Injury Notes: Anderson, Lamb, Giants, Shoemaker
The A’s announced this morning that Brett Anderson has been placed on the 10-day DL with a left shoulder strain. Anderson was removed from yesterday’s game before the second inning even began. He’d had an ugly showing so far this season at the MLB level, pitching to a 7.63 ERA with just eight strikeouts across four starts. As Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle notes, it’s the 11th time in the 30-year-old lefty’s career that he’s gone on the disabled list. Anderson has only pitched more than 100 innings once in the past eight seasons; it was a 2015 campaign with the Dodgers in which he worked to a 3.69 ERA and 3.94 FIP. In a corresponding move, the A’s have recalled Ryan Dull, who was technically optioned to Triple-A Nashville yesterday but never left Toronto.
Other injury notes from around baseball…
- Yesterday, the Diamondbacks officially announced the activation of slugging third baseman Jake Lamb from the disabled list. After hitting the 10-day DL with a sprained right AC joint and subsequently having his return delayed by elbow tendinitis, has finally completed a rehab assignment and is ready to return. It’s a welcome sight for the Diamondbacks, who recently lost team WAR leader A.J. Pollock to the DL. They’ll hope Lamb can repeat the 30-homer power he showed last year and help propel an offense that currently ranks 27th of 30 MLB teams with a wRC+ of just 83.
- Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports provides a pair Giants injury updates via Twitter. Joe Panik is reportedly doing well in his recovery from left thumb surgery, and could begin a rehab assignment as soon as the end of this month. Meanwhile, Mac Williamson served as a DH in Triple-A last night. None of the rehabbing Giants, however, will be called upon at the major league level for at least another week, a group that includes rookie Alen Hanson and veteran outfielder Hunter Pence.
- There’s still no real answer to the nerve issue in Matt Shoemaker‘s forearm, according to Jeff Miller of the Los Angeles Times. The Angels right-hander reportedly visited a specialist in St. Louis earlier this week, and the next move in his recovery isn’t quite clear at this time. The oft-injured Shoemaker landed on the DL after just one start this season; he allowed three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings while striking out four.
White Sox Lose Nicky Delmonico To Fractured Hand, Option Carson Fulmer
White Sox outfielder Nicky Delmonico has been diagnosed with a fracture to the third metacarpal on his right hand, the club announced. Additionally, the team has elected to option righty Carson Fulmer after another rough outing tonight, as James Fegan of The Athletic was among those to tweet.
Delmonico is expected to miss approximately four to six weeks of action. The 25-year-old had turned in quite a promising debut effort in 2017. But he was struggling along with most of the rest of his team in the current campaign. Through 133 plate appearances, he carries only a .226/.331/.304 slash with 133 plate appearances.
That’ll put the organization’s outfield depth to the test, with Avisail Garcia already sidelined. Daniel Palka and Trayce Thompson could function in a platoon. The other options on the 40-man roster are Charlie Tilson and Ryan Cordell, though neither has hit well at all this year at Triple-A.
As for Fulmer, his outing today — which included eight earned runs and five walks in two innings — was just the latest sign of trouble. The former first-round pick has now allowed 29 earned runs with an unsightly 29:24 K/BB ratio in 32 1/3 innings on the year. He’s allowing home runs in bunches and generating a mediocre 6.7% swinging-strike rate, so there’s really not much in the way of positives at this point. Of course, he’s still just 24 years of age, so the Sox will hope he can still tap into his promise after some time at Triple-A.
MLB Daily Roster Roundup: DeJong, Lamb, Marte, Meadows
ROSTER MOVES BY TEAM
(May 18th)
NATIONAL LEAGUE
- ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS | Depth Chart
- Activated from 10-Day DL: 3B Jake Lamb, P Braden Shipley
- Lamb played 3B and batted 3rd in Friday’s game.
- Shipley was optioned to Triple-A.
- Optioned: 1B/OF Christian Walker
- Activated from 10-Day DL: 3B Jake Lamb, P Braden Shipley
- ATLANTA BRAVES | Depth Chart
- Promoted: SP Matt Wisler
- Wisler started Friday’s game versus the Marlins.
