5 Key Stories

Here are this week’s biggest stories from around MLBTR:

Cardinals extend Stephen Piscotty. This week, the Cardinals announced they’d extended outfielder Stephen Piscotty for six years and a $33.5MM guarantee, with a club option and performance escalators that can bring the value of the deal to $50.5MM. It was the latest in a series of Cardinals extensions — the club also finalized its three-year extension for Yadier Molina this week.

Blue Jays release Melvin Upton Jr. The Blue Jays parted ways with the 32-year-old Melvin Upton Jr. after determining he wouldn’t make their Opening Day roster. Upton batted .196/.261/.318 in 165 plate appearances with the Jays after they acquired him from the Padres last July.

Braves sign Ryan Howard to minor-league deal. Ryan Howard, once one of the NL’s most feared sluggers, languished on the free-agent market all offseason and only reached a new deal this week, signing with the Braves. Of course, with Freddie Freeman in tow, the Braves’ plans for Howard are currently up in the air.

Key pitchers suffer injuries. The first week of the season generally isn’t a big one for transactions, but there are frequently reports of new injuries. Two righties suffered significant injuries this week — Junior Guerra of the Brewers (who will miss six weeks or more with a strained calf) and Seth Lugo of the Mets (who has a slight UCL tear that he and his doctors will address with a platelet-rich plasma injection and rest). Also, Angels righty Garrett Richards also suffered a biceps strain, and lefty Rich Hill headed to the DL with a blister.

Padres place three Rule 5 picks on active roster. The way the Padres set their Opening Day roster perhaps isn’t the most impactful story, but the team’s eye-opening decision to place three Rule 5 Draft picks (Miguel Diaz, Luis Torrens and Allen Cordoba) on their 25-man roster (along with four other players younger than 24) received its fair share of attention this week, both on the site and on Twitter. The team’s Opening Day payroll for its current players was just $33MM, less than it’s paying Upton, James Shields and Hector Olivera, who are no longer with the team.

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Here were this week’s top stories here at MLBTR:

Cardinals to extend Yadier Molina. The Cardinals took steps to keep their franchise catcher, agreeing to a new extension worth $55MM-$65MM over three years. The deal, which isn’t yet official, will make Molina one of the game’s highest-paid catchers through his age-37 season, while blocking a key prospect, Carson Kelly.

Rangers extend Rougned Odor. Molina wasn’t the only key player to receive an extension this week — the Rangers signed second baseman Rougned Odor to a six-year deal that will guarantee him $49.5MM while buying out his first two free-agent years, with an option for a third. The Rangers have also had extension talks with young outfielder Nomar Mazara, although they do not appear to have gone far to this point. They’ve tabled new contract talks with catcher Jonathan Lucroy.

Key pitcher injuries. The end of Spring Training brought a couple significant injuries to AL pitchers this week, with Mariners lefty Drew Smyly set to miss six to eight weeks with a left arm flexor strain and Giants reliever Will Smith having Tommy John surgery. Ariel Miranda will join the Mariners’ rotation in Smyly’s place. The loss of the very effective Smith looks to be a tough one for the Giants’ bullpen.

Indians extend Jose Ramirez. The Indians agreed to a new four-year deal with their infielder to buy out one of his potential free-agent years, with options for two more. An extension for shortstop Francisco Lindor would surely be even more welcome news for Cleveland fans, although it appears there’s been no progress on that front.

Teams release veterans. Spring Training’s end also brought the release of a number of MLB veterans, who now face decisions about how best to continue their careers. Veterans who became free agents this week include Jimmy Rollins (Giants); Jared Hughes (Pirates); James Loney (Rangers); Desmond Jennings and Ryan Raburn (Reds); Mike Pelfrey and Mark Lowe (Tigers; Lowe agreed to a minor-league deal with the Mariners); Michael Bourn (Orioles); Vance Worley and Joe Nathan (Nationals); Bryan Holaday, Ryan Hanigan and Chris Coghlan (Phillies; Holaday signed with the Tigers, while Hanigan signed with the Rockies); Paco Rodriguez and Blaine Boyer (Braves); Kevin Jepsen (Diamondbacks); and Munenori Kawasaki (Cubs; Kawasaki is heading back to Japan). Also, the Rockies designated veteran reliever Jason Motte.

