Tigers Rumors

Quick Hits: Tulo, Napoli, Castellanos, Rays

By TC Zencka | January 4, 2019 at 11:43am CDT

Troy Tulowitzki impressed enough in his December 16th showcase to draw genuine interest from as many as 16 major league clubs, per Andy Martino of SNY.tv. The Cubs were reportedly willing to hand Tulo their starting shortstop position at least until the end of Addison Russell’s suspension. The Pirates, as well, liked Tulo’s lateral mobility and overall athleticism enough to install him as their starting shortstop. The Angels were interested in him as a third baseman. By signing with the Yankees, however, Tulo arguably sees more playing time certainly than in Chicago, assuming Didi Gregorius’ injury will keep him out for longer than Russell. The Yankees fulfill (at least for now) his desire to stick at short, and they certainly figure to be more competitive than the Pirates. In context, there’s ample reason to understand New York’s appeal to Tulowitzki and vice versa, though the story changes if Manny Machado winds up in pinstripes. Of course, Tulo’s minimum salary deal would hardly be a deterrent to a Machado signing, but it could be yet another sign that Brian Cashman and the Yankees are more than content to enter 2019 without the divisive superstar. Let’s check in on a few other notes from around the game…

Interestingly, Mike Napoli interviewed with the Chicago Cubs before they filled their recent coaching vacancies, per Fancred’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). It’s been less than a month since the former All-Star announced his retirement, but now that the Cubs went in a different direction, Napoli will have no trouble enjoying his time off. Napoli was always touted as a positive influence who buoyed clubhouse morale with intensity and charm, and there’s plenty reason to believe there is a future in coaching for him, if he so chooses.
The Tigers are no-doubt ready to deal Nick Castellanos, but they’re not ready to give him away, per mlive.com’s Evan Woodbery. GM Al Avila faced a similar quandary last offseason in trying to find a match for veteran Ian Kinsler. He settled on returning a pair of lower-tier prospects from the Angels, only one of whom registers on their list of top-30 prospects from MLB.com (Troy Montgomery at #29). Kinsler’s situation was complicated by a partial no-trade list, but the Tigers still ended up with a package not much different from what the Angels received when they moved him to Boston mid-season. The Tigers don’t appear ready to settle this time around, even if it means getting a lesser prospect mid-season or letting him walk at year’s end. The crux of the issue is that the Tigers view Castellanos as a robust offensive producer on a one-year deal coming off a career season and entering his prime. Trade partners, meanwhile, can paint Castellanos as an $11MM defensive liability. Of potential trade partners, the division rival Indians are still the most logical fit, and they’ve partnered even recently on the Leonys Martin deal last season. Still, finding middle ground on appropriate compensation for a player with such evaluative extremes is proving difficult. Avila and the Tigers, however, will not be cowed by the challenge, nor will they give in to it – at least for now.
The Tampa Bay Rays are reducing the seating capacity of Tropicana Field in order to create “a more intimate, entertaining, and appealing experience [for our fans],” per Carl Lisciandrello of the Tampa Bay Times. The new renovation plan will lower the seating capacity by roughly 6,000 to around 25,000 to 26,000. With an average daily attendance in 2018 of 14,258 that exceeded only the Marlins, the Rays are certainly taking a creative approach to attract more fans by lowering their capacity ceiling. While the initial optics of this renovation plan certainly invites a degree of ribbing, Rays ownership is wise to take a creative approach to growing a fanbase that has been historically lackluster, especially given the recent failure to finalize a deal for a new stadium in Ybor City. Outfielder Tommy Pham was the latest to criticize Rays’ fans in a recent interview on MLB Network Radio, saying, “It sucks going from playing in front of a great fan base to a team with really no fan base at all,” as chronicled by Anthony Barstow of the New York Post. The Rays have done the job of putting a competitive and exciting team on the field, now they’ll embark on better utilizing areas within the ballpark. Hopefully, there will be more fans there in 2019 to notice.

AL Central Notes: Indians, Cruz, Tigers

By Steve Adams | January 3, 2019 at 11:49am CDT

The chances of the Indians trading one of Corey Kluber or Trevor Bauer “seem to diminish by the day,” writes Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic in his latest notes column (subscription required). Rosenthal writes that Cleveland is instead looking at affordable options to round out the back end of the roster more than moving either of the oft-rumored-to-be-available righties. As MLBTR’s Ty Bradley recently noted in profiling the remaining needs of the American League Central’s five teams, the Indians could still use some outfield upgrades as well as help in the bullpen and behind the plate. Adding some veteran versatility for the bench could also prove prudent in Cleveland, where Jordan Luplow, out-of-options Max Moroff and non-roster invitee Mike Freeman are currently among the candidates for bench roles.

