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Mets Notes: Rajai Davis, Lockett, Pounders, Nimmo, Lowrie

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While dealing with the news that Robert Gsellman is likely done for the year, the Mets have made another roster move. Veteran Rajai Davis was added to the 25-man roster, tweets The Athletic’s Tim Britton. Signed to a minor-league deal, the 38-year-old Davis hit .287/.334/.410 in 84 games for Triple-A Syracuse. This will be his second stint with the team this season after appearing in four games in late May, which included a big pinch-hit, three-run home run to down the Nationals on May 22nd. Let’s check in on a corresponding move, as well as some injury updates coming out of Queens…

  • Recently-added Walker Lockett will return to Triple-A. Lockett, 25, did not make an appearance in this most recent stint in New York. His last appearance was a start on August 5th at Citi Field. He gave up 4 earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 5-4 team win over the Marlins. Brooks Pounders was designated for assignment in order to add Davis to the 40-man roster, per Newsday’s Tim Healey (via Twitter). Pounder, 28, has been around the block the last few years, but never making more than 14 big league appearances in a season. Employed by the Royals, Angels, Rockies, and now Mets, he’s racked up an 8.47 ERA/6.14 FIP across 45 career appearances since his debut in 2015.
  • In rehab news, outfielder Brandon Nimmo is on his way to Triple-A Syracuse for a rehab assignment, per SNY.tv’s Danny Abriano. Citi Field should be the next stop for Nimmo if all goes well these next few days. He’s been out since May 21st with stiffness in his neck and back, but just finished a successful 5-game warmup in High-A. It’s been a lost season for Nimmo, who appeared on the cusp of stardom after a 4.5 fWAR 2018 in which he hit .263/.404/.483 in 140 games. The power evaporated from Nimmo’s game this season (.219 ISO to .123 ISO), but his approach remained laudable, and he is also working through a fairly significant year-over-year drop in BABIP (from .351 to .288).
  • Nimmo’s return could mean Davis’ stay in New York will be short. Michael Conforto and J.D. Davis aren’t going anywhere. Davis and Juan Lagares both have the right to reject a minor league assignment if they so choose, and Aaron Altherr is out of options and unlikely to pass through waivers – or at least he hasn’t yet, as before the Mets claimed him from the Giants, they had claimed him from the Phillies. Altherr, 28, may be touring the country via the waiver train, but he has yet to see much playing time – and even less success. He struck out in his sole at-bat with San Francisco, while his total line for the year is a sterling .085/.141/.169 in 64 plate appearances.
  • Jed Lowrie is also beginning a rehab assignment as the DH in High-A with Port St. Lucia tonight, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter). Lowrie signed for two years, $20MM this offseason, but has yet to make his New York debut. It’s a shame Lowrie still isn’t ready, especially since it’s looking like Jeff McNeil might require a rehab assignment before returning to action, per SNY.tv’s Andy Martino. 

 

Mets’ Robert Gsellman Unlikely To Return This Season

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Robert Gsellman is likely done for the season after a source revealed he has suffered a partial lat tear, per Andy Martino of SNY.tv (via Twitter). Gsellman was placed on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Wednesday with what was classified at the time as tight right triceps.

The 26-year-old has 14 saves and 22 holds between this year and last as one of Mickey Callaway’s go-to options late in games, but his record is hardly spotless. He’s registered 10 blown saves over that same span. This season, he’s been called upon 52 times for 63 2/3 innings with a 4.66 ERA/4.13 FIP/4.67 xFIP.

Gsellman was hardly an ink-printed stopper for the Mets, but he was a security blanket for Callaway. Gsellman leads the bullpen in innings pitched while he is tied with closer Edwin Diaz for the most appearances. Diaz and Seth Lugo are locked into setup and closing roles, but Gsellman leaves some high-leverage innings opportunities that the Mets will have to back-fill. Veterans Jeurys Familia, Justin Wilson, and newly-signed Brad Brach have pitched below expectations thus far, but there’s a good chance the trio will be first in line to fire some of the bullets left behind by Gsellman.

The loss of Gsellman adds yet another wrinkle to a Mets bullpen that has struggled for most of the season. Like their comrades in the NL East, the Mets field a bottom-10 unit by measure of fWAR (27th), HR/9 (23rd), ERA (27th), FIP (25th), and xFIP (26th).

