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The MLB postseason is just about to begin, but for a number of teams, only the offseason approaches. And that means preparing for free agency.

Below, we’ll break down some of the latest rumors and speculation surrounding some of the top free agents set to hit the market.

Lourdes Gurriel

According to Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball, 23-year-old Cuban Lourdes Gurriel “will hold about a half-dozen private workouts for interested teams in the near future,” with the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros and Miami Marlins set to hold workouts for the young talent and “one or two other teams” also expressing interest.

Gurriel is a shortstop but is likely versatile enough to play at third base or in the outfield. As Heyman wrote, “Over his six seasons spent with two different teams in Cuba, he is slashing .277/.362/.426 with 27 career home runs and 23 stolen bases.”

More importantly to clubs, perhaps, is that Gurriel won’t be subject to international bonus pools after Oct. 19, according to Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors, meaning any team can sign him for any amount.

Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion

The two Toronto Blue Jays sluggers, who are set to hit free agency this winter, will be linked in rumors until free agency opens, largely because Toronto won’t be able to keep them both and may not be able to retain either.

Edwin Encarnacion is going to be the more prized target for several reasons:

1. He’s two years younger.
2. While Jose Bautista has had a quiet year by his standards, Encarnacion has had a career year.
3. Encarnacion is likely less of a liability in the field, even if he’s Toronto’s designated hitter.

Jeff Blair of Sportsnet has more on point No. 3:

[Encarnacion] is going to have a larger market than some expect because there are at least a couple of National League teams who view him as an everyday first baseman.

Truth is, more teams think Encarnacion can play first base every day than think Bautista can still be an effective right-fielder. The question for Encarnacion and [Paul] Kinzer is how much first base he wants to play. Folks in Toronto live in fear of Encarnacion ending up in Boston, but I’m with my pal Jon Paul Morosi: I can see the Houston Astros making a big play for his bat. He’s be a great fit in the team’s clubhouse and the fact Texas has no state income tax will help them since Encarnacion will want to keep as much as possible from what is likely his first and last big payday.

Heyman speculated that the Red Sox, New York Yankees and Seattle Mariners were all possible destinations. One prevalent theme has remained: The Blue Jays seem likely to get outbid, as Heyman wrote:

The Jays obviously have interest in retaining him. But the conventional wisdom has been that they will be outbid for both him and Bautista. The new regime doesn’t believe in tying up much of its payroll in only a select few players; they already have Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin on long deals, and the strong belief is that they are intending to get younger next year.

“He’s a great player, and a great clubhouse guy,” one rival executive says. “You can’t let this kind of guy go.”

Indeed, it’s hard to imagine the Blue Jays recovering from losing their top two sluggers, especially Encarnacion. But both are going to demand huge paydays, and they’ll be able to get them on the market. Encarnacion is arguably the top free agent in the 2016 class, so he’s going to get paid.

Bautista may not get the money he wants on the market after a shaky 2016, meanwhile, but teams will still be willing to pay him a hefty amount to solidify the middle of their lineups. 

Aroldis Chapman

No relief pitcher is likely to garner the interest that Aroldis Chapman will demand—and for good reason. Chapman has again been dominant this season, settling in nicely with the Chicago Cubs, and his 100 mph fastball sells itself.

One potential destination?

A return to the Yankees.

As Heyman wrote, “Dellin Betances hasn’t done as well as closer as he did as setup man. So word is the Yankees may go back after Aroldis Chapman as a free agent.”

Of course, Chapman’s return to the Cubs is always possible. But it’s hardly guaranteed, as Paul Sullivan of the Chicago Tribune wrote:

Kenley Jansen, Rich Hill and Justin Turner

In a mailbag column, Howard Cole of Forbes noted that Los Angeles Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen “has said that while he loves L.A., he would like to [test] the free-agent waters. Even with [a] qualifying offer attached to his name—and especially if he shines in October—the veteran closer will have his choice of suitors. The Dodgers will try to sign him, but they won’t break the bank to do so.”

