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MLB Owners Approve Steve Cohen’s Mets Ownership Bid

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As expected, Steve Cohen has gotten the approval of at least 23 MLB owners in his bid to purchase the Mets, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). Cohen will take over 95% of the franchise from the previous ownership group, led by Fred and Jeff Wilpon, for a purchase price of around $2.475 billion.

The City of New York has also approved the sale, per Tim Healey of Newsday (Twitter link). As Healey explained yesterday, Mayor Bill de Blasio had to sign off on the deal because the municipality owns Citi Field and the associated land. Cohen will donate $17.5MM to local small businesses as part of the arrangement, he announced (via Healey).

Cohen’s group beat out a handful of competitors (most notably a Josh Harris-David Blitzer tandem and a group led by Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez) to gain exclusive negotiating rights for the franchise in August. It marked a second chance for Cohen and the Wilpons to work something out, after their efforts at a deal last offseason fell through. This time, even amidst massive economic uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the parties finalized a deal.

Today’s steps officially close the books on the sale of the franchise. Cohen, with an estimated net worth of $14.1 billion, becomes MLB’s richest owner. He and incoming baseball operations leader Sandy Alderson will have plenty of opportunities to add to the roster this winter, with most teams widely expected to act rather tepidly in the wake of pandemic-driven revenue losses.

Phillies Decline David Robertson’s Option

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As anticipated, the Phillies will decline their $12MM club option on reliever David Robertson, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). The veteran righty will instead be bought out for $2MM.

This marks the end of a union that didn’t at all go according to plan. Robertson’s durability was a big reason the Phils guaranteed him $23MM over two years during the 2018-19 offseason. Unfortunately, he blew out just seven appearances into his first season, eventually requiring Tommy John surgery. While it seemed at one point he might be able to make it back to the mound for the tail end of 2020, a setback ultimately prevented him from pitching again.

Now 35 years old (36 in April), Robertson figures to face a tough market this winter. He has an excellent track record and was still a high-end bullpen piece in 2018 (his last full season), but his age and recent injury history may force him to work his way back onto an MLB roster via a non-guaranteed deal.

Tigers Officially Name A.J. Hinch Manager

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12:02 pm: The Tigers have announced Hinch’s hiring on a “multi-year” contract.

12:01 pm: The Tigers are expected to officially announce the hiring of A.J. Hinch as the club’s manager by the end of the day, hears Jon Morosi of MLB Network (Twitter link). Lynn Henning and Chris McCosky of the Detroit News previously reported Hinch and the club were nearing agreement on a three-year contract.  The deal is done, hears Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic (via Twitter).

The hiring process moved quickly, as Hinch first interviewed just yesterday. Almost immediately thereafter, it became clear he was overwhelmingly likely to get the position. Given that rapid turnaround, it seems likely the 46-year-old was the target (or at least a top candidate) for GM Al Avila and the rest of the front office from the moment Ron Gardenhire retired.

Given Hinch’s recent on-field success, it’s easy to understand the appeal. He managed the Astros to great heights between 2015-19, winning a pair of American League pennants and the 2017 World Series. He had plenty of extremely talented players with whom to work, to be sure, but Hinch was generally regarded as one of the top managers in the game just twelve months ago.

That all preceded the exhaustive reporting that emerged on the sign-stealing scandal perpetrated by the Astros during some of Hinch’s tenure, most notably throughout that World Series-winning season. Commissioner Rob Manfred suspended Hinch (and then-Houston GM Jeff Lunhow) for one year in January. Within hours, Astros owner Jim Crane ousted both Hinch and Lunhow.

In his report, the commissioner noted that Hinch did not approve of nor orchestrate the Astros’ illicit activities. Nevertheless, he was unquestionably aware of the scheme and didn’t do nearly enough to stop it. There’s no question the manager bears some of the responsibility for knowingly permitting players and other staff to brazenly conduct a cheating operation, regardless of his involvement (or lack thereof) in setting it up. There figures to be plenty of backlash if/when Hinch is officially hired, but the Tigers certainly don’t seem to be the only team comfortable granting those involved with the Astros’ scandal another chance.

Hinch was reportedly a candidate for the White Sox managerial vacancy, as well. Detroit’s division rival instead turned to Tony La Russa. There’s also speculation that Alex Cora, who was Hinch’s bench coach on the 2017 Astros (and by the commissioner’s account, more actively involved in orchestrating the sign-stealing operation than Hinch was) might return from his own suspension to again manage the Red Sox, as he did from 2018-19.

The Tigers’ roster isn’t one set up to contend immediately, but the organization is beginning to see the fruits of its rebuild. Top prospects Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal are already in the majors, while Matt Manning and Spencer Torkelson probably aren’t far behind. Jeimer Candelario and Willi Castro also impressed in 2020 and will continue to try to cement themselves as long-term pieces on the position player side. Hinch will be tasked with trying to guide that young core back to the postseason for the first time since 2014.

