Tigers Claim Marcos Diplan
The Tigers announced Monday that they’ve claimed right-hander Marcos Diplan off waivers from the Twins. In order to make room on the 40-man roster, Detroit placed left-handed reliever Daniel Stumpf on the 60-day injured list due to a left elbow strain.
Minnesota picked up Diplan in a minor July swap with the Brewers, sending cash to Milwaukee after Diplan had been designated for assignment. The 22-year-old righty never pitched in a big league game with the Twins before being designated for assignment himself this past weekend when Minnesota added hard-throwing prospect Jorge Alcala to its MLB roster.
Diplan, in fact, has never pitched at the big league level or even progressed beyond Double-A. He appeared in 38 games between the Double-A affiliates for the Twins and Brewers, totaling 68 2/3 innings of 4.85 ERA ball with 9.6 K/9 against 5.8 BB/9. Diplan was ranked among the Brewers’ 10 to 20 best prospects back in 2017 but has seen his stock dip in recent seasons. As Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen wrote back in ’17, he has an above-average fastball that runs up to 95 mph and a pair of inconsistent but at-times above-average secondary pitches in his changeup and slider.
Control has clearly been an ongoing issue for Diplan, who has averaged nearly five walks per nine innings pitched in his professional career. He has a minor league option remaining beyond the current season, however, and given the total lack of certainty in the Detroit bullpen, there’ll be ample opportunities for him in 2020 if he sticks on the 40-man roster over the course of the offseason.
Orioles Announce Baseball Operations Hires, Promotions
The Orioles announced a series of front office moves Monday, headlined by the hiring of Matt Blood as the team’ new director of player development. Blood has worked previously as the director of player development and baseball innovations with the Rangers and as an area scout in the Cardinals organization. In his new role, Blood “will spearhead staff recruitment, technology programs, and player development strategies throughout the minor leagues,” the Orioles announced.
“Matt has an unrivaled network when it comes to identifying up-and-coming talent, and his his knowledge of the latest trends in the player development sphere will help to keep us on the forefront of this critical area,” general manager Mike Elias said of Blood.
Baltimore also announced several internal promotions. Mike Snyder, who’d previously served as the team’s director of Pacific Rim operations, has been named the Orioles’ new director of pro scouting. Assistant director of scouting Brad Ciolek has been named the team’s new supervisor of domestic scouting operations. Baseball systems developer Di Zou has been named manager of baseball systems and “will continue to assume a growing role in building out the Orioles’ digital workspaces and analytics capabilities.” Scouting administrator Hendrik Herz and baseball ops assistant Chad Tatum have been appointed to the newly created roles of scouting analysts, wherein they will “evaluate amateur players for the draft using video, data and in-person evaluations.”
Tigers Notes: E-Jax, Reyes, Norris, Castro, Minor League Staff
Edwin Jackson‘s on-field performance in his second stint with the Tigers hasn’t given fans much to cheer about — 8.58 ERA in 35 2/3 innings — but catcher Grayson Greiner called Jackson’s experience “invaluable,” when talking with MLB.com’s Jason Beck about the veteran right-hander’s role as a mentor. And while one would expect teammates to voice support for Jackson, Beck adds that a member of the opposing dugout also heaped praise onto Jackson. Orioles skipper Brandon Hyde called Jackson “one of my top five teammates I’ve ever been around” — a reference to the pair’s days together with the Cubs. “He’s a total pro and a class act, and there’s a reason why he’s been around so long and people want to have him around and always give him an opportunity, because he’s such a great guy,” said Hyde.
Whether that makes Jackson worthy of a roster spot on a rebuilding team when his struggles on the mound have been so pronounced is another debate — one the Tigers will surely have internally this winter. Beck notes that Detroit could have interest in re-signing Jackson to a minor league contract. Doing so would at least bring him to Spring Training with the team’s young players and could give them a veteran to bridge the gap to promising pitching prospects like Casey Mize, Matt Manning, Tarik Skubal and others — if he makes the roster.
