Braves Promote Mike Soroka
The Braves have promoted top pitching prospect Mike Soroka to take the ball in tonight’s contest, per a club announcement. Though Soroka had to be added to the 40-man roster, there were openings available.
In a corresponding move that was completed yesterday, righty Chase Whitley was optioned to open a spot on the active roster. The Braves still have eight arms available in the pen.
Soroka, 20, entered the season as one of the game’s most-hyped pitching prospects. By consensus, he placed among the game’s top thirty-five or so pre-MLB players. Baseball America is among the most bullish outlets on the young righty, ranking him 27th on its board.
Thus far, Soroka has done nothing but increase the anticipation with his first four starts at the Triple-A level. In 22 2/3 innings this season for Gwinnett, he sports an attractive 1.99 ERA wih 9.5 K/9 and 2.0 BB/9. He’s also drawing grounders on an eye-popping 69.0% of the balls put in play against him.
Needless to say, it’s an exciting time to be a Braves fan. The organization is off to a nice start and has already welcomed top overall prospect Ronald Acuna, who has knocked the cover off the ball early on.
Now, the club will get a look at perhaps its most exciting young arm. The 28th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Soroka has breezed through the Braves’ system. While he has not typically carried his current strikeout or groundball rates over full seasons, all the tools are there for a front-of-the-rotation starter.
It’s worth noting, too, that Soroka ought not to face many restrictions on his workload this year. He threw 143 frames in 2016 and 153 2/3 last year at Double-A, so he should be clear to handle about as many as the team likes in 2018. If he can hold down a MLB roster spot the rest of the way, Soroka would put himself on course to reach arbitration as a Super Two player after the 2020 season. Regardless, he cannot pass six years of major-league service until after the 2024 campaign, at the earliest.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images.
Minor MLB Transactions: 5/1/18
Here are some recent minor moves from around the game:
- The Rockies announced Monday that right-hander Zach Jemiola cleared waivers yesterday and has re-signed a new minor league deal with the club. Jemiola, 24, was a ninth-round pick of the Rockies back in 2012 but found himself protected from the Rule 5 Draft after turning in a pair of solid seasons in A-ball and Double-A, respectively, in 2015 and 2016. Jemiola faltered with a 6.48 ERA in 93 innings last season, however, though he did turn in a solid showing in the Arizona Fall League (2.74 ERA, 19 strikeouts, nine walks in 23 innings), perhaps creating additional optimism that he can yet be a contributor for the Rox at the big league level. Now on a new minor league contract, he’ll return to the only organization he’s known and serve as continued depth for the organization.
- Lefty Jack Leathersich will remain with the Indians after clearing waivers and being outrighted, the club announced. Though the 27-year-old has shown he can get swings and misses from major-league hitters, he has also struggled to control the number of walks he issues. Both aspects of the southpaw’s game have been on display early in 2018, as he compiled a 10:7 K/BB ratio in six innings at Triple-A. That showing caused the Cleveland organization to bump him from the 40-man roster, but also helped get him through waivers after he had been claimed several times previously.
NL East Notes: Straily/Chen, Mets, Braves, Murphy
The Marlins activated righty Dan Straily yesterday, meaning he and fellow starter Wei-Yin Chen are each now officially back in the team’s rotation. The initial results were somewhat mixed, unsurprisingly. Straily managed just one strikeout while allowing four earned runs on six hits and four walks in four frames; Chen was much more effective, limiting the damage to one earned on four hits and two free passes, though he retired only three batters by strikeout in his 5 1/3 innings. From a health perspective, though, the returns are quite promising. Both hurlers worked in their typical velocity ranges and will have several months to build value in advance of the trade deadline. Whether either will be moved remains to be seen, but both could be interesting chips in their own ways. Straily could be an appealingly affordable plug-in for the right contender, perhaps returning some young talent to the rebuilding Miami org. As for Chen, the $42MM guarantee left on his contract beyond the present season remains a major impediment to any trade. But if he can show he’s effective and healthy, perhaps the Marlins can find a taker for some of that cash.
