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Contract Notes: Gonzalez, Breslow, McGowan, Narveson, Russell, Burriss

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Here are a few contract details relating to some recent roster decisions …

  • Miguel Gonzalez’s contract with the White Sox does not include an opt-out clause, Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago reports on Twitter. The veteran righty will represent useful rotation depth in Triple-A. Though he is coming off of a disastrous 2015 and didn’t show well in the spring, the 31-year-old has provided plenty of solid innings (with occasionally excellent results) over the years. He’s all the more useful to Chicago without concern of a hard opt-out date.
  • Marlins relievers Craig Breslow and Dustin McGowan have both signed advance consent agreements allowing them to be removed from the major league roster without guaranteeing the remainder of their salary within 45 days of Opening Day, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports on Twitter. Breslow will earn at a $1.5MM rate in the majors, as was reported upon his signing, while McGowan will take home $1MM annually. Meanwhile, Heyman adds, lefty Chris Narveson will earn $1.2MM in the majors. He doesn’t specify whether Narveson has an advanced consent agreement.
  • The Phillies are set to pay southpaw James Russell at a $1.5MM rate and Emmanuel Burriss $925K annually, Heyman adds on Twitter. Russell has had some productive campaigns in the past, and cracked the Opening Day roster after posting nine strikeouts and no walks in his 6 2/3 spring innings. As for Burriss, 31, he appeared briefly in the big leagues last year for the first time since a five-year run of part-time action with the Giants between 2008 and 2012.

Blue Jays Acquire Chris Leroux From Phillies

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4:20pm: Toronto announced that Leroux has been acquired from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations.  The 6’6″ hurler will pitch for Triple-A Buffalo.

3:34pm: The Blue Jays have acquired Chris Leroux from the Phillies, a source tells MLBTR (Twitter link).  It’s not yet clear who and/or what will be going from Toronto to Philly in the swap.

The deal marks a homecoming of sorts for Leroux, who is a Montreal native.    Leroux, who turns 32 later this month, last pitched in the big leagues in 2014 when he appeared in two games for the Yankees.  Over parts of six big league seasons with the Marlins, Pirates, and Yankees, the hurler has a 6.03 ERA with 8.3 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9.  In his 22-game stint with the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate in 2015, Leroux posted a stronger stat line as he pitched to a 3.26 ERA with 5.9 K/9 and 2.8 BB/9.

In other Blue Jays news, the team signed Franklin Morales to a one-year, $2MM non-guaranteed deal over the weekend.  And, on Friday, Mark Polishuk delivered a must-read in-depth recap of the Blue Jays’ offseason.

Quick Hits: D’Backs, Kim, Surkamp, Loney, Hunter

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Eric Hosmer’s game-tying run in Game Five of the World Series was captured in a memorable photo by Chang W. Lee of the New York Times, though the picture’s most notable aspect was the array of horrified reactions from Mets fans in the background.  The Times tracked down 11 of the people immortalized in the photo to get their take on the moment months later.  The group consisted of nine Mets fans bemoaning their team’s fate and two people who had an opposite reaction — Royals legend George Brett and his wife Leslie.

As we’re just hours away from the first games of the 2016 season, let’s look around baseball…

  • Speaking to reporters today (including Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic and MLB.com’s Steve Gilbert), Diamondbacks GM Dave Stewart and manager Chip Hale addressed the team’s next steps in the wake of A.J. Pollock’s elbow fracture.  For now, Stewart said, the D’Backs will give internal candidates a chance before looking at players outside the organization to take Pollock’s place.  Hale suggested the D’Backs are looking at players who might not make their current teams’ Opening Day rosters, so Arizona could wait at least a couple of days to fully assess the market.
  • An unknown Korean team has reportedly made a “substantial” offer to the Orioles for Hyun Soo Kim, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports, though Kubatko notes that this item has yet to be confirmed by a second source.  The offer could be a moot point if true, though, since Kim has firmly stated that he wishes to play in North America.  The Orioles, meanwhile, have no intention of releasing Kim and eating his entire $7MM contract.  The unusual situation between Kim and the O’s has left both sides in a “state of suspended animation,” one source tells Kubatko.
  • Athletics lefty Eric Surkamp is drawing interest from teams in Asia, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.  Surkamp’s minor league deal with the A’s allows him to opt out in June and look for opportunities elsewhere.  Surkamp isn’t expected to make Oakland’s Opening Day roster.
  • With James Loney entering perhaps his final day with the Rays, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times looks back on the team’s decision to re-sign the first baseman in the 2013-14 offseason.  The Rays outbid other suitors like the Pirates and Brewers to re-sign Loney on a three-year, $21MM deal, which still stands as the most expensive free agent deal of Stuart Sternberg’s ownership tenure.  Needless to say, the deal has not worked out, as Loney was a sub-replacement level player in 2015 (-1.3 fWAR) and he’s already been told he won’t make Tampa’s Opening Day roster.
  • Cedric Hunter is one of the more unlikely players to be suiting up on Opening Day, MLB.com’s Paul Hagen writes, as the longtime minor leaguer unexpectedly earned himself a regular outfield job with the Phillies.  A third-round pick for the Padres in the 2006 draft, Hunter has hit .288/.348/.413 with 76 homers over 4727 career plate appearances in the minors, playing for four different organizations’ farm systems.  His MLB career consisted of just six games for San Diego in 2011, yet Hunter is now back in the bigs and still looking to stick around.  “To be realistic, it’s just beginning.  I haven’t proved myself at all on this level yet,” Hunter said.  “So everybody’s giving me congrats and I’m happy about that, but in the back of my mind, I’m like, ’Look, this is just the beginning. I’ve really got to go out and prove myself and show that I’m ready to be here.’ “

