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Eddie Rosario Elects Free Agency

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TODAY: Rosario has turned down the outright assignment and elected to become a free agent, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman writes (X link).

AUGUST 10: Rosario has passed through waivers, and the Braves have outrighted him to the Triple-A Gwinnett Stripers, according to Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. It is unclear if Rosario has accepted the assignment; the veteran outfielder has more than enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment without forfeiting any salary.

AUGUST 8: The Braves announced Thursday that outfielder Eddie Rosario has been designated for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to right-hander Parker Dunshee, whose contract has been selected from Triple-A Gwinnett. Atlanta also optioned lefty Dylan Dodd to Gwinnett and recalled outfielder Eli White.

The 2024 season has been the worst of the 32-year-old Rosario’s decade-long big league career. He’s split the season between the Nats and Braves, tallying 319 plate appearances in spite of a disastrous .175/.215/.316 batting line — including a .154/.181/.282 slash in 84 plate appearances since being released in Washington and signing in Atlanta.

Rosario, the 2021 NLCS MVP has been in a free-fall at the plate for the bulk of the past four seasons. While a well-timed surge following a trade from Cleveland to Atlanta in ’21 helped fuel the Braves’ World Series win that year and set the stage for a two-year deal to return to Atlanta, that contract didn’t pan out as hoped.

Rosario spent the 2022-23 seasons drawing regular playing time when healthy, but he managed only a .240/.289/.408 output at the plate in those two seasons. The Braves declined a $9MM club option over his 2024 season, and Rosario lingered on the free-agent market into March before signing a minor league deal with the Nationals. He returned to Atlanta on another minor league contract after being cut loose in D.C., but he hasn’t been able to recapture any of that late-’21 magic. With the trade deadline now passed, Rosario will be released within the next couple days.

As for the 29-year-old Dunshee, he’ll be making his big league debut after grinding through eight minor league seasons and twice becoming a minor league free agent. Originally selected with the Athletics’ seventh-round pick back in 2017, the Wake Forest product spent six-plus years in the A’s system before being released last April and signing a minor league deal with the Giants for the remainder of the 2023 campaign. He latched on with the Braves on another minor league pact this past January.

Dunshee will now get his first crack in the majors, and he’s more than earned it. Splitting the season between Double-A (14 2/3 innings) and Triple-A (32 1/3 innings), he’s worked to a combined 2.30 earned run average with a massive 33.7% strikeout rate against a 9.2% walk rate. Dunshee is a fly-ball pitcher who’s been fortunate this season in the sense that he hasn’t allowed any home runs. That level of home run suppression isn’t sustainable for any pitcher, but Dunshee’s strikeout and walk rates create plenty of intrigue on their own, even with some regression due on the home run front.

Mariners Activate Julio Rodriguez From 10-Day Injured List

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The Mariners announced that outfielder Julio Rodriguez has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list.  ESPN’s Buster Olney (X link) reported earlier today that Seattle intended to activate Rodriguez in time for tonight’s game with the Mets.  Infielder Ryan Bliss was optioned to Triple-A in the corresponding move.

A collision with the outfield wall left Rodriguez with a right high ankle sprain back on July 21, and he was placed on the IL a couple of days later.  As recently as yesterday, reports indicated that Rodriguez wasn’t expected to play today, yet the Mariners were considering him day-to-day due to some improvement in his ability to run.  Naturally the Mariners aren’t going to take any untoward risks with Rodriguez’s health, but with Seattle in a pitched battle with the Astros for the AL West lead, both Rodriguez and the team had an obvious desire to get him back in action as soon as safely possible.

Rodriguez will be the designated hitter in tonight’s lineup, which could be the team’s most common way to deploy Rodriguez until his ankle is feeling fully ready for regular center field duty.  Installing Rodriguez at DH also allows Seattle to keep Victor Robles in center field, as Robles has (surprisingly) been one of the Mariners’ better hitters since he was signed in early June.

The timing couldn’t have been much worse for Rodriguez to hit the IL, as he was sidelined just as his bat was waking up from a season-long slump.  Rodriguez struggled to a .244/.294/.324 slash line and seven home runs over his first 364 plate appearances, but he had cracked four homers and posted a 1.219 OPS in the 49 trips to the plate prior to his injury.  That hot streak lifted his season-long wRC+ back up to an evenly league-average 100.  Rodriguez has also continued to deliver strong defense in center field, but Robles also filled in nicely in terms of glovework.

