Quick Hits: Extensions, Boras, Acuna, Dodgers, Pujols, Cards, Giants
Agent Scott Boras, who brought you the term “swellopt,” has now concocted a phrase to describe team-friendly extensions young major leaguers sign, per Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times. “Great young players are getting what I call ‘snuff contracts,’” Boras told McCullough. “And a snuff contract is that they’re trying to snuff out the market. They know the player is a great player, and he’s exhibited very little performance. So they’re coming to him at 20 and 21, and I’m going to snuff out your ability to move, to go anywhere, to do anything, and your value. And I’m going to pay you maybe 40 cents on the dollar to do it. What’s my risk?” In Boras’ estimation, the eight-year, $100MM guarantee Braves star Ronald Acuna Jr., 21, signed this week is “the king of the snuff contracts,” as it hampers the outfielder’s career earning power while giving Atlanta what looks like a sweetheart deal for a franchise player in the making.
Acuna’s accord is one of a whopping 27 multiyear extensions doled out across the majors since Jan. 21, though the Dodgers haven’t joined the party, McCullough observes. Extensions have been almost nonexistent in Los Angeles under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who has only given out one (Clayton Kershaw‘s three-year, $93MM deal after last season) since taking the reins in 2014. But Friedman told McCullough he “wouldn’t be surprised if within the next 12 months we do some.” McCullough points to Cody Bellinger, Walker Buehler, Corey Seager, Enrique Hernandez, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson and Chris Taylor as potential extension candidates for Friedman & Co.
- Speaking of Kershaw, the ace left-hander appears to be nearing his 2019 debut. Kershaw will make a minor league rehab start Tuesday, which could set him up for a Dodgers return Sunday, Jorge Castillo of the LA Times tweets. The three-time NL Cy Young winner, 31, has been shelved on account of shoulder troubles since late February. Consequently, this will be the fourth straight injury-shortened campaign for Kershaw, whose 162 innings-per-season average from 2016-18 fell well shy of the 215-frame mean he put up over the previous seven years.
- First baseman Albert Pujols dominated headlines in 2011 when he elected to leave St. Louis, where he spent the first 11 seasons of his Hall of Fame career, for the Angels’ 10-year, $254MM offer. Pujols’ decision came after the Cardinals and Marlins also proposed decade-long contracts worth upward of $200MM. Now 39 years old and with $87MM remaining on his deal, Pujols recently reflected on his choice to leave the Cardinals, telling Graham Bensinger (via ESPN.com): “I felt that the approach that they took wasn’t showing me that they wanted me to be a longtime Cardinal. I believe I made the right decision.” If his rapid deterioration in Anaheim is any indication, St. Louis dodged a bullet in losing Pujols, even though he won three NL MVPs and two World Series as a Cardinal. Pujols slashed an incredible .328/.420/.617, averaged more than seven fWAR per year and never appeared in fewer than 143 games in a season while with the Redbirds. On the other hand, the Anaheim version’s a .260/.315/.452 hitter who has been worth one win above replacement a year and has twice missed at least 45 games in a season.
- As is often the case with minor league contracts, catcher Stephen Vogt‘s agreement with the Giants includes a June 1 opt-out chance, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. The Giants already have three backstops – Buster Posey, Erik Kratz and Aramis Garcia – occupying 40-man roster spots, which seems to decrease the 34-year-old Vogt’s odds of earning a promotion from Triple-A Sacramento. However, San Francisco’s a fan of the two-time All-Star’s bat and could summon him at some point, Schulman suggests. The former Ray, Athletic and Brewer hasn’t appeared in the majors since 2017, having missed all of last season because of shoulder surgery.
NL Notes: Nats, Rosenthal, Rox, Freeland, Brewers, Cards, Reyes
Nationals reliever Trevor Rosenthal‘s hellish early season start continued Sunday when he failed to retire either Met he faced, walking one and hitting another. Rosenthal also threw a pair of wild pitches and totaled just one strike during his seven-pitch outing. Worse, the 28-year-old hasn’t recorded an out against any of the nine batters he has gone against this season, making him the first pitcher since 1995 to achieve that ignominious feat, Jon Heyman of MLB Network notes. Rosenthal, who missed all of 2018 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, expressed confidence in his health Sunday and his chances of eventually escaping this slump, per Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com. Meanwhile, asked if the Nationals can continue to put Rosenthal on the mound, manager Dave Martinez said: “We have to come up with something. We have to figure something out for him. We tried to tweak something with his mechanics, but we’ve got to keep working on it.”
