Rockies, Jordan Lyles Avoid Arbitration
2:24pm: SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets that the two sides settled on a $3.175MM salary.
12:35pm: The Rockies announced today that they’ve avoided arbitration with right-hander Jordan Lyles on a one-year deal. Terms of the contract weren’t disclosed. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had pegged Lyles, a Ballengee Group client, for a $3.3MM salary in 2017.
Lyles, 26, missed the majority of the 2015 season with a foot injury and split the 2016 campaign between the Rockies and the team’s Triple-A affiliate. Formerly a starter with the Rockies and Astros (and a well-regarded prospect in the Houston farm system), Lyles shifted to a bullpen role for the bulk of this past season but struggled to a 5.83 ERA in 58 2/3 innings. Lyles averaged a career-low 4.9 strikeouts and averaged a career-high 4.3 walks per nine innings in his time at the big league level this past season. Those struggles led us to peg him as a potential non-tender candidate, but he’ll return despite his troubles. Lyles’ 51.5 percent ground-ball rate this past season was encouraging, as was the fact that he allowed just four homers in his 58 2/3 frames despite pitching at Coors Field. He also saw his fastball velocity trend upward, settling at a career-best average of 92.9 mph after moving into a short-relief role.
With five years and 21 days of big league service under his belt, Lyles is one year away from reaching the open market, so demonstrating some form of improvement next year will be of extra importance for the former No. 38 overall draft pick. With Jon Gray, Tyler Anderson, Tyler Chatwood, Chad Bettis, Jeff Hoffman, German Marquez and Eddie Butler all in the rotation mix, it might be difficult for Lyles to get back into a starting role in 2016. However, if he’s able to perform capably in a multi-inning relief role, he’d still boost his 2017-18 free agent stock nicely.
Athletics Sign Matt Joyce
The Athletics announced on Wednesday that they’ve signed free agent outfielder Matt Joyce to a two-year contract, which will reportedly guarantee him $11MM in total. Joyce will earn $5MM in 2017 and $6MM in 2018.
The 32-year-old Joyce spent the 2016 campaign with the Pirates and rebounded nicely from a terrible 2015 season with the Angels. In 293 plate appearances with Pittsburgh, the ACES client batted .242/.403/.463 with 13 homers, 10 doubles and a triple. Joyce has long struggled against left-handed pitching and was shielded from southpaws accordingly with Pittsburgh.
[Related: Updated Oakland Athletics Depth Chart]
Oakland, a team that is known as one of the game’s most aggressive users of platoons, figures to deploy Joyce in a similar fashion. Joyce is a career .185/.265/.310 hitter against southpaws but has hit righties at a solid .252/.353/.449 clip. Though he’s never been a standout defender, his career ratings in both left field and right field (per Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating) hover right around average.
For the A’s, Joyce fills a much-needed spot on the team’s outfield depth chart. The A’s entered the offseason with Khris Davis as their primary left fielder (though he could profile better as a designated hitter), but little else in the way of certainty on the outfield grass. Brett Eibner, Jake Smolinski and Matt Olson were among Oakland’s primary outfield options prior to the agreement with Joyce, who now figures to receive a fairly sizable chunk of playing time between the two corner spots. He could potentially form a platoon with the right-handed hitting Smolinski in one of the corners, but it stands to reason that Joyce is merely the first of what will be multiple outfield additions for president of baseball operations Billy Beane and general manager David Forst this winter.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported the agreement and the terms (via Twitter). FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweeted the annual breakdown.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Latest On Cardinals, Justin Turner
NOV. 30: ESPN’s Mark Saxon tweeted yesterday that he was told recently that the Cardinals aren’t pursuing Turner, and he adds in a followup that he checked in again today and was told the same. While it’s perhaps possible that the Cards are fans of Turner but don’t view him as a priority right now, Saxon’s reports certainly seem to suggest that St. Louis is not actively pursuing Turner at this time.
NOV. 29: The Cardinals have at least some interest in free agent third baseman Justin Turner, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link). It is not apparent from the report whether the club has spoken to Turner’s representatives.
As things stand, St. Louis appears to have a full slate of infielders, even after deciding to shift Matt Carpenter to first base for the coming season. With Aledmys Diaz at short, Kolten Wong at second, and Jhonny Peralta and Jedd Gyorko also available up the middle and at third, there are plenty of established options on hand.
