A trip to the disabled list will pull Ian Kinsler out of the Rangers lineup but will allow the team to callup Jurickson Profar. (Image Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)

Ian Kinsler continued to experience discomfort while trying to swing a bat prior to Sunday’s game, prompting the Texas Rangers to place their second baseman on the disabled list. Top prospect Jurickson Profar has been recalled from Triple-A, according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News.

Kinsler had been out of the lineup for the Rangers the past two days as he copes with what has been described as a strained intercostal muscle in his right side. Initially it was believed that he wouldn’t miss much time, but when things failed to improve after a couple of days off it became evident that the team would need to make a roster move. Kinsler had been hitting .302/.369/.500 in 180 PA on the year. It’s unclear exactly how much time he’s expected to miss.

Considered the consensus top prospect in all of baseball entering the season, Profar’s arrival in Texas has been long awaited. Much of the delay has stemmed simply from the the lack of a spot in the lineup to play him regularly. Profar has been hitting .278/.370/.438 through 166 PA on the year at Triple-A, his first experience at the level. He’d received a brief callup by the Rangers last September, receiving 17 PA in September in which he collected three hits (a home run and two doubles). He’ll presumably receive most of the playing time at second base in Kinsler’s absence. What the Rangers elect to do with him once Kinsler returns remains to be seen.

Michael Bowden could be designated for assignment tomorrow in order to make room on the active roster for Matt Garza to be activated from the disabled list. (Image Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports)

With Matt Garza set to come off the disabled list and make his 2013 season debut on Tuesday, the Chicago Cubs will need to make room on the active roster and it appears that Michael Bowden could be the player moved. According to Bruce Miles of the Daily Herald, the team is expected to designate Bowden for assignment sometime Monday.

Bowden’s made 14 appearances for the Cubs this season, posting a 3.78 ERA and 1.140 WHIP. While he hasn’t necessarily pitched poorly on the year, Bowden’s done little to separate himself from the rest of the bullpen options and has essentially made himself expendable. He’s bounced back and forth between the Major Leagues and Minors for much of the past six seasons, throwing 112.2 IP with a 4.47 ERA and 1.411 WHIP working mostly in relief. Originally a starter in the minor leagues, Bowden’s never been able to put up the peripheral numbers (3.5 BB/9, 6.7 K/9) to get him through a lineup more than once to justify keeping him as a rotation option.

There is no guarantee that Bowden will clear waivers once the Cubs DFA him and if he does, there’s a chance that he rejects an assignment to the minor leagues. The 26 year old could still prove to be a serviceable option somewhere and might be willing to start fresh with another organization if given the opportunity to test the open market.

Robinson Cano could be the most sought-after free agent on the open market this winter, if he’s available. (Image Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)

Robinson Cano and the New York Yankees have continued discussions regarding a new contract for the soon-to-be free agent, according to some insight shared by Hal Steinbrenner to David Lennon of Newsday (h/t MLBTR). Much of the discussions between the team and Brodie Van Wagenen, Cano’s agent, were described as “procedural” at this point in the process.

A potential contract extension for Cano appears to be a top priority for the Yankees, particularly considering the market for the second baseman will likely be strong should he actually reach free agency this winter (he could be the most sought-after player available). The 30 year old is currently batting .301/.345/.552 in 174 PA on the year, numbers right in line with his career averages over the past eight seasons in New York. Heading into Spring Training there was some suggestion that a potential deal might need to exceed the $200 Million mark.

Cano, of course, has changed representation since – leaving Scott Boras for a new agency lead by Jay-Z, with Van Wagenen from CAA handling the baseball negotiations. With Boras it seems all but a certainty that Cano would test the open market, as that’s Boras’ tactic with nearly all of his clients. For the Yankees, an organization that typically prefers to avoid in-season contract negotiations, this was presenting a challenge that didn’t seem to be making any progress. Cano’s decision to change representation was in part to secure a career off the field in some capacity, thanks to Jay-Z’s influence and connections. He’s also made it clear that he’d like to remain a Yankee.

It’d seem that Steinbrenner would agree and is optimistic about the two sides reaching a deal, when asked by Lennon about the impact that the change in agencies has had on negotiations:

I don’t know. I still have faith that the player has a big say in it, and I know that Robby wants to be there, and Robby knows that we want him to be here. We want him to end his career here. I think to me, whether I’m right or not, that plays a big part into it regardless of who the agent is. But we’re going to continue to try and push ahead and get something done. We want him to be a Yankee.

