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Cubs Select Ian Miller, Sign Patrick Wisdom

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The Cubs selected the contract of outfielder Ian Miller prior to today’s game against the White Sox.  Righty James Norwood, already on the 10-day injured list since August 2 due to elbow inflammation, was transferred to the 45-day injured list to create roster space for Miller.

Miller appeared as a pinch-runner in the 2-1 Cubs victory, marking Miller’s first MLB appearance of the season and the 13th of his career.  The outfielder made his Major League debut in 2019, receiving 17 plate appearances (with a .412 OPS) over 12 games with the Twins.

Originally a 14th-round pick for the Mariners in the 2013 draft, Miller has only a .274/.340/.357 slash line over 3011 career minor league plate appearances, though is much better regarded for his speed (243 steals from 294 chances in the minors) and defense.  Miller’s ability to play all three outfield positions will aid a Cubs outfield that is lacking in depth with Kris Bryant and Steven Souza Jr. both on the injured list.

The Cubs also announced the signing of infielder Patrick Wisdom to a minor league contract, and he will report to the club’s alternate training site as the 58th current member of Chicago’s 60-man player pool.  Wisdom signed an MLB contract with the Mariners during the offseason but was released on August 14 before ever officially suiting up in a Seattle uniform.

Wisdom’s Major League resume remains at 41 games with the Cardinals and Rangers over the 2018-19 seasons, though he has posted some solid numbers (.252/.328/.478 with 82 homers) over 1674 career PA at the Triple-A level.  Wisdom, who celebrates his 29th birthday later this week, was the 52nd overall pick of the 2012 draft.

Blue Jays Place Matt Shoemaker On 10-Day IL

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The Blue Jays have placed right-hander Matt Shoemaker on the 10-day injured list due to shoulder inflammation, the club announced.  Righty Jacob Waguespack was recalled from the club’s alternate training site to take Shoemaker’s spot on the active roster.

Shoemaker has a 4.91 ERA, 3.57 K/BB, and 8.8 K/9 over 25 2/3 innings this season.  An ugly 2.8 HR/9 is responsible for much of that ERA, as Shoemaker has allowed a league-leading eight home runs.  While the performance has been a little shaky thus far, Shoemaker had at least been a somewhat reliable source of innings for a Jays team that hasn’t had much consistency from its rotation.

If the losses of Shoemaker and star prospect Nate Pearson weren’t enough for Toronto, Trent Thornton lasted only an inning in today’s 5-4 loss to the Rays due to his own case of right elbow inflammation.  This was the same injury that put Thornton on the IL earlier this month, and while there hasn’t yet been any word on his status, it seems likely that Thornton might again be sidelined so he can get fully healthy.

Hyun Jin Ryu, Tanner Roark, and Chase Anderson now stand as the only three healthy options in the Blue Jays rotation, though Anderson is being brought along slowly after he missed several weeks recovering from an oblique injury.  Waguespack and Anthony Kay are among the candidates to fill in as starters, Jays manager Charlie Montoyo told Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and other reporters, though naturally moving them into starting roles will also lessen a Toronto bullpen that has seen a lot of work this season.  As Nicholson-Smith noted, the recent pitching injuries will only intensify the club’s already-stated desire to acquire more arms by the trade deadline.

Angels Designate Michael Hermosillo

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The Angels announced today that they have designated outfielder Michael Hermosillo for assignment. Meanwhile, left-hander Jose Quijada was reinstated from the injured list and will return to the Angels’ alternate training site.

The 25-year-old has been up and down with the Halos over the past three seasons, tallying a combined 118 plate appearances with a .188/.288/.287 slash in that time. A former 28th-round pick, Hermosillo does possess a much more solid .361/.344/.478 slash in parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level, but he’s yet to see any of that carry over to the big leagues.

The Angels will have a week to trade Hermosillo, release him or place him on outright waivers. He can be optioned for the remainder of this year but will be out of minor league options in 2021, which likely hurts his chances of being picked up by another club, though.

Astros Place Yordan Alvarez On 45-Day Injured List

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August 23: Alvarez was transferred to the 45-day injured list today, reports Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Right-hander Chase DeJong had his contract selected for the 40-man roster, while Humberto Castellanos was optioned.

August 18: The Astros announced that DH Yordan Alvarez has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to August 16) due to right knee discomfort.  Infielder Taylor Jones has been called up from Houston’s alternate training site to take Alvarez’s roster spot.

Alvarez has appeared in only two games for the Astros this season, as he missed all of Summer Camp for undisclosed reasons and thus needed a few weeks to ramp up before joining the active roster.  Even once playing and even while homering and singling over his nine plate appearances, Alvarez was hampered by his knees, as he was a late scratch from Sunday’s lineup.  An MRI was negative, as Alvarez’s issues may simply be chronic.

“I asked [Alvarez] when did he start having these problems, and he said back in Double-A,” manager Dusty Baker told MLB.com’s Alyson Footer and other reporters yesterday.  “Most of the time when you have knee problems, they don’t subside very quickly. And when they do, they have a history of coming back.”