Elsewhere in the American League Central…

The Twins obviously plan to use Nelson Cruz primarily as a designated hitter, but manager Rocco Baldelli at least raised the possibility that Cruz could see occasional outfield work in 2019, as Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. “We’re going to work with him and have a lot of conversations about how he is doing,” said Baldelli. “How he feels. How he prepares for the season to play in the outfield.” Presumably, Cruz would be more of an emergency option or perhaps an option in National League parks during interleague play. Minnesota, after all, isn’t short on young, athletic outfield options with Eddie Rosario and Max Kepler currently in line for the bulk of the corner outfield work, plus Byron Buxton and Jake Cave in the center field mix. Miller also quotes Cruz on his decision to sign in Minnesota, which was influenced in part by his familiarity with GM Thad Levine and former Orioles teammate/new Twins second baseman Jonathan Schoop. Meanwhile, Rosenthal adds that Cruz did receive two-year offers in free agency, but none that would’ve come close to the $26MM he can earn if the Twins exercise his 2020 option. The Rays and Astros were among the other teams prominently linked to Cruz in free agency.
Chris McCosky of the Detroit News chats with Tigers prospect Bryan Garcia, who is now 11 months removed from Tommy John surgery and is nearing a return to the mound. As McCosky notes, the Detroit farm system looks dramatically different now than it did a year ago, when Garcia was ranked among the organization’s more promising young arms. MLB.com still ranks Garcia as the Tigers’ No. 22 farmhand, but he’s been leapfrogged by numerous pitchers over the course of the year he missed. None of that bothers Garcia, who discusses his decision to undergo surgery, his mindset during rehab and his 2019 outlook at lengthy with McCosky. A sixth-rounder in 2016, Garcia enjoyed a meteoric rise through Detroit’s system in ’17, ascending from Low-A to Triple-A and amassing 55 innings of 2.13 ERA ball with 12.8 K/9 against 3.6 BB/9 along the way. Tigers VP of player development Dave Littlefield tells McCosky that the goal is for Garcia to be pitching competitively by May. The 23-year-old could well emerge as a ’pen option in Detroit in late 2019 or in 2020, though Fangraphs’ Eric Longenhagen wrote last May that Garcia could also have the stuff to start.

3 Remaining Needs: AL Central

By Ty Bradley | January 2, 2019 at 8:24pm CDT

Our 3 Remaining Needs series skips over to the Cleveland-dominated American League Central, home to three of MLB’s least successful franchises in 2018. The Tribe still figure to have a stranglehold on the division, though the upstart Twins have kicked off the winter with a flurry of moves, and prospect-rich White Sox are shooting well beyond their typical free-agent moon. Here’s a look at the three most pressing needs for each team in the division (listed in order of 2018 finish) . . .

[Previous installments: NL West, NL East, NL Central, AL West]

Cleveland Indians

Find an outfielder (or three). The Tribe probably don’t need to do anything this winter if their aim is simply to lock down a fourth straight division crown, but surely the title-starved club, rife with franchise icons on the infield and in the rotation, has set its sights a good deal higher. If so, they’ll need to fix their desolate outfield situation, which currently features some haphazard mix of Jordan Luplow, Jake Bauers, Leonys Martin, Greg Allen, and Tyler Naquin. Jason Kipnis could be an option as well, though the club has already swapped penciled-in third baseman Yandy Diaz for Bauers, which should force Jose Ramirez back to the hot corner and Kipnis – who suffered through a second consecutive subpar season in ’18 – back to second. The Indians saved about $18MM by dealing Yonder Alonso and Edwin Encarnacion, so this should be their first priority.
Address the pen. Behind star-level closer Brad Hand, the Tribe pen is surprisingly thin. Tyler Olson, essentially a LOOGY at this point in his career, is otherwise the club’s highest-producing returner, with a 2.94 xFIP in just 29 IP. Stunningly, not a single other returning Indian reliever posted higher than 0.1 fWAR in 2018, with heralded midseason acquisition Adam Cimber posting a dreadful 3.15 K/9 over an identical 3.15 BB/9 in his stint with the club. Cleveland has long treasured bargain pickups in this area, and may again be left shuffling through the bin in search of help.
Acquire a catcher. Recent deals have stripped the club of star prospect Francisco Mejia and the up-and-down Yan Gomes, leaving just a combination of Roberto Perez and Eric Haase behind the dish, each of whom project around replacement level. An upper-minors savior isn’t in the wings, so the club will likely be forced to look elsewhere for an upgrade.

