Archives for July 2017

NL East Notes: Strasburg, Rizzo, Hill, Marlins, Neshek

By Mark Polishuk | July 23, 2017 at 8:16pm CDT

Stephen Strasburg left today’s game between the Nationals and Diamondbacks after just two innings. Manager Dusty Baker told MLB.com’s Jamal Collier (Twitter links) and other reporters that the star right-hander was removed as a precautionary measure after Strasburg couldn’t get loose. No tests are scheduled for Strasburg when the team returns to Washington, though he will be examined by team doctors. “An achy forearm [and] general tightness” is how Strasburg described his injury to the media (including Collier), and the righty said that he preferred to leave the game when he did before the problem turned into something serious.

Here’s more from around the division…

Nationals GM Mike Rizzo isn’t planning to look for outfield help before the trade deadline, Rizzo told media (including MASNsports.com’s Mark Zuckerman). Jayson Werth, Michael Taylor and Chris Heisey are all on the DL, and Ryan Raburn is on bereavement leave, putting the Nats in a tight spot for outfield depth. Still, Rizzo believes the club has enough depth to hold up without any external additions. “I think we have confidence in the guys we have, and as long as the core of our lineup is healthy and hitting on all cylinders, I think we can make it through until Jayson and Michael get better. I don’t see that being too far of a distance,” Rizzo said.
Marlins president of baseball operations Michael Hill stated two weeks ago that his team wasn’t looking to move any core names like Giancarlo Stanton, J.T. Realmuto, Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, Justin Bour and Dan Straily at the deadline, and Hill reiterated that stance today. “It’s not stopping calls from coming in,” Hill tells Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald. “It’s been fairly consistent, with people checking in to see where we’re at to see if we may be open to expanding the players we’re talking about. But we haven’t put any of those guys in play.” Hill did note that the team is open to discussing its relievers in trade talks, as evidenced by their trade of David Phelps to the Mariners earlier this week and the significant buzz around closer A.J. Ramos.
In an open letter to Jeffrey Loria, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (via his Facebook page) asks the Marlins owner to “free Giancarlo Stanton” by trading him before the team is sold. Such a trade, Rosenthal reasons, would help all parties involved — the Marlins would get some quality prospects, the new owners would get Stanton’s enormous contract off the books, Stanton himself would get to join a contender, and baseball itself would see one of its biggest young stars in a most positive environment.
The Cubs and Dodgers recently had scouts watching the Phillies’ Pat Neshek in action, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (Twitter link). Both teams have been known to be looking at other relievers, so it isn’t any surprise that Neshek is on their radar. Neshek, widely expected to be moved before the deadline, has been linked to several teams — Chicago and L.A. are the newest names on a long list that includes the Nationals, Royals, Red Sox, Yankees, Brewers and Rays.

Mariners To Sign Danny Espinosa

By Mark Polishuk | July 23, 2017 at 5:04pm CDT

The Mariners have agreed to a Major League deal with infielder Danny Espinosa, Yahoo Sports’ Tim Brown reports (Twitter links).

[Updated Mariners depth chart at Roster Resource]

Espinosa was released earlier this week by the Angels, ending a brief and very disappointing stint for the 30-year-old in Los Angeles. Espinosa hit just .162/.237/.276 over 254 plate appearances for the Halos, posting the lowest wRC+ (40) of any hitter in baseball with at least 250 PA.

Espinosa also posted below-average hitting numbers last season, albeit with some pop, hitting 24 homers for the Nationals. If he can regain even his modest from last year, he can help a Mariners team that was known to in the market for infield depth, including some recent interest in the Mets’ Asdrubal Cabrera. Espinosa has flashed some good glovework at both second base and shortstop over his career and he has some brief (109 1/3 innings) experience at third base as well, so he could supplant struggling rookie Taylor Motter as Seattle’s chief utility infielder.

Blue Jays Acquire Nick Tepesch

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2017 at 4:55pm CDT

The Blue Jays have acquired right-hander Nick Tepesch from the Twins for cash considerations, reports Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press (Twitter link).

