Braves Designate Charlie Culberson For Assignment
The Braves announced that Charlie Culberson has been designated for assignment. The veteran utilityman will hit the DFA wire to make room for Chadwick Tromp, as Atlanta has called the catcher up from Triple-A Gwinnett.
Already a member of the Braves from 2018-20, Culberson spent the last two seasons with the Rangers before catching on with the Rays on a minor league deal this past offseason. He opted out of that deal towards the end of Spring Training and then signed a new minors contract with Atlanta, and the Braves selected Culberson’s contract to the active roster almost a month ago. Curiously, Culberson hasn’t played in even one game since being called up, so his latest stint with the Braves could end without an official appearance.
If Culberson clears waivers, he has enough MLB service time to reject an outright assignment to Triple-A and elect free agency. It’s possible the Georgia native might pass on the open market and instead remain in his hometown organization, or he could again seek a new job elsewhere given that the Braves don’t appear to have much of a role for him on their 26-man roster.
Culberson is a Major League game away from making it 11 seasons in the Show, as he has appeared in 585 games for five different teams at the big league level over parts of his previous 10 seasons. The 34-year-old has a career .248/.293/.386 slash line over 1311 career plate appearances, but is known more for his defensive versatility than hit bat. Culberson has played all over the infield and spent a lot of time as a left fielder, with a few appearances as a right fielder and even as a mop-up pitcher.
Sean Murphy is the other key player in today’s transaction, as the catcher left yesterday’s game with a right hamstring injury suffered while running the bases. Murphy underwent an MRI that showed some inflammation (Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution was among those to report the news) but not any severe damage, so the Braves called up Tromp to provide catching depth while Murphy takes some time to recover.
Since Atlanta doesn’t play on Monday, we should know by Tuesday whether or not Murphy has healed well enough to return to action, or if a 10-day IL stint is ultimately required. Assuming that Culberson isn’t claimed on waivers, it’s possible his DFA is something of a handshake move that would see him accept an outright assignment with the promise of being called back to the Braves’ roster in a few days if Murphy does go on the IL.
Giants Place Wilmer Flores, John Brebbia On IL
The Giants announced a series of roster moves ahead of tonight’s game against the Dodgers, placing 10-day injured list Wilmer Flores on the 10-day IL and right-hander John Brebbia on the 15-day IL while activating left-hander Alex Wood and recalling right-hander Tristan Beck. Flores is suffering from a foot contusion, while Brebbia was diagnosed with a grade 2 lat strain that Susan Sussler of the San Francisco Chronicle notes could keep him on the shelf for 4-8 weeks.
Flores, 31, has been a steady veteran presence in San Francisco’s infield over the past four seasons, slashing an above average .249/.322/.437 in 398 games with the club since the start of the 2020 campaign. During that time, Flores has logged time at each of first, second, and third base in addition to the DH slot. Aside from his versatility, the highlight of Flores’s toolkit is his plate discipline, as the veteran has struck out in just 15.7% of plate appearances as a member of the Giants while walking at a 9.1% clip. Fortunately for the Giants, the club seems well-equipped to weather the loss of Flores, as Thairo Estrada, J.D. Davis, and Lamonte Wade Jr. are all having excellent seasons around the infield while veteran Brandon Crawford mans shortstop, backed up by youngster Casey Schmitt.
Brebbia’s role on the roster, on the other hand, figures to be more difficult to replace. The 33-year-old righty sports a 3.14 ERA, 38% better than league average by measure of ERA+, and a 2.72 FIP in 28 2/3 innings this season. While Camilo Doval, Tyler Rogers, and Taylor Rogers have all been similarly excellent, none of them have shown the valuable versatility of Brebbia, who works effectively both in the late innings and as an opener, recording appearances that last both a single out and multiple innings throughout the season so far.
Filling in for Brebbia in the bullpen is Beck, a 27-year-old right-hander who made his major league debut with the Giants earlier this season. In 31 1/3 innings of work, Beck has posted a respectable 3.73 ERA (116 ERA+) with a 4.23 FIP with a 21.7% strikeout rate and a minuscule walk rate of 3.9%. During his time in the big leagues this season, Beck has been used for multi-inning relief in the majority of his appearances, including an 81-pitch outing that lasted 5 1/3 innings against the Mets.
