Injury Notes: BoSox, Mets, Angels, Rox, Tigers, Braves
There was fear this week that Red Sox left-hander David Price would need elbow surgery, but those worries were put to rest Friday. It turns out that elbow experts Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Neal ElAttrache diagnosed Price with a mild flexor strain and some bone spurs, industry sources told Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. That Price dodged a more serious injury surprised the doctors, the ace revealed. “They said it multiple times; we expected this to be a lot worse than what it really is,” said Price, who added that Andrews and ElAttrache informed him he has an “extremely unique” elbow. “It’s found a way to kind of heal itself,” he continued. “It’s pretty neat, bionic elbow.” Although Price avoided a season-ending issue, he’s still likely to begin the campaign on the disabled list and miss a to-be-determined amount of starts, according to Abraham. How much time Price misses will largely be up to him, though, as the doctors want the 31-year-old to map out his own recovery program. “I’ll know when I feel good enough to go out there and throw a baseball,” declared Price.
More pitcher-related injury updates:
- Mets right-hander Jacob deGrom took the mound Saturday for the first time since last September, when he underwent elbow surgery, and dazzled in two scoreless innings, reports Dan Martin of the New York Post. DeGrom’s average fastball velocity fell from 94.9 mph in 2015 to 93.4 mph last year, but it clocked in between 96 and 97 mph at times Saturday. “When I saw the 97, I looked at (pitching coach) Dan (Warthen) and said, ‘That’s a little special,’” said manager Terry Collins. Naturally, deGrom also came away encouraged. “Last year, it was all I had to get to 92 [mph],” deGrom noted. “It has to do with repeating my mechanics. Last year, I flew open all the time and my arm was dragging.”
- Unlike deGrom, Angels lefty Tyler Skaggs endured a rather poor spring debut Saturday, relays Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter links). In his first outing since undergoing a major injury scare last September, the onetime Tommy John surgery recipient recorded only two outs against four walks. More alarmingly, Skaggs saw his fastball dip from 89 to 92 mph at the beginning of the inning to 86 to 88 mph by the end of it.
- Southpaw Chris Rusin is attempting to claim the last spot in the Rockies’ rotation this spring, but those efforts will go on hold for an “extended period,” writes Barry M. Bloom of MLB.com. Rusin hurt his right side in his outing Friday, causing him to leave the game, and will “be out for a while,” manager Bud Black said.
- Tigers righty reliever Adam Ravenelle departed the team’s game Saturday with elbow discomfort and will undergo an MRI, skipper Brad Ausmus announced (via Evan Woodbery of MLive.com). Ravenelle, a non-roster invitee whom Baseball America ranks as Detroit’s eighth-best prospect, underwent ulnar nerve surgery in his elbow in 2012, per Woodbery. More recently, the 24-year-old combined for 67 1/3 innings at three different levels last season. The plurality of his work came at Triple-A Toledo, where he put up a 4.85 ERA to go with 6.98 K/9 against 4.85 BB/9 in 29 2/3 frames.
- Braves Rule 5 pick Armando Rivero has been dealing with shoulder soreness, though manager Brian Snitker said Saturday that there’s no sign of structural damage, tweets Mark Bowman of MLB.com. Braves doctors cleared the righty, previously with the Cubs, to continue throwing and vying for a job with Atlanta. Rivero, 29, pitched to a 2.13 ERA and recorded a sky-high 13.97 K/9 against a bloated 4.66 BB/9 in 67 2/3 innings with the Cubs’ Triple-A affiliate in 2016.
