The Latest On Alex Rios
9:05pm: The White Sox announced that Rios has a contusion on his left foot and will receive cautionary x-rays, but the injury doesn't sound to be serious.
8:19pm: Rios left tonight's game after fouling a ball off his foot. He received medical attention and was able to walk off the field slowly under his own power.
6:16pm: ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that the Yankees aren't interested in Rios having already acquired Alfonso Soriano with Curtis Granderson on the mend.
6:11pm: The Pirates' interest in Rios is losing steam, tweets MLB.com's Scott Merkin.
3:27pm: The Yankees have renewed interest in Rios, tweets MLB.com's Scott Merkin, though he'd have to approve a trade. On Friday, Rios bristled at the suggestion he'd rejected potential a deal to the Yanks.
1:54pm: A deal with the Pirates is not close at this time, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review hears the same.
12:25pm: It sounds like the White Sox and Pirates are getting close on a deal for right fielder Alex Rios, tweets David Kaplan of CSNChicago.com. He notes that the cash is being worked on, and he's not sure if the two clubs can find middle ground. Rios will be owed over $18MM through 2014 if traded. If the White Sox cover a substantial part of that, Rios could be coming to the Pirates, tweets MLB.com's Tom Singer.
Yankees, Angels Have Discussed Alberto Callaspo
6:09pm: The Yankees have indeed called about Callaspo, but they think of him merely as one option at third base, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post, who adds that the Yankees don't currently have Callaspo on the front burner.
5:47pm: The Yankees have contacted the Angels about third baseman Alberto Callaspo, according to Danny Knobler of CBS Sports. Knobler's colleague, Jon Heyman, tweeted earlier today that Callaspo figures to be available as well. Knobler adds that the Angels "have made nearly everyone available" in trades.
Knobler reports that multiple teams have expressed interest in Callaspo, who is hitting .253/.323/.348 with five homers. The switch-hitting 30-year-old is earning $4.1MM in 2013 and is guaranteed a $4.875MM salary in 2014, after which he will be eligible for free agency for the first time.
Yankees third basemen are hitting just .215/.275/.285 this season, and while the Yankees will theoretically have Alex Rodriguez rejoining the team soon, the looming Biogenesis suspensions could take him out of action for the 2013 season and possibly 2014 as well.
Young Would Consider Trade To Red Sox
The latest on Phillies third baseman Michael Young, who is in tonight's lineup against the Giants…
- Young has told the Phillies that he will consider trades to other clubs if he isn't dealt to Texas, and the Red Sox are his second choice, reports ESPN's Jayson Stark (on Twitter). Stark adds that if a trade with Boston doesn't work, the Yankees would be a last-minute possibility.
- ESPN's Buster Olney tweets that Young isn't flat-out rejecting trades to other markets, he's simply trying to steer trade discussions to his preferred destinations one-by-one.
- Young told reporters, including MLB.com's Todd Zolecki, that no trade is imminent and he's not certain if he will be a Phillie in 24 hours (Twitter links).
Earlier Updates
- Asche's call-up does "not necessarily" mean Young will be traded, GM Ruben Amaro Jr. said on MLB Network today. Amaro described the chance of Young changing teams by the deadline as "pretty remote."
- There are executives who believe Young would approve a trade to the Red Sox if a deal is made, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- Young will only approve a trade back to the Rangers, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. In contrast, Scott Miller of CBS Sports says Red Sox people believe Young would approve a trade there. The Phillies checked in with Young over the weekend about the Rangers and Red Sox. You have to wonder if the Asche promotion is designed to force Young into accepting a deal, asMatt Gelb of the Philadelphia Inquirer says the rookie is up to stay and Young would likely be pushed into a bench role.
- If Young is being traded, Yankees people say it's not to them, tweets Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
- The Phillies plan on calling up third baseman Cody Asche, tweets Yahoo's Jeff Passan. That points to Young being traded today, he adds. Asche, 23, is hitting .295/.352/.485 in 446 Triple-A plate appearances. Asche "should hit enough to have a regular big league role," wrote Baseball America before the season.
Steve Adams contributed to this post.
Yankees, Reds Inquired On Hunter Pence
TUESDAY, 10:26am: The Yankees also checked in on Pence, writes Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but as with the Reds, there doesn't appear to be a match. Heyman says the Pirates and Rangers are also among the interested teams.
MONDAY, 3:32pm: The Reds inquired on Giants right fielder Hunter Pence, tweets Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, but it doesn't look like a match so far. It seems an odd fit for the Reds, who have Jay Bruce and Shin-Soo Choo entrenched in their outfield and Ryan Ludwick on a rehab assignment following April shoulder surgery.
Pence, 30, is hitting .277/.320/.457 in 440 plate appearances this year and is hitting .259/.300/.401 since June 1st. He has around $4.6MM remaining on his contract. The Giants reportedly plan to make a qualifying offer after the season, setting the bar for a potential trade this month.
