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Archives for August 2020

Rays Place Jalen Beeks On 45-Day IL, Select Ryan Sherriff

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The Rays announced Wednesday that they’ve placed lefty Jalen Beeks on the 45-day injured list due to an elbow sprain and selected the contract of fellow southpaw Ryan Sherriff from their alternate training site. It’s another blow to the Rays’ pitching staff, as Beeks is now lost for the season. The team didn’t announce a treatment plan for Beeks, though the presence of a sprain indicates some degree of stretching or tearing within the elbow.

In the past week alone, the Rays have lost lefty Brendan McKay to shoulder surgery and right-hander Yonny Chirinos to Tommy John surgery. Tampa reliever Colin Poche also had Tommy John surgery earlier this season, righty Andrew Kittredge was diagnosed with a UCL sprain just two weeks ago. The Rays have also been without Charlie Morton for several weeks to shoulder inflammation. Also on the IL for the Rays are key relievers Nick Anderson, Oliver Drake, Jose Alvarado and Chaz Roe.

Beeks looks as if he’ll be a significant loss to Tampa Bay’s bullpen, which saw the 27-year-old turn in outstanding numbers this season before his campaign came to a premature end. Beeks made 12 appearances for the Rays and logged a 3.26 ERA/1.76 BB/9 with 12.1 K/9 and 1.86 BB/9 across 19 1/3 innings.

The Rays are obviously hopeful Sherriff will step up in the absence of Beeks and the rest of the their pitchers, but he brings a limited track record to the table and is coming off a major injury. Sherriff has thrown just 20 big league innings, all with the Cardinals from 2017-18, and owns a 4.05 ERA/4.51 FIP with 8.1 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and an exemplary 62.3 percent groundball rate. He signed with the Rays way back in October 2018, but the Tommy John surgery he underwent in June of that year mostly kept him on ice last season. In his first year with the Tampa Bay organization in 2019, Sherriff combined for just seven innings between the rookie and High-A levels.

Indians Recall Mike Clevinger

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Aug. 26: Cleveland has officially recalled Clevinger and optioned catcher Beau Taylor to the alternate site in a corresponding move. It’s worth noting, too, that while there’d been some drama surrounding the possibility that Clevinger’s path to free agency would be delayed if he spent 20 or more days at the alternate site, he’ll fall shy of that mark and remain on track for free agency after the 2022 campaign.

Aug. 25: The Indians announced that right-hander Mike Clevinger will be recalled from their alternate training site prior to tomorrow’s game with the Twins.  Clevinger will get the start in his return to big league action.

It has been a whirlwind few weeks for Clevinger, who went from being the nominal ace of the Cleveland rotation to being placed on the restricted list, then sent to the club’s alternate training site, and now could even be a trade candidate.  It all stems from the now-infamous incident that saw Clevinger and Zach Plesac violate the Tribe’s COVID-19 protocols by leaving the team hotel for a night out in Chicago, and then not admitting their fault until the club itself discovered the transgression.  Clevinger’s involvement didn’t even come to light until Plesac had already issued an apology to his teammates after being quarantined.

The incident left many Indians players understandably upset at Clevinger and Plesac, particularly after Plesac compounded the problem with an Instagram video blaming the media for allegedly exaggerating the situation.  In regards to Plesac, Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti told MLB.com’s Mandy Bell and other reporters that after Clevinger’s recall was announced, Antonetti called Plesac to say “they don’t have an opportunity for him at this time at the Major League level.”  As such, Plesac will continue to pitch at the alternate training site until an opening develops (or, given the August 31 trade deadline is nearing, perhaps until a trade can be worked out).

Amidst all this controversy, the Tribe is 17-12 and in possession of a wild card spot.  Somewhat incredibly, Cleveland has barely missed Clevinger or Plesac, with Shane Bieber posting Cy Young-caliber numbers, Aaron Civale and Carlos Carrasco pitching well, and Triston McKenzie coming off an eye-opening Major League debut.  Adam Plutko hasn’t been as effective, so he will likely be the odd man out now that Clevinger is back…or, perhaps just until Clevinger himself is dealt.

