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Edwin Encarnacion, who hit 39 home runs and drove in 111 RBI in 2015 with the Toronto Blue Jays, is seeking a contract extension with one year remaining on his three-year, $29 million deal.

Continue for updates.

Blue Jays Hoping to Sign Encarnacion Long Term

Sunday, Jan. 10

Per MLB Network Radio, first-year Toronto general manager Ross Atkins has spoken with Encarnacion, who has “made it clear” he wants an extension.

The 33-year-old has turned into one of the game’s best power hitters the past four seasons.

Although he is not young, Encarnacion has not shown many signs of declining, and the $10 million he’s due next season seems like a bit of a steal considering his offensive production.

Per John Lott of the National Post, Atkins said in a radio interview the goal is to re-sign Encarnacion but that “no talks about contract extensions have occurred.”       

Toronto would be smart to bring back Encarnacion, who, along with Jose Bautista and Josh Donaldson, was part of the top-scoring offense in MLB last year. He hit .275 with one home run and five RBI in the postseason, helping lead the Blue Jays to their first American League Championship Series since 1993.

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After a 16-year MLB career with the Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers at shortstop, free agent Jimmy Rollins may have to switch positions if he wants to continue to be an everyday player.

Continue for updates. 

Rollins Open to Move to Second Base

Saturday, Jan. 9

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports (via Randy Miller of NJ.com) wrote that Rollins, 37, and 578 hits shy of 3,000, would consider a move to the right side of the infield.

“Rollins (is) open to idea, but waiting to see if (shortstop) opportunities develop.”

That makes sense considering he is a four-time Gold Glove winner at shortstop, and old habits die hard.

However, long baseball careers are made from transitioning to a position that is a better fit as the player gets older, such as a catcher moving to first base or an American League player becoming solely a designated hitter.

His only season in Los Angeles last year was one of his worst. He hit a career-low .224 in 144 games with just 13 home runs and 41 RBI. 

His 12 stolen bases were the fewest since he played just 14 games his rookie season.

Miller reported the Los Angeles Angels have shown interest in Rollins as an upgrade to their current second baseman, Johnny Giavotella, but wondered if it would even be an upgrade after he hit .272 with four home runs with the Angels in 2015.

Rollins can certainly bring leadership to a team in need, but his range and arm can’t be the same they were when he was in his 20s, so holding out for a starting job on a contending team at shortstop could be fruitless.

His best bet is to go to a contender who can use him as an everyday second baseman, or utility player, as he makes a push for 3,000 hits.

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Major League Baseball trade rumors are hot this time of year. The New York Yankees landed former Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman in a deal for four minor leaguers Monday, and there should be plenty more moves on the horizon.

Rumors surrounding Colorado Rockies outfielders have been swirling this week, per Jon Morosi of Fox Sports. He reported the St. Louis Cardinals have talked with Colorado about trading for an outfielder, and the Rockies have three available.

CarGo Among Those Available to Be Traded

Carlos Gonzalez enjoyed a career year with the Rockies in 2015, slashing .271/.325/.540 with 40 home runs and 97 RBI. The Rockies need pitching, and the Cardinals need an outfielder after losing Jason Heyward to the Chicago Cubs in free agency.

Scott Gelman of MLB Daily Dish said a trade makes sense in regard to the positions, but Gonzalez may not be the Colorado outfielder the Cardinals need:

Colorado is reportedly shopping all three of its outfielders, but Carlos Gonzalez might not be realistic option for the Cardinals.

[Charlie] Blackmon, 29, is coming off a strong 2015 campaign during which he batted .287/.347/.450 to complement 17 home runs and 58 RBIs. He also stole 43 bases and would add a left-handed bat to St. Louis’ outfield.

[Corey] Dickerson, 26, would also add a left handed bat, but he could prove to be costly in a trade since he had a better season than Blackmon. Over 65 contests last season, Dickerson batted .304/.333/.536 to complement 10 home runs and 31 RBIs.

Gonzalez has been linked to multiple clubs this winter, and the Rockies do not appear to be lowering the price.

Regardless of whether or not it is done via a trade, the Cardinals need to add at least one outfielder. The Rockies have three productive options to choose from, and St. Louis has its share of desirable prospects.

