Blue Jays Interested In Extending Marco Estrada
Blue Jays right-hander Marco Estrada is scheduled to become a free agent in the offseason, but a trip to the open market isn’t a certainty. A member of the Toronto organization informed FanRag’s Robert Murray that there’s mutual interest in keeping Estrada in a Blue Jays uniform beyond this season.
“The player loves Toronto, the agent says publicly he doesn’t want to go anywhere,” the source said. “Frankly, we are open to extending him.”
Estrada is on the verge of completing the two-year, $26MM contract he signed with the Blue Jays prior to the 2016 season. Given his status as an impending free agent and Toronto’s longshot playoff hopes, Estrada seemed like a plausible summer trade candidate. And while the AL East rival Yankees claimed Estrada on revocable waivers this month, they did so in a blocking maneuver, Murray reports (Twitter link). Even if New York had real interest in acquiring Estrada before his 48-hour trade window expired, the Blue Jays weren’t keen on parting with him. In fact, manager John Gibbons told reporters Tuesday that the Jays “need” Estrada.
Despite Gibbons’ endorsement, the 34-year-old Estrada’s 5.09 ERA through 139 2/3 innings likely means his stock has dropped to some extent since the outset of the campaign. He entered the year having combined for a 3.30 ERA over 357 innings from 2015-16, his first two seasons in Toronto. Estrada did so in spite of unremarkable strikeout (7.46 K/9), walk (3.03 BB/9) and ground-ball (32.8 percent) numbers, though he overcame those figures by generating weak contact. No starter posted a better infield fly rate (14 percent) or a lower batting average on balls in play (.224) over that two-year span than Estrada, who’s third in the majors this season in the infield pop-up department (14.5 percent). However, Estrada’s BABIP allowed has skyrocketed to .312 – an increase that has come even though he has continued to do a nice job suppressing strong contact. Estrada’s expected weighted on-base average against is just .303, a far cry from his actual wOBA surrendered (.349, via Statcast and Baseball Savant).
There is some misfortune at play with respect to Estrada’s bloated ERA, then, and it’s also worth noting that his 9.21 K/9, 23.3 strikeout percentage and 11.4 percent are all above average relative to his career numbers. While Estrada’s walk (3.87 BB/9) and grounder (30 percent) rates continue to underwhelm, he remains a capable starter – one who’d generate a decent amount of interest in free agency. Although, if both the Jays and Estrada have it their way, potential suitors among the league’s other 29 teams may not even get the opportunity to bid on him.
Mariners Place Danny Espinosa On Release Waivers
The Mariners have placed infielder Danny Espinosa on release waivers, according to a team announcement. Espinosa lasted less than a month with the Mariners, who signed him July 23. They recalled utilityman Taylor Motter from Triple-A Tacoma in a corresponding move.
This is the second time this season a team has released Espinosa. The Angels, who acquired the 30-year-old in a trade with the Nationals over the winter, cut ties with him July 20. Espinosa batted a paltry .162/.237/.276 in 254 plate appearances as the Halos’ starting second baseman and turned in a similar line with the Mariners – .188/.235/.313 – albeit over just 17 PAs. He lined up at first, second, third and shortstop during his brief stay in Seattle.
The 2017 campaign has been disastrous for Espinosa, though he was a fairly solid middle infielder in Washington from 2010-16. Espinosa posted three different seasons of at least 2.0 fWAR during that 2,972-PA span, thanks largely to excellent defense, and contributed some pop (92 home runs) and baserunning value (60 steals and a 15.2 BsR, per FanGraphs). The switch-hitting Espinosa slugged a career-best 24 homers last season (with a less-than-stellar .209/.306/.378 line in 601 PAs, granted), but the Nats moved on from him and his $5.43MM salary after acquiring outfielder Adam Eaton in an early winter blockbuster trade with the White Sox and shifting Trea Turner from center to shortstop.