Phillies Claim Kyle Tyler, DFA Nick Nelson

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The Phillies have claimed right-handed pitcher Kyle Tyler off of waivers from the Marlins, the Phillies announced. He was been optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In a corresponding move, fellow right-hander Nick Nelson has been designated for assignment.

Tyler, 27, was designated for assignment on Friday, when the Marlins selected southpaw Kent Emanuel to the 40-man roster. Tyler had pitched 31 2/3 innings over eight appearances (seven starts) for Miami. He had a 5.40 ERA and a 5.11 SIERA. The righty also made 11 appearances (nine starts) for Triple-A Jacksonville with much better results, pitching to a 3.06 ERA and 4.04 FIP. His performance for the Jumbo Shrimp represented a step in the right direction for a pitcher who had a 5.60 ERA over 135 innings last season at Double-A.

Tyler is probably just an organizational depth piece for the Phillies, but that is certainly something the team could use with Ranger Suárez and Taijuan Walker the IL. While Walker and Suárez are on their way back, a little extra pitching depth is always valuable. What’s more, Tyler has another option year remaining, so the Phillies could easily retain him at Triple-A in 2025.

As for Nelson, 28, the right-hander has spent most of the past two seasons in the minors. He was a capable mop-up man for Philadelphia in 2022, but he struggled to transition back to a starting role at Triple-A in 2023. Over 26 appearances (five starts) with Triple-A Lehigh Valley this year, he has a 7.52 ERA and a 6.32 FIP. The Phillies clearly have not trusted him to pitch meaningful major league innings over the past two years, so it was only a matter of time before his roster spot went to a fresh arm.

Cardinals Activate Riley O’Brien From 60-Day IL, DFA Nick Robertson

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The Cardinals have activated right-handed pitcher Riley O’Brien from the 60-day injured list, the team announced. He has been optioned to Triple-A Memphis. In a corresponding transaction, fellow right-hander Nick Robertson has been designated for assignment.

O’Brien, 29, has been on the injured list almost all season with a right forearm flexor strain. The Cardinals clearly like what he has to offer – he made the Opening Day roster out of camp – but they ultimately decided he is too much of an unknown quantity for a spot in the bullpen right now (per Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat). Jones notes that the decision for the final spot in the bullpen came down to O’Brien and Kyle Leahy, and the Cardinals were more confident in what Leahy brings to the table. Leahy, 27, has a 3.86 ERA and 4.46 SIERA in 37 1/3 innings this season. O’Brien, on the other hand, has only pitched 3 1/3 innings in his MLB career. His Triple-A numbers were promising last season (2.29 ERA, 3.77 FIP in 55 IP), but it’s understandable why the Cardinals would want to see more from him before throwing him back into their bullpen amid a close postseason race.

Robertson, 26, came over to the Cardinals this offseason as part of the trade return for outfielder Tyler O’Neill. He made eight appearances for St. Louis, pitching to a 4.38 ERA and 2.97 SIERA in 12 1/3 innings. However, he has a far less appealing 7.48 ERA in 21 2/3 innings at Triple-A. If he passes through waivers unclaimed, the Cardinals can choose to send him outright to Triple-A (where he is already pitching) as additional minor league pitching depth.

Diamondbacks Reinstate Merrill Kelly From 60-Day IL, DFA Humberto Castellanos

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The Diamondbacks have reinstated veteran starter Merrill Kelly from the 60-day injured list, the team announced. To make room for the right-hander on the active roster, righty reliever Scott McGough has been optioned to Triple-A Reno. Meanwhile, fellow righty Humberto Castellanos has been designated for assignment to free up a spot on the 40-man.

Kelly, now 35, was a durable and dependable starter for the Diamondbacks from 2021-23, making 90 starts and pitching to a 3.66 ERA and 4.16 SIERA. He got off to a strong start over his first four outings in 2024, putting up a 2.19 ERA and 3.88 SIERA in 24 2/3 innings pitched, but he suffered a teres major strain in mid-April. The right-hander will make his highly anticipated return this afternoon against the Phillies, and the D-backs will have their full rotation healthy for the first time this season. Manager Torey Lovullo now has six healthy starters at his disposal: Zac Gallen, Brandon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez, Jordan Montgomery, Ryne Nelson, and Kelly.