Gonzalez is owed $37 million over the next two years, which is why Gelman feels he may not be the answer for St. Louis: “The Rockies are shopping their outfielders and the Cardinals have a need. But Colorado’s asking price will likely remain too high.”

The Cardinals don’t typically throw money at high-priced free agents, so adding a 30-year-old outfielder via trade for that much money is not likely. Blackmon is eligible for arbitration in 2016 after making just $517,000 in 2015, while Dickerson is in the same boat and made $512,500 last season.

Like Gelman said, the interest is there, but the two sides may be far apart. If Gonzalez isn’t shipped to St. Louis, look for him to land somewhere else in 2016, while the jury is still out on the fates of Blackmon and Dickerson.

Teams Interested in Detroit’s Castellanos 

Detroit Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos was a first-round draft pick in 2010 but has failed to live up to expectations. In what amounts to two full seasons, Castellanos has averaged a slash line of .257/.304/.405 with 13 home runs and 72 RBI.

However, Tony Paul of the Detroit News said there is interest among MLB teams in the 23-year-old infielder: “Another Tiger who could be traded, Nick Castellanos—yes, there have been inquiring phone calls—wouldn’t be nearly enough to balance the books to sign an outfielder. Castellanos still barely makes the league minimum.”

Paul was referring to the fact Detroit is trying to stay as close to the $189 million luxury-tax threshold as it can this season, making it tough to sign a big-time free-agent outfielder, and Castellanos doesn’t do much in the way of getting money off the books.

Patrick OKennedy of SB Nation’s Bless You Boys said it would not be worth trading Castellanos because of his cheap contract and the fact his best days are most likely ahead of him:

There is no money to be saved by dealing Castellanos, who earns near the major league minimum. At best, the Tigers might be able to move him for a similarly cost-controlled player who brings more offensive production. They would need to see a greater marginal difference in the player acquired over what they have in left field, than they would lose by subbing out Castellanos for Dixon Machado or Mike Aviles. …

It would take a unique situation for the Tigers to be willing to trade Castellanos. Perhaps a team looking for a third baseman with some extra depth in the corner outfield positions could be interested in such a trade. It would be a move for instant gratification, with the risk that the Tigers’ former first-round draft pick has a breakout season at age 24 or 25, playing in another uniform. I wouldn’t bet on that happening.

OKennedy‘s points are good ones. It would be tough for Detroit to watch Castellanos excel somewhere else, much like the World Series champion Kansas City Royals would have done if they had given up on their young, struggling third baseman Mike Moustakas, who ended up in the 2015 All-Star Game.

Of course, when multiple teams are interested, it never hurts to listen. If new executive vice president of baseball operations and general manager Al Avila can find the perfect fit, it might make sense to pull the trigger. However, don’t count on that happening. 

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Jason Heyward signed an eight-year, $184 million contract with the Chicago Cubs this offseason after spending 2015 with the St. Louis Cardinals.

The 26-year-old outfielder was asked about why he chose the Cubs and in his explanation took an shot at his former teammates in the Chicago Tribune (h/t David Brown of CBSSports.com):

Being 26 and knowing my contract would probably put me in any clubhouse longer than most people there, you have to look at age, you have to look at how fast the team is changing and how soon those changes may come about. You have Yadier, who is going to be done in two years maybe. You have Matt Holliday, who is probably going to be done soon.   

There were already moves with Jon Jay gone, and then Tony Cruz, and Wainwright is probably going to be done in three or four years. I think that’s when his contract is up. Not to say he won’t play any longer, but guys like that are what really introduced me to the St. Louis Cardinals organization. I felt like if I was to look up in three years and see a completely different team, that would kind of be difficult.

Chicago really offers an opportunity to come into the culture and be introduced to the culture by a young group of guys. Grow up with them and still watch myself grow up and have some fun with some familiar faces for a long time.

What he said may or may not be true, but it did not go over well with Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, per Rick Hummel of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “I don’t think it’s going to ring too well with our club.”

Matheny explained his comments in detail, per Hummel:

I told Jason this before. I’ve got a lot of respect for Jason as a person. He’s got to go make the decisions he’s going to have to live with. If that (core group comparison) is a big deal to him, he’s just being honest with people.

