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The St. Louis Cardinals are looking to go into the playoffs as healthy as possible, but this could be a problem with Matt Holliday coming out of Saturday’s game early.

Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com noted the roster move in the team’s matchup against the Arizona Diamondbacks:

The team’s official Twitter account later reported the problem: 

Considering he was able to play six innings before coming out, it does not seem like this situation will be too serious. Instead, this is likely a precautionary measure to make sure he is healthy before the start of the postseason.

Holliday has been one of the Cardinals’ top hitters this season, drilling 20 home runs and a team-high 90 RBI. Although his .272 batting average will likely end up being a career low for the veteran, he is still a key member of a lineup that has been inconsistent in 2014.

The outfielder hit four home runs last postseason and will need to come through again if St. Louis plans on making another run to the World Series.

If he is forced to miss time, the Cardinals will likely continue to put Peter Bourjos in center field and Jon Jay in left field, where he has played 20 games this season.

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Derek Jeter might have given the New York Yankees a memorable moment with a walk-off single in his last-ever home game, but manager Joe Girardi is still not happy about the season.

While the rest of the baseball world was focused on the tribute to the future Hall of Fame shortstop, Girardi kicked off Thursday night’s home finale with an angry tirade at the team after a disappointing year.

Wallace Matthews and Andrew Marchand of ESPN New York reported news of the team-only speech:

According to clubhouse sources who were present for the critique, and backed up by interviews with more than a half-dozen players, most of whom spoke to ESPNNewYork.com off the record for fear of angering their manager, Girardi chided some players for being overweight and others for not being “hungry” enough.

One source described Girardi as “angry,” and said he even took a brief timeout to allow the players, led by CC Sabathia, to present Jeter with the original painting of The New Yorker’s Sept. 8 cover depicting the shortstop waving goodbye, and an expensive watch, before returning to Part Two of his tirade.

The manager did not deny the event when asked about it, explaining:

I addressed the team just to let them know what I expected of them next year. I think that obviously there’s a lot of disappointment when you don’t make the playoffs. And the expectation is, the reason you play the game, is to make the playoffs and win the World Series. We need to get better, and I let them know that.

I felt we had chances to make it and we just didn’t execute. I told them we had work to do to get better.

While his emotional speech might have taken some of the luster away from Jeter early on, Girardi does have a lot to complain about after another miserable season. With two games remaining, the Yankees accumulated an 83-77 record. One more loss would mark the team’s worst winning percentage since 1992.

Additionally, this is the second year in a row the Yankees have missed the playoffs. It’s just the third time since 1995 the squad has not been part of the postseason.

Although Girardi led this team to a World Series title in 2009, things have not gone the way he had hoped lately, and it would not be surprising to see him on the hot seat next season.

There is clearly a lot of talent on the roster, with the highest payroll in baseball, but Girardi will hope to see more production out of this group in the future.

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Updates from Tuesday, Sept. 16

Angels communication director Eric Kay confirms Albert Pujols‘ status for tonight’s game vs. the Mariners: 

Original Text 

Everything has been going right for the Los Angeles Angels lately, but they could have a problem on their hands with an injury to Albert Pujols.

Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports provides the latest on the veteran first baseman:

This injury was later confirmed by the team’s official Twitter account:

After the Angels 8-1 win over the Mariners, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register provided an update: 

The double was Pujols’ 36th of the season while bringing his RBI total to 97 on the year. He also has 26 home runs to go with a .274 batting average. While the three-time MVP has clearly had better seasons, he has bounced back nicely from a subpar 2013.

Unfortunately, this injury can be a setback if it ends up being serious. Hamstring injuries are difficult to judge and can sometimes keep a player out for weeks.

He was removed for a pinch runner (Tony Campana) against the Seattle Mariners on Monday. Efren Navarro was moved to first base and will likely take over the bulk of playing time if Pujols is unable to play.

With the best record in the majors and a 10-game lead in the AL West, the Angels can afford to be cautious for the rest of the regular season. However, they’ll certainly need Pujols in the playoffs and hope he can return as soon as possible.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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Updates from Saturday, Sept. 6

Tom Haudricourt of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Braun will unexpectedly be in the Brewers’ lineup:

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com provides the full lineup:

Original Text:

A hand injury will once again keep Ryan Braun out of the Milwaukee Brewers lineup.

Adam McCalvy of MLB.com provided the latest info on the former MVP:

Braun missed two games earlier in the week with the same issue but returned Friday to go 1-for-4 in the team’s first win in 10 games.

With the squad desperately trying to hold onto the second Wild Card spot in the National League as well as potentially catching the St. Louis Cardinals for a division title, the Brewers need one of their top hitters at full strength. 

