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Kevin Gausman Expected To Sign In Next Few Days; Blue Jays, Giants Are Finalists

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7:44PM: According to multiple industry sources, Gausman will receive a five-year deal worth around $100MM in guaranteed money, Morosi reports in his latest Twitter update.

TODAY, 1:09PM: MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets that the Giants “have a good chance to retain Kevin Gausman, based on the current tenor of negotiations.”

NOVEMBER 27: Kevin Gausman appears to be close to picking his new team, as MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (Twitter links) reports that the free agent right-hander will likely make his decision within the next two or three days.  The Blue Jays are one of the finalists for Gausman’s services, though it isn’t known how many other teams are also still in the running.  The Jays, Giants, Angels, Red Sox, Mets, and Mariners have all been linked to Gausman’s market at various points this winter.

There is enough interest in Gausman that “a five-year deal is increasingly likely,” Morosi writes.  This is actually less than the six-year, $138MM deal that MLBTR projected for Gausman (who ranked fifth on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents), but it is still a healthy commitment for a pitcher entering his age-31 season.  Beyond Gausman’s strong numbers over the last two seasons, he can also be signed without any draft pick compensation required, making him an even more attractive candidate for teams.

For example, the Angels have already surrendered one draft pick in order to sign the qualifying offer-rejecting Noah Syndergaard.  Therefore, Gausman is probably a more enticing addition for the Angels than Robbie Ray, who is the last remaining free agent starter who rejected a QO (though the Angels reportedly had some interest in Ray earlier in the offseason).

The Blue Jays may have two compensatory picks coming back their way should Ray and Marcus Semien sign elsewhere.  That frees the Jays up to perhaps sign another QO free agent since they know they’ll be getting at least one extra pick anyway, or maybe deal a notable prospect if they feel they can replenish their farm system with extra selections in the 2022 draft.

Gausman has long been on Toronto’s radar, as the club had interest in the righty in each of the last two offseasons.  Last winter, the Jays reportedly offered Gausman three years and around $40MM before he opted to bet on himself by accepting the Giants’ qualifying offer — a very wise move in hindsight, given what Gausman is now poised to earn this offseason.  Should the Jays win the bidding for Gausman, he will immediately bolster a rotation that has already lost Steven Matz to the Cardinals and may also lose Ray.  Gausman would join Jose Berrios, Hyun Jin Ryu, and Alek Manoah in the starting five, with other starting options like Nate Pearson, Ross Stripling, or Anthony Kay now battling for the fifth starter’s job.

Assuming he does agree to a deal soon, Gausman will join the long list of major free agent pitchers who have already landed deals before the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement on December 1.  Syndergaard, Matz, Justin Verlander, Eduardo Rodriguez, Anthony DeSclafani, and Andrew Heaney have signed, though obviously several other prominent arms (i.e. Ray, Max Scherzer, Marcus Stroman, Carlos Rodon, Jon Gray) are still available.

Angels Interested In Luis Castillo

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The Angels and Reds have engaged in “preliminary trade talks” about right-hander Luis Castillo, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports (Twitter link).  No deal seems close, however, as “the sides are far apart as of today.”

While the Reds are known to be listening on offers for Castillo, latest reports have indicated that Cincinnati isn’t keen to part with either Castillo and Tyler Mahle.  As Morosi plainly puts it, the Reds’ “price remains very high” for Castillo’s services.

It costs the Angels nothing to just ask about Castillo, of course, and given how Los Angeles is scouring the free agent market for pitching, it isn’t surprising that the Halos are also exploring trade possibilities.  Noah Syndergaard has already signed with Anaheim, but the Angels could surely use at least one more starter for what is planned as a six-man rotation.  Right now, Syndergaard, Shohei Ohtani, Jose Suarez, Patrick Sandoval, Reid Detmers, and Jaime Barria sit as the Angels’ top six choices.

Castillo is a good fit for the Angels for several reasons, starting with his obvious ability to be front-of-the-rotation type of arm.  Castillo is also controllable and affordable for two more seasons via the arbitration system, with Castillo projected to earn $7.6MM this winter.  Since the Angels have a longstanding aversion to long-term deals for starting pitchers, keeping Castillo on a short-term deal carries obvious appeal, especially since he would also cost much less than it would take to sign a top-tier free agent arm like Robbie Ray or Max Scherzer.

