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 10/09/2015 MLB Note - Houston Astros Gomez, Carlos
OF Carlos Gomez was not in the lineup for the ALDS opener on
Thursday night as he continues to battle an intercostal strain but
said he will play Friday. Gomez was replaced in center by Jake
Marisnick.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Gordon, Alex
LF Alex Gordon batted eighth for only the second time since 2010 in
Game 1 of the ALDS on Thursday night against the Astros. SS Alcides
Escobar returned to the top of the order.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Guthrie, Jeremy
RHP Jeremy Guthrie, the Royals' starter for Game 7 of the 2014 World
Series, was left off the Kansas City roster for the ALDS against the
Astros.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Gomes, Jonny
OF Jonny Gomes was left off the Royals' roster for the ALDS against
the Astros. Gomes was acquired in an Aug. 31 trade with Atlanta.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Qualls, Chad
RHP Chad Qualls was omitted from the Houston roster for the American
League Division Series against the Royals. Qualls was a member of
the 2005 Astros that advanced to the World Series.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Melancon, Mark
RHP Mark Melancon set a franchise record with 51 saves in 53
opportunities and he became just the 12th pitcher in major league
history with at least 50 saves. He had the sixth-highest total in NL
history, four short of the record set by John Smoltz in 2002 and
tied by Eric Gagne the following season. Since becoming the Pirates'
full-time closer on July 24, 2013, Melancon's 98 saves are the third
most in the major leagues behind San Diego RHP Craig Kimbrel's 108
and Kansas City RHP Greg Holland's 100.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Cervelli, Francisco
C Francisco Cervelli had a fine year after being acquired from the
New York Yankees as he hit .295 with seven home runs and 43 RBIs in
130 games. He also led the major leagues by hitting .353 from the
seventh inning on, going 56-for-157. Cervelli's 124 starts were the
most by a Pirates catcher since Jason Kendall had 145 in 2004.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Marte, Starling
LF Starling Marte had 19 game-winning RBIs, which led the National
League. He also finished with 19 home runs and 30 stolen bases,
finishing one homer shy of becoming the ninth player in Pirates
history to have 20 homers and 30 steals in a season. Marte also
topped the NL with 20 outfield assists.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Happ, J.A.
LHP J.A. Happ proved to be a big addition to the rotation after
being acquired July 31 from Seattle in a trade for minor league RHP
Adrian Sampson as he went 7-2 with a 1.85 ERA in 11 starts. With the
Mariners, he was 4-6 with a 4.64 ERA in 21 games, including 20
starts. Happ made his Pirates' debut Aug. 4 and finished with the
third-best ERA in the NL between then and the end of the season
behind just Chicago RHP Jake Arrieta (0.41) and Kershaw (1.78).
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Cole, Gerrit
RHP Gerrit Cole cemented his status as the ace of the Pirates
rotation in his second full major league season as the 25-year-old
went 19-8 with a 2.60 ERA in 32 starts. He had the most wins by a
Pirates pitcher since John Smiley won 20-8 in 1991. Cole's 202
strikeouts were the second most by a right-hander in franchise
history behind the 209 by A.J. Burnett. Since making his major
league debut on June 11, 2013, Cole has a record of 40-20, ranking
fourth in wins among National League pitchers in that span behind
Los Angeles LHP Clayton Kershaw (48), Dodgers RHP Zack Greinke (47)
and San Francisco LHP Madison Bumgarner (44).
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Sadler, Casey
RHP Casey Sadler (right forearm strain) was recalled from the minors
Sept. 1 and placed on the 60-day disabled list. He is expected to be
ready for the beginning of spring training.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Guerra, Deolis
RHP Deolis Guerra (left knee inflammation) did not pitch after July
30 but is expected to be ready for the start of spring training.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Lambo, Andrew
OF Andrew Lambo (plantar fasciitis in left foot) did not play after
May 3. He was due to begin a rehab assignment with the rookie-level
Gulf Coast League Pirates on July 21, but the game was rained out.
After he felt pain in his foot July 22, he received an
anti-inflammatory injection and never returned to action. He is
expected to be ready for the start of spring training.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Hart, Corey
1B Corey Hart (left shoulder impingement/right knee discomfort) did
not play in the major leagues after June 21. He began a rehab
assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis on June 30. He experienced a
setback July 11 when he experienced right knee discomfort and was
shut down. He went home to Arizona on July 24 to continue his rehab.
