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Marlins Outright Jeff Locke

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JULY 9: The Marlins announced that Locke has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A.

JULY 4: The Marlins have designated left-hander Jeff Locke for assignment, the team announced.  Righty Drew Steckenrider has been called up from Triple-A New Orleans in a corresponding move.

[Updated Marlins depth chart at Roster Resource]

Locke signed a one-year, $3.025MM deal with Miami last winter to add some depth to the back of the Marlins’ rotation, though his tenure with the club simply hasn’t gotten on track.  Locke missed most of Spring Training with bicep tendinitis and didn’t make his season debut until June 1.  In seven starts and 32 IP, Locke has an ugly 8.16 ERA, though ERA indicators (4.55 FIP, 4.99 xFIP, 5.04 SIERA) are somewhat more forgiving considering Locke’s .365 BABIP and 52.5% strand rate.  The low point was last night’s disastrous start against the Cardinals that saw Locke charged with 11 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Never a big strikeout pitcher, Locke’s 7.31 K/9 is actually a career high, though he hasn’t helped his cause with a 4.22 BB/9.  Locke’s grounder rate is also down from his career norms, and he is on pace for both a career-high in hard-hit balls allowed (35.1%) and a career low in soft contact (12.6%).

Locke entered the season with a decent track record as an innings-eater during his previous stint with the Pirates, though his performance took a sharp decline in 2016 and he lost his job in Pittsburgh’s rotation.  The Marlins had considered using Locke in a bullpen role this season, so it’s possible another team (or even Miami, should Locke stay in the organization) could look into adding him as some left-handed or long relief depth.  Locke has just under $1.5MM owed to him for the year, so interested teams could wait until he clears waivers, which would leave the Marlins responsible for that remaining salary (minus the prorated MLB minimum, which would be covered by a new team).

Tigers Rumors: JD Martinez, Wilson, Verlander, Avila, Kinsler

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“The Dodgers seem like an obvious fit” to acquire J.D. Martinez from the Tigers, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press writes.  The two clubs discussed Martinez last winter, plus the Tigers have an interest in L.A. outfield prospect Alex Verdugo, though it remains to be seen if the Dodgers would trade the highly-touted Verdugo for a midseason rental like Martinez.  Here’s a rundown of news about some of Detroit’s biggest trade chips, as per conversations between Fenech and several sources familiar with the thinking of both the Tigers and possible trade partners…

  • The Dodgers are also interested in closer Justin Wilson, who would add another big left-handed arm to the L.A. bullpen.  Wilson may be one of the most sought-after arms at the deadline, and given the premium on relief pitching, some believe the Tigers might get more for Wilson than they would for Martinez (Wilson is controlled through 2018, while Martinez is a free agent this winter).  The Nationals have also had a scout following the Tigers this week, and Wilson is known to be one of their top potential trade targets as Washington looks to fix its ailing bullpen.
  • Wilson has the subject of trade buzz since the offseason, and Fenech reports that the Astros came the closest to obtaining the southpaw over the winter.  The Tigers asked Houston for top outfield prospect Derek Fisher at the time, and one would think Detroit’s interest has only increased given how Fisher has performed this season.  Fisher has a superb .306/.370/.575 slash line and 19 homers over 336 Triple-A plate appearances, not to mention a .992 OPS during a 21-PA cup of coffee with the Astros in his big league debut.  This is just my speculation, but since Houston’s bullpen is already arguably the league’s best, I’m not sure they would deal a top prospect for another reliever.  On the other hand, if the Astros are unable to land starting pitching help, they could turn to the relief market in an attempt to form an ultra-bullpen, a la the 2015 Royals.  The Astros have also had scouts recently watching the Tigers.
  • The Cubs asked the Tigers about Justin Verlander and Alex Avila earlier this week, and Fenech reports that Chicago is indeed interested in having Avila fill the spot left behind the plate by Miguel Montero.  In regards to Verlander, however, “the Cubs’ interest is more smoke than fire.”
  • Verlander’s big contract limits his number of suitors, and Fenech lists just the Cubs, Dodgers and Astros as potential trade partners, though all have some drawbacks.  Los Angeles may look to address other needs than its rotation, while an Astros move for Verlander “would be out of their character.”  Still, Fenech figures Houston will at least check in with Detroit about the former Cy Young Award winner.
  • There hasn’t been any buzz about Ian Kinsler, whose market is complicated by below-average numbers this season, his no-trade clause, and the fact that most contenders are already set at second base.  Unless a contending team suffers an injury at the position, Fenech figures Kinsler will be an offseason trade candidate for the Tigers.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/8/17

