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No Extension Talks Between Tigers, Nick Castellanos

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“There’s been no talking” between the Tigers and Nick Castellanos’ representatives about a possible contract extension, the slugger told Chris McCosky of the Detroit News and other reporters.  Castellanos reiterated that he would love to spend the rest of his career in Detroit, and stated “I think both sides know a conversation would be welcome” about a long-term pact.

This isn’t the first time Castellanos has discussed his willingness to discuss an extension, and of course there’s still plenty of time before Opening Day (or beyond, if Castellanos is open to in-season negotiations) for the Tigers to begin talks.  That said, the Tigers have discussed extensions with Castellanos in the past, so the heretofore lack of negotiations just months before the right fielder is scheduled to hit free agency is rather telling.  Between the lack of talks and the months of trade rumors swirling around Castellanos, it certainly seems as if the Tigers see him more as a trade chip rather than as a building block of the next Detroit contender.

Though Castellanos is still young (he turned 27 earlier this week) and has hit a very solid .285/.336/.495 over the last three seasons, he has thus far been a bat-only player over his first six years in the big leagues.  Despite posting a 121 wRC+ and OPS since 2016, Castellanos only has 7.0 fWAR total over those three seasons due to very poor glovework as both as third baseman and right fielder.  While Castellanos only became a full-time outfielder in 2018 and is athletic enough to potentially become at least passable defensively, the Tigers may not want to bet (in the form of a contract extension) on such an improvement until they actually see better results.  Detroit already has at least $162MM tied up in Miguel Cabrera through the 2023 season, and committing more money to Castellanos could result in a clog at the first base/DH positions if first base duty is eventually in Castellanos’ future.

This lack of defensive utility is of obvious concern to Castellanos as he approaches free agency, due to both the lack of free agent activity in general over the last two winters, and the particularly chilled market for first base/DH types.  However, Castellanos’ limitations have also been a reason why there hasn’t been too much trade interest in his services (of course, the Tigers’ reported high asking price is also clearly a major factor).

If there is a limited market for Castellanos as a both a future free agent and as a current trade chip, McCosky suggests that there could be some opportunity here for a shorter-term arrangement between the Tigers and Castellanos, perhaps from a starting point of a three- or four-year deal worth $10MM-$11MM per season.  Such a deal, as McCosky notes, would cover the end of the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, perhaps allowing Castellanos to enter free agency when the conditions are more favorable to a player of his profile.  Such a deal could be attractive to the Tigers as a relative bargain for a good hitter in his prime years, though if the club doesn’t really plan to start spending (and pushing to contend) until 2021, keeping Castellanos for two more seasons even at something of a discount might not fit Detroit’s plans.

Central Notes: Fulmer, Wood, M. Perez

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Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer was one of the majors’ hardest-throwing starters from 2016-18, but his velocity has been anything but imposing early in 2019. As has been the case throughout the spring, Fulmer’s fastball sat in the 88 to 92 mph range during a 44-pitch outing Saturday, leading Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press to note that the soon-to-be 26-year-old “didn’t look right.” The Tigers aren’t confident Fulmer’s velocity will return, writes Fenech, which is an eyebrow-raising observation given that he’s one of the rebuilding team’s most valuable players and trade chips. But it’s worth noting Fulmer’s still in the early stages of his comeback from right knee surgery, and he and pitching coach Rick Anderson expressed confidence Saturday that his velocity will return, Chris McCosky of the Detroit News relays. If so, the 2016 AL Rookie of the Year figures to stand a far better chance of rebounding from a disappointing, injury-shortened 2017 – a 132 1/3-inning campaign in which he logged career-worst numbers (4.69 ERA/4.52 FIP with 7.48 K/9 and 3.13 BB/9).

