Jeffrey Loria Agrees To Sell Marlins To Derek Jeter’s Group
SATURDAY 4:30pm: Speaking to the media Saturday afternoon, Samson confirmed that Jeter will run the Marlins’ baseball and business operations, writes Jackson. Samson’s own role going forward is unclear. “It has never been about me,” he says.
3:30pm: Mas will not be part of the group, according to Samson (via a tweet from the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson).
7:58am: Jorge Mas’ group did not win the bidding for the Marlins, but he could still be involved in the new Jeter-led ownership group as controlling owner, Scott Soshnick tweets. Via Heyman (on Twitter), Mas could invest up to $300MM.
FRIDAY 9:39pm: There’s a signed contract on its way to the commissioner’s office, per Heyman (via Twitter).
4:40pm: Current president David Samson and president of baseball ops Michael Hill are expected to retain roles with the organization once the deal goes through, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reports. Whether that’s intended mostly to be transitional or instead to be permanent isn’t immediately clear. Heyman also suggests it’s not yet known whether Samson’s job duties would change under the new ownership group. The executive is believed to have just more than a year left on his current deal.
3:11pm: Evidently bringing an end to a long-running process, Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria has agreed to sell the franchise for $1.2 billion to a group featuring retired shortstop Derek Jeter, reports Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald.
While it seemed months back that the Jeter-led outfit would land the club, that proved premature. Since, two other primary bidding groups have vied to take over from Loria — one led by Wayne Rothbaum, which dropped out recently, and another associated with Jorge Mas — with numerous twists and turns throughout.
Now, it seems, there’s finally a clear course — though it’s worth emphasizing that nothing has been finalized. Major League Baseball is expected to receive the written agreement Friday, per Spencer, but an approval vote might not take place for several weeks — with a formal closing not likely to occur until early October.
Jeter has long been the most visible member of his bidding group, and he’ll reportedly take primary responsibility for setting the course of both the baseball and business operations of the organization. But he’s not the primary money man and won’t be the formal control person vis-a-vis- the league.
Rather, Bruce Sherman — the former chairman of Private Capital Management — will reportedly function as the control person while also footing the bulk of the bill to acquire the franchise. He’s said to be a Marlins fan who enjoys a “great relationship” with Jeter; no doubt, the two will work closely. Something like sixteen other investors are also part of the group, according to Spencer, including NBA legend Michael Jordan.
Just what plans the Jeter/Sherman ownership outfit has in mind isn’t yet clear. But the current formula seems in need of some tweaking. The Marlins have failed to draw fans to the yard, despite a still-shiny (and heavily subsidized) ballpark. There’s a need to work out a new TV deal in the near future, with the team’s leverage perhaps dependent upon its ability to improve its seemingly tepid local support. That, in turn, may depend in large part upon an improvement in the on-field results; the club last posted a .500 record when it was still known as the Florida Marlins.
Driving improvement won’t be easy, especially with a generally low-regarded farm system, but there are some pieces to work with. Star Giancarlo Stanton has a huge contract, but has been outstanding this year, while younger players such as Marcell Ozuna, Christian Yelich, J.T. Realmuto, Dan Straily, and Justin Bour could function as building blocks or excellent trade chips. The club’s baseball ops group — the complexion of which isn’t yet clear — will need to overcome some other contracts that range from questionable (Dee Gordon, Brad Ziegler, Junichi Tazawa) to undeniably problematic (Wei-Yin Chen, Martin Prado, Edinson Volquez).
The Marlins’ payroll ballooned to over $115MM to open the 2017 season, by far an organizational high-point, and the results have been underwhelming. Unless the new ownership group is willing to pour some cash into improving around the core of young talent, the Fish may need to embark upon a rebuilding course this winter. Either way, it’ll be a fascinating offseason to watch.
Willson Contreras To Miss Four To Six Weeks
TODAY: The team has announced that Contreras is dealing with a moderate strain that will likely cost him four to six weeks of action (h/t Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com, via Twitter)
YESTERDAY: The Cubs avoided a “worst case scenario” with the hamstring injury catcher Willson Contreras suffered Wednesday, but he’s still likely to miss anywhere from two weeks to a month, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com.
