Here are three things we’ll be keeping an eye on around the baseball world throughout the day:
1. Braves getting down to business:
Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has long been known for his desire to move quickly during the offseason, and yesterday saw him kick off Atlanta’s offseason in a big way. The team re-signed closer Raisel Iglesias on a one-year deal worth $16MM and followed that move up by swinging a trade with the Astros for utilityman Mauricio Dubon. Iglesias helps to steady a bullpen mix that bid farewell to righties Tyler Kinley and Pierce Johnson when their club options were declined. Dubon gives the club a viable answer at shortstop should they fail to find an upgrade elsewhere and an excellent bench piece if he does wind up squeezed out of the starting lineup. In addition to further exploring the shortstop market, Atlanta will be on the hunt for rotation help and another reliever or two.
2. Trade market heating up?
The Dubon deal was the second notable trade in as many days, joining the surprise swap of Taylor Ward for Grayson Rodriguez between the Angels and Orioles. Neither Ward nor Rodriguez was a potential non-tender candidate, but Dubon and Nick Allen (whom the Astros acquired in exchange for Dubon) both might have been on their previous teams. MLBTR’s list of non-tender candidates released yesterday, and GMs around the league will surely be focused on trying to work out trades for any of their players who they don’t plan to tender a contract to tomorrow over the next day. Some notable trade candidates on that list include Jonah Heim, Adolis Garcia, Jonathan India, Alec Bohm, Jesus Sanchez, and Bailey Falter.
3. Could Iglesias spark more relief market movement?
Iglesias re-upping with the Braves wasn’t exactly a shocking move, given Atlanta’s proclivity towards familiar faces and a need for help at the back of a bullpen that lacked certainty outside of Dylan Lee and Aaron Bummer. Even so, there have been indications this winter that the market for relief arms could move more quickly than other parts of free agency. Iglesias is far from the only interesting name available in a market led by Edwin Diaz. Robert Suarez, Ryan Helsley, and Devin Williams are all notable names who should get strong contracts this winter, while Brad Keller, Pete Fairbanks, and Luke Weaver might lack that star power but would still be exciting additions to the back of virtually any bullpen. Who will be the next to sign?
Maybe the Royals acquire Adolis Garcia?
Feels like they should be aiming higher than a seemingly washed Garcia who has hit below average the last 2 seasons.
Garcia hit better than every Royals outfielder last year, except for post trade Yaz. And he could be had for not too much. They need multiple outfielders.
Everybody hit better than the Royals outfield last year. That’s not a high bar to leap over.
My point was that they should aim higher than someone who is simply ‘better’ than what they had and go for someone who is actually good.
They wasted a year of Witt Jr.’s prime years by putting out a non competitive outfield last season. We all know they aren’t going to shop in the big spenders aisle, but they could at least try taking a stroll down the discount aisle instead heading straight to the landfill like they did for last years outfield.
Sure, they should be aiming higher, but we are talking the Royals here. They have little depth to trade. They are on a budget. They can’t aim very high with those restrictions.
Change of scenery could reignite the spark in Garcia’s bat. Even last season’s Adolis Garcia is an upgrade over the Royals current Outfield mix
I would love that.
What would you offer us for Adolis? Let’s see if we can make a deal.
I wouldn’t get your hopes high for too much Bennie. Maybe a lottery ticket.
Kris Bubic for Adolis Garcia and 2 prospects?
Maybe the Yankees acquire no one?
I’m not a Yankees fan, but in all my years of being a baseball fan, i don’t think I’ve ever seen an off-season where the Yankees sit completely still. I’ve seen relatively underwhelming winters, but I don’t think you should worry too much about the Yankees doing nothing.
That’s a sign they don’t want their 28th ring.
99.9% done after Grish accepting the Q.O. Cashman will probably skip the Winter Meetings too. /s
Nah come on now. I’m annoyed that the Yankees extended the QO to Grisham because I don’t think he can duplicate this past season, and it cuts into the spending, but at the same time I gotta think the Yankees had plans for both scenarios. And yes there will be trades, too, Cashman is profilic in that regard and better than signing FA tbh.
Prices will be historical high for relievers due to many modern day starters not going deep enough into games. With increased velo and spin rates comes durability issues. Other than certain genetically gifted steel elbow and iron shoulder players most human elbow cannot carry that load on the elbow for long before needing reconstruction . Those teams that stock up on relievers will be wise as long as it’s not dumpster
Diving
You have to remember though, modern day relievers don’t do as much as old time relievers either. Closers used to go more than just an inning. You look at Rollie fingers stats as a closer and he was throwing around 80–100 innings. Nowadays closers tend to be more around 60 innings.
The Yankees have essentially 3/4 of a bullpen just with possible non-tenders. There are a lot of relievers out there, and pretty much every team can build a bullpen on the cheap. I wonder how fast that market moves, and whether the Owners or the players have the upper hand. There’s not a lot of scarcity.
They do have a high ceiling arm coming up. Elmer Rodriguez
Braves are notorious for striking early in the offseason
Great move by the angels ! I like it for Baltimore too but when you can secure an asset like angels did, it was worth parting w ward
Ranking Braves Moves Yesterday
1. Sign Raisel
2. Trade for Dubon
3. Trade with Rox
I feel like an Iglesias signing may indicate more interest in a Keller or, more interesting, Luke Weaver, whom has closing and starting experience. He could be the best RH setup option and/or move into a closer’s role following Iglesias – similar to their offering Jeff Hoffman (who had the same qualities) last year, before a failed physical.
