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Reds, Jonathan Villar Discussing Contract

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The Reds are in discussions with free agent infielder Jonathan Villar, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). Yancen Pujols initially reported that Villar and the Reds had a deal for $2MM plus incentives, but it now appears as if discussions are ongoing. Villar, one of the last free agent infielders on the market with extended experience in a starting role, could end up settling for a minor league deal before it’s all said and done, per Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer (via Twitter).

It seemed at the outset of the offseason that the Reds would be players in the shortstop market, and though they dipped their toes in the free agent market, ultimately, they stood idly by as Marcus Semien, Andrelton Simmons, Ha-Seong Kim, and Didi Gregorius found homes outside Cincinnati. New GM Nick Krall has stayed in cost-cutting mode for the majority of the offseason, however.

Villar and his representation at Wasserman might pitch Villar’s potential dynamism as his market advantage. His ability to play both middle infield positions as well as centerfield, on the surface, would provide the Reds with yet another flexible defender. Of course, Villar’s defensive metrics have been subpar pretty much across the board, and if they consummate the deal, he’d be expected to be full-timer at short. He’s flashed enough leather at short in the past to make him a viable option there, though he’ll represent a downgrade defensively from the duo of Freddy Galvis and José García. García remains on hand, of course, and the Reds are high enough on him that he could push Villar for playing time at some point in 2021.

Villar has, at times, been a well above-average option in the infield, most recently in 2019 when he appeared in all 162 games for the Orioles. He put up a triple slash line of .274/.339/.453 with 24 home runs and 40 stolen bases while splitting his time between second and short. Villar runs well, walks at an acceptable 8.8 percent rate for his career, and his bat carries enough thunder to boost the Reds lineup. That is, if he presents closer to the 2019 version of himself (.179 ISO) than the 2020 version (.059 ISO). Generally speaking, that’s the biggest question facing Villar ahead of 2021. As he approaches his age-30 season, Villar boasts a 96 wRC+ for his career, but he could use a season of reputation rehabilitation after struggling to a 66 wRC+ in 207 plate appearances split between the Marlins and Blue Jays in 2020.

Reds Sign Nicky Delmonico

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The Reds announced this morning that they’ve signed outfielder/first baseman Nicky Delmonico to a minor league contract. The CAA client will be in Major League camp for Spring Training.

Delmonico, 28. has appeared in the big leagues with the White Sox in each of the past four seasons but has not recaptured the form he showed in a promising rookie campaign back in 2017. The former Orioles and Brewers prospect batted .262/.373/482 in 166 plate appearances during that excellent showing, but he’s managed just a .210/.287/.346 output in 408 trips to the plate over the three subsequent seasons.

Cincinnati already has a relatively crowded outfield mix, with Jesse Winker, Nick Senzel, Nick Castellanos, Shogo Akiyama, Aristides Aquino and Mark Payton among the options at the big league level. Delmonico could give them a left-handed bat off the bench or a depth option to stash at the Triple-A level, where he’s a career .262/.345/.424 hitter in 824 plate appearances.

Reds Interested In Willy Adames, Dee Strange-Gordon

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With several of the top shortstops on the free agent and trade markets now off the board, the Reds are still looking for reliable veteran help at the position.  The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans (subscription required) lists some of the names that might still be available for the Reds, including previously-reported trade target Amed Rosario of the Indians and two new names on the radar — the Rays’ Willy Adames and free agent Dee Strange-Gordon.

Cincinnati and Tampa Bay already discussed Adames in trade talks earlier this winter, Rosencrans writes, “but the Reds wanted to explore the free-agent market first.”  Since the likes of Didi Gregorius, Marcus Semien, and Andrelton Simmons have all signed elsewhere, it could be possible that the Reds will again circle back to inquire about Adames’ services.

Adames would represent a long-term answer for the Reds’ shortstop position, since he is only 25 years old and under team control through the 2024 season.  Originally acquired by the Rays from the Tigers as part of the David Price trade in 2014, Adames has emerged as Tampa’s everyday choice at shortstop, showing gradual improvement at both the plate and in the field.

Over 2393 1/3 innings as a Major League shortstop, Adames has +9 Defensive Runs Saved, though other metrics like Outs Above Average and UZR/150 rank his glovework as subpar.  He has also produced at least league-average run production or better over 1112 plate appearances, hitting .262/.329/.426 for his career with 38 home runs (105 OPS+, 106 wRC+).

