The Yankees have announced five roster moves prior to today’s doubleheader with the Rays. Catcher Erik Kratz joins the active roster after signing a Major League contract with the team, and Kratz will take the place of catcher Kyle Higashioka, who is headed to the 10-day injured list (retroactive to August 6) due to a right oblique strain. The Yankees also brought up infielder Thairo Estrada from their alternate training camp and named righty Albert Abreu as their extra 29th man for the double-header. Right-hander Nick Tropeano has also been designated for assignment to create roster space for Estrada.
Given that even minor oblique injuries usually take a couple of weeks of recovery time, Higashioka could potentially be in danger of missing the rest of the 2020 season if he has suffered anything beyond a low-level strain. Any sort of IL stint is a tough blow to Higashioka, who was slated for a larger role as New York’s backup catcher behind Gary Sanchez when Austin Romine departed for the Tigers in the offseason.
Higashioka’s absence opens the door for Kratz to play in his 11th MLB season. The veteran signed another minors deal with the Yankees over the offseason, his third such deal in less than three years’ time, though Kratz’s total official tenure in the pinstripes consists of only four games in 2017. Mostly working as a part-timer throughout his career, Kratz will back up Sanchez as New York is now suddenly rather short at catcher if Higashioka is indeed facing a lengthy absence. Josh Thole and Max McDowell are the other catching options within the 60-man player pool, as Chris Iannetta was placed on the restricted list yesterday and could be retiring.
It wasn’t long ago that Abreu was one of the most intriguing prospects in baseball, drawing top-100 attention prior to the 2017 season and even a placement in the 100th position on Baseball Prospectus minor league rankings before the 2018 season. Coming from the Astros as part of the November 2016 trade that sent Brian McCann to Houston, Abreu has yet to truly distinguish himself over three seasons in New York’s farm system, with injuries also hampering his progress. Abreu has a 3.77 ERA, 2.11 K/BB rate, and 9.1 K/9 over 439 minor league frames, though none above the Double-A level.
MLB.com’s scouting report says “all three of Abreu’s pitches can grade as well above average,” as his repertoire includes an upper-90s fastball, a “power slurve,” and an interesting changeup. Depending on his health, Abreu’s future could be in the bullpen rather than in the starting rotation, and the Yankees are likely to use him as a reliever in his first taste of Major League action. It also isn’t certain if Abreu could just be getting a cup of coffee due to the expanded doubleheader roster, or if the Yankees have an eye towards seeing if he can contribute in a larger role throughout the season.
Tropeano’s contract was only selected on Thursday, so his tenure with the Bronx Bombers could possibly end without ever appearing in an official game. Tropeano signed a minor league deal back in January, coming to New York in the wake of a rough 2019 that saw him post a 9.88 over 13 2/3 IP with the Angels and also struggle significantly at Triple-A ball.
As I read this I got all pumped up. I was hoping Al Albreu the kid acquired from the Astros for Brian McCann was starting the 2nd game of the doubleheader today against the Rays. He is of my favorite Yankee pitching prospects that throws 3 pitches with a great fastball that can hit triple digits.
Maybe he will relieve either Loaisaga or King.
@Perksy- Hope Abreu starts. Maybe, Michael King starts. We gotta keep Johnny Lasagna in the bullpen where he belongs. He’s been great there. As a starter he is to prone to injury
It would be cool to see Abreu and Howard match up in their MLB debuts
Eric Kratz… all-decade role player team?
Way to carve out a 10-year career. It’s Pension time. Good grinding For real.
He’s played great for the Yankees in his career with a 546 OPS+, which is probably why they brought him back.
He doesn’t even have 6 years of service time. He isn’t getting that 10 year pension!
@digimike- I hope Eric Kratz takes Chris Iannetta with him. It’s definitely time to retire. But thanks for the memories. No pension at all. lol
Alright… maybe I just glanced at Erik Kratz’ 10 years of playing with MLB teams without taking actual service time into account for the pension.
So who gets a pension Erik Kratz or Chris Stewart?
Yeah, I think the noticeable lack of backup talent at C may have prompted their draft selections of catchers with high upside.
@Yankee Clipper- Your 100% percent correct. But the Yankees will probably have Austin Wells playing lst base or dhing. Don’t get me wrong they will start him off as a catcher. But it will be his bat that should get him in the majors in 2 or 3 years. Maybe, catching prospect Anthony Seigler comes up late next season. He’s young though only 21 years of age.
Yeah that’s a great point. I really hope it’s only a couple years before we see him come up. What are your thoughts on Andujar? Trade, or no?
Personally, I would love to see an Andujar trade. I suspect the package would be less than an impressive collection of talent, but I acknowledge the grey area he exists in. It would be a good barometer to base other trades on.
