NL East Notes: Phillies, Bryant, Marlins, Reynolds, Marte, Jansen, Chafin, Mets
The Phillies were often speculated as a suitor for Kris Bryant this winter, and USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reports that the team did indeed have interest in the former NL MVP. However, Bryant wanted as much long-term security as possible in the form of “at least a seven-year deal,” and he landed that desired contract with his seven-year, $182MM agreement with the Rockies. Philadelphia’s offer topped out at five years, Nightengale writes.
Given the terms, one wonders if the Phillies’ offer to Bryant was somewhat similar to the five-year, $100MM deal the club ended up giving to Nick Castellanos. Even that deal took some additional legwork, since as The Athletic’s Matt Gelb details, the front office first had to convince owner John Middleton that adding Castellanos was worth exceeding the luxury tax threshold for the first time in franchise history. Middleton has long stated that he was willing to pay the tax for a difference-making type of acquisition, and the end result is that the Phillies are now projected to sit above the $230MM threshold with an estimated $236.46MM tax number.
More from the NL East…
- While the Marlins have long coveted Pirates All-Star Bryan Reynolds, the Fish “weren’t planning on” dealing either Max Meyer or JJ Bleday in a trade package for the outfielder, Man On Second’s Joe Frisaro writes. Bleday was the fourth overall pick of the 2019 draft and Meyer the third pick in 2020, with both youngsters considered among the top 100 prospects in baseball, let alone just in Miami’s farm system. Pittsburgh is known to have a big asking price in any Reynolds trade, so it isn’t surprising that the Bucs are aiming high in their demands from the Marlins or other clubs. The Marlins do have a lot of quality minor league depth, so a Reynolds deal can’t be entirely ruled out even if the Fish don’t move either Meyer or Bleday. Frisaro notes that the Marlins are still looking at other center field options besides Reynolds, and the club is also looking for bullpen help either in trades or available free agents.
- Starling Marte has been sidelined by injury for the last week, though both Marte and Mets manager Buck Showalter believe the veteran outfielder will be ready for Opening Day, according to Deesha Thosar of The New York Daily News and other reporters. Marte’s injury is being described by the team as left oblique soreness, and Showalter said Marte underwent several tests to make sure there wasn’t any structural damage on Marte’s left side. However, Marte said that an MRI revealed “something, not a broken rib, but something,” adding somewhat evasively that it was “something like” an intercostal muscle issue.
- Kenley Jansen and Andrew Chafin each drew some interest from the Mets before signing elsewhere, SNY’s Andy Martino reports. For all of the Mets’ moves this winter, they have been relatively quiet on the bullpen front, though Adam Ottavino was recently added on a one-year, $4MM pact. However, quite a few notable veterans (i.e. Alex Claudio, Chasen Shreve, Felix Pena) have been added on minor league deals, and whatever younger arms aren’t in the rotation could also help out in the relief corps.
Marlins To Sign Jorge Soler
The Marlins and outfielder Jorge Soler have agreed to a three-year, $36MM contract, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reports (Twitter links). Soler has opt-out clauses after each of the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Soler is represented by MVP Sports.
Soler will earn $12MM in the first year of the contract, as per FanSided’s Robert Murray (Twitter link). Provided he doesn’t opt out of the deal, Soler is slated to earn $15MM in 2023 and $9MM in 2024. Various incentives based on playing time could significantly boost that 2024 salary, as Soler gets an extra $500K for reaching the 350-plate appearance and 400-PA thresholds, and then a $1MM bonus for hitting 450 PA, 500 PA, and 550 PA.
The deal represents the second big free agent splurge of the winter for the Marlins, who also signed Avisail Garcia to a four-year, $53MM pact prior to the lockout. Miami went into the offseason with a stated need for outfield help and more lineup pop, and the result is two players who have combined for 154 homers since the start of the 2019 season.
Soler led the AL with 48 home runs during that 2019 campaign, one of the high points of what has been an inconsistent eight-year run in the majors for the 30-year-old. Both sides of the Soler experience was on display in 2021, when he began the season hitting only .192/.288/.370 with 13 homers over 360 plate appearances with the Royals.
