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Diamondbacks Sign Anthony Swarzak

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The Diamondbacks have signed veteran right-hander Anthony Swarzak and added him to Major League camp as a non-roster invitee, per a club announcement. The Jet Sports client worked out for clubs back in January after he didn’t pitch with an organization during the 2020 season. (He was with the Phillies on a non-roster deal but was cut loose at the end of summer camp.)

It’s been a few years since Swarzak, 35, enjoyed a full, healthy season at the big league level. He inked a two-year, $14MM deal with the Mets prior to the 2018 season — a move that proved regrettable when shoulder and oblique issues derailed much of his 2018 season. The Mets included him in the Robinson Cano/Edwin Diaz/Jarred Kelenic blockbuster, primarily as a financial counterweight. He was traded to the Braves early in the year and went on to pitch reasonably well with Atlanta, though he again spent time on the IL that summer due to shoulder problems.

Back in 2017, Swarzak thrived in a career year split between the White Sox and Brewers. Through 77 1/3 innings, the righty worked to a 2.33 ERA with a terrific 30 percent strikeout rate against a strong 7.3 percent walk rate.

It’d be a stretch to expect that level of dominance at 35 years old and after a year of not pitching, but since returning from a KBO stint in 2015, Swarzak has tallied 201 1/3 innings of 3.98 ERA ball with peripherals that generally match that output. He’ll give the D-backs some depth in the bullpen and, given the unsettled nature of their relief corps, ought to have a chance at winning a spot on the Opening Day roster. Arizona has shored up the bullpen a bit over the past month, signing Joakim Soria and Tyler Clippard, but there are still multiple spots up for grabs.

Surgery Recommended For Framber Valdez

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March 4: The initial recommendation for treatment of Valdez’s injury is surgery, tweets Heyman. The recovery time on the recommended operation would be sizable enough that there’s concern the left-hander could miss the entire season, Heyman adds.

That’d register as a surprise, although we don’t know the extent of the fracture at this point or whether the imaging performed after that initial announcement revealed any additional damage. The club is still seeking further opinions.

March 3, 12:10pm: Valdez has been diagnosed with a fractured left ring finger, general manager James Click announced to reporters (Twitter link via FOX 26’s Mark Berman). There’s no timetable for his return yet, as he’s slated for additional tests and imaging.

11:58am: Astros lefty Framber Valdez is dealing with a finger injury, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports. The amount of time he’s expected to miss isn’t clear, as he’s still being evaluated by doctors, but Heyman adds that it’s believed to be “serious” and is expected to keep him out of action for awhile. Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle tweets that Valdez took a Francisco Lindor grounder off the hand during yesterday’s outing, though he pitched another inning after doing so.

An absence of any length for Valdez would be a tough hit for the Astros, who are already unlikely to get much of anything from Justin Verlander in 2021 after he underwent Tommy John surgery last year. Valdez stepped up in Verlander’s absence and played a huge part in Houston’s playoff run, breaking out with 70 2/3 innings of 3.57 ERA ball over the course of 11 appearances. The 27-year-old completed at least seven innings on six occasions and completed six frames in nine of his 11 outings.

Fielding-independent metrics suggest that Valdez’s 2020 breakout was even better than reflected in his ERA. Valdez’s 60 percent ground-ball rate was one of the best in the game, and his 26.4 percent strikeout rate and 5.6 percent walk rate were both markedly better than the league average. The lefty’s 2.85 FIP and 3.23 SIERA both suggest that his 2020 success was far from a fluke.

For the Astros, Valdez is expected to slot into the rotation’s top three alongside Zack Greinke, Lance McCullers Jr., Jose Urquidy and Cristian Javier. It’s a solid-looking group thanks to surprise showings from both Valdez and Javier in 2020, but the depth beyond that quintet lacks big league experience and/or success. Their most experienced options, Josh James and Austin Pruitt, are both on the mend from surgery. James had hip surgery in late October, which came with a six to eight month recovery period. Pruitt had elbow surgery in September and, as of January, was not expected to be ready for Opening Day.

Righty Brandon Bielak was hit hard in 12 appearances last year (six starts, six relief outings), and righties Luis Garcia and Bryan Abreu both have fewer than 15 MLB frames under their belts. Garcia did get the ball in a playoff game, but that was largely out of necessity. Prior to 2020, he’d yet to even pitch in Double-A.

Meanwhile, Tyler Ivey and Nivaldo Rodriguez are both on the 40-man roster, but Ivey has yet to pitch in the big leagues and Rodriguez only tossed eight innings of relief in 2020. Prospect Forrest Whitley is also on the 40-man, and he’s still considered a Top 100 farmhand even if his stock has tumbled over the past two years. Former Red Sox swingman Hector Velazquez is in camp as a non-roster player, but the Astros historically haven’t brought in many veterans on non-guaranteed deals and that’s again the case in 2021.

