METS CUT RELIEVER JAKE DIEKMAN AND PROMOTE FELLOW LEFTY MATT GAGE FROM TRIPLE-A SYRACUSE
NEW YORK (AP) — In a surprising move Monday, the New York Mets cut veteran reliever Jake Diekman and promoted fellow left-hander Matt Gage from Triple-A Syracuse.
Diekman was 2-3 with a 5.63 ERA and four saves in a team-high 43 appearances after signing a $4 million, one-year contract with the Mets in February. He earned a huge save at Yankee Stadium last Tuesday, striking out red-hot slugger Aaron Judge with a runner aboard in the ninth inning of a 3-2 victory.
But the 37-year-old Diekman allowed three runs and four hits over two innings in a pair of outings against Atlanta over the weekend, and was designated for assignment before Monday night’s series opener against the Minnesota Twins.
Diekman has struck out 40 batters and walked 24 in 32 innings. He is 27-34 with a 3.91 ERA and 19 saves over 13 major league seasons with nine teams.
New York has seven days to trade, release or send him outright to the minors, an assignment he would have the right to refuse in favor of free agency.
Gage was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers for cash on July 7 and will be looking to make his first big league appearance of the season. He is 0-1 with a 1.83 ERA in 16 games and 19 2/3 innings with Toronto (2022) and Houston (2023).
The 31-year-old Gage was raised about 200 miles from Citi Field in upstate New York and attended Siena College just outside Albany. He had three saves in five outings with Syracuse, striking out seven and walking two in 5 1/3 scoreless innings.
Depleted by a rash of injuries, New York’s bullpen has been in constant flux all season as president of baseball operations David Stearns tries to improve a shaky unit. Veteran right-handers Phil Maton and Ryne Stanek were obtained in trades this month.
The Mets began the day holding the final wild-card spot in a crowded National League playoff race.
REPORT: CARDS LAND FEDDE, SEND EDMAN TO DODGERS IN 3-TEAM DEAL
The Cardinals, White Sox, and Dodgers agreed to a three-team trade that will send right-hander Erick Fedde to St. Louis, utility player Tommy Edman to Los Angeles, and a prospect haul to Chicago, sources told ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The Dodgers are acquiring right-handed reliever Michael Kopech from the White Sox as part of the deal, a source told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. Infielder Miguel Vargas is heading from the Dodgers to the White Sox, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports, and Chicago is sending veteran outfielder Tommy Pham to the Cardinals, sources told FanSided’s Robert Murray.
The White Sox are also getting infield prospects Jeral Perez and Alexander Albertus from the Dodgers, reports Feinsand.
The White Sox signed Fedde to a two-year, $15-million contract after he dominated in the KBO in 2023. The 31-year-old was a bright spot for the MLB-worst White Sox, posting a 7-4 record with a 3.11 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 108 strikeouts across 121 2/3 innings this season.
Fedde will join a Cardinals rotation that also features Sonny Gray, Miles Mikolas, Lance Lynn, Kyle Gibson, and Andre Pallante.
Pham returns to the Cardinals after spending parts of five seasons with the club from 2014-18. The 36-year-old owns a .710 OPS with five home runs, 19 RBIs, and six stolen bases for the White Sox this season.
Edman hasn’t played for the Cardinals in 2024 after undergoing wrist surgery in the offseason. The 29-year-old has six hits in 29 at-bats on a rehab assignment at Double-A.
A versatile defensive player, he’s made appearances at all three outfield spots, shortstop, second base, and third base during his five-year MLB career. Edman is under contract for $9.5 million next season and is scheduled to reach free agency at the end of the 2025 campaign.
Kopech moved back to the bullpen this season after struggling as a starting pitcher in 2023. The 28-year-old is 2-8 with a 4.74 ERA, nine saves, and 59 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings. He’s arbitration-eligible for one more season and is scheduled to hit free agency at the conclusion of 2025.
Perez has enjoyed a strong season at Single-A, playing third base. The 19-year-old has 10 home runs with 42 RBIs and an .800 OPS in 75 games. Perez was the Dodgers’ No. 18 prospect, according to Baseball America.