East News & Rumors: Sabathia, Stanton, Marlins, Nats
Yankees left-hander C.C. Sabathia‘s right knee was in so much pain during an unsuccessful Aug. 8 start against the Blue Jays that the 37-year-old feared he wouldn’t take the ball again, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reports. “I know that he was pretty emotional that night, because I think he thought he was probably headed for surgery,” manager Joe Girardi said. A clean MRI and a painkilling injection enabled Sabathia to avoid surgery, though, and he returned from the 10-day disabled list Saturday to throw six innings of two-earned run ball in an upset win over Chris Sale and the Red Sox. Sabathia is due to become a free agent in the offseason, when he’ll have to decide whether to pursue another deal or call it a career. His performance this year would certainly warrant a contract – the former ace has ridden a 50 percent ground-ball rate to a 3.99 ERA over 108 1/3 innings.
More from the East Coast:
- Home run-hitting machine Giancarlo Stanton is among the game’s absolute best players at the moment, but the Marlins right fielder’s contract and injury history combine to make him a very tough sell around the majors, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. Stanton, who’s due $295MM from 2018-28 and has both full no-trade rights and a 2020 opt-out clause, went through revocable trade waivers unclaimed earlier this month. The executives Sherman spoke with aren’t surprised. “This is the problem if you make emotional decisions in the moment. Stanton is playing great now, but three months ago you would have thought he was at least a $100 million liability and three months from now you might feel the same,” one exec said of Stanton, who will create a dilemma for the Marlins’ new ownership group when it takes the reins. On one hand, Stanton’s contract is the biggest contributor to the franchise’s financial woes – the Marlins will lose $70MM-plus this year, per Sherman – so trading him would benefit Derek Jeter & Co. from a payroll standpoint. On the other, Stanton’s contract means Miami likely wouldn’t get the type of return for him that you’d expect for someone of his immense ability and star power. That means trading the 27-year-old would probably send the wrong message to a fan base that outgoing owner Jeffrey Loria has alienated over the years.
- Yankees vice president of player development Gary Denbo is an early front-runner to become the Marlins’ general manager once the Jeter group assumes control of the franchise, according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com (Twitter links). Denbo has worked in various capacities with the Yankees since the 1990s, the decade in which Jeter’s professional career began, and was a mentor to the the now-retired shortstop during his Hall of Fame-caliber playing days. The two remain “close,” Feinsand notes.
- Injuries have ravaged the Nationals’ outfield throughout the season, but here’s some positive news for the first-place club: Left fielder Jayson Werth is “feeling good” and set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Monday, tweets FanRag’s Jon Heyman. Werth has had a tough road back since he landed on the disabled list June 5 with a fractured left foot and a bone bruise. The 38-year-old free agent-to-be was in the midst of a nice season prior to the injury, as he slashed .262/.367/.446 with eight home runs over 196 plate appearances.
AL News & Rumors: Astros, Tigers, ChiSox, Jays
There remains an outside chance that Houston will trade for Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander this month, as the Boston Globe’s Nick Cafardo hears from major league sources that the Astros haven’t closed the door on acquiring the fireballer. There have been a slew of reports since last month on the possibility of Verlander going to the Astros, including one from FanRag’s Jon Heyman earlier this week. A source told Heyman that negotiations between the two teams had been “put to bed.” For his part, Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow doesn’t expect to make a big acquisition before the month’s out. To land Verlander, who’s still due around $7MM this season and another $56MM from 2018-19, the Luhnow-led Astros would need to take on the majority of his contract and “give up a few prospects,” Cafardo writes. Not all prospects are created equally, of course, and the Tigers want legitimate young talent in return for the longtime ace and franchise icon, per various reports.