More out of the Motor City…
- Positive strides made by the trio of Victor Reyes, Daniel Norris and Harold Castro late in the 2019 season have most likely solidified their place on the 2020 roster, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News writes. Reyes, 25 next month, looked wholly overwhelmed as a Rule 5 pick in 2018, but he’s delivered a .299/.333/.415 slash line with a pair of homers, 14 doubles, three triples and six steals in 237 plate appearances since being recalled in 2019 — all while playing above-average defense in center. The Tigers began limiting Norris to three-inning outings last month, and he’s responded with a 3.86 ERA and a 21-to-7 K/BB ratio in 21 innings of work. He’s still been far too homer-prone in that time, but it’s an encouraging step forward for the former top prospect, who’ll likely command only a modest raise on this year’s $1.2MM salary in arbitration this winter. As for Castro, the 25-year-old has hit at a .305/.320/.399 clip in 333 plate appearances, although his paltry 2.7 percent walk rate and a .383 average on balls in play call into question the sustainability of that production.
- Lynn Henning of the Detroit News reports that the Tigers have fired six minor league coaches, including Double-A hitting coach Brian Harper and minor league field coordinator Bill Dancy. The Tigers are still deciding the fate of Triple-A manager Doug Mientkiewicz, who is currently under contract through the 2020 season. Double-A skipper Mike Rabelo could be a potential replacement option for Mientkiewicz if Detroit opts not to bring him back, Henning adds.
AL West Notes: Robles, Mathis, Astros
Right-hander Hansel Robles has been a bright spot in what has become another disappointing season for the Angels, writes Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times. Robles boasts a 1.25 ERA over his past 40 games — tops among AL pitchers with at least 40 innings in that time — and recently set down 27 consecutive hitters over one particularly dominant stretch. Considering that the Angels acquired him via waivers last year, Robles’ emergence as a dominant arm in the ‘pen is a particularly positive development. The Mets designated Robles for assignment last June, with manager Mickey Callaway explaining at the time that the “adjustments” Robles needed to make to find consistency were “looking more and more difficult.” With the Halos, however, Robles has refocused on a split-changeup that the Mets pushed him away from. “The movement he gets on it, the shape that he gets on it, his ability to locate it pretty consistently,” pitching coach Doug White said to Torres, “guys have to be ready for 98 and then the changeup comes and it’s really hard to hit.”
Robles leads the Angels with 21 saves and has pitched to a 2.36 ERA with 9.0 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, 0.66 HR/9 and a 38 percent ground-ball rate. He’ll get a nice raise on this year’s $1.4MM salary in arbitration over the winter and can is under team control through the 2021 season.
More from the division…
- Jeff Mathis has had a nightmarish season at the plate, hitting just .158/.209/.224, but the Rangers don’t appear to have any plans to move on from the veteran backstop, per Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Texas signed Mathis to a two-year deal due to his superlative defensive reputation, and manager Chris Woodward lauded the 36-year-old’s work behind the plate and his clubhouse presence. “I would definitely speak up if they were thinking about not bringing him back,” said Woodward. “I would speak against that because what he means to the clubhouse is a lot.” While there’s no quantifiable measure of Mathis’ impact on the clubhouse, the defensive metrics that have long suggested he’s an elite backstop have trended in the other direction. Mathis received negative pitch-framing grades for the first time in 2019, and his -1 Defensive Runs Saved is his only negative mark since 2006. His 17 percent caught-stealing rate is well below the 27 percent league average. At the plate, no player with 200-plus plate appearances has posted a wRC+ lower than Mathis (2). The Rangers owe him $3MM next season, but one could hardly fault them for contemplating a change even if Woodward were to protest.
- The Astros are sending slugger Colton Shaver to the Arizona Fall League to work as a catcher, Jake Kaplan of The Athletic reports (subscription required). Houston’s 39th-round pick in 2017, Shaver ascended to Double-A this season despite that lackluster draft status, and his power and walk rate were hard to overlook. While Shaver’s average suffered because of a 32 percent strikeout rate, he still hit .223/.357/.500 with 15 home runs in an extremely pitcher-friendly Texas League. Shaver has played primarily first base in the pros and was a frequent designated hitter in college at BYU, but he played catcher up until college and approached the Astros about working at the position this past spring. He caught 29 games in the minors this season and will attempt to continue the transition in the AFL. Houston’s system is thin on catching prospects, so a successful transition would be a notable boost for both Shaver and the Astros organization.