Mariners Place Domingo Santana On IL, Select Outfielder Jake Fraley

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The Mariners have a fresh face joining their outfield mix. Jake Fraley has been selected from Triple-A and will be available for today’s game. Domingo Santana has been placed on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, the team announced. Santana’s IL stint is retroactive to yesterday on August 19th, though the elbow discomfort is something he has been dealing with for close to a month now. With the addition of Fraley, Seattle’s 40-man roster still has two spots remaining – with one seat presumably saved for Felix Hernandez should his rehab assignments go smoothly.

Santana has quietly become one of the more potent bats in the Seattle lineup this season. It was at least a little surprising that Trader Jerry didn’t field further trade calls for him at the deadline, but with two more years of arbitration eligibility and plenty of near-term financial flexibility, the Mariners felt no pressure to move him. For his part, Santana is better suited for regular at-bats on a non-contender like Seattle until he can add some dimensionality to his game.

The hulking 6’5″ outfielder has DH’ed on occasion, but mostly splits his time evenly between left and right field. Defensive metrics are slightly more enamored with his work in right, but it’s a negligible difference in the grand scheme of things (-8 DRS to -7 DRA, -23.7 UZR/150 to -17.8 UZR/150). Regardless of where they stick him, Santana has not provided any additional value with the glove.

With the bat, Santana looks the part of middle-of-the-order slugger. Towering presence is a check, home run output is a check (21 on the year), and his overall batting line of .256/.332/.449 sticks the landing with an above-average 110 wRC+ – right in range of his career average (112 wRC+). When he connects, Santana does damage (above-average 42.5% hard-hit percentage), but getting bat-to-ball remains a struggle. Santana, 27, tops the league with 159 strikeouts, striking out in 32.1% of his at-bats – the highest percentage in the majors.

Fraley, 24, will prepare for his major league debut. A native of Frederick, MD about 45 miles north of Washington DC, Fraley is a former 2nd round selection of by Tampa Bay and the current #8 ranked prospect in Seattle’s system per MLB.com. Speed and defense are his calling cards, but after injuries slowed his progress in 2017, power has begun populating in-game for Fraley. His isolated power has increased with each new rung of the minor league ladder, from .200 ISO in High-A to .226 ISO in Double-A to .276 ISO across 168 plate appearances for Triple-A Tacoma this season. Fraley joined the Mariners this past winter as part of the Mike Zunino deal.

Fun fact for your trivia guides from MLB.com’s Greg Johns (via Twitter), Fraley will be the 17th Mariner to debut in the major leagues this season.

Rangers Place Nomar Mazara on IL, Purchase Nick Solak’s Contract

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Following an early exit from last night’s game, Rangers outfielder Nomar Mazara will head to the injured list with a strained left oblique muscle, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning-News (link). The team has purchased the contract of infielder Nick Solak in a corresponding move.

This sequence of moves has been suspected since last night when Mazara went down. It’s been a difficult season for Mazara, with these last few weeks particularly trying as the Rangers have cut into his playing time in an open audition to get more production from his spot in the lineup. The 24-year-old outfielder was a star-in-the-making not all that long ago, but he has yet to improve much in any aspect of his game since his rookie season in 2016.

Still, it’s not all doom-and-gloom for Mazara, who was headed for a fourth-straight 20-homer campaign had he stated healthy. Depending on the length of his layoff, he’ll still have a decent shot at notching the three home runs needed to hit the mark in 2019. On the whole, the power has been there for Mazara this season, with .467 slugging and .197 ISO both career-high marks. The rest of his game has maintained an almost bizarre consistency for a player so young. He’s sitting right now at a 95 wRC+ mark–right in line with his previous three marks of 96, 89, and 91 in seasons dating back to 2016. Unfortunately, that’s not quite enough pop from a corner outfielder who doesn’t rate well on defense or on the basepaths.

Solak is penciled into the 6th spot in the batting order to make his major league debut today. He is listed right now as the designated hitter, though much of his perceived long-term value stems from his defensive versatility. Throughout his minor league career, he has shuttled between second base, left field, and centerfield, while seeing an occasional inning at third or in right. It’s a good time to be debuting in Texas: yesterday alone, Jose Trevino, 26, smashed his first career home run, Scott Heineman, 26, registered his first career RBI, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, 24, ended the night with his first career walkoff knock.