Here’s more from the NL East, which is shaping up to be quite a bit more interesting than most anticipated at the outset of the season:
- Though the Mets continue to pace the division, the race is only just getting started. Managing a roster all season long, particularly in the pitching department, could be a key to determining how things shake out. MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo addresses a host of reader questions, focusing on the club’s variety of swingmen. He suggests that Matt Harvey, Robert Gsellman, and Seth Lugo will likely continue working from the pen unless and until there’s a need for more than a spot start in the rotation. At that point, it seems, the organization could choose among them when the time comes.
- Likewise, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman answers some queries from Braves fans. Of particular interest, he provides a gauge on what kind of cash the organization may have to spend in the coming winter. Bowman says he has been told there’ll be at least $50MM in payroll capacity to work with for 2019, which is certainly a rather hefty sum for a team that is not among the bigger spenders around the game. Just how much is ultimately utilized, and how it’s allocated, is obviously far from being clear. As Bowman notes, the team will be gather information on its assets and needs all season long, even as it tries to extend a promising start to the year.
- Meanwhile, the Nationals continue to try to hold things together with several key cogs still on the mend. Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com has the latest on the injury front. Second baseman Daniel Murphy, who’s recovering from offseason knee surgery, made an appearance at Nats Park, but his status remains unclear at present. He’s set to be evaluated by the team’s medical staff before the next steps are determined. It’d be a surprise if a return is imminent for Murphy; fellow infielder Anthony Rendon, though, is likely not far from making it back from a toe injury. He may require a brief rehab stint but is expected to head back to the active roster in relatively short order. In other Nats news, the club has dipped into its farm to add another fresh arm. Righty Wander Suero will come up for his first MLB action, with Austin Voth optioned back to Triple-A without having made an appearance.
Offseason In Review: Arizona Diamondbacks
This is the final entry in MLBTR’s 2017-18 Offseason In Review series. Click here to read the other completed reviews from around the league.
Last season, the Diamondbacks managed a remarkable reversal of their 2016 record by finishing 93-69, making the playoffs for the first time since 2011. With most key pieces of its Wild Card-winning core still intact, Arizona focused its energy on replacing J.D. Martinez and Fernando Rodney while piling on a horde of bullpen candidates.
Major League Signings
- Alex Avila, C: two years, $8.25MM
- Jarrod Dyson, OF: two years, $7.5MM
- Yoshihisa Hirano, RHP: two years, $6MM
- T.J. McFarland, LHP: one year, $850K
- Total spend: $22.6MM
Trades & Claims
- Acquired OF Steven Souza from Rays & RHP Taylor Widener from Yankees in exchange for LHP Anthony Banda & two PTBNL (to Rays) & INF Brandon Drury (to Yankees)
- Acquired RHP Brad Boxberger from Rays in exchange for RHP Curtis Taylor
- Acquired INF Deven Marrero from Red Sox in exchange for PTBNL or cash
- Acquired RHP Stefan Crichton from Orioles in exchange for PTBNL or cash
- Claimed LHP Henry Owens off waivers from Red Sox
- Selected RHP Albert Suarez from Giants in Rule 5 draft
Options Exercised
- Daniel Descalso, UTIL: exercised $2MM club option (instead of $150K buyout)
Extensions
- Ketel Marte, SS: five years, $24MM (plus two options)
Notable Minor League Signings
- Antonio Bastardo, Michael Blazek, Jake Buchanan, Cody Decker, Jorge De La Rosa, Rubby De La Rosa, Neftali Feliz, Ramon Flores, Kris Medlen, Tyler Pill, Cesar Puello, Anthony Recker, Daniel Robertson, Fernando Salas
Notable Losses
- Banda, Drury, Jeremy Hazelbaker, David Hernandez, J.J. Hoover, Chris Iannetta, Martinez, Rodney
[Arizona Diamondbacks Depth Chart/Arizona Diamondbacks Payroll]
Needs Addressed
The Snakes made a surprising postseason run in 2017, the first season under GM Mike Hazen and skipper Torey Lovullo. While the core of the roster remained under contract for 2018 (and, in many cases, beyond), the Hazen-led front office still faced challenges.
