The Brewers had talks with the Blue Jays about a trade that would have seen Randal Grichuk head to Milwaukee in a straight-up exchange for Jackie Bradley Jr., The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports. This was one of multiple alternate Bradley-for-outfielder deals explored by the Brewers before finally acquiring Hunter Renfroe from the Red Sox on Wednesday.
While the Brew Crew had to surrender two prospects along with Bradley in that deal, Renfroe is both less expensive than Grichuk and has been a better player over the last three seasons — Renfroe had a 3.5 fWAR since the start of the 2019 campaign, while Grichuk has been worth 1.5 fWAR. The Brewers’ outfield mix now consists of Renfroe, Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, and Tyrone Taylor, so barring any other transactions to shift some money around, Grichuk may no longer be on Milwaukee’s radar.
More from around the NL Central…
- The Cubs “were on the periphery” of the Kevin Gausman hunt and “were heavily involved” in trying to sign Steven Matz, according to The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma. However, Chicago weren’t willing to sign either pitcher to as lengthy of a commitment as the five-year deal Gausman received from the Blue Jays or the four-year deal Matz got from the Cardinals. While the Cubs are aiming for shorter-term deals for quality starting pitchers, they have thus far been successful on that front, landing Marcus Stroman on a three-year contract and claiming Wade Miley off waivers from the Reds. Along these same lines, Sharma suggests that Danny Duffy could be a target for the Cubs, as Duffy can likely be had for a one-year pact given his injury-shortened 2021. The team also needs more strikeout pitchers, either in the rotation via the trade market or in the bullpen.
- Though the Pirates signed Jose Quintana and traded for Zach Thompson as part of the Jacob Stallings deal, GM Ben Cherington told reporters (including The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Kevin Gorman) before the lockout commenced that the Bucs are still looking to add another starting pitcher to their mix. There isn’t much settled in a rotation that is short on experience apart from Quintana, and Cherington feels the Pirates’ incumbent arms will have to translate their promise into performance to win jobs during Spring Training. “There was nobody that we assumed is in our rotation, but there are a lot of guys who have a chance to be,” Cherington said.
What the Cubs are doing is curious. I don’t see them as a contender over the next year or two but they are spending pretty big money on starting pitching contracts that only last that long. It looks like those guys might be gone by the time the Cubs really compete again.
Why would the Blue Jays ever except a straight up Grichuk for JBJ trade??
As a Jays fan I’d honestly rather have JBJ for one year than Grichuk for two.
JBJ all day long over Grichuk.
i mean that’s gotta be it.
JBJ is still owed $20 mill if you include the ’23 buyout at $8 mill. If he can get to 80 OPS+ that remaining $4 mill for ’23 could be worth it.
Probably just to get a LH hitting OF
Because it’s a trade I suggested months ago and both gms read my stuff on here. Jays need a LH OF and because Springer has never once played more than 90 games in CF a back CF is needed as well.
Again with that stat that doesn’t matter
What stat doesn’t matter? OPS+? It’s literally other stats combined into one. Care to explain your disdain for it?
Right, makes no sense for either side. The trade that happened made sense. Renfro will do well in Milwaukee. JBJ going back to Boston plus prospects, great move by Chaim Bloom
Before the 2021 season, it would’ve been a total steal for the Jays. Now…. it depends what you believe the odds are that JBJ will rebound to his norms. At any rate, the Brewers got a better deal.
Toronto went out of their way not to use Grichuk in the last couple of months. Even where the platoon advantages would have dictated it. He has no real role on the team. as constructed. He’s just a much less capable version of what they already have. Bradley is at least a different type of player who you could find more opportunities for. Bradley is owed more money this season if you include the buyout but Grichuk is owed more overall. It tidies up Toronto’s ’23 books a bit.
The free agent class is not weak but the cubs are!
I would accept a deal for Grichuk and JBJ with a prospect all day long. That is exactly what the RedSox did for Renfroe. The Jays weren’t thinkin right.
Grichuk is a pylon. His offence is either really hot for a few months or horrible for 1/2 a year. His defense is passable. JBJ’s defense is elite and his offense better than his 2021 numbers by far. Boston knows this too – that and the prospects is why they did the deal.
