Chase Silseth – MLB Trade Rumors https://www.mlbtraderumors.com Tue, 06 Aug 2024 22:37:22 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 Luis Rengifo, Chase Silseth Undergo Season-Ending Surgeries https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/luis-rengifo-chase-silseth-undergo-season-ending-surgeries.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/luis-rengifo-chase-silseth-undergo-season-ending-surgeries.html#comments Tue, 06 Aug 2024 22:35:57 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=820388 Infielder/outfielder Luis Rengifo and right-hander Chase Silseth of the Angels are both done for the year, reports Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register on X. Rengifo had season-ending wrist surgery while Silseth had season-ending elbow surgery. It’s unclear exactly what kind of surgery Silseth had but Fletcher says it was not Tommy John surgery. Both players are expected to be ready for Spring Training next year.

Rengifo was a popular name in trade rumors this summer due to his strong performance and narrowing window of club control on a struggling team. Since the start of 2022, Rengifo has hit .273/.323/.431 for a wRC+ of 110. He’s also stolen 36 bases and bounced around the diamond to all three outfield spots and the three infield positions to the left of first base. He’s making $4.4MM this year and is controllable via arbitration for 2025 before he’s slated for free agency.

The Angels are out of contention this year and made some sell-side moves prior to the trade deadline, but limited themselves to just moving impending free agent relievers Carlos Estévez and Luis García. Despite Rengifo’s name popping up from time to time, he wasn’t traded, but perhaps the wrist issue played a role there. He landed on the IL July 4 due to right wrist inflammation and was reinstated July 23, but landed right back on the IL on August 3. Maybe the uncertainty around the ailment tamped down the offers and led the Angels to hold on.

Regardless of what happened with the trade talks, the result now is that Rengifo is out for the year. That won’t have a huge impact on the Halos in the short term since they will mostly be playing out the string for the rest of the schedule. It will lower Rengifo’s ability to raise his 2025 salary compared to what would have been possible if he stayed healthy. His name is likely to be in some trade rumors again this winter but the Angels might hold onto him into the 2025 campaign so that he can demonstrate his health for prospective trade partners. He’ll be transferred to the 60-day IL as soon as the Angels have a need for his roster spot.

Silseth tossed 52 1/3 innings for the Halos last year with a 3.96 earned run average. That put him in line for a rotation job in 2024 but his season has been derailed multiple times. He made two big league starts to begin the year but then landed on the IL with right elbow inflammation. No ligament damage was found but Silseth was nonetheless transferred to the 60-day IL at the end of April. He began a rehab assignment at the end of May and was reinstated from the IL on June 25 and optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake. He then made four more Triple-A appearances between late June and late July but now it seems he’ll require some of sort of surgical procedure to get over his ailment.

The righty came into this year with 153 days of service time. He crossed the one-year mark while on the injured list but is no longer adding to that total since being optioned in June. The Halos could call him up and add him to the 60-day injured list, which would start his service time clock again, but they won’t need a roster spot right away. Their 40-man roster count is currently at 39 and, as mentioned, they can move Rengifo to the 60-day IL to open up a spot at any point. The same is true of Mike Trout, who is also done for the year but has not yet been moved to the 60-day IL.

Since Silseth is expected back by the spring, he clearly hasn’t undergone a major ligament procedure and could be a part of the club’s rotation mix for 2025. As of right now, the group projects to include Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning, José Soriano, Davis Daniel, Carson Fulmer, Reid Detmers, Kenny Rosenberg and Silseth.

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Patrick Sandoval To Undergo UCL Surgery https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/patrick-sandoval-to-undergo-ucl-surgery.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/patrick-sandoval-to-undergo-ucl-surgery.html#comments Tue, 25 Jun 2024 21:20:03 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=814879 June 25: The Angels moved Sandoval to the 60-day injured list today. Silseth was reinstated from the 60-day IL and optioned, keeping their 40-man roster at capacity.

June 24: Angels left-hander Patrick Sandoval told reporters that he has a high-grade flexor tear and a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left arm. Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com was among those to relay the news on X. While Bollinger uses the phrase “Tommy John surgery,” Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register says on X that the exact nature of the surgery isn’t yet clear. Regardless, the lefty is done for this year and part of 2025 as well.

The news is obviously devastating, both for Sandoval personally and for the Angels as a team. As the club has struggled to find consistent quality pitching in recent years, the southpaw has been one of the few bright spots of their staff.