Roster Notes: Brewers, Weeks, Abad, Phillies, Ramos, Pena

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Here’s a roundup of today’s notable roster decisions….

  • The Brewers announced that the contracts of right-hander Blaine Boyer and left-hander Chris Capuano have been selected.  Both pitchers were told they had made the team earlier this week, and the moves are now official that Milwaukee has created some corresponding roster space.  Sean Nolin and Yhonathan Barrios were both moved to the 60-day DL, while Will Smith was placed on the 15-day DL.
  • The Diamondbacks selected Rickie Weeks’ contract, the team announced.  Weeks, looking to rebound from a disastrous 2015 season, signed a minors contract with Arizona last month.  The D’Backs placed A.J. Pollock and Josh Collmenter on the 15-day DL in corresponding moves.
  • The Twins selected the contract of Fernando Abad, the team announced.  The southpaw signed a minor league deal with Minnesota in December after the A’s non-tendered him.  Abad posted a 4.15 ERA last season, with some unfriendly advanced metrics and uncharacteristically poor results against left-handed hitters.
  • The Phillies finalized their 25-man roster, announcing that they have selected the contracts of lefty James Russell, infielder Emmanuel Burriss and outfielder Cedric Hunter.  In corresponding moves, Cody Asche and Michael Mariot were put on the 15-day DL retroactive to March 25, and Matt Harrison, Aaron Altherr and Mario Hollands were each placed on the 60-day DL.
  • Left-hander Cesar Ramos has accepted an assignment to the Rangers’ Triple-A affiliate to begin the season, Rangers executive VP of communications John Blake tweeted.  Ramos signed a minor league deal with Texas in January after being somewhat surprisingly non-tendered by the Angels.
  • Cardinals backup catcher Brayan Pena will begin the season on the DL and will require surgery to remove a body from his left knee, MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch writes (Twitter links). That means the Cardinals will add minor-league signee Eric Fryer to their roster to serve as their backup catcher until Pena can return, which should take two to four weeks. The 30-year-old Fryer played most of last season with Triple-A Rochester in the Twins system, batting .293/.367/.360. He’s appeared in bits of five big-league seasons with the Pirates and Twins.
  • Outfielder Jabari Blash, a Rule 5 pick from the Mariners, has made the Padres’ Opening Day roster, AJ Cassavell of MLB.com tweets. The 26-year-old Blash batted an impressive .271/.370/.576 and 32 homers in a 2015 season split between Double-A Jackson and Triple-A Tacoma, then followed that with a decent spring in which he hit .204 but with four homers and eight walks in 59 plate appearances. The Padres also announced that fellow outfielder Travis Jankowski has made the team.
  • The Rays have selected the contract of lefty Dana Eveland and optioned righty Andrew Bellatti and outfielder Mikie Mahtook, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times writes (Twitter links). The moves also mean righty Danny Farquhar has made the team. The 32-year-old Eveland pitched only briefly in the Majors last season, but got good results for three different Triple-A teams, posting a 1.95 ERA, 7.3 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9 in 55 1/3 innings.
  • The Braves have announced their Opening Day roster. The Braves were already in MLBTR’s pages today as they designated Michael Bourn and Emilio Bonifacio for assignment and selected the contracts of Drew Stubbs and Alexi Ogando. In addition, they reassigned Jhoulys Chacin to Triple-A Gwinnett. The idea, via David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter), is that he’ll make one start there and then join the Braves when they need a fifth starter, which should be April 12. Notable names who made the team include righty Dan Winkler, a 2014 Rule 5 pick, along with rookie righties Jose Ramirez and John Gant.

