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White Sox Select Jonathan Stiever

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The White Sox are selecting the contract of right-hander Jonathan Stiever, per various reporters (including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin). Right-hander Alex McRae was optioned to the club’s alternate training site, while southpaw Carlos Rodón is being transferred to the 45-day injured list to open space on the 40-man roster.

Steiver will make his MLB debut this afternoon, getting the start against the Tigers. Chicago’s 2018 fifth-round pick, he’ll make quite a leap to the highest level after topping out in the High-A Carolina League last season. That’s not been uncommon in this year without minor-league play. The former Indiana University ace has been quite good in the low minors, putting up a 3.59 ERA with 193 strikeouts (10.0 K/9) against just 36 walks (1.9 BB/9) in 173 professional innings.

Along the way, he’s caught the attention of prospect followers. Keith Law of the Athletic placed Stiever fourth among Sox farmhands preseason, lauding his plus control and well-rounded repertoire. MLB Pipeline (6th), Baseball America (8th) and Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen (8th) all agree that Stiever is among Chicago’s top ten prospects.

Rodón’s IL transfer likely isn’t as ominous as it may initially sound. He was originally placed on the 10-day injured list back on August 4 with soreness in his throwing shoulder. He’d thus be eligible to return from this latest stint on September 18. Rodón is reportedly gearing up for a mound session tomorrow and hopes to return to the active roster this season.

International Signings: 9/12/20

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Since the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the opening of the 2020-21 international signing period to January 15, the 2019-20 signing window is still open, and teams are still making some additions with leftover funds in their international spending pools.  The latest…

  • The Pirates have signed Venezuelan right-hander Eduardo Zapata, John Dreker of Pirates Prospects reports (Twitter links).  Details on Zapata’s bonus aren’t known, though Dreker says the signing was made possible due to Pittsburgh’s acquisition of $243.3K in international pool money from the White Sox in last month’s trade that sent Jarrod Dyson to Chicago.
  • The Reds have signed Dominican righty Kelvin Valdez, according to Baseball America’s Ben Badler (via Twitter).  Valdez is only 17 years old, but he is already 6’3″ tall and can throw up to 95mph.
  • The Padres have signed right-hander Jose Luis Reyes, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports (via Twitter).  Reyes “is considered one of the top prospects in” Mexico, Sanchez writes, and the 18-year-old possesses a three-pitch arsenal of a slider, changeup, and a fastball in the 88-92mph range.  Reyes is 6’2″, 190 pounds.

Rangers Place Elvis Andrus On 10-Day Injured List

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The Rangers have placed shortstop Elvis Andrus on the 10-day injured list in between games of today’s doubleheader with the Athletics.  Andrus has been sidelined due to a back strain and will be replaced on the active roster by callup Sherten Apostel, who will be in the starting lineup for the second game.

This is the second time this season that Andrus has been sidelined by a back strain, as a previous IL stint cost him just shy of two weeks of action.  With so little time left on the schedule and the Rangers out of the playoff race, it’s probably safe to assume Andrus’ 2020 season is over.

The back injuries and a lack of production have combined to make 2020 a nightmare for Andrus, who is hitting only .194/.252/.330 with three homers.  After seemingly breaking out with a .299/.348/.457 slash line over 1257 PA in the 2016-17 seasons, Andrus again struggled, batting .267/.311/.383 in 1076 PA in 2018-19.

With three straight seasons of subpar play now in the books, it remains to be seen what role (if any) Andrus will play in the Rangers’ future plans, as the team was already planning to give some more time at shortstop to younger players down the stretch.  Texas still owes Andrus $14MM in each of the 2021 and 2022 seasons, and there is a $15MM club option for 2023 that could become guaranteed if Andrus receives either 1100 PA over the 2021-22 seasons, or just 550 PA in 2022.  That 2023 vesting option becomes a player option if Andrus is either claimed on waivers or traded, which will make it even more difficult for the Rangers to potentially move Andrus in some type of bad-contract swap.

Apostel will make his MLB debut tonight, and has a chance to establish himself as a potential roster piece for 2021.  Originally acquired from the Pirates in July 2018 as a player to be named later in the Keone Kela trade, Apostel has hit .249/.368/.426 over 1162 career minor league plate appearances, though he hasn’t played beyond the high-A level.  The 21-year-old Curacao native is ranked as the Rangers’ 10th-best prospect by MLB Pipeline, and its scouting report contains the intriguing detail that “Texas fielded constant trade inquiries about him from other clubs.”  Apostel is known for plus power and an outstanding throwing arm (no surprise, as he was also a pitching prospect in his younger days), at third base, though his eventual defensive future could be at first base rather than the hot corner.

Matt Chapman To Undergo Season-Ending Hip Surgery

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5:41PM: Chapman has suffered a torn hip labrum, agent Scott Boras tells Susan Slusser.  Boras estimates Chapman will need 12-16 weeks of recovery time.