As for Rich Hill, Cole wrote: “Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi love Hill, and I expect them to pay through the blister—uh, nose—to keep him.”

And then Justin Turner came into the mix as well.

“I take the club at its word that they would like to keep both Jansen and Turner, and I’m quite sure they will be generous in their offers,” Cole wrote. “They’ll try to re-sign both players, but if it comes down to one or the other, my guess is it’s JT.”

Retaining all three will be difficult. Heyman listed Turner as the sixth-best free agent this winter, while Hill was No. 8 and Jansen No. 9. And Heyman expects Turner to get paid quite handsomely this winter:

He’s turned into a great all-around player and would seem to be a must-have for L.A. (See below.) Word is, his side may bring up Hanley Ramirez, Pablo Sandoval and Adrian Beltre’s deal. They also may note how Chase Headley, no Turner, got $52 million, and Ben Zobrist got $56 million while turning down $60 million. At this moment, I’d take Turner over all of ’em, except Beltre 

As for Jansen, Heyman noted, “Kenley Jansen loves L.A., but he’s noncommittal on his impending free agency.”

Meanwhile, Turner told Heyman: “I’d love to stay here. I love playing here. I love playing at home.”

Losing all three would be a major blow to the team’s chances of repeating as NL West champions. The Dodgers will likely have a busy offseason. Josh Reddick is also a pending free agent, though his play down the stretch may diminish his market.

The Dodgers have traditionally had little issue splashing cash in free agency, but bringing back all four of their premier free agents may be even too expensive—and, honestly, not the best use of the team’s money—for Los Angeles. 

With other options in free agency, especially at closer, the Dodgers may turn elsewhere. However, they’ll likely put out feelers on all four players. 

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Chicago Cubs and President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein reportedly agreed to a long-term contract extension Wednesday. 

Bruce Levine of 670 The Score and Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reported Epstein’s new deal with the Cubs is for five years.      

USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale reported the deal is expected to be worth more than $50 million. 

Epstein, 42, joined the Cubs after the 2011 season and has promptly built a World Series contender, largely through a combination of smart drafting and savvy moves in free agency. The team made the postseason in 2015, ending a six-year playoff drought, though it lost to the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series.

The Cubs got off to a strong start in 2016, going 17-5 in April, and are the only MLB team to win at least 100 games this season. They won the NL Central for the first time since 2008. 

Before joining the Cubs, Epstein spent 10 seasons as the Boston Red Sox general manager, helping build two championship rosters (2004, 2007) and ending the team’s title drought that dated back to 1918.

The Cubs are hoping he can build the team that finally ends their title drought that dates back even further, to 1908.

While Epstein knows expectations are high in Chicago, he’s trying to keep everything in perspective, as he told Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune:

The expectations thing, I know it can kind of create this subtext that hangs over the club with every two-game losing streak or every game that goes wrong or every injury. People try to put it in context that the ultimate goal is the World Series.

But the reality is that’s not how we feel internally. We know it’s a grind. We know it’s a process. We know what we’re shooting for. We’re here to win the World Series. But you don’t think about that on a daily basis. You think about the challenges the game presents, how you can overcome those and coming together as a team and as an organization and working your tail off to move forward and progress. That’s what drives us.

In the end, if you don’t win the World Series, you’re very disappointed. If you do, it’s worthwhile because you focused on the journey.

Without question, Epstein is one of the top executives in baseball and has worked wonders with the Cubs in his time at the organization. Locking him up for the long haul was a smart move from the team, as Epstein will continue building around the team’s established superstars, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, along with one of baseball’s strongest supporting casts.

Ultimately, the Lovable Losers are hoping Epstein can help them shed that old nickname altogether.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who is retiring after the 2016 season, spoke with Sports Illustrated‘s Tom Verducci about retiring, steroids, his approach to the game and more in a lengthy interview.

One of the topics discussed was why Ortiz, who is hitting .318 with 37 home runs and 124 RBI, would retire after a campaign where he’s a candidate to win the American League MVP. 

