Minor MLB Transactions: 7/27/16
Here are the latest minor moves from around the game, all via Baseball America’s Matt Eddy unless otherwise noted:
- The Rangers released outfielder Justin Ruggiano, per a club announcement. It had seemed at one point over the winter that Ruggiano would hold down an important role at the major league level for Texas, but the team ended up adding Ian Desmond and the veteran Ruggiano has received a grand total of four major league plate appearances on the year. He has been playing at Triple-A, where he owns a .226/.321/.427 batting line with seven home runs over 190 plate appearances. The eight-year MLB veteran could yet have an impact this year with another organization; he has enjoyed some productive runs in the majors, including a late-season spurt last year with the Dodgers.
- Outfielder Ronnier Mustelier was outrighted by the Braves. He had received his first major league call-up for Atlanta at 31 years of age, but didn’t see any action. He owns a .300/.362/.399 slash over 357 plate appearances on the season at Triple-A Gwinnett. After leaving his native Cuba, Mustelier joined the Yankees organization before the 2011 season, then played mostly in Mexico and Venezuela last year after New York cut him loose.
- The Marlins have outrighted right-hander Asher Wojciechowski after recently designating him for assignment. The 27-year-old struggled in a brief stint with the Astros last year — his only taste of major league time to date — and hasn’t really put things together since a promising 2013 campaign. Wojciochowski hasn’t been very effective this year at the Triple-A level, where he has issued too many free passes to keep runs off of the board.
- Righty Justin De Fratus signed a minor league deal with the Nationals after being released by the Rangers. Now 28, De Fratus was a source of quality innings for the Phillies not long ago. Entering the 2015 season, he had thrown 114 major league innings of 3.08 ERA pitching with 8.1 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9. Things went south from there, however, as De Fratus scuffled to a 5.51 ERA in his ensuing campaign and hasn’t seen the majors since. He had not shown well since moving from the Mariners’ to the Rangers’ top affiliate, walking more batters than he struck out over 9 1/3 innings.
Trade Market For Center Fielders
While Melvin Upton left the market before I could wrap up this post, there are still plenty of names to cover in the center field market. There’s obviously quite a lot of overlap between this and the corner outfield market, which we’ll cover separately. Many of the players listed below, like Upton, aren’t necessarily strictly identified as up-the-middle defenders — but their established ability to hold down such a role distinguishes them from their generally slower-footed brethren.
There’s cause to expect continued movement in this area of the market, even with the acquisition of Upton seemingly taking the Blue Jays out of further consideration. The Nationals haven’t received what they hoped for out of the position, and certainly could look to improve. You could argue the same for the Cardinals, though Randal Grichuk has turned it up at the plate of late. While the Indians may now feel covered with Rajai Davis and Tyler Naquin both producing, the team could still prefer to find a center-field-capable addition to increase its flexibility. And there are always teams that will prefer to add a fourth outfielder who is capable of playing center even if they have a quality regular — the Orioles, for instance, were said to be the runners up for Upton. It’s possible to imagine teams like the Giants, Dodgers, Cubs, Mets, and Astros having that sort of interest, though all could conceivably chase a bigger strike than might be expected.
Here are some center field options who could end up changing hands over the next several days (or, if not, then potentially during the revocable waiver period that will follow starting August 2nd):
Rentals
Peter Bourjos (Phillies), Alejandro De Aza (Mets), Michael Bourn (Diamondbacks), Coco Crisp (Athletics), Carlos Gomez (Astros) Jon Jay (Padres), Austin Jackson (White Sox)
- It didn’t look this way for much of the year, but Bourjos is probably the top rental player as an up-the-middle outfielder. He’s cheap and doesn’t hold any future value to the Phils, and makes perfect sense as a bench piece for a contender that can make good use of his glove and legs down the stretch. Though he has fallen back to earth at the plate, and won’t reap any major return, there’s function there.
- De Aza has never made much sense for the Mets, but could still hold a role as a bench piece who can still play a bit up the middle. Likewise, Bourn and Crisp are showing enough life — with the added benefit of being sturdy veterans — to warrant consideration (though Crisp is a bit banged up at present and remains a long-term health risk).
