CarterHud

         No-hitter alert! The first no-hitter of 2017 was thrown by Miami Marlins RHP Edinson Volquez, who struck out 10 batters in a 3-0 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

        Volquez, 33, was almost out of the game after three pitches. The first batter of the game, Rey Fuentes collided with Volquez at first base, but Volquez stayed in the game. Chris Owings made the final out, pinch hitting for the pitcher. Two walks were erased by double plays so Volquez faced the minimum 27 batters.

        The last time the D-backs were no-hit was when another Marlin, Anibal Sanchez (now with Detroit) no-hit them on September 6th, 2006. It\’s the first no-hitter in Marlins franchise history since Henderson Alvarez threw one on the 162nd game of the 2013 season. It\’s the sixth no-hitter in franchise history after Alvarez\’s, Sanchez\’s, A.J. Burnett\’s, Kevin Brown\’s and Al Leiter\’s.

         After the game, Volquez dedicated the game to two former players. One is former Marlin Jose Fernandez, who died in a boating accident last year, and Yordano Ventura, who Volquez won the 2015 World Series with in Kansas City. Ventura also passed away this offseason, this time in a car accident. He would\’ve turned 26 today.

      After the Texas Rangers designated former closer Sam Dyson for assignment yesterday, they have seven days to trade or release him (reduced from 10 by new CBA). He has been terrible so far this season (20 ER in 16.2 innings), but had a 2.43 ERA with 38 saves in 70.1 innings last year, and tossed six perfect innings for team USA in the 2017 WBC (World Baseball Classic), so he\’s got positive history. I imagine some teams will be interested in Dyson, so here\’s four teams that Dyson may pitch for next.

      New York Mets
The team has been a mess in 2017. Their starting pitching has been terrible, and in the pen, closer Jeurys Familia will miss a couple of months. They are also second-to-last in the MLB in team ERA (4.89, Philadelphia has 4.97). Temporary closer Addison Reed has been OK, but new set-up man Paul Sewald blew the game last night, Fernando Salas, Neil Ramirez, Hansel Robles (now in minors) and Josh Smoker and have struggled. The only positive in their pen is southpaws Jerry Blevins and Josh Edgin. Dyson can help a lot if he can get back on the right track.

      Minnesota Twins
They might be in first place, but their bullpen has an MLB high 5.34 ERA. They have relievers like Matt Belisle, Ryan Pressly, Michael Tonkin and Justin Haley that just haven\’t had any positives this season like Dyson. The Rangers probably won\’t ask for much in exchange for Dyson, so there doesn\’t seem to be much to lose.

       Washington Nationals
They need a closer badly, The Nats have been in talks with the Chicago White Sox involving Sox closer David Robertson. Besides closer Koda Glover, the entire bullpen has struggled, it seems. They have the 4th highest bullpen ERA in the league with a horrid 4.82 ERA. Blake Treinen, Shawn Kelley and Enny Romero are top five on the team in innings pitched out of relievers (Jacob Turner doesn\’t count because of two starts) and have ERAs over 5 (Treinen\’s is over 6.60). Dyson can make a difference.

        Oakland Athletics
A\’s GM Billy Beane had been known for acquiring relievers and turning them into great closers back in the Moneyball ERA. He should have interest in Dyson, when his team is 5th worst in the MLB in pen ERA with 4.79. John Axford has come off the DL allowing six runs in 4.2 innings. Ryan Dull, Josh Smith and closer Santiago Casilla are also off to rough starts. Dyson might be on a division rival, but Beane should look to acquire him.

        The Texas Rangers have designated RHP Sam Dyson for assignment, and have activated RHP Jose Leclerc from the 10-day disabled list.

        Dyson, 29, has allowed 20 earned runs in 16.2 innings this year (10.80 ERA). He has struck out just seven batters. He started the season as their closer, but failed to pick up a save after converting 38 of them last year. He has a career ERA of 3.54 in 216 innings, striking out 172 batters and converting 40 saves for the Rangers, Miami Marlins and Toronto Blue Jays (only pitched two thirds of an inning there).

         Leclerc, 23, has a 2.31 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 11.2 innings. He has a 2.03 ERA with 33 strikeouts in 26.2 innings over his two year MLB career.

         \”Obviously, Sam was a huge part of us winning the last couple of years. There was definitely some frustration on our part. We couldn\’t put him in the right spot to recreate that magic. He is healthy and has been healthy. He just hasn\’t been able to get back to where he is capable. You can\’t hide that at a competitive level,\” Rangers GM Jon Daniels said of Dyson.
   
           The Rangers have seven days to trade or release Dyson.

      The Pittsburgh Pirates have made a couple of moves, to in the eyes of GM Neal Huntington, improve the team. INFs Phil Gosselin and Max Moroff have been recalled from the Indianapolis Indians (AAA). INF Gift Ngoepe was optioned there, and another INF, Alen Hansen, was DFA\’d.

      Gosselin, 28, has a .138 batting average with one RBI in 29 ABs this year for the Pirates. He has a .310 batting average with seven RBIs and two steals in 84 ABs for the AAA Indians. He has a .274 batting average, six homers, 32 RBIs and seven steals in 489 career MLB ABs for the Pirates, Atlanta Braves and Arizona Diamondbacks.

       Moroff, 24, is one for nine (.111) with the Pirates this year, with an RBI. He has a .269 batting average, 13 homers, 36 RBIs and four steals in 160 ABs for Indianapolis this year. He\’s one for 11 (.091) in his MLB career. He has a minor league career batting average of .256 with 38 homers, 237 RBIs and 66 steals in 2067 ABs.

       Ngoepe, 27, has a .222 batting average and six RBIs in 54 ABs this year, his first in the majors. He\’s hit .241 with a homer and four RBIs in 58 ABs for Indy this year. He has a minor league career batting average of .232 with 37 homers, 201 RBIs and 88 steals. He recently made headlines as the first major league baseball player born in the continent of Africa.

       Hansen, 24, has a .193 batting average, an RBI and two steals in 57 ABs this year, including a pair of triples. The former top prospect has a career batting average of .205, two RBIs and four steals in 88 ABs.

         The Los Angeles Kings have acquired forward Bokondji \”Boko\” Imama from the Tampa Bay Lightning for a (conditional) 2018 7th round pick. The Kings also have signed Imama to an entry level contract (three years). 

         Imama, 20, scored 41 goals and 55 points in 66 games for the QMJHL winning Saint John Sea Dogs this season. He led them in those categories. He also sat in the penalty box for 105 minutes. The Bolts originally drafted him in the 6th round, 180th overall in the 2015 NHL draft.

         If Imama wasn\’t signed by the Kings by today\’s deadline, then he would become a UFA and the Kings wouldn\’t give up the pick.