Archives for 2019

Mets Sign Chasen Shreve To Minors Contract

By Mark Polishuk | November 21, 2019 at 2:59pm CDT

The Mets have signed left-hander Chasen Shreve to a minor league deal, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link). The contract contains an invitation for Shreve to attend the Mets’ big league Spring Training camp.

Shreve appeared in only three Major League games in 2019, tossing two innings out of the Cardinals’ bullpen. The southpaw had totaled only 16 2/3 frames since being acquired by St. Louis from the Yankees in July 2018 — a swap now much better known as the Luke Voit-for-Giovanny Gallegos trade. Shreve’s brief tenure with the Cards includes two outright assignments off the 40-man roster, and he elected to become a free agent this offseason rather than remain in the St. Louis organization.

Over 203 2/3 MLB innings, Shreve has a 3.71 ERA and 10.3 K/9, though he has been prone to homers (a career 1.6 HR/9) and walks (4.5 BB/9). He also has pretty even career splits against both right-handed and left-handed batters, making him perhaps more of an intriguing southpaw bullpen candidate than other lefties since the three-batter minimum rule will be coming into play in 2020.

Shreve’s lackluster 2019 aside, his track record is certainly interesting enough to merit a look in Spring Training, especially for a Mets team that is looking for all sorts of bullpen help. In particular, a second left-hander to pair with Justin Wilson stands out as a particular need. Of note, Shreve and new Mets manager Carlos Beltran are former teammates, as both played together for the Yankees in 2015 and 2016.

Phillies Hire Joe Dillon As Hitting Coach

By Mark Polishuk | November 21, 2019 at 1:28pm CDT

The Phillies announced that Joe Dillon has been hired as the team’s new hitting coach. Dillon is a familiar face within the NL East, as he has been the Nationals’ assistant hitting coach for the last two seasons, and the hitting coach for Washington’s Triple-A affiliate in 2014-15. Sandwiched between those two stints with the Nats, Dillon worked as a minor league hitting coordinator with the Marlins for two seasons.

Dillon becomes the third Phillies’ hitting coach since August, as the club replaced John Mallee with former manager Charlie Manuel in August. The change didn’t spark the offense, and Dillon is now tasked with leading a group of hitters who combined for generally middle-of-the-pack numbers in most team offensive categories in 2019. Next year’s club will be helped by Andrew McCutchen returning from injury, and it has been widely speculated that the Phillies will look for upgrades in center field, third base, and potentially second base if Cesar Hernandez isn’t retained.

New manager Joe Girardi will oversee a Phillies’ coaching staff that is mostly unchanged from 2019, with the big exceptions of Dillon, new pitching coach Bryan Price, and new infield instructor Juan Castro.

Latest On Yoshitomo Tsutsugo

By Dylan A. Chase | November 21, 2019 at 12:10pm CDT

NPB star and MLB hopeful Yoshitomo Tsutsugo spoke to reporters for the first time since his posting on Nov 18, indicating that he will have not have a specific geographic location in mind when assessing his options among major league clubs, according to a report from The Japan Times.

As the report notes, four of Japan’s six current major leaguers, Kenta Maeda, Shohei Ohtani, Yusei Kikuchi, and Yoshihisa Hirano, signed with teams in the western portion of the states after their own postings in recent offseasons. Flights to Japan are, obviously, much more manageable from the West Coast, but Tsutsugo was concise and unequivocal in saying that he’ll consider playing for any MLB team: “Wherever the team is located is fine, so no,” Tsutsugo said when asked if a team’s region would be a chief consideration.

Tsutsugo, who turns 28 on Tuesday, represents one of the more interesting outfield options available this winter. For teams not quite ready to jump into the melee surrounding Nicholas Castellanos or Marcell Ozuna, Tsutsugo could represent something of a relative value play. The slugger posted a .293/.402/.574 slash line over his last four seasons in Japan, with 139 home runs, 116 doubles, five triples, and a 15.1 percent walk rate to his credit. However, he did post a 2019 season that was somewhat below his typical Nippon standards (.272/.388/.511, 29 home runs).

