Latest On Tigers, Max Scherzer
7:03pm: Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told reporters (including MLive.com’s Chris Iott) denied Olney’s report, saying “I don’t know where he got that. That’s not accurate….I can 100 percent guarantee you that our situation has not changed whatsoever.” The Tigers haven’t had any new talks with Scherzer or gotten involved with any major free agents, Dombrowski said.
1:39pm: The Tigers are focused on retaining starter Max Scherzer, ESPN.com’s Buster Olney reports on Twitter. Detroit is “prepared to spend big” to do so, Olney adds.
There had been some speculation that Detroit would not be willing or able to bring both Scherzer and David Price into 2015, but Olney shoots down that notion as well. He says the club intends to keep the recently-added Price for next year.
The report is unsurprising on some levels: the Tigers are, of course, a big-spending, win-now team that has agreed to massive deals with its own players. And it could still use the added rotation arm even after dealing for Shane Greene.
On the other, it is hard to imagine what the Detroit balance sheet will look like if a Scherzer deal is added to it. The club’s enormous commitments to Miguel Cabrera and Justin Verlander both pose significant long-term risk. After bringing back Victor Martinez for four years and $68MM, the Tigers are within shouting distance of the Dodgers in terms of total future payroll commitments, and would likely overtake Los Angeles by adding Scherzer.
Cubs To Shop Welington Castillo
6:53pm: The Cubs received a few inquiries about Castillo after the Montero trade but the club isn’t actively shopping him, Theo Epstein told reporters (including Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune).
3:39pm: After adding Miguel Montero via trade, the Cubs will shop incumbent starter Welington Castillo, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports on Twitter. Chicago had already participated in exploratory talks earlier in the offseason when the team was pursuing Russell Martin.
Castillo, 27, comes with three years of control. MLBTR and contributor Matt Swartz project him to earn $2.1MM this year, a modest sum for a starting-caliber backstop.
The right-handed-hitting catcher posted two straight above-average years of offensive production before stepping back slightly in 2014. He slashed .237/.296/.389 last year, with a career-best 13 home runs in 417 plate appearances. StatCorner was down on his pitch framing work, though Baseball Prospectus had a more optimistic overall outlook on his defensive value.
Braves To Sign Alberto Callaspo
5:54pm: Callaspo’s deal is a one-year, $3MM contract, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports (Twitter links). Another $1MM is available for Callaspo in performance incentives, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.
12:49pm: The Braves have agreed to a deal with free agent infielder Alberto Callaspo pending physical, tweets David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Jim Bowden of ESPN.com first reported on Twitter that the sides were nearing agreement.
Callaspo, 31, is a switch-hitter but struggled from both sides of the plate last year. His .223/.290/.290 slash over 451 plate appearances was obviously well below-average. But Callaspo has produced at an average to slightly-above-average clip in recent seasons, and Atlanta may have cause to believe that he’ll return to that level.
Presumably, Callaspo would have the inside track to take over at second for Atlanta. He also represents an option at third, where he has spent some time, either as a platoon mate or replacement for Chris Johnson if the incumbent is dealt away.
Cubs Acquire Miguel Montero
Catcher Miguel Montero is officially headed from the Diamondbacks to the Cubs. Young pitchers Zack Godley and Jeferson Mejia make up the return to Arizona in the deal.
While final details remain unknown, reports have consistently indicated that Chicago will take on most or all of the remaining financial commitments to Montero. The sides were said to be in talks yesterday.
Montero, a left-handed hitter, has three years and $40MM left on his deal. The 31-year-old has had two down years after establishing himself as one of the best-hitting backstops in the game. Last year, he slashed .243/.329/.370 with 13 home runs in 560 plate appearances.
But Montero still hits righties quite well and could make up half of a high-quality platoon in Chicago with incumbent Welington Castillo. (Unless, that is, Castillo is dealt elsewhere, in which case Montero will presumably be paired with a different right-handed bat.) Montero rated as an excellent pitch framer (per StatCorner) and strong overall defender (via Baseball Prospectus) last year.
Godley is a 24-year-old righty who has yet to move past the High-A level in Chicago’s system. Working at Daytona last year, he put up a 3.57 ERA in 40 1/3 frames with 11.6 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9.
Mejia, 20, reached Rookie ball last year after being inked by the Cubs on July 2 of 2013. As Ben Badler of Baseball America wrote at the time, the 6’7 prospect had been adding weight and fastball velocity at the time of his signing. He ultimately went for a $850K bonus. Mejia features a low-90s heater with a good change and decent curve. That fastball velo may still be trending up, per MLB.com, which ranked him 17th among Cubs prospects. Working mostly as a reliever, he threw to a 2.48 ERA with 10.1 K/9 against 3.8 BB/9 in 40 innings last year.
As MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes notes on Twitter, Arizona would leave itself without much behind the dish were it to deal away Montero. The free agent market for backstops is rather thin, of course, with Geovany Soto among the most appealing options. Players such as Dioner Navarro may be had via trade, though prying loose a more permanent solution may be difficult.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reported on Twitter that the deal was in its final stages of completion. Bruce Levine of 670TheScore.com (via Twitter) reported that the deal was done. And Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (on Twitter) and Levine (Twitter link) reported the other pieces in the deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Orioles, Phillies Discuss Possible Marlon Byrd Deal
The Orioles and Phillies met today in San Diego to discuss a possible Marlon Byrd deal, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports on Twitter. The veteran outfielder is under contract for $8MM in 2015 and comes with a $8MM club option for another season.