AL Notes: Mariners, Tigers, Lawrie, Rodon, Morton
The competition for the Mariners‘ utility infield job is down to Shawn O’Malley and Taylor Motter for the time being now that Mike Freeman has been designated for assignment, writes MLB.com’s Greg Johns. Seattle hopes that Freeman will clear waivers and remain in the organization, but the 29-year-old does have a strong track record of hitting for average and getting on base in Triple-A, to say nothing of some defensive versatility, so that outcome isn’t a guarantee. GM Jerry Dipoto said the ultimate decision came down to which utility candidate he considered to have the best chance of passing through waivers. That proved to be Freeman, due largely to the fact that he’s the oldest of the three competitors and has the least MLB time. Johns notes that those in competition for the utility infield role will see plenty of opportunity to prove themselves this spring, as starting shortstop Jean Segura will be playing for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
A few more notes on some competitions for the final roster spots around the league…
- The Tigers are facing a tough decision with powerful outfielder Steven Moya and versatile infielder Dixon Machado, writes MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery. Both players are out of minor league options, but there’s likely only one open spot on the Tigers’ bench. Alex Avila is on hand to back up James McCann behind the dish, while Andrew Romine has one utility infield job locked down. One of Tyler Collins and Mikie Mahtook is likely to be on the bench each day as well, as they’re poised to form a center field platoon. Manager Brad Ausmus noted that it’s a particularly difficult situation, as it’d be tough to get either player any sort of consistent at-bats during the regular season. But, as Woodbery notes, both could have clearer paths to playing time in 2018. Ausmus specifically noted that he can’t see Moya passing through waivers, so perhaps the team has a slight inclination to keep the 25-year-old slugger. Moya slugged 25 homers in 526 plate appearances between Triple-A and the Majors last season.
- Parting with Brett Lawrie surely reflects a variety of factors for the White Sox, including his uninspiring performance, injury uncertainty, and rate of pay. But GM Rick Hahn (video via the Chicago Tribune) emphasized the importance the organization places on freeing playing opportunities for players who could have a longer future with the club. Hahn specifically mentioned Tyler Saladino, Carlos Sanchez, Leury Garcia, and Matt Davidson as players who he’d like to see have a chance at the majors. Of course, that was all known to the team when it agreed to terms with Lawrie to avoid arbitration; what wasn’t then clear, perhaps, was what would become of third baseman Todd Frazier, who remains with Chicago. Hahn notes, interestingly, that the team “can’t really control the pace or timing of these transactions,” saying that it had “envisioned various transactions” taking place that would have opened playing time both for Lawrie and the other names mentioned.
- While the White Sox have suggested that nothing is amiss with lefty Carlos Rodon, as Dan Hayes of CSN Chicago explains on Twitter, his handling this spring is raising some eyebrows. Rodon threw his first pen session today, which means he’s on track to be ready to start the year, and the team has said that it’s merely keeping some restraints on an important young pitcher who’ll be expected to throw more innings than he did last year (165). But there are also some vague, slightly ominous hints emanating from the organization, as Colleen Kane of the Chicago Tribune reports (Twitter links). Manager Rick Renteria says that the hope is Rodon will be ready to join the Opening Day roster “without any concern,” which at least obliquely suggests there’s at least some health-related concern. And pitching coach Don Cooper referenced “arm stuff” that bothered Rodon in 2016, leading Hahn to clarify it was simply a fatigue-related matter that had been dealt with by modifications to Rodon’s preparation regimen.
- The Astros are bullish on righty Charlie Morton, as MLB.com’s Brian McTaggart reports. Houston placed a fairly substantial bet (two years, $14MM) on the 33-year-old, a groundball-heavy hurler who has dealt with his fair share of injuries. That was based not just on the team’s assessment of Morton’s abilities, but also its belief that it could help him get more out of them through improvements to his mechanics and pitch selection. Morton showed well today, McTaggart notes; he worked in the mid-nineties, a fair bit higher than his typical average fastball of 91 or 92 mph.
Injury Notes: Cashner, DeSclafani, Sparkman, Tigers, Cardinals
There’s been no shortage of injury news today, with David Price headed for a second opinion following an MRI to examine his left elbow and David Wright being indefinitely shut down from throwing. Those two stars are far from the only ones with injury concerns though; here’s a look at some more injury situations around the game…
- Rangers right-hander Andrew Cashner has been shut down due to biceps tendinitis in his right arm, writes Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News. For the time being, the team doesn’t believe that Cashner’s arm troubles will jeopardize his availability for the start of the season, but the offseason signee will be evaluated by team doctor Keith Meister on Friday before further determination is made. Cashner inked a one-year, $10MM deal with the Rangers this offseason in hopes of rebounding and reentering next year’s market with improved earning capacity.
- Reds right-hander Anthony DeSclafani has been cleared to begin throwing, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. That’s a relief for Cincinnati, as the 26-year-old had previously been shut down from throwing on Monday of this week due to some “tenderness” in his right elbow. DeSclafani tells Sheldon that he was never too concerned that the injury might be serious in nature, and indeed, Reds medical director Timothy Kremchek gave him the green light to begin throwing after examining him this week. Zach Buchanan of the Cincinnati Enquirer quotes Kremchek as stating that the hope is for DeSclafani to begin throwing today or tomorrow, with an eye toward throwing off a mound six or seven days from now (Twitter link).
- Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reports that Blue Jays Rule 5 pick Glenn Sparkman suffered a fractured bone in his right thumb during pitchers’ fielding practice earlier today (Twitter link). There’s no timeline for his recovery just yet. As is the case with many Rule 5 picks, however, the injury could in a strange way prove advantageous for the Jays and for Sparkman. Toronto could potentially stash Sparkman on the disabled list to open the season — he’d otherwise have to break camp on the 25-man roster — and then work through a minor league rehab assignment early in the year before being considered as an option for the big league roster.
- Tigers relievers Francisco Rodriguez and Justin Wilson both missed their scheduled appearances on Wednesday due to hamstring soreness, writes Evan Woodbery of MLive.com. Wilson won’t throw for the next few days as he hopes to mend his injury, while K-Rod is slated to pitch on Saturday. Tigers Manager Brad Ausmus said Rodriguez could “probably” have pitched yesterday, but the team didn’t want to rush him and risk worsening his situation.
- MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch provides several medical updates on the Cardinals. While right-hander Luke Weaver checked out OK after exiting yesterday’s Grapefruit League game due to back spasms, Matt Carpenter was scratched from today’s game due to back issues of his own. Weaver isn’t expected to be sidelined too long, per Langosch, whereas Carpenter will be reevaluated tomorrow (the team isn’t especially concerned, she notes). Carpenter’s back could impact his availability for the World Baseball Classic, however. Langosch also notes that southpaw Tyler Lyons is ahead of schedule in his rehab from knee surgery to the point that he could push for a spot on the Opening Day roster.
NL East Notes: Conforto, Chen, Marlins, Rivero
There’ve been varying reports about the connection Mets‘ talks for Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez this winter, the most recent of which suggested that the Mets “seriously discussed” parting with Michael Conforto to acquire Martinez. MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo, however, was told “emphatically” that the notion was not seriously discussed whatsoever (Twitter links). DiComo notes that New York did indeed touch base with the Tigers and discuss Martinez prior to re-signing Yoenis Cespedes, but the Mets “balked completely” once Conforto’s name was brought up by the Tigers.
More from the NL East…
- Asked about his first season in a Marlins uniform, left-hander Wei-Yin Chen bluntly told Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald that his performance “was terrible.” The 31-year-old, who signed a five-year, $80MM contract with the Marlins last winter, posted a 4.96 ERA across 123 1/3 innings in an injury-shortened campaign. Chen admitted to pitching through elbow discomfort that would act up without warning and also revealed that at times he felt “a lack of strength” in his fingers and arm. Manager Don Mattingly told Spencer that the Marlins believe Chen’s elbow has healed, but he also suggested that the Marlins may be more willing to have turn to the bullpen should they sense that Chen needs a reprieve on any given day. “That is one of the things we have a better idea of, how to keep an eye on him and be ready to pull that trigger a little quicker,” said Mattingly.
- Generally speaking, the Marlins could be quick to turn to their deep bullpen if the starters are struggling, writes MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro. Per Frisaro, the Marlins are planning to take a long look at how their starters are faring when facing the opposing lineup for the third time on a given day. Statistically speaking, starters tend to fare considerably worse as they turn a lineup over multiple times, due both to growing levels of fatigue and hitters’ increasing familiarity with their offerings. Miami’s starters appear open to the additional input they could receive from the team’s analytics department on the matter, as both Dan Straily and Tom Koehler spoke to Frisaro about how that type of data could potentially help to create an edge for pitchers. “I think that’s the way baseball is going with the analytics, with the data behind everything,” said Straily. Koehler added to that: “If there is something happening a third time, there’s a reason for it. So there’s probably a solution to it, too. … I think maybe if we dig deeper into it, we can find a solution.”
- MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets that Braves Rule 5 pick Armando Rivero is currently dealing with shoulder soreness that stems from his stint in the Venezuelan Winter League this offseason. Selected out of the Cubs organization, the 29-year-old Rivero pitched to an exceptional 2.13 earned run average in 67 2/3 innings with Chicago’s Triple-A affiliate last season. Along the way, the Cuban-born righty averaged a whopping 14 strikeouts per nine innings pitched, though he also averaged 4.7 walks per nine in that time.
