Baseball Daily Dose: Dose: Bye Bye Byrdie
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Major League Baseball announced Wednesday that Indians outfielder Marlon Byrd has been suspended 162 games after testing positive for the human growth hormone secretagogue Ipamorelin. That’s something you would take to mask HGH use, though Byrd of course claims it accidentally got into his body. Believe him if you like.
This is the second career PED suspension for Byrd, who got popped for 50 games in 2012 shortly after being released by the Red Sox. 50 games was the standard punishment for first-time offenders back then; it’s 80 games now, and 162 for the second offense.
Byrd will be a 39-year-old free agent this winter with 50 games left to serve, so he is probably done as a Major League Baseball player. He hit 133 of his 159 career home runs after his 30th birthday and he also netted a large majority of his $39 million in career earnings after turning 30 years old. A nice smash-and-grab scheme.
Tyler Naquin was called up from Triple-A Columbus after the suspension was announced to give the Indians some much-needed outfield depth. Abraham Almonte got hit with an 80-game PED suspension in April and Michael Brantley is still building strength in his surgically-repaired right shoulder, so the Tribe are relying on a mixed bag of outfield options. And there’s not much fantasy appeal with any of them beyond Rajai Davis and his 11 stolen bases.
Maybe this could expedite the arrival of top outfield prospect Bradley Zimmer, who entered play Wednesday with a .902 OPS, nine home runs, 35 RBI, 18 stolen bases, and 31 runs scored in 45 games at Double-A Akron. He’s going to be a fantasy treasure one day, though it’s probably wiser to look toward early 2017 with the 2014 first-round pick. Clint Frazier, the Indians’ other top outfield prospect, is in a very similar boat at Akron.
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Colome Rising As Boxberger Returns To DL
Rays right-hander Alex Colome suddenly has the look of a top-tier fantasy closer.
Brad Boxberger was activated from the disabled list Sunday after missing the first eight weeks of the season with a left abdominal injury and he had designs on taking over ninth-inning duties from Colome after a few tuneup appearances. But that plan can be thrown down the garbage chute.
Boxberger suffered a left oblique injury Tuesday night in his 2016 regular-season debut and he was placed back on the disabled list Wednesday afternoon. Rays manager Kevin Cash said the 28-year-old will be out 4-8 weeks, and considering this new injury is in the same area as the old injury we’re betting on the longer end of that rehab range.
Colome, meanwhile, boasts a 1.23 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and 29/4 K/BB ratio in 22 innings this season out of the Tampa Bay bullpen and he is 12-for-12 in save opportunities. The hard-throwing 27-year-old has been sensational since officially converting from starting to relief work last July. He now gets an extension on his audition for the Rays’ long-term closer gig, and he has the goods to nail it.
Beyond the impressive AL-leading saves total (41), Boxberger wasn’t overly dominant last season in his first year as a major league stopper. He finished with a 3.71 ERA and 1.365 WHIP in 63 innings.
Tigers’ Fulmer Looking For Real
Detroit rookie Michael Fulmer struggled in his first four major league starts, yielding 14 earned runs on 29 hits over 19 1/3 innings for a 6.52 ERA. But it’s been a very different story in his three outings since.
Fulmer took a no-hitter into the seventh inning Wednesday night in Anaheim, finishing with just two hits allowed and eight strikeouts over 7 2/3 scoreless frames. That after he hurled 7 2/3 scoreless innings last week in Oakland and seven innings of one-run ball May 21 against the Rays. These aren’t the greatest offenses in the world — Anaheim did not start Albert Pujols on Wednesday and a guy named Jefry Marte hit fifth — but the numbers Fulmer is putting up are eye-popping nonetheless. Over his last 22 1/3 innings, the 23-year-old former supplemental first-round pick of the Mets has produced a 0.40 ERA and 22/4 K/BB ratio.
Fulmer was acquired from New York last July in the Yoenis Cespedes trade and he registered a 2.24 ERA with 125 strikeouts in 124 2/3 innings last season between High-A and Double-A. He needs to be owned and active right now in standard mixed leagues.
