West Notes: Astros, Martin, Rangers, Crouse, Dodgers, Lamet
Astros right-hander Corbin Martin, who suffered a “potentially serious” elbow injury while pitching in Triple-A, will receive a second opinion “early next week,” according to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle. Rome adds that Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow doesn’t expect Martin to pitch “any time soon,” which certainly is not a promising indicator for the club, though there’s no timetable as of yet. Martin, regarded as baseball’s 48th-best prospect according to MLB.com, debuted earlier this season and enjoyed an impressive debut outing, though he wasn’t able to find much success after that, leading to his demotion to the minors. With Brad Peacock on the injured list and Martin, Framber Valdez, and Collin McHugh all disappointing in their auditions for the final spot in the starting rotation, the scuffling Astros will have to look elsewhere for starting pitching options.
Here’s the latest news from out West…
- Following the season, Rangers prospect Hans Crouse will undergo surgery to remove bone spurs in his elbow, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. However, Grant adds, Crouse will continue to pitch at the Class-A level. Crouse, just 20 years old, is ranked as the Rangers’ best prospect and tabbed by MLB.com as the 63rd-best across baseball. A glance at his minor-league numbers suggest that Crouse has performed just fine despite the injury, but it’s certainly a situation worth monitoring for a promising young starter.
- A couple of injured Dodgers are progressing in their recoveries, reports the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett on Twitter. David Freese and A.J. Pollock will each take live batting practice today, with Corey Seager a possibility to join them. Per Plunkett, Freese should rejoin the team this week, with Seager and Pollock due to start rehab assignments in the near future. Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times adds (via Twitter) that Pollock is aiming for a return immediately following the All-Star break.
- Padres starter Dinelson Lamet is slated to make his long-awaited return to the team in the coming days, writes Kevin Acee of The San Diego Union-Tribune. The right-hander hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2017, when he flashed tantalizing stuff in his debut season and subsequently missed the entire 2018 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. He has made six rehab starts this season—three in Single-A ball and three at Triple-A—throwing as many as 85 pitches, a mark that should govern his workload for the Padres down the stretch. The dynamic 26-year-old would boost the Padres rotation, which could be doubly important as Chris Paddack, the team’s best starter, faces questions about his workload.
Braves Place Anthony Swarzak On Injured List, Recall Chad Sobotka
The Braves have placed right-handed pitcher Anthony Swarzak on the 10-day injured list and have recalled Chad Sobotka to take his spot on the active roster, according to Gabe Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Swarzak is dealing with right shoulder inflammation.
It’s a dose of frustrating news for the Braves, who have largely had to scrap together a bullpen of misfits, outcasts, and converted starters. Among that group, though, Swarzak has emerged as perhaps the most reliable piece since his acquisition in late May. The team’s 15 blown saves are tied for the fourth-most in the National League, and Swarzak’s elevation represented a unforeseen development of stability for an otherwise tumultuous bullpen unit.
In light of his recent success, the trade that sent Jesse Biddle and Arodys Vizcaino to Seattle, though perceive as a relatively minor swap at the time, seems like a major victory for Alex Anthopoulos and company. Vizcaino, though a quality reliever in his own right, is out for the remainder of the season and wouldn’t have been able to contribute to a Braves’ postseason run in 2019. Meanwhile, Jesse Biddle failed to deliver in Seattle and has since been designated for assignment, now finding himself in the Rangers’ organization.
Swarzak, though, has a history of shoulder problems, including issues that he encountered this spring with the Mariners. It makes the latest injury more worrisome for the contending Braves, who will certainly hope that Swarzak’s injury doesn’t keep him out of action for an extended period of time. Regardless of his status, Atlanta will still likely be in the market for pitching help as the trade deadline approaches, but a significant injury to their best reliever would only heighten the demand for reinforcements.
Sobotka, meanwhile, has only pitched 14 innings for the Braves this season, and has returned mixed results in parts of two season with the team. The big right-hander has flashed solid strikeout stuff, but has often struggled to find the strike zone, walking an average of 5.7 batters per nine innings pitched for his career. To be sure, he has the tools to become a mainstay in the Atlanta bullpen, but whether he can put it all together in the Majors remains to be seen: he followed up last year’s 1.88 ERA with a 7.07 mark in limited action this season.
