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Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Alex Colome has reportedly become a coveted trade target amid an offseason in which bullpen upgrades are all the rage around Major League Baseball. 

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Nats Showing Interest in Colome

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported Wednesday the Washington Nationals have spoken to the Rays about a potential deal for the closer.

Colome is coming off a dominant year pitching the ninth inning in Tampa. He posted a 1.91 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 71 strikeouts in 56.2 innings across 57 appearances en route to 37 saves. While his career numbers aren’t that great, he still sports a 3.10 ERA in 108 games.

The 27-year-old Dominican Republic native came through the Rays system as a starter, and he enjoyed moderate success in that role early in his major league career. But his combination of a mid-90s fastball and wipeout slider always gave him more potential as a high-leverage bullpen weapon.

Tampa committed to him in that role to open 2016, and the results spoke for themselves.

Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com spoke with Colome in June following a strong start that eventually earned him a selection to the All-Star Game, and he stated there wasn’t any preference about how he’s used:

I really can’t say how they saw me in the minor leagues as a reliever or a starter because before you get to the big leagues, you don’t know what a team has planned for you. They gave me the opportunity as a reliever and they saw how I worked. But what has always been my focus is having faith and show up every day when I was given the chance, whether that’s as a starter or a reliever, to show what I can do.

While his success makes it no surprise teams are checking on his availability, the Rays would likely be looking for a king’s ransom in return. Not only is he coming off a terrific year, but he’s still under team control for another four years, according to Spotrac.

Add in the fact seemingly every contender is looking to improve its bullpen after the success the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians enjoyed in that area en route to the World Series, and Tampa should be able to land a nice haul of young talent if it decides to trade Colome.

In that regard, the Nationals make a lot of sense. They need pen help to pair with their formidable starting rotation, and Baseball America ranked their farm system among the five best to open 2016, a status that could hold going into 2017 barring a blockbuster deal.

The question is whether Washington would be willing to part with a couple of key pieces from that group in order to bet on Colome remaining a top-tier option next season and beyond.

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The Kansas City Royals shook up their bullpen Wednesday after trading All-Star closer Wade Davis to the Chicago Cubs for Jorge Soler.  

The Cubs announced the deal after Bob Nightengale of USA Today first reported the agreement. Soler took to Twitter after the announcement to thank Chicago’s fans for his time with the club before commenting on his move to Kansas City:

Davis had been an instrumental part of Kansas City’s recent resurgence. He was a middling starter after coming up with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2009 and during his first year with the Royals in 2013, but a move to the bullpen turned his career around. 

In 2014 to 2015, Davis put up numbers that were as good as any reliever in Major League Baseball over that span. 

He remained strong in 2016 with a 1.87 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 43.1 innings, but his walk rate (3.3 per nine innings) was his highest since 2013. He also had two stints on the disabled list with a flexor strain in his right forearm.

The Royals are in a difficult spot heading into 2017. Several core members from the 2015 championship team are entering the final year of their contracts, including Eric Hosmer, Lorenzo Cain and Mike Moustakas. 

Davis was also in that group, but now that he’s gone, it creates financial flexibility for the upcoming season in Kansas City. His contract will pay him $10 million in 2017, per Spotrac.

The Royals still have Kelvin Herrera to close games. 

Its two-year playoff run in 2014 and 2015 briefly altered the way Kansas City does business, with Cot’s Baseball Contracts estimating its payroll last season at $131.5 million. That’s not a level this franchise can consistently operate on, so trading a reliever and adding an impact asset it controls through 2020 is the right move. 

The Cubs will happily take advantage of the Royals’ transition phase. They have a solid bullpen, even with the possible loss of Aroldis Chapman to free agency, as Hector Rondon has 77 saves since 2014. 

However, adding an impact arm to the team’s crop of relievers gives Cubs manager Joe Maddon depth and versatility—areas in which the defending World Series champions were lacking. 

In return, the Cubs deal from a crowded position group. The potential loss of free agent Dexter Fowler takes away one option, but they can still use some combination of Ben Zobrist, Kyle Schwarber, Jason Heyward, Albert Almora Jr., Jon Jay and Kris Bryant in the outfield. 

Soler has never been able to put it all together since signing with Chicago in 2012, due to injuries and inconsistent performance. He started to look like a future star in the second half last season with a .258/.348/.515 line in 36 games. 

That’s a small sample size; though, at 24 years old, Soler is still young enough to develop into a star right fielder.

