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Diamondbacks Claim Seth Martinez

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The Diamondbacks announced that right-hander Seth Martinez was claimed off waivers from the Astros.  It hadn’t been publicly reported that Martinez had been designated for assignment, but the 30-year-old reliever will now change teams for the second time in his career.

Selected away from the Athletics in the 2020 Rule 5 Draft, all 137 1/3 of Martinez’s career big league innings have come in a Houston uniform.  The righty has a career 3.93 ERA, 20.7% strikeout rate, and 9.2% walk rate, and his 2024 numbers included a 3.59 ERA, 16.2K%, and 8.1% walk rate in 52 2/3 frames.  Martinez spent most of the season on the Astros’ big league roster, though after the All-Star break, Houston shuttled him back and forth from Triple-A on multiple occasions.

Martinez is now out of minor league options, which probably tied into the Astros’ decision to put the right-hander on waivers.  Though he hasn’t yet reached arbitration eligibility and is under team control through 2028, the Astros felt comfortable moving on from Martinez, leaving Arizona able to pick up a controllable reliever for its bullpen mix.

There’s no risk for the D’Backs in taking a look at Martinez during Spring Training, and for now the club at least has a placeholder of a reliever in place as they look to remake their bullpen.  Arizona’s relief corps was a weak link for the team in 2024, and Martinez represents the type of lower-cost reliever that GM Mike Hazen has tended to target during his time running the Diamondbacks’ front office.

White Sox Claim Penn Murfee

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The White Sox announced that they have claimed right-hander Penn Murfee off waivers from the Astros. The Sox also announced that righties Matt Foster and Jimmy Lambert both elected free agency in lieu of accepting outright assignments, indicating both players cleared waivers recently.

Murfee, 31 in May, posted strong results for the Mariners in 2022 and 2023. He tossed 83 1/3 innings with a 2.70 earned run average, 27.9% strikeout rate and 8.5% walk rate. Unfortunately, he’s been on ice for a while, having undergone UCL surgery in June of 2023.

Since then, he has bounced around the league, going to the Mets, Braves, Astros and now White Sox via waiver claims. He began a rehabbing in August of this year but that assignment was shut down after just one appearance with the Astros saying he had “a reoccurrence of right elbow discomfort.”

His current status is unclear but the White Sox are perhaps the team best positioned to be patient with him. They just wrapped up the worst season in the modern era of baseball and can’t be expected to return to contention any time soon. Murfee can still be retained for four more seasons and the Sox will see if they can get him back on track.

Foster, 30 in January, has thrown 119 1/3 innings in his major league career with a 4.30 ERA, 23.1% strikeout rate and 8.7% walk rate. He had Tommy John surgery in April of 2023 and has missed most of the past two years.

He could have been retained for next year via arbitration with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him for a $900K salary. However, this move indicates the White Sox didn’t want him back at that price point, nor did any of the other clubs who all passed on the chance to grab him off waivers.

Lambert, 30 this month, has thrown 99 2/3 innings for the Sox in his big league career with a 4.33 ERA, 22.1% strikeout rate and 11.3% walk rate. He exhausted his final option year in 2023 and went on to spend all of 2024 on the injured list, eventually undergoing shoulder surgery in August. He qualified for arbitration for the first time this winter and was projected for a $1.2MM salary next year but the Sox decided cut him from the roster.

Both he and Foster have at least three years of service time, which gives them the right to reject outrights assignments and elect free agency. Both players exercised their rights and will head to the open market in search of their respective next opportunities.

Astros To Acquire Taylor Trammell From Yankees

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The Astros are acquiring outfielder Taylor Trammell from the Yankees, according to a report from Chandler Rome of The Athletic. The return headed to the Bronx is not yet known.

Trammell, 27, was selected 35th overall in the 2016 draft by the Reds and was regarded as a top-100 caliber prospect as recently as 2021. By that point, he had been a part of multiple trades, heading from the Reds to the Padres in the three-team deal that sent Yasiel Puig to Cleveland before eventually being shipped from San Diego to Seattle as part of the seven-player deal that brought Austin Nola to the Padres. Though he was traded multiple times before reaching the Triple-A level, Trammell hit fairly well in his first taste of the level with the Mariners’ affiliate in Tacoma and earned a call up to the big leagues during the 2021 season.

