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Dellin Betances Reportedly Retires

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Relief pitcher Dellin Betances has decided to retire, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The 34-year-old is apparently hanging up his cleats after a career wherein he pitched in parts of ten seasons with the Yankees and Mets. He had been with the Dodgers’ organization on a minor league deal this year.

Selected by the Yankees in the eighth round of the 2006 draft, Betances was a starting pitcher in his first few years as a professional. However, command issues and various injuries eventually pushed Betances into more relief work as he moved up the ranks. He made just one MLB start, which came back in 2011.

The move to the bullpen ended up working out fabulously for both Betances and the Yankees, starting with a tremendous breakout in 2014. Though he had just 7 2/3 innings of MLB experience coming into that year, he ended up throwing 90 innings over 70 relief appearances during that campaign. He registered an ERA of just 1.40, along with an incredible 39.6% strikeout rate, 7% walk rate and 46.6% ground ball rate. He finished third in the voting for the American League Rookie of the Year award, trailing only Jose Abreu and Matt Shoemaker.

That will arguably go down as Betances’ best season, though he was still an incredibly effective reliever for the next four years. In a five-year run beginning with that 2014 season and running through 2018, he threw 374 innings, an average of almost 75 per season. He logged a combined 2.21 ERA in that time, striking out a whopping 40.4% of batters faced, though walking 10.7% of them, and getting grounders on 48.1% of balls in play. He racked up 11.3 wins above replacement during that stretch, according to FanGraphs, which was third among all relievers in baseball, trailing only Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen. He made the All-Star team in four consecutive seasons, beginning with that 2014 campaign.

Unfortunately, that five-year run of dominance has been followed by a four-year run of frustration, largely due to injuries. In 2019, he began the year on the injured list due to a shoulder impingement. He wasn’t able to make his season debut until September, but tore his achilles tendon during that game after just 2/3 of an inning.

In spite of losing essentially that entire season, Betances hit free agency as a highly-touted reliever based on his previous track record. He agreed to a contract with the Mets that paid him $7.5MM in 2020, along with a $6MM player option for 2021 that came with a $3MM buyout. He ended up getting into 15 games with the Mets that year but struggled mightily. He registered a 7.71 ERA in that time, with his velocity noticeably diminished and his strikeout rate significantly lowered. He also walked 20.3% of batters faced in that short time. He was placed on the injured list due to a lat strain at the end of August and couldn’t return. After that showing, he decided to trigger his $6MM player option instead of returning to free agency. He threw just one inning for the Mets that year, which came in one April 7 appearance that will ultimately go down as his last appearance in the majors. He went on the IL with a shoulder impingement, eventually requiring season-ending surgery. His contract also came with a vesting option for 2022, where Betances would have a $1MM player option if he pitched in 50 games in 2021, which he came nowhere near.

After returning to free agency, he signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers for 2022. Though he hadn’t been effective for a few years, the Dodgers were willing to take a chance to see if he could recover any of his previous form. If he cracked the majors, he would have earned $2.75MM with further incentives available. Unfortunately, he logged a 10.26 ERA in 16 2/3 minor league innings this year, walking 16.5% of the batters he faced. After yet another frustrating sequence of events, it seems Betances had decided to walk away.

Despite the disappointing results of the past few seasons, Betances will surely be remembered for that five-year run in pinstripes where he was one of the most dominant pitchers in the world. He spent five full seasons striking fear into the hearts of opposing teams and their fans whenever he stepped to the mound. He finishes his career with 394 1/3 innings pitched in 374 games. He’ll go down in the record books with a 2.53 ERA, 36 saves, 121 holds and 633 strikeouts. We at MLBTR congratulate Betances on an excellent career and we wish him the best in his post-playing endeavors.

Padres To Sign Brandon Kintzler To Minor League Deal

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Right-handed pitcher Brandon Kintzler is set to sign a minor league deal with the Padres, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN.

Kintzler, 38, appeared in 12 straight MLB seasons from 2010 to 2021, and will look to make it lucky 13 here in 2022. He began his big league career with the Brewers before going to the Twins, Nationals, Cubs, Marlins and Phillies. In 483 career games, he has a 3.50 ERA, largely due to his ground ball-inducing ways. His 16.8% career strikeout rate is below average, but he’s managed to get hitters to put the ball into the dirt on 56.4% of balls in play. He’s also avoided free passes, keeping walks down to a 6.5% rate.

