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Quick Hits: Flores, Scooter, Nats, Zimmerman, Orioles

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The market for free-agent infielder Wilmer Flores has started moving, Jeff Passan of ESPN tweets. It’s unclear which teams are interested in Flores, but he does look like one of the most intriguing players left in a constantly thinning class of unsigned players. Still just 28 years old, Flores is coming off a season in which he batted a robust .317/.361/.487 with nine home runs in 285 plate appearances as a member of the Diamondbacks. The righty-hitting Flores did most of his damage against left-handed pitchers, which has been a regular occurrence throughout the ex-Met’s career, but he has typically been playable against same-handed hurlers. He also carries a fair amount of experience at each infield position.

  • Free-agent second baseman Scooter Gennett recently held a workout that “a number of teams” attended, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score writes. That jibes with the latest on Gennett from MLB Network’s Jon Heyman, who tweets that roughly six clubs (including the Cubs) are interested in the former standout. The Cubs have been the lone team linked to Gennett in the rumor mill since the Giants released him in late August. San Francisco cutting ties with the 29-year-old less than a month after acquiring him in a trade with the Reds put an end to a nightmarish season for Gennett. While he was quite productive with the Reds from 2017-18, Gennett could only muster a .226/.245/.323 line with two home runs in 139 plate appearances during an injury-limited 2019.
  • The Nationals have officially re-signed franchise icon Ryan Zimmerman for another year, but he’s not committed to playing beyond then. Zimmerman told reporters Tuesday that he and the team will continue to evaluate their union on an annual basis going forward, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post relays. That said, while Zimmerman’s due to become a free agent in another year (he’ll be 36 then), it seems doubtful Mr. National will ever put on another team’s uniform. Zimmerman’s playing time with the Nats has declined as his career has advanced, in part because of a variety of injuries, but he said he’s “okay with” his part-time role in D.C.
  • The Orioles made a small move to address their weak rotation when they signed southpaw Wade LeBlanc to a minors pact on Tuesday. The agreement came after the 35-year-old LeBlanc, who spent most of last season as a reliever in Seattle, turned down other teams’ offers in hopes of earning a spot in the Orioles’ rotation, per Joe Trezza of MLB.com. While LeBlanc could indeed take on a role as one of the O’s starters in 2020, they’re not done shopping for help in that area, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Notably, Baltimore was connected to one of its former SPs, righty Andrew Cashner, this past weekend.

Red Sox Reportedly Interested In Mark Kotsay

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Already a candidate for the Astros’ managerial vacancy – a position that might not go unfilled for much longer – Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay could also be on Boston’s radar. He’s “believed” to be in the running to replace ousted Red Sox manager Alex Cora, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. However, it’s unclear whether the Red Sox have interviewed Kotsay yet, Cotillo adds.

There doesn’t appear to be a clear front-runner yet to succeed Cora, one of three managers who lost his job this month as a result of the Astros’ 2017 sign-stealing scandal. For his part, Kotsay has never managed before, but the 44-year-old former outfielder and ex-member of the Red Sox has garnered front office and coaching experience since his playing days ended in 2013. And he has been a popular managerial candidate over the past several months, having drawn serious interest from the Giants and Pirates before they went in other directions back in the fall.

Once San Francisco and Pittsburgh chose their next managers, it looked as if Kotsay would have to wait at least another year to become a big league skipper. However, with Houston’s transgressions having shaken up the managerial ranks this month, Kotsay has re-emerged on the radar.

Tony Barnette Retires

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Former major league reliever Tony Barnette is calling it a career. “I’ve thrown my last pitch,” the right-hander declared Tuesday on Instagram.

It’s almost a year to the day the Cubs signed Barnette to a $750K guarantee on Feb. 1, 2019. The low-risk move didn’t work out for either side, though, as shoulder issues stopped Barnette from pitching until late June. Once Barnette did take the hill with the Cubs, he made just two appearances and threw a meager 1 1/3 innings before going on the restricted list July 1 for family reasons. The Cubs had a $3MM option on the 36-year-old for 2020, but they made the predictable decision to decline it in November.

