Orioles Rumors

Coaching/Managerial Notes: Hot Seats, Royals, Scioscia, Snitker

By Steve Adams | October 2, 2017 at 2:41pm CDT

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic runs down the big league managers that could be on the hot seat (subscription required and strongly recommended). Rosenthal lists Braves skipper Brian Snitker as an immediate candidate and notes that Red Sox skipper John Farrell, too, could be on the hot seat if the Sox are bounced in the ALDS for a second straight season. Farrell was inherited rather than hired by president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski. While Orioles owner Peter Angelos isn’t likely to dismiss Buck Showalter, the tension between him and GM Dan Duquette continues to loom large in the organization. Rosenthal also covers several other managers on shaky ground that could find themselves in jeopardy with poor team showings in 2018.

A bit from MLB’s dugouts around the league…

The Royals and pitching coach Dave Eiland reached a mutual agreement to part ways, reports FanRag’s Jon Heyman. The 51-year-old Eiland spent six seasons as the pitching coach for manager Ned Yost in Kansas City, helping the team to consecutive World Series appearances in 2014-15 and, of course, a World Series victory in the latter of those two seasons. He also spent 2008-10 as the Yankees pitching coach, so Eiland’s considerable experience should get him some type of opportunity with another organization, even if the Royals’ pitching staff as a whole underperformed in a disappointing 2017 campaign. Rustin Dodd and Pete Grahoff of the Kansas City Star, meanwhile, report that bench coach Don Wakamatsu, bullpen coach Doug Henry and assistant hitting coach Brian Buchanan are also expected to be dismissed. Kansas City has since announced that Eiland and Wakamatsu will not have their contracts renewed.
Angels manager Mike Scioscia will be back with the team in 2018 — the final season of his 10-year contract as skipper of the Halos, tweets Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Scioscia hopes to manage the Angels beyond the 2018 season, Fletcher notes, but he’s content heading into the final season of his contract without signing an extension. The 58-year-old Scioscia is Major League Baseball’s longest tenured manager, as he’s been skipper of the Angels since the 2000 campaign. The Halos were in contention for the American League’s second Wild Card spot up until the final week of the season despite a slew of injuries that decimated their pitching staff for much of the year.
Braves president of baseball operations plans to meet with manager Brian Snitker to discuss his future “as early as today,” tweets MLB.com’s Mark Bowman. The Braves will have a decision on the coaching staff at some point midweek, per Bowman. Notably, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that Hart said today’s sudden resignation of GM John Coppolella in the wake of an MLB investigation isn’t likely to impact the decision one way or another (Twitter links). O’Brien guesses that the option on Snitker will be exercised, though it seems that a formal decision has not yet been made.

AL Notes: Orioles, Donaldson, Molitor, Tigers

By Connor Byrne | October 1, 2017 at 2:47pm CDT

Speaking with reporters Sunday, Orioles general manager Dan Duquette confirmed that the team will attempt to return to contention, not rebuild, in 2018. That means neither third baseman Manny Machado nor reliever Zach Britton will be on the trade market in the offseason. Both players are scheduled to become free agents after next season, but Duquette unsurprisingly revealed that the Orioles will consider trying to extend Machado over the winter. Given that Machado’s a year from potentially collecting a record contract on the open market, it’s difficult to imagine the 25-year-old re-signing in the coming months. From a team standpoint, the positive contributions of Machado and other position players largely went to waste this year on account of poor pitching. With that in mind, Duquette said that the Orioles will focus on improving their rotation in the offseason, adding that they’ll have the ability to upgrade via free agency (Twitter links via Rich Dubroff of PressBoxOnline.com, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com and Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun).

East Notes: Mets, O’s, Jones, Showalter, Girardi

By Connor Byrne | September 30, 2017 at 6:08pm CDT

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson isn’t pleased with the in-house finger-pointing directed at manager Terry Collins, who’s likely in his final season with the club. Alderson told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com and other reporters Saturday that he “was exceptionally disappointed” in the member(s) of the front office who said earlier this week that Collins has lost favor with the team’s management. The GM added that “were I to know who that person was, that person would be terminated immediately. I think that this story and the aftermath overshadows, to this point, seven years of outstanding service” from Collins. Asked whether Collins has contributed to the Mets’ injury woes by overworking his players – something one club official has accused him of – Alderson said, “No, I wouldn’t agree to any of the substance of that conversation.”

