While most of the baseball world has its focus on Game 6 of the World Series in Cleveland tomorrow night, there are still of course trade talks going on behind the scenes, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that three players who are currently available on the trade market are Astros right-hander Pat Neshek, Marlins right-hander Fernando Rodney and Dodgers catcher Carlos Ruiz. Each of the three players has a club option, and their teams appear open to trading them in the days immediately following the postseason before option decisions are made. Fan Rag’s Jon Heyman wrote last night that teams are already showing interest in Ruiz, who could be moved even if his option is picked up by the Dodgers. (In that scenario, Austin Barnes would get the nod as the backup to Yasmani Grandal.)
Neshek, 36, has a $6.5MM club option on his deal that comes with a $500K buyout. He’s coming off a 3.06 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and a 33.3 percent ground-ball rate in 47 innings out of the Houston bullpen this season — solid across-the-board numbers that are largely similar to the numbers he posted during his first season with the Astros in 2015. However, Neshek’s role was diminished in 2016, as manager A.J. Hinch frequently shielded him from facing left-handed opponents.
Hinch’s reasoning is easy to see; Neshek has held opposing right-handers to a woeful .193/.235/.336 batting line across the past two seasons, but lefties have knocked him around at a .256/.328/.516 clip. The problem was more glaring in 2016, when lefties had little trouble squaring up against Neshek’s sidearm delivery and slashed .250/.321/.646 against him. Neshek faced 130 right-handed batters and just 55 lefties in 2016, so he’s probably looked at as more of a righty specialist by many clubs, though he did hold left-handed opponents to a .541 OPS as recently as 2014. Getting him at one year and $6.5MM may be more preferable to some teams than exploring the free-agent market and issuing a multi-year deal to one of the many setup men available.
Rodney, who will turn 40 next March, has a more affordable $4.5MM club option but is coming off a worse season on the mound. The veteran righty opened the year as the Padres’ closer and posted a preposterous 0.31 ERA through his first 28 2/3 innings with San Diego. Along the way, he averaged 10.4 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 to go along with an enormous 59 percent ground-ball rate, but his season crumbled upon being traded to the Marlins. Rodney still averaged 10 strikeouts per nine innings and posted a solid-but-diminished 52 percent ground-ball rate in Miami, but his BB/9 rate spiked to 6.8 and he was tagged for a 5.89 ERA in 36 2/3 innings with the Fish. There’s a $400K buyout on his option that the Marlins would pay him if they’re unable to find a trade partner. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald has recently reported that the Marlins don’t have any intentions of exercising the option, so if another club values Rodney at $4.5MM on a one-year commitment, they could probably have him for a minimal cost.
As for Ruiz, the 37-year-old (38 in January) spent his entire career with the Phillies before an August trade saw him trade in his red pinstripes for Dodger blue. His contract contains a $4.5MM option for the 2017 season that comes with a $500K buyout for the Dodgers. While he didn’t have a great season at the plate, Ruiz did bat a very respectable .264/.365/.348 with three homers in 233 plate appearances. He also threw out an NL-best 42 percent of opposing base-stealers, though Baseball Prospectus wasn’t much of a fan of his work when it came to framing pitches. Nonetheless, Ruiz is revered as a clubhouse presence and for his work with pitchers, and he hit .271/.407/.386 against lefties this year, suggesting that he could be plenty effective as a backup who sees many of his starts against opposing southpaws. A one-year commitment at $4.5MM is hardly an exorbitant commitment, though it might be a bit steeper than many clubs would prefer to pay for a backup catcher.
As a Dodger fan, I will remember Chooch for his work to help beat the Nationals this year.
Is Ruiz not seen as a potential starter anymore? Seems like he has pretty good numbers and is a good guy to have on a team.
38 in January; strictly a backup.
Does anyone else see Ruiz as a fit for the braves?
I definitely do
Phillies let Ruiz go, and now he’s a fit for the Braves, I don’t see that move!