Roster Notes: Kim, Bailey, Frieri, Arencibia, Venable, Sabathia, Miller

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We’ve already covered a number of roster decisions already this evening, but more keep rolling in. Here are some of the latest:

  • The Orioles announced a number of moves, including the demotion of infielder Paul Janish. That could open the door to an Opening Day roster spot for Hyun Soo Kim, as Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com explains (Twitter links). Kim has continued to maintain that he will not accept a minor league assignment, as is his contractual right, despite a rough spring. Only Xavier Avery appears to remain an obstacle to a roster spot for Kim, as the team’s 29 remaining players in camp include three who are bound for the DL.
  • The Phillies have announced that veteran relievers Andrew Bailey and Ernesto Frieri were reassigned to minor league camp along with catcher J.P. Arencibia and outfielder Will Venable. That lends clarity to the team’s Opening Day roster. Bailey reportedly has a May 1 opt-out date, while Frieri apparently allowed his own to pass yesterday without action. Venable had seemed lined up for a job after signing late in camp, but the Phils will apparently give roster spots to non-roster invitees Cedric Hunter and Emmanuel Burriss, as MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki notes on Twitter. Fellow minor league signee James Russell also appears to have earned an Opening Day nod. The club is also set to give a shot to its two Rule 5 picks — outfielder Tyler Goeddel and lefty Daniel Stumpf.
  • CC Sabathia has beaten out Ivan Nova for the Yankees’ fifth starter role, manager Joe Girardi told reporters incluing Wallace Mathews of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link). That appears to put Nova in the pen for now, where he’ll also serve as a swingman option. The Yanks will give their final pen job to righty Kirby Yates, according to Jack Curry of the YES Network (via Twitter). Yates was acquired for cash over the winter, and impressed this spring, though he might not have had a slot had it not been for an unfortunate injury to Bryan Mitchell. Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees Blog had noted yesterday on Twitter that Yates was a prime candidate to take over for Mitchell, while adding that Luis Cessa and Johnny Barbato were also slated to join the active roster for the season’s start.
  • Fortunately for the Yankees, it appears they won’t have to replace lefty Andrew Miller on Opening Day. Miller has been cleared to pitch despite suffering a fracture to his non-pitching hand, as Anthony McCarron of the New York Daily News reports. Miller, who’ll hold down closing duties while Aroldis Chapman is out, is not expected to require surgery and will apparently be able to proceed as normal so long as he can tolerate the injury.

Phillies Release Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez

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The Phillies have released righty Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez, Matt Eddy of Baseball America reports on Twitter. As Eddy notes, Gonzalez has continued to deal with shoulder issues over his tenure in the Philadelphia organization.

After reaching free agency following his departure from Cuba, Gonzalez originally agreed to a six-year, $48MM contract. But apparent concerns with his physical led to a significant reduction in the contract, which ended up being for three years and just $12MM. The deal also included a vesting option for 2017, but that obviously won’t come into play.

Gonzalez ended up making only six relief appearances in the majors with the organization, all in 2014, allowing four earned runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out five. And he has only even managed 62 2/3 minor league frames over the last two years, with only two appearances in 2015 (though he did also appear in the Venezuelan winter league).

Clearly, Gonzalez did not feature in the pitching-needy Phillies’ plans even though the contract was already a sunk cost. He did show a mid-90s fastball in his brief MLB stint, but wasn’t able even to claim a role in the upper minors after seemingly having a chance to prove his worth entering the spring.

Phillies Release, Re-Sign Edward Mujica

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WEDNESDAY: The Phillies have announced that they’ve re-signed Mujica to a minor-league deal. He will report to minor-league camp later this week.

TUESDAY: The Phillies have released veteran righty Edward Mujica, Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer was among those to report on Twitter. Mujica had been in camp on a minor league deal and seemed to have a solid shot at earning a late-inning role.

As an Article XX(B) free agent, Mujica would have been due a roster bonus if kept in the minors to open the season. But he forced the issue by triggering an opt-out provision in his contract — which would have paid him $2.5MM at the MLB level.

Mujica, 31, was long a sturdy pen option. He timed his entry onto the free agent market well, putting up a strong 2013 season — 2.78 ERA; 6.4 K/9 against 0.7 BB/9; 37 saves — before joining the Red Sox. But he’s largely disappointed since. Over 107 1/3 frames in the last two seasons, in Boston and in Oakland, Mujica owns a 4.28 ERA with 6.1 K/9 and 1.8 BB/9. Long balls, in particular, have been an issue.

There’s little question that Mujica will draw interest from other organizations. Indeed, he’s generated solid results this spring. In his 8 1/3 innings, he allowed two earned runs on just four hits and two walks while striking out seven.

