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Angels To Sign Jesse Chavez

By Jeff Todd | November 11, 2016 at 5:40pm CDT

The Angels have struck a one-year, $5.75MM deal with righty Jesse Chavez, according to ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick (Twitter link). He’ll also have a chance to earn up to $2.5MM in incentives. It’s an escalating scale based on the number of games started, per Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).

Los Angeles added Chavez with intentions of utilizing him as a starter, Crasnick notes. He’ll join an increasingly crowded group of rotation candidates, though several will enter the year with a variety of questions.

Halos GM Billy Eppler recently noted that he’d be in the hunt for another starting candidate to go with a group led by Garrett Richards, Matt Shoemaker, Tyler Skaggs, and Ricky Nolasco. While the club also intends to try J.C. Ramirez as a starter, and could also hand the ball to Alex Meyer or a few other internal options, there was enough uncertainty to warrant an addition.

[RELATED: Updated Angels Depth Chart]

In particular, Richards and Skaggs carry notable ongoing injury question marks. There was at least some reason to believe that the Angels might target a more significant addition — MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes suggested them as a landing spot for Ivan Nova — but it seems that the club will instead stake a less-committing bet on Chavez. His addition likely takes the team out of the market for Nova and others, including departing free agent Jered Weaver.

The 33-year-old Chavez isn’t a particularly exciting addition, and didn’t even make a single start in 2016, but he’s a solid pitcher who’ll help shore up the staff — and could always move to the pen if things break right with other pitchers. With the Blue Jays and Dodgers last year, he threw 67 total innings with 8.5 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 to go with a 42.9% groundball rate.

Those measures are all fairly typical for Chavez, who was a bit more susceptible to the long ball last year (15.4% HR/FB, 1.61 HR/9) but otherwise largely repeated his prior seasons. Of course, he had been utilized primarily as a starter in the two preceding campaigns with the Athletics. Over 2013-14, he compiled a 3.59 ERA in 203 1/3 innings, though ERA estimators suggested he was more of an upper-3.00 range pitcher.

When working exclusively from the pen, Chavez managed to increase his average fastball velocity to 92.7 mph, a level he hadn’t reached in several years. But he’s not reliant on a big heater anyway; Chavez utilizes three varieties of the fastball (four-seam, two-seam, cutter) as well a change and two relatively little-used breaking pitches.

Chavez is one of several early-offseason acquisitions for the Halos, none of which have come with lengthy commitments. Los Angeles already re-signed Andrew Bailey to its pen and dealt for Cameron Maybin to fill an outfield spot. Various opportunistic moves can’t be ruled out, but it seems that the remaining priority at this point is to find a regular second baseman.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Phillies Acquire Howie Kendrick

By Jeff Todd | November 11, 2016 at 3:21pm CDT

The Phillies have acquired infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick from the Dodgers, per a club announcement. First baseman Darin Ruf and second baseman/outfielder Darnell Sweeney will head to Los Angeles in return.

Still, adding the veteran would seem to make it somewhat more likely that the Phils would feel comfortable parting with Cesar Hernandez, the incumbent at second. Hernandez, 26, added on-base ability to his speed and defense in 2016 for a surprisingly excellent campaign. With three years of control remaining, he is a rather appealing potential trade piece — not least of which since he has also spent time at short and center. Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com reports that Hernandez drew strong interest at the GM Meetings, and while Kendrick may not currently be slated to step right in to replace him, it remains plausible that the Phillies could look to cash him in at some point over the coming months.

[RELATED: Updated Phillies & Dodgers Depth Charts]

Regardless of precisely how he fits, Kendrick will provide the Phillies with just the kind of veteran presence they entered the offseason in search of. And he’ll do so without requiring a multi-year commitment. If all goes well, he’ll bounce back after an uncharacteristically poor season at the plate. Kendrick ended with a .255/.326/.366 batting line, with eight home runs and ten steals, over 543 plate appearances. That was easily the worst full-season effort of his career.

