X-rays were negative on Ha-Seong Kim’s left knee, Padres manager Bob Melvin told reporters (including Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune) after Kim had to be helped off the field during today’s game. In the second inning of the Padres’ 8-6 win over the Nationals, Kim fouled a pitch off his knee, knocking him to the ground in obvious pain. Despite the relatively good news from the imaging, Kim isn’t expected to play on Friday and might end up on the 10-day injured list unless the swelling and discomfort subsides quickly.
Now in his third season with the Padres, Kim is hitting a modest .237/.316/.382 over 172 plate appearances, which works out to a 97 wRC+. Even this slightly below-average number might be generous considering that Kim’s 22.3% hard-hit ball rate is among the lowest in the league, though he has provided a lot of defensive value to San Diego as a second baseman and, more recently, as a third baseman in place of the injured Manny Machado. The Padres’ depth would take another hit if both Machado and Kim are out, and Rougned Odor (whose bat has been on fire as of late) would be the likeliest candidate for regular time at third base. Odor and Brandon Dixon could split time between second and third, Jake Cronenworth could also play second base, and Matt Carpenter could see more time as a first baseman.
More from around the NL West…
- Rockies outfielder Brenton Doyle left today’s game on a cart after colliding with the outfield wall in pursuit of a Jorge Soler home run. Doyle told MLB.com’s Thomas Harding and other reporters that his right knee “probably took the most impact, and it was pretty excruciating pain at the time,” but “I feel like I could have walked off.” Doyle will undergo tests to determine the nature and extent of his injury, but Harding reports that the Rockies are already likely to call Nolan Jones up from Triple-A as at least a precautionary replacement. Making his MLB debut this season, Doyle has hit .240/.288/.467 over 80 PA, but has also gone 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts and displayed some impressive glovework in center field.
- In another injury concern for the Rockies, Harding tweets that Luis Cessa was removed for precautionary reasons from his Triple-A start after taking a line drive off his right leg. Cessa was able to face two more batters before leaving the game and he left the field under his own power. Colorado has already had to deal with several pitching injuries this season, which is part of the reason why Cessa was just signed to a minor league contract earlier this week to provide some additional depth.
- The Diamondbacks optioned outfielder Dominic Fletcher to Triple-A Reno today, and Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports that the Snakes are calling Jake McCarthy back up to the majors. It was exactly a month ago that the D’Backs optioned McCarthy to Triple-A after a very slow start to the season, but McCarthy has started to find himself in the minors, hitting .333/.419/.533 over 105 PA (albeit in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League). With both McCarthy and Alek Thomas sent to the minors, Fletcher was one of the players the D’Backs called upon to pick up the slack in the outfield, and Fletcher delivered a very solid .308/.349/.474 in his first 85 career PA in the big leagues. It stands to reason that Fletcher will be back with the Diamondbacks sooner or later, unless McCarthy really gets on track at the plate.
Very surprising to me that AZ sent down Fletcher. Pavin Smith seemed like a better candidate to go down, especially since Rivera can play 1B on the days Walker gets off
I think Fletcher has cooled down considerably from his unsustainably hot start, and the Dbacks have the luxury of riding the hot streaks of multiple OF.
Nevertheless, Fletcher has proven his chops both offensively and defensively at the major league level. I think the Dbacks will need to overpay to get a proven Closer by the Trade Deadline and Fletcher might just be one of the trade chips.
Anyone hear from Kyle Lewis lately ??? Is he re-habbing something somewhere?? Or at home on the Barca-Lounger with remote in hand ??? Still plagued by unnamed mystery “illness” ??? Might have to send out the Search & Rescue squad.
I know the Pandemic changed the way people viewed missing time due to illness, but none of us are entitled to medical information.
All we have confirmed from Torey is that it was a virus of some kind, and Lewis recently started his rehab assignment at AAA.
highheat
I’m debating a mute for ignorant
Does he ever post anything worthwhile?
I’ve had some pleasant interactions with Ignorant, just like I’ve had pleasant interactions with most others on the boards. It’s just different senses of humor, and I’m all for being hyperbolic from time to time, but I prefer being a bit more literal than most.
It’s your call whether you think their contributions are worth listening to, but I try not to mute people unless they’re making things unnecessarily personal. Which Ignorant is not doing in this case.
Thanks highheat. I do have a strange sense of humor but I try to stay substantive. Appreciate the feedback.
Thanks. I too try not to mute anyone. Ignorant’s comment just rubbed me wrong when I first read it.
“Fletcher delivered a very solid .308/.349/.474 in his first 85 career PA in the big leagues.”
So… why is he getting sent down?
bronx McCarthy has the higher ceiling of the two. Dbacks have six major league ready left handed OF (Carroll, McCarthy, Thomas, Fletcher, Smith and Canzone) and 2 major league ready right handed OF (Gurriel and Lewis), with 2 more right handed OF top prospects on the way (Druw Jones and Kristian Robinson)! This year is a balancing act to sort through who to keep and who they are willing to trade. Look for two of them to be traded at this year’s Trade Deadline. Gurriel for certain, and now probably Fletcher. The ideal OF in two years is Carroll, Jones and Robinson. It’s a luxury to have so much quality talent, but Fletcher was sent down after exceeding all expectations and with his value sky high.
