AL East Notes: Yanks, Happ, Sabathia, O’s, Gaston, Rays, Baldelli
A few notes from the AL East:
- With the offseason now underway for the Yankees, general manager Brian Cashman discussed several topics of interest in an interview with Mike Francesa of WFAN earlier this week. As free agency and trade season approach, the Yankees are expected to be among the majors’ most active teams in the starting pitching market – especially considering left-handers J.A. Happ and CC Sabathia are without contracts. Indeed, Cashman revealed: “We’re excited about adding to our rotation. It’s going to be a focus point for us, and there’s going to be a lot of competition, regardless of the available players out there. We need to continue to reinforce that rotation.” As for Happ and Sabathia, Cashman declared that “they’re going to get a lot of consideration, not just from us but from a lot of people.” The 36-year-old Happ, whom New York acquired from Toronto in July, fit in well with the Yankees during the regular season and is now fresh off his fourth straight strong campaign. He seems like a shoo-in to land a multiyear deal, whereas Sabathia, 38, may have to settle for his second consecutive one-year pact. A Yankee since 2009, Sabathia re-signed with the team for $10MM last offseason and then continued his late-career renaissance during the 2018 campaign.
- Although the Orioles lost out on the Mesa brothers, two highly touted outfield prospects who chose the Marlins over the O’s on Saturday, Baltimore’s still “hopeful” about signing young right-hander Sandy Gaston, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com writes. Even after their Saturday signings, the Marlins may still try for Gaston – who, like the Mesas, hails from Cuba – but the Orioles could easily outbid them (or anyone else) at this point.
- Even though he has never managed at any level, Rays coach Rocco Baldelli has interviewed with five skipper-needy teams in recent weeks. Despite his inexperience, it’s no surprise the 37-year-old has drawn serious interest from teams seeking a manager, argues the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin, who notes Baldelli packages youth, intelligence, communication skills and a knowledge of analytics. That’s a coveted blend in the modern game, and as Topkin points out, it doesn’t hurt that a.) Baldelli comes with front office/scouting experience and b.) is part of a club that just wrapped up a successful season under his boss, manager Kevin Cash. The Cash-led Rays plan to return the same coaching staff in 2019, Topkin reports, though they may have to replace Baldelli.
Cafardo’s Latest: Corbin, Eovaldi, Pomeranz, O’s, Nats
The Yankees (previously reported), Dodgers, Giants and Braves are among the teams that are expected to “show a lot of interest” in left-hander Patrick Corbin once free agency starts, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes. The 29-year-old Corbin is coming off a career season at the perfect time, having logged a 3.15 ERA/2.47 FIP with 11.07 K/9 and 2.16 BB/9 over 200 innings in 2018. As a result of that top-notch production, it’s likely Corbin will price himself out of Arizona and perhaps ink a nine-figure contract with someone.
More from Cafardo:
- Like Corbin, Red Sox right-hander Nathan Eovaldi is slated to be one of the most sought-after starters available in free agency. While Eovaldi, 28, likely won’t do as well as Corbin on his next contract, many executives see fellow righty Alex Cobb as a comparable, per Cafardo. Cobb signed a four-year, $57MM contract with Baltimore in free agency last offseason, though Cafardo argues Eovaldi’s in position to rake in an even richer deal. Regarding Eovaldi, one exec tells Cafardo: “He’s shown, first of all, that he’s healthy. He’s shown he can pitch on a big stage. He’s shown that he’s grown as a pitcher where he not only relies on that 97-100-miles-per-hour fastball, but now he has a cutter that’s proven so effective for him and allowed him to pitch deep into games. And, he’s had two Tommy John surgeries, survived them and is flourishing.” Eovaldi underwent the second of those surgeries in 2016 and has indeed held his own this year upon returning. Between Tampa Bay and Boston, he pitched to a 3.81 ERA/3.60 FIP with 8.19 K/9 an 1.62 BB/9 in 111 regular-season innings. Eovaldi has continued his effectiveness in the postseason for the AL-winning Red Sox, with a 1.88 ERA and 10 strikeouts against two walks in 14 1/3 frames.
