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American League

National League

BOSTON RED SOX
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Selected the contract of RHP Dalier Hinojosa from Triple-A Pawtucket; recalled LHP Tom Layne from Triple-A Pawtucket; designated RHP Anthony Varvaro for assignment; optioned OF-L Jackie Bradley to Triple-A Pawtucket. [4/29]

Hinojosa will wear big-league raiment for the first time some two and a half years after signing with the Red Sox for $4 million. A Cuban defector, he spent last season in Pawtucket's bullpen, where he showed an average three-pitch mix and control problems. Those locational woes stemmed from his arm action and are unlikely to relent—his walk rate worsened during his brief return to Triple-A—but there's enough here to think he could develop into a usable middle reliever with late-inning facial hair.

MINNESOTA TWINS
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Recalled RHP Ryan Pressly from Triple-A Rochestor; placed RHP Tim Stauffer on the 15-disabled list (intercostal strain). [5/1]
Recalled RHP Michael Tonkin from Triple-A Rochester; placed RHP Casey Fien on the 15-day disabled list (strained shoulder). [4/30]

Once a Rule 5 pick, Pressly rejoins the Twins following a polarizing 2014. He pitched well by traditional standards, throwing 28 innings of 2.86 ERA ball. Yet Pressly did so with a Meredithian strikeout rate (4.4 per nine innings), which raises questions about his sustainability. Pressly just doesn't miss bats with his stuff, meaning he'll need to throw strikes and keep the ball in the yard to succeed. If he continues to do so as he did in 2014, then he's a legitimate, albeit unusual middle-relief option.

Between Harmon Killebrew and Jim Thome, the Twins have employed a number of hitters who have elicited Paul Bunyan comparisons. Tonkin, all 6-foot-7 of him, joins a pitching staff that is doing its best to honor the big man. There's Mike Pelfrey (also 6-foot-7), Kyle Gibson (6-foot-6), Phil Hughes, and Trevor May (6-foot-5 apiece). Unlike those four lumberjacks, Tonkin is a relief arm. He has a fastball that can touch the mid-90s and a breaking ball that can miss bats. Add in a deceptively short arm stroke, as well as quality control, and there's a chance he's working the late innings before long.

TAMPA BAY RAYS
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Acquired LHP Xavier Cedeno from the Dodgers in exchange for cash considerations; transferred DH-L John Jaso to the 60-day disabled list (wrist contusion). [4/27]

Cedeno becomes the seventh left-handed pitcher on Tampa Bay's 40-man roster, and the only one to not spend time this season on one disabled list or another. Included among the wounded are all the Rays' left-handed relief options: the rehabbing Jake McGee, Jeff Beliveau, and C.J. Riefenhauser—the latter two of whom are dealing with shoulder problems. So here's Cedeno, with his mid-to-upper-80s cutter, curveball, and deception borne from a short arm action and willingness to change arm slots. He's without options, but there's a fair chance he sticks in St. Pete as a second lefty. If not, so what?

TORONTO BLUE JAYS
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Purchased the contract of RHP Scott Copeland and OF-L Ezequiel Carrera from Triple-A Buffalo; optioned LHP Andrew Albers and OF-S Dalton Pompey to Triple-A Buffalo; designated RHP Matt West and 1B-L Andy Wilkins for assignment. [5/2]
Purchased the contract of LHP Andrew Albers from Triple-A Buffalo ;optioned LHP Daniel Norris to Triple-A Buffalo; transferred INF-S Maicer Izturis to the 60-day disabled list (strained groin).]5/1]

It took less than a month for the Blue Jays to lose patience with Pompey and Norris. Pompey just wasn't hitting, and lacked the extensive track record or large salary that would have kept him in the majors. Norris, on the other hand, was walking a batter every other inning—bad time to mention he led the Toronto rotation in ERA? Anyway, with the kids tucked into their minor-league beds, the Jays called upon some decidedly less-exciting organizational depth.

