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Reds Decline Club Options On Joey Votto, Curt Casali

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The Reds announced that they have declined their club options on first baseman Joey Votto and catcher Curt Casali for the 2024 season.  Votto will receive a $7MM buyout instead of the $20MM he would’ve received in 2024 salary, while Casali will receive a $750K buyout since the Reds turned down their end of a $4MM mutual option.

President of baseball options Nick Krall released a statement in regards to Votto, in a nod to the longtime star’s status in team history: “For 17 seasons, Joey has been the heart of Reds baseball as a Most Valuable Player, All-Star and respected clubhouse leader.  His contributions to our team and his extraordinary generosity toward those in need, throughout our region and beyond, cannot be measured.  At this point of the offseason, based on our current roster and projected plans for 2024, as an organization we cannot commit to the playing time Joey deserves.  He forever will be part of the Reds’ family, and at the appropriate time we will thank and honor him as one of the greatest baseball players of this or any generation.”

A second-round pick for the Reds in the 2002 draft, Votto has spent his entire pro career in the Cincinnati organization, amassing an outstanding resume that includes six All-Star nods and the 2010 NL MVP Award.  Votto’s emergence as a superstar inspired the Reds to sign the first baseman to what is still the largest contract in franchise history — a ten-year, $225MM extension covering the 2014-23 seasons, with that $20MM club option attached for 2024.

As Votto aged and his performance started to dip, it was generally expected that the Reds would buy out the option year, particularly as the team started to cut costs in the wake of the pandemic and entered another mini-rebuild phase.  Votto did return to form with an excellent 2021 season, but shoulder problems impacted his performance and kept him off the field for large portions of both the 2022 and 2023 seasons, as Votto has played in only 156 of a possible 324 games over the last two years.

The Reds’ surplus of young and talented position players also left Votto in something of a crunch for playing time.  Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand might already have the first base and DH positions spoken for in 2024, and if Steer is used at third base or in the corner outfield, Cincinnati might need that open DH spot to find at-bats for any of Jonathan India, Elly De La Cruz, Matt McLain, Noelvi Marte, Tyler Stephenson, TJ Friedl, Jake Fraley, or Will Benson when those players aren’t in the field.

This roster depth was probably as much of an impediment to a Votto return as the $13MM difference in salary.  Re-signing Votto to a less-expensive contract might not be in the cards for the Reds given how Krall’s statement seemed to carry an air of finality about Votto’s spectacular tenure with the team.  The 40-year-old Votto had floated the idea of retirement in the past, but he stated last month that he wants to play in “at least” the 2024 season and possibly beyond.

Despite Votto’s age, injury history, and modest (95 wRC+) production over the last two seasons, it seems likely that he’ll get that chance to continue his career.  Votto has a great reputation as a clubhouse mentor, and several teams in need of DH or first base help could be interested in seeing what the veteran has left to contribute on the field.  There has already been speculation in Votto’s hometown of Toronto that the Blue Jays might view Votto as a replacement for another left-handed hitting first baseman/DH in Brandon Belt, who is entering free agency.

Casali signed a one-year deal worth $3.25MM in guaranteed money last winter, as the Reds bolstered their catching ranks beyond Stephenson and Luke Maile.  The team’s idea was to give Stephenson a good chunk of time at first base and DH in order to keep him healthy, with Casali and Maile picking up that additional slack behind the plate.  The experiment didn’t really pan out, as Stephenson had an underwhelming year at the plate and Casali didn’t play after July 18 due to a foot contusion that wound up ending his season.

Casali (who turns 35 this week) had only a .490 OPS over 96 plate appearances in 2023.  A veteran of 10 MLB seasons, Casali will enter free agency looking to catch on another team, though he’ll very likely have to settle for a minor league pact.

Marcus Stroman Opts Out Of Deal With Cubs

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Marcus Stroman has enacted the opt-out clause in his contract and will now become a free agent, the New York Post’s Jon Heyman reports (X link).  Stroman’s three-year, $71MM deal with the Cubs from the 2021-22 offseason allowed Stroman to opt out of the final year of that contract, and the right-hander will be leaving $21MM on the table in search of a larger and more lucrative deal this winter.

