Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Matt Bush

Rangers Notes: Offseason, Otani, Bush

By | at

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels didn’t mince words in telling reporters that he has no plans to embark on a rebuild, as T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com and Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram write. “This is not a rebuild,” Daniels told reporters. “We expect to win. We are always going to have that mindset.” Texas will face an uphill challenge in filling out a rotation that, at present, has only Cole Hamels and Martin Perez locked into spots. Daniels acknowledged that the Rangers “are going to have to remake half the staff,” and as Sullivan notes, that applies to the bullpen as well, where Keone Kela, Matt Bush, Alex Claudio and Jake Diekman look like the only set-in-stone options. Per Wilson, Daniels suggested that team payroll will be more in the $155MM range at which it sat in 2016 than this past season’s $165MM territory. While the Rangers may not pursue a closer, they’ll look to bring in at least one veteran bullpen arm.

A bit more on the Rangers…

  • Daniels was also candid about the fact that his team will be firmly in the mix for Japanese star Shohei Otani if he is posted for MLB clubs to bid on this winter. “We are not hiding anything,” the GM said. “If the Fighters ultimately post Ohtani, you are going to have 30 interested clubs, of which we’ll be right there with them.” Of course, as Daniels points out, competition for Otani would be immense. International spending restrictions would largely level the playing field to acquire his services, making it difficult to predict any type of favorite for the young ace/slugger.
  • Sullivan also writes that the Rangers are once again internally mulling the possibility of moving right-hander Matt Bush into the rotation. Texas discussed the move last offseason as well but ultimately elected to leave Bush in a role with which he was familiar. Daniels tells reporters that Bush has expressed interest to the team in working out of the rotation, which bodes well for the potential transition. “If it’s the player who initiated and wants to put the work in, I think you’ve seen success,” Daniels explains (possibly in a nod to C.J. Wilson). “When it’s players who are in between, probably best to leave him in the role he is in.” Sullivan runs down six prior cases of the Rangers moving a reliever to the rotation, including Wilson, and examines their success rates.

AL Injury Notes: Sanchez, Iwakuma, Dyson, Bush, Kela

By | at

The Blue Jays have announced that righty Aaron Sanchez will miss the rest of the season. Sanchez has dealt with blister issues throughout the year (with four separate DL stints) and hasn’t returned since being placed on the disabled list in late July. After breaking through in the Jays’ rotation in 2016, the 25-year-old will end his 2017 season with just 36 innings pitched, a 4.25 ERA, 6.0 K/9 and 5.0 BB/9. Here are more quick notes on AL injuries.

  • Hisashi Iwakuma and Jarrod Dyson are running out of time to make it back to the Mariners’ active roster before the end of the season, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune writes. Iwakuma, who’s missed four months with shoulder issues, is still hopeful he’ll return this season, but manager Scott Servais says Iwakuma has “still got a little work to do” after throwing 30 pitches in a simulated game Saturday. Dutton adds that the Mariners are likely to pay a $1M buyout rather than exercise Iwakuma’s $10MM option next season. Dyson, who’s out with a strained groin, still felt pain upon participating in drills on Friday. He’s a free agent after the season.
  • Matt Bush is back from the DL, but another Rangers reliever, Keone Kela, isn’t yet ready to return, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes. Bush, who posted a 3.04 ERA, 10.1 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and 10 saves over 47 1/3 innings before suffering a concussion and a sprained knee in an on-field collision last month, is likely to pitch high-leverage innings, according to manager Jeff Banister. Alex Claudio will likely continue to close, however. Kela has been out with a shoulder injury since early August. He is set to throw a bullpen session Monday. Kela has posted a 2.36 ERA, 4.2 BB/9 and an outstanding 12.1 K/9 over 34 1/3 innings with the Rangers this season.

Pitching Notes: Rangers, A’s, Yanks, Padres, Twins

By | at

Matt Bush hasn’t been a shutdown closer for the Rangers, so they’ve stripped him of the job and will deploy a ninth-inning committee, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. “We’ll use multiple pitchers based on who is available and the set of hitters coming up,” said manager Jeff Banister. “We are not set on one single guy.” Each of Keone Kela, Alex Claudio and Jose Leclerc could get save opportunities, notes Sullivan. All three have outperformed Bush, who had a nightmarish June in which he blew three of seven save chances and allowed 10 earned runs on 21 hits in 9 1/3 innings. He’s the second Rangers closer to struggle mightily this season, joining predecessor and now-Giant Sam Dyson. (To keep tabs on all teams’ ninth-inning situations, follow MLBTR’s affiliate Twitter site, @CloserNews.)

