
BREWERS
4/26/22: Placed C Victor Caratini on the COVID-19 Related IL. Recalled C Alex Jackson from AAA Nashville. 40-man roster at 38.
5/1/22: Placed RHP Jake Cousins on the 10-day IL (right elbow effusion). Activated C Victor Caratini from the COVID-19 Related IL. 40-man roster at 39. After the May 1st game, optioned C Alex Jackson and IF Mike Brosseau to AAA Nashville.
5/2/22: Designated RHP Jose Urena for assignment. Activated IF Luis Urias from the 10-day IL. 40-man roster at 38.
5/6/22: Optioned IF Keston Hiura to AAA Nashville. Selected the contract of RHP Luis Perdomo from AAA Nashville. 40-man roster at 39.
5/7/22: Placed OF Andrew McCutchen on the COVID-19 Related IL. Recalled IF Mike Brosseau from AAA Nashville. 40-man roster at 38.
5/9/22: RHP Jose Urena elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment to AAA Nashville.
5/10/22: Optioned RHP Jandel Gustave to AAA Nashville. Recalled RHP J.C. Mejia from AAA Nashville.
5/13/22: Placed LHP Brent Suter on the Paternity Leave List. Recalled RHP Jandel Gustave from AAA Nashville.
5/16/22: Placed RHP Jandel Gustave on the 15-day IL (strained right hamstring), retroactive to May 15th. Activated LHP Brent Suter from the Paternity Leave List.
5/17/22: Placed RHP J.C. Mejia on the Restricted List. Selected the contract of RHP Trevor Kelley from AAA Nashville. 40-man roster still at 38.
Mejia tested positive for the PED Stanozolol, which gives the club two PED suspensions inside of two months. It didn’t seem to help Mejia find the strike zone.
5/18/22: Placed SS Willy Adames on the 10-day IL (left high ankle sprain), retroactive to May 16th. Recalled IF Keston Hiura from AAA Nashville.
5/19/22: Outrighted RHP Alec Bettinger to AAA Nashville. 40-man roster at 37.
5/20/22: Activated DH/OF Andrew McCutchen from the COVID-19 Related IL. Optioned RHP Trevor Kelley to AAA Nashville. 40-man roster at 38.
The Brewers have joined the Cards in being relatively fortunate with the injury bug. Luis Urias opened the season on the injured list, but now he is back at third base after Jace Peterson and Mike Brosseau platooned it in his absence. Brosseau hasn’t shown power, but has a .373 OBP, which is wildly out of line compared to anything he had done before. Peterson didn’t hit at all. Keston Hiura got a smattering of playing time at first base, second base and DH, but was optioned so the club could keep a 14th pitcher after he struck out 20 times in 42 trips to the plate. The club had to recall him when SS Willy Adames went on the shelf. Now Urias is playing short and the Peterson/Brosseau platoon is back in effect at third. Urias has played well since his return with a .408 OBP and is leading the club with a 151 wRC+ in limited action. You probably would not have predicted that the Brewers would be 4th in the majors in slugging percentage (.415) or second in the majors in ISO (.178). This is driven in large part because Hunter Renfroe, Rowdy Tellez and Willy Adames have each hit nine homers.
