Tampa Bay Rays 2016 Team Rankings

True Average (TAv): .271 – 3rd in AL

Deserved Run Average (DRA): 3.91- 2nd in AL

Defensive Efficiency (DE): .721- 5th in AL

Pitching Matchups

Friday 7:10 pm ET- Chris Archer vs. Masahiro Tanaka

It has been a tumultuous start to the season for the Rays ace. Archer has a 5.16 ERA and 1.61 WHIP in his first 10 starts. With almost a third of his season in the books, the sample size is getting a little big to chalk it up to a fluke. There were signs of the old Archer returning before a 6 run drubbing by the Tigers in which Archer couldn’t escape the fourth inning.

There are some positive signs however. His strikeout rate of 11.2 would be a career best and his stuff seems undiminished. His four-seamer remains in the mid 90’s, and his nasty slider looks as sharp as ever. He is throwing his mediocre change up nearly twice as often as last year and is getting burned on it. Assuming Archer is healthy, he may just be a mechanical tweak or two from his old self. His walk and home run rates suggest location is the issue. Let’s hope he keeps struggling with that for at least one more start.

Saturday 4:10 pm ET- Matt Moore vs. Michael Pineda

Despite the ugly run prevention numbers, there has been a lot for Rays fans to like about Moore’s 2016 season. His average fastball velocity of 92.7 is his highest since his rookie year in 2012. Control has long been Moore’s main bug bear, but through nine starts he has posted a 2.8 BB/9, which would be a career low. He’s striking hitters out at almost exactly his career rate (8.6 vs. 8.5 K/9). The reason for the 5.47 ERA seems to be an abundance of home runs, but Moore’s 16.7% HR/FB rate suggests he’s been the victim of some bad luck in that respect.

Sunday 1:10 pm ET- Jake Odorizzi vs. Nathan Eovaldi

Odorizzi’s peripherals have dipped slightly across the board from his career 2015 season, however what remains is still a solid mid-rotation starter. He throws five pitches, but relies primarily on his low-90’s heater and the splitter he added prior to 2014. PECOTA sees more of the same the rest of the way, projecting 1.3 WARP and a 4.17 DRA in 21 more starts. At 26-years-old in just his third full season, there is still the chance he builds on last season’s success, but it’s probably more likely that what you see is what you get.

Bullpen

Lineup

Late-blooming outfielder Brandon Guyer (.366 TAv) continues to defy expectations, hitting .327/.410/.564 through his first 29 games played, with a TAv that ranks third in baseball among batters with 100 or more PAs. Utilityman Steve Pearce (.353 TAv), who signed a modest one year $4.75 million pact with the team this winter, is another in a long line of unlikely Rays stars plucked from the scrap heap. He has established himself as the team’s premier source of power out of Tampa Bay’s cleanup spot.

Steven Souza (.298 TAv) is belatedly proving PECOTA prescient for its optimism about the 27-year-old outfielder. Evan Longoria (.278 TAv) isn’t the star he was, but he still provides 20-homer pop and excellent defense. Brad Miller is the very definition of average at shortstop, but there’s no harm in that.

After those guys, things drop off considerably. Corey Dickerson (.245 TAv) and Logan Morrison (.227 TAv) have been truly awful since the Rays traded for them this offseason. Dickerson has kept the power since leaving Coors, but is well below the Mendoza line. Former top prospect Desmond Jennings (.212 TAv) has struggled to regain his form following an injury plagued 2015 season and is likely on thin ice as he approaches his 30th birthday. Catching tandem Curtis Casali (.216 TAv) and Hank Conger (.141 TAv) have combined for an underwhelming 2.2 adjusted FRAA in 2016, which is not nearly enough to excuse their woeful hitting.

Injuries

• Centerfielder Kevin Kiermaier broke two bones in his left hand while diving for a fly ball on Saturday against Detroit. He is expected to miss 8-10 weeks following Tuesday’s surgery. Triple-A outfielder Mikie Mahtook was promoted in his place.
• On May 14, second baseman Logan Forsythe was placed on the 15-day DL with a hairline fracture in his left shoulder. Forsythe told reporters that the best case scenario would have him return in about four weeks. He will be reevaluated in early June.
• Starter Alex Cobb and former Yankee ace Chase Whitley are both in the home stretch of their rehab from twin May 2015 Tommy John surgeries. Both Rays starters have begun a throwing program and are expected to rejoin the pitching staff sometime in July if all goes to plan.

Photo Credit: Thomas B. Shea / USA TODAY Sports

Top Performers

Scranton: Jake Cave (10-20, 6 R, HR, 2 2B, 2 3B)- Cave has an insane .362/.375/.723 batting line (.389 TAv) in his first 48 PA since the promotion to Triple-A. He’s likely vaulted over the competition and put himself first in line for a call up.

Trenton: Mark Payton (9-26, 5 R, 2 2B, 4 RBI) The 24-year-old former seventh round pick is hitting .296/.367/.444 (.295 TAv) in 31 PA since his promotion to Double-A this season.

