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Tigers Acquire Michael Mariot From Phillies For Cash Considerations

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The Tigers and Phillies got together on a trade today. The Phillies sent Triple-A right-hander Michael Mariot to the Tigers in exchange for cash considerations, per MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki (via Twitter).

Mariot, 33, has not appeared in the Majors since 2016. He has 44 career appearances to his name – all out of the bullpen – between the Royals and Phillies from 2014 to 2016. With the Phillies, he made 25 appearances with a 5.85 ERA/5.96 FIP across 21 2/3 innings during that 2016 season.

Since that time, Mariot has bounced around the league, spending time with the Phillies, Royals, Padres, and Reds, but not yet making it back to the bigs. He may have that opportunity with the Tigers, who have seen their big league rotation limited by injuries. Mariot, meanwhile, has made 11 starts in Triple-A this season, pitching to a 4.64 ERA over 52 1/3 innings.

Reds Claim Stuart Fairchild Off Waivers From Giants

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The Reds have claimed outfielder Stuart Fairchild off waivers from the Giants and optioned him to Triple-A, per the team. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, right-hander James Marinan was designated for assignment.

This will be Fairchild’s second turn with Reds. He was previously traded from Cincinnati to the Diamondbacks are part of the Archie Bradley trade. The versatile outfielder wasn’t been able to get much playing time in the Majors with the Diamondbacks, however, nor with the Mariners or Giants, his next two stops. In Triple-A this season, Fairchild has slashed .232/.376/.449 over 85 plate appearances.

Marinan, 23, has yet to pitch higher than High-A. The right-hander has struggled this season in particular, racking up a 7.71 ERA over 32 2/3 innings with High-A Daytona. Given the numbers, he’s unlikely to be claimed, though the other 29 teams will have their chance to add him to their 40-man rosters, should they so choose.

Mariners Claim Kevin Padlo Off Waivers From Giants

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The Mariners have claimed third baseman Kevin Padlo off waivers from the Giants, per the team. In a corresponding move, right-hander Drew Steckenrider was designated for assignment.

Padlo, 25, is primarily a third baseman, now on his way to a second stint in Seattle. Originally drafted in the fifth round of the 2014 draft by the Rockies, Padlo only made it as high as Single-A with the Rockies before being traded with Corey Dickerson to the Rays for German Marquez and Jake McGee. That deal, obviously, turned into a fruitful transaction for Colorado, who turned Marquez into an All-Star.

Padlo would rise the ranks of the minors in Tampa’s system, making his Major League debut in 2021. The Mariners claimed him off waivers in August. He had exactly one plate appearance with the Mariners, spending the rest of the year in Triple-A with Tacoma. The Giants claimed him off waivers in April, but he returns now to Tacoma for a second time this season. He has hit for power this season, but not enough to earn a regular stint in the Majors. Padlo takes a .235/.327/.492 line in Triple-A combined from his time with Seattle and San Francisco.

Steckenrider, 31, made 16 appearances with the Mariners this season. Over the past couple of years, he has at times even been a high-leverage option for Seattle. This year, however, he picked up a 5.65 ERA/4.60 FIP over 14 1/3 innings. Just last season, Steckenrider saved 14 games while making 62 appearances covering 67 2/3 innings with a 2.00 ERA/3.35 FIP.

Blue Jays Promote Gabriel Moreno, Option Zack Collins

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As expected, the Blue Jays have promoted top catching prospect Gabriel Moreno today to make his big league debut. As a corresponding roster move, catcher Zack Collins was optioned to Triple-A, per the Athletic’s Kaitlyn McGrath (via Twitter). The inevitability of Moreno’s arrival in the bigs first broke a couple of days ago. Today should be the day we get to see him on the diamond as the Jays take on the Tigers in Detroit later this afternoon.

