Woo Suk Go Nearing Deal With Padres
Jan 3: The deal between the Padres and Go is a two-year guarantee worth “more than 9MM,” according to Jiheon Pae of Spochoo.com (Korean language link). Pae adds that the deal includes a club option. Jeeho Yoo of Yonhap News relayed last night an announcement from the LG Twins that the club has given Go approval to sign with the Padres. At the time of Go’s posting, the Twins reportedly allowed Go to seek MLB opportunities with the condition that they could reverse their decision if the offers Go received from MLB clubs- and, subsequently, the posting fee the club would receive- were too low.
Jan 2: South Korean reliever Woo Suk Go is nearing an agreement with the Padres, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post (X link). It appears to be a major league contract, as Heyman suggests Go could serve as San Diego’s closer next season.
Go, a 25-year-old righty, has pitched parts of seven seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. He has worked as a pure reliever throughout that time, operating as the closer for the LG Twins for the past five years. After struggling during his first two seasons as a teenager, Go has been a solid bullpen arm for a half-decade.
He has rattled off four seasons with a sub-4.00 ERA, including three campaigns allowing fewer than 2.20 earned runs per nine. Go surpassed 30 saves in each of 2019, ’21 and ’22. He has fanned more than 26% of batters faced in each of the last five years, topping the 30% mark in the last two seasons.
While Go has consistently shown the ability to miss bats, he hasn’t always been around the strike zone. He has walked more than 10% of opposing hitters in four of his seven seasons. Go issued free passes to an alarming 11.6% of batters faced last year, contributing to a 3.68 ERA that made for more of a solid than exceptional platform showing.
Public scouting reports have generally pegged Go as a likely middle reliever at the big league level. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs writes that Go leans primarily on a mid-90s fastball and low-90s cutter while occasionally mixing in a curveball. That’s an intriguing arsenal, but the fringy control could make him a risk in higher-leverage spots.
San Diego has been one of the sport’s most aggressive teams in targeting players making the jump from Asian professional leagues. They recently signed lefty Yuki Matsui to a five-year, $28MM pact as he came over from Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. It seems unlikely Go would match that kind of deal, but the Friars are clearly intrigued by his youth and swing-and-miss potential.
With Josh Hader, Nick Martinez and Luis García hitting free agency, the Padres have Matsui and Robert Suarez (another former NPB signee) as their top two leverage relievers. Go, assuming a contract is finalized, could join that mix alongside righty Enyel De Los Santos — whom San Diego acquired from the Guardians in exchange for Scott Barlow this winter.
In addition to what they’d pay Go, San Diego would owe a release fee to the LG Twins under the MLB/KBO posting system. If the total guarantee is less than $25MM, the posting fee would be 20% of the contract’s value. If the guarantee topped $25MM, they’d owe 17.5% of the next $25MM. They’d owe 15% on any spending beyond $50MM, but it’s highly unlikely that Go received a deal approaching that level.
Details On Yuki Matsui’s Contract With Padres
The Padres finalized a five-year deal with NPB reliever Yuki Matsui at the end of December. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that the $28MM pact contained a pair of opt-out chances, as well as a conditional option for the 2028 campaign depending on Matsui’s elbow health.
A report from The Associated Press lays out the specifics of the 28-year-old’s deal. Matsui’s ability to opt out after the 2026 season is conditional on avoiding a Tommy John surgery or any other elbow injury that requires an injured list stint of 130+ days between 2024-25. The salary breaks down as follows:
- $3.25MM in 2024
- $5.5MM in 2025
- $5.75MM in 2026
- $6.5MM in 2027
- $7MM in 2028
If Matsui suffers a significant elbow injury, the 2028 salary becomes a conditional team/player option. He also receives full no-trade protection and can bump the value of future years’ payments by up to $1.4MM annually based on the number of games he finishes.