Clevinger has had an up-and-down year even just in terms of his on-field results.  While he has a 3.24 ERA over 16 2/3 innings, ERA indicators (6.25 FIP, 5.38 xFIP, 5.46 SIERA) and batted-ball data (a .376 xwOBA that is much higher than his .338 wOBA) hint that Clevinger hasn’t been himself on the mound.  Clevinger has been aided by a .205 BABIP and a 97.6% strand rate, while already allowing four home runs and 10 walks over his 16 2/3 frames.

Red Sox Outright Stephen Gonsalves, Mike Shawaryn; R.J. Alvarez Released

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The Red Sox announced Wednesday that recently designated-for-assignment hurlers Stephen Gonsalves and Mike Shawaryn were outrighted after clearing waivers. Gonsalves was assigned to the team’s alternate training site, meaning he’s still in the 60-man player pool and eligible to pitch for the Sox in 2020 if they select his contract to the 40-man roster. That’s not true of Shawaryn, who has been removed from the team’s player pool entirely. Boston has also released right-hander R.J. Alvarez, who had been pitching at the alternate training site.

Gonsalves, once a top prospect within the Twins organization, has bounced from the Twins to the Mets to the Sox since last season drew to a close. He sports a career 3.46 ERA with 8.6 K/9 and a less-palatable 4.9 BB/9 in 125 Triple-A frames, as well as a 2.35 ERA in 184 Double-A innings. Gonsalves has struggled greatly in limited MLB action, although he never got much of a look in Minnesota and didn’t pitch with the Mets’ big league club at all. Arm injuries have hampered him in recent years, and it’s perhaps somewhat telling that he went unclaimed on waivers. Still, the Sox see enough in him to keep him on hand as a depth option in the player pool.

That much can’t be said of the 26-year-old Shawaryn, who was one of the organization’s best-ranked pitching prospects for several years (albeit in a poorly regarded farm system). Last season saw Shawaryn pitch to a 4.52 ERA with a lackluster 76-to-49 K/BB ratio in 89 2/3 frames with Triple-A Pawtucket. He was crushed for 22 runs on 26 hits (five homers) and 13 walks with 29 strikeouts in 20 1/3 innings in his first taste of the Majors. Prior to that, he’d put together a solid track record, averaging about eight strikeouts and two walks per nine innings pitched with a mid-3.00s ERA in his time in the upper minors.

Alvarez, 29, was hoping for his first trip to the big leagues since a 2015 run with the A’s, but it seems that won’t come with the Red Sox. He’s spent time with the Cubs, Rangers and Marlins organizations since his last Major League action, including some time as a closer with the Triple-A affiliates for Texas and Miami. Alvarez has a 4.22 ERA in 179 Triple-A frames and has averaged nearly 11 strikeouts per nine at that level.

Nationals Option Carter Kieboom, Activate Sean Doolittle

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The Nationals announced Wednesday that they’ve optioned struggling third baseman Carter Kieboom to their alternate training site in order to open a spot on the roster for lefty Sean Doolittle, who has been reinstated from the injured list.

Though Kieboom has yet to find his groove at the plate in 2020, it’s still a surprise to see the Nats option him out. The organizational hope had been that the 22-year-old, long considered one of MLB’s top overall prospects, could step into the Anthony Rendon-sized void in that lineup. That’s not to say that anyone expected the 2016 first-rounder to single-handedly make up for Rendon’s lost production, but Kieboom has been touted as a potentially plus hitter in his own right.

The future for Kieboom may still be bright, but he’s yet to find success in multiple big league auditions. He’s without an extra-base hit through 64 plate appearances this year, and he’s batted a combined .169/.299/.236 in 107 PAs dating back to last year’s debut. Clearly, that’s a far cry from last year’s .303/.409/.493 slash in 494 trips to the plate with Triple-A Fresno.

