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Royals Place Kris Bubic On 15-Day Injured List

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The Royals placed left-hander Kris Bubic on the 15-day injured list due to a flexor strain in his left forearm.  Left-hander Josh Taylor was called up to take Bubic’s spot on the active roster.

Bubic pitched well in his first two starts of the season, but was touched up for five runs on 10 hits and a walk over five innings in yesterday’s outing against the Braves.  Bubic felt some forearm soreness in the aftermath and thought it might have been due to the game’s cooler temperatures, but unfortunately he’ll now face a larger problem in the form of a flexor strain.  It isn’t yet known what kind of timeline Bubic is facing for a recovery, as Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters (including Pete Grathoff of the Kansas City Star) that Bubic was “getting further diagnostics” on the injury.

Even if Bubic is able to avoid serious injury, the IL stint is still an unwelcome setback for a pitcher hoping to break out in his fourth Major League season.  Bubic was the 40th overall pick of the 2018 draft, and one of the young arms Kansas City was counting on as the linchpins of their rebuilding period.  Of that group, however, only Brady Singer has really stepped up at the big league level — Daniel Lynch, Jackson Kowar, and Bubic have all struggled to some degree, though Bubic has at least done enough to retain his spot in the K.C. rotation.

Bubic had a 4.89 ERA over 309 innings with the Royals from 2020-22, posting below-average walk and strikeout rates while struggling to limit hard contact.  In the small sample size of his 2023 efforts, Bubic’s 23.5% strikeout rate is a bit above average, while his control (2.9% walk rate) has been excellent.

Taylor will give the Royals more depth in the bullpen, which might be helpful in filling Bubic’s rotation spot since Quatraro suggested that an opener is a possibility.  However, due to an upcoming off-day, the Royals won’t need a fifth starter until April 25, giving the team some time to plan their next step.  If a traditional starter is used, Kowar, Max Castillo, or Jonathan Heasley might be options at Triple-A.

Red Sox Claim Brennan Bernardino From Mariners

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The Red Sox announced that left-hander Brennan Bernardino has been claimed off waivers from the Mariners.  Bernardino was designated for assignment earlier this week.  To create 40-man roster space, the Sox moved righty Zack Kelly to the 60-day injured list.

Beginning his pro career as a 26th-round pick for the Reds in the 2014 draft, Bernardino finally made it to the big leagues last season, appearing in two games for Seattle and posting 2 1/3 innings of work.  Some nice numbers with Triple-A Tacoma in 2022 helped pave the way for Bernardino’s MLB debut, but the results haven’t been there in a small sample size this year, as the southpaw had a 12.00 ERA in six innings for Tacoma this season.

Bernardino’s career has taken him through the affiliated minors (with Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Seattle) and also to the Mexican League for parts of three seasons.  He’ll now add Boston to his resume, giving the Red Sox some extra left-handed relief depth.  Richard Bleier is the only lefty in Boston’s Major League bullpen, as Joely Rodriguez is on the injured list and Ryan Sherriff is at Triple-A.  In all likelihood, Bernardino will join Sherriff as the top left-handed options in Worcester should the Sox feel the need for more southpaw help in the Show.

Kelly was placed on the 15-day IL three days ago due to elbow inflammation, though Kelly was so obviously distraught while leaving the mound that it certainly seemed like he had suffered a more serious injury.  Sox manager Alex Cora told reporters (including MLB.com’s Ian Browne) yesterday that Kelly’s MRI results were going to be viewed by the doctor who performed Kelly’s internal bracing procedure in 2020.  No official word has come about Kelly’s status, though the 60-day IL placement will keep the right-hander on the shelf until at least mid-June.

Pirates Place Rob Zastryzny On 15-Day Injured List

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Prior to today’s game, the Pirates placed left-hander Rob Zastryzny on the 15-day injured list due to discomfort in his throwing elbow.  Righty Yohan Ramirez was called up from Triple-A to take Zastryzny’s spot on the active roster.