Of course, obtaining Castillo carries a different kind of steep cost.  The Reds’ specific demands for Castillo aren’t known, but it’s easy to imagine the team wanting a big package of high-caliber young talent.  Since Cincinnati isn’t pursuing an outright fire sale in its efforts to cut payroll, one would think the Reds might want at least one young player who can contribute in 2022, since the team is still hoping to contend in the NL Central.

Castillo has garnered interest all over the L.A. baseball scene, as the Dodgers have also reportedly had some talks with the Reds about a possible swap.  While it is safe to guess that multiple teams have checked in on Castillo’s availability, the Twins are one of the teams who haven’t yet shown interest, according to SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson.  Minnesota may have an even more severe need for veteran pitching than the Angels, yet it has been a quiet offseason overall for the Twins, with the exception of today’s contract extension with Byron Buxton.

Twins, Byron Buxton Agree To Extension

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The Twins and outfielder Byron Buxton have agreed to a seven-year contract extension worth $100MM.  The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (Twitter links) first reported that the two sides were nearing a deal, as well the specific size and length of the contract, while ESPN.com’s Jeff Passan reported that an agreement had been reached.  The extension contains a full no-trade clause.  Buxton is represented by Jet Sports Management.

Rosenthal also has the breakdown of the financial particulars, which carry some notable extra incentives.  Buxton will get a $1MM signing bonus and a $9MM salary for 2022, and he’ll then earn $15MM every season from 2023-28.  An extra $500K in incentives is available if Buxton reaches various plate appearance thresholds (502, 533, 567, 600 and 625 PA).  Some major and “believed to be unprecedented” bonus money is also available to Buxton based on his finishes in MVP voting.  Buxton will earn $8MM if he wins MVP honors, $7MM for a second-place finish, $6MM for third, $5MM for fourth, $4MM for fifth, and $3MM if he finishes anywhere from sixth to tenth place in the voting.

Byron Buxton verticalThe deal secures Buxton’s future as a Twins cornerstone, and ends several months’ worth of negotiations between the two sides.  Talks over the summer didn’t pan out, which then led to speculation that Minnesota might deal Buxton at the trade deadline, though that scenario also didn’t come to pass.  The Twins reportedly offered Buxton an $80MM deal during the season, and more recent reports indicated that Buxton’s camp wanted extra incentives included in the contract that would push the value over $100MM.

Instead, Buxton now locks in a guaranteed $100MM, though at the cost of six free agent seasons.  Buxton (who turns 28 in December) was entering his final year of team control, and was projected to earn $7.3MM in his final year of arbitration eligibility.  Though that lens, this deal could be viewed as a six-year, $92.7MM commitment, though the wide range of potential bonus money could greatly increase Buxton’s earnings.

To work his way into the MVP conversation, of course, Buxton will have to stay on the field, which has been his biggest question mark over seven MLB seasons.  The outfielder has battled a wide variety of injury problems over the years, with just 493 total games played in seven seasons.  Buxton’s season high was 140 appearances in 2017, but his next-highest totals were only 92 games (in 2016) and 87 games (in 2019), plus he appeared in 39 of a possible 60 games during the abbreviated 2020 campaign.

With so many trips to the injured list, it isn’t surprising that it took Buxton a while to get his timing down at the plate, but his batting prowess has started to emerge over the last three years, particularly in 2021.  Buxton hit .306/.358/.647 over 254 PA last season, hitting 19 home runs and stealing nine bases in 10 opportunities.  Between this offensive production and his all-world defense, Buxton was worth 4.2 fWAR despite playing in only 61 of Minnesota’s games, due to a hip strain and a fracture in his left hand.

Buxton has never finished higher than 16th in AL MVP voting (in 2020).  His lack of playing time has undoubtedly cost him with MVP voters and also likely cost him multiple Gold Gloves beyond his lone GG in 2017.  As a result, this incentive structure seems like a decent compromise that works for both Buxton and the Twins.  The team gets some flexibility in making a major financial commitment to an injury-prone player, while Buxton both guarantees himself one life-changing payday, and allows him to benefit if he is able to stay healthy and consistently produce superstar-level numbers.

Minnesota doesn’t have much long-term payroll on its books, as Randy Dobnak is the only player guaranteed beyond the 2023 season.  The guaranteed portion of Josh Donaldson’s deal is up after 2023, so Buxton will essentially replace Donaldson as the Twins’ biggest-money commitment.