Tigers To Sign Cuban Infielder Luis Valdes
The Tigers have reached agreement on a minor-league deal with free-agent Cuban shortstop Luis Valdes, according to Ben Badler of Baseball America. Bonus information isn’t known, but Valdes was not subject to international spending limitations.
Valdes seems to be more of a veteran utility option than an interesting prospect to watch. He’s already 28 years of age and ought to open his tenure with the Tigers in the upper minors, per Badler, but there doesn’t appear to be much reason to believe that he’ll ever challenge for more than a reserve role in the majors.
Over his seven seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional, Valdes owns a .275/.316/.392 batting line with 24 home runs over 1,267 plate appearances. Though his last season was by far his best, it also came way back in 2014. Whether his bat can keep up at the game’s highest level isn’t yet clear, Badler suggests, though Valdes holds greater promise in the field. Per Badler, the infielder “is a smart, fundamentally sound defender with an average arm that plays up because of his extremely quick release.”
AL Central Notes: White Sox, Royals, Romero, Jimenez
In an interview with MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, White Sox GM Rick Hahn again stated that there’s “no economic pressure” and “no timing pressure” to trade left-hander Jose Quintana. “It’s more about making sure if we were to make a major move, that we are getting an appropriate return,” Hahn continued. While the Sox have had numerous trade discussions centering on Quintana this winter, Hahn noted that there’s yet to be an offer presented to the team that made the front office think, “Boy we better move now or we are going to be kicking ourselves.” The South Side GM also once again touched on a few significant trades that fell through at the eleventh hour, noting that the “frustration lingers a little longer than the satisfaction of getting a deal done.”
More from the American League Central…
- Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star writes that the Royals‘ competition at second base — which features Cheslor Cuthbert, Whit Merrifield, Christian Colon and Raul Mondesi — won’t necessarily produce one everyday option at the position. Manager Ned Yost acknowledged yesterday that the Opening Day second baseman “probably” would not play there on an everyday basis this coming year, unless one of the candidates outright runs away with the job this spring. Yost also noted that Cuthbert, who is out of minor league options, could be an especially important piece for Kansas City in April, as the team is planning to incorporate some extra days of rest into Mike Moustakas‘ schedule following last year’s season-ending ACL tear.
- The Twins have unearthed a surprising pitching prospect in righty Fernando Romero, LaVelle E. Neal III of the Star-Tribune writes. A 22-year-old power pitcher who is expected to open the season at Double-A, Romero has opened eyes with his big arm at camp. Injuries have limited his professional time, but Romero has already shown plenty to make the organization glad that it invested a relatively meager $260K to sign him — a deal that was struck within half a day after the club first saw him throw. The Dominican righty logged a sensational 1.89 ERA with a 90-to-15 K/BB ratio in 90 1/3 innings across two Class-A levels last season. And while he didn’t receive an abundance of fanfare on prospect rankings, ESPN’s Keith Law did tab Romero as the game’s No. 65 overall farmhand (subscription required/recommended).
- Speaking of prospects in the AL Central, MLB.com’s Jason Beck writes that the Tigers aren’t planning on rushing 22-year-old righty Joe Jimenez to the Majors. Manager Brad Ausmus called Jimenez, who posted a 1.51 ERA, 13.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 across three minor league levels last season, “an extreme long shot” to make the Opening Day roster in Detroit this season. Jimenez’s fastball plays well enough to be a Major League offering right now, Ausmus elaborated, but the young righty is still “honing and working on” his secondary offerings. As we recently noted when breaking down the Tigers’ Spring Training battles, Jimenez is one of several candidates for what could be just one vacant bullpen spot in Detroit.
Camp Battles: Detroit Tigers
After a surprisingly quiet offseason, the Tigers enter the 2017 season with a veteran roster that leaves little doubt when it comes to roles around the roster. There are still a few unsettled spots that will be determined over the next five to six weeks, however. Here’s a look at the roster battles set to take place in Tigers’ camp this spring…
Center Field
Mikie Mahtook
Age: 27
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become free agent until at least the 2021-22 offseason
Options Remaining: 1
Tyler Collins
Age: 26
Bats: L
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2021-22 offseason
Options Remaining: Out of options
JaCoby Jones
Age: 24
Bats: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: 3
Anthony Gose
Age: 26
Bats: L
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2020-21 offseason
Options Remaining: Out of options
For much of the offseason, center field was billed as a likely competition between Gose, Collins and Jones. The fact that the former two are out of minor league options and Jones’ relative lack of experience in center gave Collins and Gose an apparent edge, but the narrative shifted on Jan. 18. That’s the date on which Detroit acquired Mahtook from Tampa Bay and designated Gose for assignment. The speedy Gose would clear waivers and remain in the organization, but he’s now a long shot to make the team as he’s not on the 40-man roster.
