Reds shortstop Zack Cozart won’t be going anywhere before season’s end, as he’s already been claimed and subsequently pulled off waivers this month, per Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. According to Heyman, the unnamed team that placed a claim on Cozart did so as a means of blocking him from other contenders.
The 32-year-old Cozart is a free agent following the season, meaning the only way that the Reds can receive compensation in the event of his departure on the open market would be to make a one-year qualifying offer to Cozart that would be worth a reported $18.1MM.
While Cozart isn’t exactly a household name and is a bit old relative to most first-time free agents, there’s nonetheless a pretty strong case that the Reds should go exactly that route. Cozart has long rated as a premium defensive shortstop, but he’s upped his power output over the past three seasons. And, in 2017, he’s taken his overall offensive game to new heights, turning in a superlative .309/.402/.556 batting line through 408 plate appearances. Even if Cozart were to accept a qualifying offer, his level of play in any of the past three seasons, on a per-game basis, would be well worth that commitment.
Of course, it’s also important to stress the “per-game basis” component of that line of thinking, as injuries have been a significant hindrance to Cozart since 2015. A torn knee ligament limited Cozart to just 53 games in what was shaping up to be a breakout 2015 season, and some September knee troubles prematurely ended his 2016 campaign as well. This year, Cozart’s knees have apparently held up just fine, but he’s still missed about a month of the year due to a pair of quadriceps injuries — one in each leg.
For all of the positives that Cozart brings to the table, his placement on the DL just prior to the non-waiver deadline (July 29) and the large number of contending clubs that already deploy high-quality shortstops combined to prevent the Reds from dealing him in July. That surplus of top-notch shortstops around the league could also impact Cozart’s market in free agency this winter. All of that will be part of the calculus for the Reds when determining whether to make a QO in the first place and for Cozart when determining his course of action.
From my vantage point, it’s well worth the risk for Cincinnati — a one-year deal for Cozart at that rate isn’t a bad outcome — but the rebuilding Reds may not wish to spend at that level to retain Cozart when the team has younger options it’d like to evaluate with those at-bats.
There is no chance he is getting a Qualifying Offer. Even when there is a 1 per cent chance of this , the site always lists reasons he could get a qualifying offer. Very annoying.
I list the reasons that he could receive a qualifying offer because I fully expect him to receive one.
Why is there no chance? He’s a very good defensive SS and has a .950+ OPS this year. I’d say there’s definitely a chance.
Because a small market team can not pay that kind of money to a player who can not stay on the field. He has a history of leg and elbow problems which won’t get better with age or the demands of a shortstop.
How about you in turn say why he won’t?
It appears there is a very good chance he gets one (no reason else why the Reds wouldn’t have simply let him go to save his remaining 1M$ in salary this year), also an even greater chance that he accepts it – in fact I see a zero % chance he declines it. The 90 loss 2018 Reds will have to pay him 18M$ next year and have to eat it all to trade him midseason if he’s even healthy.
Reds basically have to give him a QO now
Was really hoping to get rid of him…
It’s always a zero sum game in Cincinnati. The big QO is money that could be spent on scouting and development overseas. I’d prefer to spend the money on player development, move Suarez to short, and promote Senzel to play 3B. Peraza and Scooter can play 2B. Dilson Herrera can stay in the minors.
Herrera out of options next year.
I’m saying that Herrera is a bust.
He hasn’t played enough to be a bust. He is out of options, and could be a bench guy if the Reds decide to carry a 5 man bench.
I agree that the left side of the infield for the Reds will be Suarez at SS and Senzel at 3B. But why push Senzel to the bigs without a single at-bat at AAA? If Senzel hits .300-.400 in Spring Training, then sure why not. But it makes more sense to see if he can hit at AAA first, which I’m sure he will.
One guess for the claiming team is that the Brewers blocked him from the Cubs.
Cubs don’t need a SS
Russell was scratched form a rehab start last night with a “setback.” They don’t necessarily NEED another shortstop with Baez there, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt.
That being said, the Rockies/D’backs situation makes more sense.
The Cubs have zero legitimate backup shortstops if Baez gets hurt . So yes, the Cubs do need a SS.
More likely the Rockies blocked him from the D’backs.
Now that one certainly seems possible
More likely one of the mediocre AL 2nd wildcard contenders blocking another
I think the D’backs wanted him due to their recent re injury of Ahmed.
Highly unlikely he made it out of the NL, the team with the weakest record in the player’s league gets preference.
I know the Reds been disappointed with Persia offense and defense. They cannot keep Dillon Herrera at the minors next year because he is out of options so he must make the time as a reserve! What bothers me is when the Reds traded for Herrera, they knew he had a bad shoulder so why did they trade for him and just shut him down for the year to have his surgery instead of waiting until he hurt it this season and finally had the surgery!
I’m not disappointed with Peraza’s offense this season, at least recently. He’s really started to turn it around with the bat and has shown that he’s capable of being a solid hitter. His defense, however, is another story entirely.
The Reds kept him probably because Pereza has been a disappointment! They need to keep Dilson Herrera on the team next year as he is out of options! What I don’t like was the Reds knew about his bad shoulder when they traded for him!
The Reds should let him go to whoever claimed him. They’d save some money and let Peraza play short and get those abats the rest of the season. The time to move on post Cozart is now. Let him ride out of town on his donkey named Donald. Which is not the only A** by that name.
Bingo! This only makes sense if he signs an extension before the season is over. Way too much risk to offer a QO.
And Cozart should take an extension because…?
Because he likes Cincinnati? I’m not stating that he should.
It’s all about the chili
exactly. staring to worry about Williams. letting him go was win win. now we still don’t know what paraza will do with a full season because we are to worried about playing Zach and a guy who can’t hit leftys
Reds won’t offer him the QO because everyone in the universe knows Cozart will accept it in a heartbeat. Hard to figure what the front office is planning to do at this point.
Beginning of the season I said they will give cosart a qo
Y’all were like no they won’t, no they won’t… like an off with my head deal. Someone claimed him on waivers and instead of getting something… they now will get nothing… unless they give out a qo
Where are y’all that doubted me prior
We are talking about the Reds here. They still might not offer him a QO and get nothing.
I said it before. I’ll say it again. The Reds should have had a 1997 Marlins-esque fire sale after the 2014 season.
So I guess they plan to give Cozart a QO? That’s the only way not trading him or just letting the claiming team have him makes any sense.