More on a couple other hurlers from the majors’ Central divisions…

  • While Fulmer’s velocity has gone in the wrong direction this spring, the uptick Twins southpaw Martin Perez has experienced has impressed scouts, Dan Hayes of The Athletic notes (subscription required). As a member of the Rangers from 2012-18, with whom he had an unspectacular tenure, Perez’s average fastball clocked in at 93.5 mph. This spring, though, it has consistently reached the mid- to upper 90s – including across four shutout innings against the Pirates on Saturday. The increase may be attributable to a mechanical change the Twins made with Perez, whom they signed to a one-year, $4MM guarantee over the winter. The Twins have pushed Perez to incorporate his hips more into his delivery, Hayes details, and he has taken their advice. “All in from Day One,” assistant pitching coach Jeremy Hefner told Hayes. “He’s a joy to be around. One of the hardest workers we have.” If Perez’s velo gains stick, he could end up as a steal for the Twins, and may finally begin delivering on the hype he had during his days as a prospect.
  • Reds left-hander Alex Wood, who has been dealing with back issues over the past couple weeks, suffered a setback after throwing a simulated game Friday, according to manager David Bell (via Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer). Wood hasn’t pitched in a Cactus League game since Feb. 25, and it could be at least another week before he makes an appearance, Nightengale suggests. Although Bell said Wood’s injury isn’t “a major concern,” the skipper’s nonetheless unsure whether the winter acquisition will be ready for the start of the season.  Having picked Wood up in a blockbuster trade with the Dodgers, the Reds are counting on the 28-year-old to serve as one of the anchors in what they hope will be a vastly improved rotation.

Tigers To Acquire Cameron Rupp From Giants

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The Tigers have struck a deal to acquire veteran backstop Cameron Rupp from the Giants, according to Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press (via Twitter). Cash considerations will go back in return.

Rupp had signed on with the San Francisco organization in early December. He was among several competitors for a reserve job at the MLB level but evidently was not likely to earn a nod. Rene Rivera, Stephen Vogt, and Aramis Garcia are all still competing to back up Buster Posey.

It doesn’t seem particularly likely that Rupp will break camp with the Tigers, either. The team appears to be set with Grayson Greiner and John Hicks at the MLB level and already has veterans Bobby Wilson and Hector Sanchez in camp, though the deal could suggest that there’s a desire to take a look at alternatives.

Rupp has never been valued particularly for his defensive chops and doesn’t reach base at a very appealing rate. But he does have over a thousand MLB plate appearances under his belt and is a nice source of power for a backstop.

AL Central Notes: Maldonado, Indians, Tigers

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While the Royals have spoken to Martin Maldonado since learning they’d be without Salvador Perez for the 2019 season due to Tommy John surgery, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that there’s “a gap” between the two sides, adding that Kansas City decision-makers aren’t optimistic of agreeing to terms. Maldonado surprisingly remains unsigned despite long standing out as one of baseball’s premier defenders behind the dish; given that the Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish reported late last month that the holdup between Maldonado and the Mariners was simply that Maldonado was holding out for a Major League deal, it’s difficult to imagine any gap being all that sizable. Still, it appears Kansas City is content to proceed with the inexperienced duo of Cam Gallagher and Meibrys Viloria behind the dish with Perez on the shelf, leaving Maldonado in search of another fit.

Elsewhere in the AL Central…

  • Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer provides an update on a trio of important Indians injury situations: those to outfielder Bradley Zimmer, right-hander Danny Salazar and shortstop Francisco Lindor. Zimmer, recovering from surgery on his throwing shoulder, will begin throwing to the bases this week, per manager Terry Francona. Salazar, also recovering from shoulder surgery, is playing catch from 120 feet, while Lindor is taking grounders and batting practice but not yet moving laterally while he rehabs a calf strain. Lindor, among the game’s best players when healthy, is obviously the most crucial of the bunch, but both Zimmer and Salazar could be key contributors with a return to health. Cleveland’s outfield mix looks perilously thin at present, with Leonys Martin, Greg Allen and Tyler Naquin likely in line as starters (with Jake Bauers a possibility as well, depending on whether Hanley Ramirez makes the roster as a DH). Zimmer, a former first-round pick and elite prospect, could provide a substantial boost if he can tap into his potential. As for Salazar, the hard-throwing starter-turned-reliever carries major upside for an unproven mix of Cleveland bullpen options, though his shoulder has prevented him from pitching since late September of 2017.
  • Tigers Rule 5 pick Reed Garrett, selected out of the Rangers’ organization, is vying for one of what could be as few as two open bullpen spots, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. Each of Shane Greene, Joe Jimenez, Blaine Hardy and Drew VerHagen seem likely to land spots, and righty Victor Alcantara seems a safe assumption as well given a solid 30-inning showing last season. VerHagen and fellow right-hander Buck Farmer are both out of minor league options, which could play into the ultimate structuring of the team’s bullpen, as well. McCosky chatted with Garrett and catcher John Hicks about the right-hander’s arsenal and the rapid manner in which he improved his profile — transforming from a struggling starter in 2016 to a somewhat unexpected breakout star at Double-A and Triple-A in 2018. Last year, between those two levels, Garrett worked to a combined 2.04 ERA with 8.9 K/9 against 2.9 BB/9 and a 50 percent ground-ball rate in 61 2/3 innings. Garrett attributes his ascension to added muscle and velocity as well as the adoption of a splitter after he’d originally struggled to succeed with a sinker/slider combination. Detroit successfully carried seldom-used Rule 5 outfielder Victor Reyes on the 25-man roster all last season, and given the status of their ongoing rebuild, it’s plausible that they could do the same with Garrett in 2019.

