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Red Sox Interested In Martin Prado-David Phelps Package

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With the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline nearing, the Red Sox have interest in acquiring a package consisting of third baseman Martin Prado and reliever David Phelps from the Marlins, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (on Twitter).

The Red Sox’s interest in Prado isn’t anything new, as both Nightengale and Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe have reported that they’re eyeing the 33-year-old. However, Cafardo noted Saturday that the Red Sox have reservations about Prado’s contract, which will see him earn another $34MM through 2019. Boston wants Miami to eat some of the money remaining on Prado’s deal, and given that the Marlins seem to be in payroll-slashing mode, it’s possible they’d be open to that.

The Sox would be the sixth team for Prado, who has generally been a quality contributor throughout his career. That hasn’t been the case this year, though, as Prado has slashed an uninspiring .270/.302/.385 during an injury-affected, 129-plate appearance campaign. Unfortunately for first-place Boston, the numbers that its third basemen have posted this year pale in comparison to Prado’s lackluster output. The combination of Deven Marrero, Josh Rutledge, Pablo Sandoval, Marco Hernandez, Tzu-Wei Lin and Steve Selsky has batted an ugly .231/.288/.327 en route the majors’ third-worst fWAR at the position (minus-0.4). Among that group, only Marrero and Lin are both healthy and at the major league level at the moment, while Selsky is at Triple-A. Of course, the Red Sox have a much more prominent third base option in the minors in Double-A standout Rafael Devers, Baseball America’s sixth-ranked prospect, but they’re not eager to promote the 20-year-old yet.

While the hot corner has caused headaches for Boston, its bullpen has been a strength. The unit entered Sunday ranked third in baseball in ERA and fifth in fWAR, with each of Craig Kimbrel, Joe Kelly, Matt Barnes, Heath Hembree, Fernando Abad and Blaine Boyer having logged production ranging from respectable to great. Phelps would make the unit all the more formidable (but would also join Kimbrel, Kelly, Barnes, Hembree and Boyer in providing yet another righty option), though acquiring him isn’t going to be easy.

Half the league has contacted the Marlins about Phelps, who’s amid his second straight solid year and his first as a full-time reliever. On a reasonable salary now ($4.6MM) and controllable via arbitration through 2018, the 30-year-old has notched a 3.56 ERA, 9.63 K/9, 3.35 BB/9 and a 46.4 percent ground-ball rate over 43 innings this season. For their part, the Marlins are willing to move Phelps, who has already been in a package deal with Prado in the past. The Red Sox’s chief rivals, the Yankees, sent the duo to Miami prior to the 2015 campaign. Boston is now trying to fend off the playoff-contending Yankees in the AL East, and the Sox could turn to two former Bombers to boost their chances.

Marlins Outright Jeff Locke

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JULY 9: The Marlins announced that Locke has cleared waivers and been outrighted to Triple-A.

JULY 4: The Marlins have designated left-hander Jeff Locke for assignment, the team announced.  Righty Drew Steckenrider has been called up from Triple-A New Orleans in a corresponding move.

[Updated Marlins depth chart at Roster Resource]

Locke signed a one-year, $3.025MM deal with Miami last winter to add some depth to the back of the Marlins’ rotation, though his tenure with the club simply hasn’t gotten on track.  Locke missed most of Spring Training with bicep tendinitis and didn’t make his season debut until June 1.  In seven starts and 32 IP, Locke has an ugly 8.16 ERA, though ERA indicators (4.55 FIP, 4.99 xFIP, 5.04 SIERA) are somewhat more forgiving considering Locke’s .365 BABIP and 52.5% strand rate.  The low point was last night’s disastrous start against the Cardinals that saw Locke charged with 11 earned runs in 2 2/3 innings.

Never a big strikeout pitcher, Locke’s 7.31 K/9 is actually a career high, though he hasn’t helped his cause with a 4.22 BB/9.  Locke’s grounder rate is also down from his career norms, and he is on pace for both a career-high in hard-hit balls allowed (35.1%) and a career low in soft contact (12.6%).

Locke entered the season with a decent track record as an innings-eater during his previous stint with the Pirates, though his performance took a sharp decline in 2016 and he lost his job in Pittsburgh’s rotation.  The Marlins had considered using Locke in a bullpen role this season, so it’s possible another team (or even Miami, should Locke stay in the organization) could look into adding him as some left-handed or long relief depth.  Locke has just under $1.5MM owed to him for the year, so interested teams could wait until he clears waivers, which would leave the Marlins responsible for that remaining salary (minus the prorated MLB minimum, which would be covered by a new team).