Minnesota Twins

Solidify the back end of the rotation. The Twins have gone all-in on righty power (Nelson Cruz, C.J. Cron, Jonathan Schoop) this winter, but have still yet to address a number of staff holes. A top end of Jose Berrios, Jake Odorizzi, and Kyle Gibson – plus a returning Michael Pineda – is a nice start, but three of the four are free agents after the season, and the club has little in the way of track record after that. Youngsters Stephen Gonsalves, Lewis Thorpe, and Fernando Romero could fill in eventually, but none appear poised to immediately lock down a role.
Shore up the pen. Taylor Rogers quietly had one of MLB’s best relief seasons in 2018 (a dominant 54 FIP-) and Trevor May is a quality arm, but the Twins lack anything in the way of cohesion beyond that. Figureheads Addison Reed and Trevor Hildenberger struggled mightily with the long ball last year and, with the fickle nature of even longtime bullpen success stories, can hardly be counted on in the season to come. Lefty Andrew Vasquez deserves at least an early-season look after sporting minor league numbers that nearly defy belief, but the club would do well to hunt down two or three more proven performers in the back end.
Don’t mess with Kepler. German-born Max Kepler has accrued nearly three full seasons’ worth of MLB at-bats in his young career and has yet to produce even a league-average line, but a closer look suggests there may be much more to come. Indeed, the 25-year-old quietly accumulated a solid 2.6 fWAR last season despite a balls-in-play average of just .236, and his plate-discipline profile (11.6 BB%/15.7 K%) stood as one of the AL’s best. Kepler earns plus defensive marks wherever he plays, and could be a breakout center-field candidate if Byron Buxton again sputters early in the season. Kepler is an apparently a sought-after commodity on the trade market this winter, but the man who Steamer projects to produce a 110 wRC+ (Brandon Nimmo, by comparison, is at 112) should have a long-term home in Minneapolis.

Detroit Tigers

Find a taker for Nick Castellanos. Castellanos, 26, had his best offensive season last year, slashing .298/.354/.500 (130 wRC+) with a celestial 48% hard-hit rate. He’s entering the last year of team control, though, and would seem to have to have little on-field value for a rebuilding Tiger club; numerous teams are said to have had interest, but the price (somewhat oddly, given his defensive ineptitude) remains exorbitant.
Continue to hunt for flip candidates. Thus far in the offseason, Detroit has signed Matt Moore, Tyson Ross, and Jordy Mercer, all of whom (but especially the former two) could have legitimate mid-season trade value if they unexpectedly return to form. Pickups of this ilk seem ideal for a Tiger team in flux; a few more, perhaps at multiple spots in the outfield and in the bullpen, could be an excellent jumpstart for the nascent rebuild.
Add prospect depth. It’s been years – decades, maybe – since the Tiger farm churned out multiple big leaguers at a time, with the team instead preferring to assemble their best clubs through shrewd trades and lavish free-agent signings. Now, though, seems the perfect time to amass a burgeoning juggernaut on the farm; the club is off to a great start, with three of the league’s top-50 prospects in place, but strength in numbers will be the order of the next few seasons in Motown.

Chicago White Sox

Sign one of (or both) Manny Machado and Bryce Harper. This remains a long shot, to be sure, but the talk in Chicagoland seems to be intensifying around each superstar. Whether the White Sox, who’ve never handed out a free-agent contract north of $70MM in club history, are willing to meet the respective enormous demands is unclear, but a seat at the table may be sufficient for the long-suffering fans on the Southside.
Find guys who put the ball in play. The White Sox led baseball with a hard-to-believe 26.3 K% last year, and received meager ancillary benefit, with a mid-pack team ISO of just .160. Among regulars, only Jose Abreu had a strikeout percentage under 20%, which may well be a first in major-league history. A power-driven lineup makes sense in the homer-happy Guaranteed Rate Field, but it won’t mean much if the club continues to strike out at a historic collective pace.
Find guys who keep the ball in play. Chicago’s 115 xFIP- was dead-last in MLB last year, aided in no small part by a league-worst 4.09 BB/9 and the tendency of its starters to deliver up the gopher ball. Head culprit James Shields is gone, but the club needs, urgently, to be on the scent of pitchers with a track record of limiting the home run. Perhaps no pitcher would be a better fit than Marcus Stroman (0.81 career HR/9), but others, like Gio Gonzalez, Mike Leake, Sonny Gray, and even perhaps Martin Perez, who was homer-allergic in his previous few seasons prior to last, would be excellent choices as well.