Joe Palumbo has also been added to the roster today to serve as the 26th man for the twin bill against the Angels – one of two rookie starters taking the hill in today’s doubleheader. Palumbo lines up against Andrew Heaney in the afternoon tilt. It will be Palumbo’s 4th appearance of the year for the Rangers, having been hit hard for 11 earned runs across 9 innings of work. Despite the slow start at the ML level, the 24-year-old native of New York state is highly-regarded. MLB.com lists Palumbo as the 6th-best prospect in the Texas system, while Baseball America ranks him 4th.

Pirates Announce Series Of Roster Moves

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In a grab bag of roster moves, the Pirates have announced the activation of reliever Richard Rodriguez from the injured list, the optioning of pitcher Montana DuRapau to Triple-A, the reinstatement of infielder Jose Osuna from suspension, and the long-delayed placement of pitcher Kyle Crick on the suspended list.

Rodriguez, 29, has been on the IL since August 12th due to a shoulder issue. When healthy, the right-hander has mounted a 3.72 ERA in 48.1 innings in 2019–his second full-year in Pittsburgh. His last outing was an August 9th appearance against the Cardinals in which Rodriguez allowed 3 earned runs in just one-third of an inning. His K/9 rate is just 7.63 this year–a stark drop from the 11.42 rate he displayed in 2018. Fielding independent metrics have been summarily unimpressed with his work this year (5.51 FIP).

DuRapau will return to Triple-A Indianapolis after receiving another run up from the Pirates taxi squad. In 2019, his first taste of the big league environment, DuRapau has logged a 7.56 ERA in 16.2 innings.

As for the suspension movements involving Osuna and Crick, yes, the Pirates are still dealing with the fallout from their unforgettable July 30th fracas with the Cinncinatti Reds. Though it may seem like that high-intensity dustup occurred a lifetime ago, Osuna just began serving his five-game suspension on August 14th, and Crick had been fighting his suspension since it was issued. Osuna returns with a healthy 147 wRC+ in 135 at-bats this year, while Crick has logged a 4.43 ERA, 10.88 K/9, and 6.45 BB/9 in 44.2 innings in 2019.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Could Return This Week

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Blue Jays rookie third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could be back in the Toronto lineup in short order, as Jon Morosi of MLB Network relays that the 20-year-old Canada native could return for this week’s tilt with the Dodgers (link). The team has apparently indicated that Vlad Jr.’s status is more “day-to-day than week-to-week”.

After tweaking his knee while fielding a groundball, Guerrero Jr. went for MRI testing–testing that ultimately showed only minor inflammation. After Padres rookie Fernando Tatis Jr. was shut down for the season following a back injury, there was trepidation that even a moderate issue would similarly spell the end of Vladito’s rookie campaign. About that rookie campaign, it’s fair to say that on-field results have been mixed–though ultimately very encouraging for a player of his age.

Across a sizable sample of 386 at-bats, Guerrero Jr. has slashed .274/.345/.464, while wRC+ indicates that he has been 13 percent better than a league-average hitter. When not inside the batter’s box, however, the infielder has shown some warts that the Jays surely hope will iron out as he matures, including a -4.4 BSR measurement on the bases and generally subpar defense as evidenced in part by his -4 DRS mark. The Blue Jays enter play in Los Angeles today with a 52-75 record.

Pitcher Notes: Doolittle, Nix, Lindblom

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Though manager Dave Martinez has maintained that he will regain his closer’s role when he returns from the injured list, Nationals reliever Sean Doolittle isn’t taking anything for granted, as shown in a profile from the Washington Post’s Jesse Dougherty. “I mean that’s awesome to get that vote of confidence from your manager. But I have to pitch better if I want to stay in that role,” Doolittle told Dougherty on Monday. Of course, it’s probably the proper attitude for the veteran lefty to assume after a recent run of poor play–outlined by a 7.36 ERA in his last 15 appearances–culminated in his placement on the injured list on Sunday with right knee tendinitis. While watching video of his last outing, a three-homer drubbing at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers, Doolittle says he has identified several mechanical concerns that could be the cause of his struggles, including a low release point and shortened extension.

