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Latest On Lance Lynn Trade Talks

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The Rangers have already shipped out starter Mike Minor to the A’s, so now all eyes are on righty Lance Lynn.  The 33-year-old righty sports a 3.33 ERA in 41 starts for the Rangers since they signed him prior to the 2019 season, and he’s under contract for just $8MM in 2021.  Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Rangers may be motivated to avoid repeating the mistake they made with Minor, holding him last summer when he was at peak value with control remaining.

  • The Braves, who picked up lefty Tommy Milone in a deal with the Orioles yesterday, have been in contact with the Rangers regarding Lynn within the last 48 hours, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
  • The Yankees have also been involved in Lynn’s market during that time, tweets Morosi.  Lynn’s resurgence began with his two-month stint with the Yankees back in 2018.  MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan notes that the Rangers “would love RHP Deivi Garcia from the Yankees but he is likely out of reach.”  On a similar note, Sherman hears the Yankees don’t have an appetite to move Garcia, to date.
  • The Padres “explored separate trades” with the Rangers for Lynn and outfielder Joey Gallo before acquiring Mike Clevinger from the Indians, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.  I would speculate that with Clevinger tow, it’s (relatively) safe to assume the Padres are out on Lynn.  Similarly, the A’s were previously connected to Lynn but have since landed Minor.
  • Previous connections to Lynn have been made for the Twins, Blue Jays, and White Sox, so those teams may still be in play.  According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca, the Jays had been linked to Minor before he was dealt to Oakland, and the Rangers “are intrigued by [the] Jays’ young catching.”

Latest On Twins’ Interest In Starting Pitching Market

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The Twins are “working aggressively to trade for a starter today,” tweets Jon Morosi of MLB Network.  Morosi reiterates their interest in the Angels’ Dylan Bundy and the Rangers’ Lance Lynn, which he has previously reported.  Darren Wolfson of KSTP has a different take, noting the Twins’ existing rotation depth and tendency to “call every team to get a gauge on price points.”

The Twins have been working with Kenta Maeda, Jose Berrios, Rich Hill, and Randy Dobnak in the rotation, and they’ll add Michael Pineda tomorrow as his suspension concludes.  Jake Odorizzi is working his way back from an abdominal bruise, while Homer Bailey’s biceps tendinitis makes him more of a question mark.  Wolfson’s point: this is not a team in desperate need of starting pitching.

Lynn, 33, figures to be one of the day’s hottest commodities.  The 12-21 Rangers are one of perhaps seven obvious sellers, and Lynn has been excellent since signing a three-year deal with Texas in December 2018.  He’s owed about $1.5MM for the remainder of the season, plus an affordable $8MM salary for 2021.  The Angels are in a similar spot with Bundy, a 27-year-old for whom things seem to be clicking after seven starts.

It’s worth noting that Lynn made 20 starts for the Twins in 2018 before being traded to the Yankees, at which point his resurgence began.  After that season, the Twins hired Wes Johnson as their pitching coach.  It’s not clear how the organization’s familiarity with Lynn affects their interest.  If the Twins do push for a starter today, their efforts will likely be muddied by the division-rival White Sox, who have also been connected to both Lynn and Bundy.

Rangers Sign Jerad Eickhoff To Minors Deal

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The Rangers signed right-hander Jerad Eickhoff to a minor league contract and assigned him to their alternate training site, the team announced.  Eickhoff is now back in the Rangers organization over nine years after Texas initially selected him in the 15th round of the 2011 draft.

Texas dealt Eickhoff to the Phillies as part of the deadline day trade that brought Cole Hamels to Arlington in July 2015, and Eickhoff went on to pitch 440 innings of 4.15 ERA ball with the Phillies from 2015-19.  Injuries have plagued Eickhoff over the last three seasons, however, and Philadelphia cut him loose after he posted a 5.71 ERA over 58 1/3 frames in 2019.

After signing a minors contract with the Padres over the winter, Eickhoff was briefly selected to their MLB roster this season but didn’t pitch in any games before being optioned back down to San Diego’s alternate training site.  Eickhoff became a free agent earlier this week, and he’ll now potentially be in line to finally suit up in a Rangers uniform should the call come from the big league club.  While adding rotation depth is a normal move at any time, Texas could be in particular need for a new starter should either Lance Lynn or Mike Minor (or both) be moved before tomorrow’s trade deadline.