Locking up Buxton also seemingly erases the possibility that the Twins were going to take a step back or rebuild entirely following their disastrous 2021 season.  While Minnesota did move the likes of Nelson Cruz and Jose Berrios at the trade deadline, they didn’t engage in any kind of a full-on fire sale, preferring to try and rebound in 2022.  Buxton’s no-trade clause gives him control over his own fate over the next seven seasons, though if Minnesota did change course and look to make a move with Buxton’s blessing in future years, his contract is short enough on guaranteed money that interested teams would likely still be open to absorbing the deal.

The extension also has an impact on the center field market, as Buxton is no longer a trade possibility and Starling Marte (the best everyday option in free agency) signed with the Mets on Friday.  Teams looking for center field help are suddenly facing an even thinner list of possibilities.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Rangers Sign Marcus Semien

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The Rangers made the first major strike of the offseason shortstop market, agreeing with Marcus Semien on a seven-year, $175MM contract.  According to The Athletic’s Levi Weaver, Semien will earn $25MM in 2022, $26MM in each of the 2023-27 seasons, and then $20MM in 2028.  Semien is represented by the Boras Corporation.

“Marcus’ reputation around the game is impeccable.  He’s a leader in every clubhouse he steps into, respected for the way he goes about his work and how he treats others,” Rangers President of Baseball Operations Jon Daniels said in a press release officially announcing the signing.  “There are few players in the game who garner the level of respect that he does from teammates and opponents alike.  We’re thrilled to add a player of his caliber to the organization.”

There were indications that Semien was one of the free agents looking to get his next contract finalized prior to the expiration of the Collective Bargaining Agreement on December 1, as a lockout and transactions freeze are widely expected to follow.  The Rangers were also known to be one of the more aggressive teams of the offseason, with money to spent and a direct interest in the shortstop market.

Marcus Semien verticalWith these factors in mind, a deal between the two sides doesn’t necessarily count as a surprise, but the sheer size of the contract is a little eye-opening.  MLBTR projected Semien for six years and $138MM, as though Semien is already 31 years old, he has been a very durable player throughout his career and isn’t necessarily as much of a decline risk as other players his age.  Needless to say, the Rangers agreed, giving Semien the biggest contract of any free agent to date this winter.  With Semien now locking in $175MM, the asking price will probably only go up for Carlos Correa (age 27), Corey Seager (28 in April), Trevor Story (who just turned 29) and Javier Baez (who turns 29 on December 1).

It also isn’t out of the question that one of these other shortstops might still end up joining forces with Semien in the Texas infield, as ESPN’s Jeff Passan reporting that Story is still under consideration.  Theoretically, a scenario exists where Story signs to play shortstop, while Semien moves to second base, as he did last year with the Blue Jays alongside shortstop Bo Bichette.

If another shortstop isn’t added, Semien might conceivably still remain at second base, since Rangers incumbent Isiah Kiner-Falefa is a fine defensive shortstop in his own right.  Kiner-Falefa would likely be a defensive standout anywhere he plays around the infield, however, so Texas could opt to put IKF at second or third base, and install Semien back in his former shortstop position.

The seven-year contract represents quite a turn of events for Semien, who struggled through the first six weeks of the shortened 2020 season, thus limiting his value heading into free agency last winter.  Semien opted to sign a one-year deal with the Jays in order to re-establish his market, and the result was a third-place finish in AL MVP voting.  Semien hit .265/.334/.538 with 45 homers during his spectacular year, appearing in all 162 games and leading the league with 724 plate appearances.  In addition to Silver Slugger honors, Semien also won a Gold Glove in his first year as a second baseman since 2014.

The Rangers were very familiar with Semien from his days with the Athletics, and the infielder now returns to the AL West as the veteran face of a new era of Texas baseball.  After five straight losing seasons, both president of baseball operations Jon Daniels and GM Chris Young indicated that the club was willing to spend some serious money to return to contention.  The Rangers have so little on the books in future salary commitments that multiple signings seemed likely, and if the team is indeed prepared to add up to $100MM in payroll this winter alone, Semien’s $25MM average annual value represents only the first quarter of Texas’ potential outlay.

As Rome wasn’t built in a day, turning the 102-loss Rangers into an immediate contender will be a tall order, even if Texas does spend $100MM+.  Both the AL West and the American League as a whole figure to be competitive in 2022, so the Rangers will need quite a bit more than just Semien to even get back above the .500 mark.  The seven-year commitment, however, is a sign that the Rangers are clearly in this for the long haul, and Semien is the type of “signpost” free agent signing (i.e. Jayson Werth signing with the Nationals in December 2010, or Hyun Jin Ryu signing with the Blue Jays two offseasons ago) that announces a team is ready to turn the corner.  Semien’s reputation as a strong clubhouse leader will also help for mentorship purposes with the Rangers’ younger players, and potentially attract other players to Arlington.