If Kendrick can regain his form, he’ll help the team improve its level of play and may even turn into a trade or (perhaps less likely) qualifying offer candidate. There is some reason for hope. He maintained a strong 33.8% hard-hit rate even as his typically high BABIP dipped to .301 — easily a career-low. And Kendrick managed to boost his walk rate to a career-best 9.2% while maintaining his characteristically palatable strikeout numbers (his 17.7% K rate last year landed just north of his 17.2% career rate).

For the Dodgers, the swap was more about clearing payroll and roster space — particularly after Kendrick expressed disappointment with his usage. Now, the team’s needs in the corner outfield, and at second and third base, are all the more pronounced. Already a lefty-leaning club with the bats, Los Angeles seems primed to pursue right-handed hitting in more than one area this winter. But while the return wasn’t the driving force here, there’s reason to believe it could deliver some function, especially for the always-clever Los Angeles front office.

Ruf, 30, is perhaps likeliest to make an impact. He had a short and forgettable MLB stint last year, but raked at Triple-A and owns a .299/.379/.542 lifetime slash against left-handed pitching. True, the right-handed hitter has been sub-par without the platoon advantage, and contributes nothing on the bases or in the field (though he can play some first and, at least in limited doses, the corner outfield). He’s also out of options. But the Dodgers have a number of flexible assets and may like the idea of allowing Ruf to spell Adrian Gonzalez at first base and function as a right-handed bench bat — or, at least, giving him the chance to unseat Scott Van Slyke in such a role in camp.

Sweeney, too, has some potential uses. The 25-year-old switch-hitter, who originally came to Philadelphia from Los Angeles in the Chase Utley deal, is capable of playing all over. He didn’t hit much in a brief MLB debut in 2016, and struggled last year at Triple-A. But he has shown better at times in the past, even flashing double-digit home run power and real stolen base potential in several separate seasons, and it wouldn’t be all that surprising if he found his way onto the Dodgers’ roster at some point. Doing so would mean adding him back to the 40-man, as he had been outrighted by the Phils, but that too increases his appeal at this stage since he won’t occupy a roster spot upon his arrival.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Brewers Announce Three-Year Extension For Craig Counsell

By Steve Adams | November 11, 2016 at 11:55am CDT

11:55am: The Brewers announced that Counsell has been extended through the 2020 season

10:08am: The Brewers have scheduled a press conference with general manager David Stearns and manager Craig Counsell for noon CT today, and MLB.com’s Adam McCalvy reports that they’re expected to announce an extension for Counsell, whose current contract runs through the end of the 2017 season. An extension of yet-unreported length will spare Counsell the uncertainty of the “lame duck” tag and constant speculation about his job security in 2017 if the rebuilding Brewers get off to a poor start or finish the season with another losing record.

As McCalvy notes, Stearns offered heavy praise for Counsell at season’s end, praising the “positive culture” and “top to bottom” chemistry that Counsell has helped to develop throughout the organization. “There’s the in-game part of [managing],” said Stearns of his skipper, “which gets the most attention, because that’s the part that is what we all see, and what Craig has to answer about. An even bigger part of it is what goes on behind closed doors, when he’s managing the clubhouse, managing different personalities. This is a big family thrown together for eight months out of the year, and Craig and the coaches have the responsibility of keeping that family together. That’s not an easy job.”

Counsell took over as the Brewers’ manager in May 2015 when Milwuakee dismissed Ron Roenicke, signing a three-year deal that was set to run through next season. The Brewers are just 135-169 under his guidance, though Counsell can hardly be blamed for the team’s record in his nearly two full seasons of managing. The former big league infielder inherited an enormously flawed roster in 2015 and skippered a club that spent the bulk of the 2015-16 offseason tearing down its roster and rebuilding under a new general manager (Stearns).