  • Athletics right-hander Andrew Triggs could undergo season-ending surgery if his ailing left hip doesn’t respond to treatment by the end of the month, reports Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Triggs received a cortisone shot two weeks ago, but there hasn’t been much progress in his recovery since then. The 28-year-old is optimistic he’ll avoid surgery, but he’ll face a six-month recovery if he does go under the knife. Triggs has been on the disabled list since June 10, before which he posted a 4.27 ERA, 6.89 K/9, 2.62 BB/9  and a 49.8 percent ground-ball rate across 65 1/3 innings.
  • Left-hander C.C. Sabathia is on track to return to the Yankees’ rotation Tuesday, per Andrew Marchand of ESPN.com. Sabathia hasn’t pitched since suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain in mid-June. Before that, the impending free agent helped his stock, not to mention New York’s playoff chances, with a 3.46 ERA and a 49.8 percent ground-ball rate over 75 1/3 frames.
  • Meanwhile, righty Trevor Cahill will slot back into the Padres’ starting staff Tuesday, tweets Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune. With the trade deadline approaching, Cahill’s return will come at a good time for the rebuilding Padres. Cahill, out since mid-May with a shoulder strain, pitched like a front-line starter over 41 1/3 innings in the early going, logging a 3.27 ERA, 11.1 K/9 and a 60.2 percent ground-ball rate.
  • One of the Twins’ top prospects, Double-A lefty Tyler Jay, is likely headed for season-ending surgery, according to Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press. Jay is being evaluated for thoracic outlet syndrome, which is not an easy injury from which to return (as the Twins’ Phil Hughes and the Mets’ Matt Harvey have shown). Jay, whom the Twins chose sixth overall in 2015, battled neck issues as a Double-A last season and entered 2017 as a reliever. His latest ailment has limited him to two innings this year.

Quick Hits: Seager, Rangers, Young, Morse

By | at

Corey Seager won’t be in the Dodgers starting lineup for what could be several games due to a mild right hamstring strain, as reported by Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times and other media.  Seager suffered a Grade 1 strain, the lowest level of hamstring injury, and the team is hopeful Seager can avoid a DL stint; Seager said that this current issue isn’t nearly as bad as hamstring injuries he has suffered in the past.  Manager Dave Roberts suggested Seager could be available for key pinch-hitting situations, and the team will wait until Tuesday or Wednesday before deciding if the disabled list is necessary for the star shortstop.

Here’s more from around baseball….

  • Relief pitching will be a deadline priority for the Rangers at the deadline, though the team is still committed to Matt Bush as the closer, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan writes.  “We’ve got to continue to develop Matt in that spot.  One of the challenges is finding him consistent work in different situations,” manager Jeff Banister said, noting that Bush is still pretty new to pitching in his professional career.  The Rangers also want to see what they have in Ernesto Frieri and Tanner Scheppers before deciding on their specific deadline needs for the bullpen.
  • Veteran right-hander Chris Young tells MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan that he intends to continue his career after being released by the Royals.  “Physically, I feel good,” Young said. “My arm feels good. I don’t foresee this being the end. I’m still capable of competing at a high level. Possibly a change of scenery might help.”  Young, who turned 38 last month, has suffered through a pair of rough seasons in 2016-17, posting a 6.52 ERA over 118 2/3 IP.  Young also praised the K.C. fans and the Royals organization, noting that GM Dayton Moore told him the news of his release in person.
  • Mike Morse is still suffering from lingering symptoms almost a month after going on the seven-day concussion DL, the veteran slugger tells Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Morse has openly talked about this stint with the Giants being something of a last ride in his career, though what could potentially be his final season has been hampered by a hamstring injury and now this concussion.  Morse has a .556 OPS over 40 PA for the Giants this year, and he isn’t sure when he’ll be healthy enough to return to action.

