Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

White Sox Rumors

White Sox Activate Trayce Thompson From 60-Day IL

By | at

The White Sox today activated outfielder Trayce Thompson from the 60-day injured list, adding him back to their roster. They had plenty of openings after trading away several players prior to this week’s trade deadline. Their 40-man count is now up to 38.

Thompson, 32, returned to his original organization this week, coming to the Sox as part of the deal that sent Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly to the Dodgers. The outfielder was drafted by the White Sox in 2009 but went into journeyman status as a big leaguer, bouncing to the Dodgers, Yankees, Athletics, back to the White Sox, Cleveland, the Diamondbacks, Cubs and Padres. Most of those stops saw him struggle, either due to injuries or underperformance or both.

Last year, he returned to the Dodgers for a second time and finally was able to stay healthy and productive for a decent stretch. He got into 74 games of Dodger baseball and hit 13 home runs, slashing .268/.364/.537 for a wRC+ 153. He was also graded well for his defense, playing all three outfield slots, leading to a tally of 2.8 wins above replacement from FanGraphs.

That showing was strong enough that the Dodgers tendered him an arbitration contract for 2023, settling on a salary of $1.45MM. Unfortunately, things haven’t been going as well this year, as he hit .155/.310/.366 for a 91 wRC+ through early June before landing on the IL due to a left oblique strain, an injury that he has just now returned from.

The White Sox are out of contention this year and just sold off a number of pieces at the deadline, so they can give Thompson some time to get back on track. He’s in today’s lineup, batting sixth and playing center field as Luis Robert Jr. takes the day off. They also have Andrew Benintendi, Eloy Jiménez and Óscar Colás in the outfield mix, though Jiménez mostly serves as the designated hitter and each guy will likely get some days off as the non-competitive season winds down. Thompson is out of options but the Sox can retain him via arbitration for two more seasons beyond this one if they so choose.

Liam Hendriks Undergoes Tommy John Surgery

By and | at

The White Sox announced this evening that star closer Liam Hendriks has undergone Tommy John surgery. According to the club, he’ll require a 12-14 month recovery timeline.

Hendriks has been on the injured list since the second week of June with what the team initially called elbow inflammation. There’d been no prior indication surgery was under consideration. As of a couple weeks ago, the righty had been throwing simulated games. He apparently suffered a setback during that rehab work and will now miss the majority or all of next season.

It’s a disheartening blow. Hendriks’ quick return from an offseason non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis has been one of the best stories of the 2023 season. He announced his diagnosis in early January. Within roughly three and a half months, he’d completed chemotherapy and been declared cancer-free. He was remarkably back on a major league mound by May 29.

Certainly, the revelation he’d require elbow surgery pales in comparison to the life-threatening news he’d gotten (and overcome) just months before. Yet it’s an obviously tough development for his playing career. Hendriks turns 35 next February. There’s a good chance he’s unable to return to pitching until his age-36 campaign.

Between the late start to the season and the subsequent elbow injury, the three-time All-Star only made five MLB appearances this year. He was one of the top handful of relievers in the sport between 2019-22. Hendriks broke out late in his career with Oakland and maintained that elite performance for his first two seasons with the Sox. Over that four-year stretch, he posted a 2.26 ERA with an elite 38.8% strikeout rate across 239 innings.

With this revelation, it’s possible Hendriks has thrown his last pitch for Chicago. His three-year, $54MM free agent contract contained a $15MM club option for 2024. The deal came with a matching buyout figure — it was built in largely as an accounting measure to frontload the contract’s competitive balance tax hit — that’ll now come into play. If the Sox buy Hendriks out, they’ll be able to defer that payment over the next 10 years.

That’s the course of action they’ll almost certainly take. With Hendriks unlikely to pitch in 2024 regardless, there’s little reason for the Sox not to pay the $15MM in installments. Hendriks figures to return to free agency next winter, where he could field two-year offers from teams with an eye towards the 2025 campaign.

Royals Explored Trades Involving Salvador Perez

By | at

Longtime Royals catcher Salvador Perez looks to have been an under-the-radar trade candidate heading into the deadline, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post tweeted that the Marlins and White Sox each had interest, and the Padres also “checked on” the backstop, as per the Post’s Jon Heyman.  The Marlins might have been relatively closest to making something happen, as The Athletic’s Jayson Stark reports that Perez was “open to” playing in Florida (where he lives), and Miami and K.C. revisited talks this afternoon but a deal didn’t emerge.