Blue Jays Interested In Mike Minor, Brian Goodwin

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Having already acquired Taijuan Walker, the Blue Jays continue to look for additional upgrades as they pursue a playoff berth.  Toronto’s targets include Rangers southpaw Mike Minor, according to Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), as well as Angels outfielder Brian Goodwin, Sportsnet.ca’s Shi Davidi reports.

Minor is perhaps the closest of the two names to becoming a reality, as Grant describes the Jays and Rangers as “actively engaged” in negotiations.  Minor would be a pure rental pickup for Toronto since he is a free agent after the season, and he is owed roughly $1.61MM remaining of his prorated $9.5MM salary for the 2020 season.  While Minor has a 10-team no-trade clause in the first two seasons of his three-year, $28MM deal with Texas, Grant reports that the clause is no longer in place for this, the final year of Minor’s contract.

Though Minor tossed six shutout innings against the Dodgers in his most recent start, it hasn’t been a great year overall for the 32-year-old.  Minor has a 5.60 ERA, 2.69 K/BB rate, and 8.9 K/9 over 35 1/3 innings for the Rangers, with some advanced metrics (4.84 FIP, 4.58 xFIP, 4.49 SIERA, .340 xwOBA against a .314 wOBA) painting only a slightly more positive view of his performance.  Still, Minor is only a season removed from a superb year that saw him finish eighth in AL Cy Young Award voting.

Minor has also continued to eat innings, which is no small matter of import for a Blue Jays team that has struggled to get starters deep into games.  Walker, Hyun Jin Ryu, Tanner Roark, and Chase Anderson comprise Toronto’s current rotation, with Matt Shoemaker and Nate Pearson both on the injured list.  The Jays could continue to rely on bullpen games or an opener/bulk pitcher combo for that fifth rotation spot until Shoemaker and Pearson return, or they could opt for a more proven starter like Minor to solidify matters.

In terms of what the Jays might give up, Davidi writes that Texas has shown interest in Toronto’s “young catchers” — presumably in reference to Danny Jansen or Reese McGuire, as Davidi notes that dealing either backstop would then require the Blue Jays to add another catcher to fill the void.  The Jays do have an experienced backup option in Caleb Joseph at their alternate training site, and also prospects Riley Adams and Alejandro Kirk within their 60-man player pool, though it may be unlikely that a more prized prospect like Kirk is moved for a rental player.

Goodwin has backed up his impressive 2019 season with another strong showing this year, as the outfielder entered today’s action with a .253/.343/.484 slash line and four home runs over 105 plate appearances.  The 29-year-old Goodwin is controllable through the 2022 season via arbitration, and his ability to play all three outfield positions makes him an even more valuable asset.

Neither Randal Grichuk or Teoscar Hernandez is exactly an ideal defensive fit in center or right field, respectively, so Goodwin could at the very least provide some late-game value as a defensive sub.  Goodwin does perhaps seem somewhat overqualified for such a role, though a more regular job could emerge if (as one industry source suggests to Davidi) Lourdes Gurriel Jr. could be used as a deadline trade chip.  Gurriel was reportedly floated in trade negotiations over the offseason, and his inclusion in trade talks now could open up a lot of possibilities for the Blue Jays at the deadline.

Gurriel has had some injury problems and faced questions about his defensive position and consistency at the plate over his three MLB seasons, though he has settled in as a regular left fielder and has shown more than a few flashes of brilliance as a hitter.  Gurriel has hit .274/.317/.487 with 35 homers over his first 722 Major League plate appearances, and doesn’t turn 27 years old until October.  Signed to a seven-year, $22MM deal out of Cuba in 2016, Gurriel is still locked up through the 2023 season at the very affordable price of $13.4MM from 2021-23.

Rangers “Discussing” Joey Gallo In Trades

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7:23PM: The Rays and Padres are two of the clubs with interest in Gallo, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

2:25PM: As speculation about ace Lance Lynn abounds, the Rangers are also floating another star in trade talks: Texas is “discussing” Joey Gallo in potential trades, reports ESPN’s Jeff Passan. As with Lynn, expect the asking price for Gallo to be quite high, so we’ll have to wait to see just how motivated Texas is to deal its slugging outfielder.

