Tigers Acquire Jarrod Washburn
The Tigers acquired pitcher Jarrod Washburn from the Mariners, according to Mike Salk of ESPN radio in Seattle. Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports agrees, saying the Mariners will get pitcher Luke French and another prospect. MLB Network tells us the other prospect is pitcher Mauricio Robles. Ed Price of AOL Fanhouse (via Twitter) suggests the Tigers may not be done. They'd like to add a hitter.
Washburn, a Scott Boras client and free agent after the season, projects as a Type B. If the Tigers offer arbitration to Washburn after the season and he signs elsewhere, they'll get a supplemental draft pick. The risk is that he could accept and the Tigers would owe him more than $10MM in 2010. Washburn has about $3.8MM left on his current contract, and the Tigers will presumably take all of that.
Washburn has a 2.64 ERA in 133 innings this year, so if he keeps it up to any extent he'll give the Tigers a strong front three with Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson. The Tigers have a two-game lead over the Twins in the division, so every win counts.
SI's Jon Heyman reports that the Yankees are pessimistic about making a big move, with Washburn off the table.
Jarrod Washburn Rumors: Friday
The Mariners are eight games out, but we're still not sure whether they'll trade starter Jarrod Washburn within the next five hours. He does project as a Type B free agent, so they could get something for him after the season. Here's a look at yesterday's Washburn chatter, which involved the Yankees, Tigers, and Brewers.
Today Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tell us the Tigers have spoken to Seattle about Washburn, but may not have the goods to pull off any big deal (especially in the position player department). SI's Jon Heyman says the Ms asked for catcher Jesus Montero from the Yankees for Washburn and were rebuffed. ESPN's Jayson Stark says Austin Jackson was another Mariners target.
Odds & Ends: Yankees, Rockies, Tigers
Deadline day links!
- Joel Sherman of the New York Post explains that "stricter financial parameters are in place right now" for the Yankees, because of their winter signing of Mark Teixeira.
- ESPN's Keith Law evaluates the George Sherrill and John Grabow trades.
- Aside from their interest in Baltimore's Mark Hendrickson, Troy E. Renck of the Denver Post says the Rockies would like a left-handed bench bat.
- John Lowe of the Detroit Free Press writes about the Tigers' needs.
- Joe Strauss of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch talked to Cardinals GM John Mozeliak, who suggested a deal for relief help today is unlikely.
- The Rays claimed 24 year-old catcher Jose Lobaton off waivers from the Padres, according to Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Thursday Night
1:04pm: Rosenthal and Morosi report that the Blue Jays are asking for Holland, Justin Smoak and two other prospects.
11:47pm: Heyman reports that the Rangers had a "pretty decent chance" to acquire Halladay today. With just over 15 hours to go, the Rangers' chances appear to have decreased in recent hours, Heyman says.
10:52pm: Sources tell Grant that the Rangers have asked the Jays to pay a significant amount of Halladay's 2009 salary in a potential trade. Ryan confirmed that the team would need ownership approval to make a trade for Halladay.
9:59pm: Rangers president Nolan Ryan told Bob Nightengale of USA Today that the Rangers are pursuing Roy Halladay, but says it's premature to predict whether a deal will happen.
Ryan confirmed to MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan that the Rangers have had discussions with the Jays "for awhile and there have been names talked about."
9:27pm: Ricciardi is "not saying definitively" that Halladay will remain a Blue Jay, according to ESPN.com's Jayson Stark. However, the GM says it's looking more and more like Halladay will stay put.
9:23pm: ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports that, as of an hour ago, the Jays had no active talks about Halladay. The Dodgers approached the Jays yesterday, but the two sides aren't in the process of exchanging names.
8:38pm: MLB.com's Jordan Bastian hears that there's "nothing to" the reports that the Rangers are going hard after Halladay.
8:30pm: Evan Grant of D Magazine hears that talks between the Blue Jays and Rangers remain "very serious."
8:17pm: SI.com's Jon Heyman says "nothing seems hot" on the Halladay front, even though many executives would be surprised if the Jays' ace isn't playing for a different team by the weekend.
