The 2017 Major League Baseball Player Chatter, News and Fantasy Thread.

[mr. leisure]

Jered Weaver announced his retirement yesterday. Very good career, too bad his body failed him after 9 solid seasons.

Loved him when he was with the Angels .

[stevenash]

Love watching Beltre swing the bat, he never gets cheated.

[yisman]

Samardzija and Nola melted down.

[El Nino]

Love watching Beltre swing the bat, he never gets cheated.

Guy prob took roids, but you are right...never cheated.

[Otters27]

Love watching Beltre swing the bat, he never gets cheated.

Is Beltre the most underatted hitter of all time?

[Chi_archie]

Is Beltre the most underatted hitter of all time?

He he might be up there

[EmpireMaker]

With the 2017 Major League Baseball season three-quarters of the way over, we’ve seen no shortage of rookies* burst on the scene as potential long-term building blocks for their respective teams. Here, we’ll take a look at those who have enjoyed the finest introductions to the big leagues thus far.

1.) Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees: All rise for the American League home run leader (37) and the shoo-in AL Rookie of the Year winner. While the 25-year-old Judge has batted just .185/.346/.398 since the All-Star break and done significant damage to his MVP hopes in the process, the overall production this season has been awe-inspiring. After a rough, strikeout-laden debut in 2016, Judge has rebounded this season to slash a magnificent .291/.420/.614 in 502 plate appearances. Strikeouts remain a problem, though his 31.5 percent rate isn’t crippling when you pair it with the majors’ second-best walk rate (17.5). When Judge has made contact, he has punished the ball. The 6-foot-7, 275-pound monster ranks fourth in the game in isolated power (.323), and his expected weighted on-base average (.432) is right in line with his actual wOBA (.437, via Statcast and Baseball Savant).
While offensive brilliance has put Judge on the map, the advanced defensive metrics have thought enough of his work in right field to help give him a 6.2 fWAR – which ties him with Jose Altuve for first among all position players. Judge, Altuve and others will spend the next month and a half continuing to vie for the AL MVP, but the newest face of the Yankees has top rookie honors sewn up.
2.) Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, Dodgers: Just as Judge has lapped the AL rookie field, Bellinger has emerged as the Secretariat of the NL race. Bellinger hasn’t quite matched his AL counterpart’s production, but the numbers have still been absolutely remarkable – especially considering he just turned 22 last month and didn’t debut until the end of April. The lefty-swinging Dodger has belted nearly as many homers as Judge (34) in 90 fewer PAs (412), posted a .277/.357/.621 line and logged the majors’ third-best ISO (.343, behind only Joey Votto and Giancarlo Stanton). In the process, Bellinger has given the dream team known as the Dodgers yet another star to build around for the long haul. He’s a lock to follow teammate Corey Seager as the club’s second consecutive NL ROY winner.
3.) Paul DeJong, SS, Cardinals: This is the second straight year in which a Cardinals shortstop has served as one of baseball’s most productive rookies. It was Aledmys Diaz in 2016, but his breakout hasn’t stuck, and he’s currently amid a woeful Triple-A season after beginning the year poorly in the majors. DeJong, 24, may not follow that path in 2018 – he and the Cardinals hope not, anyway – but a 30.9 strikeout rate against a paltry 3.7 percent walk means he’s carrying the second-worst BB/K ratio (.12) among hitters with at least 200 PAs. That will have to change if DeJong’s going to be a viable major league regular for the long haul. In the meantime, give DeJong credit for a .300/.327/.576 batting line through 269 trips to the plate. And even though DeJong didn’t reach the majors until the end of May, he trails only Judge and Bellinger among rookies in homers (18). He also tops all league shortstops in ISO (.276).
Between the offensive output and his plus defense, DeJong has accounted for 2.1 fWAR – putting him just in front of a prominent fellow shortstop, Boston’s Xander Bogaerts, who has been worth 2.0 fWAR in 220 more PAs. Whether DeJong can keep this up is highly debatable, but it’s inarguable that the 24-year-old’s work this season has helped the Redbirds stay in the playoff hunt.
