Diamondbacks Acquire Jace Peterson
The Diamondbacks acquired infielder Jace Peterson and cash from the A’s for minor league pitcher Chad Patrick, the clubs announced. Arizona had an opening on the 40-man roster after dealing Josh Rojas and Dominic Canzone in this afternoon’s Paul Sewald trade.
Peterson is largely a Rojas replacement. He’s a left-handed hitting infielder who splits most of his time between third and second base. Between Rojas’ departure and the recent injury to Evan Longoria, the D-Backs had lost some depth at the hot corner. Emmanuel Rivera is the primary starter. He’s a right-handed hitter who has been quite a bit better against southpaws, so Peterson makes sense as a matchup complement.
The 33-year-old joined the A’s on a two-year, $9.5MM free agent deal last winter. He’d been a roughly league average hitter — albeit with minimal exposure to left-handed pitching — over three seasons with Milwaukee. Peterson hasn’t maintained that form over a more regular role in Oakland. He’s hitting .221/.313/.324 with six homers over 324 trips to the plate.
That below-average offense is largely thanks to a dip in batted ball quality. Peterson is still walking at an excellent 11.1% clip, while his 23.8% strikeout rate is in line with prior marks. Yet he’s making hard contact on only 28.4% of batted balls — well below the 35-36% range of the prior couple seasons.
Much of those poor numbers are attributable to a dreadful start. The 10-year veteran carried a meager .192/.289/.278 batting line into June. He’s a .254/.340/.377 hitter over the last two months with more typical batted ball metrics. The Arizona front office isn’t much concerned by the slow start and adds Peterson to the infield mix.
Peterson is playing on a $4.5MM salary for 2023, $1.5MM of which is still to be paid out. He’s due $5MM for next season. The A’s will reportedly pick up $2M of next year’s salary while Arizona takes on what remains of this year’s sum. The deal pushes Arizona’s projected payroll just shy of $123MM, per Roster Resource.
In return for their relatively modest free agent investment and willingness to pay down some of the deal, the A’s add minor league rotation depth. Patrick was a fourth-round draftee out of Purdue-Northwest in 2021. The 6’1″ righty carries a 4.71 ERA with roughly average strikeout and walk numbers (22.9% and 9.2%, respectively) over 19 starts in Double-A. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs suggested last month he profiled as a spot starter on the strength of his slider command. Patrick turns 25 in August and won’t be eligible for the Rule 5 draft until after next season.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported the financials.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Phillies, Blue Jays, Giants Have Shown Interest In Teoscar Hernandez
The Phillies, Giants and Blue Jays are among the teams that touched base with the Mariners regarding Teoscar Hernández, reports Jon Morosi of MLB.com (Twitter link). Morosi indicates upwards of six teams have been involved and that a deal involving Hernández before tomorrow’s deadline looks increasingly probable.
None of that registers as a surprise. Seattle has hinted at potentially dealing short-term veterans for a couple weeks. They began that by sending Paul Sewald to Arizona for three controllable hitters this afternoon. While Sewald had an extra year of arbitration, Hernández is a few months from the open market.
The veteran outfielder is amidst a down season. He carries a .238/.288/.408 batting line through 441 plate appearances into play Monday night. He’s connected on 16 home runs but is striking out a lofty 32% clip, his highest mark since 2019. Hernández got off to a dreadful start to his Seattle tenure. He’d seemed to turn the corner with a .303/.376/.573 showing in June before a massive .198/.248/.287 slump this month.
Despite the middling season, Hernández is a straightforward change-of-scenery target. He hit .283/.333/.519 through his last three years in Toronto. While his offensive numbers have collapsed this year, he’s arguably playing the best defense of his career. Hernández has rated as a below-average right fielder for the bulk of his career but gotten solid marks (+5 Defensive Runs Saved, +1 run above average per Statcast) across 801 1/3 innings there this year.
Each of the teams linked to his market has expressed an interest in adding some right-handed punch. It’d be a bit surprising to see the Blue Jays circle back on Hernández nine months after trading him, but the acquisition cost this summer would be much lower than what they received from Seattle (reliever Erik Swanson and pitching prospect Adam Macko). Toronto has left-handed hitting Daulton Varsho and Brandon Belt at left field and designated hitter, respectively, though Varsho has been better against same-handed pitching this season.
Philadelphia is openly targeting a right-handed hitting corner outfielder. With Bryce Harper able to play first base, they’re looking to move Kyle Schwarber to DH and add some pop in left field. They’ve also been linked to the Mets’ Tommy Pham and Red Sox’s Adam Duvall.
San Francisco and Seattle are frequent trade partners. They just lined up a deal this evening that sent AJ Pollock and Mark Mathias to the Bay Area. Pollock is having a poor enough season that Hernández could still be of interest. San Francisco will be without Mitch Haniger into September and just placed Mike Yastrzemski on the injured list for the third time this season. They have Austin Slater on hand as a right-handed hitting outfielder but enough short-term uncertainty in left field to make Hernández a potential fit.
Hernández is making $14MM this season. He’s due around $4.67MM through year’s end.
Mets, Astros Continue To Discuss Justin Verlander
8:39pm: Andy Martino of SNY tweets that a deal between the Astros and Mets is not imminent, though it’s certainly possible talks could yet pick up steam.
7:14pm: The Astros and Mets continue to discuss possible Justin Verlander trades, reports Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic. Rosenthal writes that New York is trying to deal the future Hall of Famer before tomorrow evening’s deadline. Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that talks between Houston and the Mets have accelerated within the past day.
It’s unclear how likely a deal is to pull off. Nightengale notes the Dodgers remain in the picture, for one. There’s also the matter of Verlander’s hefty contract and full no-trade rights, although the reigning AL Cy Young winner is certainly plenty familiar with Houston. Astros GM Dana Brown said on MLB Network Radio this afternoon the club was no longer prioritizing adding to the rotation; Rosenthal writes that Houston owner Jim Crane could get involved in discussions to try to bring Verlander back though.
More broadly, Chandler Rome of the Athletic tweets that Houston is now again focused on the rotation. The Astros expect to welcome José Urquidy back from the 60-day injured list this week, reducing the need for a depth pickup. Of course, a Verlander acquisition would be far more than that.
It’s a fascinating situation two days after the Mets traded Max Scherzer to the Rangers. Verlander could well follow his former teammate out of Queens, and it seems there’s genuine interest on the Astros’ part in making them direct competitors for an AL West title. Verlander has a 3.15 ERA despite an average 21% strikeout rate through 16 starts. He’s making $43.333MM in each of the next two seasons and has a $35MM vesting/player option for the 2025 campaign. The Mets would certainly have to kick in some money, as they did with Scherzer, but figure to be open to doing so as they look to continue adding upside to the farm system.
