Minor MLB Transactions: 9/10/18
Here are Monday’s minor moves from around the game…
- The Pirates outrighted left-handed reliever Buddy Boshers to Triple-A Indianapolis after he cleared waivers, per John Dreker of PiratesProspects.com (Twitter link). The 30-year-old lefty split the season between the Pittsburgh and Houston organizations but didn’t reach the Majors with either team. He’s posted a solid 3.32 ERA with 9.8 K/9, 2.8 BB/9, 0.8 HR/9 and a 48 percent ground-ball rate through 57 Triple-A frames so far in 2018, but opposing lefties hit .303/.330/.434 against him this season. Boshers spent most of 2016-17 in the Majors with the Twins, pitching to a combined 4.56 ERA and generally holding lefties in check while struggling considerably against right-handed bats.
White Sox Outright Tyler Danish
The White Sox outrighted right-hander Tyler Danish to Triple-A Charlotte, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports (Twitter link). This is the second time that Danish has been outrighted, as he was also removed from Chicago’s 40-man roster last November.
A second-rounder for the Sox in the 2013 draft, Danish has seen only sparing big league action in each of the last three seasons, with a career total of 13 innings over 11 games (one of them a start). In total, the right-hander has a 4.85 ERA and more walks (13) than strikeouts (11) over his brief time as a big leaguer.
Danish has also posted middling numbers as a starter at the Double-A and Triple-A levels, though he showed some improvement this season pitching largely as a reliever in Charlotte, with a 3.01 ERA over 71 2/3 IP and 33 total appearances, 31 of which came out of the bullpen. Danish doesn’t miss many bats (6.0 K/9 in his minor league career), though he has been able to generate grounders, as his 50.2% ground-ball rate for Charlotte this season actually represents his lowest grounder rate over his six minor league campaigns.
Tigers Select Christin Stewart, Jarrod Saltalamacchia
The Tigers announced that they have selected the contracts of outfielder Christin Stewart and veteran catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia from Triple-A Toledo. Right-hander Zac Reininger was also called up from Triple-A. To make room for Saltalamacchia on the 40-man roster, righty Artie Lewicki was shifted to the 60-day disabled list.
Stewart was taken 34th overall in the 2015 draft, selected by the Tigers with the compensation pick they received when Max Scherzer left the club to sign with the Nationals in free agency. Now 24 years old, Stewart will get his first chance to display his power bat at the big league level, after swatting 93 homers and posting a .503 slugging percentage over 1930 plate appearances in the minors. (His minor league slash line also includes a .262 average and .363 OBP.) After topping the 131-strikeout plateau in his previous two seasons, Stewart displayed increased plate discipline in his first taste of Triple-A ball this season, with just 108 whiffs against 67 walks over 532 PA for Toledo.
Stewart’s bat is his calling card, as he is considered to be a below-average corner outfielder whose future may be as a designated hitter. This is obviously a limit on his potential, though his scouting report on MLB.com (which ranks Stewart as the sixth-best prospect in Detroit’s system) notes that Stewart has displayed a strong work ethic in trying to improve himself as a defender. Baseball America also ranked Stewart fifth in their midseason list of the ten best Tigers prospects.
Saltalamacchia signed a minor league deal with the Tigers last March and now looks on track to appear in his 12th Major League season, though he may not get a ton of playing time with James McCann and rookie Grayson Greiner ahead of him on the depth chart. Saltalamacchia previously played for Detroit in the 2016 season, appearing in 92 games for the club.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/8/18
The latest minor moves from around baseball…
- The Mets selected catcher Jose Lobaton‘s contract from Triple-A Las Vegas and transferred right-hander Bobby Wahl from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day version before their game Saturday. It’s the third time this season the Mets have brought up the 33-year-old Lobaton, whom they previously outrighted in mid-June. Lobaton posted a dominant .348/.430/.598 batting line with eight home runs in 151 Triple-A plate appearances this season, but offense has never been his calling card in the majors. Over 53 PAs with this year’s Mets, he has hit a meager .152/.264/.239 without a homer.
White Sox Select Rob Scahill, Place Michael Kopech On 60-Day DL
The White Sox have purchased reliever Rob Scahill‘s contract from Triple-A Charlotte and placed right-hander Michael Kopech on the 60-day disabled list, per a team announcement.
Scahill, whom the White Sox signed to a minor league deal last December, is set to pitch in the majors for the first time this year. But Scahill’s addition to Chicago’s roster comes under terrible circumstances for the club, which found out Friday that the prized Kopech, 22, is likely to require Tommy John surgery just four appearances into his big league career.
The 31-year-old Scahill was with Kopech in Charlotte, where the former posted a disastrous 5.64 ERA despite solid peripherals over 60 2/3 innings. Scahill registered 10.53 K/9 against 3.71 BB/9 with a 49.7 percent groundball rate during that span, and he also logged a 3.23 FIP/3.19 xFIP.
A former Rockie, Pirate and Brewer, Scahill carries a decent track record in the majors, where he has recorded a 3.79 ERA/4.66 FIP across 144 2/3 frames. Scahill has managed a passable ERA largely because he has induced grounders at an excellent clip (54.8 percent), somewhat helping to offset subpar strikeout and walk rates of 5.97 and 3.48, respectively.
