Cubs Promote Ian Happ
12:54pm: The Cubs have optioned righty Felix Pena to Iowa to make room for Happ, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets.
12:32pm: The Cubs will, in fact, promote Happ, Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune writes (Twitter links). Happ will bat second and play right field for the Cubs today. No corresponding move has yet been announced.
11:28am: The Cubs could promote top prospect Ian Happ as a short-term replacement today as a result of injuries to Addison Russell, Jon Jay and Kris Bryant, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com’s tweets. Russell is currently listed as day-to-day with shoulder soreness. Jay left yesterday’s game due to back spasms, and Bryant sat out yesterday due to illness. A promotion would give Happ his first taste of big-league action. He is not yet on their 40-man roster.
The 22-year-old Happ was the ninth overall pick in the 2015 draft out of the University of Cincinnati. He’s raced through the minors and is off to a hot start with Triple-A Iowa, batting .298/.362/.615 with nine homers in 116 plate appearances thus far in 2017. MLB.com currently rates him the No. 23 prospect in the game, with Baseball America placing him at No. 55 and ESPN’s Keith Law (Insiders only) at No. 63. MLB.com’s praises the switch-hitter’s bat speed and plate discipline, noting that he could eventually become a 20-20 player in the big leagues.
Happ has split his time between second base and the outfield as a pro, although MLB.com suggests his eventual destination is left field. The Cubs, of course, have Kyle Schwarber in left and Javier Baez and Ben Zobrist available at second, although they’re generally flexible in their lineup construction, and it doesn’t appear they’re planning to clear a permanent space for Happ right now anyway. If they were to promote him now, the move might well be temporary, as Muskat suggests — the Cubs have plenty of talent if everyone is healthy, and Happ has limited Triple-A experience and would likely become a Super Two player if he were to arrive in the big leagues and remain there.
Hisashi Iwakuma To Miss 4-6 Weeks
SATURDAY: The Mariners have announced that Mariners Medical Director E. Edward Khalfayan has confirmed that Iwakuma has inflammation in his right shoulder. Iwakuma is expected to miss four to six weeks.
WEDNESDAY: The Mariners announced that they’ve placed right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma on the 10-day disabled list due to inflammation in his right shoulder. In a corresponding move, the Mariners selected the contract of right-hander Sam Gaviglio from Triple-A Tacoma, also transferring righty Evan Marshall to the 60-day DL to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Gaviglio. Iwakuma, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times (on Twitter), is headed back to Seattle for an MRI.
Iwakuma becomes the latest Mariners starter to land on the disabled list, joining Drew Smyly, James Paxton and Felix Hernandez on the shelf. With a stunning 80 percent of their Opening Day rotation on the disabled list, Seattle has turned to lefty Ariel Miranda and offseason acquisitions Chase De Jong and Dillon Overton in the rotation mix. Gaviglio may eventually join that mix, though for now right-hander Christian Bergman will step into the rotation and make a start in Toronto, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune tweets.
The 26-year-old Gaviglio, then, could initially be ticketed for long relief or could start in place of Overton next time around. Gaviglio had been pitching well in Triple-A, recording a 3.31 ERA with 4.4 K/9, 0.8 BB/9 and a 57.4 percent ground-ball rate through five starts (32 2/3 innings) with Tacoma. Originally acquired from the Cardinals back in 2014 in exchange for Ty Kelly, Gaviglio has a 4.38 ERA with 6.6 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9 in parts of three Triple-A seasons (197 1/3 innings).
Iwakuma’s status is especially worth monitoring due to the fact that his health will determine whether his 2018 option vests. As noted yesterday when parsing through the vesting options around the league, Iwakuma is just 94 innings shy of locking in a $10MM salary for the 2018 season.
Marlins Select Mike Aviles, Designate Yefri Perez
The infield-needy Marlins have announced several roster moves. The team has selected the contract of veteran Mike Aviles, optioning catcher Tomas Telis to create a spot on the active roster while designating infielder Yefri Perez to create 40-man space.