The most stinging loss for the Snakes headed into the offseason was outfielder J.D. Martinez, who was a monster after coming over at last year’s trade deadline. They always seemed a long shot to re-sign him, with Zack Greinke’s massive deal weighing heavily on the future payroll and the team’s 2018 tab already set to reach record heights.
Still, the club never really shut the door on Martinez through the first three and a half months of the offseason. After all, they had a King Kong-sized hole to fill in the lineup. It’s no coincidence that Martinez finally made things official with the Red Sox just a week after the Diamondbacks gave up on him and pivoted to Steven Souza on the trade market.
Of course, the team had a powerful right-handed bat set to return from injury. But it has been clear for a while now that Yasmany Tomas won’t meet the lofty expectations placed on him when he came over from Cuba. The club officially recognized that fact when it outrighted him to Triple-A at the start of the season. It’s unfortunate that he’s fallen so far in the eyes of the organization, which is surely disappointed that its $68.5MM investment won’t pay off.
Tomas, then, was not seen as a real part of the plan to replace Martinez. Rather, the club first picked up free agent Jarrod Dyson at what seems to be an appealing price. He provides another piece (and a different skillset) for the corner outfield mix while also ably complementing and providing insurance for oft-injured center fielder A.J. Pollock. While Tomas still could have been viewed as the righty thump to go with Dyson’s left-handed-hitting speed and defense, the front office elected instead to chase down Souza. Though that deal cost the D-Backs an important upper-level rotation asset in Anthony Banda and a quality infielder in Brandon Drury, the organization obviously felt it was dealing from depth in those areas.
Of course, parting with Drury also helped spur the Diamondbacks’ late move to acquire infielder Deven Marrero from the Red Sox. The depth has proven necessary following an injury to third baseman Jake Lamb, which has left Daniel Descalso seeing much of the action at the hot corner. Marrero was available at a minimal price owing to a roster crunch in Boston.
The D-Backs also had an opening at catcher with vet Chris Iannetta hitting the open market. While a reunion was pursued, market timing led Iannetta to join the division-rival Rockies and left the Snakes to pursue Alex Avila. Though he has had his ups and downs over the years — including, especially, a frightening run of concussion problems — Avila could be a great value if he can hit anything like he did last year (.264/.387/.447, 14 home runs).
Outside of Archie Bradley, the Diamondbacks’ bullpen was the team’s other big area of concern. But without much room to spend, they certainly weren’t a likely landing spot for marquee relievers like Wade Davis, Greg Holland or Addison Reed. Instead, they opted to add Yoshihisa Hirano, who comes over after a long run of success in Japan’s top league. While he appears to be the beneficiary of some good batted ball fortune, holding hitters to a .215 wOBA despite a .329 xwOBA, Hirano has managed to induce a solid volume of swinging strikes. Arizona also turned to the trade market to add Brad Boxberger, an experienced late-inning arm who has had his share of injury troubles in recent years. Like Souza, he came courtesy of the Rays’ rebuild. Boxberger has performed well as the closer in the early going.
The organization didn’t stop there, though. It made a flurry of other moves to bolster the bullpen. MacFarland was added on a cheap major league deal, in addition to minor league reliever signings that reached double digits by the season’s outset. While there were no doubt some targeted arms in the group, to an extent the strategy seems to have been one of throwing possibilities against the proverbial wall to see what would stick. As of now, members of that group make up nearly half of the club’s bullpen, as MacFarland, Salas and De La Rosa have all captured middle relief jobs for the time being. Several others remain on hand in the upper minors as depth options.