More from the American League:
- Left fielder Justin Upton, another of the Tigers’ high-priced veterans, currently doesn’t plan to opt out of his contract in the offseason, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (via Twitter). A change of heart, which could happen given Upton’s superlative production and the Tigers’ rebuilding status, would mean walking away from the guaranteed $88MM he’s due through 2021. The soon-to-be 30-year-old Upton wasn’t great in 2016, the first season of the $132.75MM accord, but has rebounded to slash an excellent .283/.367/.542 with 25 home runs, 10 stolen bases and 4.0 fWAR through 479 plate appearances in the current campaign.
- Right-hander Lucas Giolito will make his White Sox debut Tuesday with a start against the Twins, relays Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). The Sox acquired Giolito and a pair of fellow pitching prospects, Reynaldo Lopez and Dane Dunning, from the Nationals last winter for outfielder Adam Eaton. Giolito has since turned in 128 2/3 Triple-A innings of 4.48 ERA ball, to go with 9.37 K/9, 4.13 BB/9 and a 44.4 percent ground-ball rate. Once among the game’s most celebrated prospects, the big 23-year-old has lost some luster over the past couple seasons, though he still factors into the summer top 100 lists of FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen (No. 35), MLB.com (No. 59) and Baseball America (No. 75).
- Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi profiles Blue Jays outfield prospect Teoscar Hernandez, whom the team acquired from the Astros for left-hander Francisco Liriano last month. Hernandez actually made his major league debut in Toronto in August 2016 and collected his first hit, a home run, against Liriano. The Dominican Republic native then called his mother and told her he’d love to play for Toronto eventually. Unsurprisingly, then, Hernandez reacted with elation when Astros assistant GM Mike Elias broke the news of the trade to him. “He told me I just got traded for Francisco Liriano and when first he told me that, I was like, ‘Really? Is this happening?’” Hernandez said. “Then I felt so happy. I don’t know why. My first reaction was like the same one when I got called up (to the majors) last year – I was so excited.” Hernandez, 24, has played with Triple-A Buffalo – not Toronto – since the deal, but rival executives Davidi polled expect him to at least serve as a quality fourth outfielder for the Jays.
Rays Claim Cesar Puello From Angels
The Rays have claimed outfielder Cesar Puello off waivers from the Angels, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation reports (on Twitter). The Angels designated Puello for assignment last Saturday.
The Rays organization will be the fifth for the 26-year-old Puello, who topped out at No. 77 among Baseball America’s 100 best prospects when he was with the Mets in 2010. Puello hasn’t been a factor in the majors, though he does own a quality .289/.379/.447 line with 49 stolen bases on 57 attempts in 1,039 Triple-A plate appearances. A significant amount of that damage has come this year in minor league stints with the Rangers and Halos, with whom Puello combined to slash .327/.377/.526 with 13 home runs and 18 steals on 22 tries in 379 PAs.
Puello, who made his big league debut and sole appearances with the Angels on Aug. 9 (and went 1 for 4 with two steals), is out of minor league options. As such, the Rays will either have to add the righty-swinging Puello to their 25-man roster or attempt to send him through waivers again. With Kevin Kiermaier, Steven Souza Jr., Corey Dickerson and Peter Bourjos, the Rays already seem to have a full complement of outfielders on hand at the big league level, which helped lead to a demotion for Mallex Smith on Friday.
Blue Jays Acquire Tom Koehler
The Blue Jays have acquired right-hander Tom Koehler and cash considerations from the Marlins for minor league righty Osman Gutierrez, according to announcements from both teams. Gutierrez will report to Single-A Greensboro with his new organization.
[RELATED: Updated Blue Jays Depth Chart]
Koehler, who’s on a $5.75MM salary and has another year of arbitration eligibility remaining, got off to a poor start this season and began surfacing in trade rumors in May. While Koehler was a competent back-end starter in Miami from 2013-16, a stretch in which he combined for a 4.14 ERA (4.30 FIP) with 6.82 K/9, 3.67 BB/9 and a 44.6 percent ground-ball rate over 698 1/3 innings, the 31-year-old has endured a miserable 2017. Across 12 starts and 55 2/3 frames, Koehler has logged a 7.92 ERA (6.89 FIP), 7.11 K/9, 4.69 BB/9 and a 38.1 percent grounder mark. However, Koehler has dominated in 37 2/3 Triple-A innings this year (1.67 ERA, 13.14 K/9, 3.11 BB/9), which could provide hope for an eventual big league turnaround.