Zastryzny pitched just yesterday, facing four batters and recording one out in an appearance against the Cardinals.  With a hit and two walks amidst those four batters faced, Zastryzny clearly wasn’t sharp, and it’s safe to assume that his elbow issue impacted his performance.  The concern now is whether or not Zastryzny might be facing a more serious injury, as Pirates senior VP of baseball operations Bryan Stroh said today in a radio appearance that Zastryzny will be visiting a specialist when the club returns to Pittsburgh on Monday.

After being non-tendered by the Angels during the offseason, Zastryzny signed a minor league deal with the Pirates and broke camp with the club.  Even before Saturday’s outing against St. Louis, it hadn’t been smooth sailing for Zastryzny, as he has a 7.94 ERA over 5 2/3 total innings this season.  Control has been the biggest problem, as the lefty has almost as many walks (five) as strikeouts (six).

This is Zastryzny’s fifth MLB season, as he returned to the Show in 2022 after not getting any big league action in any of the previous three years.  The southpaw pitched for the Cubs in 2016-18, then spent the next three seasons pitching on minor league deals (with the Dodgers, Orioles, and Marlins) and with the independent Long Island Ducks.

With Zastryzny now sidelined, Jose Hernandez is the only left-hander in Pittsburgh’s bullpen, as Jarlin Garcia is on the 60-day IL due to a nerve injury in his biceps area.  Caleb Smith, Angel Perdomo, and Daniel Zamora are lefties with MLB experience who are pitching at Triple-A, but the Pirates would first have to make a 40-man roster move to add any of the three southpaws to their active roster.

Padres Announce Several Roster Moves

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The Padres announced a series of roster moves ahead of this afternoon’s game against the Brewers, optioning right-hander Domingo Tapia and utiltyman Brandon Dixon to Triple-A while recalling catcher Brett Sullivan and right-hander Reiss Knehr. The moves come on the heels of a recent injury to catcher Luis Campusano, who jammed his thumb catching a bullpen session. According to MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell, x-rays on Campusano’s thumb came back negative, but he will still be sidelined due to considerable swelling. It appears that, at least for now, Campusano will avoid a stint on the injured list, with the Padres instead opting for a three catcher roster while the 24 year-old is sidelined.

Tapia, 31, made his debut in 2020 with Boston and posted strong numbers from 2020-2021, sporting a 2.61 ERA and 3.62 FIP across 38 innings split between the Red Sox, Mariners, and Royals. He struggled badly in 17 innings with Oakland last year, however, posting a 8.47 ERA and 5.11 FIP. While those numbers are somewhat inflated by his .387 BABIP and unfortunate 62.2% strand rate, Tapia’s struggles were somewhat deserved, as well, as he actually walked more batters (14) than he struck out (12) with the A’s. Control problems have been an issue for Tapia even outside of Oakland, however, has he sports a career 13.1% walk rate and has never posted a walk rate lower than 10% in a season.

With Tapia headed to Triple-A, Knehr is set to join the Padres bullpen for the first time this season. The 26 year-old righty has pitched for the Padres in the big leagues in each of the past two seasons, with a 4.64 ERA in 42 2/3 innings over that time. Knehr struggles with control as well, with walk rates consistently over 10% in both the major leagues and Triple-A. Still, he’ll provide a fresh arm for the Padres bullpen, which has recently been taxed thanks to short starts from the club’s six-man rotation.

Dixon, meanwhile, heads to Triple-A to make room for a third catcher on the roster. The 31-year old struggled in his limited playing time with the club this season, recording just one hit and no walks while striking out eight times in his ten plate appearances with the club. Still, he figures to provide depth in the minors for the Padres, particularly given his versatility. Dixon has played all three outfield spots as well as first, second, and third base in the majors throughout his career.

Sullivan, 29, has yet to make his major league debut to this point in his career. A 17th round draft pick by the Rays in the 2015 draft, Sullivan signed with the Brewers on a major league deal during the 2021-22 offseason but was traded to the Padres in the deal that sent Victor Caratini to Milwaukee before appearing in a game for the organization. Sullivan has served as catching depth in the upper minors for the Padres ever since, and now figures to get his shot in the big leagues while Campusano is on the mend. A career .273/.321/.430 hitter in the minor leagues, Sullivan has experience in the outfield corners and at third base in addition to behind the plate.

