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Archives for August 2019

Twins Place Buxton, Pineda On 10-Day IL

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The Twins have placed outfielder Byron Buxton and righty Michael Pineda on the 10-Day IL, the team reports. Buxton’s injury, the third that’s forced him to the IL this season, is a left shoulder subluxation, which is potentially serious and will likely sideline the former number two overall pick for at least a few weeks (per MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park). Pineda strained his right triceps; the timetable for his return isn’t yet known, but the absence isn’t believed to be a lengthy one. 1B/DH C.J. Cron, reinstated from the IL, and outfielder Jake Cave were activated in their places.

It’s the latest in a series of early-career injuries for Buxton, who’d hoped to both shake the injury-prone label and deliver a productive season after a lost 2018 campaign. He’s at least cashed in on the latter, pairing a solid 110 wRC+ with his typically sensational center-field defense to post 2.6 fWAR in just 82 games for the division-leading Twins this season. The 25-year-old’s sliced his K rate to an easily-career-low 23.1% and made hard contact over 35% of the time, a near-eight percent jump from his previous career best of 27.6% in 2017. In his absence, the Twins’ll likely shift breakout star Max Kepler, 11th in MLB fWAR thus far, back to center, where he’s acquitted himself about as well as could be hoped over his young career, and have super-utilityman Marwin Gonzalez assume right-field duties.

Pineda, now 30 and no stranger himself to the DL/IL, has turned in yet another productive season for Minnesota, with identical 4.15 ERA/FIPs that, when adjusting for the suddenly-diminutive confines of Target Field, have been good for 2.0 fWAR in just 17 starts. The towering righty’s fastball velocity is down a bit this season, but still checks in at a respectable 92.6 MPH in this, the final year of a two-year, $10MM deal signed prior to the 2018 season. It’s unclear who’ll replace Pineda in the rotation – the team just sent down lefty Lewis Thorpe, and has needed only five starts from hurlers beyond the Opening-Day quintet of Pineda, Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Jake Odorizzi, and Martin Perez.

Royals Claim Jacob Barnes

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The Royals have claimed righty Jacob Barnes off waivers from Milwaukee and optioned him to Triple-A Omaha, the team reports.

Though Barnes did struggle to prevent runs for the Crew this season, it’s a bit of a surprise to see the 29-year-old dangled on waivers given his stellar track record in Milwaukee. In 167 innings for the Crew since his debut in 2016, Barnes posted a very respectable 3.93 ERA/3.68 FIP, numbers which, when park-adjusted for the Brewers’ bandbox of a yard, place him firmly within reliable 7th-inning territory. Barnes’ homer rate, like so many across the league, shot up to a career-worst 1.37 per nine this season, and his command temporarily abandoned him (5.03 BB/9), but it shouldn’t be a lengthy reclamation project for the 6’2 righty.

There’s an argument to be made that Barnes is already Kansas City’s second-best reliever; his track record, anyway, is second to only longtime starter Ian Kennedy’s in its patchwork unit. His initial report to Omaha, if more than simple posturing, should end quickly: the club needs another quality arm as soon as it can get it.

Mets Claim Donnie Hart

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The Mets have claimed lefty Donnie Hart off waivers from Milwaukee and optioned him to Triple-A Syracuse, the team reports.

Hart, a longtime Oriole, spent much of this season with Triple-A San Antonio, where he posted a 4.10 ERA/4.29 FIP with a 55.4% grounder rate in 37 1/3 IP. Like most low-slot lefties, Hart’s been much better against same-side bats (.312 career wOBA against, compared to .334 against righties), though he’s walked nearly four of them per nine over his career. The lefty’s set down just 5.83 men per nine in 88 career big-league innings, and relies heavily on his 87 MPH sinker to generate grounders for his outs.

It’s possible Hart will soon displace the ineffective Luis Avilan as the second lefty in the Mets’ pen, though judging by the team’s high-leverage deployment of the eight-year vet, it seems higher on him than most. Lefty Justin Wilson makes up the other half of the contingent, though he can be hardly counted on to throw strikes, and fielder-independent metrics (4.66 FIP, -0.1 fWAR) haven’t been fans of his performance to date.

A’s Claim Dustin Garneau, Designate Ryan Dull

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The A’s have claimed catcher Dustin Garneau off waivers from the Angels, designated righty Ryan Dull for assignment, and released injured right-hander Andrew Triggs, among other roster moves, the team reports.

Garneau, designated for assignment Wednesday by Los Angeles, had slashed a solid .232/.346/.362 (98 wRC+) in limited action so far this year. It’s a stretch that far outstrips his previous work for three other MLB organizations (including the A’s) since his debut in 2015: the 31-year-old’s previous best was the 60 wRC+ he posted in 75 PAs for the 2016 Rockies. His work behind the dish has graded out mostly average since his debut, so perhaps the bargain-hunting A’s are convinced the mini-breakout is sustainable.