The Marlins, for one, have already been connected to a number of outfield bats this winter, with both Castellanos and Ozuna coming to mind as high-profile names who may be fielding calls from Miami team president of baseball operations Michael Hill. The club also appears to have some in interest Tsutsugo, as SiriusXM’s Craig Mish recently reported (Twitter link); Mish does caution that the club may view Tsutsugo as more of a “secondary type”, perhaps reflecting some industry concerns surrounding the lefty swinger’s defensive capabilities in the corner outfield. It’s worth noting, however, that the NPB star does have some experience at first base, which could be helpful for a Miami club that largely deployed a light-hitting combination of Neil Walker, Garrett Cooper, and the recently retired Martin Prado at that spot in 2019.

Under the new posting system, which went into effect after Ohtani’s signing, the team that agrees to sign Tsutsugo will also need to pay a release fee to his original club, the Yokohama DeNA BayStars, that will be determined by the relative size of the contract. The MLB team that signs this slugger will pay Yokohama 20% of guaranteed money up to $25MM, 17.5% for promised cash between $25MM and $50MM, and then 15% of anything beyond. There are also some provisions that allow for additional release fees in the event that certain non-guaranteed earnings are triggered. As a ten-year NPB veteran, he will not be subject to the restrictions on international signings that limited the earning potential of Ohtani. Tsutsugo and his reps at Wasserman Agency have until Dec 19 to finalize a contract with a major league team.

White Sox Sign Yasmani Grandal

By Dylan A. Chase | November 21, 2019 at 11:03am CDT

The White Sox announced that they’ve signed free-agent catcher Yasmani Grandal to a four-year contract. He’ll be guaranteed a hefty $73MM, the team announced, which will be paid out evenly at $18.25MM per year. As per The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link), Grandal’s deal includes a full no-trade clause in 2020 and partial no-trade protection for the remaining three seasons. To make room on the 40-man roster, the White Sox designated outfielder Daniel Palka for assignment.

Readers will recall that the 2018-2019 offseason marked a much more frustrating pass through the free agency turnstiles for the now-31-year-old Grandal. After spurning a reported four-year, $60MM offer from the Mets last winter, the former Hurricane bet on himself by agreeing to a one-year, $18.25MM deal with the Brewers.

That gambit appears to have paid off handsomely, with Grandal parlaying his fantastic 2019 into a larger long-term guarantee from Chicago. At $73MM, this contract represents the largest guarantee in White Sox history, surpassing the six-year, $68MM outlay secured by Jose Abreu in advance of the 2014 season.

From any vantage, that guarantee should provide the club with one of the very best catchers in the game. Since entering the majors with San Diego in 2012, Grandal has posted a cumulative 118 wRC+ figure, second only to Buster Posey among all catchers with more than 3000 plate appearances in that time frame. Similarly, his .348 OBP is tops among catchers since 2012, while his 141 homers since ’12 rank second only to Brian McCann’s 145. Grandal’s never been a world-beater in the batting average department, but he’s been a consistent source of power and on-base ability for the bulk of his career.

Though his offensive prowess is evident from even a cursory glance at his career numbers, any Grandal evaluation would be remiss to exclude his sterling defensive reputation. Grandal recorded a 20.1 figure in Baseball Prospectus’ Fielding Runs Above Average metric during the 2019 campaign, good for third among catchers in the bigs behind Austin Hedges and Roberto Perez; that the White Sox press release regarding Grandal’s signing made mention of his pitch framing abilities should come as no surprise.

For the Pale Hose, the signing of such a multi-dimensional, high-profile player makes it abundantly clear that their long-running rebuild has come to an end. Last offseason saw the club make a run at third baseman Manny Machado, in a bid that was likely intended to symbolize a similar rallying cry of competitiveness. Though this past season ended up marking their seventh consecutive losing campaign, Grandal’s addition should go a long way toward supplementing a core that showed real promise in 2019.

Though it was White Sox pitchers like Carlos Rodon, Lucas Giolito, and Michael Kopech who were previously thought to be the club’s primary strength, 2019 yielded encouraging breakouts from a handful of South Side swingers. Shortstop Tim Anderson, for one, exploded en route to the 2019 batting title, logging a .335/.357/.508 slash and 3.5 fWAR across 518 plate appearances; 24-year-old infielder Yoan Moncada announced his presence with a .315/.367/.548 line with 25 home runs, ultimately garnering a down-ballot MVP vote in his second campaign of extended MLB action; rookie outfielder Eloy Jimenez was pretty decent, too–all he did was hit 31 home runs in his first 122 games at the sport’s highest level. And this is all before accounting for the impending arrival of uber-prospect outfielder Luis Robert.