For Ortiz, his decision is about much more than his performance.

“Well, like everybody knows, I’ve been dealing with injuries the past four years,” he told Verducci. “Also, [I’m] not getting any younger, man. You look around, everybody’s 20 years old. Also, this traveling thing, it catches up with you.”

He added: “The reality is a lot of us give up on chasing things as we get older because our body, our mind, you know. … In my case, man, I want to be good. I want to continue being productive. My hitting coaches know that. I chase things still, knowing that I’m going to retire after this season. I’d like to give that to our fans.”

Certainly, Ortiz’s curtain call has been spectacular. The Red Sox are first in the AL East and a threat to win the World Series, and Ortiz is having one of his finest seasons. Even at 40, the passion to be great drives him.

“I work extremely hard on my hitting, man,” he said. “Like I’m a psycho when it comes down to hitting. Like I live for that. I always tell our younger hitters. … I mean, we sit down, batting practice, videos, stuff like that, and we just talk about it.”

That guidance has paid off. A number of Boston hitters are having enormous seasons:

But Verducci and Ortiz also talked about the biggest scandal of his career—the fact that, in 2009, he was named as one of the players to fail a 2003 drug-screening test. Those results were supposed to remain confidential but were leaked publicly, and Verducci asked Ortiz what he could do to convince people that he didn’t use steroids.

Ortiz said:

I don’t think I can do anything. A noise comes out, and do you think I’m just going to sit down and believe what somebody I don’t know comes off saying? That came out [in] 2009, [but it was] about 2003. [MLB’s] drug policies started in 2004. I never failed a test. I kept on banging. So, you know, the reality is that it’s a noise that I think was more damaging [to some players’ careers] than anything else, because a lot of guys that were pronounced [as having tested] positive for things or having been caught using things, their careers went away. Yet I am [here]. Let me tell you, there’s not one player in baseball, not one player, that has been drug-tested more than David Ortiz. I guarantee you that. I never failed a test.

Verducci then wondered why Ortiz, or any other player, wouldn’t have used banned substances if they saw other players doing so. Why wouldn’t Ortiz also want that edge? 

Because there’s one thing that I have been afraid of my whole life: chemicals. I don’t like to put chemicals in my body. I’m a happy person. I’m a person that believes in nature. I’m a person that believes in secondary effects when you start using things that you are not supposed to.

And it was something that never came to my attention. Yes, I used to go to GNC and buy supplements like everybody else. I mean, I’m an athlete. I’m a high-performing athlete. So it was legal to go to GNC. [Now] I don’t even know where GNC is, since they told us not to go to GNC to buy any supplement. Now we get [information] from our trainers so you don’t get caught in any kind of trouble.

Ortiz’s link to steroids, fair or not, may always remain a part of his legacy. So will the relatively slow start to his career. On the other hand, he has three World Series titles, 10 All-Star selections and his reputation as one of the most outgoing, friendly players in the game.

Many people will miss his presence. But Ortiz thinks baseball will be fine without him. In fact, he thinks the game is in a great place.

“Well, I don’t know how a lot of people are going to feel about what I’m going to say, but I think this game right now is at its best,” he noted. “Like I don’t think this game is going to get better, or used to be better than it is right now.”

We might say the same about Ortiz.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Miami Marlins paid tribute to deceased pitcher Jose Fernandez on Monday before their game against the New York Mets, all donning Fernandez’s No. 16.

Eight Marlins opened the game by surrounding the mound, with no pitcher on the field. The team shared the tribute to Fernandez on Twitter:

Fernandez died in a boating accident Sunday morning. He was 24.

Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton was in tears as he spoke to his teammates before the game, as baseball writer Molly Knight showed:

MLB Gifs also showed Dee Gordon and Christian Yelich embracing:

When the game started, Gordon provided a moment that won’t soon be forgotten.

He opened his at-bat by stepping into the right-handed batter’s box and imitating Fernandez’s stance for the first pitch, per James Wagner of the New York Times. The second baseman then switched to his normal left side of the plate—and promptly hit his first home run of the season.

