Welcome back to another week of Rumor Roundup, where we dive into all the recent talk, transactions, and trends from around the league, balancing both fantasy baseball implications and real-world baseball analysis through the lens of a front office.
Featured Story
Earlier this week, the Minnesota Twins finally opted to make a move, demoting infielder Royce Lewis to Triple-A. The former standout prospect has slashed just .163/.261/.279 with a 55 wRC+, seeing major regression across the board, notably in the whiff department (+4.5% increase in SwStr%, +11.2% increase in K%). Funny enough, Lewis owns a 149 wRC+ through his first four games in the minors this year.
This saga will inevitably end in a trade. I just know the Twins’ front office is kicking themselves, having the chance to deal him during the deadline last year but holding onto him in hopes he’d boost his stock during the first half of this season.
Lewis, just 26 years old, still has two years of arbitration left in terms of control and is owed under $3 million this year. Surely an organization would be willing to buy low on a supreme talent like this — even despite the injury history — hoping to catch lightning in a bottle.
Injury Updates
The following players have started rehab assignments this week:
- RHP Quinn Priester
- RHP Logan Webb
- RHP Kodai Senga
- LHP Cole Ragans
- LHP A.J. Puk
The following players have been placed on the IL this week:
- INF Jose Altuve — left oblique strain
- INF Corey Seager — lower back inflammation
- C Ryan Jeffers — left hamate fracture
- C Drake Baldwin — right oblique strain
- INF Matt Shaw — mid back tightness
Finally, the following players have seen their IL status change this week:
- RHP Grayson Rodriguez — activated
- LHP A.J. Minter — moved to IL60
- RHP Joe Boyle — activated
- C Kyle Teel — moved to IL60
- RHP Chris Martin — activated
- RHP Hurston Waldrep — moved to IL60
- RHP Gerrit Cole — activated
- INF Eugenio Suárez — activated
- RHP Taj Bradley — activated
Recent Transactions
The following players have been DFA’d:
- 1B Blaine Crim; claimed by Texas
- OF Rece Hinds; acquired by Miami
No notable trades or free agent signings occurred this week.
Promotions/demotions:
- RHP Yovanny Cruz — promoted*
- RHP Elmer Rodríguez — demoted
- RHP Tyron Guerrero — promoted
- RHP Zack Kelly — demoted
- OF Spencer Jones — demoted
- RHP Jonah Tong — promoted
- RHP Jordan Leasure — promoted
- RHP Chase Petty — promoted
Cruz is a name to watch on this list. The Yankees’ right-hander posted a 17.7% K-BB rate in Triple-A this season and features a monster arsenal headlined by a fastball that grabs triple digits and tunnels extremely well with his other offerings.
Feature image by Michael Packard (@CollectingPack on Twitter) | Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire
