Greg Bird Out At Least A Month; Yankees Select Mike Ford
4:15pm: Bird will miss “at least” a month of action, manager Aaron Boone told reporters (Twitter link via Newsday’s Erik Boland).
9:47am: The Yankees have selected the contract of first baseman Mike Ford, per a club announcement. Fellow first baseman Greg Bird is heading to the injured list with a left plantar fascia tear, with a 40-man roster spot created by shifting outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to the 60-day IL. Jimmy O’Brien of Talkin’ Yanks had the news on Ford’s promotion this morning (Twitter link).
It’s more tough news for Bird, who was already scuffling in the batter’s box. The 26-year-old has dealt with a litany of injuries already in his career. Now, he has a potentially tricky new malady to overcome. Details on his anticipated timeline aren’t yet clear, but Bird will surely require a lengthy stretch on the IL. Plantar fascia tears can require up to a month in a walking boot even before the real rehab work starts.
Ford is also a 26-year-old, left-handed-hitting first bagger. When Bird debuted with the Yanks in 2015, though, Ford was working out the kinks at the High-A level.
There have been some ups and downs since, with both power and patience on display when he’s going good. Across 532 upper-minors plate appearances in 2017, Ford posted a .270/.404/.471 slash with twenty home runs and a snazzy mix of 94 walks and 72 strikeouts. Last year, the Princeton product sagged to a .760 OPS at the highest level of the minors.
Ford has been firmly on the risk so far in 2019. An afterthought in spring camp, he has burst out of the gates back at Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Through 45 trips to the dish, Ford carries a .410/.467/.897 batting line with five long balls and four walks to go with seven strikeouts.
Marlins Select Isaac Galloway
The Marlins have selected the contract of outfielder Isaac Galloway as part of a minor early-season roster shake-up. Also joining the active roster is lefty Jarlin Garcia.
Shortstop JT Riddle was dropped back down on optional assignment. The club opened the other necessary roster spot by placing righty Austin Brice on the 10-day IL with gastroenteritis.
Galloway battled for ten seasons in the minors before finally debuting last year in Miami. The 29-year-old lost his 40-man spot this spring but earned his way back up by popping four long balls in his first forty plate appearances at Triple-A to open the present season.
Red Sox Select Contract Of Erasmo Ramirez
In a second move of the day, the Red Sox announced that they have selected the contract of righty Erasmo Ramirez. He’ll take the active roster spot of fellow right-hander Marcus Walden, who was optioned down.
This move didn’t require a complementary 40-man transaction, as the club had an opening to work with. But it does still pose some future roster limitations, as the veteran Ramirez will need now need to stay on the active roster or be exposed to waivers.
Soon to turn 29, Ramirez has seven years of MLB experience as a swingman. He struggled through a homer-prone, ten-start stint last year with the Mariners before landing with the Boston club on a minors pact. In two starts at Triple-A to open the 2019 campaign, he allowed just one earned run in eight innings while recording five strikeouts and no walks.
Red Sox Designate Blake Swihart, Select Sandy Leon
The Red Sox have designated catcher Blake Swihart for assignment, as first reported by Evan Drellich of WEEI.com (Twitter link). In his place, Sandy Leon is heading back onto the MLB roster, as Jon Heyman of MLB Network was first to tweet.
Struggling out of the gates, the defending champs have decided upon a change behind the dish. The considerations are familiar; they were weighed just weeks ago when Leon was outrighted in favor of Swihart. This move, then, constitutes a mulligan of sorts.
Swihart wasn’t off to an inspirational start at the plate, with a .231/.310/.385 slash, but it seems likely that the move was driven primarily by the club’s broader pitching issues. The Boston staff has been among the worst in all of baseball thus far. While that reflects quite a bit more than Swihart’s own performance behind the dish, the organization obviously feels it has something to gain in that regard by switching things up.
Leon was stashed down at Triple-A after clearing waivers late in camp. He lacks Swihart’s abilities on offense but is lauded for his glovework and game management skills. He had teamed with Christian Vazquez to form a defensive-oriented backstop combination in recent years, but the club opted to give Swihart a run at the position to open the season after utilizing him in a utility role last year.
