Red Sox Place Brian Johnson On DL, Select Contract Of Austin Maddox
The Red Sox announcedthat they’ve placed left-hander Brian Johnson on the 10-day disabled list due to a left shoulder impingement and selected the contract of right-hander Austin Maddox from Triple-A Pawtucket. Southpaw Roenis Elias has been shifted from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Maddox.
[Related: Updated Boston Red Sox depth chart]
Johnson, 26, tossed a complete game shutout back on May 27 but has coughed up six runs over seven innings in his two starts since that time. Yesterday’s outing lasted just 2 2/3 innings before he was lifted from the game. He joins Steven Wright, Eduardo Rodriguez and Elias as rotation options for the Sox that are currently on the disabled list. With that quartet on the disabled list, the Sox have David Price, Chris Sale, Rick Porcello and Drew Pomeranz lined up in the rotation. Henry Owens and Kyle Kendrick are both on the 40-man roster in Triple-A and could step into the starting five next week, speculatively speaking.
Maddox, also 26, will make his MLB debut the first time he steps on the mound for Boston. The 2012 third-rounder has pitched to a pristine 1.33 ERA with 20 strikeouts against 11 walks through 27 innings between Double-A Portland and Triple-A Pawtucket this season. He won’t be an option to make a start for the Sox, as all but 13 of his 124 professional appearances have come in relief, and he’s made just two starts in the past four years.
Minor MLB Transactions: 6/15/17
Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- The Twins released left-hander Kevin Chapman and re-signed right-hander Drew Rucinski to a new minor league contract, per Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter link). The 29-year-old Chapman was acquired from the Braves in exchange for Danny Santana following Santana’s DFA and tossed 11 1/3 innings of 5.56 ERA ball in Triple-A prior to his release. He has a career 4.09 ERA in parts of four big league seasons — all coming with the Astros. As for Rucinski, the 28-year-old posted solid numbers in 23 1/3 Triple-A innings before being hit hard in his small sample of work in the Majors. Despite a career 5.50 ERA in Triple-A, he’s pitched 23 1/3 innings of 2.13 ERA ball with a 25-to-3 K/BB ratio as a member of Minnesota’s Triple-A affiliate in 2017.
- The Royals picked up infielder/outfielder Zach Walters on a minor league deal, according to MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan (Twitter link). Walters, 27, was hitting well for the independent Kansas City T-Bones before returning to affiliated ball. He’s seen time with the Nats, Indians and Dodgers in the Majors and has shown power but struggled to get on base. In 181 Major League plate appearances, he’s a .176/.227/.382 hitter with 10 home runs. He’s been better in his Triple-A career, hitting .262/.309/.475 through 1711 plate appearances in parts of six seasons.
- Former Orioles outfielder Henry Urrutia has landed with the Red Sox, as Double-A Portland broadcasting and media director Mike Antonellis tweets. Urrutia, a former Cuban star, had struggled in his brief MLB opportunities with the O’s and was released late in May after losing his 40-man spot last summer. Through over a thousand trips to the plate at Triple-A in his career, Urrutia carries a mediocre .277/.327/.374 slash.
Nationals Sign Alejandro De Aza
The Nationals have signed veteran outfielder Alejandro De Aza to a minor-league deal, as Triple-A Syracuse radio man Kevin Brown first tweeted. He has joined the organization’s top affiliated.
De Aza, 33, spent the spring with the Athletics. But he opted out of the deal late in camp when it became apparent that he wouldn’t crack the Opening Day roster. De Aza has yet to sign with another organization since.
The 2016 season was a bit of an odd one for the veteran outfielder. He landed a $5.75MM guarantee from the Mets, but never really fit after the team re-signed Yoenis Cespedes. He ultimately slashed just .205/.297/.321 over 267 plate appearances, his least activity since he establishes himself as a regular back in 2012. But De Aza has mostly been a slightly above-average hitter in the majors.
For the time being, De Aza will function as depth. But it’s possible to imagine him factoring in at the major league level for the Nats. He’s capable of playing center field and would offer a left-handed-hitting alternative to the (currently hot-hitting) Brian Goodwin in a reserve role. The righty swinging Michael Taylor is currently standing in at center for the injured Adam Eaton, who is likely to miss the rest of the season. Optimally, Taylor would be paired with a platoon partner, though that’s not currently possible with the organization also dealing with an injury to Jayson Werth.
Athletics To Promote Matt Chapman
The Athletics are set to promote third base prospect Matt Chapman, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. He is expected to join the team for tomorrow’s game.
Chapman, 24, was taken 25th overall in the 2014 draft out of Cal State Fullerton. He has steadily marched up the ranks for the A’s, and will now reach Oakland after hitting well in his second stint at Triple-A.
Through 203 plate appearances at Nashville this year, Chapman carries a .259/.350/.592 triple-slash with 16 home runs. Though he has also racked up 63 strikeouts, Chapman has also drawn 25 walks, so he is at least able to take some free passes despite the swing-and-miss in his game.
