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Robert Dugger

A’s Sign Robert Dugger To Minors Contract

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The Athletics have signed right-hander Robert Dugger to a minor league deal, according to Dugger’s MLB.com profile page.  Dugger has been assigned to the team’s Arizona Complex League affiliate, indicating that Dugger could be undergoing a mechanical overhaul or simply be getting some Spring Training-esque ramp-up before his next assignment higher up the minor league ladder.

Dugger returns to North American baseball after a brief and unsuccessful stint in the Korea Baseball Organization.  After signing a one-year, $750K deal with the SSG Landers over the offseason, Dugger posted a 12.71 ERA over six starts and 22 2/3 innings before being released at the end of April.

Despite those rough numbers, the 28-year-old Dugger could now provide the A’s with some rotation depth, given his more recent track record in the Pacific Coast League.  The righty had a 4.31 ERA over 146 1/3 Triple-A innings with the Rangers’ top affiliate in 2023, which stood out as a particularly solid number in a very hitter-friendly league.  A 22.6% strikeout rate and 9.5% walk rate weren’t overly impressive, but providing quality innings in the PCL is no small feat, and the Athletics surely have interest in seeing what Dugger can do at their own PCL team at Triple-A Las Vegas.

Dugger is a veteran of four Major League seasons, posting a 7.17 ERA across 86 2/3 innings with the Marlins, Mariners, Rays, and Reds from 2019-22.  Never a hard thrower or a big strikeout pitcher, Dugger has relied on control to get good results, though his walk rates have been pretty modest over his last three minor league seasons.

Tigers Release Drew Anderson To Sign With KBO’s SSG Landers

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The Tigers have agreed to release right-hander Drew Anderson to sign with the SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization. The Landers send cash to the Tigers in return. According to Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News (X link), Anderson will make a $570K salary.

Anderson, 30, was in the Detroit organization after signing an offseason minor league deal. He’d been pitching in long relief at Triple-A Toledo, tossing 14 innings across nine appearances. Anderson punched out 16 hitters with a 3.86 ERA in a solid stint that caught the attention of the Landers. He would have had a tough time securing a spot in a Detroit bullpen that has been one of the game’s best, so the Tigers were content to let him pursue the KBO job.

This will be Anderson’s first stint in Korea. He pitched in Japan with the Hiroshima Carp between 2022-23, working to a cumulative 3.05 ERA over 115 innings. Anderson last appeared in the big leagues in 2021, throwing a career-high 22 innings with a 3.27 ERA for the Rangers. The former third-round draftee has also had brief stints with the Phillies and White Sox and played in parts of five MLB campaigns overall.

In a corresponding move, the Landers released right-hander Robert Dugger. KBO teams are only allowed to carry two foreign-born pitchers on their roster. Signing Anderson meant they had to move on from either Roenis Elías or Dugger. While Elías has a pedestrian 4.63 ERA over four starts, Dugger had a very rough showing. The right-hander was rocked for a 12.71 ERA in his six KBO appearances.

A former 18th-round pick of the Mariners, Dugger pitched to a 7.17 ERA with four MLB teams between 2019-22. He spent all of last season in Triple-A with the Rangers, where he posted a 4.31 ERA over 29 starts in an extremely hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League setting.

KBO’s SSG Landers Sign Robert Dugger

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The SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization announced Tuesday that they’ve signed right-hander Robert Dugger to a one-year deal worth $750K (link via Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency). He can earn another $150K via incentives.

Dugger, 28, logged MLB time each season from 2019-22, compiling a total of 86 2/3 innings between the Marlins, Mariners, Rays and Reds. He was hit hard during that stretch, yielding a 7.17 ERA, but he’s posted solid results in an exorbitantly hitter-friendly Triple-A setting in each of the past two seasons. Dugger’s 4.31 earned run average with the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate in 2023 actually led all qualified starting pitchers in the Pacific Coast League and ranked ranked fourth among starters with at least 70 innings pitched. He coupled that mark with a 22.6% strikeout rate, 9.5% walk rate and 43.5% ground-ball rate.

