The deadline to tender contract to arbitration-eligible players is tonight at 7:00pm Central. Here’s a rundown of the players on American League teams that have been non-tendered today. This post will be updated as more decisions are revealed.
MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected salaries for all arb-eligible players last month. Onto the transactions…
Latest Transactions
- The Mariners announced that they have non-tendered three players: catchers Brian O’Keefe and Luis Torrens, as well as righty Luke Weaver. Weaver was just claimed off waivers from the Royals a few weeks ago but will now become a free agent.
- The White Sox announced three non-tenders: outfielders Adam Engel and Mark Payton, as well as infielder Danny Mendick. Engel is generally considered a strong defensive outfielder but he struggled at the plate in 2022. Mendick played all over the diamond while hitting .289/.343/.443 for a wRC+ of 125.
- The Guardians announced they have non-tendered lefty Anthony Gose and catcher Luke Maile. Gose was designated for assignment earlier in the week. Maile got into 76 games hit at a below-average level with roughly average defensive marks.
- The Angels announced four non-tenders: lefties Jhonathan Diaz and Rob Zastryzny, as well as righties Touki Toussaint and Nash Walters. The latter three names were designated for assignment a few days ago.
- The Rays have non-tendered Ryan Yarbrough, per Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Tampa designated him for assignment earlier in the week.
- The Blue Jays announced that they have non-tendered outfielders Raimel Tapia and Bradley Zimmer, as well as infielder Vinny Capra. The two former names were designated for assignment a few days ago.
Earlier Moves
- The Athletics announced that they did not tender contracts to three players: right-hander Deolis Guerra, left-hander Jared Koenig and infielder David MacKinnon. Guerra is the most seasoned of the trio, having made his MLB debut back in 2015 and made 136 appearances. Unfortunately, he required Tommy John surgery in April, missing the entire 2022 campaign and possibly some of 2023 as well.
- The Red Sox are non-tendering outfielder/first-baseman Franchy Cordero, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Cordero appeared in 84 games for the Red Sox this past season, but hit just .219/.300/.397 with eight home runs while grading out very poorly on defense. The Sox have also non-tendered infielder Yu Chang, per Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. The versatile infielder began the year with the Guardians but subsequently went to the Pirates in a trade, then went to the Rays and Red Sox on waiver claims. Across those four teams, he hit .208/.289/.315 for a wRC+ of 78.
- The Astros will part ways with reliever Josh James, as Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle reports they’re expected to non-tender him tonight. He spent the entire 2022 campaign in the minors, and underwent flexor tendon surgery in October and is without a timetable to return.
- The Rangers announced that right-hander Nick Snyder has not been tendered a contract. He only has 4 2/3 innings of MLB experience over the past couple of seasons. He spent most of 2022 in Triple-A, posting a 4.97 ERA over 38 innings, though with a 30.9% strikeout rate.
- The Royals opted to non-tender lefty Jake Brentz and right-hander Nate Webb, the team announced. That’s no surprise, as both players were designated for assignment earlier this week. They lost their 40-man roster spots as a result, but the non-tender means Kansas City won’t need to run them through waivers before sending them directly to free agency. Anne Rogers of MLB.com tweets that Kansas City is tendering contracts to the rest of their arbitration class, including Brad Keller and Amir Garrett — each of whom seemed to have a small chance of being cut loose after tough seasons.
Rsox
Part of me expects Bloom to bring Cordero back on a minor league contract, the other part of me is glad to see that Chaim has hopefully realized that Franchy was just not the player they hoped he would be
LordD99
True. A team non-tendering a player may not indicate they don’t want him, but that they want them at a lower price. The fact they couldn’t reach some deal though probably indicates the player will move on to try and find a better opportunity for playing time.
elmedius
He’s not the player any of us hoped he would be. I don’t think there’s a single person that doesn’t get excited about the raw power of a prospect like Cordero or Wily Mo Peña. We all want to see video game power in real life! That’s why Judge and Ohtani are so awesome and why Pittsburgh is finally exciting. Maybe Cruz is the unicorn?
Yay Sports
Othani.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
That’s why it’s hard to blame Bloom. He’s had his failures but it hasn’t cost us years and money like a Crawford or Price deal did. He might fail but it’s only in the short term so far. Aggravating if you ask me.
miltpappas
That trade was idiotic from the get-go. Sometimes I think Bloom still has his heart in Tampa and is intentionally trying to deep-six their alleged rivals, the Red Sox.
GreenMonsta
You really think that? He’s been hired by Henry and is intentionally trying to help TB, To the determent of his own career? Wow.
