Dodgers Acquire Brandon League
The Mariners have traded Brandon League to the Dodgers for prospects Leon Landry and Logan Bawcom, the team announced. Earlier today we heard that a number of contenders had interest in Seattle's former closer as they looked to bolster their bullpens.
League, 29, is owed approximately $1.8MM for the rest of the season before becoming a free agent this winter. He's pitched to a 3.63 ERA with 5.4 K/9 and 3.8 BB/9 in 44 2/3 innings this year, plus his usual sky-high ground ball rate is down to just 46.9%. The Dodgers have lost Matt Guerrier and Todd Coffey to injury this season, so League will add some late-inning depth.
Landry, 22, is hitting .328/.358/.559 with eight homers and 15 triples in 376 plate appearances for Los Angeles' High Class-A affiliate this season while spending most of his time in center field. Bawcom, a 23-year-old right-hander, owns a 2.03 ERA with 11.1 K/9 and 4.1 BB/9 in 48 2/3 relief innings split between Single-A and Double-A this year. Neither player ranked among the team's top 30 prospects in Baseball America's Prospect Handbook before the season.
Latest On Victorino, Pence, Pierre
Earlier today, Yahoo's Jeff Passan wrote that the Phillies haven't shopped center fielder Shane Victorino nearly as aggressively as right fielder Hunter Pence, even though Victorino will be eligible for free agency after the season and Pence is under team control for 2013. The latest on the Phillies' outfielders:
- The Dodgers and Reds seem to be the last two Victorino suitors remaining, ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick tweets.
- The Giants are discussing Pence, but not Victorino, Jerry Crasnick of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
- The Reds still want a leadoff hitter and Victorino has been their top target, Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com reports. The Reds don't like the Phillies' asking price for Victorino, and their interest in Pierre seems to have been exaggerated, Knobler writes.
- The Dodgers are more likely to acquire Victorino, but they're also in on Pence, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- The Reds appear to be zeroing in on Pierre, writes ESPN's Jayson Stark. He says the Dodgers look like the frontrunner on Victorino, while teams that have checked in on Pence believe the Phillies will wait until the offseason.
- The Phillies' asking price on Victorino is outrageous, an executive of one team tells Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.
- The Orioles have interest in Victorino, Pence, and Juan Pierre, tweets Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, who notes Pierre is the best fit cost-wise. The Reds have quietly evaluated Pierre as a possible target since June, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney, and USA Today's Bob Nightengale says the Reds' coaching staff loves him.
- The Pirates did not seem alive on Victorino as of late last night, tweeted Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Giants, Reds, and Dodgers have been named as other potential suitors for the 31-year-old. Victorino is hitting .261/.324/.401 in 431 plate appearances this year.
- The Phillies have pushed Pence but want a big return, tweets Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com. Salisbury says most interest is on Victorino and starter Joe Blanton.
Braves Acquire Reed Johnson, Paul Maholm
The Cubs have traded left-hander Paul Maholm, outfielder Reed Johnson and cash considerations to the Braves in a four-player trade that provides Atlanta with reinforcements for the season's final two months and bolsters Chicago's minor league system. The Cubs obtain right-handers Jaye Chapman and Arodys Vizcaino in the trade, which the teams have announced.
Maholm has a 3.74 ERA with 6.1 K/9, 2.5 BB/9 and a 49.9% ground ball rate in 120 1/3 innings for the Cubs this year. The 30-year-old has never thrown particularly hard; his average fastball checks in at 87.6 mph this year, according to FanGraphs. He earns a $4.75MM salary in 2012 and his contract includes a $6.5MM club option for 2013. The Royals and Pirates appeared to have interest in Maholm earlier this month.
Johnson, 35, has a .307/.361/.452 batting line in 180 plate appearances this year. The right-handed hitter has played all three outfield positions for the Cubs and owns a career .313/.370/.469 line against left-handed pitching. He's signed to a one-year, $1.15MM contract and will hit free agency after the season. Four teams made offers for Johnson today, including the Pirates and Tigers, according to Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com.
