Padres To Extend Huston Street
Huston Street is off of the trade market and in the Padres' long-term plans. The team agreed to sign the 28-year-old right-hander to a two-year extension that includes a club option for 2015. The contract between the Padres and the Hendricks Sports client will be worth $14MM and the '15 option will be valued at $7MM, MLB.com's Corey Brock reports.
“Huston is an established closer and has proven to be a valuable leader and teammate,” GM Josh Byrnes said in a press release. “We are very excited to have him be part of this organization going forward.”
The Padres worked to lock Street up this week and were prepared to trade him if an extension didn't seem possible. Street's previous contract included a $9MM mutual option for 2013 ($500K buyout). He would have been a free agent following the 2012 season unless both sides had exercised the option.
Street has a 0.91 ERA with 11.8 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 40% ground ball rate in 29 2/3 innings for the Padres this year. He has a 2.97 ERA with 9.3 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 and a 38.1% ground ball rate in eight seasons with the Athletics, Rockies and Padres.
Street earns $7MM per season in 2013-14 and there's no buyout on the 2015 option, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter). His $7MM salary will now represent a substantial portion of the Padres' payroll — $55.6MM entering the 2012 season.
This marks the second time in eight days that Byrnes has signed a potential trade candidate to a multiyear extension. The Padres agreed to sign Carlos Quentin to a three-year, $30MM extension one week ago today. Street, Quentin and Cameron Maybin now represent the Padres' largest financial commitments for 2013 and beyond.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Latest On Possible Extensions For Wright, Cano
David Wright is more than a year away from hitting free agency, but the Mets hope to sign him to an extension sooner, rather than later, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. The Mets don’t want to experience the tension that would occur if Wright enters the 2013 without a long-term deal, and the team’s officials sound confident they’ll find common ground with the ACES client this offseason.
Wright earns $15MM this season and his contract includes a $16MM club option for 2013 ($1MM buyout) that will definitely be exercised. The 29-year-old is playing at an MVP level this year, which means the Mets probably can’t expect to lock him up for a deal similar to Ryan Zimmerman’s six-year, $100MM contract.
Cano's contract status is similar to Wright's. The second baseman earns $14MM this year and his contract includes a $15MM club option ($2MM buyout for 2013). Like Wright, Cano is playing at an MVP level and his contract option is sure to be picked up. The Yankees have a club policy of waiting for players to hit free agency before negotiating contracts, but Cano says he’d listen if the Yankees have a proposal.
“I am always open to hearing anything,” he said, according to Sherman. “If it works for both sides, that is great. But I have to hear an offer.”
The Yankees aim to avoid the luxury tax by 2014, so GM Brian Cashman might have to get creative to retain Cano and Curtis Granderson (Granderson is also under team control through 2013). Cano, 29, felt underpaid on the contract he signed with his previous representatives and wants to make a score on his next contract, Sherman reports.
Agent Scott Boras, who represents Cano, said it costs elite prices to buy elite players out of free agent years. Boras pointed out that the Yankees generate far more revenue than most teams and said clubs sometimes have to commit to ten-year deals for the privilege of locking up an elite player for his prime years.
Ryan Dempster Rumors: Friday
The Cubs and Dodgers have four days to complete a possible trade involving Ryan Dempster. The Dodgers turned down a proposal of Allen Webster for Dempster, but seem optimistic that a deal can be completed. The Cubs, on the other hand, have limited options, since Dempster wants to go to Los Angeles and must approve any trade. Here are today's rumors, with the most recent updates up top…
- The Cubs and Dodgers are discussing a deal of Dempster for Josh Lindblom, reports ESPN's Jerry Crasnick, who isn't sure what other players could be involved in the swap (Twitter links). Another source tells Crasnick that the Lindblom rumor is "completely unfounded."
- The Dempster-to-the Dodgers trade isn't "dead," tweets ESPN's Jayson Stark, though the Dodgers are interested in Josh Johnson and are "waiting to see if [the] price drops on" James Shields.
- Dempster will consider trades to a number of teams, including the Braves and Dodgers, if the Cubs approach him with a deal in place, Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com reports. "He has not said that he wouldn't go to Atlanta or anywhere else for that matter," a person familiar with the situation told Levine.
- There's no current dialogue between the Cubs and Dodgers about Dempster, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (Twitter links). Each club know what the other is looking for at this point.
- The teams discussed the possibility of expanding the trade to include Alfonso Soriano or Bryan LaHair, Danny Knobler reported today.
Tigers, Giants, Braves Interested In Scott Hairston
7:43pm: The Braves and Giants have also asked about Hairston, tweets Andy McCullough of the Star-Ledger.
3:45pm: The Tigers have already completed one major trade this summer, but they may not be done dealing yet. They're interested in Mets outfielder Scott Hairston, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Though the teams discussed Hairston, it's unlikely a deal materializes, Adam Rubin of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
The Mets would listen to offers for Hairston if rival teams are willing to surrender players who can help in the near future, Joel Sherman reported two days ago. Hairston, 32, has a history of hitting left-handed pitching that no doubt appeals to the Tigers (career .279/.330/.506 line against southpaws). He earns just $1.1MM in 2012 and is enjoying a strong season, with 12 home runs and a .259/.300/.514 batting line.
Josh Johnson Rumors: Friday
The Marlins seek a Mark Teixeira-like package for Josh Johnson, Jon Heyman reported yesterday. In other words, Miami seeks at least three good young pieces for the right-hander. The Blue Jays are pursuing Johnson and the Rangers, Angels and Orioles also appear to have interest. Here's the latest, with the most recent items up top:
- The Red Sox don't appear to be in on Johnson, as Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe (Twitter link) hears that Miami's asking price is "way more than [the Sox] would be willing to meet."
