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Yankees Acquire Jaime Garcia

By Steve Adams | July 30, 2017 at 8:30am CDT

The Yankees and Twins have agreed to a trade that will send left-hander Jaime Garcia from Minnesota to New York in exchange for Double-A right-hander Zack Littell and Triple-A lefty Dietrich Enns, the Yankees announced on Sunday.

The 31-year-old Garcia will bring some stability to the Yankees rotation, having logged a 4.29 ERA with 6.9 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9 and a 55 percent ground-ball rate between Atlanta and Minnesota this season. He’s worked six or more innings in 15 of his 19 starts this year, which is especially encouraging for a Yankees team that features a deep bullpen — particularly following the trade that netted them both David Robertson and Tommy Kahnle from the White Sox.

Garcia is a free agent at season’s end, making him a pure rental. However, the Yankees reportedly plan to continue their talks with the A’s regarding a longer-term rotation piece, Sonny Gray, even after completing the Garcia trade. Whether those talks come to fruition remains to be seen, but Garcia alone is a nice step up for a Yankees rotation that recently lost Michael Pineda to Tommy John surgery. The veteran Garcia, who comes with a solid postseason track record and a World Series ring (2011 Cardinals) will join Luis Severino, CC Sabathia, Masahiro Tanaka and Jordan Montgomery in the starting five.

Garcia’s stint with the Twins lasted less than a week. Minnesota’s declining play and lengthy winning streaks for the Royals and Indians have created a seven-game gap for the Twins in the American League Central, which is steep enough for the front office to sell off some short-term assets. The Twins, though, agreed to pay the remainder of Garcia’s $12MM salary when acquiring him from the Braves in exchange for right-hander Huascar Ynoa, and they’ll reportedly pay that figure down to the pro-rated league minimum for the Yankees.

Minnesota will remain on the hook for about $4MM in this trade, which effectively amounts to buying a pair of prospects that the Twins clearly feel to be superior to the player they initially surrendered to acquire Garcia. Littell ranks 22nd among Yankees prospects on MLB.com’s midseason top 30 list. (By comparison, Ynoa ranked 22nd in a weaker Twins farm system.)

Littell, 21, was the Mariners’ 11th-round pick back in the 2013 draft and landed in the Yankees organization as part of last November’s James Pazos trade. After a strong 2016 campaign split between two Class-A levels, he’s taken another step forward in 2017. In a combined 115 1/3 innings between Class-A Advanced and Double-A, he’s worked to a 1.87 ERA with 8.5 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and a 52 percent ground-ball rate. MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo write that Littell has three average or better offerings with above-average control.

The 26-year-old Enns isn’t considered to be one of the Yankees’ best prospects, but he has an excellent track record of results in his minor league career. The Central Michigan University product has never posted an ERA higher than 2.94 in a full season, and he’s worked to a 1.99 ERA with 9.3 K/9 against 2.0 BB/9 in 45 1/3 innings between Triple-A and a Rookie-level injury rehab start this year. Enns is on the 40-man roster, though he was just added this past offseason, so he has two more option years remaining beyond the 2017 campaign.

Yahoo’s Jeff Passan first broke news that the two sides were moving toward a deal. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi first mentioned that Littell could be involved in the deal. ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted that talks were at the “1-yard lins.” FanRag’s Jon Heyman tweeted that there was an agreement. Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported that Enns was also in the deal (Twitter link). Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN and MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand added details on the financial component (Twitter links).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Orioles Acquire Jeremy Hellickson

By Steve Adams | July 28, 2017 at 11:00pm CDT

The Phillies have agreed to a trade that will send right-hander Jeremy Hellickson and cash considerations to the Orioles in exchange for outfielder Hyun Soo Kim, Double-A left-hander Garrett Cleavinger and international bonus money, the teams announced on Friday night.

The move is a surprising one from an Orioles club that is currently seven games out of first place in the AL East and six games back from a Wild Card spot in the American League. Most talk on the Orioles recently has been about the possibility of trading short-term pieces such as Zach Britton, Brad Brach and Seth Smith.

MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal tweets that that may still be the case, which makes the move all the more head-scratching on the surface. However, Rosenthal suggests that Baltimore simply feels it needs rotation additions to get through the season, and GM Dan Duquette indeed indicates that he simply needed to add some innings to a starting staff that has entered Friday with the fourth-fewest innings and second-highest ERA in baseball.

“Jeremy Hellickson is a solid, dependable, veteran Major League starter who knows how to win in the American League,” Duquette told reporters (Twitter links via PressBoxOnline.com’s Rich Dubroff). “He should provide some quality innings for the Orioles.”

Hellickson, 30, accepted a qualifying offer from the Phillies this past offseason, locking him in at a $17.2MM salary for the 2017 season. He’s still owed about $6.1MM of that sum through the end of the year, though the Phillies have reportedly been willing to include cash in a deal to help enhance their return.

Hellickson struggled greatly to open the season, limping to a 4.91 ERA with a league-worst 3.97 K/9 rate through his first 14 starts. Since June 20, however, he’s averaged 7.9 K/8 against just 1.8 BB/9 en route to a 4.33 ERA that is supported by more favorable xFIP (3.81) and SIERA (3.99) marks. Even if he maintains the uptick in strikeouts and to complement his typical brand of excellent control, Hellickson won’t be confused for a front-of-the-rotation arm. But, he’s been a durable mid- or back-of-the-rotation starter for much of his career. Outside of a 2014 season that was cut short by an elbow injury, Hellickson has averaged 30 starts per season and is on pace to equal or exceed last year’s career-best mark of 32 starts.

That may well be all the Orioles are focused on, as Dylan Bundy is the only Orioles starter with an ERA even south of 5.00 (currently 4.53), and Bundy has struggled mightily over the past month and a half. Each of Kevin Gausman, Wade Miley, Chris Tillman and Ubaldo Jimenez has an ERA of 5.69 or higher, and the Orioles have little in the way of upper-level depth that inspires confidence as a starting option. Alec Asher has been hit hard in the Majors, while Gabriel Ynoa has a 6.54 ERA in Triple-A. Righties Tyler Wilson and Mike Wright have also struggled in multiple MLB looks over the past couple of seasons.

Kim’s inclusion in the trade may be nothing more than a financial mechanism. The 29-year-old has been scarcely used in 2017 and is in the second season of a two-year, $7MM contract. Once a star in the Korea Baseball Organization, Kim had a nice MLB rookie season at the plate in 2016 when he hit .302/.382/.420 in 346 plate appearances. This year, though, he’s struggled to a .232/.305/.288 slash while earning $4.2MM.

Kim can temporarily step into the spot once held by the now-also-traded Howie Kendrick, but the Phils may not give him all that long a leash as their young outfielders inch increasingly closer to Major League readiness. Kim can become a free agent at season’s end anyhow, so he’s a short-term addition even in the seemingly unlikely event that the Phils hang onto him for the remainder of the year.

Cleavinger, 23, is currently ranked 27th in a weak Orioles’ farm system at MLB.com, so he probably won’t rank nearly as high in a deeper Phillies farm system. His fastball reaches 96 at times but sits 89-92, per MLB.com’s free scouting report, and he pairs that with an average curveball. Cleavinger’s control has been a problem in each of the past two seasons, though, and he’s limped to a 6.28 ERA with 9.8 K/9, 5.4 BB/9 and a 46.8 percent ground-ball rate in 38 1/3 innings at Double-A this year.

With all that said, this trade may be largely about the Phillies using their considerable payroll capacity and lack of near-term commitments to take advantage of the Orioles’ willingness to eschew spending on the international market. Adding Cleavinger gives them a fairly advanced MLB player, though one with a fairly limited ceiling. But, the new collective bargaining agreement has placed a hard cap on international spending, giving teams starting bonus pool ranging from $4.75MM to $5.75MM and allowing teams to acquire up to 75 percent of their original pool.

The Phillies, as a team that isn’t the Competitive Balance lottery, began with a $4.75MM pool but can add up to an extra $3.56MM. While the exact amount acquired from the O’s isn’t yet known, GM Matt Klentak tells reporters that he’s already acquired north of $1MM to add to his bonus pool via the trade market (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Todd Zolecki).

