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The Pittsburgh Pirates announced on Wednesday that they have signed first baseman/outfielder John Jaso to a two-year contract. 

At 32 years old, Jaso hit .286 with the Tampa Bay Rays last season in 70 games and will platoon with Mike Morse, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette‘s Stephen J. Nesbitt.  

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported that Jaso will be making $8 million over the two years of his deal. According to USA Today Sports’ Bob Nightengale, he will serve as one of the replacements for free-agent first baseman Pedro Alvarez, who won’t be returning to the team. 

But Jaso’s fielding at first base does provide a question mark. The veteran has only played at first base twice in his career and not since 2013, when he was a member of the Oakland Athletics.

According to Nesbitt, he originally told the Pirates he was willing to play outfield and be the team’s emergency third catcher.          

But general manager Neal Huntington told the media on Wednesday that the Pirates signed Jaso to be their left-handed-hitting first baseman.

“We feel the offensive upside is worth the calculated gamble that he’s going to be able to play first base,” Huntington said, per Nesbitt.      

The GM continued to say Jaso was “very interested in making this (the transition to first base) work. He’s motivated,” per the Pittsburgh Tribune‘s Rob Biertempfel.

Jaso has only appeared in 100 games or more in a season twice over his seven-year career. But his left-handed bat has proved serviceable throughout his limited playing time. 

He provides some pop as well. Though he isn’t a regular home run hitter or necessarily a threatening one, Jaso could provide an occasional lift to a Pirates offense that will surely miss the left-handed Alvarez’s 20-plus home run power.    

Platooning Jaso with Morse still doesn’t make up for the power lost. Morse struggles to put the ball in play, batting .231 last season with 76 strikeouts in 229 at-bats, while Jaso struck out just 39 times in 216 at-bats.

If Morse goes cold, Jaso will probably receive more playing time if his glove is up to snuff. It’s not the perfect way to replace first base, but at least the Pirates have options.        

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, the Colorado Rockies have agreed to a three-year extension worth $10.4 million with reliever Adam Ottavino on Saturday. 

Ottavino appeared in just 10 games before Tommy John surgery derailed his season back in May. It’s a straight deal with no options for the 30-year-old, whose one-year, $1.3 million contract expired at the end of the 2015 season, via Spotrac.com. 

He pitched just 10.1 innings last season but was dominant in that short time. Ottavino didn’t allow a single run and gave up just three hits while saving three games, finishing five games in total. Just five baserunners got on while he was on the mound, and he struck out 13 of the 32 batters he faced. That’s an 11.3 strikeouts-per-nine-innings mark. 

Ottavino’s presence was sorely missed in a Rockies bullpen that ranked 24th in saves and dead last in the MLB with a 4.70 ERA. 

He showed flashes of why he can be Colorado’s man out of the bullpen for years to come, which is why Colorado was probably willing to extend his deal three years. His fastball increased almost three mph from 2014 to 2015, jumping from 97 to 100 mph.

Pair that with some nasty breaking stuff, like this one to get Nori Aoki of the San Francisco Giants, and Ottavino will be one tough man to get a hit against when he comes back healthy:

The problem is, Rockies fans will have to wait a while to see him take the mound in 2016. Per Heyman, he’s expected to be back with the team by the middle of the summer, though he is recovering well from the torn UCL. 

With the Rockies adding Chad Qualls and Jason Motte this offseason, the team does have options for late-inning situations until Ottavino returns. If he is able to regain his form from 2015, Colorado could have an improved combination coming out of its bullpen.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

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Unrestricted free-agent starting pitcher Yovani Gallardo is continuing to garner some interest on the market this offseason. 

Continue for updates.

2 Teams Most Interested in Gallardo

Friday, Dec. 18

According to FoxSports.com’s Jon Morosi, the Baltimore Orioles and the Houston Astros are the “most aggressive suitors” for Gallardo’s services. 