After missing the second half of last season due to suspension, Braun has had an up-and-down year in 2014. He is currently hitting .275 with 18 home runs and a team-leading 77 RBI. While this is certainly a drop in production from what he showed a few years ago, the Brewers will still hope he is able to return to action as soon as possible.

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The Oakland Athletics have one of the top rotations in MLB, but it could be better with a healthy Jarrod Parker. Fortunately, the young right-hander is on his way back from Tommy John surgery.   

According to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, Parker was cleared to make some throws for the first time since the surgery:

While this is just one step on a long road to recovery, it is certainly encouraging to see the rehab going well.

Parker has already posted two great seasons with the Athletics, totaling a 3.73 ERA, a WHIP of 1.24 and 25 wins in 61 starts. Unfortunately, he is out for the year after tearing his UCL for the second time.

As someone who has gone through this process before, he explained the biggest issues with sitting out the whole season, via Gabe Kapler of Fox Sports:

I think going through this rehab process, the biggest challenge is watching and wishing you were on the field with your teammates. It’s easy to let the feelings or thoughts of being ‘left out’ creep into your mind and will challenge your demeanor, work ethic and overall general mood.

This certainly has to be difficult for him this season as the Athletics have had plenty of fun without him. With two months remaining in the year, the squad has posted the best record in baseball and is now a favorite to win the World Series after acquiring lefty ace Jon Lester at the non-waiver deadline.

While Parker will not be able to help the team in 2014, he appears to be on track to be back to his usual, dominant self for the 2015 season. No matter what happens for the rest of this year, Oakland should still feel happy to have a player of this ability under team control for a few more seasons.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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Although the July 31 trade deadline has passed, the activity across major league baseball is not yet finished.

The past week saw a number of blockbuster deals, including Jon Lester going to the Oakland Athletics and David Price being sent to the Detroit Tigers as part of a three-team deal. All of these trades were completed before the non-waiver deadline.

Fortunately, front offices are still able to make moves to improve their teams over the next month if they go through waivers. A player has to be made available to the 29 other organizations before he is able to be traded. If he is claimed, the team has a choice to either complete a deal with that team or pull him back off waivers.

As a result, this period mostly features veterans with large contracts being dealt, as no one will want to take on more money.

Despite these obstacles, there are a few teams that can use an upgrade before August 31.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates have one of the best teams in the National League, but it will be hard to compete for a playoff spot without upgrading the rotation.

Pittsburgh ranks just 10th in the NL in starter ERA, and there is simply no ace capable of taking control when needed. Bill Brink of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette noted earlier in the week that Lester would have been an excellent addition:

Meanwhile, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the Pirates were in the running for Price:

In the end, the squad was unable to bring in either of these players and are left with a rotation that will have to exceed expectations just to keep up with the rest of the league. Gerrit Cole should be returning soon, but the team could use a veteran capable of leading the group into the postseason.

Fortunately, there are players who fit this description and could be on the move in August. One of them is a familiar face in A.J. Burnett. The 37-year-old pitcher accumulated a 3.41 ERA over the past two years in Pittsburgh and could be had without giving up too much in the form of prospects.

Bob Pompeani of KDKA notes that Burnett is just one option from the NL East who could help:

Bartolo Colon has been inconsistent this season, but he is an experienced pitcher who can be a difference-maker in the final few months of the year. The added cost to the payroll would be worth it for a shot at contention.

San Francisco Giants

Second base has been a black hole for the Giants this season. From Brandon Hicks to Joe Panik to Dan Uggla, not much has worked at the position.

Heading into the trade deadline, the squad ranked dead last in the majors with a .176 batting average from second basemen.

Despite this obvious problem, general manager Brian Sabean did not feel the need to make a deal, via John Shea of SFGate.com:

I’ve done this a long time, and I feel as good about not getting something done as any year we’ve done something….We just couldn’t execute the deal based on what the ask was. A lot of that had to do with too many buyers in the market, and we’d do the same thing if we were on the other side of the fence. (Teams) held out to the very end to get what we weren’t willing to give up.

Although a deal was not completed this week, Sabean has not ruled out a potential move before the August deadline.

Daniel Murphy represents a potential option, especially if the New York Mets start to fall down the standings in the next few weeks. However, it might take a decent package for the team to part with its only All-Star in 2014.

Another potential target is Aaron Hill, but he also comes with a $24 million price tag over the next two seasons. The good news is this almost guarantees that he will not be claimed on waivers.

If the Giants are willing to take on this salary, though, the Arizona Diamondbacks would likely be ready to part with the second baseman.

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels have one of the best lineups, a solid rotation and an improved bullpen. However, this still might not be enough to keep up with the Oakland Athletics in the AL West.

Adding Lester to an already excellent rotation could make the A’s almost unbeatable in the postseason. If the Angels want to win this season, they will need to add weapons to the arsenal.

Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times notes that the current pitching battle is not even close between the two:

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported a week before the non-waiver deadline that the squad did not want to make a move that would cost prospects:

The good news is this period could allow a team to acquire a player without giving up high-level prospects. The key factor is the willingness to take on an elevated contract, which the Angels apparently have the ability to do.

One possible option is Cole Hamels, who ESPN’s Buster Olney (subscription required) believes should dealt this month:

The Phillies should at least have a conversation with the claiming team about what they would offer in trade. By the time the Phillies are really good again — maybe in the last years of this decade — Hamels will either be overvalued in his salary or he will be retired. They might as well swap him for prospects to accelerate the franchise turnaround. 

While he is under contract through the 2018 season, it might not be the worst thing for the Angels to bring in a player who still has some great pitching left in him.

Follow Rob Goldberg on Twitter for the latest breaking news and analysis.

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Updates from Saturday, July 26

MLB Lineups reports Josh Hamilton is not in the Angels’ lineup:

James Schmehl of MLive provides more details:

Original Text:

Los Angeles Angels outfielder Josh Hamilton is once again dealing with an injury that could keep him out of the lineup.

The 33-year-old veteran was removed from his team’s game Friday against the Detroit Tigers in the fourth inning and replaced by Efren Navarro. The club later announced that this was the result of a knee injury:

Hamilton missed about a month-and-a-half earlier in the year due to a torn ligament in his thumb. He had been able to remain in the lineup until this point, but he struggled to a .291 batting average and just five home runs.

Despite the lack of power, Hamilton has remained the cleanup hitter for the Angels, where he has contributed with his .322 batting average with runners in scoring position. His solid production has helped the team remain one of the best in the major leagues. Only the AL West rival Oakland Athletics have a better record at this point of the year.

If Hamilton is forced to miss a significant amount of time, the squad could end up struggling to replace him in the lineup. Outfielder Grant Green was recently placed on the disabled list, which leaves Navarro as the only other option for the Angels.

Based on the severity of the injury, it is possible Los Angeles will start looking for outfielders before the trade deadline.

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After losing his job with the Boston Red Sox, A.J. Pierzynski is ready to return to the major leagues. The team announced the deal on Saturday:

Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch first reported the St. Louis Cardinals were attempting to sign the veteran catcher:

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports later confirmed that the move was completed and Pierzynski will join the team immediately:

George Kottaras was claimed by the Cardinals off waivers on July 11 in an attempt to improve the position after All-Star catcher Yadier Molina went down with a thumb injury. However, the journeyman only got five at-bats with the team and will reportedly be released, per Brandie Piper and Frank Cusumano of KSDK.com.

The organization is hoping Pierzynski will be a better replacement after a solid career of production behind the plate. In 17 seasons, the catcher has posted a .282 batting average with 176 home runs.

The 37-year-old player struggled a bit this season, though, posting a career-low .254 batting average with four home runs in 72 games with Boston. He was eventually designated for assignment by the club before being released in mid-July, according to Jason Mastrodonato of MassLive.com.

Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington explained the problem to Mastrodonato:

The offense wasn’t there. I’m not trying to be critical of him. It wasn’t any lack of effort on his part. It just wasn’t there. When you sign A.J. Pierzynski, that’s what you’re hoping: You’re hoping for left-hand offense at a premium position, and we thought that was important to the team. If we got that, it would complement the team.

Fortunately, the talent is still there for the veteran to provide an offensive boost to a team that remains in the playoff hunt. Although the Cardinals are a few games back in the NL Central race, they have the players to turn things around in a hurry.

Jason Goch of Yahoo Sports Radio likes the move for the team:

Tony Cruz is likely to continue getting playing time behind the plate, but Pierzynski will provide a nice complement as a quality left-handed hitter.

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The Angels have made a serious push for the playoffs after adding Huston Street to solidify the bullpen. The San Diego Padres provided details on the six-player trade to that transpired late Saturday night:

The San Diego Padres today announced that they have acquired infielders Taylor Lindsey and Jose Rondon and right-handed pitchers R.J. Alvarez and Elliot Morris from the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in exchange for right-handed pitchers Huston Street and Trevor Gott.

The Padres provide Street’s comments on the trade:

ESPN’s Jim Bowden first reported that the move was close:

With the deal now completed, the Angels were able to upgrade the biggest weakness on the roster. The squad has one of the best offenses in the majors with a starting rotation that ranks 11th in the league in ERA.

The problem is that the team also ranks 24th in baseball in reliever ERA. Joe Smith has done a solid job as the closer after taking over for Ernesto Frieri, but more help is clearly needed for the team to be legitimate contenders.

Street provides a major boost in this area and is certainly excited to join his new team. According to Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, the veteran was previously asked about possibly being traded to the Angels and responded:

“I would love it,” he said.

