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Brewers Sign Marcus Walden To Minor League Deal

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The Brewers have signed right-hander Marcus Walden to a minor league deal, per a team announcement. He has been assigned to the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. (Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted about the deal shortly before the official announcement.)

Walden, 33, was a ninth round selection of the Blue Jays back in the 2007 draft but became something of a journeyman even before reaching the big leagues. He was claimed off waivers by the A’s, then released and joined the Atlantic League. He then signed a minor league deal with the Twins, followed by another with the Red Sox, with whom he would eventually make his MLB debut.

In 2018, he threw 14 2/3 innings out of their bullpen and return in 2019. That year, he threw 78 frames with an impressive 3.81 ERA, 23.2% strikeout rate, 9.8% walk rate and 53.5% ground ball rate. Unfortunately, things went sideways for him in 2020, as his ERA shot up to 9.45 in 13 1/3 innings. His grounder rate dropped to 40.4%, his strikeouts went down to 14.1% and his walks shot up 12.7%. That’s a very small sample size in a strange, shortened season, but it was enough for the club to designate him for assignment at the end of the year.

He spent 2021 in the minors for the Red Sox and Cubs, but has spent 2022 with the Gastonia Honey Hunters of the Atlantic League. He’s transitioned back to a rotation role, throwing 50 1/3 innings over nine starts. He’s racked up 34 Ks against just eight walks and put up a 2.86 ERA in that time.

It’s unknown if the Brewers intend for Walden to continue in a starter’s role now that he’s back from the wilderness, but it would make sense given that injuries have taken a toll on their rotation. Freddy Peralta, Brandon Woodruff and Aaron Ashby are all on the IL at the moment, which has forced the club to cobble together a staff with backup options like minor league signee Jason Alexander and waiver claim Chi Chi Gonzalez. Adding Walden gives them an extra depth option with some MLB experience. Should he earn his way back onto the big league team, he still has a couple of option years remaining, allowing Milwaukee to shuttle him between Triple-A and the majors, if necessary.

Angels Option Reid Detmers

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The Angels announced to reporters (including Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times) they’ve optioned starter Reid Detmers to Triple-A Salt Lake. Reliever Jimmy Herget heads to the 15-day injured list with a shoulder issue, and the club recalled Oliver Ortega and Elvis Peguero to take their active roster spots.

Detmers’ demotion is the most notable of today’s series of moves, as he heads to the minors for the first time this season. The tenth overall pick in the 2020 draft, the southpaw flew through the minors to reach the big leagues last August. He started five games last year and has opened this season in the rotation, taking the ball 12 times.

The 22-year-old no-hit the Rays on May 10, achieving the rare feat only 11 starts into his big league career. That’s one of two no-hitters thrown in MLB this season (five Mets combined to keep the Phillies out of the hit column in April), but Detmers’ start-to-start consistency has been lacking. He’s only eclipsed five innings on one other occasion, and he’s allowed four-plus earned runs in three of his past five appearances.

Altogether, Detmers owns a 4.66 ERA across 58 innings this season. That’s in spite of opponents hitting only .204 on balls in play against him, and Detmers’ peripherals have been disappointing. He’s struck out 18.6% of batters faced on a meager 8.7% swinging strike rate, with both marks sitting a few points below the respective league averages. The Louisville product has also given up 11 home runs (1.71 per nine innings), and the front office evidently decided it better to give him a reset in a lower-pressure environment.

Inconsistency aside, Detmers is still young enough to be viewed as a potential long-term starter. He’s drawn praise from evaluators for his secondary pitches and strong control, and he reached the majors after just one start with Salt Lake last year. The club could recall him within 15 days (sooner if he’s replacing an injured player), so it’s possible Detmers will be back at Angel Stadium before the All-Star Break.

The timing of his next promotion will be important from a service time perspective. Detmers accrued 64 days of MLB service last year, and he’s picked up around 76 more days this season. Players are credited with a full year of service upon spending 172 days on an MLB roster or injured list, leaving Detmers around the 140-day mark presently. He’ll need to spend around a month more in the big leagues this year to eclipse his first full year of service before the end of the season, which would keep him on track to first reach free agency after the 2027 campaign.

Chris Mazza Elects Free Agency

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Reliever Chris Mazza has cleared waivers and elected minor league free agency, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. The righty had been designated for assignment by the Rays earlier in the week.