@Yankee Clipper- I definitely think Andujar could be traded for a starting pitcher. I know the Rangers have interest in him. You like lefty starter Mike Minor? That’s been one named discussed. I feel the Yankees would rather make a trade with the Tigers instead trading Clint Frazier for Matthew Boyd. Other pieces would be moved as well. I see the Yankees trading Frazier instead of Andujar. It’s either one or the other being moved at this year’s August 31st trade deadline. I doubt the Yankees move both players.
The Yankees are not trading Andujar or Frazier for any bottom of the rotation pitchers. They have plenty of those already. Any chance Yankees give Russell Martin a call or try to trade to get Cervelli or Romine back. Romine never should of left but I guess even the Yankees counting every penny.
Frazier or Andujar are not getting you a top or mid rotation starter. Their defensive issues lessen their value. The Yankees are not playing them due to their defense. Other teams will also share those concerns.
They’re not playing due to there being proven depth ahead of them on the depth chart. These guys would both be getting consistent playing time on at least half the other teams in the league. Their defensive issues are overstated but even if they were a concern, they would be highly productive DH’s. With the NL possibly transitioning to the DH next year and already having it this year, I definitely believe they would be able to fetch a #3 type starter in a trade.
@Yank4Life- Everyone brought up valid points in their posts. I personally don’t care for Boyd and I like Minor better for our rotation. Either way, I do believe Andujar has the potential to net a mid-rotation pitcher, even if it’s attaching a lower-value prospect (outside organizational top 5). I agree with YoungNasty that his bat would play well on many teams, and at DH, his numbers likely all go up, IMHO.
Their defensive issues are overstated? Andujar was the lowest rated defensive 3B in the majors in 2018, his only full season. His defense is terrible. Many teams like to rotate players through their DH position. Other teams already have a DH. Andujar does not have the value that you think he has. .
@hockeyjohn- your absolutely right. Andujar is a lousy defender everyone knows this and it hurts his trade value. But I totally disagree that he is “Untradable”.The NL has a dh now for this year and next season and maybe even longer so that is an option. You say that Matthew Boyd & Mike Minor are mid starters. Both the Tigers & Rangers both have interest in Andujar & Frazier. Not saying they will be gold glove winners at their positions. Frazier would be playing left field this season platooning with Tauchman if Gardner wasn’t still here. Gardy’s team option is likely not to picked up next season. Frazier’s defense isn’t as bad as Andujar’s. I favor Andujar over Frazier though. The Cubs have wanted Andujar to play for them now for a few years. Kris Bryant can play 3rd and Andujar can dh, play some left field, play some lst, and spell Bryant a few days a week at 3rd base. I do feel the Cubs would move Kyle Schwarber for Andujar. The Yanks will likely trade Frazier or Andujar by or at the August 31st deadline. Don’t be shocked to see Matthew Boyd, Mike Minor, or Robbie Ray being traded to the Yanks. More pieces will be involved in the trade. It won’t be a 1 for 1 transaction.
YoungNastyMan- Even if Andujar is a dh like everyone is saying he can definitely fetch a #3 or a #4 starter like you brought out earlier. The Yankees are unlikely trading Frazier & Andujar it is likely one or the other. Keep in mind a spot should be there for next season for one of them when Gardy’s team option won’t be picked up. No reason why the Yanks won’t be able to acquire a Mike Minor, Matthew Boyd, or a Robbie Ray for either Andujar or Frazier. Don’t be shocked like hockeyjohn will be when it happens. So I totally disagree with him. These players have more value that he gives them credit for. He hates the Yankees because they have the money to actually pay their stars from leaving their franchise, when the Indians can’t do this because their a small market club. I do feel bad for them that they have to watch their stars leave and get nothing back for them except draft picks. It doesn’t seem worth it to me.
@Yankee Clipper- I hope hockeyjohn isn’t getting in your head? He has some knowledge and is a diehard Indian’s fan. Which I respect. But there is absolutely no reason why the Yankees can’t get a #3 or #4 starter in the majors for either Andujar or Frazier. They have more value then others give them credit for. I just don’t want you to be shocked by the August 31st trading deadline when it probably happens. If the Yanks can’t get a #3 or #4 starter for one of them. Then they both are likely to stay. Which is fine anyway. The Yankees most likely will be in the World Series with or without a trade so who really cares? lol
I never said that he was untradeable so stop making things up. What I said and I guess I have to repeat it again is that they will not have the value that you think they have. You might not get Boyd for just Andujar and Frazier as he has two more years of control after this season. . The Yankees might have to add a third minor piece. Minor and Ray, since they are rentals, could be had for either Frazier or Andujar.
Any team that will play Andujar a few days a week at 3B or in the outfield has no concern for their team defense. As for the DH in the National League, I think it is here to stay, but it is not officially been decided yet for next year or beyond.