Since the start of 2021, Sandoval has tossed 460 innings for the club, allowing 3.80 earned runs per nine frames. He struck out 22.6% of batters faced in that time with a 10.2% walk rate and 47.3% ground ball rate. Unfortunately, he had to leave Friday’s start in obvious pain and was placed on the 15-day injured list with an elbow strain, and now the decision has been made that surgery is required.

Sandoval qualified for arbitration after 2022 as a Super Two player. He made $2.75MM last year and is making $5.025MM this year, with two more arbitration seasons remaining. With the Angels having a poor season and no return to contention in sight, he could have been made available at this summer’s deadline and been one of the more attractive arms on the market, something that MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently took a look at.

Now that won’t be on the table and Sandoval is looking at a lengthy layoff. A full Tommy John surgery usually comes with a recovery timeline of 14 to 18 months, which would put his 2025 season in jeopardy. The internal brace variety can sometimes have shorter timelines, but only by a few months.

The Angels will transfer Sandoval to the 60-day injured list when they need a roster spot but he will need to be reinstated for the offseason. Assuming they tender him a contract for 2025, he won’t be able to get much of a raise on the heels of this truncated season. The club may be tempted to non-tender a pitcher that may not contribute anything next year, but pitchers in this situation often sign two-year deals to cover their recovery and return to the mound. The Angels can effectively do that just by tendering him a deal for next year and then for 2026.

It’s also another challenge for a rotation that has had plenty. Reid Detmers struggled enough this year that he was optioned down to the minors. Tyler Anderson is having a good year but is 34 years old and has one year left on his contract, making him a logical trade candidate. Griffin Canning has just one year of control beyond this year as well. Chase Silseth and José Soriano are also on the injured list. Zach Plesac has been added to the roster lately but hasn’t found much success in his first two starts. With Sandoval’s surgery, piecing together the rotation will be even harder, both this year and next year.

For Sandoval personally, he will lose the remainder of his age-27 season and a decent chunk of his age-28 season as well, putting a big dent in his earning power. He’ll turn 29 years old in October of next year.

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Angels Option Reid Detmers https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/angels-option-reid-detmers-2.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/06/angels-option-reid-detmers-2.html#comments Sun, 02 Jun 2024 03:51:32 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=812462 The Angels announced tonight that they have optioned struggling left-hander Reid Detmers to Triple-A Salt Lake following tonight’s loss to the Mariners. No corresponding move to replace Detmers on the active roster was announced.  [UPDATE: Right-hander Ben Joyce was called up from Triple-A today to take Detmers’ spot, the team announced.]

The move comes on the heels of a difficult start for Detmers against Seattle this evening, where he surrendered five runs on four hits and four walks while striking out three in 3 2/3 innings of work. Tonight’s blowup start is the eighth consecutive difficult start for Detmers, who entered tonight with a brutal 8.59 ERA across 36 2/3 innings of work in his last seven appearances. During that time, the lefty has struck out just 21.5% of batters faced, a significant step down from the 26.1% figure he posted during his 2023 campaign. Perhaps more disconcertingly, Detmers allowed a whopping nine home runs over those seven starts, lifting his home run/fly ball rate this year to a hefty 13.2%.

Given the lefty’s deep struggles over the course of nearly two months of work, it’s hardly a surprise that the Halos would option him to the minors in hopes he can right the ship. After all, the lefty is only in his age-24 season and has flashed the upside of a potential front-end starter at points in his career, including when he punched out a whopping 34.9% of batters faced in his first four starts this season while posting a 1.19 ERA and 1.54 FIP in 22 2/3 innings of work. That inconsistency has been a hallmark of Detmers’s performances since the Angels selected him tenth overall in the 2020 draft. Of the lefty’s 70 career starts in the majors, he’s posted a game score of 60 or higher in 23 of them while posting a game score below 40 in 20 of them. That frustrating combination of clunkers and gems has left Detmers with the career numbers of a slightly below-average major league pitcher (4.60 ERA, 93 ERA+, 4.13 FIP) for his career despite his obvious talent.

Detmers’ demotion could have implications on the lefty’s service time if he spends most of the remainder of the 2024 campaign in the minor leagues. The lefty entered the 2024 season with two years and 64 days worth of service time and has currently accrued 65 days worth of service time to this point in the season. Players accrue 172 days worth of service time across a full season in the majors, meaning Detmers will need to spend at least 43 more days on the major league roster or injured list this season in order to finish the year with three years of service time. If he spends less than 43 days in the big leagues throughout the rest of the 2024 season, the lefty’s first opportunity to reach free agency will be pushed back from after the 2027 campaign until after the 2028 campaign. Fortunately for Detmers, manager Ron Washington told reporters (including Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register) after the game that his move to the minors isn’t expected to be a “permanent” one.