This is not likely to be the last time that Collins sees time in the bigs, as he has largely performed as expected, providing some left-handed pop from behind the plate. The 27-year-old has slashed .212/.288/.455 with four round-trippers in 73 plate appearances. Collins was acquired from the White Sox in a straight swap for Reese McGuire.

Moreno was the 7th-ranked prospect in all of baseball at the start of the season per both MLB.com and Baseball America. He now gets his first taste of the bigs after slashing .324/.380/.404 across 150 plate appearances in Triple-A so far this season. Whether or not Moreno is here to stay could depend on a number of factors, but with the Blue Jays fairly well-stocked behind the plate, Moreno will likely have to hit the ground running to make himself into a fixture in Toronto. With Alejandro Kirk behind the plate and Danny Jansen set to return from the injured list at some point, the Blue Jays may not be able to find regular at-bats for Moreno unless he’s back in Triple-A.

Rangers Designate Willie Calhoun, Select Steele Walker

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JUNE 11: Calhoun has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (via Twitter).

JUNE 5: The Rangers announced that they have selected the contract of outfielder Steele Walker. Infielder Andy Ibanez has been optioned to make room for him on the active roster. To create space on the 40-man roster, outfielder Willie Calhoun was designated for assignment.

Walker, 25, was originally drafted by the White Sox but joined the Rangers as the return in the trade that sent Nomar Mazara to Chicago. In 2020 and 2021, Baseball America considered him to be one of the top 30 Rangers prospects, though he fell off the list this year after a disappointing 2021 campaign. In 111 games between Double-A and Triple-A last year, he hit .241/.308/.400 for a wRC+ of 83. He’s turned things around this year, however, hitting .297/.395/.486 for a 126 wRC+.

That line comes in just 20 Triple-A games, but it’s evidently enough that the club wants to see if he can carry it to the big leagues with him. Kole Calhoun and Adolis Garcia have been mainstays in the Texas outfield, though it’s been a rotating cast of characters that have been suiting up next to them, including Ibanez, Brad Miller, Eli White, Zach Reks and Nick Solak. Miller is on the injured list and no one else has taken sufficiently taken over a regular role, creating an opening for Walker to get this audition.

As for Willie Calhoun, this move will almost certainly conclude his tumultuous relationship with the Rangers organization. Just over a month ago, he was demoted to Triple-A and didn’t mince words when speaking about the situation, telling the media that he had asked the team to trade him. Furthermore, he also questioned the club’s coaching strategy. “I don’t agree with some of the hitting philosophies from the new guys,” Calhoun said.  “I don’t process that (information) too well.  I’m not 6-4, 230 pounds; I can’t hit pop-up home runs.  I don’t have that leverage.”

Calhoun was the headlining prospect in the deal that sent Yu Darvish to the Dodgers, though he’s struggled to cement himself at the big leagues since then. In 253 games over the past six seasons, he has a career batting line of .241/.300/.407, 85 wRC+. Despite that sluggish output, he’s likely to garner interest around the league based on his previous prospect status, with teams hoping that a change of scenery could help him get his career back on track. Despite many up-and-down seasons, he’s still just 27 years old and came into this campaign with three years and 33 days of MLB service time. He’s in his final option year, meaning any acquiring team wouldn’t even have to commit to an active roster spot for Calhoun, and could control him beyond this season through arbitration.

Of the three prospects the Rangers got in the Darvish deal, A.J. Alexy is now the last one still with the organization, as Brendon Davis was lost to the Angels in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft prior to the 2021 season. Alexy made his MLB debut last year but is currently struggling in Triple-A. Through 48 2/3 innings this year, he has an ERA of 6.29.

Brewers Place Kolten Wong On 10-Day Injured List

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The Brewers have placed Kolten Wong on the 10-day injured list with a right calf strain, retroactive to June 8th, per the team. Right-hander Luke Barker was also optioned to Triple-A. To fill the active roster, Mark Mathias and Peter Strzelecki were recalled from Triple-A. The Brewers have been sliding, losers of seven straight coming into today’s game against the Nationals.