This is the second trade of the day for the Blue Jays, who picked up utilityman Rob Refsnyder from the Yankees earlier this afternoon. Like Refsnyder, Tepesch should only be a minor contributor for the Blue Jays – if he contributes anything, that is. Tepesch made one start this season in Minnesota, on May 6, and yielded seven runs (one earned) on five hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings. The Twins released the 28-year-old a month later, but he quickly re-upped on a minor league contract. Tepesch logged 29 innings with the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate this year and recorded a 5.59 ERA, 8.38 K/9 and 2.79 BB/9.

At one point in his career, Tepesch was a passable back-end starter in Texas, where he posted a 4.56 ERA, 5.42 K/9, 2.92 BB/9 and a 43.9 percent ground-ball rate across 219 frames (39 starts, 42 appearances) from 2013-14. Tepesch hasn’t been nearly that effective since, though, so it’s doubtful he’ll do much at the major league level with his new organization.

Trade Market For Outfielders

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2017 at 4:41pm CDT

As evidenced by the light return the Tigers received from the Diamondbacks this week for J.D. Martinez, one of the majors’ premier hitters, this is not an ideal time to sell outfielders. It might not be the best time to buy, either, with Andrew McCutchen having played so well that he’s no longer available and Marlins president Michael Hill announcing Sunday (via Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald) that he won’t give up Christian Yelich, Marcell Ozuna or Giancarlo Stanton this season. Also, the Orioles’ disinclination toward trading veterans could remove Seth Smith and Hyun Soo Kim from consideration (though neither would make for a particularly appealing trade chip anyway). Nevertheless, with the July 31 trade deadline looming, some outfielders will certainly switch uniforms in the coming days. Candidates include…

Rentals

Jay Bruce, Mets | Salary: $13MM

Bruce is having a nice year offensively (.263/.327/.528, 25 home runs in 391 plate appearances) and leaving his past woes in the field behind (four defensive runs saved, 1.0 Ultimate Zone Rating). However, despite his quality all-around production, the Martinez trade indicates the Mets won’t get a lot back for Bruce if they do sell him.

Curtis Granderson, Mets | Salary: $15MM

Most of the Bruce assessment applies to Granderson, who’s even less valuable because he’s more expensive, six years older (36 to 30) and not making the same type of impact this season. Granderson’s certainly not useless, though, as he’s in the midst of an OK year at the plate (.223/.323/.453 with 13 HRs in 319 PAs) and in the grass (minus-one DRS, 0.4 UZR). He’s also a highly regarded clubhouse presence, if that matters.

Howie Kendrick, Phillies | Salary: $10MM

Barring a third trip to the disabled list before the deadline, the versatile Kendrick looks like a lock to join a new team by month’s end, whether it’s to play the outfield, second base or third base. The 34-year-old’s unsustainable .431 batting average on balls in play suggests he won’t continue his torrid pace past the deadline (.346/.397/.466 in 146 PAs), but Kendrick has a history of providing respectable offense and figures to help some contender over the season’s final couple months.

Melky Cabrera, White Sox | Salary: $15MM

Cabrera, 31, doesn’t want to leave the White Sox (per Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune), but they’re not shy about trading veterans these days. The question is: Will anyone want Cabrera? He’s not valuable as either a defender or baserunner, nor has he set the world on fire offensively this year with his .296/.340/.446 line in 400 PAs. All that considered, Chicago would have to eat most or all of Cabrera’s salary to get anything of worth back in a deal.

Jose Bautista, Blue Jays | Salary: $18.5MM

The 36-year-old Bautista offers a similar game to the one Cabrera brings at this stage, but the former is even pricier. That doesn’t bode well for the Blue Jays’ chances of moving the franchise icon. Once among the majors’ foremost players, Bautista’s descent began in earnest last season, and his decline has been even sharper this year. With his once-pristine strikeout and walk numbers trending in the wrong direction, not to mention notable steps backward in the power department, Bautista has logged a meager .224/.335/.398 line in 424 PAs.

Carlos Gomez, Rangers | Salary: $11.5MM

The Rangers aren’t sure whether they’ll sell, and Gomez’s name hasn’t even come up in trade rumors this summer. Including Gomez here is merely speculative in nature, then, though parting with the 31-year-old might make sense if the Rangers don’t expect to re-sign him. Gomez has seemingly found a home with the Rangers, however, after a brutal stretch with the state rival Astros from late 2015 until last August. The former star hasn’t been as good as he was down the stretch with the Rangers in 2016, but he has turned in quality offensive production (.248/.330/.459 with 12 homers in 281 trips to the plate) and done decent work in center field (two DRS, neutral UZR).