Prior to joining the Cubs, Barnette was at times a highly successful bullpen option with the Rangers. As a rookie in 2016, Barnette pitched to a sterling 2.09 ERA across 60 1/3 innings. That was the beginning of an up-and-down Texas tenure for Barnette, who struggled in 2017 but posted great numbers the next season; however, shoulder problems cut him down that year and held him to 26 1/3 innings.

Of course, it would be unfair to Barnette to ignore the overseas success he enjoyed during his professional baseball career. He was a 10th-round pick of the Diamondbacks in 2006 who, after spending a few years in the minors, joined the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball in advance of the 2010 season. Barnette was terrific in Japan, where he posted a 3.58 ERA across 316 1/3 innings, logged 9.6 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 and amassed 97 saves in six seasons before returning stateside.

Barnette only picked up two saves in the majors, but he’ll still end his MLB career with solid numbers – a 3.53 ERA with 8.17 K/9 and 2.66 BB/9 in 145 1/3 frames. MLBTR wishes him the best in retirement.

Luis Urias To Miss 6-8 Weeks After Hamate Bone Surgery

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Newly acquired Brewers infielder Luis Urias has undergone surgery to repair a fractured left hamate bone, Robert Murray reports. He’s expected to miss six to eight weeks, which seems to jeopardize his spring training and the beginning of the regular season.

Urias paused his winter ball season just a few days ago on account of soreness in his wrist, but the expectation then was that he was dealing with a relatively minor issue. That doesn’t appear to be the case, though, and now it’s possible the Brewers will have to begin the campaign without one of their key offseason additions.

The 22-year-old Urias isn’t far removed from ranking as one of the absolute best prospects in the game, but he didn’t produce much at the major league level with the Padres from 2018-19. San Diego then dealt Urias to Milwaukee in November in a four-player trade that also saw outfielder Trent Grisham and pitchers Zach Davies and Eric Lauer change hands.

Since his change of scenery, Urias has looked like the front-runner to start the year at shortstop for the Brewers. That could still happen, but it looks like a much more questionable bet now. As a result, the Brewers may have to turn back to Orlando Arcia as their No. 1 option at the outset of the season. Arcia was a promising prospect in his own right during his younger days, but the 25-year-old hasn’t done much of anything at the plate since he debuted in the majors in 2016.

Nationals Re-Sign Ryan Zimmerman

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JANUARY 28: This deal is now official.

JANUARY 24: The Nationals have reached a one-year, $2MM guarantee with first baseman Ryan Zimmerman, pending a physical, Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post reports. The deal can max out at $5MM with performance bonuses, and it includes a full no-trade clause. Zimmerman’s a client of CAA Sports.

It’s no surprise reigning world champion Washington’s bringing back Zimmerman, aka Mr. National and the first player the franchise chose after moving from Montreal. General manager Mike Rizzo and Zimmerman suggested on multiple occasions in recent months that agreeing to a new contract was a formality.

The fourth overall pick in the 2005 draft, Zimmerman began to establish himself as one of the majors’ premier third basemen in 2006. He remained a highly valuable player at the position through 2013, but injuries and an overall decline have cut him down in recent years and forced a position change.

The 35-year-old Zimmerman transitioned to first base on a full-time basis in 2014, and he posted excellent numbers as recently as 2017. Zimmerman remained effective in the ensuing season, but he struggled to produce during an injury-limited 2019. He slashed a less-than-stellar .257/.321/.415 with six home runs in 190 plate appearances, but the right-handed hitter abused lefty pitchers (as he has done throughout his career) and was one of the Nats’ many playoff heroes in the fall. Zimmerman’s three-run homer against the Dodgers in Game 4 of the NLDS will always count as one of the greatest moments in franchise history. He also smacked a solo dinger versus the Astros in the Nats’ one-run victory in Game 1 of the World Series.

The Zimmerman agreement is the latest in what has been a busy offseason for the Nationals. The club lost Anthony Rendon in free agency, and he’ll be extremely difficult to replace, but in addition to keeping Zimmerman, it has re-signed Stephen Strasburg, Howie Kendrick, Yan Gomes, Daniel Hudson and Asdrubal Cabrera. The team has also picked up outside free agents in Will Harris, Starlin Castro and Eric Thames. Zimmerman, Kendrick and the lefty-hitting Thames figure to get the lion’s share of playing time at first for the Nats in 2020.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

MLBTR Poll: Grading The Starling Marte Trade

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They’re throwing a Marte party in the desert. The Diamondbacks on Monday acquired center fielder Starling Marte from the Pirates in a blockbuster trade that saw shortstop prospect Liover Peguero, young righty Brennan Malone and $250K in international money go to Pittsburgh in return. Arizona now happens to have the top two Martes in the majors in Starling and Ketel Marte, the Diamondbacks’ primary center fielder from 2019 who broke out as a star and will now occupy second base most of the time.