Wagner and Anthony DiComo of MLB.com described the turn of events:

After Miami defeated the Mets 7-3, the Marlins left the game ball on the mound and the entire team circled around it with their arms around each other, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Jared Diamond of the Wall Street Journal shared a photo of the moment:

Fernandez, one of baseball’s brightest young stars and most charismatic characters, could become the first posthumous Cy Young Award winner.

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Every Miami Marlins player will wear No. 16 in Monday night’s game against the New York Mets to honor Jose Fernandez, according to Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. 

It will also be the last time the number is worn by a member of the Marlins organization, with owner Jeffrey Loria telling reporters the team will retire the number.

Fernandez died Sunday morning in a boating accident. He was 24. 

The Marlins also painted Fernandez’s No. 16 on the pitcher’s mound. 

Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Braves was cancelled in the wake of the news.

“As you see around you, there are no words to describe how this organization feels,” team president David Samson said in a press conference Sunday, per Tim Healey and Mike Clary of the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “There’s no playbook. There’s no words of consolation. There’s prayer and there’s thought toward his family, toward his soon-to-be-born daughter. You realize how precious life is, how taking things for granted is a foolish man’s game.”

The baseball community came together Sunday to honor Fernandez and pay tribute to the starting pitcher who had already established himself as a superstar and one of the game’s most charismatic players. There was a league-wide moment of silence for Fernandez and tributes like the one from Yoenis Cespedes of the New York Mets:

“As mad as he would make you with some of the stuff he would do, you just see that little kid you see when you watch kids play Little League,” Marlins manager Don Mattingly said, per Tyler Kepner of the New York Times. “That’s the joy that Jose played with, and the passion he felt about playing. That’s what I think about.”

Indeed, it was Fernandez’s love of the game that stuck with those who played with or against him.

“You could see the passion and joy of playing, and you realize it’s not showing up the other team,” Philadelphia Phillies catcher A.J. Ellis said of Fernandez, per Kepner. “It’s the joy of competing, the joy of him and his teammates being successful. You can’t fault anybody for that. You actually admire people for that.”

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez died in a boating accident, the team announced Sunday morning, per Manny Navarro of the Miami Herald.

Andy Slater of 940 AM WINZ reported the boat Fernandez was on hit rocks going full speed and flew about 30 feet in the air before landing upside down. He added that one victim was found in the water and two were found under the boat. Fernandez was 24.

On Monday, authorities, via Baseball Tonight, revealed the boat was registered to Fernandez and announced that the other victims were Eduardo Rivero and Emilio Jesus Macias. The investigation into the accident continues, via Baseball Tonight.

A public visitation for Fernandez will be held on Wednesday followed by a private funeral ceremony on Thursday, via a Tuesday report from ESPN.com news services.

“The Miami Marlins organization is devastated by the tragic loss of Jose Fernandez,” the team said in a statement on Sunday. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this very difficult time.”

Marlins manager Don Mattingly also expressed his thoughts at a press conference, via SportsCenter:

Major League Baseball, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred and MLBPA executive director Tony Clark also released statements:

Sunday’s game between the Marlins and Atlanta Braves was canceled, but the team will play Monday against the New York Mets, team president David Samson told reporters.

The Miami Dolphins will hold a moment of silence in honor of Fernandez before Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.

Kevin McAlpin of 680 The Fan in Atlanta and Tim Healey of the Sun Sentinel passed along photos of the scene at Marlins Park, while Jon Weisman of the Dodgers showed Marlins shortstop Dee Gordon paying tribute to his teammate:

Teammate Giancarlo Stanton took to Instagram to express his thoughts:

Fernandez was one of the most dominant pitchers in the game and a bright young star.

“You recognize how precious life is,” Samson said, per MLB Network Radio. “And how taking things for granted is a fool man’s game.”

“When I think about Jose, I see such a little boy,” Mattingly told reporters. “The way he played, there was just joy with him.”

