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Nolan Reimold

AL Central Notes: Johan, Hughes, Reimold, Swisher, Sox

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Though Johan Santana’s comeback attempt briefly stalled when he experienced some shoulder discomfort, it appears he’s back on course, as Jon Heyman of CBS Sports tweets that the former Cy Young winner will throw a bullpen session today and is tentatively scheduled to pitch Game 5 of the Venezuelan Winter League finals next week. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN reports (via Twitter) that the Twins will be scouting each of those showings, though his sense is that a return to his former stomping grounds isn’t in the cards for Santana.

More on the Twins and their division…

  • Right-hander Phil Hughes told MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger that he was excited to sign a long-term extension with the Twins in December due to the high level of comfort that he felt in his first year with the club. Hughes implied that he entered the offseason hoping to work out a longer deal and was clearly able to do that, signing for an additional three years and $42MM on Dec. 22. However, Hughes noted that he wouldn’t have signed if he didn’t think the team was close to contending in the near future. Minnesota’s enviable farm system and their willingness to spend on veterans, demonstrated by signing Torii Hunter and Ervin Santana this winter, were both factors in Hughes’ decision as well.
  • The Indians are showing a great deal of interest in Nolan Reimold, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter). Cleveland is trying to sign the former Oriole to a minor league deal, Kubtako notes, though he adds that the Orioles remain in the mix as well. Reimold, 31, has battled significant injuries over the past few seasons but does own a solid .251/.324/.439 batting line in 1134 big league plate appearances.
  • Nick Swisher struggled through the worst season of his career last year with the Indians, though many of his struggles were likely attributable to knee problems that plagued him all season. Swisher, who underwent surgery on both knees in August, explained to MLB.com’s Anthony Castrovince that his knees were so bad that he literally could not walk to the bathroom at night (Twitter links). He admitted to Castrovince that he wished he’d had the operations sooner, but wanted to play through the pain due to the investment that the Indians made in him. Cleveland inked the Ohio native to a four-year, $56MM pact two offseasons ago.
  • At their annual Sox Fest event earlier today, White Sox GM Rick Hahn told reporters, including MLB.com’s Scott Merkin, that bullpen depth and another utility infielder to use versus left-handed pitching were the two primary items remaining on his offseason wishlist (Twitter link). Hahn also said that minor league signee Geovany Soto has a good chance to make the team out of Spring Training, so long as he can show that he is healthy (via CSN Chicago’s Dan Hayes).

Minor Moves: Reimold, Wilson, Cedeno, Bianchi, Pagnozzi

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Here are Sunday’s minor moves from around MLB:

Diamondbacks Claim Nolan Reimold From Blue Jays

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The Diamondbacks announced, via press release, that they have claimed outfielder Nolan Reimold off waivers from the Blue Jays. CompletePhillyCoverage.com writer Seamus Doyle, who is Reimold’s cousin, first tweeted the claim.

The 30-year-old Reimold, a long-time member of the Orioles, was designated for assignment by Baltimore in early July after spending the entire season prior to that point on the disabled list. The Blue Jays claimed him in hopes of receiving an offensive boost with Edwin Encarnacion on the shelf, but Reimold struggled in his time with Toronto, slashing just .212/.283/.404.

Reimold has undergone two neck surgeries in addition to ankle operation in an injury-plagued career, and he’s also spent time on the DL with calf and hamstring injuries in the past two seasons. He owns a career .250/.324/.437 batting line, however, which translates to an OPS+ of 103, indicating that he’s been about three percent better than a league-average hitter when healthy.

Reimold can be controlled through the 2015 season via arbitration and earned just $1.03MM in 2014, so the D’Backs likely view him as a contributor next season as well.

Blue Jays Designate Nolan Reimold For Assignment

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10:28am: The Blue Jays have officially announced the moves, via press release.

10:00am: The Blue Jays have designated Nolan Reimold for assignment, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com tweeted this morning. Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi writes that outfielder Kevin Pillar will be recalled from Triple-A to take his roster spot.

Toronto claimed the 30-year-old Reimold off waivers from the division-rival Orioles earlier this summer, hoping that the injury-prone slugger could provide an upgrade to their offense. Reimold struggled in 22 games with the Jays, however, posting a .212/.283/.404 batting line in 60 plate appearances.