The first opt-out decision comes with two years and $13.5MM in guarantees remaining. Passan reported that Matsui would also have the right to opt out after the ’27 campaign. If he plays out the full contract, he’ll be a free agent after 2028 despite not reaching six years of MLB service, according to the AP. That’s a common provision for players who sign guaranteed deals after a stint in the KBO or NPB.
D-Backs, Tucker Barnhart Agree To Minor League Deal
The Diamondbacks are in agreement with catcher Tucker Barnhart on a minor league contract, reports Robert Murray of FanSided (X link). He’ll be in camp as a non-roster invitee.
Arizona adds a defense-first catcher to their Spring Training group. Barnhart won a pair of Gold Gloves during his eight-year run with the Reds. Statcast has still graded him as a slightly above-average pitch framer over the past two seasons, but those numbers are down from his 2019-21 peak. It’s a similar story from a throwing perspective. Barnhart threw out a middling seven of 37 basestealers in 312 2/3 innings with the Cubs.
With nearly a decade of MLB experience, the 32-year-old has a strong reputation for his work with a pitching staff. That has always been his selling point. Barnhart has never provided league average production at the dish. His offensive numbers have been particularly poor over the past two years. In 431 plate appearances since the start of 2022, the left-handed hitter owns a .215/.286/.264 line.
Last winter, the Cubs signed Barnhart to a two-year, $6.5MM guarantee. He appeared in only 47 games before being released. Chicago turned to 24-year-old Miguel Amaya to pair with veteran Yan Gomes in August. Barnhart caught on with the Dodgers on a non-roster deal for the stretch run. He appeared in seven Triple-A games and never received a big league call.
Chicago is still responsible for Barnhart’s $3.25MM salary for the 2024 season. If he cracks Arizona’s roster, the Snakes would only owe him the prorated portion of the $740K league minimum for whatever time he spends in the majors. He’d be an inexpensive veteran option to back up Gabriel Moreno, who has clearly established himself as the organization’s #1 catcher.
Aside from Moreno, José Herrera stands as the only catcher on the 40-man roster. Herrera is a .198/.272/.231 hitter in 88 MLB games over the past two seasons. That gives Barnhart a solid chance to make the club out of camp. Former Rays and Red Sox prospect Ronaldo Hernández will also be in Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.
Yamamoto’s Opt-Out Dates Are Conditional On Elbow Health
The Dodgers signed NPB star Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325MM deal that set the record for the largest pitching guarantee. That included a pair of opt-out chances for the 25-year-old righty. He could be in line for an even loftier deal a few years down the line if he continues to perform like a top-of-the-rotation starter against MLB competition.
Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic first reported that Yamamoto would be able to opt out of the contract after the 2029 and ’31 seasons. According to the Associated Press, that’s in part conditional on the pitcher’s arm health in the first six years of the deal. If Yamamoto undergoes Tommy John surgery or spends 134+ consecutive days on the injured list with a right elbow concern between 2024-29, his opt-out chances would be delayed until following the 2031 and ’33 seasons. In the absence of that significant of an elbow injury, he’d be able to opt out after 2029 and ’31 as initially reported.
Interestingly, the contract also includes an opt-out provision designed to keep him from being traded. The AP reports that if the Dodgers trade Yamamoto, that would vest an opt-out clause that’d allow him to become a free agent at the end of that season. While it’s not true no-trade protection, it makes it very difficult to deal him. Any acquiring team would have to account for the possibility that Yamamoto leaves the following winter.
Of course, the Dodgers didn’t sign Yamamoto with any intention of trading him in the foreseeable future. They’re going to be all-in for years to come, likely for the entire duration of Shohei Ohtani’s decade-long contract. Ohtani’s willingness to defer $68MM of his $70MM annual salaries afforded the organization more short-term leeway to acquire and extend Tyler Glasnow and to sign Yamamoto.
