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Chris Owings

Orioles To Select Anthony Bemboom, Chris Owings

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The Orioles have finalized their Opening Day roster, which will include non-roster invitees Chris Owings and Anthony Bemboom, manager Brandon Hyde announced to reporters this morning (Twitter link via Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). Both will need to be selected to the team’s 40-man roster, but the O’s have a pair of open spots, so no corresponding moves will be necessary (barring additional activity on the waiver wire, trade market, free agency, etc.).

Owings, 30, went 6-for-26 with a homer and three doubles in 26 plate appearances during Spring Training, though he also posted an unsightly 10-to-1 K/BB ratio. A lack of walks isn’t a new issue for Owings, who has drawn a free pass in just 5.4% of his 2396 career plate appearances at the MLB level. Owings briefly appeared with the Rockies in each of the past two seasons, hitting a combined .298/.372/.536 in a tiny sample of 94 trips to the plate.

Owings’ broader track record is that of an OBP-challenged utilityman with a bit of pop and above-average speed, evidenced by a lifetime .243/.288/.372 batting line, 37 homers and 78 steals. He smacked a career-high 12 home runs with the D-backs in 2017 and averaged 15 steals per year as a primarily part-time player in Arizona from 2015-18. Owings has experience playing each of shortstop, second base, third base and all three outfield slots. He grades out as a well-below-average defender at short but has average or better defensive marks at every other position, per Defensive Runs Saved. DRS pegs him as a plus defender at second base, though other metrics like Ultimate Zone Rating and Outs Above Average have him closer to a scratch defender there. Owings will likely hold down a utility spot with the O’s to begin the year.

As for Bemboom, he’ll serve as Baltimore’s backup behind veteran starter Robinson Chirinos. All eyes in Baltimore will be on top overall prospect Adley Rutschman, the 2019 No. 1 overall pick and the clear catcher of the future, but he was stalled in Spring Training by a triceps injury. He’s still ramping up toward game action and will likely require some minor league work before the O’s even consider bringing him up to the big league roster.

In the meantime, Bemboom will get some big league time for a fourth consecutive season. He made his big league debut with the Rays in 2019 before being traded to the Angels, where he’s spent a fair bit of time on the big league roster. In 54 total Major League games and 144 plate appearances, the 32-year-old Bemboom is a .178/.241/.287 hitter. He went 4-for-13 with a double during Spring Training and carries a career .252/.347/.398 batting line in parts of five Triple-A seasons.

Orioles Sign Chris Owings To Minor League Deal

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The Orioles announced Tuesday that they’ve signed veteran infielder/outfielder Chris Owings to a minor league pact and invited him to Major League camp.

Owings, 30, appeared in 21 games with the Rockies last season and turned in a huge .326/.420/.628 batting line in 43 plate appearances before a broken thumb required surgery and ended his season. He hit .268/.318/.439 in a similarly small sample with the Rox during 2020.

Solid as Owings’ output in Colorado was, he’s a career .243/.288/.372 hitter in just shy of 2400 plate appearances at the MLB level. Owings is plenty versatile, having logged at least 500 innings at both middle infield slots, in center field and in right field. He’s also tallied 181 frames at the hot corner.

The Orioles’ infield situation is more or less wide open. Rougned Odor is the favorite at second base after signing a Major League contract prior to the lockout, but Jahmai Jones and non-roster invitee Shed Long Jr. will get a look as well. Utilityman Ramon Urias and former top prospect Jorge Mateo are in the mix at shortstop, while former Nationals and Royals prospect Kelvin Gutierrez could get a look at third base. Infield prospect Rylan Bannon remains on the 40-man roster but had a rough showing in the minors last season that he’ll need to put behind him if he’s to force his way into the picture at second base or third base.

Rockies Notes: Gray, Owings, Rodgers

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Jon Gray is a few days away from fielding offers around the league, after the 29-year-old rejected a three-year extension offer from the Rockies that reportedly landed in the $35-40MM range. It’s widely expected the Rox will issue him an $18.4MM qualifying offer before Sunday’s deadline, thereby at least entitling themselves draft pick compensation were he to sign elsewhere.

General manager Bill Schmidt has yet to formally announce the club’s intentions on a Gray QO, but he acknowledged to Thomas Harding of MLB.com the front office is “discussing” whether to do so. With the Rockies already willing to offer Gray $12-13MM annually over a three-year term, it’d be surprising if they weren’t willing to risk him accepting a one-year deal for just $5-6MM more.