No Planned Future Discussion On Expanded Playoffs, Universal DH In 2021

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There has been no recent movement in talks between MLB and the MLB Players Association regarding the potential implementation of an expanded postseason or the universal designated hitter for the 2021 season, reports Evan Drellich of the Athletic. There are no current plans to revisit those talks, per Drellich, who characterizes playoff expansion and the National League DH as “dead issues” for next season.

Last summer, MLB and the MLBPA agreed to an expanded 16-team playoff format for 2020 just hours before the beginning of the regular season, with the players receiving $50MM of postseason television revenues. In a typical postseason, players receive a share of gate revenue. While Drellich cautions that another last-minute accord can “never be totally ruled out,” tonight’s report is the firmest indication yet that the broad season structure is set to revert to its pre-2020 status. (The two sides did agree on health and safety protocols last month, so the seven-inning doubleheaders and modified extra innings rules will return).

The universal DH was included as part of the health and safety protocols last season, but that was not the case this time around. Throughout the offseason, MLB tried to leverage the players’ interest in the NL DH as part of a new agreement on economic issues, particularly playoff expansion. The MLBPA has consistently rejected such a framework, fearing that lowering the bar to make the playoffs will reduce teams’ incentives to invest in their rosters.

Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic reported in January that MLB had offered players an $80MM pool in playoff revenues if they signed off on postseason expansion. That would’ve marked a rather significant increase over last season’s $50MM figure, but the players didn’t feel that represented much of an improvement on the status quo. As Drellich points out, the MLBPA has more reason to be optimistic about the possibility of brining in gate revenues this postseason. With distribution of COVID-19 vaccines expected to increase substantially in the next few months, the possibility of fan attendance at playoff games looks much more realistic in 2021 than it did last season.

It’s worth remembering the MLBPA is under no obligation to negotiate any changes to the playoff format. In the absence of a new accord, the 2016-2021 collective bargaining agreement remains in place to govern the season structure.

Without coming to terms on playoff expansion, however, it seems MLB is unwilling to agree to the implementation of the universal DH. Some in the league office believe the addition of the DH at this late a date would threaten competitive integrity, per Drellich, since National League teams would have little ability to acquire help at the position at this point. There’s some truth to that, but it’s nevertheless a strange argument in the wake of a 2020 season that saw MLB and the MLBPA frequently agree on significant structural changes (including the implementation of the NL DH) on the fly.

Even if this does mark the end of discussions about playoff expansion and the universal DH for 2021, the topics are sure to arise again in the near future. They’ll no doubt be key issues as the parties negotiate a new CBA after the current one expires December 1.

Diamondbacks To Sign Heath Fillmyer

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The Diamondbacks are signing Heath Fillmyer to a minor league contract, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN (Twitter link). The right-hander spent last season at the Royals’ alternate training site.

Selected by the Athletics in the fifth round of the 2014 draft, Fillmyer was traded to Kansas City in January 2018 as part of the deal that sent Ryan Buchter to Oakland. He made his MLB debut that summer and picked up 17 appearances (13 starts) down the stretch. He posted a 4.26 ERA but punched out a below-average 16.6% of opposing hitters. Fillmyer was hit hard over 22.1 innings in 2019 and wound up losing his spot on the Royals’ 40-man roster following that season. While he was part of Kansas City’s 60-man player pool last year, the 26-year-old didn’t return to the majors.

Fillmyer has managed a 5.07 ERA/5.10 SIERA over 104.2 MLB innings. He has struggled to miss bats (career 15.9% strikeout percentage) but he’s induced ground balls at a decent clip (45.3%) and avoided walks at a near-average rate (9.7%). Fillmyer posted quality numbers up through Double-A and gives the D-Backs a depth option capable of either starting or working multiple innings in relief.

Minor MLB Transactions: 3/3/21

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Today’s minor transactions:

  • The Cubs outrighted hurler Robert Stock to Triple-A after he cleared waivers, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score tweets. The team previously designated the right-handed Stock for assignment on Feb. 28, which came two-plus months after it claimed him from the Red Sox via waivers at the beginning of December. The hard-throwing 31-year-old has been part of seven major league organizations, and he appeared in the bigs in each of the previous three seasons. Stock owns a 4.24 ERA/4.07 SIERA and a 50.8 percent grounder rate in 63 2/3 innings, though he has registered unspectacular strikeout and walk percentages of 23.6 and 10.9, respectively.

