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Reds Designate Brett Marshall For Assignment

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The Reds have designated righty Brett Marshall for assignment, reports John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter). With the move, the club opened a 40-man spot for recently-recalled outfielder Kristopher Negron.

Marshall, 24, threw 12 innings last year for the Yankees in his only MLB stint. Designated to make room for Carlos Beltran, Marshall was claimed by the Cubs and then the Reds. Since working back from a finger injury, he has struggled in 21 1/3 frames over seven starts at Triple-A for the Reds, working to a 10.97 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and a troubling 11.4 BB/9.

Central Links: McLeod, Alcantara, Vargas, Gordon, Willingham

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The Cubs have given senior vice president of player development and amateur scouting Jason McLeod a two-year extension, reports Scott Miller of MLB Network Radio and FOX Sports San Diego (Twitter link). While president Theo Epstein and GM Jed Hoyer may have more name recognition, McLeod was also a key member of the Red Sox front office alongside Epstein and Hoyer last decade. He followed Hoyer to the Padres when Hoyer served as San Diego’s GM and moved to Chicago alongside Hoyer and Epstein when Chicago restructured its front office.

Here’s more from baseball’s Central divisions…

  • Top Cubs prospect Arismendy Alcantara is getting a two-day promotion while Darwin Barney is on paternity leave, tweets Jesse Rogers of ESPN Chicago. While he stresses that it’s just for two days, Cubs fans will be getting their first look at a Top 100 prospect who GM Jed Hoyer has said could get a lengthier look this season.
  • Royals lefty Jason Vargas will be out three to four weeks after being rushed to the hospital for an appendectomy today, reports Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star. That’s not the only bad news on the injury front in K.C., either, as McCullough adds that Alex Gordon will undergo an MRI on his wrist. “I can’t swing,” Gordon told reporters. Manager Ned Yost thinks Gordon can avoid the DL, McCullough tweets, but he doesn’t expect him to play in a big series against the division-leading Tigers.
  • ESPN’s Jim Bowden looks at what it would take for contending teams to acquire Josh Willingham from the Twins (ESPN Insider required). Bowden feels that the slugger’s modest salary (he’s earning $7MM in 2014) and relatively low prospect cost make him a good fit for the Mariners, Royals and Reds.

Justin Maxwell Outrighted To Triple-A

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Here are today’s outright assignments from around the league…

  • Outfielder Justin Maxwell cleared waivers after being designated for assignment, reports Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star (on Twitter). Maxwell has until tomorrow to decide whether to accept his outright assignment or elect free agency. The 30-year-old hit just .150/.222/.175 in 45 PA for the Royals, but he hit .239/.314/.450 from 2012-13 with the Astros and Royals.

Papelbon Willing To Waive No-Trade Clause For Trade To Contender

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Jonathan Papelbon is willing to waive his no-trade clause in order to facilitate a deal to a contending team, reports Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). Gelb quotes the Philadelphia closer: “Some guys want to stay on a losing team? That’s mind-boggling to me. I think that’s a no-brainer.”

Papelbon’s comments are a stark contrast to the comments made by teammates Jimmy Rollins (link) and Chase Utley (link), each of whom recently indicated that they prefer to remain in Philadelphia even if the team begins selling veteran pieces this month.

Papelbon is in the midst of his best season in years, having pitched to a 1.27 ERA with 7.9 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 37 percent ground-ball rate. His strikeout rate and 91.4 mph average fastball velocity are both career-lows, but Papelbon has been effective nonetheless.

However, Papelbon is owed $5.83MM through season’s end and is also guaranteed a hefty $13MM in 2015. Beyond that, he has a $13MM vesting option for 2016 that triggers with 55 games finished in 2015 or 100 games finished from 2014-15 (he finished his 30th game tonight). As such, the Phillies will likely have to kick in some cash to facilitate a trade. Plenty of contending clubs are looking for bullpen help, including deep-pocketed teams such as the Tigers and Angels.

