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Red Sox Select Zack Godley

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The Red Sox announced they have selected right-hander Zack Godley to their 40-man and active rosters. Fellow right-hander Dylan Covey has been optioned to their minor league training site to clear active roster space. Their 40-man roster now sits at 39 players.

Boston signed Godley to a minor-league deal shortly after he was released by the Tigers at the outset of Summer Camp. Godley didn’t immediately command a 40-man roster spot, but it always seemed likely he’d get a look on an uncertain pitching staff. The 30-year-old turned in a pair of productive seasons as a starter with the 2017-18 Diamondbacks. Combined, he tossed 333.1 innings of 4.10 ERA ball with a solid combination of strikeouts (24.7%), walks (9.4%) and groundballs (51.6%).

The wheels fell off completely in 2019. Between Arizona and Toronto, Godley turned in a 5.97 ERA in 33 appearances (9 starts) with dramatic declines in his strikeouts and grounders. Along the way, Godley’s lost some velocity on both his cutter and sinker. Given his somewhat recent respectable track record, though, it’s easy to see why the Red Sox are willing to give him another look. Their current top four starters- Nathan Eovaldi, Martín Pérez, Ryan Weber and Matt Hall– hardly inspire a ton of confidence.

Covey, too, is a recent addition to the pitching staff, having been acquired from the Rays on Tuesday. The three-year White Sox starter threw two innings in relief in yesterday’s loss to the Orioles.

Yankees Option Clint Frazier

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Last night, the Yankees announced they optioned outfielder Clint Frazier and right-handed reliever Ben Heller to their alternate training site. The club plans to bring right-handers Nick Nelson and Brooks Kriske up to the active roster in their stead. They’ll add a pair of fresh arms to a pitching staff that saw James Paxton work just one-plus inning in Saturday’s loss to the Nationals.

So continues Frazier’s repeated journeys on and off the big league roster. The onetime top prospect has been decent offensively, albeit with some high-profile defensive issues, when he’s gotten MLB opportunities (career .254/.308/.463 line in 429 plate appearances). Still, he’s had a hard time cracking a loaded Yankees outfield.

Due to his immense power potential, the 25-year-old has long been rumored as a potential trade candidate. Thus far, the organization has expressed little interest in giving him up. Given the club’s competitive outlook, though, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see his name floated in rumors again this season. Yesterday’s demotion doesn’t suggest the organization has soured on Frazier long-term, but it does underscore the difficulty for him in carving out an immediate, significant role in the Bronx.

Nelson and Kriske, meanwhile, will each make their MLB debut if/when they get into a game. Each posted strong strikeout and run prevention numbers in Double-A in 2019, albeit with slightly elevated walk rates.

Indians Place Tyler Naquin On IL, Recall Zach Plesac, Outright Hunter Wood

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The Indians made a series of roster moves today, most notably the placement (retroactive to July 22) of outfielder Tyler Naquin on the 10-day injured list due to a fractured toe.  Right-hander Zach Plesac was called up to take Naquin’s spot, getting an early promotion to the active roster since Plesac is scheduled to start Tuesday’s game.  In other moves, right-hander Hunter Wood was outrighted off the 40-man roster and assigned to the Tribe’s minor league camp.

Naquin suffered the injury on Monday after fouling a pitch off his foot during an exhibition game.  Cleveland already called up Daniel Johnson for outfield depth while Naquin was recovering, but it appears Naquin will need more time to get back to full health.  The hairline fracture is just the latest injury to befall Naquin, whose 2018 and 2019 seasons were both cut short by hip surgery and a torn ACL, respectively.  Since finishing third in AL Rookie Of The Year voting in 2016, Naquin has only appeared in 169 games due to both injuries and inconsistency at the plate, though he posted a solid .288/.325/.467 slash line over 294 PA in 2019.

With Naquin out, Cleveland has Johnson, Greg Allen, Jordan Luplow, Bradley Zimmer, Franmil Reyes, and Domingo Santana as available options for the corner outfield slots, though Reyes ismore likely to be kept in designated hitter duty.  Since the club thought Naquin might be able to avoid an IL stint altogether, that could imply he might be able to return after only the minimum ten days, or perhaps not long beyond.

Wood was designated for assignment on Thursday, and will now remain in the organization after clearing waivers.  Acquired in a trade with the Rays last summer, Wood has a 3.32 ERA, 2.70 K/BB rate, and 8.4 K/9 over 86 2/3 career innings with Cleveland and Tampa Bay, though the home run ball has given him some issues during his brief time in the big leagues.  As MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted at the time of the move, it was rather surprising that the Tribe chose to DFA Wood, and it is perhaps even more surprising that none of the other 29 teams put in a claim while the righty was on waivers.

Reds Place Matt Davidson On COVID-19 Injured List

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Prior to today’s game, the Reds placed infielder Matt Davidson on the ten-day COVID-19 injured list after Davidson tested positive for the virus.  Aristides Aquino and right-hander Tejay Antone were called up from Cincinnati’s minor league training site to fill the roster spots left by Davidson and by catcher Tucker Barnhart, who went on the paternity list.