8:11pm: Sullivan hears indications that the Rangers are willing to take on the rest of Halladay's contract if they can agree on which players to send the Blue Jays. Vicente Padilla, Marlon Byrd and Hank Blalock are free agents after the season, so the Rangers could create space for Halladay's $15.75MM salary by letting the trio of veterans walk after the season.
6:40pm: Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports hear from a major league source who says the LA Times report below is "not accurate." However, FOX Sports hears that the Rangers have a legitimate chance of trading for Halladay.
6:22pm: So just how much do the Blue Jays want for Halladay? Marlins president David Samson told 790 The Ticket that J.P. Ricciardi wants "two left legs, a right arm and a left cerebellum" for Doc, according to the Miami Herald.
6:06pm: MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan hears that the Rangers have "significant ongoing communications" with the Blue Jays. He also suggests that the Rangers won't let money prevent them from acquiring Halladay if they can do so for a reasonable price.
5:57pm: Bill Shaikin of the LA Times reports that the Dodgers and Blue Jays spent the afternoon "negotiating extensively" over Roy Halladay. Apparently talks aren't "dead" after all. The Dodgers would allow the Jays to get a "haul of prospects" but are trying to acquire Halladay without giving up Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley.
5:38pm: Here are the latest highlights from the incessant stream of Roy Halladay rumors. The Jays aren't talking actively with anyone. Not the Red Sox, not the Yankees, not the Rangers. The Dodgers acquired George Sherrill for a pair of minor leaguers, but they still have enough pieces to tempt the Jays. Like the Angels, they're focused on relievers now. GM J.P. Ricciardi says he has "nothing going on," but won't rule out a trade until the deadline is upon us. On to tonight's rumors:
- Ricciardi tells ESPN.com's Buster Olney what he told Jack Curry earlier today: talks are "dead," but the Jays would listen to offers for Doc.
Jarrod Washburn Rumors: Thursday
11:05pm: Executives from three teams that have spoken with the Mariners tell ESPN.com's Buster Olney that they get the sense the Mariners won't move Washburn. The Mariners made a request earlier today, without asking for Hughes or Chamberlain, but the two sides haven't spoken since.
10:33pm: Heyman says the Yankees and Mariners are now "talking Washburn." The Yankees won't part with Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Austin Jackson, Austin Romine or Jesus Montero, but with those exceptions, Heyman says the M's have their pick of Yankees prospects.
9:05pm: Brewers GM Doug Melvin told Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that he expects the Mariners to hold onto Washburn.
8:05pm: Tyler Kepner of the New York Times reports that the Yankees are still talking to the Mariners about Washburn.
Talks with the Yankees are still in their early stages, according to Rosenthal and Morosi, and it's unclear whether the Mariners would actually move Washburn. The Tigers are interested and the Brewers could become involved again, according to FOX's sources.
3:26pm: ESPN's Buster Olney rejects the idea that the Ms asked for Chamberlain or Hughes.
2:19pm: SI's Jon Heyman says that in their initial conversation, the Mariners requested Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes for Washburn. That pair and other top Yankees prospects figure to be off limits, but Heyman still sees New York as the favorite. He notes that the Angels would have interest in bringing Washburn back, but the Mariners might balk at the same-division issue.
1:11pm: Ken Davidoff of Newsday says the Brewers are no longer in on Washburn. And the Rangers are seen as a long shot, say Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports. According to La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, about ten teams have called the Mariners on Washburn.
12:30pm: Lefty Jarrod Washburn would be one of the better available starters, should the Mariners decide to sell. Joel Sherman of the New York Post chatted with Ms GM Jack Zduriencik about the possibility. Jack Z's quote:
"I am not giving this guy away. He is a valuable piece to us. He shouldn't come cheap if he is moved. No one in the league is pitching better than (Washburn). So if we move him, we need to get good pieces. Because if we keep him he is a very, very good piece for us."
Sherman says the Yanks have checked in on Washburn but have not exchanged names. Unlike last year, the Yankees are reluctant to take on salary.