You’d trade Gurriel at the deadline? Is that because you think the team is going to fall short of contention or because you believe in the guys who haven’t figured it out yet to surpass him? Even in the latter case it feels like there’s a clear role on a playoff roster for a right handed complement to all those lefties.
KamKid
Gurriel’s contract expires at the end of the season, and as I understand his contract, it cannot be extended and the Dbacks cannot restrict him with a Qualifying Offer. So, the Dbacks either lose him at the end of the season, getting nothing in return, or trade him at the deadline and get something of value.
Even IF the Dbacks Could extend or win a bidding war for a long term contract, why would they do that when a) they have an absurd surplus of cheap, quality, young OF, and b) they have right handed OF Kyle Lewis for the second half of this season and into 2024, then RH OF Kristian Robinson in 2024 and RH OF Druw Jones in 2025. It doesn’t make sense for the Dbacks to spend big $$$ on an OF when that money is needed elsewhere on the roster (pitching).
Yes, Gurriel looks attractive 1/4 of the way through the season, but he is probably due for some regression the rest of the way.
Scott, I think you need to recalibrate your expectations as your team moves into contention. Losing a guy for nothing isn’t a thought process for a contending team. Maybe there’s a side of the argument like the Orioles last year where the team decision makers believed they were overachieving and it was a year too early so Gurriel goes out like Mancini did. But as it stands today, Arizona is better than even odds to make the postseason. Even if they miss, they should be playing meaningful games right through September. Gurriel has value to your August and September pennant/playoff berth race. In fact, your other outfielders you think are cheap replacements are the types of players who profile as trade chips for more sure now MLB help at the deadline. You have a big pool of potential MLB regular quality OFs, but none look like they are going to displace Gurriel by July. The ones who have debuted already couldn’t hold down a job or stay on the field. Even Jones is no sure thing as a 19 year old with 10 pro games to his career. Robinson hasn’t played affiliated ball since ‘19 in A ball and already has a developmental clock running as a guy on the 40 man already. Maybe he makes it eventually, but while you are in contention, he seems like a tougher guy to build a case for taking up a roster spot. Other than a teenager in Jones, none of those outfielders are good bets to be more than 4th outfielders or low end regulars in the future. Never mind by the stretch run this year.
As for Gurriel, sure you expect regression. But to what? If his actual wOBA of .396 regresses closer to his xwOBA of .364 that’s still an impact bat. He has a career 118 wRC+ with a .288/.333/.475 slash line and is only in his age 29 season. I don’t see a cliff coming. He’s not a guy who is going to carry a team for a season, but he sure can carry an offense for a month here and there. Look at his win probability stats. Pretty clutch player. Has always been good with RISP (4 grand slams in ‘21). If you can’t even find a weak side of the platoon role on a playoff roster for him given how much post season baseball is about playing matchups, then I guess you’re in a great spot. I don’t watch the D’Backs daily like you, so maybe I’m missing something that the statistical performance, projection systems, and prospect scouting reports aren’t showing me about all these guys you are optimistic about. You only really have Gurriel and Carroll as likely major league quality contributors this year. So even though you have a big field of potential guys, I wouldn’t bet on the field producing two guys (or 3 given there’s a DH spot too) better than Gurriel.
Who would trade value for a guy that will walk at the end of the season?
Heaven forbid the would dump Ahmed. He’s at the bottom of the roster barrel.
Gurriel and Carroll aren’t the only quality contributors:
-Perdomo is near the top of MLB in WAR in far more limited playing time than anyone ahead of him
-Walker is above average with both the bat and the glove
-Moreno is one of the best in MLB at controlling the running game (and has shown a solid bat at C)
-Marte is a lot like Gurriel with the hot streaks when he’s healthy, and has looked a bit better at 2B (suggesting that his hamstring is actually healthy)
-Rojas has been producing at a league average WAR pace, in spite of struggles with the bat
Not all of those guys are All Stars or even impact players, but all are at least MLB average contributors as we currently stand (and all of those names are at different positions).
Gurriel’s issue being in the mix is that there are names like: Fletcher, Lewis, McCarthy, and Thomas also in the OF
All those guys just listed have shown at least a glimpse of the potential to be average (or better) MLB players, and are all better fielders and baserunners than Gurriel (which is a huge part of the DBacks identity as a team), while also all being younger and having more team control. If Gurriel had at least an average glove in LF, it might be a different story.
And they also have MLB ready (or close) names like: Alexander, Canzone, Castillo, English, Kennedy, and Sanchez (with Rivera already looking good in MLB).