More hurler notes to keep handy this Tuesday…

  • Jacob Nix of the Padres is grinding his way back from an elbow issue that has sidelined him for the entirety of the 2019 season, as noted in a column from Jeff Sanders of the Union-Tribune. After opting for rest and rehab in recovery from a UCL tear, Nix has climbed back up to Triple-A El Paso, where, on Monday, he struck out six hitters in five shutout innings. The 23-year-old Nix, a third-round draft pick of GM AJ Preller’s in 2015, debuted last year with 7.02 ERA, 4.46 K/9, and 2.76 BB/9 numbers across 42.1 innings. As you might expect regarding someone with such a shaky big league resumé, manager Andy Green indicates to Sanders that Nix’s return will be, in the writer’s words, “predicated on his results”.
  • You would be forgiven for not recognizing the name of one Josh Lindblom, but that exact name is drawing a great deal of attention in Korea–and, increasingly, in MLB circles. As The Athletic’s Sung Min Kim points out (link), MLB scouts have been attending the KBO starts of Lindblom in droves as the former big league reliever makes a historic foreign run. A veteran of 114 MLB games, the 32-year-old Lindblom is trouncing KBO hitters in his quest for the all-time record for wins by a foreign pitcher (22) in one season. In 24 starts for the Doosan Bears, Lindblom is 19-1 with a 2.03 ERA–truly intriguing numbers for a pitcher operating in such a hitter-friendly environment. Lindblom hasn’t appeared stateside since pitching for a stint with the Pirates in 2017.

Yankees Reportedly Set To Sign Trevor Rosenthal

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The Yankees are set to sign free agent reliever Trevor Rosenthal to a minor league deal, according to a tweet from MLB Daily Dish’s Andersen Pickard later backed up by Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter links). The veteran elected free agency on August 10th after being designated for assignment by the Tigers organization.

Rosenthal, if nothing else, has certainly bolstered his frequent flyer accounts this year, as New York will represent his third organization of the 2019 season. Rosenthal’s signing of a one-year, $7MM deal with Washington was intended to bolster the D.C. relief corps with veteran experience, but the 29-year-old righty was thoroughly shellacked (22.74 ERA) in 6.1 innings in a Nats uni before being released on June 23rd. The Tigers then signed him on June 29th, perhaps hoping that his early-season struggles were just signs of rust understandable for a pitcher who had sat out the 2018 season in rehabilitation from Tommy John surgery. Those hopes were dashed over 9 summer innings, as Rosenthal again allowed nearly more walks (11) than strikeouts (12).

Perhaps Rosenthal can find a remedy for his struggles working in the New York organization. Though this deal is reported as being of the minors variety, it stands to reason that, with the end of the minor league schedule just weeks away, this signing is likely a precursor to Rosenthal’s late-season integration into the Yankees bullpen mix. For several reasons, there are worse gambles for Yankees GM Brian Cashman to make at this juncture in the season.

After all, Rosenthal is still youthful, and formerly effective. The last time we saw him pitch a full season, Rosenthal threw 47 2/3 innings of 3.40 ERA ball with a career-high 14.3 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9 for the 2017 Cardinals. Walks have always been a bugaboo for the Missouri native, with a career 4.5 BB/9 rate that is truly anxiety-inducing in a late-inning reliever, but his 12.0 career K/9 rating helps explain how a pitcher with that weakness could wind up stranding more than his fair share of runners. If the Yankees recent run of success with scrap heap vets is any indication, it may not be the strangest development of the 2019 season to see Rosenthal regain some of his old St. Louis form in New York.

 

West Notes: Felix, Oberg, Dahl

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Erstwhile Mariners ace Felix Hernandez toed the rubber for the Tacoma Rainiers on Monday night and it shouldn’t be long before he’s donning a Seattle uni once again, according to a report from Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Hernandez, out since May 12th with a lat-strain, threw 69 pitches and was largely effective in Tacoma, utilizing an 88-90 mph fastball to limit the Salt Lake Bees to one run over three-plus innings pitched. Indications are that the living legend would slide into the M’s rotation come Saturday, which would end the weeks-long four-man rotation dance that manager Scott Servais has had to orchestrate since the club’s trade of Mike Leake at the MLB trade deadline. For what it’s worth, Hernandez is looking at this return as a moment to savor, saying: “It’s going to be my last year. I don’t know what’s going to happen next year so I need to go out there and show them that I still love the fans and still love Seattle.”

It has been a long time since Hernandez flashed the kind of dominance that he displayed during a halcyon 2009-2014 run, but his return should be a welcome reprieve for M’s faithful during a “step-back” 2019 season. Though they may not be able to count on him to pitch in vintage form, Hernandez’s return–along with expected promotions for prospects Justus Sheffield, Justin Dunn, and Jake Fraley–should help add some intrigue to Seattle’s September frames. Hernandez has a 5.75 ERA since 2018’s outset and is playing in the final year of a 7-year/$175MM accord.

