Kuzul

If you’re a fan of star-studded Major League Baseball free-agent classes, I come bearing bad news. There’s not going to be one this winter. Sorry.

But hey, at least Edwin Encarnacion will be out there. That’s something. A big something, even.

The Toronto Blue Jays slugger is one of those guys who’s easy to lose sight of, but he’s also someone you just know is probably doing his thing at any given moment. Sure enough, doing his thing is how he contributed to a 4-1 victory over the Houston Astros on Thursday. In the ninth inning, he clocked the ball over the left field fence and rounded the bases with his right arm cocked out:

Encarnacion’s latest long ball was his 30th of 2016. The 33-year-old has now topped 30 dingers in each of the last five seasons, which rearranges the list of all the players who have done so to look like this:

• Edwin Encarnacion

Yup. That’s it. Just him.

Encarnacion also boasts a .902 OPS, putting him on track to make it five straight seasons with an OPS that begins with a nine. He has some company in that club, but it’s only one kinda-sorta-very important guy: Mike Trout.

For at least the next two months, the Blue Jays can take facts and figures like these as a reminder that they’re lucky to have Encarnacion. He wasn’t considered a top asset when he first came to town in 2009. Then came some of the best power in the game, which hasn’t regressed as he’s gotten older. Before long, it could help the Blue Jays win a second straight American League East title.

But after the next couple of months pass into legend, Encarnacion’s power will be available to the highest bidder.

The Blue Jays signed Encarnacion to one extension when they locked him up on a three-year, $29 million deal back in 2012. That’s turned out to be a severe underpay, so it’s no wonder he isn’t looking to settle for less than market value as he heads toward free agency.

Back in April, this was the situation, as told by Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports:

Odds are Toronto’s next offer to Encarnacion will only be the qualifying offer. ESPN’s Buster Olney reported it will be worth $16.7 million this winter, per sources. That’s a lot of money, but Encarnacion would surely turn it down and risk going out into the open market with draft-pick compensation hanging over his head.

There’s a sliver of a chance of that strategy backfiring. If there’s anything the free-agent market is as wary or more wary of than players tied to draft-pick compensation, it’s older players. With his age-34 season due up in 2017, Encarnacion will fit both descriptions.

He’s also not without his flaws. He can hold his own at first base, but the best role for him will be as a full-time designated hitter. And with his previously excellent contact habit now merely average, at least one age-related crack is starting to show at the plate.

However, Encarnacion has two precedents from 2014 to turn to for hope. Nelson Cruz came off his age-33 season and got four years and $57 million from the Seattle Mariners, and Victor Martinez came off his age-35 season and got four years and $68 million from the Detroit Tigers. Good money for two older, bat-only players.

If there’s a handicap Encarnacion will face that neither of those two had to, it’s that the state of offense in MLB has changed dramatically. When Cruz and Martinez were free agents, the league was coming off a season when the average slugging percentage was .386. That number has skyrocketed to .417 in 2016, thanks to a barrage of dingers that has people talking about juiced balls and juiced players.

But teams are always going to need power. And this winter, the power market won’t have anyone who can measure up to Encarnacion.

Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports wrote in May that this winter will feature the worst free-agent class in decades. Part of the raw deal is a shortage of good power bats. The other big ones outside of Encarnacion will belong to fellow (for now) Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista, Mark Trumbo and, in all likelihood, Yoenis Cespedes. All three can match Encarnacion in raw power but not in consistency.

Even if his market is limited to American League clubs searching for a first base/DH type, it’s already apparent he could have one interested suitor in Boston. The Red Sox are due to say goodbye to longtime DH David Ortiz, and he knows who he wants to take up his mantle.

“The Red Sox know that they need to reinforce the middle of the lineup,” Ortiz said over the All-Star break, per Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald. “And sorry, Blue Jays, but who better than Encarnacion to do that?”

Then, Ortiz’s comments prompted MLB to open a tampering investigation. This offseason, the team could have president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski and other Red Sox executives nodding in agreement. Encarnacion would indeed help the Red Sox replace Big Papi’s lost production. And as Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe noted, Red Sox skipper John Farrell and coaches Torey Lovullo and Brian Butterfield are all former Blue Jays who are fans of Encarnacion.

