Guardians appoint Oscar Mercado for appointment

The Guardians announced a bunch of roster moves ahead of tonight’s contest with the twins (posted by Mandy Bell from MLB.com). Defender Oscar Mercado He is set to abdicate, while the Savior Nick Sandlin Selected for Triple-A Columbus. Moves clear active menu space for beginners Aaron Ceval and a particular hitter Franmil ReyesAll of them have been taken back from the list of injured. The transaction chain sheds a spot on the 40-person list, which now totals 39.

Mercado has been a member of the Cleveland Organization for nearly four years. The club acquired him from the Cardinals on the 2018 trading deadline in a rare exchange of prospects, sending off lower-level players. John Torres And the Coner Cable The other way. Mercado reached the major leagues the following May, quickly establishing himself as a central player for Terry Francona’s side. Over 482 board appearances during his debut season, Mercado made .269/ .318/ .443 scoring 15 home runs and base steals each.

Besides the prestigious defensive metrics, the previous second-round pick seemed to have emerged as a member of the long-term core. His low walking totals and modest power always culminated in his offensive upside, but he showed above-average contact skills and sportsmanship to make an impact on the base and gauntlet passes. However, this has not been proven, because Mercado’s productivity on the board has declined since his rookie year.

He didn’t hit at all during the abridged 2020 season, and Cleveland brought him back to Triple-A on an elective mission to unlock the 2021 campaign. He put in a capable but unsurprising showing in more than 45 games with Columbus, but was called up at the end of June. Mercado spent the rest of the season in the majors but managed a modest 0.224/.300/.369 display through 238 board appearances.

2021 was Mercado’s final year of choice in the minor league, meaning the Guardians had to keep him in the big league roster this season. They did in the first two and a half months, but it only posted a .202/.227/.377 streak during 49 competitions. The persistent offensive difficulties in the end proved to be too much for the front office to ignore, especially since Reyes is now healthy and a rookie player. Oscar Gonzalez Great start to his MLB career. Cleveland got Miles Str Last summer to serve as a daily midfielder, while Stephen Kwan He has positioned himself as a starting base in the left field.

The Guardians will now have a week to trade the Mercado or try to manage it via outright concessions. Still only 27 years old, the combination of his hit-to-ball skills and defensive acumen could lead another team to gain him. Any club to do so would have to keep Mercado on their active roster or the DFA themselves, but he has not yet reached referee eligibility and has some MLB success on his résumé. This would make him an interesting deep pilot for a team looking for a fourth or fifth player.