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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>MLB Trade Rumors</title> <atom:link href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:40:17 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=5.7.11</generator> <item> <title>Marlins To Call Up Roddery Muñoz For MLB Debut</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/marlins-to-call-up-roddery-munoz-for-mlb-debut.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/marlins-to-call-up-roddery-munoz-for-mlb-debut.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 15:40:18 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Miami Marlins]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Roddery Munoz]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808237</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Marlins are going to bring up right-hander Roddery Muñoz as the 27th man for tomorrow’s double-header, per Isaac Azout of Fish on First. The righty will be making his major league debut, starting one of the two games of the twin bill. It’s a belated birthday present for Muñoz, who just turned 24 on…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Marlins are going to bring up right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=munoz-000rod&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Roddery Muñoz</a></strong> as the 27th man for tomorrow’s double-header, per <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/IsaacAzout/status/1781337135074721849">Isaac Azout of Fish on First</a>. The righty will be making his major league debut, starting one of the two games of the twin bill.</p><p>It’s a belated birthday present for Muñoz, who just turned 24 on Sunday. The righty hasn’t been a Marlin for very long, as he actually came up as prospect in Atlanta’s system, but since July of last year, he bounced to the Nationals, Pirates and Marlins via waiver claims or cash deals.</p><p>The righty had a bit of a breakout in 2022. He made 19 starts at the High-A level that year, with a 4.03 earned run average in his 89 1/3 innings. He struck out 26.9% of batters faced while giving out walks at a 9.5% clip and getting grounders on 45.6% of balls in play. He was promoted to Double-A for three starts at the end of the year and allowed 12 earned runs in 11 innings, but the peripheral stats were pretty similar to his High-A work.</p><p>Going into 2023, Atlanta put him on their 40-man roster to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseballamerica.com/players/16300-roddery-munoz/">Baseball America</a> also ranked him the #22 prospect in that club’s system. But his results backed up a bit last year, which led to his aforementioned journey around the league’s DFA carousel. He eventually tossed 78 innings at his various stops throughout the year, with a 5.42 ERA in that time. His 23% strikeout rate was solid but his 15.1% walk rate was quite high.</p><p>The Marlins nonetheless took a shot on him and have since seen their starting pitching depth get thinned out. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcansa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Sandy Alcántara</a></strong> required Tommy John surgery last year and was already known to be unavailable in 2024, but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perezeu02.shtml"><strong>Eury Pérez</strong></a> has since followed him down that path. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cabreed02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Edward Cabrera</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garrebr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Braxton Garrett</a></strong> also started the season on the injured list due to injuries, though Cabrera has now returned.</p><p>The rotation currently consists of Cabrera, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pukaj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">A.J. Puk</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/luzarje01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jesús Luzardo</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=rogertr01,rogers002tre&search=Trevor+Rogers&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Trevor Rogers</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weathry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ryan Weathers</a></strong>, but yesterday’s game was rained out, leading to tomorrow’s doubleheader. Since they need a sixth starter to get through this stretch, with no off-day until Thursday, the circumstances will allow Muñoz to make his debut. He has tossed 10 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level so far this year but has shown significant control problems, issuing 12 walks to just seven strikeouts.</p><p>That perhaps suggests this was mostly an emergency decision. The club also has <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=meyerma01,meyer-001max&search=Max+Meyer&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Max Meyer</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mccauda01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Darren McCaughan</a></strong> on the 40-man roster, but Meyer was just optioned to monitor his workload after he missed all of 2023 recovering from Tommy John surgery. McCaughan just pitched on Wednesday and would be pitching on short rest if recalled this weekend. Muñoz may be in for just one outing before being optioned back to the minors, but it’s undoubtedly an exciting day for him regardless.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>3</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Braves Select Luke Williams</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/braves-select-luke-williams.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/braves-select-luke-williams.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 14:40:24 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Atlanta Braves]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Forrest Wall]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Luke Williams]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808232</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Braves announced that they have selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Luke Williams, with outfielder Forrest Wall optioned in a corresponding move. The club had an open spot on the 40-man roster. Williams, 27, is a versatile player who has bounced around the league in recent years. He was drafted by the Phillies and made…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Braves announced that they have selected the contract of infielder/outfielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=willilu01,willia008luk&search=Luke+Williams&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Luke Williams</a></strong>, with outfielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wallfo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Forrest Wall</a></strong> optioned in a corresponding move. The club had an open spot on the 40-man roster.</p><p>Williams, 27, is a versatile player who has bounced around the league in recent years. He was drafted by the Phillies and made his debut with that club in 2021. But in 2022, he went to the Giants, Marlins and Dodgers via small trades or waiver claims. The Dodgers non-tendered him after that season and re-signed him to a minor league deal. He made their roster during the 2023 campaign but then went to Atlanta via waivers. For a second straight year, he was non-tendered and then re-signed a minor league deal with the club that cut him.</p><p>While collecting all those jerseys, he also found time to play all four infield positions and all three outfield slots. He even threw one inning on the mound for the Dodgers last year. His 263 major league plate appearances have led to a batting line of .225/.281/.295, wRC+ of 60. That’s obviously subpar offense but he’s also stolen 17 bases in 23 tries and provides the aforementioned defensive versatility.</p><p>His offense has naturally been better in the minors. Going back to the start of 2022, he has hit .267/.356/.435 for a wRC+ of 97. That’s still a bit below average but it’s not bad for a guy who can swipe a bag from time to time while also wearing multiple different gloves. The combination is clearly appealing to teams, based on how many of them have acquired him in the past few years.</p><p>Atlanta recently lost <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/albieoz01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ozzie Albies</a></strong> to the injured list due to a broken toe, so their needs on the infield are a little higher than in the outfield. They have <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guilllu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Luis Guillorme</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fletcda02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">David Fletcher</a></strong> on hand to cover second base but Williams can give them some extra cover there, while also potentially moving to the outfield.</p><p>Wall has been with the club all year but has barely played, as he’s been put into two games as a late substitution, only taking one plate appearance. The club has <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/acunaro01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ronald Acuña Jr.</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/harrimi04.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Michael Harris II</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kelenja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jarred Kelenic</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/duvalad01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Adam Duvall</a></strong> taking regular playing time on the grass, with <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ozunama01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Marcell Ozuna</a></strong> as the designated hitter.</p><p>Rather than have Wall sit on the bench, it seems the club will send him to Triple-A for regular playing time down there. Williams can take over as the occasional pinch runner or defensive replacement while also giving the club a bit more infield depth. Williams still has an option so the club can decide to send him back down to the minors later without being exposed to waivers.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>6</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>The Opener: Montgomery, Verlander, Yankees</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/the-opener-montgomery-verlander-yankees.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/the-opener-montgomery-verlander-yankees.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Nick Deeds]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 13:05:46 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[The Opener]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808225</guid> <description><![CDATA[As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend: 1. Montgomery to debut: Left-hander Jordan Montgomery is slated to make the first start of his Diamondbacks career tonight after two starts at the Triple-A level to help the southpaw build…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>As the 2024 regular season continues, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:</p><p><strong>1. Montgomery to debut:</strong></p><p>Left-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=montgjo01,montgo001jor&search=Jordan+Montgomery&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jordan Montgomery</a></strong> is slated to make the first start of his Diamondbacks career tonight after two starts at the Triple-A level to help the southpaw build up after he missed Spring Training while lingering on the free agent market. Montgomery will take the ball opposite fellow late-signing lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellbl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Blake Snell</a></strong> and the Giants in San Francisco, with first pitch scheduled for 7:15pm local time. The lefty is already on the 40-man roster, but Arizona will have to make a corresponding move to clear space for Montgomery on the active roster before tonight’s game.</p><p>The 31-year-old enjoyed an excellent season with the Cardinals and Rangers last year, pitching to a 3.20 ERA in 32 regular season starts before going on to post a 2.90 ERA with Texas in the postseason en route to the first World Series championship in franchise history. Now with the Diamondbacks on a short-term deal, Montgomery will look to avoid the slow starts to the season other late signers such as Snell (12.86 ERA), <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bellico01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cody Bellinger</a></strong> (75 wRC+), and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chapmma01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Matt Chapman</a></strong> (82 wRC+) have suffered so far this season.</p><p><strong>2. Verlander to be activated:</strong></p><p>Future Hall of Famer <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Justin Verlander</a></strong> has been sidelined to this point in the 2024 season amid nagging shoulder fatigue that cost him virtually all of Spring Training. The veteran righty has since made two rehab starts in the minor leagues and built up to 78 pitches, which was enough for the Astros to decide he was ready to make his season debut tonight against the Nationals in D.C. opposite young lefty <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gorema01.shtml">MacKenzie Gore</a></strong>. Verlander, 41, took a bit of a step back last year from the dominant form he had shown since first joining Houston in 2017 but was still a well above average starter, posting a 3.22 ERA (130 ERA+) and 3.86 FIP in 27 starts between the Mets and Astros. The 510th start of Verlander’s illustrious career is expected to begin at 6:45pm local time this evening.