Giants Release Jerry Blevins, Brandon Guyer
The Giants released left-hander Jerry Blevins and outfielder Brandon Guyer shortly before the league-wide roster freeze was implemented, per Baseball America’s Chris Hilburn-Trenkle. Both veterans had been in Major League camp as non-roster invitees this spring.
It was a rough spring for the 36-year-old Blevins, who was tagged for nine runs on 10 hits and a pair of walks with three strikeouts in just 3 2/3 innings of work. In all, the southpaw allowed 12 of the 23 hitters he faced to reach base.
That said, Blevins also had a quality showing for the Braves in 2019, tossing 32 1/3 innings of 3.90 ERA ball. He punched out 37 hitters against 16 walks in that time and held opposing lefties to a miserable .180/.261/.279 slash. Righties handled him much better, slashing .233/.347/.483, however. It’s been a similar story for Blevins throughout his career — .583 OPS from opposing lefties; .743 from righties — and it stands to reason that he’s the type of player whose skill set is largely undercut by MLB’s new three-batter minimum. If the season is able to be played out, it’s likely he’d need to latch on elsewhere on another nonguaranteed deal.
As for Guyer, the 34-year-old appeared in only five spring games with the Giants and went 1-for-7 in nine total plate appearances. (Yes, he was hit by a pitch in one of them.) Guyer hasn’t played in the Majors since 2018 after spending the bulk of the 2019 season on the injured list with the White Sox’ top minor league affiliate in Charlotte. He’s a career .250/.339/.388 hitter but is best used as a platoon piece, as evidenced by a lifetime .274/.376/.449 batting line against left-handed pitchers.
Rangers’ James Jones Out Until 2021 Due To Torn Patellar Tendon
Rangers lefty James Jones sustained a torn patellar tendon in his right knee Monday, tweets TR Sullivan of MLB.com. The injury occurred when Jones tripped over one of his son’s toys at home, Sullivan adds. He’s expected to be sidelined until Spring Training 2021 after undergoing surgery to repair the tendon.
Jones, 31, reached the Majors in 2014-15 with the Mariners as an outfielder and hit .238/.268/.296 in a total of 359 plate appearances. His struggles at the plate were obvious, but he did possess well above-average speed and baserunning prowess, evidenced by a 28-for-30 record in stolen base attempts across 136 MLB games.
Unlike others who have attempted to work their way to the big leagues as a two-way player, Jones is now focused solely on mound work. He began exploring the possibility of pitching in 2016 and by 2018 had converted to a relief pitcher on a full-time basis. Jones’ 2018 season was ugly, to say the least (7.34 ERA in 30 2/3 innings), but in 2019 he proved that the experiment could be worthwhile.
In 64 innings between Double-A and Triple-A last year, Jones pitched to an excellent 2.67 ERA with a 71-to-30 K/BB ratio while allowing only six home runs. Over his final 31 appearances (45 innings), he turned in an even more eye-catching 1.40 ERA. Lefties were utterly helpless against him (.163/.267/.283), and right-handed hitters didn’t fare particularly well themselves (.218/.333/.338).
It’s a brutal injury for a player who appeared to have a legitimate chance at returning to the big leagues after spending three years overhauling his skill set and reinventing himself as a player. His strong showing in 2019 should earn him another look down the road — be it with Texas or another organization.
GM Trade History: Mariners’ Jerry Dipoto
It seems we’ve reached the point in our GM Trade History series where someone at MLBTR has taken on the foolhardy, daunting task of re-chronicling the unyielding exploits of Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto — far and away the most active executive on MLB’s trade market. (What have I done?!) Commonly referred to as “Trader Jerry,” the seemingly tireless Dipoto has fueled hundreds of posts here at MLBTR (thanks, Jerry!) through a series of win-now moves, fringe roster tinkerings and, more recently, a “reimagining” of his organization.
Dipoto took the reins as the Mariners’ general manager at the conclusion of the 2015 campaign. Predecessor Jack Zduriencik had been unable to break the club’s mounting postseason drought, and ownership turned to a former division rival to try to turn things around. Dipoto held the GM post with the Angels from 2011-15 but saw a relatively publicized rift grow between himself and skipper Mike Scioscia over the manager’s unwillingness to utilize data from the club’s analytics department. The frustration boiled to the point where Dipoto resigned in early July despite reported attempts from owner Arte Moreno to persuade him to stay on board. Dipoto quickly landed an interim post in the Red Sox’ front office, and less than three months after walking away from the Angels, he was named the new GM in Seattle.
