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Red Sox Select Danny Santana, Designate Austin Brice

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The Red Sox announced Friday that they’ve selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Danny Santana from Triple-A Worcester. To create a spot on the 40-man roster, right-hander Austin Brice was designated for assignment.

It was reported yesterday that Santana, who had a Sunday opt-out clause in his minor league contract, would be joining the Red Sox at some point this weekend. We took a lengthier look at how he might fit into the mix at the time, but suffice it to say he’ll join Enrique Hernandez and Marwin Gonzalez as yet another highly versatile option who can be deployed just about anywhere on the diamond by skipper Alex Cora.

The switch-hitting Santana had a pair of excellent seasons — one with the Twins, one with the Rangers — but struggled in his other five seasons at the MLB level. His 2020 season was cut short by an elbow injury that required surgery, and his 2021 campaign was delayed by a foot infection that also required surgery.

Brice, 28, had a nice 2019 season with the Marlins (3.43 ERA, 44 2/3 innings), but he’s been hit hard in each of the past two seasons with the Red Sox. He’s tallied a total of 31 1/3 frames with Boston but managed only a 6.94 ERA with far too many walks and home runs allowed. Brice, who has a 5.18 ERA in 160 Major League innings, will either be traded or placed on outright waivers within the next week. He has enough service time to reject an outright assignment if he goes unclaimed, but doing so would mean forfeiting the remainder of this year’s $870K salary, so he’d surely accept an assignment to Worcester.

Mets Place Pete Alonso On IL, Select Brandon Drury, Designate Daniel Zamora

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In a flurry of roster moves, the Mets announced that first baseman Pete Alonso has been placed on the injured list with a sprained right hand. Right-hander Tommy Hunter is also headed to the 10-day IL due to a lower back injury. To replace that pair on the active roster, the Mets recalled right-hander Yennsy Diaz from Triple-A Syracuse and selected the contract of veteran infielder/outfielder Brandon Drury. Left-hander Daniel Zamora was designated for assignment in order to open a spot for Drury on the 40-man roster.

The 26-year-old Alonso said that his injury troubles began when he was hit by a pitch back on May 5 (Twitter link via Tim Healey of Newsday). He was hitting .281/.369/.517 at the conclusion of that day’s doubleheader, but in the 11 games since that time he’s mustered only a .132/.261/.237 slash while clearly playing through some discomfort. The Mets have yet to provide an expected timeline for his return.

Normally, Dominic Smith would step in as the primary first baseman in the event of any Alonso injury, but he’s currently been thrust into everyday duties in left field thanks to a slew of injuries elsewhere on the roster. Alonso joins Michael Conforto (strained hamstring), Brandon Nimmo (bone bruise), J.D. Davis (sprained finger), Jeff McNeil (strained hamstring), Albert Almora (shoulder contusion), Kevin Pillar (facial fractures), Luis Guillorme (strained oblique) and Jose Martinez (torn meniscus) on the injured list — and that’s just the list of position players on the shelf for the Mets. They’re also currently without Jacob deGrom, Taijuan Walker, Carlos Carrasco, Noah Syndergaard, Dellin Betances and Seth Lugo.

It’s still possible that Smith will take the bulk of the work at first base, as Drury has experience in the outfield corners in addition to considerable time spent bouncing around the infield. Regardless, the Mets’ current lineup looks nothing like the front office envisioned when putting this team together. They’ve already picked up Cameron Maybin and called up former Giants farmhand Johneshwy Fargas to help cover ground in the outfield. Jose Peraza and Jonathan Villar are being counted on as starters in the infield at the moment as well.

That mountain of injuries will combine to cost Zamora his 40-man roster spot. The 28-year-old lefty hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2019, but he’s logged a 4.o8 ERA with a 24-to-8 K/BB ratio in 17 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for the Mets in the past. Zamora sported a fine minor league track record prior to 2021, but he’s been absolutely shelled in Syracuse so far, surrendering 15 runs on 10 hits and 10 walks with seven punchouts in just 6 2/3 innings. The Mets will have a week to trade him or try to pass him through outright waivers. His monumental struggles in Triple-A this year might make it hard for another club to feel comfortable claiming him.