A platoon scenario seems like a perfectly plausible option for the Tigers, who could deploy the left-handed-hitting Collins against right-handed starters (career .265/.331/.424 against righties) and the righty-swinging Mahtook against opposing southpaws (.276/.322/.537 career against lefties). Jones has scarcely played above the Double-A level, but GM Al Avila has mentioned him on multiple occasions this winter, so a huge spring could get him a look. And while Gose never hit with the Tigers (or the Blue Jays prior to being traded to Detroit), the 26-year-old could potentially force his way back into the mix with a big performance.
Prediction: A platoon of Collins and Mahtook wins the job and patrols center for the bulk of the regular season.
Starting Rotation (One spot)
Anibal Sanchez
Age: 32
Throws: R
Contract Status: One year, $16MM; club option worth $16MM in 2018 ($5MM buyout)
Options Remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent
Mike Pelfrey
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: One year, $8MM
Options Remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent
Matt Boyd
Age: 26
Bats: L
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: 1
Other potential candidates: Buck Farmer, Shane Greene, Drew VerHagen
There’s little doubt about the top four in the Tigers’ rotation. A resurgent Justin Verlander will lead the way and be followed by 2016 Rookie of the Year Michael Fulmer. Jordan Zimmermann will hope for better health in the second season of a five-year, $110MM contract. Daniel Norris‘ 3.38 ERA in 13 starts (plus one relief appearance) and 69 1/3 innings last season should land him in the starting five as well.
The Tigers would probably have loved to jettison either Sanchez or Pelfrey this winter, as neither veteran lived up to his salary in 2016. Sanchez is owed $16MM this season plus a $5MM buyout on a 2018 option, while Pelfrey is owed $8MM in the second season of a two-year deal that to this day is still surprising. Neither pitcher’s struggles are confined to the 2016 campaign, though, as Sanchez is toting a 5.42 ERA over his past 310 1/3 innings (two seasons), while Pelfrey carries a 4.97 ERA in 460 innings since returning from Tommy John surgery in 2013.
Boyd is the younger option here and a hopeful long-term piece for the Tigers. Acquired alongside Norris in the 2015 David Price blockbuster with the Blue Jays, the 26-year-old Boyd has excelled in Triple-A but struggled in the Majors to date. In 105 innings at the minor leagues’ top level, Boyd boasts an exceptional 2.40 ERA with 8.1 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9. His big league ERA is well north of the 5.00 mark, but he did improve in 2016, tossing 97 1/3 innings with a 4.53 ERA, 7.6 K/9, 2.7 BB/9 and a 38.1 percent ground-ball rate. That he has an option remaining and is not playing on a significant multi-year deal like Sanchez and Pelfrey works against him.
Prediction: Sanchez wins the rotation spot, with Pelfrey headed to the bullpen to work in a long relief role. (That assumes health among the Tigers’ top four starters, of course.)
Bullpen (One spot)
Daniel Stumpf
Age: 26
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: 3
Blaine Hardy
Age: 30
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2021-22 offseason
Options Remaining: 2
Kyle Ryan
Age: 25
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2021-22 offseason
Options Remaining: 2
Joe Jimenez
Age: 22
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2022-23 offseason
Options Remaining: 3
Shane Greene
Age: 28
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-arbitration; cannot become a free agent until at least the 2021-22 offseason
Options Remaining: 1
Other potential candidates: Edward Mujica, A.J. Achter, Logan Kensing
Francisco Rodriguez, Justin Wilson, Alex Wilson, Bruce Rondon, Mark Lowe and whichever of Pelfrey/Sanchez loses a rotation spot this spring figure to be locks for the bullpen, assuming the Tigers don’t simply cut bait on a well-compensated veteran like Lowe or Pelfrey. That leaves one vacant spot in manager Brad Ausmus’ relief corps — assuming the Tigers go with a traditional 12-man pitching staff to open the season.