Cameron Maybin, Angels | Salary: $9MM

As someone who’s capable of lining up at all three outfield spots and pitching in offensively (.238/.342/.368 with 25 stolen bases in 322 PAs), Maybin carries some appeal. However, it’s up in the air whether the Angels plan to sell – they’re three games below .500, but they stayed afloat during a lengthy Mike Trout absence and are a manageable 3.5 games out of a wild-card spot. Even if the Halos were to wave the white flag on this season in the next eight days, Maybin’s probably not going to be healthy enough to end up on the move, having suffered an MCL sprain this week that should keep him out until August. If Maybin returns sometime next month, perhaps the Angels will attempt to deal the 30-year-old after they send him through trade waivers.

Ben Revere, Angels | Salary: $4MM

The once-solid Revere is amid a disastrous two-year stretch in which he has hit .223/.259/.302 in 562 PAs and, per FanGraphs, been the majors’ least valuable outfielder (minus-2.2 fWAR). Revere’s performance indicates he’s more of a release candidate than a trade possibility.

Rajai Davis, Athletics | Salary: $6MM

Davis is an incredible baserunner who’s only a year removed from a fine season in Cleveland, where he hit this playoff home run, but an offensive decline has torpedoed his age-36 campaign. Through 265 trips to the plate, Davis has slashed a meager .231/.292/.339. He hasn’t been particularly valuable in the field, either, having drawn a neutral DRS mark and posted a minus-4.1 UZR in 548 innings. Maybe a contender would want Davis for his brilliance on the base paths, but the A’s would surely have to eat a large portion of his remaining money.

John Jaso, Pirates | Salary: $4MM

Despite their recent charge up the standings, the Pirates plan to listen to potential offers for Jaso. Unfortunately for the Bucs, though, Jaso has seen his numbers (and likely his trade value) dip thanks to a dreadful July in which he has hit .086/.214/.171 in 42 tries. Overall, Jaso’s at .222/.309/.407 in 220 PAs, making him a pretty unappealing offensive option at his normal positions – the corner outfield and first base.

Daniel Nava, Phillies | Salary: $1.35MM

The 34-year-old Nava has bounced back from a rough couple seasons and returned to the useful form he showed in Boston from 2011-14. Between the switch-hitter’s .303/.400/.408 line in 180 PAs and his minuscule salary, the Phillies should be able to send him elsewhere.

Controlled Through 2018

Hunter Pence, Giants | Salary: $18.5MM this year and next

In the aggregate, Pence has been a terrific Giant since he joined them in 2012, the first of two World Series-winning seasons with him on the roster. He and the Giants are floundering now, though, so the club would surely jump at the chance to get Pence’s money off the books. That’s not going to happen, however, with the 34-year-old having hit a career-worst .251/.298/.351 in 315 PAs this season.

Denard Span, Giants | Salary: $9MM this year and next ($4MM buyout for 2019)

Span is another Giant whose best days are a distant memory, but unlike Pence, he hasn’t been terrible this year. After taking a step backward offensively in 2016, the normally solid hitter has come back to life this season with a .285/.332/.451 line through 316 trips to the plate. The plus defense Span displayed earlier in his career is a thing of the past, though, and he’s no longer much of a threat on the bases. Those factors, not to mention his age (33) and fairly expensive price tag, don’t do his trade value any favors.

Steve Pearce, Blue Jays | Salary: $6.25MM this year and next

Pearce has done nothing but hit since his unexpected breakout in 2013, having posted a line that’s 26 percent better than league average over the past four-plus seasons, according to FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric. While his .276/.332/.453 line in 187 PAs this year is an unspectacular 8 percent above the league mean, an awful season-opening month is to blame for that. Since then, Pearce has held his own at the plate. It has been a different story in left field, where Pearce has logged woeful numbers (minus-four DRS, minus-25.8 UZR/150). The infield-capable Pearce is likely better suited at first base, then. Regardless, the 34-year-old provides enough offensive punch that he looks like a plausible trade candidate. Pearce’s salary isn’t peanuts, but it shouldn’t necessarily be prohibitive.