But I don’t think we have anything to apologize for in having a group like a Holliday, a Molina, a Wainwright. Those are the kinds of guys everybody wants on a club.

I see where he’s coming from. I mean, look at what Chicago’s done. It’s very unique in this game — to have that many impact players at that young age. And he’s a young player. But I can’t say I’m in any kind of agreement with that (Chicago) core being better than any kind of core that we have.

That veteran group (that the Cardinals have) also helps drive what the younger group turns into.

I don’t blame him. But I don’t like it. I thought we created a really good atmosphere and he had to weigh what was most important to him.

Matheny, 45, did a good job of responding without taking a jab at Heyward. It’s obviously a blow for the Cardinals, as Heyward is coming off a season in which he slashed .293/.359/.439 with 13 home runs and 60 RBI. He also won his second Gold Glove.

Heyward’s now entering his prime with the rival Cubs, who are building a legitimate winner after signing uber-utility player Ben Zobrist.

The comments probably sting just a little more than normal considering the Cubs, who have not won a World Series in more than a century, defeated the Cardinals in the 2015 National League Division Series.

The “money grab” comments were all over social media from Cardinals fans, but given the comments and this information from Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan, that doesn’t seem to be the case:

Most likely these comments will blow over until the next time the Cubs and Cardinals take the field. Who knows if Heyward will get a high and tight fastball, but a St. Louis win against Chicago will be just a little sweeter for the guys in the Cardinals’ clubhouse.

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Former Miami Marlins pitcher Henderson Alvarez signed a one-year contract with the Oakland A’s worth approximately $4 million with “big incentives,” according to Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan.

Alvarez confirmed the deal on Instagram:

Alvarez has had an up-and-down career, culminating with a four-start 2015 season that ended in July after he underwent shoulder surgery. The 25-year-old was Miami’s Opening Day starter after a 12-7 2014 season that landed him an All-Star nod.

Here is a look at his career numbers:

Alvarez has certainly shown he has the talent despite a less-than-stellar win-loss record. His career 2.29 K/BB ratio would have been 27th in baseball last year, and his 1.288 WHIP would have been 22nd. During his 2014 season, he tied the St. Louis Cardinals’ Adam Wainwright for most shutouts in the National League with three.

While those are decent numbers, there is no evidence of consistency, which is something the A’s hopefully took into account. Alvarez made 30-plus starts in 2012 and 2014 but no more than 17 in his other three seasons. He is 21-21 in his two seasons with 30-plus starts and just 6-13 during his injury-plagued years. 

Of course, Alvarez had the misfortune of playing for a Marlins team that did not win more than 77 games in his three years with the team, which has most likely undervalued his stock.

While a shoulder injury of this magnitude is a concern, the 25-year-old is young enough that he could bounce back, and his best days are hopefully ahead of him. If Alvarez stays healthy, he could return to his All-Star form and be a great pickup for Oakland.  

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Tampa Bay Rays starter Jake Odorizzi has become one of the hottest names on the trade market in recent weeks.

Continue for Updates.

Cardinals Reportedly Discussing Odorizzi Trade

Saturday, Dec. 19 

Jon Morosi of Fox Sports reported the Cardinals have had trade talks about acquiring a starting pitcher, and noted Odorizzi is from the St. Louis area.  

Odorizzi Would Upgrade Dodgers Rotation

Friday, Dec. 18

According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Dodgers have engaged in talks with Tampa Bay about the right-hander.

The 25-year-old was 9-9 in 2015 with a 3.35 ERA and 150-46 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 169.1 innings.

Although he has shown signs that he can win at the major league level, Odorizzi is just 20-24 in 65 starts. However, he does sport a career ERA of 3.77.

He is perhaps best known in baseball circles for being part of a trade that helped turned the World Series champion Kansas City Royals around. Odorizzi, along with prized minor league outfielder Wil Myers and pitcher Mike Montgomery, went to Tampa after spending 2012 in the Royals organization, while Kansas City received starter James Shields and star closer Wade Davis.

Although Odorizzi has yet to take the leap and become a No. 1 starter, ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark shared a few stats that show Odorizzi can be a good pitcher:

The Dodgers need to find someone to replace Greinke, who opted out of his contract and signed a six-year, $206.5 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

While no one can replace Greinke’s 1.66 ERA and 5-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, Odorizzi is entering his prime and would be considerably cheaper.

