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Jeff Samardzija Unlikely To Waive No-Trade Clause

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Jeff Samardzija’s name has come up frequently in recent trade rumors, but the 32-year-old right-hander’s five-year, $90MM contract allows him to block trades to all but eight teams. Moreover, Samardzija tells Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News that if approached by the Giants about a trade to one of the teams over which he has veto power, he wouldn’t be interested in waiving the clause.

“I love being here,” said Samardzija shortly after praising the Giants’ core players and suggesting that the team fully believes it can turn the tide next season. Samardzija smiled yesterday when telling Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle that he “[doesn’t] remember” the eight teams to which he can be traded without his approval (Twitter link), but Baggarly now reports the full list in a separate column.

According to Baggarly, Samardzija can be traded to the Red Sox, Cubs, Mets, Yankees, Angels, Dodgers, Athletics and Nationals without his consent. All other teams — including the Astros, who have been the team most frequently connected to Samardzija on the rumor circuit — require Samardzija’s consent, and it doesn’t sound like he’s interested in green-lighting any proposals.

Samardzija is owed $18MM annually and has struggled in the estimation of traditional metrics this season. He’s sporting a 5-11 record with a 4.85 ERA, but most other statistical means of evaluation are rather bullish on the righty. He’s averaging 9.7 K/9 against 1.1 BB/9, both of which would be the best marks of his career, and leading the Majors in K/BB ratio. His 43.3 percent ground-ball rate is only a tick below average, and he’s inducing more swings at pitches out of the strike zone than he ever has before. Samardzija’s fastball velocity has also held strong at an average of just over 94 mph, and he’s averaging nearly 6 2/3 innings per start. Metrics like FIP (3.49), xFIP (3.13) and SIERA (3.28 prior to today’s strong outing) all view him much more favorably than earned run average.

Samardzija has struggled with men on base, in part due to the fact that he’s one of many pitchers throughout the league that has seen his HR/9 rate and HR/FB ratio spike as balls are leaving the yard at a higher rate than ever before in MLB history. And while his durability and K/BB numbers are impressive, some teams will no doubt express some skepticism that Samardzija would be able to better keep the ball in the yard by vacating the spacious AT&T Park as his home stadium. The remaining money on his contract also figures to be a concern to come clubs, as he represents a fairly sizable commitment to those that are near the luxury tax threshold.

All of that sounds to be mostly a moot point anyhow. Among the teams to which Samardzija can be moved, the Red Sox don’t seem likely to pursue a starter, while the Mets and A’s aren’t contending. The Angels are a fringe contender at best and have luxury tax concerns, while the Nationals are said to be more focused on relievers and may shy away from the money remaining on his deal. It’s at least possible that one of the other teams listed shows some interest, but the Yankees are presently focused on Sonny Gray, while the Cubs have already added Jose Quintana and the Dodgers have been most heavily linked to Yu Darvish (to say nothing of the longstanding Dodgers/Giants division rivalry).

NL Deadline Chatter: Nats, Hand, Cards, Cozart, Cubs, Mets

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The Nationals are “scouring [the] market” for a starter, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). We have heard varying suggestions on this front, as the Nats deal with the loss of Joe Ross and newfound uncertainty regarding Stephen Strasburg. While the latest signs on Stras are positive, Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post argues that the club ought to going after a front-line starter regardless. Beyond the possibility of augmenting the club’s staff for an anticipated postseason appearance this year, the possibility of adding an arm for 2018 and perhaps beyond would seem to hold appeal, perhaps adding to the justification for making a move.

Here’s more deadline chatter from the National League:

  • Padres chairman Ron Fowler suggested today in a radio appearance on The Mighty 1090 that he doesn’t really expect the team to end up dealing lefty Brad Hand (h/t Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune). “Other things being equal right now, I don’t see us moving him, because we value him more than what’s being offered and we think he could be part of the team for the foreseeable future,” Fowler stated. That said, he acknowledged the team remains open to working out a deal, calling it “a very fluid situation.”
  • Though it’s still unclear just what course the Cardinals will take at the deadline, the club is now “expected to listen to offers” on outfielders Tommy Pham and Randal Grichuk, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. While the Cards do now have quite a few options in the corner outfield, both of these players seem to fall in a curious spot in the potential market. There just isn’t much deadline demand in the corner outfield to drive up prices, and the Cards would surely be valuing their lengthy control rights in exploring potential deals. While there’d surely be interest, neither really looks to be a likely deadline mover from the outside. Of course, St. Louis also has some shorter-term assets that might be of interest — Lance Lynn, Seung-hwan Oh, and Trevor Rosenthal chief among them — and Morosi does note that the Dodgers and Nationals had scouts at the club’s latest game last night. Whether the Cardinals will really punt on the present season when the division is still in reach, though, is hardly clear at this point.
  • The Reds held shortstop Zack Cozart out of the lineup today as he continues to deal with quad issues, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon writes. It seems the hope is that this is more a rest day than the precursor to a DL stint, but it’s not the best news regardless. Cozart has been great this year, but the quad problem further dents his value in a market that doesn’t seem to have much appetite for shortstops.
  • Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein says there’s nothing close to completion at this point for his team, as Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio of Sirius XM tweets. The team is unsurprisingly still looking at pitching, with the rotation and relief corps both being susceptible of improvement.
  • The Cubs are among the teams to have asked the Mets about righty Seth Lugo, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). But there’s simply no indication at present that New York will seriously entertain offers on Lugo, as Crasnick and Newsday’s Marc Carig (Twitter link) note. That makes sense given the multitude of pitching injuries the organization has experienced as well as its intentions of competing again in 2018.
  • Some interest has begun to develop in Mets outfielder Curtis Granderson, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). The veteran obviously is very much available, and would conceivably fit quite a few teams as a lefty-hitting outfielder who can still handle some time in center field. On the other hand, he has been hurt and cold at the plate of late, and is playing on a hefty $15MM salary this year.

Injury News: Strasburg, Kershaw, Bour, Yankees, Kipnis

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The Nationals announced today that right-hander Stephen Strasburg, who exited with a potential injury in his most recent start, had “some nerve impingement that has been alleviated,” as Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post tweets. Earlier in the day, skipper Dusty Baker had told MASNsports.com’s Dan Kolko that Strasburg is feeling better and may actually take the hill for his next scheduled start (Twitter link). Chelsea Janes of the Post, meanwhile, tweets that Strasburg kept in line with typical between-starts routine by playing catch today as well. Janes further adds that Strasburg did not undergo an MRI but did have an ultrasound procedure, which compared favorably to previous exams. It’s been reported that a more serious Strasburg injury may well have impacted the Nats’ deadline plans, but it seems that they’ve avoided that scenario. Janes reported yesterday that in such a case, the bullpen would continue to be a larger priority.

Some more relevant injury news with the deadline less than a week away…

  • While Clayton Kershaw’s injury is obviously a blow to the Dodgers, Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times offers a bit more encouraging detail on the situation. While the team was initially fearful that Kershaw had again injured the disk that he herniated last season, manager Dave Roberts told reporters that a scan confirmed that this injury does not involve last year’s herniated disk. That was the Dodgers’ greatest concern, according to Roberts, who called it a “safe bet” that Kershaw would make it back to the team later during the regular season. Shaikin notes that even the back end of the projected four to six week timeline would have Kershaw back in the rotation in early September. Regarding the potential that Kershaw’s injury pushes the Dodgers to make a run at Rangers right-hander Yu Darvish, Roberts simply stated that every team in baseball would love to have Darvish, but stressed that he has no plans to try to persuade the front office into action: “I can’t put the pressure on. I’m not going to put the pressure on.”
  • The Marlins announced today that first baseman Justin Bour and shortstop JT Riddle have been placed on the 10-day DL due to a right oblique strain and left biceps tendinitis, respectively. There was no timetable given for the return of either player, but oblique strains typically cost a player at least a month. Bour didn’t seem especially likely to be moved anyhow, but the fact that he looks to be facing an absence of a few weeks further limits the chance of any trade involving the 29-year-old slugger.
  • While both Aaron Hicks and Tyler Austin are progressing in their rehab from their respective oblique and hamstring strains, it doesn’t sound as if either is on the verge of a minor league rehab assignment just yet. MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch tweets that both are hitting off a tee and playing soft toss, per Yankees manager Joe Girardi. Each has been out since late June, and Girardi told reporters that they’re both at about the same spot in their recovery process, though he declined a specific timetable for either player’s return.
  • Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets that Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis ran the bases on Tuesday, and manager Terry Francona said he could play in rehab games as soon as this coming weekend. That would seem to represent an accelerated timeline, as Francona suggested back on Friday that Kipnis was still “weeks, not days” away from returning to the team.