Unfortunately, that call-up did not go well. Trammell hit just .160/.256/.359 with a 73 wRC+ in 178 trips to the plate across 51 games during his first season in the majors. While he flashed considerable power with eight home runs during that time, he struck out at a completely untenable 42.1% clip that left him as a lackluster option in the outfield, where he was capable of playing center but not a particularly strong defender. The results would improve somewhat over the next two years as Trammell rode the shuttle between Tacoma and Seattle. In 173 plate appearances at the big league level over those two seasons, he hit an improved .176/.285/.378 that was just 6% worse than average by measure of wRC+ thanks to an excellent 12.7% walk rate in conjunction with his impressive power.

That said, Trammell was still striking out more than 30% of the time in the majors, even as he tore up the Triple-A level to the tune of a .268/.381/.500 slash line throughout his time at the level. Trammell also gradually became less of a viable option in center with just two innings of work at the position in 2023, further putting pressure on his bat to perform. This led the Mariners to designate him for assignment back in March rather than keep him on the Opening Day roster. Trammell was promptly plucked off waivers by the Dodgers while veteran outfielder Jason Heyward dealt with a back injury, but appeared in just five games before being designated for assignment in mid-April.

That move led the Yankees to claim Trammell from the Dodgers, though he similarly lasted just five games on New York’s big league roster before being DFA’d for the third time in just over a month. This time, the move stuck and Trammell cleared waivers, allowing the Yankees to outright him to the minors. Once at Triple-A, Trammell hit fairly well with a .256/.381/.488 slash line in 106 games. Now, Trammell is on the move once again and will begin the 2024-25 offseason with the Astros. For Houston, the 27-year-old should provide additional outfield depth behind the right-handed Chas McCormick and Jake Meyers and could compete for a job on the club’s bench during Spring Training next year.

Pirates Claim Trey Cabbage From Astros

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The Pirates are claiming first baseman/corner outfielder Trey Cabbage from the Astros, reports Ari Alexander of KPRC 2 (X link). Neither team has officially announced the move.

Houston had not previously designated Cabbage for assignment. They evidently placed him on waivers in recent days to take him off the 40-man roster. He would’ve qualified for minor league free agency had he gone unclaimed, but Pittsburgh saw enough to give him a 40-man spot.

Cabbage, 27, has played in 67 big league contests over the last two years. He made 22 appearances for the Angels two seasons ago and got into 45 contests with Houston this year. He hasn’t done much offensively, limping to a .209/.245/.331 slash line while striking out 60 times in 147 plate appearances (a 40.8% rate). The swing-and-miss is nothing new, as Cabbage has fanned in more than 30% of his Triple-A plate appearances. He has shown big power and surprising athleticism in his minor league career, though, including a 30-30 showing in the Halos’ system back in 2023.

Pittsburgh hasn’t been able to find an answer at first base in recent seasons. Cabbage isn’t a long-term solution, but he’s a depth flier who still has a minor league option remaining. If the Bucs carry him on the 40-man all winter, they can keep him in Triple-A for another season.

Astros To Hire Tony Perezchica As Third Base Coach

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The Astros are hiring Tony Perezchica to serve as third base coach, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. Perezchica has held the same role with the Diamondbacks for the last eight years. Piecoro notes that Perezchica had served as an infield instructor with Arizona and is expected to do the same in Houston while taking on an expanded role working with minor league infielders.

Perezchica, 58, briefly appeared in the majors between 1988-92. He has spent nearly three decades in the coaching ranks. The majority of that experience has come with the Diamondbacks. Perezchica took a managerial role with one of Arizona’s rookie ball affiliates back in 2003. He joined Torey Lovullo’s first coaching staff in the desert over the 2016-17 offseason.