Moving Davis now, while painful for Kansas City fans, represents the Royals’ best opportunity to have financial flexibility in the offseason and keep adding young, cost-controlled talent who can help them return to glory next season. 

Davis comes with risk after his injuries last year, but the Cubs are a franchise with the financial resources and depth to take on his contract with the hopes he can return to his 2014-15 levels when he was the best reliever in baseball. 

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New Arizona Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen continues to explore ways to improve the team, including exploring trade options for starting pitcher Shelby Miller.  

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D-backs Open to Trading Miller

Wednesday, Dec. 7

According to Nick Piecoro of AZCentral Sports, the Diamondbacks have been discussing trading starting pitchers during the winter meetings, with Miller and Patrick Corbin being the most talked-about trade chips from Arizona’s side. 

Piecoro did note the Diamondbacks still have a high asking price for their pitchers, so any potential deal would have to be considered a long shot. 

The Diamondbacks acquired Miller last year in a five-player deal that sent Ender Inciarte, Dansby Swanson and Aaron Blair to the Atlanta Braves.

The move was part of Arizona’s hopes for contention in 2016 after signing Zack Greinke. Things never came together for the team, with Miller completely falling apart. He had a 6.15 ERA with 127 hits allowed and 70 strikeouts in 101 innings over 20 starts.

Things got so bad for Miller that the team demoted him to Triple-A in July, hoping to fix his mechanics. It did seem to work, at least a little bit, with a 3.98 ERA in a small sample size of 31.2 innings, though he still allowed 40 hits during that span.

Hazen has been aggressive trying to patch things up, acquiring Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte from the Seattle Mariners last month. The Diamondbacks do have a wealth of intriguing starters to deal, including Miller, Walker, Greinke, Corbin, Robbie Ray and Archie Bradley. 

Even though things were disastrous for Miller and Arizona last year, this team is capable of turning things around quickly because of the depth in its rotation. It also hopes to get a full season from A.J. Pollock and continued development from Jake Lamb and Brandon Drury. 

Miller’s value is at its absolute lowest right now, so trying to deal him only makes sense if the Diamondbacks think he’s a lost cause. Since he’s just 26 years old and one year removed from being an All-Star, there’s reason to be optimistic that 2016 was an outlier in his career. 

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Free-agent outfielder Ian Desmond is joining the Colorado Rockies.

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Desmond was signing with the Rockies. Joel Sherman of the New York Post confirmed the agreement, adding it’s a five-year deal.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported the value of Desmond’s deal with the Rockies is $70 million.

Rosenthal also noted the team plans to use him at first base and in the outfield. It does come at a steep price, though; the Rockies have to forfeit the No. 11 pick in the draft.

This is Desmond’s third-different team in as many years. After spending seven years with the Washington Nationals, he signed with the Texas Rangers on a one-year deal in 2016.

The 31-year-old is coming off one of the most productive seasons of his career in his lone season with the Rangers, batting .285 with 22 home runs and 86 RBI while garnering his second-ever All-Star appearance.

It was an impressive season for a player who was signed so late in the offseason. After turning down a $15.8 million qualifying offer from the Nationals, Desmond tested free agency and wasn’t signed until the last day of February when he accepted a one-year, $8 million deal from Texas, per Spotrac.

It was risky bet for him to try out free agency after he turned down a seven-year, $107 million deal from the Nationals before the 2015 season. He followed it up with his worst offensive year since 2011, batting .233 with 19 homers, 62 RBI and a meager .290 on-base percentage.

But upon his arrival in Texas, Desmond was forced to make the move from shortstop to center field due to Elvis Andrus patrolling the position. He posted a .966 fielding percentage in his first year in the outfield, committing 12 errors on 350 chances.

On Nov. 7, the Rangers made a $17.2 million qualifying offer in hopes of retaining him, but he rejected it one week later.

Now the Rockies will look to capitalize on Desmond’s successful 2016 campaign.

Left field is a potential spot for the Rockies to use Desmond’s offensive capabilities. Colorado got virtually no production from that spot in 2016 with a .256/.291/.403 slash line, per Baseball-Reference.com.

Desmond does hold the promise of providing a noticeable boost offensively given his prior experience at his new home park. According to Matt Musico of numberFire.com, Desmond has hit .379/.406/.611 with three home runs, 11 doubles and 18 RBI in 95 at-bats at Coors Field.

The Rockies don’t often have issues finding offense because their park is catered to hitting in the thin air, but the front office identified multiple positions it wanted to address, and Desmond’s versatility will allow him to handle both of them.