Matt Joyce, Athletics | Salary: $5MM in 2017; $6MM in 2018

The A’s are embarking on a full rebuild, so it stands to reason they’d move Joyce if they were to receive a satisfactory offer. It would’ve been easier to net one when Joyce was with the Piartes a year ago, when he racked up nearly as many unintentional walks (59) as strikeouts (67) en route to a .403 on-base percentage. The 2017 version of Joyce is merely a passable offensive player (.225/.328/.418 in 335 PAs), which isn’t the greatest complement to his underwhelming defensive game. Still, Joyce is affordable enough through next year that he doesn’t have to do much more than he has this season to live up to his contract, so maybe a team in need of an established, inexpensive bat will have interest.

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Longer-Term Assets

Justin Upton, Tigers | Salary: $22.125MM through 2021 (can opt out after this season)

Both the exorbitant amount of money remaining on Upton’s deal and his opt-out clause could scuttle the possibility of a trade, yet the 29-year-old has boosted his stock on the field by putting an unremarkable 2016 in the rearview. In fact, if Upton doesn’t fade down the stretch, this will rank as one of the best seasons of his career. He’s up to .278/.367/.508 in 373 PAs, which goes nicely with his 11 DRS and 6.3 UZR. Upton’s presence would benefit a contender, clearly, but the contract really complicates matters.

Jacoby Ellsbury, Yankees | Salary: $21.2MM through 2020 ($5MM buyout for 2021)

Ellsbury is no longer needed in New York’s outfield, where the team has superstar Aaron Judge, 2017 breakout player Aaron Hicks, steady veteran Brett Gardner and big-time prospect Clint Frazier on hand. Unfortunately for the Yankees, though, Ellsbury’s contract is prohibitive for a player who’s certainly not going to revisit the MVP-contending days he enjoyed in Boston. The 33-year-old Ellsbury is still capable of contributing, but if it’s going to happen in another uniform, the Yankees would have to either have to swallow a huge amount of his contract in a salary dump or trade him for another team’s onerous deal.

Khris Davis, Athletics | Salary: $5MM in 2017; arbitration eligible through 2019

The A’s approached Davis about an extension over the winter, but they now seem ready to tear things down. While the change in mindset certainly doesn’t mean Davis will move this season, it could be something to watch out for over the winter. The powerful 30-year-old’s age doesn’t seem to mesh with Oakland’s timeline, and his salary will continue to increase in arbitration – perhaps adding incentive for the low-payroll club to deal him in the near future. The arbitration process is kind to hitters who rack up home runs, RBI and PAs, which Davis has done in his nearly two-year tenure with the A’s. He’s at .244/.333/.526 with 28 homers and 68 RBI through 405 PAs this season.

Avisail Garcia, White Sox | Salary: $3MM in 2017; arbitration eligible through 2019

Once a hyped prospect, Garcia didn’t do much at the big league level with either the Tigers or White Sox from 2012-16. But that hasn’t been the case this year, as Garcia has registered a .311/.356/.498 line across 350 PAs. It’s smoke and mirrors to some extent – the 26-year-old’s 4.5 percent walk rate is unpalatable, especially considering it goes with a 21.5 percent strikeout mark, and his .374 BABIP won’t sustain itself. Nevertheless, Garcia’s .353 xwOBA (down from a .372 wOBA, per Baseball Savant) suggests the 2017 version has been a legitimate offensive contributor despite the luck. His somewhat believable breakout at the plate, surprisingly solid defensive numbers since last season (four DRS, 7.7 UZR) and affordable control should appeal to some clubs, though it’s unclear if the 26-year-old is someone GM Rick Hahn would trade at this juncture.

Jurickson Profar, Rangers | Salary: $1MM in 2017; arbitration eligible through 2019

Profar was a star prospect a few years back, but he has done little to match the hype in the majors. On the plus side, the current minor leaguer’s young enough (24) and cheap enough for some team to dream on him. Indeed, the versatile Profar has piqued at least one club’s interest.