1:09PM: The Oakland A’s have placed Matt Chapman on the 10-day injured list, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). Chapman has been seeking a second opinion on his right hip tendinitis, per Slusser. Chapman will now undergo surgery on the hip on Monday, which will sideline the star third baseman for the rest of the season, tweets Martín Gallegos of MLB.com.

The news obviously comes as a blow to the division-leading Athletics. Chapman’s defense at the hot corner is a rare commodity of itself – he’s a two-time Platinum Glove winner – but paired with the thump of a .503 career slugging percentage and that’s a special player. More specifically, that’s an MVP candidate: Chapman finished in the top-7 for MVP voting in each of his two full seasons.

This year, Chapman’s triple slash of .232/.276/.535 is down a little from his career standards, primarily in the on-base department. A 10.3 BB% for his career has dwindled to 5.3 BB% this season, paired some additional swing-and-miss as well (35.5 K%). In 37 games, he’s produced 1.1 rWAR, which extrapolated would be a 4.8 rWAR year over 162 games.

Taking a glass-half-full approach, Chapman should be able to return to form after the surgery, which will be performed on Monday by Dr. Marc Philippon, per Slusser. Teammate Mark Canha can give Chapman the rundown of expectations, as Canha underwent the same surgery, Slusser notes. Chad Pinder and Vimael Machín figure to get the majority of playing time at the hot corner the rest of the way.

Seth Brown has been recalled to take his roster spot, the team announced. Brown put up a surprising 26-game stint in 2019 in which he slashed .293/.361/.453 across 83 plate appearances. He’s without a hit in 4 at-bats so far this season.

Rockies Reinstate Wade Davis From Injured List

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The Rockies have activated right-hander Wade Davis off the 10-day injured list.  In a corresponding move, the team also announced that right-hander Ashton Goudeau has been sent down to the Rockies’ alternate training site.

Davis hit the IL with a right shoulder strain back on August 2, following an ugly start to the season that saw the reliever allow five earned runs over his first 2 2/3 innings of action, resulting in a 16.88 ERA.  Given Davis’ struggles both this season and in 2019, it’s probably safe to assume that he won’t regain the closer job, as Daniel Bard has emerged as a solid ninth-inning option for the Rox.

This role change will impact Davis going into next season, as a vesting option in his contract would have guaranteed the $15MM mutual option on his services for 2021 if Davis had finished 30 games — or, in this shortened 2020 season, either 11 or 12 games.  As a result, this will likely bring an end to Davis’ tenure in Colorado, a stint that has to go down as a disappointment for the Rockies given the lack of return on their three-year, $52MM investment in the veteran reliever.  There’s still time for Davis to go out on a high note, however, if he can pitch well down the stretch and help the Rockies reach the postseason.

Angels Reinstate David Fletcher From Injured List

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The Angels have reinstated infielder David Fletcher from the 10-day injured list, the club announced.  Southpaw Jose Quijada was optioned to the Angels’ alternate training site to make space for Fletcher on the active roster.

Fletcher’s IL placement (due to a left ankle sprain) was retroactive to August 31, so he will return to the field after slightly more than a minimal amount of time missed.  Fletcher will now get to resume what had been the best of his three MLB seasons, as he was batting an impressive .313/.377/.438 over his first 162 plate appearances.

Mostly playing shortstop in Andrelton Simmons’ absence, Fletcher is playing second base in tonight’s Halos lineup, which will likely be his set position for the remainder of the year since Simmons is now healthy and Anthony Rendon is entrenched at third base.  Fletcher’s versatility comes in handy for lineup juggling and late-game defensive switches, as he also has some experience at both corner outfield positions.  This gives the Angels some flexibility in how they’ll operate with Fletcher going forward, as he could continue as a regular second baseman in 2021 or perhaps shift over to shortstop if Simmons leaves in free agency.

Red Sox Activate Nathan Eovaldi, Option Matt Hall

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The Red Sox have reinstated Nathan Eovaldi in time to make the start tonight, per a team release. In the corresponding move, lefty Matt Hall was optioned to the team’s alternate training site.

Eovaldi hit the injured list at the very tail end of August. He made 6 starts on the year after earning the Opening Day start for the first time in his career. He went 2-2 with a 4.98 ERA/4.62 FIP across 34 1/3 innings with a strong 5.5 K/BB. Manager Ron Roenicke plans for Eovaldi to go just a couple of innings in tonight’s start as he works his way back from a calf strain, per Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).

Hall’s season went back bad to worse last night as he absorbed the loss to the Rays after surrendering 4 runs in 2 1/3 innings. The 27-year-old southpaw has a 18.69 ERA on the season after yielding 18 earned runs in 8 2/3 innings across four appearances (1 start). The Red Sox acquired Hall this past January from the Tigers for 25-year-old minor-league catcher Jhon Nunez. Hall has provided valuable innings for the depleted Red Sox at the expense of his personal numbers. The Missouri native’s career ERA has risen to 11.48 while he’s fallen 0.9 rWAR further in the hole (-1.9 rWAR for his career).