Here’s more from the East Coast:

Orioles center fielder Adam Jones is scheduled to enter a contract year in 2018, when he’ll make $17MM, but he explained to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com and other reporters that he won’t push for an extension. “I’m not going to advocate for anything,” Jones said Saturday. “I just don’t think you can go to the owner and say, ‘Mr. Angelos, I would like this.’ Nah, that doesn’t work. I think everybody would do that if it worked that way. I think the thing is, they know I’m here throughout next year. There’s nothing I can do about that part, but beyond that, it’s up to them.” Jones is one of a few key Orioles whose team control will expire after next season, with Manny Machado, Zach Britton and Brad Brach joining him. As such, 2018 figures to be the last hurrah for a core that has helped the franchise to a couple recent playoff runs. Long one of the Orioles’ top players, the 32-year-old Jones slugged 26 home runs this season, his seventh straight campaign with at least 25 long balls, and batted a respectable .285/.322/.466 in 635 plate appearances.
The Orioles’ skipper, Buck Showalter, could draw interest from teams during the offseason, but the O’s are unlikely to let him leave to manage someplace else, Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com writes. Showalter still has another year left on his contract, and Connolly doesn’t expect owner Peter Angelos to allow him to bail out early if he’s interested in doing so. As Connolly notes, Angelos denied general manager Dan Duquette the opportunity to become the Blue Jays’ president in 2015, which suggests he’d repel any potential Showalter suitors. Since the Orioles hired Showalter in 2010, they’ve gone 622-567 with three playoff berths.
The Yankees’ Joe Girardi aims to keep managing beyond this season, but he’ll speak with his family before making a final decision, Jon Morosi of MLB Network tweets. The Yankees are headed to the playoffs for the sixth time under Girardi, whom they hired prior to 2008 and who oversaw a World Series winner in 2009, and are 200 games over .500 on his watch (909-709). The 52-year-old Girardi is not under contract past this season, nor is five-time World Series-winning general manager Brian Cashman, so either or both could be elsewhere in 2018. However, considering the success Girardi and Cashman have enjoyed in the Bronx, it’s difficult to imagine the team letting either leave without a fight.

AL East Notes: Donaldson, Cards, Hardy, Bogaerts

By Mark Polishuk | September 29, 2017 at 4:38pm CDT

Some news and rumblings from around the AL East…

The Cardinals “are expected to strongly pursue” a trade for Josh Donaldson during the offseason, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports (via Twitter). The Cards’ internal interest in Donaldson was initially reported last July though at that time, no offers had been made. Jedd Gyorko saw the bulk of action at third base for St. Louis last season (with Greg Garcia getting a fair amount of action as a left-handed hitting complement) and Gyorko could be a possible candidate to be headed back to the Blue Jays as part of a deal. The Cardinals have a surplus of both outfielders and multi-positional infielders, so they’re a fit for Toronto’s needs as potential trade partners. Of course, there hasn’t been any indication that the Jays are actually shopping their star third baseman. Donaldson is a free agent after the 2018 season, though with the Jays planning to contend next year, it would take a massive offer to get them to part ways with the former AL MVP.
J.J. Hardy will “re-evaluate” his 2018 plans once this season is concluded, though the veteran shortstop tells Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com that, in terms of considering retirement, “I don’t think I can go there yet.” Hardy’s seventh (and perhaps final) season with the Orioles has been a frustrating one, as he struggled in the first few months and then suffered a fractured wrist in mid-June. The O’s will certainly buy out Hardy for $2MM rather than exercise their $14MM club option on his services for 2018, though Hardy is hopeful of working out a new deal to remain in Baltimore. Given Tim Beckham’s emergence and Hardy’s injury problems and lack of production in recent years, it certainly seems as if Hardy would have to take a reserve role if he did return to the club. I recommend reading the full piece, which is a wide-ranging and at times emotional discussion of Hardy’s career, his Orioles stint and his family.
In a podcast interview with WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford (transcript link), Xander Bogaerts provides details on the hand injury that curtailed his production over the summer. Bogaerts was hit on the right hand by a pitch on July 6 and simply wasn’t the same afterwards, hitting just .193/.270/.293 over his next 200 plate appearances. “Looking back I probably should have taken a few days off. I thought with the All-Star break coming up I would have been find, home resting it,” Bogaerts said. “But when I came back it never got better….It was a little more serious than I thought.” The Red Sox shortstop received two cortisone shots to treat his injured hand and said he has started to feel like his old self over the last month, as evidenced by his .800 OPS in the month of September. Needless to say, an in-form Bogaerts would provide a big boost to the Sox in the postseason, especially given other injury concerns within Boston’s lineup.

