Reds Claim Richie Shaffer, Tyrell Jenkins Off Waivers
The Reds announced on Friday that they’ve claimed infielder/outfielder Richie Shaffer off waivers from the Phillies and also claimed right-hander Tyrell Jenkins off waivers from the Rangers. Both players were recently designated for assignment by their now-former organizations.
Shaffer, 25, spent parts of the 2015-16 seasons at the Major League level with the Rays but batted a disappointing .213/.310/.410 in 142 plate appearances. The former first-round pick has been considerably more productive at the Triple-A level, where he’s slashed .243/.338/.445 with 30 homers in 188 games. Shaffer, a right-handed hitter, has experience at all four corner positions but has spent the majority of the time at first base. In his big league career, he’s actually been better against right-handed pitching than left-handers, but he doesn’t come with much of a platoon split looking back throughout his minor league career. He’ll presumably compete for a bench job with Cincinnati in Spring Training.
Jenkins, meanwhile, has moved around the league quite a bit in the past couple of years. The former Cardinals top prospect (drafted No. 50 overall in 2010) went to the Braves in the Jason Heyward/Shelby Miller deal back in 2014, and Atlanta traded him to Texas earlier this month. The Rangers, though, designated Jenkins for assignment this week and weren’t able to pass him through waivers. Jenkins draws plenty of praise for his athleticism, but he’s posted rather unsightly numbers in the Majors (5.88 ERA, 4.5 K/9, 5.7 BB/9 in 52 innings) and in questionable rate stats in Triple-A (2.86 ERA in 129 innings but with 5.9 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9). Jenkins won’t turn 25 until July, however, so the Reds are adding a bit of upside at minimal cost for the time being. (It seems far from a given that Jenkins will survive the offseason on Cincinnati’s 40-man roster.)
6 Teams Have Made Offers To Edwin Encarnacion
6:56pm: Cleveland, Texas, and Oakland appear to be the three most likely destinations at present, Bowden adds. On the N.L. side, the Rockies are said still to be “monitoring” the developments while the Marlins aren’t involved.
6:13pm: In addition to the Indians and Blue Jays, the Rangers, Astros, and Athletics have all made offers to Encarnacion, according to ESPN.com’s Jim Bowden (who cites team sources for each organization). As noted below, there’s apparently at least one other organization that has dangled a proposal as well.
Each of those five clubs have put multiple years on the table, per Bowden, who notes that some of the offers include opt-outs following the 2017 campaign. Two suitors, in particular, are said to be engaged in negotiations “at a rapid pace” with Encarnacion’s reps. It’s not known which of the five organizations are pushing hardest at present.
2:35pm: The Indians are “pulling out all the stops” to land Encarnacion, although they might ultimately not be able to afford him, a source tells Fan Rag’s Jon Heyman. Kinzer tells Heyman that two teams have been especially enthusiastic in their pursuit of Encarnacion, although he doesn’t say who.
11:14am: Here’s the latest from Edwin Encarnacion‘s agent Paul Kinzer, via an interview with Jeff Blair of Sportsnet590:
- Kinzer says he is surprised Encarnacion isn’t yet signed. He acknowledges the “glut” of power hitters remaining on the free agent market (presumably including players like Mark Trumbo, Mike Napoli, Jose Bautista and Chris Carter) but says he felt Encarnacion and Yoenis Cespedes stood above that group.
- Encarnacion has gotten three- to four-year offers from six teams, Kinzer says. Most of those offers were for three years. National League teams have been involved in Encarnacion’s market as well as American League teams.
- Encarnacion’s priority, though, has been to return to the Blue Jays. The Jays, of course, made a significant offer to Encarnacion, but that offer came right around the opening of free agency, and Kinzer says the timing wasn’t quite right for Encarnacion, who wanted to assess other teams’ interest. After the Jays signed Kendrys Morales and then Steve Pearce, Kinzer and Encarnacion felt it wasn’t likely Encarnacion would return to Toronto. “We never had any idea that the Blue Jays were going to move that fast,” Kinzer says. He acknowledges the two sides have spoken recently, but says Encarnacion is coming to grips with the fact that he probably won’t be a Blue Jay next season.
- Kinzer says he expected significant offers from teams like the Red Sox and Yankees early in free agency. Those apparently didn’t materialize, and Kinzer says he believes the threat of a lost draft pick had an impact on Encarnacion’s market. The absence of a new CBA early in the offseason was a factor as well, he adds.
