5:22pm: Toronto manager John Gibbons bluntly told reporters that he doesn’t expect Estrada to go anywhere (via MLB.com’s Gregor Chisholm).
“Yeah, but nothing is going to happen,” said the skipper. “We need him. Most guys go through that; most of them probably get claimed anyway. Nothing’s going to happen.” Gibbons went on to indicate that he hopes the front office will work out a deal to bring Estrada back to Toronto in 2018 and beyond, though that’s likely an issue that won’t be addressed until the offseason.
Notably, Estrada is lined up to start tonight’s game, and there’s been no indication that anything has changed in that regard.
2:52pm: Toronto is not all that interested in parting with Estrada, even via trade, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). It remains unknown what team was awarded the claim, though Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets that it’s “believed” an AL East competitor did so.
2:36pm: Blue Jays righty Marco Estrada has been claimed on revocable waivers by an as-yet unidentified team, according to MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter). It is not yet known whether he will end up changing uniforms.
The teams will have 48 hours from the point that the claim was awarded to attempt to work out a trade. If no deal can be completed, Toronto will be able to elect whether to allow the other team to take over Estrada’s contract or instead to pull him back. In the latter case, Estrada could not be traded without being exposed again to the waiver wire — this time without the right to revoke. (Click here for more on how August trades work.)
While claims happen all the time without player movement resulting, Estrada seems a particularly plausible candidate to find a new home. Indeed, he placed first on MLBTR’s latest ranking of possible August trade chips. Toronto is still hanging around the fringes of the AL Wild Card race, but has quite a few teams to leapfrog in the standings as well as several key players on the disabled list.
While the team has also emphasized that it wishes to continue fielding a quality product, and also that it may have interest in retaining Estrada past the present season, this waiver claim represents an opportunity to save a big chunk of change and perhaps to add some young talent.
Estrada, 34, is owed $14MM this year before returning to the open market at season’s end. (He won’t be eligible for a qualifying offer after previously having receiving one from the Jays, which led to his current contract.) With about a quarter of the calendar still yet to be played out, there’s about $3.5MM left to pay the veteran righty.
It has been a frustrating season for Estrada, who carries a 4.85 ERA through 135 1/3 total innings. But there are reasons to believe he could be a quality hurler down the stretch. Estrada was excellent last year, has managed 140 strikeouts against just 56 walks on the current season, and has now turned in four consecutive effective outings after a rough stretch for much of June and July. He’s carrying an 11.4% swinging-strike rate that sits above his career average and is showing typical velocity.
Opposing hitters had managed very low batting averages on balls in play against Estrada over recent years, helping to drive his success. But that number has jumped to .305 in 2017, despite the fact that he carries a rather familiar mix of grounders versus flies (0.62), infield pops (15.2%), and hard contact (27.7%). If he can drive the BABIP back down to where it was in 2015 and 2016, Estrada could again make for a strong rotation presence.
Astros?
could be good. get him in the bullpen? I don’t see he’s better than the starting 5 right now.
I say Astros too
Mariners maybe? Would make a lot of sense…
That was my first thought
Yep, Jerry’s restless. Hasn’t made a trade in how long now?
bigger question guys, He is suppose to pitch tonight, so that should give us an idea if it’s a serious possibility about him changing teams soon, right?
If he got through the AL, wouldn’t surprise me if the Reds were the one with the claim. They could use an innings eater for the rest of the year, though Estrada would still be a bit expensive for that.
The Mariners
The Orioles?
Most likely.
It thought the same thing.
I*
I think so. Dan has talked about him a few times in an “admiring” fashion.
Has to be Boston. After watching Fister lose another game, Dealing Dave has to be looking for better options.
I would bet it’s the orioles they now find themselves in the hunt for second wildcard. We all know how terrible their starters have been
Boston and the reason you stated was the first thought that came to my mind, too.
Baseball Prospectus Toronto (who has broken a couple of Blue Jays things over the last couple of years) is reporting that the Yankees made the claim.
highly doubt that trade would happen. would require the yanks give up a decent (probably top 5 org) prospect to get done which they won’t do.
LOL. there’s a month left on his contract
Dude……the number 5 prospect on the Yankees would be the #1 on the Jays.
New York Yankees
But they traded Refsynder already
Ha
Probably the Mariners. They seem to live in some alternate universe where terrible teams think they have a shot at the World Series…..
Considering Yovani Gallardo and Ariel Miranda are frontlining the rotation (since Paxton and Felix are hurt), I’d gladly take a month of Estrada over having to start either one of those guys every 5 days.
rays? just so he doesn’t pitch tonight and the other AL wild card teams don’t claim.
This is tough for the jays. If Estrada pitches like he has the last 3 starts in July a trade for a decent prospect is almost a gimme. instead he pitches himself out of a decent trade, the jays start to play better in August and now if they do trade him get a lesser return. best for them to keep him, make a run and then extend a QO probably.
Can’t QO him
sorry meant to say they can’t even get something of he stays as he’s not eligible for a QO
Cubs I hope but doubt
Hoping the Cubs so we can finally dump that bum Justin Grimm.
I’m guessing Yankees or Os. Yanks without Tanaka and the Os having to work in additional rest for Bundy indicate both teams would part with a prospect in division right now for a few months of rotation improvement. Three extra wins might be the difference of playing that WC game at home. I don’t think either would make a strong enough offer to get Toronto to do it though. I bet Duquette offers up international draft spots and ptbnl
I hope the Jays trade him for whatever they can get. Estrada has had a terrible year as was called in these pages last spring training. Next year he will likely regress more. Don’t buy any kool-aid that says otherwise. And don’t drink the kool-aid that says the Jays are only out of a playoff spot by 4 games this year and, they need Estrada. The Jays won’t win squat this year or next barring major upgrades. Trade Estrada now or fire the Jays mgmt team that won’t trade him.
I always liked him when he was with the Crew. A lot of our fans didn’t because he didn’t win a lot. But he had some bad luck. I was worried when he went to the Jays. Pitching in a dome in the AL East. But he stepped up and finally showed what I saw in Milwaukee. I hope he gets back on track. (But wouldn’t mind a reunion either).
Royals?