Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Archives for 2023

Jorge Lopez Elects Free Agency

By | at

The Orioles announced this morning that right-hander Jorge Lopez has cleared waivers and elected free agency. He’ll test the open market this offseason alongside a bevy of right-handed relief options who figure to be available this offseason.

Lopez, 30, made his MLB debut back in 2015 with the Brewers and bounced around the league as a swing option for several years, struggling to a 6.04 ERA and 5.15 FIP from 2015-21 while playing for Milwaukee, Kansas City, and Baltimore. Prior to the 2022 campaign, the Orioles moved Lopez to the bullpen full time, and the early returns on that decision looked to be nothing short of revelatory: the righty was among the most dominant relievers in baseball for Baltimore in 2022, earning his first career All Star appearance while posting a 1.68 ERA with a 2.99 FIP and 27.6% strikeout rate across 48 1/3 innings of work.

On the back of those career-best numbers, the Orioles shipped Lopez to the Twins for a prospect package that included right-hander Yennier Cano and lefty Cade Povich. While the trade was a controversial one at the time thanks to the young Baltimore squad’s impressive run to that point in 2022, the move proved prescient. While Cano has broken out as an elite set-up man for the Orioles in 2023 and Povich is one of the club’s best pitching prospects, Lopez regressed with the Twins last year, posting a 4.37 ERA and 4.35 FIP in Minnesota that was 10% worse than league average by measure of ERA+.

While the Twins brought Lopez back to open the 2023 campaign, his struggles grew even worse this year. After 35 1/3 innings of 5.09 ERA baseball, Minnesota agreed to a change-of-scenery swap with the Marlins that sent Lopez to Miami in exchange for veteran righty Dylan Floro. Lopez continued to struggle in Miami to the point where the club designated him for assignment, leading him to return to the Orioles. His return to Baltimore saw his 2023 struggles continue, and he ended the season with a 5.95 ERA and 5.76 FIP in 61 appearances.

While Lopez’s huge success with the Orioles last season will surely pique the interest of clubs, his struggles this season figure to give even the most intrigued clubs some level of pause. It’s certainly possible he’ll be limited to minor league offers this offseason and have to earn his way back onto a major league roster for 2024 during Spring Training.

Mets Notes: Alonso, Vogelbach, Ottavino

By | at

The future of Mets first baseman Pete Alonso has been a focus of speculation in recent months, given reports that the club discussed a trade with both the Brewers and Cubs ahead of this year’s trade deadline. Of course, later reporting indicated that the Mets didn’t plan to actively shop Alonso this offseason, while new president of baseball operations David Stearns himself threw some cold water on the rumors by indicating during his introductory press conference that he expects Alonso to be the club’s starting first baseman on Opening Day 2024.

A new wrinkle has emerged regarding Alonso’s future plans, as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reported this morning that Alonso has changed representation ahead of his final offseason under club control, moving from Apex Baseball to Boras Corporation, the agency run by high-profile agent Scott Boras.

The change in representation seems to lessen the odds of the Mets and Alonso coming to an agreement on a contract extension before he hits free agency next offseason, as it’s been relatively rare for high-profile Boras clients to sign extensions the offseason before hitting free agency. The deal between right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. and the Astros prior to the 2021 season and the pact between the Red Sox and shortstop Xander Bogaerts back in 2019 show that proclivity is hardly universal.

What’s more, Heyman notes the recent success the Mets have had in working with Boras, as the sides agreed to $100MM+ deals for veteran ace Max Scherzer and center fielder Brandon Nimmo in free agency the past two offseasons. Nimmo’s case is worth particular consideration, as the former 13th-overall pick made it to free agency last offseason after spending his whole career with the Mets, much as Alonso has, before ultimately re-signing with the club.

More from Queens…

  • On the heels of manager Buck Showalter’s recent departure, Mike Puma of the New York Post discusses a major point of contention between Showalter and the front office over the summer: playing time for slugger Daniel Vogelbach. Showalter reportedly wanted to explore other options at DH against right-handed pitching early in the season, including cycling regulars through the position to get them a partial day off, thanks to Vogelbach’s lack of power production: he slashed just .219/.364/.314 over his first 43 games. Showalter met resistance from GM Billy Eppler regarding that desire, however, with Eppler insisting on Vogelbach remaining in the lineup. Vogelbach, 30, is headed into his final season of arbitration eligibility in 2024.
  • Though right-hander Adam Ottavino recently indicated that he intends to return to the Mets next year by exercising his $6.75MM player option for the 2024 campaign, the 37-year-old veteran recently spoke with less certainty regarding his impending option decision, telling reporters (including Puma) that while he likes the Mets, he wants to see “how things shake out” in the early offseason before coming to a decision. Ottavino posted a solid season for the club, with a 3.21 ERA and 4.52 FIP in 66 appearances, though that performance was a considerable step back from the 2.06 ERA and 2.85 FIp he posted in 2022.

