Rockies Rumors

Rockies Reportedly Agree To Sign Santiago Casilla

By Jeff Todd | July 26, 2018 at 1:14pm CDT

The Rockies have agreed to a deal with free agent righty Santiago Casilla, according to Robert Murray of The Athletic (Twitter links). It’s said to be a minor-league arrangement.

Casilla recently received his walking papers from the A’s, who’ll still pay him the $2MM or so left on his salary for the current season — less any pro-rated portion of the league minimum he earns with the Colorado organization. The 37-year-old has spent his entire career to this point with the two Bay Area organizations.

While Casilla had worked to a 3.16 ERA in his 31 1/3 innings this year in Oakland, he was carrying an ugly 22:20 K/BB ratio. He’s averaging about 94 mph on his fastball still, but the 38-year-old has also seen his swinging-strike rate drop to a personal-low 9.0%.

For now, Casilla will represent a depth option for the Rox. But he could certainly end up becoming an option at the MLB level if he shows well. Though the team has already made one bullpen upgrade, the relief unit is probably susceptible of further improvement.

Rockies Acquire Seunghwan Oh

By Mark Polishuk | July 26, 2018 at 9:01am CDT

TODAY: The deal is now official. Former first-round pick Forrest Wall is also headed to Toronto, as Jon Heyman of Fancred tweeted just before the announcement. Bouchard is not in the pact, at least directly. In addition to Wall and Spanberger, the package includes a player to be named later, though it’s not known presently whether Bouchard is among the possibilities.

YESTERDAY, 8:02PM: Another first base prospect, Sean Bouchard, is also heading to Toronto in the deal, as per Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post.

7:54PM: Minor league first baseman Chad Spanberger is expected to be heading to the Blue Jays as part of the trade, Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi reports (Twitter link). A sixth-round pick for Colorado in the 2017 draft, Spanberger is ranked 24th on MLB.com’s list of the top 30 Rockies prospects, with the scouting report noting Spanberger’s big power potential but also quite a few strikeouts.

7:22PM: The Rockies and Blue Jays have agreed to a trade that will see right-hander Seunghwan Oh join the Colorado bullpen, with The Athletic’s Robert Murray tweeting that the trade is “a done deal.” Steve Phillips of MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM reported earlier today that an Oh trade was close to happening, with MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi later adding the news that Colorado was the team involved in the deal.

Oh’s stock was down in the offseason, following a somewhat rough 2017 campaign that saw him lose his closer’s job with the Cardinals and struggle with the long ball to the tune of a 1.5 HR/9 rate. This led to Oh signing a low-cost one-year deal with the Blue Jays worth $1.75MM in guaranteed salary and a $2MM club option ($250K buyout) for the 2019 season.

That signing ended up being a nice bargain for the Jays, culminating in this flip of the 36-year-old for some prospect capital. Oh has posted a 2.68 ERA, 10.5 K/9, and 5.50 K/BB rate over 47 innings for Toronto, looking far more like his “Final Boss” form from the 2016 season (his first year in Major League Baseball) than his less-impressive 2017 edition. The advanced metrics have been pretty sold on Oh’s performance, as his .266 wOBA is nearly identical to his .264 xwOBA, and ERA predictors (3.03 FIP, 3.77 xFIP, 2.91 SIERA) mostly back up that impressive 2.66 real-world ERA.

He has also largely gotten over his home run issues, with only an 0.96 HR/9 and 8.2% homer rate this season. This will be particularly important for Oh as he shifts to Coors Field, though he has managed to success in another hitter-friendly ballpark (Rogers Centre) despite just a 29.8% grounder rate.

