Athletics Claim Angel Perdomo, Designate Esteury Ruiz For Assignment
The Athletics announced this afternoon that they’ve claimed left-hander Angel Perdomo off waivers from the Angels. In a corresponding move, center fielder Esteury Ruiz was designated for assignment. The Angels separately announced that left-hander Jose Quijada as cleared waivers and been assigned outright to the minor leagues.
Perdomo, 31 in May, signed with the Blue Jays out of the Dominican Republic and made his pro debut back in 2012. He didn’t end up cracking the big leagues until the shortened 2020 season, however, at which point he was a member of the Brewers. Perdomo struggled badly across parts of two seasons in Milwaukee, with an 8.24 ERA and a 6.43 FIP in 19 2/3 innings of work across 22 appearances. While his 33.7% strikeout rate was nothing short of excellent, Perdomo was held back by a massive 23.5% walk rate.
The southpaw went on to spend the 2022 season in the Rays farm system, where he pitched quite well at the Triple-A level, before signing a minor league deal with the Pirates for the 2023 season. He pitched solid for Pittsburgh that year, with a 3.72 ERA and 3.01 FIP in 29 innings of work as he struck out a sensational 37.6% of his opponents. Unfortunately, elbow issues cut Perdomo’s season short and he ultimately required Tommy John surgery during the offseason. That led the Pirates to designate the lefty for assignment, at which point he was claimed by Atlanta and signed to a split deal for the 2024 season.
Perdomo ultimately did not pitch in 2024, however, and though he stuck with the club over the offseason he was ultimately traded to the Angels earlier this month. He was DFA’d by Anaheim prior to Opening Day, and now finds himself headed north to West Sacramento where he’ll get the opportunity to join the A’s bullpen if he can prove he’s healthy and effective. The southpaw’s Spring Training was something of a mixed bag, as he impressed with a 1.80 ERA but walked (6) nearly as many batters as he struck out (8). If he pitches as well as he did for Pittsburgh, however, Perdomo could wind up being a solid complement to Mason Miller from the left hand side in the late innings.
Making room for Perdomo on the 40-man roster is Ruiz. The center fielder is most famous for being the centerpiece of the return the Athletics received in a controversial three-team trade that sent franchise catcher Sean Murphy to Atlanta and promising young backstop William Contreras to Milwaukee. While Contreras has gone on to put himself on the shortlist for the title of best catcher in baseball with the Brewers, the return the A’s received for Murphy has largely failed to produce in the majors. That includes Ruiz, who appeared in 132 games in 2023 as the club’s regular center fielder and swiped a league-leading 67 bases in 80 attempts. Impressive as his wheels were on the basepaths, however, he was a pedestrian defender in center field and failed to hit enough to justify his everyday job, slashing just .254/.309/.345 in 497 trips to the plate.
The 2024 season saw Ruiz open the season with the club but get optioned to the minor leagues in fairly short order. Overall, he hit just .200/.270/.382 with five steals in nine attempts across 29 games with the A’s during their final season in Oakland before missing the majority of the season with a wrist sprain and ultimately undergoing knee surgery in September. Ruiz came into camp with a chance at a job with the A’s this year, but hit just .121/.171/.152 in Spring Training, leaving the club to option him to the minor leagues. Evidently, the A’s feel he no longer has much of a future with the organization following the emergence of pieces like Lawrence Butler and JJ Bleday. Going forward, they’ll have one week to work out a trade involving Ruiz or else he’ll need to be placed on waivers. Should he pass through waivers unclaimed, the club will have the opportunity to outright him to Triple-A to serve as non-roster depth going forward.
Orioles Place Albert Suarez On Injured List, Select Matt Bowman
The Orioles announced this morning that they’ve placed right-hander Albert Suarez on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation. To replace Suarez on the active roster, the club selected the contract of right-hander Matt Bowman. There was already a vacancy on the club’s 40-man roster, so an additional corresponding move for Bowman was not necessary.
