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AL East Notes: Sanchez, Red Sox, Beane, Orioles, Blue Jays

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Gary Sanchez’s nightmarish 2020 season has turned him into a question mark for the Yankees moving forward, and the club at least considered turning the page earlier this year.  According to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, “the Yankees were open to the idea of trading” Sanchez back in August prior to the trade deadline.  Given how adamant GM Brian Cashman has been about Sanchez not being a trade candidate in the past, this seems like a noteworthy shift in thinking, though not an unexpected one given how badly Sanchez struggled this season.

Feinsand included this news tidbit as part of a larger piece about J.T. Realmuto’s likeliest suitors this winter, with the Yankees ranked second on that list.  Signing Realmuto would be the biggest possible way to upgrade at catcher, but it isn’t clear if the Yankees are willing (or able) to make another huge spending splash in the wake of 2020’s major revenue losses.

More from the AL East…

  • Since front office hiring negotiations aren’t usually recreated as movie scenes, it is common knowledge that the Red Sox tried to lure Billy Beane away from Oakland in 2002.  However, the Athletic’s Evan Drellich (Twitter link) reports that the Sox made a much more recent overture for Beane’s services, asking the Athletics for permission to speak with Beane just last year when the Sox were looking for a new front office boss.  Chaim Bloom ended up being hired as the Red Sox chief baseball officer, though it’s possible Bloom could have been hired to work under Beane, as Red Sox ownership wanted “a senior voice for someone more inexperienced.”  As it turned out, Bloom became the top voice in Boston’s baseball operations pyramid and Beane remained with the A’s, though Beane’s future has become the subject of speculation in recent days.
  • The Orioles are looking to replace pitching coach Doug Brocail and third base coach Jose Flores, though MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko hears that the team could look to fill the positions internally.  A source tells Kubatko that the team is “rearranging things” in the wake of the tumultuous 2020 season, and moving already-employed personnel into those coaching roles would be a way for the O’s to save money.  Beyond just the financial aspect, the Orioles are expected to be making some changes to their minor league coaching and developmental staffs as well, so internal promotions could be a part of those plans (not to mention keeping people within the organization if any of Baltimore’s farm teams are contracted).
  • The use of an alternate training site was an imperfect solution to the lack of a minor league baseball season, though some teams found some pluses to the approach.  As Laura Armstrong of the Toronto Star writes, the adjustments made by such players as Alejandro Kirk and T.J. Zeuch allowed them to contribute at the big league level and become part of the Blue Jays’ plans for 2021.  While Jays GM Ross Atkins wants to see traditional minor league ball back, Atkins said “I do feel like we were able to make some really targeted progress” with prospects at the alternate site.  The Jays plan to carry over some developmental processes from the alternate site once minor league baseball eventually resumes.

Clayton Kershaw Scratched From Game 2, Tony Gonsolin To Start

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1:40PM: Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told Jorge Castillo of the L.A. Times (Twitter links) and other reporters that chances are “very good” that Kershaw will pitch in the NLCS but he won’t be starting Game 3.  Kershaw’s back spasms developed during his bullpen session on Sunday, Roberts said.

11:57PM: The Dodgers have optimism that Kershaw can be back for Game 4, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets.  “If his back improves relatively quickly,” there’s a chance Kershaw could even be ready for Game 3.

11:02PM: Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw has been scratched from his scheduled start in today’s Game 2 of the NLCS due to back spasms.  Tony Gonsolin will instead take the ball to start against the Braves.

Kershaw has dealt with back problems at various points during this career, including a bout of back tightness that put him on the injured list for the first week of the 2020 season.  Naturally, the timing couldn’t be much worse for Kershaw to again suffer back woes just hours before the start of Game 2, and the question now becomes when exactly the longtime Dodger ace will be able to pitch again.

Depending on the severity of the spasms, Kershaw could potentially start Wednesday’s Game 3, though that would seem to be a quick turn-around.  Assuming the spasms are minor, Kershaw could be held off until Game 4 on Thursday, in what could be a series-deciding game should Los Angeles fall behind 3-0.

The Dodgers had been relying on Walker Buehler and Kershaw as the cornerstone of their postseason rotation plan, with the duo starting the first two games of each playoff series thus far.  Dustin May started Game 3 of the NLDS against the Padres, and some combination of May, Gonsolin, and Julio Urias was expected to handle the third and fourth starter duties for the remainder of the playoffs, the Dodgers also making liberal use of their bullpen.  Alex Wood was also added to the Dodgers’ NLCS roster to provide even more pitching depth given the lack of off-days throughout the series.

