Red Sox Outright Dinelson Lamet
On Saturday, August 12, the Boston Red Sox sent Dinelson Lamet outright to Triple-A Worcester, according to the transaction log at MLB.com. This comes four days after the right-hander was designated for assignment. He will have the right to reject this assignment and elect free agency, though it’s not yet clear if he’s chosen to do so.
Lamet began the 2023 season in the Colorado Rockies organization, appearing in 16 games for the big league club. He posted a 12.66 ERA in 12 appearances out of the bullpen, and despite his struggles, the Rockies tried to transition him into a starting role. He put together a 10.80 ERA across four starts, and he was ultimately released after a four-inning, eight-run blow-up against the Braves.
Following his release, Lamet signed a minor league contract with the Red Sox and was assigned to Triple-A. The 31-year-old made five appearances (four starts) for Worcester, pitching to a 3.72 ERA in 19 1/3 innings. The Red Sox selected his contract on August 7, and he appeared in one game for the club, giving up four hits and three runs in two innings of work. He was DFA’d on Wednesday to make room for on the 40-man roster for Kyle Barraclough, another veteran right-handed arm and Lamet’s teammate from Triple-A.
It’s been a difficult few years for Lamet, who once looked like a promising member of the San Diego Padres’ core. He made his MLB debut in 2017, making 21 starts for the Padres. He threw 114 1/3 innings with a 4.57 ERA and 4.03 SIERA. He lost his 2018 season recovering from Tommy John surgery but came back strong in the second half of 2019, making 14 starts with a 4.07 ERA and 3.61 SIERA. He was even better during the shortened 2020 season, posting a 2.09 ERA in 12 starts. His ERA ranked third among qualified NL starters and finished fourth in voting for the NL Cy Young.
Unfortunately, things went south in 2021. An elbow injury that popped up at the end of the 2020 season kept him on the injured list for most of April, and forearm injuries plagued him as the year went on. The Padres eventually moved him to the bullpen, keeping him there in 2022. He continued to struggle with injury and inconsistency, and San Diego eventually flipped him to the Brewers at the trade deadline as a small piece in the Josh Hader deal. Milwaukee would designate him for assignment days later.
The Rockies scooped up Lamet for their own bullpen, where he had considerably more success. In 19 appearances, he pitched to a 4.05 ERA and 2.94 SIERA. After the season, he agreed to a one-year, $5 million deal with Colorado to avoid his final year of arbitration. The Rockies are still on the hook for that since they released Lamet earlier in the year. Lamet has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment while retaining his remaining salary, meaning it’s possible he’ll return to the open market in the coming days.
Reds Option Nick Senzel, Select Henry Ramos, Outright Eduardo Salazar
TODAY: Salazar cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter).
AUGUST 11: The Reds announced a series of roster moves today, selecting the contract of outfielder Henry Ramos. In corresponding moves, infielder/outfielder Nick Senzel has been optioned to Triple-A Louisville while right-hander Eduardo Salazar has been designated for assignment.
Ramos returns to the majors for a second stint this season. The 31-year-old cracked the MLB roster in late April after signing a minor league pact last offseason. He appeared in 18 games, hitting .242/.356/.306 over a career-high 73 trips to the plate. Cincinnati outrighted him off the 40-man roster last month.
A 12-year minor league veteran, Ramos has only 36 games of big league experience. He’s having a strong year in Triple-A, putting up a .315/.399/.522 line through 54 contests with Louisville. He has walked at a strong 12% clip against a lower than average 19.2% strikeout rate while connecting on nine homers. A switch-hitter, Ramos has shredded left-handed pitching at a .367/.430/.556 clip between Triple-A and the big leagues this year.
The righty-hitting Senzel has also mashed against southpaws, putting up a .305/.367/.537 line with the platoon advantage. He’s a .175/.251/.281 hitter when up against right-handed pitching, however. Senzel hasn’t been effective against pitchers of either handedness of late, posting a .138/.206/.309 mark since the start of June. The former #2 overall pick now has a .219/.290/.368 batting line in 269 trips to the plate on the season.
It has been another underwhelming year for the former top prospect. Cincinnati has graduated plenty of top position player prospects over the past few months, pushing Senzel into a utility role. He’s now off the active roster entirely, optioned for his first minor league stint (excluding injury rehab assignments) since the Reds first promoted him in May 2019.
Senzel is playing this season on a $1.95MM arbitration salary. He is eligible for that process twice more after surpassing the four-year service threshold this spring. It seems increasingly likely he could be non-tendered, though. In just over 1300 major league plate appearances, the 28-year-old owns a .236/.300/.361 slash.