Also rejoining the Giants roster is Wood, who went on the injured list earlier this month with a low back strain. It’s been a difficult road for Wood since he signed a two-year, $25MM deal with the Giants ahead of the 2022 campaign, as he posted a well below average 5.10 ERA last season despite solid peripherals. He’s struggled similarly this season, with a 4.80 ERA and 4.58 FIP across 30 innings of work.
While those run prevention numbers are largely held down by six-run, 4 1/3 inning start immediately preceding his trip to the injured list, Wood has also struggled to pitch deep into games this season. He’s finished the fifth inning just once all season while throwing more than 75 pitches just twice. In his return to the rotation, Wood figures to attempt to stabilize San Francisco’s rotation alongside Logan Webb, Anthony DeSclafani, and Alex Cobb.
Guardians Place Triston McKenzie On IL With Elbow Sprain
8:44pm: As noted by Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com, manager Terry Francona told reporters that an MRI revealed that McKenzie was suffering from inflammation in his right elbow, with Francona noting that the inflammation “means the UCL is involved.” It’s obviously less than ideal news for McKenzie, as UCL issues can often require Tommy John surgery, though it’s certainly possible that this issue won’t rise to that level. Per Francona, McKenzie will head back to Cleveland to be examined by team staff before the club determines next steps.
6:30pm: The Guardians are making a series of roster moves ahead of tonight’s game against the Diamondbacks, as noted by Zack Meisel of The Athletic. The club is placing right-hander Triston McKenzie on the injured list with a right elbow sprain, designating right-hander Touki Toussaint for assignment, selecting the contract of left-hander Daniel Norris, and recalling left-hander Tim Herrin from Triple-A. Meisel also notes that the club is recalling catcher Bo Naylor, as previously expected.
McKenzie, who was scratched from yesterday’s start with elbow discomfort, now heads to the IL with a sprain in his right elbow. While further details have not yet been made available, it’s certainly an ominous diagnosis for the 25-year-old hurler, particularly after missing the first two months of the season with a teres major strain. McKenzie made just two starts before returning to the IL, striking out ten over five scoreless innings against the Twins before getting lit up for five runs in five innings against the Astros at home last week.
Of course, McKenzie was a key factor in Cleveland’s success last season as he threw 191 1/3 innings with a 2.96 ERA and 3.59 FIP. McKenzie posted an excellent 25.6% strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 5.9% as he helped to lead the Guardians to a surprising AL Central crown before the club fell to the Yankees in the ALDS. The club has struggled to replicate its 2022 campaign this year, with a record of just 32-37 that leaves them three games back of the Twins in a weak AL Central division.
Some of those struggles can be attributed to the uncertainty facing the club’s starting rotation, as only Shane Bieber has managed to stay healthy and effective as a starter throughout the entire season to this point, though youngsters Logan Allen and Tanner Bibee have done well following in-season promotions. Unfortunately, that uncertainty appears poised to continue with McKenzie headed back to the injured list with what could be another lengthy absence, though his timetable for return will remain uncertain until the club provides additional clarity on the situation.
Joining the club’s pitching staff as McKenzie exits is a pair of left-handers. Herrin, a 26-year-old who made his MLB debut for the Guardians earlier this season, struggled to a 6.39 ERA and 4.54 FIP in ten major league appearances but has posted more palatable numbers at the Triple-A level with a 3.93 ERA in 18 1/3 innings of work. Norris, meanwhile, signed with the Guardians on a minor league deal back in March. He’s struggled to a 6.93 ERA in 14 appearances (nine starts) at the Triple-A level this season, though the veteran has pitched in parts of nine major league seasons and has been roughly league average by measure of ERA+, with figure of 99 in 569 2/3 career innings of work.
Making room for Norris on the active roster is Toussaint, who departs the Guardians after making a spot start last night in McKenzie’s stead. The 27-year-old former first round pick allowed two runs on three hits and five walks over 3 2/3 innings of work while striking out two against the Diamondbacks yesterday. The Guardians now figure to either attempt to swing a trade involving the right-hander or attempt to pass him through waivers. If successful in doing so, Cleveland could outright Toussaint to Triple-A, where he would continue to serve as pitching depth for the club going forward.
