Young: Rangers To Increase Payroll This Offseason
During his year-end press conference, Rangers GM Chris Young told Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News that team owner Ray Davis, who Young described as “frustrated,” had committed to increasing the team’s payroll this offseason, with the goal of improving the team’s pitching staff. Grant also notes that Davis may want to see another bat added to the lineup as well.
The Rangers 2022 payroll clocked in at over $142MM, an increase over 2021 of roughly $48MM. For 2023, Texas has about $85MM committed in payroll, though this does not include arbitration-eligible players such as Mitch Garver. Still, this should leave the Rangers with over $50MM available even before factoring in any increases in payroll, allowing the team plenty of flexibility when searching for additions this offseason.
The Rangers will need every additional resource they can get if they want to compete in 2023. The team lost 94 games in 2022 even after making a major splash in free agency this past offseason by adding both Marcus Semien and Corey Seager to their infield. While Texas committed significant dollars to that duo, their other additions were far less impactful, with Kole Calhoun struggling mightily in 125 games this season, Garver missing most of the year with forearm issues, and their big pitching acquisition, Jon Gray, pitching to an ERA+ of just 99. Martin Perez was a revelation this season, but the Rangers will have to re-sign him this offseason for that to matter for them in 2023, and Young says the team expects to meet with Perez’s agents next week.
Also on the docket for the Rangers next week is a continuation of their managerial search. While the Rangers have already interviewed interim manager Tony Beasley, Young said they would begin interviewing external candidates next week. While Young did not specify any names, he did speak highly of former Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who he played under with the Padres in 2006. Bochy, who won the 2010, 2012, and 2014 World Series with San Francisco, would provide the Rangers with a more experienced manager as they move on from Chris Woodward, who had no managerial experience prior to his stint with Texas, which began in 2019. In addition to Woodward, president of baseball operations Jon Daniels was fired earlier this season, though it is unclear if the Rangers will look to add another GM to their front office to assist Young.
It’s no surprise that improving the team’s pitching is a priority for Young this offseason, as the starting rotation in Texas was a disaster in 2022. Of the nine players to start more than two games for the Rangers this season, just two of them had a season better than league average by ERA+: Perez and Matt Bush. Bush was traded to the Brewers at the trade deadline in exchange for Mark Mathias and Antoine Kelly. As previously mentioned, Perez is a pending free agent, leaving the Rangers with no players under contract for the rotation next year who had a better than average season in 2022. Gray can still be counted on as a member of the rotation, and the Rangers are likely to allow youngsters Dane Dunning, Spencer Howard, and Glenn Otto compete for the final spot in the rotation. That still leaves 3 spots in the rotation vacant, however, so they’ll need to make multiple additions even if they re-sign Perez.
Both Clayton Kershaw and Jacob deGrom are expected to hit the free agent market this offseason, and have been rumored previously to have interest in playing in Texas. While the Rangers certainly have the payroll space available to acquire one of them, it’s an open question whether either ace would want to move from a club already contending for a championship to a much more uncertain situation with the Rangers. Looking down the market at less flashy options, Chris Bassitt, Jose Quintana, Tyler Anderson, and Nathan Eovaldi are among the mid-rotation options who clubs have counted on to start playoff games in the past. While an ideal offseason would surely involve signing an ace, even the acquisition of a pair of solid, playoff-caliber mid-rotation starters to pair with a re-signed Perez would represent a substantial improvement in the rotation for Texas.
While the Rangers offense is not as desperate for an overhaul as the rotation, there’s still clear room for improvement. The infield is largely in good shape, with Seager, Semien, and Nathaniel Lowe all capable of all star caliber production and top prospect Josh Jung having made his MLB debut this season. Behind the plate, the Rangers are also likely set, with some combination of Garver, Jonah Heim, and Sam Huff likely to handle the catcher position next year. The outfield, however, is in desperate need of improvement. While Adolis Garcia has proven himself to be a quality regular and Leody Taveras has looked acceptable in 99 games this season, the Rangers have little else in the way of outfield help currently on the roster.