Odds And Ends: Inge, Zumaya, Marlins, Wang
More links with less than a day until the deadline passes…
- Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski told Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports that he's not prioritizing players who can play third, even with Brandon Inge's knee pain.
- As MLB.com's Jason Beck reports, Joel Zumaya will have season-ending surgery.
- Speaking of injured pitchers, Chien-Ming Wang could miss an entire year, according to Tyler Kepner of the New York Times.
- Here's a photo of Cliff Lee in Phillies duds, courtesy of AOL FanHouse's Jeff Fletcher.
- Marlins president David Samson said on 790 The Ticket that his team has made ten different offers around the league, according to the Miami Herald.
- Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times reports that the Rays are involved in "a number of scenarios," but aren't likely to make big trades within the next day or so.
- The Pirates, who have been more active than anyone, aren't expecting to make more trades, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Roy Halladay Rumors: Thursday
5:07pm: Ricciardi tells Ed Price of AOL FanHouse that he's not ruling out a trade. "We're waiting 'til 4 o'clock tomorrow," Ricciardi said.
4:23pm: Jack Curry of the New York Times has additional comments from Ricciardi on Halladay:
"We've got nothing going on. We expect him to be with us."
The Phillies are out, and the other suitors failed to wow Ricciardi.
3:19pm: Rosenthal and Morosi say the Dodgers have enough in their system to make a competitive offer for Halladay, even after acquiring Sherrill. And for Evan Grant's thoughts on the Rangers and Halladay, click here.
However, in another entry Rosenthal and Morosi talk to J.P. Ricciardi and label the Halladay sweepstakes "all but over." Ricciardi's comments indicate the same. Toronto's GM seems intent on keeping Scott Rolen, Marco Scutaro, and others if Doc stays.
2:23pm: Morosi says Halladay is looking unlikely for the Angels, who shot down a Toronto proposal that included Joe Saunders, Erick Aybar, and Brandon Wood.
The Halos are also looking for bullpen help, with names such as Heath Bell and George Sherrill in play (their offer for Mike Wuertz fell short).
1:26pm: Rosenthal and Morosi have a source saying things are "very quiet" on the Halladay front. Still, the Dodgers, Angels, Rangers, Rays, and Red Sox remain interested.
1:14pm: Yahoo's Tim Brown sees the Dodgers and Red Sox as the frontrunners for Doc in what is shaping up as a two-team race. Brown says the only Major Leaguer in the Dodgers' offer is James McDonald, while the Sox will part with Clay Buchholz, one of Justin Masterson, Michael Bowden, and Lars Anderson, and some lesser prospects. My guess is that the Red Sox find a way to get this done, given the quality they're already offering. ESPN's Jayson Stark says one Dodgers prospect who is off-limits is shortstop Devaris Gordon.
Meanwhile, Lynn Henning of the Detroit News says the Jays wanted Rick Porcello, Ryan Perry, and Casey Crosby from the Tigers for Halladay. Henning says the Tigers bowed out upon that request. Henning adds that the Tigers would consider adding Adam Dunn or Josh Willingham but the price is steep on the sluggers as well.
12:59pm: A Rosenthal/Morosi source with knowledge of the Jays' thinking discusses a package of Dodgers minor leaguers that could catch Toronto's attention in a Halladay deal.
12:21pm: Joe McDonald of the Providence Journal sees the Dodgers in the lead for Halladay, with the Rangers in the mix and talks with Boston calming down.
9:09am: Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe feels the chances of the Red Sox acquiring Halladay are "remote," and believes that Boston has yet to increase their initial offer for him. And in an earlier column, Sean McAdam of the Boston Herald said the Blue Jays and Red Sox have not been in contact over the last three days.
8:37am: SI's Jon Heyman says the Dodgers balked at the Blue Jays' asking price for Halladay and are moving on to Orioles closer George Sherrill. Check out yesterday's Sherrill info here.
Meanwhile, Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun finds Halladay unlikely to be traded. ESPN's Buster Olney says there are "no active talks" at present.