Outrights: Calhoun, Ruiz
A pair of players recently designated for assignment have gone unclaimed on waivers, per the transaction log at MLB.com.
- The Yankees assigned outfielder Willie Calhoun outright to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. New York DFA him last Friday after his time on a minor league rehab stint lapsed. Calhoun hit .239/.309/.403 with five homers in 149 plate appearances between his contract selection in early April and the left quad strain that sent him to the injured list towards the end of June. He’s a .240/.300/.404 hitter in more than 1000 plate appearances over parts of seven big league campaigns. Calhoun has cleared waivers three times in his career, giving him the right to elect minor league free agency in lieu of an outright assignment.
- Diamondbacks reliever José Ruiz was outrighted over the weekend. The right-hander had lost his spot in the Arizona bullpen last Tuesday. Acquired from the White Sox in an April trade, Ruiz pitched 34 times with the Snakes. He allowed a 4.33 ERA with a below-average 19.8% strikeout rate over 40 2/3 innings. The hard-throwing hurler carries a 4.51 ERA across 219 1/3 career frames. Ruiz has multiple career outrights and sufficient service time to test free agency, though he’d forfeit the remainder of his $925K salary to do so. That seems unlikely, so he’ll presumably head to Triple-A Reno and try to get back on the big league roster before season’s end.
Cubs, Royals Swap Jose Cuas For Nelson Velazquez
The Cubs and Royals have exchanged reliever José Cuas for outfielder Nelson Velázquez, the teams announced. It’s a one-for-one swap.
Cuas, 29, bounced around the minors before cracking Kansas City’s roster last summer. He has made 92 appearances in middle relief over the past two seasons. The right-hander owns a 4.08 ERA across 79 1/3 career innings. He has seen a big jump in whiffs year-over-year, pushing his strikeout rate from a modest 18.9% as a rookie to 27.1% this season. He’s picking up swinging strikes on an above-average 13.3% of his offerings.
The University of Maryland product works with a sinker-slider mix from a lower arm slot. He doesn’t throw especially hard but has missed plenty of bats with his low-80s slider. He’ll step into the middle innings mix and can bounce between Chicago and Triple-A Iowa for a while. He still has two minor league options year remaining and won’t be eligible for arbitration until at least after the 2024 campaign.
In exchange, the Royals get a look at Velázquez. A right-handed hitting outfielder, he picked up some prospect attention on the strength of his power potential early in his career. The former fifth-round draftee struggled to a .205/.286/.373 line while striking out almost 32% of the time in 77 games as a rookie last season. He has mashed in a small big league sample this year but spent the bulk of the season with Iowa.
Over 330 trips to the dish there, the 24-year-old Velázquez owns a .253/.333/.469 batting line. He’s connected on 16 home runs but struck out in just under 30% of his plate appearances. He’s playing mostly center field but has generally been viewed as a better fit for a corner by prospect evaluators.
In recent years, the Royals have rolled the dice on a few upper level outfielders with above-average tools but swing-and-miss concerns. Kansas City has given looks to the likes of Edward Olivares and Drew Waters. Velázquez has a generally similar profile and will compete for reps in an uncertain outfield at Kauffman Stadium. He has one minor league option beyond this season and is at least two years away from arbitration.
D-Backs Acquire Paul Sewald
The Diamondbacks have added a key arm to the bullpen. Arizona and Seattle announced a trade sending Paul Sewald to the Snakes for infielder Josh Rojas, rookie outfielder Dominic Canzone and infield prospect Ryan Bliss.
Sewald was one of the top bullpen arms available. The right-hander has broken out as one of the game’s best relievers since landing in Seattle two and a half years ago. A minor league signee over the 2020-21 offseason, Sewald cracked the Seattle roster by May ’21. He had an excellent run in the Pacific Northwest, pitching to a 2.88 ERA over 171 2/3 innings. He kept his ERA at 3.06 or better in all three seasons.
He has paired that run prevention with very strong swing-and-miss numbers. Sewald punched out just under 35% of opposing hitters with Seattle. That includes a 35.5% strikeout percentage with a 2.93 ERA over 43 innings this year. His fastball only sits in the 92-93 MPH range but has well above-average spin despite a lower arm angle. That movement profile has translated into big whiff tallies. Sewald has gotten swinging strikes on over 14% of his offerings in each of the past three seasons.
Among 176 relievers (minimum 30 innings), Sewald ranks 10th in strikeout rate and 39th in whiffs. His 8.3% walk rate is acceptable and he has dominated hitters from both sides of the plate. Sewald is a fly-ball pitcher who has given up some homers in past seasons, but this year’s 1.05 HR/9 rate is almost exactly league average for a reliever. That well-rounded, consistent production quickly pushed him up a strong bullpen hierarchy. He has worked as the M’s primary closer this season, collecting 21 saves in 24 attempts.
Arizona has searched for that kind of reliability late in games for a while. The Snakes had one of the league’s worst bullpens in 2021-22. It hasn’t been quite so disastrous this season, thanks in part to free agent additions of Andrew Chafin, Miguel Castro and Scott McGough that have all worked out reasonably well. The D-Backs didn’t have anyone of Sewald’s caliber to lock things down, though. Kevin Ginkel and Drey Jameson (the latter of whom is out for a while with an elbow injury) are the only Arizona relievers with a sub-3.00 ERA. Left-handers Chafin and Kyle Nelson are the only pitchers with a strikeout rate above 30%.
Bolstering the pitching depth has been a priority for an Arizona club that has dropped eight of its last 10 to hold a 56-50 record. The D-Backs have fallen out of the projected playoff picture after leading the NL West for a good chunk of the season. They’re only a game out of the final Wild Card spot, though. Sewald will presumably step into the ninth inning for skipper Torey Lovullo. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that Arizona could look for another bullpen addition and is unsurprisingly still searching for rotation help over the next 24 hours.
Seattle’s position in that standings isn’t that dissimilar from Arizona’s. The Mariners are 54-51 and 4.5 games out in the AL Wild Card picture. They’re certainly not buried, though president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto acknowledged two weeks ago the club hasn’t played well enough to be aggressive deadline buyers. They’re reportedly open to offers on the likes of Teoscar Hernández and Ty France and have given some consideration to dealing from their stock of talented young starting pitching.