More immediately, Gonsolin now faces the immediate and unexpected pressure of having to keep Los Angeles out of an 0-2 series deficit in his postseason debut.  Gonsolin has impressed over his two MLB seasons, posting a 2.60 ERA, 3.77 K/BB, and 8.6 K/9 over 86 2/3 innings, starting 14 of his 20 career games.  It is something of a tribute to the Dodgers’ depth that a promising young arm like Gonsolin wasn’t even a full-time starter for them heading into October, but he will have a stiff test in a Braves lineup that crushed right-handed pitching this season.

Tigers Interview George Lombard For Manager’s Job

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The Tigers’ search to replace Ron Gardenhire has started with a familiar name to Detroit fans, as MLB.com’s Jason Beck reports (via Twitter) that the team interviewed Dodgers first base coach George Lombard.

The bulk of Lombard’s 144 career Major League games were played in a Detroit uniform, as Lombard appeared in 72 contests for the 2002 Tigers.  Lombard played in parts of six MLB seasons from 1998-2006, and after his career wound up in 2009, he moved on to minor league coaching and coordinator positions in the Red Sox and Braves farm systems.  The 45-year-old Lombard is currently in his fifth season as the Dodgers’ first base coach, and he was also interviewed for the Pirates’ managerial vacancy last year.

Lombard’s resume includes some managerial experience, as he ran the dugout for the Gulf Coast Red Sox (Boston’s rookie league affiliate) in 2011 and 2012.  Tigers GM Al Avila is reportedly only looking at candidates who have some managerial or coaching experience at the Major or minor league levels, so Lombard qualifies on this front, though he does lack the track record of some of the bigger names thought to be under consideration — such as recent World Series-winning skippers Alex Cora or A.J. Hinch, among other candidates.

No Talks Yet Between Yankees, Zack Britton On Contract Option

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The Yankees face a number of big decisions this offseason, though one of their more immediate bits of business will be figuring out Zack Britton’s status for both the 2021 and 2022 seasons.  Britton is two years into a three-year, $39MM deal that contains a $14MM club option for 2022, and a clause in the contract states that the Yankees have to decide whether or not to exercise that option now, rather than after the 2021 campaign.  If the club option is declined, Britton can opt out of his contract and hit free agency this offseason.

More details are provided by Britton himself, in an e-mail to George A. King III of the New York Post.  According to the left-hander, “the Yankees have until the third day following the end of the World Series” to exercise or decline the 2022 option.  If they decline, Britton has until five days after the end of the World Series to decide whether or not to opt out or remain playing under his 2021 obligation.

“I have not had any discussions regarding my contract with the Yankees,” Britton said, adding that he will soon be touching base with his agent Scott Boras to discuss the situation.

Given that New York’s season only just ended last Friday, it perhaps isn’t surprising that the team hasn’t yet fully explored all of their offseason matters.  It is also quite possible that in Britton’s case, the Yankees might not have much to discuss — the southpaw delivered another superb year, with a 1.89 ERA, 2.29 K/BB rate, 7.6 K/9, and elite 71.7% grounder rate, and zero home runs allowed over 19 innings of work.

Retaining Britton for the cost of $27MM over 2021-22 seems like a relatively easy yes for the team.  One potential complication could be the Yankees’ overall payroll picture, should they decide that Britton’s salary could be better spent on other pressing issues, like re-signing DJ LeMahieu or adding to the rotation.  But, as King notes, Britton was an important stabilizing force in a bullpen that had its share of inconsistency in both the regular season and in the playoffs.

On the off chance that the club option is declined, it’s probably also safe to assume that Britton would choose to opt out of his 2021 deal.  Britton turns 33 in December, and he would be leaving $13MM on the table to enter one of the most unpredictable free agent markets of all time.  The Yankees could also attach a qualifying offer to Britton, further impacting his market.  Even with those obstacles, however, it’s quite easy to imagine Britton scoring more two years and $27MM considering his track record as one of the sport’s better relievers.