The Astros decided not to renew the contract of previous third base coach Gary Pettis. Chandler Rome of the Athletic writes that the Astros don’t plan to go outside the organization for additional hires, though the staff hasn’t been finalized and it’s possible other teams express interest in hiring coaches away from Houston. If no one departs for a better opportunity, it seems the Astros will only make the one coaching change.

There’s more turnover in Phoenix. Arizona fired three pitching coaches (including former Astros staffer Brent Strom) a few weeks ago. They now have four vacancies to address.

Previewing Upcoming Qualifying Offer Decisions: Position Players

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While the baseball world’s immediate focus is on the upcoming showdown between two behemoths, the offseason looms just after the World Series. One of the first key decisions for teams is whether to issue a qualifying offer to any of their impending free agents. Clubs have until the fifth day after the conclusion of the World Series to make QO decisions.

The QO is a one-year offer calculated by averaging the 125 highest salaries in MLB. This year’s price is $21.05MM. Joel Sherman of The New York Post reported in August that players who receive the QO have until November 19 to decide whether to lock in that one-year salary and return to their current team. If the player rejects and signs elsewhere, his former team would receive draft compensation. The signing club would forfeit a pick (or picks) and potentially international signing bonus space. The compensation and penalties vary depending on teams’ revenue sharing and luxury tax statuses. MLBTR’s Mark Polishuk recently examined what each team would receive if they lose a qualified free agent, and the penalties they’d pay to sign one.

No-Doubters

There’s zero suspense with this quintet. They’re going to receive qualifying offers, which they’ll easily decline. Soto is on his way to a record-setting deal. Adames and Bregman are locks for nine figures. Alonso has a solid chance to get there as well. It’s tougher to envision a $100MM contract for Santander, but he shouldn’t have any issue securing three or four years at an average annual value that’s around the QO price. As revenue sharing recipients, the Brewers and Orioles will get picks after the first round in the 2025 draft (assuming Adames and Santander sign for more than $50MM). The Mets, Yankees and Astros all paid the luxury tax and would only get a pick after the fourth round if they lose their qualified free agents.

Likely Recipients

We placed Hernández in the “likely” bucket last offseason when he was coming off a down year with the Mariners. Seattle opted not to make the QO and let him walk, citing a desire to cut back on the swing-and-miss profile that Hernández brings. That paved the way for the Dodgers to add him on a heavily deferred $23.5MM pillow contract. It was one of the best value signings of the winter. Hernández returned to peak form, bopping a career-best 33 homers with a .272/.339/.501 line through 652 plate appearances. That’s more than enough power to live with a few strikeouts and a fringy defensive profile in the corner outfield.

The cherry on top for L.A. is that Hernández remains eligible for the QO in his return to free agency. The Dodgers could accommodate a $21MM salary in the unlikely event that he accepts. As luxury tax payors, they’d only receive a pick after the fourth round in next year’s draft if he declines and walks. That minimal compensation is the biggest reason Hernández isn’t a lock, but he’s very likely to decline the QO in search of three or four years. The downside if he accepts is that he returns at a similar price point to the one Los Angeles offered coming off a rough season. Opting against the QO only makes sense if the Dodgers are fully committed to giving Andy Pages a look in left field next season.

Walker has seized upon a late-career opportunity with the Diamondbacks to develop into one of the sport’s best first basemen. He’s a Gold Glove caliber defender who topped 30 homers in both 2022 and ’23. He’d have gotten there again this season if not for an oblique injury that cost him the entire month of August. Walker had to “settle” for 26 homers with a .251/.335/.468 slash over 130 games.

The South Carolina product turns 34 just after Opening Day. He’s looking at four years at most and could wind up signing for two or three seasons. That could come at a comparable AAV to the qualifying offer price, though, and this is likely Walker’s only chance to really cash in on a multi-year contract. He’d likely decline a QO. If he didn’t, the D-Backs should be happy to have him back for another season at just over $21MM. The majority of MLBTR readers agree; more than 70% of respondents in a poll over the weekend opined that the Diamondbacks should make the offer.

