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Post by inger on Aug 1, 2024 15:46:50 GMT -5
From MLB Rumors
Jeter Downs Signs With NPB’s Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
By Darragh McDonald | July 31, 2024 at 8:07pm CDT
Catching up on some news that was set aside during the trade deadline frenzy, the Yankees announced yesterday that INF Jeter Downs was released and signed with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball.
Downs, 26, wasn’t a Yankee for very long. He was claimed off waivers from the Nationals in December, with the Yankees then passing him through waivers unclaimed in January. He didn’t have the right to elect free agency at that time and has been in the Yankees’ system in a non-roster capacity since then.
He has been having a decent year at Triple-A. In 69 games for Scranton Wilkes-Barre, he hit 10 HRs and slashed .264/.360/.498 for a wRC+ of 117. He also stole 15 bases while bouncing between 2nd base, 3rd base and shortstop.
Despite those decent numbers, he never got called up to the majors even though the Yankees have had plenty of infield challenges. Players like Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu and Oswaldo Cabrera have had disappointing seasons so far and Jon Berti has been on the injured list for most of the year. But the club never felt compelled to call upon Downs and eventually acquired Jazz Chisholm from the Marlins and plugged him onto their roster. Since he was fairly blocked from getting any playing time in the Bronx, he will instead go overseas to see if this opportunity will work out for him.
Downs was once a top 100 prospect during his time in the Dodgers’ system, before being traded to the Red Sox in the now-infamous 2020 deal that sent Mookie Betts and David Price to Los Angeles. He struggled to live up to the hype in the subsequent seasons, hitting .200/.309/.365 in the minors over the 2021-2023 campaigns. He was only given brief looks in the majors, producing a line of .182/.260/.273 in 50 plate appearances. He went from the Red Sox to the Nationals on waivers in December of 2022 but then the Yankees got him off waivers a year later, as mentioned.
If he fares well in Japan, he could intrigue teams based his past. He hit .267/.359/.458 in the minors from 2017 to 2019, though mostly at the lower levels, with only 12 games above High-A in that time. But he has the former prospect pedigree and was performing well in Triple-A this year. A nice run with the Hawks could perhaps lead the way to a return to the majors down the line, especially since he’s still only 26 years old. I think most teams, as well as most fans, know that Downs posted average or perhaps below numbers in a super charged offensive situation. I wish him all the good fortune in the world… |
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Post by chiyankee on Aug 1, 2024 18:15:12 GMT -5
Shreve's return to the Yankee organization didn't last long.
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Post by inger on Aug 1, 2024 21:03:21 GMT -5
Shreve's return to the Yankee organization didn't last long. Here’s what the end looks like, Chasen. Do you recognize it? Or will you grub for money a bit longer?… it’s too much to turn down, isn’t it? .. |
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Post by chiyankee on Aug 1, 2024 21:11:44 GMT -5
Shreve's return to the Yankee organization didn't last long. Here’s what the end looks like, Chasen. Do you recognize it? Or will you grub for money a bit longer?… it’s too much to turn down, isn’t it? .. Played for 7 teams over a 10 year career and banked around 7 million. Not bad. |
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Post by fwclipper51 on Aug 2, 2024 13:31:12 GMT -5
From MLB Rumors
Yankees Release J.D. Davis, Outright INF/OF Jahmai Jones
By Darragh McDonald | August 2, 2024 at 1:35pm CDT
The Yankees announced that INF J.D. Davis has been released while INF/OF Jahmai Jones has been sent outright to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Davis has already cleared waivers and is a free agent, per Jon Heyman of The New York Post on X.
Davis, 31, began his year by winning an arbitration hearing against the Giants, or so he thought. He was in line to make $6.9MM this year but the Giants released him after they signed Matt Chapman to take over their 3rd base job.
Per the rules of the collective bargaining agreement, arbitration salaries are not guaranteed if the 2 sides go to a hearing, so the Giants only had to give Davis about $1.1MM in termination pay in letting him go. He landed with the Oakland A’s but only secured a $2.5MM guarantee on that deal.
With Oakland, he missed some time with a right adductor strain and hit a tepid .236/.304/.366 for a wRC+ of 96. He was flipped to the Yankees, who mostly kept him in a bench role, as Davis only got into 7 games in over a month on the roster. He was designated for assignment when the Yanks acquired Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the other 29 clubs evidently passed on the chance to grab Davis off waivers.