Carrera has traveled around throughout his career, with the Jays marking his sixth organization. Toronto fans might convince themselves he's okay, seeing as how last season he started games down the stretch for a playoff team. But therein is the rub: how many good starters on playoff teams go on months later to sign minor-league deals? To Carrera's credit, he does run fast, can slap the occasional single, and has experience across the outfield. Obviously he's not the smoothest defender, nor will he provide the Jays with a burst offensively, but he buys Pompey additional developmental time—and isn't that what's important?

Ditto for Copeland's role vis–à–vis Norris. A 27-year-old with eight career Triple-A appearances, Copeland has struck out more than seven batters per nine innings once in his career: during a seven-game A-ball stint back in 2012. He does have impressive ground-ball rates, but honestly, he's a replacement-level hurler around to fill a void until the Jays can figure out who to promote next.

ATLANTA BRAVES
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Recalled RHP Mike Foltynewicz from Triple-A Gwinnett; placed 3B-R Chris Johnson on the 15-day disabled list (fractured hand). [5/1]

The headliner the Braves received in the Evan Gattis trade, Foltynewicz competed for a rotation spot in the spring and was also under consideration for a bullpen gig. Ultimately, the Braves sent him to Gwinnett, where he started four times before getting the call to replace Trevor Cahill in the big-league rotation. Foltynewicz is your classic Illinois power arm: well-built and hard-throwing. Alas, Foltynewicz's move from H- to A-Town hasn't altered the main questions about him—namely, does he have enough command over and vim on his fastball to avoid the 'pen? The Braves intend to find out.

LOS ANGELES DODGERS
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Claimed LHP Eury De La Rosa off waivers from the Athletics; transferred RHP Brandon McCarthy to the 60-day disabled list (Tommy John surgery). [4/30]

Farhan Zaidi collects waived left-handed relievers the way your father saves nuts and bolts; sure, son, I don't need them right now, but someday they could come in handy. If De La Rosa were a nut or a bolt, he'd be an odd one. He is short (officially listed at 5-foot-9) and without big velocity or elite control. What De La Rosa does have is a deeper arsenal than the typical relief arm, and more big-league success than, say, Ryan Dennick or Xavier Cedeno (two recent Dodgers acquisitions, with Cedeno having since departed via trade). De La Rosa's upside tops out around second-lefty status but, as with those nuts and bolts, he's only costing the Dodgers space.

NEW YORK METS
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Recalled INF-R Dilson Herrera from Triple-A Las Vegas; optioned LHP Jack Leathersich to Triple-A Las Vegas. [5/1]

You might remember Herrera from last season, when he debuted and held his own as a 20-year-old. He opened 2015 in Las Vegas, subsequently proving that he belongs in the majors. And so here he is, recalled to help the Mets improve their infield situation. The plan seems to be for Herrera to take over at the keystone while Daniel Murphy fills in for David Wright at the hot corner. You might wonder if, when Wright returns, whether Herrera could take over for Wilmer Flores at shortstop. The answer would seem to be no—Herrera this season hasn't played an inning of shortstop—but then, the way Flores is throwing these days, Herrera out-hitting him might be enough for the idea to sprout legs.

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES
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Optioned OF-L Domonic Brown to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. [4/30]

Although Brown hadn't yet returned to the majors following a spring Achilles injury, the Phillies decided he needed more time on the farm. Here's the scary part: it's the correct call. Brown tallied a .160 True Average over his first 50 plate appearances in L.V.; a brutal figure, even for a rehabbing player. Because Brown's standing with the Phillies appeared shaky from the start, this move will do little to dispel the notion that he's a non-tender candidate. Harsh? Perhaps, given Brown is 27 years old and less than two seasons removed from an all-star effort. But it does feel more true than not.

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jfranco77
5/04
FWIW, I saw Hinojosa last night and he was basically all fastballs with one godawful changeup. He was only 90-92 but seemed to have a lot of deception.