- Meanwhile, Red Sox pending free-agent southpaw Drew Pomeranz is due to hit the market on the heels of a disastrous season. After he posted a 6.08 ERA/5.43 FIP with 8.03 K/9 and 5.35 BB/9 in 74 regular-season innings, including 22 2/3 in relief, Boston has left Pomeranz off its playoff roster. Nevertheless, the Red Sox “could foresee a rebound season” in 2019, meaning it’s possible they’ll re-sign Pomeranz, per Cafardo. Pomeranz, who will turn 30 next month, isn’t far removed from an impressive 2017.
- Former Dodgers GM Ned Colletti and Orioles ownership have had “consistent contact,” a major league source tells Cafardo. Colletti reportedly met with Orioles president John Angelos during the summer, when Dan Duquette was at the helm of the team’s front office. The Orioles have since parted with Duquette, putting them in the market for a new head of baseball operations. It’s unclear whether the Orioles are considering Colletti for that role, though.
- Nationals special assistant Dan Jennings has drawn interest from two teams, Cafardo reports, but it’s not clear which position he’d fill with either club or whether he’s even interested in leaving Washington. While Jennings is fresh off his third season in the Nats’ front office, he’s best known for serving in a pair of prominent roles with the Marlins. Not only was Jennings the Marlins’ GM from 2013-15, but he also worked as their interim manager for a 124-game stretch during his last season with the team.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Machado, Best/Worst, Bucs, D-backs, Yanks
This week in baseball blogs…
- Know Hitter makes cases for 20 teams to pursue Manny Machado in free agency.
- Chin Music Baseball (links: 1, 2) highlights the 10 best and worst players of 2018.
- The Point of Pittsburgh tries to find a match between the Pirates and Diamondbacks on a Robbie Ray/Nick Ahmed trade.
- Bronx To Bushville looks ahead to the Yankees’ offseason.
- Jays From the Couch shares an offseason plan for Toronto.
- SportsRadio 94 WIP analyzes 13 left-handed pitching options the Phillies could pursue this offseason.
- Motor City Bengals looks at outside first basemen the Tigers could go after in the coming weeks.
- RSNStats stacks the Red Sox up against their potential World Series opponents.
- Rox Pile names three key questions that will shape 2019 for the Rockies.
- Friars On Base examines the Padres’ upcoming Rule 5 decisions, while Pinstriped Prospects does the same for the Yankees.
- Rising Apple takes a look at best- and worst-case scenarios in 2019 for Steven Matz.
- Call to the Pen explores some of the offseason obstacles Phillies GM Matt Klentak will face.
- Bluebird Banter names the best moments of the Blue Jays’ season.
- Foul Territory opines that, despite their ALCS loss, the Astros have the makings of a dynasty; meanwhile, The Runner Sports argues this year’s elimination only makes last season’s championship more special.
- Mets Critic notes that the average MLB player is getting younger.
- Baseball Rabbi discusses the Yankees’ dilemma with Miguel Andujar, among other topics.
- Everything Bluebirds wonders how much more the Blue Jays can improve their farm system.
- The K Zone interviews White Sox minor league catcher Casey Schroeder.
- MLB & Fantasy Baseball Analyzed observes that Yankees-Red Sox has historically been a “one-sided rivalry.”
Central Notes: Schoop, Davidson, Cardinals
Second baseman Jonathan Schoop has endured a dreadful couple months since the Brewers acquired him from the Orioles at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Nevertheless, considering what the the Brewers gave up for Schoop, they’re “unlikely” to non-tender him in the offseason, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Schoop’s projected to earn $10.1MM in his final trip through arbitration, and that salary figures to help weigh down the 27-year-old’s trade value if Milwaukee tries to move him. Schoop was one of the game’s best second basemen in 2017, but his numbers dipped in the first half of this season with the Orioles and have gone in the tank in Milwaukee, with which he batted .202/.246/.331 in 134 regular-season plate appearances. And while the Brewers will advance to the World Series if they win Game 7 of the NLCS on Saturday, Schoop hasn’t been a factor in their playoff run, having gone hitless in seven at-bats. Unsurprisingly, Schoop’s not in the starting lineup for the Brewers’ series-deciding game against the Dodgers.