The move potentially means jettisoning the upside and cheap control embodied in the control rights over Swihart. He’s earning $910K this year as a Super Two player and comes with three further arbitration-eligible campaigns. Long lauded as a potential impact bat that can line up behind the dish, those predictions haven’t yet come to fruition. Over 626 career MLB plate appearances, Swihart owns a .255/.314/.365 slash line.
Teams that believe in the bat may well give Swihart a chance at a lengthier run of consistent playing time. That could come via trade or waiver claim. If no team is interested in carrying the out-of-options 27-year-old on its active roster and he clears waivers, the Red Sox will have a chance to stash him back at Triple-A.
Blue Jays Select Eric Sogard, Option Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
April 15: The Blue Jays announced the move. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Sogard, the team has transferred left-hander Ryan Borucki from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. Borucki has already been on the IL all season but will now be definitively ruled out until May 27.
April 14: The Blue Jays are sending infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to Triple A, per Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports. Gurriel the younger was removed from today’s game for a “mental break” per manager Charlie Montoyo. The team hopes their young infielder can get back on track with a Triple-A reset, per Mitchell (Twitter links). MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm tweeted about the possibility of a Gurriel demotion earlier today.
While Gurriel Jr. heads to Buffalo, veteran infielder Eric Sogard is set to join the major league roster. The spectacled Sogard received the bulk of his big league playing time with the A’s from 2010-2015, where he slashed .239/.295/.313 over 1331 plate appearances while playing second, third and short. He spent the last two seasons with the Brewers, hitting .234/.351/.318 across 412 PAs.
Gurriel, meanwhile, has flashed moments of athletic playmaking, such as when he stole home off of Chris Sale last week, while also misfiring on a pair of routine throws from second base. An overall rough go of it at the dish (49 wRC+) also likely bolstered the case in favor of demotion. Given the long-term, if reasonable, financial investment the Blue Jays have made to Gurriel, he likely gets ample opportunity to figure it out, though there’s also little reason to rush him back to the majors. Toronto owes the 25-year-old infielder an average of roughly $3.14MM per season until he hits free agency after the 2023 seasons.
Nationals, Dan Jennings Agree To Minor League Deal
The Nationals are in agreement with left-hander Dan Jennings on a minor league contract, MLBTR has confirmed. Roster Roundup first tweeted that the two sides were nearing a deal.
Jennings, a client of ISE Baseball, struggled through a poor spring with the Angels and was ultimately cut loose at the end of camp. The well-traveled lefty, however, has a history of quality results at the MLB level, most recently having tossed 64 1/3 innings of 3.22 ERA ball with the Brewers in 2018. He’ll turn 32 later this week.
Jennings has logged parts of seven seasons in the big leagues and never posted an ERA of 4.00 or higher. He doesn’t miss bats at a particularly high rate (7.1 K/9) or possess pristine control (3.9 BB/9), but he’s been a durable arm that can retire both left- and right-handed hitters throughout his MLB career (although righties gave him some trouble last season). It’s also difficult to elevate the ball against Jennings, as evidenced by his 58.5 percent ground-ball rate and 0.66 HR/9 mark in 244 innings dating back to 2015.
For the Nats, it’s only logical to tack on some veteran depth in the upper minors. No team in baseball has seen its bullpen post a worst ERA than the Nationals’ collective 7.75 mark in 2019, and while there’s been some degree of poor fortune attached to the extent of that eyesore, the bullpen’s 5.22 FIP, 5.34 xFIP and 4.55 SIERA all support the notion that the overall performance has been legitimately ugly. Beyond closer Sean Doolittle, the Nats’ other two lefties — Tony Sipp and Matt Grace — have each struggled so far.