McGough, 34, signed a two-year deal with Arizona during the 2022-23 offseason. He was a serviceable middle reliever last season, pitching to a 4.73 ERA and 3.49 SIERA over 70 1/3 innings, but he has struggled in 2024. Over 29 innings, McGough has a 6.83 ERA and 5.63 SIERA. This is the third time he has been optioned this season.

As for Castellanos, 26, he has failed to make much of an impression over 32 games (16 starts) for the Diamondbacks at the big league level. Since the D-backs claimed him off of waivers from the Astros during the 2020-21 offseason, he has pitched to a 5.29 ERA and 4.89 SIERA over 100 1/3 innings as both a starter and a reliever. His minor league stats aren’t much better; he has a 4.59 ERA and 6.64 FIP at Triple-A this year. If Castellanos passes through waivers unclaimed, he will have the right to reject an outright assignment to Triple-A and elect free agency.

Rockies Select Josh Rogers, Place Dakota Hudson On 15-Day IL

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The Rockies have selected left-handed pitcher Josh Rogers from Triple-A Albuquerque, the team announced today. He will replace Dakota Hudson on the active roster; the Rockies placed Hudson on the 15-day IL with right elbow inflammation following his start last night. Colorado already had an open spot for Rogers on the 40-man roster.

Hudson, 29, had his contract selected less than 24 hours ago, and he started for the Rockies on Saturday against the Braves. He lasted only 2 2/3 innings, giving up three hits, four walks, and five earned runs. While he has struggled all season, his particular troubles last night may have had something to do with his injury. The Rockies have not yet provided many details about his status going forward.

Similar to Hudson, Rogers, 30, has already been outrighted by the Rockies once this season. He signed a minor league deal with the club this spring, and Colorado selected him to make his 2024 debut in May. The southpaw gave up seven earned runs over 9 1/3 innings before landing on the IL with a left shoulder rotator cuff strain. He was activated and DFA’d about a month later. However, like Hudson, he chose to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A, and that decision appears to have paid off. He will return to the Rockies bullpen for today’s series finale against the Braves. Rogers has a 6.71 ERA over 14 appearances (11 starts) at Triple-A this season.

Brewers Activate DL Hall From 60-Day IL

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The Brewers have activated left-hander DL Hall from the 60-day injured list, the team announced. In a pair of corresponding moves, the club placed left-hander Hoby Milner on the 15-day IL and transferred right-hander Enoli Paredes to the 60-day IL. Hall will start for Milwaukee tonight, as the Brewers attempt to complete a series sweep over the Reds (per Adam McCalvy of MLB.com).

Hall, 25, came over to the Brewers this past offseason as part of the trade return for Corbin Burnes. While he primarily pitched out of the bullpen during brief stints with Baltimore in 2022 and ’23, he returned to a full-time starting role with Milwaukee. Unfortunately, he landed on the IL with a left knee sprain just four starts into his season, and setbacks have kept him on the shelf ever since. As he rejoins the Brewers rotation, he will look to improve upon his 7.71 ERA and 5.49 SIERA over 16.1 innings this year. It remains unclear how manager Pat Murphy plans to align his rotation moving forward. He has been forced to navigate starting pitching injuries all season, but now the skipper finds himself with six capable arms: Freddy Peralta, Frankie Montas, Colin Rea, Tobias Myers, Aaron Civale, and Hall.

Milner, 33, has pitched well for the Brewers this season. He ranks second on the team in relief innings, and his underlying numbers (3.26 SIERA, 3.27 xERA) are much better than his 4.92 ERA. The southpaw has been especially dominant against left-handed batters (23:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio), but he has held his own against opposite-handed opponents, much like he has throughout his tenure in Milwaukee. Over four years with the Brewers, Milner has a 2.72 FIP against lefty batters and a 4.02 FIP against right-handers. His injury, described as a left shoulder impingement, is not particularly unusual or worrisome (per McCalvy), but it will keep him out until at least August 24.