Vizcaino, who entered the 2012 season ranked by Baseball America as the 40th-best prospect in MLB, had Tommy John surgery this spring. The 21-year-old posted a 3.06 ERA with 9.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 97 innings for three Braves affiliates as he made his way through Atlanta's minor league system in 2011. The right-hander reached the Major Leagues last year, posting a 4.67 ERA with 8.8 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9 in 17 relief appearances.
Chapman, a 25-year-old right-hander, has a 3.52 ERA with 10.1 K/9 and 4.9 BB/9 in 53 2/3 innings of relief for Atlanta's Triple-A team so far in 2012. The Braves selected him in the 16th round of the 2005 draft.
Maholm joins a Braves rotation that includes Tim Hudson, Tommy Hanson, Mike Minor, Ben Sheets and, as of tomorrow, Kris Medlen. The Braves nearly traded for Ryan Dempster this month, but the sides don't appear to have obtained the right-hander's permission.
Geovany Soto has been traded to the Rangers in a separate move.
Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com first reported that Johnson had been traded (on Twitter). Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports first reported Maholm's role in the trade and first reported that the Braves were the other team involved (Twitter link). ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick first reported that the Cubs were getting two minor league pitchers, including Chapman. Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reported that the Cubs were getting Vizcaino. Photo courtesy of US Presswire.
Josh Beckett Rumors: Monday
Despite a report of the Red Sox shopping righty Josh Beckett to the Rangers and Braves, there was a clear vibe from reporters this morning that a trade is unlikely. Beckett can veto any trade given his 10-and-5 rights, and he's owed $37MM through 2014. The latest on the 32-year-old Texan…
- The Red Sox won't trade Beckett before the deadline, Gordon Edes tweets.
- The Rangers haven't ruled out the possibility of trading for Beckett, according to Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com. Yet a rival GM estimates that there's just a 2% chance of a deal being completed. "Too much money involved, and Beckett isn't pitching that well," the GM told Edes.
- Beckett will not be traded to the Rangers, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford.
- Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com has a different take on the Beckett situation. He says the Red Sox are willing to listen but not aggressively seeking to move him, and it is the Rangers, Braves, and Dodgers who called to inquire on Beckett. McAdam says the Sox won't assume much of the $37MM owed to Beckett, and the chances of a deal are less than 50-50.
- Asked by Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe whether reports of him trying to move Beckett were accurate, Red Sox GM Ben Cherington said no.
- The Braves are not a viable landing spot for Beckett right now, reports WEEI's Rob Bradford. Bradford says the Braves are not in position to assume Beckett's financial obligation, even if the Red Sox pick up a significant portion. MLB.com's Mark Bowman says the Braves are not a likely fit for Beckett, but Atlanta would be more interested in Jon Lester. The Red Sox are saying no, flatly, regarding calls about Lester, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney.
- Rangers people aren't too excited about the Beckett speculation, tweets Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe.
- There is a sense that Beckett might waive his 10-and-5 rights for certain teams, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but clubs are concerned about his attitude and performance. In comments made to Bradford a couple days ago, Beckett said he prefers to stay, "But if people don’t want you, you don’t want to be there. Obviously I have some things where it would be very difficult for them to trade me if I didn’t want to be traded. But you have to think realistically. If you’re not wanted somewhere, why stay there? Know what I mean? It kind of makes it a little more difficult. But [GM Ben Cherington] assured me during spring training that he wants me here, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s just made-up fodder."
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says there is no longer a required 24-hour waiting period for 10-and-5 players to approve a trade, so trade talk for players like Beckett and Ryan Dempster can go right down to the wire.