Keon Broxton, Brewers | Salary: $541K in 2017; not eligible for arbitration until after the 2019 season

Having recently demoted Broxton to Triple-A, the Brewers would perhaps be selling low on the 27-year-old if they were to part with him. At the same time, it’s not hard to imagine the cheap and controllable Broxton serving as a key piece of a package that brings the Brewers a much-needed rotation upgrade. The strikeout-prone Broxton is only a year removed from a very good half-season debut with the Brewers, and he did exhibit power and speed before his demotion this year (14 homers, .212 ISO, 17 steals in 326 PAs). That came with a subpar .218/.294/.430 line, granted, but there’s clearly promise here.

Randal Grichuk, Cardinals | Salary: $557K in 2017; arbitration eligible through 2020

As is the case with Broxton, strikeouts have been a problem for Grichuk, who has also spent time in the minors this season. Grichuk’s overall offensive production this year hasn’t been up to snuff (.222/.277/.435 in 249 PAs), but he was a better-than-average hitter in each of the three prior seasons. He’s also fairly powerful, having tallied 55 homers and recorded a .235 ISO in 1,193 career attempts. Power is Grichuk’s best offensive trait, as he hasn’t hit for average (.247) or gotten on base much in the majors (.297 OBP), but he’s probably young enough (25) and affordable enough to serve as a notable part of a trade. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch suggested Sunday that the Redbirds could entertain offers for Grichuk.

Dodgers Have “Strong Interest” In Yu Darvish

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2017 at 2:57pm CDT

The Dodgers were among those who scouted Rangers ace Yu Darvish’s latest start, an eight-frame, 12-strikeout showing against the Rays on Friday. It turns out the Dodgers are one of multiple teams with “strong interest” in Darvish, tweets Jon Morosi of MLB Network. Talks between Los Angeles and Texas are in their preliminary stages, adds Morosi.

With a major league-best 67-31 record, the Dodgers are already something of a dream team, and adding Darvish to the fold would further increase their relatively high odds of being the last club standing at season’s end. The 30-year-old Darvish would give the Dodgers at least two bona fide aces, joining the peerless Clayton Kershaw, and there’s a legitimate case they also have another No. 1 in the lights-out Alex Wood. Los Angeles has also gotten quality pitching this year from starters Rich Hill and Brandon McCarthy, though both come with durability concerns. The depth-laden team has a couple more respectable starters in Kenta Maeda and Hyun-Jin Ryu, but they’ve been the weakest links in a rotation that tops the majors in ERA (3.33) and fWAR (12.1).

As an impending free agent, Darvish wouldn’t necessarily stick with the Dodgers past this season, yet this year could represent the franchise’s best chance at a championship in a while. So, between that and their top-notch farm system, the Dodgers could elect to make a bold strike and pay what will be a high price to acquire Darvish. Even though the Rangers are struggling, there’s no guarantee they’ll move Darvish, a franchise icon whom they’d like to re-sign. However, just in case, the Rangers have been scouting the Dodgers’ minor leaguers. The Rangers watched highly touted Triple-A outfielder Alex Verdugo on Friday, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News notes (on Twitter). Verdugo is the 35th-best prospect in the game, per Baseball America, and the Dodgers aren’t eager to part with him or other acclaimed youngsters such as righties Walker Buehler and Yadier Alvarez.

Blue Jays Acquire Rob Refsnyder

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2017 at 1:47pm CDT

The Blue Jays have acquired infielder/outfielder Rob Refsnyder from the AL East rival Yankees for first baseman Ryan McBroom, according to an announcement from New York.

The 26-year-old Refsnyder had been in limbo since the Yankees designated him for assignment on Wednesday, which came after a disappointing tenure in pinstripes. Refsnyder, whom New York chose in the fifth round of the 2012 draft, collected 262 major league plate appearances with the franchise and batted just .241/.312/.332. On the plus side, Refsnyder garnered big league experience at first, second and in the corner outfield with the Yankees, and he slashed a solid .292/.372/.424 in 1,244 PAs as a member of their Triple-A affiliate. Refsnyder also comes with a minor league option, so the Blue Jays could use him as depth in Toronto or stash him in Triple-A.