AL East Notes: Warren, Orioles, Hernandez

By Steve Adams | September 28, 2017 at 6:34pm CDT

The Yankees plan to activate right-hander Adam Warren from the disabled list tomorrow, manager Joe Girardi told reporters (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch). While the Yanks have a plenty formidable ’pen even without Warren thanks to the presence of Aroldis Chapman, Dellin Betances, David Robertson, Tommy Kahnle and Chad Green, Warren’s return will bring yet another high-quality arm to the Bronx on the eve of the postseason. In 56 1/3 innings in his first full season back with the Yankees, Warren has averaged 8.5 K/9 against 2.4 BB/9 with a 44.3 percent ground-ball rate en route to a 2.40 ERA.

A bit more out of the AL East…

MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli runs down a number of questions facing the Orioles this offseason, including their oft-discussed Manny Machado dilemma (if one can even call it that; the O’s have given no indication that they’d even consider parting with the soon-to-be free agent on the offseason trade market). However, while they haven’t signaled a willingness to trade Machado, Ghiroli also writes that there’s yet to be any indication that the Orioles will try to lock him up on a long-term deal. Ghiroli also addresses needs in the rotation, balancing an “all or nothing” lineup and determining which young stars are certain future pieces for the team.
The Blue Jays aren’t expected to retain longtime right fielder Jose Bautista this offseason, writes Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com, making young Teoscar Hernandez’s huge September showing all the more important. Hernandez’s biggest obstacle, to date, has been his lack of plate discipline with the Jays. However, he’s drawn a pair of walks in his past couple of games, and manager John Gibbons said he’s been encouraged by a more measured approach to Hernandez’s plate appearances. “I’ve noticed a big change in his aggression at the plate,” said the skipper. “He’s still an aggressive hitter, but he’s not up there swinging at everything, which is key.” Hernandez is Toronto’s “most realistic” internal candidate to take over an everyday corner outfield spot in 2018, per Chisholm. Hernandez is hitting .282/.313/.667 with eight homers in just 83 plate appearances for the Jays since being called up earlier this month.

East Notes: O’s, Hellickson, Mets, Cabrera, Phillies

By Connor Byrne | September 28, 2017 at 8:00am CDT

Although the Orioles need multiple starting pitchers, they’re unlikely to re-sign Jeremy Hellickson, Roch Kubatko of MASNSports.com relays. Hellickson, whom the O’s acquired from Philadelphia in July, told Kubatko and other reporters that he has “loved” his time in Baltimore. The 30-year-old hasn’t looked like part of the solution since the trade, though, having pitched to an ugly 6.97 ERA with just 31 strikeouts in 51 2/3 innings (10 starts). And manager Buck Showalter seems prepared to lose Hellickson, saying: “I’m sure he’s got some things planned for next year as a free agent. I know what he was like in Tampa. Nobody’s the same three or four years later. Everybody changes somewhat. I’m not going to get into some of the challenges that I think he’s faced here and this season. Hopefully, he’ll get them behind him and be a good pitcher for somebody next year.”

More from Baltimore and two other East Coast cities:

The Mets are “nearly certain” to pick up infielder Asdrubal Cabrera’s option for 2018, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com writes. Whether to bring back Cabrera amounts to a $6.5MM decision for the Mets, who must choose between exercising the $8.5MM option or buying him out for $2MM. Cabrera, 32 in November, has posted solid production during his two years as a Met, including his respectable .273/.346/.422 batting line in 530 plate appearances this season. He has also played upward of 30 games this year at second base, shortstop (a position that now belongs to Amed Rosario) and third base.
Phillies manager Pete Mackanin continues to lobby for the team’s front office to acquire starting pitching in the offseason. “I think it would behoove us to get a bona fide starting pitcher,” Mackanin said Wednesday, adding that “I think we need a stabilizer at the top” (via Todd Zolecki of MLB.com). The Phillies aren’t close enough to contention to vie for the absolute best soon-to-be free agent starters – Yu Darvish and Jake Arrieta – notes Zolecki, who suggests that second-tier hurlers such as Alex Cobb, Lance Lynn and Jhoulys Chacin are more realistic possibilities.
Adding a left-handed bat will be an offseason priority for the Orioles, especially with outfielder Seth Smith likely to depart via free agency, according to Kubatko. Smith and Chris Davis have been the only lefty-swinging regulars this year for a Baltimore team that has managed a middling .260/.313/.436 line against right-handed pitchers.
Former Mets utilityman Joe McEwing has emerged as a potential successor to soon-to-be-ousted manager Terry Collins, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. McEwing, who played with the Mets from 2000-04, has been a coach in the White Sox’s organization since 2008. He served as their third base coach from 2012-16 before earning a promotion to bench coach prior to this season.

