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Injury Notes: Nick Sandlin, George Springer

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Guardians righty Nick Sandlin departed yesterday’s win over the Rays with right upper arm tightness, reported by Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal. Sandlin has a small history of shoulder problems, missing the last month of the 2021 season with a right shoulder strain, but it is unclear of the exact nature of his new ailment.

Sandlin, playing in his second major league season, improved upon his strong rookie season (2.94 ERA in 33 2/3 innings) and pitched to a robust 2.25 ERA in 46 appearances this season, allowing only 2 homers in 44 innings pitched. He has been particularly tough on right-handed hitters,  holding them to a measly .149/.265/.238 line.

With the Guardians earning a trip to the ALDS following their two-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, Sandlin will have two days to recover before facing the New York Yankees. If he is unable to return to the field, right-handed Aaron Civale, a notable omission from the Wild Card roster, is a possible candidate to replace him on the postseason roster.

In other Wild Card series injury news, Blue Jays outfielder George Springer was carted off the field in yesterday’s game following a collision with shortstop Bo Bichette in the eighth inning.  Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider said in his postgame conference that the All-Star center fielder, who signed a six-year, $150MM contract with the Jays prior to the 2021 season, was “doing ok” and that Springer was going to “be evaluated for a couple of different things,” per Julia Kreuz of MLB.com. Schneider followed up by saying that the team would know more about Springer’s injury in the next few days.

Springer has had another successful year, slashing .267/.342/.472 en route to his fourth All-Star game appearance while playing slightly above average defense in center, earning one Outs Above Average. With the Jays ending their 2022 season following yesterday’s defeat to the Mariners, Springer will have a few months to recover before the start of the 2023 season.

Padres Interested In Extension Talks With Yu Darvish

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Yu Darvish is coming off his second quality season with the Padres, with his 2022 campaign representing a step beyond his solid 2021 numbers.  This season, Darvish posted a 3.10 ERA, an above-average 25.6% strikeout rate and an outstanding 4.8% walk rate over 194 2/3 innings, while continuing to post one of the best fastball spin rates of any pitcher in baseball.  Yesterday, the right-hander stepped up big in Game One of the NL Wild Card Series, allowing one run in seven innings in San Diego’s 7-1 win over the Mets.

Though Darvish turned 36 in August, the Padres have already seen enough to want to explore a contract extension with Darvish this offseason, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  Darvish is entering the final year of his current deal — the six-year, $126MM free agent pact he signed with the Cubs prior to the 2018 season.

When triceps tendinitis limited Darvish to only 40 innings (of 4.95 ERA pitching) in 2018, there was already some concern in Wrigleyville that the signing could be a bust.  However, Darvish rebounded to post a 3.98 ERA over 178 2/3 innings in 2019, and his 2.01 ERA over 76 innings in the shortened 2020 season earned the righty a second-place finish in NL Cy Young Award voting.  As the Cubs were entering a rebuild period, they traded Darvish and catcher Victor Caratini to the Padres for a five-player package and some significant salary relief.

Other than the hip and back problems that resulted in a pair of brief IL stints late in the 2021 season, Darvish has been pretty healthy since that abbreviated 2018 campaign.  Only 10 pitchers threw more than 194 2/3 frames in 2022, and that total was also the second-highest innings count of Darvish’s 10 Major League seasons.  Of course, Darvish’s career workload doesn’t just include MLB, as he tossed 1268 1/3 innings in Nippon Professional Baseball before coming to North America and tossing 1488 regular-season innings.

It’s probably safe to assume that the Padres aren’t looking for another long-term pact for Darvish, and Acee notes that Darvish hasn’t given any indication about how much longer he wishes to keep playing.  However, adding another season (or even two) may fit into the club’s interest if they’re confident Darvish can keep producing into his late 30’s.  Mike Clevinger, Sean Manaea, and Nick Martinez are free agents this winter, but the Padres kept one major arm off the market when they inked Joe Musgrove to a five-year, $100MM extension back in August.  Musgrove, Darvish, and Blake Snell project as San Diego’s top three starters heading into 2023, though Darvish and Snell are both only under contract through next season.

Extending Darvish would give the Padres a bit more rotation security going forward, even if a new deal covered only 2024 or 2025.  San Diego exceeded the luxury tax threshold in both 2021 and 2022, but quite a bit of money will be off the books after the 2023 season, which is presumably when a Darvish extension would begin.  If a new deal overwrote the final year of Darvish’s current contract, that could give the Padres some more immediate luxury tax breathing room for 2023.  Darvish is owed $18MM in 2023 but his tax number is $21MM, the average of $126MM divided over six seasons.