The club’s pitching has been superb. The starting pitching is second in the league in both starter ERA (3.21) and FIP (3.34) and is first in the majors in strikeout rate (28.5%), and SIERA. Freddy Peralta had to leave the fourth inning of his start yesterday with right shoulder stiffness, and it looks like he will have to go on the IL. That’s a blow for the club, as he’s leading the Brewers’ starters in fWAR and strikeout rate, and has the lowest home run rate among the unit. Andy Ashby, their next man up, has walked over 20% of the batters he’s faced in three starts. He’s been far better as a reliever. Josh Hader and Devin Williams form a great 1-2 punch in the late innings, but the unit overall in one of only 10 relief groups in the game that has a double digit walk rate. Williams is a major offender with a career-high 16.4% walk rate, but he’s made up for it with a 43.6% strikeout rate. The relief corps as a whole has one of the best strikeout rates in the game and doesn’t allow homers
PITCHERS (13)
Starters (5): Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Adrian Houser, Eric Lauer (L)
Relievers (8): Aaron Ashby (L), Brad Boxberger, Trevor Gott, Josh Hader (L), Hoby Milner (L), Luis Perdomo, Brent Suter (L), Devin Williams
POSITION PLAYERS (13)
C Victor Caratini (S), C Omar Narvaez (L), IF Mike Brosseau, IF Keston Hiura, DH/OF Andrew McCutchen, UT Jace Peterson (L), 1B Rowdy Tellez (L), 3B/SS Luis Urias, 2B Kolten Wong (L), CF Lorenzo Cain, RF Hunter Renfroe, OF Tyrone Taylor, LF Christian Yelich (L)
10-DAY IL (3)
RHP Jake Cousins, RHP Justin Topa, SS Willy Adames
15-DAY IL (1)
RHP Jandel Gustave
RESTRICTED LIST (2)
RHP J.C. Mejia, C Pedro Severino
CUBS
4/16/22: Optioned IF Alfonso Rivas to AAA Iowa. Selected the contract of RHP Mark Leiter, Jr. from AAA Iowa. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated RHP Cory Abbott for assignment. Selected the contract of LHP Locke St. John from AAA Iowa and optioned him to AAA Iowa. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated OF Greg Deichmann for assignment. 40-man roster full.
4/20/22: Traded RHP Jesse Chavez and cash considerations to the Atlanta Braves for LHP Sean Newcomb. 40-man roster still full.
Newcomb had been DFAd by the Braves and is out of options.
4/21/22: Traded RHP Cory Abbott to the San Francisco Giants for cash considerations.
4/22/22: Placed OF Clint Frazier on the 10-day IL (appendicitis), retroactive to April 20th. Recalled IF Alfonso Rivas from AAA Iowa. Outrighted OF Greg Deichmann to AAA Iowa.
4/30/22: Optioned RHP Mark Leiter, Jr. to AAA Iowa. Recalled LHP Locke St. John from AAA Iowa.
5/1/22: After the May 1st game, placed RHP Ethan Roberts on the 10-day IL (right shoulder inflammation), retroactive to April 30th. Optioned LHP Locke St. John to AAA Iowa.
5/3/22: Placed LHP Drew Smyly on the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List. Selected the contract of RHP Robert Gsellman from AAA Iowa. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated LHP Locke St. John for assignment. 40-man roster still full.
5/7/22: Activated LHP Drew Smyly from the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader. After the 2nd game, optioned 1B Frank Schwindel to AAA Iowa.
5/8/22: Placed RHP Marcus Stroman on the COVID-19 Related IL. Selected the contract of RHP Adrian Sampson from AAA Iowa. 40-man roster still full.
5/9/22: Placed RHP David Robertson on the COVID-19 Related IL. Optioned RHP Adrian Sampson to AAA Iowa. Recalled 1B Frank Schwindel from AAA Iowa. Selected the contract of LHP Conner Menez from AAA Iowa. 40-man roster still full.
5/10/22: Placed IF Nick Madrigal on the 10-day IL (low back tightness). Placed OF Michael Hermosillo on the 10-day IL (left quad strain), retroactive to May 8th. Activated LHP Wade Miley from the 10-day IL. Selected the contract of IF Ildemaro Vargas from AAA Iowa. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated RHP Adrian Sampson for assignment. Noted the loss of LHP Locke St. John to the New York Mets on an outright assignment waiver claim. 40-man roster still full.
5/11/22: Placed LHP Sean Newcomb on the 15-day IL (left ankle sprain), retroactive to May 8th. Recalled RHP Mark Leiter, Jr. from AAA Iowa.
5/13/22: Noted the loss of Adrian Sampson to the Seattle Mariners on an outright assignment waiver claim.
5/15/22: Placed IF Nico Hoerner on the 10-day IL (right ankle sprain), retroactive to May 12th. Activated SS Andrelton Simmons from the 10-day IL.
5/17/22: Placed CF Jason Heyward on the COVID-19 Related IL. Optioned LHP Conner Menez to AAA Iowa. Selected the contract of LHP Brandon Hughes from AAA Iowa. Recalled UT Christopher Morel from AA Tennessee. 40-man roster still full.