Latest On Alex Rodriguez
In regard to Yankees third baseman Alex Rodriguez, commissioner Bud Selig is prepared to bypass the grievance procedure in the collectively-bargained joint drug agreement, disciplining A-Rod under the "integrity of the game" clause Article XI, Section A1b, according to Teri Thompson, Bill Madden, Nathaniel Vinton, and Michael O'Keefe of the New York Daily News. Under that scenario, only Selig himself would hear an appeal.
FanGraphs' Wendy Thurm wrote about this possibility several weeks ago, calling it Selig's "nuclear option." Selig's decision would be final, and could not be further appealed to an arbitrator or court.
MLB will reportedly announce the Biogenesis suspensions this week. It's also been reported that if Rodriguez, approaching his season debut after hip surgery and a quad injury, does not accept a suspension running through 2014, MLB may attempt to ban him for life.
AL East Notes: Lyon, Hughes, Yankees, Red Sox
As Tim Britton of the Providence Journal writes, it's been 10 years since the strangest week of Brandon Lyon's life. In 2003, the then-23-year-old Lyon was dealt by the Red Sox to the Pirates as part of a pacakage for lefty Scott Sauerbeck. The Pirates decided they weren't comfortable with the state of Lyon's elbow and sent him back to the Red Sox in a trade centering around Freddy Sanchez and Jeff Suppan just nine days later. Now with the Red Sox once again, Lyon tells Britton that he hopes to be with the big league club in the near future. Here's more on the AL East…
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets that as of Sunday, the Yankees had yet to receive a single trade offer for struggling right-hander Phil Hughes. That's fairly surprising, given Hughes' solid production away from Yankee Stadium (3.02 ERA in 53 2/3 innings compared to 6.02 in 58 1/3 innings at home).
- Yankees GM Brian Cashman feels that there may be more offense on its way to New York via the trade market before Wednesday's deadline, writes MLB.com's Bryan Hoch.
- The Red Sox are no longer in the mix for Joe Nathan, according to Rob Bradford of WEEI.com, but they're still prioritizing right-handed relief help. The Red Sox remain in contact with the Phillies about Michael Young but find the asking price for Cliff Lee too high, according to Bradford. The same goes for Jake Peavy of the White Sox.
- Alex Speier of WEEI.com takes a look at how the Red Sox stack up in terms of starting pitching, right-handed relief and third base options.
Biogenesis Announcement Not Expected Today
Yesterday, Joel Sherman and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post reported "the strong indications are Major League Baseball will announce all the suspensions in the Biogenesis case this week." No announcement from MLB is expected today, tweets Steven Marcus of Newsday. Wednesday's trade deadline is "no factor when it comes to the timing of announcements related to the case," hears Jon Heyman of CBS Sports. We could be in for a wild week. The latest on Biogenesis:
- MLB is willing to offer Rodriguez a suspension of the rest of this year and all of 2014, report Bill Madden, Teri Thompson, and Michael O'Keefe of the New York Daily News, and if he declines, MLB is expected to attempt to ban him for life. Over at River Ave. Blues, Mike Axisa runs through different scenarios involving A-Rod.
- The Yankees have continued to search for third base help, but Heyman says that isn't necessarily tied to the possibility A-Rod gets suspended. Though first-time offenders are permitted to play during an appeals process, baseball might challenge that practice in the case of Rodriguez, writes Rosenthal.
- The Tigers have shown no indication they are looking for a shortstop replacement, writes Heyman. "I would think Detroit would want a shortstop, but we'll see," an NL GM told Heyman. Neither Peralta nor Nelson Cruz has indicated to his team a plan in case of a suspension, writes Yahoo's Jeff Passan. It's possible those two will be faced with choosing their current team (appealing a suspension into next year) or choosing to preserve their free agent value (serving a 50-game suspension now). I imagine taking what might be perceived as the selfish route, serving the suspension now, could hurt free agent stock in its own right.
Nelson Cruz
- As you might expect, the Rangers prefer a prolonged appeals process for Cruz, writes Bob Nightengale of USA Today. Nightengale wonders, "If Cruz goes down without a fight and accepts his penalty, why would they want a guy back who quit on the organization?" That question would apply to Cruz potentially returning for the playoffs, as well as signing a new deal with the Rangers in the offseason. Cruz might have to settle for a less lucrative two-year free agent deal similar to that of Melky Cabrera, one GM estimated to Heyman.
- Since Colon already completed a 50-game suspension for PED use, A's people are expressing confidence he won't get another suspension, writes Heyman, and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports also hears the same. The team's pursuit of Jake Peavy is unrelated.
General
- "If drug dealers can use the currency of player evidence as a means to gain immunity and even more money, then our system of policing and protecting baseball has incentivized the people and the very behavior that was the genesis of the problem," agent Scott Boras tells Rosenthal. Baseball cut a deal with Biogenesis owner Anthony Bosch that provides many protections.
- In dealing with Jason Giambi, the Yankees concluded they cannot void a contract based on PED use, writes ESPN's Buster Olney. Some lawyers, however, wonder if a team could file a lawsuit against a player alleging damage to their brand.
