Players Week

For the second consecutive year, Major Leaguers will put their personalities and passions on the field when Players' Weekend takes center stage during all games from Friday, Aug. 24, through Sunday, Aug. 26.

Sure, the name on the front of the jersey will always carry more weight than the name on the back. But when Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association first introduced Players' Weekend last summer, the game embraced individuality, allowing the charisma and creativity of players like "Mr. Smile" (Francisco Lindor), "Big Maple" (James Paxton) and "Wild Horse" (Yasiel Puig) to rise to the surface like never before.

Players' Weekend presented by Valspar will again bring a bright splash of color to baseball the weekend of Aug. 24-26 with a relaxation of uniform rules and an opportunity for players to salute those who helped pave their paths to the bigs.

Players' Weekend presented by Valspar will again bring a bright splash of color to baseball the weekend of Aug. 24-26 with a relaxation of uniform rules and an opportunity for players to salute those who helped pave their paths to the bigs.

Once again, nicknames will replace surnames on jerseys, which will feature colorful concoctions and youthful designs. The bats, spikes, batting gloves, wristbands and catcher's masks will beam a little brighter. Players will have the option of wearing T-shirts highlighting a cause or charity during pregame workouts and post game interviews.

And on the right sleeve of each uniform will be a patch on which players can write the name of a person who either aided in their development or inspired them. The patches and caps will also feature the "Evolution" logo, showing a progression of five players increasing in size to demonstrate the process of a player's path from Little League, through youth leagues and to the Majors -- a show of solidarity with youth baseball and softball programs.

Game-worn jerseys will be auctioned off at MLB.com, with 100 percent of the proceeds going to the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation, a joint effort focused on improving the caliber, effectiveness and availability of amateur baseball and softball programs across the United States and Canada. Ozzie Albies, Jose Berrios, Alex Bregman, Edwin Diaz, Didi Gregorius, Enrique Hernandez, Rhys Hoskins, Brandon Nimmo and Albert Pujols will be serving as Youth Ambassadors, promoting the event and connecting with young fans in advance of the weekend.

Madson Maddening

Nationals manager Dave Martinez made it official on Wednesday, confirming to reporters that Ryan Madson will fill in as the team's closer. The 37-year-old veteran owns a 4.32 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and 39/15 K/BB ratio in 41 2/3 innings this season. He’s allowed just one run over his last 11 appearances dating back to July 8 and needs to be added in all fantasy leagues despite his rather pedestrian surface stats. The veteran closer is stepping up in place of Kelvin Herrera, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Wednesday with a rotator cuff impingement and mild shoulder inflammation. He suffered the injury during a ninth-inning appearance against the Braves on Tuesday. An MRI turned up negative for structural damage, but the 28-year-old flamethrower is expected to miss at least two weeks, barring any setbacks.

The major wild card worth monitoring in Washington is the health of their established stopper Sean Doolittle, who has been out since July 7 with a stress reaction in his left foot. The 31-year-old southpaw has been plagued with injuries throughout his career. If he can get healthy, he will be immediately thrust back into the mix for saves down the stretch. He threw off flat ground without a walking boot on Wednesday and told reporters that he was encouraged by the workout, but still has many hurdles to clear. There is no timetable for his return at this point.

Further complicating matters is the presence of Koda Glover, who was recalled from Triple-A Syracuse on Wednesday. He opened the year on the disabled list with a lingering shoulder injury and was optioned to the minor leagues in July to continue rehabbing. The 25-year-old right-hander put up a 2.25 ERA and 10/2 K/BB ratio in his eight minor-league innings of work. He’s more likely to figure into the equation as a high-leverage middle reliever, but he could see some save opportunities with Doolittle and Herrera out. For now, fantasy owners should pick up Madson immediately (if he’s somehow still available) and for those looking to hedge against the veteran option or speculate in deeper mixed leagues, Glover is the most obvious name to target.

Marquez Fires Immaculate Inning

Rockies right-hander German Marquez threw an immaculate inning -- striking out the side on nine pitches -- in the fourth inning against the Pirates on Wednesday. He fanned all three batters -- Corey Dickerson, Starling Marte and Gregory Polanco -- on curveballs. According to MLB.com’s Thomas Harding, Marquez is just the second pitcher in Rockies history -- and first at Coors Field -- to accomplish the feat. Lefty reliever Rex Brothers did it on June 14, 2014 in San Francisco. He’s only the third pitcher to accomplish the extraordinary feat this season. Kevin Gausman did it on April 23 and Max Scherzer posted one against the Rays on June 5. Here’s some historical context to put this accomplishment in proper perspective: There have been 86 immaculate innings in major-league history. It’s almost as rare as a perfect game, which has only occurred 23 times (18 since 1956).

From a fantasy perspective, Marquez is one of the more intriguing young pitchers in the game. The 23-year-old righty gave up three runs on 10 hits over six innings, but racked up a season-high 10 strikeouts against Pittsburgh on Wednesday. He’s striking out well over a batter per inning (9.72 K/9) with respectable control (3.15 BB/9) this year. According to Baseball Prospectus’ Deserved Run Average (DRA) metric, which is a descriptive pitching statistic that estimates the rate at which a pitcher “deserved” to give up runs by using mixed models to account for variables like ballpark, opponent, framing, temperature and pitch type, Marquez has vastly outperformed his raw run prevention numbers this season. Simply put, he’s long overdue for earned-run regression down the home stretch. Per Baseball Prospectus’ leaderboards, his actual ERA (4.70) was nearly a full run higher than his 3.72 DRA entering his latest start on Wednesday. Of 97 starting pitchers with at least 100 innings of work, only six (Kyle Hendricks, Luis Castillo, Kenta Maeda, Andrew Suarez, Nick Pivetta and Jon Gray) boast a larger differential between their surface ERA and DRA than Marquez.