COVID Notes: Locastro, Happ

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The latest regarding the coronavirus:

  • Diamondbacks outfielder Tim Locastro tested positive for COVID-19, manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic). Fortunately, Locastro is asymptomatic (per Piecoro), but he’ll still be out of action for at least the next ten days. The speedster rather quietly hit at a .290/.395/.460 clip with a pair of home runs over 82 plate appearances last season.
  • J.A. Happ reported to Twins camp yesterday after being sidelined nearly two weeks by a positive coronavirus test, notes Dan Hayes of the Athletic. The veteran southpaw expressed optimism he’ll build up strength in time to make his first scheduled start of the regular season, although he acknowledged his workload might be checked a bit early on. Happ experienced mild virus symptoms and still has yet to completely regain his sense of smell or taste, per Hayes.

Health Notes: Leake, Sox, Rox, Angels

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Right-hander Mike Leake does not plan to sign before the season opens, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. Leake, then a Diamondback, sat out last season because of COVID-19 concerns, and Heyman writes he could return to action this year “if things are more back to “normal.”’ The 33-year-old innings eater has rejected “multiple offers” in free agency, Heyman adds. During his most recent season in 2019, Leake put up a 4.29 ERA/4.79 SIERA with a below-average strikeout rate (15.2 percent) but an excellent walk percentage (3.2) over 197 innings between the Mariners and D-backs.

  • White Sox second baseman Nick Madrigal is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut Monday, according to manager Tony La Russa (via James Fegan of The Athletic). Madrigal missed about a month in 2020, his first major league season, with a left shoulder injury and then underwent surgery in October. The 23-year-old batted .340/.376/.369 in 109 plate appearances, and though he rarely struck out (6.4 percent), he also didn’t hit for any power (zero home runs, .029 ISO).
  • White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal is also sidelined at the moment, having suffered a twisted right knee last week. La Russa said Grandal is progressing in his recovery, but the team doesn’t have a target date for his return right now, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times relays. Grandal turned in yet another strong season in 2020 – his first with the White Sox – as he slashed .230/.351/.422 with eight homers over 194 PA and was a finalist for the Gold Glove Award at his position. He’ll be all the more important to the White Sox this year with previous backup James McCann having signed with the Mets in free agency.
  • The Rockies’ Antonio Senzatela has a right hamstring strain that will delay his Cactus League debut by two starts, manager Bud Black told Thomas Harding of MLB.com and other reporters Wednesday. Senzatela has been a regular in the Rockies’ rotation since he entered the majors in 2017, and the 26-year-old righty posted a career-best 3.44 ERA (albeit with a far less encouraging 5.02 SIERA) over 73 1/3 innings a season ago.
  • Angels righty Gerardo Reyes is dealing with a UCL sprain in his pitching elbow, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic relays. The Angels are determining next steps at the moment, Ardaya reports, but UCL injuries are always scary for pitchers. Reyes hasn’t taken the mound yet for the Angels, who acquired him from the Padres for catcher Jason Castro last August. The 27-year-old reliever made his big league debut in 2019 with 26 innings of 7.62 ERA ball, but he struck out 32.5 percent of the batters he faced and averaged 97 mph on his fastball.
  • Red Sox righty Bryan Mata has triceps soreness and will undergo an MRI on Thursday, per Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe. Mata, 21, ranks as one of the organization’s top prospects, with Baseball America placing him fourth overall and contending that he could be a No. 3/4 starter in the future. If healthy, a 2021 big league debut could be on the table for Mata, who has topped out at the Double-A level thus far.

MLBTR Poll: Expectations For 2021 Mets

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Although the Mets missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year in 2020, they look as if they’ll head into the upcoming regular season as a popular pick to contend. New owner Steve Cohen’s arrival early in the winter brought a great deal of optimism for Mets fans, who suffered for years under the yoke of the Wilpons. Cohen has largely lived up to the hype since taking over, as he oversaw an active offseason in which the Mets’ roster looks to have taken steps forward.

The Mets did lose second baseman Robinson Cano for the year because of a suspension for performance-enhancing drugs, and they didn’t reel in any of Trevor Bauer, George Springer or J.T. Realmuto in free agency, but they still ponied up for several notable names in recent months.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor, an elite player for a large portion of his career, and quality right-hander Carlos Carrasco came over in a major trade with Cleveland. James McCann, who ranked second behind Realmuto among free-agent catchers, signed a four-year, $40MM deal to assume the reins as the Mets’ starting backstop. Righty Marcus Stroman, who opted out of last season thanks to COVID-19, stuck around when he accepted the Mets’ $18.9MM qualifying offer, and they filled out their season-opening rotation last month with the signing of fellow RHP Taijuan Walker to a three-year, $23MM guarantee late. Reliever Trevor May, lefty Joey Lucchesi, infielder Jonathan Villar, and outfielders Kevin Pillar and Albert Almora Jr. were also among those who became Mets during the offseason.

