Headlines

  • Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.
  • Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment
  • Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Braves Select Craig Kimbrel
  • Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox
  • White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2025
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for December 2018

Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Jays, Yanks, Bryce, Manny, Mets, Trout

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 5:14pm CDT

This week in baseball blogs…

  • Jays From the Couch (links: 1, 2) talks with Toronto president Mark Shapiro on how the team is grooming its future stars.
  • Pinstripe Alley puts the Yankees’ financial austerity in context.
  • The K Zone features a piece on Tommy John surgery.
  • CheckSwings delves into what MLB might look like if there were no trades, free agency, or waivers.
  • STL Hat Trick examines potential 10-year contracts for Bryce Harper and Manny Machado.
  • MLB & Fantasy Baseball Analyzed takes a look at Steamer projections for several players who have signed free-agent contracts this offseason.
  • Rising Apple ranks 10 underappreciated free agents the Mets should consider.
  • Phillies Nation pours cold water on the chances of Philly trading for Mike Trout.
  • The Point of Pittsburgh explains how the Pirates should have used the BAMTech monies to boost 2019 payroll.
  • Reviewing The Brew sees Milwaukee as a logical landing spot for Troy Tulowitzki.
  • Around the Foghorn searches for effective and affordable free agents the Giants could target.
  • Prospect Universe is bullish on the A’s future.
  • District on Deck names seven free-agent second basemen the Nationals could pursue.
  • East Village Times writes about the possibility of the Padres acquiring Miguel Andujar.
  • Statsswipe argues that Andujar’s ability to hit a curve could make him an All-Star.
  • Tomahawk Take considers a reunion between the Braves and Jason Heyward.
  • Chin Music Baseball has New Year’s resolutions for every team.
  • The Runner Sports (links: 1, 2) weighs the pros and cons of the Twins’ Nelson Cruz signing, and regards pitching coach Brent Strom as a key piece to the Astros’ puzzle.
  • Call to the Pen (links: 1, 2, 3) names four possible non-Harper additions for the Dodgers, asks if Craig Kimbrel could return to Boston, and wonders if the Phillies will make a big splash in January.
  • Everything Bluebirds reacts to the Blue Jays’ signing of Matt Shoemaker.
  • Mets Critic opines that the club needs to stop playing corner outfielders in center.
  • Pinstriped Prospects explores the state of the Yankees’ farm system.
  • The Fro Zone grades some recent free-agent signings.
  • Rox Pile explains that the Rockies’ outfield will look different in 2019.
  • Foul Territory looks at the history of free agency in baseball.
  • Sports Radio 94 WIP calls out the hypocrisy in Hall of Fame voting.
  • Around the Bases with Julian Bussells (podcast) discusses the Hall of Fame voting and chats with White Sox pitcher Caleb Frare.
  • Future Blue Jays lists under-the-radar Jays prospects to keep an eye on in 2019.
  • The 3rd Man In profiles and interviews 2019 draft prospect Zack Thompson.
  • A’s Farm runs down the Athletics’ minor league free agent signings.
  • Extra Innings UK has an exclusive preview of the Don’t Blink Home Run Derby in Paradise, featuring Lewis Brinson, Touki Toussaint and Bo Bichette.
  • Chipalatta shares 10 Christmas wishes for the Astros.
Share 0 Retweet 11 Send via email0

Baseball Blogs Weigh In

101 comments

Blue Jays Acquire Clayton Richard

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 4:54pm CDT

4:54pm: Toronto will pay half of Richard’s $3MM salary, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com suggests.

4:15pm: Both teams have announced the trade. The Blue Jays are also getting cash considerations in the deal.

3:55pm: Richard’s going to Toronto, Nicholson-Smith tweets. The Blue Jays will give up minor leaguer outfielder Connor Panas, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. The 25-year-old Panas, a Toronto native whom the Blue Jays chose in the ninth round of the 2015 draft, got his first taste of Double-A action last season and hit .232/.296/.359 with nine home runs in 407 plate appearances.

3:35pm: The Blue Jays are close to acquiring left-hander Clayton Richard from the Padres, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports. Richard has been in limbo since the Padres designated him for assignment on Dec. 20.

The 35-year-old Richard has been a useful starter at times since his major league career began with the White Sox in 2008, but he’s now coming off an ugly season. Over 158 2/3 innings and 27 starts in San Diego, Richard pitched to a 5.33 ERA/4.68 FIP with 6.13 K/9 and 3.4 BB/9 before undergoing season-ending left knee surgery in late August. On the bright side, Richard posted an excellent groundball rate (56.8 percent), which has been a staple throughout his time in the majors.

Needless to say, Richard – who’s owed a guaranteed $3MM in 2019, the last season of a two-year contract – wouldn’t be a particularly exciting acquisition for Toronto. If healthy, though, he could eat innings for a retooling Blue Jays team which may have multiple questions in its rotation next season. The Jays look to have four-fifths of their rotation set with Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Ryan Borucki and the just-signed Matt Shoemaker in the fold. However, Stroman has frequented trade rumors throughout the offseason, Sanchez battled injury and performance issues from 2017-18, and Shoemaker was neither healthy nor especially effective with the Angels over the previous couple years.

Share 0 Retweet 10 Send via email0

San Diego Padres Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Clayton Richard

120 comments

Diamondbacks Acquire Robby Scott

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 4:36pm CDT

The Diamondbacks have acquired left-hander Robby Scott from the Reds for cash, according to an announcement from Cincinnati. The Reds designated Scott for assignment on Dec. 21, ending a brief run with the club that began when it claimed him off waivers from the Red Sox on Dec. 10.

