Around the league

Dexter Fowler landed on the disabled list Tuesday for the second time in 2017 -- this stint for a left forearm strain -- and to take his spot on the major league roster the Cardinals promoted dynamic outfield prospect Harrison Bader from Triple-A Memphis.

Bader made his major league debut on Tuesday night against the Rockies, starting in center field and batting seventh, and he scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth after leading off the inning with a stand-up double to left field. Bader nearly legged out an infield single on a routine groundball to short in his first big league at-bat, but replay showed the throw beat him by about an inch. He ultimately finished the game 1-for-4.

Bader was a third-round pick in 2015 out of the University of Florida and has put up intriguing stat lines at every level of the minor leagues, including an .871 OPS, 19 home runs, 48 RBI, nine stolen bases, and 62 runs scored in 97 games this year with Triple-A Memphis.

Also a solid defender, he should start in center field for however long Fowler is out. The 23-year-old is fully capable of providing meaningful fantasy value in this fill-in role with the Cardinals, who have won two games in a row against Colorado and sit four games back of the Brewers in the National League Central.

Brewers Get Setup Man In Swarzak

Outside of highly-optimistic Brewers fans, nobody had that club as buyers at this year’s trade deadline. This was supposed to be another rebuilding season. And yet here we are.

Milwaukee acquired right-handed reliever Anthony Swarzak from the White Sox on Tuesday evening for outfield prospect Ryan Cordell and will make the 31-year-old a setup man to closer Corey Knebel. Swarzak had a shiny 2.23 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, and 52/13 K/BB ratio over 48 1/3 innings this season on the south side of Chicago and he earned his first career save on Monday at Wrigley Field, temporarily filling a hole at the back of the White Sox bullpen left vacant by last week’s seven-player trade that sent David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle to the Yankees.

It’s hard to say who might jump in at closer now for the White Sox. Tyler Clippard hasn’t been any good since coming over from New York and there are no promising candidates on the 25-man roster as it stands. But give credit to White Sox general manager Rick Hahn for continuing to spin deals for high-upside, cost-controllable young talent -- Cordell, 25, boasts an .855 OPS with 10 home runs, 45 RBI, nine stolen bases, and 49 runs scored in 68 games this year at Triple-A and Hahn got Swarzak on a minor league contract in late January.

For the Brewers this was an easy swap to make, even with Cordell looking like a possible long-term everyday major league outfielder. Of the top 15 prospects in their top-five farm system, six play the outfield. And that list doesn’t include 25-year-old starting right fielder Domingo Santana, who is locked in through the 2021 season and enjoying a breakout 2017.

Milwaukee routed Washington on Tuesday night to maintain a half-game lead over the Cubs for the top spot in the National League Central standings. Swarzak should arrive on Wednesday.

Red Sox Add Veteran Nunez

Giants third baseman Eduardo Nunez was pulled in the fifth inning of Tuesday night’s game against the Pirates and the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast showed him sharing hugs with his teammates in the home dugout at AT&T Park as he gathered his things and headed down into the clubhouse. 10 long minutes later, reports came flooding in that he had been traded to the Red Sox for two minor league pitchers. A true Hug Watch.

It’s probably not the splash Red Sox fans were hoping for, but Nunez had been hitting the ball well lately and he can provide help at multiple positions in Boston. The 30-year-old impending free agent figures to work in a utility role for his new club, with top prospect Rafael Devers continuing to see most of the action at the hot corner.

Look for more trades to come from the Giants, who are known to be shopping Jeff Samardzija and Johnny Cueto.

 

Tuesday Rumor Roundup

It appears the Yankees aren’t done talking multi-player deals, as they’re rumored to be working toward a trade with the Athletics for both Sonny Gray and Yonder Alonso. Gray allowed four (unearned) runs over six innings Tuesday night against the Blue Jays in what might have been his final start with Oakland. The 27-year-old right-hander holds a 3.43 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 94/30 K/BB ratio in 97 innings this season along with a team-friendly contract that runs through 2018. Alonso, a 30-year-old first baseman, is batting .264/.362/.531 with 21 home runs in 90 games. He can become a free agent in November. Some of the other teams connected to Gray: the Nationals, Dodgers, Astros, and Braves.

Rangers general manager Jon Daniels is reportedly telling teams that the club is open to trading Yu Darvish in the right deal, and the Dodgers are known to have strong interest. There’s also been talk of the Cubs making a play. Darvish, an impending free agent, boasts a 3.44 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 143 strikeouts in 133 1/3 innings this year. The 30-year-old right-hander is currently scheduled to start Wednesday night in Arlington, Texas against the visiting Marlins.