Stroman faced one of the more interesting option decisions of any player on the market, as his 2023 campaign was a tale of two seasons.  In the first half, Stroman had a 2.96 ERA over 112 2/3 innings and received an All-Star nod for his efforts.  In the second half, Stroman had an 8.63 ERA over only 24 innings, as he missed about six weeks on the injured list.  Initially sidelined with hip inflammation, Stroman was revealed to have a right rib cartilage fracture, which delayed his IL stint beyond what seemed like a fairly minimal 15-day absence.  While the righty was able to make it back for the Cubs’ late-season playoff push, Stroman was limited to bullpen duty and shortened starts, as Chicago ended up missing the postseason.

Altogether, Stroman delivered a 3.95 ERA over 136 2/3 innings, with his usual outstanding (57.1%) grounder rate and a below-average (20.7%) strikeout rate.  Good control has also been part of Stroman’s repertoire, but his 9% walk rate in 2023 was both the highest of his career and only in the 40th percentile of all pitchers.  It is fair to say that Stroman’s injuries contributed to his struggles over the season’s last three months, though it also marks his second straight year with a notable injury absence.  Between shoulder inflammation and a brief stint on the COVID-related IL, Stroman threw only 138 2/3 innings in 2022, barely above his 2023 total.

While not the ideal platform into free agency for a pitcher entering his age-33, Stroman and his reps at Roc Nation Sports should certainly be able to find a multi-year pact on the open market, worth well above the $21MM Stroman would’ve received from the Cubs.  Stroman’s groundball-heavy approach may not quite fit the preferred mold for some front offices, yet it’s hard to argue with results, as Stroman has posted generally good results over his nine MLB seasons.  At his best, Stroman has looked like a front-of-the-rotation star, with two All-Star nods on his resume and a seventh-place finish in AL Cy Young Award voting when he was a member of the Blue Jays in 2017.

Stroman will head into free agency without having to worry about a qualifying offer, as Stroman previously received (and accepted) a QO from the Mets following the 2020 season.  The lack of draft compensation attached to his services could give Stroman a leg up on other starters on the market, and it also means that the Cubs won’t receive anything in return should Stroman sign with another team.

The Cubs reportedly had some degree of extension talks with Stroman this past spring, through the right-hander’s comments in June indicated that those negotiations were minimal at best.  “Up until now, there’s been nothing from their side.  No offers, no talks, really, at all,” Stroman said.  Though Stroman made it clear that he wanted to stay in Chicago, the lack of contract discussions apparently lasted through the summer, as it seemed for much of the season that the Cubs were leaning towards trading Stroman at the deadline.  However, Stroman’s second-half struggles and the Cubs’ own improvement and surge into the playoff race changed those plans, even if the irony was that Stroman wasn’t able to contribute much to the pennant race.

As recently as two weeks ago, The Athletic’s Patrick Mooney wrote that Stroman and Kyle Hendricks were “expected” to return to Wrigleyville in 2024, with Stroman passing on his opt-out and the Cubs exercising Hendricks’ $16MM club option.  There hasn’t yet been word on Hendricks’ option, though the two sides are reportedly discussing a contract extension that might overwrite the option entirely.  Speculatively, this situation might’ve impacted Stroman’s choice, as if he felt the Cubs were prioritizing Hendricks in their long-term plans, Stroman might’ve decided to seek out a longer-term deal with another team now, rather than spend one final year in Chicago.  Stroman might’ve faced more trade buzz if the Cubs weren’t in contention, or another injury-marred season might’ve more fully hampered his free agent case in the 2024-25 offseason.

A reunion between Stroman and the Cubs probably shouldn’t be entirely ruled out, though Chicago has other pitching options.  Assuming Hendricks stays in some capacity, the rotation lines up as Justin Steele, Hendricks, Jameson Taillon as the top three starters, and Javier Assad, Hayden Wesneski, and Jordan Wicks competing for the last two spots.  Drew Smyly could also be involved if he doesn’t opt out of the final year (and $11MM) of his contract.  It stands to reason that the Cubs will look to augment this group with at least one veteran arm, whether Stroman or another free agent or trade chip.

Front Office Notes: Astros, White Sox, Janish, Nationals

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The Astros announced a series of internal promotions earlier this week, most notably the promotion of Gavin Dickey to an assistant general manager position.  Dickey is a longtime member of the Astros’ staff, working in numerous jobs since his initial hiring as a scout in 2011.  Most recently, he worked as a special assistant to GM Dana Brown during the 2023 season.  The 40-year-old Dickey moved right into scouting on the heels of his playing career, which consisted of six seasons in independent ball and in the Mariners’ and Braves’ farm systems from 2006-11.