Kansas City Royals

Scour the depths for pitching help. Kansas City’s pitching staff was, by any account, an unmitigated disaster last season, as the team’s hurlers struck out a mere 7.27 men per nine on the way to near-league-worst output. The team, oddly, has poured so much of its resources into finding high-contact offensive players, but seems thoroughly disinterested in identifying their inverse on the pitching staff. The 2018 Royals featured nine regular contributors who struck out seven or fewer men last season, none of whom received much help from the unit’s highest-priced contingent of Ian Kennedy and Danny Duffy. Put simply, the Royals need mound help wherever they can find it.
Cash in peak-value assets. 30-year-old Whit Merrifield’s value will likely never be higher – fresh off a 5.2 fWAR season, the versatile IF/OF has already piqued the interest of a number of a clubs, all of whom have been informed that he likely is not available. Such a strategy seems unsound – Merrifield, after all, projects around league-average next season, would seem to have hit his zenith, and doesn’t figure to be a key cog in the next contending Royals club. Plus, there’s the troubling track record – it took Whit three tries to progress beyond Double-A, and another three to get past AAA. If a crater is on the horizon, Kansas City will certainly be kicking themselves in the seasons to come.
Find regular at-bats for Brett Phillips and Jorge Soler. The two former top-50 prospects have seen their value slide precipitously over the last two seasons, but it’s certainly not time to give up on either yet. Alex Gordon and the newly-signed Billy Hamilton figure to take up two-thirds of the outfield slots, and team favorite Jorge Bonifacio is likely to contend at the other, but the non-contending Royals must find a way to get both of these players at least 400 plate appearances in 2019.

Quick Hits: LeMahieu, Rangers, O’s, Senzel, Calhoun

By Mark Polishuk | December 30, 2018 at 11:50pm CDT

While DJ LeMahieu played his high school ball in Michigan, a return to his old stomping grounds in the form of a Tigers contract “isn’t likely,” MLB.com’s Jason Beck writes. Detroit figures to wait until closer to Spring Training to land a second baseman, so LeMahieu will likely be off the market by then, plus his desire for a multi-year deal probably also doesn’t fit with the Tigers’ plan to acquire a short-term bridge to prospect Dawel Lugo. The Nationals, Dodgers, and Athletics have all been linked to LeMahieu at various points this offseason, though it’s probably safe to count Oakland out of the running after the team’s acquisition of Jurickson Profar. In general, Beck feels the Tigers could wait until later in the offseason to address several needs, looking for low-cost veterans or potential bargains to fill holes in the rotation, bullpen, catcher, or on the bench. The Tigers may also have to hold off on dealing Nick Castellanos until after Bryce Harper signs with a new team, in order to take stock of a newly-shuffled outfield market.

Some more from around baseball…

Is Adam Jones a fit for the Rangers? MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan believes so, opining that Jones’ right-handed bat would help balance out the team’s heavily left-handed outfield mix, plus Jones could provide clubhouse leadership to an increasingly young team. There’s certainly an argument to be made for such a signing, or at least for a player of a similar mold, should Jones himself be a bit too expensive for the Rangers’ liking or if he only wants to play for a team aiming to contend in 2019.
Speaking of signing veterans, MASNsports.com’s Steve Melewski argues that the Orioles should see what they have in their young pitchers rather than acquiring an experienced innings-eater for the rotation. Barring a trade, Baltimore will have Andrew Cashner, Dylan Bundy, and Alex Cobb as its top three starters, which perhaps provides enough of a veteran base to allow the O’s to audition any number of young arms through the other two rotation spots.
Nick Senzel is on pace to make his Major League debut sometime in 2019, though without a clear position to play in the Reds’ lineup, the team could deploy Senzel as a multi-positional threat, the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Bobby Nightengale writes. Senzel was drafted as a third baseman and has spent much of his minor league career at the hot corner, though he saw more time at second base last season at Triple-A and even started one game at shortstop. The Reds also intended to use Senzel as a corner outfielder in Arizona Fall League play, though he was sidelined after surgery to remove bone spurs from his elbow. The biggest priority for the Reds and Senzel is simply to make sure that the top prospect is healthy in the wake of an injury-shortened 2018 season, and to get him everyday at-bats no matter what position he fills around the diamond. Senzel could even be considered for some time in center field, which is the only open position the Reds have at the moment.
Trading Kole Calhoun would help free up some payroll space for the Angels to go after pitching, though MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger isn’t sure how much the Halos could really save in such a deal. Calhoun is owed $11.5MM next season, counting both salary and a buyout of his $14MM club option for 2020, and it seems like the team would have to eat at least some of that given that Calhoun is coming off a replacement-level season. Los Angeles could also conceivably swap Calhoun for another player with a contract his team would like to unload, if such a fit could be found. Of course, the Angels are hoping for a rebound year from Calhoun and have him penciled in as their everyday right fielder, so dealing him would create another roster hole to be filled.