Suarez, 35, signed with the Rays out of Venezuela and made his pro debut all the way back in 2008 but didn’t make his big league debut until 2016 with the Giants. The right-hander pitched to a pedestrian 4.51 ERA with a 4.40 FIP across two seasons and 115 2/3 frames in San Francisco before being outrighted off the clubs roster. He was then selected by the Diamondbacks in the Rule 5 draft but was outrighted to the minors once again without making an appearance during the 2018 campaign.
That led Suarez to try his hand overseas, and he ultimately spent five seasons pitching in Asia between Nippon Professional Baseball’s Yakult Swallows and the Korea Baseball Organization’s Samsung Lions. After posting ERAs of 3.00 and 3.04 respectively in those leagues, Suarez finally got the opportunity to return to the big leagues with the Orioles in 2024, and he made the most of the opportunity. The righty served as a valuable swing man for Baltimore last year, pitching 133 2/3 innings between 24 starts and eight relief appearances. The results were solid, with a league-average 3.70 ERA and a 4.24 FIP.
It was more than enough for Suarez to earn a spot on the club headed into 2025, though he ultimately lost out on the fifth starter job this spring when the nod was given to young southpaw Cade Povich instead. In 2 2/3 innings of work so far this year, Suarez has allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and no walks while striking out two. It’s a solid enough performance, though a dip in his velocity was a cause for some concern. Evidently, that was a sign of injury, as now Suarez will be out for at least the next couple of weeks. A more firm timetable for Suarez’s return to action figures to be made clear in the coming days.
Replacing Suarez on the club’s roster for the time being is Bowman. A 13th-round pick by the Mets back in 2012, the right-hander got semi-regular work in the majors as a reliever from 2016 to 2019 with the Cardinals and Reds. During that time, he pitched to a solid 4.02 ERA (105 ERA+) with a 3.67 FIP in 181 1/3 innings of work, striking out 19.3% of opponents along the way. He did not pitch in the major or minor leagues from 2020 to 2022 due to the cancelled minor league season in 2020 and subsequent Tommy John surgery, then made it back to the big leagues for three innings of work with the Yankees in 2023. The righty resurfaced more fully in 2024 and posted a roughly league average 4.40 ERA in 30 2/3 innings of work split between the Twins, Diamondbacks, Mariners, and Orioles. The majority of that time was spent in Baltimore, for whom he posted a 3.45 ERA and a 4.19 FIP in 15 2/3 innings of work.
Blue Jays Place Max Scherzer On Injured List
March 30: The Jays announced today that Scherzer is indeed being placed on the 15-day injured list, with the diagnosis of right thumb inflammation. Left-hander Easton Lucas was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move. Per Hazel Mae of Sportsnet, Schneider told reporters that Scherzer is headed to see a hand specialist to find out more about his thumb injury. Either Rodriguez or Lucas appears likely to join the rotation in Scherzer’s stead.
March 29: Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer exited his first start as a member of the Blue Jays after just 45 pitches, and Toronto later announced that his departure was due to soreness in his right lat.
As noted by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, Scherzer battled a thumb issue throughout Spring Training that appeared to be connected to the nerve issue that limited the veteran with the Rangers last season. Throughout camp, Matheson relays that Scherzer indicated that pitching through the thumb issue increased the risk of other injury issues and specifically highlighted his shoulder as a possible area of concern. Scherzer went on to confirm that the issue is related to his thumb, telling reporters (including Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet) that after three innings he told manager John Schneider that there was “imminent danger” of a more serious injury if he continued to pitch.
While Scherzer noted that he and the team’s doctors have not yet figured out next steps, it sounds as though a trip to the injured list is likely in the right-hander’s future. As relayed by Matheson, Scherzer at the very least won’t be making his next scheduled start. He was next in line for a start on April 4 against the Mets in New York, though his status for games beyond that has not yet been announced. The veteran noted that he’ll need to get the thumb issue “to 100%” before he pitches again, and expressed frustration over the circumstances while emphasizing the importance of getting his thumb right.
“My arm is making adjustments because of that [thumb injury],” Scherzer said, as relayed by Matheson. “That’s a recipe for disaster.”
