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Diamondbacks Decline Options On Flores, McFarland; Outright Almonte, Scott

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The Diamondbacks announced that they won’t be exercising their club options on either infielder Wilmer Flores or left-hander T.J. McFarland.  Flores’ $6MM option will be bought out for $500K, while McFarland will receive a $50K buyout rather than a $1.85MM salary for the 2020 season.  In addition to these moves, the D’Backs also announced that outfielder Abraham Almonte and lefty Robby Scott have been outrighted to Triple-A.

Though a right foot contusion cost him almost two months of the season, Flores’ first year in Arizona was a successful one when he was able to take the field.  The 28-year-old hit .317/.361/.387 over 285 PA, and while a particular power surge against left-handed pitching led to some significant splits (.337/.367/.615 against lefties, .304/.358/.404 against righties), Flores was still plenty dangerous against all types of pitching.

Flores was primarily used at second base last year, handling the keystone whenever Ketel Marte wasn’t in center field.  Given that the D’Backs will again look to move Marte around the diamond next year, retaining Flores for the extra $5.5MM wouldn’t have seemed like an exorbitant choice.  Then again, the team might not have expected Flores to duplicate his 2019 performance, given that Flores’ .362 wOBA far outpaced his .329 xwOBA, and he also had some notable batted-ball luck in the form of a .332 BABIP.

It isn’t out of the question that the Diamondbacks could look to re-sign Flores at a lesser price, though one would imagine he’ll get interest from multiple teams looking for a versatile infielder (Flores also saw a lot of action at third base during his time with the Mets) who can crush southpaws.

After posting a 2.00 ERA over 72 frames for Arizona in 2018, McFarland’s bottom-line numbers (4.82 ERA) came back down to earth last year, even though a lot of his peripheral statistics weren’t too dissimilar.  The grounder specialist ran into trouble when he did let the ball get into the air last year, as McFarland’s 17.1% home run rate was a career high.

Rays Outright Hoby Milner

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The Rays have outrighted Hoby Milner off of their 40-man roster, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (via Twitter).  The left-hander will reject his outright assignment to the minors and instead become a free agent.

Milner, 28, posted a 3.06 ERA, 6.85 K/9, and 13.0 K/9 over 61 2/3 bullpen innings for Triple-A Durham in 2019.  Despite this impressive performance, Milner only tossed 3 2/3 Major League innings, with injuries perhaps keeping him from getting more of a look once the minor league season was over.  Milner was placed on the 60-day injured list in September due to a cervical neck injury.

Assuming good health, one would assume Milner’s impressive Triple-A track record would net him a new contract with another team.  Originally a seventh-round pick for the Phillies in the 2012 draft, Milner has a 3.40 ERA over 42 1/3 career innings in the big leagues.

Red Sox Claim Josh Osich

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The Red Sox have claimed left-hander Josh Osich off waivers from the White Sox, as per a team announcement.

Originally claimed off waivers from the Orioles last March, Osich posted a 4.66 ERA, 4.07 K/9 rate, and 8.1 K/9 over 67 2/3 relief innings for the White Sox last season.  Osich’s effectiveness was limited to same-sided batters, as he held left-handed hitters to only a .551 OPS (115 plate appearances) while right-handed hitters mashed him to the tune of a .903 OPS (157 PA).

These numbers largely match Osich’s rather lopsided splits for his career, making him one of many specialist relievers (particularly lefties) whose careers could be altered by the three-batter minimum rule coming into effect in 2020.  From Boston team in need of bullpen reinforcements, however, clearly the team sees value in exploring Osich’s potential.  The 31-year-old does possess a mid-90’s fastball, and he has a solid 48.5% grounder rate over his 188 career MLB innings.

The waiver claim will shave a little bit of money off Chicago’s book, as Osich was projected to earn $1MM in his first year of arbitration eligibility.

Phillies To Decline 2020 Option On Pat Neshek

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The Phillies will decline their $7MM club option on right-hander Pat Neshek, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link). The veteran sidearmer will instead be paid a $750K buyout and return to the free-agent market.

Neshek, 39, missed nearly a month with a shoulder strain before a hamstring tear in late June put an end to his 2019 campaign (and ultimately required surgery). That pair of injuries limited Neshek to just 18 innings of 5.00 ERA ball and capped off an injury-plagued Phillies tenure, though it’s worth noting that he was excellent when healthy in 2018. Shoulder trouble hampered him again that season, but Neshek pitched to a strong 2.59 earned run average in 24 1/3 innings when he was able to take the ball.

Broadly speaking, Neshek enjoyed a seven-year run as an outstanding setup piece and occasional closer from 2012-18. Over that span, he logged 315 1/3 innings with a 2.51 ERA (3.26 FIP), 8.3 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and 0.91 HR/9. Along the way he tallied 13 saves and 106 holds while making a pair of All-Star teams and pitching in high-leverage spots for the A’s, Cardinals, Astros, Rockies and Phillies. The 2002 sixth-rounder boasts a sub-3.00 ERA and nearly a strikeout per inning in 488 Major League innings.

