Cardinals Option Randal Grichuk
The Cardinals have optioned outfielder Randal Grichuk to Class-A Advanced so that he can put in extensive work on his pitch-recognition, GM John Mozeliak tells David Solomon of KTRS 550 AM (Twitter link). Per a team press release, the Cardinals have also activated outfielder Jose Martinez from the disabled list.
[Related: Updated St. Louis Cardinals depth chart]
The move comes as somewhat of a surprise, but Grichuk’s struggles at the plate recently have been pronounced; he’s hitting just .222/.276/.377 this season and has fanned in 30 percent of his plate appearances. The month of May, in particular, has been a rough one for the 25-year-old, as evidence by a .202/.253/.333 triple slash.
Strikeouts have long been an issue for Grichuk, though despite his penchant for whiffs he was a productive member of the Cardinals’ lineup in 2015-16. Over the course of those two seasons, Grichuk appeared to have solidified himself as a regular in the St. Louis outfield, hitting a combined .255/.306/.508 with 41 homers through 828 plate appearances. He also turned in quality defensive work in both center field and left field in addition to above-average contributions on the basepaths.
Grichuk’s demotion likely means more playing time for hot-hitting Tommy Pham, who has forced himself into the team’s outfield mix with a brilliant .333/.410/.621 batting line and five homers through 78 plate appearances since being recalled from Triple-A. Dexter Fowler, of course, will continue to serve as the primary center fielder, with Stephen Piscotty handling right field duties.
Grichuk’s production in the minors will likely determine the length of his stay (barring other injuries in the Majors), but it doesn’t seem likely to impact his long-term control. He needs just 67 more days of big league service time to reach three full years of Major League service, which would put him on track to qualify for free agency following the 2020 season. While it’s possible that he does spend a fair chunk of time in the minors, it’d be a surprise to see him spend enough time there to delay his free agency by a year. The Cardinals made a somewhat similar move early last June in optioning Kolten Wong to Triple-A — a stay that lasted only a couple of weeks.
Dodgers Place Alex Wood On DL, Select Contract Of Brandon Morrow
The Dodgers are placing left-hander Alex Wood on the 10-day disabled list due to inflammation in his left SC joint, tweets Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. In a corresponding move, the Dodgers have selected the contract of veteran right-hander Brandon Morrow, shifting fellow righty Brock Stewart to the 60-day DL to clear a spot on the 40-man roster.
[Related: Updated Dodgers depth chart]
Wood informed the Dodgers that he felt he could pitch through the issue, but the team elected to proceed with caution, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times (Twitter links). McCullough adds that manager Dave Roberts expects Wood to miss just one start, which is critical given his unexpected dominance early in the year.
Indeed, the 26-year-old Wood has been not only one of the Dodgers’ best pitchers in 2017, he’s been one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. Through 48 innings this year, he’s logged a 1.69 ERA with a 60-to-15 K/BB ratio and a superlative 68.7 percent ground-ball rate.
Morrow, 32, has an unsightly 5.71 ERA through his first 17 1/3 innings in Triple-A this season, but his secondary stats are more encouraging; the 10-year veteran has posted a strong 17-to-4 K/BB ratio and a 55.7 percent ground-ball rate.
Morrow was a mainstay on the Blue Jays’ pitching staff from 2010-12, but injuries have significantly slowed down his once-promising career. The former No. 5 overall draft pick was one of baseball’s better pitching prospects before arriving in the Majors with the Mariners back in 2007, and while he’s shown flashes of brilliance at times, he’s been unable to remain consistent. In 784 2/3 big league innings (split between the bullpen and the rotation), Morrow owns a 4.16 ERA with 9.1 K/9, 4.0 BB/9 and 16 saves.
Reds Acquire Darnell Sweeney From Dodgers
The Dodgers have traded infielder/outfielder Darnell Sweeney to the Reds for future considerations, tweets J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group.
Los Angeles has now traded Sweeney twice, the first time coming when it sent him to Philadelphia in 2015 to acquire second baseman Chase Utley. Then, the Dodgers got Sweeney back last offseason as part of the return they received from the Phillies in trading veteran infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick. Sweeney returned to LA in the deal with infielder Darin Ruf. Given that Ruf is now playing in the Korea Baseball Organization, the Dodgers have nothing to show for the Kendrick trade anymore.
Sweeney, a 26-year-old switch-hitter, has seen major league action in one season – 2015 – and hit .176/.286/.353 during that 98-plate appearance showing with the Phillies. The plurality of his work has come at Triple-A, where he owns a .250/.314/.383 slash in 1,100 PAs (including a .227/.290/.412 line in 131 Pacific Coast League plate trips this season). While Sweeney hasn’t gotten on base much in the minors, he is somewhat of a threat when he does, having swiped 141 bags at Triple-A (albeit with 67 caught stealings). Defensive versatility is a selling point for Sweeney, who has lined up at second, short, third and two outfield positions (left and center) in the minors.