While most of the above moves were geared towards a strong push for contention this season, the Dbacks did make one important move with their long-term future in mind. The extension of Ketel Marte helped them gain cost-certainty over their second baseman while picking up a pair of options over two of his would-be free agent seasons. It’s an intriguing move with a good bit of upside. Marte proved to be something of a Statcast darling last year with his batted ball profile. He finished in the top 25% of MLB hitters in xwOBA, a statistic that measures expected offensive output based on launch speed and angle of batted balls. That made him a popular breakout pick entering the season despite a mediocre offensive output in 2017 on the whole.
Questions Remaining
While Arizona’s starting rotation is a strength overall, it doesn’t come without its share of question marks. It’s no sure bet that Zack Godley or Robbie Ray will sustain the surprise breakouts they each enjoyed last season. Indeed, the latter had some struggles with walks and home runs in the early going (before being felled by an oblique injury). Patrick Corbin‘s off to a scorching start, but he and fellow veteran Zack Greinke both come with some injury concerns that ought not be overlooked.
The club’s pitching depth always seemed likely to be tested at some point this season. That’s now a certainty with Ray hitting the DL after the team already lost one starter for the campaign in Taijuan Walker, who underwent Tommy John surgery after suffering a torn UCL in his pitching elbow. As such, Matt Koch has been forced to take on a full-time role in the rotation, leaving the club without much in the way of inspiring depth options. Troy Scribner, Braden Shipley and Kris Medlen are probably next in line. As things stand, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if the D-Backs end up looking for a starter on the mid-season trade market.
While Marte has a nice ceiling, the infield duo of he and Nick Ahmed did not look particularly strong entering the year and remains a question mark. Though Ahmed is off to a nice start with the bat, there’s still quite a lot for him to prove at the plate. And Marte has endured a brutal opening month with the bat. Whether or not these players can hit enough to provide a quality middle-infield unit will be a situation to monitor for the Diamondbacks throughout the season.
Despite the overwhelming quantity of moves geared towards patching it, Arizona’s bullpen looks a bit flawed outside of Bradley and Boxberger. While much of the relief corps has actually performed pretty admirably so far, one has to wonder how long a patchwork group of relievers with mediocre reputations can (in conjunction with that late-inning duo) continue to post the best ERA of any bullpen in baseball. Then again, their entire pitching staff is likely benefiting at least marginally from the new humidor that’s been installed at Chase Field; that’ll be an interesting sub-plot throughout the season.
Overview
The Diamondbacks didn’t need to do much outside of addressing their bullpen. As a result, they focused their energy on plugging an important hole in the lineup, finding a backstop, and making an avalanche of reliever additions. The result so far? They’ve won their first nine series of the season, and they’ve done it mostly without Souza or Lamb.
Arizona now has a great shot at a second consecutive playoff berth, but its roster depth will continue to be tested. The front office pulled off an impactful, high-value swap last summer to land Martinez. He won’t be available this time around, but Hazen and his compatriots may need to work similar magic again at this year’s trade deadline.
How would you rate the Diamondbacks’ offseason work? (Poll link for app users)
How Would You Grade The Diamondbacks' Offseason Work?
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B 47% (836)
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A 25% (447)
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C 21% (365)
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F 3% (60)
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D 3% (53)
Total votes: 1,761
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
MLB Daily Roster Roundup: Gonzalez, LeMahieu, Ray, Seager
ROSTER MOVES BY TEAM
(April 30th)
NATIONAL LEAGUE
- ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Robbie Ray (strained oblique)
- Kris Medlen was scratched from his Triple-A start on Monday. He is the leading candidate to take Ray’s next turn.
- Promoted: RP Silvino Bracho
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Robbie Ray (strained oblique)
- COLORADO ROCKIES | Depth Chart
- Activated from 10-Day DL: OF Carlos Gonzalez
- Gonzalez was not in the starting lineup on Monday.
- Placed on 10-Day DL: 2B DJ LeMahieu (strained hamstring)
- Pat Valaika has been playing 2B in LeMahieu’s absence.
