White Sox's Daniel Ponce de Leon: Inks minors deal with Pale Hose
Rotowire
Ponce de Leon signed a minor-league contract with the White Sox on Wednesday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
Ponce de Leon went unsigned all winter after struggling to a 6.52 ERA in 116 innings (26 starts) last season between the Triple-A affiliates of the Mariners, Nationals and Tigers. The 31-year-old right-hander hasn't appeared in a major-league game since 2021 with the Cardinals. He'll head to Triple-A Charlotte.
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Tigers' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Finds work in Detroit organization
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Ponce de Leon, who signed a minor-league contract with the Tigers on Sept. 9, has produced a 1.69 ERA and 0.88 WHIP while striking out 15 in 16 innings across his first three starts with Triple-A Toledo.
The Tigers are the fourth organization that Ponce de Leon has been a part of in 2022 after prior stints with the Angels, Mariners and Nationals. Though he made at least two starts in the big leagues in each of the past four seasons, the 30-year-old has yet to surface in the majors in 2022 after turning in a collective 6.52 ERA in 116 innings at Triple-A. His strong finish to the campaign at Toledo could be enough to convince the Tigers to keep Ponce de Leon in the fold for 2023, though the veteran right-hander could choose to elect free agency this winter.
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Nationals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Signs minor-league deal
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Ponce de Leon signed a minor-league contract with the Nationals on Friday, Jesse Dougherty of The Washington Post reports.
Ponce de Leon has spent time on minor-league deals with the Angels and Mariners this year, and he'll have a chance to carve out a role in the Nationals' system now that the All-Star break is over. The right-hander made 16 starts at Triple-A Tacoma earlier in the year and posted a 7.95 ERA and 1.67 WHIP in 71.1 innings.
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Daniel Ponce de Leon: Parts ways with Seattle
Rotowire
The Mariners released Ponce de Leon from his minor-league contract Sunday.
Ponce de Leon attended big-league spring training, but he never came particularly close to winning a spot on the Mariners' Opening Day roster and did little during his time at Triple-A Tacoma to make a case for a call-up. Over 16 starts in the Pacific Coast League, Ponce de Leon turned in a 7.95 ERA and 1.67 WHIP while striking out 80 and giving up 16 home runs over 71.1 innings.
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Mariners' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Signs minor-league contract
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Ponce de Leon signed a minor-league contract with the Mariners on Saturday, Tacoma Rainiers broadcaster Mike Curto reports.
Ponce de Leon was a non-roster invitee with the Angels this spring but was ultimately released by the organization Monday. The right-hander will start the second game of a doubleheader at Triple-A Tacoma on Saturday.
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Daniel Ponce de Leon: Seeking new organization
Rotowire
The Angels released Ponce de Leon on Monday.
Ponce de Leon attended the Angels' big-league camp as a non-roster invitee, but he was reassigned to the minors last week after failing to secure a spot in the big club's Opening Day rotation or bullpen. Though Ponce de Leon was expected to provide starting depth at Triple-A Salt Lake, the Angels will instead allow him to pursue work elsewhere to begin the 2022 season.
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Angels' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Sent to MiLB camp
Rotowire
The Angels reassigned Ponce de Leon to their minor-league camp Monday.
Ponce de Leon was one of non-roster invitees sent back to the minors as the Angels look to trim down their big-league camp group ahead of Opening Day. He's expected to slot into the rotation at Triple-A Salt Lake to begin the campaign and will give the Angels some established starting depth in the upper minors. Ponce de Leon has made 22 starts in the majors with St. Louis across the past four seasons, compiling a 4.33 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 147.2 career innings.
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Angels' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Signs with Angels
Rotowire
Ponce de Leon signed a minor-league contract with the Angels on Tuesday.
Ponce de Leon recorded a 3.31 ERA in 12 starts and 12 relief appearances across his first two MLB campaigns (2018 and 2019), but he's been unable to get back to that level since then. Over the last two seasons, he owns a 5.59 ERA in 66 innings of work. He could potentially enter the Angels' rotation at some point this year if he proves he's back to somewhere close to his previous form, but the fact that he was stuck settling for a minor-league deal indicates that teams don't have particularly high expectations for him.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Outrighted to Triple-A
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Ponce de Leon cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Memphis on Wednesday.
Ponce de Leon was designated for assignment Monday, but he'll remain in the organization after he went unclaimed on waivers. The right-hander posted a career-worst 6.21 ERA in 33.1 innings with the major-league club this year but has tossed nine scoreless innings across five starts in Memphis this year.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Dumped from 40-man roster
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The Cardinals designated Ponce de Leon for assignment Monday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Ponce de Leon was cast off the 40-man roster and 28-man active roster to clear a spot for fellow reliever Brandon Waddell, who was called up from Triple-A Memphis in a corresponding move. Though he had some decent moments as a spot starter for the Cardinals in 2018 and 2019, Ponce de Leon's effectiveness in a swingman role has tailed off considerably over the past two seasons. Dating back to the start of 2020, the 29-year-old righty has covered 66 innings with the Cardinals, posting a 5.59 ERA (5.87 FIP), 1.47 WHIP and a 9.0 K-BB%.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Solid since IL return
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Ponce de Leon, who fired a scoreless seventh inning during which he allowed a hit and a walk in a loss to the Pirates on Thursday, has a 1.69 ERA across 5.1 innings over the three appearances he's logged since returning from the injured list.