The 29-year-old Scott racked up a solid chunk of innings in Boston in 2017, when he totaled 35 2/3 frames and put up a respectable 3.79 ERA with 7.82 K/9, 3.28 BB/9 and a 42.6 percent groundball rate. Scott only managed a 5.32 FIP that year, though, and was barely a factor last season for the Red Sox’s World Series-winning team, with whom he threw a mere 6 2/3 innings and allowed six earned runs on 10 hits and five walks (with eight strikeouts).

While Scott hasn’t been that successful in the majors, he has recorded a 3.21 ERA with 9.1 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9 in 165 1/3 innings at the Triple-A level. Now a member of the Arizona organization, Scott will reunite with general manager Mike Hazen and manager Torey Lovullo, who are both familiar with the hurler from their days with the Boston franchise.

Share 0 Retweet 4 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Cincinnati Reds Transactions Robby Scott

20 comments

Blue Jays Designate Oliver Drake

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 4:17pm CDT

The Blue Jays have designated right-hander Oliver Drake for assignment to make room for newly acquired southpaw Clayton Richard, per a team announcement.

Drake only lasted a few weeks on the 40-man roster in Toronto, which claimed him off waivers from the Rays on Nov. 26. By now, the 31-year-old Drake is used to short-lived stints on major league rosters. Drake saw action with a record five teams (including the Blue Jays) in 2018, and has pitched for a total of seven clubs since debuting with the Orioles in 2015.

Over 137 1/3 major league innings, including 47 2/3 last season, Drake has offered signs of encouragement. While Drake does own a below-average ERA (4.59), he has notched 9.9 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9, generated ground balls at a 47.3 percent clip and recorded a 3.48 FIP/3.63 xFIP. And Drake has been dominant at the Triple-A level, where he has posted a 1.80 ERA with 12.7 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 across 110 innings. Perhaps yet another major league team will take a chance on him via waivers, then.

Share 0 Retweet 6 Send via email0

Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Oliver Drake

27 comments

Padres Still In Mix For Sonny Gray

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 1:51pm CDT

Yankees right-hander and trade candidate Sonny Gray has been connected to the Padres, among many other teams, since the offseason began in earnest last month. The New Year is now around the corner and Gray remains a member of the Yankees, though the Padres are still “very much” involved in discussions centering on the 29-year-old, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com reports.

General manager Brian Cashman telegraphed that the Yankees would trade Gray this winter after the Red Sox bounced them from the playoffs in October, when he admitted it would make sense to send him elsewhere. Nevertheless, various reports have suggested the Yankees’ asking price has been too lofty for a hurler who struggled in 2018 and only has one year of control left (at a projected $9.1MM).

As MLBTR has written seemingly ad infinitum over the past couple months, Gray’s coming off a season in which he registered a horrid 4.90 ERA and a personal-worst 3.94 BB/9 across 130 1/3 innings, leading the Yankees to pull him from their rotation. However, Gray maintained his velocity and offered appealing results away from Yankee Stadium, as he posted a 3.17 ERA/2.65 FIP on the road. There is no question other teams are well aware of Gray’s success outside of the Bronx, given that double-digit clubs have shown some level of interest in him since Cashman announced he was for sale.

Based on both the road numbers he put up in last season and his productive stint in Oakland, where he pitched from 2013-17, Gray would be a much-needed upgrade for the Padres. In 2018, San Diego’s eighth straight sub-.500 season, its starters ranked 27th in the majors in ERA and 28th in fWAR. Of the 12 starters the Padres trotted out, only Joey Lucchesi enjoyed a decent amount of success over a large sample size.

As a result of the adversity their rotation experienced in 2018, the Padres have been scouring the market for help, having shown reported interest in Gray, the Indians’ Corey Kluber, the Mets’ Noah Syndergaard, the Blue Jays’ Marcus Stroman, the Mariners’ Mike Leake, and free agents Dallas Keuchel and Yusei Kikuchi. Among that group, Gray may be the most realistic target for the Padres. Acquiring Kluber, Syndergaard or Stroman would presumably force the Padres to take a sizable bite out of their top-ranked farm system; Leake, meanwhile, has a no-trade clause and still has a significant amount of guaranteed money left on his contract; and both Keuchel and Kikuchi are in line for high-paying deals.

In the event the Padres do land Gray, he could either help them return to relevance (if he rebounds) or end up as a midseason trade chip. Should San Diego fall out of the race by the summer, which has been an all-too-common occurrence in franchise history, it could further bolster its system by shipping Gray to a contender.

Share 0 Retweet 17 Send via email0

New York Yankees San Diego Padres Sonny Gray

204 comments

NL Notes & Rumors: Nats, Marwin, Jed, Pads, Fish, J.T., Braves, D-backs

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 1:04pm CDT

Free agents Marwin Gonzalez and Jed Lowrie are among several second basemen the Nationals have reached out to this offseason, Jamal Collier of MLB.com reports. The open market remains rife with familiar second basemen as the New Year approaches, though Gonzalez and Lowrie are likely the two best choices available. Both Gonzalez and Lowrie are accomplished switch-hitters, but the former is easily the more versatile of the two in the field. Gonzalez is capable of lining up everywhere in the infield and in both corner outfield positions. The Nationals, of course, will take a hit in the corner outfield if free agent Bryce Harper signs elsewhere, so Gonzalez would give them some more depth in the grass.