There’s a narrative that Dipoto’s constant activity rendered the Mariners’ farm bare early in his tenure, and while there’s probably some truth within that generalization, it’s equally important to note that he inherited a losing club with a relatively high payroll and an already-poor minor league system. That was four and a half years ago, though. How have things worked out for Dipoto since? Let’s take a (very long) look! Trades are in chronological order and exclude particularly minor swaps. (More details on each trade is available in the “acquired” link on each bullet.)
2015-16 Offseason
- Acquired RHP Nate Karns, LHP C.J. Riefenhauser and OF Boog Powell from the Rays in exchange for 1B Logan Morrison, INF Brad Miller and RHP Danny Farquhar
- Acquired RHP Joaquin Benoit from the Padres in exchange for RHP Enyel De Los Santos and INF Nelson Ward
- Acquired OF Leonys Martin and RHP Anthony Bass from the Rangers in exchange for RHP Tom Wilhelmsen, OF James Jones and PTBNL (INF/OF Patrick Kivlehan)
- Acquired INF Luis Sardinas from the Brewers in exchange for OF Ramon Flores
- Acquired C Steve Clevenger from the Orioles in exchange for 1B Mark Trumbo and LHP C.J. Riefenhauser
- Acquired LHP Wade Miley and RHP Jonathan Aro from the Red Sox in exchange for RHP Carson Smith and LHP Roenis Elias
- Acquired 1B Adam Lind from the Brewers in exchange for RHPs Freddy Peralta, Carlos Herrera and Daniel Missaki
2016 Season
- Acquired RHP Nick Vincent from the Padres in exchange for cash
- Acquired RHP Zach Lee from the Dodgers in exchange for INF/OF Chris Taylor
- Acquired LHP Wade LeBlanc from the Blue Jays in exchange for cash
- Acquired 1B/DH Daniel Vogelbach and RHP Paul Blackburn from the Cubs in exchange for LHP Mike Montgomery and RHP Jordan Pries
- Acquired RHP Drew Storen and cash from the Blue Jays in exchange for RHP Joaquin Benoit
- Acquired LHP Ariel Miranda from the Orioles in exchange for LHP Wade Miley
- Acquired RHP Arquimedes Caminero from the Pirates in exchange for two PTBNLs (RHP Pedro Vasquez and LHP Jake Brentz)
- Acquired SHP Pat Venditte from the Blue Jays in exchange for PTBNL (INF/OF Tim Lopes)
- Acquired OF Ben Gamel from the Yankees in exchange for RHPs Juan De Paula and Jio Orozco
2016-17 Offseason
- Acquired C Carlos Ruiz from Dodgers in exchange for LHP Vidal Nuno
- Acquired INF Danny Valencia from the Athletics in exchange for RHP Paul Blackburn
- Acquired INF Richie Shaffer and INF/OF Taylor Motter from the Rays in exchange for 1B Dalton Kelly, RHP Andrew Kittredge and RHP Dylan Thompson
- Acquired LHP James Pazos from the Yankees in exchange for RHP Zack Littell
- Acquired SS Jean Segura, OF Mitch Haniger and LHP Zac Curtis from the D-backs in exchange for INF/OF Ketel Marte and RHP Taijuan Walker
- Acquired RHP Rob Whalen and RHP Max Povse from the Braves in exchange for C/OF Alex Jackson and PTBNL (LHP Tyler Pike)
- Acquired RHP Chris Heston from the Giants in exchange for PTBNL (RHP Tyler Herb)
- Acquired RHP Yovani Gallardo and cash from the Orioles in exchange for OF Seth Smith
- Acquired OF Jarrod Dyson from the Royals in exchange for RHP Nate Karns
- Acquired OF Mallex Smith and RHP Shae Simmons from the Braves in exchange for LHPs Luiz Gohara and Thomas Burrows
- Acquired LHP Drew Smyly from the Rays in exchange for OF Mallex Smith, LHP Ryan Yarbrough and INF Carlos Vargas
2017 Season
- Acquired RHP David Phelps from the Marlins in exchange for RHP Pablo Lopez, OF Brayan Hernandez and RHP Lukas Schiraldi
- Acquired LHP Marco Gonzales from the Cardinals in exchange for OF Tyler O’Neill
- Acquired RHP Erasmo Ramirez from the Rays in exchange for RHP Steve Cishek
- Acquired 1B Yonder Alonso from the Athletics in exchange for OF Boog Powell