4.) Austin Barnes, C/2B, Dodgers: The Dodgers are 85-34, so it’s not particularly surprising that they’re loaded with outstanding players. Barnes has flown under the radar, though – perhaps because he’s a 27-year-old rookie who has only amassed 180 PAs this season (after logging 37 apiece in the prior two seasons). The former Marlins prospect has taken advantage of his limited playing time, however, having hit a marvelous .293/.411/.513 with six homers and a .220 ISO. Barnes has combined that quality power with elite-level plate discipline, evidenced primarily by the fact that he has nearly as many walks (27) as strikeouts (30). League-average walk and strikeout rates sit at 8.5 percent and 21.6 percent, respectively, and Barnes is comfortably above the mean in each category (15.0 and 16.7). He also happens to own an even higher xwOBA than Bellinger (.379 to .372). It’s worth pointing out, too, that Baseball Prospectus regards Barnes as one of the majors’ preeminent pitch-framing backstops. The hype may not be there for Barnes, yet he’s clearly among the reasons the Dodgers are able to form Voltron on what seems like a nightly basis.
5.) German Marquez, SP, Rockies: As we’ve seen time and again, pitching in Colorado is no easy task. The 22-year-old Marquez has handled Coors Field with aplomb, though, and managed a 4.13 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 2.94 BB/9 and a 41.6 percent ground-ball rate across 113 1/3 innings in his rookie campaign. The run prevention isn’t eye-popping, but the hard-throwing right-hander’s 3.79 FIP, .319 wOBA/.312 xwOBA allowed and 2.5 fWAR all jump off the page. In a year in which the potentially playoff-bound Rockies have seen three other rookie starters eat up innings (Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and Jeff Hoffman), Marquez has stood out the most among their new class of hurlers.
6.) Jordan Montgomery, SP, Yankees: The left-handed Montgomery has registered strikingly similar numbers to Marquez (3.94 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 8.55 K/9, 2.83 BB/9, 41.1 percent-grounder, .301 wOBA/.297 xwOBA against, 2.3 fWAR) through 121 frames. While extra credit goes to Marquez for surviving Colorado so far, Montgomery doesn’t exactly call a pitcher-friendly venue home.
7.) Trey Mancini, OF/1B, Orioles: In a season without Judge, it’s possible Mancini’s offensive output would make him the AL ROY front-runner. The 25-year-old has smashed 21 HRs, trailing only Judge, Bellinger and Matt Davidson among first-year pros, and has put together an appealing overall line (.290/.341/.517 in 411 PAs, with a .227 ISO). Granted, there are some red flags – including a subpar BB/K ratio (.25; league average is .39), a .342 batting average on balls in play that won’t hold and a decent-sized wOBA/xwOBA gap (.368 to .341).
8.) Andrew Benintendi, LF, Red Sox: Benintendi hasn’t been a force of nature this year like Judge or Bellinger, but it’s even more obvious than it was at the beginning of the season that he’s a long-term keeper for the Red Sox. Thanks in part to his three-homer series against Judge and the Yankees last weekend, the 23-year-old Benintendi has racked up 17 long balls, which ranks fourth among rookies. He also leads first-year men in stolen bases (14) and sits fourth in on-base percentage (.361).
9.) Matt Chapman, 3B, Athletics: Chapman, like Barnes, hasn’t seen a ton of big league action this year, having walked to the plate only 166 times. But the production is also very difficult to ignore in Chapman’s case. The 24-year-old has already been worth 1.4 fWAR since his mid-June promotion, thanks largely to otherworldly glove work. Chapman has recorded an extremely impressive 13 Defensive Runs Saved, which trails only Nolan Arenado and Jedd Gyorko among those manning the hot corner, to accompany a third basemen-leading UZR/150 (22.0). As Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wrote last week, that type of world-class defense plus Chapman’s brand of acceptable offense (.230/.301/.514) would make him a star-level contributor for the long term. Of course, whether Chapman can continue hitting at this type of clip is somewhat in question. Chapman’s strikeout rate (33.7 percent) drowns out a passable walk rate (9.0 percent), and his .301 xwOBA pales in comparison to his .343 wOBA.
10.) Chad Green, RP, Yankees: Rounding out the list is a third Yankee, Green, who may get lost in the shuffle as part of a bullpen that features Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Adam Warren. And yet the 26-year-old Green has stood on his own as one of the premier relievers in baseball this season. Through 48 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, the former starter places seventh among relievers in ERA (1.66), fifth in strikeout percentage (40.1) and fourth in strikeout-walk percentage (33.3). The only other relievers who rank top seven in each of those categories are Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen. Decent company.
*For determining rookie status, we’re looking at players with less than 130 plate appearances or 50 innings pitched entering the season.

