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Zac Rosscup

Astros Sign Zac Rosscup To Minors Deal

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The Astros have announced that they have signed left-hander Zac Rosscup to a minor league deal with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

Rosscup, 34 in June, has seen sporadic MLB action in seven of the last nine MLB seasons. Though he has 86 2/3 career innings on his ledger, he’s never gone as high as 27 in any individual season and only logged three total MLB innings over the past two years. His career ERA of 5.09 comes with an excellent 29.3% strikeout rate but frightening 14% walk rate. In 29 Triple-A innings for the Rockies last year, he put up an ERA of 2.48, 33.1% strikeout rate and 11.3% walk rate.

As a southpaw, Rosscup is generally more effective against lefties, holding them to a paltry line of .155/.296/.297 in his MLB career. Righties, however, have produced a much more robust sample of .330/.413/.607. Given that wide split, the Astros will surely try to deploy him strategically in a way where he faces as few righties as possible. However, with the recent implementation of the three-batter minimum, that might not always be possible.

Houston’s roster is quite strong overall but the lack of lefty hurlers is one weak element of it. Framber Valdez will be in the starting rotation. Jonathan Bermudez was added to the 40-man roster a few months ago but has no MLB experience and will likely be in the minors. That leaves Blake Taylor as the only southpaw projected to be in the club’s Opening Day bullpen. If they don’t make any further additions in the next few weeks, there could be a path for Rosscup to earn his way back to the show.

Rockies Activate Antonio Senzatela, Yency Almonte

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The Rockies announced they’ve reinstated right-handers Antonio Senzatela and Yency Almonte from the COVID-19 injured list. Senzatela will get the ball for this afternoon’s game against the Cubs. In corresponding moves, infielder Rio Ruiz has been optioned while left-hander Zac Rosscup was returned to Triple-A Albuquerque.

Senzatela and Almonte landed on the IL on July 16, with the Rockies dealing with coronavirus spread upon their return from the All-Star Break. Both players wound up missing a little less than three weeks. Senzatela now returns to Colorado’s starting rotation, where he’s been a fixture for most of the past five seasons. This year, he’s tossed 94 1/3 innings of 4.58 ERA ball despite a 15.7% strikeout rate that’s one of the league’s lowest. He’s continued to be particularly stingy in terms of handing out free passes, with a tiny 5.1% walk rate, and he’s racked up groundballs at a huge 54% clip.

Rosscup was selected to help shoulder the pitching workload due to the virus spread. Players selected as COVID replacements can be removed from the active and 40-man rosters without being exposed to waivers, so the veteran lefty will now head back to Triple-A. He made four appearances during his big league stint, allowing one run over three innings of relief with four strikeouts and a walk.

Rockies Place Four Players On COVID-19 Injured List

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The Rockies announced they’ve placed four players — Antonio Senzatela, Jhoulys Chacín, Yency Almonte and Yonathan Daza — on the COVID-19 injured list. Left-hander Ben Bowden, outfielder Sam Hilliard and righty Antonio Santos have been recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque, while reliever Zac Rosscup was selected to the major league roster. Additionally, manager Bud Black and first base coach Ron Gideon have been ruled out for tonight’s game against the Dodgers as part of contact tracing efforts.

Placement on the COVID-19 list does not signify that all four of the players involved have tested positive. Players can land on the IL for feeling viral symptoms or for exposure to the virus.

Rosscup was selected to the roster as a COVID replacement player. Under the 2021 health and safety protocols, he can be removed from the 40-man without being exposed to waivers upon the return of one of the players he’s been selected to replace. The 33-year-old southpaw has a 5.16 ERA/3.80 SIERA in parts of six big league seasons. He’s been almost unhittable this year in Triple-A, pitching to a 0.52 ERA over 17 1/3 frames with an excellent 37.3% strikeout rate.

Rockies Sign Zac Rosscup

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TODAY: The Rockies have announced the signing.  Rosscup has inked a minor league deal and been added to the team’s 60-man player pool.

AUGUST 25: The Rockies are close to a deal with left-hander Zac Rosscup, FOX 26’s Mark Berman reports (Twitter link).  The deal, presumably a minor league contract, will be official once Rosscup passes a physical and a COVID-19 screening.

Rosscup previously pitched for Colorado in 2017-18 and was also a member of the organization just this season, as he signed a minor league deal last winter but was released in June.  He’ll now get a second chance at that second stint with the Rox, who are likely looking to add some bullpen depth in the wake of some injuries.  James Pazos and Phillip Diehl are the only left-handed relievers on the Rockies’ current active roster, and none of the other southpaws at their alternate training site have any big league experience.

Rosscup has tossed 83 2/3 career innings over parts of six MLB seasons, pitching for the Rockies and four other clubs.  In 2019, Rosscup threw 18 innings split over separate stints with the Mariners, Blue Jays, and Dodgers, plus he also spent time in the Cardinals’ farm system.  Since being released by Colorado this summer, Rosscup has been pitching in independent baseball in Sugar Land, Texas.