Jennings isn’t the first veteran arm to pique the organization’s interest in recent days; Washignton reportedly had a near-agreement with Bud Norris fall through last week, and the team will surely continue to explore what’s left in free agency and monitor the waiver wire. At present, Doolittle and Kyle Barraclough are the only Nationals relievers who have an ERA under 5.68, and there’s particular concern surrounding Trevor Rosenthal, who has allowed 12 of the 15 men he’s faced to reach base (seven via walk plus a hit batsman) in his first season back from 2017 Tommy John surgery.
Francisco Lindor To Begin Rehab Assignment
Jason Kipnis is already returning to the Tribe’s 25-man roster, but there’s more promising news coming out of Cleveland as superstar shortstop Francisco Lindor gets set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus, per MLB.com’s Mandy Bell (via Twitter). As MLBTR readers no doubt remember, Lindor first hit the injured list with a calf strain before compounding that injury with a high left ankle sprain, depriving the game of one of its brightest young stars so far in 2019.
The AL Central’s reigning champs (three years running) have more-or-less held serve thus this season without their MVP candidate, though they’re not exactly tearing the cover off the ball at 3.47 runs per game. Their 8-7 record after today’s loss to Kansas City maintains a second place stalemate with Detroit, who both trail division-leading Minnesota (8-4).
Credit the Indians for not panicking despite missing their middle infield to start the year. Granted, such patience was afforded them because they preside over what’s been the worst division in baseball the last few seasons. And though their 2019 record versus their familiar foes so far (4-7) might suggest a looming divisional struggle, most do not portend the sort of white-knuckle competition facing other playoff hopefuls throughout the majors. And while the Royals and White Sox are more-or-less counted out already, Detroit has played better than expected despite injuries to their pitching staff, while the Twins remain a difficult team to project given their high volume of castoffs (C.J. Cron, Blake Parker) and reclamation projects (Jonathan Schoop, Michael Pineda, Martin Perez), as well as both young stars looking to bloom (Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Jose Berrios) and aging stars staving off decline (Nelson Cruz).
Still, the Indians’ ragtag lineup held things together through the first few weeks and now look to hit the ground running with the additions of veterans Carlos Gonzalez and Jason Kipnis this week. Stand-in Brad Miller is no longer with the club after his DFA earlier today, while Lindor’s primary understudy Eric Stamets survived the first round of cuts despite carrying a speaks-for-itself .059/.154/.088 line through 40 plate appearances. Given Lindor’s career .288/.350/.487 and 5.7 average annual fWAR, the Indians no doubt eagerly anticipate his return.
Indians To Designate Brad Miller For Assignment
The Indians informed Brad Miller that he has been designated for assignment, per MLB.com’s Mandy Bell (via Twitter). Jason Kipnis returns from the injured list to take Miller’s spot on the roster, adds Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com (via Twitter).
Miller filled in admirably for the Tribe through the season’s first two weeks, as manager Tito Francona slotted him into the lineup at second base to start 11 of their first 14 games. While his stay in Cleveland was short, he worked a .250/.333/.438 batting line with four extra base hits over that span – perhaps showing enough pop to get another look elsewhere. A significant amount of swing-and-miss remains in Miller’s game, as he struck out at a 27.8 K% clip, not at that far off from his 23.6 career K-rate.
Over a seven-year career with stopovers in Seattle, Tampa Bay and Milwaukee (before Cleveland), Miller owns a .239/.313/.409 slash line with 76 career home runs, which comes to a roughly league-average rate by measure of weighted runs created plus (99 wRC+). That’s essentially the expectation asked of and fulfilled by Miller for the Indians while their regular starting middle infield worked their way back from injury.
Kipnis figures to reclaim regular starting duties at second base so long as he can stay healthy. Kipnis brings his .263/.337/.417 line to a Cleveland lineup that also added veteran Carlos Gonzalez today. On its face, Kipnis doesn’t seem like much of an upgrade from what Miller has provided thus far, but if nothing else, he represents a stabilizing veteran presence as the longest-tenured position player on the Cleveland roster. The 32-year-old Chicago native has been in the organization since they drafted him in the second round of the 2009 draft, while he made his major league debut in 2011.