Here’s more from the National League:

  • The Padres, who are known to be in the hunt for the Marlins’ J.T. Realmuto, have shown more persistence than any other team in talks for the catcher, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. With two years of control left and Miami nowhere near contention, Realmuto could be the most obvious trade candidate in the game. However, the Marlins may have to lower their asking price in order for a deal to come together prior to next season. They’re said to want a return consisting of at least one elite prospect, and the Padres happen to boast baseball’s top-ranked farm system, per both Baseball America and FanGraphs. So, if the Padres are truly motivated to land Realmuto, they may be in better position than anyone else. That said, San Diego would not be a popular bet to contend in 2019 even with Realmuto, making it highly debatable whether the team should rob from its system in a win-now trade.
  • Given the needs in the Braves’ corner outfield and pitching staff, David O’Brien of The Athletic tweets that they and the Diamondbacks could be logical trade partners. Outfielder David Peralta, left-hander Robbie Ray and righty Zack Greinke may all be fits for the Braves, O’Brien posits, though he notes the Diamondbacks would have to eat a significant portion of the $95.5MM left on Greinke’s contract to make him a realistic possibility for Atlanta. There are no weighty financial obligations for either Peralta or Ray, who are each under affordable arbitration control through 2020. The Braves have already come up short in an attempt to acquire Peralta this offseason, though, and the D-backs don’t seem willing to part with Ray.
  • Sticking with the Braves, they may pursue free-agent closer Craig Kimbrel if he becomes willing to accept a three-year offer, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. That looks rather unlikely, however, considering Kimbrel’s current asking price reportedly ranges anywhere from $86MM to upward of $100M. Nevertheless, it would be interesting to see the Braves in the race for Kimbrel, whom they drafted in 2008 and helped develop into one of the greatest closers ever. Kimbrel, now 30, was a Brave from 2010-14 before moving on to the Padres and Red Sox.
Share 0 Retweet 13 Send via email0

Arizona Diamondbacks Atlanta Braves Miami Marlins San Diego Padres Washington Nationals Craig Kimbrel J.T. Realmuto Jed Lowrie Marwin Gonzalez

123 comments

Top 20 Remaining Free Agents

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 11:14am CDT

Since free agency opened across Major League Baseball on Oct. 29, nearly half of MLBTR’s top 50 available players have come off the board. Twenty-three of those players have landed new contracts, leaving 27 without teams as the New Year approaches. Based on the original rankings compiled by MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams and Jeff Todd, here’s a look at where the 20 best free agents left currently stand as 2018 nears an end:

1. Bryce Harper, OF (original prediction: 14 years, $420MM): With Scott Boras as his agent, it’s unsurprising that Harper – who may be in line for a record-setting contract – remains unsigned. As you’d expect, there has been no shortage of offseason rumors centering on the 26-year-old Harper, who has been connected to his only team to date – the Nationals – as well as the Dodgers, Phillies, Braves, Cubs, Cardinals, Giants, Yankees and White Sox over the past couple months. On paper, the most logical landing spot for the superstar may be Los Angeles, which jettisoned pricey outfielders Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp in a trade with the Reds earlier this month. However, despite their financial might, the Dodgers haven’t handed out exorbitant free-agent contracts during president Andrew Friedman’s reign, and they’re reportedly not inclined to give Harper the long-term pact he wants.

2. Manny Machado, SS/3B (original prediction: 13 years, $390MM): As a 26-year-old who has been an elite player at times, Machado entered free agency in a similar position to Harper. Like Harper, Machado has drawn interest from the the Phillies, Yankees and White Sox, having met with all three teams this month. Various reports have indicated Machado wants to play for the Yankees, yet the infield-needy club doesn’t seem prepared to go to the $300MM mark for him. Regardless, we may find out his next destination soon.

3. Dallas Keuchel, LHP (original prediction: four years, $82MM): While Keuchel’s still an easily above-average starter, the career-long Astro hasn’t been able to replicate the AL Cy Young-winning form he showed in 2015. Both Keuchel’s recent decline in production and his age (he’ll be 31 on New Year’s Day) are working against him on the open market, but he’s nonetheless seeking a five-year deal. His desire for security over the next half-decade has reportedly led to leeriness from the Phillies and Nationals (and maybe others). But beyond Philadelphia and Washington, a bevy of other teams have shown interest in Keuchel during free agency. The Boras client is going to do well on his next contract, then, though he may have no choice but to drop his price before he puts pen to paper with someone.

4. Craig Kimbrel, RP (original prediction: four years, $70MM): Although Kimbrel is one of the greatest relievers in history, he showed some cracks last season as a member of the World Series-winning Red Sox. Compared to Kimbrel’s otherworldly 2017 campaign, his strikeout rate fell by nearly 11 percentage points, his swinging-strike rate dropped by more than 2.5 points and his walk rate increased by over 7 ticks. Kimbrel was still outstanding, granted, but maybe not enough to merit the massive contract he’s pursuing. The richest deal ever given to a reliever – five years, $86MM – belongs to the Yankees’ Aroldis Chapman, who signed it when he was still in his late 20s. Kimbrel will turn 31 in May, and there hasn’t been strong reported interest in him thus far. The Red Sox, Phillies, Cardinals and Braves have been connected to Kimbrel in rumors, but none of those clubs are itching to meet his demands.

