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Archives for August 2020

A’s-Astros Game Postponed Due To Positive COVID-19 Test

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11:25 am: Another positive test at the Astros’ alternate site has again forced the organization to shut the complex down, reports Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).

9:30 am: Today’s Athletics-Astros game in Houston has been postponed following a positive COVID-19 test in the Oakland organization, the A’s announced. The club is conducting contact tracing and will isolate in Houston pending further testing. An Oakland player tested positive for the virus, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link).

Hopefully, the immediate postponement of games and isolation can prevent a clubhouse outbreak akin to the ones that affected the Marlins and Cardinals earlier this season. More recently, positive tests within the Reds’ and Mets’ organizations have been successfully contained with rapid postponements and isolation. Even in those situations, the affected teams were held out of action for at least four days pending contact tracing and additional testing. It seems likely that Oakland’s upcoming series against the Mariners, scheduled for next Tuesday through Thursday in Seattle, is also in jeopardy (although MLB has not yet addressed those games).

This is the first COVID-related postponement of games in the Western divisions. The Astros’ alternate training site was shut down by a positive test last weekend but was reopened three days later.

A’s Reportedly Targeting Bullpen Help

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The A’s are seemingly in the hunt for an addition to their bullpen, hears Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). To that end, Oakland was in on Trevor Rosenthal before the Royals traded the right-hander to the Padres yesterday, Feinsand adds.

The A’s bullpen has been a big part of their 22-12 start. Oakland relievers have pitched to a league-best 1.87 ERA and 2.92 FIP this season, with strong contributions from Liam Hendriks, Joakim Soria, Lou Trivino and others. Nevertheless, there’s little harm for the Oakland front office in seeking to lengthen the pen. The club’s starting rotation has been a middle-of-the-road unit. An even deeper bullpen would give manager Bob Melvin more ammunition to mix-and-match on the pitching staff, which could be especially useful in the postseason.

Beyond Rosenthal (who’s obviously no longer a trade candidate), it isn’t clear specifically who Oakland is targeting. There are a host of relievers who look like potential trade candidates, among them Kansas City’s Greg Holland, Baltimore’s Mychal Givens/Miguel Castro and Boston’s Matt Barnes.

Cubs Acquire Jose Martinez From Rays

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The Cubs are acquiring designated hitter José Martínez from the Rays, per ESPN’s Jeff Passan (Twitter link). Chicago is sending two players to be named later or cash considerations in exchange. Catcher Josh Phegley has been designated for assignment to clear roster space.

Martínez burst onto the scene with the Cubs’ archrival Cardinals between 2017-18, hitting .306/.369/.478 over those two seasons. Since the start of 2019, Martínez has put up a more pedestrian .264/.339/.406 mark split between St. Louis and Tampa Bay, although he’s continued to feast on left-handed pitching in that time.

The Rays just picked Martínez up from St. Louis over the offseason in a trade that sent top pitching prospect Matthew Liberatore to the Cardinals and also brought back outfielder Randy Arozarena. He played a little bit of first base in Tampa but will obviously be seen almost exclusively as a DH in Chicago, where Anthony Rizzo has first locked down. Martínez will make just over $320K the rest of this season, followed by two additional years of arbitration control. With Martínez gone, Tampa figures to lean more heavily on Yoshi Tsutsugo and Ji-Man Choi at first base/DH.

Braves Acquire Tommy Milone

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10:51 am: The deal is official. Atlanta designated first baseman Matt Adams for assignment to clear roster space for Milone, who is in fact set to start tonight’s game for the Braves.

8:26 am: The Braves are nearing a deal to acquire left-hander Tommy Milone from the Orioles, reports Mark Bowman of MLB.com (Twitter link). Atlanta will send two prospects, neither of whom is in the Braves’ 60-man player pool, to Baltimore, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). Because they are outside the player pool, those prospects will be included as players to be named later. Presumably, we won’t know their identities until after the end of the season.

Milone, 33, was surprisingly named Baltimore’s Opening Day starter after latching on with the organization on a minor-league deal over the offseason. That start didn’t go as planned, but he’s quietly performed well in his five starts since. Overall, Milone has a 3.99 ERA in 29.1 innings this season.