If the team cannot reach a deal for Odorizzi, Heyman said the Dodgers have other options: “The alternatives for the Dodgers would appear to be Mike Leake, Wei-Yin Chen, Yovani Gallardo, Ian Kennedy, Scott Kazmir (free agents) or Jose Fernandez (via trade).”

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The Major League Baseball hot stove never cools off as teams are wheeling and dealing on the heels of the winter meetings.

Pitching is always a hot commodity, but a bat like Todd Frazier’s is going to draw plenty of interest.

Let’s take a look at where the power hitter could end up, as well as ace James Shields and more.

AL Central Could Be Landing Spot for Frazier

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier can hit the long ball, and there are plenty of teams willing to listen to offers for the 29-year-old who can also play the outfield, per Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.

While Heyman mentioned the Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles Angels, Texas Rangers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals have shown interest in trading for Frazier, he wrote that it’s a pair of teams in the American League Central that could be the best fit:

The [Chicago] White Sox and [Cleveland] Indians would make a lot of sense for Frazier, but since he could play first base or outfield, several teams have interest. Frazier, 29, hit 35 home runs last year and made his second All-Star team.

Both teams could use a power upgrade in the infield and may have the upper hand considering the Reds are looking at a sort of mini-fire sale.

They already tried to trade closer Aroldis Chapman to the Dodgers before it fell through following legal charges against the pitcher, and they are “fielding interest” in outfielder Jay Bruce and second baseman Brandon Phillips, per Heyman.

Shields Could Be Out of San Diego After Just One Season

After James Shields helped pitched the Royals to the 2014 World Series, he opted to leave for sunnier weather and signed a four-year contract with the San Diego Padres.

He lived up to his workhorse reputation and tossed 202.1 innings for the Padres, winning 13 games with a 3.91 ERA.

However, San Diego has shown interest in trading the guy it calls “Big Game James,” per Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe: “There’s still a feeling that Shields could be tacked on to a veteran staff. Among the potential candidates are the [Chicago] Cubs, [San Francisco] Giants, [New York] Yankees, [Toronto] Blue Jays, and Royals (if the Padres took on some money).”

And it’s a lot of money.

Shields made just $10 million in 2015, but he is slated to receive $21 million guaranteed for each of the next three seasons.

Cafardo noted Shields, who will be 34 on Dec. 20, gave up the most home runs at San Diego’s Petco Park since 2002 last season. One interesting storyline could be Shields heading back to Kansas City, home to the very pitcher-friendly Kauffman Stadium.

The Royals are not big spenders, so the Padres will certainly have to eat some of his contract, but it would be familiar territory for Shields, who would certainly be hungry to get Kansas City back to the World Series.

It’s still a mystery as to where he will end up, or if he’ll even be traded, but ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted that Shields has plenty of suitors despite passing through waivers during the 2015 season:

Whichever team lands the starting pitcher will get a player who is as durable as they come. He’s never pitched less than 202 innings in a season since his rookie campaign, and he has won at least 11 games during those nine seasons.

Braves Could Trade Nick Markakis

The Royals might lose free-agent outfielder Alex Gordon this offseason, and if so, the Atlanta Braves’ Nick Markakis could be an option to fill the void, per Cafardo.

However, veteran Atlanta Journal-Constitution MLB reporter David O’Brien said during a recent Twitter Q and A that there has not been much traction on that front.

Even so, Markakis would be a solid fit in Kansas City. He doesn’t play the outfield as well as the four-time Gold Glove winner Gordon, but he did win two of his own with the Baltimore Orioles.

He mainly plays right field, but Kansas City could try him in left, or slide him into right after the Royals declined to re-sign Alex Rios.

His home run pop disappeared in 2015, hitting just three long balls in 686 plate appearances, but he is a career .291 hitter with a .359 on-base percentage.

He also is considerably cheaper than Gordon.

Rob Neyer of Fox Sports said Gordon could command a six-year contract worth $100 million, or nearly $17 million per year.

Markakis, who at 32 is one year older than Gordon, has $33 million left on his current three-year contract.

