Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Angels Rumors

AL West Notes: Manny, Rangers, Gonzalez, Angels

By | at

It's the start of trade season with July underway, but the Rangers made the biggest splash of the day with a minor league signing.  Fresh off of a very successful stint in Taiwan, Manny Ramirez will attempt to join the majors for the first time since his brief stint with the Rays in 2011.  Whether Manny can bring his hot hitting from overseas to Arlington, Texas, however, remains to be seen.  Here's more out of the AL West..

  • Some many wonder if Ramirez is worth the gamble at age 41, but in the case of the Rangers, he absolutely is, opines Todd Wills of ESPNDallas.com.  Texas needs a right-handed bat ever since Opening Day and Ramirez's minor league deal is a no-risk move.  
  • Before signing with the Rangers, Ramirez told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle (on Twitter) that he also had conversations with the Nationals.  The slugger believes that Washington had some interest in him as a pinch hitter.
  • The Angels have scouted Cuban pitching prospect Miguel.Alfredo Gonzalez, but likely will not compete for him as hard as others, tweets Alden Gonzalez of MLB.com.  Gonzalez is being pursued by a number of clubs, but we've heard recently that the Yankees won't try to sign him and he's "not a fit" for the Nationals either.

Int’l Prospect Signings: A’s, Angels, Rangers

By | at

It's open season on this year's class of July 2nd international prospects and we'll be keeping track of all notable signings.  You can get familiar with the top guys this year by checking out the rankings from Baseball America and MLB.com.  Here are the latest deals..

  • The A's inked Nicaraguan shortstop Jesus Lopez to a $950K contract, tweets John Hickey of the Bay Area News Group.  BA has him ranked as the 14th best player in this class and speaks highly of his bat.  Lopez has been switch-hitting for only a year or so and some scouts already like his left-handed swing better than his natural right-handed stroke.
  • The Angels signed Venezuelan left-hander Ricardo Sanchez for $580K, according to Kiley McDaniel of FOX Sports (via Twitter).  BA had him ranked as the No. 27 player in this year's class and says that the undersized Venezuelan lefty reminds scouts of Rays left-hander Alex Torres.  Boston also had interest in signing Sanchez.
  • The Rangers signed Dominican shortstop Michael de Leon for $550K.  The 16-year-old switch-hitter,who is ranked as the No. 26 international prospect by BA, stands at 6'1", 160 pounds and boasts a strong line-drive swing.  While he makes the routine plays at shortstop, some scouts think his future could be at second base. 

Yovani Gallardo’s No-Trade List

By | at

When Yovani Gallardo signed his five-year, $30.1MM extension early in the 2010 season, details surrounding his no-trade clause were a bit vague. It was known that he received full no-trade protection through the 2012 season, but after that he would be able to list just 10 teams to which he could block trades.

Chris Cotillo of MLBDailyDish.com has learned the 10 teams on the list, and those teams have been confirmed by MLBTR's Tim Dierkes. Gallardo can block trades to the Orioles, Red Sox, Indians, Tigers, Astros, Angels, Yankees, Phillies, Pirates and Blue Jays.

Last night, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Diamondbacks, who don't appear on that list, are interested in Gallardo. Gallardo could, of course, waive his no-trade clause and approve a deal to one of the aforementioned teams (the Orioles, for example, are rumored to be seeking rotation upgrades), but doing so creates another hurdle in the already complicated process of hammering out a deadline deal.

Gallardo, 27, is owed $11.25MM in 2014 and has a $13MM club option for the 2015 season on his contract. He's in the midst of a down season, having pitched to a 4.20 ERA with 7.9 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9. While his strikeouts and velocity are down (he's averaging 90.6 mph on his heater), that walk rate is the second best of his career, and his 48.7 percent ground-ball rate is a career best.

Quick Hits: A-Rod, Phillies, Rangers, Angels

By | at

Alex Rodriguez believes the Yankees do not want him to return this season, and perhaps ever again, a source told Wallace Matthews of ESPNNewYork.com. The source says that A-Rod thinks the Yankees are deliberately slowing his return to their active roster in the hope they can have him declared medically unfit to play this season, enabling them to recoup the bulk of his $28MM salary through insurance.  "Alex thinks there's something really off about this situation," the source said. "Here we have a doctor declaring him fit to play. You think they would be happy about that."  Recently, Rodriguez tweeted that he was excited to have the green light from his doctor to play games again and Cashman responded to Matthews' colleague Andrew Marchand by saying, in slightly sharper language, that Rodriguez should keep that sort of thing under his hat.  Here's more from around baseball..

