Here are the day’s minor moves from around the league…
- Mariners righty Jonathan Aro has been hit with a 50-game suspension for an unspecified violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program, per an announcement. Unlike some recent suspensions, the sanction was not tied to performance-enhancing drugs, making it seem likely that Aro’s suspension relates to a drug of abuse. The 26-year-old reliever had been outrighted off of the 40-man roster previously. He has seen 11 innings of MLB action over the past two years, but has spent the bulk of his time since the start of 2015 pitching in the upper minors. In 88 Triple-A frames, Aro owns a 2.86 ERA with 8.0 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9.
- The Padres announced that they have recalled outfielder Jabari Blash from Triple-A. With Travis Jankowski hitting the 10-day DL owing to a bone bruise on his right foot, the club was in need of another option in the outfield. The 27-year-old Blash has continued to punish pitching at the highest level of the minors, though it remains unclear how long a look he’ll get at the MLB level. For now, at least, he’s holding onto a 40-man spot and will get at least a brief shot to return to active duty in the majors.
- The Twins will select the contract of right-hander Nick Tepesch from Triple-A Rochester prior to tonight’s game, two sources tell Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press (Twitter links). Minnesota recently optioned fifth starter Adalberto Mejia to Triple-A and placed long reliever Justin Haley on the 10-day DL, so Tepesch could conceivably fill either of those spots (though the Twins already made a pair of corresponding roster moves, recalling Kennys Vargas and Buddy Boshers). The 26-year-old Tepesch inked a minor league deal with Minnesota this offseason and has fired 18 innings with a 2.00 ERA and a 17-to-4 K/BB ratio so far in Triple-A. In 223 Major League innings — most of which came with the Rangers when Twins GM Thad Levine was an assistant GM in Texas — Tepesch has a 4.68 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a 43.5 percent ground-ball rate. The corresponding 25-man and 40-man roster moves for Tepesch’s arrival remain unclear.
Boshers optioned to make room
o rourke to 60-day dl
Are the Twins AA or AAA now?
Depends on who you talk to
At least a class or two above the Padres.
A ball like the braves
Braves can actually beat good teams
Yeah why give Berrios a real look when you have Nick Tepesch?
because Berrios was trash in the majors last season, and probably isn’t ready for the majors
Virtually the entire Twins roster was trash in the majors last season, and probably isn’t ready for the majors
Touche!
Because they’re going with a 4 man rotation right now because of off days. Tepesch is going to be an additional fresh bullpen arm. Berrios is staying down so that he can keep starting and likely will get the call up in early May when they go back to a 5 man rotation.
Why keep Gibson?
Give him another chance to fail. If he can throw the fastball with conviction he’d be more than serviceable. Problem is confidence with Gibson.
I’ve been saying that almost every fifth game for four years… in his post-start autopsy interview he’s given the same line of psychobabble every time he gets beat like this but he never makes any meaningful changes. I’m officially tired of him now.
Taking PEDs made him a poisoned Aro.
Why do so many minor league prospects, good ones, join the Twins and stink? My Reds have similar issue the past 20 years, but it’s been more of being drafted and then struggling for years in the minors. It seems like Twins have poor MLB coaching and good minors coaching while the Reds had (better now) poor MiLB instruction and coaching. The Reds are working to improve Minors, better nutrition, more coaches, more one on one mentoring, etc. Hoping now these first and second and third round picks start exceeding expectations instead of falling way short 3 of every 4 top picks like the past 20 years.