It says the potential deal was JBJ for Grichuk straight up…. Meaning no prospects involved
I’m just glad JBJ is gone. His showing was pathetic last year at the plate – even our pitchers were seeing the ball better than he was. Good job getting out from under that contract. You can’t waste a roster spot like that.
Honestly though, you gave up a bit for Renfroe with the rookies. The trade looks bad for the Sox but I think it will be good for both sides. When you look deeper, it was kind of smart what Bloom did.
Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s fair already, just glad Stearns basically owned it and found a way out. Prospects are lotto tickets, hard to tell how they’ll pan out. Would be nice to see them make the majors someday. Also hope JBJ finds something. That had to be embarrassing for him!
Renfroe will hit 25+ homeruns and get on base at a .300 clip and strikeout 150+ times. You know what you are getting there which is exactly that. Great move by bloom by selling high
JBJ was one of the few head scratcher moves by Milwaukee’s FO. But they just fixed it! I’d take Stearns on my team any day.
I would hope that the Pirates are still looking for decent starting pitching, since they sure didn’t have much of that last season. The bullpen was actually pretty solid, but their numbers started to suffer as the season went on, because the starters seldom if ever made it through the fifth inning.
Agree, and it’s yet another opportunity to see if someone…anyone….can teach Mitch Keller to pitch. A chance to see if the real Brubaker will stand up. A chance to get again marvel at the never-ending carousel of Pirates pitchers who suddenly get a start but fail to make it out of the 3rd or 4th
I’m ok with the idea that yeah, they’re likely going to lose 90-100 games again, as long as the kids at the minor league level and those promoted “progress”. Still, not a good feeling to read the GM says that going into the off-season, he had no one penciled in as a starter
I totally agree with you. I think the Pirates hired the wrong guy after Searage dismal. Pirates need a pitching coach that is known to play at the major league level with success and is known to teach the kids to pitch to their strengths. Adjust, adapt, and never try to do to much to stay ahead of the hitters and/or league. I also think MLB should add a little grip to the baseball so it isn’t so hitter friendly. Batters won’t like it, but these football scores nearly every night by multiple teams, is too much. 12-10, 18-9, 15-5 etc etc scores is great for batters, but teams are burning through pitchers trying to find an out. It doesn’t have to be a huge grip, but enough to put a bit of a spin on the baseball so guys aren’t having a home run derby every night. I guess I like the pitching duels and close low scoring games like 4-3, 1-0, 5-3 etc. it’s nice every so often to have a football score for a change. Just not every night. When I looked last average runs per game was 4.47 while the top offensive teams was near 6 runs per game. That is huge number of runs per game when I remember games being 6 runs combined. They made the pitching element of baseball harder for even the best of arms. ERA’s are going up and it seems the normal era is between 3.50-4 to be a top notch ace pitcher in the league. I grew up with Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, Greg Maddox, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine, Zane Smith, Doug Drabeck, and others. During their “prime years”, they had ERA’s 1.68-3.10 with batting averages against .220 or lower. Now guys like Nolan Ryan (no offense to him and his fans, but he walked a lot and had ERA near modern day ERA of 4) can be an ace and CY Young winner. Heck, Bob Walk too can be an ace and CY Young candidate too. You get the idea
I like your thinking here and like you, enjoy a 1-0 or 2-1 game much more than slugfests. Sadly, I think we are dinosaurs in such thinking as MLB’s approach to increasing fandom and viewership is akin to why the NFL has adopted so many rules that limit defenses or the NBA (and even college) street ball mentality: more scoring means more interest.
I’m also in agreement about Searage’s replacement here but I would wonder if Hanrahan is simply waiting in the wings, working with the young arms and perhaps coming up as they do. All I know is that guys like Morton and Cole and others became more complete pitchers when they left here. There must be someone who can teach Keller and refine others
Now let’s be honest, how many thought the Jackie Bradley Jr contract was untradable??
Not if you give up two decent prospects with him.
Well just remember that Zack Brown and Erceg were considered really strong prospects too when we first drafted them
Yea what the heck happened with Erceg?
