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Free Agent Notes: Akiyama, Hill, Romo, Kim, Rojas

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Notes on some prominent names on the open market…

  • We heard earlier today about Shogo Akiyama’s camp meeting with the Cubs and Diamondbacks, and 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine (Twitter link) adds that Akiyama and company also spoke with the Rays and Reds.  Contracts in the range of $8MM-$10MM over two years were discussed — this is a step up from MLBTR’s prediction of a two-year, $6MM deal, though Akiyama’s higher ask could reflect the level of interest in his services, not to mention this offseason’s thin center field market.
  • Rich Hill has been in touch with multiple teams, the veteran lefty tells The Athletic’s Andy McCullough (subscription required), including his top two choices of the Dodgers and Red Sox, as well as “a whole bunch of other teams that are going to be contenders in 2020.”  Though Hill won’t be able to pitch until midseason due to primary revision surgery on his UCL, he is “definitely not opposed to signing now.  I think that does give the opportunity for the team, to be honest, to benefit from my experience as a whole. You’ve got a guy who comes into Spring Training as a veteran, and can help younger guys out.”  Despite numerous injuries in recent years, Hill has been borderline elite when he has been able to take the mound, posting a 2.91 ERA, 3.79 K/BB rate, and 10.7 K/9 over 466 1/3 innings since the start of the 2015 season.
  • The Red Sox have some interest in Sergio Romo, though they “don’t seem to be the most aggressive suitor” for the veteran reliever, MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo writes (Twitter link).  The Athletics, Marlins, and Twins have all been linked to Romo’s market this offseason, and there was some belief last week that he could sign his new deal before the end of the Winter Meetings.
  • Left-hander Kwang-Hyun Kim “is believed to be seeking a three-year deal,” according to Jeff Sanders and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.  It seems like something of a bold ask from a 31-year-old pitcher who is coming to the big leagues for the first time, especially since there isn’t agreement as to whether or not Kim is best suited for a starting or relieving job against MLB competition.  (Kim is reportedly looking to start.)  That said, Kim’s salary demands aren’t known, and since at least six teams are known to have interest, it can’t hurt to aim high in the early days of his posting period.
  • Another player from the KBO League, Mel Rojas Jr. is also hearing from several Major League clubs, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi tweets.  Rojas was a third-round pick for the Pirates in 2010 who played seven seasons in the minors before joining the KT Wiz prior to the 2017 season.  Since going to South Korea and the hitter-friendly KBO League, Rojas has posted an impressive .310/.377/.561 with 85 homers over 1590 PA.  Rojas is looking for guaranteed deal for a return back to North American baseball, as he’ll otherwise probably remain with the KT Wiz.

Rockies Sign Drew Butera To Minors Contract

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The Rockies have re-signed Drew Butera to a minor league deal, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports (Twitter link).  Butera will received an invitation to Colorado’s big league Spring Training camp.  Yesterday, MLB.com’s Thomas Harding tweeted about the possibility of Butera rejoining the Rockies on a non-guaranteed deal.

This marks the third time that the Rox have acquired Butera, after initially picking him up from the Royals in an August 2018 trade and then signing him to a minor league deal just prior to Opening Day after Butera was released by the Phillies near the end of their spring camp.  Butera appeared in only 16 Major League games and received 49 plate appearances, his lowest totals in either category since 2013.

Colorado has been on the lookout for catching help this offseason, though Butera is more veteran depth than a real answer to that need.  The 36-year-old journeyman has never been an offensive force (.200/.257/.297 over 1394 career plate appearances), though he has been long been considered a solid hand behind the plate.

Cubs Will Not Explore Anthony Rizzo Extension This Offseason

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TODAY: Cubs GM Jed Hoyer discussed the situation with David Kaplan on Sports Talk Live (NBC Sports Chicago’s Tony Andracki has a partial transcript) today, saying that the two sides held “some conceptual talks about what an extension would look like and I think that, candidly, we were pretty far apart in terms of length and so he [Pollack] decided to come out and say that.”  Hoyer also noted these negotiations were in the very early stages, and that “there’s nothing that’s been done that’s going to stop future conversations.”

YESTERDAY: The Cubs have decided against pursuing an extension with first baseman Anthony Rizzo this offseason, agent Marc Pollack tells Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com. Whether future contract talks will take place is an open question.

Rizzo is entering his second-to-last season of team control under his original extension. That deal has worked out swimmingly for the Chicago organization, which is paying Rizzo $14.5MM this season with another option remaining at the same price (with a $2MM buyout as the alternative).

It seems that Rizzo instructed his rep to broach the possibility of another contract that would keep him locked in at first base for many more years to come. That interest was rebuffed.

“Anthony has let his desire to be a Cub for life known to the organization,” says Pollack. “Although we do not know what the future holds, a deal to make that happen will not be addressed now.”

