Hunter Pence Very Likely To Be Traded?
We learned yesterday that the Astros are deep into trade talks for Hunter Pence and that a deal could be completed today. The Phillies, who appear to be willing to include Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton and others in a deal, may have a Friday pre-deadline for reaching an agreement, so that the Astros have time to explore deals with other suitors, like the Braves, Reds and Red Sox. The Pirates, Rangers and Angels aren't seriously in the mix at this point. Here are today's rumors with the latest updates up top:
- The Braves are looking to be creative and are still involved, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
- Pence is very likely to be moved now, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. He believes the Phillies are the favorite, with the Indians, Red Sox, and Reds also in.
- A two-team swap remains the Astros' focus, reports MLB.com's Brian McTaggart. Indeed, ESPN's Jayson Stark says there's no more talk of three-team deals.
- The Braves have not considered Pence a priority, reports MLB.com's Mark Bowman. However, Ken Rosenthal tweets that they seek an athletic corner bat who is controlled beyond this year, and Pence fits that description.
- The Phillies currently have no intention of putting Brown in a deal for Pence, tweets Buster Olney.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com suggests the Phillies will continue negotiating with the Astros until Sunday if they need to, since Pence "is the guy" for them (Twitter link).
- The Astros want pitching for Pence, according to Heyman (on Twitter).
- The Phillies and Astros are exploring potential three-team deals involving Pence, according to ESPN.com’s Jayson Stark. Jon Heyman of SI.com and Joel Sherman of the New York Post agree (Twitter links). The Phillies may be willing to trade Brown to a third team to get the prospects the Astros want for Pence, Stark writes.
- The Braves offered a package that included prospects they didn’t offer to the Mets for Carlos Beltran, but the Astros turned the offer down, according to Stark. The Braves may be moving on, which would leave the Phillies as Pence’s primary suitor. The Red Sox, Reds, Pirates and Indians appear to have peeled off, according to Stark.
- Jon Heyman of SI (via Twitter) hears that the Astros don't love the Phillies' prospects, and that may even include Domonic Brown.
- Houston is still playing the Pence market and working to bring other teams into the mix besides the Phillies, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- The Astros would prefer to deal Pence to the Braves, but Atlanta continues to be very protective of their big-time pitching prospects, tweets Jon Heyman of SI. The Phillies are still working to get something done.
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Astros prefer the Braves' prospects to the Phillies' prospects (Twitter link). Atlanta won't give up the "key guy," who is believed to be Mike Minor, Sherman writes.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that the Braves, generally speaking, have zero enthusiasm about giving up Minor, Julio Teheran, Arodys Vizcaino or Randall Delgado (Twitter link).
- Pence was told during last night's game that he was being pulled because of a trade, then wasn't pulled, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- The Reds are in on Pence, but he's the Phillies' to lose, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- There's a sense that the Phillies might be able to obtain Pence by offering Domonic Brown instead of Singleton and including Cosart in the deal, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- The Astros still have an "unreasonable" asking price for Pence, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- There's a "huge bidding war" going on for Pence, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter links). The Braves don't value on-base percentage as much as other teams, one NL official told Olney (Pence has a .354 OBP).
Ubaldo Jimenez Rumors: Thursday
The latest on Rockies ace Ubaldo Jimenez, who is scheduled to pitch Saturday in San Diego…
- The Tigers contacted the Rockies Thursday to discuss possible deals, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. Colorado is also discussing Jimenez with the Yankees, Red Sox, Reds and Indians, according to FOX. Names of interest to the Rockies: Kyle Weiland and Will Middlebrooks of the Red Sox, Ivan Nova, Dellin Betances, and Jesus Montero of the Yankees, Jacob Turner of the Tigers, Yonder Alonso and a Major League starting pitcher from the Reds, and Drew Pomeranz of the Indians.
- The Yankees appear to have the best shot at Jimenez, but there are no indications that they will meet the Rockies' asking price, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post (on Twitter).
