Cubs’ Trevor Williams Out Indefinitely After Emergency Appendectomy
11:09AM: Williams has been officially placed on the 10-day IL, retroactive to May 28. Right-hander Kohl Stewart was called up from Triple-A and will start today for the Cubs.
8:19AM: Cubs hurler Trevor Williams will be out indefinitely after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, per Jared Wyllus of the Chicago Sun-Times. Williams was originally slated to start today’s game against the Padres.
It’s looking like Keegan Thompson will step in for a spot start. The 26-year-old made his first career start in the second game of a doubleheader against the vaunted Dodgers back on May the 4th, tossing 3 2/3 scoreless innings. Thompson has yet to surrender an earned run in his young career with 15 scoreless innings over his first nine appearances. He’s done a tremendous job of keeping the ball on the ground so far with a 58.3 percent groundball rate, though that’s not a tendency he displayed as a minor leaguer.
As for Williams, the situation might seem more dire than it is, given the “indefinite” designation of his injury status. Likely, this is simply a matter of wait-and-see, assuming there were no further complications to the surgery.
They will need to replace his production in the meantime. Williams hasn’t exactly been a revelation since joining the rotation from the Pirates – 5.36 ERA/4.76 FIP while averaging less than five innings per start – but if nothing else, he’s striking out batters at a career-best rate of 24.9 percent. He’s also walking more batters than usual with a 10.2 percent walk rate. To his credit, Williams has allowed two or less earned runs in seven of his ten starts, and he’s coming off his best outing of the year, a six-inning, one-earned-run effort against his former club in Pittsburgh.
White Sox Place Michael Kopech On 10-Day Injured List
The White Sox have placed Michael Kopech on the 10-day injured list with a strained left hamstring, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-times (via Twitter). The move is retroactive to May 28th.
Jimmy Lambert, meanwhile, has been recalled to be the 27th man for today’s doubleheader. He will start the second game. It will be the first appearance of the season for Lambert. The 26-year-old tossed two scoreless innings of relief in 2020. He is likely to function in more of an opener role than as a traditional starter.
Kopech boasts the beginnings of a breakout campaign. The lanky Texan has moved seamlessly between roles for manager Tony La Russa, putting up a 1.72 ERA/2.54 FIP across 31 1/3 innings. If he can continue with a 36.0 percent strikeout rate and 8.8 percent walk rate as he has thus far, the White Sox may have a premier swingman on their hands. As ever, however, healthy will be primary for Kopech.
Reds Option Cionel Perez, Activate Wade Miley
The Reds have optioned Cionel Perez to Triple-A to make way for the activation of Wade Miley from the injured list, per the Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans (via Twitter). Miley will start today’s game against the Phillies.
Miley has been out just the minimum amount of time because of a foot sprain. His last two outings were his shortest of the season coming on the heels of no-hitting the Indians on May 7th. The veteran lefty has a 3.50 ERA/3.20 FIP in eight starts this season totaling 43 2/3 innings.
Perez has struggled through 17 appearances. The former Astro currently owns a 7.47 ERA/5.99 FIP in 15 2/3 innings of work. Control has been a problem for Perez with an untenable 20.5 percent walk rate. Amir Garrett and Sean Doolittle are the only southpaws left in the Reds’ bullpen.
Orioles Option Chance Sisco, Select Austin Wynns
The Orioles made a change to their catching corps today, optioning Chance Sisco to Triple-A and selecting the contract for Austin Wynns, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (via Twitter).
Sisco has shared time behind the plate with Pedro Severino thus far this season. The 26-year-old is having his worst season at the plate since debuting in 2017, slashing .154/.247/.185 across 73 plate appearances.
Wynns, 30, has been a piece of the Orioles’ catching picture for the past couple of seasons, though he did not appear in 2020. Across 2018-19, however, he put up a .239/.271/.339 line in 192 plate appearances.
Richie Martin has also been transferred to the 60-day injured list. The move presumably paves the way for Hunter Harvey‘s eventual activation from the 60-day injured list. An oblique strain has kept Harvey from the mound thus far in 2021.
Central Notes: Indians, Fillmyer, Cardinals, Pike, Elledge, Tigers, Greiner
It’s Memorial Day, which means a full slate of day baseball. While we await the start of the action, let’s round up some news and notes from around the game…
- The Indians have purchased the contract of Heath Fillmyer from the Lancaster Barnstormers, per the Atlantic League club. Fillmyer has been assigned to Triple-A. The 27-year-old right-hander last appeared in the Majors in 2019 withe the Royals. He owns a 5.07 ERA/5.31 FIP over 104 2/3 innings between 2018-19.