Zolecki reported that a trade was in the works after Hellickson was scratched, and Rosenthal first said that the Orioles were in the mix. FanRag’s Jon Heyman reported the agreement (on Twitter). Dan Connolly of BaltimoreBaseball.com reported details on the return (all Twitter links). Heyman tweeted that Kim was in the deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Mets Acquire AJ Ramos

By Steve Adams | July 28, 2017 at 10:08pm CDT

10:08pm: The Marlins have announced the trade.

10:02pm: The Mets are sending minor league right-hander Merandy Gonzalez and minor league outfielder Ricardo Cespedes to the Marlins to complete the trade, reports Joel Sherman of the New York Post (on Twitter).

9:48pm: In a surprising development, the Mets have struck a deal to acquire closer AJ Ramos from the Marlins, reports MLB Network’s Ken Rosenthal (on Twitter). The Mets are sellers at this year’s deadline, but Ramos remains under control through the 2018 season, and the Mets have reportedly been intent on contending next season, so Ramos will help in that regard.

The Mets are likely to trade closer Addison Reed, an impending free agent, between now and Monday’s non-waiver deadline, so they stood to lose their top 2018 setup option either to free agency or trade. Ramos could actually close for the Mets until Jeurys Familia is healthy enough to return, then ultimately settle into a setup role. He’s earning $6.55MM in 2017 and will be eligible for arbitration once more this winter before hitting the open market after the 2018 season.

Ramos has a solid, if unspectacular 3.63 ERA through 39 2/3 innings this season, but he’s been a generally dominant option out of the Miami ’pen dating back to 2014. Over the past four seasons, Ramos has pitched to a combined 2.61 ERA with 10.6 BB/9, 4.7 BB/9 and a 40.6 percent ground-ball rate through 238 innings. His lack of control, of course, isn’t ideal for a late-inning reliever, but Ramos has consistently been able to strikeout between 10 and 11 batters per nine frames, which has helped to mitigate many of those free passes.

With Ramos in the fold for the 2018 campaign, next year’s Mets bullpen looks like it’ll be anchored by Familia, Ramos, Jerry Blevins and perhaps rookie right-hander Paul Sewald, who has averaged 11 K’s per nine innings himself through 41 innings in his first taste of big league action.

Gonzalez and Cespedes rank ninth and 22nd, respectively, on the Mets’ midseason top 30 prospects list over at MLB.com. Through a combined 106 innings between two Class-A levels, the 21-year-old Gonzalez has worked to a 1.78 ERA with 7.6 K/9, 1.8 BB/9 and a 41 percent ground-ball rate. MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo write that his fastball sits around 93 mph but can reach 96-97 mph when needed, and the young righty also has an above-average curveball with an improving changeup. Gonzalez is listed at 6’0″ and 216 pounds, so he’s a bit short for a starter, though that frame is hardly any sort of clear indicator that he’s better suited for a relief role.

The 19-year-old Cespedes has been facing much older competition across short-season Class-A and full-season Class-A ball this year, but he hasn’t fared well at the plate against his more experienced opponents. Through 108 plate appearances — he’s spent a fair bit of time on the minor league DL — Cespedes has batted .255/.283/.294. Ugly numbers aside, Cespedes was inked for a fairly sizable $725K bonus out of the Dominican Republic as a 16-year-old and draws praise from Callis and Mayo for his yet untapped tools.

MLB.com’s report notes that while he’ll need a lot to go right to reach his ceiling, the upside for Cespedes is a five-tool right fielder. He’s playing center field right now but has the arm for right along with bat speed, occasional pop and at least average speed. Cespedes will join fellow 19-year-old Brayan Hernandez, acquired in the Marlins’ David Phelps trade with Seattle, as a toolsy outfielder with plenty of upside that could be several years from the big leagues but gives the team plenty to dream on as he develops.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Nationals Acquire Howie Kendrick

By Steve Adams | July 28, 2017 at 9:33pm CDT

9:33pm: The teams have announced the trade. Philadelphia is sending Kendrick and cash to the Nats in exchange for Mills and additional international bonus money.

9:23pm: The Nationals have struck a deal to acquire infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick from the Phillies in exchange for minor league left-hander McKenzie Mills, reports PhillyVoice.com’s Ryan Lawrence (Twitter links). Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network first reported that the Nats were working on a deal to land Kendrick (on Twitter).