With an off-day scheduled for April 3, the Blue Jays won’t need another starter until April 8. That gives Scherzer just over a week to get right before he’d next be needed in the rotation, but it seems possible that the issue will take longer to resolve than that. Should Scherzer require a trip to the IL, Yariel Rodriguez could step into the rotation from the bullpen or the club could consider turning the vacant spot in the rotation over to youngster Jake Bloss. It seems likely the exact length of Scherzer’s absence won’t be available for at least a few days, though it’s possible a decision about the injured list could come early next week given that IL stints can be backdated a maximum of just three days.
Regardless of how long Scherzer ends up missing, the news has the potential to be a huge blow for a Blue Jays club that is attempting to claw its way out of fifth place in a deep AL East division to make it back to the postseason in what could be the final year franchise fixtures Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette spend in Toronto. Scherzer was one of the club’s most notable additions this winter alongside second baseman Andres Gimenez and Anthony Santander, and his addition was made in the hope that he could deepen a rotation that lost Yusei Kikuchi at the 2024 trade deadline.
While the righty has not been the same pitcher who finished top 5 in his league’s Cy Young award voting in seven consecutive seasons from 2013 to 2019 in recent years, he still sports a solid 3.81 ERA over his last 36 starts and looked like a front of the rotation arm as recently as 2022. That was enough to sell the Blue Jays on the idea the veteran could upgrade their rotation as long as he managed to stay healthy, but so far his nagging thumb issue has made that a challenge. After largely avoiding the injured list throughout the vast majority of his career, Scherzer has made just 59 starts over the past three seasons with the Mets and Rangers and now appears on track to miss more time for the Jays.
Blue Jays Designate Richard Lovelady For Assignment
The Blue Jays announced this morning that they’ve selected the contract of left-hander Mason Fluharty. Fellow southpaw Richard Lovelady was designated for assignment to make room for Fluharty on both the 40-man and active rosters. In addition, the Blue Jays announced that right-hander Tommy Nance has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A.
Lovelady, 29, was a tenth-round pick by Kansas City back in 2016. He made his big league debut with the club during the 2019 season and spent parts of three seasons in the club’s bullpen. He struggled badly to a 7.71 ERA in 21 innings of work between 2019 and 2020, but in 2021 he began to look like a valuable relief option with a 3.48 ERA, 3.85 FIP, and a 27.4% strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 7.1%. Unfortunately for the lefty, he would require Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2021 campaign and missed the entire 2022 season while rehabbing.
He wouldn’t get the chance to return to the mound in Kansas City, as he was dealt to Atlanta just before the 2023 campaign began. That stay was very brief, however, as he made just five appearance at Triple-A before being plucked off waivers by Oakland. He posted middling numbers in 23 1/3 innings of work for the A’s, with a 4.63 ERA and 4.54 FIP across 27 appearances before being shut down due to a forearm strain. Lovelady was eventually outrighted off the club’s roster and elected free agency, at which point he signed a minor league deal with the Cubs.
Lovelady’s time in Chicago was brief, as he posted just 5 2/3 innings of work and was shelled to the tune of a 7.94 ERA during that limited time. He was DFA’d in May of last year and shipped to the Rays shortly thereafter before enjoying a successful season in Tampa. Across 28 2/3 innings the rest of the way, Lovelady posted a solid 3.77 ERA with a 3.83 FIP. That didn’t stop the Rays from non-tendering the southpaw back in November, however, which led him to join the Jays on a minor league deal back in January. He made the club’s Opening Day roster but walked two batters and hit another three in 1 2/3 innings before today’s DFA. Going forward, the Jays will have one week to either work out a trade involving the southpaw or place him on waivers.
Lovelady’s departure makes way for Fluharty, whose first appearance will be his big league debut. The Jays’ fifth rounder in 2022, the southpaw posted a decent 3.63 ERA with an excellent 27.4% strikeout rate in 67 innings of work at Triple-A last year. Solid as that performance was, Fluharty really made his case for a big league opportunity during Spring Training with a sterling 1.29 ERA and 11 strikeouts in just seven innings of work during camp. While the southpaw didn’t quite make the club’s initial Opening Day roster, he’s now poised to get the first big league opportunity of his career.