  • The Yankees could be a trade partner for the Phillies, opines Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com.  Chase Utley, Carlos Ruiz, and Michael Young could be of serious interest to the Yankees, who are in the market for catching and corner-infield help.  A baseball exec tells Salisbury that the Yanks have already kicked around Ruiz’s name as a possible upgrade behind the plate.
  • The Rangers are in the market for a starting pitcher if there is a significant upgrade available, writes T.R. Sullivan of MLB.com.  Daniels likes his  young starters and wants to see what happens with Alexi Ogando and Colby Lewis, but he did acknowledge he will consider trading for starting pitching.  He added that he expects ownership to support any major moves the Rangers attempt, if there is extra finances involved.
  • Angels GM Jerry Dipoto asserts that he is neither a buyer or a seller as the deadline approaches, writes MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez.  “I don’t see drastic paths. We have a roster of veteran players, most of whom are under club control, a very talented offensive club, pitching staff is evolving, some pending free agents, many others under club control. We’ll assess as we go," said the GM.

Angels Acquire Collin Cowgill

By | at

The Mets announced, via Twitter, that they have traded Collin Cowgill to the Angels in exchange for minor league outfielder Kyle Johnson. Angels director of communications Eric Kay tweets that Cowgill has been optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake and adds that Ryan Madson was transferred to the 60-day DL to make room on the 40-man roster.

Cowgill, 27, has a .173/.189/.327 slash line in 53 plate appearances for the Mets this season, though he's career .307/.381/.476 hitter in 885 Triple-A plate appearances. The Mets designated him for assignment last week after they acquired Eric Young Jr. from the Rockies.

Johnson, 23, was the Angels' 25th round pick in last year's draft. The Washington State product is hitting .310/.414/.424 with two homers and 30 stolen bases in 297 plate appearances for Class A Burlington. He did not rank among the Angels' Top 30 prospects, according to Baseball America. Yesterday, Mike Puma of the New York Post reported that the Mets unsuccessfully attempted to trade Cowgill to the Angels in exchange for Triple-A right-hander Matt Shoemaker.

Injury Updates On Impending Free Agent Starters

By | at

The upcoming crop of free agent starters has been rife with injuries this season. While Matt Garza and Josh Johnson look to have returned from the DL healthy and very effective since our last look-in on injured hurlers, others haven't been so fortunate yet. Here's an update on some hurlers whose stock is suffering due to injuries…

  • Roy Halladay told MLB.com's Todd Zolecki that he's feeling good and has been tossing from 60 feet for the past few days. The Phils are hopeful that Halladay, who underwent shoulder surgery in May, will pitch again this season, but that might not happen until late August, if it happens at all. The 36-year-old could end posting his lowest innings total since 2000 as a 23-year-old — the year prior to his breakout as one of baseball's most dominant forces.
  • MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez reports that Jason Vargas will undergo surgery to alleviate a blood clot in his left armpit. The procedure will shut down Vargas entirely for two weeks, and he might not be back on a Major League mound until the end of July. Vargas averages nearly 6 2/3 innings per start, so those five weeks could cost him between 40 and 50 innings of work. The injury couldn't come at a worse time, as Vargas is in the midst of his best season, and his durability is one of his greatest assets. Beyond that, the loss of one of their best starters this season could place the Halos in a deeper hole and push them toward selling at this year's deadline.
  • Dan Haren hit the disabled list this weekend with a vague shoulder injury. Manager Davey Johnson told MLB.com's Bill Ladson the soreness has kept Haren from getting loose prior to his past couple of outings. Haren sounded irritated by his placement on the DL, according to Ladson, and noted any soreness he's feeling is nothing he hasn't pitched through before. Mark Zuckerman of CSN Washington tweets that Haren's MRI came back clean and he received a cortisone shot yesterday. Haren's ERA is a bloated 6.15, and he is tied for the Major League lead in homers allowed.
  • As of this Sunday, Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review noted that A.J. Burnett has yet to throw off a mound since being placed on the disabled list by the Pirates. Burnett is in the midst of one of the finest seasons of his career, but has no timetable for his return. His bout with free agency this offseason figured to be an intriguing one anyhow, as he's stated publicly that he would likely only return to the Pirates or retire. A serious DL stint could make him question a return even more.

