The Blue Jays are showing “strong interest” in Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Nothing’s close between the two sides at this time, Rosenthal notes, and the Brewers aren’t especially motivated to part ways with the righty.
Milwaukee’s reluctance to trade Fiers stems from the fact that he’s not yet arbitration-eligible. Fiers is earning $513K in 2015 — a no doubt appealing fact to a Blue Jays team that has roughly $5-8MM worth of payroll wiggle room, per multiple reports. Fiers wouldn’t even be arbitration eligible until after the 2016 season, and he can be controlled through 2019 via the arb process. That team control is one of the reasons that Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet listed him as a potential fit for the Blue Jays last week.
Despite his controllable nature, Fiers isn’t particularly young. The former 22nd-round pick didn’t make his big league debut until the age of 26, and he didn’t see any significant MLB action until his age-27 season. As such, he’s already 30 years old. His status as a late bloomer notwithstanding, Fiers has been more or less effective as a big league starter. In 330 2/3 innings dating back to 2012, he has a 3.62 ERA with a 334-to-102 K/BB ratio (9.1 K/9, 2.8 BB/9).
Upon first glance, Fiers would seem to be an imperfect fit for Toronto’s Rogers Centre. He’s a right-hander that averages just 89 mph on his fastball and is considered an extreme fly-ball pitcher. However, I had similar questions about the fit when the Jays acquired Fiers’ former teammate, Marco Estrada, this past offseason. Estrada has been outstanding for the Blue Jays in 2015, and while that certainly doesn’t mean that Fiers would enjoy similar success, Fiers hasn’t been as homer-prone as Estrada over the course of his career and in general fits into a similar profile.
According to Rosenthal, the Brewers would want multiple pieces as a return in any trade of Fiers. He’s an atypical trade candidate due to the four remaining seasons of control he brings, but the more traditional trade pieces in Milwaukee’s rotation don’t currently hold much appeal. Kyle Lohse, a free agent at season’s end, has struggled greatly in 2015. So, too, has the now-injured Matt Garza, who comes with two more years of a $12.5MM salary.
Should Toronto elect to get more serious about its pursuit, the team has a nice stable of prospects that are close to the Majors as well as some high-upside prospects further down the pipeline. GM Alex Anthopoulos has mentioned in the past that he’s willing to deal from his big league roster as well. This is purely speculative, but with Francisco Rodriguez and Neal Cotts pitching well, perhaps the Blue Jays would be interested in securing a package consisting of Fiers and a bullpen upgrade. I’ve also previously opined that the Brewers should be open to trading a controllable relief arm such as Will Smith.
Unless adding Mike Fiers is getting us Carlos Gomez too, i’d pass on giving up anything meaningful.
Here in lies the problem. No reason for the Brewers to give up a guy who’s cheap and has as much control left unless they do give up something meaningful. Doesn’t seem real feasible unless they can work out a package deal with K-Rod or Gomez, or Toronto would be willing to take Garza and eat some of his salary.
Because teams typically just give away solid, cost-controlled, middle/back of the rotation arms as a throw-away item when also trading away one of the best centerfielders in the game?
Fiers is not bad at all. I believe he’d be the Jays #3 starter right now.
As much as solid starter is needed, the Jays also need a lh outfielder who plays all three positions, at a reasonable cost … but even these will require more than one meaningful player/pitcher from the Jays. Guesses?
Well you pretty much just described Gerardo Parra. Maybe he and Fieres for a couple prospects?
Pompey and/or Saunders will cover the last OF spot. Yes, I realize it is risky to rely on them, but the team has big holes elsewhere. Even if a pitcher was magically added to the team out of thing air, the Blue Jays would *still* require another pitcher or two. They do not have the resources to upgrade everything.
Between the three areas of need, the Blue Jays are best positioned to fill the OF needs from within the organization, hence a guy like Mike Fiers would be the target, not Gomez, not Parra.
Revere would be a cheap one I would like
I miss Johnny Mac :(
Utility and production-wise, Ryan Goins is essentially John McDonald.
Gomez/Fiers/K-Rod for Norris/Pompey/Tirado/Alford
Brewers really need a corner IF prospect and a replacement for Gomez if they deal him as the only other guy they have to play CF is Parra and he’ll be traded too. I’d guess for Fiers and Gomez they would want a combo of Pompey, Nay and a couple pitching prospects. (Getting either Norris or Stroman would be great, but I don’t see that happening).
