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Red Sox Interested In Martin Prado-David Phelps Package

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With the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline nearing, the Red Sox have interest in acquiring a package consisting of third baseman Martin Prado and reliever David Phelps from the Marlins, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).

The Red Sox’s interest in Prado isn’t anything new, as both Nightengale and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe have reported that they’re eyeing the 33-year-old. However, Cafardo noted Saturday that the Red Sox have reservations about Prado’s contract, which will see him earn another $34MM through 2019. Boston wants Miami to eat some of the money remaining on Prado’s deal, and given that the Marlins seem to be in payroll-slashing mode, it’s possible they’d be open to that.

The Sox would be the sixth team for Prado, who has generally been a quality contributor throughout his career. That hasn’t been the case this year, though, as Prado has slashed an uninspiring .270/.302/.385 during an injury-affected, 129-plate appearance campaign. Unfortunately for first-place Boston, the numbers that its third basemen have posted this year pale in comparison to Prado’s lackluster output. The combination of Deven Marrero, Josh Rutledge, Pablo Sandoval, Marco Hernandez, Tzu-Wei Lin and Steve Selsky has batted an ugly .231/.288/.327 en route the majors’ third-worst fWAR at the position (minus-0.4). Among that group, only Marrero and Lin are both healthy and at the major league level at the moment, while Selsky is at Triple-A. Of course, the Red Sox have a much more prominent third base option in the minors in Double-A standout Rafael Devers, Baseball America’s sixth-ranked prospect, but they’re not eager to promote the 20-year-old yet.

While the hot corner has caused headaches for Boston, its bullpen has been a strength. The unit entered Sunday ranked third in baseball in ERA and fifth in fWAR, with each of Craig Kimbrel, Joe Kelly, Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree, Fernando Abad and Blaine Boyer having logged production ranging from respectable to great. Phelps would make the unit all the more formidable (but would also join Kimbrel, Kelly, Barnes, Hembree and Boyer in providing yet another righty option), though acquiring him isn’t going to be easy.

Half the league has contacted the Marlins about Phelps, who’s amid his second straight solid year and his first as a full-time reliever. On a reasonable salary now ($4.6MM) and controllable via arbitration through 2018, the 30-year-old has notched a 3.56 ERA, 9.63 K/9, 3.35 BB/9 and a 46.4 percent ground-ball rate over 43 innings this season. For their part, the Marlins are willing to move Phelps, who has already been in a package deal with Prado in the past. The Red Sox’s chief rivals, the Yankees, sent the duo to Miami prior to the 2015 campaign. Boston is now trying to fend off the playoff-contending Yankees in the AL East, and the Sox could turn to two former Bombers to boost their chances.

Cafardo’s Latest: Neshek, Royals, BoSox, Yanks, Cobb, Prado

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The latest pre-trade deadline rumblings from Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe:

  • The Royals, Red Sox and Yankees are among the teams that have scouted Phillies reliever Pat Neshek, according to Cafardo. They join the Nationals as clubs with known interest in the right-handed Neshek, who is likely on other bullpen-needy teams’ radars, too. The 36-year-old Neshek joined the Phillies last offseason in a salary-dumping deal with the Astros, but the $6.5MM man should warrant a much stronger return at the deadline. An impending free agent, Neshek is in the midst of his second All-Star season, having logged a 1.31 ERA, 8.91 K/9 and 1.31 BB/9 over 34 1/3 innings.
  • With the Rays in the thick of the American League playoff race, it appears soon-to-be free agent righty Alex Cobb will finish the season in Tampa Bay. “If we’re in it, I don’t think Alex Cobb is going anywhere,” a Rays official told Cafardo. The Rays will likely lose Cobb for nothing at season’s end, then, though moving him this summer would seemingly be a blow to their playoff hopes. In Cobb’s first extensive action since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2015, the 29-year-old has put up a 3.75 ERA (4.13 FIP), 5.93 K/9, 2.34 BB/9 and a 45.4 percent ground-ball rate across 115 1/3 frames.
  • The Red Sox and Yankees have checked in on Marlins third baseman Martin Prado, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today previously reported, but Cafardo relays that Boston and New York have concerns over the 33-year-old’s contract. Prado is due roughly $34MM through 2019, which is problematic for both teams because they’re trying to stay under the $197MM luxury tax threshold. As such, the Red Sox and Yankees have asked the Marlins to eat some of the money on Prado’s deal. Injuries have limited Prado to just 123 plate appearances this season, and he has hit a meager .282/.309/.402. Nevertheless, both the Sox and Yankees admire his “leadership, hustle, and devotion to the game,” writes Cafardo. The Bombers are already quite familiar with Prado, of course, as he spent the second half of the 2014 campaign in the Bronx.