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Here are the latest minor league moves from around baseball, with the newest transactions at the top of the post…

Latest Moves

  • Right-hander Ernesto Frieri has accepted an outright assignment to the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate, the team announced.  Frieri cleared waivers after being designated for assignment last week.  The veteran righty signed a minor league deal with Texas a month ago and he pitched seven innings out of the Rangers bullpen, his first taste of MLB action since 2015.  Frieri issued six walks against just five strikeouts in that brief stint, continuing to display the control problems that have plagued him in recent years.  In 22 combined Triple-A innings in the Rangers and Yankees farm systems this year, Frieri has a 2.86 ERA, 10.6 K/9 and 2.89 K/BB rate.

Earlier Today

  • The White Sox outrighted right-hander Michael Ynoa to Triple-A, the team announced.  Ynoa was designated for assignment on Thursday.  Ynoa has a 5.90 ERA over 29 relief innings for the Sox this season, with almost as many walks (22) as strikeouts (23).
  • The Indians have released first baseman Chris Colabello from his minor league deal, the club announced.  Colabello inked his deal with the Tribe in the offseason and hit .225/.324/.333 with six homers over 296 plate appearances at the Triple-A level.  It was less than two years ago that Colabello emerged to help the Blue Jays win the 2015 AL East title, though a failed PED test in April 2016 put a sour twist on that breakout season.  After the subsequent 80-game suspension, Colabello didn’t return to the Jays’ MLB roster and he managed just a .547 OPS over 173 minor league PA last year.

Trade Rumors: Luhnow, Dombrowski, Red Sox, Mets

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Some trade talk from around baseball…

  • The Astros are essentially a lock for the postseason thanks to their big lead in the AL West, which allows the team to take a somewhat more measured approach to the deadline, GM Jeff Luhnow tells Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi.  They’re even looking ahead to individualized needs against potential playoff opponents; as Luhnow said, “you really can start focusing on what does this team need to look like to face the Cleveland Indians in a seven-game series, to face the Boston Red Sox in a seven-game series, do we match up well.”  While Houston is prepared to deal from its minor league depth to add at the deadline, Luhnow also sees no reason to abandon the franchise’s long-built plan for sustained success.  “We want to win now, for sure, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to win now,” Luhnow said.  “But at the same time, we’ve been building up all this currency, all these players in the pipeline so that we could be good for a long time….I certainly want it to be more than a three- or four-year run.”
  • Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters (including WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford) that “We’re not looking for starting pitching at this point. I’ll stop at that.”  Injuries and some subpar results from Rick Porcello has led to some instability within Boston’s rotation, though with Eduardo Rodriguez almost back from the DL, the Sox will soon be able to deploy their first-choice starting five of Chris Sale, David Price, Porcello, Rodriguez and Drew Pomeranz.  I would guess the Red Sox might check in on some low-cost starting depth at the deadline, though a major acquisition seems quite unlikely (barring a notable injury).  Dombrowski also raised the possibility that the Red Sox could stand pat entirely at the deadline, which would be the more surprising move given that the club could use some help in the bullpen and at third base.
  • Speaking of the hot corner, despite the recent fine play from Tzu-Wei Lin and Deven Marrero, both CSNNE.com’s Evan Drellich and ESPN’s Scott Lauber think the Red Sox should and will still be looking to add a third baseman at the deadline.  The two youngsters were pressed into regular duty at third base thanks to Boston’s many infield injuries, though Marrero has delivered excellent defense and Lin has surprisingly hit .313/.436/.438 over his first 40 career PA in the big leagues.  There’s no guarantee that this performance will continue, however, and a more established third baseman would provide a clearer upgrade for the Sox lineup.
  • The Mets will sell at the deadline with an eye towards reloading for 2018, though Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if the team should be open to the idea of a larger rebuild.  The club will be facing some significant position player losses and a still-shaky rotation next year, so in theory, the Mets could consider moving Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard to totally upgrade the farm system.  Overall, however, Sherman feels the Mets should still look to contend, both because their 2017 may be an injury-riddled aberration, and because if the team’s window does indeed seem closed, they can still sell their top pitchers at next year’s deadline.