The 30-year-old Rizzo evidently isn’t seen as a desirable target despite another exceptional campaign at the plate. He slashed a robust .293/.405/.520 with 27 home runs in 2019 and has steadily produced big numbers since a breakout 2014 effort.

The Chicago organization is in an interesting position after carrying a big payroll for several seasons and wrapping up a costlier-than-expected Wrigley Field renovation project. While many would argue that further outlay is warranted, the club has again given signals that it will keep a tight hold on the purse this winter.

That said, the Cubs have expressed interest in pursuing some long-term deals. Rogers says that Kyle Schwarber also hasn’t yet been approached. Kris Bryant is all but certainly a non-starter. Whether Willson Contreras could be pursued isn’t known, but the team has discussed him in trade scenarios. It seems infielder Javier Baez is the likeliest candidate to be locked up at some point in the offseason.

AL Central Notes: Donaldson, Edwin, Shaw, Fulmer, Tigers

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Some rumblings from the AL Central…

  • Reports surfaced a few weeks ago that the Twins “kicked the tires” on Josh Donaldson and other third basemen, and La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes that the Twins have continued to show interest in Donaldson’s services.  With Anthony Rendon now wearing Angels red, Minnesota will face some stiff competition for the best third baseman remaining on the market, as the Rangers and Nationals are among the clubs who are reportedly set to redirect their efforts towards signing Donaldson are coming up short on Rendon.
  • The White Sox have met with Edwin Encarnacion’s agents, 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine reports (Twitter link).  After already adding Yasmani Grandal and Nomar Mazara, signing Encarnacion would add even more pop to Chicago’s lineup, as he would pair with Jose Abreu (and Grandal, on days when Grandal isn’t catching) in the first base/DH mix.  The Blue Jays are the only other team known to have some interest in Encarnacion this offseason, though Levine reports that Encarnacion’s camp has also met with two other teams, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that Encarnacion has received interest from six clubs overall — five in the American League and one in the National League.  The mystery NL team made Encarnacion an offer, according to Heyman, though the veteran slugger has said he would prefer to remain in the AL.
  • The Tigers are one of the teams interested in Travis Shaw, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi reports (via Twitter).  Shaw was non-tendered by the Brewers last week, as Shaw’s disastrous 2019 season left Milwaukee wary of paying the infielder a projected $4.7MM arbitration salary.  In 2017-18, however, Shaw hit .258/.347/.497 with 63 homers over 1193 PA for the Brew Crew, so he could be an intriguing buy-low candidate for several clubs.  In particular, a rebuilding team like Detroit could certainly see the rebound potential in Shaw, who can play either corner infield position and also has experience at second base.
  • Tigers GM Al Avila provided reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck) with an update on right-hander Michael Fulmer, who is “on track” in his recovery from Tommy John surgery and “should be able to pitch in games sometime in July.”  Fulmer underwent his procedure last March, so a July return would be slightly beyond the normal 12-15 month timeframe for TJ patients, though not by any unusual amount.

AL News & Rumors: Yanks, Gardner, Tigers, Chirinos, ChiSox, Rangers

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Optimism continues to build regarding a potential agreement between the Yankees and free-agent outfielder Brett Gardner. The Yankees are “hopeful” they’ll finalize a contract soon, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post adds that the two sides are “far down the line” in negotiations. With center fielder Aaron Hicks set to miss a large portion of next season after undergoing Tommy John surgery and the Yankees having no established in-house replacements, the need for Gardner – the most accomplished CF option in free agency – is obvious. Although he’ll turn 37 years old in 2020, Gardner remains a valuable all-around contributor and a revered clubhouse presence.

Here’s more on New York and a few other AL clubs:

  • The Yankees agreed to sign ace Gerrit Cole on Tuesday. Now they’re interested in free-agent catcher Martin Maldonado, who caught Cole 10 times last season in Houston, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports. If he goes to the Yankees, Maldonado would presumably replace Austin Romine – who’s a free agent – and serve as a defensively gifted backup to slugging catcher Gary Sanchez.
  • Fellow catcher Robinson Chirinos, who was teammates with Maldonado in Houston, has drawn widespread interest on the open market. The Rockies were already just put on the board along with the Rangers, Astros, Tigers, Rays, and Pirates. You can add the Tigers to the still-growing list of teams eyeing Chirinos, MLB.com’s Jon Morosi tweets. It’s no surprise Detroit’s in on Chirinos, as he may be the top catcher left and general manager Al Avila has made it known the team’s serious about finding an upgrade behind the plate.
  • Any catcher the Tigers sign will be managed by Ron Gardenhire next season, but his future’s murkier thereafter. Gardenhire doesn’t have a contract for 2021, and it doesn’t sound as if he’ll be signing an extension this winter. The 62-year-old said Wednesday that he won’t discuss a new deal with Avila until after next season, per Jason Beck of MLB.com. It’s possible, though, that the Tigers will choose to go in another direction by then.
  • Several teams have shown interest in free-agent outfielder Kole Calhoun, who hit the market when the Angels declined his pricey 2020 option after the season. It turns out the White Sox had been involved in the race, but they’re now out after acquiring fellow outfielder Nomar Mazara from Texas on Wednesday, according to Bruce Levine of 670 The Score. Between Mazara and Eloy Jimenez, Chicago no longer has a need for a starting-caliber corner OFer.
  • The Rangers acquired outfield prospect Steele Walker from Chicago in exchange for Mazara. One day into his tenure with the Rangers organization, Walker has garnered almost as many calls from interested teams as Mazara generated, according to general manager Jon Daniels (via Levi Weaver of The Athletic). However, Daniels added the Rangers do not intend to flip the 23-year-old Walker elsewhere.

