Baseball Daily Dose: Dose: Cover For Koji
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Another one bites the dust in the Boston bullpen.
Craig Kimbrel is out another two or three weeks following left knee surgery, Carson Smith is done for the season following Tommy John reconstructive elbow surgery, Junichi Tazawa has been out since July 4 with a shoulder impingement, and now Koji Uehara has landed on the disabled list with a right pectoral strain.
Uehara underwent an MRI on Wednesday, the results of which should be available Thursday, but we can go ahead and guess that this is going to be a lengthy absence for the 41-year-old right-hander. A pectoral strain cost Anibal Sanchez seven weeks in 2014. It’s a rare injury, one Uehara suffered Tuesday night against the Giants, grabbing immediately at his throwing shoulder after his seventh pitch of the ninth inning.
Save opportunities in Boston will suddenly fall to Brad Ziegler, who was acquired from the Diamondbacks on July 9 for outfield prospect Luis Alexander Basabe and pitching prospect Jose Almonte. Ziegler had tallied 18 saves this season with Arizona and he’s registered a total of 81 saves in his nine-year major league career.
The 36-year-old right-hander owns a 2.61 ERA in 41 1/3 innings this season, including three scoreless innings since joining the Red Sox. He has a 2.48 ERA in 570 innings for his career.
Ziegler is an obvious must-own again in all standard fantasy leagues.
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Naquin Continues To Make A Name
Indians outfielder Tyler Naquin has been one of the biggest surprises in a season filled with surprises, and he could very well be among the leading vote getters for the 2016 American League Rookie of the Year Award if he can maintain something close to his current offensive pace.
Naquin went 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, and six RBI in the Indians’ 11-4 rout of the Royals on Wednesday afternoon in Kansas City. He hit a solo shot off Royals starter Ian Kennedy in the top of the third inning, a two-run double against Kennedy in the top of the fourth inning, and then he cranked a three-run bomb off reliever Peter Moylan in the top of the fifth inning. The six RBI in one game matches a franchise record for Indians rookies, first set in 1990 by Turner Ward.
Without eye-popping minor league numbers, Naquin was mostly off the radar leading into the 2016 campaign. But he got thrust into a regular role when Marlon Byrd was handed a 162-game PED suspension on June 1 and the 25-year-old outfielder has fully taken advantage. Including his outstanding performance Wednesday at Kauffman Stadium, Naquin is batting .324/.387/.636 with 12 home runs and 29 RBI in 63 major league games. This from a .287/.359/.417 career hitter in the minors.
We’d expect some regression down the stretch, but maybe something really has clicked for the 2012 first-round pick. One thing is for certain: he is going to keep getting opportunities. Michael Brantley has appeared in only 11 games this season at the major league level and is experiencing discomfort again in his surgically-repaired right shoulder. He was scheduled for yet another MRI on Wednesday.
Choo Down Again, Fielder Done For Season?
It’s been a rough July for the Rangers — who have dropped 14 of their last 18 games — and a rebound was just made tougher Wednesday with the news that Shin-Soo Choo is headed back to the disabled list and Prince Fielder could be done for the season.
Choo has been bothered by lower back stiffness since before the All-Star break and finally gave in to the injury on Wednesday, dropping off the Rangers’ active roster in favor of Delino DeShields. The hope is that Choo will only have to miss 15 days, but this has become a lingering, frustrating problem for the 34-year-old outfielder and there’s no official rehab timetable yet. Ryan Rua started in left field and Nomar Mazara started in right field on Wednesday night against the Angels. That will be a common look for Texas through mid-August.
Fielder has been diagnosed with a C4-C5 herniation in his neck, one vertebrae above where he had his major surgery in 2014. He will seek a second opinion from Dr. Drew Dossett on Friday in Dallas before deciding whether to undergo a procedure that will almost certainly be season-ending. Fielder had been a huge disappointment this year for the Rangers, sporting a weak .212/.292/.334 batting line with just eight home runs through 89 games. His absence opens a clearer path to everyday playing time for Jurickson Profar. It could also put Joey Gallo back on the fast-track.
