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Dillon Gee Exercises Opt-Out Clause

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Right-hander Dillon Gee has utilized the opt-out provision in his minor league deal with the Rangers, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter). Texas will have 48 hours to add Gee to its 40-man roster. If the Rangers decide against adding Gee to the roster, he’ll become a free agent that can sign with any club.

Gee, 30, reeled off six shutout innings against his former Royals teammates today, yielding just two hits and racking up nine strikeouts to put an exclamation point on a solid Spring Training with the Rangers. In 19 2/3 innings during Major League camp, Gee logged a 3.20 ERA with a stellar 18-to-3 K/BB ratio. While he’s been tagged for 25 hits, only one of those has left the yard for a home run.

The Rangers signed Gee to a minor league deal this offseason as the right-hander sought to work his way back from surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome, which he underwent last October. Gee spent the 2016 season with the Royals — his first professional season pitching anywhere other than the Mets organization — and logged a 4.68 ERA in 125 innings split between the rotation and the bullpen. The 2015-16 seasons were something of a struggle for Gee, but prior to that he’d logged a 3.91 ERA with 6.5 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 in 639 1/3 innings for the Mets.

The Rangers could utilize Gee either as a long man in the bullpen or as a starter early in the season while Andrew Cashner rehabs from a bout with biceps tendinitis. With the Rangers seemingly relying on a combination of Cashner and right-hander Tyson Ross (who also had thoracic outlet surgery this offseason, but later than Gee) to contribute regularly in the rotation down the stretch, retaining Gee as a depth option is undoubtedly a tempting option for Texas. The team does have alternatives, including A.J. Griffin, Nick Martinez and Mike Hauschild, but Gee comes with more experience and a greater track record of MLB success than those options.

Of course, the Rangers also have to weigh the financial component of the situation. Gee’s minor league deal with Texas reportedly comes with a $2MM base salary. If he cracks the Opening Day roster, that figure will become guaranteed regardless of whether he sticks on the roster for the entire season. While it’s hardly a prohibitive sum for a big league team, the Rangers may not be keen on paying Gee at that rate if they don’t feel there’s a long-term spot for him on the roster.

AL East Notes: Scott, Rays, Worley, Blue Jays

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Red Sox skipper John Farrell announced to reporters today that left-hander Robby Scott will be on the team’s Opening Day roster in place of the injured Tyler Thornburg (Twitter link via the Boston Globe’s Peter Abraham). Scott, 27, made his Major League debut with Boston last season and tossed six shutout innings after a standout season in the minors. In 78 innings with Triple-A Pawtucket logged a 2.54 ERA with a pristine 73-to-14 K/BB ratio.

A few more notes out of the AL East…

  • Rays right-hander Shawn Tolleson is likely to open the season on the 10-day disabled list due to a back issue, reports Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times. More concerning, Topkin notes that it “could potentially be a lengthy stay.” Mooney’s colleague, Marc Topkin, notes in a separate piece that right-handers Jumbo Diaz, Chase Whitley, Jaime Schultz and Austin Pruitt are candidates to step into the bullpen in the wake of the injuries that will sideline Tolleson and former closer Brad Boxberger to begin the season. The Rays inked Tolleson, the former Rangers closer, to a one-year deal with a modest $1MM base salary this offseason. This is hardly Tolleson’s first brush with back troubles; the righty missed much of the 2013 season with a back sprain and hit the DL late last August with a back injury that proved to end his season and his Rangers tenure.
  • Recently acquired Peter Bourjos made a strong impression in his debut with the Rays and fits “the profile that we’re looking for,” manager Kevin Cash tells Mooney. Tampa Bay has been on the hunt for a right-handed-hitting outfielder that can man center field, and Bourjos’ three-hit debut (which included a homer and a jumping catch at the wall) can only have helped his cause. The Rays picked up Bourjos in a trade that’ll send cash or a player to be named later to the White Sox recently, despite an excellent spring showing for Bourjos with the South Siders (.313/.340/.521 prior to Wednesday’s strong performance).
  • Right-hander Vance Worley and the Orioles have mutual interest in a reunion, reports Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. Worley certainly makes sense as a depth piece for the O’s following his recent release from the nearby Nationals. The 29-year-old Worley logged 86 2/3 innings with Baltimore last season and posted a solid 3.53 ERA, though his secondary stats were less impressive in nature; Worley averaged 5.8 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9 with a fastball that averaged just over 89 mph and the worst hard-contact rate of his career (31.6 percent). Manager Buck Showalter sounded intrigued about the possibility of bringing Worley back to Baltimore, telling Encina: “It’s different with a guy like Worley because you have a prior [history] with him. It’s like he’s been through camp with us. In fact, he’s been through the fire of the season.”
  • The Blue Jays announced today that they’ve optioned right-hander Dominic Leone and catcher Juan Graterol to Triple-A Buffalo. Graterol has long appeared to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the Jays’ backup catcher role, which will go to veteran Jarrod Saltlamacchia, but today’s move effectively makes that outcome official. As for Leone, his demotion reduces the competition for the final couple of ’pen spots in Toronto to a three-horse race, as Shi Davidi of Sportsnet points out (Twitter link). Left-hander Aaron Loup and righties Mike Bolsinger and Ryan Tepera are all still in the picture. Bolsinger is out of minor league options and has experience as a starte and multi-inning reliever, all of which could work in his favor (though that’s merely my own speculation).