There are some red flags about Adames’ hitting, however.  Amidst an impressive .259/.332/.481 slash line over 205 PA last season, Adames’ .341 wOBA far outpaced his .295 xwOBA, and his 36.1% strikeout rate was one of the worst in baseball.  While Adames has gradually improved his hard-hit ball percentages over his three MLB seasons, he is still only middle-of-the-pack in the category.

These could be reasons why the Rays are open to moving a player with Adames’ talent and contractual control, not to mention the fact that Wander Franco is waiting in the wings as Tampa’s shortstop of the future.  In the event of an Adames trade, Joey Wendle could take over shortstop until Franco is ready to be promoted, which might not be until at least midway through the 2021 season considering that Franco has yet to even play Double-A ball.

Landing Adames might cost the Reds a significant trade package, however, and a case could be made that Cincinnati might not necessarily want a long-term player at the position, given how many star shortstops will be available in the 2021-22 free agent market.  (While the Reds are clearly working with a limited budget this offseason, their financial picture could be different next winter, post-pandemic.)  If this is the case, the Reds might just look for a one-year answer like Strange-Gordon, who could act as a stopgap so Cincy could either prepare to add a star free agent next winter, or allow more time for Jose Garcia to develop as the in-house candidate as the shortstop of the future.

“The Reds have at least checked in on Strange-Gordon,” according to Rosecrans, following a dismal season that saw the veteran hit only .200/.268/.213 over 82 PA for the Mariners.  It was the worst of a rough three-year stretch in Seattle for Strange-Gordon, and the Mariners unsurprisingly declined their $14MM club option on his services for the 2021 season.

The 32-year-old began his MLB career as a shortstop with the Dodgers but has only played a handful of games at short over the last four seasons, making him something of an imperfect fit as an everyday option.  It could be that the Reds might just use Strange-Gordon as something of a utilityman, giving him some time at shortstop but also rotating Garcia and the newly-acquired Kyle Holder at the position.

Reds Acquire Kyle Holder

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The Reds are acquiring shortstop Kyle Holder in a trade with the Phillies, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports (Twitter link).  Both teams have officially announced the trade, with cash considerations heading to the Phillies in return.  The move will free up a space on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster, so the Phils’ signing of Didi Gregorius could soon be officially announced.

The Yankees selected Holder with the 30th overall pick of the 2015 draft, and he proceeded to hit .264/.317/.350 over 1744 PA in New York’s farm system.  Holder then moved to the Phillies as a selection in December’s Rule 5 Draft, and as per Rule 5 stipulations, Holder will now have to remain on Cincinnati’s active roster for the entire season, or else the Reds will have to offer him back to the Yankees.

With Gregorius back in the fold, Holder was an expendable part in Philadelphia, but he could potentially play a larger role for the Reds.  Given Cincinnati’s lack of shortstop depth, in fact, Holder might even be in line for some action in the starting lineup, unless the Reds add a more established infielder between now and Opening Day.  To that end, MLB.com’s Jon Heyman tweets that the Reds are still hoping to acquire Amed Rosario from the Indians, after reports linked Cincinnati to Rosario earlier this week.

While Holder hasn’t hit much in the minors and he has yet to play even Triple-A ball, he is a well-regarded defender whose glove may already be big league-caliber.  Holder has played mostly shortstop in the minors but has also seen time at second and third base, so he could serve as a valuable utility asset on the Reds’ bench.

Reds Have Considered Amed Rosario

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The Reds have considered a run at Indians shortstop Amed Rosario as an alternative to spending on the free-agent market, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post (Twitter link). MLB Network’s Jon Heyman hears the same, tweeting that while Cincinnati has maintained interest in Didi Gregorius, he might prove too expensive an option.

Cincinnati has rampantly slashed payroll this winter, non-tendering Archie Bradley and Curt Casali despite modest arbitration projections and dumping Raisel Iglesias’ $9.125MM salary in a deal with the Angels. General manager Nick Krall has spoken of reallocating those resources, but to this point the club has yet to put that money back into the roster. Acquiring Rosario, who is owed just $2.4MM after avoiding arbitration earlier in the winter, would represent the team’s only addition to the payroll this offseason.