[koz-man]

Indians 9, Twins 3 (Game 1) Indians: struck out 10+ opponents in 13 straight games, the longest streak in MLB history. elias

[yisman]

Josh Donaldson playing SS now and Joey Bats at third.

Wrigley game, Barney got pulled and Toronto had to adjust.

[El Nino]

Donaldson has been red hot.

[stevenash]

Buxton's inside the park HR is must see video.
He's now a single away from the cycle.

[stevenash]

Is Beltre the most underatted hitter of all time?

Votto.

[Cross]

I'll take votto as well.

[EmpireMaker]

IMPACT ROSTER MOVES

• [*=left]CHC: SP Jon Lester (shoulder fatigue) and RP Justin Grimm (finger infection) placed on 10-Day DL; RP Felix Peña and Rob Zastryzny recalled from minors. | Cubs Depth Chart
  • [*=left]Mike Montgomery will move to the rotation while Lester is out.
  
  

• CIN: OF Scott Schebler activated from 10-Day DL; SP Scott Feldman (knee inflammation) placed on 10-Day DL. | Reds Depth Chart
  • Schebler was not in the starting lineup on Friday.
  • No word on who will take Feldman’s rotation spot while he is out.
  
  

• CLE: RP Andrew Miller activated from 10-Day DL; OF Abraham Almonte (strained hamstring) placed on 10-Day DL. | Indians Depth Chart
  • Austin Jackson is expected to make the majority of starts in LF while Almonte is out.
  
  

• COL: SP Jeff Hoffman and INF Ryan McMahon optioned to minors; RP Scott Oberg and OF Mike Tauchman recalled from minors. | Rockies Depth Chart
  • Antonio Senzatela and Tyler Chatwood are candidates to take Hoffman’s rotation spot.
  
  

• DET: SP Anibal Sanchez (strained hamstring) placed on 10-Day DL; INF/OF JaCoby Jones recalled from minors. | Tigers Depth Chart
  • Daniel Norris might return from the disabled list to take Sanchez’s rotation spot next week.
  
  

• KCR: RP Joakim Soria (strained oblique) placed on 10-Day DL; RP Kevin McCarthy recalled from minors. | Royals Depth Chart

• LAA: SP Andrew Heaney activated from 60-Day DL; SP Tyler Skaggs placed on Bereavement List. | Angels Depth Chart
  • Skaggs is scheduled to start on Monday.
  
  

• LAD: OF Curtis Granderson acquired from New York Mets for player to be named later or cash considerations. | Dodgers Depth Chart

• LAD: 1B Adrian Gonzalez activated from 60-Day DL; INF/OF Rob Segedin optioned to minors. | Dodgers Depth Chart
  • Gonzalez played 1B and batted 7th in Friday’s game.
  
  

• MIN: OF Robbie Grossman (fractured thumb) was placed on 10-Day DL; C/1B/OF Mitch Garver recalled from minors. | Twins Depth Chart
  • Eduardo Escobar was the DH and batted 6th in Friday’s game. He will likely get the majority of starts in Grossman’s place.
  