“The whole idea is we just want to get him in an environment where it’s not results that you’re going to be worrying about, and find your stuff,” Washington said, as relayed by Fletcher. “This is not something that’s going to be permanent… We just feel like he needs to be in an environment where he can refind who he is.”

While the lefty attempts to work his way back onto the big league roster in Anaheim, the Angels will need to find a fifth starter to complement their current rotation mix of Tyler Anderson, Patrick Sandoval, Griffin Canning, and Jose Soriano. Right-hander Zach Plesac is the hurler with the most big league experience the Angels have available in the minors, but he’s not on the club’s 40-man roster and has struggled to a 6.52 ERA in eleven starts at the Triple-A level this year. That could leave the Angels to turn to lefty Kenny Rosenberg, who sports a 3.92 ERA and 4.16 FIP in 43 2/3 innings of work at the big league level since he made his debut in 2022 and sports a 3.86 ERA in eleven starts at Triple-A this season.

Another option, as noted by Fletcher, could be injured right-hander Chase Silseth. Silseth posted a 3.96 ERA in sixteen appearances swinging between the rotation and bullpen for the Angels last year but was shelved after just two starts this season due to a bout of elbow inflammation. Since then, however, he’s begun a rehab assignment that saw him throw three innings during his first rehab start yesterday. While Silseth will surely need more time rehabbing in the minors before he’s ready to start in the majors, Fletcher points out that the Angels could postpone their fifth starter decision for nearly two weeks thanks to upcoming days off on June 6 and June 10.

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Angels Select Amir Garrett https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/angels-select-amir-garrett.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/angels-select-amir-garrett.html#comments Wed, 01 May 2024 01:50:32 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=809354 The Angels announced they’ve selected reliever Amir Garrett onto the MLB roster. They optioned righty Davis Daniel and placed Mike Trout on the 10-day injured list to create active roster space for Garrett and newly-signed outfielder Kevin Pillar. To open space on the 40-man roster, the Halos moved Michael Stefanic and Chase Silseth to the 60-day injured list.

Garrett inked a minor league deal with the Halos not long after Opening Day. The southpaw had been in camp with the Giants but issued seven walks in 6 1/3 Spring Training innings, leading to his release. Garrett has found his form with the Angels’ top affiliate in Salt Lake, where he has fanned 10 in 7 1/3 frames. He has walked four and allowed only two runs in the Pacific Coast League.

That was enough to get the 31-year-old (32 next month) back to the majors for what’ll be his eighth season. Garrett was a quality setup arm for the Reds early in his career. His results have been less consistent over the last couple years, largely because of scattershot control. Garrett walked over 15% of batters faced in each of the last two seasons. A near-18% walk rate led the Royals to release him last summer even though he had a reasonably solid 3.33 ERA in 27 appearances.

Matt Moore stands as the top lefty setup man for skipper Ron Washington. José Suarez has occupied a long relief role, where he has struggled to a 10.13 ERA across 16 frames. Garrett adds a third southpaw to the bullpen mix, where he’ll pitch mostly in single-inning stints.

Silseth has been sidelined since April 8 with inflammation in his throwing elbow. He has been playing catch but hasn’t progressed to mound work. Today’s transfer backdates to Silseth’s original IL placement, so he’ll be out until at least the first week of June. Stefanic, meanwhile, is out until the end of May thanks to a Spring Training quad strain. He hit .290/.380/.355 in 25 big league contests a year ago.

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Angels Notes: Silseth, Rotation, Stephenson https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/angels-notes-silseth-rotation-stephenson.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/angels-notes-silseth-rotation-stephenson.html#comments Thu, 11 Apr 2024 15:15:07 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=807528 The Angels got a bit of a scare recently when right-hander Chase Silseth was placed on the 15-day injured list due to right elbow inflammation and was sent for an MRI. Thankfully, that MRI found just inflammation and no ligament damage. The pitcher himself gave the good news to members of the media yesterday, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, adding that he hopes to be back in about three weeks.

That’s obviously a much better outcome than the worst-case scenario of some kind of surgery that would have wiped out the rest of his season or even part of next year. Silseth was able to toss 52 1/3 innings for the club in a swing role last year with a 3.96 earned run average, showing enough promise to get a rotation job here in 2024. His first two outings didn’t go especially well, resulting in six earned runs allowed over eight innings, but it’s possible the injury was playing a role there.