Mets Designate Carlos Gomez, Activate Noah Syndergaard
Per an official team announcement, the Mets have designated outfielder Carlos Gomez for assignment in order to make room for pitcher Noah Syndergaard, who has been activated from the injured list.
Syndergaard landed on the 10-day injured list on June 16 with a hamstring strain that forced him to exit his last start early. After spending two weeks on the shelf, Thor is on track to start Sunday’s series finale against the Braves. Thus far, Syndergaard hasn’t been able to produce the results we’ve come to expect from him; his 4.51 ERA is markedly above 2.93 mark he posted between 2015 and 2018. His 3.61 FIP paints a somewhat more promising picture, though even that is considerably worse than his previous numbers.
With Gomez out of the picture, the Mets will proceed with 13 pitchers on the active roster for the time being. Due to Dominic Smith‘s emergence as a viable left fielder, Michael Conforto has stepped into a regular role in center field, leaving Juan Lagares as the team’s fourth outfielder and making Gomez relatively expendable.
However, it’s not just roster crunch that’s pushing Gomez off the roster: he has not been especially impressive in his 99 plate appearances with the Mets, slashing a mediocre .198/.278/.337 with 30 strikeouts. While his .616 OPS is a notch above Lagares’s dreadful .514 mark, Gomez has graded out poorly as a defensive center fielder; Lagares, on the other hand, benefits from a solid reputation as a defender. Now it looks as though Gomez, who was in his second stint with the Mets, will see his time with the team come to an end.
Athletics Place Stephen Piscotty On Injured List
11:55am: The A’s have placed Piscotty on the IL and recalled infielder/outfielder Franklin Barreto from Triple-A Las Vegas, the team announced.
8:53am: Athetics right fielder Stephen Piscotty exited the team’s win over the Angels on Saturday with a right knee sprain, Oakland announced. Piscotty incurred the injury while sliding into second base and then needed assistance getting off the field (video via Martin Gallegos of MLB.com). The A’s aren’t “a hundred percent sure” Piscotty avoided a tear, according to manager Bob Melvin, so he’ll undergo an MRI on Sunday.
A stint on the IL looks like a possibility for Piscotty, who hasn’t been on the shelf since suffering a groin injury with the Cardinals in 2017. Piscotty didn’t even go to the IL earlier this month after undergoing surgery to remove a melanoma from his right ear. The 28-year-old has been a mainstay in the A’s lineup since they acquired him prior to last season, having appeared in 151 games in 2018 and 76 during the current campaign.
While Piscotty was one of the A’s best players during their playoff-bound ’18, his numbers have gone backward for the postseason contenders this year. Across 328 plate appearances, Piscotty has batted .242/.306/.391 (88 wRC+) with nine home runs. Still, considering Piscotty is clearly Oakland’s preferred option in right, having to go without him would be a burdensome task for the club.
Aside from Piscotty and primary left fielder Robbie Grossman, only Chad Pinder, Mark Canha, designated hitter Khris Davis and Skye Bolt have racked up corner outfield starts for the A’s in 2019. Grossman has been a liability against left-handed pitchers, while Pinder has struggled against righties. Conversely, Canha has held his own against pitchers of either handedness, making him one of the A’s premier hitters in general this season.
White Sox To Promote Dylan Cease
The White Sox announced that they’ll promote top pitching prospect Dylan Cease to start Game 1 of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Tigers. The right-hander is already on Chicago’s 40-man roster, so it won’t need to make a corresponding move in that regard.
Cease joined the White Sox in July 2017 in a trade that could make a huge long-term impact for the Pale Hose. They acquired Cease and outfield prospect Eloy Jimenez from the crosstown rival Cubs for left-hander Jose Quintana. Jimenez is already a mainstay in the White Sox’s lineup as a 22-year-old rookie, and Cease could soon join him as a staple on their roster for the foreseeable future. Indeed, manager Rick Renteria told reporters the plan is for Cease to stay in the fold going forward.
The 23-year-old Cease is widely regarded as an elite pitching prospect, with MLB.com rating him the 18th-best farmhand in the game. Cease possesses a dominant fastball/curveball combination, Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com write in their free scouting report.