White Sox Select Adam Haseley, Place Hanser Alberto On 10-Day IL

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Per The Athletic’s James Fegan, the White Sox have selected the contract of outfielder Adam Haseley. In addition, infielder Hanser Alberto has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Saturday) with a left quad strain. Infielder Nick Solak was designated for assignment to make room for Haseley on the 40-man roster.

Haseley, who celebrated his 27th birthday earlier this week, was taken 8th overall in the 2017 draft by the Phillies, but has failed to live up to that promise he showed as a prospect to this point in his career. In 355 plate appearances with Philadelphia, Haseley slashed just .264/.322/.373 before being traded to the White Sox ahead of the 2022 season. The outfielder only made it into 14 games with his new club in 2022, posting a 73 wRC+ in those games prior to being outrighted by Chicago during the offseason. With Alberto headed to the injured list, Haseley will now get another chance in the big leagues, where he will likely be the fourth outfielder on the roster, backing up Andrew Benintendi, Luis Robert Jr., and Oscar Colas.

Haseley will take the roster spot of Alberto, who is headed to the injured list without a timetable for his return. A veteran now playing in his 8th MLB season, Alberto has ever hit much in his career, posting a .271/.293/.380 line across 1406 plate appearances while only cracking 90 wRC+ once in his career, in 2019 with the Orioles. Still, the 30 year old remains a useful bench piece by virtue of his career strikeout rate of just 12.2% and his positional versatility; Alberto has played all four infield spots and the outfield corners in his career. With Alberto on the shelf, that should make more playing time available to fellow bench infielder Romy Gonzalez.

As for Solak, the utilityman spent the past four seasons as a member of the Rangers, slashing .252/.327/.372 (93 wRC+) in 974 plate appearances while playing primarily second base, though he’s also seen time at third base, left field, and even center field during his career. Solak was shipped from Texas to Cincinnati at the beginning of last offseason, and since then has bounced to the Mariners and the White Sox. Now, he figures to look to catch on with his fifth club in the past six months. That should be an attainable goal, considering the attractiveness of optionable infield depth.

Dodgers Sign Austin Wynns To Major League Deal, Place Will Smith On 7-Day Concussion IL

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According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the Dodgers have signed catcher Austin Wynns to a major league deal and placed him on the active roster as catcher Will Smith heads to the 7-Day Concussion IL, retroactive to April 13. According to Juan Toribio of MLB.com, the Dodgers have transferred right-hander Alex Reyes to the 60-day IL to make room for Wynns on the 40-man roster.

Wynns appeared in one game this season for the Giants before being designated for assignment earlier this week. Wynns had accepted an outright assignment from San Francisco earlier in the offseason rather than elect free agency, but opted to test the open market after finding himself blocked by Joey Bart, Blake Sabol, and Gary Sanchez on the catching depth chart for the Giants. Wynns sports a career 67 wRC+ in 510 plate appearances since his MLB debut with the Orioles in 2018, but flashed the bat of a serviceable backup with San Francisco last season, slashing .259/.313/.358, good for a wRC+ of 92.

Smith, 28, is among the game’s premiere catchers, with a career wRC+ of 130, a 10.9% walk rate and 18.8% strikeout rate to go with his 25-homer power. Ardaya notes that manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Smith reported symptoms of a concussion on Thursday, and those symptoms have persisted despite him passing SCAT5 testing on Friday. Smith is set to undergo more tests and Roberts is hopefully he will be able to rejoin the club in time for the club’s road trip on Thursday, but if his symptoms persist he may be out for longer. While Smith is on the shelf, Austin Barnes figures to get the lion’s share of starts behind the plate, with Wynns acting as the backup.

As for Reyes, he signed with the Dodgers this offseason on an incentive-laden major-league deal and is still working his way back from shoulder surgery he underwent last May. His placement on the 60-day IL isn’t much of a surprise, as he was not expected to be a contributor for the club until sometime midseason.

