Archives for 2019

Closer Market Rumors: Diaz, Vazquez

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2019 at 10:39am CDT

The Mets have numerous top trade chips on the market right now, including marquee offseason acquisition Edwin Diaz. The talented young closer remains highly valuable despite his 4.95 ERA, though it’s likewise true that there’s little chance the Mets would be able to recoup what they gave up to get him over the winter. Beyond the fact that Diaz is now just months away from arbitration, the Mets simply paid a hefty fee for Diaz at the outset. In addition to parting with rising prospects Jarred Kelenic and Justin Dunn, the club took on $64MM in new salary (after netting out the cash and salaries exchanged).

While that’s a particularly painful price in retrospect, the New York organization must now think primarily about what it wants its roster and payroll to look like moving forward. The latest on Diaz and the rest of the closer market:

Despite Diaz’s struggles in the earned-run department, there’s “significant” demand for his services, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription link). At present, the Dodgers, Rays, Braves, and Padres are teams with active interest. Several of those teams have been linked clearly to Diaz of late.
While Rosenthal had also listed the Red Sox, who were connected yesterday to Diaz by ESPN.com’s Buster Olney, it seems that possibility has already fizzed. That match “remains unlikely,” Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports on Twitter. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand adds Raisel Iglesias of the Reds and Shane Greene of the Tigers as other top relievers unlikely to end up in Boston. (Twitter link.) The Braves, on the other hand, do indeed still seem to be in pursuit of Diaz. Per MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, via Twitter, the Mets have continued to examine the Atlanta farm. From the Braves’ side, it seems Diaz is the top target, with starters Noah Syndergaard and Zack Wheeler of ongoing but lesser interest.
If there’s a clear alternative to Diaz, it’s ace Pirates reliever Felipe Vazquez. The high-octane lefty has hit another gear in 2019, with 14.1 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9 to go with his shiny 1.87 ERA on the season. We’ve seen him connected recently to the Dodgers, but there’s no indication the sides have momentum. Indeed, Rosenthal adds (in the above-linked column) that the Bucs are putting such a high price on Vazquez that he “essentially is not available.” That may be a bargaining ploy to see if a rival comes forward with a monster offer, but it’s certainly understandable that the Pirates aren’t just putting Vazquez up for auction. Rosenthal cites anonymous front office opinion that the Pittsburgh roster doesn’t have enough to compete in the near-term to justify keeping an asset such as Vazquez. That may well be the case, but it doesn’t mean the club should sell him short — particularly after seeing what the M’s were able to pry from the Mets for Diaz last winter.

Indians Showing Interest In Justin Smoak, Nicholas Castellanos

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2019 at 10:20am CDT

10:19am: Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos is also a possible target for the Indians, per MLB.com’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter). It is not clear from the report whether the teams are engaged in talks.

9:38am: The Indians are “among [the] teams looking at” Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network (via Twitter). Smoak, a switch-hitter, is earning $8MM this year before reaching free agency at season’s end.

It’s not surprising to see the Cleveland organization exploring possible offensive-oriented additions. The club has received a big contribution from Carlos Santana at first base, but hasn’t settled on a steady designated hitter.

Plugging in the 32-year-old Smoak would make for a nice lineup boost for the Indians. Smoak is slashing .215/.357/.427 this year with 18 long balls in 359 plate appearances. That’s shy of his output in the preceding two seasons, but still handily above-average production.

No doubt the Indians also see a bit of an opportunity to buy low on a player that may not draw much demand elsewhere, due in no small part to the lack of American League buyers and his defensive limitations. Smoak is drawing walks at a hefty rate (16.7%) and seems rather unfortunate to carry only a .220 batting average on balls in play. Statcast credits him with a big .388 xwOBA based upon the quality of contact he has made, which is much higher than his .342 wOBA.

Even as the Indians consider scenarios in which they’d part with starter Trevor Bauer, they’re hardly looking at a sell-off. The club weathered a tough start to the season and presently sits just two games back of the Twins.