  

• PHI: OF Odubel Herrera (strained hamstring) placed on 10-Day DL; corresponding move will be made prior to Saturday’s game. | Phillies Depth Chart
  • Cam Perkins played RF and batted 8th in Friday’s game versus a left-handed starter with Nick Williams taking Herrera’s spot in CF.
  
  

• [*=left]STL: SP Adam Wainwright (elbow impingement) placed on 10-Day DL; RP Mike Mayers recalled from minors. | Cardinals Depth Chart
  • [*=left]Luke Weaver is expected to take Wainwright’s rotation spot.
    [*=left]Mayers was optioned to the minors following Friday’s game.
  
  

• TBR: OF Kevin Kiermaier activated from 60-Day DL; OF Mallex Smith optioned to minors. | Rays Depth Chart
  • Kiermaier played CF and batted 1st in Friday’s game.
  
  

• [*=left]WSH: SP Max Scherzer (neck inflammation) placed on 10-Day DL; corresponding move will be made prior to Saturday’s game. | Nationals Depth Chart

—

FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES

• ARZ: SP Robbie Ray will be activated from 7-Day DL sometime next week, according to Nick Piecoro of AZ Central. | Diamondbacks Depth Chart
  • Ray made a rehab start on Thursday, so the earliest he would return is Tuesday August 22nd.
  
  

• [*=left]ATL: OF Matt Kemp will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Saturday August 19th, according to Mark Bowman of MLB.com. | Braves Depth Chart

• [*=left]CWS: SP Lucas Giolito will be recalled from minors on Monday August 21st, according to the team. | White Sox Depth Chart

• [*=left]MIL: SP Chase Anderson will be activated from 10-Day DL on Sunday August 20th, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. | Brewers Depth Chart

• [*=left]NYY: SP CC Sabathia will be activated from 10-Day DL on Saturday August 19th, according to Sweeny Murti of WFAN. | Yankees Depth Chart

• [*=left]PHI: SP Nick Pivetta will be likely recalled as the 26th man for the double-header on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Matt Gelb of the Philly Inquirer. | Phillies Depth Chart

• [*=left]WSH: SP Stephen Strasburg will be activated from 10-Day DL on Saturday August 19th, according to Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post. | Nationals Depth Chart

—

MINOR TRANSACTIONS

• ATL: INF/OF Danny Santana (strained quad) placed on 10-Day DL; 2B/OF Micah Johnson recalled from minors. | Braves Depth Chart

• LAA: RP Noe Ramirez claimed off waivers from Boston Red Sox and optioned to minors. | Angels Depth Chart

• MIL: C Stephen Vogt activated from 10-Day DL; C Andrew Susac (strained trapezius) placed on 10-Day DL. | Brewers Depth Chart

• SDP: RP Wade LeBlanc (strained quad) placed on 10-Day DL; RP Steven Brault recalled from minors. | Pirates Depth Chart

[Chi_archie]

Buxton's inside the park HR is must see video.
He's now a single away from the cycle.

Guy is blazing fast

[koz-man]

Aroldis Chapman's last four outings: 4 1/3 innings, 5 hits, 5 walks, 7 runs, 2 homers, 5 strikeouts

[Otters27]

Josh Donaldson playing SS now and Joey Bats at third.

Wrigley game, Barney got pulled and Toronto had to adjust.

Tulowitzki is always hurt.. I can't remember a year he finished a full season.

[El Nino]

Guy is blazing fast

He's like Billy Hamilton...a walk is a double. If Buxton continues to improve, he will be a monster. Guy needs to improve his average a bit and learn to steal 3B.

[Cross]

Buxton the new willie Mayes Hayes.

[stevenash]

Tulowitzki is always hurt.. I can't remember a year he finished a full season.

Grady Sizemore, he could have been Mike Trout before Mike Trout was Mike Trout.

Now that the league has figured out that Judge really can't hit sliders and is a sucker for a chin high fast ball, he can't lay off them and he can't catch up to them because he's 6' 7" has Mike Trout re entered the MVP race?

[BigSpoon]

Grady Sizemore, he could have been Mike Trout before Mike Trout was Mike Trout.

