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Archives for August 2019

Pirates Release Francisco Cervelli

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The Pirates announced today that they have released catcher Francisco Cervelli. The 33-year-old had been attempting to work his way back from a concussion.

Today’s move represents a disappointing end to to Cervelli’s generally excellent tenure in Pittsburgh. He has been with the organization since 2015, blossoming from a former Yankees reserve into a high-quality full-time backstop.

GM Neal Huntington issued a statement on the matter, as MLB.com’s Adam Berry covers on Twitter. The club’s top baseball operations decisionmaker explained:

“Out of respect and appreciation for Francisco, we have chosen to honor his request to be released in order for him to pursue an opportunity that potentially gives him a chance at more playing time, as well as an opportunity this season to compete in the postseason.”

Cervelli is owed $11.5MM this season — far too much to make him an appealing waiver-claim target. Instead, the Bucs will continue to pay the remainder, less a pro-rated portion of the league minimum for whatever portion of the season he spends on another MLB roster.

That deal didn’t always seem like dead weight. At the time the three-year, $31MM extension was signed — thus keeping Cervelli from testing free agency before the 2017 season — it looked to be an excellent value for the club. Cervelli ended up missing much more time due to injury than anticipated, but was still able to turn in 404 plate appearances of .259/.378/.431 hitting last year. Over his five total seasons in Pittsburgh, he carried a 100 OPS+ — making him a precisely league average hitter, which is a nice rate of production for a well-regarded defensive catcher.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

D’Backs Notes: Ray, Lamb, Ahmed

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The latest from Arizona…

  • Robbie Ray threw a bullpen session on Tuesday and is on track to be activated off the injured list when first eligible on Sunday.  (Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic was among those to report the news.)  A lower back spasm sent Ray to the IL on August 15, and while the southpaw’s back has been something of a recurring issue lately, Ray feels the 10-day minimum absence was a long enough break to correct the problem.  Ray is scheduled to start the Diamondbacks’ game against the Brewers on Sunday, and he’ll be a welcome addition to an Arizona team that is battling to stay in the wild card race.
  • It has been a trying couple of years for Jake Lamb, who played only 56 games in 2018 due to shoulder surgery, and has been limited to just 50 games this season after a quad strain kept him on the IL for almost the entire first half.  Perhaps unsurprisingly, Lamb has yet to get into a rhythm, hitting .211/.346/.391 with five homers over 156 PA.  Despite these struggles, Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen told the Athletic’s Zach Buchanan (subscription required) that he expects Lamb to get on track, and reacted with surprise when asked if Lamb could potentially be a non-tender candidate.  “Wow, I wouldn’t anticipate that being a consideration for him,” Hazen said.  Lamb is making $4.825MM this season, so a projected raise won’t be too large for Lamb’s final year of arbitration eligibility.  There’s not much financial risk for the D’Backs in retaining Lamb to see if he can regain the form that saw him hit 59 homers in 2016-17, and make the NL’s All-Star roster in 2017.
  • Nick Ahmed is slated to hit free agency after the 2020 season, though Kent Somers of the Arizona Republic suggests that the shortstop is the team’s best extension candidate, and that the D’Backs should look to keep Ahmed in the fold.  Long regarded as one of baseball’s best defenders, Ahmed has taken a significant step forward at the plate this season, hitting .271/.333/.465 with 17 homers over 497 plate appearances.  While this only grades out as roughly league-average production (101 wRC+, 103 OPS+), Ahmed had only a .229/.279/.368 slash line in 1584 PA prior to 2019, with a 67 wRC+ and 69 OPS+.  Given that Ahmed’s offensive numbers are still modest, it could pave the way for an extension at a reasonable price for the team, and Ahmed might prefer some contractual security rather than test the market heading into his age-31 season.  Ahmed is earning $3,662,500 this season and is set for a healthy raise on that figure in his final trip through the arbitration process this offseason.

Angels Place Griffin Canning On IL With Elbow Inflammation

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TODAY: The Angels announced that left-hander Jose Suarez will be recalled from Triple-A to start Friday’s game against the Astros.

YESTERDAY: The Angels have placed right-handed pitcher Griffin Canning on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation, according to Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. It’s the same issue that landed the 23-year-old rookie on the injured list in early August.

As Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times notes, manager Brad Ausmus was unable to say whether the latest injury would mark the end of Canning’s season. The Angels skipper went on to characterize the injury as only “mild inflammation,” telling reporters (including Fletcher) that there are “no concerns that it’s anything more than inflammation.”