His extreme struggles in Coors Field are the major bugaboo in an otherwise tantalizing fantasy profile. He’s posting a lackluster 6.42 ERA in 12 starts at home this season, but he’s been magnificent on the road, recording a sparkling 3.09 mark in 11 outings. Fantasy owners searching for an upgrade to their rotation should strongly consider targeting Marquez via trade before his next start in Houston on Tuesday, avoid tough matchups at home and prepare to ride the regression wave over the final seven weeks of the 2018 campaign.

Gallo Goes Deep Twice

Let’s talk about Joey Gallo for a moment. The 24-year-old slugger went 3-for-5 with a pair of home runs and four RBI in the Rangers’ 11-7 victory over the Mariners on Wednesday. He tattooed a two-run bomb off southpaw Marco Gonzales in the third inning and then followed it up with another jack (a solo shot) in the fifth. Not only was it Gallo’s third multi-homer game of the year, but he’s left the yard six times in his last 10 games. He’s a massive batting average drain, slashing .202/.314/.491 in 439 plate appearances, but he’s compensated for it by providing mammoth power production (31 homers and 71 RBI in 109 games). He’s well on his way to eclipsing the 41 dingers he posted in 2017 and sits three round-trippers behind J.D. Martinez for the major-league lead. Over the last two seasons, only four hitters (Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Judge, Khris Davis and Martinez) have gone deep more than Gallo.

Sweet Victory

Jacob deGrom struck out 10 batters over six scoreless innings in the Mets' 8-0 shutout victory over the Reds on Wednesday. He scattered four hits (all singles) and a walk, and the Mets' offense finally managed to provide him some run support as he picked up his first win since June 18. The 30-year-old right-hander is 6-7 on the year despite an MLB-leading 1.77 ERA over 23 starts. He owns an absurd 183/34 K/BB ratio in 152 1/3 innings this season. According to the Baseball-Reference Play Index, only 30 pitchers in the last half-century have qualified for an ERA title and posted a sub-2.00 ERA. deGrom will face a much stiffer test in his next start in Yankee Stadium on Monday.


American League Quick Hits: Mike Trout (wrist) remained out of the Angels' starting lineup Wednesday against the Tigers … Red Sox activated Rafael Devers from the 10-day disabled list … J.D. Martinez went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored in the Red Sox’ 10-5 victory over the Blue Jays … Giancarlo Stanton went 1-for-4 with his sixth career grand slam in the Yankees’ 7-3 win over the White Sox … Luis Severino notched his 15th win of the year, firing seven innings of three-run ball in that win ... Heath Fillmyer recorded his first big-league victory by pitching seven scoreless innings against the Cubs … Adalberto Mondesi hit a three-run homer in that contest … Mike Zunino belted a pair of home runs in the Mariners’ loss to the Rangers … Justin Upton slugged his 23rd home run of the year in the Angels’ 6-0 win over the Tigers … Mychal Givens pitched a scoreless ninth inning against the Rays to record his third save of the year ... Leonys Martin was out of the Indians' lineup Wednesday due to illness … Adalberto Mejia (wrist) expects to make his next scheduled start Sunday against the Tigers … Jed Lowrie admitted late Tuesday night that he's still feeling the effects of a mid-July collision with teammate Stephen Piscotty … Angels manager Mike Scioscia said Wednesday that he's hopeful Tyler Skaggs (groin) can return Saturday against the Athletics … Tigers placed John Hicks on the 10-day disabled list with a right groin strain … Nomar Mazara (thumb) is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment Thursday at Triple-A Round Rock … Byron Buxton (wrist) could return to action at Triple-A Rochester next week … Sam Tuivailala suffered a strained right Achilles tendon in an appearance against the Rangers on Wednesday … Indians released Zach McAllister.

National League Quick Hits: Joey Votto (knee) remained out of the Reds' starting lineup on Wednesday. He's still dealing with the after-effects of a hit-by-pitch from Saturday … Stephen Strasburg (neck) threw a bullpen session on Wednesday afternoon. He will throw another bullpen before starting a minor-league rehab assignment … Yu Darvish (elbow) threw 33 pitches in a simulated game with no issues on Wednesday … Pirates activated Josh Bell from the 10-day disabled list … Clayton Kershaw surrendered two runs on six hits over six innings in a no-decision against the Athletics … Matt Carpenter hammered his 31st home run of the season in the Cardinals’ win over the Marlins … Bryce Harper connected for his 28th homer of the year in a losing effort against the Braves … Brandon Nimmo went 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored in the Mets' win over the Reds … Patrick Corbin hurled 7 1/3 shutout innings in Arizona’s win over the Phillies … David Peralta went 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI in that victory … Felipe Vazquez recorded four outs for his 26th save in Pittsburgh’s victory over the Rockies … Starling Marte stole two bases in that win. He’s up to 27 thefts on the year … Orlando Arcia went 3-for-4 and homered in the Brewers win over the Padres … Lewis Brinson (hip) is close to resuming live batting practice sessions … Tyler O'Neill (groin) took batting practice Wednesday … MLB.com's AJ Cassavell reports that Padres pitching prospect Jacob Nix will make his major league debut Friday against the Phillies … Phillies optioned Enyel De Los Santos to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Kyle Bear Clawed

Marlins right-hander Kyle Barraclough was dominant throughout the first half of the 2018 season. He wrestled closer duties away from Brad Ziegler by early June and he entered the All-Star break in mid-July with a shiny 1.28 ERA in 42 1/3 innings. A number of contending teams inquired about trading for him ahead of the July 31 deadline.

But the wheels have completely fallen off for Barraclough over the last week -- he’s allowed 12 earned runs over his last six appearances covering just 4 2/3 innings -- and Marlins manager Don Mattingly announced Tuesday afternoon that the 28-year-old right-hander won’t be getting any save chances for at least a little while. "We'll just work him back in, and hopefully the next inning he's in, he's not walking the tightrope and there is no room for error," Mattingly said of shifting Barraclough into a lower-leverage role. "Just get him back on track. He feels good."