</p><p><strong>3. Yankees broadcaster to be honored:</strong></p><p>John Sterling has been the radio voice of the Yankees since first joining the club’s booth in 1989 more than three decades ago, but a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/press-release/press-release-legendary-yankees-radio-voice-john-sterling-to-retire-his-unprecedented-tenure-to-be-recognized-on-saturday-april-20-at-yankee-stadium">press release</a> from the club earlier this week announced that the longtime play-by-play man has retired after calling his final game earlier this month. The 85-year-old called more than 5,000 games for the Yankees in total and saw them make the postseason in 24 of his 36 years as the club’s radio voice, including their World Series championships in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2009. Sterling will be recognized for his lengthy tenure in the Bronx tomorrow, prior to the Yankees 1:05pm local time game against the Rays.</p><p>“I am a very blessed human being,” Sterling said in a statement earlier this week. “I have been able to do what I wanted, broadcasting for 64 years. As a little boy growing up in New York as a Yankees fan, I was able to broadcast the Yankees for 36 years. It’s all to my benefit, and I leave very, very happy. I look forward to seeing everyone again on Saturday.”</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>29</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Max Scherzer Ahead Of Schedule, Could Return In Early May</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/rangers-rumors-max-scherzer-return-early-may.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/rangers-rumors-max-scherzer-return-early-may.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Adams]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 03:53:29 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Newsstand]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Texas Rangers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Max Scherzer]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808214</guid> <description><![CDATA[When Max Scherzer underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back in December, the Rangers announced that he would likely be on the shelf into late June. A few weeks ago, GM Chris Young indicated the team wasn’t going to place Scherzer on the 60-day injured list, however, as his rehab had progressed…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>When <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Max Scherzer</a></strong> underwent surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back in December, the Rangers announced that he would likely be on the shelf into late June. A few weeks ago, GM Chris Young indicated the team wasn’t going to place Scherzer on the 60-day injured list, however, as his rehab had progressed to the point that there was optimism he could return at some point in late May. That timetable has been pushed up even further now, it seems.</p><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.dallasnews.com/sports/rangers/2024/04/15/texas-rangers-sp-max-scherzer-throws-to-live-batters-could-return-sometime-in-may/">Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News wrote</a> this week that Scherzer will throw 40 pitches against live hitters Friday — his second session against live hitters this week. McFarland spoke with Scherzer following his first session, wherein he faced <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/duranez01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ezequiel Duran</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kniznan01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Andrew Knizner</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wendzda01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-19_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Davis Wendzel</a></strong>. The three-time Cy Young winner said he threw all his pitches and “stepped on it” in that first session. In a <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MLBONFOX/status/1781128715717513437">video piece for FOX Sports</a>, Ken Rosenthal reports the Rangers are hoping Scherzer will be ready as soon as early May.</p><p>It’s a fairly remarkable recovery and a welcome bit of good news for a Rangers club that opened the year with Scherzer, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/degroja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jacob deGrom</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mahlety01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tyler Mahle</a></strong> on the injured list — only to lose lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bradfco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cody Bradford</a></strong> to an IL stint of his own after an excellent three-start run to begin his season. Texas called former No. 2 overall pick <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=leiter000jac&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jack Leiter</a></strong> to the big leagues today, but his debut effort didn’t go as hoped; Leiter was tagged for seven runs in just 3 2/3 innings. The Rangers have also seen veteran lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heanean01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Andrew Heaney</a></strong> yield nine runs in a dozen innings with particularly worrying command issues: seven walks and three hit batters.</p><p>The ostensible hope among Rangers brass for much of the offseason was that in-house arms like <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/eovalna01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Nathan Eovaldi</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grayjo02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jon Gray</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dunnida01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Dane Dunning</a></strong> and the aforementioned Bradford could help patch things together until veterans deGrom, Scherzer and Mahle returned. Though lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=montgjo01,montgo001jor&search=Jordan+Montgomery&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jordan Montgomery</a></strong> was hopeful of a return to the Rangers in free agency, ownership never seemed inclined to dole out a contract matching the magnitude of his asking price — either in total length/dollars or on a per-year basis once it became clear he was amenable to shorter-term arrangement. Texas did make a late move to add <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lorenmi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Michael Lorenzen</a></strong> at a bargain $4.5MM price point, and he’s recently joined the rotation after building up in Triple-A.</p><p>For now, the quartet of Eovaldi, Gray, Dunning and Lorenzen seem set in stone. It’s not clear whether Leiter will get another start or was merely called up for a one-off appearance. Regardless of the short-term plans, if Scherzer is indeed able to return in the first week or two of May, that could push both Leiter and Heaney out of the rotation mix, barring injuries elsewhere on the staff.</p><p>Scherzer, 39, is in the final season of a three-year, $130MM contract originally signed with the Mets. He’s owed $43.333MM this season, though the Rangers are only on the hook for $12.5MM of that sum as part of last July’s trade sending him from Queens to Arlington. Though not the clear-cut No. 1 starter he once was, Scherzer wasn’t far off vintage form following that deadline swap. In eight starts with the Rangers, he pitched to a 3.20 ERA with a 29.9% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate. He also missed the final three weeks of the season with a teres major strain, however, and struggled in three postseason starts upon returning (seven runs, 11 hits, five walks, seven strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings).</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>27</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Red Sox Acquire Vladimir Gutierrez</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/brewers-trade-vladimir-gutierrez-red-sox.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/brewers-trade-vladimir-gutierrez-red-sox.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Adams]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 02:14:55 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Boston Red Sox]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Milwaukee Brewers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Trevor Story]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Vladimir Gutierrez]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808216</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Red Sox announced Thursday evening that they’ve acquired right-hander Vladimir Gutierrez from the Brewers in exchange for cash and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester. Milwaukee designated Gutierrez for assignment earlier in the week. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, Boston transferred injured shortstop Trevor Story from the 10-day IL to…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Red Sox announced Thursday evening that they’ve acquired right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gutievl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Vladimir Gutierrez</a></strong> from the Brewers in exchange for cash and optioned him to Triple-A Worcester. Milwaukee designated Gutierrez for assignment earlier in the week. In order to open a spot on the 40-man roster, Boston transferred injured shortstop <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/storytr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Trevor Story</a></strong> from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. Story <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/cora-there-is-concern-with-the-bone-structure-of-trevor-storys-shoulder.html">underwent season-ending shoulder surgery</a> last week. The Sox also announced that lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jacqujo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Joe Jacques</a></strong> was optioned to Worcester following today’s game.</p><p>The 28-year-old Gutierrez originally signed with the Reds on a hefty $4.75MM bonus (plus a 100% tax on that bonus) in 2016 after defecting from his native Cuba. He profiled as one of Cincinnati’s top pitching prospects for a few years before making his MLB debut in 2021. The 6’1″, 205-pound righty pitched 150 2/3 innings for the Reds from 2021-22, turning in a 5.44 ERA with a 17.3% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate that were both worse than league-average.</p><p>Despite those struggles, Gutierrez would likely have received a longer look with the Reds — had he remained healthy. His elbow had other ideas, as a torn ulnar collateral ligament in ’22 led to Tommy John surgery. Gutierrez returned to the mound to toss a handful of minor league innings last September but didn’t get back to the big leagues. He was removed from Cincinnati’s 40-man roster and became a free agent following the season. After a few showcases for big league scouts, he signed a minor league deal with the Marlins.</p><p>It’s been a whirlwind three weeks for Gutierrez, who was selected to the Marlins’ 40-man roster and pitched four innings of long relief to help spare their taxed bullpen. That four-inning appearance meant he’d be unavailable for several days, so the Fish designated him for assignment to clear space for another fresh arm in the ’pen. Miami surely hoped to be able to pass Gutierrez through waivers and keep him as a depth option, but the Brewers scooped him up off waivers on April 5. He was rocked for seven runs in 4 2/3 innings in his lone Triple-A start with Milwaukee, who designated Gutierrez themselves in order to bring fellow righty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=myers-000tob&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tobias Myers</a></strong> up to the MLB roster.</p><p>Now with his third team in a span of three weeks, Gutierrez will hope to get into a groove in Worcester and pitch his way into a big league opportunity. The Red Sox lost <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/giolilu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Lucas Giolito</a></strong> for the season before Opening Day, and they’ve more recently placed <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/whitlga01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Garrett Whitlock</a></strong> (oblique strain) and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pivetni01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Nick Pivetta</a></strong> (flexor strain) on the injured list. That leaves the Sox with a rotation including <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bellobr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brayan Bello</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/crawfku01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kutter Crawford</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/houckta01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tanner Houck</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/criswco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cooper Criswell</a></strong>. Veteran <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/anderch01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Chase Anderson</a></strong> is on hand as a long man in the ’pen and could move into the rotation following Whitlock’s IL placement just yesterday. Gutierrez joins lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/waltebr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brandon Walter</a></strong> and righty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=uwasaw000nao&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Naoyuki Uwasawa</a></strong> as a rotation depth option on the 40-man roster.