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Progress Report: Last Winter’s Richest Contracts

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The MLB playoffs are underway, which means we’re just a few weeks from seeing dozens of players reach free agency in search of significant paydays. Of the major leaguers who went to the open market last winter, only 11 signed contracts worth upward of $30MM in guaranteed money. It’s still too soon to fully pass judgment on those deals, but there are several that don’t look good through Year 1. While those players could rebound beginning next season, it’s undoubtedly troubling to see a big-money free agent struggle during the initial year of his contract, when he’s supposed to be providing the most value to his team. Here’s a look at how last winter’s upper-class free agents have fared thus far…

Eric Hosmer, 1B, Padres – eight years, $144MM: The Padres didn’t figure to contend this season even with the best version of Hosmer (they ended up 66-96), who wasn’t a bastion of consistency during his Royals tenure from 2011-17. This came off as a questionable signing from the start, then, and it looks downright bad through its first season. Hosmer had his high points as a Royal, including during a career-best 2017, but also posted a negative fWAR over multiple seasons in KC. He just completed his third such season, recording minus-0.1 fWAR in 677 plate appearances. The main problem? The 28-year-old didn’t pose much of a threat offensively, as his .253/.322/.398 line ranked 5 percent below league average, according to FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric. Relative to other first basemen, Hosmer has never been a high-end power hitter, and that continued this season with 18 home runs and a .145 ISO. Hosmer will have a chance to opt out of his contract after its fifth season, but the way things look right now, he’ll be a Padre for the full eight-year span.

Yu Darvish, RHP, Cubs – six years, $126MM: One thing you can say for Hosmer, who played 157 games this season: He was available. That wasn’t the case with Darvish, whose first year in Chicago didn’t go according to plan. The 32-year-old went on the disabled list toward the end of May with arm issues and suffered multiple setbacks during his rehab, forcing the Cubs to shut him down for the season in late August. Darvish, who last pitched May 20, totaled just eight starts and 40 innings in 2018. He logged a career-worst ERA (4.95), FIP (4.86) and xFIP (4.23) and BB/9 (4.73) along the way, looking nothing like the front-end starter the Cubs thought they were getting. There’s still hope for the hard-throwing Darvish, who continued to strike out batters at a high clip this year (11.03 per nine), but there’s no doubt he’s off to an inauspicious start as a Cub. As of now, it doesn’t appear he’ll exercise his opt-out clause after next season. Doing so would mean leaving a four-year, $81MM guarantee on the table.

J.D. Martinez, OF/DH, Red Sox – five years, $110MM: As the Red Sox sought a game-changing bat last offseason, it seemed like a question of when – not if – they’d reel in Martinez. The two sides’ standoff took longer than expected, though, with the 31-year-old sitting on the unemployment line until late February. Now, Boston’s surely thrilled it won the Martinez sweepstakes.

An elite hitter since his stunning breakout with the Tigers in 2014, Martinez has joined Mookie Betts to comprise the sport’s foremost one-two offensive punch in 2018. Martinez concluded the regular season second in the majors in home runs (43), batting average (.330) and slugging percentage (.629); third in ISO (.299) and wRC+ (170); fifth in on-base percentage (.402); and 10th in fWAR (5.8). Thanks in large part to Martinez, the Red Sox finished with the majors’ best record (108-54) and its top offense. While the BoSox and Martinez are focused on winning a World Series this year, he’s only 13 months away from potentially hitting free agency again. Martinez has three opt-outs in his deal, including one after next season.

Lorenzo Cain, CF, Brewers – five years, $80MM: So far, the addition of Cain has been a major boon for the Brewers, the just-crowned NL Central champions. Cain was among the Brewers’ heroes during their division-deciding triumph over the Cubs on Monday, when he hit what proved to be the winning RBI single in the eighth inning of a tie game.  The Brewers’ second-best player behind NL MVP hopeful Christian Yelich – yet another huge pickup from last winter – Cain accrued 5.6 fWAR during the regular season. As he did during his Royals heyday, Cain has delivered his value this year by relying on his all-around excellence. He has frustrated opponents at the plate (.308/.395/.417 in 620 PA), on the bases (30 steals, 6.2 BsR) and in the field (20 Defensive Runs Saved, 17 Outs Above Average, 7.9 Ultimate Zone Rating), continuing his run as one of the majors’ most well-rounded stars.