Apart from the Red Sox, other clubs that could be on the lookout for a power-hitting first base/DH type this winter are the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and New York Yankees. If a couple of National League clubs are willing to roll the dice on him as a first baseman, his market will be robust.

It then wouldn’t be surprising if Encarnacion not only matches Cruz’s or Martinez’s deal but also beats either one. Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors floated a possible four-year contract worth $20 million or more per year.

That would be a lot of money. But then again, Encarnacion hits a lot of dingers.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com and FanGraphs unless otherwise noted/linked.

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Boston Red Sox first baseman Hanley Ramirez suffered a wrist injury when he slipped and fell on the steps in the dugout after a game against the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 2.

However, he has been cleared to return to the lineup. 

Continue for updates.

Ramirez Active vs. Dodgers

Friday, Aug. 5

Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reported Ramirez will play against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday.

X-Ray Results on Ramirez’s Wrist Revealed

Wednesday, Aug. 3

X-rays and an MRI showed that Ramirez’s wrist is “structurally sound,” according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com. 

Ramirez Looking for Stride with Red Sox 

It’s been a tumultuous two-year span for Ramirez, who batted a career-low .249 in 2015. A lot of it had to do with his physical form, as he had noticeably gained weight. He was even benched for a few games at the end of August due to fatigue. 

Shortly after the 2015 season ended, the Red Sox went to Ramirez and asked him to lose weight for spring training, and he did, via Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. 

On top of that, he had to get used to a new position as he was moved from the outfield to first base.

But things are looking up for Ramirez in 2016. Prior to the injury, he was hitting .276 with 13 home runs and 61 RBI while adapting well to first base, committing only three errors in his first 70 games with a .994 fielding percentage. 

He’s also shown everything said about him doesn’t affect him in the slightest:

With the likes of Mookie Betts, David Ortiz, Jackie Bradley Jr. and Xander Bogaerts in the Red Sox lineup, the pressure of producing hasn’t necessarily weighed as heavily on Ramirez as it has in years past.

Boston’s suddenly vaunted offense has it in contention in the American League East with the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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Already boasting a lineup with outstanding young hitters, the Boston Red Sox are adding another one to the mix by calling up top prospect Andrew Benintendi from Double-A Portland.

The Red Sox officially announced Benintendi‘s promotion on Twitter.

The seventh overall pick in last year’s draft, Benintendi‘s stock has done nothing but rise in the 13 months he’s been in the Red Sox farm system.

Benintendi, who was named SEC Player of the Year and Golden Spikes Award winner in 2015, has posted a .312/.378/.532 slash line in 97 games between High-A Salem and Double-A Portland this season. 

ESPN.com’s Keith Law ranked Benintendi as the No. 3 overall prospect in his midseason update released on July 14, behind Houston‘s Alex Bregman and Washington‘s Lucas Giolito. 

Law noted that Benintendi‘s “hands are super-quick and very strong, and he’s fast enough to stay in center field for the near term.”

Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe noted the Red Sox will use the same tactic they did in 2013 when Xander Bogaerts was called up, as Benintendi will sit for Tuesday night’s game against Seattle before starting on Wednesday. 

The Red Sox are secure in center field with Jackie Bradley Jr. enjoying a breakout season. Left field has been one of the few black holes in Boston’s lineup this year with a collective slash line of .256/.322/.394, per Baseball-Reference.com. 

Boston president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski explained the team’s decision to promote the 22-year-old right now, per Ian Browne of MLB.com:

Our people kept coming up and saying, ‘We think he can play at the big league level and we think he’s ready.’ Now, don’t look for him to hit in the middle of the lineup like he will eventually. But he’s a well-rounded player, he’s a good defensive player, he runs the bases well, he has a good arm, we’ve been working him out at left field and he’s been able to play the wall well in Portland there.

The Red Sox don’t necessarily need an offensive boost, even with the problems in left field, because they lead MLB with 576 runs scored, 55 more than anyone else in the American League. 

Yet the Red Sox have had problems with their starting rotation this year, an area they were unable to upgrade before Monday’s non-waiver trade deadline, so the next-best solution is to create a deep lineup that will cause more problems for opposing pitchers over the final two months. 