- Acquired RHP Ryan Garton and C Mike Marjama from the Rays in exchange for INF Luis Rengifo, LHP Anthony Misiewicz and PTBNL (INF Osmy Gregorio)
- Acquired LHP Andrew Albers from the Braves for cash
- Acquired RHP Mike Leake, $750K of international bonus space and $17MM from the Cardinals in exchange for INF Rayder Ascanio
2017-18 Offseason
- Acquired 1B Ryon Healy from the Athletics in exchange for RHP Emilio Pagan and INF Alexander Campos
- Acquired RHP Nick Rumbelow from the Yankees in exchange for LHP JP Sears and RHP Juan Then
- Acquired 2B Dee Gordon and $1MM of international bonus space from the Marlins in exchange for RHP Nick Neidert, RHP Robert Dugger and INF Christopher Torres
2018 Season
- Acquired LHP Roenis Elias from the Red Sox in exchange for cash
- Acquired OF Denard Span, RHP Alex Colome and $4.75MM from the Rays in exchange for RHPs Andrew Moore and Tommy Romero
- Acquired RHP Sam Tuivailala from the Cardinals in exchange for RHP Seth Elledge
- Acquired LHP Zach Duke from the Twins in exchange for RHP Chase De Jong and INF Ryan Costello
- Acquired RHP Adam Warren from the Yankees in exchange for $1MM international bonus space
- Acquired OF Cameron Maybin from the Marlins in exchange for INF Bryson Brigman and $250K international bonus space
2018-19 Offseason
- Acquired LHP Justus Sheffield, RHP Erik Swanson and OF Dom Thompson-Williams from the Yankees in exchange for LHP James Paxton
- Acquired C Omar Narvaez from the White Sox in exchange for RHP Alex Colome
- Acquired OF Jarred Kelenic, RHP Justin Dunn, RHP Gerson Bautista, RHP Anthony Swarzak and OF Jay Bruce from the Mets in exchange for 2B Robinson Cano and RHP Edwin Diaz
- Acquired SS J.P. Crawford and 1B Carlos Santana from the Phillies in exchange for SS Jean Segura, RHP Juan Nicasio and LHP James Pazos
- Acquired 1B Edwin Encarnacion and Competitive Balance Draft pick from Indians in three-team deal sending 1B Carlos Santana and $6MM from Seattle to Cleveland (Indians also traded INF Yandy Diaz, RHP Cole Sulser to Rays; Rays traded 1B/OF Jake Bauers to Indians and sent $5MM to Mariners in deal)
- Acquired OF Domingo Santana from Brewers in exchange for OF Ben Gamel and RHP Noah Zavolas
- Acquired 2B Shed Long from the Yankees in exchange for OF Josh Stowers (Mariners were third team in trade sending Sonny Gray from New York to Cincinnati)
- Acquired C Tom Murphy from the Giants in exchange for RHP Jesus Ozoria
2019 Season
- Acquired RHP Connor Sadzeck from the Rangers in exchange for RHP Grant Anderson
- Acquired RHP Mike Wright from the Orioles in exchange for INF Ryne Ogren
- Acquired RHP Austin L. Adams from the Nationals in exchange for LHP Nick Wells and cash
- Acquired LHP Jesse Biddle and injured RHP Arodys Vizcaino from the Braves in exchange for RHP Anthony Swarzak and cash
- Acquired INF Jake Scheiner from the Phillies in exchange for OF Jay Bruce and $18MM
- Acquired RHP Juan Then and cash from the Yankees in exchange for 1B Edwin Encarnacion
- Acquired RHP Matt Magill from the Twins for cash
- Acquired INF Daniel Castro from the Dodgers in exchange for INF/OF Kristopher Negron
- Acquired LHP Taylor Guilbeau and RHP Elvis Alvarado from the Nationals in exchange for LHP Roenis Elias
- Acquired LHP Aaron Fletcher from the Nationals in exchange for RHP Hunter Strickland
- Acquired INF Jose Caballero from the D-backs in exchange for RHP Mike Leake
2019-20 Offseason
- Acquired RHP Adam Hill and a Competitive Balance Draft pick from the Brewers in exchange for C Omar Narvaez
- Acquired LHP Nestor Cortes Jr. from the Yankees in exchange for $28,300 international bonus space
—
How do MLBTR readers feel about Dipoto’s landslide of trade activity? (Link to poll for Trade Rumors mobile app users.)