Baseball America ranked Dugger among the Marlins’ top 30 prospects each year from 2018-20, labeling him a potential back-of-the-rotation starter thanks more to a deep and varied five-pitch arsenal than due to any one truly plus offering. He’ll take that skill set overseas in his first foray into professional ball in Asia, and in doing so will secure a much larger payday than he’d have commanded as a depth arm in Triple-A hoping for what would’ve likely been a brief call to the Majors before again being a DFA candidate as an out-of-options journeyman.

Dugger has never been seen as a power arm, averaging just 90.9 mph on his four-seamer and 90.1 mph on his sinker throughout his big league trials. That lack of velo won’t be as glaring in the KBO, where the average fastball clocks in lower than in MLB.

As a former 18th-round pick, he’ll relish this opportunity to secure the largest guaranteed salary of his career. And with a nice season for the Landers, Dugger could position himself to re-sign on a seven-figure deal (or close to it). Enough success could garner him some interest from Japan’s NPB or perhaps even pave the way for an eventual return to the Majors.

Rangers Re-Sign Dominic Leone To Minor League Deal

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The Rangers announced Wednesday that they’ve re-signed veteran reliever Dominic Leone to a minor league deal after his recent release. Texas also announced the signing of righty Robert Dugger to a minor league deal and optioned lefty John King to Triple-A Round Rock. Both Leone and Dugger have been assigned to Round Rock as well.

Leone, 31, is a veteran who has pitched in the past nine major league seasons. He has a career 3.69 ERA in 353 big league games. The past few years have been remarkably inconsistent, as he posted a bloated 8.38 ERA in the shortened 2020 season, but dropped that all the way to 1.51 in 2021. Last year, it evened out at a more reasonably 4.01 mark in 49 1/3 innings with the Giants. He struck out 23.4% of batters faced last year but also walked 10.8%.

That control has long been an issue for Leone, as he hasn’t posted a walk rate below 10% since 2018. Here in spring this year, he posted a 2.16 ERA over his eight appearances, but walked eight hitters and only struck out five. He wasn’t able to get himself a roster spot and the Rangers released him a few days ago, though they’ve evidently worked out a new pact to keep him around to get some work in Triple-A and serve as depth.

As for Dugger, 27, he has appeared in each of the past four seasons, suiting up for the Marlins, Mariners, Rays and Reds. He has a 7.17 ERA in his career over 27 games and 86 2/3 innings. Though his 6.19 ERA last year is roughly in line with his previous work, he did get an encouraging bump in the strikeout department. He had only punched out 14.4% of opponents in his first three seasons but got that up to 26.4% in 16 innings last year. Then again, he only struck out 18.4% of hitters in the minors, so that bump might be small sample noise.

It’s unclear whether the Rangers view Dugger as a starter or a reliever, but he’s done his share of both over the past few years. He can perhaps give the club a bit of depth in both areas of their roster. The starting rotation is already proceeding without Jake Odorizzi and Glenn Otto, as both are dealing with injuries, while the bullpen will be without Brett Martin for much of the season due to shoulder surgery.

Reds Designate Robert Dugger For Assignment

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The Reds announced they’ve designated right-hander Robert Dugger, who had been on the 15-day injured list, for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster goes to catcher Aramis Garcia, who was activated from the 60-day injured list. To clear a spot on the active roster, Cincinnati placed outfielder TJ Friedl on the 10-day IL due to a right hamstring strain.

Dugger has bounced on and off the roster a few times this season. He began the year in the Rays organization on a minor league deal. Promoted for a May spot start, he was designated for assignment thereafter and claimed off waivers by the Reds. The Reds shuttled him between Cincinnati and Triple-A Louisville for the next few months depending on their need for a depth arm capable of throwing multiple innings. Dugger is out of minor league option years, meaning Cincinnati had to DFA him each time they wanted to take him off the big league roster.

