Headlines

  • Tigers, Framber Valdez Agree To Three-Year Deal
  • Padres To Sign Miguel Andujar
  • Red Sox To Sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa
  • White Sox Sign Austin Hays
  • Pirates Join Bidding For Framber Valdez
  • Diamondbacks To Sign Carlos Santana
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Athletics
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

MLBTR Originals

By Mark Polishuk | March 4, 2018 at 11:29am CDT

Here’s the roundup of the original content from the past week on MLB Trade Rumors…

  • With several big names still on the open market, Steve Adams ranked the top nine remaining free agents and speculated on which teams could be fits for these notable players.
  • Three of the top five names on that list (Jake Arrieta, Lance Lynn, Alex Cobb) are starting pitchers, and thus teams with rotation needs have a particularly strong set of options to choose from if they decide to splurge on pitching.  Jeff Todd asked the MLBTR readers which team has the most urgent need for one of those top arms, with 23.51% of respondents citing the Brewers.
  • In another MLBTR poll, Kyle Downing asked the readership to predict where Carlos Gonzalez will play this year.  Given the veteran slugger’s rough 2017 numbers and lack of firm interest within his free agent market, it perhaps isn’t surprising that the most votes (19.5%) actually went towards “nobody,” as in readers felt CarGo wouldn’t land a contract before Opening Day.
  • Jason Martinez has the full list of MLB veterans who are currently in Spring Training camps as non-roster invitees.  This listing will be updated throughout March as players come and go from teams’ rosters.
  • Live from a hotel hallway, Tim Dillard is back with his latest Inner Monologue post, detailing some of the trials and tribulations of a veteran player at minor league Spring Training camp.  After reading, you might also start using “W.W.N.R.D.” as a mic drop-style conversation-ender.
  • March usually isn’t a big month for free agent signings, though that will certainly change this year.  As Steve Adams notes, it seems a near-lock that we’ll see a record amount of money spent on March signings given all of the name talent available to be signed.
Share Repost Send via email

MLBTR Originals

3 comments

AL East Notes: Tulo, Orioles, Reynolds, Walker, Lind

By Mark Polishuk | March 4, 2018 at 10:14am CDT

It doesn’t look like Troy Tulowitzki will be in the Blue Jays’ lineup on Opening Day, as manager John Gibbons told reporters (including Sportsnet.ca’s Arden Zwelling) today.  “I don’t expect he’ll be ready. But he’s moving in the right direction,” Gibbons said, referring to Tulowitzki’s rehab from a severe ankle injury suffered last July.  Toronto made a point of acquiring infield depth this winter given the lengthy injury histories of both Tulowitzki and Devon Travis this winter, and thus Yangervis Solarte or Aledmys Diaz are now the top shortstop candidates with Tulowitzki likely to miss at least some time at the start of the season.

Here’s some more from around the AL East…

  • The Orioles are “intrigued” by Neil Walker and some in the organization see him as a potential bargain signing, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes.  Walker has been linked to teams like the Royals, Yankees, Mets, Brewers, Angels, and Pirates over the course of the winter, though with many of those teams addressing their second base needs in other ways, Walker is still looking for a new home as we enter March.  The O’s have Jonathan Schoop locked in at the keystone, of course, though Walker could be an intriguing add as a third baseman.  Tim Beckham is currently slated to get the bulk of action at the hot corner, though Beckham is unproven as an everyday player and the Orioles might prefer using him in a super-utility role.  If Walker was signed, the two players could form a third base platoon, as the switch-hitting Walker has struggled against left-handed pitching during his career.
  • Walker is just one of the names that could still be considerations for the Orioles given the vast number of notable players still available in free agency.  Kubatko notes that the O’s have had some internal discussions about Mark Reynolds simply “because, well, he’s out there,” despite Baltimore’s current depth at first base and designated hitter.
  • Newly-signed Yankees first baseman Adam Lind was one of the many veterans caught up in the offseason free agent freeze, as he tells NJ.com’s Randy Miller that his only two offers of the entire winter (both minor league offers) came within the last week.  A big asking price didn’t seem to be an issue (“I was just looking for a J-O-B,” Lind said) but the veteran was clearly frustrated at the lack of interest given his strong .303/.362/.512 slash line over 301 plate appearances with the Nationals last season.  “I talked to my wife about it.  I told her, ’What’s the point of doing well?’  What if I hit .280 this year? I probably won’t even get a big-league invite next year,” Lind said.  “You think you’re a good player and then to have no one value you….it’s tough.”
Share Repost Send via email