He signed with the Phillies last year but endured a rough campaign. After registering a 2.68 ERA in 2019 and a 2.22 mark in 2020, it shot up to 6.37 last year. He still got strikeouts, walks and grounders at roughly his career rates, but his .369 batting average on balls in play was much worse than previous seasons. He also saw 29.2% of fly balls turn into homers, more than double his career rate. He was designated for assignment after the Phils made some acquisitions at the trade deadline, getting released in early August.

After now sitting on the sidelines for an entire year, Kintzler will gear back up with the Padres. The club has five relievers currently on the injured list, including four on the 60-day IL: Austin Adams, Pierce Johnson, Drew Pomeranz and Craig Stammen. Kintzler will presumably join the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas at some point and start to get into game shape, providing the Friars with some veteran bullpen depth.

Injury Notes: Díaz, Garcia, Rios

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The Astros announced that utility player Aledmys Díaz has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to left groin discomfort. His roster spot will go to first baseman/outfielder J.J. Matijevic, who has been recalled.

Díaz, 32, is having a nice season, serving as a super utility option for Houston. He’s played all four infield positions and also the outfield corners, hitting .252/.303/.417 for a wRC+ of 108. Given that versatility, his absence will cut into the club’s depth pretty much everywhere around the diamond, except for center field and behind the plate. Injuries have become something of a recurring theme for Díaz, as this is now the fifth straight season where he’s landed on the IL.

Mauricio Dubón, who has played everywhere except first base and catcher this season, will now be the club’s primary utility option. The club hasn’t indicated how long they expect Diaz to be out of action. He is slated to reach free agency at the end of this season.

Some other IL moves from around the league…

  • The White Sox announced that their own utility player, Leury Garcia, has been placed on the 10-day IL due to a lower back strain. Infielder Romy Gonzalez was recalled to take his place on the active roster. Garcia, 31, has certainly provided the Sox with versatility, having played every non-pitching position except for catcher and first base. However, unlike Díaz, he’s not having a strong campaign. In 288 plate appearances this year, he’s batting .212/.238/.275 for a wRC+ of just 44. He is in the first season of a three-year, $16.5MM contract that he signed with Chicago prior to this year. It’s unclear how long the club expects him to be out of action.
  • The Dodgers announced that infielder Edwin Ríos has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list and optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. The club had a vacancy on its 40-man roster, so no corresponding move was required. Ríos, 28, suffered a hamstring tear in early June and had been out of action until beginning a rehab assignment in late July. Prior to landing on the IL, he had a nice showing in 27 big league games, hitting .244/.293/.500 for a wRC+ of 119.

Diamondbacks Select Stone Garrett, Designate Paul Fry

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The Diamondbacks announced that they have selected the contract of outfielder Stone Garrett. To create room for him on the active roster, infielder Seth Beer was optioned to Reno. To open a spot on the 40-man roster, left-hander Paul Fry was designated for assignment. Robert Murray of FanSided reported Garrett’s promotion before the official announcement.

Garrett, 26, was a second round pick of the Marlins in 2014. He got some love from prospect evaluators in that time, ranking among the top ten Marlin farmhands in 2016 and 2017 by Baseball America. He made it as high as Double-A in Miami’s system in 2019, getting into 119 games, hitting 14 home runs and stealing 15 bases. His 28.7% strikeout rate and 4.1% walk rate were both worse than average, however, leading to a final batting line of .243/.289/.413, wRC+ of 103.

The minor leagues were canceled by the pandemic in 2020, with Garrett reaching free agency that fall. He signed on with the Diamondbacks and has since taken steps forward at the plate. He spent most of last year at Double-A, hitting 25 homers and swiping 17 bases, also making slight improvements in terms of walks and strikeouts. His .280/.317/.516 batting line in that time was 16% better than league average, by measure of wRC+. This year, a bump up to Triple-A has resulted in more progress, particularly in terms of plate discipline. His 7.6% walk rate and 23.4% strikeout rate are vaguely average-ish, a marked improvement over previous seasons. That doesn’t seem to have cost him in other areas, as he’s added 28 more long balls this year and another 15 steals. His .278/335/.574 batting line amounts to a 114 wRC+.

Arizona currently has a record of 53-63 and is 10 1/2 games out of the final Wild Card spot in the National League. Given that they’re unlikely to be in serious contention down the stretch, they can give Garrett some playing time to see if he can translate any of those minor league results to the big league level and perhaps earn himself a role on next year’s team. He will jump into an outfield mix that includes Alek Thomas, Daulton Varsho, Jake McCarthy and Jordan Luplow. Down the road, that group will also include Corbin Carroll, who is widely considered one of the best prospects in all of baseball and was promoted to Triple-A in July.