On the topic of who might take over as the team’s closer, Mattingly said this: "We'll just try to piece it together. Probably the other side of the off-day [on Thursday] we'll have a better feel for some different combinations. It's not going to be one guy. It can be anybody. That's my early thinking on it."

Javy Guerra got a save on Monday night against the Cardinals and hard-throwing right-hander Tayron Guerrero has been sharp lately, but Drew Steckenrider is probably the guy to pick up in fantasy leagues. The 27-year-old right-hander owns a 2.98 ERA and 110 strikeouts in 84 2/3 innings since breaking into the major leagues in May 2017 and has been talked about as the closer of the future in Miami. If anyone’s going to run away with the job, it’s probably him.

Barraclough fantasy owners might want to simply move on, as there are less than eight weeks left in the regular season and it would appear he has essentially run out of gas. Also, it’s not like the Marlins are going to carry a ton of leads into the ninth inning down the stretch.

In Other NL East Closer News …

If it’s still an option by the time you read this, go pick up Ryan Madson.

Kelvin Herrera, who’s been filling in as the Nationals’ closer with Sean Doolittle nursing a stress reaction in his left foot, was removed from a ninth-inning appearance in the second half of Tuesday’s doubleheader against the Braves after experiencing tightness in his right shoulder. He will undergo an MRI on Wednesday morning and acknowledged to reporters that he is concerned about what the results will show, as he had trouble finishing his pitches on Tuesday night.

Madson doesn’t have great overall numbers this season -- a 4.32 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 39/15 K/BB ratio in 41 2/3 innings -- but he’s allowed just one run over his last 11 appearances dating back to July 8 and he was terrific down the stretch last year in Washington. It’s clear he’s going to be the preferred ninth-inning option for manager Davey Martinez with Doolittle and Herrera both now injured, Brandon Kintzler pitching for the Cubs, and Shawn Kelley working for the A’s.

Doolittle hasn’t made much progress since landing on the disabled list July 7, so Madson could potentially run away with this gig. These are the sort of late-season waiver wire grabs that can win fantasy leagues.

Donaldson Set For Sprinting

Josh Donaldson was supposed to be a big trade chip for the Blue Jays at this year’s July 31 non-waiver deadline, but he suffered a left calf injury in late May and has been on the disabled list ever since. The focus has now shifted to whether the 32-year-old impending free agent third baseman can get back to full health before the August 31 waiver trade deadline so that the Jays might be able to flip him for prospects.

Donaldson has been jogging, hitting, throwing, and fielding groundballs since mid-July, per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca, and is expected to advance to sprinting workouts within the next couple of days at the team’s spring training complex in Dunedin, Florida. That full-intensity running is the final hurdle for Donaldson before he is cleared to begin a minor league rehab assignment. Once he officially begins playing in rehab games, the Blue Jays can place him on waivers. He should get to a contending team at that point or maybe even pass through waivers unclaimed, as there is still over $7 million remaining on his salary for 2018. If he goes unclaimed, Toronto can deal him to any team and would likely get a substantial return of young talent.

Donaldson has appeared in just 36 games this season and hit just .234/.333/.423 when healthy, but he averaged a .946 OPS with 37 home runs and 100 RBI per year between 2015-2017.

National League Quick Hits: Nationals signed reliever Greg Holland to a one-year contract … Matt Carpenter clubbed a go-ahead home run, his National League-leading 30th home run of the season, in the eighth inning of the Cardinals' comeback victory over the Marlins on Tuesday …  Charlie Blackmon picked up his 1000th career hit, going 2-for-4 with a pair of singles and a run scored in the Rockies’ lopsided loss to the Pirates on Tuesday … Manuel Margot went 3-for-5 with a homer, a triple, and five RBI in the Padres’ win over the Brewers on Tuesday … Steven Matz (arm) will miss more than one start … Josh Bell (oblique) could be activated off the disabled list Wednesday … A.J. Minter nailed down his ninth save Tuesday against the Nationals … The Reds will finally promote Robert Stephenson to make his season debut in a start Wednesday against the Mets … Braves placed starter Max Fried on the 10-day disabled list with a left groin strain … Ben Zobrist made an early exit from Tuesday's game against the Royals due to tightness in his left hip … Sean Newcomb fanned six while tossing six innings of one-run ball Tuesday, taking a no-decision in the Braves' win over the Nationals … Jameson Taillon allowed two runs on 10 hits in a complete-game victory over the Rockies on Tuesday … Hyun-Jin Ryu (groin) worked five innings of one-run ball Tuesday in a rehab start with Triple-A Oklahoma City … Sal Romano allowed just two hits and one run over six-plus innings in the Reds’ victory over the Mets on Tuesday … Brewers placed reliever Matt Albers on the 10-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain … Chase d’Arnaud is day-to-day with a left knee contusion … Pirates placed utilityman Sean Rodriguez on the 10-day disabled list with a left abdominal strain … Dodgers placed reliever Daniel Hudson on the 10-day disabled list with right forearm tightness … Diamondbacks designated infielder Deven Marrero for assignment … Brewers claimed right-hander Ariel Hernandez off waivers from the Dodgers; optioned him to Triple-A Colorado Springs … Pirates claimed left-hander Buddy Boshers off waivers from the Astros; optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis.

