Notes From The Angels’ GM Search
The Angels concluded their search for a new general manager yesterday, announcing that former Braves assistant GM Perry Minasian had been signed to a four-year contract to run the Halos’ front office. At least 20 candidates reportedly interviewed for the position, and while several names had already been linked to the Angels, some other previously unknown executives were also on the Angels’ radar.
Dodgers assistant GM Jeff Kingston wasn’t just interviewed, but was also a finalist for the job, Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reports (via Twitter). Previous reports cited Minasian and Mariners assistant GM Justin Hollander as the last two candidates under consideration, so it seems like Kingston may have one of the next group of finalists that also included Cubs senior VP of player personnel Jason McLeod and Diamondbacks assistant GMs Amiel Sawdaye and Jared Porter.
Perhaps best known for serving as the Mariners’ interim GM for the month between the Jack Zduriencik and Jerry Dipoto eras, Kingston is a familiar face in Southern California baseball. He began his career as an intern in the Padres’ front office and rose to the position to director of baseball operations over nine seasons in San Diego before joining the Mariners in 2009. Kingston remained in Seattle even after Dipoto took over as general manager, with Kingston receiving a promotion to assistant GM and vice president. Kingston has spent the last two years working for the Dodgers.
Kingston fit the mold of many of the Angels’ candidates — well-regarded younger executives who were looking for their first opportunity to run a front office. However, the Angels also explored making a big splash by poaching experienced names, as The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports that the Halos asked for permission to speak with Rays GM Erik Neander, Athletics GM David Forst, and Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti. The Rays declined the Angels’ request to talk to Neander, though it may have been a moot point since “Neander does not wish to leave the [Tampa] organization.”
Forst and Antonetti “had personal reasons for not wanting to pursue the Angels’ opening” and are also “happy in their current jobs,” though Rosenthal left open the possibility that either Forst or Antonetti could be receptive if either were approached by the Mets for their vacant president of baseball operations position. Former Marlins GM Michael Hill is the only known person to interview with the Mets thus far, but Forst, Antonetti, and a host of other candidates have been speculated as possibilities for what seems to be one of the most attractive job openings in baseball. As Rosenthal noted, Forst has ties with Mets president Sandy Alderson, who worked as a senior advisor in Oakland for the last two seasons.
Tigers Make Three Hires To Coaching Staff
The Tigers have added three new coaches to A.J. Hinch’s staff, Cody Stavenhagen and Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic report (Twitter link). George Lombard will be the new bench coach, Chip Hale becomes third base coach, and Scott Coolbaugh becomes hitting coach.
This is the second link between Lombard and the Tigers this offseason, as the club interviewed the 45-year-old for the managerial position before deciding on Hinch. Lombard has worked as the Dodgers’ first base coach for the last five seasons, meaning he and Hinch were on opposite sides of the controversial 2017 World Series. Lombard previously worked in the Red Sox farm system as a manager and coach, as well as a roving outfield coordinator for both the Red Sox and Braves organizations.
Hale has also faced off against Hinch in a World Series, as Hale was the Nationals’ bench coach in 2019 when Washington defeated Houston. However, Hale previously worked as a coach under Hinch when Hinch was hired as the Diamondbacks’ manager in 2009. Best known for his own stint managing Arizona in 2015-16, Hale has a long track record as a big league coach with the D’Backs, Mets, Athletics, and Nationals. Hale spent three seasons as a bench coach and third base coach in D.C. before parting ways with the team in October.
Coolbaugh worked as the assistant hitting coach for the White Sox in 2020, and will now take full hitting coach duties for the third time with a big league team. Coolbaugh previously worked in the same role with the Rangers in 2011-12 and the Orioles from 2015-18.
The Tigers have now amassed most of Hinch’s staff, as the team announced yesterday that Chris Fetter and Juan Nieves had been hired as pitching coach and assistant pitching coach, respectively. These new faces join two holdovers from Ron Gardenhire’s staff — first base coach Ramon Santiago and quality control coach Josh Paul.
MLB Will Not Discipline Justin Turner
Major League Baseball will not discipline Justin Turner for his actions following Game 6 of the World Series, the league announced. Turner, of course, was removed from the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ series-clinching victory after testing positive for COVID-19. He subsequently returned to the field to partake in the Dodgers’ postgame celebration in violation of league protocols.
Despite roundly criticizing Turner’s actions in the immediate aftermath of Game 6, Commissioner Rob Manfred struck a much more conciliatory tone this time around. From Manfred’s statement:
As is often the case, our investigation revealed additional relevant information that, while not exonerating Mr. Turner from responsibility for his conduct, helps put into context why he chose to leave the isolation room and return to the field. First, Mr. Turner’s teammates actively encouraged him to leave the isolation room and return to the field for a photograph. Many teammates felt they had already been exposed to Mr. Turner and were prepared to tolerate the additional risk. Second, Mr. Turner believes that he received permission from at least one Dodger’s employee to return to the field to participate in a photograph. Although Mr. Turner’s belief may have been the product of a miscommunication, at least two Dodgers employees said nothing to Mr. Turner as he made his way to the field, which they admitted may have created the impression that his conduct was acceptable.
