Devin Mesoraco

NL Notes: Mesoraco, Cubs, Bucs, Nats, Brewers

By Connor Byrne | July 28, 2018 at 8:43pm CDT

There’s not much “momentum” on a trade involving Mets catcher Devin Mesoraco, Mike Puma of the New York Post tweets, though he notes that a deal still may come together by the non-waiver deadline on Tuesday. Mesoraco has already been part of one trade this year, as he joined the Mets in May in a deal for now-Reds righty Matt Harvey. The 30-year-old Mesoraco has batted .230/.206/.393 with eight home runs in 219 plate appearances and caught 26 percent of would-be base stealers this season. He’ll be a free agent in the offseason.

New York Notes: Judge, Wheeler, Mesoraco, Frazier

By Kyle Downing | July 28, 2018 at 4:54pm CDT

It seems the Yankees will at least take a peek at the outfield market after losing Aaron Judge for a stretch, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. The club is in the early stage of considering the possibilities, with GM Brian Cashman believing his front office has not “peeled the onion enough to tell you exactly what we will do.” The obvious internal choice, Clint Frazier, still isn’t available but could be soon. Otherwise, it seems the team may mostly be looking at finding a player who can help bridge the gap and perhaps then function as a fourth outfield or bench bat option once Judge’s wrist heals and he’s ready to take the field again.

Now let’s jump over to Queens…

The Mets are drawing wide interest in righty Zack Wheeler, Andy Martino of SNY.tv tweets. That creates an interesting situation for the organization, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post explores in his latest piece. While Wheeler has been the starter the Amazins have been most willing to deal, they’ve seen a recent transformation in his mental approach to the game that’s resulted in him making good on his excellent potential. Because of that, his value to them has gone up, and now they’re not sure whether they’ll be able to find a taker who will pay an appropriate price for him. Of course, Wheeler’s set to become a free agent after the 2019 season, so there’s little reason to hang onto him unless the Mets feel as though they can get a better package for him this offseason, or on the off-chance that they fancy themselves contenders in 2019.
Though there’s a chance that Wheeler could leave Queens, backstop Devin Mesoraco appears to be the likeliest player left on the roster to be dealt, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (Twitter link). Mesoraco came to New York in the trade that sent Matt Harvey to the Reds, and he’s improved his production since coming over from Cincinnati. Mesoraco sports a .229/.308/.405 slash with the Mets, and has hit seven of his eight homers since the trade. His contract expires at season’s end, however, and there are certainly teams (such as the Yankees) who could use a catcher.
Mets third baseman Todd Frazier is expected to begin a rehab assignment with High-A St. Lucie tonight. The 32-year-old veteran’s decline has continued this season, as he’s hit just .217/.300/.385. Frazier signed a two-year, $17MM deal with the Mets just this past offseason, but has only been able to take the field for 260 plate appearances so far after amassing at least 575 in each of the previous five seasons. He’s dealt with both hamstring and rib issues this season.

Trade Chatter: Braves, Eovaldi, Indians, Mets, Harvey, Moose

By Jeff Todd | July 24, 2018 at 12:03am CDT

Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos suggested today that he’s not looking only to make a minor addition or two. Rather, as Jim Bowden of MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM tweets, the Atlanta executive says his club “can afford to add a starter and reliever and a bat.” And the organization won’t just be considering adding supplemental temporary pieces; rather, per Anthopolous, “we are looking for acquisitions on players we can control rather than rentals.” Needless to say, those comments tend to expand the conceivable array of possibilities for the Braves. With a healthy array of prospects available to deal from, the Braves could certainly make a run at a player who’d be viewed as a major present and future asset.