With Silseth out, the Angels bumped José Soriano into the rotation, alongside Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson and Griffin Canning. Soriano struck out six opponents in four innings last night but also allowed four earned runs on six hits.

It’s just one start and Soriano could certainly get in a better groove going forward, but he also may hit an innings limit at some point if he were to stay in the rotation. He underwent Tommy John surgery in both February of 2020 and June of 2021, meaning he hardly pitched over the 2020 to 2022 period before throwing 65 1/3 innings last year between the majors and minors. Perhaps he can hold down a rotation spot for a few weeks while Silseth is out and then slide back into the bullpen, allowing him to grow his workload relative to last year but without hitting a wall. The Angels are still interested in seeing what he can do as a starter over the long term but they are surely aware that he can’t suddenly launch into the 200-inning range this year.

Turning to the bullpen, Robert Stephenson is going to start a rehab assignment this Sunday, per Bollinger. He was the biggest signing for the Halos this winter, netting himself a three-year, $33MM deal. But he hasn’t yet made his debut as an Angel since he experienced some shoulder soreness during the spring and began the season on the injured list. He recently said he’s targeting a late April return and this seems to be in line with that.

After being acquired by the Rays last year, Stephenson was one of the best relievers in the league. He posted a 2.35 ERA in his 42 appearances, striking out a tremendous 42.9% of batters faced while walking just 5.7% of them. Since he was previously a first-round pick and highly-touted prospect, this seemed to be the long-awaited breakout that didn’t materialize in previous seasons as injuries got in the way. The Angels are still waiting to find out if their bet on Stephenson was a wise one but it seems he’ll be able to join the club shortly.

Getting both Silseth and Stephenson healthy will be good for the club, bolstering both the rotation and the bullpen. The Halos are out to an even 6-6 start through 12 games, but that’s largely in spite of some poor pitching. The club’s collective ERA of 5.09 this year is 29th out of the 30 clubs, ahead of only the Rockies and their dreadful 6.57 mark.

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Angels Designate Zach Plesac, Liván Soto For Assignment https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/angels-designate-zach-plesac-livan-soto-for-asssignment.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/angels-designate-zach-plesac-livan-soto-for-asssignment.html#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2024 23:00:22 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=807265 The Angels announced a series of roster moves today, placing right-handers Chase Silseth and Guillo Zuñiga on the 15-day injured list, Silseth due to right elbow inflammation and Zuñiga a right pectoral strain. Taking their spots on the active roster will be taken by right-handers Carson Fulmer and Hunter Strickland, with each having their contract selected. To make room on the 40-man roster, the club has designated infielder Liván Soto and right-hander Zach Plesac for assignment.

It’s not yet clear how severe the injuries to Silseth and Zuñiga are, though the club clearly feels that each hurler needs an IL stint. In the case of Silseth, he recently underwent an MRI but is still awaiting the results, per Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. While the club awaits to find out the severity of that ailment, José Soriano will step into the rotation and start on Wednesday, per Fletcher.

Soriano was a starter as a prospect but required Tommy John surgery in February of 2020 and then again in June of 2021. Obviously, he hardly pitched from 2020 through 2022, but he returned to the mound in a relief role last year. He tossed 23 1/3 Triple-A innings with a 4.24 earned run average and posted a 3.64 ERA in 42 major league innings. His 12.4% walk rate in the majors was very much on the high side but he also punched out 30.3% of batters faced and kept 51% of balls in play on the ground.

The Halos stretched him out this spring but he got squeezed out of a rotation spot with each of Reid Detmers, Patrick Sandoval, Tyler Anderson, Griffin Canning and Silseth staying healthy through the end of camp. Soriano has been working a long relief role of late, with a pair of three-inning appearances thus far. Now that Silseth is on the shelf for a little while, it seems he’ll get stretched out again.

Soriano’s move means that the bullpen is losing two members, between him and Zuñiga, so the Halos will add Fulmer and Strickland to fill those spots. The 30-year-old Fulmer was with the Angels last year but was non-tendered at season’s end, eventually returning on a minor league deal. He has made one minor league appearance already this year, tossing three innings, meaning he could perhaps provide the bullpen with some length.

He was only able to toss 10 major league innings last year, with a 2.70 ERA in that time, but his larger body of major league work has thus far resulted in a 6.14 ERA over 140 2/3 innings. His 19% strikeout rate, 13.2% walk rate and 40.7% ground ball rate are all a few ticks worse than league average.

