Headlines

Go To Hoops Rumors
Go To Pro Football Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors
Go To Pro Football Rumors

West Notes: Giants, Halos, D-backs, Dodgers, Mariners

By | at

The Giants have informed 38-year-old shortstop Jimmy Rollins that he won’t make their roster, Andrew Baggarly of the East Bay Times was among those to report. San Francisco is now awaiting word on whether the longtime Phillie and 2007 NL MVP will accept a minor league assignment, per manager Bruce Bochy, but Baggarly notes that Rollins has a Thursday opt-out in his contract. This could conceivably be the end of the line for Rollins, who posted subpar seasons with the Dodgers and White Sox over the past two years. Chicago released him last June after a 41-game stint on the South Side, and he went on to ink a minors pact with the Giants in December.

More from the West divisions:

  • Angels utilityman Dustin Ackley will not opt out of his minor league deal, reports Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). The former star prospect will instead go to Triple-A. Ackley, 29, is still recovering from the shoulder surgery he underwent as a Yankee last June; consequently, he hasn’t played the field this spring.
  • The Diamondbacks optioned Ketel Marte to Triple-A on Tuesday, meaning they’re primed to divide shortstop between Nick Ahmed and Chris Owings. Manager Torey Lovullo isn’t sure which of the two will get the lion’s share of playing time at short, though “he sort of intimated” Owings will be in the lineup everyday at various positions, according to Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (Twitter links). Since debuting in 2013, Owings has seen action at both middle infield spots and center field.
  • It’s clear that the Dodgers will go with right-hander Brandon McCarthy over southpaw Alex Wood for the fifth spot in their rotation, writes Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Wood seems resigned to the idea that he’s headed to the bullpen, observes Plunkett. While the 26-year-old Wood isn’t thrilled, he’s staying upbeat. “If I were anywhere else, I don’t think we’d be having this discussion,” he said. “You can look at it as the glass being half empty or glass half full. It’s one of those things where I’m excited because this is the best team I’ve ever been on. Whatever they want me to do, that’s where we’ll go.” Wood isn’t new to the bullpen, having totaled 35 of 112 career appearances as a reliever, and he could return to the rotation if the injury bug once again bites McCarthy. For now, it appears McCarthy will slot in behind Clayton Kershaw, Kenta Maeda, Rich Hill and Hyun-jin Ryu.
  • Mariners reliever Shae Simmons is progressing in his recovery from the forearm strain he suffered March 11, relays Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune. An MRI on Tuesday confirmed no ligament damage, but the righty will still go at least a few more days without throwing. As Dutton notes, the 26-year-old Simmons missed almost all of the previous two seasons with the Braves while recovering from Tommy John surgery, so the latest development is an encouraging one.

AL Notes: JD Martinez, Ackley, Kopech, Red Sox, Pineda

By | at

Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez suffered a sprain in his mid-right foot while making a catch on Saturday and left the game after just an inning.  (Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press has the details.)  X-rays were negative and Martinez will be re-evaluated on Sunday before the club decides that any further tests are necessary.  He was seen on crutches and left the ballpark in a walking boot, though Martinez told reporters (including MLB.com’s Jason Beck) that “it’s good that I’m able to move on it.”  Needless to say, losing Martinez for any extended length of time would jeopardize both the Tigers’ lineup and Martinez’s chances at a big free agent contract next offseason as one of the top players on the open market.

