Ross Atkins Addresses Blue Jays Offseason
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins addressed reporters following the team’s playoff exit at the hands of the Mariners. With a manager still holding the interim tag, a young core that’s getting more and more expensive, and veterans dealing with injuries there’s plenty of question marks going into the offseason in Toronto.
Atkins didn’t make any firm commitments at manager just yet. Asked about the status of interim skipper John Schneider, Atkins noted that it would be “very difficult for us to find better than [him]” but cautioned he “wants more time to work through the (hiring) process” (via Julia Kreuz of MLB.com). The Jays fired Charlie Montoyo in July with the team 46-42. Schneider was handed the team through the end of the season, and the Jays went 46-28 with him at the helm. While the improvement under Schneider is evident, the team did still fall well short of expectations in the playoffs. Atkins and his front office staff certainly wouldn’t rule Schneider out because of two games, and there’d seem to be a good chance he’s retained, but he wasn’t prepared to make any move at this point.
On the playing side, Atkins seemed to indicate running back the current core to be the best path to a championship for the team. The GM both downplayed any urgency to make a core-altering trade and indicated the club had laid the groundwork in extension talks with some core players in hopes of further discussions this offseason (via Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet). Atkins didn’t divulge any specifics, but it stands to reason players like Alek Manoah, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Bo Bichette would fit into that group. Guerrero has three more seasons of arbitration control but is projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $14.1MM next year after qualifying for early arbitration as a Super Two player in 2021. Bichette is projected for $6.1MM in his first year of eligibility and is likewise controllable through 2025. Manoah is controllable through 2027 and not yet arbitration eligible, although he’s likely to qualify for Super Two at the end of next season.
Atkins was non-committal on how active the Jays will be in free agency, but Nicholson-Smith mentions they’re expected to pursue starting pitching help. Kevin Gausman is a lock to lead the rotation, but Jose Berrios struggled to a 5.23 ERA in 2022, while Yusei Kikuchi pitched his way out of the rotation with a 5.19 ERA. Berrios will get a chance to turn things around in 2023, while Kikuchi is expected to get another crack at pitching out of the rotation next year. However, Ross Stripling is an impending free agent and Hyun Jin-Ryu will miss most, if not all, of next season recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Atkins also addressed the status of George Springer, who left the Jays final playoff game after colliding with Bichette while pursuing a shallow fly ball. The Jays announced this morning that Springer had sustained a concussion and a strained left shoulder. Atkins indicated today that Springer also has a bone spur in his right elbow and could undergo offseason surgery (Nicholson-Smith). In any event, the expectation is that he’ll be ready for spring training, although given he’s 33 with a checkered injury past and declining defensive numbers it’s fair to wonder how long the Jays will count on him as an everyday center fielder.
Tigers Claim Jermaine Palacios, Designate Drew Hutchison
The Tigers have claimed utility man Jermaine Palacios off waivers from the Twins, according to MLB.com’s transaction tracker. In a corresponding move, Detroit is designating starting pitcher Drew Hutchison for assignment. Chris McCosky of the Detroit News has confirmed the moves.
Palacios made his debut in the majors this year, appearing in 30 games for the Twins and slashing .143/.184/.229 with two home runs. That underwhelming offensive return was offset somewhat by the defensive versatility the 26 year old offered, logging time at all four infield positions. Palacios did hit a much healthier .283/.341/.462 with 14 home runs across 428 plate appearances at Triple A St. Paul, so there is some hope for his bat to develop a bit in the majors.
Palacios was signed out of Venezuela in 2013, and spent five years in the Twins organization before being dealt to the Rays in the 2018 trade for Jake Odorizzi. He elected minor league free agency at the end of 2020, and he rejoined the Twins that offseason and checked in as their 18th best prospect this year, according to MLB.com. He’ll add some defensive versatility in the Tigers infield, while they’ll look to unlock a bit of the potential he’s shown in the minors with the bat.
