Braves, Scott Blewett Agree To Minor League Deal
The Braves agreed to a minor league contract with Scott Blewett yesterday, according to the right-hander’s transaction log at MLB.com. He’ll be assigned to Triple-A Gwinnett.
Blewett, 27 next month, pitched in five big league contests with the Royals between 2020-21. A former second-round pick of Kansas City, he changed organizations for the first time last year. Blewett signed a minor league deal with the White Sox, spending most of the season in Double-A. He started 22 of 24 appearances, working to a 5.03 ERA with a 20% strikeout rate across 111 innings. Blewett never got a big league look in Chicago and returned to minor league free agency over the offseason.
The New York native will try to work his way back to the MLB level in Atlanta. He’s surely a fair ways down the depth chart after a middling showing in Double-A, but he’ll add some organizational depth as the Braves navigate a number of rotation injuries. Kyle Wright opened the season on the injured list, while Michael Soroka started the year in Gwinnett after a hamstring issue set him back in Spring Training. Atlanta already tabbed a pair of rookies, Jared Shuster and Dylan Dodd, for season-opening rotation spots.
The injury troubles continued today, as ace Max Fried appears ticketed for the IL after straining his hamstring during his start against Washington. Blewett’s signing predated the Fried injury and is unrelated, but the Braves now look likely to count on one of Bryce Elder or Ian Anderson to temporarily step into the rotation alongside Spencer Strider, Charlie Morton, Shuster and Dodd.
Rangers, Rafael Ortega Agree To Minor League Deal
The Rangers are in agreement with Rafael Ortega on a minor league contract, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter). The deal allows him to opt out on April 29 if he’s not added to the roster, reports MLBTR’s Steve Adams (Twitter link). If Ortega secures a big league roster spot, he’d lock in a $1.5MM base salary, according to Adams.
Ortega has played for five teams over parts of six big league seasons dating back to 2012. Much of his early-career work came in a depth capacity. He logged a decent amount of action over the past two years with the Cubs, playing in 221 games. Ortega posted decent offensive numbers in that time, combining for a .265/.344/.408 line in 701 plate appearances.
Despite that solid showing, Chicago non-tendered him at the start of this past offseason. Ortega signed a minor league deal with the Yankees and spent the spring in their camp. The lefty-hitting outfielder had a bizarre .158/.327/.474 line over 38 exhibition at-bats. He struck out 12 times but drew ten walks and connected on three home runs. New York stuck with the out-of-options Estevan Florial and signed Franchy Cordero to take the outfield bench spots on the season-opening roster. Upon being informed this week that he wouldn’t make the team, Ortega triggered an opt-out clause and was granted his release.
It didn’t take long for the 31-year-old to find a new landing spot. Outfield is a significant question mark for Texas, particularly early in the season. Adolis García is assured of one spot. That’d ideally be in right field but he started in center field today. That’s due to a season-opening injured list stint for presumptive starting center fielder Leody Taveras, who sustained an oblique strain this spring. Robbie Grossman and utilityman Josh H. Smith got the nod in the corners flanking García.
With Taveras out, it’s easy to see the appeal for Ortega in signing on with Texas. The organization will have a little less than a month to evaluate both his performance at Triple-A Round Rock and Taveras’ health status before deciding whether to give him an MLB look. Ortega is out of minor league option years, so if he secures a 40-man roster spot at any point, Texas would have to keep him in the majors or designate him for assignment.
Astros Notes: Baker, Brantley, McCullers
Dusty Baker enters his fourth season as Astros manager. Fresh off the first World Series title of his illustrious career, the 73-year-old skipper discussed his future with Bob Nightengale of USA Today. He was noncommittal about the possibility of continuing beyond this season.
