Headlines

  • Diamondbacks Sign Zac Gallen
  • Padres, Nick Castellanos Agree To Contract
  • Brewers Sign Gary Sánchez
  • Padres, Germán Márquez Agree To One-Year Contract
  • Dodgers, Max Muncy Agree To Extension
  • Padres Sign Griffin Canning
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Athletics
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Free Agent Contest Leaderboard
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Guardians Rumors

Central Notes: Brewers, Hader, Indians, JDM, Reds

By Connor Byrne | April 15, 2018 at 12:28pm CDT

Although Brewers left-hander Josh Hader worked through the minor league ranks as a starting pitching prospect, he has served exclusively as a reliever since making his MLB debut last year. That’s OK with Hader, who has emerged as one of the game’s most dominant bullpen weapons during his 57 1/3-inning career. “I like the idea of coming out of the bullpen and attacking hitters,” he told Todd Rosiak of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “That plays to my strengths a little bit better.” Hader added that “being able to come in 1-2 innings every other day, that keeps me in shape and keeps my pitches more intact” (Twitter links). It’s hard to argue with the results – a 2.04 ERA with 14.13 K/9 against 3.92 BB/9. The 24-year-old is averaging upward of 20 strikeouts per nine early this season, thanks in part to his five-K performance against the Mets over two perfect innings on Saturday. Hader earned the first save of his career in that outing.

More from the Central divisions…

  • With Gio Urshela nearing a return from the disabled list, it’s likely the Indians will soon have to decide between him and fellow out-of-options infielder Erik Gonzalez, Ben Weinrib of MLB.com writes. Attempting to send either Urshela or Gonzalez to the minors would leave that player exposed to waivers. Cleveland has been able to put off an Urshela-Gonzalez choice since last month because of the right hamstring strain the former suffered, but he started a rehab assignment Friday and is on track to come back within the next couple weeks. If the Indians make this call based on career offensive production, the edge goes to Gonzalez. While he’s only a .250/.275/.386 hitter in 139 plate appearances, that easily outdoes Urshela’s .225/.273/.314 line in 453 PAs.
  • More on the Indians, who tried to bolster their World Series chances last year with a J.D. Martinez deadline addition. They were in on the slugging outfielder before the division-rival Tigers shipped him to Arizona in mid-July, Paul Hoynes of cleveland.com reports. The Indians ultimately ended up getting fellow outfielder Jay Bruce a couple weeks later in a deal with the Mets, and while he was effective in Cleveland, Martinez was otherworldly in regular-season action with Arizona. Still, the Martinez-less Indians managed a ridiculous 22 consecutive victories from late August through mid-September en route to a 102-win campaign. Further, it’s anyone’s guess whether Martinez would’ve made a bigger difference in their five-game ALDS loss to the Yankees than Bruce, who slashed .278/.333/.667 with two home runs in 18 at-bats. Martinez, now with the Red Sox, ended his short D-backs career with a .267/.313/.467 line and a homer in 15 ABs in their four-game NLDS loss to the Dodgers.
  • Reds outfielder Scott Schebler, on the DL retroactive to April 6 with a right elbow injury, is slated to play in a Triple-A rehab game Sunday, Mark Sheldon of MLB.com relays. If that goes well, it’s possible Schebler will rejoin the Reds on Monday, according to manager Bryan Price. Meanwhile, reliever David Hernandez is getting close to embarking on his own rehab assignment, per Sheldon. The Reds signed Hernandez to a two-year deal in free agency, but right shoulder inflammation has kept him from debuting with the club.
Share Repost Send via email

Cincinnati Reds Cleveland Guardians Milwaukee Brewers David Hernandez Erik Gonzalez Giovanny Urshela J.D. Martinez Josh Hader Scott Schebler

28 comments

Indians Prospect Francisco Mejia Embroiled In Legal Dispute Over Future Earnings

By Jeff Todd | April 14, 2018 at 12:07am CDT

Indians prospect Francisco Mejia, who is generally considered one of the game’s very best prospects, has brought suit against an entity known as Big League Advance, according to a report from ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick. The litigation seeks to set aside a series of contracts between Mejia and BLA.

The precise nature of the agreements is itself evidently a subject of the lawsuit. Generally, though, the arrangement was for Mejia to receive a payment ($360K in this case) in exchange for a portion (10%) of his future earnings. Mejia clams the up-front money was in the nature of a loan, whereas BLA characterizes it as a no-strings-attached payment.