Martinez added the Nationals are “going to need Rosey,” who was their most noteworthy bullpen addition of the offseason. Thanks to a successful run with the Cardinals from 2012-17, Rosenthal’s earning a guaranteed $7MM this season with Washington, which took a chance on him in the wake of his injury. His return has gone about as poorly as possible thus far, of course, though Rosenthal’s hardly the lone problem in the Nationals’ bullpen. The unit entered Sunday with a league-worst 10.02 ERA and nearly blew a 12-1 lead before hanging on for a 12-9 win.
More from the NL…
- Although Rockies owner Dick Monfort seems interested in extending left-hander Kyle Freeland, the two sides haven’t engaged in talks yet, Heyman reports. Colorado just extended righty German Marquez for a guaranteed $43MM – a number Heyman regards as “an obvious floor” for Freeland, who’s in his final pre-arbitration season and has three years of control left thereafter. Freeland, 26 next month, made a major case for long-term security in 2018, in which he amassed 202 1/3 innings of 2.85 ERA pitching and finished fourth in the NL Cy Young race.
- While the Brewers are reportedly keeping an eye on the majors’ two best free agents, closer Craig Kimbrel and starter Dallas Keuchel, it doesn’t sound as if they’re expecting to sign either hurler. Assistant general manager Matt Arnold told Jim Duquette of SiriusXM on Sunday that the Brewers “do not foresee any additions at this point” from the outside. That may have something to do with the possibility that the Brewers, who are already running a franchise-record season-opening payroll of $122MM-plus, don’t have the spending room left to sign either player for anything close to what they’re seeking. Kimbrel’s current asking price is unclear, but there’s no doubt it’s lofty, while Ken Rosenthal reported Saturday that Keuchel may be looking for a deal in the $18MM-per-year range.
- The Cardinals demoted highly touted righty Alex Reyes to the minors Saturday, but they don’t plan on having the 24-year-old come back as a starter this season. Building up Reyes’ workload is “not even close to on our radar,” manager Mike Shildt told Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Sunday. Rather, Reyes will typically total two innings and 30 to 40 pitches per Triple-A appearance, Goold explains. The goal is for Reyes to function as a late-game, multi-inning reliever when he heads back to St. Louis, though there’s no timetable for his return to the majors, Goold reports.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Padres, Pirates, Yelich, Didi, Moniak
This week in baseball blogs…
- East Village Times revisits a 26-day span in 2016 that is paying major dividends for the Padres.
- The Point of Pittsburgh has created a new stat, in honor of Trevor Williams‘ amazing run of results.
- Reviewing the Brew wonders if reigning NL MVP Christian Yelich is going to start getting the Barry Bonds treatment from opposing pitchers.
- Pinstripe Alley wants the Yankees to extend Didi Gregorius.
- PhoulBallz talks with Phillies prospect and former No. 1 overall pick Mickey Moniak.
- Notes from the Sally scouts Mariners pitching prospect Logan Gilbert.
- Clubhouse Corner’s Bernie Pleskoff (links: 1, 2) gives AL and NL predictions.
- Everything Bluebirds says goodbye to longtime Blue Jay Kevin Pillar.
- Chin Music Baseball spotlights five hitters who have gotten off to great starts.
- Know Hitter examines the state of the Orioles’ rebuild.
- Rising Apple expects Wilson Ramos to be a key factor in whether the Mets make the playoffs.
- Getting You Through the Tigers Rebuild encourages Detroit to take lessons from Toronto.
- Start Spreading The News analyzes Jonathan Loaisiga‘s first start of the season.
- Nyrdcast ranks the Cardinals’ 50 best prospects.
- Rox Pile notices a couple concerning early season trends for the Rockies.
- Call to the Pen lists the longest-tenured player on each team.
- Jays From the Couch notes that Toronto’s pitching depth is being put to the test in the early going.
- Baseball Prospect Journal profiles probable high draft pick Bryson Stott.
- Baseball Rabbi (podcast) discusses the careers of Chase Utley, Joe Mauer and Ichiro Suzuki, among other topics.
- The Runner Sports (links: 1, 2, 3) weighs in on the Yankees’ so-so start, points out the importance of interleague play for the Twins, and delves into Astros prospect Myles Straw‘s new role.
- Fish Stripes ranks MLB uniforms.
- Rotisserie Duck shares its annual tribute to spring training.
- Chris Zantow looks back at the Brewers’ Opening Day blowout win over the Orioles in 1988.