“I don’t know man. I just don’t know. You got to go home some day,” Baker told Nightengale. While that’s a rather equivocal stance, it seems it’s the approach Baker has taken throughout his tenure there. He’s signed a series of one-year contracts with the organization — even this past offseason on the heels of a championship — noting that the shorter term won’t “force (him) to come or go.” Baker said he has no plans of announcing his retirement in advance, preferring to wait until he’s absolutely sure he wants to step away before making that call.
The Astros went 230-154 in Baker’s first three seasons at the helm. They’ve advanced at least as far as the AL Championship Series in all three years, culminating in the second World Series in franchise history last season. Baker has obviously had the fortune of overseeing excellent rosters, yet the organization couldn’t have hoped for more when tabbing him in the wake of the revelation of the sign-stealing scandal.
Turning to this year’s roster, general manager Dana Brown offered a couple injury updates prior to the club’s loss to the White Sox this evening. The Astros placed Michael Brantley on the 10-day injured list as he rehabs from last year’s season-ending shoulder procedure.
Brown provided some specificity on the timetable, telling reporters that Brantley would miss at least three weeks of game action (relayed by Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle). The veteran outfielder didn’t make an appearance this spring as Houston slowly brought him along. Once healthy, he’s expected to share left field/designated hitter reps with Yordan Alvarez.
Brown also provided an update on starter Lance McCullers Jr., who’s opening the season on the 15-day IL due to an elbow strain. The GM said McCullers is now pain-free, indicating some optimism about his status (via Mark Berman of Fox 26). There doesn’t seem to be a firm timetable for his return, though the righty was playing catch during Spring Training. While McCullers slowly builds toward game shape, Houston opens the year with a front five of Framber Valdez, Cristian Javier, Luis Garcia, José Urquidy and rookie Hunter Brown.
Yankees, Jose Godoy Agree To Minor League Deal
The Yankees recently signed catcher José Godoy to a minor league contract, according to Baseball America’s Chris Hilburn-Trenkle. The backstop had been released by the Angels earlier this month.
Godoy has appeared in each of the past two MLB seasons. He’s played for three teams, logging brief action with the Mariners, Twins and Pirates. The left-handed hitting backstop has played in 26 games, compiling a .123/.194/.140 line over 62 trips to the plate. He’s a .271/.323/.405 hitter over parts of three Triple-A campaigns. That’s obviously not huge offensive impact, though he’s shown decent bat-to-ball skills in the minors. The bigger selling point is in his solid defensive reputation.
New York was dealt a hit to its catching depth in camp with the revelation that Ben Rortvedt required shoulder surgery. Jose Trevino and Kyle Higashioka are the only healthy catchers on the 40-man roster. Godoy joins Nick Ciuffo as non-roster players with some MLB experience who can head to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre as insurance in case Trevino or Higashioka suffer an injury.
Cubs Sign Nico Hoerner To Three-Year Extension
March 30: Jon Heyman of The New York Post provides the full breakdown. Hoerner will make $11.5MM in each of the first two seasons, then get a slight bump to $12MM in 2026.
March 29: The Cubs announced agreement with second baseman Nico Hoerner on a three-year contract extension covering the 2024-26 seasons. The deal reportedly guarantees the Apex Baseball client $35MM over that stretch. It buys out his final two seasons of arbitration eligibility and one free agent year.
Hoerner has emerged as one of the Cubs’ better players in recent years. A first-round pick out of Stanford in 2018, he made it to the majors within a year and a half of being drafted. That was a brief cameo and Hoerner struggled during the abbreviated 2020 campaign. Over the past two seasons, however, he’s taken a step forward at the dish to pair with his strong up-the-middle defensive profile.
The Oakland native lost a good chunk of the 2021 season to hamstring and oblique issues. When healthy, he posted a .302/.382/.369 line over 44 games that year. He followed up with his first full season, in which he hit .281/.327/.410 in 135 contests. Hoerner connected on 10 home runs and 22 doubles. More impressively, he kept his strikeout rate to a minuscule 11% while making contact on an above-average 86.6% of his swings. Going back to the start of the 2021 campaign, he’s a .286/.341/.400 hitter in a little under 700 trips to the dish.