Dickey joins Andrew Ball and Charles Cook as Houston’s assistant GMs, after the team parted ways with former assistant GM Bill Firkus last month.  This isn’t to say that Dickey will necessarily be taking Firkus’ exact role, as the specific duties of an assistant GM vary greatly from club to club and executive to executive, usually based on each individual’s areas of expertise.

More on some other front office moves from around baseball….

  • The White Sox announced that Paul Janish has been hired as their new director of player development.  Janish is a veteran of nine Major League seasons with the Reds, Braves, and Orioles from 2008-17, and since retirement has worked as a coach with Rice University.  This will be the first non-playing role in pro ball for the 41-year-old Janish, who will be taking over the position previously held by Chris Getz before Getz was named Chicago’s new general manager in August.
  • The Nationals promoted Eddie Longosz to the role of VP/assistant general manager of player development and administration.  The Washington Post’s Andrew Golden reported earlier this week that Longosz would be taking over the Nats’ player development department, which is the next step up the ladder for a longtime employee who has been with the Nationals since 2010.  As Golden notes, much of the Nationals’ focus over the last couple of months has been a revamp of their front office, with several employees on the way out (like De Jon Watson, Longosz’s predecessor as farm director) and a couple of longer-term staffers like Longosz moving into larger roles.

Offseason Outlook: Texas Rangers

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Two offseasons of aggressive spending paid off as handsomely as possible for the Rangers, who captured the franchise’s first World Series championship.  With a repeat now possible, will the ownership and the front office continue to break the bank?

Guaranteed Contracts

Option Decisions

2024 financial commitments: $171.25MM (if Leclerc’s option is exercised)
Total future commitments: $636.083MM (if Leclerc’s option is exercised)

Arbitration-Eligible Players (projected 2024 salaries via MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz)

Free Agents

Arguably baseball’s best lineup will return almost fully intact in 2024.  Corey Seager, Adolis Garcia, Marcus Semien, Nathaniel Lowe, Josh Jung, Jonah Heim, Leody Taveras, and Evan Carter form a tremendous core of everyday players, and this entire group is controlled through at least the 2026 season.  Considering that Seager spent six weeks on the injured list and that the younger players have higher ceilings, it is quite possible that the Rangers will be even better offensively, which is a scary proposition for opposing pitchers.

And, the lineup potential doesn’t stop there.  Ezequiel Duran had some ups and downs during his sophomore season, but Duran finished 2023 with above-average (107 wRC+) offense and an ability to at least passably handle multiple defensive positions, making him a valuable utility piece going forward.  Top prospect Wyatt Langford already advanced to Triple-A within a few months of being the fourth overall pick of the 2023 draft, so a Major League debut seems in the cards for next season.  Sam Huff and Josh H. Smith were well-regarded prospects in their own right, and still have breakout potential if they can find more regular playing time.

It adds up to such a bevy of options that the Rangers could decide to simply part ways with some of their veteran free agents.  Robbie Grossman and Travis Jankowski performed capably well sharing time with Duran in left field last season, but Carter’s emergence means that that revolving door in left field has been now been closed.  Grossman’s ability to mash left-handed pitching makes him a nice compliment to the left-handed hitting Carter, though Texas might see Duran as a suitable in-house candidate as a part-time right-handed bat.

From Grossman’s own perspective, he might prefer joining a team with a clearer path to regular playing time, even if the idea of re-upping with the World Series champs has some natural appeal.  If Grossman does leave, Jankowski comes at a cheaper price tag, and is more of a traditional backup outfielder given Jankowski’s ability to play all three positions on the grass.  That said, Carter and Garcia can also fill in as a center fielder when Taveras is out of the lineup, and Langford’s impending arrival could give Carter more of a role in center field anyway down the road.

Signing some kind of veteran bench option seems like a logical move for Texas, whether that veteran is a familiar face like Grossman or Jankowski, or a newcomer eager to play for a contender.  As tremendous as Carter looked throughout September and during the playoffs, some regression is probably inevitable once opposing pitchers get a book on the outfield phenom.  Injuries and a lack of performance made Brad Miller a non-factor for most of 2023, so the Rangers could look to add a Miller-type of player that can provide versatility in the infield as well as the outfield.