- Gomez has resumed his stunning decline after a brief uptick in June. It’s not clear who’d want to take a chance on him, or whether Houston would have any interest in moving him for some meager return, but it’s not out of the question that he ends up moving.
- The remaining two names in this section are not fit for action at the moment. Jay was playing himself into a nice chip before his unfortunate injury, while Jackson has the youth and defensive versatility to feature as a trade piece despite his struggles. They could both feature as August movers.
Controllable Starters
Charlie Blackmon (Rockies), Jacoby Ellsbury & Brett Gardner (Yankees), Ender Inciarte (Braves), Leonys Martin (Mariners), Billy Hamilton (Reds), Lorenzo Cain (Royals), Adam Eaton (White Sox)
- We’ve heard chatter on Blackmon, though no clear market has emerged for his services with the Nationals denying reports of interest. He’s not as good as his Coors Field-inflated stat line would suggest, but remains a highly appealing player with two years of cheap control remaining.
- Though he’s still a useful player, Ellsbury isn’t worth what he’s earning. But we haven’t heard him mentioned at all, and it isn’t clear what kind of scenario would facilitate a trade.
- You have to figure that the next four names on the list — Gardner, Inciarte, Martin, Hamilton — are available at the right price, but none seem very likely at all to be dealt. Gardner is still a useful piece to the Yankees with at-market control left on his contract. The Braves would probably rather allow Inciarte to re-build his value before striking a deal, or simply utilize him as part of a hoped-for turnaround in the years to come. And Martin is not only a nice value for the M’s, but represents a solid coup for still-new GM Jerry Dipoto — who has said he’s not interested in selling.
- As for Hamilton, it’s anybody’s guess how his career will progress from this point. He’ll only have three years of control remaining after 2016, and though he has returned to being a useful player after an ugly 2015, he still doesn’t profile as an optimal everyday solution. Perhaps some contender will fall in love with the idea of deploying his game-changing speed down the stretch and will put in a call to Cinci.
- Rumor has it that the AL Central rival Royals and White Sox are at least willing to entertain proposals for their cornerstone center fielders, but neither is likely to change hands at the deadline. K.C. is hoping to give it one more go in 2017, and dealing Cain probably won’t help that cause. And Eaton — who has actually been more valuable in right — comes with plenty of cheap control and certainly isn’t being forced out by internal options.
CF-Capable Reserve Outfielders
Desmond Jennings & Brandon Guyer (Rays), Kirk Nieuwenhuis (Brewers), Anthony Gose (Tigers), Shane Robinson (Angels), Brandon Barnes (Rockies)
- Jennings and Guyer could both hold appeal as reserve outfielder who are capable of playing in center, though neither looks to be a starting-caliber option up the middle. The former hasn’t hit much since 2014 and could be a non-tender candidate after the season, while the latter has been a nice and affordable asset but has been used sparingly up the middle.
- I realize that Nieuwenhuis is pretty much the regular guy for the Brewers, but we’re going to consider him here. He is hitting a bit below league average while playing a solid center field, though it remains to be seen whether a contending club likes him enough to make an offer that will entice Milwaukee. It shouldn’t take much, but the Brewers will value having a reasonably steady player at this stage in their rebuild and could end up tendering him a contract in his first season of arbitration eligibility.
- Things haven’t gone smoothly at all in 2016 for Gose, who had a decent showing last year — when he was somewhat over-extended in a near-everyday role — but was optioned after a rough start. The ugliness came to a head with a dispute with his Triple-A skipper, leading to a further demotion to Double-A. He’s a change-of-scenery candidate at this stage.
- Robinson is hitting right at his career average, which is around 30% below league-average production. But he carries a good glove and has a place as a depth piece.
- Barnes was just placed in DFA limbo and has struggled mightily at the plate. He’s more likely to end up joining a new organization on a minor league deal, though a waiver claim can’t be ruled out entirely.