Harding suggests in a separate piece that Colorado still hopes to eventually work out a deal with Gray, writing that the Rockies “believe they value Gray more than other teams.” Given that he’s shown himself capable of finding success in Coors Field, that’d certainly be plenty reasonable. Still, the pitcher and his representatives evidently believe there’s a chance they’ll find an offer that tops the Rockies’ proposal on the open market.

Retaining Gray would require a significant investment on Colorado’s part, but it’d be far easier to keep another of their free agents — Chris Owings — in the fold. Owings has spent the past two seasons with the Rockies, joining the organization on minor league deals in both instances. Colorado would like to bring Owings back in 2022, Harding hears. It’s possible that’d come via another minors pact, as the utilityman was limited to just 50 plate appearances this past season (albeit with a highly productive .326/.420/.628 line) by a pair of injuries to his left thumb.

One free agent who almost definitely will not be returning is Trevor Story. A lock to receive and reject a qualifying offer, Story is all but certain to sign a significant multi-year deal elsewhere. The Rockies will have to address one middle infield spot this winter, then, and Harding writes they’re expected to target shortstop help. Brendan Rodgers came up as a shortstop prospect before moving to second base in deference to Story. It’s not out of the question Colorado could bump Rodgers back to short and add an external option at second base, but Harding hears the front office would prefer to keep the 25-year-old Rodgers at the keystone moving forward.

MLB Minor Transactions: 8/18/21

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Today’s minor moves:

  • The Orioles announced that right-hander Adam Plutko cleared waivers and has accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. As a player with more than three years of MLB service time, Plutko had the right to elect free agency, but he’s instead decided to accept the assignment. Baltimore acquired the 29-year-old from the Indians for cash considerations just before the start of the season. He went on to work 56 1/3 innings over 38 games as a multi-inning relief option, but Plutko was tagged for a 6.71 ERA. He’ll have a few weeks to try to work his back onto the 40-man roster before the end of the year. If he’s not reselected to the big leagues, Plutko will qualify for minor league free agency this offseason.
  • The Rockies reinstated right-hander Chi Chi González from the COVID-19 injured list before this afternoon’s game against the Padres. He worked three innings of three-run ball in today’s 7-5 Colorado win, his first action since landing on the COVID IL in late July. González has a 6.15 ERA over 93 2/3 innings this year, starting sixteen of his twenty appearances. To open space on the 40-man roster, Colorado transferred utilityman Chris Owings to the 60-day injured list. Owings won’t play again this season after undergoing left thumb surgery.

Rockies’ Chris Owings To Miss Remainder Of 2021 Season

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Rockies utilityman Chris Owings will miss the rest of the 2021 season after undergoing surgery to insert a pin in his injured left thumb, manager Bud Black told reporters (including Thomas Harding of MLB.com). The 29-year-old has been on the 10-day injured list since July 20 and seems likely to wind up on the 60-day IL whenever Colorado needs to clear a 40-man roster spot.

It’s a difficult development for Owings, who also missed three months earlier this year on account of an injury to the same thumb. He went on the IL in mid-April, returned to action in late June, but ended up back on the shelf a few weeks later. Altogether, Owings will only pick up 50 plate appearances this season. A hamstring issue kept him to just 44 trips to the dish in 2020 as well, making for a frustrating couple years in Colorado.

Owings has appeared in the big leagues in every season since 2013, compiling a cumulative .243/.288/.372 line in a little under 2400 plate appearances. The longtime Diamondback is slated to hit free agency this winter and should find interest from teams on potential minor league deals if he returns to health.

Rockies Activate Chris Owings

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The Rockies announced they’ve reinstated utilityman Chris Owings from the 60-day injured list. Righty Joe Harvey has been designated for assignment to clear active and 40-man roster space.

Owings will make his return after missing a little more than two months because of left thumb surgery. Signed to a minor league deal over the winter, the 29-year-old made the Opening Day roster and played a fantastic seven games before going down with the injury. He broke camp as the starting second baseman with Brendan Rodgers on the IL. With Rodgers having returned in the interim, Owings figures to assume a utility role off the bench.