The Orioles long thought Reimold to be capable of providing some production either in left field or from the DH spot, but his growing list of injuries eventually led to a DFA earlier this season. Reimold has undergone two neck surgeries and an ankle operation in his career, and he’s also spent time on the disabled list for calf and hamstring injuries in the past two seasons.

Still, the former second-round pick owns a lifetime batting line of .250/.324/.437 and an isolated power mark (slugging minus batting average) of .187, suggesting that he can indeed provide some offensive benefit when healthy. As Davidi notes, Reimold would have been a non-tender candidate following the season, though I’d imagine that the raise on his $1.03MM salary wouldn’t have been too substantial. Davidi also points out that by clearing a 40-man roster space without immediately filling it (Pillar is on the 40-man roster), the team creates room to add either Brandon Morrow or Daniel Norris in September. Morrow is said to be nearing a return from the 60-day disabled list and could work as a reliever, while Norris, Toronto’s top pitching prospect, could make his big league debut next month when rosters expand.

AL Notes: Soriano, Mariners, Reimold

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Alfonso Soriano will consider retirement after being designated for assignment by the Yankees, Marly Rivera of ESPN Deportes tweets. Soriano will take a week to talk with his family and think about what to do next. “This was to be expected. I talked to my lawyer about what I was going through, how I was being used, and I didn’t feel comfortable,” says Soriano. If this is it for the 38-year-old Soriano, he’ll finish his career with a .270/.319/.500 line and 412 home runs. Here are more notes from the American League.

  • One team that might make sense for Soriano is the Mariners, Joel Sherman of the New York Post writes. The Mariners have struggled against lefties, and Soriano has still hit for power against them, with a split of .247/.269/.416, even as he has struggled this season.
  • The Blue Jays plan to give new outfielder Nolan Reimold plenty of playing time, SportsNet.ca’s Shi Davidi writes. The Jays claimed Reimold from the Orioles earlier this weekend. “His big thing is staying healthy, he’s had trouble doing that over his career. This is his opportunity, there wasn’t a spot for him over in Baltimore,” says manager John Gibbons. “He’ll come here and help us out.” Adding Reimold could help the Jays use Jose Bautista more frequently in the infield.

Blue Jays Claim Nolan Reimold Off Waivers

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The Blue Jays have claimed Nolan Reimold off waivers from the Orioles, according to Reimold’s cousin Seamus Doyle (on Twitter).  The O’s placed Reimold on waivers last week.

Baltimore was looking at trade options for the outfielder but were unable to find any.  Reimold has been hampered by multiple neck surgeries over the last few seasons but has posted a .902 OPS over 17 games on a Double-A rehab assignment.

The 30-year-old was once considered a top 100 prospect but has never been able to realize his potential due to health problems.  In parts of five big league campaigns, Reimold owns a .252/.327/.439 slash line.

There are now six players in DFA limbo, as shown in MLBTR’s DFA Tracker.

Orioles Put Nolan Reimold On Waivers

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FRIDAY, 1:55pm: The Orioles have put Reimold on waivers, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko tweets.  Reimold will be outrighted to Triple-A if he clears waivers.

THURSDAY, 2:20pm: The O’s are still attempting to work out a trade with Reimold, a source tells Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).  As of today, he has not been put on waivers.

TUESDAY: The Orioles have announced that Reimold has been activated and designated. If Reimold hits the waiver wire, a claiming team would be responsible for about $500K in salary for the rest of the year, Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun notes on Twitter.

YESTERDAY, 6:00pm: Reimold has yet to be designated, tweets MLB.com’s Britt Ghiroli. Executive VP Dan Duquette said that the club hopes to keep him in the organization without using that mechanism.

Reimold had been told earlier today that he would be designated, according to Kubatko (links to Twitter). Though he has completed his rehab assignment, Reimold is still on the DL, and the club does not have to make a move until Tuesday. A DFA could be in the works, says Kubatko, because the Orioles are not willing to clear a roster spot for Reimold.

2:46pm: The Orioles are set to designate Nolan Reimold for assignment, according to Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com (on Twitter).

Today was decision day for the Orioles to either place Reimold on the major league roster or designate him for assignment.  Baltimore was thought to be looking at trade options for the outfielder but it appears that they have yet to find any.  Reimold has been hampered by multiple neck surgeries over the last few seasons but has posted a .902 OPS over 17 games on a Double-A rehab assignment.