The 29-year-old is preparing for his 10th campaign in the majors in 2016, after going 13-11 with a 3.42 ERA with the Texas Rangers last year, his only season with the team. He was traded to the Rangers from the Milwaukee Brewers for the final year of his five-year, $30.1 million deal he signed back in 2011, per Spotrac.com.

Gallardo has proven to be a consistent arm to have in a rotation, having started 30 or more games with 180.0 or more innings in each of his past seven years. He doesn’t necessarily have overpowering stuff, with a fastball that can hit 92 miles per hour.

He isn’t as much of a strikeout pitcher as he was earlier in his career. From 2009-2012, he recorded 200 or more strikeouts each season. Since then, he’s averaged just 137.

But it’s the movement he’s able to put on his pitches that makes him such a tough customer to figure out. His fastball has the ability to tail away from left-handed batters, while his secondary pitches can cross up the opposition. 

MLB took a look at just how well things can go when all of his pitches are working, even if he isn’t getting strikeouts:

For the two teams interested, this is a starter that could bolster their rotations.

The Astros, despite having five solid arms in their rotation at the moment, are looking for more, as owner Jim Crane told Evan Drellich of the Houston Chronicle:

We’d definitely like to bring in another good starter. Certainly, I’ve told Jeff (general manager Jeff Luhnow) since I’ve got here, being an old pitcher, there’s three things in baseball: pitching, pitching and pitching. You saw that in the playoffs again. Teams with the dominant pitching seemed to go a little bit farther, particularly the Mets, (who) had a great starting rotation. Kansas City had a back-end bullpen which was pretty much unhittable.

Gallardo would be a nice No. 3 in the Astros’ rotation, giving 22-year-old Lance McCullers time to mature as the team’s fourth starter. His signing would allow Houston to let Scott Kazmir go if other teams are offering bigger money in free agency.

Pitching is just as an important need for the Baltimore Orioles. Last season, no regular Orioles starter recorded more than 12 wins and only one of them had an ERA under 4.00. 

According to Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles were not going for the top of the market pitchers like David Price and Zack Greinke, but it’s the second tier that is more their speed. The team has expressed interest in Gallardo as early as Dec. 7, per Encina. 

Gallardo could very well be a No. 1 starter in the Baltimore rotation, given the team has a prospective rotation of Ubaldo Jimenez, Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez, Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy, according to RotoChamp.com.

Bringing in Gallardo would add a consistent arm that could also eat up innings at the top of the rotation. It could also give a break to a bullpen that was ranked fifth in the league in ERA but pitched almost 520 innings last season. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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According to Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune, the San Diego Padres re-signed right-handed pitcher Brandon Morrow to a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training Thursday.

The team has not disclosed the figures of the contract.

Morrow made five starts before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in 2015. It was the only year on his $2.5 million contract with the Padres. The recovery from his shoulder surgery should have him ready for spring training.

It wasn’t the first time he has missed starts in his career. In the past three years, he’s appeared in just 28 games, starting 21 of them.

The 31-year-old has also pitched for the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays, compiling a 44-43 record with a 4.22 ERA. His finest season came in 2012, when he put together a 10-7 record with a 2.96 ERA in 21 starts for the Blue Jays.

When healthy, Morrow brings a fastball that can touch 95 mph with a slider that moves at 90 mph. This allows his changeup, which comes in around the low 80s, to fool opposing hitters. 

San Diego needs all of the help it can get after its starters posted a collective ERA of 4.51 in 2015, the ninth-worst mark in the majors.

Bringing Morrow back is a low-risk move for the Padres. Morrow can reward the team greatly if he is able to come back strong in 2016. On a pitching staff that includes Tyson Ross and an underachieving James Shields, a healthy Morrow could provide a nice presence on the back end of the rotation if he is able to make the team.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The Toronto Blue Jays signed veteran pitcher Brad Penny to a minor league deal Thursday with an invitation to spring training, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. The team has not released the figures of the contract.

According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca, the deal includes a player opt-out option at the end of spring training.

