Orioles Avoid Arbitration With Mark Trumbo
The Orioles have avoided arbitration with first baseman/outfielder/DH Mark Trumbo, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). Trumbo will earn $9.15MM for the coming season, per the report, before reaching free agency next winter.
That number comes in just north of the $9.1MM figure projected last fall by MLBTR and contributor Matt Swartz. Trumbo’s big power numbers have always played well in arbitration, and he earned a solid raise over his $6.9MM salary from a year ago.
Of course, that rather expensive arb rate is a major reason that the O’s were able to acquire the 30-year-old at a palatable rate earlier in the offseason. He came to Baltimore from the Mariners along with C.J. Riefenhauser in exchange for catcher Steve Clevenger.
There’s no denying Trumbo’s pop. Though he’s tailed off a bit in the last two years, he averaged 32 long balls a year over 2011-13. Of course, that comes with a high whiff rate and low on-base numbers, as Trumbo owns a lifetime .250/.300/.458 slash line. After a down year in 2014, he put up a cumulative .262/.319/.449 batting line and 22 home runs with the M’s and the Diamondbacks.
It remains to be seen how Baltimore will deploy Trumbo, but he’s generally considered a poor defender in the corner outfield and at third. He has, however, posted positive metrics at first base, and that’s probably where he’d line up if the season began today. If the O’s re-sign Chris Davis, they could shift Trumbo into primary DH duty, but it’s worth noting that both players offer some positional flexibility.
Blue Jays Have Had Recent Contact With Gallardo’s Camp
JAN. 15: Contact between the two sides has been “minimal” to this point, tweets SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo. There is, of course, the possibility that talks will pick up steam in the days/weeks to come.
JAN. 14: The Blue Jays have carried interest in right-hander Yovani Gallardo throughout free agency, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), and the team has been in contact with Gallardo’s camp this week, he adds. As Nicholson-Smith further tweets, club president Mark Shapiro said just yesterday that Gallardo is “the kind of guy” that could help Toronto, although as Nicholson-Smith also notes, questions remain about the Jays’ willingness to spend and to part with the necessary draft pick to sign Gallardo.
For context, Shapiro’s exact words when asked about Gallardo (in an appearance with Bob McCown and Arash Madani on 590 The Fan) were as follows: “He’s the kind of guy that would make us better. He’s the kind of guy you’d like to have. Whether or not, from a resource perspective, we still have enough to make a move like that — that’s still a variable that exists, but we do have some flexibility still. Thinking about how we use those resources is still a question.” Asked about the draft pick attached to Gallardo, Shapiro said it is indeed a factor, but not one that would immediately close the door on a deal. Shapiro called the draft pick forfeiture a “premium you’re paying on top of the salary.”
While Shapiro is understandably vague when prompted about Gallardo specifically, it’s telling that the Jays have at least reached out to his representatives at Octagon quite recently. Toronto would seem to have a somewhat full rotation picture, on paper, though as Shapiro noted in the interview, a team is fortunate if it can get through a 162-game season only needing to rely on seven or eight starters, adding that often, more arms are necessary. So, while R.A. Dickey, Marcus Stroman, Marco Estrada, J.A. Happ, Jesse Chavez and Drew Hutchison are all in the mix– to say nothing of Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna, who spent 2015 in the bullpen but were starters in the minors — there’s certainly room for more.
The question, then, as both Nicholson-Smith and Shapiro implied, is where exactly Gallardo’s asking price lies at this juncture. Toronto already has $95.75MM committed to the 2016 payroll, and that doesn’t include what currently projects to be Major League Baseball’s third-most expensive class of arbitration eligible players. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz pegged the Blue Jays’ arb class at $36MM in combined salaries — much of that coming from Josh Donaldson and newly acquired Drew Storen. And, while the Jays are reportedly receiving some cash considerations in the Storen trade as a means to offset the difference between his salary and that of Ben Revere, that sum shouldn’t total much more than $2MM (by MLBTR projections, it’d be $2.1MM). Those sums alone would bring Toronto to around $129.6MM in total payroll, not including league-minimum players to round out the roster and other expenses. It’s not unreasonable, then, to envision a scenario where the roster, as currently constructed, approaches or equals last year’s end-of-season payroll of $135MM.
As a result, the Blue Jays might need to get a bit creative if they’re to bring Gallardo into the fold. A backloaded contract would be one means of limiting the strain on 2016 payroll, and trading away another piece with a guaranteed salary or a notable arbitration projection could be another means of fitting Gallardo into the 2016 budget.