Trey Mancini Drawing Interest

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2019 at 9:26am CDT

Orioles outfielder Trey Mancini hasn’t been a hot name in the run-up to the trade deadline, but MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets that he’s coming up in late talks. The Astros, Rangers, and Rays are all said to have interest.

Mancini, 27, will be eligible for arbitration for the first time in the offseason to come. He’s off to an excellent start at the plate, putting a subpar 2018 season in the rearview mirror. Through 434 plate appearances, Mancini is slashing .280/.341/.532. He grabbed the 50th spot on our ranking of the top trade candidates based upon his evident talent and contractual upside.

For the O’s, nothing is bolted to the floor. But the Baltimore club surely isn’t in a rush to trade its best player, particularly since he’s a marketable figure at an organizational low point. Lovely as Camden Yards is standing alone, stars are needed to bring fans in and send merchandise out of the ballpark gates.

The slate of clubs with interest is itself both interesting and telling. It’s clear that Mancini isn’t a classic trade deadline piece, so much as a very good player with a great contract situation who is drawing teams that are interested in him from a talent standpoint. Roster fit and the situation in the standings are to some extent secondary considerations.

For the Astros, adding Mancini would mean putting another big bat into a lineup mix that’s already strewn with them. The priority in Houston is surely pitching. One wonders whether the connection is based upon some scenarios involving multiple other moving pieces.

The Rangers, meanwhile, are all but buried out of contention. But the team is looking to remain competitive and ramp right back up next year. Coming away with Mancini would mean adding a righty slugger to partner up with star Joey Gallo. The Texas org obviously wouldn’t be valuing Mancini for his late-2019 contributions, but for the three years of control thereafter.

It’s also a bit of an opportunistic possibility for the Rays, who have more immediate incentive than the Rangers but less than the Astros. The Tampa Bay club is always searching for value and has been connected to multiple righty outfield bats, so it isn’t surprising to see that they’ve propped open a door on Mancini. With loads of young talent, especially in the infield, it’s possible the Rays could come up with some creative packages in search of a match with their division rivals.

Zack Wheeler Rumors: Astros Increasingly Seen As Favorite

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2019 at 8:55am CDT

We just knighted Mets righty Zack Wheeler the top trade deadline candidate in baseball. The results haven’t been there in 2019, but he’s got a power arsenal and is earning less than $6MM on the season. With deadline pressure reaching a breaking point, there ought to be a ton of chatter on him over the next day and a half.

We’ll keep tabs on all the latest right here:

The Astros are “working hard” to land Wheeler, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports (subscription link). Despite the Houston organization’s stated intention to consider controllable starters, it seems the club has fixed its sights on Wheeler. Andy Martino of SNY.tv tweets that one rival exec “fully expect[s]” the ’Stros to come away with the righty.
Other teams obviously will remain involved until a deal is struck. Last night, Martino cited the Braves, Brewers, Yankeees, Rays, and Athletics as teams with varying levels of ongoing involvement in the Wheeler market. (Twitter links.) That picture could certainly change rapidly, though it stands to reason that each of those clubs will at least want to have a good sense of the price tag as talks work towards a conclusion.
As they continue to hold discussions on fellow righty Noah Syndergaard, the Mets “still seem much more likely” to ship out Wheeler, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. Frankly, it’s hard to imagine a reasonable scenario where Wheeler isn’t dealt unless the offers are so low that the Mets would rather hang onto him and make him a qualifying offer at season’s end. That’s not a terrible back-up plan, but it makes much more sense to take the bird in hand at the deadline given the evident levels of interest. (As for the concept of a Wheeler extension, that seems far too speculative to drive the team’s deadline strategy.)

Top 75 Trade Candidates At The Deadline

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2019 at 8:34am CDT

This is the final update to our annual ranking of top trade candidates in the run-up to the trade deadline, drawing from our power ranking approach to pending free agents. You can check out the original list (and review the methodology) here and find the second list here. Essentially, we’re ordering players based upon our assessment of both their trade value and likelihood of being dealt.