Now that the league has figured out that Judge really can't hit sliders and is a sucker for a chin high fast ball, he can't lay off them and he can't catch up to them because he's 6' 7" has Mike Trout re entered the MVP race?

I think Trout can win it with a strong September finish but atm Jose Altuve would be my vote.

[stevenash]

In this current Angels Orioles the Angles have scored 12 runs, all via the home run.
No, sac-flies, no RBI singles, just HR's.
Trout had two big flies in the game tonight, the second one was on of those where the CF just stood there as the ball went over the fence, the CF didn't even make a break for the ball, without question the greatest player I have even seen when you factor in he plays defense like no other outfielder, by that I mean he goes over walls to make catches. He steals bases, the very definition of a five tool player.

He'll have enough plate appearances to qualify, he's hitting .339 OBA of .464 and SLG pct of .700
That's pretty good right? He gets on base almost one out of every two plate appearances.
26 home runs in 277 at bats, that's let's call it one out of every ten, so if he plays 162 games that's say 60 home runs.

Meanwhile the Mike Trout of 2B, Jose Altuve is .364/.423
If Altuve finishes strong, it's his MVP, if not, Trout again, all I know is Trout comes back from the DL the Angels are now in the thick of the Wild Card race.

With the exception of two screaming line drive outs by Hosmer, Trevor Bauer was very sharp.
Now that Tomlin is on the DL, all five Indian starters have K per 9 ratios of over 10 a game.
That's not just sick, I think that hasn't even been done before, I don't feel like researching that right now.
Oh, the Indians have three 12 game winners, they have a pretty much automatic bullpen, and they have plenty of hitting, they should represent the American League again in the World Series, and they have a legit shot of beating LA Dodgers, if Washington doesn't knock the Dodgers off.

Pitching wins, the Indians have it, so does the Nationals, and of course the Dodgers, Houston doesn't have enough pitching, I don't think they can beat Cleveland in a best of seven.

Texas Rangers spotted the White Sox 5 runs in the first inning.
Down 5-0 in the first inning, Rangers still won the game by 10 runs.
They can't pitch for shit, but they are really, really good at hitting that round ball.

[EmpireMaker]

• [*=left]ATL: OF Matt Kemp activated from 10-Day DL; RP Matt Wisler recalled from minors; 2B/OF Micah Johnson optioned to minors; RP Luke Jackson (strained shoulder) placed on DL. | Braves Depth Chart

• CWS: SP Reynaldo Lopez (strained back) placed on 10-Day DL; RP Danny Farquhar has contract purchased from minors. | White Sox Depth Chart

• LAD: OF Curtis Granderson added to 25-man roster; RP Edward Paredes recalled from minors; SP Yu Darvish (back tightness) placed on 10-Day DL; OF Joc Pederson optioned to minors. | Dodgers Depth Chart
  • Granderson played LF and batted 5th in Saturday’s game.
  • Brock Stewart is likely to take Darvish’s spot in the rotation
  • Darvish is only expected to miss one start.
  
  

• NYM: C Kevin Plawecki recalled from minors; RP Tommy Milone activated from 60-Day DL. | Mets Depth Chart
  • Plawecki was the catcher and batted 8th in Saturday’s game.
  
  

• NYY: SP CC Sabathia activated from 10-Day DL; SP Jordan Montgomery optioned to minors; RP Aroldis Chapman removed from closer’s role. | Yankees Depth Chart

• PHI: SP Ben Lively recalled from minors. | Phillies Depth Chart
  • Corresponding move to Odubel Herrera being placed on DL (Friday).
  • Lively will start on Sunday; Mark Leiter Jr. has been moved to the bullpen.
  
  

• [*=left]SEA: OF Mitch Haniger activated from 10-Day DL; RP Casey Lawrence recalled from minors; OF Jarrod Dyson (strained hamstring) placed on 10-Day DL; RP Sam Gaviglio optioned to minors. | Padres Depth Chart
  • [*=left]Haniger played RF and batted 7th in Saturday’s game.
    [*=left]Guillermo Heredia is expected to be the regular CF while Dyson is out.
  
