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Central Notes: Cueto, Tigers, Pirates, Indians, Garza, Cubs

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At least one executive of a club with interest in Reds starter Johnny Cueto saw significant concern in his latest outing, Jayson Stark of ESPN.com reports on Twitter. Though he only allowed four hits and two runs, Cueto walked six and lasted just four innings, marking his second consecutive start of five innings or less. He also generated a season-low three groundball outs. Given Cueto’s status as one of the premium rental trade pieces on the market, and some pre-existing injury questions, his next appearance could be one to watch.

Here’s more from the game’s central divisions:

  • We heard yesterday that the Tigers were gearing up to sell, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes on Twitter that multiple GMs tell him they have yet to be informed that Detroit will sell. Per Rosenthal, it’s still up in the air whether the Tigers will move quality veteran assets such as David Price and Yoenis Cespedes.
  • The Pirates are not only looking at possible shortstop acquisitions but continue to seek an addition at first base, Stark tweets. Pedro Alvarez has provided only average offensive production while struggling mightily with the glove. Of course, the first base trade market is not exactly overflowing with obvious upgrade candidates.
  • Indians GM Chris Antonetti says his team plans to be an “opportunistic” and “open-minded” participant on the trade market, as Paul Hoynes of the Plain Dealer reports. One thing the team likely won’t do, however, is deal from its array of quality, controllable starting pitchers. “We are not motivated at all to do that,” said Antonetti.
  • The Brewers will welcome back righty Matt Garza from the DL tonight, Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. That means he ought to have two starts to show his health and regain some trade value, though Garza’s big contract makes him a viable August trade piece as well (since he’d very likely clear waivers).
  • The Cubs got promising news on the injury front, as Patrick Mooney of CSN Chicago reports (Twitter links). Backstop Miguel Montero has only a sprained left thumb, rather than something more serious, though he is still set to rest for two weeks before being evaluated again. And minor league infielder Javier Baez may appear in game action this week. That makes the high-upside prospect a more viable trade piece if the Cubs decide to pursue a significant upgrade.

NL East Notes: C. Johnson, K. Johnson, Parra, deGrom, Prado

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The Braves have been determined to deal away Chris Johnson for some time, and the third baseman tells MLB.com’s Mark Bowman that he hopes to find a new home. “I’ve been called in the manager’s office,” said Johnson. “[Manager Fredi Gonzalez] has told me they are trying to move me. I want to be moved, and they want to move me. Hopefully, something gets done.”While saying he’s enjoyed his time in Atlanta, Johnson emphasized that he is interested in receiving a better opportunity for playing time elsewhere. Obviously, the Braves are looking to shave off as much of Johnson’s contract as possible. Under the extension he signed early in the 2014 campaign, he is due roughly $19.99MM (including $2.52MM for this season and the buyout of a 2018 option).

A bit more on the Braves and their division…

  • Kelly Johnson has parlayed a minor league deal into a critical role on the Braves, writes David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Johnson credits first-year hitting coach Kevin Seitzer with helping him to shorten his swing and improve his overall approach at the plate. Of course, as a veteran on a one-year deal with a losing team, Johnson’s name may pop up over the next few days as a trade candidate; I listed him and three others Braves when looking at the trade market for third basemen earlier today.
  • The Mets continue to be intrigued by Brewers outfielder Gerardo Parra, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. They’re also looking at Justin Upton and Carlos Gomez, though multiple reporters (most recently Marc Carig of Newsday, who also reported interest in Parra late last week) have characterized that type of high profile acquisition as a long shot. Parra, Heyman notes, is drawing quite a bit of interest around the league.
  • Peter Gammons relays an anecdote from the 2012 trade deadline that could have vastly reshaped the current state of two franchises. When the Red Sox and Mets were discussing a trade for veteran catcher Kelly Shoppach, Boston initially asked about right-hander Jacob deGrom, who had recently undergone surgery. (deGrom was never projected to become the ace that he presently is, of course, and he had just undergone surgery.) However, after talking it over with his minor league evaluators, GM Sandy Alderson and the Mets passed. The two sides eventually lined up on a deal that sent right-hander Pedro Beato to Boston.
  • Marlins third baseman Martin Prado tells Zach Buchanan and Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic that he’s not concerned with the possibility that he could be traded for the third time in the past year. Prado says there’s no sense in thinking, “Oh my goodness, this is going to happen again,” and he’s instead focused on helping his teammates out. He’s candid when addressing the current state of the Marlins, however. “We’re in a pretty bad situation here,” says Prado. “I’m just trying to bring good energy for my teammates and my team. That’s all I can do right now.”