It’s subjective; it’s debatable; and that’s what makes it fun. Without further ado:

1. Zack Wheeler, SP, Mets (LR: 3): There’s a report saying the Mets might try to extend him, but … when are those talks going to take place? Wheeler bounced back from an injury scare with a sturdy outing in which he had all his velocity. He’s a potential impact rental piece. It’s time to move him.

2-4. Nicholas Castellanos (Tigers), Corey Dickerson (Pirates) & Yasiel Puig (Reds), OF (LR: 6, 20, NR): The corner outfield market has crystallized quite a bit in recent weeks. Each of these players is earning a fairly steep salary but has also been quite productive of late. If you need to add some thump to your outfield mix, these are your top rental options.

5-7. Noah Syndergaard (Mets), Mike Minor (Rangers) & Robbie Ray (Diamondbacks), SP (LR: 30, 31, 32): These are the likeliest remaining non-rental starters to be moved this summer. Reports have wavered on all three in the run-up to to the deadline; perhaps their teams have as well. These are talented and productive starters with appealing contract situations, playing for teams that can still entertain hopes of 2020 contention. Better bring a good offer.

8-10. Shane Greene (Tigers), Edwin Diaz (Mets) & Felipe Vazquez (Pirates), RP (LR: 8, NR, NR): Greene isn’t in the same tier from a talent standpoint, but he’s also quite a bit more likely than the other two hurlers to be dealt. It makes sense for the Detroit organization to cash him in at a high point, especially since his arb salary will go through the roof next year. Diaz and Vazquez possess the type of talent that moves the needle even for contending teams that seemingly have everything on their rosters. Given their contract situations, they won’t be moved lightly, but it’s possible to imagine blockbusters in both cases.

11. Tanner Roark, SP, Reds (LR: NR): He’s not an exciting pitcher, but he’s as good or better than other sturdy, inning-filling types that have been moved in recent weeks. High odds of a deal unless the Reds shrug and decide to let it ride.

12-13. Matthew Boyd (Tigers) & Caleb Smith (Marlins), SP (LR: 9, 59): These hurlers come with more and cheaper control than the group listed above. They’ve both shown eye-opening improvements this year, but don’t have lengthy track records of MLB success.

14-15. Mychal Givens (Orioles), Raisel Iglesias (Reds), RP (LR: 17, NR): Gone are the days when big save tallies and/or low ERAs drive the deadline. Both of these pitchers have obvious talent and have shown it for lengthy stretches. Contenders have no doubt taken a close look in a bid to understand just why it is the results haven’t been there in 2019. The O’s have every reason to jump on a deal if they can get some appealing young talent. The Reds are reportedly willing to listen on Iglesias, which hasn’t always really been the case.

16-18. Todd Frazier, 3B, Mets; Pablo Sandoval, 3B, Giants; Justin Smoak, 1B/DH, Blue Jays (LR: 13, 14, 15): Welcome to the 2019 corner infield rental market.

19-25. Craig Stammen (Padres), Daniel Hudson (Blue Jays), Greg Holland (Diamondbacks), Francisco Liriano (Pirates), Chris Martin (Rangers), David Hernandez & Jared Hughes (Reds), RP (LR: 41, 44, 42, NR, NR, NR, NR): And here we have the slate of pure rental relief arms. Hernandez is perhaps the most fascinating of the bunch, with excellent K/BB numbers but a brutal 6.92 ERA and recent IL stint.

26. Alex Colome, RP, White Sox (LR: 45): We just aren’t very high on Colome as a trade chip. The late-inning experience is great, as is the 2.27 ERA over 39 2/3 innings. But Colome’s ho-hum peripherals are cause for quite a lot of skepticism and Statcast batted-ball measurements paint him as a massive regression candidate (.223 wOBA vs. .324 xwOBA). With a hefty salary — $7.325MM this year and a save-induced arb raise next year — it just doesn’t seem that Colome is going to command significant offers.