NL Central Notes: Helsley, Adames, Pirates, Davis

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Ryan Helsley won’t pitch in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series today, Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol told reporters (including Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat).  The decision is related to workload rather than a physical setback, as while Helsley left yesterday’s game with numbness in his right fingers.  The issue contributed to a nightmarish breakdown, as Helsley was charged with four of the six runs the Cards surrendered in the ninth inning of the 6-3 loss to the Phillies.

An MRI didn’t reveal any damage, and Helsley told Jones and other media members that he’ll try to stimulate more blood flow in his fingers via laser therapy.  The right-hander said he doesn’t have much feel (particularly on breaking pitches) as the ball is leaving his hand.  With this is mind, it’s fair to consider Helsley as a question mark for Game 3, if St. Louis is able to extend the series tonight.

Here’s some more from around the NL Central…

  • “I love it here, I feel good here, I feel comfortable here and I wish I could stay here the rest of my career,” Willy Adames told Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other reporters about his time with the Brewers.  Adames is arbitration-controlled through the 2024 season, and given the Brewers’ payroll limitations, it remain to be seen how many (if any) of such notables as Adames, Corbin Burnes, or Brandon Woodruff could be possible extension candidates.  “At the end of the day, [the Brewers] have to put everything together and see if we can work something out.  Hopefully we can, and we can make it happen.  But I’m always willing to hear what they have to say,” Adames said.  Possibly impacted by a high ankle sprain that sidelined him in May and early June, Adames hit .238/.298/.458 over 617 plate appearances, though that still translated to a 109 wRC+, and the shortstop also hit 31 homers.
  • Pirates manager Derek Shelton cited first base and catcher as “areas of need” in the offseason, telling Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and other reporters that “I do think we’ll continue to look to solidify those positions….We’re just going to have to see what’s available, how we acquire guys to fill that.”  Roberto Perez may be a candidate to be re-signed, though the veteran backstop played only 21 games before undergoing hamstring surgery, and Perez was one of a whopping eight catchers who saw time behind the plate for the Pirates in 2022.  First base was also a revolving door with 10 players getting time at the cold corner, and Michael Chavis (who had the bulk of the playing time) was already outrighted off the active roster, with Chavis electing free agency.  As always, it’s hard to imagine the Pirates spending big on upgrades at either position, as the team continues to rebuild.
  • Brennen Davis was limited to 53 games in 2022 due to back surgery, and the star Cubs prospect reflected on his difficult year and somewhat unusual injury with The Chicago Sun-Times’ Maddie Lee.  Initially diagnosed as a herniated disc, Davis’ issue was actually a vascular malformation that was causing pain due to pressure on his sciatic nerve.  While it may take time for Davis to fully recover his power stroke, both the outfielder and Triple-A hitting coach Desi Wilson feel the situation might actually help Davis’ overall hitting approach.  “Having to grind for my hits. I can’t just go out there and muscle one out,” Davis said.  “I have to square baseballs up and hit them the right way, with true backspin and stuff like that, and pick pitches that I can do damage on.”  Davis has returned to action in the Arizona Fall League, and he is hopeful of making his MLB debut in 2023 — since Davis had already hit well during a brief Triple-A stint in 2021, he likely would’ve already appeared in the majors this year had he stayed healthy.

Mets Add Taijuan Walker To Postseason Roster, Joely Rodriguez Removed Due To Shoulder Problem

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Heading into tonight’s pivotal Game 2 of their Wild Card Series with the Padres, the Mets have made an injury-related change to their roster.  Newsday’s Tim Healey (Twitter link) reports that left-hander Joely Rodriguez has been removed from the 26-man roster due to a shoulder problem, and righty Taijuan Walker has been added as the replacement.

The specific nature of Rodriguez’s injury isn’t known, and he didn’t pitch in yesterday’s Game 1.  Due to the roster removal, Rodriguez is now ineligible to pitch until the NLCS, should New York advance that deep into the postseason.  In the bigger picture, Rodriguez is also a free agent after the season, so a serious shoulder issue could hamper his chances of landing a notable contract this winter.

It’s a tough blow for both Rodriguez and the Mets, as David Peterson is now the lone left-handed pitcher remaining on the Mets’ playoff roster.  New York is on the brink of elimination after losing Game 1, and with the margin of error so slim, Rodriguez’s absence could loom large given the number of several (Juan Soto, Josh Bell, Jake Cronenworth, Jurickson Profar, Trent Grisham) prominent left-handed hitters and switch-hitters in San Diego’s lineup.