Whether Koehler will immediately head to Toronto or Triple-A Buffalo is unclear. Regardless, he’ll provide some depth to a 59-64 Jays club that’s 3.5 games out of a wild-card spot and currently has a couple question marks in its rotation behind the proven trio of Marco Estrada, Marcus Stroman and J.A. Happ. One of those question marks, Chris Rowley, has gotten good results over a pair of starts, while the long-struggling Nick Tepesch has turned in subpar work over three appearances from the rotation since Toronto acquired him from the Twins in late July.
Gutierrez, 22, was not among the Blue Jays’ top 30 prospects at MLB.com before the trade, though the 2011 international signing from Nicaragua was 26th on Baseball America‘s list for the team after last season. BA noted at the time (subscription required and recommended) that Gutierrez features a 94-96 mph fastball that can top out at 97 mph, a “generally above-average” slider and a somewhat promising changeup. Gutierrez hasn’t fared well at the Single-A level this year, though, with a 7.88 ERA, 8.25 K/9 against 6.25 BB/9 and a 38.6 grounder rate through 72 innings.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Yankees Notes: Chapman, Estrada, Tanaka
Not even a full season into signing a five-year, $86MM contract – a record deal for a reliever – Aroldis Chapman is out as the Yankees’ closer, manager Joe Girardi announced Saturday, per Erik Boland of Newsday (Twitter link). The move isn’t necessarily permanent, however, but a measure to “try and get him right,” said Girardi, who revealed that Chapman reacted well to the news. One of the most dominant relievers of all-time, the 29-year-old flamethower hasn’t been himself this season, as his pedestrian ERA (4.29), plummeting strikeout percentage and falling swinging-strike rate indicate. Chapman’s also amid arguably the worst stretch of his illustrious career, one in which he has yielded two earned runs in three straight appearances for the first time, and made a couple mental errors in the Yankees’ loss to the Red Sox on Friday. Chapman was responsible for a double steal when he neglected to keep tabs on the Red Sox’s runners on first and second base, and he then failed to back up home plate on a two-run single by Jackie Bradley Jr. Those slip-ups led to an animated mound visit from Girardi, who figures to turn to David Robertson and Dellin Betances as his ninth-inning choices while Chapman attempts to overcome his struggles in a different role. (Follow @CloserNews, MLBTR’s sister Twitter site, for more on the Yankees’ late-game configuration and news about all ninth-inning situations around the majors.)
A bit more on the Yankees, who will try to avoid falling six games behind Chris Sale-led Boston for the AL East lead on Saturday:
- It was either the Yankees or the Orioles who claimed right-hander Marco Estrada off waivers from the division-rival Blue Jays earlier this week, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Regardless, Estrada isn’t going anywhere because the Jays were unable to agree to a trade with the claiming team within the 48-hour window.
- Estrada would’ve been a quality reinforcement for the Yankees’ rotation (or Baltimore’s), but the Bombers will get some in-house help on that front. Masahiro Tanaka, on the disabled list since last Saturday with shoulder inflammation, is set to make his return Tuesday against Detroit, Girardi informed reporters (Twitter link via Boland). Rotation mate C.C. Sabathia will come off the 10-day DL and start in Boston tonight. Friday’s starter, rookie Jordan Montgomery, is headed back to Triple-A to make room for Sabathia, the team announced.
The Top 10 Rookies Of 2017
With the 2017 Major League Baseball season three-quarters of the way over, we’ve seen no shortage of rookies* burst on the scene as potential long-term building blocks for their respective teams. Here, we’ll take a look at those who have enjoyed the finest introductions to the big leagues thus far.
