NL Notes: Darvish, Bryant, Duensing, Bass, Hedges, Muncy
Yu Darvish has yet to resume throwing after getting a cortisone shot in his arm last week, but according to Cubs president Theo Epstein, that doesn’t mean the club is likely to go out and try to acquire a frontline starter prior to the July 31st trade deadline. Carrie Muskat of MLB.com compiled quotes from Epstein about the club’s deadline stance that leave little room for interpretation. “There’s no way we’re going to go out and acquire starters the caliber of a locked-in Kyle Hendricks or a locked-in Jose Quintana. The majority of our answers lie within, that’s for sure,” he said. Of course, he later added that the club is “still in the mode of assessing”; it’s not difficult to imagine that things could change quickly if the rotation doesn’t turn itself around. In regards to Darvish’s status, Epstein said the club doesn’t want to push him too hard in an effort to get him back on the field. ‘It’s not about rushing. Just get back out there. Get back in your routine. Get back in your work. Then, as this plays, we’ll get you back out there. Of course, we want you back sooner rather than later, but if biology’s not going to permit it, it’s not going to permit it.” Beyond Darvish, the Cubs have gotten disappointing performances from Hendricks, Quintana and offseason signee Tyler Chatwood on the year.
More from around the National League…
- In Muskat’s piece, Kris Bryant also gets a mention. The former MVP reportedly had a good day in the batting cages on Friday and is nearing a return from the DL. Bryant’s been sidelined since June 23rd with shoulder inflammation, and the Cubs have anxiously been hoping to get him healthy again and back in the lineup. P.J. Mooney of The Athletic reports on Twitter that Bryant is heading to the Cubs’ AA affiliate to begin his rehab assignment; he’ll be joined by lefty Brian Duensing. Mooney also notes that righty Anthony Bass is headed to the DL due to an illness; fellow righty James Norwood will take his place, making his first trip to the big leagues.
- The Padres still believe in the offensive potential of elite defensive backstop Austin Hedges, says AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. But they’re more than happy with the value he’s providing them with from behind the plate. Manager Andy Green had this to say on the subject: “We’re patient on the offensive side, because we see the value on the defensive side.” Hedges was right at the Mendoza line on the season with a .200 average entering play today, and his OPS sat south of .600 as well.
- Breakout Dodgers slugger Max Muncy has been tearing it up this season, with an ISO of .347 to go with an 18.9% walk rate. But he almost didn’t play baseball at all this year, as Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports chronicles. Following his release by the A’s last season, Muncy was looking into how many classes it would take to complete his business degree. “You start experiencing failure and you don’t know if you’re as good as you thought you were. Mentally I wasn’t doing as good as I should have been. And then, last year was a chance for me to regroup and recover and focus on myself,” Muncy said. “I could just focus on baseball, remembering how much I love the game and how much I liked playing it. For me, that was the biggest thing.” Now, of course, things have turned around to an extraordinary level, and Muncy is practically a lock for his first All-Star selection.
Minor MLB Transactions: 7/8/18
Keeping track of Sunday’s minor moves…
- Tigers infielder Dixon Machado has cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Toledo, per an announcement from Detroit. Machado had the right to elect free agency instead, but he’ll remain with the Tigers, who designated him on July 4. Although the 26-year-old opened the season as the Tigers’ starting second baseman, he lost his grip on both that job and his roster spot after hitting just .206/.263/.290 in 233 plate appearances.
- Padres outfielder Matt Szczur will also remain with his organization after clearing waivers, the team announced. The Padres designated Szczur last weekend, after the 28-year-old began 2018 with a .187/.265/.267 line in 84 trips to the plate.
- The Cubs announced that they’ve selected right-hander James Norwood from Triple-A and placed reliever Anthony Bass on the disabled list (illness, retroactive to July 5). Norwood is in position to make his major league debut four years after the Cubs chose him in the seventh round of the 2014 draft. The 24-year-old has spent most of this season at Double-A, where he has pitched to a sterling 2.48 ERA with 9.92 K/9 and 3.31 BB/9 over 32 2/3 innings.
- The Royals have signed right-hander Dallas Beeler to a minor league contract and assigned him to their Double-A affiliate, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com tweets. The 29-year-old Beeler comes with a bit of major league experience, having pitched 19 1/3 innings for the Cubs from 2014-15. Beeler has mostly worked at the Triple-A level as a professional, combining for a 3.73 ERA with 6.2 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 in 243 2/3 innings. He didn’t pitch for anyone last season, though, and then opened 2018 with the Sugar Land Skeeters of the independent Atlantic League.