Pitching Market Notes: Gray, Nats, Yankees, Verlander, Royals, Brewers

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We checked in already today on one key factor for the pitching market: the availability of Rangers righty Yu Darvish. And we have just provided an overview of the remaining arms that could be available this summer. Here are some more notable pieces of information with a week to go until the trade deadline:

  • The Nationals and Athletics are still engaged after completing one significant trade, per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. Whether A’s righty Sonny Gray could come up between the organizations isn’t yet clear, but there are now indications that the Nats are at least beginning to think about the possibility of pursuing a starter. The organization likely would do just that if it finds cause for significant concern with Stephen Strasburg, who just left his most recent start with forearm tightness. And it is worth bearing in mind that Washington will need another starter for 2018 with Joe Ross expected to miss the entire season after Tommy John surgery. But unless the Nationals find evidence of a larger problem for Strasburg, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post wrote yesterday, the club will probably keep its sights set on continuing to improve the bullpen. But a mounting list of injuries could perhaps force the organization to weigh alternatives even as it continues to pace the NL East by a hefty margin.
  • Youthful outfielders are the Athletics’ top priority in Gray talks, Morosi notes in the above post and a subsequent tweet. One prospect that has drawn their attention is Yankees youngster Estevan Florial, Morosi says, with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand noting on Twitter that New York is “not against including him in a trade package.” Of course, several other organizations rumored to have eyes for Gray also seem to have the types of young outfielders that would draw Oakland’s interest.
  • While the Cubs addressed their most pressing rotation needs already, they are continuing to watch and discuss Justin Verlander with the Tigers, Morosi further reports. As Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network writes (Facebook link), Chicago seems to have the future payroll space needed to add Verlander without risking luxury tax complications. While it’s still unclear just how motivated the Cubs are on the veteran righty, it seems that a match remains plausible.
  • Even after adding Trevor Cahill yesterday, the Royals are continuing to eye the market for rotation upgrades, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). Kansas City could even bump Cahill into the bullpen if a significant enough piece were to be found, Heyman notes. It’s worth noting that K.C. was able to add three arms to its current roster without taking on significant salary obligations; perhaps, then, there’s still a bit of flexibility remaining for the organization to make another upgrade.
  • While the Brewers perhaps no longer are a favorite to land Gray, they could still be active on other hurlers. Rosenthal tweets that veteran Blue Jays reliever Joe Smith was of interest to Milwaukee in the offseason and could be pursued at the deadline. Smith has been knocked around a bit in his two most recent outings, which occurred on both ends of a DL stint. But he was carrying a 2.64 ERA prior to that point and is only earning $3MM this year. With 49 strikeouts and just eight walks in Smith’s 32 2/3 innings on the year, there’s obvious appeal; perhaps the Brewers could see an opportunity to achieve value on a solid relief option, though surely some other contenders will feel the same way.

Deadline Chatter: Darvish, Gray, Neshek, Cabrera, Marlins

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As things stand right now, the Rangers are leaning against dealing star righty Yu Darvish, according to MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan. That could still change with an “overwhelming” offer or a total collapse in the standings, he notes. There’s still no clarity in the American League Wild Card picture, and the Rangers remain as plausible a contender as any, so perhaps the smoke surrounding Darvish really has come from an extinguished flame. That storyline promises to be among the most notable of the coming week, not least of which because of interest from the suddenly Clayton Kershaw-less Dodgers. Los Angeles seems to be taking something of a Darvish-or-bust stance with regard to starters, Joel Sherman of the New York Post suggests in a tweet.