After the Braves picked Soler up at the trade deadline, however, the switch seemed to be flipped. Soler proceeded to hit .269/.358/.524 with 14 home runs over 242 PA for his new team, and then topped that strong performance in the World Series, batting .300/.391/.800 with three more long balls during 23 PA in the Fall Classic. With Atlanta capturing the championship, Soler earned World Series MVP honors.
There was plenty of interest in Soler on the open market this winter, as the Braves were interested in a reunion, and clubs like the Rockies, Padres joined the Marlins as known suitors for the slugger. MLBTR ranked Soler 25th on our list of the winter’s top 50 free agents, and correctly predicted Soler’s actual three-year, $36MM contract. (Our Anthony Franco took the prognostication a step further and even picked Soler to sign with the Marlins.)
The challenge for any interested club, of course, was determining how much to bid for a player whose production has ebbed and flowed over the years. By that same logic, Soler and his representatives obviously wanted a solid deal that wouldn’t sell the outfielder short for future years if he did return to that 48-homer pace. The two opt-outs allow some flexibility in both cases, as if Soler does enjoy a big 2022 season, he can test the market again next winter.
If Soler did end up only being a Marlin for one season, the team might prefer the flexibility, given the continued uncertainty of Miami’s center field situation. General manager Kim Ng said earlier today that the team was on the lookout for center field help, though Garcia was cited as a possible center field candidate at the time of his signing.
With Soler now added to the mix, it would seem as though Garcia will be tapped for at least semi-regular center field duty, barring another move for the Fish. Jesus Sanchez can also get some work in center and will play regularly as a corner outfielder, while Soler will play every day in either the other corner slot or as the designated hitter. Garrett Cooper will likely get the other right field/DH spot that Soler doesn’t occupy, with Cooper and Jesus Aguilar also sharing time at first base.
Bryan De La Cruz will get one outfield bench spot, while minor league signings Delino DeShields and Roman Quinn could be battling for another bench role. Since DeShields has a stronger defensive track record, that might give him the edge in winning a job, especially if the Marlins seem to be prioritizing hitting over glovework with their other outfield choices.
The likes of Brian Anderson, Joey Wendle, or Jon Berti could also factor into the outfield picture, and future acquisitions can’t be ruled out during what has been a very aggressive offseason for the Marlins. Between the Soler/Garcia signings and the trades for Wendle and Jacob Stallings, the Fish are making a concerted effort to improve, and the free agent deals represent some notable expenditures for a traditionally lower-payroll team. Due to some reports that Derek Jeter‘s surprising departure as CEO was because of a change in ownership’s willingness to spend, the Soler contract will quiet some criticism directed at the franchise in the aftermath of Jeter’s decision.
If Soler doesn’t opt out and he hits his 2024 incentive clauses, the total value of the deal will top out at $40MM over three years, which isn’t a huge spend in comparison to other free agent contracts. That said, Miami native Nick Castellanos was another rumored Marlins target, and the Fish might’ve simply felt that spending $36MM (or as little as $12MM) on Soler was a better investment than topping the five-year, $100MM contract Castellanos received from the Phillies. Castellanos also would’ve cost the Marlins a draft pick via the qualifying offer, whereas Soler wasn’t attached to any draft compensation.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Marlins Looking For Center Fielder
5:40pm: Joe Frisaro of Man On Second Baseball tweets that Jorge Soler is the “most realistic free agent still possible” for the Marlins, though he also adds that trade talks with several teams are ongoing.
8:04am: The Marlins have been quiet on the free agent front since the lockout lifted. General Manager Kim Ng has expressed a desire to add another bat, particularly one who can play center field, but she’s not prepared to rush to make an addition that might not be the right fit, per MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola.
While the rest of the division has been busy making re-shaping their rosters, the Marlins have settled for backup plans in the form of minor league deals to fill their biggest need. Delino DeShields and Roman Quinn both have extensive experience in center, and if the Marlins aren’t able to find a more permanent solution, either speedster could factor into the Major League roster with a strong spring.
Otherwise, their big pre-lockout free agent signing, Avisail Garcia, will be one of the internal candidates to captain the outfield, along with Bryan De La Cruz, Jesus Sanchez, and utilityman Jon Berti. None are natural options for a full-time gig in center, however.
