Baseball Daily Dose: Daily Dose: Manaeamania
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When the Athletics demoted Eric Surkamp to Triple-A Nashville on Monday the assumption was that Jesse Hahn would be promoted this weekend to take the vacant rotation spot. Hahn nearly made the A’s rotation out of spring training and he has registered a 2.04 ERA over 17 2/3 innings (four starts) this year at the Triple-A level.
But the 26-year-old right-hander suffered a blister on his pitching hand in his last outing for the Nashville Sounds and it’s going to prevent him from seizing an opportunity that will instead go to top pitching prospect Sean Manaea.
A’s management announced Wednesday morning that Manaea, acquired from the Royals in last year’s Ben Zobrist trade, will be plucked out of the same Triple-A rotation as Hahn to make his major league debut this Friday night against the Astros. The young left-hander owns a 1.50 ERA and 21/4 K/BB ratio in 18 innings (three starts) this season with Nashville and he boasts a 2.82 ERA and 257/84 K/BB ratio over 214 career minor league frames.
Manaea possesses pretty good control along with legitimate swing-and-miss stuff and he’s going to be making a lot of starts at the cavernous Oakland Coliseum if the A’s let him stick around.
The outing Friday versus the Astros will be in Oakland. He needs to be owned in all standard leagues.
Hahn will be ready if the experiment doesn’t quite work out.
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Phillies Lose Morton To Hammy Tear
It’s going to be a while before we hear from Charlie Morton again.
The right-hander tore his left hamstring while running out a bunt Saturday night in Milwaukee and will undergo season-ending surgery next week to have the tear repaired. He was sporting a somewhat underwhelming 4.15 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 17 1/3 innings (four starts) this season, but the sudden uptick in his fastball velocity — from a 92 mph average in 2015 to 94.3 mph in 2016 — had the Phillies thinking optimistic thoughts.
Adam Morgan is expected to take Morton’s spot in the Philadelphia rotation on Friday, with his first start coming against the Indians. He had a 4.48 ERA and 49/17 K/BB ratio in 84 1/3 innings (15 starts) last year at the major league level and can be ignored in standard fantasy leagues.
If former No. 1 overall pick Mark Appel eventually gets a look in the spot vacated by Morton, that might be a development worth a bit of mixed-league consideration. Appel, acquired from the Astros in the Ken Giles trade, holds a 1.62 ERA and 14 strikeouts over 16 2/3 innings (three starts) this year at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Nothing Rehabs Like Revere
Nationals center fielder Ben Revere suffered a strained oblique in the fourth inning of Washington’s season-opening game against the Braves and hit the disabled list two days later. A few weeks passed before the 27-year-old speedster was cleared to resume baseball activities, but he is on the fast track now.
Nationals manager Dusty Baker announced Wednesday that Revere will begin a minor league rehab assignment on Thursday night at Triple-A Syracuse and could return to the active major league roster during the club’s upcoming road trip to St. Louis, Kansas City, and Chicago.
Chicago is probably the most realistic aim if Revere is going to get a dozen or so rehab at-bats.
The imminent return of Revere could spell trouble for Michael Taylor, who has been the Nats’ primary center field fill-in and was a popular waiver wire grab in fantasy leagues but is batting just .192/.231/.301 in 73 at-bats following an 0-for-4 on Wednesday night against the Phillies. It might help Taylor’s case for continued playing time that Jayson Werth hasn’t been much better.
National League Quick Hits: Rockies shortstop Trevor Story slugged his ninth home run of the young season on Wednesday night against the Pirates … Giants first baseman Brandon Belt went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and five RBI in Wednesday’s win over the Padres … Yoenis Cespedes (thigh) is expected to return to the Mets’ starting lineup Friday … Cardinals shortstop Aledmys Diaz singled, homered, and drew a walk on Wednesday night against the Diamondbacks and is batting .468/.500/.823 over his first 66 major league plate appearances … Jeremy Hellickson tossed seven scoreless innings on Wednesday to pick up his second win, allowing two hits and striking out eight Nationals … Justin Nicolino fired 7 1/3 shutout innings in a spot start for the Marlins on Wednesday night against the Dodgers … Cubs catcher Miguel Montero remains day-to-day with a stiff back … Dodgers right-hander Yaisel Sierra will make his professional debut Friday night with High-A Rancho Cucamonga … Rockies placed starter Jorge De La Rosa on the 15-day disabled list with a left groin strain and recalled Eddie Butler to take over his rotation spot … Brandon Phillips (finger, shin) remained out of the Reds’ starting lineup on Wednesday … Nationals placed reliever Matt Belisle on the 15-day disabled list with a right calf strain.
American League Quick Hits: Angels closer Huston Street is headed for the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain, leaving Joe Smith to fill in as Anaheim’s ninth-inning man … Tigers pitching prospect Michael Fulmer is expected to join the major league rotation Friday in place of Shane Greene, who is headed to the disabled list with a blister on his pitching hand … Rangers ace Yu Darvish (elbow) will begin his rehab assignment by throwing two innings or 30 pitches at Double-A Frisco on Sunday … Alex Rodriguez (oblique) finished 3-for-3 with a walk and a homer in Wednesday night’s loss to the Rangers … Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman dominated the Rays on Wednesday night with nine strikeouts over 6 2/3 scoreless innings … Cole Hamels (groin) is expected to make his scheduled start against the Angels on Sunday … Jose Quintana spun a gem in Wednesday’s win over the Blue Jays, striking out 10 in six scoreless innings to pick up his third win … According to WEEI’s Rob Bradford, the Red Sox have been encouraged by Pablo Sandoval‘s “approach and results” toward dropping weight over the last two weeks … Justin Upton was dropped to the fifth spot in the Tigers’ batting order on Wednesday … White Sox optioned Miguel Gonzalez to Triple-A Charlotte after just one start … Dustin Pedroia went 3-for-5 with two homers and five RBI to lead the Red Sox past the Braves on Wednesday … Alex Cobb (elbow) threw 25 fastballs off a mound Tuesday without issue … Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis (shoulder) will take at-bats in an extended spring game Friday … J.D. Martinez had a homer and four RBI in the Tigers’ defeat of the Athletics on Wednesday … Brad Boxberger (abdomen) threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Wednesday … Carlos Gomez is day-to-day after taking a pitch off his right wrist on Wednesday night against the Mariners … Blue Jays re-signed RHP Roberto Hernandez to a minor league contract; assigned him to Triple-A Buffalo …Lonnie Chisenhall is day-to-day with a neck strain … Twins third baseman Trevor Plouffe (intercostal) will begin a minor league rehab assignment this weekend … Blue Jays optioned switch-pitcher Pat Venditte to Triple-A Buffalo.