Clearly, though, the organization feels that he’s excelled in his role within the clubhouse and while establishing a rapport with the front office. Having previously worked in a front office capacity himself, Counsell understands the importance of that component of the job and explained as much in a Q&A with Fangraphs’ David Laurila shortly before Stearns was hired in 2015:

“Understanding people’s perspectives… a great thing about working in the front office was that it gave me a different perspective. You see the game differently. When you’re in the forest every day, you always don’t see it. There is emotion in the dugout and in the clubhouse. You need to use emotion – you try to use it in a good way – but I understand why it can sometimes make decision-making difficult. That’s where the perspective of your front office can help you at times. That outlook is valuable, and as a manager you need to recognize it.”

Via McCalvy’s piece, the entire Brewers coaching staff was also invited back for the 2017 season, so the team’s younger players such as Orlando Arcia, Jonathan Villar, Keon Broxton, Zach Davies and Chase Anderson will have some continuity as they look to further work back toward contention in a stacked NL Central division.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Braves Sign R.A. Dickey

By Jeff Todd | November 10, 2016 at 12:13pm CDT

The Braves have announced a one-year deal with free agent righty R.A. Dickey. The contract comes with a $8MM guarantee, per Jon Heyman of Fan Rag (via Twitter). That includes a $500K buyout of a 2018 option, which the team can exercise for $8MM.

Atlanta has long been said to be seeking multiple starters this winter, with the team interested in top-quality arms but also seeking to limit the length of any guarantees. This contract seems to accomplish what Atlanta hoped to do with at least one slot, plugging in a sturdy veteran without committing to a long-term deal.

MLBTR’s Tim Dierkes predicted both the match and the guarantee in his ranking of the top fifty free agents. The 42-year-old is a native of Nashville and starred at the University of Tennessee, so the move will allow him to live closer to home.

[RELATED: Updated Braves Depth Chart]

With Atlanta, the veteran knuckleballer will be tasked with providing innings and experience to an otherwise youthful staff. He notched over 200 frames annually from 2011 through 2015, and nearly would have again last year had the Blue Jays not limited his exposure late in the season.

Certainly, the Braves won’t expect the Dickey of yore, but there’s some reason to hope he can still provide quality in addition to length out of the rotation. Dickey won the Cy Young award 37 years of age and worked to a 3.95 ERA over his first three campaigns in Toronto.

Things didn’t quite turn out as hoped last year, though, after the Jays exercised a $12MM option over Dickey. He ended with a 4.46 ERA in 169 2/3 innings, with 6.7 K/9 against 3.3 BB/9. Dickey struggled to limit the long ball, with 1.49 dingers per nine hit against him, and gave up much more hard contact (30%) than had been his norm of late.

Atlanta can cross of one item from its offseason wish list with the signing, but the team has long said it’ll pursue two or three new rotation pieces. Whether or not trade or free agency will provide the remaining desired arms remains to be seen. Presumably, the organization will remain opportunistic while also showing a willingness to be patient as the market takes shape.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Pirates, Nationals Discussed Andrew McCutchen Trade In July

By Steve Adams | November 9, 2016 at 8:27pm CDT

The Pirates and Nationals connected on a notable July trade that sent Mark Melancon from Pittsburgh to D.C. in exchange for Felipe Rivero and Taylor Hearn, but Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports reports that a second blockbuster between the two sides was also discussed at length. Pittsburgh and Washington talked about a potential trade that would’ve sent Andrew McCutchen to the Nationals according to Rosenthal, though the deal apparently crumbled because there were too many moving parts at play. He adds that top prospect Victor Robles was one Pirates target in the deal.

It’s unlikely that the talks are picked back up due to the fact that there’s a gap between how the Pirates view McCutchen and how the Nats view him, Rosenthal continues, though serious trade discussions involving the 2013 NL MVP do at least indicate that the Bucs could be open to moving him this winter.