Dodgers Reportedly Didn’t Make Offer To Anthony Rendon

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Third baseman Anthony Rendon is no longer a free agent, having agreed to join the Angels on Wednesday for seven years and $245MM. The Dodgers were thought to be in the mix for Rendon’s services, but it turns out that they never even made the superstar an offer, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. The club’s “sense” was that Rendon did not want to play in Los Angeles, according to Castillo.

With Rendon now off the market, the big-budget Dodgers officially went 0-for-3 on this winter’s premier free agents. They lost out on Gerrit Cole (Yankees) despite making an eight-year, $300MM offer and didn’t prevent Stephen Strasburg from re-signing with the Nationals. However, that doesn’t mean the perennial powerhouse Dodgers won’t make some kind of splash this winter.

President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman revealed before the Cole and Rendon agreements that the Dodgers had about a dozen elite-level potential acquisitions on their list. “Elite” is in the eye of the beholder, but LA has recently been connected to notables such as Francisco Lindor, Josh Donaldson, Madison Bumgarner and longtime Dodger Hyun-Jin Ryu in the rumor mill. With the exception of Lindor, who’s still under Cleveland’s control for another couple years, all of those players remain available in free agency.

Angels Have Shown Interest In Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco

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11:06pm: The Angels and Indians are “currently in discussions” regarding Kluber, but the Halos are facing competition from other teams, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports. As Fletcher notes, if this trade happens, Kluber will reunite with former Indians pitching coach and current Angels pitching coach Mickey Callaway.

8:05pm: The Angels lost the Gerrit Cole sweepstakes to the Yankees, but now the rotation-needy club could be zeroing in on a different high-profile starter. They’ve shown interest in Indians right-hander Corey Kluber, per reports from Joel Sherman of the New York Post and Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. The Angels have also looked at fellow Indians righty Carlos Carrasco, according to Sherman.

The 2019 campaign was an unexpectedly rough go for both Kluber and Carrasco, who had been excellent in prior seasons. Carrasco missed a large portion of the season after a leukemia diagnosis, but he made an inspiring return as a reliever at the start of September. Meantime, Kluber sat out the final few months of the season after suffering a fractured right forearm May 1. Before that, the two-time Cy Young winner limped to an uncharacteristically bloated 5.80 ERA over seven starts and 35 2/3 innings.

Although last season was a struggle for Kluber and Carrasco, their track records suggest they could make for appealing targets for teams that don’t reel in any top free-agent starters. However, it’s not clear whether the Indians – longtime playoff contenders – are willing to part with either hurler. If they’re looking to shave salary and pivot toward a rebuild, though, dealing either could make sense. The 33-year-old Kluber could be a stopgap for an acquiring club, as he has just one more guaranteed season on his contract. He’ll earn $17.5MM in 2020, after which his employer will have to decide on an $18MM club option or a $1MM buyout for ’21. Carrasco, 32, is due $37.5MM through 2022, including a $3MM buyout for ’23.

Whether it’s Kluber, Carrasco or another starter(s), it does seem the Angels will have to make at least one more addition to their staff to join the just-acquired Dylan Bundy, Shohei Ohtani, Andrew Heaney and Griffin Canning. That should hold true even if the Angels manage to pick up a big hitter like Anthony Rendon or Josh Donaldson, the two best position players left on the board and a pair of players who have drawn their interest.