The backup catching role will also have to be resolved.  Huff’s glovework is still a question mark, so Texas could opt to re-sign Austin Hedges as a pure defensive specialist behind everyday starter Heim.  Or, the Rangers could look to entirely bring the band back together by re-signing Mitch Garver and reinstalling him into the primary DH/backup catcher role.

This usage worked so well in 2023 that reuniting with Garver is surely tempting for the Rangers.  It is possible Garver might even accept the qualifying offer if issued, as he’d land a $20.325MM payday for the 2024 season and return to a comfortable environment.  On the other hand, Garver is also the top free agent catcher on the market, so a longer-term contract elsewhere would certainly seem to be on the table.  Garver’s injury history might preclude him from being a true full-time catcher, though he could pursue a DH/catcher role similar to the one he held in Texas.

Qualifying offers must be issued by November 6, and that short timeframe adds another wrinkle to how the Rangers might approach Garver.  If Garver did receive a QO and he accepted, that would essentially solidify the Rangers’ plans for the DH spot heading into 2024.  On the one hand, that’s a bit of important winter business handled early….except that this particular offseason happens to have a certain generational talent available who needs a designated hitter role.

Would anyone be surprised if Shohei Ohtani was wearing a Rangers uniform on Opening Day?  Given how owners Ray Davis and Bob Simpson have boosted the club’s payroll over the last two seasons, another splurge to land Ohtani can’t be ruled out, even if Ohtani’s contract tops the $500MM mark.  Texas has been on Ohtani’s radar before, as due to the Rangers’ and Cubs’ association with Yu Darvish, Texas and Chicago were the only two non-West Coast teams on Ohtani’s short list when he first came to North American baseball during the 2017-18 offseason.

Fast forward to the 2023-24 offseason, and it isn’t known if geography is necessarily a factor in Ohtani’s eventual decision.  But, the Rangers can financially compete with anyone and they just won a championship, so one would imagine they’d be an attractive destination given Ohtani’s stated desire to win.  Technically, signing Ohtani might be a luxury for a team that already might be facing a slight logjam of too many up-and-coming players for too few positions, yet Ohtani is such a special player that Texas would be happy to figure out a talent surplus after the fact.

Since the Rangers exceeded the luxury tax threshold in 2023, they’d have to give up two draft picks and $1MM in international bonus pool money in order to sign Ohtani or any other free agent who rejects a qualifying offer.  This probably isn’t going to be a huge roadblock to the Rangers’ offseason plans, nor is the club likely to shy away from crossing the $237MM tax threshold again in 2024.  The Rangers were willing to give up multiple draft picks to sign qualified free agents like Seager, Semien, Jacob deGrom, and Nathan Eovaldi over the last two offseasons, but now facing the steeper tax penalty, it is possible the team ramps down slightly and only pursues maybe one QO-rejecting free agent.

For as much money as Texas has spent in the last two years, GM Chris Young is still working with a good deal of financial flexibility.  Seager, Semien, and deGrom alone take up a hefty chunk of the payroll, but they are also the only three players signed beyond the 2025 season.  This gives Young some freedom to look into other long-term deals, whether that translates as possible extensions (there’s merit to locking up Jung or Carter right now, for instance) or spending more money to solidify the pitching staff.

Though the Rangers just won a championship with more than a few question marks on the pitching front, the rotation and bullpen figure to be the major offseason target areas.  DeGrom is aiming to return in August 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery last June, but with that rehab situation still very fluid, the Rangers can count on a starting staff of Eovaldi, Max Scherzer, Jon Gray, and Dane Dunning for the time being.

Cody Bradford and Owen White represent in-house depth options, and Andrew Heaney could just remain as the fifth starter if he doesn’t exercise his opt-out clause.  Heaney would be leaving $13MM on the table if he did choose to opt out, and MLBTR’s Nick Deeds recently explored the pros and cons Heaney and his representatives are undoubtedly weighing as they consider the left-hander’s next step.

Even if Heaney did remain, the Rangers are still going to be looking to add pitching.  Dunning or Heaney both pitched well enough to deserve rotation spots under normal circumstances, yet either could be used in the bullpen or in some type of unofficial sixth starter role.  Having extra pitching on hand is a logical move for depth purposes, especially considering Eovaldi’s past injury history, and the 39-year-old Scherzer battling through a number of nagging injuries in 2023.