McBroom, meanwhile, won’t help solve the Yankees’ issues at first base this year. The 25-year-old hasn’t ascended past Double-A since the Jays took him in the 15th round of the 2014 draft, and his numbers at that level this season aren’t exactly eye-popping. Across 392 PAs, McBroom has batted a less-than-stellar .243/.321/.402. If McBroom carves out a major league future, it’ll likely be as a platoon player, according to MLB.com, which ranked him as the 30th-best prospect in Toronto’s system.

Latest On Yankees’ Search For Starting Pitching

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2017 at 12:58pm CDT

The Yankees had a scout on hand to watch Rangers ace Yu Darvish’s eight-inning, 12-strikeout performance in Tampa Bay on Friday, leading to speculation that the Bombers have interest in the right-hander. That is indeed the case, per FanRag’s Jon Heyman, who reports that the Yankees have reached out to the Rangers about Darvish. They’ve also been in contact with the Athletics regarding righty Sonny Gray and the Braves concerning southpaw Jaime Garcia.

The connection to Gray isn’t anything new, as Heyman reported earlier this week that the Athletics have “named their price” for the 27-year-old in discussions with New York. The A’s want “top guys” in exchange for Gray, while the same applies to the Rangers if they’re going to trade Darvish, writes Heyman. Darvish is only a rental, whereas Gray’s controllable through 2019, but the former’s track record suggests he’d make the greater impact down the stretch. His presence would obviously benefit the Yankees, who hold a wild-card spot in the American League, but they’re not eager to part with the best prospects in their well-regarded system, relays Heyman, who suggests that outfielder Clint Frazier, infielder Gleyber Torres and lefty Justus Sheffield aren’t going anywhere. The Yankees “probably” won’t move righty James Kaprielian, either, tweets Heyman. It’s an open question, then, whether they’d be able to put together an appealing enough offer for the coveted Darvish.

While Garcia would undoubtedly bring back the worst return among this trio, he’s nonetheless garnering plenty of interest. The 31-year-old impending free agent wouldn’t provide the Yankees with another front-of-the-rotation presence to complement No. 1 starter Luis Severino. However, Garcia would help make up for the loss of Michael Pineda, who underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery earlier this month, and give the team a credible back-end option to slot in behind Severino, Masahiro Tanaka, CC Sabathia and Jordan Montgomery.

Latest On Jaime Garcia

By Jeff Todd | July 23, 2017 at 12:41pm CDT

SUNDAY, 12:41pm: Add the Brewers to the list of teams interested in Garcia, per Crasnick (Twitter link).

10:34am: Minnesota and Atlanta continue to discuss Garcia, but the Twins are also focusing on starters from other teams, Wolfson indicates (on Twitter).

SATURDAY, 1:32pm: Righty Nick Burdi was involved in the deal, Rosenthal tweets. Burdi had Tommy John surgery in late May and will be out until next season. The Braves already obviously would have been aware of that, and they haven’t shied away from acquiring injured pitchers in the past (such as Max Fried, who they got when they traded Justin Upton to the Padres in the 2014-15 offseason). So perhaps the player whose medicals they took issue with was someone else. It’s still possible, though, that they saw less than they hoped for in Burdi’s medical reports. The 24-year-old Burdi had an 0.53 ERA, 10.6 K/9 and 2.1 BB/9 in 17 relief innings with Double-A Chattanooga before the injury.

11:30am: Talks between the Braves and Twins came to an impasse due to a medical issue the Braves had with a prospect they would have received from the Twins, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets. The two sides are currently considering other options, though they could return to the table at some point.

FRIDAY 8:34pm: All indications are that Garcia will take the ball for Atlanta tonight. The front office is in contact with a half-dozen organizations regarding the lefty at present, Feinsand tweets.

3:04pm: It is still possible that the Twins will acquire Garcia, though MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports that such a trade is “not probable.”

2:35pm: Garcia will make his scheduled start for the Braves tonight against the Dodgers, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets. Talks are still ongoing between the Braves and other teams about Garcia’s services, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports, so a late deal could still happen. Aaron Blair was scratched from a minor league start yesterday and is in Los Angeles to make a spot outing should Garcia be scratched at the last minute.

