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Rangers Designate Kevin Jepsen For Assignment

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The Rangers announced on Monday that righty Kevin Jepsen has been designated for assignment. His spot on the active roster will go to fellow right-handed reliever Matt Bush, who has been recalled from Triple-A. Additionally, the Rangers announced that infielder/outfielder Drew Robinson has been activated from the disabled list and optioned to Triple-A.

Jepsen, 33, broke camp with the Rangers after coming to Spring Training on a minor league contract. While he got off to a strong start to his season, yielding just two runs through his first 10 2/3 frames, his early output never appeared all that sustainable. Jepsen survived a 6-to-4 K/BB ratio and just a six percent swinging-strike rate through those 10 2/3 frames due largely to a .207 BABIP and an elevated strand rate. Over his past 10 appearances, he’s been tagged for nine earned runs on the strength of four homers allowed in just six innings.

In all, Jepsen’s abbreviated run with the Rangers wraps up with a 5.94 ERA and more walks (11) than strikeouts (eight) in 16 2/3 innings of work. It’s possible, of course, that he accepts an outright assignment to Triple-A upon clearing waivers and returns to the organization at some point later in 2018 to try to improve upon those numbers. But, given his level of service time, he can also reject an outright assignment and return to the open market in search of a new opportunity.

As for Bush, he’ll be looking to get back on track after surrendering nine walks through his first 11 2/3 innings of the season. The righty served as the closer in Texas at times in 2017 and has been a generally useful reliever in Texas dating back to his debut in 2016. He totaled nine innings with Round Rock after being optioned to Triple-A, yielding just two runs on nine hits with a 14-to-4 K/BB ratio.

Athletics Designate Dustin Garneau For Assignment

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The Athletics announced on Monday that they’ve designated catcher Dustin Garneau for assignment. His roster spot will go to fellow catcher Bruce Maxwell, who has been reinstated from the restricted list. Josh Phegley was optioned to Triple-A Nashville to open an active roster spot for Maxwell’s return.

Maxwell had been on the restricted list over the weekend due to the fact that his ongoing legal issues prevented him from traveling out of the country for the Athletics’ series in Toronto. In essence, however, Garneau’s DFA is largely a corresponding move for yesterday’s waiver claim of reliever Carlos Ramirez (also from Toronto). Had the Jays been playing in another location, they’d likely have designated Garneau to facilitate the claim anyhow in more direct fashion.

[Related: Oakland Athletics depth chart]

The 30-year-old Garneau has had a rough start to the season in Nashville, batting just .206/.253/.338 over the life of 75 plate appearances. That’s a departure from an otherwise strong (albeit Pacific Coast League-aided) track record in Triple-A for the former Rockies farmhand, as Garneau boasts a career .263/.331/.499 slash line at the minors’ top level. In the Majors, however, he’s mustered a meager .192/.264/.320 batting line in 277 trips to the plate. The A’s will now have seven days to trade Garneau or place him on either outright or release waivers.

With Maxwell back on the roster, he’ll continue to serve as the primary backup to starter Jonathan Lucroy. Phegley will head back to Triple-A, where he’s hitting .224/.320/.412 in 100 plate appearances. He’d be next in line in the event of another absence for either of the Athletics’ current top two catchers.

Nationals Select Contract Of Tim Collins

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The Nationals announced on Monday that they’ve selected the contract of left-handed reliever Tim Collins from Triple-A Syracuse. (Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post first reported that Collins was likely to be added following an injury to Ryan Madson.) In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster for Collins, the Nats moved Howie Kendrick from the 10-day DL to the 60-day DL. Kendrick suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon over the weekend and will miss the remainder of the season.

Collins’ promotion will be the culmination of a three-year journey back to the Majors after missing the 2015, 2016 and most of the 2017 seasons due to injury. Once a quality reliever in a dominant Royals bullpen that perhaps helped to kickstart baseball’s bullpen revolution, Collins hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2014 due to a pair of Tommy John surgeries.

Still just 28 years of age, Collins will bring a career 3.54 ERA over the life of 211 big league innings to the Nationals’ bullpen. He’s had no trouble missing bats in his career, averaging 9.4 K/9 in parts of four seasons — highlighted by a career-best 12.0 mark in 2012. Control has been more of an issue for Collins, though, as he’s also averaged 5.2 walks per nine frames at the big league level. That number is skewed to an extent by a rookie campaign in which he averaged 6.5 free passes per nine, but even in Collins’ most effective seasons, he was averaging well north of four walks per nine innings pitched.

