AL East Trade Deadline Recap
With the deadline in the rearview mirror, we’ll look back at each AL East team’s trade activity over the past month.
Baltimore Orioles
- Acquired two players to be named later from Braves for LHP Tommy Milone
- Acquired IF Tyler Nevin, IF Terrin Vavra and a player to be named later from Rockies for RHP Mychal Givens
- Acquired LHP Kevin Smith and a player to be named later or cash from Mets for RHP Miguel Castro
Boston Red Sox
- Acquired RHP Nick Pivetta and RHP Connor Seabold from Phillies for RHP Heath Hembree and RHP Brandon Workman
- Acquired IF Hudson Potts and OF Jeisson Rosario from Padres for 1B Mitch Moreland
- Acquired a player to be named later from Cubs for LHP Josh Osich
- Acquired a player to be named later and international bonus pool space from Rockies for OF Kevin Pillar
New York Yankees
- Acquired RHP Addison Russ from Phillies for RHP David Hale
- Acquired C Rob Brantly from Giants for cash considerations
Tampa Bay Rays
- Acquired RHP Edgar García from Phillies for a player to be named later
- Acquired cash considerations from Giants for INF Daniel Robertson
- Acquired OF Brett Phillips from Royals for INF Lucius Fox
- Acquired LHP Cody Reed from Reds for RHP Riley O’Brien
- Acquired two players to be named later or cash considerations from Cubs for 1B/DH José Martínez
- Acquired cash considerations from Giants for LHP Anthony Banda
Toronto Blue Jays
- Acquired 1B/DH Dan Vogelbach from Mariners for cash considerations
- Acquired RHP Taijuan Walker from Mariners for a player to be named later
- Acquired LHP Robbie Ray from Diamondbacks for LHP Travis Bergen
- Acquired INF/OF Jonathan Villar from Marlins for a player to be named later (reportedly OF Griffin Conine)
- Acquired RHP Ross Stripling from Dodgers for two players to be named later
Latest On Lance Lynn Trade Talks
The Rangers have already shipped out starter Mike Minor to the A’s, so now all eyes are on righty Lance Lynn. The 33-year-old righty sports a 3.33 ERA in 41 starts for the Rangers since they signed him prior to the 2019 season, and he’s under contract for just $8MM in 2021. Joel Sherman of the New York Post hears that the Rangers may be motivated to avoid repeating the mistake they made with Minor, holding him last summer when he was at peak value with control remaining.
- The Braves, who picked up lefty Tommy Milone in a deal with the Orioles yesterday, have been in contact with the Rangers regarding Lynn within the last 48 hours, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.
- The Yankees have also been involved in Lynn’s market during that time, tweets Morosi. Lynn’s resurgence began with his two-month stint with the Yankees back in 2018. MLB.com’s T.R. Sullivan notes that the Rangers “would love RHP Deivi Garcia from the Yankees but he is likely out of reach.” On a similar note, Sherman hears the Yankees don’t have an appetite to move Garcia, to date.
- The Padres “explored separate trades” with the Rangers for Lynn and outfielder Joey Gallo before acquiring Mike Clevinger from the Indians, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. I would speculate that with Clevinger tow, it’s (relatively) safe to assume the Padres are out on Lynn. Similarly, the A’s were previously connected to Lynn but have since landed Minor.
- Previous connections to Lynn have been made for the Twins, Blue Jays, and White Sox, so those teams may still be in play. According to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca, the Jays had been linked to Minor before he was dealt to Oakland, and the Rangers “are intrigued by [the] Jays’ young catching.”
Latest On Mike Clevinger
AUG. 31: The Blue Jays “don’t seem to be heavily involved on Clevinger,” according to Heyman, who lists the Padres, Braves and perhaps the White Sox as teams that appear to be in the mix.
AUG. 30, 9:48PM: The Blue Jays also have interest in Clevinger, Heyman tweets, but it isn’t known if Toronto is the “mystery team.”
8:07PM: Speculation continues to swirl about a possible Mike Clevinger trade, with multiple reports surfacing earlier tonight that the Padres had seemingly moved into the driver’s seat for the Indians righty. The most recent word, however, is that other teams may have pulled ahead of San Diego, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale (Twitter links) reports that the Tribe “have requested players’ physicals from at least two teams” but haven’t asked the Padres to submit such information.
A mystery team has made a better offer for Clevinger than the Padres, Nightengale writes. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (Twitter links) reported earlier tonight that the Braves were still in the Clevinger sweepstakes even though the Padres were the “frontrunners” at the time, and two rival executives told Feinsand that Atlanta could very well be the team “making an aggressive play” to now top San Diego’s offer. Top outfield prospect Drew Waters was reportedly part of the Indians’ trade ask from the Braves, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (via Twitter).
