Orioles Begin Extension Talks With Chris Tillman
The Orioles have had preliminary talks with righty starter Chris Tillman about an extension, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes. Encina characterizes those talks as “introductory,” suggesting that no deal is imminent.
This isn’t the first time the Orioles have expressed interest in extending Tillman, who is eligible for free agency after next season. (He is set to make a projected $10.6MM next season through the arbitration process.) As Encina notes, Orioles stars Manny Machado, Adam Jones and Zach Britton are eligible for free agency following the 2018 campaign. Extending Tillman, then, would help the O’s build a bridge between their current core and whatever that core might look like two to three years from now.
Tillman posted a 3.77 ERA, 7.3 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 172 solid innings in 2016. Those numbers roughly align with his career 4.13 ERA, 6.8 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9. Tillman has rarely been among the AL’s top starters, but he’s been reliable and healthy, having pitched at least 172 frames in each of the past four seasons. (He did, however, miss a few weeks with a shoulder inflammation this season.) Those qualities could make him good money next winter, especially since he’ll be just 29. If extension talks with the Orioles do progress, Tillman’s camp could point to recently extended starters with five-plus years of service time such as Homer Bailey (who received six years and $105MM and an option) and Rick Porcello (four years, $82MM) as potential templates.
Little Momentum Between Indians, Edwin Encarnacion
TUESDAY: There isn’t currently much momentum between Encarnacion and the Indians, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. Crasnick writes that Encarnacion hopes to receive a longer and more lucrative contract than the Indians are willing to offer.
MONDAY: The Indians are discussing a multi-year contract with slugger Edwin Encarnacion, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Cleveland’s interest in Encarnacion was first reported earlier today, and it appears as though the Tribe has more than just a cursory interest — talks are “serious,” Hoynes writes, though there’s no indication that the two sides are close to any sort of agreement.
With Mike Napoli a free agent, the Tribe have been connected to several first basemen this offseason, though Encarnacion (the top first base option on the market) was widely considered to be beyond Cleveland’s financial reach. When asked if this was the case, however, Indians director of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said “you don’t have to curb expectations. We are being exhaustive in exploring options to improve our position player club.”
A source tells Hoynes that the Tribe’s run to Game 7 of the World Series may have generated as much as $48MM in extra revenue for the club, which could provide Antonetti and company with some unexpected payroll flexibility. It could be something of a perfect storm for Cleveland, as the team’s extra money coincides with a possible downturn in Encarnacion’s market — potential suitors like the Blue Jays, Astros, Yankees have acquired other players, while the Red Sox and Rangers have both shown only lukewarm interest.
The draft pick compensation tied to Encarnacion (due to his rejection of the Jays’ qualifying offer) has also reportedly factored into his relatively quiet market, and giving up the 27th overall pick of the 2017 draft to sign Encarnacion is surely a major consideration for the Indians as well. The loss of a first-rounder is even a bigger hurdle for a smaller-market team like Cleveland that relies on cost-effective young talent, and the Tribe already dealt several top prospects for Andrew Miller at last July’s deadline.
In a projected lineup, Encarnacion would split the first base/DH duties with Carlos Santana. Michael Brantley‘s status could also be of note here, as after missing almost all of 2016 with shoulder and biceps injuries, Brantley’s ability to play the outfield next year could be somewhat in question.
Red Sox Sign Mitch Moreland
The Red Sox have announced that they’ve signed first baseman Mitch Moreland to a one-year contract. FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal was first to tweet news of the deal. Moreland will receive $5.5MM, Rosenthal’s colleague Jon Morosi tweets. Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that the two sides were in talks. Moreland is represented by RMG Baseball.
[Related: Updated Boston Red Sox Depth Chart]
Moreland hit a disappointing .233/.298/.422 with 22 home runs in 2016 and has been inconsistent in his seven years in the big leagues, although his .278/.330/.482 season in 2015 shows what he’s capable of in a good year. He’s also a capable defender at first base, with a 6.4 UZR and 7 DRS there last season, and he’s capable of playing corner outfield in a pinch. The 31-year-old Moreland has hit .254/.315/.438 with 110 home runs in a big-league career spent entirely with the Rangers.