Grade Jerry Dipoto's trades as Seattle GM:
-
B 34% (1,769)
-
C 33% (1,703)
-
D 16% (842)
-
A 10% (502)
-
F 8% (400)
Total votes: 5,216
Interested in how other GMs hold up under this exercise? We’ve covered Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen, recently fired Astros president Jeff Luhnow, Brewers president of baseball ops David Stearns, Angels GM Billy Eppler, Rockies GM Jeff Bridich, Tigers GM Al Avila, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos and Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins as well.
Griffin Canning Cleared To Begin Throwing Program
Angels right-hander Griffin Canning has been cleared to begin a throwing program, general manager Billy Eppler announced to reporters Wednesday (Twitter link via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register). Barring setbacks, he could be ready to throw off a mound at month’s end.
Canning, 23, was shut down early in camp after an MRI revealed “chronic changes” to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in addition to “acute irritation” in the joint. However, while the initial diagnosis was ominous, Canning was eventually cleared of any tearing to his ligament and received a recommendation for a platelet-rich plasma injection to treat the issue. That step came after getting a second opinion from non-Angels personnel, and the injection was administered just under a month ago.
Angels fans have been witness to a calamitous array of injuries on the pitching staff in recent years, and many are holding their breath with regard to Canning — hoping for the best but fearing a major surgery is in the offing. For the time being, that doesn’t appear to be in the cards, and the indefinite suspension of play will give the talented young Canning some additional time to work back to health.
A second-round pick by the Angels in 2017, Canning entered the 2019 campaign ranked among baseball’s 100 best prospects and made his Major League debut on April 30 after breezing through three starts in Triple-A to open the season (one run with a 17-to-2 K/BB ratio in 16 innings). He’d stick in the big leagues for the long haul, tallying 90 1/3 innings over 18 appearances (17 starts) while compiling a 4.58 ERA with averages of 9.6 K/9, 3.0 BB/9 and 1.4 HR/9. It may not have been the dominant debut for which many fans had hoped, but Canning held his own in the most hitter-friendly season in recent history, and his 13.8 percent swinging-strike rate and 32 percent opponents’ chase rate are both encouraging signs moving forward.
The Angels, of course, never added the top-of-the-rotation arm they coveted in the 2019-20 offseason, which makes a step forward from a healthy Canning all the more crucial to the club if they can get it. He and Shohei Ohtani could now have time to work themselves into mound form before a theoretical new Opening Day, which would allow the Halos to pencil that duo in alongside Andrew Heaney and newcomers Julio Teheran and Dylan Bundy in the 2020 rotation.
Shin-Soo Choo Donates $1K To Each Rangers Minor Leaguer
Rangers designated hitter Shin-Soo Choo has decided to donate $1,000 to each of the club’s nearly 200 minor leaguers, per a report from Naver Sports in Choo’s native South Korea (link in Korean). Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News confirms the story and has more on Choo’s donation.
As Grant explains, Choo has often spoken of his desire to help the game’s next generation of players — just as he was helped out by veterans as an up-and-comer in the Mariners’ system. Upon overhearing Rangers minor leaguer Eli White discuss the financial pressures of the Spring Training shutdown with a fellow minor leaguer, Choo decided to take action and lend a hand. The uneasiness facing so many minor leaguers — particularly those not on the 40-man roster — resonated with the veteran Choo, who tells Grant that as a minor leaguer himself, he’d skip meals on the road and use his meal money to purchase diapers for his son (Twitter link).
