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The team has been putting in extra hours trying to keep up with all the hot stove news this week, so we haven’t been able to run our regularly scheduled chats. So, I hosted one today! Click here to read the transcript. If you enjoy our chats and would like to increase your chances of getting a question answered tenfold, check out our subscription service for as little as $2.99. Anthony Franco holds subscriber-only chats every Friday afternoon and answers between 60-90% of the questions asked.
Diamondbacks Sign Ian Kennedy
TODAY: The D’Backs officially announced the signing, also including the detail that Kennedy’s contract includes a mutual option for the 2023 season.
MARCH 13: The Diamondbacks are in agreement on a one-year deal with reliever Ian Kennedy, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. According to Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the deal is worth $4.75MM plus $2.35MM in incentives. Kennedy, 37, returns to the place of his initial big league success, as he had a strong three-plus-year run as a member of Arizona’s rotation from 2010-13. The righty is represented by the Boras Corporation.
Kennedy signed a five-year, $70MM free agent deal with the Royals back in January of 2016. Kennedy scuffled in the second and third years of that deal, missing a large chunk of the second half of 2018 with an oblique injury. By 2019, the Royals felt they’d get more value out of Kennedy in a relief role. That proved correct, as he served as the team’s closer that year and saved 30 games with a 3.41 ERA.
Kennedy failed to get on track in the shortened 2020 season, suffering from a calf strain and generally working in the middle innings. In February of last year, Kennedy wound up with the Rangers on a minor league deal. He made the team and generally worked as the Rangers’ closer until he was traded to the Phillies along with Kyle Gibson. On the season Kennedy worked to a 3.20 ERA, 27.2 K%, 7.5 BB%, and 23.3 groundball rate in 56 1/3 innings. It was the lowest groundball rate of his 15-year career, so the resulting 12 home runs allowed were no surprise. Statcast doesn’t speak highly of Kennedy’s work in 2021.
Kennedy will not likely be asked to close by D’Backs manager Torey Lovullo, as the team inked longtime stopper Mark Melancon to a two-year, $14MM deal prior to the lockout. Though Arizona tied the Orioles for the worst record in baseball in 2021, GM Mike Hazen isn’t looking to launch a rebuild. Third base remains an area of need, though Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that the Diamondbacks were “among the teams showing the most interest in [Michael] Conforto before the lockout.”
Kennedy was one of seven relievers to reach or near an agreement on a big league deal today, along with Jesse Chavez, Matt Strahm, Jake Diekman, Adam Ottavino, Nick Wittgren, and Brad Boxberger. Click here to see which relievers are still available.
Tigers To Sign Andrew Chafin
The Tigers have an agreement with lefty reliever Andrew Chafin, according to Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press. Chafin’s contract will be a two-year deal in the $13MM range, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. That is indeed the contract value, reports Jon Heyman of MLB Network, who notes the inclusion of an opt-out after 2022. Chafin is represented by Meister Sports Management.
Chafin, 31, posted a career-best 1.83 ERA in 68 2/3 innings for the Cubs and Athletics in 2021. Though his 24.1 K% was down from previous years, he also managed a career-best 7.1 BB%. Chafin was tough on both righties and lefties in ’21, and actually posted a significantly higher strikeout rate against righties. Though Chafin is not known for his velocity or spin rate, his Statcast metrics regarding quality of contact are excellent.
Chafin was drafted 43rd overall by the Diamondbacks out of Kent State back in 2011. He’s made 66+ appearances in a season five different times, leading all MLB relievers with 225 appearances from 2017-19. In facing 263 lefty batters since 2019, Chafin has posted an 18.3 K-BB% against them while allowing a .225/.290/.317 batting line.
According to MLB.com’s Jason Beck, the relative proximity to Chafin’s Ohio home was an advantage for Detroit. The Chafin signing is another move toward respectability for the Tigers in an offseason full of them. The club committed $217MM to Javier Baez and Eduardo Rodriguez prior to the lockout, also trading for catcher Tucker Barnhart. Chafin joins a Tigers bullpen that is slated to include holdovers Gregory Soto, Michael Fulmer, Jose Cisnero, Alex Lange, and Kyle Funkhouser.
