Even though Thanksgiving dominated Week 3 of the 2015-2016 MLB offseason, there was still plenty of buzz surrounding stars like David Price and Jose Fernandez.
When it comes to the chase for Price, a heavyweight has emerged from the American League East. Meanwhile, some clarity has been provided on the future of Fernandez in South Beach.
As you enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers, here’s a look at all the biggest questions and answers from the week that was.
The end of November is an interesting time in Major League Baseball, as it’s a time when rumors begin to simmer heading into the winter meetings in two weeks.
There will also be an overabundance of rumors that are either false or useless. Hearing that teams are “willing to listen” on a random player says nothing because a general manager will take a phone call about any player, even if there’s no intention of moving that player.
Sometimes, though, rumors come out that have merit or are at least worth discussing because it could be a sign of discontent with the player or team, or a franchise wants to move in a different direction and holds up a “for sale” sign.
Here are the rumblings around MLB that warrant discussion, for one reason or another.
Scrolling through Twitter on Monday, the biggest baseball-related topic was John Harper of the New York Daily News speaking to a close friend of Robinson Cano’s, who said Seattle’s second baseman wants to get back to the Bronx.
“But even if Cano has had the best intentions as a Mariner,” Harper wrote, “one long-time friend who spoke to him recently says the second baseman is not happy in Seattle, especially with a new regime in charge there now, and that he’d love to somehow find his way back to New York.”
One scenario that was bantered about on the interwebs was a trade of two bad contracts involving Cano and Jacoby Ellsbury. Jon Heyman of CBS Sports shot it down:
Cano, to his credit, took to Twitter with a workout video of him getting ready for 2016 and a Mariners hashtag at the end:
There’s also the question of why Seattle would look to deal Cano at this date, other than financial relief. He’s not a superstar anymore, but his 2015 season took a dramatic turn after the All-Star break.
It was also revealed after the season, which Harper noted, that Cano was battling stomach and intestinal injuries that required surgery. He is 33 years old and in the back half of his career, but the six-time All-Star is still Seattle’s best pure hitter. (Nelson Cruz is a better power hitter, but he’s not hitting over .300 again.)
Seattle’s quest to become a playoff team hinges on many things, which general manager Jerry DiPoto is trying to address with acquisitions like Leonys Martin to handle center field, but a healthy Cano in 2016 will go a long way.
In news that will surprise no one, per ESPN’s Jayson Stark, the Washington Nationals want to upgrade their bullpen and rid themselves of Jonathan Papelbon:
Getting rid of Papelbon has felt like a foregone conclusion for the Nationals as soon as he got involved in a dugout scuffle with recently crowned National League MVP Bryce Harper. The 35-year-old had a solid 2015 season with a 2.13 ERA, 24 saves and 56 strikeouts in 63.1 innings.
Complicating any potential trade for the Nationals is the fact that Papelbon’s value has certainly diminished because of his age and struggles after being acquired from Philadelphia (3.04 ERA, 16 strikeouts in 23.2 innings).
Papelbon is also owed $11 million in 2016, currently tied for the second-highest salary among all MLB closers, so Washington will have to eat a lot of money to deal the right-hander.
Aroldis Chapman is the most interesting name Stark mentioned as a potential ninth-inning replacement for Papelbon. Cincinnati’s flame-throwing lefty would certainly be an upgrade over virtually any other option, though the Reds are going to milk his market for all it’s worth.
Heyman reported on Nov. 23 that the Los Angeles Dodgers are one of “several other teams” that have checked in on Chapman. The good news is it does seem like Cincinnati’s front office is finally serious about trading the 27-year-old.
The bad news is a Chapman deal comes as he enters his final year of arbitration. Tim Dierkes of MLBTradeRumors.com estimates Chapman will make $12.9 million in 2016 as a result. By comparison, Boston’s Craig Kimbrel is currently MLB’s highest-paid closer with an average salary of $11.25 million.
The Nationals do have money opening up with Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister, Ian Desmond, Dan Uggla and Denard Span coming off the books. Chapman’s salary, while exorbitant for his ultimate role, would solve a need in Washington.
The first order of business will be dealing Papelbon, who did not ingratiate himself very well after moving to the Nationals.