A bit more from the majors’ Central divisions…
- Fresh off his second straight 20-home run season, one which featured unspectacular overall production (104 wRC+) across 496 plate appearances, White Sox DH/corner infielder Matt Davidson would like to do more pitching in 2019. Davidson, who chipped in three scoreless innings of one-hit ball as a reliever in 2018, will spend the offseason working to become a legitimate two-way player, Bruce Levine of 670 The Score reports. The White Sox have okayed Davidson’s plan and will be able to monitor his progress in the offseason, given that he lives close to their Arizona-based complex, according to Levine. Davidson was a high school pitcher, notes Levine, who writes that Chicago’s coaching staff sees “decent movement” in his 92 mph fastball. Should Davidson achieve his goal, the soon-to-be 28-year-old would work out of the bullpen – albeit not in high-leverage situations – as a way to help keep the team’s conventional relievers fresh, per Levine.
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported earlier this month that the Cardinals would seek left-handed relief help in the offseason. President of baseball operations John Mozeliak confirmed as much this week, saying (via Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com): “When you’re looking at last year versus this year, I do feel like we’re looking at more depth than we had a year ago at this time. I also recognize that I think the biggest Achilles’ [heel] right now in our bullpen is the left side.” The Cardinals shuffled through numerous southpaw relief options during the season, but none inspired much confidence, as Langosch details; moreover, they don’t seem to have a dominant lefty under control going into 2019, Langosch points out. Notably, MLBTR’s Jeff Todd took a look at the lefty relief market for the upcoming offseason earlier this week. That piece should be of particular interest to Cardinals fans in light of Mozeliak’s comments.
Baseball Blogs Weigh In: Rockies, Phillies, Braves, Angels, Rays
This week in baseball blogs…
- Rox Pile talks with Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich.
- Phillies Nation wonders if the club will try to acquire Nolan Arenado in the offseason.
- When Sid Slid shares an offseason plan for the Braves.
- Armchair All-Americans previews the Angels’ offseason.
- Know Hitter lauds the Rays for the trades they made in 2018.
- Reviewing the Brew says Brewers GM David Stearns deserves an extension.
- Rotisserie Duck names the 11 biggest surprise players of the season in terms of WAR.
- Chin Music Baseball breaks down six pitchers who must rebound next season from rough second halves in 2018.
- The Point of Pittsburgh would like to see the Pirates dip into the market for a second baseman, even though Adam Frazier is the incumbent.
- Jays From the Couch takes a deep dive into the potential of Julian Merryweather, whom Toronto acquired for Josh Donaldson.
- Motor City Bengals lists three relievers the Tigers could go after in free agency.
- Call to the Pen (links: 1, 2) looks at the competition the Phillies could face as they seek a game-changing bat in the offseason, and names seven starting pitchers the Yankees could pursue.
- Angels Avenue examines how the Angels’ infield performed in 2018 and where it stands heading into 2019.
- MLB & Fantasy Baseball Analyzed asks what the Yankees should do with Giancarlo Stanton, while Foul Territory argues the Yanks made a mistake trading for him.
- The Giants Cove focuses on the worst teams in the National League.
- The K Zone interviews Orioles pitching prospect Zach Pop, who was part of the package they received for Manny Machado.
- Everything Bluebirds lists three under-the-radar Blue Jays prospects worth watching in 2019.
- Ladodgerreport details the reasons behind Matt Kemp‘s diminished playing time.
- Mets Critic opines that a president/GM setup would be a win for the franchise.
- Baseball Rabbi (podcast) investigates a claim Max Scherzer made about Matt Wieters‘ ability to catch foul tips, discusses pitching in and out of the zone, and talks about memorable games.
- The Runner Sports previews the ALCS and examines the Twins’ bullpen struggles.
- The Sports Tank recaps the Red Sox’s ALDS-clinching win over the Yankees.
- Rising Apple asks when it’s OK for a Mets fan to root for the Yankees.
- Pinstriped Prospects recaps the performances of several young Yankees thus far in the Arizona Fall League.
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Poll: Paul Goldschmidt’s Future
Even though he still has another year of team control remaining, superstar first baseman Paul Goldschmidt – a Diamondback since they chose him in the eighth round of the 2009 draft – may be in his final days with the club. While the path the Diamondbacks will take during the offseason is uncertain, general manager Mike Hazen hasn’t ruled out a full rebuild. Arizona’s in a bind in terms of payroll, as MLBTR’s Steve Adams explained earlier this week, and set to lose two of its best players to free agency in left-hander Patrick Corbin and center fielder A.J. Pollock.