The primary purpose in all those talks is to subtract from an area of surplus to add controllable offensive help. The bullpen certainly qualifies as a strength. Seattle relievers are fourth in ERA and trailing only Houston in strikeout rate. Sewald was a big part of that success, of course, but the likes of Andrés Muñoz and Matt Brash are thriving in high-leverage capacities. Muñoz seems likely to take over the ninth inning with Sewald headed out.
In exchange, Seattle nets the kind of upper level hitting talent they’d been seeking. There’s perhaps no clear “headliner” of the deal, but all three players could factor into the mix in relatively short order. Rojas and Canzone have big league experience, while Bliss had recently worked his way to Triple-A.
Rojas, 29, is the most well-known of the trio. Originally acquired in the Zack Greinke 2019 deadline blockbuster with Houston, Rojas developed into a productive bat-first utility option. The left-handed hitter combined for a .266/.345/.401 batting line in over 1000 plate appearances between 2021-22. He’d never rated especially highly as a defender at any stop but had enough flexibility to move throughout the infield and into the outfield corners.
While not a franchise building block, Rojas looked like a quality role player. However, he has had a difficult 2023 campaign that pushed him into more a depth capacity of late. Rojas has hit only .228/.292/.296 over 216 trips to the plate and remains without a home run on the season. A walk rate that had sat north of 10% is down to 8.3%, while his strikeouts are up a few points to 23.6%. The D-Backs optioned him last month; he spent the bulk of his Triple-A time on the minor league injured list before returning to the majors when Evan Longoria went on the IL over the weekend.
Rojas has primarily played third base in Arizona but has a clearer path to playing time at the keystone in Seattle. Kolten Wong’s struggles have left the M’s with very little out of second base this season. Righty-swinging José Caballero has had a fine debut campaign but is nearly 27 and was never a top prospect. Rojas adds a left-handed complement to Caballero and Dylan Moore and could occasionally see some reps behind Eugenio Suárez at third base.
It’s a buy-low flier for Seattle that also helps to balance the trade financially. Sewald is making $4.1MM this season, his second-to-last year of arbitration. Around $1.37MM remains to be paid out. Rojas is playing on a $2.6MM arbitration salary, his first of four arb years as a Super Two player. He’s still owed around $867K through season’s end. Arizona will take on roughly $500K in salary, thereby preserving a decent amount of financial flexibility for further deadline pickups.
Rojas could be a non-tender candidate after the season, though he’ll get a couple months to try to secure his roster spot at T-Mobile Park. He could be joined immediately by Canzone, a left-handed hitting outfielder nearing his 26th birthday. He has struggled over his first 41 big league plate appearances but has had a monster year in Triple-A. Canzone mashed at a .354/.431/.634 clip with 16 homers through 304 trips to the dish in Reno, making him one of the top hitters even in a favorable offensive environment.
Canzone is limited to the outfield corners but clearly an accomplished minor league hitter. He could factor into the short-term left field mix. Jarred Kelenic is out into September after breaking his foot, while AJ Pollock is on his way to San Francisco. Canzone still has all three minor league option years remaining.
Bliss is not yet on the 40-man roster. A 2021 second-round pick of Auburn, he’s a right-handed hitting second baseman. Bliss struggled in his first full professional season but had a monster .358/.414/.594 showing in Double-A this year. That earned him a spot in the Futures Game and a recent bump to the top minor league level. Baseball America had ranked him the #16 prospect in a strong Arizona farm system, crediting the 5’9″ infielder with a hit-over-power approach and quality range as a defender.
Arizona gets a year and a half of control over the impact late-game arm they’ve been seeking for some time. Seattle is clearly open to reshuffling some veteran talent on the roster but is following through on their stated goal of adding upper level hitting. The M’s aren’t completely throwing in the towel on 2023 while adding more controllable talent.
Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic first reported the D-Backs were making progress on a Sewald trade. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the deal as being finalized, while Piecoro first had the return of Rojas, Canzone and Bliss.
Images courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Cubs Acquire Jeimer Candelario
Jeimer Candelario is headed back to Chicago. The Cubs announced they acquired the switch-hitting third baseman from the Nationals for prospects DJ Herz and Kevin Made. The Cubs had an open 40-man roster spot after outrighting Edwin Ríos yesterday.
Candelario was one of the best rental hitters on the market after a strong four months in Washington. It was exactly what the Nats had envisioned when signing him to a one-year, $5MM free agent contract last winter.
Originally signed by the Cubs as an amateur more than a decade ago, Candelario made his big league debut with Chicago. His first stint on the North Side was short-lived. He played in five games in 2016 and 11 more the following season before being dealt to the Tigers in the Justin Wilson trade, as the Cubs pushed in young talent for veterans while trying to defend their World Series title.
Candelario got his first extended run down the stretch in Detroit and was an everyday player by the following season. He was a below-average regular for the first two years but took a significant step forward in 2020. Candelario carried that over a full schedule the following season, when he led the majors in doubles. Between those two seasons, he hit .278/.356/.458 in more than 800 trips to the plate.
As was the case for essentially everyone in the Detroit lineup, things fell apart in 2022. Candelario slumped to a .217/.272/.361 line over 124 games. The Tigers non-tendered him in lieu of paying around $7MM for his final season of arbitration eligibility. While it’s a move Detroit probably wishes they had back in hindsight, the subsequent $5MM free agent deal indicates the market didn’t value Candelario as a $7MM player just a few months ago.
The 29-year-old has certainly elevated his stock since that point. He has more or less regained his 2020-21 form. Candelario hit .258/.342/.481 through 419 plate appearances with Washington. He connected on 16 homers and 30 doubles, ranking fifth in the majors in the latter category. He’s walking at a roughly average 8.6% clip against a decent 21% strikeout rate.
Candelario has been better from the left side of the plate this season, a departure from his early-career work. He’d typically fared better against southpaws but now has similar platoon splits overall. Since the start of 2020, he’s a .253/.334/.438 hitter against right-handed pitching and owns a .256/.330/.437 line versus lefties. That well-rounded offensive production adds to a Chicago lineup built mostly on strong depth as opposed to impact talent aside from Cody Bellinger.
While his profile has mostly been built on offense, Candelario has also gotten solid reviews from public metrics for his third base defense this year. Defensive Runs Saved has pegged him two runs above par in 834 1/3 innings of hot corner work, while Statcast has estimated him as four runs above average. Candelario had gotten mixed to below-average marks throughout his time in Detroit but should at least be a solid gloveman in Chicago.