Desmond took a chance on himself after the contract debacle with the Nationals left him searching for a home. He put together a strong 2016 and will now reap the financial rewards while also playing an integral role for a Rockies franchise that is trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2009.

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com.

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After a relatively quiet first day at the winter meetings, Tuesday afternoon was anything but, as we saw one of the biggest blockbuster trades in recent memory.

The Chicago White Sox finally found an offer to their liking for ace Chris Sale, shipping him to Boston in exchange for a package of four prospects headlined by infielder Yoan Moncada and right-hander Michael Kopech.

That wasn’t all the Red Sox accomplished, though, as they also swung a trade to acquire setup man Tyler Thornburg from the Milwaukee Brewers and signed first baseman Mitch Moreland to a one-year deal, per Roster Resource.

There were a handful of other notable signings as well, with Wilson Ramos, Carlos Gomez and Fernando Rodney all finding new homes. As the free-agent market continues to dwindle, perhaps it will further fan the flames on the trade market.

What does Day 3 of the meetings have in store?

Keep it right here for all the latest rumors, news and transactions in one convenient tracker.

Done Deals

Wednesday: Miami Marlins sign LHP Jeff Locke to a one-year, ~$3 million deal, per Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball.

Wednesday: Colorado Rockies sign OF Ian Desmond to a five-year, $70 million deal, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports.

Wednesday: Chicago Cubs acquire RP Wade Davis from the Kansas City Royals in exchange for OF Jorge Soler, according to Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com.

Wednesday: Miami Marlins re-sign RHP Dustin McGowan to a one-year deal, per Heyman.

Wednesday: Miami Marlins sign C A.J. Ellis to a one-year, $2.5 million deal, according to Buster Olney of ESPN.

Wednesday: Washington Nationals acquire CF Adam Eaton from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for RHP Lucas Giolito, RHP Reynaldo Lopez and RHP Dane Dunning, per Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago.

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Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Jose Quintana could become the next marquee player to leave the organization as the front office continues to shop assets following the trade of ace Chris Sale.

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Nats, Astros Show Interest in Quintana

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported Wednesday the Washington Nationals and Houston Astros are both talking with the South Siders about a potential deal for the veteran left-hander.

Quintana has served as one of the most reliable starters in baseball over the past five years. He’s posted a 3.41 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 154 appearances (151 starts) over that span. He’s also made at least 32 starts in four straight seasons and never finished with an ERA above 3.76 in any campaign.

The 27-year-old Colombia native is coming off perhaps his most complete season. He compiled a career-low 3.20 ERA, which ranked seventh in the American League, and a 1.16 WHIP while striking out 181 batters in 208 innings.

His success allowed him to earn his first All-Star Game selection in July. He talked about how much the honor meant to him before pitching a scoreless frame in the Midsummer Classic, per Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago.

“That is so great and important to know everyone knows me now,” Quintana said. “I feel more responsible to my city and teammates and organization. I am so happy and hope to enjoy this moment and experience with my family.”

Typically, players with his track record who are under team control for an additional four years aren’t the focus of much trade talk. But Sale’s departure signaled the start of a White Sox rebuild, and Quintana’s value may never be higher given the lackluster group of starters available in free agency.

Daryl Van Schouwen of Chicago Sun-Times passed along comments from general manager Rick Hahn on Monday about the need for a clear direction. He referenced the successful retooling of the crosstown rival and reigning champion Chicago Cubs in the process.

“If you have a plan and you articulate it clearly [to fans]…Certainly in our city it’s easy for them to see the fruits of those hardships on the other side of town. I think people would understand that,” he said.

Quintana should command another impressive group of prospects, though it likely won’t reach the return the White Sox received for Sale. But, if they decide to move him, the combined haul between the two trades would be enough to transform the farm system.

The Nationals and Astros are two teams that have been heavily linked to numerous big names since the offseason got underway. Both clubs are on the cusp on contention heading toward 2017 and adding the underrated lefty would provide a major boost to their playoff chances.

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Chicago Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler has had trouble getting on the field over his first three MLB seasons, but he will now reportedly get a new opportunity with the Kansas City Royals.

According to USA Today‘s Bob Nightengale, the Royals and Cubs have struck a deal that will send Soler to the Royals for closer Wade Davis, pending physicals. Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball confirmed the report.

Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal noted the deal would be a one-for-one swap with no other players involved. 

The 24-year-old Soler has been lost in the shuffle with the Cubs. Once the No. 12-rated prospect in all of the minors by Baseball America before the 2015 season (via Baseball-Reference.com), Soler has appeared in just 211 MLB games in three years. 

