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Archives for May 2019

Dodgers Promote Will Smith, Place Austin Barnes On 10-Day IL

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The Dodgers have selected the contract of catching prospect Will Smith, per a club announcement. He’ll take the active roster spot of fellow backstop Austin Barnes, who’s headed to the 10-day injured list with a groin strain.

Smith, a former first-round draft pick, is known as a well-rounded overall performer behind the dish. He entered the season with a consensus grade as one of the ten best players in the Los Angeles farm system.

The 24-year-old Louisville product has generally performed well at the bat in the minors, but has been more impressive than ever thus far in 2019. Through 166 plate appearances at Triple-A, he carries a .290/.404/.551 slash with eight long balls and 25 walks against 35 strikeouts.

That’s quite a bit of offense for a player who is also considered a fine defensive performer. Smith could at some point take over as the regular behind the dish in L.A., though he’ll be looking over his shoulder at Keibert Ruiz — an even more-hyped young catcher who is playing at the Double-A level.

For now, Smith will be tasked with filling in. It doesn’t seem as if Barnes will be down for long with the injury, so a return to Triple-A could take place soon thereafter. That said, it is notable that the Dodgers have placed Smith on the 40-man roster and elected to give him a look at this stage of the season.

Rangers Designate Jeanmar Gomez

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The Rangers have designated righty Jeanmar Gomez, per a team announcement. His active roster spot will go to lefty Kyle Bird.

Gomez, 31, was brought in on a minors deal that included a $1MM salary in the majors. He made the roster out of camp when the team decided to keep him rather than control-challenged flamethrower Connor Sadzeck.

That decision hasn’t worked out for the Rangers to this point. While Sadzeck has found a home in Seattle, Gomez has mostly been ineffective.

Through 15 1/3 innings this year, Gomez carries an ugly 8.22 ERA. That’s due in no small part to a low 55.2% strand rate, as well as a .389 BABIP that would be expected to trend down over a full season.

Gomez does carry a 55.2% groundball rate. ERA estimators think he has been better than the results. Still, with just 5.9 K/9 against 3.5 BB/9 and a minuscule 5.9% swinging-strike rate, he did not exactly have the peripherals of a successful reliever.

Phillies Reportedly Hoping To Bolster Bench

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The Phillies are in the market for a lefty-swinging hitter with power who’s open to a bench role, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Rosenthal suggests the Phillies will look to add a player of that ilk in advance of the July 31 trade deadline (video link).

Despite the umpteen headline-worthy offensive additions the Phillies made over the winter, their attack has been closer to average than outstanding thus far. They rank seventh in the National League in runs and eighth in wRC+, owing in part to a lack of balance. With Bryce Harper, Cesar Hernandez and the struggling Odubel Herrera as the Phillies’ only lefty-capable notables, the team sits 17th in the majors in both wRC+ and OPS against right-handed pitchers.

Even though the Phillies’ offense hasn’t been a juggernaut, the club’s still 31-22 and leading the NL East by a game and a half. They’ll be in the market for upgrades approaching the deadline as a result, with the bench being one area they could potentially bolster. Philadelphia’s only a year removed from adding a pair of lefty-hitting power options to its roster around the deadline, as it acquired Justin Bour and Asdrubal Cabrera in separate trades. Those two didn’t help Philly to a playoff berth, however, and they’re now with other organizations.

This time around, Rosenthal names Nationals first baseman/outfielder Matt Adams as a player who matches what the Phillies are seeking. Whether the division-rival Nationals will ultimately move Adams is up in the air, though, considering they’ve played better of late and could still charge toward contention. This is merely speculation, but Jay Bruce (Mariners), Curtis Granderson and Neil Walker (Marlins), Yonder Alonso (White Sox) and Lucas Duda (Royals) stand out as lefty-capable hitters with some pop who could land on the Phillies’ radar in the next couple months. None of those veterans’ teams are in contention, meaning they’re all logical trade chips. Bruce and Walker are the only members of the group who have notched respectable overall production at the plate this season, though the revered Granderson has shown recent signs of life after a weeks-long slumber.

Aaron Sanchez Leaves Start With Finger Issue

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In what has become an all-too-frequent occurrence for Aaron Sanchez, the Toronto right-hander left his start Monday with a finger injury. It’s a “right middle finger nail avulsion,” to be exact, per Hazel Mae of Sportsnet.

Sanchez threw three innings and 64 pitches against the Rays on Monday, yielding one earned run on six hits and two walks prior to his exit. Monday’s start was Sanchez’s second since May 17, when he departed an outing against the White Sox with a blister.

Finger problems consistently haunted Sanchez from 2017-18, during which he only totaled 141 innings, and have continued to weigh him down this year. Thanks in part to those troubles, Sanchez hasn’t been able to replicate the outstanding 192-inning season he enjoyed in 2016. Sanchez registered a 3.00 ERA/3.55 FIP with 7.55 K/9, 2.95 BB/9 and a 54.4 percent groundball rate that year, which stands as the Blue Jays’ most recent playoff campaign.

Toronto was a contender earlier in Sanchez’s career, but it’s now in a rebuild. As such, Sanchez could be a summer trade candidate if teams are remotely confident in his health. With a 3.75 ERA/4.54 FIP, 8.4 K/9 and a 51.7 percent grounder mark in 60 innings, Sanchez hasn’t pitched poorly this season. The soon-to-be 27-year-old’s walk rate (4.95 per nine) is far too high, but that alone may not scare off other clubs. At $3.9MM, Sanchez is affordable, and he’s under control through next year.

Pirates Acquire Yefry Ramirez, Designate Jesus Liranzo

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The Pirates have acquired right-hander Yefry Ramirez from the Orioles for a player to be named later or cash considerations, per announcements from both teams. To make room for Ramirez on its 40-man roster, Pittsburgh designated righty Jesus Liranzo for assignment.

Ramirez lasted just under two years with the Orioles, who acquired him from the Yankees for international bonus money in July 2017. His time with Baltimore essentially ended May 22 when it designated him for assignment.

The 25-year-old Ramirez saw extensive action with the Orioles in 2018, his major league debut, but pitched to an unappealing 5.92 ERA/5.29 FIP with 8.54 K/9, 4.96 BB/9 and a 34 percent groundball rate in 65 1/3 innings. Most of Ramirez’s 17 appearances (12) came as a starter last year, but he primarily worked from the Orioles’ bullpen this season before they parted with him. Ramirez opened the campaign with one start over four appearances and allowed eight earned runs on 11 hits and nine walks (with 11 strikeouts) in 10 1/3 frames.

Ramirez hasn’t established himself in the majors, but he does carry a 3.40 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 3.1 BB/9 in 90 Triple-A innings. Meanwhile, Liranzo has endured a terrible season with the Pirates’ Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis. The 24-year-old posted a 7.54 ERA and 7.9 K/9 against 6.8 BB/9 in 22 2/3 innings prior to his designation. Liranzo happens to be an ex-Orioles farmhand, but he joined the Pirates as a waiver claim from the Dodgers in April 2018.

Mariners Claim Jimmy Cordero

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The Mariners announced that they’ve claimed right-hander Jimmy Cordero off waivers from the Blue Jays. Seattle also transferred righty Gerson Bautista from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL.

Cordero will report to Triple-A Tacoma with his new organization, though maybe he shouldn’t get too comfortable. The Jays just claimed Cordero off waivers from the Nationals on May 15, only to designate him May 23. Interestingly enough, Toronto jettisoned Cordero to grab lefty Zac Rosscup off waivers from his new team, the Mariners.

The 27-year-old Cordero debuted in the majors with the Nationals last season, when he threw 19 innings out of their bullpen. He added another 1 1/3 with the Blue Jays before they cut him. Between the two teams, Cordero has pitched to a 5.75 ERA/5.96 FIP with matching strikeout and walk rates of 5.31 per nine and a strong groundball percentage (53.4). The hard-throwing Cordero has been better at the Triple-A level, where he owns a 3.41 ERA with 10.4 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 over 63 1/3 frames.

Bill Buckner Passes Away

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Former major league first baseman/outfielder Bill Buckner has passed away after a battle with Lewy Body Dementia, as his wife, Jody, confirmed to Jeremy Schaap of ESPN. Buckner was 69 years old.

Buckner is best known for one play – an error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series that helped propel the Mets to a title over his Red Sox – but that doesn’t do justice to his career. A second-round pick of the Dodgers in 1968, Buckner debuted a year later and didn’t conclude his career until 1990 with the Red Sox. He also spent time with the Cubs, Royals and Angels, hitting .289/.321/.408 with 174 home runs and 183 stolen bases in upward of 10,000 plate appearances.

In what was likely the crowning personal achievment of his career, Buckner won the NL batting title as a Cub in 1980 with a .324 average. A year later, he earned his lone All-Star nod. Buckner logged a few more productive seasons thereafter, including with the Red Sox, though the way ’86 ended left a bad taste for Boston fans. Eventually, ill feelings between them and Buckner were put aside. Buckner returned to Fenway Park to a roaring ovation in 2008, four years after the Red Sox broke an 86-year championship drought and one season after they took home yet another title, to throw out the first pitch on Opening Day. Buckner later poked fun at himself in a 2011 episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” in which he made a life-saving catch.

Since Buckner’s passing, there has been an outpouring of support from the many who respected him as a person and a baseball player. MLBTR echoes those sentiments.

Dustin Pedroia Unsure If He’ll Play Again

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The Red Sox shifted injured second baseman Dustin Pedroia to the 60-day IL on Monday after he suffered yet another setback in his problematic left knee. Pedroia met with reporters to discuss his future, revealing he’s unsure if he’ll be able to resume his career.

“I’m at a point right now where I need some time. That’s what my status is,” Pedroia told Rob Bradford of WEEI and other media. Asked if he’ll play again, Pedroia said, “I’m not sure.”

One thing is clear, according to Pedroia: Another surgical procedure is off the table. The 35-year-old has gone under the knife twice dating back to October 2016, but neither knee surgery has helped him stay on the field. Pedroia missed all but three regular-season games during Boston’s World Series-winning campaign in 2018 and has only appeared in six this year.