Monte Harrison, who might otherwise have been an option, was designated for assignment this week. The 26-year-old could still return, but he has yet to establish himself as a viable regular option anyhow. Lewis Brinson and Magneuris Sierra, two of the part-time players at the position in recent years, were released this offseason and now play for the Astros and Angels, respectively.
In the minors, 24-year-old JJ Bleday and 25-year-old Victor Victor Mesa are the most well-known prospect names that could potential play themselves into the mix at some point this season. Neither have appeared higher than Double-A, however.
But the fact is, center field is perhaps the toughest position to field these days. Free agency doesn’t offer much by way of regular options, with veterans like Kevin Pillar, Brett Gardner, Billy Hamilton, Brian Goodwin, Jarrod Dyson, and Juan Lagares making up the bulk of the remaining free agent pool with center field experience.
Thus, if the Marlins are going to find themselves a new center fielder, they’ll probably have to do so through trade routes. Ng can dangle third baseman/outfielder Brian Anderson as a potential trade chip, per Barry Jackson and Andre Fernandez of the Miami Herald. The offseason acquisition of Joey Wendle makes Anderson somewhat expendable, though likely only at the cost of filling their need in center.
Anderson should be an intriguing option for a team in need of some offensive pop. Anderson owns a career 111 wRC+ heading into his age-29 season, and he brings experience at third base and right field. Given his position on the defensive hierarchy, however, it’d likely take more than just Anderson to net the Marlins a comparable center fielder.
If the Marlins can’t find that player in the trade market, they could turn to adding another corner outfielder like Jorge Soler or Michael Conforto, notes De Nicola. Either one would fit comfortably into the corner outfield mix while pushing De La Cruz and Garcia into more regular playing time in center. The designated hitter role is also available to the Marlins, though they seem content with letting Jesus Aguilar and Garrett Cooper split time there, as well as at first base.
Outfield Market Rumors: Laureano, Castellanos, Soler, Pederson
While he isn’t drawing as many headlines as some of his teammates, Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano is among the team’s more popular trade targets, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Interest in Laureano is only natural, given Oakland’s willingness to listen on virtually any player and the dearth of center-field options remaining in free agency. That said, Laureano’s trade candidacy is a bit muddier than that of teammates like Matt Chapman, Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea and Lou Trivino.
The 27-year-old Laureano is currently in the midst of an 80-game PED ban that still has 27 games left to serve. Prior to the suspension, Laureano was on pace to reach free agency following the 2024 season, but the service time he’ll miss due to this suspension now makes it appear likely that his path to free agency will be pushed back until after the 2025 campaign. With a potential four seasons of control over Laureano as opposed to three, the A’s may be less inclined to part ways with him — or at least to ask a higher price in return.
Since coming over from the Astros as a generally unheralded prospect in the 2017-18 offseason, Laureano has given the A’s 313 games and 1257 plate appearances of .263/.335/.465 production while playing strong defense around the outfield. He’s swatted 49 home runs and swiped 34 bases in that time as well.
Some more notes on the outfield market as a whole…
- In the hours after Derek Jeter left the Marlins, reports indicated that part of the rift that had grown between Jeter and principal owner Bruce Sherman stemmed from a shift in Sherman’s payroll expectations. Nick Castellanos, in particular, was a rumored target of Jeter, with MLB Network’s Jon Heyman suggesting that Jeter had been willing to green-light a five-year offer for the front office to put forward. While Sherman himself pushed back on those reports just this week and emphasized that the Marlins plan to spend money post-lockout, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald tweets that the Marlins’ pursuit of Castellanos has indeed cooled off considerably. Ownership, according to Jackson, is no longer comfortable making that type of commitment to Castellanos. That said, Jackson emphasizes that the Castellanos shift is “not the main reason Jeter is gone” but rather one of many issues that contributed to the divide between Jeter and Sherman. Jackson writes that they’ve checked in with the reps for free agent corner outfielder Jorge Soler, who turned things around upon a midseason trade from the Royals to the Braves last season.