5. Yasmani Grandal, C (original prediction: four years, $64MM): Grandal reportedly turned down a four-year, $60MM offer from the Mets, who have since filled their vacancy behind the plate with Wilson Ramos. In the estimation of MLBTR readers, he made a mistake in spurning the Mets’ generous proposal. Along with New York, each of the Nationals, Braves, Astros, White Sox and Angels entered the offseason as potential Grandal suitors but have since made acquisitions behind the plate. In some cases (Atlanta, Houston, Chicago and Anaheim), those pickups haven’t been particularly expensive, so perhaps Grandal will still end up in one of those cities. The longtime Dodger probably won’t continue his career with them, however, as they’ve been more connected to Marlins star J.T. Realmuto – whose presence on the trade market doesn’t do Grandal any favors – and aren’t champing at the bit to hand out a long-term deal to the switch-hitting 30-year-old.

6. A.J. Pollock, CF (original prediction: four years, $60MM): Even though he’s 31 and has dealt with a spate of injuries during his career, reports have indicated Pollock’s holding out for a lengthy commitment worth $80MM or more.  When healthy, Pollock’s probably worth that type of money. The problem is that the soon-to-be former Diamondback is coming off a three-year stretch in which he missed 249 games. Further, perhaps because of his supposed demands, a couple of the teams that have been connected to Pollock this offseason may have already moved on from him. The Astros signed Michael Brantley, while the Reds acquired Puig and Kemp. The Mets and Braves may be among the teams still in play for Pollock, a qualifying offer recipient, though the former’s GM has suggested otherwise and the latter doesn’t seem likely to give a lucrative, long-term contract to a 30-something.

7. Yusei Kikuchi, LHP (original prediction: six years, $42MM): As a free agent from Japan, the 27-year-old Kikuchi is the only player on this list with no major league track record. Further, unlike other free agents, there’s a deadline for Kikuchi to sign. Kikuchi’s Japanese team, the Seibu Lions, posted him Dec. 4, giving him and Boras until Jan. 2 to hammer out a deal with a major league club. Assuming Kikuchi does sign, there’s optimism he’ll become the latest big league success story from his homeland. In the meantime, it’s anyone’s guess which team Kikuchi will choose, as he implied earlier this month he’s open to joining any of the majors’ 30 franchises.

8. Marwin Gonzalez, UTIL (original prediction: four years, $36MM): There’s a lot to like about Gonzalez, a switch-hitting, league-average offensive player who can line up at every infield position and both corner outfield spots. Gonzalez, who will turn 30 in March, reportedly drew interest from just about every team at the start of the offseason. Things have been quiet on the Gonzalez front lately, though, aside from a connection to the Padres three weeks ago.

9. Zach Britton, RP (original prediction: three years, $33MM); 10. David Robertson, RP (OP: three years, $33MM); 11. Adam Ottavino, RP (OP: three years, $30MM): Considering these three are the best non-Kimbrel relievers available and have some common teams chasing them, we’ll group them together. The Phillies, Yankees and Red Sox have been after all three at times, and there has been plenty of interest from other clubs. Still, given that Britton, Robertson and Ottavino are all over 30, it’s unclear whether three-year estimates will prove overly optimistic.

12. Jed Lowrie, 2B (original prediction: three years, $30MM): Lowrie was one of the A’s best players and among the majors’ premier second basemen from 2017-18, but he’s also a soon-to-be 35-year-old with an extensive injury history. Moreover, he’s part of a market which features several other starting-caliber second basemen, and Oakland – arguably his most likely destination at one point – removed itself from the equation when it acquired Jurickson Profar last week. The switch-hitting Lowrie nonetheless wants a three-year deal, though he may have to settle for two.

13. Kelvin Herrera, RP (original prediction: one year, $8MM): With a strong platform season, the 28-year-old, flamethrowing Herrera may have been in line to sign the second-richest deal among relievers this winter. Instead, after a tremendous start with the Royals, he scuffled following a June trade to the Nationals. Worsening matters, Herrera’s season ended in late August on account of a torn Lisfranc ligament in his left foot. Herrera’s now making progress in his rehab, though reported interest in him has been almost nonexistent so far this offseason. Minnesota’s the only team that has been connected to Herrera on MLBTR’s pages since the 2018 campaign ended.

14. Gio Gonzalez, LHP (original prediction: two years, $24MM): Gonzalez is a longtime innings eater who has totaled at least 2.0 fWAR in nine straight seasons, yet only the Mets have shown reported interest in him thus far. He can probably thank his age (33) and somewhat disappointing 2018 for that. Compared to 2017 – one of Gonzalez’s most effective seasons – his inning, strikeout, walk and run prevention numbers all went in the wrong direction.

15. Brian Dozier, 2B (original prediction: one year, $10MM); 16. DJ LeMahieu, 2B (OP: two years, $18MM): The Nationals have been tied to these two accomplished second basemen in free agency, though it stands to reason Dozier and LeMahieu have more than one matching suitor. The Dozier rumor mill has been nearly silent, however, owing to the surprisingly poor 2018 the former Twins star endured with them and the Dodgers. LA may end up replacing Dozier with LeMahieu, who also had a less-than-ideal season from an offensive standpoint. However, the stellar defensive track record the 30-year-old LeMahieu built as a member of the Rockies at least gives him a high floor.