Long Shots

It’s tough to see a qualifying offer for anyone in this group. Goldschmidt is the least likely. The Cardinals are entering a retooling year and he’s coming off the worst season of his career. The former MVP hit better in the second half than he did in the first. He should land a strong one-year deal but isn’t likely to get to $21MM.

Kim looked like a lock for the QO before suffering a late-season labrum injury in his throwing shoulder. He underwent surgery that’ll almost certainly sideline him into the early part of next year. There’s a decent chance he’d accept, which isn’t a great outcome for a Padres team that may enter the offseason already up against the budget. Payroll is a similar concern regarding Profar, who is coming off easily the best season of his career. He’s been wildly inconsistent throughout his decade-plus in the big leagues. San Diego baseball operations president A.J. Preller loves Profar, but $21MM+ is a lot for a team with a massive arbitration class and needs at shortstop and in the rotation. The Padres could try to bring him back for three or four years at a lesser annual hit.

O’Neill had a productive season for the Sox, hitting 31 homers with a .241/.336/.511 slash. He added three more IL stints to his lengthy career injury history, though, and the overwhelming majority of his production came against left-handed pitching. O’Neill’s righty bat provides a nice balance in a Boston lineup that skews heavily to the left side, but the QO price feels steep for this profile. There’s a strong chance he’d accept.

Torres would not have warranted a mention on this list a couple months ago. He had an excellent finish to the regular season (.306/.375/.417 after August 1) and has a .297/.400/.432 slash with more walks than strikeouts in October. That’s enough to at least get him back on the radar, but a QO still feels like a stretch. He’s a poor defensive second baseman whose overall season line — .257/.330/.378 in 665 plate appearances — was essentially league average.

At the trade deadline, the Yankees seemed set to turn the keystone to Jazz Chisholm Jr. and let Torres walk. They could keep Chisholm at the hot corner, but they’d need to overlook the flaws Torres showed for a good portion of the regular season. There’s a strong chance he’d accept a QO, which would put the Yanks on the hook for more than $44MM after accounting for the corresponding luxury tax hit. Tying that money up a week into an offseason where they’ll face a massive bidding war on Soto probably isn’t happening. That’s especially true since the compensation they’d receive if Torres declines (a pick after the fourth round) isn’t particularly valuable.

Ineligible

Players traded midseason or who have already received the qualifying offer in their career are ineligible for the QO. That’s largely a moot point with regard to the position player class, as no one from this group was likely to receive one anyways. Bellinger probably won’t opt out of the two years and $50MM left on his deal with the Cubs. Conforto and Pederson would’ve been fringe candidates at best even if they hadn’t received the offer earlier in their careers.

Gary Pettis Won’t Return To Astros’ Staff In 2025

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The Astros are parting ways with third base/outfield coach Gary Pettis after 10 seasons, reports USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. Pettis hasn’t technically been fired, but his contract expired at the end of the 2024 season and will not be renewed for the 2025 campaign.

Pettis, 66, played in parts of 11 big league seasons, spending the bulk of his time with the Angels but also appearing in three seasons as a Tiger, two as a Ranger and one as a Padre. He never provided a ton of offense, hitting .236/.332/.310 in more than 4200 MLB plate appearances, but he swiped 354 bags and won five Gold Gloves in center field. Those 354 steals are currently tied with Starling Marte for 106th in big league history.

After wrapping up his playing career, Pettis held coaching gigs with the Halos, White Sox, Mets and Rangers from 1995 through 2014. His decade-long stint with the Astros has been the lengthiest stop of his coaching career by far. He’s worked under three general managers (Jeff Luhnow, James Click, Dana Brown) and three managers as well (A.J. Hinch, Dusty Baker, Joe Espada). If he wants to continue his coaching work, he should have ample interest from other clubs given his background in the area.