Strickland, 35, has a 3.41 ERA over his 408 major league appearances dating back to 2014. However, it’s been a while since he’s been in impressive form. He was limited to just 11 Triple-A innings last year with an 11.45 ERA before being released by the Reds in May and sitting out the rest of the year. In 2022, he was able to make 66 appearances for the Reds in the big leagues but with a 4.91 ERA. But in 2021, he was able to finish with a 2.91 ERA over 57 appearances.

To add those two arms to the roster, the Angels have removed Plesac and Soto. The 29-year-old Plesac once looked like a rotation building block in Cleveland, as he posted a 3.32 ERA over 29 starts in 2019 and 2020. But his ERA jumped in the next two seasons, as he posted a combined 4.49 ERA over 2021 and 2022. His first five starts of the 2023 campaign led to a disastrous 7.59 ERA and he was outrighted off Cleveland’s roster, becoming a free agent at season’s end.

The Angels gave him a roster spot via a one-year major league deal with a $1MM base but he’s quickly been bounced off the roster. He had a lackluster 5.68 ERA in his three spring appearances and has a 4.66 ERA with a 17.5% walk rate after two Triple-A starts this year. The Angels will now have a week to trade Plesac or put him on waivers. If he were to pass through waivers unclaimed, he would have the right to elect free agency as a player with more than three years of service time. However, he lacks the five years of service time necessary to both reject the outright assignment and retain his salary, so he might decide to stay and keep his $1MM in that scenario.

As for Soto, 24 in June, he has an excellent career batting line of .375/.414/.531 but in a tiny sample of just 71 plate appearances. In 1,505 minor league plate appearances since the start of 2021, he’s hit a combined line of .246/.340/.355 for a wRC+ of just 86. Despite that fairly tepid offense, Soto can steal some bases and is capable of providing solid defense at the three infield spots to the left of first base.

The Angels put Soto on waivers in February and he was claimed by the Orioles, though the Halos claimed him back a couple of weeks later. The Halos will now have a week to figure out how to proceed this time, whether that’s a trade or putting Soto on waivers again.

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West Notes: Eovaldi, Ohtani, Giants, Silseth https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/08/west-notes-eovaldi-ohtani-giants-silseth.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/08/west-notes-eovaldi-ohtani-giants-silseth.html#comments Sun, 27 Aug 2023 21:20:45 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=784222 Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi, who has been on the injured list for over a month thanks to a forearm strain, has recently been expected to rejoin the Texas rotation during their upcoming series against the Mets, which begins tomorrow. As noted by Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, however, that won’t come to fruition after Eovaldi felt some discomfort in his side during a bullpen session on Thursday. The new plan is for Eovaldi to partake in another bullpen session on Tuesday before the club determines whether he’ll need a rehab assignment or can directly return to the club’s pitching staff.

Eovaldi’s continued absence is a serious blow to the Rangers, as the right-hander has posted a phenomenal 2.69 ERA and 3.23 FIP in 123 2/3 innings of work this season. By measure of ERA+, he’s been 61% better than league average when on the field this season. That sort of production is difficult to replace, and while deadline acquisitions Max Scherzer and Jordan Montgomery have done an admirable job with a combined 2.22 ERA across nine starts since joining the organization, the club has nonetheless posted a record of just 17-17 since Eovaldi went on the shelf, a mediocre performance that’s allowed the surging Mariners to catch them in the standings.

More from around MLB’s West divisions…

  • While plenty of suitors for superstar Shohei Ohtani may have a renewed sense of caution regarding his impending free agency after it was announced that the two-way phenom is dealing with a UCL tear that will prevent him from taking the mound again this season, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle suggests that the Giants are not among those teams and will still aggressively pursue Ohtani. Shea asserts that the Giants have the financial muscle required to get a deal done, referencing big-money offers to Aaron Judge and Carlos Correa last offseason that ultimately didn’t reach the finish line, while also suggesting the the club’s tendency to be cautious regarding pitcher healthy could be attractive for Ohtani as he looks to work his way back onto the major league mound.
  • Angels right-hander Chase Silseth exited last night’s game against the Mets following a scary moment where he was struck in the head by an errant throw from teammate Trey Cabbage. After initially falling to the ground after being struck, Silseth was helped off the field by team trainers. Fortunately, the worst appears to have been avoided, as ESPN notes that manager Phil Nevin told reporters that he “think(s) we avoided something serious, but with head injuries you always want to be cautious.” Silseth owns a 4.10 ERA (111 ERA+) in 48 1/3 innings of work while swinging between the rotation and bullpen for the Angels this season.
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AL West Notes: Seager, Miller, McCormick, Silseth https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/05/al-west-notes-seager-miller-mccormick-silseth.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/05/al-west-notes-seager-miller-mccormick-silseth.html#comments Tue, 09 May 2023 01:01:40 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=773092 The Rangers look as if they’ll soon welcome back their star shortstop. Corey Seager is tentatively scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Thursday, reports Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). That’d be a month to the day from when Seager strained his left hamstring while running the bases on April 11. The injury came with an initial four-week timeline and it seems that estimate will more or less be borne out.