Cardinals Place Kolten Wong On DL, Promote Paul DeJong
The Cardinals have placed second baseman Kolten Wong on the 10-day disabled list with a left elbow strain. His roster spot will go to infield prospect Paul DeJong, whose contract has been purchased from Triple-A.
[RELATED: Updated Cardinals Depth Chart]
After a down season last year in which he lost playing time at the keystone to Jedd Gyorko, Wong created a mini-controversy in March when he expressed unhappiness about being part of a timeshare at second base. The 26-year-old quickly walked back those comments, though, and he and Gyorko have managed to coexist this season. The power-hitting Gyorko has mainly played third base, leaving second to Wong, who has improved offensively this season. Wong has slashed .278/.378/.414 with 18 walks and 20 strikeouts in 157 plate appearances, but the normally adept defender hasn’t been as effective in the field as he has been at the plate (minus-two Defensive Runs Saved, minus-12.7 UZR/150).
With Wong on the shelf, Gyorko and Greg Garcia present the Cardinals’ most logical options to fill in at second. Those two, along with Jhonny Peralta and DeJong, also offer options at the hot corner. DeJong, 23, is only two years removed from going to the Cardinals in the fourth round of the draft. He now ranks as the Redbirds’ 11th-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, which classifies the potential shortstop’s power as “legitimate.” DeJong has shown off that power at Triple-A this year, having swatted 11 home runs and posted a .247 ISO in 182 trips to the plate. Overall, the righty-swinger has batted a strong .294/.331/.541, though his walk and strikeout rates (4.4 percent and 24.7 percent, respectively) could certainly stand to improve.
Minor MLB Transactions: 5/28/17
Sunday’s minor moves from around baseball:
- The Red Sox have selected the contract of right-handed reliever Blaine Boyer from Triple-A and optioned left-hander Brian Johnson, per a team announcement. Boyer joined the Red Sox on a minor league contract in the latter half of April and has since thrown 14 1/3 innings with Pawtucket, where he has allowed five earned runs on 12 hits and seven walks (with 12 strikeouts). Boston is the eighth major league destination for the 35-year-old Boyer, who has recently generated quality results at baseball’s highest level despite having issues missing bats. As a member of the Padres, Twins and Brewers from 2014-16, the soft contact specialist logged a 3.31 ERA in 171 1/3 frames and helped offset a subpar K/9 (4.63) with an above-average BB/9 (2.31) and a respectable ground-ball percentage (47.1).
- The Mariners announced Sunday that they’ve selected righty reliever Ryne Harper‘s contract from Triple-A and optioned fellow righty Robert Whalen. The 28-year-old Harper could be in line to throw his first major league pitch after working in the minors since the Braves chose him in the 37th round of the 2011 draft. Atlanta sent Harper to Seattle in 2015 in exchange for reliever Jose Ramirez, and the former has been quite effective with the Mariners organization since the trade. Harper posted a 2.51 ERA, 12.57 K/9, 3.31 BB/9 and a 53.3 percent ground-ball rate in 68 Double-A innings last year. He has also been productive this year in his first taste of Triple-A action, having registered a 1.89 ERA, 11.37 K/9, 4.26 BB/9 and a 39.5 percent grounder rate in 19 frames.
Nationals Sign Sean O’Sullivan To Minors Deal
The Nationals have signed right-hander Sean O’Sullivan to a minor league contract, according to a team announcement.
The 29-year-old O’Sullivan is returning from Korea, where he opened the season with the Nexen Heroes of the hitter-friendly KBO and allowed 14 earned runs on 17 hits in just eight innings. O’Sullivan hasn’t been anywhere near that woeful stateside, though his numbers in the majors and at Triple-A still aren’t great. He most recently appeared in the big leagues last season with the Red Sox, logging five appearances and four starts. O’Sullivan pitched to a 6.75 ERA, with 5.48 K/9, 2.53 BB/9 and a 36.5 percent ground-ball rate, in 21 1/3 innings with Boston. The journeyman’s career numbers aren’t all that different, as O’Sullivan has logged a 6.01 ERA, 4.39 K/9, 3.2 BB/9 and a 40.1 grounder mark during a 323 2/3-inning span in which he has also seen action with the Angels, Royals, Padres and Phillies.
As a Triple-A hurler, O’Sullivan owns a passable 4.25 ERA and strikeout and walk rates of 6.2 and 2.7, respectively, in 796 1/3 frames.
Tigers Designate Tyler Collins
The Tigers have designated outfielder Tyler Collins for assignment and selected the contract of fellow outfielder Alex Presley from Triple-A, per a team announcement.
Collins, a member of the Detroit organization since it selected him in the sixth round of the 2011 draft, ranks sixth among Tigers in plate appearances this year, but he hasn’t been productive in those 146 trips. The out-of-options 26-year-old has slashed a meek .200/.288/.338 with four home runs and a 31.5 percent strikeout rate (with an 11.5 percent walk rate), giving him a 72 wRC+ that’s significantly worse than his unspectacular career mark (87) across 529 PAs. On the other hand, Collins has bounced back from subpar 2016 in center field, having accounted for three Defensive Runs Saved and a 2.8 UZR/150 over a small sample size of 169 innings. In the event someone trades for Collins – which manager Brad Ausmus indicated is a possibility (via Evan Woodbery of MLive.com, on Twitter) – that team could control him for the long haul, as he’s not eligible for arbitration until 2019 and won’t become a free agent until 2022.
