Braves Designate Drew Stubbs, Option Jace Peterson
The Braves has designated outfielder Drew Stubbs for assignment, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com (Twitter link). That DFA comes as part of a flurry of roster moves; the Braves have selected the contracts of veterans Reid Brignac, Chase d’Arnaud and Matt Tuiasosopo (David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported the Tuiasosopo news earlier today) and also recalled right-hander Mike Foltynewicz from Triple-A Gwinnett. Infielder Jace Peterson and right-hander John Gant have been optioned to Gwinnett as well. Atlanta has since announced the moves (also via Twitter).
Stubbs, 31, batted .237/.310/.316 with a homer and four steals in 20 games/42 plate appearances for the Braves prior to being jettisoned from the 40-man roster. He picked up his fair share of at-bats with Ender Inciarte on the disabled list while serving as part of a timeshare in center field with rookie Mallex Smith. However, with Inciarte set to return from the disabled list in the near future, his presence on the roster was perhaps deemed superfluous for Atlanta.
Peterson, 25, saw regular at-bats with the Braves for much of last season but cooled considerably down the stretch and has posted a woeful .182/.260/.205 batting line in 50 plate appearances this season. The infielder will hope to get back on track and return to the form that allowed him to bat .284/.363/.389 through his first 65 games last season. That production, though, was bolstered by a .339 batting average on balls in play, and the fact that his strikeout rate climbed in the second half of the 2015 campaign as well as early in the 2016 season (26 percent this year) suggests that returning to those heights could be a difficult task.
Brignac, d’Arnaud (the older brother of Mets catcher Travis d’Arnaud) and Tuiasosopo all come with their fair share of MLB experience, though none of the bunch has enjoyed prolong success a the big league level. Given the high volume of roster turnover we’ve seen from the Braves across the past seven months of regular-season play, it seems highly plausible that none of the three will be a long-term addition to the big league roster. Foltynewicz, however, should have a chance to stick in the rotation now that fellow right-hander Bud Norris has seemingly been dropped from the rotation.
Minor MLB Transactions: 5/2/16
Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- The Reds have signed former Rockies first-rounder Kyle Parker to a minor league deal, reports Baseball America’s Matt Eddy. Parker, 26, logged 112 plate appearances with the Rox last season but batted just .179/.223/.311 with three homers. The first baseman/outfielder does have solid .285/.332/.442 line in parts of two minor league seasons, and he’ll give the Reds some additional depth at what is currently a somewhat uncertain position.
- Fleet-footed minor league veteran Antoan Richardson has signed a minors pact with the Dodgers, also according to Eddy. The 32-year-old Bahamian-born outfielder has seen brief stints with the Braves and Yankees in the Majors. As Eddy notes, Richardson is the active minor league leader in on-base percentage (.394) and stolen base success rate (85 percent). Richardson is a lifetime .275/.394/.344 hitter in the minors with 15 homers and 328 steals (in 386 attempts).
- Eddy also reports that catcher Luke Carlin has signed a minor league deal with the Indians, but Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer clarifies that it’s a coaching gig (Twitter link). Carlin spent the 2010-14 seasons in the Cleveland organization and saw a bit of time in the Majors in 2010 and 2012. Carlin has 156 Major League plate appearances and has batted .179/.263/.286 in that time. He’s a career .239/.357/.350 hitter at the minor league level, where he’s prevented 31 percent of stolen base attempts and drawn consistently solid pitch-framing marks from Baseball Prospectus.
- The Braves will select the contract of infielder/outfielder Matt Tuiasosopo from Triple-A Gwinnett, reports David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). Tuiasosopo, 29, is a well-traveled veteran that last saw the Majors in 2013 with Detroit. He’s a lifetime .207/.290/.356 hitter in 401 Major League plate appearances that has posted a considerably better .246/.352/.413 line in nearly 3,000 minor league plate appearances.
Sean Burnett Opts Out Of Dodgers Contract, Will Sign Minors Deal With Braves
Veteran left-handed reliever Sean Burnett will opt out of his minor league contract with the Dodgers and sign a new minor league pact with the Braves, reports Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet (Twitter link).