It’s hardly elite offense but Hoerner has compensated for modest power with excellent contact skills. Putting the ball in play has allowed him to run a high batting average that props up the offensive profile. He’s also been a plus on the basepaths, stealing 20 bags in 22 attempts last year.
Hoerner has paired that decent hitting with strong work on the infield. He has played over 1400 major league innings at shortstop, drawing strong grades from Defensive Runs Saved and Statcast’s Outs Above Average. DRS has pegged Hoerner as 10 runs better than the average defender at the infield’s most demanding position. Statcast has credited him as 16 runs above par.
The Cubs are kicking Hoerner to the other side of the second base bag in 2023. Chicago added Dansby Swanson on a seven-year free agent deal this offseason. Hoerner seemed fully on board with the position change, agreeing to move to the keystone to enable the club to add a player of Swanson’s caliber. There’s little question he’ll be an excellent second baseman, where he’s also gotten elite grades from public metrics in 468 1/3 frames between 2019-21.
Hoerner has between three and four years of major league service time. He and the organization had agreed to a $2.525MM salary for the upcoming season. The three-year pact apparently takes effect in 2024, as the deal reportedly buys out his final two arbitration years and one free agent campaign. He’s now slated to first hit the open market over the 2026-27 offseason, at which point he’ll be entering his age-30 campaign.
It’s rare for players already into arbitration to sign extensions that buy out exactly one free agent year. Players like Miguel Sanó (three years, $30MM) and J.P. Crawford (four years, $46.15MM) have signed extensions in this vicinity in recent seasons. Crawford’s deal bought out two free agent years, however. Sanó’s contract came with a club option for a second would-be free agent year. Hoerner secures a shorter-term commitment that locks in his arbitration earnings and allows him to still hit the market at age 30.
The team, meanwhile, picks up one additional season of a player they obviously value highly. It’s a bit of a surprise to see them commit $35MM to pick up control of one free agent year. Had the sides gone annually through arbitration, Hoerner would have built off this year’s $2.525MM platform salary.
Assuming he’d have made around $12-15MM for his final two arbitration seasons, the Cubs are valuing the free agent year in the $20-23MM range. It’s possible that proves to be below market value by that point, though it’d probably require Hoerner taking another step forward with the bat. The Cubs seem confident he’ll do so, with this agreement signifying they view him as a key part of a core that can get them back to playoff contention.
Ken Rosenthal and Sahadev Sharma of the Athletic first reported the Cubs and Hoerner were in advanced extension talks. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported the deal had been agreed upon as well as the contract terms.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
White Sox Select Oscar Colas, Release Leury Garcia
The White Sox have requested unconditional release waivers on utilityman Leury García, the club announced. Chicago has formally selected the contracts of outfield prospect Oscar Colás and veteran infielder Hanser Alberto. The Sox also placed Garrett Crochet, Tanner Banks and Liam Hendriks on the 15-day injured list.
None of the transactions come as a surprise. Chicago GM Rick Hahn had more or less confirmed these decisions over the weekend. It finalizes the end of García’s nine-plus year tenure on the South Side. Initially acquired from the Rangers back in 2013, the switch-hitting García carved out a long-term bench role on the strength of his defensive flexibility. He never made a huge offensive impact but endeared himself to a few different coaching staffs.
García had the best season of his career in 2021, when he posted a .267/.335/.376 line over 474 plate appearances. Headed to free agency for the first time that winter, García returned to the South Side on a very surprising three-year deal. The Sox guaranteed him $16.5MM, seemingly committing to him as a versatile bench piece for the extended future.