5/18/22: Optioned RHP Mark Leiter, Jr. to AAA Iowa. Activated RHP David Robertson from the COVID-19 Related IL. To make room on the 40-man roster, transferred OF Michael Hermosillo from the 10-day IL to the COVID-19 Related IL. 40-man roster still full.
5/19/22: Placed RHP Michael Rucker on the 15-day IL (left turf toe), retroactive to May 17th. Activated RHP Marcus Stroman from the COVID-19 Related IL. To make room on the 40-man roster, transferred RHP Alec Mills from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. 40-man roster still full.
5/22/22: Designated IF Ildemaro Vargas for assignment. Selected the contract of C P.J. Higgins from AAA Iowa. 40-man roster still full.
The Cubs have not had much offense. Seiya Suzuki has struck out over 30% of the time, but has counteracted that with a good walk rate and doubles power. Patrick Wisdom is still pulling his act of striking out over 40% of the time, but leading the club with eight homers and 16 extra base hits, which all amounts to a 103 wRC+. Jason Heyward was being platooned with Michael Hermosillo in center field, and neither one have been hitting at all. Now they’re both on the COVID-19 Related IL. The clock struck midnight on Frank “The Tank” Schwindel. He had had basically lost his first base job to Alfonso Rivas, a player who hasn’t hit either, but at least walks about 15% of the time. Now he’s playing a lot at DH because the Cubs are basically out of viable 40-man roster players. Happ has a .386 OBP with no power (.387 SLG). Nico Hoerner did a fine job handling short in the absence of Andrelton Simmons, but he just injured his ankle when he collided with an umpire, and went on the shelf himself. With Nick Madrigal on the injured list, the club had to run a middle infield for a while with Jonathan Villar at second and Ildemaro Vargas at short. Vargas had been DFAd like 6 times in the past two years and was on his third stint with the Cubs. He had to be DFAd again yesterday, because Willson Contreras injured his hamstring, and the club needed a 40-man roster spot for P.J. Higgins, whom the club is temporarily carrying as a third catcher. Fortunately for the Cubs, the injury to Contreras does not look to be serious enough to require an IL stint. It’s still hard for me to wrap my head around the idea that Rafael Ortega, who was on the Cards’ 40-man roster for most of the 2014 season, has not only been the Cubs’ primary leadoff man, but also the long side of a platoon at DH and is now the primary starting center fielder.
The Cubs’ rotation has been in flux. Although it was initially speculated that Keegan Thompson would be the club’s fifth starter, that didn’t happen until the club had to make some IL moves. Instead, the club went with a four-man rotation until they needed a fifth starter on April 16th, at which point the club added Mark Leiter, Jr. Leiter’s stats were drug down a lot by his first start, but he still allowed seven walks to just seven strikeouts over three starts and 9.1 IP. He got one more inning in the bullpen before being sent to AAA. The club has since tried Scott Efross and Daniel Norris as openers for a game each, then turning to Thompson for long relief in each instance, then gave Thompson a couple of starts while Marcus Stroman was on the IL. It’s only recently that the club’s preferred rotation has been in place. Kyle Hendricks has been getting torched by the long ball, and Wade Miley has struggled to get his footing, but he is keeping the ball on the ground.
Despite being burned by the long ball a bit, the Cubs’ bullpen has actually been fairly decent, and the unit has the 2nd best strikeout rate in the majors. The unit took a major hit for about 10 days when David Robertson, who had five of the club’s seven saves at the time, was placed on the COVID-19 Related IL. The unit has the second-highest innings total in the league.
PITCHERS (14)
Starters (5): Kyle Hendricks, Justin Steele (L), Wade Miley (L), Drew Smyly (L), Marcus Stroman
Relievers (9): Scott Efross, Mychal Givens, Robert Gsellman, Brandon Hughes (L), Chris Martin, Daniel Norris (L), David Robertson, Keegan Thompson, Rowan Wick
POSITION PLAYERS (12)
C Willson Contreras, C Yan Gomes, C P.J. Higgins, Alfonso Rivas (L), 1B Frank Schwindel, SS Andrelton Simmons, IF Jonathan Villar (S), 3B Patrick Wisdom, LF Ian Happ (S), UT Christopher Morel, OF Rafael Ortega (L), RF Seiya Suzuki
10-DAY IL (4)
RHP Ethan Roberts, IF Nico Hoerner, IF Nick Madrigal, OF Clint Frazier
15-DAY IL (2)
LHP Sean Newcomb, RHP Michael Rucker
60-DAY IL (5)
RHP Adbert Alzolay, RHP Codi Heuer, RHP Alec Mills, LHP Brad Wieck, IF David Bote
COVID-19 RELATED IL (2)
OF Jason Heyward, OF Michael Hermosillo
RESTRICTED LIST (1)
RHP Alexander Vizcaino
REDS
4/13/22: Optioned RHP Daniel Duarte to AAA Louisville. Selected the contract of LHP Nick Lodolo from AAA Louisville. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated RHP Riley O’Brien for assignment. 40-man roster still full.