With it looking as if Pedroia won’t play again in 2019, he’s set to take an “indefinite break” from rehabbing his knee – which he doesn’t believe will ever heal (via Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com).

“Time will go on and I’ll know more about it,” Pedroia said. “I haven’t sat down and thought about retirement. I just know that right now I need a break from the everyday stresses of dealing with what I’m dealing with.”

If we have seen the last of Pedroia on the diamond, it’ll mark the end of a borderline Hall of Fame career. A second-round pick of the Red Sox in 2004, the diminutive Pedroia burst on the scene in 2007, his first full season, en route to AL Rookie of the Year honors. All he has done since then is win an AL MVP (2008), earn four All-Star nods and help the Red Sox to two World Series championships, among other accomplishments. To this point, Pedroia’s a .299/.365/.439 hitter (115 wRC+) with 140 home runs, 138 stolen bases and 51.7 rWAR/46.7 fWAR.

Thanks to the brilliance Pedroia displayed over his first several seasons, the Red Sox signed him to an eight-year, $110MM extension in July of 2013. Including this season’s $15MM salary, he’s still owed $40MM on that deal through 2021. Now, six years after Pedroia inked the first-ever nine-figure pact for a second baseman, his playing career may be over.

Red Sox Activate Brock Holt, Move Dustin Pedroia To 60-Day IL

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The Red Sox have activated infielder Brock Holt from the 10-day injured list and transferred second baseman Dustin Pedroia to the 60-day IL, per a club announcement. The team also optioned left-hander Darwinzon Hernandez to Double-A Portland.

Holt’s back after eye and shoulder injuries caused a nearly two-month absence. Since Holt went to the IL on April 6, the Red Sox have seen rookie Michael Chavis emerge at the former’s main position (second base). However, Chavis will concede the keystone to Holt on Monday and line up at first.

Given his defensive versatility, playing time shouldn’t be hard to come by for Holt. The 30-year-old has seen significant action at several positions during his career, and he also enjoyed one of his most productive offensive seasons in 2018. As part of the franchise’s latest title-winning team, Holt batted .277/.362/.411 (109 wRC+) with seven home runs and steals apiece in 367 plate appearances.

Pedroia’s ongoing left knee issues have made Holt all the more valuable to the Red Sox, who have gone without the former for all but nine games since last season. Pedroia didn’t debut until April 9 this year, and he ended up back on the IL eight days later. The 35-year-old had been rehabbing his knee in the minors, but he suffered a setback on Friday. Now, because the Red Sox shifted him to the 60-day IL, Pedroia won’t be able to return for at least another few weeks. That could prove to be an overly optimistic forecast, though.

Orioles Remove Mychal Givens From Closer’s Role

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Orioles reliever Mychal Givens turned in his fourth straight rough outing Sunday in Colorado, where he walked two of the three batters he faced en route to a blown save. In light of Givens’ issues over the past few days, the Orioles are planning on using him in lower-leverage situations for the time being, manager Brandon Hyde told Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com and other reporters Monday. Hyde did not name a game-ending replacement for Givens.

Givens’ ERA sat at a solid 2.75 on May 17, when he posted his sixth straight scoreless outing. But the number’s now up to 5.56 after a nightmarish stretch in which Givens surrendered eight earned runs on seven hits, including three home runs, and six walks in a mere three innings. Baltimore lost all four of those games, during which Givens suffered a whopping three defeats and recorded a pair of blown saves.

The Orioles are in a rebuild and on pace to finish last in the majors for the second year in a row. As such, it doesn’t really matter who closes for the team. However, it is important for Givens to get back on track. On a club that doesn’t have many trade chips, Givens entered the season as someone who could net the O’s a decent package in a deal.

Cognizant of Givens’ value, the Orioles were reportedly listening to offers for the 29-year-old exactly one month ago. It wouldn’t have been surprising if he generated plenty of interest. After all, the right-hander combined for a 3.12 ERA/3.18 FIP with 10.42 K/9 and 3.36 BB/9 in 260 innings from 2015-18, totaling upward of 70 frames in each of the previous three years. He’s also cheap this season ($2.15MM salary) and under arbitration control through 2021.

Unfortunately for the Orioles and Givens, walks and home runs have plagued him across 22 2/3 innings in 2019. Givens’ BB/9 sits at 5.16 and his HR-to-fly ball rate is a bloated 25 percent. For comparison, he gave up HRs on a meager 8.4 percent of fly balls during his first four seasons. The uptick in dingers has come in spite of a career-best 46.4 percent groundball rate – a marked increase over his usual high-30s mark. Givens is also running personal-best swinging-strike and contact rates (14.4 percent, 69.6 percent), and his expected weighted on-base average against (.306) indicates there has been some poor fortune behind the .354 real wOBA hitters have mustered against him.

While Givens’ season hasn’t been devoid of encouraging signs, it’s obvious he’s going to have overcome his newfound control and gopher ball troubles in order to approach his previous levels. It doesn’t seem Hyde is pushing the panic button, as he said (via Melewski), “I think it’s just a command a confidence issue,” and added the Orioles “need Mike bad.”

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