Rumors: Grandal, Mets, Dodgers, Tigers, Castellanos

By Connor Byrne | December 28, 2018 at 6:04pm CDT

The Mets found a veteran catcher in free agency earlier this month when they signed Wilson Ramos to a two-year, $19MM guarantee. However, the club had been willing to pay a much steeper price for the premier backstop on the open market, Yasmani Grandal, whom it offered a four-year, $60MM contract, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. Grandal rejected the Mets’ proposal, leading them to sign Ramos for far less.

The Mets’ offer to Grandal was in the ballpark of the four-year, $64MM prediction MLBTR made for accomplished catcher entering the offseason. Of course, because Grandal declined the Dodgers’ one-year, $17.9MM qualifying offer after the season, the team that signs him will have to pay more than just money to secure his services. In the Mets’ case, adding Grandal would have meant surrendering their second-highest draft pick and $500K in international bonus pool space in 2019.

Aside from the Mets, the 30-year-old Grandal has also drawn reported interest from the Dodgers, Reds, Angels and White Sox this winter. Other than the White Sox, who traded Omar Narvaez and signed James McCann, those teams haven’t addressed the catcher position in any meaningful way since last season ended. As such, it stands to reason the Dodgers, Reds and Angels could still be among the teams in on Grandal. The Dodgers are “unlikely” to re-sign Grandal, though, unless he unexpectedly settles for a short-term contract, according to Castillo.

In the event the Dodgers do bring back Grandal, he’d give them another righty-capable batter, which is something the lefty-heavy club is reportedly seeking after trading away outfielders Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp. Grandal is one of several such hitters who have been connected to the Dodgers this offseason, with Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos also among those in the mix. But the Dodgers have found the Tigers’ asking price to be prohibitive, per Castillo, who hears that Detroit initially requested either young outfielder Alex Verdugo or catcher prospect Keibert Ruiz from Los Angeles.

Unsurprisingly, the Dodgers balked at giving up either Verdugo or Ruiz for the defensively challenged Castellanos, who’s only under control for another year (at a projected $11.1MM). The 22-year-old Verdugo ranks as the Dodgers’ No. 1 prospect and baseball’s 32nd-best farmhand at MLB.com, and could be a prominent member of their 2019 outfield or a major piece in an offseason trade revolving around someone more valuable than Castellanos. Ruiz, 20, is the Dodgers’ second-ranked prospect at MLB.com, which places him 39th overall. Along with fellow catcher prospect Will Smith, Ruiz could be part of the long-term solution for the club behind the plate.

AL Central Notes: Twins, Norris, Indians

By Steve Adams | December 26, 2018 at 2:16pm CDT

Twins chief baseball officer Derek Falvey tells Jim Souhan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the team isn’t ruling out the addition of an established hitter in free agency. Asked specifically about the possibility of adding a slugger such as Nelson Cruz, Falvey spoke in general terms about the “trade-off” of adding an established bat to “take pressure off other guys in the lineup” at the expense of allowing some younger options to develop or receive a legitimate chance at playing time. The Twins have some options at designated hitter in the form of C.J. Cron and Tyler Austin, though Falvey was also clear in indicating that the Twins “feel like there’s still an opportunity on the board to bring in someone who will help our lineup.” Whether that ultimately leads to a move remains to be seen, but adding someone of Cruz’s caliber to a lineup also featuring Cron, Eddie Rosario, Miguel Sano and Jonathan Schoop would give the Twins quite a bit of power potential in 2019 and add some stability to a group that is in need of several rebound seasons (Sano, Schoop, Byron Buxton).