Here’s more trade chatter from the day …

MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand pegs the Cubs as a possible Nathan Eovaldi suitor. It’s easy to see the connection: the Rays right-hander holds out some real promise of being a weapon down the stretch, but his injury history and thin recent track record will likely limit the return the Tampa Bay organization can achieve. Meanwhile, the Cubs are arguably well-positioned to take a risk on a dynamic arm, as they have a decent array of at-least serviceable hurlers already on hand and also perhaps lack the upper-level prospect capital to chase down a more valuable commodity.
Unsurprisingly, Feinsand further reports, the Indians are working hard to make an outfield addition. The club would prefer a player that’s capable of playing both center and right field, he notes. Perhaps the slate of targets depends most of all upon the degree to which the club feels it needs innings up the middle. Certainly, there are quite a few outfield possibilities listed among MLBTR’s top 75 trade deadline candidates. Among them, though, only a few really have significant experience in center. And the most obvious candidates that do — Curtis Granderson and Adam Jones — perhaps aren’t optimal up-the-middle defenders at this stage. (That’s not to say that either of those two names is currently of interest to Cleveland, though the organization has previously been tied to Jones.)
While the focus is on the pitching staff, the Mets are getting some hits on mid-season acquisitions Jose Bautista and Devin Mesoraco, per Mike Puma of the New York Post (via Twitter). Both players are headed for the open market at season’s end, though they are in different contractual situations otherwise. Bautista is playing for the league minimum, while the Mets owe Mesoraco some real cash. (Per reports at the time Mesoraco was acquired for Matt Harvey, the Reds sent money sufficient to pay down the difference in the two players’ salaries, suggesting that the Mets still are responsible for the balance of a $5.6MM annual salary.) It seems reasonable to anticipate that both players will be moved. Since joining the Mets, Bautista has produced a strong .235/.396/.432 batting line and Mesoraco has sported a league-average bat while lining up behind the dish.
Speaking of Harvey, he’s also a potential trade chip after a mostly sturdy showing thus far with the Reds. ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick runs down the latest on his market, noting that the Mariners and Brewers have poked around a bit on the former ace. Both teams, presumably, see Harvey as a potential upgrade over internal options, though certainly there’s not much to commend him as a front-line hurler at this stage. Through 68 frames in Cincinnati, Harvey is carrying a mid-nineties heater. But he still hasn’t rebounded in the swinging-strike department and owns only a 4.50 ERA with 6.8 K/9 and 2.0 B/9.
The Brewers are evidently open to being rather creative, as MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets that they have actually considered the idea of bumping Travis Shaw to second base to facilitate the acquisition of Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas. That’s a bit of an eyebrow-raising concept at first glance, given that Shaw — who’s listed at 6’4 and 230 pounds — has never lined up at second base as a professional. While Moustakas figures to help out some contending organization, it’s not as if he’s a unique piece on the market. And there are quite a few accomplished hitters available who have experience up the middle.

Mets Designate Jose Lobaton, Recall Tomas Nido

By Kyle Downing | May 19, 2018 at 1:10pm CDT

The Mets have designated catcher Jose Lobaton for assignment, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports via Twitter, noting that the backstop wasn’t playing much with Devin Mesoraco now in the fold. In a related move, they’ve recalled Tomas Nido to serve as Mesoraco’s backup for the time being. In an unrelated move, the club also optioned lefty Buddy Baumann and recalled right-hander Chris Flexen to take his roster spot.

The 33-year-old Lobaton has played in parts of nine major league seasons for the Padres, Rays, Nationals and Mets, but has never provided much in the way of value. His 2018 slash line stands at a meager .152/.250/.239 through 52 plate appearances with the Amazins, and it certainly makes sense that the club would give the lion’s share of the work behind the plate to Mesoraco considering his former offensive prowess. Mesoraco was recently acquired from the Reds in exchange for Matt Harvey, in what was clearly a swap of struggling veteran change-of-scenery candidates.

Despite Lobaton’s uninspiring resume, it’s difficult to imagine he’ll go unclaimed given the state of the catcher position around MLB. The Nationals and Twins are in desperate need of catching depth after losing Matt Wieters and Jason Castro (respectively) to significant injuries. The veteran Lobaton could easily be a target for either team, though it seems likely that both clubs would wait for their chance to claim him rather than attempt to give anything up in a trade.

Nido, 24, has actually been worse than Lobaton so far this season. With a microscopic .135/.179/.162 slash line across 39 plate appearances to go with a 38.5% strikeout rate, Nido is simply the new unexciting backup option to Mesoraco while the team waits for Kevin Plawecki to return from a broken hand, hopefully by the end of the month.