Yamamoto’s contract contains a massive $50MM signing bonus. The AP reports that he’ll be paid $20MM by the start of February and the other $30MM by July 1. His annual salary structure breaks down as follows:
- $5MM in 2024
- $10MM in 2025
- $12MM in 2026
- $26MM annually from 2027-29
- $29MM annually from 2030-31
- $28MM annually from 2032-35
He’ll thus be paid $155MM over the next six seasons. If he doesn’t incur a serious elbow injury, he’d be weighing whether to opt out of six years and $170MM once the 2029-30 offseason arrives. Were Yamamoto to suffer an elbow injury within the first six years and opt in after the 2031 and ’33 seasons, the Dodgers receive a $10MM option (no buyout) covering the 2036 season, the AP reports.
The salary breakdown does not affect the contract’s average annual value. The deal counts for approximately $27.08MM each year from a luxury tax perspective. The Dodgers also owe a $50.625MM posting fee to Yamamoto’s former team, the Orix Buffaloes, though that is separate from the CBT calculation.
This Date In Transaction History: Luis Robert Extension
Today marks the four-year anniversary of one of the White Sox’s better moves in recent memory. On January 2, 2020, the Sox finalized a $50MM extension with Luis Robert. The right-handed hitting center fielder had yet to make his MLB debut but was a consensus top prospect.
As shown on MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, the deal was then the largest ever signed by a player with no big league reps. It marked the second straight year in which the Sox inked a record-setting contract with a player before his debut. Their 2019 deal with Eloy Jiménez, which guaranteed him $43MM over six seasons, hasn’t necessarily gone as the club envisioned. They had far more success with the Robert extension.
The contract ensured Robert would open the 2020 campaign as Chicago’s center fielder. While that might have happened regardless on the heels of a monster showing in the high minors, there was a possibility of the Sox keeping Robert in Triple-A long enough to secure an additional year of club control. (Under the previous collective bargaining agreement, there were fewer incentives for teams to carry top prospects on the Opening Day roster.) The extension bought out their six-year control window while tacking on two team options to add two high-upside seasons for the organization.
Robert had a solid but not overwhelming debut showing, hitting .233/.302/.436 as a 22-year-old during the shortened season. A hip flexor strain interrupted what looked like a breakout showing in his second season. Robert was out of action between May 4 and August 9. Around the injury, he put up spectacular numbers. He raked at a .338/.378/.567 clip with above-average defense in center field. His power numbers took a step back in 2022 but rebounded last season, when Robert turned in the best performance of his career.
The 26-year-old finished ninth in the majors with 38 home runs. He hit .264/.315/.542 overall, more than compensating for a middling strikeout and walk profile with huge power. Robert also put his excellent athleticism to use on the bases and defensively. He went 20-24 in stolen base attempts and received strong grades for his 1207 2/3 innings in center field. Defensive Runs Saved pegged Robert as six runs better than average, while Statcast rated him 11 runs above par.
In what was a disastrous season for the Sox overall, Robert was a rare bright spot. He earned his first All-Star nod and a Silver Slugger at year’s end. He finished 12th in AL MVP balloting, the first time in his career he received down-ballot recognition for that award.
That stellar showing led to a bit of chatter about Robert’s potential availability in trade. White Sox general manager Chris Getz stoked those flames early in the offseason when he said there were no untouchables on a top-heavy roster. While Getz has never entirely walked those comments back, he clarified at the Winter Meetings the Sox would set such a high bar in talks that he had “a tough time seeing him wearing another uniform next year.”
Even as the White Sox entertain trade possibilities on the likes of Jiménez and starter Dylan Cease, there’s reason for Chicago to more or less take Robert off the table. He’s the team’s best player, for one. Yet a trade would have been easier to envision if not for the extension. Robert has four years of MLB service. If Chicago hadn’t signed him to an extension (or kept him in the minors to delay his service clock in 2020), he’d be two years from the open market.