Opposing lefties have batted .224/.328/.347 in 498 trips to the plate against Collins in his big league career, while right-handers have hit him at a .219/.341/.362 clip. His time in the Kansas City bullpen and on the Royals’ 60-day DL has left him with five-plus years of service, so Collins will qualify as a free agent if he proves capable of sticking in the Nationals’ bullpen through season’s end. He opened the season with 17 1/3 innings of 3.63 ERA ball and a 20-to-9 K/BB ratio in Syracuse.

AL East Notes: Osuna, Rays, Hess

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Major League Baseball announced today that Roberto Osuna’s administrative leave has been extended for another week as the Commissioner’s Office continues its ongoing investigation into the domestic abuse allegations that were recently brought forth against the Blue Jays’ closer. (FanRag’s Jon Heyman first tweeted the news.) It’s the second time in as many weeks that MLB has extended Osuna’s leave as Rob Manfred and his staff gather information in advance of a potential suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy. Osuna is currently being paid while on leave and is not occupying a spot on the team’s roster. He would not be paid or accrue Major League service time, however, in the event of a suspension.

More from the AL East…

  • Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic spoke to Rays general manager Erik Neander about the team’s weekend usage of Sergio Romo as a “starter,” though that role was in name only (subscription link). Tampa Bay has regularly used bullpen days in lieu of a conventional fifth starter this season, but Romo’s role was different — particularly on Saturday. With several righties stacked atop the Angels’ lineup (most notably, of course, Mike Trout and Justin Upton), the Rays gave Romo the start before turning the ball over to lefty Ryan Yarbrough for 6 1/3 innings of “relief.” Romo has been notoriously difficult on righties throughout his career, so the decision amounted to simply playing matchups early in the game rather than late in the game, before then turning the ball over to Yarbrough to work a starter’s workload (with one fewer matchup against Trout and Upton). Neander speaks about the importance of first ensuring that a veteran such as Romo — or any pitcher who is used unconventionally — “buys in” to the organization’s plan and is on board with a new role before embarking on such a change. “There is a certain level of humility that we need to have as we go through this,” said Neander. “…We’re not exactly sure where this is going to take us. We’re just trying to be responsive as we get into it in practice and learn more.”
  • Despite a pair of rocky starts to begin his MLB career, David Hess should remain in the Orioles’ rotation for the time being, Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com opines. Hess finished the 2017 well in Double-A and has solid numbers in Triple-A thus far, but he’s served up four homers and allowed eight runs in 10 2/3 MLB innings thus far. However, Melewski notes that his MLB debut came on three days’ rest while his second start came on seven days’ rest at Fenway Park against one of the toughest lineups in baseball. Hess has earned a lengthier look on regular rest with the chance to settle into his routine, Melewski contends, and the current last-place standing of the Orioles should only further encourage them to earnestly evaluate a potential long-term rotation piece. The 24-year-old Hess notched a 3.85 ERA with 7.1 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 in 154 1/3 Double-A innings last year and has a 2.12 ERA, 8.8 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 in 29 2/3 Triple-A frames in 2018.

AL West Notes: Parker, Shoemaker, Rangers, Cook

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The Angels’ closer role has been something of a carousel all season, and just when it looked to be settling on Keynan Middleton, the 24-year-old righty was diagnosed with a UCL tear that required Tommy John surgery. As Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register notes, Blake Parker looks to be first up in line after recording a save last night and now rattling off nine consecutive scoreless innings. “It feels good to finally be back a little bit and command the zone better than I was early on,” said Parker of his recent run of success. Manager Mike Scioscia hasn’t yet re-tabbed Parker as the team’s closer, though given last night’s clean outing and his recent run of success, it seems likely that he’ll receive additional opportunities at the very least.

Fletcher also provides some health updates on Matt Shoemaker and Blake Wood, most notably reporting that Shoemaker played catch for the first time in two weeks yesterday and is headed for a followup visit with a nerve specialist today. Shoemaker was moved to the 60-day DL over the weekend when the Halos selected Ian Krol from Triple-A Salt Lake.