Rangers Place Sam Dyson On 10-Day DL, Recall Keone Kela; Matt Bush To Close

By | at

6:39pm: Bush will get the first shot at the closing role, skipper Jeff Banister tells reporters including Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (via Twitter). But the team will spread the opportunities around somewhat. As Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets, that’s due in large part to the need to avoid over-straining Bush’s shoulder.

5:54pm: The Rangers have placed struggling closer Sam Dyson on the 10-day DL with a hand contusion, TR.. Sullivan of MLB.com was among those to report on Twitter. Texas will recall fellow right-hander Keone Kela to take his place on the active roster.

Specifics of the injury haven’t been reported, but the club was no doubt interested in finding a way to give Dyson a respite. He has been tagged for 13 earned runs on 14 hits and 5 walks over 4 1/3 innings, while recording only a pair of strikeouts.

It’s unclear as yet who will take over for Dyson in the ninth inning. In fact, that was the subject of a poll earlier today; you can head here to participate. The likeliest options appear to be Matt Bush and Jeremy Jeffress.

Kela might have been one of the names considered to function as the closer, but he was optioned to start the season in something of a disciplinary move. He’ll be looking to improve upon a disappointing 2016 season and regain his standing in the MLB locker room.

AL West Notes: Davis, Rangers, Haniger

By | at

Khris Davis has only been with the Athletics since a trade in the 2015-16 offseason, but the outfielder has fully embraced the organization and tells Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports that he’d love to stay there long term. “It’s been something I could make my own, and I saw it as an opportunity to build something,” says Davis. “There’s a lot to do there, and I feel like I can be a piece of this organization for a long time. … The Coliseum isn’t pretty. But I love going there. I love playing there. I love Oakland.” Passan’s profile of Davis kicks off his latest 10 Degrees column an provides an intriguing look inside a player that describes himself as “a little weird” and “a little quirky.” A’s fans will definitely want to check it out, and the full column, which examines the increasing power numbers throughout the league, holds more widespread appeal and is well worth a look.

  • The Rangers have no choice but to remove Sam Dyson from the closer’s role after yet another blown save on Sunday, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. However, while that decision seems like an easy one — Dyson has a ghastly 27.00 ERA with five walks against two strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings — replacing him isn’t as easy as one would think. Matt Bush is the favorite to step into the ninth inning but received an injection to address pain in his right shoulder (the AC joint, specifically) last week. Jeremy Jeffress represents another option, but he’s already pitched in eight of the first 12 games and will need to see that workload lightened as the season wears on. Demoting Dyson for either Bush or Jeffress also opens a hole in the setup roles they’re currently occupying, and Grant notes that promoting Keone Kela to claim that spot just two weeks after his demotion that appears to have been for disciplinary purposes may send a conflicting message. Carrying a Rule 5 long reliever, Mike Hauschild, only further complicates the matter
  • In a second column on the matter, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes that there’s no chance the Rangers will part ways with Dyson after his rocky start to the season. Wilson also adds that it “doesn’t sound like” Kela will be joining the Rangers as part of a solution to the team’s bullpen woes, as there’s no room for him without running the risk of losing Hauschild, who would have to be placed on waivers and offered back to the Astros even if he clears.
  • Mariners manager Scott Servais heaped praise onto offseason trade acquisition Mitch Haniger following yesterday’s huge performance (both in the field and at the plate), as MLB.com’s Greg Johns writes. “We’ve liked everything we’ve seen from Mitch since the first day we got him to Spring Training,” said Servais of Haniger, who hit his fourth home run, robbed a homer from Joey Gallo and drew a bases-loaded walk to score the game-tying run in the ninth in yesterday’s game. “How he’s gone about his business, and obviously he’s been very productive for us. He does his homework, he’s as prepared as anybody we have, and he’s got a lot of confidence.” While Jean Segura grabbed the most attention as the headliner going to Seattle in the trade that sent Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte to Arizona, Haniger’s early play has solidified him as the everyday right fielder in Seattle. He’s currently hitting .294/.410/.588 through his first 61 plate appearances.

West Notes: Dipoto, Richards, Cashner, Bush, Morse, Bradley

By | at

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com provides an interesting interview with Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto that’s well worth a full read. The topics range from the impact of Statcast to Dipoto’s seemingly insatiable appetite for trades.

