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Cubs Close To Trading Jorge Soler To Royals For Wade Davis

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8:41am: If completed, the trade will be Soler for Davis straight up, tweets Rosenthal.

DEC. 7, 12:58am: The teams are reviewing physicals and an official announcement could come in the morning, USA Today’s Bob Nightengale tweets.

DEC. 6, 9:32pm: The Cubs are close to acquiring Davis from the Royals for Soler, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal tweets. The deal is not expected to be done tonight, however, Passan tweets. Soler is still just 24 and retains tremendous power potential, although he has struggled to harness that potential at the big-league level and isn’t likely to get much playing time on a Cubs team loaded with outfielders. Soler hit .238/.333/.436 with 12 home runs in 264 plate appearances with the Cubs last season. Both Baseball America and MLB.com rated him among the top 50 prospects in the game prior to the 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons.

8:07pm: The source of the snag is that the Nationals have made a late bid to acquire Davis, ESPN’s Jayson Stark writes.

7:44pm: There could be a “snag,” and the deal is not a sure thing, Passan tweets.

7:20pm: The Cubs are close to a trade that would land Royals closer Wade Davis, Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan tweets. Passan wrote earlier today that the Royals might soon deal Davis.

Davis, like several other key Royals, is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, and it appears the Royals are getting a jump on potentially big changes to their team by swinging a deal now. They reportedly like Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler, although it’s not clear that he’s involved in a deal at this time. Kelvin Herrera seems likely to take over Royals closing duties next season.

The Cubs, who are losing Aroldis Chapman to free agency, have had interest in top relievers throughout the offseason, and have already been specifically linked to Davis. Davis offers a potentially lower-cost and short-term alternative to big-name free agents to Chapman and Kenley Jansen, while still being plenty dominant himself — he’s had three straight terrific seasons in Kansas City, including a 1.87 ERA, 9.8 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9 in 43 1/3 innings last season.

Trade Notes: Gio, Wilson, Tigers, Rangers, Szczur, White Sox, Kelly, Cardinals

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The Nationals failed to land Chris Sale today, and instead have reportedly turned their attention to another White Sox starter, Jose Quintana. If they had acquired Sale, though, they likely would have tried to trade lefty Gio Gonzalez, ESPN’s Jayson Stark writes. As Stark suggests, the 31-year-old Gonzalez would make an attractive trade candidate in his own right — he’ll make a reasonable $12MM in 2017, with a club/vesting option for another $12MM in 2018, and he’s eaten over 1,300 innings over the past seven seasons. His 4.57 ERA in 2016 was among his worst, but his underlying numbers (8.7 K/9, 3.0 BB/9, 47.6 GB%) don’t suggest a massive change in ability. Here are more quick notes on potential trades:

  • GM Al Avila says the Tigers player who’s been most popular lately among teams hoping to make trades has been lefty reliever Justin Wilson, MLive.com’s Evan Woodberry writes. “The highest level of interest has been on Justin Wilson,” Avila says. Avila has also fielded calls about Shane Greene, but Woodberry writes that the Tigers are less likely to trade Greene, since, unlike Wilson, he’s under team control for the league minimum salary next year.
  • The Rangers continue to be among the teams interested in Wilson, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News tweets. Grant reported yesterday that the two teams had had conversations about Wilson.
  • The Rangers have also asked the Cubs about Matt Szczur, Grant tweets. The 27-year-old Szczur batted .259/.312/.400 while playing all three outfield positions for the Cubs last season. He might be a better fit on a team like the Rangers that’s currently a bit short on established outfielders, rather than one like the Cubs who have plenty.
  • The White Sox are interested in acquiring young catching, MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch tweets. If they end up trading Adam Eaton to the Cardinals, one player they might target is 22-year-old backstop Carson Kelly, who batted .292/.352/.381 for Triple-A Memphis in 2016. Kelly currently ranks 11th on MLB.com’s list of the top Cardinals prospects.