Chapman is regarded as a quality defender at the hot corner, which helps boost his profile quite a bit. He drew consideration at the back end of the top-100 prospect lists of both Baseball America and MLB.com entering the season.
As MLBTR’s Jason Martinez wrote earlier this week, a promotion seemed imminent with Chapman upping his performance throughout the year. As Slusser notes, Trevor Plouffe‘s struggles at the plate and Ryon Healy‘s iffy glovework make for an opening. It’s unclear just what the team will do with Plouffe, though Healy will presumably stay in the lineup at first or DH.
As ever, service time remains a key consideration. Per Slusser, the A’s believe they are not at risk of allowing Chapman an added year of arbitration eligibility. Because he can only achieve 110 days of service through the end of the season, Chapman is more or less assured of failing to reach Super Two status after the 2019 campaign. Regardless, he won’t have enough service to reach the open market until at least 2024.
Orioles Place Chris Davis On 10-Day DL
The Orioles have placed first baseman Chris Davis on the 10-day DL, per a team announcement. He has been diagnosed with a right oblique strain.
In a corresponding move, the club has selected the contract of David Washington. Rule 5 pick Anthony Santander was placed on the 60-day DL to create space on the 40-man roster.
[RELATED: Updated Orioles Depth Chart]
It isn’t clear just yet how long the O’s expect to go without Davis. But any time away could be problematic for a club that is desperately trying to pull out of a free-fall in the AL East standings.
Davis, 31, is leading the American League with 95 strikeouts (as he did in the prior two seasons). But he’s still producing at a solid .226/.320/.461 rate with 14 home runs through 250 plate appearances. That’s not close to the output the O’s are paying for, but the team’s replacement options don’t carry anything approaching his established ceiling at the major league level.
Washington will presumably see some time in the first base/DH mix, joining right-handed hitters Trey Mancini and Mark Trumbo. The 26-year-old earned his first MLB call-up after slashing .291/.344/.517 over 221 plate appearances at Triple-A. Washington, a former Cardinals farmhand, joined the O’s on a minor-league deal over the winter.
Astros Place Josh Reddick On 7-Day DL, Promote Derek Fisher
2:15pm: The Astros have now announced the move. Reddick has indeed been placed on the 7-day concussion DL, while right-hander Jandel Gustave moves from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL to clear a spot for the selection of Fisher’s contract to the 40-man roster.
8:40am: The Astros are calling up top outfield prospect Derek Fisher, as first reported by Jason Bristol of KHOU 11 News in Houston (Twitter link). Houston GM Jeff Luhnow suggested just yesterday that Fisher would factor into the team’s 2017 plans, telling reporters (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Christian Boutwell), “To me, Derek Fisher is ready.” Fisher is not yet on the 40-man roster, so the Astros will need to make a move to accommodate his promotion.
[Related: Houston Astros depth chart]
Fisher, 23, entered the season as MLB.com’s No. 83 overall prospect and currently sits 72nd on their top 100 list. He’s spent the year with Triple-A Fresno, where he’s mashed at a .335/.401/.608 clip, slugging 16 homers and 19 doubles while also picking up 13 stolen bases. He’s been caught 10 times as well, however, so his efficiency on the basepaths remains a work in progress. After punching out in 27 percent of his minor league plate appearances last season, Fisher is striking out at a more manageable 19 percent rate in 2017.
From a defensive standpoint, Fisher has spent most of his time in center field as a minor leaguer, though MLB.com’s report suggests that he’s an “iffy” defender there despite plus speed due to a “lack of instincts.” He’s also logged more than 1000 innings, combined, between the outfield corners, so manager A.J. Hinch could utilize him in a number of ways.
It’s not known at this time whether Fisher’s promotion will be abbreviated in nature or whether he’s receiving a long-term look in the outfield. It’s worth noting, though, that Josh Reddick recently suffered a “mild concussion,” so Fisher could be stepping into his spot on a short-term basis. Then again, left fielder Nori Aoki has posted a lackluster .273/.320/.338 batting line through 154 plate appearances this season, and Fisher could very well be viewed as a candidate to give Houston some more offensive output out of that spot in the lineup.
Yankees Acquire Matt Frawley From Pirates
The Yankees announced that they’ve acquired minor league right-hander Matt Frawley from the Pirates to complete the April 17 trade that sent right-hander Johnny Barbato to Pittsburgh in exchange for a player to be named later. Frawley, 21, will be assigned to the Yankees’ Class-A affiliate in Charleston.
Frawley was Pittsburgh’s 17th-round selection in last year’s draft and has gotten off to a fine start in his pro career. After posting a 4.18 ERA though 28 innings with Pittsburgh’s short-season Class-A affiliate in 2016, he’s tossed 33 1/3 innings of 1.62 ERA ball with 8.6 K/9 against 1.1 BB/9 in with Class-A West Virginia in the South Atlantic League thus far in 2017. The Purdue product isn’t especially young for that level, however, so it’ll be more telling to see how he performs against higher levels of competition. Baseball Amercia wrote at the time of the draft that he sits in the low 90s with his fastball and has a fringy curveball as well.