Jordan Montgomery is the obvious name on the Rangers’ pitching wishlist, as the southpaw was such a key figure in the club’s title run after being acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline.  Montgomery’s performance only elevated his free agent price tag, and since he is ineligible for the qualifying offer, he is all the more attractive to any teams wary of surrendering draft picks.  Texas will be vying against several other teams for Montgomery’s services, but again, the Rangers have the money, the championship pedigree, and some built-in familiarity with Montgomery that might make them the favorite in this bidding war.

Ohtani’s Tommy John surgery removes him as a pitching option for 2024, yet he could slide into an open spot in 2025 since Scherzer, Heaney, and possibly Eovaldi could all be free agents next offseason.  Looking at other top pitchers on the market, the Rangers have been scouting Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and the likes of Blake Snell, Aaron Nola, or Sonny Gray could all be targets, even if those three will undoubtedly come with QO-attached draft penalties attached.  Local product Clayton Kershaw has been on the Rangers’ radar for the last two offseasons, but the news that Kershaw will be out until at least next summer due to shoulder surgery will complicate a pursuit, beyond whether or not Kershaw would leave the Dodgers.

Though the Rangers’ relief corps was more stable during the playoffs, the bullpen’s volatility during the regular season almost cost Texas a postseason berth altogether.  Jose Leclerc was the steadiest member of the pen, and his club option is a lock to be exercised as Leclerc re-established himself as the closer throughout the playoffs.  Will Smith acted as closer for much of 2023 and the Rangers will likely try to re-sign the veteran, both due to his steady results and the unofficial league rule that Smith’s team always wins the World Series.

Josh Sborz and Brock Burke will return, and Dunning, Heaney, or Bradford could again be part of the relief mix depending on what happens in the rotation.  Re-signing Martin Perez might be another option on this front, if Perez is willing to pitch primarily in a relief role or as a swingman at best.  But it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Texas bring in three or four more relief options, ranging from low-cost veterans on minor league deals or the very top of the market.

As such, Josh Hader figures to be part of the offseason conversation in Arlington.  Signing the free agent market’s top closer would instantly make the bullpen a lot more formidable, and solve perhaps the only weak link on the roster.  Hader is another free agent who will reject a qualifying offer, which is another consideration for the Rangers to make as they also weigh whether or not it is wiser to splurge on Hader, or to devote their resources to multiple relievers.  The latter strategy carries its own set of risks, as the reliever class has already started to thin out since the Braves re-signed Joe Jimenez and Pierce Johnson before they hit the open market.

For all of this focus on free agency, we shouldn’t at all ignore the possibility that the Rangers might use the trade market for upgrades, especially after Young’s bold deadline moves to land Montgomery and Scherzer.  The aforementioned semi-surplus of position players could be solved in part by moving some of the younger talent in a trade.  It is fair to say that Carter and Langford are more than untouchable, yet it wouldn’t be a shock to see Duran, Smith, or Huff dealt.  Dipping further into the minors, infield prospects like Justin Foscue or longer-term prospects like Sebastian Walcott or Cameron Cauley could be trade chips, as Seager, Semien, and Jung look to have the infield locked down for the foreseeable future.

All manner of possibilities are open to the Rangers this winter, and Young’s front office can also operate with a bit of unique freedom in the sense that they’re already triumphed.  With one trophy already secured and so much talent in place, the next challenge for Young will be figuring out how to set up the 2023 champions into a potential dynasty.

In conjunction with this post, Mark Polishuk held a Rangers-centric live chat with MLBTR readers.  Click here to read the transcript.

Guardians Part Ways With Three Coaches

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Third base coach Mike Sarbaugh, bullpen coach Rigo Beltran, and replay coordinator Mike Barnett won’t be returning to the Guardians’ staff next season, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.  These are the first known changes to be made to the composition of Cleveland’s staff now that Terry Francona will no longer be managing the team.

Sarbaugh has been a member of the Guardians’ coaching staff since 2013, mostly as the third base coach but also stepping into the bench coach role in 2020 when Sandy Alomar Jr. stepped in as interim manager while Francona was on medical leave.  However, Sarbaugh’s ties in the organization date back to 1990, as he played five seasons in the team’s minor league system before beginning a long stretch of coaching and managing at various affiliates within Cleveland’s farm system.