More deadline chatter:

  • The Brewers are “fading” in the race to acquire Athletics righty Sonny Gray, according to Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network (via Twitter). It’s not clear whether that’s owing to a change in Milwaukee’s position or the rise of an alternative suitor, but it’s obviously notable. The Brewers seem well-positioned to add a pitcher such as Gray, though perhaps other organizations have greater motivation to boost their near-term product. One such team is the Yankees, who believe they are better than their record, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. That view has helped spur the team’s deadline activity, including its effort to get a starter — with Gray perhaps representing the best fit.
  • We continue to hear of widespread interest in Phillies reliever Pat Neshek, though it remains unclear just how much he’ll draw in return. A few teams still looking hard at him are the Nationals, Dodgers, and Red Sox, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter). Those three clubs are among several that seem to be looking over a variety of relief pitchers, of course.
  • The Mets believe internally that they will end up trading infielder Asdrubal Cabrera, Mike Puma of the New York Post writes in an update on the team’s deadline situation. That seemingly reflects not only the fairly robust demand, but also the team’s assessment of its interest (or lack thereof) in bringing Cabrera back for 2018 through a club option. Aside from Cabrera and top trade piece Addison Reed, the Mets are said to be receiving middling interest in their pending free agents — despite the fact that all are playing rather well. Puma notes that lofty salaries would make all of the team’s other major trade candidates (Lucas Duda, Jay Bruce, Curtis Granderson, and Neil Walker) plausible August trade pieces.
  • In Marlins injury news, the club announced that first baseman Justin Bour left today’s game with an oblique strain, as Tim Healey of the Sun Sentinel reports. While nothing is official as of yet, skipper Don Mattingly said it’s expected that Bour will require a DL stint. Meanwhile, righty Edinson Volquez did not have an encouraging throwing session today, Tim Healey of the Sun Sentinel tweets. As the veteran heads for a second opinion on his ailing knee, it seems that he’ll remain out a while longer. These two players, then, seem quite unlikely to factor into deadline talks — though that was unlikely in any event.
  • The likeliest scenario at this point is that the Tigers will try to move second baseman Ian Kinsler over the offseason –after exercising his option for 2018 — Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Likewise, the Yankees will probably look to see if there’s a taker for outfielder Jacoby Ellsburgy this winter, Feinsand tweets. That’s not terribly surprising in either case, though surely there’d seem to be greater odds that Kinsler could end up on the move — and indeed he may yet.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/23/17

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Here are the latest minor moves from around baseball, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…

  • Rangers infielder Pete Kozma cleared waivers and has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, Rangers executive VP of communications John Blake tweets.  Kozma was designated for assignment on Thursday.  The veteran has appeared in 39 games with the Rangers and Yankees this season, filling in at all four infield positions and hitting .111/.200/.178 in 51 plate appearances.
  • The Nationals announced some roster moves prior to today’s game, including selecting the contract of outfielder Andrew Stevenson and calling up catcher Pedro Severino.  In corresponding moves, Jayson Werth was shifted to the 60-day DL, Ryan Raburn went on the bereavement list and Chris Heisey was placed on the 10-day DL with a left groin strain.  Stevenson, a second-round pick out of LSU in the 2015 draft, is getting his first taste of big league action after hitting .280/.335/.366 over 1216 career PA in the minors.  Most of that success, however, came at the lower rungs of Washington’s farm system; Stevenson has posted only a .612 OPS over 306 PA at the Triple-A level.  Stevenson will serve as a backup in left, center and right field, and he should get a decent amount of playing time with the Nats short-handed in the outfield.
  • The Yankees outrighted first baseman Ji-Man Choi to Triple-A, the team announced prior to today’s game.  Choi signed a minor league deal with New York last winter and collected on that contract’s $700K guaranteed salary when he was promoted to the Yankees’ roster earlier this month.  He made a strong impression during his short time in the Bronx, posting a 1.067 OPS over 18 plate appearances.  Choi will continue to provide the Yankees with first base depth in the minors.

NL East Notes: Strasburg, Rizzo, Hill, Marlins, Neshek

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Stephen Strasburg left today’s game between the Nationals and Diamondbacks after just two innings.  Manager Dusty Baker told MLB.com’s Jamal Collier (Twitter links) and other reporters that the star right-hander was removed as a precautionary measure after Strasburg couldn’t get loose.  No tests are scheduled for Strasburg when the team returns to Washington, though he will be examined by team doctors.  “An achy forearm [and] general tightness” is how Strasburg described his injury to the media (including Collier), and the righty said that he preferred to leave the game when he did before the problem turned into something serious.