Seager had been off to a fantastic start to the season. He was hitting .359/.469/.538 with more walks than strikeouts through his first 11 games. While it’s certainly unfortunate to lose a player of that caliber, the Rangers’ lineup has picked up the slack in his absence. Texas leads the majors in runs since Seager went down. That’s in part thanks to Ezequiel Durán, who seized the interim shortstop job with a .343/.378/.521 line in that time. While Seager is sure to return to shortstop after his minor league tune-up, Durán is likely to get plenty of run at designated hitter and in left field given that offensive outburst.

Elsewhere in the AL West:

  • A’s rookie starter Mason Miller is headed for evaluation after experiencing some tightness in his throwing elbow, manager Mark Kotsay told the team’s beat (relayed by Martín Gallegos of MLB.com). According to Kotsay, initial indications are the discomfort is tied to the flexor muscle rather than a ligament issue, although further testing will provide more clarity. Miller has been one of the lone bright spots for the A’s in a dreary season. Through his first four major league starts, he’s worked to a 3.38 ERA while punching out just under 26% of batters faced. One of the sport’s hardest throwers, Miller has a strong prospect reputation but he’s thrown only 50 professional innings dating back to the 2021 draft because of various injuries.
  • Astros outfielder Chas McCormick returns to the lineup after being reinstated from the 10-day injured list. Houston optioned infielder Rylan Bannon to Triple-A Sugar Land in a corresponding move. McCormick missed just under a month with a back issue. Before the injury, the right-handed hitter had been off to a quality .275/.383/.500 showing in 11 games. He’ll get the nod in center field for tonight’s game in Anaheim, hitting seventh against Angels starter Patrick Sandoval. Houston has yet to activate Michael Brantley for his season debut, though manager Dusty Baker reiterated tonight that the veteran left fielder isn’t far off (via Brian McTaggart of MLB.com).
  • The Angels lost starter José Suarez to the injured list this afternoon. That leaves a vacancy in their six-man rotation, one which seems likely to be filled by Chase Silseth. Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets that Silseth is expected to step into the starting staff when the club first needs a sixth starter next week in Baltimore. (A Thursday off day this week delays that decision.) Silseth has pitched out of the bullpen thus far but started seven games as a rookie last season. He threw 72 pitches in relief of Suarez yesterday and has worked two-plus innings in three of his four outings. Lefty Tucker Davidson, who’d been in consideration for a rotation spot at the start of the season, has worked in somewhat shorter relief stints in recent weeks. According to Fletcher, the organization views it as less of an adjustment for Silseth to stretch into rotation work given his comparatively higher pitch counts out of the bullpen.
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MLBTR Poll: Angels’ Sixth Starter https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/04/mlbtr-poll-angels-sixth-starter.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/04/mlbtr-poll-angels-sixth-starter.html#comments Fri, 07 Apr 2023 03:50:58 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=769824 The Angels have run six-man rotations in recent seasons. They’re expected to do the same this year, although manager Phil Nevin has already indicated the club will be a little less rigid than in prior years to try to get more innings for their top arms.

The Halos had an off day on the second day of the season, mitigating the need for a sixth starter the first time through. They had an extra day to get a second start from Shohei Ohtani yesterday before settling on a sixth starter.

After today’s scheduled off day, the Angels play on six consecutive days. Sam Blum of the Athletic tweets the Angels are likely to turn to their sixth starter for their April 12 matchup with the Nationals. It remains unclear whom Nevin will give the first crack to assume that role behind Ohtani, Patrick SandovalReid DetmersTyler Anderson and José Suarez.

The most likely candidates appear to be left-hander Tucker Davidson and righty Griffin Canning. Davidson, acquired in last summer’s Raisel Iglesias trade with Atlanta, is out of minor league option years. He has to stick on the MLB roster in some capacity if the Halos don’t want to chance losing him. They could deploy him out of the bullpen, where he made his only appearance of the season on April 1. Davidson tossed four innings of mop-up work to finish off a blowout win in Oakland. That was only his second relief appearance at the MLB level, as he’s started 16 of 18 big league games.