Twins Monitoring Market For Catchers

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The Twins are “closely monitoring” the market for catchers, including the likes of A.J. Pierzynski, Derek Norris, Jonathan Lucroy and Alex Avila, reports Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.

It’s not certain at this time how available each of those names might be, but Berardino writes that the Braves are open to trading Pierzynski, which comes as no surprise when considering that he’s a 38-year-old veteran playing on a one-year deal for a club that is seven games back in its division. One can imagine that the Tigers, who as of last night are reportedly planning to be sellers at the trade deadline, would be open to moving free-agent-to-be Avila.

Pierzynski has a $2MM base salary in 2015, of which roughly $841K remains. His contract also contains incentives based on games started behind the plate. To this point, he’s already earned $100K for reaching 60 starts, and he’ll earn an additional $50K for his 65th, 70th, 75th and 80th starts at catcher. He’ll earn $100K every fifth start from 80 through 100, allowing him to max out at $2.7MM. He’s hitting .280/.316/.432 with six homers this season, and it’s also worth noting (as Berardino points out) that the Twins reportedly made Pierzynski a two-year offer to return to Minnesota prior to the 2014 season. He instead chose to sign with Boston.

Minnesota’s plenty familiar with Avila, whom they’ve watched behind the plate for the Tigers dating back to 2009. However, he’s earning a not-insignificant $5.4MM this season and has played in only 34 games, hitting .192/.333/.293. Avila’s career behind the plate has been threatened by concussions, and as a club that is more than familiar with the ill effects of concussions (see: Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer, Corey Koskie), the Twins may desire more certainty.

Both Norris and Lucroy would represent long-term upgrades over incumbent Kurt Suzuki as opposed to mere rentals. Norris is under club control through 2018 and is eligible for arbitration for the first time this winter, but he’s also struggled in his transition from Oakland to San Diego. Norris has followed up a .270/.361/.403 line in 2014 with a .231/.278./.401 line in 2015. He’s certainly hitting for more power — he has a 38 point increase in his ISO, and his 11 homers already top last year’s 10 — but his walk rate and average have plummeted. Norris’ line-drive rate is down from 18.7 percent to 12.9 percent, which, paired with an increased strikeout rate, helps to explain the dip in his average.

Lucroy could very well be the prize of the catching market. He’s a premium defender in terms of both controlling the running game and pitch framing, and he’s also produced a .291/.353/.455 batting line dating back to 2012. His production has been slowed this season, in part by a fractured toe sustained earlier in the year. However, he’s hitting .274/.335/.382 dating back to June 1, and two of his three homers this season have come in the past eight games. Lucroy’s contract, though, is perhaps the most appealing part about a potential acquisition; he’s earning $3MM in 2015 before a $4MM payday in 2016 and a $5.25MM club option for the 2017 season.

That Minnesota is seeking an upgrade behind the plate is reasonable, considering the difficulty that Suzuki has had at the plate since signing a two-year, $12MM extension on July 31 last year. Suzuki had an excellent first half in Minnesota, but it was largely BABIP driven, and he closed out the year hitting .248/.290/.366. This year’s been even worse for the former A’s/Nats backstop, as he’s hitting just .227/.283/.303, making him one of the least effective bats in baseball. He’s also caught just 19 percent of attempted base stealers — 13 percent below the league average. The Twins, though, value the comfort that the pitching staff has with Suzuki, his clubhouse presence and his durability.Those positive traits, of course, would still be in play were he to transition to a backup role, even if only for the remainder of the 2015 season.

