Week That Was: Kang Gone
Jung Ho Kang's fantastic rookie year has come to a screeching halt. The infielder suffered a serious leg injury on Thursday, and his recovery may stretch into next season.
Chris Coghlan collided with Kang on a hard slide when trying to break up a double play in the first inning of the Cubs/Pirates game, and the shortstop needed to be helped off the field. An MRI revealed that Kang had suffered a torn ACL and fractured fibia. The recovery timetable is 6-8 months, meaning that even without setbacks, the 28-year-old could be out of action until next May.
It's a real shame since Kang, signed by the Pirates out of South Korea during the offseason, has been a revelation in Pittsburgh, posting an 816 OPS with 15 homers and 58 RBI while splitting time between short and third. His absence should lead to regular playing time on the left side for Jordy Mercer and Josh Harrison.
It's a big blow for the Pirates as they head into the playoffs.
* Over the hill? Not so much. Rich Hill hadn't made a major-league start since 2009 before taking the mound on Sunday, but he didn't exhibit many signs of rust, dominating the Rays over seven shutout ball with 10 strikeouts and one walk.
The fine outing comes on the heels of some strong work in Triple-A. Hill had put up a 2.53 ERA and 10.2 K/9 rate in 30 outings between the Washington and Boston affiliates, working mostly as a reliever. We don't expect him to keep up at this rate but he might be worth streaming in the final weeks.
* Joe Kelly came up a bit short of his AL Cy Young prediction. The hard-throwing righty posted a 4.82 ERA and 1.44 WHIP in a rocky first season with the Red Sox and has now been shut down due to shoulder tightness and general arm fatigue.
To his credit, Kelly did finish on a very nice run, going 7-0 with a 2.35 ERA in his final eight starts. He'll be a strong bounceback candidate in 2016.
* Acquiring Mat Latos at the deadline didn't exactly work out for the Dodgers, who designated the 27-year-old for assignment this week after watching him post a 6.66 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in six appearances after coming over from the Marlins.
It's a tough end to what's been a forgettable year for Latos, but with his youth and track record he'll have no trouble latching on somewhere else.
* The Cardinals activated Matt Holliday from the disabled list on Tuesday but still haven't plugged in him into the starting lineup yet. He did make a pinch-hitting appearance Thursday – his first at-bat since July – but it's clear that the Cardinals are easing him back in. His playing time may be limited until October.
* Jonathan Lucroy said on Tuesday that he still has felt no improvement in the concussion symptoms that have haunted him since he took a foul tip to the mask a week before. It's hard to imagine he'll play again this year and the possible long-term implications are troubling given the position he plays.
Joe Mauer suffered a concussion from a foul tip into the mask back in 2013 and the Twins ultimately decided to move him away from catcher. Lucroy is a critical piece in Milwaukee's plans so the Brewers will undoubtedly take every measure to protect his health.
* The Royals pulled struggling Danny Duffy from their rotation and reinstated Jeremy Guthrie, who has been working out of the bullpen since late August. It's a bit of an odd move since Duffy is the more talented arm and hasn't pitched all that badly, while Guthrie has continued to look mediocre in relief duty. But with Kansas City having a postseason spot locked up, the goal is likely to get a good look at Duffy in the pen.
* Jesse Chavez told reporters this week that he's been dealing with rib soreness for a while, and an MRI taken this week discovered a non-displaced fracture, so his season is over. The 32-year-old was decent, if inconsistent, for Oakland this year, and will be replaced by Cody Martin the rest of the way. Martin allowed six runs over three innings in his start on Wednesday and is a poor bet to provide value even in deep leagues.
* Erasmo Ramirez continues to show signs of turning the corner, and his outing against the Yankees looked like another sizable step in the right direction. The Tampa Bay right-hander carried a no-hitter into the eighth inning before Carlos Beltran finally ended his bid with a single.
Since moving into the Rays rotation for good in mid-May, Ramirez is 10-4 with a 3.03 ERA in 22 starts. Opponents have batted just .216 against him during that span. Heading into his age-26 season, he's got major breakout potential.
* All Star second baseman Joe Panik's back has been giving him trouble for much of the second half, and this week he and the Giants finally decided to shut it down for 2015. Panik will return next year as one of the NL's top offensive middle infielders.
* The Yankees pulled Ivan Nova from their rotation and placed him in the bullpen this week. Nova, who returned from Tommy John rehab in late June, pitched well initially for New York but was tagged with a 9.68 ERA in his final four starts. The Yanks are hoping he can find something extra in shortened relief stints and help them in the final weeks and the playoffs.
* Brewers starter Jimmy Nelson took a line drive off the head in Thursday's game against the Cardinals, but was thankfully able to walk off the field under his own power. It looks like he avoided serious injury, but we'd be surprised to see him pitch again this season.