That turned out disastrously, as García was among the worst hitters in the game last year. He managed only a .210/.233/.267 line in 97 contests. Continued struggles in Spring Training led the Sox to eat the $11MM remaining on his contract. They informed him over the weekend he wouldn’t be part of the Opening Day roster. Once he clears release waivers — an inevitability considering the amount of money remaining on his deal — he’ll be free to explore opportunities elsewhere.
Alberto secures a depth infield role in his stead. Signed to a minor league deal over the winter, the righty-hitting Alberto is a high-contact hitter who’s best deployed against lefty pitching. He almost never walks and rarely hits for power but he puts the ball in play and can play throughout the infield. Alberto hit .244/.258/.365 in 73 games for the Dodgers last year.
Colás is one of the organization’s top prospects. He’s expected to see the bulk of right field playing time and is now positioned to make his MLB debut. The 24-year-old hit .314/.371/.524 over three minor league levels last season. Despite a relatively modest .258/.279/.424 showing this spring, he earns a look in the right field rotation alongside Gavin Sheets and Romy González.
Phillies Place Rafael Marchan On 60-Day Injured List
The Phillies have placed catcher Rafael Marchán on the 60-day injured list due to a fractured right hamate bone, the club announced. The move clears a 40-man roster spot for Rule 5 selection Noah Song, who was reinstated from military leave. Song won’t go onto the active roster, as he’s being placed on the 15-day IL due to a lower back strain.
Marchán missed most of Spring Training with the wrist issue. The Phils had previously called it a contusion, but today’s revelation of a fracture obviously paints a dimmer picture. He’s now officially out until at least May without much further clarity on his recovery timeline. Marchán played in 23 MLB games between 2020-21 and was the third catcher on the roster behind J.T. Realmuto and Garrett Stubbs. He’s coming off a .233/.316/.358 showing with Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Philadelphia selected Song away from the Red Sox in the Rule 5 draft. Regarded as a potential first-round talent a few years ago, the righty fell to the fourth because of club concerns about his military commitments. Those have prevented him throwing a single pitch in full season ball but the Phils still rolled the dice to add him to camp. They’ll have to keep him on the active roster or MLB injured list if they don’t want to offer him back to Boston. For now, the back soreness buys Philadelphia some time to gauge his progress before facing that call.
Padres Select Rougned Odor, Domingo Tapia
The Padres announced a few transactions as they set their Opening Day roster. Rougned Odor and reliever Domingo Tapia both made the team, with San Diego formally selecting their contracts. The Friars also confirmed the previously reported addition of outfielder David Dahl to the 40-man. San Diego needed to create two 40-man vacancies. They’ve done so by designating righty Michel Báez for assignment and placing southpaw Adrián Morejón on the 60-day injured list with an elbow sprain.
Additionally, San Diego placed a handful of pitchers on the 15-day IL. Joe Musgrove, Robert Suarez, Drew Pomeranz and José Castillo will all start the season on the shelf.
Odor is entering his tenth season at the big league level. The longtime Ranger second baseman has bounced around the league over the past few seasons. He’s been a below-average hitter overall due to dismal on-base numbers but continued to draw interest thanks to some left-handed power. Odor appeared in 135 games for the Orioles last season, hitting 13 homers but posting just a .207/.275/.357 line in 472 plate appearances.
Signed to a minor league deal over the offseason, Odor impressed in Spring Training. He put together a .316/.422/.474 slash with a pair of homers in 38 at-bats. The career second baseman also saw some corner outfield action in exhibition play to broaden his defensive flexibility off the bench. He could join Dahl and Matt Carpenter in taking some right field work until Fernando Tatis Jr. returns from suspension.
Tapia, 31, inked a minor league deal over the winter. He threw 17 innings for the A’s last year, allowing 16 runs with more walks than strikeouts. While it wasn’t a particularly encouraging season, Tapia averaged around 98 MPH on his fastball and posted a 1.76 ERA in 30 2/3 innings with Triple-A Las Vegas. He nabs an Opening Day bullpen job in San Diego after tossing eight innings of two-run ball with 11 strikeouts and no walks this spring. Tapia still has a minor league option year remaining, so the Friars could bounce him between San Diego and Triple-A El Paso throughout the season.
