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Mutual Interest Between Alex Avila, Diamondbacks

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The Diamondbacks and catcher Alex Avila “appear” to have mutual interest in working out a new contract, Zach Buchanan of The Athletic reports within an excellently laid out look at the team’s upcoming 40-man roster decisions and Rule 5 protection candidates (subscription required). The veteran catcher is slated to become a free agent this winter.

Avila, 33 in January, has spent the past two seasons in Arizona after signing a two-year, $8.25MM deal in the 2017-18 offseason. He’s been surpassed on the depth chart by standout young catcher Carson Kelly, but Avila’s patient eye and left-handed bat would make him a reasonable complement and veteran mentor to the up-and-coming 25-year-old.

Avila’s first season with the D-backs was a disaster, as he posted a miserable .165/.299/.304 batting line with an eye-popping 38.5 percent strikeout rate in 234 plate appearances. However, while he still posted an ugly batting average in 2019, he put the ball in play more often, drew more walks and showed more power. The resulting .207/.353/.421 slash (in 204 plate appearances) was one of the game’s more unusual lines but came out to roughly league-average overall output, per both OPS+ (100) and wRC+ (97).

Among the 360 players with at least 200 plate appearances in 2019, Avila’s gaudy 17.9 percent walk rate ranked third, trailing only Mike Trout and Brandon Nimmo. Strikeouts were still an issue, as Avila’s 33.4 percent rate was the 12th-highest in that same subset of hitters. Lack of balls in play notwithstanding, it seems that his power, on-base skills and defensive abilities are traits the Arizona front office hopes to retain. Avila has posted average or better framing marks in both seasons with the D-backs, and after throwing out a solid 30 percent of would-be base thieves in 2018, he nabbed 11 of the 21 men who tried to steal against him in 2019 (52 percent). Baseball Prospectus also rates his ability to block pitches quite favorably.

The Diamondbacks do have Caleb Joseph currently on the 40-man roster as a potential backup to Kelly, should a new deal with Avila ultimately fail to reach fruition for one reason or another. With a projected arbitration salary of $1.2MM (per MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz), though, Joseph isn’t certain to be tendered a contract. Cutting ties with Joseph would only further create a need to bring in a veteran backstop — be it Avila or someone else — but Joseph batted just .211/.250/.263 in 41 plate appearances with the Snakes while batting .265/.324/.481 with Triple-A Reno. It’s also possible that the D-backs try to keep all three players, as Arizona has frequently carried three catchers under GM Mike Hazen. The addition of a 26th Major League roster spot for all 30 MLB teams next winter will only make it easier to do so, should the Diamondbacks wish to continue with that approach.

Pirates Interview Matt Quatraro, George Lombard

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10:40am: Pittsburgh has also interviewed Dodgers first base, outfield and baserunning coach George Lombard, per SiriusXM’s Craig Mish (Twitter link). Lombard, 44, played parts of six seasons as an outfielder in the Majors and has been in his current role since 2015. He was briefly named the Braves’ minor league field coordinator before accepting his current post with the Dodgers and has also served as a minor league outfield coordinator, hitting coach and manager in the Red Sox organization.

10:04am: The Pirates have interviewed Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro as part of their search for a new manager, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic tweets. Quatraro has also reportedly interviewed with the Giants organization.

Quatraro, who’ll turn 46 next month, served as a minor league hitting coach, manager and hitting coordinator in the Rays’ system before being hired as the Indians’ assistant hitting coach in 2014. Tampa Bay hired him back and installed him as their third base coach a year later, and he ascended to his current position of bench coach once the Blue Jays hired Charlie Montoyo away from the Rays last winter. A former catcher who played parts of seven minor league seasons in the Rays organization, Quatraro has also worked as a catching instructor in the minors with Tampa Bay.

If Quatraro does land with the Pirates (or with the Giants), it’ll mark the third consecutive offseason in which the Rays have had at least one member of their coaching staff hired away by another organization. Manager Kevin Cash enjoyed three years of continuity from 2015-17 but has since seen Rocco Baldelli hired as the Twins’ new skipper in addition to Montoyo’s hiring in Toronto.

Quatraro joins a list of Pirates interviewees that includes Twins bench coach Derek Shelton (also a former Rays coach), Athletics bench coach Ryan Christenson and Cardinals first base coach Stubby Clapp (as can be seen in MLBTR’s 2020 managerial search tracker). Others rumored to be in consideration include Astros bench coach Joe Espada, D-backs director of player development Mike Bell, Athletics quality control coach Mark Kotsay and former Pirates bench coach/former Rangers manager Jeff Banister, who is currently a special assistant in the Pittsburgh front office.