The soft-tossing Milone has always been a control artist, and that’s continued in 2020. More importantly, he’s struck out a career-best 24% of hitters in the early going on the back of a career-high 12.5% swinging strike rate. The Braves will place a low-cost bet Milone can mostly maintain that uptick in swing-and-miss while working in his customary 86-87 MPH velocity range. His $1MM base salary was prorated to a little over $370K, of which about $173K remains. Milone will be a free agent at season’s end.

It still seems there’s room for the Braves to explore further rotation acquisitions. Max Fried has been exceptional so far, but the rest of the rotation has been shaky. Despite those starting pitching woes, the Braves are off to an 18-14 start and two games ahead of the pack in the NL East. However, they’re not expected to be involved in the pursuit of Rangers ace Lance Lynn, hears Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link).

At 14-18, the Orioles are technically still on the periphery of the AL wild card race. Serviceable start notwithstanding, this was always expected to be a rebuilding year for Baltimore, so it’s hardly surprising to see them flip present assets for future value. Prospects Keegan Akin and Dean Kremer are already on the 40-man roster and are speculative candidates to replace Milone in the starting rotation.

Marlins Activate Sandy Alcantara From IL

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The Marlins have activated right-hander Sandy Alcantara from the injured list, per Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Fellow right-hander Jesús Tinoco has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move.

Alcantara hit the IL for undisclosed reasons amidst Miami’s COVID-19 clubhouse outbreak. The hard-throwing sinkerballer, an All-Star in 2019, has been limited to just one start this season. He’ll start this afternoon’s game against Tampa Bay.

Tinoco, a 25-year-old reliever, has pitched five scoreless innings for Miami this season, albeit with three strikeouts and walks apiece. He has a career 4.17 ERA/7.40 FIP in 41 innings with the Rockies and Marlins over the past two seasons.

Padres Acquire Mitch Moreland

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The Padres have acquired first baseman Mitch Moreland from the Red Sox. Prospects Hudson Potts and Jeisson Rosario are headed to Boston in return.

Moreland, 34, has been in Boston since the start of 2017. On the whole, he’s been a little better than average at the plate, combining for a .251/.332/.471 line (108 wRC+). He has been on an absolute tear this season, though, blasting eight home runs in 79 plate appearances en route to a .328/.430/.746 slash. Moreland has always hit the ball hard, generally avoided strikeouts and drawn his fair share of walks.

Like incumbent Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer, Moreland’s a left-handed bat, but he could complement right-handed hitting DH Ty France. Thanks in part to strong contributions from Hosmer and France, San Diego’s lineup has been among the best in baseball this season. Moreland is owed the balance of his $925K prorated salary and comes with an affordable $3MM club option for 2021.

In exchange, Boston picks up a pair of well-regarded prospects. Both Potts and Rosario were included among Baseball America’s top 30 Padre farmhands midseason. Potts, a 21-year-old third baseman, draws praise for his big-time raw power and comes with a first-round pedigree, but some scouts question his bat-to-ball skills. He performed well in the low minors, but scuffled a bit last season, when he hit .227/.290/.406 with a 28.6% strikeout rate in Double-A. In fairness, Potts was very young for that level, and the Texas League’s an extremely pitcher-friendly environment regardless.

Rosario, 20, was a high-priced international signee from the Pads’ vaunted 2016 J2 class. He draws ample praise for his athleticism and center field defense, although it’s up in the air how much impact he’ll make offensively despite seemingly exceptional plate discipline. Rosario has topped out at the High-A level, where he hit .242/.372/.314 with three home runs in 525 plate appearances.

All told, it’s a pretty strong haul for Boston, especially since Moreland’s fantastic start hadn’t helped propel them past an 11-22 record. That said, roster rules help explain why the Padres were willing to part with both players. Each needs to be added to the 40-man this offseason or else be exposed to the Rule V draft. The Pads, who continue to progress their swath of strong prospects to the high minors and above, have a seeming roster crunch incoming. The Red Sox, on the other hand, don’t have a particularly well-regarded farm system and can more easily find roster space for Potts and Rosario this offseason.

To clear immediate space for the prospects in their 60-man player pool, Boston released infielder Marco Hernández. The 27-year-old amassed a .265/.300/.342 line in parts of three seasons in Boston.

Robert Murray first reported that Moreland had been traded to San Diego (Twitter link). Dennis Lin of the Athletic first reported the return (via Twitter).

