Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Transactions

Tigers Claim Ali Sanchez Off Waivers From Cardinals

By | at

The Tigers have claimed catcher Ali Sanchez off waivers from the Cardinals and optioned him to Triple-A, per the team. In addition, Jacob Barnes was granted his release after clearing waivers.

Sanchez, still just 25 years old, has appeared in the Majors in each of the past two seasons with the Cardinals and Mets, respectively. He has yet to garner more than a dozen appearances, however. Of course, the Cardinals and Mets were both been pot-committed to their starting catcher, whether by performance and pedigree in the case of Yadier Molina or by contract in the case of James McCann. He has posted solid offensive numbers in Triple-A, slashing .255/.333/.409 across 123 plate appearances this season.

Sanchez may find more of an opportunity in Detroit playing behind Tucker Barnhart and Eric Haase, who sees as much time in the outfield and designated hitter now as he does at catcher. Sanchez also has an option remaining, which may put him in front of veteran Dustin Garneau on the short-term call-up list.

As for Barnes, the 32-year-old journeyman is granted free agency after making 22 appearances and posting a 6.10 ERA/5.51 FIP across 20 2/3 innings.

Orioles Activate Joey Krehbiel, Option Logan Gillaspie

By | at

The Orioles have activated Joey Krehbiel from the 15-day injured list and placed him on the active roster. Right-hander Logan Gillaspie was optioned to Triple-A to make room, per the team.

Gillaspie, 25, has made 11 appearances spanning 10 1/3 innings with a  4.35 ERA/3.23 FIP. This year is his first with big-league experience. He has also made nine appearances in Triple-A with a 3.14 ERA over 14 1/3 innings.

Krehbiel, 29, has been an active participant out of the bullpen for the Orioles this season, appearing in 22 games. He’s pitched to a 2.74 ERA, but just 4.48 FIP across 23 innings with a 16-to-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The Orioles claimed Krehbiel off waivers from the Rays last September.

Cubs Place Frank Schwindel On 10-Day Injured List, Recall Alfonso Rivas

By | at

The Cubs have placed first baseman Frank Schwindel on the 10-day injured list with a lower back strain, per MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian (via Twitter). Alfonso Rivas has been recalled from Triple-A to claim the open roster spot.

Schwindel was a surprise performer for the Cubs last year, but Frank the Tank hasn’t had the type of follow-up season that he hoped. Over 245 plate appearances, Schwindel has slashed .237/.282/.386 with eight long balls. He’s been better of late, however, with a .278/.328/.407 line in June.

Rivas jumps right into the starting lineup today, batting eighth and playing first base. The 25-year-old has been up and down with the big league club all season, slashing .194/.296/.301 across 108 plate appearances. He’s crushed in Triple-A, though he’s stepped to the plate a mere 27 times.

Cubs Outright Clint Frazier To Triple-A

By | at

The Cubs have outrighted Clint Frazier off their 40-man roster, after the outfielder cleared waivers.  According to ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers (Twitter link), Frazier has elected to accept the assignment to Triple-A Iowa, rather than elect free agency.

Chicago signed Frazier to a one-year, $1.5MM deal just prior to the lockout, and about a week after the Yankees released the outfielder (essentially an early non-tender, as Frazier was projected to earn $2.4MM through the arbitration process).  Frazier has hit .216/.356/.297 over 45 plate appearances this season, with his campaign broken up by a missed month of action due to an appendectomy.  Frazier was designated for assignment last week, and it is perhaps a sign of how his stock has fallen that no teams put a claim on a player who isn’t far removed from being one of baseball’s top prospects.

There was some speculation that Frazier would refuse the outright assignment and instead test the open market again, though there is logic in his decision to remain in the Cubs organization.  For one, Frazier might just be looking to get some consistent playing time after his lost month, and his market surely wasn’t helped by his lack of production this far in 2022.  It stands to reason that Frazier might get another chance in Chicago later in the season, should the Cubs move some veteran players prior to the trade deadline.

The fifth overall pick of the 2013 draft, Frazier is now in his sixth MLB season, and he showed some flashes of his potential during his five years in the Bronx.  However, a lack of consistency and some health issues kept Frazier from locking down a regular spot in the Yankees’ lineup, and vertigo-like symptoms kept Frazier off the field for most of the final three months of the 2021 season.

Diamondbacks Select Buddy Kennedy

By | at

The Diamondbacks selected the contract of infielder Buddy Kennedy from Triple-A Reno today, as part of a trio of roster moves.  Outfielder Jake McCarthy was optioned to Triple-A to create space on the 26-man roster, while right-hander Humberto Castellanos was moved from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL, thus creating a spot for Kennedy on the 40-man roster.

Kennedy is acting as the DH in Arizona’s lineup tonight, and it will mark the Major League debut for the 23-year-old.  A fifth-round pick for the Diamondbacks in the 2017 draft, Kennedy has hit well as a pro, including a .296/.384/.429 slash line over 229 plate appearances at Reno this season (his first taste of Triple-A ball).