This general scheme shares plenty in common with Fantex, which previously struck some notable bargains with young MLB players. Of course, that company originally sought to sell “shares” of its investments to the general public, a novel marketing concept that seems not to have worked in practice. The BLA approach appears to be more of a hedge fund model and is (per its website) focused on pre-MLB players. Unlike players who are already in the majors, many prospects’ earnings are somewhat less certain and presumably can, therefore, be secured for lesser investments.

Unsurprisingly, Mejia’s allegations paint a less savory account of BLA’s business model than would the entity itself. CEO Michael Schwimer, a former MLB pitcher, denied that the organization utilizes abusive recruitment tactics and disputes certain elements of Mejia’s claims in particular. Crasnick ticks through some of the chief allegations. Whether or not the contract is enforceable will ultimately be decided by the pending court case, which is only just getting underway, unless the sides agree instead to a settlement.

Whether or not Mejia will be bound by this agreement is itself of note, as he’s a significant player who is expected to have a chance at staking a claim to a regular MLB job in short order. (Indeed, he already touched the bigs last year, leading BLA to seek its first payment.) But the lawsuit is potentially also of broader consequences, as it could have implications for the still-uncertain development of this model of outside investment in professional athletes’ future earnings.

Most notably, perhaps, is the simple fact that this sort of agreement was struck in the first place. Unlike the Fantex situation, BLA seemingly has not sought visibility. Indeed, it asks in a counterclaim for an injunction forbidding Mejia from publicizing his interactions with BLA. But it certainly seems this isn’t an isolated matter. The entity’s website claims that it has arrangements with at least three (anonymous) players who have reached the majors since originally signing with BLA. The site also quotes some unattributed statements of gratitude from those players.

As all this is going on, the 22-year-old Mejia is trying to force his way into the Indians’ immediate plans. He’s off to a tepid start at Triple-A and still doesn’t have a clear position at the game’s highest level. (A catcher by trade, Mejia is also working in the outfield at Columbus.) But most evaluators expect the youngster to establish himself before long as a high-quality hitter at the game’s highest level.

Prospect rankings — including Baseball Prospectus (#5), ESPN.com (#7), MLB.com (#11), and Baseball America (#20) — unanimously value Mejia as a top-end talent. He’s obviously already on the verge of drawing a major-league salary. Certainly, there’s every chance that ten percent of his eventual earnings will turn out to be quite a tidy return on the initial investment reputedly embodied in the contract that’s now in dispute.

Share Repost Send via email

Cleveland Guardians Fantex Francisco Mejia Michael Schwimer

66 comments

Lonnie Chisenhall Out 4-6 Weeks With Calf Strain

By Kyle Downing | April 8, 2018 at 10:52am CDT

Days after getting outfielder Michael Brantley back from the disabled list, the Indians have learned that they’ll be without right fielder Lonnie Chisenhall for four to six weeks. Jordan Bastian of MLB.com first tweeted the timetable, which came from the mouth of Indians manager Terry Francona. Chisenhall left Saturday’s game against the Royals early, and was officially placed on the disabled list early this morning (the club recalled Tyler Naquin to take his place in right field for the time being).

It’s an upsetting development for the Tribe, who saw Chisenhall miss significant time last season with the same issue. The re-aggravation of the injury during a seemingly routine few innings in right field doesn’t bode well for Chisenhall’s 2018 season. The timing is also unfortunate for him financially, as he’s set to become a free agent this winter and would like to erase the injury concerns from the memories of potential suitors.

Chisenhall was a notable beneficiary of the fly ball revolution last season, as he decreased his ground ball rate from 23.9% in 2016 to just 15.8% in 2017, and correspondingly increased his line drive rate and fly ball rate by four percentage points apiece. That adjustment resulted in a career-best .288/.360/.520 batting line. The Indians will certainly be hoping they can get his bat back in the lineup on the shorter end of the injury timetable.