While Oh should help the Rockies’ relief corps, the fact that the bullpen was such a pressing trade deadline need represents a misfire for the team. Colorado spent $106MM total in three-year free agent pacts for Wade Davis, Bryan Shaw, and Jake McGee, only to see all three fail to live up to expectations. Shaw and McGee have particularly struggled, leading for the Rox to seek out another arm to bridge the gap to Davis in the ninth inning. Oh will join Adam Ottavino (the pen’s one bright spot) as the Rockies’ chief setup options.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Blue Jays “Appear Close” To Striking J.A. Happ Swap

By Jeff Todd | July 25, 2018 at 9:18pm CDT

10:18PM: “The industry belief” is that the Yankees and Brewers are the front-runners for Happ, Sherman writes. The Cubs still “might be in play,” though Chicago also asked the Jays about Marcus Stroman. In another tweet, Sherman mentions that the Blue Jays like Yankees infielder Brandon Drury.

9:33PM: The Yankees still look like the favorite for Happ right now, with Feinsand calling them “the leader” of the teams in pursuit, and SNYTV’s Andy Martino saying the Bombers are “in strong position.” A trade may not be imminent, as Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that a deal is “unlikely” to take place tonight. (All links to Twitter.) Both Feinsand and Martino list the Cubs and Brewers still being involved, with Martino adding the Rockies as a new team to the Happ rumor mill. Feinsand feels the number of teams in on Happ will result in a nice trade return for the Blue Jays.

9:10PM: There are conflicting reports about the Yankees’ involvement in the trade, as Steve Phillips of MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM tweets that the Jays are “focusing on finalizing” the Happ deal with New York. Fancred’s Jon Heyman, however, reports that other teams are still in the running, and the Yankees “seem unaware they are getting [Happ], as of this moment.”

3:46PM: The Yankees are “heavy in the mix” for Happ, Feinsand tweets, with other teams (such as the Brewers) still possibly being in play. The Cubs are one of the other teams involved, according to Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times.

3:39PM: As the Blue Jays and Twins began action at 3:07pm CT today, Happ hadn’t heard about a trade, Fancred’s Jon Heyman tweets. Happ is in Toronto’s dugout, Sportsnet.ca’s Ben Nicholson-Smith and others have reported.

2:54PM: The Blue Jays “appear close” to striking a deal to send lefty J.A. Happ to a contender, according to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (via Twitter). Particulars of the potential match are entirely unknown, though certainly a variety of contenders make sense generally as destinations for the veteran starter.

Happ has mostly been a quality performer for the past several seasons. He currently sits at a 4.18 ERA on the present season, with peripherals suggesting he has been even more effective than the results would suggest. Though Happ endured a few rough outings recently, he racked up nine strikeouts and allowed just one earned run over five innings in his last start.

As a pending free agent on a struggling Toronto team, it has long seemed clear he’d be dealt this summer. Happ ranked sixth among trade deadline candidates on MLBTR’s recent list.

Last we heard, the Jays were said to be lowering their asking price on Happ as the deadline draws near. The Yankees, Phillies, and Cubs have been linked to him in recent weeks, though it’s not at all clear whether any of those teams is pressing to land the southpaw today.

Rockies Close To Trade For Seunghwan Oh

By Mark Polishuk | July 25, 2018 at 5:46pm CDT

6:17PM: The Rockies are the team closing in on the Oh trade, MLB.com’s Jon Paul Morosi reports.

5:46PM: The Blue Jays are closing in on a trade involving right-hander Seunghwan Oh, according to Steve Phillips of MLB Network Radio on Sirius XM (Twitter link). The deal could be completed as soon as today. An Oh deal could make a very busy day for the Jays on the transaction front, as the club is also reportedly close to an even bigger trade of southpaw J.A. Happ.

Oh has been outstanding in his first year in Toronto, with a 2.68 ERA, 10.5 K/9, and 5.5 K/BB rate over 47 innings out of the Jays’ bullpen. It has been a thoroughly strong rebound season for the 36-year-old, as home run problems led to Oh posting a 4.10 ERA for the Cardinals in 2017. This year, however, Oh’s homer rate has settled back down to a much more manageable 8.2%.

Virtually every contender is looking for bullpen help, so any number of teams could be checking in on Oh. The veteran is owed only around $500K for the remainder of the season, and he is controllable in 2019 via a very affordable $2MM club option ($250K buyout).