Tigers veteran Justin Verlander is having an underwhelming overall 2017, but the Cubs reportedly remain interested in acquiring him -- if Detroit will eat some of the $60 million remaining on his contract, which runs through 2019. Verlander, who last pitched Monday, is sitting on a 4.50 ERA and 1.44 WHIP over 124 innings in his age-34 campaign.

Swarzak was a nice addition but the Brewers need more, and they were linked Tuesday to both Justin Wilson and Ian Kinsler of the Tigers. Wilson seems to be drawing interest from just about every contending team as a reliable late-inning relief arm. Kinsler is 35 years old and batting just .246/.330/.395 this season, but he was good in 2016 and has tons of big-game experience.

The biggest need for the Rockies is relief pitching and they’ve been tied to a number of options there, but they also want help at catcher and Jonathan Lucroy is said to be a target. It’s been a rough 2017 for Lucroy, who’s slashing .241/.295/.339 with four home runs in 75 games, but he was an All-Star in 2016 and is owed just around $1.5 million in the final year of his current deal. A move to the thin air of Coors Field could certainly help his dwindling free-agent value.

National League Quick Hits: Brewers top outfield prospect Lewis Brinson is expected to be recalled to the majors on Wednesday ... Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports is hearing that Mets shortstop prospect Amed Rosario "could be up in a week or so” … A spokesperson with the Nationals said Tuesday that Stephen Strasburg had "some nerve impingement that has been alleviated” … Marlins placed first baseman Justin Bour on the 10-day disabled list with a right oblique strain … Trea Turner (wrist) fielded grounders on Tuesday afternoon at Nationals Park … Willson Contreras went 3-for-4 with a home run and four total RBI in the Cubs' defeat of the White Sox on Tuesday … Zach Davies held the Nationals off the scoreboard for 7 2/3 innings Tuesday for his 12th victory … Cardinals placed veteran starter Adam Wainwright on the 10-day disabled list with a stiff back … Adrian Gonzalez (back) is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment next week … Reds shortstop Zack Cozart aggravated his left quad injury on Tuesday night against the Yankees … Brewers third baseman Travis Shaw belted a three-run homer and reached base four times in Tuesday's win over the Nationals … Ian Desmond was removed from Tuesday's game against the Cardinals after re-injuring his right calf … Jhoulys Chacin was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday against the Mets due to back tightness … Cardinals shortstop Paul DeJong hit a two-run homer and added a single in Tuesday's win over the Rockies … Marlins placed shortstop J.T. Riddle on the 10-day disabled list with biceps tendinitis … Brock Stewart will start for the Dodgers on Wednesday night against the Twins … Giants released outfielder Justin Ruggiano.

American League Quick Hits: Rays center fielder Kevin Kiermaier (hip) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Thursday with High-A Charlotte … Edwin Encarnacion blasted a walkoff grand slam Tuesday in the Indians’ victory over the Angels … George Springer (quad) was held out of the Astros’ lineup again on Tuesday versus the Phillies … Miguel Sano (hand) was scratched from the Twins’ starting lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers … Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman tossed a perfect ninth inning to convert his 12th save of the season in Tuesday's win over the Reds … Charlie Morton notched nine strikeouts across seven scoreless innings in the Astros’ blanking of the Phillies on Tuesday … Trevor Cahill will make his Royals debut on Saturday against the Red Sox … Chris Davis (illness) remained out of the Orioles’ starting lineup on Tuesday at Tampa Bay … Indians manager Terry Francona said Jason Kipnis (hamstring) could begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend … Salvador Perez was removed from Tuesday night's game against the Tigers with rib tightness … Joey Gallo swatted a pair of solo home runs on Tuesday, leading the Rangers to a rout of the Marlins … Royals closer Kelvin Herrera slammed the door on the Tigers in the ninth inning on Tuesday, protecting a two-run advantage to earn his 21st save … Rays closer Alex Colome locked down his 29th save of the season on Tuesday, working a scoreless ninth inning against the Orioles … Angels recalled infielder Kaleb Cowart from Triple-A Salt Lake … Alex Bregman was pulled from Tuesday's game against the Phillies with discomfort in his right hamstring … Angels manager Mike Scioscia said he expects Alex Meyer (shoulder) to return from the disabled list "relatively quickly” … Mariners outfielder Jarrod Dyson remains sidelined Tuesday with a hyper-extended toe … Byron Buxton (groin) was not activated from the disabled list Tuesday due to a migraine … Joe Kelly (hamstring) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Tuesday at Fenway Park … Athletics setup man Ryan Dull (knee) is expected to be activated from the disabled list Thursday.

Joey Gallo