The 34-year-old Kendrick hasn’t had his healthiest season, but he’s been extremely productive when on the field. Through 156 plate appearances, he’s posted a brilliant .340/.397/.454 batting line with a pair of homers, eight doubles, a triple and eight steals (in 11 attempts). Once a pure second baseman, Kendrick took on more of a super utility role with the Dodgers in 2016 and has played corner outfield with the Phillies in 2017. Over the past two seasons, he’s spent time at second base, third base, first base and in left field.

Kendrick is earning $10MM this season, though $5MM of that is deferred until 2019, per Cot’s Contracts. The Phillies are paying Kendrick’s contract down to the pro-rated league minimum, tweets Chelsea Janes of the Washington Post, so the Nats are only taking on the hook for about $187K for Kendrick, who will hit free agency following the 2017 season.

The Nationals are banged up at the moment, with left fielder Jayson Werth, Michael Taylor, Ryan Raburn and Chris Heisey all on the disabled list. That’s pushed Brian Goodwin into center field and Adam Lind into left field, so Kendrick will provide the club with an option in left as well as some veteran bench depth — and a postseason upgrade over the likes of Raburn and Heisey — once everyone is healthy down the stretch. Kendrick is currently dealing with a bruised left hand after getting hit by a pitch, though clearly Washington isn’t concerned that the injury will have any long-term effects.

Mills, 21, ranked as the Nationals’ 18th-best prospect on the recently released midseason top 30 list of Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo at MLB.com. He’s pitched to a 3.01 ERA with a ridiculous 118-to-22 K/BB ratio (10.1 K/9, 1.9 BB/9) through 104 2/3 innings for Class-A Hagerstown this season. Callis and Mayo peg him for an above-average fastball and curveball with an average changeup. Their report gives him a back-of-the-rotation ceiling but also noted that some in the Nats organization felt there was more upside than that with Mills.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Mariners Acquire Erasmo Ramirez From Rays For Steve Cishek

By Jeff Todd | July 28, 2017 at 10:02am CDT

The Marines and Rays have announced a swap of right-handed pitchers, with Erasmo Ramirez heading back to Seattle and Steve Cishek going to Tampa Bay in return.

Seattle will reportedly also send $1MM to Tampa Bay to help account for the differences in the salaries of the two players. Cishek is earning $6MM this year before reaching free agency, while Ramirez carries a $3.125MM annual salary and can be controlled for two more years via arbitration.

Both teams are pressing for a postseason berth — indeed, they could end up fighting one another for Wild Card position in the American League. This deal, then, appears mostly to be a lateral move designed to meet the particular needs of each organization.

Ramirez, 27, has functioned as a swingman for the Rays since coming over from Seattle before the 2015 season. Now, he’ll head back to his original organization to provide another rotation option. He’ll also represent a potential part of the staff through 2019.

[Related: Updated Tampa Bay Rays and Seattle Mariners depth charts]

While Ramirez carries only a 4.80 ERA on the year, and has worked mostly from the pen over the past two campaigns, he has mostly been himself in 2017. The positive areas (7.1 K/9, 2.1 BB/9, 48.6% groundball rate) are on par with Ramirez’s career figures, and the problems (1.30 HR/9) are familiar. His velocity and swinging-strike rate sit right at career averages.

If and when his 63.8% strand rate normalizes, Ramirez will likely settle back into being a useful back-end starter or solid long-relief arm. And that’s what the M’s will need from him to stay in contention down the stretch. Seattle has cycled through starters for much of the year and still has an uncertain rotation mix. It’ll be interesting to see whether the club continues exploring the market for starters.

Of course, that came at a cost, as the Mariners will sacrifice a solid late-inning option in Cishek. That’s just what the Rays have been searching for, with the team perhaps more willing to part with Ramirez with a variety of rotation options at or near the MLB level.

Since returning from hip surgery, Cishek has given the Mariners twenty frames of 3.15 ERA ball. But there are some worrying signs when you look below the surface. Cishek has managed just 6.8 K/9 on a career-low 7.5% swinging-strike rate. His velocity has dropped significantly. And he’s permitting 1.35 homers per nine on a 23.1% HR/FB rate.