Of course, the Blue Jays will have competition for Gallardo’s services. The right-hander is one of the more desirable arms left on the free-agent market and has been connected to clubs such as the Royals, Orioles and Astros of late, although Jon Heyman reported yesterday (Twitter link) that the Astros were more focused on Ian Kennedy, leaving the Orioles and Royals as Gallardo’s primary suitors at the moment. While there’s no way to gauge the extent of Toronto’s interest, and the draft pick forfeiture/salary requirements do seem to make the Blue Jays a long shot, they seemingly must at least be considered on the periphery of the Gallardo market for the time being.
Gregory Polanco Open To Extension Talks With Pirates
Pirates outfielder Gregory Polanco told reporters today that he’d be open once again to exploring an extension with the club, as MLB.com’s Adam Berry was among those to report (Twitter link). But the Bucs haven’t yet re-visited the subject since it was tabled last April, he added.
Notably, the Pirates and Polanco “came very close” to reaching an accord last year, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports on Twitter (and as Jon Heyman has previously suggested). Biertempfel indicates, though, that the sides are likely to open a new dialogue this spring, as he explains further in a post on the subject.
The new deal yesterday for Dee Gordon — like Polanco, a BHSC client — provides a reminder that extension season is upon us. Spring training has often proved a fertile venue for long-term negotiations, with many deals coming to fruition there — or, sometimes, gaining steam before completion early in the season.
Polanco certainly looks to be a candidate for a multi-year deal after turning in a full and productive big league season last year. He slashed just .256/.320/.381, but turned things on in the second half and also contributed 27 steals. Importantly, too, metrics credit him with big overall value on the bases (5.3 BsR) and with the glove (7.7 UZR, 12 DRS).
While other organizations might prefer to see a lengthier run of production, Pittsburgh has given every indication of being committed to the 24-year-old and would obviously also see some upside in locking him in now, when he’s accumulated only 1.103 years of service.
Prior talks were said to be in the seven or eight-year range, though it’s not clear where things might head now that there’s another season under Polanco’s belt. Certainly, the youngster’s leverage has risen due to his solid campaign and service accumulation, though he also hasn’t yet reached his potentially lofty ceiling.
According to Heyman’s prior reporting, the earlier negotiations did not result in a deal in large part because the parties could not come to an understanding over the option rights that the Pirates would acquire in the contract. While it seemed that a string of three option seasons was a settled element of the package being discussed, both the value (reportedly, $11MM to $13MM) and the timing of the decisions on those options were apparently never resolved.
Minor MLB Transactions: 1/14/16
Here are some of the most recent minor moves from around the game:
- Japan’s Chiba Lotte Marines have signed infielder Yamaico Navarro for one year and $1.2MM, the team announced (via the Japan Times). The 28-year-old saw 199 MLB plate appearances over 2010-13, but has spent the past two seasons with the KBO’s Samsung Lions. Navarro earned his new deal with a .297/.404/.574 cumulative slash — and 79 home runs — over his 1,245 plate appearances in Korea.
- Catcher Josmil Pinto has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A by the Brewers, the club announced (h/t to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel; Twitter link). Pinto will receive an invitation to major league camp this spring and will try to get his career back on track in the Milwaukee organization. Once a promising young big leaguer with the Twins, Pinto has suffered through a fall-off at the plate, concussion problems, and continued defensive question marks.
- Also passing through waivers unclaimed were Nationals pitchers Erik Davis and Taylor Hill, per a team announcement. Davis, 29, struggled to get back on track last year after missing 2014 due to Tommy John surgery. He logged 48 2/3 minor-league innings of 3.88 ERA pitching with 8.7 K/9 but an uncharacteristic 5.0 BB/9. Hill had a strong campaign in 2014, but scuffled to a 5.23 ERA in 118 2/3 Triple-A frames last year.
- The Rays have signed left Justin Marks, Jon Heyman tweets. Marks, who turned 28 just two days ago, made one appearance with the Royals in 2014. He pitched to a 5.63 ERA in 108 2/3 innings at the Triple-A level last year with the Diamondbacks organization.
- Outfielder Donald Lutz has a minor league deal to return to the Reds, Alexis Brudnicki reports. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com adds on Twitter that Lutz won’t get a camp invite in the agreement. The first player to reach the majors after coming up in German baseball, Lutz was released by Cincinnati last summer after undergoing Tommy John surgery but has been playing recently in Australia. Brudnicki provides a full update on his recovery, as well of plenty of other interest insight, in the above-linked piece.
- The Tigers inked catcher Rafael Lopez to a minors deal, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports on Twitter. Lopez briefly reached the majors with the Cubs in 2014. He has put up some solid years at the plate in the minors, though he slipped to a .266/.339/.335 batting line in 246 Triple-A plate appearances last year.
Dodgers, Jordan Schafer Agree To Minor League Deal
TODAY: Schafer will attempt a transition to pitching, according to Jon Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter). He was a two-way prospect in high school, and told Ben Badler of Baseball America (back in 2008) that he was far more serious about his future as a hurler before being drafted.