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Here are the top stories from the last week of coverage on MLBTR…

Will Smith to undergo Tommy John surgery.  The Giants bullpen took a big hit with the news that Smith will undergo TJ surgery next week, bringing an unfortunate conclusion to the ongoing elbow troubles that have plagued Smith all spring.  Smith, acquired from the Brewers at last summer’s trade deadline, was slated to be the top left-handed option out of San Francisco’s bullpen but will now miss all of 2017 and likely the initial part of the 2018 season.  The Giants still have Josh Osich, Steven Okert, and possibly Ty Blach as internal southpaw options, though it wouldn’t be surprising if the Giants look for another lefty in a trade or on waivers as teams begin making their final Spring Training cuts.

White Sox sign Tim Anderson to extension.  The rebuilding White Sox clearly see Anderson as a big part of their future, and the team put that in writing by guaranteeing the shortstop $25MM over the next six seasons.  The deal also contains club option years for 2023 and 2024 that could add another $24.5MM to Anderson’s haul.  Anderson, the 17th overall pick of the 2013 draft, hit .283/.306/.432 with nine homers in 431 PA last season, finishing seventh in AL Rookie Of The Year balloting.

Indians close to extension with Jose Ramirez.  Speaking of AL Central teams locking up key contributors, Ramirez and the Tribe are close to a four-year, $26MM extension that also includes two club option years (worth $11MM and $13MM, respectively).  Ramirez’s surprising emergence was a big factor in Cleveland’s run to the AL pennant last season, and the team will now add the versatile 24-year-old to their long list of key players under long-term deals.

Blue Jays close to extension with John Gibbons.  Continuing with the extension talk, the Jays have also “basically finished” (in the words of Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi) a new contract with manager John Gibbons.  The new deal would keep Gibbons in the fold through 2020, with the Jays holding a club option on the skipper for the 2020 season.  Gibbons owns a 644-614 record over his two stints as Toronto’s manager, and has led the Blue Jays to the ALCS in each of the last two seasons.

Rays sign Derek Norris.  With Wilson Ramos on the DL until May or June, the Rays decided to bolster their catching corps by agreeing with Norris on a one-year, $1.2MM deal.  The fact that Tampa could offer Norris significant playing time (as Ramos will still require a lot of DH time when he does return) reportedly gave the Rays the edge over four other suitors for the catcher’s services.

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Here are the top stories from the last week of coverage on MLBTR…

Nationals release Derek Norris.  A notable name hit the free agent market this week, as the Nats released Norris after no team claimed the catcher on waivers.  The lack of waiver action was more due to Norris’ $4.2MM salary than a lack of interest in his services, however, and Norris has already drawn interest from around a half-dozen teams, with the Rays and Cardinals mentioned as possible suitors.  Washington only acquired Norris in December, but he became expendable after the Nats signed Matt Wieters as their primary catcher.

Ian Desmond to miss time after hand surgery.  The Rockies’ injury-plagued spring caught up to the team’s prized offseason signing, as Desmond suffered a fracture in his left hand after being hit by a pitch.  The good news, as it were, is that the surgery went smoothly and Desmond is now expected to miss only four-to-six weeks, an improvement from the initial six-week timeline.  Still, Desmond will begin the season on the DL, leaving the door open for Mark Reynolds or possibly youngsters Stephen Cardullo or Jordan Patterson to fill in at first base in Desmond’s absence.

Anthony DeSclafani shut down due to sprained UCL.  The injury news wasn’t as optimistic for Reds righty DeSclafani, who is being shut down for a month before his arm is re-evaluated.  DeSclafani is looking into stem cell and platelet-rich plasma injections in order to help his rehab process.  The Reds are still hopeful that their ace can avoid Tommy John surgery, though we’ll know more next month.

