Astros Place Yordan Alvarez On 45-Day Injured List
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/22/20
The latest minor moves from around the baseball world…
- The Tigers outrighted infielder Dawel Lugo to their alternate training site, the team announced. Lugo cleared waivers after being designated for assignment earlier this week. Lugo saw semi-regular action for Detroit in 2019 but hasn’t hit much over 400 total Major League plate appearances, batting .236/.270/.358 and seven home runs. Acquired from the Diamondbacks as part of the J.D. Martinez trade in 2017, Lugo has a .280/.310/.399 slash line over 3340 career PA in the minors, though he did post an .859 OPS over 303 Triple-A plate appearances in 2019.
Astros Activate Michael Brantley; Place Josh James On 10-Day IL
The Astros have activated outfielder Michael Brantley from the 10-day injured list, as per a team announcement. Brantley will be available for tonight’s game against the Padres, as he will immediately take the roster spot opened after right-hander Josh James was placed on the 10-day IL. James is battling left hip discomfort.
Brantley is back after spending a minimal ten-day stint on the IL due to a right quad injury, though his activation comes as something of a surprise. Manager Dusty Baker said just yesterday that he was “not real optimistic” that Brantley would be activated as soon as he was eligible to return, though apparently the veteran slugger showed good enough progress during pregame drills today that the Astros felt comfortable putting him back on the 28-man roster.
Since stepping on the foot of Dodgers reliever Joe Kelly during a play at first base on July 29, Brantley has been bothered by foot and quad problems, though it wasn’t stopping him from continuing to produce at the plate. Brantley had been limited to DH duty, however, and Houston ultimately deciding an IL stint was necessary to get Brantley back in good enough health for regular outfield duty. That choice may have been spurred by the return of Yordan Alvarez, though with Alvarez now gone for the season due to knee surgery, the DH spot will again be available for Brantley or any other Astros players to get a partial rest day.
Brantley’s return brings some relief to an Astros lineup that is already without Alvarez, Alex Bregman, and Aledmys Diaz. Brantley has hit .286/.375/.446 over 64 PA this season, continuing the strong hitting that has defined much of Brantley’s career, though he has also dealt with his share of injuries over his 12 Major League seasons.
James’ injury seemed to arise on Thursday, as the righty had to be helped off the field after fielding a grounder during Thursday’s 10-8 Houston victory over the Rockies. The IL placement continues what has already been a rough season for James, who has struggled in both the rotation and bullpen to the tune of a 10.97 ERA over 10 2/3 innings.
Cubs Place Kris Bryant On 10-Day Injured List
The Cubs announced that Kris Bryant has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a sprained left ring finger. The placement is retroactive to August 19. There is no corresponding move for now, so the Cubs will play tonight’s game against the White Sox with only 27 players on their 28-man active roster.
Bryant has been battling finger and left wrist issues for over a week now, ever since an attempt at a diving catch during the Cubs’ 7-2 win over the Indians on August 12. After a game off, Bryant attempted to play through the injury but still seemed bothered, as evidenced by his 2-for-16 performance over a four-game stretch. Bryant hasn’t played since Monday, though as noted as ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers, manager David Ross said just earlier today that putting Bryant on the IL was “not the plan right now.” Clearly those plans changed, and Bryant will now get some more time off to fully heal up.
The time away might also serve as something of a restart for Bryant after a slow beginning to the 2020 season. The slugger has hit only .177/.271/.323 over his first 70 plate appearances, though Bryant has been dealing with a number of minor health issues (a sore back, sore elbow, and some gastrointestinal illness) since Opening Day.
David Bote will likely continue to be the top choice at third base until Bryant returns, with Nico Hoerner and Hernan Perez also available as hot corner options.