  

• [*=left]SDP: OF Hunter Renfroe optioned to minors; OF Jabari Blash recalled from minors. | Padres Depth Chart
  • [*=left]Blash played RF and batted 7th in Saturday’s game.
  
  

• TEX: OF Carlos Gomez (shoulder discomfort) placed on 10-Day DL; INF/OF Phil Gosselin recalled from minors. | Rangers Depth Chart
  • Delino Deshields will be the regular CF while Gomez is out.
  
  

• [*=left]WSH: SP Stephen Strasburg activated from 10-Day DL. | Nationals Depth Chart
  • [*=left]Corresponding move to Max Scherzer being placed on DL (Friday).
  
  

—

FUTURE EXPECTED MOVES

• ARZ: SP Robbie Ray will be activated from 7-Day DL sometime next week, according to Nick Piecoro of AZ Central. | Diamondbacks Depth Chart
  • Ray made a rehab start on Thursday, so the earliest he would return is Tuesday August 22nd.
  
  

• [*=left]CWS: SP Carson Fulmer will be recalled from minors on Monday August 21st; SP Lucas Giolito will be recalled from minors on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Daryl Van Schowen of the Chicago Sun Times. | White Sox Depth Chart

• [*=left]MIL: SP Chase Anderson will be activated from 10-Day DL on Sunday August 20th, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. | Brewers Depth Chart

• NYY: SP Masahiro Tanaka will likely be activated from 10-Day DL on Tuesday August 22nd. | Yankees Depth Chart

• [*=left]PHI: SP Nick Pivetta will be likely recalled as the 26th man for the double-header on Tuesday August 22nd, according to Matt Gelb of the Philly Inquirer. | Phillies Depth Chart

[koz-man]

CC Sabathia defeated the Red Sox, allowing two runs in six innings, as the Yankees pulled off a 4-3 win at Fenway Park.

Sabathia is now 3-0 with a 0.90 ERA in three starts against Boston this season.

Since earned runs became official in the American League in 1913, four other Yankees pitchers have won their first three starts against Boston in a season with a sub-1.00 ERA:
Lefty Gomez in 1934 (0.33),
Hank Borowy in 1945 (0.35),
Whitey Ford in 1956 (0.67),
and Scott Sanderson in 1991 (0.43).

[Cross]

Betances, finally in the closer role. Embarrassment of riches in Yankees bullpen.

[stevenash]

This is why baseball is the most frustrating sport or anything else in the world.

Got the Reds with their only reliable starter Castillo at pick 'em.

At FanDuel I went with the best available cheap pitcher Snell so I can stack up power in my lineup.
Snell is pitching the game of his life, 2 hit shutout through seven innings, 8 strikeouts, a Kershaw or Sale type game.
I got the Houston thumpers in my line up with Votto and Duvall.
Reds have the bags loaded, one out, and here comes 3-4-5, you guessed it, Votto then Duvall.
Votto CRUSHES a screaming line drive, destined to split the gap between right and center, this ball was roped!
AAA call up at 2B for the Braves does a vertical leap you only see in the NBA, goes up about 12 feet and comes down with the ball.
Two outs, oh well, here comes Duvall, bases loaded.
Duvall takes one of his monster swings and tops the ball, it's a worm killer in the Bermuda triangle almost past the pitcher between second and first. Newcomb the Braves pitcher does a belly flop, then a swim move on his belly to corral the ball, bounces a 8 hopper to Freeman at first to nab Duvall.

Nothing. A big fat fukking zero.