Mazza signed a minor league deal over the offseason and cracked the Opening Day roster. He was called upon by skipper Kevin Cash twice out of the bullpen, allowing ten runs (seven earned) over 5 1/3 combined innings. Mazza landed on the injured list two weeks into the season due to back spasms, and he was eventually transferred to the 60-day IL. The 32-year-old recently returned to health, but the Rays chose to DFA him rather than put him back onto the MLB roster.

That brief look in April marked four consecutive seasons of some MLB action for Mazza, who debuted with the 2019 Mets. He pitched for the Red Sox during the abbreviated 2020 campaign and has spent the past couple seasons in Tampa Bay. Through 79 major league innings, the California native owns a 5.35 ERA with a modest 18.5% strikeout rate.

While he’s yet to cement himself in any team’s major league bullpen, Mazza has a solid minor league track record. He owns a 3.68 ERA through parts of four years in Triple-A, where he’s punched out a more capable 23.9% of batters faced. That resume should allow him to land with another team on a minor league pact over the coming days or weeks.

Nationals Sign John Nogowski To Minor League Deal

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The Nationals have signed first baseman/outfielder John Nogowski to a minor league contract, reports Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post. He’ll head to Double-A Harrisburg for the time being.

Nogowski, 29, has seen big league time in part of two seasons, including 52 games between the Cardinals and Pirates in 2021. He posted a combined .233/.301/.310 batting line in that small sample of 143 trips to the plate and became a minor league free agent when the Bucs released him from their Triple-A affiliate in September. Nogowski signed a minor league deal with the Giants that ran through the end of the 2022 season, but he was selected by the Braves in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 Draft and opened the year with Atlanta’s top affiliate in Gwinnett.

The lefty-hitting Nogowski managed just a .234/.338/.323 line with a pair of home runs in 148 plate appearances with the Stripers. He drew walks at an excellent 12.2% clip and had a solid 19.6% strikeout rate, but he didn’t make much of an impact from a power perspective. Nogowski’s career track record in the upper minors is more impressive, as he owns a .260/.376/.407 mark through parts of three Triple-A seasons.

That Nogowski will head to Harrisburg instead of Triple-A Rochester suggests he’s fairly low on the organizational depth chart at the moment. MLB first baseman Josh Bell is very likely to be traded within the next six weeks, though. Jake Noll and minor league journeyman Joey Meneses have split most of the first base time in Rochester this year. Noll has struggled, but the 30-year-old Meneses has a .303/.353/.526 line through 64 contests.

Yankees Re-Sign Ryan Weber To Minor League Deal

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The Yankees have re-signed righty Ryan Weber to a minor league contract, tweets Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. He’ll head to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

Weber returns to the organization just two days after electing free agency. He’d spent the entire season in Scranton before being selected to the MLB roster last Thursday. Weber spent one day in the majors, tossing 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball in relief against the Rays, before being outrighted back off the 40-man roster. He refused a minor league assignment but quickly re-signed on a new non-roster pact. That’s not uncommon in situations like these, as the renegotiated contract can come with different terms or possible opt-out opportunities.

The 31-year-old has tossed 21 1/3 frames over eight appearances (four starts) in Scranton this season. He’s posted an impressive 2.95 ERA, compensating for a below-average 16.9% strikeout rate with a 47.1% ground-ball percentage. Weber has remarkably only walked one of 89 batters faced with the RailRiders. That’s in line with his career results, as he’s shown excellent control and grounder numbers but rarely missed many bats as a professional.

Lorenzo Cain Clears Release Waivers

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The Brewers announced this afternoon that outfielder Lorenzo Cain has cleared release waivers and reached free agency. That was a mere formality after the team designated him for assignment over the weekend.

Cain now has the right to explore other opportunities, but it remains to be seen whether he plans to continue his career. Shortly after his DFA, Cain met with reporters and reflected on his career (Twitter link with video from Adam McCalvy of MLB.com). The 36-year-old expressed pride about recently eclipsing ten years of MLB service time, and he noted he’s “put (his) body through a lot over the years” and is “ready to rest for sure.” He struck a similar tone in a chat with former Royals beat reporter Jeffrey Flanagan yesterday, saying he “must admit it is very nice being home” (Twitter link).