Rosenthal’s Latest: Fowler, Turner, Bautista, Ross

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The Cardinals have been connected to free agent center fielder Dexter Fowler throughout the offseason, and the club made him an initial offer Monday during a meeting with his representatives, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports. That’s at least the second offer Fowler has received – the Blue Jays have reportedly proposed a four-year deal in the $60MM neighborhood. Fowler is seeking $18MM annually on a multiyear pact.

More from Rosenthal:

  • It’s likely the Dodgers and free agent third baseman Justin Turner will work out a new deal, which is the two sides’ hope, according to Rosenthal. It could come at a lower cost than expected, notes Rosenthal, who points to a lack of clear fits for Turner’s services. MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes predicts Turner will return to the Dodgers on a five-year, $85MM accord.
  • With teams reluctant to surrender a first-round pick to sign free agent outfielder/designated hitter Jose Bautista, it’s possible the 36-year-old will sign with a club that has a protected selection, contends Rosenthal. The only teams that wouldn’t have to give up a first-rounder for Bautista are those that finished in the bottom 10 in the standings last season. Bautista could be limited to signing with an American League team because of the DH, and Rosenthal points out that the Twins, Rays, Athletics and Angels are the AL franchises with protected first-rounders. However, there’s not a logical landing spot in that group, Rosenthal observes. Sources told Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi that Bautista’s “market is picking up,” so he might not have to settle for a deal with a low-tier club.
  • Free agent right-hander Tyson Ross, who has been recovering from thoracic outlet surgery since October, is likely to sign with a team that’s adept at “handling and rehabilitating pitchers,” Rosenthal writes. One such club is the Padres, who non-tendered Ross last week in lieu of paying him an estimated $9.6MM in 2017. San Diego and Ross have mutual interest in a reunion, though, and Rosenthal notes that Ross’ affinity for Friars pitching coach Darren Balsley could help their cause. Other possibilities for Ross include the Cubs – who have tried to acquire Ross in the past – as well as the Indians, Pirates, Mariners and Giants, per Rosenthal.

Agency News: Stewart, Cobb, Howard, Montero

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Former Diamondbacks general manager Dave Stewart has returned to his family-run agency – Sports Management Partners – which he’ll operate with his wife, Lonnie Murray, according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link). Stewart previously represented Matt Kemp and Chris Carter, among others, but he had to leave the business when the D-backs hired him in 2014. The fact that Murray remained with the agency while Stewart served as a GM led to conflict-of-interest questions, as Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic detailed last March.

Now for a few updates on notable agency changes that have happened this week:

  • One year before he’s scheduled to hit the open market, Rays right-hander Alex Cobb has switched agencies from ACES to Beverly Hills Sports Council, tweets Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. Cobb was a high-end starter from 2013-14, but he missed all of 2015 thanks to Tommy John surgery and posted ugly results in his return last season. Over an admittedly small sample size (22 innings), the 29-year-old logged an 8.59 ERA to go with 6.55 K/9 – his lowest since 2011. It’s possible Cobb will spend his platform season in a different uniform, as the Rangers have expressed interest in acquiring him.
  • Free agent first baseman Ryan Howard has departed CAA Sports for Excel Sports Management, reports Jon Heyman of FanRag (via Twitter). Regardless of his representation, the longtime Phillie will have difficulty securing a decent deal this offseason as part of a market laden with first base/designated hitter types, Heyman contends. Howard won the National League MVP award in 2006 and scored a five-year, $125MM extension in 2010, but his output declined significantly after he inked that deal. To the left-handed slugger’s credit, he is coming off a 25-home run season, though that accompanied a subpar .196/.257/.453 batting line in 362 plate appearances. Unsurprisingly, the Phillies bought the 37-year-old Howard out for $10MM last month instead of keeping him for $23MM in 2017.
  • Cubs catcher Miguel Montero has left Octagon for Rep 1 Baseball, per Jerry Crasnick of ESPN (Twitter link). Next season is the last one left on the five-year, $60MM extension Montero signed with the Diamondbacks in 2012. He’s set to make $14MM in 2017 as the backup to Willson Contreras. Montero is coming off perhaps the worst offensive campaign of his career, having hit just .216/.327/.357 in 284 PAs, though his strong defensive reputation remains. Both Baseball Prospectus and StatCorner gave his pitch-framing work rave reviews.