Third, during the somewhat chaotic situation on the field, Mr. Turner was incorrectly told by an unidentified person that other players had tested positive creating the impression in Mr. Turner’s mind that he was being singled out for isolation. Finally, Major League Baseball could have handled the situation more effectively. For example, in retrospect, a security person should have been assigned to monitor Mr. Turner when he was asked to isolate, and Mr. Turner should have been transported from the stadium to the hotel more promptly.
The commissioner went on to note that Turner expressed regret over his actions (as he did in a statement of his own). Manfred also pointed to Turner’s status as a clubhouse leader and his positive work in the community as mitigating factors. Dodgers president Stan Kasten also lauded Turner’s broader work in the community and noted that events “unfolded rapidly and chaotically” over the season’s final few hours.
Potential mitigating factors notwithstanding, it registers as a surprise Turner escaped without any form of punishment. As the commissioner noted, other Dodger players, staff and MLB do bear some amount of responsibility for the way things transpired. That said, Turner’s actions flew in the face of the overwhelming level of precautions the league, players and staff took over the course of the season to help get to that point. The situation also made for terrible optics for the league at a time when COVID-19 cases are on the upswing in various parts of the country.
Regardless, Turner will enter free agency without a potential suspension hanging over his head. Potential discipline seemed unlikely to affect his market much either way, but he’ll now move forward without any lingering uncertainty.
Latest On Justin Turner
The coda to an unforgettably weird 2020 baseball season came when Justin Turner celebrated with his Dodgers teammates in the wake of a mid-World Series COVID-19 diagnosis. That incident led Major League Baseball announce a “full investigation into this matter” in a statement that flatly panned Turner for his recklessness.
Now, the league and MLB Players Union are “moving closer to a resolution” of the case from a disciplinary perspective, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter links). Just when we’ll learn of the outcome isn’t known; neither is it clear what range of punishment is under contemplation.
The league and union typically interact regarding disciplinary matters. There’s a reason that most PED or domestic violence-related suspensions are announced alongside the player’s decision not to challenge the result.
That was all the more necessary here. The league’s coronavirus protocols were jointly developed and obviously required significant buy-in from union officials and the players they represent. And Turner’s covid-shedding celebration presents a situation without any obvious precedent.
It seems we’ll have a final determination — and an opportunity for Turner to make some amends — before free agency begins in earnest (whenever that may be). Turner is one of the top available players on the open market this winter. It’s an open question whether and how the surreal scene will impact his free agency.
Dodgers Outright Terrance Gore
The Dodgers have outrighted outfielder Terrance Gore to Triple-A, according to the MLB.com transactions page. This is the second time Gore has been removed from the 40-man roster this season, having previously been outrighted back in August.
Gore signed a minor league deal with L.A. back in February and made the team’s Opening Day roster, but appeared in only two games before being designated for assignment. There was some speculation that the Dodgers could use Gore as a pinch-running specialist during the playoffs (as the Royals did with Gore in both 2014 and 2015), but he was never included on a postseason roster.
Gore has now appeared in parts of seven Major League seasons, primarily as a pinch-runner and late-game defensive substitute. Through 102 career games with the Dodgers, Cubs, and Royals, Gore has only 77 plate appearances, 58 of them coming with Kansas City in 2019.
Dodgers Decline Jimmy Nelson’s Option
The Dodgers have declined right-hander Jimmy Nelson‘s $2MM club option for 2021, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times reports. He’ll receive a buyout worth $500K.
Nelson, who debuted with the Brewers in 2013, looked like a budding star for the team in 2017. He threw 175 1/3 innings of 3.49 ERA/3.05 FIP ball with 10.21 K/9 and 2.46 BB/9 that year, but his season ended prematurely after he suffered a serious shoulder injury. Nelson hasn’t been the same since.
Nelson returned to throw 22 ineffective innings in his final season with the Brewers in 2019, and then the big-spending Dodgers took a low-cost chance on him over the winter with a $1.25MM guarantee. The move didn’t work out for the Dodgers, as Nelson was unable to contribute to their title-winning season at all after undergoing back surgery in the first week of July. The 31-year-old hasn’t pitched in the majors since Sept. 29, 2019.
Justin Turner Tests Positive For COVID-19
2:30pm: Major League Baseball announced that it will conduct an investigation into Turner’s violation of health-and-safety protocols and implied that he could be disciplined. The league’s press release reads:
Immediately upon receiving notice from the laboratory of a positive test, protocols were triggered, leading to the removal of Justin Turner from last night’s game. Turner was placed into isolation for the safety of those around him. However, following the Dodgers’ victory, it is clear that Turner chose to disregard the agreed-upon joint protocols and the instructions he was given regarding the safety and protection of others. While a desire to celebrate is understandable, Turner’s decision to leave isolation and enter the field was wrong and put everyone he came in contact with at risk. When MLB Security raised the matter of being on the field with Turner, he emphatically refused to comply.
The Commissioner’s Office is beginning a full investigation into this matter and will consult with the Players Association within the parameters of the joint 2020 Operations Manual.