American League Quick Hits: Blue Jays placed infielder Brandon Drury on the 10-day disabled list with a fractured left hand … Chris Sale (shoulder) is slated to return to the Red Sox rotation Sunday in Baltimore … J.D. Martinez belted his league-leading 34th home run and drove in four runs Tuesday in Toronto … Jacoby Ellsbury underwent surgery Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his left hip and is expected to need about six months to recover … Rougned Odor had a two-run homer and a two-run double as the Rangers topped the Mariners on Tuesday … Mike Fiers will make his A's debut on Wednesday in Oakland against the visiting Dodgers … Tyler White hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the top of the eighth inning Tuesday as the Astros beat the Giants … Aaron Sanchez (finger) is set to begin a rehab assignment Thursday in the Gulf Coast League … Willy Adames hit a solo homer in the bottom of the ninth to give the Rays a win over the Orioles on Tuesday … Marcus Stroman was pulled from his start Tuesday against the Red Sox due to a right middle finger blister … Rafael Devers (hamstring) will be activated off the disabled list on Wednesday … Daniel Robertson had surgery to repair a ligament tear in his left thumb Tuesday and isn't expected back this season … Tyler Glasnow fanned nine while pitching four innings and allowing one run Tuesday against the Orioles … Fernando Rodney nailed down his 25th save of the season in the Twins' victory over the Indians on Tuesday … Robinson Cano went 1-for-4 with a single and a run scored Tuesday in his second rehab game at Triple-A Tacoma … Shohei Ohtani (elbow) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Saturday … Lourdes Gurriel (knee, ankle) took groundballs and hit in the cage on Tuesday … Adalberto Mejia was removed from his start Tuesday night against the Indians due to a left wrist strain … Delino DeShields (head) began running on a treadmill Tuesday … Angels placed starter Nick Tropeano on the 10-day disabled list with right shoulder inflammation … Twins placed reliever Matt Belisle on the 10-day disabled list with right knee chondromalacia … Craig Gentry (rib) will begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Double-A Bowie … Rangers claimed left-hander Zac Curtis off waivers from the Phillies; optioned him to Triple-A Round Rock.

Thomas Pannone Future Blue Jay Starter

It’s easy for Thomas Pannone to picture himself in the big leagues, just as it is easy to understand why the Buffalo Bisons starter can see it.
“That’s what everyone on this field wants, that’s what everyone that plays this game wants, is to get there,” Pannone said last week.

The 24-year-old left-hander came into his first full season as part of the Blue Jays organization ranked as the 26th-best prospect, according to MLB Pipeline. After being traded to Toronto as part of a package deal that saw reliever Joe Smith go to the Cleveland Indians last July, Pannone came into this year expecting to be one of Buffalo’s five starters and to compete with Ryan Borucki as the first to be called up in event of an injury to the Jays rotation.

Fast forward six months and Borucki has earned his spot on Toronto’s staff after injuries. Pannone, on the other hand, only has six starts under his belt with the Bisons; he was suspended for 80 games in mid-March after testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance, dehydrochlormethyltestosterone { I had to look this one up }

 

An archaic anabolic steroid that has resurfaced in the doping word in recent years, DHCMT, as it is more commonly known, had previously been linked to the Jays when former first baseman Chris Colabello tested positive for the substance in 2016.
Like Colabello, Pannone to this day denies ever taking the performance-enhancing drug. In a statement released after the suspension was announced, Pannone said a call from the Major League Baseball Players Association notifying him that the substance was found in his urine sample was “the most shocking

 But still, a suspension is a suspension, and Pannone had to rejig his timeline when it comes to a major-league call up.
“Now that I’m one step away … I have to stay focused on what I’m doing here right now,” Pannone said. “I felt like I was trying to catch up, and I think still they want me to get some outings under my belt and see where I’m at. I’m just taking it day by day and trying to improve on what I need to improve on and then hopefully, eventually, one day get my name called.”

The native of Cranston, R.I., had hoped to come into this season and build off last year, when he went 9-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 1142/3 innings at high Class-A and Double-A. He felt he had developed a three-pitch mix, was getting ahead of hitters and wasn’t walking many guys in 2017.
Even after news of the suspension, Pannone hoped to make the most of his time away from the game. He stayed positive and upbeat for the month of April before it became tough to stay motivated.


 Even after news of the suspension, Pannone hoped to make the most of his time away from the game. He stayed positive and upbeat for the month of April before it became tough to stay motivated.

 “I looked at it every day as, ‘OK, I’m going to go here, I’m going to work on this today. I’m going to work on this today.’” he said. “And then all of a sudden I hit a wall like, ‘What am I doing? Why is this happening to me?’ ”

Pannone eventually made his first rehab start in late June and took his spot in Buffalo’s rotation in early July. He is 0-3 with a 4.91 ERA in six starts there, high for a guy who has not finished a year in the minors with an ERA over 4.02 — it’s usually under 3.20 — in the last four seasons. But he has three quality starts for the Bisons and is pleased that he has gone at least six innings in four of his six outings.
“The biggest thing is I’m a starting pitcher, I want to get as deep into the game as I possibly can and I’ve done a great job of that this year so far,” he said.
Pannone has tried to embed in his mind that the past is the past. But that is not to say he hasn’t learned from the suspension.

 “I just had to keep my mind positive and think: ‘This is a tough time right now but tough times don’t last and tough people do.’ ”

Giant step for San Fran

It was a cool story when Dereck Rodriguez, son of Hall of Famer Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez, was called up to the big leagues, but the young Rodriguez didn’t seem likely to have staying power. After all, we were talking about a 26-year-old former outfielder who signed with the Giants on a minor league contract over the winter. However, Dereck seems intent on making a name for himself.

Rodriguez blanked the Astros over seven superb innings Monday, yielding only three hits and no walks while recording seven strikeouts. Unfortunately, he lost out on a victory when Will Smith blew a save chance in the ninth inning, but that doesn’t diminish what was another stellar effort from Rodriguez.

Over his last eight appearances – seven starts – covering 49 1/3 innings, Rodriguez has posted a 1.28 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 39/12 K/BB ratio. The brilliant run has lowered the right-hander’s ERA on the season to 2.34.

