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Quick Hits: Bautista, Revere, Holaday, Smith

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Jose Bautista has been speculatively linked to the Rays as a possible free agent target, though if Tampa Bay does make a move, MLB.com’s Bill Chastain notes that it might not come until late in the offseason.  The Rays have past used the tactic of coming in late with an offer to a veteran free agent (i.e. Asdrubal Cabrera, Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon) who is running short on options, so the Rays can land the player at a price that fits their limited budget.  Bautista’s market is still pretty unclear as we approach Christmas, with the first-round draft pick attached to him via the qualifying offer seemingly acting as a deterrent to many clubs.  The Rays’ top pick is protected so they would only have to surrender their competitive-balance round selection to sign Bautista — maybe an acceptable risk for a Tampa club that wants to compete in 2017, Chastain notes.

Here’s some more from around baseball…

  • Ben Revere could sign as soon as tomorrow, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports (Twitter links).  The mystery team isn’t the Orioles, Kubatko notes, though the O’s like the outfielder and checked in on him more than once this offseason.  Revere is hoping to bounce back after an injury-marred and mediocre 2016 season that saw him get non-tendered by the Nationals earlier this month.
  • Catcher Bryan Holaday can earn $850K in the majors under his new minor-league pact with the Phillies, Crasnick recently tweeted.  That lands just shy of MLBTR’s $900K arbitration projection for the 29-year-old, though of course he’ll need to earn a roster spot to get it.  Holaday seems to have a solid shot at taking over reserve duties behind presumptive Philadelphia starter Cameron Rupp, though he may need to hold off some younger challengers (and any additional veterans who may be added) in camp.
  • Former Padres and Tigers GM Randy Smith has been hired by the Nippon-Ham Fighters’ front office, according to a Kyodo News report.  Smith will be a senior advisor to Fighters general manager Hiroshi Yoshimura (a former member of Detroit’s front office when Smith ran the club) and the Fighters’ Major League scouting director.

AL East Notes: Logan, Alvarez, Pineda, Blue Jays, Tobias

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Here’s the latest from around the American League East…

  • The Orioles “have long coveted” Boone Logan, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko writes.  Signing Logan would give Baltimore a more reliable lefty specialist-type of a relief option beyond Donnie Hart and T.J. McFarland, though Kubatko isn’t sure if the O’s would be able to afford Logan’s services.  The Blue Jays, Mets, Yankees and Mariners have all been linked to Logan this winter, though the Mariners may have addressed with left-handed bullpen needs by signing Marc Rzepczynski.
  • Pedro Alvarez may be the Orioles free agent most likely to re-sign with the team, though as Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun notes, Alvarez’s return could create some roster complications.  With Alvarez and Trey Mancini, the O’s would have two players best suited for DH duty, giving them less bench flexibility.  Alvarez has indicated a willingness to learn to play outfield, though Encina isn’t sure if Alvarez will be able to defensively handle even a part-time outfield role.  On the flip side, Alvarez does bring a lot of power from the left side and bringing him back could cost Baltimore much less than it would to re-sign Mark Trumbo.
  • The Yankees have fielded several buy-low offers for Michael Pineda this winter, ESPN.com’s Andrew Marchand reports.  Pineda posted a 4.82 ERA last season, a number somewhat inflated by a .339 BABIP and a 17% home run rate Pineda’s advanced metrics (3.80 FIP, 3.30 xFIP, 3.40 SIERA, 10.61 K/9, 3.91 K/BB rate) presented his season in a much better light, and his 175 2/3 innings pitched was a new career high for the injury-prone righty.  Pineda will be a free agent after 2017, though rather than trade him, the Yankees are counting on Pineda to put it all together and help stabilize a rotation with several question marks.
  • The Blue Jays seem to be looking to solve their position player needs before returning to their search for left-handed relief, Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reports.  Logan, Jerry Blevins and Travis Wood are the most prominent southpaw relievers linked to the Jays this winter, though the team also isn’t settled in either corner outfield spot.
  • The Red Sox freed up some salary by dealing Clay Buchholz to the Phillies, but Boston also likes the prospect (Josh Tobias) they got in return, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford writes.  Tobias, a 10th-round pick for the Phillies in 2015, was one of 10 names targeted by the Sox as they looked through Philadelphia’s system.  Red Sox director of pro scouting Gus Quattlebaum describes Tobias as “having potential as a versatile, switch-hitting guy with make-up and a feel to hit.  Whenever you can find someone who can hit, that guy is going to standout.“