- Optioned: SP Max Fried
- Promoted: SP Matt Wisler
- CHICAGO CUBS | Depth Chart
- Activated from 10-Day DL: OF Jason Heyward
- Heyward was not in Friday’s lineup.
- Optioned: RP Randy Rosario
- Activated from 10-Day DL: OF Jason Heyward
- LOS ANGELES DODGERS | Depth Chart
- Acquisition: RP Erik Goeddel (claimed off waivers from Mariners)
- Corresponding 25-man roster move is TBD.
- Designated for assignment: P Henry Owens
- Acquisition: RP Erik Goeddel (claimed off waivers from Mariners)
- MIAMI MARLINS | Depth Chart
- Designated for assignment: RP Junichi Tazawa
- Tazawa signed a two-year, $12MM contract prior to the 2017 season.
- Optioned: RP Tyler Cloyd
- Promoted: P Dillon Peters, P Adam Conley
- Designated for assignment: RP Junichi Tazawa
- MILWAUKEE BREWERS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: OF/1B Ryan Braun (mid-back tightness)
- Jesus Aguilar has been playing 1B and batting 3rd during Braun’s absence.
- Promoted: 1B/OF Ji-Man Choi
- Choi was the designated hitter and batted 6th on Friday.
- Placed on 10-Day DL: OF/1B Ryan Braun (mid-back tightness)
- NEW YORK METS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: OF Juan Lagares (toe injury)
- Lagares is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
- Reinstated from Paternity List: RP Jerry Blevins
- Placed on 10-Day DL: OF Juan Lagares (toe injury)
- PITTSBURGH PIRATES | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: OF Starling Marte (strained oblique)
- Promoted: OF Austin Meadows
- Meadows played CF and batted 7th in his MLB debut on Friday.
- SAN DIEGO PADRES | Depth Chart
- Role change: P Robbie Erlin will move from the bullpen to start on Monday.
- ST. LOUIS CARDINALS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SS Paul DeJong (fractured hand), RP Matt Bowman (blisters on fingers)
- Jedd Gyorko played SS and batted 5th on Friday. He is expected to be the primary SS while DeJong is out.
- Promoted: INF/OF Yairo Muñoz, OF Tyler O’Neill
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SS Paul DeJong (fractured hand), RP Matt Bowman (blisters on fingers)
—
AMERICAN LEAGUE
- DETROIT TIGERS | Depth Chart
- Activated from 10-Day DL: OF Leonys Martin
- Martin played CF and batted 1st on Friday.
- Optioned: SP Ryan Carpenter
- Activated from 10-Day DL: OF Leonys Martin
- HOUSTON ASTROS | Depth Chart
- Promoted: OF/2B Tony Kemp
- Moncada played LF and batted 9th on Wednesday.
- Optioned: OF Jake Marisnick
- Promoted: OF/2B Tony Kemp
- OAKLAND ATHLETICS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Andrew Triggs (arm nerve irritation)
- A rotation replacement has been announced.
- Promoted: RP Josh Lucas, RP Emilio Pagan
- Optioned: RP Ryan Dull
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Andrew Triggs (arm nerve irritation)
- SEATTLE MARINERS | Depth Chart
- Role change: Dee Gordon played 2B on Friday. Guillermo Heredia played center field.
- TORONTO BLUE JAYS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Jaime Garcia (shoulder inflammation)
- Sam Gaviglio will move into the rotation on Saturday.
- Promoted: RP Deck McGuire
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Jaime Garcia (shoulder inflammation)
—
FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES
- ARZ: SP Clay Buchholz will start versus the Mets on Sunday May 20th, according to Nick Piecoro of AZCentral. He will have his contract purchased from the minors. He signed a Minor League contract earlier this month.
- ATL: SS Dansby Swanson will likely be activated from the 10-Day DL on Saturday May 19th, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com.
- CWS: OF Nicky Delmonico fractured the third metacarpal on his right hand and will miss 4-6 weeks, according to the team. He will be placed on the 10-Day DL.