Shin-Soo Choo Undergoes Shoulder Surgery

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Rangers designated hitter Shin-Soo Choo revealed in an appearance on a talk show in his native South Korea that he underwent a minor surgery on his left shoulder (hat tip: Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News). Choo was wearing a sling during the appearance but said the procedure came with a rough recovery timeline of six to eight weeks. That should put him on track for a normal Spring Training, barring any setbacks.

Now 37 years old, Choo has spent the past six seasons with the Rangers after signing a seven-year, $130MM deal as a free agent in the 2013-14 offseason. He’s had three solid years and three forgettable ones thus far into that lengthy pact, with each of his two most recent seasons standing out as a productive efforts. Dating back to Opening Day 2018, Choo has batted a combined .264/.374/.444 with 45 home runs, 61 doubles and three triples. He’s played in 297 games and tallied 1325 plate appearances across those two seasons while serving as the club’s primary designated hitter.

Choo is owed $21MM in 2020 — the final season of his current contract. Texas has explored trading him in the past and could look to trade a left-handed-hitting outfielder this winter, though Choo’s contract, lack of defensive value and this surgery won’t make him easy to move. Choo did log 668 innings in the outfield this year but was rated poorly by Defensive Runs Saved (-16), Ultimate Zone Rating (-9.0) and Outs Above Average (-12). Meanwhile, most American League clubs already have a set DH or multiple players they plan to rotate through that DH slot and other positions, making it even more difficult to see Choo being moved. Nomar Mazara, on the other hand, could be a more plausible candidate to change hands with Texas likely to commit two outfield spots to fellow lefty hitters Willie Calhoun and Joey Gallo.

Indians’ Nolan Jones Undergoes Thumb Surgery

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Indians top prospect Nolan Jones underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb this week, per MLB.com’s Mandy Bell (Twitter link). The organization is hopeful that he’ll be ready for Spring Training 2020 without any restrictions, though no firm timeline was placed on his recovery.

Jones, 21, missed some time this season with a thumb injury and reinjured the digit while playing in the Arizona Fall League. The setback preempted his AFL run at just 15 games with a lackluster .200/.294/.422 slash, but 2019 season, as a whole, was a positive one for the 2016 second-round pick. Jones opened the season at Class-A Advanced and fared well against older competition before being elevated to Double-A and turning in similarly strong results. He finished the regular season with a combined .272/.409/.442 batting line to go along with 15 home runs, 22 doubles, three triples and seven stolen bases (in 10 attempts). Jones certainly had some strikeout issues (27.7 percent), but he also drew a walk in a ridiculous 17.9 percent of his plate appearances.

By most accounts, Jones’ strong 2019 showing catapulted him into the top 50 minor leaguers in the game. MLB.com currently tabs him 37th overall, while Baseball America ranks him 44th and Fangraphs lists him 46th in the game. There are some questions about his glovework and concerns about a potential move to first base or right field (as laid out in his scouting report at Fangraphs), but his huge walk rates and considerable raw power should help him punch his ticket to the big leagues sooner rather than later — perhaps even midway through the 2020 season.

Jones’ proximity to the big leagues is of particular importance for the Indians, who have a pressing need at either third base or second base — whichever position isn’t ultimately occupied by Jose Ramirez next season. (Ramirez has said he’s open to playing either.) Given the recent payroll concerns from Indians ownership, a near-term emergence from Jones would be a boon for the organization. It’s possible that Cleveland will simply look for a one-year veteran stopgap to keep a seat warm for Jones at the MLB level, thus allowing the team to allocate what looks to be a limited slate of financial resources to other areas of need.

Mets Notes: Managerial Search, Wheeler

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The Mets have begun narrowing the field in their managerial search, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that neither Padres first base coach Skip Schumaker nor D-backs director of player development Mike Bell will receive a second interview. Joe Girardi, Eduardo Perez, Carlos Beltran, Mets quality control coach Luis Rojas, Nationals first base coach Tim Bogar and Twins bench coach Derek Shelton are all in line for second-round interviews in the near future. New York’s search doesn’t appear to be as far along as that of the Phillies, who are reportedly down to three veteran candidates with Girardi reported to be in the lead. The Phils could make Girardi an offer well before the Mets’ search is near completion, which would further narrow the field but remove a prominent contender for the position.