In the event those factors do lead to a teardown in the desert, the logical move may be to at least gauge interest in the 31-year-old Goldschmidt. USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported earlier this week Arizona will indeed “listen on” Goldschmidt, as dealing him would help restock a barren farm system which Baseball America (subscription required) ranks as the game’s fourth worst.
Between the free-agent and trade markets, Goldschmidt would easily be the premier first base option available. As MLBTR’s Jeff Todd wrote Wednesday, there don’t seem to be any starting-caliber first basemen set to reach free agency, while all of Goldschmidt’s fellow trade candidates at the position pale in comparison to the six-time All-Star. Those factors – not to mention Goldschmdt’s affordable salary (he’ll play 2019 on a $14.5MM club option) – would likely lead to widespread interest.
2019 will be the final season of the six-year, $46.5MM extension (including the option) he inked with the D-backs entering 2013. The decision to lock up Goldschmidt before he turned into an elite player will go down as one of the best in franchise history, given that the pact has been a steal from the get-go. He broke out in earnest during the first year of it, turning in a 6.0-fWAR campaign, and hasn’t really slowed down since. Now coming off a 5.1-fWAR season (the fifth year of at least 5.0 fWAR in his career), Goldschmidt’s facing an uncertain future for the first time since signing his team-friendly contract.
The D-backs may well keep Goldschmidt through the winter and try to extend one of their all-time greats, regardless of whether they expect to bounce back from an 82-win season in 2019. But if the team doesn’t think it’s going to contend in the near future, or if it’s simply unable to come to terms with Goldschmidt, we may have seen the last of him in a Diamondbacks uniform.
(poll link for app users)
Do you expect the D-backs to trade Paul Goldschmidt this offseason?
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Yes 56% (5,677)
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No 44% (4,492)
Total votes: 10,169
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Beltway Notes: Nationals, Orioles, Mesas
The Nationals may not have as much financial flexibility as it seems this offseason, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post observes. The Nationals have $112MM committed to 23 players for next season, Janes estimates, adding that MLBTR’s projected salaries for their seven arbitration-eligible players push the number to $152MM. However, for competitive balance tax purposes, that figure would be closer to $140MM, per Janes, who writes that Washington does “not want to come close” to the CBT in 2019. In the end, Janes expects the Nationals to spend around $180MM, which could include their top free agent – superstar outfielder Bryce Harper – whom they want to re-sign. Regardless of whether Harper stays in D.C., the club will still need help in several other areas, Janes points out. However, thanks to the money that’s already on the Nats’ books, Janes cautions that it’s going to be difficult for them to spend freely this winter.
Now the latest from Baltimore:
- Even though the Orioles don’t have a true general manager at the moment, they “remain open to moving anyone in the right trade,” Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com writes. Front office questions aside, it’s unclear how many valuable trade chips Baltimore even has, given that it’s wrapping up a 47-win season in which it dealt a slew of established veterans. Reliever Mychal Givens would likely be in demand, and Kubatko cited him as a possible trade piece earlier this week. Speculatively, middle infielder Jonathan Villar and right-hander Dylan Bundy are also among O’s who may find themselves in trade rumors this offseason.
- The Orioles, who have more international money available than any other team, are known to be battling with the Marlins for Cuban prospects Victor Victor Mesa, Victor Mesa Jr. and Sandy Gaston. While it has been suggested that the Mesa brothers will sign with the same team, they’re not necessarily a package deal, Kubatko reports, writing that the two “aren’t joined at the hip.”
- The Orioles made an eyebrow-raising move in August when they traded $750K in international money to the Phillies for minor league first baseman Jack Zoellner. It turns out the Phillies may have released Zoellner had they not found a taker for him, according to Kubatko. Per Kubatko, Philly was “far less enthusiastic about Zoellner” than Baltimore’s front office, which was then led by since-fired GM Dan Duquette. Zoellner doesn’t rank among Baltimore’s top 30 prospects at MLB.com, and, as Kubatko notes, didn’t stand out in Rookie ball from 2017-18 despite being old for the level.