Minor MLB Transactions: 3/6/19

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We’ll use this post to track the day’s minor moves:

  • The Tigers made at least one signing after a recent open tryout, though it wasn’t of some heretofore unknown player. (Interestingly, the team has posted anonymous scouting grades on those that showed up to participate.) Per Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, via Twitter, the club has a deal in place with utilityman Taylor Motter. The 29-year-old has seen action in each of the past three seasons, turning in a total of 411 plate appearances of .191/.263/.312 hitting with the Rays, Mariners, and Twins. Motter has shown solid plate discipline and a fair bit more power potential in the upper minors than he has at the game’s highest level. He’s also regarded as a good and versatile defender who’s capable of functioning in a reserve role at shortstop. The ZiPS projection system, in fact, likes him as a 1.1 fWAR contributor over 425 hypothetical plate appearances — fifth-highest on the Tigers depth chart.

Offseason In Review: Detroit Tigers

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This is the first post of MLBTR’s annual Offseason in Review series, in which we take stock of every team’s winter dealings.

It was another low-key winter in Motown as the Tigers continued their rebuild process.

Major League Signings

Trades And Claims

Notable Minor League Signings

Notable Losses

[Detroit Tigers Depth Chart | Detroit Tigers Payroll Outlook]

Needs Addressed

Jordy Mrcer | Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY SportsJordy Mercer and Josh Harrison have spent virtually their entire MLB careers as teammates. That connection will continue for at least part of the 2019 season, as the former Pirates each signed on to form Detroit’s new middle infield duo.  The Tigers turned to Mercer to fill the hole left behind by free agent shortstop Jose Iglesias, then later inked Harrison to take over as the everyday second baseman.  Such names as Troy Tulowitzki and former Tiger Ian Kinsler were also considered by the team to fill the middle infield gaps.

Mercer and Harrison were inked to relatively inexpensive one-year deals, giving the Tigers flexibility should youngsters such as Dawel Lugo, Isaac Paredes, or Willi Castro force the issue for playing time as early as this summer.  By that same token, Mercer and Harrison could both be trade deadline chips if the Tigers find a contending team eager for infield help.

In Harrison’s case, he has particular upside after struggling through an injury-plagued 2018.  Harrison also didn’t perform terribly well in 2015 or 2016, though he was an All-Star as recently as 2017.  The 31-year-old doesn’t have to do a ton to outplay his $2.5MM contract, however, and Harrison’s overall value could improve if the Tigers shield him from tough right-handed pitching every once in a while.  Harrison also could provide extra depth at third base or the corner outfield, though he played almost exclusively as a second baseman last season. That flexibility makes it particularly easy to imagine him as a mid-season trade candidate.

While Harrison himself provides some versatility, his addition moves Niko Goodrum into a superutility role, allowing the Tigers to deploy him all around the diamond as the situation warrants.  Veterans Gordon Beckham and Pete Kozma are also at Spring Training on minor league deals, fighting with Ronny Rodriguez to win a utility infield job and potentially pushing Goodrum into seeing more corner outfield time, rather than infield duty.  Goodrum could also see substantial action at first base, since Miguel Cabrera is likely to receive the lion’s share of DH at-bats. (Backup catcher John Hicks could again factor at the first base position as well.)

As they did last winter in signing Mike Fiers and Francisco Liriano, the Tigers added a pair of low-cost veteran arms to the rotation in Tyson Ross and Matt Moore.  Ross turned in a useful 2018 season with the Padres and Cardinals in 2018, posting a 4.15 ERA and 1.97 K/BB rate over 149 2/3 innings.  It’s probably too much to expect that Ross can recapture his mid-decade All-Star form (prior to two lost seasons due to injury), though he should give Detroit some solid innings.

Moore hopes to follow in Ross’ footsteps with a bounce-back season of his own, as Moore has badly struggled in each of the last two seasons, to the point of being relegated to the Rangers’ bullpen last season.  It wasn’t long ago that Moore was one of the game’s most vaunted pitching prospects, so the Tigers are hoping the change of scenery can revive Moore’s career.