Burnett, 33, is seeking a return to a big league mound for the first time since the 2014 campaign. Once an excellent setup option for the Nationals, Burnett signed a two-year, $8MM pact with the Angels as a free agent prior to the 2013 season. A left elbow impingement in 2013, however, led to season-ending elbow surgery, and a torn ulnar collateral ligament in 2014 required Tommy John surgery (the second such operation of Burnett’s career).
After a year off to recovery from that Tommy John, though, Burnett is back on a mound and now with his third organization in the past six weeks. The veteran southpaw, a client of agent Jim Munsey, was in camp with the Nationals on a minor league pact but didn’t make the club in Spring Training and subsequently latched on with the Dodgers, for whom he tossed 7 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level over the past month. In that time, Burnett allowed three runs (two earned) on eight hits and six walks (one intentional) with five strikeouts. That lack of control isn’t particularly encouraging, though some rust for a pitcher who had as long of a layoff as Burnett did is to be expected.
Burnett will report to Triple-A Gwinnett tomorrow, according to Nicholson-Smith, where he’ll look to continue to iron out some of the kinks. The Braves figure to present a clearer path to the Majors for Burnett, as Atlanta’s collective 5.14 bullpen ERA is markedly worse than the collective 3.84 mark turned in by the Dodgers. The two lefties in Atlanta’s ‘pen at the moment are veteran Eric O’Flaherty and 26-year-old rookie Hunter Cervenka, either of whom could conceivably be unseated by Burnett if he can rediscover his form. From 2009-13, Burnett posted a 2.77 ERA with 7.5 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 in 243 2/3 innings between the Pirates, Nats and Angels.
Minor MLB Transactions: 5/1/16
Here are today’s minor transactions from around baseball:
- The Indians have placed catcher Roberto Perez on the disabled list with a thumb injury and recalled Adam Moore from Triple-A to take his place, according to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link). Perez, Yan Gomes‘ backup, was a 1.7-fWAR player in just 70 games last year, but he has only appeared in four contests this season, going without a hit in 15 PAs. In 287 big league PAs, the 31-year-old Moore and has hit a weak .201/.241/.309.
- The Nationals activated catcher Wilson Ramos from the bereavement list before their game against the Cardinals on Sunday and optioned backstop Pedro Severino to Triple-A, per Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com (on Twitter). Ramos, a career .259/.301/.413 hitter over 1,839 big league PAs, batted a solid .316/.328/.491 with two home runs and threw out four of eight base stealers in April. Severino appeared in only one game and logged three PAs in Ramos’ absence.
- The White Sox have activated closer David Robertson from the bereavement list and optioned right-hander Tommy Kahnle to Triple-A, reports Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago (Twitter link). Robertson, who hasn’t pitched since Wednesday, has converted eight of nine save opportunities this season in dominant fashion. The 31-year-old has racked up 13 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings of work while surrendering a single run. Kahnle threw an inning for the White Sox prior to today and walked two batters.
- The Braves recalled utilityman Emilio Bonifacio from Triple-A and optioned right-handed reliever Chris Withrow on Sunday morning. However, because of a rule technicality the Braves were unaware of, they can’t activate Bonifacio today, tweets David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Specifically, the Braves need to wait 30 days from the date they released Bonifacio (April 6) to activate him, per O’Brien (Twitter link). Atlanta brought back the switch-hitting Bonifacio on a minor league deal after it released him. He owns a career .259/.316/.337 line in 2,807 major league plate appearances and will lengthen the Braves’ bench if he’s ultimately activated. Atlanta needed reserve depth after it had utilized a 13-man pitching staff over the last couple weeks, as Mark Bowman of MLB.com wrote Saturday. Withrow, a former Dodger, threw seven innings with the Braves prior to today, striking out four and allowing three earned runs on five hits and five walks. Those seven frames were Withrow’s first in the majors since 2014, as he underwent Tommy John surgery that year and later required surgery on a herniated disk in his lower back.
Angels Make Handful Of Roster Moves
The Angels have made several roster moves, Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com was among those to report (Twitter link). The team has placed outfielder Craig Gentry on the 15-day disabled list with a right lumbar spine strain, transferred left-hander C.J. Wilson to the 60-day DL with a shoulder injury, and called up outfielder Shane Robinson and right-hander A.J. Achter from Triple-A Salt Lake. Additionally, they’ve demoted righty Matt Shoemaker to Salt Lake, writes Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register.