The Opener: Wild Card, Counsell, Moreno

By | at

With the first round of the playoffs now in the rearview mirror, here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day today:

1. Wild Card ends in four sweeps:

None of the newly-minted three-game Wild Card Series will actually reach a third game this year, the second of MLB’s new postseason format. Each of the Twins, Rangers, Phillies, and Diamondbacks completed two-game sweeps yesterday, ending the 2023 campaign for the Blue Jays, Rays, Marlins, and Brewers respectively. With the Wild Card Series wrapped up, the four winners can look ahead to the Division Series, where the Astros, Orioles, Braves, and Dodgers await them for a five-game set.

Yesterday’s games were characterized by excellent pitching performances, with three of four winning pitchers registering quality starts and the fourth, AL Cy Young award candidate Sonny Gray, striking out six in five scoreless innings of work. NL Cy Young award candidate Zac Gallen, meanwhile, allowed two runs on five hits and three walks over six innings. The night’s longest performances came from Rangers veteran Nathan Eovaldi, who struck out eight across 6 2/3 innings of one-run ball, and free-agent-to-be Aaron Nola’s seven scoreless innings for the Phillies. Nola was also assisted by the night’s strongest offensive performances. Veteran catcher J.T. Realmuto slugged both a double and a homer, but the star of the Phillies offense last night was 25-year-old second baseman Bryson Stott, who continued a strong sophomore season in 2023 with a grand slam off Marlins lefty Andrew Nardi.

2. Counsell’s decision looms:

Brewers manager Craig Counsell is widely considered to be among the best managers in today’s game, but entered the 2023 campaign on an expiring contract. While Brewers ownership has expressed a strong desire to see Counsell return to the manager’s seat in 2024, the sides agreed to postpone discussions of a new contract until after the club’s season came to an end. With Milwaukee having been swept out of the NL Wild Card series by Arizona last night, the NL Central champions are surely now going to turn their attention to whether or not Counsell will helm the team next year.

If Counsell departs the Brewers but would like to continue managing in 2024, he’d immediately become the most attractive managerial candidate on the market, with a fair few options at his disposal. The Guardians are seeking a replacement to the widely-respected Terry Francona, while the Giants and Angels have each parted ways with the managers in recent days. Still, no team has fueled speculation regarding Counsell’s future more than the Mets. The club just hired former Brewers president of baseball operations David Stearns to take over the organization’s helm, with Stearns’s first act in his new role being to fire manager Buck Showalter.

3. Arizona hopeful Moreno avoided concussion:

After a scary incident on the field during last night’s win over the Brewers, Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo told reporters (including MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins) that rookie catcher Gabriel Moreno has not yet been placed into the concussion protocol after being hit in the head by the backswing of Brice Turang’s bat. Lovullo said the club is still “finding out” what his status is, but that after Moreno entered the dugout following the second inning, team trainers insisted he be taken out of the game. Moreno noted after the game that he was feeling “a little bit dizzy” but that he was feeling better by the end of the game.

The loss of Moreno for the coming five-game set against the Dodgers could be devastating for the Diamondbacks. After coming over from the Blue Jays in the Daulton Varsho trade this past offseason, Moreno has combined excellent defense behind the plate with a solid offensive performance as he slashed .284/.339/.408 in 380 trips to the plate this season. If Moreno misses time, the club figures to use glove-first backup Jose Herrera as the starting catcher while he’s away. The only other catcher on the 40-man roster is former-White Sox backstop Seby Zavala, who was claimed off waivers in early September and is ineligible to participate in the postseason. Adrian Del Castillo and Ali Sanchez are the club’s top catching options from the Triple-A level this season.

A.J. Preller Discusses Bob Melvin, Juan Soto

By | at

Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller addressed members of the media on Wednesday (including AJ Cassavell of MLB.com) to discuss his team’s disappointing performance in 2023 and what to expect from the offseason ahead. He confirmed that he will remain the club’s chief baseball executive going forward, and likewise, skipper Bob Melvin will remain at the helm in 2024. Preller also touched on the Padres’ farm system, a potential addition to the front office, and the possibility of an extension for superstar Juan Soto.