Tampa: Vicente Campos (7 IP, 0 ER, 4 K)- Campos has allowed two earned runs and struck out 18 in his last three starts, 19 1/3 innings.  

Charleston: Kyle Holder- (9-23, 5 R, 2 2B) Holder has a solid .305/.342/.381 (.249 TAv) batting line through his first 111 PAs, a major step up from the .213/.273/.253 slash (.206 TAv) he put up in his professional debut with Staten Island. He has strung together a 13 game hitting streak.

Notes

• Yet another blow for former Yankees’ first rounder Ty Hensley on Friday as Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees Blog reported that the oft-injured 22-year-old pitcher will undergo his second Tommy John surgery in as many seasons. Hensley has only managed 14 minor league starts since being selected 30th overall in the 2012 amateur draft due to a variety of ailments.
• The Yankees signed veteran lefty reliever Neal Cotts to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A Scranton Friday. The 36-year-old Cotts had a 3.41 ERA in 63 ⅓ innings split between the Brewers and Twins in 2015.
• Despite two strong starts after his promotion to SWB, Dietrich Enns was sent back down to Trenton Saturday to make room for Cotts.
• Infielder Thairo Estrada was promoted to High-A Tampa on Monday after hitting .286/.324/.429 with five homers during his first 148 PAs with Charleston. The Tampa infield is now pretty crowded with top talent, including Jorge Mateo, Miguel Andujar, and Abiatal Avelino.
• Luis Severino is expected to make a minor league rehab start next Sunday for High-A Tampa as he works his way back from a right triceps strain.
• Gary Sanchez left Tuesday’s game after taking a foul tip to his hand and was placed on the 15-day DL. Not great news for the RailRiders or the Yankees. He’s wrecked International League pitching this month, batting .333/.352/.580 in May. There is no official word yet as to the severity of the injury.

The Quote

“We view Mateo as a future MLB shortstop. We are preparing him to offer versatility to our major league club if needed when he arrives. His primary position is shortstop. Playing on the second base side will also help him when he moves to the right side of the diamond during infield defensive shifts.”- Vice President of Player Development Gary Denbo clearing up misconceptions about Jorge Mateo seeing time at second base for High-A Tampa (Courtesy of Chad Jennings and the LoHud Yankees Blog)

Many fans assumed that a position switch for Mateo was in the works after reports of him working out at second base surfaced. While the organization does have a glut of talent at shortstop in the lower minors, it hardly qualifies as a problem to have too many good players at a position. Whether the team uses its depth in trades or eventually moves players to new positions permanently, its a decision the Yankees won’t have to worry about for a while, if at all. For his part, Mateo looks ready for the jump to Double-A Trenton in the near future after batting .313/.369/.528 (.313 TAv) with 15 steals in his first 41 games with Tampa this season.

The Highlight

On Sunday Gary Sanchez and the RailRiders faced off against Pirates number one prospect Tyler Glasnow, whom BP ranked 11th in their “Top 101 Prospects of 2016.” In the sixth, Sanchez finally got the better of Glasnow, blasting a two-run shot to left-center to give Scranton a 2-0 lead and the eventual victory.

Pitching Matchups

Thursday 10:05 pm EST- Kendall Graveman vs. Ivan Nova

Graveman, a 25-year old sinkerballer who came over to the As in the Josh Donaldson trade, has gotten bombed in the early going in 2016. He’s allowed a whopping 10 long-balls in his first 37 innings, leaving him with an ugly 5.84 ERA through seven starts.

He does have an obscene 25.6% HR/FB ratio for what it’s worth, so if that normalizes he should be roughly where he was in 2015. Of course, that wasn’t very good either. Graveman’s 4.05 ERA looked solid last year, but he had the 15th worst DRA (5.71) among all starters who threw 100 innings last season.

Friday 9:35 pm EST- Sonny Gray vs. CC Sabathia

Just one season removed from making his first All Star Game and finishing third in the AL Cy Young voting, Oakland’s ace has suffered a mystifying collapse. His home run rate has more than doubled to 1.6 per nine, he leads the league with six wild pitches, and is walking batters at the highest rate of his career. A slight dip in velocity is an incomplete explanation at best.

Yes, it has only been eight starts and at 26, he is likely far from his decline years, but there’s been no signs of a turnaround as of yet. Sadly, facing this Yankee lineup may be exactly what he needs to get his confidence back.

Saturday 4:05 pm EST- Sean Manaea vs. Masahiro Tanaka

Manaea, a former Royals first rounder who came over to Oakland in last summer’s Ben Zobrist deal, had three rocky starts to begin his major league career, but showed promise in his latest against the Rangers. On Monday he held Texas to just one earned over 6 ⅔, allowing four hits and striking out three.

The big righty has thrown his 91-94 mph four seamer roughly 60% of the time this year. He also mixes in a slider and change that are considered by most scouts to be average or better MLB offerings. He cruised quickly through the minors, with just 12 starts above A-Ball on his resume. Time will tell whether he will require more seasoning.

