Rangers Sign Kyle Lohse To Minor League Deal
SATURDAY: The signing is now official, tweets Rangers executive vice president of communications John Blake. Lohse will join Triple-A Round Rock on Sunday.
FRIDAY, 12:26pm: Lohse indeed agreed to a minor league contract, tweets Sherman. He can opt out of the deal on June 1, tweets Heyman.
12:08pm: The Rangers and veteran right-hander Kyle Lohse have agreed to terms on a deal, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. While Heyman doesn’t specifically state whether the contract is of the Major League or minor league variety, he’d tweeted earlier this morning that Texas was interested in a minor league deal with Lohse. Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweets that Lohse will receive a $2MM base salary and up to $1.5MM worth of incentives on the deal.
Lohse, 37, was said to have worked out for clubs last week. The Scott Boras client is coming off arguably the worst season of his career, having pitched to a 5.85 ERA with 6.4 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 152 1/3 innings in the final season of a three-year, $33MM pact with the Brewers. However, Lohse’s velocity, strikeout rate, ground-ball rate and control were all fairly consistent with his numbers from previous seasons. Lohse did experience a dramatic spike in his homer-to-flyball ratio, however, and his strand rate and BABIP each trended in the wrong direction as we well. Those red flags notwithstanding, Lohse topped 198 innings in both 2013 and 2014, pitching to a combined 3.45 ERA in that time, so there’s reason to believe that he can still contribute some productive innings at the big league level once he gets up to speed.
The Rangers recently lost right-hander A.J. Griffin to the disabled list due to a shoulder injury, and it’s yet unclear how much time he’ll require on the shelf. Their rotation presently consists of Cole Hamels, Derek Holland, Martin Perez and Colby Lewis, although Holland has struggled quite a bit this season and Perez’s innings could be monitored by the team after he threw just 104 1/3 combined innings between Double-A, Triple-A and the Majors last season in a return from Tommy John surgery. Texas also has ace Yu Darvish on the mend from his own Tommy John surgery, and he could return to action late this month or in early June, as he’s on a minor league rehab assignment right now.
Cardinals Place Seth Maness On DL With Elbow Inflammation
The Cardinals have placed right-handed reliever Seth Maness on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his pitching elbow, reports Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com (Twitter link). Maness’ placement on the DL comes after the Cardinals previously optioned him to Triple-A Memphis, though this decision will keep the 27-year-old on their major league roster and enable him to embark on a rehab assignment, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes (on Twitter).
Maness told Langosch on Friday that his health wasn’t a problem (via Twitter), but elbow inflammation would help to explain his dreadful start to the 2016 campaign. Prior to landing on the DL, Maness surrendered 10 runs in 12 2/3 innings. Also of concern: His average fastball velocity declined from 89.5 mph last year to 87.3. Maness has never been a strikeout pitcher, instead inducing most of his outs via the ground ball, but both those marks are at career lows (4.26 K/9 and 52 percent grounder rate, respectively), and his BB/9 has risen to a personal-worst 2.84.
Before this season, Maness established himself as a mainstay in the Cardinals’ bullpen by tossing the 10th-most relief innings in baseball (205 2/3) from 2013-15 and pitching to a solid 3.15 ERA/3.52 FIP/3.27 xFIP during that three-year period.
The Cardinals recalled lefty Dean Kiekhefer from Memphis earlier Saturday to take Maness’ spot on their roster.
Yankees Acquire J.R. Graham From Twins
The Yankees have announced that they’ve acquired righty J.R. Graham from the Twins in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. They’ve optioned him to Double-A Trenton. To clear space for Graham on their 40-man roster, they’ve placed outfielder Mason Williams on the 60-day DL.