27. Ken Giles (RP), Blue Jays (LR: 4): This is a disappointing situation for the Jays, who were all lined up to cash in on Giles after his exceptional showing throughout the first half of the season. Unfortunately, he’s now dealing with worrying elbow inflammation. Even if he ultimately comes through just fine, there’s sufficient uncertainty to make a deal much less likely than it had seemed. If they can’t secure a big return, the Jays will probably hold onto Giles in hopes that he’ll bounce back in the second half and turn into a winter trade piece (or remain the team’s closer for 2020).

28. Clint Frazier, OF, Yankees (LR: 12): There’s still no path to the Bronx, so it’s likely Frazier ends up on the move. Odds are he’ll go in a deal that brings back a pitcher, but beyond that it’s anyone’s guess on a landing spot.

29. Mike Leake, SP, Mariners (LR: 16): The veteran hurler is sporting a fine 2.59 ERA through 24 1/3 innings this month, making him a nice back-of-the-rotation target. We know the M’s are willing to deal and hold onto salary as necessary to facilitate a move. Leake would rank higher but for the fact that his no-trade rights (along with indications he won’t hesitate to use them) create a complication.

30. Roenis Elias, RP, Mariners (LR: 18): Despite a few stumbles, Elias has mostly delivered solid work in a surprising turn as the Seattle closer.

31. Jarrod Dyson, OF, Diamondbacks (LR: 37): The speedy lefty is a classic deadline rental piece. He’d make sense as a bench outfielder for a number of contenders.

32-33. Zack Greinke (Diamondbacks) & Trevor Bauer (Indians), SP (LR: 32, 34): There are still scenarios where these two excellent hurlers could be moved, but we haven’t heard a significant volume of rumors indicating there’s a major run-up to a deal. Greinke’s limited no-trade rights are a significant factor, while the contending Cleveland organization obviously has ample cause to keep Bauer unless very particular goals are met in a trade.

34-37. Joe Jimenez (Tigers), Joe Biagini (Blue Jays), Jose Leclerc (Rangers) & Amir Garrett (Reds), RP (LR: 58, NR, NR, NR): This is a grouping of controllable relievers with interesting arms, even if the results haven’t always been there. All have been mentioned at some point in the rumor mill, but it’ll take a compelling offer to force their respective teams’ hands.

38. Hunter Pence, OF, Rangers (LR: NR): The surprise All-Star would fill a niche as a right-handed bat and major clubhouse presence for a contender.

39-40. Hunter Renfroe & Franmil Reyes, OF, Padres (LR: 21, 22): It remains difficult to ascertain the intentions of the San Diego organization, but it seems they’re continuing to explore deals involving these controllable corner outfielders. Both have displayed huge power and middling on-base numbers this year.

41-42. Kole Calhoun (Angels) & David Peralta (Diamondbacks), OF (LR: 28, 29): As was the case when we last checked in, these two players remain plausible but hardly certain trade candidates. Teams looking for quality corner outfield bats may be willing to take on the salary and give up some prospect value if they see one of these veteran left-handed-hitters as the best roster fit.

43. Kirby Yates, RP, Padres (LR: 19): Perhaps we’re discounting the possibility of a trade too much here, but there just hasn’t been any particularly compelling chatter about the outstanding San Diego closer. As just suggested above, there are still quite a few fascinating possibilities for the Friars. Anything involving Yates would make for banner news on a thus-far-moribund trade market.

44. Andrew Chafin, RP, Diamondbacks (LR: NR): While he’s carrying a 4.21 ERA in 36 1/3 innings, that’s not of much concern. More importantly, Chafin is sitting at 11.1 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 on the year and has been tough on lefty hitters (.231/.294/.333). With one more season of control remaining, the Snakes have some value here.

45. Daniel Murphy, 1B, Rockies (LR: NR): Murphy is heating up at the plate at the right time if the Colorado club wishes to clear some salary. The Rox have underperformed expectations and seem in position to sell. Trouble is, the organization has little in the way of obvious trade chips unless it puts core pieces up for sale or eats a ton of money on bad contracts.

