Following the Jays Journey Back To Relevance
Hitters:
AAA (CF) Anthony Gose, 1-5, .291, 2b (17), BB (39)
AAA (RF) Moises Sierra, 2-5, 1 RBI, .302, BB (28)
LoA (RF) Chris Hawkins, 2-4, 1 RBI, .272, BB (21)
R (CF) Dwight Smith Jr, 1-4, .182, 2b (1)
R (SS) Dickie Thon, 1-4, 1 RBI, .206, HR (1)
Pitchers:
LoA (SP) Noah Syndergaard, 5 ip, 5 h, 1 er, 2 bb – 6 k, 3.35
As per MLB Trade Rumours:
Just ten first round selections and one supplementary first round pick remain unsigned with two-plus weeks remaining before this summer’s deadline. The 11 players below will be eligible for future drafts if they don’t sign by July 13, but we can expect most of these players to reach agreements in the coming 15 days. Here’s the complete list of players who haven’t yet agreed to terms:
NOTE: Blue Jays have yet to sign their first round pick Marcus Stroman.
3. Mike Zunino, Florida C, Mariners
4. Kevin Gausman, Louisiana State RHP, Orioles
6. Albert Almora, HS OF, Cubs
8. Mark Appel, Stanford RHP, Pirates
9. Andrew Heaney, Oklahoma State LHP, Marlins
16. Lucas Giolito, HS RHP, Nationals
18. Corey Seager, HS SS, Dodgers
22. Marcus Stroman, Duke RHP, Blue Jays
25. Richie Shaffer, Clemson IF, Rays
30. Ty Hensley, HS RHP, Yankees
55. Walker Weickel, HS RHP, Padres
Hitters:
AAA (RF) Moises Sierra, 1-4, .301, 2b (14)
HiA (CF) Jake Marisnick, 1-4, 1 RBI, .258, HR (5)
R (3B) Matt Dean, 2-4, .308
R (2B) Rolando Segovia, 2-4, .188
Pitchers:
AA (SP) Deck McGuire, 6 ip, 5 h, 2 er, 2 bb – 4 k, 6.27
R (SP) Roberto Osuna, 3 ip, 1 h, 0 er, 0 bb – 3 k, 0.00
Tons of hitters featured, including a few notable rookies.
Hitters:
AAA (CF) Anthony Gose, 3-5, .296
AAA (RF) Moises Sierra, 3-4, 3 RBI, .301, 2b (13), HR (12), BB (27); great game
HiA (RF) Michael Crouse, 2-3, 1 RBI, .205, BB (23)
HiA (LF) Marcus Knecht, 1-5, .217, 2b (20)
R (3B) Matt Dean, 2-4, 1 RBI, .273, 2b (2)
R (2B) Christian Lopes, 2-4, .280; been a while since we featured a 2B
R (SS) Dickie Thon, 1-3, .231, 3b (1)
Pitchers:
AA (SP) John Stilson, 5 ip, 3 h, 0 er, 3 bb – 5 k, 3.75
LoA (SP) Aaron Sanchez, 5 ip, 2 h, 0 er, 1 bb – 3 k, 0.69; unreal numbers
R (SP) Kevin Comer, 4 ip, 1 h, 0 er, 0 bb – 4 k, 2.25
A few odds and ends from around the American League rumour mill:
-Of note for Blue Jays fans hopeful of landing a top notch pitcher the Brewers are prepared to trade right-hander Zack Greinke if they’re unable to sign him to a contract extension before the trade deadline, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The team is said to be “very realistic” about their position with the former AL Cy Young Award winner.
Hard to say if Greinke would accept a trade to Toronto or if the Blue Jays would seriously consider sending a hefty package for a pitcher not signed to a long-term contract.
-The Blue Jays are offering 22nd overall pick Marcus Stroman the $1.8MM slot bonus, reports Richard Griffin of The Toronto Star (Twitter links). He notes that even though that pick is compensation for failing to sign last year’s first rounder, the Jays will get another compensation pick next year if they fail to sign Stroman thanks to the new collective bargaining agreement.
-The Twins will see “robust interest” in left-hander Francisco Liriano as the trade deadline nears, a club official tells Jon Paul Morosi of FOXSports.com (Twitter link). Liriano has pitched better of late after a terrible start to the season, though his ERA sits at 5.30 and his SIERA at 4.10.
-Cuban outfielder Yasel Puig has officially been declared a free agent, sources tell Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com, and could have a deal finalized with a Major League team by Friday.