If Vargas can recover on time and finish the season healthy, he could still net a multi-year free agent deal. Any significant setback, however, would likely line him up for a one-year deal, which is likely the fate of both Haren and Halladay at this point as well. Burnett ranked eight on the most recent edition of Tim Dierkes' Free Agent Power Rankings, but an extended DL stint would likely knock him from the Top 10.

Quick Hits: Nolasco, Angels, Twins, Norris

By | at

Peter Gammons reported earlier today that there was buzz amongst the league's general managers that Ricky Nolasco would end up with the Giants before the trade deadline.  This sentiment is shared even by another general manager who is himself interested in Nolasco; this mystery GM tells USA Today's Bob Nightengale that he expects Brian Sabean to outbid the field in the race for the Marlins righty.

Here are some more items from around the majors…

  • The Angels might make pending free agents Jason Vargas or Scott Downs available at the trade deadline if they decide to sell, MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez opines, though there won't be any major moves.  "I'm told nothing will cause them to blow up the roster and start all over again," Gonzalez writes, since the front office still believes the club can be contenders in 2014 and beyond and the Josh Hamilton/Albert Pujols contracts make it difficult to truly rebuild.
  • The Angels have nothing to show for their efforts in acquiring big-name pitchers (Scott Kazmir, Dan Haren and Zack Greinke) at the trade deadline in three of the last four seasons, MLB.com's Lyle Spencer writes.  Making matters worse for the Halos is that they dealt several top prospects in those trades, giving away such notable talents as Jean Segura, Patrick Corbin, Tyler Skaggs and Alex Torres.
  • The Twins have exceeded expectations this year but "it's hard to see a scenario in which they'll be buyers" at the trade deadline, MLB.com's Rhett Bollinger writes as part of a reader mailbag.  A hot streak over the next month could change plans, though with the Tigers unlikely to be caught atop the AL Central, Bollinger suspects the Twins will stick with their rebuilding plan.
  • Bud Norris noted that he hasn't discussed a long-term deal with the Astros and he wouldn't be surprised if he is traded, the right-hander tells MLB.com's Brian McTaggart.  "If the trade deadline is here and I'm still in an Astros uniform, I'll be happy with that," Norris said.  "I understand something could happen, but at the end of the day, my focus right now is still in Houston, and that's where it's going to stay."  The Pirates, Orioles and Giants have all reportedly considered acquiring Norris and more suitors are likely to follow.
  • Phillies GM Ruben Amaro was non-committal about whether or not the Phils would call up Carlos Zambrano before his July 1 opt-out date.  Amaro told reporters (including Matt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer) that Zambrano has "been inconsistent" in the minors and that he doesn't see the righty as a relief pitcher.

NL East Notes: Espinosa, Cowgill, Murphy

By | at

The Phillies aren't considered to have a particularly deep farm system but one upcoming gem could exist in the form of 20-year-old third baseman Maikel Franco.  A scout tells CBS Sports' Danny Knobler (Twitter link) that Franco is the "best impact bat I've seen in minors this year."  Franco posted a .259/.322/.395 line over his first three pro seasons but delivered a .925 OPS in 289 PA at High-A ball this year and already has two homers in four games since being promoted to Double-A.  Baseball America ranked Franco as the Phillies' eighth-best prospect before the season, saying "he has a ceiling of a power-hitting corner infielder, but he'll have to continue to make offensive adjustments, especially in recognizing offspeed stuff."

Here's the latest from around the division…

  • Danny Espinosa played two Triple-A games at shortstop this weekend, leading a few rival evaluators to tell Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post that it seems as if the Nationals could be showcasing Espinosa's shortstop ability for a possible trade.  Kilgore isn't sure, since the Nats need Espinosa for infield depth and "trading Espinosa now would be the epitome of selling low."  Espinosa has just a .465 OPS though 167 PA and has battled both a torn rotator cuff and a fractured wrist this season.
  • The Mets offered Collin Cowgill to the Angels in exchange for right-hander Matt Shoemaker but the Halos weren't interested, Mike Puma of the New York Post reports (Twitter link).  Cowgill was designated for assignment last week and the Mets are known to be exploring trades for the outfielder.  Shoemaker, 26, has a 4.49 ERA, 7.6 K/9 and 4.89 K/BB ratio in 16 starts at Triple-A Salt Lake City this season.
  • As part of a reader mailbag, MLB.com's Anthony DiComo opines that a long-term extension for Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy doesn't seem like "a realistic expectation at this point."  This could open the door for prospect Wilmer Flores, who currently has an .853 OPS in his first Triple-A season.  Murphy will be arbitration-eligible for the second time this winter and is controlled through the 2015 season.
  • In NL East news from earlier today, MLBTR's Tim Dierkes reported that the Phillies had outrighted Michael Martinez to Triple-A, we heard some Ricky Nolasco rumors, Phillies GM Ruben Amaro told CBS Sports' Jon Heyman that he is putting a high price tag on his star pitchers and The New York Daily News' Andy Martino shared a few items about the Marlins, Mets and Nationals.