- The Guardians are among the teams with interest in free-agent outfielder Joc Pederson, tweets MLB.com’s Jon Morosi. Beyond center fielder Myles Straw, there’s little to no certainty in the Cleveland outfield. Highly-regarded prospect Steven Kwan appears ready for a look after a huge showing between Double-A and Triple-A last year, but he’s yet to actually make his MLB debut. Meanwhile, Bradley Zimmer and Oscar Mercado both turned in below-average performances at the plate. The Guardians seem all but certain to bring in some outfield help, and Pederson would make sense as a potential platoon pairing with Mercado, who batted .294/.381/.435 against lefties even in a down year overall.
- Thomas Harding of MLB.com tweets that the Rockies have also shown some interest in Joc Pederson. Colorado has been linked to bigger-ticket outfielders in their search for offensive help, although it seems Pederson’s at least on the radar as a possible fallback option. The past two seasons have been fairly disappointing for Pederson, who looked like a middle-of-the-order caliber bat (at least against right-handed pitching) during his early days with the Dodgers. Since the start of 2020, he’s a .227/.304/.416 hitter over 619 plate appearances.
Marlins Notes: Payroll, Castellanos, Center Field, Sixto
When the Marlins parted ways with Derek Jeter on March 1, reports in the immediate aftermath suggested that a rift had grown between Jeter and owner Bruce Sherman — in part due to a change in payroll expectation. Sherman, the team’s principal owner, pushed back on that notion in meeting with reporters today, plainly stating that the Marlins have money left to spend and plan to do just that (Twitter link via SportsGrid’s Craig Mish). That’s a subjective statement, of course, but it’ll be telling to see to what extent the Marlins are willing to further bolster the payroll.
Specifically, Jeter’s push to sign Nick Castellanos was reported to be a source of consternation. MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported last week that he’d been willing to offer at least five years to bring the Miami native into the fold, but it’s less clear that Castellanos remains a priority post-lockout. Longtime Marlins beat writer Joe Frisaro reports that the Fish remain interested in Castellanos but characterizes them as a “long shot” to win the bidding for his services (Twitter link).
Castellanos would add a much-needed bat to the mix, and Sherman indeed told reporters in his media session: “We need bats” (link via Mish). However, even with the advent of the universal designated hitter, Castellanos is a little bit of an imperfect fit from a roster construction standpoint. Miami already has several corner options, including Avisail Garcia, Jesus Sanchez, Garrett Cooper and Bryan De La Cruz. However, the Marlins don’t have a true everyday center fielder, and general manager Kim Ng said this morning that finding such an option is a priority (Twitter link, with video, via MLB.com’s Christina De Nicola).
Ng acknowledged that Garcia is an option in center field and that they discussed the possibility of him playing center while in the process of negotiating his four-year contract. However, there’s little doubt that Garcia is best suited for corner-outfield work, which is generally the case with all of the Marlins’ in-house options. The free-agent market is rather light on options at the moment, which helps to explain why Miami has repeatedly pursued a trade for Pittsburgh’s Bryan Reynolds. (Reynolds himself is best in a corner but also better defensively in center than Miami’s current options.) Presumably, they’re exploring additional options to roam center field.
Miami’s deep stock of pitching talent positions them nicely to pull of a trade for an outfielder, but their depth has taken at least something of a hit in recent months. Righty Zach Thompson went to the Pirates as part of the package to acquire catcher Jacob Stallings, and lefty Jake Eder underwent Tommy John surgery late in the 2021 season. It was also reported recently that righty Sixto Sanchez was behind schedule in his recovery from shoulder surgery, and Ng confirmed as much today (via Mish). Sanchez is currently shut down entirely and does not have a timetable to resume throwing. A recent MRI came back clean, Ng noted, but Sanchez had experienced discomfort when ramping up for the season.
Even still, the Marlins have Sandy Alcantara, Trevor Rogers, Pablo Lopez and Elieser Hernandez penciled into rotation spots, and there ought to be a spirited competition for the fifth starter’s job. Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, Braxton Garrett, Cody Poteet, Nick Neidert, Paul Campbell and Daniel Castano all started games in Miami last year. Ng said today that Cabrera will be late reporting to camp due to visa issues, which could put him a bit behind some of the others in terms of competing for that spot. Luzardo is the on-paper favorite for it, but a lot can change over the course of Spring Training. Injuries and performance can alter the picture, and it’s still possible that the Marlins include Hernandez in a deal to land an outfielder.