Submissions: ZachBBWI @gmail.com
Ervin Santana Reportedly Nearing Activation
Right-hander Ervin Santana will make his White Sox debut Tuesday with a start against the Rays, James Fegan of The Athletic and Scott Merkin of MLB.com suggest. Santana is not on Chicago’s 40-man roster, but the club has an opening, so a corresponding move isn’t a necessity in that regard. The White Sox did free up a 25-man spot Sunday when they optioned outfielder Ryan Cordell to Triple-A Charlotte, though.
Once promoted, the 36-year-old Santana will immediately become the elder statesman in a White Sox rotation which features Ivan Nova, 32, and three mid-20s hurlers in Carlos Rodon (26), Reynaldo Lopez (25) and Lucas Giolito (24). The former Angel, Royal, Brave and Twin will bring a quality track record to Chicago, having logged a 4.06 ERA/4.26 FIP in 384 appearances (381 starts) and just over 2,400 innings. Santana has also fired upward of 200 frames in six individual seasons, including as recently as 2017, when he turned in a terrific 3.28 ERA in a 211 1/3-inning campaign in Minnesota.
Had that version of Santana shown up last season, he likely would have landed a guaranteed major league contract in free agency over the winter – or the Twins could have exercised his $14MM option for 2019. Instead, Santana suffered through what may have been a career-worst campaign and then sat on the free-agent market for nearly four months before signing a minor league contract with the White Sox in late February. However, the deal did come with a $4.3MM salary in the majors, which is especially high for a minors pact.
A right hand injury limited Santana to just five starts and 24 2/3 innings in 2018, when he registered an atrocious 8.03 ERA/7.94 FIP with a personal-worst strikeout rate (5.84, compared to a lifetime 7.18) against 3.28 BB/9 (versus a career 2.8 mark). Nevertheless, after their rotation was among the majors’ worst last season, the White Sox deemed Santana worthy of an affordable, low-risk accord. Now, a rebound from Santana would be a boon for the White Sox, who have received mixed results from their starters this year. Rodon has been effective in both of his performances, while Nova and Giolito have each posted one solid start and one clunker, and Lopez hasn’t been good in either of his appearances.
AL Notes: Sano, Clevinger, Yankees, Beltran, Pedroia
Injured Twins slugger Miguel Sano has resumed baseball activities and could begin a rehab assignment “within a week,” manager Rocco Baldelli said Sunday (via Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com). That would put Sano on track for a return to Major League action sometime in early May. Sano’s on the mend from a cut on his lower-right Achilles, which has left third base to free-agent pickup Marwin Gonzalez and Ehire Adrianza. They’ve struggled mightily across a combined 33 plate appearances, having totaled a meager three hits (two singles and a double). Sano wasn’t nearly that woeful last year, but the 2017 All-Star’s .199/.281/.398 line in 299 plate appearances was still a major letdown. A bounce-back showing from the 25-year-old upon his return could help the Twins challenge the Indians for the AL Central crown.
Here’s the latest news from around the American League…
- Indians righty Mike Clevinger left Sunday’s start against the Blue Jays prematurely, throwing just 75 pitches over 5 innings of work. Mandy Bell of MLB.com later revealed that Clevinger’s early exit was indeed injury-related, as he experienced upper back tightness. Bell added in a subsequent Tweet that Clevinger said he will be ready to make his next scheduled start.
- Former All-Star outfielder Carlos Beltran has excelled in his new role with the Yankees, writes James Wagner of The New York Times. Following his exceptional playing career, Beltran has brought his passion to an advisory role in Brian Cashman’s front office, where he develops scouting reports and offers counsel to younger players. Beltran, who had been considered for the Yankees’ vacant manager position prior to the 2018 season, would seem to have a chance to manage a Major League ballclub or serve as a primary decision-maker in a front office, if that’s what he wants.
- Longtime Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia should be available for the team’s home opener on Tuesday, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Assuming that all goes well in today’s game with Low-A Greenville, in which Pedroia will play all nine innings, he should be ready to be activated ahead of the reigning World Champions’ return to Fenway Park. He will be re-evaluated after Sunday’s game, but there is optimism that Boston will have its veteran second baseman back in the near future.
Pitching Notes: Keuchel, A. Miller, Cards, Orioles, Royals
Left-hander Dallas Keuchel reportedly sought a six- to seven-year contract worth upward of $25MM per annum at the outset of the winter, which may explain why he’s still available a week into the regular season. Now, though, it appears Keuchel’s asking price has dropped significantly, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports hears (video link). An executive’s “under the impression” the 2015 AL Cy Young winner wants a one-year deal worth more than the $17.9MM qualifying offer he turned down from the Astros or a long-term contract at a lower salary, per Rosenthal. Nevertheless, there aren’t any signs that the 31-year-old is close to finding a team, and as Rosenthal points out, the longer Keuchel sits out, the more money he’ll give up on a prorated pact. Although Keuchel has been throwing 95-pitch sim games every five days as he waits for a contract, he still may not be ready to immediately step into a team’s rotation upon signing.