Fortunately for the Cubs, they acquired a quality fallback in former Tigers catcher Alex Avila prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. Still, the loss of Contreras is a worrying development for a 59-54 club that’s clinging to a 1.5-game lead over both the Cardinals and Brewers in the National League Central. The Cubs have disappointed in the wake of last year’s World Series-winning campaign, but Contreras has carried his excellent 2016 offensive showing into this season. The 25-year-old has slashed .274/.342/.519 and belted 21 home runs over 374 plate appearances, and his .245 ISO leads all regular catchers. Defensively, Contreras has thrown out a league-average 28 percent of attempted base stealers, though Baseball Prospectus indicates that his framing work has regressed since last season.
Avila, meanwhile, has only totaled nine at-bats and one hit (a home run) as a Cub since they landed him last month. But the 30-year-old was in the midst of an offensive revival before the trade, thanks to an increase in fly balls and his signature plate discipline. The left-handed hitter has been a liability against southpaw pitchers, though, and he hasn’t fared well as a framer. It’s possible the Cubs will scour the August waiver market for a complement, then, with right-handed-hitting catchers Kurt Suzuki (Braves), Nick Hundley (Giants) and A.J. Ellis (Marlins) as potential movers. For at least the time being, Victor Caratini will return from Triple-A to back up Avila. The 23-year-old Caratini, MLB.com‘s sixth-ranked Cubs prospect, debuted earlier this season in Chicago and picked up 28 PAs.
Rockies Promote Ryan McMahon
The Rockies announced that they’ve promoted infield prospect Ryan McMahon to the majors. In corresponding moves, the team optioned outfielder Raimel Tapia to Triple-A and designated left-hander Sam Moll for assignment.
Colorado chose to select McMahon’s contract because of first baseman Mark Reynolds‘ left hand injury, tweets Nick Groke of the Denver Post. McMahon’s primary position has been third base since the Rockies used a second-round pick on him in 2013, but the 22-year-old has seen plenty of action at first in recent seasons with Nolan Arenado holding down the hot corner in the majors.
The lefty-swinging McMahon is the sport’s 64th-best prospect, according to MLB.com, while Baseball America has him at No. 91. MLB.com’s scouting report credits McMahon’s natural power, but the outlet notes that there are questions as to whether he can handle good pitching. McMahon has held his own offensively this year at Triple-A Albuquerque, though, with a .375/.409/.625 line in 269 plate appearances, to go with a .250 ISO and 13 home runs. His output has been a whopping 61 percent better than the Pacific Coast League average, per FanGraphs’ wRC+ metric.
Moll, 25, joined the Colorado organization back in 2013 as a third-rounder. He hasn’t yet reached the majors, and has posted so-so Triple-A results in a tough league for pitchers over the past couple years. Moll threw 47 1/3 Triple-A frames of 4.94 ERA ball in 2016 and has amassed the same amount of innings this season. Thus far, he has logged a 4.18 ERA with 7.42 K/9, 3.42 BB/9 and a 50.3 percent ground-ball rate.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Brandon Phillips Clears Revocable Waivers
Braves second baseman Brandon Phillips has cleared revocable waivers, making him eligible for an August trade, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman.
With Phillips’ previous team, the Reds, paying all but $1MM of his $13MM salary for 2017, the Braves are only on the hook for about $300K through season’s end, as Heyman notes. Despite Phillips’ cheap price tag and history of respectable production, no one claimed the 36-year-old. But the Braves have discussed Phillips with multiple teams, per Heyman, who points to the Rays as a potential fit for the right-handed hitter.
While Phillips has lined up almost exclusively at the keystone since debuting in the majors in 2002, the Braves recently shifted him to third to make room for standout prospect Ozzie Albies. Before that, Phillips garnered mixed reviews from advanced fielding metrics at second, with minus-5 defensive runs saved and an Ultimate Zone Rating just above zero. Offensively, Phillips hasn’t fallen off much in recent years. While he’s not the star-caliber producer he was in his career campaign, 2011, he continues to avoid strikeouts better than most, and his .285/.325/.418 line in 416 plate appearances this season is roughly average relative to his position.
White Sox Acquire Ryan Burr From D-Backs For International Bonus Money
The White Sox announced that they’ve acquired minor league right-hander Ryan Burr from the Diamondbacks for international signing bonus pool money.