Puig can now meet with teams to discuss parameters of deals but cannot finalize a contract until he is unblocked by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, Sanchez reports. That is not expected to be an issue, though, “in accordance with the new guidelines that create a general license authorizing Major League teams to do business” with a Cuban prospect who has established residency somewhere else.
The 20-year-old has been working to establish free agency so as to beat the new collective bargaining agreement’s July 2 deadline, which stipulates that teams may only sign international prospects for up to $2.9MM without penalty after that date. Puig is thought to be seeking a contract similar to the ones signed by Yoenis Cespedes with the A’s and Jorge Soler with the Cubs.
File this under huge disappointment as the Toronto Blue Jays top prospect (and possibly top catching prospect in the game) Travis d’Arnaud suffered a torn PCL in his knee while sliding into second base. He is expected to miss 6-8 weeks but is also expected to make a full recovery.
If you follow our Daily Blue Jays Prospect Report you already know that he is having a monster season batting 333/380/595 with 16 HRs and 52 RBIs.
Hopefully this doesn’t have longer lasting developmental ramifications.
What a season of injuries.
Hitters:
AAA (RF) Moises Sierra, 2-4, 3 RBI, .295, 2b (12), BB (26)
HiA (CF) Jake Marisnick, 1-3, .264, 2b (17)
LoA (C) Carlos Perez, 2-5, 2 RBI, .266, 2b (19)
R (RF) Jake Anderson, 2-3, .182, BB (5), SB (1)
R (3B) Matt Dean, 1-5, 2 RBI, .222, 2b (1)
Pitchers:
HiA (SP) Asher Wojciechowski, 6 ip, 2 h, 0 er, 1 bb – 4 k, 4.28
LoA (SP) Justin Nicolino, 5 ip, 6 h, 2 er, 1 bb – 7 k, 1.42
As per MLB trade rumours the Blue Jays have signed Jamie Moyer to a minor league contract, reports Shannon Drayer of ESPN Radio Seattle (Twitter link). The 49-year-old starter will head to Triple-A Las Vegas this week.
Moyer is joining the ninth team of his 25-year career and his third in a month. Moyer began the season on a minor league pact with the Rockies and was released after posting a 5.70 ERA in 10 starts for the team. The southpaw then signed a minor league deal with the Orioles but asked to be released last weekend, as was his option after not being called up to the Major League roster. Moyer had a 1.69 ERA and 16 strikeouts with no walks in three starts (16 innings) for Baltimore’s Triple-A affiliate.
Though the Jays have made Moyer “no promises” outside of a few Triple-A outings (according to Rogers Sportnet’s Shi Davidi), Moyer has a good chance at a callup simply due to the raft of injuries suffered by Toronto starters over the last two weeks. Brandon Morrow, Drew Hutchison and Kyle Drabek are all on the DL, and Henderson Alvarez left Monday’s start with soreness in his throwing elbow.
The Toronto Blue Jays managed to win an inter-league series versus the Miami Marlins, relatively easily. Besides another awful outing from Jesse Chavez (at least he gave us six innings) the Blue Jays hammered the Marlins in the first two games by a combined 19-6 score.
Colby Rasmus continues to roll and has been absolutely destroying right handed pitching. I would love to see the Jays sit him versus most lefties with a solid platoon partner as he has shown in his brief career zero abilities versus the southpaws.
CURRENT RECORD: 37-35 (+31 run differential), trailing first place New York Yankees by 6.5 games.
Here are the quick recaps and boxscores:
Game 1 – Blue Jays 12, Marlins 5 – Jose Bautista with another June HR, drives in three runs.
Game 2 – Blue Jays 7, Marlins 1 – Rasmus hits a grand slam, continues to hammer right handed pitching.
Game 3 – Marlins 9, Blue Jays 0 – Going to be hard to win with Jesse Chavez.
UP NEXT: Tough sledding ahead as the Blue Jays begin a three-game series in Boston (38-34, +46 run differential).
Pitchers:
AA (SP) Chad Jenkins, 6 ip, 5 h, 2 er, 0 bb – 4 k; a lot of scouts in attendance
R (SP) Joe Musgrove, 4 ip, 3 h, 0 er, 0 bb – 4 k, 1.13
R (SP) Daniel Norris, 4 ip, 4 h, 4 er, 2 bb – 4 k, 4.50
AL Eastbound & Down 