red Sox. He has now appeared in the Majors for eight straight seasons, compiling an overall 5.29 ERA/4.17 FIP in 228 appearances totaling 250 innings.
Ort, 30, made his Major League debut last season for the Red Sox, facing just three batters. He has a 3.12 ERA across 33 appearances in Triple-A this season, however.
Giants Claim Colton Welker From Rockies
The Giants announced to reporters, including Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com, that they have claimed infielder Colton Welker off waivers from the Rockies. Welker was designated for assignment by the Rockies on the heels of season-ending shoulder surgery. The Giants have recalled him from the minors and placed him on the 60-day injured list.
Welker was in the minors at the time of his injury but was occupying a spot on the 40-man roster. The Rockies could have opened that roster spot by recalling Welker and placing him on the 60-day IL. However, doing so would have entitled Welker to MLB pay and service time. The Rockies evidently preferred to clear up that roster spot without paying Welker and designated him for assignment.
The Giants, on the other hand, were willing to pay Welker in exchange for adding him to their system, something that has become a pattern of theirs in recent years. They added Luis Gonzalez and Darien Nunez in similar situations, making this the third such occasion in the past year. Welker will now collect MLB pay and service time but won’t take up a spot on the Giants’ roster.
Selected in the fourth round of the 2016 draft, Welker didn’t take long to be noticed by prospect evaluators. Baseball America placed him on their list of top 30 farmhands in the Rockies’ system in 2017 and he’s been there ever since. However, he’s been slowed in recent years, as he was hit with an 80-game suspension in May of 2021 after testing positive for a banned substance. Between the pandemic wiping out the minor leagues in 2020, last year’s suspension and this year’s injury, he’s only played 62 games over the past three years.
The Giants are apparently still high on Welker, despite those setbacks. The last extended stretch of play he had was in Double-A in 2019. In 98 games there, he hit .252/.313/.408 for a wRC+ of 109. This year, he only got into ten Triple-A games but was excellent in that small sample, hitting .324/.422/.514, 135 wRC+.
Phillies Designate Sam Clay For Assignment
The Phillies announced that left-hander Kent Emanuel has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. To create room on the 40-man roster, fellow lefty Sam Clay has been designated for assignment.
Drafted by the Twins in the fourth round in 2014, Clay eventually reached minor league free agency at the end of the 2020 season without ever getting selected to the big league team. However, the Nationals liked him enough that they gave him a major league deal a couple of weeks later.
The Nats were likely hoping for better results than they got, as Clay put up a 5.60 ERA over 45 MLB innings last year. That came with a 15.9% strikeout rate and 10.3% walk rate, both of those numbers being worse than typical averages and Clay’s own track record in the minors. He did continue inducing ground balls, though, getting them at a 60.1% rate.
This year, it’s been a mixed bag for the 29-year-old, as he has a bloated 10.38 ERA in the big leagues, but in a tiny sample of just 4 1/3 innings. In 20 1/3 Triple-A frames, it’s a 3.10 ERA with a 64.5% ground ball rate, 21.7% strikeout rate and 7.6% walk rate.
This is the second DFA for Clay in the past week, as he was just cut from Washington’s roster and claimed by the Phillies in recent days. The Phillies likely knew that Emanuel was nearing a return from the injured list, making it possible that they claimed Clay with the express purpose of trying to pass him through waivers and retaining his services but without him taking up a roster spot. Regardless of their intentions, they will have one week to work out a trade, pass Clay through waivers or release him.
Cardinals Designate Angel Rondon For Assignment
The Cardinals have announced that left-hander Genesis Cabrera has been activated from the injured list. To make room for him on the active roster, right-hander James Naile has been optioned to Triple-A. Since Cabrera was on the COVID IL, he wasn’t occupying a spot on the 40-man roster. To make room for him there, righty Angel Rondon has been designated for assignment.
Rondon, 24, was an international signing of the Cardinals out of the Dominican Republic in 2016. He largely worked as a starter in the lower levels of the minors but has gradually transitioned into more of a relief role in the upper levels and in the majors. He has just seven MLB innings on his ledger so far, five of which came in a single appearance this year. After Steven Matz started the game against the Pirates on May 22, he departed after just four pitches. Rondon entered and threw five scoreless frames, but was optioned out for a fresh arm the next day.