Baltimore Orioles New York Yankees Toronto Blue Jays Adam Lind Mark Reynolds Neil Walker Troy Tulowitzki

79 comments

White Sox Sign Robbie Ross To Minors Deal

By Mark Polishuk | March 4, 2018 at 9:39am CDT

The White Sox have signed left-hander Robbie Ross to a minor league contract, as announced by the team on Twitter.  The deal contains an invitation to Chicago’s big league Spring Training camp.

Ross has been a durable and effective reliever in four of his six MLB seasons, apart from a disastrous 2014 campaign (that included 12 starts) and an injury-shortened 2017 season.  Ross was limited to just 15 total innings last year (nine with the Red Sox and six in Triple-A) due to elbow inflammation and then a season-ending back surgery in August.  Boston outrighted Ross off its roster following the season and the 28-year-0ld chose to become a free agent.

Over 330 2/3 innings with the Rangers and Red Sox, Ross has a 3.92 ERA, 7.5 K/9, 2.28 K/BB rate, and an impressive 52.2% grounder rate.  He has been just about equally effective against hitters on both sides of the plate, holding left-handed batters to a .712 OPS and right-handed batters to a .723 OPS over the course of his career.

If Ross is healthy, he could be a very nice low-cost addition to a White Sox team that has aggressively shopped for relief help this offseason.  Ross is one of many notable bullpen names (Xavier Cedeno, Jeanmar Gomez, Bruce Rondon, T.J. House, Rob Scahill, Chris Volstad, Michael Ynoa) in Chicago’s camp as a non-roster invite, plus closer Joakim Soria and Luis Avilan are also new additions to the White Sox roster.  Avilan looks to be the top left-handed option, and thus Ross and Cedeno could be competing to be the second southpaw in the Sox pen, though Ross’ success against both batters doesn’t necessarily limit him to a LOOGY-type of role.

Share Repost Send via email

Chicago White Sox Transactions Robbie Ross

7 comments

Blue Jays Sign Seung-Hwan Oh

By Mark Polishuk | February 26, 2018 at 5:58pm CDT

Feb. 26, 5:58pm: The Toronto organization has announced the signing. He’ll earn $1.75MM for 2018, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (via Twitter), with a $250K buyout on a $2MM option that vests upon seventy appearances. The deal also includes $1.5MM in possible incentives.

12:08pm: Oh has passed his physical, tweets Nicholson-Smith. The move, then, should be officially announced in the near future.

Feb. 25: The Blue Jays have agreed to sign right-hander Seung-hwan Oh, FanRag Sports’ Robert Murray reports (Twitter link).  The deal is a one-year contract that will guarantee Oh $2MM in 2018, Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reports (Twitter links), plus there is a vesting option for 2019.  Oh is a client of Rosenhaus Sports Representation.

The contract is contingent on Oh passing a physical, which could still be a notable obstacle given that a deal between Oh and the Rangers fell through earlier this month.  The Rangers’ deal with Oh called for a $2.75MM guarantee, plus a $4.5MM club option (with a $250K buyout) for 2019.  As per Sung Min Kim of the Sporting News (via Twitter), however, Oh’s MRI revealed some inflammation in his throwing elbow that wasn’t considered serious enough to scuttle the deal altogether, though the Rangers tried three times to re-work the terms.  Oh’s representation didn’t want to re-open talks, and thus no contract was finalized.

