Blue Jays Designate Dustin Antolin; Activate Estrada, Morales
The Blue Jays announced that they have designated righty Dustin Antolin for assignment. His 40-man spot was needed to accommodate a host of roster moves, including the activation of righty Marco Estrada and lefty Franklin Morales from the DL.
[Related: Updated Blue Jays Depth Chart]
The 26-year-old Antolin was hit hard in his first-ever MLB appearance this year, but has showed promise in the upper minors of late. In his 38 frames this year at Triple-A, he has pitched to a 2.37 ERA with 9.9 K/9 against 5.4 BB/9. The free passes are a bit concerning, though he has generally shown a bit better command on his way up the ladder.
Toronto will be glad to welcome back its two injured arms. Estrada has continued his remarkable renaissance this year, and his ability to maintain his performance is a critical element of the team’s post-season hopes. While Morales hasn’t really contributed yet in 2016, the club obviously has high hopes since it allowed his $2MM salary to become guaranteed even while he was on the DL.
Indians To Sign Joe Thatcher
The Indians have agreed to a minor league deal with lefty Joe Thatcher, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). He had been released by the Dodgers after opting out of his deal with the team.
Thatcher, 34, has seen action in each of the last nine major league seasons, but has yet to receive a big league opportunity thus far in 2016. He was working at the Triple-A level for the Dodgers, posting a 3.60 ERA in 15 frames but also running up an impressive 21:5 K/BB ratio.
Cleveland will presumably consider Thatcher as a LOOGY option down the stretch. He was useful in such a role last year for the Astros, who asked Thatcher for just 22 2/3 innings in 43 appearances but received 3.18 ERA ball from him in that limited capacity.
Minor MLB Transactions: 7/21/16
Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- The Angels announced that right-hander A.J. Achter has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Salt Lake. Acther, a longtime Twins farmhand who made his way to the Halos via waivers, has pitched to a 3.98 ERA in 20 1/3 innings with the Angels this season and issued just four walks. However, he’s also struck out just nine batters in that time and has only 28 strikeouts in 44 2/3 relief innings in the Majors. The 27-year-old was already outrighted once earlier this season, so he’ll have the opportunity to reject in favor of free agency or accept and head to Triple-A, where he has a career 2.94 ERA in 174 1/3 innings with a vastly superior 8.2 K/9 rate.
- The Dodgers announced that they’ve selected the contract of left-handed reliever Grant Dayton from Triple-A Oklahoma City and moved Chris Hatcher to the 60-day DL to open a spot on the 40-man roster. (Zach Links of MLBTR/Pro Football Rumors first reported, on Twitter, that Dayton would be promoted.) The 28-year-old Dayton has spent parts of seven seasons in the minors before today’s promotion, which looks to be well-earned. He’s posted a 2.44 ERA with eye-popping averages of 15.9 strikeouts and 1.9 walks per nine innings pitched through 48 minor league frames this year.
Mariners, Cubs Swap Mike Montgomery, Dan Vogelbach In Four-Player Deal
The Cubs have long been tied to left-handed relief help, and they landed just such an asset today (although not one that many expected), announcing that the acquisition of Mike Montgomery and minor league right-hander Jordan Pries from the Mariners. In exchange, the Cubs are sending Triple-A first baseman Dan Vogelbach and Double-A right-hander Paul Blackburn to Seattle.
While Montgomery, 27, doesn’t bring the name recognition of Aroldis Chapman or Andrew Miller, he’s been quite good in 61 2/3 innings (30 relief appearances, two starts) for the Mariners in 2016, pitching to a 2.34 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a stellar 58.8 percent ground-ball rate. Since shifting to the bullpen, Montgomery has seen a huge spike in his velocity, as his heater, which averaged 90.9 mph out of the rotation in 2015, is now sitting at an even 94 mph in 2016.
[Related: Updated Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs Depth Charts]
Long rated as a top prospect in the Royals’ farm system, Montgomery went to Tampa Bay in the Wade Davis/Wil Myers/Jake Odorizzi/James Shields blockbuster and was ultimately flipped to Seattle last year for right-hander Erasmo Ramirez. The Cubs will have control of Montgomery for another five seasons beyond the 2016 campaign, so this is far from a short-term pickup for president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer.
Of course, the same long-term caveats hold true for Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto, who will acquire a long highly touted minor league bat in the form of Vogelbach. The 23-year-old Vogelbach is a former second-round pick of the Cubs that has mashed at virtually every minor league stop he’s made. However, as a player that is strictly limited to first base or designated hitter — Vogelbach’s 6’0″, 250-pound frame wouldn’t play elsewhere — there was no hope for Vogelbach to get to the Majors with the Cubs other than as a bench bat thanks to the presence of Anthony Rizzo.