Meanwhile, Paredes saw good results (1.08 ERA) over 14 games with Milwaukee after the team selected his contract in late May. Regrettably, the 28-year-old landed on the injured list with right forearm tendinitis in early July. He will be eligible to return on September 1, but it is unclear if his injury will keep him out significantly longer. The Brewers have not provided many details about his status, but going on the 60-day IL with forearm trouble is often a bad sign.

In additional Brewers news, McCalvy reports that reliever Bryan Hudson is back in Milwaukee and should be activated soon. He has been on the IL with an oblique injury since late July. The 27-year-old southpaw has a 1.60 ERA and 2.98 SIERA in 50 2/3 innings this season. Trevor Megill, another key piece of the Brewers bullpen, will throw live batting practice tomorrow, and if all goes well, he will begin a rehab assignment after that. Megill has a 2.41 ERA and 2.93 SIERA this season. Like Hudson, he has been on the IL since late July; he has been nursing a low back strain.

Rangers Select Matt Festa, DFA Brock Burke

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The Rangers have selected right-hander Matt Festa’s contract from Triple-A Round Rock, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. To make room on the 40-man roster, the team has designated left-hander Brock Burke for assignment. In a pair of additional transactions, Texas placed right-hander Josh Sborz on the 15-day IL and recalled left-hander Walter Pennington from Triple-A.

Burke, 28, has struggled mightily this season. After getting off to a rough start in April, he missed two months with a fractured hand. He didn’t look sharp upon his return either, and the Rangers optioned him to Triple-A at the end of June. He was recalled earlier this month and continued to struggle. Overall, he has a 9.22 ERA and 4.30 SIERA in 13 appearances in the majors this season. He also has a 5.31 ERA in 16 appearances at Triple-A. The Rangers have little margin for error as they attempt to gain ground in the AL West, and evidently, they decided they could no longer afford to keep Burke on the roster. He showed tremendous promise in 2022 (1.97 ERA, 3.05 SIERA in 82 1/3 innings), but he has not been able to recapture that success over the past two years.

Festa, 31, does not have much of a track record in the major leagues; he has a 4.66 ERA and 3.96 SIERA over 90 games with the Mariners and Mets from 2018-24. However, he has looked sharp at Triple-A this year, with a 2.70 ERA and 3.10 FIP over 33 games in the Padres, Mets, and Rangers’ systems. He signed a minor league contract with Texas back in July and re-upped with the team after he was released in August.

Sborz, 30, was a postseason hero last fall, but he has, unfortunately, struggled with shoulder injuries in his follow-up campaign. He has a 3.38 ERA and 3.28 SIERA in 16 innings of work, but this is now his third trip to the IL. Pennington, 26, has made two brief appearances this season. He made his MLB debut for the Royals in July, facing two batters and recording two outs. Not long after, he was included in the trade that sent Michael Lorenzen to Kansas City. Pennington made his Rangers debut in August, and the results weren’t quite as strong. He gave up a solo home run and walked three batters over a single inning of work. He has a 2.13 ERA and 3.27 across 63 1/3 innings at Triple-A this year.

The Rangers have taxed their bullpen heavily over the second half of the season as they continue to deal with injuries to the starting rotation. Jon Gray and Max Scherzer both hit the IL just before the trade deadline and, most recently, Nathan Eovaldi has dealt with tightness in his right side. Grant notes that his next start, which would have been scheduled for Thursday against the Twins, will be pushed back or skipped entirely. José Ureña will remain in the rotation for the time being, and Grant suggests Dane Dunning will likely re-join the rotation on Wednesday to fill an open space caused by Saturday’s doubleheader. It is unclear who will start for Texas in Eovaldi’s place on Thursday.

Dodgers Sign Jon Duplantier To Minor League Contract

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The Dodgers agreed to a minor league contract with Jon Duplantier on Thursday, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. This is his second stint with the Dodgers organization.

Duplantier, now 30, began his career with the Diamondbacks, who selected him in the third round of the 2016 draft. Baseball America ranked him as the No. 1 prospect in Arizona’s system (No. 73 overall) ahead of the 2018 season, and he remained one of BA’s top-100 prospects entering the 2019 campaign. The right-hander made his MLB debut that year, tossing 36 2/3 innings over 15 games (three starts) with a 4.42 ERA. He would also pitch for the D-backs in 2021, when he made four starts and gave up 19 earned runs in 13 innings of work. Unfortunately, Duplantier’s prospect shine had all but disappeared by then, and Arizona released him that summer after he suffered an injury. The club quickly re-signed him on a minor league deal, but he elected free agency at the end of the year.