NL West Notes: Miley, Overbay, Dodgers
The Rockies sent Ubaldo Jimenez to Cleveland on this date last year, acquiring prospects Alex White, Drew Pomeranz, Joe Gardner and Matt McBride. Jimenez has pitched to a 5.08 ERA with disappointing peripheral numbers since leaving the Rockies, who are probably pleased they traded him when they did. Here's the latest on the NL West…
- Diamondbacks rookie Wade Miley is not in play as the trade deadline nears, Jack Magruder of FOXSportsArizona.com writes (on Twitter). Ken Rosenthal suggested yesterday that the Diamondbacks might listen on Miley.
- ESPN.com's Buster Olney guesses the Reds might be a fit for Lyle Overbay, who was recently designated for assignment by the Diamondbacks (Twitter link). The Reds are expected to pursue Overbay, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter).
- Arizona GM Kevin Towers says he's focused on adding pitching leading up to the deadline, Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic reports (on Twitter). Towers will consider trading a position player for an arm.
- Dodgers pitching prospects Jose Dominguez and Yimi Garcia are drawing the attention of scouts at Class A, Ben Badler of Baseball America writes (on Twitter).
- Former Dodgers general manager Dan Evans explains how the trade deadline works from the perspective of a GM in an article at Baseball Prospectus.
Latest On Ryan Dempster
8:26pm: The Cubs and Dodgers are still discussing scenarios involving Dempster and Soriano, Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports reports (on Twitter). The Dodgers repeated today that they won't trade Webster for Dempster, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports (on Twitter).
4:57pm: There hasn't been any recent dialogue between the Dodgers and Cubs, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports (on Twitter).
2:41pm: Dodgers pitching prospects Zach Lee, Allen Webster, and Chris Reed are all off the table in Dempster talks, tweets Kevin Goldstein of Baseball Prospectus.
1:41pm: Talks between the Dodgers and Cubs for Dempster are gaining momentum, reports Scott Miller of CBS Sports. The Cubs are trying to bend over backwards to get Dempster to the Dodgers, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
1:09pm: The Nationals have positioned themselves as the perfect fallback option for the Cubs on Dempster, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark. It's unknown whether Dempster would approve a trade to the Nats.
12:08pm: The Cubs and Dodgers are still discussing righty Ryan Dempster, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown. Left fielder Alfonso Soriano remains part of these trade talks, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. The Dodgers are said to be Dempster's first choice, and he controls the process with 10-and-5 rights. Yesterday, Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times wrote that the Cubs' failed attempt to obtain pitching prospect Allen Webster from the Dodgers for Dempster left those talks stalemated. The Dodgers have had an offer on the table for Dempster since July 19th, writes Doug Padilla of ESPNChicago.com.
Last week, the Braves seemed close to acquiring Dempster for Randall Delgado, and Wittenmyer has a few details on that still-vague failed deal. Dempster said Sunday, "Who’s to say I was going to say no or yes to whatever team. All I said was that I just, at that time, needed to think about everything." From the Braves' end, there's no guarantee Delgado would still be available, writes MLB.com's Mark Bowman.
Latest On Brandon League
2:02pm: The White Sox, Rangers, Giants, Dodgers, and other clubs are in on League, writes Scott Miller of CBS Sports.
11:19am: The Giants are still involved on Mariners reliever Brandon League, tweets Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports, adding along with colleague Ken Rosenthal that the Dodgers inquired. Yesterday afternoon, Morosi tweeted that the Mariners were discussing League with multiple teams.
League, 29, has a 3.63 ERA, 5.4 K/9, 3.8 BB/9, 0.20 HR/9, and 46.9% groundball rate in 44 2/3 innings this year. He's allowed just one home run despite the lowest groundball rate of his career. League has $1.71MM remaining on his contract and will be eligible for free agency after the season. His earning power was hurt a bit by the loss of the Mariners' closing job in late May.
Dodgers No Longer A Fit For Morneau
The Dodgers are no longer a fit for Twins first baseman Justin Morneau, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, now that they've sent Nathan Eovaldi to Miami in the Hanley Ramirez deal. Rosenthal says the Twins seek a Major League ready starting pitcher for Morneau, and of course will have to work out the $19MM remaining on his contract.