Barker and Strzelecki are swapping places after doing the same back on June 3rd. The 27-year-old Strzelecki made just one appearance for the club, a two-inning outing back on June 2nd in which he surrendered one earned run. He gave his roster spot to Barker the following day. Barker, 30, made three appearances for the Brew Crew, yielding five earned runs across four innings of work.

Wong has been the leadoff man for most of the year, with Christian Yelich taking over atop the lineup in the past three games while Wong has been out. Defensively Luis Urias has continued in his role as a swingman, moving to the keystone from shortstop, where he had been filling in for Willy Adames before his return from the injured list. Wong has been exactly league-average with the bat (100 wRC+), slashing .228/.321/.389 in 209 plate appearances.

Mathias, 27, can step into Mike Brosseau’s role as a right-handed infield option. Jace Peterson has been seeing most of the playing time at third base, but against a lefty starter, Milwaukee is likely to turn to Mathias or Keston Hiura.

Tigers Reinstate Victor Reyes, Option Elvin Rodriguez

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The Tigers made a pair of corresponding roster moves, reinstating Victor Reyes from the injured list and optioning Elvin Rodriguez to Triple-A, per the team.

The Tigers outfield is slowly but surely getting a little bit healthier, with Robbie Grossman returning to the club yesterday. It will be interesting to see if Reyes can keep up the pace he established in his first 11 games this season. Reyes was slashing .292/.346/.458 through a small-sample 26 plate appearances, good for an unsustainable 131 wRC+. While it’s unfair to expect that level of production from Reyes, even topping the 100 wRC+ mark would be a win for a Detroit team desperate for offense. A quad strain has kept the 27-year-old out of action since May 16th.

Reyes has yet to see regular playing time this season, but he absolutely could step into center field for the time being. Derek Hill and Daz Cameron have largely been sharing that responsibility, but Cameron is now on the COVID injured list and Hill has a 61 wRC+ on the season through 92 plate appearances. Cameron was better with a 94 wRC+ across 61 plate appearances. But neither guy had been receiving regular run as the everyday guy. Willi Castro has been the third piece, stepping in at all three outfield spots while posting an 82 wRC+.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, gets sent to Triple-A after getting knocked around in Friday’s ballgame, yielding eight earned runs in just 4 1/3 innings against the Blue Jays. This comes on the heels of allowing 10 earned runs in 4 1/3 against the Yankees. Outside of a scoreless four-inning outing against the Guardians on May 29th, Rodriguez has largely struggled this season.

Furthermore, Eduardo Rogriguez is expected to return sometime this week and take back his rotation spot. It will be interesting to see if Detroit decided to go back to a three-man bench at that point. If that’s the case, Hill or Kody Clemens could be the odd man out, with both outfielders having options remaining.

Rays Reinstate Shane Baz, Option Ralph Garza Jr.

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The Rays announced a number of roster moves today, reinstating Shane Baz from the 60-day injured list, optioning Ralph Garza Jr. to Triple-A, and transferring Andrew Kittredge to the 60-day injured list, per Rays’ broadcaster Neil Solondz (via Twitter).

The Kittredge move opens a spot on the 40-man roster for Baz, but it was a foregone conclusion after the revelation that Kittredge needs Tommy John surgery. He’ll be out for the rest of this season and potentially all of next season as well.

Bittersweet as the moment may be, the Rays will be excited to get Baz back on the hill. Still just 22 years old, Baz burned through the minors last season in time to make three starts at the end of the regular campaign. He has been out so far this season after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right elbow. The Rays believed in Baz enough to give him the start in game two of the American League Division Series.

He will make his debut start against the Twins. Theoretically (health provided), Baz should become a rotation staple alongside Shane McClanahan, Drew Rasmussen, and Corey Kluber, giving Tampa a more traditional rotation than they’re accustomed to in recent years.