MLB Pipeline rates Kennedy as the 21st-best prospect in the Snakes’ farm system, and according to the Pipeline scouting report, “he projects to be an average hitter who gets on base and collects 20 or so homers at the highest level.”  Kennedy’s 2022 numbers have continued the improvement he showed last year in generating walks, and he makes solid contact.  Defensively, Kennedy could fit best as a utilityman rather than an everyday infielder, as he has played mostly third base with some experience at second base and a handful of games as a first baseman.

Kennedy could work as the right-handed hitting complement to Josh Rojas at third base, or fit into the DH mix when a left-handed starter is on the mound (like tonight’s matchup against the Twins’ Devin Smeltzer).  The Diamondbacks’ lineup is heavy on left-handed bats, and are near the bottom of the league in production against left-handed pitching, so some extra pop from the right side of the plate is definitely a need.

Castellanos hit the 15-day IL with a right elbow strain on June 1, and the righty will now be sidelined until at least the start of August.  Over 44 1/3 innings for the D’Backs this season, Castellanos posted a 5.68 ERA.

Padres Place Joe Musgrove On COVID-IL, Activate Mike Clevinger

By | at

The Padres activated right-hander Mike Clevinger from the COVID-related injury list today, while also placing righty Joe Musgrove on the COVID-IL.  In other moves, righty Reiss Knehr was called up from Triple-A El Paso, Kyle Tyler was optioned to Triple-A, and Matt Beaty was shifted to the 60-day IL.

Clevinger ended up missing a week of action, and he told reporters (including The Athletic’s Dennis Lin) that his symptoms were caused by a case of the flu that hit his entire household, rather than COVID-19.  For now, Clevinger is available to pitch out of the bullpen during the Padres’ weekend series against the Rockies, until San Diego can figure out how to fit him back into the rotation.

Musgrove’s situation could create an obvious opening, as Musgrove is set to start Wednesday’s game against the Diamondbacks.  It isn’t known if Musgrove has actually tested positive or if his placement was precautionary (due to symptoms or being a close contact), but in the latter situation, he could possibly be back in plenty of time to make that scheduled start.

Musgrove has been one of baseball’s best pitchers this season, while Clevinger has also pitched well over four starts, though his season has been delayed by IL stints due to a knee injury and a triceps strain.  Clevinger missed all of 2021 recovering from Tommy John surgery, so these additional health setbacks are surely a frustration to the 31-year-old, even if none of these injuries have been overly serious.

Once everyone is healthy, Nick Martinez will likely head back to the bullpen, as the Padres continue to manage a six-man rotation.  Blake Snell is the only member of this group that hasn’t pitched well in 2022, though Snell also missed over a month at the start of the season due to an adductor strain.

White Sox Sign Dan Winkler To Minor League Deal

By | at

The White Sox have signed reliever Dan Winkler to a minor league contract, according to an announcement from their Triple-A affiliate in Charlotte. He’ll step onto the Knights’ active roster in hopes of earning his way to the big leagues.

Winkler opted out of a minor league deal with the Rangers a couple weeks back. He’d spent the first two months of the season with Texas’ top farm team, working to a 3.50 ERA across 18 innings. Winkler punched out a stellar 32.1% of batters faced with a massive 18% swinging strike rate, but he struggled mightily with his control. The righty handed out free passes to 16% of opponents, and the Rangers elected to let him hit the open market rather than bring him to the major leagues.

If Winkler can make it onto the Sox’s active roster, he’d return to the city where he spent the 2020-21 campaigns. The 32-year-old pitched two seasons on the north side with the Cubs, tossing 58 innings across 65 appearances. Walks were similarly an issue during his most recent MLB run as they’ve been in Triple-A this year, and he posted a 5.22 ERA last season before being released in August. Winkler’s now a few years removed from his days as a high-leverage arm with the Braves, which included a 3.43 ERA showing back in 2018.

The White Sox’s bullpen ranks 21st with a 4.21 ERA, a mid-tier showing that registers as a disappointment considering how much the club has invested in that area of the roster. That’s partially a reflection of health issues, though, as Joe Kelly has already had a pair of injured list stints. Kelly is now back, but each of Aaron Bummer, Liam Hendriks and Kyle Crick have landed on the IL within the past seven days. Chicago backfills the organization with an experienced non-roster depth option in Winkler.

Pirates Promote Liover Peguero

By | at

The Pirates have called infielder Liover Peguero up from Double-A to the active roster.  Tucupita Marcano was placed on the COVID-related injured list, in the corresponding move.

The somewhat unexpected promotion may be simply a late reaction to Marcano’s absence, as noted by Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.  Peguero could more easier make the trip to Pittsburgh since he was playing in nearby Altoona — the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate is in Georgia tonight facing the Braves’ top farm team.

This would explain why Peguero got the call and not top prospect Oneil Cruz, whose return to the big leagues has been expected more or less since Opening Day.  Depending on how long Marcano is absent, Peguero also might not be in the big leagues for that long, should Marcano’s placement on the COVID list only be due to a close-contact situation or symptoms, rather than an actual positive test.