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/16/19
We’ll start the week by tracking some minor moves throughout the league…
- The Rays released middle infielder Tyler Ladendorf from their Triple-A club over the weekend, and he quickly re-signed with the High Point Rockers of the independent Atlantic League, per an announcement from the Rockers. The 31-year-old, who would’ve been a free agent at season’s end anyhow, asked the organization for an early release, tweets Greer Smith of the High Point Enterprise. Ladendorf spent much of the season playing for the Rockers and performed well (.268/.350/.450), but he inked a minor league pact with the Tampa Bay organization in late July. He appeared in only nine games with Triple-A Durham, going 2-for-27 in that brief return to affiliated ball. Ladendorf was the Twins’ second-round pick out of Howard College back in 2008 and was flipped to the A’s a year later in the trade that brought Orlando Cabrera to Minnesota. He’s a career .255/.324/.342 hitter in parts of nine Triple-A seasons, and he also appeared in 53 big league games with Oakland in 2015-16.
AL West Notes: Luzardo, Sanchez, Gallo, Santana
Jesus Luzardo‘s second Major League appearance resulted in his first career save, as the star Athletics rookie allowed a run on two hits and two walks over three innings of work in Oakland’s 6-1 win over the Rangers today. Luzardo has tossed three innings in each of his two MLB games, both times coming directly after a starter (Brett Anderson on Wednesday after five innings, and Sean Manaea after six innings today). Should the A’s reach the postseason, there’s certainly a case that Luzardo could serve as either a multi-inning reliever or even as a proper starter. “That gives us a little pause for thought about how we potentially might do things down the road,” A’s manager Bob Melvin told reporters, including the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser. “Obviously, we have to get there, a lot of work between then and now. But you definitely think of some options, especially with Luzardo coming out of the pen doing what he’s doing.”
More from around the AL West…
- Aaron Sanchez was scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery last Friday, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow said during his team’s pregame radio show today (hat tip to Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). Somewhat curiously, Luhnow had yet to be informed about any specifics on the procedure, or when Sanchez could potentially be back on the mound. It was already known that Sanchez wouldn’t pitch again in 2019, though the lack of information regarding the severity of his shoulder issues tends to create some doubt that the right-hander will be ready for the start of the 2020 season.
- Joey Gallo is aiming to return to the Rangers‘ lineup on September 20, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes. Gallo will spend his last few remaining days on the injured list playing in simulated games and instructional league action, and will be activated prior to the Rangers’ game against the A’s on Friday if all goes well. Gallo hit .276/.421/.653 with 17 homers over his first 214 plate appearances before a variety of injuries waylaid his dream season. He missed over three weeks with an oblique problem, and then struggled with wrist issues for the better part of a month before undergoing hamate bone surgery on July 25.
- Another early-season star will also return to the field before the end of the season, as Domingo Santana is expected to be activated off the IL on Tuesday, MLB.com’s Greg Johns writes. The Mariners outfielder was (retroactively) placed on the IL due to right elbow inflammation on August 19, after struggling with elbow problems for roughly a month beforehand. Santana’s injury problems almost perfectly coincide with the All-Star break, as he hit .286/.354/.496 in 399 first-half plate appearances, but then only .131/.240/.250 in 97 PA in the second half. That July slump was one of the reasons Santana wasn’t dealt at the trade deadline, despite interest from multiple teams.
MLBTR Chat Transcript: Angels, Rendon, Padres, Cole, Arenado
Click here to read the transcript of tonight’s baseball chat, moderated by MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk
Minor MLB Transactions: 9/15/19
The latest minor moves from around baseball….
- The Dodgers sent right-hander Jaime Schultz on an outright assignment to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Schultz cleared waivers after being designated for assignment earlier this week. Already a regular for the Triple-A affiliate this season, Schultz had a 5.85 ERA, 11.7 K/9, and 5.1 BB/9 over 47 2/3 innings at Oklahoma City, also appearing in four games for the Dodgers at the Major League level. The 28-year-old joined the Dodgers organization last January after being acquired in a trade from Tampa Bay.