- The Rockies' asking price for Jimenez "remains very, very high," tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, as in three top prospects. There's been no significant movement in the Jimenez market, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- An NL source tells Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald the Red Sox are "not hot as of now" for Jimenez.
Hunter Pence Rumors: Thursday
Yesterday we learned that the Phillies offered Jarred Cosart, Jonathan Singleton, and a second-tier pitching prospect for Hunter Pence, but the Astros did not pull the trigger. Domonic Brown may have been available as well, but it appears Pence will remain with Houston until the offseason at least. The latest:
- The Astros are deep into trade talks and could deal Pence as soon as Friday, according to Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle, who confirms that the Phillies are the leading candidate to acquire the outfielder.
- The Astros are "mulling" the Braves' offer for Pence, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark (on Twitter). The Braves' offer is "significant" and is built around highly-regarded pitching prospects, but does not include Julio Teheran, according to Stark.
- The Phillies are making progress toward a deal for Pence, but they'll have to reach an agreement by Friday or the Astros will move on to other suitors, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Phillies would include Jarred Cosart and Jonathan Singleton in a deal for Pence, according to FOX. The Astros prefer younger prospects and Domonic Brown is not currently in the trade. The Braves, who have "more restrictions" on their prospects, would enter the fray along with the Reds and Red Sox if the Phillies don't complete a deal.
- The Phillies have been Pence's most serious suitor and the Braves have a high level of interest as well, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Angels aren't seriously pursuing Pence and the Astros may be reluctant to trade Pence to the Reds and Pirates, two NL Central rivals.
- The Phillies and Braves continue pursuing Pence and the Indians are still involved, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (Twitter links). There's a better than 50/50 chance of a deal. The Rangers aren't seriously pursuing Pence, however.
- The Astros appear to be moving closer to trading Pence, according to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com. Six teams are involved, but no deal is imminent.
- The Phillies' hope that the Astros will move Pence seems to be holding up the Phils' conversations with the Padres about Ryan Ludwick and Mike Adams, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. Olney's colleague Jayson Stark adds that interest in Pence is exploding since the Beltran trade, naming the Phillies, Braves, Reds, and Red Sox as suitors.
- Interest in Pence has picked up considerably with Carlos Beltran off the market, reports Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.
- As many as eight teams are in on Pence, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, including the Phillies and Braves. Rosenthal says the Astros are listening.
- The Braves are the last team in on Pence, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. The Phillies "seem to have all but given up" on Pence after their big offer was rejected.
Red Sox Rumors: Vargas, Harden, Buchholz, Bedard
The latest on the Red Sox…
- The Mariners are offering Jason Vargas to the Red Sox, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, who hears that the Red Sox are all over the map in trade discussions. Don’t expect Derek Lowe to return to Boston and don’t expect Carlos Zambrano to become a trade target, but Aaron Harang and Jeremy Guthrie are possibilities for GM Theo Epstein.
- The Red Sox and Yankees scouted Rich Harden in Oakland today, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (on Twitter).
- A source familiar with Clay Buchholz's back injury tells WEEI's Alex Speier the Red Sox are "'very concerned' that the issue is not muscular, but instead could involve a structural issue such as a bone." Speier says the Sox are "monitoring the starting pitcher market broadly," because of Buchholz as well as concern with current members of the rotation.
- The Red Sox are "all over" Mariners lefty Erik Bedard, report Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, and they'll be among the many teams scouting him against the Rays tomorrow night. They note that the Mariners had two scouts watching Boston's Double-A club on Wednesday and one watching their Triple-A affiliate.
- Though the Sox continue to look for starting pitchers, CBS Sports' Danny Knobler tweets that they're telling teams the focus is now a right-handed hitting outfielder. He notes that they would "almost certainly" try for White Sox right fielder Carlos Quentin, if Chicago makes him available.