The Baltimore Orioles got an answer to one of their free-agent questions when catcher Matt Wieters accepted a one-year qualifying offer, but they still have a lot of work to do this offseason.
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick broke down exactly what positions the Orioles need to fill or upgrade this winter:
Another key free agent the Orioles are looking to retain is Chris Davis, with ESPN’s Buster Olney reporting Baltimore owner Peter Angelos is “personally involved” in the discussions.
The problem for Baltimore on the Davis front is he’s represented by Scott Boras, who is the master at playing the system to get his clients as much money as possible. Considering Davis had a bounce-back 2015 in which he led MLB in homers for the second time in three years, he is going to make a lot of money.
St. Louis has already been linked to Davis by Jon Paul Morosi of Fox Sports, who noted the Cardinals “are poised to spend heavily in free agency this winter, thanks to revenues from their new local television contract…”
Putting Davis to the side for a moment, Crasnick did note on ESPN.com that the Orioles have “examined the market for Jay Bruce and other impact hitters.”
Going back to the beginning of the article, “examined the market” is one of those vague terms that says nothing. Crasnick put some water on the fire by adding that teams often engage the Orioles in trades by asking for pitcher Kevin Gausman or second baseman Jonathan Schoop.
“Duquette is hesitant to move either player because he would just be weakening one position to strengthen another,” Crasnick wrote.
Bruce is another player who seems like a good candidate to move as part of Cincinnati’s full-blown rebuild. His value has dropped precipitously since 2014 after consecutive seasons with sub-.300 on-base percentages, though the power did return in 2015 with 26 homers.
Given that Bruce will be just 29 in April, there’s some reason to believe he can get back to his 2013 line of .262/.329/.478 with 74 extra-base hits. It’s a long shot because he’s two years removed from that, but not out of the question because of his youth.
The Orioles have to decide how much their hole in right field is worth, both in financial terms and trade-asset-wise. This isn’t a franchise that can open its wallet to anyone, so general manager Dan Duquette‘s ability to create flexibility will be essential if Baltimore hopes to remain competitive in the AL East.
Stats per Baseball-Reference.com; Contract info per Spotrac.com.
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The Miami Marlins are reportedly considering a trade of a budding star, as the Seattle Mariners are reportedly working to obtain outfielder Marcell Ozuna, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick.
Continue for updates.
Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reported that Ozuna is garnering plenty of interest but that no deal is imminent.
Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reported on Nov. 24 that the Marlins were looking at pitchers Roenis Elias and Nate Karns as part of a deal.
Crasnick noted a strained relationship with owner Jeffrey Loria was a catalyzing factor in Miami’s push to trade Ozuna.
“I’d be surprised if they keep him,” a league executive told Crasnick. “Loria clearly can’t stand the guy and everybody knows it.”
The Marlins’ strained relationship with Ozuna stems from a strange midseason decision to send him down to the minors when he was in a slump. Thought of as a temporary move, Ozuna wound up spending more than a month in Triple-A for reasons no one in the organization could figure out.
“This is not what Marlins fans deserve. Fans deserve the best team,” Ozuna’s agent, Scott Boras, told Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. “The integrity of the game deserves the best players playing in the big leagues. And it’s not prudent to provide winning baseball at the major league level when your best talent is being restrained in the minor leagues.”
Ozuna, 25, wound up hitting .259/.308/.383 with 10 home runs and 44 RBI. It was a marked downturn from his breakout 2014 campaign, which saw him go deep 23 times, drive in 85 runs and post 3.7 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs.
Given the persistent rumors about ace pitcher Jose Fernandez, it’s clear some sort of organizational retooling is going to happen. Why that’s beginning with two of the Marlins’ most promising young players is anyone’s guess.
Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter.
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Historically, the real fun of the MLB offseason doesn’t begin until the winter meetings.
Unfortunately, that gathering of baseball’s top minds and decision-makers doesn’t convene until Dec. 6 in Nashville, Tennessee. As we sit around waiting, there’s no harm in taking a look at 10 impact moves that make so much sense that they should have already been made.
