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Chris Capuano

Sabathia Possibly Done For Season; Yankees Re-Sign Capuano

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The Yankees will place left-hander CC Sabathia on the disabled list due to a right knee injury, and manager Joe Girardi told reporters, including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (Twitter link) that “it’s a possibility” that Sabathia will not pitch again in 2015. As a result of the injury, the Yankees have re-signed Chris Capuano, who had briefly elected free agency, according to a team announcement.

The 35-year-old Sabathia exited yesterday’s contest due to knee pain after just 2 2/3 innings. If his season is indeed finished, he will end the year with a 5.27 ERA with 7.4 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9 in 138 1/3 innings. It would also mark the second straight year in which a right knee injury ended Sabathia’s season early. He has one more guaranteed season remaining on his contract and will earn $25MM in 2016, but his 2017 vesting option for the same amount will become guaranteed if Sabathia’s left shoulder remains healthy in 2016. The only ways for the option not to vest are if Sabathia ends the season on the DL due to a shoulder injury, if he spends 45 or more days on the DL due to a shoulder injury or if he makes six or more relief appearances due to a shoulder injury.

For the Yankees, it further depletes the team’s rotation depth, although as Jack Curry of the YES Network noted earlier today (on Twitter) that Michael Pineda threw a bullpen session today and is slated to return to the rotation on Wednesday vs. Houston. Pineda, then, would join Masahiro Tanaka, Ivan Nova, Nathan Eovaldi and Luis Severino in the rotation, with Capuano (and perhaps eventually Bryan Mitchell) serving as depth options.

Capuano, who turned 37 earlier this week, has pitched 33 innings for the Yankees in 2015 but struggled to a 6.55 ERA. He’s averaged 8.5 K/9 but also yielded 4.4 BB/9, hit three batters and served up five homers. Capuano has, somewhat incredibly, been designated for assignment and outrighted three times in the past month. As the Yankees announced, he technically rejected his most recent outright in order to sign a new Major League contract and expedite his return to the big league roster.

Yankees Release Garrett Jones

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AUG. 22: The Yankees have unconditionally released Jones, per GreedyPinstripes.com (via Twitter).

AUG. 12: The Yankees announced on Wednesday that first baseman/outfielder Garrett Jones has been designated for assignment in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for lefty Chris Capuano, whose contract was selected from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Additionally, the Yankees optioned righty Branden Pinder to Triple-A and recalled fellow righty Nick Goody.

This marks the second time this season that Jones, 34, has been designated for assignment by the Yankees. Acquired alongside Nathan Eovaldi in the trade that sent Martin Prado to the Marlins, Jones has batted just .215/.257/.361 with five homers in 152 plate appearances — his lightest production since a cameo with the Twins as a 26-year-old rookie in 2007.

Jones was initially designated for assignment to clear a spot on the roster for trade acquisition Dustin Ackley, but he was quickly released and re-signed to a big league deal afer Ackley landed on the disabled list.

Though his production this year has been unimpressive, Jones does have a history of solid offensive output. He batted .254/.316/.453 with 115 homers in 823 games for the Pirates and Marlins from 2009-14, and he’s a lifetime .265/.330/.473 hitter versus right-handed pitching.

Jones doesn’t appear likely to remain with the Yankees. He told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch that it’d be difficult to remain with the team, as he’s hoping to find an opportunity to pick up more playing time (Twitter link). Jones could be a fit for a team with a need at first base or in right field, though he comes with notable platoon splits and grades out as a poor defender at both spots.

Yankees Designate Chris Capuano For Assignment

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The Yankees have announced that they’ve recalled righty Branden Pinder and designated lefty Chris Capuano for assignment. Capuano, who turned 37 this week, has a 6.55 ERA, 8.5 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 33 innings split between the rotation and the bullpen with the Yankees this season.

This marks the third time in the past month that the Yankees have designated Capuano, whose $5MM guaranteed salary has made it possible for them to move him on and off their roster without much risk. Capuano pitched two innings on Thursday, and the addition of Pinder, who hasn’t pitched since Tuesday, gives them a fresher and probably more effective arm. The Yankees also had a heavily left-handed bullpen, with Chasen Shreve, Justin Wilson and closer Andrew Miller all pitching from the left side.