Benintendi has done nothing but hit since his junior season at Arkansas. He’s never looked overmatched at any level and will be ready to step in any role the Red Sox need him to serve as they hope to secure a playoff spot. 

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With the New York Yankees purging themselves of many veteran stars before the MLB‘s non-waiver trade deadline Monday, Alex Rodriguez‘s future remains up in the air.

Continue for updates.

Rodriguez a Candidate to be Released During 2016 Season

Tuesday, Aug. 2

According to Peter Botte and Christian Red of the New York Daily News, “While the more likely scenario still seems to be parting ways with A-Rod over the winter, a source familiar with the situation told the Daily News on Monday that there’s a chance releasing the slumping DH ‘could happen’ before the end of this season as part of the team’s ongoing overhaul.” 

Wallace Matthews of ESPN.com added context, noting there was “no chance” the veteran slugger would be waived to make room for elite catching prospect Gary Sanchez. 

That wouldn’t come as a huge surprise. The Yankees clearly indicated they were in rebuilding mode after trading relievers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, starting pitcher Ivan Nova and slugger Carlos Beltran before the deadline, per Billy Witz of the New York Times.

Ostensibly, that offers the Yankees the opportunity to open up playing time for a number of exciting, young prospects. Players like Rodriguez would stand in the way of giving those prospects playing time, however, making the possibility of his release seem realistic.

“I hope not,” Rodriguez told the Daily News when told there was a chance of his release. “I want to play and think I can make a difference on the field and in the clubhouse.”

General manager Brian Cashman noted that Rodriguez was a part of the team’s current plans, however, per Botte and Red:

A-Rod is a choice for our manager and coaching staff as they try to dissect every day what’s the best lineup to put out there. He’s going to do everything he continues to do to try to put himself in a position to succeed and then leave the decision making to the field staff if there’s opportunities to play or not.

The answer to that’s easy, I guess. We evaluate everything on a daily and weekly basis. We’re always trying to do the right thing. We’re always trying to do the best thing. Nothing has changed there.

Certainly, there are financial reasons to keep Rodriguez around. He’s still owed a guaranteed $21 million next season and the remainder of his salary this year. 

Struggling Rodriguez Coming to End of Road 

From a performance standpoint, however, Rodriguez has struggled. He’s hitting just .205 with nine home runs and 29 RBI entering Tuesday’s action. He’s hitting just .196 against right-handed pitching and was given only 37 at-bats in July, hitting .135 in the month with a homer and two RBI.

Either way, his days with the Yankees seem numbered. If the team decides to give younger prospects more playing time and A-Rod becomes disgruntled, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Yankees cut ties this season. Otherwise, it still seems most likely the team will move on from the veteran over the winter, as Botte and Red suggested.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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The Toronto Blue Jays announced Monday that they acquired starting pitcher Francisco Liriano from the Pittsburgh Pirates prior to MLB‘s trade deadline. 

The Pirates also sent catcher Reese McGuire and outfielder Harold Ramirez, their eighth- and ninth-ranked prospects, respectively, per MLB.com, to the Blue Jays.

In return, Toronto shipped struggling starter Drew Hutchison, who was optioned to Triple-A on July 8, to the Pirates.

Liriano is trudging through one of the worst seasons of his career with a 6-11 record and 5.46 ERA. The 32-year-old, who is owed nearly $13.7 million next season, according to Spotrac, was dealt as “a pure salary dump,” per Yahoo Sports’ Jeff Passan.

The 59-46 Blue Jays currently sit 0.5 games behind the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the American League East thanks in part to their strong rotation. Blue Jays starters have posted a team 3.71 ERA, which is fifth-best in the majors.

However, Marcus Stroman, who was perceived as the team’s ace heading into the 2016 season, has a rotation-worst 4.92 ERA. Former Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey is 7-12 with a 4.66 mark. 

While Stroman and Dickey have struggled, the Blue Jays have received dazzling contributions from Aaron Sanchez, J.A. Happ and Marco Estrada:

Before this nightmare season, Liriano had an ERA under 3.40 in each of the past three years, but his ERA was above 5.00 three times between 2009 and 2012. His best campaign in recent seasons came in 2013, when he went 16-8 with a 3.02 ERA.

The Blue Jays and their fans will be hoping that Liriano can recapture his 2013-15 form, which would further bolster their rotation and postseason hopes.