Outside of a surprise bid for the services of Aaron Judge, Brandon Nimmo represents the top of the outfield market for Texas. That being said, Nimmo will likely receive a great deal of interest due to the lack of quality two-way center field options available, so the Rangers may need to explore other options. Andrew Benintendi, Joc Pederson, and Mitch Haniger are among the quality regulars available on the free agent market this offseason. The Rangers could also explore the trade market, where Ian Happ, Ramon Laureano, and Bryan Reynolds are among those who could be made available this offseason.
Another potential solution in the outfield could be a reunion with Joey Gallo. Gallo struggled mightily after the Rangers traded him at last year’s deadline, posting an 84 OPS+ in 184 games between the Yankees and the Dodgers since the trade. Gallo has had great success with the Rangers in the past, however, earning all star appearances in both 2019 and 2021. Prior to being traded, Gallo spoke very highly of the Rangers and indicated he would like to stay in town long term. With the Rangers in desperate need of outfield help, and Gallo looking for a comfortable place to bounce back this offseason, a reunion could make a great deal of sense for both sides.
AL East Notes: Hosmer, Pham, Castro, Peralta, Espinal
Eric Hosmer will be activated from the injured list tomorrow, according to Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe. Hosmer has been out since late August with lower back inflammation.
It’s been a curious season for Hosmer. Dogged by trade rumors for years, the first baseman was initially reported to be part of the deadline blockbuster between the Padres and the Nationals where San Diego acquired Juan Soto and Josh Bell. Hosmer refused to waive his no-trade rights, however, and so the Padres pivoted, sending Luke Voit to Washington as part of the Soto package and instead moving Hosmer, Corey Rosier, and Max Ferguson to Boston in exchange for Jay Groome.
Hosmer played just 12 games for the Red Sox before heading to the injured list. In those games, he slashed a meager .225/.311/.300, though his season line of .267/.333/.381 is good for a 104 wRC+, his best mark in a full season since his 2017 walk year with the Royals. Though Hosmer’s contract, which will pay him $13 million a year for the 2023-2025 seasons, has an opt-out after this season, it’s extremely unlikely to be exercised. As such, Hosmer is expected to compete with Bobby Dalbec and top prospect Triston Casas for playing time at first base going forward, though with J.D. Martinez slated to hit free agency after this season, it’s possible Hosmer could see some time at DH as well.
Additional notes from around the AL East…
- Red Sox outfielder Tommy Pham‘s mutual option for the 2023, previously reported as $6 million, is a $12 million option, per MassLive’s Christopher Smith. Like any mutual option, it remains exceedingly unlikely to be exercised. The Red Sox acquired Pham from the Reds at the trade deadline earlier this season in exchange for a player to be named later or cash. It’s been a disappointing season at the plate for Pham, as he’s slashed just .241/.316/.381 in 611 plate appearances between Cincinnati and Boston.
- The Athletic’s Chris Kirschner reports that Yankees reliever Miguel Castro is expected to be activated from the injured list tomorrow. The right-hander has posted a 4.00 ERA with a 3.75 FIP in 27 innings this season. Castro has been out with a right shoulder strain since July. As he’s coming off the 60-day injured list, a 40-man roster spot will be necessary to activate Castro. That spot could come from Matt Carpenter, who was transferred to the 60-day IL himself earlier today. Additionally, Kirschner relays that lefty Wandy Peralta will not pitch again during the regular season this year, instead heading to Somerset to prepare for the postseason while the Yankees travel to Texas for their final regular season series against the Rangers. Peralta was placed on the 15-day injured list in September with left thoracic spine tightness.
- Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi reports that Blue Jays infielder Santiago Espinal will take live batting practice on Tuesday, and could be activated from the injured list shortly thereafter as Toronto gears up for the postseason. Espinal has slashed .267/.322/.370 in 491 plate appearances this season, but was placed on the injured list with a left oblique strain in September. While Espinal is expected to be ready for the postseason, how much playing time he’ll have available to him is an open question. Espinal has primarily played second base this season, but fellow second basemen Whit Merrifield has posted an .865 OPS since the start of September. That being said, both players have the positional versatility to share a lineup if interim manager John Schneider so desires.
Diamondbacks Place Emmanuel Rivera On The Injured List, Select Jake Hager
2:13 PM: The Diamondbacks have announced that Rivera has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. Their 40-man roster stands at 40.
1:25 PM: The Diamondbacks have announced that Infielder Emmanuel Rivera has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left wrist. In a corresponding move, Infielder Jake Hager‘s contract has been selected from Triple-A Reno. The club will need to open a 40-man spot for Hager, but with the season winding down, they could easily transfer Rivera or another injured player to the 60-day injured list.
This marks the end of the season for Rivera, who was acquired by Arizona from the Royals in exchange right-hander Luke Weaver at the trade deadline earlier this season. Rivera’s season line of .233/.292/.409 has improved slightly since his arrival in Arizona, where he has slashed .227/.304/.424 in 148 plate appearances while primarily playing third base. Rivera, 26, isn’t slated to hit free agency until after the 2027 season, so he is likely to remain part of the Diamondbacks infield mix in the coming years.
As for Hager, the 2022 season has been spent mostly at the Triple-A level, where he has slashed .261/.342/.391 in 72 games. Hager previously joined the big league team in late May, playing shortstop, third base, and second base and slashing .240/.345/.280 in 28 games before being optioned back to Triple-A in early July. In August, Hager was designated for assignment and assigned outright to Reno.
Mariners Promote Justin Hollander To General Manager
The Mariners announced today that Justin Hollander has been promoted to executive vice president & general manager of baseball operations. Hollander had previously been serving in the Mariners front office as vice president & assistant general manager of baseball operations, and has been with the organization since September 2016. Prior to that, Hollander spent nine seasons as a member of the Angels front office. Hollander’s promotion comes a year after Jerry Dipoto was promoted from GM to president of baseball operations. Dipoto will continue to lead Seattle’s front office in that role.
With this promotion, Seattle has ensured that Hollander will remain with the organization going into next season. Front office executives don’t typically interview for lateral moves from one organization to the other, so the only way for an opposing club to pry Hollander away from the Mariners would be by offering him the opportunity to take the lead role in their organization’s baseball operations infrastructure. The Tigers, Royals, and Rangers have all fired high profile front office officials this season and could potentially be among the teams looking for external additions to their front office this offseason.
Hollander’s promotion comes at the end of a very successful 2022 regular season for Seattle. In addition to clinching a playoff berth and ending the longest postseason drought across the four major North American professional sports, the Mariners have signed likely 2022 AL Rookie of the Year Julio Rodriguez to an extension that should keep him in Seattle for most of his career and both traded for and extended All Star right-hander Luis Castillo.
The Mariners currently hold the second AL wild card spot and, if postseason positioning doesn’t shift in the coming days, will be playing the three-game wild card series in Toronto against the Blue Jays.
Cubs Outright Michael Hermosillo
Cubs outfielder Michael Hermosillo has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A Iowa, Mark Gonzales relays. Chicago had designated him for assignment earlier in the week.
It’s been a tough season for Hermosillo, who re-signed with the Cubs on a major league deal this past offseason. After breaking camp with the big league team, Hermosillo suffered a left quadriceps strain in May which kept him out of action until earlier this month. In addition to his injury woes, Hermosillo struggled mightily at the plate this season, batting just .115/.250/.148 (27 wRC+) in 73 trips to the plate this season.
For his career, Hermosillo has both struggled to find opportunities at the big league level and to make the most of the opportunities he does receive. Despite making his major league debut in 2018, Hermosillo has managed to accumulate just 229 plate appearances across parts of five seasons with the Angels and the Cubs, and has hit just .167/.268/.283 in those trips to the plate, only approaching league average for a season during a 16-game stint with the Cubs last year that saw him hit .194/.237/.500 (91 wRC+).