Sep 7, 2017; San Diego, CA, USA; St. Louis Cardinals relief pitcher Seung-Hwan Oh (26) rubs down the ball during the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Oh came to Major League Baseball in the 2015-16 offseason after 11 seasons as a top closer in both the Korean Baseball Organization and Nippon Professional Baseball.  He made an immediate impact on the Cardinals’ bullpen, posting a 1.92 ERA, 11.6 K/9, and 5.72 K/BB rate over 79 2/3 innings and taking over the Cards’ closer job.  Oh’s follow-up campaign, however, wasn’t nearly as successful, as his troubles with the home-run ball (1.5 HR/9) led to his removal from ninth-inning duty last summer.  Beyond just the increase in homers, Oh also saw his grounder rate (40% to 28.7%), strikeout rate (down to 8.19 K/9), and swinging strike percentage (18% to 12.9%) drop from his 2016 numbers, and he posted a 4.10 ERA over 59 1/3 IP.

While it was a tough year for Oh, his stats didn’t crater to the point that a turn-around isn’t out of the question, or that his problems weren’t due to a normal sophomore slump.  His hard-hit ball rate actually dropped from 2016 to 2017, for instance, even though his overall contact rates increased.  Moving to Rogers Centre and the AL East might not be much help to Oh’s home run issues, of course, and since he is 35 years old, there’s also the chance that Oh is simply starting to decline.

[Updated Blue Jays depth chart at Roster Resource]

Still, the reasonable $2MM price tag makes Oh a decent risk for a Jays team that was known to still be looking around for bullpen help.  Oh won’t be asked to be a “Final Boss” (his old KBO nickname) in Toronto with Roberto Osuna firmly holding down the closer’s job, though he’ll step right into the setup mix alongside Ryan Tepera and Danny Barnes (not to mention longer-shot non-roster invites like John Axford or Al Alburquerque).  Joe Biagini could also again step into a meaningful bullpen role, though the Jays are currently stretching the righty out as a starter in Triple-A to provide depth and occasional spot-start duty.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Share Repost Send via email

Newsstand Toronto Blue Jays Transactions Seung-Hwan Oh

53 comments

Reds Sign Ben Revere

By Mark Polishuk | February 26, 2018 at 5:38pm CDT

Feb. 26, 5:37pm: The deal is now official (h/t John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, via Twitter).

10:25am: Reds manager Bryan Price confirmed the agreement with John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer, though he notes that the agreement is still pending a physical (Twitter link).

Feb. 25: The Reds have agreed to a minor league deal with free agent outfielder Ben Revere, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports (Twitter links).  Revere will receive an invitation to Cincinnati’s big league Spring Training camp, and he will earn between $1MM to $1.5MM if he should crack the Reds’ 25-man roster.

Revere will provide Cincy with a veteran backup option amidst a generally inexperienced crop of outfielders in camp.  The 29-year-old Revere hit .275/.308/.344 over 308 plate appearances with the Angels last season, modest numbers that still represented a solid improvement over his disastrous 2016 campaign with the Nationals.  He also again looked like his usual dangerous self on the basepaths, recording 21 steals in 27 chances and earning a strong +4.5 mark as per Fangraphs’ Baserunning (BsR) metric.

Cincinnati plans to deploy a four-man rotation of Adam Duvall, Billy Hamilton, Scott Schebler, and Jesse Winker in the outfield this season, which could make it hard for a fifth outfielder to make the team’s big league roster.  Still, Revere’s ability to play all three outfield spots is a plus in his favor (even if defensive metrics indicate he is average at best at all positions), and at worst he could also provide the Reds with some minor league depth.  Hamilton’s name was often floated in trade rumors over the offseason, so Revere could also step into the mix should the Reds swing a last-minute deal before Opening Day.

Share Repost Send via email

Cincinnati Reds Transactions Ben Revere

63 comments

Dodgers To Sign Rocky Gale To Minors Contract

By Mark Polishuk | February 25, 2018 at 10:06pm CDT

The Dodgers have agreed to a minor league deal with catcher Rocky Gale, according to SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo (Twitter link).  The contract includes an invitation to the Dodgers’ big league Spring Training camp.  Gale was released by the Padres earlier this week after being designated for assignment to create roster space for the newly-signed Eric Hosmer.

