Latest On Phillies, Buck Showalter
Phillies owner John Middleton had the final say on last week’s firing of manager Gabe Kapler, whom he ditched despite disagreements from the club’s front office and some of its prominent players. Middleton polled members of the Phillies’ roster in regards to Kapler, and though the skipper received favorable reviews from the likes of Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto, it wasn’t enough to save his job.
Now, with the Phillies looking for a replacement for Kapler, Middleton’s reportedly surveying players again. This time, he’s seeking input on longtime manager Buck Showalter, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. With Middleton having indicated general manager Matt Klentak is leading the hiring process, it’s notable the owner seems to be taking on an active role in a coaching decision yet again. Back in August, a couple months before Kapler’s firing, Middleton made the call to replace hitting coach John Mallee with ex-Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.
The 63-year-old Showalter is currently one of three seasoned skippers the Phillies are honing in on, joining Dusty Baker and Joe Girardi. Showalter looks to have the strongest connection of the trio to Philly’s front office, which is run by former Baltimore executives in Klentak and president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail. In fact, it was MacPhail who hired Showalter to manage the Orioles in 2010. It proved to be a sound decision by MacPhail, as the Showalter-led O’s earned three playoff berths until his ouster last year. Klentak and MacPhail are still Showalter fans, if his status as a finalist for the Phillies’ job is any indication, but he has to win over Middleton as well.
Pirates’ Jason Martin Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
Pirates outfielder Jason Martin underwent surgery to address a left shoulder labral tear, Adam Berry of MLB.com was among those to report. Martin is likely in line for a four- to six-month recovery period, which could be cutting it close for the start of the 2020 season.
Next year will be the third in the Pittsburgh organization for Martin, whom the Pirates acquired from the Astros as part of the teams’ trade for right-hander Gerrit Cole in January 2018. As those who follow the game know, the Houston version of Cole has been a pitching demigod, someone who has a legitimate shot at a World Series title, AL Cy Young honors and a $200MM-plus payday in the coming weeks.
Unfortunately for Pittsburgh, no one it received for Cole has come close to making a star-level impact. While righty Joe Musgrove has done respectable work from the Pirates’ rotation, third baseman Colin Moran has been merely a replacement-level performer, reliever Michael Feliz hasn’t developed into a late-game force and Martin has been almost nonexistent in the majors. An eighth-round pick of the Astros in 2013, Martin just wrapped up a difficult season divided between two levels. The 24-year-old hit .259/.312/.419 with eight home runs and nine stolen bases in 406 Triple-A plate appearances, leaving him with an 83 wRC+, and slashed .250/.325/.306 with a pair of steals in his first 40 PA in the bigs.
Despite his struggles in 2019, a healthy Martin could vie for a role next year in an outfield facing some uncertainty as the winter approaches. Rookie sensation Bryan Reynolds is sure to be back in 2020, while Gregory Polanco‘s set to return after an injury-wrecked campaign. On the other hand, Starling Marte looks like a trade candidate and Melky Cabrera is on his way to free agency.
Steven Wright To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
This hasn’t been a banner day of news for veteran knuckleballer Steven Wright. The Red Sox released Wright this afternoon in lieu of paying him a projected $1.5MM next season, and now it’s up in the air whether the right-hander will pitch again until 2021. Wright told Rob Bradford of WEEI.com that he will undergo Tommy John surgery on Tuesday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow.
The need for a TJ procedure is the latest rough development for the 35-year-old Wright, whose stock has plummeted since an All-Star showing with the Red Sox in 2016. A litany of injuries and off-field issues have troubled Wright dating back to then, as he combined for just 84 innings of 4.71 ERA ball from 2017-19. He’s a two-time suspension recipient who sat for 15 games in 2018 after violating the MLB-MLBPA Joint Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Policy, and then missed 80 contests this year for a failed PED test.
After Wright came off the restricted list June 25, opposing batters tattooed him for six earned runs on 11 hits, three HRs and four walks in 6 1/3 innings. Wright then dealt with toe and elbow problems that prevented him from pitching past July 13, which will go down as his last appearance for a while. He’s now on the open market as someone who can only hope for a minor league contract, though it seems doubtful he’ll sign anytime soon.