Here’s more from around the American League…

  • Dustin Ackley has an opt-out date near the end of Spring Training in his minor league deal with the Angels, the utilityman tells Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, though he hasn’t decided whether he’ll exercise the clause or remain with the Halos’ Triple-A club.  Ackley’s choice is complicated by the fact that he has yet to play the field this spring as he continues to recover from shoulder surgery.  The veteran tells Fletcher that he can play first base and swing more or less normally, though he isn’t yet able to handle the throwing involved with second base or the outfield.  Ackley hopes he can “at least give them [the Angels] some games defensively before camp is over.”
  • Michael Kopech was one of the major pieces the White Sox acquired in the Chris Sale trade, and Bruce Levine of CBS Chicago opines that Kopech could follow Sale’s career trajectory by breaking into the bigs as a reliever.  The White Sox eased Sale into the majors by using him out of the bullpen in his first two seasons before unleashing him into the rotation, where Sale emerged as one of baseball’s best starters.  Kopech only turns 21 in April and has yet to pitch above high-A ball, though if he continues to impress in the minors, Chicago may be tempted to get him to the big leagues by 2018 as a reliever.
  • The Red Sox face a number of pressing questions as they head into the season, Peter Gammons of GammonsDaily.com writes, including some injury concerns for key arms like David Price, Drew Pomeranz and Tyler Thornburg.  If these pitchers have to miss time in April, that could be particularly difficult for the club given that Boston faces a tough schedule over the first six weeks, including a lot of division games and tough inter-league matchups against the Cubs, Cardinals and Pirates.  As Gammons notes, this could add up to a slow start for the Red Sox, which will only add to the pressure for a team that is expected to challenge for a World Series.
  • Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda has already experienced a lot of ups and downs in his career, in no small part due to his struggles with the language barrier, as ESPN’s Andrew Marchand details.  Pineda came to MLB with little formal education and virtually no knowledge of English or American culture, which led to some inevitable growing pains (such as Pineda’s infamous suspension for using pine tar in April 2014).  The piece is well worth a full read, as it chronicles Pineda’s rise to the majors and the problems that he and many other foreign-born players face upon being thrust into the pressurized environment of pro baseball.

AL Notes: Astros, Angels, Rangers, Jays, Twins

By | at

Astros senior vice president of broadcasting and alumni relations Jamie Hildreth passed away Friday at the age of 72, reports Alyson Footer of MLB.com. Hildreth joined the Astros in 1987 and became their longest-tenured employee. “Jamie was a vital part of the Astros’ organization for over three decades,” owner Jim Crane said in a statement. “His knowledge of the industry and great ability to connect with people were invaluable. He has left an indelible mark on those of us that were fortunate to work with him. We send our deepest condolences to his many friends and family members.”

MLBTR sends our condolences to Hildreth’s family, friends and organization.

Here’s more from the American League:

  • Thanks in part to injuries, the Angels’ rotation finished last season 20th in the majors in ERA and 28th in fWAR. The Halos responded by making several depth-oriented additions during the offseason, including Yusmeiro Petit, Bud Norris and John Lamb, and expect to have far more success in 2017 as a result. “We’re confident we have the depth that is going to give us a championship-caliber rotation,” manager Mike Scioscia said Tuesday (via Pedro Moura of the Los Angeles Times). “Exactly what the names are gonna be or what order remains to be seen, but we’re excited with the depth that we have. We’re excited with our defensive team, which should be an excellent team, and the positive effect that’ll have on all of our pitching, especially on our starters. We’re confident.” While Scioscia is clearly optimistic about the Angels’ pitching depth, rival talent evaluators are largely skeptical of the group, according to Moura.
  • In the same piece, Moura relays that infielder/outfielder Dustin Ackley still hasn’t received medical clearance to throw since the then-Yankee underwent shoulder surgery last June. Of course, that will make it all the more difficult for the early February minor league signing to earn a spot on the Angels’ Opening Day roster.
  • With a strong spring, first baseman James Loney “could rise to prominence in the Rangers’ camp,” writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com. Fellow minor league signing Josh Hamilton is also competing for a roster spot, and his knee issues might aid Loney in his quest to crack the 25-man, suggests Sullivan, who points out that they could use a lefty-swinging first baseman to complement the right-handed Mike Napoli. It’s worth noting that Hamilton has never played first, whereas Loney has lined up there almost exclusively since debuting in 2006. Although Loney batted a meek .265/.307/.397 in 366 plate appearances last year, Rangers manager Jeff Bannister told Sullivan that the lifetime .284/.336/.410 hitter “has proven over time that he’s a pretty tough out.”
  • While Blue Jays outfielder Dalton Pompey’s stock has dropped since he peaked as Baseball America’s 30th-best prospect after the 2014 season, the club remains bullish on the 24-year-old. “We think he’s part of the future, left field or whatever, in this organization,” manager John Gibbons informed Paul Hagen of MLB.com. Continued Gibbons: “We think he’s going to have a great career, but he just needs to go out there and play and don’t worry about anything else. Because he’s got a ton of talent. He’s really got everything he needs to be really, really good.” Only two of Pompey’s 384 plate appearances last season came in the majors, and with Kevin Pillar, Jose Bautista, Ezequiel Carrera, Melvin Upton Jr. and Steve Pearce around as outfield options, he seems likely to head to the Triple-A level to begin 2017.
  • Twins right-hander Ryan Vogelsong was worried the line drive he took off the head last May would not only end his career, but perhaps cost him his vision, per Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com. Fortunately, the ex-Pirate returned to the mound with his vision intact last year, and he’s now vying for a role with Minnesota after signing a minor league pact in January. On coming back for 2017, the soon-to-be 40-year-old Vogelsong said: “I love to compete. I think talking to guys who are done, it’s hard to replace that. I love being around the guys. I just love the game. I don’t play this game to make tons of money. The money is nice, but I play it because I love it. That’s what drives me. I still feel like I have good seasons left.”