Sunday 4:05 pm EST- Jesse Hahn vs. Michael Pineda
Hahn took over the recently demoted Eric Surkamp’s spot in the rotation Tuesday and is lined up for this start as well. Surkamp had a 6.55 ERA in five appearances as Oakland’s fifth starter, earning him a one-way trip to Triple-A Nashville Monday. Hahn himself had been optioned to the minors less than ten days earlier, but an injury to catcher Josh Phegly allowed the team to recall him before the usual limit expired.

The 26-year-old righty has struggled with his control since the spring. Hahn was a surprise omission from the Opening Day roster because of his issues, and was once again demoted after just two starts on April 30 and May 7. On the season he has seven walks and just six strikeouts in 18 ⅔ innings pitched. Although his run prevention has been in line with his career numbers, his 6.00 DRA and 5.60 FIP would seem to indicate that he is a disaster waiting to happen.

Bullpen

Oakland has had one of the better bullpens in baseball by DRA with a 3.78 mark that ranks fifth in MLB.

Lineup

Neither Billy Burns (.225 TAv) nor Coco Crisp (.260 TAv) have the on base skills to be effective table-setters at this point, but are regularly penciled into the top two spots in Bob Melvin’s lineup. The 36-year-old Crisp is having a modest bounce-back after an injury plagued 2015 season.

Impending free agent rightfielder Josh Reddick (.301 TAv) has been the rock in the middle of Oakland’s order the past few years and remains a consistent source of left-handed power. Fellow sluggers Stephen Vogt (.243 TAv) and Khris Davis (.268 TAv) have not produced as expected, however, which is a major reason the Athletics rank 23rd in the majors with a .141 ISO through their first 38 contests. Versatile veteran Danny Valencia (.333 TAv), who was claimed off waivers from Toronto last August, has provided a spark in limited time.

Jed Lowrie (.248 TAv) and Marcus Semien (.284 TAv) were a competent, if unexciting, middle infield duo before the former went down with a right shin contusion. Of course, that’s always the risk of expecting Lowrie to play a regular role.

Billy Butler’s (.193 TAv) three year $30 million contract somehow looks infinitely worse than it was signed, despite being one of the most panned deals of the 2014-2015 offseason. With no power, on base skills, speed, or defensive value, he literally has nothing remaining to offer a baseball team. The trade that sent Drew Pomeranz to San Diego for first baseman Yonder Alonso (.217 TAv) is also starting to look like a major blunder for Billy Beane.

Injuries

The Athletics currently have the most players on the disabled list of any major league club with eleven. Here are the highlights:

– Two A’s starters, Chris Bassitt and Felix Doubront, have undergone TJ surgery thus far. Another, Henderson Alvarez, has been recovering from a 2015 shoulder surgery. He was recently pulled from what was supposed to be his last rehab start and his status is uncertain. A fourth, Jarrod Parker, hasn’t pitched since 2013 because of three separate elbow surgeries.

– Reliever R.J. Alvarez is yet another elbow surgery casualty. He has been on the 60-day DL since March 25. Liam Hendricks rounds out the list of pitchers on the DL with a tricep strain expected to keep him out at least two weeks.

– Outfielder Sam Fuld and first baseman Mark Canha will miss the remainder of the season following shoulder and hip surgery respectively. Infielder Eric Sogard is expected to sit out the first two months with an injured knee. In addition, Jed Lowrie decided to take his annual DL trip on May 10, but hopes to return to the lineup by the end of the month. The most recent ailment is the inflammation in Josh Phegley’s right knee which landed him on the 15-day DL Monday.

Photo Credit: Evan Habeeb / USA TODAY Sports

Top Performers

Scranton: Rob Refsnyder (5-15, 4 R, 2 HR, 2B) Ref’s recent hot streak earned him another cup of coffee in the Bronx and a chance to supplant Ronald Torreyes as utility infielder.

Trenton: Dustin Fowler (9-25, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2B, 3B, SB) Fowler is beginning to recover after a slow start in Double-A.

Tampa: Ian Clarkin (14.0 IP, 1 ER, 1 BB, 13 K) His strong performance merited a write-up in Baseball America’s Prospect Report. They mentioned his stuff is undiminished by last season’s elbow the injury, which is an encouraging sign despite his mixed results this year.

Charleston: Thairo Estrada- (9-21, 3 HR, 2 2B, 4 R, 4 RBI) The 5’10 155 lb Estrada has clubbed five home runs in his first 30 games of 2016. He had just four in his previous 135 professional games.  