A 24th-round pick for San Diego in the 2010 draft, Gale spent his entire pro career in the Padres organization, hitting .259/.306/.324 over 2198 minor league plate appearances.  He made brief appearances at the MLB level in both 2015 and 2017, appearing in a total of 14 Major League games.

Los Angeles already has Austin Barnes and Yasmani Grandal handling duties behind the plate on the 25-man roster, so Gale will join Shawn Zarraga and Kyle Farmer as the Dodgers’ top depth options at the minor league level.  There was some trade speculation surrounding Grandal since the veteran catcher is just a year away from free agency and Barnes emerged as a legitimate starter in 2017, though nothing seemed to develop in the way of legitimate buzz about a possible move.  It seems much more plausible that L.A. will deploy both Grandal and Barnes this season and any other catching signings are pure depth moves.

Share Repost Send via email

Los Angeles Dodgers Transactions Rocky Gale

18 comments

5 Key Stories: 2/18/18 – 2/25/18

By Mark Polishuk | February 25, 2018 at 9:34pm CDT

Recapping the five biggest items from the past week on MLB Trade Rumors…

J.D. MartinezRed Sox (finally) land J.D. Martinez: Boston was cited as a natural landing spot for the free agent slugger well before Martinez even hit the open market, though it took quite a while for the two sides to finally reach an agreement.  (And then the official announcement was delayed for a week due to some last-minute details, though it appears as though Martinez will finally be officially introduced in a press conference on Monday.)  The Sox land one of the game’s best bats for their power-starved lineup, while Martinez will earn $110MM over the five-year pact, plus some additional flexibility in the form of player opt-out clauses after both the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

LoMo heads to the Twin Cities: Another power hitter who had a longer-than-expected stint in free agency, Logan Morrison landed with a new team just today, with the news that he and the Twins had agreed to a contract.  Morrison is only guaranteed one year (worth $5.5MM in salary), though he can unlock a vesting option for 2019 that would pay him $8MM in that second.  Additional incentives could make the deal worth as much as $16.5MM over two years.  It isn’t the type of deal Morrison expected in the wake of a career year that saw him hit .246/.353/.516 with 38 homers in 601 PA for the Rays, though Morrison was hampered by both the overall slow free agent market and the recent trend of teams being unwilling to pay too much for first base power.  Still, Morrison will now get a chance to join a contender and the Twins have landed a very notable lineup upgrade at a price that more than fits their mid-market payroll.

Rays, Yankees, Diamondbacks swing a trade: A rare three-team deal saw New York land infielder Brandon Drury, Arizona acquire outfielder Steven Souza and pitching prospect Taylor Widener, and Tampa Bay add more young talent (southpaw Anthony Banda, second baseman Nick Solak and two players to be named later) into their organization.  With Martinez gone to the Red Sox, the D’Backs pivoted by acquiring Souza as their new everyday right fielder while trading from an infield surplus.  The Yankees fulfilled their goal of adding second base and third base depth with the versatile Drury, giving them a stable big leaguer at either position until Gleyber Torres and Miguel Andujar are expected to step into the two spots at some point during the season.  As for the Rays, they got Souza’s $3.55MM salary off their books while also obtaining some solid prospects — Banda, in particular, could be an option for the Tampa rotation as soon as this season.

D’Backs sign Jarrod Dyson: Souza wasn’t the only outfielder joining the Snakes this week, as Arizona also signed Jarrod Dyson to a two-year, $7.5MM contract.  Dyson brings a needed boost of speed and defense to the Diamondbacks’ roster, and the two-year commitment means he could step into center field in 2019 should A.J. Pollock leave in free agency next winter.