Instead, they have him under control for another four seasons. Robert will make $12.5MM next season and $15MM the year after. Chicago holds affordable $20MM options on his services for the 2026-27 campaigns. His combination of star upside and extended control window makes him one of the most valuable trade assets in the sport. Moving Robert would signify a full teardown. Trading Cease, who is controllable via arbitration for two seasons, is more in line with a shorter-term “retool.”
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Each Team’s Free Agent Spending Thus Far
The New Year serves as a symbolic halfway point of the offseason. We’re two months removed from the final game of last year’s Fall Classic and about seven weeks from the first Spring Training contests of 2024. There’s still plenty of offseason to go — only 22 of MLBTR’s Top 50 free agents are off the board — but we’ll take this opportunity to check in on which teams have been the most active thus far.
Using our Contract Tracker, we see all of this offseason’s free agent activity. We’ll limit this look to players who inked major league contracts and set the cutoff as November 6 — the date on which free agents were first permitted to speak with teams other than their 2023 club. This excludes the extensions signed by Joe Jiménez (Braves), Max Muncy (Dodgers) and Colin Rea (Brewers) between the start of the offseason and the official opening of free agency.
This isn’t an exhaustive look at a team’s offseason activity. The Yankees (Juan Soto) and Braves (Chris Sale) took on high-priced star players in trade, while the Dodgers extended Tyler Glasnow and the Brewers signed a long-term deal with top prospect Jackson Chourio. This looks only at free agency. Teams are ordered by overall spending.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Total guarantees: $1.043 billion
- DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani: Ten years, $700MM (valued at roughly $460.77MM after accounting for deferrals)
- RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto: Twelve years, $325MM
- OF Jason Heyward: One year, $9MM
- RHP Joe Kelly: One year, $8MM
- RHP Ricky Vanasco: One year, $900K (controllable through 2029)
Philadelphia Phillies
Total guarantees: $172MM
Arizona Diamondbacks
Total guarantees: $122MM
- LHP Eduardo Rodriguez: Four years, $80MM (with vesting option for 2028)
- OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr.: Three years, $42MM (opt out after 2025; club option for 2027)
San Francisco Giants
Total guarantees: $121.25MM
- OF Jung Hoo Lee: Six years, $113MM (opt out after 2027)
- C Tom Murphy: Two years, $8.25MM (with 2026 club option)
Cincinnati Reds
Total guarantees: $106.2MM
- IF Jeimer Candelario: Three years, $45MM (with 2027 club option)
- RHP Nick Martinez: Two years, $26MM (opt out after 2024)
- RHP Frankie Montas: One year, $16MM
- RHP Emilio Pagán: Two years, $16MM (opt out after 2024)
- RHP Buck Farmer: One year, $2.25MM
- C Austin Wynns: One year split deal, $950K in majors (controllable through 2026)
Kansas City Royals
Total guarantees: $105MM
- RHP Seth Lugo: Three years, $45MM (opt out after 2025)
- RHP Michael Wacha: Two years, $32MM (opt out after 2024)
- OF Hunter Renfroe: Two years, $13MM (opt out after 2024)
- RHP Chris Stratton: Two years, $8MM (opt out after 2024)
- LHP Will Smith: One year, $5MM
- IF Garrett Hampson: One year, $2MM
St. Louis Cardinals
Total guarantees: $99MM
- RHP Sonny Gray: Three years, $75MM (with 2027 club option)
- RHP Kyle Gibson: One year, $13MM (with 2025 club option)
- RHP Lance Lynn: One year, $11MM (with 2025 club option)
Detroit Tigers
Total guarantees: $45.75MM
- RHP Kenta Maeda: Two years, $24MM