Share Repost Send via email

Cleveland Guardians Cleveland Indians Lonnie Chisenhall Tyler Naquin

22 comments

Injury Notes: Powell, Ramirez, Blackmon, Rodriguez, Indians

By Kyle Downing | April 8, 2018 at 8:58am CDT

Athletics outfielder Boog Powell is headed to the DL after suffering a knee sprain, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The left-handed-hitting Powell has hit just .167/.200/.292 in the first week of the season, though he did impress with a 135 wRC+ in limited action with the A’s last season. Powell beat out top prospect Dustin Fowler for the starting center field job during spring training, but he’ll now be absent for at least ten days while rehabbing.

Other injury notes from around baseball…

  • Maria Guardado of MLB.com tweets that Angels righty J.C. Ramirez exited his most recent start with “forearm tightness”. It’s highly disturbing news for the Halos; Ramirez was diagnosed with a partially-torn UCL in his throwing elbow last season, but elected to go with stem cell surgery rather than opt for a Tommy John procedure. Ramirez has thrown 6 2/3 innings this season; he’s struck out four opposing hitters while allowing seven earned runs on seven hits and seven walks.
  • Rockies star Charlie Blackmon is dealing with some back spasms, but told reporters he is not injured (h/t Nick Groke of the Denver Post). “It was a little bit tight for most of the game and kept getting tighter. I’ve dealt with it before and been all right.” Blackmon, of course, just signed an extension with Colorado and is a key component to their contention plans this season.
  • The Red Sox have officially activated left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez from the 10-day disabled list. Right-hander Marcus Walden has been optioned to Triple-A Pawtucket in a related move. Jason Mastrodonato of the Boston Herald writes that Hector Velazquez and Brian Johnson are expected to pitch out of the bullpen for the time being, as the Sox have a number of off days coming up; those days will eliminate the need for a fifth starter for the time being. The 25-year-old pitched to a 4.19 ERA last season in 137 1/3 innings last season, and is coming off a winter knee surgery.
  • Jordan Bastian of MLB.com has the latest updates on a number of Indians injuries. Right-hander Danny Salazar (shoulder) is still unable to throw off a mound with “full intensity”, so he’s still a few weeks away from game activity. Third baseman Giovanny Urshela (hamstring), on the other hand, is just a week away from possibly starting a minor-league rehab assignment. Left-hander Ryan Merritt (knee) has resumed throwing and is scheduled to pitch an extended spring game on Wednesday, while righty Cody Anderson (elbow) is finally back to throwing off a mound following Tommy John surgery in March of 2017; he’s “several week away” from potential game activity. Of these four players, only Anderson has a minor-league option remaining, meaning the Tribe will be facing a significant roster crunch in the near future. In other Tribe injury news, Lonnie Chisenhall has officially been placed on the 10-day DL. Tyler Naquin has been recalled from Triple-A Columbus to take his place (h/t Ryan Lewis of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Share Repost Send via email

Athletics Boston Red Sox Cleveland Guardians Colorado Rockies Los Angeles Angels Boog Powell Brian Johnson Charlie Blackmon Cleveland Indians Cody Anderson Danny Salazar Eduardo Rodriguez Giovanny Urshela Hector Velazquez Marcus Walden Ryan Merritt

10 comments

Quick Hits: Duffy, Melky, Indians, Brewers, Giants

By Connor Byrne | April 7, 2018 at 10:26pm CDT

Royals left-hander Danny Duffy was a popular name in trade rumors during the offseason, but he ended up staying put. Duffy remains a trade candidate, however, according to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe. It would take “the right package of prospects” to land the 29-year-old Duffy, Cafardo writes. Duffy’s under control through 2021 for a total of $60MM. He’s off to a rough start this year – albeit over two just two appearances – having allowed eight earned runs on 10 hits and five walks (with eight strikeouts) in 9 2/3 innings.