McCutchen turned in what was far and away the worst season of his career in 2016, taking notable steps backwards in terms of his offense, defense and baserunning. The 30-year-old’s .256/.336/.430 batting line still checked in a bit above the league average, per park-adjusted metrics like wRC+ and OPS+, but McCutchen had batted at least .292 with an OBP of at least .400 in each of the four prior seasons. Meanwhile, he stole a career-low six bases and was caught seven times. And in center field, the once premium defender turned in awful Defensive Runs Saved (-28) and Ultimate Zone Rating (-18.7) marks, though Rosenthal hears that the Pirates believe his poor ratings are due to the fact that McCutchen was positioned too shallow for much of the season (a problem that Dexter Fowler recently cited when discussing his own defensive improvements).

It’s not entirely clear if the Pirates will look to move McCutchen this winter or if they’ll just opportunistically listen to offers, though the team does have a near-MLB-ready replacement in the form of top prospect Austin Meadows. But even if they don’t, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that his defensive shortcomings in 2016 could spell the end of his time in center field (Twitter link). Per Olney, the Bucs are considering a new outfield alignment that would feature Gregory Polanco in left field, Starling Marte in center field and McCutchen in right field.

If the Pirates do look to move McCutchen, though, there are undoubtedly a number of teams that would line up to take a chance on him returning to his previous heights. He’s owed a reasonable $14MM next year and also has a $14.5MM club option on his contract, which comes with a $1MM buyout. Even on the heels of a down season for McCutchen, the opportunity to acquire someone of his ceiling and owe him just a $15MM guarantee over one year (with a reasonably priced option for a second season) is intriguing for any club in need of outfield help. However, the challenge, as is the case when inquiring on any star-level player coming off a down season, will be agreeing on a price point. The Pirates almost certainly would value McCutchen at a very high level, but interested parties may be reluctant to pay a premium price for a 30-year-old that could be entering into a decline phase.

That disparity is highlighted by the package reported by Rosenthal; Robles currently ranks as the No. 10 prospect in all of baseball according to MLB.com, but Rosenthal notes that the Pirates weren’t keen on trading McCutchen for only one outfield prospect that has yet to play above Class-A. That’s certainly understandable, as it’s not uncommon at all for toolsy young outfielders to flame out, and being left with nothing to show for trading the face of the franchise would be a disastrous outcome.

Howie Kendrick Reportedly Prefers To Be Traded

By Steve Adams | November 9, 2016 at 7:50pm CDT

Howie Kendrick’s name has been popular on the rumor circuit this week, and Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports now reports that the veteran would prefer to be traded to a team that can give him a more regular role than the Dodgers did in 2016. FOX’s Ken Rosenthal reported earlier this week that the Dodgers were exploring possible Kendrick trades and that Kendrick was frustrated by his usage in Los Angeles, but Heyman’s report takes the story a bit further.

According to Heyman, Kendrick isn’t opposed to playing multiple positions in 2017 as he did in 2016 when he played second base, left field, third base and first base in L.A., but he’d prefer more regular at-bats. Kendrick played in 146 games and totaled 543 plate appearances last year, but that averages out to about 3.7 plate appearances per game — a notable decrease from the 4.2 PAs he averaged per game from 2010-15 with the Angels. There appears to be an opening at second base for Kendrick to return to his primary role next season, but Heyman notes that many in the game expect the Dodgers to re-sign Chase Utley, which would again cut into Kendrick’s playing time.

Of course, Kendrick’s own diminished performance may have played a role in his decrease in plate appearances. From 2010-15, Kendrick batted .289/.332/.418 as a member of the Angels — production that was about 11 percent better than the league average over that span, per OPS+. Last year, in a season in which offense was up league-wide, Kendrick’s production fell off to .255/.322/.366 — about 10 percent below the league average in terms of OPS+. He also received negative defensive marks at second base for the second straight season, although his work there came in a limited sample of just 210 innings. Kendrick also graded out average or slightly above in left field, depending on your defensive metric of choice.

With one year and $10MM remaining on his deal, Kendrick should still hold some degree of trade appeal. Rosenthal’s report listed the Phillies and Angels as possible landing spots, and Heyman points out that the Royals, too, could look for upgrades at second base. I’ll add, though, that if the Royals are going to add someone making $10MM to the books next year, they’ll probably have to subtract some salary as well, as GM Dayton Moore has said on multiple occasions that the team’s payroll is likelier to regress than to increase next year.