On paper, it isn’t surprising that a non-contender like the Royals looking into moving a high-salaried veteran player.  However, the fact that Perez was discussed to even some extent counts as a bit of a surprise, given his longstanding status as the face of the Royals franchise.  In mid-June, Kansas City general manager J.J. Picollo flatly denied the possibility of such a move, saying the Royals didn’t “have any intention of trading Salvy and it’s not something we are looking to do,”  and that “he has told us over and over again he wants to be a Royal his whole career.”

Perez is a 10-and-5 player, meaning that he achieved full no-trade protection by achieving 10 years of MLB service time and five years with the same team.  He could’ve therefore vetoed any proposal, but it creates an interesting question of what scenario arose first — Perez telling the Royals he was open to being dealt in the right scenario, or the Royals approaching Perez with any offers received.

Of course, the extent of the talks with any of these three clubs isn’t known, as even the negotiations with the Marlins might’ve been little more than due diligence.  Miami and San Diego both known to be looking for catching upgrades, and given the thin market for quality backstops, it makes sense that each team would at least place a call to Kansas City, even if the chances of a Perez trade might have been remote.

The White Sox are a more surprising suitor, and it seems unlikely that Perez might have agreed to join another AL Central team.  According to Sherman, Sox manager Pedro Grifol might’ve been a factor in trying to bring his old friend to town, as Grifol spent a decade on the K.C. coaching staff before being hired by Chicago.  The White Sox saw Perez as a replacement for Yasmani Grandal, who is a free agent after the season and was surely a trade candidate in his own right as the Sox looked to rebuild, though Grandal was one of the few pending White Sox free agents who wasn’t moved at the deadline.

If Perez and the Royals are perhaps considering parting ways, it adds an interesting wrinkle to the offseason trade market.  Given how badly the Royals have stumbled this season, Perez might feel that the team won’t be able to contend again before his contract is up, so he might be more open to joining a contender for the latter stages of his career.  From the Royals’ perspective, losing the 33-year-old Perez would represent the end of an era in K.C. baseball, but it might be a decision the team is ready to make if it has to reboot what looks like a stalled rebuild plan.

Perez is still owed at least $44MM through the 2025 season ($42MM in salary and a $2MM buyout of a $13.5MM club option for 2026), so he would be a pricey addition for any team.  There is also the fact that Perez is having a down year, hitting .246/.288/.427 with 17 homers (and 89 wRC+) over 396 plate appearances and posting subpar defensive numbers according to both Statcast and Fangraphs’ metrics.  It could be that Perez might be recharged with a change of scenery, or he might simply be starting to wear down after 12 MLB seasons.

White Sox Not Trading Dylan Cease

By | at

5:01pm: The MLB trade deadline has passed, and the White Sox did not trade Cease, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today.

1:26pm: The White Sox are taking offers on everyone on the roster aside from star center fielder Luis Robert, reports Bruce Levine of 670 The Score (on Twitter). Most notably, that includes 2022 Cy Young runner-up Dylan Cease.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post tweets the asking price was high enough that rival teams feel he’s unlikely to move. Nevertheless, The Post’s Joel Sherman indicates the Sox are “more serious” than they had been about the possibility.

Certainly, there’s no guarantee the White Sox will make a deal. They’d need to be blown away by the package of young talent to do so. Yet it seems they’re at least more open to the idea than they had been, and that they consider Robert on a different level of unattainability than they do Cease.

Cease hasn’t been as dominant as he was last season. His ERA has jumped nearly two runs, up from 2.20 to 4.15 across 119 1/3 innings. There’s been a slight dip in the underlying performance, though it’s not as dramatic as the ERA differential would indicate. Cease’s strikeout rate has decreased from 30.4% to 27.6%, while his swinging strikes have fallen from 15% to 13.6%. Both latter marks are still well above-average, though.

The biggest factor in Cease’s more middling ERA is simply a change in ball-in-play results. Last year’s .260 opponents’ BABIP always looked unlikely to maintain, though this year’s .320 mark probably represents an overcorrection. Cease issues a few more walks than ideal, but he’s capable of missing bats at a rate matched by few other starters and is at least a high-quality #2 arm.