Byrd, a 37-year-old, right-handed-hitting corner outfielder, has long been rumored to be a trade piece for a rebuilding Phillies club. He slashed .264/.312/.445 with 25 home runs in 637 plate appearances last year after signing as a free agent with Philadelphia.
Baltimore, of course, is in the market for corner outfield options after seeing both Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis leave via free agency.
Padres Still Pursuing Kemp; O’s, M’s, Rangers Out
TODAY, 3:27pm: The Mariners and Rangers are also out on Kemp, Heyman tweets.
2:20pm: The Orioles are out on Kemp, sources tell Eduardo Encina of the Baltimore Sun. Baltimore had concerns with Kemp’s long-term health and talks went nowhere after the Dodgers asked about young pitchers Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy.
1:20pm: Another name that has come up is 20-year-old righty Zach Eflin, according to Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com.
Wisler is not going to be included in any deal, Rosenthal now tweets, though righty Joe Ross could be.
12:05pm: The sides are still working hard on a deal and have made progress, tweets Rosenthal. Los Angeles is looking for another quality piece in addition to Grandal, with strong pitching prospect Matt Wisler being a “possibility,” per Rosenthal.
YESTERDAY, 10:53am: The talks have run “hot and cold,” a source tells Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. San Diego does have focused interest in Kemp, though Justin Upton could be an option as well. (Twitter links.)
10:27am: The Padres are the team that is most likely to land Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp via trade, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter). Recent reports had tied the two clubs in talks.
San Diego’s current offer includes Yasmani Grandal and another player, reflecting the prior reporting of FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal that the backstop was in play. The talented 26-year-old would provide a platoon option with upside for the Dodgers.
Of course, with the Padres in the lead it still remains an open question just how likely Los Angeles is to move its star and, if so, how much money it is willing to eat on his contract. His market is complicated by the fact that several other right-handed power bats are available.
Marlins Interested In Morse, Morneau
As the Marlins continue to look for upgrades at first base, the team is considering free agent Michael Morse and trade target Justin Morneau of the Rockies, Joe Frisaro of MLB.com reports on Twitter. Miami is looking for a left-handed bat, but Pedro Alvarez of the Pirates does not seem like a fit.
Morse, 33 in March, enjoyed a strong season with the bat in 2014 with the World Series Champion Giants, batting .279/.336/.475 with 16 homers in 482 plate appearances despite playing in the cavernous AT&T Park. Morse’s offensive contributions were 30 to 33 percent above league average, per park-adjust stats like OPS+ and wRC+. Late last month, the Marlins were said to have lukewarm interest in Morse, but things have apparently picked up since then. Last week we learned that the Orioles were showing strong interest in Morse.
Morneau, 33 (34 in May), enjoyed a bounce back year with the Rockies in 2014, batting .319/.364/.496 with 17 homers in 550 plate appearances. He offers not only solid production but a palatable contract as well. He’ll make $7.25MM next season (that’s including the extra $500K he earned by reaching 550 PA last season) along with a $750K buyout on a $9MM mutual option for 2016.
Rangers Talking With Nationals, D’Backs On Starters
2:14pm: Texas has also engaged the Diamondbacks in talks on starting pitching, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. Wade Miley and, perhaps, Trevor Cahill are the likeliest targets, per Grant.
1:45pm: Multiple reports suggest that the Rangers and Nationals have engaged in discussions involving the Nats’ starting pitching. It appears that the sides have mutual interest, but may not see eye-to-eye on the pieces they would like to move.
Texas has inquired about righty Jordan Zimmermann, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports on Twitter. But the club has received indications that the Nationals are uninterested in moving Zimmermann, though they will listen on Doug Fister.
Meanwhile, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post hears (Twitter link) that the Rangers have expressed strong interest in the D.C. arms. The Nationals, in turn, have asked about 20-year-old second baseman Rougned Odor, with Texas indicating it is not interested in dealing him.
These clubs make plenty of sense on paper as possible trade partners, but it is not difficult to see why negotiations have landed at the apparent standoff described above. The Nationals have little reason to deal away high-end starters unless they can bring back a near-term and long-term solution at second base. And the Rangers will be loath to sell off an up-the-middle player who just hit at a roughly league average clip at age 20.
Rangers Have Discussed Gattis, Upton With Braves
In more trade notes involving Texas and the National League East, the Rangers and Braves have reportedly engaged in discussion of deals involving right-handed power bats, per MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan (Twitter links).
Texas has interest in catcher/outfielder Evan Gattis, per Sullivan. But Atlanta is asking for top pitching prospect Alex Gonzalez in response. Sullivan says that price tag is not going to work for the Rangers.
It would appear that the teams have also chatted about outfielder Justin Upton, though Sullivan says that Texas would be interested in serving as a conduit to deliver Upton to another club. The Rangers would look to achieve pitching in such a deal, he says, but would not be interested in sacrificing top prospects to do so.
Chase Headley Rumors: Tuesday
We took a look at several reports on Chase Headley yesterday. Here’s the latest on the top free agent third baseman still available:
- The Giants are not interested in going to four years for Headley, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. With some uncertainty still surrounding the level of demand for Headley, Heyman suggests the Yankees could be increasingly well-positioned to bring him back.
- There is “optimism” that Headley will sign a deal today, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com tweets. On the other hand, Jon Lester‘s negotiations remain a “yellow light factor” for Headley’s own market, says Gammons.
- Headley may not necessarily be the key to the Giants‘ fallback plans if they miss on Lester, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. San Francisco also has some trade talks ongoing. We heard yesterday that Jed Lowrie could be a free agent alternative to Headley at the hot corner.