Pirates Designate Antonio Bastardo For Assignment

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The Pirates have designated left-hander Antonio Bastardo for assignment, according to a team media release.  Infielder Phil Gosselin was called up from Triple-A in a corresponding move.

Bastardo has only made nine appearances out of Pittsburgh’s bullpen this season after spending two months on the disabled list with a quad strain.  Even in his limited action, the southpaw has been very ineffective, posting a 15.00 ERA thanks to five homers and nine walks over just nine innings pitched.  It’s perhaps unfair to extrapolate too much given this small sample size (and Bastardo’s less-than-healthy status), though the lefty is also coming off a rough 2016 campaign that saw him post a 4.52 ERA and a 1.5 HR/9 over 67 2/3 IP for the Pirates and Mets.

Bastardo has always countered somewhat shaky control (career 4.4 BB/9) with big strikeout totals, though his average fastball velocity has dropped a full mile per hour from last year, down to 90.5 mph.  By contrast, he was averaging 92.8 mph on his heater in 2015, Bastardo’s last effective season.

After signing a two-year, $12MM deal with the Mets in the 2015-16 offseason, Bastardo is owed approximately $3.15MM for the rest of this season.  The Pirates are on the hook for that amount unless someone claims Bastardo or a trade is worked out, and given Bastardo’s lack of effectiveness, one would think any interested team could wait to see if Bastardo is released after his DFA period expires.  Bastardo carried some pretty solid career numbers prior to 2016, so he could certainly draw some looks from clubs in need of left-handed relief depth.

Latest On Marlins’ Trade Candidates, Potential Sale

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Here’s the latest from the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson on Jeffrey Loria’s attempts to sell the Marlins, as well as some news on the team’s trade plans…

  • The Marlins have yet to engage in serious talks with any team about Giancarlo Stanton, though they’re open to listening to offers for the star slugger.  Stanton’s availability isn’t really a surprise since Miami is reportedly willing to discuss trading any player on a multi-year deal, though obviously a Stanton trade would be the biggest possible move the Fish could make.  Stanton’s enormous contract, opt-out clause after the 2020 season and his full no-trade protection are significant obstacles in any deal, though potentially not insurmountable ones, as FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal recently outlined.
  • The Marlins would like to keep J.T. Realmuto.  The 26-year-old has emerged as one of baseball’s best catchers over the last two years, and he is controllable through the 2020 season.  Another controllable young star, Justin Bour, is drawing attention from the Yankees but “the Marlins are not going to give away” Bour for anything less than a big price, Jackson writes.  Marcell Ozuna (in his arbitration years) and Christian Yelich (locked up on a long-term extension) are available but only for “a substantial return.”
  • A source connected to one of the ownership groups competing to buy the Marlins doesn’t believe that a fire sale of large salaries would help move a sale along.  A new owner would want a say in such notable player moves, the source said.  Cutting payroll is standard operating procedure for teams selling at the deadline, of course, though MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said that a fire sale would first need to be discussed with the league office.
  • “Things are moving in the right direction” between the Marlins and the ownership group led by Wayne Rothbaum and Tagg Romney, according to a source.  Jackson hears from three sources that the Rothbaum/Romney group hasn’t withdrawn its bid and is willing to buy the team at the right price.  The Marlins turned down the group’s $1.1 billion bid but wants to continue talks, as the Rothbaum/Romney group has the means to meet the club’s initial $1.2 billion asking price.
  • Miami businessman Jorge Mas also doesn’t value the team at the $1.2 billion price, though he could ultimately make an offer close to that number.  Mas and his group are reviewing the Marlins’ financial records and still deciding on how much to bid for the team.  The Marlins turned down Mas’ request for an exclusive negotiating window of 10 days, in order to keep the groups led by Derek Jeter and Rothbaum/Romney involved in talks.
  • Some in the competing groups have been “frustrated” by the Marlins’ patience with Jeter’s group, as the former Yankees superstar has been having difficulty finding investors to make a competitive bid.  Jeter was initially partnered with former Florida governor Jeb Bush, though Bush left the ownership group in May, with one of the issues reportedly stemming from how little of his own money Jeter was investing in the bid.  “There have been no serious discussions” of Jeter and Mas partnering together, Jackson writes.