- RHP Jack Flaherty: One year, $14MM
- LHP Andrew Chafin: One year, $4.75MM (with 2025 club option)
- RHP Shelby Miller: One year, $3MM (with 2025 club option)
Boston Red Sox
Total guarantees: $39.5MM
- RHP Lucas Giolito: Two years, $38.5MM (opt out after 2024; club option for 2026)
- RHP Cooper Criswell: One year, $1MM (controllable through 2029)
Atlanta Braves
Total guarantees: $30MM
San Diego Padres
Total guarantees: $28MM
- LHP Yuki Matsui: Five years, $28MM (opt outs after 2026 and ’27)
Texas Rangers
Total guarantees: $26.5MM
Toronto Blue Jays
Total guarantees: $25.5MM
Chicago White Sox
Total guarantees: $24.3MM
- RHP Erick Fedde: Two years, $15MM
- C Martín Maldonado: One year, $4MM (with 2025 vesting option)
- LHP Tim Hill: One year, $1.8MM
- INF Paul DeJong: One year, $1.75MM
- RHP Chris Flexen: One year, $1.75MM
Seattle Mariners
Total guarantees: $24MM
- DH/C Mitch Garver: Two years, $24MM
New York Mets
Total guarantees: $18.8MM
- RHP Luis Severino: One year, $13MM
- IF Joey Wendle: One year, $2MM
- RHP Jorge López: One year, $2MM
- RHP Michael Tonkin: One year, $1MM (controllable through 2026)
- RHP Austin Adams: One year split contract, $800K in majors (controllable through 2025)
Pittsburgh Pirates
Total guarantees: $16.2MM
- LHP Martín Pérez: One year, $8MM
- DH/OF Andrew McCutchen: One year, $5MM
- IF Rowdy Tellez: One year, $3.2MM
Baltimore Orioles
Total guarantees: $13MM
- RHP Craig Kimbrel: One year, $13MM (with 2025 club option)
Houston Astros
Total guarantees: $12MM
Milwaukee Brewers
Total guarantees: $11.25MM
Los Angeles Angels
Total guarantees: More than $6.8MM
- RHP Zach Plesac: Salary unreported
- RHP Luis García: One year, $4.25MM
- RHP Adam Cimber: One year, $1.65MM
- LHP Adam Kolarek: One year, $900K (controllable through 2026)
Cleveland Guardians
Total guarantees: $4.75MM
- C Austin Hedges: One year, $4MM
- RHP Ben Lively: One year, $750K (controllable through 2028)
Washington Nationals
Total guarantees: $4.25MM
- RHP Dylan Floro: One year, $2.25MM
- IF/OF Nick Senzel: One year, $2MM (controllable through 2025)
Oakland A’s
Total guarantees: $1.5MM
Tampa Bay Rays
Total guarantees: $1.1MM
- RHP Chris Devenski: One year, $1.1MM (with 2025 club option)
Minnesota Twins
Total guarantees: $950K
- RHP Josh Staumont: One year, $950K (controllable through 2025)
New York Yankees
Total guarantees: $0
- None
Chicago Cubs
Total guarantees: $0
- None
Miami Marlins
Total guarantees: $0
- None
Colorado Rockies
Total guarantees: $0
- None
MLBTR Poll: Matt Chapman’s Market
Beyond Shohei Ohtani, the top of the free agent hitting market has been stagnant. Of the nine hitters in MLBTR’s Top 20 free agents, four (Ohtani, Jeimer Candelario, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Jung Hoo Lee) have come off the board. Just over a third of the 20 offensive players to make our Top 50 have signed.
There hasn’t even been much chatter about interest in a few of the market’s top bats. That includes third baseman Matt Chapman, on whom there has been radio silence since a December 4 report the Cubs were keeping an eye on his market. Chicago is among a handful of teams tied to the four-time Gold Glover winner in any capacity. The Blue Jays have expressed interest in a reunion, while the Giants (now led by former A’s manager Bob Melvin) have been linked throughout the offseason.
That trio stands as the likeliest group of suitors. The Cubs have been tied to a number of free agent targets (Ohtani, Cody Bellinger and Shota Imanaga among them) but have yet to add anyone from the open market. Chicago allowed Candelario to walk and has an underwhelming group of third base options: Nick Madrigal, Patrick Wisdom, Christopher Morel and Miles Mastrobuoni.
