The Reds and other teams are pursuing Royals closer Jonathan Broxton, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Rangers are out. The Giants are still in on Broxton, tweets Jim Bowden of ESPN and MLB Network Radio. The Orioles are in, tweets Rosenthal.
Orioles Rumors
Latest On Orioles, Joe Blanton
31-year-old innings eater Joe Blanton has about $3MM left on his contract, and the Orioles are his most interested suitor. The latest:
- The Phillies are coming off the $3MM demands, tweets Connolly, and Blanton to the Orioles is picking up steam again.
- The Orioles would have to take on $3MM to acquire Blanton, and they aren't comfortable with that amount, so they're considering other options, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports (all Twitter links). The Mariners want a lot in return for Jason Vargas, Connolly writes. Joe Saunders and Bud Norris are alternatives, but it's not clear whether they're fits for Baltimore. The Orioles don't want to give up much in a trade for starting pitching, Connolly writes.
- The Orioles tried to get Paul Maholm from the Cubs, Ghiroli reports. She confirms the team's interest in Saunders and Vargas. The Orioles are looking on the relief market as well, Ghiroli reports.
- The Orioles are turning their attention back toward other starters, tweets MLB.com's Britt Ghiroli.
- The Orioles were sent medicals on Blanton as well as two Phillies minor leaguers, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com.
- Money continues to be a stumbling block on a Blanton deal, tweets MLB.com's Todd Zolecki. The chances of the deal dying have increased since yesterday.
D’Backs Designate Lyle Overbay For Assignment
TUESDAY, 12:47am: The Orioles have some interest in Overbay, reports Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com (on Twitter).
MONDAY, 11:12pm: The Reds and Diamondbacks are discussing a trade that would send Overbay to Cincinnati, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
5:54pm: The Diamondbacks announced that they designated first baseman Lyle Overbay for assignment. The move creates roster space for newly-acquired infielder Chris Johnson.
Overbay, 35, posted a .292/.367/.448 batting line in 110 plate appearances this year. Manager Kirk Gibson made sure to limit Overbay's exposure to left-handed pitching (95 plate appearances vs. RHP, 15 plate appearances vs. LHP), using him as a part-time complement to Paul Goldschmidt. Overbay, who's signed to a one-year, $1MM contract, has a .271/.354/.439 batting line in 12 MLB seasons.
Latest On Victorino, Pence, Pierre
Earlier today, Yahoo's Jeff Passan wrote that the Phillies haven't shopped center fielder Shane Victorino nearly as aggressively as right fielder Hunter Pence, even though Victorino will be eligible for free agency after the season and Pence is under team control for 2013. The latest on the Phillies' outfielders:
- The Dodgers and Reds seem to be the last two Victorino suitors remaining, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick tweets.
- The Giants are discussing Pence, but not Victorino, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
- The Reds still want a leadoff hitter and Victorino has been their top target, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. The Reds don't like the Phillies' asking price for Victorino, and their interest in Pierre seems to have been exaggerated, Knobler writes.
- The Dodgers are more likely to acquire Victorino, but they're also in on Pence, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- The Reds appear to be zeroing in on Pierre, writes ESPN's Jayson Stark. He says the Dodgers look like the frontrunner on Victorino, while teams that have checked in on Pence believe the Phillies will wait until the offseason.
- The Phillies' asking price on Victorino is outrageous, an executive of one team tells Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- The Orioles have interest in Victorino, Pence, and Juan Pierre, tweets Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, who notes Pierre is the best fit cost-wise. The Reds have quietly evaluated Pierre as a possible target since June, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and USA Today's Bob Nightengale says the Reds' coaching staff loves him.
- The Pirates did not seem alive on Victorino as of late last night, tweeted Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Giants, Reds, and Dodgers have been named as other potential suitors for the 31-year-old. Victorino is hitting .261/.324/.401 in 431 plate appearances this year.
- The Phillies have pushed Pence but want a big return, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Salisbury says most interest is on Victorino and starter Joe Blanton.