Sorry slider32 that you are confused but the Phillies never let Ruiz go, they TRADED him and received AJ Ellis, Joey Curletta and Tommy Bergjans back from the Dodgers in the trade. You also have to realize that in regards to catching the Braves and the Phillies are in two totally different spots. The Phillies still have control of several years of Cameron Rupp, as well as having highly thought of prospect (and relatively ready as well) Jorge Alfaro already on the 40 man roster. That doesn’t even take in account highly thought of AAA catcher Andrew Knapp. The Phillies are one of the few teams that are really plush with catching options. That is the main reason why they could afford to trade Ruiz away.
Looking at the Braves you see Tyler Flowers who was good framing again, but was horrible from a throwing aspect in 2016. You also have only journeyman Anthony Recker as depth at the major league level. Besides that there isn’t much at all. So the catching situation is VASTLY different for the two teams.
Ruiz is an experienced vet who can help develop the younger pitchers on the Braves. He wouldn’t be expected to shoulder the normal workload of a normal starting catcher either. Flowers and he would probably split the workload almost equally. While I will admit there are probably some better options available, it is without a doubt that Ruiz would fit many of the Braves needs at catcher. He makes good sense as a potential fit.
I think any rebuilding team with younger pitching staff would be interested in him. Same for AJ Ellis who would likely be much less expensive, but great with a pitching staff.
Yes, I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing Ruiz with the Braves in 2017.
Seems like a fit. Rays would be a good fit too, even if Ruiz can play only 90 games. Dodgers could get Curt Casali, who still has an option remaining and thus can be their 3rd catcher.
You have to ask yourself, why did the Phillies get rid of Ruiz, they are on the same path as the Braves I think.
They have young catching prospects coming up, and Ruiz would be taking their playing time. Atlanta does not have a young catcher ready.
With Alfaro and Rupp doing well at the AAA/MLB level, they could afford to get rid of Ruiz. It seems like the Phillies want to give their veterans a final chance to compete with another club (Utley, Rollins and Ruiz were all traded to the Dodgers) instead of slowly reducing their role on the roster as they age. The prospects they received are lottery tickets at best, and they don’t need the salary relief, so that likely factored in to the trade(s).
I see him as a great fit. They can give this plenty of rest with Flowers. Both can develop the young pitching and they can both provide good offensive numbers.
Anybody, other than Saltalamachia is better behind the plate with the glove than what Atlanta had last year. Ruiz will cost them 4.5m and a prospect. who knows if he’ll be healthy, or a 2015 flop again.
For that? likewise 37yo hannigan has the same glove and arm and everybody knows can no longer hit, yet won’t cost but a pittance with his option being declined in Boston. Why pay Ruiz that much on a team that everyone knows won’t compete, nor play in more than half the games?
There’s no way the Marlins get the same value back that they gave up for Rodney
Thanks for pointing out the obvious.
Ruiz to Os for a year till sisco comes on.
yes! one year of Chooch at $4.5 sounds good to me
if that comes to pass I probably wouldn’t give the QO to Weiters in fear he’d take it (again)
I’d welcome Neshek if he would want to go to the Cubs
Ruiz for the Mets as an upgrade from Rene Rivera?
Mets need a starting catcher!
Padres will take Rodney back for a PTBNL
Then trade him for another prospect at the deadline
Don’t get your hopes up– none of these guys are getting traded unless their options are picked up. Makes no sense to give anything up for them when it is likely that you could get them for a discounted rate in like 2 weeks.
Neshek back to cards for Garcia.
Each team pays the 2017 salaries
I doubt the Astros would do that, they could get something much more valuable than Garcia
I would love to have Neshek back, but a middle reliever who can’t pitch to lefties worth more than a starter who at times has better stuff than anyone? He was healthy last year, just not used to pitching as many innings as he did last year and wore out by end of year. Definitely a lot of upside to jaime.