In each instance, the 27-year-old went unclaimed on waivers. He’s made three big league appearances with Cincinnati, allowing eight runs in 10 2/3 cumulative frames. Dugger has started seven of 14 outings with the Bats, pitching to a 4.65 ERA with an 18.1% strikeout percentage and a lofty 12.1% walk rate. That includes four rehab outings, as he’s worked his way back from a seemingly minor bout of shoulder soreness.

The Reds will place Dugger on waivers again in the coming days. Assuming he goes unclaimed, he’d have the right to refuse an outright assignment and test free agency. While he’s accepted each previous assignment to Louisville, he’s headed for minor league free agency at the end of the year if not on a 40-man roster. He’ll presumably find some non-roster invitations to Spring Training on the open market.

Garcia signed a minor league deal with Cincinnati last offseason. He earned the backup job behind Tyler Stephenson out of camp and was selected onto the big league roster. He’s only gotten into 46 games, though, with a sprained left middle finger costing him virtually all of the season’s second half. He’ll be active for the final two games but could find himself on the roster bubble this winter. Garcia has hit just .217/.252/.264 across 113 plate appearances during his first year in Cincinnati. He’ll be eligible for arbitration for the first time during the offseason but is a clear non-tender candidate.

Reds Planning To Select T.J. Zeuch

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As the Reds are in New York to start a three-game set with the Mets, right-hander T.J. Zeuch is with the team and expected to start Wednesday’s game, per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Zeuch isn’t currently on the club’s 40-man roster, though the club currently has a vacancy there. Assuming they don’t add anyone between now and Wednesday, a corresponding move will only be required to add him to the active roster.

Zeuch, 27, is a former first-round pick, as the Blue Jays selected him 21st overall in 2016. He was considered one of the top 30 farmhands in Toronto’s system from 2017 to 2019 but failed to live up to his reputation in the big leagues. From 2019 to 2021, he threw 49 innings for the Jays, putting up a 4.59 ERA with substandard strikeout and walk rates of 14.1% and 10.9%, respectively, though he did get grounders at a decent 50.9% clip.

He was designated for assignment and then morphed from a bluebird into a redbird, getting traded to the Cardinals in exchange for cash considerations. He never got up to the big leagues with St. Louis, throwing 38 1/3 innings in Triple-A last year with a 4.93 ERA. This year, he got another 19 1/3 Triple-A innings but registered a ghastly 11.64 ERA in that time, getting designated for assignment and then released.

The Reds brought him aboard on a minor league deal, with Zeuch having showed improved results since. Cincy first sent him to the Arizona Complex League, letting him throw four scoreless innings over three starts there, before moving him up to Triple-A. In five starts there, he’s thrown 22 1/3 innings with a 3.63 ERA, 28.3% strikeout rate, 10.9% walk rate and 60% ground ball rate. Based on those improved results, he’ll get the call to return to the big leagues.

The Reds’ rotation had a few notable subtractions last week, as they traded both Luis Castillo and Tyler Mahle prior to the deadline. Hunter Greene was also recently placed on the injured list due to a shoulder strain. That’s created the need for some extra arms next to Mike Minor, Nick Lodolo and Graham Ashcraft in the rotation. With the club well out of contention, they can use the rest of the season to evaluate some depth arms and see what they can bring to the table. Robert Dugger got to make a start on Friday, though he’s now been placed on the IL due to right shoulder pain, with Justin Dunn being recalled in a corresponding move.

Dunn, 26, has 25 MLB starts under his belt already, all coming with the Mariners. He registered a 3.94 ERA in 102 2/3 innings but poor rate stats, getting strikeouts 20.6% of the time, walks at a 15.5% clip and grounders at a 33.7% rate. His .205 BABIP in that time likely helped him produce an ERA better than he deserved, with all advanced metrics painting a less rosy picture.