4/16/22: Placed OF Nick Senzel on the COVID-19 Related IL. Recalled RHP Daniel Duarte from AAA Louisville. Traded RHP Riley O’Brien to the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named later or cash considerations. 40-man roster at 39.
4/17/22: Placed RHP Daniel Duarte on the 10-day IL (right elbow swelling). Recalled IF Alejo Lopez from AAA Louisville.
4/18/22: Placed OF Tyler Naquin on the COVID-19 Related IL. Activated OF Nick Senzel from the COVID-19 Related IL. 40-man roster still at 39.
4/19/22: Placed 2B Jonathan India on the 10-day IL (right hamstring strain), retroactive to April 16th. Placed IF Mike Moustakas on the 10-day IL (right biceps strain), retroactive to April 18th. Recalled OF TJ Friedl from AAA Louisville. Selected the contract of UT JT Riddle from AAA Louisville. 40-man roster full.
4/20/22: Placed C Tyler Stephenson on the 7-day Concussion IL. Recalled C Mark Kolozsvary from AAA Louisville.
4/22/22: Optioned RHP Ryan Hendrix to AAA Louisville. Activated RHP Lucas Sims from the 10-day IL.
4/23/22: Optioned OF TJ Friedl to AAA Louisville. Activated OF Tyler Naquin from the COVID-19 Related IL. To make room on the 40-man roster, transferred RHP Daniel Duarte from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. 40-man roster still full.
4/24/22: Claimed IF Matt Reynolds on outright assignment waivers from the New York Mets. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated RHP Ryan Hendrix for assignment. 40-man roster still full.
4/26/22: Optioned IF Alejo Lopez to AAA Louisville. Designated UT JT Riddle for assignment. Activated IF Matt Reynolds onto the 26-man roster. Activated 2B Jonathan India from the 10-day IL. 40-man roster at 39.
4/27/22: Placed LHP Justin Wilson on the 10-day IL (left elbow soreness), retroactive to April 24th. Selected the contract of LHP Phillip Diehl from AAA Louisville. 40-man roster full.
4/28/22: Placed LHP Nick Lodolo on the 10-day IL (lower back strain), retroactive to April 25th. Activated IF Mike Moustakas from the 10-day IL. Outrighted UT JT Riddle to AAA Louisville.
4/29/22: Outrighted RHP Ryan Hendrix to AAA Louisville. C Tyler Stephenson automatically transferred from the 7-day Concussion IL to the 10-day IL.
4/30/22: Designated OF Aristides Aquino for assignment. Selected the contract of RHP Connor Overton from AAA Louisville. 40-man roster still full.
5/1/22: Placed 2B Jonathan India on the 10-day IL (right hamstring injury), retroactive to April 30th. Placed OF Jake Fraley on the 10-day IL (right knee inflammation). Recalled IF Alejo Lopez and OF TJ Friedl from AAA Louisville. After the May 1st game, optioned LHP Reiver Sanmartin and IF Alejo Lopez to AAA Louisville.
5/3/22: Placed 1B Joey Votto on the COVID-19 Related IL. Optioned C Mark Kolozsvary to AAA Louisville. Activated C Tyler Stephenson from the 10-day IL. Recalled IF Alejo Lopez from AAA Louisville. 40-man roster at 39.
5/4/22: Claimed RHP Robert Dugger on outright assignment waivers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Placed OF Tyler Naquin and OF Nick Senzel on the COVID-19 Related IL. Selected the contracts of OF Albert Almora, Jr. and OF Ronnie Dawson from AAA Louisville as COVID-19 substitutes. 40-man roster full.