Mets, Reds Swap Matt Harvey For Devin Mesoraco

By Steve Adams | May 8, 2018 at 5:18pm CDT

The Mets and Reds announced on Tuesday that they’ve swapped right-hander Matt Harvey and catcher Devin Mesoraco. The Reds are sending cash to the Mets to offset the difference in salary, as Mesoraco is earning $13.125MM in 2018 to Harvey’s $5.6MM. Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports first reported the trade was close (via Twitter).

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that Cincinnati is paying the entirety of Mesoraco’s deal, while the Mets are paying all of Harvey’s contract. In essence, then, there’s no impact on either club’s payroll, and the move simply boils down to a change of scenery for two former stars who’ve fallen out of favor and dropped down the depth chart in their original organizations.

New York also announced that Todd Frazier has been placed on the disabled list due to a strained left hamstring, while Anthony Swarzak has been transferred to the 60-day DL. The Reds, meanwhile, have selected the contract of catcher Tony Cruz from Triple-A in a corresponding move, and he’ll now serve as the backup to Tucker Barnhart, who has replaced Mesoraco in tonight’s lineup. The Mets and Reds are playing each other tonight, and Mesoraco is available to hit for his new club. Harvey will join the Reds later this week in Los Angeles, the team announced.

For Harvey, the ace will get a clean slate in a low-pressure environment as he looks to return to form with a last-place Reds club that assuredly can afford to give him an extended look in what has been a dismal rotation. Harvey hasn’t been anywhere near the pitcher he was early in his career, with injuries derailing what was one of the more promising young careers among all MLB pitchers. Specifically, Harvey has undergone both Tommy John surgery and thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in the past four years, and his production has unsurprisingly plummeted as a result.

Harvey, 29, pitched to a pristine 2.53 ERA with 9.5 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 in 427 big league innings from 2012-15. Tommy John surgery in 2014 slowed his career, but he was able to return to prominence with a terrific 2015 season and a heroic postseason performance that was largely befitting of his “Dark Knight” moniker, even if his ninth-inning struggles in the decisive Game 5 of the 2015 World Series will live on in infamy.

[Related: Updated New York Mets depth chart | Updated Cincinnati Reds depth chart]

The 2016 season, however, was a struggle for Harvey, as he pitched just 92 2/3 innings of 4.86 ERA ball before ultimately succumbing to the aforementioned TOS surgery. The track record of pitchers returning from TOS surgery is not good, to say the least, and Harvey is one of the more prominent data points exemplifying that fact. Since returning from that surgery in 2016, he’s pitched to a 6.77 ERA with 6.5 K/9, 4.2 BB/9 and 2.0 HR/9 in 119 2/3 innings. Harvey’s average fastball velocity is a career-low 92.6 mph so far in 2018, and he’s also posted career-worsts in chase rate (21.1 percent) and opponents’ hard-contact rate (43 percent) while notching the second-lowest swinging-strike rate of his career (8.2 percent).

Reds starters have posted an MLB-worst 5.68 ERA in 2018, and the team is unsurprisingly buried in the NL Central with an 8-27 record due in no small part to the inadequacies of its rotation. Young righties Tyler Mahle and Sal Romano have turned in ERAs in the mid-4.00s, but no other Reds starter has an ERA south of Homer Bailey’s 5.61 mark. Mahle, Romano, Bailey, Luis Castillo and Brandon Finnegan have been the primary starters for Cincinnati to date, though there’s been some suggestion that Finnegan’s spot could be in jeopardy. With an 8.27 ERA and more walks than strikeouts so far in 2018 through 20 2/3 innings, he’s been the worst offender in a stunningly bad collection of starting pitchers.

Viewed through that lens, there’s a very low bar for Harvey to clear in his new environs. Without the expectation of contending, he’ll be able to start regularly with the Reds and try to get straightened out even if he initially struggles. However, it’s also worth noting that from a ballpark perspective, Harvey is landing in one of the worst spots possible for a pitcher that has had home run issues since TOS surgery. Cincinnati’s Great American Ball Park is known as a hitters’ haven and is especially home-run friendly for hitters, so Harvey will have his work cut out for him in rebounding in a park with dimensions that won’t do him any favors.