As for Fry, 30, he was acquired from the Orioles in a trade earlier this season. He’s only thrown one inning for the big league club, spending most of the year in the minors. In 18 Triple-A innings, he has a 5.50 ERA, 18.8% strikeout rate, 11.8% walk rate and 40.7% ground ball rate. Given those lackluster results, he will relinquish his spot on the 40-man roster. Since the trade deadline has passed, Arizona’s only options will be to place Fry on outright waivers or release waivers.

Players who clear waivers can reject an outright assignment and elect free agency if they have previously been outrighted in their career or if they have over three years of MLB service time. Fry qualifies in both cases, but since he has less than five years of service time, electing free agency would mean forfeiting the remainder of his salary. While still with the Orioles, Fry qualified for arbitration and agreed to a salary of $850K. That leaves just under $223K left to be paid out.

Mets Place Eduardo Escobar On IL, Designate R.J. Alvarez

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The Mets announced to reporters, including Tim Healey of Newsday, a series of roster moves. One of them is the previously reported selection of prospect Brett Baty, along with lefty Sam Clay being recalled to the active roster. The club also placed infielder Eduardo Escobar on the 10-day injured list with a strained left oblique and designated right-hander R.J. Alvarez for assignment.

Escobar, 33, has been playing hurt for most of the past week, leaving Friday’s game with the team referring to his ailment as “side tightness” at that time. Though he’s played in a couple of games since, it seems that the issue hasn’t abated and will now send him to the injured list. The infield depth was further banged up by Luis Guillorme suffering a groin strain and landing on the IL on Monday. With Escobar now following Guillorme onto the shelf, it seems the path has been cleared for Baty to get some regular work with the big league club.

The Mets and Escobar agreed to a two-year, $20MM deal in the offseason, though the infielder has hit just .216/.269/.384 for a wRC+ of 89. Outside of a miserable showing in the shortened 2020 season, that’s hit worst output in terms of wRC+ since 2016. He’s also striking out at a career-worst rate and walking less than he has in recent seasons. What role he has when he returns from the IL could depend on how well Baty fares in his first taste of MLB action.

Alvarez, 31, pitched in the majors in 2014 and 2015 but then didn’t appear in the big leagues again until last night. He was selected to the roster yesterday and then thrust into action when starter Taijuan Walker left after just two innings due to back spasms. Alvarez lasted 2 1/3 innings, surrendering four hits, three walks and three earned runs. He now loses his roster spot after a stint of nearly 24 hours and will head to the waiver wire in the coming days since the trade deadline has come and gone. Should he clear waivers, he would be eligible to reject an outright assignment by virtue of having been previously outrighted in his career. In 34 2/3 Triple-A frames this year, he has a 3.38 ERA, 22.3% strikeout rate, 13.4% walk rate and 44% ground ball rate.

As for Walker, he underwent an MRI and received “pretty good news, all things considered,” in the words of manager Buck Showalter, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. There was apparently no structural damage found by the MRI, though Walker may miss his next start to rest up a little. Since Carlos Carrasco was placed on the IL yesterday with an oblique strain, the club’s rotation with be doubly shorthanded until Walker is ready to take the mound again. The Mets have Max Scherzer, Jacob deGrom and Chris Bassitt lined up to pitch tonight through Friday, though it will get tricky after that. They are scheduled to play a doubleheader against the Phillies on Saturday and don’t have an off-day until next Wednesday, August 24.

Down the road, one hurler who could potentially rejoin the staff is lefty Joey Lucchesi. He’s been out of action since undergoing Tommy John surgery last year but will begin a rehab assignment on Sunday, Showalter tells DiComo. After such a long layoff, Lucchesi will need some time to ramp back up and won’t be able to help the Mets with their current arms shortage. However, rehab assignments for pitchers are a maximum of 30 days, meaning he should be an option for helping the team by mid-September.

Twins Claim Jake Jewell From Guardians

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The Guardians have announced that right-hander Jake Jewell has been claimed off waivers by the Twins.

Jewell, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Guardians in the offseason and has had a nice showing in the minors this year. Through 43 1/3 innings in Triple-A, he had an ERA of 2.49 along with a 27% strikeout rate, 8.4% walk rate and 63.3% ground ball rate.