17. Mike Moustakas, 3B (original prediction: two years, $16MM): Moustakas was one of the most well-known stragglers on a slow-moving market last offseason. Moose entered the winter looking like a potential $85MM player, but he ultimately re-signed with the Royals in March for just a $6.5MM guarantee. Now, after his offensive production declined in 2018 between Kansas City and Milwaukee, it’s an open question whether Moustakas will do much better this offseason. So far, the Brewers, Cardinals, Phillies and Mets have shown some level of interest in the 30-year-old.

18. Cody Allen, RP (original prediction: two years, $16MM): Allen enjoyed tons of success as the Indians’ closer from 2013-17, and had that continued last season, he could have been in line for a huge contract. Unfortunately for Allen, though, his numbers came crashing down in 2018, and his velocity dropped as the year progressed. Given that teams can’t regard the 30-year-old as a shutdown option anymore, reported interest has been scarce. It seems the Indians could bring Allen back, while the division-rival Twins have also considered him.

19. Nick Markakis, OF (original prediction: two years, $16MM): Brantley and Andrew McCutchen are off the board, and Harper and Pollock are unrealistic for most teams. That could work to the advantage of Markakis, the next best free-agent outfielder available, though he’s more of a satisfactory regular than a high-impact one. Markakis was a first-time All-Star in 2018, but the 35-year-old’s offensive production cratered over the season’s last two months, giving him a final batting line that was more decent than exceptional. Still, as a roughly league-average hitter who gets on base, can handle both lefties and righties and hasn’t missed more than seven games in a season since 2012, Markakis could give some team an acceptable stopgap over the next year or two. A return to Atlanta, where he has played since 2015, may be in the offing.

20. Derek Holland, LHP (original prediction: two years, $15MM): After four straight down or injury-limited seasons with the Rangers and White Sox, Holland had to settle for a minors deal with the Giants last February. It proved to be a perfect match, as Holland made the Giants’ roster and returned to relevance in San Francisco. Across 171 1/3 innings (36 appearances, 30 starts), Holland showed better velocity than he offered in 2017 and posted a 3.57 ERA/3.87 FIP, a career-high K/9 (8.88), a personal-best infield fly percentage (11.8) and his second-highest swinging-strike rate (10.1 percent). So, even though Holland’s still unemployed, he’ll get a guaranteed contract – potentially from his old team in Texas – this offseason.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Share 0 Retweet 20 Send via email0

MLBTR Originals

148 comments

3 Remaining Needs: AL West

By Connor Byrne | December 30, 2018 at 8:59am CDT

In the latest edition of MLBTR’s “3 Remaining Needs” series, we’ll focus on the American League West, which boasted two playoff teams and an 89-win third-place finisher in 2018. It appears the division will once again feature, at most, three playoff contenders in 2019, as two of its clubs are in rebuilding phases.

[Previous installments: NL East, NL Central]

Houston Astros

  • Add at least one more starter. With Justin Verlander, Gerrit Cole and Collin McHugh set to occupy 60 percent of the Astros’ rotation in 2019, they’re obviously in better shape than most teams. Still, it’s clear the Astros are worse off than they were last season, when Dallas Keuchel, Charlie Morton and Lance McCullers Jr. followed Verlander and Cole to comprise one of the majors’ most formidable rotations. Keuchel is now in free agency, where he may land a richer deal than the Astros are willing to fork over; Morton already left for the Rays on the open market; and McCullers will miss most or all of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. That leaves Josh James, who turned heads as a rookie in 2018, and Framber Valdez as the Astros’ projected No. 4 and No. 5 starters going into next season. Down in the minors, the Astros have a super prospect in 6-foot-7 righty Forrest Whitley, a 21-year-old who could debut in 2019, though he has only thrown 41 innings above Single-A thus far. All that said, there’s room for at least one veteran pickup via trade or free agency.
  • Upgrade behind the plate, if possible. As with their rotation, the Astros aren’t in poor shape here. They signed the offensively solid Robinson Chirinos in free agency, and he’s slated to complement defensive wiz Max Stassi in a decent behind-the-plate tandem. Chirinos is a weak defender who’s only under contract for a year, though, while Stassi’s offense plummeted off a cliff after a hot April and May last season. Given the pair’s limitations, it’s possible the Astros will attempt to jettison the out-of-options Stassi in favor of someone better. They’ve continued to show interest in Miami’s J.T. Realmuto, the premier catcher in the game last season, but the Marlins’ asking price has been prohibitive to this point. Free agency also has one terrific option, Yasmani Grandal, whom Houston showed interest in early in the offseason. Things have been quiet since then, though.
  • Pick up a left-handed reliever. In spite of Joe Smith’s ruptured Achilles, Houston’s still stacked with proven right-handed relievers. It’s not as fortunate from the other side, however, as the only southpaw bullpen options on its 40-man roster are Cionel Perez (11 1/3 major league innings) and Reymin Guduan (19 1/3). Maybe one or both of those hard-throwing hurlers will break out next year, but in the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt to have some veteran insurance. The Astros don’t have to break the bank on the top lefty reliever in free agency, Zach Britton, although they have chased him in the past. Rather, they could go for one of the many cheaper veterans available.