East Notes: Harvey, Nationals, Mets, McCutchen

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Former big-leaguer Bryan Harvey says his son, Orioles prospect Hunter Harvey, could return to throwing next week after having Tommy John surgery in July, reports Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun. (Hunter Harvey himself told MASN’s Steve Melewski last week that he would begin throwing the day after Christmas.) Harvey’s progression will be slow, in keeping with the very long timeline associated with TJ recoveries — he won’t pitch off a mound for quite awhile. Still, he appears to be on schedule, and there’s a chance he could pitch near the end of the 2017 minor league season. Harvey, the 22nd pick in the 2013 draft, is currently the Orioles’ third-best prospect, according to MLB.com. He was off to a very promising start to his pro career in 2014 when he suffered an elbow injury that caused him to miss the entire 2015 season. He briefly returned in 2016 before it became clear Tommy John surgery was necessary. Here’s more from the East divisions.

  • The Nationals’ search for a solution to their closer issues goes back nearly a decade, Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post writes. Janes identifies Chad Cordero — who had three good seasons in Washington from 2004 through 2006 — as the team’s last good long-term option at the position. Now, the departure of Mark Melancon and the team’s failure to sign Kenley Jansen fit in with a long-term pattern of the Nats missing out on long-term closer help. The team could now turn to an internal option like Blake Treinen or Shawn Kelley to take the ball in the ninth.
  • The Mets do not need to trade for Andrew McCutchen, who provides “a very convoluted answer to their outfield logjam,” Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News writes. The Mets have been fleetingly connected to McCutchen, but he’s coming off a season in which he was poorly rated defensively and didn’t fare much better on offense. The McCutchen rumors indicated the Pirates would want pitching in return, but Ackert notes that the Mets themselves can use their young pitcher stockpile, and that their young arms are likely to be healthier in 2017 than they were last year.

Trade/Free Agent Rumors: Quintana, Jays, Trumbo, Breslow

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The Yankees have yet to add a starting pitcher to their rotation this winter, but MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets that they’re still interested White Sox ace Jose Quintana. As he points out, the Yankees certainly have a deep enough farm system to entice the Sox to part with their second front-of-the-rotation lefty of the offseason. However, Morosi doesn’t contextualize their interest, and it’s worth noting that Yankees GM Brian Cashman has said earlier this winter that he’s reached out to virtually every team at some point and is casting a wide net in attempting to improve his team. Along those lines, ESPN New York’s Andrew Marchand writes that the Yankees have been extremely disinclined to part with young talent this winter, and he ultimately characterizes the chances of Quintana landing in New York as unlikely.