Rodriguez first made the move to pitching at the pro level in 2014, so he’s still relatively new to the mound even though he’s 26. He boasts a 3.54 ERA in his minor league career across 427 1/3 frames.

While his overall whiff numbers are below average, Rodriguez has fanned 24 and walked just five over 26 1/3 innings in his four second-half outings. He’s punched out seven in back-to-back starts, which is a season high. Rodriguez also whiffed over a batter per frame at Triple-A Fresno prior to his promotion. I don’t think we can rule out growth in the strikeout department given how new he is to pitching, although fantasy owners would be wise not to count on him being an asset in that area.

Rodriguez has been a flyball-heavy pitcher in the minors but less of one so far in the majors. However, while he might be due for some regression in the home run department, AT&T Park should help to suppress the longball. Some BABIP regression is probably the safer bet, as that number sits at .264 even though he entered Monday’s start having given up a 42.3 percent hard-hit rate. Among qualifiers, Cole Hamels has surrendered the most hard contact at 44.3 percent.

It’s hard to say at this point how much upside Rodriguez might have, but he’s gone from an unknown to a guy you might want to spot start to someone you should probably slot into your lineup. He’ll face the Pirates at home this weekend.

Ailing Astros

The disabled list for the Astros is getting a little crowded these days.

The defending World Champs had already been without Carlos Correa (back) and Jose Altuve (knee) for a while (not to mention Brian McCann and Chris Devenski) and in the last couple days have added Lance McCullers and George Springer to the DL.

McCullers exited his start on Saturday against the Dodgers with what was called right elbow discomfort at the time, but on Monday we got a more specific diagnosis of a muscle strain in his right forearm. Manager A.J. Hinch said that the hurler is unlikely to pitch again before September.

It’s a vague timetable at this point for McCullers, but with previous DL stints the last couple years due to shoulder and elbow issues, you can bet that the Astros will be careful with the right-hander. If he does make it back healthy this season, McCullers would appear to be the most likely Houston starter to eventually transition to the bullpen in anticipation of the postseason. In other words, fantasy owners shouldn’t be expecting much from him the rest of the way and he’s probably safe to drop in most leagues.

The news wasn’t all bad for the injured Astros, though. While Springer landed on the DL Monday, it’s looking like his sprained left thumb could keep him out for only the minimum 10 days. The outfielder’s sprain is not to his ulnar collateral ligament, but rather the damage is around the first knuckle, which isn’t as nearly as big of a deal. Tony Kemp, Jake Marisnick and Josh Reddick started in the outfield for the Astros on Monday and the club also recalled Derek Fisher to take Springer’s roster spot.

Altuve got his ailing right knee looked at by team doctors Monday and Hinch said they were "happy with the progress he is making. They were very pleased with the healing and they have a pretty good plan in place to keep inching forward.” What exactly the plan is for the star second baseman isn’t known, but things look to be trending in a positive direction. Altuve has been on the shelf for the last week and a half.

There’s also Correa, who has been sidelined the longest of the group with a back ailment that’s kept him out since late June. It sounds like he will be the first of the bunch to make it back, though, as Correa will play a couple more rehab games on Tuesday and Wednesday and could be activated as soon as Thursday for the beginning of the Astros’ home stand. He’s gone 3-for-10 with a home run so far on his rehab assignment.

Health can’t come soon enough for the Astros, as the hard-charging Athletics are now sitting just 4.5 games back in the American League West.

Trout Still Out; Ohtani Progressing

The best player in baseball has missed the better part of a week due to injury and his fantasy owners will have to wait a few more days to get him back into the fold.

Mike Trout was given a cortisone injection in his ailing right wrist Monday and sat out his fifth straight game. The hope is that he’ll be ready to play by Friday.

"I think all the tests that he had point to just some inflammation that has to run its course," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "His injection will help that to happen. We anticipate him getting into baseball activities in a couple days and seeing how he feels for Friday."

Trout will have missed seven games and eight days by Friday, but there are no plans to place him on the disabled list. Eric Young Jr. has been filling in for the two-time MVP in center field.

"If you can get Mike Trout to play on the seventh day instead of the 10th day, I think you'd want to, right?" Scioscia said. "We're just going to let it run its course, and when it's 100 percent, he'll play."

It’s looking like another lost season for the Halos, but they’re not giving up hope of getting Shohei Ohtani back on the mound and the right-hander appears to be making some real progress.

Ohtani has advanced his throwing out to 120 feet and is doing so “with effort,” according to Scioscia. The 24-year-old on Monday also mimicked his throwing motion from a mound while holding a towel in his right hand.

"There's still some long toss that he has to get after," Scioscia said. "He's made a lot of progress, no setbacks. He'll continue to be evaluated, but this is absolutely moving in the right direction. We're very confident in that."

While Ohtani’s progress in working back from a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow has been encouraging to this point, he’s obviously still got a long ways to go. The Angels haven’t mapped out (or at least revealed) a plan for his return to bullpen sessions yet, and he’ll have to be built up with multiple ‘pen sessions and a simulated game or two before he’s deemed game-ready. That’s going to eat up a lot of the calendar, and it’s all assuming Ohtani doesn’t have a setback along the way.

Ohtani has been able to continue hitting while he rehabs on the pitching side, although he’s faded offensively. In 27 games out of the designated hitter spot since returning to action, he’s batting just .238, although he has homered five times.