Jake Arrieta, RHP, Phillies – three years, $75MM: Arrieta and agent Scott Boras fell well shy of their $100MM-plus goal last offseason, when the former’s stay on the market lasted into March. While Arrieta was a tremendous starter with the Cubs from 2014-17, some cracks began to show last season, helping lead to his long stay in free agency. Arrieta continued to go downhill this year, his age-32 season, though he did perform decently and amass at least 30 starts (31) for the fourth straight campaign. Across 172 2/3 innings, Arrieta pitched to a 3.96 ERA/4.26 FIP with 7.19 K/9, 2.97 BB/9 and a 51.6 percent groundball rate. That’s solid production, but it’s clear Arrieta’s not the Cy Young-caliber starter he was for part of his Cubs tenure. Arrieta’s yet another signing from last winter who will have a chance to opt out of his contract after next season, which would mean passing on a $20MM guarantee, though the Phillies could void that clause in favor of a two-year, $40MM team option.

Carlos Santana, 1B, Phillies – three years, $60MM: Like Arrieta, Santana was closer to average than spectacular for the Phillies in the first season of an expensive deal. The former Indian, 32, continued his long run of durability, appearing in a personal-high 161 games, but he only managed a 109 wRC+ in 679 PA. Encouragingly, the ever-patient Santana easily racked up more unintentional walks (110) than strikeouts (93), and his expected weighted on-base average (.364) left his real wOBA (.334) in the dust. Although Santana’s offense has long been his calling card, he’s also a capable defender at first. But there’s some question moving forward as to whether Santana will stay at first or shift to third, where he saw time late in the season.

Alex Cobb, RHP, Orioles – four years, $57MM: Cobb went unsigned until late March, making him one of the most notable stragglers on a slow-moving market. When the Orioles finally did sign him, it was clear they were of the belief they’d contend for a playoff spot. Ultimately, the O’s finished as the majors’ worst team (47-115), and they now find themselves in a full-blown rebuild. Given that he’s an expensive veteran on a bottom-feeding team, it would make sense for Baltimore to try to move Cobb in the offseason. Finding a taker would be challenging, though, because Cobb has only offered back-end production as a member of the Orioles – with whom the ex-Ray has recorded a 4.90 ERA/4.80 FIP in 152 1/3 innings. The good news is that Cobb was much more effective in the second half of the season. After heading to the All-Star break with a horrendous 6.41 ERA/5.12 FIP, he came back to notch a 2.56 ERA/4.28 FIP over the past couple months.

Wade Davis, RP, Rockies – three years, $52MM: Davis was a premier reliever with the Royals and Cubs from 2014-17, but that excellence hasn’t always been present in his first year with the Rockies. To his credit, Davis closed the regular season with a flourish, allowing one earned run over his last 18 innings, and then added another 1 1/3 scoreless frames in Tuesday’s NL wild-card game. Good thing, too, because the 33-year-old had been amid a horrific campaign during the summer, when his ERA ballooned to a season-high 5.51 on Aug. 6. Davis had totaled six losses and six blown saves at that point, but he didn’t add to either category from that point, and he ended the regular season converting 12 straight save opportunities. He wrapped up the campaign with 43, a franchise record for the Rockies, and a 4.13 ERA with 10.74 K/9, 3.58 BB/9 in 65 1/3 innings. That’s not the overall production Colorado wanted when it signed Davis, but his late-season resurgence did help the club earn a playoff berth.

Jay Bruce, OF/1B, Mets – three years, $39MM – The five-time 30-HR hitter put up a career-low nine in 2018, owing in part to a hip injury that shelved him for two-plus months over the summer. Bruce’s overall line of .223/.310/.370 (89 wRC+) looks ugly, but he did turn things around after coming off the disabled list in late August. That’s an encouraging development for the Mets heading into next year, when Bruce – a longtime corner outfielder – may be its starting first baseman. Regardless of where Bruce lines up in 2019, the Mets will hope the soon-to-be 32-year-old returns to his long-established ways as a quality offensive contributor. Thus far, though, the team’s decision to bring back Bruce last offseason looks regrettable.

Tyler Chatwood, RHP, Cubs – three years, $38MM – The Cubs thought they had a steal in Chatwood, who drew some hype going into last winter after back-to-back respectable seasons with the Rockies. But Chatwood was a dud in his first season in Chicago, with which he last took the mound Sept. 8. Control problems defined 2018 for the 28-year-old Chatwood, who posted a nightmarish walk rate (8.25 per nine) over 103 2/3 innings. Chatwood’s inability to find the zone helped lead to an atrocious 5.30 ERA/5.60 FIP and cost him his place in the Cubs’ rotation in late July.