7:55am: We'll start with a review of yesterday's Roy Halladay rumors. The Phillies acquired Cliff Lee instead, cutting into J.P. Ricciardi's leverage for Doc. Ricciardi now has the Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers, Dodgers, and possibly Angels and Rays to work with. The Blue Jays' GM is thinking about keeping Halladay for 2010, based on his comments to Joel Sherman of the New York Post. On to a few new links…
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports say the Jays are not requiring the Dodgers to include Clayton Kershaw or Chad Billingsley. Instead, they'd just take five or six of the team's top prospects.
- Mark Feinsand and Bill Madden of the New York Daily News say Ricciardi is trying to get the Yankees and Red Sox into a bidding war. Kind of cliche, J.P. The authors imply the Yanks may be more focused Jarrod Washburn, who obviously wouldn't require as big a bounty.
- Halladay's plan for today, according to Jim Salisbury of the Philadelphia Inquirer – lock himself in his hotel room. Might want to unplug the TV and disable the Internet. Doc is understandably drained from pitching last night amid all the rumors.
Marlins In Serious Talks For Heath Bell
1:48pm: A Rosenthal/Morosi source says the Rangers aren't in on Bell, Sherrill, or Matt Capps.
11:49am: ESPN's Buster Olney says the Marlins declined the request for Miller or West, leaving talks between the two clubs at a standstill.
Meanwhile, Joe Capozzi of the Palm Beach Post says the Marlins are also in on George Sherrill.
11:12am: SI's Jon Heyman tells us the Marlins are "are in serious discussions to try to land Padres closer Heath Bell." Heyman says it looks like it could be Andrew Miller or Sean West, names that have been put forth in previous reports. Either young lefty seems like a solid return for Bell. Heyman notes that the Yanks also have interest, but the Fish "are in good position to make a deal." Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi at FOX Sports acknowledge interest from the Yanks, but say the teams have not had serious discussions. The writers also mention the Rangers "on the periphery."
Rosenthal and Morosi wrote yesterday that 10 to 15 teams are pursuing Bell. He's under team control through 2011 and sports a 2.01 ERA this season.
Odds & Ends: Yankees, Mets, Red Sox
Thursday linkage…
- La Velle E. Neal III of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune says the Pirates wanted Aaron Hicks or Danny Valencia from the Twins for Freddy Sanchez. LEN3 has a few other hot stove tidbits as well.
- ESPN's Keith Law finds the Giants' trade of Tim Alderson for Sanchez reasonable, due to "slippage in Alderson's stuff."
- Tony Massarotti of the Boston Globe talks about how major additions such as Halladay, Adrian Gonzalez, or Victor Martinez would help the Red Sox. Via Twitter, ESPN's Amy K. Nelson heard from a source guessing that Gonzalez has a ten percent chance of being moved.
- Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post reports via Twitter that the Mets designated pitcher Elmer Dessens for assignment to make room for catcher Robinson Cancel.
- Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports say the Mets "do not intend to give up a significant prospect" in their quest to add a left-handed reliever.
- Via Twitter, Ken Davidoff of Newsday informs us that the Blue Jays expanded their coverage of the Yankees' farm system. Davidoff feels that this coverage more likely reflects the Yanks' interest in relief help than in Roy Halladay.
- The Pirates don't have anything serious going on with relievers Matt Capps or John Grabow, according to Dejan Kovacevic of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. They might be done.
- Joe Smith and Marc Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times find the Rays unlikely to make a major deal, with Cliff Lee off the table.
- ESPN's Buster Olney lists all kinds of holes that could be filled via the trade market for various clubs.
Yankees Eyeing Corey Patterson, Josh Anderson
We already knew of the Yankees' interest in recently-designated outfielder Josh Anderson; Joel Sherman of the New York Post says to add the newly-released Corey Patterson to the list. Sherman says the goal is to find a fill-in for Brett Gardner, who broke his thumb on Saturday. Anderson and Patterson both have speed, at least.
In that same blog post, Sherman draws a connection between Chien-Ming Wang and Brandon Webb. He wonders whether both pitchers could hit the free agent market after this season. On a related note, we've heard that Webb will have shoulder surgery on Monday; hopefully just a clean-up.