Dodgers To Sign Brandon Morrow
8:23pm: Morrow will earn at a $1.25MM annual rate for any time spent in the majors, per Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
8:12pm: The Dodgers have agreed to a minor-league deal with righty Brandon Morrow, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). He is expected to be given a shot at earning a roster spot as a reliever, per the report.
Morrow, 32, had long served as a starter, but made the full-time transition to the pen last year after years of health problems. He didn’t make it up to the majors until late in the season, but provided the Padres with 16 innings of 1.69 ERA ball while posting 4.5 K/9 against 1.7 BB/9. Though the short-sample K rate isn’t exciting, Morrow posted a solid 10.3% swinging-strike rate and showed an average fastball of over 94 mph.
While there’s plenty of risk in relying too heavily on the righty, given his shoulder woes, it’s just a minor-league deal. And Los Angeles has clearly charted a strategy of taking chances on pitchers with questionable medicals of late, trusting the team’s depth pieces and ability to make mid-season moves to cover for any gaps that arise.
Outrighted: Anthony Gose, Zach Neal, Jabari Blash
Here are the day’s minor moves:
- The Tigers announced that center fielder Anthony Gose has been outrighted after clearing waivers, per a team announcement. He won’t have an opportunity to reject the assignment, as it’s his first time being outrighted and he hasn’t yet reached three years of major league service. Still just 26, Gose lost his role on the Tigers last year and struggled upon his demotion to the upper minors (in addition to being suspended after a dugout spat with then-Triple-A skipper Lloyd McClendon). He could yet play a role in Detroit’s outfield mix, but will surely need to earn his way back. In 1,252 plate appearances over parts of five seasons in the majors, Gose owns a .240/.309/.348 batting line with 57 steals.
- Also outrighted following a DFA was Athletics righty Zach Neal. The 28-year-old appeared in the majors for the first time in 2016, posting a 4.24 ERA over 70 innings. Reflecting his long history as a low-strikeout, low-walk hurler, Neal retired just 27 opposing batters via strikes but also put only six on base via the free pass. Having cleared waivers, and lacking the ability to reject an assignment, he’ll provide the A’s with some upper-level pitching depth in 2017.
- The same fate awaits outfielder Jabari Blash, who’ll stay with the Padres after clearing outright waivers. The 27-year-old didn’t produce at the MLB level and faced a tough path to playing time with numerous others deserving of opportunities in San Diego. But he has been awfully impressive at Triple-A over the last few years, posting a cumulative .246/.364/.550 slash with 45 long balls over 646 total plate appearances.
Phillies Sign Ryan Hanigan
The Phillies have signed catcher Ryan Hanigan to a minor-league deal, per a club announcement. Included in the deal is an invitation to MLB camp this spring. He can earn $1.25MM if he makes the major league roster, with $375K in available incentives, per SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (via Twitter). He’ll also receive a March 28th opt-out date, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets.
Hanigan hit the open market when the Red Sox declined a $3.75MM club option after the 2016 campaign. Long valued for his high-contact approach at the plate and solid defensive skills, Hanigan deteriorated in both regards in 2016 while battling injuries.
Now 36, Hanigan posted an anemic .171/.230/.238 batting line over his 113 plate appearances last year. Though he typically draws free passes as much or more than he strikes out, Hanigan uncharacteristically took just seven walks while going down on strikes 27 times. And in the field, Baseball Prospectus and StatCorner both panned his pitch framing.
[RELATED: Updated Phillies Depth Chart]
Still, it’s an easy gamble for the Phils to take. The organization is expected to utilize Cameron Rupp as the starter after his strong 2016 effort, and has several young receivers in the upper levels of the minors. Rather than rush them along, though, it can compete the reserve job between Hanigan and fellow minor-league signee Bryan Holaday.
Minor MLB Transactions: 1/24/17
Here are the day’s notable minor moves, all courtesy of Baseball America’s Matt Eddy unless otherwise noted:
- The Angels announced today that right-hander Blake Parker has cleared waivers and been outrighted off the team’s 40-man roster. Parker had been designated for assignment on Jan. 19 when the Halos claimed Juan Graterol off waivers. (Graterol has since already been lost on waivers to the Blue Jays.) Like Graterol, Parker has bounced around the league quite a bit this winter, moving from the Yankees, to the Angels, to the Brewers and back to the Angels. After losing his 40-man spot on four different occasions, Parker has cleared waivers. He’ll have the option to elect free agency but would also presumably be invited to big league camp with the Angels this spring. Last season, Parker tossed 17 1/3 innings with the Mariners and Yankees, logging a 4.67 ERA with a 15-to-9 K/BB ratio. The former Cubs righty has spent parts of four seasons in the Majors and owns a 3.87 ERA in 90 2/3 innings.