Still, while Cruz’s situation continues to dominate attention in Pittsburgh, Peguero is a very notable prospect in his own right.  In current rankings, MLB Pipeline has Peguero as the 58th-best prospect in baseball, Baseball America has him 67th — prior to the season, Baseball Prospectus had Peguero in their #38 spot, while The Athletic’s Keith Law ranked him 77th.

Acquired from the Diamondbacks as part of the Starling Marte trade in January 2020, Peguero has posted solid (if not outstanding) numbers in his climb up the minor league ladder.  Over 236 PA with Altoona this year, Peguero has hit .292/.315/.469 with five home runs in his first time at the Double-A level.  This extra power is a good sign, though the relatively low OBP and 54 strikeouts are indicative of how Peguero still has to correct being overly aggressive at the plate.  When he does make contact, Peguero has posted high exit velocities and exhibits tremendous bat speed, speaking to his potential as a hitter if he can smooth out his approach.

Peguero has plenty of speed and athleticism, and Baseball America’s scouting report doesn’t rule out a potential move to the outfield down the road.  However, since Cruz faces more questions about his long-term fielding future, Peguero may be the favorite of the two to settle in as the Pirates’ long-term shortstop of the future, with Nick Gonzales likely ticketed for second base if his own glovework holds up.

There could potentially be a bit of a logjam should all of these prospects develop as expected, though the Bucs will happily welcome such an issue if it means all of these highly-regarded youngsters are MLB-level contributors.  The Pirates have been increasingly turning over more and more of its roster to its better prospects, as the club’s lengthy rebuild is now starting to translate into players who are ready for a look in the Show.  Should Peguero play particularly well, he could catch on for a Pittsburgh team that has nothing to lose, though the more probable result could be Peguero sent to Triple-A if or when Cruz is ready in the near future.

Marlins Place Jesus Aguilar, Jesus Sanchez On Injured List

By | at

The Marlins have placed first baseman Jesus Aguilar and outfielder Jesus Sanchez on the injured list.  There weren’t designations announced for Aguilar or Sanchez, indicating that the players are on the COVID-related injured list.  To fill the two open roster spots, the Marlins called up first baseman Lewin Diaz and outfielder/first baseman Jerar Encarnacion from Triple-A.

In the event of a positive test, Aguilar/Sanchez will have to miss at least 10 days, unless they test negative twice, go 24 hours without a fever, and get clearance from three physicians (one each appointed by the league and MLBPA, plus a Marlins team doctor).  If Aguilar and/or Sanchez haven’t yet tested negative, they could be back on the roster in short order, should they just be feeling light symptoms or if they are being held out due to a close-contact situation.  Just last week, Miami’s Garrett Cooper was on the COVID-IL for such a brief stint.

Diaz and Encarnacion figure to slide right into Aguilar and Sanchez’s regular roles, and in Encarnacion’s case, he’ll be getting his first taste of Major League Baseball.  Ranked by MLB Pipeline as the 20th-best prospect in Miami’s farm system, Encarnacion is in his sixth pro season, with a .263/.322/.424 slash line over 1544 career plate appearances.  Injuries have slowed his progress, but Pipeline’s scouting report cites his power potential and 60-grade throwing arm as pluses, even if there is still a lot of swing-and-miss in Encarnacion’s game.  Over his 252 at the Double-A and Triple-A levels this season, Encarnacion has struck out in 70 of those turns at bat.

Royals Announce Four Roster Moves

By and | at

The Royals reinstated right-hander right-hander Matt Peacock and left-hander Gabe Speier from the injured list.  In corresponding moves, right-hander Albert Abreu was designated for assignment, and righty Arodys Vizcaino was outrighted to Triple-A Omaha.

Kansas City acquired Abreu from the Rangers just two weeks ago, but he loses his roster spot after four appearances. He only allowed two runs in 4 1/3 innings with K.C., but he also issued four walks and only fanned three batters. Abreu also had more walks than strikeouts (12:9) during his early-season stint in Texas, and those control woes have pushed him off two rosters.

Abreu can’t be optioned to the minor leagues, so teams have to either keep him on the active roster or designate him for assignment. That status has squeezed the hard-throwing reliever off both the Yankees’ and Rangers’ rosters recently, but he’s drawn the attention of rival clubs both times. Kansas City will now have a week to try to work out another trade or see if he’ll pass through waivers unclaimed.

Vizacino signed a minor league deal over the offseason and made it back to the majors in late May after posting a 1.76 ERA through 15 1/3 frames in Omaha. The former Brave appeared in seven games, tossing 5 2/3 frames of four-run ball. He issued seven free passes and struck out just three hitters, however, and he’ll lose his 40-man roster spot as a result. Having already cleared outright waivers, Vizcaino will have the right to elect minor league free agency and look for opportunities elsewhere if he doesn’t want to rejoin the Storm Chasers.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top