Billy Beane On Samardzija Deal, Roster Construction, Further Trades

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Jim Bowden of ESPN talked to Athletics general manager Billy Beane for the latest edition of his “GM’s Office” video blog, and the two discussed a number of trade-related topics, including a fairly in-depth breakdown of the Jeff Samardzija/Jason Hammel blockbuster (video links). While the entire interview is well worth watching (and is only about 10 minutes total), here are some highlights from their conversation…

  • Beane first reached out to Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein about a month ago because he felt there was a lot of value to striking early, especially if the A’s were going to be aggressive with their prospect package, which they clearly were.
  • The Cubs were initially looking to split Samardzija and Hammel in different trades, but trade talks picked up steam when the A’s decided that they wanted both players. After a dormant period, things came together quickly in a matter of 24 to 36 hours, says Beane. He added that he and Epstein discussed some one for one swaps on each pitcher that obviously didn’t pan out.
  • That Samardzija is under control through 2015 was “critical,” said Beane, noting that he’s excited about the added depth that the 2015 roster will have with Jarrod Parker and A.J. Griffin returning from injury.
  • On what motivated him to make the trade, he offered the following: “I’ll be honest with you, I happen to think the Angels and the Mariners right behind us are two of the better teams in all of the game and they happen to sit in our division. So the narrative that this was a ’postseason move,’ I think was a bit presumptuous.” He went on to say that winning the division is Oakland’s priority and stressed the dangers of getting involved in a one-game Wild Card playoff. “If you had a one-game playoff and you’re the Wild Card, one of the guys you might be facing is that guy up in Seattle, and that’s not a good situation to be in.” Beane, of course, is referring to Mariners ace Felix Hernandez.
  • Bowden asked if the A’s would have made this deal had Parker not gone down with Tommy John surgery in Spring Training, Beane thought out loud before concluding that he and his staff probably would not have had to make this deal had Parker been healthy.
  • Beane offered high praise for prospect Billy McKinney but even higher praise for Addison Russell, listing him alongside Eric Chavez and Miguel Tejada as one of the best position prospects he’s ever had. The emergence of minor league shortstop Daniel Robertson, whom the A’s selected 21 picks after Russell, made it easier to part with Russell, though it was still difficult for Oakland.
  • Asked if this was the best team he’s ever constructed, Beane said he couldn’t judge that at this point and offered praise for his assistant GMs as well. One element of which Beane is very proud is that 23 of the 25 players on the Athletics’ roster were acquired via trade — a very different method of construction from the 2001 “Moneyball” A’s.
  • Asked if the A’s are done or would pursue trades for second basemen, Beane grinned as he replied: “Well, you know, there’s a lot of time left, Jim. … Whether you have needs or not, you have to take advantage of the environment. … This is a time that everybody comes to the table. And whether you’re actively pursuing something specific, you want to be a part of the conversation. … I don’t want to say we’re done. … The short answer is: I hope we’re active still.”

Rangers To Release Donnie Murphy

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WEDNESDAY: Blake now announces that Murphy rejected an outright assignment and has been placed on unconditional release waivers (Twitter link).

MONDAY: Rangers executive VP of communications John Blake has announced a series of roster moves (on Twitter): Texas will recall right-hander Roman Mendez and purchase the contract of outfielder Jake Smolinski from Triple-A Round Rock, with Michael Choice being optioned to Round Rock and Donnie Murphy being designated for assignment to clear roster space.

Murphy, 31, batted .196/.268/.330 in 128 plate appearances for the Rangers this season — a far cry from the .255/.319/.530 batting line and career-high 11 homers he produced for the Cubs in 2013. The nine-year MLB veteran has career experience at all four infield positions, though his experience at first base is extremely limited.

The 24-year-old Choice — a consensus Top 100 prospect the Rangers landed from the A’s in the offseason’s Craig Gentry trade — struggled mightily in his first extended taste of big league action. Choice batted .177/.247/.318 with eight homers, but he has an outstanding minor league track record — a .290/.376/.482 batting line.

Smolinski has a career .259/.345/.407 batting line in 103 games at the Triple-A level. The 2007 second-rounder signed as a minor league free agent this offseason after failing to make the Majors with either the Nationals (who drafted him) or the Marlins (who acquired him in the 2008 Josh Willingham trade). Mendez, 23, had a 4.02 ERA with a 30-to-12 K/BB ratio this season with Round Rock –his first experience at the Triple-A level.