Honestly, I think the Brewers would (or should) be all over that.
I don’t mind it that much for the Jays either. Problem for me would be adding another RH bat to already RH heavy lineup.
Gomez 2015 BA vs RHP .281 | vs LHP .222
Gomez Career BA vs RHP .263 | vs LHP .255
why does it matter if he bats left handed or right handed?
Not good enough from Brewers POV. Gomez is a top-50-prospect type trade target by himself, and Fiers is a solid MOR starter who is pre-arb. Don’t think those four are enough.
Pompey and Norris are both top 40 prospects, they’re not gonna get much more than those 2 and 2 more prospects.
I think this is fair, maybe a toolsy prospect and a young projectible pitcher in the low minors to sweeten the pot and this deal easily gets done.
Fiers has had a good season, however, he has proven to be very streaky. While the Brewers shouldn’t give Fiers up for nothing, they should definitely get what they can out of him. They have plenty of other options in the rotation that are young a cost controlled including Jungmann and Peralta. If I were the Blue Jays though, I would shoot a tad higher. In my opinion, the Blue Jays need to go all in. They have Donaldson, Bautista, Encarnacion and Martin which makes them a powerhouse offense. I’d give them a 2 year window (2015-2016) therefore, they should go for Cashner and Papelbon. I believe that those 2 give them the best chance to be wildly competitive over the next season and a half. The best part of this scenario is that if it doesn’t work out through the first 4 months next season, Bautista, Encarnacion, Cashner, Papelbon and Cecil will all be on their last seasons, Reyes whose contract expires after 2017 and Donaldson whose contract expires after 2018. They can function as solid trade chips to replenish the system if they spend a lot.
“I’d give them a 2 year window (2015-2016)”.
Why do people keep saying that?
Martin, Pillar, Travis, Sanchez, Stroman, Osuna, Schultz are all under team control through 2020.
Donaldson, Hutchison are under team control through 2018.
They have a boatload of prospects in AAA – Pompey, Norris, Boyd, Castro, etc.
Fiers is a bit streaky but his body of work, 54 major league starts, is extensive enough to conclude that his career ERA of 3.62 and a strikeout per inning is certainly no fluke. He hasn’t been seen much by teams in the AL East so that might work to his advantage. I’d be surprised if he’s dealt but if the Jays knock Melvin’s socks off, then he should listen.
What type of deal would it take for the Brewers to get Daniel Norris in return??
Gomez but Jays need starters not another OF.
Jays need both. Can’t rely on Saunders, Colabello, Carrera, or Pompey to play LF. Adding in Gomez to their outfield gives them a huge upgrade, although he’s still a RH bat. I’d almost prefer Parra over Gomez simply because the Jays need that lefty bat.
Gomez 2015 BA vs RHP .281 | vs LHP .222
Gomez Career BA vs RHP .263 | vs LHP .255
why does it matter if he bats left handed or right handed?
fiers and rodriguez look like great fits for the team! Add Gomez and trade maybe Nay, Pompey, Norris, and anybody not named Jeff Hoffman in the minors then that is a good deal
The Jays have two pitchers that throw under 90mph. They don’t need another. They need someone that can hit 95 to 97 and command the strike zone. The right pictcher will single handedly give them 10 to 12 wins. How many wins will another left fielder give them?
You don’t need to throw 95+ to be an effective pitcher. You need to have great command. It of course helps a lot if you have great command, deception, multiple plus pitches and serious heat, but there’s been more than just a handful of pitchers who have been successful in baseball without throwing that hard. Fiers, in his short major league career, has demonstrated he has this skill (which is why he is averaging better than a strikeout per inning).
Gomez is a all star caliber OF and Fiers is also a proven starter with a – 4 era and what is being offered is prospects and the key word is prospects.
They may be prospects, but Pompey and Norris are both seen as MLB ready, not like we’re talking 2-3 year projects. That’s exactly what Milwaukee needs right now, pro ready controlable guys to help them rebuild. You’re not gonna get a much better deal for Gomez in my opinion and the longer you hold on to him the more his value decreases.