For the most part, Cease has been a force in the minor leagues, though his numbers have taken some steps back this season in his first Triple-A experience. In 68 1/3 innings and 15 starts with Charlotte, Cease has pitched to a 4.48 ERA/3.77 FIP with 9.61 K/9, 4.21 BB/9 and a 54.9 percent groundball rate.
Should Cease offer similar production in his first taste of the majors, it would be welcome for Chicago, whose rotation has been atrocious this season. The club looks to have found an ace in breakout righty Lucas Giolito, but he has been the lone bright spot among its starters. Carlos Rodon struggled earlier this year before undergoing season-ending Tommy John surgery in May. Likewise, Reynaldo Lopez, Ivan Nova, Manny Banuelos and Dylan Covey have fallen flat in an extensive number of starts, and no one else the Sox have plugged in has helped their cause either.
With Cease, Giolito and prized young righty Michael Kopech, who’s recovering from September 2018 TJ surgery, the club may be laying the foundation for an enviable rotation. Those three could occupy 60 percent of Chicago’s starting staff in a year. For now, though, Cease will try to earn a spot on a team that’s 6 1/2 games back of a playoff spot and still has a glimmer of a chance to make things interesting this season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Red Sox Reportedly “Surveying” Bullpen Market
Saturday was not one to remember for Boston’s bullpen, which surrendered 11 earned runs in a 17-13 video game loss to the Yankees. Red Sox relievers still rank between seventh and 11th in the majors in FIP, K/BB ratio, win probability added and ERA, though it appears president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski will try to upgrade the improve before the July 31 trade deadline. The team’s Dombrowski-led front office has been “quietly surveying the market” for bullpen upgrades, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.
Fortunately for Boston, there should be no shortage of relievers available over the next month. Tigers closer Shane Greene, whom Dombrowski acquired a few years ago as Detroit’s general manager, figures to be one of them. Three Giants relievers – Will Smith, Tony Watson and Sam Dyson – as well as White Sox closer Alex Colome are a few more who could be attainable. The Pirates (Felipe Vazquez), Padres (Kirby Yates) and Indians (Brad Hand) could make their closers available, but given the weakness of Boston’s farm system, it might not have the prospect ammunition to win a bidding war for any of those coveted arms.
Having lost closer Craig Kimbrel to free agency, the Red Sox have been operating with a ninth-inning committee this season. Ryan Brasier, Matt Barnes and Brandon Workman have combined for 14 saves, though their success rate has been low, evidenced by 12 failed conversions. As for their individual performances, Brasier has managed a 3.24 ERA despite worrisome peripherals. Barnes has been the opposite, someone whose secondary numbers vastly outshine his ERA. Workman has been good all around, though he has walked upward of six batters per nine. Fellow late-game option Marcus Walden – who leads Red Sox relievers in innings (44) – has also enjoyed an effective season, as has Heath Hembree.
While Hembree has been down since June 14 with a sprained elbow, indications are he isn’t too far from a comeback. Hembree’s return will be a welcome one for the Red Sox, but it doesn’t seem he’ll be the only reinforcement their bullpen lands in the coming weeks.
Tyler Glasnow Expects To Return In 2019
Burgeoning Rays ace Tyler Glasnow has been on the shelf since May 10 with right forearm tightness, an injury that will keep him out for at least several more weeks after a recent setback. But Glasnow issued an encouraging update Sunday, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com. The 25-year-old revealed his UCL “looks really good” and said that he expects to pitch again this season. He’ll still remain in shutdown mode over the next two weeks, though.
Tampa Bay lost to AL East rival New York in Glasnow’s most recent start, though the Rays still boasted a 23-14 record and a half-game lead over the Yankees at that point. The tables have turned during Glasnow’s lengthy absence, as the Rays have gone a middling 24-22 and now trail the Yankees by seven games. They still hold a one-game lead on the AL’s No. 1 wild-card position, however.
It’s obvious Glasnow’s injury isn’t the lone reason for Tampa Bay’s team-wide decline, but it clearly hasn’t helped. The 6-foot-8 hurler opened the season in dazzling fashion, with a 1.86 ERA/2.27 FIP, 10.24 K/9 against 1.68 BB/9, and a 51.7 percent groundball rate across 48 1/3 innings.