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
I don’t think it was that bad. Surely, he lost the trade in the short term but Benintendi was not that great. He needed a change of scenery and it just turned out that Cordero didn’t live up to expectations. But again, it doesn’t cripple us for years and years.
Jordan Young
Will there be a NL Non-Tender tracker also tonight?
Tacoshells
Not frenchy!! NOOOOO
A's Fan
this takes the A’s 40 man roster down to 36 i believe maybe even 35. Looks like they will certainly be taking 2-3 in rule 5 draft and hoping 1 can stick
ruff kuntry
They’ll have the cream of the crop to choose, and it’s a pretty good crop since there was no rule 5 draft last season.
User 3595123227
Anyone named Franchy will never be good at baseball. Sorry.
ALuepke12
I don’t know, good enough that he’s made it to the show and had a couple teams give him looks.
User 3595123227
Well ok you are taking this to far. I meant long term. Next time I’ll be more precise with my commenting. My bad.
bengalsmarinersfan13
I think making it to the mlb means you’re pretty good at baseball. I’m not saying he’s going to be a super star or even an everyday starter, but to say he’s bad at baseball is just ridiculous
User 3595123227
Lol.
JoeBrady
That’s a little ridiculous, imo. Anyone who plays in the MLB obviously knows how to play baseball. You should assume that everyone in here knows that, and then assume everything they say is “in context”.
When I say he is the worst fielding 1B I have ever seen, I’m not comparing him to guys on my softball team. Even though Patty O is definitely a better 1B than Franchy.
User 3595123227
Joe Brady lol. You and that pink floyd guy. Overthink everything. That samuel guy too. You all sound crazy.
baseballguru
I agree with Letting Cordero skate…some power zero Defense/BA. Why on earth Ryan Brasier is getting a contract is beyond me exposing Ward to the rule 5 draft…stupid…I agree with Taylor hopefully they know he’s good to go from the injuries. Please lock up Christian Arroyo for the next 6 years say 12 to 14 mill. Also play him as often as you can in the utility role or start him at 2b if we lose Bogey and Story shifts to SS. Lastly Sign Judge! If EVER Boston had multiple needs this free agent fills it’s Judge, OF, Power, RHB, Average Defense, Sign this era’s Babe Ruth & don’t be cheap about it, Lock up Devers, Grab an Ace, fix the pen & let’s win another ring!
Angry Disgruntled Sox Fan
What are you smoking?
Bobby smac9
smokin john henry’s cash
GreenMonsta
Sign Arroyo long-term, sign Judge long-term. Are you the team doctor? Maybe looking for some job security. Im surprised you didn’t include Eovoldi, and locking up Sale for a few more seasons.
DBH1969
lmfao! post of the day right there!
Flyby
Deolis Guerra, i forgot he was still in the league. Always remember him as part of the deal that brought the Mets their first and only 1 pitcher no hitter in Johan Santana. Johan was never the same after that though.
baseballteam
What about non tender for Brasier?
JoeBrady
3.61 FIP.
64/13 K/W
2.25 ERA in Sept/Oct
baseballteam
So he got better when the games when there was no pressure
GreenMonsta
Or he gets better late in season:
Sept and Oct 2021 — ERA 1.50, on the way to playoffs.
JoeBrady
Or he reverted to his previous form as he got healthier. Just IMHO, but I find too many fans willing to part with players because an injury drags down their stats.
He’s 35, so you could be right, but GMs are paying a lot of money for guys with the stats Brasier had from 2017-2021.
JoeBrady
Wow, you think anyone can play a decent 1B, but Cordero was as bad as anyone I have ever seen.
Samuel
Lot’s of players messed up playing 1B in 2023, Joe.
This is what happens when too many FO’s primarily look t stats to make decisions and don’t understand how the game is played on the field. 1B is not an easy position to play….and far from the least important.
I saw Franchy turn around Sox games for the worst twice (which they lost), and both times involved multiple plays he messed up.
They should sign Brian Anderson.
johnsilver
Samuel.. I was told many years ago, by that same ex RS manager not going to bother naming again, who taught me so much about the game that it’s short attention span issues when a guy, who can play a fair/decent OF, then stinks at playing the IF most of the time.
Kind of like it’s different hand/eye coordination and attention for each infield position. Some guys can stay focused playing the OF and remain involved all the time.. Some wander into Manny-Land/Rice-Land, or close to it and just don’t focus as much as they should every second of the game out there, then when moving to 1st base.. demanding a ton more involvement.. They are lost and overwhelmed.