7 Teams Have Made Offers For Manny Machado
SUNDAY: The Dodgers and Brewers are at the forefront of the Machado derby, and the Indians are also “in the mix,” Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets.
SATURDAY: It’s possible Manny Machado‘s tenure with the Orioles will come to an end as early as this weekend, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Eduardo A. Encina, who reports that seven teams have made offers for the soon-to-be free agent. The Dodgers have put forth the most enticing proposal, Encina hears, with the Diamondbacks, Brewers, Phillies, Braves, Indians and Cubs (in that order) coming in behind them. But the offers are “very close” in value, per Encina, so any of those other six clubs could leapfrog Los Angeles to land Machado prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline.
Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com passes along slightly different information than Encina, suggesting the Indians are currently in last place among the previously mentioned seven teams in the race for Machado. Cleveland has made an offer, Kubatko reports, but a source tells him other clubs are “more active” in the sweepstakes. Interest in Machado goes beyond the seven teams mentioned, Kubatko adds, as several others have at least “checked in” on him.
It “seems unlikely” Baltimore will deal Machado this weekend, Encina writes, but it’s all but guaranteed to happen sometime this month. After all, the Orioles (24-64) own the majors’ worst record, and they’ll either have to trade the 26-year-old Machado in the next three-plus weeks or watch him leave for draft-pick compensation in free agency. The superstar shortstop/third baseman is sure to reel in one of the richest contracts in the history of the sport once he hits the open market, and he has helped his future earning power by batting a healthy .310/.381/.560 with 21 home runs and nearly as many walks (40) as strikeouts (50) in 375 plate appearances this season.
If the Dodgers are the team that upgrades at short with Machado this summer, it may come at the expense of either outfield prospect Alex Verdugo or young pitcher Yadier Alvarez. The Orioles have shown interest in both of those farmhands – two of the finest talents in the minors – though the Dodgers’ offers so far have not included either player, Encina relays, and Kubatko writes that LA has not made Verdugo available. Considering their wealth of offensive talent, it’s arguable the Dodgers won’t even need Machado as they seek a sixth straight National League West title and a second consecutive NL pennant. But acquiring him would still be a boon to them and a blow to the rival Diamondbacks, who lead LA by one game in the NL West and haven’t gotten high-end production from their shortstops this year.
Like the D-backs, none of the Brewers, Phillies or Braves have fared well at short. The Indians and Cubs have, on the other hand. But Machado could be a third base solution for the Indians, who have the great Francisco Lindor at short and would be able to shift fellow superstar Jose Ramirez from the hot corner to second base to make room for Machado. In doing so, the Tribe would presumably relegate struggling second baseman Jason Kipnis to a bench role. The Cubs, meanwhile, have an impressive-looking setup at second (Javier Baez), short (Addison Russell) and third (the currently injured Kris Bryant), so it’s unclear where Machado would fit, though there has long been speculation about Russell going to Baltimore in a deal. However, Russell is under affordable control through 2020 and would be a lot to give up for a rental player – albeit one who’d serve as an upgrade for a Chicago team which trails NL Central-leading Milwaukee by 1 1/2 games.
Minor MLB Transactions: 7/7/18
The latest minor moves from around the sport…
- The Blue Jays announced that they’ve outrighted reliever Preston Guilmet to Triple-A. Toronto designated Guilmet on Wednesday after he allowed eight earned runs in as many innings with the team, which claimed him off waivers from the Cardinals on June 9. Given that the 30-year-old has been outrighted before, he could elect free agency, though it seems he’ll stay with the Jays.
Earlier updates:
- The Cubs outrighted Chris Gimenez to Triple-A after the catcher cleared waivers (ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers was among those to report the news). Gimenez was designated for assignment on Wednesday to create room for the newly-promoted Victor Caratini. After signing a minors deal with Chicago last winter, Gimenez has appeared in 12 games this season, producing only a .143/.219/.143 slash line over 32 plate appearances.
Injury Notes: Bryant, Correa, Dyson, Joyce, Feliz
Here’s the latest on some injury situations from around the league…
- Kris Bryant worked out with the Cubs today and appears to be close to a rehab assignment, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat writes. The third baseman felt some soreness in his left shoulder a few days ago, which delayed his hopes of returning to the lineup this weekend. Bryant shouldn’t need too much time to get back to game readiness, so Chicago seems likely to activate him sometime this week.