While Hermosillo has certainly struggled at the big league level throughout his career, he has had no such trouble in the minors. Across five seasons at the Triple-A level, Hermosillo has slashed .273/.368/.506, all while playing a capable center field and flashing plus speed. Hermosillo will be able to file for minor league free agency this offseason unless he’s added back to the 40-man roster.
The Cubs announced that they will be releasing right fielder Jason Heyward after the 2022 season ends, but they have Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki to man the outfield corners heading into 2023. For center field, Chicago has options at the big league level such as Christopher Morel and Nelson Velazquez, to say nothing of top prospect Brennen Davis, who may be ready to join the big league club sometime next year.
Yankees Activate DJ LeMahieu From Injured List
The Yankees announced they’ve activated infielder DJ LeMahieu from the 10-day injured list earlier today. In a corresponding move, outfielder Tim Locastro was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. LeMahieu spent most of September on the injured list with right second toe inflammation.
LeMahieu has posted a .262/.358/.381 slash line in 120 games this season, good for a wRC+ of 117. While a far cry from his peak during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, which saw him post a combined 8.2 fWAR in 195 games while placing in the top 4 of MVP voting in both years, LeMahieu’s production in his age 33 campaign can be seen as something of a bounce-back after a 2021 season that saw his defensive metrics slip while his bat hovered around league average (100 wRC+). With other infield options such as Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa struggling at the plate this season, LeMahieu’s bat returning to the lineup should provide the Yankees with a boost to their infield headed into the postseason.
As for Locastro, while his hitting has left much to be desired (he’s slashed just .186/.239/.349 in 46 plate appearances with New York this season), he has served as a capable bench piece this season, effectively fielding all three outfield spots while swiping eight bags in just ten attempts. While Locastro will finish the regular season in Triple-A, he may be called upon by the Yankees for his baserunning skills during the postseason.
In other Yankees news, the team provided an update on injured utilityman Matt Carpenter. He took batting practice this afternoon and may take some live at-bats with Double-A Somerset in lieu of traveling with the big league club to Texas next week, per Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. Carpenter has hit exceptionally for the Yankees this year, slashing .305/.412/.727 in 154 plate appearances, but has been on the injured list with a fractured foot since early August.
Twins To Retain Derek Falvey As President Of Baseball Operations
The Twins have announced that president of baseball operations Derek Falvey will return for the 2023 season. Per MLB.com’s Do-Hyoung Park, team president Dave St. Peter said of Falvey: “We think we have a very dynamic, smart, forward-thinking leader, and he’ll be back in 2023, and I’m hoping many, many years after that.”
Falvey has guided the team to a 449-414 record — a 52% winning percentage since he started leading the Twins after the 2016 season. That run includes three postseason appearances and back-to-back division titles in 2019 and 2020. After those seasons, which saw the Twins win 101 games in 2019 and post a .600 winning percentage in the shortened 2020 season, Minnesota has delivered consecutive disappointing seasons. In 2021, the team missed the playoffs with a 73-89 record, and through 155 games this season has posted a 76-79 record that has again eliminated from them from playoff contention. Despite these recent disappointments, the Twins will continue to turn to Falvey to lead baseball operations.
Although Minnesota has struggled, Falvey and his front office were aggressive this past calendar year in terms of making additions — even beyond Carlos Correa joining the team in perhaps the most surprising deal of this past offseason. In that timeframe, the Twins have added Chris Archer, Sonny Gray, Chris Paddack, and Tyler Mahle to their rotation, Jorge Lopez to their bullpen, and Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez to their lineup (in addition to Correa).