He has some experience at first base as well but hasn’t played anywhere aside from third since 2020. The Cubs could plug him in at either spot but will presumably use him more often at the hot corner. Nick Madrigal, Patrick Wisdom, Christopher Morel and Miles Mastrobuoni have been part of a revolving door at the position. Morel has raked but isn’t a good defender. Wisdom hits for power but doesn’t consistently put the ball in play; Madrigal has the opposite profile. Candelario is the most balanced of the group.
It’s a modest financial addition for Chicago. Candelario is due around $1.67MM in salary through year’s end. He’d tack on another $200K in incentives if he reaches 600 plate appearances, though that’s also fairly modest. As calculated by Roster Resource, the Cubs have a luxury tax number a bit north of $228MM.
That’s a little less than $5MM shy of the $233MM base threshold. It had seemed the Cubs were trending towards staying below that mark and selling away veteran pieces, but a recent eight-game win streak completely changed the calculus. The addition of one of the top rental hitters available affirms their status as buyers, which had already become clear when they took Bellinger off the trade market yesterday. They also added some middle relief depth tonight in acquiring José Cuas from Kansas City and figure to look for more impactful bullpen upgrades in the next 24 hours.
Candelario’s time in Washington proved fruitful for both parties. He revitalized his stock and now looks positioned for a much more lucrative free agent trip. He’ll be one of the top hitters available in a below-average class for bats. The Nats never seemed likely to issue him a qualifying offer, but the trade officially takes that off the table. Players dealt midseason are ineligible for the QO, so Candelario will hit the market unencumbered by draft compensation.
The club adds a pair of players to a continually improving farm system. Made, 20, is a right-handed hitting shortstop from the Dominican Republic. He didn’t appear on Chicago’s midseason top 30 prospects at Baseball America but ranked 19th on the organizational list at FanGraphs. The outlet credited the 5’9″ infielder with roughly average tools and suggested he has an outside shot to be an everyday shortstop. He’s hitting .240/.328/.355 over 300 plate appearances with High-A South Bend. He hit just three homers there but walked at a solid 10% clip against a lower than average 18% strikeout rate.
Herz, 22, has gotten 14 starts with Double-A Tennessee. The former eighth-round pick owns a 3.97 ERA across 59 innings, striking out an excellent 30.4% of opponents but walking 14% of batters faced. He was 19th among Cubs’ prospects at Baseball America and 22nd at FanGraphs. He sits in the low 90s with his fastball and has an excellent changeup, but the obvious control woes lead most evaluators to point to a bullpen future. There’s little harm for the Nats in letting him continue to start in the minors. Herz and Made will have to go on the 40-man roster this offseason to stay out of the Rule 5 draft.
It’s the first of likely multiple deadline deals for the rebuilding Nats. Candelario was their most obvious trade chip. Middle reliever Kyle Finnegan could be on the move as well. Washinton’s top realistic trade piece would be outfielder Lane Thomas, though it remains to be seen how eager they are to deal him.
Michael Cerami and David Kaplan of Bleacher Nation reported the Cubs and Nationals were in discussions about Candelario. Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic first reported Candelario was being traded to Chicago. Cerami was first with Herz and Made going back to Washington.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
Top 50 Trade Candidates: Deadline Edition
Three weeks ago, MLBTR released a preliminary list of the top 50 deadline trade candidates. The top player on that list (Lucas Giolito) has already moved, as has #7 (David Robertson). Another from the top ten, Shane Bieber, suffered an injury that tanks the chances he’ll be dealt.
With a little more than 72 hours before the deadline, we’ll refresh that group. This isn’t a ranking of players’ trade value, nor is it solely about likelihood of being moved. We’re trying to balance both of those things, which inherently involves subjectivity. A player in the top ten might have significantly less appeal than someone at the bottom of the list, but if they’re far more likely to be dealt for a return of note, they’ll be higher on this kind of ranking.
On to the list:
1. Jordan Montgomery, SP, Cardinals
With Giolito off the board, Montgomery is the best impending free agent starter who’s all but assured to move. The southpaw has a career-best 3.42 ERA over 21 starts with average or better strikeout (21.2%), walk (6.9%) and ground-ball (44.4%) marks. The Cardinals are openly turning their attention to 2024 and reportedly haven’t engaged Montgomery’s camp in any extension talks. The Dodgers, Rangers and Rays are among the teams that have been tied to his market, but virtually any contender with a desire to bolster the rotation would make sense. He’s making $10MM in his final arbitration season.
2. Jeimer Candelario, 3B, Nationals
Candelario has rebounded from a bad final season in Detroit to hit .254/.335/.478 with 16 homers in 410 plate appearances for Washington. The rebuilding Nationals have gotten more than they could’ve expected out of a $5MM free agent investment and are now positioned to cash Candelario in for young talent. He’s a switch-hitter with power and a solid plate approach. His third base defense has been up-and-down throughout his career, but he’s rating well there this season.
Playing designated hitter last night, Candelario hurt his left shoulder sliding into second base. The Nats were surely holding their breath, but Candelario said postgame he was unconcerned and would’ve been able to continue playing if his turn in the batting order came back around (via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). Assuming that doesn’t prove anything more than a minor scare, he should be on the move. The Marlins and Angels have reportedly had some conversations with Washington.
3. Michael Lorenzen, SP, Tigers
Lorenzen has proven an adept free agent pickup for the Tigers. He’s probably a hair below Montgomery on most teams’ preference lists, but the overall profile is similar. The righty is a rental starter who carries a 3.58 ERA over 105 2/3 innings on a bad Detroit team. His 19.9% strikeout rate is a tick below average, but he’s only walking 6.5% of opponents. A first-time All-Star, Lorenzen is playing on an $8.5MM guarantee. The Orioles, Astros, Rays and Marlins have all reportedly checked in on the Tigers’ asking price.
4. Tommy Pham, OF, Mets
The Robertson trade made clear the Mets were at least open to moving short-term assets. Pham is the most appealing of their remaining rentals. The veteran outfielder has overcome a slow start to hit .265/.347/.460 with nine homers in 259 plate appearances. He has always mashed left-handed pitching (as one would expect for a righty hitter), but he’s producing against pitchers of either handedness in 2023. Pham’s $6MM salary is affordable and he’s one of the better impending free agent hitters available. The Dodgers and Phillies have expressed interest, but any contender with a corner outfield need and/or a desire to add some right-handed pop would fit.
