Minor MLB Transactions: 4/26/21
The latest minor moves from around baseball…
- The Tigers have outrighted Renato Nunez to their alternate training site, the team announced. Nunez cleared waivers after being designated for assignment earlier this week. Nunez inked a minor league deal with the Tigers after being released by the Orioles prior to December’s non-tender deadline, and Nunez has hit .148/.207/.444 with two home runs over his first 29 plate appearances for Detroit. As noted by Evan Woodbery of MLive.com, Nunez had the right to reject the outright assignment, but he decided to stick with the Tigers rather than return to the free agent market.
East Notes: Andujar, Nelson, Smith, Turner
The Yankees announced a pair of roster moves after today’s 7-3 loss to the Indians. For starters, they optioned Nick Nelson to their alternate site. The 25-year-old right-hander appeared in six games, once as an opener, giving up 10 earned runs in 8 1/3 innings. The demotion comes after a two-inning, three-earned-run outing in today’s ballgame. In addition, the Yankees activated third baseman Miguel Andujar from the injured list and optioned him to their alternate site. Andujar was beset by a bout of carpal tunnel syndrome in his right wrist. Slowed largely by injures, the 26-year-old has hit just .193/.219/.257 across 114 plate appearances since his breakout rookie season in 2018. Let’s stay on the East Coast, but move over to the Senior Circuit…
- The Mets activated right-hander Drew Smith from the injured list and optioned him to their alternate site, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (via Twitter). The 27-year-old has been spotty, but intriguing in small samples for the Mets. Though he made just eight appearances last year, he has logged 35 innings in 35 appearances with a 4.11 ERA/4.08 FIP going back through 2018. Injuries have been the bugaboo for Smith, who missed all of 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. His shoulder has been the issue of late, though hopefully, with some time at the alternate site, Smith can prove his readiness and soon get back to a big league mound.
- Star shortstop Trea Turner was removed from today’s game after getting plunked in the arm. He has a contusion on his left forearm, but testing came back negative, per Jesse Doughtery of the Washington Post (via Twitter). Turner may miss a game, but it sounds as if the Nats expect him to be okay. That’s critical for the Nationals, as Turner has taken over as their 3-hole hitter with Juan Soto on the shelf. The speedy shortstop looks at home in the middle of the order with a 120 wRC+ and 1.0 bWAR produced through 75 plate appearances prior to today’s game.
Minor MLB Transactions: 4/25/21
The latest minor moves from around baseball…
Latest Moves
- The Pirates assigned Anthony Alford to their alternate training site after the outfielder cleared waivers. Alford was designated for assignment earlier this week. Claimed off waivers from the Blue Jays last August, Alford looked great in a five-game stint with Pittsburgh last season but got off to a rough start in 2021, posting a .325 OPS over his first 29 plate appearances.
Earlier Today
- The Reds reinstated Vladimir Gutierrez from the restricted list and assigned the right-hander to their alternate training site. Aristides Aquino (who underwent hamate surgery earlier this month) was moved to the 60-day injured list to open up a 40-man roster spot. Gutierrez was the centerpiece of the Reds’ 2016-17 international signing class, though the righty hasn’t been overly impressive in 387 minor league innings, posting a 4.98 ERA and 21.34% strikeout rate. Gutierrez was issued an 80-game PED suspension last June.
Diamondbacks Release Anthony Swarzak
TODAY: The Diamondbacks announced that Swarzak has been released.
APRIL 18: The Diamondbacks announced this morning they’ve designated reliever Anthony Swarzak for assignment. Right-hander J.B. Bukauskas has been recalled from the alternate training site, while outfielder Tim Locastro was placed on the 10-day injured list.
Selected to the D-Backs’ roster a week and a half ago, Swarzak went on to log 4.2 relief innings across six appearances for Arizona. The veteran righty allowed five runs on seven hits, struck out four and issued a walk. That marked his first MLB action since 2019, when he pitched to a 4.56 ERA/4.65 SIERA over 53.1 frames.
He’ll be replaced on the active roster by Bukauskas, a former first-round pick now slated to make his major league debut. The 24-year-old was drafted fifteenth overall by the Astros in 2017 coming out of the University of North Carolina. He wound up dealt to Arizona as part of the four-player return for Zack Greinke at the 2019 trade deadline. Baseball America placed Bukauskas 26th in the Arizona system entering the year, lauding his three-pitch mix but noting that he’s often plagued by below-average control.
Locastro dislocated his finger attempting to steal a base yesterday and was known to be headed to the injured list. The recently-acquired Nick Heath is getting the nod in center this afternoon against Nationals righty Paolo Espino.
Rays Make Several Roster Moves
TODAY: Patino has been officially called up from the taxi squad, the Rays announced.
APRIL 24: The Rays made a quartet of roster moves, including the activation of right-hander Diego Castillo from the COVID-related injury list. Catcher Deivy Grullon was designated for assignment in a corresponding move to open up a 40-man roster spot, while right-hander Chris Mazza has been placed on the regular 10-day IL due to shoulder inflammation. Luis Patino has also been added to Tampa Bay’s taxi squad, and is expected to join the active roster tomorrow. (MLB.com’s Adam Berry was among those to report the news.)