From a megadeal for Zack Greinke to trades involving a few of the game’s top closers, pitchers dominate the list that follows. However, there’s also room for a couple of dynamic outfielders who should be on the move sooner rather than later.
That sound you just heard was another trade rumor whizzing past your ear like a high, tight four-seamer. Hey, there goes another one. And another.
It’s that time of year. The World Series confetti has been swept from the streets of Kansas City; the awards have been awarded. And the hot stove is still crackling to life, spitting more sparks than flames.
So we amuse ourselves with rumors and speculation. What else can you do when staring down three long, frigid months of no baseball?
With that in mind, here’s something to warm your hands by: Chicago Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler for New York Mets right-hander Zack Wheeler, straight up.
The Cubs, Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported, are willing to “explore” moving Soler. And the Mets were prepared to send Wheeler to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Carlos Gomez at the 2015 trade deadline before the deal fell through, so it’s reasonable to assume he’s available for the right price.
Soler could be the right price.
The Mets need a bat, at least, with Yoenis Cespedes and Daniel Murphy both dangling on the free-agent market. And Soler proved he could hit big league pitching last season.
In 101 games, the Cuban rookie posted a .262/.324/.399 slash line with 10 home runs. His defense remains a work in progress, as his minus-eight defensive runs saved (DRS) and minus-seven ultimate zone rating (UZR) attest, per FanGraphs. But he’s a natural athlete with a strong arm, so there’s reason to believe he can improve.
Soler also spent time on the disabled list with ankle and oblique injuries, but he clubbed three home runs in his final 11 regular-season games and cracked three more in the postseason. The potential for a breakout power season is there.
“He’s so young. He’s so raw,” Cubs left-hander Jon Lester said of Soler, who will turn 24 in February, per CSN Chicago’s Patrick Mooney. “He’s got a long ways to go and it’s pretty impressive what he can do right now. Once he plays this game a little bit longer, he’ll figure some things out as far as being a better hitter.”
Wheeler, likewise, is still emerging. The 25-year-old former first-round pick posted a 3.50 ERA with 271 strikeouts in 285.1 innings between 2013 and 2014, but he hasn’t pitched since undergoing Tommy John surgery in March.
Recently, Wheeler told MLB Network Radio he’s aiming for a June return. Though nothing is certain until he takes the mound, the list of pitchers who’ve successfully returned from Tommy John is extensive enough to inspire optimism. Another Mets hurler, Matt Harvey, just did it.
Speaking of which: With Harvey, Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Jon Niese locked into the rotation, New York can afford to jettison Wheeler. Yes, as the saw goes, you can never have too much pitching. Sometimes, though, you have to dip into a surplus to address a deficit.
And if Cespedes and Murphy sign elsewhere, the defending National League champs will be staring at some glaring holes in their lineup.
There are other premium free-agent options, including five-tool outfielders Justin Upton and Jason Heyward and MLB’s reigning home run leader Chris Davis. Soler doesn’t have their track record. But he also doesn’t come with their price tag, as he’s got five years remaining on the nine-year, $30 million deal he signed in 2012.
The same can be said for the Cubs and Wheeler. Chicago could, and likely will, pursue ace-level free-agent arms. David Price and Jordan Zimmermann top its wish list, per ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers.
Trading for Wheeler wouldn’t preclude signing an expensive stud. He won’t hit arbitration until 2017 and is under club control through 2019.
Even if they miss out on a pitcher in the Price and Zimmermann tier, the Cubs could acquire Wheeler and ink a less expensive starter in the John Lackey or Jeff Samardzija mold to slot behind Lester and reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta.
That’s the route Fox Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi believes they may go: “Are the Cubs still interested in Price? Of course. But don’t be surprised if they instead opt to sign a lower-cost starter and trade for another. Epstein has rebuilt the Cubs well, to the point that writing a huge check to the biggest name isn’t their only option.”
And the Cubs have options in the outfield, including re-upping Dexter Fowler and giving more reps to NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant, who saw time in left, center and right last season and can be spelled at third base by Javier Baez.
There would be a certain poetry to the Mets sending pitching to Chicago after exposing the Cubs’ lack of rotation depth en route to a National League Championship Series sweep.
