Oft-injured Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis is unlikely to remain with the team next season, per Gregor Chisholm of the Toronto Star. Travis hasn’t played at all this season (and nor will he) as a result of left knee issues, and his absence has opened the door for rookie Cavan Biggio to take over the keystone. While Travis could stay with the Jays next year as a backup infielder (or they could simply option him to Triple-A Buffalo), Chisholm suggests he’s not a fit to stick around because the team wants a reserve who’s capable of playing shortstop. As of now, Travis – who’s on a $1.93MM salary – has two more years of arbitration control remaining.
- Unlike Travis, odds are “good” that right-hander Matt Shoemaker will be back with the Blue Jays next season, Chisholm reports. It’s possible, though, that Toronto will first non-tender Shoemaker and then attempt to re-up him at a lower cost. Otherwise, the 32-year-old would earn a raise over his current $3.5MM salary in his fourth and final trip through arbitration. The Jays signed Shoemaker in free agency last winter, and the former Angel initially justified the investment with 28 2/3 innings of 1.57 ERA/3.94 FIP pitching with 7.53 K/9 against 2.83 BB/9. Shoemaker’s potential bounce-back year came to an end April 21 when he suffered a torn left ACL.
- Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire has helped oversee their extensive rebuilding effort since last year, and it’s likely he’ll helm the club’s dugout again next season. The soon-to-be 62-year-old Gardenhire’s “in little to no jeopardy” of not returning in 2020 for the final season of his contract, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press writes. Gardenhire, for his part, seems uninterested in going anywhere else. “That’s to be determined for (general manager) Al Avila, with where they want to go and what they want to do, but I enjoy this and I love this city,” Gardenhire said of his future. The Tigers have stumbled to a miserable 103-158 record under Gardenhire, but it would be unfair to judge him for that. Anyone would’ve been hard-pressed to guide last year’s roster or this season’s team to respectable marks.
- The Yankees will “probably” recall outfielder Clint Frazier from Triple-A Scranton when rosters expand Sunday, manager Aaron Boone said (via George A. King III of the New York Post). The 24-year-old Frazier’s weeks-long stay in the minors has gotten plenty of coverage, in part because he was the subject of numerous trade rumors leading up to the July 31 deadline. However, the Yankees kept the former top prospect, who posted a quality batting line of .283/.330/.513 with 11 home runs in 209 plate appearances before they sent him down in mid-June to make room for a just-acquired Edwin Encarnacion. The Yankees’ wealth of outfield talent, Frazier’s well-documented defensive issues and his remaining minors options have all conspired to strand him in Scranton, for which he has hit a meek .243/.300/.426 with seven HRs over 250 PA.
Kyle Wright for Clint Frazier
Not that I would do that if I was Atlanta, but where would you even play Frazier? Their top two prospects are two outfielders (Pache and Waters) who will likely be up early next season and can actually play good defense (add Riley and some guy named Acuna to the mix).
They should trade Waters for pitching. They already have a future perennial 200 plus K per season hitter. They don’t need another one.
Pache is the future CF with Acuna in right.
Riley will likely play third unless AA is smart enough to go after Rendon. Then they can trade Riley and his power for pitching, along side with Waters.
I’m glad you’re not the Braves GM.
So trade a top pitching prospect for an OF. Then trade an OF for pitching? Why not just not do the first trade
This
Clint Frazier is non tender candidate. His defensive liabilities make him an undesirable candidate for a 40 man roster spot.
Of course Devon Travis is leaving the BlueJays. It was inevitable as called in these pages a few years ago.
It seems like the same incompetence of Atkins of waiting far too long too make a decision on a player. Atkins poor decision-making is getting old. Time to let Atkins go.
What was the decision to be made in Travis’ case? How many games was he actually healthy for during Atkins tenure? I get it, let’s blame Atkins for anything we can, but didn’t everyone figure out there was a high probability he wasn’t going to overcome the health issues and/or contribute at a major league level?
Exactly. As if Ross Atkins decided Devon Travis would henceforth be injured every year.. I wonder if Jimmertree needs a running start to make comments this stupid.
Something tells me he has a head start. His hot takes are something to behold
The decision was to non-tender him after the 2018 season. They didn’t. That was the decision. They didn’t make it. Just another blunder. Nothing shocking.
your really super pissed at them for spending 1.8 mil on Travis this year? That’s literally the only downside. but yet if he would have somehow gotten healthy an bashed for someone else , you would complain about him being released right?
There was no reason to bring him back if the plan was to move Gurriel to 2B thanks to Galvis, or potentially Bichette. The front office enjoys making moves that aren’t necessary. Status quo. No need to be pissed when there is no surprise. I just shrug the shoulders and wait for the next visionless move.
what lol? he’s been hurt for like 3 years ? An he is making like 1.8 million there’s literally no downside to holding onto him till he gets healthy or we have a better option? you find stuff to complain about don’t you haha
It didn’t cost the Jays anything to see if Travis could get healthy and his trade value was nil. He’s exactly the kind of guy the Jays should’ve held onto. It’s a shame it looks like he’s knees are worse than mine and his career is over but it wasn’t like he was taking a roster spot away from a better player.
I can be really down on Shapiro but I don’t think there’s much to criticize here.
Devon Travis, as verified by multiple players and articles, is one of the best human beings in the game. Rowdy Tellez actually quit baseball last year and Devon Travis got him to come back. Even if he was in Dunedin most if the year rehabbing with young players it’s worth it. He’s going to be a great coach one day.
Having Stanton, Clint, Edwin, Betan and Cev back in September will be a great nightmare to every other team.
Speaking of nightmares… Still losing in the first round.
given theyre probably the AL’s 2nd best team and are, well, the Yankees, ill believe it when i see it.