46. Domingo Santana, OF, Mariners (LR: NR): It seemed that some momentum was building towards a deal, but an elbow injury has reduced the likelihood.

47. Alex Wood, SP, Reds (LR: NR): While he’s only one start into his tenure in Cincinnati, that lone showing may have been enough to facilitate a trade. The Reds could hold on and hope for the best, with Wood perhaps even representing a qualifying offer candidate, but they’d have to strongly consider a trade if they can secure decent terms.

48-50. Whit Merrifield, INF/OF, Royals; Starling Marte, OF, Pirates; Trey Mancini, OF, Orioles (LR: 23, NR, 35): We haven’t seen anything close to dedicated trade chatter involving these high-quality players who possess appealing contract situations. But if a surprise position-player blockbuster goes down, these seem the likeliest candidates.

51-52. Jake McGee & Scott Oberg, RP, Rockies (LR: NR): Both of these relievers would have appeal to contenders, but can the Rox afford to part with their best-performing bullpen pieces if they hope to contend next year?

53-55. Freddy Galvis (Blue Jays), Asdrubal Cabrera & Logan Forsythe (Rangers), INF (LR: 26, NR, NR): A recent lower back injury could cause trade talks to hit the skids, but it’s still possible a team will decide that Galvis is the right piece to add. Meanwhile, the Rangers rental veterans are rather obvious bench piece candidates.

56-59. Danny Santana (Rangers), Tim Beckham (Mariners), Jonathan Villar & Hanser Alberto (Orioles), INF (LR: NR, 55, 56): If you’d rather chase a bit of upside and gain control with your reserve infield addition, these players are worth considering.

60. Adam Jones, OF, Diamondbacks (LR: NR): The eminent veteran hasn’t been at his best, but still seems like a nice bench piece for the right team.

61-63. Martin Maldonado (Cubs), Alex Avila (Diamondbacks) & Chris Iannetta (Rockies), C (LR: 38, 40, NR): Maldonado was dealt since our last ranking, but rumor is he could be moved again.

64. Ian Kennedy, RP, Royals (LR: 49): There hasn’t been much chatter on the veteran, but he remains a candidate to step into a contending bullpen if the Royals are willing to hang onto a big chunk of the remaining salary. There’s some indication they’d rather not.

65-66. Wilson Ramos, C & Justin Wilson, RP, Mets (LR: 53-54): We haven’t seen much indication that either of these veterans will be moved, but both are plausible chips if the Mets decide to try to shave some 2020 payroll obligations.

67. Lance Lynn, SP, Rangers (LR: NR): There’s no indication that Lynn is a major target, but … why not? True, he’s controllable for two more seasons, while Minor only has one remaining. But some contenders may well see Lynn as the better pitcher and be willing to offer more to get him. The Rangers can’t rule anything out.

68-71. Madison Bumgarner (SP) & Will Smith, Sam Dyson & Tony Watson (RP), Giants (LR: 1, 2, 7, 10): We’re generally presuming that the Giants won’t bow out of a Wild Card race that they have now joined. Still, they’ll need to explore the possibilities regarding these short-term assets.

72. Drew Pomeranz, SP/RP, Giants (LR: NR): This is a more likely Giants’ trade piece, if only because the team could decide to clear a roster spot. Pomeranz would make sense for a club that can imagine him functioning in a LOOGY role while also providing some long-man/rotation depth.

73. Melky Cabrera, OF/DH, Pirates (LR: NR): The veteran switch-hitter has cooled off but remains a bench-bat candidate.

74. Charlie Blackmon, OF, Rockies (LR: NR): A somewhat surprising name to the market, Blackmon seems an unlikely trade chip. He’s still a very good hitter, but is lagging in other areas. The contract isn’t terrible but doesn’t seem like much of an asset given his age. It’s just difficult to see something coming together, but the potential remains.