More news from around the left coast…

  • The blood clot complications experienced by Rockies relief ace Scott Oberg last week were a perspective-granting moment for those in-and-around the game of baseball. Though the Colorado org was looking to the veteran to handle save situations in the wake of Wade Davis’ dissolution, Oberg’s emergency hospital admission and subsequent surgery were a late-season reminder of the relative triviality of the game played between the lines. To their credit, Colorado is doing what’s necessary to ensure the long-term health of the righthander, as Oberg will travel with the team to St. Louis to see a specialist regarding his medical issue, per a tweet from Nick Groke of The Athletic (link). Primarily, the team wants to determine the danger involved with this recurrence of a blood clot for Oberg, who dealt with a similar issue in 2016.
  • In less heavy news for the purple-and-black outfit, Rockies outfielder David Dahl was with the team in the visiting clubhouse of Chase Field on Monday, according to a report from Jake Rill of MLB.com. Dahl, who has been rehabbing at a team complex since he went on the injured list with a high right ankle sprain on Aug. 3, will also travel with the team to St. Louis, where he will continue a rehab regimen largely based around activities like underwater treadmill running and throwing. The 25-year-old lefty swinger made the All-Star team this year on the strength of a .302/.353/.524 batting line that is somewhat undercut by his park-adjusted wRC+ figure of 108. Dahl does expect to have a chance to return and improve upon that line before season’s end, although he likely won’t go on a rehab assignment due to the minor league season’s imminent closure.

Central Notes: Abreu, Gordon, Bader, Brusdar

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Although the White Sox and first baseman Jose Abreu have made their affinity for one another known on many occasions, the club reportedly won’t offer the pending free agent a contract extension this season. Nevertheless, Abreu once again made it clear Monday his mission is to re-sign with the White Sox, as Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times relays. Asked if he’s confident a new deal will come together, Abreu declared: “Of course. Like I said before, if the team doesn’t sign me, I’m going to sign myself here.” Chicago’s on its way to its 11th straight season without a playoff berth, and the club has never even finished .500 since Abreu joined the fray entering 2014. But the 32-year-old explained to Van Schouwen the team’s capable of contending as early as 2020, expressing confidence that “the front office is going to make the move that will be the right move for us to move forward and to get to that final phase of this process.”

  • As with Chicago and Abreu, there’s a great deal of fondness between the Royals and outfielder Alex Gordon. General manager Dayton Moore stated back in June he “couldn’t imagine” Gordon playing anywhere else. The soon-to-be 36-year-old took a similar tone over the weekend, telling Matt Ehalt of Yahoo Sports it’s KC or bust in 2020. “I’m not going to play anywhere else,” Gordon said. “If I play, it’s going to be for the Royals.” If Gordon does continue next season, he and the Royals will have to work out a new arrangement, as the team’s sure to decline its half of a $23MM mutual option in favor of a $4MM buyout.
  • The Cardinals will recall center fielder Harrison Bader from Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday and option outfielder Randy Arozarena, per Stu Durando and Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Manager Mike Shildt noted the Cardinals are “super proud” of Bader for the way he handled himself in the wake of his July 29 demotion. Bader had been a staple in St. Louis’ lineup for most of the year until the club sent him down, but he’s coming back as a result of a dominant offensive showing in the minors. Meanwhile, fellow Cardinals outfielder Tyler O’Neill could start a rehab assignment with Memphis later in the week, according to Durando and Hummel. O’Neill has been on the IL since Aug. 3 with a left wrist strain.
  • High-end Twins pitching prospect Brusdar Graterol leveled up over the weekend, moving from Double-A Pensacola to Triple-A Rochester. The 20-year-old right-hander is now on the doorstep of the majors, but that doesn’t mean he’ll get there this season, GM Thad Levine told Phil Miller of the Star Tribune. On the subject of a possible late-2019 major league call-up for Graterol, Levine said: “That idea may have been a little overstated. We’re not going to force anything. We would only promote someone if we thought he could genuinely contribute, [and that decision] has certainly not been made.” Graterol’s capable of pumping triple-digit heat, which ideally will help make him a prominent piece of the Twins’ bullpen into the fall.

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