It should also be pointed out that the market for Kendrick needn’t be limited only to teams with second base openings. The Rangers, for instance, will lose a pair of outfielders in Carlos Gomez and Ian Desmond as well as first baseman Mitch Moreland, which could create multiple openings that Kendrick could fill. The Mets could use Kendrick in a variety of roles — a platoon bat in the outfield and insurance for David Wright, Lucas Duda and Jose Reyes around the infield. Other teams with corner outfield openings as well as some potential infield work include the Blue Jays, Indians and White Sox (though GM Rick Hahn’s recent comments may suggest that Chicago isn’t going to be adding a short-term veteran such as Kendrick). All of that, of course, is purely speculation on my behalf, but a player with Kendrick’s track record and versatility should pique the interest of many teams, especially if he’s indeed open to a utility role that affords him more at-bats, as Heyman indicated.

2016-17 MLB Free Agent Tracker

By Tim Dierkes | November 9, 2016 at 7:42pm CDT

Our 2016-17 MLB Free Agent Tracker is now available! Our new and improved tracker allows you to filter by position, team, signing status, handedness, qualifying offers, and contract years, amounts, and options. We’ll be updating it quickly throughout the offseason. This new tracker is mobile-friendly as well, so you can give it a try on your phone. Check out our 2016-17 MLB Free Agent Tracker and let us know your feedback!

Astros Interested In Brian McCann

By Steve Adams | November 9, 2016 at 6:59pm CDT

The possibility of a Brian McCann trade has been speculated about for months, driven in large part by the emergence of Gary Sanchez, and Mark Feinsand of the New York Daily News reports that the Yanks have already identified a potential trade partner. Meanwhile, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi tweets that the Astros are interested in McCann, though it’s not definitively clear that Houston is the unnamed team referenced by Feinsand. It’s worth noting that neither report is an indicator that a deal is close at this time, though Feinsand’s report does seem to suggest that GM Brian Cashman has had some level of productive talks.

McCann, 32, has full no-trade protection and will need to approve any trade, and Cashman says he hasn’t spoken to his catcher about the possibility of anything yet. “[McCann’s agent, B.B. Abbott] said, ’Keep me posted; why don’t you guys go through the process and if you have something you need to talk to us about, give us a call,” Cashman explained. “…He hasn’t told me no on anything. I do have a personal belief of what’s more workable than others.”

Per Feinsand, the Astros are “desperate” to add both a catcher and a left-handed bat, so the fit certainly makes plenty of sense. Houston’s lineup is pretty heavy in terms of right-handed hitters, with George Springer, Carlos Correa, Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Evan Gattis and Yulieski Gurriel all hitting from the right side of the dish. Houston GM Jeff Luhnow In addition to McCann’s no-trade protection, his contractual status could serve as an impediment. The Astros may not be keen on paying McCann the full $34MM he’s owed over the next two seasons, though the Yankees could include some cash to help offset the financial burden for Houston. Furthermore, Astros GM Jeff Luhnow told Morosi earlier today that he foresees the team’s payroll escalating next season, so Houston should have the funds to make the move work if Luhnow and Cashman can agree on a prospect return and if McCann approves the deal.

Houston is currently set to lose Jason Castro to free agency, leaving Gattis and Max Stassi as the primary catching options within the organization. McCann would give the ’Stros a left-handed bat to replace Castros — and a more productive one, at that. Castro was solid against right-handed pitchers this past season but hit just .210/.307/.377 overall, while McCann provided a much more robust .242/.335/.413 slash and has hit at least 20 homers in nine straight seasons.

As for the Yankees, if they do ultimately find a trade for McCann, they could pursue free-agent DH options, according to Feinsand. He lists shorter-term options like Carlos Beltran, Kendrys Morales and Mike Napoli as more likely candidates than Edwin Encarnacion or Mark Trumbo, who could both command four-year deals this winter (and perhaps five, in Encarnacion’s case).

