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Angels To Place David Fletcher On Injured List

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Angels interim manager Phil Nevin told reporters, including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, that infielder David Fletcher will be going on the 10-day injured list. The corresponding move is not yet known.

Fletcher, 28, was hit on the hand by a pitch a week ago and has been clearly hurt since then. Despite a diminished swinging ability, he has continued taking the field but it seems the ailment will finally put him out of action for a spell. Sam Blum of The Athletic relays that scans on the hand came back negative, which is encouraging. Nevertheless, the club will keep him out of action for 10 days and hope to have him back for the final week of the season. The club is well out of contention, making it fairly logical to let him heal up and get some healthy at-bats before the winter arrives.

Regardless of how things play out from here, it will surely go down as a frustrating campaign for the infielder. This will be his third trip to the IL on the season, having already twice landed on the shelf due to a hip strain. With all that missed time, he’s only been able to get into 54 games on the season so far, producing a .259/.296/.349 batting line that’s been 18% below league average by measure of wRC+.

Fletcher has always provided strong defensive marks at multiple positions, which allows him to be a valuable player even if his bat is a bit below average. The shortened 2020 season is the only time he’s produced a wRC+ above 96, but he’s still produced 7.3 fWAR in 494 career games thanks to his glovework.

Despite having two superstars in Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani on the same team, the Angels have still struggled for years due to subpar performances elsewhere on the roster. MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently took a look at how the starting pitching may be in a better position than it has been in quite some time. With 2023 being Ohtani’s last season before becoming a free agent, it could be argued that the middle infield is the biggest weakness for next year’s club.

This year’s breakout of Luis Rengifo is an encouraging development in that department, but getting Fletcher healthy and productive could be another boost. In 2019, Fletcher played 154 games and produced a wRC+ of 96 but was still worth 3.1 fWAR thanks to his glovework at second base, third base, shortstop and the outfield corners. Rengifo can also play those positions but not as well, though he has hit .275/.305/.443 for a wRC+ of 110 this year. Anthony Rendon and Jared Walsh are expected to be on the corners, though each of those comes with question marks after injury-plagued seasons of their own. Rendon has missed most of this year due to a wrist injury that required surgery while Walsh underwent surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome a few weeks ago. Both are expected to be ready for Spring Training, and Rendon could even return this season, though there’s a great deal of uncertainty hanging over the club’s infield mix for a very crucial season.

Red Sox To Select Frank German

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The Red Sox are going to select the contract of right-handed pitcher Frank German today, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. He will take the roster spot of catcher Kevin Plawecki, whose designation for assignment was reported last night.

German, 24, came over to the Red Sox from the Yankees in a January 2021 trade. The Yanks were looking to offload Adam Ottavino and the last year of his contract, including German in the deal as payment for Boston helping them out in that regard. The Yanks had selected him in the fourth round of the 2018 draft.

Though German was mostly a starter in his first few years in the minors, he has worked exclusively in relief this season, with very encouraging results. Between Double-A and Triple-A, he’s thrown 49 2/3 innings on the year with a 2.72 ERA and excellent 32.5% strikeout rate. His 9.6% walk rate is a bit on the high side, but those are still very encouraging results. As noted in Smith’s report, German has an upper-90s fastball that he combines with a splitter and a slider. He’ll now get a chance to try out that repertoire at the big league level, making his MLB debut as soon as he gets into a game.

For the Red Sox, they are 10 games back of a playoff spot with just over two weeks remaining in the season. With their hopes of a postseason appearance gone, they can use their remaining games to audition players for next season and beyond. Since Plawecki was headed for free agency, the club has decided to use his roster spot on a young hurler who could factor into their future bullpen mix.

Red Sox Designate Kevin Plawecki For Assignment

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The Red Sox are designating catcher Kevin Plawecki for assignment, reports Chris Cotillo of MassLive (Twitter link). Boston has yet to formally announce the move, but their 40-man roster tally is slated to drop to 38.

Plawecki has spent the past three seasons in Boston, with much of that time backing up Christian Vázquez. The right-handed hitting backstop performed well in a limited role between 2020-21, but he’s had a rough go of things in 2022. Through 173 plate appearances, Plawecki carries a .219/.291/.290 line with one home run. He’s made plenty of contact, but he hasn’t made a huge impact from a power perspective.