Minor MLB Transactions: 8/18/15

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Here are the day’s minor moves:

  • Lefty Chris Capuano accepted an outright assignment with the Yankees yesterday, as Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees Blog tweeted, but the club has already announced Capuano’s recall today. The Yanks’ staff was stretched when starter Bryan Mitchell left early last night after taking a scary comebacker off of his head. Capuano, who signed a $5MM free agent deal with New York over the offseason, will return to the open market after 2015.
  • The Padres have outrighted right-hander Dale Thayer, the club announced. Thayer was designated recently when the club signed fellow righty Bud Norris to join its pen. He has struggled this year, but does have an impressive track record in recent campaigns since making a late-career breakout. Over 65 1/3 innings last season, Thayer worked to a 2.34 ERA with 8.5 K/9 against 2.2 BB/9. He is earning $1.38MM this year and can be controlled for two more seasons via arbitration.

Yankees Designate Chris Capuano For Assignment

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The Yankees have announced that they’ve designated lefty Chris Capuano for assignment. The move clears space on their active roster for righty Caleb Cotham, who they’ve recalled from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

If this pair of moves sounds familiar, it’s because the Yankees designated Capuano in order to promote Cotham just before the trade deadline. Since then, Capuano accepted the Yankees’ outright and then returned on Wednesday when the Yankees designated Garrett Jones.

Capuano has a 6.97 ERA, 8.7 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 this season and is making $5MM on a one-year deal, so the Yankees probably aren’t too worried that he’ll be claimed. He hadn’t pitched since being promoted, and is probably being designated in favor of Cotham right now because Cotham (who’s had a strong season in the high minors) just became eligible for promotion again after being optioned on August 5.

Minor Moves: Cards, Carpenter, Murphy, Clemens

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Here are today’s minor league transactions from around baseball, with the newest moves at the top of the post…

  • The Cardinals outrighted right-hander Marcus Hatley and first baseman Dan Johnson off the 40-man roster and sent them to Triple-A, according to the club’s official transactions page.  Both players were designated for assignment earlier in the week.
  • Braves right-hander David Carpenter has accepted his outright assignment to Triple-A, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets.  Carpenter was designated for assignment last week and had the option of becoming a free agent, which he declined to stay in the Braves organization.  Carpenter has only appeared in four games for Atlanta this season, posting a 7.36 ERA over his 3 2/3 innings of work.
  • The Brewers released infielder Donnie Murphy, as per the Pacific Coast League’s transactions page.  Murphy signed a minor league contract with Milwaukee in February and had a .257/.352/.371 line over 162 PA at Triple-A Colorado Springs.  The 32-year-old Murphy has appeared in parts of nine Major League seasons with five different teams since 2004.
  • The Royals signed righty Paul Clemens to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com’s transactions page.  Clemens posted a 5.51 ERA over 98 innings with the Astros in 2013-14 and a 5.54 ERA over 26 innings in the Phillies’ minor league system this season.  He was released by the Phils in June.
  • Chris Capuano has accepted his outright assignment from the Yankees and reported to Triple-A, SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets.  The veteran southpaw had the option of becoming a free agent, though doing so would’ve forfeited the roughly $1.7MM still owed to him on his Yankees contract for the rest of the season.
  • Angels right-hander Jeremy McBryde has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A, the club’s communications department tweets.  McBryde was designated for assignment earlier in the week.  McBryde has a 4.07 ERA over 659 1/3 career minor league innings, though he’s struggled to a 5.63 ERA in 46 1/3 relief frames for the Halos’ Triple-A affiliate this season.
  • While McBryde’s case has been settled, over 20 players are still in DFA limbo.  Check out the MLB Trade Rumors DFA Tracker for a full accounting of the players still awaiting their next assignment.

Yankees Designate Garrett Jones

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The Yankees announced they have designated first baseman/outfielder Garrett Jones for assignment.  The team also outrighted lefty Chris Capuano and reinstated outfielder Slade Heathcott from the 60-day DL and optioned him to Triple-A.  Jones, 34, joined the Yankees in the December Martin Prado trade with the Marlins.  He hit .215/.257/.361 in 152 plate appearances for the Yankees.

New acquisition Dustin Ackley will report to the team tonight.

Yankees Designate Chris Capuano For Assignment

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The Yankees have designated lefty Chris Capuano for assignment, Jack Curry of the YES Network reports (Twitter links). Righty Caleb Cotham will be recalled to take his active roster spot.