Zack Cozart, INF, Angels – three years, $38MM: 2018 was a disappointing season in general for the Angels, and Cozart was among the reasons. One of their high-profile pickups in a winter packed with them, Cozart saw his season end in mid-June after undergoing shoulder surgery – a procedure which could also keep him out for some of spring training next year. When he was healthy enough to take the field this year, the substantial offensive gains he made as a Red in 2017 didn’t carry over. Cozart compiled an 83 wRC+ (down from 140 last season) and a .219/.296/.362 line in 253 trips to the plate.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NL Notes: Dodgers, Roberts, Mets, Marlins, Dietrich, Nats, Harper

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The Dodgers just won their third National League West title in as many years under Dave Roberts, though the manager’s future beyond this season still isn’t known yet. The deal Roberts signed when he took the helm in November 2015 includes an option for next season, which the club hasn’t exercised. The Dodgers could instead ink Roberts to a new pact if they’re interested in keeping him for the long haul, and Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times reports that the two sides have indeed begun contract talks. There’s mutual respect between Roberts and Dodgers management, Shaikin relays, and the 46-year-old has the confidence of chairman Mark Walter. Asked if the Dodgers would give Roberts long-term security, Walter said, “I don’t see any reason why not.” The results under Roberts are hard to argue with – in addition to their three division titles on his watch, the Dodgers have won an NL pennant (in 2017) and combined for a 287-200 regular-season record.

Now the latest from the NL East…

  • There are anywhere from 10 to 12 “serious candidates” for the Mets’ general manager opening, Jon Heyman of Fancred tweets, adding that Kim Ng may be among the names. If the Mets hire Ng, Major League Baseball’s senior vice president for baseball operations, she’d become the first woman to hold a GM job in professional sports. Ng comes with plenty of front office experience and has drawn GM interest in the past, most recently from the Diamondbacks in 2016.
  • It “appears highly questionable” the Marlins will tender a contract to Derek Dietrich in the offseason, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes. Seeing Dietrich hit free agency early would be a surprise, considering he’s fresh off his third straight solid offensive season, capable of playing multiple positions and arbitration eligible for another two years (he’s set to earn a raise over his current salary of $2.9MM in 2019). The 29-year-old hit .265/.330/.421 (109 wRC+) with 16 home runs in 551 plate appearances this season, all while racking up significant time in left field and at first base. Dietrich has also garnered a fair amount of experience at second and third base since he debuted in 2013.
  • Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com provides a primer on Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper’s upcoming trip to free agency, listing several teams that could pursue the soon-to-be 26-year-old if he leaves the Nats. However, there’s real affection between the Nationals and Harper, notes Zuckerman, which could lead to a re-signing. Zuckerman wonders if Washington would be better off using the money it would allocate to Harper on multiple other areas of the roster, though, pointing out that the club would likely boast a quality outfield even without the six-time All-Star. Should Harper depart, the Nats wouldn’t receive much in the way of compensation, as Zuckerman writes. Assuming it stayed under the $197MM competitive-balance tax this year, Washington would get a compensatory pick before the third round of the 2019 draft. Otherwise, the team would land a selection after the fourth round.

MLB Places Addison Russell On Administrative Leave

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OCT. 2: MLB expects to reach a decision on Russell’s case “shortly,” perhaps before the end of the playoffs, commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday (via Patrick Mooney of The Athletic; subscription required). Interestingly, Mooney reports there’s a “sense around the team” that Russell has played his final game as a Cub.

SEPT. 28: In her first interview, Reidy discussed her experiences with Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. Explaining that she “wasn’t ready” to talk to investigators when first contacted last year, in the wake of her split with Russell, Reidy says she was also advised by counsel to hold off on telling her own story until she was fully prepared.

Ultimately, Reidy decided to wait until her divorce had been finalized before finally electing to publicize her experiences.

“It wasn’t sitting right with me,” she said of the fact that she had yet to speak out. “I took it upon myself to do what I needed to do regardless what could happen, financially. I know that I’m going to be OK … I shouldn’t have to feel like I can’t speak out to help someone else, in order to protect someone that hurt me.”