Rays agree to extend Kevin Kiermaier.  Tampa Bay locked up arguably the game’s best defensive player to a six-year extension (plus a club option year) worth a reported $53.5MM in guaranteed money.  The deal is expected to be officially announced on Monday.  Thanks in large part to his superb glove and base-running skills, Kiermaier has generated 13.1 fWAR over the last three seasons despite posting only slightly above-average numbers at the plate.  If Kiermaier has even a modest bump in production (or even continues at his current pace), this deal could be a wise investment for the Rays.

Orioles re-sign Pedro Alvarez.  The O’s brought back a familiar face in Alvarez, who agreed to a minor league deal with the club that will pay him $2MM in base salary.  Alvarez drew some degree of interest from the Twins, Rays, Red Sox, and Royals, though like many other first base/DH types this winter, his market stayed generally quiet.  Interestingly, Alvarez has been working out as an outfielder and Baltimore intends to use him as a part-time option in left and right field.

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The most notable story of the past week was the saddening news that Rockies right-hander Chad Bettis learned that the testicular cancer for which he underwent surgery last December has unexpectedly spread. Bettis is set to enter a chemotherapy regimen, and the silver lining in the otherwise disheartening news is that Bettis received a good prognosis from doctors — a 90 percent success rate given the current stage and treatment options. Bettis’ health obviously takes priority over any baseball-related implications, and we wish him a full and expeditious recovery.

This week’s top baseball stories include…

Sonny Gray will begin the season the disabled list. Sonny Gray hoped that his injury troubles were behind him after a disastrous 2016 season, but the right-hander learned this week that he’ll miss Opening Day and could sit out for much of the season’s first month. Gray was diagnosed with a lat strain that will prevent him from throwing for at least three weeks, which means he won’t even pick up a baseball again until the end of March. The diagnosis shocked Gray, who had been feeling strong this spring. The A’s have a number of in-house alternatives, and there’s been no word of Oakland pursuing external pitching depth. But, with Gray persistently being considered a trade candidate, yet another health issue won’t do his trade stock any favors down the line, if the A’s make him available.

Andrew Cashner won’t be ready for Opening Day; Rangers could look to add a starter. Oft-injured starter Andrew Cashner inked a $10MM one-year deal to serve as the Rangers’ fourth starter this season, but a bout of biceps tendinitis won’t allow that to happen from the outset of the season. Cashner appears DL-bound to begin the season, and with another former Padres righty, Tyson Ross, also not ready for Opening Day (though that was known at the time of his signing), the Rangers’ pitching depth looks shaky. Multiple Rangers reporters said this week that the team would at least consider free-agent alternatives. Old friend Colby Lewis, who’s spent the past seven years with the Rangers, and right-hander Doug Fister are the top two names that have yet to sign.

Jeffrey Loria likely to sell Marlins in 2017. The rumored sale of the Marlins to a Joshua Kushner-led new ownership group fell through last month, but Loria has reportedly decided it’s “time to move on from baseball” (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald), and he’ll look to sell the franchise at some point in 2017. Loria has been one of the most controversial and frequently criticized owners in all of professional sports, and a new ownership group would figure to vastly alter the future of the Marlins. For years, the Miami front office has had to cobble together piecemeal rosters under extreme budgetary constraints (this year’s $114MM payroll notwithstanding), but a sale of the team could bring about changes in that regard. The Marlins, according to Jackson, are in active discussions with four potential buyers (none of which is the previous Kushner group).

Kris Bryant sets new pre-arb salary record. Pre-arbitration salaries aren’t typically of great significance, but Kris Bryant set a new high-water mark for players that have yet to reach their arbitration years or ink a long-term Major League contract this week. Bryant’s $1.05MM salary eclipsed the previous record, set by Mike Trout, by $50,000. That’s a pittance, relative to what Bryant will earn over the life of what looks to be a superstar career, but the symbolic gesture is of greater importance than the financial component itself. Bryant is, after all, a year away from what could be a record-setting arbitration payday. However, the good will established with the gesture will probably be minimal. It’s unlikely that Bryant and agent Scott Boras take any sort of notable discount in talks for a long-term deal, and the symbolic salary probably does little to soften the blow of the service time manipulation that’ll cause Bryant to fall one single day shy of qualifying for free agency at the end of the 2020 season.