Rays trade Dickerson, add Hudson and Gomez: Beyond just the three-team swap, it was a very busy week for a Rays organization that continues to both manage its payroll while not closing the door on contending in 2018.  Tampa designated All-Star outfielder Corey Dickerson for assignment in the wake of their trade for C.J. Cron last week, and found a taker for Dickerson in Pittsburgh, who sent right-hander Daniel Hudson, prospect Tristan Gray, and $1MM to the Rays.  Dickerson becomes the Pirates’ new everyday left fielder, filling a void in the Bucs’ outfield left in the wake of the Andrew McCutchen trade.  Hudson brings some veteran depth to the back of the Rays’ bullpen, and they added another experienced name in Carlos Gomez, who signed a one-year, $4MM pact.  It will be very interesting to see how the Rays’ roster-shuffling develops on the field this season, though they were dealt a blow with the news that top pitching prospect Brent Honeywell suffered a torn UCL.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Share Repost Send via email

5 Key Stories

3 comments

NL West Notes: Towers, Kershaw, Tribe, Shaw, Young, Mitchell

By Mark Polishuk | February 25, 2018 at 7:42pm CDT

The late Kevin Towers was memorialized at a “Celebration Of Life” ceremony today at Petco Park, with scores of Towers’ friends and colleagues from around baseball in attendance.  The Associated Press’ Jay Paris and the Padres’ Bill Center each have details on some of the memorials from the 22 speakers who shared their experiences and fond memories of Towers, whose 35 years in baseball included stints as the general manager of the Padres and the Diamondbacks.  “He was one of the guys that always brought all the GMs together,” said former Reds and Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty.  “Kevin loved life and lived it to the fullest.  He suffered a lot in the last two years but he always stayed positive and fought a brave fight.  There will never be another KT.”

Some more items from around the NL West…

  • Dodgers GM Farhan Zaidi stated earlier this week that the team is keeping an “open dialogue” with Clayton Kershaw about a potential contract extension.  The ace southpaw seemingly agreed with that statement today, telling reporters (including MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick) that Zaidi’s description of the relationship is “a good way to put it.”  Kershaw also said that he is “on the same page” with Dodgers management.  Kershaw is signed through the 2020 season, though he can walk away from the final two seasons (and $55MM) on his contract if he exercises an opt-out clause after the coming season.  He turns 30 in March and injuries have limited Kershaw to only 324 innings over the last two seasons, though he has still performed to his usual elite level when healthy.  An extension would remove Kershaw from the 2018-19 free agent class, a group that is heavy on big names overall but potentially rather slim on the pitching side should Kershaw remain in Los Angeles.
  • Bryan Shaw’s decision to join the Rockies was helped by an endorsement from his former Indians manager Terry Francona, Shaw tells Fangraphs’ David Laurila.  “I talked to Tito a little bit about the teams that had interest in me.  I got his opinion of the organizations — the managers and others with roles within those organizations.  He had nothing but good things to say about Bud Black and the guys who are here,” Shaw said.  Cleveland’s front office also offered help with any questions Shaw might’ve had about other teams, a further sign of the good relationship between the right-hander and his former team.  Shaw said that he and the Tribe had talks about a possible contract extension midway through last season, “but from a numbers standpoint it never got there.”  In December, Shaw signed a three-year deal with Colorado worth $27MM in guaranteed money, plus a potential vesting option for the 2021 season that would pay him $7MM in additional salary.
  • Also from Laurila’s piece, he hears from right-hander Chris Young that multiple teams contacted the veteran about potential front office positions this winter.  The 38-year-old isn’t quite ready to retire, and in fact hopes to play two more seasons, though he is realistic that his on-field future could be decided within the next few weeks.  “This spring is going to determine that.  I’m either going to show that I’m back to being myself, or that my stuff isn’t playing.  If my stuff isn’t there and I can’t get outs, the time will have come to move on from the playing side,” Young said.  The Padres signed Young to a minor league deal this winter to see if he can rebound from a very rough pair of seasons; Young posted a 6.52 ERA over 118 2/3 innings with the Royals in 2016-17, allowing a whopping 35 home runs in that stretch.
  • After three years of shuttling between Triple-A and the Yankees’ big league roster, Bryan Mitchell is relieved to finally have a stable place in the Padres’ rotation, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes.  “It’s awesome….To know that now, I can set all my focus on Opening Day and working toward that.  I don’t have to put pressure on myself or worry about that,” Mitchell said.  “It’s just less stress, to be honest — to know that’s how they [the Padres] feel and I have that waiting on me.  I can just set my goals on that first start and have everything ready versus have everything ready and not knowing.  It eliminates the unknown factor.”  The Padres felt strongly enough about Mitchell’s potential that they were willing to take on the $13MM remaining on Chase Headley’s contract in order to acquire the right-hander from New York.
Share Repost Send via email