Oakland Athletics

  • Improve the rotation. The Athletics went bargain hunting for starters in 2018, signing Trevor Cahill, Brett Anderson and Edwin Jackson to low-cost deals. Surprisingly, all three moves paid dividends, and each of those veterans helped the injury-depleted A’s amass 97 wins and earn a wild-card berth. Cahill is now with the division-rival Angels, while Anderson and Jackson are free agents, leaving multiple glaring weaknesses in the A’s rotation. The team did re-sign Mike Fiers in free agency, but he’s not the most exciting choice, and the rest of its projected rotation includes pitchers who are either unproven or underwhelming. The A’s could certainly deploy the “opener” on a regular basis next season, as they did to positive results in 2018, yet there would still be space for actual starting additions. In true A’s fashion, they’re probably not going to make a big-money splash in free agency, but there are enough affordable veterans out there who could emerge as the Cahill, Anderson or Jackson of next year’s team.
  • Get another catcher. If you’re an A’s fan, it’s unlikely you’re eager to watch the Chris Herrmann–Josh Phegley duo in action. Those two own a combined lifetime wRC+ of 139, and neither have been defensive stalwarts. Oakland’s arguably a fit for Realmuto or Grandal, though there’s no indication the team has pursued either to this point. More realistically, a free agent such as Martin Maldonado could make sense as Jonathan Lucroy’s successor. Maldonado’s not much of a hitter, but as a longtime defensive standout, A’s pitchers would likely benefit from his presence.
  • Find left-handed relief depth. The lone lefty in the A’s bullpen is an excellent one, Ryan Buchter. There are no lefty options to be found after him, though, so the club could stand to buy itself some more aid. As noted above in the Astros section, reasonably priced free-agent possibilities abound.

Seattle Mariners

  • Keep shedding costly veterans. The Mariners were nearly a 90-win team last season, but their success in the standings didn’t convince general manager Jerry Dipoto that they were true contenders. As a result, Dipoto has undertaken an aggressive “re-imagining” campaign that has seen the Mariners part with Robinson Cano, Edwin Diaz, James Paxton, Jean Segura, Carlos Santana (acquired for Segura), Mike Zunino, Alex Colome, Juan Nicasio and Ben Gamel in a bevy of trades. There are more trade candidates on hand, too, including just-acquired veterans Edwin Encarnacion, Jay Bruce and Anthony Swarzak, not to mention holdovers Dee Gordon, Mike Leake and Kyle Seager. Admittedly, it would be a major challenge to move all (or even most) of those players, but at least a couple are real candidates to don different uniforms come 2019. Meanwhile, if it wants to continue upgrading its formerly atrocious farm system, Seattle wouldn’t have any trouble finding takers for the likes of Mitch Haniger, Mallex Smith or Marco Gonzales. It appears they’ll remain in place, however, with Dipoto hoping they’ll be key parts of the next contending Mariners team.
  • Pursue more starters and relievers. With Paxton gone, Leake and Gonzales are the only M’s starters who are good bets to perform respectably in 2019. It’s not a certainty either will be on the team then, though, nor is it clear what the club will get from Felix Hernandez, Wade LeBlanc or prized prospect Justus Sheffield (acquired for Paxton). Because Seattle’s unlikely to contend next season, it’s not going to spring for someone like Keuchel in free agency, but Japanese import Yusei Kikuchi is a worthwhile target. Dipoto has made it known he’s a fan of the 27-year-old Kikuchi, who figures to sign a deal long enough to make him a factor on Seattle’s next good team – if the GM’s plan works, of course. Regardless of whether Kikuchi becomes the latest Japanese star to join the Mariners, it would be wise for them to pursue other vet arms – both starters and relievers. They could search for their next LeBlanc, who was unexpectedly effective in 2018 after signing a cheap, major league deal, and perhaps flip the player(s) at the deadline for more prospects. Safeco Field is a good place for a pitcher to improve his stock, after all.
  • Bolster bench depth. The M’s projected bench for 2019 includes David Freitas, Ryon Healy and Kristopher Negron, with minor leaguers Dan Vogelbach, Joey Curletta, Kaleb Cowart, Dylan Moore, John Andreoli and Braden Bishop also in the 40-man fold. Aside from the mediocre Healy, there’s not an established major leaguer in the bunch. On one hand, there’s an argument Seattle should mostly stick with that group and see if anyone is capable of grabbing a role in the majors. On the other, it wouldn’t hurt to bring in vets on minor league deals or perhaps cheap MLB pacts, potentially giving the M’s more players to flip for youth during the season.

Los Angeles Angels

  • Continue searching for starters. Having added Cahill and Matt Harvey in free agency, it’s possible the Angels’ heavy lifting is done in their rotation. It probably shouldn’t be, though, as neither of the Angels’ new additions are all that trustworthy. Elsewhere in their rotation, there’s hope for Andrew Heaney, Tyler Skaggs and Jaime Barria, but they also come with question marks. If the Angels are going to make an aggressive push toward contention during Mike Trout’s final two years of control, Keuchel or Kikuchi may give them the front-end starter they don’t seem to have at the moment (the injured Shohei Ohtani excluded). Keuchel would be especially pricey, though, and it’s unknown whether owner Arte Moreno wants to spend much higher than the team’s projected Opening Day payroll of $167MM.
  • Address the bullpen. The Angels are reportedly interested in free agent David Robertson, who’d be a quality pickup for a team in need of shutdown innings late in games. He’s far from the only free-agent reliever capable of boosting the Halos, though. While most of the top free-agent relievers are righties, the team should also have its eye on lefties. After trading Jose Alvarez this month, the sole southpaw reliever on the Angels’ 40-man is Williams Jerez, who struggled mightily across 15 major league innings in 2018.
  • Buy infield insurance. The Angels are golden at shortstop with Andrelton Simmons, but the rest of their infield picture looks somewhat bleak. What if Zack Cozart scuffles again after an injury-shortened 2018? What if David Fletcher doesn’t hit enough to hold down a starting job? What if the newly signed Justin Bour puts up a second straight disappointing offensive season? Those are all valid questions the Halos have to consider, meaning they should be monitoring the market with the fear that their infield plans (Simmons aside) could go awry next season. They’re reportedly interested in free agent Josh Harrison, who’d provide a nice fallback option at both second and third. Fellow free agent Marwin Gonzalez, who can play every infield position and both corner outfield spots, would make even more sense. However, he may be out of the Angels’ price range.