With multiple years of control, Chicago’s asking price should be astronomical. Cease is playing this year on a $5.7MM salary, around $1.87MM of which is yet to be paid out. He’ll be due a pair of arbitration raises before getting to free agency after the 2025 campaign.

Chicago is clearly in sell mode, though their moves to date have mostly been on players with limited control windows. Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López, Lance Lynn and Joe Kelly all seemed likely to hit free agency after this season. Kendall Graveman was under contract for another year, but he’s a setup reliever having a fine but not overwhelming season. Moving Cease would deal a far greater hit to their chances of reversing their fortunes in 2024, though it stands to reason they’d look for upper minors or controllable MLB talent in those discussions.

Other Chicago players seem far likelier to go. Middle reliever Keynan Middleton is an impending free agent who’ll almost certainly move. The club holds a $14MM option on shortstop Tim Anderson, who is having a very poor season. Anderson has hit well over the last two weeks but still holds a .245/.286/.293 batting line in 357 plate appearances overall. That could leave the Sox with a borderline decision on the option and/or a tough call whether to part with him this afternoon. Russell Dorsey of Bally Sports tweets that the Sox have discussed Anderson with multiple teams; the Marlins were loosely linked to the two-time All-Star in a report from ESPN’s Jesse Rogers last week.

Yankees Acquire Keynan Middleton

By | at

The Yankees and White Sox have agreed to a trade that will send Keynan Middleton to the Bronx, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (Twitter link).  Right-hander Juan Carela will head from New York to Chicago in return, according to YES Network’s Joe LoGrippo (via Twitter).

Middleton becomes the latest player moved in what has been a significant pre-deadline selloff from Chicago, while the Yankees have now made their first notable deadline move.  While New York had been reportedly looking to add some controllable pieces, the Bombers will instead make a short-term move in Middleton, who is a free agent after the season.

Signed to a minor league deal by the White Sox over the winter, Middleton was looking to rebuild his career after a trio of rocky seasons with the Angels, Mariners, and Diamondbacks.  Breaking into the majors as a member of the Angels’ bullpen in 2017, Middleton showed some intriguing promise in his rookie season but Tommy John surgery sidelined him for most of the next two years.

Now 29 years old, Middleton finally started to get back on track this season in Chicago.  He has a 3.96 ERA over 36 1/3 innings, with an excellent 30.3% strikeout rate and elite chase and whiff rates.  Control has been an issue, as Middleton’s 10.3% walk rate is well below league average, and he also has a 9.8% barrel rate despite good hard-hit ball numbers overall.

A lot of that damage has come within the last month.  Middleton had a 2.33 ERA through his first 29 appearances and 27 innings, but he has since posted an 8.68 ERA over his last 9 1/3 innings of work, allowing at least one earned run in six of 10 appearances.  These recent struggles surely impacted Chicago’s asking price, but the Yankees felt comfortable enough to take the plunge on the low-cost addition.

The right-hander joins a New York bullpen that has been one of the game’s better relief corps this season, and since the Yankees were otherwise very quiet with their deadline moves, it seems as though the club is doubling down on its strong pen to try and sneak into a wild card berth.  Clay Holmes and Michael King get most of the save chances and highest-leverage work, but there’s plenty of flexibility for Middleton to earn him more looks in key late-game situations.

The 21-year-old Carela has a 3.67 ERA over 83 1/3 innings (starting 16 of 17 games) with the Yankees’ high-A affiliate in Hudson Valley this season, with a 9.1% walk rate and an impressive 31.1% strikeout rate.  MLB Pipeline ranked Carela as the 29th-best prospect in New York’s farm system, describing the right-hander as a possible back-end rotation piece if he improves his control and command.  Carela has a plus slider as well as a sweeper, a pitch taught to many hurlers in the Yankees organization in recent years.

White Sox To Acquire Luis Patiño From Rays

By | at

The White Sox are acquiring right-hander Luis Patiño from the Rays for cash, reports James Fegan.