5/6/22: Returned OF Ronnie Dawson, who had been selected as a COVID-19 substitute, to AAA Louisville. Designated RHP Buck Farmer for assignment. Activated OF Tyler Naquin from the COVID-19 Related IL. Activated RHP Robert Dugger onto the 26-man roster. 40-man roster at 39.
5/7/22: Added RHP Jared Solomon as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader, and returned him to AAA Louisville after the 2nd game. Outrighted OF Aristides Aquino to AAA Louisville.
5/8/22: Designated RHP Robert Dugger for assignment. Selected the contract of RHP Joel Kuhnel from AAA Louisville. 40-man roster at 39.
5/9/22: Designated LHP Phillip Diehl for assignment. Placed IF Mike Moustakas on the COVID-19 Related IL. Activated RHP Luis Castillo from the 10-day IL. Selected the contract of OF Ronnie Dawson as a COVID-19 substitute. RHP Buck Farmer elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment. 40-man roster at 38.
5/10/22: Returned OF Ronnie Dawson, who had been selected as a COVID-19 substitute, to AAA Louisville. Activated IF Mike Moustakas from the COVID-19 Related IL. Outrighted RHP Robert Dugger to AAA Louisville. 40-man roster at 38.
5/12/22: Placed RHP Lucas Sims on the 15-day IL (low back spasms), retroactive to May 11th. Optioned RHP Dauri Moreta to AAA Louisville. Recalled RHP Jared Solomon from AAA Louisville. Selected the contract of RHP Robert Dugger from AAA Louisville. Outrighted LHP Phillip Diehl to AAA Louisville. 40-man roster at 39.
5/14/22: Designated RHP Robert Dugger for assignment. Selected the contract of LHP Ross Detwiler from AAA Louisville. 40-man roster still at 39.
5/16/22: Outrighted RHP Robert Dugger to AAA Louisville.
5/20/22: Placed RHP Joel Kuhnel, RHP Tyler Mahle, IF Brandon Drury and OF Albert Almora, Jr. on the Restricted List. Placed LHP Ross Detwiler on the Bereavement/Family Medical Emergency List. Activated 1B Joey Votto from the COVID-19 Related IL. Selected the contracts of RHP Graham Ashcraft, IF Taylor Motter and OF Aristides Aquino from AAA Louisville as COVID-19 substitutes. 40-man roster still at 39.
The Reds have just been a train wreck. Two members of their projected rotation in Luis Castillo and Mike Minor opened the season on the shelf. The rotation has the worst FIP and walk rate in the game, and is among the worst in homers allowed. Hunter Greene has shown some flashes with his electric fastball, but it is very straight, and he’s gotten crushed. Vladimir Gutierrez has been moved to the bullpen and Reiver Sanmartin, who wasn’t even the worst pitcher in the rotation, found himself optioned to AAA. To make matters worse, the bullpen has the worst FIP in the game and the second-worst walk rate. The club doesn’t have any lefties on the staff. At one time or another, the Reds have already used 18 different relievers, and almost none of them have been able to find the plate.
To be fair, as you can see from the transaction record, the club has been decimated by injuries, losing Mike Moustakas, Jonathan India, Joey Votto and Nick Senzel for extended periods of time. They’ve lost the most days and projected WAR to the injured list of any club in the majors. Partly because of this, they’ve made up for having one of the worst pitching staff in the game by having the worst offense in the National League. Their home run leader, Brandon Drury, was a non-roster invitee to camp. Aside from Drury, no one is really hitting outside of Tyler Stephenson and Tyler Naquin. And did I mention that the Reds also have a poor defense, particularly in the infield?
The players you see on the restricted list were all put there because they are not vaccinated for COVID-19 and, as a result, they were not allowed to travel to Toronto for their most recent series. This contributed to the club having to play a man short.