While Senzel remains in the organization and could yet get another look in the next six weeks, the Reds will place Salazar on waivers. The 25-year-old has made his first eight big league appearances this season, allowing 11 runs in 12 2/3 innings. He’d allowed only two runs (one earned) through 13 2/3 Double-A frames this year but has been tagged for an 8.24 ERA over 19 2/3 innings with Louisville.
Salazar has posted huge ground-ball numbers throughout his professional career. He has rarely generated big strikeout tallies, though he did fan upwards of 40% of opponents in his brief but dominant Double-A stint earlier this year. Salazar has ample starting experience in his career but has come out of the bullpen for all 33 appearances this season.
Royals Claim Bubba Thompson, Option Edward Olivares
The Kansas City Royals announced that they have claimed Bubba Thompson off waivers from the Texas Rangers. He has been optioned to Triple-A Omaha. In other roster news, the Royals reinstated Drew Waters from the bereavement list, optioning Edward Olivares to Triple-A in a corresponding move.
The Rangers DFA’d Thompson on Friday to make room for J.P. Martínez on the 40-man roster. Thompson, a first-round pick in the 2017 draft, had been playing for the Triple-A Round Rock Express following a poor start to the season at the MLB level. In 37 games with Texas, he hit .170 with a 41 wRC+ and -0.1 FanGraphs WAR. He was demoted at the end of May.
Thompson has yet to live up to his former top prospect status, but still just 25 years old, he is far from a bust. He looked like a legitimate bench piece last season, batting .265, stealing 18 bases, and finishing with a 77 wRC+. Moreover, despite his disappointing slash line this year, he increased his walk rate, decreased his strikeout rate, and showed off a little more power. He continued to demonstrate his improved plate discipline at Round Rock, compiling 19 walks (and two HBP) compared to only 28 strikeouts in 149 trips to the plate.
Thompson should have a better chance to make his way back to the majors in Kansas City, but he’ll need to continue to show improvement at Triple-A. If he’s able to take steps forward at the plate, he could be a useful contributor since his speed and defense give him a solid floor. The Royals already have two young, right-handed-hitting outfielders on the big league roster, Samad Taylor and Nelson Velázquez, in addition to the switch-hitting Waters. Olivares and Nate Eaton are also waiting in the wings at Omaha.
After a promising cup of coffee last season, Waters got off to a slow start in 2023. An oblique injury kept him on the shelf until late May, and he was hitting .239/.293/.354 with a 76 wRC+ entering the All-Star break. Since then, however, he has a 107 wRC+ in 23 games. His 11 RBI in that time are tied for fourth on the Royals, while his 12 runs scored are tied for fifth. He returns to the team after missing the minimum of three days on the bereavement list.
Olivares had a mini breakout in 2022, finishing with a 110 wRC+ in 53 games. However, he pulled that off thanks to a career-high .344 batting average on balls in play. His BABIP has fallen below league average this season, and his triple slash line numbers have dropped in accordance – despite the fact that he’s striking out less often and hitting for a little more power. Meanwhile, Velázquez, whom the Royals promoted on Thursday to replace Waters on the roster, has hit a home run in each of his last two games. He’ll get the chance to stick with the big league club for at least a little longer.
Rays Promote Osleivis Basabe
August 13: The Rays have now officially recalled Basabe, with left-hander Josh Fleming optioned in a corresponding move.
August 12: The Rays will promote infield prospect Osleivis Basabe to the majors prior to tomorrow’s game with the Guardians, according to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El ExtraBase (Twitter link). Basabe is already on Tampa’s 40-man roster, and his first in-game appearance will mark the 22-year-old’s Major League debut.
The Rangers signed Basabe during the 2017-18 international signing period, but then dealt Basabe to Tampa Bay as part of the five-player swap that saw Nathaniel Lowe end up in Arlington. While Lowe has gone onto become a fixture in the Rangers lineup, it’s rare to see the Rays ever come up short in a trade, and now Basabe looks like an interesting candidate for big-league infield work after a solid season at Triple-A Durham.
Basabe’s hitting took a step up during his 2022 minor league campaign at the high-A and Double-A levels, which earned him his first trip to Triple-A in 2023. His season at Durham has resulted in a .297/.350/.427 slash line and four homers over 424 plate appearances, with 16 steals as well as 24 doubles and seven triples. This performance has boosted his prospect stock, as MLB Pipeline (6th) and Baseball America (7th) each rank Basabe within the top seven minor leaguers in the deep Rays farm system.
