Brewers To Sign Tyler Austin
The Brewers are slated to sign outfielder/first baseman Tyler Austin to a minor-league deal, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post (via Twitter). Austin was cut loose recently by the Giants.
While Austin will have to earn his way up to the MLB roster, he could fill a role in the majors. At the deadline, the club shipped away right-handed-hitting slugger Jesus Aguilar. He’s now raking in Tampa Bay while the Brewers appear to be in need of a righty power bat — if only for pinch-hitting and first-base platoon purposes.
Austin, 27, found himself out of a job in San Francisco after a tepid showing in part-time duties there. Over 147 plate appearances in seventy games, he slashed just .185/.279/.400. But Austin was much better against southpaws, as has been the case for his entire career. Through 556 career plate appearances, he’s carrying a spread of more than two-hundred points between his OPS against right-handed (.647) and left-handed (.865) pitching.
Blue Jays Release David Paulino
The Blue Jays announced that righty David Paulino has cleared release waivers, making him a free agent. He had been designated for assignment recently.
Once a major prospect, the 25-year-old hurler has not developed as hoped. There have been quite a few hiccups along the way, most notably arm injuries and a PED suspension.
Paulino now seems likelier to end up in a big-league relief unit, but he had been functioning as a starter this year at Triple-A. In seven outings this season, he worked to a 3.45 ERA with 8.5 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 over 28 2/3 innings.
Unfortunately, Paulino has missed the bulk of the campaign with an as-yet-unreported health issue. While no organization was willing to utilize a 40-man spot to add him — notably, he won’t be optionable in 2020 — it stands to reason that one will be glad to take a chance on a minors deal.
Latest On Nelson Cruz
The Twins recently placed designated hitter Nelson Cruz on the injured list Friday with a ruptured tendon in his left hand, but he won’t need surgery, Betsy Helfand of the Pioneer Press reports. Cruz will resume baseball activities Tuesday.
At last look, the Minnesota organization was expressing optimism of just this outcome. But it took a visit to a specialist to confirm that there was no further damage that might require surgical intervention.
This is relieving news for the Twins, who’ve seen what once looked like an insurmountable lead in the American League Central shrink to nothing. Minnesota held an 11-game advantage over Cleveland as recently as June 15, but the teams are now tied after the Indians took three of four in the clubs’ weekend series. The Twins had to go without Cruz for the majority of that set, as he departed the opening game Thursday with his injury.
The 39-year-old Cruz has been on the IL twice this season because of left hand problems, but they haven’t had a deleterious effect on his production. The long-excellent slugger is amid one of his most impressive seasons yet, having slashed .294/.384/.650 with 32 home runs and a career-best 164 wRC+ through 373 plate appearances. Thanks in no small part to Cruz, the Twins have looked like playoff shoo-ins for months. Now, though, they’re only four games up on a wild-card spot, making it all the more imperative for Cruz to heal quickly.
Phillies To Sign Nick Hundley
TODAY: There is a deal in place, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link).
YESTERDAY: The Phillies are closing in on a minor league contract with veteran catcher Nick Hundley, Roster Roundup reports (Twitter link).
With J.T. Realmuto holding down everyday duties, Hundley gives the Phils more backup depth beyond Andrew Knapp, who has only a .191/.315/.266 slash line through 113 plate appearances. Knapp hit decently well in his 2017 rookie season, but has since posted very subpar offensive numbers, plus unimpressive framing and blocking statistics.
Hundley’s own defensive metrics, not to mention his caught-stealing numbers, have also been in decline, though the 35-year-old has traditionally been able to deliver a bit more at the plate, his lackluster 2019 slash line notwithstanding. Hundley was a career .248/.300/.406 hitter heading into this season, though back and knee problems limited him to just 73 PA with the Athletics this season. Oakland released Hundley two weeks ago.