As for Nance, the 34-year-old signed with the Cubs out of indy ball back in 2016 and made his big league debut in 2021. He struggled to a 7.22 ERA in that first cup of coffee, but he’s looked like a solid middle reliever since then with a 4.25 ERA (97 ERA+) and a 3.80 FIP in 65 2/3 innings of work for the Marlins and Blue Jays since the start of the 2022 season. He’s struck out an impressive 26.3% of opponents during that time while walking 10.4%. Nance now figures to remain at Triple-A Buffalo as non-roster depth for the Jays going forward.
Marlins Designate Brett de Geus For Assignment
The Marlins have designated right-hander Brett de Geus for assignment, the team announced this morning. Right-hander Xzavion Curry‘s contract was selected to replace de Geus on the 40-man roster, and righty Valente Bellozo was optioned to make room for Curry on the active roster.
de Geus, 27, was drafted by the Dodgers in the 33rd round back in 2017 but made his big league debut with the Rangers in 2021 after being selected in that offseason’s Rule 5 draft. The right-hander split the 2021 campaign between Texas and Arizona, struggling to an ugly 7.56 ERA in 50 innings of work along the way. He struck out just 17.2% of opponents while walking 10.5%, and after making it through the full 2021 campaign on a big league roster de Geus found himself shuttled back to the minors for the early part of the 2022 campaign before he was released by Arizona in June of that same year.
After spending a couple of seasons in indy ball and a brief stint in the Royals farm system, de Geus resurfaced with the Mariners last season. He once again struggled badly at the big league level, with a 7.15 ERA in 11 1/3 innings of work spread between Seattle, Toronto, and Miami. He finished the 2024 season with the Blue Jays but was designated for assignment by the club back in January. The righty was traded to Pittsburgh in a cash deal shortly thereafter but was once against DFA’d early on in Spring Training.
That led the Marlins to claim him off waivers late last month, and while he survived the club’s initial roster moves for Opening Day he’s now been DFA’d once again to make room for a fresh arm at the big league level. Going forward, the Marlins will have one week to either trade de Geus or attempt to pass him through waivers. If he goes through waivers unclaimed, they’ll have the opportunity to outright him to the minors as a non-roster depth option.
As for Curry, the 26-year-old was a 7th round pick by Cleveland back in 2019 and made his big league debut for the Guardians in 2022. That debut was just two spot starts where he surrendered seven runs (six earned) in 9 1/3 innings of work, but Curry got a larger audition in 2023 and proved to be a serviceable swingman for the club. In 95 innings of work spread between nine starts and 32 relief appearances, Curry posted a 4.07 ERA (104 ERA+) with a FIP of 4.50. Though he struck out just 16.6% of his opponents, he walked just 7.4% and avoided an outsized home run total in order to put up decent numbers.
Things came off the rails for Curry in 2024, however, as he surrendered a 5.84 ERA and 5.19 FIP in 24 2/3 innings of work with the Guardians before being designated for assignment in August. He was plucked off waivers by the Marlins and pitched well for the club down the stretch, however, with a 3.00 ERA and 4.22 FIP over his final 18 innings of work last year. That performance wasn’t enough to convince the Marlins to keep him on their 40-man roster all winter, as he was outrighted to the minors last month. He’s back on the 40-man now, however, and figures to provide length out of the bullpen for the club after yesterday’s extra-inning affair against the Pirates.
Diamondbacks Outright Rene Pinto
Catcher Rene Pinto has cleared waivers and been assigned outright to Triple-A Reno by the Diamondbacks, according to Alex Weiner of AZ Sports. Pinto does not have the requisite service time or previous outright necessary to reject the assignment, so he’ll remain in the organization as non-roster depth going forward.
Pinto entered camp with Arizona in the mix to back up Gabriel Moreno alongside Adrian Del Castillo and Jose Herrera. The job ultimately went to Herrera, which necessitated the club designating Pinto for assignment as he had no minor league options remaining. The 28-year-old signed with the Rays out of Venezuela as an amateur and made his pro debut back in 2014. He’s spent his entire pro career in a Rays uniform prior to this winter, when the Rays DFA’d him in November and he was claimed off waivers by the Orioles. He stuck with Baltimore throughout much of the offseason but was DFA’d once again to make room for Charlie Morton on the club’s 40-man roster, at which point he was claimed by Arizona.