Because Semien rejected Toronto’s qualifying offer, the Rangers will have to give up $500K in international spending pool money, as well as their second-highest pick in the 2022 draft.  The latter is a pretty significant concession, as the Rangers’ second-highest selection is the third pick of the second round.  Since signing another QO-rejecting free agent would cost Texas its next highest pick (the third choice of the third round), it remains to be seen if the Rangers will now target free agents who aren’t attached to draft pick compensation.  Of the other shortstops, Baez is the only one who didn’t turn down a qualifying offer, as Baez wasn’t eligible due to his midseason trade to the Mets.

As well, the Blue Jays will get draft pick compensation for Semien’s departure, as the Jays will now get an extra pick between Competitive Balance Round B and the start of the third round.  The Blue Jays had interest in re-signing Semien themselves, but will now take the draft pick as a reward for their bet on Semien one year ago.

With Bichette established at shortstop, it remains to be seen if any of Correa, Seager, Story, or Baez could factor into Toronto’s plans, though most of the Jays-related news this winter has been related to their search for pitching, rather than any shortstops apart from Semien.  With a Santiago Espinal/Cavan Biggio platoon penciled in for second base or third base, the Jays have some flexibility in what type of infielder they can pursue as a Semien replacement, or whether that new player comes via free agency or trade.  There is no easy way to truly replace Semien’s production, of course, so a substantial addition be required to try and fill the big hole that Semien leaves in Toronto’s lineup.

FanSided’s Robert Murray (Twitter link) was the first to report that the two sides were close to a deal, with MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link) reporting the contract length, the fact that the deal had been reached, and the dollar figure.  USA Today’s Bob Nightengale also adds that the deal doesn’t contain any opt-out clauses or no-trade protection. 

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Blue Jays To Sign Yimi Garcia

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Nov. 28: Ben Nicholson-Smith clarified on Twitter that the bonus for pitching 60 innings or appearing in 60 games is actually $500K, not the $250K he previously reported.

Nov. 27, 11:07PM: The 2024 option has a vesting element, as per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith (Twitter links).  The Jays have a $5MM club option for 2024 with a $1MM buyout, but that third year becomes guaranteed at $6MM if Garcia tosses 60 innings or makes 60 appearances in 2023, or if he pitches at least 110 innings or 110 appearances in 2022-23 combined.

Garcia will receive a $1MM signing bonus, a $4MM salary in 2022, and $5MM in 2023.  Garcia also receives a $250K bonus if he hits the 50-inning mark, and other $250K bonuses at the 55-inning and 60-inning thresholds.  An unknown team offered Garcia a more lucrative multi-year deal, Nicholson-Smith writes, but the reliever rejected that deal in order to join a Blue Jays club that looks to be closer to contending.

8:14PM: The Blue Jays have agreed to a deal with right-hander Yimi Garcia, as per former player Carlos Baerga via Instagram (hat tip to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi).  It is a two-year contract worth $11MM for the 31-year-old Garcia, as per TSN’s Scott Mitchell, and the Jays also have a club option for 2024.  Garcia is represented by agent Kelvin Nova.

Garcia comes to Toronto after something of a tough end to his 2021 season.  After the Marlins dealt Garcia to the Astros at the trade deadline, Garcia posted a 5.48 ERA over 21 1/3 innings with Houston.  While his strikeout and walk rates improved following the trade, he had some bad luck in the form of a very low 42.6% strand rate.  With a 2.98 SIERA for his time as an Astro, the argument can certainly be made that Garcia deserved better, and things didn’t really improve thanks to a couple of rough outings in the playoffs.

On the whole, Garcia had a 4.21 ERA/3.61 ERA over 57 2/3 combined innings in 2021, with a 25.3% strikeout rate and 7.6% walk rate that were both better than the league average.  Garcia allowed quite a bit of hard contact, but he continued to boast one of baseball’s very best fastball spin rates.  Perhaps most promisingly, Garcia’s home run rate was a manageable 14.5%, after the long ball led to a lot of issues when he pitched for the Dodgers in 2018-19.