Turning to the Mets, in Mesoraco they’re acquiring a former All-Star catcher who once looked to be a breakout star but is now a reclamation project in his own right following a brutal series of injuries. A former first-round pick (15th overall in 2007), Mesoraco long rated as one of the game’s top overall prospects. And while he took longer than most expected to realize that potential, he announced his presence as the Reds’ catcher of the future — or so they thought — in 2014 when he hit .273/.359/.534 with 25 homers and 25 doubles, making his lone All-Star appearance along the way.

That season was enough for the Reds to sign Mesoraco to a four-year, $28MM contract extension that covered what would’ve been his first free-agent season (2018). However, a left hip injury in 2015 prevented Mesoraco from following up on that breakthrough season, limiting him 23 games and eventually necessitating surgery. A torn labrum in his shoulder prompted season-ending surgery in 2016, and a year later Mesoraco underwent surgery on his other hip in a third consecutive injury-ruined season. Along the way, Cincinnati entrusted defensive standout Tucker Barnhart as its new primary catcher, relegating Mesraco to the role of an expensive backup.

Since playing in 114 games in that stellar 2014 campaign, Mesoraco has played in a combined 113 games from 2015-18, hitting just .195/.291/.318 in 316 plate appearances along the way. He’s off to a .220/.289/.341 start to his 2018 season through a total of 45 plate appearances, but he’ll likely receive ample opportunity to bounce back with his new club. Travis d’Arnaud has already undergone Tommy John surgery and is out for the season, while Kevin Plawecki remains shelved with a hairline fracture in his hand that he suffered upon being hit by a pitch late last month. New York has been relying on journeyman Jose Lobaton and rookie Tomas Nido to handle catching duties in the absence of d’Arnaud and Plawecki, but neither backstop has provided even a shred of offensive value. Lobaton is hitting .163/.265/.256, while Nido has slashed just .147/.197/.176.

As for the remainder of the roster moves announced today, it’s not yet clear just how long Frazier will be sidelined with his injury. With Frazier out of action, the Mets seem likely to turn to Jose Reyes and Wilmer Flores to handle duties at the hot corner. The transfer of Swarzak to the 60-day DL doesn’t necessarily impact his timeline to return, either; he’s already been out of action since April 1 due to an oblique injury and has to go out on a rehab assignment. He’ll be eligible to come back to the active roster in another 22 days, having already spent 38 days on the disabled list.

In Cincinnati, Cruz will get his first look in the big leagues since a brief cameo with the 2016 Royals. The 31-year-old is no stranger to the NL Central after serving as the backup to Yadier Molina in St. Louis from 2011-15. He’s a career .218/.260/.308 hitter in 638 MLB plate appearances. Cruz has a solid track record in Triple-A and hit .280/.341/.458 with San Diego’s top affiliate last season, though he was off to an ugly .170/.268/.255 start to his 2018 season in Louisville.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ohio Notes: Lorenzen, Antonetti, Upton, Mesoraco