In February of last year, the Cubs signed Chafin to a one-year, $2.75MM deal. Near the July trade deadline, he was dealt to Oakland for minor leaguers Greg Deichmann and Daniel Palencia.
Three other lefty relievers have signed two-year deals this winter. Aaron Loup received a $17MM deal from the Angels, while Brooks Raley got $10MM from the Rays and Jake Diekman got $8MM from the Red Sox. Brad Hand, Matt Strahm, T.J. McFarland, and Joely Rodriguez inked one-year pacts. Here’s a look at the lefty relievers still remaining in free agency.
Freddie Freeman Rumors: Monday
Freddie Freeman‘s 12-year run with Atlanta came to a close Monday afternoon, as the Braves acquired slugging first baseman Matt Olson from the Athletics. With the Yankees pessimistic on their chances of signing Freeman, here’s the latest…
- The Blue Jays have conveyed serious interest in Freeman, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. On Friday Morosi suggested Freeman’s signing was imminent and said the Dodgers were making a strong push.
- The Rays and Jays “have remained aggressive” on Freeman, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter thread) notes that rival clubs perceive the Jays as a threat to utilize some of their available payroll space to make a splash on the offense. He also suggests the Yankees could make sense as a Freeman suitor, but notes that it’s unclear if ownership wants to take on a long-term deal when they’re hoping to work out a long-term extension with Aaron Judge at some point down the line.
Phillies To Re-Sign Odubel Herrera
2:12pm: Herrera’s contract will be worth $1.75MM with another $750K in incentives, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic.
7:59am: The Phillies have reached an agreement to bring back center fielder Odubel Herrera on a Major League deal. The story emerged through tweets from Jim Salisbury of NBCSPhilly, Jon Heyman of MLB Network, Matt Gelb of The Athletic, and Todd Zolecki of MLB.com. A center field platoon with Matt Vierling appears to be in the cards.
Herrera, 30, took over the regular center field job for the Phillies back in 2015 after being selected from the Rangers in the Rule 5 draft. He made the All-Star team the following year, and then inked a five-year, $30.5MM contract extension. Matt Klentak was the Phillies’ GM at the time. After a third straight solid year in 2017, Herrera powered up for a career-best 22 home runs in 2018 but didn’t finish particularly well and lost playing time. He showed impressive maximum exit velocities in each season up through 2018.
Entering a competition for the Phillies’ center field job in 2019, Herrera hit the IL with a hamstring strain in April. In May of 2019, Herrera was arrested in a domestic violence incident and charged with simple assault of his girlfriend. His girlfriend later declined to press charges. After reviewing the incident, MLB issued an 85-game suspension to Herrera that ran through the rest of the 2019 season. It stands as the third-longest domestic violence suspension MLB has given out.
In January 2020, with his suspension served, the Phillies designated Herrera for assignment. He cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A, but had $19.5MM remaining on his contract. With no minor league season in 2020, Herrera sat out until joining a Dominican Winter League team in November of that year. Last spring, Herrera emerged as the frontrunner for the Phillies’ center field job once again. Though he failed to make the team out of camp, they selected his contract in late April and he was ultimately the club’s primary center fielder by a wide margin despite an IL stint for ankle tendinitis. Upon re-adding Herrera to the team, manager Joe Girardi said, “We just felt it was time,” having not received objections from other Phillies players.
Faced with a $12.5MM club option or a $1MM buyout, Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski chose the buyout back in November prior to the lockout. Several alternatives came off the board since then, with Byron Buxton and Michael A. Taylor signing extensions, Starling Marte signing with the Mets, and Jackie Bradley Jr. getting traded to the Red Sox.
Rays president of baseball operations Erik Neander recently told Kevin Kiermaier to find a place near spring training, and furthermore, Jayson Stark of The Athletic says the Phillies are officially out on him. Other than Brett Gardner, who remains a free agent, options have become limited for the Phillies in center field. Teams continue to try to pry Bryan Reynolds loose from the Pirates, but with the season less than a month away the Phillies seem to have settled for Herrera once again.