Astros Acquire Joel Kuhnel
The Reds have traded right-hander Joel Kuhnel to the Astros in exchange for cash considerations, per an announcement by both teams. The move comes days after Kuhnel was designated for assignment by Cincinnati. To make room for Kuhnel on the 40-man roster, the Astros have transferred right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. to the 60-day injured list. The club also announced that they have optioned Kuhnel to Triple-A.
The move marks the end of the Kuhnel’s tenure with the Reds, for whom he has played his entire professional career after the club selected him in the 11th round of the 2016 draft. Kuhnel pitched for Cincinnati in parts of four seasons, with the majority of his appearances coming during the 2022 campaign.
In 58 innings of work last season, Kuhnel posted an abysmal 6.36 ERA. That being said, those terrible run prevention numbers are belie what advanced metrics say was a perfectly solid performance in 2022. Hitters posted an unsustainable .343 BABIP against Kuhnel in 2022 while the right-hander posted an unusually low strand rate of just 60.2% over the course of the season. Kuhnel’s performance is further bolstered by his 22% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate. Taken together, it’s easy to see why advanced metrics thought relatively highly of Kuhnel in 2022, as evidenced by a 3.78 xERA and a 3.52 xFIP.
In all, Kuhnel heads to Houston with a career 6.20 ERA and 4.28 FIP in 74 innings of work across 69 appearances. Going forward, Kuhnel figures to act as depth for an Astros bullpen that ranks top three in the majors with a 3.21 ERA, behind only the Guardians and Yankees. He joins the likes of Matt Gage and Blake Taylor as bullpen depth at the Triple-A level that’s already on the 40-man roster. Kuhnel takes the 40-man roster spot of McCullers, whose placement on the 60-day IL comes as little surprise following his season-ending surgery earlier this week.
Dodgers Select Bryan Hudson
Ahead of tonight’s game against the Giants, the Dodgers have selected the contract of left-hander Bryan Hudson. In a corresponding move, right-hander Tayler Scott was designated for assignment, per a team announcement.
Hudson, 26, was a third round pick by the Cubs in the 2015 draft. Used as a starter early in his professional career, Hudson struggled badly, posting a 4.51 ERA in 325 1/3 innings of work spread across the Low-A, Single-A, and High-A levels from 2016-19. After not pitching in 2020 due to the cancelled minor league season, Hudson returned in 2021 having converted to the bullpen, and saw his results improve. The lefty posted a 3.13 ERA in 54 2/3 innings of work at the Double-A level in 2021 with a 23.3% strikeout rate and a phenomenal 65% groundball rate, though his 10% walk rate left something to be desired. In 2022, Hudson posted similar numbers, with a 3.66 ERA in 59 innings split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels.
After the 2022 campaign, Hudson departed the Cubs organization through minor league free agency before signing a minor league deal with the Dodgers in December. Since signing on in LA, Hudson has pitched to a sterling 2.17 ERA in 29 innings at Triple-A. While his groundball rate has plummeted to just 27.8%, Hudson is striking out batters at an absurd 41.1% clip, leaving plenty of reason for optimism that the southpaw could help bolster a Dodgers bullpen that sports an NL-worst 4.90 ERA.
Making room for Hudson is Scott, who allowed six runs on six hits, a hit batsman, six walks, and eight strikeouts over six appearances during his time in Dodger blue. Prior to Scott’s call-up, the righty had posted impressive marks of his own at Triple-A, including a 1.37 ERA in 19 2/3 innings of work. The Dodgers now figure to attempt to trade Scott or pass him through waivers. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, LA can assign him outright to the minors, though Scott has been outrighted previously in his career, meaning he could reject that assignment and elect free agency if he so chose.
Marlins Place Edward Cabrera On 15-Day Injured List
2:53PM: Cabrera’s IL placement is somewhat precautionary in nature, manager Skip Schumaker told McPherson and other reporters. “We’re hoping it’s just only two starts [missed]. I don’t think he’s going to miss a bullpen. He might even throw through that,” Schumaker said.