Aaron Hicks To Undergo Wrist Surgery

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Yankees outfielder Aaron Hicks will undergo surgery to repair a torn tendon sheath in his left wrist, manager Aaron Boone announced to reporters Friday (Twitter link via Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record). There’s no exact timeline for his recovery, but Boone indicates that it’ll be a “months-long” process, which puts the remainder of the season in question for Hicks.

It’s yet another setback for the talented-but-oft-injured Hicks, who hasn’t looked right at the plate all season. Hicks batted just .194/.294/.333 before the discomfort in his wrist became too great and he went on the injured list last week. He underwent an MRI to determine the source of the pain, which led to the diagnosis of the tear. Given that he’s likely been playing through the issue for some time, the poor showing at the plate isn’t surprising.

Hicks appeared in 54 of the Yankees’ 60 games last summer, batting .225/.379/.414 with six homers, 10 doubles and a pair of triples. He tacked on a .308/.424/.423 showing in the team’s seven postseason games. From 2017-19, the switch-hitting Hicks gave the Yankees a .247/.362/.452 performance, but he tallied just over 1400 plate appearances during that time due to various injuries.

Hicks missed time with a hamstring strain in 2016, a pair of oblique strains in 2017 (one on his right side, one on his left) and an intercostal strain in 2018. He had a brief IL stint for back troubles in 2019 before a flexor strain put an end to his season. It was eventually revealed that Hicks would require Tommy John surgery to address the issue.

The mounting durability concerns are particularly problematic, given that in 2019, Hicks signed a seven-year, $70MM extension that runs through the 2025 campaign. He’d have been a free agent at season’s end were it not for that deal, but the Yankees are now on the hook for a $10.5MM salary from 2021-23, a $9.5MM salary in 2024-25 and a $1MM buyout on an option for the 2026 season.

Hicks’ prolonged absence now puts the struggling Brett Gardner in line to serve as the everyday center fielder. The Yankees traded Mike Tauchman to the Giants in exchange for reliever Wandy Peralta last month, and neither Aaron Judge nor Clint Frazier can be expected to handle center field on a regular basis. The Yankees have former top prospect Estevan Florial on the 40-man roster and in Triple-A, but he’s only just now getting his first experience above A-ball. It’s certainly possible they’ll still give him a look before long, but they could also be on the lookout for some outfield options outside the organization.

Nationals Activate Stephen Strasburg From Injured List

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TODAY: Strasburg has officially been reinstated from the 10-day IL, the Nationals announced.  Right-hander Kyle McGowin was optioned to Triple-A to make roster space.

MAY 20: The Nationals are planning to reinstate Stephen Strasburg from the injured list to start tomorrow’s game against the Orioles, manager Dave Martinez told reporters (including Maria Torres of the Athletic). It’ll be Strasburg’s first appearance in just over a month, as he went on the IL April 18 with right shoulder inflammation.

Washington is surely thrilled to get Strasburg back to action. The star righty helped lead the Nats to a World Series title in 2019, and the organization retained him on a seven-year, $245MM contract that offseason. Unfortunately, Strasburg has thus far only managed four starts since then. A bout with carpal tunnel syndrome limited him to five innings last season, and this spring’s shoulder problem has kept him to ten frames in 2021.

The Nationals have struggled over the season’s first month-plus. Set back by an early COVID-19 outbreak, Washington climbed back to briefly take first place in the NL East. They’ve scuffled over the past few weeks, though, dropping to the bottom of the division at 17-23. The Nationals rotation has been a little below-average this season, sitting 18th in each of ERA (4.41), SIERA (4.19) and strikeout minus walk rate (14.7 percentage points). That’s a disappointment for a starting staff that was expected to be the backbone of the club.