Puma reported last night that the Indians were receiving trade interest in Rosario, which likely caught some fans off guard given that Rosario was one of the pieces Cleveland received from the Mets in their Francisco Lindor/Carlos Carrasco blockbuster. However, Cleveland has also been slashing payroll this winter — and doing so on an even more extreme level. The Indians also acquired another MLB-ready option at shortstop in Andres Gimenez, who at this point is more highly regarded than Rosario.

It stands to reason that Cleveland could simply have acquired Rosario with an open mind — exploring the trade market for him but also content to carry him into the season. If he were to be flipped to another club, whatever players come back to Cleveland in return could in many ways be considered an extension of the franchise’s return for Lindor and Carrasco.

Still just 25 years old, Rosario was once regarded as one of MLB’s best overall prospects, but he’s yet to display much of that potential in the big leagues. He had a roughly league-average year at the plate in 2019 when he hit .287/.323/.432 with 15 homers and 19 steals, but his offense cratered in 2020. Overall, he’s a .268/.302/.403 hitter (89 wRC+) in more than 1500 big league plate appearances. Rosario was at one point considered an eventual plus defender, but to this point in his career he’s been 21 outs below average, per Statcast’s OAA mark, and has turned in a Defensive Runs Saved mark of -35 in 3306 innings.

Rosario is still young and controlled all the way through the 2023 season, so perhaps the Reds or another interested party believe they can help him tap into the ability that at one point led to Rosario ranking as a consensus top 10 prospect in all of baseball.

Shortstop Notes: Simmons, Story, Polanco

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The Phillies, Reds, and Jays (among others) are those taking a look at Andrelton Simmons, per MLB Insider Jon Heyman (via Twitter). The Phillies and Reds are natural fits for the former Angel, given their openings at shortstop. The Blue Jays have notably explored many avenues for improvement. In the case of Simmons, it would mean raising their defensive efficiency in the infield, presumably by installing Simmons at short and letting Bo Bichette slide to third, where he would no doubt be a plus defender. At present, it would be surprising if the Phillies and Reds aren’t able to nab a shortstop apiece from the group of Simmons, Marcus Semien, and Didi Gregorius, given their clear need compared to other teams around the league. Considering the group of shortstops that could become free agents next year, teams could be trying to limit their long-term commitments at the position, though that’s not as likely as negotiations simply hanging up because of total dollars as teams hunt value deals.

  • Speaking of free agents to be, the Rockies’ Trevor Story may be the one of the bunch most likely to hit free agency next summer. At present, Colorado remains unmoved in their position to neither trade nor extend their star shortstop, per ESPN’s Buster Olney (via Twitter). At times this winter, they have been open to the idea of moving Story, but the most likely outcome still appears to be Story playing out the 2021 season in Coors Field and then hitting the open market.
  • The Twins may be one of the mystery teams taking a look at Simmons. When asked by Darren Wolfson of SKOR North (video link) if Jorge Polanco would be their opening day shortstop, Twins GM Thad Levin said, “I think we look at our team and say Byron Buxton’s our opening day centerfielder, and Josh Donaldson’s our opening day third baseman – almost everyone else on our team has defensive flexibility. We view that as a huge boon to our team.” Wolfson notes that the Twins know the asking prices for free agent shortstops Simmons and Marcus Semien are keeping an eye on it.
  • To be clear, Levine in no way implied that Polanco would not be a big part of their team in 2021, only that they consider the defensive malleability of the current roster as one of their advantages – both in the market and on the ball field. By DRS, OAA, and UZR, Polanco has measured as a subpar defender at shortstop throughout his career, and the Twins may see value in moving him to second in order to upgrade the infield defense on the whole. More broadly, the Twins appear keen on making the “best” free agent deal they can find, regardless of position. If flexibility really is central to the Twins’ philosophy, that could help explain any reticence they might have about locking Nelson Cruz into the designated hitter spot . That said, it’s hard to imagine finding any player better at their position than Cruz was as their DH the last two seasons (163 wRC+).

Reds Acquire Cionel Perez From Astros

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The Reds have acquired left-hander Cionel Perez in a trade with the Astros, as officially announced on the Reds’ Twitter feed.  Houston will pick up minor league catcher Luke Berryhill in their end of the swap.