A few more notes on the trade and free-agent markets…

  • Morosi also tweets that in addition to Boone Logan and Jerry Blevins, the Blue Jays have interest in free-agent southpaw Travis Wood. Toronto has already been connected to both Logan and Blevins, but there hasn’t been much of a link between the Jays and Wood to this point. The Blue Jays have already lost Brett Cecil to the Cardinals this winter and have yet to replace him. Left-handed relief was arguably a need for the Jays even before Cecil departed, so they figure to be linked to a number of prominent southpaws as the offseason wears on. In Wood’s case, though, it’s worth wondering if he’d prefer to sign somewhere that gives him a chance to start. Wood spent the past couple of seasons in the Cubs’ bullpen, but he averaged 30 starts per year from 2012-14 and reached 200 innings in 2013. In a market that is thin on starters, giving Wood a chance to redefine himself as a rotation member holds plenty of merit for pitching-needy clubs.
  • Orioles GM Dan Duquette said on MLB Network’s High Heat today that he’s still interested in Mark Trumbo and there’s still a “window open” for the slugger to return to Baltimore (Twitter link via FanRag’s Jon Heyman). Baltimore reportedly pulled its four-year offer to Trumbo over the weekend, but it doesn’t seem that Duquette and his staff have completely abandoned the idea of Trumbo returning in 2017 (and beyond). Trumbo drilled an MLB-best 47 homers last season but also comes with some question marks surrounding his defense, and the fact that he rejected a qualifying offer means any team will have to forfeit a draft pick to sign him.
  • Left-hander Craig Breslow will throw for teams on Jan. 23 in Boston, reports Evan Drellich of the Boston Herald (Twitter links). The 36-year-old Breslow has been working out with Rich Hill this offseason and changed his arm angle, Drellich notes. Back in September, Breslow spoke to Drellich about how he planned to take an analytical look at his pitch selection this winter, exploring horizontal/vertical movement, spin rate and other factors and pair that knowledge with a lower arm slot in order to revive his career. Breslow has spent parts of 11 seasons in the Majors, but his last truly successful year came back in 2013 with the Red Sox (1.81 ERA in 59 2/3 innings).

Orioles Notes: Machado, Wieters, Rasmus, Free Agents

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In his latest column, ESPN’s Buster Olney argues that the Orioles need to begin preparing for the possibility of trading superstar third baseman Manny Machado (Insider subscription required and highly recommended). Olney is careful to report that sources in the organization tell him no such talks have taken place, but he also lays out a compelling argument for dealing Machado this coming summer if the O’s aren’t in contention. Machado’s $11.2MM arbitration projection will take his career earnings north of $20MM, so he can afford to wait for free agency two years from now, financially speaking. And the Orioles have what is generally regarded as one of the game’s weaker farm systems, so moving Machado and other top-tier MLB assets (i.e. Zach Britton, Adam Jones) could net GM Dan Duquette the type of prospect bounty that would make for an accelerated rebuilding process.

O’s fans undoubtedly would prefer to see Machado extended, but I agree with Olney’s assessment that the window for that has likely closed. At this juncture, it’s hard to envision Machado signing anything less than a record-setting contract. He’s a better all-around player than Giancarlo Stanton, whose 13-year, $325MM contract is the current benchmark. Hitting the open market at age 26, Machado should shatter Stanton’s record contract barring some form of devastating injury. Of course, if Baltimore is in contention in 2017, then it’s all a moot point for a bit longer, as there’s no way the Orioles would (nor should they) consider dealing Machado and others if a potential postseason berth is in the cards.

A few more notes on the Orioles…

  • Agent Scott Boras reached out to Orioles owner Peter Angelos one last time to try to get the O’s back into the Matt Wieters bidding before Baltimore signed Welington Castillo, reports MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko. The Orioles were simply far more comfortable committing a modest $6MM salary in 2017 (and possibly $7MM in 2018) to Castillo than they were with considering the price levels that Boras is seeking for Wieters. Kubatko notes that Wieters’ situation may not be resolved before the calendar flips to 2017.
  • Within that same piece, Kubatko reports that Colby Rasmus’ agents have reached out to the Orioles, but the team considers his current asking price to be too high. If the O’s do end up with Rasmus, a deal would have to be reached closer to Spring Training once his asking price drops a bit further. Rasmus struggled to a .206/.286/.355 batting line last year but played through myriad physical issues over the course of the season. Rasmus had a cyst surgically removed from his ear this past summer — an issue that very likely could’ve impacted his balance and all-around skill set — and underwent surgeries to repair his hip and a sports hernia following the 2016 season. A healthier Rasmus could be a nice rebound candidate, though the O’s likely aren’t alone in expressing some trepidation about committing a significant guarantee to a player coming off Rasmus’ recent injuries.
  • Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun writes that the O’s are still looking for a defensive upgrade in the corner outfield and depth in the bullpen, but he casts some doubt on the team’s ability to squeeze in another acquisition prior to the holidays. The team’s talks with Mark Trumbo have been lagging a bit, and while the O’s haven’t pivoted to similar players like Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion and Chris Carter yet, Encina adds that they’ll eventually go that route if talks with Trumbo’s camp don’t intensify.