The Twins designated Graham for assignment last week after he allowed ten runs in 8 1/3 innings for Triple-A Rochester this season. Graham came through the Braves system and experienced only modest success as a starter, but he caught a break when Minnesota selected Graham him in the 2014 Rule 5 Draft, likely figuring his mid-90s heater would play up in relief. He spent most of 2015 in their bullpen, posting a 4.95 ERA, 7.5 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9 for the season while leaning heavily on his fastball and slider. The Yankees will presumably continue to give Graham chances in a bullpen role, perhaps hoping he develops given additional time in the high minors.
Cubs Designate Ryan Kalish For Assignment
The Cubs have designated lefty-hitting outfielder Ryan Kalish for assignment, Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune tweets. The move clears space on the team’s active roster for catcher Miguel Montero, who’s returning from a back injury.
The 28-year-old Kalish made ten plate appearances for the Cubs this season. His last significant big-league experience came in 2014, also with the Cubs, when he batted .248/.295/.347 in 130 plate appearances. He did not play in 2015 after a minor-league pact with the Blue Jays fell apart. Kalish was once a top prospect in the Red Sox organization, but a series of injuries presented obstacles in his path to big-league success. He’s now played in parts of four big-league seasons, but has never appeared in two consecutive ones, also sitting out most of 2011 and all of 2013.
Angels Sign David Carpenter To Minors Deal
The Angels have signed veteran righty David Carpenter away from the Bridgeport Bluefish, the indy league club recently announced. As Baseball America’s Matt Eddy notes on Twitter, there are two right-handed relievers by that name, and this signing means that both have now been with the Halos.
Carpenter, 30, has already made one Triple-A appearance at Salt Lake City, notching two strikeouts. With Bridgeport, he had allowed just two unearned runs in eight frames. Carpenter surrendered five hits and four walks while punching out ten batters in that brief stretch.
Health is the main concern with Carpenter. He was limited to 24 1/3 innings last season with the Yankees and Nationals after providing the Braves with two consecutive solid campaigns. Carpenter was cut loose by two clubs this spring after failing to show enough, but he’s had plenty of success in the past and could certainly be an intriguing addition if he can return to form.
Jose Reyes Suspended Through May 31 Under Domestic Violence Policy
Major league baseball has announced that Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes has been suspended without pay through May 31st under the league’s joint domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse policy. He’ll be credited for the time he’s already missed in calculating the suspension, though he’ll forego salary that had previously been available under his paid administrative leave.
Reyes will not contest the ban. It’ll technically cost him 52 games, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets, though Colorado will only have had 51 contests to that point (with one re-scheduled rainout). Reyes will be eligible to begin working out now and could start a rehab assignment as soon as the calendar flips to June.
The veteran infielder will end up losing just over $7.09MM of his total $22MM salary this season, as he’ll ultimately go without pay for the first 59 days of the 183-day “championship season,” as defined in the CBA. Plus, he’ll make a $100K donation to a charity for domestic abuse. That’s a more or less token amount, but presumably its inclusion in the terms of the agreed-upon suspension was motivated by some reason beyond the money involved.
All told, the severity of the punishment is surprisingly light, at least in comparison to the precedent set in this and other spheres of league discipline. He’ll ultimately lose quite a bit less time and money than had he been caught with a PED for the first time. Indeed, his suspension barely tops the 50-game bans handed out to minor leaguers for such relatively innocuous actions as testing positive for marijuana use.
Aroldis Chapman previously received a 30-game domestic violence suspension of his own, with commissioner Rob Manfred citing his use of a firearm in the course of a domestic dispute with his girlfriend. But he was never arrested or charged in the matter, and there was seemingly never any clear evidence that he had initiated any physical contact with his girlfriend.
The Reyes case seemingly contained an even more serious factual setting: his wife said at the time that he grabbed her by the throat and shoved her into a sliding glass door, and she received treatment at a hospital. He was arrested, charged, and set for trial until the charges had to be dropped when Mrs. Reyes decided not to testify against her husband.
To be fair, Reyes has been on administrative leave and in limbo for quite some time, as the incident in question occurred on Halloween night. But that delay occurred in large part because of the pending legal action and, it seems, an effort by the league, union, and Reyes’s representatives to avoid a grievance over the length of the ban.