By Mark Polishuk | March 21, 2018 at 12:14am CDT

Here’s the latest from both Buckeye State teams…

Reds right-hander Michael Lorenzen suffered a Grade 1 strain of the teres muscle near his throwing shoulder, and will be kept from throwing “for several days,” manager Bryan Price told media (including the Cincinnati Enquirer’s John Fay). Lorenzen’s injury isn’t as severe as the similar issue that kept Brandon Finnegan out of action for half of the 2017 season, though it does seem unlikely that Lorenzen would be ready to go by Opening Day. The 26-year-old was attempting to win a spot in Cincy’s rotation but struggled to an 8.38 ERA over 9 2/3 Spring Training innings. Between those poor results and now this injury, Lorenzen is sure to resume his old role as a late-inning weapon out of the Reds bullpen.
The Indians don’t have much payroll on the books beyond the 2019 season, but president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti tells MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand not to expect the team to make any splashy signings next winter. “That’s not the reality of our team-building,” Antonetti said. “We are one of the smallest markets in professional baseball….We’ve had incredible support from our ownership in which we’ve spent well beyond our revenues as we’ve gone through this competitive period. But we can’t build teams through free agency. Our success model is we need to draft and acquire players that are younger and help provide the right environment for them to grow and develop because that’s going to be the nucleus of our team. We’ll use free agency to complement that group, but not to build that group.” The Tribe is poised to exceed the $100MM payroll mark for the third straight season (all record highs for the organization) in pursuit of a World Series, with the Edwin Encarnacion signing standing out as an uncharacteristic move for the smaller-market team. Any future spending isn’t likely to reach nearly the heights of 2016-18, however, and it could be more internally-focused, such as trying to sign in-house players (i.e. Francisco Lindor) to extensions.
After releasing Melvin Upton Jr. yesterday, the Indians could potentially re-sign the outfielder to another minor league deal if he can’t find a contract elsewhere, MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez writes. Manager Terry Francona said that the team chose to let Upton know prior to his opt-out date that the veteran wouldn’t be making the team, so Upton could have extra time to explore his options. Cleveland already has several outfielders ahead of Upton on both the MLB and minor league depth charts, though there are enough question marks at the position that Upton could provide some extra experience at Triple-A.
In another piece from John Fay, Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco said that he is finally feeling healthy after three injury-ravaged seasons. “I feel great. I don’t have to worry about health. I work on my swing, work on my catching, play ball,” Mesoraco said. After breaking out with a huge 2014 that earned him a four-year, $28MM extension after that season, Mesoraco has since played in just 95 total games due to hip, shoulder, and foot injuries. The lack of durability cost Mesoraco the starting job as the Reds catcher, but he is prepared to contribute anyway he can as Tucker Barnhart’s backup.

Devin Mesoraco Diagnosed With Fractured Foot

By Jeff Todd | August 14, 2017 at 11:28pm CDT

Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco has once again been hit with an injury, this time a fracture in the fifth metatarsal of his left foot, per Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link). More will be known about his prognosis once he is examined by team doctors.

Significant hip and shoulder problems have limited the 29-year-old in recent years. In fact, his 55 games this year represent the most action he has seen since 2014 — a season in which he had emerged as one of the game’s most productive backstops with 25 long balls and a 147 OPS+.

Mesoraco has battled just to get on the field ever since. He was hitting quite well earlier this year after opening on the disabled list, but has struggled badly at the plate since returning in July from another DL placement for a shoulder issue. Through 164 plate appearances on the year, Mesoraco owns a .213/.317/.390 slash with six home runs.

It remains to be seen whether Mesoraco will be able to return from his latest injury during the current season. Regardless, he’ll wrap up another injury-riddled campaign and head into the offseason in hopes of returning to full health. Mesoraco is slated to earn $13MM in 2018, the final year of the four-year, $28MM extension he inked after that excellent 2014 season.

Reds Place Devin Mesoraco On DL

By Connor Byrne | July 5, 2017 at 3:24pm CDT

3:24pm: It appears Mesoraco has dodged a major injury, as multiple people have told Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer that his latest shoulder issue is neither serious nor related to last year’s surgery (Twitter links).

3:19pm: The Reds have placed catcher Devin Mesoraco on the 10-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. His roster spot will go to right-hander Ariel Hernandez, whom the Reds recalled from Triple-A Louisville.

[RELATED: Updated Reds Depth Chart]

At 36-47, the Reds are well out of the playoff hunt, meaning Mesoraco’s loss isn’t a blow to their chances to contend. The injury itself could be worrisome, though, considering Mesoraco missed nearly all of last season with a torn labrum in the same shoulder. Mesoraco had surgery on that shoulder in May 2016, ending his season, and then underwent a procedure on his hip in July. As a result, he didn’t debut this year until the end of April.

Mesoraco missed most of the 2015 campaign with hip problems, so the 129 plate appearances the offense-first backstop has racked up this year are already more than the 106 he combined for from 2015-16. Prior to landing on the DL, the 29-year-old was in the midst of an encouraging season, as he has slashed a solid .234/.333/.459 with six home runs.