Mets Place Steven Matz, Dellin Betances On 10-Day IL

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The Mets have placed relievers Steven Matz and Dellin Betances on the 10-day injured list, per various reporters (including Joel Sherman of the New York Post). Matz is dealing with left shoulder discomfort, while Betances has right lat tightness. Fellow relievers Drew Smith and Franklyn Kilome have been recalled from the alternate training site in their stead. Additionally, right-hander Ariel Jurado is up as the 29th man for today’s doubleheader against the Yankees.

Matz, recently moved to the bullpen after a rough start to the year in the rotation, left his first relief appearance after only one inning. It’s been a difficult season for Betances, as well. In 10.1 relief innings across 13 games, he’s allowed seven runs (all earned) on seven walks against eight strikeouts. His fastball velocity, meanwhile, is down five miles per hour from his peak with the Yankees. While both of these pitchers have had injury troubles in the past, it’s fair to wonder how big a role the Mets’ schedule played in these cases. New York was forced to take a five-day hiatus following a pair of positive COVID-19 tests in the organization last weekend.

Red Sox Unlikely To Trade Xander Bogaerts, J.D. Martinez

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At 11-22, the Red Sox are one of the league’s few clear sellers. In recent days, teams have been connected to each of Matt Barnes, Christian Vázquez, Kevin Pillar and Jackie Bradley, Jr. While those players all look like strong trade candidates, star shortstop Xander Bogaerts and designated hitter J.D. Martinez are unlikely to be traded before Monday’s deadline, hears Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter).

That’s not particularly surprising, as Bogaerts and Martinez were always something of longshots to move because of their contractual situations. The former signed a six year, $120MM extension last April that’ll pay him around $3.5MM the rest of this season and guarantee him $20MM every year from 2021-25. For a player of Bogaerts’ caliber, that’s a more than reasonable rate in a vacuum. But teams are often reluctant to take on hefty financial commitments mid-season, and that’s all the more true in a year when every team is facing massive, pandemic-driven revenue losses.

It’s possible the Sox could explore a Bogaerts trade this offseason, although getting a deal done would hardly be much easier. His extension comes with a potential full no-trade clause that will kick in September 6, meaning Bogaerts could block any offseason move. He also has an opt-out clause after 2022, further complicating matters. If Boagerts continues to perform at an elite level, he’d very likely exercise that opt-out and hit free agency two-plus years from now. If he were to underperform or get bogged down by injury, any acquiring team would be on the hook for the entirety of the deal at fairly significant rates.

Those logistical challenges cast doubt on the likelihood of a trade, but Bogaerts continues to offer fantastic production. He’s been the seventh most valuable position player by fWAR since the start of 2018, hitting a robust .299/.372/.541 (137 wRC+) with solid defense at shortstop. Disappointing 2020 aside, Boston doesn’t seem ticketed for any sort of large-scale rebuild. They’d certainly be happy to continue slotting Bogaerts into the middle of the lineup if they’re not bowled over by a great offer.

While Bogaerts has continued to perform up to his lofty standards, Martinez has not. The 33-year-old would’ve been an obvious trade candidate had he been hitting anywhere near his 2018-19 levels, when he combined for a .317/.392/.593 line (154 wRC+) with 79 home runs in 1306 plate appearances. He’s off to a miserable start in 2020, though, mustering just a .207/.295/.371 mark through 31 games. More worrisome, Martinez’s average exit velocity is down over two miles per hour from last season (and over four MPH from his 2018 peak).

One poor month doesn’t negate Martinez’s elite track record, but it makes him a risky buy for potential contenders. He’s due a little over $4MM for the rest of this season and is guaranteed $38.75MM over the next two years. Martinez can opt out at the end of this season or next; while he once seemed a strong candidate to test free agency after 2020, it’s unlikely he’d do so unless he turns things around quickly. With ownership groups across the league hesitant to absorb much money, it seems Martinez will try to recapture his old form down the stretch at Fenway.