Trade Chatter: Archer, Rockies, O’s, Astros, Steckenrider, D-backs, Kela

By Steve Adams | July 24, 2018 at 4:27pm CDT

With the Padres’ lengthy rebuilding moving ever closer to its conclusion, the team has been inquiring about controllable MLB pieces to add to its rotation. They’ve already been tied to Noah Syndergaard on the rumor mill, and they reportedly asked the Yankees about Miguel Andujar during Brad Hand talks. Adding to that line of thinking, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic writes today (subscription required) that an executive that is with neither the Padres nor the Rays tells him that San Diego is pursuing a Chris Archer trade. Rosenthal is careful to stress that neither the Friars nor the Rays confirmed as much, though the two sides have had at least some level of discussions regarding Archer, he notes. As Rosenthal explores at length, however, there are myriad roadblocks to a deal.

Whether San Diego’s interest in Archer is serious or more along the lines of due diligence, it’s an interesting look at the calculus both the Padres and Rays need to consider when weighing future-oriented moves. And it’s certainly another notable data point suggesting that Padres GM A.J. Preller and his staff are beginning to look at improving the big league roster with pieces that could be controlled beyond the 2020 season.

Some more trade talk from around the league…

In addition to the Rockies’ previously reported interest in Zach Britton, Colorado has also asked the Orioles about right-handers Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman, Jon Morosi of MLB.com reports (via Twitter). There’s no momentum in talks regarding Bundy and Gausman, however, Morosi adds. To this point, it’s not at all clear whether the O’s would even consider moving Gausman (controlled through 2020) or Bundy (through 2021). There’s little reason for the Orioles not to seriously entertain offers, from my vantage point, as they’re not likely to contend in either 2019 or 2020 with the Yankees and Red Sox both poised for long-term success. Obviously, that’s not to say they should simply take the best offer presented before July 31, but the Orioles should be amenable to moving just about anyone on the roster for a strong enough return.
The Athletic’s Jayson Stark cites execs from teams that have spoken with the Astros in reporting (via Twitter) that Houston has been “adamant” about hanging onto its very top tier of prospects in trade talks (e.g. Forrest Whitley, Yordan Alvarez). The Astros’ farm system is plenty deep, of course, and it stands to reason that any of the rental targets they’re pursuing — they’ve been oft-linked to Zach Britton, for instance — would come with a lower price tag than that anyhow.
The Marlins’ ask on its controllable relievers appears to be quite high, with Morosi tweeting that Miami indicated to the Red Sox that Jay Groome or Michael Chavis alone would not be enough to land Drew Steckenrider. (Morosi doesn’t suggest that either was ever offered up by the Red Sox — only that the Marlins wouldn’t have considered a one-for-one swap in either case.) While Groome and Chavis are generally regarded as Boston’s top two prospects, Groome underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this summer. Chavis, meanwhile, missed the first 80 games of the season due to a PED suspension and has only logged 10 games since being activated.
Morosi also tweets that the Diamondbacks have shown interest in Rangers relievers Keone Kela and Jose Leclerc. There’s no indication that talks between the two sides are serious, but the Rangers are reportedly open to moving Kela, who is controlled through the 2020 season. The 25-year-old is currently sporting a 3.18 ERA with 10.9 K/9 against 3.2 BB/9 through 34 innings of work and has a 2.97 ERA with better than 11 K/9 dating back to 2017. Leclerc would be tougher to pry away, as he’s controlled for another four seasons beyond the current campaign and currently boasts a 2.06 ERA with a 51-to-18 K/BB ratio through 35 innings.

Jonathan Schoop, Kevin Gausman, Dylan Bundy Drawing Trade Interest

By Connor Byrne | July 23, 2018 at 8:35am CDT

July 23: The Rockies have been scouting both Gausman and Bundy recently, tweets Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Colorado has held a “longstanding interest” in Gausman, in particular, Rosenthal adds.