Gallo turned a corner last season, blossoming into more than merely a homer-happy strikeout machine. Make no mistake, the dingers and strikeouts were still there in abundance, but his offensive game took an overall step forward, with Gallo looking like a more well-rounded slugger. His batting average climbed to a respectable .253, OBP up to .389, and accordingly his OPS elevated into elite territory, finishing the year at .986. Granted, a hamate injury limited Gallo to just 70 games played, but there were plenty of indications that production of that caliber was the new normal for the 26-year-old.

Gallo has shown himself to be a solid defender, having played all three outfield positions in the past and settling into right field this year. He’s an all-around athlete, with speed and ample arm strength making him more than a one-dimensional slugger. Those things, along with his age and remaining team control—he’s got two years of controllability left, first eligible to reach free agency after the 2022 season—will lead the Rangers to demand a significant return for their best offensive player.

Alas, Gallo has stumbled out of the gates in 2020, managing an unspectacular .774 OPS, though there has been no shortage of homers, walks, and strikeouts. But if Gallo has struggled this year, the surrounding lineup hasn’t offered much help. Texas has scored the third-fewest runs in baseball, with only the Marlins and Cardinals (who’ve played just 24 games) trailing them. That’s led to a 12-20 record, leaving them with slim chances to crack even an expanded postseason bracket.

Interested teams will note that Gallo is represented by Scott Boras, whose clients don’t often go for extensions. Of course, the Rangers are consider that factor as well, and they’d be remiss not to listen to offers for a player who might not stick around for the next contending Rangers team. To be sure, there’s no pressure to pull the trigger on a deal right now, but Texas will have to weigh its confidence in working out an extension with Gallo if they intend to hang on to him.

There’s no word on specific teams that have inquired about Gallo, but one figures there’d be widespread interest in a controllable, athletic outfielder who brings value both at the plate and in the field.

Of course, trading Gallo would seemingly signify the Rangers’ intent to launch a full-scale rebuild, something they haven’t committed to over the last few years as they mire in a sort of baseball purgatory. They’ve struggled to build a cohesive position player group, with players like Rougned Odor and Nomar Mazara displaying wild inconsistency interspersed with massive potential. Mazara, of course, is in Chicago while Odor has floundered this year. Texas is hampered by a hefty contract for shortstop Elvis Andrus, whose OPS has plummeted to just .494 on the season.

The Rangers fluttered around .500 with Gallo in the lineup last year, which surely informed their decision to spend the following winter strengthening the Major League roster, trading for Corey Kluber and inking contributors like Todd Frazier, Kyle Gibson, and Jordan Lyles. Evidently, those moves haven’t panned out, and it may be time for the Rangers to reverse course.

With Lynn and Gallo in their possession—arguably the best pitcher and position player on the trade market—the Rangers have the power to shape this year’s trade deadline, which is shaping up to be a seller’s market. Both Lynn and Gallo could be critical pieces for contending teams, the type of trade that pushes a contending team over the top. Right now, they look like the team to watch.

A’s, Twins, Padres, Blue Jays Interested In Lance Lynn

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4:55PM: The Athletics are “potentially” also interested in Lynn, Morosi notes in an on-air report (Twitter link).

TODAY, 11:30AM: The Twins are also in on Lynn, hears Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). Morosi adds that Lynn is “increasingly likely” to be moved before tomorrow’s deadline.

AUGUST 29: Count the Padres and Blue Jays among the teams to have expressed interest in Rangers starter Lance Lynn, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. With the White Sox also cited as a suitor for Lynn earlier today, the Rangers appear to have a robust market forming for their top starter, for whom they’re said to be “entertaining offers,” though that’s no guarantee that they’re determined to deal Lynn prior to Monday’s trading deadline.

Beyond the three teams named above, it seems likely that almost every pitching-needy team will inquire about Lynn, who is coveted not only because of his elite production, but because he’s not just a rental: the 33-year-old will remain under contract through next season, when he’ll be paid $8MM—by no means a steep cost for a pitcher of his caliber. Those factors could make Lynn a hotly contested name during what might otherwise be a quiet trade season.

We’ll have to see just how much the Rangers are willing to part with Lynn, but there’s no doubt they’ll command a pretty high asking price for their top arm. Still, if there are teams who can meet such an asking price, San Diego, Chicago, and Toronto are among them. All three of those teams have substantial prospect capital to pry Lynn from Texas, assuming they’re .