1.) Aaron Judge, RF, Yankees: All rise for the American League home run leader (37) and the shoo-in AL Rookie of the Year winner. While the 25-year-old Judge has batted just .185/.346/.398 since the All-Star break and done significant damage to his MVP hopes in the process, the overall production this season has been awe-inspiring. After a rough, strikeout-laden debut in 2016, Judge has rebounded this season to slash a magnificent .291/.420/.614 in 502 plate appearances. Strikeouts remain a problem, though his 31.5 percent rate isn’t crippling when you pair it with the majors’ second-best walk rate (17.5). When Judge has made contact, he has punished the ball. The 6-foot-7, 275-pound monster ranks fourth in the game in isolated power (.323), and his expected weighted on-base average (.432) is right in line with his actual wOBA (.437, via Statcast and Baseball Savant).
While offensive brilliance has put Judge on the map, the advanced defensive metrics have thought enough of his work in right field to help give him a 6.2 fWAR – which ties him with Jose Altuve for first among all position players. Judge, Altuve and others will spend the next month and a half continuing to vie for the AL MVP, but the newest face of the Yankees has top rookie honors sewn up.
2.) Cody Bellinger, 1B/OF, Dodgers: Just as Judge has lapped the AL rookie field, Bellinger has emerged as the Secretariat of the NL race. Bellinger hasn’t quite matched his AL counterpart’s production, but the numbers have still been absolutely remarkable – especially considering he just turned 22 last month and didn’t debut until the end of April. The lefty-swinging Dodger has belted nearly as many homers as Judge (34) in 90 fewer PAs (412), posted a .277/.357/.621 line and logged the majors’ third-best ISO (.343, behind only Joey Votto and Giancarlo Stanton). In the process, Bellinger has given the dream team known as the Dodgers yet another star to build around for the long haul. He’s a lock to follow teammate Corey Seager as the club’s second consecutive NL ROY winner.
3.) Paul DeJong, SS, Cardinals: This is the second straight year in which a Cardinals shortstop has served as one of baseball’s most productive rookies. It was Aledmys Diaz in 2016, but his breakout hasn’t stuck, and he’s currently amid a woeful Triple-A season after beginning the year poorly in the majors. DeJong, 24, may not follow that path in 2018 – he and the Cardinals hope not, anyway – but a 30.9 strikeout rate against a paltry 3.7 percent walk means he’s carrying the second-worst BB/K ratio (.12) among hitters with at least 200 PAs. That will have to change if DeJong’s going to be a viable major league regular for the long haul. In the meantime, give DeJong credit for a .300/.327/.576 batting line through 269 trips to the plate. And even though DeJong didn’t reach the majors until the end of May, he trails only Judge and Bellinger among rookies in homers (18). He also tops all league shortstops in ISO (.276).
Between the offensive output and his plus defense, DeJong has accounted for 2.1 fWAR – putting him just in front of a prominent fellow shortstop, Boston’s Xander Bogaerts, who has been worth 2.0 fWAR in 220 more PAs. Whether DeJong can keep this up is highly debatable, but it’s inarguable that the 24-year-old’s work this season has helped the Redbirds stay in the playoff hunt.
4.) Austin Barnes, C/2B, Dodgers: The Dodgers are 85-34, so it’s not particularly surprising that they’re loaded with outstanding players. Barnes has flown under the radar, though – perhaps because he’s a 27-year-old rookie who has only amassed 180 PAs this season (after logging 37 apiece in the prior two seasons). The former Marlins prospect has taken advantage of his limited playing time, however, having hit a marvelous .293/.411/.513 with six homers and a .220 ISO. Barnes has combined that quality power with elite-level plate discipline, evidenced primarily by the fact that he has nearly as many walks (27) as strikeouts (30). League-average walk and strikeout rates sit at 8.5 percent and 21.6 percent, respectively, and Barnes is comfortably above the mean in each category (15.0 and 16.7). He also happens to own an even higher xwOBA than Bellinger (.379 to .372). It’s worth pointing out, too, that Baseball Prospectus regards Barnes as one of the majors’ preeminent pitch-framing backstops. The hype may not be there for Barnes, yet he’s clearly among the reasons the Dodgers are able to form Voltron on what seems like a nightly basis.