Here’s more from the game’s western divisions:

  • We checked in earlier tonight on Angels righty Garrett Richards, and there’s more news on that front. GM Billy Eppler says that the current concern is an ongoing lack of strength in Richards’s biceps, as Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times reports (Twitter links). Though cervical disc issues apparently aren’t at the root — an MRI came back clean — it seems that’ll need to be resolved before Richards can return to the hill.
  • The Rangers will finally get a chance to see what they have in righty Andrew Cashner. He’s slated to make his first start for the team tomorrow, as Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Cashner, who signed a one-year make-good deal over the winter, was set back by biceps tendinitis in camp.
  • There was other good news on the injury front for the Rangers. As Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes, key reliever Matt Bush could return to action as soon as this weekend. He has seemingly responded well to a cortisone shot in his shoulder, though the club is waiting a bit longer to make sure he’s pain free before putting him back on the rubber.
  • Giants outfielder Michael Morse is nearly ready to take the field at Triple-A after rehabbing his hamstring, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports on Twitter. Indeed, Morse may be prepared for MLB action in just ten days, per the report. It’s unclear as yet what San Francisco’s plans are for the veteran, but he’d clearly represent an alternative to Chris Marrero if the club decides to make a change. Though Marrero has had a productive game tonight, including his first big league homer, he has struggled out of the gates.
  • The Diamondbacks are still weighing just how to use Archie Bradley, who has shown resurgent form this year, as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports. Bradley’s outstanding early work from the bullpen — no runs, ten strikeouts, and just two walks over 6 2/3 frames — has manager Torey Lovullo wondering how best to maximize the former top starting prospect. For now, it seems, Bradley is likely to continue working as a longman, but the skipper suggested that the young righty could begin to enter in higher-leverage spots. It’s worth noting that Bradley is now averaging 95.7 mph with his fastball after sitting just over 92 in his prior two MLB campaigns, though of course that’s probably aided in part by his move to a relief role.

Injury Notes: Kaprielian, Ross, Beltre, Bush, Gutierrez, Bailey, M’s

By | at

Yankees pitching prospect James Kaprielian is weighing whether or not to undergo surgery, GM Brian Cashman told reporters including Erik Boland of Newsday (Twitter links). Cashman didn’t make clear just what surgical options might be on the table for the 23-year-old, who is said to have experienced elbow pain recently, but all the hints suggest it could be a significant injury. “The rehab process has not been successful,” said Cashman, “so he’s facing some decisions.” Kaprielian also dealt with elbow problems last year, limiting his ability to gain minor-league experience, but there were still suggestions that the 2015 first-rounder might factor at the MLB level this year.

Here’s more on some health situations from around the game:

  • The Rangers have provided some updates on several players, all via T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com (links to Twitter). Righty Tyson Ross will need to hold off on his rehab for a bit after experiencing upper back spasms. While it doesn’t appear as if there’s any broader concern, it will slow his timeline by at least a week. Meanwhile, Adrian Beltre’s new calf injury will likely cost him enough time to be measured in weeks rather than days, per assistant GM Mike Daly. Understandably, the club is charting a cautious course with the veteran, who had been nearing his return from calf issues before suffering another strain in a different area of the muscle. Finally, the team will wait to see how setup man Matt Bush responds to an injection before determining whether he’ll need a DL stint for his sore shoulder.
  • Dodgers outfielder Franklin Gutierrez is headed to the 10-day DL with a hamstring strain, as Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports (Twitter links). He’ll be replaced for the time being by Trayce Thompson, but skipper Dave Roberts says it’s expected to be only a one-to-three-week layoff.
  • The Angels have placed righty Andrew Bailey on the 10-day DL to rest his inflamed shoulder, per a club announcement. He’ll be replaced on the active roster by fellow righty Daniel Wright. It’s not yet clear just how long Bailey will be down. For Wright, this’ll be his third call-up to the majors; he saw action last year with both the Reds and Angels, working both as a stater and from the pen.
  • Mariners righty Tony Zych could be nearing a return, as Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports, with Steve Cishek not farm behind him. It remains to be seen whether Zych will head to the MLB roster, as he could also be optioned. Manager Scott Servais praised the righty’s form after a sim game, saying he looked “very sharp.”