Given that array of players, Morosi suggests that the Cards would likely need to find a taker for Peralta to facilitate an addition of Turner. The 34-year-old Peralta is coming off of a rough 2016 season, though he’s owed just $10MM entering the final season of his front-loaded free agent contract.
Turner, who just turned 32, would represent a nice upgrade for the Cardinals, though of course that’s also true of many other teams. Since reviving his career with the Dodgers, Turner owns a .296/.364/.492 batting line and has rated as a top-quality defender at the hot corner.
That production also means that Turner is likely to earn a hefty deal on the open market. MLBTR ranked him fourth among this year’s crop of free agents, predicting a five-year, $85MM contract. Because he turned down the Dodgers’ qualifying offer, moreover, Turner will come with the cost of draft compensation.
St. Louis has emphasized its interest in improving defensively, and Turner would certainly help in that regard. Though Peralta has typically rated well as a shortstop, and would seem to have the skillset for third base, he drew very poor metrics there last season.
Of course, the Cards also have a variety of other needs. Most pressing, perhaps, is the open outfield spot. The organization has been said to be hunting for a center fielder, with the idea of moving Randal Grichuk to a corner spot. Whether the team could pursue an upgrade there while also making a move on Turner remains to be seen.
Braves Sign Sean Rodriguez
After acting quickly to add some stable innings to their rotation early this offseason, the Braves have bolstered their bench by signing infielder/outfielder Sean Rodriguez to a two-year deal, the team announced on Wednesday (confirming last week’s reports of his signing). Rodriguez will reportedly receive a guaranteed $11MM in the form of a $1.5MM signing bonus and annual salaries of $5MM in the 2017-18 seasons.
[Related: Updated Atlanta Braves Depth Chart]
Rodriguez, 32 next April, enjoyed a career year with the Pirates in 2016, hitting .270/.349/.510 with a career-best 18 home runs in 342 trips to the plate. A versatile right-handed hitter, Rodriguez spent more than 100 innings at shortstop, second base, first base and in the corner outfield, and he’s also no stranger to playing third base, with 652 Major League innings at the hot corner under his belt. Defensive metrics typically rate Rodriguez as an above-average contributor at second base and passable at the infield and outfield corners.
Rodriguez may not have one set position where he fits as a starter in Atlanta, but he could still play four to five times per week by spelling others and giving manager Brian Snitker a platoon option at multiple positions. Rodriguez will give the Braves a right-handed complement to Jace Peterson at second base while Ozzie Albies recovers from an elbow fracture and continues his development in the minor leagues. He can also see some action in right field against tougher lefties if the Braves want to limit Nick Markakis‘ appearances against southpaws on the heels of a .243/.303/.309 line against lefties. At third base, meanwhile, Adonis Garcia is the favorite for playing time but has just 761 MLB plate appearances (with a 95 wRC+) and will turn 32 next spring. Rodriguez can act as a safety net at the hot corner as well, and his ability to play all over the diamond will give the team an experienced fill-in at virtually any position other than center field or catcher in the event of an injury.
While Rodriguez himself doesn’t come with an especially consistent track record, he’s been above or near the league average in three of the past four seasons, per OPS+, and most of his year-to-year fluctuations at the plate have come against right-handed opponents. Dating back to the 2012 season, he’s hit lefties at a solid .243/.334/.404 clip. And it’s fair to note that, while he enjoyed a lofty .344 BABIP last year, he did so with a lofty 43.1% hard-hit rate that was sixth-best in all of baseball among players with at least 300 plate appearances. Those numbers are hardly dominant, but given his modest salaries, Rodriguez need only perform as a sturdy bench option to for Atlanta to find good value in this deal.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported the agreement (Twitter link). FanRag’s Jon Heyman provided the financial breakdown (also on Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Phillies Hire Terry Ryan As Special Assignment Scout
The Phillies announced that they’ve hired former Twins general manager Terry Ryan as a special assignment scout. The move will reunite Ryan with team president Andy MacPhail, whom he knows well from the pair’s days together in Twins organization back in the 80s and early 90s, when Ryan came up through the Twins’ system and rose to the position of vice president of player personnel under then-GM MacPhail.
While Ryan’s Twins were an unequivocal disappointment in 2016 and many of his most recent free-agent signings haven’t panned out, he’s long been respected throughout the industry for his scouting acumen. A two-time Sporting News Executive of the Year, Ryan will bring more than three decades of scouting and front office experience to the Phillies’ front office and to their player evaluation process.