Patiño, now 23, came over to the Rays as part of the 2020 trade that sent Blake Snell to the Padres. At the time, he was considered one of the top 100 prospects in the sport. In 2021, he seemed like he was cementing himself as a part of Tampa’s future rotation. He made 19 appearances that year, 15 starts, throwing 77 1/3 innings with a 4.31 earned runs allowed per nine innings. That wasn’t a dominant number, but he was just 21 years old that year and so it seemed like there was plenty of room for him to grow.

Unfortunately, things haven’t gone according to plan since then. He missed most of the first half of 2022 due to an oblique strain and then spent the second half as a frequently-optioned depth piece for Tampa. He posted an 8.10 ERA over six big league starts and a 4.38 ERA in 11 minor league starts.

He’s been healthy here in 2023 but hasn’t been able to get back on track. He’s only tossed four innings in the big leagues, spending most of the year in Triple-A. He made six starts at that level earlier in the year but had a 6.66 ERA before being moved into a relief role. He has a 6.86 ERA since that time, walking 13.8% of hitters while striking out just 10.6%. He is in his final option year and will  be out of options next year. For a competitive team like the Rays, it seems it was time to move on.

The White Sox are in a very different position, as they have struggled badly this year and are looking towards the future. They’ve already traded a few pitchers, including Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo López and Kendall Graveman, with perhaps a few more potentially moving before the day is done. They can keep Patiño in the minors for the next couple of months, either in a starting role or a relief role, and see if they can get him back on track. He’s still quite young and was a top prospect not too long ago. He has less than three years of major league service time, meaning they can control him for four more seasons beyond this one if he gets into good form.

Marlins To Acquire Jake Burger

By | at

The Marlins and White Sox have agreed to a deal sending infielder Jake Burger from Chicago to Miami in exchange for left-handed pitching prospect Jake Eder, reports Craig Mish of SportsGrid and the Miami Herald (Twitter links).

It’s a surprise deal given that the White Sox’ focus has generally been on trading short-term assets during their summer sell-off. Burger, 27, will be controllable for another five years beyond the current season and is batting .214/.279/.527. He’s already slugged a whopping 25 home runs on the season but also has the fifth-worst on-base percentage and sixth-highest strikeout rate (31.6%) of any player in the Majors (min. 300 plate appearances). The Marlins, with MLB’s third-fewest home runs (96 total), seemingly view those as acceptable trade-offs to add some pop to lineup that’s heavily reliant on stringing hits together.

Where Burger will line up on the diamond remains to be seen. He’s played primarily third base in his young big league career but drawn poor ratings there (-8 Defensive Runs Saved, -8 Outs Above Average, -3.6 Ultimate Zone Rating). Miami has been using the struggling Jean Segura at the hot corner and could certainly supplant him with Burger’s power bat, but Burger also has experience at second base and first base. The Fish currently have Garrett Cooper taking the bulk of the reps at first, but he’s in his final season of club control and has been a trade candidate at each of the past couple deadlines.

Whether Burger immediately begins to step into a more prominent role at first base or splits his time between the infield corners and designated hitter, he’ll give the Marlins an immediate jolt of power. Looking beyond the 2023 season, both the first base and designated hitter slots in the lineup figure to be vacant; Cooper is a free agent, and while Jorge Soler is technically signed through 2024, he can also opt out of the final one year and $9MM of his contract at the end of the current season.

Subtracting Burger from the White Sox’ long-term outlook obviously takes away a good bit of power potential, but if the club isn’t sold on his defensive acumen at third base then he becomes a tough fit. Chicago has Andrew Vaughn and Eloy Jimenez locked in as long-term options at first base and designated hitter, respectively, so it could prove difficult to find Burger regular at-bats if his glove is indeed a prominent concern.

It’s also possible that the Sox simply felt Eder too talented a prospect to pass up on when presented the opportunity to acquire him. The 2020 fourth-round pick had pitched his way into top-100 prospect status prior to undergoing Tommy John surgery and has already made his way to the Double-A level this year upon returning. Eder, a Vanderbilt product, posted a 1.17 ERA in 71 1/3 innings in his first pro season before going under the knife, and he’s returned with 39 1/3 innings of 4.12 ERA ball. FanGraphs has already plugged him right back into their top-100 list, ranking him as the Marlins’ No. 1 prospect and the No. 54 prospect in baseball.