Texas Rangers

  • Land more pitching. The rebuilding Rangers may trade their top starter, Mike Minor, but even if they keep him, there’s room to add to their rotation. The club already made one noteworthy pickup in Lance Lynn, whom it signed to a three-year, $30MM contract this month. With Lynn in the mix, the Rangers are likely now pushing for Kikuchi, who could slot in near the top of their rotation for several years. Besides Kikuchi, Texas should be focusing on low-cost stopgaps who can eat innings and allow young hurlers such as Jonathan Hernandez, Taylor Hearn, Brock Burke and Joe Palumbo to get more seasoning in the minors. Assuming Minor goes, Lynn would be the Rangers’ only decent bet to handle a heavy workload next season. Edinson Volquez and Drew Smyly may join Lynn in that regard, but it’s hard to be overly optimistic considering the recent arm problems which have stalled their careers. Similarly, despite the presence of lights-out closer Jose Leclerc, bullishness likely isn’t merited with Texas’ bullpen. As a non-contender, the team shouldn’t be splurging on any free-agent relievers, but it’s a logical landing spot for affordable veterans who could potentially become trade candidates during the season. The Rangers have already inked two such arms in Jesse Chavez (two years, $8MM), whom they signed last winter, traded over the summer and brought back this offseason, and Jeanmar Gomez (minor league deal).
  • Consider trading Leclerc and others. Although he enjoyed his best season in 2018, the Rangers just traded 25-year-old infielder Jurickson Profar because they didn’t believe he’d stick around for the long haul. Perhaps we’ll see even more deals along those lines from general manager Jon Daniels prior to next season. The Rangers may not have a more appealing trade chip than the 25-year-old Leclerc, whose value is likely at its zenith. Texas may try to extend Leclerc as a result, but there’s a legitimate case the team should trade him this offseason. The Rangers aren’t ready to win, and a shutdown closer isn’t a must-have piece for a team in that position. Leclerc’s controllable for the next four years, including one more pre-arb campaign, and would probably net a bounty in return. The likes of Minor, Nomar Mazara, Joey Gallo and Shin-Soo Choo also shouldn’t be untouchable, though they would bring back more modest packages than Leclerc. The club may simply hold Mazara and Gallo – who are under control for three and four more years, respectively – as opposed to selling low. The two were closer to average than spectacular in 2018, but youth is on the duo’s side (Gallo’s 25, Mazara’s 23), meaning one or both could emerge as long-term core members in Arlington. At 36 and with two years left on his deal, Choo’s time with the Rangers is waning. Choo can still produce offensively, but as an expensive DH/corner outfielder who’s on the wrong end of the aging curve, he’d probably be impossible to trade without taking back another team’s undesirable contract in return. That may not be worth the trouble for the Rangers.
  • Address third base. After the revered Adrian Beltre retired last month, third base temporarily belonged to Profar. Now that Profar’s gone, the Rangers’ No. 1 option at the hot corner looks to be Patrick Wisdom, whom they acquired from the Cardinals during the Winter Meetings. A first-round pick of the Redbirds back in 2012, Wisdom finally debuted in the majors last year and held his own, albeit over just 58 plate appearances. Maybe the 27-year-old will take the opportunity in Texas and run with it, but in the meantime, it appears the club will add a veteran fallback. Harrison and Matt Davidson are among the players who have been connected to the Rangers in the rumor mill.
Share 0 Retweet 6 Send via email0

Houston Astros Los Angeles Angels MLBTR Originals Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Texas Rangers

110 comments

Minor Transactions: 12/29/18

By Connor Byrne | December 29, 2018 at 10:16pm CDT

The latest minor moves from around baseball…

  • The KT Wiz of the Korea Baseball Organization have re-signed outfielder Mel Rojas Jr. to a one-year, $1.6MM deal, per the Korea Joongang Daily (h/t to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net). The 28-year-old, who’s the son of former major league pitcher Mel Rojas, had been seeking a big league job earlier this offseason, as Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported. Rojas has already been a member of two MLB organizations – Pittsburgh, which used a third-round pick on him in 2010, and Atlanta – but didn’t crack the bigs with either club. While the switch-hitting Rojas only registered a .701 OPS in 3,369 combined plate appearances in those teams’ systems, his production has skyrocketed in Asia. Since immigrating to the KBO prior to 2017, Rojas has slashed .303/.377/.579 with 61 home runs – including 43 last season – across 1,012 PAs.
Share 0 Retweet 7 Send via email0

Transactions Mel Rojas

11 comments

Poll: Yasmani Grandal’s Next Contract

By Connor Byrne | December 29, 2018 at 7:39pm CDT

Yasmani Grandal entered free agency as the clear-cut best catcher on the open market, but he remains without a job nearly two months after the offseason began. Part of that seems to be Grandal’s own doing, as the longtime Dodger reportedly turned down a generous proposal from the Mets – a four-year, $60MM offer. In the wake of Grandal’s rejection, the Mets pivoted to the No. 2 catcher in free agency, Wilson Ramos, whom they reeled in on a two-year, $19MM guarantee.