Details on Angel Pagan’s market emerge. Angel Pagan is perhaps the top remaining free agent on the market, but it’s been mostly quiet on him this winter. This week, however, details began to surface. It was reported that Pagan has received offers from multiple clubs, including the Pirates and Braves. Not only that, but FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported that Pagan had a Major League deal with the Orioles fall through due to concerns with his physical. Baltimore is notorious for having a difficult physical to pass, but certainly that news could explain Pagan’s slow-to-develop market. The outfielder is playing in the World Baseball Classic and doesn’t sound keen on taking a minor league deal. Heyman noted that Pagan has sought upwards of $5MM for the 2017 campaign, though this late in the winter, he could have to accept a fair bit less than that sum.

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Here are the top stories from our week of coverage at MLBTR.

David Wright diagnosed with shoulder impingement. While health limitations can hardly be seen as a surprise for the veteran, who has missed the better part of the past two seasons with significant back and neck problems, it was disappointing to learn that he’d need to overcome yet another malady to make it back to the majors. As things stand, Wright has no timetable to return; he’ll need to rehab his shoulder before he’s even able to try throwing again, and then build from there to return to the field. If there’s a silver lining, perhaps it lies in the fact that Wright can continue to swing the bat in the meantime.

Nationals sign Joe Blanton. Speculation has long centered on the back of the Nats’ pen, which features some quality arms but lacks an established closer. Rather than striking a significant trade to address the need, however, the Nats added the veteran Blanton at a nice value of $4MM (a large chunk of which is slightly deferred). While he’s not expected to compete for the 9th-inning job, Blanton deepens the unit and adds flexibility. Best known as a starter who stumbled later in his career, Blanton has turned into quite a high-quality late-inning reliever over the past two years. There are some questions of the sustainability of his results, but he did post a stellar 14.3% swinging-strike rate last year. With the move, the Nats seem less likely than ever to deal for a closer.

Jung Ho Kang sentenced for DUI. The Pirates infielder has yet to report for camp, but the path was cleared — partially — when he received a suspended sentence for his third DUI arrest in his native South Korea. That seems a favorable outcome from Kang’s perspective, and also the team’s, though surely both will need to put in a significant effort to prevent a repeat of such misdeeds in the future. The team says it’ll do just that, but first Kang needs to secure a work visa to make his way back into the United States.

League, union announce rule changes. While the new rules won’t go as far as the league hoped, we will see a bit of disruption of tradition landing at the major league level. Managers will now be able to order intentional walks from the dugout, freeing pitchers from the requirement of throwing four balls. There are also provisions tightening up the replay timelines. Broader pace-of-play initiatives may need to wait, but commissioner Rob Manfred says he’s open to considering measures that go beyond the on-field product, potentially including the shortening of commercial breaks.

White Sox to release Brett Lawrie. It’s not a terribly impactful move, standing alone, but Chicago’s decision to cut ties with Lawrie has some interesting dimensions. The talented infielder, who has never quite performed to expectations, was a key piece of the confusing trade that sent superstar Josh Donaldson from the A’s to the Blue Jays; though Oakland still has some pieces from that deal, as well as the one that sent Lawrie to Chicago, it doesn’t fare well in retrospect. Then, there’s the relation of the move to the Chicago rebuilding effort. As GM Rich Hahn seemingly suggests, the move on Lawrie — after agreeing to arb terms with him previously — reflects a confluence of the team’s interest in seeing younger players and its inability to find a fair deal for third baseman Todd Frazier. Finally, it’ll be interesting to see where Lawrie lands; he only just turned 27 and is clearly capable of playing at least a reserve role in the majors.

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Here are the top stories from our week of coverage at MLBTR.