Notes

• Gary Sanchez, New York’s number three prospect according to BP, received his first career start Friday against Chris Sale and the White Sox. He went 0-for-4 with a strikeout and was subsequently demoted.
• 24-year-old Chad Green also earned his first big league start this week, a rocky outing Monday against the Diamondbacks in place of the injured Luis Severino. He was optioned back to Triple-A following the 12-2 loss.
• Rob Refsnyder’s 16 game hitting streak ended Friday against the Indianapolis Indians.
• RailRiders beat writer Shane Hennigan tweeted that although Mason Williams is “progressing well,” there is no timetable for his return at the moment. Williams underwent season ending shoulder surgery last August and is currently on the 60-day DL.
• On Wednesday, Brendan Kuty of NJ.com reported that there was finally an official timetable for James Kaprielian’s recovery from elbow inflammation. No less a source than Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner estimated it would be 4-6 weeks until he was back in action.
• Starting pitchers Dietrich Enns and Eric Ruth were promoted to Triple-A Scranton. Enns went six scoreless innings in his RailRiders’ debut.
• The Yankees traded for 25-year-old Twins righthander J.R. Graham on Saturday. Rated the 63rd best prospect in baseball before the 2013 season, Graham has struggled with injuries and command issues. This kind of high-upside/low-risk pickup has been Cashman’s bread and butter the past few years. Lots still to like here.

The Quote

“He’s still got 80 speed, but he can’t just get away with it anymore.” – A scout cited by Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports discussing the base-stealing prowess of top prospect Jorge Mateo.

After swiping 82 bags in 97 chances (84.5%) to lead all minor leaguers last season, Mateo has been caught eight times in 21 attempts (61.9%) in 2016.

The Highlight

It would be hard to find a less likely candidate for a two homer game in the Yankee system than the diminutive Thairo Estrada. There are more toolsy and physically impressive shortstops in the organization, but the scrappy Estrada continues to hold his own against increasingly advanced competition.

Photo: Noah K. Murray / USATSI

All of New York’s scoring came in the second inning. After retiring Carlos Beltran and Brian McCann to start the inning, Jose Quintana walked Headley and then allowed an RBI double to Aaron Hicks. Didi Gregorius followed that up with an RBI single to right. Didi was 3-3 on the day and is really starting to pick up steam of late.

Joe Girardi took no chances with his slim 2-1 lead. After Nova walked Frazier with two outs in the third, he brought in Dellin Betances, who would face four batters Saturday and record four strikeouts. Andrew Miller took the eighth, adding another two Ks of his own. Finally, the Cuban Missle retired the side in order to close out a 2-1 victory for the Yanks. New York’s three headed monster combined to pitch 3 ⅓ scoreless innings, striking out eight of the 11 batters they faced. This is exactly the sort of game Brian Cashman envisioned when he acquired Chapman this winter.

The Play: Aaron Hicks’s RBI Double Off the Wall (+.121 WPA)

The first blow of the game was off the bat of Aaron Hicks, a fly ball the opposite way that carried all the way to the wall and dropped in, allowing Chase Headley to score from first with two outs in the second. It was his 8th RBI of the year. Hicks has a 160 wRC+ in the last eight games of regular duty filling in for the injured Jacoby Ellsbury.

Top Performers

Yankees: Didi Gregorius (3-3, 2B, RBI)

White Sox: Jose Quintana (7 IP, 2 ER, 5 K)

Notes

• Luis Severino was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a triceps strain after leaving Friday night’s start in the third inning clutching his elbow. It certainly isn’t the worst case scenario in terms of an arm injury, but he won’t pick up a baseball for 5-7 days. The good news is this could partially explain the 22-year-old’s struggles with command in 2016. A DL stint might be more palatable than a demotion and may have the same effect. Hopefully he’ll come back with a clear head.

• Relievers Chad Green and Conor Mullee were called up before the game. One will take the spot of Severino, the other replaces Gary Sanchez, who was demoted back to Triple-A after just one day in the big leagues. Sanchez received his first career MLB start Friday, going 0-4 with a strikeout as the team’s designated hitter.

• Neither Green nor Mullee were on the 40-man roster, so to make room, Greg Bird and Bryan Mitchell were moved to the 60-day DL. Green and Mullee have been Triple-A Scranton’s most effective pitchers in the early going. The 24-year-old Green has a 1.22 ERA in seven starts, while Mullee has a 1.02 ERA in 18 innings over 11 appearances. Neither had pitched above Double-A before the year began.
• Jacoby Ellsbury entered the game as a defensive replacement for Carlos Beltran in the top of the eighth with Hicks sliding over to right. It was Ellsbury’s first game since suffering a strained right hip eight days earlier against the Red Sox. It was certainly a risky move for Girardi. If Ellsbury shows that he isn’t ready to come back and he ends up needing a DL stint after all, the eight days the team played short-handed will have been for nothing.

The Highlight

Alex Rodriguez shares a moment with a couple of young fans while handing out signed souvenir bats prior to Saturday’s game. It still amazes me what a complete 180 he seems to have undergone in the past year. He’s downright beloved in New York these days. It never gets old how he’s managed to redeem himself among Yankees fans.

Up Next

Yankees ace Masahiro Tanaka will face off against former Oriole Miguel Gonzalez, who took the recently released John Danks’s spot in the rotation, in the rubber game of this weekend series. First pitch will be at 1:05 EST.

