Indians, Craig Breslow Agree To Minor League Deal
The Indians and left-hander Craig Breslow have agreed to a minor league contract, reports WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford (Twitter link). Breslow was released by the Twins shortly before the non-waiver trade deadline after being designated for assignment.
Breslow, 37 next week, put extensive work into revamping his mechanics this offseason and dropping to a more sidearm angle from the left side, but the results unfortunately didn’t line up with his efforts. Through 31 innings with Minnesota, Breslow averaged 5.2 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 with a 40.4 percent ground-ball rate en route to a 5.23 ERA. His new approach, however, did sufficiently stymie left-handed batters at the plate. When left-handed bats squared off against Breslow, the result was a brutal .180/.279/.257 batting line, albeit in a fairly small sample of 44 plate appearances.
The Indians just placed Andrew Miller on the 10-day disabled list, leaving the inexperienced Tyler Olson as their only southpaw option in the bullpen. Perhaps, given Cleveland’s impressive depth when it comes to right-handed relievers, the Indians will be able to use Breslow in more of a specialized capacity. Despite his dominance over lefties, Breslow was clobbered for a .344/.404/.573 batting line by righties. The Twins, though, generally lacking depth and quality in their relief corps, were forced to use Breslow against right-handed bats more often than they’d probably have preferred (99 PAs vs. righties).
Justin Verlander Clears Revocable Waivers
Aug. 4: Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports that Verlander has cleared revocable waivers (Twitter link). As such, the Tigers will be able to freely discuss trades of Verlander from now through the end of the 2017 season, though he’d need to be on a new team’s roster before Sept. 1 in order to be eligible for the postseason roster.
Aug. 2: Tigers righty Justin Verlander was placed on revocable waivers on Wednesday, tweets ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. It’s worth emphasizing, especially early in the month, that the move comes as no surprise. Teams will place the vast majority of their rosters on revocable waivers this month in an effort to gauge interest and also as a smokescreen to mask which players they may actually be more amenable to trading. There’s no downside, after all, as each club has the right to pull a player back from waivers the first time that he is claimed.
[Related: How August Trades Work]
That said, Verlander’s placement is among the more notable instances of this largely procedural move. With about $65.3MM owed to Verlander through the completion of the 2019 season, he’s exceedingly likely to clear. At that point, the Tigers will be able to continue discussing trades with all 29 other teams in the league, though Verlander’s full no-trade clause and sizable contract will continue to serve as significant impediments to working out a trade. (Notably, Crasnick reminds that Verlander’s no-trade protection would allow him to even veto a claim in the unlikely event that a club places a claim and the Tigers were willing to let him go for nothing.)
At last check, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reported that the Tigers were only willing to pay the remainder of Verlander’s 2017 salary — a sum that currently stands at about $9.33MM. That’d leave any team on the hook for $56MM from 2018-19 in the event of a Verlander trade.
The 34-year-old Verlander hasn’t been himself in 2017, as he’s averaged fewer than six innings per start with an elevated 4.2 BB/9 rate and a diminished 8.7 K/9 rate. The deteriorated ground-ball rate he’s displayed in recent years has also held up, as he’s checked in at 33.9 percent in that regard. Overall, Verlander has a 4.29 ERA through 130 frames this year, though his fastball velocity remains as strong as ever (95.2 mph average). And, to his credit, Verlander has been much better in his past 32 innings in terms of ERA (2.25), though his 3.7 BB/9 rate in that time is still a lofty mark — especially by his excellent standards.
The Cubs, Astros, Dodgers and Brewers were among the teams linked to the former Rookie of the Year, Cy Young winner and American League MVP prior to the non-waiver deadline. The Dodgers, of course, went on to pick up Yu Darvish in a last-minute deadline blockbuster, while the Cubs made a significant rotation splash in mid-July by acquiring Jose Quintana from the crosstown White Sox.