Here’s more from around the division…

  • Nationals GM Mike Rizzo isn’t planning to look for outfield help before the trade deadline, Rizzo told media (including MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman).  Jayson Werth, Michael Taylor and Chris Heisey are all on the DL, and Ryan Raburn is on bereavement leave, putting the Nats in a tight spot for outfield depth.  Still, Rizzo believes the club has enough depth to hold up without any external additions.  “I think we have confidence in the guys we have, and as long as the core of our lineup is healthy and hitting on all cylinders, I think we can make it through until Jayson and Michael get better.  I don’t see that being too far of a distance,” Rizzo said.
  • Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill stated two weeks ago that his team wasn’t looking to move any core names like Giancarlo Stanton, J.T. Realmuto, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, Justin Bour and Dan Straily at the deadline, and Hill reiterated that stance today.  “It’s not stopping calls from coming in,” Hill tells Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.  “It’s been fairly consistent, with people checking in to see where we’re at to see if we may be open to expanding the players we’re talking about. But we haven’t put any of those guys in play.”  Hill did note that the team is open to discussing its relievers in trade talks, as evidenced by their trade of David Phelps to the Mariners earlier this week and the significant buzz around closer A.J. Ramos.
  • In an open letter to Jeffrey Loria, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (via his Facebook page) asks the Marlins owner to “free Giancarlo Stanton” by trading him before the team is sold.  Such a trade, Rosenthal reasons, would help all parties involved — the Marlins would get some quality prospects, the new owners would get Stanton’s enormous contract off the books, Stanton himself would get to join a contender, and baseball itself would see one of its biggest young stars in a most positive environment.
  • The Cubs and Dodgers recently had scouts watching the Phillies’ Pat Neshek in action, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (Twitter link).  Both teams have been known to be looking at other relievers, so it isn’t any surprise that Neshek is on their radar.  Neshek, widely expected to be moved before the deadline, has been linked to several teams — Chicago and L.A. are the newest names on a long list that includes the Nationals, Royals, Red Sox, Yankees, Brewers and Rays.

NL East Notes: Kendrick, Phillies, Asdrubal, Nats, Werth, Camargo

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The Phillies announced that Howie Kendrick has been activated off the 10-day DL, with Brock Stassi heading down to Triple-A in corresponding move.  Between this hamstring strain and a strained oblique earlier this season, Kendrick has been limited to just 33 games and 139 plate appearances in his first season in Philadelphia, though the veteran has been raking when he has been able to play.  Kendrick is hitting .349/.403/.476 this year, and while some regression is surely baked into those numbers (his BABIP is a whopping .443), Kendrick’s bat, positional versatility and respected clubhouse presence make him a valuable trade chip for the Phillies.  He’ll have 11 days to audition for other clubs and prove he is healthy before the deadline.

Here’s more from around the NL East…

  • Even before he has made his return, some teams have expressed interest in trading for Kendrick, MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki writes in a rundown of the Phillies’ potential deadline plans.  Jeremy Hellickson has also drawn interest.  While these two veterans and first baseman Tommy Joseph are being shopped, sources tell Zolecki that reliever Pat Neshek is definitely the most likely — and maybe the only –Phillie to be moved prior to the deadline.  Kendrick, Hellickson, Joaquin Benoit and Daniel Nava could still be dealt but not until the August waiver period.
  • Mets infielder Asdrubal Cabrera has drawn interest from the Indians, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reports (via Twitter).  The Tribe would use Cabrera (who spent the first seven-plus years of his career in Cleveland) at second base until Jason Kipnis returns from the DL, and Cabrera would them move into a utility infield role backing up Kipnis, Francisco Lindor and Jose Ramirez.  Cleveland could add bench depth if they can’t swing a larger trade, Crasnick writes (Twitter links) though “they appear to be on the fence” about making such a move, with current signs pointing towards nothing major in the works.
  • The Nationals want to add another reliever and potentially some rotation depth, though it remains to be seen if they’ll have the prospects or money to make those deals happen, MLB.com’s Jamal Collier writes as part of a reader mailbag piece.  It doesn’t look like the Nats will move top prospects Victor Robles, Juan Soto or Erick Fedde as part of any trade, plus the club already dealt from its secondary farm system stockpile in acquiring Ryan Madson and Sean Doolittle from the A’s.  That deal added roughly $5MM in salary to the Nationals’ 2017 payroll, so it’s possible Washington might be out of financial room, unless they can move some current salaries as part of a trade.
  • Earlier this week, Jayson Werth told Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post and other reporters that he suffered a fracture in his left foot in addition to the bone bruise that has sidelined him since early June.  Despite the ominous-sounding injury, Werth said that the bone bruise is the real problem, as he still can’t sprint.  The veteran outfielder is taking batting practice and throwing, however, so going by the rough two-month timeline for bone bruise recovery, Werth could potentially be back with the Nationals in early August.
  • Johan Camargo has impressed the Braves and is taking playing time away from shortstop Dansby Swanson, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes.  While the Braves still have full confidence in Swanson’s ability as a future franchise cornerstone, Camargo has hit .315/.338/.465 over his first 134 MLB plate appearances and flashed some good glovework at not just shortstop, but also at third base.  The Braves’ experiment with Freddie Freeman at third has morphed into Freeman playing every day at either third or first base, with Camargo starting at the hot corner against left-handed pitching and Matt Adams starting at first against right-handed pitching.  Camargo could be playing himself into a regular infield role for 2018, or possibly as a multi-positional superutility man capable of playing the outfield as well.

