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Diamondbacks Sign Ryan Buchter To Minors Contract

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The Diamondbacks have agreed to a minor league deal with left-hander Ryan Buchter, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (via Twitter).  Buchter will receive $925K if he makes Arizona’s Major League roster.

After signing a minors deal with the Angels last winter, Buchter posted a 4.50 ERA over six relief innings in 2020 before opting for free agency again in September rather than accept an outright assignment off the Angels’ 40-man roster.  Buchter caught on with the Yankees on another minor league deal but didn’t see any action with the team, hitting the open market again after the season.

Counting the D’Backs, Buchter has now been a member of 10 different organizations since being drafted in the 33rd round by the Nationals in 2005, and he has put together a solid MLB track record despite this journeyman resume.  Buchter has a 2.90 ERA over 220 career innings with the Braves, Padres, Royals, Athletics, and Angels, though his advanced metrics (26.8K%, 15.5K-BB%, 4.06 SIERA) aren’t as impressive.

Buchter has pretty even career splits against both left-handed (.620 OPS) and right-handed (.695 OPS) batters, and he’ll now have an opportunity to win a job in an Arizona bullpen that is short on southpaws.  Alex Young might end up being used in the starting rotation or potentially as a swingman, leaving Travis Bergen and Taylor Guilbeau as the only other lefty relief options on the 40-man roster.

Latest On Yadier Molina, Adam Wainwright

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The Cardinals have made offers to re-sign both Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright, team chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said during an interview as part of the Cards’ “Winter Warm-Up” event (done in virtual fashion this year).  Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch provides added details on these offers, noting that both Molina and Wainwright were offered less guaranteed money than they were supposed to earn in 2020, prior to the pandemic-induced prorated salary cuts.

This isn’t a surprise in Molina’s case, as his offensive downturn in recent years was naturally expected to result in a new salary worth substantially less than the $20MM average annual salary on his previous contract.  Wainwright’s one-year deal for the 2020 season, however, paid him $5MM, and it certainly seemed plausible that Wainwright would top that more modest sum in his next deal.

Though Wainwright turned 39 last August, he has still looked like an effective big league arm, tossing 171 2/3 innings in 2019 and posting a 3.15 ERA over 65 2/3 frames in the shortened 2020 season.  Overall, Wainwright has a 3.91 ERA, 20.6K%, and 12.7K-BB% over 237 1/3 innings since the start of the 2019 campaign.

MLBTR projected Wainwright for a one-year, $6MM pact, with the raise reflecting his solid work in helping carry the Cardinals’ rotation while the roster was ravaged by a COVID-19 outbreak.  If the Cards aren’t willing to hit even the $5MM threshold in guaranteed money, it could increase the chances of Wainwright pitching elsewhere in 2021, and changing teams for the first time in his career.  The veteran told ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers that he had “recently” fielded offers from multiple teams, so it would appear as thought Wainwright has options if he indeed isn’t satisfied with what the Cardinals have put on the table.

Molina has also recently indicated that he could move on from both St. Louis, and even from his playing career altogether if he doesn’t find an acceptable offer.  Molina has been known to be looking for a two-year deal, which could be difficult given his age (38), his aforementioned dropoff at the plate, and the fact that several teams looking for catching help this winter have made other acquisitions at the position.

Of course, there is still plenty of time for either or both of Molina and Wainwright to come to an agreement with the Cardinals.  As Rogers notes, “industry executives” still feel that the two players will ultimately return to St. Louis, and both players have also repeatedly stated that their first choice is to play at least another season in Cardinal red.

Red Sox Notes: Pedroia, Benintendi, Sale, Lester

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“A resolution” between Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox could come at some point this month, The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham reports (Twitter link).  Knee injuries limited Pedroia to just nine games in 2018-19, and he didn’t play at all during the 2020 season, with Abraham adding that Pedroia isn’t intending to make one final comeback attempt.  2021 marks the final season of the eight-year, $110MM extension Pedroia signed in July 2013, and the second baseman is owed $12MM for the coming season.

There has been an expectation that Pedroia could be cut loose in one fashion or another once the Sox were in need of a 40-man roster spot, as their 40-man is currently full.  Some type of buyout rather than an outright release is probably the likelier route, since “given Dustin’s status, [the Sox will] want to do this correctly,” Abraham notes.  One of the key figures in this era of Red Sox baseball, Pedroia hit .299/.365/.439 over 6777 career plate appearances (all in a Sox uniform), with a resume that includes the 2008 AL MVP Award, four All-Star appearances, and World Series rings from Boston’s 2007 and 2013 championship seasons.