PITCHERS (12)
Starters (4): Luis Castillo, Hunter Greene, Connor Overton, Graham Ashcraft
Relievers (8): Luis Cessa, Alexis Diaz, Vladimir Gutierrez, Jeff Hoffman, Tony Santillan, Jared Solomon, Hunter Strickland, Art Warren
POSITION PLAYERS (13)
C Aramis Garcia, C Tyler Stephenson, SS Kyle Farmer, IF Alejo Lopez (S), 1B/DH Colin Moran (L), IF Taylor Motter, 3B/DH Mike Moustakas (L), IF Matt Reynolds, 1B Joey Votto (L), OF Aristides Aquino, OF TJ Friedl (L), OF Tyler Naquin (L), LF Tommy Pham
BEREAVEMENT/FAMILY MEDICAL EMERGENCY LIST (1)
LHP Ross Detwiler
10-DAY IL (7)
LHP Nick Lodolo, LHP Mike Minor, LHP Justin Wilson, SS Jose Barrero, 2B Jonathan India, IF Donovan Solano, OF Jake Fraley
15-DAY IL (1)
RHP Lucas Sims
60-DAY IL (4)
RHP Tejay Antone, RHP Daniel Duarte, RHP Justin Dunn, IF Max Schrock
COVID-19 RELATED IL (1)
OF Nick Senzel
RESTRICTED LIST (4)
RHP Joel Kuhnel, RHP Tyler Mahle, IF Brandon Drury, OF Albert Almora, Jr.
PIRATES
4/6/22: Outrighted OF Jared Oliva to AAA Indianapolis.
4/7/22: Traded RHP Adonis Medina to the New York Mets for cash considerations.
4/9/22: Placed RHP Duane Underwood, Jr. on the 10-day IL (right hamstring strain), retroactive to April 8th. Recalled RHP Roansy Contreras from AAA Indianapolis.
4/12/22: Signed 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes to an 8-year, $70 million contract extension with a club option for 2030.
Hayes, who has just over 1 year of MLB service time, signed an extension that will buy out all of his arbitration years, and at least his first three free agent years. The contract calls for him to make $10 million in both 2022 and 2023, but then drops to $7 million per season from 2024 through 2027. It then increases to $8 million per season for the final two years of the deal. The Pirates have a $12 million club option for 2030 with a $6 million buyout.
4/14/22: Signed OF Bryan Reynolds to a 2-year, $13.5 million contract extension, avoiding arbitration.
Reynolds is a Super Two, and will thus have two more arbitration years after this contract expires. This deal calls for him to make $6.75 million per season for the next two years.
4/18/22: Activated RHP Luis Oviedo from the 10-day IL and optioned him to AA Altoona.
4/21/22: Optioned RHP Roansy Contreras to AAA Indianapolis. Selected the contract of RHP Chase De Jong from AAA Indianapolis. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated RHP Luis Oviedo for assignment. 40-man roster still full.
4/22/22: Optioned IF Hoy Park to AAA Indianapolis. Activated OF Anthony Alford from the 10-day IL.
4/24/22: Designated OF Anthony Alford for assignment. Selected the contract of RHP Beau Sulser from AAA Indianapolis. 40-man roster still full.
4/26/22: Placed LHP Anthony Banda on the 10-day IL (viral illness), retroactive to April 23rd. Placed OF Bryan Reynolds and IF Cole Tucker on the COVID-19 Related IL. Recalled LHP Sam Howard from AAA Indianapolis. Recalled IF Tucupita Marcano and OF Jack Suwinski from AA Altoona. Noted the loss of RHP Luis Oviedo to the Cleveland Guardians on an outright assignment waiver claim. 40-man roster at 38.
4/27/22: Placed SS Kevin Newman on the 10-day IL (left groin tightness). Activated OF Bryan Reynolds from the COVID-19 Related IL. 40-man roster at 39.
4/29/22: Activated RHP Max Kranick from the 10-day IL and optioned him to AAA Indianapolis. Outrighted OF Anthony Alford to AAA Indianapolis.
4/30/22: Optioned IF Tucupita Marcano to AA Altoona. Activated IF Cole Tucker from the COVID-19 Related IL. 40-man roster full.
5/2/22: Optioned LHP Sam Howard and RHP Miguel Yajure to AAA Indianapolis.
5/3/22: Optioned LHP Aaron Fletcher to AAA Indianapolis. Activated LHP Anthony Banda from the 10-day IL.
5/4/22: Added LHP Aaron Fletcher as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader and returned him to AAA Indianapolis after the 2nd game.