Through 49 Triple-A innings on the year, he has a 4.04 ERA with a 24.2% strikeout rate but a concerning walk rate of 15.3%. Five of his 18 appearances have been starts, meaning he hasn’t fully crossed the threshold that separates the rotation from the bullpen. He still has youth on his side and is in his second option year, meaning he can be stashed in the minors for the rest of this season as well as another campaign. Given the mounting injuries around the league, it’s entirely plausible that some team is intrigued enough to take a shot on him. Baseball America has considered him to be one of the top 30 prospects in the Cardinals’ system in each of the past three years, highlighting his slider as the best offering in his four-pitch mix. The Cardinals will have a week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him.
Pirates Acquire Yohan Ramirez, Designate Aaron Fletcher
The Pirates announced a series of roster moves prior to tonight’s contest. Right-handed pitcher Yohan Ramirez was acquired from the Guardians for cash considerations and optioned to Triple-A. Infielder Kevin Newman was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. That adds two players to the 40-man roster, which had been at 39. To open up one extra spot, left-hander Aaron Fletcher was designated for assignment. Furthermore, outfielder Bligh Madris was optioned to create room on the active roster for Newman, while right-hander Bryse Wilson was returned to Triple-A after serving as the 27th man during yesterday’s doubleheader. Catcher Tyler Heineman was also transferred from the paternity list to the family medical emergency list.
Ramirez, 27, was designated for assignment by the Guardians earlier this week. He has 58 2/3 innings of MLB experience since the start of the 2020 season, mostly with the Mariners. He fared well enough in 2020 and 2021, putting up a 3.35 ERA with a 29.3% strikeout rate, though that also came with subpar walk and ground ball rates of 15.4% and 25.7%, respectively. A tiny .182 BABIP was likely helping keep his ERA down, though his good luck ran out this year. He ran up a 7.56 ERA in 8 1/3 innings before the Mariners designated him for assignment and then sent him to Cleveland for cash.
The Guardians gave him just a single appearance at the big league level but 10 1/3 innings in Triple-A. His 4.35 ERA with Columbus isn’t awful, but that’s come despite an alarming 22.7% walk rate. The 27-year-old still has options and intriguing strikeout numbers, however, making him a fairly sensible add for a rebuilding Pirates club. They can continue giving him looks in the minors for the rest of this year as well as next year, as long as he continues to hold onto a 40-man roster spot.
As for Fletcher, 26, he’s had some very brief stints at the big league level with the Mariners and Pirates, going from Seattle to Pittsburgh on a waiver claim back in March. Combined, he has 19 2/3 innings of MLB experience with an unfortunate 9.15 ERA in that small sample. This year, his mark is 6.94, significantly better but still not great, though that’s an even smaller sample size of just 11 2/3 frames. He’s fared much better in the minors, throwing 18 2/3 innings at Triple-A this year with a 1.45 ERA. He’s typically been a ground ball pitcher, never racking up huge strikeout numbers at Triple-A or the majors. This year’s no exception, as he has a 55.2% grounder rate and an 11% strikeout rate for Indianapolis.
Left-handed relief is always in demand somewhere, making it likely Fletcher finds some interest from other clubs. He also has another option year remaining after this one, meaning an acquiring club could potentially keep him stashed in the minors as depth for another year and a half. The Bucs will have one week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him.
Guardians Promote Nolan Jones, Designate Sandy Leon
The Guardians announced a series of roster moves to reporters tonight, with Zack Meisel of The Athletic among those to relay them on Twitter. Prospect Nolan Jones has been promoted to the big leagues, while catcher Austin Hedges was activated from the seven-day concussion list. To create room for those two, outfielder Richie Palacios was optioned to Triple-A and catcher Sandy Leon was designated for assignment.
Jones, 24, was a second round selection of Cleveland in the 2016 draft. Considered by most evaluators to be a bat-first prospect, he mashed his way through the lower levels of the minors and jumped onto top prospect lists in 2019. Baseball America ranked him the #96 prospect in the league that year, with Jones pushing up the list as the season went on. However, that campaign ended on a bit of a sour note, as Jones underwent thumb surgery in October of 2019.
That was the first of a couple of obstacles that slowed his ascent to the big leagues. 2020 saw the minor leagues wiped out entirely by the pandemic, and Jones showed some rust when organized games returned in 2021. He improved as the season went along, though, finishing the year with a .238/.356/.431 line in 407 Triple-A plate appearances, good enough for a wRC+ of 113. Unfortunately, an ankle injury in August finished his season and caused him to start his offseason with a surgery for a second time.