Pirates To Interview Stubby Clapp
The Pirates will interview Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clap for their open managerial job next week, Jon Heyman of MLB Network tweets. He’ll be the third reported interview for the Pirates, who have already discussed the position with Athletics bench coach Ryan Christenson and Twins bench coach Derek Shelton.
[RELATED: MLBTR’s Managerial Search Tracker]
Like Christenson and Shelton, the 46-year-old Clapp has no experience as a skipper at the sport’s highest level. Clapp, however, was eminently successful as the manager of the Cardinals’ Triple-A affiliate in Memphis from 2017-18. He led the team to back-to-back Pacific Coast League titles in the role, earning PCL Manager of the Year honors as a rookie skipper. Understandably impressed, the Cardinals promoted Clapp to their big league staff last offseason, when the Rangers considered hiring him as their manager before turning to Chris Woodward.
The Cardinals are once again at risk of losing Clapp, a member of the organization for a large portion of his time in professional baseball. The Canada native was a 36th-round pick of the Cardinals in 1996 who served as an infielder/outfielder with the organization through 2002. Clapp’s only experience as a major leaguer came over 26 plate appearances with the Cards in 2001.
Looking For A Match In A Jackie Bradley Jr. Trade
Red Sox center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. has been popular in trade rumors in the past, though no club has come up with a compelling enough offer to pry him out of Boston yet. Now, however, Bradley is approaching his last year of team control – in which he’ll make a projected $11MM – and the Red Sox may be on the verge of reducing payroll. With those factors in mind, Bradley may be heading into the offseason as one of the majors’ strongest trade candidates. Bradley, with his combination of defensive adeptness, passable offense and quality base running, remains valuable enough on the field for the Red Sox to tender him a contract at a fairly high cost. But if the Red Sox decide it would be wise to move on via trade in the coming weeks, there would surely be interest from elsewhere. Bradley probably isn’t going to require a sizable return in a trade, after all, and free agency isn’t exactly rife with appealing center fielders teams could count on as starters.
Here’s a look at several clubs that could inquire about Bradley…
- Braves: Center field isn’t a pressing need for the Braves, as they could continue to go with superstar Ronald Acuna Jr. as their man pick there (at least until hyped prospects Cristian Pache and Drew Waters show up). The Braves also have two other viable outfield starters in Ender Inciarte and Nick Markakis, though they’re facing a decision on the latter’s $6MM club option/$2MM buyout. If the Braves part with Markakis, would they send Acuna to a corner? Even if Markakis stays, MLBTR’s Steve Adams raised an interesting question when the two of us were discussing Bradley: Would Atlanta and Boston consider a swap around Bradley and Inciarte? Both teams would come out with capable center fielders, with the Red Sox cutting some of their payroll for 2020. They’d get two years’ control over Inciarte, who’s due a guaranteed $16.025MM through 2021 (including a $1.025MM buyout for 2022).
- Cubs: Center field was a sore spot during a bitterly disappointing 2019 for the Cubs, whose top choice, Albert Almora, posted horrific numbers. The Cubs had to consistently turn to Jason Heyward amid Almora’s struggles, so they could simply keep the former in center next next year. But if Chicago wants to shift Heyward back to right field on a full-time basis in favor of a more traditional center fielder, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the team at least check in on Bradley. Who selected Bradley in the first round of the 2011 draft? Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, then Boston’s general manager.
- Diamondbacks: Arizona may have its center fielder in breakout star Ketel Marte, though if the club would rather put him at second, a Bradley pursuit would make sense. Like Epstein, Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen happened to be in the Red Sox’s front office when they drafted Bradley.
- Giants: The Giants already have a pricey veteran center fielder in Kevin Pillar, who’s projected to make $9.7MM in 2020. Whether they’ll keep or non-tender Pillar is up in the air, though, considering the 30-year-old’s offensive limitations. Although Bradley isn’t a world-beater at the plate in his own right, his .317 career on-base percentage is an improvement over Pillar’s .296 mark. That said, even if the Giants were to cut the cord on Pillar, it’s possible they’d just hand center to Steven Duggar to evaluate whether he’s fit for the role.