2:19PM: After already placing Jean Segura on the 10-day injured list earlier today, the Marlins have sent another notable player to the IL. The Miami Herald’s Jordan McPherson (Twitter link) reports that the Fish have placed Edward Cabrera on the 15-day IL due to a right shoulder impingement, with the placement retroactive to June 14. Right-hander Huascar Brazoban has been called up from Triple-A in the corresponding move.
Tapped by many as a possible breakout candidate for the 2023 season, it has been an up-and-down year for Cabrera, with his inflated 14.1% walk rate and 17.3% home run rate contributing to much of this inconsistency. While Cabrera generally does a good job of keeping the ball on the ground (53.7% groundball rate), his big flies have yielded a lot of damage, as his homer rate is the sixth-highest of any hurler in the league with at least 60 innings pitched. The result is a 4.70 ERA, despite Cabrera’s impressive 28.9% strikeout rate.
Cabrera joins Trevor Rogers and Johnny Cueto as projected rotation stalwarts currently on the injured list, with Rogers and Cueto each on the 60-day version of the IL. The nature of Cabrera’s shoulder problem isn’t yet known, as an “impingement” could describe a more serious concern or just a minor issue that would allow Cabrera to return in the minimum 15 days. The right-hander already missed around seven weeks of the 2022 season due to elbow tendinitis, as well as a minor ankle sprain that sent him to the IL at the very end of the season.
The Marlins had slated Cabrera to start Monday’s game against the Blue Jays, so the club doesn’t have long to decide on a replacement. A bullpen game is one option, or the Fish On First blog (Twitter links) notes that Jeff Lindgren or Chi Chi Gonzalez could be called up for a spot start, as both pitchers are on a normal amount of rest between outings for Triple-A Jacksonville. Neither Lindgren or Gonzalez are on the 40-man roster, but Avisail Garcia could be moved to the 60-day IL to create space.
Phillies Place Seranthony Dominguez On 15-Day IL
The Phillies announced that left-hander Cristopher Sanchez and right-hander Yunior Marte have been called up from Triple-A. In corresponding moves, right-hander Luis Ortiz was optioned to Triple-A, while reliever Seranthony Dominguez was placed on the 15-day injured list due to a left oblique strain. Dominguez’s placement is retroactive to June 16.
The severity of Dominguez’s strain isn’t yet known, and both the Phillies and the right-hander can only hope that it isn’t the type of lingering oblique problem that can sideline a player for months. Dominguez is unfortunately no stranger to long-term injuries, though an oblique strain is at least far less of a concern than the Tommy John surgery that cost him almost all of the 2020-21 seasons.
After posting a 3.00 ERA over 51 regular-season innings and then an outstanding 1.69 ERA over 10 2/3 postseason frames in 2022, Dominguez hasn’t been quite as effective this year. The righty has a 4.33 ERA in 27 innings out of the Philly bullpen, with a 22.2% strikeout rate that is well below his 29.9% average from his first four MLB seasons. On the plus side, Dominguez’s 8.7% walk rate is a career low (albeit still under the league average) and he does have a .350 BABIP. It is also worth noting that Dominguez’s numbers look a lot better when you subtract his first appearance of the season, a disastrous outing against the Rangers that saw Dominguez allow four earned runs without recording a single out.
Sanchez will start today’s game against the A’s, marking the left-hander’s second start and appearance of the 2023 season. A triceps injury during Spring Training sent Sanchez to the injured list at the start of the season, and might have cost him an opportunity to win a job in Philadelphia’s rotation. That door is still open for Sanchez, as the Phillies are still looking for any kind of stability with their fifth starter role.
Brewers Outright Cam Robinson To Double-A
TODAY: Robinson cleared waivers and was outrighted to Double-A.
JUNE 14: The Brewers have designated right-hander Cam Robinson for assignment, tweets Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to outfielder Raimel Tapia, whose previously reported Major League deal with Milwaukee is now official. Infielder Abraham Toro was optioned to Triple-A Nashville to open a spot on the active roster.