Davidson was in the starting lineup for Friday’s 7-1 Cincinnati victory over Detroit, so in the wake of this positive test, surely there must be some concern within the Reds clubhouse about whether others could have been infected.  As noted by Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Reds haven’t had any coronavirus cases since prior to the opening of Summer Camp, when two players tested positive during the initial round of intake testing.

Davidson signed a minors contract with the Reds over the offseason, and Friday’s game marked his first bit of Major League action since the 2018 season.  While Davidson slugged 46 homers over 939 PA for the White Sox in 2017-18, he wasn’t a productive offensive player overall, with a .224/.291/.435 slash line.  Davidson has also dabbled with pitching, though the Reds seems to be focusing on him as a position player only.

Aquino was the talk of baseball last summer after he slugged 15 homers and posted a 1.129 OPS over his first 124 plate appearances, though he quickly cooled off after that incredible start.  He’ll now get another chance at playing time, and could be aided by the existence of a DH spot rather than having to fight for space in a crowded Reds outfield.

Antone was a fifth-round pick for the Reds in the 2014 draft, and he’ll head to the big leagues after posting a 3.74 ERA, 2.80 K/BB rate, and 6.8 K/9 over 611 1/3 career minor league innings.  A grounder specialist, Antone is ranked 20th on MLB Pipeline’s list of the top prospects in Cincinnati’s farm system.

Red Sox Claim Stephen Gonsalves

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The Red Sox claimed left-hander Stephen Gonsalves off waivers from the Mets, as per a team press release.  Gonsalves has been optioned to Boston’s minor league training site.

The Mets designated Gonsalves for assignment earlier this week, ending the 26-year-old’s tenure in New York without so much as a big league pitch after Gonsalves was claimed off waivers from the Twins last November.  Gonsalves’ lone taste of MLB action came with Minnesota in 2018, as he posted a 6.57 ERA over 24 2/3 innings (starting four of seven games).

Originally drafted by the Twins as a fourth-round pick in 2013, Gonsalves has a impressive 2.50 ERA, 2.67 K/BB rate, and 9.6 K/9 over 612 career minor league IP, though much of that success came at the lower levels.  Walks were a bit more of an issue for Gonsalves at the Triple-A level, with a 4.9 BB/9 over his 125 frames at the highest rung on the minor league ladder, though he still managed a 3.46 ERA at Triple-A Rochester.

Gonsalves will now join a Red Sox club that is in need of any sort of pitching help, so another call to the majors might not be too far away.  Darwinzon Hernandez and Josh Taylor are both recovering from positive COVID-19 tests, however, so the Sox will be getting southpaw bullpen reinforcements back in hopefully short order.  With Gonsalves’ addition, Boston has now maxed out its player pool at 60 men, and has 38 spots filled on its 40-man roster.

Giants Sign Chris Herrmann

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The Giants have signed catcher Chris Herrmann to a minor-league contract, according to Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group. He’ll be added to the Giants’ 60-man player pool and will join the three-player taxi squad.

Herrmann spent Spring Training with the Rays, signing on with Tampa in January on a minor-league deal. But with a flurry of other catchers included in the Rays’ 60-player pool, Herrmann seemed unlikely to climb the depth chart for playing time, and requested his release a week ago. He played with the Athletics last year, appearing in 30 games.

The 32-year-old brings some versatility to the table and has demonstrated offensive capability in the past, though the last couple of seasons haven’t been so kind to Herrmann at the dish. In addition to suiting up behind the plate, Herrmann has played first base and both corner outfield positions, which fits in well with the Giants’ mix-and-match lineup formation.

For his career, he’s the owner of a .205/.282/.344 batting line, though he’s had success in stints with the Diamondbacks and Mariners. He managed an .845 OPS in 56 games with the D-Backs in 2016 and looked pretty good in 30 games with the Mariners in 2018.

Yankees To Sign Fernando Abad

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July 25: The Yankees have announced the move. Abad has been added to the 60-man player pool and assigned to the Yankees’ alternate training facility in Scranton.

July 24: The Yankees have agreed to a deal with left-hander Fernando Abad, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter). The veteran reliever was recently cut loose by the Nationals. It’s likely a minor league pact for Abad, who missed Summer Camp with the Nats while quarantining after a positive Covid-19 diagnosis. Now that he’s been cleared to return to action, he’ll likely head to the Yankees’ alternate site in Scranton and provide the club with some additional bullpen depth. Abad is represented by the MAS+ Agency.

The 34-year-old Abad is a veteran of nine Major League seasons who carries a lifetime 3.67 ERA at the big league level. He’s pitched for six clubs — most recently the Giants in 2019 — and averaged 7.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and 1.14 HR/9 with a 41.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’s held lefties to a .234/.283/.378 slash and yielded a .257/.338/.412 slash to righties. Obviously, the latter isn’t particularly encouraging, but Abad’s splits aren’t quite as glaring as is the case with many traditional, pure lefty specialists.