With Strasburg out, the Nationals added Erick Fedde to the rotation. Fedde has pitched reasonably well, working to a 4.35 ERA/4.58 SIERA in eight starts. Strasburg’s return might eventually bump him to the bullpen, but Fedde will be out of action for the next few days after testing positive for COVID-19.

Phillies Place J.T. Realmuto On 10-Day Injured List

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The Phillies have placed catcher J.T. Realmuto on the 10-day injured list due to a left hand contusion, with a retroactive placement date of May 18.  Matt Joyce has been activated from the 10-day IL to take Realmuto’s spot on the active roster.

Realmuto has missed the Phils’ last four games due to a bone bruise on his left hand.  Prior to that injury, Realmuto had also missed a couple of games due to a knee bruise and a non-COVID illness, so a stint on the injured list might be what the star catcher needs in order to fully recover from this flurry of issues.  Waiting to decide on Realmuto’s IL placement now looks like a mistake on the Phillies’ part, as between Realmuto and other minor injury absences, the team was short-handed on more than one occasion in recent days.

Regardless, the team now finds itself officially without the game’s best catcher for at least another week, counting the three days’ worth of backdating allotted for an IL placement.  Realmuto has been even more productive than usual, hitting .294/.400/.486 with four home runs over his first 130 plate appearances of the season.  Extrapolated over a full season, Realmuto’s batting average, OBP, wRC+ (144) and OPS+ (147) would all be new career bests for the 30-year-old backstop.

There is no way to truly replace Realmuto, so the Phillies will have to make do with the tandem of Andrew Knapp and Rafael Marchan while the former All-Star recuperates.  Realmuto joins Didi Gregorius, Roman Quinn, and Scott Kingery on the injured list, in the biggest blow yet to a lineup that has been around the middle of the pack in overall offensive production.

Joyce’s return could provide some help, if the veteran shakes off his early-season slump (.423 OPS in 38 PA).  Joyce suffered a right calf strain that sent him to the injured list on May 5.  After signing a minor league deal with the Phillies in the offseason, Joyce has appeared in 18 games for the team, playing both corner outfield roles.

Reds Place Nick Senzel, Wade Miley On 10-Day Injured List

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The Reds placed infielder/outfielder Nick Senzel and left-hander Wade Miley on the 10-day injured list, the team announced.  Senzel is dealing with left knee inflammation while Miley has a left foot sprain.  In other moves, Cincinnati also designated right-hander Carson Fulmer for assignment, selected the contract of right-hander Brad Brach, and called up outfielder Scott Heineman and righty Ashton Goudeau.

Senzel has missed the last three games with the knee issue, and he’ll now make what has unfortunately become a rather familiar trip to the injured list.  The 25-year-old has been set back by a wide variety of health problems in his young career, ranging from shoulder surgery to injuries to his ankle, groin, and finger, as well an illness-related absence last season and multiple bouts of vertigo.  The second overall pick of the 2016 draft, Senzel has yet to really capitalize on his potential due to all these injuries, with a modest .246/.308/.396 slash line over his first 616 plate appearances in the majors.

Miley left his most recent start after 4 2/3 innings due to his foot injury.  An MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage, so it’s possible Miley could return after just the minimum 10 days, and perhaps only miss one start thanks to a Reds off-day on May 24.  The veteran southpaw has a 3.50 ERA/3.72 SIERA over 43 2/3 innings this season, succeeding despite a below-average strikeout rate by limiting hard contact.  Miley’s year, of course, was highlighted by his no-hitter against the Indians on May 7.

Brach signed a minors contract with Cincinnati earlier this month, after he elected free agency rather than accept an outright assignment to the Royals’ Triple-A affiliate in April.  The 35-year-old has already been a member of three different organizations in 2021, after being released by the Mets in February.  Brach’s first appearance for the Reds will officially put him on the books for his 11th Major League season, though he struggled over 66 2/3 innings with the Cubs and Mets in 2019-20.