Marlins Sign Shawn Armstrong To Minors Deal
The Marlins have inked right-hander Shawn Armstrong to a minor league contract, according to The Miami Herald’s Craig Mish (Twitter link). Armstrong will get an invite to the Marlins’ Major League spring camp.
After finishing last season with the Rays, Armstrong will head to Florida’s other team and try to win a job in Miami’s bullpen. It was something of a nervous wait on the open market for the righty, as he recently discussed with the Tampa Bay Times’ Marc Topkin about how he was unable to sign even a minors contract despite being a minor league free agent, as Armstrong was one of those free agents considered locked out as per league regulations.
Armstrong has pitched in each of the last seven MLB seasons, and he posted a 6.75 ERA over 36 innings with the Orioles and Rays. Despite a solid 26.7% strikeout rate, Armstrong was hurt by allowing 10 homers over his rather small sample size of action. The 31-year-old hasn’t displayed much consistency over his 167 career innings, managing a 4.63 ERA over stints with Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Seattle, and Cleveland.
Marlins Sign Willians Astudillo To Minors Contract
The Marlins have signed Willians Astudillo to a minor league contract, according to reporter Arnold Santiago (Twitter link). The deal includes an invitation for “La Tortuga” to take part in the Marlins’ big league Spring Training camp.
Between his impressive ability to put the ball in play, his fan-friendly persona, and his ability to play almost anywhere on the diamond, Astudillo was a popular figure over his four seasons with the Twins. Astudillo’s high-contact approach hasn’t translated to much production at the plate, however, as he has batted .270/.295/.406 over 533 plate appearances at the Major League level.
The Marlins addressed their catching needs by trading for Jacob Stallings prior to the lockout, though since none of Alex Jackson, Payton Henry, or Nick Fortes has much MLB experience, Astudillo will provide some competition for the backup catching role. Given Astudillo’s versatility, Miami could deploy three catchers on the active roster, allowing Astudillo to provide depth at multiple other positions. The 30-year-old has played mostly as a catcher and corner infielder in the majors, but Astudillo has also made a handful of appearances as a second baseman, outfielder, and as a mop-up relief pitcher.
Astudillo was projected to earn $1.2MM in arbitration this season, but the Twins opted to release him in November, essentially giving him a brief jump on the non-tender market. The lockout delayed Astudillo from finding his next contract, but he has now found an interesting opportunity in Miami.
Minor MLB Transactions: 3/12/22
Catching up on some of the minor league signings on a busy day of transactions…
Latest Moves
- The Reds are releasing Alfredo Rodriguez, according to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon (via Twitter). Rodriguez was a highly-regarded member of the 2016-17 international signing class, and Cincinnati paid a hefty $7MM bonus to land the Cuban infielder. However, Rodriguez never produced much in the Reds’ farm system, hitting .260/.310/.321 with eight home runs over 1758 career minor league plate appearances.
Earlier Today
- The Tigers signed righty Miguel Diaz to a minor league deal, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (via Twitter). Diaz will be invited to the club’s MLB Spring Training camp, and he’ll earn $800K if he makes Detroit’s big league roster. A Rule 5 Draft acquisition out of the Brewers’ farm system in 2016, Diaz posted a 6.62 ERA over 66 2/3 innings with San Diego from 2017-19 before knee surgery put him on the shelf for much of the 2019 campaign. Returning to the Show in 2021, Diaz had a much more respectable 3.64 ERA over 42 relief innings for the Padres last season, but had trouble limiting home runs and walks. This led the Padres outright Diaz following the season, and he elected free agency.
- The Dodgers have signed right-hander Reyes Moronta to a minor league deal and invited him to their big league Spring Training camp, MLB.com’s Juan Toribio reports. Moronta will lock in a $1.5MM salary if he makes Los Angeles’ active roster, adds ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez. A shoulder surgery sidelined Moronta for the entire 2020 season and he made only four appearances this past year for the Giants before a flexor strain sent to the injured list and then the minors for the bulk of the 2021 campaign. San Francisco outrighted him off its 40-man roster after the season and Moronta opted to test free agency, and the 29-year-old will now get a chance to revive his career wit the Giants’ chief NL West rival. Before injuries curtailed his production, Moronta had a very solid 2.66 ERA and 29.8% strikeout rate over 128 1/3 relief innings for the Giants in 2016-18, albeit with a 13.6% walk rate.