Injury Notes: Turner, Kipnis, Kimbrel, Gsellman
Justin Turner is expected to return to the Dodgers‘ lineup on Tuesday, MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick tweets. The third baseman hasn’t played since September 7 due to a left ankle sprain, so it will end up being a seven-game absence for Turner. Still one of the game’s better hitters (.291/.370/.514 with 27 homers in 538 PA) in his age 34 season, Turner is likely to get further rest time over the last couple of weeks if necessary, as the Dodgers obviously want him fully healthy and prepared for the postseason. [UPDATE: Turner’s return on Tuesday isn’t a sure thing, as manager Dave Roberts told the Los Angeles Times’ Jorge Castillo and other media that Turner’s ankle is still bothering him.]
The Dodgers have long since punched their ticket for October, but let’s check in some teams still fighting to reach the playoffs and dealing with some injuries along the way…
- Jason Kipnis will receive an MRI on Monday after leaving today’s game due to discomfort in his right wrist, as per multiple reporters (including MLB.com’s Mandy Bell). Kipnis has been battling tendinitis in the wrist and missed a few games with the ailment earlier this month. If Kipnis is forced to miss time, he’ll be not only miss some of the stretch run of the Indians‘ pennant race, but also potentially his last two weeks in a Cleveland uniform. The former All-Star has hit only .245/.304/.410 over 511 plate appearances as the Tribe’s regular second baseman, and after three straight years of subpar batting numbers, it is widely expected that the team will decline its $16.5MM option on Kipnis’ services for 2020.
- Craig Kimbrel had no setbacks during a 20-pitch bullpen session today, Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy told MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian and other reporters. Right elbow inflammation has kept Kimbrel on the shelf since September 1, though he is now tentatively slated to toss a simulated-game scenario against hitters later this week. Theo Epstein said earlier in the weekend that the Cubs are “pretty optimistic” that Kimbrel can return before the end of the season, but nothing is yet certain about the closer’s status.
- Mets manager Mickey Callaway told Deesha Thosar of the New York Daily News and other reporters that there is “no timeline” on a potential return for Robert Gsellman, though they “haven’t ruled out him coming back” in 2019. A partial lat tear seemingly ended Gsellman’s season back in mid-August, though the reliever has been playing toss with no ill effects reported. With less than two weeks remaining in the regular season, the odds are still against Gsellman getting back into New York’s bullpen, though there’s at least some hope now rather than last month’s more grim diagnosis.
Giants Place Tony Watson On 60-Day IL
The Giants have placed left-handed pitcher Tony Watson on the 60-day injured list and have promoted right-hander Enderson Franco in his place. Watson suffered a small fracture in his left wrist in early September.
With Watson’s season effectively over, he may well have played his last game in a Giants uniform. He holds a $2.5MM player option that comes with a $500K buyout. It seems that the likeliest course of action for the 34-year-old southpaw will be to opt for the buyout and test the free agent waters. While 2019 was the worst season of his career, he is still the owner of an impressive track record and there should be ample demand for veteran lefties, making it a decent bet that he’ll be able to eclipse the value of his player option.
He finishes the season with a 4.33 ERA in 54 innings of work. His strikeout numbers were the lowest they’ve been since 2013; that, coupled with a heightened susceptibility to the home run (he conceded 1.5 HR per nine innings), contributed to a 4.81 FIP. For his career, his ERA sits at a solid 2.83 in 573 Major League innings.
Meanwhile, the 26-year-old Franco will join the big league team in line to make his Major League debut. He’s been toiling away in the minor leagues since 2010, when he was signed as a 17-year-old international amateur. After brief stints at Triple-A in the previous two seasons, he got his first extended look at the level this year. His numbers haven’t been overly impressive, but evidently it’s enough to earn him a crack at the next level. In 113 innings at Triple-A, he owns a 5.97 ERA while striking out 7.8 batters per nine innings.