And one might think of that trio in similar terms: all three teams are finally seeing on-field results following years of speculative “potential.” They rely on a core of young, blossoming position players but largely lack veteran pitchers to match. As those clubs look to enter win-now mode (perhaps the Blue Jays to a lesser degree than the White Sox or Padres), Lynn would be a sensible addition to any pitching staff.

White Sox Interested In Lance Lynn, Robbie Ray, Dylan Bundy

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11:11AM: The White Sox also have interest in Angels righty Dylan Bundy, Morosi tweets.

10:24AM: The White Sox are looking into the starting pitching market, with MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reporting that Rangers ace Lance Lynn is under consideration, while MLB Network’s Jon Heyman adds that Diamondbacks left-hander Robbie Ray has also been discussed (both links to Twitter).

As MLBTR’s Steve Adams and Connor Byrne recently put it, “Lynn is arguably the most coveted arm on the trade market.”  The right-hander has a 1.59 ERA, 9.9 K/9, and 3.57 K/BB rate through 45 1/3 innings this season, and while advanced metrics hint at some inevitable ERA regression, those same numbers suggest Lynn is pitching at roughly the same level as he did in 2019, when he finished fifth in AL Cy Young Award voting.

Beyond only his performance this season, Lynn is under contract for an $8MM salary in 2021, which stands as a more than reasonable price if he keeps pitching this well.  As big a trade chip as Lynn is, however, his pluses also make him a valuable asset to the Rangers, who are at least open to hearing offers for Lynn but maybe not likely to actually move him unless another team steps up with a big trade package.

It’s probably safe to assume that Ray is much more available, though the southpaw’s value has dramatically dropped off in the wake of a brutal start to the 2020 season.  Control issues and the home run ball have plagued Ray, who has a 7.84 ERA and 31 walks over 31 innings, despite a 12.5 K/9.  Despite Ray’s struggles, he has drawn interest from the Astros and other teams, with some clubs reportedly interested in deploying Ray as a reliever.

The White Sox have gotten very good results from Lucas Giolito, Dylan Cease, and Dallas Keuchel this season, but much less from a fourth/fifth starter mix that includes Gio Gonzalez, Reynaldo Lopez, and the injured Carlos Rodon.  The league-wide perception, as least according to rival executives speaking with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, is that the Pale Hose will land a starter prior to Monday’s trade deadline.  The bullpen has been a strength overall, though it is short on left-handed pitchers (such as Ray) since Aaron Bummer is still on the injured list.

Acquiring Ray would be a pure short-term rental move, since he is a free agent after the year.  Prying Lynn away from Texas would cost the Sox quite a bit more in prospect capital, though it’s worth noting that the White Sox and Rangers have been rather frequent trading partners since Rick Hahn became Chicago’s general manager.  The White Sox are firmly in the playoff race this year and plan to be contenders for the foreseeable future, so Lynn is the type of pitcher that would also boost their chances of winning in 2021.

Minor MLB Transactions: 8/27/20

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Catching up on some minor moves from around baseball…

  • The Rangers outrighted Rob Refsnyder off their 40-man roster and assigned him to their alternate training site after the utilityman cleared waivers.  Texas designated Refsnyder for assignment earlier this week.  Refsnyder signed a minors contract with the Rangers back in November and has appeared in 15 games this season, marking his first Major League action since the 2018 campaign.  With only a .200/.265/.233 slash line through 34 PA, however, Refsnyder became expendable.  The five-year veteran will remain in the organization as a depth option at first base and both corner outfield slots.

Seven Games Postponed On Thursday

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6:23PM: Tonight’s game between the Marlins and Mets will not be played.  As relayed by several reporters, players on both teams took part in a powerful symbolic moment, with Mets players taking their usual positions in the field and the other Mets and Marlins players standing outside their dugouts.  After a 42-second moment of silence in honor of Jackie Robinson, all players tipped and waved their caps at one another before departing the field, with a Black Lives Matter t-shirt left atop home plate.

5:41PM: The game between the Orioles and Rays will also not be played.  Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times (Twitter site) was among those to note the lack of normal pregame activity between the two clubs, and equipment being packed up from both dugouts.

5:06PM: Tonight’s game between the Rockies and Diamondbacks has also been postponed, as per Bob Nightengale of USA Today (Twitter link).