- Kinzer feels it wasn’t a mistake that Encarnacion didn’t discuss an extension with the Jays once the 2016 season started. He says that when he negotiated Starlin Castro‘s extension with the Cubs, it was a significant distraction for Castro, affecting his eating and sleeping habits. Encarnacion, meanwhile, was very productive in his final year before free agency.
Latest On The Rangers’ Offseason
Here’s the latest on the Rangers’ progress this offseason, via ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick (all Twitter links).
- The Rangers have asked the White Sox about Jose Quintana, Crasnick writes. The Rangers likely won’t be significant bidders for Quintana, however, unless the White Sox’ price comes down. The two teams discussed Quintana at the trade deadline during the season, and the White Sox asked for Jurickson Profar plus “a lot more.” The Rangers thought that price was too high. There would, of course, be little reason for the White Sox not to ask for a lot in return for Quintana, who is controllable for the next four seasons. While it’s not surprising that the White Sox wanted more than Profar in exchange for Quintana, the basic framework of the deal makes sense — the Rangers reportedly targeted another controllable starter, Joe Ross, when the Nationals asked about Profar.
- The Rangers are still pursuing potential trades for starting pitchers, Crasnick writes. The Rangers’ rotation is strong at the top with Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish, and Martin Perez makes a decent third option. But they’re weak after that, with wild-card new signee Andrew Cashner topping a list of possible fourth and fifth starters.
- The Rangers also continue to linger on the periphery of Edwin Encarnacion‘s market. Encarnacion’s agent said earlier today that several teams had made offers to Encarnacion of three or four years, although it’s unclear if the Rangers are one of those teams. GM Jon Daniels has said that it’s “highly unlikely” the Rangers will sign Encarnacion, despite a clear opening for a bat to play first base and/or DH.
Rangers Claim David Rollins, Designate Tyrell Jenkins
The Rangers have announced that they’ve claimed lefty David Rollins off waivers from the Phillies. In a corresponding move, they’ve designated righty Tyrell Jenkins for assignment.
The Phillies designated Rollins for assignment last week. His claim by the Rangers marks the fourth such time he’s been claimed in a little over a month. The Cubs claimed him from the Mariners in November, only to lose him on a claim to the Rangers four days later. The Phillies claimed Rollins from the Rangers early this month, and now the Rangers are claiming him for a second time.
Rollins spent most of the 2016 season with Triple-A Tacoma, posting a 3.77 ERA, 6.4 and a strong 1.2 BB/9 in 45 1/3 innings of relief. The former Rule 5 pick has struggled in parts of two big-league seasons with the Mariners. He turns 27 today.
The Rangers only acquired Jenkins earlier this month, getting him along with lefty Brady Feigl from the Braves in exchange for hard-throwing righty Luke Jackson. Jenkins was once a well-regarded prospect in the Cardinals system before going to the Braves in the Jason Heyward deal. Since then, though, Jenkins has posted unimpressive peripheral numbers in both the minors and Majors, culminating in a 5.88 ERA, 4.5 K/9, 5.7 BB/9 and an awful 11 home runs in 52 innings in his big-league debut last season. Jenkins is still just 24 and has never been used much as a reliever, so another team could see upside in him, either as a starting option or out of the bullpen.
Roughly 20 Teams Interested In Tyson Ross
Although free agent right-hander Tyson Ross threw just 5 1/3 innings last season and is on the mend from October thoracic outlet surgery, the vast majority of major league teams are interested in his services. Roughly 20 clubs are in on Ross, tweets FanRag’s Jon Heyman, who specifically names his previous team – the Padres – along with the Cubs, Rangers, Pirates and Indians as suitors.
The Padres non-tendered Ross at the outset of this month, but general manager A.J. Preller then revealed there’s “mutual interest” in a reunion between the two sides. However, Ross is reportedly seeking $9MM or more in guarantees, and the Padres were already unwilling to pay him a similar amount in arbitration (an estimated $9.6MM).