Brewers Acquire David Freitas From Mariners
The Brewers and Mariners have made a trade, per a Mariners team announcement. The Brewers will acquire catcher David Freitas from Seattle in exchange for minor league pitcher Sal Biasi. Freitas will report to Triple-A with his new team.
In Freitas, who had been playing in Triple-A, the Brewers will add veteran catching depth. The 30-year-old appeared in 36 games with Seattle last season, after spending several years in the minor leagues with the Nationals, Athletics, Orioles, Cubs, and Braves organizations. In 106 Major League plate appearances in 2018, Freitas posted an unimpressive .215/.277/.312 slash line. However, his Triple-A numbers in the last two seasons have been more encouraging: Freitas worked to a .955 OPS in 36 games in 2018, and the early returns in 2019 have been equally promising. He will enter the Brewers’ catching mix behind Yasmani Grandal and Manny Pina, with Jacob Nottingham also on the 40-man roster. Though opportunities at the MLB level may be limited behind the Grandal/Pina combination, Freitas should slot in as the third catcher if needed.
In return, the Mariners will acquire Sal Biasi, a 23-year-old right-handed relief pitcher currently at the Class-A level. Biasi was the Royals’ 11th-round selection in the 2017 draft, but was traded last season to Milwaukee in a minor-league swap. In 116 career minor league innings, Biasi has posted a solid 3.26 ERA and an even 9.0 K/9, compared to 3.9 BB/9. He will represent added depth to the M’s improving farm system.
Indians Select Carlos Gonzalez’s Contract
SUNDAY: The Indians have selected Gonzalez’s contract, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, they optioned right-hander Jefry Rodriguez to the minors and transferred righty Mike Clevinger to the 60-day injured list.
SATURDAY, 11:37AM: Gonzalez is expected to join the roster before the Indians’ Sunday afternoon game against the Royals, as per Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
9:29AM: The Indians will select the contract of outfielder Carlos Gonzalez from Triple-A, according to reporter Jorge Urribarri (Twitter link). As per the terms of Gonzalez’s minor league deal, he’ll now earn a guaranteed $2MM for making the Major League roster, plus another $1MM is available in incentive bonuses. Cleveland’s 40-man roster is full, so at least one more move will need to be made to accommodate Gonzalez on the MLB roster.
With the promotion, Gonzalez won’t have to face a decision about an April 20 opt-out date in his minors contract, though it seemed pretty likely that he would be back in the big leagues relatively soon given the unsettled state of the Tribe’s outfield. The man they call “CarGo” also did his best to force the issue by posting a 1.004 OPS over 29 Triple-A plate appearances.
Gonzalez signed with Cleveland in mid-March, ending what had been a pretty quiet trip through free agency for the 33-year-old, as least in terms of known rumors. The veteran was forced to settle for a non-guaranteed pact in the wake of a season that saw him hit .276/.329/.467 with 16 homers in 504 plate appearances for the Rockies — respectable numbers on paper, if still below-average offensive production (96 wRC+, 98 OPS+) considering the Coors Field factor.
On a more positive note, Gonzalez was worth 1.7 fWAR after a sub replacement-level (-0.1 fWAR) season in 2017, and he also had his best year on the basepaths in years, as per a +3.6 grade in Fangraphs’ Base Running metric. Gonzalez also had something of a rebound defensively, with a +6.9 UZR/150 over 1004 1/3 innings as a right fielder in 2018 and a +2 Outs Above Average rating via StatCast, though the Defensive Runs Saved (-8) metric was much more negative about his glovework.
Cleveland entered the season with one of the shakier outfield situations in baseball, especially among contending teams. While Leonys Martin has been a bright spot in center field and Tyler Naquin has performed well as the regular right fielder, Jake Bauers, Jordan Luplow, and Greg Allen are all off to dreadful starts. Gonzalez figures to take the bulk of right field time from Naquin, though it leaves something of an imperfect fit since Gonzalez, Naquin, and Bauers (the top corner outfield options) are all left-handed hitters. This situation figures to lead to fewer at-bats for Hanley Ramirez in the DH role, as Ramirez may only see action whenever the Tribe faces left-handed pitching.