Gentry, 32, had a rough first month of the season, going 5 for 34 at the plate with just one extra-base hit before landing on the DL. The lion’s share of his playing time came against left-handed pitchers (26 PAs), as expected. Gentry owns a career .268/.350/.357 line in 582 PAs versus southpaws.
Unlike Gentry, Robinson has been better against right-handers than lefties during his major league career, though he hasn’t been particularly effective versus either. In 649 total PAs, Robinson has hit just .237/.302/.313, but he has been a defensive asset in the majors at all three outfield positions. As MLBTR reported Saturday, Robinson has an opt-out in his contract for Monday. The fact that the Angels have recalled Robinson will obviously prevent him from requesting his release.
Achter has tossed 25 1/3 innings of 4.97 ERA ball (7.11 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9) during his big league career, including a scoreless frame for the Angels this season. The 27-year-old has been a success in the minors, compiling 379 1/3 innings of 2.87 ERA pitching to go with a 9.2 K/9 and 3.0 BB/9.
Wilson, by far the most accomplished player of the group, hasn’t yet pitched this season. The 35-year-old was reportedly targeting a mid-June return as of earlier this week. Over his four years with the Angels, Wilson has averaged 181 innings per season with a 3.87 ERA, 7.7 K/9 and 2.03 K/BB ratio.
Shoemaker had a breakout 2014 for the Angels (3.04 ERA, 8.21 K/9, 1.59 BB/9 in 136 innings), but his performance has fallen off precipitously since. The 29-year-old surrendered 21 earned runs in 20 2/3 innings and posted a poor K/BB ratio of 1.6 in April. The Angels won’t need a fifth starter again until May 14, and whether Shoemaker will be on the mound for the club then will be determined by his minors showing.
“We’re going to see where we are in a couple weeks, but no doubt (Shoemaker) needs to work on a couple things,” manager Mike Scioscia said, per Fletcher.
Reds Place Raisel Iglesias On DL With Shoulder Impingement
The Reds have placed right-hander Raisel Iglesias on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to Tuesday with an impingement in his throwing shoulder, per a club announcement. They’ve also transferred catcher Kyle Skipworth to the 60-day DL with an ankle injury.
Iglesias was scheduled to start for the Reds in Pittsburgh today, but he felt a “pinch” in his shoulder Friday and underwent an examination Saturday that led to his placement on the DL. This isn’t the first time Iglesias’ shoulder has acted up, which is obviously alarming, as the 26-year-old dealt with fatigue last season and began his throwing program later in the spring as a result. Iglesias followed that spring program with a stellar first month of the season, throwing 28 1/3 innings of 3.49 ERA ball (9.21 K/9 and 2.22 BB/9) in five starts. He was easily the brightest spot in a Reds rotation that concluded April with the majors’ seventh-worst ERA (4.84) and second-worst FIP (5.61).
With Iglesias out of the picture for a to-be-determined amount of time, Tim Adleman will take the mound for the Reds in his big league debut today. The 28-year-old owns a 3.79 ERA, 7.4 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 410 1/3 career minor league innings.
Phillies Place Dalier Hinojosa on DL, Recall Colton Murray
The Phillies announced this evening that they have placed right-handed reliever Dalier Hinojosa on the disabled list retroactive to Friday with a hand contusion. To take his place on the roster, the team recalled fellow right-handed bullpen option Colton Murray from Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Hinojosa, 30, totaled 11 innings in 10 appearances before a line drive struck him on the hand Thursday, compiling a 3.27 ERA to go with a 6.55 K/9 and 2.45 BB/9. He logged 19 appearances (18 with the Phillies, one with the Red Sox) last season, his first in the majors, and put up a stunning .73 ERA in 24 2/3 innings. However, Hinojosa’s K/BB ratio (2.09) was underwhelming, and an inflated strand rate (93.6 percent) and ultra-low batting average on balls in play (.212) aided in his great results.