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>46</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Rangers Sign Shaun Anderson, Collin Wiles To Minor League Deals</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/rangers-sign-shaun-anderson-collin-wiles.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/rangers-sign-shaun-anderson-collin-wiles.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Adams]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 01:57:41 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Texas Rangers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Collin Wiles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Shaun Anderson]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808210</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Rangers have signed righties Shaun Anderson and Collin Wiles to minor league pacts, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Both pitchers have been assigned to Triple-A Round Rock. This will mark the 29-year-old Anderson’s second stint in the Rangers organization. Texas claimed him off waivers from the Twins in 2021, but he lasted…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Rangers have signed righties <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/andersh01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Shaun Anderson</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wilesco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Collin Wiles</a></strong> to minor league pacts, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/rangers/roster/transactions">per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com</a>. Both pitchers have been assigned to Triple-A Round Rock.</p><p>This will mark the 29-year-old Anderson’s second stint in the Rangers organization. Texas claimed him off waivers from the Twins in 2021, but he lasted less than a month in the organization before being designated for assignment and claimed by the Orioles.</p><p>A former third-round pick by the Red Sox, Anderson has pitched in parts of four big league seasons, totaling 135 2/3 frames with an unsightly 5.84 ERA. Fielding-independent marks like FIP and SIERA are only a bit more favorable, at 5.00 and 5.24, respectively. The 6’6″ Anderson doesn’t throw especially hard (career 93 mph average fastball) but has excellent extension and tantalizing spin rates that have at times resulted in plus swinging-strike rates. He hasn’t been consistent enough at inducing whiffs, however, as evidenced by a career 17.1% strikeout rate. He’s walked 9.9% of his opponents in the big leagues.</p><p>Anderson opened the 2023 season with the KBO’s Kia Tigers and pitched reasonably well, tossing 79 innings with a 3.76 ERA, 19% strikeout rate, 7.7% walk rate and 61.7% ground-ball rate. That run preceded a Triple-A look with the Phillies, where he pitched to a 4.85 ERA in 52 innings with diminished strikeout and grounder rates. In a total of 249 Triple-A innings, Anderson has a 3.90 ERA, 20.5% strikeout rate and 7.7% walk rate.</p><p>Wiles, also 29, reached the majors with the A’s in 2022 but has just 9 2/3 innings of big league experience. He allowed five earned runs on 11 hits and two walks with nine punchouts in that brief cup of coffee. This minor league deal marks a return to the organization that originally selected him with the No. 53 overall pick of the 2012 draft. Wiles was in the Rangers’ system from 2012-21 before departing as a minor league free agent and signing with Oakland. He racked up 143 1/3 innings in their Triple-A rotation and made four relief appearances in the majors.</p><p>Wiles doesn’t have standout run-prevention numbers (career 4.57 ERA) or strikeout rates (17%) in parts of 10 minor league seasons. He sports plus command though, as evidenced by a career 5.3% walk rate that’s actually improved as he’s climbed the minor league ladder (4.8% walk rate in both Double-A and Triple-A). Wiles signed the Brewers on a minor league deal in the 2022-23 offseason but wound up requiring shoulder surgery and didn’t pitch in 2023.</p><p>Both right-handers will give the Rangers some bullpen depth at a time when <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burkebr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brock Burke</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sborzjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Josh Sborz</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hernajo02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jonathan Hernandez</a></strong> are all on the injured list.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>5</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Which Hot Or Cold Starts Are For Real?</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/which-hot-or-cold-starts-are-for-real.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/which-hot-or-cold-starts-are-for-real.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 01:19:35 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Baltimore Orioles]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Houston Astros]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kansas City Royals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Miami Marlins]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Milwaukee Brewers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Minnesota Twins]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MLBTR Originals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MLBTR Polls]]></category> <category><![CDATA[New York Mets]]></category> <category><![CDATA[New York Yankees]]></category> <category><![CDATA[San Francisco Giants]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Seattle Mariners]]></category> <category><![CDATA[St. Louis Cardinals]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808168</guid> <description><![CDATA[The 2024 season is just a few weeks old. There’s still a lot of time for narratives to shift and plenty of exciting or deflating changes are surely coming up over the horizon. Nonetheless, the games in April count just as much as the games in September. Some clubs have already banked some valuable wins…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The 2024 season is just a few weeks old. There’s still a lot of time for narratives to shift and plenty of exciting or deflating changes are surely coming up over the horizon. Nonetheless, the games in April count just as much as the games in September. Some clubs have already banked some valuable wins while others have put themselves in a real hole.</p><p>Looking at the FanGraphs Playoff Odds <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds">today</a> and comparing them to where they were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fangraphs.com/standings/playoff-odds?date=2024-03-19&dateDelta=">ahead of the Seoul Series</a>, there are five clubs that have increased their postseason chances by more than 10%. Meanwhile, six clubs have seen their odds drop by more than 10%. Which of those are just small-sample blips and which are signs that the club’s talent level is meaningfully different than expected? Let’s take a glance.</p><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Orioles</span></strong></p><p>The defending champions of the American League East were given just a 51.8% chance of making it back to the postseason, per the FanGraphs odds from before any games had been played. They have started out 12-6 and seen their odds jump to 76.5% today, a difference of 24.7%.</p><p>Baltimore continues to get huge contributions from its young core and role players alike. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hollija01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jackson Holliday</a></strong>’s big league career is out to a slow start, but others have picked up the slack, with <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cowseco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Colton Cowser</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hendegu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Gunnar Henderson</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/westbjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jordan Westburg</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mullice01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cedric Mullins</a></strong> off and running. Even <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ohearry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ryan O’Hearn</a></strong>, who was acquired in a small cash deal from the Royals, continues to thrive. On the pitching side, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burneco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Corbin Burnes</a></strong> has been the expected ace while <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrigr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Grayson Rodriguez</a></strong> continues to cement himself as a quality big league arm. There are some question marks at the back end with <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kremede01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Dean Kremer</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/irvinco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cole Irvin</a></strong> out to wobbly starts, but <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bradiky01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kyle Bradish</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/meansjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">John Means</a></strong> are both on minor league rehab assignments and could rejoin the club soon.</p><p>The 18 games they have played so far have come against the Angels, Royals, Pirates, Red Sox, Brewers and Twins.</p><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Royals</span></strong></p><p>The Royals entered the season with playoff odds of just 13.1% but they have gone 12-7 so far, bumping themselves up to 33.2%, a difference of 20.1%.</p><p>An improved rotation gets a lot of the credit. Between last year’s trade for <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/raganco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cole Ragans</a></strong>, the offseason signings of <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lugose01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Seth Lugo</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wachami01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Michael Wacha</a></strong>, as well as the emergence of <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/marshal01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Alec Marsh</a></strong>, it’s a whole new look alongside <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/singebr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brady Singer</a></strong>. None of those five have an ERA higher than 4.32 so far this year. On the position player side of things, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wittbo02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Bobby Witt Jr.</a></strong> is further proving himself to be a superstar, while <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perezsa02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Salvador Perez</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pasquvi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Vinnie Pasquantino</a></strong> are healthy and productive.</p><p>They have faced the Twins, Orioles, White Sox, Astros and Mets thus far.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Yankees</strong></span></p><p>The Yanks had strong odds to begin with, starting out at 71.2%. A hot start of 13 wins and 6 losses has already bumped those all the way to 85.9%, a jump of 14.7%.</p><p>Health was a big factor for the Yankees last year, with players like <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/judgeaa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Aaron Judge</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rizzoan01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Anthony Rizzo</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lemahdj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DJ LeMahieu</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stantmi03.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Giancarlo Stanton</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cortene01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Nestor Cortes</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodonca01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Carlos Rodón</a></strong> all missing significant time. This year, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/colege01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Gerrit Cole</a></strong> is on the shelf, as is LeMahieu. But new face <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=sotoju01,soto--004jua&search=Juan+Soto&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Juan Soto</a></strong> has been great so far, while Stanton, Cortes and Rodón are back in decent form.</p><p>The injuries or lack thereof will probably remain a focus for the months to come, especially with so many key players in their mid-30s. Last year, the club was 45-36 through the end of June, but mounting injuries led to them going 20-33 through July and August.</p><p>They have started their season by playing the Astros, Diamondbacks, Blue Jays, Marlins and Guardians.</p><p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Brewers</span></strong></p><p>The National League Central is arguably the most up-for-grabs, with the five clubs fairly close in terms of talent. Despite being the reigning division champs, the Brewers were given just a 30.6% chance of making the postseason, below the Cardinals and Cubs. They’ve started out 11-6 and are now at 43.5%, a 12.9% bump.</p><p>There have been quite a few nice performance on the offensive side of things. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/adamewi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Willy Adames</a></strong> had a bit of a down year in 2023 but is off to a good start in this campaign. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/turanbr02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brice Turang</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perkibl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Blake Perkins</a></strong> are also putting up better numbers than last year. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/ortizjo06.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Joey Ortiz</a></strong> has done well since coming over from the Orioles in the Burnes trade. The loss of Burnes and the injury to <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/woodrbr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brandon Woodruff</a></strong> left the club without their co-aces, but <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/peralfr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Freddy Peralta</a></strong> has stepped up with a 2.55 ERA and 39.4% strikeout rate through his first three starts.</p><p>They have faced off against the Mets, Twins, Mariners, Reds, Orioles and Padres so far.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mets</strong></span></p><p>After a disastrous 2023 season and a relatively quiet winter, the Mets opened this year with their odds at 27.6%. A 10-8 start has already bumped them to 38.7%, an 11.1% difference.</p><p>They have been especially strong of late, as they started out 0-5 but have gone 10-3 over their last 13 contests. The bounceback plays on <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/severlu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Luis Severino</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/manaese01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Sean Manaea</a></strong> seem to be going well so far. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=diazed04,diaz--005edw&search=Edwin+Díaz&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Edwin Díaz</a></strong> is healthy again and already has four saves. On the position player side, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/batybr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brett Baty</a></strong> seems to be taking a step forward. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stewadj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DJ Stewart</a></strong> is carrying over last year’s hot finish, and the <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/tayloty01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tyrone Taylor</a></strong> pickup looks like a nice move.</p><p>They have lined up against the Brewers, Tigers, Reds, Braves, Royals and Pirates.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Giants</strong></span></p><p>The Giants added plenty of talent this winter and opened the season with playoff odds of 44.6%. But an 8-11 start has already dropped them to 34%, a difference of 10.6%.</p><p>Stretching out <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hicksjo03.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jordan Hicks</a></strong> is going great so far, but <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/snellbl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Blake Snell</a></strong> showed a lot of rust in his first two starts after signing late in the offseason. On offense, acquisitions like <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leeju01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jung Hoo Lee</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/chapmma01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Matt Chapman</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/ahmedni01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Nick Ahmed</a></strong> have produced subpar offense, and the same goes for incumbents like <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/yastrmi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mike Yastrzemski</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=florewi01,flores005wil&search=Wilmer+Flores&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Wilmer Flores</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/estrath01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Thairo Estrada</a></strong>.</p><p>They have squared off against the Padres, Dodgers, Nationals, Rays and Marlins thus far.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Cardinals</strong></span></p><p>Despite a dreadful 2023 campaign, expectations were high for the Cards coming into this year after they remade their rotation. But a middling start of 9-10 has dropped their playoff odds from 50.1% to 38.7%, a difference of 11.4%.</p><p>Injuries have been playing a notable role in the early going for the Cards, with <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grayso01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Sonny Gray</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nootbla01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Lars Nootbaar</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/edmanto01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tommy Edman</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carlsdy01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Dylan Carlson</a></strong> and others missing time. The <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lynnla01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Lance Lynn</a></strong> signing looks good so far, as he has a 2.18 ERA through four starts, but <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=gibsoky01,gibson004kyl&search=Kyle+Gibson&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kyle Gibson</a></strong> is at 6.16. Both the veteran <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/goldspa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Paul Goldschmidt</a></strong> and the youngster <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/walkejo02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jordan Walker</a></strong> are out to terrible starts at the plate. The Cardinals’ long list of injuries opened up playing time for guys like <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burleal01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Alec Burleson</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scottvi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Victor Scott II</a></strong>, who have each struggled immensely.</p><p>They have faced the Dodgers, Padres, Marlins, Phillies, Diamondbacks and Athletics to this point.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Mariners</strong></span></p><p>The Mariners just missed the playoffs last year but still opened this season with a 60.8% chance of getting back there. A tepid start of 9-10 has seen those odds slide to 49.1%, a difference of 11.7%. Things were even more dire before they swept the Reds this week, as they were 6-10 prior to that.</p><p>The rotation has surprisingly been a problem thus far. An injury to <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/woobr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Bryan Woo</a></strong> bumped <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hancoem01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Emerson Hancock</a></strong> into the rotation, but Hancock has an ERA of 7.98 through three starts. Each of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/castilu02.shtml"><strong>Luis Castillo</strong></a> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kirbyge01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">George Kirby</a></strong> also have poor results, though those may be based on luck. Both have a high BABIP and low strand rate, so both have a FIP just above 3.00, about three runs lower than their ERA.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=rodriju01,rodrig014jul,rodrig010jul,rodrig015jul&search=Julio+Rodríguez&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Julio Rodríguez</a></strong> is the biggest disappointment on the position player side. He is striking out at a 34.6% clip and walking just 5.1% of the time while still looking for his first home of the year, leading to a line of .219/.269/.260. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/raleylu01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Luke Raley</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garvemi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mitch Garver</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/crawfjp01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">J.P. Crawford</a></strong> have also looked lost at the plate, with none of that trio posting a wRC+ higher than 75 so far.</p><p>The M’s have played the Red Sox, Guardians, Brewers, Blue Jays, Cubs and Reds.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Marlins</strong></span></p><p>The Fish swam into the playoffs last year, their first postseason berth in a full season in 20 years. They followed that with an offseason mostly focused on overhauling their front office and player development system. A disastrous 4-15 start has already dropped this year’s playoff odds from 27.9% to 2.3%, a difference of 25.6%.</p><p>Injuries have been a huge factor, as the club’s former starting pitching surplus quickly became a deficit. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/alcansa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Sandy Alcántara</a></strong> required Tommy John surgery last year, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perezeu02.shtml"><strong>Eury Pérez</strong></a> followed him down that path this year. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cabreed02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Edward Cabrera</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garrebr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Braxton Garrett</a></strong> also missed some time due to shoulder troubles. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pukaj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">A.J. Puk</a></strong>’s attempted move from the bullpen to the rotation is not going well so far, and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/luzarje01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jesús Luzardo</a></strong> is struggling badly. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=meyerma01,meyer-001max&search=Max+Meyer&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Max Meyer</a></strong> was doing well but he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/marlins-option-max-meyer.html">was optioned to the minors</a> to monitor his workload after he missed all of last year recovering from his own Tommy John procedure. The offense has been pretty bad across the board, as not a single member of the team has a wRC+ of 105 or higher. <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burgeja01.shtml">Jake Burger</a></strong> hit the injured list earlier this week, removing one of their top power bats from that already weak group.</p><p>They faced the Pirates, Angels, Cardinals, Yankees, Braves and Giants to start the year and have yet to win back-to-back games.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Astros</strong></span></p><p>The Astros have been a powerhouse for years and opened this season with an 86.2% chance of returning to the postseason. But they have stumbled out of the gates this year with a record of 6-14, dropping their odds to 59.7%, a 26.5% drop.</p><p>Like some of the other clubs mentioned above, health has been a big factor here. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcculla02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Lance McCullers Jr.</a></strong> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/garcilu05.shtml"><strong>Luis Garcia</strong></a> each underwent elbow surgery last year and are still rehabbing. So far this year, the Astros have lost <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/verlaju01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Justin Verlander</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/u/urquijo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">José Urquidy</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/valdefr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Framber Valdez</a></strong> to the IL, giving them a full rotation on the shelf. (Verlander <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/astros-activate-justin-verlander-injured-list-friday.html">will return tomorrow</a>.)</p><p>With those prominent arms not around, others haven’t really picked up the slack. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=brownhu01,brown-008hun,brown-006hun&search=Hunter+Brown&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Hunter Brown</a></strong> has an ERA of 10.54 through four starts while <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/francjp01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">J.P. France</a></strong> is at 7.08. Prospect <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arrigsp01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Spencer Arrighetti</a></strong> was called up to fill in but has been tagged for nine runs over seven innings in his two outings. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/haderjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Josh Hader</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pressry01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ryan Pressly</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abreubr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Bryan Abreu</a></strong> have surprisingly been bad out of the bullpen, with each having an ERA of 6.00 or higher. On offense, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/abreujo02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">José Abreu</a></strong> has been awful, hitting .078/.158/.098. That performance got him bumped down in the lineup, and he’s been ceding playing time to <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=singljo02,single002jon&search=Jon+Singleton&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jon Singleton</a></strong> lately.