Fulmer has been well-traveled himself over the last year, as he has been claimed five times off the DFA wire since July 2020.  Beginning with the White Sox, Fulmer’s sojourn included stints with the Tigers, Orioles, and two different stops with the Pirates before landing with the Reds in March.  The results haven’t been good for Fulmer in Cincinnati, however, as he posted a 6.66 ERA over 25 2/3 frames out of the Reds bullpen.  It’s probably fair to assume that Fulmer’s time with the Reds could be nearing an end, given his past popularity on the waiver wire.

Goudeau can even top Fulmer’s mark, as Goudeau has been a part of six different waiver claims and six different organizations since November.  After making his MLB debut with 8 1/3 innings for the Rockies in 2020, Goudeau now looks to be in line to make his first Major League appearance of 2021 after his many trips through DFA limbo.

Orioles Activate Anthony Santander From Injured List

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1:56PM: The Orioles have officially reinstated Santander from the injured list.

8:16AM: Anthony Santander is set to make his return to the Orioles lineup, as manager Brandon Hyde told reporters (including MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko) that Santander will be activated from the injured list prior to today’s game with the Nationals.  Outfielder Ryan McKenna was optioned to Triple-A yesterday, so a place is open for Santander on the active roster.

Santander hit the 10-day IL on April 21 due to a sprained ankle, so he’ll get back to action after exactly one lost month.  The injury only added to an overall rough start for Santander, who has a .196/.230/.321 slash line and two home runs over his first 62 plate appearances.

It was a far cry from the impressive numbers posted by Santander in 2020, when he hit .261/.315/.575 with 11 home runs in 165 PA before an oblique injury ended his season in early September.  Should Santander get back to that level of production, it will give Baltimore a pretty nice starting outfield combination given that Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays are both hitting well.  A return to form would also certainly revive trade interest in Santander, and though he is controlled through the 2024 season, a trade prior to the July 30 deadline can’t be entirely ruled out if the rebuilding Orioles got a tempting offer.

Twins Reinstate Alex Kirilloff From 10-Day IL

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The Twins have activated outfielder Alex Kirilloff from the 10-day injured list and also called up right-hander Randy Dobnak from Triple-A, the team announced.  Dobnak will start tonight’s game against the Indians.  Right-hander Bailey Ober and catcher Ben Rortvedt were optioned to Triple-A in corresponding moves.

Kiriloff’s IL placement came with a retroactive date of May 4, so the young outfielder will end up missing 17 days of action — not a bad outcome, considering the somewhat ominous initial reaction to his right wrist sprain.  Kirilloff was going to see a specialist concerning his wrist, which emerged as an injury concern during the 2019 season and limited him to 94 minor league games with the Twins’ Double-A affiliate.

However, Kirilloff will now get back onto the field and resume what was beginning to look like an intriguing rookie season.  A consensus pick as one of the sport’s best prospect, Kirilloff made his debut during the Twins’ postseason run last season and then made his regular-season debut this April, going hitless in his first 14 plate appearances but then batting .321/.333/.857 with four home runs in his next 30 trips to the plate.

Kirilloff has worked almost entirely as a left fielder or first baseman during his brief big league tenure, but he should get some time in right field as the Twins continue to juggle their outfield while Byron Buxton is still injured.  With Buxton out, regular right fielder Max Kepler has seen the bulk of work in center field, with Kyle Garlick, Trevor Larnach, Rob Refsnyder, and utilityman Luis Arraez rotating in and out of the outfield picture.

Injury Notes: Bellinger, McKinstry, Martinez, Velasquez, Wacha

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Cody Bellinger and Zach McKinstry will each begin Triple-A rehab stints today, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told MLB.com’s Juan Toribio and other reporters.  Bellinger played in just four games this season before suffering what was originally thought to be a left calf contusion, but later diagnosed as a hairline fracture in his left leg.  Considering the long layoff, Bellinger’s rehab stint figures to be more than just a game or two, but the team didn’t put any sort of timeline on a potential return.