- Carlos Correa tells MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart (Twitter link) that he is hopeful of getting back to action before the All-Star break, though Correa has yet to begin any baseball activities. The Astros star’s 10-day DL placement due to lower back soreness was backdated to June 26, so is eligible to return at any point. Manager A.J. Hinch said that the team was going to be cautious with the young star, so it could be that Correa is held out through the break to make sure he is completely recovered.
- The Diamondbacks are worried that the injury that placed Jarrod Dyson on the DL earlier this week is similar to the core injury that prematurely ended his 2017 season, The Athletic’s Zach Buchanan tweets. Dyson previously underwent surgery for that core injury in mid-September 2017. It isn’t clear how long another procedure would keep Dyson sidelined, though the seriousness of Dyson’s current issue has also yet to be determined. The outfielder has delivered outstanding defense and baserunning this year, making him a useful asset for Arizona despite a severe lack (.189/.282/.257 in 237 PA) of production at the plate.
- The Athletics announced that outfielder Matt Joyce has hit the 10-day DL due to a lumbar strain, with a placement retroactive to July 5. Outfielder Nick Martini is up from Triple-A to take Joyce’s roster spot. This is the second time in almost exactly a month that Martini has replaced Joyce due to the veteran’s ongoing lumbar issues. It’s safe to say that the back problems have contributed to Joyce’s down numbers, as he is hitting just .203/.311/.359 with seven homers through 226 PA this season.
- The Pirates reinstated right-hander Michael Feliz from the 10-day DL and also selected the contract of righty Alex McRae from Triple-A Indianapolis, as per a team press release. Righty Dovydas Neverauskas and southpaw Josh Smoker were demoted to Triple-A in corresponding moves. Feliz missed about two weeks due to right shoulder inflammation and will try to turn around a season that has seen him post a 5.51 ERA over his first 32 2/3 innings for the Bucs. McRae, a 10th-round pick for the Pirates in the 2014 draft, will get his first taste of Major League action after posting a 4.61 ERA, 8.6 K/9, and 2.05 K/BB rate over 84 innings for Indianapolis this season.
Cubs Prospect Oscar De La Cruz Receives 80-Game Suspension
Cubs prospect Oscar De La Cruz has been hit with an eighty-game suspension, per a league announcement. He tested positive for the same banned masking agent/diuretic, furosemide, that led to the recent suspension of Robinson Cano.
Entering the season, De La Cruz was seen as a prospect to watch, with an intriguing combination of size, stuff, and command. MLB.com rated him third among Cubs farmhands, in fact, after seeing him turn in a dozen solid starts at the High-A level in 2017. Though he didn’t carry forward the gaudy strikeout numbers he showed in the prior season, and missed a lot of time with arm issues, De La Cruz had worked to a strong 3.46 ERA in 54 2/3 innings with 7.7 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9.
Now 23, De La Cruz opened the 2018 campaign at the Double-A level after being added to the 40-man roster in the fall to protect him from the Rule 5 draft. He hasn’t really generated the results that might have been hoped for over his first 16 starts in the upper minors, though. Over 77 1/3 innings, he carries a 5.24 ERA while recording 73 strikeouts and giving out 31 walks.
It certainly seemed promising that De La Cruz was able to take the ball for the first half of the current campaign, even if he wasn’t exactly thriving. Now, though, he’ll face yet more questions about his future. In the near-term, De La Cruz will miss out on developmental opportunities for the rest of the 2018 season, though perhaps he’ll be a candidate to pitch in the Arizona Fall League. He’ll also again end up with a limited innings tally.
For a Cubs team that is no doubt considering possible mid-season acquisitions, the temporary loss of De La Cruz weakens the upper-level prospect base from which it may need to deal. That’s all the more worrying given that the organization already lost fellow hurler Adbert Alzolay for the season due to injury.
AL East Notes: Harvey, Orioles, Rays, Eovaldi
Some rumblings from around the AL East…
- The Yankees are known to be exploring the starting pitching market but Matt Harvey isn’t a big target for the team, Fancred’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). Harvey has recovered a bit of his former value by pitching well over 10 starts for the Reds, though the Yankees are wary of the right-hander due to the “potential circus” of extra media attention that would accompany Harvey’s return to New York.
- The Orioles are taking a new approach to this year’s trade deadline, rival evaluators tell ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Twitter link). The O’s “seem much more focused, much more organized, much more aggressive, much more engaged” this season than in past years. Baltimore is facing some pivotal, long-term decisions in weighing trades of Manny Machado and other major stars, and so it isn’t any surprise that the organization is looking at this deadline with particular intensity. The change in approach could also have something to do the seemingly power shift in the ownership and front office, as Peter Angelos’ sons have been taking larger roles in the Orioles’ operations.