For Hutchison, it’s the third time he’s been DFA’d by the Tigers this year. After initially signing with the Tigers on a minor league deal he made the team out of spring training but wound up being DFA’d and released in May and June before immediately re-signing with the team. Hutchison logged 105.1 innings for the Tigers in 2022, pitching to a 4.53 ERA across 18 starts and ten appearances out of the bullpen. The 32 year old struck out just 14.7% of batters faced, while walking 9.1% of the time. Those numbers are largely in line with Hutchison’s career numbers, having pitched to a lifetime 4.89 ERA across nearly 600 innings in the big leagues.
Hutchison is arbitration eligible for another season, with MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projecting him to receive a $1.8MM salary. That always made him a likely non-tender candidate, so it’s not surprising to see Detroit take him off the roster when a player of interest popped up on the waiver wire. Hutchison seems likely to clear waivers and elect free agency, where he’ll seek out another opportunity this winter.
Tigers Fire Amateur Scouting Director Scott Pleis
New Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris has wasted little time making changes to the organization’s front office, firing amateur scouting director Scott Pleis according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press.
Pleis has been with the Tigers for the past 15 years, after being hired following scouting roles with the Chicago Cubs and New York Yankees. Detroit initially hired Pleis as a national scout in 2007, but promoted him to amateur scouting director in 2010, leaving him in charge of their entire amateur scouting department and handing him significant influence in their drafting strategy. The Tigers were a dominant force during that period, winning four straight AL Central titles between 2011-14 and going to the World Series in 2012, and Pleis was tasked with developing a farm system capable of taking the Tigers back to contention after that core’s decline. That has undoubtedly been a sticking point, however, as Detroit has managed just one winning season since 2015 and finished a disappointing 66-96 in 2022.
Despite regularly picking at the top of the draft, Baseball America currently ranks the Tigers farm system as the 27th best in baseball, while ESPN pegs them at 24th. In their defense, they were a lot higher prior to the season, and part of their drop is due to the graduation of top-five prospects Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene to the Major League club. However, there’s no question the Tigers rebuild has taken longer than expected and while it’s unfair to blame that entirely on Pleis, the organization does need to do a better job of drafting and developing talent. As Baseball America noted in their farm system rankings, “the system as a whole has consistently struggled to produce hitters who become MLB regulars.”
The move could be the first of many for Harris, who took over from former GM Al Avila in September. He’s spent the first three weeks evaluating the organization, and only took control of their day-to-day operations this week, and clearly decided changes to the scouting department were needed in order to get the Tigers back to contention.
Dodgers Select Beau Burrows, Transfer Jacob Amaya To 60-Day IL
The Dodgers have added some pitching depth to their 40-man roster, selecting the contract of right-hander Beau Burrows, per the MLB Transactions page. To open a 40-man spot, the team transferred shortstop prospect Jacob Amaya to the 60-day injured list.
Burrows, the Tigers first-round draft pick in 2015, joined the Dodgers on a minor league contract last offseason after brief, unsuccessful stints in the Majors with Detroit and the Twins. He played the entire 2022 season at Triple-A Oklahoma, initially pitching out of their rotation before being moved to the bullpen. He struggled to the tune of a 7.18 ERA across 100 1/3 innings, displaying a 12.7% walk rate and a 20% strikeout rate while giving up 18 home runs.
The move prevents Burrows from becoming a minor league free agent, and allows the Dodgers to keep some pitching depth in their organization. While the results certainly weren’t encouraging this season, Burrows is still only 26 and a former top-100 prospect, so the Dodgers may see some untapped potential in him.
Amaya, 24, impressed at Double-A Tulsa this season, slashing .264/.370/.500 in 49 games and earning a call-up to Triple-A Oklahoma. His numbers dropped off a little in Oklahoma but he still posted a respectable .259/.368/.381 line prior to landing on the 60-day injured list. The Dodgers have not specified the details of Amaya’s injury, so it’s unclear yet what his recovery will look like.
Amaya was drafted out of South Hills High School in the 11th round of the 2017 draft and is the Dodgers 15th ranked prospect, per MLB.com.