YESTERDAY: The Dodgers and outfielder Jordan Schafer are in agreement on a minor league contract, according to Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Schafer would earn a $1MM salary upon making the Major League roster, he adds. Schafer is represented by Relativity Sports.
Los Angeles already has a glut of outfielders on the 40-man roster, making Schafer a likely depth piece. The 29-year-old spent the end of the 2014 campaign and the early portion of the 2015 season with the Twins, even serving as Minnesota’s Opening Day center fielder this past season. However, after a .285/.347/.362 debut with the Twins over the final couple months of that ’14 season, Schafer struggled to a .217/.250/.261 slash through 74 plate appearances.
Schafer landed on the disabled list in May and was released upon returning to health. Formerly one of the Braves’ top prospects, Schafer is a .228/.308/.307 hitter in the Majors. While he’s never hit much, he does he plenty of speed, having stolen 103 bases in 133 attempts over the course of 463 Major League games (1472 plate appearances).
Red Sox Sign Brennan Boesch To Minors Deal
The Red Sox announced a list of non-roster invitees on Wednesday, including well-traveled outfielder Brennan Boesch. Jon Heyman reports that Boesch’s base salary in the Majors would be $1MM, were he to make the club (Twitter link). Boesch is repped by CAA Sports.
Boesch, 31 in April, was the Tigers primary left fielder from 2010-12 but has bounced from the Yankees to the Angels to the Reds in the years to follow. In 94 plate appearances with Cincinnati this past season, the left-handed hitter batted just .146/.191/.202 — a far cry from his peak levels back in 2011, when he slashed .283/.341/.458 with 16 homers in 472 plate appearances. He’ll serve as outfield depth in Boston, where the team projects to have Jackie Bradley, Mookie Betts and Rusney Castillo as starters, with Chris Young and Brock Holt in reserve. Given that grouping, Boesch seems likely ticketed for Triple-A, where he’s a career .328/.358/.561 hitter in parts of four seasons.
Boston also announced a number of minor league signings that had already been announced, including those of infielder Chris Dominguez, outfielder Ryan LaMarre, right-hander Sean O’Sullivan, right-hander Roman Mendez and right-hander Anthony Varvaro.
NL Central Notes: Epstein, Brewers, Oh, Nicasio
An extension for Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein is “just a matter of time,” team owner Tom Ricketts told reporters, including Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times at a charity event on Wednesday. “We talk all the time, and it comes up,” Ricketts explained, adding that he is “on the same page” with Epstein in that regard. Epstein, of course, is entering the final season of his five-year contract with the Cubs, though given the manner in which Chicago has returned to prominence in the NL Central and the team’s very positive long-term outlook, it’d come as a surprise if the two sides didn’t work out a new contract.
Here’s more from the division…
- Brewers GM David Stearns wouldn’t disclose whether he will continue the “file and trial” approach to arbitration that the Brewers have employed in recent years, writes MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy. For those unfamiliar, “file and trial” teams cease negotiating one-year deals with players once arbitration figures are exchanged — which will happen this Friday. While some file-and-trial clubs will continue negotiating multi-year deals after arb figures are exchanged, such teams will head to a hearing if no multi-year deal talks are in the works. The Brewers have three arbitration-eligible players — Wily Peralta, Jean Segura and Will Smith. Stearns said he didn’t expect any updates on the trio’s contract status until closer to the exchange deadline.
- Seung-hwan Oh told reporters in Korea, including Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency, that he got the impression all throughout negotiations with the Cardinals that the team felt it needed him, and he’s happy with the deal he received. Oh apologized to his Korean fans for some legal troubles that he incurred which resulted in a 72-game suspension from the KBO, though his actions wouldn’t have warranted any consequences in the United States. Oh was suspended for gambling at an overseas casino in Japan (not on baseball), which is against the KBO’s rules. He’d be forced to miss a half season if he returned to Korea’s top league, though he spoke like a man who doesn’t intend to do so in the near future, saying he hoped to reach the World Series and wouldn’t be satisfied with an ERA over 3.00. Instead, Oh said, he hopes to keep that number closer to 2.00 — a threshold with which he is familiar after a stellar career in both Korea and Japan. Oh said he doesn’t plan to add a new pitch but might rely more heavily on his split-finger. He’s also looking forward to a potential showdown with countryman and new division rival Jung Ho Kang, who was 4-for-13 with a homer off Oh in Korea, per Yoo.
- Pirates GM Neal Huntington told reporters, including Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, that right-hander Juan Nicasio will be stretched out in Spring Training so that he may serve as depth in a number of roles (Twitter link). Depending on how Nicasio fares, he could be used as rotation depth, a long man or in middle relief, according to Biertempfel. Nicasio was a bit wild but had generally strong results out of the L.A. bullpen last season, working to a 3.86 ERA with 10.0 K/9 against 4.9 BB/9.