Major League Baseball recently announced a plan to pay minor leaguers a $400 weekly stipend through the end of May, but there’s no guarantee of any income after that point (just as there hadn’t been any prior baseball-related income for such players since last September). Choo’s gesture, White says within the Naver story, brought his wife to tears. Choo, according to the Naver piece, has also donated more than $161,000 (200 million Korean won) to South Korea’s efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Latest On James Paxton, Yankees’ Rotation
Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake told reporters Wednesday that left-hander James Paxton is progressing well in his rehab from back surgery (Twitter links via Brendan Kuty of the New Jersey Star-Ledger). The left-hander went under the knife in early February, after which the Yankees announced a timetable of three to four months for his recovery. Paxton is throwing at his home in Wisconsin, and the club is optimistic about his recovery.
As notably, Blake revealed that right-hander Jonathan Loaisiga would’ve factored “heavily” into the team’s rotation picture had the season begun on time. Absent Paxton, Luis Severino and Domingo German, it was clear that left-hander Jordan Montgomery was the team’s fourth starter (behind Gerrit Cole, Masahiro Tanaka and J.A. Happ). Loaisiga was one of many candidates vying for the fifth spot — a race that also included Mike King, Deivi Garcia, Luis Cessa and perhaps non-roster invitees such as Chad Bettis and Nick Tropeano.
Loaisiga’s standing could be rendered moot with Opening Day pushed back indefinitely, as it appears increasingly likely that Paxton could be ready to suit up when (or if) the season does eventually commence. But it’s nevertheless telling that Loaisiga appears to have had a leg up on his competitors, as that could provide some insight into the organization’s contingency plans in the event of additional early-season injuries.
The 25-year-old Loaisiga has been plagued by durability issues himself, including last season, when a shoulder strain limited him to 80 2/3 innings between the minors and the big leagues. However, MLB.com and Baseball Prospectus both ranked him among baseball’s 100 best prospects prior to the ’19 season. In a combined 88 2/3 minor league innings from 2017-18, he posted a 2.60 ERA with a 100-to-11 K/BB ratio.
Rookie Radar: AL East
We’ve already run through the NL West, the NL East, the NL Central, the AL West and the AL Central in our look at some of the up-and-coming talent that figures to step into the Major League spotlight whenever play resumes. Let’s take a run through our final division, the American League East….
Blue Jays
Nate Pearson and his 100 mph heater are close to the big leagues, and the Jays hope their 2017 first-rounder will cement himself as a controllable top-of-the-rotation complement to Hyun-Jin Ryu. If multiple rotation needs arise, they can turn to southpaw Anthony Kay, whom they acquired in last year’s Marcus Stroman trade with the Mets. Right-hander T.J. Zeuch made his big league debut in ’19, and righty Tom Hatch, who came over from the Cubs in the David Phelps swap, dominated in six Double-A starts with his new org.
As for position players, there aren’t as many names to monitor. Former top prospect Anthony Alford is out of minor league options and is facing an uphill battle as he vies for playing time in a crowded mix. Reese McGuire should be the backup to Danny Jansen.
In the bullpen, Yennsy Diaz landed on the injured list prior to the shutdown due to a lat strain, but he’s already made his MLB debut and now has additional time to rehab. Julian Merryweather, the righty received when Toronto traded Josh Donaldson to Cleveland, is on the mend from Tommy John surgery and could make an impact in relief.
Orioles
Ryan Mountcastle, the Orioles’ 2015 first-rounder, has made it clear throughout his minor league tenure that he’s a force at the plate, but he’s also something of a man without a defensive home. Questions about his glove at multiple positions abound, but he slashed .312/.344/.527 in 127 Triple-A games as a 22-year-old.
Baltimore will get a second look at Austin Hays, who soared through the minors to make his MLB debut barely a year after being drafted in 2016. Injuries tanked Hays’ 2018 season, but he had a huge September with the O’s in 2019 and should get a look as the everyday center fielder. Outfielder Ryan McKenna and infielder Rylan Bannon could make their debuts in 2020, too. Bannon enjoyed a quality 120 wRC+ at both Double-A and a small sample in Triple-A last year.