Vierling, 25, played 34 games for the Phillies in 2021 as a rookie. Baseball America ranked Vierling eighth among Phillies prospects, noting big exit velocities and adding, “Vierling is an impressive athlete who can play both corner infield spots and anywhere in the outfield, with plus speed and above-average defense in center field to go with a plus arm.” Though Herrera, a left-handed hitter, hasn’t shown an extreme platoon split, former Phillies manager Gabe Kapler did deploy him in that way.
As a hitter, Herrera has a career wRC+ of exactly 100 and has sat in the 93-111 range in each season outside of 2019. A left-handed hitter, the Phillies increasingly shielded Herrera against southpaws until his post-suspension return, at which point he was not deployed in a platoon. Defensively, Herrera has generally graded well in Statcast’s Outs Above Average. Stats like Defensive Runs Saved have generally shown him to be average or better, outside of a down year in 2018. Herrera rated as one of the game’s slowest center fielders in 2021, with a sprint speed of 27.3 feet per second.
Brewers In Talks With Andrew McCutchen
The Brewers are in talks with free agent outfielder Andrew McCutchen, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Brewers’ outfield is generally set with Christian Yelich, Lorenzo Cain, Hunter Renfroe, and Tyrone Taylor, but Cutch could certainly supplement that mix and spend time at designated hitter.
McCutchen, 35, posted a 107 wRC+ in 574 plate appearances with the Phillies last year. A right-handed hitter, McCutchen has been particularly strong against southpaws, with a 154 wRC+ dating back to 2017.
Upon getting fourth place in the 2009 NL Rookie of the Year voting, McCutchen established himself as the face of the Pirates and once of the best players in baseball. From 2011-15, McCutchen ranked second in baseball among position players in WAR, making five straight All-Star teams, winning the 2013 NL MVP, and garnering top-five MVP votes in three other seasons.
In January 2018, with free agency on the horizon, the Pirates traded McCutchen to the Giants for Bryan Reynolds, Kyle Crick, and international bonus pool money. The Giants later shipped McCutchen to the Yankees at the August waiver trade deadline. McCutchen signed a three-year, $50MM free agent deal with the Phillies in the offseason. Off to a strong start in his young Phillies career, McCutchen tore his ACL in June of 2019 and missed the remainder of the season.
McCutchen hit .222/.334/.444 in 574 plate appearances for the Phillies in 2021, spending all of his time in left field. After the season, the Phillies declined his $15MM club option in favor of a $3MM buyout. An everyday center fielder in Pittsburgh, McCutchen has become a below-average defensive left fielder with age, according to Statcast. Given the advent of the NL DH, McCutchen could complement Milwaukee’s offense if they close a deal.
Rangers To Sign Jake Marisnick
The Rangers are signing outfielder Jake Marisnick to a non-roster deal, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network.
Marisnick, 31 later this month, slumped to a 78 wRC+ last year in 198 plate appearances with the Cubs and Padres. He’s known mainly for his glovework, and has predominantly played center field in his nine-year big league career.
Marisnick was drafted out of high school by the Blue Jays in the third round back in 2009. In November 2012, he was on the other side of the blockbuster deal that sent Jose Reyes, Mark Buehrle, and Josh Johnson to Toronto. He then joined the Astros at the 2014 deadline in a trade involving Jarred Cosart and Colin Moran.
From 2015-19, Marisnick got semi-regular playing time in Houston, averaging 116 games per season. In 2015, ’18, and ’19, he led the Astros in defensive innings in center field. Marisnick posted some stellar Statcast Outs Above Average marks in several of his seasons with the Astros.
The Astros traded Marisnick to the Mets in December 2019, but he played only 16 games in 2020 due to hamstring injuries. Marisnick inked a $1.5MM free agent deal with the Cubs for 2021, but suffered another hamstring strain in May. At the trade deadline, the Cubs shipped him to the Padres for Anderson Espinoza as part of their sell-off. Marisnick struggled to find his hitting stroke in 54 plate appearances with the Padres, who declined their end of his $4MM mutual option after the season.