National League Quick Hits: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday that season-ending back surgery is a possibility for Clayton Kershaw … Cubs acquired left-handed reliever Mike Montgomery from the Mariners … Alex Wood underwent an elbow debridement Wednesday and will miss the next eight weeks … Anthony DeSclafani held the Braves to two runs over eight innings Wednesday to move to 5-0 … Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager remained absent Wednesday due to a stomach virus … Ryan Zimmerman (rib cage) has been cleared for a minor league rehab assignment … Cardinals closer Seung Hwan Oh earned two saves Wednesday as the Padres swept a doubleheader against the Padres … Hunter Pence (hamstring) was held out of a scheduled rehab game on Wednesday at Triple-A Sacramento … Pirates starter Jameson Taillon was placed in the concussion protocol after taking a line drive to his head on Tuesday and is questionable for his next start … Anthony Rizzo hit two home runs Wednesday in the Cubs’ defeat of the visiting Mets … Phillies closer Jeanmar Gomez pitched a spotless ninth inning against the Marlins on Wednesday to earn his 26th save of the season … Joe Ross (shoulder) will make a rehab start before returning to the Nationals’ rotation … Cardinals infielder Jedd Gyorko homered three times Wednesday in a doubleheader against the Padres … Mets reliever Jim Henderson will have to restart his rehab assignment after suffering a hamstring injury this week … Jeremy Hellickson struck out eight batters and held the Marlins to one run in eight innings Wednesday for his seventh win … Gio Gonzalez yielded only one run in six innings to lead the Nationals over the Dodgers 8-1 on Wednesday … MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez reports that the Padres have signed Cuban outfielder Jorge Ona to a $7 million contract … Dodgers pitching prospect Yadier Alvarez has been promoted from the Arizona League to Low-A Great Lakes … Giants designated INF Ruben Tejada for assignment.
American League Quick Hits: Orioles stars Chris Davis and Manny Machado were both sidelined Wednesday with a stomach bug … Hanley Ramirez tallied three home runs and six RBI as the Red Sox topped the Giants on Wednesday … A’s starter Rich Hill (blister) is doubtful to be ready Sunday … Adam Jones was lifted in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s loss to the Yankees due to back spasms … Blue Jays outfielder Michael Saunders flew home from Arizona on Wednesday to deal with a personal matter but is expected back Friday … Justin Verlander pitched eight innings of one-run ball but took a no-decision Wednesday versus the Twins … Alex Cobb (elbow) has been officially pulled off his minor league rehab assignment … Mariners shortstop Ketel Marte remains day-to-day with the flu … Twins right-hander Brandon Kintzler notched his sixth save of the season Wednesday against the Tigers … Ezequiel Carrera was held out of the Blue Jays’ lineup Wednesday due to renewed Achilles discomfort … Chris Archer struck out 11 batters over six innings Wednesday in the Rays’ blowout win over the Rockies … Astros slugger Evan Gattis suffered a right hand contusion on Wednesday and is considered day-to-day … Felix Hernandez struggled to knock off the rust in his return from the disabled list Wednesday versus the White Sox, yielding five runs on 10 hits over 6 2/3 innings … Tyler Collins was scratched from the Tigers’ lineup Wednesday because of neck spasms … Mariners first-rounder Kyle Lewis will miss the remainder of the season after tearing his right ACL … Doug Fister tossed seven shutout innings Wednesday in the Astros’ blanking of the Athletics … Rays infielder Tim Beckham went 5-for-5 with a double and two RBI in Wednesday’s win over the Rockies … Leonys Martin homered twice, including a walkoff, in the Mariners’ win over the White Sox on Wednesday … Marcus Stroman fired eight innings of one-run ball Wednesday in the Blue Jays’ defeat of the Diamondbacks … Angels lefty Tyler Skaggs (shoulder) looked in midseason form during Wednesday’s rehab start for Triple-A Salt Lake, striking out 12 over 5 2/3 scoreless innings … Red Sox prospect Brian Johnson (anxiety) has posted a 1.50 ERA across four rehab starts … Michael Pineda hurled six shutout innings while whiffing eight batters during a win over the Orioles on Wednesday … Drew Pomeranz gave up five runs in only three innings Wednesday in his Red Sox debut against the Giants.