9:32am: Teams besides the Twins are still talking to the Braves about Garcia, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (via Twitter). It isn’t known who the other clubs in the mix are, though earlier today, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweeted that the Astros and Royals were two of the the teams that had previously shown interest in Garcia. Kansas City, however, now appears to be more focused on acquiring a right-handed starter.

TODAY, 7:14am: No deal has been finalized between the two sides as of this morning, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reports.

THURSDAY, 8:24pm: Minnesota is “very likely” to take over all of Garcia’s remaining salary (about $4.7MM), per 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson (via Twitter).

7:42pm: For what it’s worth, Garcia is still in a Braves’ uniform tonight, Kevin McAlpin of the Braves Radio Network tweets. Of course, that doesn’t mean the deal isn’t nearing completion; he isn’t scheduled to start until tomorrow.

6:44pm: It’s possible the Twins will be receiving an additional player in the deal, per LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune (via Twitter), though it seems that’d likely be a lower-level player of some kind.

6:12pm: It seems the swap is done except for the formalities. It’s being finalized right now, tweets Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, while MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger adds on Twitter that the sides are currently waiting on medical assessments. Atlanta will be receiving a minor-league player in return, he adds.

5:51pm: Minnesota is closing in on a deal for Garcia, Rosenthal tweets.

5:46pm: Amidst ongoing rumors that Braves starter Jaime Garcia may be dealt in short order, the Twins are engaged in discussions on the veteran southpaw, according to Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network (via Twitter). It’s not apparent at this point whether other teams are still involved or whether an agreement could be nearing completion.

Garcia is probably one of the better rental starters on a market that doesn’t have many of great interest (pending the availability of Yu Darvish). I’d generally concur with MLBTR’s readers, who rated him alongside Jeremy Hellickson, and behind Trevor Cahill and Marco Estrada, in a poll yesterday.

Over his 106 innings this year, Garcia has pitched to a 4.33 ERA with 6.9 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 along with a healthy 54.7% groundball rate. At times, previously, he has shown a fair bit more, but that sort of output likely represents a reasonable expectation moving forward for Garcia, who the Braves acquired over the winter after a long run with the Cardinals.

Those looking for upside will note that Garcia does carry an 11.5% swinging-strike rate that is more reminiscent of his prime-level work. And it’s important to note that he has been plenty durable recently after experiencing several seasons marred by shoulder troubles.

While Garcia doesn’t necessarily excite, he should represent a sturdy option for a club that needs good innings down the stretch. That’s the case for Minnesota, which finds itself firmly in the AL Central (and AL Wild Card) hunt despite a generally underwhelming overall performance — particularly from its pitching staff.

The Twins just lost Phil Hughes back to the DL, where Hector Santiago also resides. Neither has been effective when healthy, and the same holds of Kyle Gibson and Adalberto Mejia — whose palatable 4.22 ERA isn’t supported by the peripherals. That leaves just two reliable rotation pieces in Ervin Santana and Jose Berrios. The Twins did just add former Braves hurler Bartolo Colon, though it’s anybody’s guess what he’ll provide.

While the Minnesota front office has focused more on the possibility of acquiring a controllable starter, it has acknowledged that rentals could also be pursued in the right circumstances. “We’re probably not going to be inclined to spend lavishly on short-term assets,” GM Thad Levine explained recently, “but we would be very open to spending aggressively on assets that we could use to propel our team forward this year and for years to come.”

Garcia would help shore things up for the rest of the season, but he’ll head to free agency thereafter. If Levine’s statement still holds, then, it seems reasonable to anticipate that the Twins won’t be sending a big package to acquire Garcia — who, it should be noted, is earning at a hefty $12MM rate this year. Taking on some salary now, though, may be the preferred route to boosting the team’s chances at earning a surprise postseason spot, particularly if the demand for the few available top-end controllable pitchers is as great as it seems.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Olney’s Latest: Darvish, Gray, Marlins, Indians

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2017 at 12:16pm CDT

There’s a belief among some rival evaluators that the Rangers will trade ace Yu Darvish by the July 31 deadline if they don’t believe they’ll be able to re-sign the impending free agent, reports Buster Olney of ESPN.com. With Texas unsure of whether it’ll be able to retain Darvish long term, there’s at least one starter-needy team waiting to make a move until it sees whether the Rangers shop him. Consequently, the possibility of a Darvish trade is affecting the market for starters and “muddying the waters” for the AL West rival Athletics in their quest to deal Sonny Gray, writes Olney.