Capuano hits the DFA wire after a rough outing yesterday, in which he gave up five earned runs on five walks and three hits while recording just two outs. Over 31 total innings on the year, he’s posted a 6.97 ERA with 8.7 K/9 against 4.4 BB/9. After missing time early on, Capuano has worked mostly from the pen, though he’s also made four starts.

The 36-year-old is playing on a one-year, $5MM contract signed as a free agent. Obviously, New York has not received quite the value it hoped for out of that deal. The club is said to be at least considering a move to add another arm at the deadline.

AL Notes: Starling, Capuano, Rollins

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The career of 2011 No. 5 overall pick Bubba Starling hasn’t gone according to plan, but the Royals remain patient with the now-22-year-old, Alan Eskew writes for Baseball America (subscription required). “He’s got the type of body and athleticism that will be able to play for a long, long time,” says assistant GM J.J. Picollo. “So whether he gets to the big leagues at 24, 25, 26—that’s not really a factor because he’s going to be able to play for a long time.” Starling hit .218/.304/.338 while striking out 150 times in 549 plate appearances for Class A+ Wilmington in 2014. Here are more notes from the American League.

  • Once Chris Capuano recovers from a quad strain, he’ll be a serviceable pitcher who provides the Yankees with flexibility, Mike Axisa of River Ave Blues writes. Capuano will miss the start of the season and might not have a rotation spot waiting for him when he returns, but he can also pitch out of the bullpen, as he did last season for the Red Sox and once did on occasion for the Brewers. Axisa suggests Capuano might work well in a swingman role. As a pitcher who can work in a variety of roles without worries, he could provide reasonable value on his $5MM contract.
  • Among the players the Mariners sent to minor-league camp today were lefties Lucas Luetge and Rafael Perez. That leaves David Rollins, a Rule 5 pick from the Astros, in competition with Joe Saunders and Tyler Olson to join Charlie Furbush as the Mariners’ second lefty out of the bullpen, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets. Rollins has pitched well so far in Spring Training, striking out seven batters and walking none in his first 6 1/3 innings.

AL East Notes: O’Day, Rays, Capuano

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Michael Saunders’ recovery from a torn meniscus is “kind of a miracle,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons told reporters, including Mark Zwolinski of the Toronto Star.  Saunders is already back to baseball activities in camp less than two weeks after deciding to have the injured cartilage removed completely.  It was originally thought that the injury would sideline Saunders for the first half of the season, but he now has a shot at the Opening Day lineup and, at worst, should be back on the field by mid-April.  Here’s some more from around the AL East…

  • Orioles right-hander Darren O’Day said the club has yet to discuss a new contract with him, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports.  While O’Day said he’d enjoy staying in Baltimore, he also noted that team will have a lot of other business to handle, as O’Day is one of 11 Orioles who will be free agents after the season.
  • “Pitching and defense is how we build this team and it’s going to be the way we continue to succeed,” Rays GM Matt Silverman told Steve Phillips and Todd Hollandsworth of MLB Network Radio interview (audio link), though Silverman also believes the lineup is “much more balanced…and much more formidable 1-through-9.”  This balance, Silverman feels, will help Tampa string together more big innings and have more luck scoring runs.  “A lot of it [the scoring problems] had to do with situational stuff and things that not necessarily were flukish, but things that we thought would revert back to the mean.  We put a lot of guys on base, we just didn’t get them home,” Silverman said.
  • Phillips and Hollandsworth also interviewed Evan Longoria during their visit to the Rays’ camp (audio link), and the third baseman said that he’s hoping to finish his career in a Tampa Bay uniform.  Longoria’s contract with the club runs through 2022, which would be his age-36 season, plus the Rays have a club option on his services for 2023.  While Longoria expressed his desire to be a one-franchise guy, he did hint that this would be contingent on the Rays continuing to be a winner.  “From the beginning, I really wanted to be one of…those rare guys who get to spend their whole career in one place,” Longoria said.  “I’ve been lucky enough to be on good teams and that’s really what makes guys want to stay places….For as long as that’s happening, I’m happy being here.”
  • Estimates on how long Chris Capuano will be sidelined with his strained right quad range from “at least the first week or two of the season” (as the southpaw told MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch) to all of April.  Yankees manager Joe Girardi told reporters, including ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand that Capuano “is not going to do anything, at least for a couple of weeks. Nothing. The problem is we are so early in the process, you are almost going to have to start over.”
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