The Orioles’ rotation looks astonishingly thin, and at a certain point the O’s would likely prefer to get a look at younger options as opposed to journeymen like Asher Wojciechowski, Wade LeBlanc and Tommy Milone. That could mean any of Dean Kremer , Keegan Akin, Michael Baumann or Zac Lowther will be tabbed for a big league debut.
Former top prospect Hunter Harvey could eventually enter the closer mix if the team trades Mychal Givens and if his litany of injuries are in the past. Dillon Tate, the twice-traded No. 4 overall pick from 2015, debuted last year and will get a chance to establish himself. Any of Kremer, Akin, Baumann or Lowther could land here as well.
Rays
Japanese slugger Yoshitomo Tsutsugo will be among the more interesting rookies to watch throughout MLB. Over his final four seasons in NPB, Tsutsugo hit .293/.402/.574 with 139 home runs, 116 doubles, five triples, a 15.1 percent walk rate and a 20.4 percent strikeout rate. He’ll see time at the infield corners, in left field and at DH. Also in the outfield will be Randy Arozarena, whom the Cardinals sent to Tampa Bay in the surprising swap that shipped top prospect Matthew Liberatore to St. Louis. He’s not regarded as an elite prospect, but it’s hard to ignore a .344/.431/.571 slash between Double-A and Triple-A.
Two-way player Brendan McKay should make an impact at the plate and on the mound. The former No. 3 pick could eventually be joined in the rotation by fellow premier prospect Brent Honeywell, who’s on his way back from last March’s Tommy John procedure. Both are top 100 arms. Look for hard-throwing right-hander Peter Fairbanks to log some innings in the ‘pen.
Tampa Bay’s comically deep collection of infielders will make it tough to break onto the roster, but any of Vidal Brujan, Kevin Padlo, Lucius Fox, Taylor Walls or newly acquired Esteban Quiroz could push for a spot. Of the bunch, Brujan is the most highly regarded, ranking comfortably inside most top 100 lists.
Red Sox
Boston’s infield is mostly set outside of second base, which could make it tough for their top options to break into the Majors. Corner infielder Bobby Dalbec is the best of the bunch but could probably use a bit more time in Triple-A, where he slashed .257/.301/.478 in 123 Triple-A plate appearances last year. Rule 5 pick Jonathan Arauz (taken out of the Astros organization) and shortstop C.J. Chatham could compete for a bench spot. Young catcher Connor Wong, acquired in the Mookie Betts/David Price blockbuster, is blocked by Christian Vazquez but could end up in the big leagues if injuries arise.
Given the Red Sox’ paper-thin rotation, any of Tanner Houck, Matt Hall, Bryan Mata or Kyle Hart could find himself with an opportunity. Hart and Houck enjoyed nice seasons in the upper minors, while Hall, acquired in a minor swap with the Tigers, has elite spin and movement on his curveball (albeit with an otherwise pedestrian arsenal). Mike Shawaryn has been primarily a starter in the minors but moved to the ‘pen last season. He made his MLB debut in that role but didn’t find success (22 runs in 20 1/3 innings). Righty Durbin Feltman dominated after being taken in the third round in 2018 but needs a mulligan after a terrible 2019 in Double-A.
Yankees
Don’t look for many position players of note, but the Yankees have a number of appealing arms percolating in the upper minors. Right-hander Clarke Schmidt has surpassed righty Deivi Garcia as the top pitching prospect in the organization by some accounts, but he only tossed 90 2/3 innings last year (topping out with 19 in Double-A) as he worked back from 2017 Tommy John surgery. Garcia’s diminutive size (5’9″, 163 pounds) has led to some skepticism, but he averaged better than 13 K/9 through 111 1/3 frames across three minor league levels last year.
Those aren’t the only two options from which the Yankees can choose in the absence of Luis Severino, Domingo German and (depending on his recovery timeline) perhaps James Paxton. Righty Mike King made a brief debut (two innings) last season and has an excellent track record in the minors, though he was hobbled by a stress reaction in his elbow last season. Alliterative hurlers Albert Abreu and Nick Nelson both battled control issues in Double-A but are regarded as solid prospects who aren’t far from MLB readiness. If you’re looking for a reliever to watch, Brooks Kriske flirted with a sub-2.00 ERA and averaged nearly a dozen punchouts per nine innings between Class-A Advanced and Double-A.