Since then, Duplantier has spent time in the Giants, Dodgers, Phillies, and Mets organizations. Most recently, he suited up for the Lake Country DockHounds of the independent American Association after he was released by the Mets. According to the American Association website, the DockHounds transferred his contract to the Dodgers last Monday, three days before he officially signed with the organization. He will report to the Double-A Tulsa Drillers. Interestingly, he has not played at Double-A since 2018, when he put up a 2.69 ERA over 14 starts with the Jackson Generals. Since 2019, Duplantier has spent most of his time pitching at Triple-A, where he has a 5.09 ERA in 66 career games (27 starts).

Padres Outright Jackson Wolf

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Today: Wolf has cleared waivers, and the Padres have sent him outright to Triple-A El Paso, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. Given his very limited MLB service time and the fact that this is his first career outright, he has no choice but to accept the assignment and remain at Triple-A.

August 8: The Padres announced Thursday that they’ve designated left-hander Jackson Wolf for assignment. He’d been pitching for their Triple-A affiliate in El Paso, and his 40-man spot will go to veteran righty Carl Edwards Jr., whose contract has been selected. San Diego optioned righty Alek Jacob to El Paso in a corresponding move.

Wolf, 25, was in his second stint with the Padres organization. Originally their fourth-round pick in 2021, he went to the Pirates at the 2023 trade deadline as part of the return for lefty Rich Hill and first baseman Jiman Choi. The Bucs designated Wolf for assignment earlier this year, however, and wound up trading him back to the Padres in exchange for minor league infielder Kervin Pichardo.

Wolf made his big league debut with the ’23 Padres, allowing three runs over five innings in his lone start. He’s spent the season with their El Paso club but struggled to a 7.21 ERA over 83 2/3 innings. He’s made 23 appearances, 18 of them starts. Wolf has unquestionably had some tough luck, yielding a .353 average on balls in play that should be due for some regression, but his 17.5% strikeout rate and 12.6% walk rate are both considerably worse than league average as well. Wolf’s 9.8% swinging-strike rate and 24.3% opponents’ chase rate are both sub-par marks, too. In general, he hasn’t induced whiffs or limited free passes enough to compensate for the amount of extra-base damage he’s yielded: 12 homers, 16 doubles, five triples.

This past offseason, Wolf ranked 21st among Pirates prospects, per Baseball America, whose scouting report tabbed him as a potential fifth starter or bulk reliever. His rough results in 2024 haven’t done any favors for his prospect stock, but Wolf is a 25-year-old who posted solid Double-A numbers in 2023 and is still in just the second of three minor league option years. A rebuilding club looking to stock up on pitching depth (e.g. Marlins, White Sox) could have some interest in an optionable lefty of this nature. The trade deadline has passed, so the Padres’ only course of action with Wolf will be to place him on waivers.

Edwards, 33 next month, will be in his second stint with the Padres as well. He briefly pitched 1 2/3 innings for San Diego back in 2019. He’s one of many former Rangers prospects who’ve found their way onto the Padres roster since the hiring of president of baseball operations A.J. Preller — a former Rangers assistant GM.

Edwards spent the 2022-23 seasons with the Nationals and pitched well out of manager Davey Martinez’s bullpen, tallying 93 2/3 innings of 3.07 ERA ball — albeit with shaky rate stats (20% strikeout rate, 10.6% walk rate). A stress fracture in Edwards’ right shoulder ended his 2023 campaign prematurely and limited him to a minor league deal this past offseason. That deal came with the Cubs, but Edwards triggered a June opt-out in that contract after he hadn’t been added to the big league roster and signed a minor league deal with the Padres.

It’s been a decent year for the lanky right-hander down in Triple-A. Between the Cubs and Padres organizations, he sports a combined 3.30 ERA but with similar strikeout and walk issues that existed during his Nats run. He’s set down a respectable 22.2% of opponents on strikes but also issued walks at a grim 14.3% rate. Edwards has been a reliever for the bulk of his career but was working out of the rotation in El Paso. He’s ticketed for the relief corps now that he’s back in the majors, but that recent work as a starter means he’s stretched out for multiple innings if needed.

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