Barnett is also a longtime member of the staff, having worked as the replay coordinator since the 2015-16 offseason.  Barnett may be better known for his multiple stints as a hitting coach with the Blue Jays (2002-05), Royals (2006-8), and Astros (2011-12), and his 40-year career in baseball has also taken him to jobs with the Yankees, Diamondbacks, White Sox, and the University of Tennessee.

Beltran’s run on the big league coaching staff will end after just a single season, though he has been in Cleveland’s organization since 2014.  Prior to the bullpen coaching job, Beltran was the pitching coach for Triple-A Columbus for the previous four years.

Astros Interested In Craig Counsell

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With Craig Counsell already garnering interesting from the Mets and Guardians, it only makes sense that another team with a managerial vacancy would also look into the soon-to-be free agent skipper.  According to Curt Hogg of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Astros “have expressed interest” in Counsell, “but it’s unclear how serious their pursuit would be.”

It could be that Houston is just doing its due diligence in checking in on Counsell, given his impressive track record over nine seasons with the Brewers.  The Astros naturally expect to contend again in 2024, so hiring a manager like Counsell who has proven he can consistently get teams into the postseason would seem like a logical way to fill the big shoes left behind by the retiring Dusty Baker.

Since it has been barely over a week since the Astros were eliminated from the ALCS and Baker announced his retirement, the club’s managerial search has yet to really kick into full gear.  Bench coach Joe Espada and former Tigers/Angels manager Brad Ausmus are seen as two of the top potential candidates, but word has yet to filter out about what other names Houston could be considering for the job.

As for Counsell, his contract with the Brewers officially ends today, so the manager will be fully available as of Wednesday to be hired by another team.  This doesn’t mean that a decision is necessarily coming quickly, as MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (X link) notes that there isn’t any known timeline Counsell might have in choosing his next job.  The potential inclusion of the Astros adds another wrinkle to a list of suitors that is already three teams deep.

The Brewers already granted the Mets and Guardians permission to interview Counsell, while Hogg hears from a source that the Brewers themselves “have begun the process of requesting interviews with potential managerial replacements.”  This is another natural due-diligence move since obviously the Crew don’t want to start a managerial search from scratch if Counsell does leave, though it does represent some “uncertainty” within Milwaukee’s front office over what Counsell’s decision will be.

By this point, it appears as though Counsell will certainly become the highest-paid manager in the sport, as it’s hard to imagine his next deal wouldn’t top the $4.5MM average annual salary Terry Francona received as the Guards’ former manager.  The Mets and owner Steve Cohen could certainly throw their financial weight around if it means bringing Counsell into the fold, but Hogg argues that the Brewers have no reason to not offer Counsell a big raise, as he was already making a $3.5MM salary.  As Hogg further notes, a manager’s salary is comparatively small in relation to the salaries that even a smaller-market team like the Brewers give to average players.

Marlins Outright Three To Triple-A

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The Marlins outrighted outfielder Jonathan Davis, left-hander Enmanuel De Jesus, and right-hander Jeff Lindgren off their 40-man roster, according to the team’s official transactions page.  Davis and Lindgren can opt for free agency instead of the assignment to Triple-A because they’ve each been previously outrighted during their careers, while De Jesus is likely to wind up in minor league free agency.

Davis first had to be activated from the 60-day injured list before being outrighted, as he has been out of action since undergoing right meniscus surgery back in July.  Davis suffered the injury diving for a ball in center field, and it ended up costing him the remainder of his 2023 season.  The meniscus procedure had a recovery timeline of 3-6 months, so while Davis’ normal offseason routine will be delayed, he can hopefully be ready for Spring Training — whether in the Marlins’ camp, or with another club.

Miami acquired Davis in a trade with the Tigers last May, as the Fish were looking to shore up their center field depth with Jazz Chisholm Jr. recovering from turf toe.  Davis ended up playing in 34 games and making 104 plate appearances (the most of any of his six MLB seasons) before getting hurt.  After being part of five different organizations since August 2021, Davis may now find himself on the move once more, almost surely on another minor league deal.

Davis has a .198/.295/.276 slash line over 205 games and 464 PA at the big league level, appearing in each of the last six seasons.  Despite the lack of offense, Davis is a well-regarded baserunner who can play all three outfield positions, making him a useful depth option at either Triple-A or on a Major League bench.  The outright assignment is essentially an early non-tender for the Marlins, as Davis was eligible for salary arbitration for the first time this winter and projected to earn $800K for 2024.