All of that said, catcher didn’t, at first glance, appear to be the team’s most glaring need going into this offseason. Incumbent starter James McCann’s 109 wRC+ and .273/.328/.460 slash in 2019 did indeed compare favorably to other catchers around the league, but a deeper look shows why executive VP Kenny Williams and GM Rick Hahn may have been unable to resist Grandal’s well-rounded allure. Firstly, McCann’s numbers were largely the result of a scintillating first half, as his .226/.281/.413 line after the break would demonstrate; add in McCann’s .359 BABIP on the year, while providing for the defensive upgrade Grandal represents, and it’s easy to see how club leadership saw today’s signing as a necessary investment.

The White Sox fielded an Opening Day payroll of $88.92MM in 2019; the club’s ten-year highwater mark for payroll came back in 2011 when owner Jerry Reinsdorf green-lit a $127.78MM outlay. In addition to Grandal, the Sox will have Abreu ($17.8MM), Kelvin Herrera ($8.5MM), and Anderson ($4MM) under contract with significant guarantees next season, while a considerable number of players will either draw raises in arbitration or find themselves non-tendered. Impact contributors like Giolito remain under affordable club control, so there may yet be some wiggle room to make other improvements around the roster.

Regardless of their moves from here forward, the decision by White Sox brass to bring in Grandal may come at an opportune time. The Twins, despite having retained starter Jake Odorizzi, face uncertainty in their rotation, while the rival Indians continue to endure trade speculation surrounding star shortstop Francisco Lindor and lingering questions about the health of several pitchers, including Corey Kluber. Grandal’s addition to Chicago’s blistering young core should make those teams slightly more uncomfortable with regard to their standing in the AL Central.

With Grandal off the board, the free agent catching market is now likely headlined by Travis d’Arnaud, with Robinson Chirinos and Jason Castro representing something of a third tier. While those players offer varying combinations of offensive and defensive ability to interested teams, there’s little doubt that Chicago acted decisively today in securing itself the most complete backstop on the market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Taking Stock Of The Relief Market

By Jeff Todd | November 21, 2019 at 9:46am CDT

Gotta have a top closer! You shouldn’t pay for saves! Deep relief units are cost-efficient! The prevailing sentiment regarding relief pitching has been near as volatile as relief pitchers themselves.

Did you see how the Rays used all those arms to make it into the postseason?! The Nats won the World Series with that bullpen?! The Yankees had a really good, really expensive group of relief hurlers; the Indians had a really good, mostly cheap unit.

Let’s just be honest with ourselves: there’s no single right way to compile a roster and no single, lasting trend in this arena. There are more hard-throwing, talented young arms in the game than ever before. But the craft of pitching is only getting tougher to master. More and better arms, as durable and versatile as possible, in as cost-efficient a manner as possible. That’s what teams are pursuing, first and foremost.

With long flies leaving the yard with startling frequency last year, many organizations were left with odious results from their relief units. The Braves have already acted decisively in favor of veteran hurlers rather than toolsy youngsters. The Yanks doubled down on premier relief ace Aroldis Chapman. Everyone else is left to grab what they can from a free agent and trade market that is short on especially interesting arms.

Could the supply/demand imbalance help boost the earnings for the top-of-class hurlers that remain and the trade returns for the teams with the best-available targets … or will teams stick to their valuations and hope for the best? Will some marginal hurlers end up with surprisingly solid earnings … or are we just going to see a huge array of minor-league signings and camp battles?

That remains to be seen. But these are the players who are now being considered and negotiated over:

Top Available Arms

Did I mention a lack of supply? Ken Giles of the Blue Jays is perhaps the only capital-C Closer that seems likely to remain available at this point in time. He has had his stumbles over the years and had a health blip in 2019, but otherwise turned in excellent results with the peripherals to match and seems an obvious trade candidate with just one season of arbitration control remaining.