Dull, 29, had a solid 2016 season for the A’s but has hovered around replacement-level since. In 9 IP for the club this season, the 5’9 righty was tagged for four bombs en route to an ugly 12.00 ERA. Dull has long posted dominant K rates in the upper minors that haven’t translated to the MLB level: the 2019 campaign marks the third Triple-A stint in which the righty’s sat down over 11 men per nine.

Triggs, 30, boasts a rare high-strikeout, high-grounder mix, but the low-slot righty hadn’t been able to comfortably rebound from a thoracic outlet surgery late last season. He’d been designated for assignment by the club on Deadline Day.

Pirates Claim Yacksel Rios

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The Pirates have claimed Phillies reliever Yacksel Rios, the teams announced Saturday.

Rios, 26, has appeared in 53 games (all in relief) for the Phillies over the last three seasons. He’s flashed consistent bat-missing ability (9.00 career K/9) but has been much too homer-prone (1.96 HR/9) to firmly establish himself among the team’s late-inning options. Rios’ 96.0 average fastball velocity remains prime and perhaps represents fertile clay for new pitching coach Ray Searage to mold, but his shaky command has a long way to go.

Aside from the inimitable Felipe Vazquez, the Pittsburgh pen has been dreadfully short on production of late. Kyle Crick started strong but his again seen his command regress to pre-2018 levels, and neither Richard Rodriguez nor the volatile Keone Kela have been able to reprise past-year performances. Rios, it would seem, should be afforded a long look at some point.

Red Sox Sign Tommy Joseph To Minors Deal

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The Red Sox have signed former Phillies 1B Tommy Joseph to a minors pact, MLBTR has learned. Joseph, 28, was released by the LG Twins of the KBO in mid-July.

A former second-round pick of the Giants in 2009 who was shipped to Philly in the 2012 Hunter Pence trade, Joseph made 880 plate appearances for the Fightins in 2016-17, slashing .247/.297/.460 (96 wRC+) with 43 homers. His lack of plate discipline and defensive ability held him thereafter in the minors, though, and Joseph opted for a Korea stint after a solid Triple-A season in the Rangers organization last season. For LG, Joseph posted a .274/.332/.426 line in 217 plate appearances before his July release.

Joseph’ll head to Triple-A Pawtucket, where he’ll likely spend the rest of the minor league season. A September platoon with Mitch Moreland could be in the cards, especially if current partner Sam Travis continues to perform at his languid pace.

Orioles Claim Ty Blach, Designate Jose Rondon

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The Orioles have claimed left-hander Ty Blach, MLBTR’s Steve Adams reports. Blach was designated for assignment by San Francisco a week ago. INF Jose Rondon was designated for assignment to make room.

Blach, 28, was a reasonably productive swingman for the 2016-18 versions of the club, with numbers slightly inflated (per fWAR and other metrics that rely heavily on park factors) by the enormous dimensions of SF’s Oracle Park. The lefty, who’s posted the league’s lowest strikeout total since his debut in late 2016, threw up a solid 3.84 FIP in 47 appearances (13 starts) for the Giants last season, a performance that ostensibly wasn’t enough to curry favor with the new regime. He’s spent much of the this season trying to survive in the PCL, where his 5.93 ERA/5.26 FIP are actually respectable totals in the harrowing offensive climate that dots the league’s landscape.

It’s possible the soft-tosser steps right into an embattled Baltimore rotation, which treats cast-offs, fringe prospects, and former stalwarts all the same. Blach’s career 50% grounder rate should play well in the miniaturized dimensions of Camden Yards, though he won’t be afforded the same heavy-air cushion he was at Oracle. Still, it’s as good of opportunity as could be hoped for 28-year-old, who’d likely have returned to Triple-A in most organizations around the league.

Rondon, 25, was a promising utility prospect in the Padres system from 2014-17, but hit the skids in the high minors and couldn’t steady himself after transitioning to the AL with the White Sox. Rondon did post a solid 102 wRC+ in limited action for the Pale Hose last season, but his .197/.265/.282 ’19 line wasn’t enough to keep him in the organization. He appeared in just a single game for the Orioles; the club’ll obviously hope he clears waivers and can be outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk.

Brewers Recall Aaron Wilkerson, Option Jay Jackson

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The Brewers announced a change to their bullpen crew ahead of today’s game against the rival Cubs. Aaron Wilkerson joins the big league club from Triple-A San Antonio, while Jay Jackson has been optioned back to the minors.

Wilkerson, 30, has made five scattered relief appearances since April, unfortunately surrendering earned runs each time out. He has been an effective starter in Triple-A this season, however, going 7-1 with a 3.06 ERA across 14 starts. The Brewers are prepared for a quick hook of Gio Gonzalez today should there be any sign of shoulder trouble, with Wilkerson serving as the contingency plan, notes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy (via Twitter).