With Kieboom now out of the mix at third base and Starlin Castro on the shelf following surgery to repair a fractured wrist, the Nats will need to lean more heavily on the veteran trio of Asdrubal Cabrera, Josh Harrison and Howie Kendrick to carry the freight at second and third base. Kendrick has been limited to first base and DH exclusively in 2020, but he did appear in 23 games at second base and 15 games at third base during the 2019 regular season. Depending on how the Nats approach Monday’s looming trade deadline, we could see them look to add some infield depth — although starting pitching seems like a greater area of focus with Stephen Strasburg lost for the year and 60 percent of the rotation struggling to ERAs north of 5.00.

Stephen Strasburg Undergoes Carpal Tunnel Surgery

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Stephen Strasburg underwent surgery to alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome in his right hand earlier today, Nationals manager Dave Martinez tells reporters (Twitter link via Todd Dybas of NBC Sports Washington). Surgery was already known to be in store for Strasburg, who was placed on the 45-day injured list over the weekend. He’ll be out for the remainder of the 2020 season. The team has yet to provide a timeline for his recovery, though the hope is that he’ll be ready to go in 2021.

The 32-year-old Strasburg appeared in just two games this year and has otherwise been shelved by ongoing issues in his right hand. He was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome a bit more than a week ago and, after visiting with a specialist late last week, made the decision on Saturday to undergo surgery.

The absence of Strasburg has surely played a role in a pedestrian season for the Nats, who currently sit at 11-16, placing them last in the National League East. Washington, of course, famously rallied from a dismal start to the 2019 season as well, but if they’re to enjoy a similar Cinderella tale in 2020, they’ll need to do so without the help of last year’s World Series MVP.

With Strasburg sidelined, the Nats have been leaning on a combination of Max Scherzer, Patrick Corbin, Anibal Sanchez, Austin Voth and Erick Fedde as their primary starters. Scherzer has had some uncharacteristic struggles but still posted passable results, but each of Sanchez (6.48 ERA), Voth (6.65) and Fedde (5.11) has struggled considerably. There’s no indication yet as to how the Nats plan to proceed at this year’s Aug. 31 trade deadline, but considering the fact that virtually the entire National League (Pittsburgh excluded) is within two and a half games of a Wild Card spot, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Washington pursue some affordable rotation upgrades — both to bolster its hopes in 2020 and perhaps to reinforce the staff in subsequent campaigns.

Martinez also revealed Wednesday that lefty Seth Romero, the Nationals’ first-round pick from 2017 who made his MLB debut earlier this year, will undergo surgery to place a pin his fractured right hand (Twitter link via Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post). Martinez explained recently that Romero suffered the fracture when he slipped on some stairs and braced for the fall with his right hand. While it’s fortunate for his long-term outlook that the injury wasn’t in his pitching hand, the procedure seems likely to end Romero’s season.

The 24-year-old Romero allowed four runs in 2 2/3 innings over three appearances in his first taste of the Majors. He’d missed much of the 2018 season and all of the 2019 season due to an elbow injury that ultimately required Tommy John surgery. To this point, Romero has still thrown only 50 professional innings.

Latest On Keone Kela, Joe Musgrove

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Pirates righty Keone Kela exited last Friday’s relief outing due to forearm tightness, and the right-hander still hasn’t thrown since that departure, director of sports medicine Todd Tomczyk tells reporters (Twitter links via MLB.com’s Adam Berry and The Athletic’s Rob Biertempfel). As for righty Joe Musgrove, who is out with triceps inflammation, he’s set to pitch in a simulated game in the next couple of days.

The injury status of both righties is of particular note with the Aug. 31 trade deadline looming Monday. As a pending free agent on a last-place club, Kela in particular seems like a lock to be moved — if he’s healthy. At this point, it’s not at all clear that’s the case, and there’s minimal time for him to demonstrate his health for potential suitors.