If the Royals are not his destination, Cafardo also said he could land with a familiar team:

[Atlanta’s President of Baseball Operations] John Hart and [General Manager] John Coppolella have done a great job turning over the roster and bringing in top young talent. Markakis could be the next to go. The Royals are interested, and a reunion with the [Baltimore] Orioles is possible as [Baltimore Manager] Buck Showalter remains a big fan.

With the youth movement in full force for the rebuilding Braves, it’s looking more likely that 2015 was the last season in Atlanta for Markakis. 

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The Detroit Tigers are officially out of the Alex Gordon sweepstakes, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

Continue for updates.

Gordon Could Land Huge Contract

Monday, Dec. 7

Nightengale reported the 31-year-old, four-time Gold Glove winner is out of talks with Tigers GM Al Avila. He could have been a good fit in Motown considering Detroit has no proven left fielder for the time being.

Gordon, who stands to make $100 million on his next contract, per Chris Cwik of Yahoo Sports, declined a player option to remain with the World Series champions Kansas City Royals.

Of course, he could still sign with the Royals, but for much more money after opting out.

Gordon slashed .271/.377/.432 with 13 home runs and 48 RBI in 104 games during the 2015 season. However, he is known more as a team leader and exceptional outfielder than gaudy statstics.

While there are plenty of possible suitors, Nightengale reported the Royals feel like their rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, are currently their biggest competitors for the three-time All-Star. 

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Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the Colorado Rockies are open to trading outfielder Charlie Blackmon.

Continue for updates.

Trading Blackmon Could Upgrade Colorado’s Pitching

Monday, Dec. 7

Blackmon was a solid contributor in 2015, slashing .287/.347/.450, although his 17 home runs and 58 RBI were a drop-off from his 2014 totals.

However, if the Rockies are listening to offers for outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, per Rosenthal, who had a career year with 40 home runs and 97 RBI in 2015, hitting numbers are not what the Rockies are worried about.

Colorado has lost at least 88 games in five straight seasons and posted the worst team ERA in the majors at 5.04 in 2015.

If Colorado can find the right fit for Blackmon, it might be able to land some pitching, even if it’s in the form of prospects. Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post thinks upgrading the starting rotation is the only way the Rockies can compete:

The notion seems to make sense, considering Coors Field is a hitter’s park, to say the least.

Of course, it would be harder to find a pitcher who can perform well in Colorado than it would be to replace Blackmon’s bat in the lineup.

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New York Mets assistant general manager John Ricco said the team is open to trading starting pitcher Jon Niese, per Adam Rubin of ESPN.com.

Continue for updates.

Crowded Rotation Could Mean Niese Is Odd Man Out

Monday, Dec. 7

Rubin said the Mets have made it clear that starters Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz, who pitched the team to a 2015 World Series appearance, aren’t going anywhere. Neither is Zack Wheeler, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery.

Ricco didn’t mince words when talking about the possibility of moving Niese, though, per Rubin.

“We haven’t been actively shopping him, but other than the four guys [Harvey, deGrom, Syndergaard and Matz], we’re going to be looking for ways to improve the team,” he said. “If there’s a deal that involves him and makes us better, I think we would definitely consider it.”

This isn’t shocking, considering the talented quartet outpitched Niese during the regular season (although Matz made just six starts) and was nearly untouchable during the first two rounds of the postseason.

Wheeler is four years younger and considerably cheaper than the 29-year-old Niese, whom the team owes $9 million in 2016 with $10 million and $11 million team options in 2017 and 2018, respectively.

The 6’3″, 220-pound left-hander posted a 4.13 ERA in 2015 with 113 strikeouts and 55 walks in 176.2 innings.

Although Wheeler will not return until June or July, Ricco said he is confident the team would be able to fill Niese’s spot in the rotation if it trades him, per Rubin:

We do feel good about where Rafael Montero is health-wise, and I think he’d be a candidate for that. But we have other guys that we like. Sean Gilmartin has started in the past, and I think he’s shown he can get major league hitters out. So he’d be another consideration. And then we have some other young pitchers who would be in the mix there.

It makes sense for Ricco to at least put out some feelers for a potential Niese deal. A move could save the team some money and allow younger pitchers to gain experience at the back end of the rotation.

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