Russell’s administrative leave has been extended through to the end of the regular season, as Rosenthal recently reported on Twitter.

SEPT. 25: The league’s decision to place Russell on administrative leave was based not only on the recently released allegations, but on “additional credible information” that has been gathered, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription post). Since prior claims of domestic abuse by Russell arose last year, the league has interviewed Reidy as well as “numerous other witnesses,” Rosenthal adds.

Notably, too, Rosenthal reports that Russell does not intend to challenge the exercise of the administrative leave authority, though he is still not precluded from doing so.

SEPT. 21: Melisa Reidy, the ex-wife of Cubs shortstop Addison Russell, has released a detailed account of the events that led to the couple’s separation and eventual divorce, alleging that Russell abused her verbally, emotionally and physically over the course of a short and tumultuous marriage. In the wake of that statement, Major League Baseball announced that Russell has been placed on paid administrative leave, as is typical during investigations under the MLB-MLBPA Join Domestic Violence Policy.

It’s the second time that allegations have been brought forth against Russell. The first instance came when a friend of Reidy spoke out on Instagram; Reidy, in the process of separating and filing for divorce at the time, did not cooperate with MLB’s investigation. Now, it stands to reason that this latest account from the alleged victim herself will bring forth a second and more serious investigation from the league. It’s unclear whether the relevant law enforcement authorities are investigating the allegations and/or whether criminal charges could be pursued.

Reidy describes multiple instances of Russell becoming physically violent, alleging that he “[laid] his hands on [her]” and “physically mistreated” her. She also details a series of verbal and emotional abuse, including intimidation via the threat of physical force. Needless to say, the allegations against Russell are serious and disturbing. At the very least, they’ll fall under the purview of Major League Baseball’s domestic abuse agreement, which gives commissioner Rob Manfred the authority to issue punishment even in the absence of criminal proceedings. (Presently, it’s not clear if Reidy plans to press charges, though the allegations could carry criminal implications as well.)

The Cubs offered the following statement:

“We take allegations of domestic violence seriously and support the League’s decision to place Addison Russell on administrative leave given new details revealed today.  We will continue to cooperate with the League’s investigation so the appropriate action can be taken.”

Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and president of baseball operations Theo Epstein each addressed the matter in greater detail, as Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Tribune covers. Both expressed agreement with the league’s decision to place Russell on leave while indicating that he had denied the allegations to them in a meeting held this morning.

Russell has issued a statement through the MLB Players Association, asserting:

“These allegations are completely false. I made that clear to Major League Baseball last year and reiterated it to the Cubs today. I’m confident any full and fair investigation will fully exonerate me. The protection of my children is foremost in my mind so I will have no further comment.”

Notably, per Wittenmyer, the organization’s expectation is that Russell will not appear on the field again this season, though there has been no formal determination to that effect. It is common for such leave to be extended throughout the duration of an investigation, though we’ve not previously seen these type of allegations surface in such close proximity to the postseason. With that in mind, it’s worth noting that a regular-season suspension under the league’s domestic violence policy, in and of itself, does not preclude a player from participating in the postseason. (PED-related suspensions do preclude postseason participation, by rule.) It’s also worth bearing in mind, though, that league investigations are often lengthy endeavors; Roberto Osuna, for instance, was on administrative leave for roughly six weeks before Manfred and the league made a determination.

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Dipoto, Servais On Mariners’ Offseason

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The Mariners were one of the most talked-about teams in the first half of the 2018 season and finished with an impressive 89 victories on the year, but that total left them an improbably significant nine games back from even obtaining a Wild Card berth in an extremely top-heavy American League. The organization is in somewhat of a tough spot, with an aging roster, a crowded payroll and a thin farm system, but GM Jerry Dipoto and manager Scott Servais made clear at their end-of-year press conference that there are no plans to embark on any sort of significant rebuild (links via TJ Cotterill of the Tacoma News Tribune and Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times).

“The likelihood of ever truly considering a tear-it-down model, it doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Dipoto said. “…That doesn’t make sense because we have so many positive elements with where our teams is, guys like Mitch Haniger, Marco Gonzales and Edwin Diaz. There are the pieces you are trying to build around, not the pieces that you are trying to send away.”