Both outlets view Basabe as a 60-grade hitter with 55-grade speed, able to beat out some of the many balls that he puts into play with his excellent contact skills. The power is a question mark, but Basabe’s approach at the plate and ability to draw walks makes him a decent offensive threat even if he might need a bit more pop to stick as a big league regular. Defensively, Basabe is yet another Rays versatile infield prospect, as he has gotten a lot of time at shortstop, second base, and third base and played solidly well at all three spots.
Speculatively, it could be that Basabe might replace Curtis Mead on the active roster, as Mead hasn’t done much at the plate since making his own MLB debut last week. The Rays might prefer to give Mead more regular playing time at Triple-A to get his groove back, whereas Basabe might fit more smoothly into a right-handed hitting, part-time infield role. While the Rays are known for juggling lineups, they’ve gotten into a somewhat regular alignment of Wander Franco at shortstop, Yandy Diaz at first base, Brandon Lowe at second base, and Isaac Paredes at third, leaving little room for Mead, Basabe or anyone to really clock regular at-bats behind these established starters.
Giants Sign Johan Camargo To Minor League Deal
The Giants have signed infielder Johan Camargo to a minor league deal, per his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He already reported to Triple-A Sacramento, going 2-5 in last night’s game.
Camargo, 29, has spent many years as a versatile utility player in the majors but hasn’t been able to crack the big leagues this year. He was outrighted by the Phillies last year and became a free agent. This year, he has bounced to the Royals, Tigers and now Giants on minor league deals.
The first of those deals went fairly well, apart from the fact that an injury kept Camargo out of action until mid-May. Once healthy, he hit .298/.412/.544 for Triple-A Omaha. Despite that strong showing, he didn’t get a roster spot with the Royals and triggered an opt-out in his deal, returning to the open market. But he wasn’t able to carry that performance to the Tigers’ organization, hitting .238/.295/.400 for Triple-A Toledo and getting released just over a week ago.
Prior to this year, he’s played in 416 major league games with Atlanta and Philadelphia. His .255/.313/.410 batting line amounts to a wRC+ of 90, or 10% below league average. But he’s been able to play all four infield positions and the outfield corners, generally earning solid grades for his glovework, especially at third base.
He has now joined his third organization of the year and will try to get back to the big leagues as a Giant, which might be challenging. Middle infielders Brandon Crawford and Thairo Estrada both returned from the injured list recently, improving the overall infield depth. Brett Wisely, Casey Schmitt and Marco Luciano are all on the 40-man but currently on optional assignment. Since Camargo isn’t on the roster, he might have a tough time getting the call before anyone in that group.
If Camargo is able to get onto the roster, he could provide the Giants with an extra two years of control. His service time count is currently at four years and 104 days. He would need another 68 days to hit the five-year mark, which he won’t be able to do at this point in the calendar. That means he could be retained twice via arbitration before getting to six years and automatic free agency.
Blue Jays Sign Matt Wisler To Minors Contract
The Blue Jays have signed Matt Wisler to a minor league contract, as per the right-hander’s MLB.com profile page. Wisler has been assigned to Triple-A Buffalo.
It was a pretty short stint for Wisler in free agency, as the Tigers just released him from an earlier minors deal last week. After signing with Detroit in the offseason, Wisler didn’t receive a call-up, as his 2023 campaign has been spent entirely at Triple-A Toledo. The righty posted a 4.40 ERA over 47 innings with the Mud Hens, with a solid 25.2% strikeout rate but also an uncharacteristically high 12.4% walk rate.
Jordan Romano and Trevor Richards could both be back from the 15-day injured list within the week, but signing Wisler is a no-risk move that gives the Blue Jays a bit of extra bullpen depth at Triple-A. Toronto’s relief corps has been a strength all season, but with the Jays in a tight battle for a wild card berth, any extra pitching could be a help in the event of a future injury, or a performance drop-off by any of the current relivers. Wisler brings plenty of experience, as a veteran of eight Major League seasons with seven different teams from 2015-22.
The last three of those seasons have been very productive in a bottom-line sense, as Wisler has a 2.59 ERA over 118 innings with the Twins, Giants, and Rays since the start of the 2020 campaign. However, his 3.68 SIERA is notable higher, as some shaky peripherals have kept Wisler as a journeyman rather than locking down a spot in a big league bullpen. The Twins opted to non-tender Wisler after the 2020 season due to an ungainly 13.2% walk rate, and he benefited from a lot of BABIP luck in both 2020 (.241) and in 2022 (.198) as a member of the Rays. Wisler also had a notable velocity drop last season, further informing Tampa Bay’s decision to outright him off their 40-man roster last September.