Meanwhile, Newsday’s David Lennon explores the lack of clarity in the Mets’ search, opining that it’s strange that an organization that has likely expected to be seeking a new skipper since midseason would still be so uncertain regarding the qualities it hopes to find in a new manager. The Mets have indeed interviewed a rather wide-reaching slate of candidates, and the remaining group is fairly eclectic without a clear front-runner.

Here’s more out of Queens…

  • Everyone loves a “mystery team” in free agency, but how about a “mystery candidate” in a managerial search? Both MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and SNY’s Andy Martino suggested the that a “bombshell” candidate is in the mix if none of the presently known options distinguishes himself (Twitter links). That only furthers the notion that the Wilpon family isn’t sure what type of skipper they’re seeking. Speculation and or eye-rolls will surely abound, though both Heyman and Martino both ruled out David Wright, while Heyman adds that Alex Rodriguez could only laugh when asked about the possibility. MLBTR’s Connor Byrne put his money on Benny Agbayani, and I’m calling that the Mets double down on their Brodie Van Wagenen investment and make him the manager as well (kidding … mostly).
  • Turning to the Mets’ actual roster, The Athletic’s Tim Britton explores Zack Wheeler’s impending free agency and whether he’s a fit to re-sign with the team in free agency (subscription link). The call on issuing Wheeler a qualifying offer is an easy “yes,” he opines — we at MLBTR are inclined to agree — as is Wheeler’s decision to reject it. As MLBTR’s Jeff Todd recently laid out, the Mets not only lack flexibility but are actually on pace to spend more on the current roster than they did in 2019. Britton notes that the Mets would need to be OK with surpassing or at least flirting with the luxury tax in order to re-sign Wheeler, though he contends that with Wright, Yoenis Cespedes, Jed Lowrie and Wilson Ramos all off the books following the 2020 season (to say nothing of Justin Wilson and Marcus Stroman), surpassing the luxury threshold would be justifiable for a win-now Mets club. Of course, despite playing in New York, the Mets haven’t crossed that line before and have not carried an Opening Day payroll greater than this season’s $158.5MM mark.

Evan Gattis Not Actively Seeking Playing Opportunities

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Evan Gattis has stayed out of the spotlight for quite some time, with nary a word printed about whether the former catcher/designated hitter was pursuing a new contract until the Astros invited him to be a part of the first-pitch ceremony prior to tonight’s Game 1 of the World Series. (MLBTR reached out to Gattis’ camp earlier this season to inquire but did not receive a reply.) He’ll catch tonight’s first pitch from former teammate Brian McCann, who retired following Atlanta’s ousting from this year’s playoffs.

Gattis broke the silence surrounding his status today when he spoke with FOX 26’s Mark Berman today about his 2019 absence from baseball (Twitter link). Gattis has not formally retired, but he also doesn’t sound like he’s seeking out any new opportunities.

“I really don’t have an answer,” said Gattis. “I don’t even know if I could play, but right now I don’t want to. [Baseball] was a huge part of my life, but I was ready.”

At this point, if Gattis wished to make a return to baseball, he’d surely need to settle for a minor league pact, though the slugger didn’t seem to have any problem with that notion. “If I really want to play,” Gattis told Berman, “I’ll go play, whether it be in Double-A, Triple-A or the big leagues. But it has been such a big transition, much like before I came back to play in baseball again.” Gattis, for those unfamiliar with his remarkable journey, battled depression and drug use after walking away from baseball following high school (as chronicled by USA Today’s Bob Nightengale back in 2013).

Now 33 years of age, Gattis last suited up in 2018 when he appeared in 128 games for Houston and batted .226/.284/.452 with 25 home runs in 451 trips to the plate. He won a World Series ring with the ’Stros a year prior and spent parts of four seasons with the club (plus another two in Atlanta), becoming a fan favorite of many along the way. In all, he’s a career .248/.300/.476 hitter in 706 MLB games (2662 plate appearances).

Red Sox Outright Gorkys Hernandez, Josh A. Smith

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Outfielder Gorkys Hernandez and right-hander Josh A. Smith both were both sent outright to Triple-A Pawtucket after clearing waivers Friday, per the International League transactions log. Both 32-year-olds have been previously outrighted, thus allowing them to elect free agency. There’s been no formal declaration that they’ll do so, although it’s largely a formality a this point.

