Phillies Acquire Michael Rucker, Designate Andrew Bellatti For Assignment
2024/02/cubs-trade-michael-rucker-phillies-dfa-andrew-bellatti.htmlRucker's fastball averages just under 95 MPH and he showed some swing-and-miss upside with each of his slider and cutter last season. … The Phillies announced Tuesday they've acquired reliever Michael Rucker from the Cubs in exchange for cash.
Twins Sign Jay Jackson
2024/02/twins-sign-jay-jackson.htmlHe brings some experience and perhaps under-the-radar upside to a Minnesota bullpen that has started to receive some attention over the last week, via the trade that sent Jorge Polanco to the Mariners. … 7: Jackson will be guaranteed $1.5MM on the deal, MLBTR has learned.
Pirates Have Shown Interest In Gary Sanchez
2024/02/pirates-have-shown-interest-in-gary-sanchez.htmlTheir depth options don't provide much offensive upside. … The Pirates are among the teams showing interest in Gary Sanchez, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
White Sox Sign Juan Then To Minor League Deal
2024/02/white-sox-sign-juan-then-to-minor-league-deal.htmlGiven his age and 27 days of MLB service time, there's long-term upside if things break right, as he could theoretically be cheaply retained beyond this campaign. … The White Sox have signed right-hander Juan Then to a minor league deal, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com.
Cardinals Sign Keynan Middleton
2024/02/cardinals-to-sign-keynan-middleton.htmlHe has more swing-and-miss upside than a standard middle reliever, though. … The Cardinals announced today that they've signed free agent reliever Keynan Middleton, as first reported by Robert Murray of FanSided (X link).
Orioles Acquire Corbin Burnes
2024/02/orioles-nearing-deal-for-corbin-burnes.htmlHe jumps to the top of a rotation that has suddenly gone from Baltimore's biggest question to one of the higher-upside staffs in the league. … The Orioles got their ace.
Blue Jays Turning Away Trade Interest In Alek Manoah, Expect Him To Be In 2024 Rotation
2024/02/blue-jays-rumors-no-plans-trade-alek-manoah.htmlFor the Blue Jays, the upside of keeping Manoah has clearly outweighed the temptation to pursue a change of scenery. … The Blue Jays have heard from teams looking to buy low on right-hander Alek Manoah following a disastrous 2023 season throughout the winter, but Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweets that the Jays have been telling interested parties they expect Manoah to be in the 2024 rotation and do not plan to move him.
A.J. Hinch Discusses Tigers Infield Plans
2024/01/a-j-hinch-discusses-tigers-infield-plans.htmlAs one would expect, Hinch went on to speak effusively of Keith's offensive upside. … Hinch was a guest on the New York Post's podcast with Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman this afternoon.
The Top Unsigned Center Fielders
2024/01/the-top-unsigned-center-fielders.htmlJankowski's offensive upside is limited by bottom-of-the-scale power. … While the offseason is theoretically winding down, there are still a number of noteworthy players on the open market.
Dodgers Sign James Paxton
2024/01/dodgers-discussing-contract-with-james-paxton.htmlThere's huge upside with that quartet, but it's also a group that carries some risk. … 31: The guarantee on Paxton's deal is actually just $7MM, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
Designated Hitter Possibilities For Diamondbacks
2024/01/designated-hitter-possibilities-for-diamondbacks.htmlEloy Jimenez: Jimenez is a right-handed hitter who has flashed 30-homer power upside. … The defending National League champions were among the most aggressive teams early in the offseason.
The Opener: Relief Market, Signings, Red Sox
2024/01/the-opener-relief-market-signings-red-sox.htmlThere's little question that the Red Sox, who finished 22nd in the majors last year with a 4.68 rotation ERA,…… The market for relief pitching kicked into high gear over the weekend as the Astros agreed to a five-year deal with lefty relief ace Josh Hader just hours before the Angels came together with top right-hander Robert Stephenson on a three-year pact.
Free Agent Profile: Michael Lorenzen
2024/01/free-agent-profile-michael-lorenzen.htmlLorenzen's 18-start stint in Detroit prior to the trade saw the right-hander flash the upside of a solid, mid-rotation arm as he posted a 3.58 ERA with a 3.86 FIP in 105 2/3 innings. … The new year has seen something of a run on mid-rotation arms on the free agent market.
Yankees Notes: Snell, Injuries, Judge
2024/01/yankees-notes-snell-injuries-judge.htmlAdding Snell, the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner who has averaged 27 starts a season over the past three campaigns, would give the club another reliable arm with substantial upside. … Earlier this month, the Yankees reportedly made an offer to left-hander Blake Snell, the top remaining starting pitcher on the open market this winter.