The Astros were only planning to use Alvarez only as a DH this season, and it seems possible that the 23-year-old might already be ticketed for DH-only duty at this early stage in his career if his knee problems prevent him from taking the field at first base or in left field.  That certainly puts a limitation on Alvarez’s overall value, though he has already shown a lot of talent at the plate — a whopping .313/.412/.655 slash line and 27 homers over 369 PA in 2019 earned Alvarez the American League’s Rookie Of The Year award.

Pitching injuries have been the story of the Astros’ season thus far, though the club is now missing two of its top bats with Alvarez and Michael Brantley both on the IL.  Jones, a 19th-round pick in the 2016 draft, may be more suited for bench depth than a regular role, though he did hit .291/.388/.501 over 531 Triple-A plate appearances in 2019 (albeit in the most hitter-friendly Triple-A season in history).  Jones made his big league debut earlier this season, appearing in one game for the Astros.

Cardinals Activate Paul DeJong From Injured List

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The Cardinals have activated shortstop Paul DeJong from the injured list,as first reported by Anne Rogers of MLB.com (Twitter link). DeJong was one of seven players in the organization who tested positive for COVID-19 a few weeks back, but he’s fortunately returned to health and playing shape in short order. Right-hander Seth Elledge was optioned out to clear active roster space.

Ultimately, the Cards’ shortstop missed just eleven of the team’s games, although that’s largely a reflection of the club’s sixteen-day absence that stemmed from the outbreak. The sturdy DeJong has coupled league average offense with strong defensive metrics in recent years, settling in as an above-average everyday option. Tommy Edman picked up the bulk of shortstop work in DeJong’s absence, but he’s now free to return to a utility role.

More broadly, the Cardinals’ shutdown has placed the front office in something of an awkward position with the trade deadline just eight days away. As president of baseball operations John Mozeliak explained to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the club has an even smaller sample than most teams on which to self-assess.

From the outside, that seems it could be particularly tricky for St. Louis, which has solid players across the roster but few star-level performers beyond first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and ace Jack Flaherty. Barring a collapse in the next week, it’d be a surprise if St. Louis weren’t approaching deadline season with a buyer’s mentality. It’ll be fascinating to see how Mozeliak and the rest of the front office approach a deadline with far less information than any other.

Giants Acquire Daniel Robertson, Designate Hunter Pence

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The Giants have acquired infielder Daniel Robertson from the Rays in exchange for cash considerations or a player to be named later, reports Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter link). Robertson has been assigned to the Giants’ alternate training site. To clear 40-man roster space, outfielder Hunter Pence has been designated for assignment, reports Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter).

Robertson was designated for assignment himself earlier this week. The 26-year-old looked like a solid rotational piece back in 2018, when he hit .262/.382/.415 (128 wRC+) in 340 plate appearances while playing all across the infield. Unfortunately, Robertson’s power completely disappeared last season, as he stumbled to .213/.312/.295 line (71 wRC+) in 237 plate appearances. Still, as a versatile, optionable 26-year-old one year removed from a quality offensive season, it’s easy to see the appeal for San Francisco. Indeed, that the Giants affirmatively swung a trade suggests the front office feared he’d get claimed had they tried to wait out the waiver wire.

The Robertson acquisition marks the end of Pence’s second stint with S.F. Thanks at least partially to swing adjustments he made in the 2018-19 offseason, Pence made a remarkable return to form with the Rangers. He hit .297/.358/.552 (128 wRC+) in Texas last season, earning an improbable All-Star bid. That set the stage for the fan favorite to return to San Francisco, where he shined for the better part of eight seasons.

Unfortunately, the 37-year-old has gotten off to a terrible start this year. He’s hitting just .096/.161/.250 with two home runs through 56 plate appearances. That likely wiped out any hope the rebuilding Giants would’ve had of flipping him to a contender before the August 31 deadline.

Assuming he’s amenable, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Pence latch on with a minor-league deal elsewhere if he’s eventually released. There’d be little harm in bringing the amiable veteran to an alternate training site to see if he can recapture his 2019 form at the dish.

Marlins Select Brian Navarreto

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10:52 am: The move is official, per Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Right-hander Jesús Tinoco has been optioned out as well following yesterday’s 29-man doubleheader roster.

10:41 am: Catcher Brian Navarreto will be activated to the Marlins’ roster, president of baseball operations Michael Hill told reporters, including Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Miami placed Francisco Cervelli on the seven-day injured list last night after he sustained a concussion.

A former sixth-round pick of the Twins, Navarreto is in line to make his MLB debut following seven minor-league seasons. In that time, he’s compiled a lackluster .214/.268/.307 line up through Double-A, so he won’t be expected to offer much with the bat. Nevertheless, he’s on hand as necessary catching depth for a club that’s currently without Cervelli and Chad Wallach due to injury.