Camp Battles: Los Angeles Angels

By | at

With limited resources at his disposal, Angels general manager Billy Eppler did well to plug holes throughout his team’s roster this offseason. The improved depth will not only help his team over the 162-game grind, it will result in some competition this spring.

Here are some notable position battles to keep an eye on.

LEFT FIELD
Cameron Maybin
Age: 30
Bats: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $9MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Ben Revere
Age: 29
Bats: L
Contract Status: 1 year, $4MM
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Dustin Ackley
Age: 29
Bats: L
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $2.25MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

On the surface, Maybin should have a strong edge in this battle. Despite missing a good part of the 2016 season due to an assortment of injuries, he slashed .315/.383/.418 with 15 stolen bases in 393 plate appearances for the Tigers. Revere is coming off of an abysmal season with the Nats (.217/260/.300 in 375 plate appearances) in which he deservedly lost his starting job.

However, both players have been around long enough that their track records, as well as spring performance, will play a part in determining who will get the bulk of playing time when the season begins. Maybin has a long history of injuries and subpar offensive seasons. Revere, up until 2016, had been able to compensate for a lack of power and plate discipline with a .303 batting average and 36 stolen bases per season from 2012-2015. It would be tough to keep him out of the lineup if he returns to that form. Defensively, Maybin and Revere each cover a ton of ground and should be well above-average in left field.

Ackley, who signed a Minor League deal this offseason after he was released by the Yankees, is probably the most intriguing player in camp who could conceivably do enough in Spring Training to make a push if both Maybin and Revere struggle terribly. The 2nd overall pick in the 2009 draft, Ackley had an impressive rookie season with the Mariners in 2011, but has been a disappointment since.

Even if manager Mike Scioscia names one as his starter, it’s likely that he’ll look for platoon opportunities and/or go with the “hot hand” during the season, with Maybin and Revere both getting a chance to run away with the job.

Prediction: Maybin

CLOSER
Huston Street
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $10MM with 2018 club option ($10MM or $1MM buyout)
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Cam Bedrosian
Age: 25
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’21 season
Options remaining: Out of options

Andrew Bailey
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $1MM 
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Considering that Street had been one of the most consistent and reliable relief pitchers in baseball for more than a decade prior to an injury-plagued and ineffective 2016 season, it’s fair to say that he deserves the benefit of the doubt and should remain in the closer role to start the 2017 season.

The emergence of Bedrosian, however, is the likeliest reason why Street will have a much shorter leash than he’s ever had during his career. If not for a blood clot that ended his season two days after taking over as the closer when Street landed on the disabled list in early August, Bedrosian might have already proven that he’s the best man for the job. It won’t be long, though, if he can pick up where he left off (1.56 ERA, 11.4 K/9 in 45 appearances).

Former A’s closer Andrew Bailey also earned his way into the competition by pitching well after the Angels signed him to a Minor League deal in August (11.1 IP, 3 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 8 K). For Bailey to get serious consideration, though, he’d have to give the Angels every indication that he is healthy and back to the form that made him a Rookie of the Year and two-time All-Star very early in his career.

Prediction: Street on Opening Day. Bedrosian takes the job from him by June 1st.

STARTING ROTATION (TWO SPOTS)
Tyler Skaggs
Age: 25
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’20 season
Options remaining: 1

Jesse Chavez
Age: 33
Throws: R
Contract Status: 1 year, $5.75MM 
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Nate Smith
Age: 25
Throws: L
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’23 season 
Options remaining: 3

Alex Meyer
Age: 27
Throws: R
Contract Status: Pre-Arbitration; projected to become a free agent after ’22 or ’23 season 
Options remaining: 1

Bud Norris
Age: 32
Throws: R
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $1.75MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Yusmeiro Petit
Age: 32
Throws: R
Contract Status: MiLB deal; $2.25MM if he makes the MLB roster
Options remaining: Can’t be optioned without consent

Other candidates: Daniel Wright, Manny Bañuelos, Brooks Pounders

Not only is there a rotation spot that is Skaggs’ to lose, he’s a strong candidate to break out in 2017. In his first season since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2014, Skaggs was eased back into action with 10 MLB starts after a late-July promotion. The Angels will still likely proceed with some caution since he only threw a total of 89 innings in 2016. He’ll need to prove in Spring Training that he’s ready to handle a full workload or else he could begin the season in Triple-A.