5. Jack Flaherty, SP, Cardinals
6. Jordan Hicks, RP, Cardinals
Montgomery is the most valuable of the Cardinals’ rentals. He’s certainly not the only player St. Louis will move in the next three days, though. Flaherty is also headed to free agency with no sign of an extension. The righty has a 4.43 ERA with average strikeout and grounder rates over 109 2/3 innings. He’s issuing a few too many walks, but he’s a capable back-end starter who has shown more than that in the past. Flaherty acknowledged after Wednesday’s start that he’d be surprised if he makes another appearance as a Cardinal (link via Katie Woo of the Athletic). He’s making $5.4MM in his final arbitration season.
Hicks is one of the sport’s hardest-throwing relievers. He has pitched back into a high-leverage role with a 3.67 ERA and elite strikeout (31.2%) and grounder (58.3%) rates. While the strike-throwing is erratic, few pitchers can match this kind of stuff. Hicks and the Cardinals have talked extension in recent days, but those conversations have reportedly stalled out. Unless the sides rekindle negotiations late, he’ll be moved. Hicks is making just $1.8MM in his final arbitration season and has drawn reported interest from the Yankees, Rangers, Rays and Diamondbacks.
7. Eduardo Rodriguez, SP, Tigers
Perhaps no available starter is pitching as well as Rodriguez. The left-hander owns a 2.95 ERA in 88 1/3 innings. He’s striking out more than a quarter of opponents against a 6% walk rate. Rodriguez looks like the #2/3 caliber starter Detroit was targeting when they signed him to a five-year free agent deal two offseasons back.
As had been discussed ad nauseam, the complicating factor is the contract. Rodriguez is playing this season on a $14MM salary — strong value for a club given his production — but can opt out of the final three years and $49MM on the deal at season’s end. He’s likely going to do so, but a second-half injury could change that equation. Detroit has to prepare for the possibility he hits free agency and should be motivated to move him, while potential buyers have to weigh the downside associated with the opt-out clause. Rodriguez seems likely to move but it’s not as straightforward as dealing a true rental.
8. Dylan Carlson, OF, Cardinals
Carlson probably has more trade value than any other Cardinal on this list. The switch-hitting outfielder looked like a potential franchise center fielder a year ago. Yet his offense has stalled out right around league average, as he carries a .235/.333/.352 showing over 228 plate appearances. Carlson has been a good player but not the impact bat St. Louis had been expecting.
St. Louis moved him to the bench when Tyler O’Neill returned from the injured list. With O’Neill, Lars Nootbaar and Jordan Walker in the outfield, Carlson looks like a change-of-scenery candidate. The Cards have explored offers, with the Yankees among the teams known to have interest. Still 24 and with three and a half seasons of remaining control, Carlson has a lot of appeal, even if it’s not at the same level as it would’ve been a few months ago.
9. Scott Barlow, RP, Royals
There have been surprisingly few ties to Barlow since Kansas City expressed an openness to offers two months ago. That’s presumably more a reflection of Royals’ brass playing things close to the vest than a lack of interest. The 30-year-old righty is an appealing trade target for contenders, even if his 5.50 ERA over 37 2/3 innings wouldn’t suggest as much.
Barlow allowed fewer than 2.50 earned runs per nine in 2021-22. He has seen a worrying spike in walks this year, contributing to the lesser results, but he’s missing bats on a solid 12.7% of his offerings with an above-average 26.2% strikeout rate. Barlow isn’t as valuable a target as he was last summer, and a brutal July in which he’s allowed 10 runs in eight innings isn’t doing the Royals any favors. There’s still value here, though, particularly since he has an additional season of arbitration control and is playing on a fairly modest $5.3MM salary.
10. Mark Canha, OF, Mets
Canha is another short-term veteran for the Mets. The outfielder is making $10.5MM this season. His contract contains an $11.5MM club option for next year. Given his fine but unexceptional performance, it seems that’s trending towards a $2MM buyout. If the Mets aren’t planning to keep Canha around, there’s little reason not to pull the trigger this summer.
The right-handed hitter owns a .239/.338/.375 line with six homers through 296 trips to the plate. He’s drawing plenty of walks and striking out at a career-low 17.2% clip, though he’s not hitting for much power. While Canha isn’t an impact bat, he’s a generally above-average hitter who plays solid corner outfield defense and can handle center in a pinch.
11. Paul DeJong, SS, Cardinals
12. Chris Stratton, RP, Cardinals
The next tier of Cardinal rentals, DeJong and Stratton also seem likely to change uniforms. The former has rebounded from a couple terrible offensive seasons to hit at a league average level (.238/.303/.421). He struggles to get on base against right-handed pitching but mashes lefties and plays plus defense at shortstop. DeJong’s $9MM salary is high but not untenable, especially given an overall down middle infield market. His contract contains a $12.5MM club option that seems likely to be bought out for $2MM.
Stratton is a straightforward middle relief trade candidate. He’s making $2.8MM in his final arbitration season. The right-hander owns a 4.36 ERA with above-average strikeout (26.7%) and walk (7.7%) marks in 53 2/3 innings. It won’t be a franchise-altering return, but he’s the kind of solid bullpen arm contenders always need around the deadline.
13. Paul Sewald, RP, Mariners
Sewald is an impact late-game arm. The righty has a 2.93 ERA through 43 frames while striking out over 35% of batters faced. For the third consecutive season, he’s getting swinging strikes on more than 14% of his offerings. Playing on a $4.1MM salary with another year of arbitration control, he’d draw plenty of interest.
Seattle doesn’t have to deal him. They’re fringe contenders this year and certainly not kicking off a rebuild. Yet they have plenty of bullpen depth and could view Sewald as a somewhat expendable player if they can net a promising hitter with an extended team control window. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported last night the M’s were open to offers.
14. Blake Snell, SP, Padres
15. Josh Hader, RP, Padres
Snell and Hader would have the potential to shoot up this list if we had time to reevaluate things on Tuesday. They’d be arguably the top two rentals if the Padres put them on the market. Snell has a 2.61 ERA with a 30.8% strikeout rate over 21 starts. Hader is operating at peak form, allowing fewer than one earned run per nine while punching out upwards of 38% of opponents.
The question, as it has been for months, is whether San Diego would move them. Four days ago, the answer seemed to be a clear no. Jeff Passan of ESPN wrote on Tuesday morning the Friars had rebuffed inquiries from other clubs. Subsequent reports suggested they were a little more open to offers but still preferred to hold the duo and make a playoff push. San Diego is six games out of a Wild Card spot and could take this one right down to the wire.
16. Teoscar Hernández, OF, Mariners
Hernández wouldn’t have the same appeal as Sewald, but the calculus for Seattle is similar. They’re a season-high three games above .500 and 4.5 out of a Wild Card spot with four teams to jump. They’re unlikely to throw in the towel but could look to move short-term pieces, particularly if they can land immediate MLB talent with a longer control window.