He began another rehab assignment with Indianapolis on Aug. 20, but
he was shut down for the season in early September and said he was
leaning toward retirement.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Kang, Jung Ho
INF Jung Ho Kang (broken left tibia, lateral left meniscal tear)
underwent season-ending surgery Sept. 17, and his rehab is expected
to take until at least mid-March and perhaps stretch into the
regular season.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Cumpton, Brandon
RHP Brandon Cumpton (Tommy John surgery in March 2015, right
shoulder surgery September 2015) missed the entire season. He
underwent shoulder surgery Sept. 17 and is expected to miss the
entire 2016 season.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Glasnow, Tyler
RHP Tyler Glasnow was a combined 7-5 with a 2.39 ERA in 22 starts at
three levels of the farm system, finishing the season at Triple-A
Indianapolis. The hard-throwing 22-year-old was slowed by a sprained
ankle but still struck out 136 batters in 109 1/3 innings. Glasnow
will likely reach the major leagues at some point next year after
beginning the season back at Indianapolis.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates Morton, Charlie
RHP Charlie Morton won his five starts after making his season debut
May 25 following his recovery from offseason hip surgery. Then
things unraveled and he finished 9-9 with a 4.81 ERA in 23 starts.
Morton allowed 17 runs in 10 1/3 innings over his last three starts
but the Pirates are banking on him for next season as he will have
an $8 million salary in the final guaranteed year of a three-year,
$21 million contract that includes a club option for 2017.
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MLB Note - Pittsburgh Pirates McCutchen, Andrew
CF Andrew McCutchen continued to not only be the Pirates' best
player again in 2015 but one of the top players in baseball. He
overcame a slow start -- he had a .188 batting average through May 6
--- to hit .292 with 23 home runs, a career-high 96 RBIs, 11 stolen
bases, a .401 on-base percentage and a .488 slugging percentage.
McCutchen's 6.4 WAR, according to FanGraphs, led the team and he was
voted the team's MVP by the Pittsburgh chapter of the Baseball
Writers Association of America for the fourth straight season and
fifth time in six years.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Dyson, Sam
RHP Sam Dyson picked up the save by pitching the ninth inning
Thursday in the 5-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the American
League Division Series opener. Manager Jeff Banister said RHP Shawn
Tolleson is still the closer. He said it was about matchups and
where the Blue Jays were in their lineup. "And so to get to Dyson in
that area, we felt that was the best area for him," Banister said.
"Tolly's still out guy out there in the bullpen. You will see
Tolleson at the end of games. But in these type of games, and in a
series like this, it's about finding the best matchups for our
bullpen."
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Beltre, Adrian
3B Adrian Beltre left the game in the third inning when he developed
back spasms after sliding into second base during the 5-3 victory
over the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of the American League
Division Series. "We'll know more tonight and also in the morning
where he's at," manager Jeff Banister said. "Obviously we want
Adrian in the game. He's the heart and soul of this club." Beltre
singled in a run in the third. He was replaced at third base by INF
Hanser Alberto. An MRI done Thursday night showed a strained lower
back.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Chirinos, Robinson
C Robinson Chirinos hit a two-run homer in the fifth inning on
Thursday in the 5-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in the opener of
the American League Division Series. The homer came against LHP
David Price, a former teammate with the Tampa Bay Rays. "I've known
Dave since 2010 when I got traded to Tampa Bay," Chirinos said. "I
know the way he pitches and how he likes to attack the hitters. I
was taking that first pitch and looked for a fastball middle in. I
was able to square it up and hit it out of the park."
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Hamels, Cole
LHP Cole Hamels will start the second game of the ALDS against the
Toronto Blue Jays Friday at Rogers Centre. The 31-year-old pitched a
complete game Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels to clinch the
American League West. He was 7-1 with a 3.65 ERA in 12 starts for
the Angels after being acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia
Phillies. He is 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA in four career starts against
the Blue Jays. In 13 starts in the postseason, Hamels is 7-4 with a
3.09 ERA.
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Perez, Martin
LHP Martin Perez was named as the Game 3 starter for the Rangers by
manager Jeff Banister on Thursday. The third game will be played
Sunday at Arlington, Tex. "We like the fact that he's primarily a
ground-ball guy," Banister said. "Plus the opportunity to have
another couple of veteran arms available to us here early on in the
bullpen if we need them. ... It's how Martin has thrown the ball for
us here lately and our comfort. Look, we like all five of our
starters. We can feel good about any of them posting up for us."