The deal caps what’s been a huge day for the Red Sox, who have also acquired Tyler Thornburg and, more notably, Chris Sale. Moreland should provide Boston with help at the first base and DH spots, likely in tandem with a right-handed hitter — he’s batted just .240/.275/.398 against lefties in his career. The Red Sox need help at DH following the retirement of David Ortiz, and Moreland would seem to be at least a hedge against the possibility that they’ll acquire a higher-profile player, like Edwin Encarnacion (who they seemed unlikely to sign anyway, in part due to luxury-tax concerns) or Mike Napoli. In fact, with Hanley Ramirez also in tow, Moreland’s signing but all but shut those doors. The team also recently lost Travis Shaw in the trade that brought Thornburg to Boston, and Moreland will replace some of the at-bats the lefty-swinging Shaw took at first base. It would appear, then, that the Red Sox are attempting to compensate for Ortiz’s departure by strengthening their rotation, rather than by adding a superstar to replace him at DH or first base.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Rangers Discussed Deal With Reds For Starting Pitching
The Rangers and Reds have discussed a trade potentially involving either Anthony DeSclafani or Dan Straily, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets. Sullivan adds that another option for the Rangers as they attempt to address their rotation could be a reunion with free agent Colby Lewis. The Reds, meanwhile, are interested in reliever Jeremy Jeffress.
DeSclafani, it would seem, would be the more valuable of the two Reds trade chips. The 26-year-old righty posted a 3.28 ERA, 7.7 K/9 and 2.2 BB/9 in 123 1/3 solid innings in 2016, and with less than three years of service time, he could be a solid middle-of-the-rotation piece for years to come. The 28-year-old Straily, though, also had a surprisingly solid year after arriving in Cincinnati via a waiver claim, posting a 3.76 ERA, 7.6 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 while eating 191 1/3 innings.
Lewis, now 37, posted a respectable 3.71 ERA in Texas in 2016, but with underwhelming peripherals (5.6 K/9, 2.2 BB/9). He also missed time to a strained lat.
The Reds’ interest in Jeffress is somewhat difficult to understand at first glance. The veteran Jeffress’ strong 2016 season and closing experience would make him somewhat of an odd fit as a luxury item for a rebuilding club, unless perhaps the Reds’ plan upon acquiring him would be to flip him to another team. The Reds could also potentially be thinking that Jeffress’ personal issues, including a recent DWI arrest, could reduce his price, although the Rangers have shown little reluctance in recent years in dealing with troubled players. The Rangers do, however, have significant relief depth.
Yankees Continuing To Listen To Offers For Brett Gardner
The Yankees are listening to offers for outfielder Brett Gardner, but have not yet traded him because they haven’t yet received an offer suitable to them, Bryan Hoch of MLB.com writes.
“He’s here not because I can’t move him; he’s here because I’m not comfortable moving him, or haven’t been satisfied in my asks that would make me move him,” says GM Brian Cashman. “You’re going through the process, and you see if that changes. So far to this point, I’ve said no to a lot of different concepts thrown my way on it.”
The 33-year-old Gardner is guaranteed $25MM over the next two seasons, including a $2MM buyout on his $12.5MM option for 2019. He’s remained quietly productive in his last few seasons as a Yankee, with a skill set built around on-base percentage, respectable corner outfield defense, and very good baserunning. At last check, though, he wasn’t receiving significant trade interest, although, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams pointed out last week, that might change once more free agent outfielders come off the board. Gardner remains atop the Yankees’ depth chart in left field, although his departure could open playing time for a higher-wattage acquisition, for one of the Yankees’ younger players or even, occasionally, for new acquisition Matt Holliday (who figures to play mostly DH).
Braves To Re-Sign Eric O’Flaherty To Minor League Deal
The Braves have agreed to a deal to re-sign veteran lefty Eric O’Flaherty to a minor league deal, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation writes (Twitter links). O’Flaherty is a client of MVP Sports Group.
The 31-year-old O’Flaherty struggled in 2016 in Atlanta, posting a 6.91 ERA, 6.9 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 28 2/3 innings. He was one of baseball’s better lefty relievers from 2009 through 2012, then had Tommy John surgery in 2013. After a promising return in 2014, though, he has struggled with slightly diminished velocity and control issues. Perhaps promisingly, he retains a very high ground-ball rate, with a 54.0 GB% in 2016.
