Orioles, John Means Agree To Two-Year Contract
The Orioles and left-hander John Means have avoided an arbitration hearing by agreeing to a two-year, $5.925MM contract, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link). Means will earn $2.95MM in 2022, and $2.975MM in 2023, as per Baltimore Baseball’s Rich Dubroff (via Twitter). Means is represented by the Wasserman Agency.
Means had been looking for a $3.1MM salary in 2022, while the Orioles submitted a $2.7MM figure. However, it’s probably safe to assume that Means’ Tommy John surgery played a big role in this extension coming together, even if an arbiter would have only been gauging Means’ numbers from prior to 2022 in determining his salary. As per the usual timeline for TJ recovery, Means will be out of action until at least midway through the 2023 season. The extension reflects that situation, giving Means only a minor raise for next season considering that he’ll be missing so much action.
Talking to The Baltimore Sun’s Andy Kostka and other reporters, Means said the two sides finalized the extension yesterday after negotiating for the last week. “It’s nice to not have to go to court and fight [in arbitration]. Especially in a sling. Probably not the best way to go about it,” Means joked.
The new contract locks in some financial security for Means during a difficult time in his career. While there’s never a good time for a Tommy John surgery, 2022 was the first of Means’ three arb-eligible seasons, and thus his rehab will severely impact his earning potential over his next two years. Considering that he’ll miss so much of the 2023 campaign, Means likely won’t earn too much beyond his $2.975MM salary in 2024, assuming he returns healthy and pitches well whenever he does return to the mound next season.
Means somewhat surprisingly emerged as the de facto ace of the Orioles rotation in 2019-21, bursting onto the scene with a second-place AL Rookie Of The Year finish in 2019. Over his first three seasons, Means posted a 3.73 ERA, relying on excellent control and fastball spin (if not velocity) to retire batters, despite allowing a lot of hard contact and not racking up many strikeouts. Means’ Baltimore tenure was highlighted by a no-hitter against the Mariners on May 5, 2021.
Twins Announce Multiple Roster Moves
The Twins announced a series of roster moves today, with reporters such as Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press passing them along. Righty Bailey Ober has been reinstated from the injured list while fellow righty Trevor Megill has had his contract selected. To make room on the active roster, lefty Devin Smeltzer was optioned while righty Josh Winder was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement. To make room for Megill on the 40-man roster, righty Chris Vallimont has been designated for assignment. Winder’s placement is retroactive to May 18.
With the Ober and Winder moves, the rotation adds one arm and subtracts another. Ober went on the IL at the end of April with a groin strain. Prior to that, his season was off to a nice start, as he had thrown 19 2/3 innings with a 2.75 ERA, 19% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate. Due to injuries to Ober and Dylan Bundy, Winder stepped up and threw 29 1/3 innings for the Twins. In that time, he put up an ERA of 3.68 with an 18.9% strikeout rate and 7.4% walk rate.
With Chris Paddack undergoing Tommy John surgery, the Minnesota rotation now consists of Ober, Bundy, Chris Archer, Joe Ryan and Sonny Gray. No timetable was provided for Winder’s absence, but a shoulder issue is always at least a bit concerning for a pitcher. As long as he’s out, the club will have to think about who the sixth starter will be the next time one is needed. Options on the 40-man roster include Smeltzer, Jordan Balazovic, Ronny Henriquez, Cole Sands and Drew Strotman.
Megill, 28, made his MLB debut with the Cubs last year, throwing 23 2/3 innings out of their bullpen with an 8.37 ERA. That’s an obvious indicator of poor results, but it wasn’t all bad. He struck out 26.1% of batters faced and walked just 7%, both of those numbers being better than league average. However, his 24.1% HR/FB rate was more than double last year’s 10% league average. He was non-tendered and then signed by the Twins on a minors deal. He’s carried that profile over into 2022 so far, though with much better results overall. Through 11 innings in Triple-A, he has a 3.27 ERA. His 34.1% strikeout rate is fantastic, though his HR/FB rate is 33.3%, but that represents just two dingers. He has a couple of option years remaining, meaning he could be shuttled between Triple-A and the majors as long as he can hang onto a spot on the 40-man.