Statcast Standouts: Pending FA Hitters
Major League Baseball’s postseason has shrunk to four teams, meaning we’re only a few weeks away from the opening of free agency. As always, some pending free-agent hitters are coming off excellent seasons in terms of bottom-line results, while others posted uninspiring production in platform years. Thanks to the introduction of Statcast (via Baseball Savant) a few years ago, we now have a better idea of which players deserved their results from this past regular season. With that in mind, using two Statcast metrics – expected weighted on-base average and average exit velocity on line drives and fly balls – we’ll take a look at the top pending FA hitters at each position. These numbers don’t factor in a batter’s age, handedness, his defense or his expected asking price, of course, but they give a better idea of what kind of season he’s coming off as a hitter as he heads to free agency.
(Note: We’re going with exit velo on liners/fly balls as a way to take grounders out of the equation, as they’re simply less valuable than air balls.)
Catchers:
Expected weighted on-base average
- Yasmani Grandal – .345 (real wOBA: .352)
- Wilson Ramos – .342 (.362)
- Kurt Suzuki – .331 (.335)
- A.J. Ellis – .327 (.325)
- Matt Wieters – .313 (.308); Nick Hundley – .313 (.304)
Average exit velocity on line drives/fly balls
- Wilson Ramos – 95.4 mph
- Yasmani Grandal – 94.5
- A.J. Ellis – 93.5
- Matt Wieters, Nick Hundley and Jeff Mathis – 92.2
- Devin Mesoraco – 92.1
No surprise that Ramos and Grandal are the main Statcast standouts at this position. They’ll be the two top regulars on the market, after all, with Grandal likely to rake in the bigger contract. It helps in Grandal’s case that, in addition to his offensive prowess, he’s regarded as a quality defender – gaffes in Game 1 of the NLCS aside.
First basemen:
Expected weighted on-base average
- Steve Pearce – .398 (real wOBA: .382)
- David Freese – .358 (.357)
- Joe Mauer – .355 (.319)
- Danny Valencia – .349 (.310)
- Logan Morrison – .339 (.284)
Average exit velocity on line drives/fly balls
- Joe Mauer – 94.9 mph
- Steve Pearce – 94.7
- Matt Adams – 94.6
- Danny Valencia and Logan Morrison – 94.5
- Hanley Ramirez – 94.2
If a team’s looking for a full-time starting first baseman in free agency, it’s probably not going to find one. But at least a couple of the above hitters – namely, Pearce and Freese (if the Dodgers decline his $6MM club option, which is far from certain) – could once again serve as eminently useful part-timers in 2019. Mauer might have had a much better year than his league-average production indicates, meanwhile, though the 35-year-old Twins icon may call it a career in lieu of pursuing another contract.
Second basemen:
Expected weighted on-base average
- Daniel Murphy – .345 (real wOBA: .338)
- Daniel Descalso – .333 (.341); Neil Walker – .333 (.292)
- Jed Lowrie – .332 (.348)
- DJ LeMahieu – .325 (.323)
- Marwin Gonzalez – .320 (.318)
Average exit velocity on line drives/fly balls
- Asdrubal Cabrera – 93.5 mph
- Marwin Gonzalez – 93.4
- DJ LeMahieu – 93.2
- Neil Walker – 92.4
- Daniel Descalso 92.3
The second base market is loaded with familiar names, but the majority of those players are fresh off underwhelming offensive seasons in terms of actual production. The above Statcast numbers aren’t exactly excellent, either, but Walker looks like a player who could serve as an interesting buy-low candidate over the winter. Walker went without a contract until last March, putting him behind the 8-ball immediately and helping lead to a brutal start with the Yankees. He settled in at the plate as the year went on, however, and ended up seeing quite a bit of time at four positions (second, first, third and right field).
