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White Sox Will Not Retain Hitting Coaches

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The White Sox have announced that they will not retain hitting coach Todd Steverson, as James Fegan of The Athletic was among those to cover on Twitter. Assistant hitting coach Greg Sparks will also not be brought back.

Steverson has been in his position since 2014, representing a rather lengthy run for a hitting coach. He has previously coached with the Athletics. Sparks had a three-year run as Steverson’s assistant.

Otherwise, the staff under manager Rick Renteria will remain unchanged. The White Sox had to be thrilled with the strides made by some hitters — Tim Anderson, Yoan Moncada, James McCann — but the overall offensive output fell below league average. That’s certainly not the sole fault of Steverson and Sparks, but the organization obviously decided those weren’t the right people to drive future improvements at the plate.

Red Sox Will Not Retain Assistant Hitting Coach Andy Barkett

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The Red Sox have decided not to bring back assistant hitting coach Andy Barkett, as Alex Speier of the Boston Globe first reported. The 46-year-old had been in the role for two seasons.

Further coaching decisions aren’t yet known, though Speier notes that head hitting coach Tim Hyers is expected to return in the same capacity. While Barkett is said to have been valued as a communicator, Speier suggests that an analytical approach may be preferred in the role.

Rays Announce Wild Card Roster

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As the Athletics did shortly before them, the Rays have announced their 25-man roster for tonight’s Wild Card showdown in Oakland. They’ll carry 10 pitchers, as Tampa Bay looks to have loaded up on right-handed bench bats in anticipation not only of lefty starter Sean Manaea but of the Athletics’ five left-handed relief options. Conversely, Tampa Bay is only carrying three lefty pitchers, as Oakland’s lineup is predominantly right-handed.

Right-handed pitchers

Left-handed pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Absent from Tampa Bay’s roster are deadline pickup Eric Sogard and slugging young first baseman Nate Lowe, both of whom hit left-handed. The Rays also opted against carrying outfielder Guillermo Heredia and late-season speed specialist Johnny Davis in tonight’s winner-take-all setting.

A look at this iteration of the Rays underscores the enormous amount of work that general manager Erik Neander, senior vice president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom and the rest of the Rays’ front office have done in reshaping the roster over the past 18 months. Tampa Bay’s roster features 15 players who weren’t even in the organization on Opening Day 2018. Of this group of 25 players, only seven were on the Rays’ Opening Day roster to begin the 2018 season.

In fact, the Rays’ playoff roster not only contains 15 players who weren’t with the organization on Opening Day 2018 but 17 players whom it acquired via trade (counting Drake, d’Arnaud and Roe, each of whom was acquired for cash considerations or, ostensibly, purchased from another club). The only drafted/originally signed Rays on tonight’s roster are Kiermaier, Lowe, Snell, Yarbrough, Castillo and Brosseau (who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2016). Morton and Garcia signed as free agents this past offseason.

Athletics Announce Wild Card Roster

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The Athletics have formally announced their roster for this year’s Wild Card game against the Rays. They’ll head into tonight’s sudden-death showdown with 11 pitchers, headlined by resurgent top starter Sean Manaea.

Right-handed pitchers

Left-handed pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

The fact that Manaea is in line to start tonight’s contest is remarkable for multiple reasons. The lefty underwent shoulder surgery last August that, at the time, was expected to not only end his 2018 season but quite likely his 2019 campaign. Over the course of the current season, though, Manaea passed recovery milestones and benchmarks well ahead of schedule — enough that he was able to make it back to a big league mound at Yankee Stadium on Sept. 1.

Talented as Manaea was known to be, few could’ve expected the type of otherworldly production he’s shown since activation. In five starts, he’s given the A’s 29 2/3 innings of 1.21 ERA ball with a 30-to-7 K/BB ratio and just three home runs allowed. He didn’t face a dominant series of lineups down the stretch, squaring off against the Tigers, Rangers (twice) and Mariners in addition to the more formidable Yankees, but that level of output immediately upon returning from major shoulder surgery is nevertheless impressive.

One name that is notably absent, as was first reported by Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, is right fielder Stephen Piscotty. The decision to carry Barreto over Piscotty boiled down to the simple matter of health, manager Bob Melvin explained in that interview with Slusser. Piscotty missed a month with a sprained ankle late in the year, and while he returned in time to take four at-bats in the Athletics’ regular-season finale, the club felt Barreto’s superior speed was a better use of the roster spot. The A’s could, of course, change gears and carry Piscotty on the roster in the ALDS if they advance beyond tonight’s one-game playoff.