The 32-year-old has a 5.16 ERA and a very impressive 12.2 K/9 over his 83 2/3 frames, though home runs (1.6 HR/9) and walks (5.9 BB/9) have been consistent issues over Rosscup’s time in the majors.  Over 329 1/3 career minor league innings, Rosscup has a 2.71 ERA, 11.0 K/9 and only an 0.4 HR/9 and 3.6 BB/9, though he had some major control issues over 16 2/3 innings of Triple-A ball in 2019.

Rockies Release Zac Rosscup

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The Rockies recently released southpaw Zac Rosscup, according to the latest Baseball America transactions log. It seems the organization determined he would not be a part of the 60-man player pool and was not otherwise worth keeping under contract.

Also cut loose by the Rox were fellow lefty Evan Grills and infielder Carlos Herrera. The BA report also mentions that the Colorado organization parted ways with Kelby Tomlinson, a transaction that MLBTR recently reported.

Rosscup, 32, has seen action in six of the past seven MLB campaigns. But he has really never held down a consistent job in a big-league bullpen. Rosscup appeared with three teams in 2019 alone.

All told, the former 28th-round draft pick has compiled a 5.16 ERA in 83 2/3 innings at the game’s highest level. While he owns an excellent 12.2 K/9 over that run, he has also surrendered 5.9 free passes and 1.6 home runs per regulation game. Through 115 career frames at Triple-A, he owns a similar K/BB mix but has found much greater success (2.74 ERA) by avoiding the long ball (0.5 per nine).

Rockies Sign Zac Rosscup

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The Rockies have brought left-handed reliever Zac Rosscup back to the organization on a minor league contract, tweets Thomas Harding of MLB.com. He won’t be in big league camp, so he’s presumably ticketed straight for Triple-A Albuquerque.

Rosscup, 31, tossed 18 Major League innings between the Mariners, Blue Jays and Dodgers in 2019, allowing 10 earned run (5.00 ERA) on 22 hits and 19 walks with 26 strikeouts. That type of production has been fairly typical for Rosscup, as he’s traditionally been able to rack up strikeouts in bunches but has also frequently struggled with his control. In 83 2/3 innings at the big league level, Rosscup has punched out 113 hitters (12.2 K/9) but also issued 55 walks (5.9 BB/9), with the result being a lackluster 5.16 earned run average. Rosscup does have a career 2.74 ERA in 115 Triple-A frames, where he’s also managed an impressive 12.7 K/9 mark.

Pitchers Recently Electing Free Agency

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Since the conclusion of the regular season, a number of players have elected free agency. That right accrues to certain players who are outrighted off of a 40-man roster during or after the season — namely, those that have at least three years of MLB service and/or have previously been outrighted. Such players that accepted outright assignments during the season have the right to elect free agency instead at season’s end, provided they aren’t added back to the 40-man in the meantime.

We already rounded up the position players. Now, here are the pitchers that have recently taken to the open market, along with their now-former teams (via the International League and PCL transactions pages):

Cardinals Acquire Zac Rosscup

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The Cardinals have acquired lefty Zac Rosscup from the Dodgers, per a club announcement. He had been designated for assignment recently.

Cash considerations are going to Los Angeles in return. Rosscup will begin his tenure with his new organization on optional assignment at Triple-A.

Rosscup, 31, has already appeared with three other clubs this season. He owns a 5.16 ERA in 83 2/3 career innings at the game’s highest level, averaging a healthy 12.2 K/9 but also an ugly 5.9 BB/9. The free passes have been a particular issue this season.

In other moves from the Dodgers, utilityman Kike Hernandez is going on the 10-day injured list with a sprained hand. The club optioned down righty Jaime Schultz while activating just-acquired infielder Kristopher Negron and calling up righty reliever Josh Sborz.

Dodgers Outright Zac Rosscup

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The Dodgers have outrighted left-handed reliever Zac Rosscup to Triple-A Oklahoma City, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com tweets. It’s unclear whether Rosscup will accept the assignment or reject it in favor of a trip to free agency.

Rosscup joined the Dodgers via the open market June 12, which came after he turned down an outright from Toronto. However, this past Monday, the Dodgers became the third team of the season to designate Rosscup for assignment. The Blue Jays and Mariners previously did the same.

The 31-year-old Rosscup is in his second stint as a member of the Dodgers, with whom he threw 11 1/3 innings last season. He only totaled three frames with the club this season before it jettisoned him, though. Also a former Cub and Rockie, Rosscup has mustered 18 innings of 5.00 ERA/4.94 FIP pitching this season. While Rosscup has struck out 13 per nine and induced grounders at a 55.1 percent clip, serious control problems have helped undermine his efforts. Rosscup has walked more than a batter per inning (19) and given up 22 hits.

Dodgers Designate Zac Rosscup

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The Dodgers have designated lefty Zac Rosscup for assignment, per a club announcement. Taking his active roster spot is fellow reliever Casey Sadler. The swap clears a 40-man opening for the Los Angeles org.

Rosscup, 31, has traveled far and wide over the past several seasons. This year alone, he has appeared in the majors with three clubs. While he’s getting loads of swinging strikes, Rosscup is walking batters with alarming frequency (19 in 18 innings).

Sadler was added in a recent swap with the Rays that followed his own DFA. He has only made two appearances with the Dodgers’ top affiliate, allowing four earned runs in six innings but compiling nine strikeouts against one walk in that stretch.

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