It looks as though Penny is continuing to attempt a comeback. The 37-year-old right-hander has pitched only 26.0 big league innings over the past three seasons. In fact, Penny was out of the majors in 2013 and 2015. 

Penny attempted to crack the starting rotation of the Chicago White Sox during spring training in 2015 but did not make the team, spending the season in Triple-A. There, he posted a 4.46 ERA, 81 strikeouts and 33 walks in 135.1 innings, per NBC Sports’ D.J. Short. 

His last stint in the majors came in 2014, when he went 2-1 with a 6.58 ERA in four starts with the Miami Marlins. He has a career record of 121-101 with a 4.29 ERA and two All-Star appearances, including a 2006 season in which he led the National League with 16 wins. 

Toronto has been going after pitchers throughout the offseason, having already re-signed Marco Estrada and acquired J.A. Happ. But the Blue Jays lost their ace when David Price, a trade-deadline acquisition in 2015, signed with the Boston Red Sox.

Toronto’s pitching couldn’t keep up with the team’s potent offense last year, falling short in the American League Championship Series to the eventual world champion Kansas City Royals. Toronto’s pitching allowed five runs or more in four of the six games in that series.

There’s little risk in signing a veteran such as Penny to a minor league deal. If he is able to spin together a solid spring training, Toronto might keep him close by.

The Blue Jays already have a number of starters who will likely be appearing in the rotation next year with Estrada, Happ, Marcus Stroman, Jesse Chavez, R.A. Dickey and Drew Hutchison. But if anything were to happen to any these starters, Penny’s experienced arm could prove to be useful at the end of the rotation.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Veteran outfielder Rajai Davis agreed to a deal with the Cleveland Indians on Wednesday, pending a physical, according to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman. Per Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, it’s a one-year deal that is believed to be worth $5.25 million plus incentives.

Per Spotrac.com, the 35-year-old had his two-year, $10 million deal expire at the end of the 2015 season to end a stint with the Detroit Tigers, the fifth team of his career. 

A top-of-the-order man who doesn’t necessarily hit for average, Davis finds his way on base thanks to his speed. This season, however, his speed numbers were down as he stole just 18 bases. He had 34 or more in each of the past six seasons. 

However, Davis appeared in just 112 games because of splitting time with 25-year-old Tyler Collins in left field.    

Despite seeing a decrease in playing time, Davis expressed his desire to stay in Detroit, according to Matthew B. Mowery of the Macomb Daily: “If it was up to me, it would be very, very nice to stay. But it’s a collective decision, and you gotta go from there. … It certainly is a business decision, especially when my family’s involved. Best situation for us. It could happen. Anything is possible.

By dealing center fielder Michael Bourn to the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline in 2015, the Indians lost speed and a bat at the top of the order who complemented second baseman Jason Kipnis. 

The Indians were also in need of a decent bat in the outfield to add some support for left fielder Michael Brantley, who was one of the team’s most productive hitters with a .310 batting average with 15 home runs and 84 RBI. 

Right fielder Brandon Moss, who matched Brantley’s 15 home runs last season, batted just .217.

A .269 lifetime hitter, Davis could provide those things as he helps address the Indians’ issue of depth in the outfield. At times last season, Cleveland resorted to playing Lonnie Chisenhall, usually a third baseman, in the outfield.

The Indians’ newest acquisition is versatile enough to play at any outfield position, appearing at all three last season with the Tigers. He will be a nice addition to a Cleveland team trying to piece together a contender in the American League Central. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Headlines around baseball have been dominated by Pete Rose’s failed attempt for reinstatement into the game over the past few days, but the hot stove has continued to hum along this December. 

In that span, the San Francisco Giants have gained another arm for their rotation in Johnny Cueto, while the Chicago Cubs introduced newest outfielder Jason Heyward. 

There are still some big names, especially in the outfield, that are out on the free-agent market and could provide large upgrades for teams that are interested. 

Let’s take a look at the latest on some of the best remaining free agents. 