Considering that the Padres vastly underperformed this past season, it’s no surprise Preller and Melvin were on the hot seat. San Diego reached the NLCS in 2022, yet after a busy offseason in which the team spent over $400MM in free agency, they barely finished above .500 this year, falling two games shy of a postseason berth. The president of baseball ops didn’t deny how frustrating the 2023 season was, but he didn’t blame his manager for everything that went wrong. This comes two days after Padres chairman Peter Seidler expressed his complete support for the leaders running his team.

Said Preller, “Bob is our manager, and he’s going to be our manager going forward,” leaving no room for doubt that Melvin’s job is secure. However, the executive wouldn’t broach the subject of an extension – the manager is only under contract for one more year – instead emphasizing that both he and Melvin are focused on improving the current roster and getting the Padres back to the postseason in 2024. “Next year is going to be a different year,” he explained. “A different team, different players.”

While there won’t be a different manager or a different president of baseball operations, Preller said he has thought about possibly hiring a general manager. He has technically held both titles since he was promoted ahead of the 2021 season, but it has become quite common for teams to have a separate president of baseball ops and GM. Preller wouldn’t commit to making a hire, but he said he’d be open to adding a new executive “that brings different experiences” to the front office.

On the topic of reinforcements, Preller also addressed San Diego’s farm system, expressing confidence in the cohort of young players approaching the upper levels of the minors. He believes the team has several prospects who could make an impact sooner or later, especially as added depth. His remarks weren’t particularly revealing, but they were encouraging, given the sheer number of prospects the Padres have given up in recent trades, along with the draft picks they’ve lost by signing top free agents.

The executive wasn’t quite as confident about Juan Soto’s long-term future with the Padres. While he said his first move will be to discuss an extension with the three-time All-Star, he didn’t deny the possibility of trading the lefty slugger instead. “We’ve never been a group that says no to anything,” Preller explained. “I wouldn’t read into that. That’s just kind of the way we operate.” His comments suggest that no trade is imminent, but by not shutting down the question, he left the potentiality on the table.

Postseason Injury Notes: Moreno, Fried, Hudson

By | at

Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno exited following the second inning of Wednesday’s Wild Card round matchup with the Brewers. He was hit in the head by Brice Turang’s backswing after the rookie whiffed on a curveball from Zac Gallen. The 23-year-old initially remained in the game, finishing the inning behind the dish, but he did not come out for the following frame.

Moreno has not yet received a diagnosis, but if he suffered a concussion, he could be out for at least seven days. That would come as a tough loss for the Diamondbacks, who will enter the NLDS against the Dodgers as the unmistakable underdogs. The young catcher was one of their best hitters over the second half of the season, batting .317 with a 144 wRC+ since the start of July. He carried his hot bat into the playoffs, crushing the go-ahead home run in Game 1 off Brewers ace Corbin Burnes.

In other postseason injury news…

  • Max Fried threw five innings in a simulated game on Tuesday. The All-Star southpaw hasn’t pitched for the Braves since mid-September as he deals with a blister on his left index finger. Manager Brian Snitker told reporters (including Mark Bowman of MLB.com) that Freid’s blister had healed “very well,” and although he wore a band-aid on Tuesday, his finger “looks good without anything on it.” Thus, it seems like he’ll be ready to start against the Phillies on Monday in Game 2 of the NLDS. If that goes well, the off days in the schedule could also allow him to pitch Game 5, if necessary.
  • According to Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times, Daniel Hudson will pitch during an intrasquad game on Thursday. The Dodgers righty only made three appearances during the regular season and has not played in a big league game since July 5, but he hasn’t ruled out an October return. He won’t be available for the NLDS, but he could pitch later in the postseason should the Dodgers advance. Over the past three years, Hudson has been an excellent reliever when healthy, pitching to a 2.85 ERA and 2.60 SIERA in 79 innings of work. Unfortunately, he has dealt with a litany of injuries since last summer, including a torn ACL, ankle tendinitis, and, most recently, an MCL sprain in his right knee.

Max Scherzer Continues Working Toward A Return

By | at

The Rangers have been without Max Scherzer since mid-September, but the three-time Cy Young winner hasn’t given up hope of pitching in the postseason. Indeed, he seems to be progressing well toward that goal.

