Jeff Todd | MLB Trade Rumors

Astros, Tigers Reportedly Fail To Complete Justin Verlander Trade

By Jeff Todd | August 31, 2017 at 10:58pm CDT

10:58pm: As covered in detail here, the sides managed to pull off a last-minute blockbuster.

10:55pm: The Astros were apparently unable to swing a last-minute deal to land Tigers ace Justin Verlander, though the reasons why remain unclear. Detroit News journalist Chris McCosky said a deal was mostly in place with the Astros, then said that Verlander had nixed the proposed arrangement, and finally concluded it wasn’t clear if Houston had backed out (links to Twitter). Meanwhile, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets that it’s not yet clear what happened, but that the “Tigers are not blaming” the veteran right-handed hurler.

For Houston, this evidently represents the latest thwarted effort to add an impact arm. The club was reportedly close to landing Zach Britton and perhaps another pitcher at the non-revocable waiver deadline, but both deals fell through. Now, it seems, the team has missed on Verlander, who previously cleared revocable waivers but still maintained his full no-trade protection.

Talks between the teams were long been held up by an evident failure to agree on a return, but evidently gathered steam late today. As of midnight EST tonight, clubs can no longer add players from outside the organization and then utilize such players on their postseason roster.

The ’Stros are rich in prospects, but had remained hesitant to part with their best young talent while also taking on a significant piece of the $56MM still guaranteed to Verlander over the next two seasons. Meanwhile, the Tigers were said to be holding out for real talent in parting with one of their franchise’s best all-time players.

Rangers Acquire Miguel Gonzalez

By Jeff Todd | August 31, 2017 at 10:05pm CDT

The Rangers have struck a deal to add righty Miguel Gonzalez from the White Sox, as Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun first reported (Twitter link). Per the report, the Orioles were also attempting to bring back the veteran starter, but weren’t willing to meet the asking price. Infielder Ti’Quan Forbes will go to Chicago in return. The Rangers have designated righty Anthony Bass to open a roster spot.

Though Texas isn’t exactly in prime position to snag a Wild Card berth — the team entered play today three games out and dropped its contest — it seems the club is at least interested in keeping that possibility open. Gonzalez will help bolster a rotation that no longer features Yu Darvish and has seen numerous other pitchers struggle. If they can crack the postseason, the Rangers will be able to utilize Gonzalez on their roster.

The White Sox have been quite aggressive in moving veterans, and Gonzalez now becomes the latest to go. The 33-year-old has been a steady presence since coming to Chicago after a four-year run in Baltimore. He’s earning $5.9MM this year — about $1MM of which remains to be paid — and will be a free agent at season’s end.

On the season, Gonzalez owns a 4.30 ERA with 5.6 K/9 and 3.2 BB/9 to go with a 38.1% groundball rate over 127 2/3 innings. He has been quite good since returning from a mid-summer DL stint, spinning 49 frames of 2.94 ERA ball — albeit still with just 35 strikeouts against 19 walks.

Despite the underwhelming peripherals, Gonzalez has typically managed to limit hard contact and suppress batting average on balls in play; opposing hitters carry a .278 BABIP against him over his six-year career. He doesn’t work with much velocity, but mixes five pitches and has managed to post a lifetime 3.88 ERA over 843 MLB frames.

Forbes only just turned 21 and was a second-round pick in 2014. But he has not really shown much yet as a professional. While playing mostly at third base this season, which he has split between the Class A and High-A levels, Forbes carries a meager .234/.281/.344 batting line with 11 home runs through 517 plate appearances.

The 29-year-old Bass has seen action in six MLB campaigns, but was bombed in two appearances this year with Texas. He has pitched to a 4.17 ERA in 84 1/3 Triple-A innings, though, with 10.2 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Orioles To Promote Chance Sisco, Pedro Alvarez

By Jeff Todd | August 31, 2017 at 10:04pm CDT

We’ll see a number of promotions beginning tomorrow, as active rosters will expand to include any and all players on the 40-man. The Orioles have some particularly notable players slated to come up, per David Hall of the Virginian-Pilot (Twitter links): Baltimore will call up top catching prospect Chance Sisco along with veteran slugger Pedro Alvarez.