“We’re not robots,” Marlins infielder Martin Prado told reporters. “We’re humans. He made an impact on everyone. I understand we have to play games. But there’s a lot of pain.”

“Jose Fernandez is one of the most genuine guys I’ve ever played with,” former Marlins starter Dan Haren tweeted. “He loved life, he loved baseball…he will be missed dearly.”

Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer tweeted: “Absolutely crushed hearing the news about Jose. Brought so much energy and passion towards life! You will be missed Papo RIP.”

Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout also passed along his condolences:

Fernandez defected from Cuba at the age of 15. He had previously been caught trying to leave the country and spent time in a Cuban prison. From those humble origins, he became one of baseball’s most charismatic, talented and beloved players.

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San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Johnny Cueto was forced to exit Tuesday night’s start against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a groin injury. 

Continue for updates.

Latest on Cueto’s Timeline for Return

Thursday, Sept. 22

Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News reported Cueto will try to play catch Friday and isn’t ruled out for Sunday’s start.

Cueto Among League’s Best in Rebound Season

Cueto, 30, signed with the Giants in the offseason after going 11-13 with a 3.44 ERA, a 1.13 WHIP and 176 strikeouts for the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals—with whom he won the World Series title in 2015. He struggled in his short stay in the American League, however, posting a 4.76 ERA and 1.45 WHIP in 13 regular-season starts.

The Giants were banking on a return to the National League rejuvenating Cueto, who established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball in his seven-and-a-half seasons with the Reds. In 2014, he was an All-Star and finished as a runner-up in Cy Young voting.

He also went 2-1 in the 2015 postseason, including a complete-game, two-hit, one-run victory over the New York Mets in Game 2 of the World Series.

He’s 17-5 this season with a 2.79 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 187 strikeouts in 212.2 innings pitched.

In San Francisco, Cueto joined an excellent rotation that includes Madison Bumgarner, Jeff Samardzija and Matt Cain, while the team acquired Matt Moore at the trade deadline. The Giants—watching as the Mets reached the World Series behind the trio of Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard—felt that upgrading the rotation was a priority in the offseason.

But despite that impressive depth, the Giants will hope Cueto is able to return in time for his next start with the team fighting for its life in a wild-card race that figures to come down to the wire. 

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Baltimore Orioles star outfielder Adam Jones told Bob Nightengale of USA Today the reason MLB players haven’t protested police brutality and the unfair treatment of African-Americans during the national anthem—a trend started by San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who sat before a preseason game—is because “baseball is a white man’s sport.”

“We already have two strikes against us already, so you might as well not kick yourself out of the game,” he said Monday. “In football, you can’t kick them out. You need those players. In baseball, they don’t need us.”

Statistically, Jones’ assessment holds up. As Nightengale wrote, “African-Americans comprise 68 percent of the player population in the NFL and 74 percent in the NBA. That number is just 8 percent in baseball, with only 69 African-Americans on the Opening Day rosters and disabled lists this season.”

Nightengale noted the decision to sit during the national anthem would put an MLB player under a more intense spotlight, as he would be choosing to sit 162 times over the course of the season rather than once per week for 16 weeks like an NFL player.

So Jones has chosen to stand for the anthem. He vigorously defended Kaepernick’s particular form of protest, however:

He believes in what he believes in, and as a man of faith, as an American who has rights, who am I to say he’s wrong? Kaepernick is not disrespecting the military. He’s not disrespecting people who they’re fighting. What he’s doing is showing that he doesn’t like the social injustice that the flag represents. Look, I know a lot of people who don’t even know the words to the national anthem. You know how many times I see people stand up for the national anthem and not pay attention. They stand because they’re told to stand. That’s the problem. Just don’t do something because you’re told to do something. Do it because you understand the meaning behind it and the sacrifice behind it.

When asked by reporters Monday if he would ever protest the anthem, Jones said he would “never” consider doing so, saying he respects it and has family members who served in the military.

Jones was also asked about the reception to his comments, telling reporters he’s heard “positive feedback” from players and is fine with any potential backlash because he “spoke the truth.”