Despite the loss of Cano, the Mets look as if they’ll have a high-end offense in 2021 with Lindor and McCann complementing holdovers Michael Conforto, Brandon Nimmo, Pete Alonso, Dominic Smith, Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis. The starting staff also looks good with Carrasco, Stroman and Walker joining ace Jacob deGrom and David Peterson (and don’t forget that Noah Syndergaard will return from his Tommy John recovery during the summer). The bullpen appears to be more of a question mark, especially with Seth Lugo having undergone elbow surgery last month, though the signings of May and lefty Aaron Loup should help New York’s cause.

There still could be room for further Mets acquisitions in the coming weeks, but for the most part, their roster looks set going into the new season. The team won 26 of 60 regular-season games and wound up last in the National League East in 2020, but thanks in part to its offseason, PECOTA projects a 93-win effort in 2021 and a first-place finish in a tough division that also features the Braves, Nationals, Phillies and Marlins. Are you buying the Mets as a playoff-caliber team?

(Poll link for app users)

Jon Lester Will Undergo Surgery To Remove Thyroid Gland

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Nationals left-hander Jon Lester will undergo surgery to have his thyroid gland removed on Friday, manager Dave Martinez announced today (link via Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post). Assuming all goes well, the surgery is only expected to keep him out of action for roughly a week’s time, the manager added.

The 37-year-old Lester has been dealing with fatigue early in camp. After some consultations with medical experts and a slate of tests, he opted to have the surgery this week with the hope that it’ll prevent further symptoms during the 2021 season. He’s traveling to New York today.

Lester signed a one-year, $5MM deal with the Nationals over the winter, setting the stage for him to slide into the rotation behind Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg and Patrick Corbin. The contract reunites him with Martinez, who was his bench coach in Chicago from 2015-17, and with fellow free-agent signee Kyle Schwarber.

Back in 2006, during his rookie year with the Red Sox, Lester was diagnosed with lymphoma and was away for nearly a year while undergoing chemotherapy. Since going into remission and returning to the mound, he’s been among the game’s most durable starters. The five-time All-Star made at least 31 starts per season over a 12-year period from 2008-19, averaging 199 innings per season. Along the way, he also kicked in 144 2/3 innings of 2.55 ERA ball in the postseason and took home NLCS MVP honors in 2016. During last year’s shortened season, he started a dozen games.

While Lester isn’t the ace he was at his peak, his status as one of the game’s most reliable sources of innings makes him plenty appealing for a Nationals club that needed a steady presence behind an established top three. Lester struggled to a 5.16 ERA last summer, but he also posted his lowest walk percentage and highest ground-ball rate since 2015. A clearer schedule for the lefty will be known after the procedure, but the early projection that he could be back to work after just a week obviously bodes well for both Lester and the Nats.

Danny Santana Expected To Sign Soon

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Veteran infielder/outfielder Danny Santana has been working out for teams over the past week and is expected to sign a deal in the coming days, reports MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). Santana had originally planned to host an open showcase for interested clubs on Thursday, per Heyman, but he’s had enough interest after displaying his health in recent one-on-one workouts that he’s canceled that audition and expects to choose an offer in the near future.

The Athletic’s Dan Hayes tweets that the Twins are among the clubs with interest, although their preference would be on a minor league deal. It’s at least possible that Santana, who played in just 15 games last year before undergoing elbow surgery, could command a big league deal elsewhere. But as an original product of the Twins system, a reunion with his first organization could hold some appeal.

Wherever Santana signs, he’ll give his next club a versatile bench option who has some power, some speed and experience both in the outfield and the infield. The 30-year-old switch-hitter managed just a .145/.238/.278 output in 63 trips to the plate while playing through that elbow injury last year, but as recently as 2019 he gave the Rangers a .283/.324/.534 slash with 28 homers in 511 plate appearances. The composition of the ball in 2019 has been widely questioned, and that might have played a role in Santana’s out-of-the-blue power spike; he did homer seven times in 430 plate appearances as a rookie with the 2014 Twins but had never reached double-digit homers otherwise in a big league season.

On the whole, Santana is a career .260/.299/.418 batter with 42 homers, 87 doubles, 22 triples and a 71-for-95 showing in stolen base attempts. Santana has played all four infield positions and all three outfield slots in his Major League career, with the bulk of his time coming at shortstop (918 innings) and in center field (1143 innings). Assuming he’s healthy, Santana would make a nice late addition to any club’s bench or perhaps even as a competitor for a larger role on a club whose starting nine is not yet fully defined.

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