The Mets have been thin on left-handed relief pitching all season, with Rodriguez serving as essentially the only reliable southpaw option.  Control was an issue for Rodriguez, as his 12% walk rate helped balloon his ERA to 4.47 over 50 1/3 innings.  A 3.54 SIERA paints a more positive view of Rodriguez’s performance, as other metrics as a 53.8% grounder rate, a solid 26.4% strikeout rate and excellent hard-hit ball numbers helped make him a valuable member of New York’s bullpen.  Rodriguez also had virtually identical numbers against both left-handed and right-handed batters.

Walker and Carlos Carrasco were stalwart rotation members during the regular season, and the Mets opted to leave them off the roster in the three-game series rather than force either pitcher into a somewhat unfamiliar role.  With elimination now looming, it’ll basically be all hands on deck for the pitching staff tonight and (the Mets hope) in a potential Game 3, as manager Buck Showalter will undoubtedly be open to all options in getting some critical outs.

NL Notes: deGrom, Estevez, Cishek

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SNY’s Andy Martino writes that righty ace Jacob deGrom’s openness to returning to the Mets is growing, with a friend of the pitcher saying that although he would’ve said the odds of deGrom returning to Queens were “zero” had he been asked during Spring Training, he would now say they are “50/50”.

deGrom is expected to opt-out of the remainder of his contract, joining teammates Brandon Nimmo, Chris Bassitt, Edwin Diaz, and Taijuan Walker as key players filing for free agency this offseason. While this leaves the Mets with plenty of holes to fill this offseason, retaining deGrom is sure to be a top priority. The two time Cy Young award winner has posted some of the best numbers in baseball over the past few years, with a 2.05 ERA and 2.14 FIP in 645 1/3 innings since the start of the 2018 season. As that low inning total implies, however, deGrom has struggled to stay on the field in recent years, making just 26 starts across the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Those health struggles have done little to damage his reputation as the best pitcher in baseball, however, and he should find a strong market for this services this offseason in spite of them.

With at least 3 starting pitchers set to hit the market this offseason, and the possibility of a fourth if the team declines Carlos Carrasco’s club option, re-signing deGrom to accompany Max Scherzer atop the rotation would seem like a no-brainer for the Mets. That hasn’t stopped both sides from considering other options, however, and Martino notes that the Mets have considered making runs at signing Justin Verlander or even a trade for Shohei Ohtani to replace their ace. While the sides clearly aren’t entirely committed to each other at this moment, the fit between the two is undeniable, and Martino reports that Scherzer has privately made his desire for deGrom to remain with the team clear. As for deGrom, Martino reports that he is “enjoying the vibe around the Mets more than ever” this season.

Elsewhere in the National League…

  • Danielle Allentuck of the Denver Gazette took a look at Colorado’s pending free agents, and noted that the Rockies have particular interest in bringing righty reliever Carlos Estevez back into the fold next season. Estevez pitched to a 3.47 ERA and a 4.08 FIP in 57 innings for Colorado this season, good for an ERA+ of 135. With pitchers who can find success at Coors Field hard to come by and a need for veteran leadership in a mostly young, inexperienced bullpen, a reunion with Estevez would make a lot of sense for Colorado.
  • MLB.com’s Jessica Camerato reports that righty reliever Steve Cishek is contemplating retirement. Cishek just completed his age 36 season, where he posted a 4.21 ERA in 66 1/3 innings for the Nationals. While his 2022 season was largely unimpressive, Cishek has posted a 2.98 ERA over the course of a career spanning 13 seasons and eight organizations. A player with his track record would surely be able to find a job somewhere, though it’s possible he may need to settle for a minor-league deal should he decide to continue his playing career.

Young: Rangers To Increase Payroll This Offseason

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During his year-end press conference, Rangers GM Chris Young told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that team owner Ray Davis, who Young described as “frustrated,” had committed to increasing the team’s payroll this offseason, with the goal of improving the team’s pitching staff. Grant also notes that Davis may want to see another bat added to the lineup as well.

The Rangers 2022 payroll clocked in at over $142MM, an increase over 2021 of roughly $48MM. For 2023, Texas has about $85MM committed in payroll, though this does not include arbitration-eligible players such as Mitch Garver. Still, this should leave the Rangers with over $50MM available even before factoring in any increases in payroll, allowing the team plenty of flexibility when searching for additions this offseason.

The Rangers will need every additional resource they can get if they want to compete in 2023. The team lost 94 games in 2022 even after making a major splash in free agency this past offseason by adding both Marcus Semien and Corey Seager to their infield. While Texas committed significant dollars to that duo, their other additions were far less impactful, with Kole Calhoun struggling mightily in 125 games this season, Garver missing most of the year with forearm issues, and their big pitching acquisition, Jon Gray, pitching to an ERA+ of just 99. Martin Perez was a revelation this season, but the Rangers will have to re-sign him this offseason for that to matter for them in 2023, and Young says the team expects to meet with Perez’s agents next week.