Ponce de Leon was activated from his IL stint on Aug. 9, but he didn't see any action until last Friday, just two days shy of two months since he'd last made an appearance June 22. The versatile right-hander has made two starts among his 20 appearances this season, and his brief stretch of success over the last week is encouraging considering he went into it with a career-worst 7.03 ERA and 1.64 WHIP.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Reinstated from 10-day IL
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Ponce de Leon (shoulder) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Monday.
Ponce de Leon made four appearances during his rehab assignment and allowed three runs on five hits and five walks while striking out seven in 7.2 innings. The right-hander will attempt to improve upon his 7.03 ERA and 1.64 WHIP in 24.1 innings across 17 appearances (two starts) with the major-league club to begin the season.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Playing catch Saturday
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Ponce de Leon (shoulder) is going through intake protocols and will play catch Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Ponce de Leon recently completed four rehab outings, and he threw 39 pitches (25 strikes) in 1.2 innings during his most recent appearance. The righty is close to returning from the 10-day injured list, and the team's doctors will evaluate him following Saturday's throwing session.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Gets rehab win despite struggles
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Ponce de Leon (shoulder) was credited with the win in Double-A Springfield's victory over Tulsa on Tuesday, allowing three earned runs on two hits and a walk over 1.2 innings. He also recorded a strikeout.
Ponce de Leon gave up a three-run home run but was otherwise reasonably effective while throwing 39 pitches, 25 which found the strike zone. The right-hander has now made four rehab appearances without setbacks, and given that he's likely to return to the big-league club in a long-relief role, Ponce de Leon may be deemed ready for activation without the need for any further outings at the minor-league level.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Ready for next rehab outing
Rotowire
Ponce de Leon (shoulder) is scheduled to make the fourth appearance of his rehab assignment Tuesday with Double-A Springfield.
Ponce de Leon is expected to follow starter Miles Mikolas (forearm), who is expected to cover around five innings or 70 pitches in his third rehab start. With both Mikolas and Jack Flaherty (oblique) on the comeback trail from injuries and with the Cardinals acquiring two starters (Jon Lester and J.A. Happ) at the trade deadline, Ponce de Leon likely won't be under consideration for a spot in the St. Louis rotation once activated from the 10-day injured list. The Cardinals are seemingly preparing for Ponce de Leon to serve as a long-relief option when he returns, as the right-hander worked three innings in his third rehab outing last Wednesday.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Throwing side session
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Ponce de Leon (shoulder) will throw a side session Saturday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Ponce de Leon recently made three rehab starts at Triple-A Memphis, and he built up to three innings during his most recent appearance. Based on how he feels after Saturday's throwing session, the Cardinals will determine whether the right-hander will resume his rehab assignment or throw an additional live BP prior to rejoining the major-league club. However, Ponce de Leon is expected to remain on the injured list until at least next weekend.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Solid in second rehab appearance
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Ponce de Leon (shoulder) started Triple-A Memphis' win over Louisville on Sunday, firing two scoreless innings during which he allowed two hits, issued two walks and recorded two strikeouts.
The rehabbing right-hander worked up to 39 pitches, 22 which found the strike zone. Ponce de Leon now has three scoreless frames with the Redbirds under his belt, and with the team's official site reporting the Cardinals would like him to build up to around 50 pitches before activation, it appears very likely the 29-year-old is due for at least one more rehab outing.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Scoreless rehab frame Thursday
Rotowire
Ponce de Leon (shoulder) fired a scoreless first inning in Triple-A Memphis' win over Louisville on Thursday, allowing one walk.
The recovering right-hander threw 13 pitches overall, seven which found the strike zone. Ponce de Leon has been sidelined exactly one month, so there's likely several more rehab appearances in his future before he's deemed ready for activation.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Beginning rehab Thursday
Rotowire
Ponce de Leon (shoulder) will start a rehab assignment and throw an inning for Triple-A Memphis on Thursday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
A right shoulder injury has sidelined Ponce de Leon since June 23, at which point he had pitched to a 7.03 ERA in 24.1 innings. It's unclear how many appearances he'll make before being activated, but the Cardinals' desperate need for starting pitching suggests they'll stretch the 29-year-old out a bit to make him a viable option for the rotation.
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Cardinals' Daniel Ponce de Leon: Dealing with shoulder discomfort
Rotowire
Ponce de Leon was removed from Tuesday's game at Detroit with right shoulder discomfort, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The right-hander recorded one out and allowed a hit before exiting with the injury; the runner eventually came around to score. Ponce de Leon spent over three weeks on the injured list with a similar injury in May, so this is cause for some concern.