New York Notes: Tanaka, Colon, McCarthy

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The Yankees have officially placed right-hander Masahiro Tanaka on the disabled list with what they’ve termed right elbow inflammation for the time being. The Rookie of the Year/Cy Young contender has been arguably the most valuable player on the Yankees this season, and an extended absence would seriously dampen the Yankees’ postseason hopes. Currently, the team sits four games out of first in the AL East and three and a half games out of the running for a Wild Card spot, despite having spent most of the season without CC Sabathia, Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda.

Here’s more on the Yankees and the Mets…

  • The Yankees’ entire season is hanging in balance as the team waits to learn the severity of Tanaka’s injury, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. In the event of a serious injury to Tanaka, he opines, the Yankees will have to give serious consideration to selling off at the deadline. Sherman discusses the trickle-down effect that such an injury would have on the team, noting that Yankee starters have recorded just 33 outs after the seventh inning this season — and 25 of those have come from Tanaka. His absence would further strain an overworked bullpen, and the team lacks enough quality internal rotation options to survive such a blow.
  • Andy Martino of the New York Daily News gets the sense that the Mets are likely to move Bartolo Colon this summer but may hold on to the rest of their regulars. The team wants to contend in 2015, he says, and they feel they have the pitching depth to make up for the loss of Colon. Others, such as Daniel Murphy, would not be so easily replaced. Additionally, trading Colon would free up $10MM in payroll for next season, which could be reallocated to fill other needs.
  • New Yankees pitcher Brandon McCarthy told reporters, including Dan Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal, that he doesn’t feel that he’s having a bad year, but rather, a confusing year. McCarthy, who has a 5.01 ERA, explains that he’s well-versed in sabermetrics and knows that based on career-bests in strikeout rate, ground-ball rate and average fastball velocity, he’s doing things right. “I know there’s been mistake pitches here and there that get hurt, but that’s to be expected,” said McCarthy. “It’s the other things happening, where I leave a game and feel like I’ve done everything I needed to and the results are terrible. That’s where I’ve been kind of confused.” Barbarisi’s piece also looks at how McCarthy re-invented himself after delving into sabermetrics while recovering from a shoulder injury in 2010.

Trade Market For Shortstops

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Last year’s trade market was quiet on the shortstop front, with Jose Iglesias and John McDonald the only MLB shortstops to change hands. And the latter not only was dealt in August, but never saw time at short for his new club.

That could change this year, as several clubs could stand to upgrade, including the Tigers, Indians, Mariners, Brewers, Reds, Marlins, and Mets. (Of course, some of those teams seem unlikely to make a significant addition, for various reasons.) The Dodgers and Cardinals could potentially shift their current top options off the position if the right opportunity presented itself. The Orioles and Athletics have also received less-than-optimal production, at least from the offensive side, though they appear more likely to count on improvements from their incumbents while making additions elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Nationals (and perhaps some of the above-noted clubs) are interested in adding younger shortstop options to their organization.

For teams looking at the position, there are multiple potentially useful possibilities:

Starters

Alexei Ramirez (White Sox), Asdrubal Cabrera (Indians), Jimmy Rollins (Phillies), Elvis Andrus (Rangers), Starlin Castro (Cubs), Troy Tulowitzki (Rockies), Stephen Drew (Red Sox), Chris Owings (D’backs), Yunel Escobar (Rays)