Despite the concerns, the Rays will hope that Cishek can continue to be a force against right-handed hitters. He has always been less effective against southpaws, and perhaps now more than ever will be best utilized situationally, but the Rays have enough late-inning options that they won’t need to use Cishek in a strictly defined role.

Jon Morosi of MLB.com (via Twitter) first said the deal was close, with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (Twitter link) adding that it was Cishek who’d go in return for Ramirez. Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune suggested on Twitter that the swap was fully agreed to, while ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter links) had the financial element.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rangers Informing Interested Teams They Will Trade Yu Darvish

By Jeff Todd | July 27, 2017 at 9:21pm CDT

Top righty Yu Darvish appears to be destined to change uniforms in the coming days, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of MLB Network (via Twitter). While the Rangers have been waiting to decide whether to deal the talented starter, Rosenthal says the club is now informing rivals that it will trade him.

Darvish now clearly represents the top rental hurler available on the market. With the Rangers said to be “confident” of achieving a significant return, per Rosenthal, the organization is “actively exchanging names” with interested contenders. With less than four days to go til the non-waiver deadline, then, the report seemingly sets the stage for a bidding war on one of the game’s most accomplished starters.

To be sure, other pitchers of significance that could be traded in the coming days, some with greater trade value. In particular, the expectation remains that Sonny Gray will change hands. But there’s an argument to be made that no other pitcher has so much potential to impact the outcome of the current season.

That said, at thirty years of age, Darvish is hardly pitching at his highest levels. He’s averaging just under ten strikeouts per nine for the first time ever, has surrendered a few more home runs than usual, and carries an uncharacteristic 4.01 ERA through 137 innings. That earned run average ballooned by more than half a run after Darvish was knocked around in his start.

On the whole, as Dave Cameron of Fangraphs explored in detail today, there are some reasons for worry but also signs for ongoing confidence. Darvish is throwing hard and getting about as many swings and misses as ever. He is on track to approach or perhaps exceed two hundred innings for the second time in a full season. And whatever the risks, there will be no long-term contractual entanglements to magnify them.

It seems from this most recent report that rival organizations see enough cause to believe in Darvish to motivate the Rangers to deal him. In terms of possible landing spots, there are quite a few, as MLBTR’s Connor Byrne ran down earlier today.

Texas had reportedly advised other teams that it’d pursue a Wild Card run, despite a marginal position in the standings, if a sufficient return couldn’t be had for Darvish. Instead, it seems, the righty will likely end up on the move — leaving the organization looking to re-tool for 2018. Indications are that Adrian Beltre will remain mostly off limits, though Jonathan Lucroy seems to be on the block and we heard today that relievers Jeremy Jeffress and Keone Kela are available. Pending free agents such as Carlos Gomez and Mike Napoli (the latter’s contract includes a club option) would also appear to be fair game, with the Rangers perhaps now more motivated to deal them given their evident intentions regarding Darvish.

Rays Acquire Lucas Duda

By Jeff Todd | July 27, 2017 at 4:31pm CDT

The Rays have officially struck a deal to acquire veteran first baseman Lucas Duda. In return, the Mets have added right-handed relief pitching prospect Drew Smith.

[RELATED: Updated Rays & Mets Depth Charts]

Duda is playing on a $7.25MM salary this year, just over $2.6MM of which remains and all of which will be absorbed by his new team, per Joel Sherman of the New York Post (Twitter link). To create 40-man roster space, the Rays have designated outfielder Shane Peterson for assignment, as Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times first reported (via Twitter).

Duda, 31, has posted compelling offensive numbers this year after an injury-riddled 2016 season. Through 291 plate appearances, he has slashed .246/.347/.532 and delivered 17 home runs, largely matching the output he provided in his excellent 2014 and 2015 campaigns.

Clearly, the slugger has his limitations, beginning with the fact that he only plays first base (where he has graded as an average defender). He strikes out in about a quarter of his trips to the plate and carries a .246 batting average both this year and in his career. And he’s definitely better against right-handed pitching, though Duda has been better than usual against southpaws this year. But the power is obviously legitimate — Duda has knocked 125 career dingers — and he knows how to draw a walk (12.7% BB rate on the year).