- The Cardinals have called up Seth Elledge from Memphis, per MLB.com’s Jeff Jones (via Twitter). The move comes as a response to Kodi Whitley being placed on the 10-day injured list because of mild back spasms. St. Louis also signed southpaw Tyler Pike to a minor league contract, according to their transactions log on MLB.com.
- Tigers catcher Grayson Greiner is putting his rehab assignment on hold for now after experiencing some hamstring discomfort, per Evan Woodbery of MLive Media Group (via Twitter). He’s been on the injured list since May 12th. The 28-year-old backstop owns a .237/.256/.342 line in 39 plate appearances on the year.
Mets Expected To Activate Pete Alonso, Select Mason Williams
The Mets are planning to reinstate first baseman Pete Alonso from the 10-day injured list, reports Buster Olney of ESPN (Twitter link). He’ll return from a hand sprain after spending the minimum amount of time on the IL. The 2019 NL Rookie of the Year got off to a fantastic start to the 2021 season, but his production has cratered since he was hit by a pitch on May 5. Mets fans are surely hoping the brief reset will allow him to recapture his previous levels of production.
Alonso isn’t the only Mets position player returning to the field in the near future. Kevin Pillar is expected back within the next few days, Olney also reports. The 32-year-old outfielder suffered multiple nasal fractures when he was hit in the face by a Jacob Webb fastball just under two weeks ago. Considering how frightening that scene was, it’s nothing short of remarkable Pillar is seemingly in line to come back as quickly as he is.
Even once Pillar returns, the Mets will still find themselves short in the outfield. Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, Albert Almora Jr. and Johneshwy Fargas all remain on the IL. In their absences, the Mets have mostly relied upon Dominic Smith, Cameron Maybin, Billy McKinney and Brandon Drury in the grass.
To add to that outfield mix, New York is planning to select Mason Williams, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link). The 29-year-old Williams has gotten to the big leagues in each of the past six seasons, although he’s never topped 132 plate appearances in any given year. Once a well-regarded prospect in the Yankees system, Williams signed a minor-league deal with the Mets last month. He’s raked at Triple-A Syracuse in the early going, hitting .373/.458/.569 over 59 plate appearances. A 40-man roster move will be necessary to create space for Williams’ formal selection.
Cubs Select Sergio Alcantara, Designate Tyson Miller
The Cubs announced this afternoon they’ve selected the contract of infielder Sergio Alcántara. He’ll replace David Bote, who is headed to the 10-day injured list, on the active roster. To clear 40-man roster space, righty Tyson Miller has been designated for assignment.
Originally signed by the Diamondbacks as an international amateur, Alcántara was traded to the Tigers as part of the 2017 deal that sent J.D. Martinez to the desert. The utilityman made a brief MLB debut with Detroit last season, picking up 23 plate appearances, but the Tigers designated him for assignment over the offseason. Chicago claimed Alcántara and then passed him through outright waivers themselves.
Alcántara has begun his tenure in the Cubs organization on a tear. He’s hitting .328/.481/.459 with a pair of homers over his first 79 plate appearances at Triple-A Iowa, his first crack at the minors’ highest level. That’s a substantial improvement over the decent but unspectacular .261/.340/.317 line he’s managed over 872 career plate appearances at Double-A. Alcántara is out of minor league option years, so now that he’s back on the Cubs 40-man roster, he’ll have to stick with the big league club or again be exposed to other teams. For now, he’ll get an opportunity to fill in for Bote, who separated his left shoulder in yesterday’s game.
Miller, ranked by Baseball America over the winter as the #27 prospect in the Cubs system, made a pair of MLB appearances in 2020. He tossed five innings of three-run ball, representing his only major league experience to date. Miller has managed just a 7.33 ERA over 54 career Triple-A innings, but he’s generally been productive up through Double-A. The Cubs will have a week to trade Miller or place him on outright waivers. The 25-year-old still has a pair of option years remaining, so any acquiring club would be free to shuttle him back-and-forth between the majors and Triple-A this season and next, assuming they believe he’s worthy of a 40-man roster spot.
Yankees Select Nestor Cortes Jr.
