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Red Sox Designate Mauro Gomez For Assignment

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The Red Sox have announced they have designated infielder Mauro Gomez for assignment. The move was made to create room on the 40-man roster for Jackie Bradley, Jr. The Red Sox now have ten days to trade, release, or outright Gomez to the minors.

Bradley, who was named the Opening Day left fielder by manager John Farrell today, played his way onto the roster with a Spring Training slash line of .419/.507/.613 and a team-high 12 RBI's in 28 games. The absence of David Ortiz, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with right Achilles tendinopathy, also opened the door for the 40th overall pick in the 2011 amateur draft.

At 22, Bradley becomes the youngest starting Opening Day left fielder for the Red Sox since Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski in 1961 and 1962 (per the team's public relations department) and is also the youngest Red Sox position player to start Opening Day in 15 years (h/t Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald). 

Gomez, meanwhile, struggled this spring batting only .156./.240/.200 during 50 plate appearances. The 28-year-old did post respectable numbers in his MLB debut season last year: .275/.324/.422 in 111 plate appearances over the course of 37 games. 

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR over the last week:

Angels, Yankees In Agreement On Vernon Wells Trade

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11:42pm: Joel Sherman of the New York Post says "most of the dollars will be applied to 2013" for the Yankees.  Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News has further details, explaining how "fancy accounting" could actually lead to a luxury tax credit for 2014.  Jon Heyman of CBS Sports pegs the Yankees' tab closer to $14MM.

5:44pm: Out of the $42MM owed to Vernon Wells for 2013-14, the Yankees will pay in the range of $12-14MM, tweets Heyman.  Earlier this afternoon, Heyman reported that the Yankees and Angels are in agreement on the deal, and "only seemingly small hurdles like commissioner approval remain."  Since Wells has been a complete non-factor over the last two seasons, unloading $12MM+ of his contract seems like a big win for the Halos.  – Tim Dierkes

3:28pm: Wells has let the Angels know he will accept the trade, tweets Heyman.  "Always tough to say goodbye, but I'm excited," Wells told reporters, including MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez, as he was pulling out of the Angels' parking lot.

2:45pm: The Angels and Yankees are discussing a trade involving Vernon Wells and a deal could be done today, sources tell Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com categorized the talks as serious (on Twitter). Passan however tweeted one important caveat: Wells has a no-trade clause and it is uncertain whether he would waive it for the Yankees. A source tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney there is a "strong chance" the deal happens as Wells is said by a teammate to be excited about the possibility of joining the Yankees (via Twitter). 

Wells is owed $42MM over the next two years and Passan tweeted the Yankees will receive some money in the deal, but the amount is not nearly as significant as one might think. The New York Post's Joel Sherman suspects the Angels will need to eat $34MM and that, along with the no-trade clause, will require more time before a trade can be finalized (Twitter links).

Last month, it was reported the Yankees were not expected to deal for Wells. But with Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter expected to start the season on the disabled list, their need for Wells' bat has increased with the 34-year-old likely becoming the everyday left fielder.

Charlie Wilmoth and Tim Dierkes contributed to this post.

Nationals Outright Carlos Rivero

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The Nationals announced they have outrighted infielder Carlos Rivero to Triple-A, but he will remain in the Major League Spring Training camp. The Nationals now have two openings on their 40-man roster.

Rivero is out of options and was required to pass through waivers before being sent down, which surprised one NL scout, according to the Washington Post's Adam Kilgore. Rivero has spent his entire professional career in the minors posting a line of .265/.322/.386 over the course of seven seasons in the Indians, Phillies, and Nationals organizations including last year's .303/.347/.435 with Washington's Triple-A affiliate. 

Phillies Release Yuniesky Betancourt

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The Phillies have released Yuniesky Betancourt, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The Phillies signed Betancourt to a minor league contract in January.

"It was a very difficult decision," Phillies GM Ruben Amaro Jr. told reporters including Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He played great for us. We had some other guys feel great, and we’re comfortable with where we are as far as those players are concerned."

Those players would be Freddy Galvis and Kevin Frandsen. Agent Alex Esteban told ESPN.com's Jayson Stark that Betancourt requested his release by exercising his out clause and there are three teams who are interested in his client (Twitter link). Gelb tweeted the Phillies tried to trade Betancourt, but other teams walked away.

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com tweets both the Yankees and Cardinals are "poking around" Betancourt. The mention of the Yankees is interesting, as GM Brian Cashman told Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News earlier today that he won't be looking outside the organization for a shortstop despite Derek Jeter's ailing ankle (Twitter link). The Giants and Brewers are in the market for an utility infielder and could be interested in Betancourt, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle and Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Twitter.

Betancourt hit just .228/.256/.400 with seven home runs in 228 plate appearances for the Royals last season. The 31-year-old is in the midst of an incredibly strong Spring Training collecting 21 hits in 47 at-bats en route to a .447/.451/.574 batting line with a 1.025 OPS in 51 plate appearances.