Jackson, 31, has also served as little more than a 25th man while on the major league roster. In ten appearances, Jackson has a 5.79 ERA (4.93 FIP) across 14 innings. The South Carolina native gave Milwaukee some length in July with five two-inning outings, four of which he escaped scoreless.

The Brewers are sticking with an eight man bullpen for now, a necessity given the injuries sustained by the starting rotation. With Jhoulys Chacin, Jimmy Nelson, Brandon Woodruff, and Brent Suter on the injured list, Milwaukee figures to be more reliant than most contenders on players like Wilkerson and Jackson, even as they continue to shuttle them back and forth from San Antonio.

Twins GM Predicts Busy August Waiver Period

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Baseball’s single trade deadline has passed, but there may yet be player movement on the horizon. Minnesota Twins GM Thad Levine even expects a head-spinner or two in August. With outright waiver claims still on the table, as well as other means of player acquisition, time remains for contenders to add personnel before the August 31 playoff eligibility deadline.

Said Levine on MLB Network Radio, “There will be a few players that change hands between now and the end of August that will leave some fans scratching their head that they were available just on an outright waiver claim.”

Presumably, Levine isn’t talking about the likes of Jonathan Lucroy, Tyler Austin, and Jung Ho Kang, some of the season’s earliest DFA casualties. A couple of intriguing names have hit the market – Brad Brach should catch on somewhere, Tony Sipp has a 2.76 ERA since April 15 – but Levine certainly suggests a sexier brand of ballplayer could find new homes in August.

Even before August trade prohibition there was the occasional outright claim of a large veteran contract. The White Sox claiming of Alex Rios in 2009 is an oft-cited example of this kind of roster action. Chicago was three games behind the Tigers in the AL Central when they relieved the Blue Jays of the five years, $60MM left on Rios’ deal. The Southsiders went just 22-27 from the date of the trade, falling to third place in finishing 79-83. To their credit, Rios did sandwich two productive seasons around a clunker in 2011 before the Sox would move him again in a trade with the Rangers.

Levine’s speculation here comes in part as a response to some disappointment in the new format. For the Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, who described this year’s deadline by saying “the life is getting sucked out of the sport,” further August action will be welcome. Writes Rosenthal, “The Astros and Diamondbacks rescued what otherwise might have been The Worst Deadline Day Ever on Wednesday, completing the Zack Greinke blockbuster with just moments to spare before 4 p.m. ET.” 

Of course, the single deadline figured to drive more last minute action, so discounting the most impactful moments would certainly temper the results. Fangraphs’ Ben Clemens measured Wednesday as one of the busiest deadline days ever, though the flurry of activity was driven in part by the slow month that preceded it.

Pinpointing waiver claim candidates won’t be easy, as obvious candidates are by definition disqualified from Levine’s characterization, but large contracts on non-contenders would be a give good place to start sleuthing. Purely speculating, Wade Davis, Daniel Murphy, Justin Smoak could qualify, while the Blue Jays’ Randal Grichuk would be a near repeat of the Rios claim.  Ultimately, whether Levine proves prescient or bombast likely depends on your level of excitement over “head-scratchers.”

Cubs DFA Brad Brach, Activate Cole Hamels

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The Cubs activated lefty Cole Hamels from the injured list today, while reliever Brad Brach has been designated for assignment, per the Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan (via Twitter) and others.

After an uncharacteristically mediocre first half with the Orioles in 2018, the 6’6″ righty appeared to right the ship in posting a 1.52 ERA with Atlanta down the stretch. The Cubs certainly hoped so when they guaranteed Brach $4.35MM this offseason, but with a 6.13 ERA through 42 games and newcomers David Phelps and Derek Holland taking roster spots, the Northsiders no longer had space for the 33-year-old former 42nd rounder.

He could have remained under contract for a lesser salary in 2020 due to a dual option, but Brach’s future is now up in the air. His track record should land him an opportunity to help a contender somewhere – but it might not happen this week. With more than five years of service time, Brach will have the right to refuse a minor league assignment and elect free agency, at which point he would be available on the cheap while the Cubs continue to foot the bill for most of his remaining 2019 money.

There is cause to believe in Brach’s future utility. A high-than-normal .375 BABIP points to some poor luck, born out in fielding independent metrics (4.13 FIP, 4.88 xFIP). Baseball-reference WAR pegs Brach as a negative contributor for the Cubs (-0.4 bWAR), but by measure of fWAR, which uses FIP instead of ERA, Brach should still be capable of adding value down the stretch (0.4 fWAR). Lowering his walk rate from 15.3 BB% closer to his career average of 10.5 BB% would certainly help.

Hamels will start today against Gio Gonzalez and the Brewers in a matchup of recently-activated veteran lefties. Hamels is 6-3 on the year with a 2.98 ERA (3.59 FIP), but his last start came at Great American Ballpark against the Reds a little more than a month ago. Gonzalez makes his third start since being activated from the disabled list – his second straight outing against the Cubs.

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