Colorado’s rotation has been in the bottom-third of the league in terms of ERA this season, though Rockies starters collectively rank in the top half of the league in both FIP and xFIP, lending some more reason for optimism. That said, Opening Day starter Jon Gray has been anything but the anchor the club expected him to be this season, and Chad Bettis has also had his share of struggles.

July 22: Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop and right-handers Kevin Gausman and Dylan Bundy are drawing trade interest, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com. The Braves have asked the Orioles about all three players, while the Brewers have inquired about Schoop and Gausman, and Kubatko confirms the Yankees’ previously reported interest in Gausman.

Whether the Orioles are open to moving any of those players is unclear, but as a rebuilding team with the majors’ worst record (28-71), it stands to reason they’d listen to offers. Gausman and Bundy would likely bring back appealing returns, considering both the underwhelming trade market for starting pitchers and the fact that they’re affordable and controllable. The 27-year-old Gausman, who’s on a $5.6MM salary, has two arbitration trips remaining. Bundy, 25, is much cheaper ($1.64MM), and he’ll go through the first of three potential arbitration trips during the upcoming winter. Meanwhile, Schoop’s in his penultimate year of arbitration control and on an $8.5MM salary.

To this point, Gausman and Bundy have experienced similar seasons. Gausman has pitched to a 4.33 ERA/4.48 FIP with 7.77 K/9, 2.16 BB/9 and a 46.7 percent groundball rate over 112 1/3 innings, continuing a career of decent production. Bundy has managed a 4.57 ERA/4.85 FIP with 9.64 K/9, 2.61 BB/9 and a 34 percent grounder rate across 108 1/3 frames. He’s currently in the throes of a rough stretch in which he has allowed five earned runs in three consecutive starts. Thanks in part to that, the former top prospect’s ERA has risen by nearly a full run since June 11, when it sat at 3.66.

Schoop, 26, was among the game’s premier second basemen in 2017, when he slashed .293/.338/.503 with 32 home runs and 3.8 fWAR in 675 plate appearances. This season has been a totally different story, though, as Schoop has batted .229/.262/.394 with 11 homers and a replacement-level fWAR over 333 PAs. Moreover, he owns the majors’ fifth-worst xwOBA (.268), per Statcast, suggesting his .281 wOBA isn’t a product of poor luck.

Despite his decline this season, both the Brewers and Braves seem to think Schoop could help them. The fact that the Brewers are looking for an upgrade at the keystone isn’t a surprise, as their second basemen have hit a mere .227/.285/.340 and accounted for minus-0.5 fWAR. The Braves’ interest is an eye-opener, however, considering they have Ozzie Albies at second. Perhaps they could stand to upgrade over Dansby Swanson at shortstop and Johan Camargo at third base, but both players have outperformed Schoop this year, and Schoop has minimal professional experience at those two positions.

At Least Six Teams Pursuing Zach Britton

By Connor Byrne | July 22, 2018 at 8:01pm CDT

SUNDAY, 8:01pm: Last year’s failed Britton trade talks between the Astros and Orioles won’t play any factor in this year’s negotiations, The Athletic’s Jim Bowden tweets. A source tells Bowden that Houston is “all in” on acquiring Britton.

3:48pm: The Rockies and Brewers are also in the mix, Heyman tweets.

1:38pm: There are indeed teams ahead of the Dodgers in Britton talks, per Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com, who lists the Astros, Cubs and Red Sox as being “more active” than LA.

8:06am: It doesn’t appear the Dodgers or Braves are “quite as engaged” on Britton as other teams are, Crasnick relays. LA’s wary of the luxury tax, as mentioned below, while the Braves aren’t keen on giving up prospects for short-term help, Crasnick suggests.

SATURDAY, 8:44pm: It’s “at least” a six-team race for Britton, Jon Heyman of Fancred tweets.

8:14pm: The Orioles are seeking a return equal to or better than the one the Royals received for reliever Kelvin Herrera in a trade last month, Buster Olney of ESPN reports. Washington acquired Herrera for three prospects, though none ranked among the Nationals’ absolute best farmhands at the time.