Amid a frustrating season for the Angels, Canning has been one of the few bright spots, especially in a pitching staff that has endured more than its fair share of injuries. Despite debuting at the end of April, Canning leads the team in games started, pitching 90 1/3 innings in the Majors. He’s worked to 4.58 ERA while striking out 96 batters—while his numbers aren’t stellar, Canning offers considerable value to a team, and at just 23, there’s certainly room for more here.

Per Torres, Canning will undergo an MRI after returning to Los Angeles. Indeed, it may be wise for the Angels to exercise caution with their promising youngster. With their playoff hopes all but erased, there’s a case to be made that Canning should be shut down in hopes of preventing any further injury to his throwing elbow. Ausmus and general manager Billy Eppler have been careful to manage Canning’s workload in his debut season: he’s approaching the 113 1/3 inning mark he totaled last season.

Ryan Pressly To Undergo Knee Surgery, Miss 4-6 Weeks

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The Astros have placed right-hander Ryan Pressly on the 10-day injured list, amidst a series of roster moves.  (MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart was among those to report the news.)  Astros GM Jeff Luhnow told Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle and other media that Pressly will miss four-to-six weeks after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery.

Infielder Jack Mayfield was optioned to Triple-A, while right-hander Joe Biagini was recalled from the minors and third baseman Abraham Toro’s contract has been selected for his Major League debut, as reported earlier today.

This is the second time that Pressly’s right knee has sent him to the IL this season, as he missed about two weeks in late July and early August due to soreness in the joint.  The problem first arose when Pressly was hit in the knee by a ball off the bat of Andrelton Simmons back on July 18, and Luhnow said today that Pressly felt some more soreness after his latest outing.  A previously-undiscovered “small issue” was found after a span of Pressly’s knee, and a surgical procedure seems to have been the decided course of action to fix the problem once and for all.

Luhnow is hopeful that Pressly will be able to return to action before the postseason begins, though the four-to-six timeline will make it a close call if Pressly’s recovery time is anything more than minimal.  It also creates uncertainty as to whether Houston will have arguably its best bullpen arm fully healthy and ready to go come time for the playoffs.

Pressly’s dominant work earned him the first All-Star appearance of his seven-year career, as the righty has a 2.50 ERA, 11.6 K/9, 50.8% grounder rate, and 5.91 K/BB rate over 50 1/3 relief innings this season.  Statcast credits him with the best curveball spin rate of any pitcher in baseball in 2019, and he is also in the 98th percentile of all pitchers in terms of fastball spin.  It’s possible Pressly’s numbers could be even more dominant if it wasn’t for some bad luck with the long ball, as he has a 23.1% home run rate.

Losing Pressly is a big blow to any relief corps, even one as deep and talented as the Astros’ bullpen.  Brad Peacock recently returned from the IL himself to add some extra depth, and Biagini will make a quick return after being optioned to Triple-A just last week.  Aaron Sanchez is currently on the injured list recovering from a pec injury, though once he returns, he is also likely to lineup as a reliever in the postseason since Houston won’t need a fifth starter.

It also wouldn’t be surprising to see the Astros scour the waiver wire for any late pickups, or perhaps try to swing a trade with another team for a pitcher on a minor league contract (players on MLB deals can’t be traded after the July 31 deadline, of course).  While Pressly’s loss isn’t likely to cost the Astros the AL West or anything, the team wants to have as many relief options as possible in preparation for what they hope is a long postseason run, especially if there’s any concern as to whether Pressly will make it back in time.

White Sox Activate Yoan Moncada

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The White Sox have activated Yoan Moncada from the 10-day injured list, as per a team announcement.  Outfielder Ryan Cordell was optioned to Triple-A yesterday to open up a spot for Moncada on the 25-man roster.

Moncada was in the midst of a breakout season when he was sidelined with a Grade 1 hamstring strain back on August 1.  The infielder has hit .301/.358/.535 with 20 homers over 409 plate appearances, with some outstanding hard-contact metrics (via Statcast).  Moncada ranks in the 98th percentile in exit velocity, and in the 93rd percentile in hard-hit percentage.  While the Sox are long out of any postseason contention, Moncada will get five more weeks to add to what has already been an excellent season.