  • Ramirez has cooled significantly after a hot start, but that leaves his overall offensive line (.282.317/.402 with eight home runs and 14 steals) at roughly the same level as it was during his career peak in 2010-11. He has always been a productive defender. Ramirez is playing out the year on a $9.5MM salary and is owed $10MM next year before a $10MM club option with a $1MM buyout. That seems a reasonable price for the veteran, though he is nearing 33 years of age. With Chicago now looking poised for a breakout, though, it may take a fairly substantial haul to pry him loose.
  • The 28-year-old Cabrera profiles as a roughly league-average hitter and slightly below-average defender at the position. He has not returned to his All-Star form, but remains a useful player and is earning a manageable $10MM in his final season before reaching free agency. Of course, he is also playing on a Cleveland team that remains in the post-season hunt. If the Indians fall back, though, he could certainly become available.
  • Rollins, an established veteran with ample post-season experience, is an obvious trade piece for a floundering Phillies club. Though he is well off of his peak levels, Rollins has still played at an above-average clip. He is playing on a $11MM salary this season and is just 57 plate appearances shy of triggering a $11MM vesting option for next year. The questions, of course, are whether Philadelphia will deal away one of the team’s core players from its glory years and whether Rollins will waive his 10-and-5 rights. He’s said recently that he wants to stay in Philadelphia.
  • Andrus is still yet to turn 26 and is already in the midst of his sixth consecutive above-average season. Though he has limited value at the plate, he rates as an excellent base-runner and defender. Despite signing a massive eight-year, $120MM extension that does not even kick in until next year, and which allows him to opt out if he is able to meet or exceed expectations, he is playing on a club that has fallen out of contention this year and which has several even younger options waiting in the wings.
  • In a somewhat similar situation is Castro of the Cubs, who has $44MM in guaranteed money remaining on his deal, including a buyout of a $16MM club option for 2020. The Cubs are clearly sellers, and the 24-year-old has returned to form (.280/.326/.452) after a disappointing 2013. Of course, Castro could be an important piece in the team’s turnaround plans, but there are several top prospects filtering up behind him. Needless to say, it would take a significant package to pry him loose.
  • Speaking of large returns, Tulowitzki would obviously represent the prize of the market — and not just that of shortstops. He has been both outstanding (offensively and defensively) and healthy this year. His contract includes $118MM in guaranteed money, but with it comes seven years of control (the last via club option). That may price several teams out of the market, but many would jump at the chance to add one of the game’s true superstars at a below-market price. Owner Dick Monfort did publicly state that the Rox have no plans to deal Tulo, who is the face of their franchise.
  • Drew has yet to find his form after sitting out most of the early part of the season. He owns an unsightly .131/.170/.238 line through 88 plate appearances, but is not far removed from being a solid regular. If the Red Sox eat a good portion of the remainder of his (annualized) $14.1MM salary, he could be moved to make way for younger players.
  • For the Diamondbacks, Owings represents one of several middle infielders, all of whom could theoretically be dealt. He seems the least likely to go, in large part because he appears to be the prize of the group. Through 254 MLB plate appearances in his age-22 season, Owings rates out at 1.9 fWAR on the back of above-average production across the board.
  • Escobar, just inked to a fairly team-friendly extension, is probably unlikely to be dealt in spite of his club’s struggles, but could potentially be had for the right price. His numbers on both the offensive and defensive sides of the equation have dipped since his excellent 2013 season, reducing his appeal. Tampa seems likely to hold on to him and hope for a rebound.

Backups/Utilitymen

Sean Rodriguez (Rays), Mike Aviles (Indians), Eduardo Nunez (Twins), Adam Rosales (Rangers), Danny Espinosa (Nationals), Clint Barmes (Pirates), Cliff Pennington (D’backs), Josh Rutledge (Rockies), Alexi Amarista (Padres)

Clubs aiming to plug holes in their benches have several options to pursue. Veterans like Rodriguez, Rosales, Barmes, Pennington, and (potentially) Aviles could provide ample flexibility and a useful presence down the stretch. All have seen time at short, some of them as everyday options at the position.

On the other hand, there are several younger players who could fill a bench role while also potentially representing longer-term options at short or other positions. Espinosa and Rutledge have both shown their fair share of promise at times, and may hold appeal for a variety of clubs if they are made available. The former, who will be arb-eligible next year, has seen his playing time diminish of late. Though Espinosa has played second base primarily at the big league level, he is an outstanding defender and came up as a shortstop. Rutledge, meanwhile, comes with plenty of cheap control. Amarista looks more like a true utility player, and has seen more action at other spots around the diamond, but should remain fairly inexpensive as he enters arbitration for the first time.

MLB-Ready Prospects

Nick Franklin (Mariners), Luis Sardinas (Rangers), Nick Ahmed (D’backs), Didi Gregorius (D’backs)

This group represents something of a different segment of the shortstop market. All face obstacles to regular playing time (and value maximization) with their present clubs, and each could appeal to teams looking to add a solid youngster that can take Major League innings from the get-go. Of course, all three come with some questions: for Franklin, whether he can handle short on an everyday basis; for Sardinas, Ahmed, and Gregorius, whether their bats will hold up in the majors.