</p><p>The Astros began the year playing the Yankees, Blue Jays, Rangers, Royals and Braves.</p><p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Twins</strong></span></p><p>The Twins are the reigning champs in the American League Central but made some budget cuts this winter. Their 6-11 start has moved their playoff odds from 66% to 38.6%, a shift of 27.4%.</p><p>Once again, injuries are a big part of the story here. Oft-injured <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lewisro02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Royce Lewis</a></strong> went down with a quad strain on Opening Day, and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/correca01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Carlos Correa</a></strong> followed him later, subtracting the club’s left side of the infield. The only guys with at least 30 plate appearances and a wRC+ above 100 are <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jeffery01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ryan Jeffers</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/kirilal01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Alex Kirilloff</a></strong> and the currently-injured Correa. Multiple injured relievers, most notably <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/duranjh01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jhoan Durán</a></strong>, have left the bullpen shorthanded.</p><p>In the rotation, the club lost Sonny Gray, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/maedake01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kenta Maeda</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mahlety01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tyler Mahle</a></strong> from last year’s club, but their main attempt at replacing those guys was to acquire <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/desclan01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Anthony DeSclafani</a> </strong>on the heels of a pair of injury-wrecked seasons. He required flexor tendon surgery and will miss the rest of the year. The incumbents haven’t been much help. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/paddach01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Chris Paddack</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/varlalo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Louie Varland</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oberba01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Bailey Ober</a></strong> each have an ERA above 6.50, though Ober has rebounded after being shelled for eight runs in just 1 1/3 innings in his season debut.</p><p>___________________________________</p><p>Some of these are probably just flukes, and the results will even out over the rest of the season, but some of these clubs might be showing us who they really are. Which ones do you believe in? Have your say in the polls below, the first one for the hot starts and the second one for the cold starts. (Note: you can select multiple options in each poll.)</p><a name="pd_a_13644629"></a><div class="PDS_Poll" id="PDI_container13644629" data-settings="{"url":"\/\/static.polldaddy.com\/p\/13644629.js"}" style="display:inline-block;"></div><div id="PD_superContainer"></div><noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/13644629">Take Our Poll</a></noscript><script type='text/javascript'>(function(d,c,j){if(!d.getElementById(j)){var pd=d.createElement(c),s;pd.id=j;pd.src='https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/wp-content/plugins/polldaddy/js/polldaddy-shortcode.js?ver=2';s=d.getElementsByTagName(c)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(pd,s);} else if(typeof jQuery !=='undefined')jQuery(d.body).trigger('pd-script-load');}(document,'script','pd-polldaddy-loader'));</script><a name="pd_a_13644634"></a><div class="PDS_Poll" id="PDI_container13644634" data-settings="{"url":"\/\/static.polldaddy.com\/p\/13644634.js"}" style="display:inline-block;"></div><div id="PD_superContainer"></div><noscript><a href="http://polldaddy.com/poll/13644634">Take Our Poll</a></noscript><script type='text/javascript'>(function(d,c,j){if(!d.getElementById(j)){var pd=d.createElement(c),s;pd.id=j;pd.src='https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/wp-content/plugins/polldaddy/js/polldaddy-shortcode.js?ver=2';s=d.getElementsByTagName(c)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(pd,s);} else if(typeof jQuery !=='undefined')jQuery(d.body).trigger('pd-script-load');}(document,'script','pd-polldaddy-loader'));</script>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>95</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Kyle Hendricks’ Tough Start</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/kyle-hendricks-tough-start.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/kyle-hendricks-tough-start.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Franco]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:15:37 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Chicago Cubs]]></category> <category><![CDATA[MLBTR Originals]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kyle Hendricks]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808149</guid> <description><![CDATA[Few players have had a more difficult start to 2024 than Kyle Hendricks. The Cubs righty has been rocked for 24 runs over his first 17 innings. He has surrendered an MLB-high seven home runs. Hendricks has allowed more than a run per inning in each of his first four appearances, only completing five innings once.…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Few players have had a more difficult start to 2024 than <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hendrky01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kyle Hendricks</a></strong>. The Cubs righty has been rocked for 24 runs over his first 17 innings. He has surrendered an MLB-high seven home runs. Hendricks has allowed more than a run per inning in each of his first four appearances, only completing five innings once.</p><p>That’s a far cry from his resurgent showing last season. After consecutive seasons with an ERA near 5.00 in 2021-22, the veteran sinkerballer rebounded with a strong 3.74 mark. Aside from a six-week stint on the injured list, Hendricks had a strong year. It was a fairly easy call for the Cubs to exercise a $16.5MM team option for 2024. While it didn’t always seem as if things were trending in that direction, Hendricks’ platform showing was impressive enough that the option was a straightforward decision by the time it was up for consideration.</p><p>There’s still plenty of time for him to turn things around, but this clearly isn’t the opening the former ERA champ and the Cubs were expecting. Hendricks’ starts have come against the Rangers, Dodgers, Padres and Diamondbacks. They’re all above-average to excellent offensive teams, so it isn’t as if the Cubs have faced an easy set of opponents. Still, this is the worst four-start stretch of Hendricks’ 11-year MLB career in terms of run prevention. He has typically been a slow starter — his career ERA in March/April is more than a run and a half higher than in any other month — but this is an especially rough few weeks.</p><p><img class="alignright wp-image-808156" src="https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/USATSI_22993881-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="275" height="183" srcset="https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/USATSI_22993881-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/USATSI_22993881-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/USATSI_22993881-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/USATSI_22993881-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/USATSI_22993881-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/USATSI_22993881-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px" /></p><p>It’s difficult to know how much emphasis to place on any player’s first couple weeks of the season, especially ones at an extreme. The Cubs surely don’t want to overrate what amounts to a 17-inning sample. Hendricks is a particularly tough pitcher to evaluate because he’s an anomaly in the modern game. He had an excellent seven-year run to start his career behind top-of-the-scale command and an elite changeup to overcome well below-average velocity. Over the past three-plus years, his results have been less consistent.</p><p>The velocity and movement profile on Hendricks’ pitches this year isn’t much different than where it was in 2023. His changeup isn’t missing quite as many bats, but his game has never been built on swing-and-miss totals. The far bigger issue has been the damage Hendricks is allowing on contact. Beyond the homers, opponents are hitting almost .400 on balls in play — nearly .100 points higher than the league average.</p><p>Both the home runs and BABIP will come down to some extent. Hendricks certainly isn’t going to continue running an ERA above 12.00. Yet it also seems that last year’s sub-4.00 mark was probably anomalous. Hendricks surrendered just 0.85 home runs per nine last season but was in the 1.6 HR/9 range in both 2021 and ’22. Maintaining last year’s success keeping the ball in the yard was always going to be a tough task. Even if his home run rate settles back into the 2021-22 range, Hendricks would project for an ERA approaching 5.00.</p><p>That could eventually force the coaching staff to consider moving him out of the rotation. They’re not at that point yet. The Cubs list Hendricks as their probable starter for Sunday’s series finale with the Marlins. That’ll be by far the weakest lineup against which he’s gotten the ball this year. Manager Craig Counsell indicated yesterday the Cubs weren’t considering skipping that start.</p><p>“<em>I think frankly, all of our pitching stuff is we’ve got to get through every day</em>,” Counsell told reporters (<a target="_blank" href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/04/17/chicago-cubs-hayden-wesneski-colten-brewer/">link via Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune</a>). “<em>And then we’re in a tough enough spot, right? We’ve just got to get through the day and then reevaluate it and make an assessment going forward. We’re going to need Kyle’s innings in his next start.</em>”</p><p>That could lead the Cubs to proceed with a six-man rotation for the time being. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/taillja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jameson Taillon</a></strong> has been reinstated from his season-opening injured list stint and will take the ball Friday. He slots back into a starting staff that also includes <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/i/imanash01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Shota Imanaga</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wicksjo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jordan Wicks</a></strong>. If the Cubs wanted to go back to a five-man rotation, swingman <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/assadja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Javier Assad</a></strong> and rookie <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=brownbe02,brown-015ben&search=Ben+Brown&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ben Brown</a></strong> would be the straightforward candidates for a move to the bullpen or (in Brown’s case) back to Triple-A Iowa. Yet they’ve each pitched well in the early going. Assad has allowed only four runs through 16 2/3 innings. Brown has allowed eight runs — six of them in a rocky first start — over his first 16 1/3 frames with a solid 23.4% strikeout rate.</p><p>The Cubs have been without ace <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/steelju01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Justin Steele</a></strong> since he left his Opening Day start with a hamstring strain. He’s coming off a recent 25-pitch bullpen session but won’t be back in an MLB game until sometime next month. That could buy the coaching staff time to stick with a six-man rotation or temporarily bump Brown out of the mix. If everyone else is healthy by the time Steele comes back, they might face a tougher decision on whether to continue giving Hendricks the ball every fifth day.</p><p>Chicago is midway through a stretch of 10 consecutive game days. They’re off next Monday, their only reprieve before they play 19 in a row through May 8. After his start against Miami, Hendricks would be in line for matchups against the Red Sox and Brewers if the Cubs stay on a six-man trajectory.</p><p><em>Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.</em></p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>37</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Red Sox To Select Cam Booser</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/red-sox-to-select-cam-booser.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/red-sox-to-select-cam-booser.