Robinson, 23, was selected to the Brewers’ 40-man roster over the winter after pitching to a 2.49 ERA with a strong 31.6% strikeout rate in 65 innings across High-A, Double-A and Triple-A in 2022. Command has been an issue for the former 23-round pick throughout his pro career, however, evidenced by last year’s 11.2% walk rate and this year’s alarming 18.5% walk rate between Double-A and Triple-A.
As one would expect for a pitcher issuing free passes at such a high clip, the 2023 season has been a struggle for Robinson. In 20 total innings (12 in Double-A, eight in Triple-A), he’s been rocked for an 8.55 ERA. He’s still missing bats and has had some degree of misfortune on balls in play with a BABIP north of .470, but the command issues are tough to overlook — particularly since they’re not unique to the 2023 season. In parts of six professional seasons, Robinson has walked 13.7% of the opponents he’s faced.
Baseball America recently ranked Robinson as the No. 19 prospect in a thin Brewers system, noting that he sits 92-95 mph with a fastball that can touch 97 mph and calling him a potential middle reliever. Robinson will now be available to all 29 other clubs, either via a minor trade or waiver claim. The Brewers will have a week to trade him or attempt to pass him through outright waivers.
A’s Select Tyler Wade, Place Kevin Smith On 10-Day IL
The Athletics placed infielder Kevin Smith on the 10-day injured list due to a back strain, with the placement retroactive to June 16. The club also announced that it has selected the contract of utilityman Tyler Wade from Triple-A, so Wade will be taking Smith’s spot on the active roster.
This is the second time that the A’s have selected Wade’s contract, as the 28-year-old was previously brought up for a 10-game stretch in April that saw Wade deliver only one hit over 16 plate appearances. Wade was designated for assignment and could’ve rejected his outright assignment to Triple-A given that it wasn’t the first time he’d been outrighted, but he instead opted to remain with the A’s rather than test free agency.
A veteran of seven MLB seasons, Wade’s versatility has been his calling card, and he’ll provide the A’s with some depth at multiple positions. Smith has mostly played shortstop this season with a good chunk of time at third base, and the left-handed hitting Wade is perhaps a bit more of a natural platoon complement at both positions since Jonah Bride and Aledmys Diaz are right-handed hitters.
Like many hitters on Oakland’s team, it has been a tough year for Smith, who is batting .191/.216/.330 over 102 PA. Smith has been optioned back and forth from Triple-A twice already this season, and he’ll now be sidelined altogether while he recovers from his bad back.
Rockies Designate Dinelson Lamet For Assignment
The Rockies designated right-hander Dinelson Lamet for assignment, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding reports (via Twitter). Righty Gavin Hollowell was called up from Triple-A to take Lamet’s spot on Colorado’s roster.
Yesterday’s 8-1 loss to the Braves saw Lamet charged with all eight runs over four innings of work, and it was just the latest in a series of rough outings for the 30-year-old this season. Lamet has an 11.57 ERA over 25 2/3 frames, which breaks down as a 10.80 ERA over 15 innings as a starter and a 12.66 ERA in 10 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. He worked as a reliever before spending most of May on the 15-day IL with lower back tightness, and despite the lack of results, Lamet got a look as a starter due to Colorado’s dire need for rotation help.
The experiment didn’t work out, leaving Lamet possibly on his way out of the organization altogether. It’s another rough turn in the career of a player who seemed like one of baseball’s breakout arms when he finished fourth in NL Cy Young voting as a member of the Padres in 2020. Injuries kept Lamet off the mound entirely for big chunks of both the 2021 and 2022 campaigns, however, to the point that San Diego moved Lamet into a full-time relief role as an attempt to help keep him healthy.
The Padres dealt Lamet to the Brewers as part of the Josh Hader trade last summer, and after Milwaukee quickly DFA’ed Lamet, the Rockies claimed the righty off waivers. Because he has more than five years of MLB service time, Lamet has the right to refuse an outright assignment to the Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate if he clears waivers this time around, and Lamet would still get to keep the remainder of the $5MM salary he is owed for the 2023 season. Another team would be on the hook for that money if it claimed Lamet, and given his struggles, it is more likely that he’ll go unclaimed.