“There’s going to be backlash, of course there is,” Jones added. “Because people don’t like the truth.”

He also suggested to Nightengale that people hold African-American athletes to a different standard when they speak out against the status quo.

“I’ve seen Kaepernick called the N-word just because he’s being sensitive to what has happened to African-Americans in this country,” he said. “It’s crazy how when people of color speak up, we’re always ridiculed. But when people that are not of color speak up, it’s their right.”

On top of that, Jones feels that many fans don’t want athletes to express an opinion unless it relates to sports.

“The outside world doesn’t really respect athletes unless they talk about what they want them to talk about,” he noted. “Society doesn’t think we deserve the right to have an opinion on social issues. We make a lot of money, so we just have to talk baseball, talk football.”

Indeed, many athletes and sportswriters are told to “stick to sports” with such regularity when they talk about non-sports issues that it has practically become a meme on Twitter.

Jones has done well this season when he’s “stuck to sports.” He’s hitting .281 with 27 home runs and 80 RBI. It’s his sixth straight season with 25 or more home runs, and he’s leading an Orioles team that is battling for a postseason berth.

While what happens on the field is important to Jones, he recognizes the stakes of Kaepernick’s protest—and the implications of the response to it—run far deeper than the results of a game.

“At the end of the day, if you don’t respect his freedoms, then why the hell are we Americans?” Jones asked. “It’s supposed to be the Land of the Free, right?”

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

There are a number of ways a baseball player might injure a finger. Ordering room service at a hotel isn’t traditionally one of them.

But that was the case for Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Josh Reddick, who hurt a finger while holding his door open for a room-service cart, according to Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times. Reddick was scratched from the starting lineup Monday because of discomfort he experienced while throwing a ball.

Reddick pinch hit in the fifth inning of Monday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, however, so it appears as though his injury won’t keep him out of the starting lineup for long. That’s good news for the Dodgers, who held a one-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the National League West following Monday’s 18-9 win.

The Dodgers and Giants open a three-game series Tuesday in Los Angeles.

Reddick, 29, is hitting just .149 with one double in 18 games since the Dodgers acquired him from the Oakland Athletics ahead of the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline.

“I’m at rock-bottom right now,” Reddick said, per McCullough. “But I will climb out.”

In 68 games with the A’s this season, Reddick hit .296 with eight home runs and 28 RBI. In 2015, he notched 20 home runs and 77 RBI while hitting .272 for Oakland.

With Reddick sidelined, Andrew Toles stepped into the starting lineup and went 2-for-5 with his first big league home run and four RBI. Los Angeles won 18-9.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola has suffered a right elbow strain, according to the team. 

Continue for updates.

Nola Placed on 15-Day Disabled List

Wednesday, August 3

According to the Phillies, right-handed pitcher Phil Klein will be called up from Lehigh Valley to take Nola’s roster spot while he’s on the disabled list. Klein will get the start against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday night.

Nola, 23, is one of Philadelphia’s most promising young pitchers. He finished the 2015 season with a 6-2 record, a 3.59 ERA, a 1.20 WHIP and 68 strikeouts in 13 starts and 77.2 innings pitched.

He’s gone 6-9 this season with a 4.78 ERA, a 1.31 WHIP and 121 strikeouts in 111.0 innings pitched.

While he’s prone to giving up home runs, Nola leads a cast of talented young pitchers the Phillies could be relying on for years to come. Jerad Eickhoff is an intriguing young pitcher, Vincent Velasquez has been superb in 2016, and there is still hope that Mark Appel will live up to the hype that made him one of the top prospects in baseball a few years ago.

While Nola didn’t initially project to be an ace for the Phillies in the future, he’s shown quite a bit of upside in 2016. He’s polished for his age and has shown solid command of his fastball and an excellent curveball. His ability to continue to progress his third pitch, a changeup he’s added to his repertoire this season, will be huge in his development.

He appears to be a player who will be an important member of the team’s rotation for years to come and was one who certainly helped fuel the Phillies’ surprisingly strong start to the season.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com