White Sox Sign Luke Farrell To Minor League Deal
The White Sox have signed right-hander Luke Farrell to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He has been assigned to the Arizona Complex League White Sox for now, but will presumably move to a higher level after ramping up in a delayed spring ramp-up.
Farrell, 32 in June, has pitched in each of the past six major league seasons, but rarely staying with any club for long. He’s bounced around the rosters of the Royals, Reds, Cubs, Angels, Rangers and Twins in his career. Last year, he signed a minor league deal with the Cubs and was eventually selected for a second stint on their roster. He was designated for assignment about two weeks later and was claimed by the Reds, joining that club for a second time. He was outrighted towards the end of the season and eventually elected free agency. Between the two teams, he tossed 15 innings over six appearances with a 5.40 ERA. He also tossed 60 innings in the minors with a 4.95 ERA, starting 11 of his 18 appearances.
For his career, he’s tossed 102 2/3 innings with his ERA currently at an even 5.00. He’s struck out 23.3% of batters faced with a swinging strike rate of 10.2%, but he’s also walked 11.7% of opponents while getting ground balls on just 32.4% of balls in play.
Farrell has worked both as a starter and reliever in his career. It’s unclear how the Sox intend to use him, though they have been hit with a few notable injuries in their bullpen while their starters Dylan Cease, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Michael Kopech and Mike Clevinger are all healthy. Their 15-day injured list currently has Liam Hendriks, Garrett Crochet and Joe Kelly on it, while Matt Foster was recently transferred to the 60-day. Farrell will get some work in at the ACL level and provide the club with some non-roster depth whenever he’s back in game shape.
Yankees Outright Colten Brewer
The Yankees announced that right-hander Colten Brewer was outrighted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The righty had been designated for assignment last week.
Brewer, 30, started this season with the Rays on a minor league deal. He had an impressive spring, tossing 9 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run to cross the plate. That wasn’t enough to get him onto Tampa’s Opening Day roster, but a provision in his contract gave the other 29 clubs that chance, which the Yankees took.
That relationship got off to a good start, with Brewer tossing five scoreless innings over his first two appearances for the Yanks. But in a game against the Twins last week, starter Jhony Brito was lit up for seven runs while only recording two outs. Brewer was called in and allowed solo home runs to Edouard Julien and Carlos Correa, eventually recording the third out with the score 9-0. He pitched three more innings after that, eventually allowing four earned runs on the day overall.
The Yanks needed a fresh arm after struggling through that game and cut Brewer from the roster. All players with previous career outrights have the right to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency. Brewer was outrighted by the Red Sox in 2021 and therefore has the ability to hit the open market, though it’s not yet clear whether he’s has decided to waive that right or not.
Over his career, Brewer has made 84 appearances for the Padres, Red Sox and now Yankees. He has a 4.98 ERA in that time with a 19.7% strikeout rate, 13.1% walk rate and 51.3% ground ball rate.
Brewers Outright Payton Henry
The Brewers announced Monday that catcher Payton Henry, whom they designated for assignment last week, went unclaimed on waivers and has been assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville. He doesn’t have a prior outright assignment or three years of big league service, so Henry doesn’t have the option of rejecting the assignment.
Henry, 25, was originally selected by the Brewers in the sixth round of the 2016 draft but found himself traded to the Marlins in exchange for reliever John Curtiss in July of 2021. Miami traded him back to Milwaukee this past offseason, with the Brewers sending minor league righty Reminton Batista back to the Fish to complete the swap.
A thumb injury that required surgery cost Henry much of the 2022 season. He was limited to just 44 games across four levels, including 15 big league games with Miami, during which he posted a .143/.314/.143 slash in 35 plate appearances. Henry has just 51 trips to the plate at the Major League level and just 251 in Triple-A, where he’s a .227/.319/.352 hitter. He’s yet to appear in the Majors this season but got out to a 3-for-15 start with a pair of walks in 17 plate appearances at Nashville. The Brewers dropped him from the 40-man roster last week when they needed to clear space for righty Colin Rea.
Now that he’s cleared waivers, Henry will return to Nashville and continue to work toward a return to the big leagues. Henry doesn’t have standout numbers at the plate in the minors, but he blocks pitches well, has a strong 35% caught-stealing rate across all professional levels, and is generally regarded as a solid defender behind the dish. He could still carve out a role as a backup to William Contreras somewhere down the line, but he also has enough minor league service time to opt for minor league free agency at season’s end if he’s not added back to the 40-man roster.
Rays Select Cooper Criswell
The Rays have selected the contract of right-hander Cooper Criswell from Triple-A Durham, per a team announcement. In a pair of corresponding moves to accommodate his promotion, right-hander Trevor Kelley was optioned to Triple-A while righty Shawn Armstrong was moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list. The Rays also announced that top prospect Taj Bradley is on today’s taxi squad. Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets that he’ll likely be added to the 26-man roster to start tomorrow’s game in Cincinnati.