Báez has pitched at the MLB level in three of the last four seasons. The bulk of that came in 2019, when he made 24 appearances. Báez pitched only twice in the majors last year. He threw 21 1/3 innings for El Paso, allowing an 8.44 ERA while walking a huge 16.7% of opposing hitters. The Padres will now have a week to deal him or put him on waivers.
Morejón is now officially out until the end of May. He returned from Tommy John surgery to make 26 appearances out of the bullpen last season. Elbow soreness cropped back up this spring, an alarming development considering that history. Initial imaging didn’t reveal any structural damage, with the club first calling the issue inflammation. Terming it a sprain — which inherently involves some stretching of the ligament — is a little more concerning and will keep him out of action for a while.
A’s Select Carlos Perez
The A’s announced they’ve selected catcher Carlos Pérez onto the 40-man roster. Oakland already had a 40-man vacancy following yesterday’s trade of outfielder Cristian Pache to Philadelphia.
Pérez, 32, signed a minor league deal with Oakland a couple weeks ago. He breaks camp as the backup to Shea Langeliers after the expected #2 backstop, Manny Piña, was sent to the injured list by right wrist pain. The A’s needed to add another catcher to the 40-man roster, and the veteran earned the job over former fourth-round pick Kyle McCann.
A right-handed hitter, Pérez has played 212 MLB games with the Angels, Braves and Rangers. He’s a career .215/.257/.319 hitter over 670 plate appearances. That came from 2015-18, so this’ll be his first big league action in nearly a half-decade. Pérez spent last year in Triple-A with the Rockies, where he connected on 31 home runs with a .254/.341/.524 line in 117 games.
Guardians Select Cam Gallagher, Meibrys Viloria
The Guardians announced a few transactions as they set their Opening Day roster. Catchers Cam Gallagher and Meibrys Viloria both make the club, as Cleveland will go with two depth options behind starter Mike Zunino.
Neither Gallagher nor Viloria had been on the 40-man roster after signing minor league deals over the winter. To create space, Cleveland designated right-hander Jason Bilous for assignment and placed righty Cody Morris on the 60-day injured list.
Gallagher has played in parts of six major league campaigns, all of which have come as a member of the Royals. Working as Salvador Pérez’s backup for the bulk of that time, he put together a cumulative .240/.302/.355 line over 469 plate appearances. Kansas City traded Gallagher to San Diego at last summer’s deadline, and he also spent time with the Orioles. He didn’t get an MLB chance with either club but now returns to the majors in Cleveland.
Viloria is a lefty-swinging catcher who also previously played in Kansas City. He’s gotten into 93 major league games as a member of the Royals and Rangers over the past five years, hitting .201/.270/.283. The 26-year-old had an excellent .280/.422/.440 line in 218 plate appearances for Texas’ Triple-A affiliate last year.
Neither Gallagher nor Viloria can be optioned to the minor leagues. Barring injury, the Guardians will have to continue carrying all three catchers in the majors or eventually make one of them available to other teams via trade or waivers. It’s unclear how long Cleveland will be able to maintain that level of roster flexibility but they’re comfortable doing so out of the gate.
Bilous was claimed off waivers from the White Sox last month. The Coastal Carolina product has yet to make his major league debut. He split the 2022 season between Chicago’s top two affiliates, combining for a 6.30 ERA across 105 2/3 innings. He’d posted better numbers in the low minors but has yet to find much success against upper level hitters. Cleveland will have a week to trade the 25-year-old or look to run him through waivers.
Morris impressed over seven appearances late last season as a rookie. He could’ve battled for a back-of-the-rotation spot if healthy but he’s been sidelined by soreness in the terms major muscle in his throwing shoulder. He won’t make his season debut until at least the end of May.