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/4/17
Here are Friday’s minor moves from around baseball…
- Left-hander David Rollins has been released by the Cubs, per the organization’s Triple-A affiliate (on Twitter). Rollins garnered plenty of headlines this offseason when he was claimed off waivers five different times and designated for assignment a sixth time in one offseason before finally clearing waivers and being assigned to the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate in Iowa. He struggled there this season, though, totaling 42 innings with a 5.79 ERA, 8.4 K/9 and 5.1 BB/9. He posted a much better year with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate in 2016 (3.77 ERA, 6.4 K/9, 1.2 BB/9) and also has 34 1/3 innings of experience in the Majors — all coming with Seattle from 2015-16.
- The Orioles announced last night that infielder Johnny Giavotella has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Norfolk. The 30-year-old Giavotella made a brief cameo with the O’s appearing in seven games and totaling just 10 plate appearances in that time. He’s had a nice season in Norfolk thus far, hitting .306/.368/.441 in 379 plate appearances. He also spent the 2015-16 seasons receiving the bulk of the Angels’ play at second base, though he posted a modest .267/.305/.375 slash through 869 plate appearances in that time.
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/3/17
Here are Thursday’s minor moves from around the game…
- Per an announcement from the Indians, righty Perci Garner has been released after clearing waivers. Garner was designated for assignment recently. The 28-year-old cracked the majors briefly last year and showed well in the minors, but he has missed a lot of time in 2017 for injury reasons that remain less than clear. When he has pitched, his control issues have resurfaced. Through 14 1/3 Double-A frames, Garner permitted nine walks but also rang up 18 strikeouts while allowing five runs on only seven hits. But he managed to permit seven earned runs on only one hit in his three appearances at Triple-A, owing to eight free passes in just 1 1/3 innings.
- The Marlins have acquired outfielder Eury Perez from the Pirates, per an announcement from the Indianapolis Indians. Perez had been playing for Indianapolis, the Bucs’ top affiliate, since joining the organization on a minors deal over the winter. He has been productive at the plate (.336/.400/.433) continued to run wild on the bases (22 steals) in a fifty game sample. Perez has seen MLB action in four seasons, though he has just 156 total plate appearances — with a poor .254/.307/.282 batting line — at the game’s highest level.
- The Tigers are set to select the contract of veteran right-hander Edward Mujica, reports SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (on Twitter). The 33-year-old hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2015, as he’s spent the past season plus between the Triple-A affiliates for the Phillies, Royals, Twins and Tigers. The former Cardinals closer has generally been excellent in Toledo this season, though, logging 46 innings with 7.4 K/9, 1.0 BB/9 and a 36.5 percent ground-ball rate en route to a 2.35 earned run average. He’ll join a Tigers ‘pen that has an MLB-worst 5.18 ERA and recently traded its best reliever, Justin Wilson.
Brewers Outright Wily Peralta, Kirk Nieuwenhuis
The Brewers announced today that right-hander Wily Peralta and outfielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis have both cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Colorado Springs.
The 28-year-old Peralta was designated for assignment on Saturday, and Milwaukee was apparently unable to find a taker for him in any trade talks that may have occurred. No team felt comfortable claiming the remaining $1.4MM on his $4.275MM salary, either, so Peralta will return to the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate.
While the fact that Peralta has more than three years of Major League service time allows him to refuse the outright assignment, the fact that he has fewer than five years of service also means that he would forfeit that remaining $1.4MM in order to hit the free-agent market. Peralta will earn that $1.4MM through season’s end whether he’s on the 40-man roster or not, but if he isn’t on the 40-man at the end of the year, he’ll have the right to elect free agency.
It’s been a tough year for Milwaukee’s former Opening Day starter. Peralta posted a 6.08 ERA with a 32-to-17 K/BB ratio through eight starts this season before losing his spot in the rotation and heading to the bullpen. While his strikeout rate and velocity ticked up working in relief, his walk rate also ballooned. Ultimately, Peralta surrendered 23 earned runs on 28 hits and 15 walks in just 17 1/3 frames out of the Brewer bullpen.