AL Notes: Sale, Orioles, Tigers, Mariners

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Newly acquired Red Sox ace Chris Sale’s unorthodox delivery hasn’t posed any significant problems to this point, as he has exceeded the 200-inning mark in three of his five seasons as a starter and combined for 386 frames in the other two campaigns. Asked if that delivery will lead to trouble down the road, Sale’s former pitching coach with the White Sox, Don Cooper, told Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, “He knows himself really good. His delivery is solid.” Cooper added, “Chris Sale has three above-average major league pitches that he pours in and throws strikes. I don’t want to sound cocky, but I don’t think anyone saying stuff has a better idea about his delivery than me.” Cooper then lavished further praise on the 27-year-old Sale, who he thinks landed with the right club. “He’s put up Hall of Fame-credible numbers. And now he’s going to a team that is sparing no expense,” said Cooper. “Nothing stands in the way of them putting together the best team. He’s going to a team where he has a chance to put up even more wins. If he has 10 years like he’s had, he has a chance to have a Hall of Fame career.” Cooper had plenty more to say about Sale, so checking out Cafardo’s piece to read all of the pitching guru’s comments is highly recommended.

More from the American League:

  • The Orioles are interested in bringing back two of their former relievers, free agent right-handers David Hernandez and Vance Worley, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. Hernandez, 31, was the Orioles’ fifth-round pick in 2005 and stayed with the organization through the 2010 campaign. He spent 2016 in Philadelphia, where he tossed 70 2/3 innings and logged a 3.84 ERA, 9.91 K/9 and 3.96 BB/9. Worley was with the Orioles last season, but they non-tendered him earlier this month in lieu of paying the 29-year-old a projected $3.3MM via arbitration in 2017. The swingman recorded a 3.53 ERA despite an ugly 1.6 K/BB ratio last season.
  • Having traded Cameron Maybin to the Angels earlier this offseason, the Tigers are looking for center field help “on every front,” general manager Al Avila told Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. “Maybe we can get that guy in a trade,” Avila said. “Maybe we can wait until January and get a guy to be a temporary fix. Maybe we can plug that hole with a sixth-year minor league free agent.” The Tigers have in-house center fielders Tyler Collins, JaCoby Jones and Anthony Gose set to compete for jobs, but they’d like for Jones to develop further at Triple-A Toledo. Gose spent most of his time last season in Toledo, where he got into a dispute with then-manager and now-Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. That rift is now “water under the bridge,” according to Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus. Gose is unlikely to reunite with McClendon in Detroit, writes Woodbery, who points out that Gose has no minor league options remaining. As a result, he might end up joining another organization via waivers if he doesn’t crack the Tigers’ roster. Collins is also devoid of options, though he’s a better bet than Gose to stick with the Tigers, suggests Woodbery.
  • After the Mariners promoted Edwin Diaz from Double-A Jackson to the majors last June, the electric 22-year-old burst on the big league scene and quickly became an elite reliever with his fastball-slider mix. The club might have another Diaz on its hands in relief prospect Thyago Vieira, who also relies on a fastball and slider, as Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times details. Vieira, who’s older than Diaz (24 next month), is capable of hitting 103 mph on the radar gun. “There can’t be many people in professional baseball with a better arm,” Mariners director of player development Andy McKay told Divish. “He throws enough strikes. I don’t think anyone would say there’s a ton of command, but there are plenty of strikes and the slider is hard to hit and really hard not to swing at.” Vieira spent most of 2016 at the High-A level and then pitched in the Arizona Fall League, but the Mariners nearly released him before the season. “In spring training, there was a question as to whether he was going to make a team or not based on his age and general performance history,” GM Jerry Dipoto revealed. Now, after working with minor league pitching coach Ethan Katz, Vieira is on Seattle’s 40-man roster and could debut in the majors in 2017. “I saw a big arm with a lot of potential that just needed a little more time to figure it out,” Katz stated. “There was some stuff that he was doing that needed to be fixed to help him succeed.” Vieira credits Katz for his breakout year. “I have to say thank you to the Mariners for giving me the opportunity to work with him,” Vieira said.