His teammates did their part on Wednesday afternoon, beating the Rays to win the AL Wild Card Series and advance to the ALDS. Scherzer, meanwhile, pitched another bullpen session (according to Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News), ramping up the intensity with which he threw. The veteran described the session as “pain-free” and seemed excited about his progress, calling out in triumph as he made his way back to the clubhouse. While he’ll have to wait to see how his body reacts in the coming days, that sounds like promising news.

As the Rangers celebrated their first postseason series victory in over a decade, Scherzer had his trademarked look of determination in his eyes (per Tyler Kepner of The Athletic). “Based on today, I’m turning a corner, I see a path,” the future Hall of Famer said. “You never know.” Based on those comments, it doesn’t sound like his return is fast approaching – he remains doubtful for the ALDS – but the deeper the Rangers play into October, the more likely it is that Scherzer can get back on the mound.

Thanks to a couple of off days in the ALDS schedule, the Rangers could get through the second round of the playoffs with just three starting pitchers. After that, however, they will almost certainly require a fourth starter – if they advance to the ALCS. Andrew Heaney could fill that need, as could Jon Gray if his health allows. Still, Texas would surely rather have Scherzer in that role. In eight starts with the Rangers this season, he pitched to a 3.20 ERA, striking out nearly 30% of the batters he faced. Not to mention, the 2019 World Series champion has a lengthy postseason resume, including a 3.47 ERA in 22 playoff starts. He has also made five relief appearances, racking up ten strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings out of the ’pen. If Scherzer isn’t stretched out to start by the ALCS, he could serve a valuable role as a not-so-secret weapon in the later innings.

Keston Hiura Elects Free Agency

By | at

According to his player page on MLB.com, former top prospect Keston Hiura has elected free agency. He spent the 2023 season with the Brewers’ Triple-A affiliate, the Nashville Sounds.

Hiura was the ninth overall selection in the 2017 draft. He wasted no time at all in making a strong first impression, batting .371 with a 1.033 OPS across stints at the Rookie and Low-A levels. He continued to hit the following season, beginning the year at High-A and earning a promotion to Double-A by June. The year after that was more of the same, as Hiura demolished Triple-A pitching en route to a big league promotion at just 22 years old. While some might have struggled after such a quick ascension to the highest level of the game, the young star didn’t skip a beat. He finished his rookie season with 19 home runs, nine stolen bases, and a .938 OPS in 84 games.

Unfortunately for Hiura, that’s where the good times stopped. He spent the full year with the Brewers in 2020, slashing a meager .212/.297/.410. Things took a turn for the worse the following year, as he hit .160 with a .563 OPS, bouncing back and forth between the major and minor leagues.

His bat started to look better in 2022, and Hiura had an .805 OPS at the All-Star break. Still, his underlying numbers were cause for concern; his 43.8% strikeout rate was untenable, and his .412 BABIP was masking deeper issues. Indeed, Hiura fell back down to earth over the final two months of the season, striking out far too often to make good use of his power bat. Ultimately, the Brewers couldn’t find a place for him on the active roster entering the 2023 campaign, and as he was out of options, they had no choice but to designate the once-promising slugger for assignment. He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A, where he spent the season. His .308/.395/.565 slash line was impressive, but evidently not impressive enough to merit a reunion with the big league squad.

Now a free agent, Hiura is free to sign with a new organization, and perhaps a change of scenery is just what he needs. Next year will be his age-27 season, and if he continues to hit like he did at Triple-A, it’s hard to imagine he won’t make his way back to majors eventually.

Five Reds Elect Free Agency

By | at

Five players who spent time with the Reds in 2023 are now free agents, per the transaction log on MiLB.com: Michael Mariot, Alejo López, Matt Reynolds, Kevin Herget, and Alec Mills. All five were designated for assignment and sent outright to Triple-A at some point during the year. Following the conclusion of the regular season, they had the right to elect free agency, a right which they have now exercised.

Mariot pitched in one game for Cincinnati in 2023, marking his first big league appearance since 2016. Over the past seven years, he has signed minor league deals with the Reds, Padres, Royals, Phillies, and Tigers, as well as contracts with teams in the Atlantic League, the Mexican League, the American Association, and the Chinese Professional Baseball League. While his MLB stint with the Reds didn’t last long, it’s undeniably impressive that the 34-year-old righty made it back to the big leagues after so much time away. In all likelihood, he will look to sign another minor league contract for 2024.