Adding another arm who can deal with the big bats of the Orioles and Boston Red Sox may be the difference between playing in October and watching the postseason on TV. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The Toronto Blue Jays announced Monday they have acquired relief pitcher Scott Feldman from the Houston Astros in return for minor league pitcher Guadalupe Chavez. 

Feldman is 5-3 with a 2.90 ERA in 26 games and five starts this season, as the Blue Jays add a versatile arm to their bullpen.  

The 18-year-old Chavez was the Blue Jays’ No. 20-ranked prospect, per MLB.com, and had been pitching in the Gulf Coast League, where he posted a 4-1 record with a 1.69 ERA, per MiLB.com. 

The acquisition of Feldman came shortly after the Blue Jays announced they dealt reliever Jesse Chavez to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday in exchange for pitcher Mike Bolsinger. It’s also almost a week after they traded Drew Storen to the Seattle Mariners for veteran Joaquin Benoit. 

Beginning the year as a starter, the Astros shifted Feldman to the bullpen after he started 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA in four outings. 

Upon moving to the pen, Feldman became a reliever who was able to appear anywhere from the middle innings to the eighth as a setup man. 

His best stretch of the season began in June when he went on an 11-appearance run in which he allowed a combined three runs while striking out 13. 

Feldman’s ERA sank to as low as 2.40, but an outing on Sunday against the Detroit Tigers saw him pelted for four runs while allowing two round-trippers in two innings of work. 

As the Blue Jays battle the Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox for American League East supremacy, Feldman’s acquisition could allow the team to start cutting down on its usage of the less reliable relievers. 

Brett Cecil has an ERA over 4.50, so Feldman could be a solid candidate to take over his role in the bullpen. It will allow the likes of Joe Biagini, Jason Grilli and Benoit to come into more favorable situations while giving closer Roberto Osuna a better chance to finish games off. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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The Baltimore Orioles confirmed Monday they acquired Steve Pearce, sending minor league catcher Jonah Heim to the Tampa Bay Rays to complete the deal. 

Pearce, who had previously spent four years as a member of the Orioles, is batting .309 with 10 home runs and 29 RBI in 60 games.

The 33-year-old broke out in a big way in 2014. Between 2007 and 2013, he had amassed 0.5 WAR on FanGraphs. In 2014, Pearce posted the second-highest WAR (4.9) among qualified Orioles position players.

Given his age, Pearce will probably never be that good again, but he’s a solid hitter who offers a lot of defensive value. Below is a positional breakdown of where he’s played over his MLB career, per Baseball-Reference.com:

“[Pearce] is a proven versatile veteran player who gives our club more punch and stronger defense wherever he is in the lineup,” said Orioles general manager Dan Duquette, per Roch Kubatko of MASN.

BaltimoreBaseball.com’s Dan Connolly noted the respect is mutual between the Orioles and Pearce:

Pearce’s arrival could mean the departure of Nolan Reimold, who has largely been a reserve outfielder for Baltimore. The team has little reason to keep both players, and swapping Reimold with Pearce would be a net upgrade for the Orioles.

While it’s easy to see why Duquette pulled the trigger on the deal, some might question whether the Orioles gave up too much for an aging player who’s set to be a free agent in the offseason.

Heim is still a ways away from the majors. He has played 88 games for Baltimore’s High-A affiliate, batting .216 with seven homers and 30 RBI. The 21-year-old is a far better defender than he is a hitter, though. MLB.com lists him as the 13th-best prospect in the Orioles organization.

On the 20-80 grading scale, Heim received 45 for hitting and 40 for power but 60 for his arm and 50 for fielding. While Heim is unlikely to become an All-Star catcher, some fans might contend the Orioles should have gotten a little more than just Pearce in the trade.

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The Boston Red Sox reportedly acquired left-handed pitcher Fernando Abad from the Minnesota Twins in exchange for right-handed pitcher Pat Light on Monday, according to Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. 

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball was the first to report the news, noting the deal is “pending medicals.”

Abad, 30, is 1-4 this season with a 2.65 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 29 strikeouts in 34.0 innings pitched. He also has six holds and a save and has held left-handed hitters to a .163 average this season. 