[EmpireMaker]

Astros superstar shortstop Carlos Correa is progressing toward a return from the torn left thumb ligament he suffered July 18. Correa will take batting practice on the field Tuesday for the first time since succumbing to the injury, and he could then embark on a rehab assignment, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters, including Ben DuBose of MLB.com. Teammate Lance McCullers, who has been on the shelf for three weeks with back discomfort, threw a three-inning simulated game Sunday, but there’s no timetable for the right-hander’s return. Hinch informed Mark Berman of FOX 26 (via Twitter) and other reporters that McCullers will need to make multiple rehab appearances before coming back.
More injury updates from around the majors:

• Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw is likely to rejoin their rotation Sept. 1, relays Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register (Twitter links). Kershaw, who’s rehabbing from a late-July back injury, will throw a three-inning sim game in Pittsburgh on Monday, manager Dave Roberts announced. If all goes well, he’ll make a rehab start at either the Double-A or Triple-A level next weekend (Twitter link via Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times).
• Arm stiffness has prevented Red Sox left-hander David Price from throwing since Tuesday, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon, according to Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com. Price has dealt with forearm problems off and on since spring training, though Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told MLB Network Radio on Sunday that he’s “hopeful” the hurler will be a factor again this season (Twitter link). Time’s running out, however, as McCaffrey notes.
• The Angels are targeting a September return for righty Garrett Richards, who will face live hitters Sunday for the first time since he made his lone start of the year on April 5, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register writes. Biceps nerve irritation has sidelined Richards, who missed nearly all of last season with elbow troubles. With roster expansion forthcoming, manager Mike Scioscia suggested that the Angels won’t need to stretch Richards out fully in order for him to rejoin the playoff hopefuls’ rotation. “I don’t think it’s realistic to get Garrett stretched out to the 75-, 90-, 100-pitch range, but I do see a scenario if he gets to 60 pitches, we might use him to come to our rotation and see how far he gets because we’ll have plenty of pitching to follow up at that point,” Scioscia said.
• Along with the previously reported Jayson Werth, Nationals shortstop Trea Turner will start a Triple-A rehab assignment Monday, per Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com. Both players have been out since June (Werth went to the DL on June 5, Turner on June 30), and they’re slated to return next week, according to Zuckerman. Turner’s lengthy DL stint came as a result of a broken right wrist.
• The Rays placed righty Jacob Faria on the 10-day DL on Sunday with a left abdominal strain, clearing roster space for just-claimed outfielder Cesar Puello. Faria revealed that he has battled the injury over his past several starts, though he doesn’t believe it’ll be a long-term problem or even a season-ending issue, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter link). Prior to the DL stint, the 24-year-old Faria was amid a quality rookie season with a 3.32 ERA and 8.81 K/9 against 3.32 BB/9 across 78 2/3 innings.

[Cross]

So many injuries in baseball, really frustrating as a fan.

[Otters27]

So many injuries in baseball, really frustrating as a fan.

Lots of these guys don't take proper care of there body and ate on roids that can't be tested. Combine that with playing every day and there you go

[El Nino]

Grady Sizemore, he could have been Mike Trout before Mike Trout was Mike Trout.

Now that the league has figured out that Judge really can't hit sliders and is a sucker for a chin high fast ball, he can't lay off them and he can't catch up to them because he's 6' 7" has Mike Trout re entered the MVP race?

Sizemore burned me more than a few times in fantasy baseball. Kept thinking he'd rekindle that one great season and stay healthy.

[stevenash]

Sizemore burned me more than a few times in fantasy baseball. Kept thinking he'd rekindle that one great season and stay healthy.

You, me, and 10000 other fantasy players.

[BigSpoon]

Tulowitzki is always hurt.. I can't remember a year he finished a full season.

Jays are stuck with his contract for another 3 seasons after this one at $20M per year.

[koz-man]

Bartolo Colon became the third active pitcher to beat all 30 teams.

Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer and the Cubs' John Lackey, who accomplished the feat last season.

[Chi_archie]

Bartolo Colon became the third active pitcher to beat all 30 teams.

Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer and the Cubs' John Lackey, who accomplished the feat last season.

that is pretty cool

[El Nino]

Bartolo Colon became the third active pitcher to beat all 30 teams.

Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer and the Cubs' John Lackey, who accomplished the feat last season.

Little known fact: That wasn't a solar eclipse today. Bartolo Colon was just out for a stroll.