No, Mike Trout Isn’t Available
- As should be apparent, I created this category specifically for the Angels’ Mike Trout, who is not only the best player in baseball but remains a screaming value despite his pricey extension. We’ve heard discussion of whether the Halos should consider dealing him, but absolutely no indication that the large-market club has even thought of parting with a player who is well on his way to being an inner-circle Hall-of-Famer.
Cardinals Place Trevor Rosenthal On 15-Day DL
The Cardinals announced that they have placed former closer Trevor Rosenthal on the 15-day DL with what’s being called rotator cuff inflammation. Southpaw Dean Kiekhefer will take his spot on the active roster.
[Related: Updated Cardinals Depth Chart]
It has been an incredibly trying season for Rosenthal, who was previously considered one of the more reliable late-inning arms in baseball. As Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes on Twitter, though, the organization had previously suggested there weren’t any health issues underlying his problems.
Regardless of whether this is something of a phantom DL stint or a reflection of a real issue, the down time can’t hurt Rosenthal. The 26-year-old is still racking up plenty of strikeouts with an average fastball of about 97 mph, but has coughed up 7.3 free passes per nine innings over his 33 1/3 frames on the season.
As things stand, the Cards are headed for some surprisingly tough calls on a player who had entered the year with a lifetime 2.66 ERA. Keeping him on the active roster in the midst of such struggles seemed a difficult ask for an organization that is trying to compete for a playoff spot, though there has to be at least some hope of getting him straightened out to contribute down the stretch. But even beyond that, there will ultimately be a point at which the club has to decide whether to tender Rosenthal a contract for 2017. He’ll be due a not-insignificant raise an his already-stout $5.6MM salary, and that’s no sure thing at this point in time.
At this point, the DL placement doesn’t have much of an impact on the team’s deadline plans beyond the fact that it clears an opening for an eventual roster move. St. Louis has long been seeking late-inning relief help, and that remains the case with August 1st fast approaching.
Madison Bumgarner Hires Legacy Agency
Star Giants southpaw Madison Bumgarner has changed agents, moving to the Legacy Agency, according to ESPN.com’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). This represents his second change of counsel in recent months.
Bumgarner, who is still a few days shy of his 27th birthday, is in the midst of what might well end up being his best season in the majors — which would be no mean feat given all he has accomplished already. On the year, he owns a 2.14 ERA in a league-leading 142 2/3 innings, with 10.2 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9. That puts the southpaw on pace for a fourth-straight year with a sub-3.00 earned run average and a sixth-straight with over 200 frames.
With age on his side and a still-rising strikeout rate, it isn’t clear whether Bumgarner has even peaked yet. And with his near-flawless record of health factored in, he’s unquestionably one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. When you factor in a contract that keeps him under control through 2019 — the latter two years via $12MM options — Bumgarner looks to be one of the most valuable assets of any kind in the whole sport.
Though he isn’t going anywhere and there isn’t any pressure to talk over a new deal, it is fair to wonder at what point team and player might return to the bargaining table. Second extension aren’t at all uncommon, of course, as players who signed on as early as Bumgarner did will sometimes outperform their future guarantee by quite a fair margin.
In this case, there isn’t any question whatsoever that Bumgarner would be a $200MM+ pitcher in free agency — which he would have been after this year — but he’s still a long ways from reaching the open market. If the Giants wish to keep him around for the long haul, we’re probably at the start of an opportune window — extending for another year or two — for the club to seek another discount while still bumping his overall earnings into the nine-figure range.
That’s all idle chatter, of course, as we’ve heard no suggestion that the Giants or Bumgarner are looking into another contract. But it’s certainly worthwhile to consider the possibility as he continues to build a case as one of the organization’s greatest players.
The Legacy Agency represents a wide variety of notable players, including young position player stars such as Mookie Betts and Carlos Correa and youthful hurlers including Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez. The agency has also handled free agent negotiations for pitchers including Johan Santana and Scott Kazmir.
