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Matt Strahm RP | KC
Royals' Matthew Strahm: Designated to Double-A Northwest Arkansas
Strahm was optioned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas Monday, Josh Vernier of 610 AM reports.
Strahm has not played above the High-A level in the Royals system so it makes sense they would want to keep him in the minors to develop him more. His designation to Double-A ball is a promotion from last year as he spent the 2015 season rotating between Single-A Lexington and High-A Wilmington. In his two-team stint last year, the 6-4 leftie posted a 3.06 ERA, .968 WHIP and an impressive 11.6 SO/9 in 94 innings. If the 24-year old can continue to produce numbers like those at the Double-A level, he could punch his ticket to Triple-A Omaha at some point this season.
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Jimmy Reyes RP | TEX
Rangers' Jimmy Reyes: Leaves with bruised elbow
Reyes left Monday's game with a bruised left elbow, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jeff Wilson reports.
He has impressed the Rangers this spring, but the 27-year-old lefty was always facing an uphill battle to crack the roster out of spring training. If he has to miss a chunk of time with the elbow bruise, that should be enough to punch his ticket to Triple-A for the start of the season, where he would serve as organizational bullpen depth.
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Jimmy Reyes RP | TEX
Rangers' Jimmy Reyes: Struck by line drive Monday, removed from game
Reyes was struck by a line drive Monday and was removed from the game afterward, Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports.
It's not clear where the left-hander was hit, but it isn't reassuring that he was removed after trying only one warm-up pitch following the incident. His status should become more clear in the coming days.
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Jake Reed RP | LAD
Twins' Jake Reed: Assigned to minor league camp
Reed was assigned to Minnesota's minor league camp.
Reed looked on the fast track to the majors after he posted a minuscule 0.29 ERA and 0.45 WHIP in 20 appearances between rookie-level Elizabethton and Low-A Cedar Rapids last season. He then struggled at Double-A Chattanooga with an ugly 6.32 ERA and 4.1 BB/9. He has a fastball that can reach the high-90s, so it's possible he could reach the majors as early as this summer if he can find the strike zone more frequently.
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Brian Johnson RP | BOS
Red Sox's Brian Johnson: Suffers sprained left big toe Monday
Johnson suffered a sprained left big toe Monday, Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports.
While the injury itself is unfortunate, the diagnosis brought a sigh of relief to many in the Red Sox organization when it was confirmed to be a non-arm injury. A timetable for his recovery should be announced soon.
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JT Chargois RP | TEX
Twins' J.T. Chargois: Optioned to Double-A
Chargois was optioned to Double-A Chattanooga.
Chargois missed two seasons with elbow injuries but had a promising 2.70 ERA and 9.3 K/9 at Double-A last season. He had a 5.45 BB/9, however, so he'll need to improve his control to advance. He's the type of hard-throwing reliever the Twins desperately need in their bullpen.
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Brian Johnson RP | BOS
Red Sox's Brian Johnson: Leaves Monday's game
Johnson was pulled from Monday's game while accompanied by a trainer, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports.
Johnson gave up hits to all four batters he faced and appeared to leave the game with an injury. It is not yet known if the 25-year-old re-injured his left elbow or if it is something new, but more information should be released in the near future.
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Jose Leclerc RP | SD
Rangers' Jose Leclerc: Optioned to minors
Leclerc was optioned to minor league camp Monday.
Leclerc made the transition from reliever to starter last season but struggled to a 5.77 ERA and 98:77 K:BB in 103 innings at Double-A Frisco. The 22-year-old is unlikely to make an impact at the major league level and figures to spend the season at either Double or Triple-A.
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Miguel Almonte RP | LAA
Royals' Miguel Almonte: Optioned to Triple-A on Monday
Almonte was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Monday, Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star reports.
Almonte pitched well with the major league club during spring training, punching out eight batters while only allowing two earned runs in six innings pitched. The flamethrower will head back to the minors to get more experience against upper-level hitters, but if he can hold his own, the 22-year-old could find his way to Kansas City once again.
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Connor Sadzeck RP | MIN
Rangers' Connor Sadzeck: Optioned to minors
Sadzeck was optioned to minor league camp, TR Sullivan of MLB.com reports.
It's unclear where, exactly, Sadzeck will end up, but he could land back at Double-A Frisco, where he posted a 1-1 record and 9.61 ERA across seven appearances (six starts) in 2015.