The big fish are off the market, but the Marlins are still looking to pick up a couple of notable relievers. Miami is interested in signing Phil Coke to a minor league deal and they’re still open to inking Francisco Rodriguez. Signing Coke to a minor league deal might not be a reality, however. The 32-year-old is seeking a $2MM guarantee and is getting interest for a major league deal, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. More from the AL and NL East..
- Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee won’t be winning any championships in Philadelphia this season, but they could help the Phillies win one down the road, Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com writes. Both players have been involved in trade rumors, of course, but it’s likely that they’ll start the season with the team and get moved sometime before the July 31st trade deadline. “Sometimes trades take two years to do, sometimes they take seven minutes,” GM Ruben Amaro said recently. Amaro recently indicated that as many as eight teams have kicked the tires on Hamels and four have made “real” offers.
- With five years and $74MM left on the contract extension he signed in 2012, Ryan Zimmerman may no longer be the face of the Nationals’ franchise, but he’s still one of the team’s most important players, as Mark Zuckerman of Nats Insider writes. This season, his ability to make a permanent position switch at the age of 30 may go a long way towards determining how far the Nats can go in 2015 and beyond.
- Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald looked at Rick Porcello, who has the unique opportunity of becoming a free agent before his 27th birthday. Boston is still without a true ace and the right-hander is being counted on by many to fill that role.
- On Saturday, our own Mark Polishuk looked at Blue Jays catcher Dioner Navarro as a trade candidate.