Blue Jays Outright Mike Hauschild
The Blue Jays announced today that they have outrighted right-hander Mike Hauschild. He will not have the right to elect free agency, having never previously been outrighted, but will qualify as a minor-league free agent at season’s end unless returned to the 40-man roster.
Hauschild, 28, was designated recently after signing a MLB deal with the Toronto organization in early August. He opened the season with the Astros but was released in mid-season, ultimately appearing in only two MLB games with the Jays. Previously, he made four relief appearances in 2017 with the Rangers, who had selected him in the Rule 5 draft but later returned him to Houston.
All of that is to say that Hauschild has tasted the bigs but hasn’t spent enough time there to tell us much. He has spent much of the past two seasons at Triple-A, struggling on the whole and this year posting a marginal 4.90 ERA with 7.8 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 119 1/3 innings. At times in the past, though, the former 33rd-rounder has turned in solid results in the upper minors.
Orioles Select Corban Joseph
The Orioles announced Friday that they’ve selected the contract of infielder Corban Joseph from Double-A Bowie. He’ll join the big league club for the remainder of the season.
[Related: Baltimore Orioles depth chart]
It’ll be the second call to the big leagues this season for Joseph — the younger brother of Baltimore catcher Caleb Joseph. The younger Joseph brother went 1-for-9 in four games with the O’s earlier this season before being designated for assignment and outrighted back to the club’s Double-A affiliate.
Joseph, 29, has enjoyed a solid season with Bowie this year (albeit against much younger competition), hitting .312/.381/.497 with 17 homers, 30 doubles, a pair of triples and eight steals in 523 plate appearances across 122 games. He’s appeared at first base, second base and third base in the minors. His addition gives the Orioles a full 40-man roster.
Tigers Release Josh Smoker
The Tigers announced tonight that they have released lefty Josh Smoker. That leaves the club with an open 40-man roster spot.
Smoker, 29, only made one appearance with the Tigers after being claimed off waivers over the summer. The former first-round pick made a notable comeback just to reach the majors, but hasn’t found much success. In parts of three seasons, he carries a 5.35 ERA with 11.1 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9 and a hefty 1.8 HR/9.
That said, the southpaw has produced swinging strikes at a strong 11.6% rate in that span, helping to support the healthy K rate. And he has had a nice showing at Triple-A this year. In his 45 1/3 innings, split between both organizations, he has produced a 3.38 ERA with 9.9 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9.
Diamondbacks Acquire Patrick Kivlehan; Jarrod Dyson Undergoes Surgery
5:41pm: It emerged after the move that Dyson has undergone a core muscle procedure similar to the one that ended his 2017 season, as Steve Gilbert of MLB.com was among those to report (links to Twitter). It does not sound as if there’s much hope that the speedy outfielder will be able to return in 2018, though skipper Torey Lovullo says he expects Dyson to be ready to go for Spring Training in 2019.
Dyson has never really gotten going this year. In 237 plate appearances, he owns only a .189/.282/.257 slash with 16 steals. He’s slated to earn $3.5MM next season, the second and final campaign covered by his free-agent contract.
4:49pm: The Diamondbacks announced that they have acquired corner infielder/outfielder Patrick Kivlehan from the Mets. Cash considerations will head to New York in return.
Kivlehan will head onto the MLB roster, the D-Backs also announced. To create 40-man roster space, the club shifted outfielder Jarrod Dyson to the 60-day DL.
The 28-year-old Kivlehan landed with the Mets organization earlier this year after being cut loose by the Reds. He has turned in a big season at the plate since arriving in Triple-A Las Vegas, slashing .314/.372/.588 with twenty home runs in 390 plate appearances.
Of course, Kivlehan has at times shown solid pop and put up appealing numbers in the upper minors. But he has still yet to receive much of an opportunity at the game’s highest level. In his 228 total plate appearances, spread over 123 games in parts of two seasons, he has posted a .206/.303/.392 batting line.
Having been acquired after the end of August, Kivlehan will not be eligible to appear in the postseason should the Snakes qualify. He will, however, be able to help his new club try to get there and can be retained on the 40-man roster beyond the present season if the organization wishes.
Outrighted: Bruce Maxwell, Osmer Morales
Here are today’s outright assignments, which come in the wake of a wide slate of 40-man roster moves at the outset of September…
- Athletics catcher Bruce Maxwell cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Nashville, the team announced via press release. Maxwell, 27, has been a lightning rod for criticism following his decision last season to take a knee during the National Anthem and his offseason arrest for aggravated assault. Though Athletics brass gave Maxwell a public vote of confidence as his court proceedings were ongoing, the Oakland organization ultimately bumped Maxwell down the depth chart by signing Jonathan Lucroy. On the field, Maxwell has struggled through a terrible season, hitting .182/.207/.309 in a small sample of 58 Major League plate appearances and just .219/.300/.281 through 200 PAs at the Triple-A level.
- The Angels announced that right-hander Osmer Morales cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake. Morales, 25, received an extremely brief call to the Majors, appearing in just one game, facing two batters, and recording one out. He’ll head back to the minors and hope for a lengthier audition in the future. The righty had solid numbers in 50 1/3 innings in Triple-A last season but was rocked for a 6.44 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 5.0 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9 in 102 innings with Salt Lake this season.