Though the Rays have their own breakout offensive performer at first in Logan Morrison, the team has room for another big left-handed bat. With outfielder Colby Rasmus hanging up his spikes mid-way through the year, the Rays could utilize Corey Dickerson in the outfield to allow Duda to step in at DH.

For the Mets, the move helps to alleviate an immediate roster logjam by opening the door for Jay Bruce to play first base. Of course, that’s not likely to last long, as he and others could yet be on the move. New York will ultimately provide top prospect Dominic Smith his first taste of the majors; with the departure of Duda, that could come in short order.

Meanwhile, New York picks up a pitcher who could be a contributor in New York as soon as the present season — though the Mets likely won’t be in a rush to add him to the 40-man roster. Smith, 23, was a third-round pick in the 2015 draft. He made his way to the Rays as the player to be named later in the winter deal that sent Mikie Mahtook to the Tigers.

With a big fastball and quality curve, Smith looks as if he could turn into a steady and affordable MLB relief asset. The MLB.com prospect team ranked him 30th on the Tampa Bay farm, noting that his upside is as a setup arm. Smith threw 28 2/3 innings of 2.20 ERA ball at the High-A level upon landing with the Rays organization and recently ascended to Triple-A after a quick stop at the penultimate level of the minors.

Joel Sherman of the New York Post first reported that a deal had gained momentum (Twitter links) after Marc Carig of Newsday reported earlier that Tampa Bay had shown some interest in Duda. Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter) had Smith’s inclusion. MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweeted that the deal was complete.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Twins Reportedly Listening To Offers On Short-Term Assets

By Steve Adams | July 27, 2017 at 1:25pm CDT

After dropping three straight games to the Dodgers and falling below .500 for the first time since April, the Twins are now fielding offers on their shorter-term assets, reports MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand (on Twitter). That includes right-hander Ervin Santana and newly acquired lefty Jaime Garcia. They’re also getting hits on closer Brandon Kintzler and second baseman Brian Dozier, Feinsand adds. MLB.com’s Jon Morosi suggested yesterday that the Twins would be open to such moves if their struggles continued.

[Related: Minnesota Twins depth chart]

The 34-year-old Santana paced the Majors in ERA for a full calendar year, working to a 1.75 ERA from June 1, 2016 to June 1, 2017. However, Santana’s peripheral numbers never came close to supporting that aesthetically pleasing figure, and he’s regressed substantially over the past couple of months. That said, he’s still as durable veteran with quality results that has averaged nearly 6 2/3 innings per start this year. He’s also averaged 6.9 K/9 against 3.1 BB/9 with a 42.8 percent ground-ball rate and is still averaging a respectable 92.7 mph on his heater.

Santana is earning $13.5MM in 2017 and is controlled through 2018 at the same rate. His contract also includes a $14MM club/vesting option for the 2019 season ($1MM buyout) that’ll automatically kick in if he throws 400 innings between now and the completion of the 2018 campaign (with at least 200 frames next year).

Dozier was the focus of rumors all offseason, primarily drawing connections to the Dodgers, but he ultimately remained in Minnesota. He’s predictably seen his power regress after last year’s 42-homer campaign, but he’s still on pace to approach 30 homers and is hitting a solid .249/.334/.441 with 16 homers, 21 doubles and two triples on the year. He’s earning a highly affordable $6MM in 2017 (with about $2.1MM of that sum remaining) and will make $9MM in 2018 before hitting free agency upon completion of his age-31 season.

Kintzler has gone from minor league signee to closer in short order since joining the Twins, and while he doesn’t miss many bats, he’s a ground-ball machine with strong control. Set to turn 33 years old the day after the non-waiver deadline, Kintzler is earning $2.9MM this season and has averaged 5.6 K/9 against 1.6 BB/9 with a 58.7 percent ground-ball rate since joining the Twins in 2016. That’s led to a 3.01 ERA in 98 2/3 innings. Most clubs probably view the impending free agent as more of a setup option, but his strong results against lefties and hard sinker would fit well on a number of teams looking for short-term ’pen help.