As for Garza, the 28-year-old has made 11 appearances on the year for Tampa, logging 22 innings with a 3.27 ERA/4.64 FIP. Garza was claimed off waivers from the Red Sox, for whom he never made an appearance.

Giants Sign Shelby Miller To Minor League Deal

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The Giants recently signed reliever Shelby Miller on a minor league contract. He’s been assigned to Triple-A Sacramento, where he made his first appearance on Wednesday.

Miller had opened the season in the Yankees’ organization on a non-roster deal. According to his transactions log at MLB.com, he was released on May 31. The right-hander was one of a host of veterans afforded an automatic June 1 opt-out possibility by the collective bargaining agreement. Whether he triggered that provision or was simply let go by the Yankees isn’t clear, but in either event, he’s quickly landed a new opportunity.

A high-end starting pitcher during his early days with the Cardinals and Braves, Miller has had some highly-publicized struggles since the D-Backs parted with Dansby Swanson and Ender Inciarte to acquire him before the 2016 season. He didn’t perform well during his first season in the desert, and he missed most of the 2017-18 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Miller was hit hard in a swing role with the Rangers in 2019, then opted out of the 2020 campaign. He returned to the big leagues with the Cubs and Pirates last year but was tagged for a 9.24 ERA with more walks than strikeouts in 12 2/3 combined innings.

Now 31 years old, Miller is having a nice year in the minors. He pitched in 16 games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, logging 21 innings with a 1.71 ERA. His .231 BABIP indicates there’s some good fortune there, but he’s also earning it to some degree with a 29.4% strikeout rate and 7.1% walk rate. Since switching organizations, he’s made one scoreless appearance for the Sacramento River Cats.

He’ll provide depth for a Giants’ bullpen that has been a bit disappointing so far this year. Their collective 4.41 ERA places them 24th among MLB teams, though advanced metrics are a bit kinder, as they have a 3.77 FIP, 4.08 xFIP and 3.79 SIERA.

Red Sox Designate Jonathan Arauz For Assignment

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The Red Sox a series of roster moves to reporters, including Ian Browne of MLB.com. Right-hander Garrett Whitlock is heading to the 15-day injured list, with right hip inflammation, retroactive to June 9. Fellow righty Phillips Valdez, who was just optioned yesterday for the activation of Hansel Robles, will take his roster spot. Optional assignments usually require a 15-day minimum stint before returning to the roster, though exceptions are made when a player goes on the IL or for double-headers. Additionally, the previously-reported selection of outfielder Rob Refsnyder has been made official, with infielder Jonathan Arauz being designated for assignment to create a spot for him.

A native of Panama, Arauz was originally signed by the Phillies as an international free agent back in 2014. The following year, he was traded to the Astros as part of the Ken Giles deal. The Red Sox selected him in the 2019 Rule 5 draft, with Arauz sticking on the roster through the entirety of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Of course, the Red Sox were undergoing a miserable season in 2020, finishing dead last in the AL East with a record of 24-36. As the team has put some distance between themselves and that campaign, Arauz has done little to justify hanging onto a roster spot. In 59 career games over the past three seasons, he’s hit .204/.280/.320 for a wRC+ of 62. Even in Triple-A, things haven’t gone much better, as Arauz has hit just .228/.303/.329 in 92 career games there.

The Red Sox will now have a week to trade him or put him on waivers. Despite his light-hitting stat line, he could still garner some interest, as he is still very young at only 23 years old, making it possible he still has some development ahead of him. He also brings versatility to the table, as he is a switch-hitter and is capable of playing shortstop, second base and third base. He still has options remaining, meaning a team that acquires him could keep him in Triple-A for depth purposes.

As for Whitlock, he was scheduled to start Sunday’s game, meaning the club will have a rotation hole to fill. He started the year in the bullpen but has gradually been shifted into the rotation. He was getting better results as a reliever, though it’s possible this hip issue has contributed to his dampened results. Through the end of April, he had a 0.54 ERA, though it’s been 5.06 since.

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