75. Jacob deGrom (LR: 60): We can’t quite quit the idea that deGrom could be moved if an exceptional opportunity comes up. It’s highly unlikely, but you can’t completely rule out a blockbuster until the bell has rung and the deadline has passed.

Other Trade Candidates

Angels: Brian Goodwin, Trevor Cahill, Hansel Robles, Ty Buttrey, Noe Ramirez, Justin Anderson

Astros: Tony Kemp (DFA limbo)

Blue Jays: Aaron Sanchez, David Phelps, Tim Mayza

Brewers: Yasmani Grandal, Mike Moustakas

Cardinals: Harrison Bader, Tyler O’Neill, Lane Thomas, Kolten Wong, Carlos Martinez

Cubs: Ian Happ, Carl Edwards Jr.

Diamondbacks: Wilmer Flores, Zack Godley, Archie Bradley, Yoshihisa Hirano, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Escobar

Giants: Kevin Pillar, Stephen Vogt, Jeff Samardzija, Mark Melancon, Joe Panik, Trevor Gott

Indians: Brad Hand

Mariners: Dee Gordon, Hunter Strickland, Cory Gearrin, Anthony Bass, Tommy Milone, Wade LeBlanc

Marlins: Trevor Richards, Neil Walker, Starlin Castro, Curtis Granderson, Martin Prado, Adam Conley, Wei-Yin Chen

Mets: Dominic Smith, Adeiny Hechavarria, Seth Lugo, Michael Conforto

Nationals: Michael A. Taylor

Orioles: Asher Wojciechowski, Dylan Bundy

Padres: Wil Myers, Manuel Margot, Robbie Erlin

Phillies: Maikel Franco, Nick Williams

Pirates: Chris Archer, Keone Kela

Rangers: Elvis Andrus, Delino DeShields, Shin-Soo Choo, Jesse Chavez

Rays: Joey Wendle, Mike Brosseau, Ji-Man Choi

Reds: Scooter Gennett, Derek Dietrich, Jose Iglesias, Anthony DeSclafani, Michael Lorenzen

Rockies: Yonder Alonso, Drew Butera, Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw

Royals: Billy Hamilton, Danny Duffy, Lucas Duda (DFA limbo), Jorge Soler, Brad Keller, Scott Barlow, Jakob Junis, Alex Gordon

Tigers: Josh Harrison, Jordy Mercer, Niko Goodrum, JaCoby Jones, Gordon Beckham, Jordan Zimmermann, Blaine Hardy, Bobby Wilson (DFA limbo), Buck Farmer

White Sox: Kelvin Herrera, Yolmer Sanchez, Welington Castillo, Ivan Nova, Evan Marshall, James McCann, Aaron Bummer, Jose Abreu

Edinson Volquez Hopes To Return In 2019, Retire Thereafter

By Jeff Todd | July 30, 2019 at 6:26am CDT

Veteran hurler Edinson Volquez says he’d like to make it back to the MLB mound one last time this season, as MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan was among those to report. Regardless, the 36-year-old says he’ll hang up his spikes at season’s end.

Volquez has been rehabbing an elbow strain for most of the season. That came on the heels of a lengthy absence owing to Tommy John surgery, which cost him the second half of 2017 and all of 2018.

Having come this far, Volquez says, he’d like to get back on the bump. “I don’t want to go out like this,” he says. “If there is a chance, I can do it for two months or two weeks, why not.”

Volquez still has to progress to facing live hitters and embark upon a rehab assignment. While the stakes will be low, given his decision not to continue pitching beyond the present season, he’ll need to show he’s capable of holding up to game action.

Odds are, the Rangers will hang onto Volquez and give him a shot to get back to the majors. He agreed to continue working back in part due to the team’s desire to have him around its young players, and the Texas club may well need some serviceable arms down the stretch. That said, Volquez would make for a somewhat interesting, no-risk depth stash for a contender given his 60-day injured list status.