The Yanks will remain on the hook for what’s left of his salary, which is around $775K. Any other club could sign him for the prorated league minimum salary for any time spent on the roster, with that amount subtracted from what the Yankees pay. He hit .268/.352/.443 from 2019 to 2023 for a wRC+ of 120 and that past performance could perhaps intrigue some other clubs.
As for Jones, it’s a bit more surprising to see him go unclaimed. Roughly half the teams in the league have open 40-man roster spots in the wake of the trade deadline. Jones is not too far removed from being a notable prospect and has not yet qualified for arbitration, meaning he’s making a league minimum salary. He is out of options and would have needed an active roster spot with any claiming team, but could have been controlled for five additional seasons beyond this one.
He has hit just .198/.257/.278 in his MLB career but without getting much of a chance, as he’s still never reached 75 plate appearances in a season. He was claimed by the Yankees back in February but was only sent to the plate 47 times in his stretch of about 4 months on the roster, getting designated for assignment. when Giancarlo Stanton came off the injured list.
Prior to exhausting his option years, his work in the minors was strong. Over the 2021 to 2023 seasons, he took a walk in 15.2% of his plate appearances, only getting struck out 21.8% of the time. He hit a combined .254/.378/.441 in that time for a 114 wRC+. He also stole 25 bases in 34 tries while playing all three outfield spots, second base and even a bit of third base.
On top of that solid minor league work, he’s a former 2nd-round pick, who appeared on some top 100 prospect lists a few years ago, but he nonetheless went unclaimed on waivers. Since this is his 1st career outright and he has less than 3 years of service time, he doesn’t have the right to elect free agency at this time. He’ll report to AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre for now, but will qualify for minor league free agency at season’s end if he’s not added back to the roster.
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Post by inger on Aug 2, 2024 14:32:10 GMT -5
The first time I looked Jones’ record up on BR I was scanning his MiLB stats and I thought I was looking at his BA, but it turned out I was looking at his OBA… 🤓
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Post by fwclipper51 on Aug 2, 2024 16:43:34 GMT -5
MLB Rumors
Yankees Release Chasen Shreve
By Anthony Franco | August 1, 2024 at 6:39pm CDT
The Yankees released lefty reliever Chasen Shreve from his minor league contract, tweets Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. In another small roster move, New York announced they reinstated right-hander Nick Burdi from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The Yankees transferred Cody Poteet to the 60-day IL to open a 40-man roster spot for Burdi.
Shreve signed with New York in late June. He made 10 appearances for Scranton and pitched fairly well, allowing 3 earned runs over 11 innings. Shreve surrendered 3 more unearned runs but struck out 11 while only walking 3. New York evidently didn’t believe he’d carry that form over at the MLB level. Despite trading Caleb Ferguson and not adding another left-handed reliever at the deadline, they’ll let Shreve depart.
The 34-year-old Shreve hasn’t pitched in the big leagues this season. He has split his time between the AAA affiliates with the Rangers and Yankees. He made 50 MLB appearances between Tigers and Reds a year ago, turning in a 4.63 ERA with slightly better than average strikeout and walk rates over 44 2/3 frames.
New York added a pair of right-handers, Mark Leiter Jr. and Enyel De Los Santos, to their relief corps this week. Tim Hill is the only southpaw in their current bullpen while Anthony Misiewicz and Josh Maciejewski are on optional assignment in Triple-A.
Burdi is also headed to Scranton, though he’s evidently healthy after losing more than 2 months to a right hip injury. The Louisville product has had a very difficult time staying on the mound over his professional career but continues to intrigue evaluators with a fastball that sits around 98 MPH on average. Burdi has fired 9 2/3 innings of 2-run ball for New York this season, already setting a personal-high mark with 12 MLB appearances.
Poteet’s 60-day minimum absence is retroactive to his initial IL placement on June 15th. He’ll be eligible to return in the 2nd week of August. He has yet to begin a minor league rehab assignment due to a triceps injury. Poteet had started 4 games earlier in the year, turning in a 2.14 ERA across 21 innings.
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Post by jiminy on Aug 3, 2024 9:05:41 GMT -5
NYY Stats: Yankees Most 40+ HR Seasons
11 Babe Ruth
1920-21, 1923-24, 1926-32
5 Lou Gehrig
1927, 1930-31, 1934, 1936
4 Mickey Mantle
1956, 1958, 1960-61
3 Aaron Judge
2017, 2022, 2024
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Post by jiminy on Aug 3, 2024 9:06:24 GMT -5
Katie Sharp: Gleyber Torres has now made 5 baserunning outs at home (base). That's the most in MLB this season.