Since the Padres cut Ross, no team has been connected to the 29-year-old more than the Cubs. Chicago – which Heyman indicates has visited with Ross – nearly acquired him via trade in July 2015, when he was amid a three-year run as a front-line starter. From 2013-15, Ross posted a 3.07 ERA, 9.16 K/9, 3.48 BB/9 and 58.2 ground-ball rate over 516 2/3 frames, but San Diego elected against dealing him. That proved to be a mistake in hindsight, as Ross’ shoulder troubles kept him off the field last season after a truncated Opening Day start and ultimately led to the end of his Padres career (temporarily at least).
If healthy, Ross would slot into a Cubs rotation that’s currently set to feature Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta, John Lackey and Mike Montgomery. The reigning World Series champions could use another left-hander in their righty-packed bullpen, and adding Ross would perhaps enable them to shift Montgomery, a southpaw, to a relief role. Ross would have to recover first, of course, and Peter Gammons tweeted earlier this month that he should be OK by April.
The Rangers and Pirates have also been in the Ross chase since the Padres non-tendered him, though it’s difficult to imagine low-payroll Pittsburgh approaching his asking price. The Indians, whom FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal previously named as a possible landing spot for Ross, also aren’t known for spending. The Tribe’s run to the World Series proved lucrative, though, which could help them secure Ross.
Minor MLB Transactions: 12/16/16
Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:
- The Rays added catcher Michael McKenry on a minor-league contract, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. Heyman further adds that McKenry will receive $900K if he’s in the Majors, plus a possible $475K in incentives. He has opt-outs on March 30 and June 1. With Wilson Ramos not expected to be ready to take over behind the plate for at least the first month or two of the year, there’s a need for depth. McKenry will presumably battle with pre-existing options Luke Maile and Curt Casali for a roster spot to open the season.
- Outfielder Brandon Barnes is headed to the Marlins on a minors pact, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets. The deal includes a Spring Training invite. Barnes, 30, figures to function as a depth piece after seeing time in the majors over parts of the last five seasons. He struggled to a .220/.250/.320 batting line in just 109 MLB plate appearances last year.
- Lefty Jeff Beliveau is headed to the Blue Jays on a minors deal with a spring invite, per a club announcement. The 29-year-old has thrown 45 MLB frames spread over four years, with an even 4.00 ERA and 9.4 K/9 against 4.2 BB/9. Last year, he didn’t pitch above the Double-A level in the Orioles system, but provided 49 2/3 innings of 2.54 ERA pitching with a dozen K/9 to go with a sub-optimal 5.3 BB/9.
- Righty Erik Johnson is back with the Padres on a minor-league arrangement, Heyman tweets. Johnson will continue to work back from Tommy John surgery with San Diego, which had recently non-tendered him.
- The Orioles announced a series of minors signings. Among those not previously covered at MLBTR, the club will bring back outfielder Chris Dickerson and take a shot on Tomo Ohka. Dickerson joined Beliveau at Double-A in the Baltimore organization last year, hitting well in brief action there, but hasn’t seen the bigs since 2014. Ohka, 40, is a much more speculative addition; he’s trying to return to the majors for the first time since 2009 by turning himself into a knuckleballer.
- Anther pitcher seeking to make it back after a long run away from the majors is lefty Andy Oliver, who’ll try things out with the Brewers, per Heyman (via Twitter). Heyman adds that can opt out of his deal on June 15 if he’s not on the big-league roster, and Oliver also receives a foreign team inquiry clause. Oliver blitzed through the Tigers system after being taken in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft. He cracked the bigs briefly in 2010-11, but has plied his trade at Triple-A ever since. Oliver moved back to the rotation for half of his appearances last year with the Orioles’ top affiliate, which may have helped as he finally quelled some of his control issues. Oliver ended 2016 with a 3.43 ERA over 86 2/3 frames and 8.7 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 (his lowest walk rate since his debut year in full-season professional ball).
- The Tigers added third baseman Zack Cox on a minor-league arrangement, the indy ball Wichita Wingnuts announced. Once a highly regarded prospect, Cox never earned a major league call-up during his time in the Cardinals and Marlins systems, but hit .290/.348/.452 last year in 460 plate appearances for Wichita.
- Five players are returning to the Rangers organization on minor-league pacts, per Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter links). Utilityman Alex Burg will join right-handed hurlers Dario Beltre, Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Anthony Carter, and David Perez in returning to Texas. There’s a new farmhand coming in, too, as the Rangers added righty James Dykstra from the White Sox in a cash deal. Dykstra, 26, reached Double-A last year, throwing 102 1/3 innings of 4.93 ERA ball with 5.8 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9.