Injury Notes: Finnegan, Mauer, Nimmo, Friedrich, Swihart

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A slew of injury notes from around baseball:

  • There’s yet another problem for Reds lefty Brandon Finnegan. Already on the DL with ongoing problems in the teres major muscle in his left back/shoulder, Finnegan is now recovering from surgery to repair a tear to the labrum in his right shoulder, the team announced. Obviously, it’s a relief that the new injury isn’t on the throwing side, but it’s a significant issue for any athlete. (Finnegan suffered the tear in an off-field incident, manager Bryan Price told reporters including Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer, via Twitter.)
  • Veteran Twins first baseman Joe Mauer is heading to the 10-day DL to rest his strained lower back, MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger was among those to report on Twitter. Minnesota recalled Kennys Vargas to take the place of Mauer, who hasn’t played since the Fourth of July.
  • The Mets activated big-hitting outfielder Michael Conforto from the disabled list on Saturday and sent fellow outfielder Brandon Nimmo to the DL in a corresponding move. Nimmo is dealing with a fairly serious issue, a collapsed lung, per Mike Puma of the New York Post. The 24-year-old began experiencing shortness of breath on July 4 and notified the Mets’ medical staff on Friday when the discomfort hadn’t subsided. Nimmo, who was in and out of a New York hospital Friday, has been prescribed rest. Both the cause of his collapsed lung and a potential return date are unclear.
  • It has been a bumpy road of late for Padres lefty Christian Friedrich. Now, after experiencing elbow discomfort, Friedrich has been shut down again, as MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell reports. While a variety of issues have cropped up for the southpaw, the elbow problems seems to be the most serious; indeed, it could even force him to sit out the remainder of the season, per the report.
  • Red Sox catcher Blake Swihart is on the shelf at Triple-A Pawtucket with inflammation in his left ankle, on which he underwent surgery last August. His current troubles aren’t in the exact spot, per the Providence Journal’s Brian MacPherson, though he suggests that Swihart’s problems are likely related to last year’s injury and surgery. Swihart suffered the injury while playing left field for Boston last June. He’s back behind the plate on a full-time basis this year, but all of his work has come in the minors and he has only hit .213/.265/.327 across 163 plate appearances.

Trade Rumors: Luhnow, Dombrowski, Red Sox, Mets

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Some trade talk from around baseball…

  • The Astros are essentially a lock for the postseason thanks to their big lead in the AL West, which allows the team to take a somewhat more measured approach to the deadline, GM Jeff Luhnow tells Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi.  They’re even looking ahead to individualized needs against potential playoff opponents; as Luhnow said, “you really can start focusing on what does this team need to look like to face the Cleveland Indians in a seven-game series, to face the Boston Red Sox in a seven-game series, do we match up well.”  While Houston is prepared to deal from its minor league depth to add at the deadline, Luhnow also sees no reason to abandon the franchise’s long-built plan for sustained success.  “We want to win now, for sure, and we’re going to do whatever it takes to win now,” Luhnow said.  “But at the same time, we’ve been building up all this currency, all these players in the pipeline so that we could be good for a long time….I certainly want it to be more than a three- or four-year run.”
  • Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters (including WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford) that “We’re not looking for starting pitching at this point. I’ll stop at that.”  Injuries and some subpar results from Rick Porcello has led to some instability within Boston’s rotation, though with Eduardo Rodriguez almost back from the DL, the Sox will soon be able to deploy their first-choice starting five of Chris Sale, David Price, Porcello, Rodriguez and Drew Pomeranz.  I would guess the Red Sox might check in on some low-cost starting depth at the deadline, though a major acquisition seems quite unlikely (barring a notable injury).  Dombrowski also raised the possibility that the Red Sox could stand pat entirely at the deadline, which would be the more surprising move given that the club could use some help in the bullpen and at third base.
  • Speaking of the hot corner, despite the recent fine play from Tzu-Wei Lin and Deven Marrero, both CSNNE.com’s Evan Drellich and ESPN’s Scott Lauber think the Red Sox should and will still be looking to add a third baseman at the deadline.  The two youngsters were pressed into regular duty at third base thanks to Boston’s many infield injuries, though Marrero has delivered excellent defense and Lin has surprisingly hit .313/.436/.438 over his first 40 career PA in the big leagues.  There’s no guarantee that this performance will continue, however, and a more established third baseman would provide a clearer upgrade for the Sox lineup.
  • The Mets will sell at the deadline with an eye towards reloading for 2018, though Joel Sherman of the New York Post wonders if the team should be open to the idea of a larger rebuild.  The club will be facing some significant position player losses and a still-shaky rotation next year, so in theory, the Mets could consider moving Jacob deGrom or Noah Syndergaard to totally upgrade the farm system.  Overall, however, Sherman feels the Mets should still look to contend, both because their 2017 may be an injury-riddled aberration, and because if the team’s window does indeed seem closed, they can still sell their top pitchers at next year’s deadline.