Red Sox, Indians Reportedly Pursuing Mitch Moreland
4:05pm: There is “strong buzz” at the Winter Meetings suggesting the Red Sox could sign Moreland, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN tweets.
10:27am: Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that Boston is “strongly in the mix” for Moreland.
10:17am: The Red Sox are in on first baseman Mitch Moreland, tweets Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, who also notes that the Indians are in the mix for Moreland. The Rangers, according to Wilson, are “out” on Moreland, who has spent his entire career to date in a Rangers uniform. Moreland could be nearing a decision, Wilson further reports.
The 31-year-old Moreland had a big 2015 in Texas (.278/.330/.482) but slipped up in 2016, struggling to a .233/.298/.422 batting line in 503 plate appearances. Moreland would give either club a left-handed option at first base/designated hitter, but he’d need a platoon partner, as he’s a career .240/.295/.378 hitter against left-handed pitching. He has, however, hit at least 22 homers in each of his past three healthy seasons (an ankle injury limited him to 52 games in 2014).
Boston obviously has an opening at DH and has reportedly been averse to the idea of signing a designated hitter to a long-term deal. Moreland could present a shorter-term option. As for Cleveland, the reigning AL champions could lose Mike Napoli to free agency, and given Napoli’s reported preference for a lucrative three-year deal, Moreland could represent both a younger and more affordable option for Cleveland. The Indians have also been tied to Edwin Encarnacion, but it’s not clear exactly how high they’d be able to go in that pursuit. At the very least, it seems that president of baseball ops Chris Antonetti, GM Mike Chernoff and the rest of the Cleveland front office are exploring multiple avenues as they look to add some offense at first base/DH.
Nationals Focusing On Andrew McCutchen
After missing out on ace Chris Sale, who went to the Red Sox in a blockbuster deal this afternoon, the Nationals are shifting their focus back to Pirates star Andrew McCutchen, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman. Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post writes that the Nationals hadn’t shut down talks with the Pirates as of this afternoon, and Byron Kerr of MASNsports.com tweets that the Nats and Bucs are set to have another meeting this afternoon.
At one point, it was reported that the Nationals felt they had the prospect capital to acquire both Sale and McCutchen, so the fact that they didn’t win the Sale sweepstakes technically gives them ample talent to pry McCutchen away from Pittsburgh. However, the Bucs reportedly asked for both Lucas Giolito and Victor Robles when talking with the Nationals, and that level of expenditure would be difficult to stomach, considering McCutchen is coming off his worst full season as a regular. He’s owed a reasonable $28MM over the next two seasons, but if last year was the beginning of a trend, then that figure may not be much of a bargain.
The Nats were said to have a real chance at landing Sale last night before the Red Sox swooped in, but as Janes reports, the Nationals never showed any willingness to part with Trea Turner, which ultimately proved to be the sticking point in negotiations. That’s consistent with everything that’s been reported when it comes to the Nationals’ trade efforts, as GM Mike Rizzo (understandably) seems to be steadfastly averse to trading his blossoming star.
That said, it’s been a frustrating Winter Meetings for the Nats so far, who have also lost out on Mark Melancon, as their now-former closer signed a four-year, $62MM deal with the Giants. Nonetheless, there are plenty of high-profile upgrades to pursue, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post points (on Twitter) out that if the Nats want to engage with the ChiSox on their other top lefty, Jose Quintana (and possibly closer David Robertson), a good deal of groundwork could be accelerated, as the Nats and White Sox are already quite familiar with each others’ organizations after the extensive Sale talks, though that observation seems to be more speculation than anything else. For the time being, it seems that the Nats’ focus is McCutchen, although the two sides have been in talks since last week and also talked this past summer but have seemingly never come close to making a swap.
Red Sox Acquire Chris Sale In Exchange For Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Two Others
In one of the biggest Winter Meeting blockbusters in recent history, the Red Sox and White Sox have announced a trade that will send Chris Sale from Chicago to Boston in exchange for prospects Yoan Moncada, Michael Kopech, Luis Alexander Basabe and Victor Diaz.
In acquiring Sale, the Red Sox will add one of the game’s most dominant pitchers to add to a star-studded rotation that’ll also feature David Price and Rick Porcello, with other options including Eduardo Rodriguez, Steven Wright, Drew Pomeranz and Clay Buchholz. As such, president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski should have no shortage of rotation depth from which to deal if he desires to utilize that theoretical surplus to address other areas of need on the roster.