The Padres don’t seem to be willing to move either Trent Grisham or Jake Cronenworth, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (Twitter links), which could be a roadblock in a potential Clevinger trade. Also from Heyman, the Yankees don’t appear to be the mystery team in the Clevinger hunt, as there is “no belief anything’s close” between New York and Cleveland.
The White Sox and Dodgers were also rumored to be interested in Clevinger earlier today, and with this much buzz around the right-hander, one wonders how close Cleveland might get to someone meeting its reportedly “ridiculous” asking price in any Clevinger trade.
Central News & Rumors: Hader, Burnes, Twins, Norris, Romine, Tigers, Chatwood, Gio
The Brewers are receiving a lot of interest on Josh Hader and Corbin Burnes, MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reports (all links to Twitter), though there isn’t any sign that Milwaukee would consider moving either reliever for anything less than a major offer, particularly for Hader. Brett Anderson or David Phelps are perhaps more realistic options to be dealt if the Brewers opt to move an arm. The Yankees and Twins are two of the clubs who have been in touch with the Brew Crew about Hader, but there hasn’t been much indication that talks led anywhere.
Let’s dive into some news and trade buzz from around both the NL and AL Central divisions…
- The Tigers are drawing interest in catcher Austin Romine and left-hander Daniel Norris, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports in both a tweet and a longer notes column. The Rays are one team linked to Norris, who has impressed by posting a 2.40 ERA, 7.2 K/9, and 4.00 K/BB rate over 15 innings. The former second-round draft pick has been plagued by injuries throughout his career and missed part of Summer Camp recovering from a positive COVID-19 test, though he has performed well as a multi-inning reliever for the Tigers this year. Romine has also enjoyed a strong season with a .291/.309/.418 slash line over 81 PA, though his trade chip status could have a late wrinkle — the Tigers scratched him from today’s lineup due to right knee soreness.
- Tyler Chatwood left today’s outing due to right elbow discomfort, according to the Cubs. The righty bounced a pitch to the plate in the third inning, with manager David Ross telling ESPN.com’s Jesse Rogers and other reporters that Chatwood initially felt a problem while throwing a breaking ball on the previous pitch. Chatwood was making his second start back from the injured list after missing much of August with a back strain. Elbow problems aren’t good news for any pitcher, though it is particularly concerning in Chatwood’s case since he already has a Tommy John surgery on his record.
- The injury bug also struck on the south side of Chicago, as the White Sox placed left-hander Gio Gonzalez on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to August 27) with a right groin strain. Gonzalez’s first year with the Sox hasn’t been a smooth one, as he has a 5.11 ERA over 24 2/3 innings and a 1.5 HR/9 that is almost twice his 0.8 career average. His most recent outing was, intriguingly, 3 2/3 inning of shutout relief against the Cubs, which could hint at Gonzalez’s role for the White Sox when he returns from the IL.
Starling Marte, Archie Bradley Drawing Trade Interest
10:58PM: The Diamondbacks informed teams earlier this month that they were open to discussing almost anyone on the roster, the Arizona Republic’s Nick Piecoro reports. Ketel Marte, Zac Gallen, and Christian Walker were among the club’s few untouchables.
6:14PM: With a 1-10 record over their last 11 games, the Diamondbacks are listening to offers heading into the trade deadline. The Snakes are “open” to discussing such major names as Starling Marte and Archie Bradley, according to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (Twitter link). In a longer subscription-only notes post, Rosenthal reports that the Astros have shown interest in Bradley, while the New York Post’s Joel Sherman reports that the Yankees have “checked in” on Marte’s availability.
While the Yankees are loaded with outfielders on paper, injuries to Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have thinned the depth, and Aaron Hicks just left today’s game with a potential injury to his leg. Marte would presumably immediately take over as the everyday center fielder, with Brett Gardner, Mike Tauchman, Clint Frazier, and Hicks if he’s healthy all handling corner outfield (and maybe DH alongside Mike Ford) duties until Judge and Stanton return.
Marte would also provide New York with potential longer-term help, as his contract contains a $12.5MM club option ($1MM buyout) for the 2021 season. Barring something unforeseen, the Yankees would surely exercise that option rather than let Marte leave for nothing, though they could potentially pick up Marte’s option and then flip him in another trade. Or, having Marte around to provide All-Star level production for at least one year could make the Yankees more open to moving Tauchman or Frazier in a deal this winter. (Assuming, hypothetically, that neither would be included as part of a Marte trade with Arizona in the first place.) Adding yet another outfielder with control could also spell the end of Gardner’s long tenure in the Bronx, as Gardner will himself be a free agent this winter if the Yankees decline their $10MM option on his services for 2021.