Chavez’s versatility is a big part of his value, but the Angels did not have the financial freedom to give nearly $6MM to a pitcher who wasn’t going to start or factor into the late-inning mix. He’ll be given every opportunity to win a rotation spot. In 26 starts with the A’s in 2015, he had a 4.37 ERA with 7.6 K/9 in 150.1 innings pitched. The Angels would be ecstatic if he can come close to that production.

Meyer, a former top prospect for the Twins, has battled injuries and control issues throughout his career. He does have an upper-90’s fastball, however, which is why he’s the most intriguing candidate on this list. The bullpen might be his ultimate destination, but the Angels probably aren’t ready to give up on him as a starter just yet. The 6’9″ right-hander only pitched 50.1 innings in 2016, but 12 of his 13 appearances, including all five at the MLB level, were starts.

Smith doesn’t have Meyer’s ceiling, but he has the potential to be a solid back-of-the-rotation starter and he might be ready to step in now. Both he and Meyer are on the 40-man roster, which is why they’ll get a long look this spring.

Like Chavez, Petit is valuable because of his ability to pitch as a swingman. In this case, he’ll be given an opportunity to win a rotation spot, although he’ll have an uphill battle to stand out. His ability to successfully bounce from the bullpen to emergency spot starter might even work against him since he’s an appealing candidate for the pen. Norris isn’t that far removed from being a very good MLB starter, but he’s had a rough go of it over the past two seasons (5.79 ERA in 196 IP between four teams). Regardless, Petit and Norris are veterans who are capable of contributing at some point, even if not right out of the gate.

Prediction: Skaggs and Chavez win spots.

[RELATED: Los Angeles Angels Depth Chart]

Angels Sign Dustin Ackley To Minor League Deal

By | at

FEB. 7: Ackley’s pact features a $2.25MM major league salary and $1.4MM in incentives, per FanRag’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter).

FEB. 4: The Angels have announced the signing of infielder/outfielder Dustin Ackley to a minor league contract. The deal comes with an invitation to spring training for Ackley, a Boras Corporation client.

[RELATED: Updated Angels Depth Chart]

It took Ackley just under three months to land anywhere after the Yankees released him in late November. That came on the heels of a truncated season in which the 28-year-old accrued a meager 70 plate appearances and hit an ugly .148/.243/.148 before undergoing surgery on a torn right shoulder labrum in early June.

Ackley was far more successful in 2015, a year divided between Seattle and New York, as he slashed a still-unremarkable .231/.284/.429 in 264 trips to the plate. All told, Ackley has posted a .241/.304/.367 line over the first 2,347 PAs of his career, which makes the lefty-swinger’s major league tenure a substantial disappointment after the Mariners took him second overall in the 2009 draft. Ackley then ranked as one of Baseball America’s 12 best prospects to conclude both the ’09 and ’10 campaigns.

On the bright side, Ackley has mostly earned plus defensive grades at second base and in left field – his primary positions – and comes with first base experience. Defensive Runs Saved (plus-19) and Ultimate Zone Rating (10.7) have liked his work in 2,514 innings at the keystone, while he’s at plus-2 DRS and 3.7 UZR in 1,588 innings as a left fielder.

In his return to the American League West, Ackley figures to vie for a bench role behind Angels second baseman Danny Espinosa, first base options Luis Valbuena, C.J. Cron and Albert Pujols, and outfielders Mike Trout, Kole Calhoun and Cameron Maybin. The club’s top bench choices entering the spring are light-hitting infielder Cliff Pennington and outfielder Ben Revere, whom the Angels gave a guaranteed $4MM earlier this winter.

Yankees Place Dustin Ackley On Release Waivers

By | at

The Yankees have requested release waivers on infielder/outfielder Dustin Ackley, reports Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News. He’s likely to clear and become a free agent, though he won’t technically do so until next week.