East Notes & Rumors: Trumbo, O’s, Familia, Nats, Yanks

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Contract talks between the Orioles and free agent outfielder/first baseman Mark Trumbo have stalled, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The two sides previously agreed to a four-year framework, but Baltimore’s offer is now off the table, per Kubatko, who notes that a deal could still come together (Twitter link). In 2016, his first (and perhaps only) season as an Oriole, Trumbo hit .256/.316/.533 with a major league-high 47 home runs. Along with the O’s, the Rockies, Indians, Mariners and Rangers are among the clubs that have shown interest in the soon-to-be 31-year-old this offseason.

More from the majors’ two East divisions:

  • Domestic violence charges against Mets closer Jeurys Familia were dropped Thursday, but he’ll still face at least a 30-game suspension next season, per Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News. A 30-game ban would be identical to the punishment Major League Baseball levied on Yankees closer Aroldis Chapman last year. Like Familia, Chapman didn’t face any legal ramifications for his domestic violence incident. Rob Manfred regarded Chapman’s case as serious enough to warrant an unpaid month off, though, and the commissioner is currently investigating Familia. Bianca Rivas, Familia’s wife, said he didn’t hurt her Oct. 31, but the police who responded to her 911 call noticed a bruise on her cheek and scratches on her chest. The scratches came from the couple’s 1-year-old son, according to Rivas.
  • After trading away infielder Danny Espinosa last week, the Nationals are searching for outside bench help, writes Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com. The Nats have expressed interest in re-signing free agent infielder Stephen Drew, who joined the team last year on a one-year, $3MM deal and hit .266/.339/.524 in 165 plate appearances. However, Drew might end up finding a more prominent role elsewhere. “He’s been offered some,” Drew’s agent, Scott Boras, said at the winter meetings. “So he’s just kind of evaluating the options of carrying out a multiple-position role and probably playing more than he did last year, or pursuing something more along the lines (of what he was for the Nationals this year).” If Washington doesn’t acquire an Espinosa replacement from elsewhere, the club does have 24-year-old Wilmer Difo on hand as a potential solution. He has just 77 big league PAs to his name, though.
  • Given that they haven’t added anyone to their rotation this winter, the Yankees are positioning themselves to rely heavily on unproven starters in 2017, observes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Masahiro Tanaka, C.C. Sabathia and Michael Pineda are locks for the starting five; behind them, Luis Severino, Chad Green Luis Cessa, Bryan Mitchell and Adam Warren will vie for roles. The most intriguing member of the group is Severino, who endured a miserable 2016 with an 8.50 ERA in 47 2/3 major league innings as a starter. That was only Severino’s age-22 season, though, and the former big-time prospect isn’t far removed from a highly promising 2015 debut in which he recorded a 2.89 ERA, 8.09 K/9 and 50.3 percent ground-ball rate in 62 1/3 frames. “My emphasis at the end of the year with him was locate your fastball better, repeat your delivery and make sure your breaking ball morphs back into a harder breaking ball,” pitching coach Larry Rothschild told Sherman. “I certainly look at him as a starter. But to be a starter, improvements need to be made. If the improvements are made, he will be really good.”

Minor MLB Transactions: 12/16/16

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Here are the latest minor moves from around the league:

  • The Rays added catcher Michael McKenry on a minor-league contract, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag tweets. Heyman further adds that McKenry will receive $900K if he’s in the Majors, plus a possible $475K in incentives. He has opt-outs on March 30 and June 1. With Wilson Ramos not expected to be ready to take over behind the plate for at least the first month or two of the year, there’s a need for depth. McKenry will presumably battle with pre-existing options Luke Maile and Curt Casali for a roster spot to open the season.
  • Outfielder Brandon Barnes is headed to the Marlins on a minors pact, Chris Cotillo of SB Nation tweets. The deal includes a Spring Training invite. Barnes, 30, figures to function as a depth piece after seeing time in the majors over parts of the last five seasons. He struggled to a .220/.250/.320 batting line in just 109 MLB plate appearances last year.
  • Lefty Jeff Beliveau is headed to the Blue Jays on a minors deal with a spring invite, per a club announcement. The 29-year-old has thrown 45 MLB frames spread over four years, with an even 4.00 ERA and 9.4 K/9 against 4.2 BB/9. Last year, he didn’t pitch above the Double-A level in the Orioles system, but provided 49 2/3 innings of 2.54 ERA pitching with a dozen K/9 to go with a sub-optimal 5.3 BB/9.
  • Righty Erik Johnson is back with the Padres on a minor-league arrangement, Heyman tweets. Johnson will continue to work back from Tommy John surgery with San Diego, which had recently non-tendered him.
  • The Orioles announced a series of minors signings. Among those not previously covered at MLBTR, the club will bring back outfielder Chris Dickerson and take a shot on Tomo Ohka. Dickerson joined Beliveau at Double-A in the Baltimore organization last year, hitting well in brief action there, but hasn’t seen the bigs since 2014. Ohka, 40, is a much more speculative addition; he’s trying to return to the majors for the first time since 2009 by turning himself into a knuckleballer.
  • Anther pitcher seeking to make it back after a long run away from the majors is lefty Andy Oliver, who’ll try things out with the Brewers, per Heyman (via Twitter). Heyman adds that can opt out of his deal on June 15 if he’s not on the big-league roster, and Oliver also receives a foreign team inquiry clause. Oliver blitzed through the Tigers system after being taken in the 2nd round of the 2009 draft. He cracked the bigs briefly in 2010-11, but has plied his trade at Triple-A ever since. Oliver moved back to the rotation for half of his appearances last year with the Orioles’ top affiliate, which may have helped as he finally quelled some of his control issues. Oliver ended 2016 with a 3.43 ERA over 86 2/3 frames and 8.7 K/9 against 3.7 BB/9 (his lowest walk rate since his debut year in full-season professional ball).
  • The Tigers added third baseman Zack Cox on a minor-league arrangement, the indy ball Wichita Wingnuts announced. Once a highly regarded prospect, Cox never earned a major league call-up during his time in the Cardinals and Marlins systems, but hit .290/.348/.452 last year in 460 plate appearances for Wichita.
  • Five players are returning to the Rangers organization on minor-league pacts, per Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter links). Utilityman Alex Burg will join right-handed hurlers Dario Beltre, Austin Bibens-Dirkx, Anthony Carter, and David Perez in returning to Texas. There’s a new farmhand coming in, too, as the Rangers added righty James Dykstra from the White Sox in a cash deal. Dykstra, 26, reached Double-A last year, throwing 102 1/3 innings of 4.93 ERA ball with 5.8 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9.
  • Two previously designated players — catcher Justin O’Conner (Rays) and lefty Williams Jerez (Red Sox) — have been outrighted by their organizations, per club announcements.

Orioles Sign Welington Castillo

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Though recent reports had downplayed the possibility, the Orioles announced on Friday that they’ve signed free-agent backstop Welington Castillo to a one-year deal with an option for the 2018 season. That option is reportedly a player option, meaning Castillo will be guaranteed a total of $13MM but can opt out of the contract after the first season should he choose. The ACES client will earn $6MM in 2017 and $7MM in 2018 (if he opts into the second season of his deal).

Depending upon one’s perspective, then, that constitutes a two-year, $13MM pact with an opt-out after the first year. MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz had projected he’d earn $5.9MM via arbitration before he was non-tendered by Arizona earlier in the offseason. Instead, he’ll get just north of that figure in 2017 while adding the security of the player option.

Aug 15, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks catcher Welington Castillo celebrates after hitting a the fifth inning double against the New York Mets at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Assuming that the 29-year-old Castillo clears the Orioles’ medical check, he’ll step into the void left by fellow free agent Matt Wieters, who now seems all but certain to end up elsewhere. While it seems the contract will be framed as including a player option, it’s just the same as a two-year arrangement that includes an opt-out provision, as Baltimore will take the risk of a downturn in Castillo’s performance.