Light, 25, has gone 1-1 with a 2.32 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and seven saves in 31.0 innings pitched at Triple-A Pawtucket this year. He also has a fastball that has hit 100 mph in the past, per Berardino. He isn’t a top prospect but is ranked highly within Boston’s farm system:

Abad, meanwhile, will add much-needed depth to a bullpen that has seen both Craig Kimbrel and Koji Uehara miss significant time this season, though Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald thinks the team should continue bolstering the roster:

With Kimbrel returning but Uehara still out of action, Abad will likely play a major role in the seventh and eighth innings for Boston alongside Junichi Tazawa. Either pitcher may be utilized as the setup man depending on the opposing team’s lineup. 

If nothing else, Abad gives the Red Sox a specialist against left-handed hitters, as he’s been superb in that capacity in 2016. With the team mired in a battle for the postseason, Abad was a much-needed addition to a bullpen that has battled through a number of injuries to key players this season.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.

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New York Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez struck out in each of his four at-bats during Saturday’s 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, becoming the first batter in major league history to record a four-strikeout performance in both his teens and forties, per Elias Sports Bureau (via ESPN.com).

The 41-year-old continues to struggle in what may be his last season, but Saturday’s showing was notably bad even by the reduced standards, with Rodriguez seeing just 17 pitches in four at-bats while recording a golden Sombrero.

Rays starter Drew Smyly fanned Rodriguez three times, including on his final pitch of a six-inning, two-run performance that improved the lefty’s record to a still-unsightly 3-11.

Rays relief pitcher Alex Colome later struck out Rodriguez to begin the ninth, eventually striking out the side to earn his 24th save of the year.

Reduced to a part-time role due to his poor performance on a team that was a clear seller at the trade deadline, Rodriguez followed Saturday’s showing by striking out in his only at-bat during Sunday’s 5-3 loss, making a brief appearance as a pinch-hitter.

Even after Saturday, the 41-year-old Rodriguez has impressively recorded just seven four-strikeout performances in his 2,779-game career, per ESPN Stats & Info.

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The Baltimore Orioles are in the thick of a tight American League East race, and they reportedly added pitcher Wade Miley on Sunday to bolster their starting rotation for the stretch run.  

The Orioles announced the deal, confirming they sent left-handed pitcher Ariel Miranda to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Miley. Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball first reported the deal.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports provided the financial details for Miley’s contract as he joins Baltimore:

Sunday’s trade follows Heyman’s previous report that “Baltimore has been seeking a starter, especially a left-handed one, for weeks.” Miley gives the Orioles that coveted southpaw, and Heyman said “there aren’t a plethora of lefties on the market.”

Kenny Ducey of Sports Illustrated said “the back-end of the rotation has been a particularly grand problem for the Orioles” and pointed out that right-handers Yovani Gallardo (5.70 ERA) and Tyler Wilson (4.98 ERA) have been issues.

Baltimore ranks 28th in all of baseball in rotation ERA, per ESPN.com. Despite the pitching concerns, the Orioles are still in first place in the American League East and a half game ahead of the Toronto Blue Jays and 1.5 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. 

Improving that rotation will be critical for the Orioles if they plan on reaching the postseason for just the third time since the 1997 season, and the acquisition of Miley is a step in that direction.

If Miley’s last start is any indication, the Orioles struck at the right time. He pitched seven innings and allowed one run on one hit Saturday against the Chicago Cubs and was in complete command against a first-place team in the hostile environment of Wrigley Field.

While Miley was impressive on Saturday, he sports a pedestrian 4.98 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and 82 strikeouts in 19 starts on the season. However, he appeared to turn the corner Saturday and fills a glaring need for a potentially effective southpaw in Baltimore.

As for the Mariners, they are still within striking distance of third place in the American League West. They are looking up at the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros and are still eight games back of first place.

While trading Miley appears to be a seller move, Miranda is a fellow left-handed pitcher. He has only pitched two innings this year and allowed three earned runs, but he demonstrated strikeout stuff with four whiffs in those frames.

When the Orioles called him up earlier in the season, he hadn’t allowed a run in his previous 19 innings with Triple-A Norfolk, per the Associated Press (via ESPN.com). He showed potential in the minors and may eventually have the opportunity to fulfill it at the major league level.

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