Sisco, 22, was seen as a consensus top-100 prospect league-wide entering the season. He hasn’t hit a ton this year at Triple-A, his first full season at that level, but does own a solid .267/.340/.395 batting line with seven home runs through 388 plate appearances.

Despite that modest slash line, Baseball America still rated him as the game’s No. 29 overall prospect on their midseason top 100. Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com ranked Sisco as baseball’s No. 50 prospect on their own summer top 100, while Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen pegs him 83rd.

For the time being, Sisco will likely see only limited duty behind Welington Castillo and Caleb Joseph. But with Castillo facing an opt-out decision after the season — one which he seems fairly likely to take in the affirmative — the O’s could end up relying on Sisco quite a bit next year.

As for Alvarez, he’ll function as a bench bat against right-handed pitching for the O’s. He has swatted 26 homers in his 590 plate appearances at Norfolk on the season, though he does carry only a .293 on-base percentage.

Baltimore is also bringing up outfielder Joey Rickard and righty Jimmy Yacabonis for September, according to Hall. For now, at least, the team doesn’t plan to promote veteran third baseman Chris Johnson. He has slashed .307/.336/.517 over 253 trips to the plate, but would (like Alvarez) require the opening of a 40-man roster spot.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Angels, Braves Discussing Brandon Phillips Swap

By Jeff Todd | August 31, 2017 at 7:00pm CDT

9:01pm: While awaiting a decision from Phillips, the teams are still “working to finalize details,” ESPN.com’s Buster Olney tweets. Still, though, it seems the matter hinges on Phillips’s own decisionmaking, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweeted earlier.

7:00pm: The Angels and Braves are attempting to work out a deal that would send infielder Brandon Phillips to Los Angeles, according to Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (Twitter link). Phillips, who was a late scratch from the lineup tonight, is considering right now whether to accept a deal, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets. He can block trades to a dozen clubs; presumably, the Halos are one of them.

Since cutting ties with Danny Espinosa earlier in the year, the Angels have relied heavily upon Kaleb Cowart at second base. But Cowart is slashing just .233/.289/.411 over 99 plate appearances on the year and has struggled badly of late. Having already added Justin Upton earlier today, the Halos are understandably looking to further bolster their lineup by targeting an area where they can make a relatively significant improvement at a marginal cost.

Phillips, 36, came to Atlanta from the Reds over the winter. He’s earning $14MM this year, but Cincinnati is covering all but a million of that sum. With less than $200K left on the Braves’ share of the bill, Phillips is an affordable option — though he also would stand to take home a $500K assignment bonus under a clause negotiated when he approved the trade to the Braves.

There’s also now some added versatility for the long-time second baseman, who has seen action at the hot corner for the first time this year. While he’s no longer a premium defender at second, Phillips is still a sturdy gloveman there and has drawn good reviews during his limited action at third.

With his typical low-walk, high-contact approach, Phillips has posted a .291/.329/.423 batting line over 499 plate appearances, with 11 home runs and 10 steals. That’s right around the league average in terms of overall offensive productivity, just where Phillips has landed in each of the prior five campaigns.

All told, though Phillips is far from a top-end second baseman, he has been a steadily useful player. For a team like the Angels, who have quite an evident need at second base, he could be quite a handy addition down the stretch and into the postseason.

MLBTR Poll: Will Justin Upton Opt Out?

By Jeff Todd | August 31, 2017 at 5:49pm CDT

Angels outfielder Justin Upton — if that sounds odd, you might want to click this link — faces an interesting decision after the end of the season. He already has the right to $88.5MM in guaranteed salary for the next four seasons, but can choose instead to opt out of the contract and take his talents onto the open market once again.

Entering the season, the latter course seemed less than likely. After all, Upton managed only a .246/.310/.465 batting line in 2016, his worst-ever full-season batting line. Though he did swat 31 home runs, matching a personal best, Upton was at or near career-worst levels in strikeouts (28.6%) and walks (8.0%). As the second consecutive year in which his output with the bat had declined, there was cause for some concern.