American League Quick Hits: The Athletics acquired Mike Fiers from the Tigers for two players to be named later or cash considerations … Trevor Bauer struck out 11 batters over six scoreless innings Monday in the Indians' rout of the Twins … Lance Lynn whiffed nine while yielding just two hits and one walk across seven shutout innings in Monday’s win over the White Sox …  Edwin Encarnacion homered and drove in four runs Monday in the Indians' defeat of the Twins … Charlie Morton fanned eight over seven frames of one-run ball Monday in San Francisco … J.A. Happ (illness) remains on track to rejoin the Yankees' rotation Thursday against the Rangers … White Sox player development director Chris Getz told WSCR-AM 670 on Sunday that prospect outfielder Eloy Jimenez is "really close" to being called up to the majors … Aaron Judge (wrist) has yet to resume swinging a bat … Marwin Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with a three-run homer to lead the Astros to a comeback victory over the Giants on Monday … Nick Tropeano exited Monday’s start against the Tigers with right shoulder tightness but he hopes to take his next turn …

National League Quick Hits: Corey Seager -- who is already recovering from Tommy John surgery -- will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left hip Tuesday. The Dodgers expect him to be ready for spring training … Jake Arrieta struck out four over eight shutout innings but had to settle for a no-decision Monday in Arizona … Kyle Freeland fanned five over seven shutout innings in Monday’s victory over the Pirates … Zack Godley fanned seven while allowing two runs over 7 1/3 frames in a no-decision versus the Phillies on Monday … Joey Votto will not play Tuesday after his right knee became more sore as Monday's game progressed … Jeff McNeil went 3-for-4 with a solo homer and two runs scored in Monday’s win over the Reds … Marlins manager Don Mattingly was noncommittal when asked after Monday's game whether Kyle Barraclough was still his closer following another shaky performance … Yu Darvish (elbow) will throw a simulated game Wednesday … Tyler O'Neill (groin) landed on the disabled list Monday but is expected to be activated when first eligible on August 14 … Kris Bryant (shoulder) said Sunday that he's unsure when he'll be ready to swing a bat … Cole Hamels whiffed a pair while holding the Royals to one run over six frames in Monday’s victory …

Those A's are Amazing

The Oakland Athletics continue to get it done in all facets of the game.

The A’s won their sixth consecutive game on Sunday, improving to a season-best 21 games over the .500 mark at 67-46. They did so in impressive fashion as well, with a 6-0 victory over the Tigers.

Khris Davis, Matt Olson and Matt Chapman each left the yard for the Athletics in this one, powering their offensive attack. For Davis, it was his 31st bomb of the season. He has been phenomenal since the All-Star break, hitting .277 (18-for-65) with 10 homers and 22 RBI in 16 games.

Trevor Cahill toed the slab for the Athletics, racking up 10 strikeouts over six shutout innings against the hapless Tigers’ offense. He allowed just three hits and a walk and generated 18 swinging strikes in the game.

The A’s also accomplished something pretty impressive in the shutout, as they wrapped up their weekend set against the Tigers without allowing an earned run. The last time that the Athletics went a full three-game series without allowing an earned run was April 19-23, 1918 against Washington.

Just a few short weeks ago, it seemed like a foregone conclusion that the Astros would run away with the division title in the American League West, that the Yankees would secure the top Wild Card spot, and that the Athletics and Mariners would battle for the final Wild Card berth in the American League.

My, how things have changed.

The Athletics are charging hard toward the Astros, and now sit just four games back of the defending World Champions after Sunday’s win and the Astros’ loss to the Dodgers. They currently hold the second Wild Card spot, 2 ½ games ahead of the Mariners. They’re also just 2 ½ games behind the Yankees for the top Wild Card spot after the Bombers were swept in a four-game set at Fenway over the weekend.

Reinforcements are on the way as well.

The Athletics turned some heads when they decided to be buyers at the trade deadline, acquiring Jeurys Familia from the Mets to bolster their setup corps in front of closer Blake Treinen. They strengthened that unit even further on Sunday, acquiring embattled right-hander Shawn Kelley and cash considerations from the Nationals in exchange for international slot money.

The 34-year-old right-hander has been one of the top right-handed setup men in the league for several years and owns a 3.34 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and 32/5 K/BB ratio across his 32 ⅓ innings on the season. He wasn’t cut loose by the Nationals for performance issues, rather it was for being “disrespectful to the organization”. Kelley outwardly showed his displeasure by slamming his glove when surrendering a home run during the ninth inning of a lopsided victory.

The Nationals’ loss is a tremendous gain for the Athletics who now boast one of the top bullpen units in all of baseball. Kelley joins Familia, Lou Trivino and Ryan Buchter as the primary setup options in front of their lock-down closer.

These Athletics aren’t going away. Expect to see them in the postseason.

Maybe they need a nice BBQ chicken,

Ailing Astros

When Jose Altuve injured his knee during the Astros’ game on July 25, the expectation was that he would only need to miss a couple of games.

By all accounts, the 28-year-old and reigning American League MVP is as tough as they come. Prior to this issue, he had played in 1086 games in his big league career and had never once required a trip to the disabled list.

After playing short-handed for a couple of days though, the Astros made the decision on July 28 to put him on the disabled list, retroactive to July 26. Given how the situation was handled, the initial thought was filled with optimism that Altuve would be ready to return as soon as he was eligible.

Then news trickled out a couple of days later, that Altuve would not return from the disabled list as soon as he was eligible. Astros’ manager A.J. Hinch seemed non-committal at that time, noting that Altuve was feeling better, but that he still had yet to resume baseball activities.

The plan was to have Altuve begin running and hitting drills on Friday, putting him on track for a return early next week. Friday came and went though, and Altuve was nowhere to be found on the field. Hinch confirmed after Friday’s game that Altuve had not begun running or hitting drills on Friday as anticipated, but he remained hopeful that he would before the end of the weekend. He also seemed skeptical of Altuve returning for the Astros’ two-game series against the Giants to start the week.

As Astros fans and fantasy owners waited with bated breath to see if Altuve would begin doing drills on Sunday, more troublesome news was released. The diminutive second baseman would be returning to Houston to have his ailing knee examined by team doctors.

He has been officially ruled out for the two-game series against the Giants, and there’s no guarantee that he’ll make it back by next weekend either. All fantasy owners can do now is wait and hope that good news comes out of his examination in Houston.