Seattle does have its share of aging veterans and the subsequent payroll issues that one would expect with those aging veterans. Felix Hernandez is owed $27MM this coming season but will be off the books following the 2019 campaign. Robinson Cano is still owed $24MM annually through 2023, however, and Kyle Seager (who took a step back at the plate in 2018) is owed nearly $20MM in each of the next three seasons. Those issues, paired with a thin farm, are certainly problematic, but the Mariners have plenty of silver linings to give them optimism as well.

If there’s one veteran whose status is up in the air, it’s longtime designated hitter Nelson Cruz. The 38-year-old remained a prodigious slugger and a formidable threat in the heart of the Seattle lineup this season, hitting .256/.342/.509 with 37 home runs. But Cruz is a free agent and no longer capable of playing the outfield with any regularity, and the Mariners under Dipoto’s watch have tried to become more athletic and defensively versatile. Much has been made of a possible reunion, but Dipoto hinted that the team has not yet decided if it will have a dedicated designated hitter next season.

While Dipoto said he “never viewed Nelson as holding us back” because of his inability to play defense and noted that “Nelson Cruz is a winning player,”  the executive still doesn’t seem sold on re-signing him. Dipoto added: “But clearly if we were committed to going back to the DH-only player, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. We would have taken care of it much earlier this year,” suggesting the Mariners would’ve re-signed Cruz during the season if they were fully committed to bringing him back.

Even though he’s a one-dimensional player, Cruz was still part of the solution for the ’18 Mariners – as his 2.5 fWAR/2.9 rWAR indicates – and determining his future will be one of Dipoto’s key responsibilities during the offseason. Cruz is easily the most important pending free agent for a team which just extended its major league-high playoff drought to 17 years. Despite their ongoing struggles relative to the rest of the league, Dipoto seems encouraged by the overall performance of this year’s club. While Dipoto acknowledged that the Mariners “failed to reach the goal” of snapping their league-worst streak, he noted that “on paper we should feel good about” an 89-win season.

“To be honest, knowing that it would have required us to get to 98 wins to get to the playoffs probably helps you sleep a little bit better, because that’s not a particularly realistic goal,” continued Dipoto, referring to the 97-65 campaign the division-rival A’s posted en route the AL’s last playoff spot.

Both the A’s and the AL West-winning Astros figure to once again serve as major roadblocks for the Mariners in 2019. As such, Dipoto & Co. will have their work cut out for them this winter as they attempt to build a team good enough to break Seattle’s postseason drought next year.

AL Notes: Yanks, A’s, Twins, O’s, Davis, Rangers

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The Yankees and Athletics have named their starters for Wednesday’s American League wild-card game. New York will turn to right-hander Luis Severino, the team confirmed, while Oakland will open the game with reliever Liam Hendriks, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The fact that the A’s are counting on Hendriks in such an important role would’ve been a shock back in July, when they outrighted him, but the 29-year-old reemerged as an effective member of the team’s pitching staff in September. Severino, meanwhile, is in line to start his second straight AL wild-card contest. Last year’s showing was disastrous, as Severino allowed three earned runs and only recorded one out against the Twins before exiting what proved to be a comeback win for the Yankees. In an MLBTR poll over the weekend, the plurality of voters expressed that J.A. Happ should start the game over Severino. The Yankees disagree.

Here’s more on a few other AL clubs:

  • Surprisingly, Twins manager Paul Molitor lost his job on Tuesday. More changes appear to be coming to the team’s staff, too, as Jon Heyman of Fancred tweets that bullpen coach Eddie Guardado and third base coach Gene Glynn are “likely” to exit their posts. The club also announced that it has parted with both strength and conditioning coordinator Perry Castellano and strength and conditioning assistant Erik Beiser. As for Molitor, who may stay in the organization, the Twins have offered him a job in player development, Phil Miller of the Star Tribune relays. Molitor’s bench coach, Derek Shelton, is seen as the top in-house candidate to become the Twins’ next manager, Heyman reports.
  • Sticking with the Twins, chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said Tuesday that he expects to discuss both an on- and off-field job for franchise icon Joe Mauer for 2019, per Miller. The 35-year-old Mauer may have concluded his playing career this past Sunday, when he had what could go down as a memorable send-off. Mauer’s not under contract heading into 2019, so if the first baseman decides to play again, the Twins will need to re-sign him.
  • As of now, it appears first baseman Chris Davis will be back with the Orioles in 2019, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com hears. The soon-to-be 33-year-old owns one of the majors’ worst contracts, so the Orioles’ only chance to get rid of Davis would be by releasing him. It appears the rebuilding club will continue with Davis on its roster, however, even after he posted an all-time worst season in 2018. Formerly an elite slugger, Davis hit a shockingly terrible .168/.243/.296 with 16 home runs in 522 plate appearances. He easily finished last in the majors in fWAR (minus-3.1) and wRC+ (46).
  • As of last weekend, offseason thumb surgery looked like a possibility for Rangers outfielder Nomar Mazara. It turns out that he won’t need it, though, Jeff Wilson of the Star-Telegram tweets. Mazara’s thumb was a problem during the second half of the season, when he spent roughly a month on the disabled list and saw his production decline to a notable extent upon his return. All told, the 23-year-old hit .258/.317/.436 (96 wRC+) with 20 HRs in 536 trips to the plate.