Photo: Anthony Gruppuso / USA TODAY Sports

Pitching Matchups

Friday 7:05 pm ET- Luis Severino vs. Chris Sale

“The Condor” is on the shortlist for toughest at-bat in the majors. He’s carried the White Sox on his back in the early going, leading the league in innings pitched (50 ⅓) and WHIP (0.775) after his last start Saturday. Sale is an absolute horse who has pitched seven innings or more in all but one start and has gotten the W in all seven.

Not surprisingly, this current group of Yankees have historically struggled against Sale, batting a collective .221/.284/.368 in 74 PAs. Only Chase Headley appears to enjoy hitting off of Sale, going 4-9 with a double and a HR.

Saturday 1:05 pm ET- Ivan Nova vs. Jose Quintana

As fantastic as Chris Sale has been to start the year, he hasn’t even been the best pitcher on his own staff in 2016. That honor belongs to Quintana, who has a lower ERA (1.38) and a league leading FIP (2.10) as of Thursday. While his K and BB rates are almost identical to Sale’s, Quintana has allowed only one home run in his 45 ⅔ innings.

The Yankees designated lefty-mashers, Aaron Hicks and Starlin Castro, are a combined 1-21 career against Quintana, so Joe Girardi may want to look elsewhere for offense.

Sunday 1:05 pm ET- Masahiro Tanaka vs. Miguel Gonzalez

Finally, a matchup where the Yankees have the upper hand. Gonzalez was called up Monday to audition for the vacant fifth starter job and provided 5 ⅔ quality innings in Chicago’s 8-4 victory over Texas. That outing earned him another look against New York. The White Sox are searching for a starter to replace John Danks since they designated the veteran left-hander for assignment after ten seasons with the club.

PECOTA expects Gonzalez to be more or less replacement level the rest of the way, with a projected 4.58 ERA and 0.1 WARP in 85 ⅓ innings.

Bullpen

The White Sox are currently carrying seven relievers, led by our old friend D-Rob. Here’s how they’ve done thus far:

Lineup

The White Sox offense has been roughly average in the early going, but that is a tremendous improvement from the lineup that ranked dead last in the majors with a .247 TAv in 2015. Chicago completely overhauled their attack, replacing five of their regulars from last season. Offseason acquisitions Todd Frazier (.292 TAv) and Brett Lawrie (.294) have been the hottest bats in the first six weeks of the season, adding some power to a lineup that was sorely lacking it.

Several returning starters have enjoyed nice bounce-backs as well. One of these is 24-year-old Avisail Garcia, who ranks third on the team with a .291 TAv after a disappointing 2015 season. Fellow outfielder and former Yankee cult-hero Melky Cabrera (.279 TAv) has also rebounded considerably, with a TAv 26 points higher than his 2015 mark. The big name in the middle of the lineup is still Jose Abreu, although his numbers have declined for the third consecutive season:

Perennially underrated outfielder Adam Eaton (.281 TAv) continues to do solid work at the top of the lineup. The ghost of Jimmy Rollins (.242) is seeing far too much time in the two hole. Dioneer Navarro (.233 TAv) and Alex Avila (.222 TAv) have done a respectable job splitting time at catcher, while Austin Jackson (.221 TAv) is essentially a defense-only player at this point in his career.

Injuries

Yankees:

– Jacoby Ellsbury is day to day with a tight right hip. He’s been out since he left Friday’s game after straining a muscle running the bases. The plan is currently for him to return at some point this weekend.

– Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia are both on the 15 day DL. The Yankees hope both will be ready to go once their two week stint is up, but that hasn’t been confirmed.

White Sox:

– Todd Frazier is day-to-day after diving headfirst into the stands to catch a Prince Fielder pop-up on Wednesday. He received five stitches in his face and is questionable for Friday’s opener, but should return at some point in the series.

– Catcher Alex Avila was activated from the disabled list Monday after missing exactly 15 days with a hamstring injury. Fellow backstop Kevan Smith is still on the 15 day DL.

– The White Sox are short a pair of relief pitchers. Right hander Jake Petricka is on the 15 day DL with a hip impingement after working to a 4.50 ERA in nine games during April. He is joined by righty Daniel Webb, who injured his elbow in his first appearance of the season and is expected to be sidelined for a considerable period of time.

Photo: Anthony Grupposo / USA Today Sports

Top Performers

Scranton: Gary Sanchez (5 G, 8-22, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI) Included in MLB.com’s Prospect Team of the Week along with Mateo.

Trenton: Jake Cave ( 5 G, 8-24, 4 2B, HR, 2 RBI) It’s incredible that the Reds couldn’t find a way to make him stick with the depleted roster they have.

Tampa: Jorge Mateo (6 G, 11-26, 2B, 2 3B, HR, 6 R, 3 RBI)

Charleston: Nestor Cortes ( 6 IP, 0 ER, 6 K, 0 BB)- Cortes impressed in his Riverdogs debut, throwing 52 of his 69 pitches for strikes. The 21 year old now has a 2.43 ERA and 9.8 K/9 in 119 2/3 professional innings.