Aggressive moves aren’t always effective ones, however, and Minnesota’s moves have played out to mixed results this season. Signing Correa appears to have been a slam dunk in hindsight, and a handful of moves on the trade market seem to be clear wins at this point: trading for Gray, essentially swapping Josh Donaldson and Mitch Garver for Gio Urshela and Gary Sanchez in a pair of trades with the Rangers and the Yankees, and acquiring Joe Ryan for Nelson Cruz from the Rays at last year’s deadline. On the other hand, the additions of Archer and Emilio Pagan have largely fallen flat, and other acquisitions, such as Mahle, Paddack, and Lopez, provided virtually no value this season, although they could certainly still work out in the long term.
While the Twins certainly have their flaws, Minnesota has also undeniably been held back by a rash of injuries in 2022. The Twins have had 32 players spend time on the injured list this season, including each of their aforementioned rotation additions. Their lineup has suffered from these injuries as well, with Byron Buxton, Max Kepler, and Ryan Jeffers among those missing significant time. Overall, just four players have reached 130 games played for the Twins this season, and Ryan leads Minnesota pitchers with just 141 innings pitched.
Between the exceptional injury woes the organization has faced this year and the fact that Falvey is signed through 2024, it’s not a huge surprise that he, like manager Rocco Baldelli, be retained. Falvey will have more work to do this offseason, with Correa likely to opt out of his contract, and questions in a rotation that may lose both Archer and Dylan Bundy this offseason. The team holds a club option on Bundy and a mutual option with Archer, but neither option seems likely to be picked up. Gray’s option should be exercised, slotting him into next year’s rotation alongside Ryan, Mahle (health permitting) and a hopefully healthy Kenta Maeda (who missed 2022 recovering from Tommy John surgery). Still, there’s plenty of work to be done on both sides of the ball if the Twins are to avoid a third straight playoff miss next year.
Note: The original version of this post erroneously called the Twins’ record under Falvey 371-414, a 47.2% win percentage. The correct record is 449-414, a 52% win percentage. MLBTR apologizes for the error.
Rich Hill Plans To Pitch In 2023
Red Sox lefty Rich Hill indicated after yesterday’s start that he plans to continue pitching in 2023, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Hill, a Boston native, indicated that his preference for his age-43 season next year is a return to the Red Sox, for whom he’s pitched to a 4.41 ERA across 118 1/3 innings this year. Hill suggested he would entertain the idea of signing only for half of the season, joining a club partway through the 2023 campaign, noting that he’d discuss specific plans with his family this winter.
With the Red Sox also set to lose right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Michael Wacha to free agency this offseason, it seems likely that the Red Sox would have interest in a reunion. With youngsters Josh Winckowski and Kutter Crawford struggling to ERAs over 5.00 during their stints in the rotation this season, and team ace Chris Sale having pitched just 48 1/3 innings since the end of the 2019 season, it would appear Nick Pivetta is the only steady presence in the Red Sox rotation entering 2023 at the moment.
That being said, top prospect Brayan Bello has also pitched solidly in 10 starts in the majors this year, so he is likely to compete for an opening day rotation spot as well. Garrett Whitlock has pitched well in 78 1/3 innings this season, but the Red Sox seem to prefer him in a swing role between the bullpen and the rotation; of his 31 games played this season, only nine of them were starts, and he pitched beyond the fourth inning just four times. James Paxton could pick up his player option for 2023, but after missing the entire 2022 season and pitching just 1 1/3 innings in 2021, he can hardly be counted on for significant innings next year.
Even if a reunion between Hill and the Red Sox doesn’t work out, Hill should find himself with plenty of suitors this offseason. While he has only pitched to an ERA+ of 96, 4% below league average, Hill’s 3.82 FIP this year indicates that he may have been somewhat unlucky to end up with the results he has this season. He has stranded just 67.9% of baserunners this season, a significant dip from his career norms, and his BABIP has risen to .310 this year, a clip much higher than his career mark of .279.
