(*) PT TOMORROW: AL Central—Buxton arrives; is Sano next?

Minnesota Twins

The buzz of the promotion of Byron Buxton (OF, MIN) has not yet even died down, and already the excitement is building for the promotion of another potential future star, Miguel Sanó (3B, MIN).

Fueling the speculation are comments from manager Paul Molitor, to the effect that an unexpectedly sudden promotion, mirroring Buxton’s, is “possible.”

Since May 6, Sano has batted .320 with seven home runs to raise his season slash line to .257/.358/.505.

Sano’s natural position, third base, is being filled capably by Trevor Plouffe (3B, MIN); thus, for the balance of 2015, at least, Sano’s ABs would have to come elsewhere.

Instead, the clock may be ticking on the latest chance for Kennys Vargas (DH, MIN) to seize the team’s DH role. A .229 xBA, 69% ct% and 0.18 Eye does not offer much hope.

 

Chicago White Sox

The drumbeats to bring Micah Johnson (2B, CHW) back to the majors are growing louder after the 24-year-old posted three consecutive three-hit games June 11-14, raising his slash line at AAA-Charlotte to .315/.387/.391 through June 16.

That hot hand has to be looking better and better to the White Sox brass, given the failure of Emilio Bonifácio (2B, CHW) the seize a short-lived opportunity that came at the expense of Carlos Sanchez (2B, CHW), which was recently discussed in Playing Time Today by analyst Mike Shears. Bonifacio has one hit in his last 21 at-bats and yet still has a higher batting average—barely—than Sanchez (.167 in 66 AB vs. .146 in 89 AB). Neither man hits the ball with any authority, wasting what remains of the 30-year-old Bonifacio’s speed.

Meanwhile, Gordon Beckham (3B, CHW) had begun to edge past Conor Gillaspie (3B, CHW) as the team’s primary third baseman, only to go on a 1-for-27 skid of his own. Gillaspie’s power metrics are slightly better than Beckham, but it would be hard to get excited about him, even if the playing-time pendulum swung back in his direction.

The situation is ripe for a Micah Johnson-esque coup; alas, prospect Matt Davidson (3B, CHW) is doing a far worse job forcing his way onto the roster. With four hits in his last 33 AB through June 16, his slash line has dropped to .226/.312/.400, though he does have 10 HR in 235 AB.

If the White Sox continue to fall out of contention, ESPN’s Buster Olney and others have hypothesized that fellow infielder Alexei Ramirez (SS, CHW), owed only a $1 million buyout of a $10 million option, could be traded.

As has been in vogue in the AL Central this season, the White Sox could turn to top prospect Tim Anderson (SS, CHW) in Ramirez’s absence. Anderson has been tearing up the basepaths at AA-Birmingham (22-for-27 SB), though in true White Sox infielder fashion, he has been in a slump of late (6-for-36 in last 10 games).

With nothing to play for, the White Sox might be more apt to give Anderson more experience in the minors and cover the position with Sanchez and Beckham.

 

Cleveland Indians

While the Indians are a couple of games better off in the standings than the White Sox, rumors have Carlos Santana (1B, CLE) as a player who could be marketed, even with his financial obligations ($8.25M in 2016, $12M team option in 2017.

Nonetheless, if a deal did come to pass, it would be hard to imagine Nick Swisher (DH, CLE) getting himself healthy enough and performing well enough to benefit from the available AB to any significant degree.

Instead, if Giovanny Urshela (3B, CLE) can keep his head above water, 1B may well be where the next opportunity for Lonnie Chisenhall (3B, CLE) comes. Chisenhall’s demotion to AAA-Columbus hasn’t put him in a funk: He is 11-for-27 with 2 HR and 3 2B through his first seven games.

A position change for Brandon Moss (OF, CLE) could be another alternative, with David Murphy (OF, CLE) logging additional outfield time. Of course, that would free up the AB Murphy had already pried away from Swisher at DH for… someone.

Aside from Chisenhall, the player making the most noise at AAA-Columbus currently is Tyler Holt (OF, CLE), who is beginning to look ready to supplant Michael Bourn (OF, CLE) in center field, but for the $14 million Bourn is due in 2016.

Holt has hit .342 in his last 10 games to raise his season average to .316 (.395 OBP), and he is 13-for-14 on stolen base attempts.    

 

Detroit Tigers

Victor Martínez (DH, DET) should be back in a number of days, and already on his rehabilitation assignment there have been some positive signs, specifically hits from the left side of the plate, from which Martinez had started the season 12-for-85.

Now that J.D. Martinez (OF, DET) has started to see the ball extremely well (4 HR, 90%-plus ct% over the past two weeks), the immediate impact of of Victor Martínez’s return is likely to fall on Rajai Davis (OF, DET) and Anthony Gose (OF, DET), who will share center field while filling in at the other OF positions and DH as needed.

A strict platoon is likely—Davis should play against LHPs at a minimum—though Davis could also earn a bit more time if Gose’s struggles of the past few weeks deepen.

 

Kansas City Royals

Danny Duffy (LHP, KC) struck out six while allowing two runs (one unearned) and three hits over 3 2/3 IP in a rehab start for AAA-Omaha June 17.

The team may want to fast track Duffy’s return, given health concerns for other members of the Royals rotation.

At least as of now, the team expects Yordano Ventura (RHP, KC) will start June 19, after having his start pushed back after feeling numbness in his pitching hand last weekend.

Filling in for Ventura June 17 was Joe Blanton (RHP, KC), who had an impressive 13/3 K/BB in his first 15 IP for the Royals before Wednesday’s start. Of course, when we last saw Blanton in the big leagues in 2013, he posted decent command ratios, too, only to be victimized by major home run issues—and in a more forgiving park than Kauffman Stadium, too.

For a while, it appeared as if John Lamb (LHP, KC) would get a chance to make his major league debut after posting a 2.78 ERA with a 53/23 K/BB in 55 IP at AAA-Omaha. He still may if Ventura’s injury lingers or Blanton falters before Duffy is ready to come back.

In the long run, Blanton or Lamb could also bump a pitcher like Jeremy Guthrie (RHP, KC) from the Royals rotation, given his subpar skills and results.

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