Twins Option Louie Varland, Recall Brent Headrick

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Per a team announcement, the Twins have optioned right-hander Louie Varland to Triple-A following his spot start against the Yankees yesterday. In a corresponding move, the club recalled left-hander Brent Headrick.

Varland, 25, pitched effectively against the Yankees yesterday, turning in a quality start of six innings and three runs allowed, each of which came on a solo home run. Those were the only hits allowed by Varland, who walked one and struck out eight. Varland also made five starts for the club in 2022, posting a solid 3.81 ERA in 26 innings of work. With six successful big league starts under his belt and a career 2.59 ERA in the minor leagues, Varland figures to continue to be a top option for spot starts in the future for the Twins, though their deep group of potential rotation options leaves him unlikely to get a longer look this season without multiple rotation injuries. Varland is the Twins’ #10 prospect, according to MLB.com.

As for Headrick, the 25 year-old lefty has been added to an MLB roster for the first time in his career and appears poised to make his big league debut in the near future. A ninth round pick in the 2019 draft, Headrick has a 3.52 ERA in 184 innings of work in the minors. The club’s #25 prospect, per MLB.com, Headrick is a soft-tossing lefty who has added velocity in recent years, leading to something of a breakout at Double-A in 2022 where he impressed by striking out 31.9% of the batters he faced. Most of his work in the minors has come as a starter, but Headrick did pitch four innings of relief in his first Triple-A appearance this year.

Angels Promote Zach Neto, Option David Fletcher

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The Angels made a significant transaction today, calling up top prospect Zach Neto, their first round pick from the 2022 draft. In the corresponding move, the Angels optioned David Fletcher, sending the six-year veteran to Triple-A. To make room on the 40-man roster, Chris Rodriguez has been transferred to the 60-day IL.

Neto will make his debut less than a year after the Angels took him 13th overall in the draft. The 22-year-old has absolutely torn up minor league pitching in that time, slashing .444/.559/.815 with three home runs in 34 plate appearances at Double-A to start this year, after slashing .320/.389/.492 over 136 plate appearances at the level last year.

All told, it took Neto just 44 minor league games to do enough for the Angels to call him up, and he’s now expected to take over as their everyday shortstop, per Jeff Passan of ESPN. The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked Neto as the Angels’ top prospect, and had him 59th overall in the sport. Law describes Neto as a “definite shortstop who projects to be a plus defender”, and combined with his bat expects him to be a “strong regular”.

The other side of this transaction is the demotion of Fletcher. The 28-year-old signed a five-year, $26MM extension just prior to the 2021 season, but Fletcher’s numbers have since deteriorated. After hitting .298/.356/.395 over 883 plate appearances between 2019-20, Fletcher has managed only a .258/.292/.323 slash line with four home runs over 909 PA, good for a wRC+ of just 69.

Fletcher’s a quality defender at second and third, posting a combined 31 Outs Above Average at the two positions throughout his career, while he’s more of a solid defender (two career OAA) at shortstop. He’s also sporadically played in the outfield.

Fletcher’s owed $6MM in 2023, and then a further $12.5MM over the next two seasons plus $3MM in buyouts on a pair of club options for 2026-27. It’s not an overly burdensome amount of money, but it’s a lot to be paying a minor league infielder. It’s possible the Angels see if Fletcher can rediscover his bat at Triple-A and then look to recall him to serve as a utilityman on the big league club going forward.

Of course, Neto has never played above Double-A so if he struggles after a stint in the big leagues the team could opt to give him a bit more time at Triple-A to develop and turn back to Fletcher. For now though, Neto will be the Angels’ starting shortstop, and if his hitting in the minor leagues can translate to the Show he could have that position for many years to come.

IL Activations: Hughes, Nootbaar, Kepler, Lorenzen

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Catching up on notable players returning from the injured list today…

LATEST MOVES

  • The Cubs activated left-hander Brandon Hughes from the 15-day IL, and outfielder Nelson Velazquez was optioned to Triple-A to create roster space.  Hughes was bothered by inflammation in his left knee during Spring Training, so Chicago placed him on the IL prior to Opening Day so Hughes could recover and then complete his ramp-up progress.  In an impressive rookie season, Hughes posted a 3.12 ERA and an above-average 28.3% strikeout rate (albeit with a subpar walk rate) over 57 2/3 innings out of the Cubs’ bullpen.