MLB May Announce All Biogenesis Suspensions This Week
There are strong indications that MLB will announce all the suspensions in the Biogenesis case this week, according to Joel Sherman and Ken Davidoff of the New York Post. It is believed MLB wants to make the suspensions formal this week so that first-time offenders can serve a 50 game suspension inside of the 2013 season. That, in theory, would give players incentive not to appeal the decision and enter 2014 with a clean slate.
In the case of Alex Rodriguez, he could be hit with a suspension that will sideline him for the rest of this season and all of 2014. Rodriguez’s representatives met with MLB officials in the past few days in what was likely an effort to better gauge the potential penalties coming his way.
His suspension will be substantial as MLB believes the combination of being a user and obstructing the case demands a much stiffer penalty than what was given to Ryan Braun. It is even possible that Bud Selig could ask for permanent banishment, though it would be hard to convince an arbitrator, if Rodriguez appeals, that his first suspension should be for life.
AL East Notes: Soriano, Cashman, Red Sox
With the Red Sox losing the division lead for the first time in two months, here's the latest from a hotly contested American League East …
- The deal that brought Alfonso Soriano back to the Yankees was consummated over the objections of GM Brian Cashman, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post. "I would say we are in a desperate time," said Cashman. "Ownership wants to go for it. I didn't want to give up a young arm." The club dealt young righty Corey Black (and took on salary) to add the 37-year-old Soriano. MLBTR's Steve Adams rounded up the reactions to the deal yesterday.
- Cashman's latest overruling continues a trend, Sherman further reports in the same piece. Most recently, Cashman reportedly preferred signing catcher Russell Martin and outfielder Nate Schierholtz this last offseason. Instead, ownership pushed a two-year, $13MM deal with Ichiro Suzuki. While the Yanks could have Martin and Schierholtz playing right now on one-year deals, says Sherman, the team instead has an aging Ichiro-Soriano combination set to earn $11.5MM next season.
- The Red Sox must add talent, writes Michael Silverman of the Boston Herald, or risk dropping back in a tight AL East race. Silverman opines that the club should call up top prospect Xander Bogaerts to provide much-needed pop from the left side of the infield. Meanwhile, with Clay Buchholz still not on a clear timetable and with Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez choosing the Phillies over the Sox, Silverman says that Boston should also make a deal for a starter.
- Should Boston make a move to bolster its rotation, one player who could be dealt is third baseman Will Middlebrooks. WEEI.com's Rob Bradford reports that Middlebrooks, who is trying to work his way back to the form he showed in his 2012 rookie campaign, has heard the rumors for the first time in his recollection. "I'm just trying to keep my nose out of it," Middlebrooks said. The 24-year-old indicated that he remains content in the Red Sox organization in spite of his struggles this year: "I have a good opportunity here. I don't need to get traded to have a good opportunity."
- Looking at Boston's recent history, Brian MacPherson of the Providence Journal suggests that the team could look to pick up a somewhat under-the-radar player that can contribute not just this season, but in the future. MacPherson notes that the Sox added catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia (2010), shortstop Mike Aviles (2011), and reliever Craig Breslow (2012) when the price proved right and the deal met the club's multi-year needs. This season, with Saltalamacchia nearing free agency and backup David Ross injured, the team could look to deal for a backstop with future control even as it gives playing time to prospect Ryan Lavarnway. MacPherson suggests the Padres' Nick Hundley as a possibility, while noting that San Diego could be hesitant to move him.
Reactions And Analysis: The Alfonso Soriano Trade
Earlier today, Major League Baseball approved a trade that sent Alfonso Soriano to the Yankees in exchange for right-hander Corey Black. The Cubs will pay $17.7MM of the remaining money on Soriano's contract, leaving the Yankees responsible for just $6.8MM. Here's some media reaction and analysis of the move…
- Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com says that the acquisition of another aging outfielder isn't enough for a "pieced-together" Yankees team. Soriano is an improvement on Vernon Wells, Knobler writes, but even with Soriano and the return of Derek Jeter, the Yankees' lineup still isn't a strong one, and C.C. Sabathia's recent struggles are worrisome as well.
- Dave Cameron of Fangraphs writes that the $7MM savings alone makes this a good move for the Cubs, pointing out that they signed Scott Feldman for less than that this offseason. The move helps the Yankees as well, he adds, noting that replacing Vernon Wells with a decent player is an upgrade. Cameron goes on to state that while the Yankees are paying Soriano to be exactly what he is ("a useful role player"), the Yankees aren't one useful role player away from making the playoffs, and they're starting to collect a lot of modestly priced, low-value players.
- ESPN's Buster Olney (Insider required) broke down the reasons why the trade is questionable for the Yankees but also the reasons that it makes sense, noting that the Yankees are just 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot in the American League.
- Scott Miller of CBS Sports opines that Soriano gives the Yankees some desperately needed power, noting that the club has received a staggering total of just one right-handed home run since May 23 — a span of 767 at-bats. While Soriano isn't the player he once was, he provides the Yankees with the trait that they are most lacking.
- Baseball America's Matt Eddy offers an analysis of each player in the trade, noting that Black has one of the best arms from the Yankees' 2012 draft class, but that questions about his size might make a relief role his best path to the Majors.
Charlie Wilmoth contributed to this post.