“The Yankees are believed to not want to add much, if any salary,” Sherman writes, which could be a complicating factor in a potential Marte trade. The veteran is earning the prorated portion of an original $11.5MM salary, and is owed a little under $2MM for the remainder of the 2020 campaign.
It was a little more than seven months ago that Marte was part of another major swap, coming to the D’Backs from the Pirates in a trade that Arizona thought would bolster the lineup of a potential contender. While Marte has done his part (entering today with a .322/.396/.458 slash line over 134 PA), the Diamondbacks as a whole have underachieved, leading to the team’s pivot to being deadline sellers.
The Astros were already known to be looking at Robbie Ray as a potential addition, and now have apparently cast their eyes towards another arm in Bradley. Like Marte, Bradley is also controlled through 2021, as Bradley has one more year of arbitration eligibility and should be due for a nice raise on his $4.1MM salary for 2020. The Astros could see Bradley as a boost to both their 2020 and 2021 teams, as Roberto Osuna‘s uncertain injury situation might yet lead to Osuna missing 2021 due to Tommy John surgery.
The righty has performed well as Arizona’s closer, posting a 3.60 ERA, 10.8 K/9, and 4.00 K/BB rate over 10 innings entering today’s play. While Bradley hasn’t surrendered any homers, Statcast indicates that Bradley has enjoyed some good luck (a .318 wOBA that is far beneath his .418 xwOBA) considering all the hard contact he allows.
White Sox, Indians Reportedly Discussing Mike Clevinger Trade
The White Sox and Indians are “actively involved” in trade talks surrounding Cleveland right-hander Mike Clevinger, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Jon Heyman of MLB Network adds the Braves, Yankees, Padres and Dodgers among Clevinger’s pursuers, adding that the right-hander has a “good chance” to be dealt.
As recently as Friday, it seemed unlikely Clevinger would go anywhere, with Cleveland apparently setting an extremely high price tag on him. The price tag seemingly remains high. Heyman hears that Cleveland would want big league talent in return (Twitter link), while Robert Murray reports that the initial ask was “four quality prospects.”
Clevinger’s violation of the Indians’ coronavirus protocols and subsequent demotion are well-known at this point and have made him an interesting trade candidate, although there’s no urgency (at least from an on-field perspective) for Cleveland to move him. Clevinger is controlled through 2022 via arbitration and has offered front-end production for most of the past four years.
The Braves and Yankees have been known to be targeting starting pitching, and Heyman adds that the Padres are seeking another starter. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are targeting players with multiple years of control, manager Dave Roberts told reporters (including Bill Punkett of the Orange County Register), so Clevinger fits the bill.
The White Sox are also in the market for starters (even more so with Gio González hitting the injured list this afternoon), although a Clevinger deal would be extremely surprising. Players of his caliber with multiple years of control are seldom traded within the division, even less often between two immediate contenders.
Yankees Activate DJ LeMahieu From Injured List
The Yankees have activated DJ LeMahieu from the 10-day injured list, the team announced. Miguel Andujar has been optioned back to the club’s alternate training site in a corresponding move.
LeMahieu hit the IL due to a sprained left thumb back on August 16, and while his IL stint didn’t last much beyond the 10-day minimum, the absence was surely noted by a Yankees team that is in the midst of a seven-game losing streak. With Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gleyber Torres still injured, the return of LeMahieu’s bat will be very welcome in the Bronx. LeMahieu was hitting .411/.456/.534 over 79 PA prior to his injury.
Andujar’s latest call-up resulted in a 2-for-10 showing over 10 plate appearances in four games. The young slugger has only a .285 OPS in 32 Major League PA this season, though his attempts to get on track haven’t been helped by either the lack of consistent playing time available in the Yankee lineup.
Yankees Release Luis Avilan, Select Jordy Mercer
The Yankees have released left-hander Luis Avilan in order to open a spot on the 40-man roster for infielder Jordy Mercer, whose contract has been selected from the alternate training site, manager Aaron Boone told reporters at today’s media session (Twitter link via ESPN’s Marly Rivera). The club hopes to re-sign Avilan but felt the move was the best course of action amid a roster crunch.
Avilan, 31, just landed on the IL earlier this week due to inflammation in his left shoulder. He’d been quite effective for the Yanks before coughing up two runs in one-third of an inning in his final appearance prior to going on the IL. Overall, Avilan has a 4.32 ERA with nine strikeouts and five walks in 8 1/3 frames.
The addition of Mercer was necessitated in large part by injuries to both DJ LeMahieu and Gleyber Torres. Thairo Estrada and Tyler Wade are starting up the middle for the Yankees right now, but Mercer could factor into the middle-infield mix while the club’s regulars mend on the IL. LeMahieu, in particular, could return this weekend, Boone said today.