Looking For A Match In A Nicholas Castellanos Trade

By George Miller and TC Zencka | December 26, 2018 at 12:29am CDT

Nick Castellanos enjoyed the best offensive season of his career in 2018, posting a robust .298/.354/.500 batting line with 23 home runs, good for a 130 OPS+. He was the best hitter in an underwhelming Tigers lineup, making him a natural trade candidate as he enters the final year of arbitration eligibility. While his offensive profile leaves little to be desired, there is, as always, a caveat: Castellanos is a liability in the field, whether at third base, where he began his career, or in right field, where he started 142 games last season. After transitioning to right late in 2017, Castellanos did improve in 2018 when given the opportunity to play the position full-time – his UZR/150 innings improved from -57.6 in 2017 to -12.3 last season – but he remains an underwhelming defensive performer, and therefore best suited as a designated hitter with an American League club.

If the Tigers plan to deal Castellanos, and they’re said to be “determined” to do so, now is the time. Even if teams are less willing to surrender significant pieces than they might have been a year ago, when he still had two years of team control remaining, he will still be just 27 years of age during the 2019 season, and the single year of team control can be an asset. If Detroit can’t find a match, there is an argument to be made that he could attract a more robust market in July when half of his 2019 salary has already been paid, especially if he continues on his upward trajectory. Regardless, the Tigers, who will almost certainly find themselves well outside of playoff contention in 2019, would likely prefer to cash in now, if only to avoid the worst case scenario of an unceremonious (and uncompensated) free agent departure next winter. The rub here being they need to find a trade partner.

After trading away Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig, the Dodgers could certainly add an outfielder, and they happen to be the most recent team linked to Castellanos. Carrying more traditional platoon splits than Puig, Castellanos fits as the right-handed impact bat the Dodgers reportedly seek. Still, the scuttlebutt around Los Angeles paints two different pictures: one where the above trade clears the necessary payroll to approach big fish like Bryce Harper or A.J. Pollock, while the other tale insists management plans to dip under the luxury tax again in 2019. If the latter is true, Castellanos would be a reasonable (and considerably cheaper) alternative.

Much like the Dodgers, the Rays have plainly stated their intentions to bolster their lineup with a right-handed power hitter. Recent acquisition Yandy Diaz might be that guy, but they’ve also been linked to Cardinals’ slugger Jose Martinez and free agent Nelson Cruz, both of whom would fill a similar role as Castellanos. On the other hand, C.J. Cron provides a similar profile at half the cost, and the Rays non-tendered him. Even if the Rays’ value Castellanos’ “versatility,” or simply, if they (understandably) believe him the better overall hitter – it would still be quite the leap to pay Castellanos twice as much as Cron, while also giving up a prospect to get him.

With Michael Brantley, Edwin Encarnacion, and Yonder Alonso all donning new uniforms in 2019, the Indians need to replace a considerable amount of the offensive production that carried them to another AL Central title last season. Couple that with their need in the outfield and Castellanos seems a natural target. Still, with the recent trade that brought Jake Bauers and Carlos Santana, both 1B/DH types, to Cleveland, there may not be room for Castellanos if they don’t like his defense in right. As a trio they could rotate between first base, right field and DH, whether that means Bauers in right, Santana at first and Castellanos at DH, or Castellanos in right, Bauers at first and Santana at DH. Add Bradley Zimmer to the mix when he returns from injury and manager Tito Francona would have a defensive option for right to mix-and-match with as well. Whichever particular permutation Francona likes best, there’s enough playing time to keep everyone fed. Given the Indians’ reluctance to add payroll this offseason, however, Castellanos may prove too costly. As a short-term rental, his $11.3MM projected salary is palatable – the prospect cost may be a bigger deterrent, especially if Detroit charges an intra-division premium.

Same goes for the Twins, who with their surprising amount of free payroll space are dark-horse players for many big name free agents/trade targets. They have been tied to Cruz as a free agent for the void left at DH after Robbie Grossman’s non-tender, and they should know Castellanos game intimately, for better or for worse. Max Kepler and Eddie Rosario are penciled into the outfield corners, but both are flexible players who can move around the diamond a little as needed to make room for an impact bat. Besides, the Twins are lapping the the field in the number of players in need of a PR re-launch, so adding Castellanos to a lineup already featuring Byron Buxton, Miguel Sano, Cron and Jonathan Schoop keeps the Twins on brand. Still, just because someone likes butterscotch doesn’t mean they only like butterscotch, and it might be the Twins have enough [big-bodied right-handed sluggers] butterscotch on hand already.