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 22:35:44 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Boston Red Sox]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Cam Booser]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Joe Jacques]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808199</guid> <description><![CDATA[Left-hander Cam Booser is joining the Red Sox in Pittsburgh tomorrow, per Ian Browne of MLB.com. The lefty will be added to the club’s 40-man roster, per Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster, who adds that lefty Joe Jacques will be optioned to open a spot on the active roster. The Sox will also need…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Left-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=booser000cam&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cam Booser</a></strong> is joining the Red Sox in Pittsburgh tomorrow, per <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/IanMBrowne/status/1781073540839567476">Ian Browne of MLB.com</a>. The lefty will be added to the club’s 40-man roster, per <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/ByAndrewParker/status/1781074530821083159">Andrew Parker of Beyond the Monster</a>, who adds that lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jacqujo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Joe Jacques</a></strong> will be optioned to open a spot on the active roster. The Sox will also need to open a 40-man roster spot but could do so easily by transferring <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/storytr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Trevor Story</a></strong> to the 60-day injured list, since he will miss the rest of the year due to shoulder surgery.</p><p>Booser will crack a major league roster for the first time at an usually old age, as his 32nd birthday is just a few weeks away. It’s a testament to his determination that he will make it to the show after all these years, as he made his minor league debut over a decade ago, playing Rookie ball in the Twins’ system in 2013. After a few years in the minors, he topped out at High-A in 2017, not pitching in any official capacity for the next few years.</p><p>He resurfaced with the Chicago Dogs, an indy ball team, in 2021. He tossed 23 1/3 innings with a 1.93 earned run average for the Dogs that year and showed enough promise to get a minor league deal with the Diamondbacks for 2022. He tossed 25 innings in Double-A but struggled with a 6.48 ERA and got released. He then joined the Lancaster Barnstormers, another indy ball club, and tossed 11 2/3 innings with a 4.63 ERA.</p><p>He was able to secure himself a minor league contract with the Red Sox for 2023 and made 48 Triple-A appearances last year. He had a 4.99 ERA in his 57 2/3 innings, striking out 26.7% of batters faced while walking 9.7%. He received an invite to major league camp in 2024 and seemed to impress manager <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/coraal01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Álex Cora</a></strong>, as the skipper <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/03/red-sox-notes-grissom-winckowski-rotation-booser.html">mentioned him</a> to reporters last month, highlighting his high-90s fastball and ability to throw offspeed pitches in the zone.</p><p>It was around that same time during Spring Training that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/cam-booser-s-journey-back-to-baseball-with-red-sox">Ian Browne of MLB.com</a> profiled the lefty. Booser apparently retired at the end of the 2017 season following several injuries, a marijuana suspension and “self-admitted attitude problems.” He then turned his attention to a carpentry career but stumbled back onto the mound by doing lessons with kids and rediscovering his past form.</p><p>“After the kiddos would leave, I would stay in the dark and throw into a net by myself for a couple of months. And through that process, I found out that my arm felt better than it ever had with that time off. One day, I got on the mound and my fastball was pretty good, 97-98 [mph]. So we figured, ‘Let’s give it a shot.’ I met with a trainer back home the next day and went out there to [independent] ball in 2021, and it’s been a great journey ever since.”</p><p>Booser didn’t break camp with the Sox but reported to Triple-A and has thrown 6 2/3 innings over four appearances this year, allowing two earned runs while striking out 15 opponents against just one walk. Though he obviously didn’t take the traditional path, Booser has found his way to the big leagues in amazingly unique fashion. The Sox have <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bernabr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brennan Bernardino</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrijo06.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Joely Rodríguez</a></strong> in their bullpen but Booser will give them a third southpaw option.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>43</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Yankees Claim Taylor Trammell, Designate Kevin Smith</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/yankees-claim-taylor-trammell-designate-kevin-smith.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/yankees-claim-taylor-trammell-designate-kevin-smith.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 20:05:54 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Los Angeles Dodgers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[New York Yankees]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kevin Smith]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Taylor Trammell]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808194</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Yankees announced that they have claimed outfielder Taylor Trammell off waivers from the Dodgers, the latter club having designated him for assignment earlier this week. To open a roster spot for Trammell, the Yankees designated infielder Kevin Smith for assignment. Trammell, 26, was only with the Dodgers for a couple of weeks. They claimed…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Yankees announced that they have claimed outfielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/trammta01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Taylor Trammell</a></strong> off waivers from the Dodgers, the latter club having designated him for assignment earlier this week. To open a roster spot for Trammell, the Yankees designated infielder <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/smithke05.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kevin Smith</a></strong> for assignment.</p><p>Trammell, 26, was only with the Dodgers for a couple of weeks. They claimed him off waivers from the Mariners in early April and he only got six hitless plate appearances, striking out three times, before getting bumped off the roster and put right back on waivers.</p><p>The Yankees are likely interested based on Trammell’s past status as one of the top prospects in the game. Selected 35th overall by the Reds in 2016, he was on Baseball America’s top 100 lists in three straight years starting in 2018.</p><p>But his results started to dip as he began to be passed around the league a bit. He was flipped to the Padres in the 2019 <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2019/07/reds-to-acquire-trevor-bauer-in-3-team-deal.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal</a> that sent <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bauertr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-15_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Trevor Bauer</a></strong> to the Reds and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/puigya01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-15_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Yasiel Puig</a></strong> to Cleveland, then was traded again, going to the Mariners in the 2020 <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/08/padres-discussing-austin-nola-trade-with-mariners.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">deal</a> that also sent <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/francty01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-15_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ty France</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/munozan01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2023-02-15_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Andrés Muñoz</a></strong> to Seattle.</p><p>The Mariners gave him sporadic playing time in the majors over the past few years but he didn’t live up to his previous prospect hype. He currently has a line of .165/.266/.361 in 357 plate appearances, having struck out in 37.3% of those. His 10.9% walk rate is strong but the overall output has obviously not been good. He is now out of options, which is why the Mariners and Dodgers have each had to designate him for assignment in recent weeks.</p><p>Reasons for optimism can be found on Trammell’s Triple-A performance. Dating back to the start of 2021, he has 812 plate appearances at the top minor league level. He struck out in 24% of those but also drew walks at a 14% rate and hit 38 home runs. That’s to be taken with a grain of salt since those homers were all in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but his .274/.381/.506 batting line nonetheless translated to a 116 wRC+, indicating he was 16% above league average. He also stole 33 bases in 40 tries in that time.</p><p>The Yanks will give Trammell a roster spot to see if he can finally have his long-awaited breakout in pinstripes. While that’s a sensible decision in a vacuum, it seems less than ideal in terms of roster construction.</p><p>The Yankees already have a pretty loaded group in terms of outfielders, with <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/judgeaa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Aaron Judge</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=sotoju01,soto--004jua&search=Juan+Soto&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Juan Soto</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=verdual01,verdug001ale&search=Alex+Verdugo&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Alex Verdugo</a></strong> getting the regular playing time. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/stantmi03.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Giancarlo Stanton</a></strong> is in the designated hitter slot most days while <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grishtr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Trent Grisham</a></strong> is on hand as a glove-first backup.</p><p>Smith was added to the roster on the weekend with the club’s infield injuries mounting. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/perazos02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Oswald Peraza</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lemahdj01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">DJ LeMahieu</a></strong> both started the season on the injured list, which prompted the Yanks to trade for <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bertijo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jon Berti</a></strong>. But then Berti himself landed on the IL a few days ago, which is what led the club to select Smith’s contract.</p><p>Swapping in Trammell for Smith will seemingly give the club a surplus of outfielders but leave them a bit shorthanded on the dirt. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cabreos01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Oswaldo Cabrera</a></strong> has taken over as the regular third baseman amid all those injuries, taking a spot next to <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/volpean01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Anthony Volpe</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/torregl01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Gleyber Torres</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rizzoan01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Anthony Rizzo</a></strong>. The Yankees have <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/jonesja08.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jahmai Jones</a></strong> on hand as a depth infielder but he’s been given just one plate appearance so far this year and only has major league experience at second base and in left field.</p><p>LeMahieu is starting a rehab assignment this week but a bench of catcher <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/t/trevijo01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jose Trevino</a></strong>, Jones, Grisham and Trammell will leave the club a bit thin on the infield until LeMahieu is ready to rejoin the big league club. Someone will have to lose their roster spot when LeMahieu gets back and time will tell who that is. If Trammell hangs onto his spot, he can be retained well into the future. He has less than two years of service time, meaning he has four years of club control beyond the current campaign.</p><p>As for Smith, the Yankees will now have a week to trade him or pass him through waivers. He got into one game as a pinch runner during his time on the roster but didn’t get sent to the plate. He has hit .173/.215/.301 in his 333 career plate appearances at the major league level.</p><p>He seemed to have a Triple-A breakout in 2021 when he hit .285/.370/.561 for the top minor league affiliate of the Blue Jays. But since then, his Triple-A performance has been an average-ish .280/.340/.497, which translates to a 101 wRC+. He also struck out in 29.9% of his plate appearances in that time. Like Trammell, he’s out of options but comes with years of potential club control. If he were to pass through waivers unclaimed, he would stick with the Yankees as depth but without occupying a roster spot.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>54</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Guardians Notes: McKenzie, Lively, Curry, Martinez</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/guardians-notes-mckenzie-lively-curry-martinez.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/guardians-notes-mckenzie-lively-curry-martinez.