Cleveland Guardians Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Dodgers San Diego Padres Bryan Mitchell Bryan Shaw Chris Young Clayton Kershaw Kevin Towers

70 comments

Minor MLB Transactions: 2/25/18

By Mark Polishuk | February 25, 2018 at 6:54pm CDT

Rounding up the latest minor league moves from around baseball…

  • The Orioles have outrighted Jaycob Brugman to Triple-A after the outfielder cleared waivers, as per a team announcement.  Baltimore designated Brugman for assignment earlier this week to create roster space for the newly re-signed Chris Tillman.  Brugman, acquired in a trade with the A’s back in November, will continue to compete for a big league job with the Orioles, though the O’s have further addressed their need for left-handed bats with the recent signings of Colby Rasmus and Pedro Alvarez.  The 26-year-old Brugman made his MLB debut last season, batting .266/.346/.343 over 162 plate appearances for Oakland.
Share Repost Send via email

Baltimore Orioles Transactions Jaycob Brugman

10 comments

Padres Sign Eric Hosmer

By Mark Polishuk | February 19, 2018 at 9:30pm CDT

MONDAY: The deal is official, with the Padres announcing the signing of Hosmer as well as the key terms.

SATURDAY: The Padres have agreed to sign first baseman Eric Hosmer, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.  The contract is an eight-year deal that includes an opt-out clause after the fifth season, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter).  The deal contains a full no-trade clause for the first three seasons and then limited no-trade protection afterwards, Bleacher Report’s Scott Miller reports (Twitter links).  Hosmer will be paid $20MM in each of the first five seasons and $13MM in the three remaining years, plus a $5MM signing bonus.  The $144MM total figure represents the largest contract in the history of the Padres franchise.  Hosmer is represented by the Boras Corporation.

Eric HosmerThe agreement concludes a rather unusual trip through the open market for Hosmer, and he winds up on a team that nobody could’ve predicted as a potential suitor last fall.  With a rebuild underway and Wil Myers safely locked in at first base, the Padres didn’t at all appear to fit as a landing spot for Hosmer’s services.  Instead, San Diego rather quickly emerged as an interested party in Hosmer, as the team felt that his young age (he turned 28 last October) indicated that he could still be a productive cornerstone player when the Padres were again ready to contend.  With Hosmer now signed, in fact, it’s possible that the Friars could push that contention timeline forward by at least one season.

[Updated Padres depth chart at Roster Resource]

Hosmer is the second major free agent first baseman to join a surprise team this winter, after Carlos Santana’s deal with the Phillies.  Both signings represent aggressive moves by rebuilding clubs, and while Philadelphia has been widely expected to kickstart their ride back into contention with a big splurge in the 2018-19 free agent market, the Padres were seen to be at least a couple of years away since most of the top names in their well-regarded farm system were still in the lower minors.  General manager A.J. Preller is no stranger to aggressive moves, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he tried to deal some of those young blue-chippers for players that could help the Padres as soon as 2019.

The lackluster San Diego lineup has now added three notable veteran upgrades this offseason, though obviously Hosmer is a long-term asset in a way that Chase Headley and Freddy Galvis (potential trade chips and both signed through only 2018) are not.  Myers will shift into a corner outfield spot, leaving Jose Pirela, Hunter Renfroe, Alex Dickerson, Cory Spangenberg, and Matt Szczur all battling for regular at-bats in the other corner position or in bench roles.  The Padres could also look to deal from this surplus to add pitching depth in the rotation or bullpen.

Hosmer entered free agency on the heels of a career year that saw him hit .318/.385/.498 (all career bests) with 25 homers and 98 runs scored over 671 plate appearances with the Royals last season, and he was also one of five players who appeared in all 162 of his team’s games in 2017.  As good as he was, however, Hosmer is still looking to string together consecutive quality seasons as a big leaguer — he has alternated between strong years and replacement-level performances in each of the last six seasons.  Hosmer’s grounder-heavy offensive attack seems to leave him prone to a wide variance in production, as he has been pretty average in the power and walks department.  It has been theorized that Hosmer’s approach at the plate would differ if he left Kauffman Stadium, though moving to another pitcher-friendly stadium in Petco Park will make it interesting to see what adjustments, if any, Hosmer makes.