No matter how things shake out at the end of 2019, Volquez will ride off into the sunset as a proud participant in 14 seasons of MLB action, with over fifteen-hundred innings. There have been ups and downs, and Volquez never fully realized his early potential, but he has turned in some quality campaigns. From an ERA & innings standpoint, he was at his best in 2008 with the Reds (3.21 ERA, 196 IP), 2012 with the Padres (4.14, 182 2/3), 2014 with the Pirates (3.04, 192 2/3), and 2015 with the Royals (3.55, 200 1/3). Through 271 starts and 17 relief appearances at the game’s highest level, Volquez owns a 4.43 ERA with 7.7 K/9 and 4.3 BB/9.

In addition to the aforementioned organizations, Volquez pitched for the Dodgers and Marlins. He’ll begin and end his career with the Texas organization … unless he really finds something at the very tail end of 2019. “Maybe if some team offers $10MM, I might change my mind,” says Volquez. “But I just want to come back this year and prove it to myself. I want to go out the front door. I don’t want to go out the back door.”

Latest On Twins’ Pitching Pursuits

By Connor Byrne | July 30, 2019 at 1:30am CDT

Over the past few weeks, the Twins have reportedly pursued trades for several high-profile starters, including right-handers Marcus Stroman and Noah Syndergaard. Stroman, whom the Mets acquired from the Blue Jays on Sunday, is no longer an option for the Twins. Syndergaard, now one of Stroman’s teammates, could still move by Wednesday’s deadline. It doesn’t appear he’s going to end up in Minnesota, though. The Twins have balked at the Mets’ asking price for Syndergaard after turning down the Blue Jays’ requests for Stroman, La Velle E. Neal III of the Star Tribune reports.

Toronto ultimately gave up Stroman for prospects Anthony Kay and Simeon Woods Richardson, two pitchers who do not rank among the game’s top 100 farmhands. On the other hand, the Blue Jays informed the Twins any Stroman trade “had to include” one of shortstop Royce Lewis or outfielder Alex Kirilloff, Neal writes. Lewis and Kirilloff are comfortably within baseball’s top 100 range, and they’re among a select few prospects the Twins may be wholly uninterested in trading for just about anyone.

The Mets, meanwhile, sought a return including center fielder Byron Buxton in their Syndergaard-related discussions with the Twins, according to Neal. Unsurprisingly, giving up Buxton was out of the question for the Twins, who have seen the 25-year-old blossom into a highly valuable member of their AL Central-leading roster. Buxton, moreover, is making just $1.75MM this season and under control via arbitration for the next three years.

Having struck out on Stroman and Syndergaard, the Twins are prepared to move on to relief pursuits, per Neal, who writes they “seem comfortable” with the starters they have. Statistically, their rotation – which consists of Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, Kyle Gibson, Michael Pineda and Martin Perez – has held its own this season.

Minnesota’s bullpen hasn’t been as successful as the team’s starters, and there has been no shortage of recent turnover in its relief corps with the deadline approaching. The Twins parted with Mike Morin, Matt Magill, Adalberto Mejia and Blake Parker after each racked up a solid number of innings for the club earlier in the season. Hoping to upgrade, the Twins acquired the established Sergio Romo from the Marlins on Saturday. It doesn’t appear chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager are going to stop there. They’ve talked to every MLB team with relievers to trade – including the previously reported Padres (Kirby Yates) and Blue Jays (Ken Giles and Daniel Hudson) – and Neal suggests those discussions are likely to continue.

Quick Hits: Domingo S., Rays, Molina, Red Sox, Jays

By Connor Byrne | July 30, 2019 at 1:02am CDT

Although Mariners outfielder Domingo Santana has come up as a potential target for the Rays, it doesn’t look as if the two teams will reach a deal for the slugger. Tampa Bay has “cooled on” Santana, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times reports. Divish cites the elbow problems that have bothered Santana over the past few weeks as a potential reason the Rays have backed off their pursuit. The 26-year-old has endured his worst month of the season, perhaps on account of his elbow, having batted .246/.310/.354 with 25 strikeouts in 71 plate appearances. July has marred Santana’s offensive numbers to an extent, though he has still slashed a solid .273/.342/.475 with 20 home runs in 446 plate appearances.