7:39pm: Both the Cubs and the Astros “are trying to match up prospects with the Orioles,” Jerry Crasnick of ESPN tweets. The Dodgers are also among those who would like to acquire Britton, Dan Connolly of The Athletic reports, though Rosenthal notes that it may be difficult because of LA’s desire to stay under the luxury-tax threshold. No matter where Britton goes, the O’s hope to make a deal happen within the next few days, Crasnick adds.

6:38pm: With Brad Hand and Jeurys Familia now off the market, Orioles left-hander Zach Britton may be the best soon-to-be traded reliever in baseball. The 30-year-old has drawn widespread interest in recent weeks, too, with Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reporting “virtually every top contender” is in on him (video link). The NL Central-leading Cubs are among that group, and they “remain deeply involved” in the Britton discussions, sources tell Patrick Mooney of The Athletic (subscription required).

In at least the near term, Britton would likely serve as a replacement for Cubs closer Brandon Morrow, who went on the disabled list this week on account of right biceps inflammation. Britton has also endured injuries, most recently a ruptured Achilles that shelved him from the start of the season until mid-June. The two-time All-Star got off to a less-than-dominant start in his first action of the season as he returned from that injury, though he has been better of late as the deadline approaches.

Not only has Britton gone eight straight appearances (eight innings) without yielding an earned run, but he has seen his velocity climb closer to its past levels in the process. Of course, Britton has also walked a batter in three straight outings and has issued an unpalatable 10 free passes against 13 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings this year. To Britton’s credit, though, he has posted a 3.45 ERA and a terrific groundball rate (64.1 percent).

While the Cubs are high on Britton, Mooney wonders if they have a good enough farm system to win a bidding war for the pending free agent. Chicago has Baseball America’s 28th-ranked prospect pool, which seemingly places it behind the 8-ball, and Rosenthal notes Britton is likely to yield a “strong” return with so many championship hopefuls chasing him.

Given the competition for his services, Britton to the Cubs may be a long shot. However, if acquired, Britton would further strengthen a bullpen that ranks fifth in the majors in ERA and just added ex-Ranger Jesse Chavez via trade this week.

The Cubs’ relief corps has received great results from Morrow, Steve Cishek, Pedro Strop, Justin Wilson, Carl Edwards Jr., the unit’s top five innings leaders. Although, only one of those hurlers (Wilson) is a lefty, and fellow southpaws Brian Duensing and Randy Rosario are difficult to trust. Duensing has endured a brutal year, having logged a 7.31 ERA with more walks (23) than strikeouts (18) across 28 1/3 innings. Rosario, on the other hand, has done well preventing runs over 27 2/3 innings (1.95 ERA), but with 5.2 K/9, 4.23 BB/9, a sky-high 94.2 percent strand rate and a .238 batting average on balls in play against, he’s an obvious regression candidate. It’s likely Britton would be an upgrade over those two, and if his track record is any indication, he’d join Wilson in giving the Cubs a second formidable lefty reliever.

Rockies Place DJ LeMahieu On DL, Promote Garrett Hampson, Designate Daniel Castro

By Connor Byrne | July 21, 2018 at 5:03pm CDT

In an unfortunate development for the surging, playoff-contending Rockies, second baseman DJ LeMahieu is headed to the 10-day disabled list because of a left oblique strain. The Rockies will replace him with infield prospect Garrett Hampson, whose contract they selected from Triple-A Albuquerque. To make room for Hampson, Colorado designated infielder Daniel Castro for assignment.

This is the third DL stint of the year for LeMahieu, who most recently missed the second half of May with a hand injury. In addition to the health issues LeMahieu has battled this season, the pending free agent hasn’t performed to his 2016-17 levels on offense, with a .278/.324/.430 line, eight home runs and five steals across 331 plate appearances. LeMahieu has been a standout in the field, however, having posted eight Defensive Runs Saved and a 3.1 Ultimate Zone Rating.