At the outset of the offseason, MLBTR predicted Grandal would score a four-year, $64MM contract and listed the Mets, Nationals, Rangers, Twins, Red Sox, Astros, Angels, Phillies, Braves and Rockies as potential suitors. The Twins, Red Sox, Astros, Philllies and Rockies could still be in the mix for the 30-year-old Grandal, though at least some of those teams may prefer to swing a deal for Marlins trade chip J.T. Realmuto.

It’s doubtful the other clubs are in on Grandal, on the other hand. The Nationals have already added Yan Gomes and Kurt Suzuki this winter, thus taking them out of the running for free-agent catchers who will garner major league contracts and Realmuto. The Rangers could still use a catcher, having parted with Robinson Chirinos at the start of the offseason and signed the offensively challenged Jeff Mathis, but it would be surprising to see the rebuilding franchise spend big on a 30-something player. The Angels showed interest in Grandal earlier this month, but they may be out of the equation after signing free agent Jonathan Lucroy on Friday. The Braves, meanwhile, re-signed Tyler Flowers toward the end of last season and then reunited with Brian McCann on a $2MM guarantee in free agency, giving them a pair of respected veterans.

While at least a few of the above teams may be eyeing Grandal, the only ones that have actually shown reported interest in him this winter have been the Dodgers, Reds, White Sox and the aforementioned Mets, Astros and Angels. It doesn’t appear Grandal’s going to return to the Dodgers in 2019, though, considering multiple reports have indicated they aren’t keen on bringing him back on anything other than a short-term deal. The White Sox have signed James McCann since they were first publicly connected to Grandal, and they also have capable veteran backstop Welington Castillo on hand. Cincinnati, which selected Grandal 12th overall in the 2010 draft, may still be a candidate to sign him, but it has a passable, low-cost starter in Tucker Barnhart and seems more focused on upgrading its rotation than its situation behind the plate.

The Dodgers already tried to bring Grandal back in 2019 on a $17.9MM qualifying offer, but he declined it, meaning it would cost a team significant major league payroll space, a draft pick and international bonus pool allotments to sign him. Grandal’s status as a QO recipient takes away from his appeal to some degree, yet he has nonetheless been among the majors’ most accomplished catchers over the past several years.

Since 2014, which he spent with the Padres, the switch-hitting Grandal ranks top five at his position in home runs (104; third), wRC+ (115; third) and fWAR (12.2; fifth). And while Grandal had some well-documented problems as a defender in the 2018 postseason, he’s still a highly regarded pitch framer who has thrown out a roughly league-average percentage of base stealers in his career. Clearly, then, Grandal shouldn’t have trouble finding a lucrative contract prior to next season. But it’s an open question whether he erred in saying no to the Mets’ $60MM offer.

(poll link for app users)

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Share 0 Retweet 5 Send via email0

Los Angeles Dodgers MLBTR Originals MLBTR Polls Yasmani Grandal

127 comments
« Previous Page
Load More Posts

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.

    Braves Designate Craig Kimbrel For Assignment

    Corbin Burnes To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Braves Select Craig Kimbrel

    Jerry Reinsdorf, Justin Ishbia Reach Agreement For Ishbia To Obtain Future Majority Stake In White Sox

    White Sox To Promote Kyle Teel

    Sign Up For Trade Rumors Front Office Now And Lock In Savings!

    Pablo Lopez To Miss Multiple Months With Teres Major Strain

    MLB To Propose Automatic Ball-Strike Challenge System For 2026

    Giants Designate LaMonte Wade Jr., Sign Dominic Smith

    Reds Sign Wade Miley, Place Hunter Greene On Injured List

    Padres Interested In Jarren Duran

    Royals Promote Jac Caglianone

    Mariners Promote Cole Young, Activate Bryce Miller

    2025-26 MLB Free Agent Power Rankings: May Edition

    Evan Phillips To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    AJ Smith-Shawver Diagnosed With Torn UCL

    Reds Trade Alexis Díaz To Dodgers

    Rockies Sign Orlando Arcia

    Ronel Blanco To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Recent

    Submit Your Questions For This Week’s Episode Of The MLBTR Podcast

    Latest On Dodgers’ Rotation

    The Opener: Phillies, Wade, Perez, Dodgers, Padres

    Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.

    Blue Jays Notes: Scherzer, Varsho, Francis

    Pirates Reportedly Receiving Interest In Isiah Kiner-Falefa

    Angels Sign Ben Gamel To Minor League Deal

    Blue Jays Recall Spencer Turnbull For Season Debut

    Orioles Notes: Westburg, Mullins, O’Neill

    Tigers Notes: Vierling, Olson, Urquidy, Boyd

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2024-25 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Nolan Arenado Rumors
    • Dylan Cease Rumors
    • Luis Robert Rumors
    • Marcus Stroman Rumors

     

    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2024-25 Offseason Outlook Series
    • 2025 Arbitration Projections
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version