The inclusion of Garcia likely causes some to raise an eyebrow, as the Twins gave up a prospect to acquire him just three days ago. Minnesota, though, also took on the entirety of Garcia’s contract as well as $200K of what the Braves still owed catcher Anthony Recker. In doing so, the Twins minimized their own cost of acquiring him and also created the possibility of flipping him for a greater return. Garcia reportedly drew interest from roughly a half-dozen teams before he went to the Twins, and if Minnesota is willing to pay the remaining ~$4.5MM on Garcia’s deal, he could conceivably be flipped for a superior prospect to the one the Twins surrendered (Huascar Ynoa). In essence, that would be akin to buying a better prospect. Garcia, a free agent at season’s end, is set to make his first start for the Twins tomorrow in Oakland.

Of course, the mention of Oakland makes it worth reminding that the situation is likely fluid. The Twins drew a tough schedule coming out of the break and have already faced baseball’s two best teams, the Astros and Dodgers. Their next six games are against the rebuilding Athletics and Padres, so a quick rebound in Oakland could cause new chief baseball officer Derek Falvey and general manager Thad Levine to pump the brakes a bit.

The Twins’ presence near the top of the AL Central was a surprising development for most, and comments from Levine and Falvey all summer have suggested that the team wouldn’t deviate from its long-term focus by mortgaging significant pieces of its future. Seeing what offers materialize for veteran players likely wasn’t the route the club hoped to take this summer after a hot start, but the Twins also never separated themselves from in the division by a wide enough margin to fully rule out the possibility.

Rays Acquire Dan Jennings From White Sox

By Steve Adams | July 27, 2017 at 10:03am CDT

The Rays have begun to bolster their bullpen, announcing on Thursday that they’ve acquired lefty reliever Dan Jennings from the White Sox in exchange for first base prospect Casey Gillaspie. To make room on the 40-man roster, the Rays designated right-hander Diego Moreno for assignment.

[Related: Updated Chicago White Sox depth chart and Tampa Bay Rays depth chart]

Tampa Bay has been known to be interested in picking up a left-handed reliever, and they’ve reportedly checked in on the likes of San Diego’s Brad Hand and Detroit’s Justin Wilson in recent weeks. Both relievers are reportedly attached to exorbitant asking prices, however, which likely prompted the Rays to shift to another southpaw that they can control beyond the current campaign. Notably, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand tweets that the Rays are still looking at bigger names on the relief market, so there could yet be further additions to the Tampa Bay bullpen.

Jennings, 30, has been a solid bullpen piece for the Sox since being acquired prior to the 2015 season in a shrewd trade by Chicago GM Rick Hahn. (The Sox sent righty Andre Rienzo to Miami in exchange for Jennings.) Jennings has totaled 161 1/3 innings out of the South Siders’ bullpen in the past three seasons, and while his 7.3 K/9 and 4.0 BB/9 marks don’t stand out, he’s used a 59.1 percent ground-ball rate and a paltry 23.7 percent hard-contact rate to help him to a 3.12 ERA in that time.

While he’s long been effective against lefties, Jennings has been flat-out lethal against southpaw swingers in 2017, limiting them to a feeble .164/.286/.211 batting line through 85 plate appearances. He’s also earning just $1.4MM in 2017 and can be retained for another two years via arbitration, making him a nice longer-term piece for the Rays’ bullpen.

Jennings becomes the second reliever that the White Sox have flipped in a one-for-one swap involving a solid offensive prospect in as many days. (Anthony Swarzak officially went to the Brewers in exchange for outfielder Ryan Cordell yesterday.) Gillaspie, 24, was the Rays’ first-round pick in the 2014 draft and entered the season ranked as the game’s No. 74 overall prospect in the eyes of Baseball America. That ranking came on the heels of a strong .286/.387/.482 batting line in 555 plate appearances between Double-A and Triple-A in last year’s age-23 campaign.

The 2017 season has been a struggle for Gillaspie, however. He’s slumped to a .227/.296/.357 slash through his first 395 PAs with Triple-A Durham and had slipped from fifth to tenth on MLB.com’s rankings of the organization’s top 30 prospects. That said, MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo still placed a solid 50 grade (on the 20-80 scouting scale) on Gillaspie’s overall potential moving forward, praising the switch-hitter’s “untapped power potential” and touting him as at least a league-average defender at first base.