Albertus saw time at shortstop, second base, and third base this season. The 19-year-old is hitting .298 with three home runs and 42 RBIs across a pair of minor-league levels. Albertus was the Dodgers’ No. 16 prospect, per Baseball America.
DODGERS DEAL RHP RICKY VANASCO TO TIGERS FOR CASH
The Los Angeles Dodgers traded right-hander Ricky Vanasco to the Detroit Tigers on Monday in exchange for cash considerations.
Vanasco, 25, made his major league debut on April 15 and appeared in two games out of the Dodgers’ bullpen. He allowed three runs on three hits in two innings, posting a 13.50 ERA with one strikeout.
Vanasco is 0-2 with a 3.47 ERA and five saves in 24 relief appearances this season at Triple-A Oklahoma City.
He was drafted in the 15th round by the Texas Rangers in 2017 and traded to the Dodgers on June 1, 2023, for left-handed prospect Luis Valdez.
ROYALS ACQUIRE RHP MICHAEL LORENZEN FROM RANGERS
The Kansas City Royals acquired right-hander Michael Lorenzen from the Texas Rangers on Monday in exchange for left-hander Walter Pennington.
Lorenzen, 32, is 5-6 with a 3.81 ERA in 19 games (18 starts) in his first season with the Rangers.
An All-Star last season, Lorenzen threw a no-hitter for Philadelphia against Washington on Aug. 9, 2023. He signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal with Texas on March 22.
Lorenzen is 45-44 with a 4.08 ERA and 15 saves in 361 games (87 starts) with the Cincinnati Reds (2015-21), Los Angeles Angels (2022), Detroit Tigers (2023), Phillies (2023) and Rangers.
Pennington, 26, made his major league debut for the Royals on July 5 at Colorado and retired both batters he faced with one strikeout.
Since joining the Kansas City organization in 2021, he is 22-11 with a 3.54 ERA in 147 games (four starts) in the minor leagues. Pennington has struck out 255 batters and walked 100 in 241 1/3 innings.
REDS PLACE C AUSTIN WYNNS (SHOULDER) ON 10-DAY IL
The Cincinnati Reds placed catcher Austin Wynns on the 10-day injured list Monday with a teres major tear in his right shoulder.
In corresponding moves, the Reds selected the contract of catcher Eric Yang from Triple-A Louisville and transferred right-hander Graham Ashcraft (right elbow strain) from the 15- to the 60-day injured list.
Wynns, 33, played Sunday and went 1-for-2 with one RBI in a 2-1 loss at Tampa Bay. He is 7-for-19 (.368) in seven games in his first season with the Reds.
He is a career .230 hitter with 13 home runs and 63 RBIs in 238 games over parts of six seasons with the Baltimore Orioles (2018-19, 2021), San Francisco Giants (2022-23), Los Angeles Dodgers (2023), Colorado Rockies (2023) and Reds.
Yang, 26, would be making his major league debut after playing for the Reds’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates this season. Cincinnati selected him in the seventh round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of UC Santa Barbara.
Ashcraft, 26, has not played for the Reds since July 7. He is 5-5 with a 5.24 ERA, 27 walks and 57 strikeouts in 77 1/3 innings over 15 starts this season.
FORMER MAJOR LEAGUE PITCHER REYES MORONTA DIES IN A MOTORCYCLE CRASH IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic (AP) — Former Major League Baseball pitcher Reyes Moronta has been killed in a motorcycle accident in the Dominican Republic, one of his former team’s said Monday.
The 31-year-old Moronta played for the San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Los Angeles Angels over six seasons.
“We profoundly regret the unexpected death of pitcher Reyes Moronta, who died yesterday,” Dominican team Aguilas Cibaenas said on their social media accounts.
Moronta was riding a motorcycle in the Villa Gonzalez community, in the northern part of his home country, on Sunday night when the accident occurred.
“The Aguilas board, the baseball operations department and players share the pain with his family, and we pray for his eternal rest,” the team said.
Moronta was cut from the Bravos de Leon team of the Mexican League last week. He had posted an 8.69 ERA with 24 strikeouts and four saves in 19 2/3 innings pitched.