Davidson threw 52 innings between Atlanta and Anaheim last season. He was tagged for a 6.75 ERA, walking 14.4% of opponents while striking out 13.7% of batters faced. That kind of production obviously isn’t sufficient but the Halos have kept him on the 40-man roster, clearly believing he’s capable of taking a step forward. Davidson had been solid over 15 Triple-A starts last year, with an above-average 27.8% strikeout rate and solid 7% walk percentage more encouraging than his 4.59 ERA there lets on.

Canning is currently on the 15-day injured list. He opened the season on the shelf with a groin strain, but the issue seems exceedingly minor. The UCLA product made a rehab start for Low-A Inland Empire this evening, working five innings and 92 pitches. Assuming he responds well in the next few days, it seems he’s on track for a quick reinstatement. Canning is first eligible to return on April 12, so his timetable could align with the Angels’ first need for a sixth starter.

If he got the nod, it’d be his first big league outing since July 2021. Canning has lost the past year and a half to back injuries. One of the organization’s more promising pitching prospects a few seasons ago, he looked like a possible mid-rotation arm when he worked to a 3.99 ERA over 11 starts during the shortened season. Canning surrendered a 5.60 ERA through his first 14 outings in 2021 before the back issues that cost him more than 18 months. He has 209 1/3 MLB innings under his belt, almost all of them as a starter. Unlike Davidson, Canning can still be optioned for another season.

While Davidson and Canning seem the top candidates for sixth starter work, they’re not the only options. Righty Jaime Barria indicated in Spring Training he had his sights set on the job. Barria had worked almost exclusively in long relief in 2022, throwing 79 1/3 innings across 35 appearances. He posted a 2.61 ERA out of the bullpen but without huge strikeout or ground-ball numbers.

Barria had primarily been a starter before last season, working to a 4.49 ERA built on solid control. Like Davidson, Barria has made one appearance out of the bullpen this season. He tallied 3 2/3 frames of low-leverage work in a blowout loss to Seattle on Tuesday. He’s also out of options and has to stick in the majors in some capacity.

Chase Silseth is also on the 40-man roster and started seven games as a rookie last year. The right-hander showed intriguing velocity but was hit hard in his initial MLB look. He started the year on optional assignment to Triple-A Salt Lake. Kenny Rosenberg and Jhonathan Diaz also got brief rotation showings last season, though neither occupies a spot on the 40-man at this point. It’s unlikely any of that group is in consideration for MLB starts this early in the year.

Who should get the first crack for the Angels when they turn to a sixth starter?

(poll link for app users)

 

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Big Hype Prospects: Grissom, Liberatore, Soderstrom, Naylor, Silseth https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/04/big-hype-prospects-grissom-liberatore-soderstrom-naylor-silseth.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2023/04/big-hype-prospects-grissom-liberatore-soderstrom-naylor-silseth.html#comments Mon, 03 Apr 2023 20:50:57 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=769502 It feels good to breathe again – by which I mean identify players to write about based upon who is tearing up minor league ball. While there hasn’t been much action yet, we have many big-name prospects appearing in Triple-A boxscores. Catchers feature prominently this week.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Vaughn Grissom, 22, 2B/SS, ATL (AAA)
16 PA, 1 HR, 2 SB, .417/.563/1.083

One of the top performers of Opening Weekend, Grissom seeks to embarrass the Braves for choosing Orlando Arcia and Ehire Adrianza over him. This is his first exposure to Triple-A after spending most of 2022 in High-A and the Majors. The extra taste of upper-minors action could be designed to avoid a developmental setback related to facing Major League pitching. Grissom appeared overexposed late last season once scouting reports were refined. There are still questions about his shortstop defense – questions that should be answered during the course of 2023.

Matthew Liberatore, 23, SP, STL (AAA)
5 IP, 12.60 K/9, 3.60 BB/9, 0.00 ERA

Of the prospect pitchers in Triple-A, Liberatore posted the best 2023 debut. He allowed six baserunners in five innings of work with seven strikeouts. Liberatore is a complicated player to scout. His individual pitches rate well, especially a visually filthy curve ball. The issue is his curve doesn’t tunnel with any of his other offerings, making it identifiable out of the hand. Last season, Liberatore worked to a 5.17 ERA in Triple-A with a 5.97 ERA in 34.2 Major League innings.