Questions Remaining

It seemed as if the Tigers were simply ready to move on from Iglesias, as a case could be made that re-signing Iglesias (10 fWAR over 656 career games) would’ve provided more value than adding Mercer (7.8 fWAR through 821 career appearances with Pittsburgh).  Mercer is only the slightly better hitter of the two, and Iglesias is the decidedly better fielder.  Considering that Iglesias ended up landing only a minor league deal from the Reds, spending $5.25MM on Mercer seems like something of an overpay.

This being said, it could be that the Tigers simply felt Mercer had more future trade value, given that they’d spent much of 2018 unsuccessfully trying to find a trade partner for Iglesias.  Plus, when a club is still in the relatively early stages of a rebuilding plan, it’s hard to argue too strenuously about which veteran was or wasn’t signed to a one-year contract.  Mercer, Harrison, Ross, and Moore could all very well be playing on different teams by September, and the Tigers’ focus for 2019 will again be on seeing which of its young players can emerge.

To this end, catcher James McCann was non-tendered after a rough campaign, wrapping up his four-year run as the team’s most frequently used backstop and giving the Tigers a chance to see what they have in Grayson Greiner.  (Both Greiner and Hicks may ultimately be keeping the catcher’s spot warm for prospect Jake Rogers in a year or two.)  The Tigers didn’t add any veteran outfield help, preferring to stick with incumbents JaCoby Jones and Mikie Mahtook in center field, and giving prospect Christin Stewart a full shot as the everyday left fielder.

Perhaps the most notable element of the Tigers’ offseason was what they didn’t do — namely, trade any of their notable veterans.  It probably isn’t surprising that Michael Fulmer and Shane Greene weren’t moved in the wake of down years, as the Tigers don’t want to sell low. Swingman Blaine Hardy drew some interest from Oakland, though nothing came together. All three of those pitchers will very likely still be in a Detroit jersey on Opening Day.  None of this group can said to be premium trade chips, and the slowed free agent market also undoubtedly hampered Detroit’s trade negotiations.  For instance, if you’re the Athletics, why deal for Hardy when you could simply sign a similar type of pitcher in free agency without having to give anything up in return?

This could also explain why the Tigers non-tendered Alex Wilson, who was projected to earn a modest $2.8MM salary in arbitration.  It wasn’t a high figure for an unspectacular but solid reliever like Wilson, though since the Tigers considered him expendable, they decided to simply part ways before the arb deadline since no trade interest could be located.

The most prominent figure in Detroit trade rumors, of course, has been slugger Nicholas Castellanos.  The Braves, Mets, and Dodgers were all linked to Castellanos at various points this winter, though none were willing to meet the high asking price the Tigers placed on the outfielder.  Detroit was looking for a prospect (or prospects) that would top the compensatory first-round sandwich pick they could receive next winter if Castellanos receives and rejects a qualifying offer and then signs elsewhere. Castellanos himself expressed a desire to be moved before the start of camp, but nothing appealing ever came across the desk of GM Al Avila.

As with the Tigers’ lower-level trade candidates, Castellanos’ market was undoubtedly harmed by the presence of so many other outfielders available in free agency (or in other trades).  Furthermore, while Castellanos has posted some fine numbers (.285/.336/.495 in 1790 PA, 67 homers) over the last three seasons, his bat isn’t elite enough that teams are willing to overlook his poor right field defense.  To this end, it’s interesting that all of Castellanos’ known suitors were NL teams, though it’s fair to assume that some American League clubs also made inquiries.

If Castellanos keeps up his hitting production, he’ll still get some looks at the trade deadline, and his market will only grow if he becomes even borderline passable as a right fielder.  Still, it seems like the Tigers will need to lower expectations about what they’ll be able to receive in a Castellanos trade, given how bat-only players have become far less sought-after than they were even only a few years ago.  Topping a QO draft pick may not be feasible — if that’s even a reasonable guide to go by. Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press recently observed that the Tigers may not end up issuing Castellanos a qualifying offer in the fall, as he could accept that one-year deal (which will be in excess of $17.9MM) rather than taking his chances on the open market with draft compensation attached.

Castellanos has recently expressed interest in a contract extension to remain in Detroit, a possibility the team has pursued previously. With Cabrera already locked into DH duty through the 2023 season, though, there isn’t much room for the Tigers to carry another bat-only player over the long term.  Since Avila has intimated that the Tigers won’t look to really boost payroll until after the 2020 season, keeping Castellanos at a hefty salary doesn’t seem to fit Detroit’s timeline.