Those home run concerns notwithstanding, Garcia has been a pretty solid bullpen arm for much of his career, posting a 3.60 ERA over 232 1/3 career Major League innings.  Garcia has rebounded nicely from a 2016-18 stretch that was essentially a wash due to injuries, as he tossed only 30 2/3 combined frames in those three years due to knee problems, biceps problems, and Tommy John surgery.  Los Angeles elected to non-tender Garcia after the 2019 season, and he was quite effective with the Marlins after signing with Miami that winter.

A two-year deal is a nice score for Garcia in the wake of this career history, and also a reasonable price for Toronto to pay for a veteran relief arm with postseason experience.  The Jays have generally not spent much on relief pitching during Ross Atkins’ tenure as general manager, with the partial exception of their one-year, $5.5MM deal with Kirby Yates last offseason that immediately went south when Yates needed TJ surgery of his own.  Garcia’s health history contains some obvious red flags, though he hasn’t had any true injury problems since the start of the 2019 campaign, apart from a month missed in 2020 during the Marlins’ COVID-19 outbreak.

A swath of bullpen injuries badly hampered the Jays for the first few months of the 2021 season, and while the numbers began to generally improve, the Blue Jays lacked depth beyond their top quartet of closer Jordan Romano, Trevor Richards, Adam Cimber, and Tim Mayza.  That group is all back next season, and with Garcia added to the mix along with other pitchers (i.e. Julian Merryweather, Ryan Borucki) that will hopefully be healthier, the Blue Jays are aiming to turn their relief corps from a weakness into a strength.

Angels Planning To Hire Phil Nevin As Third Base Coach

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The Angels are planning to hire Phil Nevin as their next third base coach, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports (Twitter link).  Nevin has spent the last four seasons as the Yankees’ third base coach, before his contract wasn’t renewed back in October.  FanSided’s Robert Murray reported two weeks ago that Nevin and the Angels were in discussions.

An Orange County native, Nevin is returning to southern California and will wear an Angels uniform for the second time in his baseball career — Nevin played for the Halos back in 1998, one of seven teams Nevin appeared with over his 12 Major League seasons.  Of note, current Angels manager Joe Maddon was on the team’s coaching staff when Nevin played for the club.

After his retirement as a player, Nevin worked as a broadcaster and then as a manager in independent baseball before moving onto coaching and managerial roles in the Tigers and Diamondbacks farm systems.  Nevin made the move back to the big leagues as the Giants’ third base coach in 2017 before joining the Yankees.  Nevin (who turns 51 in January) has been a candidate for multiple MLB managerial openings in the past, getting consideration from the D’Backs, Tigers, and Astros.

Three vacancies on the Angels’ coaching staff opened up when the team opted against retaining third base coach Brian Butterfield, first base coach Bruce Hines, and catching coach Jose Molina.  The first base job could also soon be filled, as Rosenthal reports that former Padres coach Wayne Kirby is in talks with the Halos.  Kirby has a decade of experience as a Major League first base coach, working eight seasons with the Orioles and the last two years with San Diego.  While no official announcement has come from the Padres that they were parting ways with Kirby, the coaching staff is expected to be overhauled under new manager Bob Melvin.

Free Agent Notes: Baez, Pham, Mariners

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The Mets’ interest in re-signing Javier Baez reportedly didn’t end with the club’s agreement with Eduardo Escobar yesterday, yet Baez and the Mets are still “apart on price” in contract talks, according to SNY’s Andy Martino (Twitter link).  With Starling Marte and Mark Canha also joining the roster, it would seem as though the Mets are already bolstering the lineup in the event that Baez doesn’t return, and their current focus on pitching upgrades could at least temporarily put an end to their efforts to land Baez or any other position players.

Timing could be an issue with Baez, as there has been speculation that he would prefer to get his next contract finalized before the Collective Bargaining Agreement expires on December 1.  (Martino is among those who believes Baez will indeed sign prior to that date.)  If the gap between Baez and the Mets is too large to overcome in the next few days, that could open the door for one of the other teams known to be interested in the shortstop’s services.  The Tigers and Red Sox have been linked to Baez, with the Mariners, Rangers, and Yankees somewhat more speculatively attached to Baez via their interest in the shortstop market as a whole.

More on other free agent situations around baseball….