National League Quick Hits: Dodgers top pitching prospect Julio Urias will make his second major league start Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field … Hunter Pence suffered a strained right hamstring on Wednesday night and will be placed on the disabled list … Bryce Harper was held out of the Nationals’ lineup again on Wednesday with a bruised knee … Gregory Polanco is day-to-day with left foot discomfort … Brewers manager Craig Counsell indicated Wednesday that Will Smith could soon begin seeing save opportunities … David Wright remains day-to-day with a herniated disk … Brewers right-hander Zach Davies was terrific over eight scoreless innings Wednesday in a win over the Cardinals … Kenta Maeda (hand) is scheduled to start Friday against the Braves instead of Thursday versus the Cubs … Cubs closer Hector Rondon is day-to-day with back stiffness … Phillies acquired INF/OF Jimmy Paredes from the Blue Jays for cash considerations … Jon Lester hurled a complete-game gem Wednesday versus the Dodgers … Marlins closer A.J. Ramos picked up his 17th save of the season Wednesday versus the Pirates … Yasiel Puig was out again Wednesday with a sore left hamstring … Jacob deGrom tossed seven innings of one-run ball Wednesday in a no-decision against the White Sox … Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos went 3-for-4 with a three-run homer and four RBI against the Phillies on Wednesday … Ryan Howard has been benched for the next 3-4 games, with Tommy Joseph taking over at first base in Philly … Brandon Phillips was held out again Wednesday with a lingering foot injury … Adam Conley dazzled in Wednesday’s win over the Pirates, throwing six scoreless frames and striking out nine … Billy Hamilton went 3-for-5 with two doubles, two RBI, and two stolen bases Wednesday in the Reds’ defeat of the Rockies … Diamondbacks outfielder David Peralta (wrist) will begin a rehab assignment at Triple-A Reno on Saturday … Padres shortstop Alexei Ramirez slugged two home runs as part of a five-RBI night on Wednesday versus the Mariners … Braves infielder Gordon Beckham suffered a strained hamstring Wednesday against the Giants … Nationals reliever Matt Belisle (calf) could be activated from the disabled list on Friday … Cardinals released INF Ruben Tejada … Braves released LHP Brian Matusz.
American League Quick Hits: Tigers manager Brad Ausmus announced Wednesday that Anibal Sanchez is shifting to the bullpen … Felix Hernandez was placed on the 15-day disabled list Wednesday with a right calf strain … A’s lefty Rich Hill (groin) threw off a mound Wednesday without issue and will make his next scheduled start Saturday in Houston … Aaron Sanchez blanked the Yankees for 6 2/3 innings Wednesday to move to 5-1 this season … Mookie Betts followed up his three-homer game Tuesday by homering in his first two at-bats Wednesday against the Orioles … Twins placed outfielder Miguel Sano on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring … Sonny Gray (shoulder) is scheduled to make a rehab start Sunday with High-A Stockton and could return to the A’s rotation the following Thursday … Steve Pearce is experiencing a flareup of inflammation in his right elbow … A’s lefty Sean Manaea was sharp in Wednesday’s win over the Twins, yielding just one run on five hits over six innings … Red Sox optioned Joe Kelly to Triple-A Pawtucket … White Sox outfielder Austin Jackson hasn’t played since Wednesday due to a flareup of turf toe … Lorenzo Cain continued his blistering stretch at the plate, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored in Wednesday’s win over the Rays … Shin-Soo Choo (hamstring) will head to Arizona on Thursday to begin playing in extended spring training games … Danny Valencia went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles Wednesday against the Twins … George Springer slugged a walkoff homer in the 11th inning as the Astros beat the Diamondbacks on Wednesday … Rangers reliever Shawn Tolleson is expected to return from the family medical emergency on Friday … Leonys Martin (hamstring) is aiming to return from the disabled list when first eligible on June 10 … Royals optioned starter Dillon Gee to Triple-A Omaha.