Some more from Fenway Park…

  • The Red Sox have asked at least one team for “a younger corner outfielder along with a minor-league pitcher not necessarily on the 40-man roster” as the trade return for Andrew Benintendi, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford writes.  While Benintendi has drawn interest from several teams, the Phillies and Reds haven’t been involved in talks.  (The Rangers are also not in the mix, as Bradford originally reported last week.)  Former Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is now running the Phils’ front office and the Reds have explored a Benintendi trade in the past, so there was speculation that those two clubs could be looking into acquiring Benintendi this time around.
  • Chris Sale’s return from Tommy John surgery is likely to come on the higher end of the usual 12-15 month recovery timeline, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes that the Sox are “expected to be deliberate” in bringing the southpaw back to action.  Sale underwent his TJ procedure at the end of last March, putting him on track to return in late June or early July.  (Assuming the 2021 schedule goes as planned, it is easy to see a scenario where Sale doesn’t pitch until after the July 12-14 All-Star break.)  Since Sale is under contract through at least the 2024 season, the club is “apt to take a conservative approach” to ensure that Sale is fully recovered and ready for 2022 and beyond, rather than rushing him in any way this season.
  • The Red Sox hadn’t been in touch with Jon Lester as of December 9, Rob Bradford reported last month, and Bradford tweeted yesterday that there hadn’t been any new contact between the two sides prior to Lester’s new deal with the Nationals.  While Boston has been looking at a wide range of starting pitching options this offseason, it seems like a reunion with Lester was simply not on the club’s radar.

Mariners Interested In Joakim Soria

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The Mariners are the latest team to show interest in free agent reliever Joakim Soria, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets.  Seattle joins the Twins, Blue Jays, and all four of the Mariners’ AL West rivals as teams linked to Soria’s market at some point during the offseason.

Naturally, the entire AL West got a good look at Soria when he pitched for the Athletics in 2019-20, and the amount of  interest isn’t surprising considering how Soria has continued to deliver results as he approaches his age-37 season.  Soria posted a 2.82 ERA over 22 1/3 innings in 2020 and did a very good job of keeping the ball in the park (one home run allowed) and limiting hard contact (particularly in terms of barrel percentage).  On the flip side, Soria’s 25K% was middle of the pack, his 10.4 BB% ranked only in the 31st percentile, and his 4.36 SIERA painted a much less impressive picture than his ERA.

Still, even with some expected regression baked in, Soria’s track record of durability is solid enough that a team can expect him to be a positive addition to a bullpen.  Soria worked in a setup role in Oakland and would likely assume similar duties on his next team — though it has been some time since his heyday as a closer with the Royals, Soria could also be called upon for the occasional save opportunity if need be.

The bullpen has been more or less the primary focus of the Mariners’ offseason thus far, as the M’s have acquired Rafael Montero from the Rangers, signed Keynan Middleton, and re-signed Kendall Graveman.  Adding Soria would add an even more experienced and durable relief arm to the mix, perhaps a wise investment considering that Montero, Middleton, and Graveman have all undergone Tommy John surgery within the last three years.

Cubs To Sign Shelby Miller

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The Cubs have agreed to a deal with right-hander Shelby Miller, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (via Twitter).  The non-guaranteed contract will pay Miller $875K if he makes Chicago’s big league roster, with another $600K available in bonus money.  The signing will be official when Miller passes a physical.

Miller signed a minor league deal with the Brewers last winter but didn’t see any action, as he opted out of the 2020 season in August.  Since the start of the 2017 season, Miller has tossed only 82 big league innings, thanks in large part to a Tommy John procedure that sidelined him for much of 2017 and 2018.

Still only 30 years old, Miller will be joining his sixth different organization in a pro career that has seen major highs and lows.  Drafted 19th overall by the Cardinals in 2009, Miller posted very strong numbers over his first three MLB seasons — with St. Louis in 2013-14 and with Atlanta in 2015, after Miller was swapped to the Braves as part of a noteworthy trade that saw Jason Heyward go to the Cards.  Unfortunately for Miller, he was part of another blockbuster trade a year later, going to the Diamondbacks and then never again regaining his early-career form.

There isn’t much risk for the Cubs in adding Miller as a reclamation project, as Miller could be one of a few veterans brought into camp on low-cost or non-guaranteed contracts as Chicago looks for veteran rotation depth.  Beyond Kyle Hendricks and Zach Davies, the Cubs’ other rotation candidates don’t have much experience — projected third and fourth starters Adbert Alzolay and Alec Mills, and then a plethora of young arms competing for a look as the fifth starter.