Pinto made his big league debut with the Rays back in 2022. The cup of coffee lasted only 25 games, and he hit just .213/.241/.325 during that time. Despite that meager performance in the majors, however, Pinto turned in a strong season at Triple-A as he slashed a strong .266/.320/.521 across 73 games at the level. That was enough to earn Pinto additional opportunities in Tampa, and he generally performed much better in them. 2023 saw Pinto appear in 38 games in the majors, hitting a respectable .252/.267/.456 with six homers in just 103 trips to the plate.
That intriguing combination of power and strong defense behind the plate was enough to make the Rays comfortable making Pinto their starting catcher to open the 2024 season. Unfortunately, Pinto didn’t last very long in the role. While he hit a respectable .214/.292/.429 that clocked in above league average over 19 games, those would be the only 19 games Pinto would play in the majors last year as he ceded playing time to a tandem of Ben Rortvedt and Alex Jackson. The catcher didn’t exactly go on to make a case for himself to get another shot in the majors upon being optioned to Triple-A, either, hitting just .191/.257/.373 in 53 games for the club’s Durham affiliate.
Now that Pinto has cleared waivers and been outrighted to the minors, he likely stands as the next man up to help out behind the plate in the event of an injury to either Moreno or Herrera. Normally, that role would appear more likely to go to Del Castillo given that he remains on the 40-man roster while Pinto does not, Weiner notes that Del Castillo has been placed on the minor league’s 7-day injured list. It’s unclear what ailment is bothering Del Castillo or how long he’ll be out of action at this point, but until he returns he won’t be able to serve as a fill-in catcher in the majors fro the Diamondbacks.
Pirates Outright Joshua Palacios, Peter Strzelecki
The Pirates announced this afternoon that outfielder Joshua Palacios and right-hander Peter Strzelecki have both cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Indianapolis. Palacios has been outrighted previously in his career and could reject the assignment in favor of free agency if he so chooses, but Strzelecki has neither the previous outright nor requisite service time necessary to reject the assignment and will remain in the organization as non-roster depth going forward.
Palacios, 29, was selected by the Blue Jays in the fourth-round of the 2016 draft and made his big league debut with Toronto in 2021. He hit just .200/.293/.200 across 13 games for the Jays before being plucked off waivers by the Nationals in 2022, for whom he appeared in 29 games while hitting a similarly lackluster .213/.245/.255 in 49 plate appearances before being outrighted off the 40-man roster. He came to the Pirates the following offseason by way of the Rule 5 draft’s minor league phase.
In Pittsburgh, Palacios got a more significant big league opportunity than he did in either Toronto or D.C. as he appeared in 91 games for the Pirates throughout the 2023 season. Unfortunately, the lefty failed to make the most of the opportunity as he hit just .239/.273/.413 in that time, though his 21 extra-base hits (including ten homers) in just 264 trips to the plate hinted at intriguing power potential and he showed the ability to play decent defense at all three outfield spots. Unfortunately, Palacios did not get another opportunity of significance with the Pirates last year. While he did appear in the majors, he was limited to just 23 games and 78 trips to the plate where he slashed a middling .224/.333/.343 while failing to demonstrate the power potential that made him an interesting piece the year prior.
While the Pirates opted to retain Palacios on their 40-man roster throughout the winter, they ultimately cut him just prior to Opening Day when the club opted to roster Jack Suwinski as a left-handed reserve outfielder instead. Now that he’s cleared waivers, he’ll have the opportunity to either stick in the organization as non-roster depth at Triple-A, where he slashed a solid .291/.372/.489 across 51 games at Triple-A, or head out to the open market in hopes of finding a better path to big league playing time elsewhere.
As for Strzelecki, the right-hander signed with the Brewers as an undrafted free agent back in 2018 and worked his way up to the big leagues during the 2022 season. His rookie campaign was quite impressive as he pitched to a 2.83 ERA (143 ERA+) with a 2.94 FIP and a 27% strikeout rate in 35 innings of work. Unfortunately for Strzelecki, his follow-up season in 2023 was less impressive as he posted a 4.38 ERA in 37 innings split between the Brewers and Diamondbacks.
