Smyly sharp for Phillies; newcomers spark Giants
Milwaukee Brewers
3B Mike Moustakas was still a free agent when spring training began, and the Brewers re-signed him to a one-year, $10 million contract. He then started the season as the second baseman, a position he had never played in professional baseball, to allow Travis Shaw to move back to third base, his natural position.
Signing Moustakas has proved to be shrewd. He was selected to the All-Star Game and was hitting .269 with 26 home runs through July 21.
Meanwhile, Shaw is playing at Class AAA San Antonio after batting just .164 with six homers in 57 games. He hit a combined 63 homers the previous two seasons.
❚ RHP Brandon Woodruff, the Brewers’ best pitcher this year, was headed to the injured list after straining his left side July 21 in a game against the Diamondbacks at Arizona. He is expected to be out until September.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates honored their 1979 World Series championship team before their victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on July 20.
The event contained a bit of sadness as well as nostalgia because 1979 marks the last time the franchise has even played in the Fall Classic. The Pirates also haven’t won a division title since capturing the NL East for a third straight season in 1992.
The long drought saddens many of the former players, including Dave Parker, who hit .310 in 1979.
“I never would have thought that the Pirates would have gone 40 years without doing it again,” Parker said.
❚ RHP Keone Kela, out since May 6 because of a sore right shoulder, was suspended for two games for an unspecified violation of his contract.
St. Louis Cardinals
3B Matt Carpenter’s difficult season has taken another bad turn – a bruised right foot landed him on the injured list.
Carpenter was hurt last week when he fouled a ball off the foot. The Cardinals hope he can begin a rehab assignment by the end of the week.
The three-time All-Star is hitting just .215 with 10 home runs in 81 games. Carpenter was also on the IL from July 2 to July 11 because of a strained lower back.
Rookie IF Tommy Edman has been playing third in Carpenter’s absence and was hitting .262 with four homers in 30 games.
❚ LF Marcell Ozuna resumed baseball activities after the swelling in his injured right hand decreased. He has been on the IL since June 29 after fracturing two fingers while diving back to first base on a pickoff attempt. OF Tyler O’Neill has filled in for Ozuna.
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Arizona Diamondbacks
RHP Taylor Clarke and RHP Jon Duplantier returned from the injured list, but Clarke didn’t fare well in his return. Clarke, who missed two weeks because of back pain, lasted only 32⁄3 innings, and manager Torey Lovullo indicated that Clarke might not stay in the rotation if doesn’t pitch better July 24.
Duplantier, sidelined by sore shoulder June 12, was optioned to Class AAA Reno (Nevada). Although he could rejoin the Diamondbacks rotation, which lacks depth, Duplantier struggled in his rehab outings.
❚ If the Diamondbacks are looking for ways to strengthen their roster at the trade deadline, the bullpen would be a good place to start. Arizona relievers gave up 16 runs in three weekend losses to the Milwaukee Brewers.
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies’ lack of offense contributed to their slide as they dropped to last in the NL West. Before breaking a six-game losing streak July 21, Colorado had lost 13 of 15 and had been outscored 127-64 in that span.
RF Charlie Blackmon and OF David Dahl, who had strong first halves, endured tough stretches. Blackmon was hitting .173 in July before getting four hits, including a homer, in a win over the Yankees on July 21 at New York, and Dahl was hitting .200 for the month before going 2-for-4 in the same game.
❚ 1B Mark Reynolds was designated for assignment and RHP Antonio Senzatela was demoted to Class AAA Albuquerque (New Mexico) as the club shook up its roster. RHP Jeff Hoffman was recalled to take Senzatela’s spot in the rotation.
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers’ need for a lefthanded reliever increased when Scott Alexander was lost indefinitely because of nerve damage in his left thumb.
According to the team’s website, the Dodgers remained interested in LHPs Will Smith of the San Francisco Giants, Felipe Vazquez of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Jake Diekman of the Kansas City Royals. However, Smith’s availability is questionable, and Pirates general manager Neal Huntington said he has no plans to trade Vazquez.
Julio Urias has been the only reliable lefty out of the ’pen. Urias had a 1.62 ERA in 17 relief outings and hadn’t allowed an earned run in his last 192⁄3 bullpen innings through July 21.
Caleb Ferguson was the other lefty on the active roster, but he had a 6.38 ERA through 25 games.
❚ LHP Rich Hill (flexor tendon injury) began a throwing program. He isn’t likely to return until September.
San Diego Padres
IF Luis Urias, the club’s No. 2 prospect, had an opportunity to claim the second-base job after being recalled from Class AAA El Paso (Texas) on July 20.
Urias hit .315 with 19 home runs and 50 RBI in 73 games at El Paso after going 2-for-24 with the Padres, which resulted in his late April demotion to the minors.
He has a chance again to replace 2B Ian Kinsler, who signed a two-year deal this offseason but was hitting .103 with no home runs and two RBI in his first 29 at-bats in July and hadn’t homered since June 11.
Kinsler, 37, was a .277 career hitter through 2016 but hasn’t had a batting average above .240 since then.
❚ RHP Garrett Richards, recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery, made his first rehab start July 17 for the Arizona League Padres, allowing a run in two innings with three strikeouts. Richards might return to the majors in late August or September.
San Francisco Giants
Three players who weren’t on the opening-day roster helped the Giants stay hot.
OF Alex Dickerson hit a majors-best .396 with three triples, five homers and 21 RBI in his first 24 games for the Giants after being called up from Class AAA Sacramento (California), helping San Francisco reach the .500 mark for the first time since Aug. 31, 2018.
OF Mike Yastrzemski had four homers in his last eight games through July 21, and IF Donovan Solano batted .429 during the same span. Both had a walk-off hit last weekend as the Giants stretched their hot streak to 15 wins in 18 games.
❚ LHP Derek Holland and IF Ryder Jones were designated for assignment, clearing the way for LHP Conner Menez and IF Zach Green, who both made their major league debut July 21. Menez pitched five solid innings and Green had two hits.