The 30-year-old was once considered a top 100 prospect but has never been able to realize his potential due to health problems.  In parts of five big league campaigns, Reimold owns a .252/.327/.439 slash line.

Baltimore would like to keep Reimold in the organization, Kubatko tweets, but it will be tough to get him through waivers.  To keep up with the dizzying number of DFAs we’ve seen this afternoon, check out MLBTR’s DFA Tracker.

AL East Links: Machado, Reimold, Lester, Jays

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Manny Machado’s five-game suspension has been upheld by the league, the Orioles announced today, and the third baseman will begin serving his suspension tonight.  Machado had been appealing the ruling, which stemmed from a June 8th incident that saw him throw his bat towards third base in a game against the Athletics.

Here’s some more from around the AL East…

  • The Orioles are thought to be looking at trade options for Nolan Reimold, MASNsports.com’s Roch Kubatko reports.  The O’s must decide by today what they will do with Reimold, as they would otherwise have to designate the outfielder for assignment unless he is placed on the Major League roster.  Reimold has been hampered by multiple neck surgeries over the last few seasons but has posted a .902 OPS over 17 games on a Double-A rehab assignment.
  • Jon Lester told reporters (including WEEI.com’s Alex Speier) that there haven’t been any new negotiations between his representatives and the Red Sox, and there won’t be any extension talks during the season since Lester considers them a distraction.  “Like I said from the beginning of the season, everything is amicable. Conversations continue. But nothing as far as contract or numbers or anything like that,” Lester said.  The southpaw also noted that his preference to wait until after the season to negotiate doesn’t mean he is any less set on remaining in Boston.
  • Also from Speier, Mookie Betts and Brock Holt are both similar to Dustin Pedroia in both makeup and physical stature, a sign of how the Red Sox are focusing more on ability than body type in developing their prospects.
  • One AL scout would “without hesitation” trade the prospect package of Daniel Norris, Aaron Sanchez and Dalton Pompey for David Price if the Blue Jays received such a demand from the Rays, the scout tells Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.  This may not be enough for the Jays to outbid others for Price, however, given the number of teams interested and how Tampa is rumored to want a premium if they were to trade Price within the division.  Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos is said to be refusing to move all of Norris/Sanchez/Pompey in a deal for anyone, including Price, Jeff Samardzjia or another pitcher.
  • Yankees GM Brian Cashman is “looking to make some additions if I can,” he told reporters, including Zach Schonbrun of the New York Times. “I’d like to try to do a few things before those guys [C.C. Sabathia, Michael Pineda] get back, if possible. But I’ve already been trying. There’s a reason we haven’t done anything; it’s not because of a lack of phone calls. We’ll see.”  The Yankees are known to be looking for starting pitching to help their rotation depth.

AL Notes: Jays, Orioles, Twins, Red Sox

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The Blue Jays need to do some navel-gazing heading into trade season, writes Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca. The rotation leads the AL with 35 wins, but other stats like ERA and total bases allowed stack up less promisingly. Veteran Mark Buerhle has provided a timely career season, while other members of the rotation have been solid but volatile. Improvements to the rotation may rank at the top of the Jays’ trade deadline wish list.

  • In the same piece, Davidi speaks with Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos. He acknowledges there will be inconsistency with the rotation and points to health as something that is particularly difficult to predict. He also reiterated his preference for in-season trades since it’s easier to gauge which teams and players are performing well.
  • Orioles GM Dan Duquette recently addressed fans at the “State of the Orioles” address, reports MASNsports.com Steve Melewski. One of the topics discussed was Nolan Reimold’s role with the club. He’s currently hitting .326/.433/.522 at Double-A. Said Duquette “we’ll have to see if he can help our ballclub.” The Orioles must add Reimold to the active roster by Monday or else designate him for assignment. Given his current performance, it’s likely they will lose him if he’s placed on waivers.
  • Despite rumors that the Yankees plan to spend upwards of $30 million in the international market, the Twins intend to participate aggressively, writes Mike Berardino of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. According to Twins GM Terry Ryan, “we aren’t going to lie low.” He also expressed skepticism about the rumors of other teams blowing past their budget, saying “Once you start paying some of that tax, all of a sudden other people get involved.”
  • Red Sox GM Ben Cherington spoke with reporters about the club’s direction, reports MassLive.com’s Jason Mastrodonato. Cherington highlights the team’s talent base as a reason to stay positive for the current season. While he wasn’t “sugarcoating” their 7.5 game deficit in the AL East, he didn’t rule out a trade deadline addition. It’s widely speculated that the Sox will deal from their depth of starting pitchers.

