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Los Angeles Angels catcher Geovany Soto will miss the next four to six weeks after suffering a torn right meniscus.

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Soto to DL, Will Have Surgery

Wednesday, May 18 

Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com reported Soto will undergo surgery to correct the tear. It’s unclear whether doctors will remove the torn part of Soto’s meniscus or attempt to repair it.

Soto, 33, previously tore the same meniscus in 2014 while playing with the Texas Rangers. He later suffered an ankle injury during that season and was limited to just 24 games.

The 11-year veteran played all nine innings of Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He struck out twice in his three at-bats and grounded out to the pitcher in his other plate appearance, so he showed no sign of injury. Carlos Perez being slotted into the starting lineup for Wednesday was initially seen as a regular day off for Soto in the Angels platoon.

Soto is hitting .283/.338/.483 with three home runs and seven RBI through 20 games. He was on pace for his best hitting season since 2010 when he was with the Chicago Cubs.

Perez will likely take over everyday duties with Soto out. The 25-year-old is hitting just .176/.238/.230 in his second full MLB season, but he’s a solid defensive player. The Angels should look to call up another catcher to replace Perez on the days when he needs rest. 

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Major League Baseball announced Tuesday it suspended Texas Rangers second baseman Rougned Odor eight games for his part in a bench-clearing brawl Sunday, while Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista, among others, will receive a one-game suspension, per John Lott of Vice Sports: 

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Odor will appeal. Bautista is planning to appeal his suspension as well, per Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star. 

Blue Jays reliever Jesse Chavez will be suspended three games, while the league handed Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus a one-game suspension for his role in the fight, according to Kennedy. Blue Jays first-base coach Tim Leiper was also suspended for being in the dugout after being ejected, per the official release. 

According to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports, Odor was also fined $5,000.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons will also reportedly be suspended three games, per Kennedy. Lott reported DeMarlo Hale will manage the team in Gibbons’ absence.

“If he goes 3-0, we will switch jobs,” Gibbons said, per Lott. When asked what he planned to do Tuesday during the first game of his suspension, Gibbons told reporters, “Don’t know. Maybe I’ll watch the [Toronto] Raptors.”

Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson reportedly will not be suspended but will be fined $1,000, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Odor, 22, landed a right-handed punch to Bautista’s face after the All-Star slugger slid aggressively into second base in the eighth inning Sunday. The benches and bullpens subsequently emptied, and it took umpires several minutes to separate the teams.

“I was pretty surprised,” Bautista said of Odor’s punch, per ESPN.com. “I mean, obviously, that’s the only reason that he got me. And he got me pretty good, so I have to give him that. It takes a little bit bigger man to knock me down.”

Bautista took first base after Rangers reliever Matt Bush hit him with a pitch, and Bautista acknowledged to reporters after the game he slid into second base hard on purpose to “send a message.”

The Blue Jays likely thought Bush plunked Bautista in retaliation for his bat flip during their 2015 playoff series. He was not hit in the teams’ previous six games, and Gibbons said the Rangers waited until their final matchup of the regular season intentionally.

“It was ugly and unfortunate,” Gibbons said, per ESPN.com. “To me, it was gutless. The other 29 teams, they come at you right away, but to wait until the end, it just sort of tells you something. Everybody is going to say, ‘Oh, it was a one-run game. The ball got away.’ That ain’t going to fly.”

Chavez hit Prince Fielder with a pitch in the bottom of the inning, and the dugouts and bullpens emptied again.

Odor did not meet with media after the game. The second baseman is off to the best start of his young career with seven home runs and 21 RBI.

The brawl provided MLB with perhaps its most memorable moment of the season and stoked the fire of a budding rivalry.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.

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Francisco Cervelli won’t be hitting free agency after all.

The Pittsburgh Pirates announced they awarded their catcher with a new three-year deal. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported Cervelli‘s contract is worth a total of $31 million.

Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Cervelli will earn $9 million in 2017, $10.5 million in 2018 and $11.5 million in 2019.

Cervelli wrote about the decision in the Players’ Tribune:

I want to thank the Pirates organization for believing in me. Thanks to my teammates: I’m proud to call you guys brothers. And last but not least, to the fans: You guys keep me going every night. That’s amore. Pittsburgh is a city with a lot of love. When I arrived here, people didn’t know who I was. But it didn’t take long for me to feel the love and respect that the people of Pittsburgh have. That’s why I am coming back.