After posting average numbers in his first two Major League campaigns, Moncada’s emergence in 2019 has shown why he was regarded as one of the sport’s best prospects.  The White Sox acquired Moncada and three other noteworthy prospects from the Red Sox in the Chris Sale trade back in December 2016, and Moncada now stands as one of the major faces of Chicago’s rebuilding project.

Quick Hits: International Prospects, Rosario, Defense

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The Reds have absorbed their share of tough losses this season, but none compare to how the Cincinnati Red Stockings dropped a 5-3 result to the Louisville Colonels on this day back in 1886.  Louisville’s Chicken Wolf hit a game-deciding inside-the-park home run, though Cincinnati outfielder Abner Powell can be excused for failing to properly field the ball.  A stray dog who had been sleeping by the outfield fence was woken up by the commotion of the play, and the startled hound proceeded to attack Powell (reports are varied as to whether the dog bit Powell’s pant leg or actual leg), distracting the outfielder long enough for Wolf to score.  Questions abound — did the Colonels immediately adopt the animal as a Rally Dog?  Why did Red Stockings manager Ollie Caylor not issue a video replay challenge?  Was the dog motivated to help Wolf out of canine solidarity?  Should MLB spice up the modern game by mandating that at least one random animal be roaming the field at all times?

While we ponder these questions, let’s look at some other items from around baseball…

  • We’re over ten months away from the opening of the next international signing period on July 2, 2020, though Baseball America’s Ben Badler (subscription required) looks ahead by profiling ten of the most notable prospects in the upcoming class.  Dominican outfielder Pedro Pineda could potentially claim the highest bonus of the bunch, as he has been connected to the Athletics for a bonus that could approach $5MM.  The Cubs, Rays, Tigers, Dodgers, Marlins, Nationals, Angels, Blue Jays, and Twins are all unofficially linked to the other nine names on Badler’s list, with several other players also reportedly in line for multi-million dollar bonuses.  Of course, the entire signing process as we know it could become moot should Major League Baseball adopt an international talent draft for next year, though nothing has yet been confirmed on that front.
  • The Mets’ surge into wild card contention has been aided by a hot streak from Amed Rosario, who has hit .367/.403/.527 over his last 181 plate appearances.  Long considered one of baseball’s best prospects, Rosario is breaking out in his third MLB season and establishing himself as a major cornerstone piece in the Mets’ present and future plans, Newsday’s David Lennon writes.  Before Rosario’s bat came alive, the biggest question facing his season was whether or not he’d remain at shortstop, as the Mets were considering using him as a center fielder back in June.  While Rosario’s defensive numbers aren’t good (minus-14 Defensive Runs Saved, minus-2.5 UZR/150), there is a sense he has improved his glovework as of late, and Lennon notes that “we get the sense that conversation is over” about a position change.
  • The Phillies are exactly in the middle of the pack in Defensive Runs Saved, as the Phils’ +12 DRS ranking 15th among all teams.  This modest number, however, represents a gigantic upgrade for their glovework, as The Athletic’s Mark Simon (subscription required) explores in a look at the most improved defensive teams in baseball.  Philadelphia’s minus-146 DRS was by far the worst in baseball in 2018, yet the team has shored up their defense due to a number of factors, such as the additions of J.T. Realmuto and Bryce Harper, and moving Rhys Hoskins back to first base after he supremely struggled as a left field last year.  The other big gainers were the Blue Jays, who went from minus-100 DRS in 2018 (29th among all teams) to minus-1 DRS and 18th place this season, and the Dodgers, who have gone from being very good to a potentially record-setting defensive unit.  Los Angeles finished eighth in the league with +47 DRS in 2018, and now lead all of baseball with a +125 score, giving them a shot at breaking the Diamondbacks’ record-setting mark of +157 from a year ago.  The eight teams on Simon’s list share at least one of two commonalities — either the teams are shifting more frequently, or else they are simply using better personnel, whether those are new players joining the team or players who have personally improved their glovework since last season.

Astros To Promote Abraham Toro

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The Astros are calling up third base prospect Abraham Toro, according to reporter Jacques Lanciault (Twitter link).  As noted by The Athletic’s Jake Kaplan (Twitter link), it isn’t yet known what corresponding moves will be made to create room for Toro on either the 25-man or 40-man rosters.

As Kaplan observes, the promotion is rather unexpected, as Toro has only 16 Triple-A games under his belt.  However, Toro has absolutely raked in that short amount of time (a 1.112 OPS over 79 plate appearances), and also hit .306/.393/.513 with 16 home runs over 435 Double-A plate appearances this season.