Boston dealt Vázquez to the Astros at the trade deadline, but they also brought in the lefty-hitting Reese McGuire in a subsequent trade with the White Sox. McGuire and the right-handed Connor Wong have joined Plawecki on the active roster since the rosters expanded in September. Both McGuire and Wong are controllable for multiple seasons beyond this year, while Plawecki was headed for free agency. With the Red Sox playing out the final few weeks of what’s likely to be a last place campaign, they’ll devote more playing time to their controllable options while cutting Plawecki loose a bit early.

Plawecki will land on outright or release waivers in the next few days. In either event, he’ll hit the open market is he goes unclaimed. That seems likely, as any claiming team wouldn’t be able to carry Plawecki on a postseason roster since he wasn’t in the organization prior to September 1. Plawecki’s also making $2.25MM this season, and while the final few hundred thousand dollars of that deal aren’t onerous, it decreases the chance of another team adding him as a strictly a regular season depth option for the final two and a half weeks. In all likelihood, Plawecki will head to the open market a bit early and turn his attention to next offseason.

NL West Notes: Gonsolin, Belt, Bryant

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Dodgers hurler Tony Gonsolin is continuing to work his way back from a right forearm strain, having been placed on the 15-day injured list on August 29. Gonsolin’s rehab hasn’t moved as quickly as the team had initially hoped, but Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times relays that he’s responded well to a bullpen session earlier this week. Gonsolin’s role with the Dodgers upon his return is not set in stone, with Gonsolin revealing that he and manager Dave Roberts have discussed “different routes” for his role when he returns.

In his first full season starting, Gonsolin has been nothing short of remarkable, pitching to a 2.49 ERA, 23.7 K%, 7.2 BB% in 128 1/3 innings (23 starts). These impressive numbers propelled him to his first All-Star game, but he has already surpassed his previous max innings pitched, 128, set in 2018. Additionally, after dealing with a forearm strain, it makes sense why the Dodgers may be hesitant in pushing their young, controllable starter before their upcoming playoff run.

Elsewhere around the division…

  • Giants stalwart Brandon Belt is entering free agency coming off his third surgery on his right knee, but he told Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic this week that his knee “feels great” roughly two weeks after surgery. Belt says that he feels “like a brand-new person,” while adding that he knows there is “a lot more left in me” and explaining he has already shed his crutches. Belt also added that he has roughly four weeks of rehab before he will be back to normal – plenty of time for a normal offseason preparation. Belt expressed interest in returning to San Francisco but indicated he’d be willing to play elsewhere if the team were “ready to move on.” The 34-year-old did not categorically rule out the idea of retiring, stating that “it needs to be the right situation for me to keep going” and that it doesn’t make sense to “go play for nothing” while stating he wouldn’t accept a minor league contract. Although Belt put forth a disappointing 2022 season, slashing .213/.326/.350 for a .676 OPS, he is less than a year removed from posting back-to-back .900+ OPS seasons and is a career .261/.356/.458 hitter.
  • The Rockies have still yet to officially shut down third baseman Kris Bryant for the season. However, there’s still no timetable for Bryant’s return to the field. In a chat with reporters (including The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney) this afternoon, Bryant stated that the Rockies want him “to feel really good going into the offseason” and that he wants an “offseason that’s as close to normal as possible.” With those sentiments, it appears likely that the 30-year-old will not take the field again this season with the Rockies destined to miss the playoffs for the fourth season in a row. Overall, Bryant is in the first year of a seven-year, $182MM contract, but has only appeared in 42 games with the Rockies while being placed on the injured list three times for a strained lower back and plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Nevertheless, when healthy he performed at a high standard, slashing .306/.376/.475 for a .851 OPS, albeit in a hitter-friendly environment.

Stephen Strasburg Discusses Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

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Stephen Strasburg has made just eight appearances over the past three seasons, which have all been derailed by injury. An ongoing battle with thoracic outlet syndrome has seemingly been at the root of it all, as the nerve issue has continually plagued him despite numerous attempts at mounting a comeback.

In a candid chat with Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post this week, Strasburg conceded he’s uncertain if he’ll ever regain his pre-2020 form. “I feel like every time I’ve had an injury, I felt like I was going to be the best there is coming back,” the three-time All-Star told Dougherty. “This is the one that’s still definitely a big question mark. I realize the clock is ticking. It’s been almost three years since I’ve been able to pitch competitively, and it’s not like I’m getting younger.”

Strasburg suggested he believes he’s battled complications of thoracic outlet syndrome since at least 2018, when he lost a month on the injured list due to what the club termed a cervical nerve impingement. A Botox treatment the ensuing offseason initially worked wonders, and he returned to post arguably the finest season of his career. The former first overall pick posted a 3.32 ERA across 209 innings in the 2019 regular season. He continued to excel during Washington’s run to a championship and collected World Series MVP honors that year.