More from around the game…

  • There are teams interested in signing free-agent outfielder Melky Cabrera to a minor league deal, per Cafardo. It’s unclear, though, whether the 33-year-old would be open to signing a minors pact. An inability to contribute in the field or on the base paths have likely been the main culprits for Cabrera’s unemployment, and it doesn’t help that he hit an uninspiring .285/.324/.423 (98 wRC+) across 666 plate appearances between the White Sox and Royals in 2017.
  • Indians outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall suffered a right calf injury Saturday and will likely head to the disabled list, manager Terry Francona told Joe Noga of cleveland.com and other reporters. Chisenhall previously missed 45 games last year with a right calf issue, notes Noga, who adds that the Indians could recall Tyler Naquin from Triple-A to take his place. Naquin went to the minors Friday to make room for the just-activated Michael Brantley.
  • Left-handed reliever Dan Jennings’ deal with the Brewers is worth $750K, and it includes up to $1.075MM more in games pitched incentives, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times tweets. Jennings, whom the Rays released before the season, has already made five appearances and tossed 5 1/3 innings with Milwaukee. Thus far, he has allowed one run on four hits, with three strikeouts against two walks.
  • Giants righty Jeff Samardzija is aiming to make his season debut around April 19, Kerry Crowley of the Bay Area News Group writes. In the meantime, the plan is for Samardzija to pitch in extended spring training Monday and then make a minor league rehab start. The 33-year-old innings-eater has been out since late March with a strained pectoral muscle. Thanks to Samardzija’s injury and ace Madison Bumgarner’s broken left pinkie, the Giants are without two of their best starters.
Share Repost Send via email

Cleveland Guardians Kansas City Royals Milwaukee Brewers San Francisco Giants Dan Jennings (P) Danny Duffy Jeff Samardzija Lonnie Chisenhall Melky Cabrera

22 comments

Heyman’s Latest: Harper, Rangers, Bruce, Lagares, Cosart

By Mark Polishuk | April 7, 2018 at 3:02pm CDT

Bryce Harper’s free agent market receives an early preview by FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, who lists the eight teams he feels have the best chance at signing the star outfielder when he hits the open market after the season.  The Nationals and other big-market usual suspects are cited, though the Braves are a new addition to the list of candidates, as both Sirius XM Radio’s Steve Phillips and an unnamed friend of Harper’s feel Atlanta is a logical possibility.  It should be noted that the Braves are only being named here as a “makes sense on paper” type of candidate, as it isn’t known whether Harper himself would consider the Braves, or if the club is actually preparing for a run at the outfielder.  Still, a case can be made — Atlanta is known to be preparing for the end of its rebuild, with a large array of young players that could position the team as a contender for years to come.  Signing Harper would certainly be about the biggest splash possible in announcing a return to contention, though it remains to be seen if the Braves would be open to spending the record-setting contract Harper will seek in free agency.

Here’s some more from Heyman, in his weekly notes post covering all 30 teams…

  • With Delino DeShields Jr. on the disabled list due to a broken hamate bone, the Rangers are looking for center field depth.  Drew Robinson and Rule 5 draft pick Carlos Tocci have been platooning in center field with DeShields out, though that may not be a tenable situation given that DeShields could be sidelined into the middle of May.  Jose Cardona and Brett Eibner are available in the minors, but Texas would have to create a 40-man roster spot for either player.
  • Heyman provides some new details on Jay Bruce’s free agent market, reporting that the Indians offered Bruce a two-year, $18MM deal while the Blue Jays discussed a one-year deal in the range of $5MM-$7MM.  It’s interesting to note that both teams ended up signing somewhat similar veteran left-handed bats for similar price points — Cleveland inked Yonder Alonso for two years and $16MM in guaranteed money, while Toronto signed Curtis Granderson to a one-year, $5MM deal.  The Jays didn’t actually make Bruce an offer, however, and neither did the Astros, though they also had some talks with Bruce about a two-year deal.  Heyman speculates that Houston may have been considering Bruce only if top prospect Derek Fisher was dealt, and thus the Astros’ interest waned since they were able to acquire Gerrit Cole without parting ways with the young outfielder.  As it turned out, Bruce ended up landing a three-year, $39MM deal to return to the Mets.
  • Speaking of the Mets, Heyman writes that the team would still be willing to deal Juan Lagares if a trade partner could be found.  Lagares had been a frequent subject of trade rumors over the winter, and the Mets’ outfield situation has once again become overly crowded now that Michael Conforto has returned from the disabled list.  With Conforto and Brandon Nimmo both capable of playing center field, Lagares’ contract ($16MM guaranteed in 2018-19) and lack of hitting makes him expendable, though Lagares is a superb defender.  It’s possible the Mets could find an interested team later in the season as injuries or pennant race needs emerge, though one would think New York would have to eat at least some of the contract to make a deal happen.  On the flip side, Lagares could provide valuable depth if the Mets are again hit with injuries, or if Bruce is needed at first base in the event that Adrian Gonzalez can’t hold up over regular playing time.
  • Jarred Cosart will soon throw for teams in a showcase, as the free agent righty looks to catch on with another team.  Elbow surgery limited Cosart to just 24 MLB innings in 2017, and the Padres outrighted him off their roster after the season rather than pay him a projected $1.3MM via the arbitration process.
Share Repost Send via email