Things seem to be back on track here in 2022, however, as Jones has hit .311/.417/.500 through 108 plate appearances in Triple-A this year, producing a 146 wRC+. If he can carry any of that over to the big leagues, it will provide an offensive boost to a team that’s lacking in that department. Despite an even 40-40 record, the team’s overall slash line is .243/.307/.377 for a wRC+ of 95, ranking them 21st in the league.
Defensively, things are a bit less certain for Jones. He largely played third base in his first few minor league seasons, but due to questions about his abilities there, coupled with the presence of Jose Ramirez, Jones has been moved to other places on the diamond. He started playing right field last year, with that spot becoming his regular home so far this season. He also played one game at first base last year and a couple in left field here in 2020. With Palacios being optioned out, Jones should step into the outfield mix next to Myles Straw and Steven Kwan.
As for Leon, 33, he started the year with the Reds on a minor league deal. The Guardians acquired him recently when Hedges landed on the IL. He got into nine games and hit .133/.381/.133. He’s never been much of a hitter outside of a surprise surge in 2016, instead earning his keep with quality game-calling and defense. The Guardians will have one week to trade him, pass him through waivers or release him. If he were to clear waivers, Leon would be eligible to reject an outright assignment by virtue of being a veteran with over five years of MLB service time.
Juan Lagares Signs With KBO’s SSG Landers
Free agent outfielder Juan Lagares has signed with the SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization, the team announced (h/t to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News). The ACES client will be paid $495K for the remainder of the season.
It’s the first professional trip outside North America for Lagares, who has spent the past 16 years in the affiliated ranks. The 33-year-old has suited up with the Mets and Angels for 850 games in the major leagues. A Gold Glove caliber center fielder early in his career, he earned regular playing time on the strength of his glove for a good chunk of his stint in Queens.
Over the past few seasons, Lagares has settled in as a depth outfielder in the majors. His defensive metrics have tailed off and he’s posted well below-average numbers at the plate in each of the past two seasons. Lagares hit .236/.266/.372 through 327 plate appearances with the Halos last year. He returned on a minor league deal over the winter and earned another big league look in late May. After a disappointing 20-game showing, the Angels designated him for assignment last month. He cleared outright waivers and hit free agency, and he’ll now join a Landers team that has the KBO’s best record (52-26).
In a corresponding move, the Landers are releasing first baseman Kevin Cron. The former Diamondback spent the 2021 season in Japan and made the move to South Korea on a $750K contract last offseason. He’s struggled to a .222/.255/.420 line across 259 trips to the plate. While he’s hit 11 home runs and flashed some of the power potential he showed in the minor leagues, his on-base deficiencies mounted to the point the team decided to move on. The 29-year-old will be a free agent.
That also seems as if it’ll be true for veteran starter Iván Nova. Yoo adds the Landers are seeking a replacement for the 35-year-old righty, who signed for $900K over the winter. Nova has been tagged for a 6.50 ERA through 12 starts, only striking out 11% of the batters he’s faced. Yoo notes that various injuries could have played a part in that underperformance, but the club will look for an alternative nevertheless. An 11-year MLB veteran, Nova hasn’t pitched in the majors since 2020. KBO teams are permitted to carry two foreign-born pitchers on their rosters, so the Landers seem likely to look for a new option to pair with Wilmer Font, who is having an excellent season.
Diamondbacks Outright Cole Tucker
The Diamondbacks announced that infielder Cole Tucker has been outrighted to Triple-A Reno. There was no public announcement of Tucker having been designated for assignment, but the club evidently passed him through waivers in recent days. Arizona’s 40-man roster now sits at 39.
The fact that the 29 other teams in the league passed on a chance to grab Tucker for nothing shows how far his stock has fallen in recent years. Selected by the Pirates with the 24th overall pick in the 2014 draft, he was considered one of the better prospects in Pittsburgh’s system during his time in the minors. Baseball America ranked him one of the ten best Pirate farmhands for five straight years beginning in 2015.
Tucker was always considered a glove-first prospect, but the Pirates surely hoped for more offense than what Tucker was able to provide during his time in the organization. In 154 MLB games over 2019-2022, he hit just .211/.259/.314 for a wRC+ of 53. They eventually ran out of patience and designated him for assignment at the end of May.