The return for rental players is already expected to be diminished in 2020 given that the post-deadline portion of the schedule is now only four weeks, as opposed to two months in a conventional season. Questions about Kela’s health will only further drive down the price, but there’s little reason for the Pirates to hang onto him, given that he’s not a candidate to receive a qualifying offer this winter.

There’d be less urgency to move Musgrove, but had he been healthy, it’s easy to see him landing among the game’s more coveted arms. Teams are extra-motivated to acquire players controlled beyond the 2020 season, and Musgrove, who has cemented himself as a solid third or fourth starter, is controllable through 2022. The rebuilding Pirates aren’t going to be in position to contend by that time, so shopping Musgrove would make plenty of sense. Due to what is already more than a three-week IL stint, however, it seems likelier that he’ll be marketed in the offseason. A trade could technically come together if he returns by Aug. 31 or even if he’s still on the injured list, but as with Kela, health concerns could reduce what other teams are willing to offer.

Elsewhere on the roster, Tomczyk revealed that slugger Colin Moran is currently in concussion protocol after being involved in a collision at first base Monday. He’s out to a blistering start to the 2020 season and could’ve been viewed as a trade candidate himself, but he’ll likely need to be cleared and return to play if any team is to show interest. Moran is defensively limited, to say the least, but he’s hitting .259/.326/.531 (129 wRC+) and is controllable through the 2023 season.

Giants Trade Rob Brantly To Yankees

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The Yankees have acquired veteran catcher Rob Brantly from the Giants in exchange for cash and assigned him to their alternate training site, per a team announcement. Brantly was designated for assignment early in the season and assigned outright to the Giants’ alternate site after clearing waivers. He’s not currently on the 40-man roster but will be added to the Yankees’ 60-man player pool.

The 31-year-old Brantly appeared in just one game with the Giants and went 0-for-3 before his DFA. He’s a well-traveled veteran that has seen action in parts of six MLB seasons, hitting at a combined .228/.292/.330 clip in 432 plate appearances. Brantly has a solid 28 percent caught-stealing rate from behind the dish but less favorable number in terms of pitch framing.

Brantly will add some catching depth to a Yankees club that has seen Gary Sanchez struggle at the plate and Chris Iannetta depart for retirement. Backup Kyle Higashioka, meanwhile, is on the injured list due to an oblique strain, which prompted the Yankees to bring up veteran Erik Kratz. New York also has catchers Josh Thole, Max McDowell and Wynston Sawyer at its alternate training site at the moment.

Trade Notes: Mets, Twins, Pirates, Red Sox

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Typically one for bold and confident statements, Mets GM Brodie Van Wagenen offered a more measured approach when asked about the trade deadline this week, per Newsday’s Tim Healey. While the Mets will be open to making improvements, Van Wagenen spoke of exercising caution and being “responsible for the future of the organization.” The agent-turned-GM added that he expects other clubs to take a similarly conservative approach due to the short nature of the 2020 season — particularly the post-deadline period. None of this rules out a move of note for the Mets, and Van Wagenen went to the oft-used “opportunistic” as an adjective to describe his mentality as Monday’s deadline loom.

The Mets dropped both games of yesterday’s doubleheader against the Marlins, falling to 12-16 in the process. However, they’re part of a tightly bunched group of NL clubs with mediocre records. The Pirates are currently the only team in the NL more than 2.5 games back from a potential playoff spot.