Scouting reports on Eder tout his mid-90s heater and a slider that FanGraphs touts as “one of the nastiest pitches on the planet.” Eder also has a changeup that’s well behind his header and breaking ball, but both BA and FanGraphs agree it can be an average pitch with further refinement. There are certainly some concerns for any young pitcher coming off major arm surgery, and Eder’s 12.5% walk rate will need to be refined. However, he’s already pitching in Double-A, and it’s feasible that he could be an option for the ChiSox as soon as next season. He might be on something of a limited workload next year, depending on how high his innings total climbs this year, but he’ll immediately become the system’s top pitching prospect.

Big Hype Prospects: Manzardo, Acuna, Luciano, Quero, Saggese

By | at

The Trade Deadline seems to be happening early this year. Between the time I begin writing and this is posted, there might be more deals involving big-name prospects. This week, we’ll focus on the recently completed swaps. We’ll check back on the leftovers next time.

Five Big Hype Prospects

Kyle Manzardo, 23, 1B, CLE (AAA)
313 PA, 11 HR, 1 SB, .238/.342/.442

Manzardo burst onto Top 100 prospect rankings last season with a flashy 22-homer performance in nearly 400 plate appearances split between High- and Double-A. He has all the traits armchair prospect analysts (like myself) crave – plus discipline, a high rate of contact, and above-average exit velocities. If there was a fly in the ointment, his combination of high BABIPs and frequent fly balls seemed untenable. This season, he’s dropped to a more plausible .269 BABIP while maintaining the fly ball rate. His 2023 numbers more closely match his identity. His power outcomes have backed up, but there’s little cause for long-term concern. Additionally, Progressive Field is friendly to left-handed power hitters. Manzardo is undersized for a first baseman, and his power draws 45 and 50 grades on the 20/80 scouting scale. The profile reads a lot like a four-inches-shorter, left-handed Rhys Hoskins.

Luisangel Acuna, 21, 2B/SS, NYM (AA)
402 PA, 7 HR, 42 SB, .315/.377/.452

Repeating Double-A after a rough first exposure last season, Acuna has looked comfortable at the level. His BABIP-fueled batting line is 21 percent above league average (121 wRC+) despite middling power numbers. Like his brother, Luisangel has terrorized opponents on the basepaths. Scouts rate him as merely an above-average runner. There is a degree of swing-and-miss (12.4% SwStr%) to Acuna’s game that calls his future role into question. He’s expected to grow into average or better power if he can learn to lift the ball more consistently. Whether or not he can do so without developing a strikeout problem could depend on the sort of adjustment required. Lift-related mechanical changes tend to exacerbate whiff issues. In some cases, the issue is the location of contact – an adjustment that can yield positive results without negative repercussions. Acuna’s swing is violent and loud. Change could prove challenging. Despite strong walk rates, Acuna is an aggressive swinger, particularly at breaking balls below the zone.

Necessary offensive adjustments aside, there’s also question about Acuna’s future defensive role. He’s a physically capable shortstop who yet lacks polish. Lately, we’ve grown accustomed to seeing shortstop prospects with precocious defensive ability. Acuna could be asked to move over to second or third to better accommodate his ascent alongside Francisco Lindor.

Marco Luciano, 21, SS, SFG (MLB)
(AA) 242 PA, 11 HR, 6 SB, .228/.339/.450

The only member of today’s column who wasn’t traded, the Giants rushed Luciano to the Majors to cover a short-term opening at shortstop. Despite tepid overall numbers at Double-A, Luciano caught a heater beginning in late June. He batted .315/.397/.500 over his final 63 plate appearances at the level. His success carried over to a 27-plate appearance stint in Triple-A where he batted .292/.370/.625 with Major League caliber exit velocities. He’s 3-for-11 with five strikeouts thus far in the Majors. The once uber-prospect has developed into a slug-over-contact future third baseman. His strikeout rate might check in north of 30 percent. Only 11 qualified hitters have strikeout rates above 30 percent. The good news is nine of 11 have above-average batting lines. The two who don’t – Teoscar Hernandez and Byron Buxton – are celebrated hitters. Luciano will look to join this cohort of hitters.

It’s unlikely Luciano sticks with the contending Giants in the short term.