Also on the docket for the Rangers next week is a continuation of their managerial search. While the Rangers have already interviewed interim manager Tony Beasley, Young said they would begin interviewing external candidates next week. While Young did not specify any names, he did speak highly of former Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who he played under with the Padres in 2006. Bochy, who won the 2010, 2012, and 2014 World Series with San Francisco, would provide the Rangers with a more experienced manager as they move on from Chris Woodward, who had no managerial experience prior to his stint with Texas, which began in 2019. In addition to Woodward, president of baseball operations Jon Daniels was fired earlier this season, though it is unclear if the Rangers will look to add another GM to their front office to assist Young.

It’s no surprise that improving the team’s pitching is a priority for Young this offseason, as the starting rotation in Texas was a disaster in 2022. Of the nine players to start more than two games for the Rangers this season, just two of them had a season better than league average by ERA+: Perez and Matt Bush. Bush was traded to the Brewers at the trade deadline in exchange for Mark Mathias and Antoine Kelly. As previously mentioned, Perez is a pending free agent, leaving the Rangers with no players under contract for the rotation next year who had a better than average season in 2022. Gray can still be counted on as a member of the rotation, and the Rangers are likely to allow youngsters Dane Dunning, Spencer Howard, and Glenn Otto compete for the final spot in the rotation. That still leaves 3 spots in the rotation vacant, however, so they’ll need to make multiple additions even if they re-sign Perez.

Both Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom are expected to hit the free agent market this offseason, and have been rumored previously to have interest in playing in Texas. While the Rangers certainly have the payroll space available to acquire one of them, it’s an open question whether either ace would want to move from a club already contending for a championship to a much more uncertain situation with the Rangers. Looking down the market at less flashy options, Chris Bassitt, Jose Quintana, Tyler Anderson, and Nathan Eovaldi are among the mid-rotation options who clubs have counted on to start playoff games in the past. While an ideal offseason would surely involve signing an ace, even the acquisition of a pair of solid, playoff-caliber mid-rotation starters to pair with a re-signed Perez would represent a substantial improvement in the rotation for Texas.

While the Rangers offense is not as desperate for an overhaul as the rotation, there’s still clear room for improvement. The infield is largely in good shape, with Seager, Semien, and Nathaniel Lowe all capable of all star caliber production and top prospect Josh Jung having made his MLB debut this season. Behind the plate, the Rangers are also likely set, with some combination of Garver, Jonah Heim, and Sam Huff likely to handle the catcher position next year. The outfield, however, is in desperate need of improvement. While Adolis Garcia has proven himself to be a quality regular and Leody Taveras has looked acceptable in 99 games this season, the Rangers have little else in the way of outfield help currently on the roster.

Outside of a surprise bid for the services of Aaron Judge, Brandon Nimmo represents the top of the outfield market for Texas. That being said, Nimmo will likely receive a great deal of interest due to the lack of quality two-way center field options available, so the Rangers may need to explore other options. Andrew Benintendi, Joc Pederson, and Mitch Haniger are among the quality regulars available on the free agent market this offseason. The Rangers could also explore the trade market, where Ian Happ, Ramon Laureano, and Bryan Reynolds are among those who could be made available this offseason.

Another potential solution in the outfield could be a reunion with Joey Gallo. Gallo struggled mightily after the Rangers traded him at last year’s deadline, posting an 84 OPS+ in 184 games between the Yankees and the Dodgers since the trade. Gallo has had great success with the Rangers in the past, however, earning all star appearances in both 2019 and 2021. Prior to being traded, Gallo spoke very highly of the Rangers and indicated he would like to stay in town long term. With the Rangers in desperate need of outfield help, and Gallo looking for a comfortable place to bounce back this offseason, a reunion could make a great deal of sense for both sides.

Tigers Fire Amateur Scouting Director Scott Pleis

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New Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris has wasted little time making changes to the organization’s front office, firing amateur scouting director Scott Pleis according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press.

Pleis has been with the Tigers for the past 15 years, after being hired following scouting roles with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Detroit initially hired Pleis as a national scout in 2007, but promoted him to amateur scouting director in 2010, leaving him in charge of their entire amateur scouting department and handing him significant influence in their drafting strategy. The Tigers were a dominant force during that period, winning four straight AL Central titles between 2011-14 and going to the World Series in 2012, and Pleis was tasked with developing a farm system capable of taking the Tigers back to contention after that core’s decline. That has undoubtedly been a sticking point, however, as Detroit has managed just one winning season since 2015 and finished a disappointing 66-96 in 2022.