Yu Darvish Won’t Exercise Opt-Out Clause

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In a decision that won’t surprise anyone, right-hander Yu Darvish will not opt out of the remaining four years and $81MM on his contract, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets. The 33-year-old had the right to re-enter the open market but will now remain with the Cubs for the final four seasons of that deal.

The first year of Darvish’s six-year, $126MM contract was an abject bust, as the former Rangers ace only pitched 40 innings while battling a series of injuries. Unsightly as the deal looked entering the season, though, Darvish did restore some credibility with a solid 3.98 ERA, 11.5 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 over the life of 31 starts (178 2/3 innings). Digging a bit deeper, Darvish’s final 20 starts were downright vintage form; he averaged 6 1/3 innings per outing while working to a 3.35 ERA with 11.8 K/9 and the best control of his big league career (1.3 BB/9).

Encouraging as that season was — his final four months, in particular — no one expected that Darvish would again test the open market. He’d surely have fallen shy of that $81MM guarantee, and as the pitcher himself explained in September, he and his family enjoy living in Chicago.

Darvish will return to a Cubs rotation that also includes Jon Lester (in the final season of his seven-year, $161MM deal), Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana. Righty Kendall Graveman could factor into the fifth spot in the rotation, as could Tyler Chatwood, but the Cubs will likely be in the market to reshape their pitching staff to some extent this winter.

Padres To Decline Option Over Adam Warren

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The Padres will decline their club option over right-hander Adam Warren, according to Emily Waldon of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’ll receive a $500K buyout rather than a $2MM salary.

Surprisingly, Waldon further reports, Warren underwent Tommy John surgery in September. That fact had not been publicly known. It’s likely he’ll be sidelined for the entirety of the 2020 campaign.

Warren was headed back to the open market regardless of his elbow health, but the procedure shut the door. He had struggled to a 5.34 ERA in 28 2/3 innings with the Friars. Warren turned in a 25:12 K/BB ratio and allowed nine home runs in his lone season in San Diego.

Yankees Decline 2020 Option On Edwin Encarnacion

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The Yankees announced Thursday that they’ve declined their $20MM option on first baseman/designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion. He’ll instead be paid a hefty $5MM buyout and enter the free-agent market.

Edwin Encarnacion | Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

This has long been viewed as the likeliest outcome; while the size of the buyout at least created a plausible scenario where the Yankees could deem a net $15MM decision worthwhile, doing so would’ve meant tacking on a $20MM luxury tax hit from day one of the offseason. The Yankees would’ve also been paying Encarnacion at an extremely premium rate, as that $20MM salary and net $15MM decision both would’ve topped the $14.3MM guarantee that Nelson Cruz secured in free agency a year ago.

Encarnacion, 37 in January, showed minimal signs of slowing down at the plate in 2019. While he did miss time owing to a wrist fracture and an oblique issue, he turned in a strong .244/.344/.531 batting line with 34 home runs and 18 doubles in just 486 plate appearances. The veteran slugger also slightly pared back his strikeout rate (22.8 percent in 2018, 21.2 percent in 2019) while enjoying a modest uptick in walk rate (10.9 percent in ’18, 11.9 percent in ’19). Pedestrian batting average aside, Encarnacion’s knack for getting on base and his enormous power made his 2019 offensive contributions about 30 percent better than that of a league-average hitter by measure of OPS+ (132) and wRC+ (129).

Even as he’s progressed into his late 30s, Encarnacion has been a consistent middle-of-the-order force. However, the lack of win-now teams with a clear DH opening around the league do somewhat cloud his market. The Astros (Yordan Alvarez), Angels (Shohei Ohtani/Albert Pujols), Athletics (Khris Davis), Twins (Nelson Cruz) and Red Sox (J.D. Martinez) all have their DH spots largely set. Encarnacion could technically fit with the Indians, but they’re unlikely to spend at a high level — particularly not on a DH when they already acquired Franmil Reyes back in July.

The White Sox and Rays stand out as a pair of hopeful contenders who could find DH work for Encarnacion, and a lower-cost deal with the Yankees shouldn’t be expressly ruled out. If Encarnacion is open to signing with a rebuilding team, perhaps a Blue Jays reunion would make some sense. Alternatively, if a team views him as a viable option at first base over the course of a full season, some NL clubs and perhaps an AL club or two (e.g. Twins) would factor into his market.

Even with Encarnacion off the books in the Bronx, the Yankees still have a hefty $204MM committed to next year’s payroll (including projected arbitration salaries and that $5MM buyout). As currently constructed, the Yankees are already projected to be over the luxury tax line. With Encarnacion back on the market, they’ll now likely look to a combination of Luke Voit, Greg Bird and Mike Ford at first base, with the others joining Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton in a rotation through the DH spot,

Phillies Hire Bryan Price As Pitching Coach

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10:32am: The Phillies have formally announced the hiring.