Yankees, Red Sox Leery Of Martin Prado's Contract

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  • The Red Sox and Yankees have checked in on Marlins third baseman Martin Prado, as Bob Nightengale of USA Today previously reported, but Cafardo relays that Boston and New York have concerns over the 33-year-old’s contract. Prado is due roughly $34MM through 2019, which is problematic for both teams because they’re trying to stay under the $197MM luxury tax threshold. As such, the Red Sox and Yankees have asked the Marlins to eat some of the money on Prado’s deal. Injuries have limited Prado to just 123 plate appearances this season, and he has hit a meager .282/.309/.402. Nevertheless, both the Sox and Yankees admire his “leadership, hustle, and devotion to the game,” writes Cafardo. The Bombers are already quite familiar with Prado, of course, as he spent the second half of the 2014 campaign in the Bronx.

    [SOURCE LINK]

Latest On Marlins’ Trade Candidates, Potential Sale

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Here’s the latest from the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson on Jeffrey Loria’s attempts to sell the Marlins, as well as some news on the team’s trade plans…

  • The Marlins have yet to engage in serious talks with any team about Giancarlo Stanton, though they’re open to listening to offers for the star slugger.  Stanton’s availability isn’t really a surprise since Miami is reportedly willing to discuss trading any player on a multi-year deal, though obviously a Stanton trade would be the biggest possible move the Fish could make.  Stanton’s enormous contract, opt-out clause after the 2020 season and his full no-trade protection are significant obstacles in any deal, though potentially not insurmountable ones, as FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal recently outlined.
  • The Marlins would like to keep J.T. Realmuto.  The 26-year-old has emerged as one of baseball’s best catchers over the last two years, and he is controllable through the 2020 season.  Another controllable young star, Justin Bour, is drawing attention from the Yankees but “the Marlins are not going to give away” Bour for anything less than a big price, Jackson writes.  Marcell Ozuna (in his arbitration years) and Christian Yelich (locked up on a long-term extension) are available but only for “a substantial return.”
  • A source connected to one of the ownership groups competing to buy the Marlins doesn’t believe that a fire sale of large salaries would help move a sale along.  A new owner would want a say in such notable player moves, the source said.  Cutting payroll is standard operating procedure for teams selling at the deadline, of course, though MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has said that a fire sale would first need to be discussed with the league office.
  • “Things are moving in the right direction” between the Marlins and the ownership group led by Wayne Rothbaum and Tagg Romney, according to a source.  Jackson hears from three sources that the Rothbaum/Romney group hasn’t withdrawn its bid and is willing to buy the team at the right price.  The Marlins turned down the group’s $1.1 billion bid but wants to continue talks, as the Rothbaum/Romney group has the means to meet the club’s initial $1.2 billion asking price.
  • Miami businessman Jorge Mas also doesn’t value the team at the $1.2 billion price, though he could ultimately make an offer close to that number.  Mas and his group are reviewing the Marlins’ financial records and still deciding on how much to bid for the team.  The Marlins turned down Mas’ request for an exclusive negotiating window of 10 days, in order to keep the groups led by Derek Jeter and Rothbaum/Romney involved in talks.
  • Some in the competing groups have been “frustrated” by the Marlins’ patience with Jeter’s group, as the former Yankees superstar has been having difficulty finding investors to make a competitive bid.  Jeter was initially partnered with former Florida governor Jeb Bush, though Bush left the ownership group in May, with one of the issues reportedly stemming from how little of his own money Jeter was investing in the bid.  “There have been no serious discussions” of Jeter and Mas partnering together, Jackson writes.

Marlins Place Edinson Volquez On 10-Day DL

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The Marlins announced yesterday that right-hander Edinson Volquez was placed on the 10-day DL with left knee tendinitis.  Recent reports have stated that Volquez’s knee issue isn’t very serious, and the placement appears designed mostly to extend his rest while keeping an extra player on hand — four of Volquez’s minimum 10 days will be taken up by the All-Star break, of course.  In a big-picture sense, the Marlins may want to ensure that Volquez is healthy and fully rested to put on a few more showcase outings before rivals decide whether to pursue him at the trade deadline.

Marlins Notes: Trade Targets, Volquez, Sale Progress

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Here’s the latest out of Miami:

  • With the team set to be sold at some point in the near future, the Marlins appear to be lining up for some significant moves at the deadline. As Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald reports, the Fish appear to be targeting a few organizations in particular as they look to shop their biggest contracts. Marlins scouts are taking a hard look at the systems of the Yankees, Red Sox, Brewers, Rockies, and Cubs, per the report. Whether that’s based upon demand coming from those organizations or instead Miami’s own interest in certain prospects isn’t entirely clear; obviously, plenty of other teams will likely end up engaging with the Marlins in what is shaping up to be an interesting deadline period.
  • Miami is not concerned about righty Edinson Volquez, Spencer also notes. Though he experienced left-knee discomfort in his most recent start, skipper Don Mattingly suggested the veteran will be ready to go after the All-Star break. He could well be one of the players dangled in trade talks over the next few weeks.
  • The less-than-straightforward Marlins sale process remains in flux as the organization prepares to host the All-Star Game. Bidding groups led by Tagg Romney, on the one hand, and Derek Jeter, on the other, have each run into issues, according to a report from Claire Atinson, Ken Davidoff, and Josh Kosman of the New York Post. In fact, the Romney group may even have pulled out of the process altogether, per the report. Jeter’s group, meanwhile, no longer has the backing of one key investor. That could place a third bidder, Jorge Mas, in position to make a deal. But it’s also possible that Jeter could try to “convince MLB to push back a decision date … possibly to the end of the season in October,” sources tell the Post.
  • Mas has attempted to get the Marlins to agree to an exclusive negotiating window, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag, but that has yet to occur. Still, the report suggests, the process could be only weeks away from completion. While Mas is said to be in the driver’s seat, Heyman hears that the Romney-led group may still be involved.

2017 Opt-Out Clause Update

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It’s been more than a month since we last looked in on the crop of eight players that can opt out of their current contracts and reenter the free-agent market following the 2017 campaign. With more than half the season in the books, a few cases look relatively certain, but there are plenty of questions surrounding several such players…

[Related: 2018 Vesting Options Update]

  • Greg Holland, RP, Rockies: Holland’s $10MM mutual option became a $15MM player option when he finished his 30th game of the season for the Rox a little more than a week ago. His recent brush with wildness is of mild concern, but Holland has a ridiculous 1.48 ERA with 11.9 K/9, 4.2 BB/9 and a 39.7 percent ground-ball rate. In a year when homers are being hit more than ever and he’s tackling Coors Field for the first time, Holland has managed to limit opponents to just one big fly in 30 1/3 innings. So long as his arm holds up for the remainder of the season — no sure thing considering this is his first year back from 2015 Tommy John surgery — he’ll 100 percent turn down that player option in search of a huge multi-year deal. Agent Scott Boras will undoubtedly look to vault Mark Melancon’s four-year, $62MM pact and could seek a five-year deal.
  • Johnny Cueto, SP, Giants: Cueto is still a workhorse, by today’s standards, as he’s on pace to reach 200 innings for the fourth straight year if he can make 33 starts. He’s logged a 3.97 ERA in eight starts since we last looked at the opt-out crop, though he continues to be abnormally homer prone (though that’s a league-wide trend, as homers are up across the board). Cueto has a 4.26 ERA with 8.2 K/9, 2.7 40BB/9 and a 40.3 percent ground-ball rate. If he can rediscover his pinpoint control and/or his grounder rate from previous years (1.8 BB/9, 50.2 GB% in 2016), he could make this an easier decision come October. Cueto still ranks third on MLBTR’s Free Agent Power Rankings, and FanRag’s Jon Heyman has reported that he’s still planning to opt out of the remaining four years and $84MM on his deal. I think there’s a decent chance he once again hits the open market in search of a five-year deal in the Jordan Zimmermann mold.
  • Welington Castillo, C, Orioles: Castillo’s bat has seen a precipitous decline in effectiveness since our mid-May check-in on opt-out clauses, as he’s batted .205/.250/.349 in 88 plate appearances since that time. He perhaps deserves somewhat of a pass, given the cringe-inducing groin injury he suffered on an ill-placed foul ball deflection that landed him on the DL for 10 days in late May/early June. His overall .272/.307/.439 slash is solid for a catcher, and he’s thrown out a ridiculous 48 percent of opposing stolen base attempts (12-for-25). Framing will probably never be his strong suit, but he’s made some incremental improvements in recent years (though he still grades out below average). With a fairly small one-year, $7MM player option on his deal, it’s certainly plausible that Castillo hits free agency this winter and scores a better payday than that option would afford.
  • Justin Upton, LF, Tigers: I understand the doubt around the possibility of Upton turning away an extra four years and $88.5MM to once again test free agency this winter; he’s 30 years old with questionable defensive value and a strikeout that has soared since his peak year in Arizona. Corner-limited sluggers also fared quite poorly on last year’s market, for the most part. Nonetheless, Upton is having his best offensive season since 2014 and is hitting .267/.351/.500 with 15 homers. Dating back to last year’s All-Star break, he’s slashing .264/.344/.537 with 37 bombs in 575 plate appearances. He’d need a big finish to be confident enough to top four years and $88MM, but that’s the same mark Hanley Ramirez signed for in Boston when he was a year older. If Upton’s camp feels that there’s a chance to approach the $110MM that Yoenis Cespedes received on a four-year pact last winter (again, when he was a year older than Upton), Upton’s reps could elect to search elsewhere. He can’t receive a qualifying offer this time around.
  • Matt Wieters, C, Nationals: Wieters is hitting .205/.224/.328 through 125 plate appearances since the last time we checked in on this group. Overall, he’s batting .244/.293/.384 with a substandard 22 percent caught-stealing rate and the worst framing marks of his career. It’s possible that the one year, $10.5MM player option on his contract is still beatable in a thin market for catching this coming winter, but opting into the deal and remaining with a competitive team is going to look pretty appealing if he can’t get his bat going once again.
  • Masahiro Tanaka, SP, Yankees: Tanaka has picked a poor time to have the worst season of his career, though he’s showing signs of life on the mound. He’s tossed 14 innings with a 14-to-4 K/BB ratio and a huge ground-ball rate in his past two starts and also gone without a home run allowed in that brief stretch. Tanaka is still sitting on a 5.56 ERA with an awful 2.1 HR/9 mark, but he’s averaging 8.9 K/9 and 2.5 BB/9 with a 49.3 percent ground-ball rate. xFIP is much more favorable than his ERA at 3.87, and SIERA agrees with a 3.91 mark. Three of his past four starts have been brilliant, and if he can continue that momentum he could still do better than the three years and $67MM remaining on his contract and hit the open market in search of a larger deal. Age is on his side as well. He’ll turn just 29 this winter.
  • Ian Kennedy, SP, Royals: The 32-year-old Kennedy’s walk and strikeout rates have gone in the wrong direction by a substantial amount this season, and he’s more homer-prone than ever (1.9 HR/9). Starting pitching is almost always in heavy demand on the free-agent market (as Kennedy’s five-year, $70MM deal and opt-out clause illustrate), but he’s sporting a 4.72 ERA with FIP, xFIP and SIERA marks all well north of 5.00. Barring a miraculous turnaround, he’s not topping the remaining three years and $49MM on his deal as a free agent this winter, so expect him to stay in Kansas City.
  • Wei-Yin Chen, SP: Marlins: Chen hasn’t thrown a single pitch since we last checked in on May 22, as he continues to attempt to work his way back from a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. With three years and $52MM remaining on his contract, he’s a lock to forgo his opt-out provision.