It’s hard to consider Hernández’s tenure in Seattle as anything other than a disappointment so far. He’s hitting .236/.287/.410 over 432 trips to the plate. He’s playing better defense than expected but hasn’t come anywhere close to the middle-of-the-order offensive form of his final three seasons in Toronto. Whether Seattle would make him a qualifying offer when he hits free agency next winter now seems a question. Hernández is making $14MM for his final arbitration season.
17. Seth Lugo, SP, Padres
The Padres face a similar question on Lugo as they do with Snell and Hader. The righty has taken well to his return to permanent rotation work, posting a 3.62 ERA with a solid 23.4% strikeout percentage and an excellent 4.6% walk rate. He’s outperforming his $7.5MM salary and looks like a lock (barring injury) to decline a matching player option for next season.
If the Friars concede they’re unlikely to make the playoffs and move Snell and Hader, there’s little reason not to do the same with Lugo. The trade return wouldn’t be as strong for the 33-year-old as it would be with his higher-profile teammates, but he’d quietly be one of the better arms available.
18. Keynan Middleton, RP, White Sox
There’s no suspense with the White Sox’s direction. They’ve already shipped off a handful of relievers and Middleton’s a virtual lock to follow. An offseason minor league signee, the righty has exceeded expectations with a 3.82 ERA and 30.7% strikeout rate over 35 1/3 innings. He’s an affordable middle inning arm headed back to the open market at year’s end. There’s little reason for the Sox not to move him for a mid-tier prospect.
19. Randal Grichuk, OF, Rockies
20. C.J. Cron, 1B, Rockies
21. Brent Suter, RP, Rockies
22. Brad Hand, RP, Rockies
An assortment of impending free agents on a last-place Colorado team, all four of these players look likely to move. Grichuk is a right-handed hitter who can cover all three outfield spots and is destroying left-handed pitching this season. He has dramatic home-road splits but fits as a role player on a contender. Cron had a terrible start to the year while seemingly playing through back discomfort that eventually sent him to the injured list. He’s hitting .308/.338/.569 since coming off the IL and could appeal to a team looking for a right-handed power bat off the bench. The Rockies owe Grichuk $5MM this season, while Cron is making $7.5MM.
Suter is playing on a $3MM arbitration salary. The left-hander has a 2.51 ERA in 46 2/3 innings despite a middling 20.5% strikeout rate. Hand is playing on a $1.5MM salary with a $500K buyout on an option that’d become a mutual provision if he’s traded. His 4.76 ERA isn’t inspiring but he’s striking out more than a quarter of opponents. The Rockies have indicated more of a willingness to trade their rentals than in years past and already shipped Pierce Johnson to Atlanta.
23. Brooks Raley, RP, Mets
Raley is another short-term veteran for the Mets. New York holds a $6.5MM option on his services and could keep him around for another season, though they might view this as a good chance to cash him in. The lefty reliever has a 2.43 ERA over 37 innings. He’s issuing a few too many walks but striking out a quarter of batters faced while making $4.5MM.
24. Tim Anderson, SS, White Sox
Anderson is having a brutal offensive season, putting up just a .239/.282/.279 batting line without a home run in 348 plate appearances. He’d been an All-Star caliber player for a few seasons before this, one of the game’s best contact hitters with plus speed and decent shortstop defense. It’s an inopportune time for the ChiSox to move him, but Anderson has played poorly enough the club no longer seems assured of even exercising his $14MM option for next season. They’re reportedly open to offers on all but a few core players. Anderson, who is making $12.5MM this year, has drawn some reported attention from the Marlins.
25. Giovanny Gallegos, RP, Cardinals
Gallegos is less likely than the Cardinals above him on this list to move. He’s under contract for at least one more season at an affordable $5.5MM rate, while the club holds an option for 2025. With plans to reload in ’24, St. Louis could find it more desirable to hold one of their better relievers. Reports this week indicated the Cards were at least open to offers on Gallegos, though, as he could plausibly land some upper minors starting pitching which the organization desires. The 31-year-old righty owns a 3.77 ERA with a decent 24.1% strikeout rate and excellent 5.2% walk percentage over 43 innings. He has allowed fewer than four earned runs per nine in each of the past five seasons.
26. Paul Blackburn, SP, A’s
Blackburn is one of Oakland’s top starters. The righty battled finger/hand issues early in the season but has returned to pitch 10 times. His 5.06 ERA through 48 innings isn’t eye-catching, but his 22.2% strikeout rate and 8.1% walk percentage are around league average. Blackburn looks like a serviceable #4/5 starter. He’s making only $1.9MM and eligible for arbitration for two seasons beyond this one. The A’s don’t have to move him, but as a 29-year-old back-end starter, he’s likely not viewed as a building block of the ongoing rebuild.
27. Justin Verlander, SP, Mets
28. Max Scherzer, SP, Mets
The future Hall of Fame rotation duo could serve as a litmus test for how the Mets view their chances beyond this season. New York is clearly open to selling impending free agents but will reload for 2024. Do they still envision the pair of veteran star hurlers anchoring their next contending rotation?
Neither Verlander nor Scherzer has pitched at peak levels this season, though they’ve still been above-average MLB starters. They’re tied for the loftiest annual salary in big league history at $43.333MM. Verlander is signed through 2024 with a vesting/player option for ’25; Scherzer has a player option for next season which he seems inclined to exercise. Both have full no-trade protection but may be willing to waive it to facilitate a move to a club with World Series aspirations in 2023. There are a lot of roadblocks to a deal. The Mets would have to pay down some of the money; the players have to agree; the team has to find acceptable young talent. Yet if things all came together on either player, there would probably be no bigger name changing teams.
29. Cody Bellinger, OF, Cubs
30. Marcus Stroman, SP, Cubs
Had we published this list at the start of the week, Bellinger and Stroman would quite likely have placed within the top five. Such is the nature of deadline season, when teams can change their fortunes rapidly. Mike Tauchman’s game-saving catch last night in St. Louis pushed Chicago’s win streak to seven. Suddenly, they’re above .500 and only 3.5 games out of a playoff spot (and 4.5 back in the division).
President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer and chairman Tom Ricketts have maintained all summer they’d prefer to add if the club played well enough. The team has gotten hot at the last moment and given the front office reason to avoid a sale. Whether they’ll do so remains to be seen — they were reportedly undecided four days ago — but Bellinger and Stroman deals no longer seem assured (or even likely). Jon Heyman of the New York Post unsurprisingly tweeted last night the team’s strong recent play could lead the front office to reconsider trading away veterans.