More from the division…

  • The Rangers are “open to anything” in terms of listening to trade offers, an exec from another club tells Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. That comes on the heels of last week’s report from Ken Rosenthal’s report that the team is telling clubs throughout the league that they’re willing to move veteran players. However, that official suggests that the Rangers will also be patient with their approach, telling Grant they’re “willing to wait to get what they deem is fair.” Grant examines several potential trade candidates in depth, specifically listing Adrian Beltre, Cole Hamels, Keone Kela, Mike Minor, Doug Fister and Jake Diekman as players that scouts figure to watch closely in the two months leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
  • Corey Brock of The Athletic takes a look at Ryan Cook’s long road back to the Majors with the Mariners after missing two full seasons due to injury (subscription link). Once a dominant reliever in Oakland, Cook discusses a tumultuous career to date that has seen some notable highs (striking out Bryce Harper and David Wright in the 2012 All-Star Game) and some difficult lows. “The most humbling part was wondering if I could ever do it again,” said Cook, who has undergone both Tommy John surgery and ulnar nerve transposition surgery in recent years. “…Those days you come back from rehab and can’t even move your arm or feel your fingers and literally just looking at yourself in the mirror and wondering if it might be over.” Cook, it seems, certainly can do it again. He posted a 2.03 ERA with a 17-to-3 K/BB ratio in 13 1/3 innings of Triple-A ball this year and has already tossed two shutout innings since being selected to the MLB roster in Seattle. Manager Scott Servais, who has seen setup men Juan Nicasio and Nick Vincent struggle recently, said Cook will receive “plenty of opportunities” to re-establish himself as a high-quality ’pen option.

Indians Move Josh Tomlin To Bullpen

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The Indians are shifting fifth starter Josh Tomlin to the bullpen in favor of rookie right-hander Adam Plutko, manager Terry Francona revealed last night (link via Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer). Plutko, 26, will be recalled later this week to make what will be his second Major League start. Hoynes notes that Plutko “would appear to be the Tribe’s fifth starter for the time being.”

It’s been a struggle this season for the veteran Tomlin, who has posted a 7.84 ERA in seven appearances, six of which have come out of the rotation. The 33-year-old is demonstrating his typical brand of excellent control (1.7 BB/9), but his 5.2 K/9 mark is his lowest since 2012, and he’s surrendered an unthinkable 15 home runs in 31 innings of work.

Tomlin has spent parts of the past nine seasons on Cleveland’s big league roster, working both in long relief and out of the rotation, so the hope for now seems to be that a move to the relief corps will help him overcome his struggles while giving a younger arm the opportunity to prove himself. The timing of his troubles is hardly ideal, given that he’s set to reach free agency at season’s end, though there’s still more than four months for him to right the ship and return to form.

Plutko was long considered one of the organization’s most promising pitching prospects before a disastrous 2017 season in Triple-A caused his stock to drop. However, after posting an alarming 5.90 ERA in 135 2/3 innings with Columbus last season, Plutko is off to a strong start in 2018, having compiled a tidy 2.25 ERA with 7.2 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and 0.8 HR/9 in 44 innings of Triple-A ball. He’s also already made one spot start for Cleveland this season, holding the Blue Jays to three runs on six hits and no walks with six strikeouts through 7 1/3 innings earlier this month.

[Related: Cleveland Indians depth chart]

The Indians’ rotation remains a strength even in the face of Tomlin’s 2018 struggles, of course. Cleveland starters rank fourth in the Majors with a 3.42 ERA and have thrown the second-most innings of any starting staff in baseball (295), trailing only the Astros. Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco, Trevor Bauer and Mike Clevinger form an enviable top four in the starting mix, but an injury would test the organization’s depth. Prospect Shane Bieber and journeyman Adam Wilk would likely be next in line for a look in the big league rotation, at least based on Triple-A performances.

Quick Hits: Liriano, Mesa, Chisenhall

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Some items as we head into the new week…

  • Even prior to Francisco Liriano’s gem of a start against the Mariners today, the Tigers have been getting trade inquiries about the veteran lefty, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (Twitter link).  After signing a one-year, $4MM deal with Detroit last winter, Liriano earned a job in the rotation and now has a 3.42 ERA, 6.32 K/9, and 45.1% grounder rate through 52 2/3 innings.  It’s a nice improvement on paper from the struggles Liriano endured as a starter in 2017 and much of 2016, though there are some red flags — the lack of strikeouts, a 9.7% swinging strike rate, a 4.44 BB/9, and a .214 BABIP.  Interested teams could be looking at acquiring Liriano to work out of the bullpen, as the Astros did when they acquired the southpaw in a deadline trade with the Blue Jays last year.  Regardless, it looks like the Tigers should be able to score a decent prospect for their investment in Liriano in the offseason.
  • Victor Victor Mesa is “the best young Cuban prospect to become available since Yoan Moncada,” Baseball America’s Ben Badler writes in a profile of the 21-year-old outfielder that is available to BA subscribers.  Badler assigns a 70 grade (on the 20-80 scouting scale) to Mesa’s speed and throwing arm (the latter meriting “at least a 70”), and compares Mesa to Nationals minor leaguer Victor Robles, a consensus top-10 prospect in baseball.  Since Mesa and his brother only just left Cuba, however, they could face a long wait in getting official league clearance, which will limit their earning power in the 2018-19 July 2 international signing market since most teams have already committed the bulk of their spending pools to other prospects.
  • Lonnie Chisenhall is slated to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Columbus on Monday, Indians manager Terry Francona told media (including Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer).  Chisenhall will only play every other day initially, Francona said, as the outfielder slowly ramps up after missing over six weeks with a strained calf.  It isn’t clear how long it will be before Chisenhall is ready to return to the Tribe’s roster, though the club is in dire need of some help in right and center field.

