Minor MLB Transactions: 7/14/18
Keeping up with the latest minor moves…
- The White Sox outrighted reliever Bruce Rondon to Triple-A on Friday, per Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times. Rondon could have rejected the assignment in favor of free agency, but it seems he’ll report to Charlotte. The 27-year-old flamethrower has amassed 40 strikeouts in 29 2/3 major league innings this season, but he has also registered a hideous walk rate (8.19 per nine) and an even higher ERA (8.49). As a result, the Sox designated Rondon on Wednesday and no one took a chance on him via waivers.
- The Mariners have selected the contract of right-hander Matt Festa from Double-A and optioned fellow righty Christian Bergman to Triple-A, the team announced. Festa is now in position to make his M’s debut two years after they picked him in the seventh round of the 2016 draft. Now 25, Festa has been formidable in relief this year, having pitched to a 3.13 ERA with 12.51 K/9 against 1.99 BB/9 in 31 2/3 innings. He ranks as Seattle’s ninth-best prospect at MLB.com.
- The Blue Jays selected right-hander Chris Rowley from Triple-A Buffalo and transferred righty Rhiner Cruz (groin) to the 60-day DL prior to Saturday’s game. Rowley’s season debut couldn’t have gone much worse – he surrendered three earned runs on two hits (including a walk-off grand slam to Boston’s Xander Bogaerts) and a walk in a third of an inning.
Rangers Activate Martin Perez, Release Austin Jackson
The Rangers announced that they’ve activated left-hander Martin Perez from the 60-day DL and released outfielder Austin Jackson. Additionally, they placed reliever Alex Claudio on the 10-day DL because of a left ankle sprain.
Perez will start against the Orioles on Saturday, which will be his first major league outing since April 29. The 27-year-old missed nearly three months with right (non-throwing) elbow problems. Prior to that, Perez got off to a terrible start with a 9.67 ERA, 5.24 K/9 and 4.84 BB/9 in 22 1/3 innings.
This disastrous season aside, Perez has been passable since debuting in 2012, evidenced by a 4.60 ERA/4.40 FIP across 698 1/3 career innings. He also tossed at least 185 frames in each of the previous two seasons. Given Texas’ need for starters, Perez’s track record could influence the team to pick up his $7.5MM option for 2019 when the offseason rolls around. Otherwise, it could try to trade Perez or buy him out for $750K.
As for Jackson, his release comes three days after the Rangers designated him for assignment and ends a very short tenure with the organization for the native Texan. In a trade with San Francisco last weekend, the Rangers agreed to take on Jackson (and his $3MM annual salary through next season) to help clear payroll for the Giants and acquire pitching prospect Jason Bahr.
The Rangers never had any intention of using Jackson, who hit just .242/.309/.295 in 165 plate appearances as a Giant, and weren’t able to flip him elsewhere. Now, thanks to his woeful season thus far, the 31-year-old Jackson may either have to take a minor league deal (if a team offers one) or sit out the rest of 2018.
Angels To Sign Junichi Tazawa
The Angels have agreed to a minor-league deal with reliever Junichi Tazawa, according to Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). He’s set to work out at extended spring camp rather than immediately joining an affiliate.
Perhaps the Halos have some ideas for getting Tazawa back on track. He was once quite a useful reliever, though it has been a while since that could be said.
The 32-year-old limped through a stint with the Marlins, compiling 75 1/3 innings of 6.57 ERA ball before he was cut loose earlier this year. He ended up joining the Tigers on a minors pact but only made seven appearances at Triple-A before he was again released.
Giants To Sign Peter Bourjos
The Giants have agreed to a minors deal with outfielder Peter Bourjos, per Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area (via Twitter). He’ll head to the team’s top affiliate.
Bourjos, 31, has been on and off the Braves’ MLB roster this year. He hasn’t hit much at all in limited opportunities. Neither has he done much more in recent campaigns. Since the start of 2014, Bourjos carries a .229/.286/.366 slash through 1,152 trips to the plate at the game’s highest level.
That said, the numbers have been much better this year at Triple-A, where Bourjos is a .277/.352/.511 hitter in 105 plate appearances. And the nine-year MLB veteran is much better known for his defense and baserunning. For the Giants, he’ll represent an insurance policy in center field.
Athletics Select Contract Of Jeremy Bleich
The Athletics have selected the contract of lefty Jeremy Bleich, per a club announcement. To open a 40-man spot, the club shifted Andrew Triggs to the 60-day DL.
This move is ten years in the making for Bleich, a 2008 sandwich round pick who has never yet seen the majors. Persistence paid off for the Stanford product, who was selected by the Yankees and has also spent time in the Pirates, Phillies, and Dodgers organizations.