Inevitably, some of these guys will have to be traded, but unless somebody is willing to part with an IMPACT pitcher for a package with more team control, Gurriel and what’s left of his contract seem most likely to be dealt (unless there were extension talks).
Sorry highheat, I should have been clear that I meant they were your only likely offensive contributors in that outfield mix. Otherwise yeah, you’d be deadline sellers. But I think that they are looking good for at least meaningful September ball. Whatever minor prospects you are going to get for a rental bat aren’t worth the value that one of the best hitters on your roster is going to provide you in the postseason.
KamKid
I appreciate your comments and your perspective. Here is my perspective. Traditionally/typically teams have veterans mixed in with young talent or youth mixed in with a veteran lineup. I don’t think that is the Dbacks identity. They have made an all out commitment to youth throughout the lineup-rookies, 1 year, 2 year and 3 year players. Their “veterans” that they look to for leadership are 3 year pros. I understand this is not 100% true, but the organization’s total focus is on developing these young players. There is no “traditional thought” about bringing established veterans in to make a push for the World Series this year. They are sticking to their long range plan of relying on these young players plus the high end prospects at the upper levels of the organization.
That means for this year’s Trade Deadline, they will look to move expiring contracts like Gurriel, Ahmed, Davies, etc. yes, they may move some top level prospects from depth positions, like OF and 3b, but their focus will be a return of young, controllable, major league or near major league ready talent.
The only exception to this strategy may be for an established Closer, if one becomes available.
This is why I think they will trade Gurriel…he is not part of their future oriented plans.
His bat went cold. Great defense, but that won’t keep you in the majors. Just ask Alek Thomas.
Glad Kim is okay, I love to watch him play, even though i’m a fan of the Dodgers. SD picking up the win makes me happy. I’m really starting to feel bad for that fanbase. They get cocky about winning the division while the Dodgers are reloading and promoting 4-5 top 100 prospects to the ML team. Then they put a crying kershaw meme on the jumbotron and now their fans on reddit are trying to break the “curse” by posting pictures of kersh winning the world series. baseball can be a funny game
Dodger fans go to Petco and run their mouth all the time even the old men so I don’t know why you talk like you don’t do any of this. What matters is that you win a championship not NL West Division Titles.
Lol Pobres
I never said Dodger fans don’t run their mouths but they Dodgers back it up with wins, Championship, division titles, no matter how you compare them to SD they come out better. You padre fans are the joke of the MLB for a reason.
Padres fan show up They love their team, ownership, city, and experience at one of the finest baseball parks. That’s no joke.
The fanbase had nothing to do with posting the Kershaw crying meme, why demonize them?
I never said the fanbase posted the Kershaw meme. I was simply pointing out how dumb the loud mouth padre fans like yourself look. Enjoy your third place finish in the division
D-Backs could use a bona fide closer and another SP. Their offense plays anywhere as witnessed by them taking two out of three in Philly last weekend, and being just one strike away from making it three out of three.
I think this team can win the NL West. The Dodgers have SP issues, no definite closer and an offense that works some nights and goes poof into the night on others.
They could probably get Corbin (Ranks second in the NL in QS) and Finnegan from the Nats for a modest asking price. If the Phillies continue to falter, I like Seranthony Dominguez as a potential closer. For SP, probably could pry away Cabrera from the Marlins. If there’s one team that could use outfield help, it’s them. last night they started retreads Davis and Hampson in CF and RF, respectively.
I think Chafin and Castro are doing fine at the back of the bullpen, and Dominguez would not be an upgrade over either of them.
Finnegan might be a helpful upgrade, but he’s not exactly an established closer, and Corbin is still owed an absurd about of money after being a pretty poor starter the last couple of seasons.
Finnegan would be a decent pickup but I believe he still has several years of team control so the Nats’ asking price would be high. Corbin is owed way more through next season than the value for his current ceiling as a quality innings-eating starter.
If the Nationals were trying to cut payroll it could make sense to package the two players together, but they’re probably much more interested in adding prospects, not shedding contracts.
Part of me was hoping that Rojas would be the one optioned to work on his swing timing, since Rivera hasn’t been bad against RHP and has looked solid at 3B; I’m just glad McCarthy is back, though.
As bad as they’ve been hitting with RISP lately, they pretty much need guys to score from First Base lol, and McCarthy is much more capable of doing that than most.
I think Torey felt with both Fletcher and McCarthy being OF-only, best to swap out one for the other. Otherwise there would be fewer options for lineup flexibility
Maybe Torey had some input, but the roster decisions are ultimately Hazen’s.
I’m sure the conventional logic is the correct logic in this case, but Josh’s bat has fallen off of late and it’d be nice for him to get a small reset to get back into the swing of things.
I know it’s unlikely to happen until they can make a 1:1 replacement on IFs (which probably won’t happen until they’re comfortable with either Castillo or a healthy Alexander getting RHP PAs).
There’s a reason I’m not paid to evaluate talent lol, but Rivera looks to me like he might be ready to carry a bit more of Rojas’s offensive slack.