Vallimont, 25, just earned his spot on the roster in November, ahead of the Rule 5 draft that ended up being canceled due to the lockout. However, through 19 innings so far in Double-A this year, he has a 9.95 ERA. His 31.1% strikeout rate at this level last year has dropped all the way down to 17.9%. His walk rate also jumped from 14.6% to 20.5%. Those results were evidently enough for the Twins to risk losing him. They will have a week to trade him or put him on waivers. Given his youth and ability to be optioned, he could attract the interest of clubs that need pitching depth who are willing to dismiss this year’s struggles as a small sample blip.
Giants Place Curt Casali On Concussion IL, Select Michael Papierski, Designate Luke Williams
2:18pm: The Giants announced the moves, with utility player Luke Williams being designated for assignment to create space for Papierski on the 40-man roster. Acquired from the Phillies in March, Williams has played eight games and hit .250/.250/.333, 67 wRC+, though he’s hit much better in ten Triple-A games. The 25-year-old still has options and has played everywhere on the diamond except in the battery, meaning he should garner plenty of interest around the league. The Giants will have a week to trade him or put him on waivers.
2:10pm: The Giants have placed catcher Curt Casali on the seven-day concussion injured list, reports John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle. Fellow catcher Mike Papierski has had his contract selected and will start behind the plate in tonight’s game. Papierski was not previously on the 40-man roster, meaning a corresponding move will be required to make room for him.
Casali, 33, came out of last night’s game, with Shea relaying that the reason was because of a foul tip that he took off the mask, leading to some concussion symptoms. Manager Gabe Kapler said that Casali felt better after the game but would be re-evaluated today. It seems there must have been something lingering, as Casali will now be out of action for at least a week.
This is Casali’s second year with the Giants. Last season, playing backup to Buster Posey, Casali got into 77 games and hit .210/.313/.350 for a wRC+ of 82. In the wake of Posey’s retirement, Casali and Joey Bart have been splitting the catching time almost evenly, with Bart getting 22 starts to Casali’s 16. Bart’s 102 wRC+ indicates he’s been 2% better than league average at the plate so far this year, though that’s come about in a very uneven fashion. His four home runs and 14% walk rate are excellent, but he’s also hitting .169 and striking out 45.3% of the time. Casali, on the other hand, was off to a great start in a more straightforward manner. In 61 plate appearances so far, he’s hitting .264/.344/.472 for a wRC+ of 134. Unfortunately, that hot start has now been stalled by this unfortunate injury.
As for Papierski, he was just acquired from the Astros in last week’s Mauricio Dubon trade and will be quickly called up to make his major league debut. A ninth round selection in the 2017 draft, he has played in 29 Triple-A games this year between the two organizations. His batting line for the season is .200/.303/.260.
Mets Announce Series Of Roster Moves
The Mets announced to reporters, including Anthony DiComo of MLB.com, a series of roster moves prior to today’s doubleheader. Max Scherzer is going on the 15-day IL and infielder Gosuke Katoh has been optioned to Triple-A. Going in the other direction, Starling Marte has been activated from the bereavement list, righty Jake Reed has been recalled, along with fellow righty Adonis Medina joining the roster as the club’s 27th man for the twin bill.
Scherzer’s placement on the injured list is the most notable yet least surprising part of all this, as it’s already been reported that he will be out for 6-8 weeks due to an oblique strain. With Scherzer out of the picture, the club’s rotation will likely consist of Chris Bassitt, Taijuan Walker, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Williams and David Peterson. In the next couple of weeks, they’re likely to get Tylor Megill back into the mix, with some combination of those six aiming to keep the train on the tracks until Scherzer and/or Jacob deGrom can get back on the mound later in the summer. The club is off to a tremendous 26-14 start and has built up a 7 1/2 game lead in the NL East, though their depth will now be tested in the weeks to come.