Ackley, 29 in February, was acquired by the Yankees in the summer of 2015 and hit well in small sample down the stretch that year. However, he hit just .148/.243/.148 in 70 plate appearances this year before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. He was projected to make $3.2MM in arbitration this offseason, and coming off another year of disappointing production and a major surgery, Ackley’s removal from the roster is hardly a surprise.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2009 draft, Ackley was considered the best college bat in his draft class that season and rated as one of the game’s top prospects before debuting in 2011. His first season in the Majors with the Mariners showed a great deal of promise, as he slashed a very strong .273/.348/.417 in 376 plate appearances while calling the pitcher-friendly Safeco Field home. However, Ackley’s offensive production unexpectedly cratered the following season, and he was never able to get back on track. He’s spent time as a second baseman, outfielder and first baseman in the Majors but has batted just .235/.296/.358 in nearly 2000 plate appearances since that impressive rookie campaign.

Dustin Ackley To Undergo Season-Ending Shoulder Surgery

By | at

MAY 31: Ackley will undergo season-ending surgery to repair his shoulder, tweets Feinsand.

MAY 30: Yankees utilityman Dustin Ackley has been diagnosed with a torn right shoulder labrum, manager Joe Girardi said today, as Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports on Twitter. A surgical option is on the table, per the report.

Ackley, 28, had struggled to a .148/.243/.148 batting line over 70 plate appearances. He had shown promise in a brief run with New York late last year after being acquired from the Mariners, but the former top prospect was limited by a back issue.

Originally a second baseman, Ackley has increasingly seen time in the outfield over recent years. For New York, he played mostly in right and at first base, as he’s filled in the gaps that have arisen due to other injuries. A left-handed hitter, Ackley has mostly been utilized against righties; unsurprisingly, he’s been better when hitting with the platoon advantage over his career.

The loss of Ackley for what seems to be a lengthy stretch will obviously force a roster realignment. Rob Refsnyder could function in a generally similar role, though he has limited outfield experience, has never played first as a professional, and hits from the right side. Fortunately for New York, the club has plenty of left-handed-hitting options in the outfield. And for now at least, first baseman Mark Teixeira is battling through his own injury difficulties and poor start to the year. Losing Ackley removes a fill-in option there, though it seems that the club feels reasonably comfortable utilizing reserve catcher Austin Romine and third baseman Chase Headley at first to spell Teixeira.

Ackley’s injury certainly raises questions about his future with the Yankees. He’s earning $3.2MM this year in his second-to-last run through the arbitration process, and could figure as a non-tender candidate if he can’t return to health and turn around his work at the plate later this season.

Injury Notes: Hill, Ryu, McCarthy, Zimmermann, Ackley

By | at

The Athletics suffered a bit of a scare today as surprise staff ace Rich Hill left his outing early. It’s being diagnosed as only a “real mild groin strain,” though, manager Bob Melvin told reporters including Joe Stiglich of CSN Bay Area reports (Twitter links). Hill himself suggested that he doesn’t expect to miss a start, let alone require a DL placement, though obviously that’ll depend upon how the injury progresses. Oakland will obviously hope that Hill can keep up his impressive start to the year — a 2.25 ERA through 11 starts, with more strikeouts than hits and walks allowed — in order to help keep the club alive in the AL West or otherwise turn into a prime trade chip.

Here are some more health-related matters of note around the game:

  • Dodgers lefty Hyun-jin Ryu needs to skip at least one start after experiencing shoulder soreness, as MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick reports. Manager Dave Roberts says that he’s not yet sure what to expect in terms of Ryu’s timeline, in a video tweeted by J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles News Group. “We were kind of thinking middle of June,” Roberts said of Ryu’s anticipated return to the majors. “With this little setback, it pushes that back.”
  • Fellow Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy is still making positive strides in his own rehab, as Hoornstra further notes on Twitter. The veteran righty is set to face live hitters tomorrow, marking an important point in his return from Tommy John surgery.
  • Tigers righty Jordan Zimmermann is nearly ready to return from his recent groin injury. Per Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press, via Twitter, the veteran hurler will start on Friday so long as a bullpen session tomorrow doesn’t give rise to any concerns.
  • Dustin Ackley is out of action for the Yankees and may well be facing a DL stint after suffering a shoulder injury, Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees Blog reports. New York could turn to veterans Nick Swisher or Chris Parmelee, both of whom are playing at Triple-A, Jennings suggests. It appears, though, that the club will look to get Mark Teixeira back in the lineup rather than reaching into the minors for another option at first, per George A. King III of the New York Post. That could allow the team to shore up another area, without implicating the 40-man roster, if Ackley hits the disabled list.