Given that the Marlins’ ownership situation is in limbo, their baseball department isn’t in proper position to weigh offers for outfielders Giancarlo Stanton and Christian Yelich, according to Olney. Moving either could make the Marlins more appealing to potential bidders because their contracts factor into the franchise’s heavy debt, though Olney notes that trading a superstar like Stanton might sabotage the rebranding effort of the next owner. And if Jeffrey Loria’s successor signs off on a Stanton trade, the team’s fan base could see it as a typical Marlins cost-cutting maneuver.
First baseman Carlos Santana’s down season may help explain the Indians’ interest in slugging outfielders J.D. Martinez and Jay Bruce, suggests Olney. The Tribe missed out on acquiring Martinez, whom the Tigers sent to the Diamondbacks this week, but the Mets’ Bruce remains a prime trade candidate. It’s unclear whether Bruce would play first for the Indians, who have seen Santana slump to a .238/.335/.406 batting line in 397 plate appearances during a contract year. Cleveland could acquire a natural first baseman instead, with Olney pointing out that Texas’ Mike Napoli (a former Indian) and Oakland’s Yonder Alonso may end up elsewhere.
It’s a buyers’ market this year as the deadline approaches, so a successful return for sellers could depend more on how much salary they shed than the quality of prospects they acquire, per Olney. As an example, Olney points to the trade Miami and Seattle made this week. The Marlins received four prospects for reliever David Phelps and got rid of his $4.6MM salary in the process, but only one of those minor leaguers (outfielder Brayan Hernandez) looks particularly promising. The quantity of prospects the Marlins picked up isn’t impressing rival evaluators, as some of them believe landing four players was done to make the package look better than it actually is.

East News & Rumors: Stanton, Yanks, Red Sox, Mets

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2017 at 10:27am CDT

Representatives from both the Yankees and Marlins told Jim Bowden of Sirius XM that New York has not inquired about Miami slugger Giancarlo Stanton, which conflicts with a previous report. Bowden received a text message from a Marlins executive who declared that “all the buzz is false” on a potential Stanton-Yankees union (Twitter links). Regardless of whether the Yankees have checked in on Stanton, it’s an extreme long shot that he’d end up with them.

More from these two cities and another East Coast spot:

The Wayne Rothbaum-Jeb Bush-Tom Glavine group bidding for the Marlins lost Tagg Romney this week, and now Dave Stewart and Al Leiter have left the faction, reports Robert Murray of FanRag. Thanks to their accomplished careers as major league pitchers, Stewart and Leiter brought name value to the table for a potential ownership team (as Glavine does), but neither would have had a large role in terms of putting up money to acquire the Marlins. So, even with Stewart and Leiter gone, Rothbaum & Co. remain in the mix to purchase the franchise, per Murray.
The Red Sox are continuing to explore the third base market as the trade deadline nears, leading Scott Lauber of ESPN.com, Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe and Chad Jennings of the Boston Herald to break down their possible options. Both Lauber and Cafardo bring up Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista as an outside-the-box possibility, and while he does have 389 games of experience at third, he hasn’t played there extensively since 2011. Unsurprisingly, then, the Red Sox haven’t discussed acquiring the 36-year-old, a source told Lauber. Meanwhile, Brown urges the Red Sox to reunite with Adrian Beltre, who thrived in Boston in 2010 before signing with the Rangers in the ensuing offseason. There are roadblocks in the way, though, including whether the Rangers would even consider moving the should-be Hall of Famer and franchise icon, who’s on an $18MM salary through next season, and whether he’d waive his no-trade clause.
With the deadline just over a week away, Joel Sherman of the New York Post proposes several Mets trades, including one that would see them send first baseman Lucas Duda to the Yankees for a four-player package of major league-ready talent. A New York-New York swap would be a win-win in this case, Sherman argues, as the Mets would get something for an impending free agent and the Yankees would solve their first base woes for the stretch run. Further, dealing a few players would help the Yankees with the 40-man roster crunch they could face during the offseason.

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