There are some major wild cards here. While the Padres want to win in 2020, they’ll have to at least consider scenarios involving Kirby Yates in his walk year. He was exceptionally good last year, completing a surprise San Diego emergence that was reminiscent of former Friars closer Brad Hand … who is himself a conceivable (but by no means certain) trade candidate this winter. We haven’t heard talk of the Indians putting him on the auction block, but it can’t be ruled out with two seasons of control remaining.

Otherwise, Drew Pomeranz may be the most interesting hurler to watch. He and the Brewers seemed to find a formula that worked, as he morphed into Josh Hader Jr. down the stretch. If there’s anyone with the potential to really surprise in earnings, it’s probably DrewPom. Teams that believe he can remain as effective as he was in Milwaukee may see him as a multi-inning monster. It’s hard to get quite as excited at the sheer upside when it comes to free agent Will Harris. He is a durable, high-quality setup man but is already 35 years of age. We predicted this profile to be worth slightly more on the open market than that of Pomeranz, though Harris’s range of reasonably expected contractual outcomes falls in a tighter band.

Second Tier Relievers

Let’s start with free agency, which has a large volume of useful but not great pitchers. Several recent Cubs hurlers warrant consideration here, led by Steve Cishek. Long-time setup man Pedro Strop is something of a bounceback candidate. Brandon Kintzler showed there’s still gas left in the tank after finishing rough in 2018. Though he was dumped in the middle of the season by the Cubbies, Brad Brach had a solid late showing with the Mets. Much like Harris, now-former Astros hurler Joe Smith remains effective into his mid-thirties. There are a few others from the Chicago and Houston ranks to be considered here as well: Collin McHugh, David Phelps, and Hector Rondon (who has pitched for both organizations in recent years).

Daniel Hudson was effective in 2019 and came up big in key moments for the Nationals. He’s a candidate for a solid two-year pact. And how about a pair of former Nats stalwarts? Craig Stammen and Tyler Clippard are both coming off of strong seasons and have reestablished themselves after some tough years. Nats nemesis Sergio Romo is still flinging unhittable sliders and finished with a particularly strong stretch for the Twins.

The market for lefties is rough. Jake Diekman is probably the top option after Pomeranz. The 32-year-old didn’t impress in the earned run department and continues to have big problems with command, but he has a big arm that produces lots of strikeouts. Francisco Liriano, Jerry Blevins, and Derek Holland are arguably the top alternative southpaws.

So … trade market to the rescue? Meh. Volatile Pirates setup man Keone Kela arguably has a closer-worthy ceiling but has struggled with consistency and off-field issues. MLBTR projects him to earn $3.4MM in his final season of arbitration eligibility, so he’s a one-year rental shot. The Marlins have some arms that could draw interest, with Jose Urena and Jarlin Garcia the easiest to imagine moving. Joe Jimenez of the Tigers has reportedly drawn pursuers even though he hasn’t quite turned the corner. Fellow high-K hurler Mychal Givens of the Orioles also had hiccups last year. It’s always possible that other names will be discussed, and no doubt some will change hands, but as things stand it’s tough to identify obvious candidates to be moved.

Bounceback Market

If you’re looking to throw down a dunk off a rebound, Dellin Betances is the top target. The long-excellent Yankees hurler had an agonizing season, making it all the way back from shoulder and lat issues only to blow out his Achilles tendon in his first appearance in the majors.

Otherwise, Blake Treinen is an intriguing target. He’s still under control with the Athletics, who are likely trying to see if they can find a taker in trade before the non-tender deadline. Treinen was a monster in 2018 but reverted to his frustrating form with the Nationals last year and ended up being shut down after experiencing rotator cuff and back problems.

Rehabbing southpaw Tony Cingrani has done some interesting things in recent campaigns and could be of particular interest given the dearth of good lefties. Arodys Vizcaino will hope to be ready for a full 2020 campaign after missing all of 2019 due to shoulder surgery. Can Brandon Morrow make it back from his long layoff? That remains to be seen, but if he can show he’s throwing well he’ll surely draw interest. Sam Dyson will also be looking to return from a shoulder procedure, but likely not until the 2021 campaign. He’s a possible candidate for a rehab-and-return type of contract. A pair of former Phillies relievers, venerable veteran Pat Neshek and younger hurler Edubray Ramos, are also injury recovery targets.