Steve Adams contributed to this post.

Rangers Claim Brad Mills

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The Rangers have claimed left-hander Brad Mills off waivers from the Angels, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jeff Wilson tweets the Rangers created a spot on the 40-man roster for Mills by placing Neftali Feliz on the 60-day disabled list. The Rangers have confirmed both moves.

Mills, who is out of options, was acquired by the Angels from the Blue Jays for Jeff Mathis in December 2011, but appeared in only one game, a spot start, for the Halos in 2012. He spent most of the season at Triple-A Salt Lake compiling a 5.86 ERA with 5.5 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, and 11.0 H/9 in 21 games (19 starts) covering 109 innings. This spring, Mills appeared in three games, including one start, for the Angels pitching six innings allowing four earned runs with two strikeouts and one walk.

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR this past week:

NL Notes: Chapman, Stewart, Rockies, Braves

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St. Patrick's Day is as much of a baseball holiday as Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or Labor Day thanks to former Reds GM Dick Wagner. Tom Singer of MLB.com chronicles how the baseball tradition of wearing the green came about 35 years ago. Elsewhere from the Reds and the rest of the National League:

  • Reds GM Walt Jocketty expects a decision in the next few days on whether Aroldis Chapman will pitch out of the bullpen or be moved into the starting rotatation, reports MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. Chapman stated publicly he wants to close, which didn't sit well with Jocketty. "We don’t let every player tell us how they want to be used," the GM told MLB.com.
  • Ian Stewart's lingering left quad injury could affect his chances at making the roster and how the Cubs build their bench, writes MLB.com's Carrie Muskat. Brent Lillibridge, Luis Valbuena, Edwin Maysonet, and Alberto Gonzalez are competing to fill that void while manager Dale Sveum mentioned Steve Clevenger could be an interesting option and added the team is watching all the waiver wires. 
  • The Rockies are giving serious consideration to making Nolan Arenado their starting third baseman with one club official telling Ken Rosenthal of FOXSports.com "it’s a tough call." If Arenado receives the nod, Rosenthal believes incumbent third baseman Chris Nelson could be used to acquire a veteran starting pitcher.
  • Within the same piece, sources tell Rosenthal the Rockies want to move Ramon Hernandez and are willing to assume some of his $3.2MM salary to facilitate a trade.
  • Don't expect the Braves to have any interest in the recently released Matt Diaz because there isn't a need right now, tweets David O'Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
  • The Marlins have returned Rule 5 selection Braulio Lara to the Rays, reports Joe Capozzi of The Palm Beach Post. The left-hander appeared in four games for the Marlins this spring throwing four innings allowing two earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts and two walks.

AL Notes: Rays, Dice-K, Indians, Red Sox, Boesch

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Gary Shelton of the Tampa Bay Times expressed concern the Rays don't have enough power in their lineup to compete over the long haul. As if to add an exclamation point to Shelton's column, the Rays were stymied this afternoon by Jon Lester of the Red Sox, who was perfect for six innings (79 pitches, 53 for strikes) with six strikeouts. The Rays were on the verge of being the victim of a Spring Training perfect game until an infield single by non-roster invitee Jason Bourgeois with one out in the top of the ninth. In other American League news and notes:

  • One solution to the Rays' power shortage could be Wil Myers, who was sent to Triple-A yesterday. Manager Joe Maddon told reporters, including the Tampa Bay Times' Marc Topkin, that he believes the timing of Myers' recall will be a baseball decision and not based on service time considerations in order to avoid an extra year of arbitration eligibility.
  • The Indians have yet to make a decision on Daisuke Matsuzaka even after a meeting this morning between manager Terry Francona and the front office, tweets the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Paul Hoynes. Francona could speak with Dice-K tomorrow.
  • The Indians will approach Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley about contract extensions at some point this spring, writes Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
  • The trade market for Red Sox catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who will be a free agent after this season, is not good, tweets the Boston Herald's Scott Lauber.
  • "The door's not locked. It may not even be cracked open, but it's not locked, either," a Red Sox source told Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com about the chances of Jackie Bradley Jr. making the Opening Day roster.
  • The Yankees only signed Brennan Boesch because he has minor league options remaining, according to ESPN's Buster Olney in his Insider blog (subscription required). Olney added, given the apparent lack of interest in Boesch, the Yankees might have the ability, if he struggles in the next few weeks, to get him through waivers, take him off the 40-man roster, and outright him to the minor leagues. 
  • The Angels have acquired minor league pitcher Mike Cisco from the Phillies for no compensation.  Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com explains the Phillies had an excess of pitching in Double-A and Triple-A and they wanted to make sure he’d go somewhere he’d have an opportunity to pitch. The Angels liked him and have a spot for him in their system.

MLBTR Originals

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A look back at the original reporting and analysis found on MLBTR this past week:

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