Yankees second baseman Starlin Castro left last night’s game with a right hamstring strain, as MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch writes. The severity of the injury isn’t yet clear — he’ll head for an MRI today — but Castro did say that he hopes he can avoid a DL stint. If a roster move is needed, though, it seems that the club may give a shot to young infielder Tyler Wade. The 22-year-old, who’s slashing .313/.390/.444 at Triple-A, was pulled from his own game in case he’s needed in the majors.
Here’s the latest on some health issues from around the game:
- It seems there’s some optimism within the Nationals organization that outfielder Jayson Werth is ready to move towards a return from his bruised left foot. As Byron Kerr of MASNsports.com reports, it’s possible that Werth could make it back by mid-July. In his absence (and that of Chris Heisey), the Nats have relied upon a combination of Brian Goodwin and Ryan Raburn. Both have hit quite well, making it an easier decision for the team to allow Werth to heal fully. Goodwin, a former top prospect, had scuffled at Triple-A but seems to have found his power stroke in the majors; the left-handed hitter could spell Werth and split time with Michael Taylor in center if the Nats don’t add another option up the middle at the deadline.
- Prized White Sox southpaw Carlos Rodon is scheduled to make his first MLB start of the year tomorrow, as Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com reports. He has been brought along slowly by the rebuilding team, and has struggled in his rehab outings, but will finally return — leaving the Sox with some roster questions. Chicago will need to bump someone from the rotation, which currently features Mike Pelfrey, James Shields, Derek Holland, and the surprisingly effective David Holmberg behind top starter Jose Quintana. Righty Miguel Gonzalez is also still around, though he’s on the DL.
- Reds lefty Brandon Finnegan left his first start back from the disabled list with what the team is calling a triceps strain. As Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes, the club is waiting to decide whether he’ll need to return to the DL until he’s examined today. While it’s promising that the new problem isn’t related to the teres major muscle strain that recently shelved Finnegan for an extended stretch, the organization will obviously look to exercise caution with the 24-year-old.
- The Dodgers have announced yet another DL placement for a starter, this time involving righty Brandon McCarthy. As Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times explains, right knee tendinitis is the cause for the move, though it’s also notable that McCarthy struggled with command in his last outing. That raised some comparisons to the veteran’s problems in 2016. Regardless, it seems the hope is that McCarthy won’t miss much action and that he’ll be able to return to the strong form he has carried thus far in the current campaign, over which he has thrown 72 innings of 3.25 ERA ball. In corresponding moves, righty Brock Stewart and outfielder Trayce Thompson were elevated, with right-hander Ross Stripling being optioned to open the additional roster spot.
With a FIP of 4.24 David Holmberg is just lucky.
Well, average is not bad. Those guys are needed to fill out championship rosters.
A 4.24 FIP really isn’t that bad for him as a fifth starter…
Hope they give Wade the chance. Why they keep running Refsnyder out there is anybody’s guess,call up Fowler and cut bait with this guy!
Agree, don’t know what ref has done to keep his job besides already be on the 40 man roster. I think it’s time both parties moved on though.
He must have some dirt on Joe or Cash,but seriously at lest Wade gets his chance. Now let’s see if Joe plays him tonight!
When Carlos Rodon is activated from the DL for his start against the Yankees on Wednesday, the bigger White Sox roster question might be who gets replaced on the active roster and not who gets demoted from the rotation.
It’s pretty clear that David Holmberg will lose his spot in the rotation to Rodon. The White Sox need to keep their veterans in the rotation as the trade deadline approaches in order to extract whatever value they may have come July 31st.
Holmberg would seem to be a good candidate to return to the bullpen where he began the season after being promoted from AAA Charlotte on May 4th when Nate Jones was placed on the DL. Holmberg “essentially” entered the White Sox rotation when Dylan Covey was disabled later in the month, making his first of six White Sox starts on May 29th.
The club currently only has one southpaw in their bullpen, Dan Jennings. That being said, it’s also conceivable that Holmberg could be sent down to AAA when Rodon is activated in order to remain stretched out as a starter. The White Sox may need one sooner rather than later should Rick Hahn be able to complete a trade for one of his veteran starters in the coming days rather than at the deadline. The top White Sox rotation prospects at Charlotte are all struggling currently and also have super-2 question marks surrounding them until sometime later next month.
If Holmberg is retained on the active roster as an additional lefty or long man then another pitcher will be demoted on Wednesday since the White Sox already have 13 on the team. Unless one is disabled, that figures to come down to either Chris Beck or Juan Minaya with Michael Ynoa being out of options.
Who cares? They all suck. Rodon will not be any better than a #3 starter. Besides this year and next year are tank seasons. Although with Williams in charge every year is a tank year.
Williams is not in charge. Rick Hahn is the GM.
I’d trade Rodon to the Dodgers for Cody Bellinger
Kenny Williams is Rick Hahns boss.
Williams is in charge! Hahn answers to him. And Williams only allows his yes men to be involved with the organization. Paxon is the same with the Bulls. He only hires yes men. With Reinsdorf in some home, we are stuck with these two idiots now.
The White Sox tanked their way to a World Series championship in 2005 and another postseason appearance in 2008 “with Williams in charge” as the GM. Current GM Rick Hahn, with the blessing of both Executive VP Williams and owner Jerry Reinsdorf will now attempt to match or better that accomplishment as he spearheads the White Sox long overdo rebuild.
Williams has been in charge for 17 years and has fielded of two playoff teams. he also inherited a team that was in the playoffs the prior year and a solid farm system. Rick Hahn is probably even worse going on five consecutive below .500 years, the first time since the 1940s that has occurred on the Southside.
Nobody is claiming that Kenny Williams was the greatest GM in the history of the White Sox in spite of winning the only World Series in most of their fans lifetime. What I am disputing is the comment that he tanked every year while he was in charge. Capisce?
The Sox had winning records in 2003 and 2004. I don’t know where you get the idea they tanked to get there in 2005. Williams style was to go for it every year. He made trades and tried to catch lightening in a bottle. He did in 2005.
If not for the play in game in 2008, they would have had 11 years and counting without making the playoffs. The rebuild was necessary because the Twins and Cleveland are basically on the upswing. Hahn, IMO, finally convinced Reinsdorf to build for the long term or risk becoming irrelevant in Chicago.
But Williams never tanked.