There are also a host of other notable names looking to bounce back from some combination of performance and injury woes. Jeremy Jeffress is a notable possibility. Trevor Rosenthal, Kyle Barraclough, and Carl Edwards Jr. still have interesting arms but are utterly speculative at this point. Veterans including Cody Allen and Luke Gregerson will be available and could always recapture some glory.

Other Possibilities

There’s a reasonable number of other hurlers that could garner consideration for guaranteed contracts or high-priority non-roster deals this winter. Top among them, in my book: Josh Tomlin, Fernando Rodney, Anthony Swarzak, Greg Holland, Jared Hughes, Cory Gearrin, and Yoshihisa Hirano. Though he’ll likely draw consideration as a starter, Andrew Cashner is also an interesting possible target.

Want a full rundown? Check out MLBTR’s list of 2019-20 free agents.

Dixon Machado Heading To Korea

By Jeff Todd | November 21, 2019 at 8:37am CDT

Middle infielder Dixon Machado has agreed to a deal with Korea’s Lotte Giants, according to Emily Waldon of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’ll earn a $300K salary with a $200K signing bonus and a $100K option, Dan Kurtz of MyKBO.net tweets.

The 27-year-old Machado, a long-time Tigers farmhand, spent the 2019 season with the Cubs organization. In 393 plate appearances, he turned in a .261/.371/.480 triple-slash with 17 home runs.

Even in the context of a Triple-A-wide home run surge, that was an eye-popping power jump for a player that had never before hit more than six long balls in a professional campaign. KBO’s Giants will hope that he can continue to drive the ball after crossing the Pacific.

For Machado, who became a minor-league free agent at season’s end, this is an opportunity to secure significant earnings and reestablish himself in a country’s top league. He has had his chances in the big leagues, but struggled to gain traction. In 505 total MLB plate appearances over parts of four seasons, Machado mustered only a .227/.285/.295 batting line.

Offseason Outlook: San Francisco Giants

By Mark Polishuk | November 21, 2019 at 6:19am CDT

MLBTR is publishing Offseason Outlooks for all 30 teams. Click here to read the other entries in this series.

With a new manager and general manager in the fold, the Giants head into the post-Bruce Bochy era as perhaps a dark horse for some significant offseason business.

Guaranteed Contracts

Evan Longoria, 3B: $58MM through 2022 (includes $5MM buyout of $13MM club option for 2023)
Johnny Cueto, SP: $49MM through 2021 (includes $5MM buyout of $22MM club option for 2022)
Buster Posey, C: $45.8MM through 2021 (includes $3MM buyout of $22MM club option for 2022)
Brandon Belt, 1B: $32MM through 2021
Brandon Crawford, SS: $30MM through 2021
Jeff Samardzija, SP: $19.5MM through 2020
Tony Watson, RP: $2.5MM through 2020 (exercised player option)

Arbitration-Eligible Players (projections via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Kevin Pillar – $9.7MM
Tyler Anderson – $2.625MM
Donovan Solano – $1.2MM
Alex Dickerson – $1.2MM
Joey Rickard – $1.1MM
Wandy Peralta – $800K
Non-tender candidates: Pillar, Rickard, Peralta

Free Agents

Madison Bumgarner, Will Smith (signed with Braves), Pablo Sandoval, Stephen Vogt, Fernando Abad, Scooter Gennett, Kyle Barraclough, Mike Gerber, Dan Winkler, Pat Venditte

Reports surrounding Will Smith’s three-year, $40MM deal with the Braves contained the detail that Smith’s representatives used the Giants’ $17.8MM qualifying offer as a bargaining chip with other teams. If no rival club was willing to step up and offer Smith the type of multi-year contract he was seeking, Smith would just have accepted the Giants’ one-year offer and returned to San Francisco for the 2020 season.

As it happened, Atlanta came up with a suitable offer and Smith will now be working out of the SunTrust Park bullpen. It’s possible the threat of an accepted qualifying offer was just a negotiating tactic on Smith’s part, but taken at face value, the closer was seemingly willing to be a Giant next year.