Braves Add Johan Camargo To NLCS Roster

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The Braves have added infielder Johan Camargo to the NLCS roster, the team announced.  Camargo will replace Adam Duvall, who suffered an oblique injury in yesterday’s Game 1.  While Duvall’s injury would likely have sidelined him anyway, his removal from the NLCS roster means he is officially ineligible to play in the World Series should the Braves advance.

Camargo has mostly played in the infield during his four-year career, though he does have a handful of appearances as a corner outfielder.  Atlanta isn’t really hurting for outfield depth given the presence of Ronald Acuna, Marcell Ozuna, Nick Markakis, Cristian Pache and utilityman Charlie Culberson on the roster, plus third baseman Austin Riley can play left field in a pinch.  With Camargo now adding to the infield depth, the Braves could be more apt to go to Culberson or Riley as a late-game sub.

Moreso than defensive concerns, replacing Duvall with Camargo is a significant hit to Atlanta’s lineup.  Duvall hit .237/.301/.532 with 16 homers over 209 PA this season, while Camargo hasn’t hit well in either of the last two seasons.  That said, the Braves have plenty of other bats to theoretically pick up the offensive slack, while it should be noted that Duvall had only a .443 OPS in 21 plate appearances during this postseason.

Quick Hits: Matzek, Braves, Extensions, Mariners

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Tyler Matzek hadn’t thrown a Major League inning since the 2015 season, yet the southpaw has been a huge contributor to the Braves’ 2020 bullpen, posting a 2.79 ERA, 4.30 K/BB rate, and 13.3 K/9 over 29 regular season innings, and adding three shutout innings of work thus far in the playoffs.  Matzek’s five-year absence from the big leagues was marked by a 2017 spent entirely out of baseball, and then a stint pitching for the independent Texas AirHogs in 2018 and 2019 that got his career on track.  As AirHogs general manager Nate Gutierez told Steve Hummer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Matzek’s mindset heading to indy ball, “some guys come in defeated….When Tyler came in, we had open and honest conversations with him about where he was, which was a ways away from where he thought he needed to be.”

Some more from around baseball….

  • Matzek’s emergence further strengthen a bullpen that was one of the league’s best in 2020. Also instrumental at the end of games for manager Brian Snitker are Chris Martin and Mark Melancon, a pair of relievers originally acquired around the 2019 trade deadline. Those are among a series of moves the Alex Anthopolous-led front office has made to fortify the pitching staff over the past couple seasons, as Buster Olney of ESPN explores. Even more impactful, perhaps, are potential moves Atlanta didn’t make, as Olney notes that opposing teams tried to buy low on Max Fried and Kyle Wright after they started their careers with somewhat mixed results. To their credit, the Braves obviously stood pat on both pitchers, which has proven especially beneficial in Fried’s case.
  • There’s a widespread industry expectation teams will curtail spending this offseason in the wake of this year’s pandemic-driven revenue losses. That cost consciousness could manifest itself in plenty of extension offers for teams’ top young players, Olney further reports. The early career extension is hardly a new phenomenon; players like Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies and Scott Kingery have inked different variations of that type of deal in recent years. Olney expects an uptick in those kinds of offers in the coming months, with teams looking to lock in long-term cost certainty wherever possible. The Acuña and Albies deals demonstrate the massive returns on investment teams can reap when they strike early on the right players.
  • The Mariners will have some decisions to make in advance of this offseason’s deadline to protect players from the Rule V draft, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times explores. Taylor Trammell, Juan Then and Sam Delaplane are obviously going to be protected, Divish feels, but reliever Wyatt Mills and corner infielder Joe Rizzo present tougher calls. One other key roster decision will involve right-hander Kendall Graveman’s $3.5MM club option, Divish notes. The 29-year-old’s overall season numbers weren’t particularly impressive, but Graveman seemingly found another gear working out of the bullpen down the stretch.

Rays Announce ALCS Roster

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The Rays have set their 28-man roster for their ALCS matchup with the Astros.  Blake Snell will start tonight’s Game 1, and it has been widely speculated that Charlie Morton will start Game 2, though no official decision has been made.

Two changes were made from Tampa Bay’s ALDS roster, as the Rays have added left-handers Jose Alvarado and Josh Fleming to the pitching staff.  Alvarado was just activated from the 45-day injured list, and has been sidelined since August 14.  Fleming last threw on September 27, tossing six shutout innings against the Phillies.  The Rays now have six left-handers to deploy against a Houston team that didn’t post good numbers against southpaws during the regular season, though the Astros lineup has been mashing both lefties and righties during the playoffs.