If this is the end of Cain’s playing days, he’ll step away as one of the better outfielders of his generation. A former 17th-round pick, Cain overcame his low draft status to reach the majors with the Brewers by 2010. Milwaukee flipped him to the Royals the following offseason, packaging him with Jake Odorizzi, Alcides Escobar and Jeremy Jeffress to land Zack Greinke.

The blockbuster played a huge role in the course of MLB history during the 2010’s. Cain and Escobar became key members of back-to-back pennant winners in 2014-15, while Odorizzi was eventually flipped to the Rays in the James Shields/Wade Davis swap. Cain played in Kansas City from 2011-17, settling in as the club’s primary center fielder by 2012. He hit .289/.342/.421 while playing excellent defense and swiping 120 bases over that stretch. He earned his first career All-Star selection in 2015 and finished in third place in AL MVP voting after posting a .307/.361/.477 line that year.

After that run in Royal blue, Cain hit free agency for the first time. He inked a five-year, $80MM guarantee to return to the Brewers in January 2018. That came within days of Milwaukee’s acquisition of Christian Yelich, and the pair of marquee pickups helped kick off a stretch of at least four straight playoff appearances. Yelich wound up being the more impactful add, claiming an MVP award during his first season in Wisconsin, but Cain was a high-end player in his own right in 2018.

That year, Cain hit .308/.395/.417 and stole 30 bases. He earned his second All-Star nod and finished seventh in NL MVP balloting. He only posted a .260/.325/.372 line during the second season of that deal, but he picked up a long-awaited Gold Glove award for his work in center. After sitting out most of the 2020 campaign due to COVID concerns, Cain returned in a more limited role last year. He played at a roughly league average level through 78 games, but he scuffled this season. Milwaukee’s DFA came after Cain posted a .179/.231/.234 line through 156 plate appearances.

Cain’s contract stays on Milwaukee’s books for this year. The club will owe him what remains of his $18MM salary for the final season of his deal. Were he to sign anywhere else, another club would only pay the prorated portion of the $700K league minimum for any time he spends in the major leagues.

While Cain has hinted at retirement on multiple occasions in recent weeks, he’s not made any formal announcement about his future. If he decides he’s interested in continuing his career, his defense and respected clubhouse presence would certainly at least get him minor league opportunities. If Cain is finished playing, he’ll step away a career .283/.343/.407 hitter through parts of 13 big league seasons. FanGraphs has valued his career around 30 wins above replacement, while Baseball Reference has him at about 38 wins. By the end of this season, Cain will have banked a little more than $100MM in earnings between his arbitration salaries and contract with Milwaukee.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Mariners, Jacob Barnes Agree To Minor League Deal

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The Mariners and reliever Jacob Barnes are in agreement on a minor league contract. He’ll report to Triple-A Tacoma, according to an announcement from Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto (Twitter link).

Barnes was recently released by the Tigers. The righty cracked Detroit’s Opening Day roster after signing a minors pact over the winter, but the 2022 campaign has been a struggle. He tossed 20 2/3 innings across 22 outings but managed only a 6.10 ERA. Barnes’ 11.2% strikeout rate was the third-lowest mark among relievers with 20+ frames, and Detroit designated him for assignment last week.

Rough start notwithstanding, he’s a sensible depth add for the Mariners. Barnes’ lack of swing-and-miss in Detroit was surprising, as he’s typically been solid at missing bats. He fanned 25.8% of opponents last season between the Mets and Blue Jays. He’s two years removed from punching out over 30% of batters faced on a massive 15.2% swinging strike rate with the Angels. Control inconsistency and a propensity for hard contact led to grisly ERA totals in both seasons, but the swing-and-miss potential made him an intriguing middle innings option.

Barnes is still throwing his fastball (95.3 MPH) and cutter (88.9 MPH) quite hard, and the latter offering continued to miss bats at a decent rate this year. The four-seam was a major issue for Barnes in Detroit, but the M’s will take a no-risk look to see if they can tweak that offering to find better success.

Mariners Release Sergio Romo, Joey Gerber

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The Mariners announced this evening that relievers Sergio Romo and Joey Gerber have each cleared waivers and been granted their unconditional release. Both pitchers were designated for assignment in recent days and are now free agents.

Romo is the more accomplished and well-known of the duo. A 15-year MLB veteran, the righty has earned an All-Star nod and was part of three World Series teams with the Giants. He owns a career 3.20 ERA through 719 innings spread across seven teams. Romo’s low arm slot and wipeout slider have allowed him to particularly dominate right-handed opponents throughout his career, but he’s generally been quite good against batters from both sides of the dish.