The Yankees announced they’ve selected the contract of left-hander Nestor Cortes Jr. Righty Nick Nelson was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to clear active roster space.
Cortes, 26, began his professional career with the New York organization. Selected by the Orioles in the Rule 5 draft, he made his MLB debut with Baltimore in 2018 but didn’t stick on the roster all year. The Orioles returned him to the Yankees, where went on to log rather significant long relief duty the following season. Cortes tossed 66 2/3 innings over 33 games in 2019, working to a 5.67 ERA with average strikeout and walk numbers (23.2% and 9.4%, respectively). That wasn’t enough to keep his roster spot, as Cortes was designated for assignment and traded to the Mariners for international bonus pool space.
Seattle gave Cortes a brief MLB look last season, but the results were disastrous. He lasted just 7 2/3 innings in five games, allowing 14 runs (13 earned) on a whopping six homers and walks apiece. The Mariners waived him after the season, and he signed a minor league contract with his original organization last December. Cortes has been excellent in fifteen innings with the RailRiders this year, allowing just two runs while running an 18:1 strikeout to walk ratio.
To free a 40-man roster spot for Cortes, the Yankees transferred center fielder Aaron Hicks to the 60-day injured list. Hicks is expected to miss the rest of the season recovering from wrist surgery.
Blue Jays Select Carl Edwards Jr., Designate Ty Tice
The Blue Jays announced they’ve selected the contract of reliever Carl Edwards Jr. Fellow righty Ty Tice was designated for assignment in a corresponding move.
Edwards signed a minor league deal with Toronto earlier this month. He’s tossed four scoreless innings with Triple-A Buffalo since, striking out three without issuing a walk. He’s now in line to appear for his second team of the season, having tossed a third of an inning of three-run ball for the Braves a few weeks ago. The 29-year-old once looked like a building block of the Cubs bullpen, but a series of injuries and increasing trouble with his control has thrown him off course over the past couple seasons. If he rights the ship in Toronto, Edwards could be a multi-year piece, as he’s controllable through the end of next season via arbitration.
The Jays will now have a week to trade Tice or place him on outright waivers. The 24-year-old has tossed seven MLB relief innings this season, his only big league experience to date. Those haven’t gone especially well, as he’s allowed four runs while striking out six and issuing four walks. The former sixteenth-round pick showed a three-pitch mix, headlined by a 94.3 MPH fastball. Tice struck out an intriguing 27.3% of opposing hitters in 2019 at Triple-A.
He also comes with some contractual flexibility that makes it possible another team looking to deepen the relief corps will acquire him via minor trade or waivers. The Jays added Tice to the 40-man roster over the winter, so he still has all three minor league option years remaining. He doesn’t have the necessary service time to reject an outright assignment, so if he clears waivers, he’d likely remain in the organization as non-roster bullpen depth.
Pirates Select Chase De Jong, Designate Ildemaro Vargas
The Pirates announced they’ve selected the contract of right-hander Chase De Jong to start this afternoon’s game against the Rockies. In a corresponding move, infielder Ildemaro Vargas was designated for assignment. Righty JT Brubaker, meanwhile, will be away from the team temporarily on bereavement leave.
When he takes the mound this afternoon, De Jong will be appearing in the big leagues for the fifth consecutive season. Pitching for the Mariners, Twins and Astros during parts of the 2017-20 seasons, De Jong worked to a 7.12 ERA with poor strikeout and walk numbers (14.2% and 10.6%, respectively) in 15 appearances.
Despite his uninspiring major league resume, De Jong has pitched well since signing a minor league deal with Pittsburgh in January. Over four starts for Triple-A Indianapolis, the 27-year-old has worked to a 3.60 ERA across 20 innings, striking out a very strong 33.7% of opponents while walking an average 9.6%. It’s a small sample to be sure, but De Jong is punching out hitters much more often in 2021 than he has in any other Triple-A campaign, so the front office will give him an opportunity to try to carry over that success to the big leagues.
Vargas loses his roster spot less than two weeks after the Pirates claimed him off waivers from the Cubs. He’s picked up 37 plate appearances between Chicago and Pittsburgh this year and has hit just .239/.272/.368 in parts of five MLB seasons. The Pirates will have a week to trade Vargas or expose him to waivers. Having previously been outrighted in his career, the 29-year-old would have the right to reject a minor league assignment in lieu of free agency if he clears outright waivers.