2019 Vesting Options Update

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With more than a quarter of the season in the books, it’s time to check in on some players whose status for the 2019 season could be determined by how they perform the rest of the way.  To recap, a vesting option is an option within a player’s contract that can alter the structure of the deal itself should a player stay healthy and/or achieve certain playing-time thresholds.

Though not all vesting options are reported, six players are known to have such options on their current deals.  The list…

  • Cole Hamels: The Rangers have a $20MM club option on the southpaw for 2019 (with a $6MM buyout).  The option vests into a $24MM guarantee if Hamels isn’t on the DL with a shoulder or elbow injury at the end of this season, if he tosses 200 IP this season, and has 400 total innings pitched in 2017-18.  The latter clause is the important one, as since Hamels only threw 148 innings in 2017, that essentially ended his chances at hitting the 400-inning plateau and locking in $18MM more in guaranteed money.
  • Brian McCann: The Astros have a $15MM club option on him for 2019 that vests into a player option if he doesn’t end 2018 on DL, starts at least 90 games at catcher in 2018, and has at least 1000 plate appearances in 2017-18.  With just 399 PA last season, McCann would need a career-best 601 PA this year to gain control over his 2019 status.  He does have 118 PA through 33 games, and he made his 30th start behind the plate tonight, so it’s not completely out of the question that McCann could hit both thresholds, if unlikely.  There’s also the possibility that McCann plays less down the stretch as the Astros rest him for the postseason.
  • Logan Morrison: If the first baseman gets 600 plate appearances this season, the Twins’ $8MM club option ($1MM buyout) for 2019 vests into a guaranteed year worth $9.5MM.  So far, Morrison has 154 PA through Minnesota’s first 42 games, putting him on pace to fall just short (596 PA) of the guarantee.  Morrison’s attempt could be hampered by his poor splits against left-handed pitching, though he held his own against southpaws in 2016-17 and should see more time at first base in the short term as Joe Mauer is on the DL dealing with concussion symptoms.  Morrison has also been hitting much better after an ice-cold three-week slump to open the year (.281/.385/.517 since April 20), so this one might go right down to the wire.
  • Seunghwan Oh: The Blue Jays have a $2.5MM club option ($250K buyout) for 2019 that vests into a guaranteed deal if Oh pitches in 70 games.  Oh is one of several workhorses to emerge in the heavily-used Toronto bullpen, as the former Cardinals closer has already made 21 appearances and is on pace for 72 games this season.  With the Jays struggling, however, one has to factor in the possibility that Oh could be a trade candidate at the deadline, so his role could change if he switches teams.
  • Hanley Ramirez: The priciest and most intriguing case on this list, Ramirez has a $22MM vesting option for 2019 that is guaranteed at 1050 plate appearances in 2017-18, and if he passes a physical at the end of the season.  After amassing 553 PA in 2017, HanRam only needs 314 more plate appearances this season (and good health) for his option to vest.  Ramirez has a .271/.328/.422 slash line, six homers, and a perfectly league-average 100 wRC+ this season, as an .876 OPS in March and April gave way to a slump (.567 OPS) in May.  Ramirez turns 35 in December and has been only a slightly above-average hitter during his three-plus years with the Red Sox, so Boston would likely prefer to not have him on the books for $22MM in 2019, especially with other available first base/DH options like J.D. Martinez, Mitch Moreland, Rafael Devers, or Sam Travis.  The Sox could justify benching Ramirez more often in the wake of his May struggles, though if he heats up again, the team will need his bat for the AL East pennant race.  This is definitely the vesting situation to watch as the season progresses, particularly since the Red Sox will face some further roster-juggling when Dustin Pedroia returns.
  • Ervin Santana: The Twins have a $14MM club option on Santana for 2019 that would have become guaranteed if he had passed a physical after this season, amassed 400 IP in 2017-18, and 200 IP this season.  The finger surgery that has sidelined him for all of the current season will prevent Santana from hitting the 200-inning requirement for 2018, so this vesting option can be written off already.