Now, with over $3MM left on his contract this year and another $13MM on the way in 2018, the Reds are left to hope Mesoraco hasn’t suffered yet another serious injury. In the meantime, they’ll turn to Tucker Barnhart and Stuart Turner as their top two catchers.

Reds Activate Devin Mesoraco

By Jeff Todd | April 27, 2017 at 12:33pm CDT

The Reds have announced the activation of catcher Devin Mesoraco from the 10-day DL. To create room on the active roster, righty Barrett Astin was optioned back to Triple-A.

[RELATED: Updated Reds Depth Chart]

It has been exactly one year since Mesoraco last suited up at the major league level. This time last year, he was struggling to a .140/.218/.160 batting line over 55 plate appearances before suffering a shoulder injury. When he underwent surgery for a labrum tear, it marked the second consecutive year in which Mesoraco was shut down early with a significant injury after scuffing at the plate.

Mesoraco ended up not only having work done to his shoulder, but also another procedure on his hip. There’s now plenty of health uncertainty for the 28-year-old, who’ll be looking to prove again that he can handle MLB pitching both at the plate and behind it.

Of course, it wasn’t long ago that Mesoraco looked like a core piece for the franchise. In 2014, he slashed an excellent .273/.359/.534 and swatted 25 home runs in just 440 plate appearances. That led to a four-year, $28MM extension that bought up all his arbitration eligibility and also accounted for one would-be free agent season. But the deal expires after the 2018 campaign, so Mesoraco and his team will hope that he is able to regain his trajectory sooner rather than later.

Cincinnati will keep an insurance policy on hand in the even that Mesoraco struggles. Tucker Barnhart will presumably continue to see a fair bit of action as Mesoraco is eased back in. And Rule 5 selection Stuart Turner will keep his roster spot, meaning the team will carry three backstops — at least for the time being.

Injury Notes: Thornburg, Price, Sanchez, Wright, Turner, Mesoraco

By Jeff Todd | April 19, 2017 at 8:16pm CDT

Here’s the latest on some injury situations from around the game:

Red Sox righty Tyler Thornburg has yet to progress to the point that he’s able to take the mound, manager John Farrell said today (via Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com, on Twitter). It’s not clear whether he’s making much progress, but it seems he is still long tossing in an effort to rebuild lost shoulder strength. At present, it seems as if there’s no clear timeline for the reliever to appear in the majors for the first time with his new team.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox seem to be slowing the rehab pace of lefty David Price, as Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe reports. It’s not believed to be related to any setbacks, but plans of letting Price face live hitters appear to be on hold for at least another week, per the report.
The Yankees are still taking it slow with catcher Gary Sanchez, but there are some indications of progress, as Laura Albanese of Newsday writes. Sanchez, who is dealing with a biceps strain, was able to throw and take some dry cuts. He reported no issues, but the club isn’t planning to speed up his timeline, with manager Joe Girardi suggesting the original plan of a four-week absence hasn’t changed.
In another corner of New York, the Mets are seeing some good signs from third baseman David Wright. As David Lennon of Newsday tweets. Wright was able to field balls and play catch today, though he hasn’t yet begun making throws from third base. The veteran is working back from a shoulder impingement (which was suffered as he recovered from a neck issue that arose while dealing with a serious back issue).
Trea Turner could be back at shortstop for the Nationals sooner rather than later. As Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com tweets, Turner played in extended spring action and was even able to swipe a bag. That’s certainly promising news, particularly given that Turner is on the DL owing to a hamstring strain.
After catching full games on consecutive days, Reds catcher Devin Mesoraco seems about ready to be activated, as MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon writes. It seems the club will wait to see how Mesoraco feels before making a call, though manager Bryan Price also hinted there’s more to the evaluation. “This is kind of the point in time where we’ll re-assess what he needs for any type of finishing touches or polish before he’s activated,” Price said of the backstop, who is working back from hip and shoulder surgeries. Mesoraco has struggled at the plate in limited action thus far.

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