[Related: Updated Chicago White Sox Depth Chart and Boston Red Sox Depth Chart]
Sale will head from Chicago to Boston on the heels of a season in which he posted a 3.34 ERA with 9.3 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and a 41.2 percent ground-ball rate in 226 2/3 innings. Since cementing himself as a top-of-the-rotation arm, Sale has posted a collective 3.04 ERA with 10.0 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 in 1015 2/3 innings. He’s set to earn just $12MM next season, and the Red Sox will hold club options valued at $12.5MM and $13.5MM for the 2018 and 2019 seasons, respectively.
While there was concern earlier in his career that centered around Sale’s unorthodox delivery, his arm has held up better than nearly any pitcher in the sport. Since 2012, Sale’s innings total ranks 12th among 227 qualified starting pitchers. His 10.0 K/9 is eighth in that same span, and he ranks fourth in the Majors in fWAR and third in RA9-WAR in that time as well. His average fastball dipped a bit in 2016 but still checked in at a healthy 92.8 mph.
Sale drew heavy interest from a number of teams ranging from the Astros to the Braves to the Nationals, but as of late last night it was the Nats that reportedly had a real chance at pushing a deal across the line. The Red Sox seemingly upped their level of aggression overnight, however, and will emerge from the Sale sweepstakes without having been forced to surrender any member of their expected Opening Day roster. Washington made a last-ditch effort to salvage a deal, but fell shy, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets. Given the intense interest, it’s no surprise that the Red Sox ultimately paid a heavy price to add the power lefty.
With three years of club control at a combined total of $38MM and that track record of dominance, Sale was one of the most valuable trade commodities in Major League Baseball, and he commanded an according price. Moncada, 21, looked overmatched in a brief September cameo with the Red Sox in 2016, but he rates as one of the top overall prospects in all of MLB and was listed as the game’s No. 1 prospect on the midseason Top 100 list from Baseball America. He currently rates as the No. 1 prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com.
BA dropped Moncada down to No. 2 on Boston’s list of top 10 prospects this offseason (subscription required and highly recommended) but noted that he possesses the size and strength of a linebacker with elite speed on the basepaths and a left-handed approach that elicits comparisons to Robinson Cano. Add at least average defense at second base to that blend of power and speed, and even if Moncada isn’t a dominant hitter from the right-handed side of the dish, there’s still legitimate star upside. MLB.com’s report on him likens him to “Cano with more speed” and notes that few middle infield prospects come with this type of offensive upside. He should immediately become the White Sox’ second baseman of the future, joining 2017 sophomore Tim Anderson to form an envy-inducing double-play tandem for years to come.
Moncada’s 2016 season was nothing short of brilliant, as he batted .294/.407/.511 with 15 home runs and 45 stolen bases in just 106 games between Class-A Advanced and Double-A before briefly jumping to the Majors late in the year. To this point in his minor league career, he’s stolen 94 bases in 109 tries — a success rate of 86.2 percent.
Signed out of Cuba to a record-shattering $31.5MM signing bonus (which came with a 100 percent luxury tax for the Red Sox), Moncada is a versatile switch-hitter that has spent the bulk of his minor league career at second base but has also been said to be capable of playing shortstop, third base and the outfield. That $31.5MM signing bonus was spread out over three years, but the Red Sox are reportedly picking up the tab on the remainder of the money he’s owed and all of the tax obligations as well.
Kopech, 20, ranks just two spots behind Moncada on that list of top Red Sox prospects over at BA. The former No. 33 overall pick (2014) generated plenty of buzz this year when he reportedly hit 105 mph in a minor league game, though Yahoo’s Jeff Passan tweets that some scouts believe that mark to be an embellishment. Nonetheless, Kopech regularly works in the triple digits with his fastball and reached Class-A Advanced as a 20-year-old in 2016, where he pitched to a dominant 2.25 ERA with 14.2 K/9, 5.0 BB/9 and a 42 percent ground-ball rate.