Toronto has yet to significantly address the position since Chapman hit free agency. They brought in Isiah Kiner-Falefa on a two-year deal last week. He’s better suited as a utility player than a regular. Between Kiner-Falefa, Davis Schneider, Santiago Espinal, Cavan Biggio and prospect Addison Barger, the Jays could mix and match at the hot corner. No one from that group stands as a clear roadblock to Chapman, though.
In J.D. Davis, the Giants have a better in-house third base option than either Chicago or Toronto do. Chapman isn’t a marked offensive upgrade over Davis, who just turned in another slightly above-average season and has a career .261/.343/.432 hitter. It’s a different story on the other side of the ball.
Davis has been a fringe to below-average defender throughout his career. Statcast’s Outs Above Average rated him favorably with the glove a season ago, but few would argue he’s all that close to Chapman defensively. Only the A’s allowed a higher batting average on ground-balls to the left side of the diamond than the Giants last year. While some of that is on the pitching staff and shortstops (primarily Brandon Crawford), signing Chapman would address that deficiency.
There are a few teams that arguably should be involved on Chapman, although none are without caveats. The Mets have kicked the tires on a few external options at third base — namely Justin Turner and Gio Urshela — after Ronny Mauricio went down with an ACL tear. Still, they don’t seem keen on a top-of-the-market splash as they envision Mauricio and/or Brett Baty as a long-term answer. While the Angels didn’t get much production out of third base, it’s hard to envision another pricey splash with Anthony Rendon due $38MM annually for the next three years. The Phillies appear content with Alec Bohm, while the Tigers have infield prospects Colt Keith and Jace Jung on the horizon.
The Yankees and Mariners have some questions at third base, but a run at Chapman wouldn’t align with their offseason trajectories. New York has tried to move away from their reliance on right-handed hitters with elevated strikeout rates; they’ve also declared DJ LeMahieu the expected starter. Seattle generally shies away from significant free agent contracts for hitters and is prioritizing high-contact bats this offseason.
How will that seemingly limited group of strong fits affect Chapman’s market? At the start of the offseason, MLBTR predicted a six-year, $150MM pact as he enters his age-31 season. Players like Trevor Story, Dansby Swanson and Javier Báez who broadly fit Chapman’s profile — plus or better infield defenders with power but strikeout questions — have landed in that range in recent winters, although that group all had the advantage of playing shortstop.
Where will Chapman wind up and for how much money?
Where Will Chapman Sign?
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Giants 32% (4,503)
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Blue Jays 25% (3,465)
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Cubs 20% (2,750)
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Yankees 5% (750)
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Mariners 4% (628)
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Angels 3% (487)
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Mets 3% (475)
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Tigers 3% (392)
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Other (specify in comments) 2% (326)
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Phillies 2% (239)
Total votes: 14,015
For How Much Will Chapman Sign?
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$101-125MM 28% (2,048)
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$76-100MM 25% (1,843)
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$126-150MM 20% (1,455)
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$75MM or less 17% (1,261)
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$151-175MM 7% (518)
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$176-200MM 2% (146)
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More than $200MM 2% (140)
Total votes: 7,411
The Opener: Contracts, DFA Limbo, Rodriguez
Activity in the baseball world could pick up this week as the holiday season nears its end. A few things to keep an eye on with the beginning of 2024:
1. Unofficial contracts
A few free agent signings have yet to be made official. That’s not uncommon for late-December agreements, as holiday plans can lead some players or teams to hold off on physicals that will put the finishing touch on a contract. The Pirates have yet to announce their $8MM deal with left-hander Martín Pérez from two weeks back, while the White Sox haven’t finalized their $4MM signing of catcher Martín Maldonado. Starters Lucas Giolito (Red Sox), Frankie Montas (Reds) and Zach Plesac (Angels) agreed to deals in the last few days that haven’t been made official. Pittsburgh, Chicago, Cincinnati and Los Angeles all have 40-man rosters that are at capacity, so they’ll need to make corresponding trades or DFA once those acquisitions are announced.