Hiroki Kuroda Rumors: Thursday
Righty Hiroki Kuroda tossed six innings of one-run ball against the Rockies yesterday, lowering his ERA to 3.11 in what might have been his last start for the Dodgers this year. Yesterday we heard from Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi that the Yankees' interest intensified, with the Red Sox, Rangers, Indians, and Tigers also in the mix. Kuroda has yet to be presented with a formal trade to approve. The latest:
- The Dodgers are not currently taking offers for Kuroda, according to Newsday's Ken Davidoff.
- The Dodgers are telling teams they want a "significant piece" for Kuroda, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com (on Twitter).
- The Dodgers sent a scout to see third base prospect Nick Castellanos, writes Danny Knobler of CBS Sports, but they doubt the Tigers would move him for Kuroda.
- Kuroda's contract stipulates that he will be eligible for conventional Article XX(B) after the season, writes Jon Paul Morosi, so he is a candidate for draft pick compensation if he maintains Type B status.
- A friend of Kuroda told ESPN's Jayson Stark the pitcher can finally focus on the trade possibility with last night's start out of the way. The Yankees have strong interest, Kuroda tops the Tigers' wish list, and the Red Sox were the only contender scouting last night's game. Stark says the Indians and Rangers remain involved. The Dodgers want a true baseball deal, and would prefer a starting pitcher close to the big leagues.
- The Dodgers are "acting like they can trade Kuroda, and not just to the Yankees or Red Sox," tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. The Dodgers have a scout watching the Tigers' A-ball team.
- Uncomfortable with the price tag of Ubaldo Jimenez, as well as concerned about their current rotation, the Yankees are in regular contact with the Dodgers about Kuroda, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- "My honest feeling is that I can't fathom wearing another uniform than the Dodgers uniform right now," Kuroda told MLB.com's AJ Cassavell last night through a translator. He'll go over options with his agent, Steve Hilliard of Octagon.
- Three factors limiting Kuroda's trade value: since his signing bonus is yet to be paid, he's still owed almost $6.8MM of his $12MM contract. Second, he possesses leverage with a full no-trade clause, which I think may require additional compensation to waive. Third, he's never pitched in the American League.
Erik Bedard Rumors: Thursday
Mariners southpaw Erik Bedard will be a popular man tomorrow night, as he faces off against the Rays in his first start in over a month and last before the trade deadline. The latest:
- The Mariners like Bedard and he loves Seattle, tweets SI's Jon Heyman, so they haven't ruled out re-signing him.
- The Tigers are very unlikely to acquire Bedard, tweets Danny Knobler of CBS Sports.
- The Red Sox and Yankees will have scouts in attendance, report Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, who say the Sox are "all over" the lefty. The Mariners have been scouting Boston's Double and Triple-A affiliates, according to the FOX writers.
- As I mentioned yesterday, it wouldn't be surprising if the Indians, Rangers, Pirates, Reds, and Diamondbacks scout this game as well. Despite Bedard's fragility, the Mariners' asking price is said to be high.
Red Sox Rumors: Rasmus, Starting Pitchers
The latest on the Red Sox, who have the best record in the American League…
- The Red Sox are “still looking at all options,” including outfielders, but their focus may be shifting to pitching, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald.
- Lauber hears that the Red Sox didn’t actively pursue Colby Rasmus.
- The Red Sox will consider Rich Harden, Erik Bedard, Hiroki Kuroda, Jeremy Guthrie, Aaron Harang, and Ubaldo Jimenez as they decide whether to add a starting pitcher, reports Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. ESPN's Jayson Stark names Kuroda, Bedard, Harden, and Jimenez as pitchers on their radar. He notes that the Red Sox have "stayed involved from the beginning" on Jimenez.
- The Red Sox wouldn't give up anything really good for Kuroda, opined MLB Network's Peter Gammons on WEEI's Mut & Merloni show.
- Gammons believes the Cubs' Reed Johnson is the most logical fit for an outfielder for Boston.
Los Angeles Notes: Carroll, Ethier, Kuroda, Angels
The Angels are buyers and the Dodgers are sellers, but what are the Angels looking to acquire and who are the Dodgers willing to part with? Here are the latest rumors…
- The Indians are discussing Kuroda and Carroll with the Dodgers, according to Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer (on Twitter).