Some more trade chatter from around the game…

  • The Twins are tied with the Rays for the second-best record in the American League, but a major move to further separate them from the pack may not be in the offing. President of baseball operations Derek Falvey instead emphasized to Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune the importance of getting some key internal reinforcements in the near future. Righty Michael Pineda will be eligible to return from a reduced PED suspension Sunday, adding a big arm to the club’s rotation mix. Likewise, third baseman Josh Donaldson, out for much of this month with a calf issue, is nearing a return. Falvey acknowledged taking an overly “conservative” approach to Donaldson’s rehab, given his history of calf troubles and the desire to have him at 100 percent for the playoff push. The Twins are open to trade opportunities, of course, but don’t seem as pressed to make a move thanks to their strong start and existing depth.
  • On the opposite side of the coin, Pirates general manager Ben Cherington is “trying to sell everything,” one rival executive tells Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. That’s hardly a surprise given the Pirates’ miserable start to the 2020 season and the recent regime change that installed Cherington atop the baseball ops hierarchy. Cherington will have a difficult line to walk as his best chips (Keone Kela and Joe Musgrove) have injury concern while others who should be appealing (e.g. Gregory Polanco, Josh Bell, Adam Frazier) have gotten out to disastrous starts that will likely weaken the offers submitted by other clubs (or eliminate interest entirely).
  • Christian Vazquez knows that the Red Sox will be fielding offers for him over the next five days, writes Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, but he hopes to remain in Boston and says he’d prefer to spend his whole career with the Sox. That’s obviously out of his control at the moment, with the Sox likely willing to move just about anyone outside of Xander Bogaerts and Rafael Devers. As Speier examines, the history of starting catchers changing hands and making a sizable impact during deadline season is more limited than some might think. Vazquez himself weighed in on the challenges that would exist in jumping to a new club and trying to educate himself on a new pitching staff and build a rapport with so many new arms, likening it to being a “rookie” all over again. Vazquez is guaranteed $6.25MM in 2021 and has a $7MM option for the 2022 season, though, which does make him a rather appealing trade target for clubs with catching needs that span beyond 2020.

Top 50 Trade Deadline Candidates

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We’re bringing back our annual series in the run-up to the trade deadline, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. Essentially, we’re ordering players based upon our assessment of both their trade value and likelihood of being dealt. Of course, it’s very much up in the air just how many significant deals will go down during a pandemic-shortened campaign that not only features just 60 regular-season games, but more teams dreaming of playoff berths than usual. Major League Baseball decided to add three extra playoff teams per league for 2020, and that’s obviously going to impact how clubs handle the deadline. Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said as much last Friday, telling Russell Dorsey of the Chicago Sun-Times and other reporters that playoff expansion has led to “fewer” sellers than usual as Aug. 31 approaches.

Another factor that could lead to fewer trades: Players who may be dealt must consider whether they want to change teams and home cities as the coronavirus runs amok. Any player who may be on the move could decide to opt out of the season if he’s uncomfortable uprooting his life.

As a deadline unlike any we’ve seen before nears, let’s dive into our list (statistics current as of Aug. 24)…

1. Taijuan Walker, SP, Mariners: Walker is an affordable impending free agent on a clear non-contender. He’s a pure rental, but plenty of contenders are looking for rotation reinforcements. Walker has had two tough starts and three very good ones, leading to a combined 4.00 ERA with a 25-to-8 K/BB ratio in 27 innings. 

2. Keone Kela, RP, Pirates: Similar to Walker in Seattle, Kela is an impending free agent and an established pitcher on MLB’s worst team. There’s no incentive for the Bucs to hang onto him, and while the return for a one-month rental of a reliever won’t be huge, it’s better than letting him walk for nothing. Kela missed the first several weeks of 2020 on the Covid-19 IL, and he was pulled from his last appearance due to forearm tightness. The Pirates called that decision “overly cautious.” So long as he’s healthy, Kela is a lock to be flipped.

3. Dylan Bundy, SP, Angels: The once-elite prospect has looked like the ace many expected him to become, and while it’s only six starts, it’s hard not to be impressed. The Angels could hang onto him for next year, but they’re buried in the standings right now and as a pitcher controllable through 2021, Bundy will have much more appeal than rentals. GM Billy Eppler could likely flip Bundy for more than the meager price he paid to acquire him this winter. Few players have raised their stock more, and the demand for rotation help far outweighs the supply.