Latest On Federal Investigation Into Latin American Signings

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Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported last week that a grand jury had been convened as part of a federal investigation into Latin American amateur signings by Major League Baseball clubs. Now, Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated writes that the Department of Justice has undertaken “a sweeping probe into possible corruption tied to the recruitment of international players, centered on potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.” Multiple alleged victims of smuggling and human trafficking violations have either provided evidence to law enforcement or testified before a federal grand jury, according to Wertheim.

The DOJ’s investigation “could get interesting,” a top baseball official told SI, which “obtained a thick dossier of documentation that was provided to the FBI at the beginning of the probe,” Wertheim writes. That dossier features “videotapes, photographs, confidential legal briefs, receipts, copies of player visas and passport documents, internal club emails and private communications by franchise executives in 2015 and 2016,” Wertheim adds.

Per Passan’s report, the Dodgers have come under scrutiny for their signing of infielder Hector Olivera out of Cuba for six years and $62.5MM in 2015. While Olivera’s name isn’t mentioned in SI’s report, it notes that the Dodgers “figure most prominently in the dossier” it obtained. The Dodgers, according to SI, “went so far as to develop a database that measured the perceived “level of egregious behavior” displayed by 15 of their own employees in Latin America.” The Dodgers used a 1-5 scale to measure whether an employee was an “innocent bystander” or a “criminal,” per Wertheim, who adds that five of their 15 employees received a criminal rating. One of those employees, whose focus was on the Caribbean and Venezuela, was “unbelievably corrupt,” SI relays.

Wertheim’s must-read piece sheds more light on potentially corrupt behavior from the Dodgers, though neither president Andrew Friedman nor ex-director of player development Gabe Kapler (now the Phillies’ manager) returned messages to SI seeking comment. Dodgers outside counsel David Schindler told SI he has “no knowledge” of a DOJ investigation, meanwhile. For its part, “Major League Baseball has not been contacted by federal authorities regarding an investigation,” MLB spokesman Pat Courtney informed the magazine. However, it’s “likely” that will change, according to Wertheim.

White Sox Outright Dustin Garneau

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The White Sox have outrighted catcher Dustin Garneau to Triple-A Charlotte, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times tweets. The club now has one open spot on its 40-man roster.

Chicago claimed Garneau off waivers from the Athletics in late May, and he went on to collect just three plate appearances with his new team. The 31-year-old spent the majority of the season in Charlotte, where he hit a solid .252/.340/.468 with seven home runs in 160 plate appearances. That continued a strong Triple-A run for Garneau, a career .262/.332/.494 hitter in 1,101 PA at the minors’ highest level.

While Garneau has hit well in the minors, his bat has been decidedly less impressive in the majors. Garneau owns a .194/.269/.321 line in 280 trips to the plate in MLB.

Silver Linings: American League West

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In our Silver Linings series, we’re checking in on the most promising developments for non-contending teams during an otherwise disappointing 2018 season. We’ll finish it out with the American League West.

[Previous “Silver Linings” Posts: AL Central, NL Central, NL East, AL East, NL West]

With the Astros back on top on the American League West and the Athletics gearing up for a Wild Card date with the Yankees, that leaves three clubs nursing their wounds. Here are the silver linings from the division…

Mariners – A promising core

And no — not the core they once boasted, which featured an in-prime Robinson Cano, Kyle Seager, Felix Hernandez and an aging-but-still-productive Nelson Cruz. This Mariners team won 89 games largely in spite of that group (Cruz being the exception), as Cano was suspended 80 games while Seager and Hernandez had the worst seasons of their still-excellent careers.