AL West Notes: Bush, Cashner, Mariners, A’s

By | at

Rangers setup man Matt Bush is headed back to Texas to have the sore AC joint in his shoulder examined and to receive an injection for the pain, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. While that sounds ominous for an already banged-up Rangers club, Grant notes that the team currently believes that Bush will avoid a trip to the disabled list. Bush dealt with a similar issue at times in 2016, per the report, so it’s not entirely new issue. That said, even a brief absence for Bush thins out a Rangers relief corps that has struggled greatly in the season’s early stages. Closer Sam Dyson has had a nightmarish start to the year, yielding a staggering 11 runs on 11 hits (two homers) and three walks in just three innings of work. Dyson coughed up a five-run lead to the Angels in the ninth inning last night while Bush was deemed “unavailable” by manager Jeff Banister. Given Dyson’s catastrophic meltdown and Bush’s ailing shoulder, it wouldn’t be a surprise to Jeremy Jeffress and/or Tony Barnette get some save opportunities in the near future.

More notes out of Arlington and the rest of the AL West…

  • Rangers right-hander Andrew Cashner feels that he’s ready to join the rotation after throwing five shutout innings in an extended Spring Training game, writes Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The Rangers, though, have yet to make a decision on whether to activate the oft-injured righty. Texas may elect to give Cashner another rehab outing in an effort to further build up some arm strength, which would make sense given the current state of the bullpen. As Wilson notes, being able to exceed 100 pitches would be preferable in an ideal scenario, as that’d spare the Rangers’ relief corps some extra work. Righties Dillon Gee, Nick Martinez and Eddie Gamboa could make a spot start in the interim, Wilson adds.
  • The Mariners will have a few roster moves to make today, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times notes (Twitter links). Outfielder Boog Powell is set to be reinstated after receiving an 80-game suspension for a failed PED test late last June, and Seattle will need to open a 40-man spot to accommodate him. Additionally, Divish reports that the Mariners are slated to promote right-hander Evan Marshall from Triple-A Tacoma to get a fresh arm into their ’pen.
  • Though the Athletics opened the season with a closer-by-committee approach, that committee has narrowed to include just two pitchers, manager Bob Melvin said yesterday on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link). Per Melvin, left-hander Sean Doolittle and right-hander Santiago Casilla will share ninth inning duties and be called upon based on the matchups the A’s are facing heading into the final inning. That means that righties Ryan Madson (last year’s primary closer) and Ryan Dull will each function primarily as setup men.

Quick Hits: Phillies, Rangers, Brewers, Tigers, Padres

By | at

A quick look around the majors as we wrap up the second day of 2017:

  • The Rangers, Brewers and Tigers stand out as potential trade partners for the Phillies, observes Ryan Lawrence of PhillyVoice.com. In the cases of the Brewers and Tigers, Lawrence suggests the Phillies could put together a package to acquire an established corner outfielder in Ryan Braun or J.D. Martinez (Philly did inquire last month about Martinez, who’s entering a contract year). Texas, meanwhile, showed interest in Phillies starter Vince Velasquez last summer, leading Lawrence to wonder if the teams could strike a deal centering on the hard-throwing right-hander and power-hitting corner infield/outfield prospect Joey Gallo.
  • Rangers president/general manager Jon Daniels doesn’t seem eager to try reliever Matt Bush as a starter, which is fine with the right-hander. “I’ve never started professionally. I feel great with where I’m at as a reliever right now,” Bush told T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. “I feel like it’s the best place for me right now. I still have some building to do with my arm. My career is very young. I just want to continue to do what I did last year.” Bush, 30, recorded a 2.48 ERA, 8.9 K/9 and 2.04 BB/9 in 61 2/3 innings last year, making the ex-convict, former shortstop and 2004 No. 1 overall pick an unexpected success story.
  • The Padres could go the trade route for a shortstop – they targeted Detroit’s Jose Iglesias and Texas’ Hanser Alberto at the Winter Meetings – but they’ve also considered signing a free agent, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com. The open market isn’t exactly teeming with obvious solutions, unfortunately, but finding outside help is in order. As MLBTR’s Jeff Todd detailed last week, the Padres’ Luis Sardinas-led shortstop group doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top