Harvey was selected to the roster two days ago but didn’t get into a game. He made 22 appearances with the Yankees and Rockies between 2019-20, working to a 4.22 ERA/5.25 SIERA. Colorado has twice passed Harvey through outright waivers in the past. They’ll have a week to trade him or attempt to outright him again. If he clears waivers, he’d have the right to reject a minor league assignment in favor of free agency.

Injury Notes: Antone, Rosenthal, Sanchez, Owings

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The Reds announced Friday that they’ve placed righty Tejay Antone on the 10-day injured list due to inflammation in his right forearm. The team is hopeful that it’ll be a minimum stint for Antone, tweets C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic. Even a 10-day absence for Antone is a blow to the Reds, however, given how excellent he’s been out of the ’pen this season. Antone looked to have put together a breakout year in 2020, but he’s taken things even further in his age-27 campaign this year. The right-hander has tallied 32 innings out of the bullpen and recorded a brilliant 1.41 ERA to go along with a 34.5 percent strikeout rate and a 9.5 percent walk rate. Antone regularly works multiple innings and has picked up three saves to go along with seven holds.

After non-tendering Archie Bradley and dumping Raisel Iglesias’ salary in a deal with the Angels, the Reds have seen their bullpen pitch to an MLB-worst 5.88 ERA. That sky-high mark comes in spite of Antone’s dominance; the Reds’ other relievers have combined for a disastrous 6.58 ERA in 203 2/3 innings so far.

A few more notable injury situations around the league…

  • The Athletics are still hopeful that Trevor Rosenthal will be able to pitch for the team this season, writes Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Oakland currently has a mid-August target for Rosenthal, who developed thoracic outlet symptoms this spring after signing a surprising one-year, $11MM deal with the A’s. He underwent surgery prior to Opening Day, and while he’s not yet throwing, Rosenthal is progressing through a strength program. The Oakland bullpen has been a middle-of-the-pack unit so far in 2021, pitching to a 3.87 ERA with a 3.79 FIP. A’s relievers have the game’s lowest collective strikeout rate (20.5 percent) but also have one of the best walk rates (8.6 percent). Prior to their deal with Rosenthal, the A’s seemed to target relievers who were underpriced due to sub-par strikeout rates but also thrived in terms of limiting hard contact. To this point, the bullpen’s 34.5 percent hard-hit rate is the third-lowest in MLB.
  • Marlins starter Sixto Sánchez has resumed his rehab program, as he’s now throwing from 60 feet, Christina De Nicola of MLB.com was among those to pass along. Sánchez, who went down with shoulder inflammation in early April, had his throwing program paused last week on account of bursitis. He’s yet to pitch this season after tossing 39 innings of 3.46 ERA/4.18 SIERA ball in 2020.
  • Rockies utilityman Chris Owings is expected to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Albuquerque this weekend, manager Bud Black told reporters (including Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post). He’s already progressed to taking batting practice. Owings, who signed a minor league deal over the winter, made the Opening Day roster and got off to a scorching start over his first seven games. Unfortunately, he suffered a left thumb injury that required surgery in mid-April, keeping him out of action for more than two months.

West Notes: Ohtani, Posey, Owings, Long

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Shohei Ohtani has been scheduled to start Tuesday’s game against the Rangers, the Angels announced today.  The two-way star has pitched just once this season due to a blister on the middle finger of his throwing hand, but he threw three bullpen sessions this week of increasing pitch volume, topping out at a 30-pitch bullpen on Saturday.

With no further issues in the wake of these sessions, Ohtani will look to build on an inconsistent first start that saw him allow one earned run over 4 1/3 innings against the White Sox on April 4, but with five walks and two hits allowed.  While Ohtani has been kept off the mound, the blister hasn’t slowed down his red-hot bat, as Ohtani is hitting .333/.370/.706 with four home runs in 54 plate appearances.

More from both the AL West and NL West..