Hernandez appeared in 20 games with the Sox, hitting .143/.218/.245 in 57 plate appearances. The fleet-footed center fielder had spent the prior three seasons with the Giants and has played in parts of six seasons at the MLB level. In 1091 plate appearances between the Red Sox, Giants, Pirates and Marlins, he’s a .230/.292/.351 hitter who’s drawn above-average defensive ratings in the outfield corners but below-average marks in center field. Hernandez would’ve been eligible for arbitration this winter and was projected by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz to earn $1MM in 2020. Instead, he’ll likely hit the open market in search of a new minor league contract.

Smith, meanwhile, has spent time in the Majors in four of the past five seasons. He was hit hard with the Sox in ’19, posting a 5.81 ERA with 10 home runs allowed in just 31 innings (albeit with a more impressive 29-to-8 K/BB ratio). He’s tallied 158 1/3 innings of 5.40 ERA ball between the Reds, A’s and Red Sox since making his debut in 2015. A former 21st-round pick, Smith has also pitched in parts of six Triple-A seasons and logged a 4.41 ERA with 8.1 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9 in 483 1/3 innings.

Orioles’ DJ Stewart Undergoes Ankle Surgery

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Orioles outfielder DJ Stewart underwent a microfracture procedure on his right ankle today, the team announced. He’s expected to be able to resume baseball activities near the end of Spring Training, so today’s surgery places his Opening Day readiness in jeopardy.

It’s a tough setback for the 2015 first-round pick (25th overall to Baltimore), who mashed at a .291/.396/.548 clip while belting 12 home runs, 19 doubles and a pair of triples in 277 Triple-A plate appearances. Stewart’s impressive showing there netted him some time at the MLB level for the second straight season; in 189 plate appearances as a big leaguer, he’s slashed .241/.323/.422 with seven home runs.

Stewart has exhausted his prospect status at this point, though he entered the season generally regarded as one of the organization’s 15 best farmhands. There are some questions about his ultimate defensive home, given that he’s regarded a below-average runner and defender in both corner outfield spots. But Stewart has routinely demonstrated excellent plate discipline, pairing that with relatively low strikeout rates and solid power numbers. This latest surgery certainly doesn’t do anything to enhance his defensive outlook moving forward, but he’s the type of MLB-ready bat that should get an earnest look next season as the Orioles continue into the second full season of what looks to be a lengthy rebuilding process.

Elvis Andrus Won’t Exercise Opt-Out Clause

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Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus will not exercise the remaining opt-out clause in his eight-year, $120MM contract, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Heyman. It’s hardly a surprising decision, given that Andrus has three years and $43MM remaining on said contract and struggled through a second straight down year at the plate in 2019.

Andrus, 31, was mostly healthy this season after missing a substantial chunk of the 2018 campaign with a fractured elbow (suffered when he was hit by a pitch). Andrus scuffled mightily at the plate upon returning last year, and while this season’s .275/.313/.393 batting line in 147 games/648 plate appearances was an improvement over his post-injury form in 2018, it was still well south of the league average (76 wRC+, 78 OPS+).

This was the second and final chance that Andrus had to opt out of the eight-year extension he signed with the Rangers. He also had the opportunity to walk away from the final four years and $58MM on his contract last offseason but opted not to do so after the aforementioned struggles upon his return from injury. He’ll now earn salaries of $15MM in 2020, $14MM in 2021 and $14MM in 2022. The contract also has a vesting option that would guarantee Andrus a $15MM salary in 2023 if he totals 550 plate appearances in 2022 or a combined 1100 plate appearances in 2021-22. Those are highly attainable plate appearance totals — particularly for Andrus, who has only fallen shy of 550 PAs in a season twice before (last year, due to the broken elbow, and during his rookie campaign in 2009).

Clearly, the remainder of the contract isn’t a bargain for the Rangers, but Andrus remains a well-regarded defender and an above-average baserunner. If he can restore some combination of his 2016 levels of plate discipline (8.3 percent walk rate) and 2017 levels of power (20 home runs, .176 ISO), a return to average or slightly above-average offensive output is possible. It’s worth noting, too, that Andrus was sporting a hearty .303/.339/.453 slash at the All-Star break, although that was mostly the result of an absolute sizzling month of April. Also of note is that Andrus, who just wrapped up his 11th season with the Rangers, secured full 10-and-5 rights prior upon completion of the 2018 season, meaning he has full veto power over any trade scenario.

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