NL East Notes: Phillies, Robertson, Nationals, Braves, Musgrove

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David Robertson will not appear this season for the Philadelphia Phillies, per Jim Salisbury of NBCSPhilly (via Twitter). The reliever has been shut down from any throwing for the next six weeks. The 35-year-old reliever will now have contributed just seven appearances over the span of the two-year, $23MM deal he signed with the Phillies prior to 2019. Philadelphia has a $2MM buyout option for next season, which one has to think they’d execute after two lost seasons. Otherwise, they’ll be on the hook for $12MM in 2021. Instead, Robertson is likely headed back to the open market to look for a non-guaranteed deal. He could return to the Phillies on that type of deal as Brandon Morrow did after missing the entirety of his contract length due to injury with the Cubs, but it’s not clear now if the Phillies would even be interested in investing more time into Robertson. As we near the trade deadline, let’s check in on a couple of Philly rivals…

  • The Washington Nationals have stumbled through a rough first half to their title defense, but don’t expect the champs to sell, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. Per Heyman, selling is “not in their DNA.” It certainly hasn’t been an option most seasons for the Nats, who haven’t had a losing season since 2011. In recent seasons, we’ve seen them hold onto Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon instead of moving them before free agency. They did move Daniel Murphy a couple seasons ago to the Cubs, but even then the Nats didn’t pull the trigger until just before the August deadline. Theoretically, the Nats could look to move veterans like Kurt Suzuki, Adam Eaton, Asdrubal Cabrera, or Eric Thames, but Heyman reports that GM Mike Rizzo is more likely to add than subtract.
  • The Braves have expressed an interest in Joe Musgrove of the Pirates, per Jason MAckey of PGSportsNow. This isn’t likely to turn your hat around as the Braves have expressed interest in a number of potential rotation targets. Musgrove is one of the more likely to move, though he’s just now returning from injury. The former Astro has been a viable rotation arm throughout his career, despite just 3 starts this season. In 2019, he toed the rubber 31 times for a 11-12 record and 4.44 ERA/3.82 FIP. Lance Lynn is probably the top rotation arm available, but Musgrove fits firmly into the next tier in terms of track record and consistency.

Giants More Likely To Buy Than Sell

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The San Francisco Giants are no longer viewed around the league as a team ripe for picking, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). In fact, it’s now more likely that the Giants will look to add to their club rather than subtract.

At 15-19 the Giants sit 9 games back from the Dodgers for the division, but they’re only 2 games out of a wild card spot. Powered by surprising production from the likes of Mike Yastrzemski (2.1 fWAR), Donovan Solano (0.8 fWAR), Kevin Gausman (0.9 fWAR), and Austin Slater (1.1 fWAR), the Giants have been a surprisingly potent offensive club. They’ve been competitive on a night-to-night basis, and less than two days away from the deadline, the Giants could still go either way depending on their play this weekend. As of right now, other clubs suspect they’ll be buyers.

The Giants certainly weren’t viewed as contenders entering the season, and most probably wouldn’t put them in that camp even after a surprisingly competitive start, but with an expanded playoff field, they are as viable a postseason contender as anyone outside of Pittsburgh in a crowded National League playoff race. If they do end up buying, it’s safe to assume the Giants will still have an eye towards contention in future seasons.

Earlier tonight the Giants were reported to have interest in Jackie Bradley Jr.. Bradley isn’t the ideal candidate because he’s a free agent after the season, but San Francisco has need enough in the grass that they could look to add multiple outfielders. With limited options coming from so few non-contenders, the Giants may also simply see value in competing this season and exploring the cost of an upgrade even for this season alone. Besides, a defensive outfielder who could slide Yastrzemski back to the corner would seem to benefit the club on the whole. Alex Dickerson has struggled in left field with a triple slash of .195/.284/.351, and since Hunter Pence was DFA’ed, they have no clear everyday option in right.

On the roster, Solano has played a little in left and Mauricio Dubon also added an outfielder’s glove to his locker this winter, but both are natural infielders. Chris Shaw and Jaylin Davis are another pair of potential outfielders in the pool, though Shaw is a more natural first baseman and neither have proven track records at the major league level. San Francisco did recently add Luis Alexander Basabe and Daniel Robertson to their player pool, but neither have joined the active roster as of yet. Even so, Basabe fits the second camp as an unproven entity, while Robertson fits the first as a natural infielder.

San Francisco could also look to add to their pitching corps, which has been less successful than the offense, broadly speaking. Most of the rotation outside of Logan Webb and Tyler Anderson are heading towards free agency – another reason most expected the Giants to sell – but they could use another rotation arm regardless. Tyler Beede, Jeff Samardzija, and Drew Smyly are all on the injured list at present, while Gausman and Johnny Cueto have injury histories and Trevor Cahill left his start early today with left hip discomfort, per Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com.

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