It’s also possible that the club could need another arm to get through this week, as last night’s snowed-out game in the Rocky Mountains has been pushed into today’s doubleheader. The Mets will now be playing six games in the next five days. Medina could eat some innings as a long man, though he hasn’t topped three innings in any appearance this season, either in the majors or the minors. Thomas Szapucki started last night’s game in Triple-A but threw only 12 pitches in one inning, perhaps indicating that the club wants to save his arm for a showing with the big league team this week.
Rockies Reinstate Kris Bryant
The Rockies announced that they have reinstated Kris Bryant from the injured list. Ashton Goudeau, who was optioned after Thursday’s game without a corresponding move, has been recalled to serve as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader.
Signed to a massive seven-year, $182MM contract in the offseason, Bryant immediately became the face of the franchise in Denver. His tenure in that position got off to a bit of a slow start, as he hit .281/.338/.351 for an 85 wRC+ in his first 15 games as a Rockie, though it’s possible his production was being squeezed by the back soreness that ultimately landed him on the injured list.
It was thought to be a relatively minor issue with the possibility of Bryant returning after the 10-day minimum stint on the IL, though it ended up taking over three weeks for him to return. It was reported a few days ago that mere rest wasn’t taking care of the issue, with Bryant eventually receiving a cortisone shot to help his recovery.
Although capable of playing multiple positions, Bryant has only been slotted into left field on days where he took the field so far this year, along with three starts at designated hitter. Since Bryant’s absence, the left field playing time has been spread around to Connor Joe, Sam Hilliard and Yonathan Daza. Joe and Daza have both been hitting well on the season so far, with Joe putting up a batting line of .278/.368/.436 for a wRC+ of 119, while Daza’s line is .375/.425/.431, 134 wRC+. Hilliard, however, has slumped to a .159/.268/.304 performance, amounting to a 54 wRC+. Based on those numbers, he seems to be the one most likely to be squeezed out by Bryant’s return.
Despite Bryant’s mediocre start to the year, the club was faring better when he was around. They went 12-9 in April but have a 6-10 record thus far in May. Although just a hair under .500 at 18-19, they are currently in the bottom of the NL West, arguably the strongest division in baseball.
Yankees Place Chad Green On IL With Elbow Strain
The Yankees announced today that right-handed reliever Chad Green has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow strain. Fellow righty Ron Marinaccio has been recalled in a corresponding move.
Green’s move to the IL is hardly surprising, given the events of recent days. He was removed from Friday’s game after a meeting on the mound with the team’s training staff, with clear concern about an injury. Yesterday, manager Aaron Boone described the injury as “significant” while adding that they would still try to get more information. Today’s announcement of the elbow strain diagnosis will do little to quell fears about Green’s situation, as arm injuries are always concerning for a pitcher. However, it seems further testing is still forthcoming, with Lindsey Adler of The Athletic relaying word from manager Aaron Boone that medical opinions are still being collected.
Regardless of how long he’s ultimately sidelined, it’s an unfortunate development for both Green and the Yankees. The righty has somewhat quietly been one of the most effective and durable relievers in the game over the past few years. This is his first trip to the injured list since 2016, his debut season. His 326 relief innings pitched from 2016 to the present are bested by only 21 other pitchers in the league. He hasn’t just been taking mop-up duty either, as he has a 2.79 ERA out of the bullpen in his career, with a 32.8% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate, racking up 11 saves and 52 holds.
While this is no doubt a blow to the Yankees’ bullpen corps, it’s also very unfortunate for Green personally, as he is set to reach free agency at season’s end. After years of being healthy and productive, suffering a serious injury just months before heading into the open market is incredibly unlucky timing, to state the obvious. However, even in a worst-case scenario where Green is headed for significant surgery that will put him out of action for more than a year, he’d likely still garner interest on a back-loaded or incentive-laden contract, such as those recently signed by Ken Giles, Kirby Yates or Tommy Kahnle. Of course, both Green and the Yankees will be hoping to avoid such a scenario.