For the Diamondbacks, an 85-win team from last year that’s trying to give the Dodgers a better fight in the NL West, the addition of Starling Marte is the latest win-now move in an offseason packed with them. The D-backs’ previous pickups came via the open market, where they signed left-hander Madison Bumgarner, right fielder Kole Calhoun, relievers Hector Rondon and Junior Guerra, and catcher Stephen Vogt.

There are concerns with Marte’s game, including iffy defensive metrics, a past PED suspension and a career-long aversion to drawing walks. Still, he’s unquestionably one of the most valuable center fielders in the sport. The 31-year-old has accounted for at least 3.0 fWAR in each of his six full seasons, and is coming off his second straight 20-20 effort. Marte posted a .295/.342/.503 line with 23 home runs and 25 stolen bases across in 586 trips to the plate.

Of course, we’d be remiss not to mention that Marte’s contract only makes him more appealing from Arizona’s standpoint. He’ll earn a fairly economical $11.5MM this year and could make $12.5MM next season if the Diamondbacks exercise his club option in lieu of a $1MM buyout. Assuming Marte continues his steady production in 2020, picking up that option will be a no-brainer for the team.

In Pittsburgh’s case, Marte’s age, waning control and the Pirates’ rebuilding status all combined to send him out of the Steel City after months of trade rumors. It was an understandable decision on new Pirates general manager Ben Cherington’s part to cash in the Marte chip, though there’s dissatisfaction in Pittsburgh that the team’s ultra-low payroll shrunk even more as a result of the deal. The Pirates could put at least some money back into their roster by finding a Marte replacement before the season, which is Cherington’s plan, but they’re unlikely to find a player of his caliber.

Regardless of how the Pirates’ payroll looks in the wake of Marte’s exit, the club did land a couple promising farmhands in Peguero and Malone. Both 19-year-olds are a ways away from major league opportunities, having not gotten past the low-A level yet, but they were seen as two of Arizona’s most intriguing prospects. Two months ago, FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen and Kiley McDaniel ranked Peguero fifth in the Diamondbacks’ system, comparing him to former D-back Jean Segura. The flamethrowing Malone checked in at No. 10 on the list, meanwhile, with Longenhagen and McDaniel writing that the 33rd overall pick from last year’s draft has “a mid-rotation starter look.”

Thanks to the youth of Peguero and Malone, we’ll have to wait for a while to see how this trade pans out. At first glance, though, how do you like it for both teams? Weigh in below …

(Arizona poll link for app users)

Grade the Marte trade for Arizona
B 44.75% (8,203 votes)
A 39.81% (7,297 votes)
C 11.19% (2,052 votes)
D 2.30% (421 votes)
F 1.95% (358 votes)
Total Votes: 18,331

(Pittsburgh poll link for app users)

Grade the Marte trade for Pittsburgh
C 33.80% (5,752 votes)
B 29.10% (4,951 votes)
D 16.75% (2,850 votes)
A 12.36% (2,103 votes)
F 7.99% (1,360 votes)
Total Votes: 17,016

Royals Could Add Starting Pitching

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Even though the Royals had one of the majors’ least effective rotations in 2019, the rebuilding club has done little to nothing to upgrade that area of its roster. That could change before the season, though. Royals general manager Dayton Moore revealed over the weekend that the team’s still considering free-agent starters, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com writes.

Moore indicated he’s optimistic about the roster as a whole, but he admitted, “I’m not completely comfortable with our starting pitching depth,” in part because the Royals don’t want to rush some of their young arms to the majors. That said, Flanagan points to a few Royals starting prospects – Brady Singer, Daniel Lynch and Jackson Kowar – who could push for a spot in the team’s rotation during camp.

