TBNL: Guardians designate McKenzie; Yoho, Kurtz get their callups

Triston McKenzie’s time in Cleveland has run out.

Signs suggested this was coming since last summer.

Cleveland selected the lanky right-hander 42nd overall in the 2015 Draft out of a Florida high school and quickly climbed the prospect rankings (appearing on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 from 2017-21, topping out at No. 24). McKenzie debuted late in the covid-shortened 2020 season, striking out 10 while allowing just one run on two hits against the Tigers over 6.0 IP.

By the end of 2022, McKenzie looked like a real building block for Cleveland’s future alongside Shane Bieber. He didn’t overpower hitters with velocity, but his exceptional control (a 5.9% walk rate) helped him stand out.

Shoulder trouble and a UCL strain that wouldn’t require surgery would limit McKenzie to just 16.0 IP in 2023.

He was then simply ineffective last season, splitting the year between the majors and Triple-A. His walk rate spiked. He only made 16 starts and pitched 75.2 innings for the Guardians, posting a 5.11 ERA (79 ERA+) and career-worst 1.559 WHIP.

Entering spring training this year, Cleveland had a full starting rotation and McKenzie was out of options, so a transition to the bullpen became necessary. He’s struggled through four appearances, allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and seven walks over 5.2 IP, and the Guardians designated him for assignment on Monday.

McKenzie is still owed the balance remaining on his $1.95M contract (roughly $1.7M, per MLBTR).

Still just 27 years old, someone will give McKenzie a chance to straighten things out (though I said the same about Sixto Sanchez before spring training and he remains a free agent, though Sanchez has a much dicier injury history and a far less promising track record).

Airbender 2.0?

For six years, the Brewers relied on Devin Williams and his “Airbender” changeup at the back of the bullpen. Williams was among the best relievers in baseball over that stretch, twice winning the Trevor Hoffman Reliever of the Year Award while saving 97 games, posting a 1.83 ERA (231 ERA+), and striking out 375 batters over 235.2 IP.

On Monday, Milwaukee called up a pitcher who might ultimately resemble Williams quite closely.

Craig Yoho has done nothing but dominate minor league hitters since the Brewers selected him in the 8th Round of the 2023 Draft out of the University of Indiana. Including a 9.2 IP scoreless stretch to start this year at Triple-A, Yoho has thrown 70.0 IP as a professional with a 2.31 ERA, 0.986 WHIP, and 113 strikeouts.

Yoho’s best pitch? A high 70s changeup that has befuddled hitters.

A’s to call up Nick Kurtz

After 32 games and just 147 plate appearances in the minor leagues — during which he batted .336/.432/.689 with 10 doubles and 11 homers — Nick Kurtz has been called up to join the Athletics in time for their six-game homestand beginning on Tuesday. The 22-year-old was the 4th overall selection in last July’s draft after a stellar career at Wake Forest and will be the third player drafted last summer to already debut in the majors (joining the Astros’ Cam Smith and the Angels’ Ryan Johnson).

What will be interesting is how the A’s utilize Kurtz. An athletic first baseman with a solid glove, Kurtz has just two appearances in the outfield (once in college, once in the Arizona Fall League). When asked about Kurtz’s impending arrival earlier this month, A’s manager Mark Kotsay suggested he might consider some kind of “rotation between the outfield, first base, and designated hitter” for Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, and Brent Rooker to keep them all in the lineup.

Most of the attention the A’s have received in recent months has centered on ownership’s failures and their impending move to Las Vegas (construction on the new ballpark is reportedly on schedule to break ground in June), but the team has quietly assembled a fairly intriguing lineup. Soderstrom is enjoying a breakout season at the plate (tied for the MLB lead in home runs with 9 entering play Monday). Lawrence Butler and Rooker already showed last season what a 1-2 force they can be.

Now the club has added some high-contact players to the mix in Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, and Max Muncy (who has struggled in his first experience in the big leagues). Even Shea Langeliers is striking out less often and getting on base more consistently.

It’s still early (merely 20 games into a long season), but there are signs of life in the A’s once again. Now the team just needs to find some players who can handle pitching in Sacramento.

Homecoming in Boston

The story slipped past my attention over the weekend, but Boston’s Fenway Park was a homecoming of sorts for several players currently on the White Sox roster. Chicago is carrying four pitchers on the club who were born and raised in Massachusetts. Each of them had somehow never pitched at Fenway Park before the weekend.

Shane Smith started Saturday’s game, going 4.2 IP while allowing three runs on four hits, a walk, and three strikeouts. Smith is from Danvers, MA and attended The Governor’s Academy (before going to Wake Forest).

Jared Shuster relieved him, going 1.1 IP with a walk and a strikeout. Shuster is from New Bedford, MA and attended Tabor Academy (before also going to Wake Forest).

Cam Booser, Steven Wilson, and Jordan Leasure each threw a scoreless inning and then Mike Vasil came in to pitch the 10th inning. He walked a pair and gave up a hit, letting Boston win the game. Vasil is from Boston, MA and attended Boston College Prep (before going to the University of Virginia).

Sean Burke started Sunday’s game, lasting 5.0 IP while giving up four runs (only one earned) on five hits, three walks, and five strikeouts. Burke is from Sutton, MA and attended St. John’s High School (before going to the University of Maryland).

As if that weren’t enough, coming back to pitch in Boston was a “bittersweet moment” for Booser. Now 32 years old, Booser made his MLB debut last year with the Red Sox, appearing in 43 games with a 3.38 ERA (127 ERA+) over 42.2 IP. It was a remarkable story considering the long path Booser had taken to reach the major leagues — Booser signed as an undrafted free agent with the Twins in 2013; retired following the 2017 season after dealing with Tommy John surgery, labrum surgery, a broken back from a bike accident, and a 50-game suspension for testing positive for marijuana; played in various independent leagues before ultimately getting invited to a tryout with the Red Sox before the 2023 season.

The left-hander threw a scoreless inning of relief in each of Saturday and Sunday’s games. Boston recognized Booser with their 2024 Tony Conigliaro Award before Saturday’s game, according to MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, which is given to a “Major Leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage that were trademarks of Tony C.”

Elsewhere, around the sport …

• Padres infielder Luis Arraez was released from the hospital after a collision at first base with Astros infielder Mauricio Dubon during Sunday night’s game. Arraez has a concussion and was placed on the 7-day IL, but could rejoin the team before the end of the week.

• Japan will host Korea for a two-game exhibition series in mid-November in preparation for next spring’s World Baseball Classic. Samurai Japan will face the Korean WBC team on November 15-16 at the Tokyo Dome. Current Japanese MLB players on the Samurai Japan roster are not expected to participate in the exhibitions.

• LSU right-hander Gavin Guidry (no relation to famous Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry) had been one of the best bullpen arms in the NCAA over the last two seasons, posting a 3.23 ERA with 78 strikeouts over 53.0 IP. Guidry has been shelved with a back injury since the preseason and has now been ruled out for the remainder of the Tigers’ season.

• The Cubs are sending cash considerations (for the record, any time a team trades “cash considerations,” the amount is usually under $50K) to the Mariners for left-hander Drew Pomeranz. The 36-year-old will likely join the Cubs in the coming days thanks to an upward mobility clause in his contract. Pomeranz last pitched in the majors in 2021, thanks to flexor tendon surgery and a series of setbacks involving his forearm and elbow.