Marlins Notes: Trade Targets, Volquez, Sale Progress

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Here’s the latest out of Miami:

  • With the team set to be sold at some point in the near future, the Marlins appear to be lining up for some significant moves at the deadline. As Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports, the Fish appear to be targeting a few organizations in particular as they look to shop their biggest contracts. Marlins scouts are taking a hard look at the systems of the Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers, Rockies, and Cubs, per the report. Whether that’s based upon demand coming from those organizations or instead Miami’s own interest in certain prospects isn’t entirely clear; obviously, plenty of other teams will likely end up engaging with the Marlins in what is shaping up to be an interesting deadline period.
  • Miami is not concerned about righty Edinson Volquez, Spencer also notes. Though he experienced left-knee discomfort in his most recent start, skipper Don Mattingly suggested the veteran will be ready to go after the All-Star break. He could well be one of the players dangled in trade talks over the next few weeks.
  • The less-than-straightforward Marlins sale process remains in flux as the organization prepares to host the All-Star Game. Bidding groups led by Tagg Romney, on the one hand, and Derek Jeter, on the other, have each run into issues, according to a report from Claire Atinson, Ken Davidoff, and Josh Kosman of the New York Post. In fact, the Romney group may even have pulled out of the process altogether, per the report. Jeter’s group, meanwhile, no longer has the backing of one key investor. That could place a third bidder, Jorge Mas, in position to make a deal. But it’s also possible that Jeter could try to “convince MLB to push back a decision date … possibly to the end of the season in October,” sources tell the Post.
  • Mas has attempted to get the Marlins to agree to an exclusive negotiating window, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, but that has yet to occur. Still, the report suggests, the process could be only weeks away from completion. While Mas is said to be in the driver’s seat, Heyman hears that the Romney-led group may still be involved.

Injury Notes: Heyward, Sabathia, Warren, Shoemaker, E-Rod, Dahl

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The latest on some DL situations around the league…

  • The Cubs have activated Jason Heyward from the 10-day DL.  Infielder Jeimer Candelario and righty Felix Pena were optioned to Triple-A, while left-hander Jack Leathersich was called up in corresponding moves.  Heyward has missed two weeks due to a left hand abrasion, his second DL stint of the season after missing time due to a sprained finger in May.  The injuries haven’t helped Heyward’s goal of regaining his former offensive consistency, as the outfielder has a .258/.315/.399 slash line over 217 PA this season.  [Updated Cubs depth chart at Roster Resource]
  • The Yankees have activated C.C. Sabathia and Adam Warren from the disabled list, and optioned right-handers Domingo German and Bryan Mitchell to Triple-A in corresponding moves.  Sabathia will start today’s game against the Blue Jays, his first outing since hitting the DL with a Grade 2 hamstring strain in mid-June.  The veteran southpaw is looking to continue a strong campaign that has seen him post a 3.46 ERA over 75 1/3 innings.  Warren was also enjoying a very good season (2.23 ERA, 8.4 K/9, 3.33 K/BB rate) in 32 1/3 IP out of New York’s bullpen before being sidelined with shoulder inflammation for the last three weeks.
  • Matt Shoemaker is scheduled for a minor league rehab start today, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register tweets.  The righty will need at least one more rehab game after today before returning to the Angels roster.  Shoemaker went on the DL with forearm tightness in mid-June, though that ominous-sounding injury was related to his extensor muscle, and an MRI revealed no structural damage.  Shoemaker has a 4.52 ERA, 2.46 K/BB rate and 8.0 K/9 over 77 2/3 IP for the Angels this year and he has had trouble keeping the ball in the park, with 15 home runs allowed.
  • The Red Sox will won’t bring Eduardo Rodriguez back to the rotation before the All-Star break, Tim Britton of the Providence Journal tweets.  Rodriguez hasn’t pitched since June 1 due to a partial right kneecap dislocation, the latest in a series of knee injuries the left-handed has dealt with in his young career.  The Sox could give Rodriguez another rehab start in the minors or activate him from the DL for use as a reliever next weekend, Britton writes.
  • David Dahl has been pain-free for over a month, the Rockies outfielder tells Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post as Dahl continues to recover from a stress fracture in his ribcage.  There isn’t yet a timetable for a rehab assignment or Dahl’s return to Colorado’s roster, and it is likely both he and the team want to be as certain as possible given the lingering nature of the injury, which has plagued Dahl since very early in Spring Training.