Tyler Soderstrom, 21, C/1B, OAK (AAA)
10 PA, 1 HR, .556/.600/1.222

A first-round pick from the wonky 2020 draft, Soderstrom surged through the minors last season. His bat is his calling card. He’s particularly adept at producing high exit velocities at an ideal launch angle. Defensively, he leaves much to be desired. While he could conceivably stick at catcher with several more years of hard work, his bat is nearly Major League ready and should play at first base. For that reason, as well as the presence of Shea Langeliers, Soderstrom is widely expected to switch to the cold corner on a more permanent basis this season.

Bo Naylor, 23, C, CLE (AAA)
15 PA, 2 HR, .385/.467/.923

Naylor is coming off a huge rebound season in the minors with an aim toward building upon his reputation as a power-hitting backstop. He has above-average speed for a catcher and could potentially move off the position over the long haul. His defensive capability is viewed as below average at this time. For now, the Guardians have rostered a trio of catchers known mainly for their defense. Like Soderstrom, Naylor’s bat is his carrying trait. He is a discipline-forward slugger whose high rate of contact is offset by an unwillingness to swing at pitches he can’t barrel. The result is a high strikeout rate despite a low swinging strike rate.

Chase Silseth, 23, SP, LAA (AAA)
5 IP, 10.80 K/9, 1.80 BB/9, 0.00

Silseth popped up as a standout in Double-A early last season. The pitching-needy Angels brought him directly to the Majors where he posted a 6.59 ERA (4.24 xFIP) in 28.2 innings. Silseth has a five-pitch repertoire. I’ve received mixed notes on his command. While we know he doesn’t issue many free passes, that could be because his stuff plays in the zone against minor league hitters. His best offering is a splitter. Silseth himself blamed the splitter for his poor performance in the Majors, noting that he needed the pitch to be on to succeed. Splitter consistency is a difficult trait to develop, especially for a starting pitcher. Don’t be surprised if he’s inconsistent as he loses and regains feel for his top weapon.

Three More

Matt Mervis, CHC (25): Mervis is an odd prospect in that he continues to torch the ball, yet scouts doubt his ability to hold a regular role in the Majors. He has a 1.167 OPS through 15 plate appearances. We should see him tested against Major League pitching before the calendar flips to summer.

Brett Baty, NYM (24): Baty’s strong spring continued into Triple-A. He has two home runs, a stolen base, and a 1.257 OPS through 15 plate appearances. Mets fans on social media are eager to see Baty oust Eduardo Escobar who is currently 1-for-16 with seven strikeouts.

Connor Norby, BAL (22): The Orioles’ impending glut of middle infielders includes Norby. The second baseman consistently outperforms his modest scouting grades. Bear in mind, the Orioles’ minor league venues are far friendlier to right-handed batters than Camden Yards. Norby strikes me as an obvious trade candidate later this summer.

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Angels To Promote Chase Silseth https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/05/angels-to-promote-chase-silseth.html https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/05/angels-to-promote-chase-silseth.html#comments Thu, 12 May 2022 19:02:43 +0000 https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=737393 The Angels announced they’re planning to promote pitching prospect Chase Silseth to start tomorrow night’s game against the A’s. The team will need to make a 40-man roster move before the contest to officially accommodate his selection.

It’s a remarkably quick ascent for Silseth, who was still pitching at the University of Arizona less than a year ago. Anaheim selected him in the 11th round of last year’s draft, going overslot with a $485K bonus to lure him away from Tucson. Silseth started 18 games for the Wildcats but posted just a 5.55 ERA in a hitter-friendly environment, battling control inconsistency along the way. Nevertheless, his power arsenal — a mid-90s fastball, pair of promising breaking balls and split-changeup — made him the #145 prospect in the draft class, according to Baseball America.

Over the offseason, BA named Silseth the #12 minor leaguer in the Angels’ system. The outlet suggested his long-term home might be in the bullpen, as did FanGraphs’ Brendan Gawlowski and Eric Longenhagen in naming him the organization’s #28 prospect. The Angels quickly pushed him to Double-A Rocket City as a starter, though, and he’s impressed over five outings. The 21-year-old (22 next week) has a 1.73 ERA with a massive 37.4% strikeout rate in 26 innings. He’s only walked 7.1% of batters faced, and the front office clearly feels he’s capable of holding his own against big league hitters immediately.

Whether the forthcoming MLB stint will prove more lasting than a spot start is to be determined, but Silseth has quickly put himself on the map as a near-term depth option for the Halos. He’ll also earn the distinction of being the first player from his draft class to reach the majors after an excellent beginning to his pro career.

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