The Diamondbacks snagged Tucker off waivers, perhaps hoping that a return to a familiar environment could reinvigorate his career. Tucker was born in Phoenix, played high school ball at Mountain Pointe High there and was committed to the University of Arizona before being drafted. It wasn’t a perfect homecoming, however, as the D-Backs weren’t willing to commit to having Tucker on the big league roster. He was instead optioned to the Triple-A team in Reno. In 22 games for the Aces, he’s hit .235/.297/.296 so far, producing a wRC+ of 50. He’ll now stay with the Aces but without occupying a spot on Arizona’s 40-man roster.
Reds Select Robert Dugger
The Reds announced a series of roster moves between the two games of today’s doubleheader, with Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer among those to relay the batch. Right-hander Robert Dugger has had his contract selected while catcher Mark Kolozsvary has been recalled. To make room on the active roster, reliever Luis Cessa was placed on the 15-day IL while catcher Aramis Garcia was placed on the 10-day IL. (Pitchers and position players have different minimum IL stints.) To make room for Dugger on the 40-man roster, righty Vladimir Gutierrez was transferred to the 60-day IL.
For Dugger, 27, this is the latest transaction in a season that’s been full of them. He started the season in the Rays organization on a minor league deal. He had his contracted selected on May 1, worked 5 1/3 innings of mop-up duty and then was designated for assignment the next day. The Reds grabbed him off waivers and treated him similarly, using him for a three-inning appearance before handing him his second DFA of the year. He accepted an outright assignment and eventually had his contracted selected again a few days later, but then got a third DFA without getting into a game. He accepted another outright assignment and has now returned to the big leagues yet again.
In between all of those transactions, he’s managed to throw 48 innings at the Triple-A level between the Rays and the Reds. He has a 5.06 ERA with a 17.6% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. In the big leagues, it’s been just 8 1/3 frames with a 6.48 ERA.
As for Gutierrez, he landed on the injured list just over a month ago due to forearm soreness. This transfer means he won’t be eligible to return until 60 days from that initial placement, which would be early August. He recently started ramping up by throwing batting practice but evidently suffered some kind of setback. Manager David Bell relayed the news to Goldsmith recently. Though the severity of the setback is unclear, Gutierrez evidently isn’t close to returning to action.
Garcia’s IL placement is due to a finger issue that’s plagued him in recent games, whereas Cessa’s injury isn’t clear at this time. He left the first game of the doubleheader with something bothering him in his left side.
Yankees Sign Richard Rodriguez To Minor League Contract
The Yankees recently signed reliever Richard Rodríguez to a minor league contract, as first reported by Chris Hilburn-Trenkle of Baseball America. According to the right-hander’s transactions log at MLB.com, he’s been assigned to the club’s Florida complex.
Rodríguez, 32, isn’t all that far removed from being one of the game’s better late-inning arms. He broke onto the big league scene with 69 1/3 frames of 2.47 ERA ball for the Pirates in 2018, kicking off a generally excellent three and a half year run in black and gold. He soaked up another 65 1/3 innings with a 3.72 ERA the following season before seemingly taking his game to another level in 2020. Rodríguez posted a 2.70 ERA through 24 contests during the shortened campaign, pushing his strikeout rate to an excellent 36.6% while only walking 5.4% of opponents.
That strong work both earned Rodríguez a closing role in Pittsburgh and made him one of the rebuilding club’s more interesting trade chips. His strikeouts plummeted during the first half of last season, though. Even as he continued to excel keeping runs off the board, the diminished swing-and-miss took its toll on his trade value. The Bucs flipped him to the Braves at last year’s deadline for Bryse Wilson and 2019 eighth-round pick Ricky DeVito.
Rodríguez made 27 appearances with Atlanta but only struck out nine batters in 26 innings. He allowed six home runs over that stretch and was a healthy scratch throughout the team’s World Series run. The Braves declined to tender him a contract at the end of the year, and Rodríguez hit free agency.
While he seemed a solid candidate for a buy-low big league deal, he lingered on the market until after the lockout. The reason became evident shortly after league business resumed, as he was hit in April with an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. The suspension was announced just before Opening Day but was the result of a failed test from before the December 2 lockout.
Now that the ban is up, he’ll have to pitch his way back to the big leagues. He’ll presumably spend some time at the complex building into game shape before reporting to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Yankees could eventually turn to Rodríguez as a late-season bullpen option, but he won’t be eligible for postseason play in 2022 as a result of his suspension. He has four-plus years of big league service time and won’t have enough time this season to eclipse the five-year threshold, so he’d be controllable through 2024 if he earns an MLB look and impresses club brass.