MLBTR’s Agency Database contains representation information on more than 2,500 Major League and Minor League players. If you see any errors or omissions, please let us know via email: mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com.

Outfield Notes: Fowler, Dyson, Soler, Herrera, Revere

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The latest in outfielder rumors…

  • The Blue Jays have offered Dexter Fowler a deal in the neighborhood of four years and $60MM, FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman reports.  This falls short of the $18MM in average annual value that Fowler and his representatives are seeking, though it isn’t such an insurmountable gap that it would rule the Jays out of the running for the free agent outfielder.  The Cardinals continue to be interested in Fowler, Heyman notes, while the Giants and Nationals have also been linked to him in past reports and several other teams are speculative matches for Fowler in all three outfield positions.
  • Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson is another Cardinals target, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (via Twitter).  Dyson has the benefit of coming at a much lower financial or trade cost than Fowler or Royals teammate Lorenzo Cain, plus he would be a good fit for a St. Louis team that has defensive upgrades as a stated offseason goal.
  • The Royals like Jorge Soler, 670 The Score’s Bruce Levine tweets.  Rated as one of the game’s best prospects just two years ago, Soler has shown only a few glimpses of his potential at the MLB level and doesn’t have a clear path to regular playing time within the very crowded Cubs outfield.  The Cubs shopped Soler last offseason, and Levine speculates that a deal could be worked out involving K.C. closer Wade Davis, as Chicago is one of several teams interested in Davis.
  • There is some speculation that the Phillies would be open to trading Odubel Herrera, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan tweets.  It would surely take quite a bit to make a deal happen, as Herrera has gone from Rule 5 pick to an everyday contributor for Philadelphia who has hit .291/.353/.419 and 23 homers over his two big league seasons.
  • With the Angels looking for a fourth outfielder who preferably hits from the left side of the plate, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register speculates that Ben Revere could be a good fit.  Revere had a brutal 2016 season and was non-tendered by the Nationals, but Fletcher notes that he has been an Angels target in the past and could be a potential bounce-back candidate.

Bullpen Rumors: Yankees, Brach, Dunn, Davis, Howell, Red Sox, Ziegler

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Virtually every team in baseball is looking for bullpen help, and here’s the latest in relief pitching buzz…

  • The Yankees are pursuing Aroldis Chapman and will “compete to a certain extent” for his services, GM Brian Cashman told media, including MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch (Twitter links).  The club is also talking to Kenley Jansen and looking at trade opportunities, so the Yankees are clearly flexible in their search for back-end relief help if Chapman’s bidding gets too high.
  • The Mets are interested in swinging a deal for Orioles right-hander Brad Brach, tweets ESPN’s Buster Olney.  The Mets have been rumored to be seeking right-handed help in the ’pen but aren’t pursuing top-tier free agents.  Brach would represent an affordable setup option, but with two years of club control and a 2.39 ERA over his past 158 1/3 innings, Brach should come with a high asking price.  The Orioles have been linked to Mets outfielders Jay Bruce and Curtis Granderson (they’re said to prefer the latter), but neither of those outfielders would be enough to get the O’s to part with Brach.
  • The Mets haven’t ruled out Mike Dunn as a possible signing, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports via Twitter, but the club is “not so high” on the veteran left-hander.
  • The Cubs are one of the more serious early suitors for Royals closer Wade Davis, FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reports (via Twitter).
  • The Giants are one of the teams who have asked about veteran lefty J.P. Howell, Olney tweets.  Howell is reportedly only looking for a one-year contract.  San Francisco has an open LOOGY role with Javier Lopez hitting the open market.  Howell posted a mediocre 4.09 ERA last year, and though his peripherals were in line with his prior years’ work, Howell was uncharacteristically vulnerable to lefty hitters (.302/.343/.417) in 2016.
  • Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters (including ESPN.com’s Scott Lauber) that the Sox “haven’t closed any doors” on re-signing Koji Uehara or Brad Ziegler.  Both pitchers fit Boston’s desire for a setup man with closing experience.
  • The Blue Jays are one of a number of organizations that have had contact with Ziegler, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith tweets.  Toronto is presumably looking to add to to its setup corps in front of closer Roberto Osuna.
  • Ziegler has also drawn some attention from the Nationals, per Chris Cotillo of SB Nation. The Nats are also considering fellow free agent Neftali Feliz as they look to bolster their bullpen. Of course, D.C.’s top priority in the relief ranks is surely in the ninth inning, and it is hard to imagine either of those players being trusted with the closing role.