Dodgers Sign Tyler Thornburg

By Connor Byrne | July 30, 2019 at 12:38am CDT

It’s not the type of relief acquisition Dodgers fans have been hoping for, but the team recently signed free agent Tyler Thornburg, Rob Bradford of WEEI relays. It’s a minor league contract for the right-hander, who had been available since the Red Sox released him July 10. Despite signing with the Dodgers before the All-Star break, Thornburg hasn’t pitched for any of their affiliates yet, according to Bradford.

The 30-year-old Thornburg has gone through a sharp, injury-caused fall from grace since a brief run as one of the game’s top relievers. Thornburg debuted with the Brewers in 2012, but it took until 2016 for him to enjoy what looked like a breakout season. That year, Thornburg recorded a sparkling 2.15 ERA/2.83 FIP with 12.09 K/9 and 3.36 BB/9 in 67 innings. The Brewers sold high on Thornburg during the subsequent offseason, sending him to the Red Sox for a pair of infielders – Travis Shaw and Mauricio Dubon – as well as righty Josh Pennington.

Boston was expecting Thornburg to be an integral part of its bullpen in 2017, but he instead missed the entire season because of shoulder problems that led to thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. While Thornburg made it back last year, he stumbled to a 5.63 ERA/6.04 FIP with 7.88 K/9 and 3.75 BB/9 in 24 innings. Thornburg wasn’t part of the Red Sox’s World Series-winning roster during the fall, and a hip impingement this season limited him to 18 2/3 frames of 7.71 ERA/5.42 FIP pitching (with 10.61 K/9 against 4.62 BB/9) before the Sox cut the cord.

Ken Giles Still Dealing With Elbow Inflammation

By Connor Byrne | July 29, 2019 at 11:11pm CDT

Blue Jays closer Ken Giles has long been considered one of the best relievers who could change hands by the July 31 trade deadline. However, there is now serious doubt that a Giles trade will come together this week. Giles continues to deal with elbow inflammation over a month after the issue forced him to the injured list on June 20, manager Charlie Montoyo announced to Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star and other reporters Monday. It was the second straight day the right-hander was unavailable to pitch.

Teams began crossing Giles off their wish lists when he couldn’t take the mound Sunday, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, who adds that “his trade value is gone until the winter.” If so, that would be a massive disappointment for the Blue Jays – who could have collected a sizable return for Giles – and for the playoff contender that may have added a dominant reliever to its bullpen for the next season-plus.

Giles, who’s making $6.3MM at the moment, will go through his last trip through arbitration over the winter. With that in mind, the Blue Jays don’t have to trade him this summer. However, considering what Giles has accomplished this season, now may have been the ideal time to move a healthy version of the flamethrowing 28-year-old. Giles has posted good to great production since he debuted with the Phillies in 2014, though this might be his top season yet. Through 35 innings, Giles has notched a near-spotless 1.54 ERA/1.60 FIP with 14.91 K/9, 2.83 BB/9, a sky-high 20.3 percent swinging-strike rate and 14 saves in 15 chances.

Toronto still has other relievers it could move, including Daniel Hudson and Joe Biagini, but nobody in Giles’ stratosphere. If the Jays truly aren’t in position to trade Giles in the next couple days, perhaps it’ll lead teams to step up their pursuits of the other premier relievers who could be available. The Pirates’ Felipe Vazquez, the Padres’ Kirby Yates, the Reds’ Raisel Iglesias, the Mets’ Edwin Diaz and the Tigers’ Shane Greene are among some of the prominent names in the rumor mill. Giants relievers Will Smith, Sam Dyson and Tony Watson looked like prime trade candidates earlier in the summer, but thanks to their team’s recent tear, all three could wind up staying put. Giles may be in the same boat.

« Previous Page

Load More Posts

Headlines

Archives for 2019

Navigation

MLBTR INFO

Connect