After the season, Washington re-signed Strasburg to a seven-year, $245MM free agent deal. That, of course, looks like a major misstep in retrospect. Strasburg made just two appearances during the abbreviated 2020 season. He was shut down that August and underwent surgery to address carpal tunnel syndrome, but Strasburg now tells Dougherty he believes the actual issue was thoracic outlet syndrome.

Strasburg returned from the carpal tunnel procedure and opened the season on the 2021 roster, but he lasted just two starts before coming down with shoulder inflammation. He was reinstated a month later, made three more appearances, then was shut back down with nerve irritation in his neck. Last July, he finally underwent TOS surgery that brought an end to his season. He opened this year on the injured list and missed the first two months before debuting on June 9. He made one start, threw 4 2/3 innings, then landed back on the IL with a stress reaction in his right ribcage. Yet again, it brought an end to his season.

The 34-year-old tells Dougherty he’s done “very minimal exercises” in the three months since then. He hasn’t thrown at any point, and he noted that despite feeling “some improvements” in his shoulder, he still “(feels) like the strength is not quite there and (is) not really sure what the future holds.”

It’s obviously not an ideal update for a player who’s both cemented in Nationals franchise history and could theoretically still be a part of the future. Strasburg remains under contract through 2026 at $35MM annually and expressed a continued desire to get back on a big league mound if he’s physically able. Dougherty also speaks to some former MLB hurlers (including current Rangers GM Chris Young) who’d battled TOS themselves in a wide-ranging piece that’s worth checking out in full.

Unfortunately, Strasburg isn’t the only Nationals hurler trying to battle back from TOS surgery. Veteran reliever Will Harris hasn’t thrown a major league pitch since undergoing his own procedure in May 2021. He’s spent the entire season on the injured list, and he continues to battle lingering effects of the condition. Dougherty’s colleague at the Post, Andrew Golden, tweets that Harris recently suffered a setback and is headed for an MRI.

The 38-year-old Harris is in the final season of a three-year, $24MM free agent deal signed over the 2019-20 offseason. That investment didn’t pan out, as injuries kept him to 23 2/3 innings in a Washington uniform. It seems all but certain he won’t pitch this season, and he’ll hit the open market this winter.

Twins Outright Randy Dobnak

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As expected, Minnesota Twins right-handed pitcher Randy Dobnak has passed through waivers unclaimed and has accepted his assignment to Triple-A. Dobnak was able to reject an outright assignment and elect free agency having accumulated over three years of MLB service time, but he lacks the five years of service time necessary to do so without forfeiting any salary — $800k for the 2022 season, increasing to $1.5MM next year, $2.25MM in 2024, and $3M in 2025, with team options and buyouts for the 2026-28 seasons.

Dobnak made his Major League debut in 2019, pitching 28 1/3 innings with a 1.59 ERA. He followed that up with a more modest 4.05 ERA in 46 2/3 innings in 2020 before signing a five-year, $9.25MM extension, which could increase to $29.75MM, with the Twins prior to the 2021 season.

Unfortunately, Dobnak then missed the majority of the 2021 season with injuries, pitching only 50 2/3 innings to a poor 7.82 ERA before being shut down with a right middle finger strain that lingered into Spring Training this year. Dobnak’s struggles continued into the 2022 season during his rehab process, giving up nine earned runs in 8 2/3 innings in Triple-A St. Paul, leading to his DFA.

With the Twins’ current core of Bailey Ober, Josh Winder, Joe Ryan, Sonny Gray, and Chris Archer (when healthy) there was no space for Dobnak. Even with a roughly average bullpen, 3.85 ERA and 24.7% strikeout rate, the front office decided that Dobnak would not be an addition to the team’s playoff push. Rather than reinstall him onto the 40-man roster after his time on the injured list was up, they moved to pass him through waivers. He’ll try to work his back onto the roster in Triple-A.

Giants Claim Taylor Jones, Designate Jose Rojas

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The Giants have claimed first baseman/corner outfielder Taylor Jones off waivers from the Astros and optioned him to Triple-A Sacramento. Utilityman Jose Rojas has been designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. Houston had designated Jones for assignment earlier this week.