5/7/22: Added RHP Max Kranick as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader, and returned him to AAA Indianapolis after the 2nd game. After game 1 of the doubleheader, placed C Roberto Perez on the 10-day IL (left hamstring strain). Selected the contract of C Michael Perez from AAA Indianapolis. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated LHP Sam Howard for assignment. 40-man roster still full.
5/10/22: Placed OF Jake Marisnick on the 10-day IL (left thumb injury). Recalled RHP Max Kranick from AAA Indianapolis.
5/11/22: Optioned RHP Beau Sulser to AAA Indianapolis. Selected the contract of LHP Cam Alldred from AAA Indianapolis. To make room on the 40-man roster, transferred C Roberto Perez from the 10-day to the 60-day IL. 40-man roster still full.
5/12/22: Optioned RHP Max Kranick and IF/OF Cole Tucker to AAA Indianapolis. Activated RHP Duane Underwood, Jr. from the 10-day IL. Recalled IF Rodolfo Castro from AAA Indianapolis. Claimed RHP Tyler Beede from the San Francisco Giants on outright assignment waivers. To make room on the 40-man roster, designated RHP Beau Sulser for assignment. 40-man roster still full.
5/13/22: Optioned LHP Cam Alldred to AAA Indianapolis. Activated RHP Tyler Beede onto the 26-man roster. Noted the loss of LHP Sam Howard to the Detroit Tigers on an outright assignment waiver claim.
5/14/22: Noted the loss of RHP Beau Sulser to the Baltimore Orioles on an outright assignment waiver claim.
5/16/22: Claimed C Tyler Heineman on outright assignment waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays and activated him onto the 26-man roster. To make room on the 40-man and active rosters, designated C Andrew Knapp for assignment. 40-man roster still full.
5/18/22: C Andrew Knapp elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment.
The Pirates are actually tied with the Cubs for the second-worst record in the Central. They basically fielded a borderline non-competitive roster from the jump with young and unproven players. Their rotation has pitched the fewest amount of innings in the game, but what’s striking is that the unit has peripheral stats eerily similar to the Cardinal rotation. They actually strike more batters out than the Cardinals, and the clubs are tied at 110 FIP-, but the Pirates’ walk rate—which is only 1.7% higher than the Cards’ hurlers rate—is tied for the fourth worst in the game. Jose Quintana has been their best pitcher. JT Brubaker, who was expected to be the ace, has had some walk issues. Although the Pirates have used a whopping 20 different relievers, it’s scary that the advanced metrics rate the Pirates’ unit close to the Cards’ corps. Again, their major issue has been walks. David Bednar has performed at an elite level.
The Pirates’ main problem is that, like the Reds, the club can’t hit. As a club, they’re slashing .224/.293/.348. The slugging percentage is the worst in the league, only the Reds are worse in on-base percentage, and only the Diamondbacks and Reds are worse in batting average. Michael Chavis would rather take poison than take a walk, but he is having a career year in only 106 PA. Daniel Vogelbach has been a good DH. Ben Gamel has cut his strikeout rate and his having his best season so far. Ke’Bryan Hayes is the one young bright spot with a .373 OBP, but he’s not showing power yet. The club lost its starting catcher and had to grab Tyler Heineman off of waivers.
PITCHERS (14)
Starters (5): JT Brubaker, Mitch Keller, Bryse Wilson, Jose Quintana (L), Zach Thompson
Relievers (9): Anthony Banda (L), David Bednar, Tyler Beede, Wil Crowe, Chase De Jong, Heath Hembree, Dillon Peters (L), Chris Stratton, Duane Underwood, Jr.
POSITION PLAYERS (12)
C Tyler Heineman (S), C Michael Perez (L), IF Diego Castillo, IF Rodolfo Castro (S), IF Michael Chavis, 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes, 1B/DH Yoshi Tsutsugo (L), IF Josh VanMeter (L), 1B/DH Daniel Vogelbach (L), LF Ben Gamel (L), CF Bryan Reynolds (S), OF Jack Suwinski (L)
10-DAY IL (2)
SS Kevin Newman, OF Jake Marisnick
60-DAY IL (4)
RHP Blake Cederlind, RHP Nick Mears, C Roberto Perez, OF Greg Allen