Though he has a large frame and a lot of potential, the Cuban defector didn’t make his road to the majors any easier with some of his antics. According to Fox Sports’ Mauricio Rubio, “He was benched for not hustling, and in a separate incident he ran toward an opposing dugout with a bat.”

After a limited debut in 2014 that included 97 plate appearances, he yielded underwhelming numbers in 2015 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI in 101 games.

Still, he had an opportunity to gain regular starting time in 2016 when Kyle Schwarber went down with a torn ACL and LCL and did just that from April to June as the Cubs’ go-to left fielder. 

But in 50 games, he batted just .223 with five home runs and 13 RBI before a hamstring injury sidelined him for almost two months. 

To make the timing worse, Soler was batting .318 in the 17 games prior to the injury, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick.

With a rotation of contributors to pick up the slack in left while fellow youngsters Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Javier Baez became household names during the Cubs’ first World Series title since 1908, Soler remained stagnant upon his return. He finished the season with a .238 batting average with 12 home runs and 31 RBI. 

However, he still made some solid contributions to the Cubs’ run toward the postseason:

Though he still has the potential to become a star in the big leagues, the Cubs decided to take the opportunity to sell high on Soler in order to land a top-tier closer. 

Davis has been an All-Star the past two seasons and could be a nice replacement for Aroldis Chapman if he does in fact walk in free agency this winter. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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After resurrecting his career with the Texas Rangers last season, outfielder Carlos Gomez agreed to terms to stay with the club on Monday.

Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball first reported the news, while Joel Sherman of the New York Post added it was a one-year deal worth $11.5 million. 

After the Houston Astros acquired Gomez in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers prior to the 2015 trade deadline, the Dominican Republic native spent the first half of 2016 with the ‘Stros.

Gomez struggled to the tune of a .210 batting average with five home runs, 29 RBI and 13 stolen bases in 295 at-bats, however, which prompted Houston to designate him for assignment.

The two-time All-Star then signed a minor league deal with the Rangers, and he was called up shortly thereafter to aid Texas’ short-handed outfield.

Gomez was excellent in 33 regular-season games with the Rangers, as he hit .284 with eight homers, 24 RBI and five steals. He also started for the team during the American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays, hitting .154 with one RBI and one stolen base in three contests.

Following the Rangers’ elimination, Gomez spoke glowingly about his time with the team and expressed a desire to re-sign in free agency, according to Josh Clark of CBS DFW:

This month and a half changed my career completely. I can’t wait to get home and continue to make this approach to next year. Of course I want to come back. If I had (this much) fun, that I enjoyed it so much for like a month and a half … I can’t imagine it for 180 something days. I put this in God’s hands … and they know that I love it here. I’m very loyal, it’s not always about money. I have money. It’s about enjoying the job that I love.

In 2015 and most of 2016, Gomez looked nothing like the player who emerged as one of the best all-around outfielders in baseball with the Brewers in 2013 and 2014.

Gomez put up big numbers in both of those campaigns, particularly in 2013 when he hit .284 with 24 home runs, 73 RBI and 40 stolen bases, all of which were career highs. He also won the Gold Glove and finished a solid ninth in National League MVP voting.

In stints with the New York Mets, Minnesota Twins, Brewers, Astros and Rangers, Gomez has shown flashes of brilliance and five-tool potential.

He has struggled to parlay that into consistent production for much of his career, but he appeared to regain his stride late last season.

The 31-year-old can be a game-changer when he is locked in, and that was apparent down the stretch in 2016.

Gomez and the Rangers appeared to be a match made in heaven last season, and there was mutual interest from both sides to see how much the partnership can potentially accomplish together over the course of an entire year in 2017.

The 2016 campaign was a tale of two seasons for Gomez, but if he is able to channel what made him successful late in the year, he could prove to be one of the best value signings of the offseason.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.

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Following a career year in 2016, catcher Wilson Ramos cashed in this offseason, reportedly agreeing to a two-year contract with the Tampa Bay Rays, according to the New York Post‘s Joel Sherman. 

FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman confirmed the deal and provided the financial particulars:

Ramos and Miami Marlins backstop J.T. Realmuto tied for the third-highest WAR (3.5) among qualified catchers last season, per FanGraphs. Despite his success at the plate, there were some questions as to Ramos’ market value after a torn ACL ended his campaign in September.