- MIL: SP Chase Anderson is expected to return from the disabled list on Monday May 21st, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Mets To Sign Christian Colon, Ezequiel Carrera
The Mets have agreed to minor-league deals with infielder Christian Colon and outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, according to MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). Colon’s signing has been acknowledged on the team’s transactions page.
Both Colon and Carrera were released recently by the Braves. Neither will likely be seen as an immediate MLB asset, but both could certainly push toward the top of the team’s depth chart. With a variety of injuries currently weighing on the Mets’ roster, these veterans will fill in the ranks at Triple-A and increase the overall depth on hand.
The 29-year-old Colon has rarely shown much with the bat, with a .252/.315/.315 slash over his 386 MLB plate appearances. And he has limped to a .204/.278/.204 slash in his first 55 plate appearances this year at Triple-A. But he’s regarded as a quality defender and has been graded that way by defensive metrics.
As for Carrera, 30, he was a useful player for the Blue Jays in recent years, including a .266/.340/.382 slash with 14 home runs and 17 steals over 635 plate appearances. He was cut loose by the Toronto organization despite agreeing to an arb salary for the current campaign. It was tough to see a path for Carrera to reach the majors with the Braves, though, particularly after he ran up a terribly .146/.228/.220 batting line in 93 plate appearances at Gwinnett.
David Hale Elects Free Agency
Righty David Hale has elected free agency after clearing outright waivers, the Yankees announced today. He had recently been designated for assignment.
Roster churn is nothing new for Hale, who has had multiple stints in New York and one with the Twins this year, in addition to the time he has spent at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 30-year-old has allowed 15 earned runs in his 22 2/3 innings at all stops on the year.
This is the most extensive action that Hale has seen at the game’s highest level since the 2015 season. All told, he carries a 4.58 ERA with 6.1 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 over 186 2/3 MLB innings.
Rangers Sign Cliff Pennington
The Rangers have signed infielder Cliff Pennington to a minor-league deal, per a club announcement. He’ll report to Triple-A Round Rock to begin his tenure with the organization.
Pennington had opened the season with the Reds organization, but was optioned and then outrighted off of the 40-man roster after initially making the team out of camp. He was released earlier today to pursue other opportunities, which turned out to be a brief stay on the open market.
While he has rarely been much of a hitter, Pennington is amply experienced in the middle infield. He could help the Rangers weather the absences of Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre, which have left the club relying upon a slate of light-hitting players — Jurickson Profar, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Hanser Alberto — on the left side of the infield.
Pirates Prospect Ji-hwan Bae Accused Of Domestic Violence
Pirates prospect Ji-hwan Bae is facing allegations of domestic violence, according to reports from Naver Sports (Korean language link) and Rob Biertempfel of The Athletic (subscription link). Bae has left the organization — at the request of investigators and with the team’s permission — to appear in his native South Korea.
At this point, it does not appear that charges have been filed. But the police are looking into a formal complaint from Bae’s former girlfriend, who also issued a comment to Biertempfel. She asserts that Bae physically and verbally abused her beginning on New Year’s Eve of 2017.
Bae, who is only 18 years of age, originally signed with the Braves in the fall of 2017 as an international free agent. The infielder was considered one of the most talented players available in that year’s amateur market. Not long after he had formally joined the Atlanta organization, though, Bae was declare a free agent along with numerous other amateur players as part of the penalties leveled against the Atlanta organization for impermissible signing practices.
Not long after, Bae agreed to a $1.25MM bonus with the Pirates. He had been playing in extended Spring Training thus far in 2018. Pittsburgh GM Neal Huntington tells Biertempfel that the club has notified Major League Baseball as required but that Bae is presently eligible to “participate in baseball activities during this review,” though it is not clear whether there are any specific plans for whether and how he will re-join the organization.
Needless to say, the allegations are deeply troubling. Presumably, they will be investigated fully both in South Korea and by the MLB commissioner’s office. The agreement that governs domestic violence matters at the MLB level included a provision that the commissioner’s office would promulgate rules to address players, like Bae, who are not on 40-man rosters. Those do not appear to have been made available publicly, but presumably largely reflect the standards that apply to MLB players.