Needless to say, though, Upton has turned things around thus far in 2017. He’s currently slashing .279/.362/.542 and has already knocked 28 balls out of the yard through 520 trips to the plate. Though his strikeouts haven’t dipped, he’s now walking at an 11.0% clip that’s better than his career average, all while sporting a personal-high 44.1% hard-hit rate. And Upton has rated as a quality performer with the glove out in left field.

That’s not where Upton’s case for opting out ends, however. While he is now in his 11th season in the majors — which seems hard to believe — the slugger only just turned 30 a few days ago. And since he has previously received a qualifying offer (and also now has been traded mid-season), he won’t be eligible to receive a QO — meaning there’s no risk of his market being dragged down by draft compensation.

There are plenty of comps that suggest Upton could well out-earn what he already has in hand. On the high side, we have seen several somewhat older outfielders take down nine-figure guarantees: Yoenis Cespedes (four years, $110MM entering age-31 season), Shin-Soo Choo (seven years, $130MM entering age-31 season), and Josh Hamilton (five years, $125MM entering age-32 season) all come to mind. On the lower side, there’s plenty of reason to think that Upton can beat Dexter Fowler’s five-year, $82.5MM deal or the $88MM over four years that Hanley Ramirez received. Of course, Upton himself secured a $132.75MM guarantee before the 2016 season; though he was two years younger, he also was coming off of a less-impressive campaign.

That said, there’s no denying that there’s risk in casting himself back into free agency. Upton may not find it worth his while if he and his agents do not anticipate offers that are all that much more significant. It’s somewhat difficult to forecast the market for power hitters given the recent surge in offense (and home runs, in particular). Last year, several big bats came in somewhat under expectations; this fall, there’ll be competition (especially former teammate J.D. Martinez, but also potentially including older players and possible trade targets).

There’s another month left on the year, and that could matter, too. Upton will have to stay healthy and remain at least mostly productive to have the best potential free-agent case. He might also conceivably just end up deciding he feels comfortable in his new digs. But it’s a good time for a prediction: do you think Upton will opt out? (Link for app users.)

MLBTR Chat Transcript: August Trade Deadline Edition

By Jeff Todd | August 31, 2017 at 2:19pm CDT

Click here to read a transcript of today’s chat with host Jeff Todd.

Tigers Do Not Expect To Trade Justin Verlander By End Of August

By Jeff Todd | August 30, 2017 at 2:48pm CDT

The Tigers do not anticipate finding a match for staff ace Justin Verlander before the end of the month, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports on Twitter. Indeed, the team sees a swap as being “highly unlikely,” per the report.

Though there were suggestions yesterday that there may be some renewed interest in the veteran righty, all signs now seemingly point away from a trade. Verlander is on the bump for Detroit today, it’s also worth noting.

Verlander, 34, has already cleared revocable trade waivers, meaning that he can be dealt freely. But he does have full no-trade protection as well as a hefty $56MM guarantee over the next two seasons. With Detroit evidently holding out for a worthwhile prospect return for its longtime star, talks do not appear to have developed.

That said, there is good cause for the ongoing attention to Verlander’s situation. He has indicated he would consider a deal to a contender. And he has also begun pitching again like the player who nearly won the AL Cy Young Award just last year. Numerous clubs are surely at least intrigued at the prospect of adding Verlander, who has been durable and effective for quite some time.

Even if nothing gets done before tomorrow’s deadline — after which newly acquired players cannot be utilized on a postseason roster — the trade talks held this summer will likely set the stage for further chatter in the fall. While the Tigers understandably are hesitant to part with such an integral player for less than a compelling slate of young talent, the club has already taken major steps toward a rebuild amidst another disappointing season on the field.

NL Notes: Leake, Lynn, Harper, Upton, Humphreys

By Jeff Todd | August 30, 2017 at 2:28pm CDT

In the wake of today’s Mike Leake trade, some have wondered whether the Cardinals might be more inclined to bring back fellow right-hander Lance Lynn, who’s set to reach free agency this fall. But Lynn himself suggested that, at a minimum, that’s hardly an inevitability. As Chris Lee of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, the veteran hurler says there has “been zero communication” between his camp and the Cards’ front office about a new contract. You’ll want to read all of his comments for yourself, but it certainly did not sound as if the 30-year-old is entirely sanguine about the chances of a reunion.