Notes

• Outfielder Ben Gamel of Scranton Wilkes-Barre earned his first trip to the big leagues on May 5th to replace the injured Alex Rodriguez. Gamel had been hitting .286/.346/.363 in 104 Triple-A PAs on the season. His power is down a tick from his 2015 breakout, but the overall package still looks like a useful major league piece.
• 33-year-old lefty reliever Phil Coke, who was drafted by the Yankees all the way back in 2002, earned a call to the Bronx on May 6th after CC Sabathia was placed on the 15-day DL with a groin strain. Coke is an eight year MLB veteran who last pitched for New York during the 2008-2009 campaigns.
• Leonardo Molina, ranked the organization’s 27th overall prospect according to MLB.com, was promoted to Class-A Charleston on Friday along with lefthanded pitcher Nestor Cortes. The 18-year-old Molina hit .247/.290/.356 in his second go-round in the GCL in 2015 and is considered one of the most athletic players in the organization.
• In a corresponding move, Charleston placed Domingo Acevedo, the number seven prospect in the system on MLB.com’s list, on the seven day DL because of an undisclosed lower-body injury. Acevedo has been one of the most impressive Yankees prospects in 2016 thus far, striking out 10 per nine innings while maintaining an excellent 1.4 BB/9. The 22-year-old flame thrower and his 100 mph heater could move fast this season if he manages to get and stay healthy.
• Scranton starter Tyler Cloyd is reportedly heading for Tommy John surgery. The 28-year-old saw MLB time for the Phillies from 2012-2013 and was a possible long-man/spot starter option for the Yankees before this news.
• Going into Wednesday night, Rob Refsnyder had a 14 game hitting streak and had reached base in 18 straight contests.
• Brady Lail, who ranked ninth of BP’s list of top ten Yankees prospects, was promoted to Triple-A Scranton. He made his first start with the RailRiders Saturday, giving up four earned on four hits and three walks in three and 2/3 innings.

The Quote

“It really affected me for parts of the last three years. Finally, that all seems to be behind me. I feel good, having fun and following my routine.”-  Trenton outfielder Tyler Austin discussing the wrist injury that has plagued him in recent seasons.

Still just 24, Austin was ranked the number five prospect in the Yankees system by Baseball Prospectus as recently as the 2014 season. He’s batting .272/.384/.424 (.290 TAv) in his first 112 PAs, although it should be noted that this is his fifth consecutive season spending time in Double-A.

The Highlight

Aaron Judge ripped his seventh homer of the season off of Pawtucket’s Brian Johnson, who was ranked 12th among Red Sox prospects by MLB.com coming into the year. Just one day earlier, he hit a game-tying two run shot off of former Phillies starter David Buchanan. Judge currently ranks second in the International league in home runs.

Photo: Logan Bowles / USA Today Sports

Pitching Matchups

Friday at 7:05 pm ET- Michael Pineda vs. Rick Porcello

Porcello breezed through seven scoreless innings Saturday against the beleaguered Yankees lineup. He struck out six and didn’t allow an extra base hit all night. Even before the Sox pummeled New York’s middle relievers for six runs in the sixth and seventh inning, it didn’t feel like the Yankees ever had a shot.

Big Mike’s performance that start was infinitely uglier than his pitching line indicates. He threw 50 pitches in his first two innings and had more than 90 by the end of the fourth. It was hard to watch Pineda struggle through that outing. Nothing at all is working for him at the moment. He was expected to be a front of the rotation starter for this team, and unless he figures out a way to get back to being that guy, the Yankees chances of contention this year are small.

Saturday at 4:05 pm ET- Nathan Eovaldi vs. David Price

As depressing as the series sweep was, it was nice to see the Yankees knock Price around Sunday. Price finished the night as the AL leader in both hits and earned runs allowed. The ERA continues to soar, now up to 6.14, but his peripherals remain on point, so his FIP of 2.88 is actually below his career mark. With three vintage Price starts and three disasters in 2016, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen when he takes the mound again Saturday.

Eovaldi followed up the best start of his Yankee career with his worst of 2016, allowing 10 hits, six runs, and three walks against the Red Sox, all season highs. Another 8-7 slug-fest seems unlikely for the second go-round given the usual caliber of Price and Eovaldi’s work on the mound.

Sunday at 8:05 pm ET- Luis Severino vs. Steven Wright

Wright has dominated the Yankees in his three career appearances against the team, limiting them to a 1.50 ERA in 18 IP. This current crop of Yankees has a combined .136/.224/.318 slash mark against him, although both Beltran and Teixeira have taken him deep. His biggest weakness is that he walks a ton of batters, 4.2 per nine in 2016 and 3.6 per nine for his career. The Yankees haven’t hit for much power this season, but they’re a patient group of veterans who will take their walks.