Players Avoiding Arbitration: Friday

By | at

The deadline for teams to exchange arbitration figures with eligible players is 1pm ET today. Dozens of arb agreements figure to flow in over the next few hours, and we’ll keep track of the smaller arb agreements in this post. All projections referenced are courtesy of MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz and can be viewed on the full list of 156 players that filed for arbitration this year. Remember also that you can keep track of everyone that has avoided arbitration by checking out MLBTR’s Arbitration Tracker.

Onto the agreements…

  • Shortstop Zack Cozart is in agreement with the Reds for an undisclosed sum, per a team announcement. He projected at $2.9MM in his second year of eligibility after a promising start to the 2015 season was cut short by a serious knee injury.
  • The Diamondbacks announced that they have avoided arbitration with righty Rubby De La Rosa for an undisclosed sum. He was projected at $3.2MM but, per Jack Magruder of Fanragsports.com (on Twitter), will earn only $2.35MM.
  • Reliever Fernando Rodriguez settled with the Athletics for $1.05MM — beneath his projected $1.3MM — per the Associated Press.
  • Dodgers infielder Justin Turner will earn $5.1MM next season, Jon Heyman reports on Twitter. That’s just a shade under his $5.3MM projection.
  • The Braves settled with reliever Arodys Vizcaino for $897,500, MLB.com’s Mark Bowman tweets. He had a $1.1MM projection entering the fall.
  • Both Zach Putnam will earn a $975K salary next year after agreeing with the White Sox, per a club announcement. That’s $175K over the projected arb value of the Super Two.
  • The Cardinals settled with first baseman Matt Adams for $1.65MM, Heyman tweets. That’s a small bump over his $1.5MM projections. The team is also in agreement with right-hander Seth Maness, per Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The Super Two reliever projected at $1.2MM but will receive $1.4MM, per MLB.com’s Jenifer Langosch (via Twitter).
  • Righty Tom Koehler receives a $3.5MM payday from the Marlins, per Jon Heyman (via Twitter). The team gets a break on the $3.9MM that had been projected. The team also has an agreement with righties David Phelps and Carter Capps, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets. Heyman adds (via Twitter) that Phelps will earn exactly his projected amount of $2.5MM. Capps was predicted to earn $800K, but his salary is yet to be reported.
  • The Diamondbacks agreed to a $4.35MM rate with first-year-eligible starter Shelby Miller, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports on Twitter. He had projected at $4.9MM. Notably, Miller comes in just ahead of fellow 3+ service-class pitcher Harvey (who is covered below). Fellow Arizona hurler Patrick Corbin will earn $2.525MM next year, Passan also tweets.
  • The Nationals have agreed with infielder Danny Espinosa for $2.875MM, Jon Heyman tweets. He gets a slight bump over his $2.7MM projection in his second season of arb eligibility.
  • Nolan Arenado will receive a $5MM salary from the Rockies in his first season of eligibility, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports tweets. That’s exactly what fellow star young third baseman Manny Machado settled for as well, though Arenado was a Super Two. As Swartz explained recently, those two players’ cases may well have been tied together despite some important distinctions. He also explained why Arenado might not reach his sky-high $6.6MM projection in actuality.
  • The Orioles have agreed with starter Miguel Gonzalez for $5.1MM, Eduardo Rodriguez of the Baltimore Sun reports on Twitter. Gonzalez projected for $4.9MM.
  • Outfielder Chris Coghlan agreed at $4.8MM with the Cubs, MLB.com’s Carrie Muskat tweets. That’s quite a nice increase over his projected $3.9MM. Also agreeing with Chicago was reliever Pedro Strop, who gets $4.4MM, per Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times (via Twitter). He had been projected at $4.7MM.
  • Both righty Michael Pineda (for $4.3MM) and infielder/outfielder Dustin Ackley ($3.2MM), according to Passan (via Twitter) and Jon Heyman (Twitter link). Those numbers largely track the projected amounts of $4.6MM and $3.1MM, respectively.
  • Danny Duffy will play at $4.225MM next year after reaching terms with the Royals, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports (Twitter links). Catcher Drew Butera, meanwhile, will get $1,162,500 from Kansas City. Both represented small bumps over their projected values of $4MM and $1.1MM.
  • Marlins closer A.J. Ramos will get $3.4MM in 2016, Heyman reports (Twitter links). Teammate Adeiny Hechavarria, meanwhile, will take down $2.625MM. Both first-year-eligible players went over their projections ($2.8MM and $2.3MM, respectively).
  • The Mets will pay $4.325MM to Matt Harvey and $3MM to shortstop Ruben Tejada for 2016, ESPNNewYork.com’s Adam Rubin reports (Twitter links). Harvey approaches, but doesn’t quite reach, his $4.7MM projection. Though he’s still recovering from an unfortunate leg injury suffered during the post-season, Tejada will take home a cool half-million more than had been projected.
  • Righty Joe Kelly has agreed with the Red Sox at $2.6MM, Rob Bradford of WEEI.com reports. He falls a fair sight shy of the $3.2MM that MLBTR projected. Though he reached ten wins on the year, Kelly scuffled to a 4.82 ERA over his 134 1/3 innings.
  • Righty Drew Hutchison agreed with the Blue Jays for $2.2MM, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports on Twitter. He falls short of a $2.6MM projection after a tough 2015 campaign.
  • The Tigers have reached terms with shortstop Jose Iglesias for $2.1MM, per another Heyman tweet. The deal also includes some incentives, per the report. That’s a healthy jump up over the $1.5MM projection for the slick-fielding infielder, who did have a strong 2015 season.
  • The Mariners announced that they reached agreement with lefty Charlie Furbush and righty Evan Scribner. Furbush will receive $1.7MM, while Scribner will get $807.5K, Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reports.
  • Both shortstop Jean Segura and righty Wily Peralta are under contract with the Brewers, per a team announcement. Segura gets $2.6MM after being projected at $3.2MM, per Heyman (Twitter link). Matt Swartz’s system pegged Peralta at $2.8MM, and that’s exactly what he’ll earn, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel (via Twitter).