2019 Season Outlook

It looks to be another long year for Detroit fans.  Even in a weak AL Central, the Tigers aren’t likely to make much noise.  Perhaps the club can hope to top the ghastly 64-98 record it has posted in successive seasons, but it’d be hard to expect more than modest improvement given the present state of the roster

How would you grade the Tigers’ offseason moves?  (Link for app users.)

How Would You Grade The Tigers' Offseason?
C 37.52% (2,167 votes)
D 30.12% (1,740 votes)
F 16.67% (963 votes)
B 13.23% (764 votes)
A 2.46% (142 votes)
Total Votes: 5,776

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Minor MLB Transactions: 3/4/19

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Here are Monday’s minor moves from around the game…

  • The Tigers announced that they’ve granted right-hander Chris Smith his unconditional release. The 30-year-old had been in Major League camp as a non-roster invitee who’d hoped to secure a roster spot, but those hopes were dashed when he learned late last month that he required Tommy John surgery. Smith underwent the procedure last week, tweets Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. The right-hander made his MLB debut with the Blue Jays in 2017, tossing five innings of relief, and he spent the 2018 season with the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate, where he worked to a 3.93 ERA with 10.6 K/9, 3.4 BB/9, 1.15 HR/9 and a 32.2 percent ground-ball rate in 55 innings. MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery tweets that Smith plans to spend the year rehabbing his elbow with an eye toward a return to baseball in 2020.

Central Notes: Royals, Tigers, Avila, Pirates, Cardinals

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It appears the Royals will have to trudge through 2019 without the face of their franchise, catcher Salvador Perez, who may need Tommy John surgery. While they’ve been connected to free-agent catcher Martin Maldonado in the wake of the Perez news, general manager Dayton Moore said Saturday he’d rather go forward with in-house options Cam Gallagher and Meibrys Viloria and pick up “depth” at the position than add another potential starter, Lynn Worthy of the Kansas City Star reports. It’s unclear whether that mindset would close the door on a Maldonado signing, however. Even though the 32-year-old Maldonado has accrued plenty of playing time in recent seasons, the defensively adept veteran may not be in position to hold out for a starting job at this juncture.

More from the game’s Central divisions…

  • Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch suggested Saturday the team will attempt to extend general manager Al Avila before his contract runs out after the 2020 season, though discussions haven’t yet gotten underway, Jason Beck of MLB.com relays. Avila, the Tigers’ GM since 2015, is “doing an excellent job” overseeing the rebuilding franchise, said Ilitch, who also spoke highly of manager Ron Gardenhire as he enters his second season with the club. Beyond that, Ilitch hinted the club’s poised to become more active in free agency as its rebuild progresses, per Beck, which jibes with previous statements from Avila.
  • Pirates outfielder Lonnie Chisenhall left the team’s game Saturday with “general lower extremity tightness,” according to Kevin Gorman of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. The severity is unknown, but it’s not particularly reassuring news after Chisenhall missed all but 29 games last year with the Indians while dealing with calf problems. The Pirates signed the 30-year-old Chisenhall to a $2.75MM guarantee in free agency, in part because starting outfielder Gregory Polanco will miss at least the beginning of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery last September.
  • Cardinals reliever Brett Cecil will stay out of game action until late next week as he battles mechanical issues, Jenifer Langosch of MLB.com writes. Cecil and the Cardinals insist he’s physically fine, but the southpaw noticed in his Wednesday appearance that he was leaving the mound too early and didn’t have his left arm in the correct position when he came set, Langosch writes He’ll need to fix those issues to have any chance at rebounding from a dreadful 2018 in which he logged a 6.89 ERA with 5.23 K/9 and 6.89 BB/9 in 32 2/3 innings. Cecil’s now in the third season of a four-year, $30.5MM contract that hasn’t worked out as hoped for the Cardinals thus far.

AL Central Notes: Hanley, Sano, Dunning, Tigers

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Hanley Ramirez spoke to The Athletic’s Zack Meisel about his comeback bid with the Indians (subscription required), revealing that he had offers to join clubs following his release from the Red Sox last May. At the time, Ramirez told his agent that he preferred to take the remainder of the season to “get my body healthy and come back next year.” Informed that doing so would likely mean settling for a minor league contract — which proved spot on — Ramirez simply said he trusts himself and his ability to hit. As Meisel notes, that ability to hit is key for Ramirez, who’ll be viewed as a designated hitter if he breaks camp with Cleveland. That, in turn, would likely mean Carlos Santana serving as a dedicated first baseman and Jake Bauers playing primarily in the outfield, which would lead to further decisions in a muddled outfield mix.