Unlike Mariot, who has bounced around quite a bit throughout his professional career, López has played in the Reds organization since the team selected him in the 27th round of the 2015 draft. The utility man made his major league debut in 2021 and earned semi-regular playing time in 2022, appearing in 61 games with a .645 OPS. Unfortunately for López, he was designated for assignment before the 2023 season, and with so much infield depth on the roster, the Reds only selected his contract for a couple of brief stints with the big league club; he appeared in one game, hitting a double and scoring a run. Still just 27 years old and with an option year remaining, he’ll look to latch on with a new club in need of infield (and outfield) depth this offseason.

Despite playing 92 games for the Reds last year, Reynolds didn’t stick around long in 2023. He was DFA’d in January but had his contract selected again in April after Wil Myers hit the injured list. He remained on the roster for just over a week, appearing in two games. Out of minor league options, he was DFA’d again once Myers returned and spent the rest of the season at Triple-A, splitting his time between all four infield positions. Reynolds has played in the majors in six of the past seven seasons, and after posting an .865 OPS at Triple-A, the versatile infield defender and former second-round pick should be able to find another minor league deal over the winter.

Following an impressive performance at Triple-A, Herget made his MLB debut last season at 31 years old. In three appearances for the Rays, he gave up six runs in seven innings of work, but evidently, he did enough to earn a more extended look with the Reds in 2023. After signing a minor league deal with Cincinnati over the offseason, Herget had his contract selected in early April. Across five separate stints with the big league club, he threw 24 1/3 innings, winning a game and collecting a save. While he gained more MLB experience this year, Herget failed to produce encouraging numbers at either the major or minor league level, posting an ERA over five at each. As a free agent, he will have the opportunity to negotiate a new minor league deal. Alternatively, he could choose to return to independent league ball, having previously played in the Atlantic League and the American Association.

Mills is perhaps best remembered for his 2020 campaign with the Cubs, his only season as a full-time starting pitcher. He finished with five wins in 11 starts, including a no-hitter against the Brewers on September 13. Following a less effective season in 2021 and an injury-marred campaign in 2022, Mills was sent outright to Triple-A and elected free agency after the season. He signed a minor league deal with the Reds in 2023 and spent most of the year at Triple-A Louisville, posting a 6.10 ERA in 12 games (nine starts). In his lone MLB appearance, he gave up five runs (two earned) in a single inning of work. While it has been a couple of years since he last looked like a capable big league pitcher, the 31-year-old righty will presumably look to sign a new minor league deal.

Eric Haase Elects Free Agency

By | at

Catcher Eric Haase elected free agency on Tuesday, according to his transaction log on MLB.com. He was eligible to become a free agent after having been designated for assignment and sent outright to Triple-A earlier this season. He is perhaps the most notable of several players to hit the open market on Tuesday, including Zack Collins, Cole Tucker, and Josh Lester.

Once a top-30 prospect in the Guardians system (per Baseball America), Haase played a handful of games for Cleveland during the 2018 and ’19 campaigns. During that time, the backstop hit .094/.147/.188 across 19 games, prompting a DFA during the 2019-20 offseason. The Tigers scooped him up for cash considerations, and after another disappointing season in 2020, he broke out the following year. He finished with 22 home runs and a .745 OPS in 98 games – 66 at catcher and a handful in left field. The 2022 season was more of the same, and he posted a respectable .748 OPS in 110 contests. The righty batter was especially impressive that September, slashing .295/.329/.564 over the final month of the season.

Unfortunately, Haase could not build upon that success in 2023, as he struggled out of the gate and only continued to flounder as the year went on. The Tigers gave him plenty of time to turn things around, but eventually, the club decided to take a chance on a different backup catcher, signing Carson Kelly and designating Haase for assignment. The Guardians scooped him up for a reunion, but it wasn’t long before he lost his roster spot to bigger-name waiver-wire additions Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, and Matt Moore. With the September 1 deadline for postseason eligibility having passed by that point, Haase chose to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A. He finished out the season with the Columbus Clippers, slashing .154/.233/.269 across eight games.

While Haase had a rough year at both the major and minor league levels, he shouldn’t have trouble finding a job for 2024. Capable defensive catchers are always in demand, and his ability to cover the outfield corners is a valuable skill. What’s more, he’s only a year removed from two straight seasons as an above-average offensive catcher. He’ll certainly draw some interest this winter, especially if any teams think he can rediscover his 2021-22 form.

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top