Moving on from Pettis is, thus far, the only change to Houston’s coaching staff. The club has not yet formally announced its 2025 staff, so it’s possible there will be more turnover revealed in the weeks ahead. The 2024 season was Espada’s first year as manager after six seasons as the bench coach — first under Hinch and later under Baker. Espada retained Baker’s entire coaching staff after taking the reins in Houston heading into the current season, with first base coach Omar Lopez being promoted to bench coach duties, replacing Espada in that regard. Dave Clark, who’d been managing in the Astros’ minor league ranks, joined the big league staff and took over Lopez’s duties as first base coach.

10 Players Elect Free Agency

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As the offseason nears, a number of players elect minor league free agency each week. These players are separate from six-year MLB free agents, who’ll reach the open market five days after the conclusion of the World Series. Eligible minor leaguers can begin electing free agency as soon as the regular season wraps up. These players were all outrighted off a team’s 40-man roster during the year and have the requisite service time and/or multiple career outrights necessary to reach free agency since they weren’t added back to teams’ rosters.

Electing free agency is the anticipated outcome for these players. There’ll surely be more to test the market in the coming weeks. We’ll offer periodic updates at MLBTR. These transactions are all reflected on the MiLB.com log.

Outfielders

Pitchers

Offseason Outlook: Houston Astros

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The Astros overcame a slow start to pull away with another division title. They weren't able to extend their remarkable streak of seven consecutive trips to the AL Championship Series, as the red-hot Tigers swept them at Minute Maid Park. The attention immediately turns to the potential loss of their longtime third baseman.

Guaranteed Contracts

Additional financial commitments

  • Owe released first baseman José Abreu $19.5MM through 2025

2025 financial commitments: $142MM
Total future commitments: $416MM

Option Decisions

Arbitration-Eligible Players (projections via Matt Swartz)

Non-tender candidates: Urquidy, McCormick, Murfee

Free Agents

The Astros remain firmly in win-now mode but are facing the potential free agent departure of a core player. That's a situation they've successfully navigated before. Houston has allowed Carlos Correa and George Springer to walk without taking a step back. Are they prepared to do the same with Alex Bregman?

That's the biggest question of Houston's offseason. General manager Dana Brown has said time and again that he hopes to keep Bregman. Multiple Astros players have gone on record talking about his importance both on the field and in the clubhouse. The financial picture doesn't point toward a reunion being likely, though.

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Jose Abreu To Play Winter Ball In Preparation For 2025 Comeback Bid

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Veteran first baseman Jose Abreu has signed on with los Senadores de San Juan to play in the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason as he gears up for a hopeful big league return in 2025, reports Francys Romero of BeisbolFR.com.

The 2024 season was an abject nightmare for Abreu, whose struggles with the Astros led to him getting optioned to Triple-A at one point and eventually released midway through the second season of a three-year, $58.5MM free agent deal that stands as a colossal misstep for the Astros (who were operating without a general manager at the time of the deal, leaving owner Jim Crane to oversee baseball operations decisions). Abreu hit just .237/.296/.383 in year one of the contract but still popped 18 homers and enjoyed a strong finish that created some cautious optimism about the current season. Any such hopes of a rebound quickly faded, however, when Abreu tanked with a calamitous .124/.167/.195 batting line in 120 plate appearances prior to his release.

It was an unfathomable decline for a former AL MVP who was a consistent force in the middle of the White Sox lineup for nine years prior to signing in Houston. Even detractors who pointed to red flags in his batted-ball profile and declining power in his final year with Chicago couldn’t have reasonably predicted a drop-off of such extreme magnitude.

With that type of production (or lack thereof) in the immediate rearview mirror and Abreu’s 38th birthday looming in January, the odds of a resurgence feel fairly slim. That said, Abreu is still locked into the third year of that Astros contract, meaning any team can sign him and owe him only the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the big league roster.

For a player with Abreu’s track record of thunderous production — to say nothing of his frequently cited leadership traits and clubhouse value — taking what amounts to a free look could hold appeal to a number of clubs. That could be especially true for payroll-conscious clubs with younger in-house options who could grow into a more prominent role but are as of yet unproven. Only time will tell whether he shows enough in winter ball to get that opportunity, but his production will be worth tracking; the Puerto Rican Winter League kicks off in November.

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