Pitcher Rumors: Cole, LA, Porcello, Roark, Reds, Brewers, Jays, Fish

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The latest on several pitchers…

  • The Yankees won the bidding for right-handed ace Gerrit Cole on Tuesday, when the two sides agreed to a history-making deal worth $324MM over nine years. But the runners-up, the Angels and Dodgers, made mighty competitive offers in their own right. Both clubs were willing to go to eight years, with the Dodgers’ bid at exactly $300MM and the Angels’ just below that line, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Both teams’ offers included deferrals, whereas the Yankees’ didn’t.
  • Free-agent righty-hander Rick Porcello has a three-year offer in hand, but he’s more inclined to accept a one-year contract, Jon Heyman of MLB Network relays. By taking a short-term pact, Porcello would be betting on himself and pinning his hopes on bouncing back next year after a tough 2019. In possibly his last season as a member of the Red Sox, the former AL Cy Young winner struggled to a below-average 5.52 ERA/4.76 FIP, though the durable 30-year-old did pile up at least 170 innings (174 1/3) for the 10th time in his career.
  • Righty Tanner Roark came off the market Wednesday when he reached a two-year, $24MM agreement with Toronto, but a couple NL Central teams were also in the race for him. The Reds, with whom Roark spent the first half of 2019, and the Brewers pursued him, per reports from Jon Heyman of MLB Network and Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. So far this offseason, Cincinnati hasn’t yet added to an already formidable rotation fronted by Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray, Trevor Bauer and Anthony DeSclafani. On the other hand, the Brewers made a low-risk, possibly high-reward signing Wednesday in grabbing former KBO star Josh Lindblom.
  • Speaking of Lindblom, the Blue Jays put a “significant” offer on the table for him before he headed to Milwaukee, per Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.  The details of that proposal aren’t known. Lindblom would up agreeing to a three-year deal worth $9.125MM.
  • The Marlins are drawing some interest in righty Jose Urena, Craig Mish of MLB Network reports on Twitter. The Blue Jays are said to be one of the clubs to have called on the hard-throwing 28-year-old, who’s under arbitration control for two more seasons. Fellow Marlins starters Sandy Alcantara, Caleb Smith and Pablo Lopez have also gotten clubs’ attention, as upward of half the league’s teams have inquired about them, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com tweets. However, Frisaro writes that it’s “extremely unlikely” the Marlins will trade anyone from that trio.

Angels, Anthony Rendon In “Active Talks”; Rangers Out

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9:00pm: The Rangers are out of the race, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. They never wanted to go more than five years for Rendon, who has sought seven, TR Sullivan of MLB.com tweets. They’ve now turned their attention to the No. 2 third baseman on the market, Josh Donaldson, per Sullivan.

8:29pm: The Angels are engaged in “active talks” with free-agent third baseman Anthony Rendon, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports. They’re “working hard” to sign him, per Jon Heyman of MLB Network, while Rosenthal adds that the Angels are hoping to finalize a deal tonight.

With the Dodgers seemingly drifting from the Rendon race, it may come down to a pair of AL West rivals to sign the longtime Washington superstar. The Rangers remain in the mix, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram’s Jeff Wilson, who notes that they’ve met with Rendon’s agent, Scott Boras, once during the Winter Meetings.

While Rendon’s a Texas native, which could work in the Rangers’ favor, it seems the Angels are determined to get this done. At the moment, they’re “pretty deep in negotiation” to sign him, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post reports. The Angels already lost out on two big targets in Stephen Strasburg (Nationals) and Gerrit Cole (Yankees) this week. Cole’s exit from the board left Rendon as the best player available, and he should join Strasburg and Cole in signing for well over $200MM. It appears the Angels are prepared to pay the price.

Athletics Interested In Jed Lowrie

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Second baseman Jed Lowrie is only a year removed from leaving the Athletics for the Mets in free agency, but the A’s are now interested in bringing him back via trade, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. However, for that to happen, the Mets would have eat the majority of Lowrie’s $10MM salary for 2020, according to Slusser.

Lowrie joined the Mets on a two-year, $20MM contract, but it was one of multiple prominent offseason moves that didn’t go their way in 2019. The oft-injured 35-year-old sat out all but nine games, in which he totaled a mere eight plate appearances, as he dealt with a series of leg problems throughout the season. It’s now unclear where Lowrie fits on the Mets’ roster, as they already have what looks like a set infield with Robinson Cano at second, Pete Alonso at first, Amed Rosario at short and Jeff McNeil and J.D. Davis as third base possibilities.

Conversely, Oakland has a dearth of established options at second, having jettisoned 2019 starter Jurickson Profar in a trade with the Padres. Current choices Chad Pinder, Franklin Barreto, Sheldon Neuse and Jorge Mateo are all right-handed hitters, as Slusser notes, whereas Lowrie bats from both sides of the plate. He’d at least add some variety to the group, then, and it’s worth pointing out that Lowrie had the best seasons of his career in Oakland.

Already a two-time Athletic, Lowrie was one of the game’s most valuable second basemen from 2017-18, a 1,325-plate appearance span in which he slashed .272/.356/.448 with 37 home runs, 8.7 fWAR and an All-Star nod. Lowrie stayed healthy during that time, but injuries have so far wrecked his Mets tenure, which could end as early as this winter.

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