While this breakout at the plate didn’t land Toro a spot on any top-100 prospect lists, MLB Pipeline currently ranks him as the sixth-best prospect in Houston’s farm system.  As per the MLB.com scouting report, many scouts have long considered Toro to be one of the Astros’ best hitting prospects, an evaluation that has seemingly been proven correct by his big 2019 numbers and a strong performance in the 2018 Arizona Fall League.

The 22-year-old Toro was a fifth-round pick for the Astros in the 2016 draft.  The vast majority of his pro experience has come at third base, though with Alex Bregman at the hot corner in Houston, Toro has also played an increasing amount of first base and second base this season.  For his first taste of the big leagues, however, Toro could very well see most of his time at his natural position, as Bregman could slide over to shortstop while Carlos Correa is on the injured list.  Alternatively, Toro could also handle some first base if the Astros use Yuli Gurriel at third base.

Dodgers Notes: Ryu, May, Jansen, Stripling, Hill, Verdugo

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Hyun-Jin Ryu has been one of baseball’s best pitchers this season, and with a trip to free agency pending, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand speaks to several rival executives about how Ryu will fare on the open market this winter.  It should be noted that Ryu sidestepped a chance at free agency last offseason by accepting a one-year, $17.9MM qualifying offer from the Dodgers, preferring to remain in L.A. and aim for a better platform year than his injury-shortened 2018 campaign.  That strategy has worked like gangbusters, as Ryu has a 1.64 ERA, 1.1 BB/9 (both league bests), 7.00 K/BB rate, and 50.7% grounder rate over 148 1/3 frames in 2019, with only two minimal injured list stints for relatively minor issues.

With this in mind, Ryu’s long injury history and age (he’ll be 33 on Opening Day 2020) will also certainly be factors in his next contract.  MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes placed Ryu seventh in his most recent power ranking of the 2019-20 free agent class, though one NL executive tells Feinsand that depending on whether some players exercise opt-out clauses or not, Ryu is “probably No. 2 if his contract ask is reasonable….This could be an interesting class to watch. It might be one of those years where teams rank guys differently based on who they like.”  Gerrit Cole is the undisputed top pitcher available this winter, but other arms like Madison Bumgarner, Zack Wheeler, or Dallas Keuchel have also seemingly generated more buzz than Ryu, recent results notwithstanding.  An AL talent evaluator thinks this could be to Ryu’s benefit, telling Feinsand that Ryu “may actually be viewed slightly lower than some in that group perceptually, and therefore, sign earlier. I can see Ryu signing ahead of them and jumping the market and actually getting a better deal. I think the other guys may wait longer, and waiting longer hasn’t always paid off.”

Here’s more on the Dodgers…

  • Dustin May is in line for another start next week, manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick and other reporters, though May will also make relief appearances to get him more acclimated to working out of the bullpen.  This semi-swingman usage is being deployed since the Dodgers ultimately intend to use May as a reliever in the postseason, though also need him available to make a spot start if necessary down the stretch.  For instance, L.A. is two games into a run of 16 games in 16 days, so May’s start next week will give the regular rotation members a breather.  “When you have a person of Dustin’s head, mindset, it makes it a better bet for us to make and especially when you have the buy-in of the player….We’re going to continue to keep our options open,” Roberts said.  May has started three of his four big league appearances thus far, posting a 4.26 ERA, 7.1 K/9, and 5.00 K/BB rate over 19 total innings.
  • In another case of the Dodgers making early preparations for October, the team will use Kenley Jansen roughly once per series for the remainder of the season, Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times writes.  This means Jansen will be skipped for some save situations and pitch in some non-save situations, all in order to keep him regularly sharp rather than tether this workload to whether or not the Dodgers have a ninth-inning lead.  It’s worth wondering if this strategy could also have to do with Jansen’s somewhat shaky performance this year, as the closer has a career-high 3.70 ERA over 48 2/3 innings.  Jansen blew his sixth save chance of the season last night, and now has 26 saves in 32 chances.
  • Roberts provided DiGiovanna and other reporters with updates on some injured Dodgers players.  Ross Stripling (right biceps tendinitis) seems the closest to returning, as he tossed a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday and has a two-inning simulated game coming up before he begins a rehab assignment.  Rich Hill (flexor tendon strain) has upped his long-toss throwing to 150 feet and will next start throwing off a mound.  Hill isn’t expected back until sometime in September, though his path to a return is clearer than that of Alex Verdugo, as Roberts said Verdugo is still feeling pain in his ribcage and hasn’t yet resumed baseball activities.  Verdugo has been on the IL since August 6 due to a right oblique strain, and Roberts said the outfielder won’t return to action until at least the start of September.

