Reds officially shut down rookie Mike Leake for the season - MLB

Mike Leake hasn’t pitched since August 24 because of a fatigued shoulder and today the Reds officially shut down the 22-year-old rookie, ruling him out for the playoffs.
Here’s what manager Dusty Baker told John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer:

He’s going to travel with the team, but there’s not enough time for him to get ready. He hasn’t been on the mound, and some of the guys that have been on the mound are sharper and more ready than he is right now. Like I told him last night, without him we wouldn’t be here now. Take away his eight victories and other fine games that we won, he’s a big part of this team.

Leake got off to a great start after skipping the minors to join the Opening Day rotation, going 5-0 with a 2.22 ERA in 73 innings through early June, but after that he coughed up 55 runs in 65 innings. He finishes with a 4.23 ERA and 91/49 K/BB ratio in 138 innings overall, and also went 16-for-48 (.333) at the plate.

SAN DIEGO — The scuffling San Diego Padres claimed catcher Gary Sánchez off waivers from the New York Mets.

The two-time All-Star was designated for assignment after playing in three games for the Mets. He went 1 for 6 with three strikeouts and an RBI, looking shaky at times behind the plate.

With the disappointing Padres (24-29) getting meager offensive production at catcher, they hope Sánchez can provide a boost. Austin Nola is batting .131 with three extra-base hits and a paltry .434 OPS in 39 games. His part-time platoon partner, second-stringer Brett Sullivan, is hitting .170 with four extra-base hits and a .482 OPS in 21 games since getting called up from the minors April 16.

Luis Campusano has been on the injured list since April 17 and is expected to be sidelined until around the All-Star break following left thumb surgery.

San Diego is responsible for just over $1 million in salary for Sánchez after assuming his $1.5 million, one-year contract.

The star-studded Padres have lost seven of 11 and are 3-3 on a nine-game East Coast trip. They open a three-game series at Miami.

San Diego becomes the third National League team to take a close look at the 30-year-old Sánchez this season. He spent time in the minors with San Francisco before getting released May 2 and signing a minor league contract a week later with the Mets, who were minus a couple of injured catchers at the time.

After hitting well in a short stint at Triple-A Syracuse, he was promoted to the big leagues May 19. When the Mets reinstated catcher Tomás Nido from the injured list last week, Sánchez was cut.

Sánchez’s best seasons came early in his career with the New York Yankees, where he was runner-up in 2016 AL Rookie of the Year voting and made the AL All-Star team in 2017 and 2019.

He was traded to Minnesota before the 2022 season and batted .205 with 16 homers and 61 RBIs in 128 games last year.

With the Padres, Sánchez could also be a candidate for at-bats at designated hitter, where 42-year-old Nelson Cruz is batting .245 with three homers, 16 RBIs and a .670 OPS, and 37-year-old Matt Carpenter is hitting .174 with four homers, 21 RBIs and a .652 OPS.