- The Brewers have had continued dialogue with the Dodgers about Jamey Carroll, according to ESPN.com's Buster Olney (on Twitter).
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports report that interest in Hiroki Kuroda is intensifying, with the Yankees at the forefront. The Red Sox, Rangers, Tigers, and Indians remain in the mix. Kuroda has not yet been presented with a formal trade offer to accept or decline.
- The odds of an Andre Ethier trade are "very slim" and the Dodgers would have to be blown away to move the outfielder, according to Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Red Sox haven't had serious discussions with the Dodgers about a deal for Ethier, who isn't eligible for free agency until after the 2012 season.
- Jon Heyman of SI.com hears that there's little belief that Kuroda will accept a trade out of Los Angeles (Twitter link). The right-hander can block deals to any team.
- The Angels are more focused on acquiring relievers than adding third base help, according to Rosenthal (on Twitter).
Ubaldo Jimenez Rumors: Wednesday
Yesterday's Ubaldo Jimenez info: about seven teams are in on him, but the Yankees and Reds are best-positioned to make a deal if the Rockies are as motivated as has been reported. So far, the Rockies' asking price of "three sure-thing young players, including one pitcher who goes into their rotation immediately" has not dropped. The latest:
- The Red Sox are still in on Jimenez, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com (on Twitter).
- The Indians have asked about Jimenez, but are a "real longshot," according to Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com (on Twitter).
- The Indians are strongly in the mix for Jimenez, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Indians have been working aggressively to upgrade their offense and rotation, Rosenthal writes. They're "thinking big in multiple deals."
- Though the Yankees and Reds have been the most active suitors for Jimenez, they aren’t close to a deal, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post. The Yankees aren’t close to matching Colorado’s asking price and it’s hard to imagine the Reds obtaining Jimenez without surrendering Mesoraco. The Tigers and Red Sox are ‘on the fringe’ of the trade talks and the Rangers are no longer considered a candidate to acquire the right-hander.
- The Yankees have the best chance of landing Jimenez, reports Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. The Rangers are all but out, while the Tigers and Blue Jays are remote.
- The Rockies do not require Reds untouchables Devin Mesoraco or Billy Hamilton in a deal with the Reds, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
- The Rockies are in active trade talks with six to eight teams, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark. A source tells Stark that two NL teams, yet to be identified, are in the mix, and the guess is that one of them is the Nationals.
- As of yesterday, the Reds were the most motivated Jimenez suitor and the Red Sox were more seriously inquiring than the Yankees, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. Still, the Rockies appear amenable to doing a Jimenez deal for three of these Yankee youngsters: Manny Banuelos, Dellin Betances, Jesus Montero, and Ivan Nova. The Yankees, however, are hesistant to even include two. Ownership is not pushing Yankees GM Brian Cashman to make a deadline splash, writes Sherman, and the front office is more focused on relievers.
AL East Notes: Lee, Rays, Yankees, Jackson
The American League East welcomed a new center fielder to the division today, but it may not be long before another one gets traded. Here’s the latest from a division that currently has four former first rounders patrolling center field: B.J. Upton, Jacoby Ellsbury, Adam Jones and, now, Colby Rasmus:
- Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun suggests that the Pirates or Diamondbacks might want to take a look at Derrek Lee, who can provide defense, leadership and some power down the stretch. The Orioles might be able to obtain some salary relief and a low level prospect or two for the first baseman, who would likely clear waivers in August.
- The Rays signed third round pick Johnny Eierman for $550K, according to Jim Callis of Baseball America (on Twitter). Eierman is unusually athletic and will probably become an outfielder, Callis writes.
- The Yankees signed 14th rounder Rookie Davis to a deal worth $550K, according to Callis (on Twitter). The right-hander/first baseman obtained the biggest bonus so far for any player selected after the third round.
- Edwin Jackson, now a member of the Cardinals, was never on Boston's radar, according to Scott Lauber of the Boston Herald (on Twitter).