Jones changes organizations for the first time in his career. A 19th-round pick of the Astros in 2016, he’s spent the past six-plus years in the Houston system. The Gonzaga product has typically played well in the minor leagues, posting particularly strong numbers in the upper levels. Through parts of three seasons in Triple-A, Jones is a .279/.377/.487 hitter. That includes a quality .263/.370/.456 showing through 322 plate appearances this year. Jones has connected on 12 home runs and drawn walks at a quality 10.9% clip while striking out at a slightly higher than average rate (24.2%).

Despite the solid work in the minors, the 28-year-old hasn’t gotten much of a look in the big leagues. He’s appeared at the highest level in each of the past three years, but he’s picked up a cumulative 131 plate appearances in sporadic playing time. Jones hasn’t played well in that limited look, managing only a .234/.260/.395 line with a trio of longballs and an alarming 27.5% strikeout percentage.

The Giants are as active as any team at scouring the waiver wire, and they’ll take a shot on Jones’ upper minors productivity. He’s in his last minor league option year, meaning San Francisco can keep him in Triple-A for the final few weeks of the season. He’ll be out of options in 2023, though. If he holds his spot on the 40-man roster all winter, he’ll have to break camp on the MLB club or again be designated for assignment.

Rojas has been part of the Giants waiver wire churn. San Francisco snagged him from the Angels less than two weeks ago, and he’s spent his limited time in the organization with Sacramento. He’s appeared in seven games on optional assignment there and now loses his spot on the 40-man without having suited up in a big league contest.

A left-handed hitter, Rojas has appeared in the bigs with the Halos in each of the past two seasons. He’s not made much of an impact against MLB pitching, carrying a .188/.245/.339 slash with six homers through 241 trips to the plate. Like Jones, Rojas has been a very good hitter at the Triple-A level. Through parts of four seasons there, he sports a .277/.343/.525 line, including a .274/.346/.569 mark this season. The 29-year-old also offers a fair bit of defensive flexibility, suiting up at each of first, second and third base and in the corner outfield.

For the second time this month, Rojas will find himself on the waiver wire. He has an additional option remaining beyond this season and won’t reach arbitration for multiple years, so it’s possible another team will add him as an upper-level depth player. If he goes unclaimed, Rojas would have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Braves Place Kirby Yates On Injured List

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The Braves announced that reliever Kirby Yates has been placed on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to September 13, due to inflammation in his throwing elbow. Righty William Woods was recalled from Triple-A Gwinnett to take his spot in the bullpen. Mark Bowman of MLB.com tweets that Yates experienced some discomfort while throwing this afternoon.

An elbow inflammation diagnosis for Yates is a bit alarming, as it comes on the heels of a lengthy rehab from Tommy John surgery. The right-hander missed most of the abbreviated 2020 campaign battling elbow issues, and his efforts to avoid going under the knife proved unsuccessful. He required Tommy John surgery in March 2021 and spent a season and a half on the injured list before being reinstated in mid-August.

Despite the lengthy rehab process, the Braves rolled the dice on a two-year guarantee for Yates last offseason. He’s making just $1MM this year and will earn $6MM next season before the club has to decide on a 2024 team option valued at $5.25MM. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos and his staff were clearly hoping Yates would recapture something resembling his 2019 form. During his last full healthy season, the Hawaii native was arguably the best reliever in the game. He saved an MLB-leading 41 games, posted a 1.19 ERA and struck out 41.6% of opponents over 60 2/3 innings with the Padres that season.

While there’s still time for Yates to turn things around, he’s shown signs of rust through his first month in Atlanta. The 35-year-old has logged seven innings over nine outings, allowing four runs on a pair of homers with five walks and six strikeouts. Yates’ 93.4 MPH average fastball velocity is right in line with his pre-surgery work, but the pitch has been hit hard so far this season. On the plus side, his trademark split has again been an excellent offering.

The Braves haven’t provided any kind of timetable for Yates’ expected return. There are a bit less than three weeks remaining in the regular season. A minimal stint would give Yates an opportunity to make it back for an outing or two before the playoffs, but any absence stretching notably beyond 15 days would take him into the postseason. Paired with his early struggles, Yates’ elbow discomfort could make it difficult for the team to carry him on a playoff roster. That’s particularly true in light of the team’s overall strength at the back end. The Braves have the majors’ fifth-lowest bullpen ERA (3.17) and second-best strikeout rate (27.4%).