Winners of six straight and within two games of the NL West-leading Dodgers, the Rockies (52-45) will have to make do without LeMahieu – who, based on the nature of oblique issues, could miss significant time. But his injury has helped open the door for Hampson, Colorado’s sixth-ranked prospect at MLB Pipeline. The 23-year-old has logged above-average offensive numbers at each minor league stop since the Rockies picked him in the third round of the 2016 draft. A .306/.366/.443 hitter with four homers and 14 steals over 246 PAs this season, MLB Pipeline praises Hampson’s “quick right-handed swing,” patience and speed. He also has “Gold Glove upside” at the keystone, the outlet contends.

Castro, 25, is in his second year with the Rockies, who selected his contract for the first time earlier this season. Castro didn’t do much with that playing time before his designation, though, hitting a mere .174/.191/.261 in 47 trips to the plate. The former Brave owns a .210/.240/.265 line in 288 lifetime big league PAs, though he has slashed a more-than-respectable .333/.367/.457 in 227 Triple-A PAs this season.

Minor MLB Transactions: 7/15/18

By Connor Byrne | July 15, 2018 at 4:54pm CDT

Keeping track of Sunday’s minor moves…

The Rockies have outrighted reliever Brooks Pounders to Triple-A and reinstated fellow reliever Carlos Estevez from the 60-day disabled list, per a team announcement. The club subsequently optioned Estevez to Triple-A. Given that he has been outrighted in the past, Pounders has the ability to elect free agency. It’s unclear if that will happen, however. The 27-year-old has been a Rockie since January, when he signed a minor league deal with the team, and earned a major league call-up in late April. Pounders then struggled to prevent runs over 15 1/3 innings, recording a 7.63 ERA on a whopping 25 hits. However, he did post tremendous strikeout and walk rates (9.98 K/9, 1.17 BB/9). The former Royal and Angel offered similar production with those two teams, as his 8.92 ERA, 9.86 K/9 and 2.35 BB/9 over 38 1/3 frames demonstrate. He owns a 2.93 Triple-A ERA, though, with 9.5 K/9 and 3.5 BB/9 in 147 1/3 innings.

Quick Hits: Gray, Hoffman, Mejia, Buxton

By Kyle Downing | July 14, 2018 at 7:12pm CDT

The Rockies recalled Jon Gray tonight to start tonight’s game against the Mariners. Gray’s 5.77 ERA across 17 starts this season seemed like reasonable cause for a demotion, but it always seemed as though he wouldn’t spend too long in the minors. After all, he was striking out 29% of opposing hitters, and by measures of FIP (3.12), xFIP (2.82) and SIERA (3.19), he was having an absolutely fantastic season. As MLBTR’s Connor Byrne mentioned at the time, his .386 BABIP and 63.1% strand rate pointed to a horrific amount of bad luck. In two starts at the Triple-A level, Gray managed to strike out 13 batters in 10 2/3 innings while allowing four runs.

In a corresponding move, the Rockies optioned fellow young right-hander Jeff Hoffman to Triple-A. Also a former top prospect, Hoffman hasn’t managed to find his footing in the majors yet, and has allowed more than a run per inning on average while pitching out of the Rockies’ bullpen. He’s also walked more batters than he’s struck out, and spent time on the DL with a shoulder injury.

Here are some notable developments from around MLB…

The Indians have recalled Francisco Mejia to make a start at DH tonight against the Yankees; it’s his 2018 MLB debut. The young switch-hitter is not only universally believed to be the Tribe’s top prospect, but he’s also considered the best catching prospect in all of baseball. Unfortunately for him, he’s been blocked in the majors by a solid defensive tandem of Yan Gomes and Roberto Perez, both of whom are signed to contracts that stretch a couple of years beyond 2018.
Another former top prospect, Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, can’t seem to catch a break this season. He’s apparently suffered a left wrist strain at Triple-A, and will head to the 7-day minor league disabled list (hat tip to Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com). After posting a horrific wRC+ of -3 (yes, negative), Buxton has put up a .219/.288/.356 batting line at Triple-A and will now have to wait at least another week before he has a chance to get on track.

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