Angels Re-Sign Andrew Bailey, Designate Shane Robinson

By Jeff Todd | November 9, 2016 at 12:08pm CDT

The Angels have agreed to a one-year, $1MM deal with free agent righty Andrew Bailey, per a club announcement (with salary via Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register, on Twitter). The deal also includes incentives, which may be tied (at least in part) to the possibility that he could function as the team’s closer.

Outfielder Shane Robinson was designated for assignment to clear roster space, the team also announced. The 32-year-old seemed to be a fairly obvious non-tender candidate already after turning in 111 plate appearances of .173/.257/.235 hitting last year.

Bailey, 32, threw well down the stretch for the Halos, even racking up six saves over a dozen appearances late in the season. He ended with a 2.38 ERA in his limited duty in Los Angeles, with eight strikeouts against two walks.

Once the closer for the Athletics, Bailey was sent to the Red Sox in exchange for Josh Reddick before the 2012 season. While Boston thought it was getting a controllable, shutdown reliever, Bailey struggled to stay healthy and wound up contributing just 44 innings over two years. He ended up missing all of 2014 following shoulder surgery and joined the Yankees (where current Angels GM Billy Eppler then was employed) as a minor league free agent.

The 2016 season, then, was a notable one for Bailey, who topped forty major league innings for the first time since 2011. He certainly finished on a high note with the Angels, even returning to some 9th-inning duties for the first time since 2013. Of course, Bailey’s first 32 1/3 innings in 2016 (with the Phillies) weren’t quite as good: he posted a 6.40ERA with 9.2 K/9 against 4.2 BB/9 in that span.

Dodgers “Exploring” Trade Involving Howie Kendrick

By Jeff Todd | November 8, 2016 at 5:30pm CDT

The Dodgers are looking into the possibility of a trade involving infielder/outfielder Howie Kendrick, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. It appears the move may be motivated at least in part by the fact that Kendrick was not enamored of his multi-positional usage last year.

Sources tell Rosenthal that the 33-year-old could end up being shipped to the Phillies, who apparently have interest. The Angels also make good sense, Rosenthal notes. It isn’t clear whether trade discussions are particularly active right now, or whether the possibility of a deal is something that will be pondered over the course of the offseason.

From the Dodgers’ perspective, gaining clarity on Kendrick may best be accomplished early. Though he spent significant time in left field in 2016, it had seemed rather likely that he’d return to his natural second base — whether or not joined by a platoon partner — for the season to come. Of course, the Dodgers surely wouldn’t be shy about utilizing him at third or in a broader utility role. But whether the team feels it can allocate resources elsewhere or simply thinks it’s better off honoring Kendrick’s apparent wishes, it seems there’s at least some momentum toward a deal.

Both of the teams mentioned make a good deal of sense on paper. The Phillies do have a rather productive second baseman on hand already, but could still use Kendrick in the infield or corner outfield. While the club isn’t exactly desperate to plug holes as a contender might be, it’s clearly seeking good value on respected veterans who don’t require multi-year commitments. With just one year and $10MM owed to Kendrick, he fits that mold perfectly, and Philly’s immense payroll space would easily accommodate the salary.

The Angels, likewise, are looking to avoid lengthy tie-ups, but in their case there’s a more urgent need to add quality major league pieces. Kendrick spent much of his career with Los Angeles’s other team, and the Halos have a clear need for a second baseman. Of course, the organization doesn’t necessarily have a lot of flexibility to move assets — whether major leaguers or prospects — to make a deal work.

Of course, the Dodgers may not have immense leverage in moving Kendrick. He was certainly not himself at the plate last year, slashing just .255/.326/.366 over 543 plate appearances, which made 2016 the worst offensive season of Kendrick’s career. And though Kendrick had typically rated well in the field, his 2015 work at second base was panned by defensive metrics. While he actually received solid marks in left field last year, that’s not really where his peak value lies.

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