There are plenty more after the jump:

Read more

AL Notes: Loup, Rays Stadium, Greene, Ackley

By | at

As the Blue Jays battle to stay alive in the ALCS, they’ll finally be able to turn to lefty Aaron Loup if the need arises. He’s been sporadically absent over the post-season, creating challenges for the team’s pen, but it turns out that much more important matters have arisen. His wife went into labor much earlier than expected, giving birth to a premature baby boy on Wednesday, as Jays play-by-play man Mike Wilner tweeted earlier this evening. Fortunately, Loup’s son is in stable condition. MLBTR extends its congratulations and very best wishes to Loup’s young family.

Here are some notes from the American League:

  • There was some important news yesterday regarding the Rays’ efforts to land a new stadium, as Charlie Frago and Tony Marrero of the Tampa Bay Times reported. After long and tough negotiations, the St. Petersburg City Council approved a deal to let the club seek new stadium sites in surrounding counties. Tampa Bay would still be required to pay significant break-up fees to get out of its lease at Tropicana Field, with some saying the cost will be too high for the Rays to participate, so the path to keeping the team in the area remains to be cleared.
  • The Tigers face some tough questions with righty Shane Greene, who was an important trade acquisition last winter. As Chris Iott of MLive.com writes, the team expects to give him a shot to earn a spot with the club, but it’s not yet clear whether he’ll make the rotation. Greene had surgery on his shoulder, though it was for an “arterial issue” rather than some structural concern, and is set to be ready for the spring. But it was his rough season before that which leads to concern over his long-term outlook. “I can tell you right now that [Greene] is a starting pitcher,” said GM Al Avila. “But we feel that he can also go into the bullpen if we needed him to or because we think it’s the best thing for him and organization.” Something of the opposite is true of Alex Wilson, who Avila says will remain in the pen despite a history of starting in the minors.
  • Chad Jennings of the LoHud Yankees Blog takes a close look at the Yankees’ options with Dustin Ackley, writing that the deadline acquisition could take the bulk of the time at second base — being spelled frequently or occasionally against left-handed pitching — or end up in more of a super-utility role. Jennings also discusses the idea of replacing Ackley with a better version of himself — presumably, Ben Zobrist — while also utilizing youngsters Rob Refsnyder and Jose Pirela more heavily.

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

hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Networkscroll to top