McKinstry went on the 10-day injured list on April 23 due to a right oblique strain, which interrupted a very impressive start to the season for the rookie utilityman.  McKinstry had a .296/.328/.556 slash line and three home runs over his first 58 plate appearances, and saw time at four different positions (second base, third base, both corner outfield spots).  Getting both Bellinger and McKinstry back soon will be an enormous help to a Dodgers team that has already had even its considerable depth tested by a long list of injuries.

More on some other injury situations around baseball…

  • The Cardinals announced that Carlos Martinez has been activated from the 10-day injured list, and the righty will start tonight’s game against the Cubs.  Martinez was (retroactively) placed on the IL with a right ankle injury on May 9, so he’ll end up missing only slightly more than the minimum 10 days.  Martinez has managed a 4.35 ERA over 41 1/3 innings this season despite one of the game’s lowest strikeout rates (12.6%) and a very unflattering set of Statcast numbers.
  • Vince Velasquez was scratched shortly before his scheduled start last night against the Marlins, as Velasquez felt numbness in his index finger.  “It was very hard for me to even grip the ball,” Velasquez told NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jim Salisbury and other reporters, though he is “not worried at all” and expects to make his next start.  Phillies manager Joe Girardi was rather less certain, calling the issue “something that we’re concerned about.”  Velasquez previously underwent surgery in 2017 to correct a numbness problem in his right middle finger, and that same finger had a brief bout of numbness this past weekend, he said.  Since moving back into the Phils’ rotation on April 23, Velasquez had posted a 2.84 ERA and 26.4% strikeout rate over 25 1/3 innings, helping add some stability to the back end of the Philadelphia staff.
  • Rays right-hander Michael Wacha is expected to return soon from the 10-day injured list, likely during the club’s four-game series with the Blue Jays that begins tonight.  Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash told MLB.com’s Adam Berry and other reporters that Wacha looked good during a simulated game on Wednesday.  Right hamstring tightness sent Wacha to the IL on May 4, after he’d posted a 4.76 ERA in his first 28 1/3 innings of the season.  Despite a 4.06 SIERA, advanced metrics aren’t friendly overall to Wacha, who is allowing a ton of hard contact and has a .400 xwOBA that soars above his .317 wOBA.

Yankees, Rangers Discussing Delino DeShields Jr. Trade

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12:14PM: DeShields can opt out of his minors deal with the Rangers if he isn’t on the active roster by June 1, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).

7:21AM: The Yankees have shown interest in trading for Rangers outfielder Delino DeShields Jr., according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link).  DeShields signed a minor league contract with Texas during the offseason, and has yet to see any Major League action in 2021.

Considering the Yankees’ injury woes in the outfield, DeShields would likely have a much easier path to big league playing time in the Bronx than he will in Arlington.  Aaron Hicks and Ryan LaMarre (himself an offseason minors signing for New York) are both on the injured list, while Rosenthal notes that Clint Frazier is dealing with a sore neck.  Giancarlo Stanton hasn’t played in the outfield since 2019, but he is also on the IL if the Yankees were considering him as an emergency option, leaving the team with Aaron Judge, Brett Gardner, Miguel Andujar, and the struggling Frazier as their top options for outfield duty.

Greg Allen and Socrates Brito are available at Triple-A, but the Yankees could prefer a bit of remaining upside in the 28-year-old DeShields.  While DeShields has hit only .246/.326/.340 over 2056 career PA in the majors, he does offer plus baserunning and a solid outfield glove capable of above-average defense in center field.

It’s safe to assume the Yankees wouldn’t need to surrender much if they did trade for DeShields, who returned to Texas after being non-tendered by the Indians in December.  The Rangers sent DeShields to Cleveland as part of the Corey Kluber trade in December 2019, but DeShields fared poorly in his lone season with the Tribe, first testing positive for COVID-19 in July and then hitting a modest .252/.310/318 in 120 plate appearances.

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