4. Lance Lynn, SP, Rangers: Lynn’s ascension to one of the game’s best arms has come out of the blue, but there’s little denying how great he’s been since signing in Texas. He’s half through a three-year, $30MM deal and has thus far pitched to a 3.30 ERA and 3.15 FIP with 10.5 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and 0.92 HR/9. Lynn rarely throws anything other than a four-seamer or cutter, but the formula works for him; he’s lasted at least five innings in 39 of his 40 Rangers starts and averaged 6 1/3 frames per outing. Signed through next season on a Rangers club that has dropped eight of nine, Lynn is arguably the most coveted arm on the trade market.

5-6. Trevor Rosenthal, Greg Holland, RPs, Royals: The Royals picked up both formerly elite closers on minor league deals this winter and have been rewarded handsomely — particularly in the case of Rosenthal, who has allowed two runs with a 15-to-5 K/BB ratio in 11 1/3 frames. They’re highly affordable and on a team that is five games below .500, they should be highly available, too. The Royals opted not to move Ian Kennedy last year, and he’s a pending free agent as well, but he’s also on a $16.5MM salary in 2020 (prorated to $5.9MM) and pitching poorly.

7. Kevin Gausman, SP, Giants: The Giants signed Gausman as a one-year rental, knowing full well they’d be in position to flip him prior to the trade deadline. He’s delivered a 42-to-6 K/BB ratio with a career-best 12.2 K/9 and a 3.10 FIP so far through 31 innings. The rental market doesn’t feature many prominent names in 2020, but Gausman is among the best performers and likeliest names to be moved.

8. Tony Watson, RP, Giants: A veteran lefty that’ll become a free agent after the 2020 season, Watson has allowed one run through 9 2/3 frames with the Giants. He has closing experience, handles righties nearly as well as lefties and is playing on an affordable one-year deal. There’s little reason for Giants to hold here, and any club in need of ’pen help would harbor some level of interest.

9. Kevin Pillar, OF, Red Sox: Seeking a steady veteran for their outfield back in February, the Red Sox inked Pillar to a one-year, $4.25MM deal after the club traded Mookie Betts. Needless to say, Pillar’s no Betts, but the former Blue Jay and Giant has been a bright spot on a bad Boston team. Pillar, 31, has batted .278/.340/.454 through 106 plate appearances, though his numbers have tumbled recently. Regardless, Pillar’s a well-regarded defender (albeit not the all-world one he used to be) who can play all three outfield positions and a passable enough hitter that he could garner interest from contenders looking to bolster outfield depth.

10. Andrelton Simmons, SS, Angels: Simmons would be higher on the list had he been healthy and productive all year, but he’s played in just seven games due to an ankle injury. The 30-year-old has been the best defender in MLB dating back to his debut and could very well change hands in the next few days. But he’s also a qualifying offer candidate, and if the offers for him don’t outweigh the value of a compensatory draft pick, the Halos could just hold.

11-12. Tommy La Stella, INF; Jason Castro, C, Angels: A pair of affordable veterans who are set to be free agents this winter, La Stella and Castro both figure to be available. La Stella’s bat has erupted with a .288/.350/.478 showing since he landed in Anaheim in 2019. Castro isn’t hitting for average, but he’s considered a premium defender with huge walk rates and some pop in his bat. That’s been the case with the Halos and will be the case wherever else he lands.

13. Derek Holland, SP/RP, Pirates: The Bucs have used Holland in the rotation (plus one relief outing), and he’s been a passable option outside a nine-run drubbing at the hands of the Tigers. A rival club might not view him as a rotation piece, but lefties are hitting .143/.143/.214 against Holland this year. The three-batter minimum limits a team’s ability to use anyone as a specialist, but Holland has a long enough track record in the Majors that someone could still drop him into the ’pen and hope to match him up against lefties more than righties.

14. Matt Barnes, RP, Red Sox: Barnes has already watched teammates Brandon Workman and Heath Hembree get shipped out, and he’s not likely to be far behind. It’s true that he’s had a pair of rough outings recently that have ballooned his ERA to 5.73, but it’s also true that he averaged better than 15 K/9 last year. Since 2016, Barnes has a 3.92 ERA and 3.38 FIP with 12.3 K/9. He’s controlled through 2021.