Justin Upton

After a somewhat quiet start to the offseason, interest in outfielder Justin Upton is starting to heat up. According to ESPN’s Jim Bowden, the Los Angeles Angels, Baltimore Orioles and San Francisco Giants have all inquired about the outfielder. 

Upton’s six-year, $51.5 million contract (via Spotrac.com) expired at the end of the 2015 season, his first with the San Diego Padres after being dealt from the Atlanta Braves. He’s had some difficulty living up to the .300/26/86 season he put up as a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2009 that earned him that deal, but Upton is still a big bat that is being coveted by teams around the league. 

Last season, Upton batted .251, his lowest average since 2008, but recorded his third consecutive year in which he hit over 25 home runs. While the Padres dealt for him during the 2014 offseason, Rosenthal believes that the odds of the Padres re-signing him are “very low.”

Two-thirds of the Angels outfield looks set with Mike Trout in center field and Kole Calhoun in right. Trout hit .299/41/90, while Calhoun put together a career year with 26 home runs and 83 RBI, similar numbers to Upton. 

Left field, though, has been an issue. Matt Joyce, who started 93 games in left, batted just .174, forcing the Angels to go out and get David Murphy and Shane Victorino. They were just two of four utility left fielders the Angels used last season. 

Upton would provide stability to the position while rounding out what would become one of the most powerful outfields in the league. 

Another team with holes in the outfield is the Orioles, who need to find help surrounding center fielder Adam Jones. Gerardo Parra is testing the free-agency market after being shipped to the Orioles from the Milwaukee Brewers while Steve Pearce appeared in 93 games. They were just a part of a revolving door that was implemented in the outfield as six other players made appearances last season. 

Parra, like Upton, is drawing interest from the Giants according to the San Francisco Chronicle‘s John Shea. 

If the Orioles lose first baseman Chris Davis to free agency, they will also desperately need to replace some of the power that he brings. Upton doesn’t necessarily hold the same power as Davis, who led the American League with 47 home runs last season. But piecing together an offense by committee to replace the slugger would prove just as beneficial. 

Also losing Davis will clear up plenty of money to give to Upton, who at 28, will require a longer deal to bring in. 

The Giants have flashed some serious cash already this winter with the signings of pitchers Jeff Samardzija for $90 million and Cueto for $130 million. While they still need help offensively in the outfield, as Angel Pagan, Nori Aoki and Hunter Pence combined 17 home runs last season while all dealt with injury, the Giants might have to go a cheaper route. 

Prediction: Upton signs six-year, $115 million deal with Orioles.

Yoenis Cespedes

Yoenis Cespedes had one of the most prolific second-halves to a season since Carlos Beltran’s 2004 with the Houston Astros as he sparked the New York Mets to a National League championship, hitting 17 home runs in 57 games. 

The 30-year-old, who attained career highs with 35 home runs and 105 RBI last season with the Detroit Tigers and Mets, hasn’t fielded a ton of action on the market this winter.

It might be because of the length of the deal he is asking, as he told ESPN’s Marly Rivera that he is looking for a six-year deal, which would most likely put him well over the $100 million mark. 

Cespedes‘ departure would obviously hurt the Mets, who have just seen money freed up due to the retirement of Michael Cuddyer. Still, Cespedes is outside of the Mets’ price range, according to the New York Daily News‘ Kristie Ackert. 

That being said, Ackert reports that the Mets would still “be happy to welcome him back” if the price comes down. They should replace the world “happy” with “thrilled” because of his influence on the Mets lineup upon his arrival: 

But there could be teams willing to pay that kind of deal to lure Cespedes away from Queens, which include the Angels, among others per the New York Post‘s Joel Sherman. 

While the Giants, Tigers and Kansas City Royals are also interested, I can’t see Cespedes going anywhere other than Los Angeles. The Angels will throw serious cash at him in an attempt to round out their outfield and make them into serious American League contenders. 

Putting in his lethal bat with the likes of Trout and Albert Pujols will ensure that the Angels will be providing plenty of power, almost as much as the Toronto Blue Jays are capable of putting together.