Poll: The Yankees’ Decision To Trade Aroldis Chapman
I’ll go ahead and assume that everyone has largely caught up on yesterday’s big news, which involved a blockbuster deal to send relief ace Aroldis Chapman from the Yankees to the Cubs. It’s all the more notable since New York isn’t entirely out of the post-season picture, and because the move signals Chicago’s intentions to push the pedal to the floor in pursuit of an elusive World Series title.
Ultimately, Yankees GM Brian Cashman says that making the move was “an easy decision” — despite the fact that it unquestionably hurts the team’s immediate chances. The reason? Parting with a short-term asset, even one as good as Chapman, was a no-brainer for the veteran executive when it meant adding a blue-chip infield prospect in Gleyber Torres, a useful MLB hurler in righty Adam Warren, and two more assets with real potential in the form of minor league outfielders Billy McKinney and Rashad Crawford.
The veteran exec also suggests that New York can still try to qualify for the playoffs. While that’s true, it doesn’t change the fact that the chances of reaching and succeeding in the post-season are now clearly diminished. There’s no real question that Cashman (and, more importantly, ownership) weren’t convinced that this team was a full-throated contender, and that must have weighed heavily in the balance.
But did the Yankees’ brass perform an accurate assessment? Should the club have traded Chapman, and was the return sufficient? Tell us what you think:
How Did The Yankees Do In The Aroldis Chapman Trade?
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Good decision to make this trade 91% (26,107)
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Shouldn't have traded Chapman for this package 6% (1,583)
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Shouldn't have traded Chapman at all 3% (987)
Total votes: 28,677
Blue Jays Acquire Melvin Upton
The Blue Jays have officially struck a deal to acquire outfielder Melvin Upton from the Padres. Young righty Hansel Rodriguez constitutes the return to San Diego, which will pay all but $5MM of the approximately $22MM owed to Upton this year and next, Heyman tweets.
The swap is likely to be finalized today, says Rosenthal, who had reported last night that Toronto was in the lead to add Upton. Among the other teams said to have had real interest were the Orioles and Indians, each of whom will need to look elsewhere to bolster their outfield reserves.
Upton brings a versatile, right-handed-hitting bat to the Jays’ alignment. He is only checking in with a league-average batting line on the year — with a .256/.304/.439 slash that reflects the fact that he has struck out in nearly one-third of his plate appearances — but has had a bigger impact than that. Upton has also swatted 16 home runs and swiped twenty bags, both of which are more reminiscent of his top-level output in those departments from his days with the Rays.
With a quality glove that is plenty capable of handling center field, Upton figures to be a frequently-used semi-regular for Toronto. The team hasn’t received much with the bat from center fielder Kevin Pillar this year, though he is a top-flight defender. Left fielder Michael Saunders has been a revelation, but despite his quality numbers this season against lefties could probably stand to take a rest from time to time when a southpaw is on the hill. And star slugger Jose Bautista is likely to have the most impact — both down the stretch and, the team hopes, in the playoffs — if he isn’t used too heavily in right field. Upton will likely see action in all three spots, relegating Ezequiel Carrera to a fifth-outfielder role (if he is able to hold onto his roster spot).
Upton is playing in the second-to-final season of the big contract he inked with the Braves before the 2013 campaign, which was shipped to San Diego two years later. He has $5.63MM left on his salary for the present season, with $16.45MM still to come for 2017. Given that San Diego will be picking up most of the tab, it seems reasonable to think both that the market demand for Upton wasn’t all that great and that the Padres put a reasonably substantial value on the rights to Rodriguez.
[Related: Updated Blue Jays and Padres Depth Charts]
With larger-salaried players including Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and R.A. Dickey set to hit the open market after the year, Toronto may well have somewhat greater payroll flexibility for 2017 than it does at present. It also now has one more piece of its outfield puzzle in place for the coming season, with not only Bautista but also Saunders soon able to go to the highest bidder (even if they do so with a qualifying offer hanging over them).