On the other hand, Hill has seen his strikeout rate decline this season, with his 20.4% strikeout rate failing to measure up to his career 24.5% mark, or even the 22.7% he achieved in 2021. Whether Hill can expect positive regression next year or not, his numbers suggest he can still provide steady, back of the rotation production. Furthermore, despite being the oldest pitcher in MLB, Hill has largely managed to stay healthy in recent years, with a one month stint on the injured list for a sprained knee this July being his only injury since the start of the 2021 season.
Rays Planning To Activate Tyler Glasnow On Wednesday
The Rays expect to activate righty Tyler Glasnow from the injured list on Wednesday to start against the Guardians, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports. Glasnow will be limited to around 45 pitches.
This is a huge development for the Rays, who have been without Glasnow since he underwent Tommy John surgery in August of last year. Glasnow has been a tantalizing, if frustrating, talent ever since he broke out during the 2019 season. Between 2019 and 2021, Glasnow posted an ERA of 2.80 with a 2.87 FIP to match, with a WHIP of 0.976. These fantastic results have been belied by injury woes, however, as Glasnow only managed 206 innings across 37 starts in that timeframe.
Clearly, the Rays are betting on improved health going forward from their exciting right-hander, as they recently signed him to a 2-year contract extension worth over $30 million. This development seems to be a good sign in that regard. With the Rays half a game ahead of the Mariners for the second of the three Wild Card spots, if Glasnow’s return goes well it seems likely that he will pair with the likes of Corey Kluber, Drew Rasmussen, and Jeffrey Springs as potential playoff starters behind ace Shane McClanahan.
Glasnow has been brought along slowly in 4 rehab appearances for AAA Durham this September. In his most recent rehab start, Glasnow topped out at 46 pitches, allowing no runs and striking out six while walking one. With Glasnow expected to be limited to around the same amount of pitches on Wednesday, it’s possible that the Rays are looking at him less as a traditional starter for the playoffs and more as a dominant pitcher who can be used in shorter bursts. Such an approach would be far from unusual for the Rays, who in recent years have used pitchers such as Rasmussen and Ryan Yarbrough in a similar manner during the postseason.
Brewers Reinstate Freddy Peralta
The Milwaukee Brewers announced this morning that they reinstated right-hander Freddy Peralta from the 15-day injured list. In a corresponding move, the team has also placed righty Luis Perdomo on the 15-day injured list with a right calf strain. In addition, it was announced that Peralta would start today’s game against the Reds.
Peralta’s return is excellent news for Milwaukee. The Brewers are just 1.5 games behind Philadelphia for the final wild card spot in the NL and are sure to receive a boost from Peralta, who has pitched effectively this year despite being limited to just 15 starts by injuries. In 70 1/3 innings pitched this year, Peralta has posted a 3.45 ERA and a 3.07 FIP.
In addition to their push to make the playoffs, the Brewers will have to figure out how best to round out their rotation ahead of a possible 3 game Wild Card series. Should the Brewers manage to make the postseason, Peralta’s return adds another potential option for a playoff rotation facing a great deal of uncertainty. The Brewers are sure to front their playoff rotation with reigning NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes and fellow righty Brandon Woodruff, but it’s an open question as to who may follow them. Peralta joins Aaron Ashby and Eric Lauer as starters who have recently come off the injured list but are not fully stretched out yet; Ashby threw just 41 pitches in his most recent start, with Lauer throwing 66. Even Adrian Houser, who returned from the injured list in late August, has pitched into the sixth inning only once since his reinstatement. With all the uncertainty surrounding who could start a potential Game 3 of a playoff series for Milwaukee, an effective return start from Peralta would provide a significant boost.
This marks the end of the season for Perdomo, who has pitched 23 2/3 innings in 14 games for the Brewers. While he posted a slightly above average 3.80 ERA this year, his 4.80 FIP and significantly reduced strikeout rate from his years with the Padres indicate his success may have some luck baked into it. The Brewers will have a decision to make with Perdomo this offseason, as they can retain him for 2023 through arbitration.