Big Hype Prospects: Quero, Carter, Graceffo, Painter, Amador

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This week on Big Hype Prospects, we take a look at some precocious youngsters in the upper minors.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Edgar Quero, 19, C, LAA (A)
515 PA, 17 HR, 12 SB, .312/.435/.530

Recently selected as the Angels Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America, Quero has surged in the Angels system and likely ranks as their second-best farmhand behind Logan O’Hoppe. For what it’s worth, Baseball America’s midseason update has Quero behind O’Hoppe, Zach Neto, and Ky Bush, but it’s pretty clear to me that he’s since leapfrogged at least Bush.

Quero progressed considerably both offensively and defensively this season. He’s now viewed as likely to not only remain a catcher but to do so as a quality defender. As a hitter, he’s a consistent contact machine with advanced plate discipline for his age. He has a knack for finding gaps (35 doubles, two triples) and could grow into more home run power as he ages. For a 19-year-old with non-elite power (by scouting grade), hitting 17 dingers is a lovely platform. His 8.4 percent swinging strike rate is superior to most teenagers – even those that eventually go on to post high rates of contact. His 12 steals have come in 17 attempts, a sign he might not run much as he advances.

One tiny detail that will often be missed in surface-level analysis – Quero was hit by pitch 21 times. Among Major Leaguers, only Willson Contreras (23) has been hit by more than 20 pitches this season. While Quero’s OBP captures this trait, his walk rate does not. He’s listed as having a 14.2 percent walk rate and 17.7 percent strikeout rate. He actually has 94 walks plus hit-by-pitches compared to 91 strikeouts. It’s debatable whether this is a good trait for a minor leaguer since bean balls lead to injuries.

Evan Carter, 20, OF, TEX (AA)
(A+) 447 PA, 11 HR, 26 SB, .287/.388/.476

Carter, a second-round pick in the weird 2020 draft, was on track to jump onto Top 100 lists last season before a season-ending stress fracture in his back ended his campaign. While that may sound ominous, it’s a simple injury to maintain via core exercises. He spent the bulk of 2022 in High-A, earning a late-season promotion to Double-A in order to continue his season. Per Baseball America, he now ranks above Josh Jung as the Rangers top farm hand.

Carter is frequently praised for his swing decisions, but scouting reports often take time to focus on his weaknesses too. He has the size and physicality of a power hitter. His swing is thought to be prone to ground ball contact, though that didn’t show up in his incredibly balanced batted ball profile in High-A. He’s a capable center fielder whom multiple evaluators comp to Brandon Nimmo due to the discerning eye, a similar left-handed swing, and game power that is expected to underperform his stature. That said, the Rangers are sometimes criticized for asking their prospects to max out on power. Don’t sleep on the potential for 20-or-more homer upside once he’s in his 20s. His max exit velocity is already above the Major League average.

Gordon Graceffo, 22, SP, STL (AA)
(A+) 93.2 IP, 7.98 K/9, 2.31 BB/9, 3.94 ERA

Graceffo opened 2022 in High-A. In eight starts (45.2 innings), he chewed through the level with a 0.99 ERA, 11.04 K/9, and 0.79 BB/9. He’s performed more ordinarily at Double-A. A 5.07 FIP suggests he’s even struggled a bit more than his ERA portends. He’s performed particularly well of late. In 16.2 innings this month, he’s allowed no runs, five hits, two walks, and two hit batters with 22 strikeouts. His latest start began with five perfect innings before he allowed a hit in the sixth. Unlike most pitching prospects in their second pro season, he’s carried a fairly substantial workload of 139.1 innings. For perspective, only 56 big leaguers have thrown more frames. He also rates 10th among minor leaguers.

He possesses a four-pitch repertoire of above-average offerings complemented with average or better command. In essence, this is the Zac Gallen starter kit. The FanGraphs report mentions the shape of his fastball plays down. Basically, it’s contact-prone and won’t necessarily limit the quality of said contact. This appears to be an organizational shortcoming with the Cardinals – whether by choice, happenstance, or some other reason.

Andrew Painter, 19, SP, PHI (AA)
24.1 IP, 11.84 K/9, 0.74 BB/9, 1.11 ERA

Painter is a candidate to claim the mantle of top minor league pitcher once Grayson Rodriguez matriculates. In a past episode of BHP, I compared Painter to Spencer Strider due to what might play as a two-pitch repertoire. Reports have since surfaced that he’s gained confidence in an improved changeup. I also failed to account for their difference in stature – Painter is seven inches taller which greatly affects the shape of his fastball.