Nationals sign Matt Wieters. The Nats had already added Derek Norris this offseason, but this week they took advantage of Matt Wieters’ seemingly limited market by signing him to a two-year, $21MM deal with an opt-out after the first season. The move seemingly makes Norris a trade candidate; he could end up with one of a variety of teams. The Brewers and Rays had also shown interest in Wieters, although the Rays were reportedly only willing to guarantee Wieters $6MM.

Cubs extend Pedro Strop. The Cubs removed a good right-handed reliever from next offseason’s free agent market, signing Pedro Strop to an extension through 2018, including an option for 2019. Strop had previously avoided arbitration on a one-year deal for 2017 that would pay him $5.5MM; his new deal also adds $5.85MM for 2018, plus a $500K buyout on the option.

League, union discuss rules changes. MLB and the players union failed to reach agreement on a number of potential rules changes for 2017, leading commissioner Rob Manfred to express frustration this week. One change upon which the two sides did agree is for teams to announce intentional walks via a dugout signal. Manfred also said that the Diamondbacks’ stadium, Chase Field, has “serious maintenance needs.”

Padres sign Jered Weaver. Wieters wasn’t the only veteran to find a new home this week. The Padres signed longtime Angel Jered Weaver to a one-year, $3MM deal that will keep him in Southern California. In San Diego, Weaver will likely join what could be a veteran-heavy rotation, with Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin and Trevor Cahill also in the mix. The Reds also had interest in Weaver.

Orioles acquire Vidal Nuno, re-sign Michael Bourn. The Orioles added a bit of lefty depth this week, dealing minor-leaguer Ryan Moseley to the Dodgers for Vidal Nuno. The move was one of several for the Orioles this week — they also acquired another lefty, Richard Bleier, from the Yankees, and re-signed veteran outfielder Michael Bourn to a minor-league deal. Bourn appears likely to make the Orioles’ Opening Day roster.

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Here are five of the biggest stories from the last week at MLBTR.

Alex Reyes to have Tommy John surgery. Baseball’s top pitching prospect has elected to have surgery that will keep him out of the big leagues for the 2017 season. Reyes was terrific in his first big-league action in 2016 and figured to make an impact for the Cardinals this year, but now, both he and the club will have to wait — and, as MLBTR’s Jeff Todd noted earlier this week, Reyes will burn a year of service time this season as well.

Royals sign Travis Wood. A week after adding Jason Hammel to help their rotation following the tragic death of Yordano Ventura, the Royals added veteran lefty Travis Wood as well, signing him to a two-year, $12MM contract. Wood will apparently receive a chance to start, although one factor in the Royals’ decision to add Wood was an injury to lefty reliever Brian Flynn.

Adam Lind signs with Nationals. Former Blue Jays, Brewers and Mariners slugger Adam Lind headed to Washington this week for $1.5MM over one year, plus a mutual option. Lind gives the Nationals a bit of needed bench depth, and the lefty will complement right-handed Ryan Zimmerman at first base.

Braves acquire Brandon Phillips. After using his no-trade clause to scuttle a number of deals, veteran second baseman Brandon Phillips finally allowed the Reds to trade him this week, going to Atlanta (along with money to pay most of Phillips’ 2017 salary) for two minor-league pitchers. The Braves acquired Phillips due in large part to a car wreck that could cost Sean Rodriguez his entire 2017 season, and Phillips was motivated to accept a deal due to the promise of more playing time in Atlanta. Meanwhile, the Reds have cleared second base in order to find plate appearances for young infielders Jose Peraza and Dilson Herrera.

Yankees president feuds with Dellin Betances. In a plot line that could go cold this week or simmer throughout the season, Yankees president Randy Levine and standout reliever Dellin Betances feuded over Betances’ arbitration case, which Betances lost. Betances says the dispute, in which Levine told the press Betances’ $5MM filing price “had no basis in reality,” could discourage him from pursuing a new contract with the Yankees. It could perhaps even make Betances a trade candidate, either later this season or at some point in the future.

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Here’s a look back at the key stories from this week of coverage at MLBTR.