Thank you for not giving up on me. I promise that I will never give up on this team.

Cervelli, 30, has spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons in Pittsburgh after a seven-year stint with the New York Yankees. An everyday starter for the first time in his career, Cervelli hit .295/.370/.401 with seven home runs and 43 runs batted in last season. His 3.8 wins above replacement were nearly triple his previous career best, per FanGraphs, putting him in a position to command a raise on the open market.

The Pirates and Cervelli avoided arbitration over the winter by agreeing to a $3.5 million salary for 2016, but it was clear a raise would be coming in any extension. Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported Cervelli would take himself off the market for a three-year deal averaging about $13 million per season.

“We like Cervelli a lot and would welcome the chance to have him remain a Pirate in the event we are able to find a contract that makes sense for both the player and club,” Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said, per Sawchik.

Cervelli is off to another solid start this season, hitting .276/.386/.319 with four extra-base hits and 18 RBI in 33 games. He remains a steadying presence behind the plate as well, ranking second among qualified NL catchers in FanGraphs‘ defensive value added.

Complicating matters is the presence of Reese McGuire and Elias Diaz, two young prospects who are champing at the bit. McGuire was a first-round pick in 2013 and has shown promise working his way up through Single-A ball.

Diaz, 25, made his MLB debut last season after more than a half-decade in the minors. He probably tops out as a bench player, but the Pirates may have turned to him had the Cervelli deal fallen through.

If Cervelli keeps up his usual production in his everyday role, this contract will wind up making Huntington look smart. Cervelli was worth well over $20 million last season based on his WAR, so the Pirates would still break even with a slight regression.

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Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Logan Forsythe has been placed on the disabled list as he nurses a left shoulder injury. 

Continue for updates.

Forsythe Diagnosed with Hairline Fracture in Shoulder Blade

Saturday, May 14

The Tampa Tribune‘s Roger Mooney relayed the update. 

In his third season with the Rays, Forsythe’s 2016 campaign has been off to a rocky start. He was injured in an outfield collision with Kevin Kiermaier in April, causing him to miss one game. 

A surprise breakout performer last season, he set career highs in home runs (17), runs batted in (68) and stolen bases (nine), among numerous other categories. His 4.1 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs, was better than his combined career WAR.

While all involved recognize Forsythe’s 2015 campaign was likely an outlier, he’s still expected to be a contributor this season. 

Thus far, he is hitting .308 with four home runs and 12 RBI. 

Tim Beckham will likely see a majority of the work at second with Forsythe out of the lineup.   

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The Kansas City Royals placed starting pitcher Chris Young on the 15-day disabled list Thursday with a right forearm injury.

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Young Placed on 15-Day DL

Young, 36, lasted only 2.2 innings in his May 9 start against the New York Yankees. He admitted Tuesday that the injury had been bothering him for some time.

“I’ve had to change the way I take off my shoes, the way I brush my teeth, the way I take off my shirt,” Young said, per The Associated Press (via ESPN.com). “But throwing does not bother it, which is I think why it’s been a little bit hard to address.”

An integral part of the Royals staff last season, Young has been among the worst MLB starters in 2016. He’s 1-5 with a 6.68 ERA and 1.52 WHIP, giving up a major league-high 13 home runs in 32.1 innings. The Yankees lit him up for five homers before he was pulled Monday.

Dillon Gee is scheduled to take his spot in the rotation Saturday. Gee, 30, spent the last six seasons with the New York Mets and was in his first year as a full-time reliever. He’s posted a 2.61 ERA and 1.26 WHIP across 20.2 innings.

The Royals will also have to replace Kris Medlen, who was also placed on the DL on Thursday. Medlen has been even worse than Young, giving up 25 runs (21 earned) in his 24.1 innings this season.

After a storybook trip to World Series glory last season, it appears that anything that can go wrong will for the Royals in 2016.

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Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker is a fan of Bryce Harper. And, apparently, corporal punishment. 

“Will I have to spank him sometimes? Maybe,” Baker said of his star outfielder Tuesday, a day after Harper was ejected from a 5-4 win over the Detroit Tigers, per James Wagner of the Washington Post.

Harper, 23, was thrown out by umpire Brian Knight in the ninth inning after arguing a questionable strike call on Danny Espinosa from the Nationals’ dugout. After Clint Robinson hit a walk-off homer later in the inning to give the Nationals a win, Harper was seen yelling not-so-PG words at Knight. 