Me. And I still don’t know enough about the 2 prospects to make a decision on whether the overall trade is great, good, bad or indifferent long term, but im clinging to the idea that the Brewers won’t be sending up a pinch hitter who either has a worse chance than a pitcher to make something happen, or there’s less than 2 outs so when he K’s it won’t end the inning.
the Phillies should be willing to trade for Grichuk if TOR is willing to pay down some salery or add a prospect.
Not sure about salery but we’ll throw in some celery.
i should maybe try and learn how to spell eventually.
Gregorius for Grichuk?
Sounds like an 80’s pop band
Toronto missed out on trading Randal and getting a better defender to play CF. To bad the Jays are awful at a lot of things !
Randal Grichuk straight up for Jackie Bradley Jr. would be an awful trade. Randal Grichuk was better than Jackie Bradley Jr. in 2021.
So let’s say the Cubs offered Matz $50-55M for 4 years. They would have a good pitcher for an extra year and less money than Stroman. Or they could have just gotten both anyway. I don’t understand how the Cubs have gone about free agency the past few years.
Matz is the better pitcher anyway for half the price!
How it Matz the better pitcher? Please explain.
On a per dollar basis matz might provide more value on the dollar
Because Stroman decided to go to the Cubs. In “themed” world, that means he is bad.
Contracts are not always linear. Stroman may not be twice as good as Matz, but he’s quite a bit better.
That would have been a huge overpay. The Cardinals overpaid by going 4 years.
Ben has laid the scenario out, buck up yougins and earn a rotation spot. I like his idea, but maybe someone like Sonny Gray could be added?????
Ben is adding prospects not sending them away. If right before spring training there is someone left that ben thinks can be decent and flipped at the deadline and no other team want to give them a major league deal, ben will offer them 2 or 3 million.
JBJ for Grich, what? Take on salary with Jr, p/u some D but lose a lot of O.
Notta
The Cubs are doing what I have hoped that they would do this year , Get short term contracts on pitchers with some good upside , Pitchers who if healthy and pitching good could lead to some deadline Trades allowing the Cubs to boost up prospects for the future..
I’m so happy at the Cubs run , Happy they finally won it all that said my hope moving forward is that the Cubs front office can put together a system where the Cubs can be a playoff contender every year ..
Cubs did not sign Stroman in hopes of flipping him at the deadline for more prospects, they want to compete
You’re actually both right. They’re hoping to contend , but if it doesn’t work out, they can just flip him for prospects. I’m not a Stroman fan but there might be a market.
Agreed. Pretty solid plan if you ask me.
Capone, they have been contenders every since 2015 with the exception of this year where they made the choice to go a different direction half way through the season.
Dunk, totally agree with you…and any contending team would have signed Stroman now and won’t be looking for a $20M + deal even closer to an opt out.
The Cubs are not spending that crazy money to flip…..the Joc Pederson deal last year was meant to help them contend and turned out to be flipped…although that prospect is probably middling at best.
I AM NEVER LEAVING TORONTO
Cubs could’ve had stroman and Matz/ Guasman. Maybe even all 3. Just give them an extra year and an opt out. That’s just dumb on Hoyers part
No, what’s dumb is you thinking that Brennan Davis is going to be on the opening day roster.
He needs to be otherwise it’ll be another Kris Bryant situation. He’s more than ready to contribute.
Another option for Blue Jays to swap Grichuk for another bad salary would be to talk to the Reds about Mike Moustakas. Moose makes a little more, so there might have to be money or another player included, but the Blue Jays need a 3B and Cincinnati will need to replace Nick Castellanos. As a Blue Jays fan, I don’t want Moustakas being Plan A, but if they were to put their remaining money into something like a Carlos Rodin and Kenley Jansen and ended up having to go cheap at 3B, I’d be okay with Moose in that scenario.
*Carlos Rodon
Blue Jays trying to unload Griuck to add someone big in free agency imo. Hi Kris Bryant
They need LH hitters Kris Bryant RH. So no.