- The Orioles announced a list of non-roster invitations today, and while they’ve mostly been previously reported and noted here on MLBTR, their minor league pact with infielder/outfielder Alex Castellanos was a new announcement. Castellanos, 30, saw brief bits of action with the Dodgers in 2012-13 but hasn’t appeared in the Major since. While he’s struggled to a .171/.186/.390 batting line in his 43 big league PAs, Castellanos owns a career .292/.373/.517 line in parts of five Triple-A seasons. He has more than 2700 pro innings in right field plus another 1661 innings as a third baseman. He’s also logged 900+ innings at second base, 500+ innings in center and left as well as 155 innings at first base.
Earlier Updates
- Former big league righty Barry Enright is heading back to a MLB organization, taking a minors deal with the Padres, as Chris Jackson of MiLB.com reported on Twitter. Enright had been pitching for the Mexican League’s Tijuana Toros (and also spent time with the Hermosillo organization in 2015). He joined MLBTR’s podcast at the outset of that stint, and went on to turn in two productive seasons as a starter in Mexico. In 2016, Enright pitched to a 3.19 ERA with 5.2 K/9 and 1.1 BB/9 over 127 frames. Also signing on with San Diego, per Jackson, is outfielder Nick Buss. The 30-year-old appeared in 36 MLB games last year for the Angels, but hit just .198/.247/.346. He did have a productive year at Triple-A, however, slashing .290/.345/.462 in his 372 plate appearances.
- Right-hander Yohan Pino, who pitched most recently in Korea, will join the Twins on a minors deal. Pino, 33, didn’t perform well for the KT Wiz, coughing up 31 earned runs on 62 hits over his 39 innings. He has had greater success stateside, however. Pino spent time in the majors in 2014 and 2015 with the Twins and Royals, posting a 4.63 ERA with 7.1 K/9 and 1.9 BB/9 in his 79 2/3 innings.
- The Diamondbacks have agreed to re-sign third baseman Carlos Rivero to a minor-league deal. Rivero, 28, spent all of 2016 at Arizona’s top affiliate, hitting .277/.316/.484 with 19 home runs over 446 plate appearances. Rivero represents a depth option at the hot corner. He has appeared in just four MLB games in his career; those came in 2014 with the Red Sox.
- Joining the Braves on a minors pact is outfielder Xavier Avery. The 27-year-old played with the Orioles’ Triple-A affiliate in 2016, slashing .248/.332/.363 over 347 plate appearances. He briefly cracked the majors back in 2012 with Baltimore, but hasn’t made his way back since.
Angels Sign Luis Valbuena
The Angels bolstered their infield depth and added a left-handed bat to the lineup on Tuesday, announcing a two-year deal with free-agent Luis Valbuena. The Elite Sports Group client will reportedly be guaranteed $15MM under the pact, which comes with a mutual option for the 2019 season.
Valbuena will be paid $6.5MM in 2017, $8MM in 2018 and has a $500K buyout on the $8.5MM option for the 2019 season. The option can increase in value up to $10MM based upon Valbuena’s plate appearances in the next two years. If Valbuena is traded, he’ll pick up a one-time, $500K bonus.
Valbuena, 31, will join an infield and DH grouping that now features multiple options. Los Angeles had previously dealt for second baseman Danny Espinosa, who’ll join Andrelton Simmons in the middle-infield mix, and already employs Yunel Escobar at third. Cliff Pennington remains available as a utility option. Meanwhile, Albert Pujols and C.J. Cron had figured to handle first base and DH, though the former will be working back from foot surgery to start the year.
While it’s a bit of an odd match at first glance, it’s easier to see the rationale upon taking a closer look. All of the players just listed hit from the right side, with the exception of Espinosa and Pennington, both of whom are switch-hitters. Though Pennington has performed better against right-handed pitching historically, the opposite is true of Espinosa.
Even if Pennington offers one option to slot in the lineup against tough righties, he’s a light-hitting, part-time player. Certainly, Valbuena might be expected to do quite a bit more damage. It’s particularly interesting to note the situation with Pujols, who may not be available by Opening Day and could be a greater concern given his age and prior history of foot difficulties. At the very least, this signing represents an insurance policy there.
Plus, while Valbuena has spent most of his time at third, he’s also capable of playing second base, having logged 209 games there over his nine seasons in the majors. It’s worth bearing in mind, too, that both Espinosa and Escobar are slated to hit free agency after the 2017 season, so Valbuena will not only deepen the roster in 2017 but will also provide a ready replacement — presumably, at the hot corner. It’s also possible that the club could deal Cron, as Jon Heyman of Fan Rag notes on Twitter, though it’s far from clear just how much demand there would be for his services.
