As many as 10 teams have reached out to Todd Frazier’s camp, including the Angels, Giants and Mets, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (all links to Sherman on Twitter). Frazier isn’t a top priority for the Yankees at present, though they could circle back around to him depending on how the rest of their moves play out. He was linked to the Red Sox earlier today as well.
The 31-year-old Frazier (32 in February), split the 2017 season between the White Sox and Yankees, hitting a combined .213/.344/.428 with 27 homers in 576 plate appearances. Though Frazier’s played just 78 innings at first base since Opening Day 2016, he does come with 740 career innings at the position and is drawing interest at both corner infield spots, per Sherman. More notably, it seems that his frequent re-positioning in defensive shifts created a belief among some teams that Frazier could even play an adequate second base if needed, per the report.
Frazier’s batting average has plummeted in recent years, though that’s due largely to a massive uptick in infield flies than any sort of erosion in contact skills. Frazier whiffed at a 21.7 percent rate last season, which is hardly outlandish in today’s offensive climate. However, he also popped out 31 times — fifth most in baseball — and his 109 infield flies dating back to the 2015 season are far and away the most in baseball.
That said, Frazier’s overall approach at the plate also came with some positive indicators. His 25 percent chase rate (swings outside the strike zone), far and away the lowest of his career, tied him for the 26th-best mark among big league hitters. He also made contact at a career-high 76.9 percent clip and walked in a career-best 14.4 percent of his plate appearances. Those gains in plate discipline helped to offset his lack of contact and left his overall offensive output at healthy levels (105 OPS+, 108 wRC+).
Moving Frazier around the diamond certainly enhances his appeal, though it also should be emphasized that he still draws strong marks as a defender at third base. Though he had an abnormally poor year in that regard in 2016, Defensive Runs Saved (+10) and Ultimate Zone Rating (+6.7) both felt his defense was among the best in the game. Only Nolan Arenado ranked above Frazier in both DRS and UZR this past season.
The Giants have no clear answer at third base, with Pablo Sandoval and prospects Christian Arroyo and Ryder Jones representing the top internal options at the moment. San Francisco third basemen combined to post a putrid .216/.268/.300 batting line in 2017, so it wouldn’t take much to raise the bar from an offensive standpoint. The Angels, meanwhile, have Luis Valbuena as an option at the hot corner, but Frazier would seem to represent a more palatable option there and could help out around the infield as needed.
As for the Mets, David Wright’s longstanding health concerns and T.J. Rivera’s Tommy John surgery have combined with the inexperience of Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith to create a sizable amount of uncertainty. The team does have Asdrubal Cabrera as an option to bounce around the infield, and bringing in Frazier as a more regular option at third base could free him up to take some reps at second base.
Mets make most sense
Mets cannot really do much of anything will the captains contract hanging out on third
Short term deals sums things up
David is likely done. If he’s not, Frazier still plays 1B
Gotta give smith a chance especially on a rebuilding club
Smith needs to play, yeah David’s contract is a drag but the Wilpons don’t like to spend either
The mets are rebuilding?
Healing and growing; rebuilding requires more aggressive moves.
Sorry to say but Mets aren’t rebuilding.
For the love of god Angels, please no. Already have a third baseman who is homerun or nothing. Unless he will take over at first base after trading seeing eye single Cron. This doesn’t make any sense.
I have been wanting Todd Frazier on the Angels for a while now, but I’m a little skpetical because of his low average. He still has a solid OBP which Eppler likes, and SLG isn’t too bad either and still hits the ball out of the park!
But the Angels really do need a LHH either at 2B or 3B, so if they get Frazier they will have to focus on Walker, Kipnis or Hernandez.
Yes would love for the halos to get him.
They can take Kipnis…I love him and he’ll always be one of my favorites, but he doesn’t have a clear role with them and he’s making enough money that they could allocate it somewhere else
I was high on the Frazier train until Ohtani. His signing shifted our entire off-season plan. With the possibility of a 6-man rotation (and a 3-man bench) we need more versatility than the corner INF
I’d rather pursue Cozart or Kipnis for 2B and get a RHB who can also fill-in at 2B to platoon with Valbuena. Someone like Harrison, Solarte, Prado, or Nunez.
Take it from a Yankee fan, Frazier is trash. You don’t want him.
I’d really like to see SF land Frazier, and I understand their interest since he does not come with draft pick compensation baggage. Frazier will probably never see the north side of .250 again, but his defense and leadership skills are excellent, he’ll give them 25 or so HRs every year, and he could be had on a 3-year reasonable contract. He won’t set the world on fire, but Frazier is a grinder who gives 100% daily.
Totally. How is Frazier an improvement over Valbuena? Valbuena’s low average can at least be explained by a low BABIP which indicates he was unlucky and will regress to the mean and his career averages this year.