The right-hander was designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks just before Opening Day 2024 and was eventually traded to the Guardians, for whom he pitched sparingly in the majors but posted a solid 2.31 ERA and 3.77 FIP in 11 2/3 innings of work. He was DFA’d just before the non-tender deadline over the offseason and found himself shipped to Pittsburgh, but ultimately was DFA’d for a third time prior to Opening Day. This time, he finally cleared waivers and now will look to get back to the big leagues with the club at Triple-A.
Orioles Acquire Cody Poteet
The Orioles have acquired right-hander Cody Poteet from the Cubs in exchange for cash considerations, per an announcement out of Baltimore. Poteet had been designated for assignment by the Cubs prior to Opening Day to make room for right-hander Brad Keller on their 40-man roster. The righty has been optioned to Triple-A Norfolk by the Orioles, whose 40-man roster now stands at 39.
Poteet, 30, was acquired by the Cubs over the offseason as the return in the trade that sent Cody Bellinger to the Yankees. Chicago’s priority in that trade was, of course, dumping the remainder of Bellinger’s contract after he decided against opting out last winter. Bellinger, who is now serving as the primary center fielder in the Bronx, was squeezed out of the Cubs’ lineup by the club trading for Kyle Tucker to man right field as well as the emergence of top prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong in center. Given the nature of the trade, the club’s decision to DFA Poteet earlier this week was hardly a surprise despite frustration from many on the North Side over the issue.
For the Orioles, the move means adding some depth to a pitching staff that is currently without Grayson Rodriguez, Trevor Rogers, Chayce McDermott, Kyle Bradish, and Tyler Wells due to injuries. A fourth-round pick by the Marlins back in 2015, Poteet made his big league debut in Miami during the 2021 season as a starter, making seven appearances as part of the club’s rotation where he pitched to a 4.99 ERA (85 ERA+) with a 5.62 FIP. Those lackluster results in a rotation role led the Marlins to use him more as a swing man in 2022, and he did fairly well for himself in the role; Poteet threw 28 innings at the big league level in total spread between two starts and ten relief appearances that year, and his 3.86 ERA (106 ERA+) was decent despite a lackluster 18.4% strikeout rate.
Unfortunately, Poteet’s Marlins career would come to an end when he required Tommy John surgery in late 2022, leading Miami to designate him for assignment. He spent the 2023 campaign rehabbing and made a brief appearance in the Royals’ minor league system before landing a major league deal with the Yankees last January. The right-hander did reasonably well for himself in the Bronx, posting a strong 2.22 ERA in 24 1/3 innings of work at the big league level while pitching to a 3.40 ERA in 13 minor league starts last year.
Now on his third franchise in the past four months, Poteet heads to Triple-A to serve as depth behind the club’s rotation, which still includes a solid quintet of Zach Eflin, Charlie Morton, Tomoyuki Sugano, Dean Kremer, and Cade Povich even after the aforementioned injuries. Kyle Gibson figures to join that group at some point in the season’s first month or so after signing on with the Orioles earlier this month, but Poteet provides optionable insurance for the club against another injury in the meantime.
If a starter were to go down, it’s possible Poteet could slide directly into the rotation, although with veteran swingman Albert Suarez in the big league bullpen it seems more likely the Orioles would lean on Suarez to start while pushing Poteet into his spot in the bullpen. Poteet will likely be pushed further down the club’s depth chart once Gibson is ready to pitch, but an optionable arm capable of throwing either out of the rotation or in relief as needed is still a valuable asset to have in the fold over the course of a 162-game season.
As for the Cubs, the club already has plenty of optionable starting depth already that may have made it easier to part ways with the righty. Optionable righty Ben Brown is currently serving as the club’s fifth starter with southpaw Jordan Wicks standing as the likely next man up at Triple-A, though the eventual return of Javier Assad (who also has options remaining) from an oblique strain could push both youngsters down the depth chart in the future.