The bottom line, though, is that this trade would make both clubs better. If they clash again in the postseason and Wheeler pitches a gem or Soler launches a game-changing home run, so be it.
There’s no indication at the moment this deal will happen. For now, it’s merely another speculative fastball whizzing past your ear.
You’ve got to admit, though, it’s pretty tantalizing.
All statistics and contract information current as of Nov. 22 and courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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Not even a month removed from the end of the World Series and it has already been a busy offseason in Major League Baseball.
With plenty of rumors and speculation flying around on which big names are on the trade market, this winter is going to be a hot one.
Here are some of the latest rumors that are dominating the headlines around the league.
With a bevy of young talent within the Chicago Cubs roster, somehow 25-year-old three-time All-Star infielder Starlin Castro has become expendable, according to the New York Daily News’ Mark Feinsand on Friday.
Castro’s name is popping up around the Yankees, but it won’t be for veteran outfielder Brett Gardner, who has become a hot commodity during the offseason.
Feinsand reported the Yankees have discussed a possible deal including Gardner with a number of teams and will pull the trigger if the right offer comes through—even though trading him isn’t certain.
Gardner, now 31, finished off his second consecutive season with over 15 home runs and 20 stolen bases in 2015 on his way to his first career All-Star appearance.
The Cubs could do with a player like Gardner in the outfield, too. Playing a majority of his games in left field, Gardner has a decent arm and good glove. Chicago rookie Kyle Schwarber’s fielding in left cost the Cubs dearly in the playoffs, including his drop on Yoenis Cespedes’ fly ball as seen below at the 0:57 mark:
Schwarber came up as a catcher and should stay behind the plate, while a player like Gardner could be used to shore up the outfield with Dexter Fowler and Jorge Soler. But the Cubs would have to deal starting pitching to New York if they wanted a legitimate shot to acquire Gardner, per Feinsand.
Castro, who moved to second base after the Cubs called up top prospect Addison Russell, could assume the same position in New York. Last season, the Yankees worked with Dustin Ackley and Rob Refsnyder at second down the stretch.
Ackley could assume left-fielding duties if the Yankees deal Gardner elsewhere, while Castro would provide a steady bat with some pop that could flourish even further in the hitter friendly Yankee Stadium.
Things are just rotten in Miami. According to 940-AM WINZ’s Andy Slater, player sources told him that Fernandez had asked the organization multiple times for a trade throughout the 2015 season.
His actions and attitude has seen him fall out of favor with some in the Marlins clubhouse, as another source told Slater: “There were times this season where, not all, but some players and coaches hoped Jose would go out on the mound and get shelled. We thought it would get him to be more humble.”
Apparently it is difficult to be humble when you’ve tasted nothing but success. In his first three years in the majors, which was derailed at one point by injury, Fernandez is 22-9 with a 2.40 ERA.
While he is one of the best young arms in the majors, it looks like Fernandez’s time in Miami is drawing to a close, per Sirius XM’s Craig Mish:
While it hasn’t been reported if a certain team has contacted the Marlins about dealing for Fernandez, whoever will look to make a move is going to need a bevy of young prospects to pry him from Miami and, further down the road, money to keep Fernandez on their roster.
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the first team that comes to mind, but only if Zack Greinke leaves in free agency. They could deal the likes of Corey Seager and other prospects for Fernandez, and with their payroll, they could hold on to him. What a one-two punch that would create with Clayton Kershaw.
Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com
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Coming off a 94-loss season and needing to build their team from the bottom up, the Milwaukee Brewers could make Adam Lind available to teams in need of an offensive upgrade at first base or designated hitter.
Continue for updates.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, citing a source, there is “lots of activity” on Lind right now with American League teams showing interest as a possible DH.
Lind is coming off back-to-back solid seasons with Toronto in 2014 and Milwaukee in 2015, posting a .293/.367/.467 slash line with 26 home runs in 245 games. The 32-year-old is entering the final year of his contract, making a reasonable $8 million salary, per Spotrac.
The main concern with Lind is he’s best used in a platoon situation. He’s been terrific against right-handers, both last year and throughout his career, but struggles mightily against southpaws.