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MLB Note - Texas Rangers Gallardo, Yovani
RHP Yovani Gallardo held the Blue Jays to four hits and two runs
over five innings and has won all four of his career starts against
the Blue Jays.
"The ball was up in the zone a little bit but we stayed with the
game plan and got some ground balls whenever I needed to and limited
the damage," Gallardo said.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Colabello, Chris
OF/INF Chris Colabello tried to explain the way Canadian fans have
embraced the Blue Jays this season by using social media. "It's been
pretty epic," said Colabello, who made his Blue Jays debut May 5
after being called up from Triple-A Buffalo. "If you look at it on
the level of social media, something as simple as looking at the
following you have on Twitter and Instagram. Just the following that
I've seen on that end of it has been astronomical. I think I have
something like 20,000 Twitter followers since my first day with the
team. To see the support we have when we go on the road, it feels
like we're playing home games."
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Bautista, Jose
RF Jose Bautista was replaced in right field by OF Dalton Pompey in
the ninth inning Thursday in the 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers in
the ALDS opener after he had a cramp while fouling out to end the
eighth. "Just a little cramp on the swing and made no sense to come
out to play defense late in the game," he said. "I should be ready
to go tomorrow." Bautista hit a home run in his first career
postseason game.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Stroman, Marcus
RHP Marcus Stroman will start Game 2 of the American League Division
Series against the Texas Rangers Friday at Rogers Centre. It will be
his fifth start since returning from surgery to repair a torn ACL in
his left knee in March that seemed to have ended his season. This
will be his first start against the Rangers since July 19, 2014,
when he pitched seven shutout innings in a 4-1 victory. It was the
game in which he broke out a new two-seam fastball that has allowed
him to induce more ground balls and, as a result, he pitches deeper
into games. He said he also pitches with some hate. "Hate, yeah a
lot of anger, a lot goes into it. I'm 5-8, a lot of people doubt me
so that's with me every single pitch on the mound."
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Navarro, Dioner
C Dioner Navarro will be behind the plate for the third game of the
ALDS when RHP Marco Estrada gets the start Sunday in Arlington,
Texas. The two worked well together when they were battery mates
during the regular season and manager John Gibbons said there was no
reason to split them up now.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Donaldson, Josh
3B Josh Donaldson came out of the 5-3 loss to the Texas Rangers
Thursday in the opener of the ALDS in the fifth inning after taking
a knee to the head on a hard slide into second base in the fourth.
He passed the tests done for concussions. "He apparently passed all
the tests so that's good news," manager John Gibbons said. "We'll
see how he is tomorrow."
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Price, David
LHP David Price dropped to 1-6 in 11 career postseason appearances,
including six starts, when he allowed five hits, including two home
runs, and five runs in seven innings in a 5-3 loss to the Texas
Rangers in the opener of the ALDS. "I expect to have better
results," Price said. "I didn't pitch the way I'm capable of." Price
said it was more a case of nerves than the 11 days he had between
starts that affected him in the first inning. "I think maybe he was
out of whack that first inning, then I thought he settled in pretty
well," manager John Gibbons said.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Wheeler, Dan
RW Blake Wheeler, a former Bruin, scored the second of the Jets'
three goals in the second period during a win at Boston. "I'd never
won since I got traded here, so I know it had been at least five
years," he said. "It's never easy. This is a tough game to win.
These guys play such a tough game."
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Puig, Yasiel
OF Yasiel Puig expects to be on the Dodgers' NLDS roster despite
missing nearly all of the past month with a strained right
hamstring.
He returned to play the last two regular-season games, and he
announced earlier this week that he would be ready for the
postseason. Puig burst onto the scene in June 2013 with one of the
best opening months to a major league career in baseball history.