Red Sox Acquire International Bonus Money In Trades With Reds, Cardinals

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5:48pm: The Reds sent $2.75MM in spending room to the Red Sox, tweets Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

10:33am: The Red Sox have acquired international bonus pool space from the Reds in exchange for minor league first baseman Nick Longhi, as per a Sox press release.  In a separate deal, Boston also acquired more pool space from the Cardinals in exchange for minor league infielders Imeldo Diaz and Stanley Espinal.  Specific financial terms weren’t announced for either trade.

The Sox made a big splash as the 2017-18 international signing period opened this morning, agreeing to deals with highly-touted prospects Daniel Flores, Danny Diaz and Antoni Flores for a combined $6.1MM in bonuses.  Since the Red Sox had only $4.75MM available to spend in their draft pool, some trading was necessary to bring in the extra funds for these youngsters, as well as any other less-splashy international signings the Sox may make.  Teams are allowed to acquire as much as 75 percent of their original draft pool, which works out to $3,562,500 in Boston’s case.

Longhi was rated as Boston’s 14th-best minor leaguer by the 2017 Baseball America Prospect Handbook, which described Longhi as “one of the best pure hitters in the Red Sox system” despite a lack of power.  Longhi has six of his 16 career homers as a professional this season at Double-A, with a .262/.306/.401 overall batting line in 252 PA.  The 21-year-old was originally a 30th-round pick for the Sox in the 2013 amateur draft.

Both Espinal and Diaz have appeared in just seven games each this season, all for Boston’s low A-ball affiliate in Lowell.  Espinal, a 20-year-old third baseman out of the Dominican Republic, has a .682 OPS over 577 pro plate appearances.  The 19-year-old Diaz also hasn’t shown much at the plate in his brief career, hitting .222/.279/.258 over 522 PA.

The Cardinals had $5.75MM and the Reds $5.25MM in available pool money for this July 2 class, though both teams are under the $300K limit since both exceeded their bonus pools in the 2016-17 signing period.  It stands to reason that St. Louis and Cincinnati felt comfortable dealing their pool money since they didn’t plan on using all of it given their limited signing capabilities.  It wouldn’t be a surprise if other teams facing the $300K penalty (the Astros, A’s, Cubs, Padres, Royals, Braves, Giants, Dodgers and Nationals) also deal some from their bonus pool funds in the coming weeks and months.

Red Sox To Sign Daniel Flores, Danny Diaz, Antoni Flores

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The Red Sox have reached agreement with 16-year-old Venezuelan prospects Daniel Flores, Danny Diaz and Antoni Flores, Ben Badler of Baseball America reports.  Daniel Flores, a catcher, will receive a bonus worth $3.1MM.  Diaz and Antoni Flores, both shortstops, will respectively get bonuses worth $1.6MM and $1.4MM, as per MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez (all Twitter links).

The flurry of signings marks Boston’s return to prominence in the international signing market, as the Sox were restricted to signings of $300K or less in the last two July 2 classes as punishment for exceeding their bonus pool limit in the 2014-15 class (which saw them splurge on the likes of Yoan Moncada and Anderson Espinoza).  The Flores/Diaz/Flores signings put the Red Sox in excess of their $4.75MM pool for this year’s international class, and since the new collective bargaining agreement strictly forbids teams from spending beyond their pool limit, the Sox have already made some minor trades to acquire more pool space.  Teams are allowed to acquire as much as 75 percent of their original draft pool, so the Red Sox could have slightly more than $8.25MM to spend if they traded for the maximum amount of additional pool money.

Daniel Flores is the centerpiece of Boston’s signings, and possibly of the entire 2017-18 class, as most scouts consider Flores or Wander Samuel Franco (who agreed to sign with the Rays) as the top names within this international signing period.  Both MLB.com and Baseball America rated Flores as the second-best prospect of this year’s class.

Flores has drawn raves for his defense, and he is described many scouts as perhaps the best defensive catcher they’ve seen for a 16-year-old player.  Between his strong work behind the plate and an outstanding throwing arm, MLB.com and Baseball America both use the phrase “elite defender” as Flores’ potential ceiling as a big league catcher.  He is still something of a work in progress at the plate, showing some raw power as a switch-hitter who performs better as a right-handed bat.  BA’s scouting report (subscription required) noted that Flores received mixed reviews for his work against live pitching, though in game action last summer Flores displayed “a sound approach and a high contact rate.”