- Activated from 10-Day DL: OF Carlos Gonzalez
- LOS ANGELES DODGERS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SS Corey Seager (season-ending Tommy John surgery)
- Chris Taylor will be the team’s regular SS, allowing the team to better utilize a crowded outfield.
- Promoted: INF/OF Breyvic Valera
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SS Corey Seager (season-ending Tommy John surgery)
- MIAMI MARLINS | Depth Chart
- Activated from 10-Day DL: SP Dan Straily
- Placed on Paternity list: RP Tyler Cloyd
- PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES | Depth Chart
- Promoted: SP Zach Eflin, RP Zac Curtis
- Eflin will start on Tuesday, replacing the injured Ben Lively.
- Placed on 10-Day DL: RP Victor Arano (strained rotator cuff)
- Optioned: RP Jake Thompson
- Promoted: SP Zach Eflin, RP Zac Curtis
- PITTSBURGH PIRATES | Depth Chart
- Role change: P Steven Brault has been moved the bullpen.
- SP Nick Kingham will remain in the rotation after an impressive MLB debut on Sunday.
- Role change: P Steven Brault has been moved the bullpen.
- WASHINGTON NATIONALS | Depth Chart
- Promoted: RP Wander Suero
- Optioned: RP Austin Voth
—
AMERICAN LEAGUE
- DETROIT TIGERS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP/RP Daniel Norris (groin surgery)
- Norris will miss 8-12 weeks.
- Promoted: RP Chad Bell
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP/RP Daniel Norris (groin surgery)
- MINNESOTA TWINS | Depth Chart
- Role change: P Phil Hughes was moved to the bullpen.
- SP Fernando Romero will take Hughes’ rotation spot when he makes his MLB debut on Wednesday.
- Promoted: RP John Curtiss
- Optioned: RP Tyler Duffey
- Role change: P Phil Hughes was moved to the bullpen.
- KANSAS CITY ROYALS | Depth Chart
- Promoted: INF Adalberto Mondesi Jr.
- Mondesi was optioned to Triple-A.
- Promoted: INF Adalberto Mondesi Jr.
- TEXAS RANGERS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Martin Perez (elbow discomfort)
- The Rangers had six starters on their roster. No word on whether they’ll proceed with five or if Perez will be replaced in the rotation.
- Promoted: RP Jose Leclerc
- Placed on 10-Day DL: SP Martin Perez (elbow discomfort)
- TORONTO BLUE JAYS | Depth Chart
- Placed on 10-Day DL: OF Randal Grichuk (sprained knee)
- Promoted: INF Gift Ngoepe
- Released: INF Danny Espinosa opted out of his MiLB contract.
—
FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES
- BAL: 1B/OF Mark Trumbo will be activated from the DL and INF/OF Luis Sardinas (strained lower back) will be placed on the 10-Day DL prior to the team’s next game on Tuesday May 1st, according to Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com.
- CLE: SP Adam Plutko will be recalled from the minors on Thursday May 3rd, according to Jordan Bastian of MLB.com. He will start Game 1 or 2 of the scheduled double-header.
- MIL: SP Wade Miley will have his contract purchased from the minors Wednesday May 2nd, according to Adam McCalvy of MLB.com.
- MIN: SP Fernando Romero will be recalled from the minors on Wednesday May 2nd, according to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. 3B Miguel Sano (strained hamstring) is a DL candidate, according to Phil Miller of the Star Tribune.
- SFG: SP Andrew Suarez will be recalled from the minors on Tuesday May 1st, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. RP Will Smith will be activated from the 10-Day DL on Wednesday May 2nd, also according to Pavlovic.
- WSH: 3B Anthony Rendon is likely to begin a rehab assignment or will be activated from the 10-Day DL on Tuesday May 1st, according to Jamal Collier of MLB.com.
Giants To Activate Will Smith
The Giants will activate southpaw Will Smith in time for Wednesday’s game, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area was among those to report on Twitter. Smith worked back from Tommy John surgery that he underwent in late March of last year.