Fortunately, starter Jorge Alfaro returned from his own IL stint earlier this week and figures to log most of the playing time. Fellow backstop Ryan Lavarnway was designated for assignment to open roster space for Alfaro. He remains in DFA limbo at the moment, but Miami would like to bring him back if he clears waivers, notes Craig Mish of Sportsgrid (Twitter link).

Rays Place Nick Anderson On Injured List With Forearm Inflammation

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10:48 am: Both Anderson and manager Kevin Cash downplayed the severity of the injury this morning (via Topkin). The hurler says he’s 99.0% certain it isn’t major, while Cash said initial evaluations were “very encouraging,” so the club doesn’t anticipate a long-term absence.

9:45 am: Elite Rays reliever Nick Anderson is headed to the 10-day injured list with inflammation in his right (throwing) forearm, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com (Twitter link). Fellow reliever Edgar García, acquired this week from the Phillies, has been recalled to replace Anderson on the active roster, adds Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (via Twitter). Anderson’s IL placement is retroactive to August 20.

The late-blooming Anderson may not be a household name, but he’s emerged as one of the sport’s top late-inning arms over the past two years. As a 29-year-old rookie, he shined with the Marlins, prompting the Rays to send top prospect Jesús Sánchez and reliever Ryne Stanek to Miami for Anderson and right-hander Trevor Richards. Since the trade, he’s doubled down on that initial success.

Now 30, Anderson is off to one of the best starts to this season among relievers. In 9.1 scoreless innings across eleven games, he’s struck out fifteen against just one walk. That lowered his career ERA to 2.91 in 74.1 innings, with a sparkling 2.09 FIP backing up that stout run prevention.

Needless to say, an extended absence for their top reliever would be a big blow to a Rays’ staff that just lost starting pitcher Yonny Chirinos to Tommy John surgery. Forearm injuries can sometimes portend elbow surgery for pitchers, but there’s no indication a surgical procedure is under consideration in Anderson’s case. Tampa has not provided a timetable for his return.

Rays Select Josh Fleming, Designate Sean Gilmartin

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AUGUST 23: The Rays have selected Fleming’s contract, putting him in line to start today’s game against the Blue Jays, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com (Twitter link). Tampa designated left-hander Sean Gilmartin for assignment to clear space on the 40-man roster.

AUGUST 21: The Rays will select the contract of lefty Josh Fleming from their alternate training site this weekend, manager Kevin Cash announced to reporters (Twitter link via Rays pregame/postgame host Neil Solondz). He’ll start Sunday’s game for Tampa Bay. A Saturday starter hasn’t been named, but Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that Charlie Morton won’t return this weekend.

Fleming will step into the void left by the injury to Yonny Chirinos, who’ll be out until the 2022 season due to a UCL tear that requires Tommy John surgery. The Rays will need to open a 40-man spot for Fleming, but that can be achieved by placing Chirinos on the 45-day injured list.

The 24-year-old Fleming was a rare draftee from a Division-III program — a fifth-round pick by the Rays out of Webster University in St. Louis back in 2017. He’s cruised through the minors, pitching to a combined 3.40 ERA with 6.6 K/9, 1.6 BB/9 and a ground-ball rate north of 50 percent. He’s not considered to be among the organization’s top prospects, although that’s in part a testament to the deep and excellent farm that has been put together by the Tampa Bay front office. MLB.com lists Fleming 29th among Rays farmhands, calling him a potential back-end starter with an above-average slider, plus command but some struggles against righties. FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen pegs Fleming as a future big league reliever.

Marlins To Place Francisco Cervelli On 7-Day Concussion IL

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The Marlins announced that catcher Francisco Cervelli will be placed on the seven-day concussion protocol injured list.  A corresponding move will be made prior to tomorrow’s game.  Cervelli started for Miami tonight in the second game of its doubleheader with the Nationals, though Cervelli was replaced by Jorge Alfaro prior to the start of the third inning.

While no concussion news is good, tonight’s news is particularly troubling due to Cervelli’s long history with such injuries.  This is at least the seventh concussion Cervelli has suffered during his career, and it was less than 14 months ago that Cervelli seemed to intimate that he was done with catching, though he rather emphatically walked back that statement a few days later.  Even if Cervelli’s symptoms (hopefully) subside quickly this time, one would imagine the Marlins might keep him out of action for longer than the seven-day minimum just to make absolutely sure Cervelli is ready, given all the past concussions on his record.

Cervelli inked a one-year, $2MM deal with Miami last offseason to provide some more experience at catcher, and since Alfaro was only activated from the IL on Friday, Cervelli has been a key player both behind the plate and at the plate.  Entering Saturday, Cervelli had a .250/.361/.462 slash line and three home runs over 61 plate appearances.

Should Cervelli miss an extended amount of time, the Marlins don’t have a ton of depth behind Alfardo.  Chad Wallach is also on the IL, while four other catchers in Miami’s player pool (Will Banfield, Santiago Chavez, Julian Leon, and Brian Navarreto) don’t have any Major League experience.

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