These question marks surrounding Hosmer’s status as a top-tier player, plus the general chill surrounding the free agent class as a whole this offseason, may have contributed to a relative lack of teams in his market.  With other possible first base-needy teams (i.e. the Red Sox, Mariners, Cardinals) turning to other lineup options, Hosmer’s market was seemingly limited to just the Padres and Royals.

A Hosmer reunion also seemed somewhat curious for a K.C. team that appears to be entering a rebuild stage, though the Royals also valued Hosmer’s youth and potential as a long-term building block, particularly since he has already contributed to one World Series title and is hugely popular within both the Kansas City community and the Royals’ clubhouse.  The Royals had reportedly offered Hosmer a seven-year deal in the nine-figure range, though the exact dollar figure wasn’t quite certain.

Instead, the Royals will now receive an extra pick after the first round of the June amateur draft as compensation for Hosmer (who rejected a qualifying offer) signing elsewhere for more than $50MM.  Combined with their other compensation pick for Lorenzo Cain’s deal with the Brewers, plus their Competitive Balance Draft selection, the Royals currently have four of the top 40 picks in the draft, setting them up for a strong reload of their farm system.  Another pick will be coming their way if Mike Moustakas signs elsewhere, as well.  For the Padres, since they are revenue-sharing recipients and didn’t exceed the luxury tax, they’ll only have to surrender their third-highest draft pick as penalty for signing Hosmer.

The Padres had reportedly issued a seven-year offer worth under $140MM to Hosmer, so it looks like the extra year and the extra bit of cash sealed the deal.  Hosmer is guaranteed to make at least $105MM as a Padre, and he’ll have the option of testing the free agent market again after his age-32 season.  MLBTR projected Hosmer for a six-year, $132MM deal this winter (ranking third on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents), so Hosmer’s actual deal fell short in average annual value ($18MM per year to our $22MM per year) but contained more potential years and a larger overall dollar figure.  If Hosmer does opt out, he’ll have earned an average of $21MM per season over the first five years.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Share Repost Send via email

Newsstand San Diego Padres Transactions Eric Hosmer

591 comments
« Previous Page
Load More Posts
    Top Stories

    Tigers, Framber Valdez Agree To Three-Year Deal

    Padres To Sign Miguel Andujar

    Red Sox To Sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa

    White Sox Sign Austin Hays

    Pirates Join Bidding For Framber Valdez

    Diamondbacks To Sign Carlos Santana

    Reds Sign Eugenio Suarez

    Mariners Acquire Brendan Donovan

    White Sox Acquire Jordan Hicks

    Giants, Luis Arraez Agree To One-Year Deal

    Twins Announce “Mutual” Parting Of Ways With President Of Baseball Ops Derek Falvey

    Athletics Extend Jacob Wilson

    David Robertson Announces Retirement

    Giants Sign Harrison Bader

    White Sox Sign Seranthony Domínguez

    Rockies Trade Angel Chivilli To Yankees

    MLB Sets August 3 Trade Deadline For 2026 Season

    Yankees Re-Sign Cody Bellinger

    Is MLB Parity Possible Without A Salary Cap?

    Guardians Agree To Extension With Jose Ramirez

    Recent

    Tigers, Framber Valdez Agree To Three-Year Deal

    Padres To Sign Miguel Andujar

    Red Sox To Sign Isiah Kiner-Falefa

    Pirates Sign Mike Clevinger To Minor League Deal

    Giants Sign Michael Fulmer To Minor League Deal

    Latest On Padres’ Ownership

    Latest On D-backs, Zac Gallen

    David Peralta Announces Retirement

    White Sox Designate Bryan Hudson For Assignment

    White Sox Sign Austin Hays

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android iTunes Play Store

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Front Office Originals
    • Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag
    • 2025-26 Offseason Outlook Series
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version