All signs would seem to indicate that a deal will eventually be reached between the two sides, though it may not be finalized until the season concludes if the team sticks to their own policies. Possibly the biggest question that remains is how long the deal will be (7-8 years, according to most guesses) and what the total value will end up being (presumably upwards of $160 Million). Let’s not forget that Cano’s off-field opportunities will remain higher if he is to remain in the limelight of a city like New York, which could also be a factor in his decision.

David Aardsma has coped with injuries for much of the past two-plus seasons. He’s now a free agent after opting out of his minor league deal with the Marlins. (Image Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Veteran right-hander David Aardsma and the Miami Marlins have parted ways, with the 31 year old receiving his release Wednesday afternoon. Aardsma’s minor league deal with the club contained a May 15th opt-out date and he requested the release in order to seek a Major League opportunity elsewhere, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.

Aardsma had originally signed his deal with the Marlins on April 13th and made 10 appearances (14.0 IP) with the team’s Triple-A affiliate. He’s thrown well over the past month, posting a 2.57 ERA and 1.214 WHIP. Coping with injuries since the end of the 2010 season, Aardsma has seen limited time on the mound and may still need to prove himself with another organization before he sees another opportunity in the Major Leagues. He was, however, once a promising late-game option with a demonstrated ability to close out games.

Numerous teams across baseball could potentially look to Aardsma as an option for some bullpen depth, depending on how quickly he’s looking to join an MLB roster and the openings currently available in bullpens across the game. The New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Toronto Blue Jays are just a few potential options that may have some interest.

Chris Nelson has been DFA’d by the Yankees, just two weeks after the team first acquired him. (Image Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports)

Perpetually shaking up their active roster in order to overcome an MLB-leading number of injuries, the New York Yankees elected to designate Chris Nelson for assignment, according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. The move was made in order to make space for David Adams to be called up from Triple-A.

Nelson had been acquired by the Yankees on May 1st after being DFA’d by the Colorado Rockies. Combined between the two clubs he’s hit .235/.269/.304 in 108 PA on the year, spending most of his time defensively at third base. Nelson was linked to a handful of organizations before landing with the Yankees, but it remains unclear if any of them will pursue acquiring him from the Yankees in the coming days. To his credit Nelson expressed some excitement about joining the Yankees organization following the deal with Colorado, possibly suggesting that he’d be more open to accepting an assignment to Triple-A should the team offer him a chance to remain in the organization. He’ll be removed from the 40-man roster with this move, so Nelson’s immediate future will largely depend on what opportunities may be out there.

Adams has batted .316/.407/.490 in 113 PA on the year at Scranton. He’d been released by the organization following Spring Training considering his lengthy injury history, but was shortly re-signed on a minor league pact. Adams made his MLB Debut Wednesday evening, going 1 for 4 against the Seattle Mariners in the Yankees’ 12-2 loss.

Carlos Zambrano has garnered plenty of attention over the years, both on and off the field, but was unable to land a job with an MLB organization. (Image Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Enigmatic right-hander Carlos Zambrano has finally resurfaced, signing a contract to join the Long Island Ducks of the independent Atlantic League. Zambrano will join a number of former Major Leaguers on the Ducks’ roster, including Dontrelle Willis and Vladimir Guerrero.

The 31 year old Zambrano spent 12 seasons in the Majors, 11 of them with the Chicago Cubs. In 1,959.0 career innings he posted a 3.66 ERA and 1.331 WHIP, going 132-91 in that span. He spent the 2012 season with the Miami Marlins following an early January trade from the Cubs. He’d make 35 appearances for the team, including 20 starts, putting up a 7-10 record and 4.49 ERA in 132.1 IP.

Zambrano’s career was filled with a number of on and off field incidents that left more of an impact on his legacy than his work on the mound. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes summed them up fairly succinctly:

From the ‘07 fight with teammate Michael Barrett; the five year, $91.5 Million contract signed that year; all kinds of odd ailments; the no-hitter in ‘08 against the Astros at Miller Park; the ‘09 on-field tantrum that led to a six game suspension; problems with Cubs management; the move to the bullpen and back; the issue with Derrek Lee in ‘10 that led to a team mandated suspension; his placement on the disqualified list in ‘11; to the salary dump trade to Miami; Z’s final years as a Cub were tumultuous to say the least.

Over the winter Zambrano was believed to have interest in a Major League job, though he preferred to start rather than work out of the bullpen. Little interest emerged and ultimately he was left without an offer. He’ll need to both pitch extraordinarily well and demonstrate some maturity in the clubhouse before any team will likely be willing to take another flyer on him.