It creates an interesting sliding-doors scenario for the Giants as they head into what could be an intriguing offseason. If Smith had remained in the fold, would president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi have been more inclined to go for it in 2020, showing the same competitive zeal that led him to keep Smith, Madison Bumgarner, Tony Watson and other seemingly surefire trade chips at the deadline? Or, with Smith gone and the Giants now in possession of an extra compensatory draft pick, will Zaidi further focus on rebuilding what is still one of the older teams in baseball, and one that suffered its third straight losing season?

It could be that both avenues will be explored, as Zaidi has indicated he will continue the rebuilding-while-reloading strategy that he has deployed throughout his first year running the Giants’ front office. Zaidi recently said his club is “open to anything” this winter. “We’re still in a mode where we want to compete next year,” he explained. “… But we want to do it in a way that creates flexibility for us and keeps us an organization moving in a positive, healthy direction.”

Zaidi will have a new voice alongside him in the decision-making process, as Scott Harris was hired as the Giants’ new general manager and Zaidi’s top lieutenant. Though Harris has seven years’ experience as the Cubs’ assistant GM and director of baseball operations, he is also only 32 years old, continuing the recent trend of younger executive hirings (Zaidi himself recently turned 43) and more modern approaches to roster-building around the game.

That same direction extended into the team’s search to replace Bochy as manager, as almost all of the names linked to the Giants job were younger coaches who would have been first-time managers. As it happened, the club went with a younger name who did boast some dugout-leading experience, as the 44-year-old Gabe Kapler was hired just over a month after being fired from a two-year stint managing the Phillies.

Kapler’s appointment came with no shortage of controversy and even some dismay from some Giants fans. While in Philadelphia, Kapler amassed only a 161-163 record over two seasons, earning criticism for everything from player discipline issues to questionable in-game tactics and bullpen management. Nonetheless, there’s a long list of managers who improved after struggling in his first job, and Kapler and Zaidi have a long relationship dating back to their days in the Dodgers’ front office.

Zaidi, Harris, and Kapler will go into their first offseason together looking at an everyday lineup that is technically filled at every position. Longtime catcher Buster Posey will look to get back on track now that he’s over a year removed from hip surgery, though the Giants will look to spell him with a backup who could play more often than your average second-stringer. A reunion with Stephen Vogt is already being explored, though the Athletics have also shown interest in bringing Vogt over to the other side of the bay and other organizations are sure to be involved.

The quartet of Brandon Belt, Mauricio Dubon, Brandon Crawford, and Evan Longoria are penciled in around the infield. The Giants’ outfield was a revolving door in 2019 but the team finally unearthed a couple of hidden gems in Mike Yastrzemski and Alex Dickerson, while Kevin Pillar hit 21 homers and provided at least some stability in center field, even if Pillar’s glovework (-1.6 UZR/150, -5 Defensive Runs Saved) has taken a big step back from his defensive heyday in Toronto.

With a $9.7MM projected arbitration salary, Pillar has a big price tag for a player who is seemingly declining on defense and has never been an above-average bat. There are arguments on both sides as to whether San Francisco should retain or non-tender Pillar, and this is one of several positions that the Giants could address in a bold fashion. A trade for the Pirates’ Starling Marte, perhaps, since the Bucs could decide to rebuild under new GM Ben Cherington, though he’s sure to be targeted by multiple contenders and may come at too steep a price. If the Giants prefer a younger player at a lower acquisition cost and salary, they could consider names like Manuel Margot and Michael A. Taylor or look into much less experienced performers. The free agent center field market isn’t teeming with great options, though Japanese star Shogo Akiyama has some intrigue, and his on-base skills would be a big help to a Giants lineup that struggled to get runners aboard.

In fact, the Giants struggled at basically everything on offense last season, so there’s certainly room for upgrades within their everyday lineup. Contractual obligations, however, are a big obstacle to creating space — with Crawford, Belt and Posey all coming off subpar years and Longoria owed $58MM for his age 34-36 seasons, rival teams won’t exactly be lining up to make trade offers. Of that group, Belt probably has the widest trade value since he could be helped the most by a move to a more hitter-friendly ballpark, but he’s also in an era where teams aren’t willing to pay top dollar at first base for anything less than top-flight production. (Belt’s ten-team no-trade clause further complicates matters.)