AL Central Notes: Tigers, Ramirez, Twins, Gomez

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The time has come for the Tigers to enter the sellers’ market, writes Jon Morosi of FOX Sports. Names like David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Rajai Davis, among others, should be marketed over the coming 10 days in an attempt to avoid a lengthy rebuild in the Motor City. However, Morosi notes that there’s more to the likely trades of veteran players than just a one-year selling cycle. Rather, he writes this could very well represent the beginning of a new philosophy for the Tigers. Sources tell Morosi that Christopher Ilitch (son of owner Mike Ilitch) has taken a greater influence over the Tigers’ business operations than his father, whose focus has shifted to the construction of a new arena for the Detroit Red Wings. As such, the Tigers’ aggressively escalating payroll may take a step back in the coming years. However, the team can avoid a lengthy rebuild by acquiring strong packages for stars Price and Cespedes. Specifically, he wonders if the Dodgers would part with a combination of Grant Holmes, Jose De Leon and Cody Bellinger for Price, while speculating that names such as Brett Phillips and Vincent Velasquez could be in play if Houston makes a run at Cespedes.

Here’s more from the AL Central…

  • The Tigers have a brief window to change the front office’s mind on becoming a seller, writes MLive.com’s Chris Iott. Each of their next nine games will come against teams with negative run differentials, he points out. However, Iott also notes that if GM Dave Dombrowski is to extract maximum value for Price and/or Cespedes, he’ll need to begin laying groundwork for trades sooner than the final two days of the non-waiver trading period. The implication there, seemingly, is that it’s possible Dombrowski has already begun to do so, or will begin shortly, and could receive an offer he must take before Detroit has a chance to turn the tide.
  • Morosi tweets that Indians infielder Jose Ramirez could make for an intriguing trade candidate in the next 10 days. He has a strong defensive reputation in the minors, and Ramirez is also enjoying a strong season at the plate in Triple-A. However, he’s blocked by Francisco Lindor, who rated as one of the best prospects in all of baseball prior to his debut. Ramirez hit .265/.307/.353 in 280 plate appearances with Cleveland’s big league club from 2013-14, but he slumped to .176/.243/.235 in 173 PAs this season before Lindor took the reins at short. Ramirez has played more second base than short in the minors, and some scouts feel he’s better suited there than at shortstop, but one can imagine clubs with needs at either middle infield spot showing interest.
  • Twins top decision-makers got together on a conference call last night to discuss the club’s top need heading into the trade deadline, Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweets. However, there’s somewhat of a divided camp among the Twins’ brass right now. That’s not particularly surprising, considering that despite their second place standing in the AL Central, the Twins could use upgrades in the bullpen, behind the plate and at shortstop.
  • Berardino does note (Twitter link), however, that despite some reports connecting the Twins to a reunion with Carlos Gomez, Minnesota isn’t particularly interested in reacquiring its former center fielder from the Brewers. The Twins do have nice outfield depth, with Byron Buxton nearing a return from the DL, Aaron Hicks hitting and fielding well in 2015 and the likes of Torii Hunter, Eddie Rosario and Oswaldo Arcia to fill out the rest of the outfield.

Mets Notes: Cuddyer, Conforto, Trade Targets

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The Mets are currently squared off with the Nationals in a key mid-season match-up. Despite entering the series just two games back in the division, New York faces a lot of scrutiny due to its scuffling offense.

Here’s the latest:

  • Michael Cuddyer’s knee problems are an increasing concern for the Mets, as Marc Carig of Newsday reports. If one final effort at managing the pain proves unsuccessful, Cuddyer will likely hit the DL. An extended absence from the club’s major offseason acquisition would only increase the team’s already pressing need for offense.
  • Of course, any missed time from Cuddyer will also increase calls for the team to promote well-regarded outfield prospect Michael Conforto. But as Andy Martino of the New York Daily News reports, that move remains unlikely. There is at least some consideration being given to a call-up, but the club does not believe that the second-year professional is the answer it is looking for right now. As Mike Puma of the New York Post explains on Twitter, the lack of viable alternatives at the Triple-A level means it is necessary to entertain the thought if Cuddyer has to go on the DL.
  • All said, it seems as if GM Sandy Alderson is looking more for complimentary pieces than “one transformational bat,” according to Carig (Twitter links). That is reflected, to some extent, in the identity of the young players that internal and external executives see as being viable trade pieces. Per Carig, New York has little stomach for moving its most prized pre-MLB position talent (Conforto and shortstop Amed Rosario), but might be willing to deal well-regarded youngsters (and top-ten MLB.com organizational prospects) Brandon Nimmo, Gavin Cecchini, Jhoan Urena, and Matt Reynolds (among others).
  • There are any number of outfielders that could be available to the Mets, but Joel Sherman of the New York Post says that one name to consider is Ryan Raburn of the Indians. Per Sherman, Cleveland is interested in picking up younger bats if it moves Raburn and/or fellow part-time Indians outfielder David Murphy. While the Mets prefer the idea of adding a Ben Zobrist-type super-utility player or a left-handed-hitting player capable of manning center — Sherman mentions Gerardo Parra — Raburn may be a more practicable target given his manageable salary and likely reasonable prospect cost.

Blue Jays Showing “Strong Interest” In Mike Fiers

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The Blue Jays are showing “strong interest” in Brewers right-hander Mike Fiers, reports Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports (Twitter links). Nothing’s close between the two sides at this time, Rosenthal notes, and the Brewers aren’t especially motivated to part ways with the righty.

Milwaukee’s reluctance to trade Fiers stems from the fact that he’s not yet arbitration-eligible. Fiers is earning $513K in 2015 — a no doubt appealing fact to a Blue Jays team that has roughly $5-8MM worth of payroll wiggle room, per multiple reports. Fiers wouldn’t even be arbitration eligible until after the 2016 season, and he can be controlled through 2019 via the arb process. That team control is one of the reasons that Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet listed him as a potential fit for the Blue Jays last week.

Despite his controllable nature, Fiers isn’t particularly young. The former 22nd-round pick didn’t make his big league debut until the age of 26, and he didn’t see any significant MLB action until his age-27 season. As such, he’s already 30 years old. His status as a late bloomer notwithstanding, Fiers has been more or less effective as a big league starter. In 330 2/3 innings dating back to 2012, he has a 3.62 ERA with a 334-to-102 K/BB ratio (9.1 K/9, 2.8 BB/9).

Upon first glance, Fiers would seem to be an imperfect fit for Toronto’s Rogers Centre. He’s a right-hander that averages just 89 mph on his fastball and is considered an extreme fly-ball pitcher. However, I had similar questions about the fit when the Jays acquired Fiers’ former teammate, Marco Estrada, this past offseason. Estrada has been outstanding for the Blue Jays in 2015, and while that certainly doesn’t mean that Fiers would enjoy similar success, Fiers hasn’t been as homer-prone as Estrada over the course of his career and in general fits into a similar profile.

According to Rosenthal, the Brewers would want multiple pieces as a return in any trade of Fiers. He’s an atypical trade candidate due to the four remaining seasons of control he brings, but the more traditional trade pieces in Milwaukee’s rotation don’t currently hold much appeal. Kyle Lohse, a free agent at season’s end, has struggled greatly in 2015. So, too, has the now-injured Matt Garza, who comes with two more years of a $12.5MM salary.

Should Toronto elect to get more serious about its pursuit, the team has a nice stable of prospects that are close to the Majors as well as some high-upside prospects further down the pipeline. GM Alex Anthopoulos has mentioned in the past that he’s willing to deal from his big league roster as well. This is purely speculative, but with Francisco Rodriguez and Neal Cotts pitching well, perhaps the Blue Jays would be interested in securing a package consisting of Fiers and a bullpen upgrade. I’ve also previously opined that the Brewers should be open to trading a controllable relief arm such as Will Smith.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Pitching Market, O’s, Zunino, Inciarte, Astros

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In his latest notes post for FOX Sports, Ken Rosenthal writes that while he opined on Saturday that pitching-hungry GMs should act sooner rather than later, he spoke to one exec yesterday that plans to wait until the trade deadline is nearly at hand, believing prices will drop late in the month. A second exec opined to Rosenthal, though, that the market for pitchers other than Johnny Cueto and Cole Hamels will soften in the coming days. Rosenthal gets the sense that the trade market will “erupt” and action will be “frenetic,” but it might take awhile to reach that boiling point.