Three Needs: Baltimore Orioles

By Mark Polishuk | September 27, 2017 at 11:26am CDT

This is the latest edition in MLBTR’s Three Needs series. Click to read entries on the Phillies, Braves, Tigers, Reds, Pirates, Giants, Mets, Blue Jays, Athletics, White Sox and Mariners.

For the first time since 2011 (Buck Showalter’s first full season managing the club), the Orioles will post a losing record. While much of the offseason focus will be upgrading Baltimore’s lackluster rotation, the O’s also have some other holes to fill if they hope to return to contention in 2018.

1. Add some starting pitching. You could argue that the need for rotation help could account for all three entries on this list, given how long starting pitching has been a weak spot for the Orioles. The team already has plans to acquire at least two new arms to join Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman in next year’s rotation, though some creativity may be required in getting those new pitchers given that the Orioles are likely hesitant to deal any top youngsters from what is already a pretty thin farm system.

The O’s aren’t traditionally big spenders on free agent pitching, and Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com recently observed that the failure of the Ubaldo Jimenez signing may have entirely hardened ownership against making any more long-term commitments to free agent starters. The Orioles’ notoriously stringent medical standards will also be an obstacle, given that several of the mid-tier names in this winter’s free agent pitching market (Lance Lynn, Alex Cobb, Jason Vargas, Tyler Chatwood, Jaime Garcia) have undergone Tommy John surgery.

Since trading prospects or making major signings could be difficult, the Orioles could instead add pitching by making a trade off the MLB roster. Brad Brach and Zach Britton will each become more expensive in their final years of arbitration eligibility, though Brach has the much lower price tag and more immediate value given Britton’s injury problems in 2017. Dealing a position player could be more difficult — Mark Trumbo is the only regular that seems expendable, though trade partners won’t be lining up for a player coming off a sub-replacement level season who is still owed $26MM through the end of 2019. Chris Davis’ big contract makes him immovable, and it seems doubtful that the O’s would move franchise stalwart Adam Jones or second baseman Jonathan Schoop, especially in the wake of Schoop’s best season yet.

2. Upgrade the defense. Baltimore was a below-average defensive unit in 2017 as per both the UZR/150 and Defensive Runs Saved metrics, so if obtaining top-ticket pitching help will be difficult, the Orioles could help their run prevention by improving the glovework.

Jones has graded out as one of the league’s worst defensive center fielders over the last two seasons, and it may be time for him to shift into a corner outfield role. Right field will be open if Seth Smith isn’t re-signed, which leaves center open for a new face. Lorenzo Cain stands out as the biggest name in free agency, with Carlos Gomez as an interesting Plan B-type of option if the Orioles didn’t want make a long-term commit to center field with top prospect Austin Hays on the cusp of regular duty. You could argue that Hays might be the best choice now, though since he has yet to play at the Triple-A level, it’s more likely he’ll start 2018 in the minors.

3. Figure out a future with or without Manny Machado. The star third baseman’s future is the biggest long-term question facing the Orioles, and it’s a given that the club will again discuss an extension with Machado as he enters his final season under contract. If the O’s feel Machado can be kept in the fold, that will have a big impact on the rest of the team’s spending this winter, since suddenly the Orioles will have at least $300MM in future commitments coming for Machado’s new deal.

According to recent reports, the O’s aren’t planning to trade Machado before next season, so that scenario seems to be off the table. That leaves the club in the rather precarious spot of risking seeing its best asset leave in free agency for nothing more than a compensatory draft pick after the first round in return, rather than the haul they could receive for even one year of Machado’s services in a trade. A Machado deal could be explored at the trade deadline, of course, though the Orioles obviously don’t plan on being deadline sellers next year. The worst-case scenario would be a repeat of 2017, as the O’s weren’t entirely out of the race and felt obligated to add at the deadline, only to see their chances fade in August and September. If the same occurs next year, the Orioles will have missed their window for moving Machado and other key impending free agents like Jones, Britton and Brach.