That’s obviously welcome news for the Giants, who entered play today with a .500 record. While the bulk of the relief corps has registered as a positive in the early going — including southpaw Tony Watson, who has been excellent — the added depth will surely not hurt the cause.
It’s tough to know what to expect out of Smith out of the gates. But the 28-year-old racked up 11 strikeouts without surrendering a walk in his 7 1/3 rehab innings, so the hope will surely be that he can hit the ground running.
Smith, of course, has ample late-inning experience and the stats to match, so the San Francisco organization will hope to return him to high-leverage spots sooner rather than later. In nearly 200 career innings as a reliever, Smith has held opposing hitters to a .221/.300/.365 slash line while carrying a 3.13 ERA.
The Giants, who dealt for Smith at the 2016 trade deadline, are paying him $2.5MM for the coming season after avoiding arbitration over the winter. He’ll be eligible for arbitration one final time this coming fall.
Martin Perez Placed On 10-Day DL
8:57pm: For the time being, Perez has been diagnosed only with inflation, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News was among those to tweet.
2:26pm: The Rangers announced Monday that left-hander Martin Perez has been placed on the 10-day disabled list due to “continued discomfort in his right elbow” and has left the team to travel back to Texas for a more in-depth exam with Dr. Keith Meister. Righty Jose Leclerc was recalled in his place.
While the loss of Perez for the time being thins out the rotation, the silver lining for the organization is likely that the issue is confined to Perez’s non-pitching elbow. That certainly doesn’t preclude an extended absence, particularly given that Perez underwent offseason surgery to repair a fracture in that right elbow and opened the year on the disabled list as a result.
It’s been a nightmarish start to the 2018 campaign for Perez; the 27-year-old lefty has been tattooed for a 9.67 ERA in 22 2/3 innings through five starts while posting a career-worst 4.8 BB/9 rate and watching his fastball velocity drop from 93.1 mph in 2017 to 91.8 mph in 2018. While the injury obviously isn’t in his throwing elbow — Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets that Rangers officials say Perez’s left elbow is not a concern — it’s still possible that the discomfort in his right elbow is impacting his mechanics and effectiveness. (Whether it’s related or not, Perez’s release point in 2018 is notably out of line with his career norms, per Brooks Baseball.)
Perez becomes the latest in a long line of Rangers regulars to land on the disabled list, where he’ll join Adrian Beltre, Rougned Odor and Elvis Andrus. (Right-hander Doug Fister also missed some time on the DL but was recently activated.) With Perez on the shelf, Texas will utilize Cole Hamels, Mike Minor, Matt Moore, Bartolo Colon and Fister in the starting rotation.
Blue Jays Place Randal Grichuk On 10-Day DL
The Blue Jays have placed outfielder Randal Grichuk on the 10-day DL, per a club announcement. He’s dealing with a knee sprain that is likely to cost him at least three weeks or so, as MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm notes on Twitter.
Toronto will promote infielder Gift Ngoepe to take the open spot on the active roster. That’ll likely be a temporary measure, as Josh Donaldson could soon be ready to return to the majors.
The move comes as Grichuk, who was acquired over the winter, has struggled badly out of the gates. The out-of-options 26-year-old is carrying a hard-to-fathom .106/.208/.227 slash through 77 plate appearances.
With Teoscar Hernandez emerging in recent weeks, Grichuk has increasingly found himself on the bench. Presuming Grichuk ends up on a rehab assignment, he’ll have a chance to try to find a groove in the minors before returning to the MLB roster.
Joe Panik Undergoes Thumb Surgery
TODAY: Panik has indeed undergone the procedure, as Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area was among those to tweet.
YESTERDAY: There’s a “good chance” Giants second baseman Joe Panik will need to undergo surgery on his injured left thumb, manager Bruce Bochy told Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports California and other reporters Sunday (Twitter link). Panik still has to see a specialist in Los Angeles, but if he does go under the knife, it would likely keep him out six to eight weeks, per Pavlovic.