As things stand, the No. 5 role is the lone opening in KC’s starting staff. The Royals are otherwise committed to Brad Keller, Danny Duffy, Jakob Junis and Mike Montgomery from one through four. Keller’s a successful Rule 5er who has enjoyed a pair of respectable seasons since the Royals dug him up. Duffy was once a high-quality starter in his own right, but while Keller has ascended, he has declined of late, hurting his trade value in the process. Junis struggled to keep runs off the board last year (5.24 ERA), but he did manage his second straight season with at least 175 innings. Montgomery didn’t have an especially productive season between the Royals and Cubs, meanwhile, but he was at least somewhat better in Kansas City than Chicago.

Considering the Royals’ present options, there’s no doubt room for improvement. Whether they’ll make an earnest attempt to get better via free agency remains to be seen, but there does appear to be some interesting buy-low candidates on an ever-shrinking open market. Taijuan Walker, Danny Salazar, Matt Harvey and Aaron Sanchez may be the most intriguing choices left, owing to their relative youth (only Harvey’s older than 30) and past success.

Carlos Gonzalez Intends To Play This Year

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Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is among the stragglers remaining on the free-agent market as spring training nears, and the former star is holding out hope someone will give him an opportunity to re-establish himself. Gonzalez intends to play this season, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports.

Gonzalez hasn’t logged a professional at-bat since last June 27, which brought an end to a fleeting stint with the Cubs. They signed Gonzalez to a minor league contract, only to part with him less than a month later. The Cubs were the second team to jettison Gonzalez last season, joining the Indians – another club that took a flier on him on a minor league deal.

Gonzalez didn’t catch on anywhere during the final couple months of the 2019 campaign, no doubt thanks to the dismal numbers he posted between Chicago and Cleveland. The onetime NL batting champion was only able to muster a .200/.289/.283 with three home runs and a paltry .083 ISO in 166 plate appearances.

Now, if anybody does sign the 34-year-old Gonzalez this season, he’ll surely have to settle for a third consecutive minors pact. While CarGo’s a three-time All-Star who slashed .290/.349/.516 with 227 homers and 118 steals as a member of the Rockies from 2009-18, he hasn’t recorded especially valuable production in any season since a 2.6-fWAR showing in 2016.

Minor MLB Transactions: 1/27/20

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The latest minor moves from around baseball…

  • First baseman Kennys Vargas has agreed to a minor league contract with the Tigers, Jason Beck of MLB.com tweets. The deal does not include an invitation to major league spring training. The hulking Vargas will now join his second AL Central organization, having appeared in the majors with the Twins from 2014-17. He played for Ron Gardenhire, then the Twins’ manager and now the Tigers’ skipper, as a rookie. Vargas posted respectable offensive production at times in Minnesota, including in his first and third seasons, but owns a mediocre overall line of .252/.311/.437 with 35 home runs in 859 lifetime MLB plate appearances. The 29-year-old also hasn’t been great at the Triple-A level, where he has hit .244/.352/.436 and totaled 51 HRs over 1,297 PA, and he’s now coming off a rough 2019 campaign spent in Japan. As a member of the Chiba Lotte Marines, Vargas stumbled to a .179/.324/.274/ mark and managed just one homer in 102 trips to the plate.

Nationals Sign Kevin Quackenbush

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The Nationals have signed right-handed reliever Kevin Quackenbush to a minor league contract, Dan Kolko of MASN tweets. The deal includes an invitation to major league spring training.

Now 31 years old, Quackenbush was a valuable late-game option with the Padres at the outset of his career. Quackenbush amassed 172 1/3 innings of 3.50 ERA/3.63 FIP ball with 8.15 K/9 and 3.13 BB/9 from 2014-16, but it’s been all downhill since then. With the Padres and Reds from 2017-18, Quackenbush combined for an ugly 7.86 ERA/5.82 FIP with 7.86 K/9 and 5.47 BB/9 over 26 1/3 frames.

Quackenbush didn’t pitch in the majors at all last season, instead working at the Triple-A level with the Dodgers’ top affiliate. He also had his fair share of trouble preventing runs there, evidenced by a bloated 5.06 ERA in 58 2/3 innings. To his credit, though, Quackenbush did strike out 13 batters per nine while walking just 2.5.

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