It’s worth noting, too, that Cardinals president of baseball operations John Mozeliak has emphasized a desire to rely on the team’s younger arms in explaining the Leake swap, as Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com tweets. That would seem to suggest that Luke Weaver and others factor prominently in the club’s plans for 2018 (and, of course, beyond). Mozeliak covered a few of the up-and-coming hurlers in his comments today, as Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch covers in his story on the trade.
Nationals star Bryce Harper does not seem to be making much headway in his effort to return from his recent knee injury, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com reports (Twitter links). Harper says he suffered not only a bone bruise but also a strained calf, while indicating some concern with the fact that there’s not much time left in the regular season. Skipper Dusty Baker acknowledged that Harper is still “a long way of running,” adding that the club will give Jayson Werth some time in right field in case Harper isn’t ready for the postseason.
The Giants have at least some level of interest in Tigers outfielder Justin Upton, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (links to Twitter). Trouble is, San Francisco (quite understandably) would only want to deal for Upton if it can be assured that he won’t exercise his opt-out clause and head out onto the open market this fall. Upton will be deciding between another foray into free agency and the $88.5MM over four years still left on his contract. It seems unlikely that he’ll be inclined to tip his hand on that call, let alone pre-commit, so it’s hard to imagine how a deal could come together. The Giants, after all, won’t want to sacrifice value to rent Upton in a lost season. And the Tigers would surely rather deal him in the offseason or offer him a qualifying offer (if he opts out) than give him away for nothing. Of course, San Francisco could still pursue Upton in trade or free agency after the season if he ends up remaining with Detroit through the end of the season.
Another Mets pitcher has suffered a significant injury, though he is not a major leaguer. Prospect Jordan Humphreys has undergone Tommy John surgery, per MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo (via Twitter). The 21-year-old landed with the Mets as an 18th-round pick, but impressed this year at the Class A level, throwing 69 2/3 innings of 1.55 ERA ball with 10.3 K/9 against 1.2 BB/9. He had just been promoted to High-A before hitting the shelf. MLB.com recently rated Humphreys the organization’s 15th-best prospect.

AL Notes: Rays, Cash, Alvarez, Falvey, Duffy

By Jeff Todd | August 30, 2017 at 12:53pm CDT

As Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times wrote yesterday, the Rays could potentially decide to pivot to selling some short-term assets if the team does not perform in the final few days of August. The Rays ended up losing yesterday, leaving them three-and-a-half games out of the final Wild Card spot. We explored recently what kinds of deals the club might contemplate if it decided to shed some veterans at the last minute.

Regardless of how things turn out this year, the Rays intend to bring back skipper Kevin Cash, according to Topkin. GM Erik Neander credits Cash for ensuring that the club has “showed up every day well-prepared to compete and to make the most of their abilities.” Cash is under contract through 2019, and Topkin notes that the team also has two additional option years. He has guided the Rays to a 214-244 record since the start of 2015.
The Orioles intend to consider calling up veteran Pedro Alvarez when rosters expand in September, manager Buck Showalter told reporters including Jon Meoli of the Baltimore Sun. While his experiment with playing the outfield has failed, Alvarez has put up fairly typical numbers at Triple-A, with a .241/.296/.446 batting line and 26 long balls over 584 plate appearances. Unsurprisingly, he has been more effective against right-handed pitching and might provide the O’s with a boost off the bench — if the team can manage to find a 40-man opening.
Twins GM Derek Falvey spoke with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic about his team’s interesting summer (subscription required and recommended). The rookie front-office man says that the club’s mid-July pivot, in which it acquired and then traded away Jaime Garcia and also shipped out Brandon Kintzler, led to some clubhouse disappointment. But, he says, “the front office had a plan for the long term.” Of course, Minnesota’s players have made a pivot of their own ever since, surging into Wild Card position.
In the wake of Danny Duffy’s DUI arrest, both the Royals pitcher and team GM Dayton Moore addressed the media (video links via the Kansas City Star). Speaking obliquely of the matter, Duffy apologized for distracting the club and said he would “be better because of it.” He also asked that fans and organization members “continue to have faith in me.” Moore emphasized that he does not yet know the full facts, but said he expects Duffy to “be accountable” for his actions, which he labeled “disappointing” and “regretful.” “We’ll support him, but there’s obviously consequences for actions,” said Moore.