Cardinals Add Eric Fryer To 40-Man Roster

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The Cardinals announced on Wednesday that they’ve selected the contract of catcher Eric Fryer and placed injured left-hander Zach Duke on the 60-day disabled list to create a spot on the 40-man roster.

The 31-year-old Fryer batted .267/.336/.319 in 133 plate appearances as a backup between St. Louis and Pittsburgh last season and returned to the Redbirds on a minors pact this winter. With today’s move, Fryer has officially won a reserve spot with the Cardinals once again. He’ll serve as the backup to Yadier Molina in 2017 and could also function as a stopgap of sorts while highly touted catching prospect Carson Kelly continues to develop in the minors.

With Fryer’s addition to the Opening Day roster, the Cardinals are largely set on the position-player side of the equation, as can be seen on their depth chart at RosterResource.com. The veteran Fryer will be joined on the Cardinals’ bench by the likes of Matt Adams, Jedd Gyorko (who figures to platoon with Kolten Wong), Greg Garcia and Jose Martinez, who won the team’s reserve outfield role over the weekend.

Pitching Notes: Smyly, Yankees, Wright, Gee, Swarzak

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There’s some degree of uncertainty surrounding Drew Smyly’s left arm, writes Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times. Smyly was scratched from his scheduled start this coming Friday due to the fact that he didn’t feel good coming out of his last bullpen session. The southpaw was slated to meet with the Mariners’ team doctor today, with manager Scott Servais nebulously stating that Smyly’s arm felt “soggy.” As MLB.com’s Greg Johns tweets, Servais said following today’s contest that he’s yet to receive an update on Smyly’s condition. It’s not known what type of tests Smyly underwent or what level of concern the Mariners are currently harboring, but the situation is certainly worth monitoring as Opening Day looms. The initial plan, according to Divish, was to shut Smyly down from throwing for a couple of days. The results of his examination could, of course, alter that trajectory.

A few more notes pertaining to some rotations around the game…

  • Yankees manager Joe Girardi said today that the team won’t announce a fifth starter before the season begins, writes MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. With three off-days over the first 10 days of the regular-season schedule, the Yankees will carry eight relievers and use the built-in time off to rest their first four starters. Both Jordan Montgomery and Luis Severino will be used as starters to begin the season, regardless of whether they’re in the Majors or minors, Hoch adds. Montgomery’s final stop in an unlikely bid for a rotation slot came earlier this afternoon, when he held the Blue Jays to one run over the life of five innings. Hoch also notes that GM Brian Cashman said the team has decided on a fourth starter, but Girardi did not make the announcement today. Montgomery, Severino, Chad Green and Bryan Mitchell are still vying for rotation spots.
  • Red Sox right-hander Steven Wright pitched with an elastic brace on his left knee last night, per Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. The knuckleballer has been feeling on-and-off soreness in his knee over the past several weeks, according to Abraham, but he termed the brace as a precautionary measure. The 32-year-old Wright added that he doesn’t believe there’s one singular incident that led to the soreness and doesn’t feel it’s impacted his pitching to this point.
  • The Rangers are faced with a difficult decision when it comes to Dillon Gee, observes MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan, and the right-hander’s brilliant performance on Wednesday didn’t make things any easier on the team. Gee fired six scoreless innings and allowed just two hits while racking up nine strikeouts, requiring a tidy 67 pitches to get the job done. Gee, 31, has an opt-out clause in his contract today that will allow him to elect free agency if he is not assured a spot on the team’s roster. As Sullivan notes, Gee could be used in long relief or as a spot starter early in the season while Andrew Cashner is sidelined.
  • Dan Hayes of CSNChicago writes that right-hander Anthony Swarzak is making a strong push for a spot on the White Sox’ Opening Day roster. The former Twins righty has seen his velocity tick up to the mid-90s this spring, and his experience as a starter and a swingman could make him valuable in a multi-inning relief role. Manager Rick Renteria both spoke highly of the work Swarzak has put in during camp and noted that pitching coach Don Cooper has been working to get Swarzak stretched out a bit. With Carlos Rodon possibly ticketed for the disabled list to open the season, Swarzak and young Dylan Covey could combine in a sort of piggyback role to cover Rodon’s spot in the rotation early in the year, Hayes suggests.