This doesn’t necessarily mean that Altuve suffered a setback along the way. This could have been the Astros’ plan all along, to hold him out through Tuesday and have the medical staff check him out first before he’s cleared to return to the field. Just the way that the news has trickled out and the way the timeline has been pushed back a couple of times, there’s a feeling that it could be more ominous.

If it wasn’t bad enough that both Altuve and Carlos Correa are on the shelf, the Astros may have lost another big bat from their lineup on Sunday.

George Springer was forced to leave Sunday’s game against the Dodgers with left thumb discomfort. He suffered the injury while diving headfirst into second base during the third inning. X-rays came back negative, which is encouraging, but the Astros have yet to announce a potential time frame for his return. He could soon be joining Altuve and Correa on the disabled list.

Let My Pitchers Go

The Padres were fine with shedding some salary on Sunday, allowing a pair of pitchers who were claimed on waivers to go to the teams that claimed them, rather than pulling them back and attempting to work out a deal.

Tyson Ross was claimed by the Cardinals, who will now be on the hook for the just over $500,000 remaining on his salary for the remainder of the 2018 season. The 31-year-old hurler made 22 starts for the Padres this season, registering a 4.45 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and 107/52 K/BB ratio over 123 ⅓ innings. He has been especially bad over his last six starts, with an 8.26 ERA over 28 ⅓ innings since the calendar flipped to July. Even with the move to the Cardinals, he should be avoided for fantasy purposes.

The Padres also let Jordan Lyles go to the Brewers after the right-hander was claimed on waivers. The 27-year-old hurler appeared in 24 games (eight starts) for the Padres this season, posting a 4.29 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 62/19 K/BB ratio across 71 ⅓ innings. He’s always been talented and could be worth a look in NL-only leagues and as a streaming option in deeper mixed formats if he cracks the Brewers’ rotation.

While the Padres won’t get anything in return for either hurler, aside from salary relief, it frees up spots in the rotation and the bullpen for the club to see what they have in several young hurlers over the final two months of the season.

American League Quick Hits: Angels’ manager Mike Scioscia called reports that he planned to step down at the end of the season “insanity”... Mike Trout sat out his fourth straight game on Sunday with right wrist soreness. He’s still considered day-to-day… Lance McCullers landed on the disabled list with right elbow discomfort. It isn’t yet clear how long he’ll be sidelined for… The Angels designated veteran infielder Luis Valbuena for assignment. He was hitting just .199/.253/.335 on the season… Daniel Robertson will require surgery on his injured left thumb and is expected to miss the remainder of the season… Yan Gomes (knee) isn’t expected to return to the Indians’ lineup until at least Tuesday… Dee Gordon sat for the third time in the last four games with a right ankle injury… JaCoby Jones was held out of the Tigers’ lineup on Sunday with lower back tightness… Chris Sale (shoulder) will not return from the disabled list when he's first eligible on Wednesday., though the Red Sox seem hopeful he’ll still return over the weekend… Jose Ramirez belted a three-run homer, his 33rd home run of the season, as the Indians topped the Angels… Avisail Garcia blasted a pair of home runs and stole his first base of the season as the White Sox topped the Rays… Whit Merrifield went 4-for-5 including a two-run homer in a losing effort against the Twins… Jake Cave hit his first career grand slam, powering the Twins past the Royals… Edwin Diaz notched his league-leading 41st save with a perfect inning against the Blue Jays… Kyle Seager crushed a pair of home runs, leading the Mariners to victory there… Mark Trumbo homered twice as the Orioles thumped the Rangers… Jonathan Villar went 3-for-3 with a homer, three runs scored and a stolen base in that one. He seems locked in as the team’s leadoff hitter and should be owned in all fantasy formats… Mookie Betts swatted his 26th home run and scored three times as the Red Sox completed a four-game sweep of the Yankees… Andrew Benintendi provided the dagger in that one, with a walk-off RBI single in the 10th inning after the Red Sox had rallied for three runs to tie the game off of Yankees’ closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth.

National League Quick Hits: Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post reports that the Nationals are in discussions to sign Greg Holland… Dodgers’ outfielder Yasiel Puig is dealing with renewed soreness in his right oblique and could be heading back to the disabled list… Marcell Ozuna has been dealing with tendinitis and inflammation in his right shoulder since last season, though it only bothers him while throwing, not at the plate… Dexter Fowler will wear a walking boot on his fractured left foot for the next month and isn’t expected back until late September… Anthony Swarzak landed on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, making Robert Gsellman the favorite for saves in the Mets’ bullpen… Bryce Harper returned to the Nationals’ starting lineup on Sunday after leaving the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader when he was drilled by a pitch on his knee… Tyler O’Neill was a late scratch from the Cardinals lineup on Sunday due to a groin injury… The Brewers claimed Jordan Lyles off of waivers from the Padres… Matt Kemp was held out of the Dodgers lineup on Sunday with a right ankle contusion. He’s considered day-to-day… David Freese was unavailable on Sunday due to a right forearm contusion… Padres’ pitching prospect Brett Kennedy is slated to make his big league debut against the Brewers in Milwaukee this week… Stephen Strasburg (neck) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Thursday…. Devin Mesoraco blasted a game-tying home run in the ninth inning against the Braves, but the Mets still wound up losing in extra innings… Nick Markakis went 4-for-5 and clubbed a go-ahead solo home run in the top of the 10th inning of the Braves' win over the Mets on Sunday… Jack Flaherty struck out seven over six scoreless innings in a victory over the Pirates… Matt Carpenter clubbed his 29th home run in that victory… Asdrubal Cabrera launched a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth inning to beat the Marlins… Hunter Renfroe homered and drove in three runs, leading the Padres past the Cubs… Trevor Story homered, stole a base and drove in four runs as the Rockies beat the Brewers in extra innings… Nolan Arenado provided the go-ahead solo shot in the 11th inning of that victory… Jon Gray fanned seven over eight innings of one-run baseball in a no-decision against the Brewers… Evan Longoria launched a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning to beat the Diamondbacks… Manny Machado went 3-for-4 and scored twice as the Dodgers topped the Astros.