More broadly looking at the Oakland roster, it’s punctuated by a rather large number of rookies. Not only have none of Luzardo, Puk, Neuse, Murphy or Brown played a full season in the big leagues — none of those five had even played in a single Major League game prior to Aug. 21. Barreto, meanwhile, has seen action in parts of three Major League seasons but still has just 209 plate appearances at the game’s top level under his belt.

Oakland isn’t carrying veteran starters Tanner Roark, Homer Bailey or Brett Anderson on its single-game roster, either, although as with Piscotty, they can be added back into the mix for the Divisional round of play in the event of an A’s victory tonight.

Latest On Angels’ Managerial Vacancy

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Owner Arte Moreno, frustrated with the Angels’ fourth consecutive losing season, was the one who ultimately pushed for a managerial change, reports Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. And although the timing of Brad Ausmus’ dismissal as Angels manager aligned rather conveniently with the news that Joe Maddon was out as Cubs manager, general manager Billy Eppler said in a conference call yesterday that Ausmus’ status was being debated even before the availability of other veteran candidates (i.e. Joe Maddon) was known.

Perhaps most interestingly, Fletcher adds that while there’s been heavy speculation about the Angels and Maddon, there had been no contact between the two sides as of Tuesday. Maddon wasn’t fired and is technically under contract with the Cubs through the end of October, although the Cubs organization clearly wouldn’t stand in the way of him talking with other teams at this point.

A lack of contact between the two sides certainly doesn’t mean that there won’t be any at all. To the contrary, it’d be a genuine surprise if Maddon didn’t emerge as a viable contender for the job. At the same time, the fact that the two sides haven’t even talked suggests that Maddon to the Angels perhaps isn’t set in stone. To that end, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger lists Angels special assistant Eric Chavez, Astros bench coach Joe Espada and former Yankees manager Joe Girardi as possible candidates. Girardi, who publicly voiced a desire to return to the dugout just this morning, knows Eppler quite well from the pair’s days with the Yankees. Eppler, though, made clear yesterday that he needs to sit down with Moreno and team president John Carpino to formulate a list of interview candidates.

Furthermore, Eppler was emphatic in taking accountability for the Angels’ poor season. “I want to make it clear Brad is not solely responsible for the result of our season,” said the GM in yesterday’s call. “The majority of our short-term acquisitions that we made this past offseason did not produce to their forecast. And those failures lie with me.”

Indeed, the trio of Matt Harvey, Trevor Cahill and Cody Allen proved unproductive, although Eppler did make some shrewd pickups over the past year. Right-hander Hansel Robles has proven to be one of the more successful waiver claims in recent memory, and Eppler nabbed another waiver gem just prior to Opening Day when he claimed Brian Goodwin off release waivers from the Royals organization. Those additions might’ve provided some bright spots this season, but the team’s starting pitching situation remains bleak and will surely be an area of focus for the Angels as the offseason approaches.

Joe Girardi: “I Want To Manage Again”

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Former Yankees and Marlins manager Joe Girardi hasn’t been in the dugout since the Yankees opted not to re-sign him after the 2017 season, but he made clear in an appearance with Mully & Haugh on 670 The Score AM this morning that he’s interested not only in the Cubs’ current vacancy but in any of the managerial gigs available this winter (Twitter links). “Any job out there is going to interest me, because I want to manage again,” said the 2006 NL Manager of the Year. Girardi added that he won’t comment on whether he has an interview lined up with the Cubs or any other team.

Girardi has previously discussed his desire to get back into the dugout and earlier this year even expressed an openness to managing a rebuilding club. He’s been working as an analyst for the MLB Network since last year. Girardi interviewed for several openings in the 2018-19 offseason, including the Rangers, Blue Jays and Reds, although he ultimately withdrew his name from consideration in Cincinnati’s search. Texas and Toronto, meanwhile went with younger and/or less-experienced options in Chris Woodward and Charlie Montoyo, respectively.