The Angels getting Frazier or Kinsler makes absolutely no sense. If these are the only two options, just put Cowart at second. And resign Pennington to platoon with Valbuena at third. Why pay a combined 18 to 20 million to platoon third base. And trade for a guy who won’t be much better than Cowart and pay him 11 million for one season.
Good thing you aren’t Billy Eppler
So you want to pay Frazier around 12 million dollars for 3 or 4 years? If you think he will accept a one year deal, you know less about baseball than Jerry Dipsnot.
Platooning Valbuena and Frazier at third makes sense to me.
Paying two guys a combined 20 million if not more makes more sense than getting a guy who can play everyday for around the same amount makes sense. I hope you are being sarcastic.
Same or even playing first when pujols dh if they do send cron packing. He could play 2B occasionally as well.
RE; the Giants and Todd Frazier,
Frazier won’t make the Giants contend in the NL West, so if Frazier was part of a larger plan (4-5 more players), then yes. Otherwise, knowing the Giants, they’ll hold up Frazier like that baby lion in the Lion King and pretend he’s the savior of the offseason. Then, at this point next year, the Giants are still looking for answers.
IMO, the year is practically a waste already, why not give the reigns to Arroyo and see if he can make a go of it.
Couldn’t have said it better.
Just tread water this year. Give Slater/Duggar, Beede, and Arroyo some real playing time to see what they can do. If any of Pence, Span, Belt, or Samardzjia get off to a good start, flip them to trim some salary and retool the farm system a little. There are no moves remaining that catapult this club into realistic playoff contention so these Frazier/Bruce moves are just a waste.
Agreed.
Though I have a funny feeling that Bumgarner is the one on the move, come July 31st, not Span or Shark. This may be crazy talk, but I think Bumgarner has already peaked. Might as well sell high and get some farm pieces out of a deal.
Brandon Belt is like person you’re dating who is just kinda there. Good enough to keep around, but not good enough to feel confident about making long-term future plans. Great glove, but the guy can’t crack .290 or 19 HR’s, which SF should be looking for at 1B. The Giants should have traded high on him, back in 2011-12. I’m of the opinion that SF should trade Belt and move Posey to 1st. I mean it’s not like you have to worry about him calling games for Timmy, Cain or Bumgarner anymore. So, whatever defense you lose at 1st, giving up Belt, IMO, gets absorbed by Posey’s production at the plate.
Let me guess, you want to bring in Moustakas who doesn’t play defense as well, doesn’t get on base as well and has the same exact WAR yet pay him millions more and commit to him.
Frasier is a nice one year addition to the team. A much wiser add that Moustakas or not adding a 3rd baseman.
Agreed
Valbuena hit 25 homers in an injury shortened season and had an uncharacteristically low BABIP. Assuming he regresses to career norms, as players with a year of low BABIP usually do, hes gonna be just fine at 3B.
We don’t need another 3B (unless we could snag Machado for an affordable price which I doubt). We only need a 2B, 4th OFer, and utility IF for the field.
You really think Frazier is going to accept a one year deal? He has multiple teams interested in him. There is no way he gets less than 3 year deal at 12 million per. So the Angels will pay 20 million dollars for two guys who will hopefully give you the same numbers are Longoria. And pay them more than Longoria. And will give less production than Moustakas, for about the same cost per year. Yeah that would be very smart. Lol
When a .213/.344/.428 slash is a vast improvement over what you already have–and I’m talking about you, SF Giants–what you really already have is a bad situation.
Especially when done in two very good hitters parks
Giants have a surplus of 3B so they’re done. Mets have an outside chance with D Wright likely be unreliable. Mets rather focus their attention to 2B first before addressing 3B.
Bad idea, Mets. Aging, slowing down veteran. Waste of resources. Better to get Reyes and go with a Cabrera/Reyes combo at 3rd.
Alderson just can’t resist spending on offense and going cheap in the bullpen. If they just put everything they have into the bullpen they have a chance.
Go with Guillorme at 2b. Yes, Guillorme, who is elite defensively. If they go with athletic defenders, and put everything into the bullpen, they have a shot.
They don’t need infield. They need a power bat in Bruce in the OF and bullpen help. Then infield bench signings like Reyes.
They should get Moustakas, and either Nunez, or Walker.
The Mets are posers. They are not going to get anyone of significance in any position on the team. They are cheapskates they have been they are and they always will be
The Todd father can come and play first base with the Rangers anytime. Would be a major upgrade
An uptick in infield flies IS an erosion of contact skills.
Red Sox are said to be in from some sources
My money is on the Angels.
What a weird place to keep your money. Why not just use a bank?
Frazier was about the most cursed player of all, after his Home Run Derby victory. His career has been horrible since that day! Look at his numbers before and after that All Star Break…