That hasn’t been the case in 2022, however, as Romo’s stint in Seattle didn’t pan out. He allowed 13 runs in 14 1/3 innings as a Mariner, serving up six longballs in that limited time. Romo was tagged for homers in each of his final two appearances, and the M’s moved on from him on Monday. They’ll remain on the hook for the balance of his $2MM salary, with any signing club only responsible for the league minimum for any time Romo spends on their active roster (which would be subtracted from Seattle’s tab).

Gerber, 25, is in a much different spot of his career. He has just 17 MLB appearances to his name, all of which came back in 2020. The former eighth-round pick spent all of last season on the minor league injured list, and that’s more or less been the case this year as well. Gerber was dealing with a forearm strain in Spring Training; he made one rehab outing in rookie ball a few weeks back but hasn’t pitched since that point.

Injured players can’t be placed on outright waivers, so Gerber’s release was a formality once the M’s took him off the 40-man roster. It’s possible they’ll look to bring him back via minor league deal now that he’s passed through waivers, but he’s free to explore similar opportunities elsewhere.

Dodgers Select Stefen Romero

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4:54pm: Los Angeles officially announced Romero’s promotion, with corner infielder Edwin Ríos moving from the 10-day to the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. Ríos suffered a right hamstring tear and has been out since June 3. The transfer is backdated to the time of his initial IL placement, meaning he won’t be eligible to return until the first week of August.

8:38am: The Dodgers plan to select the contract of outfielder Stefen Romero on Wednesday, reports J.P. Hoornstra of the Southern California News Group. He’ll take the place of infielder Hanser Alberto, who is being placed on the paternity list. It’ll be Romero’s first big league appearance since 2016, capping a six-year odyssey that’s taken him around the world.

Once one of the Mariners’ most promising outfield prospects, Romero made his big league debut as a 25-year-old back in 2014 but scuffled to a .192/.234/.299 output over the course of 72 games. He saw more limited Major League time in each of the next two seasons in Seattle, but despite consistently laying waste to Triple-A pitching, he received only sparse looks and never produced much in those infrequent opportunities.

Following the 2016 season, the Orix Buffaloes of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball approached Romero and the Mariners about a potential opportunity, and the M’s granted a then-28-year-old Romero his release in order to sign overseas. Romero was an instant success in Japan, hitting .274/.330/.508 with 26 home runs in the first of would wind up being five seasons in NPB. His second year with the Buffaloes wasn’t as strong, but Romero hit .305/.363/.539 in his third season year with Orix. He then signed on with the Rakuten Eagles for a year and turned in a similarly hearty .274/.354/.539 line during the 2020 campaign.

A return endeavor with the Buffaloes in 2021 lasted just 31 games, but Romero’s five-year stint in NPB nevertheless finished with a solid .264/.331/.497 batting line to go along with 96 home runs, 67 doubles and four triples. He inked a minor league deal with the Dodgers this offseason in hopes of securing a return to the big leagues, and he’ll now realize that dream after beginning the season with a .270/.337/.461 showing in Triple-A Oklahoma City.

It’s possible that this will prove to be a short stay on the big league roster for Romero. Alberto’s stay on the paternity list will be between one and three days, and Romero is out of minor league options, so he can’t be sent back down without first being passed through outright waivers.

The Dodgers do have a need for a right-handed-hitting outfielder at the moment, however, as they’re trying to cobble together a right field platoon while Mookie Betts mends from a cracked rib. They reacquired Trayce Thompson yesterday and appear set to give him the first shot at serving as Eddy Alvarez’s platoon partner, but Romero is also a righty stick who can slot into right field. He’s managed just a .219/.278/.344 slash against lefties in 2022, but that’s come over just 36 plate appearances, so it’s hard to glean much from such a minuscule sample.

Even if it’s a brief stay in the big leagues this time around, today will surely be a day to remember for Romero, whose last MLB appearance came on Aug. 19, 2016 — when he was summoned to the Majors for one game (his lone Major League appearance of that season’s second half). But with the Dodgers’ outfield and bench situations currently in something of a state of flux, it’s at least possible he’ll have the opportunity to carve out a role — at least while Betts is sidelined.

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