“Yeah, absolutely,” Harper said, per Eddie Matz of ESPN.com, admitting the exchange. “I was pretty upset. I think I was right to do that. Let him hear what I have to say, let him hear it again, and so what? Couple choice words. If I do [get fined], I do. I’ll pay it. So I think it deserves to, you know, maybe he’ll get fined, too. So we’ll see.”

Harper previously jawed with Knight over balls and strikes during a fourth-inning strikeout. Going on the field after an ejection is prohibited by MLB rules—even in situations like a walk-off home run. Baker said Harper deserves a fine for violating the rule but wasn’t unhappy with his reigning MVP.

“There are enough emotionless people in the world,” Baker said, per Wagner.

It’s possible Harper was projecting some of his own personal frustrations onto Knight on Monday night. After lighting the world on fire in a nine-homer April, Harper has struggled as teams have pitched him more carefully in May. He’s hitting just .174/.500/.304 with one home run and three runs batted in for the month. The Chicago Cubs gave him a Bondsian welcome over the weekend, walking him 13 times in 19 plate appearances over a four-game sweep.

Even when Harper has been seeing strikes, he hasn’t been the same monster that he was in April. He’s already struck out 13 times for the month, equaling his total for all of April in just 10 days. Harper has only had 12 plate appearances all month that have not ended in a strikeout or walk.

So while Harper’s “choice words” Monday night may have been aimed at an umpire, it’s likely more a product of his frustration boiling over. 

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter. All stats and splits courtesy of Baseball Reference unless otherwise noted.

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New York Yankees reliever Aroldis Chapman has kept out of the public eye while serving his 30-game suspension after being accused of domestic violence. But as he prepares for an MLB return, he wants to make one thing clear: He’s innocent.   

“I didn’t do anything,” Chapman told Billy Witz of the New York Times. “People are thinking that it’s something serious; I have not put my hands on anyone, didn’t put anyone in danger. Since I didn’t do anything like that, I’m not thinking about it. If I didn’t do anything, why should I think about it? That is in the past. Now, I’m thinking about more important things: my family, kids, my career.”

Chapman, 28, was accused of choking his girlfriend and firing a gun during an October altercation. He was never charged with a crime in the case, but the news was enough to halt an agreed-upon deal to send the left-handed fireballer to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Yankees swooped in three days after Christmas to land Chapman, risking public criticism in hopes of stabilizing the back half of their bullpen.

MLB later issued Chapman a 30-game suspension under its new domestic violence rules, under which a conviction is not necessary for a player to be punished. He maintains the alleged incident was just a run-of-the-mill argument, however.

“It was just an argument with your partner that everyone has,” he said. “I’ve even argued with my mother. When you are not in agreement with someone, we Latin people are loud when we argue.”

Chapman says the cultural differences between Latin players and United States citizens has led to some unfair targeting. 

“Unfortunately, that is the way it is,” Chapman said. “We make a lot of money, everyone wants a piece of it, and we end up looking bad. When I had the problem, everyone thinks I did something wrong; in social media, people are saying I hit my girlfriend.”

A four-time All-Star with the Cincinnati Reds, Chapman is expected to take over ninth-inning duties in New York. He posted 33 saves in 36 chances last season, compiling a 1.63 ERA and striking out 116 batters in 66.1 innings. Andrew Miller has converted all six of his saves so far for the Yankees in 2016, but they’re 11-17 thanks to one of the worst offenses in baseball.

“The toughest part was not being able to start the season with the team,” Chapman said. “Otherwise, I tried to remain positive and focused and no negative thoughts—just remained positive. I just accepted the suspension and waited.”

The biggest answer for Chapman may not come until the offseason. He is scheduled to hit free agency for the first time this winter, where he likely would have commanded one of the highest salaries for a reliever in MLB history. With his reputation altered by this situation—whether fair or not—it’ll be up to him to repair his value around the league once he returns.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter

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The Detroit Tigers announced they activated pitcher Francisco Rodriguez from the family medical emergency list and optioned outfielder Tyler Collins to Triple-A Toledo on Wednesday.

Collins, 25, had two hits in 20 at-bats this season. He was also the source of some controversy Monday after flipping off a booing Detroit crowd after misplaying a ball in the outfield.      