2. DFA resolutions
On the other side of the equation, a handful of players have awaited resolution on their status. Teams typically have a week to trade or waive someone they had designated for assignment. That clock is paused between Christmas and New Year’s, leaving a few players with an unusually long stay in DFA limbo. Max Castillo, who was DFA by the Royals on December 19, has spent the past two weeks with that uncertainty. Ryan Jensen (Marlins), Donny Sands (Tigers) and Diego Castillo (Diamondbacks) should all receive clarity on their status by the end of this week. More recent DFAs like Bryan Hudson (Dodgers), Bubba Thompson (Reds) and Declan Cronin and Carlos Pérez (both White Sox) may also be traded or placed on waivers in the next couple days.
3. Rodríguez Nearing Decision?
Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodríguez is one of the more intriguing entrants on this year’s pitching market. The 26-year-old dominated while working out of the bullpen for NPB’s Chunichi Dragons in 2022. He didn’t pitch after last year’s World Baseball Classic while awaiting an MLB opportunity, which will come this winter. Teams are divided on Rodríguez’s future as a starting pitcher, but he has a high-octane arsenal that should land him a notable multi-year pact as an upside play. ESPN’s Enrique Rojas reported on Friday that Rodríguez was close to making a decision, suggesting the Blue Jays had emerged as his top suitor. Will there be an agreement by the end of the week?
Wander Franco Meets With Prosecutors In Dominican Republic
January 1: Franco and his new attorneys met with prosecutors on Monday morning, as first reported by Listín Diario (on X).
December 28: Franco did not appear for questioning this morning, investigator Olga Diná Llaverías told reporters (link via Juan Arturo Recio of ESPN). According to multiple reports, Franco has also dismissed his legal team. Llaverías declined comment when asked about next steps but noted the investigations remain ongoing.
December 27: Prosecutors in the Dominican Republic officially summoned Wander Franco for questioning, according to a Spanish-language report from Enrique Rojas and Juan Arturo Recio of ESPN. Investigators continue to look into multiple allegations that the Rays shortstop has had inappropriate relationships with minors. ESPN reports that Franco and his attorneys are required to meet with government officials in Santo Domingo tomorrow at 11:00 am.
The Rays placed Franco on the restricted list on August 14, one day after social media allegations that Franco had an inappropriate relationship with a minor received widespread attention. The National Agency for Boys, Girls, Adolescents and Family and Gender Violence Unit in the Dominican Republic opened an investigation later that week.
In late August, ESPN reported that two more girls had made similar allegations (although one of them had not spoken with investigators). At the time, ESPN wrote that there were two formal complaints. There is nothing to suggest that isn’t still the case.
The Rays reinstated Franco onto their 40-man roster at the beginning of the offseason, a procedural move that didn’t indicate anything about the course of the investigation. MLB is also looking into the allegations but seems likely to wait for the legal process to play out before determining whether to impose discipline. Under the MLB/MLBPA domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy, MLB can levy discipline regardless of whether a player is criminally charged.
Red Sox Exploring Trades Involving Outfielders
The Red Sox are exploring trades involving their young outfielders, reports Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. While Speier doesn’t identify anyone who is specifically part of talks, the Sox have a few intriguing possibilities.
Of the six primary outfielders on the 40-man roster, three have yet to qualify for arbitration: Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran and Ceddanne Rafaela. Duran has a little under two years of MLB service, while Abreu and Rafaela made their MLB debuts late in the 2023 campaign.
Other clubs will likely value that trio in different orders. They’ve each shown promise, but none is a finished product. Duran, who turned 27 in September and has appeared in parts of three big league campaigns, might offer the most certainty. He’s nevertheless a potentially divisive evaluation, as he took a step forward in 2023 after significant struggles in his first two MLB looks.