Latest On Royals’ Trade Candidates

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5:01pm: The Rangers have also spoken to the Royals about Cain, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports tweets.

2:48pm: The Royals have told teams they’re willing to listen to offers on Lorenzo Cain, tweets ESPN’s Buster Olney, and Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets that closer Wade Davis is also available and generating plenty of buzz.

Cain, 30, was limited to 103 games by a balky hamstring and also saw his offense take a step back. Set to earn $11.5MM next year before hitting the open market in advance of his age-32 season, Cain batted .287/.339/.408 with nine homers and 14 steals in 434 plate appearances last year. Defensive metrics like Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved still lauded him for his defensive prowess, however, so the hamstring troubles didn’t adversely impact his ability to play an elite center field. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported this morning that the Cardinals have been keeping tabs on Cain, and Andy McCullough of the Los Angeles Times tweets that the Dodgers are interested in both Cain and Davis.

In addition to the Dodgers, the Cubs have shown interest in acquiring Davis, tweets MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. Chicago hasn’t been heavily linked to the top remaining free agent closers and may prefer to add a shorter-term, more cost effective arm, and Davis would fit that bill. He’s owed $10MM next season before he, too, becomes a free agent. However, Davis also had two different DL stints due to a forearm strain in his right arm and posted some red flags in terms of his K/BB numbers, so while he has plenty of name value there could be some degree of concern when it comes to acquiring him and also parting with premium young talent.

Despite concerns surrounding their payroll, the Royals certainly wouldn’t move either of the two for the sole purpose of cutting payroll. Kansas City would feel the need to acquire some meaningful young talent in return, but the revamped structure of the qualifying offer system also puts the Royals in position to receive a lesser compensatory package by making a QO to Cain and/or Davis next year. As such, there’s plenty of logic to seeing what’s out there.

Rangers Showing Interest In Soler, Trumbo, Gomez

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4:05pm: The Rangers are also interested in trading for Cubs outfielder Jorge Soler, MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan reports (via Twitter).  Soler has become something of a forgotten man in a crowded Cubs outfield, though he is still just 24 and under contract through 2020.

3:22pm: The Rangers are showing some interest in Mark Trumbo, tweets Yahoo’s Jeff Passan, but it’s not clear exactly how strong the interest is. Texas is looking for a right-handed bat, though, he notes. Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News, meanwhile, tweets that he believes Carlos Gomez is the Rangers’ “preferred plug-and-play” option in center field, but the length of the contract he’s seeking plays a role in the team’s interest. Per Grant, the matter may come down to whether Gomez is willing to take a two-year deal right now or if he wants to seek a three-year deal elsewhere (and perhaps see if Texas is willing to match that offer, if he does find it).

Trumbo’s asking price is reportedly considerably steeper than the Gomez price implied by Grant, as Trumbo is said to have countered an offer of $52-55MM over four years from the Orioles with a $75-80MM asking price. The Orioles balked at that lofty ask and, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney, are prepared to move on from Trumbo and pursue other options. It’s tough to envision the Rangers (or any club), topping $70MM for Trumbo this offseason.

It seems clear that Texas GM Jon Daniels and his staff are looking around at right-handed bats, as they’ve also been connected to Andrew McCutchen in trade talks. However, it doesn’t appear that they’re 100 percent closed off to signing a left-handed hitter, as Grant tweeted this morning that they’ve maintained contact with Mitch Moreland. However, things will only work with Moreland if he’s willing to wait around for a bit while the Rangers explore some other priorities.