31. José Cisnero, RP, Tigers
32. Chasen Shreve, RP, Tigers
Cisnero and Shreve are on the opposite end of the spectrum of the players directly above them on the list. Neither Detroit reliever would grab many headlines but they seem very likely to move as impending free agents. Cisnero, a 34-year-old righty, has a 3.86 ERA with above-average strikeout and walk numbers over 39 2/3 innings. He’s making $2.29MM in his final arbitration season. Shreve, a 33-year-old southpaw, carries a middling 4.70 ERA but solid peripherals in 38 1/3 frames. He’s making $1.25MM.
33. Rich Hill, SP, Pirates
Few players are as familiar with trade rumors as Hill. The veteran southpaw looks likely to move again after the Pirates fell out of the mix. He’s not having an exceptional season — 4.82 ERA, 19.1% strikeout rate over 114 innings — but he’s a respected clubhouse presence who could fit as a fifth or sixth starter on a contender seeking rotation depth. Hill is playing on an $8MM salary.
34. José Quintana, SP, Mets
Quintana has found himself in trade rumors all of two starts into his Mets’ tenure. The veteran southpaw required rib surgery in Spring Training that cost him the first half of the season. He has looked good in his two outings — five runs allowed in 11 innings — but would be an unconventional trade candidate given the limited workload. Quintana is making $13MM apiece in 2023-24. The Mets could probably find a taker for the bulk of that money but seem unlikely to get a solid prospect return unless they pay down a notable chunk of the deal. Whether that’s preferable to simply keeping him as part of next year’s rotation is to be determined.
35. Carlos Hernández, RP, Royals
36. Alex Lange, RP, Tigers
37. Kyle Finnegan, RP, Nationals
38. Aaron Bummer, RP, White Sox
This group has extended control windows, but non-competitive teams can be more willing to relinquish a reliever than deal a controllable starter or bat. Hernández has wipeout stuff and has found his stride in the bullpen this season after a rocky career as a starter. He’ll be eligible for arbitration for the first time next winter and is controllable through 2027. Lange blends strong strikeout and grounder rates with well below-average control. He’s more volatile than the average reliever but has consecutive sub-4.00 ERA seasons and has saved 17 games for Detroit. Lange is also controllable for another four and a half years.
Finnegan has two and a half years of arbitration left. He’s making $2.3MM this season. A fastball-heavy righty, he has a 3.12 ERA with average peripherals across 43 1/3 innings. Finnegan has gotten the closer role in Washington with 14 saves but profiles better as a middle reliever for a contender.
Bummer is making $3.75MM this season, $5.5MM next year, and has club options covering 2025-26. The southpaw is allowing nearly seven earned runs per nine but has much stronger peripherals — including a 28.2% strikeout percentage and huge 54.2% grounder rate. Opposing teams will look beyond the ERA and the Sox have shown a willingness to listen on their relievers, dealing Joe Kelly and Kendall Graveman despite controlling both beyond this season. Bob Nightengale of USA Today suggested (on Twitter) this morning that Chicago was more inclined to keep Bummer, but he has reportedly drawn interest from contenders.
39. Carlos Carrasco, SP, Mets
40. Adam Ottavino, RP, Mets
The Mets would presumably be happy to find a taker for Carrasco and/or Ottavino. The former is an impending free agent, while the latter has a $6.75MM player option next season. They might be hard-pressed to find interest, however. Carrasco is making $14MM this year and has a 5.82 ERA with worse than average strikeout and walk marks over 14 starts. Ottavino’s 3.40 ERA and 57.4% grounder rate are each excellent, but his strikeout to walk profile is middling. While he’s a respected high-leverage reliever, the player option saps a decent amount of the appeal.
41. Lane Thomas, OF, Nationals
How to proceed with Thomas is probably the toughest decision the Washington front office faces this summer. He’s having a strong year, hitting .287/.335/.477 with 16 longballs in 445 trips to the dish. The bulk of that production has been platoon-heavy; Thomas is teeing off on lefties (.364/.410/.643) compared to slightly below-average production versus righty pitching (.252/.301/.401).
Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic wrote this week that was causing a discrepancy between the Nats and possible suitors on Thomas’ value. Rosenthal indicated the Nats viewed him as a quality regular while the market perceived him as more of a high-end platoon player. If that remains the case, the Nationals would probably hold him. He’s making just $2.2MM and eligible for arbitration through 2025. If the scarcity of productive bats leads other teams to up their offers in the next few days, the Nats could look to move him.
42. Elias Díaz, C, Rockies
Díaz would have a decent amount of appeal on a trade market light on catching talent. The All-Star Game MVP has a .270/.328/.419 line with 10 homers across 348 plate appearances. Playing in Coors Field helps — Díaz’s power numbers are predictably much better at home than on the road — but he’s a solid hitter for a catcher. He’s never gotten good reviews from public pitch framing metrics but has plus arm strength and is adept at blocking balls in the dirt.
Colorado will have a higher ask on Díaz than on the rentals listed above. He’s making only $5.5MM this season and under contract for $6MM next year.
43. Aaron Civale, SP, Guardians
If the Guardians were to deal from their controllable rotation options for offensive help, Civale is the candidate. Cleveland probably won’t part with any of their rookie hurlers, while injuries to Bieber, Triston McKenzie and Cal Quantrill take them out of the equation. The Guardians rolled the dice on Noah Syndergaard a few days ago to help address that injury-plagued starting staff, perhaps easing some concerns about the rotation depth if they listened on Civale.
The right-hander has a 2.54 ERA over 12 starts. His strikeout/walk profile is more akin to that of the solid #3/4 starter he’s been throughout his career as opposed to a budding ace. That’s still plenty valuable, though, particularly since Civale is only making $2.6MM. He’s eligible for arbitration two more times. The Guardians aren’t going to give him away; they’d likely only make a move if it netted them immediate lineup help as they look to track down the Twins in the AL Central.
44. Joey Bart, C, Giants
Bart has seemed an obvious change-of-scenery candidate for a few months. The former #2 overall pick has been passed as San Francisco’s catcher of the future by Patrick Bailey. He’s on optional assignment to Triple-A, hitting .218/.304/.353 in 34 games.
The right-handed hitter has been plagued by swing-and-miss at the big league level. He’s a career .223/.293/.342 hitter in 158 contests, striking out nearly 36% of the time. This is his final minor league option season, so he’s running low on time to establish himself as a regular. The opportunity is probably never coming again in San Francisco, but teams like the Marlins or Yankees could give him a look.