AL East Notes: Abreu, Tanaka, Lester, Sox, Jays, Headley, Yanks, O’s

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The Red Sox were within $5MM of the final bidding (six years, $68MM) for now-White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, reports Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald. Interestingly, Boston felt that Abreu could be used across the diamond at third base. Chicago GM Rick Hahn said that, in learning more about the bidding after landing Abreu, “it turns out there were several teams, not just us and Boston, that were awfully aggressive and pretty close to where we were at the end.” As things stand, it looks like Hahn made the right choice to outbid that dense market.

Here’s more from Boston and the rest of the AL East:

  • Prized Yankees hurler Masahiro Tanaka is set to undergo an MRI on his right arm, reports George A. King III of the New York Post. Made available by his Japanese club in December, the righty inked a seven-year, $155MM contract (with an opt-out after four seasons). He has been outstanding, compiling a 2.51 ERA with 9.4 K/9 against just 1.3 BB/9 in 129 1/3 frames, but has recently worked through two rough starts. After his most recent outing, he reported “a little discomfort,” according to a tweet from Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
  • For now, the situation warrants close attention, though it would be unwise to jump to conclusions. Obviously, a layoff of any significant duration would have critical implications for a New York club that has relied heavily on the 25-year-old, who has notched a league-leading 12 wins. The club has called up outfielder Zoilo Almonte but has yet to announce a corresponding roster move, leading Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News to suggest (via Twitter) that the Yankees could be waiting to learn more about Tanaka’s status before acting.

Earlier Updates

  • The Red Sox are having ongoing “conversations” that may result in a new, increased offer to lefty Jon Lester, reports ESPNBoston.com’s Gordon Edes. Boston should — and probably will — reach an extension with Lester, opines Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. At various points, the on-again/off-again talks have variously made a deal seem close and free agency appear inevitable. Abraham ticks through the reasons that keeping Lester in Boston makes good sense for both sides.
  • Meanwhile, the club may be close to making some kind of change behind the plate, according to a tweet from Abraham. Veteran A.J. Pierzynski has scuffled to a .254/.286/.348 line in 274 plate appearances after joining the Red Sox on a one-year, $8.25MM deal. While he might appeal to some contenders, that contract means that Boston would likely need to eat some cash to get any kind of return. Well-regarded prospect Christian Vazquez is waiting in the wings at Triple-A, and could be given a taste of MLB action.
  • Mired in last place in the division, Boston is highly likely to sell, but there are many permutations that could take. Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal takes a look at the possible chips and names their likeliest suitors. While rumors reached crescendo without a deal yesterday, MacPherson still sees the Cardinals as a good fit for Jake Peavy. He goes on to name several players with potential matches: outfielder Jonny Gomes (Mariners), Pierzynski (Pirates), Koji Uehara (Orioles, Tigers, Angels, Pirates), and shortstop Stephen Drew (Tigers, Brewers) as other possibilities to be flipped.
  • In yet another reminder of how quickly things can change, the Blue Jays now seem to have a greater need in their lineup than the rotation, writes Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. A right-handed hitting second or third baseman, right-handed outfield bat, and potentially a catching upgrade all rate as areas to explore, according to Nicholson-Smith. The team could stand to add a starter if an impact arm could be had for a reasonable price, he adds, and may also look to pick up a righty for the pen.
  • One possibility for the Blue Jays could be Chase Headley of the Padres, with Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reporting on Twitter that the two clubs have had discussions on the third baseman. Headley is a switch-hitter, which would open up some flexibility for the Jays. On the other hand, he has generally been more successful against righties, reducing the utility of playing him in some form of a platoon with the righty-mashing Juan Francisco.
  • The Yankees are going to go for it, but should not gut the farm to do so, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Sherman says that the Brandon McCarthy acquisition was a good model, because it did not require the sacrifice of a player with a significant part in the club’s future plans, and that the organization can always utilize its unmatched financial capacity to add talented players on big contracts. But with a roster that looks to have a less-than-even chance to take the division, says Sherman, the organization’s best minor league pieces should not be sacrificed for pure rentals.
  • Implicit in the above notes, I would suggest, is that the Orioles may have an unmatched window to make a run at the division. The Rays and Red Sox probably have too much ground to gain, the Yankees don’t look to have the youth or across-the-board talent, and the Blue Jays have faded quickly of late. While the loss of Matt Wieters certainly hurts, the Orioles look like they could be the odds-on favorite. Should the club move to bolster its chances with a mid-season addition or two, it could easily achieve bottom-line impact because it has two positions ripe for upgrade in second base and catcher. Of course, a rotation acquisition may also make sense. While Baltimore will surely be loath to do so, it does have a relative abundance of high-end young pitching to deal from.