Mariners Acquire Mike Leake

By Jeff Todd | August 30, 2017 at 10:12am CDT

12:07pm: The Cardinals will send the Mariners around $17MM, Rosenthal tweets.

10:12am: In a surprising development, the Cardinals have dealt righty Mike Leake to the Mariners. Young infielder Rayder Ascanio will go to St. Louis in the swap, with $750K of international bonus pool spending capacity and unannounced cash considerations also heading to Seattle.

It’s not yet known how much cash the M’s will take on in the deal or what players may be headed in return. Leake had already cleared revocable waivers, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). That was to be expected. Leake is earning $15MM this year, with about $2.5MM left to go. He remains under contract through 2020, with a $53MM total guarantee — including a $5MM buyout of a 2021 mutual option.

Leake’s contract includes full no-trade protection, so his approval was required for the deal to go through. He has indeed waived the clause, per Nightengale (Twitter link). Notably, Leake has spoken of his desire to be closer to family in Arizona and will now at least get to spend Spring Training there; that motivation and others may have aided his decision.

[RELATED: Updated Mariners & Cardinals Depth Charts]

Since signing on with the Cards before the 2016 season, Leake has shown the durability that earned him the contract, throwing 330 2/3 innings over 56 starts. But he has also managed only a 4.46 cumulative ERA while compiling 6.2 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9. Leake has struggled especially of late, working to an 8.88 ERA in his five starts in August.

Assuming he can get back on track, Leake will help steady a Seattle rotation that has faced a steady barrage of injuries. Felix Hernandez, James Paxton, Hisashi Iwakuma, and Drew Smyly are all on the DL, with only the first two expected to return this season. The club has fallen three games off of the AL Wild Card pace, but evidently still feels compelled to push for the postseason this year.

Of course, Leake will also represent a piece of the future picture. The Mariners will almost certainly bid adieu to Iwakuma, Smyly, and Yovani Gallardo over the winter. Erasmo Ramirez and even David Phelps — both acquired earlier this summer — could be rotation options (though the latter has worked from the pen), as could Gonzales. Still the team was clearly in need of at least one more arm to go along with King Felix and the Big Maple.

This is the second notable recent swap between these organizations, who had previously struck a deal that sent young lefty Marco Gonzales to Seattle for outfielder Tyler O’Neill. Leake may well end up bumping Gonzales out of the Mariners rotation for the time being.

Seattle will also pick up some bonus pool money, which St. Louis wasn’t able to utilize anyway following penalties for prior spending. The Cards will also add the 21-year-old Ascanio, a middle infielder out of Venezuela. Ascanio has played at the Class A and High-A levels this year, posting a .217/.295/.355 slash over 450 total plate appearances. That’s not a lot of offense, though he has knocked nine balls over the fence — more than he had over his four prior professional seasons combined.

St. Louis remains in the hunt for both the NL Central crown and a Wild Card spot, though the team enters play today five games out of the postseason picture. While the rotation has had its issues, Luke Weaver has emerged as a quality option since returning to the majors recently, perhaps freeing the club to deal Leake. Another young righty, Jack Flaherty, likely isn’t far behind.

Ultimately, dealing Leake may have more to do with future considerations than the club’s immediate postseason hopes. Moving some of the contract will open some payroll space for 2018 and beyond, though it also takes away one rotation option with Lance Lynn slated to hit the open market and Adam Wainwright entering the final year of his contract. The club does still control Carlos Martinez and Michael Wacha, in addition to the two talented but less-experienced arms noted above, and will hopefully welcome Alex Reyes back into the fold next year. Parting with Leake, though, could conceivably keep the door open for the return of Lynn or lead the team to acquire another rotation piece over the offseason.

Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter) first said a deal involving Leake was close, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). MLB.com’s Jen Langosch tweeted the detail on the international money.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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