The Brewers have every incentive to trade Lind at this point. He’s still a productive player who can net a decent return given his limited skill set, and the front office has already thrown up the “For Sale” sign after dealing Francisco Rodriguez to Detroit earlier in the week.
Given Lind’s contract and the number of teams looking for offense this winter, the Brewers have a strong secondary trade option who will appeal to every team because his salary is so low and any interested team only has to pay him for one more year.
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Chicago Cubs middle infielder Starlin Castro could reportedly be on the move as the organization looks to upgrade other areas of the roster this offseason.
Continue for updates.
Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reported the Cubs and the Yankees have talked about a potential swap that would include Castro and outfielder Brett Gardner. The natural shortstop would be expected to fill New York’s void at second base.
He gained 38 games worth of experience at the position last year with Chicago. The Cubs juggled a rotation of Castro, Addison Russell and Tommy La Stella at shortstop and second. Moving the three-time All-Star would help lessen the logjam.
After a strong start to his career, the 25-year-old Dominican Republic native has struggled two out of the past three years. He hit .245 with a .284 on-base percentage in 2013 and had a .265 average with a .296 OBP this past season.
He would still represent an upgrade at second base for the Yankees. They are currently projected to start Dustin Ackley or Rob Refsnyder.
Going to a team where his role would be more steady would give Castro a chance to find a comfort zone again and perhaps get back to his peak performance. He hit .283 with 55 extra-base hits, including 14 home runs, in 2012.
Exactly how far along the talks between the Cubs and the Yankees are is unclear. But it sounds like the sides at least have the building blocks in place for future discussions regarding Castro and Gardner.
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As the Chicago White Sox look to improve on a disappointing 2015 season, they are reportedly open to trading outfielder Avisail Garcia.
Continue for updates.
Garcia came to the White Sox as the centerpiece of a three-team trade in 2013 but has failed to live up to expectations.
Dan Hayes of CSNChicago.com said his struggles, coupled with the addition of former All-Star outfielder Melky Cabrera last season and the emergence of rookie Trayce Thompson, have put the 24-year-old Garcia on the trade block.
The outfielder hit .455 during the 2012 American League Championship Series with the Detroit Tigers, which created high expectations when he came to the White Sox. However, in two-plus seasons, Garcia has slashed just .263/.312/.389, with 25 home runs and 109 RBI in 236 games.
White Sox general manager Rick Hahn has declined to comment on Garcia’s availability but has not given up on his ability to play in the major leagues, per Hayes:
We can’t lose sight of the fact that he was still playing last year at 24, at a young age. That really was his first full season in the majors.
The ceiling is still extremely high. Certainly everyone, including Avi, would have preferred to show more consistency and flashes of that upside on a more consistent basis. But it doesn’t change the optimism around him for the future.
Even though Garcia is young and just came to the White Sox two years ago, only three players currently on the team have been in Chicago longer. That number could shrink to one if Alexei Ramirez and Gordon Beckham aren’t with the team in 2016, per Hayes:
His tenure and potential aside, words from Hahn on the development of Thompson don’t bode well for Garcia, according to Hayes:
I think Trayce has shown the ability to start. How we make that work is probably a better question come spring once we see how the whole roster looks. We’ve known from Trayce for the last several years he can be an above-average major league defender at three outfield positions. That gives us a little flexibility on how to work him in best and he’s certainly, from an offensive standpoint, showed he deserves to play. That’ll either work itself out before spring based on transactions or come spring we’ll figure out a way to use him best.
The writing appears to be on the wall that Garcia, who will be in his first year of arbitration in 2016, will not be back in Chicago.
Although his contract is very cheap and he has age on his side, White Sox brass must be tired of waiting for him to produce.
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From Zack Greinke to David Price, the MLB free-agent market is flooded with impact starters.
That’s great news for big league general managers because revamping the rotation is the most pressing need for an array of teams across the league.
There’s also an assortment of squads whose top offseason objective is to land that late-inning ace. As it so happens, there’s plenty of prominent relievers up for grabs on the trade block.
While many of the clubs on this list will be focused on adding to their rosters, there’s also room for more than a few rebuilding teams like the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies who need to make big subtractions in the hopes of brightening their future.