EARLIER TODAY

  • The Cardinals activated Lars Nootbaar from the 10-day IL, and sent Juan Yepez to Triple-A in the corresponding move.  Nootbaar was in the St. Louis lineup for the first time since Opening Day, when he injured his left thumb diving into a base.  While the Cardinals’ outfield depth chart might prevent Nootbaar from true everyday duty, he is still expected to get a lot of playing time as a left-handed hitter capable of playing all three outfield spots.  Jordan Walker’s emergence has only added to a crowded outfield picture that also includes Nootbaar, Tyler O’Neill, Alec Burleson, Dylan Carlson, Yepez, and utilityman Brendan Donovan.
  • The Twins activated outfielder Max Kepler from the 10-day IL, as Kepler returned after missing the minimum 10 days while recovering from right patellar tendinitis.  Minnesota optioned outfielder Matt Wallner to Triple-A in the corresponding move.  Kepler’s return will bring a bit of relief for the injury-plagued Twins, and he’ll look for something of a reset to his season after playing in only four games prior to his IL stint.  Kepler is entering the final guaranteed year of his contract, and will be a free agent this winter unless the Twins exercise a $10MM club option for 2024.
  • Michael Lorenzen made his first start of the season today, as the Tigers activated the right-hander from the 15-day IL.  Unsurprisingly, Lorenzen showed some rust, allowing six earned runs over four innings in what ended up being a 7-6 comeback win for Detroit over San Francisco.  A left groin strain has kept Lorenzen on the shelf, but going forward, he is expected to contribute in the Tigers’ rotation after signing a one-year, $8.5MM free agent deal during the offseason.  Along with activating Lorenzen, Detroit also called up southpaw Tyler Holton from Triple-A, and sent righty Garrett Hill and infielder Ryan Kreidler to Triple-A.

Mariners Designate Tommy Milone, Select Jose Caballero

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The Mariners announced that left-hander Tommy Milone has been designated for assignment.  In a corresponding move, Seattle selected the contract of infielder Jose Caballero from Triple-A.

After originally signing a minor league deal with the Mariners prior to the 2022 season, Milone rejoined the club on a new minors deal this past winter, and was then selected to the MLB roster just yesterday.  Milone got the spot start and was solid (one ER on three hits and two walks over 4 2/3 innings) in Seattle’s 5-3 win over the Rockies, and that game officially put Milone on the books for 13 Major League seasons.

Depending on what happens on DFA waivers, however, this cup of coffee could potentially be the end of Milone’s tenure with the Mariners, if another team in need of starting depth made a claim or worked out a trade with the M’s.  It perhaps seems more likely that Milone will clear waivers and then remain in the organization as a swingman or depth option, ready to be called back up to Seattle if another need arises in the rotation or bullpen.

Milone’s long career has seen him suit up with nine different teams at the big league level, and he has posted a 4.59 ERA over 949 career innings.  Between injuries and time in the minors, Milone has seen limited action over the last three seasons, with only 35 1/3 total innings pitched in the majors since the start of the 2021 season.

As Milone’s career takes its latest turn, Caballero may be on the verge of his MLB debut.  A seventh-round pick for the Diamondbacks in the 2017 draft, the M’s acquired Caballero in exchange for Mike Leake at the 2019 trade deadline.  Caballero has some solid numbers over his minor league career but he had trouble staying healthy, with only 53 total games played over the 2021-22 seasons.  He is off to a very nice start in his first taste of Triple-A ball this season, as Caballero has hit .333/.550/.593 with two homers over his first 40 plate appearances of the 2023 campaign.

It might be a short-lived stint in the bigs for Caballero, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times notes that the Mariners made the call-up since Sam Haggerty was shaken up after a dive in yesterday’s game.  If Haggerty ends up being okay, Caballero might end up back at Triple-A when Marco Gonzales returns from the paternity list later in the week.  In the meantime, Caballero’s ability to play shortstop, second base, and third base will help fill Haggerty’s utility role.

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