The move opens up a 40-man roster spot for the Astros, so the Michael Brantley signing could be officially announced at any moment.  For the second time in two days, the Reds picked up a reliever from a team looking to clear a 40-man spot, after Cincinnati acquired Hector Perez from the Blue Jays so Toronto could accommodate George Springer (whose deal is now official) on the roster.

Perez, 24, has pitched in each of the last three seasons, amassing a 5.74 ERA, 23.1K% and 10.3K-BB% over 26 2/3 career innings as a big leaguer.  Armed with a mid-90s fastball, Perez misses his fair share of bats but control has been an issue — particularly in 2020, when he issued six walks in just 6 1/3 innings of work.  He was a fairly high-profile international signing out of Cuba back in December 2016, but didn’t get much of a consistent look in Houston, as the Astros frequently shuttled Perez back and forth between their active roster and Triple-A (or to the alternate training site, in 2020).

While a small sample size, Perez has been significantly better against left-handed batters (.630 OPS in 39 PA) over his MLB career than against righty swingers (.825 OPS in 78 PA).  The three-batter rule will prevent the Reds from utilizing him as a true lefty specialist, but he does provide some southpaw depth for a Cincinnati team that is heavy in right-handed pitching.  Amir Garrett is the only other left-handed reliever on the Reds’ 40-man roster, so opportunity exists for Perez to win a job in Spring Training.

The Reds selected Berryhill in the 13th round of the 2019 draft.  A product of the University of South Carolina, Berryhill’s professional career thus far consists of only 32 Rookie League plate appearances in 2019, as the minor league shutdown last season kept Berryhill off the field.

Reds Acquire Hector Perez From Blue Jays

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The Reds have acquired right-hander Hector Perez from the Blue Jays for a player to be named later or cash, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet was among those to report. This move clears a 40-man roster spot for the Blue Jays, who should formally announce outfielder George Springer’s signing soon.

Perez, an international signing from the Dominican Republic, began his professional career as an Astro in 2015, but they traded him to Toronto three years later in a deal centering on veteran relievers Roberto Osuna and Ken Giles. Perez wound up spending most of his Blue Jays tenure in Double-A ball, where he has logged a 4.34 ERA with 167 strikeouts against 91 walks in 163 2/3 innings. He made a brief major league debut last year with a 1 2/3-inning appearance.

FanGraphs’ Eric Longenhagen ranked the 24-year-old Perez 37th in the Jays’ system earlier this week, writing that he “continues to project in relief because of control issues.” Perez can hit 98 mph as a reliever, but despite his velocity and better-than-average spin rate, Longenhagen notes that he had difficulty generating swings and misses on the pitch in 2019.

Reds Among Teams Interested In Andrelton Simmons

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Despite shedding salary for much of the offseason, the Reds are known to be in the market for a shortstop, and MLB Network’s Jon Heyman tweets that they’re among the clubs who’ve shown some interest in Andrelton Simmons.

It’s a natural connection to be drawn, of course, as Simmons is one of the top three free-agent options at the position alongside Marcus Semien and Didi Gregorius. That trio of free-agent shortstops represents a rather across-the-board skill set from which interested parties can choose. Gregorius is the most consistent offensive performer of the bunch but has the weakest defensive ratings of the group. Simmons is a generational defender but, even at his best, only a slightly above-average bat. Semien is the most well-rounded of the three and offers the highest offensive ceiling (evidenced by his mammoth 2019 season), but his overall track record at the plate is more modest than that of Gregorius.

The Reds have plenty of options to pursue if they’re intent on adding a shortstop, as the trade market also presents a few options even after the Mets’ acquisition of Francisco Lindor. The extent to which owner Bob Castellini is willing to spend to fill the need remains to be seen, however.

The Reds effectively dumped Raisel Iglesias’ $9.125MM salary on the Angels earlier this winter, and they non-tendered Archie Bradley despite a projected arbitration salary in the $5-6MM range. Cincinnati also cut backup catcher Curt Casali on the heels of a productive trio of seasons, and the Reds have reportedly been open to trading Sonny Gray as well. (Luis Castillo’s name has surfaced in rumors, too, although GM Nick Krall strongly denied his availability and plainly stated he expects the right-hander to be in this year’s rotation.)