Some highlights from his column (though I’d recommend checking out the entire column)…

  • Orioles GM Dan Duquette is very serious about wanting to add a bat and has indeed expressed interest in Jay Bruce, Justin Upton and Carlos Gomez, but as Rosenthal notes, the Orioles may have the thinnest farm system in the game. Baseball America ranked Baltimore’s farm just 29th heading into the season, and that was before recent injuries to top arms Dylan Bundy and Hunter Harvey. The team has some interesting names ready at the Triple-A level, but they also need to replace departing free agents Chris Davis, Matt Wieters and Wei-Yin Chen and will need to rely on the farm to fill some of those holes.
  • The Mariners aren’t just looking for a backup to Mike Zunino, Rosenthal hears, but a veteran option who would allow them to send Zunino back to Triple-A. Of course, he points out the fact that Seattle had such a player in the form of Welington Castillo but traded him to the D-Backs in the Mark Trumbo deal, only to watch Castillo out-hit Trumbo.
  • The Padres talked with the Diamondbacks about a trade that would’ve brought both Aaron Hill and Ender Inciarte to San Diego during Spring Training, and they’ve made a much more recent inquiry on Inciarte than that as well. The D-Backs are also receiving interest in David Peralta, Rosenthal writes, but Arizona isn’t motivated to trade either outfielder. Both are controlled through the 2020 season. Inciarte is a logical trade candidate for the Padres, in my mind, as a plus defender in center field and a left-handed bat — two things which the club currently lacks.
  • The Phillies may end up hanging on to Jeff Francoeur rather than trading him, according to Rosenthal. While a last-place team hanging onto a short-term veteran such as Francoeur seems counter-intuitive, he notes that the return on Francoeur would be extremely minimal, so the team may value his leadership over the warm body they’d receive for trading him. I agree that the return on Francoeur, who’s hitting .257/.288/.449 with suspect range in the corner outfield, wouldn’t be all that exciting.
  • The Astros do want to add a bat, but the team’s search for starting pitcher is a significantly greater priority, sources tell Rosenthal. GM Jeff Luhnow did tell MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart on Friday that getting a bat is a growing area of focus, however, and Chris Carter hasn’t played since Friday due to an ankle sprain. (He and other Houston first basemen have struggled at the plate even when healthy, as well.)

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/19/15

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Here are the day’s minor moves:

  • The Nationals are set to call up reliever Abel de los Santos, tweets Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. The 22-year-old was acquired over the offseason from the Rangers (along with infielder Chris Bostick) for Ross Detwiler. A hard-throwing righty, de los Santos had a 2.65 ERA, 8.44 K/9, and 1.69 BB/9 in 37 innings at Double-A. His promotion will necessitate a move on the Nationals’ 40-man roster which is currently full.
  • Evan Meek has signed with an unknown Korean team, reports Sung Min Kim of River Ave Blues. Meek, 32, threw 37 innings for the Nationals Triple-A affiliate this season. He posted a 2.15 ERA with 7.88 K/9 and 4.54 BB/9. A veteran of six major league campaigns, Meek has a career 3.63 ERA in 196 relief innings. He was an All Star in 2010 while playing with the Pirates.
  • The Mariners have optioned designated hitter Jesus Montero to Triple-A, writes Greg Johns of MLB.com. Montero, 25, was temporarily filling J.A. Happ’s roster spot. As many remember, the Yankees traded Montero for Michael Pineda during the 2012-2013 offseason. Neither player returned much value prior to this season, but Pineda has emerged as a force in the Yankees rotation and Montero is now showing some life too. During his five game audition, he went 3-for-10 with three walks and one strikeout. He’s hitting .332/.370/.529 at Triple-A with 15 home runs in 368 plate appearances.
  • The Brewers have released former 2009 second round pick Cameron Garfield, tweets Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Constitution. In parts of six seasons, Garfield failed to advance beyond High-A. This year, he hit .233/.267/.306 in 202 plate appearances. Per Haudricourt, the Brewers had five picks in the first two rounds of the 2009 draft. Garfield was the last one remaining in the system.