Ryu, McCarthy Named To Dodgers’ Rotation; Wood To Bullpen

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MARCH 29: Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register tweets that McCarthy has, indeed, been tabbed for the final spot in the rotation. Roberts told the L.A. media today that McCarthy will start the fourth game of the season in Los Angeles, with Ryu getting the nod in Colorado in the following contest. Those decisions land Wood in the bullpen, though certainly, given the injury concerns that constantly surround McCarthy, Ryu and the currently-injured Scott Kazmir, Wood could find himself with a rotation opportunity at some point during the season.

McCullough further tweets that Stripling will not be going to Triple-A but will instead begin the season in long relief. The Dodgers will trot out a rotation of Clayton Kershaw, Rich Hill, Kenta Maeda, McCarthy and Ryu with Kenley Jansen, Sergio Romo, Grant Dayton, Luis Avilan, Chris Hatcher, Wood and Stripling in the relief corps.

MARCH 27: The Dodgers will utilize lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu out of the rotation when camp breaks, manager Dave Roberts told reporters including Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links). That leaves Brandon McCarthy and Alex Wood still battling for the fifth and final rotation job, though both will end up on the MLB roster.

It’s not altogether surprising at this point to hear that Ryu will join the staff, though it’s certainly promising news that the Dodgers think he’s ready to handle the load. He seemingly locked the job up with his outing today, which extended his spring stat line to 14 innings of 2.57 ERA ball, over which he racked up a dozen strikeouts with just one walk.

Ryu, who just turned 30, has basically missed all of the past two seasons with arm issues. And it is certainly an open question whether he can stay healthy for the long haul. But the upside is obvious — he posted a 3.17 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9 over 344 innings from 2013-14 — and there’s little reason not to hand him the ball and see what happens with two years and $14MM left on his contract.

After all, the Dodgers are clearly set up to get what they can out of health risks such as Ryu while covering when the need arises. In this case, one of McCarthy and Wood will be on hand in the bullpen. And while the news seemingly tickets Ross Stripling for Triple-A, he’ll be among the arms ready to step into the rotation. Los Angeles has already stashed a not-so-secret weapon there in outstanding youngster Julio Urias.

Twins, Paul Clemens Agree To Minors Deal

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The Twins are in agreement on a minor league deal with right-hander Paul Clemens, reports SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). The Ballengee client was recently released by the Padres. While the 29-year-old won’t factor into Minnesota’s Opening Day roster plans, he can serve as a depth option for an unstable rotation and as a potential long man in the bullpen as well.

[Related: Updated Minnesota Twins depth chart]

Clemens split the 2016 campaign between the Marlins and Padres, logging 10 innings for the former and a considerably larger 61 1/3 inning for the latter. Clemens finished the year in the San Diego rotation and posted solid surface-level numbers down the stretch, recording a 3.67 earned run average in 16 appearances (12 of which were starts).

A bit of a deeper look suggests that Clemens had some good fortune in posting that solid mark, though; his 6.9 K/9 rate, 3.4 BB/9 rate and 40.3 percent ground-ball rate were all worse than that of a league-average starter in 2016. ERA alternatives like FIP, xFIP and SIERA all pegged Clemens for a mark in the 4.80 to 5.00 range. In parts of three big league seasons, Clemens has a 4.89 ERA with 6.3 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 in 169 1/3 innings between the Astros, Marlins and Padres.