Diaz was rated 7th by Baseball America and 13th by MLB.com, while Antoni Flores checked in at 20th on MLB.com’s list and 35th on BA’s list.  Diaz has a strong bat with a lot of power potential, as Baseball America feels Diaz should eventually merit a 60 in power on the 20-80 scouting scale.  On defense, Diaz will likely move off shortstop to third base or possibly even first as he keeps growing; interestingly, MLB.com lists Diaz as 6’1″ and 170 pounds, while BA pegs him at 6’3″ and 200 pounds.  Flores is said to possess good defensive tools at shortstop though a position change could be possible in the future; MLB.com’s scouting report says some scouts feel Flores could be “the next Alcides Escobar.”

Rosenthal’s Latest: Stanton, Astros, BoSox, Bucs, Mets

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Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton’s mammoth contract isn’t as immovable as it appears, says FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). Stanton has a full no-trade clause, but he’ll likely waive it if the up-for-sale Marlins begin tearing things down, which Rosenthal expects to happen. Further, Stanton would even “talk about his 2020 opt-out,” according to Rosenthal, who points out that the Marlins could facilitate a deal by eating some of the $295MM left on his accord or taking back an expensive contract from a potential trading partner. Rosenthal adds that Stanton’s annual $25MM luxury tax number won’t seem nearly as burdensome as it currently does when soon-to-be free agents such as Bryce Harper and Manny Machado sign more expensive deals.

More pre-deadline rumblings from Rosenthal:

  • The Astros’ two most untouchable prospects are outfielder Kyle Tucker and right-hander Forrest Whitley, sources told Rosenthal. Houston was unwilling to trade a package including Tucker to the White Sox for Jose Quintana over the winter, and the 20-year-old has since hit .272/.317/.544 in his first 124 plate appearances at the Double-A level. Tucker ranks as Baseball America’s 15th-best prospect, while Whitley, 19, isn’t on the list. The 6-foot-7 Whitley’s only a year removed from going 17th in the draft, though, and he has held his own in Single-A this season with a 2.91 ERA, 13.01 K/9 and 4.08 BB/9 in 46 1/3 innings.
  • With the Red Sox in desperate need of a third baseman, it would make sense for them to pursue Pirates utilityman Josh Harrison, posits Rosenthal. Harrison, controllable at affordable rates through 2020, has recovered from an injury-hampered 2016 to slash .289/.369/.449 with nine homers and 10 steals across 338 PAs this season. If the Red Sox were to acquire Harrison, he’d presumably hold down third for the rest of the year, but it’s unclear what would happen after that. Boston has top third base prospect Rafael Devers on the way, after all, while Harrison’s other positions (second base and the corner outfield) belong to Dustin Pedroia, Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi.
  • While the Mets are indeed “open for business” as the deadline nears, some of their top trade chips might not bring back much if the team is unwilling to eat money, notes Rosenthal. Outfielders Curtis Granderson (around $5MM remaining on his contract) and Jay Bruce ($4.3MM), first baseman Lucas Duda ($2.5MM) and infielder Asdrubal Cabrera ($3MM or $5MM, depending on what happens with his $2MM buyout) come with enough money left on their deals to hamper their trade value.

Red Sox Release Allen Craig

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The Red Sox have released veteran first baseman/outfielder Allen Craig, according to a club announcement (h/t Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal, via Twitter).

Craig, 32, will hit the open market after an ill-fated stint in the Sox organization. He was acquired back in 2014 along with righty Joe Kelly in the surprising trade that sent John Lackey to the Cardinals.

At the time, Craig was viewed as a possible bounce-back piece. Though he was carrying only a .237/.291/.346 batting line at the time of the deal, Boston obviously saw upside in the remainder of Craig’s contract extension. After all, prior to 2014, he owns an excellent career .306/.358/.492 batting line.

Unfortunately, the rebound never occurred. Craig only appeared in 65 MLB games with the Red Sox, posting a .432 OPS. And he has never shown much life while banished to Triple-A. Though Craig continues to reach base at a solid clip, he has hit just one home run and carries a .316 slugging percentage this year at Pawtucket.

Boston has long since written off his salary as an investment that won’t deliver any return, but it’s still a notable sum. Craig will still be entitled to the remainder of his $11MM guarantee this year, and will also take home a $1MM buyout on a $13MM option for 2018.

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