Cubs sign Carlos Correa and extend Willy Contreras. Resign Matt Duffy. Add another bul pen piece or two. Then a block buster trade with the Oakland A’s who they have done business with in the past. Cubs receive Matt Olson, Matt Chapman and Sean Manaea . A’s receive Patrick Wisdom, Nico Hoerner, Ian Happ, Adbert Alzolay, Justin Steele and a minor league infield (SS) prospect like Ed Howard or Reginald Preciado. It’s Christmas and the season for miracles.
That trade for the A’s might not be too far fetched. No money on the books for those guys. They would want Scwindel (sp) though. Who knows, he might be a one year wonder
I disagree on it not being far-fetched. I don’t see the A’s parting with their best three trade assets for that package.. None of those players have shown they are future stars yet so you left with Ed Howard/Preciado (7th/8th) in a club with the 17th overall farm system headlining it . Why would the A’s want that package? I bet they could get most of that package for Olson alone.
Not even close. Oakland will want a top-100+ for each of those guys.
Yea the package doesn’t come close to netting 3 all-stars in their prime.
Davis would have to be going to the As if both Chapman and Olson are involved
If Beane is willing–i do that deal .
That package wouldn’t even get them Olson, much less Chapman and Manaea too.. Wisdom is already 30 yrs old. Happ is an average player with two years of control remaining.. The other guys are not premium prospects.
The other guys ARE premium prospects. They are still teenagers though. Very few top 100 prospects are teens. Check their pedigree.
I wonder if the brewers could get some team to take Yelich. Then they would have money to spend on offense
I think the Crew is going to hang onto Yelich for at least 2 more years. He has to start turning the bad karma around tho.
The brewers will hold on to Yelich. You can throw the Covid year out the window. A lot of guys were bad. His back gave out early last year. Had a decent stretch near the end of the year but zero power. His AB’s vs the Braves were horrendous
I don’t think they’re anywhere near panic mode with him yet. That guy is a superstar, but that back must’ve really hobbled him more than he let on. Gotta hope he gets back on track this year. He was swinging at stuff he’d normally lay off. I think he was pressing.
They’d have to eat money or add prospects.
Too much money tied into heyward and bad contracts. Cubs sent money to ny, sf and sandiego in.those trades. Drop heyward for prospects.
Pirates to look for starting pitching after dfa quintana a in spring training.
I applaud them for spending money when most thought they were going to sell. I guess my confusion though is that with the 3 years of Stroman & Hendricks, will the Cubs be ready to compete before their contracts are almost up and they’ve have to spend on pitching again? They’ve got two in MLB top 100 (14, 86ish) so this isn’t the loaded farm before their run in ’16 and are 17th overall per mlb. Davis makes his debut in 2022 most likely but he can’t carry this team solo. I need to see another year of what Ortega, Schwindel and Wisdom did before I buy in them being reliable down the road. Chicago has money to spend but they’ve got a lot of holes. Stroman’s shorter term deal is what throws me off.
Depends on what you mean by compete. They have a decent enough lineup and rotation. Should hang around 500 and if the central sticks around that is compete. To be a world series threat they need another pitcher as good or better than Hendrick Stroman and couple more bats.
Who thought the Sawx or Giants were gonna be as good as they were? Anyone (not the Orioles or Pirates) can surprise ya.
Other prospect services are much higher on their system. Most agree that they are top 3 in prospects 20 years old and younger. Just have to build a bridge until these players start making contributions. Hoyer won’t articulate it , but you can see his plan.
My two cents on the Cubs. They didn’t spend a ton on Stroman and Miley, relatively speaking. Rickets is just trying to sell season tickets and beer. Giving the fans false hopes at this point
After the lockout will the Cubs make a serious effort to sign Correa? It may sound crazy, but he would still be in his prime when the rebuild comes to fruition and keep them relevant through the process. Cubs are more able to afford him than any of the other teams reportedly interested.
They need a elite defender at SS and a middle of the order bat and have the money to spend. Correa to Cubs makes a ton of sense especially only bring 27 years old
If they sign him and make a few more mid level type moves they could be a playoff contender especially if they expand the playoffs which is likely. The Cubs farm is actually is good shape the problem they are all in low A or below, so in the meantime they can contend for a playoff spot until this higher ceiling guys in the minors are ready to breakthrough in the majors and become World Series contenders by 2024 or 2025.