[RELATED: Updated Marlins Depth Chart]
Aviles was signed only days ago to a minors pact. The 36-year-old struggled badly last year with the Tigers after declining at the plate over the course of a three-year run with the Indians. He hasn’t appeared since being released last year following a mid-season trade to the Braves.
It’s anybody’s guess what Aviles will be able to contribute after having only a little time to prepare, though he did hit well in limited action in the World Baseball Classic. But he’s a respected presence, and the need is acute given the flood of injuries to infielders that recently hit the organization.
Evidently, the club did not feel that the 26-year-old Perez was a better option. He saw brief MLB action last year — mostly as a defensive replacement or pinch-runner — and had held onto a 40-man spot, but his typically poor offensive numbers had further faded this year. Over 123 plate appearances at Double-A, Perez has slashed just .131/.283/.162. He has stolen quite a few bags in past years — including 73 in 2015 — but owns only a .251/.310/.305 batting line over nine seasons in the minors.
Brewers Place Ryan Braun On DL, Select Contract Of Eric Sogard
The Brewers announced on Friday that they’ve placed Ryan Braun on the 10-day disabled list due to a strained left calf muscle. In a corresponding move, the Brewers have selected the contract of former Athletics infielder Eric Sogard from Triple-A Colorado Springs. The Brewers had an open 40-man roster spot, so no additional move is needed to accommodate Sogard’s addition.
[Related: Updated Milwaukee Brewers Depth Chart]
The 33-year-old Braun is off to an excellent start in 2017, hitting .287/.374/.574 with seven homers, six doubles and four steals through 107 plate appearances. However, he’s also been slowed as of late by a balky calf muscle and has been dealing with a bit of forearm pain as well. His DL stint, which was made retroactive to yesterday, will theoretically give him time to rest up both of those seemingly minor maladies. The hope, per manager Craig Counsell (via MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM, on Twitter), is that Braun won’t be out long at all.
Braun has been in headlines recently due to the fact that he’s slated to gain 10-and-5 rights this weekend (10 years of MLB service time, the past five with the same team), which will afford him full veto power over any proposed trades that would send him to another team. Of course, Braun’s existing contract already came with significant no-trade protection, as it allowed him to block trades to 23 clubs. While he previously could’ve been shipped to any of the five California-based teams or the Marlins without his consent, he’ll now have a say in any potential trade.
Braun, however, has suggested that his impending 10-and-5 right don’t figure to change much about his potential trade candidacy. Braun has reportedly been most open to a deal to the Dodgers, and FanRag’s Jon Heyman wrote again yesterday that the Dodgers may be the only team to which Braun would approve a deal.
As for Sogard, he’ll return to the Majors after missing the entire 2016 season due to knee surgery. Considered a premium defender in the infield (with his best position being second base), Sogard was also off to a fast start in Colorado Springs, slashing .330/.421/.516 with three homers and a 5-for-5 showing in stolen base attempts. Of course, Colorado Springs (and the Pacific Coast League in general) is considered a very hitter-friendly atmosphere, and Sogard’s track record at the plate in the Majors is considerably more limited. In 1331 big league plate appearances, all of which have come with the A’s, the 30-year-old Sogard is a .239/.295/.313 hitter.
Jeff Francoeur Joins FOX Sports As Braves Analyst
Veteran outfielder Jeff Francoeur has joined the FOX Sports South and FOX Sports Southeast broadcast teams and will begin serving as an analyst for Braves games, according to an announcement from FOX. Per the announcement, Francoeur has retired from his playing career. The shift in career paths brings Francoeur’s 12-year Major League career to a close.
Formerly the No. 23 overall pick by the Braves in the 2002 draft, Francoeur was touted as one of the game’s top 100 overall prospects for year before his debut in Atlanta. A brilliant rookie campaign in 2005 that saw Francoeur turn in a .300/.336/.549 batting line and club 14 homers in just 70 games led to a third-place finish in National League Rookie of the Year voting, and the right fielder looked poised for stardom at that point.
Francoeur belted 29 homers as a sophomore with Atlanta, but his overall production (specifically his on-base percentage) deteriorated. He hit a more pedestrian .260/.293/.449 in that followup to his rookie season, and while he rebounded a bit in his third big league season, he never fully returned to the form he displayed as a rookie.