Angels, Grant Dayton Nearing Deal
The Angels are nearing a deal with free-agent lefty Grant Dayton, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (Twitter link). Dayton, a client of KVA Sports, opted out a minor league deal with the Marlins last weekend.
Dayton, 34, has appeared in parts of five big league seasons — two with the Dodgers and three with the Braves. He carries a 3.43 ERA with a 27.6% strikeout rate against a 9.0% walk rate in 102 1/3 innings — all in relief. He’s been a generally effective reliever throughout his big league career, when healthy, although that’s a notable caveat. Dayton missed all of the 2018 season due to Tommy John surgery and has missed considerable time in subsequent seasons due to a broken foot and shoulder inflammation.
Dayton has spent the past three seasons with Atlanta, the first two of them with solid results. (His early time with the Braves overlapped with that of current Angels GM Perry Minasian, who was working in the Atlanta front office as an assistant general manager at the time.) Dayton’s 2021 campaign saw him limited to 13 frames by that shoulder issue while posting a 6.23 ERA along the way. He opened the 2022 season with Miami’s Triple-A club, pitching to a 2.35 ERA with a 24-to-5 K/BB ratio through 15 1/3 innings of bullpen work before opting out.
The Halos have a pair of lefties in their bullpen at the moment, with offseason signee Aaron Loup and homegrown southpaw Jose Suarez helping to serve as bridges to closer Raisel Iglesias. Down in the minors, lefties Kenny Rosenberg and Jhonathan Diaz give them an additional pair of the 40-man roster. Assuming a deal is finalized, Dayton will add to that left-handed depth and could get a look in the big leagues if he’s able to keep up the form that he displayed with the Marlins’ top affiliate to begin the season.
Twins Outright Jharel Cotton
May 20: Cotton cleared waivers and has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, tweets Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.
May 17: The Twins will designate right-hander Jharel Cotton for assignment today in order to open roster space for right-hander Dylan Bundy, who is being activated from the injured list, manager Rocco Baldelli announced (Twitter link via Betsy Helfand of the St. Paul Pioneer Press).
It’ll be the second DFA of the season for the 30-year-old Cotton, who was also designated back on April 13. Cotton cleared waivers the first time around and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A St. Paul, even though he has three-plus years of service time and a prior outright — either of which would allow him to reject the assignment in favor of free agency. The Twins will have a week to trade him or try to pass him through waivers a second time.
Cotton was claimed off waivers out of the Rangers organization at the end of the 2021 season and has tossed 6 2/3 innings for Minnesota thus far in 2022. He’s yielded just one run and punched out seven batters in that time, but he’s also walked six batters, hit another one and thrown a wild pitch. A former top-100 prospect who went from the Dodgers to the A’s alongside Grant Holmes and Frankie Montas in 2016’s Josh Reddick/Rich Hill swap, Cotton carries a 4.60 ERA with a 19.5% strikeout rate, a 9.2% walk rate and a 35.5% grounder rate in 195 2/3 big league innings.
As for Bundy, he’ll return after missing nearly two weeks following a positive Covid test. The former Orioles and Angels righty was brilliant to begin the season, combining for 15 1/3 innings of one-run ball with a 12-to-1 K/BB ratio across his first three starts as a Twin. He was clobbered for six runs in six innings against the Rays in his fourth start of the season, however, and his former Orioles club jumped him for a whopping nine runs in 3 2/3 innings the day before he landed on the injured list.
That pair of disastrous outings has overshadowed Bundy’s terrific start, and he’s now sitting on a 5.76 ERA with a 20.6% strikeout rate and 4.7% walk rate through 25 innings. With Bailey Ober sidelined by a groin strain and Chris Paddack landing on the 60-day IL owing to elbow inflammation, the Twins will be all the more dependent on a rebound from Bundy. If Bundy can put that pair of ugly outings behind him and right the ship, his one-year, $5MM contract contains an $11MM club option for the 2023 season. He’ll take the mound for tonight’s game in Oakland.