Grandma takes good care of her grandson

Altagracia Alvino, mother to Vladimir, grandmother to Vladimir Jr., has changed addresses a few times over the last couple years. Bluefield, West Virginia. Dunedin, Florida. Lansing, Michigan. Manchester, New Hampshire.
And now, Buffalo, New York. Just like she did for her son when he was putting together a hall-of-fame career with the Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Angels, the matriarch of the Guerrero family has followed her grandson everywhere he’s gone, living with him, cooking meals for his teammates, doing laundry — you know, grandmother stuff.
“If I moved to China,” Guerrero Jr. says, “she’ll follow me to China.”
A stop in Asia is unlikely, but it’s almost certain Altagracia’s next move will in fact be international as Guerrero has joined the triple-A Buffalo Bisons, only one level below the Blue Jays.

Of course, Guerrero probably won’t arrive in Toronto until sometime during the 2019 season, considering his continued development, the realities of major-league service time, and the current inconsequential nature of the Blue Jays’ 2018 campaign. But that’s a discussion for another day.
For now, Guerrero will face the toughest test of his professional career, playing in a league where the average age is more than seven years his senior. Over the remaining five weeks of the International League season, he’ll bat third for the Bisons, playing mostly third base with some starts as a designated hitter mixed in.
Before games, he’ll continue to send his time working to improve his defence, and his conditioning as well. Guerrero missed five weeks earlier this season with a strained patellar tendon in his right knee. The Bisons training staff will surely keep a close eye on his workload, and how his body responds to each game.
And through every test, he’ll endeavor to prove to the Blue Jays front office that he’s up to the task.
“I just need to come here and do my job, put up my numbers, and do the best I can,” he said through interpreter Rafael Dubois, a Venezuelan mental performance coach with the Bisons. “I can’t think in the future. I think in the moment. I just need to focus on doing my job and doing the things I need to do here.”

It’s hard to envision that not happening. To this point, the game of baseball has yet to present Guerrero with much of a challenge.
In 2016, he put up an .808 OPS over his first 62 professional games as a 17-year-old in rookie ball. Last season, he drew a walk 14 more times than he struck out, while putting up a .323/.425/.485 line over 119 games between mid- and high-A. This season he arrived at double-A and through only 61 games hit 14 homers, drove in 60, and posted a 1.120 OPS while notching upwards of four times more multi-hit games, 31, than hitless games, 7. He’s played 65 games in all this season and failed to reach base in only three of them.
The statistics are ridiculous — they truly are. Across the game, you can find plenty of scouts and evaluators who will tell you Guerrero could put up similarly impressive numbers in the majors today. But for a 19-year-old whose days as a child began on the field at 6 a.m. and involved north of 500 swings a day, none of it is unexpected.
“This is what I work every year for. When I go to the Dominican Republic, I go there to prepare myself for a long season. That’s what I work for — to prepare myself to hit and to do my job,” he said. “I don’t get surprised by this.”


That includes the ravenous attention that follows him everywhere he goes, and will only intensify over the time he spends in upstate New York.
At 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, Guerrero emerged from the dugout tunnel leading to the Bisons clubhouse, his amber-tipped dreadlocks tucked beneath a baby blue cap. He stepped into a phalanx of more than two dozen media members, and answered an endless stream of shouted questions for 15 straight minutes, many of them a variation on the same theme.


Buffalo’s manager, Bobby Meacham, got the same treatment moments after his new third baseman departed. He spoke eloquently and thoughtfully about the tasks ahead for Guerrero, and the demands that come with being a player of his calibre and pedigree, one many are expecting to do incredible things. He said that with that great talent and potential, comes great notice.
“I like to say, if you’re confident in your abilities and you believe in yourself, and you know deep down that you should be here, that that’s just going to come with it,” Meacham said. “I think he expected this to come with it. He knows what his dad went through. He’s seen big league situations all through his life. And this is just part of what he has to go through right now. All the attention, he’s earned it.”
And, remember, Meacham spent his big league career with the New York Yankees in the mid 1980s. He knows as well as anyone this is nothing compared to what Guerrero will encounter if he turns out to be as successful as many believe he can be.
“I saw a lot of reporters in a lot of different places for a lot of different reasons. We had Mattingly and Winfield going for a batting title. We had pennant races every year,” Meacham said. “Man, you look at the internet now — or newspapers then — he’s hitting .400 in double-A. So, everybody’s kind of been anticipating this.”

Fans, too. When the gates opened at 4:00 p.m., dozens of spectators rushed down the rows between the green seats at Coca-Cola Field, lining up along a railing that runs up the right-field foul line. They hung over the barricade, watching Guerrero stretch with his new teammates, play catch, and practice celebratory handshakes.
When he moved to the infield to participate in fielding drills, the fans followed, as did a pack of camera operators and photographers who documented his every breath. Batting practice was a similar zoo, as the hordes watched Guerrero drive pitches to all fields. When he was finished, he signed a few autographs, jogged into the dugout to collect his equipment, and walked back to the clubhouse like he’s done before so many games before.
Within that clubhouse, Guerrero’s presence can already be felt. Altag racia’s, too. She sent her grandson to the ballpark Tuesday with containers of chicken to offer his new teammates. Later that night, he’ll sit with her at a table and recap his day, running down everything that happened in that night’s game. It’s their routine. From Bluefield, to Lansing, and now to Buffalo.
“I don’t feel any pressure. I just try to get better every day. I just try to do my job, to do the things that I need to do every day in order to get better,” Guerrero said. “I just need to be here, control what I can control, do my job — and that’s about it.”