NL East Notes: Kolek, Nats, Arroyo, Phils

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Marlins prospect Tyler Kolek is heading for a medical check-up after suffering an elbow injury and experiencing continued discomfort, MiLB.com’s Michael Leboff reports. That’s a disappointing turn of events for the 20-year-old, who scuffled in his first full professional season last year and was hoping to make strides in 2016. It’s important to note that it’s not yet clear whether Kolek will need any kind of surgery. The righty is still working to harness his high-powered fastball, and is obviously a long-term asset, but as things stand it certainly stings that Miami bypassed the promising Carlos Rodon — who’s already entrenched in a major league rotation — to take a shot on Kolek.

Here’s more from the NL East:

  • The Nationals made a variety of roster moves today, as Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com was among those to report. Top infield prospect Trea Turner was sent down, thus ending any speculation that he might crack the Opening Day roster. Likewise, a series of veterans were moved to minor league camp, including infielder Scott Sizemore and bullpen candidates Aaron Laffey and Nick Masset. As Zuckerman explains, that appears to clarify the remaining battles in those areas, though there are still multiple possibilities for the remaining bench and pen spots.
  • Nationals righty Bronson Arroyo is planning to rehab his ailing shoulder and could return to the hill as soon as June, according to MLB.com’s Bill Ladson (via TwitLonger). That’s certainly a better outlook than once had been feared, and it seems possible that Arroyo could provide rotation depth down the line if he can get back to full health.
  • The Phillies appear to have stopped their search for outfield depth after adding Will Venable, according to Jayson Stark of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Philadelphia had been inquiring about a number of possibilities, but rival executives tell Stark that the sense is those efforts have been halted.
  • Meanwhile, the Phillies appear to be leaning toward keeping Rule 5 pick Daniel Stumpf in the major league pen, manager Pete Mackanin tells Stark (Twitter link). The newly-extended skipper adds that Edward Mujica is “still in the mix,” but seemingly did not commit to handing him an Opening Day roster spot.

Phillies Sign Will Venable To Minor League Deal

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The Phillies have signed outfielder Will Venable to a minor league contract, the club announced.  The deal contains an invitation to Philadelphia’s big league spring camp.  Venable is represented by Turner Gary Sports.

The move comes just a day after Venable was released from his previous minors deal with the Indians.  CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury reported earlier today that the Phils had a serious interest in adding Venable to their outfield mix.

Venable is a fit as a platoon partner in either left or right field for the Phillies, with his left-handed bat in tandem with either Peter Bourjos or Rule 5 draft pick Tyler Goeddel (both right-handed hitters).  The 33-year-old has spent much of his career as a part-time player with the Padres and Rangers, with 2601 plate appearances against right-handed pitching (with a .256/.324/.422 slash line) and only 526 career PA against southpaws.  Venable isn’t known much for his power, though he rather surprisingly socked 22 homers for the Padres in 2013.

The versatile Venable has been an above-average defender at all three outfield spots as per the UZR/150 and Defensive Runs Saved metrics over his career, though his numbers took a bit of a dip last season.  Venable is also considered to be an excellent baserunner, with 135 steals over 166 career attempts.

Venable would appear to have an advantage over the other left-handed hitting outfielders trying to make the Phillies’ roster, namely David Lough and Cedric Hunter.  Lough is known as a defense-first player with little pop, while Hunter’s MLB experience consists of six games for San Diego in 2011.

Phillies Have “Strong Interest” In Will Venable

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With the Phillies thin in the outfield, they’re “showing strong interest” in newly-available veteran Will Venable, CSNPhilly.com’s Jim Salisbury reports.  Venable became a free agent after the Indians released him from his minor league contract yesterday.

Venable, 33, hit .244/.320/.350 over 390 plate appearances with the Padres and Rangers last season.  Though his batting numbers have declined quite a bit since his 22-homer season/.796 OPS season for San Diego in 2013, Venable has a decent .256/.324/.422 slash line against right-handed pitching over his career.  Beyond his bat, Venable perhaps has more value at this point due to excellent baserunning and his above-average defensive metrics at all three outfield positions.

Phillies GM Matt Klentak said last week that the team wasn’t necessarily actively looking for outfield help, despite losing both Aaron Altherr and Cody Asche to injuries.  Center fielder Odubel Herrera is expected to play every day but there’s plenty of uncertainty in the corner outfield spots, with Peter Bourjos, Cedric Hunter, David Lough and Rule 5 pick Tyler Goeddel all in the mix for playing time.  Goeddel and Bourjos are right-handed hitters, so they could mesh well with Venable in a platoon.

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