Brian Roberts has been a fixture at second base in Baltimore since 2001, but surgery will keep him out of the lineup for at least another six weeks. (Image Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)

Brian Roberts was once considered among the top second baseman in all of baseball, but injuries have not only kept him off the field since the start of the 2010 season but have also tarnished what was once a promising legacy. The news continued to get worse for Roberts and the faithful Baltimore Orioles fans that want their player back, as he’ll need to undergo surgery on the strained hamstring that has kept him out of the lineup since April 5th. The procedure will add at least six weeks to his expected return date.

Roberts was unsatisfied with how his recovery had been progressing, according to ESPN.com, and sought out the second opinion of Dr. Daniel Cooper in Dallas. That is when the decision to undergo surgery was made.

Baltimore has seen their franchise cornerstone appear in just 118 games since the start of the 2010 season, including just three this year, due to a series of injuries. In 525 PA over that span (roughly one full season’s worth) he’s hit just .248/.311/.344 – a far cry from the .280/.351/.413 career line that we’d come to expect from the now 35 year old. Roberts will be a free agent at the end of the season and it remains to be seen what type of interest he’ll attract on the open market given his injury history. If he is able to return later this season, demonstrating that he’s finally healthy will be one significant challenge.

Adeiny Hechavarria has long been considered a superior defensive option at shortstop and the Marlins could be activating him from the DL today. (Image Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports)

Adeiny Hechavarria is eligible to come off the disabled list today for the Miami Marlins and by all indications the team will activate their starting shortstop. Hechavarria has been sidelined since April 18 due to an elbow contusion.

Hechavarria had hit just .184/.231/.286 through 52 PA on the season before landing on the DL. The 24 year old was one of the pieces acquired by the Marlins in their November trade with the Toronto Blue Jays, the deal that shipped Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, and others north of the border. Hechavarria has long been known as a defensive standout, but his bat has been a question mark since he was originally signed as a free agent after defecting from Cuba. He’s been rehabbing with the organization’s Class-A affiliate in Jupiter.

To make room on the active roster, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com believes that the Marlins will end up designating infielder Nick Green for assignment. Green was brought in on a minor league deal in the offseason and has seen limited playing time with the Marlins, earning just 30 PA. He’s hit well in that span – posting a .292/.321/.417 line – but the veteran has never posted strong numbers over an extender period of time in parts of eight seasons in the Major Leagues. It remains unclear if Green will accept a demotion to Triple-A, barring a deal that will send him to another team.

Green is understandably disappointed by the potential move, as he told Frisaro:

it’s disappointing. Everybody wants to be in the big leagues and you got to try to do the best you can when you get a chance. That’s all I could do.

Chien-Ming Wang, who spent the 2011 and 2012 seasons with the Washington Nationals, elected to remain with the Yankees Triple-A affiliate for the foreseeable future rather than exercise his first opt out clause. (Image Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports)

Having missed a significant amount of time due to injury since early in the 2009 season, Chien-Ming Wang drew considerable attention over the course of the winter as he searched for an opportunity to continue his pitching career. It was only after a strong showing for Chinese-Taipei during the World Baseball Classic (12.0 IP over two starts, without allowing a run) that the interest turned into an offer. The New York Yankees inked Wang to a minor league contract in late March, a deal which contains five different dates at which point he is free to opt out of the deal and become a free agent.

The first of those dates has come and gone, with Wang electing to remain with the Yankees organization, according to a report from Focus Taiwan as passed along by Mike Axisa at River Ave. Blues. Wang’s five opt out dates are as follows, according to Axisa: April 30, May 31, June 30, August 10, and August 31.

In 130 appearances (120 GS) over his career Wang holds a 61-32 record and 4.26 ERA over 765.1 IP. He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Yankees before spending parts of the last two with the Washington Nationals.

Wang has made three starts for the Yankees Triple-A team in Scranton, posting a 2-1 record and 0.95 ERA over 19.0 IP. He’s struck out seven (3.3 K/9) and walked three (1.4 BB/9), while appearing to have his groundball inducing sinker back. Should Wang continue to pitch this well he should find himself in a Major League rotation before long, be it with the injury-ravaged Yankees or with another organization.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

After hitting 37 homers in just 123 games a year ago, Stanton has spent the early part of 2013 battling injuries and slumping to a .167/.342/.233 line without a long ball to this name thus far. The 23-year-old has been the source of all kinds of trade talks, and indeed it seems very possible he could be moved at some point in the near future for Miami to complete their latest fire sale.

Coming into today’s game, the team as a whole was hitting .209/.277/.273 with just three home runs in it’s first 14 games, a truly horrendous start. While things are bound to pick up a bit from this lack of production, the odds of a non-last place finish are already very low. As for Stanton, if he’s been cleared health-wise, it shouldn’t be long before he returns to his typical power-hitting ways. The only question is how long he’ll continue to do it in south Florida.

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