Mercer, 34, spent six seasons as the Pirates’ primary shortstop from 2013-18, hitting .257/.317/.383 in 779 games along the way. He spent the 2019 season in Detroit, and while he struggled immensely early before going on the injured list for much of the year, Mercer returned to close out the season with a torrid .312/.343/.512 slash in his final 48 games. He returned to the Tigers in 2020 but was cut loose early in the year when they opted to give younger talent a look as their rebuild progresses. Mercer latched on with New York shortly thereafter and will now head back to the big leagues to provide some infield depth for an ailing Yankees club.
Aaron Judge Headed Back To Injured List
The Yankees are placing Aaron Judge back on the injured list with a similar low-grade calf strain to the one that shelved him earlier this month, manager Aaron Boone tells reporters (Twitter link via James Wagner of the New York Times). Judge only just came off the injured list this week, but he exited his first game back with tightness in his problematic calf muscle.
There’s little doubt that Judge is among the game’s best all-around offensive performers when he’s healthy enough to take the field. He’s batting a ridiculous .292/.343/.738 with nine homers through 18 games and 71 plate appearances so far in 2020 and owns a career .274/.392/.556 line. But injuries have continually hampered Judge since his incredible rookie season in 2017.
The fractured wrist that Judge suffered upon being hit by a pitch back in 2018 can be chalked up as a fluke, of course, and the same could perhaps be said about the cracked rib and subsequent punctured lung he sustained on a bid for a diving catch last September. However, Judge has also now had multiple IL stints for oblique and calf injuries alike. In all, he missed 50 games in 2018, 60 games in 2019 and will now be sidelined for a yet-to-be-determined period in 2020 (already having missed 15 days with the first calf injury).
As has become typical in recent years, a resilient Yankees club has found a way to weather the storm in light of injuries to Judge and several other key players (Luis Severino, James Paxton, Giancarlo Stanton, DJ LeMahieu, Gleyber Torres). Still, it’s a staggering amount of talent to be shelved simultaneously, and the Yankees are beginning to show the effects; they’ve dropped five straight games and now trail the Rays by two and a half games in the AL East. At the moment, they’re closer in the standings to the third-place Blue Jays than to Tampa Bay.
Injury Notes: Judge, LeMahieu, Yankees, White, Puk, Bowden
The latest on multiple injury situations throughout the game…
- Aaron Judge‘s most recent calf injury “seems like a recurrence of what he had before,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said during an interview with WFAN (hat tip to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch). Judge re-injured his calf in his first game back from a minimum 10-day stint on the injured list, and Boone suggested that this latest issue “does seem minor in nature again, but certainly something that could turn into an IL stint again.”
- While Judge is a question mark, the Yankees could potentially have DJ LeMahieu back for this weekend’s series against the Mets. Boone said that LeMahieu took batting practice today at Yankee Stadium and will now report to the club’s alternate training site. Assuming the second baseman is indeed able to return against the Mets, it would represent a slightly early return from the initial 2-to-3 week timeline projected after LeMahieu was initially placed on the injured list with a thumb sprain on August 16. In other Yankees injury news, Boone said Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring) also took on-field batting practice today, and that Gleyber Torres (quad/hamstring) is making good progress.
- Evan White left during the third inning of the Mariners‘ 10-7 loss to the Padres due to what the M’s termed as right shoulder discomfort. After the game, Seattle manager Scott Servais told the Seattle Times’ Ryan Divish and other reporters that White initially suffered the injury while diving for a ball in Tuesday’s game and was trying to play through the pain. The rookie first baseman entered today’s game with only a .168/.238/.379 slash line through his first 105 plate appearances in the big leagues, though White had begun to heat up over the last week.
- The next step in A.J. Puk‘s rehab will take place Friday, as Athletics manager Bob Melvin told the San Francisco Chroncile’s Susan Slusser and other reporters that Puk will throw 30 pitches over two simulated innings against live batters. This will be the second time that Puk has faced actual hitters during his recovery from shoulder woes that have plagued him since Spring Training. There is still no clear timetable on when Puk could make his return to the A’s, though the club has already said that he will be deployed as a reliever in 2020.
- Rockies pitching prospect Ben Bowden isn’t likely to make his MLB debut this season, manager Bud Black told The Athletic’s Nick Groke and other reporters. Bowden suffered another injury he was already recovering from a back problem that sidelined him during Spring Training. A second-round pick out of Vanderbilt in the 2016 draft, Bowden didn’t have a great performance in the hitter-friendly environment of Triple-A Colorado Springs in 2019, though the southpaw has a 3.60 ERA, 13.1 K/9, and 3.15 K/BB over 127 1/3 total minor league innings, all as a reliever.