This isn’t to say that a creative trade couldn’t be found, if the Giants were to eat money to accommodate a deal or perhaps arrange a multi-team swap. Perhaps lightning could even strike twice for Zaidi and he’d find another team willing to entirely absorb one of the Giants’ big salaries, such as how the Braves surprisingly paid full freight on Mark Melancon at last year’s trade deadline.

If the veterans could largely be seen as placeholders, San Francisco will look for some offensive improvement from within, if Dubon hits well in his first full MLB season, or if Yastrzemski and Dickerson continue their hot hitting into 2020. Zaidi has said that the Giants will look to acquire a left-handed hitting infielder who could spell Dubon or Longoria. While rookie Kean Wong has already been claimed off waivers from the Angels, a more proven veteran option would likely be preferred. Options abound in free agency. Donovan Solano (a right-handed hitter) is also on hand for infield depth, looking to build off a very strong performance in part-time duty in 2019.

Neither Yastrzemski or Dickerson have long track records of success, so the outfield depth will again be an area of concern. Dickerson’s injury history makes him more of a question mark, so the Giants could consider him as a fourth outfielder type while looking for a more reliable everyday option (probably a right-handed outfielder, as both Yastrzemski and Dickerson hit from the left side). Cameron Maybin could be brought back for a second consecutive winter, though his pre-season 2019 stint didn’t end in the best of circumstances. Avisail Garcia could be a youthful upside play … or the club could even bring in Yasiel Puig. Odd as it would be to see Puig in a Giants uniform, he does have ties to Zaidi and Kapler.

The Giants could also see this as an opportunity to land a bigger-ticket outfielder. Nicholas Castellanos’ defensive limitations make him an imperfect fit for Oracle Park’s spacious outfield, though he’d certainly add plenty of pop. Castellanos could be signed without draft pick compensation, while Marcell Ozuna would cost the Giants a pick since he rejected the Cardinals’ qualifying offer.

Spending on an Ozuna, Castellanos, or even a more expensive free agent can’t be ruled out since the Giants are starting to see daylight after being buried under a pile of pricey veteran contracts for the last few years. Longoria is the only player under contract past the 2021 season, and the Giants are in no danger of surpassing the $208MM luxury tax threshold, with an estimated current tax number of slightly under $144.6MM. Then again, Zaidi may not be anxious to slot in future obligations unless he sees a real opportunity for value.

Since San Francisco has the extra Smith pick and potentially another choice coming if Bumgarner signs elsewhere, could they make a splash by signing a QO-rejecting free agent of their own? Anthony Rendon and Josh Donaldson aren’t really options unless third base is opened up by a Longoria trade, though any of the other players who declined the qualifying offer could all fit. Beyond Ozuna in the outfield, Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, or Zack Wheeler would immediately bolster a shaky Giants rotation.

Such a signing (of the pitchers in particular) would also announce that San Francisco is fully intent on contending for a playoff berth in 2020, and it remains to be seen if Zaidi is willing to make such a big strike this early in his tenure, especially since the Giants are far from being one player away. One major signing that can’t be ruled out is Bumgarner, yet the Giants might balk at a bidding war that could develop, considering how much interest Bumgarner is already generating.

Even if the Giants avoid the top of the pitching market, some rotation help is certainly required. Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija are the only hurlers who seem certain for the Opening Day starting five, and even that might not be set in stone if Samardzija is dealt before the final year of his contract. Tyler Anderson was added on a waiver claim from the Rockies, a move that has some upside potential but is something of a lottery ticket addition for now given Anderson’s lack of big league success. Tyler Beede, Dereck Rodriguez, Shaun Anderson, and Logan Webb are the other contenders for the three open rotation spots, leaving the Giants in need of experienced arms. Names from the second or third tier of the free agent market (i.e. Kyle Gibson, Michael Pineda, Tanner Roark, Jordan Lyles, Rick Porcello, Wade Miley) all make some sense.