Based on that strong minor league showing, he got selected up to the big league club in early August but was optioned a few days later without getting into any game action and then designated for assignment after just over a week on the 40-man roster. That’s been something of a theme in Jewell’s career in recent years, as he’s often thrown quite well in the minors but without getting extended looks in the big leagues. He has 38 1/3 MLB innings thus far, spread out over three different campaigns.

For the Twins, they had an open spot on their 40-man roster, meaning no corresponding move will be necessary. Since Jewell has one option year remaining, they could send him to Triple-A as depth and keep him there for the final weeks of the season.

Pirates Designate Austin Brice For Assignment

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The Pirates have made a series of roster moves prior to tonight’s game, with right-hander Roansy Contreras being recalled to the active roster and catcher Tyler Heineman being reinstated from the injured list. To make room for those two, catcher Jose Godoy has been optioned while right-hander Austin Brice has been designated for assignment.

For Brice, 30, this is the second time this year he’s been given a brief stay on the Pirates’ roster. Signed to a minor league deal in the offseason, he had his contract selected in late June and was designated in early July. After clearing waivers and accepting an outright assignment, he was selected back to the roster last week but has again lost his spot rather quickly. In between those transactions, he’s managed to throw 6 2/3 innings for the Bucs with a 4.05 ERA.

In 34 2/3 Triple-A frames for the year, Brice has a 4.41 ERA with a 27.2% strikeout rate, 8.6% walk rate and 47.8% ground ball rate. Despite those strong peripherals, the ERA is being inflated by the long ball, with Brice having allowed six in that time, a 19.4% HR/FB rate.

Brice will now be placed on waivers in the coming days, since the passing of the trade deadline eliminates the chance of any deal being made. If he clears waivers, he will be eligible to reject an outright assignment, though he forewent that right the last time he passed through waivers in July.

Rangers Designate Garrett Richards For Assignment

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The Rangers announced that right-handed pitcher Joe Barlow has been activated from the 15-day injured list. To make room for Barlow on the active roster, righty Garrett Richards was designated for assignment. Additionally, outfielder Kole Calhoun has been sent on a rehab assignment.

Richards, 34, has largely been a starting pitcher for years, working exclusively out of the rotation from 2014 to 2019. He transitioned into more relief work over the past couple of seasons, showing some promise in that department last year. With the Red Sox last year, he had a 5.22 ERA as a starter but a 3.42 mark as a reliever.

Based on that showing, the Rangers grabbed Richards this offseason, hoping that a permanent bullpen role would unlock a new gear for him. He and the club agreed to a one-year deal with a $5.5MM guarantee, which came in the form of a $4.5MM salary and $1MM buyout on a $9MM club option for 2023.

Unfortunately, the bullpen breakout hasn’t emerged as hoped. Richards has thrown 42 2/3 innings over 32 appearances this season with a 5.27 ERA and a subpar 19.5% strikeout rate. Based on those poor results, the Rangers have decided to cut bait and remove Richards from the roster. With the trade deadline now passed, their only options will be to put Richards on waivers, either the outright variety or the release kind. There’s little distinction between the two in this case, as Richards has more than five years service time, meaning he could reject an outright assignment and elect free agency without forfeiting any salary.

There’s still about $1.18MM left to be paid out of that salary, along with the $1MM buyout on the 2023 option. It seems likely that he will go unclaimed on waivers and become a free agent, with the Rangers on the hook for paying out the remainder of that money. Once he is a free agent, however, interested teams could find some reasons for optimism in his work this year. His 7% walk rate is a couple ticks below the 9.1% league average for relievers this season. His 57.3% strand rate is unusually low and should be due for some positive regression. His 52.6% ground ball rate is also quite strong, much better than the league average rate of 43.3%. Perhaps a move to a better defensive team would be a better fit for his low-strikeout approach, as the Rangers rank 21st in the league with -1 Defensive Runs Saved, 18th with a -0.4 Ultimate Zone Rating and 23rd in Outs Above Average with a -12.

As for Barlow, he showed enough promise this year to get some work as the closer in Texas, racking up 13 saves. He landed on the injured list in the middle of July due to a blister, only now returning after over a month. Through 30 1/3 innings on the year, he has a 3.26 ERA with a quality 6.6% walk rate, though subpar strikeout and ground ball rates of 19% and 35.6%, respectively.