Pitching Notes: Castillo, Reds, Anibal, Red Sox, Cora

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Much of the Reds’ offseason has been focused around moving players (i.e. trading Raisel Iglesias, non-tendering Archie Bradley) rather than adding, and eyebrows were raised last month when it was reported that Luis Castillo’s name was coming up in trade talks.  There wasn’t any indication that those talks were serious, however, and Reds VP/general manager Nick Krall issued a firm denial on the subject to reporters (including MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon).  According to Krall, speculation about a Castillo trade is “completely false. We intend to have [Castillo] as a member of our rotation for 2021.”

Castillo and the Reds recently agreed to an arbitration-avoiding $4.2MM contract for 2021, and the right-hander is still under team control through 2023 thanks to two more years of arbitration eligibility.  Between this affordability, the three years of control, and Castillo’s front-of-the-rotation ability, there isn’t really any pressing reason for Cincinnati to move Castillo.  Since the Reds seems to be focusing on cutting payroll this winter, an argument could be made that Castillo could be attached to a deal that would get a bigger contract (i.e. Mike Moustakas, Nick Castellanos) off the books, but that would seem like an awfully extreme move.  One would imagine Castillo wouldn’t be traded unless the Reds were reversing course entirely and now looking to rebuild.

More pitching notes from around the league…

  • Julio Teheran’s showcase on Tuesday will include another Mato Sports Management client, as MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link) reports that Anibal Sanchez will also be throwing for scouts.  Like Teheran, Sanchez is looking to rebound from a rough 2020 season, as Sanchez posted a 6.62 ERA over 53 innings for the Nationals last year.  The Phillies were recently linked to Sanchez, but it has been an otherwise quiet winter for news about the 36-year-old.  Considering Sanchez was still delivering solid results as recently as 2019 (for the World Series champion Nats, no less), his market could start to pick up if scouts like what they see on Tuesday.  The Red Sox will have scouts on hand to see Sanchez and Teheran, MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo tweets.
  • Speaking of the Red Sox, manager Alex Cora noted that his team is still exploring more rotation additions.  “I’m going to keep saying it all the way until April 1 [Opening Day], this puzzle is not completed.  We have to be patient,” Cora said in an interview on MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (audio link).  That being said, Cora is also pleased with the current group of hurlers in Boston’s organization, saying that the Sox have more pitching depth now than they had in either the 2019 or 2020 seasons.  “Little by little, the front office did a good job during the season last year and [in] the offseason to add some quality arms, some intriguing arms,” Cora said.

AL East Notes: Benintendi, Kluber, Rays

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Despite all of the trade speculation swirling around Andrew Benintendi, the Red Sox haven’t “reached a point of no return in trade talks,” The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier writes, and “there’s a solid chance, though not a guarantee” that Benintendi won’t be moved.  One of the obstacles preventing a deal is the number of quality left field options remaining in free agency, so a team in need at the position might prefer to just sign a longer-term answer, rather than swing a trade with the Sox for a player who is only under team control for two more seasons.  Speier notes that the Red Sox themselves could be such a team looking for a longer-term outfielder, and could explore the free agent market themselves if Benintendi is indeed dealt.

More from around the AL East…

  • Since over half the league sent scouts to watch Corey Kluber’s showcase event, it isn’t surprising that there was some significant money on offer for the veteran righty, who ended up signing with the Yankees on a one-year, $11MM deal.  Several teams made eight-figure offers, according to SNY.tv’s Andy Martino, and the Yankees’ offer wasn’t the most expensive contract on the table.
  • Kluber drew plenty of interest from elsewhere in the AL East, as Martino writes that the Blue Jays were one of the clubs “bidding aggressively.”  Speier sheds a bit more light on Kluber’s situation, noting that he “seemed most interested in a clean one-year deal” rather than a one-year contract with a 2022 option attached — a structure that would have perhaps been more appealing to the Red Sox, another team with legitimate interest in Kluber’s services.
  • The Rays also “made a very strong run” at Kluber, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.  With Kluber now off the board, Chris Archer is still under consideration as the Rays continue to look for veteran rotation help.
  • Also from Topkin, he provides health updates on Yonny Chirinos (Tommy John surgery) and Brendan McKay (shoulder surgery).  Chirinos has started to play catch, despite only undergoing his TJ procedure back in August.  While the early progress is a good sign, it would still be a surprise if Chirinos was able to pitch at all in 2021 given the usual timeline for Tommy John recovery.  McKay’s timeline isn’t as clear, as it was estimated last August that his labrum issue would keep him sidelined through at least the start of the spring.  However, Topkin reports that McKay is expected to “soon” start playing catch, which could give both the star prospect and the Rays a better idea of when McKay will be ready for the 2021 season.