Prediction: Cespedes signs six-year, $125 million deal with Angels.

Alex Gordon

The team that beat Cespedes‘ Mets in the World Series, the Kansas City Royals, are facing the possibility of losing one of the faces of their franchise in Alex Gordon. 

Gordon is testing the free-agency market and had been linked to the in-state rival St. Louis Cardinals, per USA Today Sports’ Bob Nightengale after they lost out on Jason Heyward. 

However, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch‘s Derrick Goold reports that the team doesn’t see the 32-year-old Gordon as a replacement for Heyward.

Having spent the first nine years of his career in Kansas City, Gordon has stuck with the Royals through thick and thin, becoming a favorite among fans and players alike. 

Royals play-by-play man spoke with Brian Rosenthal of the Lincoln Star Journal:

I don’t know if there’s a more respected player in the league by everybody — young guys, veteran guys, middle-of-the-road guys, coaches, managers. There’s 29 other teams that would love to have Alex Gordon.

There hasn’t been a definitive asking price for Gordon revealed yet, but teams like the Cardinals and Giants should be interested. 

However, I don’t think Gordon will leave Kansas City in what could be a rare showing of loyalty in baseball. 

Prediction: Gordon signs three-year, $48 million deal with Royals.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com

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In a deal that sent over closer Ken Giles to the Houston Astros, the Philadelphia Phillies acquired pitchers Vincent Velasquez, Brett Oberholtzer, a minor leaguer who is reportedly outfielder Derek Fisher and a fourth player on Wednesday, pending physicals, according to MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki. 

The Phillies took advantage of the Astros’ need for bullpen help to address their starting-pitcher predicament.   

Last season, Philadelphia starting pitching allowed an average of 4.99 runs per game, ranked 27th in the major leagues and won a league-worst 38 games. While Oberholtzer and Velasquez might not yield positive results immediately, Zolecki noted that acquiring two starters who could one day string together 300-400 innings combined for a late-inning pitcher who will only pitch between 60-80 innings per season seems like a favorable trade-off. 

Oberholtzer started more games than Velasquez last season, going 2-2 in eight starts with a 4.46 ERA. Velasquez saw his time split in the rotation and bullpen, appearing in 19 games and posting a 4.37 ERA.

Per Zolecki, Velasquez was the fourth-ranked prospect in the Astros’ farm system and 69th among all prospects around the league. In nine appearances in Double-A ball in 2015, the 23-year-old dominated, going 4-0 with a 1.91 ERA. 

A right-hander, Velasquez has a lively fastball that can reach upward of 96 mph with the ability to tail away from left-handed hitters. He pairs that with a solid changeup and breaking stuff that can really move when he’s on his game. 

He showed just what he’s capable of in his major league debut against the Chicago White Sox, per MLB:

At 26 years old, Oberholtzer has had some trouble sticking with the big club in Houston over the first three years of his career. He went 7-4 in 12 starts in Triple-A in 2015 with a 3.86 ERA while splitting time in the majors. 

He’s probably best remembered during his stint with the Astros for throwing at Alex Rodriguez during a game in June. 

The lefty doesn’t have overpowering stuff. His fastball won’t go much higher than 90 mph, but he has some off-speed pitches that could baffle opposing hitters. 

According to Brooks Baseball, Oberholtzer has a changeup, slider and curve that are all within four miles per hour of each other. With a nearly identical release for all of those pitches, it’s difficult for batters to recognize which pitch is coming at them.    

You can see his arsenal in work here, per MLB:

Ideally, these two could become a solid duo placed in the middle of the Phillies’ rotation as the team looks to be in the process of building itself a nice young rotation that could be led by 22-year-old Aaron Nola, who went 6-2 with a 3.59 ERA. 

The third player in the deal, Fisher, spent 2015 playing A-ball, where he hit .275 with 22 home runs and 87 RBI. 

At 22 years old, he still has plenty of work to do on his game both offensively and defensively. His arm is average, which would be an invitation for aggressive runners to take advantage of if he does one day patrol the outfield and Citizens Bank Ballpark. 