5.) German Marquez, SP, Rockies: As we’ve seen time and again, pitching in Colorado is no easy task. The 22-year-old Marquez has handled Coors Field with aplomb, though, and managed a 4.13 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 2.94 BB/9 and a 41.6 percent ground-ball rate across 113 1/3 innings in his rookie campaign. The run prevention isn’t eye-popping, but the hard-throwing right-hander’s 3.79 FIP, .319 wOBA/.312 xwOBA allowed and 2.5 fWAR all jump off the page. In a year in which the potentially playoff-bound Rockies have seen three other rookie starters eat up innings (Kyle Freeland, Antonio Senzatela and Jeff Hoffman), Marquez has stood out the most among their new class of hurlers.
6.) Jordan Montgomery, SP, Yankees: The left-handed Montgomery has registered strikingly similar numbers to Marquez (3.94 ERA, 3.92 FIP, 8.55 K/9, 2.83 BB/9, 41.1 percent-grounder, .301 wOBA/.297 xwOBA against, 2.3 fWAR) through 121 frames. While extra credit goes to Marquez for surviving Colorado so far, Montgomery doesn’t exactly call a pitcher-friendly venue home.
7.) Trey Mancini, OF/1B, Orioles: In a season without Judge, it’s possible Mancini’s offensive output would make him the AL ROY front-runner. The 25-year-old has smashed 21 HRs, trailing only Judge, Bellinger and Matt Davidson among first-year pros, and has put together an appealing overall line (.290/.341/.517 in 411 PAs, with a .227 ISO). Granted, there are some red flags – including a subpar BB/K ratio (.25; league average is .39), a .342 batting average on balls in play that won’t hold and a decent-sized wOBA/xwOBA gap (.368 to .341).
8.) Andrew Benintendi, LF, Red Sox: Benintendi hasn’t been a force of nature this year like Judge or Bellinger, but it’s even more obvious than it was at the beginning of the season that he’s a long-term keeper for the Red Sox. Thanks in part to his three-homer series against Judge and the Yankees last weekend, the 23-year-old Benintendi has racked up 17 long balls, which ranks fourth among rookies. He also leads first-year men in stolen bases (14) and sits fourth in on-base percentage (.361).
9.) Matt Chapman, 3B, Athletics: Chapman, like Barnes, hasn’t seen a ton of big league action this year, having walked to the plate only 166 times. But the production is also very difficult to ignore in Chapman’s case. The 24-year-old has already been worth 1.4 fWAR since his mid-June promotion, thanks largely to otherworldly glove work. Chapman has recorded an extremely impressive 13 Defensive Runs Saved, which trails only Nolan Arenado and Jedd Gyorko among those manning the hot corner, to accompany a third basemen-leading UZR/150 (22.0). As Dave Cameron of FanGraphs wrote last week, that type of world-class defense plus Chapman’s brand of acceptable offense (.230/.301/.514) would make him a star-level contributor for the long term. Of course, whether Chapman can continue hitting at this type of clip is somewhat in question. Chapman’s strikeout rate (33.7 percent) drowns out a passable walk rate (9.0 percent), and his .301 xwOBA pales in comparison to his .343 wOBA.
10.) Chad Green, RP, Yankees: Rounding out the list is a third Yankee, Green, who may get lost in the shuffle as part of a bullpen that features Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Adam Warren. And yet the 26-year-old Green has stood on his own as one of the premier relievers in baseball this season. Through 48 2/3 innings out of the bullpen, the former starter places seventh among relievers in ERA (1.66), fifth in strikeout percentage (40.1) and fourth in strikeout-walk percentage (33.3). The only other relievers who rank top seven in each of those categories are Craig Kimbrel and Kenley Jansen. Decent company.