His dynamic talents remain capable of highlight-reel moments, but he
has not been able to sustain or refine those abilities. This season,
he was limited to 79 games due to repeated hamstring injuries. Even
when he was in the lineup, he performed well below expectations. His
batting average (.255) and OPS (.758) took considerable drops again
this season.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Gomez, Carlos
CF Carlos Gomez, who homered in the American League wild-card game
Tuesday against the New York Yankees, was not in the Astros' lineup
Thursday for the first game of the AL Division Series against the
Royals.
Gomez missed most of the last two weeks of the regular season while
batting a left intercostal strain. Manager A.J. Hinch said Gomez,
who appeared in 41 games for Houston after being acquired in a
midseason trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, would start Friday.
"I'm a little sore today, but that's what we expected, but I can
start (Friday)," said Gomez, who pinch-ran for designated hitter
Evan Gattis in the eighth inning.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Seager, Corey
SS Corey Seager was one of the top prospects in baseball when the
season began. By the time it ended, he had arrived in Los Angeles
faster than expected. He was promoted in September, and a finger
injury sustained by Jimmy Rollins brought more playing time than
anticipated. Seager started 25 of the Dodgers' final 30
regular-season games and made a seamless transition to the big
leagues, batting .337 and reaching base in his first 21 big-league
starts (a Los Angeles franchise record). Heading into the playoffs,
Seager had wrested the job as the Dodgers' primary shortstop from
Rollins -- something that wasn't supposed to happen until next
season.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Rasmus, Colby
LF Cody Rasmus homered in the eighth and also homered in the
wild-card victory over the Yankees. He becomes just the fifth player
in MLB history with an extra-base hit in his first five postseason
games. The previous was Nelson Cruz in 2010.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Springer, George
CF George Springer went 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk. In four
games at Kauffman Stadium, he is 8-for-15 with three home runs, two
doubles, five walks, six RBIs and nine runs. "He likes playing
here," Astros manager A.J. Hinch said.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Qualls, Chad
RHP Chad Qualls, the only player on the Astros squad who was part of
the 2005 World Series club, was left off the ALDS roster. Qualls had
an 8.22 ERA after Aug. 30. Qualls, 37, was the Astros' second-round
pick in the 2000 draft. "It's not easy telling a guy with the most
experience and most playoff experience, they're not on the roster,"
Astros manager A.J. Hinch said. The Astros carried 11 pitchers.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros McHugh, Collin
RHP Colin McHugh held the Royals to two runs and four hits over six
innings to earn the victory. He walked one and struck out one. "He
got through a pretty good lineup and battled," Astros manager A.J.
Hinch said. "That was a little tougher. He didn't have as many
strikeouts as he normally has. Man, he gutted it out with some
really good breaking balls and some really good cut fastballs."
Hinch opted to keep McHugh in after a 49-minute delay after the
second inning. "We checked in with him a couple of times," Hinch
said. "But he was never really coming out of that game. I paid
attention more so after the delay. The first inning back was about
as good an inning as he had the whole night."
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MLB Note - Chicago Cubs Williams, Ryan
RHP Ryan Williams, 23, was selected the organization's minor league
pitcher of the year after posting a combined 14-3 record and 2.16
ERA between low Class A South Bend and Double-A Tennessee. He struck
out 98, walked just 18 and gave up just two home runs which facing
537 batters. Williams was selected by the Cubs in the 10th round of
the 2014 draft out of East Carolina University. An invitation to
spring training seems likely.
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MLB Note - Houston Astros Reed, A.J.
1B A.J. Reed finished a close second in Baseball American's Minor
League Player of the Year balloting by dominating across two levels
for the Astros. Reed hit .346/.449/.638 with 23 home runs and 81
RBIs over 82 games with high Class A Lancaster and followed his
promotion to Double-A Corpus Christi by posting a .332/.405/.571
line with 11 homers and 46 RBIs. His 34 homers led the minors. His
ability to cover the plate and hit for power make Reed a candidate
to stick with the Astros next spring.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Cueto, Johnny
RHP Johnny Cueto was acquired at the trade deadline for three
blue-chip left-handed prospects. He was to be the team ace, guiding
the team to the postseason. Cueto, however, went 4-7 with a 4.76
ERA, including going 0-5 with an ERA north of nine during one
stretch. Manager Ned Yost opted to start RHP Yordano Ventura in the
opening postseason game instead of Cueto, who can become a free
agent after the postseason and could be too pricey for the Royals to
keep, despite his struggles.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Ventura, Yordano
RHP Yordano Ventura was removed after two innings and a 49-minute
rain delay. Manager Ned Yost said he plans to bring Ventura back for
Game 4, if necessary, Monday at Houston. "Absolutely, we'll probably
bring him back now," Yost said. "I told Dave (Eiland, pitching
coach) look, the best thing to do here instead of pushing him is
let's just go ahead (and remove him). We weren't really anticipating
rain because nobody was calling for it. So that kind of made the
decision easier for Game 4."