Instead, it was Mitch Haniger, Jean Segura, Edwin Diaz, James Paxton and Marco Gonzales who carried the Mariners for much of the season. At 30 years old next month, Paxton is by far the oldest of that bunch, meaning the Mariners should have a good chunk of each player’s prime left.

Haniger and Segura turned in star-caliber performances on the season as a whole (even if each slumped late in the year). Both were deserving All-Stars. Diaz set a franchise record with 57 and posted a preposterous 15.2 K/9 mark with a 1.96 ERA that fielding-independent metrics actually felt was indicative of some poor luck (1.61 FIP, 1.78 xFIP, 1.49 SIERA). Paxton pitched a career-high 160 1/3 innings with career-best K/BB numbers. Gonzales’ 4.00 ERA doesn’t immediately stand out, but he showed excellent control and was credited with a more encouraging 3.43 FIP and 3.59 xFIP through 166 2/3 innings.

General manager Jerry Dipoto has been widely panned for some of his trades — there’s no getting around the Chris Taylor/Zach Lee swap, for instance — but that’ll come with the territory for virtually any top-level executive (especially one who trades so prolifically). To this point, though, Dipoto & Co. deserve credit for the acquisitions of Haniger, Segura, Gonzales, James Pazos and even veteran Mike Leake (4.36 ERA, 4.14 FIP, 4.15 xFIP in 185 1/3 innings). Each has yielded positive results thus far. There are payroll problems and aging veterans that complicate things in Seattle, but the Mariners have a nice foundation in place — especially if either Seager or Hernandez can bounce back to some extent.

Angels – Co-Stars

Remember those quaint days this spring when many were wondering if Shohei Ohtani would deliver anything close to the hype — both on and, especially, off the mound? The 24-year-old has laid waste to the doubters of his offensive abilities, even as his season as a pitcher ended in disappointment and the Halos’ team effort crumbled.

It’s hard to overemphasize just how impressive Ohtani has been. He hit .285/.361/.564 with 22 homers and 10 steals in just 367 plate appearances, which was 52 percent more productive than a league-average bat when adjusting for park and league (152 wRC+). Among players with 350 PAs, that wRC+ ranked Ohtani eighth in all of baseball. Still, he won’t be on the mound next year after undergoing Tommy John surgery this week, meaning he’ll be limited to providing impressive work from the plate. That leaves a direct conundrum — how to manage the situation with Albert Pujols — along with gaping hole at the top of the rotation.

Fortunately, the Halos have stockpiled some other star performers to place around centerpiece Mike Trout like the side stones in a ring. Andrelton Simmons is now providing enough offense to rate not “just” as one of the league’s top defenders, but rather as one of the its best overall players. Justin Upton’s .257/.344/.463 slash rated more than 20 percent better than the league-average hitter by measure of stats like OPS+ (122) and wRC+ (124). And 24-year-old rookie David Fletcher held his own with the bat while providing terrific defense at both second base and third base.

The rotation is mired with question marks, to be sure, but the makings of a solid relief corps are there with Blake Parker, Jose Alvarez, Cam Bedrosian and up-and-coming Ty Buttrey all giving reason for optimism.

Rangers – Young players on the rise

Frankly, it feels like Jurickson Profar should be older than 25 at this point. The switch-hitting infielder was the Baseball America’s No. 1 overall prospect way back in the 2012-13 offseason — and that was already his third consecutive season drawing Top 100 fanfare. After shoulder injuries wiped out two seasons for the Curacao native, he delivered a forgettable 2017 campaign that called his upside into question. Fast forward a year, and Profar hit .254/.335/.458 with a career-high 20 homers and 10 steals while appearing at five different positions.

It’s not just Profar, either. Rougned Odor signed a $49.5MM extension prior to the 2017 campaign and promptly faceplanted with an abysmal .204/.252/.397 slash last season. This year, however, Odor rebounded to the tune of a .253/.326/.424 with 18 homers, a dozen steals and radically improved defensive numbers at second base — all while nearly doubling his previous career-high walk rate.