[RELATED: Updated Angels Depth Chart]
Los Angeles will undoubtedly be adding a talented hitter in Valbuena, who posted an excellent .260/.357/.459 batting line in his first 342 plate appearances of 2016 before going down to a season-ending hamstring injury. That was his third-straight season of above-average offensive production. There are some limitations, too. Valbuena has also fared much better when hitting with the platoon advantage. And though he used to grade quite well with the glove at the hot corner, he has slipped to average or slightly below-average metrics in recent years.
Despite his solid platform, the injury no doubt harmed Valbuena’s earning power. Of greater importance, perhaps, was the lack of clear demand around the league. Teams such as the Giants and Braves could have pursued upgrades, but neither has to this point. That same general market situation has kept Todd Frazier with the White Sox, despite the fact that he’s an obvious trade candidate as he enters his final year of control on a rebuilding team. Plus, the abundant stock of less defensively flexible sluggers has likely reduced the demand for Valbuena purely for his bat.
Taking the opportunity to add Valbuena does make sense for the Halos, as explained above. But the team still seems to have some needs that remain unaddressed. The catching situation is far from optimal, the bullpen could stand to add an arm or two, and the rotation depth could certainly stand to be bolstered. Certainly, there’s still time left for more moves, though springing for Valbuena will take some of the available resources, particularly assuming that the organization continues to fly beneath the luxury tax threshold.
Venezuelan journalist Efrain Zavarce first reported the agreement (via Twitter). Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweeted that it was a two-year deal with an option and later reported the terms of the deal in a full column; he went on to add the detail regarding the mutual option escalator on Twitter, while Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweeted the trade bonus.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Marlins Acquire Severino Gonzalez
The Marlins have acquired righty Severino Gonzalez from the Phillies, per a team announcement. Philadelphia will receive a player to be named later or cash considerations in the deal.
Gonzalez had been designated for assignment recently to clear roster space for the signing of Michael Saunders. Now, he’ll head to the Phils’ N.L. East rivals in Miami, who have already accumulated quite a few other pitchers over the winter. Gonzalez is still optionable, which increases his appeal.
The 24-year-old Gonzalez has shown intriguing K/BB numbers in his 66 MLB frames (8.5 K/9 against 1.9 BB/9), but he owns an ugly 6.68 ERA. He has always shown excellent control in the minors, and did boast 35 strikeouts and a 3.13 ERA over his 36 innings last year at Triple-A after shifting to a full-time relief role.
Giants Designate Ehire Adrianza
The Giants have designated infielder Ehire Adrianza for assignment, the team announced (h/t Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area, via Twitter). His roster spot will go to just-signed catcher Nick Hundley.
With San Francisco also reaching agreement recently with another infield option, Jae-gyun Hwang, there was a less pressing need for the 27-year-old Adrianza. Of course, it’s certainly possible that he’ll be retained if he clears waivers. He had agreed to a $600K deal to avoid arbitration after qualifying as a Super Two, though the deal came with a split affording him half as much for time spent in the minors.
Adrianza has played an occasional utility role in each of the last four years. He has accumulated 331 total plate appearances, with a .220/.292/.313 batting line to go with three home runs and four steals. The switch hitter has spent most of his MLB time in the middle infield, functioning as a reserve behind stalwarts Brandon Crawford and Joe Panik.
Giants Sign Nick Hundley
The Giants have officially struck a one-year deal with catcher Nick Hundley, as Andrew Baggarly of the Bay Area News Group first reported (via Twitter). The contract is believed to include a $2MM guarantee. per Baggarly.
Hundley, 33, certainly seems destined to function as the backup to star catcher Buster Posey. San Francisco would otherwise have likely held a spring competition for that role, with incumbent Trevor Brown joined by minor-league signees Tim Federowicz and Josmil Pinto in the mix. Instead, the organization will take a rather well-stocked group of receivers into the spring’s activities.
[Related: Updated Giants Depth Chart]
The veteran Hundley has at times shown an approximately league-average bat, but he wasn’t quite to that standard last year by measure of park-adjusted metrics like OPS+ (88) and wRC+ (82). Over the past two seasons, which he spent with the Rockies, he slashed a combined .282/.330/.455 while adding 18 home runs over 615 plate appearances. Though Coors Field obviously inflated those figures, Hundley certainly produced at a solid rate for his position.