BA’s scouting report notes that one evaluator called him the best minor league arm he saw all season and likened his combination of elite velocity and a low-90s slider to a younger version of Mets ace Noah Syndergaard. There are some character questions — Kopech was suspended for use of a banned stimulant and later broke his hand in a fight with a teammate — but the talent is clear. MLB.com rates Kopech 67th in baseball at the moment and calls him a potential front-of-the-rotation starter, especially after working to simplify his mechanics in 2016. He’s a bit of a longer-term asset, as it’ll probably be 2018 before Kopech is ready to debut, but the upside the Sox are receiving here is significant.
Sticking on BA’s list of top 10 Red Sox prospects, Basabe checks in at No. 8. The 20-year-old’s twin brother (Luis Alejandro Basabe) was traded from Boston to Arizona in exchange for Brad Ziegler this past summer. Luis Alexander has enough range in center field to have a floor as a fourth outfielder but also has average or better tools across the board, per BA. Basabe, who hit .264/.328/.452 with 12 homers and 25 steals between Class-A and a brief five-game stint in Class-A Advanced, could stand to improve his contact skills (119 strikeouts in 474 plate appearances), but gives the White Sox a potential everyday center fielder down the line if he can find a way to put bat to ball with more regularity.
The 22-year-old Diaz, not to be confused with the former Mets outfielder of the same name, spent the 2016 season pitching for Boston’s Class-A affiliate and worked to a 3.88 ERA with 9.4 K/9 and 3.7 BB/9 and a 58 percent ground-ball rate in 60 1/3 innings of relief work. He comes with the least fanfare of the four prospects in this deal but still has an upper 90s heater that has reached triple digits. MLB.com rated Diaz 28th on their midseason list of top Red Sox prospects, noting that in addition to a power fastball has a pair of inconsistent but promising secondary pitches in his slider and splitter. Diaz hasn’t made a start as a pro, so he seems like a pure relief prospect, but if he’s able to harness his control a bit and develop the secondary pitches, it sounds like there’s a potential late-inning relief arm there.
Stepping back and looking at the whole scenario from a bigger-picture perspective, the move certainly signals a move toward a rebuild for which many ChiSox fans have long clamored. Chicago GM Rick Hahn is reportedly open to trading anyone with fewer than four years of service time, which means first baseman Jose Abreu, closer David Robertson, third baseman Todd Frazier and outfielder/DH Melky Cabrera all figure to see their names bandied about in the days, weeks and months to come.
The greater question is whether Hahn & Co. will listen to offers on Sale’s now-former co-ace, Jose Quintana, who is controlled for four more years at a nearly identical total price. The Pale Hose also have one of the game’s most appealing outfield trade candidates in Adam Eaton, who is locked up through at least 2019 and has two club options on his highly affordable deal. If the White Sox want to go for a complete tear-down, the pieces are in place for Hahn to execute an accelerated rebuild given the level of MLB-ready (or near-MLB-ready) talent he can acquire in exchange for the most appealing assets on his top-heavy 25-man roster.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the agreement and that Moncada and Kopech were in the deal (on Twitter). USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported that Basabe and Diaz were in the trade (on Twitter). Bruce Levine of 670thescore.com (Twitter links) and Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal (on Twitter) added context on the financial component of Moncada’s bonus.
Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Indians Met With Mike Napoli Yesterday
The Indians met with first baseman Mike Napoli‘s camp yesterday and tried to hammer out a one-year deal to re-sign the slugger, tweets MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian. While Napoli has reportedly had a three-year asking price this winter, Bastian notes that he hears Napoli might’ve already re-signed with Cleveland if the front office had pushed its offer to two years. Bastian goes on to report that Napoli’s camp has met with a “handful” of teams, and they’re optimistic about their ability to land a multi-year deal in free agency.
Napoli is one of multiple first base/DH types that are currently being linked to Cleveland, as the Indians are reportedly in pursuit of lefty-swinging Mitch Moreland and, more surprisingly, Edwin Encarnacion. ESPN’s Buster Olney called those conversations “just polite” last night (Twitter link), suggesting that a deal was likely to be far too expensive for Cleveland’s liking. In this morning’s blog (Insider subscription required/recommended), he further notes that surrendering the requisite first-round pick to sign Encarnacion would be difficult for Cleveland, as would committing to a 34-year-old on a lucrative multi-year deal.
Napoli posted huge power numbers for the Indians this past year, hitting .239/.335/.465 with 34 homers and 22 doubles, but reports have suggested that Cleveland is only interested in a one-year deal for its eventual first base/DH solution.