De Jesus made his MLB debut this season, tossing 6 1/3 innings over two appearances and allowing eight earned runs.  That 11.57 ERA notwithstanding, De Jesus could finally call himself a big leaguer after a long minor league career that began in the Red Sox system in 2014.  De Jesus pitched with Boston until he spent the 2022 season with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate, and he then caught on with the Marlins on a minors contract.

Working as both a starter and reliever over his career, De Jesus has a 4.01 ERA over 749 1/3 innings in the minors as a whole, and a 4.61 ERA in 191 1/3 frames at Triple-A.  The 26-year-old’s control has become an increasing issue over the last couple of years, hampering his success in the upper minors.

Lindgren was a 24th-round pick for the Marlins in the 2019 draft, and he also reached the majors for the first time in 2023, appearing in three games and delivering a 5.14 ERA over seven innings pitched.  The number of appearances didn’t quite outpace the number of outrights, as this is now the fourth time Miami has removed Lindgren from their 40-man roster in 2023.  As such, he could’ve opted into free agency on multiple occasions this season, but since he chose to remain with the Marlins on those previous occasions, he might well choose to stay once more.

Padres Considering Phil Nevin, Benji Gil As Managerial Candidates

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Former Angels manager Phil Nevin and Angels infield coordinator Benji Gil are on the Padres’ radar for interviews as the club continues its managerial search, according to The Athletic’s Dennis Lin and Britt Ghiroli (both links to X).  Nevin might interview this week while Gil “is in preliminary discussions” about a potential interview.

Nevin has plenty of Padres ties, as he lives just outside San Diego and played seven (1999-2005) of his 12 Major League seasons in a Padres uniform.  Since retiring from playing, Nevin has had a lengthy career as a coach and manager in the majors and minors, culminating in his first MLB managerial gig with the Angels over the last two seasons.  Taking over as Los Angeles’ interim skipper when Joe Maddon was fired in June 2022, Nevin was properly made the manager following the season, though given only a one-year contract.  Nevin posted an 119-149 overall record as the Angels’ manager, and he wasn’t given a new deal following the 2023 campaign as the Halos chose to instead look for a new dugout boss.

Gil has never managed at the Major League level, and has been on the Angels’ coaching staff for only the last two seasons.  Still, the 51-year-old Gil has the past experience of an eight-year playing career in the bigs, as well as some managerial experience outside of the affiliated minors.  Gil has worked as a manager in Mexican baseball, most notably helming Mexico’s national teams during the 2020 Summer Olympics and during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.  The Angels reportedly had interest in Gil as a possible candidate for their own managerial vacancy, though it isn’t yet known if the former infielder has sat down for a former interview with the Angels’ upper management.

In a sense, the two candidates represent the four (non-interim managers) who have run the Padres’ dugout during A.J. Preller’s tenure as the club’s president of baseball operations.  Nevin is a veteran baseball man with past managerial experience, like Bud Black (who Preller inherited Bud Black as his first skipper) and Bob Melvin (who managed the Padres over the last two seasons).  In between those hires, Preller went with Andy Green and Jayce Tingler, both first-time managers with relatively little coaching experience on a Major League staff.

This same dynamic exists between the other two known candidates for the San Diego job.  Bench coach Ryan Flaherty has never managed at the MLB level but has been on the Padres’ coaching staff for the last four seasons, while senior associate Mike Shildt was the Cardinals’ skipper from 2018-21.  Flaherty and Shildt are considered the favorites to be the next Padres’ manager, though Preller said that the team would be exploring external candidates out of more than due diligence.  “We’re going to make sure we exhaust all the different possibilities to get the right choice….We want to try to get it right,” Preller said.

Ghiroli also notes that Eric Chavez is “no longer expected to be in the mix” after garnering some level of interest from the Padres in their search.  Chavez has long been seen as a possible future manager, and he has worked on the Mets’ staff for the last two seasons, including a bench coach role in 2023.  Since the Mets are themselves looking for a new manager to replace Buck Showalter, Chavez’s future in New York could well be in flux, though it appears he won’t be part of the Padres’ search.