Dan Duquette On Orioles’ Rotation Needs

By Jeff Todd | September 26, 2017 at 12:34pm CDT

As the Orioles wrap up a difficult campaign, there’s still some ongoing tension between executive VP of baseball ops Dan Duquette and skipper Buck Showalter, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription req’d). But there’s no indication that “strained” communications will lead to any major changes, and Duquette suggests that he’s heading into the winter preparing once again to build a winning roster — with a particular focus on starting pitching.

In conversations with Rosenthal and also with Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com, Duquette indicated that he’s optimistic about some young players that are reaching or nearing the majors. While filling out the rotation will be a “big challenge,” says Duquette, “it’s been done here before.”

We’ve heard previously that the O’s believe they need to add at least two new starters, and that certainly seems to be the case after a miserable 2017 performance. “There’s no major league team in the business that’s going to withstand three of their starters not pitching up to the level that they established for themselves,” said Duquette, referring to the struggles of Chris Tillman, Ubaldo Jimenez, and Wade Miley.

Of course, those veterans all had some concerns entering the season, and it’s fair to wonder whether and how Baltimore will find more reliable arms this time around. As Connolly notes, while Duquette expressed optimism about some prospects, it doesn’t seem any are waiting in the wings to take a rotation spot out of camp.

With a big commitment to Chris Davis on the books and several core player slated to depart after the 2018 season, the O’s will need to be cautious of long-term commitments in free agency. Unless owner Peter Angelos really opens up the pocketbook, adding veteran pitching through the open market may be challenge. (MLBTR’s Steve Adams recently broke down the starting pitching market by certain indicators.)

The trade market doesn’t necessarily seem an easier route. With the Orioles likely relying on position-player prospects to cover for the possible losses of Manny Machado, Adam Jones, and eventually Jonathan Schoop, they’ll be hesitant to deal from that stock. While Connolly hints that the club might consider trying to swap out Mark Trumbo for an expensive hurler from another organization, that may be easier said than done.

Despite the obvious difficulties, Duquette insists he can build a quality staff around Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman. Those two make for a good starting point, to be sure, though Bundy will be looking to sustain his performance after a big innings jump and Gausman struggled badly over the first half of 2017. Even assuming that pair is healthy and effective, it’ll be a tall order to put together a productive five-man unit (not to mention ensuring adequate depth behind it).

Quick Hits: Diamondbacks, Marlins, Cashner, Rays, Hardy

By charliewilmoth and Connor Byrne | September 24, 2017 at 10:21pm CDT

The Mariners have extended congratulations (via Twitter) to Tacoma News Tribune writer Bob Dutton, who will retire at the end of the season. Dutton’s reporting on the Mariners and the Royals (he previously was a longtime beat writer for the Kansas City Star) have been indispensable to us here at MLBTR for years. We wish him the best of luck as he begins the next chapter of his life. Here’s more from throughout the game.

Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen could have rebuilt the team when he was hired following its 69-93 record last season. He didn’t, and the club was rewarded when the Diamondbacks clinched a Wild Card berth today, Steve Gilbert of MLB.com writes. “The reason we kept the team together in the offseason was because we wanted to give these guys a chance to redeem what happened last season,” says Hazen. Last winter, the Diamondbacks did make one big trade (sending Jean Segura, Mitch Haniger and Zac Curtis to Seattle for Taijuan Walker and Ketel Marte) and a few cheap free-agent signings (including Chris Iannetta and Fernando Rodney). But they mostly retained a core held over from previous front offices, and much of that core (including Paul Goldschmidt and Zack Greinke) thrived in 2017. Hazen also, of course, later added J.D. Martinez in a huge mid-summer move that propelled the team to the finish line.
In taking over the Marlins, Derek Jeter is also taking over “what might be baseball’s most complicated set of obstacles,” ESPN’s Buster Olney writes. One of the many problems Jeter will face is the team’s debt, which is tied to Giancarlo Stanton’s hefty contract. Keeping Stanton could leave the Marlins with little room to maneuver in the coming years, but trading him would be seen as a move similar to the team’s trade of Miguel Cabrera years ago.
While Rangers right-hander Andrew Cashner told Jeff Wilson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and other reporters on Sunday that he’s open to re-signing with the team, an offseason trip to the open market looks inevitable. “It’s going to be fun. I’m looking forward to it. I can’t wait,” said the free agent-to-be. “I might strike early. I think there will be some good offers soon. I’ll take what’s best for me and where I want to go.” The Rangers’ $10MM investment in Cashner last winter has paid off this season, but they still haven’t approached the 31-year-old about a new deal. That’s understandable on Texas’ part, as even though Cashner has logged a 3.44 ERA over 157 innings, he’s second last among qualified starters in K/9 (4.7) and third from the bottom in swinging-strike percentage (6.1).
As they’ve done in the past, the Rays will at least listen to offseason offers for right-hander Chris Archer and closer Alex Colome, according to Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Topkin adds that there’s no reason to believe the team will attempt to move third baseman and longtime face of the franchise Evan Longoria. On the other hand, righty Jake Odorizzi may find himself in another uniform next season, per Topkin. The 27-year-old has endured a down 2017 and only has two years of arbitration eligibility remaining.
Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy hopes to return for 2018, MASN’s Steve Melewski tweets. “I still feel I can play and we’ll see what happens,” Hardy says. It’s been a frustrating season for Hardy, who’s batted a mere .218/.255/.321. Hardy also suffered a broken wrist in June, then watched the Orioles trade for Tim Beckham, who replaced him at shortstop and thrived. The O’s seem all but certain to pay Hardy a $2MM buyout rather than picking up his 2018 option. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the 35-year-old, although it’s worth noting that he was a productive player as recently as last season.

Cafardo’s Latest: Mondesi, Vazquez, Lucroy, Miley

By charliewilmoth | September 24, 2017 at 5:46pm CDT

Here are the highlights from Nick Cafardo’s latest column with the Boston Globe:

In this year’s Arizona Fall League, MLB could consider using earpieces allowing direct communication between managers, pitchers and catchers, Cafardo writes. Such a move would be designed to help prevent sign-stealing, while also improving the pace of the game by reducing mound conferences.
Cafardo notes the strange story developing in the Dominican Republic, where Raul Mondesi — the longtime big-league outfielder and father of the Royals infielder of the same name — has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being convicted of embezzling over $6MM from the city of San Cristobal during his time as mayor there. Mondesi had been involved in Dominican politics since the end of his big-league career in 2005.
The Red Sox acknowledge that catcher is a “two-man position,” although manager John Farrell thinks Christian Vazquez could take 110 to 120 starts next year. That means Sandy Leon could lose playing time. Vazquez has batted .298/.336/.420 this season, including .336/.376/.493 in the second half. Leon hasn’t had a good season and is eligible for arbitration this winter, although it seems very likely, from my perspective, that the Red Sox will bring him back — Blake Swihart has struggled at Triple-A, and Leon is a strong framer who works well with pitchers, including ace Chris Sale.
After playing under an extremely team-friendly contract for the last six seasons, Rockies catcher Jonathan Lucroy is heading into free agency on a down note, having batted just .258/.328/.353 this season (although it’s perhaps worth noting he’s posted a .390 OBP since heading to Denver in late July). Still, Lucroy is only 31 and will likely get a multi-year deal, given his track record and his reputation for terrific work behind the plate. “He’s a solid receiver and he handles a pitching staff well. Those are the two most important things,” a scout tells Cafardo. “The offense is baffling because he’s always been one of the best at his position. You have to take the leap that part will come back.”
The Royals could attempt to keep free-agent-to-be Lorenzo Cain this winter, Cafardo writes. At last check, it seemed unlikely the Royals could keep Cain. As Cafardo notes, Cain will turn 32 shortly after the start of the 2018 season. It’s unclear how the significant contract that will likely be required to retain Cain would fit into the Royals’ plans.
The Orioles aren’t likely to exercise lefty Wade Miley’s $12MM option, Cafardo writes. That means they’d pay him a $500K buyout. It’s unclear to what extent Cafardo is reporting on Miley’s status based on sources from within Miley’s camp or the Orioles organization, but either way, it does seem likely the Orioles will go in another direction — Miley has posted a 5.52 ERA, 8.0 K/9 and 5.2 BB/9 in what’s been a very rough 2017 season.

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