AL East Notes: Duquette, Orioles, Martin, Venters

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Some items from around the AL East…

  • Orioles executive VP of baseball operations Dan Duquette said his team is “still taking a look at” whether or not to start trading veterans, as he discussed the Orioles’ status in a recent radio appearance on 670 The Score’s “Inside The Clubhouse” show (partial transcript provided by 670TheScore.com’s Bruce Levine, plus the audio link is included).  While Duquette didn’t firmly indicate that a sell-off was coming, he did admit that “I am not sure we will be in that position” to consider adding pieces come Memorial Day, which is when the O’s and other teams usually take stock in their rosters.
  • Since the trade market has yet to really kick into gear, Duquette said that the Orioles “haven’t had that many calls, frankly” about their impending free agents.  Brad Brach and Zach Britton could end up getting the most attention, as Duquette predicted “a robust market for relief pitchers.”  The market for position players is harder to predict, with Duquette not knowing how things will fare in regards to a Manny Machado trade.  “The issue for the Orioles would be, ’Will the Orioles ultimately trade a player who’s on his way to a Triple Crown or possibly MVP season?’” Duquette said. “That’s an issue for the club. And in the offseason, there were some teams interested in Manny, but there wasn’t a lot of talent coming back. Because teams know it’s going to take a lot of money to re-sign Manny.”
  • Russell Martin tells Sportsnet.ca’s Jeff Blair that he is willing to spend more time as an infielder in the latter stages of his career.  “Whatever management thinks makes the team better, gives us a better chance to win.  You know, the goal for me on any team I’ve played on is what’s best for the squad.  And I’ve always been a fan of the infield,” Martin said.  The Blue Jays catcher has 33 career appearances as a third baseman, four at second base, and one game each at shortstop and right field during his 13-year career, so he certainly provides more versatility than most backstops.  Due to several Toronto infielders landing on the DL and backup catcher Luke Maile’s surprisingly hot bat, Martin has already made four appearances at third base this season.  This positional flexibility could make Martin into a unique backup option in 2019 (the final year of his contract) or beyond, as well as providing Toronto with the means to give catching prospects Danny Jansen or Reese McGuire some quality playing time as early as this season.
  • Though Jonny Venters has the service time to decline a minor league demotion, the southpaw agreed to a consent form that allows the Rays to send Venters to the minors during a 45-day window that began when he made the 25-man roster, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.  Since Venters’ contract was purchased on April 25, that 45-day period is up on June 8.  With a 1.13 ERA over his first eight innings, it doesn’t seem Venters is a candidate for demotion, though the Rays’ unique deployment of their pitchers requires a lot of roster shuffling.  Venters is in the midst of a remarkable comeback, returning to a big league mound for the first time since 2012 after his career was thought to be over following three Tommy John surgeries and another UCL procedure.

MLB Weekend Roster Roundup: Cabrera, Hill, Mauer, Soto, Swanson

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ROSTER MOVES BY TEAM
(May 19th-May 20th)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

  • LOS ANGELES DODGERS | Depth Chart
    • Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Rich Hill (blister)
      • Hill was removed two pitches into his start on Saturday. He’s expected to miss at least 4 weeks.
    • Activated from 10-Day DL: RP Tony Cingrani
    • Added to roster: RP Erik Goeddel
      • Goeddel was claimed off waivers from the Mariners on Friday and added to the 25-man roster prior to Game 2 of Saturday’s double-header.
    • Promoted: RP Yimi Garcia, RP Pat Venditte
      • Garcia was the 26th man in Saturday’s double-header
      • Venditte was optioned after the 1st game of Saturday’s double-header and recalled prior to Sunday’s game.
    • Optioned: RP Adam Liberatore
  • PITTSBURGH PIRATES | Depth Chart
    • Activated from 10-Day DL: 2B Josh Harrison
      • Harrison played 2B and batted 1st on Sunday.
    • Promoted: SP Nick Kingham
      • Kingham started Saturday’s game and was optioned to the minors prior to Sunday’s game.
    • Optioned: INF Max Moroff, SP Nick Kingham 

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

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FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES

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