Criswell, 26, made his big league debut with the Angels in 2021 but tossed just 1 1/3 innings, and he had a similarly brief run with the 2022 Rays, tossing 3 1/3 frames. He’s out to a fine start in Durham this year, with a 3.09 ERA and 10-to-1 K/BB ratio in 11 2/3 innings of work. The Rays are expected to use lefty Jalen Beeks as an opener in today’s contest, so Criswell will give Tampa Bay another fresh arm to help navigate the waters of this bullpen day. It could be a brief stay on the big league roster for Criswell, particularly if he throws multiple innings today, as the Rays will need to make another move to get Bradley on the roster for tomorrow’s contest.
Armstrong, 32, posted a 3.60 ERA with a 26% strikeout rate and 6% walk rate in 55 innings as a Ray in 2022. He’s missed the entire season so far due to a neck injury incurred in spring training. The shift to the 60-day injured list pushes his earliest possible return date back to May 29; it’s retroactive to his initial placement on the IL, not the move from the 15-day to the 60-day. Neil Solondz of Rays Radio tweets that Armstrong would’ve likely needed about that long to finish mending and build back up to game readiness anyhow, so the decision was likely a fairly straightforward one for the team.
Red Sox Announce Several Roster Moves
The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves ahead of this morning’s game against the Angels. The club has optioned infielder Bobby Dalbec to Triple-A and designated right-hander Jake Faria for assignment, while activating right-hander Brayan Bello from the 15-day injured list and recalling outfielder Jarren Duran from Triple-A.
Faria, 29, was selected to the roster just yesterday, is DFA’d without making an appearance for Boston. A career 4.70 ERA (90 ERA+) pitcher with a 20.9% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate in the major leagues, Faria will now likely look to catch on with another club, as the Red Sox have seven days to waive, trade, or release the right-hander. Faria last pitched in the major leagues in 2021, as he spent all of the 2022 season in the minors with the Twins.
Bello’s activation is no surprise, as he had already been announced as the starter for this morning’s game against the Angels. Long considered to be one of the club’s top prospects, Bello made his major league debut in 2022 and held his own, posting just a 4.71 ERA (90 ERA+) in 57 1/3 innings of work, though his strong 2.94 FIP, inflated .404 BABIP, and somewhat low 68.2% strand rate all indicate there was some bad luck baked into Bello’s performance last year. The 23 year-old will step into the Red Sox rotation, potentially replacing fellow young right-hander Tanner Houck in the long term, though the club appears poised to use a six-man rotation for the time being.
Dalbec, 28 in June, was a 4th round pick by the Red Sox in the 2016 draft, and impressed early in his career with a 114 wRC+ in 545 plate appearances in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. That impressive start to his career had a major red flag, however, as Dalbec was striking out in 35.8% of his plate appearances over that time. That penchant for strikeouts has continued in the years since, while Dalbec’s power dissipated. Dalbec hit 33 home runs, 24 doubles, and 5 triples from 2020-2021, but has managed just 12 home runs, 9 doubles, and 2 triples in 364 plate appearances since the start of the 2022 season. Dalbec will now head to Triple-A and serve as infield depth for the club going forward.
Duran, 26, figures to make his season debut today against the Angels. Despite an impressive .299/.366/.468 career slash line in the minors, including a .266/.353/.498 line in 641 Triple-A plate appearances, Duran has struggled mightily at the major league level since his debut in 2021, posting a career wRC+ of just 68 and -0.8 fWAR in 91 career games in the big leagues. Duran figures to provide further outfield depth behind starters Alex Verdugo and Masataka Yoshida in the corners and the current center field platoon of Raimel Tapia and Rob Refsnyder.
Yankees Recall Oswald Peraza, Place Giancarlo Stanton On 10-Day Injured List
4:18PM: Stanton has a Grade 2 hamstring strain, ESPN’s Marly Rivera reports (Twitter link). The increased severity of the strain likely means a longer stint on the IL, with Stanton facing perhaps at least a month away.
10:30AM: According to Bryan Hoch of MLB.com, the Yankees have recalled shortstop Oswald Peraza to the major league club. To make room for Peraza on the active roster, MLB Network Radio’s Jim Bowden notes that Giancarlo Stanton is being placed on the injured list with a left hamstring strain, for which he’s set to undergo an MRI this afternoon.
Peraza, 23 in June, made his big league debut for the Yankees last season, impressing with a .306/.404/.429 slash line (good for a 146 wRC+) in 18 games while playing strong defense at both second base and shortstop. Peraza spent spring training battling for the starting shortstop job with the Yankees, though he ultimately lost out on the role to top prospect Anthony Volpe. A consensus top 100 prospect in his own right, Peraza has 502 plate appearances at the Triple-A level across the past three seasons, posting a .263/.331/.434 slash line in that time.