He was acquired from the Mariners as part of the offseason trade that sent Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker to Seattle. It was later reported that Dunn would be out for months due to shoulder troubles, though the Reds evidently knew this at the time of the trade. The righty has subsequently returned to health and has been pitching the minors. Through seven Triple-A starts this year, he has a 6.92 ERA, 17.8% strikeout rate, 12.4% walk rate and 36.9% ground ball rate. He and Zeuch will each make their Reds debuts and try to make their respective cases for sticking in the rotation this year and beyond.

Reds To Select Robert Dugger

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The Reds are planning to start right-hander Robert Dugger in tomorrow’s contest in Milwaukee, the team informed reporters (including Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer). The team will need to formally select his contract before the game, but they have a pair of vacancies on the 40-man roster.

It’ll be Dugger’s first MLB start of the season. He’s made three long relief appearances, one with the Rays and two with Cincinnati. Dugger has tallied 12 innings of six-run ball over that time, striking out 17 batters against just three walks. Despite the decent numbers in his brief looks, he’s been successively designated for assignment after each of his previous appearances. That’s in large part because he’s out of minor league option years, meaning clubs have to keep him on the big league roster or take him off the 40-man entirely every time he earns a promotion.

To this point, neither Tampa Bay nor Cincinnati has been willing to give the 27-year-old an extended look. He’s functioned as something of a 14th man on each pitching staff, coming up as needed to soak up some innings but not getting a lengthier opportunity. Since the Reds claimed him off waivers from Tampa Bay in May, he’s passed through the wire unclaimed on three separate occasions. Each time, Dugger has foregone the possibility of free agency and reported to Triple-A Louisville in hopes of pitching his way back to Cincinnati.

The Texas Tech product has started 12 of his 15 Triple-A appearances on the year, tallying 58 2/3 innings. He owns a 4.30 ERA with a modest 18.3% strikeout rate and a 9.8% walk percentage. Over parts of four big league campaigns, Dugger has a 6.97 ERA in 82 2/3 frames.

Reds Outright Robert Dugger

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10:17PM: Dugger accepted the assignment to Triple-A, Bobby Nightengale reports (Twitter link).

TODAY, 3:21PM: Dugger cleared waivers and has been outrighted to the Reds’ Triple-A affiliate, according to C. Trent Rosecrans of The Athletic (Twitter link).  It isn’t yet known if Dugger will accept the assignment or opt for free agency.

JULY 8: The Reds have designated reliever Robert Dugger for assignment, tweets Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer. The move clears an active roster spot for closer Alexis Diaz, who has been activated from the 15-day injured list.

This DFA is the latest step in what has become a fairly predictable pattern for the right-hander. This is the fourth time he has been designated for assignment in just over two months, each time after a fairly short stay in the big leagues. He started the year by signing a minor league deal with the Rays. He had his contract selected on May 1 and threw 5 1/3 innings of mop-up duty. After his first DFA of the year, he was claimed off waivers by the Reds. They, too, gave him a mop-up assignment, with Dugger getting to pitch for another three innings before his second DFA. He cleared waivers, was outrighted and then re-selected to the big league team, but got his third DFA without making an appearance. Selected yet again yesterday, Dugger tossed another 3 2/3 innings before this fourth DFA.

In total, he’s now thrown 12 MLB innings thus far this season, faring well in that small sample. He has a 4.50 ERA, 32.7% strikeout rate, 5.8% walk rate and 37.5% ground ball rate. Despite those decent results, Dugger hasn’t been granted anything beyond a very brief stay on a big league roster. Since he is out of options, the only way to replace him with a fresh arm is to send him back out into DFA limbo each time. His numbers in the minors this year aren’t quite as impressive, as he has a 5.06 ERA with a 17.6% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate through 48 Triple-A frames.