For the fourth-place Padres, the deal continues a broader sell-off as the organization’s attention shifts to acquiring young assets. Certainly, the fact that Upton was able to restore his stock constitutes a big win for San Diego, as his contract was significantly under water when he was included as part of the financial machinations in the pre-2015 Craig Kimbrel swap. Beyond the prospect value coming directly from this deal, San Diego GM A.J. Preller ought to be able to redirect the cost savings on Upton’s deal to buy-low veterans who could themselves turn into trade chips.
Rodriguez, 19, adds another potential future hurler to the system. He signed out of the Dominican Republic for a $330K bonus in February of 2014, as Ben Badler of Baseball America reported at the time, and has continued to show an intriguing arm since that time, as BA’s Josh Norris has noted. Currently, Rodriguez is pitching in the Rookie-level Appalachian League, where he owns a 3.62 ERA in 32 1/3 innings over six starts, with 7.2 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9. He has risen to 18th on MLB.com’s most recent ranking of the Jays’ system, with the prospect evaluators noting that he has a very live arm but still needs a lot of polish to his mechanics and secondary offerings.
Even better, clearing Upton from the roster allows the Friars to allocate playing time to some top prospects who seem prepared for a shot at the big leagues. Hunter Renfroe is presently laying waste to Triple-A pitching at 24 years of age, so he’d certainly qualify. And the younger Manuel Margot has his own case for a promotion; he’s hitting well in his first go at the highest level of the minors and could represent a near-future option in center.
Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports first reported that Upton had been traded to Toronto (via Twitter); Jon Heyman of Fan Rag reported the return and financial details (Twitter links). Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca first reported in a tweet that a significant portion of Upton’s salary would remain with the Padres.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Jerry Dipoto Discusses Mariners’ Deadline Approach
Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto says that he’s not interested in acting as a seller at the deadline, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News-Tribune reports. Though the GM intends to “look into everything, that doesn’t mean he’ll consider parting with any major pieces from the major league roster.
“We’re not going to rip this thing down,” said Dipoto in a statement that would seem to take some of the more drastic possibilities off of the table. We haven’t heard any real chatter involving Seattle’s biggest names, but teams have at least asked about young pitchers James Paxton and Taijuan Walker. Certainly, parting with either of those potentially foundational arms would go beyond the organization’s apparent appetite for change.
That being said, Dipoto didn’t rule out some limited sales. He explained further:
“I’m not a big believer in moving the short-term player just because he’s a short-term player, but if there’s a way for us to get better — whether its in the present or the near future — we’ll do it. You’re not going to see us making trades for rookie-ball players and starting a full-scale rebuild. We are in a position to be very competitive. We feel like if we have one nice hot streak at the right time, we could be there.”
There are certainly some assets who could fit the bill for a change of scenery, with the M’s perhaps having a chance to recoup some value while parting with a piece that wasn’t of critical importance to the present season. Struggling veterans Adam Lind and Joaquin Benoit are examples cited by Dutton; both are pending free agents who are in the process of being replaced by younger options (Dan Vogelbach and Edwin Diaz, respectively).
Lefty Wade Miley comes with further control, but the Mariners may be ready to move on from some of his contract. One rival evaluator tells Dutton that he could imagine a late market coming together on the southpaw. If Seattle goes a step further, it could consider parting with players such as Seth Smith and Steve Cishek, but both are solid contributors who can be kept for another year.
Truth be told, with the organization still well within striking distance of both the AL West and the Wild Card race, there’s not much cause to break up the core, or even the non-core regulars assembled around it. As Dutton notes, there’s a real opportunity with the schedule set to ease up and some injured players filtering back from the DL. With a still-new front office and ownership group in command, there’s plenty of reason not to pack it in on the 2016 season at this juncture.
If anything, Dutton hints, the Mariners could consider looking to add if they’re able to tighten things up yet further over the next few days. There’s an argument to add arms, but the prospective returns of Walker to the rotation and Nick Vincent to the pen may obviate that need. Shortstop looks to be one area of concern, with Ketel Marte struggling even before being diagnosed with mononucleosis.