Orioles Interested In Upton, Gomez

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4:08pm: The O’s have also inquired on Brewers outfielder Carlos Gomez, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets.  As Rosenthal writes, it’s questionable as to whether the Orioles have the prospects necessary for a big move.

Rosenthal reported on Saturday that the Astros have also scouted Gomez.  Late last week, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reported that the Brewers are now showing a willingness to trade both Gomez and Jean Segura.

3:50pm: The Astros also have interest in Upton, Morosi tweets.  The Astros are on their way to a 51-43 record as they lead the Rangers by a wide margin.

3:45pm: The Orioles have expressed interest in trading for Padres outfielder Justin Upton, sources tell Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter).  The O’s have been looking to add an outfielder this season.

The Orioles aren’t the first team to show interest in Upton this summer.  The Mets are reportedly aiming high in their pursuit of outfield help and Upton is high on their list.  Upton, who is in his first year with the Padres, is owed the prorated portion of a $14.5MM salary for the rest of the season.  Through 370 plate appearances this season, Upton owns a slash line of .252/.331/.426 with 15 homers plus 17 stolen bases.

For his part, Upton said recently that he hopes to stay in San Diego.

“At this point, I haven’t given up on the team,” said Upton late last week. “I really like the guys, and I like the clubhouse. We still have some time to change the minds of the front office. In a perfect world, we play well over the next two or three weeks and [GM] A.J. [Preller] pumps the brakes on dismantling the team.”

The Orioles are 46-45 after topping the Tigers earlier today, putting them 4.0 games behind the first place Yankees in the AL East.

NL Central Notes: Reds, Parra, Soriano, Alvarez

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The Reds have opened the doors on a fire sale, writes John Fay of the Cincinnati Enquirer. Todd Frazier will stay put. Billy Hamilton probably isn’t going anywhere. Most others are probably on the table. Fay expects at least four players to be traded, presumably Johnny Cueto, Mike Leake, Aroldis Chapman, and Marlon Byrd as a starting point. Others like Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce, and Skip Schumaker are also expected to be shopped. The Reds are seven games below .500 and 15.5 games back in the NL Central. It’s probably too late for a rebound.

Here’s more news out of the NL Central:

  • Gerardo Parra’s strong play has all but ensured that he’ll be traded by the Brewers, writes Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Parra is in the midst of a career season, hitting .311/.345/.502 with nine home runs and six stolen bases. Known for fantastic defense, he’s actually struggled this year per Ultimate Zone Rating (-9.8 UZR). Still, plenty of playoff teams have need of a high average, left-handed outfielder.
  • Cubs manager Joe Maddon said reliever Rafael Soriano might be “up sooner than planned,” tweets Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune. Soriano was signed on June 12. He has a career 2.85 ERA and 207 saves in 630 innings. The Cubs have manufactured a pseudo-closer battle. They demoted Hector Rondon from the role earlier in the summer despite solid production. The club also recently called up Neil Ramirez – another candidate for saves.
  • The Pirates would probably like to de-emphasize Pedro Alvarez, reports Travis Sawchik of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The former third baseman has continued his defensive ineptitude at first base with 15 errors. He’s also offered a .233/.299/.424 slash which is well below average for a first baseman. Unfortunately, the Pirates will have to look outside of the organization to move beyond Alvarez. Adam Lind is probably the most notable first baseman on the trade market. If the Pirates get creative, they could also try a three-team swap for Jon Singleton. Typically, Pittsburgh will look for fringier options like Chris Parmelee. We heard earlier this evening that the Orioles may soon designate Parmelee for assignment.
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