Rays To Decline Options On Charlie Morton, Mike Zunino

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The Rays are not going to exercise their club options on right-hander Charlie Morton or catcher Mike Zunino, vice president of baseball operations Erik Neander told reporters (including Juan Toribio of MLB.com and Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times). Morton’s option was valued at $15MM, while Zunino stood to make $4.5MM if his option were exercised. Neither player will receive a buyout and both are now free agents.

Tampa Bay is leaving the door open to bringing either player back, Neander adds (via Toribio). They’re particularly interested in retaining Morton, it seems, with Neander noting the parties will look for a “creative” way to keep him in the fold (Topkin link).

Both players had important roles on the Rays’ pennant-winning 2020 club, but Morton is the more notable of the two. The 36-year-old (37 next month) was a Cy Young finalist just a year ago, when he tossed 194.2 innings of 3.05 ERA ball. He took a bit of a step back over nine regular-season starts this season but he still looks like a strong mid-rotation starter at the very least. He reaffirmed that with four stellar postseason starts.

Morton immediately becomes one of the best pitchers on the free agent market, but it remains to be seen how much interest he’ll have in exploring deals with other teams. The veteran makes his home in Florida, a key point in his decision to sign with the Rays as a free agent after the 2018 season. Earlier this month, Morton said he’d seriously discuss the possibility of retirement with his family if the Rays declined his option. At the moment, though, he “is believed to want to continue his career,” hears Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link).

As for Zunino, the call was probably a bit easier for the front office. The former third overall pick has started just over half the Rays’ games behind the plate the past two years but hasn’t hit much. Since Tampa Bay acquired him from the Mariners, Zunino has hit just .161/.233/.323 over 373 plate appearances. He struck out in 64 of his 140 plate appearances between the regular season and playoffs in 2020. The well-regarded defender hits the market at just 29 years of age, though.

Yankees Decline J.A. Happ’s Option

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The Yankees have unsurprisingly declined their $17MM club option on left-hander J.A. Happ, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter link). The option did not come with a buyout figure, so the Yankees will simply allow Happ to hit free agency.

This has seemed the way Happ’s time in the Bronx would come to an end for a while. His contract, signed in December 2018 and containing a two-year, $34MM guarantee, came with a 2021 club option that would’ve vested had Happ started 27 games or thrown 165 innings in 2020. Prorated to ten starts and/or 62 innings during the shortened season, the southpaw was held to nine starts totaling 49.1 innings last year. That proved to be a source of frustration for Happ, who suggested the Yankees were deliberately curtailing his workload to keep the option from vesting. Whether or not that was the case, he did indeed come up short of those marks and will hit the open market.

To his credit, Happ was actually pretty productive in 2020. He pitched to a 3.47 ERA over those nine starts, albeit with some reasons to question his ability to continue to prevent runs at that level. Happ benefited from a .223 opponents batting average on balls in play and stranded a lofty 81.3% of the baserunners he allowed. A few more batted balls finding grass and less timely sequencing would have pushed that ERA closer to his 4.57 fielding independent pitching mark.

Nevertheless, the 38-year-old has been plenty durable the past few seasons and offered solid production at the back of teams’ rotations. His age limits his earning power (he might be capped at one-year offers), but Happ profiles as a solid candidate to bolster some team’s rotation depth.

Latest On Plans For 2021 Minor-League Season

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In a typical season, spring training camps begin in mid-late February and feature a large swath of players with varying levels of experience. Given the uncertainty associated with COVID-19, however, MLB is considering a staggered start to 2021 spring training for minor-league players, reports Evan Drellich of the Athletic.

If MLB were to adopt a staggered reporting system, higher-level players (likely those at Triple-A or in the majors) would be the only group to report to spring training at its typical start date, Drellich reports. Lower-level players would report to spring camps only after the higher-level players have dispersed to start their regular seasons (MLB’s Opening Day is currently scheduled for April 1), thus minimizing human contact.

Of course, delaying the start of lower-minors players’ spring training would necessitate delaying the start of their regular season. They would still need a few weeks, at minimum, to work their way into game shape. Drellich suggests a potential mid-May start date for lower-minors teams in this scenario.

Nothing is yet set in stone, it should be noted. It’s not even guaranteed we’ll have minor-league games in 2021. The timetable for widespread deployment of a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is far from certain, as is the extent of varying municipalities’ willingness to sign off on minor-league play next season. Indeed, using the 2020 alternate site system again remains a possibility, per Drellich. The resources available to MLB teams for testing and distancing procedures generally aren’t available to minor-league owners. That creates further challenges in guaranteeing those players’ safety, as Drellich discusses with MiLB player advocate Garrett Broshuis.

All this comes during a time of uncertainty about the relationship between MLB and MiLB. The Professional Baseball Agreement that links the parties expired this month. Drellich notes there’s an expectation that a new PBA will come together this winter. That agreement will almost certainly involve the contraction of some teams at the lowest levels, a move MLB angled for even before the pandemic began.

Yankees Decline Brett Gardner’s Option

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The Yankees have declined their $10MM club option on outfielder Brett Gardner, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link). He’ll instead receive a $2.5MM buyout. The Yankees have interest in bringing the 37-year-old back to the Bronx, Heyman adds, but it’ll have to come at a cheaper rate than his option price. Given the buyout figure, the Yankees opted against bringing Gardner back on what amounts to a $7.5MM decision.