Orioles Are Blanton’s Most Interested Suitor
8:55pm: The teams continue haggling about players and money, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The Phillies would absorb more money if they get a better prospect in return.
8:15pm: The Orioles are declining to trade Schoop for Blanton, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports (on Twitter). The teams are deep in negotiations, Connolly writes. Five to seven teams, including the Blue Jays, have showed interest in Blanton, according to Connolly.
8:04pm: The Phillies want to shed all of Blanton's contract (he's owed $3.02MM from here until the end of the season), but the Orioles are hesitant to take on that much salary in this case, Connolly reports (Twitter links). The Phillies believe they have other options, so negotiations could continue until the trade deadline on Tuesday.
7:03pm: Bob Brookover of the Philadelphia Inquirer hears the Phillies want infield prospect Jonathan Schoop for Blanton. Schoop, 20, entered the season as the Orioles' number three prospect behind Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado, according to Baseball America. However, he didn't crack the publication's midseason list of the top 50 prospects in the game. Schoop has a .244/.301/.391 batting line in 413 plate appearances at Double-A this year.
4:39pm: The Phillies have sent Blanton's medical records to the Orioles, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (on Twitter).
11:04am: The Orioles are Joe Blanton's most interested suitor, according to MLB.com's Britt Ghiroli. She reminds us that the Cardinals and Blue Jays have also expressed interest. But for the Orioles, the Phillies' righty is "there if they want him," a source tells Ghiroli. Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com says the Orioles have been checking Blanton out since spring training, and Danny Knobler of CBS Sports reported on the team's interest as well today. Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun tweets that while the Orioles are one of five to seven teams that inquired on Blanton and they may be the most intrigued, the organization is torn on whether he'll help.
Ghiroli says the Orioles have scouted Blanton heavily, and one source tells her the Phillies seek an MLB-ready utility player or a middle relief prospect. Blanton, 31, has a 4.59 ERA, 7.8 K/9, 1.2 BB/9, 1.49 HR/9, and 43.9% groundball rate in 133 1/3 innings this year, and he's averaged over 6.6 innings per start. He'll take the ball every fifth day and won't hurt himself with walks, but will also allow tons of hits and home runs. Blanton signed an extension with the Phillies in January of 2010 and has just over $3MM left on his contract.
Chase Headley Rumors: Monday
With a .267/.363/.423 line that looks even better on the road, 28-year-old Padres third baseman Chase Headley has drawn interest from many teams this month. Throw in team control through 2014 and you've got a hot commodity, but it appears Headley may stay put for now. The latest:
- The Padres wanted Jake Arrieta and two prospects for Headley, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun reports (Twitter links). After Dylan Bundy and Manny Machado, Arrieta is the young Orioles player rival teams covet most, Connolly writes. However, those clubs are trying to buy low on Arrieta. Connolly reports that one of the two prospects the Padres sought with Arrieta is a high ceiling player at Class A Delmarva.
- The Padres told clubs Sunday they'll keep Headley unless the market changes dramatically, according to ESPN's Jayson Stark. Earlier, Yahoo's Jeff Passan wrote that the Padres expect to decide today whether to keep Headley.
- The Athletics won't trade starting pitching prospect Dan Straily in a Headley deal, tweets Peter Gammons of MLB Network. Lightly regarded by prospect gurus prior to the season, the 23-year-old is in the midst of a breakout campaign and is now considered a quality pitching prospect. Still, despite leading the minor leagues in strikeouts, Straily did not crack top 50 prospects lists published by ESPN's Keith Law and Baseball America this month.
Rangers, Giants, Orioles Interested In Broxton
MONDAY, 3:16pm: The Royals are still listening on Broxton but offers haven't been encouraging so far, tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. The Orioles were showing serious interest in Broxton over the weekend, tweets Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com, though they're showing less interest now. Kubatko says the Orioles are known to want a left-handed reliever but might just be looking to upgrade the bullpen however possible.