- Two previously designated players — catcher Justin O’Conner (Rays) and lefty Williams Jerez (Red Sox) — have been outrighted by their organizations, per club announcements.
Market Chatter: Brach, Jeffress, Rangers, Rockies, Adams, LoMo
Here’s the latest chatter on the trade and free-agent markets to round out the evening:
- While there has been some movement on the free-agent market for relievers now that the top three arms are off the board, there’s also some untapped potential on the trade side, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The Orioles are “willing” to deal Brad Brach, who quietly turned in an excellent season and is projected by MLBTR to earn $2.9MM in his second pass at arbitration. And the Rangers are taking calls on some arms, with Jeremy Jeffress — a quality sinkerballer who has dealt with substance-abuse issues — said to be “in play,” among other hurlers. He, too, projects at a $2.9MM tab in his first season of arb eligibility.
- The Rangers have held discussion with the Rockies about the latter organization’s potentially available outfielders, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). It’s not entirely clear just who might be targeted, though certainly Charlie Blackmon would make for a high-quality and reasonably affordable fit — presumably, bumping Shin-Soo Choo to DH and perhaps moving Carlos Gomez to a corner. Carlos Gonzalez could also step into right for Choo, though he’s owed $20MM this year — which, from all indications, is more than Texas is looking to spend. Lining up may not be easy, though Colorado surely would have interest in some of the Rangers’ relievers.
- With little apparent need for him given their present roster construction, the Cardinals are “listening” on first baseman Matt Adams, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). Particularly with so many defensively limited, left-handed bats still floating around in free agency, it’s certainly hard to see Adams drawing an exciting return. The 28-year-old put up a slightly above-average .249/.309/.471 batting line last year and did pop 16 long balls, but was scarcely used against left-handed pitching. (While he actually hit well against southpaws last year, it came in a minimal sample; over his career, Adams owns a .212/.243/.352 batting line without the platoon advantage.) MLBTR projects Adams to earn $2.8MM in his second season of arbitration eligibility, so he may at least be somewhat cheaper than some of the other players who rival clubs will be considering.
- One piece of that surplus of lefty bats, free-agent first baseman Logan Morrison, is starting to see his market heat up a bit, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). As Passan notes, Morrison did hit quite well for much of the year, though his putrid opening month and a half left the 29-year-old with an overall .238/.319/.414 batting line — which, much like his career production, sits right at the league average level. Like Adams, Morrison has traditionally been much better against right-handed pitching, though his splits aren’t nearly so dramatic.
Latest On Market For Edwin Encarnacion
8:53pm: Texas has been in touch with Encarnacion’s reps to gauge his price, but it’s not known if the team has made an offer, Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweets.
8:48pm: It has been a while since we’ve checked in on the market for Edwin Encarnacion, the best free agent who remains on the market (as ranked by MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes). Here’s the latest chatter on the veteran.
Though there’s a great match on paper, the Indians seemingly remain uninterested in going beyond their typical comfort zone for Encarnacion, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes. While the concept of a higher-AAV, three-year deal with an opt-out after the first season has been floated, that may be a non-starter — though it’s fair to note that the organization has given reasonably significant guarantees out in free agency before (Nick Swisher, Michael Bourn). And while it appears reasonable to think that Cleveland might bite with a big number for a single season only — if Encarnacion is reduced to seeking such an arrangement — Rosenthal suggests that the team may be loath to part with a draft pick to add him for just one year.
Meanwhile, the Athletics are “at least considering” an attempt to sign the free-agent slugger, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag. Importantly, though, it’s not entirely clear whether the A’s are positioning themselves to catch Encarnacion if his market collapses, or whether they’d put together a significant, multi-year offer. Though Oakland has options at first base and designated hitter — it avoided arbitration with Yonder Alonso and could platoon him with Mark Canha, and could feature Stephen Vogt at DH — those assignments aren’t exactly etched in stone, and there’s little question the team could stand to add some thump.
Perhaps the most obvious remaining landing spot for Encarnacion on a sizable deal would be the Rangers, but GM Jon Daniels dumped yet another sizable bucket of ice water on that idea, as MLB.com’s TR Sullivan writes. Texas is “highly unlikely” to move on the best remaining free agent, said GM Jon Daniels. While other outside targets are still being weighed, the executive suggests that the first-base position is still most likely to be filled from within.