Players To Avoid Arbitration

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With tonight’s non-tender deadline looming, several players figure to not only be tendered contracts but agree to their 2014 salaries prior to 11pm CT. We’ll run down the players to avoid arbitration with their respective clubs in this post, and remember that you can track the progress on all arbitration eligible players by using MLBTR’s 2014 Arbitration Tracker. For a reminder on the projected salaries for each of these players, check out Matt Swartz’s projections in MLBTR’s Arbitration Eligibles series.

  • The Nationals announced they’ve avoided arbitration with righty Ross Ohlendorf, tweets Dan Kolko of MASNsports.com. Ohlendorf’s deal will guarantee him $1.25MM and can reach $3MM via incentives that can be achieved as a starter or reliever, per the Washington Post’s Adam Kilgore.
  • The Cubs have avoided arbitration with utility infielder Donnie Murphy, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com (via Twitter), agreeing to a one-year, $825K pact that includes incentives.
  • The Orioles have avoided arbitration with outfielder Steve Pearce for $850K, tweets Rosenthal.
  • The Padres have reached terms with pitcher Eric Stults on a $2.75MM deal to avoid arbitration, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. He had been projected by Swartz to earn $3MM through arbitration. Unlike most arbitration deals, tweets Rosenthal, this one will be guaranteed.  Also getting a guaranteed deal from the Padres, per Rosenthal, is righty Tim Stauffer at $1.6MM.
  • The White Sox have avoided arbitration with catcher Tyler Flowers with a $950k contract, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.
  • The Athletics have avoided arbitration with righty Fernando Rodriguez, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.  Rodriguez, who is represented by Metis Sports Management, LLC, will earn $600K plus award bonuses, MLBTR has learned.  The A’s will tender contracts to its remaining arb-eligible players, Slusser notes via Twitter.
  • The Indians have avoided arbitration with relievers Frank Herrmann and Blake Wood, the club announced. Each player will earn $560k, tweets Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, which falls below their respective projections from MLBTR’s Matt Swartz.
  • Newly-acquired catcher George Kottaras has reached agreement on a one-year, $1.075MM deal to avoid arbitration with the Cubs, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The contract includes incentives, according to Heyman. A left-handed batter, Kottaras managed only a .180 batting average last year, but got on base at a .349 clip in addition to posting a .370 slugging mark in his 126 plate appearances.
  • The Orioles have avoided arbitration with outfielder Nolan Reimold, sources tell Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (link to Twitter). The 30-year-old will get a one-year, $1.025MM deal that includes incentives. Reimold lost most of the last two seasons to injury, but has a career .252/.327/.439 slash in 1,056 plate appearances dating back to 2009. His salary will be guaranteed, tweets Connolly.
  • The Phillies have avoided arbitration with infielder Kevin Frandsen, the club announced. Frandsen will receive a one-year, $900k deal that includes performance incentives. Last year, Frandsen had a .234/.296/.341 slash line in 278 plate appearances. The deal is guaranteed, Rosenthal tweets.
  • The Braves announced that they have avoided arbitration with infielder Ramiro Pena and left-hander Jonny Venters (Twitter link). Pena, 28, batted a solid .278/.330/.443 in 107 PAs this season before shoulder surgery ended his season. Venters’ contract was first reported two weeks ago and is said to be worth $1.625MM.
  • MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets that the Tigers have avoided arbitration with Don Kelly by agreeing to a one-year, $1MM contract for 2014. Kelly will turn 34 in February and batted .222/.309/.343 in 2013 — all numbers that are nearly mirrored by his career .229/.290/.344 batting line. He is represented by LSW Baseball.
  • The Pirates have avoided arbitration with Chris Stewart, according to Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal (on Twitter). Barbarisi reports that the trade sending Stewart to Pittsburgh was actually in place on Friday but was also contingent on Stewart agreeing to a new contract with the Pirates. Stewart, a client of James A. Kuzmich, PLLC, agreed to his new contract today, thereby finalizing the trade. He projected to earn $1MM, per Swartz.
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