Eventually traded to the Mets in exchange for fellow outfielder Ryan Church in 2009, Francoeur bounced around the league a bit before a resurgent campaign with the 2011 Royals in which he hit .285/.329/.476 and enjoyed the lone 20-20 season of his career. Unfortunately, he again failed to follow up on that production.
Ultimately, Francoeur would go on to settle in as a bench piece, often landing with rebuilding clubs. Nicknamed “Frenchy” and revered for his clubhouse presence, Francoeur was routinely signed and traded for due to his leadership and positive influence on young players. He drew interest from multiple clubs on minor league deals this offseason, including the Marlins and Braves, both of whom he suited up for just this past season. In the end, however, Francoeur remained unsigned and will apparently not further pursue any opportunities.
Still just 33 years of age, Francoeur will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new media career, to say nothing of an affable personality, an infectious smile and a natural charisma that few in the game can match. Those traits seemingly make him a natural fit for television work, though many have also wondered if he might eventually enter into a coaching capacity to continue the mentoring of young players at which he excelled later in his career.
Assuming he does not make any form of comeback attempt, Francoeur’s career will draw to a close with a .261/.303/.416 batting line. In 1481 Major League games, Francoeur hit 160 home runs, 281 doubles and 27 triples. He also scored 626 times, knocked in 698 runs (including back-to-back 100-RBI campaigns in 2006-07) and stole 54 bases. Also known for his strong arm in right field even as his range declined, Francoeur took home a Gold Glove Award for his defensive work back in 2007. Including his $2.2MM signing bonus out of the draft, Francoeur earned nearly $30MM as a player over the life of his career.
We at MLBTR wish Francoeur the best of luck in the next chapter of his career and in whatever baseball has in store for him in the years to come.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Marlins Acquire Nick Noonan From Brewers
The Marlins have added infielder Nick Noonan to their Triple-A club, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (on Twitter). MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro further tweets that Noonan was acquired from the Brewers in exchange for cash.
The addition of Noonan, 28, comes at a time when the Marlins’ infield has been ravaged by injuries. Martin Prado, Adeiny Hechavarria and Miguel Rojas have each landed on the disabled list between Monday and Wednesday this week, prompting the Fish to bring up J.T. Riddle and Stephen Lombardozzi from Triple-A. Noonan figures to receive some of the playing time that Riddle and Lombardozzi would’ve been in line for in New Orleans. With further injuries in the Majors and/or impressive play in Triple-A, he could conceivably see some big league time as well.
Noonan, after all, has logged MLB time in each of the past two seasons (and in three of the past four). He was with the Padres in 2016 and the Giants (who drafted and developed him) in 2015 and 2013. Once considered one of the best prospects in the Giants’ farm system, Noonan has yet to capitalize on multiple promotions to the Majors, hitting .193/.239/.234 in 155 plate appearances between San Francisco and San Diego. He’s been better in Triple-A, where he’s managed a .273/.321/.371 batting line in parts of seven seasons.
Minor MLB Transactions: 5/11/17
We’ll track the day’s minor moves right here…
- Former big league right-hander Barry Enright, who has been pitching for the Padres‘ Double-A affiliate, was traded to the Rockies in a minor swap, according to the Pacific Coast League transactions page. (Enright himself confirmed the move on Twitter). The 31-year-old hasn’t appeared in the Major since a 2013 stint with the Angels, though he’s pitched with various Triple-A clubs and in the Mexican League since that time. Enright owns a career 5.57 ERA in 148 2/3 Major League innings and a 4.86 ERA across parts of nine minor league seasons.
- The Mariners have signed infielder Danny Muno to a minor league deal and assigned them to their Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, according to Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto (Twitter link). Muno, 28, got a brief taste of the Majors with the Mets in 2015 (32 plate appearances) but hasn’t returned to the big leagues since. He opened the 2017 season with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the independent Atlantic League, where he posted a .744 OPS through 13 games. Muno doesn’t have much power but has a history of getting on base in Triple-A, where he’s logged a .257/.363/.377 batting line in parts of three seasons. He’ll bring some defensive versatility to the Mariners’ Triple-A club, as he’s well-versed at second base, shortstop and third base.
Earlier Moves
- The Mariners have purchased the contract of righty Tyler Cloyd from the Somerset Patriots, the indy ball club announced. Cloyd had been throwing quite well, racking up 16 strikeouts over a dozen frames while allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and three walks. Soon to turn 30, Cloyd had struggled in two seasons of work with the Phillies and then bounced around in recent years. He returned from a stint with Korea’s Samsung Lions to join the Yankees last year on a minors deal, but missed the bulk of the season due to injury after a promising start. Over 440 2/3 total Triple-A innings, Cloyd owns a 3.49 ERA with 6.6 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9.
Mariners Claim Casey Lawrence
The Mariners have claimed righty Casey Lawrence from the Blue Jays, as Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune first reported on Twitter. The club has announced the move, with Evan Scribner moving to the 60-day DL to create 40-man space.
The 29-year-old Lawrence will report to Triple-A Tacoma, where he’ll provide the Seattle organization with an additional depth option. He had made two starts and two relief appearances at the MLB level for the Jays, though those didn’t go particularly well.
Over 13 1/3 innings frames with Toronto — the first of his career in the big leagues — Lawrence surrendered 13 earned runs on 21 hits with a less-than-ideal 7:11 K/BB walk rate. That said, Lawrence has also turned in three strong starts at Triple-A this year (allowing just one earned in ten innings) and has been a sturdy (if unspectacular) performer in the upper minors in recent years.
Red Sox Option Kyle Kendrick
The Red Sox have optioned veteran righty Kyle Kendrick back to Triple-A, as Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald reports. While optional assignment waivers are no longer required for players, like Kendrick, who are more than three years away from their MLB debut, the club did need to obtain his consent to the assignment as a player with five or more years of service.
Kendrick, 32, has been hit hard in two outings for the Red Sox. Lasting just 8 1/3 innings, the righty has surrendered a dozen earned runs on 18 hits while recording just three strikeouts and issuing three walks. While he showed well in spring camp, that hasn’t carried over to the regular season. Kendrick also carries a 6.00 ERA through four starts at Triple-A.
With a need for relief pitching, the club had little recourse but to make a change. Boston has brought Robbie Ross Jr. back up to take Kendrick’s spot on the active roster. As manager John Farrell explained, an upcoming off-day buys the club some time to make rotation plans.
Given that the Red Sox kept Kendrick on the 40-man roster, rather than designating him for assignment, it seems he’ll remain an option moving forward. But the club could also elect to recall one of the 40-man starters currently working at Pawtucket while it continues to wait for David Price, who is nearing a return to the majors..
Lefties Henry Owens and Brian Johnson have both generated good results thus far, though both are carrying typical peripherals. Right-hander Hector Velazquez is pitching quite well, with just three earned runs on 11 hits over his 22 frames, though he’s not on the 40-man roster. Regardless, Boston will hope that whoever does eventually come up is only needed to keep the seat warm for Price.
Phillies Extend Pete Mackanin
The Phillies have announced an extension of the contract of skipper Pete Mackanin. He’ll receive a two-year deal that covers this year and next, with the club holding an option over one additional season.
Mackanin had agreed to a similarly structured deal in the spring of 2016, which left the Phils committed for two seasons with an option for 2018. Now, the sides have effectively pushed that arrangement out another year, with the option season arising in 2019.
The 65-year-old Mackanin took the helm in Philadelphia as an interim replacement for Ryne Sandberg back in 2015. His performance with a club in transition earned him a longer stint, and he’s now entering his second full season running the dugout.
There hasn’t been much in the way of on-field success since Mackanin was named manager; the club carries a rough 121-161 record. But immediate results are far from the top priority for the rebuilding Phils, who are hoping rather to develop a core of young players who’ll help drive an organizational resurgence in the seasons to come. As ever, there have been some ups and downs in that pursuit, but it seems the organization’s brass remains favorably disposed toward Mackanin’s handling of the clubhouse.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.