All said, it’s increasingly difficult to see where Encarnacion will land a major contract. The Blue Jays were said to have offered $80MM over four years, but took that off the table — though they are said to be maintaining contact. As Rosenthal recently explained, though they may give the idea some thought, the Cardinals may not make a ton of sense, particularly since they play in the National League and have already said they’ll utilize Matt Carpenter at first. And it remains to be seen whether any other suitors — such as the Rockies or (speculatively) the Orioles or Red Sox — may ultimately emerge in full pursuit.
Of course, as agent Paul Kinzer recently noted, there’s no denying that Encarnacion offers a massive bat that isn’t otherwise available (at least, not via free agency). He’s certainly a good enough hitter that it would not be entirely surprising to a see a team re-arrange other aspects of its roster to create a fit. The Encarnacion camp’s declared willingness to be patient may be tested, but a sizable contract can’t be ruled out at this point by any stretch.
Josh Hamilton To Work Out For Rangers Soon
The Rangers are planning to watch free-agent outfielder Josh Hamilton work out prior to Christmas, reports Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. If everything checks out, Texas will consider signing Hamilton to a minor league pact, GM Jon Daniels tells Wilson.
The Rangers released Hamilton back in late August, although at the time reporters (including Wilson) explained that the decision was largely procedural. Texas released Hamilton to free up a 40-man roster spot and also to create the opportunity for Hamilton to be re-signed and play with the team early in the 2017 season.
[Related: Texas Rangers Depth Chart]
Hamilton still has one year remaining on the five-year, $125MM contract he signed prior to the 2013 season (the Angels are on the hook for nearly all of his 2017 salary), and if Texas had waited to release him until after the season and then re-signed him to a minor league deal, Hamilton would’ve been ineligible to play in the Majors with Texas until May 15 of next year. Releasing him in August created some needed 40-man move and also allowed for the possibility that Hamilton is healthy enough to contribute in a part-time role early next year. It’s been expected that the Rangers would ink Hamilton to a minor league deal for quite some time, as the player himself even told Wilson that he was expecting as much prior to his initial release.
Now 35 years of age, Hamilton underwent a pair of knee surgeries last season that proved to be more serious than initially expected. Hamilton underwent surgery to repair some meniscus damage in early June last year, but upon beginning the operation, Dr. Walt Lowe discovered enough damage to the anterior cruciate ligament that an ACL repair was also required. That surgery effectively ended Hamilton’s 2016 campaign — a season in which he was never able to take the field in the Majors.
Once one of the game’s most feared sluggers, Hamilton’s tumultuous career has been in a downward spiral since he signed in Anaheim four years ago. While he delivered respectable production in his first two years with the Halos — .255/.316/.426 — Hamilton never came close to the heights he reached with the Rangers, for whom he batted .305/.363/.549 from 2008-12. He was traded back to Texas in 2015 after a relapse into substance abuse seemingly fractured his relationship with Angels management. The Rangers are on the hook for just $2MM of Hamilton’s 2017 salary, while the Angels are paying him more than $26MM in the final season of his deal.
If Hamilton does land with the Rangers, he certainly won’t be counted on for any kind of regular role with the team. Rather he’d have to earn a roster spot with the club come Spring Training, and even if he were to make the team, it’d likely be as a part-time outfielder and designated hitter. The Rangers currently have Shin-Soo Choo, Carlos Gomez and Nomar Mazara lined up in the outfield, but the DH situation is a bit murkier. Joey Gallo could potentially fill that role, though it’s been reported this winter that the team would ideally like Gallo to open the season in the minors. Choo could also line up as the team’s DH next year and beyond, though they’d need to bring in some additional corner outfield help in that scenario.
Pirates Claim Brady Dragmire
The Pirates have claimed righty Brady Dragmire off waivers from the Rangers, per a club announcement. Texas had only recently nabbed Dragmire from Pittsburgh before designating him, so this move reverses that process.
The Bucs had acquired Dragmire for cash from the Blue Jays right at season’s end, but evidently found it hard to keep a 40-man spot clear for him. Whether the team can do so this time around, or manage to get him through waivers, remains to be seen. The 23-year-old induces groundballs at a prodigious rate, which helps explain the appeal despite otherwise less-than-exciting minor-league numbers.