Hardy has been quite good in the Majors when healthy, but he battled shoulder troubles early last year and spent much of the 2016 campaign shuttling between Triple-A Toledo and Detroit. Ryan could give Detroit a second lefty option behind Justin Wilson. He’s logged 112 frames in the Tigers’ bullpen across the past two years and performed reasonably well in that stretch, but he doesn’t suppress left-handed hitters as well as Hardy (career .703 OPS against for Ryan compared to a .609 mark for Hardy).
Stumpf represents another southpaw option and, as a Rule 5 pick, must remain on the roster in order to stay in the organization (barring a minor trade to fully acquire his rights). He’s been rocked in his only five innings of MLB experience and comes with a previous 80-game PED suspension, but Stumpf was impressive last season in the Phillies’ minor league ranks.
As for right-handed options, Jimenez entered 2016 as one of the better-regarded relief prospects in baseball and furthered that reputation with a sensational 1.51 ERA, 13.1 K/9 and 2.9 BB/9 across three minor league levels. He tossed just 15 2/3 innings in Triple-A, though, so the Tigers may be wary of rushing him to the bigs too quickly — especially with limited bullpen space and others options from which to choose.
Greene’s 5.82 ERA from last season looks disastrous, but he posted solid strikeout, walk and ground-ball rates in 60 1/3 innings with the Tigers. ERA alternatives FIP, xFIP and SIERA all liked him for a sub-4.00 mark, with FIP the most bullish at 3.13.
Mujica, Achter and Kensing are among Detroit’s non-roster invites to Spring Training. Each would give Ausmus an experienced arm, with Mujica offering the lengthiest track record of Major League success. Given the number of internal options on the 40-man roster, any of the bunch strikes me as a long shot, barring numerous injuries and/or underperformances.
Prediction: Had the Tigers moved Justin Wilson this offseason — and they were rumored to have many talks involving him — it’d be easier to envision Stumpf sticking on the roster. But Hardy has achieved repeated success in the Majors in recent years and has had the most success against left-handed hitters out of any of the team’s options for a second southpaw. He’s my pick for their remaining bullpen spot.
Heyman’s Latest: Villar, Lucroy, Tigers Veterans, Utley, Weaver, Lincecum, Clevenger
After grading every team’s offseason, Jon Heyman of Fan Rag provided a bevy of information on a variety of situations around the league in his latest notes post. Some is mostly of historical interest, and there’s lots more in the article, but these are some of the highlights with transactional ties:
- The Brewers “floated” an extension offer to infielder Jonathan Villar, says Heyman, but he wasn’t interested. The club’s initial offer, at least, would only have guaranteed him around $20MM. While Villar had a relatively undistinguished career before landing in Milwaukee, he was rather excellent last year and hasn’t yet turned 26. On the other hand, he won’t reach arbitration eligibility until next fall and still has to prove he can repeat that effort. Though Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio may have been willing to green-light pursuit of Matt Wieters, it seems that the front office wasn’t enthusiastic about that possibility.
- While the Rangers haven’t yet opened extension talks with catcher Jonathan Lucroy, it’s still expected that a deal will at least be explored. GM Jon Daniels has acknowledged as much, though it’s unclear just when the discussions will get underway. If nothing comes together, Lucroy promises to be one of the game’s most widely pursued free agents next winter. Texas, of course, is also chatting with starter Yu Darvish and second baseman Rougned Odor.
- The Dodgers explored a deal with the Tigers involving star righty Justin Verlander, per Heyman, who notes that “nothing got close.” Verlander’s hefty salary obligations were considered a barrier, though it seems his no-trade protection may not have been. The veteran righty has suggested he’d be amenable to consider a swap, and his relationship with Kate Upton would likely make Los Angeles an appealing destination. While the Dodgers have a quite a few starters on hand, it’ll be interesting to see whether the pursuit of the resurgent Verlander is rejoined at some point.
- Speaking of the Tigers, the organization evidently considered quite a few other deals before largely holding pat. The Mets “seriously discussed” giving up Michael Conforto for the final season of control over star slugger J.D. Martinez, but ultimately backed down. While the Astros reportedly checked in on Miguel Cabrera, they were asking for “more than half of the $150 million remaining on Cabrera’s contract” to be paid by Detroit and apparently never offered enough for the front office to bring a deal to ownership. And both the Twins and Padres made inquiries on shortstop Jose Iglesias, but clearly nothing developed with either team.