Athletics Option Franklin Barreto to Triple-A, Designate Ryan Lavarnway

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The Athletics have announced a series of roster moves, including the demotion of top prospect Franklin Barreto to Triple-A.  Catcher Ryan Lavarnway has also been designated for assignment.  The two moves create roster space for Josh Phegley (back from the paternity list) and right-hander Chris Smith, who had his contract purchased from Triple-A so he could start today’s game against the Mariners.

[Updated A’s depth chart at Roster Resource]

With Marcus Semien back from the DL, Barreto will be sent back down to the farm to get everyday playing time.  Ranked as Oakland’s top prospect and considered one of the better minor leaguers in all of baseball, the 21-year-old Barreto hit .190/261/.381 with two home runs over his first 46 career MLB plate appearances.  Barreto is likely to get a more extended look later this season, either as a September callup or if Jed Lowrie is traded at the deadline.

Lavarnway signed a minor league contract with the A’s in the offseason and has appeared in one game this season, representing his first taste of big league action since 2015.  Formerly a well-regarded prospect in Boston’s system, Lavarnway has been part of six different organizations since December 2014.  He has a strong .280/.371/.459 career slash line over 3117 Triple-A plate appearances, so Lavarnway will continue to provide the A’s (or another team) with some solid minor league depth.

Smith, 36, will become the oldest pitcher in Athletics franchise history to make his first career MLB start.  (Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle details the amusing story of how Smith got the news from his Triple-A manager.)  It has been a long journey for the veteran, originally a Red Sox draft pick in 2002 who appeared in 50 games for Boston and Milwaukee in 2008-10 before bouncing around the minors and even stepping away from the game for a year.  Smith signed a minors deal with Oakland in November 2015 and he made 13 appearances for the A’s last season.

Phillies Notes: Franco, Joseph, Hellickson

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Here’s the latest on the Phillies, who will be one of the most notable sellers in the market as we approach the trade deadline…

  • Maikel Franco is available in trade talks “but the price is high,” CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury writes.  Previous reports suggested that the Phils were looking to move on from Franco, though he has hit better over the last month, so Philadelphia is perhaps looking to recoup more value for the third baseman.  Of course, it wasn’t long ago that Franco was a highly-touted prospect who was seen as a potential cornerstone of the Phillies’ rebuild, though he has been below-average at the plate in both 2016 and 2017.
  • Also from Salisbury’s piece, it seems like Tommy Joseph will have to be moved so the Phillies can get a look at Rhys Hoskins as the regular first baseman.  “They can’t coexist on the same team,” manager Pete Mackanin said.  “There is no way I could [get playing time for both]. It wouldn’t be fair to either guy. It wouldn’t be fair to us….If [Hopkins] could play another position, if either one of them could, it would make it easier for me to do. But I don’t think it would help either guy or us to find out about Rhys Hoskins if he is not playing on a regular basis.”  Joseph has 36 homers and a .254/.310/.487 slash line in 662 career plate appearances, so between his production, age (26 next week) and five-plus years of team control, he’ll certainly get some attention on the trade market.
  • Jeremy Hellickson looks like a sure bet to be traded, and PhillyVoice.com’s Ryan Lawrence looks at the Phillies could receive in a deal for the veteran innings-eater based on past recent deadline deals for somewhat comparable pitchers.  The Phils seem likely to eat some or most of Hellickson’s remaining salary in order to receive a better prospect return.  Salisbury suggested that the Royals and Mariners could be potential trade suitors for Hellickson, as both teams are looking for low-cost rotation help.