An even greater slate of managerial vacancies will likely present itself to Girardi and other candidates this winter, as the Padres, Royals, Cubs, Angels, Pirates and Giants, at the very least, will be seeking new skippers. The Phillies and Mets could yet join them in that regard, as rumors surrounding the status of Gabe Kapler and Mickey Callaway continue to swirl.

Girardi, who’ll turn 55 later this month, has spent 11 seasons as a big league manager and compiled a 910-710 record during regular-season play. He was at the helm for the Yankees’ most recent World Series win back in 2009 and has an overall record of 28-24 in postseason play. Given his track record and vocal stance on wanting to manage again, Girardi will join Joe Maddon among the more high-profile candidates seeking a new opportunity this winter.

Atkins: Blue Jays Will Prioritize Pitching, Increase Offseason Spending

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The Blue Jays and their fans were surely excited to see a potential wave of young talent reach the Majors, with Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Cavan Biggio all debuting in 2019, but the team’s pitching proved to be a disaster. Toronto starters posted a combined 5.25 ERA, and that number includes Marcus Stroman’s pre-trade contributions. Cut out his 124 2/3 innings of 2.96 ERA ball, and non-Stroman Blue Jays starters recorded a 5.74 ERA.

As such, it was hardly a surprise to hear general manager Ross Atkins declare that his organization plans to “look for pitching in every possible way” this offseason when meeting with the media yesterday (Twitter link via Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet). That’s probably a bit of hyperbole, as no one’s expecting the Jays to be prime suitors for Gerrit Cole or Madison Bumgarner. However, Atkins also suggested that simply acquiring filler won’t be good enough. Rather, the the Jays need arms they can “count on” to “contribute in significant ways.”

Currently, the Blue Jays’ rotation is virtually bereft of certainty. Trent Thornton led Toronto starters with 139 1/3 innings. But while he showed an ability to miss bats and had some positive stretches, the collective results (5.04 ERA, 4.80 FIP) were lackluster. No other pitcher currently on the Jays’ roster even tossed 70 innings as a starter. Right-hander Jacob Waguespack managed a 4.13 ERA with lesser peripherals in 65 1/3 innings. Injuries wiped out Ryan Borucki’s season. Veteran Matt Shoemaker gave the Jays 28 2/3 innings with a 1.57 ERA (3.95 FIP) before suffering an ACL tear early in the season. Lefty Anthony Kay, acquired in the Stroman trade, should get a chance to log a high volume of innings next year.

The Blue Jays, notably, still have Shoemaker under club control. He signed last winter after being non-tendered by the Angels but only had four-plus years of service time. He’s still shy of six years of service, meaning the Blue Jays can control him via arbitration. Atkins didn’t tip his hand with regard to Shoemaker’s status, though Nicholson-Smith suggests that Shoemaker is open to a multi-year deal (Twitter link). Such an arrangement, presumably, would buy out Shoemaker’s final arbitration season and give Toronto an additional year of relatively cheap control. Simply retaining Shoemaker via arbitration wouldn’t be an onerous financial commitment, as his 2019 salary checked in at just $3.5MM.

Realistically, though, the Blue Jays shouldn’t fret much over any levels of spending. Toronto has only $29MM in guaranteed money on the books in 2020, and their arbitration class only features one player in line for a notable raise: closer Ken Giles, who’ll be an offseason trade candidate anyway. Giles is due a raise on this season’s $6.3MM salary. Beyond him, Shoemaker, Devon Travis ($1.925MM in 2019), Ryan Tepera ($1.525MM), Brandon Drury ($1.3MM), Ryan Dull ($860K), Derek Law (pre-arb) and Luke Maile (pre-arb) are the only players who are in line for raises. Travis, Dull and Maile are non-tender candidates.

To that end, Atkins indicated that the Jays plan to spend more aggressively this winter than in the past two offseasons, stating that the “overall outlay will be more significant” than last year while voicing a willingness to add salary in trades (Twitter link via Nicholson-Smith). Even looking past the market’s elite options, there’ll be useful starters for the Blue Jays to pursue. Jake Odorizzi, Dallas Keuchel and Tanner Roark are among the many second-tier options in free agency, and the trade market should offer additional names. Toronto isn’t lacking in outfield options that could be made available to other teams, with Anthony Alford, Derek Fisher, Teoscar Hernandez, Jonathan Davis and Billy McKinney all on the 40-man roster (in addition to the well-compensated Randal Grichuk and breakout left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.). None of that bunch is going to headline a deal for a marquee name, of course, but any could be a piece in a theoretical deal.