- Mets: Center field is a question for the Mets, who would likely be better off playing Brandon Nimmo and Michael Conforto in the corners instead of forcing them into the outfield’s most challenging position. The problem, as MLBTR’s Jeff Todd noted Friday, is the club’s lack of financial flexibility. Fitting Bradley into their payroll would be tough without shedding a similar salary or salaries (Jed Lowrie, for example).
- Phillies: The Phillies figure to have Bryce Harper and the returning Andrew McCutchen in the corners next season, though it’s unclear what they’ll do in center. While the team does have some in-house options in Odubel Herrera, Scott Kingery, Adam Haseley and Roman Quinn, it’s highly debatable whether any would be preferable to Bradley. Herrera might not even play for the Phillies again after missing most of this year because of a violation of the MLB-MLBPA joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy.
- Rangers: This would partly hinge on whether the Rangers want to deploy slugger Joey Gallo as a full-time center fielder next year. If so, Bradley to Texas would be all the more improbable. Gallo aside, the Rangers have seen Delino DeShields struggle mightily as their primary center field choice over the past couple seasons.
- Reds: Not only does Cincinnati seem to be preparing for an aggressive, payroll-increasing offseason, but center field stands out as an area it could plausibly upgrade. However, that depends on whether the team wants to line up Nick Senzel in center, where he played as a rookie in 2019, or move him to second base.
- White Sox: A change of Sox for Bradley looks like a possibility, as Chicago is in obvious need of outfield help. The unit may have been the worst of its kind in 2019, when Leury Garcia and Adam Engel combined for uninspiring production in center. Going forward, only left fielder Eloy Jimenez looks like a lock to return as a starter next season. Likewise, stud prospect Luis Robert could play an important role in a year, though his forthcoming arrival won’t stop the Sox from seeking veteran help. Of course, if the Sox decide Robert’s ready to take over center imminently, they’ll probably be in the market for a big-hitting right fielder instead of someone like Bradley.
Managerial/Coaching Notes: Mets, Giants, Bucs, Brewers
Let’s round up the latest managerial and coaching news from around the majors…
- The Mets’ previously reported managerial interview with their quality control coach, Luis Rojas, has taken place, Tim Healey of Newsday tweets. They’ve now discussed (or will discuss) the position with at least six candidates, with Rojas, Mike Bell, Carlos Beltran, Joe Girardi, Eduardo Perez and Derek Shelton comprising the group of known possibilities. Meanwhile, although longtime manager Buck Showalter has expressed interest in the role, his chances have “stalled,” Mike Puma of the New York Post reports. The Mets have some concerns about the way Showalter interacted with front offices during his previous runs as a manager, according to Puma.
- Add Cubs first base coach Will Venable to the list of managerial possibilities for the Giants, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. The Giants are interested in Venable, though it’s not clear whether they’ll interview him. A former major league outfielder, the 36-year-old Venable finished his career in 2016 as a member of the Dodgers, whose general manager was Farhan Zaidi. He’s now the president of baseball operations for the Giants.
- The Pirates have reached out to Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay to gauge his interest in managing the Bucs, Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette relays. The 43-year-old Kotsay was a major league outfielder/first baseman from 1997-2013 who has since worked in coaching and front office roles between San Diego and Oakland. He interviewed for San Francisco’s managerial opening last week.
- The Brewers are parting with first base coach/infield coach Carlos Subero, per Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Subero, the lone member of manager Craig Counsell’s staff who won’t return in 2020, spent four seasons as a major league coach with the Brewers. He previously managed in the minors with the organization.
Andrew Friedman On Kenley Jansen
Not long ago, it would been almost impossible to imagine anyone but Kenley Jansen serving as the Dodgers’ closer. But after an uncharacteristically pedestrian 2019 season for the long-dominant right-hander, Jansen may not be a lock for the role next year. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Monday that Jansen’s still the team’s closer as of now, but LA “will see how things play out” in regards to the job (Twitter link via Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times).