Despite regularly picking at the top of the draft, Baseball America currently ranks the Tigers farm system as the 27th best in baseball, while ESPN pegs them at 24th. In their defense, they were a lot higher prior to the season, and part of their drop is due to the graduation of top-five prospects Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene to the Major League club. However, there’s no question the Tigers rebuild has taken longer than expected and while it’s unfair to blame that entirely on Pleis, the organization does need to do a better job of drafting and developing talent. As Baseball America noted in their farm system rankings, “the system as a whole has consistently struggled to produce hitters who become MLB regulars.”

The move could be the first of many for Harris, who took over from former GM Al Avila in September. He’s spent the first three weeks evaluating the organization, and only took control of their day-to-day operations this week, and clearly decided changes to the scouting department were needed in order to get the Tigers back to contention.

Dodgers Select Beau Burrows, Transfer Jacob Amaya To 60-Day IL

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The Dodgers have added some pitching depth to their 40-man roster, selecting the contract of right-hander Beau Burrows, per the MLB Transactions page. To open a 40-man spot, the team transferred shortstop prospect Jacob Amaya to the 60-day injured list.

Burrows, the Tigers first-round draft pick in 2015, joined the Dodgers on a minor league contract last offseason after brief, unsuccessful stints in the Majors with Detroit and the Twins. He played the entire 2022 season at Triple-A Oklahoma, initially pitching out of their rotation before being moved to the bullpen. He struggled to the tune of a 7.18 ERA across 100 1/3 innings, displaying a 12.7% walk rate and a 20% strikeout rate while giving up 18 home runs.

The move prevents Burrows from becoming a minor league free agent, and allows the Dodgers to keep some pitching depth in their organization. While the results certainly weren’t encouraging this season, Burrows is still only 26 and a former top-100 prospect, so the Dodgers may see some untapped potential in him.

Amaya, 24, impressed at Double-A Tulsa this season, slashing .264/.370/.500 in 49 games and earning a call-up to Triple-A Oklahoma. His numbers dropped off a little in Oklahoma but he still posted a respectable .259/.368/.381 line prior to landing on the 60-day injured list. The Dodgers have not specified the details of Amaya’s injury, so it’s unclear yet what his recovery will look like.

Amaya was drafted out of South Hills High School in the 11th round of the 2017 draft and is the Dodgers 15th ranked prospect, per MLB.com.

Royals Bench Coach Pedro Grifol Getting Interest For Managerial Openings

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Royals bench coach Pedro Grifol is getting interest from multiple teams with managerial openings, according to a report from Enrique Rojas of ESPN, who lists the Royals, White Sox and Marlins as those who are interested in Grifol.

Grifol, 53 next month, was drafted by the Twins and played in the minors from 1991 to 1999. He got as high as Triple-A but never got the call to the major league level in his playing days. He subsequently transitioned into other roles, such as the director of minor league operations for the Mariners and then joining the Royals’ coaching staff in 2013.

His name has frequently come up in past managerial searches, a reflection of the respect that Grifol has around the game. Prior to the 2018 season, he was a candidate to manage the Tigers, then was considered by the Orioles a year later. He was in the running for the Giants and the opening in KC prior to 2020 but lost out to Mike Matheny, who was in the chair for the past three years but got fired recently. He was then up for the job in the Tigers’ dugout again prior to 2021 but lost out to A.J. Hinch.

There’s been a lot of shakeup within the Royals after another disappointing season. In addition to Matheny, the club has also parted ways with pitching coach Cal Eldred and president of baseball operations Dayton Moore. In the case of Moore, general manager J.J. Picollo was promoted to take over, keeping some semblance of continuity despite the obvious desire for change. It’s possible that the same approach could apply for the managerial vacancy, with Grifol potentially getting the bump from the bench coach position into the manager’s chair.

It seems the Royals will have some competition for Grifol’s services, however, with the reported interest from the White Sox and Marlins. The Sox will be looking to replace Tony La Russa, who recently announced he is stepping down due to health reasons. In the case of the Fish, they and Don Mattingly announced a mutual decision to not continue their relationship beyond 2023. In addition to those clubs, there will also be others looking for new skippers. The Blue Jays and Phillies are currently in the postseason and playing with interim managers, who could potentially be retained for the future. The Rangers fired Chris Woodward midseason and replaced him with Tony Beasley on an interim basis, with Beasley recently undergoing an interview to stick around and remove the interim tag from his title.

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