The Twins are poised to enter the season with a rotation consisting of Ervin Santana, Phil Hughes, Hector Santiago, Kyle Gibson and one of Adalberto Mejia or Tyler Duffey. Well-regarded young righty Jose Berrios was recently optioned to Triple-A, and the team’s rotation depth took a notable hit earlier this month with the news of Trevor May’s Tommy John surgery.

Blue Jays Right-Hander Bo Schultz Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

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The Blue Jays announced today that right-handed reliever Bo Schultz underwent Tommy John surgery. The operation, performed by Dr. Timothy Altchek, will cost Schultz the entirety of the 2017 season and likely part of the 2018 campaign as well, depending on his recovery.

The 31-year-old Schultz was a quality member of the Toronto relief corps in 2015, pitching to a 3.56 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 2.9 BB/9 and a 48.8 percent ground-ball rate in 43 1/3 innings of relief. The hard-throwing righty — he’s averaged 96 mph on his heater across the past two seasons — took a step back in 2016, struggling to a 5.51 ERA in 16 1/3 innings as he battled back from offseason left hip surgery.

Schultz entered the offseason hoping to compete for a bullpen spot this spring, though the Jays’ offseason additions of Joe Smith and J.P. Howell eliminated a pair of spots that he could’ve potentially filled. As an out-of-options player, he was a candidate to lose his 40-man spot at the end of Spring Training even prior to this injury. Now, he’ll presumably spend the 2017 campaign on the 60-day disabled list, allowing the Blue Jays to free up a 40-man roster spot but also thinning out the team’s bullpen depth.

NL Central Notes: Reds, Wong, Hutchison, Szczur

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In an appearance on the podcast hosted by C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Reds president of baseball operations Dick Williams shared some interesting thoughts on his team and possible areas for innovation. (You can find a writeup of Williams’ comments and a link to the podcast right here.) Williams spoke in particular about the notion of “breaking down the barriers between roles,” both for pitchers and position players. Especially for a small-market team, he said, it’s necessary to question traditional thinking. While it’s hardly clear that the Reds will be tinkering just for the sake of experimentation — Williams says that creative approaches will be attempted “in the context of the talent we have coming” — he did note that it’s intriguing to imagine the possibility of a staff made up mostly of multi-inning pitchers who aren’t strictly classified as starters or relievers. It’s a fun and worthwhile listen.

Here’s more from the NL Central:

  • Cardinals GM John Mozeliak expressed some displeasure with recent comments from second baseman Kolten Wong, as ESPN.com’s Mark Saxon writes. Wong had stated rather forcefully that he was uninterested in sharing time at second — a possibility that has been discussed (externally, at least) due both to his continued struggles at the plate this spring and the presence of Jedd Gyorko. Though Wong softened his initial statement, making clear he wants to remain in St. Louis, Mozeliak said he felt the “comments were a little tough given the fact we have other players playing well.” The veteran executive took a measured tone, but made clear where the organization stands. “Starting Sunday, we’re playing to win,” he said. “Whenever a player is trying to accomplish something in spring training, that can’t be an excuse for why things aren’t going well.”
  • Righty Drew Hutchison was officially removed from the battle for the Pirates’ final rotation spot, with the team announcing that he has been optioned to Triple-A. That leaves righties Trevor Williams and Tyler Glasnow fighting for the fifth starter’s job. Both reached the majors last year after strong showings in the upper minors, though neither established himself at the game’s highest level. The young hurlers have each staked their claim in differing ways this spring, with Williams posting a 2.63 ERA with a dozen strikeouts against just two walks over 13 2/3 frames and Glasnow racking up 23 Ks — but also allowing nine runs on 19 hits and six free passes — over his 14 1/3 innings.
  • The Cubs have made their final Opening Day roster decisions, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Outfielder Matt Szczur and infielder Tommy La Stella are both slated for reserve roles. Szczur, who’s out of options, had been mentioned as a possible trade candidate had he ended up missing out on the Chicago roster. Meanwhile, lefty Brian Duensing will open the season on the DL after being slowed earlier in camp due to back spasms.