Whether the 32-year-old Jansen will even be a Dodger in 2020 isn’t necessarily etched in stone, as he could opt out of the remainder of his contract. In all likelihood, though, Jansen’s going to stay put. Abandoning what’s left of his deal would mean leaving two years and $38MM on the table, which would look like an ill-advised move in the wake of the season Jansen just had.
Jansen earned his current pact – a five-year, $80MM guarantee – on the heels of an otherworldly 2016 showing, and while he continued to thrive the next season, he has been closer to good than elite since 2018. At least in comparison to his past self, Jansen was fairly ordinary this year. He posted a 3.71 ERA/3.48 FIP with 33 saves on 41 tries over 63 innings, giving him a personal-high ERA and a career-worst blown saves total. While Jansen did log 11.43 strikeouts per nine against 2.29 walks – a ratio just about any pitcher would sign up for – it’s not as impressive for a hurler who regularly posted a K/9 in the 13-14 range during his halcyon days.
Jansen was a key factor for the Dodgers in past playoff runs, but that wasn’t the case this year during their first-round loss to the Nationals. He threw just 1 2/3 innings during the Dodgers’ five-game defeat, including two-thirds of a frame in the decisive matchup of the series. By then, the Dodgers were already down 7-3 after an implosion from Joe Kelly.
Even though Jansen seemingly lost some of LA’s trust in 2019, he’s still likely to return as one of the team’s top relievers next season. Jansen and the rest of the club’s bullpen faced their fair share of scrutiny throughout the campaign, though, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Dodgers make a noteworthy effort to improve the unit over the winter. If the Dodgers end up in the market for a new closer, Aroldis Chapman (should he opt out of his Yankees deal) and Will Smith stand out as a couple potential free agents who could give the club an end-of-game upgrade over Jansen.
MLBTR Poll: Executives Under Pressure
Major League Baseball’s regular season concluded two weeks ago, though no front offices have experienced significant shakeups since then. The Red Sox shockingly fired president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski in early September, less than a year after the roster he helped assemble won 108 regular-season games and a World Series title, but no other team has made a change since then. With the offseason just a few weeks from commencing, it’s doubtful any club will join Boston in seeking a new head of baseball ops prior to the winter.
While almost all front offices look stable right now, the story could be totally different a year from now. We’ve seen mass departures in the dugout in recent weeks, and several clubs may end up in position to ax their top front office minds in roughly 12 months. As Joel Sherman of the New York Post observed over the weekend, at least 10 teams could wind up seeking new front office heads by 2021 if things go haywire next season.
Going by Sherman’s list, the Cubs, Mariners, Rangers, Mets, Rockies, White Sox, Pirates, Padres, Angels and Phillies each have executives who could be in do-or-die positions next year. It would be especially earth-shaking to see the Cubs make a switch, as president of baseball ops Theo Epstein has largely delivered wonderful results since he exited Boston for Chicago prior to the 2012 campaign. Of course, manager Joe Maddon also did mostly brilliant work for the Cubs from 2015-19, but that didn’t prevent them from going in another direction after this year’s so-so 84-win showing. With that in mind, perhaps Epstein will meet a similar fate if the Cubs don’t rebound in 2020.
Aside from the Cubs, every team Sherman mentioned has been embroiled in a multiyear playoff drought. With the possible exception of the Mariners, whose owner, John Stanton, seems to be exercising patience with GM Jerry Dipoto, all of them could conceivably hire new front office leaders within a year. The Rangers’ Jon Daniels, the Mets’ Brodie Van Wagenen, the Rockies’ Jeff Bridich, the White Sox’s Rick Hahn, the Pirates’ Neal Huntington, the Padres’ A.J. Preller, the Angels’ Billy Eppler and the Phillies’ Matt Klentak do indeed seem especially vulnerable going into 2020. The same could apply to Reds president Dick Williams and-or GM Nick Krall if the team doesn’t make a leap up the standings after what it hopes will be an active offseason. The Marlins are so devoid of talent that they have almost no chance to compete in 2020, which could finally cost president Michael Hill his job (bear in mind co-owner Derek Jeter inherited Hill; he didn’t hire him).