Aroldis Chapman Seeking Six-Year Contract

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Free agent left-hander Aroldis Chapman is seeking a six-year contract, he tells ESPN’s Marly Rivera. In speaking with Rivera, the flamethrowing southpaw also dispelled any notion that he has ever demanded a $100MM figure when speaking to another club. Said Chapman:

“The only thing I have expressed is that I would like a six-year contract. I know that doesn’t mean that I will get it, but that’s what I would like to sign. There are rumors out there that I requested $100 million and that’s not true at all. I believe he who deserves something, does not need to demand it.”

Earlier today, right-hander Mark Melancon shattered Jonathan Papelbon’s previous record reliever contract ($50MM) when he reportedly agreed to a four-year, $62MM deal with the Giants. Chapman and fellow free agent Kenley Jansen are both widely expected to clear the Melancon figure by an even larger margin than Melancon cleared Papelbon, however. A six-year deal for Chapman doesn’t necessarily seem likely, but given widespread expectations that he’ll land a five-year deal, the possibility of a team going to six years is present. If Chapman does get to six years, one would have to imagine that he’ll top $100MM as well.

There are other factors to consider, though. One element that could impact the overall value of a deal would be an opt-out clause, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that some officials that have been involved in talks with both Chapman and Jansen believe they’ll seek such a provision in their deal. Opt-out clauses typically require some concession in terms of the overall value of a contract, so it’s possible that Chapman could pursue a deal that’ll allow him to re-enter the market after two or three years. And considering the fact that he’ll pitch all of next season at 29, he could seek such a clause and still hit the open market for a second time at a young enough age to cash in on an even larger commitment.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post and Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald have both written about Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria’s affinity for Chapman today, and the Yankees are also a team that has been oft-inked to Chapman. ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers reported today that there’s been “no momentum” toward a long-term deal between the Cubs and Chapman, further suggesting that Chicago won’t make a significant play to re-sign Chapman after surrendering with a large amount of young talent to acquire him prior to the non-waiver trade deadline back in July.

Bullpen Rumors: Melancon, Marlins, Lefties, Diamondbacks

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There’s plenty of bullpen chatter circulating as the Winter Meetings get underway. Here’s the latest…

  • The latest updates on Mark Melancon last night revealed that the three-time All-Star has received multiple four-year offers, potentially in excess of $60MM in some cases. The Nationals have indeed made a four-year offer to closer Mark Melancon, according to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post, but their offer was for less than $60MM guaranteed. That makes a reunion look unlikely for now, barring an increase in the offer from the Nats.
  • FanRag’s Jon Heyman writes that Melancon is the Giants’ top target, and Greg Holland could be their primary alternative, as opposed to either Aroldis Chapman or Kenley Jansen. Heyman feels it’s unlikely that they’d pursue either Jansen or Chapman if they fall to land Melancon. The Giants and Nationals are pushing the hardest for Melancon, tweets Heyman.
  • The Nationals, Marlins, Cubs, Dodgers, Yankees and Giants are all in on Kenley Jansen, per ESPN’s Jim Bowden. Heyman tweets that the Marlins are intent on adding a top closer, and owner Jeffrey Loria is a fan of Chapman in particular. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports that Loria is at the Winter Meetings and is participating in meetings with the representation for top-tier bullpen arms.
  • The Yankees, Mets, Blue Jays, Indians, Dodgers, Rockies and Diamondbacks are all in the market for a bullpen lefty, putting names like Mike Dunn, Boone Logan and Jerry Blevins in a good position, Heyman tweets. Heyman also tweeted this morning that the D-backs are focused on the bullpen at the moment and have no plans to “shock the world” like they did last offseason.
  • Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets that veteran southpaw Joe Beimel is at the Winter Meetings and is seeking a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training. Beimel, 40 in April, hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2015 but had a nice two-year stretch in Seattle from 2014-15, posting a 3.12 ERA in 92 1/3 innings.
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