Dallas Keuchel’s market, like that of fellow free agent Craig Kimbrel, figures to accelerate in the coming days now that he’s no longer tied to draft-pick compensation. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that the Yankees, Cardinals and Braves are among the favorites to land Keuchel — though as of yesterday, Keuchel and the Yankees were still a ways apart in terms of asking price. Earlier this morning, the Twins were also reported to have had recent talks with Keuchel’s agent, Scott Boras.
The rationale behind the Yankees’ interest in Keuchel isn’t difficult to see. Luis Severino has yet to pitch in 2019, primarily due to a lat strain that will likely sideline him into next month. Both James Paxton and CC Sabathia have spent time on the injured list, and Domingo German figures to be on some type of innings limit after throwing only 94 innings in 2018 between the Majors and minors (and 123 1/3 frames the year prior). Signing Keuchel would come with notable luxury ramifications for the Yankees, who’d pay a 32 percent tax on any dollar spent on him (per Jason Martinez’s luxury projections at Roster Resource).
The Cardinals, too, have seen some rotation issues pop up. Carlos Martinez has been moved to the bullpen after spending the beginning of the season on the injured list, while free-agent-to-be Michael Wacha has also been moved to a relief following an awful start to the year. Rookie Genesis Cabrera is getting his first look at the MLB level, but the Cards are in 1.5 games back in the tightly contested National League Central — a division where the difference between first place and fifth place is a mere span of 6.5 games at the moment.
Keuchel’s shedding of draft pick compensation matters less to the Astros than to others, since they were never in line to forfeit one of their picks to retain him and have known for a while they wouldn’t end up scoring a compensatory pick. But ESPN’s Buster Olney suggests (subscription required) that there may yet be a gap between what Houston is willing to offer and what Keuchel is seeking. The Astros offered Keuchel a one-year deal worth about $15MM early in Spring Training when he was still seeking a multi-year deal, according to Olney. Even though his asking price has come down since that point, he’s still reported to be seeking a one-year deal worth the $17.9MM value of the qualifying offer he rejected last November. Any such sum would be prorated over the course of the remainder of the season.
If somebody can get him for about $9M for the remainder of the season, it shouldn’t take long for a contract to get signed…
Actually, we’re not at the halfway point yet (duh…), but still, the prorated portion of a QO should be pretty easily attainable…
Keuchel still has his head in the clouds.
17.9 Mil? For half a season of work? On top of that, who knows what pitcher you’re actually getting? Dally has pitched in a game since 2018. I see this blowing up in somebody’s face
17.9….prorated
It would be the prorated portion of that. He wouldn’t get paid the entire $17.9 million.
If he signed for 17.9 million today he’d get twelve million. So you people think he(they) are over payed but not the billionaire owners?
the billionaire owners are taking all the risk, not the players.
What risk? Even if they run a team into the ground, they can sell it for a huge profit. See: Loria, Jeffrey
Lol the owners are taking on all the risk! Like getting seriously injured, sustaining life long injuries, needing to undergo multiple surgeries, oh wait…
Roger Clemens says hello he used to sign for a ridiculous pro rated contract at 40 in the middle of the year and was a mercenary
Roger Clemons is a GOD and he had to do 2 weeks in the minors Dallas is no comparison. Plus the HGH didn’t hurt the rocket either.
It won’t really blow up in their face. It’s only money. Giving away Luke Voit (who is doing better than Goldachmidt, the dude you gave other pieces away for) for the worst pitcher on the Yankees 25 man (who you then DFAed this year) and a prospect is blowing up in your face…
Voit’s numbers are a bit skewed from playing on a softball field in Busch he wouldn’t have the same numbers plus playing with judge and Stanton he gets way more fastballs and has protection.
I can see where an effective Keuchel, who had pitched already this season, would secure the Cardinals pitching staff. However, the Cardinals have been burned twice by big name pitchers were obtained without going through Spring Training. (Holland
I’d rather see the Cardinals extend Ozuna and trade for a #1 or #2 pitcher. Ozuna is already in the organization and has proven how effective he can drive in runs. Plus he’s that number 4 hitter they have needed since the MV3 broke up.
Wow! I can’t believe I’m saying this but I agree with you Cardinals17…of course this isn’t your usual doom and gloom post
No on extending Ozuna, despite his resurgence. To be honest, with O’Neill and Bader needing to get every day PAs, I’d dangle him out at the deadline, unless they turn it on going into the ASB. He might fetch a back half top 100 type pitching prospect and a low level lottery ticket, Jhon Torres type. The rotation is kind of settling down a bit, and the projections aren’t that much different between Ozuna and O’Neill. Ozuna is not worth a major investment. He’s probably getting 5 years and 90-100 million. I’d want no part of that.
I agree with the no on extending Ozuna. He’s already shown he’s not willing to work all that hard in the offseason, and hard work and tedious strengthening is the only thing that keeps shoulder injuries like his manageable. There is no universe in which they should trade him at the deadline this year, but it should be qualifying offer and see ya later after the year is over.
O’Neil needs to go to Toronto in a trade for Stroman a lower level starter should get that done.
Angels should sign kimbrel 4 years 80 million. Desperately need bullpen help with allen not regaining form.
That’s a clown comment bro…..
Why would a team going nowhere but down sign Kimbrel?
Because that team just spent $430mil to keep Trout, they’re going to make other free agency splashes.
Houston and NYY are showing for us the way. Raise young talent by with your 3X invest in young development staff. Big money for older guys has no smarts in baseball business that doesn’t allow PEDs anymore.