But at least the fans get a contending team with strong upside to be more down the road. Not a bad spot to be in.
Agree. I think they contend for division with Correa.
Brewers are tuff though. Red sox and Rays made them tuff with those easy trades.
I’d rather get Story for half the length and less AAV. Better defense, better baserunning ,less injury prone and comparable offense.
I have to admit I am very surprised at what pitchers are getting these days especially before the lockout. You would think owners would want to send a message before the lockout I dont know makes no sense to me.
The strength and volume of the market in general has been quite the head turner. Does it speak to greed on both sides?
Well I would have to agree but the one guy I thought would get more money was Stroman. He seemed like a pretty decent pitcher with more long term success then some of these other guy who signed for big money. Can’t understand it I mean I get him wanting to eave the Mets lol I just can’t see why he didnt get over 100 million.
Cubs should sign Carlos Rodon to bring a power arm to their rotation. A contract similar to Jon Gray in quantity but fewer years should play for him, 3 years and $ 56 million. Also sign a left-handed bat for his lineup, Michael Conforto or Kyle Schwarber to bring him back, who is said to be looking for 3 years and $ 60 million and of course to sign one of the remaining SS on the market, Correa or Story.
It will cost them at least 70 M/yr for those three guys. No way in the world Ricketts spends that kind of money.
the Cubs’ current payroll is in the 110 million range. cubs is not a small market and if they are serious about competing as they have been saying, they can still add 50 or 60 million more to the 2022 payroll
and even adding 60 million more to the payroll, they would be far behind the luxury tax
And it is not a bad strategy if they get contracts of 3 years or less so as not to sacrifice their long-term financial flexibility. the only long-term contract would be to one of the SS in the market, Correa or Story
the Cubs’ current payroll is in the 110 million range. cubs is not a small market and if they are serious about competing as they have been saying, they can still add 50 or 60 million more to the 2022 payroll
You are spot on, and I think that will add at least 50m this off-season. The payroll was around 160m to start last year in an uncertain revenue time with Covid and fans in the stands. You have to believe that payroll will be in the 175-185m range this year. That means that even if they try to remain around 165m to stay flexible, they still have 50-55m to spend.
Adding Rodon on a short term contract would make a ton of sense. In 3 years the Cubs have Heyward gone, Hendricks off, Stroman off and completely reset the payroll. If they choose to add Correa that will essentially be their only significant payroll in 2024. At that point they should start seeing these 19-20 year old prospects hitting the majors.
Rodon isn’t getting 3 years from anyone.
My take is somewhere in the middle…i think they wanna be conpetive…while feeling out this roster to see what is real and what isnt..schwindle ortega and wisdom either figured it out…or just overachieved for one year…only way to know is let them play this year see what you truly have…plus cubs have a bunch of prospects pitching and some field players that are close…at some point this year they will get a shot to prove if they are ready..so adding a few guys with the belief 2023 is the year they can be serious contender and even spend some serious cash is kinda my thoughts on what they are doing
Cardinals will win the NL Central in 2022. Okay, it will be nip and tuck with the Brewers all the way into September, but in the end the Redbirds will prevail. The Reds and Cubs are .500 teams at best. The Pirates? Yuck!
Yellich for bellinger, two players change of scenery?
I would (as a Cubs fan) like to be realistic. SOMEONE had to hit for them last year in the second half. I believe their AAA caliber offense benefited from nobody taking them seriously. In a weak lineup you tend to throw more strikes as not to “gift free bases” and I personally believe the Cubs players took advantage when they could of that. The next playoff caliber Cubs team will only have Madrigal in the starting 8 (assuming DH isn’t in the NL) out of the current roster. Ortega could be a 4th OF or MAYBE the worst hitter of the 8 starters, but I don’t see that happening.
Seems to me the pirate rotation is kinda full in spring.
Quintana
Thompson
Brubaker
Contreras
Keller
Crowe
Yajure
Some are likely just inning eaters but getting Keller and Yajure on track should be the early focus. They are going to get every opportunity to get going until they cost too much in arb or until the team start competing. That ‘might’ be sooner than later. Pirates have a ‘fair’ setup for position players. Not a world series team but has a better than fair chance to finish over .400