Dodgers Sign Pedro Baez To Minor League Deal
The Dodgers have brought righty Pedro Baez back to the organization on a minor league contract, reports Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). The longtime Dodger setup man hit free agency following the 2020 season and inked a two-year, $12.5MM contract with the Astros but was designated for assignment and released by Houston earlier this season. For now, Baez is headed to the Dodgers’ complex in Arizona to work with the staff before being assigned to a minor league affiliate.
That Baez isn’t jumping directly into minor league games shouldn’t come as a huge surprise. The 34-year-old was limited to just 6 2/3 innings in 2021-22 combined thanks largely to a shoulder injury that limited him to just 4 1/3 frames last year. Baez was healthy enough to take the mound for 2 1/3 innings this season, but he was tattooed for six runs in that time and sat at 90.2 mph with his fastball — a catastrophic drop from the 95.9 mph he averaged as recently as 2019.
There’s little harm in the Dodgers taking what amounts to a free look at Baez. He’ll only be owed the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster, as the Astros are otherwise on the hook for the right-hander’s 2022 salary. Given Baez’s track record with the Dodgers — 3.03 ERA, 25.3% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate, 100 holds, 356 innings — it’s understandable that L.A. brass would be hopeful of getting him back into form. Boosting Baez’s heater all the way back into the 96 mph range might be a long shot, but he had success in 2020 even with his heater sitting at a slightly lower 94.4 mph.
The Dodgers don’t necessarily need bullpen help at this point, but teams generally never feel they can have too much depth of this nature. Los Angeles relievers have combined for a 3.22 ERA and 3.29 FIP that rank fifth and fourth in the Majors, respectively, and they also have the game’s fifth-best strikeout rate (26.8%) and third-best walk rate (7.6%). That said, they’re a bit banged up as well, with Blake Treinen out until after the All-Star break, Victor Gonzalez on the 60-day IL and right-hander Tommy Kahnle recently landing on the 15-day IL.
Harris tweets that Kahnle is dealing with a bone bruise in his elbow, which the Dodgers are treating with a one-to-two-week shutdown from throwing. Adding another experienced arm like Baez, even if he’s now something of a project, gives them a lottery ticket of sorts who could potentially help later in the season if he’s able to rebuild some strength and velocity.
Orioles Outright Logan Allen
The Orioles announced that southpaw Logan Allen has been outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk. He’s never previously been outrighted and doesn’t have three years of big league service, so he can’t refuse the assignment. Allen will remain in the organization and try to pitch his way back onto the roster.
Baltimore just claimed Allen off waivers from the Guardians this month. He came out of the bullpen three times for skipper Brandon Hyde, allowing a pair of runs on three hits and two walks through 1 2/3 innings. After that briefest of showings, the Orioles designated him for assignment on Tuesday. This time around, the Florida native made it through waivers unclaimed. Out of minor league option years, he had to stick on an active roster or be designated for assignment.
Allen has appeared in the majors in each of the past four seasons. At one time a highly-regarded pitching prospect, he’s been dealt from the Red Sox to the Padres (in the 2015 Craig Kimbrel deal) and from San Diego to Cleveland (in the 2019 deadline Trevor Bauer, Taylor Trammell three-team swap with the Reds). Allen appeared at the back of Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list the latter season, but he’s yet to find much big league success.
Over 96 1/3 career innings, he owns a 5.89 ERA with a below-average 15.5% strikeout rate. Allen has also struggled at the Triple-A level, but he’s posted quality numbers up through Double-A and has long intrigued evaluators with a four-pitch arsenal anchored by a quality changeup. He turns 25 next week, so there’s still plenty of time for Allen to pitch his way back onto an uncertain staff in Baltimore if he shows well with Norfolk.