AL Central Notes: Haley, Twins, Rondon, Infante, Tigers, Chisenhall

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Here’s the latest on some final roster decisions being made in the AL Central:

  • Rule 5 righty Justin Haley will crack the Twins’ Opening Day roster, as Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press reported on Twitter and skipper Paul Molitor later confirmed. He and Michael Tonkin will round out the Minnesota pen to start the season. Though Haley allowed nine earned runs on 19 hits in his 16 1/3 frames this spring, he carried a 13:4 K/BB ratio and evidently showed enough to warrant a shot at holding a MLB roster spot for the full season.
  • The Twins will likely place infielder Ehire Adrianza on the DL to open the season, as Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press tweets. He is dealing with an oblique issue. That injury may help the club resolve some of its final roster decisions; both Adrianza and fellow utility candidate Eduardo Escobar are out of options. Minnesota is expected to announce its remaining roster calls tomorrow.
  • Though he’s still going to be on the Opening Day roster, righty Bruce Rondon has shown diminished velocity this spring. Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he has some concerns about the once-hyped reliever, as Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports on Twitter. Rondon has issued six walks and allowed six earned runs over his 6 1/3 spring innings. Meanwhile, as MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets, Ausmus confirmed that Matt Boyd will join the rotation to open the year, with Anibal Sanchez very likely heading to the pen, as was reported yesterday (though as noted below, there’s still some uncertainty in the staff).
  • Veteran infielder Omar Infante was among the Tigers’ camp cuts today, possibly setting him up to opt out from his deal next week, as Beck notes on Twitter. Infante showed well in camp, slashing .351/.368/.486, and Beck suggests it’s unlikely he’ll pass on an opportunity to test the open market if Detroit doesn’t change its mind about his roster placement. Ausmus did say, though, that he believes Infante would be willing to take a Triple-A assignment if he can’t find a major league job elsewhere, Evan Woodberry of MLive.com tweets.
  • The Tigers also sent out 31-year-old outfielder Alex Presley, despite the fact that he put up a ridiculous .452/.528/.839 batting line in camp. Ausmus says he told Presley to be prepared for a call-up at any time, though, as Woodberry tweets. Otherwise, Ausmus played things close to the vest, Woodberry writes, as the skipper declined to give clarity to the team’s intentions in the outfield. With Presley out of the picture, it seems that Tyler Collins and JaCoby Jones could share time in center while Mikie Mahtook and Steven Moya do the same to cover for the injured J.D. Martinez in right. But Ausmus seemingly hinted there could be some moves in the works that would change the complexion of the roster, so there’s still plenty of uncertainty.
  • The Indians will place Lonnie Chisenhall on the 10-day DL to open the year, MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian tweets. But the shoulder injury he suffered in a recent collision with the outfield wall doesn’t seem likely to keep him out for much more than the minimum. For the time being, at least, Abraham Almonte will take a spot on the active roster.

Jeurys Familia Receives 15-Game Suspension

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Mets reliever Jeurys Familia will receive a 15-game suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy, as Billy Witz of the New York Times first reported (links to Twitter). Familia has agreed to accept those terms, per the league’s announcement.

The decision comes after months of speculation. Familia was arrested last fall on charges of assaulting his wife, but the charges were dropped upon his wife’s request. That did not preclude action under the domestic violence policy, however, which oes not require arrest, charges, or a conviction for the commissioner to impose a suspension.

In addition to the lost time, Familia has agreed to make a charitable donation and speak with league rookies. He already completed a dozen counseling sessions over the offseason. The suspension will cost Familia at least $730K, per Witz, based upon his $7.425MM arbitration salary.

Familia’s 15-game suspension is half that received last year by Aroldis Chapman after his charges were dismissed. In this case, commissioner Rob Manfred found that the evidence “does not support a determination that Mr. Familia physically assaulted his wife, or threatened her or others with physical force or harm.” While “inappropriate” action was still found, evidently it did not rise to the level present in Chapman’s case (in which he brandished a firearm). Manfred’s statement also stresses Familia’s actions in the wake of the incident, noting that he “received a favorable evaluation from the counselor regarding his willingness to take concrete steps to ensure that he is not involved in another incident of this type.”

In his own statement, Familia emphasized that he “never physically touched, harmed or threatened my wife” on the night in question. But he also acknowledged that he acted in an “unacceptable manner” and took full responsibility. “I am alone to blame for the problems of that evening,” he stated, adding that he has “taken meaningful steps to assure that nothing like this will ever happen again.”

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