The 23-year-old Burr had been with the Diamondbacks since they used a fifth-round pick on him in 2015. At the time, Baseball America (subscription required and recommended) lauded the ex-Arizona State closer’s “very live fastball,” though it was unimpressed with his offspeed pitches. Since then, Burr hasn’t ascended beyond the Single-A level, nor did he rank among Arizona’s top 30 prospects, per MLB.com. He has generated excellent minor league results, however, including a .72 ERA with 10.44 K/9, 2.16 BB/9 and an absurd 73.1 percent ground-ball rate in 25 High-A innings this season.
In picking up Burr, the White Sox have subtracted from their remaining $4.75MM in international money. However, they’re barred from spending more than $300K on an individual player because of the signing of Luis Robert during the previous international period. The Diamondbacks had $5.75MM to work with as of July 2, tying them with a slew of other teams at the top, and immediately made several signings. Their most expensive acquisition has been $2.5MM outfielder Kristian Robinson, a 16-year-old from the Bahamas.
Jerry Blevins Claimed, Blocked On Waivers
Mets reliever Jerry Blevins was claimed and blocked on waivers by an unknown team, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman. The move will prevent the Mets from trading the left-hander this season.
The 33-year-old Blevins drew plenty of interest leading up to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, but Mets general manager Sandy Alderson & Co. reportedly weren’t gung-ho on moving him. Indeed, Heyman notes that the Mets are fine with retaining Blevins, who comes with a reasonably priced $7MM club option for 2018.
Blevins is in his third season with the Mets, who re-signed him to a two-year, $12.5MM deal (including the option) last winter. He has posted nearly identical numbers from 2016 to this season and owns a 2.78 ERA with 11.82 K/9 and 3.71 BB/9 over that 77 2/3-inning span, making him one of the game’s top southpaw relievers. Blevins certainly could have helped a playoff contender down the stretch, but he’ll remain with the Mets instead.
Justin Verlander Could Add Opt-Out Clause To Contract If Traded
Thanks to Justin Verlander‘s age (34), sizable contract and full no-trade clause, the odds of the Tigers dealing the longtime ace this summer already appear low. Here’s another wrinkle, courtesy of MLB Network’s Jon Morosi: According to the collective bargaining agreement, Verlander will be able to add an opt-out clause to his contract if he agrees to waive his no-trade rights. An opt-out would give Verlander a chance to exit the remaining two years and $56MM on his contract after this season or the $28MM left on his deal at the conclusion of the 2018 campaign.
Teams have already been reluctant to part with premium prospects for Verlander, and the opt-out possibility could make a trade even less likely as a result. On the other hand, it might not be that detrimental, Morosi explains. In order to mitigate the risk of an acquiring team losing Verlander over the winter, the Tigers could agree to pay that club around $10MM per year over each of the next two seasons if he declines his opt-out, a source suggested to Morosi. That would give Verlander a chance to test drive a new team before making an opt-out decision and give that employer “financial protection from injury or underperformance,” Morosi writes.
Morosi specifically focuses on Houston as a possible landing spot for Verlander, though he notes that it’s unknown if the Asros and the Tigers have made progress in talks regarding the right-hander. Both Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Jon Heyman of FanRag have reported this week that there’s little to no hope for a Verlander swap between the clubs. Although, the Astros aren’t the only team capable of landing Verlander, who has already cleared revocable waivers. The Tigers are allowed to market him to anyone as a result, but again, there are major roadblocks in the way.
Amid the uncertainty, it’s worth pointing out that the flamethrowing Verlander has recovered from a so-so start to the season with a return to top-of-the-rotation form in recent weeks. Across 40 1/3 second-half innings, Verlander has logged a 2.01 ERA, amassed 44 strikeouts against 12 walks and held opposing hitters to an awful .177/.244/.310 line.
NL Rumors: Brewers, Giants, Cards, Phillies
The Brewers have gone a horrid 9-17 since the All-Star break, yet they’re still only two games behind the Cubs for the National League Central lead. As such, general manager David Stearns remains on the hunt for potential upgrades, writes Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. The Brewers “are constantly monitoring the waiver wire,” revealed Stearns, who’s optimistic that he’ll be able to add outside help in the coming weeks. “I wouldn’t put it as a definite, but I certainly think it is a possibility that between now and the end of August we are able to pull something off,” he said. Milwaukee is specifically looking to breathe life into its sputtering offense, according to McCalvy, which aligns with their reported interest in Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler. The veteran might not even make it to the Brewers via waivers, though, and McCalvy relays that the team has failed in its attempts to add players via claims this month. When the Brewers have claimed players, clubs ahead of them in the waiver pecking order have either beaten them to the punch or the players’ teams pulled them back.