Looking to the team’s collection of position players, that glut of outfielders and the aforementioned emergence of several key infielders should give the team a promising (but still raw) lineup. Bichette and Biggio will comprise the team’s middle-infield tandem next season, and Atkins emphasized that the Jays are committed to Guerrero at third base, though they want him to improve his conditioning in the offseason. Danny Jansen showed pop and elite defensive skills behind the plate, even if his overall .207/.279/.360 batting line was obviously weak. He had a fairly productive three-month stretch from June to August (.243/.310/.459, 10 homers in 203 plate appearances), so there’s some hope for better days ahead.

A reunion with Justin Smoak at first base isn’t out of the question, Nicholson-Smith tweets, but the Jays have Rowdy Tellez as an option there and will likely look at more defensively versatile options in free agency. “It’d be nice to consider alternatives that are more flexible, can play other positions as well,” Atkins said. Speculatively speaking, Todd Frazier, Neil Walker, Brock Holt and Jedd Gyorko are among the many infield options on this year’s market who have experience at multiple positions, and as with the pitching market, there will be alternatives available via trade.

It should be noted that a promise of increased offseason spending doesn’t necessarily mean an increase in the team’s Major League payroll. Toronto opened the 2019 season at $114.5MM, and given the numerous pre-arbitration players occupying key roster spots, upping the actual payroll would mean taking on perhaps more than $60MM in 2020 salary alone. That may technically be plausible based on previous payroll levels — the Jays peaked at $163MM in 2017 — but team president Mark Shapiro cautioned against being the team that “wins the offseason” only to fall shy of postseason play. A more aggressive winter seems certain, but the Jays probably won’t be going for broke just yet.

Quick Hits: Kluber, Freese, Kapler

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A quick look around Major League Baseball, which is now down to nine teams vying for a World Series…

  • With their season having ended earlier than expected, the Indians are now facing an important decision on star right-hander Corey Kluber, who has a $17.5MM club option (or a $1MM buyout) for 2020. As of Sunday, the club’s higher-ups and Kluber hadn’t discussed his future, he told Zack Meisel of The Athletic (subscription required). It’s hard to believe the Indians would buy Kluber out, though the two-time AL Cy Young winner is coming off an abbreviated season in which he struggled to a bloated 5.80 ERA (with a much better 4.06 FIP) in 35 2/3 innings. Kluber wasn’t able to make it back after suffering a right forearm fracture May 1, thereby ending a run of five straight seasons with 200-plus frames. Indians manager Terry Francona found a silver lining in Kluber’s truncated season and made it sound as if the longtime ace will stick with the club in 2020, saying: “Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise for next year. I mean, we leaned on him pretty heavy for six years.”
  • The Dodgers re-signed first baseman David Freese for $4.5MM last offseason, though the veteran nearly retired after their World Series loss to the Red Sox, per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times. In the end, however, the “deep mutual interest” Freese and the Dodgers had in a reunion won out, Castillo writes. “I came back because this was everything I wanted to be a part of. And it was worth another year to get up for 180 games and just get after it,” said Freese, who, as Castillo details, seems universally respected in the organization. It doesn’t hurt that the 36-year-old has thrived with the bat this season, having batted a spectacular .315/.403/.599 with 11 home runs in 186 plate appearances. The former World Series hero with the Cardinals will have another chance at a memorable October this year, though this postseason could prove to be the end of the line for Freese, Castillo suggests.
  • It wouldn’t have been a surprise if the Phillies jettisoned maligned manager Gabe Kapler after their disappointing season ended Sunday. A couple days later, though, they still haven’t announced whether he’ll return for a third year. But it’s “likely” they’ll make Kapler’s fate known on Wednesday, Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The Kapler-led Phillies just concluded a second straight season in which a summer implosion canceled out a promising start. Philadelphia went 80-82 under Kapler in 2018, and despite an incredibly active offseason, the club only mustered an 81-81 mark this year.