NL International Signings: 7/2/17

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Here are some notable National League international signings not yet covered elsewhere on MLB Trade Rumors.  All signing information can be found in these invaluable compilations of the initial flurry of July 2 action from Baseball America’s Ben Badler and MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez; the information here is from those sources unless otherwise credited…

  • The Mets agreed to deals with Dominican shortstops Ronny Mauricio and Adrian Hernandez.  Mauricio will get a $2.1MM bonus while Hernandez receives $1.5MM.
  • The Phillies reached agreement with Dominican shortstop Luis Garcia on a deal with a $2.5MM bonus.
  • The Marlins have agree to sign Ynmanol Marinez, a shortstop from the Dominican Republic.  The exact figures on Marinez’s bonus aren’t known, though the 16-year-old will get in the neighborhood of $1.3MM-$1.5MM.
  • The Brewers agreed to sign Dominican outfielder Larry Ernesto for a bonus in the range of $1.7MM-$1.8MM (BA had the lower figure, MLB.com the higher).  Milwaukee has also reached a deal with Venezuelan outfielder Carlos Rodriguez for a $1.355MM bonus.
  • The Cubs agreed to sign Mexican shortstop Luis Verdugo for a $1MM bonus.
  • The Diamondbacks have an agreement with outfielder Kristian Robinson.  The 16-year-old native of Nassau, Bahamas will receive $2.5MM from Arizona.

Rosenthal: Trading Giancarlo Stanton More Realistic Than It Looks

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Marlins right fielder Giancarlo Stanton’s mammoth contract isn’t as immovable as it appears, says FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal (video link). Stanton has a full no-trade clause, but he’ll likely waive it if the up-for-sale Marlins begin tearing things down, which Rosenthal expects to happen. Further, Stanton would even “talk about his 2020 opt-out,” according to Rosenthal, who points out that the Marlins could facilitate a deal by eating some of the $295MM left on his accord or taking back an expensive contract from a potential trading partner. Rosenthal adds that Stanton’s annual $25MM luxury tax number won’t seem nearly as burdensome as it currently does when soon-to-be free agents such as Bryce Harper and Manny Machado sign more expensive deals.

David Phelps Drawing Strong Interest

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  • Elsewhere in the division, the Marlins are lining up to sell barring a sudden turnaround, with their relief corps looking to be an area of focus for rival organizations. Indeed, the Fish have already been contacted by half the teams in baseball about righty David Phelps, MLB.com’s Joe Frisaro tweets. That may be due to the fact that the team just pushed to move the salary of shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, perhaps leading other organizations to smell some blood in the water. Surely, though, Miami will wait to allow interest to build to maximize the return on Phelps, who has continued to pitch well after a breakout 2016 season.
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