Edgar Quero, 20, C, CWS (AA)
321 PA, 3 HR, 1 SB, .246/.386/.332

A switch-hitter, Quero emerged as a bat-first catching prospect last season when he hit .312/.435/.530 with 17 home runs and 12 stolen bases in 515 Low-A plate appearances. The Angels made the curious decision to skip him past High-A – perhaps seeking to pair him with a better defensive instructor. His discipline remained in evidence this season. The power… not so much. Another plausible explanation of Quero’s aggressive assignment is to see if he merited moving to a different position to accommodate his bat. Instead, the Angels moved him from the organization entirely in the Lucas Giolito trade. Look for Chicago to slow the roll on Quero’s development. His defensive skills are reported to remain relatively raw.

Thomas Saggese, 21, 3B, STL (AA)
418 PA, 15 HR, 8 SB, .313/.379/.512

Saggese doesn’t have the physical traits evaluators crave, but he makes up for it with a hard-nosed playstyle. Part of the Jordan Montgomery trade, it feels like he was always destined to join the Cardinals. His tools draw a collection of 40 and 50 grades, but his feel for quality contact allows the total package to play up. Multiple reports reference his success against sliders. Something to watch is how he performs against upper-level pitchers with big fastballs and command. The Cardinals might seek to add corner outfield to Saggese’s bag of tricks. He fits best at third base, is considered too short for first base, and just passes at second base. The Cards love their role players to possess a deep well of utility.

Three More

Tekoah Roby, STL (21): The prospect headliner of the Montgomery trade, Roby has a four-pitch repertoire of above-average offerings. His best weapon is a double-plus curve ball. He’s currently sidelined with a shoulder injury. There’s relief risk for health reasons only – the stuff and command are sufficient to project a mid-rotation role.

Marco Vargas, NYM (18): Stolen from the Marlins in the David Robertson trade, Vargas is one of the flashier talents in the complex. He’s batting .283/.457/.442 with nearly twice as many walks as strikeouts and a strong rate of contact. Power development will decide whether he’s viewed as a future utility fielder or core performer.

Adam Kloffenstein, STL (22): Part of the return for Jordan Hicks, Kloffenstein is a big right-hander with a limited repertoire. He tunnels a sinker and slider in a way reminiscent of Brady Singer and Brad Keller. He has a solid feel for command and projects to eat innings in an uninspiring way. He’s pitched to a 3.24 ERA in 89 Double-A frames.

Did I miss a detail or nuance? DM me on Twitter @BaseballATeam to suggest corrections.

White Sox Select Edgar Navarro, Activate Mike Clevinger

By | at

The White Sox announced they’ve selected reliever Edgar Navarro onto the major league roster. Chicago also reinstated Mike Clevinger from the 15-day injured list.

Navarro, 25, gets his first major league call. The Venezuela native signed with Chicago as an amateur free agent late, beginning his professional career at age 20. (Most Latin American amateurs sign at 16). Predictably, Navarro didn’t generate much prospect attention given his late-blooming background. He combined for a 3.64 ERA in 54 1/3 innings between High-A and Double-A last season to put himself somewhat on the radar.

Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs named him an honorable mention on his write-up of the Sox’s farm system last winter, pointing to a traditional sinker/slider combination. Navarro has indeed racked up plenty of grounders between the top two minor league levels this year, including a 60% grounder rate in 34 1/3 Triple-A frames. That has contributed to a reasonable 4.19 ERA despite a below-average 21.2% strikeout percentage and particularly alarming 16% walk rate.

Clevinger is back after a six-week absence due to biceps inflammation. He’ll take the ball this evening against the Guardians in what’ll be his last start before Tuesday’s trade deadline. It’s not much time to drum up interest, though it stands to reason some other clubs will send evaluators to keep an eye on his form. There’s little reason for the White Sox to hold Clevinger past the deadline if they can find a trade partner.

The righty has a 3.88 ERA over 12 starts, though his 19.3% strikeout percentage and 9.3% walk rate are each a bit worse than average. Clevinger’s average fastball velocity was above 94 MPH before the injury, but his 9.2% swinging strike percentage was the lowest of his career. Clevinger is owed around $2.8MM in salary through season’s end. That’s a reasonable amount, but he’ll also be due a $4MM buyout on next year’s mutual option at the start of the offseason, which could be the biggest impediment to a trade.