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Post by jiminy on Aug 3, 2024 9:09:14 GMT -5
The Sporting News: Yankees named early fit to sign rival superstar as Juan Soto's replacement is Baltimore Orioles All-Star Anthony Santander.
The switch-hitting right fielder has been a powerful piece in the middle of the Orioles lineup. He earned his first All-Star nod in 2024 in what has turned into a career season.
Santander has a 139 OPS+ (or 39 percent better than league average) with 32 home runs and 75 RBI in 106 games this season, according to Baseball Reference.
The 29-year-old has recorded at least a 120 OPS+ in four of his last five seasons and has averaged 31 home runs per season since 2022. He would be a viable option to provide protection for Aaron Judge.
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Post by jiminy on Aug 3, 2024 9:10:43 GMT -5
MLB.com | Bryan Hoch: A bit of good news for ace Gerrit Cole, who threw from a mound yesterday and is lined up to start against the Blue Jays on Sunday. Cole was scratched last Tuesday with what the club described with frightening vagueness as “general body fatigue” after getting shelled by the Mets in his previous start. Aaron Boone indicated he’s been dealing with a stomach virus, which may have played a role in the decision to skip his turn in the rotation. Sidelined starter Clarke Schmidt has been cleared to throw a live batting practice session next week as well, with the hope that he could return at some point this month
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Post by jiminy on Aug 3, 2024 9:13:29 GMT -5
SSTN: Austin Wells was 2-4 again and is making himself at home in the cleanup position. Now that he is playing regularly, he is really beginning to shine and is getting some consideration for Rookie of the Year.
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Post by qimqam on Aug 3, 2024 9:48:49 GMT -5
SSTN: Austin Wells was 2-4 again and is making himself at home in the cleanup position. Now that he is playing regularly, he is really beginning to shine and is getting some consideration for Rookie of the Year. I've been really impressed with Wells atheltism behind the plate as well That catch and tag from Verdugo last night was unbelievable and the throw he made to Holmes at the plate the other night (despite not getting the runner) was outstanding |
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Post by jiminy on Aug 5, 2024 14:37:30 GMT -5
MLB.com | Mike Petriello: Anthony Volpe has been on fire since the All-Star break, hitting .373/.383/.695 with five home runs and a 203 wRC+ in 14 games. It might be tempting to say that Volpe has returned to the process that powered a .382/.477/.564 triple slash line in the first 15 games of the season, but in fact that’s not the case. Much ink was spilled over how Volpe’s mechanical adjustment over the winter to flatten his swing path for a more all-fields line drive approach had unlocked the surging version to start the season, but as his unsustainably high BABIP suggested and eventual extended downturn confirmed, such a swing change was actually hurting him.
The changes resulted in the largest drop in pull rate and second-highest jump in groundball rate from last year, but thankfully it appears Volpe has found the switch. He is swinging harder as measured by Statcast’s bat speed data and he’s pulling the ball more, and the results are indisputable.
New York Post | Dan Martin: Despite Volpe’s recent turnaround, Aaron Boone is not tempted to return the shortstop to the Yankees’ leadoff spot. Boone values the length Volpe provides at the bottom of the order, often coming up with runners on base or able to get on for Soto or Judge when the order flips. Boone admitted that the initial move to leadoff was forced out of necessity, and also made note of the swing changes Petriello identified as being instrumental in Volpe rediscovering his form. In 76 games at leadoff, Volpe had a .650 OPS vs. an .810 OPS in 24 games since being removed from the top of the lineup.
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Post by jiminy on Aug 5, 2024 14:38:25 GMT -5
MLB.com | Mike Petriello: Many wondered whether Juan Soto’s home run total would jump after making the move to Yankee Stadium and getting the chance to hit in front of the short porch, but playing in the Bronx might actually be hurting Soto. Statcast has determined that he has gained just one home run from the short porch while losing at least three home runs to Death Valley in left-center that would have left the majority of ballparks around baseball. In fact, Soto’s expected home run total of 34 is six more than his actual total of 28, the largest such disparity in baseball. Considering how well he is hitting regardless, I don’t think Soto regrets making the move.
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