Atlanta Braves Cleveland Guardians Houston Astros New York Mets Texas Rangers Toronto Blue Jays Bryce Harper Jarred Cosart Jay Bruce Juan Lagares

49 comments

Indians Activate Michael Brantley

By Steve Adams | April 6, 2018 at 10:51am CDT

The Indians announced that they’ve activated outfielder Michael Brantley from the 10-day disabled list. Fellow outfielder Tyler Naquin was optioned to Triple-A Columbus to clear a spot on the 25-man roster for Brantley, who’d opened the year on the DL while finalizing his recovery from offseason ankle surgery.

Durability has been a major concern for Brantley in recent years, as he’s undergone a pair of shoulder operations in addition to this offseason’s ankle surgery. Those ailments combined to limit the 30-year-old to just 101 games since Opening Day 2016.

Given Brantley’s recent rash of injuries, it’s easy to forget just how great of a player he can be at full strength. Long a quality outfield piece in Cleveland, “Dr. Smooth” broke out as one of the American League’s best all-around players in a 2014 season that saw him finish third in the AL MVP race after posting a superlative .327/.385/.506 batting line with a league-leading 45 doubles, 20 homers and 23 steals. Brantley followed that up with a similarly excellent .310/.379/.480 slash the following season and looked to be an emerging star before initially injuring his shoulder while diving for a catch in the left-center gap at Target Field in Minneapolis that September.

His injury troubles notwithstanding, Brantley saw his $12MM club option exercised by the Indians last November. Given the offseason surgery and the manner in which corner outfielders were further devalued in free agency this winter, the Cleveland front office may prefer a mulligan on that decision, though Brantley was worth more than $12MM in just 90 games last season when he hit .290/.357/.444 with 20 doubles, nine homers and 11 steals.

The 2018 season will be a crucial one for Brantley, whose contract expires at season’s end. If he can steer clear of the DL for the first time since 2014 and convince clubs that his shoulder and ankle are largely healthy, then it stands to reason that a player with his ability and track record could land a nice multi-year deal in his first foray into the open market. If the 2018 season is again marred by injuries, however, that outcome seems decidedly less likely.

As for Naquin, he’ll head back to Columbus and hope for yet another opportunity to prove that his terrific 2016 campaign wasn’t a fluke. The former first-rounder had seen his prospect star fade but was called upon in the wake of Brantley’s injuries and capitalized in surprising fashion. Through 365 plate appearances that season, Naquin slashed .296/.372/.514 with 14 homers — good enough to finish third in AL Rookie of the Year voting. That production, though, was accompanied by a sky-high .411 BABIP and 30.7 percent strikeout rate, so it’s perhaps not hard to see why the Indians remain unconvinced that he can replicate those numbers.

[Related: Cleveland Indians depth chart]

Naquin has since been leapfrogged by Bradley Zimmer on the team’s depth chart, and with Brantley, Lonnie Chisenhall, Rajai Davis and Brandon Guyer rounding out the big league outfield. Brantley, Chisenhall, Davis and possibly Guyer ($3MM club option) are all free agents after the 2018 season, though, so keeping Naquin on hand as depth makes sense for Cleveland.

Share Repost Send via email

Cleveland Guardians Michael Brantley Tyler Naquin

27 comments

Royals Claim Abraham Almonte, Designate Miguel Almonte For Assignment

By Steve Adams | April 2, 2018 at 1:50pm CDT

The Royals have claimed outfielder Abraham Almonte off waivers from the Indians and designated right-hander Miguel Almonte for assignment, tweets MLB.com’s Jeffrey Flanagan. Cleveland had designated the former of the two for assignment when setting its Opening Day roster.

Abraham Almonte, 28, was on the outside looking in of a jam-packed outfield mix in Cleveland. He’ll have a clearer path to playing time in Kansas City, where Jon Jay, Alex Gordon, Jorge Soler and Paulo Orlando comprise the primary outfield unit in the Majors in the wake of Jorge Bonifacio’s 80-game PED suspension. The switch-hitting Almonte had a strong half-season showing for the Tribe in 2015 but missed half the 2016 campaign due to an 80-game PED suspension and hit just .249/.304/.384 in 389 plate appearances from 2016-17.