Yankees Place Clay Holmes On 15-Day Injured List

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The Yankees have placed closer Clay Holmes on the 15-day injured list due to back spasms, as one of a series of transactions.  Miguel Andujar and Tim Locastro were optioned to Triple-A, while Ron Marinaccio, Estevan Florial, and Oswaldo Cabrera were all called up from Triple-A.  (Florial and Cabrera’s promotions were reported earlier today.)

Holmes’ placement is retroactive to August 14, and he hasn’t pitched since August 12.  There was increasing expectation that Holmes would need an IL trip to fully recuperate from his back problem, though New York manager Aaron Boone told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand and other reporters that the team is hopeful Holmes only misses the 15-day minimum.

Since being acquired from the Pirates prior to the 2021 trade deadline, Holmes has been outstanding in the pinstripes, posting a 2.10 ERA over his 77 innings in New York.  This outstanding performance elevated Holmes to the closer’s job when Aroldis Chapman went on the IL himself earlier this season, and with Chapman struggling even before he got injured, the Yankees kept Holmes as the top ninth-inning choice even after Chapman’s return.

However, just as the Yankees have looked shaky over the last five weeks of play, Holmes has also come back to earth after his incredible start.  The righty has a 9.00 ERA over his last 12 games and 11 innings pitched, and he has blown four of his last five save chances.  As a result, it now appears quite possible that Chapman (who has pitched better since his return from the IL) will reclaim the closer’s job in Holmes’ absence, and perhaps for the remainder of the season.  The Yankees could also essentially use both pitchers as closers or set-up men depending on the situation, rather than have a strict order to their late-game plans.

Joey Votto To Undergo Season-Ending Surgery On Rotator Cuff

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Joey Votto’s season is over, as the longtime Reds first baseman told reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that he will undergo surgery on Friday to fix a torn rotator cuff.

As Votto told reporters (including reps from Bally Sports), that his shoulder has actually been bothering him since 2015, though it has only become “painful to the point where it’s…difficult to lift, hurts to sleep” over the last few months.  “The doctor informed me that with these sort of injuries at some point you hit a breaking point, and you’re not able to manage it quite as well,” Votto said, and that proverbial breaking point only occurred this season.  The procedure has roughly a six-month rehab time, so Votto should be ready for around the start of the Reds’ Spring Training camp.

Votto’s 16th season will finish with 91 games played, as beyond this rotator cuff problem, he also missed over two weeks on the COVID-19 list in May.  The veteran posted a .205/.319/.370 slash line and hit 11 home runs over 376 plate appearances — he hit well in his first few weeks after returning from the COVID list but otherwise, the 2022 season has been a struggle.

While the number of games is certainly a factor, Votto’s 92 wRC+ is the worst of his career, and it represents the second time in four seasons that Votto’s offensive production has fallen beneath the league-average 100 wRC+ threshold.  Votto did hit pretty well in 2020, yet there were still whispers that his best days were behind him….before Votto exploded with another excellent season in 2021.  The first baseman slugged 36 homers (matching the second-highest total of his career) last year while hitting .266/.375/.563 in 533 PA.

It’s safe to say that Votto’s increasingly problematic rotator cuff injury was the source of his 2022 dropoff, as the lesser version of his shoulder soreness didn’t stop from posting MVP-caliber numbers on multiple occasions since 2015.  With the injury now finally addressed, it is possible that Votto might have one more big performance in store for 2023.  That said, Votto will also be 39 years old next season, and even with a fixed rotator cuff, he might not be immune to aging curve that usually limits players outside of their prime years.

The return from surgery also adds another wrinkle to what might be Votto’s farewell season altogether.  2023 is the final guaranteed season of the 10-year, $225MM extension Votto signed back in April 2012, though Cincinnati has a $20MM club option (with a $7MM buyout) for 2024.  If Votto did return to his 2021 form, that could be enough for the Reds to make the $13MM decision to bring back the longtime face of the franchise, even if the Reds have been more focused on cutting payroll in the last two seasons.

Votto’s own feelings will naturally also be a factor, as he has intimated in the past that he would retire if he was no longer getting enjoyment out of playing the game.  It remains to be seen how Votto will approach this eventual decision, as he will surely weigh such factors as his health, how close the Reds might be to contending, and his 2023 performance as well as the personal satisfaction he still derives from baseball.  Whenever he does decide to hang up the glove, Votto will surely get a lot of consideration from Hall Of Fame voters, and a ticket to Cooperstown could well be in Votto’s longer-term future.

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