Rosenthal On Padres, Norris, Profar, Miller

By | at

Ken Rosenthal shares a few hot stove-related items in his latest column for FOX Sports…

  • The Padres are known to be looking for starting pitching, and Rosenthal notes that San Diego would prefer to pick up a younger starter who is signed beyond this season.  An exception could be Ricky Nolasco, as Rosenthal repeated his suggestion from yesterday that Nolasco could be open to re-signing with the Padres given that the pending free agent hails from southern California.
  • Astros right-hander Bud Norris is cited as one of the controllable younger arms that fits the mold of what the Padres are looking for, though one rival executive thinks Norris "isn’t the best bet to make a team leap forward.  Will he help a team improve? Yes. Would I stamp him as a difference-maker? Not a definite.”  Norris has been connected to the Pirates, Giants and Orioles in trade speculation and I profiled him as a trade candidate last month.
  • While the Rangers could use some outfield help, the decision to use Jurickson Profar as an outfielder is somewhat risky, Rosenthal opines.  Profar is learning a new position on the fly and has yet to deliver much at the plate in his brief Major League career.  If he struggles, he'll lose some trade value if the Rangers decide to move him, and the team may also have more trouble convincing Ian Kinsler to eventually move to the outfield to make room for Profar at second base.
  • The Astros had an arrangement in place to draft Shelby Miller with the 21st overall pick of the 2009 draft, Miller tells Rosenthal, except the Cardinals took Miller with the 19th pick.  Miller, a Texas native, was also managed by a Rangers scout during a high school showcase event but the Rangers passed on Miller with their 14th overall pick in the draft and instead took righty Matt Purke, who never signed with the club.
  • The Jordan Walden-for-Tommy Hanson trade is looking like "a steal" for the Braves, in the words of one rival executive.  Walden has been a force (2.70 ERA, 10 K/9, 6.50 K/BB rate in 23 1/3 IP) out of the Atlanta bullpen while Hanson has battled injuries and posted a 5.10 ERA over nine starts with the Angels.

Moreno Talks Scioscia, Dipoto, Hamilton, Trout

By | at

It's been a disastrous 2013 for the Angels, who sit 10 games below .500 and 11 games out of first place in the AL West. Angels owner Arte Moreno spoke with Bob Nightengale of USA Today regarding his team's slow start. Here are some highlights from the piece…

  • Manager Mike Scioscia and GM Jerry Dipoto aren't in immediate danger of losing their jobs, though Moreno notes that he will re-evaluate the team in the offseason. Moreno says that he likes Dipoto's analytical systems and still considers Scioscia an elite manager.
  • Moreno says he's never seen anything like the struggles that Josh Hamilton has endured to open the season, however he feels it's too early to judge 32-year-old: "Five years from now, we can sit down, and then ask me about the investment in the man.'' Hamilton, of course, is batting just .207/.262/.378 and has played below replacement level according to both Fangraphs and Baseball-Reference.
  • Moreno tells Nightengale that he has no buyer's remorse when it comes to the Albert Pujols deal. The opportunity to bring one of the best hitters in the history of the game to Anaheim was a "treat." Pujols hasn't struggled at Hamilton's level, but his .258/.330/.447 batting line and injury problems don't bode well, considering he's owed $212MM from 2014-21.
  • There have yet to be any serious negotiations about Mike Trout, partly because it's so difficult to put a value or dollar amount on his incredible numbers to date.
  • The Halos can opt out of their stadium in 2016 to either have the 50-year-old park refurbished or have a new one constructed. Moreno says that the ideal situation would be to remain in the current Angel Stadium.
Show all

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

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top