Shortstops:
Expected weighted on-base average
- Manny Machado – .371 (real wOBA: .377)
- Asdrubal Cabrera – .322 (.332)
- Marwin Gonzalez – .320 (.318)
- Eduardo Escobar – .319 (.346)
- Jordy Mercer – .314 (.297)
Average exit velocity on line drives/fly balls
- Manny Machado – 95.1 mph
- Marwin Gonzalez – 93.4
- Freddy Galvis – 91.8
- Eduardo Escobar – 90.8
- Jordy Mercer – 90.7
Perhaps you’ve heard of the 26-year-old Machado, who’s weeks from signing one of the richest deals in the history of the game. He packs a wallop at the plate, as Statcast helps illustrate. Other than Machado, Escobar and Gonzalez – who didn’t have a great offensive season but is a switch-hitter capable of playing a few positions – free agency’s not brimming with appealing shortstop options. Of course, that’s assuming the Rangers’ Elvis Andrus doesn’t opt out of the remaining four years and $58MM on his contract.
Third basemen:
Expected weighted on-base average
- Manny Machado – .371 (real wOBA: .377)
- David Freese – .358 (.357)
- Mike Moustakas – .339 (.329)
- Josh Donaldson – .333 (.345)
- Adrian Beltre – .329 (.327)
Average exit velocity on line drives/fly balls
- Josh Donaldson – 96.3 mph
- Manny Machado – 95.1
- Pablo Sandoval – 94.3
- Asdrubal Cabrera – 93.5
- Marwin Gonzalez – 93.4
Even during an injury-limited season, one which nearly destroyed his trade value and won’t do him any favors in free agency, Donaldson was a notable threat the plate. The 32-year-old still packs a punch – as does the oft-maligned Sandoval (also 32), apparently.
Outfielders:
Expected weighted on-base average
- Bryce Harper – .386 (real wOBA: .376)
- Michael Brantley – .362 (.359)
- Andrew McCutchen – .355 (.347)
- Nick Markakis – .348 (.345)
- Curtis Granderson – .341 (.342)
Average exit velocity on line drives/fly balls
- Bryce Harper – 96.3 mph
- Jose Bautista – 95.3
- Andrew McCutchen – 94.1
- Marwin Gonzalez – 93.4
- Matt Joyce – 92.8
The soon-to-be 26-year-old Harper will join Machado during the offseason in signing a historic contract. Unsurprisingly, Harper finished top two among all pending free agents in each of the categories we’re using here. For teams that can’t afford him, there will be some established, offensively capable corner outfielders available, as seen above. No one from that group is an ideal center field option, though, and there won’t be many available in free agency. The obvious exception is the Diamondbacks’ A.J. Pollock, who recorded a .326 xwOBA (compared to a .338 real-life mark) and a 93.7 mph average exit velocity on liners and fly balls in 2018. He also posted six Outs Above Average as a defender, per Statcast, making him the best soon-to-be free-agent outfielder in that metric’s view. By the way, Harper (minus-12) and McCutchen (minus-11) were each in the bottom six among all outfielders in OAA in 2018.
Finally, for teams in the market for a pure designated hitter, we’d be remiss not to mention Nelson Cruz. Despite his age (38), Cruz is still a superb offensive player. He placed seventh in the majors in xwOBA (.394, easily beating out his real mark of .361) and in a 13th-place tie with NL MVP hopeful Christian Yelich in average exit velo on liners/fly balls (97.2 mph).
Quick Hits: Yanks, Bucs, Cole, Andujar, Mets, Stearns, Hillman
It’s already known that the Yankees pursued a trade for right-hander Gerrit Cole last winter before the Pirates ultimately sent him to the Astros in mid-January. Ken Davidoff of the New York Post sheds more light on the talks between the Yankees and Pirates, reporting that the Bucs wanted both outfielder Clint Frazier and third baseman Miguel Andujar in exchange for Cole. The Yankees were willing to part with Frazier, as was previously reported, but weren’t on board with adding Andujar to the package. Consequently, the Pirates chose the Astros’ four-player offer, one which yielded modest returns in 2018. Cole has enjoyed an ace-caliber season in Houston, meanwhile, and concussion issues prevented Frazier from making a big league impact this year. Whether Cole would have performed similarly had he gone to New York is anyone’s guess, of course, and the Yankees can take solace in knowing they made out well by keeping Andujar. The 23-year-old’s a strong candidate for top rookie honors in the American League after slashing .298/.328/.527 (128 wRC+) with 76 extra-base hits – including 27 home runs and an AL rookie record-tying 47 doubles – en route to 2.7 fWAR.