AL Deadline Notes: Aroldis, Miller, Red Sox, Buchholz, Royals, Davis
Dealing away closer Aroldis Chapman was “an easy call” and “the right call,” GM Brian Cashman told reporters including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. The club was able to “trade from an area of strength” and receive quality assets for a short-term piece, he emphasized, saying that “the total package was something that we targeted and strived to get.” The Yankees did explore extension possibilities with Chapman’s camp in early June, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Obviously that did not gain much traction, but the club could still look to bring back the high-powered reliever when he hits the open market this fall, as Cashman acknowledged in his comments. Interestingly, the veteran executive also stressed that parting with its closer didn’t mean that the club was fully abandoning hopes of contention this year, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. With the club still sitting in reasonable position, that could lead to an interesting couple of days in the run-up to August 1st.
Here’s more out of New York and the rest of the American League:
- It remains unclear whether the Yankees will really entertain the idea of trading Andrew Miller now that Chapman is gone, but ESPN.com’s Buster Olney argues (Insider link) that the Indians should force the issue. Cleveland, he suggests, needs to take advantage of its opportunity. While it would be painful to give up its best pre-MLB talent, the club might hope to deal away Miller’s remaining two years of contract control over the winter, hopefully recouping a decent portion of the value it would take to get him right now.
- Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski suggested today that the action is heating up, but that his team isn’t close to striking any major new deals, as Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports (Twitter links.) Boston’s chief baseball decisionmaker said that he has fielded five new trade proposals today alone, with other organizations seemingly looking to make off with some of the team’s prime prospect assets. But while ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark cited rivals as suggesting that the Sox were aiming to do “something big,” via Twitter, Dombrowski said that the team doesn’t feel pressure to pull off another move.
- One area that the Red Sox have some obvious room for improvement is the bullpen, particularly with Koji Uehara looking like a major question mark down the stretch and Craig Kimbrel still working his way back. But with Kimbrel seemingly progressing well, Dombrowski suggested that the organization doesn’t feel compelled to add relief help, as Abraham further tweets.
- Meanwhile, though Red Sox righty Clay Buchholz isn’t filling much of a present role, Dombrowski says that he’s still an important part of the team’s rotation depth, as Jen McCaffrey of MassLive.com reports. With Dombrowski also saying he is impressed with the way Buchholz is throwing the ball, it doesn’t seem as if there’s any momentum towards a deal involving the veteran.
- Royals GM Dayton Moore discussed his team’s uncertain deadline stance, as Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star reports. While acknowledging K.C.’s tough spot, and the need to listen to offers, Moore suggested that it’s still possible that the club won’t act as a seller. “We’ll evaluate what a team is potentially offering,” Moore said. “We’re not going to just dismember our team because players are free agents.”
- Of course, the Royals‘ best players aren’t set to hit the open market for at least another season after this one, and that seems to have a major role in the team’s approach. As Dodd further tweets, Moore emphasized that the club would keep the 2017 season firmly in mind in any deadline dealing. It’s no surprise, then, that Kansas City suggested to one Wade Davis suitor that the package which landed Chapman wouldn’t have sufficed for the Royals’ closer, as Stark tweets. He comes with an additional season of control, raising both his market value and his function for his current team.
Blue Jays Considered “Front-Runners” For Melvin Upton
11:04pm: It seems that the O’s are next in line behind the Jays in the current pecking order, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter), with the Friars expected to make a final decision tomorrow.
8:57pm: The Blue Jays are considered the “front-runners” to acquire outfielder Melvin Upton from the Padres, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. The 31-year-old has been a healthy scratch in each of the last two days as the team looks to secure a trade, though skipper Andy Green noted earlier today that “nothing’s done yet,” as Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune was among those to tweet.
Both the Orioles and Indians remain in pursuit of Upton, according to Rosenthal, so indeed it seems that a deal isn’t quite complete. Prior reports had suggested that Baltimore was the likeliest landing spot, though, so it would appear that there has been some recent movement in the market as San Diego tries to find the best possible return for the resurgent veteran.