Samuel
johnsilver;
Interesting. I see lots of 1B’s that have no attention span – Abreu of the White Sox comes to mind. When balls are hit to him with runners on base, IF he catches it he looks around trying to figure out what to do with it (throw to another base, run to 1B, or feed it to the pitcher covering). He can’t seem to retain the game situation, and often misses out on making plays because he held onto the ball too long.
It’s why I’ve felt that Bryce Harper should have been moved to 1B. It’s the opposite….
He’s so intense, yet winds up walking around in little circles in RF between pitches. As if he has the energy, but will seldom be involved in the play. At time he loses track of the game situation in the OF.
Playing at 1B he’d be in on the action constantly, and as he’s now become a team leader would be great walking over to the mound when the putchers struggling a bit to buck him up. Yes, I’m aware he has a rocket arm (which is why he plays RF), but one of the fallacies about playing 1B is that arm doesn’t count – it does….and runners wouldn’t be circling the bases if their backs were to him and they knew he caught at throw at 1B.
julyn82001
A’s should bring back Deolis Guerra. He did a nice job for Oakland before landing on DL requiring TJS.
chertz24
Mendick.
SupremeZeus
Leury Garcia $16.5M. First law of holes.
#1WhiteSoxFan
And Mendick still recovering from injury.
#1WhiteSoxFan
Looks like Oscar Colas makes the MLB ball club soon after season begins.
Need someone to backup Luis Robert and also to play RF.
chertz24
I agree
chertz24
Oh I when I commented that it was because all it said was Mendick and then nothing else. Seems they’ve since edited the sentence. Definitely know why he wasn’t tendered, even if I personally think he should of stayed.
MacD
Yep. Mendick is off the team and Garcia stays on it. I understand it’s because of his contract but my God. I’m hoping they resign Mendick. He’s no stud ballplayer but he’s 10 times better than Garcia.
chertz24
Totally agree, Mendick is sneaky good. Shame he has struggled with injuries.
User 3663041837
Would’ve cut Garret he’s been bad for 2 years now
KamKid
What would be the reason a team would non tender a pre arb player at this point? Why not just DFA that player when and if a roster spot is needed? Unless it’s just to give that player the freedom to pursue another opportunity in another league or something without being subjected to waivers?
YankeesBleacherCreature
The deadline tonight only applies to arb players.
Holy Cow!
I read Arizona Phil at Cub Reporter. He is a guru of transactions and contract language. He wrote that today is the only day that a player can be taken off the 40 man roster without being exposed to waivers. It is a good way to re-sign a player to a minor league contract at a decent salary.
The Cubs released Brailyn Marquez and Alexander Vizcaino, a couple of pre-arb pitchers that have not pitched for over a year.
all in the suit that you wear
That would explain why teams non-tender players today instead of 3 days earlier when they could have used the 40 man roster spots to protect players from the Rule 5 draft.
all in the suit that you wear
…and answers my question below. Thanks.
KamKid
That’s why I’m asking the question. The Blue Jays non tendered Capra who has less than a year of service time. In this case is there a functional difference between a non tender and a DFA? Does he still have to pass through outright/release waivers?
boltonbrutality
Wrong link for Nick Snyder. Just an FYI.
all in the suit that you wear
I guess the Red Sox really don’t believe in Thad Ward. Couldn’t they have non-tendered Franchy and Chang a few days earlier and added Ward to the 40 man roster?
kiwimlbfan
There you go Yankee fans who thought Luis Torrens would one day take over from Sanchez, he’s there for the taking…
Jesus Montero 2.0
DonOsbourne
Come home Luke Weaver
GO1962
Franchy Cordero seems to be following in the footsteps of Ozzie Canseco
mrperkins
Maybe I was asleep all of 2018 but how Did Ryan Yarbrough go 16-6 with only 6 starts in 38 appearances? Vulture extraordinaire
mrperkins
Ah, must have been an “opener” thing. I like being innovative but it sure makes statlines look confusing
The Saber-toothed Superfife
The Tigers… did nothing?
solaris602
They non-tendered Jeimer Candelario – long overdue
30 Parks
Franchy Mo Peña … Chaim Bloom has no idea what he’s doing.
vtbaseball
It does seem like he doesn’t know how to evaluate talent, doesn’t it? I think he’s in over his head.
iains 2
Man, I thought Anthony Gose had to be 40 years old by now
solaris602
How on God’s green earth did SEA not toss Abraham Toro overboard. I get the defensive versatility, but the guy just flat out doesn’t hit. M’s have to literally be the only team in the majors who value his skillset (or lack thereof). Hopefully he’ll be a throw-in in one of Jerry’s upcoming deals.
Yay Sports
Garrett only gave up 28 hits in 45 innings with zero home runs. Era almost 5. Wild man for sure.