  • Padres president of baseball operations A.J. Preller said earlier this month that his club had interest in re-signing Tommy Pham, and The Athletic’s Dennis Lin writes that the Padres are indeed still considering Pham for their left field vacancy.  After subpar performance in his first two years in San Diego, Pham wouldn’t be too expensive, which Lin notes is still a consideration for a team trying to manage its payroll under the luxury tax threshold if possible.  Today’s trade of Adam Frazier to the Mariners cleared some projected salary off the books, and if the Padres do succeed in unloading Wil Myers and/or Eric Hosmer’s contracts, that will ease an even more substantial amount of the financial burden from Preller’s maneuverings.
  • Speaking of the Mariners, the Frazier trade represents Seattle’s first big strike of the offseason, though the club has been rumored in connection with multiple prominent free agents.  Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto told MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer and other reporters that the Mariners currently offers on the table to two free agents, with Dipoto noting that one of the two players is “notable.”  Reading between the lines, it would seem as if Dipoto was implying that one of the two offers was a significant multi-year pact, while the other offer may have been a shorter-term, less-expensive deal.

Pablo Sandoval Plans To Play In 2022

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After 14 Major League seasons, Pablo Sandoval isn’t yet thinking about retirement, as MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (Twitter link) that the veteran infielder intends to play next year.  Sandoval didn’t catch on with another MLB organization after he was released by the Guardians back on July 30, but he is currently playing in the Venezuelan Winter League (his first VEWL appearance in nine years).

Sandoval signed a minor league deal with the Braves last winter and made the Opening Day roster, locking in a $1MM guaranteed salary.  The Panda hit .178/.302/.342 with four homers over 86 PA, appearing almost exclusively as a pinch-hitter.  After a hot start, Sandoval’s production cooled down considerably, as he had only a single hit in his final 37 PA in a Braves uniform.

Atlanta ended up sending Sandoval to Cleveland as salary offset in a trade deadline swap that ended up being one of the season’s more noteworthy transactions.  The Braves dealt Sandoval for future NLCS MVP Eddie Rosario, who ended up being one of the key contributors to the Braves’ World Series title.  Of course, the Panda is no stranger to postseason honors himself, after winning three Series rings with the Giants and capturing the World Series MVP award in 2012.

Though Sandoval’s prime years are behind him, the 35-year-old was still a productive part-time bat as recently as 2019, when he hit .268/.313/.507 and 14 home runs over 296 PA with the Giants.  Given his long track record, he seems like a good candidate to land somewhere this winter on another minor league contract, as teams can get a first-hand look during Spring Training whether or not Sandoval has anything left in the tank.

Nationals Sign Adrian Sanchez, Victor Arano To Minors Contracts

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The Nationals signed infielder Adrian Sanchez and right-hander Victor Arano to minor league deals, with Sanchez’s deal inked earlier this month.  Both moves were reported on the team’s official transactions feed at MLB.com.

2022 will mark Sanchez’s 15th season in the Nationals organization, as he joined the team as an international signing when he was just 16 years old.  This long tenure has included big league action in four of the last five seasons, including 16 games with D.C. this past year.  Sanchez has hit .262/.287/.328 over 204 career plate appearances as a big leaguer, and .267/.310/.363 over 4304 PA in the minors.

In re-signing the 31-year-old Sanchez, the Nationals return a familiar face to their depth chart, primarily in the infield.  While Sanchez has played a smattering of games as a corner outfielder, the vast majority of his experience has come at second base, third base, and shortstop.  He’ll get the opportunity to win a job during Spring Training, but probably unless an injury arises, Sanchez will spend the bulk of next season waiting in the wings at Triple-A Rochester.

Arano is a newcomer to Washington but not to the NL East, as the righty’s MLB resume consists of 74 2/3 innings out of the Phillies bullpen from 2017-19.  Rotator cuff inflammation hampered Arano in 2018 and then an elbow surgery sidelined him for much of 2019, as he hasn’t appeared in a big league game since April 18, 2019.  Arano was claimed off waivers by the Braves last offseason and he posted a 2.50 ERA over 36 innings for Atlanta’s Triple-A affiliate but didn’t get another call to the Show.  The Braves outrighted Arano off their 40-man in June.

Arano doesn’t turn 27 until February, and there could be some hidden-gem potential for the Nationals if Arano is healthy.  When the right-hander was able to pitch, he was quite effective for the Phillies, posting a 2.65 ERA/3.38 SIERA over his 74 2/3 frames, with above-average strikeout (26.3%) and walk (7.6%) rates.  At the cost just an invitation to Spring Training, there’s no risk for the Nats to see if Arano is again capable delivering such numbers.

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