More from the NL:
- In an effort to put a disastrous 2017 behind them and return to relevance next year, the Giants could make big offseason changes, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Manager Bruce Bochy admitted that the Giants must add to their offense, telling Nightengale, “We really need a big bopper in that lineup, just to take the pressure off everybody else.’’ In response, Nightengale lists free agents-to-be J.D. Martinez and Jay Bruce as potential targets for the outfielder-needy Giants. The club could also explore trades involving the likes of first baseman Brandon Belt and second baseman Joe Panik, relays Nightengale, though moving either or both would not signal a rebuild. “We’ve had a lot of heavy lifts over the years in the 25-year history of this investor group, but we don’t believe we have to have a tear-down,” said CEO Larry Baer. “We’re not fearful, but actually very optimistic we’ll turn this around. Our history shows us that if we have a down year, we bounce back.”
- The surging Cardinals are now within a game of the Cubs, and they’re largely content with their roster as a result, tweets Jon Morosi of MLB Network. The Redbirds do have interest in trading for a reliever, though, Morosi adds. St. Louis’ bullpen has already been a bright spot this year, as the group entered Thursday seventh in the majors in ERA and 10th in fWAR. Cardinals relievers have been even better in the season’s second half, having posted a 2.83 ERA with 9.99 K/9 against 1.9 BB/9. In any event, if they do look to further bolster their bullpen, MLBTR’s Steve Adams just named some relievers who could change homes this month.
- Newly promoted slugger Rhys Hoskins will initially play left field for the Phillies, but he’ll shift to his natural position – first base – when Aaron Altherr returns from the disabled list in a few weeks, reports Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. That will relegate first baseman Tommy Joseph to the bench. The Phillies were unable to find a taker for Joseph before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, and they’re likely to resume their efforts to move him in the offseason, notes Zolecki. As for other Phillies prospects, neither second baseman Scott Kingery nor shortstop J.P. Crawford are shoo-ins for season-opening spots in the club’s lineup in 2018. The Phillies instead seem content to continue with Cesar Hernandez and Freddy Galvis if they win spring training position battles. GM Matt Klentak doesn’t believe Hernandez or Galvis have reached their peaks yet, so he’s fine with keeping the soon-to-be 28-year-olds around in prominent roles.
AL Notes: Sale, Hardy, Orioles, Twins
It’s possible the Red Sox will open contract extension talks with superstar left-hander Chris Sale during the upcoming offseason, writes Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. Sale has two more option years remaining at a combined $26MM, which is an absolute bargain relative to his production, but Cafardo wonders if the Red Sox should give the 28-year-old a raise in an act of good faith. While Sale certainly belongs in the elite tier of pitchers in terms of salary, the Red Sox may be reluctant to hand out a second David Price-type blockbuster deal that takes a pitcher through his 30s, Cafardo suggests. Ultimately, the Sox may choose to wait another year and then override the 2019 option with an extension if Sale is his typical self next season, notes Cafardo.
More from the American League:
- Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy sees the writing on the wall in Baltimore after it acquired his likely replacement, Tim Beckham, at last month’s non-waiver trade deadline, details Rich Dubroff of PressBoxOnline. But Hardy, who has been on the disabled list with a broken wrist since June 18, has still served as a mentor to Beckham. Asked if having Beckham around has been awkward, Hardy replied: “To be honest, no. I’m really, really aware of what’s going on around me, maybe to a fault. I’ve seen it. I know what’s going on. There’s really nothing that I can do. You just have to remember the business part of it.” Hardy struggled mightily this season before the injury, and the O’s are sure to decline his $14MM club option for 2018 in favor of a $2MM buyout, but the soon-to-be 35-year-old isn’t ready to retire. “I’m not saying that I’m done playing. I just know what’s going on in this organization,” said Hardy, who has been an Oriole since 2011.
- Unlike Hardy, fellow Orioles shortstop Paul Janish is seemingly on the verge of ending his playing career. Janish is likely to join Rice University’s coaching staff next season, reports Mark Berman of FOX 26 (on Twitter). The defensively gifted Janish played at Rice before the Reds chose him in the fifth round of the 2004 draft. The 34-year-old has been with the Baltimore organization since 2015 and has worked almost exclusively at the Triple-A level with the franchise. Janish has only amassed 99 plate appearances with the Orioles, including 28 this year.