SUNDAY, 10:11pm: The Royals are eyeing right-hander Justin Grimm in their discussions with the Rangers, according to Bob Dutton of the Kansas City Star (Twitter link). Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News echoes the sentiment (on Twitter). Grimm, 23, was a fifth round selection by the Rangers in 2010 out of the University of Georgia. He currently boasts a 1.99 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A and made his Major League debut earlier this season.
6:36pm: The Rangers are also in on Broxton, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Texas is turning its focus to bullpen help after becoming frustrated with the starting pitching market, according to Heyman.
2:36pm: The Giants have serious interest in Jonathan Broxton, Jim Bowden of ESPN.com and MLB Network Radio reports (on Twitter). Interest on Broxton is picking up and there's a 60-70% chance he'll be traded by the deadline, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reports (on Twitter).
The Giants don't view Broxton as the solution for their bullpen, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reported this week. There's not much bullpen help available, now that Huston Street is off the market, Knobler reported today (on Twitter). The Blue Jays and Red Sox aren't selling and teams aren't impressed by the available relievers.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Phillies Could Be “Most Active Sellers”
The Phillies entered this weekend needing to perform well in a critical series against the division rival Braves. Instead, they were swept and now appear to be in the position to sell off several pieces. ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Phillies could be baseball's "most active sellers" in the next two days, and that they've laid the groundwork for several trades. Olney's colleague Jayson Stark hears from several teams that the Phillies could make 2-3 trades prior to Tuesday's deadline, though they've yet to officially declare themselves sellers (Twitter link).
CSNPhilly.com's Jim Salisbury agrees that selling is likely, and runs down several of the possibilities for the Phillies in the coming days. Salisbury writes that Shane Victorino is the "most likely" Phillie to be dealt, and lists the Giants, Pirates, Reds and Dodgers as possible destinations for Victorino. Interest in Victorino was said to be "heating up" as recently as yesterday.
The Reds have also inquired on Juan Pierre, and both the Orioles and Cardinals are potential destinations for Joe Blanton according to Salisbury. He also says that Hunter Pence could be moved if GM Ruben Amaro Jr. is blown away by an offer, and speculates that Ty Wigginton would fit on several teams looking for bench help.
Salisbury reiterates that the Phillies are likely to keep Cliff Lee for the time being, although he could be shopped this offseason in an attempt to fill multiple holes.
Rafael Betancourt, Matt Reynolds Drawing Interest
6:26pm: Matt Reynolds is also drawing trade interest, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. Reynolds, 27, has a 3.61 ERA, 8.9 K/9, 2.1 BB/9 and 46.3 percent ground-ball rate in 42 1/3 innings of work this season.
6:15pm: Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that the Rangers, Braves, Red Sox and Blue Jays are all inquiring on Betancourt (Twitter link).
Sunday, 6:02pm: Betancourt continues drawing trade interest but nothing is imminent, according to Renck (Twitter link). It's probably fair to assume that several of the teams who are currently discussing Brandon League with the Mariners are also intrigued by Betancourt, though that's my own speculation. — Steve Adams
Saturday: The Orioles, Yankees, and Athletics are among the teams with interest in Rockies reliever Rafael Betancourt according to Troy Renck of The Denver Post. The Red Sox had interest earlier this month and both the White Sox and Angels are digging around for bullpen help.
Betancourt, 37, has pitched to a 3.00 ERA and gone 17-for-21 in save chances. His strikeout (9.3 K/9) and walk (2.5 BB/9) rates are superb as usual. Betancourt is owned approximately $1.5M for the rest of the season and is under contract for $4.25MM next year. His deal includes a $4.25MM mutual option ($250K buyout) for 2014 as well.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Outrighted To Triple-A: Dana Eveland
The latest outright assignments from around MLB…
- The Orioles announced that they outrighted Dana Eveland to Triple-A Norfolk after the left-hander cleared waivers, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun reports (on Twitter). The Orioles recently designated Eveland for assignment for the third time this season.