15. Buck Farmer, RP, Tigers: Farmer has emerged as a steady relief presence in a shaky Detroit bullpen. He’s dropped his slider usage in favor of his changeup this year, with the result being far fewer strikeouts but considerably more grounders. Farmer is controlled cheaply through 2022 and induces gobs of weak contact.

16-17. Mychal Givens, Miguel Castro, RPs, Orioles: The O’s start to the season turned some heads, but they’ve dropped seven of 10 and faded from the division picture, as most would expect. Givens, controlled through 2021, has been a rumored trade piece for years and is out to another strong start. Castro, controlled through 2022, has 21 punchouts and a career-high 54.5 percent grounder rate in 13 2/3 innings. Baltimore could shop them individually, but a package deal could hold appeal to a bullpen-needy club.

18. Christian Vazquez, C, Red Sox: Long a sterling defensive backstop, Vazquez broke out with 23 big flies last season and hit .276/.320/.477 overall. He’s not hitting as well in 2020, but Vazquez is at least an average hitter at his position with a plus glove. He’s guaranteed $6.25MM in 2021 and has a $7MM club option for 2022.

19-20. Mike Clevinger, Zach Plesac, SPs, Indians:  Clevinger and Plesac have shown they’re capable of performing at high levels, and they’re each under control for multiple years. Both pitchers violated the league’s health-and-safety protocols this month, though, drawing some ire within the organization. The Indians optioned both players after that, even though they provide plenty of on-field value, and finally recalled Clevinger on Tuesday. He’s the likelier of the two to move given his mounting arbitration salary and lesser amount of team control. He’s controlled through 2022, while Plesac is controlled through 2025.

21. Matt Magill, RP, Mariners: Magill’s 2020 numbers are skewed after being rocked for five runs in one outing last week, but prior to that he looked like a terrific waiver gem for the M’s. If you’re willing to allow that all relievers are prone to the occasional implosion, Magill’s first 30 appearances with the Mariners produced a 2.67 ERA and 2.94 FIP with 11.0 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a hefty 14.7 percent swinging-strike rate. Magill bounced back from that brutal appearance with a perfect inning. He’s controlled through 2023 and has a 3.94 ERA with 38 strikeouts in 32 innings with the Mariners.

22. Hanser Alberto, 2B/3B, Orioles: Alberto just hasn’t stopped hitting with the O’s. He’s batting .305/.329/.429 in 671 plate appearances dating back to 2019. Alberto almost never walks (2.9% in Baltimore), but he’s also extremely difficult to strike out (10 percent). His power output is up in 2020 thanks to a deluge of doubles, and he’s a solid glove at either second or third (and playable at short in a pinch). The O’s control him through 2022, but a contending club with infield needs could benefit immediately.

23. Brian Goodwin, OF, Angels: Claimed off release waivers from the Royals at the end of Spring Training 2019, Goodwin has batted .258/.325/.470 in 555 plate appearances with the Halos over his past 162 games. He’s controllable through 2022 and has experience at all three outfield spots, but the Halos have Jo Adell up with Brandon Marsh not far behind. Moving Goodwin could open more time for the kids while returning some decent talent. (They’re not getting out from under the Justin Upton deal anytime soon.)

24. Rick Porcello, SP, Mets: The Mets play nine games in the next six days — 2020 is weird, folks — which will largely determine their deadline approach. Porcello was absolutely clobbered in his first start (seven runs, two innings) and has pitched well since (11 runs, 23 innings, 20-to-3 K/BB ratio). If things go south for the Mets, he’ll vault up this list.

25. Brandon Kintzler, RP, Marlins: The 36-year-old looks like he usually does: low strikeout rate, excellent control, plus ground-ball rate. He has high-leverage experience, gets gobs of grounders with a bowling-ball sinker and is playing on a one-year deal with a Miami club that has admittedly surprised to this point. Maybe the Fish will feel the return doesn’t justify dealing him when they’re on the fringe of the postseason race, but it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Kintzler move.