While Panik certainly isn’t an elite second baseman, his absence would rob the Giants of a quality player and likely damage their already slim playoff chances. The club, which placed Panik on the disabled list on Saturday, is off to a 13-14 start and currently sits 6.5 games behind the NL West-leading Diamondbacks. Panik has been his usual solid self, though, having batted .267/.323/.389 (102 wRC+) with a major league-leading 92.4 percent contact rate across his first 100 plate appearances of the year.
The Giants will continue with Kelby Tomlinson and Alen Hanson as their top second base options in Panik’s absence, Pavlovic suggests. San Francisco also has Josh Rutledge in the fold in Triple-A, though he’s not on its 40-man roster.
Corey Seager To Undergo Tommy John Surgery, Miss Remainder Of 2018
The Dodgers have announced stunning news regarding top young shortstop Corey Seager. He’ll undergo Tommy John surgery and miss the remainder of the 2018 season, according to the team.
For the time being, infielder Breyvic Valera will come up to take the open roster spot created by Seager hitting the DL. But he won’t come close to accounting for the yawning gap created by Seager’s absence the rest of the way. Seager had dealt with elbow troubles late in 2017, but the news still comes as a major surprise.
Los Angeles entered the season with one of the game’s best duos on the left side of the infield. Though third baaseman Justin Turner has missed the first month of the season, the hope was that he’d soon re-join Seager and re-create a unit that combined for about 12 fWAR annually over the past two campaigns. Instead, the team will cross its fingers that Turner can regain his form at the hot corner while scrambling to account for the hole at short.
Despite a tepid start from the Dodgers overall, it has remained reasonable to anticipate that the club would begin picking up the pace as the season wears on. But losing Seager takes away the Los Angeles organization’s top position player and makes the road to a sixth-straight NL West title seem much tougher.
Despite his own middling run to begin the 2018 campaign — a .257/.339/.366 slash through 115 plate appearances — Seager is viewed as one of the top young talents in baseball. After all, he is a .301/.372/.492 hitter in over 1,500 MLB plate appearances, with quality glovework and baserunning adding to his value. And he just turned 24 three days ago.
Looking to the future, the hope will obviously be that Seager can rehab and get back to full health in advance of the 2019 season. As a position player, rather than a pitcher, the odds are much better that he’ll be able to participate fully in spring camp next year. In the best-case scenario, perhaps, he’ll also have an opportunity to rest some other maladies that have arisen over the years and enjoy a full and unrestrained 2019 campaign. Unfortunately for the young star, the timing of the injury will rob him of a chance at compiling statistics in his final pre-arbitration season, meaning he’ll earn far less next season (and for the following two campaigns) than he would reasonably have anticipated.
More immediately, the Dodgers need to figure out how to make it through the current season. Perhaps the club can account directly for the loss of Seager by moving Chris Taylor back to short, which is the position he broke into the majors playing. Of course, that’d just allow another leak to spring in center field, where Taylor has mostly lined up in 2018. While the organization can call upon its outfield depth — including just-promoted top prospect Alex Verdugo — to make things work, the result is obviously a less-fearsome lineup than it expected to be fielding.
The loss of Seager does create an obvious and intriguing — but still quite speculative — match on paper between the Dodgers and Orioles. The Baltimore club has limped out of the gates in spite of a monster first month from Manny Machado, who is one of a relative few players in baseball (and the only one reasonably available via trade) in Seager’s league at the shortstop position. Doing so, particularly early, would mean not only coughing up a haul of talent but also executing some financial tightrope walking. The club premised its offseason strategy on staying beneath the luxury tax line to re-set its tax obligations, and has just over $15MM of wiggle room to work with at last look. That makes Machado (who’s earning $16MM in his final season of arb eligibility) a tight squeeze. Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who could opt out of his contract in the coming offseason, is also an interesting-but-expensive conceivable target, though he’s on the DL at the moment. Odds are, the Dodgers will take their time in assessing the possibilities before they make a highly consequential move.