His swing, while nice, is a bit long, and he needs to work on making contact at the plate. If he can’t put the ball in play, promotions to the upper levels of the Phillies organization will be few and far between. 

Moore Baseball takes a look at some of his swings during his time in A-ball this year:

It’s a solid haul for the Phillies, who are gaining a pair of arms that could make an immediate impact along with a bat they could possibly mold into a productive outfielder. After a 63-99 2015 season, though, almost anything looks better than what they previously had.

Stats courtesy of FanGraphs, MiLB.com and Baseball-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.

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The Major League Baseball winter meetings in Nashville, Tennessee, are in full swing as rumors and speculation swirl around countless players and teams looking to make a change. 

While some wheeling and dealing has already been done in a few notable deals, some of the biggest names in the game have become available on the trading block. Let’s take a look at the latest on some of baseball’s hottest trade rumors. 

Jose Fernandez

Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez has surprisingly become a trade target this offseason after reports surfaced, via WINZ’s Andy Slater, that Fernandez asked Marlins management to be traded multiple times during the 2015 season. 

It’s that kind of attitude that saw him fall out of favor of some teammates, who anonymously told Slater that they hoped the 23-year-old would get “shelled” while pitching. 

According to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark, the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks have spoken with the Marlins about a deal. On Tuesday, an unidentified fourth team, per Stark, entered the conversation as well. Representatives from other teams around the league told Stark that it’s the Houston Astros, though there has been no confirmation on those reports.

Stark deduced why the Astros would be an interested party: “The Astros would make sense as a trade partner because of Fernandez’s age and relatively low salary as a first-time arbitration-eligible player, along with Houston’s depth of prospects and young players already in the major leagues.”

Put him in the same rotation as American League Cy Young Award winner Dallas Keuchel, and the Astros would be a tough team to hit next season.

Per the Miami Herald‘s Clark Spencer, Marlins president of baseball operations Mike Hill has continually told teams that Fernandez is unavailable, but those interested continue to call. 

Even the possibility of an available arm like Fernandez is justifiable for teams to continue hounding the Marlins. Fernandez is 22-9 in a career that was interrupted by Tommy John surgery and could provide a fantastic one-two punch with any of the teams reportedly involved in talks. 

In New York, Fernandez would join Masahiro Tanaka, who experienced a sophomore slump of sorts with the Yankees, seeing his ERA balloon from 2.77 to 3.51. With the uncertainty surrounding CC Sabathia, who cut his 2015 season short to enter rehab, an All-Star-caliber arm is needed for a Yankees team that allowed over 650 runs last season.

With the Diamondbacks, Fernandez would team up with Zack Greinke, who signed a six-year, $206.5 million deal on Dec. 4. However, the addition of Shelby Miller from the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday could cool off their interest if Fernandez were available. 

Having lost Greinke to Arizona, the Dodgers could use Fernandez as support for Clayton Kershaw, one of the most consistently dominant pitchers in the game over the past five seasons. An arm like his could ensure they’ll remain as one of the favorites in the National League West. 

James Shields

For a pitcher who just completed the first season of a four-year, $75 million deal (via Spotrac.com), the San Diego Padres’ James Shields hasn’t exactly been the “Big Game James” he was once billed as while a member of the Kansas City Royals. 

Going 13-7 last season with a 3.91 ERA, Shields was one of a few acquisitions during the 2014 offseason— including the Upton brothers, Melvin and Justin, and Matt Kemp—that didn’t translate into winning, as the Padres limped to a 74-88 record in 2015. 

His walks increased from 44 in 2014 to 81 in 2015, and rival executives told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that Shields’ “velocity and stuff” were on the decline.

Some other intangibles were nowhere to be found, either, according to the Pioneer Press‘ Mike Berardino:

In fact, Shields was put on waivers by the Padres in August, but he cleared, which makes it odd that Shields is now drawing trade interest, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney. 