*For determining rookie status, we’re looking at players with less than 130 plate appearances or 50 innings pitched entering the season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Astros Acquire Tyler Clippard
AUG. 16: USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets that the Astros sent $1MM to the White Sox in the trade, which covers the bulk of Clippard’s remaining contract. (Clippard was owed a total of roughly $1.14MM at the time of the trade.)
AUG. 13: The Astros have acquired reliever Tyler Clippard from the White Sox for a player to be named later or cash considerations, according to announcements from both teams.
[Updated Astros & White Sox Depth Charts]
This is the second trade of the season involving the 32-year-old Clippard, who went from the Yankees to the White Sox last month in a deal that saw major leaguers David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Todd Frazier head to New York. Clippard struggled to prevent runs this year as a Yankee, with whom he pitched to a 4.95 ERA over 36 1/3 innings, in part because of a bloated walk rate (4.77 per nine). Clippard did post a 10.44 K/9 with the Yankees, though, and allowed just two earned runs in 10 frames with the White Sox. The right-hander also added 12 strikeouts against five walks during that span.
The Astros have been quiet this summer in terms of trades, with longtime starter and now-reliever Francisco Liriano serving as their most prominent in-season acquisition. And while the Astros possess the best record in the American League, 72-45, and a bullpen that ranks fifth in the majors in fWAR (4.9), their relief corps has scuffled of late. Over the past 30 days, Houston’s bullpen has logged the league’s sixth-worst ERA (4.96).
Considering he has been successful with multiple teams as both a setup man and a closer since debuting in 2007, Clippard may help the Astros overcome their recent issues. However, as someone who generates a lot of fly balls (his 52.1 percent FB rate ranks fourth worst among relievers), Clippard might not be a great fit for home run-friendly Minute Maid Park. Nevertheless, he’ll slot into a bullpen that currently features a few other proven options – Ken Giles, Chris Devenski and Luke Gregerson – and has seen youngster Joe Musgrove dominate. The team could also be close to welcoming back Will Harris, who has been on the disabled list with shoulder inflammation since July 28.
For the White Sox, parting with Clippard likely wasn’t an especially difficult decision. The rebuilding club has been selling off veterans dating back to last winter, after all, and Clippard’s an impending free agent whom Chicago acquired in large part to help balance out money in its trade with the Yankees. Clippard is on a $4.25MM salary and is due roughly $1.14MM of that through season’s end.
Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network first reported that the Astros were trying to acquire Clippard (Twitter link). Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweeted that a trade was close. FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweeted that Clippard was indeed on his way to the Astros. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Mets To Release Fernando Salas
Aug. 15: The Mets have now requested release waivers on Salas, tweets DiComo. Assuming he clears waivers, Salas will be a free agent in 48 hours.
Aug. 10: The Mets have designated reliever Fernando Salas for assignment, reports Anthony DiComo of MLB.com (Twitter link). His spot will go to newly promoted first base prospect Dominic Smith.
Salas is in his second season with the Mets, who acquired him from the Angels at the end of August last year and saw the right-hander improbably turn into a key component in their run to a wild-card berth. Salas gave the Mets 17 1/3 innings of 2.08 ERA pitching last September and piled up 17 strikeouts against no walks, leading them to re-sign him to a one-year, $3MM over the winter. The wheels have come off this season, though, as the 32-year-old Salas has logged a 6.00 ERA over 45 frames.
The Mets will surely hope a taker comes along for Salas, who has less than $1MM left on his deal. Perhaps some bullpen-needy club will overlook his bloated ERA and focus on more hopeful numbers, including career-best ground-ball (45.1 percent) and swinging-strike (13 percent) rates. Salas has also yielded a lofty .379 batting average on balls in play and managed only a 64.1 percent strand rate, both of which could regress in his favor before the year’s out.