Reds Rumors: Grandal, Bullpen, Senzel

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Tuesday was an active one for the Reds, who made a few changes to their coaching staff. Here’s more from Cincinnati…

  • The Brewers’ season reached a heartbreaking end Tuesday, leaving the club to turn its attention to the offseason. One of its priorities could be re-signing catcher Yasmani Grandal, who will surely decline his half of a $16MM mutual option for 2020 in order to reach free agency for the second straight winter. As easily the premier catcher who’s on the verge of hitting the open market, Grandal figures to draw plenty of interest from outside clubs. Expectations are that the division-rival Reds will be among the teams that pursue Grandal, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports. Now 30, Grandal began his pro career as the 12th overall pick of the Reds in 2010, but he never played a major league game in Cincinnati. The team traded Grandal to San Diego in a 2011 blockbuster, and he has blossomed into one of the majors’ elite catchers since then. Meanwhile, the Reds are coming off a year in which their catchers (primarily Tucker Barnhart and Curt Casali) posted mediocre production. If the Reds are going to upgrade over their current backstops with Grandal, though, they’ll undoubtedly need to put forth a significant offer. Grandal’s among the game’s top soon-to-be free agents, someone who’s ineligible to receive a qualifying offer after getting one last offseason, and it stands to reason he’ll be paid accordingly in the coming months.
  • The Reds will likely try to add one or two left-handers to their bullpen in the offseason, Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes. Aside from Amir Garrett, no southpaw reliever the Reds tried for a decent sample of innings in 2019 was successful. Zach Duke and Wandy Peralta struggled so badly that the Reds cut ties with them before the year ended. Cody Reed enjoyed a promising 6 1/3-inning stretch in May, but a knee injury derailed his season toward the end of that month.
  • More from Nightengale, who reports the club’s “hopeful” it’ll have prized youngster Nick Senzel in the fold when the 2020 season opens. Senzel sat out the final four weeks of the regular season on account of a right shoulder injury that required surgery. Although Senzel spent the year in center field, it’s possible the Reds will add to that position this winter and move him back to the infield – specifically second base – next season, Nightengale notes. The upcoming free-agent class isn’t exactly teeming with obvious center field solutions, however.

Managerial Rumors: Angels, Maddon, Giants, Ibanez, Farrell, Gibbons

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Joe Maddon is reportedly a leading candidate to take over as the Angels’ next manager, but he’s not the lone possibility to replace Brad Ausmus. General manager Billy Eppler stated Tuesday that the Angels “plan on sitting down with a number of candidates” to discuss the job, per Maria Torres of the Los Angeles Times. Maddon’s a highly accomplished manager who earlier spent three decades with the Angels organization in several different roles, which seems to make him a slam-dunk choice for the position. However, it’s worth noting that Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported last week that the Angels might be hesitant to meet Maddon’s asking price. Maddon made $6MM this year with the Cubs, who moved on from him after they fell way short of expectations in 2019.

  • The Giants, who are seeking a successor to Bruce Bochy, are interested in ex-major league outfielder Raul Ibanez, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports.  Ibanez has been working as a special assistant to Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman since 2016, giving him familiarity with the Giants’ Farhan Zaidi. Before Zaidi took the reins as San Francisco’s president of baseball ops last offseason, he worked as the Dodgers’ general manager.
  • Former big league skipper John Farrell remains interested in a third go-around as a manager, Rosenthal tweets. The 57-year-old last managed in 2017, when he oversaw a Red Sox team that finished 93-69 and earned an AL East title. Farrell managed three division winners and a World Series champion (2013) in Boston over five years, though he also guided two last-place clubs during his uneven reign. Prior to that, he managed the Blue Jays to a 154-170 record from 2011-12. Farrell has served as a scout and a pitching consultant in Cincinnati since 2018, and he interviewed for the Phillies’ and Reds’ managerial openings during the previous two offseasons.
  • Fellow ex-Jays manager John Gibbons also could be a possibility for clubs, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com relays. The 57-year-old wants to manage again or at least serve as a bench coach, according to Feinsand. Gibbons lost his job in Toronto after 2018, ending a two-stint, 11-year run with the franchise. He led the club to a 793-789 record with a pair of playoff berths.
  • Astros first base coach Don Kelly is a candidate to draw managerial interest in the coming weeks, Morosi hears. The 39-year-old Kelly, best known for his run as a major league utlityman for the Pirates, Tigers and Marlins from 2007-16, is only in his first season as a coach. He spent the previous two seasons in a pro scouting role with Detroit.

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