“I’m very happy to be joining the Phillies and have the opportunity to provide some impact and evaluation,” said Ryan in a press release announcing the move. “This is an exciting time for the franchise as they have what many in the industry consider to be one of the top farm systems in baseball.”
“I have known Terry for more than a decade and have enormous respect for all that he accomplished during his tenure with the Twins,” said GM Matt Klentak in the release. “Terry’s work ethic, loyalty and track record as a talent evaluator are simply unparalleled in our game. … “While we have made significant investments in our analytical endeavors over the past year, it is important to remember that quality talent evaluation is essential to making quality baseball decisions. We are thrilled to welcome Terry to the Phillies.”
Orioles Acquire Logan Verrett
The Orioles announced that they’ve acquired right-hander Logan Verrett from the Mets in exchange for cash, which Jon Heyman of Fan Rag pegs at $50K, on Twitter. Verrett’s departure from the Mets will clear a spot on New York’s 40-man roster that’ll go to the newly re-signed Yoenis Cespedes.
[Related: Updated Baltimore Orioles Depth Chart]
The 26-year-old right-hander was a Rule 5 pick out of the Mets organization by the Orioles a couple of years back, so their interest in him goes back quite a ways. The former third-round pick pitched 91 2/3 innings with New York last season but posted a 5.20 ERA with 6.5 K/9 against 4.2 BB/9 and a 44.1 percent ground-ball rate in that time. Verrett has a considerably more solid 4.26 ERA in 238 2/3 innings with the Mets’ Triple-A affiliate (in a hitter-friendly setting).
For an Orioles team that is light on pitching at the big league level, Verrett will give the team an option that has big league experience as both a starter and a reliever. Verrett could potentially occupy a swingman role with the Orioles in 2017, which would further call into question the future of non-tender candidate Vance Worley in Baltimore.
Athletics Designate Rangel Ravelo For Assignment
The Athletics announced that they’ve designated infielder Rangel Ravelo for assignment in order to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for outfielder Matt Joyce, whose previously reported two-year deal is now official.
The 24-year-old Ravelo, originally acquired alongside Marcus Semien in the 2014 Jeff Samardzija trade with the White Sox, showed promise through the Double-A level but has struggled more in parts of two seasons at Triple-A. This past season, the Cuban-born Ravelo batted .262/.334/.395 despite playing in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, and his overall work at the Triple-A level has resulted in a similar .265/.332/.391 slash through 528 plate appearances. Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis of MLB.com rated Ravelo as Oakland’s No. 29 prospect on their midseason Top 30 list, noting that despite developing into an average defender at first base after moving there from the hot corner, his ceiling is limited due to the fact that he’s a right-handed-hitting first baseman without much in the way of power.
Mets Re-Sign Yoenis Cespedes
After two consecutive offseasons of anxiously awaiting to learn whether Yoenis Cespedes would return to their team, Mets fans can rest assured that the star slugger won’t be going anywhere anytime soon. The Mets announced on Wednesday that they’ve re-signed Cespedes to a four-year contract that reportedly comes with a full no-trade clause and guarantees Cespedes a total of $110MM. Cespedes will reportedly be paid $22.5MM in the coming season, followed by consecutive $29MM paydays, and then a $29.5MM hit for 2020. The team has called a 5pm ET press conference at Citi Field to announce Cespedes’ new contract.
While the move doesn’t rate as a major surprise, the timing and the size of the deal are. Both sides were said to be seeking resolution by the end of the upcoming Winter Meetings, but evidently ended up striking an early deal. While Cespedes had a reasonable argument to command six guaranteed seasons, and seemed a good bet at least for five, he’ll end up taking a relatively short pact — albeit at a hefty average annual value of $27.5MM. MLBTR had predicted that Cespedes would earn $125MM over five seasons this winter.
[RELATED: Updated Mets Depth Chart]
Though he was rather clearly the best single free agent available this winter, it was never entirely clear what other organizations would join New York in pursuit. The Astros did end up as “serious bidders,” per ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (Twitter link), though it’s not clear whether Houston appealed to Cespedes as a destination. Certainly, both he and the Mets were interested in a reunion after one-and-a-half fruitful seasons together. The veteran slugger may not have found better opportunities elsewhere — at least, perhaps, not in preferred locales — but it’s notable that he did not at least await some further market development before putting pen to paper. Ongoing CBA uncertainties may have played some role, and it’s fair to recall that Cespedes did not exactly have an optimal trip through free agency the last time around.