- Though the Indians had real interest in Chase Utley, the team’s offer was shy of the ultimately successful bid from the Dodgers. Still, it seems that Cleveland very nearly landed him before L.A. “stepped in late,” per Heyman.
- While the Reds have said they are done adding to their MLB roster, Heyman suggests the organization could make a play for some of the veteran pitchers still available. Cincinnati may even have outbid the Padres for Jered Weaver, who earned $3MM, though it’s not clear whether the club ever did so.
- Veteran righty Tim Lincecum is drawing some interest as he prepares for a showcase, according to Heyman, though surely he won’t draw as much intrigue as he did last year. It’s unclear what’s next for catcher Steve Clevenger, who has attempted to rehabilitate his image in an interview with Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. His former team, the Orioles, at least considered offering him a minor-league pact, but ultimately decided against it.
Central Notes: Thames, Turner, Tigers
After three years in Korea, Eric Thames is back in the big leagues with the Brewers on a three-year, $16MM deal the team hopes will make him a better deal than former first baseman Chris Carter, Tyler Kepner of the New York Times writes. Carter, of course, hit 41 home runs last season but struck out 206 times and contributed little defensively, making him a potentially poor value if the Brewers had taken him to arbitration. Thames hit 124 home runs in 1,634 plate appearances in his three seasons overseas. “We expect a productive Major League player,” says Brewers GM David Stearns. “That can take shape in a variety of ways. With a signing like this, there’s a fairly wide variance of potential outcomes, and we think there’s a lot of upside there.” Stearns notes that one difference between the Majors and the KBO is that big-league pitchers are likely to throw Thames more fastballs than KBO pitchers did. Here’s more from the Central divisions.
- Catcher Stuart Turner faces an uphill battle as he attempts to make the Reds‘ roster, writes MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. Stuart, who the Reds selected from the Twins in the last Rule 5 Draft, at least has the advantage of already being on the Reds’ 40-man roster, as Sheldon points out. But with two big-league catchers in front of him in Devin Mesoraco and Tucker Barnhart, Stuart will have to make the team as a third catcher (unless, of course, someone gets hurt, a possibility that’s perhaps worth keeping in mind given Mesoraco’s injury history). Turner also spent the last two seasons in Double-A, so the big leagues would be a big jump for him. “We get a six-to-seven week look at him to see if he’s ready to handle what would be a year of big league service time,” says Reds manager Bryan Price. “He’d have to play. I just don’t think we’re in a place to carry a player just to keep him.”
- The possibility of rebuilding, or something like it, lingers in the minds of some veteran Tigers players, MLive.com’s Evan Woodbery writes. When the offseason began, the possibility that the team would trade veterans was seemingly on the table. The team kept its core of older players, but those older stars are now aware that they or their teammates could be headed elsewhere if the team doesn’t succeed. “We’ve got a chance to play one more year together,” says Miguel Cabrera. “We know we didn’t go to the playoffs the last two years, but I think if we stay together, if we stay healthy, we’ve got a chance to compete every day.” Cabrera, of course, is under contract through at least 2023. But J.D. Martinez and Francisco Rodriguez will be free agents after the season, Justin Upton can out of his deal next winter as well, Ian Kinsler only has one more year and an option left on his contract, and Victor Martinez is only signed through 2018.
Minor MLB Transactions: 2/20/17
Here are today’s minor transactions throughout the game:
- The Tigers have announced that they’ve signed infielder Danny Muno and corner outfielder Matt Murton to minor-league contracts. The 28-year-old Muno appeared in the high minors with three organizations in 2016, posting a line of .223/.328/.307 while mostly playing second and third. He does, however, have a career .385 minor-league OBP and a bit of big-league experience, having collected 32 plate appearances with the 2015 Mets. Murton’s name will surely be a blast from the past for some readers — the 35-year-old was once a regular with the Cubs but hasn’t appeared in the big leagues since 2009. He played with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan from 2009 through 2015 (so he has plenty of experience in a Tigers uniform, just not a Detroit Tigers uniform), and he batted .314/.349/.398 in 255 plate appearances with the Cubs’ Triple-A team in Iowa last year.