Pirates Release Tony Sanchez
JAN. 13: The Pirates released Sanchez today, according to Stephen J. Nesbitt of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link).
JAN. 6: The Pirates announced that catcher Tony Sanchez has been designated for assignment in order to clear a spot on the roster for right-hander Neftali Feliz, whose reported one-year, $3.9MM contract with the Bucs is now official.
Sanchez, formerly selected with the fourth overall pick in the June draft (2009), received just nine plate appearances in the Majors this past season and has only 155 Major League plate appearances under his belt. In that time, he’s compiled a .259/.303/.378 batting line with four homers. Sanchez has been about average in his 51 big league contests in the eyes of pitch-framing metrics, but he’s also struggled to control the running game, throwing out just 17 percent of attempted base-stealers (5 of 30). Those throwing struggles have also existed at Triple-A in recent years, though his bat at the top minor league level has been better, as he owns a .248/.342/.415 batting line at the Triple-A level across parts of four seasons.
The 27-year-old Sanchez will now be in limbo for up to 10 days as the Pirates explore trade options. Pittsburgh can elect to place him on outright waivers at any time in that window, at which point clubs throughout the league will have the ability to claim him, in the reverse order of last year’s standings.
Diamondbacks Designate Matt Stites For Assignment
The D-backs announced on Wednesday that they have designated right-hander Matt Stites for assignment in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for fellow right-hander Cody Hall, who was acquired from the Giants earlier today in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations.
Stites, 25, was acquired alongside Joe Thatcher and a Competitive Balance (Round B) draft pick in the 2013 trade that sent right-hander Ian Kennedy to the division-rival Padres. Stites posted solid minor league numbers in 2014, recording a 2.89 ERA with a 23-to-9 K/BB ratio in 28 innings between Double-A and Triple-A. However, after those results earned him a trip to the big leagues, he struggled in the Majors. This past season, he saw those difficulties carry over into his minor league work as well, as his 3.86 ERA at the Triple-A level was accompanied by an unsightly 14 walks and 14 strikeouts.
All told, the former 17th-round pick has posted a 7.13 ERA in 41 2/3 innings with the Major League team between the 2014 and 2015 seasons. While those results aren’t encouraging, Stites has averaged a hefty 95.4 mph on his heater over the course of his time in the Majors and does have very strong numbers at the Double-A level. As a prospect, he drew praise for his 94-98 mph heater and sharp slider. Prior to the 2014 campaign, Baseball America ranked him ninth among D-backs farmhands and wrote that he possessed the best control.
Players Avoiding Arbitration: Galvis, Hatcher, Alonso, Wilson, Wilhelmsen
We’ll track the day’s lower-priced arbitration agreements right here. For now, there’s only one addition to the list:
- The Phillies and infielder Freddy Galvis have settled on a $2MM salary for the 2016 season in order to avoid arbitration, reports Jon Heyman (on Twitter). Galvis comes in $100K north of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz’s projection of $1.9MM. The 26-year-old played in a career-high 151 games this past season and batted .263/.302/.343 with seven homers and 10 steals in 603 plate appearances. He should see the bulk of time at shortstop in Philadelphia this season, although top prospect J.P. Crawford is projected to be the Phillies’ long-term option there.
- Heyman also tweets that the Dodgers have avoided arbitration with right-hander Chris Hatcher. The catcher-turned-reliever will take home a $1.065MM salary, per Heyman, clearing Swartz’s projection of $900K. That makes for a nice birthday present for Hatcher, who turned 31 yesterday and will look to build on a solid season in which he posted a 3.69 ERA with 10.4 K/9 against 3.0 BB/9 in 39 innings last season.
Earlier Updates
- The Athletics have agreed to a $2.65MM contract with first baseman Yonder Alonso, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports on Twitter. Alsonso, 28, projected for a $2.5MM salary in his second year of eligibility. Oakland acquired him from the Padres earlier in the winter after he put up a .282/.361/.381 slash in 402 plate appearances last year.
- Justin Wilson and the Tigers have reached a $1.525MM deal for 2016, according to Jon Heyman (via Twitter). The 28-year-old was arb-eligible for the first time this winter after putting up a 3.03 ERA in his first 199 1/3 MLB frames. He receives a nice bump up over the $1.3MM salary that had been projected by MLBTR.
- The Rangers have reached agreement on a $3.1MM salary with recently-acquired reliever Tom Wilhelmsen, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. MLBTR had projected the righty to earn an even $3MM, so he’ll receive a modest increase on that valuation. Texas acquired Wilhelmsen from the Mariners earlier in the offseason. He has worked to a 2.97 ERA, with 8.5 K/9 against 4.0 BB/9, over 312 1/3 career frames in Seattle.