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Pitching Notes: Hader, Bumgarner, Pearson, Dodgers, Beeks, Wright

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On a night in which White Sox ace Lucas Giolito fired the first no-hitter of 2020, let’s check in on several other notable pitchers…

  • The Brewers are “listening” to offers for star reliever Josh Hader, but it’s not likely the club will trade the 26-year-old left-hander before the Aug. 31 deadline, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes (subscription link). Milwaukee was also willing to entertain proposals for Hader last winter, but it elected to retain him heading into this year – his first of four potential arbitration seasons. For a bargain price this season (a prorated $4.1MM), Hader has given the Brewers 9 1/3 scoreless, hitless innings with 13 strikeouts and five walks. He’s obviously not someone the Brewers are going to give up for anything less than a massive offer.
  • After throwing a 70-pitch bullpen session Sunday, Diamondbacks southpaw Madison Bumgarner could be closing in on a return from the injured list, per Steve Gilbert of MLB.com. Bumgarner has been on the IL since Aug. 9 with a mid-back strain, but he came out of his bullpen session unscathed, which manager Torey Lovullo called “very encouraging news.” The former Giant’s first season as a Diamondback has been anything but encouraging, though. After inking a five-year, $85MM contract in the offseason, Bumgarner has logged a 9.35 ERA/8.79 FIP with 6.75 K/9, 3.63 BB/9 and a 23.7 percent groundball rate in 17 1/3 innings. The 31-year-old averaged a career-worst 87.8 mph on his fastball during that four-start stretch, but Lovullo revealed Bumgarner’s “velo ticked up a little bit” during sim games.
  • Right-hander Nate Pearson, whom the Blue Jays placed on the IL on Aug. 19, has been diagnosed with a flexor strain, according to Scott Mitchell of TSN. He’s hoping to play catch this weekend, Mitchell reports, though it remains unclear if the rookie will return in 2020. Pearson struggled to a 6.61 ERA/7.60 FIP with 7.71 K/9 and 6.61 BB/9 over four starts and 16 1/3 frames before going on the shelf.
  • Dodgers righty Joe Kelly has been on the IL since Aug. 10 with shoulder inflammation, and a return isn’t imminent for the reliever. Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday (via Ken Gurnick of MLB.com) that Kelly remains “a ways away” from rejoining the Dodgers. When Kelly does come back, he’ll have to serve a five-game suspension stemming from a July 28 dustup with the Astros. Meanwhile, Dodgers lefty Alex Wood won’t come off the IL before the end of the month, Gurnick tweets. Wood, who’s also dealing with shoulder inflammation, has only made one appearance this year (on July 25).
  • The Rays’ injury-laden pitching staff may have lost yet another hurler Tuesday, when southpaw Jalen Beeks left their game with an elbow/forearm issue. Manager Kevin Cash didn’t come off as optimistic afterward, saying (via Juan Toribio of MLB.com), “It sounded similar to Kitt, but we don’t know anything yet.” Cash was referring to righty Andrew Kittredge, who went on the 45-day IL on Aug. 12 with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament. A similar fate would be a season-ender for Beeks, who has been terrific in 2020. The 27-year-old has notched a 3.26 ERA and a much more impressive 1.74 FIP with 12.1 K/9 against 1.86 BB/9 across 19 1/3 innings.
  • Veteran knuckleballer Steven Wright hasn’t taken a major league mound since July 13, 2019, but the former Red Sox righty informed Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe that he’s not ready to call it a career. “I just don’t want to sit back in a few years and wish I had tried it,” said the soon-to-be 36-year-old Wright, who threw 35 pitches from a mound last week and told Abraham, “I’m throwing two bullpens a week and I’m feeling healthy for the first time since 2016.” Wright was an All-Star that year, but he then faced knee problems, Tommy John surgery, a performance-enhancing drugs suspension and an arrest on domestic violence charges (which led to a 15-game ban) during the ensuing seasons.

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