Earlier today, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports named the Blue Jays and Giants as potential Morneau suitors.
The Dodgers appear to have their sights set on Shane Victorino and Ryan Dempster, ESPN's Jayson Stark wrote today.
Cliff Lee Trade Unlikely
TUESDAY, 1:04pm: The Phillies have halted all trade talk involving Lee, tweets Stark.
MONDAY, 4:06pm: Philadelphia's discussions with Texas about Lee have all but ended, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark (via Buster Olney on Twitter). A trade sending Lee back to Texas is "not going to happen," Stark reports (on Twitter). Such a trade would be complicated and may be easier to complete during the offseason. Talks between the Rangers and Phillies never gained momentum, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports writes (Twitter link). The Phillies offered Texas little salary relief.
1:00pm: The Dodgers are not in on Lee, hears Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. The Rangers consider Lee a long shot, while an industry source who spoke to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan puts the chances at less than one percent.
11:29am: Cliff Lee is in play in trade talks today, tweets ESPN's Buster Olney. Olney considers the Rangers the most logical landing spot, and Joel Sherman of the New York Post names them the frontrunners. Olney says the Yankees are not expected to be in the mix due to lack of budget space. Sherman talked to one executive who expects Lee to be dealt by this month's deadline or in the offseason, to allow the Phillies to save money and add young players. On Friday, Jon Heyman of CBS Sports wrote that the Phillies' lefty would not be traded this month.
Lee, 33, has a 3.95 ERA, 8.5 K/9, 1.8 BB/9, 1.14 HR/9, and 46.7% groundball rate in 118 1/3 innings this year. More flyballs are leaving the yard and hits are dropping in than usual so far for the southpaw. Lee's five-year, $120MM deal with the Phillies was one of the big surprises of the 2010-11 offseason. It's a severely backloaded contract, so $95MM remains through 2015 assuming Lee's 2016 option does not vest. Lee can block trades to all but eight teams. The Rangers and Yankees are among those eight, wrote Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports last Wednesday. At that time, Rosenthal and Morosi wrote that some executives expected the Phillies to consider offers for Lee this month, not long after they locked up Cole Hamels long-term.
Lee has already been involved in four blockbuster trades in his career: as a prospect in June '02 to the Indians, as an ace to the Phillies in July '09, to the Mariners in the 2009-10 offseason, and to the Rangers in July '10.
Latest On Shin-Soo Choo
The Indians think it's unlikely they'll trade right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, tweeted ESPN's Buster Olney this morning. Olney says a Choo trade would require the perfect offer, which fits with yesterday's report from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports that the Tribe would need a good Major Leaguer with less than three years of service. Yesterday we heard that the Pirates, Rangers, and Reds have interest in Choo, but a deal with the Rangers isn't happening. The latest on Choo:
- The Phillies are interested in Choo, write Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports. The Phillies appear open to subtracting certain veterans but also adding to their core with players like Choo or Padres third baseman Chase Headley, in whom their interest had been previously reported.
- The Pirates are very reluctant to include 23-year-old outfield prospect Starling Marte in a Choo deal, writes Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Marte is the 36th-best prospect in baseball, according to Baseball America's midseason top 50.
- The Indians would be wiser to part with closer Chris Perez than Choo, writes MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince.
- Count the Dodgers among the interested teams, tweets Yahoo's Tim Brown.
- Choo badly wants to win, but considers the Indians like his family and has not and will not request a trade, he told reporters including MLB.com's Jordan Bastian yesterday. Regarding his contract status, Paul Hoynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer quotes Choo saying, "That's why I have an agent. My agent and the Indians talk about it. I don't want to worry about it. It's a big headache. Scott [Boras] has done this a long time. He knows more than me." Choo is under team control through 2013, a season for which MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projects a $7.6MM salary.