Free Agent Notes: Soria, Hand, Odorizzi, Rosenthal

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Some buzz from the free agent market…

  • The Blue Jays continue to be interested in Brad Hand and Jake Odorizzi, according to Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith in an update on Toronto’s offseason endeavors.  In the latest name to appear on the Jays’ wide-ranging radar, Joakim Soria has also drawn attention, though “talks haven’t been serious on that front.”
  • Speaking of Odorizzi, he is still among the “many” pitchers the Twins are still considering, SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson (Twitter links).  Back in December, Wolfson reported that other teams were more fervently pursuing Odorizzi than Minnesota, though with Odorizzi still unsigned, it seems like the Twins still have some kind of a shot at a reunion.  Beyond the Twins and Blue Jays, the Red Sox and Giants have also been linked to Odorizzi’s market, though the free agent righty lost a notable suitor in the Mets after New York instead opted to acquire Carlos Carrasco.  Minnesota was also known to be interested in Corey Kluber, and Wolfson reports that the Twins indeed made Kluber an offer before he ended up signing with the Yankees.
  • The Padres are still talking with Trevor Rosenthal’s camp, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Twitter link), but the team might stand pat with its current relief corps.  Since the Padres’ bid for Kirby Yates appears to have fallen short, Acee doesn’t think the Friars will meet Rosenthal’s price.  Rosenthal enjoyed a nice bounce-back season in 2020, posting a 1.90 ERA and 41.8 K% over 23 2/3 innings with the Royals and Padres.  After being acquired by San Diego at the deadline, Rosenthal didn’t allow a single unearned run over 10 regular-season innings for the Padres, though he struggled considerably in the playoffs.

Minor MLB Transactions: 1/16/21

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The latest minor moves from around the sport…

  • The Tigers announced that left-hander Robbie Ross, right-hander Andrew Moore, first baseman Aderlin Rodriguez and infielder Yariel Gonzalez have all been signed to minor league deals.  Ross is the most familiar name of the group, posting a 3.83 ERA over 321 2/3 innings as a workhorse member of the Rangers and Red Sox bullpens from 2012-16 (also starting 12 games with Texas in 2014).  After an injury-riddled 2017, however, Ross hasn’t returned to the majors, pitching in the White Sox farm system and then independent ball.  Moore is the only other member of the quartet with MLB experience, as he tossed 63 2/3 innings for the Mariners (posting a 5.51 ERA) over parts of the 2017 and 2019 seasons.

Latest On Kirby Yates

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1:36PM: It doesn’t seem like the Blue Jays are one of the finalists for Yates, as Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith tweets that the Jays “aren’t considered frontrunners” for the righty, though Toronto had “real interest.”

10:12AM: Former Padres closer Kirby Yates may be nearing a new contract, as the right-hander is “in final stages of considering offers from five teams,” according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune (Twitter link).  Yates has whittled his market down to these five finalists from a reported 12 teams that showed interest in the former All-Star.  Most notably, the Padres aren’t one of the finalists, as Acee writes that the club would have to “substantially” increase their current offer to bring Yates back into the fold.

That stint in San Diego saw Yates develop from being something of a journeyman reliever in his age-30 season into a legitimate weapon.  Yates posted a 2.55 ERA and an exceptional 38.44 K% and 31.2 K-BB% over 183 2/3 innings with the Padres after being claimed off waivers from the Angels in April 2017.  Yates emerged as the Padres’ closer after the Friars dealt Brad Hand in 2018, and he proceeded to convert 53 of 57 save opportunities over the 2018-19 seasons.  Between a league-high 41 saves and a tiny 1.19 ERA over 60 2/3 innings in 2019, Yates received a ninth-place finish in NL Cy Young Award balloting.

2020, however, was a much different story, as Yates pitched only 4 1/3 innings before undergoing a season-ending surgery in August to remove bone chips from his elbow.  The Padres and their fans must surely wonder what might have been if the 2019 version of Yates had been available to contribute to their postseason run, and while there was some interest in a reunion between the two sides, it seems as though Yates will be moving on.

A few weeks ago, Acee reported that Yates was looking for a deal in the range of over $5MM in guaranteed money, plus millions more in potential incentives.  (MLBTR projected a $5MM contract for Yates, ranking him 42nd in our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents.)  Even considering the slow-moving nature of the relief pitching market, that would seem like a pretty reasonable price for Yates, given the possible upside he could bring to any bullpen.

There hasn’t been much public buzz about Yates on the free agent rumor mill — besides the Padres, the Dodgers are the only other team known to have interest in Yates’ services.  The Dodgers have addressed their bullpen by re-signing Blake Treinen and acquiring Corey Knebel, but there would certainly still be room for L.A. to also add Yates to the relief corps if they are one of Yates’ five finalists.

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