The left-handed-hitting Vogelbach is currently batting an excellent .318/.425/.548 with 16 homers and 18 doubles through 365 plate appearances with Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate. That type of production has been standard for the slugger throughout his career in the minors, as he is the owner of a career .290/.389/.486 batting line as a professional. Vogelbach just missed the cut for the Cubs’ midseason Top 10 prospect list over at Baseball America, though BA noted that his stock is rising with a strong season a Triple-A and a strong work ethic to improve his defense at first base.
Blackburn, 22, was selected by Chicago with the 56th overall pick of the 2012 draft and rose to the Double-A level for the first time this season, where he’s logged a 3.17 ERA with 6.3 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9 in 102 1/3 innings (18 starts). In addition to limiting walks effectively, Blackburn has registered an impressive 57.1 percent ground-ball rate in his time at the Double-A level this season. BA rated him 19th among Cubs farmhands this past offseason, calling him a potential back-of-the-rotation starter with some durability issues following a bout of forearm soreness late last season. BA’s report notes three average or better offerings (fastball, curve, changeup) and strong command.
As for Pries, the Cubs will be acquiring a former 30th-round pick that ranked outside of the Mariners’ Top 30 prospects per both BA and MLB.com this winter. The 26-year-old has split this season between Double-A and Triple-A, working to a 4.93 ERA with 8.9 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9 in 20 games — 12 starts and eight relief appearances. Pries began the year in the ‘pen but has since moved to the rotation and, excluding a disastrous nine-run meltdown in his first start of the year, he’s logged a 3.23 ERA with a 60-to-17 K/BB ratio in 64 innings dating back to May 21.
ESPN analyst Tim Kurkjian first reported, during a television broadcast, that the two clubs had a trade that was in advanced talks. Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune tweeted that a deal was in place, and Yahoo’s Jeff Passan reported (via Twitter) that Montgomery and Vogelbach were involved. Jon Morosi of FOX Sports and MLB.com tweeted that there were other players in the deal, and FOX’s Ken Rosenthal first reported Blackburn’s inclusion (links to Twitter). USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported Pries as the fourth player (on Twitter).
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rangers Acquire Scott Carroll From White Sox
The Rangers have acquired minor league righty Scott Carroll from the White Sox in exchange for cash considerations, according to an announcement from both clubs. Carroll has been assigned to Double-A Frisco for the time and will not require a spot on the 40-man roster for Texas, as he’d been outrighted by the ChiSox last week.
The Rangers have long been on the lookout for pitching help, and the Carroll pickup won’t impact those pursuits, though it’ll give the team an arm with some big league experience to call upon in the event that a spot start or two is needed. Carroll, 31, has spent the past three and a half seasons in the White Sox organization, making 19 starts and a total of 47 appearances dating back to 2014. In that time, he’s posted a 4.60 ERA and averaged five strikeouts and 3.2 walks per nine innings pitched over the life of 168 1/3 frames. His minor league numbers are stunningly similar, as he has a career 4.65 ERA with 5.4 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9 in 398 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level.
Twins Outright Neil Ramirez
The Twins announced to the media following today’s win over the Tigers that right-hander Neil Ramirez has been outrighted to Triple-A Rochester (Twitter link via Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press). Left-hander Buddy Boshers has been recalled in his place, giving the Twins a third lefty alongside Taylor Rogers and Fernando Abad.
[Related: Updated Minnesota Twins Depth Chart]
Ramirez, 27, was claimed off waivers from the Brewers in mid-June. Minnesota is Ramirez’s third team since Opening Day (Cubs, Brewers), but the former top prospect has struggled at each stop this season. He’s been designated for assignment by both Chicago and Milwaukee, but he never cleared outright waivers when those organizations attempted to sneak him through. The Twins were successful in doing so, meaning they’ll retain the rights to Ramirez but free up a 40-man roster spot. That spot won’t need to go to Boshers, as he’s already on the 40-man and has pitched for the Twins earlier this year.
With the Twins, Ramirez logged a 6.14 ERA with an 11-to-10 K/BB ratio in 14 2/3 innings of work. He’s posted a combined 6.00 ERA with a 24-to-18 K/BB in 24 innings this season between the three clubs. While those numbers are clearly not appealing, Ramirez did record a sparkling 1.87 ERA with 10.6 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9 in 57 2/3 innings for the Cubs from 2014-15 after coming over from Texas as part of the Matt Garza trade. Ramirez dealt with shoulder woes throughout his minor league tenure, though, and has had similar issues crop up in the Majors in addition to triceps and abdominal injuries. His average fastball is down 2.3 mph from his debut season, likely as a result of those problems, but he’ll look to get back on track with Minnesota’s minor league affiliate.
Nationals Designate Nick Lee For Assignment
The Nationals have designated lefty Nick Lee for assignment, the club announced. His 40-man spot was needed for the promotion of young righty Koda Glover, who’ll ascend to the big leagues for the first time. An active roster slot was cleared by optioning fellow rookie Reynaldo Lopez.