Teams weighing a bigger commitment to Hundley were, perhaps, less enthused of his defense. Accurately valuing the tools of ignorance remains a difficult task — particularly in areas such as game preparation, pitcher motivation, and pitch-calling — but he hasn’t rated well in the more measurable areas. Hundley threw out just nine of the 66 baserunners who attempted to steal against him last year (14 percent) and drew poor reviews for his framing (see Baseball Prospectus; Stat Corner), though BP also has typically credited him as doing a solid job of handling balls in the dirt. It’s worth noting that he did prevent out 34 percent of stolen-base attempts against him in an all-around superior 2015 season and does have a solid 27 percent mark in for his career in that regard.
All told, the signing seems to work out well for San Francisco, which can rely on the established veteran at a fairly meager commitment. Brown, meanwhile, can continue to work on his hitting in the upper minors, with the bat-first Pinto perhaps seeking to refine his work behind the dish and Federowicz providing additional depth.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Relief Market Notes: Holland, Dodgers, Salas, Maness, Breslow
There are at least three teams still pursuing veteran reliever Greg Holland, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). He lists the Nationals and Rockies as the two known entities, with a third mystery entrant also involved. With Spring Training just about three weeks off, Holland’s market seems to be “heating up,” Heyman says, though it’s still not clear what kind of timeline to expect.
At the moment, of course, Holland is occupied with more important matters, as he is among the players attending the funeral of stricken former teammate Yordano Ventura. Certainly, our thoughts are with Ventura’s family and friends as they lay him to rest today. Those interested in finding coverage from the perspective of the Royals’ contingent may wish to follow the reporting of Kansas City Star columnist Vahe Gregorian.
Here are some more notes relating to the relief market:
- Having addressed their need at second base, the Dodgers will now focus on adding another arm to their bullpen mix, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (via Twitter). Joe Blanton could still return, per the report, while southpaw Jerry Blevins is also a target. But the club is looking to make only a one-year investment, Rosenthal notes, and could pivot to another arm if the value is there. Whether or not the team could still chase Holland isn’t clear at this moment.
- Righty Fernando Salas, meanwhile, remains one of the better available relievers. He’s still drawing interest from six unnamed teams, sources tell Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer-Press (Twitter link). While Salas has struggled a bit with limiting the long ball and hasn’t posted terribly exciting earned run averages over the past two years, he has run up some compelling K/BB numbers at times. Plus, Salas finished the 2016 season with a flourish, permitting just four earned runs on 11 hits over 17 1/3 frames while racking up 19 strikeouts without issuing a single walk.
- Another right-handed reliever, Seth Maness, is set for a showcase on February 6th, according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (via Twitter). The 28-year-old is looking to prove to organizations that he’s ready for camp after undergoing a new “primary repair” procedure — which Goold detailed here — in lieu of Tommy John surgery. Having already demonstrated a big groundball rate (59.4% for his career) and outstanding control (1.7 BB/9), there’ll be no shortage of interest if Maness looks anything like his usual self.
- About half of the teams in the league came to watch lefty Craig Breslow throw recently, per Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com (via Twitter). The veteran is attempting to follow the Rich Hill model for a late-career renaissance, with buttressed strength work and a new arm angle. Breslow’s new motion can be seen in this video, provided by Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (courtesy of Twins scout Bill Mele, who was on hand). The 36-year-old has pitched in 11 major league seasons for seven different clubs, most recently appearing in 15 games for the Marlins in 2016.
Rangers Only Interested In Mike Napoli On One-Year Deal
It once seemed like the Rangers were moving swiftly toward a deal with free agent first baseman Mike Napoli, but nothing has come together as of yet. That may be because Texas is only interested in guaranteeing the veteran a single season, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports (Insider link).
It’s not terribly surprising, perhaps, to learn of that stance. With so many other power bats still remaining — even with Mark Trumbo and Jose Bautista now off the market — there’s good reason for teams to look to minimize their commitments in adding defensively limited hitters.
Indeed, we’ve heard before that the Rangers were hoping to see whether Napoli or Chris Carter would settle for a deal to the team’s liking. It seems that may be more than just a temporary bargaining position, though, as Olney suggests that Texas just isn’t interested in Napoli if it means promising him two years’ worth of salaries.
There are certainly some warts on Napoli’s free-agent case, too. He did hit 34 home runs and post a productive .239/.335/.465 batting line last year, but he also struggled badly down the stretch and in the postseason. Likewise, defensive metrics turned on him after previously showing favor toward his glovework at first base. Given that he’s already 35 years of age, Napoli comes with some obvious risks on a multi-year pact.
Still, Napoli is arguably the best-remaining slugger of the bunch. Only Carter compares in terms of right-handed hitters, with Mark Reynolds perhaps representing a bounceback option after an underwhelming 2016 season. But there are still a variety of strong lefty hitters out there, including Brandon Moss, Pedro Alvarez, Adam Lind, and Logan Morrison; any could also draw consideration from teams that don’t have a strong preference for handedness.