Presley first joined the Tigers on a minor league pact last July, but he only picked up at-bats with the club and was designated for assignment in late August. The 31-year-old re-signed with the organization on another minors pact over the winter and is now in line to make his Detroit debut. Presley has not performed well offensively at Triple-A this year (.213/.278/.303 in 171 PAs), however, and has also scuffled in the majors. In 1,239 combined plate trips with the Tigers, Pirates, Twins, Astros and Brewers, Presley has batted .253/.295/.382. The lefty-swinger will take Collins’ place as a third center field option to join right-handers JaCoby Jones and Mikie Mahtook, both of whom have offered uninspiring production this year.
Cardinals Select John Brebbia’s Contract, Designate Miguel Socolovich
The Cardinals have announced that they’ve selected the contract of righty reliever John Brebbia from Triple-A Memphis. To clear space on their 40-man roster, they’ve designated fellow righty Miguel Socolovich for assignment.
[Related: Updated St. Louis Cardinals Depth Chart]
The 27-year-old Brebbia spent time in the Yankees system and in independent ball before the Cardinals selected him in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 Draft prior to the 2016 season. He mostly struggled at Double-A and Triple-A in 2016, although he posted solid peripherals. This year, he has fared well in Triple-A, posting a 1.69 ERA, 9.8 K/9 and a strong 1.7 BB/9. He has never pitched in the Majors.
The 30-year-old Socolovich shuttled back and forth between Memphis and St. Louis in 2015 and 2016 and generally did quite well in his big-league opportunities, but the Cardinals never cleared a more regular place for him in their bullpen, and removed him from their roster after he allowed 20 runs, 18 earned, in 18 2/3 innings this year. He was also out of options, so the Cardinals couldn’t simply send him back to Triple-A. Given his solid Triple-A record and his big-league performances this year, and the fact that his salary is near the league minimum, he could be a waiver claim for a team in need of relief help.
Rangers Claim Peter O’Brien
The Rangers have claimed 1B/OF Peter O’Brien from the Reds, the two clubs have announced. To clear space on their 40-man roster, the Rangers have moved righty Tyson Ross to the 60-day DL. They’ve optioned O’Brien to Triple-A Round Rock.
O’Brien’s stay in the Reds organization was brief — they claimed him from the Royals less than two weeks ago. Cincinnati designated him for assignment when they claimed Jake Buchanan from the Cubs earlier this week.
O’Brien will be 27 later this summer and has struggled in Triple-A this season, posting a .168/.252/.304 line there this season. He also hasn’t fared well in brief trials at the big-league level, batting .176/.228/.446 in 79 plate appearances spanning two years with the Diamondbacks. It is, however, fairly easy to see why he continues to generate interest on the waiver wire — he hit 24 or more minor-league home runs for four straight seasons from 2013 to 2016.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given O’Brien’s recent struggles, though, he has never controlled the strike zone very well, culminating in a 147-strikeout season in Triple-A Reno last year in which he walked only 23 times. The Rangers already have a faintly similar player in slugger Joey Gallo, although O’Brien looks far more like a journeyman than whatever Gallo will turn out to be — he’s significantly older, and his power is perhaps less jaw-dropping than Gallo’s. (He’s also right-handed, whereas Gallo bats lefty.) In any case, the Rangers can stash O’Brien at Triple-A for awhile to see if he makes any progress developing a more well-rounded offensive approach to complement his power.
Padres Place Manuel Margot On DL, Promote Franchy Cordero
The Padres have announced that they’ve placed outfielder Manuel Margot on the 10-day DL, retroactive to Thursday, with a strained calf. To take his place on the active roster, they’ve recalled fellow outfielder Franchy Cordero from Triple-A El Paso.
The Margot move is somewhat expected — Margot’s calf injury was already known, and he was wearing a walking boot yesterday. The center fielder was batting .259/.305/.389 in what figured to be his first full big-league season.
As disappointing as it must be for the Padres to lose a high-upside 22-year-old outfielder for awhile, though, the Cordero move is interesting in its own right. Cordero is also 22, and he was batting .289/.349/.520 for Triple-A El Paso — good numbers even after considering that El Paso is a great place for hitters. He played in 2015 at Class A Fort Wayne, but the Padres moved him aggressively through their system in 2016 as he batted .290/.344/.450 across three levels, demonstrating good contact ability and burgeoning extra-base power. He earned a 40-man roster spot in November.
Cordero’s most significant downside at the plate currently seems to be strikeouts — he’s had 59 of them in 190 plate appearances so far this season, although that might be somewhat understandable given his youth. MLB.com rates Cordero the No. 23 prospect in a strong Padres system, praising his raw power and his defense in center field.