Royals Make A Number Of Roster Moves

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The Kansas City Royals have been busy this afternoon. They announced a number of roster moves. In terms of additions, Kelvin Gutierrez has been reinstated to the active roster from the injured list, and Nick Heath has been recalled. To make room, Matt Reynolds has been designated for assignment and Ryan McBroom has been assigned to the team’s alternate training site.

Heath, 26, has 2 hits in 6 at-bats this season for the Royals, his first taste of big-league action. The speedy centerfielder split 2019 between Double-A and Triple-A, slashing .255/.345/.387. Heath is a burner who will get into games as a pinch-runner. He stole 60 bases last year in 73 attempts for an 82% success rate.

Gutierrez has been a top-20 prospect for the Royals, but an elbow strain sent him to the 60-day injured list in July. He debuted last season, appearing in 20 games and slashing .269/.304/.356 as their starting third baseman for much of May. Injuries slowed his progress before a toe fracture ended his season in September. Maikel Franco takes his licks as the Royals’ regular third baseman these days, but the 26-year-old Gutierrez will serve as his backup, per MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan (via Twitter). Franco has spent time DHing recently due to a leg injury, so Gutierrez may get some playing time right off the bat. He’ll be at the hot corner and batting sixth for the Royals today.

Gutierrez ostensibly takes Reynolds’ roster spot. The 29-year-old journeyman had taken on the backup third baseman role, but he went hitless in 11 at-bats while striking out 7 times. Reynolds was called up from the alternate training site earlier this week, but he’ll now be exposed to waivers before reassignment.

McBroom is probably the most recognizable name of the bunch. He’s appeared in 34 games for the Royals this season. Most of his time has come at first base or designated hitter, but he’s also frequently been brought off the bench as a pinch-hitter and occasionally sees time in the outfield corners. A triple slash of .253/.291/.493 contributed negative 0.1 rWAR, but positive 0.2 fWAR for the 28-year-old this season. With Franco taking at-bats at designated hitter because of his leg injury, the Royals have less need for McBroom’s power bat.

Rays Acquire Outfielder Michael Gigliotti From Royals

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The Rays have acquired speedy outfielder Michael Gigliotti from the Royals to complete a July 21st trade, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). The deal allowed Kansas City to keep control over Rule 5 draft pick Stephen Woods Jr. The Royals have announced the deal. The team also announced the release of Ofreidy Gomez and the addition of right-hander Alec Marsh to the team’s alternate training site.

The Royals selected Woods with the 4th overall pick of the 2019 Rule 5 draft. The 25-year-old right-hander made two appearances for the Royals this season without yielding a run. He was making the jump to the show from High-A, but this deal allows the Royals to move him freely from the active roster to the alternate training site as they so choose.

Gigliotti was a 4th round draft choice of the Royals in 2017. Baseball America ranked him as the Royals #27 overall prospect heading into the 2020 season, while Fangraphs did not place him among their top 43 prospects. Fangraphs prospect scribe Eric Longenhagen wrote, “Gigliotti has the best approach and contact skills of this group but he’s performed against competition much younger than him and has been hurt a lot.” The slender 24-year-old split 2019 between the Royals of the Arizona League, Single-A, and High-A. Across the three levels, Gigliotti hit .282/.369/.368 while swiping 36 bags.

Braves Designate Robbie Erlin, Recall Sean Newcomb

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The Atlanta Braves have designated starter Robbie Erlin for assignment, per the team. Sean Newcomb has been added to the active roster to take his place.

Erlin’s tenure in Atlanta was short, in the grand scheme of things. He made 7 appearances, 5 starts, for a 8.49 ERA/6.75 FIP while allowing 8 home runs over 23 1/3 innings. The Braves have been desperate for rotation help, claiming Erlin off waivers from the Pirates on August 7th.

Newcomb made his debut as a starter for the Braves in 2017, but by 2019 he made himself into a valuable piece of the Braves’ bullpen. He posted a 3.16 ERA/4.24 FIP across 68 1/3 innings in 51 appearances and 4 starts in 2019. When the bottom fell out from the Braves’ rotation plans in 2020, Newcomb stepped in and made four starts to disastrous results: 11.20 ERA/7.51 FIP while walking 4 per nine innings and striking out 6.6 per nine. Despite the currently-thin rotation, the Braves plan on returning Newcomb to the bullpen, per The Athletic’s David O’Brien (via Twitter).

The Braves might see some reinforcements in the rotation shortly with Cole Hamels expected to make his Braves’ debut on Wednesday, per O’Brien (via Twitter). Huascar Ynoa, Bryse Wilson, and Newcomb can provide multi-inning efforts from the bullpen, while Josh Tomlin, Ian Anderson, Kyle Wright and Hamels take turns in the rotation. Max Fried can be activated from the injured list as early as Wednesday to join the rotation, but the Braves have not updated his health status yet.

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