It’s unclear what the future holds for Reyes. He has been bypassed at the major league level by Trevor Story, and it’s not apparent what role he would play for the Rockies, who still owe him the remainder of his salary for the present season and $26MM more thereafter (including a buyout on his 2018 club option).
A report earlier today suggested that there is trade interest in the soon-to-be 33-year-old, though it’s not clear whether he’d be pursued as a means of prying a prospect or draft pick from the Rockies or also because of his potential to aid another club down the stretch. If history is any indication, he’ll have another shot at the majors at some point, though Reyes already seemed in decline before this black mark went on his record.
Reyes issued a statement apologizing, rather vaguely, “for everything that has happened,” as Nick Groke of the Denver Post was among those to report. He went on to say that he’s “happy to put all this in the past and get back to doing what I love the most, playing baseball.” Reyes also thanked his wife, who he said “has remained by my side throughout everything.”
Regardless of how one weighs those words, Reyes will certainly have a long ways to go to show he’s learned from the incident. He’ll also be required to submit to counseling, as contemplated in the policy. Commissioner Rob Manfred said that he’s “encouraged by Mr. Reyes’ commitment to the treatment provisions of the Policy in order to ensure that such an incident does not occur in the future.”
Padres To Designate Jabari Blash
The Padres will designate Rule 5 pick Jabari Blash for assignment, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports on Twitter.
He’ll ultimately be exposed to waivers, where other teams will have a chance to step into San Diego’s Rule 5 rights. If he clears, then he’ll be offered back to the Mariners.
Blash, 26, has only received 29 plate appearances on the year, but he’s largely been overmatched in his first run at the majors. The big outfielder has registered just three hits and four walks to go with 13 strikeouts.
San Diego surely always knew it was uncertain whether Blash would be able to stick at this point; after all, that’s why he was left off of the Seattle 40-man in the first place. He has shown some interesting skills in the minors, though. Last year, he ran up a composite .271/.370/.576 slash with 32 long balls in 476 plate appearances in the upper minors.
Rangers Promote Matt Bush, Option Delino DeShields Jr.
The Rangers have promoted right-hander Matt Bush, per a club announcement and as first suggested by T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com on Twitter. An active roster spot will be cleared by the demotion of center fielder Delino DeShields Jr., who has been optioned to Triple-A.
Bush will make his major league debut at 30 years of age, which obviously wasn’t the hope when he was taken first overall by the Padres back in 2004. Originally drafted as a shortstop, Bush eventually shifted to the mound after failing to develop at the plate.
That might’ve just been a diversion on his way to the majors, but Bush dealt with drug and alcohol problems and eventually found himself in prison. He served 51 months for a hit-and-run in which he nearly killed a man while driving under the influence.
Bush signed with the Rangers over the winter as the latest step in his effort to get his life back in order, and proceeded to impress in camp this spring. He’s now thrown 17 innings of 2.65 ERA ball at the Double-A level, with 9.5 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9.
As for DeShields, 23, roster pressures and prolonged struggles made this something of a foregone conclusion. Once Ian Desmond showed that he could be relied upon in center, with Drew Stubbs also providing a more experienced option, the club apparently felt the time was right for a demotion. After all, Nomar Mazara has performed even better than might have been hoped, Shin-Soo Choo is nearing return, and Josh Hamilton may not be far behind.
DeShields, of course, was a revelation last year as a Rule 5 pick, posting a .261/.344/.374 batting line and 25 stolen bases. That made it easy for Texas to keep him on the roster all year, gaining permanent rights, but DeShields has scuffled in his first 121 trips to the plate in 2016. At present, he is hitting at a .217/.294/.302 clip and has managed only four swipes in seven attempts.
White Sox Release John Danks
MAY 13: The White Sox announced today (Twitter link) that they have placed Danks on unconditional release waivers.