More from around the game…
- There’s uncertainty in the Mets’ search for a new head of baseball operations, Mike Puma of the New York Post hears. It’s possible the Mets will tab both a president of baseball ops and a general manager, but club officials have gone back and forth on that lately and are leaning toward hiring only one person, Puma reports. Moreover, the Mets remain unsure whether to tab an old-school or new-school mind for the role, per Puma.
- The Mets had now-successful Brewers GM David Stearns under their employ as an intern a decade ago, Tim Healey of Newsday notes, pointing out that Stearns is a Manhattan native who grew up rooting for the Amazins. During his short time with the Mets, their baseball department – led by then-GM Omar Minaya – “badly wanted to hire” Stearns on a full-time basis, according to Healey. However, they couldn’t get approval on adding another full-time position from owner Fred Wilpon and COO Jeff Wilpon, Healey relays. Stearns went on to a few other jobs elsewhere before becoming the Brewers’ GM in September 2015. No one knows where Stearns would be now had he risen to a more prominent role with the Mets all those years ago, but it’s an interesting what-if.
- Trey Hillman announced Saturday that he’ll step down as the manager of SK Wyverns of the Korea Baseball Organization after the season, citing family reasons, the Yonhap News Agency reports. Hillman left his post as the Astros’ bench coach in 2016 to immigrate to South Korea, where he has led the Wyverns to back-to-back playoff berths. The 55-year-old is likely best known for his stint as the manager of the Royals from 2008-10. Kansas City went 152-207 under Hillman, whose reign directly preceded the ongoing Ned Yost era.
Yankees Notes: Corbin, Sabathia, Payroll
A few notes on the Yankees, whom the archrival Red Sox eliminated from the postseason earlier this week:
- It’s “expected” that the Yankees will go after left-hander Patrick Corbin in free agency, sources tell Jon Heyman of Fancred. It’s notable but not surprising that the Yankees may pursue Corbin, as they’re in need of quality starters and he’ll be among the best on the open market. Further, the Bombers attempted to acquire Corbin last winter, and the New York state native explained to Bob Nightengale of USA Today in April that the rumors “excited” his Yankees-loving family. Regardless of where Corbin pitches in 2019, he figures to do so after receiving one of the richest contracts awarded during the upcoming offseason. The 29-year-old, a career-long Diamondback to this point, is coming off a personal-best season in which he logged a 3.15 ERA/2.47 FIP with 11.07 K/9 and 2.16 BB/9 over 200 innings.
- While Corbin may soon end up a Yankee, “it would appear” they’ll say goodbye to fellow pending free-agent starter CC Sabathia, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe writes. Heyman passes along different information, writing that a reunion “hasn’t necessarily been ruled out.” A Yankee since 2009, the potential Hall of Famer would be difficult to replace both on and off the field for the Bombers, with whom he turned in another fine season in 2018. Despite his age (he turned 38 in July), the big lefty posted a 3.65 ERA across 153 innings. ERA estimators such as FIP, xFIP and SIERA haven’t been as bullish on Sabathia’s work in recent years, though he’s so difficult to square up against that it has enabled him to defy serious regression. Sabathia finished fifth among all pitchers in average exit velocity against (84 mph) this past regular season, per Statcast. Because he’s still such an effective starter, Sabathia has made it known he’ll resume his career in 2019. While he did just undergo knee surgery Friday, it doesn’t seem as if it’ll affect Sabathia’s outlook heading into next year.
- For the first time in 15 years, the Yankees stayed under the luxury-tax threshold this season, David Lennon of Newsday notes. That means if the Yankees exceed the $206MM figure in 2019 (up from $197MM this year), they’ll pay a 20 percent tax for every dollar spent over the mark, as opposed to 50 percent. On paper, that puts them in better position to pursue top free agents such as Corbin, Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. But it’s not a slam dunk the Yankees – led by owner Hal Steinbrenner – will spend in excess of $206MM next year, as general manager Brian Cashman told Lennon on Friday: “I don’t want to speak for Hal, but my general feeling from him and for us has been not wanting to line the pockets of others to let them utilize that excess against us. It was mission accomplished in terms of the payroll this year, and taking away advantages that teams have been getting from us because we were exceeding those thresholds.” Cashman added, though, that he believes Steinbrenner’s “a very open-minded person” with respect to spending, perhaps leaving the door open for some big-money moves.