Toronto has been said to be seeking another outfielder to slot into the mix. As the Jays’ depth chart shows, the team currently features two left-handed-hitting options in Michael Saunders and Ezequiel Carrera, along with righties in center fielder Kevin Pillar and right fielder Jose Bautista. The versatile Upton, who has spent plenty of time in left this year and up the middle in the past, would make a solid fit with the rest of the unit. He offers value on the field and on the bases to go with a bat that has been above-average since the start of 2015, though his ongoing strikeout proclivity remains a concern.
While Saunders is in the midst of a breakout campaign and has hit southpaws with aplomb in 2016, he does carry typical (but not drastic) platoon splits over his career. Pillar has not been as dynamic at the plate as might have been hoped this season, as he carries a .260/.290/.382 batting line. And the superstar Bautista is only just returning from a toe injury, with that malady only adding to the pre-existing reasons (advancing age and declining defensive metrics) to limit his exposure in the outfield.
It is not clear exactly how a deal might be structured between San Diego and Toronto. Upton is earning $15.45MM this year, with $16.45MM promised to him for 2016. Rumors of a potential swap with the O’s centered around an exchange of similarly-expensive contracts — righty Ubaldo Jimenez would apparently head out west in that scenario — with Baltimore giving added value in a prospect package.
There doesn’t appear to be a player on Toronto’s books that is analogous to Jimenez, though just-designated reliever Drew Storen — who’s owed $8.375MM this year — could represent an offset, and the Pads could simply hold onto whatever salary is needed to facilitate both teams’ interests. While the Jays opened the year right near their team-record payroll, they might also conceivably take on more of Upton’s salary to reduce the minor league assets needed to make a deal. That could be easier to do for the 2016 portion of the obligations, as the substantial salaries of Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, and R.A. Dickey will all leave the balance sheet after the present season.
As with the Orioles, the Blue Jays have also been said to have engaged the Padres on starter Andrew Cashner. It certainly still seems plausible that he and Upton could be packaged, or that they could be moved in separate deals. Regardless of how things turn out, the righty’s own availability would seem likely to factor into these teams’ decisionmaking process regarding Upton.
Rotation Rumors: Sale, Urias, Marlins, Nova, Miley, Shelby
The Dodgers would be willing to include top prospect Julio Urias in a trade for White Sox ace Chris Sale, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. That’s a major concession, as Urias is arguably the very best pitching prospect in baseball. Los Angeles has declined to make him available in the past, and now that he has reached the majors, he would certainly represent a legitimate centerpiece in a deal for the even-more-valuable Sale. Depth isn’t a major concern for Los Angeles, Sherman explains; instead, they are trying to see if they can strike a deal for a major talent like Sale, teammate Jose Quintana, or Chris Archer of the Rays.
- Rival executives say that the Marlins have been extremely aggressive in trying to add a starter, says Sherman, but they also don’t see anything intriguing in the club’s farm system. Trading from the big league roster would obviously be difficult to do for Miami, but Sherman offers the intriguing (but, as he says, totally speculative) idea that the club could dangle injured reliever Carter Capps.
- The Marlins have shown some interest in Yankees righties Michael Pineda and Ivan Nova, among many other names with whom they have been connected, also per Sherman. And that would seem to align with New York’s own approach, as the club is moving its focus to finding a taker for Nova, according to a report from Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. The Yanks are dangling him at a relatively high asking price, per the report — at least for the time being.
- Mariners lefty Wade Miley is another pitcher the Marlins are at least considering, per Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Miley is controllable through 2018, but his results have been so poor this year that he shouldn’t command a significant price. Given that the Fish have previously had interest in the southpaw, per Spencer, perhaps they could look to buy low and get a sturdy arm without giving up what little young talent they have on offer.
- Amidst reports that the Diamondbacks have made struggling righty Shelby Miller available in trades, GM Dave Stewart tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports (Twitter link) that he won’t be given away for nothing. “We have been asked about Miller,” he said. “Teams think we’ve given up on him, we haven’t.” It remains to be seen what kind of interest Arizona will field in Miller, but there’s no particular reason for him to be moved at the trade deadline. His value, after all, lies in the hope that he can return to being the solid starter he once was, rather than in his potential contributions for the rest of the 2016 season.