- The Twins’ first-year front office heads, chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine, continue their organizational shakeup, per Mike Berardino of the Pioneer Press (all Twitter links). After firing several scouts last week, Minnesota has now let go of pro scout Greg Orr, who had just joined the team in January, and major league scout Wayne Krivsky. Changes to the Twins’ international scouting department are next on the docket, according to Berardino.
Heyman’s Latest: Yanks, Mets, Darvish, Astros, Twins, Bucs
The Yankees showed interest in Mets second baseman Neil Walker before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, according to FanRag’s Jon Heyman. The crosstown rivals actually had a deal for Walker in place, tweets Mike Puma of Newsday, but it fell through over medical concerns. Walker suffered a partially torn hamstring in mid-June and returned shortly before the deadline. At that point, the Yankees had recently lost second baseman Starlin Castro to a hamstring injury of his own, but he’s now nearing a rehab assignment, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com (Twitter link). As for Walker, the impending free agent has already cleared revocable waivers this month, making him eligible for a trade, though he’s owed sizable sum (around $6MM) through season’s end.
More from Heyman via a trio of columns, all of which are worth reading in full:
- The Rangers don’t expect to reunite with Yu Darvish in free agency, suggests Heyman, who adds that they decided a couple days before the non-waiver deadline that they were going to trade the ace. Texas ended up dealing Darvish to the Dodgers right before the clock ran out. The Astros were a rumored Darvish suitor leading up to then, but they didn’t make a real effort to land him, reports Heyman.
- Speaking of the Astros, their talks with the Tigers regarding Justin Verlander are all but dead, per Heyman, which jibes with a report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “It never got close,” a personal familiar with the discussions told Heyman, and that source expects Verlander to still be in a Tigers uniform when the 2018 season begins. Houston was unwilling to deal any of its best prospects for the expensive, aging Verlander (or any of its other deadline targets), but a Tigers official told Heyman, “You’re trading an icon, you’ve got to get something back.” The Astros have been conservative in terms of making acquisitions this summer, surely because a 71-42 team doesn’t need a ton of help, but GM Jeff Luhnow’s lack of bold moves has led to frustration within the organization, writes Heyman. Ace Dallas Keuchel voiced some displeasure immediately after the club’s quiet deadline (only scuffling lefty Francisco Liriano came aboard), and outfielder Josh Reddick followed suit Thursday in an interview with MLB Network Radio (Twitter link). Astros players were “down in the dumps” after the deadline, Reddick revealed.
- The Twins reportedly listened to offers for righty Ervin Santana in advance of the deadline, but their interest in dealing the solid mid-rotation starter was minimal, relays Heyman. Santana is under control through next season on fair $13.5MM salaries (his deal also features a $14MM club option for 2019), making it unlikely he’d go unclaimed on waivers this month, notes Heyman.
- Although GM Sandy Alderson is in the last year of his contract, people around the Mets expect him to return in 2018. There’s less certainty surrounding manager Terry Collins, who’s also in a contract year. Heyman lists Mets bench coach Dickie Scott, Dodgers bench coach Bob Geren (who previously held that post with the Mets) and Athletics third base coach Chip Hale as potential replacements for Collins if he’s not back next year.
- Meanwhile, both Pirates GM Neal Huntington and skipper Clint Hurdle appear safe. As long as the two want to return in 2018, the Pirates will exercise their options.
- The White Sox would like to deal veteran hurlers Derek Holland, Miguel Gonzalez and Tyler Clippard, which isn’t surprising considering they’re impending free agents on a rebuilding team. Given the seasons they’re having, Holland and Gonzalez probably won’t carry much appeal to rotation-needy contenders, though Clippard has put up six straight scoreless appearances out of Chicago’s bullpen. Across that seven-inning span, Clippard allowed three hits and three walks, with nine strikeouts. MLBTR’s Steve Adams noted Wednesday that Clippard’s a prime August trade candidate.
- The Diamondbacks were in on reliever Joe Smith before the Blue Jays dealt him to the Indians, but David Hernandez “seemed to be” Arizona’s top target, Heyman writes. The D-backs ended up acquiring Hernandez from the Angels, making this his second stint in Arizona. Hernandez has only thrown 2 2/3 innings in his return to the club, but they’ve been spotless (no runs, hits or walks allowed).