With all the talk of demoting Severino to the minors, this could be an important start for the 22-year old. GM Brian Cashman recently acknowledged that sending down Sevvy was a possibility, telling reporters, “If we feel that’s what has to take place, that’s definitely an avenue that’s open. Hopefully it doesn’t have to come to that, but if that’s what’s in his best interest, and therefore our best interest, that’s something I have no problem doing.”

Bullpen

– In Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the White Sox, Carson Smith threw nine pitches in his 2016 debut. He was activated Junichi Tazawa threw 23, and Matt Barnes threw 22.

– Koji Uehara and Craig Kimbrel each posted a scoreless inning in Wednesday’s 5-2 victory, throwing 11 and 12 pitches respectively.

– The Red Sox pen received a workout Thursday after starter Henry Owens was pulled in the fourth inning. Heath Hembree threw 43 pitches, Barnes had 23, 19 for Tazawa, and another 34 for Robbie Ross. Boston is currently carrying eight relievers, so they have more than enough depth to soak up games like this.

Lineup

We are all pretty familiar with what the Red Sox offense can do after they scored 20 runs off of Yankee pitching in the previous series. David Ortiz and Christian Vazquez hit game-winning homers off of Dellin “The Mountain that Pitches” Betances on Friday and Sunday. Jackie Bradley had five RBI over the weekend, while Hanley Ramirez and Mookie Betts each added three.

Here’s a look at how the Red Sox lineup has performed this season (minimum 20 PA) ranked by True Average:

Injuries

Yankees:

– Brett Gardner is day to day with a sore elbow since being hit with a pitch Wednesday. Ben Gamel was called up to provide some outfield depth.

– Alex Rodriguez was placed on the disabled list Wednesday with a right hamstring strain. He’s expected to miss several weeks. He’ll join Greg Bird and Mason Williams on the 15-day DL, while Bryan Mitchell and Branden Pinder are residents of the 60-day DL.

– Aroldis Chapman is expected to return to the team Monday after the conclusion of the series against the Sox when his 30 day suspension for violating the league’s domestic violence policy is finished.

Red Sox:

– Pablo Sandoval underwent season-ending shoulder surgery on Tuesday. He has been on the 15-day DL since April 11th.

– Boston also has a pair of young starters on the 15 day DL who are well on their way to rejoining the team in Joe Kelly and Eduardo Rodriguez. Kelly is expected to make a rehab start for Triple-A Pawtucket Friday, while Rodriguez completed his second on Tuesday. Kelly was placed on the disabled list April 20th with a shoulder impingement. Rodriguez has been out since spring training with a dislocated knee.

– Brandon Workman, currently rehabbing from June 2015 TJ surgery, is their only player on the 60 day DL.

Lead photo: Evan Habeeb / USA Today Sports

Coming into the game, the Yankees ranked 25th in the majors with a .131 ISO, a tremendous drop from the .170 mark that ranked fifth in baseball just last season with essentially the same lineup. To put that in perspective, this month they hit for less power than the 2015 Phillies, who finished one away from losing 100 games.

They actually rank in the middle of the pack in terms of getting on base and making contact. The surprising power outage suffered by many of their key hitters has been perhaps the biggest factor in the team’s offensive struggles. Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Brett Gardner, and Jacoby Ellsbury entered the weekend with slugging percentages well below .400. They are also playing a corner infielder every day who is dangerously close to not getting an extra base hit in the first month of the season in Chase Headley.

At least A-Rod looks like he may be coming around. He’s now homered in back to back games with his solo shot in the second, career homer 691. Gardner singled in the other Yankee run in the fifth.

Masahiro Tanaka cruised through six scoreless innings before allowing a two out, two run double to Jackie Bradley in the seventh to tie the game. Dellin Betances came in to relieve him and ended up surrendering a heartbreaking two-run game winner over the Green Monster.

The Play: David Ortiz’s Game Winner Over the Monster (-.328 WPA)

I can’t begin to express how happy I am that this is David Ortiz’s final season. This was a clutch home run against possibly the most dominant reliever in baseball. You just have to tip your hat.

Top Performers

– Red Sox: David Ortiz (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI)

– Yankees: Masahiro Tanaka (6 2/3 IP, 5 K, 0 BB)

Notes

– Aroldis Chapman posted on his Instagram that he has officially become a citizen of the United States, writing: “Today is a very important day for me and I want to share it with all of you. Today April 29, 2016 I’ve became a U.S. Citizen and I want to thanks God and this great nation for the opportunities it has offer me and my family. Very happy to say that I’m a U.S. Citizen.” Chapman’s 30 game suspension will be up in less than two weeks on May 9th.

– Aaron Hicks remained on the bench sixth straight game since jamming his shoulder on a diving catch April 22nd against Tampa Bay. He pinch ran for A-Rod late in the game Wednesday, but has yet to bat or play the field. Sitting Hicks against the left-handed Owens could indicate that Hicks is not yet 100% healthy. Alternatively, Girardi could have been worried about rust from the long layoff or Hicks’s slow start to the season on offense.