Patino is expected to make his Rays debut Sunday, pitching in some type of piggyback capacity along with scheduled starter Josh Fleming, who told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times that he isn’t yet sure how the Rays will deploy the combination of Fleming’s relatively soft-tossing arsenal along with Patino’s high-powered fastball.
Patino was the centerpiece of the four-player package sent by the Padres to Tampa Bay last offseason in exchange for Blake Snell. For a controlled and affordable former Cy Young Award winner, San Diego had to pay a hefty price, and this mean parting ways with one of the sport’s top pitching prospects in Patino. The 21-year-old righty has had some issues with his command, though his fastball and slider are already considered plus pitches and his changeup isn’t behind, according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report. Patino made his Major League debut last season, tossing 17 1/3 innings in the regular season for the Padres (with a 5.19 ERA, 21 strikeouts, and a troubling 14 walks) and then 2 2/3 more frames in the postseason.
Castillo returns after just a one-day stint on the COVID-IL. Castillo has already recorded four saves in his role as Tampa Bay’s top choice at closer, along with a 2.79 ERA and 33.3% strikeout rate over 9 2/3 innings.
Mazza has an ugly 8.49 ERA over six outings this season, mostly generated during two rough appearances against the Rangers and Red Sox that saw him allow a combined 10 runs over 5 2/3 innings. Mazza looked better in last night’s game against the Blue Jays, allowing only a single hit in three shutout innings of relief.
After being claimed off waivers from the Reds in early April, Grullon could find himself on the move again without seeing any big league action in a Rays uniform. Grullon appeared in four games with the Phillies in 2019 and one game with the Red Sox last season, before Cincinnati claimed him away from Boston in December. Grullon has a .253/.305/.405 slash line and 70 home runs over 2387 career minor league plate appearances in Philadelphia’s system.
Orioles Designate Wade LeBlanc For Assignment
TODAY: The Orioles officially announced the move.
APRIL 24: The Orioles are set to designate left-hander Wade LeBlanc for assignment, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (Twitter link). Fellow lefty Zac Lowther will be recalled from the alternate training site in a corresponding move, per Kubatko.
LeBlanc started six games for the Orioles in 2020, managing only an 8.06 ERA/5.77 SIERA over 22.1 innings. Despite that poor showing, Baltimore brought the 36-year-old back on a split contract in March. The soft-tossing LeBlanc made six appearances (including a start this afternoon against the Athletics) and allowed seven runs on eleven hits, although he did strike out six while only issuing a single walk. LeBlanc has never been one to miss many bats, but his consistent strike-throwing has gotten him to the majors in thirteen of the past fourteen years.
To replace LeBlanc, the Orioles will turn to one of their more promising pitching prospects for the first time. Lowther, selected by Baltimore with the 74th overall pick in the 2017 draft, is in position to make his MLB debut. The 24-year-old doesn’t have overpowering stuff but has generally drawn praise from scouts for his deceptive delivery and decent control.
Lowther dominated during his most recent minor-league action in 2019, tossing 148 innings of 2.55 ERA ball at Double-A with a solid 25.9% strikeout rate and a slightly elevated 10.6% walk rate. Considered to be the #19 prospect in the organization by Baseball America, Lowther will be available out of the bullpen to start his MLB career, Kubtako reports.
Mets Notes: Carrasco, Syndergaard, Betances
Carlos Carrasco is expected to make his regular season debut by the second week of May, Mets manager Luis Rojas told reporters (including Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News) this afternoon. The righty completed a four-inning simulated game today, per the skipper.
Acquired from the Indians in the Francisco Lindor offseason blockbuster, Carrasco was delayed by elbow discomfort early in Spring Training and then suffered a right hamstring tear during his rehab. That setback has thus far kept Carrasco from debuting for his new team, but it seems he’s only a couple weeks away from doing so. The 34-year-old was very effective last year for Cleveland, tossing 68 innings of 2.91 ERA ball with a strong 29.3% strikeout rate and a passable 9.6% walk rate.
Mets starters have more than held their own in Carrasco’s absence. New York entered play today ranked fifth with a 2.61 rotation ERA, while the group’s 2.90 SIERA is best in the league. Jacob deGrom has been incredible as usual, while Marcus Stroman, David Peterson and Joey Lucchesi all have solid peripherals (and in Stroman’s case, a stellar ERA). Taijuan Walker has struggled with his control but has so far done well keeping runs off the board.
Of course, Carrasco isn’t the only key starter working his way back from injury. Noah Syndergaard continues to rehab from March 2020 Tommy John surgery. He hit a milestone in that process, with Rojas telling reporters the hard-throwing righty pitched an inning in a scrimmage today (via Tim Healey of Newsday). The 28-year-old is hoping to return to game action by the end of June.
The news was not so positive for reliever Dellin Betances. The right-hander has been out since April 8 with a right shoulder impingement, and he apparently wasn’t in line to return anytime soon. The Mets transferred Betances to the 60-day injured list this afternoon (per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com). That frees up a 40-man roster spot but rules Betances out until at least the second week of June. It continues a nightmarish couple of seasons for the 33-year-old, who has managed just 12.2 disappointing innings since signing with the Mets over the 2019-20 offseason.