A bit more from around the division…

  • Twins slugger Miguel Sano is still about a week away from having the protective boot from his right foot, writes La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. The laceration on his heel is “probably about 80 percent healed,” per Twins trainer Tony Leo, but its proximity to Sano’s Achilles tendon necessitates that it be fully healed up before he can resume baseball activity. That timeline could put Sano in doubt for Opening Day, though if all goes according to plan, he’ll have three weeks to build up to game activity and begin taking at-bats and reps at third base. New manager Rocco Baldelli simply stated that there’s “no way to say for sure” what Sano’s timeline is until the boot comes off.
  • White Sox pitching prospect Dane Dunning won’t throw for seven to 10 days after having his recent bout of forearm discomfort examined by team physicians and doctor James Andrews, the team announced (h/t: Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times, on Twitter). He’s slated to begin a throwing program at that point, assuming the pain in his arm has alleviated. Acquired alongside Lucas Giolito and Reynaldo Lopez in the 2016 Adam Eaton swap, Dunning has raised his profile with the ChiSox and has drawn his share of praise on top 100 prospect rankings throughout the industry. However, while he turned in a stellar 2.71 ERA with 10.4 K/9 against 2.7 BB/9 between Class-A Advanced and Double-A last season, the 24-year-old was also limited to 86 1/3 innings by an elbow sprain.
  • Tigers roster hopeful Dustin Peterson chatted with Chris McCosky of the Detroit News about his surprise at being designated for assignment by the Braves late last season and the opportunity he now has before him with his new organization. Peterson, who was promptly claimed by the Tigers upon hitting waivers, said he’d been hoping for a September call-up on the heels of a strong finish to his season in Triple-A Gwinnett. (Indeed, he hit .296/.345/.441 over his final 200 PAs with Gwinnett.) Instead, however, he was informed he’d been designated in order to make room on the roster for Preston Tucker (who’d spend the final month with Atlanta before being cut loose himself). McCosky notes that Peterson has been working out at first base to increase his versatility in a bid to make the Opening Day roster, though he does have a pair of minor league options remaining. Peterson could also see some time at DH, though manager Ron Gardenhire indicated to McCosky that the precise manner in which he utilizes the DH slot will be determined by how often Miguel Cabrera is capable of playing first base

Quick Hits: Harrison, Lawrie, LeMahieu

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Josh Harrison made the most of his time off by spending it with his family, staying busy and working through his usual offseason workouts, but he was certainly frustrated by his experience in free agency, per Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. His $2MM deal with the Tigers finally became official yesterday after news broke of the deal on Wednesday. Harrison struggled in his final year in Pittsburgh with just a .250/.293/.363 batting line in 374 plate appearances – though he was nonetheless worth roughly 2.48 fWAR per season over the four seasons prior. Harrison should be comfortable in Detroit, which is very near to his hometown of Cincinnati and already employs his former double play partner Jordy Mercer. The irony of course is that contenders are often on the lookout for a veteran who can play all over the field on a cheap $2MM deal, so a hot start in Detroit means he likely finishes the season elsewhere. Then, of course, he’ll have to do it all again as a free agent next season. Let’s see how free agency went for another couple of second baseman…

  • President of baseball ops David Stearns says new Brewer Brett Lawrie will begin the season in the minors as he attempts a comeback. The Brewers have performed a more extensive physical evaluation than usual for Lawrie – who last played in the majors in 2016 for the White Sox. Lawrie, 29, will not yet begin baseball activities, instead spending the next six weeks working with the Brewers medical and strength staff. Given the multitude of lower body injuries Lawrie suffered throughout his career, the Brewers are intent on doing the leg work, so to speak, “to understand what’s going on with Brett’s body from a physical perspective,” though Stearns made sure to point out that Lawrie is not injured at this time. Rather, the goal of these next six weeks is to set up Lawrie, best they can, to get healthy and stay healthy while playing baseball. Watch the video of Stearns addressing Lawrie’s situation on the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
  • We already knew the Rays considered signing DJ LeMahieu in free agency, but the interest was apparently mutual. LeMahieu gave “serious thought” to signing with the Tampa Bay Rays before joining their AL East rival, per Eduardo A. Encina of the Tampa Bay Times. It’s not exactly a shocking revelation, as the Rays could offer LeMahieu much the same situation he will receive in New York – at least in terms of playing time on a competitive roster. Still, it’s not often likely these two teams go head-to-head in free agency. 
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