Returning to the NL, the Rockies or Giants could theoretically find room for Castellanos as a platoon bat, but the best fit is probably Atlanta. The Braves have an open spot in their outfield if Nick Markakis signs elsewhere, and they’ve checked in with the Tigers about Castellanos. But the same questions abound for the Braves as would any National League team. Namely, does Castellanos’ bat make up for his poor defense, and if not, is the $11.3MM price tag plus Detroit’s prospect ask too much to pay for a platoon/bench bat? For non-contenders, almost certainly not, which limits the field of potential dance partners for Detroit. The free agent outfield market is fairly barren, however, and considering the left-leaning rotations among contenders like the Dodgers, Cubs, Yankees, and Red Sox – plus Patrick Corbin in Washington, Kyle Freeland in Colorado, and Blake Snell in Tampa – there should be no shortage of pennant hopefuls capable of putting a lefty masher like Castellanos to work.

Quick Hits: Acuna, Taylor, Rogers

By Kyle Downing | December 25, 2018 at 3:48pm CDT

Ronald Acuna was the most-anticipated Braves prospect in decades, and in spite of the extreme hype, he managed to not only meet expectations, but surpass them in most cases. David O’Brien of The Athletic details an oral history in celebration of what’s known as the Year of Acuna. The phenom hit .293/.366/.552 en route to a 3.7 fWAR season that won him the NL Rookie of the Year award, and became the youngest player in history to hit a grand slam in the postseason. Because he opened the year in the minors, Braves fans will have the privilege of watching Acuna play in Atlanta for at least six more seasons.

A pair of other small items…

Although Nationals outfielder Michael A. Taylor struggled mightily at the end of the 2018 season, the club is hopeful that he’ll be able to revert to the promise he showed in a 3.1 fWAR 2017 campaign. Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post details the storyline as it stands, including a few poignant quotes from GM Mike Rizzo. “If he figures out the contact portion of it a little bit better, you are talking about a guy that could have five tools,” he explained. “He’s had flashes of it in the past and he just needs to be more consistent in his approach at the plate, because the kid’s a really good player.” While Taylor did indeed show a lot of talent in 2017, it’s well-worth noting that the biggest difference between that and his 2018 performance was a 43-point difference in BABIP. Still, Taylor’s power numbers inexplicably plummeted last season as well, leaving room for optimism in regards to a potential rebound.
Jake Rogers is still the Tigers’ catcher of the future, Anthony Fenech writes in a piece for Baseball America, but he’ll have to do better than the .219/.305/.412 batting line he posted across 408 plate appearances at Double-A Erie this past season. According to GM Al Avila, Rogers is likely to begin the 2019 season at that same level. “Depending on how spring training goes, we’ll make a decision there,” he said at the winter meetings. “But I would say we’re kind of leaning towards (Erie), just for his own good.” The Tigers would “like to see him improve upon the offense” before giving him a promotion to the minors’ highest level. Vice President of Player Personnel Dave Littlefield offered something in the way of optimism regarding Rogers’ capabilities, expressing “no doubt” that he’ll be able to make the necessary adjustments in his swing, adding that he improved late in the year with some minor tweaks. Rogers was taken in third round of the 2016 draft, and currently ranks 12th among Detroit’s prospects.

Dodgers Seeking “Impact” Right-Handed Hitter

By Connor Byrne | December 22, 2018 at 8:07pm CDT

Los Angeles has been a speculative landing spot for left-handed slugger Bryce Harper this offseason, but the Dodgers are currently focused on improving their group of righty-swingers. After trading away right-handed regulars Yasiel Puig and Matt Kemp on Friday, it’s “likely” the club will pick up “an impact right-handed bat,” Jon Morosi of MLB.com writes. To that end, the Dodgers are actively pursuing a trade for a right-handed catcher and/or second baseman, Bob Nightengale of USA Today tweets, while Morosi adds that they could land an outfielder.

As a result of the departures of Puig and Kemp – not to mention the potential exits of Manny Machado, Yasmani Grandal and Brian Dozier in free agency – the Dodgers are currently sporting a lefty-heavy lineup. Their only projected starters who can hit from the right side are third baseman Justin Turner, infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor and catcher Austin Barnes, and the latter is coming off a miserable season at the plate. There’s certainly room for improvement, then, and as Morosi points out, the Dodgers have shown interest in a few established right-handed bats this offseason in Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos and free-agent second baseman DJ LeMahieu.