Rays Place Josh Lowe On 10-Day IL Due To Grade 2 Oblique Strain
2:55PM: Lowe suffered a Grade 2 oblique strain, John Romano of the Tampa Bay Times writes. This more severe level of strain likely means Lowe will miss at least 6-7 weeks in a best-case scenario, and multiple months on the IL is a distinct possibility.
TODAY, 11:05AM: The Rays placed Lowe on the 10-day injured list, announcing his injury as a right oblique strain. Switch-hitting outfielder Jake Mangum has been called up to take Lowe’s spot on the active roster, and the 29-year-old Mangum will be making his Major League debut the first time he appears in a game. Marc Topkin wrote earlier this month about Mangum’s unique career path, as his road to the majors has hit such speedbumps as the canceled 2020 minor league season and a pair of trades, including the deal that brought him from the Marlins to the Rays during the 2023-24 offseason.
MARCH 28: The Rays won their season opener over the Rockies in dramatic fashion, as Kameron Misner slugged a walk-off for his first career home run. Tampa Bay didn’t come out of the game completely unscathed, though. Josh Lowe was lifted for a pinch-runner after hitting a single in the fifth inning. The Rays announced that he experienced right oblique discomfort.
It’s likely he’ll wind up on the injured list. Manager Kevin Cash told Marc Topkin of The Tampa Bay Times postgame that he expected Lowe “to miss some time.” The outfielder is headed for an MRI, which will reveal a more defined timeline. Even low-grade oblique strains tend to cost hitters a couple weeks. More significant strains can sideline players for multiple months.
The Rays won’t know until tomorrow how severe Lowe’s injury is. It’s the second straight year in which his right oblique has given him trouble. Lowe opened last season with a six-week IL stay after straining the oblique in the middle of March. That return was delayed somewhat by an additional bout of hamstring tightness. He was activated in the first week of May but returned to the IL with another oblique strain on May 23. That was a relatively minor problem, as he was able to make it back by June 3.
Lowe got the Opening Day nod in right field even though he’s coming off a down year. The lefty-hitting outfielder turned in a mediocre .241/.302/.391 slash with 10 homers across 387 plate appearances last season. He was far better in 2023, when he drilled 20 homers with a .292/.335/.500 line through 501 trips to the dish.
The start today came against a left-handed pitcher (Kyle Freeland). The righty-swinging José Caballero came off the bench to finish the game in right field. Misner, a lefty bat, could get the majority of the playing time if Lowe hits the IL. Caballero and Curtis Mead are right-handed hitters who could factor in off the bench. Jake Mangum, who has yet to make his MLB debut, is the only other healthy outfielder on the 40-man roster. Tampa Bay added utilityman Coco Montes to their 40-man yesterday. He played some outfield in Japan last season but has not done so in his MLB career.
Giants Outright David Villar To Triple-A
The Giants announced that infielder David Villar cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A. Villar was designated for assignment earlier this week.
Because this is Villar’s first career outright assignment, he doesn’t yet have the ability to opt into free agency rather than accept the assignment to Triple-A. Villar now has that ability going forward in his career, perhaps making for some future transactional wrangling since he is also out of minor league options. That out-of-options status is what required the Giants to DFA Villar, as the club had to first expose him to waivers before sending him down to the minors.
An 11th-round pick for the Giants in the 2018 draft, Villar had a nice rookie season in 2022, hitting .231/.331/.455 with nine home runs over 181 plate appearances. Most of his playing time that year came at third base, but once J.D. Davis took the bulk of the hot corner work in 2023, Villar spent more time at first and second base during his time in the majors. With Matt Chapman taking over third base in 2024 and the Giants’ infield becoming even more crowded with options, Villar played only first base over his 11 MLB games last season.
A lack of offensive production was the larger reason Villar couldn’t find a spot anywhere in the lineup. He hit only .145/.236/.315 over 140 PA in 2023, and then .257/.270/.457 in 37 PA in 2024. San Francisco often cycled Villar up and down from Triple-A for depth purposes during his time with the club, but now that his minor league options have been exhausted, the Giants chose to move onto bench players with more roster flexibility.