- Evaluators from the Red Sox, Phillies, Cubs, and Braves were on hand to watch Nathan Eovaldi‘s Monday start for the Rays, MLB.com’s Bill Chastain writes. Of course, several other players on the Rays or Marlins were also likely under observation, though Eovaldi represents an interesting low-cost option for teams in need of rotation help — of the teams listed, only the Cubs wouldn’t appear to be in need of starting pitching depth. After missing all of 2017 recovering from Tommy John surgery and then missing time due to minor elbow surgery and a rib muscle strain at the beginning of this season, Eovaldi has returned to post a 3.92 ERA, 49.6% grounder rate, 7.6 K/9, and a minuscule 1.3 BB/9 rate over his first 41 1/3 frames. He has received some significant help in the form of a .211 BABIP, a 79.6% strand rate and a .285 wOBA that is well under his .321 xwOBA, though ERA indicators (4.75 FIP, 3.59 xFIP, 3.57 SIERA) are largely in line with his real-world ERA. Eovaldi is also averaging 97mph on his fastball.
Cubs Designate Chris Gimenez
The Cubs have designated catcher Chris Gimenez for assignment, per a club announcement. He’ll be replaced by fellow backstop Victor Caratini, who has been recalled from Triple-A.
Gimenez, 35, has delivered nothing in the way of offense this year for Chicago. Indeed, he has just four singles and three walks in 32 trips to the plate on the season. While the club obviously brought him up for other reasons — namely, his solid reputation as a handler of a pitching staff — that minimal output proved decisive.
As for Caratini, he’ll look to improve on his own tepid offensive work from earlier this season. He has mashed at Triple-A since being demoted, as he did in 2017, so there’s little for him to prove as a hitter at the highest level of the minors.
Manny Machado Trade Talks Have Reportedly Accelerated
Though there’s still four weeks until the 2018 non-waiver trade deadline, trade talks surrounding Manny Machado have “accelerated” in recent days, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription link). The Orioles, according to Rosenthal, would prefer to move Machado “sooner rather than later,” as they can extract more in a trade if the acquiring team controls Machado for three months as opposed to two months.
To this point in the summer, the teams most connected to Machado have been the Dodgers, Phillies, Diamondbacks and Indians. The Brewers and Cubs have been more loosely tied to Machado on the rumor mill, though Rosenthal reports that while Milwaukee is doing its due diligence, the team is unlikely to meet Baltimore’s asking price.
That, it seems, could be true of the Phillies as well. MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki reports that the Phillies should be considered “longshots” in the Machado trade sweepstakes. Zolecki writes that while the Phillies “love” Machado and plan to make a serious run at him in the offseason, the team doesn’t feel itself to be one piece away from a World Series. That, of course, makes it considerably more difficult to meet what is likely a rather lofty asking price from the O’s.
Rosenthal suggests that the D-backs and Indians could be the “most motivated” teams in the Machado market, and Zolecki, too, specifically lists the D-backs as a club likelier to acquire Machado than the Phillies.
USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, meanwhile, tweets that the Dodgers continue to “aggressively” pursue Machado, adding that the Orioles have been scouting L.A.’s system heavily and are particularly interested in Class-A Advanced right-hander Dustin May. There’d obviously be more at play than a mere one-for-one swap, but May, a third-round pick in 2016, is generally considered to be among the Dodgers’ more promising young arms. He’s off to a strong start in 2018 as well, having pitched to a 3.18 ERA with 9.1 K/9, 1.7 BB/9 and a 54.1 percent ground-ball rate through 65 innings (12 starts).
Of course, there could still be other organizations involved in discussions. Jim Bowden of The Athletic tweets that eight teams have had at least some engagement with the O’s regarding Machado within the past ten days. That would suggest that there are at least a few mystery teams hanging around the periphery of talks.
Notable International Prospect Signings
With the 2018-19 international signing period kicking off today, there will be dozens of six- and seven-figure bonuses handed out to teenage prospects, primarily out of Latin America, filtering in throughout the day today. Many of these have been in the works for quite some time, as is reflected by the fact that most of the top players’ destinations and signing bonuses have been previously reported/projected (and by the fact that the top agreements will all be reported in one swift avalanche today).
We’ll keep track of the notable National League signings here and the notable American League signings in a separate post. Note that you can read up on each of these players with the dedicated international coverage available from Ben Badler of Baseball America (subscription required), Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com and Kiley McDaniel & Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs, each of whom has scouting info on the top echelon of international amateurs. Badler is also tracking the all of the signings from all 30 teams.
Onto some of the more notable signings…