9:22am: The Phillies have made a key hire for the staff of incoming manager Joe Girardi. As expected, the team will bring on Bryan Price as pitching coach, per Matt Gelb of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’s said to have turned down offers to serve as the pitching coach with the Diamondbacks and with the Padres this month, instead opting for the Philadelphia opportunity.

Price, 57, served as the Reds manager from 2014 until his firing early in the 2018 campaign. Before that, he had a lengthy history as a pitching coach, including stints with the Mariners (2000-06), Diamondbacks (2007-09), and Reds (2010-13). He’s the first major addition to incoming manager Joe Girardi’s new-look pitching staff, and the Phillies can now shift their attention to find a replacement for interim hitting coach Charlie Manuel.

Job Openings – Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Operations

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From time to time, as a service to our readers, MLB Trade Rumors will post job opportunities of possible interest that are brought to our attention. MLBTR has no affiliation with the hiring entity, no role in the hiring process, and no financial interest in the posting of this opportunity.

The Milwaukee Brewers are hiring two positions in their baseball operations department. For additional information and to submit an application, follow the links below.

  • Baseball Research and Development Analyst: The analyst will deliver research and tools to improve decision making across Baseball Operations.  The position requires a person who has intellectual curiosity, is a self-starter and can communicate technical and analytical concepts effectively to non-technical people.  Being passionate about using data, analysis and technology to improve decision making processes is also a key differentiator.  Residence in Milwaukee is required.
  • Baseball Research and Development Intern: The intern will design and execute a strategic research project with the assistance of experienced mentors.  The internship program is designed to give the candidate real-world experience in a Baseball Research & Development department, including exposure to development processes and best practices.  Residence in Milwaukee is required.

Royals Name Mike Matheny Manager

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The Royals announced Thursday that they’ve hired Mike Matheny as the 17th manager in club history. It’s not exactly a surprise, given that Matheny has been rumored to be the likely successor to Ned Yost since joining the Royals organization as a special advisor to GM Dayton Moore last offseason. Matheny replacing the recently retired Yost has looked all the more like a fait accompli with the Kansas City organization opting not to interview any external candidates for the position.

Mike Matheny

“Our entire organization is delighted to announce and celebrate the hiring of Mike Matheny,” Moore said in a statement announcing the hiring. “Every department has had the pleasure to work and interact with him this past season. Through this interaction, it became very clear to our leadership team that Mike is the obvious person to lead our baseball team. Mike Matheny is a passionate leader with strong virtues, intelligence, and a relentless commitment to help players reach their full potential.”

Matheny, 49, spent 13 seasons as a big league catcher with the Brewers, Blue Jays, Cardinals and Giants and was hired to manage in St. Louis following the 2011 season despite a lack of coaching/managerial experience. Matheny took the reins from retiring Hall of Fame skipper Tony La Russa, inheriting a roster that had just won the 2011 World Series.

St. Louis went on to post a winning record in each of Matheny’s six full seasons as a manager and even had a 47-46 record when he was fired midway through the 2018 campaign. In all, he posted a 591-474 record in St. Louis and was at the helm for three consecutive NL Central titles from 2013-15. Matheny’s 2013 Cardinals advanced to the World Series before falling to the Red Sox in six games, and the 2014 Cards made it as far as the NLCS before falling victim to the Giants’ “even year” dynasty that captured World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014. The 2015 Cardinals won 100 games but were bounced in the NLDS by the division-rival Cubs.

The Cardinals didn’t make the postseason again under Matheny, who was ousted by the organization in a radical shakeup near the midpoint of the 2018 season. For all of his success in terms of wins and losses, Matheny also drew criticism for his bullpen management and an aversion to modern data trends. He was known as a manager who rode the “hot hand” frequently — often at the expense of providing consistent playing time to younger players. Shortly before his 2018 dismissal, reports of clubhouse strife between veterans and rookies emerged, although then-rookie right-hander Jordan Hicks quickly downplayed them when asked by reporters.

At the time of his firing, the Cardinals were a game above .500 but also looked to be in danger of missing the postseason for what would be a third consecutive season. That hadn’t happened in 20 years in St. Louis, giving the organization understandably higher expectations than most organizations throughout the league — particularly in the era of the ever-trendy rebuild.

Those standards won’t apply in Kansas City — at least not in the early stages of Matheny’s tenure. The Royals are still in the midst of what looks to be a lengthy rebuilding process and aren’t expected to return to contention until at least 2021, if not the 2022 season. Rather, Matheny’s focus with his new club will be on helping to develop young players and helping them to maximize their potential at the MLB level.

Rising talents like Adalberto Mondesi, Jorge Soler and Hunter Dozier will join steady veterans such as Salvador Perez and Whit Merrifield as the top players on a 2020 roster that will ideally see several top prospects graduate from the minors for their first taste of MLB action. Pitchers Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar and Daniel Lynch could all debut this coming season, as could outfielder Khalil Lee. The 2020 season will also be a pivotal year for former prospects like Nicky Lopez, Bubba Starling and Brett Phillips, who’ve had some experience in the big leagues but have yet to establish themselves.

Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com first reported that Matheny was being hired (via Twitter).

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