While he hasn’t induced quite as many swinging strikes as Strider did through his ascent, Painter has shown better command and pitchability. Given his early success in Double-A following 17 dominant starts in A-ball, he could be on track to debut in 2023. It’s rare for pitchers to reach the Show in their age 20 season. In fact, the youngest pitchers in the Majors this season are 22, though Luis Patino was 20 when he debuted. He even set a season-high of 27 batters faced on September 3, more than most big leaguers face in a start.

Adael Amador, 19, SS, COL (A)
555 PA , 15 HR, 26 SB, .292/.415/.445

Similarly to Quero, Amador remained in Low-A all season where he was able to focus on making modest improvements without being overmatched. He’s seen as a high-probability shortstop prospect who recorded more walks than strikeouts, makes a ton of contact, and isn’t a complete zero in the power department. He hits too much pulled, ground ball contact, but he has plenty of time to make adjustments. Excellent plate discipline is an important and underrated ingredient when it comes to altering a young player’s batted ball profile. While some scouting reports suggest he’ll shift to second base down the line, my own interpretation is that this isn’t strictly necessary. Defensively, he might fit best as a first-division utility man capable of suiting up all over the diamond. Not to say that he’s similar to Chris Taylor, but that role would be an excellent use of Amador’s talents.

Five More

Jackson Chourio, MIL (18): Like Carter, Chourio earned a promotion to Double-A mostly in order to continue his season. Thus far, he’s just 1-for-11 with three walks and four strikeouts. He’s also just 18-and-a-half, eight months the junior of the next-youngest hitter at the level (see next). If he can salvage a strong finish, he might be on pace to arrive in the Majors as a teenager.

Deyvison De Los Santos, ARI (19): Another promotee for the purpose of extending his season, De Los Santos flashed through Low- and High-A this season while bashing 21 home runs and posting some gaudy BABIPs. Those helped to hide swing-and-miss issues with his approach that at times evokes Pedro Cerrano. Plate discipline remains an ongoing issue for the potent teenager.

Francisco Alvarez, NYM (20): Recently sidelined with a loose body in his ankle, Alvarez returned to action a few days ago. He launched a home run on Tuesday. The Mets have gotten next to no offense from their catchers and might be willing to take desperate measures as the Braves nip at their heels in the NL East race.

Tink Hence, STL (20): Profiled in detail last week, Hence made a third straight scoreless start. He even faced a career-high 16 batters. The Cardinals continue to carefully manage his innings this season, combining short starts with a full week between outings.

Chase Silseth, LAA (22): Though he’s made seven big league appearances spanning 28.2 innings (6.59 ERA), Silseth has yet to appear in Triple-A. The 22-year-old has pitched excellently in Double-A with a 2.28 ERA, 11.93 K/9, 2.93 BB/9, and a flashy 17.8 percent swinging strike rate. He delivered a six-inning scoreless outing on Thursday with nine strikeouts for the Rocket City Trash Pandas.

Yankees Activate Aroldis Chapman, Designate Ryan Weber

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The Yankees announced they’ve reinstated reliever Aroldis Chapman from the 15-day injured list. To clear a spot on the active roster, New York designated righty Ryan Weber for assignment. New York’s 40-man roster tally drops to 38.

Chapman missed around three weeks recovering from an infection arising from a tattoo. The bizarre issue marked the latest frustration in what has been a disappointing overall season for the flamethrowing southpaw. Chapman has worked to a career-worst 4.70 ERA across 30 2/3 innings.

His formerly elite strikeout rate has fallen to a slightly above-average 25.7%, while he’s walking batters at an unacceptable 16.2% clip. New York already bumped Chapman from the ninth inning in favor of Clay Holmes, and it remains to be seen where he stands in the left-handed pecking order for manager Aaron Boone as the playoffs approach. Wandy Peralta and Lucas Luetge have each been solid this year, with Peralta thriving against same-handed opponents.

As for Weber, he finds himself in a familiar position. The soft-tossing righty has been on and off the Yankees roster a few times this season, with New York frequently calling upon him as a depth arm. He’s never carved out a permanent spot on the big league club, though, and he’s now been designated for assignment for a fourth time this year. Because he’s out of minor league options, the Yankees continuously have to run him through waivers to take him off the big league roster.

The 32-year-old has remained with New York after each previous DFA, either via accepting an outright assignment to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre or quickly returning on a new minor league deal after electing free agency. He’s pitched well through the constant shuffling, tossing 10 2/3 innings of one-run ball at the MLB level while posting a 3.86 ERA over 39 2/3 Triple-A frames. Weber’s 16.5% strikeout rate with Scranton has been typically modest, but he’s induced plenty of ground-balls and only walked 3% of opponents there.

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