The 24-year-old Barbato has logged 22 1/3 innings with the Pirates this year, resulting in an uninspiring 4.84 ERA with 6.9 K/9, 5.2 BB/9 and a 35.2 percent ground-ball rate. Barbato has averaged better than 94 mph on his fastball and does come with a strong Triple-A track record, though, so the Pirates have plenty of time to turn him around into a more serviceable member of the big league bullpen.
Minor MLB Transactions: 6/13/17
We’ll use this post to track the day’s minor moves:
- Right-hander Nick Tepesch, who was recently released by the Twins, is back with Minnesota on a new minor league deal, per a club announcement. The 28-year-old made one start for the Twins earlier this season and lasted just 1 2/3 innings — his second brief stint in the Majors since a lengthier run with the 2013-14 Rangers. Tepesch struggled to a 5.59 ERA in Triple-A Rochester this season but has a career 3.54 ERA in parts of four seasons at that level. He’s been placed on the minor league DL, per the Twins, but he’ll again function as rotation and bullpen depth when healthy.
- The Yankees announced that they’ve outrighted southpaw Tommy Layne to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Layne, 32, thrived in the Bronx following a midseason pickup in 2016, but he’s had a rough go of it in 2017. Thus far, he’s totaled 13 innings and been tagged for 11 runs on 16 hits and eight walks with nine strikeouts. Layne has been hit hard by lefties and righties alike, but he’s held same-handed opponents to a .187/.286/.230 line through 346 big league plate appearances.
- Catcher Francisco Pena has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Triple-A Norfolk following his most recent DFA, per a club announcement from the Orioles. The 27-year-old has already been designated for assignment and outrighted once earlier this season, which afforded him the option to reject this assignment in favor of free agency. However, it appears that Pena will remain with the organization in hopes of securing another look in the Majors. A well-regarded defender, Pena has collected five hits (two homers) in 10 at-bats in the Majors this season. His 60 big league plate appearances haven’t been especially productive, though, and he’s had difficulty getting on base despite showing decent pop in his Triple-A career.
Earlier Moves
- The Angels have announced that outfielder Shane Robinson was outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers. The eight-year MLB veteran would be entitled to reject the assignment, but it seems he has foregone that option since he’s listed on the Salt Lake roster. Robinson, 32, had a five-game stint in the majors for the Halos after appearing in 65 contests for the organization last year. Over his 772 career plate appearances, Robinson owns only a .227/.295/.300 batting line. But he was slashing a productive .289/.372/.358 in his 183 trips to the plate at Triple-A before his promotion.
Edwin Jackson Elects Free Agency
Right-hander Edwin Jackson has cleared waivers after being designated for assignment by the Orioles and has elected free agency, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
The veteran Jackson’s time with the Orioles proved to be brief. After pushing an opt-out clause in his minor league deal with the Orioles from June 1 back to June 5, the 33-year-old triggered that clause, prompting the Orioles to place him on the big league roster. However, he’d appear in just three games and total a mere five innings with the O’s. In that time, Jackson surrendered four earned runs (seven total runs) on 11 hits and four walks with two strikeouts.
Jackson was solid with Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate, posting a 3.10 ERA with 17 strikeouts against 10 walks in 20 1/3 innings. And he, of course, comes with plenty of big league experience under his belt. Jackson had a productive season as recently as 2015, when he notched a 3.07 earned run average with 6.5 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9 in 55 2/3 frames between the Cubs and Braves. In all, he’s compiled a 4.65 ERA with 6.9 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9 in 1729 1/3 Major League innings. Jackson, one of the most well-traveled players in Major League history, has now appeared for 12 different big league teams, leaving him one Major League club shy of tying the record 13 franchises for which Octavio Dotel appeared in his career.
Brewers Designate Rob Scahill, Select Brandon Woodruff
12:58pm: Unfortunately, Woodruff’s debut will need to wait. He has been scratched with hamstring tightness, the club announced.
8:52am: The Brewers have designated righty Rob Scahill for assignment, per a club announcement. His roster spot will go to prospect Brandon Woodruff, who’ll make his first MLB start today.
Scahill, 30, has generated quality results this year, continuing a trend in that regard. Since the start of 2015, he owns a 3.14 ERA over 83 innings. But a peek beneath the surface shows cause for concern. Through his 17 2/3 frames this year, Scahill has recorded just five strikeouts to go with nine walks.
The 24-year-old Woodruff earned top-100 billing from Baseball America before the start of the season. He has moved rather swiftly through the Milwaukee system since being taken in the 11th round of the 2014 draft out of Mississippi State.
Woodruff opened the current season at Triple-A, his first attempt at the highest level of the minors. Through 63 1/3 innings in a dozen starts, he owns a 4.12 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9.
For the Brewers, who are surprisingly pacing the NL Central, the move represents another interesting pitching promotion. The club already bumped up top young lefty Josh Hader, who’s working out of the pen. With a realistic path to contention available, the Brewers will see if these young arms can provide a near-term boost while also getting a glimpse at the organization’s anticipated future staff.