Minor MLB Transactions: 8/22/19

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The latest minor moves from around baseball….

  • The Rangers announced yesterday that right-hander David Carpenter has been assigned outright to Triple-A.  Carpenter was designated for assignment on Monday, and thus must have cleared waivers before being removed from the Rangers’ 40-man roster.  This is the second time Carpenter has been DFA’ed and outrighted this season, following a similar path back to Triple-A in June.  The righty appeared in three games during this latest stay on the Texas roster, and for the season has a 10.80 ERA in 3 1/3 innings over four total appearances.  After tossing 211 1/3 relief innings for five different teams from 2011-15, Carpenter didn’t make it back to the Major Leagues until this season, after three years battling injuries while bouncing around the minors and independent leagues.

East Notes: Nola, Stroman, Dansby, Riley, Deivi, Lowe

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As the Phillies quest for a playoff berth intensifies, manager Gabe Kapler looks poised to increase his ace’s workload in hopes that Aaron Nola can carry the team to the promised land. As Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports writes, the Phillies are considering starting the 26-year-old Nola every fifth day for the stretch run, regardless of intervening off days. Last year’s third-place NL Cy Young finisher has been far and away the most reliable of the Phillies’ starting rotation, which has sorely lacked for production outside of its ace. If the Phillies were to employ such a plan, Nola would make eight more starts over the next month-plus, which would place him at a total of 35 at season’s end. As Salisbury notes, though, Nola has often benefitted from a fifth day of rest and features considerably better career numbers with the extra day off. Of course, it’s undeniable that Nola is the Phillies’ best option to start games and the club is confident that, in a playoff race that may well be decided in the waning days of the season, their chances are maximized with Nola on the mound as often as possible.

Here’s all the latest from baseball’s East divisions…

  • Mets starter Marcus Stroman left today’s start against the Indians after just four innings because of left hamstring tightness. Tim Healey of Newsday has an update, with Stroman undergoing an MRI that showed no reason for concern. Indeed, it’s only hamstring tightness for the new Met, who has now made four starts with his new club. All indications are that the injury is nothing serious, so it seems as though Stroman should be good to go for his next start.
  • A pair of young Braves regulars are slated to begin rehab assignments in the coming days, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Shortstop Dansby Swanson will join the Class-A Rome Braves on Thursday for a rehab stint, with rookie slugger Austin Riley joining him the following day. Swanson has been out since late July with a heel issue, while Riley has missed about two weeks with a partially torn right LCL. While the Braves have found capable replacements for both young stars and has gotten by without the pair, the club would no doubt welcome Swanson and Riley back to the lineup as soon as possible. Swanson has put together his best offensive season, while Riley has gotten his career off to a blistering start, slugging 17 home runs in just 66 Major League games.
  • Yankees pitching prospect Deivi Garcia has been moved to the bullpen for Triple-A Scranton-Wilkes Barre, according to Connor Foley of the Scranton Times-Tribune. While the organization has not given an explicit explanation for the move, it seems likely that it’s motivated by one of two things: most likely, the Yankees are limiting the workload for Garcia, who is just 20 years old and has already eclipsed 100 innings pitched for the season, a threshold that he never reached prior to 2019; or, less likely, the team is preparing Garcia for the role he would have in the Majors as a potential September call-up. The club has taken a similar course of action in the past with Justus Sheffield and Chance Adams, though both were further along in their development than Garcia.
  • Injured Rays rookie Brandon Lowe may have hit a roadblock in his recovery from a right shin contusion, as he exited his rehab game with Triple-A Durham with a left quad strain, according to Juan Toribio of MLB.com. That injury, of course, is separate from the shin contusion, though the severity is not yet known. Lowe will return to St. Petersburg tomorrow to be further evaluated, at which point more details will likely be made available. Lowe, who has generated buzz as a Rookie of the Year candidate, has not played for the Rays since July 2. He had previously been expected to return in late August or early September, but that timeline may have been complicated by the introduction of another, unrelated injury.

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