With that said, Kimbrel is generational and making for an Angel sign is for our liking because we want October Trout! Very bad?
“they’re going to make other free agency splashes” Go ahead and keep telling yourself that.
Angels make splashes for free agents too much! Still trying to make a recovery from Hamilton, Wilson, and Pujols. But still like them for a Kimbrel because Kimbrel is generational and has gas tank filled with enough for three to four years of elite closer.
Angels are two games, out of the Wild Card. Upton has yet to play this season. Heaney has only made two starts. The Angels don’t have a closer. If they did have a closer, they could be leading the Wild Card right now.
I dont know what elite closer you think your getting, especially for 3 to 4 years. People dont understand the word elite. As much as I like Kimbrel I dont think he could be the closer on many teams. He’s old and dropping velocity each season. He could be a solid 7th or 8th inning guy but his days are done as an ELITE closer.
I believe Kimbrel should have done driveline or something, try to recover at least some of his missing stuff. Wonder why he didn’t make that effort. Pretty sure that would have made an uptick in his overall value.
We’ve found the ultimate optimist.
Lol, Angel fans are so delusional. Upton and Heany are coming back, look out American League!
The team sucks, deal with it. Trout will go down as the greatest player who hardly ever got a big hit in his career.
Mr exhibition game trout.
Feel the burn
Save 95% of chances and always healthy. Most important ability is still availability. With these criteria, my elite closer list can have five names per year. Kimbrel easy makes top five and qualifies for elite status and will for 3-4 more years.
That’s funny. Made your list and nobody else’s in baseball. If he was so elite surely other teams would get him… oh they didn’t. Goes to show you elite can ride the pine pony too
I say the same thing on Dallas his matrix is on the decline.
I agree, they’re a nice match and 4/80 is a little light, but considering all thats happened, I guess he would take that.
What? What are you guys smoking? It wasn’t just the draft pick that was holding the teams back. He will never get $20 mil a year for 4 years.
They are paying Jansen a high salary already for 3 more years. You’re going to give Kimbrel the same while you have young players close to reaching arb like Bellinger? Good luck
Braves got this. Thanks.
I can see someone signing Keuchel for 9-11 mil for the rest of the year. He’ll start in late June early July and give about 15-16 starts not including playoffs, if his team makes it.
Yankees sign him trade Clint and andujar
Speaking of…where is Ryan Madson, AJ Ramos and Boone Logan?
i got boone logan on one of those random card pulls after a game on MLB the Show once
Instead of signing kimbrel, part of me wonders if the Bravos will indeed sign keuchel instead and try folty in the bullpen right in time when minters ready to come back up..
If that doesn’t work, definitely make a trade or 2..
Personally, I’ve tired of watching folty start since I don’t know when. An ace backs up his good starts, is consistent, stops the bleeding, and is to be relied upon. Because of this I’ve always seen him as a 3 or 4 with occasional ace stuff when hes feeling it.
i fully agree with you @chippahawk. that can also be said about teheran to as an “ACE”. Folty has always had that closer mentality and is the reason the braves thought about that in 2016. folty is a headcase and takes his self out of the game.. the fact i love about some braves fans is that throw around “ACE” all the time. just because a guy is the best on your pitching staff doesn’t mean hes an “ACE”. Also im still waitin on the old teheran to come back as well… Win/lose this year doesn’t matter as long as they extend freeman this year. that would mean we freed up the books through 2023 after the acuna, albies and hopefully freeman extensions. thats a successful year in my book.
Any team that has a 3/4/5 worse than Keuchel who is also in contention and has a budget that could absorb the cost should at least look. But would I pay a ton for him, or incur significant CBT for him, or give him a high-cost multiyear with opt-outs? Nope. I’ll bet several teams, including the Yankees, have asked. But I’m dubious that asking necessarily translates to “bidding war”
Pirates need him bad
I’m surprised that that one or both haven’t signed already. You’ve had 7 months to negotiate a contract. Seems like if they wanted to get going, they would have signed at 12:01 last night.
It hasn’t been just the draft picks that’s held up the signings of these two. It’s also been their salary demands which is a bitter pill to swallow for those club near the luxury tax limit. Betting they still stay unsigned for a while.
Would LOVE to see the White Sox just fish one of these guys (or both) out of the pond in front of everyone….
Yep. Keuchel would then be the #2 behind the latest “AL Pitcher of the Month”!
And it’s not like they don’t have the money, either …
Correct. It’s the Cubs who are broke and headed for 3rd place.
We throw the word ace out there way to much just because your the #1 on your team doesn’t make you an ace.
“Michael Wacha has also been moved to a relief following an awful start to the year”
A relief like a frieze? (Or a Freese, perhaps?)
i feel like Keuchel will have some growing pains a team will have to endure. yes, boras says that he’s all good to go and has been pitching sim games, but thats his agent talking. Would he be willing to have some tune-up games in AAA first or is the team that signs him going to have to deal with a couple short and possibly bad starts?
A trade for Bumgarner seems like a way better option for the Cardinals. The horrible Greg Holland signing last year is too fresh to pay another pitcher that hasnt played in 8 months
I think a better option for the cards would be Stroman from the Jays.
Keuchel and Kimbrel are the new Harper/Machado. Just f@#$ing sign.
I bet you just lovve red lights..
Gort them on your Fantasy roster eh?
2 yrs / $35 million with a player option on a third I think that would be fair for him.
Kimbrel to the Cubs makes Dallas to St Louis more likely now.. Could be interesting to see how that would play out over the course of a season if it does happen…