Sherman reported the Rays’ offer is pending a physical, which remains a question mark for Ramos. Sherman added that the length of the deal could benefit the catcher:

Torn ACL aside, the 29-year-old picked a great time to have his best MLB season at the plate. In 131 games, he had a .307/.354/.496 slash line along with 22 home runs and 80 runs batted in.

In March, Ramos explained to MLB.com’s Cash Kruth how having Lasik surgery benefited his plate vision:

More comfortable and I’m seeing the pitch really, really well after surgery. Now I can say the surgery helped me to be better at the plate. …

It’s making me feel comfortable and making me feel excited, because before I was swinging at everything. Ball, strike, I was feeling very bad sometimes because I’d say, ‘That was a bad pitch, why did I swing?’ Now I feel more comfortable at the plate. It’s only four or five games after surgery, but I see the difference now.

Heyman reported the Washington Nationals had offered Ramos a three-year deal worth about $30 million during the season, and he turned it down. On Sept. 15, Heyman speculated Ramos could command $68 million over four years.

That was before the injury, though, which was the second time he had torn the ACL in his right knee.

While the torn ACL hurt Ramos’ value, he benefited from what was a thin talent pool in free agency. Teams looking for immediate offensive help didn’t have a wealth of options from which to choose. Ramos was also the best catcher on the market.

With that said, his signing comes with a few concerns.

In the likely event his torn ACL forces him to play less at catcher, he loses some of his value. Hitting 20-plus home runs and driving in 80 runs is great for a catcher but less so for a first baseman or designated hitter.

To a certain extent, it’s the same problem the Minnesota Twins have with Joe Mauer. Using Mauer at first base is the best way to keep him healthy, but the Twins can no longer expect a full return on the $23 million a year they’re paying him. According to FanGraphs, Mauer’s .389 slugging percentage was second-worst among qualified first basemen.

Whether Ramos can maintain last year’s production is questionable as well. His .327 batting average on balls in play was third-best among qualified catchers and 36 points higher than his career BABIP (.291), per FanGraphs.

He can attribute some of his improvement to the Lasik surgery—a factor that should carry over to next year. Ramos also had his fair share of good luck, which isn’t a given from one season to the next.

In 2014, Russell Martin had a .336 BABIP—a career high—which in part helped him post his highest WAR (4.9) since 2008, per FanGraphs. He turned his big season into a five-year, $82 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Martin’s performance leveled off a bit in his first two years with Toronto. In 2016, he batted .231 with 20 home runs and 74 RBI and finished with 1.7 WAR.

Ramos might have a similar decline in 2017. Still, the Rays are smart to take the risk.

According to FanGraphs, Tampa Bay had the third-worst collective WAR (minus-0.1) at catcher in 2016. Ramos will be the Rays’ best catcher since Dioner Navarro in the late 2000s, and he should be a significant upgrade over Curt Casali.

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Free-agent first baseman Mitch Moreland‘s seven-year run as a Texas Ranger came to an end Tuesday. According to Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal, the Boston Red Sox and Moreland have agreed on a one-year deal, pending a physical. 

Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported the one-year contract is worth $5.5 million.

Moreland had spent his entire career with the Rangers, compiling a .254 batting average and 110 home runs in the process. 

He’s not the flashiest player, nor the most powerful, but Moreland has proved he can contribute to winning teams. 

During his tenure in Texas, Moreland and the Rangers made the postseason five times, including two trips to the World Series. He announced his presence to the Rangers roster during the 2010 Fall Classic against the San Francisco Giants:

Since that rookie season, Moreland recorded three years in which he hit 22 home runs or more, including 2016 when he hit 22 homers and drove in 60 runs. 

However, his average dipped to a meager .233 while striking out a career-high 118 times, which were not the best numbers heading into free agency.  

There will be some big shoes for Moreland to fill upon his arrival to Boston. 

With the retirement of David Ortiz and the rekindling of Hanley Ramirez’s career at first base, Moreland could spend a lot of his time as Boston’s designated hitter in 2017. 

While it won’t be expected for him to put up the 38 home runs and 127 RBI that Ortiz recorded in his final year in 2016, Moreland could be a welcomed addition as long as he produces his familiar numbers in his new home. 

Boston’s lineup is stacked with young talent in the form of Xander Bogaerts, Mookie Betts and Jackie Bradley Jr. alongside the veteran Ramirez. Each of those bats put up over 20 home runs last season and is expected to repeat that kind of output next year. 

Another 20-plus home run bat in Boston’s lineup would be helpful on a team that might not need as many runs with a new-look pitching staff that will feature Chris Sale—who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, per Rosenthal—alongside David Price and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Rick Porcello. 

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com. 

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