Pitching Market Rumors: Ramos, Wilson, Lynn, Reed

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With David Phelps now officially a Seattle Mariner, the Marlins could look to make AJ Ramos the next piece they deal. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that while the Fish had about 10 teams express interest in Phelps, they currently have three teams expressing serious interest in Ramos. One of those clubs appears to be the Rays, as FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweets that Tampa Bay is among the clubs with interest in the Miami closer. Ramos has also been linked to the Rockies, and was previously linked to the Yankees and Nationals before each of those clubs acquired two relievers in a single trade. (Though the New York Post’s Joel Sherman tweets that the Yankees never had any interest in him.)

Some more rumblings pertaining to the pitching market…

  • While the Nationals are in on Tigers left-hander Justin Wilson, they won’t part with top prospects Victor Robles, Juan Soto or Erick Fedde in a trade to acquire him, tweets MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal. Per Rosenthal, the Red Sox, Dodgers and Astros are all still in the mix for Wilson. Heyman tweets that the Rays are still looking at Wilson, to whom they were linked earlier this week, but at this point it seems that other teams are likelier to land him. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi, meanwhile, adds the Brewers to the substantial group of teams looking into Wilson (Twitter link).
  • USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that the Royals are closely monitoring Cardinals right-hander Lance Lynn to see if St. Louis makes him available between now and the deadline. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported earlier today that the Royals are looking around for not one but two rental starters to try to make one last run with their current core, and as a free agent at season’s end, Lynn would fit that mold. If the Royals are indeed watching, they probably didn’t mind what they saw today when Lynn tossed six innings of one-run ball against the Mets, though he did allow his 21st homer of the season, which is already far and away a career-high.
  • Newsday’s Marc Carig and ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick both hear that Addison Reed is drawing the most interest among Mets trade chips, though Carig notes that there’s nothing close to being completed at this time (Twitter links). The rumor circuit on Reed has been surprisingly quiet, though he’s been linked to the Yankees and Red Sox thus far. The 28-year-old Reed has tossed 45 excellent innings out of the New York bullpen, averaging 9.4 K/9 against a ridiculous 1.00 BB/9 with a 38.8 percent ground-ball rate en route to a 2.40 ERA. He’s logged a 2.02 ERA in 138 innings as a Met and is earning $7.8MM this season.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/19/17

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Here are Wednesday’s minor moves from around the game…

  • The Nationals announced that right-hander Jacob Turner has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Syracuse. Washington briefly selected Turner’s contract on Monday this week in order to add some length to the bullpen while waiting for the arrival of new acquisitions Sean Doolittle and Ryan Madson. Turner didn’t pitch in Monday’s contest and was designated for assignment the following day in order to clear a spot on the roster for Edwin Jackson, who started Tuesday’s game for the Nats. This is the second outright assignment that Turner has accepted with the Nationals this year, which isn’t surprising considering that he’d punt the rest of the money on his contract if he rejected in favor of free agency. The 26-year-old has a 5.08 ERA in 39 big league innings this season and has also struggled to a 6.50 ERA in a smaller sample of 18 Triple-A frames.
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