As for Nieuwenhuis, the veteran outfielder spent most of the 2016 campaign on the Brewers’ big league roster but has just 16 games and 31 plate appearances to his credit thus far in 2017. He’s hit just .115/.268/.269 in that time, though he’s a career .221/.311/.384 hitter in parts of six big league seasons. He’s in a similar situation to Peralta in that he agreed to a split deal this past winter that reportedly pays him $900K in the Majors and $257K in the minors (each pro-rated). He’d have forfeited the remainder of that contract had he gone the free-agent route.
Giants Designate Conor Gillaspie For Assignment
Following last night’s game, the Giants designated third baseman Conor Gillaspie for assignment and optioned infielder Jae-gyun Hwang back to Triple-A Sacramento, as Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area writes. In their place, the Giants have recalled infield/outfield prospect Ryder Jones from Sacramento and activated outfielder Jarrett Parker from the disabled list.
Gillaspie, 30, returned to the Giants organization for a second stint in 2016 and hit ..262/.307/.440 in 205 regular-season plate appearance before emerging as a postseason hero and cementing himself in Giants lore. With the Giants and Mets locked into a scoreless Madison Bumgarner vs. Noah Syndergaard pitching duel, it was Gillaspie who eventually broke the deadlock with a dramatic one-out, three-run homer in the ninth inning against New York closer Jeurys Familia. Gillaspie would later have a 4-for-4 showing in the decisive Game 4 of the NLDS, though the Giants nonetheless dropped that game and series to the eventual World Champion Cubs.
This season, however, has been entirely different for Gillaspie. He’s spent roughly two months of the year on the disabled list due to ongoing back spasms and back discomfort, and when he’s been healthy enough to take the field, he’s been unproductive in a limited role. Through 87 plate appearances, he’s hitting .163/.218/.288 with a pair of homers.
Notably, Pavlovic suggests that Jones will get the opportunity to establish himself as an everyday player in the wake of Wednesday’s late-night moves. The 23-year-old former second-round pick (2013) has enjoyed an excellent season in Triple-A, hitting .312/.396/.574 with 13 homers, 19 doubles and a pair of triples through 273 plate appearances. He didn’t get a lengthy look in his initial audition with the Giants earlier in 2017, but it seems that San Francisco decision-makers are prepared to see what they have on their hands in Jones as they seek to evaluate their needs for the 2018 campaign.
Jones also has experience in the outfield corners and at first base, so he could settle in as a versatile semi-regular, even if Christian Arroyo returns in 2018 and lays claim to the third base role. However, Pavlovic explains that Arroyo, like fellow prospects Austin Slater and Tyler Beede, may not make it back to the field at all in 2017 due to injury. Arroyo suffered a fractured hand when he was hit by a pitch in Triple-A earlier this month.
Minor MLB Transactions: 8/2/17
We’ll use this post to track the day’s minor moves…
- Mets left-hander Josh Edgin, who was designated for assignment in advance of the non-waiver trade deadline, has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Las Vegas, tweets James Wagner of the New York Times. The 30-year-old southpaw missed the 2015 season due to Tommy John surgery and returned to throw 10 1/3 innings in the Majors for the Mets last season. He’s posted a 3.65 ERA through his first 37 frames in 2017, but that seemingly solid mark came with an uninspiring 6.6 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9. He’s also surrendered a .280/.374/.400 line to opposing left-handed batters, which assuredly didn’t help his cause.
Earlier Moves
- The Padres have released righty Logan Bawcom, per Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network (via Twitter). While the 28-year-old has yet to earn a promotion — with San Diego or in his prior stints with the Dodgers and Mariners organizations — he once held a 40-man spot in Seattle and has at times produced interesting results in the upper minors. Thus far this year, he carries a 2.70 ERA with 9.1 K/9 against 4.2 BB/9 in his 53 1/3 innings over 36 appearances at Triple-A El Paso. It seems, then, that this move was made to allow Bawcom to seek an opportunity with another organization; Rosenthal notes that he’s expected land elsewhere in the next day or two.