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Young, Chris
RHP Chris Young struck out seven in four innings, including the side
in the third and fourth innings. That's a Royals record for a
reliever. LHP Charlie Leibrandt held the record, striking out five
Blue Jays in Game 7 of the 1985 ALCS.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Gore, Terrance
OF Terrance Gore was included on the ALDS roster for his speed. The
rookie has been called the fastest player in baseball. He has stolen
11 bases, including three in the 2014 postseason, without being
caught in the majors. His speed gives manager Ned Yost a pinch
running weapon.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Gordon, Alex
LF Alex Gordon batted eighth for only the second time since 2010.
Gordon, who had batted leadoff, went 1-for-4 with a fifth inning
single.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Guthrie, Jeremy
RHP Jeremy Guthrie, who started Game 7 of the 2014 World Series, was
left off the AL Division Series roster. Guthrie was 8-8 with a 5.95
ERA in 30 games, including 24 starts. RHP Yordano Ventura is the
only holdover from the Royals' 2014 postseason starting staff.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Escobar, Alcides
SS Alcides Escobar returned to the leadoff slot. While Escobar has
only a .293 on-base percentage this season, walking only 26 times in
148 games, the Royals win with him at the top. Manager Ned Yost
pointed out the Royals are 82-49 when Escobar bats first in 2014-15.
Escobar went 0-for-4 in the loss to the Astros.
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MLB Note - Kansas City Royals Almonte, Miguel
RHP Miguel Almonte has a fastball ranging from the mid-to-upper 90
mph range. He got a cup of coffee at the end of the season, going
0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in nine relief appearances, giving up four home
runs in 8 2/3 innings. He likely will come into spring training
competing for a rotation slot, but he probably will return to
Triple-A Omaha. If he pitches well in the minors, he could be on the
Kansas City staff sometime during the 2016 season.
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MLB Note - Toronto Blue Jays Alford, Anthony
OF Anthony Alford was considered unsignable in the 2012 draft
because he was committed to play football and baseball at Southern
Mississippi. Thus, one of the draft's top athletes fell to Toronto
in the third round, 112th overall. He signed a contract that allowed
him to continue football. He started five games at quarterback for
USM, then transferred to Mississippi, where he played four games
before deciding to play baseball full time. He played 25 minor
league games before 2015, but this year he batted .298/.398/.421
with four homers, 35 RBIs and 27 stolen bases between low Class A
Lansing and high Class A Dunedin. He has the speed to play center
field and the arm to play right. He needs to cut down on strikeouts
(109 in 2015), but he could be ready for Toronto in two or three
years.
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MLB Note - New York Mets Uribe, Juan
INF Juan Uribe will miss the NL Division Series due to a chest
contusion. However, considering his mediocre production since
joining New York in a midseason trade with the Atlanta Braves (.219
average, .301 on-base percentage, .430 slugging percentage with six
home runs and 20 RBIs in 44 games), his bat won't be missed much.
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MLB Note - Los Angeles Dodgers Van Slyke, Scott
OF/1B Scott Van Slyke (sore right wrist) will not be on the Dodgers'
NL Division Series roster. He missed the last five days of the
regular season and got a cortisone shot.
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MLB Note - St. Louis Cardinals Molina, Yadier
C Yadier Molina was included on the Cardinals' roster for the
National League Division Series against the Cubs that begins Friday
night in St. Louis. The All-Star will wear a splint to protect his
left thumb during the best-of-five series between the longtime
rivals. He strained ligaments in the thumb while making a tag during
a Sept. 20 game against the Cubs.
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