IL Placements: Carlson, Almonte, Mlodzinski, Danner
Dylan Carlson will miss at least the next “couple weeks” due to a left oblique strain, the Cardinals outfielder told MLB.com and other media today. St. Louis placed Carlson on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to August 10) and called up Luken Baker as the roster replacement, giving Carlson some proper time off after he first suffered the injury on Wednesday. Given the lingering nature of some oblique injuries and the fact that the Cardinals are out of contention, it isn’t out of the question that Carlson might have already played his last game of the 2023 season….or even his last game in a St. Louis uniform.
It looked like Carlson was a future cornerstone following his impressive 2021 rookie campaign, but he has followed up that seeming breakout year with pair of injury-marred, lackluster seasons. Carlson has hit only .230/.316/.364 over 743 plate appearances since Opening Day 2022, and both his health issues and the lack of production have reduced his playing time in the Cardinals outfield. While Carlson is arbitration-controlled through 2026 and was the subject of several trade rumors prior to the deadline, his subpar play has certainly lowered his trade value, so it remains to be seen if the Cardinals will sell low on him this winter as they look to both solve their outfield surplus and figure out how to get the team more broadly back on track after their disastrous year.
Catching up on other IL placements from Saturday…
- The Dodgers placed right-hander Yency Almonte on the 15-day IL and called up southpaw Victor Gonzalez. Almonte suffered a right knee sprain that forced him to make an early exit from Friday’s game, as he told reporters (including NBC Los Angeles’ Michael J. Duarte) that the injury was caused when his cleat got stuck on the mound. Almonte’s struggles at limiting walks have resulted in a 5.06 ERA over 48 relief innings, though he had somewhat stabilized after a tough beginning to the season — a 9.00 ERA over his first 18 innings gave way to a 2.70 ERA over his last 30 frames of work.
- The Pirates placed Carmen Mlodzinski on the 15-day IL (retroactive to August 10) due to right elbow soreness, while calling up right-hander Osvaldo Bido from Triple-A. Mlodzinski made his MLB debut on June 16 and has an excellent 2.28 ERA over his first 23 2/3 innings in the Show. The righty’s 4.74 SIERA is less inspiring, as Mlodzinski has thrived despite subpar strikeout (20.8%) and walk (12.9%) rates.
- The Blue Jays placed right-hander Hagen Danner on the 15-day IL due to a left oblique strain, and Nate Pearson was called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move. Danner made his MLB debut on Friday and retired the first batter he faced, yet then had to leave the game after getting injured while facing the second batter of his relief appearance. The 24-year-old Danner had earned a look in the majors after posting a 3.81 ERA over 28 1/3 Triple-A innings this season, but it will be at least 15 days before he can get back onto the mound.
Nationals Release Franmil Reyes, Jacob Nottingham
The Nationals released Franmil Reyes and Jacob Nottingham from their minor league deals, as indicated by the transactions page for Triple-A Rochester. Reyes signed with the Nats in May and Nottingham joined the organization in early July, with neither player seeing any action at the big league level.
After hitting 92 homers with a .260/.325/.503 slash line over 1540 plate appearances with San Diego and Cleveland from 2018-21, Reyes’ production has sharply cratered over the last two seasons. He struggled so much in the first half of the 2022 season that the Guardians designated him for assignment in early August, and Reyes then went to the Cubs on a waiver claim. Chicago opted to outright Reyes off their roster after the season rather than pay a projected $6MM arbitration salary, and Reyes then landed in Kansas City on a minor league deal.
Reyes hit only .186/.231/.288 over 65 PA with the Royals, who then DFA’ed him in May, and Reyes opted to again become a free agent. Signing with the Nationals organization didn’t provide any new spark, as Reyes hit .219/.322/.383 over 149 in Rochester, electing to stay with the team despite a pair of earlier opt-out dates.
Despite all his struggles over the last two seasons, it still seems likely that the 28-year-old Reyes will catch on with another team eager to see if his power bat can be revived. The next chance might not come until 2024, however, if clubs prefer to give their younger players more playing time over the last few weeks of the Triple-A season and postseason.