COVID Notes: 4/24/21
The latest coronavirus-related situations from around baseball…
Latest Updates
- The Dodgers are placing reliever Dennis Santana on the COVID injured list after he experienced side effects related to the vaccine, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Juan Toribio of MLB.com). The right-hander pitched in mop-up duty against the Padres last night, allowing a pair of runs on two hits and two walks in one inning of work.
Earlier Notes
- Jose Altuve was placed on the Astros‘ injury list on April 14, and the second baseman confirmed to reporters (including the Houston Chronicle’s Danielle Lerner) today that his placement was due to a positive COVID-19 test. Altuve isn’t in today’s Astros lineup but he did say he’s feeling better, so a return to the field shouldn’t be too far away.
- The Marlins have closed down their minor league complex through the weekend due to multiple COVID-19 positives, Fox Sports Radio 640’s Andy Slater reports (Twitter link). A team spokesman told Slater that the shutdown “will not have an impact on the start of the seasons” for Miami’s affiliates, all scheduled to begin play on May 4. At least five players and staffers tested positive for the coronavirus, according to SportsGrid’s Craig Mish (via Twitter).
- The Twins reinstated southpaw Caleb Thielbar from the COVID-IL, the team announced, with right-hander Luke Farrell optioned to the alternate site in a corresponding move. Thielbar was placed on the IL on April 20 along with Max Kepler and Kyle Garlick, though while the two outfielders actually tested positive for the virus, Thielbar was noted only as a close contact. Thielbar has a whopping 48.4% strikeout rate over seven innings this season but only a 5.14 ERA, thanks in large part to three home runs allowed.
Tigers To Activate Miguel Cabrera From 10-Day IL On Sunday
The Tigers will activate first baseman/DH Miguel Cabrera from the 10-day injured list prior to tomorrow’s game, the team announced. Infielder Zack Short has already been optioned to the alternate training site to make room for Cabrera’s return. Cabrera hit the IL on April 11 due to a left bicep strain, so the veteran slugger will be back after only a few days’ beyond the 10-day minimum.
Cabrera didn’t hit much over his first 27 plate appearances, batting only .125/.222/.292 with one home run. While the veteran slugger is a few years removed from his All-Star prime, his pursuit of both the 500-homer plateau and the 3000-hit plateau will draw attention throughout the season, assuming good health and assuming Cabrera can continue even his league-average offensive production from 2017-20. Cabrera currently sits at 488 home runs and 2869 career hits.
While Short is slightly behind Cabrera on the all-time hits list, Short at least joined the party when he cracked a single in Friday’s game for his first Major League hit. Short appeared in two games with Detroit, marking his first Major League action since being a 17th-round pick of the Cubs in the 2016 draft. The 25-year-old infielder has shown a knack for getting on base during his time in the minors (career .241/.377/.405 slash line over 1588 PA) and he can also play shortstop and both second base and third base.
Braves Activate Drew Smyly From 10-Day IL; Option Cristian Pache, Sean Kazmar Jr.
As expected, the Braves activated southpaw Drew Smyly from the 10-day injured list in advance of his scheduled start tonight against the Diamondbacks. Infielder Sean Kazmar Jr. was optioned to the alternate training site to create 26-man roster room for Smyly. Outfielder Cristian Pache is also headed to the alternate site after being activated from the 10-day IL.
Smyly will make a relatively quick return after hitting the IL on April 16 (retroactive to April 13) with left forearm inflammation. While the injury wasn’t thought to be overly serious, any sort of forearm problem had to be seen as a concern given Smyly’s lengthy health history, including a past Tommy John surgery that kept him from pitching in either the 2017 or 2018 seasons.
The IL stint could perhaps serve as a bit of a reset for Smyly, who had a quality start in his Braves debut on April 6 before struggling in his second outing on April 11, allowing five runs in five innings against the Nationals. Smyly signed a one-year, $11MM free agent deal with Atlanta last winter, scoring a nice payday in the wake of a bounce-back 2020 season with the Giants.
A groin injury sent Pache to the injured list on April 14, so he’ll return after a minimal absence, though he is no longer on the MLB roster. Pache has been heralded as one of baseball’s top prospects over the last few years, though he has only barely gotten his feet wet at the big league level, with 13 games and 35 plate appearances in 2020-21. Pache is still only 22 years old and had played in only 26 Triple-A games in 2019, so the Braves clearly want him to get some more minor league seasoning in order to sharpen up his skills at the plate. Pache is seen as a future Major League regular based on elite glovework alone, and becoming even an average hitter will raise his ceiling to a potential All-Star level.
Kazmar’s return to the majors ends after two games and one plate appearance, though it was enough to seal one of the more extraordinary comeback stories in recent baseball history. Kazmar played in 19 games with the Padres in 2008 and didn’t make it back to the big leagues until this season, keeping his career going through years of grinding in the farm systems of four different organizations (Padres, Mariners, Mets, Braves).