While he’s struggled recently, the 33-year-old could be an attractive option for teams looking for help in the middle of their rotation. The problem is, the Padres’ asking price might be too much. 

According to Stark, San Diego is looking for a young shortstop, among other things. The Padres received little contribution from Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes at short last season, as the two combined for a .215 average with four home runs and 43 RBI. 

Taking Shields’ contract while giving up a prospect might be too steep of a demand for teams interested in him. If the Padres decide to eat some of Shields’ deal, it could help things move along in finding him a new home. 

Orioles In Search of 1st Baseman

The more the winter meetings progress, the less likely it seems that free-agent first baseman Chris Davis will be returning to the Baltimore Orioles. 

Baltimore met with Davis’ agent, Scott Boras, on Tuesday, according to Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun, and little progress was made. 

Elsewhere, the Orioles were looking at other options at first base, according to Rosenthal:

Since Rosenthal announced Baltimore’s interest, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel‘s Tom Haudricourt reported that the Orioles are not matching up with the Brewers on Adam Lind. 

That leaves the Texas Rangers’ Mitch Moreland, who will be going through arbitration this season. Moreland, a left-handed bat like Davis, is coming off of the best season of his career with a .278 average with 23 home runs and 85 RBI. 

It’s difficult to compare that to Davis, who hit .262 with 47 home runs and 117 RBI. 

But if he does decide to walk, the Orioles are going to need some kind of left-handed pop in their lineup. Davis was the only left-handed Oriole last season to hit more than nine home runs. 

However, they would need to have something that would make the Rangers pull the trigger on a deal involving Moreland, and it might have to come from behind the plate. 

The Star-Telegram‘s Jeff Wilson stated that the Rangers need help with their catching situation after they started five different players at the position and received little production in 2015. 

It’s unclear if the Orioles are willing to part with the likes of Matt Wieters or Caleb Joseph, as the Rangers would probably be looking for a major league-ready catcher instead of prospects. But if Baltimore retains Chris Davis, then it might not have to worry about any of this. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Utility man Ben Zobrist signed a four-year, $56 million contract with the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday, as first reported by Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.

The Cubs would later confirm the deal would run through the 2019 season. 

Per the New York Post‘s Ken Davidoff, Zobrist will receive a full no-trade clause for the first three years of the deal. In the fourth year, he can designate eight teams to which he can block a trade.

The 34-year-old began the 2015 season of a four-year deal with the Oakland Athletics after nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays and now-Cubs manager Joe Maddon. The A’s dealt him to the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline, where he saw a bit of an upswing in his play. 

Seeing time at four different positions in 59 regular-season games with Kansas City, Zobrist hit .284 with seven home runs and 23 RBI, helping the Royals win their first World Series in 30 years.

Due to a groin injury to star left fielder Alex Gordon, Zobrist received plenty of outfield playing time. He spoke about his stint with the Royals with ESPN.com’s Doug Padilla:

I probably wouldn’t have been put in a better situation as far as needs of the team, the situation the team was in and just being a layup to getting into the playoffs, pretty much. … The fact that this team really gets along, it really makes everything off the field that much more enjoyable. It just makes you more comfortable on the field.

A player who can hit out of the No. 2 spot, Zobrist can work the opposing pitcher and has the bat control to hit the ball to all fields. His veteran presence will be a welcomed sight to help Chicago’s younger batters. 

And the Cubs have plenty of those, such as developing stars Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Jorge Soler and Addison Russell. Each of those players are 23 years old or younger and hit 10 home runs or more last season.

To top it off, Zobrist’s defensive versatility is a great asset to have if Chicago gets hit by the injury bug. For Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan, it’s a great signing:

After the Cubs traded infielder Starlin Castro—who primarily played second base down the stretch last season—to the New York Yankees on Tuesday, per CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman, opportunities at second base could be open for Zobrist and 23-year-old infielder Javier Baez.

Adding Zobrist’s experience, which includes appearances in two World Series, is only going to help the Cubs moving forward after they made the postseason for the first time since 2008 last season.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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