The left-handed hitter is coming off an impressive .295/.346/.482 line with eight home runs over 362 plate appearances. That’s far better than the .219/.269/.354 career mark he brought into the year. Last season’s production was partially inflated by a .381 average on balls in play that he’s unlikely to maintain. If he’s going to hit near .300 again, he’ll likely need to trim a 24.9% strikeout rate that’s a few percentage points higher than the league average. Duran has cut his whiffs with each progressive season, so it’s certainly not out of the question he continues to develop offensively, but some clubs could have reservations about an aggressive approach.
It’s a similar story defensively. Duran is an elite athlete and runner. That has shown up on the bases, where he went 24-26 in stolen base attempts, but hasn’t translated into strong defensive reviews. Public metrics have graded him as a middling center fielder, albeit to varying degrees. Statcast has pegged Duran two runs below par in nearly 1200 career innings. Defensive Runs Saved has been harsher, estimating him 19 runs below average. A team that feels he is a capable or better defender in center would be much more bullish than one that projects him as a left fielder — where he doesn’t have prototypical corner outfield power.
Abreu faces similar questions about his ideal defensive spot. He has played all three positions in the minors. During his MLB debut, he started eight games in left and 12 in center. Baseball America, which recently slotted him as the #6 prospect in the Sox’s farm system, suggests he’s best in right. Abreu has elite arm strength but below-average speed, which makes him a tough fit in center.
The 24-year-old has posted excellent numbers throughout his minor league career. That includes a .274/.391/.539 showing through 363 plate appearances with Triple-A Worcester this year. Abreu started his big league career strong, hitting .316/.388/.474 over his first 28 contests. The Sox shielded the lefty hitter from same-handed pitchers in that look, but he flashed the strong strike zone awareness which he has shown in the minors.
Rafaela, 23, brings a polar opposite approach. He’s an extremely aggressive hitter, which MLB pitchers exploited during a 28-game debut. The Curacao native torched Triple-A pitching, running a .312/.370/.618 slash with 14 homers over 219 plate appearances.
That’s strong production for any player. It’s especially impressive for an outfielder whom most prospect evaluators forecast as a Gold Glove caliber center fielder. Rafaela can also play the middle infield, although he’s regarded as a superior defender on the grass. Baseball America recently named him the Sox’s #4 prospect.
Barring trade, Duran is a lock for an Opening Day roster spot. Abreu or Rafaela could start next season in Triple-A. It’s unlikely there’s room for all three players to open the year unless there’s an injury in Spring Training. The Sox sent a pair of minor league right-handers to St. Louis for Tyler O’Neill. He’s primarily a left fielder but capable of covering all three spots. Left fielder/designated hitter Masataka Yoshida is headed into the second season of a five-year deal. He’ll make $18MM annually for the next four seasons. Yoshida paired solid but unexceptional offensive production (.289/.338/.445) with subpar defense in his first MLB campaign.
Between the recent acquisition of O’Neill and Yoshida’s contract, it’s unlikely either player is traded. Rob Refsnyder rounds out the group as a righty platoon bat. He’s signed to a $1.85MM deal for next season and wouldn’t bring back a noteworthy trade return.
Speier suggests an outfielder trade could allow Boston to add pitching. Even after tonight’s agreement with Lucas Giolito, the Sox have a high-variance staff. There’s plenty of upside in a rotation that could include some combination of Chris Sale, Nick Pivetta, Giolito, Brayan Bello, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford and Garrett Whitlock, yet it’s a group that also has plenty of risk.
If Boston were to trade an outfielder for pitching, they could look to free agency to replace the lost offense. Multiple reports have tied the Sox to Teoscar Hernández in recent days. Speier confirms Boston remains interested in Hernández after adding Giolito, indicating they have the financial breathing room to go back to the open market.