Cincinnati has also been linked to both Gregorius and Semien at various points this winter, just as they’ve been speculated as a potential fit if the Rockies ultimately look to move Trevor Story. There’s no indication that there’s any preference for Simmons over that trio and other shortstop targets, but given that he’s coming off a pair of injury-shortened seasons, he could be the most affordable option.

Simmons, 31, was out to a strong start in 2019 before a Grade 3 left ankle sprain sidelined him for more than a month. His offense cratered upon returning from the injured list, and he was placed back on the IL just weeks later. His already modest power was nowhere to be seen in 2020, and he missed time this past season with his third left-ankle injury in just over one calendar year. Beyond that, his typically brilliant defensive ratings have taken a slide as he’s navigated those ankle woes.

A healthy Simmons is arguably the best defensive player in baseball — perhaps the best defensive player of the current generation — but he’s also now in his 30s and has some notable injury question marks on his recent track record. It’s not at all out of the question that he could bounce back with the glove and/or at the plate if the ankle is healed up, but his free-agent stock has clearly taken a tumble since his outstanding 2017-18 performance.

All three of Semien, Gregorius and Simmons have another wrinkle to consider in free agency this winter, as the possibility of taking a one-year pact and returning to market next winter isn’t as appealing as it might be in a normal winter. Next year’s free-agent class will not only include the aforementioned Story and Lindor, but also Corey Seager, Javier Baez and Carlos Correa.

Red Sox Notes: Pedroia, Benintendi, Sale, Lester

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“A resolution” between Dustin Pedroia and the Red Sox could come at some point this month, The Boston Globe’s Pete Abraham reports (Twitter link).  Knee injuries limited Pedroia to just nine games in 2018-19, and he didn’t play at all during the 2020 season, with Abraham adding that Pedroia isn’t intending to make one final comeback attempt.  2021 marks the final season of the eight-year, $110MM extension Pedroia signed in July 2013, and the second baseman is owed $12MM for the coming season.

There has been an expectation that Pedroia could be cut loose in one fashion or another once the Sox were in need of a 40-man roster spot, as their 40-man is currently full.  Some type of buyout rather than an outright release is probably the likelier route, since “given Dustin’s status, [the Sox will] want to do this correctly,” Abraham notes.  One of the key figures in this era of Red Sox baseball, Pedroia hit .299/.365/.439 over 6777 career plate appearances (all in a Sox uniform), with a resume that includes the 2008 AL MVP Award, four All-Star appearances, and World Series rings from Boston’s 2007 and 2013 championship seasons.

Some more from Fenway Park…

  • The Red Sox have asked at least one team for “a younger corner outfielder along with a minor-league pitcher not necessarily on the 40-man roster” as the trade return for Andrew Benintendi, WEEI.com’s Rob Bradford writes.  While Benintendi has drawn interest from several teams, the Phillies and Reds haven’t been involved in talks.  (The Rangers are also not in the mix, as Bradford originally reported last week.)  Former Red Sox president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski is now running the Phils’ front office and the Reds have explored a Benintendi trade in the past, so there was speculation that those two clubs could be looking into acquiring Benintendi this time around.
  • Chris Sale’s return from Tommy John surgery is likely to come on the higher end of the usual 12-15 month recovery timeline, as ESPN.com’s Buster Olney writes that the Sox are “expected to be deliberate” in bringing the southpaw back to action.  Sale underwent his TJ procedure at the end of last March, putting him on track to return in late June or early July.  (Assuming the 2021 schedule goes as planned, it is easy to see a scenario where Sale doesn’t pitch until after the July 12-14 All-Star break.)  Since Sale is under contract through at least the 2024 season, the club is “apt to take a conservative approach” to ensure that Sale is fully recovered and ready for 2022 and beyond, rather than rushing him in any way this season.
  • The Red Sox hadn’t been in touch with Jon Lester as of December 9, Rob Bradford reported last month, and Bradford tweeted yesterday that there hadn’t been any new contact between the two sides prior to Lester’s new deal with the Nationals.  While Boston has been looking at a wide range of starting pitching options this offseason, it seems like a reunion with Lester was simply not on the club’s radar.
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