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Franco]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:46:50 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Cleveland Guardians]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Notes]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Angel Martinez]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ben Lively]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Triston McKenzie]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Xzavion Curry]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808184</guid> <description><![CDATA[Triston McKenzie has had a rough start to the season, allowing 11 runs over his first 13 innings. The lanky righty has issued 12 walks with just five strikeouts. His swinging strike rate has plummeted to 5.6% while his velocity has backed up. McKenzie’s average fastball has sat at 90.9 MPH, down from its standard…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mckentr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Triston McKenzie</a></strong> has had a rough start to the season, allowing 11 runs over his first 13 innings. The lanky righty has issued 12 walks with just five strikeouts. His swinging strike rate has plummeted to 5.6% while his velocity has backed up. McKenzie’s average fastball has sat at 90.9 MPH, down from its standard 92-93 range.</p><p>McKenzie entered the season hoping for a rebound after his 2023 campaign was mostly lost to injury. He began last year on the shelf with a teres major strain in his throwing shoulder. He returned in June, made two starts, and then was shut back down after spraining the UCL in his throwing elbow. That initially led to concern that he might go under the knife, but he opted for non-surgical rehab. McKenzie made it back for a pair of appearances in the final week of the season.</p><p>While he was able to get back to the mound, McKenzie clearly hasn’t been operating at peak form. The 26-year-old candidly admitted to <a target="_blank" href="https://theathletic.com/5421467/2024/04/18/triston-mckenzie-tommy-john-surgery-decision/?source=emp_shared_article">Zack Meisel and Jason Lloyd of the Athletic</a> that he’s still unsure whether his decision not to undergo surgery was the correct one. McKenzie told The Athletic that he’s <span style="text-decoration: underline;">not</span> pitching through pain but conceded the possibility of a serious injury is “always in the back of (his) head.” While he said that hasn’t changed his approach or effort level on the mound, he clearly hasn’t found his best stuff.</p><p>Meisel’s and Lloyd’s piece is worth a full perusal, as they also speak with former Cleveland reliever <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/shawbr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Bryan Shaw</a></strong> and Guards starter <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/biebesh01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Shane Bieber</a></strong> about the health and contractual considerations a player weighs when deciding whether to undergo surgery. Bieber, of course, opted for non-surgical rehab for elbow inflammation last season. After two excellent starts this year, he required Tommy John surgery — a brutal development six months before his first trip to free agency. McKenzie has three seasons of remaining arbitration control and won’t get to the open market until the 2026-27 offseason.</p><p>Bieber’s absence makes it all the more significant that McKenzie is able to get back on track in short order. The Guardians have also been without <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=williga01,willia002gav&search=Gavin+Williams&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Gavin Williams</a></strong> thus far after the second-year righty experienced elbow discomfort of his own this spring. McKenzie has been joined <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/allenlo02.shtml"><strong>Logan Allen</strong></a>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bibeeta01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tanner Bibee</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carraca01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Carlos Carrasco</a></strong> in the rotation. Of that quartet, only Carrasco has an ERA below 4.82 so far.</p><p>The Guardians have nevertheless gotten out to a great start behind an excellent bullpen and a surprisingly potent offense. They enter today’s series finale against the Red Sox with a 12-6 record. Still, the rotation will feel tenuous — at least until Williams’ return — if McKenzie’s struggles continue.</p><p>In the short term, it seems journeyman righty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/livelbe01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Ben Lively</a></strong> will hold down the #5 spot. He somewhat surprisingly landed a major league contract from Cleveland after being waived by the Reds last winter. Lively started the season on the IL after being delayed by an illness, but he was activated for his team debut last night. The 32-year-old worked five innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts in a loss to Boston.</p><p>Lively is out of options, so the Guardians need to keep him on the big league club or put him on waivers. That perhaps gave him the edge over <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/curryxz01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Xzavion Curry</a></strong>, who was optioned back to Triple-A Columbus as the corresponding move for Lively’s reinstatement. Curry had returned from his own virus-related IL stint to make his season debut on Monday. He worked five scoreless frames with a trio of strikeouts and could be the top depth option if anyone from the current rotation suffers an injury.</p><p>In other Guardians news, the team placed infield prospect <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=martin012ang&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Angel Martínez</a></strong> on the 60-day injured list yesterday. According to the MLB.com <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/guardians/news/guardians-injuries-and-roster-moves">injury tracker</a>, Martínez is undergoing surgery to repair a hamate fracture in his wrist. The 22-year-old has yet to make his MLB debut. He split last season between the top two levels of the minors, hitting .251/.321/.392 with 14 homers.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>19</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Brewers Outright Kevin Herget</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/brewers-outright-kevin-herget.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/brewers-outright-kevin-herget.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Darragh McDonald]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 18:07:02 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Milwaukee Brewers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Kevin Herget]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808187</guid> <description><![CDATA[Right-hander Kevin Herget has cleared waivers and been outrighted by the Brewers to Triple-A Nashville, per Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Brewers had designated the righty for assignment on the weekend. Herget, 33, signed a minor league deal with the Brewers in the offseason. He had his contract selected April 9 and…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Right-hander <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hergeke01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Kevin Herget</a></strong> has cleared waivers and been outrighted by the Brewers to Triple-A Nashville, per <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/Todd_Rosiak/status/1781017442732437523">Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel</a>. The Brewers had designated the righty for assignment on the weekend.</p><p>Herget, 33, signed a minor league deal with the Brewers in the offseason. He had his contract selected April 9 and was bounced off the roster five days later without making an appearance. Prior to joining the big league club, he made four scoreless appearances in Triple-A, striking out five batters while only issuing one walk. He also had two scoreless appearances in Spring Training.</p><p>Though he didn’t get into a big league game with the Brewers, he has 31 1/3 innings of major league experience with the Rays and Reds. He has a 5.74 earned run average in that time, striking out just 12.6% of batters faced but limiting walks to a tiny rate of 4.4%. His work in the minors has naturally been more intriguing. Dating back to the start of 2021, he has tossed 230 2/3 Triple-A innings with a 3.86 ERA, 24.1% strikeout rate and 6.2% walk rate.</p><p>Herget has been outrighted before in his career, which gives him the right to reject this outright assignment and elect free agency. It’s not yet clear whether he’s chosen to report to Nashville or head back out to the open market.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>5</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Red Sox Place Tyler O’Neill On Injured List</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/red-sox-place-tyler-oneill-on-injured-list.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/red-sox-place-tyler-oneill-on-injured-list.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Franco]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:54:20 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Boston Red Sox]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Rafael Devers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tyler O'Neill]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Vaughn Grissom]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808175</guid> <description><![CDATA[The Red Sox announced they’ve placed Tyler O’Neill on the seven-day concussion injured list, retroactive to April 16. Rob Refsnyder was reinstated from the IL to take the active roster spot. O’Neill suffered the injury on Monday when he collided with Rafael Devers while tracking a shallow fly ball. O’Neill’s forehead hit the back of Devers’ head. Devers…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Red Sox announced they’ve placed <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=oneilty01,oneill001tyl&search=Tyler+O'Neill&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tyler O’Neill</a></strong> on the seven-day concussion injured list, retroactive to April 16. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/refsnro01.shtml"><strong>Rob Refsnyder</strong></a> was reinstated from the IL to take the active roster spot.</p><p>O’Neill suffered the injury on Monday when he <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlb.com/news/rafael-devers-tyler-o-neill-collision">collided</a> with <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/deverra01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Rafael Devers</a> </strong>while tracking a shallow fly ball. O’Neill’s forehead hit the back of Devers’ head. Devers stayed in the game but O’Neill came out. While he initially cleared concussion protocol, he hasn’t played in either of the last two games. He’s evidently still not ready to return and will be out for at least another five days. MassLive’s Christopher Smith <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/SmittyOnMLB/status/1781003641685463226">tweets</a> that O’Neill was diagnosed with a mild concussion.</p><p>Acquired in something of a buy-low offseason trade, O’Neill has been off to a scorching start to his Red Sox tenure. He’s hitting .313/.459/.750 and is third in the majors with seven homers. O’Neill showed impact ability intermittently throughout his time with the Cardinals, but he’d produced at a roughly league average level from 2022-23. He’ll be a free agent for the first time at the end of this season.</p><p>In other injury news, manager Alex Cora said the Sox are sending Devers for an MRI on his left knee (relayed by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.masslive.com/redsox/2024/04/seeking-peace-of-mind-rafael-devers-to-undergo-mri-on-ailing-left-knee.html">Sean McAdam of MassLive</a>). The two-time All-Star has played through some discomfort in the joint in recent days, although there’s nothing to suggest it’s related to Monday’s collision. He was the designated hitter yesterday but is out of the lineup for this afternoon’s contest with the Guardians.</p><p>It seems the current round of imaging is mostly precautionary. The Sox surely want to rule out any possibility that Devers is playing through some kind of structural issue that would necessitate a shutdown. He’s still day-to-day pending the MRI results.</p><p>Devers has gotten off to a slow start. He’s hitting only .188 through his first 13 games. A massive 15.5% walk rate has kept his on-base percentage at a respectable clip, but Devers clearly hasn’t found his typical form. His hard contact percentage has been well below his normal level. It’s likely that playing through discomfort — he also battled shoulder soreness around Opening Day — has contributed to the slump. Assuming there’s nothing significantly wrong with his knee, Devers shouldn’t have much issue recapturing his groove offensively.</p><p>There’s nevertheless added uncertainty to an already shaky Boston infield. Devers and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/casastr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Triston Casas</a></strong> flank a much less imposing middle infield group. Injuries to <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grissva01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Vaughn Grissom</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/storytr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Trevor Story</a></strong> have pushed the likes of <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/valdeen01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Enmanuel Valdez</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reyespa01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Pablo Reyes</a></strong> and <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=hamilda03,hamilt006dav&search=David+Hamilton&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">David Hamilton</a></strong> into meaningful roles. Story is out for the season, so shortstop will remain a question all year unless the Sox go outside the organization.