Red Sox Move Andrew Cashner To Bullpen
Manager Alex Cora says that the Red Sox will move righty Andrew Cashner into a relief role, as Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com was among those to cover (Twitter links). For the time being, at least, the club will go with a four-man rotation.
Cashner is said to have accepted the demotion — not that he really had any choice in the matter. And it’d be hard to argue he deserves otherwise. In six outings since arriving via trade, Cashner carries a brutal 8.01 ERA with 6.2 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9 over 30 1/3 innings.
This move comes as the Red Sox continue to sink in the Wild Card standings. With a 7.5-game deficit entering play today, and no end in sight to the veteran hurler’s struggles, the club can ill afford to keep running him out there every fifth game.
There are also some contractual elements at play here, as MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently explained. Cashner had an outside shot at triggering a vesting option provision had he made all of his remaining potential starts (and gone deep into every one of them). His most recent start, which lasted only 1 2/3 innings, all but eliminated that possibility. Today’s news buries it once and for all.
It’s unlikely the Boston organization really considered that factor in making today’s move, since it remained quite unlikely that Cashner would’ve made the innings tally required to turn the $10MM club option into a guaranteed 2020 salary. It was natural to bump Cashner from the rotation with so many upcoming off days. Indeed, Cora hinted that the club may at times even try to skip another starter — almost certainly, the scuffling Rick Porcello — over the next six weeks.
Now that Cashner is all but assured to return to the open market at season’s end, it raises the stakes for him over the stretch run. It will certainly be interesting to see whether he can change his fortunes in a relief role.
Nationals Reportedly Moving Toward Deal With Greg Holland
The Nationals are making progress toward a minor league contract with free-agent reliever Greg Holland, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports.
If a deal does come together, it’ll be the second straight summer in which the Nationals and Holland have struck an agreement. The two sides reached an accord last August, which came a little after two weeks under the Cardinals released him. Holland went on to throw 21 1/3 innings of near-perfect ball as a member of the Nationals, with whom he allowed two earned runs on nine hits and 10 walks with 25 strikeouts. It was especially surprising considering Holland struggled so much with the Cardinals before they released him.
Holland rebuilt his stock in Washington late last season, but he reverted to his uglier form this season after signing a $3.25MM guarantee with the Diamondbacks last winter. He notched a 4.54 ERA/4.76 FIP with 10.35 K/9 against 6.06 BB/9 in 35 2/3 innings before the D-backs released him this past weekend. Holland will now try to catch back on in Washington, whose bullpen has been atrocious throughout the season.
Diamondbacks Designate Blake Swihart, Select Josh Rojas
The Diamondbacks announced that they’ve designated utilityman Blake Swihart for assignment and selected infielder Joshua Rojas‘ contract from Triple-A Reno.
The Swihart addition hasn’t worked out for the Diamondbacks, who acquired the former highly touted catcher from the Red Sox back in April. The 27-year-old didn’t get a great chance to establish himself as a backstop in Boston, and the same has been true in Arizona. Swihart hasn’t started a single game behind the plate as a member of the Diamondbacks, with whom he has batted a meager .136/.186/.273 in 70 plate appearances. Overall, the 2011 first-round pick is just a .243/.301/.355 hitter over 696 major league PA.
The 25-year-old Rojas is an Arizona native who’s coming up just under two weeks after he joined the team in its trade with Houston for right-handed star Zack Greinke. Rojas, who now ranks as the Diamondbacks’ 29th overall prospect at MLB.com, has slashed an outstanding .332/.418/.606 with 23 home runs and 33 steals (43 attempts) in 479 PA at the Triple-A level this season.
Cardinals Place Jose Martinez On IL, Select Randy Arozarena, Activate Yadier Molina
The Cardinals have placed outfielder Jose Martinez on the 10-day injured list with a right AC joint sprain, selected the contract of outfielder Randy Arozarena from Triple-A Memphis, activated catcher Yadier Molina from the IL and optioned backstop Andrew Knizner, Anne Rogers of MLB.com tweets.