Last winter, of course, Cespedes undertook a drawn out process before agreeing to return to New York on a three-year, $75MM deal. While he reportedly had larger offers elsewhere, at least nominally, that package was likely the best available. In particular, it gave him the chance to opt out this winter and re-enter the market after earning $27.5MM for his 2016 season. With another big season on his resume, he did just that, and was able to secure a much larger fortune in his next contract.
Though Cespedes didn’t quite maintain his torrid late-2015 work, his offensive output last year was a near match for his overall 2015 effort. Put those seasons together, and he has contributed 1,219 plate appearances of .286/.340/.537 hitting with 66 home runs. That’s about one-third more productive than the average offensive performer leaguewide.
Notably, the 31-year-old Cuban managed to repeat his impressive .251 isolated slugging mark from the prior year while also nearly doubling his walk rate to 9.4%. His strikeouts held steady at around one-fifth of his plate appearances. Combined, that made Cespedes an average (or slightly better) hitter in terms of plate discipline, which perhaps bodes well for his ability to adapt as his reflexes slow as he moves through his thirties.
Cespedes also thrived when he put the ball in play, limiting his soft contact and barreling up the ball a personal-best 39.3% of the time (per Fangraphs). He again produced home runs on nearly twenty percent of the fly balls he put in play — about 50% better than league average. Most of his power comes to the pull side, though Cespedes does spray liners around the diamond.
While he was death to lefties in 2016, putting up an OPS north of 1.000, Cespedes doesn’t really carry worrying platoon splits. Indeed, he’s still plenty productive against right-handed pitching; last year, when facing same-handed hurlers, he batted a quality .266/.329/.510. For his career, there has been virtually no difference in his output depending upon pitcher handedness, though he’s much more prone to draw a free pass when he has the platoon advantage.
In the field, Cespedes continued to draw very strong ratings for his work in left. That largely offsets the demerits he took for time spent in center. He split his innings about evenly between those positions, which explains why his overall defensive ratings tanked compared to 2015. Certainly, it would have been better for his market (and the Mets) if Cespedes was truly capable of manning a quality center field, but his bat plays just fine in the corner and he continues to earn plaudits there with the glove.
Cespedes didn’t provide any reason to believe he’s anything less than a quality defender in left, but there was at least one hint of a downturn in his athleticism. Perhaps in part due to the quad problems, he was more above-average than great in his accustomed corner position, representing a slight tick down from prior years. And for the first time in his career, Fangraphs’ BsR metric regarded Cespedes as a (very slightly) below-average overall baserunner. He stole only three bags, marking a personal low, and didn’t provide the kind of solid value on the bases that he had previously. It’s only a nitpick, and may be mostly attributable to the hamstring injury he dealt with in the middle of the year, but it’s a factor to consider given the march of time.
At the plate, it’s hard to find any recent areas for complaint, though the track record isn’t flawless. It remains to be seen, for instance, whether Cespedes will continue to exhibit the improved plate discipline that he managed in 2016. And while his past two campaigns have been excellent, he was underwhelming in the two that came before, posting a cumulative .251/.298/.446 batting line. In those years, his productivity was sapped by 45.6% and 48.0% flyball rates, which likely suppressed his batting average. It’s fair to note that his flyball rate crept forward again in 2016 (to 41.4%), and also that his additional walks serve to set a higher on-base floor — if he can maintain that approach.
For New York, the biggest piece of business of the winter is now out of the way. But it’s likely not a plug-and-go arrangement for the team. The team now has three notable, left-handed-hitting corner outfield options who’ll need to be accounted for: Jay Bruce is on the books for $13MM, Curtis Granderson is set to earn $15MM, and youngster Michael Conforto also in the mix. Though the right-handed-hitting Juan Lagares remains a factor in center, he’d best be used as a platoon piece, and it’s not clear who might join him up the middle. Trading Bruce seems likely at this point after his underwhelming half-season in New York, though perhaps Granderson or Conforto could be moved instead under the right circumstances. And that leaves unaddressed the question of which lefty will share time in center.
Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports first reported on Twitter that there was increasing optimism of a deal. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that there was an agreement in place (via Twitter). Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports added the financial terms (Twitter link), and FanRag’s Jon Heyman added the yearly breakdown (Twitter link). Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted that Cespedes also received a full no-trade clause.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
International Signings: Huff, Schlitter, Mendez
A few notes on some former big leaguers that have agreed to new deals overseas…
- Left-hander David Huff is returning to the LG Twins of the Korea Baseball Organization after enjoying a strong half-season there in 2016, the team announced. Huff, who has pitched in the Majors for the Indians, Giants, Yankees, Dodgers and Angels, will receive a $1.4MM guarantee with another $300K worth of incentives. The 32-year-old made 13 starts in Korea last year, logging a 3.13 ERA with a 46-to-9 K/BB ratio in 77 2/3 innings in his run with LG.
- Former Cubs righty Brian Schlitter has signed a deal with Japan’s Seibu Lions, the team announced earlier this month. He’ll take home about $700K in his first foray into Asia, per a report out of Japan. The 30-year-old spent parts of three seasons with the Cubs from 2012-15 but struggled to a 5.40 ERA In 71 2/3 innings in the Majors. He spent the 2016 season with the Rockies’ Triple-A affiliate, logging a 3.64 ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 4.5 BB/9 in 42 innings in an extremely hitter-friendly setting.
- Former Rangers righty Roman Mendez has also signed on in Japan, where he’ll join the Hanshin Tigers, per Nikkan Sports. The 26-year-old hasn’t appeared in the Majors since 2015 but has a 3.09 ERA in 46 2/3 big league innings. He spent 2016 pitching with Boston’s Triple-A affiliate and recorded a 3.38 ERA with 8.3 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9 in 64 innings of work.
Free Agent Rumors: Red Sox, Orioles, Mets, Cahill, Drew
ESPN’s Scott Lauber joins other reporters in downplaying the possibility of Edwin Encarnacion signing with the Red Sox, noting that Boston is reluctant to give that type of long-term commitment to a DH and also isn’t keen on parting with a draft pick to sign him. Boston has been linked to Carlos Beltran extensively, and a source recently told Lauber that the Red Sox still “want him badly.” Boston has also reached out to Mike Napoli, according to Lauber, although if Napoli is truly seeking a three-year commitment (as was rumored yesterday), then the Sox may not want to wait around for his asking price to drop to a more reasonable level.
A few more notes on the free-agent market…
- Angel Pagan is “definitely” on the Orioles‘ radar as they look for help in the corner outfield and atop their lineup, reports Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com. Though he’s battled injuries in recent years, the 35-year-old somewhat quietly batted .277/.331/.418 with 12 homers and 15 steals in 543 plate appearances for the Giants last year, and Connolly notes that he’d fit the Orioles’ from an offensive, defensive and financial standpoint. Per Connolly, the Orioles aren’t likely to spend heavily to address their leadoff/right field need. In a separate column, he also writes about the possibility of a reunion between Pedro Alvarez and the O’s, noting that some in the organization feel Alvarez is the likeliest of the team’s free agents to return (over Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters). Connolly also writes that many of Alvarez’s teammates spoke highly of him as both a teammate and a person.
- The Mets still have no intention of pursuing one of the top three closers on the market, reports MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (Twitter links). DiComo checked in recently on Aroldis Chapman, Kenley Jansen and Mark Melancon and was informed that there’s “little to no interest” from the Mets on that front. Rather, the team is looking at mid-tier free agents, and DiComo lists Fernando Salas as one example. Salas finished out the year in the Mets’ bullpen and performed brilliantly, firing 17 1/3 innings of 2.08 ERA ball with 19 strikeouts and no walks.
- After enjoying a renaissance in the Cubs’ bullpen, Trevor Cahill is marketing himself as a starting pitcher this winter and has already received three offers, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). Still just 28 years old (29 in March), Cahill turned in a 2.74 ERA with 9.1 K/9, 4.8 BB/9 and a robust 56.6 percent ground-ball rate in 65 2/3 innings with the Cubs. While the walks are a concern, Cahill’s relative youth and the dearth of quality arms on the market make him a fairly intriguing roll of the dice in a rotation role.
- The Angels have had some preliminary talks with free agent second baseman Stephen Drew, reports Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register (on Twitter). They haven’t had any sort of advanced talks with Drew’s camp though, and Fletcher characterizes him as one of several possibilities that is under consideration while noting that the Halos aren’t close to anything with any second base option. Drew logged a pair of brutal seasons at the plate in 2014-15 but hit well with the Nationals in 2016 when he batted .266/.339/.524 with eight homers in a very limited role. Drew picked up just 17 plate appearances against lefties last year and received only 165 PAs on the season as a whole.