- Southpaw Andrew Miller looks more like the second coming of Greg Holland than the savior the Cardinals’ bullpen was hoping for this season, Ben Frederickson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch observes. Signed to a two-year, $25MM contract over the winter, Miller has given up six runs (four earned) on five hits (three homers) and four walks, with just two strikeouts, in his first 3 1/3 innings as a Cardinal, thereby mimicking the awful performance Holland registered last season after inking a one-year, $14MM deal. While it’s clear Miller has looked nothing like the dominant force he was with the Red Sox, Orioles, Yankees and Indians from 2012-17, it’s obviously far too soon to write him off as a bust. Fortunately, both Miller and Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak insist the 33-year-old is healthy after knee, hamstring and shoulder injuries plagued him in Cleveland last season.
- Right-hander Nate Karns began the season in the Orioles’ rotation, but he’s now shifting to their bullpen on a full-time basis in favor of lefty John Means, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com writes. Means may not be long for the starting five, however, considering the just-signed Dan Straily figures to head to the rotation in short order. A starter in 56 of 66 career appearances, Karns made his first relief appearance of the season Saturday against the Yankees, who collected three hits off him in just a third of an inning. The 31-year-old Karns made two starts before that, though he functioned as an opener in both outings and didn’t go past the two-inning mark in either. After recovering from 2017 thoracic outlet syndrome surgery, the journeyman joined the Orioles in free agency this past winter on an $800K contract.
- It appears reliever Drew Storen is still far away from potentially joining the Royals’ bullpen, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com tweets. Storen, who’s on his way back from 2017 Tommy John surgery, is currently building up arm strength in extended spring training. The 31-year-old signed a minors deal with the Royals in February, meaning he was never guaranteed to crack their bullpen. However, if the horrendous performance Kansas City’s relief corps has turned in thus far is any indication, Storen could get a chance in if he returns to health.
Injury Notes: Indians, Lindor, Brewers, Jeffress, Yankees, Andujar
Lower-body injuries have kept the Indians’ starting middle infield – shortstop Francisco Lindor (high left ankle sprain) and second baseman Jason Kipnis (right calf strain) – from taking the field this season. The latter is making progress in his Triple-A rehab assignment, though there’s still no timetable for his return, Mandy Bell of MLB.com writes. Lindor, who’s out until at least late April, is only doing light workouts at the moment, but “he’s getting better every day,” manager Terry Francona said. The Indians will reevaluate Lindor during the upcoming week, Bell reports. The absences of Lindor and Kipnis have forced the Tribe to deploy Eric Stamets, Brad Miller and Max Moroff as their main middle infielders. Unfortunately for Cleveland, those three have produced abysmal results, having combined for a paltry four hits (three singles and a double) in 57 plate appearances.
- Barring any setbacks in his Triple-A rehab stint, reliever Jeremy Jeffress will rejoin the Brewers next weekend, according to manager Craig Counsell (via Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). The return of Jeffress, who hasn’t debuted this year on account of right shoulder weakness, will be a welcome one for a Milwaukee team that lost fellow late-game option Corey Knebel to season-ending Tommy John surgery last week. The reigning National League Central champions have nevertheless rolled to a 7-2 start, though their bullpen has lacked a complement to the untouchable Josh Hader. Jeffress filled that role with aplomb in 2018, during which he notched a near-spotless 1.29 ERA with 10.45 K/9, 3.17 BB/9 and a 56.4 percent groundball rate in 76 2/3 innings.
- Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar expressed optimism earlier this week that he wouldn’t need to undergo season-ending surgery on his right shoulder. Manager Aaron Boone was similarly enthusiastic Saturday, George A. King III of the New York Post relays. While Boone acknowledged that surgery remains an option, he left open the possibility that this injury won’t lead to a long-term absence and added, “We are optimistic just because of the strength he is showing in all his testing.’’ Andujar’s still not swinging a bat, but whether he returns will depend more on how well he throws when he’s cleared to do so, per Boone. Without Andujar and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, the injury-stricken Yankees have turned to veteran second baseman DJ LeMahieu to man third and Tyler Wade to handle the keystone. LeMahieu has thrived in the early portion of a two-year, $24MM contract, whereas Wade has been in over his head thus far in 2019.