The 26-year-old Murray got his first taste of big league action last season when he recorded 7 2/3 innings for the Phillies. Murray struck out nine, walked two and surrendered five earned runs during that stretch. He threw 10 1/3 frames in the minors this year prior to his call-up and fanned 14 while walking five and allowing seven earned runs. Murray owns a 3.39 ERA, 9.2 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 over 321 career minor league innings.
Diamondbacks Designate Keith Hessler, Promote Zac Curtis
The Diamondbacks have announced that they’ve selected the contract of lefty Zac Curtis and designated fellow lefty Keith Hessler for assignment. Hessler began the season pitching out of the Double-A Mobile bullpen but was promoted last week. He pitched two scoreless innings against the Cardinals on Tuesday but gave up three runs in an inning against the Rockies yesterday. Hessler also struggled in 12 1/3 innings in the big leagues last season.
Curtis’ promotion is the more unusual of the pair of corresponding moves — it’s not often a team promotes a player to the big leagues who has a 5.23 ERA at Class A+ and no experience above that level. Beyond those superficial numbers, it’s easy to understand the Snakes’ interest in Curtis. He struck out 75 batters in 54 innings at Class A last season and has 22 punchouts against just five walks in 10 1/3 innings thus far this season, and it’s not impossible to imagine a player having big-league success despite a lack of minor-league development if he only has to face batters once per outing. Still, Curtis’ promotion stands out as yet another surprising decision for an Arizona front office that continues to march to the beat of its own drummer.
Giants Place Ian Gardeck On Waivers
The Giants have placed pitching prospect Ian Gardeck on waivers, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area tweets. The move clears roster space for fellow righty Vin Mazzaro, who the Giants have added to their 40-man roster. The team also optioned righty Mike Broadway to the minors.
Gardeck will miss the 2016 season after having Tommy John surgery in March. Last year, the 25-year-old earned a spot on the Giants’ 40-man after posting a 3.54 ERA, 10.8 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 in 86 1/3 innings of relief with Class A+ San Jose.
Broadway struggled after being promoted less than two weeks ago, allowing seven runs in 5 1/3 innings spread over four outings. Mazzaro, meanwhile, performed well for Triple-A Sacramento (albeit with his usual underwhelming peripheral numbers), allowing just one run while striking out nine and walking four in 14 innings. The 29-year-old has appeared in parts of seven big-league seasons, suiting up for the Athletics, Royals, Pirates and Marlins, generally faring well when given opportunities to pitch in relief. He’ll provide the Giants with an extra bullpen arm.
Grant Balfour Retires
Longtime MLB reliever Grant Balfour has officially wrapped up his 12-year MLB career, he tells Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Balfour, 38, last pitched briefly in early 2015 with the Rays.
Last we checked in, Balfour expressed interest in continuing to pitch. Of course, that was at the end of May of 2015, and he hasn’t appeared in the majors since being cut loose by Tampa Bay. The veteran tells Topkin that he mulled a return this spring, but decided not to look for a spring invite after beginning to throw.
“It was honestly a great ride, meeting a lot of people and developing friendships along the way,” said the Australian native. “I now look forward to sitting home and being a spectator and be able to spend more time with my family.”
Balfour took some time establishing himself in the majors, but had a nice run of success once he did. Between 2008 and 2013, Balfour run up 380 1/3 innings of 2.74 ERA pitching with 9.7 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9. That made him one of the most reliable pen arms in baseball; eventually, Balfour would take over the Athletics’ closer role, picking up 62 saves in the final two years of that solid stretch of pitching.
After wrapping up a strong three-year run in Oakland, Balfour returned to the Rays after a deal with the division-rival Orioles fell apart over his physical. That represented a homecoming for the reliever, who had finally locked down a steady MLB job in Tampa Bay after prior stints with the Twins and Brewers.
Unfortunately, Balfour didn’t make good on his two-year contract, with age, velocity decline, and control issues telling in the results. Balfour ended 2014 with a 4.91 ERA in 62 1/3 frames, and was removed from the roster just six appearances into 2015 after failing to record strikeout and allowing three runs in 4 1/3 innings. He signed a minor league deal to stay with the Rays organization, and ultimately made eight Triple-A appearances, but didn’t experience enough improvement to make it back to the bigs.
MLBTR congratulates Balfour on his career and wishes him the best in his future endeavors.