Under the MLB-MLBPA policy, players can be placed on paid administrative leave during an investigation and, ultimately, face suspension regardless of whether criminal authorities pursue charges. In one recent case involving a minor-league player, the Astros released Danry Vasquez after he was suspended indefinitely by MLB following a horrific episode of domestic violence.
Reds Release Cliff Pennington
The Reds have released infielder Cliff Pennington at his request, per C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic (via Twitter). He had recently been outrighted off of the 40-man roster.
Pennington, 34, has been a fixture in the majors since he debuted back in 2008, though he has not been a regular since wrapping up his time with the A’s after the 2012 campaign. In recent seasons, he has functioned as a utilityman with the Diamondbacks, Angels, and (briefly) Blue Jays.
Over the years, Pennington has compiled ample experience at short and second, while also lining up a fair bit at third base and seeing limited action in left field and at first base. (And, yes, he has also taken the mound.) Despite a marginal .242/.309/.339 career batting line, Pennington has rarely struggled to find work due to his respected glove.
Last winter, though, it proved impossible for Pennington to land a MLB job. He won a spot on the Cincinnati roster to open the year, but managed only four singles and five walks (with 13 strikeouts) in his 34 plate appearances. Now, he’ll head back onto the open market in hopes of finding another organization that can offer a path back to the big leagues.
Juan Lagares Expected To Miss Rest Of Season After Toe Surgery
The Mets have announced that outfielder Juan Lagares will require toe surgery and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. Needless to say, this comes as quite an unwelcome surprise.
The organization provided a detailed explanation of the malady:
Juan Lagares hyperextended the big toe on his left foot. The MRI revealed a complete tear of the big toe plantar plate, which is a thick supporting ligament of the toe.
It seems there’s still some hope that Lagares will be able to make a return late in the present campaign. At least, it hasn’t yet been ruled out. But the organization surely did not sound an optimistic tone in stating that he likely would be sidelined the rest of the way. Plus, the fact that the surgery is “tentatively scheduled for next week” does not suggest that it’s being performed as soon as possible in hopes of speeding up his timeline.
The news comes at an especially unwelcome time for player and team. Lagares had been off to a solid .339/.375/.390 batting line through 64 plate appearances to open the year. While that low-power, largely BABIP-dependent output was not exactly a stirring showing, it did represent an improved performance from what Lagares had provided at the plate over the prior three seasons. Of course, the calling card for Lagares remains his outstanding glove.
Plus, the Mets are now dealing with the absence of Yoenis Cespedes, who just hit the DL. It had seemed that Lagares would get a fair bit of action, as the club’s remaining top outfield pieces (Jay Bruce, Michael Conforto, and Brandon Nimmo) are all left-handed hitters. Instead, the just-recalled Phillip Evans could get some opportunities.
This is the latest indication that the Mets won’t get what they hoped out of the extension they agreed to with Lagares at the outset of the 2015 season. Since putting pen to paper, Lagares owns a mediocre .258/.299/.366 batting line in 961 plate appearances. Under the deal, he’s due $6.5MM this year, $9MM for 2019, and then either a $500K buyout or $9.5MM salary via club option in 2020.
Dodgers Designate Henry Owens
The Dodgers have designated lefty Henry Owens for assignment. His roster spot will go to Erik Goeddel, who was claimed off waivers today.
Owens was once viewed as a significant prospect, but never really took the final steps in his development. The Dodgers claimed him over the winter from the Diamondbacks, who had previously nabbed him off waivers from the Red Sox. Owens is still just 25, and will surely receive further opportunities to put it all together, but he has yet to pitch in the 2018 season.
In his 85 innings at the game’s highest level, Owens carries only a 5.19 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9. The results had been better at Triple-A, despite middling K/BB figures, until a disastrous 2017 campaign. Owens dished out 115 walks to go with his 121 strikeouts in 126 frames split between Double-A and Triple-A, then was tagged for 21 earned runs (with a 15:13 K/BB ratio) in his 21 1/3 innings in the Arizona Fall League.