As for Stanton, this hamstring issue is the latest in a series of leg injuries over the past few seasons. Stanton went on the IL twice in 2022, once for a minimum stay due to a calf strain and once for a month due to tendonitis in his left Achilles. Stanton also missed two weeks in 2021 with a quad strain, most of the shortened 2020 season due to a hamstring strain, and most of the 2019 season due to a knee sprain. For a player with Stanton’s injury history, a hamstring issue is of particular concern, though the extent of the injury and a timetable for Stanton’s return to action will not be known until the results of today’s MRI are revealed.
When healthy, Stanton has been long been among the game’s most fearsome hitters. Though he hasn’t quite reached the heights he did with the Marlins (where he posted a 149 wRC+, made four All Star appearances, and won an MVP award from 2012-2017) since his trade to the Bronx, Stanton has still posted a strong 129 wRC+ in a Yankees uniform while clubbing 115 home runs in just 461 games. That being said, he’s seen a downturn in his overall production in recent years, as he has gotten on base at just a 32.7% clip since the start of the 2021 season, including a concerning .297 OBP in 110 games last year. Some of that can be attributed to a deflated .227 BABIP, but it’s also worth noting that Stanton’s 30.3% strikeout rate in 2022 was his highest in a full season since his rookie year.
While Stanton is on the shelf, Peraza seems likely to step into the lineup at second base, allowing Gleyber Torres to fill in for Stanton at DH. Stanton’s injury leaves the Yankees outfield mix in further flux, as Harrison Bader has not yet played for the club in 2023 due to an oblique strain. That leaves reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge as the club’s regular center fielder, while Franchy Cordero, Willie Calhoun, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Aaron Hicks mix and match in the corners.
Red Sox Select Jake Faria, Place Chris Martin On 15-Day IL
10:38PM: There are “no red flags as far as structure” to Martin’s shoulder, manager Alex Cora told MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo and other reporters. The Red Sox are hopeful that Martin might be facing just a minimal 15-day absence.
12:12PM: The Red Sox announced a series of roster moves this afternoon, placing right-hander Chris Martin on the 15-day IL (retroactive to Thursday) with right shoulder inflammation. To replace Martin on the active roster, the club has selected the contract of right-hander Jake Faria from Triple-A. To clear a 40-man roster spot for Faria, the club has transferred right-hander Wyatt Mills, who is suffering from right elbow inflammation, to the 60-day IL.
Martin debuted with the Rockies back in 2014, but struggled to a 6.19 ERA in the first two seasons of his big league career before departing for Japan, where he dominated in the NPB to the tune of a 1.12 ERA in 88 1/3 innings of work. That performance earned him another shot in the big leagues, where he’s been a successful setup man ever since. Since the start of the 2018 season, Martin has posted a 3.41 ERA (135 ERA+) with a 3.06 FIP in 221 2/3 innings of work.
While his top-level run prevention numbers last season left something to be desired in the beginning of his season as a member of the Cubs, his 4.31 ERA in his 31 1/3 innings as a Cub were inflated by a .393 BABIP. Underlying metrics saw him strike out 30.1% of batters while walking just 3%, leaving him with a 3.01 FIP during his time with in Chicago. Those strong underlying stats manifested in a dominant stretch run following a midseason trade to the Dodgers: in 24 2/3 innings in Dodger blue, Martin posted a fantastic 1.46 ERA with a microscopic 1.13 FIP.
That left Martin entering free agency with a 3.05 ERA, 2.18 FIP, 32.9% strikeout rate, and 2.2% walk rate in 2022. Those numbers were strong enough to net him a two-year, $17.5MM deal with the Red Sox, where he figured to slot into the back of the Boston bullpen alongside fellow offseason signing Kenley Jansen. Those plans will now be put on hold for awhile, however, with Martin headed to the IL. No timetable has been announced for his return. While Martin is on the IL, John Schreiber and Josh Winckowski figure to handle late-inning duties alongside Jansen.
With Martin on the shelf, the Red Sox turn to Faria. The 29 year old did not pitch in the majors in 2022, though he has a career 4.70 ERA (90 ERA+) with a matching 4.74 FIP in 203 big league innings with a 20.9% strikeout rate a 10% walk rate. After spending 2022 in the minors with the Twins, where he struggled to a 7.48 ERA in 43 1/3 innings of work, Faria signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox back in February.
Mills was acquired from the Royals in a trade this winter, but was shut down last month with elbow inflammation. He has a career 6.21 ERA in 42 big league innings, albeit with a much more palatable 3.84 FIP.
Royals Place Kris Bubic On 15-Day Injured List
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
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
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.