The longest-tenured Yankee player, Gardner has been in the organization since they selected him in the third round of the 2005 draft. He has gone on to a long, very productive career as a high-OBP hitter with a little bit of pop who plays excellent defense in left field. Gardner reinvented himself as something of a slugger in 2019, when he hit .251/.325/.503 with 28 home runs over 550 plate appearances. That strong season prompted the Yankees to guarantee him $12.5MM on a one-year deal with this option last offseason.

Gardner was still fairly productive in the abbreviated 2020 season, hitting .223/.354/.392 with five home runs over 158 plate appearances. His power took a step back from its 2019 heights, but Gardner’s .169 ISO (slugging percentage minus batting average) was still solid. His strikeout and whiff rates were each at career-high levels, but both remained lower than league average. And the ever-patient Gardner drew a boatload of walks to prop up his on-base numbers.

That said, the Yankees declining the option isn’t much of a surprise. A few teams have already declined options that would typically seem reasonable on the heels of massive revenue losses due to a season with no fans. The New York organization itself seems likely to scale back payroll this winter. With Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Aaron Hicks and Clint Frazier in the fold already, the Yankees aren’t hurting for outfield help, although it’s arguable Gardner’s left-handed bat fits well in the Yankees’ righty-heavy lineup.

It’s hard to imagine Gardner in anything other than a Yankee uniform, and the door seemingly remains open to a return. But he’s now free to explore his options with all thirty clubs. At his age, it’s doubtful anyone will see Gardner as an everyday center fielder, but he’s still capable of playing up the middle when needed and should be above-average in left. Plenty of teams figure to have interest in Gardner as a short-term upgrade, at least as the strong side of a platoon arrangement.

Tigers Likely To Hire A.J. Hinch As Manager

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OCTOBER 30: All signs are pointing to Hinch becoming the next manager in Detroit. The parties are nearing an agreement on a three-year deal, report Lynn Henning and Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, one which could be finalized as soon as today. Jon Heyman of MLB Network (Twitter link) also hears that Hinch “is the choice” for the position.

OCTOBER 29, 9:51pm: There has been “substantial progress” toward a deal, reports Morosi, who adds that Hinch is in line to become the Tigers’ next manager.

OCTOBER 29, 8:23pm: The Tigers and Hinch are progressing toward an agreement, Buster Olney of ESPN tweets.

OCTOBER 29, 6:34pm: Hinch is the favorite for the job, per Morosi and Beck.

OCTOBER 29, 5:10pm: The Tigers interviewed A.J. Hinch for their vacant managerial position on Thursday, Jon Morosi and Jason Beck of MLB.com report. Hinch is one of several candidates known to have spoken with the Tigers as they seek a replacement for the retired Ron Gardenhire.

Hinch, a former major league catcher, gained major league managerial experience in the past with the Diamondbacks and Astros. His resume includes a terrific 570-452 record, three 100-win seasons and a World Series title with the Astros in 2017. However, a sign-stealing scandal has called into question Hinch’s accomplishments in Houston. The league suspended him for all of 2020 as a result of the Astros’ violations, and the team fired him shortly after that.

Hinch’s ban expired after this year’s World Series, so he is now eligible to return in a prominent role if a team is willing to hire him. The 46-year-old previously garnered interest from the White Sox as they sought a new manager, but they elected to hire Tony La Russa on Thursday. That leaves the Tigers and Red Sox as the only teams looking for managers, though Boston hasn’t shown any reported interest in Hinch so far.

A Note On Players Changing Agencies

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I’d like to take a brief moment to note that MLB Trade Rumors will no longer be doing posts when players change agencies.  MLBTR readers have consistently ignored those posts, which generally aren’t meaningful for those who don’t work in baseball.  This information is also the source of much drama between agents, in which we have little interest.  We do intend to make an exception and write a post when an agency change is a significant national story, like when Robinson Cano left Scott Boras for Jay-Z.

We’ve had an agency database for many years now, as it’s useful to our writers and a small subset of our readers.  In 2021, I plan to update and maintain this database, make it mobile-friendly, add a change history, and include it as a feature of a Trade Rumors Front Office subscription.

Minor MLB Transactions: 10/29/20

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The latest minor moves from around baseball…

  • The Rockies have outrighted RHP Joe Harvey, per a team announcement. This is the second offseason in a row that Colorado has outrighted Harvey, whom the club acquired from the Yankees prior to the 2019 trade deadline. The 28-year-old owns a 2.93 ERA with 11.0 K/9 against 4.1 BB/9 over 89 innings in Triple-A ball, but he hasn’t seen a significant amount of action in the majors so far. Through 21 1/3 innings as a Yankee and Rockie, Harvey has notched a 4.22 ERA/5.51 FIP with 8.02 K/9, 5.48 BB/9 and a 44.4 percent groundball rate. Harvey threw just three innings in 2020, though he didn’t allow a run or a walk in that stretch.

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