Latest On Trade Talks Involving Red Sox Starting Pitchers

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TODAY, 10:19am: The Braves are not interested in adding Peavy, sources tell David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link).

10:07am: While Peavy remains the pitcher that the club is most interested in dealing, Boston has fielded strong interest in fellow starter John Lackey, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. That is not terribly surprising: since the start of last year, Lackey has logged 306 2/3 innings of 3.64 ERA ball with 7.8 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9. And he is under contract for the league minimum for 2015.

YESTERDAY, 10:12pm: Peavy said that he has spoken with Red Sox GM Ben Cherington and understands that there is a possibility he will be dealt, tweets Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. “Don’t think people are making stuff up,” he said.

6:31pm: Cardinals GM John Mozeliak says that the team believes it would need to give up one of its own starters to get a “top starter” in return, resulting in a net loss of years of control, tweets Goold.

6:06pm: The Cardinals are “looking for offense not Peavy” right now, reports Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). Goold says there is no match with Boston, given that Joe Kelly is expected to return to the rotation in short order.

5:52pm: Boston is discussing starting pitching — not just Peavy — with many teams, but there is “nothing imminent,” a team source tells Abraham (Twitter link).

4:20pm: The Braves are also involved in talks regarding Peavy, reports Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe.

4:16pm: The Cards and Red Sox are in active trade talks regarding Peavy, tweets Jon Morosi of FOX Sports.

12:45pm: ESPN’s Jayson Stark is now also hearing that the Cardinals are interested in Peavy, and he hears that something could come together quickly (Twitter link). The only Red Sox game that the Cards have scouted was the Peavy start that Edes originally referenced, according to Stark.

12:01pm: The Cardinals have had their share of pitching injuries of late, with Jaime Garcia out for the season and Michael Wacha out indefinitely, and Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com tweeted yesterday that the team scouted Jake Peavy’s most recent start for the Red Sox. Peter Gammons also tweets that he’s hearing the Redbirds have interest in Peavy.

The 33-year-old Peavy has struggled, to an extent, this season in what has been one of the least-effective campaigns of his 13-year career. He’s posted a 4.64 ERA with 6.8 K/9, 3.4 BB/9 and a 39.2 percent ground-ball rate. His 89.9 mph average fastball velocity is the lowest mark he’s posted since his rookie campaign in 2002. He’s been healthy, however, and has averaged more than six innings per start this season. A move to the NL, of course, could help his numbers as well.

Then again, Peavy wouldn’t need to do much to be an upgrade to the back of the St. Louis rotation. With their current injuries, the Cardinals are using a rotation of ace Adam Wainwright and right-handers Lance Lynn, Shelby Miller and Carlos Martinez (with Joe Kelly set to come off the DL in the next few days). Miller has seen his control disappear, along with his ability to miss bats, and he’s posted a 5.50 ERA over his past nine starts as a result. Martinez has pitched well since transitioning from the bullpen, but he threw just 108 innings last year and is already at 53 in 2014. Marco Gonzales, the club’s 2013 first-rounder, served up 11 runs with more walks than strikeouts in a three-start cameo recently. Peavy could serve as a durable back-end piece to complement veterans Wainwright, Lynn and Kelly while serving as an insurance policy for the club’s younger arms.

Peavy is earning $14.5MM this season and has a vesting player option that he won’t trigger. That option, valued at $15MM, required that Peavy pitch 400 innings from 2013-14, but he is still 144 2/3 frames shy of that mark after spending time on the DL last season. As such, he’s owed roughly $6.58MM over the remainder of the 2014 campaign and will be a free agent at year’s end.

As Edes points out, this isn’t the first time that the Cardinals have had interest in Peavy. The team expressed interest in the former NL Cy Young winner last summer. The Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo reported over the weekend that Peavy could be of interest to some NL clubs if Boston were to eat some of the remaining salary on his deal.

Jeff Todd contributed to this post.

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