In Realmuto’s case, no team has been able to satisfy the rebuilding Marlins enough to pry the coveted backstop out of Miami. Meanwhile, despite Castellanos’ well-known defensive shortcomings and his lack of long-term control (he’s arbitration eligible for just one more year, at a projected $11.9MM), the non-contending Tigers have placed a “high” asking price on him, Morosi tweets. And, stellar 2016 season aside, LeMahieu may be closer to a mediocre hitter than a game-changer – as shown by the longtime Rockie’s lack of power (49 home runs, .108 ISO) and unspectacular wRC+ (90) across 3,799 major league plate appearances.

In addition to Grandal, Realmuto, Castellanos and LeMahieu, Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli, Cardinals first baseman/outfielder Jose Martinez and free-agent center fielder A.J. Pollock were each connected to LA before it shipped Puig and Kemp out of town. Anyone from that group would help the Dodgers in their quest to upgrade their right-handed attack at positions of need.

Speculatively speaking, there may be plenty of other righty-capable possibilities on the Dodgers’ radar. At least some of White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, Mariners first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak, Marlins second baseman Starlin Castro, Padres corner outfielder/infielder Wil Myers and Yankees third baseman Miguel Andujar (who’d perhaps make sense at first or in the outfield for the Dodgers) may be logical targets for the club via trade. There are fewer formidable options in free agency, on the other hand, though utilityman Marwin Gonzalez and second baseman Jed Lowrie – a pair of switch-hitters – stand out as potential fits for LA.

While the Dodgers hope to assemble a more balanced lineup, they may ultimately eschew that plan if it means signing Harper, Morosi suggests. As far as this winter’s free-agent class goes, it’s debatable whether Harper is superior to Machado – a fellow 26-year-old superstar who’s also verging on a historic contract. Considering their positions, though, it seems Harper is a better match for LA’s roster, and he reportedly wants to sign with the back-to-back National League champions.

Tigers Sign Eduardo Paredes, Chris Smith To Minor League Deals

By Steve Adams | December 19, 2018 at 7:10pm CDT

The Tigers announced Wednesday that they’ve signed right-handers Eduardo Paredes and Chris Smith to minor league pacts with invitations to Major League Spring Training. Lefty Nick Ramirez, too, has been added on a minors pact, though he won’t be in big league camp, it seems.

Despite seeing big league action with the Angels in both 2017 and 2018, Paredes is still just 23 years of age and won’t turn 24 until March. The righty showed a bit of promise in 22 1/3 innings with the Halos in 2017 but was bludgeoned to the tune of a 6.87 ERA in 18 1/3 innings in the 2018 campaign. In all, Paredes has a 5.53 ERA with 7.1 K/9, 2.9 BB/9, 1.55 HR/9 and a 44.1 percent ground-ball rate in 40 2/3 frames as a big leaguer. His average fastball has sat at a solid but unspectacular 93.3 mph over his two MLB campaigns, and he’s posted below-average marks in terms of swinging-strike rate and opponents’ chase rate.

Paredes has had a fair bit of success in the upper minors, however, and he moved quickly through the lower minor league ranks while posting gaudy strikeout totals along the way. Given his relative youth, there’s perhaps still some hope that he could yet develop into a usable reliever at the MLB level. A rebuilding club like the Tigers should be able to provide him ample opportunity, should he earn a roster spot in camp or force his way onto the MLB roster with a strong Triple-A showing.

The 30-year-old Smith has just five big league innings under his belt, all of which came with the Blue Jays back in 2017. He spent the 2018 campaign with the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate and pitched fairly well, notching a 3.93 ERA with 10.6 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, 1.15 HR/9 and a 32.2 percent grounder rate. All but one of Smith’s 189 appearances in the minors has been a relief outing, and he’s generally shown an ability to register more than a strikeout per inning with solid control. Like Paredes, his fastball sits 93-94 mph, and a slider is his go-to secondary offering.

As for Ramirez, the 29-year-old is a first baseman turned pitcher who has had success on the mound at the Double-A level but struggled in Triple-A. The former Brewers farmhand has a pristine 1.48 ERA with 7.3 K/9 against 3.0 BB/9 in 109 innings of Double-A work, but Triple-A batters have handled him with ease. In 38 innings at the minors’ top level, Ramirez has a 5.66 ERA with more walks allowed (21) than strikeouts recorded (18). Of course, he’s still rather new to pitching at the professional level, and much of those 38 innings came in the hitters’ paradise that is the Pacific Coast League — specifically in hitter-friendly Colorado Springs.

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