The Rangers committed $500MM to new infielders Corey Seager and Marcus Semien prior to the lockout, but haven’t yet moved to aggressively upgrade their outfield. They added Kole Calhoun, and are projected to play Adolis Garcia and Nick Solak as well.
Yankees Pessimistic On Chances Of Signing Freddie Freeman
The Yankees are pessimistic on free agent first baseman Freddie Freeman, according to Jon Heyman of MLB Network. The Yankees have also thus far said no to an ask of top prospect Anthony Volpe plus more for Oakland first baseman Matt Olson, Heyman explains. As such, a reunion with free agent Anthony Rizzo is suggested to be “the most realistic” first base addition for the Yankees.
Three days ago, Heyman wrote that the Dodgers and Braves are the most likely landing spots for Freeman, who reportedly has sought a six-year deal. The Yankees have since revamped the left side of the infield, shipping out Gio Urshela and adding Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa from the Twins. The Yanks still have Luke Voit, DJ LeMahieu, and Gleyber Torres on the roster, so further adjustments may be coming.
Volpe, ranked by Baseball America as the tenth best prospect in the game, isn’t necessarily an unreasonable request by the A’s. Recent precedent for trading a five-WAR type player in the offseason with two years of control is rare, but the Marlins were able to land Sixto Sanchez and others when shopping J.T. Realmuto three years ago. Other clubs known to be in the mix for Olson include the Guardians, Rangers, Padres, and naturally the Braves if they lose Freeman.
Rizzo posted a 113 wRC+ for the Yankees in 200 plate appearances after coming over from the Cubs at the trade deadline.
Giants Designate Caleb Baragar For Assignment
The Giants designated lefty Caleb Baragar for assignment, according to MLB.com’s Maria Guardado among other reporters. Baragar joins Hunter Harvey in DFA limbo as the Giants opened up 40-man roster spots for new signings Carlos Rodon and Jakob Junis.
Baragar, 28 in April, was drafted in the ninth round by the Giants back in 2016 out of Indiana University. He’s tallied 45 1/3 innings across the 2020-21 seasons, posting a 2.78 ERA, 18.8 K%, 9.1 BB%, and 21.7 GB%. He’s only faced 74 lefties in his brief big league career, but hasn’t handled them well with a 4.1 K-BB%. Baragar had a particularly rough go of it in Triple-A in ’21, posting an 8.46 ERA while walking 17.6% of batters faced and allowing seven home runs in 22 1/3 innings.
Tigers Sign Drew Hutchison, Ramon Rosso To Minor League Deals
The Tigers have agreed to terms on a minor league deal with righty Drew Hutchison, announced the team.
Hutchison, 31, made nine appearances for the Tigers in 2021 in his first Major League action since 2018. Hutchison had signed a minor league deal in February of last year. He made a pair of starts for the Tigers in August and then spent September working in long relief. Prior to that, Hutchison made 19 starts in Triple-A with a 23.5 K%, 10.8 BB%, and 41.2 GB%.
Hutchison made 32 starts in a solid sophomore season with the Blue Jays back in 2014, even garnering the club’s Opening Day start the following year. He wasn’t able to stick in the Jays’ rotation in 2015, though, and was traded to the Pirates for Francisco Liriano at the 2016 deadline. He was booted off the Pirates’ 40-man roster in September of ’17, electing free agency and signing a minor league deal with the Phillies the following February. He made that team out of camp, but lost his 40-man spot by June. He then moved to the Dodgers on a minor league deal, quickly opting out and signing with the Rangers. Hutchison spent 2019 with the Yankees, Twins, and Angels’ Triple-A affiliates before resurfacing with the Tigers a year ago.
Detroit also signed reliever Ramon Rosso to a minors contract. The 25-year-old righty made seven appearances with the Phillies in each of the last two seasons. He owns a 6.11 ERA in 17 2/3 MLB innings but averaged 95.2 MPH on his fastball last year.