- The Marlins signed righty Jimmy Yacabonis to a minor league deal, as per young reporter Hayes Mish (off a tip from his father, Craig Mish of The Miami Herald). Yacabonis spent 2021 with the Mariners’ Triple-A affiliate in Tacoma, marking the first season since 2016 that he hadn’t seen any big league action. Over 104 career MLB innings with the Orioles and Mariners, Yacabonis has a 5.71 ERA.
Marlins Sign Roman Quinn To Minor League Deal
The Marlins have signed outfielder Roman Quinn to a minor league contract, according to Craig Mish of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Quinn’s deal contains an invitation to the Marlins’ big league spring camp.
After spending all 10 of his professional seasons with the Phillies, Quinn will remain in the NL East and look for both a fresh start and some long overdue good health in Miami. Injuries have been the story of Quinn’s career, including the 2021 season — Quinn was limited to 28 games due to a finger laceration, and then a serious left Achilles injury that required season-ending surgery in June.
With such a checkered health history, it isn’t surprising that the switch-hitting Quinn hasn’t shown much (.228/.306/.355) over 512 plate appearances and 178 games with the Phils from 2016-21. Still, his MLB career does represent essentially just one season of playing time, and Quinn has been productive at the minor league level. A second-round pick for Philadelphia in the 2011 draft, Quinn received some top-100 prospect buzz during his time in the Phillies’ farm system.
The minors contract represents no risk for the Marlins in seeing what Quinn can offer in the wake of his Achilles surgery. His initial recovery time was projected as 9-12 months, so Quinn may not be quite back at close to 100 percent for spring camp, yet the Marlins could also continue to monitor his progress in extended Spring Training or at the Triple-A level. If all goes well, Quinn could factor in Miami’s outfield depth plans, as the 28-year-old has showed the ability to play all three positions on the grass.
Adam Conley To Retire
Former Marlins and Rays pitcher Adam Conley is retiring, reports Christina De Nicola of MLB.com (Twitter link). The left-hander steps away from the game after an 11-year professional career that included parts of six big league seasons.
The then-Florida Marlins selected Conley out of Washington State University in the second round of the 2011 draft. Over the next few years, he was regarded as one of the better arms in the Marlins system, and he debuted in the majors in 2015. Conley immediately offered capable mid-rotation production, pitching to a 3.82 ERA and holding opponents to a .253/.335/.398 slash line in 200 1/3 combined innings over his first two seasons.
Things went off the rails in 2017, though. Conley’s average fastball velocity dropped around two MPH (from 91.9 to 90) and his strikeout rate ticked down. He allowed a 6.14 ERA in 22 outings before hitting the injured list with finger tendinitis that August. The following season, the Fish moved Conley to the bullpen.
He rather remarkably added more than five ticks to his heater in relief, averaging north of 95 MPH in 2018. Conley pitched to a decent 4.09 ERA in 50 2/3 innings out of the ‘pen that season, but he struggled in 2019. He didn’t pitch at all in 2020, as he spent a month on the COVID-19 injured list before Miami designated him for assignment and outrighted him off their 40-man roster. Conley signed with the Rakuten Golden Eagles of Nippon Professional Baseball last winter but returned stateside in May after Japan’s pandemic protocols prevented his family from joining him in Sendai.
The 31-year-old signed a minor league deal with Tampa Bay last season and was selected onto the big league club in August. He worked 19 2/3 innings of 2.29 ERA ball down the stretch. The Rays nevertheless designated him for assignment after the season and he became a minor league free agent upon clearing waivers.
There’s little doubt Conley could’ve at least gotten another minors deal with an invitation to big league camp this spring had he wanted to keep pitching. He’s apparently decided to step away from the game instead, leaving with a 4.71 ERA over 434 MLB innings. Conley started 56 of his 191 appearances at the highest level. He struck out 374 batters and picked up 25 wins, five saves and 22 holds. MLBTR congratulates Conley on a fine career and wishes him all the best in his post-playing endeavors.