This has been a surprisingly underwhelming season for the 31-year-old Martinez, who has slashed just .266/.336/.401 (96 wRC+) with 10 home runs in 348 plate appearances. Martinez was far better over the previous two seasons, during which he hit .306/.369/.478 (129 wRC+) with 31 long balls across 897 PA.
The Cardinals will replace Martinez with Arozarena, a Cuba native who signed with the club for $1.25MM in 2016. Now 24 years old, Arozarena has hit a spectacular .368/.442/.562 (147 wRC+) with seven home runs and eight steals at the Triple-A level this season.
Not to be forgotten, Molina – one of the greatest Cardinals ever – is back after spending a month on the IL with a right thumb tendon strain. The 37-year-old’s thumb has bothered him since May, which is likely among the reasons he has batted a woeful .261/.286/.368 (70 wRC+) in 276 trips to the plate this season. Backup Matt Wieters has been a fine offensive substitute in Molina’s stead, though it has been a while since the former was an especially well-regarded defender.
Giants Claim Burch Smith, Designate Ryan Dull
The Giants have claimed right-hander Burch Smith off waivers from the Brewers, Adam McCalvy of MLB.com tweets. Smith had been in limbo since the Brewers designated him for assignment Friday. The Giants opened up a spot for Smith by designating fellow righty Ryan Dull for assignment, Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group reports.
Smith’s the second waiver claim since Friday for the Giants, who took Kyle Barraclough from the Nationals then. Smith, like Barraclough, will report to Triple-A Sacramento. The 29-year-old Smith has pitched to an ugly 7.82 ERA/6.69 FIP with 9.95 K/9 against 7.11 BB/9 in 12 2/3 major league innings this season. He has been much better over 77 1/3 Triple-A frames, however, with a 2.33 ERA/4.29 FIP, 9.89 K/9 and 4.31 BB/9.
The 29-year-old Dull lasted only a week on the Giants’ 40-man – they claimed him from the Bay Area rival Athletics last Monday. Dull didn’t throw a pitch for the Giants, instead tossing three frames of three-run ball with their Triple-A affiliate. The once-promising major leaguer has spent the majority of the past two seasons in the minors.
Reds Claim Freddy Galvis
The Reds have claimed shortstop Freddy Galvis off waivers from the Blue Jays, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports.
This is the second notable waiver claim in the past week for the Reds, who are taking advantage of a system now devoid of an August trade deadline in an attempt to bolster their roster. The Reds grabbed right-hander Kevin Gausman off waivers from the Braves last Monday.
Gausman and Galvis could boost the Reds’ playoff chances this year – they’re five games back of a wild-card spot right now – and will be able to contribute to the club in 2020. In Galvis’ case, he’s on a $4MM salary this year, which the Reds will have to assume the rest of, and can be controlled with a $5.5MM club option (or a $1MM buyout) next season.
Also a former Phillie and Padre, the durable, switch-hitting Galvis, 29, has slashed a respectable .267/.299/.444 (93 wRC+) with 18 home runs and 1.4 fWAR in 473 plate appearances this year. He was expendable to the Blue Jays, who have seen youngsters Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio come up from the minors this season to grab a stranglehold on their middle infield spots.
The Reds’ middle infield doesn’t boast the type of promise the Blue Jays’ does, on the other hand. Free agent-to-be Jose Iglesias has been dealing with a biceps injury, which has left shortstop of late to the struggling Jose Peraza, and the light-hitting Iglesias’ offensive numbers have largely cratered since a decent start over the season’s first couple months. Meanwhile, having traded Scooter Gennett to the Giants at last month’s deadline, the Reds have turned to a combination of Peraza, Josh VanMeter, Kyle Farmer and Derek Dietrich at the keystone in the past couple weeks. Perhaps Galvis will also factor in at second, though he has spent almost all of his career at short since debuting in 2012.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.