Marcos Grunfeld of El Emergente first reported Navarro’s call-up last night.

Bartolo Colon To Officially Retire

By and | at

Bartolo Colon has officially announced the end of his playing career, which included 21 Major League seasons. Reporter Hector Gomez seemingly broke the news back in June, though Colon’s agents denied that their client was retiring just yet. However, the Mets announced Friday that Colon will retire as a Met on September 17, as part of a tribute day in his honor at Citi Field.

The 50-year-old Colon pitched in the independent Mexican League as recently as the 2021 season, but he hasn’t pitched in the big leagues since 2018. As such, the right-hander will close the book on his memorable career with 565 career MLB games with 11 different teams, a 4.12 ERA over 3461 2/3 innings, four All-Star appearances, the 2005 AL Cy Young Award, and one career home run. Colon won 247 games, the most by any pitcher born in the Dominican Republic.

Colon’s MLB career began in Cleveland in 1997. Though he struggled to a 5.65 ERA in 94 innings as a rookie, he would quickly become the club’s reliable workhorse, pitching to a 3.91 ERA (122 ERA+) with a 4.00 FIP over 819 innings during the 1998-2001 campaigns. He got off to a phenomenal start in 2002, with a 2.55 ERA that was 72% better than league average, before being shipped to Montreal in a deal that saw Cliff Lee, Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, and Lee Stevens sent to the Indians. The deal was a blockbuster at the time, and Cleveland went on to benefit from both that trade package and its related trade tree for years afterward.

Colon pitched well with the Expos, posting a 3.31 ERA in 117 innings before the club dealt him to the White Sox. Colon pitched a career-high 242 innings during his 2003 season on the South Side, posting 3.87 ERA (120 ERA+) before departing for free agency the following offseason. He landed a four-year deal with the Angels in free agency, and after struggling to a 5.01 ERA in his first season with the club delivered a phenomenal 2005 season that earned him his second career All-Star appearance and a Cy Young award. During the campaign, Colon racked up a league-leading 21 wins in 33 starts as he posted a strong 3.48 ERA in 222 2/3 innings of work.

Unfortunately, Colon’s final two seasons in Anaheim would be tainted by injury, as he struggled to a 5.90 ERA in just 155 2/3 innings across the two campaigns. After departing Anaheim, Colon would pitch just 101 1/3 innings over the next three years, suiting up for the Red Sox in 2008 and returning to the White Sox in 2009 before missing the entire 2010 season due to shoulder injuries.

His return to a major league mound came in 2011 after he signed a minor league deal with the Yankees. In the Bronx, Colon posted a solid 4.00 ERA in 164 1/3 innings of work with a FIP of 3.71. The 2011 season represented a new beginning for Colon, now 38, as he would go on to pitch more than 150 innings in each of the following five seasons for the A’s and the Mets. Though a 50-game PED suspension in 2012 added a cloud over his career revival, Colon’s 2012-16 stretch included Colon’s third All-Star appearance, which came in Oakland as he posted a phenomenal 2.65 ERA in 190 1/3 innings of work en route to a sixth-place finish in AL Cy Young award voting.

It also included his fourth and final All Star appearance, which came at the age of 43 with the Mets in 2016. After making it to the World Series with the Mets in 2015, Colon posted a 3.43 ERA that was 17% better than league average by measure of ERA+ in 191 2/3 innings of work as the Mets returned to the playoffs, though Colon ultimately did not pitch for the club in the postseason as New York lost the NL Wild Card game to the Giants. Colon pitched in the majors for two more seasons after leaving the Mets, posting a 6.13 ERA in 289 1/3 innings split between the Braves, Twins, and Rangers before making his final MLB appearance at the age of 45.

Beyond the numbers, Colon also became a cult hero around baseball, adopting the nickname “Big Sexy.” Between his fun-loving personality, everyman physique, and the general appeal of an ageless veteran hurler getting by low velocity and excellent control, Colon had a knack for delivering memorable moments, whether on the field or while interacting with teammates and fans.

MLBTR wishes Colon all the best as he officially moves into his post-playing career.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

hide arrows scroll to top