Street cited the chance to “play with guys like Albert Pujols and Mike Trout” as well as to play for Manager Mike Scioscia. Street broke into the major leagues with the Oakland Athletics from 2005-08, when the Angels won the American League West three times in four years. 

“I was probably too young to realize how good he was at the time,” Street said of Scioscia. “That’s one of the best managers, maybe, of all time. If I went there, I’d have a real chance to win.”

While not all traded players become good fits on their new teams, this seems like it will work out just fine.

Street is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career. The 30-year-old closer was named to his second All-Star game thanks to his 1.09 ERA and 24 saves in 25 opportunities through the break.

Cody Derespina of Newsday points out that this success is not new:

The veteran is signed through the 2014 season, but he has a relatively inexpensive team option for $7 million. Although there is time to make a decision, it would not be surprising to see his new team work to keep him for another year.

Considering how far San Diego is back in the standings, this remains a good move for the rebuilding team. Friar Wire provides details on the haul the Padres received in the trade:

Prior to the start of the 2014 season, Lindsay was rated as the 93rd top prospect by Baseball America. So far this season, he is batting .274 with 73 hits and 30 RBI’s for the Salt Lake Bees.

Rondon, a top ranked prospect and native of Venezuela, recently represented the Angels for the World team at the 2014 XM Futures game and is hitting.327 for the Angels high-A affiliate.

This appears to be a smart maneuver for both sides, although the Angels will be the immediate winner with an elite reliever for the rest of the year.

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The MLB All-Star Game is used to highlight the best players in baseball near the halfway point of the regular season. Derek Jeter is not one of these players, but he still is worthy of his spot in the starting lineup for the American League.

In most cases, the positions on the All-Star team are for the players who have excelled throughout the first part of the season. Almost everyone in the starting lineup and certainly the reserves have put up big enough numbers to warrant their inclusion in the Midsummer Classic.

On the other hand, Jeter has struggled throughout most of this season in all phases of the game. The shortstop has put up a triple slash line of .272/.324/.322 with just two home runs and six stolen bases. His on-base plus slugging percentage of .647 is the lowest of his career, with the exception of last season when he played just 17 games.

According to ESPN.com, the New York Yankees star has contributed a WAR of just 0.5 this year, which ranks 13th among American League shortstops. This means that 12 of the other 14 teams in the AL have a player who has been more valuable this year, yet Jeter is the one representing the AL at Target Field.

Neil Paine of FiveThirtyEight broke down the veteran’s season from a historical perspective, noting he is one of the worst All-Star starters of the past 40 years. Since 2000, only five players have been less productive before getting a starting nod at this prestigious event.

Interestingly, the worst player on the list is first-ballot Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. In reality, this is the best comparison for what Jeter is going through—a player who does not deserve the spot based on the season’s numbers but is nevertheless being rewarded of an extended career of achievement.

Before he retires at the end of the season, the 40-year-old legend is set to complete his 20th year in the major leagues, all with the Yankees. This feat alone deserves recognition in an age where so many players bounce around to different places in free agency.

Of course, Jeter has been quite good in that time, accumulating 3,408 hits, 14 All-Star appearances, five Gold Glove awards, one Rookie of the Year award and five World Series rings. Putting him into one extra All-Star Game is not the biggest crime, even if a player like Alexei Ramirez or Erick Aybar might be more deserving of a start.

However, the important thing to remember is that Jeter being in this game is not just for him; it is for everyone else involved. Fans might be tired of hearing about the fact that this will be his last appearance on this stage, but the players are certainly enjoying themselves.

National League starting pitcher Adam Wainwright discussed the honor it will be just to face Jeter in this matchup, saying, “I have been in the big leagues for nine years. I’ve never faced him. I’m very excited about it, just to say I faced the best. And he is undoubtedly one of the best to ever play his position, one of the greatest Yankees of all time,” via Mark Saxon of ESPNLosAngeles.com.

Yasiel Puig, who has become quite a star himself, also noted his excitement, via Bob Klapisch of The Record:

While the players turn into fans on the field, the actual fans will also be enjoying themselves. Whether you love Jeter or hate him, his appearance will certainly be more memorable than almost any other player on the field. Ripken’s final showing was undeserved, but he did create one of the top moments in All-Star Game history:

Additionally, there seems to be a universal respect for Jeter, which puts him in a class above others in the game. The latest Jordan commercial seems to capture this perfectly:

Even the biggest Red Sox/Orioles/Mets fans will be able to enjoy the moment that Jeter takes on the field on Tuesday night. Like everyone else, they will hope that something incredible happens.

The shortstop has created so many great plays over the past two decades. Although some of them might have been praised just a bit too much, they remain part of the history of baseball. If fate has anything to say about it, he will come through with one more big one.

By the numbers, Jeter should not even be in attendance at Target Field. However, we all know that the superstar deserves to be standing between second and third base on the big stage one last time.

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