[Related: Updated Nationals Depth Chart]
Lee, 25, had worked to a 4.54 ERA with 9.1 K/9 against 7.6 BB/9 on the year over 35 2/3 Double-A frames. He has shown big strikeout potential during his minor league career, but has obviously yet to rein in his control.
Meanwhile, the promotion caps a stunning run from Glover, who was chosen in the eighth round of the 2015 draft and opened the year at High-A. He earned successive promotions in short order, and now will make it all the way to the majors. Over his 45 1/3 minor league frames on the year, the 23-year-old owns a 2.18 ERA with 10.3 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9.
Giants Designate Ruben Tejada For Assignment
The Giants have designated infielder Ruben Tejada for assignment, per a club announcement. His roster spot was needed to clear space for the activation of righty Matt Cain.
[Related: Updated Giants Depth Chart]
Tejada, 26, now seems likely to move onto his fourth organization of the year. He was tendered a contract by the Mets, but ended up being released late in the spring before catching on with the Cardinals. That relationship didn’t last long, though, and Tejada ultimately went to San Francisco on a minor league deal.
It’s not hard to see why Tejada hasn’t stuck in the majors in 2016, as he is carrying a .167/.247/.242 batting line in 78 plate appearances. Of course, he has been much more useful than that in the past, as he has rated as a slightly below average hitter and fielder for most of his career. It’s not an exciting profile, but it makes Tejada a sturdy-enough utility infielder when he’s in typical form.
Minor MLB Transactions: 7/20/16
Here are the day’s minor moves, all via Matt Eddy of Baseball America:
- The Red Sox have released lefty Wesley Wright, per Eddy. Wright, 31, had carved out a role as a useful pen piece, working to a 3.26 ERA in 173 2/3 frames over 2011 through 2015. But he has battled through some shoulder issues and has seen his velocity and strikeout rate plummet of late. Wright was carrying a 5.31 ERA at Triple-A Pawtucket.
- Catcher Carson Blair has been released by the Athletics. The 26-year-old appeared briefly in the majors last year, and was outrighted off of the 40-man over the winter. He has struggled in limited action at the Triple-A level, but has handled Double-A pitching quite well (.288/.398/.514) in a slightly more robust sample of 136 plate appearances.
- The Cardinals signed first baseman Efren Navarro, 30, to a minor-league deal. He was hitting just .243/.316/.362 on the year at Triple-A before being released by the Mariners. Navarro has not produced in limited exposure in the majors, but does own a lifetime .308/.371/.438 batting line in 2,672 lifetime plate appearances at the highest level of the minors.
Cardinals Place Jhonny Peralta On Disabled List, Designate Michael McKenry
The Cardinals announced this afternoon that they’ve placed third baseman Jhonny Peralta back on the 15-day disabled list with a strained ligament in his left thumb. In corresponding moves, the team has recalled outfielder Jeremy Hazelbaker. Additionally, right-hander Miguel Socolovich has been recalled from Triple-A, and catcher Michael McKenry has been designated for assignment.
[Related: Updated St. Louis Cardinals Depth Chart]
Word of Peralta’s injury is obviously a concern for the Cards, as surgery to repair a ligament in Peralta’s left thumb cost him the first two-plus months of the 2016 season. In his absence, Aledmys Diaz solidified himself as the everyday shortstop in St. Louis, prompting Peralta to shift to the hot corner and Matt Carpenter to displace the struggling Kolten Wong from the everyday role at second base. While Peralta initially hit well upon activation from the DL, he’s struggled considerably in his past 22 games, hitting just .185/.212/.383. While that’s a highly arbitrary endpoint, he’s hardly the first player to struggle in a return from hand surgery. The Cardinals’ press release did not give an indication as to when Peralta might be able to return to the lineup.
McKenry appeared in just three games with the Cards, collecting two plate appearances (one strikeout, one sacrifice bunt). He’s a veteran of six prior Major League seasons and has compiled a career .238/.318/.406 batting line with 29 homers in 953 plate appearances between the Rockies, Pirates and his ever-so-brief stay with the Cards. He becomes the second veteran backstop to find himself displaced from St. Louis this year, as the Cards also had to designate Eric Fryer for assignment recently in order to pave way for the return of fellow backstop Brayan Pena.
Hazelbaker, of course, began the season as one of the hottest hitters in baseball and drew quite a bit of fanfare from the media for his Herculean April (.317/.357/.683). However, as is often the case with early-season success stories, regression set in, and Hazelbaker ultimately was optioned to Triple-A after slashing .180/.206/.279 from May 1 through June 15. Socolovich, 29, returns to St. Louis for a second stint after spending much of the 2015 campaign in their bullpen and working to a pristine 1.82 ERA with a 27-to-10 K/BB ratio in 29 2/3 innings of work.