Rangers Remove Adolis Garcia, Max Scherzer From World Series Roster

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6:11PM: The Rangers have officially replaced Garcia and Scherzer on the World Series roster with Duran and left-hander Brock Burke, the league announced.  Burke had a 4.37 ERA, 20.8% strikeout rate, and 3.8% walk rate over 59 2/3 innings for Texas this season, initially working as a multi-inning reliever before settling into a more standard one-inning bullpen role.  The southpaw has made only one appearance during the Rangers’ playoff run, tossing one-third of an inning in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Orioles.

5:12PM: Adolis Garcia and Max Scherzer each left yesterday’s Game 3 with injuries, as Garcia was removed with an apparent side injury after a big swing in the eighth inning and Scherzer lasted only three innings on the mound due to back tightness.  Providing updates on both players today, Rangers manager Bruce Bochy told media that the club had yet to make a formal decision about whether or not either Garcia or Scherzer would be replaced on the World Series roster, but that decision might come prior to the start of tonight’s Game 4.

“It’s not great news” about Garcia, as Bochy bluntly put it, as the outfielder has suffered “a moderate strain of the oblique.”  Garcia took some swings to test his readiness and is undergoing treatment from team trainers, but he has already been ruled out of the starting lineup, as Travis Jankowski will instead get the nod tonight in Garcia’s customary right field spot.  As for Scherzer, the veteran right-hander’s back is still “pretty locked up,” putting his readiness for another appearance later in the Series into serious doubt.

Since a player cannot return to action in the World Series once he is removed from the roster, it is understandable why Texas is being as cautious as possible before making a final call on Garcia and Scherzer.  That said, it is hard to imagine either getting healthy enough to play within the short window of time remaining in the postseason.  The Rangers simply can’t afford to play essentially two men down, and even though Scherzer probably wouldn’t have pitched again until a possible Game 7 if healthy, the Rangers would still be fielding a shorthanded roster in the event that Scherzer was given an extra day or two for more observation.  Getting a fresh arm in Scherzer’s place would also help the bullpen sooner rather than later.

Ezequiel Duran has already been tabbed as the replacement should Garcia indeed be removed from the roster, yet obviously there’s no way to truly replace his huge contributions to the Texas lineup.  Garcia has been perhaps the biggest star of the Rangers’ playoff run, as he has hit .323/.382/.726 with eight home runs over 68 plate appearances this postseason.  Garcia’s 15 RBI during the ALCS set a new record for most RBI in a postseason series, and Garcia was rightly named ALCS MVP for his heroics in the Rangers’ seven-game triumph over the Astros.

Nationals Hire Gerardo Parra, Ricky Gutierrez As Coaches

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With a number of vacancies to fill on their coaching staff, the Nationals will fill two of those spots with Gerardo Parra as the new first base coach and Ricky Gutierrez as the new third base coach, Andrew Golden of the Washington Post reports (via X).  Parra and Gutierrez will respectively take over from Eric Young Jr. and Gary DiSarcina, as the Nats parted ways with both base coaches following the season.

This is the first coaching job for the 36-year-old Parra, who has spent the better part of the last two seasons as a special assistant to Nationals GM Mike Rizzo.  2021 was the final season of Parra’s 12-year Major League career, and he sandwiched two seasons with the Nats around a stint in Japan with the Yomiuri Giants in 2020.

Parra enjoyed a number of highlights during his lengthy career, including two Gold Gloves when playing for the Diamondbacks from 2009-14.  However, Parra’s most famous broadly famous moments came with Washington in 2019, as his use of “Baby Shark” as his walkup song made him a viral sensation.  Parra’s arrival with the Nationals after a May 2019 trade with the Giants was also considered a chief turning point in the Nats’ season, as Parra’s clubhouse leadership and contributions as an outfield regular helped get a then-struggling Washington team on track.  The result was the Nationals’ first World Series championship, cementing Parra’s position as a fan favorite in the District for life.

The 53-year-old Gutierrez also has 12 seasons of Major League playing time on his resume, suiting up for six different teams from 1993-2004.  Post-playing career, Gutierrez worked with the Reds’ player development department for five years and was the manager of their Double-A affiliate in 2021.

Gutierrez moved on from that job to join the Nationals prior to the 2022 season, first working as a Latin American scout and in a special assistant’s role, and he was part of the MLB team’s coaching staff in 2023 as a run prevention coordinator.  That somewhat unique title meant that Gutierrez was focusing on improving the Nats’ defense, and Gutierrez (himself a former shortstop) in particular worked with CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia in the middle infield.

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