Abad will add another lefty option to a Yankees organization that is a bit limited in that regard. Closer Aroldis Chapman is on the Covid-19 list at the moment, leaving Zack Britton as his likely replacement and Luis Avilan as the lone lefty setup option. Tyler Lyons had been the only left-handed reliever at the Yankees’ Scranton site, so bringing Abad into the mix addresses a depth need in rather straightforward fashion. The Yankees had some space in their 60-man player pool as it is, so they needn’t make a corresponding move once Abad’s deal becomes official.

Royals Promote Brady Singer, Option Meibrys Viloria

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July 25: The Royals have officially announced the roster move, optioning catcher Meibrys Viloria and adding Singer to the active roster. The former first-round pick is slated to make his first Major League start tonight in Cleveland.

July 22: The Royals will promote righty Brady Singer to open the 2020 season, manager Mike Matheny tells reporters including Alec Lewis of The Athletic (via Twitter). Singer is expected to start the team’s second game.

It seems the Kansas City club won’t stand on service-time considerations to put its best foot forward this year. They’d only need to keep Singer down for about a week to gain another year of club control over him, but they’ll instead come right out of the gate with who they feel is their best arms. It’s possible, of course, that Singer could be optioned later or eventually agree to a long-term deal that renders the common service time games moot anyhow.

Singer, who’ll soon turn 24, has yet to appear in the Majors. The No. 18 overall pick from the 2018 Draft opened the season as a consensus top-100 leaguewide prospect, as did promising young Royals arms Jackson Kowar and Daniel Lynch. It seems that Singer will get the first look of the bunch, but that pair and highly touted lefty Kris Bubic might not be far behind.

Singer has just one full professional campaign under his belt, but it was a good one. He blitzed through the High-A level and took 16 starts at Double-A, pitching to a 3.47 ERA with 8.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 over 90 2/3 innings.

Tigers Claim Carson Fulmer

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The Tigers announced today that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Carson Fulmer off waivers from the White Sox, who designated Fulmer for assignment on Thursday. The Tigers will need to make a corresponding move to clear a spot for Fulmer on the 40-man roster.

As MLBTR’s Steve Adams examined at length in May, Fulmer still offers glimpses of the tools that made him a coveted prospect in 2015: his fastball, curveball, and cutter all boast near-elite spin rates. And yet, despite those solid numbers, those pitches—particularly the four-seamer and cutter—evidently haven’t gotten the desired results for Fulmer. He’s generated relatively few swings and misses on those pitches, and it’s resulted in a career 6.56 ERA and constant up-and-down movement between the Majors and minors.

That said, this is precisely the type of acquisition that seems ideal for a Tigers team with little to lose this year. Without foundational pitching pieces, Fulmer comes at a small cost, and there’s always the possibility that a change of scenery could allow him to finally grow into a productive Major Leaguer. He’s still just 26 years old, and with expectations low for the team, they can afford to take on reclamation projects such as Fulmer in hopes that something sticks.

Fulmer could be deployed either as a starter or reliever, though it’s unknown as of now what Ron Gardenhire has planned for his newest player; either way, the Tigers will look to do what the White Sox couldn’t and tap into some of the talent that made him a top draft pick five years ago. If pitching coach Rick Anderson can hone Fulmer’s mechanics and command, the Tigers might have found themselves a worthwhile addition who could contribute to their next winning team.

Astros Place Aledmys Diaz On Injured List

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The Houston Astros have placed Aledmys Diaz on the injured list with a groin strain, per Mark Berman, the Sports Director at Fox 26. Taylor Jones is set to take over his roster spot.

Last season was Diaz’s first with the Astros. He joined the club from the Blue Jays in a straight-up swap for righty Trent Thornton. The utility infielder served his purpose in limited playing time last year, slashing .271/.356/.467 over 247 plate appearances. Houston’s stacked infield doesn’t allow for a ton of playing time for Diaz, though he’ll continue to serve as valuable injury insurance for the reigning AL champs. He appeared at first, second, third, short, left, and designate hitter for the Astros in 2019.

Diaz got the start at DH on Opening Day for the Astros this season, notching a single and a run scored in two at-bats before being replaced by Abraham Toro.

Jones, 26, will be making his major-league debut. He spent last season with Triple-A Round Rock, slashing an impressive .291/.388/.501 with 22 home runs, 86 runs, and 84 RBIs. Jones doesn’t offer quite the positional versatility of Diaz – but he’s not far off. Last year he played in all four corners. Despite the strong numbers last season, the 6’7″ Taylor is not considered one of the Astros better prospects. He didn’t make Fangraphs’ list of top-40 Astros’ prospects, though he did draw mention as a “masher” with enough power to rank with at least some big-league potential.

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