Nottingham’s MLB resume consists of 53 games with the Brewers and Mariners from 2018-21, and the catcher has yet to return to the big leagues. He spent 2022 in the Orioles’ farm system and then returned to the Mariners on another minor league contract during the offseason, before getting traded to the Giants in May and released in late June. Nottingham provided Washington with some catching depth at the Triple-A level, but the Nationals will now make room for prospect Brady Lindsly, who was just promoted to Rochester on Friday.
Mets Designate Abraham Almonte For Assignment
The Mets announced four roster moves in between games of their double-header with the Braves today, including the news that outfielder Abraham Almonte has been designated for assignment. Right-hander Denyi Reyes was optioned to Triple-A, while righty Tyson Miller was called up from Triple-A and outfielder Tim Locastro was reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
Almonte signed a minor league deal with New York during the offseason, but he didn’t make his 2023 debut until four days ago, after the Mets selected his contract to the active roster. With his appearance in the first game of the Atlanta double-header, Almonte’s tenure with the Mets could be over after four games, and one hit over 12 plate appearances.
The four-game cup of coffee at least ensured an 11th consecutive MLB season for Almonte, an Immaculate Grid favorite who has seen action with eight different Major League clubs. The switch-hitter has a career .235/.302/.374 slash line over 1371 PA, as Almonte is known most for his outfield versatility than his prowess at the plate, though his glovework has allowed him to find backup or part-time roles for over a decade.
Assuming he clears waivers, Almonte has the right to elect free agency in the event an outright assignment, since he has been outrighed before in his career. The Mets could also choose to release Almonte entirely, if they prefer to use younger players down the stretch rather than keep a veteran around at Triple-A.
Locastro returns after undergoing thumb surgery in May, and his thumb injury occurred during a rehab assignment when Locastro was already on the injured list recovering from back spasms. The lengthy absence has limited Locastro to just 11 games, and he looks to get some outfield work while the Mets try to fill the void left by deadline trades and Starling Marte‘s IL stint.
Astros Place Jose Abreu, Phil Maton On Injured List
The Astros announced that first baseman Jose Abreu has been placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to August 10), and that right-hander Phil Maton has been placed on the 15-day IL. Abreu is dealing with lumbar spine inflammation while Maton has a right elbow contusion. Infielder David Hensley and left-hander Parker Mushinski were called up from Triple-A in corresponding moves.
Abreu’s back has been an issue for both the last few days, and for much of the season, as he revealed to The Athletic’s Chandler Rome (Twitter links) and other reporters today. The IL placement seemed to be sparked when an MRI revealed the inflammation, and Abreu received two cortisone shots to help ease the discomfort.
The back problem continues what has been a rough debut season for the veteran first baseman in Houston. After signing a three-year, $58.5MM free agent contract with the Astros last winter, Abreu has stumbled to a .234/.291/.343 slash line and 10 homers over 464 plate appearances. Abreu and the Rockies’ Jurickson Profar each have a 75 wRC+, tied for the lowest wRC+ of any player in baseball with at least 450 PA in the 2023 campaign.
It has been a surprising result for a player who was so consistently productive over his nine previous seasons with the White Sox, and yet Abreu made a point of not using his back problems as an excuse, telling Rome and company “this is not a justification for the hitter I’ve been for the past four months.”
The Astros selected Jon Singleton‘s contract from Triple-A earlier this week, and the former top prospect will continue to get a good chunk of the first base playing time while Abreu is sidelined. Hensley and Mauricio Dubon could also chip in, though Houston might also opt to use Yainer Diaz more often at the cold corner, when Diaz isn’t catching. The rookie has hit very well in his first extended taste of MLB action, and the Astros have been using first base and the DH spot to keep Diaz in the lineup when Martin Maldonado is behind the plate.
Maton was hit in the elbow by a line drive in Friday’s game, which forced him to make an early exit from his relief outing. Rome reports that initial x-rays didn’t show a fracture, but Maton will undergo more x-rays and an MRI in due course.
Injuries have plagued Houston’s rotation all season, but the bullpen has been relatively healthy, and a big reason why the Astros have been able to largely withstand their thinned-out starting staff. Maton has enjoyed a very solid campaign, posting a 3.04 ERA and an above-average 26.2% strikeout rate. Though Maton isn’t a hard thrower and his walk rate is below average, he has elite spin rates and his fastball and curveball, and his 23.1% hard-hit ball rate is the lowest in the majors.
The Astros can only hope that the further scans don’t reveal a more serious problem for Maton, as the club needs their bullpen to keep contributing during the playoff push. Houston already added to their relief depth in acquiring Kendall Graveman at the trade deadline, a move that looks even shrewder now that Maton will miss at least the next 15 days.