3:51PM: Players on the Nationals and Phillies collectively decided to postpone tonight’s game, as per a Phillies media release.

3:21PM: The Red Sox have decided not to play their game against the Blue Jays tonight, Julian McWilliams of the Boston Globe reports (via Twitter).

3:04PM: Tonight’s game between the Twins and Tigers will also be postponed, according to MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter link).  Twins and Tigers players each voted against playing the game, as respectively reported by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and MLB.com’s Jason Beck.

1:42PM: Phillies players have voted against playing their scheduled game versus the Nationals tonight, Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reports (via Twitter). ESPN’s Jeff Passan tweets that the Rangers/Athletics game will also be postponed tonight. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle tweeted shortly prior that the A’s were giving strong consideration to opting not to play. Passan tweeted earlier that Red Sox players were also considering a decision not to play against the Blue Jays.

Today’s decisions follow several clubs who declined to play yesterday in the wake of the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. In total, three MLB games — Brewers/Reds, Mariners/Padres and Dodgers/Giants were postponed yesterday. All three are expected to be made up in doubleheaders today.

Last night, Major League Baseball issued the following statement in response to teams’ decisions to protest:

“Given the pain in the communities of Wisconsin and beyond following the shooting of Jacob Blake, we respect the decisions of a number of players not to play tonight. MLB remains united for change in our society & we will be allies in the fight to end racism and injustice.”

Similar protests were made in the NBA, where the scheduled postseason games Wednesday and Thursday were all postponed. The current expectation is for the NBA to resume play Saturday (link via HoopsRumors).

AL Notes: Yankees, Pillar, Choo

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Yankees left-hander J.A. Happ needs 10 starts and 62 innings this season in order for his $17MM option for 2021 to vest. Happ isn’t on pace to reach either milestone – he has three starts and 12 2/3 frames thus far – and he suggested the Yankees are trying to prevent him from reaching those marks. “It actually doesn’t take too much to figure out sort of what could be going on,” Happ said of his usage (via Bryan Hoch of MLB.com). “I think I can help our team. I’d like to be out there every five days.” Even if Happ’s right, it’s hard to blame the Yankees for not wanting him around at such a lofty salary in 2021. After struggling in 2019, the first guaranteed campaign of a two-year, $34MM guarantee, the 36-year-old Happ has yielded nine earned runs on 10 hits (including four homers) with six strikeouts against 10 walks this season.

  • Outfielder Kevin Pillar hopes to remain with the Red Sox, but the soon-to-be free agent understands he’s a trade candidate as the Aug. 31 deadline approaches (via Alex Speier of the Boston Globe). Chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom informed Pillar that he’ll listen to offers for the 31-year-old in the coming days. It would be a surprise if Pillar’s still a member of the Red Sox on Sept. 1, considering their status as non-contenders, Pillar’s waning team control, and the fact that he’d be more useful to a playoff-caliber club. Since signing a one-year, $4.25MM contract with the Red Sox last winter, Pillar has lined up at all three outfield positions and batted a playable .257/.316/.419 in 114 plate appearances.
  • As a pending free agent, Rangers designated hitter/outfielder Shin-Soo Choo realizes he could pop up in trade talks with Monday looming, as Jeff Wilson of the Forth Worth Star-Telegram writes. “Every year, it’s been, ‘Trade Choo, trade Choo,’ but this year I have a very strong feeling,” Choo said. From the Rangers’ standpoint, though, finding a taker for Choo would likely be difficult. The 38-year-old, normally a quality offensive player, has slumped to a .216/.306/.365 line with three home runs in 85 plate appearances this season. That’s unappealing production at any price, let alone the prorated $21MM Choo is earning. Regardless, as someone who has procured 10-and-5 rights, Choo has the ability to veto any trade.
  • More on the pitching-needy Yankees, who seem likely to promote right-handed prospects Clarke Schmidt and Deivi Garcia over the weekend for their major league debuts, Ken Davidoff of the New York Post suggests. Either Schmidt or Garcia could be trade bait for the club before Aug. 31, observes Davidoff; if not, they may be able to help the Yankees’ staff. The 24-year-old Schmidt and Garcia, 21, are regarded as a pair of the Yankees’ top farmhands, with MLB.com ranking the former second in their system and placing the latter at No. 3.
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