The Yankees have chosen other players to play over them mostly due to their terrible defense. There will be other teams that will share those concerns.
I agree that at least one or both will be traded depending on how long Stanton will be out. What I am saying is that most Yankee fans will be very disappointed with the Yankee return in that trade..
Yank4life, All teams have their criteria that they use when rating a player when preparing for the draft or when making trades. I mentioned on a previous post that there is a website called Baseball Trade Values. On this site they assign a statistical number to every player based on their talent, strengths and weaknesses, salary, years of contro,l etc. You can check out the site to find out more on how they arrived at their system. I do not always agree with some of their rankings, but when analyzing the trades made since last year’s trade deadline when this site was launched show that their numbers were pretty accurate with very few trades showing a huge overpay. Just to note to Yankee fans, one of those trades where their numbers did not work on was the three team trade between Cleveland, Cincinnati, and San Diego. Cleveland ended up getting much more value than what they gave up according to their original numbers.
Here are some of the numbers players that I have heard discuss on here and on twitter. Andujar 7.9 Frazier 7.4 Ray 5.6 Minor 5.3
Lynn 18.8 (he has one more year of control) Boyd 20.3 (he has two more years of control). and Clevinger (who many Yankee fans on twitter think Andujar and Frazier could get) is 50.3. Is this site perfect, of course not. But it is a frame of reference to use for fans when looking at and discussing possible trades. They update their numbers frequently so if one of them is called up to replace Stanton and shows some defensive skills or reaffirms their offensive success from the past, their value would go up.
@hockeyjohn- just read a report that the Yankees are looking at prospects from the Braves, Tigers, and the Cubs if they decide to move Andujar. The Braves and the Tigers have interest in Frazier also. But now with the injury to Stanton, one player either Andujar or Frazier will be likely be coming back to join the Yankees. If the deadline was right now Andujar would likely be traded to the Braves or the Cubs. So basically whoever offers the best prospects gets Andujar. Looks like the Yankees will probably keep Frazier then. Then again the Yanks might just stand pat with the injury to Giancarlo now.
If the Braves see him still as a 3B, they would be a good match as they have a need and supposedly have many starting pitching prospects though some of their highly touted pitching prospects of the past have already busted. That might be the best option for the Yankees. That still doesn’t help their starting pitching problem which is New York’s biggest need to address.
Just saw on twitter that the Yankees did place Stanton on the IL and brought Estrada up not Andujar or Frazier. Very interesting indeed!
@hockeyjohn- not sure why Andujar isn’t back here instead of Estrada? He has like 3 or 4 options left. Frazier I believe has only one more option. It is very interesting that Estrada was called up instead of Andujar. Definitely thinking for a fact Frazier or Andujar are going somewhere now via trade. The Yankees are higher on Andujar then Frazier. MA- would net more in a trade then CF- for sure at this point.
@hockeyjohn- the Braves could always just dh Andujar if he was traded there. The Cubs have interest in him also but Kyle Schwarber is there though as the dh. The Cubbies will not move their top prospect Marquez. But they definitely have two other pitching prospects to offer the Yankees Burl Carraway and Adbert Alzolay. 2 flamethrowers. Yanks would definitely be getting one of them for Andujar in a trade
mlbnyyfan- Yes, brother if the Yankees & the Tigers make a trade involving Matthew Boyd or Joey Wentz for Clint Frazier don’t be shocked to see Austin Romine coming back here to the Yankees. He is definitely is missed in the organization as a back-up. Dillon Dingler interests the Yankees also but he isn’t major league ready yet but is all talent though. Obviously Romine would love to comeback to NY. And the Yanks would love to have him back.
If the yanks want another legit arm, your options are Stroman, Robbie Ray, Minor, or Ceuto. And that’s IF they are even available.
Andujar and Estrada were on the traveling taxi squad where Frazier was in Scranton. Still no Andujar is very interesting. Will they go with Voit and Ford sharing 1B and DH?
If they do that, that would be another clear message sent.
@hockeyjohn- keep hearing Yanks will turn the page on Andujar even with the injury to Giancarlo they are definitely entertaining trades. Yanks want a lefty starter and a backup catcher. The Braves lefty starters Kyle Muller or Tucker Davidson fit the bill along with catcher William Contreras who is defensively ready.
You will not get Contreras and a pitcher from Atlanta. You are truly overvaluing Andujar.
hockeyjohn- don’t be shocked if this happens. The Braves want Andujar and are so loaded with talent. This trade wouldn’t hurt them a bit. Atlanta looks at William Contreras as expendable with Alex Jackson and Shea Langeliers there. If the Yanks took back Huascar Ynoa the trade would of been completed already. The Yankees want Kyle Muller or Tucker Davidson to get the deal done instead of Ynoa.
Eric Kratz is a Beast! He is like Timex watch. He keeps going and going