As for Miguel Almonte, who’ll turn 25 on Wednesday, the hard-throwing righty has long ranked as one of the Royals’ top organizational prospects, but his star has faded in recent seasons. He’s tossed 10 2/3 innings in the Majors between 2015-17, but he’s yet to establish himself at the game’s top level. Injuries have played a massive role in stalling the younger Almonte’s development. Last season, he threw just two innings with Kansas City’s Triple-A affiliate in Omaha, and Flanagan tweets today that Almonte had been ticketed for the minor league disabled list to open the season due to posterior shoulder soreness.

Share Repost Send via email

Cleveland Guardians Kansas City Royals Transactions Abraham Almonte

19 comments

AL Central Notes: Draft Pools, Royals, Pena, Reyes, Iglesias, Tribe

By Mark Polishuk | April 1, 2018 at 10:11pm CDT

The Royals will have the largest bonus pool of any team in baseball for this summer’s amateur draft, MLB.com’s Jim Callis writes.  Clubs were informed earlier this week about the size of their draft pools, as well as the slot values for each pick that falls within the draft’s first 10 rounds, plus the Competitive Balance rounds (for smaller-market teams) and compensatory rounds for teams that lost qualifying offer-rejecting free agents.  Kansas City has selections in both of those extra rounds, with a pick (the draft’s 40th overall selection) in Competitive Balance Round A and two compensatory picks (33rd and 34th overall) obtained when Lorenzo Cain signed with the Brewers and Eric Hosmer signed with the Padres.

The Royals have $12,781,900 in total to spend within their draft bonus pool, placing them just ahead of the Rays ($12,415,600) and Tigers ($12,414,800).  Detroit owns the first overall pick in the draft, which comes with a recommended slot price of $8,096,300.  Be sure to check out Callis’ piece for the full rundown of slot prices and the order of the draft’s first 10 rounds, though the draft order could still potentially be shifted if any of the Competitive Balance Round picks are traded.  These are the only such draft picks that are eligible to be dealt, and they can only be dealt once the regular season has started.

Here’s more from around the AL Central…

  • Brayan Pena is still hopeful of continuing his playing career, though Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire told reporters (including MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery) that the catcher is also operating in a semi-coaching capacity.  Pena signed a minor league deal with Detroit in January but no longer has a spot at the Triple-A level after the Tigers’ signing of Jarrod Saltalamacchia.  If Pena can’t find a playing opportunity elsewhere, he’ll transition into working with prospects at extended Spring Training camp and for the Tigers’ Gulf Coast League team.  The 36-year-old Pena is a veteran of 12 Major League seasons, hitting .259/.299/.351 over 1950 career PA from 2005-16 while mostly working in a backup catching capacity.
  • Victor Reyes and Jose Iglesias both came up worse for wear after the two Tigers collided in pursuit of a fly ball during the fifth inning of today’s game.  Reyes suffered a laceration in his forearm that caused him to leave the game and required eight stitches to close, while Iglesias suffered soreness in both his ankle and calf (MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery was among those who reported the injury updates.)  Both players will be re-evaluated tomorrow.  It was a tough beginning to Reyes’ big league career, as the Rule 5 pick was making his Major League debut in the second half of Detroit’s double-header with the Pirates.
  • “If the Indians were a high school team, this would be their senior year,” Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes, acknowledging that this might be the Tribe’s best chance at a championship given how many key players are scheduled for free agency after the season.  Andrew Miller, Michael Brantley, Cody Allen, Lonnie Chisenhall, and Josh Tomlin are just a few of the prominent names set to hit the open market, and re-signing some or even any could be difficult given Cleveland’s small-market realities.  Despite this, Miller believes that “from an organization standpoint, I don’t think a window is closing” since the Tribe still has the likes of Francisco Lindor, Jose Ramirez, and much of their rotation returning.  “There’s a track record here for the way they do things….The way they develop players, the way they prepare them, as long as you have Tito (Terry Francona) at the helm, they’re going to be good,” Miller said.
Share Repost Send via email