- "The Marlins are leaving no doubt that they intend to trade" their ace, tweets USA Today's Bob Nightengale. The Rangers are among those "still heavy" in pursuit of Johnson.
- There's lots of debate in front offices over Johnson's availability, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick writes (Twitter links). One GM says the Marlins "want a ton" for Johnson, but Crasnick suggests the Marlins would move the right-hander under the right circumstances.
- The Marlins are asking for each team's top two or three prospects in trade scenarios involving Johnson, Crasnick adds (Twitter links). It'd take Jurickson Profar–Travis d'Arnaud types to get talks moving and "a lot more" after that.
Zack Greinke Rumors: Friday
Brewers GM Doug Melvin has acknowledged that Zack Greinke could be traded before he makes his scheduled start this Sunday. He told USA Today the right-hander will be traded ("It's going to be difficult when we trade him'') then offered a less definitive statement later on last night ("I just said there was that possibility"). The Rangers, Angels, Braves and White Sox are pursuing Greinke. Here are the latest rumors surrounding the right-hander…
- Though the White Sox don't have a highly-regarded farm system, they have enough talent in the Major Leagues to acquire Greinke, Heyman reports. Gavin Floyd's name has come up in trade talks, but he doesn't appear to be related to the Greinke sweepstakes, Heyman reports.
- The Braves continue to seek a starting pitcher and Greinke and others remain in play, MLB.com's Mark Bowman reports (on Twitter). However, the Braves are telling teams they’re focused on bullpen and bench help, rather than starting pitching, according to Jayson Stark.
- The Angels remain very much involved in the Greinke talks, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). Morosi reports that Greinke has a "high regard" for the Angels and thus would likely be more open to signing a contract extension to remain in Anaheim. The Angels might prefer Greinke to Shields and Johnson, according to Danny Knobler.
- The Dodgers could check in on Greinke, Jon Heyman reported today.
Rays Sell Allen To Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
The Rays have sold the rights of Brandon Allen to a Japanese team, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (on Twitter). They've sold his rights to the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, Roger Mooney of the Tampa Tribune reports (on Twitter).
Allen, 26, appeared in seven games for the Rays after Tampa Bay claimed him off of waivers from the Athletics. The Rays removed Allen from their roster in June and assigned him to Triple-A, a level at which he has a .283/.390/.543 batting line in parts of four seasons.
Quick Hits: Athletics, Hamels, Pirates
Diamondbacks GM Kevin Towers and MLBTR's Tim Dierkes weighed in on the modern-day trade deadline dynamic with Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic. The non-stop nature of online trade chatter can get in the way of certain trades and facilitate others, Towers said. Here are some assorted rumors with four days to go before the trade deadline…
- The Athletics aren’t presently in the mix for Marco Scutaro, but they could pursue him if other options don’t materialize, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter).
- Before he signed his six-year, $144MM extension, Cole Hamels told Yahoo’s Jeff Passan that he’d give pitchers big money, but not long-term contracts. "I'd only give three or four years, but I'd give 'em $25 or $30 million," Hamels said. Fortunately for him, Ruben Amaro Jr. and the Phillies were willing to go beyond four years.
- Many teams would be willing to trade two Major League bats to acquire Joel Hanrahan, Tom Singer of MLB.com writes. The Pirates could rely on Brad Lincoln and/or Jason Grilli in high-leverage, late-inning situations if they trade Hanrahan.
Rosenthal & Morosi On Gonzalez, Phillies, Perkins
Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. acknowledges his team’s upcoming series in Atlanta will have an impact on Philadelphia’s trade deadline plans, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports. “We have to play well against these guys,” Amaro said. “They’re a very tough team. We don’t necessarily have to sweep ‘em. But it’s important for us to win the series.” Here are the latest rumors from Rosenthal and colleague Jon Paul Morosi…
- Carlos Gonzalez is at or near the top of the Rangers’ wish list of outfielders for 2013, Morosi and Rosenthal report. For now, however, the Rockies are keeping Gonzalez and Dexter Fowler off-limits in trade talks.
- Mariners relievers Shawn Kelley, Josh Kinney and Steve Delabar are drawing mild interest, Morosi tweets.
- Left-hander Glen Perkins is drawing heavy interest, Morosi reports (on Twitter). The Twins have a very high asking price for Perkins, who signed a three-year, $10.3MM extension with the club in March.
- The Orioles would like to add a left-handed reliever, Morosi reports (on Twitter).
- The Giants want a right-handed bat and are expected to make a push for Hunter Pence if the Phillies make him available, Morosi reports (on Twitter). Jonathan Broxton is also of interest for the Giants, Morosi reports (on Twitter).
- The Pirates aren't optimistic about their search for a hitter at this point, Rosenthal reports (on Twitter).
- The White Sox haven't ruled out the possibility of adding another reliever, Morosi reports (on Twitter).
Nationals Release Rick Ankiel
The Nationals have released outfielder Rick Ankiel, the team announced. Washington designated the outfielder for assignment last week.
Ankiel, 33, signed a one-year, $1.25MM contract with Washington this past offseason. He appeared in 68 games as the Nationals' center fielder and posted a .228/.282/.411 batting line with five home runs in 171 plate appearances. The Yankees had some interest in Ankiel before acquiring Ichiro Suzuki.