@Run: I like your Keller idea best. I was wrong yesterday when I said that I’d taken Iggy and Williams to Atlanta in the 50 FA Contest. I actually took Iggy and Keller, not Williams. No matter the contest, I’m not as high on Weaver due to his recent health troubles.
Look at the number of bullpen arms that are non tenders. They are there because they didn’t produce to their salary. Absolutely a bullpen can be built on the cheap, but quality suffers. Finding a diamond in the rough is still rare. Even reliable middle relief is going up in price. Teams used to hope for a complete game once a week, then once a month, now its one or two a half season. Having more than one closer has become a smart choice. Expect bullpens to become more of a priority as the supply of quality arms cannot fill the demand.
Why do the Phillies want to trade Alec Bohm when there is a lack of quality 3B around MLB? Bohm has a great approach at the plate, low K rate and dramatically improved his D at 3B. He’s making less than $10M in his FA walk year, so he should be plenty motivated to produce. If Schwarber walks, Bohm could potentially slide to 1B if the Phillies wanted to get in on the Bregman market (Bryce becomes DH) or sign Pete Alonso to share 1B/DH with Bryce and keep Bohm at 3B.
For the media/radio personalities stating the Phillies are going to have to release Nick Castellanos or absorb his entire salary to facilitate a deal, look no further than the Angels/Orioles trade. A bat first RH hitter (Ward) for a mid rotation SP (Rodriguez). So a team with a lefty heavy lineup, like the Red Sox – or a team devoid of talent like the White Sox – wouldn’t take Nick Castellanos (1/$20M) for Jordan Hicks (2/$25M) or Andrew Bientendi (3/$45M). Long term salary cleared from the books is the motivation. ChiSox could acquire one of Nick/Taijuan (1/$18M) plus 2 or 3 top 20 organizational prospects – for Luis Robert (1/$20M) and C Kyle Teel. Chicago probably wants to get out from beneath the uncertainty of the 2 player options ($20M in ‘27 & ‘28) Robert holds over them. Meanwhile he was 99th percentile of batters who faced pitches outside the strike zone. At 28 years old, he’s young enough to produce with some protection around him, and moving him to RF potentially keeps him healthy. White Sox would hope Taijuan becomes a reliable innings eater and deadline trade chip, while adding some young/inexpensive big leaguers or uppers minors prospects from the Phillies – ie Rafael Marchan, Johan Rojas, Gabriel Rincones Jr, Keaton Anthony, Felix Reyes, Robert Moore, Griff McGarry, Eiberson Castellano, Andrew Baker – older prospects that still maintain some value. Attach Nick or Taijuan with 3 or 4 of those guys, maybe you moved your worst contracts out the door while simultaneously filling a need in the BP or OF.
The Phillies need to get themselves a Howie Roseman bc there are certainly ways and means to fix this club, they just fail to seek out these ways and means year after year.
Taylor Ward was worth 2.7 fWAR and Nick Castellanos was worth -0.8. That’s a stark difference in value. No team is trading for the latter with a 90 wRC+ and terrible defense.
Also the Robert and Teel for (one of) Castellanos/Walker and “2 or 3 top 20 organizational prospects” “idea” he keeps floating makes no sense. Just because the salary comps doesn’t mean the Sox would have any interest in basically trading Robert and Teel for 3 unnamed prospects of unknown quality. Why would they even consider trading Keel, the top piece in the Crochet deal? He’s their starting catcher, had a good rookie year, and is under control through 2031.
bingo, YBC!
@ AC Surf Baseball 609
Nick Castellanos and Taylor Ward are not remotely similar.
Ward is a roughly league average defender in the outfield who provides about 10% above average offense for around $11 m. He produced 2.7 bWAR last season, after producing 2.3 bWAR the season prior. He’s a solid but not spectacular player on a reasonable contract.
Nick Castellanos is a well below average fielder who should probably have his ball glove confiscated. His bat was below average this last season while being barely above average the year prior. He hasn’t had a season above 1.5 bWAR in the last 4 years. As you say, he’s making $20 m this season.
Even paying his contract down to league minimum might not be enough to get someone to bite.
Yeah, the Phillies would just love that Teel/Roberts trade. Dream on.
The difference between the Ward/Rodriguez trade and what you are suggesting is each team got something they needed: the Orioles got an inexpensive power bat without having to negotiate against other teams and the Angels got a controllable starting pitcher.
Trading Castellanos for Hicks, or worse Benintendi is trading dead money for dead money. If 29 other teams are aware that at some point the Phillies will just cut Castellanos they will just wait them out. Why trade for and have to absorb his salary when you could just sign him for the prorated league minimum when the Phillies release him
The hot stove has been really burning lately.
I like. Better than in years past when we had to wait for the winter meetings for even minor league signings
Korey Lee to the Rays, Adolis to the K… moves that make too much sense. How about the Jays pull a shocker and trade Varsho to Mets for Sprout & Taylor…