MAY 3: The White Sox are set to designate starter John Danks for assignment, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports on Twitter. The 31-year-old left-hander is in the final season of a five-year, $65MM contract and is set to earn $15.75MM this season — a sum that the White Sox will simply eat in order to free up Danks’ spot on the roster. Chicago will have 10 days to trade or release Danks, though even if the team were to eat a considerable portion of the salary, it’s tough to imagine Danks drawing much interest at this point.
In 22 1/3 innings (four starts) this season, Danks has allowed 18 earned runs on 28 hits and 11 walks with 16 strikeouts and a career-worst 30.1 percent ground-ball rate. Danks’ fastball, which used to sit in the 91-92 mph range, is averaging just 87.1 mph this season. That’s simply the latest decline in velocity for Danks, whose career has never fully recovered from 2012 shoulder surgery.
Danks was a standout performer in the Chicago rotation in his early 20s, and the $65MM contract extension seemed like a justified cost following a four-year stretch that saw the former No. 9 overall pick throw 778 2/3 innings of 3.77 ERA ball in one of Major League Baseball’s most hitter-friendly environments. Danks, though, would pitch just 53 2/3 innings in 2012, the first season covered by his extension. Since returning from the surgery, he’s worked to a combined 4.84 ERA in 538 2/3 innings.
General manager Rick Hahn is addressing the media as we speak and has announced that right-hander Erik Johnson will join Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, Carlos Rodon and Mat Latos in the Chicago rotation (via USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, on Twitter). Hahn says that he informed Danks of the decision yesterday and called the decision a difficult one to make. While Danks’ production, of course, has dipped since that 2012 surgery, he’s been a member of the White Sox organization since late 2006, when he was acquired in a trade that sent right-hander Brandon McCarthy to the Rangers. That lengthy tenure has made Danks a well-liked fixture in the Chicago clubhouse, and Nightengale tweets that Hahn acknowledged that the move will not be a popular one among the players. Hahn, however, insists that the move would have been made even if the 18-8 White Sox’ record were reversed.
The dismissal of Danks marks the second time in the past six weeks or so that the Sox have seen a respected veteran depart from the clubhouse. First baseman/designated hitter Adam LaRoche, of course, infamously elected to retire after White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams asked him to reduce the frequency with which his son accompanied him to the ball park. (LaRoche was said to have been promised unlimited access for his son as a contingent of signing with the Sox.) However, a club striving to win now, as the Sox are, is often forced into this type of decision. Johnson’s solid performance at Triple-A in both 2015 and in 2016 has played a role in the decision as well; the 26-year-old former Top 100 prospect has a 3.74 ERA in 21 2/3 innings this season and worked to an excellent 2.37 ERA in 132 2/3 innings with Charlotte last season.
Angels Designate Javy Guerra For Assignment
Following last night’s loss to the Cardinals, the Angels designated right-hander Javy Guerra for assignment, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). As Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweeted, both Yunel Escobar and Cliff Pennington are day-to-day with minor injuries right now (a jammed thumb and a hamstring cramp, respectively), thus making it seem likely that an infielder will be recalled to take Guerra’s place today.
Guerra, 30, started his 2016 season with three shutout innings but didn’t retire a batter in either of his two most recent appearances, leaving him with three earned runs on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts this season. The former Dodgers closer has appeared sparingly in the Majors over the past two seasons, totaling just 4 2/3 innings at the big league level. He missed much of the 2015 season after failing a second test for a drug of abuse while in the minors and thus receiving a 50-game suspension.
Overall, Guerra has a 3.99 ERA in 79 innings at the Triple-A level and a 2.99 ERA in 153 1/3 innings in the Majors. He’s averaged nearly eight strikeouts and roughly four walks per nine innings at both Triple-A and in the Majors, and his fastball sat at 92.3 mph in his brief showing this season. Guerra is out of minor league options, so any club that claims him will have to keep him on its Major League roster. In the event that he clears waivers and is outrighted to Triple-A, he’ll have the option to reject the assignment in favor of free agency, as he’s been outrighted previously in his career.