Now 31 years of age, the southpaw has turned in a solid showing this year at Triple-A. Through 39 innings in 27 outings, he owns a 3.00 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9. While he has been tagged by right-handed hitters, Bleich has held opposing southpaws to a .200/.224/.291 slash.
Orioles Sign Sean Gilmartin
The Orioles have signed lefty Sean Gilmartin, David Hall of the Virginian-Pilot reports on Twitter. He is joining the club’s top affiliate tonight.
Gilmartin last saw the majors early last year with the Mets, struggling in two outings after a rough 2016 effort. Of course, Gilmartin had a strong rookie campaign in 2015, when he threw 57 1/3 innings of 2.67 ERA ball as a Rule 5 pick.
After landing with the Cardinals, Gilmartin lost his 40-man spot. He had spent the current season at Triple-A Memphis before recently being released. In 46 1/3 innings over 24 outings, including six starts, he worked to a 4.66 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9.
Indians Designate Ryan Merritt
The Indians have designated lefty Ryan Merritt for assignment, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports on Twitter. He had been on the 60-day disabled list owing to knee and arm issues.
Cleveland manager Terry Francona explained that, while Merritt is back at full health, he’s showing diminished velocity. The club evidently decided against activating the out-of-options hurler.
Merritt, 26, has only allowed six earned runs in 31 2/3 career MLB innings and gave the Indians a sparkling ALCS outing in 2016. Despite exhibiting impeccable control, though, Merritt only has managed 3.7 K/9 in the majors.
On a rehab assignment this year, Merritt took the ball for 26 innings over six starts at Triple-A. While he recorded a 20:1 K/BB ratio, he also coughed up 42 hits and six long balls en route to a 5.88 ERA.
Mariners Place James Paxton On DL, Select Mike Morin
The Mariners announced today that they’ve placed lefty James Paxton on the 10-day DL due to lower back inflammation and selected the contract of righty Mike Morin from Triple-A Tacoma. The Mariners also optioned Gordon Beckham and Nick Rumbelow to Triple-A, recalling righties Christian Bergman and Casey Lawrence to fill those roster spots.
Luckily for the M’s, the Paxton injury isn’t serious. GM Jerry Dipoto told Joel Sherman of the New York Post earlier today, even, that the plan is to utilize the All-Star break to get Paxton some extra rest after back discomfort forced him from last night’s game in the first inning (Twitter link). He’s scheduled to start the Mariners’ fourth game of the second half, so it seems this is somewhat of a procedural move to get some additional fresh arms in the ‘pen.
Morin, 27, saw two games of action earlier in the season with Seattle before being outrighted off of the 40-man. He has spent the bulk of the season at Triple-A, where he owns a 3.60 ERA over 35 frames with an appealing blend of 9.3 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9. Over 172 career innings in the bigs, Morin carries a 4.60 ERA.
Minor MLB Transactions: 7/13/18
We’ll track Friday’s minor moves from around the league here…
- Right-hander Chris Beck cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Mets and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Las Vegas, Erin Fish of MLB.com reports (via Twitter). Claimed off waivers out of the White Sox organization earlier this year, Beck tossed 10 1/3 innings for the Mets and allowed six runs on 10 hits (three homers) and more walks issued (nine) than strikeouts recorded (five). The former second-rounder once rated as one of the more promising arms in the White Sox’ system, but he’s struggled to a 5.88 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 5.1 BB/9, 1.87 HR/9 and a 43.1 percent ground-ball rate in 130 Major League innings.
David Hale Signs With KBO’s Hanwha Eagles
The Hanwha Eagles of the Korea Baseball Organization announced yesterday that they’ve signed right-hander David Hale for the remainder of the season (link via South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency). Hale will earn $500K with the Eagles, per the announcement.
The 30-year-old Hale opened the season in the Yankees organization after signing a minor league contract over the winter. He made one appearance for New York after having his contract selected before being designated for assignment and claimed by the Twins, who’d also had offseason interest in him. However, the Twins, too, designated Hale after just one appearance.
Hale would ultimately clear waivers and elect free agency, only to return to the Yankees organization on a new minor league contract and largely repeat the cycle twice more. He found himself back in the Majors after Jordan Montgomery went down with Tommy John surgery, but was again designated for assignment after one long relief outing. That led to a third minor league contract with the Yanks, followed by yet another selection of his contract and, once again, a DFA after one long-relief outing.
Hale’s season is one of the stranger in recent memory; he has as many DFAs on the season as he does Major League appearances (four), but he’ll now have a more stable and more lucrative opportunity in the KBO. He’ll carry a career 4.49 ERA with 6.0 K/9, 3.1 BB/9 and a 51.2 percent ground-ball rate through 192 1/3 big league innings with him to South Korea, where he’ll join the second-place Eagles. Hale will be replacing former Twins left-hander Jason Wheeler, who has been waived by the club, per Yonhap’s report.