After losing Smith to the Braves and Reyes Moronta for much of 2020 due to shoulder surgery, the relief corps got some good news when Watson remained with the Giants by exercising his player option. Watson is by far the senior member of a young bullpen, so some experienced help is a must, and the closer role stands out as the biggest question mark. It stands to reason that trade candidates like the Blue Jays’ Ken Giles could be on the Giants’ radar. Free agents with late-inning experience, such as Steve Cishek or Pedro Strop, could be considered. Former Giant Sergio Romo can’t be ruled out, or the club might take a chance on Brandon Morrow, who was in L.A. with Zaidi and Kapler.

While the Giants’ 77-85 record actually exceeded some expectations in 2019, it’s worth noting that the club only had a winning record in two months (a 14-13 mark in June, and then a scorching 19-6 run in July). Much work needs to be done in order to turn San Francisco into a true wild card contender, and this offseason could potentially look a lot like the last — Zaidi swung multiple low-level signings, waiver claims, and trades to shuffle around the fringes of his roster last winter. This time around, however, Zaidi has a bit more room to maneuver in exploring a higher-priced version of those same transactions.

Quick Hits: Ellsbury, Orioles, Rockies, Vogt

By Connor Byrne | November 21, 2019 at 1:18am CDT

Outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury plans to continue his career in 2020, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com hears. Ellsbury just went through a pair of seasons wiped out by injuries, which led the Yankees to release him Wednesday and eat the remaining $26MM on his contract. But the 36-year-old’s now “finishing up his rehab [in Arizona] with a focus on Spring Training,” a source told Feinsand. Ellsbury, an MVP candidate with the Red Sox at his peak, remained a respectable major leaguer last time he was healthy enough to play. He posted a .264/.348/.402 line with seven home runs, 22 stolen bases on 25 tries, and 1.6 fWAR over 409 plate appearances in 2017. With that in mind, someone’s likely to take a chance on Ellsbury on a minor league contract before next season.

Mets Interview Hensley Meulens For Bench Coach Position

By Connor Byrne | November 20, 2019 at 10:59pm CDT

Former Giants assistant Hensley Meulens has a job with the Marlins if he wants it, but the division-rival Mets could prevent that union from coming to fruition. The Mets have interviewed Meulens for their vacant bench coach position, Dan Martin and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post report.

The 52-year-old Meulens, a former professional outfielder who spent most of his career in New York as a Yankee, is coming off a decade-long run as a coach with the Giants. Meulens is well-regarded for his time in San Francisco, where he was most recently its bench coach, and has drawn managerial consideration from at least a couple teams over the past few years. The Giants interviewed Meulens this fall to succeed departed manager Bruce Bochy before selecting Gabe Kapler for the role.

If the Mets end up hiring the multilingual Meulens, he’ll provide first-time manager Carlos Beltran with an experienced right-hand man. Meulens joins Joey Cora, Fredi Gonzalez and Jerry Narron as reported candidates in the running for the position. Should the Mets choose Cora, Gonzalez, Narron or someone else, Meulens figures to wind up in Miami in a role that hasn’t been announced to this point. Meulens has already signed a letter of intent to join the Marlins’ staff, but he still has the option to go elsewhere.

White Sox, Omar Vizquel Part Ways

By Connor Byrne | November 20, 2019 at 9:24pm CDT

Former major league shortstop Omar Vizquel spent the previous two seasons managing in the White Sox’s minor league system, but he and the organization have parted ways on amicable terms, Scott Merkin of MLB.com reports.

After his outstanding playing career came to an end in 2012, Vizquel transitioned to coaching. He wound up spending a combined five seasons as a major league assistant with the Tigers and Angels before joining the Chicago organization prior to 2018. Vizquel managed the White Sox’s Single-A club that season, earning Carolina League Manager of the Year honors, and then worked as their Double-A skipper this year.

It’s unclear why Vizquel and the White Sox are now moving in different directions, but the team’s director of player development, Chris Getz, told Merkin that Vizquel was “a positive influence” during his time with the organization. However, the two sides felt “it was time to go separate ways.”

Vizquel has garnered major league managerial consideration in the past, having interviewed with the Tigers in 2017 prior to their selection of Ron Gardenhire and the Angels in 2018 before they chose Brad Ausmus. Eight teams have sought new skippers this fall, but it doesn’t seem Vizquel has interviewed with any of those clubs (at least not for a managerial job). The Pirates are the only team left without a manager.

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