Mets, Phillies Interested In Robert Stephenson
2024/01/mets-phillies-interested-in-robert-stephenson.htmlThat inconsistency would appear to make him more of a risk than Hader, but that will also make him more affordable and perhaps give some more upside to whoever eventually gets him to put pen to paper. … Free agent right-hander Robert Stephenson continues to receive plenty of attention, with Jon Morosi of MLB.com listing the Mets, Dodgers and Phillies as clubs with interest in him.
Latest On Dylan Cease’s Trade Candidacy
2024/01/latest-on-dylan-ceases-trade-candidacy.htmlIf the Sox do hold him into next season, he has the upside to be the most in-demand starter at the deadline. … Few players have found their names in more trade rumors this winter than Dylan Cease.
Infield Options For The Mariners
2024/01/mariners-trade-rumors-infielder-free-agent-targets.htmlIncoming bats like Mitch Garver, Luke Raley, Luis Urias and the reacquired Mitch Haniger all have upside, but with the exception of Garver they lack the recent track records of Suarez and Hernandez. … To say the current offseason hasn't panned out the way fans hoped would be putting things mildly.
Craig Breslow Discusses Red Sox’s Outfield, Rotation
2024/01/craig-breslow-discusses-red-soxs-outfield-rotation.htmlBetween the strong corner outfield defense and 30-homer upside, he's a valuable player despite high strikeout totals and subpar on-base marks. … The Red Sox are open to adding another right-handed hitter to their outfield mix, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow tells Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe.
The Opener: Hernandez, Giants, MLBTR Chat
2024/01/the-opener-hernandez-giants-mlbtr-chat.htmlWill these upside additions be the only rotation upgrades the Giants make this offseason, or will they seek the stability of a more surefire starter? Top-of-the-market lefties Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery remain available, but options are dwindling after that duo with the likes of Mike Clevinger and James Paxton among the best starters available in the next tier down. … The Dodgers have announced that outfielder Teoscar Hernandez will be made available to the media via Zoom later today.
Giants Sign Jordan Hicks
2024/01/giants-to-sign-jordan-hicks.htmlThat's a major "if," but the upside is intriguing. … The Giants announced that they have signed a four-year, $44MM contract with free agent right-hander Jordan Hicks.
Rays, Shane McClanahan Agree To Two-Year Deal
2024/01/rays-shane-mcclanahan-agree-to-two-year-deal.htmlTheir current quintet of Zach Eflin, Aaron Civale, reliever-turned-starter Zack Littell and young righties Ryan Pepiot and Taj Bradley has plenty of upside but lacks stability (particularly when considering the injury histories of veterans Eflin and Civale). … The Rays have agreed to a two-year, $7.2MM contract with ace Shane McClanahan, reports Robert Murray of FanSided.
Cubs Acquire Michael Busch, Yency Almonte
2024/01/cubs-dodgers-discussing-yency-almonte-trade.htmlThe Cubs could still pursue a free agent target at either spot -- they've been tied to Rhys Hoskins and Matt Chapman this winter -- but Busch adds an affordable, high-upside lefty bat to the mix. … The Dodgers and Cubs announced a trade sending rookie infielder Michael Busch and reliever Yency Almonte from Los Angeles to Chicago for prospects Jackson Ferris and Zyhir Hope.
Pirates Showed Interest In Shota Imanaga
2024/01/pirates-rumors-shota-imanaga-interest-free-agent.htmlIf the Bucs fill out their rotation internally or make another budget pickup to stuff some low-upside innings into their starting staff, the interest in Imanaga will quickly be forgotten. … Shota Imanaga's 45-day posting window closes today, meaning the Cubs will likely announce his reported four-year contract in the near future.
Cubs Sign Shota Imanaga To Four-Year Deal
2024/01/cubs-to-sign-shota-imanaga.htmlGlaser writes that Imanaga backs that up with an above-average split but suggests his MLB upside may be capped by middling breaking stuff. … The Cubs officially announced the signing of left-hander Shota Imanaga to a four-year contract.
The Phillies’ Next Steps
2024/01/the-phillies-next-steps.htmlThat didn't stop the Phillies from making an offer to Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he was viewed as something of an exception, given his age and upside. … The Phils struck early and decisively to keep longtime rotation anchor Aaron Nola on a new seven-year deal worth that sum, but it's been largely silent since that time.