The Highlight

Al quickly quieted the torrent boos of the Boston crowd in the top of the second with his 28th career dinger at Fenway Park. He then makes a point of giving the bat he used to a young fan. Love that guy.

Up Next

Michael Pineda will square off against Rick Porcello in the second game of this three game series at 7:10 pm ET Saturday evening. Porcello is undefeated through his first four starts this year, while Pineda has struggled to find his groove. Big Mike struck out 9 but allowed 7 runs on 10 hits in his last start against the Rays.

Lead photo: Bob DeChiara / USA Today Sports

Pitching Matchups

Friday at 7:10 pm- Henry Owens vs. Masahiro Tanaka

The 23-year-old Owens, who was called up to replace injured starter Joe Kelly, had a rough start to his 2016 campaign on Sunday against the Astros. He threw 86 pitches in 3 ⅓ innings, walking four and allowing three earned runs. Control has always been his Achilles heel; he’s averaged four free passes per nine as a professional.

Even at his best, Owens is not the most imposing opponent. His fastball sits 88-90 and is extremely hittable. His best pitch is an outstanding changeup. He’ll also mix in an occasional OK curveball. PECOTA projects a 4.57 DRA and 0.4 WARP in 74 ⅓ innings of work this year.

Saturday at 7:10 pm- Rick Porcello vs. Michael Pineda

Porcello has been slightly less disappointing in his second season with the Red Sox. While the four-year $82.5 million extension he signed last season may not be a bargain, it no longer looks like a Sandoval-esque sunk cost. In fact, Boston has won all four of Porcello’s starts in April. The long ball is still an issue in the early going (five in 25 ⅔ IP). It’s worth noting that Jacoby Ellsbury has destroyed Porcello in the past. In 26 PAs he has 12 hits, 4 home runs, and two doubles. Brett Gardner and Carlos Beltran also have strong career numbers vs. Porcello, while Mark Teixeira has slashed .182/.250/.182 in 24 PAs.

Porcello’s primary weapon is his 90 mph sinker, which he’s thrown 44.7% of the time in 2016 according to Pitch f/x. He also mixes in a four seamer, cutter, slider, and change. PECOTA foresees a modest rebound from last season’s disaster, with a 4.22 DRA and 1.4 WARP in 145 IP.

Sunday at 8:05 pm- David Price vs. Nathan Eovaldi

A 5.76 ERA probably wasn’t what most Sox fans were envisioning from their newly signed ace/savior, but the good news is that Price appears to have been the victim of some bad luck in the early going. All of his peripherals are right in line with career norms, and he’s leading the American League in strikeouts and Ks per nine.

For what it’s worth, he actually hasn’t been credited with a loss either, although he has had two very ugly starts, most recently allowing eight earned in 3 ⅔ innings on April 21 against Tampa Bay. He was dominant in his last outing, striking out 14 in 8 IP, but it was against the woeful Braves, so that should be taken with a grain of salt.

Still just 30 and coming off his best season since his 2012 Cy Young campaign, Price seems like an unlikely candidate for a sharp decline at this stage. PECOTA expects a 3.45 DRA and three WARP in 160 2/3 innings.

Bullpen

The Red Sox used their pen sparingly in their recent series against the Braves. David Price gave the team 8 strong innings against the Braves on Wednesday, with Pat Light pitching the ninth. Tommy Layne threw 23 pitches while Heath Hembree threw 15 in Thursday’s 5-3 loss. Everyone else looks to be rested and ready to go for Boston. They are currently carrying 8 relievers.

Offense

David Ortiz (.320 TAv) and Dustin Pedroia (.285 TAv) have turned in vintage performances in the early going. Ortiz looks like he could do this for another decade in he wanted to. For all the hype about the Red Sox talented youngsters, it’s the old guard that is still carrying the Sox offense thus far in 2016. Mookie Betts (.268 TAv) and Xander Bogaerts (.270 TAv) have been solid in the first month, but haven’t yet kicked it into high gear.

The biggest surprise of April has been Travis Shaw (.326 TAv), who replaced Pablo Sandoval at the hot corner out of spring training despite having only 59 professional starts at the position to his name coming into 2016. The unheralded former ninth-round pick has exceeded all expectations in his climb up the minor league ladder. While this level of production isn’t sustainable, it’s not out of the question that he develops into a solid regular.

Hanley Ramirez (.233 TAv) continues to struggle mightily at the plate, even after returning to the infield and reportedly turning over a new leaf with his work ethic. Brock Holt (.262 TAv) has been miscast as an everyday left fielder. Defensive specialists Jackie Bradley (.242 TAv) and Christian Vazquez (.207) round out the cast.

The Boston bench currently consists of veteran backup catcher Ryan Hanigan (.207 TAv), former Yankee Chris Young (.198 TAv) as the fourth outfielder, and utility infielder Josh Rutledge (.391 TAv in very limited time).

Lead photo: Tim Heitman / USA Today Sports