2018 Amateur Draft Cleveland Guardians Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Brayan Pena Jose Iglesias Victor Reyes

22 comments

AL Notes: Cobb, Mariners, Cruz, Indians, Salazar

By Connor Byrne | March 31, 2018 at 7:46pm CDT

The latest from the American League…

  • Right-hander Alex Cobb won’t debut with the Orioles before April 14, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports. Cobb’s behind schedule because he sat on the free-agent market for a surprisingly long time – until March 21, to be exact – before scoring a four-year, $57MM deal. The 30-year-old threw four innings of 48-pitch ball in extended spring training on Friday, per Kubatko, and is likely to have an outing with Double-A Bowie on April 9, Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun tweets.
  • Mariners slugger Nelson Cruz sprained his right ankle Saturday, causing him to leave their game against Cleveland early, and was in a walking boot afterward, Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times relays. It doesn’t appear to be a major injury, however, as Divish writes that Cruz may only miss “a few days.” The designated hitter suffered the injury when he slipped on a step in the dugout, which came immediately after he belted his second home run of the season. X-rays came back negative, but Cruz will undergo an MRI on Sunday to make sure it’s nothing serious.
  • Meanwhile in Seattle, it seems the left oblique injury that sent catcher Mike Zunino to the disabled list on Friday is fairly minor. Zunino suffered the least severe type of sprain (Grade 1), Mariners manager Scott Servais told Greg Johns of MLB.com and other reporters Saturday. The hope is that Zunino will be able to return next weekend. In the meantime, the Mariners will continue to go with Mike Marjama and David Freitas behind the plate.
  • It doesn’t look as if Indians righty Danny Salazar will return in the near future. He’s slated to stay in Arizona for the next month on a throwing program, Jordan Bastian of MLB.com suggests. The 28-year-old Salazar has been on the shelf since he suffered an onset of right shoulder rotator cuff inflammation in January. The hard-throwing Salazar also missed significant time last season (six weeks) because of shoulder issues.
Share Repost Send via email

Baltimore Orioles Cleveland Guardians Seattle Mariners Alex Cobb Danny Salazar Mike Zunino Nelson Cruz

16 comments
« Previous Page
Load More Posts
Show all
    Top Stories

    Diamondbacks Sign Zac Gallen

    Padres, Nick Castellanos Agree To Contract

    Brewers Sign Gary Sánchez

    Padres, Germán Márquez Agree To One-Year Contract

    Dodgers, Max Muncy Agree To Extension

    Padres Sign Griffin Canning

    Orioles Sign Chris Bassitt

    Brewers To Sign Luis Rengifo

    Astros, Blue Jays Swap Jesús Sánchez For Joey Loperfido

    Phillies Release Nick Castellanos

    Yankees Re-Sign Paul Goldschmidt

    Rockies Sign Jose Quintana

    Jackson Holliday To Begin Season On Injured List Following Hamate Surgery

    Rangers Top Prospect Sebastian Walcott To Undergo Elbow Surgery

    Francisco Lindor To Undergo Surgery For Hamate Fracture

    Dodgers Re-Sign Evan Phillips, Designate Ben Rortvedt

    Corbin Carroll To Undergo Surgery For Hamate Fracture

    Reese Olson To Miss 2026 Season Following Shoulder Surgery

    Braves Place Spencer Schwellenbach On 60-Day Injured List

    Rangers To Sign Jordan Montgomery

    Recent

    Diamondbacks Notes: Kendrick, Trades, Kelly, Locklear

    MLBTR Chat Transcript

    NL Central Notes: Saggese, Grichuk, Steele, Urias

    Dodgers Notes: Hernandez, Phillips, Diaz

    Werner, Kennedy Discuss Red Sox Offseason, Bregman, Devers

    Rays’ Garrett Cleavinger Drawing Trade Interest

    Braves’ Hurston Waldrep Dealing With Elbow Soreness

    Diamondbacks Claim Grant Holman

    Giants Sign Will Brennan To Major League Deal

    Mets Claim Ben Rortvedt Off Waivers From Dodgers

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android iTunes Play Store

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • 2025-26 Top 50 MLB Free Agents With Predictions
    • Front Office Originals
    • Tim Dierkes' MLB Mailbag
    • 2025-26 Offseason Outlook Series
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Projected Arbitration Salaries For 2026
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

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

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version