The Reds will have a week to trade him, pass him through outright waivers or release him. He will have the right to reject an outright assignment due to the fact that he has previously been outrighted in his career. But based on precedent, it’s possible that he clears waivers and accepts another outright assignment like he’s already done a couple of times this year.

Reds Select Robert Dugger

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The Reds announced a series of roster moves between the two games of today’s doubleheader, with Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer among those to relay the batch. Right-hander Robert Dugger has had his contract selected while catcher Mark Kolozsvary has been recalled. To make room on the active roster, reliever Luis Cessa was placed on the 15-day IL while catcher Aramis Garcia was placed on the 10-day IL. (Pitchers and position players have different minimum IL stints.) To make room for Dugger on the 40-man roster, righty Vladimir Gutierrez was transferred to the 60-day IL.

For Dugger, 27, this is the latest transaction in a season that’s been full of them. He started the season in the Rays organization on a minor league deal. He had his contracted selected on May 1, worked 5 1/3 innings of mop-up duty and then was designated for assignment the next day. The Reds grabbed him off waivers and treated him similarly, using him for a three-inning appearance before handing him his second DFA of the year. He accepted an outright assignment and eventually had his contracted selected again a few days later, but then got a third DFA without getting into a game. He accepted another outright assignment and has now returned to the big leagues yet again.

In between all of those transactions, he’s managed to throw 48 innings at the Triple-A level between the Rays and the Reds. He has a 5.06 ERA with a 17.6% strikeout rate and 10% walk rate. In the big leagues, it’s been just 8 1/3 frames with a 6.48 ERA.

As for Gutierrez, he landed on the injured list just over a month ago due to forearm soreness. This transfer means he won’t be eligible to return until 60 days from that initial placement, which would be early August. He recently started ramping up by throwing batting practice but evidently suffered some kind of setback. Manager David Bell relayed the news to Goldsmith recently. Though the severity of the setback is unclear, Gutierrez evidently isn’t close to returning to action.

Garcia’s IL placement is due to a finger issue that’s plagued him in recent games, whereas Cessa’s injury isn’t clear at this time. He left the first game of the doubleheader with something bothering him in his left side.

Reds’ Robert Dugger Clears Waivers, Accepts Outright Assignment

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Reds righty Robert Dugger went unclaimed on outright waivers following his second DFA of the month and has accepted another outright assignment to Triple-A Louisville, per Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer (Twitter link).

As a player who’s previously been outrighted, Dugger could’ve rejected the assignment and ventured out into free agency. However, after a whirlwind series of transactions that’s seen him thrice designated for assignment this month alone, he’ll opt for the more stable route and head to Louisville in hopes of a swift return to the big leagues.

Dugger, 26, opened the season in the Rays organization after signing a minor league deal in late March. He was selected to the big league roster on May 1 and promptly gave Tampa Bay 5 1/3 innings of long relief (eight hits, three runs, no walks, seven strikeouts), only to be designated for assignment the following day. The Reds claimed Dugger and deployed him for three innings of long relief themselves (three runs, five hits, one walk, five punchouts). Again, Dugger was designated for assignment the following day. Cincinnati added him to the 40-man roster a second time on May 12 but designated him for assignment a third time on May 14, before he’d appeared in a game.

An 18th-round pick of the Mariners back in 2016, Dugger has spent parts of the past four seasons in the Majors but never appeared in more than a dozen games in any given season. He’s been hit hard in 79 Major League frames, evidenced by a 7.29 ERA, and his Triple-A track record is spotty as well. Dugger posted solid numbers up through the Double-A level, however, and scouting reports during his prospect days credited him with a pair of average or better breaking balls and above-average command. He’s intrigued enough that four teams have now put him on a 40-man roster over the past four seasons — Marlins, Mariners, Rays and Reds — but the righty is still searching for his first prolonged bit of success at the game’s upper levels.

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