In Castillo, the Orioles will add one of the better power-hitting catchers in baseball. Since landing with the Diamondbacks in a mid-2015 trade, he has knocked 31 home runs in 760 plate appearances. Of course, the larger portion of the damage came in his first year in Arizona; Castillo fell back last year from a robust .216 isolated power mark to a roughly league-average level (.159).

Still, the overall offensive profile is a solid one for a receiver. All told, Castillo slashed .261/.320/.452 with the D-Backs. He does carry rather pronounced platoon splits, hammering lefties while operating at around a .700 OPS clip against same-handed pitchers. Presumptive reserve Caleb Joseph has more neutral numbers for his career, showing slightly more power against righties but reaching base much more frequently when operating without the platoon advantage.

While Castillo has brought more overall offensive production of late than the long-time starter he’ll replace, the O’s new leading man behind the dish isn’t much loved for his glove. StatCorner rated him as a slightly below-average framer last year, while Baseball Prospectus mostly panned his framing work. BP regarded his other measurable skills (blocking, throwing) at a roughly average rate.

Regardless of whether one prefers Castillo or Wieters, there’s no denying that the O’s will save some payroll space by taking this route — at least, that is, as against last year’s payout to Wieters, who accepted a $15.8MM qualifying offer. It remains to be seen what the 30-year-old switch hitter will end up with now that he’s a free agent for the first time, though the paucity of teams still seeking everyday options behind the plate does not necessarily bode well for any hopes of a large, lengthy contract.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports first reported the agreement (Twitter links) as well as the financial details of the deal (also via Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Market Chatter: Brach, Jeffress, Rangers, Rockies, Adams, LoMo

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Here’s the latest chatter on the trade and free-agent markets to round out the evening:

  • While there has been some movement on the free-agent market for relievers now that the top three arms are off the board, there’s also some untapped potential on the trade side, per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). The Orioles are “willing” to deal Brad Brach, who quietly turned in an excellent season and is projected by MLBTR to earn $2.9MM in his second pass at arbitration. And the Rangers are taking calls on some arms, with Jeremy Jeffress — a quality sinkerballer who has dealt with substance-abuse issues — said to be “in play,” among other hurlers. He, too, projects at a $2.9MM tab in his first season of arb eligibility.
  • The Rangers have held discussion with the Rockies about the latter organization’s potentially available outfielders, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). It’s not entirely clear just who might be targeted, though certainly Charlie Blackmon would make for a high-quality and reasonably affordable fit — presumably, bumping Shin-Soo Choo to DH and perhaps moving Carlos Gomez to a corner. Carlos Gonzalez could also step into right for Choo, though he’s owed $20MM this year — which, from all indications, is more than Texas is looking to spend. Lining up may not be easy, though Colorado surely would have interest in some of the Rangers’ relievers.
  • With little apparent need for him given their present roster construction, the Cardinals are “listening” on first baseman Matt Adams, per ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (via Twitter). Particularly with so many defensively limited, left-handed bats still floating around in free agency, it’s certainly hard to see Adams drawing an exciting return. The 28-year-old put up a slightly above-average .249/.309/.471 batting line last year and did pop 16 long balls, but was scarcely used against left-handed pitching. (While he actually hit well against southpaws last year, it came in a minimal sample; over his career, Adams owns a .212/.243/.352 batting line without the platoon advantage.) MLBTR projects Adams to earn $2.8MM in his second season of arbitration eligibility, so he may at least be somewhat cheaper than some of the other players who rival clubs will be considering.
  • One piece of that surplus of lefty bats, free-agent first baseman Logan Morrison, is starting to see his market heat up a bit, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). As Passan notes, Morrison did hit quite well for much of the year, though his putrid opening month and a half left the 29-year-old with an overall .238/.319/.414 batting line — which, much like his career production, sits right at the league average level. Like Adams, Morrison has traditionally been much better against right-handed pitching, though his splits aren’t nearly so dramatic.
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