</p><p>Grissom, who started the year on the shelf with a hamstring strain, will take over second base within two weeks. He began a minor league rehab assignment last Friday, opening a 20-day window for his activation to the MLB roster. Cora said this morning that the Sox aren’t likely to reinstate Grissom before their forthcoming week-long road trip (<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/jcmccaffrey/status/1780987621985878182">X link</a> via The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey). Grissom didn’t get any game action in March, so he’s using the rehab period as something of an abbreviated Spring Training.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>112</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Latest On Padres, Diamond Sports Group</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/latest-on-padres-diamond-sports-group.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/latest-on-padres-diamond-sports-group.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Anthony Franco]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 16:38:01 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Diamond Sports Group]]></category> <category><![CDATA[San Diego Padres]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Television]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=808164</guid> <description><![CDATA[11:38am: The second payout is evidently not all that significant. Sanders reports (on X) that the Padres will receive roughly $17MM in total from the settlement, indicating the remaining-asset value is roughly $6.5MM. 10:06am: There were minor developments in the long-running Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy proceedings this week. Most notable is the revelation of a…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>11:38am:</strong> The second payout is evidently not all that significant. Sanders reports (<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/sdutSanders/status/1780998546126495829">on X</a>) that the Padres will receive roughly $17MM in total from the settlement, indicating the remaining-asset value is roughly $6.5MM.</p><p><strong>10:06am: </strong>There were minor developments in the long-running Diamond Sports Group bankruptcy proceedings this week. Most notable is the revelation of a deal that the broadcasting conglomerate struck with the Padres last summer.</p><p>As <a target="_blank" href="https://awfulannouncing.com/mlb/bally-sports-padres-settlement-agreement.html">Daniel Kaplan of Awful Announcing</a> first reported, Diamond agreed in July to a deal that could pay the San Diego organization as much as $78.9MM to resolve breach of contract claims which the Padres made after Diamond dropped the team’s TV deal last spring. The Padres initially sought a $162MM award as compensation for the lapsed television contract before agreeing to the lesser sum in mediation.</p><p>That money has not yet been paid. The settlement calls for an initial payment of roughly $10.5MM, followed by a second payout worth a maximum of $68.3MM that’ll be determined by calculating the remaining assets of that contract’s value after the Diamond/Padres RSN network is officially liquidated. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/padres/story/2024-04-17/bally-settlement-to-send-as-much-as-78-million-to-padres?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter">Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune</a> writes that Diamond will owe the approximate $10.5MM payment by the middle of May. The timeline for the second sum is still not clear.</p><p>As part of the agreement, the Padres and Diamond agreed to drop all litigation against one another. The Friars have proceeded without an RSN deal since Diamond abandoned the contract. MLB has handled in-market broadcasting in San Diego via MLB.tv. The league covered 80% of what the Padres would’ve received — Sanders writes that the deal was valued around $60MM annually — for the 2023 season. Commissioner Rob Manfred has said that the league would not cover lost rights fees for this year and beyond.</p><p>The Padres are one of two teams which Diamond had covered but abandoned midseason. The company did the same with the Diamondbacks a few weeks after dropping the San Diego deal. It is not known if Diamond has agreed to any kind of settlement with the Arizona franchise.</p><p>Diamond continues to hold local broadcasting rights for 12 teams: the Angels, Braves, Brewers, Cardinals, Guardians, Marlins, Rangers, Rays, Reds, Royals, Tigers and Twins. While it initially seemed as if Diamond would disband after the 2024 season, an influx of cash as part of a streaming partnership with Amazon has given the company confidence about its viability beyond this year. That’s not entirely shared by MLB, which continues to express skepticism about Diamond’s long-term prospects. <a target="_blank" href="https://theathletic.com/5423683/2024/04/17/diamond-bally-restructuring-plan-mlb/">The Atheltic’s Evan Drellich</a> writes that the bankruptcy court has scheduled a hearing for June 18 on the company’s specific plans for its $450MM in financing from the Amazon deal.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>88</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Rangers Promote Jack Leiter</title> <link>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/rangers-promote-jack-leiter-top-pitching-prospect.html</link> <comments>https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/rangers-promote-jack-leiter-top-pitching-prospect.html#comments</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Steve Adams]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 18 Apr 2024 14:17:48 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Newsstand]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Texas Rangers]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Top Prospect Promotions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Transactions]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Brock Burke]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Jack Leiter]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/?p=807953</guid> <description><![CDATA[April 18: Texas officially selected Leiter’s contract on Thursday morning. The Rangers optioned Grant Anderson to Triple-A in a corresponding move. To create space on the 40-man roster, they transferred lefty reliever Brock Burke to the 60-day injured list. Burke broke his non-throwing hand last week and will now be out of action until at least the…]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong>April 18:</strong> Texas officially selected Leiter’s contract on Thursday morning. The Rangers optioned <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/andergr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Grant Anderson</a></strong> to Triple-A in a corresponding move. To create space on the 40-man roster, they transferred lefty reliever <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burkebr01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Brock Burke</a></strong> to the 60-day injured list. Burke broke his <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/04/rangers-place-brock-burke-on-15-day-injured-list.html">non-throwing hand</a> last week and will now be out of action until at least the middle of June.</p><p><strong>April 16: </strong>The Rangers announced this morning that top pitching prospect <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=leiter000jac&utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jack Leiter</a></strong> will have his contract selected to the major league roster and make his big league debut Thursday against the Tigers. Texas has a full 40-man roster and will need to make a corresponding move to accommodate the right-hander, whom they drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in 2021.</p><p><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-807965" src="https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/jack-leiter-rangers-prospect-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/jack-leiter-rangers-prospect-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/jack-leiter-rangers-prospect-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/jack-leiter-rangers-prospect-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/jack-leiter-rangers-prospect-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/jack-leiter-rangers-prospect-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/jack-leiter-rangers-prospect-900x1350.jpg 900w, https://cdn.mlbtraderumors.com/files/2024/04/jack-leiter-rangers-prospect-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></p><p>It’s an early birthday present for Leiter, who’ll turn 24 just three days after making his long-awaited debut. The second-generation talent is the son of two-time World Series champion and two-time All-Star <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leiteal01.shtml">Al Leiter</a></strong>, the nephew of 11-year MLB veteran <strong><a target="_blank" href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leitema01.shtml">Mark Leiter</a></strong>, and the cousin of current Cubs setup man <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/leitema02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Mark Leiter Jr.</a></strong></p><p>The fourth Leiter to reach the majors, Jack hasn’t had the most straightforward path to the show despite his considerable draft and prospect pedigree. He annihilated hitters in college ball at Vanderbilt, fanning 41% of his opponents in two seasons prior to being drafted, but struggled with command following an aggressive assignment to Double-A right out of the gate.</p><p>Leiter walked more than 13% of his opponents and posted an ERA north of 5.00 in each of his first two seasons at the Double-A level but has been an absolute monster in his first three Triple-A appearances this season. In 14 1/3 innings, he’s punched out 25 of his 57 opponents (43.9%), walked only three (5.3%) and surrendered just 11 hits. Four of those, unfortunately, have left the yard and saddled Leiter with a 3.77 ERA that’s far less impressive than his overpowering K-BB profile would otherwise suggest, but it’s hard not to be encouraged by the strikeout and walk trends. That’s especially true given that Leiter also pitched 12 2/3 innings for Texas this spring and posted a much-improved 9.6% walk rate in that short time as well.</p><p>Texas’ rotation has been hammered by injuries. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/degroja01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jacob deGrom</a></strong>, signed to a five-year contract in the 2022-23 offseason, opened the year on the 60-day injured list after undergoing <a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/j/johnto01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-18_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Tommy John</a> surgery last June. <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/scherma01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Max Scherzer</a></strong>, acquired at least year’s trade deadline, required offseason back surgery to repair a herniated disc. Twenty-six-year old southpaw <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bradfco01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Cody Bradford</a></strong> was a godsend through three starts to begin the season (1.40 ERA) … until he suffered a lower back strain of his own and was subsequently placed on the 15-day IL.</p><p>Leiter will step onto a starting staff that’s in flux. Veteran righty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lorenmi01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Michael Lorenzen</a></strong>, who inked a one-year deal late in spring training, made his Rangers debut yesterday with five shutout frames over his former Tigers teammates (albeit with five walks against four strikeouts). Veteran lefty <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heanean01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Andrew Heaney</a></strong> would’ve been on tap for Thursday’s start, but he’s yet to last five innings in any of his three starts while pitching to a 6.75 ERA. It seems Leiter will overtake that spot, at least for the time being.</p><p>That all points to a rotation that’ll include Lorenzen, Leiter, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/e/eovalna01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Nathan Eovaldi</a></strong>, <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/grayjo02.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Jon Gray</a></strong> and Wednesday’s starter <strong><a href="https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/dunnida01.shtml?utm_medium=linker&utm_source=www.mlbtraderumors.com&utm_campaign=2024-04-16_br" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Dane Dunning</a></strong> — at least for the time being. It’s not clear how long a leash Leiter will be given if he struggles out of the gate, though one would imagine the Rangers are planning to give him multiple starts following his initial call to the big leagues. Manager Bruce Bochy and/or general manager Chris Young will presumably expand on the team’s plans for their young righty in the days to come.</p><p>Leiter’s 2022-23 struggles were enough to drop him off prospect rankings, meaning he’s ineligible for MLB’s prospect promotion incentives. He won’t accrue a full year of service time, given the lack of sufficient time remaining on the calendar, nor can he net the Rangers a draft pick based on his Rookie of the Year voting. As it stands, he’ll be controllable through the 2030 season and is set up on pace to reach Super Two status, granting him four trips through the arbitration process rather than the standard three. The first of those arb-eligible offseasons would come in the winter of 2026-27, though future optional assignments could yet impact both his free agent timeline and arbitration status.</p>]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss></wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>86</slash:comments> </item> </channel></rss> 