  • It isn’t yet known if Buster Posey will require an injured list placement, as Giants manager Gabe Kapler said the catcher will be re-evaluated on Monday.  Speaking to reporters (including Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle and The Athletic’s Andrew Baggarly) before and after today’s game with the Marlins, Kapler said pre-game that there was some swelling in Posey’s left elbow, but during the post-game noted that the swelling had lessened.  Posey left Saturday’s game in the seventh inning after being hit by a pitch, and x-rays were negative on the catcher’s elbow.
  • The Rockies moved Chris Owings from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day injured list earlier today, as Owings will have to undergo surgery on his left thumb.  Manager Bud Black told The Athletic’s Nick Groke and other reporters that Owings will need at least eight weeks of recovery time.  Owings’ injury was initially diagnosed as a left thumb sprain when he was first placed on the IL last week, but the veteran utilityman is now going to end up missing a big chunk of the 2021 campaign.
  • After undergoing surgery last September to fix a stress fracture in his right shin, Mariners utilityman Shed Long continues to make some progress on the recovery trail.  Manager Scott Servais updated reporters (including Jen Mueller of Root Sports) on Long, saying that he is still having difficulty making changes of direction on his shin and making stops when running, though Long is able to run and sprint without any problems.  It isn’t yet known when Long might be ready to make his 2021 debut.

Dodgers Place Gavin Lux On Injured List, Activate Brusdar Graterol

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The Dodgers are placing second baseman Gavin Lux on the 10-day injured list with right wrist soreness, retroactive to April 16, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times and Juan Toribio of MLB.com were among those to pass along. Infielder Sheldon Neuse is being recalled to take his place on the active roster. Additionally, right-hander Brusdar Graterol is being activated from the injured list, with fellow reliever Alex Vesia optioned out in a corresponding move.

Lux is having issue swinging a bat, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register), but the Dodgers don’t believe he’ll be in for lengthy absence. Roberts noted he expects Lux to be in position to return when first eligible for activation on April 26. The Dodgers will turn to Neuse, who was acquired from the Athletics over the offseason, this afternoon to make his team debut.

Like Neuse, Graterol is in position to play for the first time this season. The fireballing reliever was delayed in camp but returns to the bullpen a couple weeks into the regular season. He tossed 23.1 innings of 3.09 ERA/3.70 SIERA ball last season.

To clear 40-man roster space for Graterol’s activation, the Dodgers placed right-hander Ashton Goudeau on waivers, where he was claimed by the Rockies. Goudeau actually broke into the majors with Colorado last season, tossing 8.1 innings over four games. He’s since bounced between a handful of teams on waivers, going from the Rockies to the Pirates to the Orioles to the Giants before landing in Los Angeles. Now, he’ll head back to the Rockies in hopes of sticking on a roster. To clear 40-man roster space for Goudeau, Colorado transferred utilityman Chris Owings (thumb) to the 60-day injured list.

Rockies Place Chris Owings On 10-Day IL, Designate Phillip Diehl, Select Alan Trejo

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The Rockies announced that utilityman Chris Owings has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a left thumb sprain.  Infielder Alan Trejo has had his contract selected and will replace Owings on the active roster.  In a corresponding move to create 40-man roster space, southpaw Phillip Diehl has been designated for assignment.

After a respectable .268/.318/.439 slash line over only 44 plate appearances with Colorado in 2020, Owings re-signed another minor league deal to return for another season in the Mile High City.  In the small sample size of 17 PA this season, Owings was off to a roaring start, with a 1.722 OPS and three triples.  The thumb sprain is a new injury, as Owings had been battling a hamstring problem in recent days and the Rockies were hopeful that he was going to avoid the IL for that particular issue.

Owings has already bounced around the diamond, making starts as a second baseman, center fielder, and right fielder over his seven games played.  Trejo can replace at least some of that versatility, as the 24-year-old has gotten a lot of time at second base, third base, and shortstop over his brief pro career.  A 16th-round pick out of San Diego State in the 2017 draft, Trejo hit .275/.323/.434 over 1163 PA in Colorado’s farm system, reaching the Double-A level in 2019 before the minor league season was canceled in 2020.  After working out and playing at the Rockies’ alternate training site last season, Trejo is now set to make his Major League debut.

Diehl may be best known as the player acquired by the Rockies in the Mike Tauchman trade of March 2019, a swap that looked like a steal for the Yankees in the wake of Tauchman’s 2019 numbers.  Diehl has recorded a lot of strikeouts (30.51% strikeout rate) and posted a 3.34 ERA over 253 career minor league innings, though he ran into home run trouble pitching with the Rockies’ affiliate in Albuquerque during the homer-happy 2019 minor league season.  Diehl has also been hurt by the long ball during his brief MLB career, as his three homers allowed during his 13 1/3 innings with the Rockies in 2019-20 was a big reason behind his 8.78 ERA.

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