Mariners Outright Evan Marshall
The Mariners activated right-hander Evan Marshall from the 60-day disabled list and sent him outright to Triple-A Tacoma on Wednesday, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets.
Marshall, 27, was claimed off waivers out of the Diamondbacks organization back in early April and appeared in six games for the Mariners this season before landing on the shelf for a significant period of time due to a hamstring injury. In his 7 2/3 frames with Seattle this season, he surrendered eight runs on a dozen hits and five walks with four strikeouts.
It’s now been three years since Marshall enjoyed prolonged success in the Majors. As a 24-year-old rookie back in 2014, he worked 49 1/3 innings out of the Arizona bullpen and averaged a hearty 9.9 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 with a sensational 60.7 percent ground-ball rate. Since that time, though, Marshall has just 36 1/3 Major League innings to his credit with a 7.93 earned run average. His ground-ball and strikeout rates have each plummeted since that promising rookie showing, and his walk rate has gone in the opposite direction as well.
Marshall, who has a career 4.30 ERA in parts of five Triple-A seasons, will look to get back on track in Triple-A with the hopes of getting another crack in the Majors later this year.
Blue Jays Designate Brett Oberholtzer For Assignment
The Blue Jays have designated left-hander Brett Oberholtzer for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for newly acquired outfielder Nori Aoki, reports Shi Davidi of Sportsnet (on Twitter).
Oberholtzer had his contract selected to the Major League roster just yesterday and will lose that 40-man spot before making even a single appearance with the Blue Jays’ big league club. The 28-year-old inked a minor league pact with Toronto this winter on the heels of a down season split between the Phillies and Angels. In 94 1/3 innings with the Jays’ Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo, Oberholtzer worked to a 4.48 ERA with 5.6 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 45 percent ground-ball rate.
From 2013-15, Oberholtzer enjoyed a solid run with the Astros, tossing 253 2/3 innings with a 3.94 ERA, 5.9 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 while working almost exclusively as a starter. He went to Philadelphia as part of the December 2015 Ken Giles trade in the hopes that he could either work as a long man out of the bullpen or perhaps offer some stability to a young rotation. However, in 26 relief appearances with the Phils, Oberholtzer was tagged for 58 hits, including 11 homers, in 50 1/3 innings. His troubles with the long ball continued after joining the Angels later that season, as he served up seven homers in just 20 frames with the Halos.
While he posted a poor 5.89 ERA on the season as a whole, Oberholtzer isn’t far removed from contributing some solid innings at the big league level and hasn’t had any issues with homers in Triple-A this year (0.48 HR/9). He’s already been outrighted in the past, so if the Blue Jays go that route, he’d have the opportunity to reject his assignment and latch on as depth piece in another organization of his choosing.
Athletics Release John Axford
The A’s announced on Tuesday that they’ve released veteran righty John Axford. The former Brewers/Rockies/Indians closer was designated for assignment last week and is now a free agent.
Axford, 34, signed a two-year, $10MM contract with Oakland prior to the 2016 season and had a respectable first year, logging a 3.97 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 4.1 BB/9 and a 54.2 percent ground-ball rate in 65 2/3 innings. That 4.1 BB/9 rate was his best mark since 2013, but his control once again took a step back in 2017. Through just 21 innings this year, Axford has issued 17 walks and also hit two batters. On the plus side, he’s also picked up 21 strikeouts, posted a 50 percent ground-ball rate and averaged 95 mph on his fastball.
He’s earning $5.5MM this season in the second year of that contract, but any team that signs Axford will owe him just the pro-rated portion of the league minimum (for any time spent in the Majors). That amounts to about $181K through season’s end, and that number will continue to decrease with each passing day. Any money he is paid by his new team will be subtracted from what the A’s owe him for the rest of the year (~$1.86MM).