MLB’s release adds that nasal swabs of the Dodgers’ entire traveling party were conducted, and the league again tested both the Dodgers and Rays this morning. Their travel back to their home cities is pending approval based on the results of those tests.
Oct.28, 8:30am: Turner joined his teammates on the field after the game, celebrating with the Commissioner’s Trophy and taking part in the team photo. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, “league officials, league security personnel and some Dodgers officials spoke with Turner, asking him to remain in isolation” in the wake of his positive COVID-19 test, but Turner “was adamant about wanting to join the celebration.”
Speaking about Turner after the game, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters “I think the people who were around him were the people that would be in the contact tracing web anyway, which is how closely a lot of us have been around each other. Now I think subsequent tests we’re going to take are really important to figure out what we do and to make sure any of us that are potentially positive do not spread it to other people.”
In regards to Turner’s positive result, his Monday test was inconclusive, which the league didn’t learn until the second inning of Game 6 due to a delay in receiving the results. The league then asked for a quick turn-around for Turner’s test from yesterday, and when that test showed COVID-19 positive, the Dodgers were informed and Turner was taken out of the game. Since “inconclusive results are not uncommon,” Rosenthal said league officials were hesitant to immediately remove Turner from the game without confirmation.
Oct. 27: The Dodgers just knocked off the Rays to win their first World Series since 1988, but the victory did come with some bad news. Third baseman Justin Turner exited the Dodgers’ Game 6 win early because of a positive COVID-19 test, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times was among those to report. The Dodgers replaced Turner with Edwin Rios in the eighth inning.
First and foremost, the hope is that Turner will overcome the illness. The 35-year-old had another great regular season for the Dodgers, batting .307/.400/.460 with four home runs in 175 plate appearances, before totaling three playoff HRs and hitting .320/.346/.720 in the World Series.
As we head into the offseason, it’s unclear whether Turner will play for the Dodgers again. He’s set to enter the winter as one of the top infielders available in free agency, so there should be plenty of interest in him if he’s healthy.
Rays To Start Blake Snell In World Series Game 6
Last night’s back-and-forth thriller ended with an 8-7 Rays win. That knotted the World Series at two games apiece, setting the stage for a Tyler Glasnow – Clayton Kershaw showdown in tonight’s crucial Game 5.
Tampa Bay’s win also guaranteed the series will go at least six games. Unsurprisingly, Blake Snell is set to take the ball for the Rays in the sixth contest on Tuesday night (via Juan Toribio of MLB.com). That’ll give the southpaw five days rest since his most recent start in Game 2, when he tossed 4.2 innings of two-run ball, striking out nine while allowing a pair of hits and four walks.
Snell was warming in the bullpen in the late innings last night, but manager Kevin Cash decided against bringing him into the game. How the Dodgers will deploy their pitching staff in Game 6 remains to be seen, but it’s easy to envision a potential Game 7 matchup between Charlie Morton and Walker Buehler.
Dodgers Announce World Series Roster
The Dodgers have announced their 28-man roster for the World Series, making no changes to the team that defeated the Braves in a thrilling NLCS. The roster:
Right-Handed Pitchers
- Pedro Báez
- Walker Buehler (Game 3 starter)
- Dylan Floro
- Tony Gonsolin
- Brusdar Graterol
- Kenley Jansen
- Joe Kelly
- Dustin May
- Blake Treinen
Left-Handed Pitchers
- Victor Gonzalez
- Clayton Kershaw (Game 1 starter)
- Adam Kolarek
- Jake McGee
- Julio Urías
- Alex Wood
Catchers
Infielders
Outfielders
Even with the benefit of two off-days in the World Series schedule, the Dodgers have opted to stick with their mix of 15 pitchers and 13 position players. It isn’t a surprise given the lack of uncertainty in the rotation beyond Kershaw and Buehler, as the Dodgers have yet to name a starter for Wednesday’s Game 2. All three of Urias, May, and Gonsolin pitched in Game 7 against the Braves, so Los Angeles could use something of a bullpen-game approach to Game 2 and then use Thursday’s off-day to rest the pen in advance of Friday’s Game 3, and what they hope will be a quality start from Buehler.
Dodgers Planning To Start Walker Buehler In Game 3
The Dodgers are planning to start Walker Buehler in Game 3 of the World Series on Friday, manager Dave Roberts informed reporters (including Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times). The 26-year-old last pitched on Saturday, so he’ll be on an extra day of rest when he next takes the ball. He’ll likely be opposed by Rays’ righty Charlie Morton.
A Game 3 start would also position the L.A. ace to pitch on regular rest in a potential Game 7. Buehler has been lights-out so far this postseason, allowing just four runs in 19 innings. In his most recent start, he helped the Dodgers stave off elimination by blanking the Braves across six frames.
More immediately, though, that leaves the NL champions searching for options on Wednesday. Clayton Kershaw will start Game 1 tomorrow, but the Game 2 pitching outlook is murkier. Tony Gonsolin, Julio Urías and Dustin May each picked up starts during the NLCS, but all three were pressed into action in Game 7 against Atlanta. Presumably, one of that trio will return on two days’ rest to take the ball Wednesday, but it’s unlikely any would be able to work particularly deep into that game.