Yanks might reach the ALCS. Depends how far their hitting can take them.
Crybaby Yankee haters. Boohoo
Melchez keep expressing dumb thoughts.
Dumb thoughts as in yours?
Here goes Melchez again.. you’re a clown man.
They should have traded Fraser for pitching this year, controllable or not.
I agree and it will happen eventually. It’s just a matter of time for him and Anjujar.
Travis is a good flyer for the Sox if they lose Holt. Travis is legit of he is allowed the time
it’s not about being allowed the time, it’s about being healthy, the Jays played him but he’s just always hurt for long periods of time. way more then he plays.
Also I see him as a bench player now, an while I think his bat would be awesome for that. Unfortunately being strictly a second baseman is not good for a bench player
Anyone who said Devon Travis should be non-tendered this past offseason knew what they were talking about. They’d be the same people who didn’t want Donaldson to remain a Blue Jay beyond August 31st last year. That would include Atkins who’s done enough to be dismissed.
Shoemaker was guaranteed after the Blue Jays traded Sanchez at his lowest value for the great, controllable Derek Fisher.
That move for Fisher is enough to get Atkins fired alone .
why? Because they gave up a pitcher who is constantly injured and back on the DL again? Because they gave up a bullpen arm who is being lit up in the minors ? or because they gave up a prospect who doesn’t even rank in Houstons top 30. God your posts are brutal. How is Bichettes triple A wrists and Core working out for you.
Let me see if I have this right, Deok….
You’re cool with Sanchez being traded at his lowest point? The Blue Jays NEED arms to fill next year so that certain prospects have time to develop, and the Jays trade him along with a Single-A 22 year old and Biagini for a AAAA Outfielder they didn’t need?
I bet you were cool with the Julian Merryweather return for, oh, Josh Donaldson? How many sell-low trades do you need before you clue in on the Jays not being on a level to really compete in the MLB? Fisher should have been the last straw after the Donaldson mishandling and the boneheaded idea to pay Randal Grichuk money he hasn’t earned, among other things. As for Bichette, Tony LaCava practically had to bully Atkins into drafting him. How’s JB Woodman and Logan Warmoth doing?
Lmao
they still kept them as scouts and listened to them an drafted him? lol you get zero credit for bichette even though you drafted him an developed him. can’t imagine if my thinking was that whack man
Incoherent much? What’s your point? LaCava implored them to draft Bichette and rumor is they were not planning to draft Bichette. Where is the mystery to you? Why are you whining?
so basically your saying they ended up listening to their own scout, like a ton of other MLB GM’s? lol why is that wierd to you is my question?
you really think all scouts and their scouts( there’s alot of them) all unanimously agreed without though and or they always go with who the gm wants ??
really hahahah?
I love how #1 you make up fake accounts so you can reply to yourself and validate your comments #2 Completely make up things like LaCava having anything to do with drafting. LaCava handles contracts, Cherington and his scouts are in charge of drafting and developing. PS Aaron Sanchez had one year once where he was a good pitcher. He’s not good, nobody thinks he is, except him and his agent. Buh bye
Sanchez belongs in the pen, period. He turned out to be a fragile guy. But his demented agent and him have concocted a plan to keep him a starter and whine in the background to any club that wants to put him in the pen where he belongs. He would be much healthier and elite in the pen.
Deok, I stand by my assessment of Bichette. Anyone that thinks he is what he is now is a fool. He is on a run and pitcher are just starting to adjust.
Bichette still hasn’t gone into one of his months long slumps yet. Wait for it.
Just wait over the next few active months to see what he really is. I’ll eat my words in these pages if I’m wrong. Publically for all to see.
What a shame. Hopefully he latches on somewhere and finally stays healthy. So much potential ruined by injury.
Shoemaker should not be entitled to any kind of raise thru arbitration since he only could pitch 28 innings. The system leans in the players favor big time in this regard.
Weird coincidence that Frazier is getting recalled just a couple of days after the Yankees gained a year of team control over him. Strange how that works out!
He strikes out a lot and his fielding isnt really improving to an acceptable level. He could DH but I’d bet he wouldn’t have been called up at all if it wasnt for the injuries.
Fielding hasn’t improved to an acceptable level? And what Yankee scout or aaa coach are you today?
The one that has a pair of functional eyes.
Keith Law weeps as Cavan Biggio succeeds.
Keith Law’s prospect analysis is awful. There’s a reason why he’s still employed by ESPN when most reputable writers and analysts have already left that dumpster fire
Keith is a loon which fits right in with ESPN. His tenure with Toronto was abysmal and he is not qualified to be an authoritarian on baseball talent unless he’s doing it on this site for free. Even then his opinion wouldn’t cut it.
Keith Law is a journalist not a baseball man.
Ron Gardenhire is a good manager. However, I expected a team managed by him to be more drilled in fundamentals.
if the Tigers gave him actual MLB baseball players I still think he could do it hahaha.
however they have given him a second place AAA team can’t expect much
They could still throw to the correct base; watch the base coaches when on base; make routine plays and come up with plays of their own… or simply go through the motions during the game then home when the game is over
If he had major league talent to work with I would agree. But, Tiger have one of the least, if not the absolute least talented bunch of players in the game. If Ron goes than Al should be right behind him.
That’s actually been blamed upon the farm system. I think it was the end of last season when he was complaining about the farm system not preparing the players to play fundamental baseball. Supposedly, they were going to change that.
I can only imagine what the Tiger’s might have accomplished during the lost Assmus years – what a waste! By the way – how’s the best player in baseball’s team doing this year……how’s he liking Brad’s managing skills….another waste
Yankees fans buildup their prospects the most, only to tear them down later.