Dodgers Designate Preston Guilmet For Assignment
The Dodgers announced today that they have designated right-hander Preston Guilmet for assignment in order to clear space on the 40-man roster for Carl Crawford, who has been reinstated from the 60-day disabled list. In order to clear room for Crawford on the active roster, the Dodgers optioned Brandon Beachy to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
The well-traveled Guilmet didn’t spend much time with the Dodgers, who selected him off waivers from the Rays on July 10. Guilmet tossed three innings for the club’s Triple-A affiliate prior to today’s DFA, so his claim was likely just to serve as a depth piece should the need arise.
In the past calendar year, the Orioles have traded Guilmet to the Pirates (for cash considerations), who lost him on waivers to the Blue Jays. The Rays claimed him from the division-rival Blue Jays in May, and he was up and down between the Rays and their Triple-A affiliate in Durham prior to joining the Dodgers. Guilmet logged 5 1/3 innings with the Rays in 2015, yielding three runs with five strikeouts against two walks. He’s been very good at Triple-A this season, tallying a 1.95 ERA with 8.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 32 1/3 innings between Buffalo, Durham and Oklahoma City.
Dodgers Claim Preston Guilmet, Designate Chris Reed
2:17pm: Los Angeles has announced that it designated lefty Chris Reed for assignment to create 40-man space for Guilmet.
Reed, 25, came into the year rated the organization’s 10th-best prospect, per Baseball America, which said he could develop into a back-end starter or late-inning relief option. The 2011 first-rounder has had some uneven results in recent seasons, and was shifted to a pen role this year. Thus far in 2015, Reed owns a 5.97 ERA over 34 2/3 frames in the upper minors, with more walks (5.7 BB/9) than strikeouts (5.5 K/9).
12:27pm: The Dodgers have claimed righty Preston Guilmet off waivers from the Rays, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. His roster spot had been needed in Tampa Bay for the activation of John Jaso.
Los Angeles has made a notable habit of bringing in a steady stream of relief arms, and Guilmet now joins the flow. The 27-year-old only tossed 5 1/3 big league innings this season, but has spent at least some time in the majors over each of the last three years. While he hasn’t found much success in just 21 innings at the game’s highest level, he does own a promising 2.47 ERA, with 9.8 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9, in his Triple-A career.
Rays Designate Preston Guilmet For Assignment
The Rays have designated righty Preston Guilmet for assignment, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune reports on Twitter. In corresponding moves, the team has activated John Jaso and added Steven Souza to the DL.
Guilmet, 27, threw 5 1/3 frames for Tampa Bay this year, allowing three earned runs and striking out five batters while issuing two walks. This marks the third straight season in which he’s thrown at least a handful of innings. All said, Guilmet owns a 6.43 ERA in 21 innings with 7.7 K/9 vs. 3.0 BB/9. But he’s been much better (2.47 ERA, 9.8 K/9, 2.1 BB/9) in his time at the Triple-A level.
Rays Claim Preston Guilmet, Place Drew Smyly On 60-Day DL
The Rays have announced that the team claimed righty Preston Guilmet off waivers from the Blue Jays (via Matt Stein of Sports Talk Florida, Twitter links). To create a 40-man roster spot, Tampa moved lefty Drew Smyly to the 60-day DL.
Guilmet was designated by Toronto on Sunday in a roster shuffle. He had worked at the Triple-A level this year, posting a 1.26 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9. In the majors last year with the Orioles, Guilmet struck out twelve and walked only two in 10 1/3 innings, but surrendered six earned runs in the process.
The most impactful element of this news, of course, is the fact that Smyly is now confirmed to miss significant time with his shoulder injury. Indeed, the club says that Smyly has a torn labrum. Surgery is not yet inevitable, as a rehab option is still being explored.
Acquired last summer as a critical piece of the David Price deal, Smyly has been excellent for Tampa when healthy — he owns a 2.70 ERA with 11.3 K/9 against just 1.6 BB/9 over 16 1/3 thus far in 2015. But a labrum tear is a major concern for his future value, whether or not he goes under the knife. Just 25, Smyly took home a $2.65MM salary as a Super Two this year and comes with three seasons of future control via arbitration.
Blue Jays Designate Preston Guilmet For Assignment
The Blue Jays announced that they have designated Preston Guilmet for assignment. The right-hander has been removed from the 40-man roster in order to help make room for infielder/outfielder Steve Tolleson.
Guilmet, 28 in July, pitched 10 1/3 innings out of the Orioles’ bullpen in 2014, allowing six runs on eight hits with 12 strikeouts against two walks. The former ninth-round pick has a nice track record at Triple-A and notched a 3.91 ERA there in 2014 with an impressive 10.1 K/9 against just 1.9 BB/9. This season, Guilmet pitched to a 1.26 ERA with 7.5 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in ten appearances for Triple-A Buffalo.
Blue Jays Claim Scott Barnes, Preston Guilmet
The Blue Jays announced that they have claimed left-hander Scott Barnes off waivers from the Rangers and right-hander Preston Guilmet from the Pirates. SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo first tweeted that Guilmet had been claimed by Toronto earlier this afternoon.
Barnes, 27, joins his fourth organization of the offseason with this move. Originally with Cleveland, he’s been acquired by the Orioles and claimed off waivers by the Rangers as well, making him perhaps the most well-traveled player of the offseason. Barnes has a 5.20 ERA in a small sample size of 27 2/3 big league innings, but he has a nice track record and Triple-A and pitched well there in 2014. Last season, he notched a 3.69 ERA with 10.2 K/9 and 4.2 BB/9 while holding opposing lefties to a .191/.296/.255 batting line.
Guilmet, also 27, pitched 10 1/3 innings out of the Orioles’ bullpen in 2014, allowing six runs on eight hits with 12 strikeouts against two walks. The former ninth-round pick has a nice track record at Triple-A and notched a 3.91 ERA there in 2014 with an impressive 10.1 K/9 against just 1.9 BB/9.
Pirates Sign Corey Hart
DEC. 22: Heyman tweets the exact breakdown of Hart’s incentives. He will earn $250K for reaching 350, 375, 400 and 425 plate appearances. Reaching 450, 475, 500, 525 and 550 will each net Hart $300K.
DEC. 19, 12:59pm: Hart will earn $2.5MM in base salary and can double it with another $2.5MM in incentives, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
12:55pm: The Pirates announced that they have signed free agent Corey Hart.
Hart could serve as a platoon partner with Pedro Alvarez to help make up for his shortcomings against lefties. After missing the entire 2013 season due to knee surgery, Hart was signed by the Mariners around this time last year. The veteran made 55 starts as a designated hitter while also making seven appearances in right field, two at first base and one in left field. All in all, he posted a .203/.271/.319 slash line in 255 plate appearances. Prior to his lost 2013 season, Hart owned a career .276/.334/.491 slash line.
To make room on the 40-man roster for Hart, the Pirates have designated right-handed pitcher Preston Guilmet for assignment. To keep up with his status and everyone else in DFA limbo, check out MLBTR’s DFA Tracker.