Perhaps no Texas youngster shined brighter than emergent closer Jose Leclerc, though. The 24-year-old reined in last season’s ghastly 7.9 BB/9 mark and managed to up his strikeout rate in the process. Leclerc posted 57 2/3 innings of 1.56 ERA ball in 2018, averaging 13.3 K/9 and 3.9 BB/9 while allowing just one home run along the way. His 17.2 percent swinging-strike rate ties him with Craig Kimbrel for the fifth-best among qualified relievers, trailing only Josh Hader, Edwin Diaz, Blake Treinen and Ryan Pressly. Controlled through 2022, Leclerc could either be a long-term piece or, if he can sustain his success a bit longer, the the type of power arm for which opposing teams would surrender a king’s ransom on the trade market.

Joey Gallo, meanwhile, clubbed 40 homers with his typical brand of absurd strikeout totals. Ronald Guzman swatted 16 home runs in an uneven debut season. Nomar Mazara had his best season to date, even if he’s yet to achieve the stardom many expected. The Rangers’ 2019 rotation looks like a disaster waiting to happen, but their bats — even veteran Shin-Soo Choo turned back the clock with an excellent 2018 — and their otherworldly young closer give fans something to look forward to next year.

Paul Molitor Out As Twins Manager, Could Remain In Organization

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Just one year into a three-year contract, Paul Molitor is out as the Twins’ manager, according to a team announcement. He’s been offered a different job in the team’s baseball operations department.

“I would like to thank Paul for his tremendous dedication to the Minnesota Twins over his last four years as manager of this club,” said Twins executive vice president/chief baseball officer Derek Falvey in a statement issued via press release. “Paul’s roots here run deep and his commitment to the organization, his staff, and the players is special.  I have every hope and desire that he remains a part of this club for many years to come.”

Paul Molitor | Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Twins will immediately begin the search for a new manager, considering both internal and external candidates, per the team’s announcement. The new manager will work with Falvey and Levine to set the 2019 coaching staff.

Molitor, 62, was never the first choice of Twins Falvey and general manager Thad Levine after they were appointed at the start of the 2015-16 offseason. The Hall of Famer and St. Paul, Minn. native was hired by former general manager Terry Ryan as a successor to longtime skipper Ron Gardenhire. After Minnesota dismissed Ryan from his post as GM, owner Jim Pohlad stipulated as part of the new front office search that whoever he hired to oversee the baseball operations department would do so with the understanding that Molitor was the Twins’ manager.

At the time, Molitor was only under contract for one more season. The common expectation was that Falvey and Levine would let Molitor manage the final season of that contract and then make their own hire, but the Twins’ shocking 2018 playoff berth and Molitor’s Manager of the Year nod left the newly minted executives with little choice but to extend him. The optics of firing a manager whose team had gone from 100 losses to an American League Wild Card play-in would’ve been astoundingly poor, and so Molitor was rewarded with a new three-year pact.

The 2018 season, however, was nearly as disappointing as the 2017 season was surprising. Minnesota entered the year with expectations of contending — if not for the division then surely for a second straight Wild Card appearance. Instead, they spent nearly the entire year without projected top starter Ervin Santana (finger surgery) and watched two of their should-be cornerstones, Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton, struggle through nightmarish seasons that surpassed even the most pessimistic expectations for the pair. Brian Dozier, meanwhile, played through a knee injury early in the season and never regained his footing, while offseason pickups Logan Morrison (hip impingement/labrum tear, eventual surgery) and Addison Reed (elbow impingement) each saw their seasons hampered by physical ailments as well.

The end result of it all was a 78-84 team that only finished anywhere near .500 by virtue of a September surge that came mostly against poor competition and was capped off by a six-game winning streak against the rebuilding Tigers and White Sox.

Minnesota will now set out in search of what will be just its fourth manager since Tom Kelly took over as a 35-year-old rookie manager at the tail end of the 1986 season. Kelly’s Twins went on to win the World Series in both ’87 and ’91, and he remained at the helm until ceding the reins to Gardenhire, already a long-time Twins coach at that point, following the 2001 season. A lengthier search and full slate of interviews figures to follow, though 1500 ESPN’s Darren Wolfson tweets that Indians bench coach Brad Mills, with whom Falvey is familiar from his time as an AGM in Cleveland, was of interest to the Twins last year before the decision to extend Molitor’s contract was made.

Yahoo’s Jeff Passan broke the news that the Twins were calling a press conference and suggested that it was to announce Molitor’s dismissal (Twitter link). USA Today’s Bob Nightengale definitively reported that Molitor was out as manager (Twitter link). ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick reported that Molitor was being offered another position within the organization rather than strictly being fired (Twitter links).

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