“To hear boos after that play hit a trigger inside of me, and I lashed out, completely inappropriately,” Collins said, per Katie Strang of ESPN.com. “I’m absolutely embarrassed, and I’m very sorry to everyone in Detroit.”

Rodriguez, 34, recorded four saves in five opportunities before briefly leaving the team. He’d struggled through most of his first seven appearances, giving up five runs in 6.1 innings. 

“Second-guessing myself,” Rodriguez said, per George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press. “Walking the tying and go-ahead run is something that you as closer cannot let happen. You cannot do it. Simple as that. So I’ve just got to make some adjustments quick and start pitching better. Simple as that.”

The Tigers have lost five of their last six games and were not in a save situation during Rodriguez’s absence. He’ll likely continue to hold down the ninth inning for the foreseeable future despite his struggles.

Rodriguez had been stellar during his stint with the Milwaukee Brewers, which spanned parts of five seasons. His difficulty avoiding bats brings to mind his last stint in the American League, when he posted a 4.50 ERA in 23 games with the Baltimore Orioles.

Collins has played 88 MLB games over the last three seasons. He set a career high in games played last season with 60, hitting four home runs and driving in 25 runs. The Tigers have all the outfield depth they need, so this move shouldn’t affect their roster outlook all that much. 

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter

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Cleveland Indians pitcher Carlos Carrasco left Sunday’s game against the Detroit Tigers after straining his hamstring while trying to cover first base. Carrasco has been placed on the disabled list, and it is uncertain when he will be able to return to the mound.

Continue for updates.

Carrasco Return Timeline Revealed

Monday, April 25

The Indians announced Carrasco has been placed on the disabled list, as he will be out for four to six weeks.

Bauer a Likely Replacement for Carrasco

Carrasco pitched 2.2 innings of one-hit ball before the injury. He was replaced by Trevor Bauer.

The 29-year-old Carrasco had been great in his first three starts, compiling a 2.79 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over 19.1 innings. If not for a propensity to give up the long ball—he’s already surrendered four home runs in 2016—his numbers would look even better.

Bauer, who had been a starter until this season, should get the first shot to fill in for Carrasco. The 25-year-old made his sixth appearance of the year Sunday.

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Jake Arrieta didn’t have one no-hitter in his first 123 career starts. Now he has two in his last 11.

The Chicago Cubs ace struck out six and spread out four walks over nine innings of work in Thursday’s 16-0 blowout over the Cincinnati Reds. Arrieta’s is the first no-hitter of the 2016 MLB season.

He joins Larry Corcoran and Ken Holtzman as the only Cubs in franchise history with multiple no-nos, per ESPN Stats & Info.

“It feels different the second time,” Arrieta said, per ESPN.com. “I was a little more relaxed as the game progressed.”

Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area captured a shot of a fan who was a little too excited:

The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner has 15 wins in his last 16 regular-season starts. He’s given up zero or one earned run in 14 of those starts and shut out the opposition in 12 outings. The run ranks among the best in MLB history, a stretch of dominance more reminiscent of the dead-ball era than modern baseball.  

Arrieta is off to a 4-0 start in 2016. He’s given up just three runs in 31 innings—all in the same start. Jerry Crasnick of ESPN twisted the knife a bit for Baltimore Orioles fans:

While it will go down in the books as a no-hitter, Arrieta was far from perfect Thursday. He racked up 119 pitches over his nine innings of work—19 more than any of his other starts this season—and had some issues with control. When he was finding the strike zone, the Reds couldn’t hit him, but their patience nearly paid off in a couple of spots.

Fortunately for Arrieta, his offense gave him more than enough breathing room. Kris Bryant hit two home runs as part of a 4-for-6 night, driving in six runs as the Cubs pounded the Cincinnati staff. Ben Zobrist and Anthony Rizzo also went deep, each knocking in three runs.

Every Cub other than Addison Russell had at least one hit, including Arrieta, who helped his own cause with a 2-for-4 outing. 

Still, this is more about Arrieta’s sustained dominance than anything. He’s become almost a cheat code at this point. There’s no better pitcher in baseball—perhaps no better player, period—than Arrieta at the moment.

The Cubs came into 2016 with World Series aspirations. If Arrieta keeps throwing like this, it might take a herd of goats to keep the Cubs from winning it all. 

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter

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