Orioles Designate Paul Janish For Assignment

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The Orioles have designated infielder Paul Janish for assignment, the club announced.  The move creates roster space for Chris Tillman, who was reinstated from the paternity list.

[Updated Orioles depth chart at Roster Resource]

This is the fourth time that Janish has been designated for assignment in his two-plus seasons in the Orioles organization, and he was also outrighted off the 40-man roster last June.  Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun tweets that the Orioles are hoping Janish will continue to remain in the organization, as this latest DFA was something of a roster crunch.  Janish still has a minor league option remaining, while fellow utility infielder Ruben Tejada does not.

Janish has appeared in 42 games in an O’s uniform, serving as bench depth at shortstop, third base and second base in various short-term stints while amassing just 99 plate appearances since the start of the 2015 season.  Known more for his defense and versatility than his bat, Janish has a .212/.280/.284 slash line over 1305 career PA with the Orioles, Braves and Reds since 2008.

NL Central Notes: McCutchen, Brewers, Greene, Reds

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Andrew McCutchen’s NL Player Of The Month-winning performance in June ended over a year of frustration at the plate for the longtime Pirates star, ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick writes.  The hot streak also reinvigorated trade speculation about McCutchen’s future, and he reiterated to Crasnick that he wants to stay in Pittsburgh.  Bucs GM Neal Huntington stated that the team isn’t shopping McCutchen but, thanks to the Pirates’ struggles in the standings and their payroll limitations, all options must be kept open:

“We anticipate Andrew continuing to be a Pirate until something changes — whether it’s through free agency or someone coming in [with an offer] that we believe can help this organization over the big picture,” Huntington said.  “That’s the hard reality. We’ll listen on anybody. We have to. It doesn’t mean we’re looking to move him or actively engage. There’s active and passive engagement, and we’ll always be open for passive engagement if somebody wants to come to us.”

Here’s more from around the NL Central…

  • Brewers GM David Stearns spoke to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other reporters about his team’s deadline plans, largely reiterating his statement from May about the Brewers’ improved play not throwing off their overall long-term rebuilding strategy.  While the club will “certainly explore every avenue” to improve the roster,  Stearns implied that the Brew Crew will pursue controllable players over rentals st the trade deadline.  “I never want to say never, but if there’s going to be an acquisition cost, it needs to be an acquisition that’s going to be here for more than one year.  Players that have multiple years of control are naturally better fits,” Stearns said.
  • Pitchers like Jose Quintana and Sonny Gray would fit as upgrades on multi-year contracts, though Stearns downplayed reports of the Brewers’ interest in the two hurlers.  “I think this time of year, we along with all 29 other teams, do background work on a number of different players.  That’s natural.  It’s league-wide and across the board,” Stearns said.
  • Talks between the Reds and second overall draft pick Hunter Greene came right down to the wire yesterday, as president of baseball ops Dick Williams tells Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer and other reporters.  Both sides expressed worry that a deal couldn’t be reached before Friday’s 5pm deadline, and it was apparently a matter of seconds before a final agreement was reached, Williams said.  There was pressure in both camps, as Greene faced either a year in limbo or three years away from re-entering the draft if he chose to attend UCLA, while the Reds didn’t want to face the stiff penalties that would’ve been imposed on them for exceeding their draft bonus pool.  In the end, Greene signed for a record-setting $7.23MM bonus.

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