CSN Chicago’s Chuck Garfien tweets that Gillaspie, the younger brother of former White Sox third baseman Conor Gillaspie, is currently dealing with a broken toe and is expected to be out for another one to two weeks. He’ll then report to Triple-A Charlotte.

Losing his roster spot as a result of the trade will be the 30-year-old Moreno, who has tossed 5 2/3 frames out of the Rays’ bullpen this season and allowed three earned runs on six hits and a walk with six strikeouts. Moreno’s biggest claim to fame is being one of the two players traded by the Pirates to the Yankees in the 2012 swap that sent A.J. Burnett to Pittsburgh. He has just 16 innings at the big league level but has posted a more palatable 3.70 ERA with 8.3 K/9 against 2.8 BB/9 through 165 1/3 career innings in Triple-A.

ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick first reported that the Rays were closing in on a trade for a left-handed reliever (Twitter link). Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reported the specifics (also on Twitter).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Rockies Acquire Pat Neshek

By Steve Adams | July 26, 2017 at 9:45pm CDT

The Rockies announced that they’ve acquired right-hander Pat Neshek from the Phillies in exchange for minor league infielder Jose Gomez and minor league right-handers J.D. Hammer and Alejandro Requena. Lefty Tyler Anderson has been moved to the 60-day DL to clear a roster spot.

[Related: Updated Colorado Rockies depth chart and Philadelphia Phillies depth chart]

Neshek, 37 in September, has proven to be a strong offseason pickup for the Phillies, who effectively acquired the side-armer and his $6.5MM contract in a salary dump. Through 40 1/3 innings out of the Philadelphia bullpen, Neshek has averaged 10.0 K/9 and 1.1 BB/9 with a 37 percent ground-ball rate en route to a pristine 1.12 ERA. Neshek’s 13.6 percent swinging-strike rate is the best mark he’s posted since his rookie year with the Twins way back in 2006, and the paltry 24.5 percent hard-contact rate he’s allowed ranks as the 24th-best out of 163 qualified relievers.

In Neshek, the Rockies are adding a rental arm — Neshek is a free agent at season’s end — to a relief corps that has looked to show signs of fatigue in recent weeks. Colorado had a top-heavy bullpen that posted middle-of-the-pack results in April and May but has fallen off considerably since the calendar flipped to June. Over the past 30 days, Rockies relievers have posted a 4.74 ERA and a 4.92 FIP, each of which rank among the worst collective marks in baseball. Adam Ottavino and Jordan Lyles, in particular, have struggled as of late, but adding Neshek to the mix will give first-year manager Bud Black another quality arm to pair with the likes of Greg Holland and Jake McGee, taking some pressure off other arms further down the pecking order.

The 20-year-old Gomez ranked 21st in a deep Rockies farm system on the recently released midseason top 30 prospect list from Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com. He’s played all over the infield but profiles best at second base in the long run, per that report, though he’s a ways off from the Majors anyhow after spending the bulk of the season in Class-A. Gomez is hitting .324/.374/.437 with four homers, 20 doubles and a pair of triples thus far in 2017. He’s also swiped 18 bases, though he’s been caught on another 11 attempts, suggesting that he needs further refinement in that area if he’s to be much of a threat on the bases later in his pro career.

In addition to having an excellent name, the 23-year-old Hammer boasts an outstanding strikeout rate thus far through the first year-plus of his professional career. The Marshall University product was Colorado’s 24th-round pick in the 2016 draft and has pitched to a 3.15 ERA with 12.3 K/9 against 2.6 BB/9 since joining the Rockies organization. Hammer, who has also posted a ground-ball rate north of 50 percent as a pro, has worked exclusively out of the bullpen, though he’s pitched in Class-A this season and is older than much of his competition. Fangraphs’ lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen tweets that Hammer possesses a plus fastball and average curveball but presently has below-average control.

Requena, 20, has worked as a starter at the Class-A level this season, totaling 117 innings across 19 starts with 7.5 K/9, 1.9 BB/9 and a 47.5 percent ground-ball rate. He’s demonstrated very strong control throughout his professional career to date and is enjoying solid results in his first year of full-season ball despite being nearly two years younger than the average age of his competition.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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