45. Mark Leiter Jr., RP, Cubs
46. Michael Fulmer, RP, Cubs
Leiter and Fulmer are the next tier down of trade candidates if the Cubs did decide to sell. The former has a 3.14 ERA with excellent strikeout (31.4%) and grounder (50.5%) rates in 43 innings. He’s arbitration-eligible through 2026 but would never have more trade appeal than he does now. If the Cubs push in this year, they won’t move him, but if they deal Bellinger/Stroman, selling high on Leiter would be a natural next step. Fulmer has pitched well of late and carries a 4.40 ERA with a 26.4% strikeout rate in 45 frames. He’s playing on a $4MM salary and will head back to the open market at year’s end.
47. Jonathan India, 2B, Reds
India found himself in rumors early this week when MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported the Reds were open to moving him for controllable starting pitching. Subsequent reports categorized that more as a matter of due diligence and indicated an offseason deal was more likely. India has a fair bit of trade appeal with three and a half seasons of remaining arbitration control but isn’t likely to fetch an impact starter with multiple control years on his own. He’d started the year strong but slumped of late, leaving him with a league average .251/.336/.409 slash on the season.
48. Adam Duvall, OF, Red Sox
The Red Sox have played their way out of consideration of selling. A five-game win streak pulls them within a game and a half of a Wild Card spot. They’re going to add over the next few days, likely on the pitching side. Still, they could dealing ancillary pieces off the MLB roster — particularly if it nets them pitching help — and Duvall seems the likeliest candidate.
He’d been scorching hot through the season’s first couple weeks but broke his wrist in mid-April. Jarren Duran seized the center field job between Alex Verdugo and Masataka Yoshida in the interim. Duvall hasn’t hit since coming off the IL, posting a .211/.279/.375 line with a 36.4% strikeout rate in 34 games. Still, there could be interest from clubs with a more direct path to outfield playing time; the Phillies and Braves have been speculated as possible fits. Duvall is making $7MM and is an impending free agent.
49. David Bednar, RP, Pirates
50. Mitch Keller, SP, Pirates
Bednar and Keller have come up in loose trade chatter this week. It seems more due diligence than anything else, with multiple reports suggesting a trade of either is unlikely. Bednar is an elite reliever and Pittsburgh native who’s controllable through 2026. Keller, a former top prospect, has developed into an upper mid-rotation arm and is eligible for arbitration for two and a half seasons. There’ll be plenty of interest but huge asking prices on both.
Others To Watch
A’s: Seth Brown, Tony Kemp, Ramón Laureano, Sam Moll
Angels: Jo Adell
Astros: Jake Meyers
Blue Jays: Santiago Espinal
Brewers: Víctor Caratini
Cardinals: Alec Burleson, Ryan Helsley, Iván Herrera
Cubs: Yan Gomes, Kyle Hendricks, Drew Smyly
Giants: Alex Wood
Mariners: Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, Tom Murphy, Bryan Woo
Mets: Omar Narváez, Drew Smith
Nationals: Trevor Williams
Padres: Luis Garcia, Nick Martinez
Pirates: Ji Man Choi, Austin Hedges, Colin Holderman
Red Sox: Bobby Dalbec
Reds: Kevin Newman, Nick Senzel
Rockies: Jurickson Profar
Royals: Matt Duffy, Nicky Lopez, Brady Singer
Tigers: Jason Foley, Tyler Holton
Twins: Max Kepler, Trevor Larnach
White Sox: Yasmani Grandal, Michael Kopech, Gregory Santos
Yankees: Gleyber Torres, Wandy Peralta
Corey Kluber Shut Down From Baseball Activities After Setback
The Red Sox have shut down Corey Kluber from baseball activity, the team informed reporters (including Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe). The right-hander suffered a setback while rehabbing from shoulder inflammation that sent him to the injured list five weeks ago.
It’s unclear if Kluber’s season is finished. He at least seems likely to be moved to the 60-day injured list once the Sox need a 40-man roster spot, as it’s hard to envision him being ready for MLB action before the third week of August — when he’d be eligible to return from a 60-day placement.
The 2023 season has been a frustration for the two-time Cy Young winner. Kluber struggled over nine starts, posting a 6.26 ERA in 41 2/3 innings. The Sox bumped him out of the rotation. Unlike Nick Pivetta — who has thrived in somewhat shorter stints — Kluber has continued to scuffle in relief. He’s allowed 14 runs in 13 1/3 innings out of the bullpen, largely on account of six homers surrendered.
Kluber’s contract has an $11MM club option for next season. Whether he’s able to make it back to the mound or not, that’ll get bought out. He’ll return to free agency during the upcoming offseason.
Rockies Select Chris Flexen
July 29: The Rockies have now officially selected Flexen, optioning Gavin Hollowell in a corresponding move. They already had a couple of vacancies on their 40-man roster, which is now at 39.
July 28: The Rockies will promote right-hander Chris Flexen to start tomorrow’s game against the A’s, tweets Luke Zahlmann of the Denver Gazette. Colorado will have to formally select his contract, as Flexen isn’t yet on the 40-man roster.
Flexen landed with the Rockies on a minor league deal two weeks ago. It was a good landing spot for the veteran, who’d been cut loose by the Mariners and Mets in rapid succession. The path back to the majors was easy to see with a Rockies’ club navigating a brutal stretch of injury luck in the starting staff.
Those health issues continued, as Colorado placed Chase Anderson on the 15-day injured list with shoulder inflammation this afternoon. Anderson has held a spot in the Rox’s rotation since being claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay in the second week of May. The 35-year-old has a 6.08 ERA through 14 appearances.
Flexen, 29, has spent the bulk of the year in the bullpen. He started four of 17 outings for Seattle, struggling to a 7.71 ERA across 42 innings. Flexen had been quite a bit better for the M’s in the preceding two seasons. He combined for a 3.66 ERA through 317 1/3 frames between 2021-22. His 16.5% strikeout percentage was below average, but Flexen kept his walks to a modest 6.8% clip.
The Mets agreed to take on what remains of his salary a few weeks ago as a means of acquiring reliever Trevor Gott from Seattle. Colorado will only pay Flexen the prorated amount of the $720K minimum salary for as long as he’s on the MLB roster. He’s headed back to free agency at year’s end but could use the next couple months as an audition for a spot in the 2024 rotation. Colorado’s rotation outlook for next season essentially consists only of Kyle Freeland and Austin Gomber at present. If Flexen can find some early success, it stands to reason the Rockies could have interest in re-signing him next winter.