City Of Toronto Announces Events Ban
4:10pm: Toronto’s ban focuses on city-led events, mayor John Tory clarified in a public statement. While the ban does not appear to explicitly rule out professional sporting events, mayor Tory’s press release states:
The City’s decision provides clear direction to event organizers to enable them to make sound decisions in support of public health efforts and their business needs, access insurance, support impacted employees and manage sponsors. The City urges event organizers to follow Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health’s recommendations of physical distancing as a way to minimize COVID-19 transmission in the community when reviewing their event plans for the upcoming months and make prudent decisions about their cancellations. Physical distancing means limiting the number of people a person comes into close contact with, including keeping two metres (six feet) apart from others, avoiding mass gatherings and avoiding crowds.
Asked for additional clarity, mayor Tory’s office confirmed that sporting events are not specifically barred under the ban (Twitter link via TSN’s Bryan Hayes). That seems something of a technicality at this point, however. Given the municipal limitations set forth by mayor Tory’s office and a recent provincial emergency order prohibiting organized events of more than five people, it’s extraordinary difficult to envision a scenario in which a stadium whose capacity sits north of 53,000 is hosting baseball games.
3:44pm: The City of Toronto has banned public events until at least June 30, tweets Tom Harrington of CBC News Radio. While it’s long been apparent that Major League Baseball’s shutdown will extend beyond the current May 10 date, the news out of Toronto provides further evidence that if the league determines that play can indeed resume, there will be notable challenges and obstacles to staging MLB games.
The ban on public events comes against the backdrop of increased speculation about the possibility of games being played in empty parks. Should the league attempt to resume play prior to the end of June, it’s now clear that the Blue Jays will either need to take that measure or explore a neutral site at which to host their home games. It’d be a surprise if they’re the only club that finds itself exploring such alternatives.
The Toronto Sun’s Rob Longley provides a bit of context on what the ban means for the Jays (Twitter link); from Opening Day through June 30, the Rogers Centre was scheduled to host 54 percent of the Blue Jays’ home contests in 2020. We already knew that a notable chunk of those games wouldn’t take place as scheduled, of course, and it’s possible that if the conclusion of the regular season is indeed pushed back into late October that the Jays could recoup some home games on a newly constructed schedule. A late start to the season would surely require some agile adjustments to the schedules of all 30 clubs.
Of course, there’s also no guarantee that Toronto’s events ban will only run through June 30. As we’ve seen with stay-at-home and shelter-in-place orders throughout the United States, the end dates on these public health measures are regularly extended and are hardly set in stone.
MLBTR Chat Transcript: Memorable Trades Revisited
Click here to read a transcript of Tuesday’s chat with MLBTR’s Steve Adams.
Taillon Unlikely To Pitch In 2020 Regardless Of Season Schedule
The uncertain start date for the season and the likelihood that, if there is a 2020 season, it’d extend into at least late October, has created some intriguing possibilities about players unexpectedly returning from injury earlier than anticipated. In theory, Pirates righty Jameson Taillon would be one such player to watch, but Taillon tells Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette that the organization has already ruled out a return in 2020 — regardless of start date (Twitter link).
Taillon, 27, underwent his second career Tommy John surgery last August. The righty acknowledged that the thought of pushing back the season end date prompted him to inquire with the team, but the Pirates “shut me down pretty quickly,” Taillon says. Even in the event that Taillon’s arm were ready for game activity before the close of a potentially pushed-back season, the club would have concerns about the impact of a shortened offseason heading into 2021.
Pittsburgh controls Taillon through the 2022 season, so he’ll still have at least two years as a Pirate remaining — barring a trade. That seems quite likely to be explored a ways down the road, given the team’s penchant making its most desirable players available once their escalating salary and waning team control reach a nexus. In the case of Taillon, it would seem prudent to wait until he’s able to demonstrate his health, which would mean a mid-2021 trade at the earliest.
Of course, it’s also worth noting that Taillon will be paid just $2.25MM in 2020 — again, assuming some form of season is played — and would likely stand to earn that same sum in 2021 regardless of whether games are played. That’s an eminently affordable rate even for the Pirates, so financial motivations won’t play much of a role in any talks in which they may engage (save for the inquiring team’s desire to land a quality pitcher at a relative pittance).