- Left-hander CC Sabathia, yet another Yankee on the injured list, could rejoin the team’s rotation next weekend, Boone said (also via King). In the meantime, the 38-year-old Sabathia – who’s working back from offseason heart surgery – will throw 60 to 70 pitches in a low-level minor league game Monday. Sabathia will bump either Domingo German or Jonathan Loaisiga from the Yankees’ starting five. Both right-handers did well in their initial starts of the season, but neither went past the five-inning mark.
Athletics Release Parker Bridwell
The Athletics have released right-hander Parker Bridwell, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.
This move continues a turbulent several months for Bridwell, who hasn’t been able to find stability since the Angels designated him for assignment in late November. He subsequently went to the Yankees, back to the Angels and then to the Athletics via the waiver wire over the next couple months. The A’s outrighted Bridwell off their 40-man roster almost immediately after claiming him in late January.
Bridwell was a viable starter in Anaheim as recently as 2017, when he posted a sturdy 3.64 ERA with 2.23 BB/9 across 121 innings. That success looked as if it would be hard to sustain, however, given Bridwell’s 5.43 K/9, 38.1 percent groundball rate, .262 batting average on balls in play, 4.84 FIP and 5.07 xFIP. Indeed, the shine wore off during a nightmarish 2018 for the 27-year-old Bridwell, whom injuries limited to 34 2/3 innings between Triple-A and the majors. Bridwell totaled the majority of those frames (28) in Salt Lake, where he logged a hideous 8.68 ERA and allowed 50 hits.
Mets Activate Travis d’Arnaud, Option Tomas Nido
The Mets have activated catcher Travis d’Arnaud from the 10-day injured list and optioned fellow backstop Tomas Nido to Triple-A Syracuse, the team announced.
The oft-injured d’Arnaud is in line for his first action in nearly a year, having undergone season-ending Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last April. D’Arnaud and Kevin Plawecki were the Mets’ most prominent catchers at the time, but there has been quite a bit of upheaval behind the plate since then. New York signed current starter Wilson Ramos to a two-year, $19MM contract and traded Plawecki to the Indians during the winter. The Mets, led by rookie general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, elected to retain d’Arnaud for $3.15MM even though he looked like a non-tender candidate.
D’Arnaud, a former star prospect who joined the Mets in a 2012 blockbuster with the Blue Jays, has been a mixed bag when healthy enough to take the field. His lifetime .245/.306/.406 line in 1,469 plate appearances is respectable for a catcher, and he has earned solid marks from Baseball Prospectus’ Fielding Runs Above Average metric. However, thanks in part to injuries, the 30-year-old’s impact has dipped since he combined for 6.1 fWAR from 2014-15. Dating back to 2016, he’s a .244/.297/.393 hitter in 668 PA. D’Arnaud, who’s scheduled for free agency after the season, will now take a backseat to Ramos in his long-awaited return.
Daniel Murphy Out At Least A Month With Fractured Finger
April 2: Murphy will miss “at least” a month, manager Bud Black tells Jim Duquette of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (Twitter link). The Rockies are still awaiting an official second opinion on the injury.
April 1: Murphy has indeed been placed on the IL, with Pat Valaika called up to take his spot on the active roster. The team announced the injury as an avulsion fracture.
March 30, 10:00pm: There’s concern within the team that Murphy may have tendon or ligament damage, per Groke; if true, Murphy could miss “several weeks,” Groke writes (subscription required).
8:42pm: Rockies first baseman Daniel Murphy has suffered a fractured left index finger, Nick Groke of The Athletic tweets. Murphy will see a specialist Monday, but he’s likely on his way to the 10-day injured list.
The 33-year-old Murphy incurred the injury Friday, marring a win over the Marlins and a 2-0 start for the Rockies. He sat out their loss to Miami on Saturday, when Ryan McMahon took the helm at first base. McMahon and Mark Reynolds could see the lion’s share of time at first as the Rockies await Murphy’s return. As of now, there’s no timetable for a comeback, per Thomas Harding of MLB.com.
Murphy is just a couple games into his tenure with the Rockies, who signed him to a two-year, $24MM contract over the winter. It was otherwise a quiet offseason for Colorado, which is counting on Murphy – formerly of the Mets, Nationals and Cubs – to offer a significant upgrade at first. Rockies first basemen finished the 2018 season second to last in the majors in fWAR (minus-1.9) and hit a horrid .224/.295/.388, owing to poor performances from McMahon, now-center fielder Ian Desmond and Pat Valaika. Murphy batted a respectable .299/.336/.454 in 351 PAs, on the other hand, and has provided consistently above-average offensive production throughout his career. That has been especially true since a breakout showing with the Mets in the 2015 postseason.