Tigers owner Mike Ilitch passes away. News broke Friday that Tigers and Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch had died at the age of 87. Ilitch also owned Little Caesars and was a former Tigers minor league infielder. Going forward, it appears Ilitch’s son Christopher will assume his role.

Jeffrey Loria reaches “handshake agreement” to sell Marlins. As of Thursday, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria reportedly had a “handshake agreement” to sell the team for $1.6 billion. New York real estate executive Charles Kushner — the father of Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior advisor Jared — was rumored to be involved with the sale, but the league quickly issued a statement that they had not heard anything about Kushner’s involvement. Other reports linked Charles Kushner’s son Joshua to the sale.

Royals sign Jason Hammel. The Royals added veteran righty Jason Hammel on a two-year deal with a mutual option for 2019. Hammel received a surprisingly small guarantee of $16MM, suggesting the Cubs’ earlier decision to decline his $12MM option (a decision that had previously looked generous to Hammel) did not pay off for the pitcher. For the Royals, Hammel will help fill the void left by the tragic passing of Yordano Ventura earlier this offseason.

Sluggers find one-year deals. The market for 1B/DH power hitters has been notably slow this winter, but two of them did find homes this week, with Mike Napoli returning to the Rangers and Chris Carter heading to the Yankees, both on one-year contracts. Napoli’s deal, when it’s official, will likely pay less than $10MM (although he declined more money from the Twins to return to Texas), while Carter received a modest $3.5MM guarantee after tying for the NL lead in homers last season.

Dodgers make depth additions. The Dodgers agreed to re-sign second baseman Chase Utley to a one-year deal, and he’ll fit with them in a bench/platoon role, giving Logan Forsythe and Justin Turner rests against some righties. The Dodgers also added veteran outfielder Franklin Gutierrez on a one-year deal, and the right-handed hitter figures to play primarily against lefties.

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The top stories of the week on MLBTR…

Cardinals punished for Astros data breach scandal: Major League Baseball’s investigation into former Cardinals scouting director Chris Correa’s breach of the Astros’ proprietary database came to a conclusion this week.  The Cardinals will have to send $2MM and their top two picks in this summer’s draft (the 56th and 75th overall selections) to the Astros as compensation.

The relief market opens up: A plethora of notable bullpen arms signed contracts this week, bringing some clarity to a crowded relief market.  The Mets brought back two familiar faces in Jerry Blevins and Fernando Salas, the Blue Jays addressed their need for left-handed relief help by signing J.P. Howell and the Indians made another significant free agent expenditure by signing Boone Logan to a contract that will pay the southpaw at least $6.5MM.  Sergio Romo may also be close to a deal with the Dodgers or another mystery suitor, though Romo’s status is still unclear.

Cardinals extend Carlos Martinez: In more pleasant news for St. Louis this week, the Cards locked up their impressive young right-hander to a five-year, $51MM extension.  The deal also contains a $17MM club option for 2022 and an $18MM club option for 2023, so Martinez could end up earning $86MM over the next seven seasons.  Martinez could be giving away as many as four free agent years with the extension, though he gains financial security now and can still hit the open market prior to his age-32 season.

Royals sign Brandon Moss: The Royals added a veteran bat to replace Kendrys Morales, signing Moss to a two-year, $12MM deal (which includes a $10MM mutual option for 2019).  Moss will likely get most of his at-bats filling Morales’ old DH role, though he brings much more versatility as a defensive backup, capable of filling in at first base and both corner outfield spots.

Twins designate Byung Ho Park for assignment: Just a year after signing the Korean first baseman to a four-year, $12MM deal, the Twins sent Park into DFA limbo.  While he is expected to clear waivers and remain with the club in Triple-A, the move still has to be seen as something of a disappointment for the rebuilding Twins, who also paid a $12.85MM posting fee to gain negotiating rights with Park last winter.  Park’s first year of North American baseball saw him battle a wrist injury while hitting .191/.275/.409 with 12 homers over 244 plate appearances.