There could also be other execs in trouble by next offseason, though the Dodgers (to some of their fans’ chagrin) look as if they’re on the cusp of locking up pending free-agent president Andrew Friedman after another year loaded with regular-season wins but lacking a World Series title. The Blue Jays could extend oft-maligned president Mark Shapiro, meanwhile, and the Twins might award chief baseball officer Derek Falvey a new pact in the wake of an eminently successful campaign.
The above bunch aside, it’s fair to guess the Astros, Yankees, Athletics, Rays, Indians, Royals, Orioles, Braves, Nationals, Cardinals, Brewers and Diamondbacks are perfectly happy with their front office alignments. Near-term changes likely aren’t in the offing for any of those clubs, then, but what of the rest?
(Poll link for app users)
Which execs should be on the hot seat?
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Neal Huntington (Pirates) 17% (3,011)
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Matt Klentak (Phillies) 15% (2,785)
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Billy Eppler (Angels) 12% (2,136)
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Brodie Van Wagenen (Mets) 11% (2,021)
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A.J. Preller (Padres) 11% (1,966)
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Theo Epstein (Cubs) 10% (1,796)
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Jeff Bridich (Rockies) 8% (1,369)
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Jerry Dipoto (Mariners) 7% (1,225)
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Rick Hahn (White Sox) 4% (754)
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Jon Daniels (Rangers) 3% (599)
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Other (specify in comments) 2% (393)
Total votes: 18,055
MLBTR Chat Transcript: 10/14/19
Click here to read a transcript of tonight’s MLBTR chat with Connor Byrne.
Quick Hits: Nix, JBJ, Alfaro
Padres minor league piitchers Jacob Nix and Tom Cosgrove were arrested on criminal trespassing charges Sunday in Peoria, Ariz., after Nix allegedly entered a home through a dog door, per Jessica Suerth of 12 News. The homeowner caught Nix trying to break in at 3:30 a.m. and kicked him in the face, at which point Cosgrove reached into the dog door in an attempt to get Nix out. The homeowner then hit Nix in the torso with a Taser as he and Cosgrove tried to flee the premises. The police found Nix and Cosgrove at a different home about 10 minutes away and took them into custody. Nix was ordered to post a $100 bond and appear in court Oct. 14, while Cosgrove was ordered to post a $50 bond. Cosgrove appeared in court on Tuesday. This bizarre story looks like the biggest professional setback yet for the 23-year-old Nix, a promising prospect who missed most of 2019 with damage in his right ulnar collateral ligament. Nix, who joined the Padres as a third-round pick in 2015, ranks as their 28th-best farmhand at MLB.com.
Now for some more conventional items from around the league…
- With the Red Sox set to embark on a payroll-cutting campaign this offseason, center fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. could wind up on the outs, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic observes (subscription link). “You always think about it,” Bradley told McCaffrey in regards to a potential trade, adding, “It’s one of those things you just have to wait and see what happens.” Trade rumors centering on Bradley aren’t anything new, but no other club has convinced Boston to move him yet. However, the soon-to-be 30-year-old’s team control is dwindling – he’ll be a free agent after next season – while his salary is rising. Bradley’s projected to earn $11MM in 2020, and that could be too rich for the Red Sox’s blood in the wake of a modest season for JBJ. He totaled just 1.4 fWAR, his lowest since 2014, while hitting .225/.317/.421 with 21 home runs, eight stolen bases across 567 plate appearances. Although Bradley’s offensive output in 2019 wasn’t much different than the production he posted over the prior two seasons, his defensive numbers fell off, as he notched both a negative DRS (minus-1) and UZR (minus-0.7) for the first time since 2013.
- While Jorge Alfaro will go into next season as the front-runner to start at catcher for the Marlins, they’ll at least “explore” adding depth at the position this winter, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com writes. Alfaro, whom the Marlins acquired from the Phillies as part of last offseason’s J.T. Realmuto blockbuster, batted .262/.312/.425 with 18 homers over 465 plate appearances during his first season in Miami. Those are acceptable offensive numbers from a catcher, though it’s troubling that Alfaro struck out in at least 33 percent of PA for the second year in a row. Defensively, the cannon-armed 26-year-old did throw out 33 percent of would-be base-stealers, but he struggled in the framing and blocking aspects.