With reigning Cy Young winner Blake Snell having taken sizable steps back this year, Glasnow’s injury has been all the more damaging to the club. Charlie Morton has been outstanding, and Yonny Chirinos has also done well in an expanded role, but the Rays have been limited to those two and Snell as traditional starters. The Rays could explore the market for starters before the July 31 trade deadline as a result, though they did just promote high-end prospect Brendan McKay. The 23-year-old gave Tampa Bay a much-needed six innings of one-hit ball in a win over Texas on Saturday.
Giants CEO Larry Baer To Return From Suspension July 2
The Giants announced Saturday that CEO and president Larry Baer will return July 2 from his unpaid 120-day suspension. Major League Baseball issued a four-month ban to Baer as a result of a public altercation he had with his wife on March 1. Baer wrested the phone from her during a verbal argument, causing her to fall to the ground.
Baer has taken part in a “regular counseling program” during his hiatus, the team announced. He was contrite Saturday, writing as part of a statement: “I’ve been able to take a step back and take stock of myself as a person and as a leader. I am wiser for it, and the work continues. The journey of self-discovery, like so much in life, is ongoing and never-ending.”
Once Baer officially returns to the Giants, he’ll take on a lesser role. The Giants announced that board member Rob Dean, who has been the team’s acting president and CEO with Baer away, will take over as chairman of the franchise and act as its designated control person. He and Baer “will represent the club with MLB,” according to the Giants.
The organization will be run in a “more collaborative manner” when Baer comes back, with other executives taking on some of Baer’s previous duties, Dean told Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.
“The Giants will have many faces with one voice, where historically it really was Larry as the one face and one voice,” said Dean.
While Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi used to report to Baer, he’ll now answer to Dean.
David Robertson Aiming To Return By Late July
Injured Phillies reliever David Robertson is finally progressing toward a return, per Matt Breen of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Robertson, out since mid-April with a right flexor strain, threw a successful bullpen session Sunday. Although Robertson’s velocity isn’t where it needs to be yet, he expects to return to the majors by the end of July.
Robertson will end up missing at least three months, which is a shocking turn of events considering the durability he has shown in the majors. The former Yankee and White Sox entered 2019 off nine straight seasons of 60-plus innings. He has also been eminently effective when on the mound. The 34-year-old came into the season with a 2.88 ERA/2.81 FIP and 11.97 K/9 against 3.56 BB/9 across 657 major league innings, during which he handled closer and setup roles with aplomb.
Robertson’s track record as one of baseball’s best relievers in recent memory earned him a two-year, $23MM contract with the Phillies over the winter. Thanks largely to his injury, the signing has been a disaster for the club thus far. Plus, before Robertson went down, he allowed four earned runs on eight hits and six walks (with six strikeouts) in 6 2/3 frames.
The Phillies, who are in a dogfight for a playoff spot, will need vintage Robertson to reappear once he’s healthy enough to return. That’s especially true given the general struggles of their bullpen, which is one of five in the game with an fWAR in the minuses this season. Even with Robertson working back, the unit figures to be an area of focus for the Phillies’ front office approaching the July 31 trade deadline.
Rangers Release Josh Fields
The Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in Nashville has released reliever Josh Fields, per the Pacific Coast League transactions page. Fields lasted a little over a month and a half with the Rangers, who signed him to a minor league contract May 11.
Fields will now seek his fourth organization of 2019. The Dodgers released the 33-year-old in March, and he opted out of a minors pact with the Brewers before signing with the Rangers. As you’d expect, this has been a year to forget for Fields, owner of a bloated 6.57 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 3.6 BB/9 over 24 2/3 innings in Triple-A ball.
Fields’ minor league difficulties this season have come as a surprise considering his recent MLB output. Just last year, he put up a 2.20 ERA/3.62 FIP with 7.24 K/9 and 2.41 BB/9 over 41 innings with the Dodgers. Fields was able to limit home runs despite seldom generating ground balls, though that hasn’t been the case this year. Minor league hitters have already gone deep against him nine times – five more long balls than he allowed with Los Angeles in 2018.
Current issues notwithstanding, Fields has carved out a credible pro career as a reliever. At this point, though, the right-hander might be best known for his part in a trade that will go down as a heist for the Astros. Back in August 2016, Houston sent Fields to LA for a 19-year-old first base prospect named Yordan Alvarez. Now 22, Alvarez is an elite prospect who has toyed with major league pitchers during his first 65 career plate appearances this season.