Alvarado and Fleming will take the place of righty Trevor Richards and outfielder Brett Phillips.  Richards was a mid-series replacement for the injured Oliver Drake and didn’t pitch in the ALDS against the Yankees, while Phillips was a defensive substitution in three games against New York and didn’t reach base over two plate appearances.

Right-Handed Pitchers

Left-Handed Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Rays Reinstate Jose Alvarado From Injured List, Designate Oliver Drake

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The Rays have added left-hander Jose Alvarado to their roster for the ALCS, activating the southpaw from the 45-day injured list, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports (Twitter link).  To create roster space, right-hander Oliver Drake was designated for assignment.

Alvarado last pitched on August 14, as inflammation in his throwing shoulder ended up sidelining the lefty for much of the season.  Alvarado only pitched nine innings over nine games for Tampa Bay, posting a 6.00 ERA and recording 13 strikeouts against six walks.  It marked the second straight abbreviated year for Alvarado, who was limited to 30 innings in 2019 due to injuries and an absence for family reasons.

Clearly, however, the Rays feel comfortable that Alvarado is now ready and able to contribute in their quest for the American League pennant.  When healthy in 2018, Alvarado was a dominant force in Tampa’s bullpen, posting a 2.39 ERA, 11.3 K/9, and 2.76 K/BB rate over 64 innings.  Alvarado dominated both right-handed and left-handed batters that season, but he has some far more drastic splits in 2019-20.  Though the idea of a lefty specialist has been somewhat mitigated by the new three-batter rule, the Rays could perhaps try as best they can to position Alvarado against only left-handed bats.

Drake suffered a right flexor tendon strain during the ALDS that led to his removal from the active roster, and he could now be left off Tampa’s roster entirely depending on his trip through DFA limbo.  Drake posted a 5.73 ERA, 1.17 K/BB rate, and 5.7 K/9 over 11 innings this season, and since he is eligible for his second trip through arbitration this winter, the designation could be the Rays’ way of getting a planned non-tender out of the way early.  In 2019, Drake was a very effective reliever for the Rays, with a 3.21 ERA, 11.3 K/9, 52.3% grounder rate, and 3.68 K/BB rate over 56 innings.

Astros Set ALCS Roster

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The Astros officially released their 28-man roster for their ALCS matchup with the Rays.  Only one change was made from the Astros’ ALDS roster, as rookie outfielder Chas McCormick (who didn’t play in any of the four games against the Athletics) was omitted in favor of right-hander Chase De Jong.  This gives Houston an additional arm and more pitching depth over what could be a seven-game series with no off-days.

Chandler Rome of the Houston Chronicle notes that De Jong “is stretched out” and could thus be used to eat multiple innings out of the bullpen, if necessary.  Since De Jong only had a 14.73 ERA over 7 1/3 innings this season, however, one would imagine the Astros aren’t planning to deploy him for any critical situations.

Here is how the rest of the roster shakes out:

Right-Handed Pitchers

Left-Handed Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Latest On Mike Clevinger

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A late-season elbow impingement forced Mike Clevinger to sit out the Padres’ wild card series with the Cardinals, and an attempt return in Game 1 of the NLCS resulted in just 24 pitches and a second-inning removal.  There is some reason for optimism, however, as “according to multiple people familiar with his injury, [Clevinger] is likely headed for nothing more invasive than arthroscopic surgery,” Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

This would put the right-hander on track to be ready to roll for the start of the 2021 season.  While arthroscopic surgery isn’t exactly routine, it would certainly be a relief to Clevinger and the Padres that his elbow problem is minor enough that it can be corrected with such a relatively straight-forward procedure (if even that step is required).

Though Clevinger couldn’t contribute much in the postseason, he posted a 2.84 ERA, 6.33 K/BB rate, and 9.0 K/9 over 19 innings for the Padres after being acquired from the Indians in a blockbuster deadline trade.  San Diego paid a significant price for Clevinger, not just because of what he could add to the 2020 team, but for his two remaining years of arbitration of control in 2021 and 2022.  While the Padres probably won’t entirely breathe easy until they see Clevinger healthy during offseason work or in Spring Training, it seems like the team can count on Clevinger being ready to anchor the rotation of what the Friars hope will be another pennant contender.

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