Headlines

  • Red Sox Extend Roman Anthony
  • Buxton: Still No Plans To Waive No-Trade Clause
  • Write For MLB Trade Rumors
  • Rob Manfred Downplays Salary Cap Dispute With Bryce Harper
  • Tanner Houck To Undergo Tommy John Surgery
  • Yankees Release Marcus Stroman
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

Remove Ads
  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Athletics Rumors

Athletics Designate Chad Gaudin For Assignment

By Luke Adams 2 | May 16, 2010 at 12:33pm CDT

The Athletics have designated Chad Gaudin for assignment, reports Jane Lee of MLB.com (via Twitter).

The DFA is part of a series of moves for the Athletics, who placed Justin Duchscherer on the disabled list and optioned Josh Donaldson to the minors. The team also activated Kurt Suzuki from the DL, promoted Henry Rodriguez and selected Cedrick Bowers.

Gaudin signed with the Athletics in late March, and has appeared in 12 games for Oakland this season. Although he posted solid rates of 10.4 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9, he was hit hard, allowing 17 runs in 17.1 IP (8.83 ERA).

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Oakland Athletics Transactions Chad Gaudin

7 comments

What’s Next For Pat Burrell?

By Luke Adams 2 | May 15, 2010 at 7:16pm CDT

When the Rays designated Pat Burrell for assignment earlier today, it signaled that Pat the Bat has likely played his last game in a Tampa Bay uniform. The team now has ten days to either trade, waive or release him. While we wait to see how exactly the situation plays out, let's play the what-if game, and assume the Rays are forced to release Burrell. In that case, which clubs might be interested in him at a reduced price?

  • In April, the Nationals were linked to both Jermaine Dye and Gary Sheffield, similar players to Burrell. However, despite the struggles by their right fielders so far this year, the Nationals insist they like their current options. It's worth mentioning too that Burrell has played only nine innings in the outfield since joining the Rays, which might reduce his chances of landing with a National League team.
  • The Athletics have a history of making low-risk investments on players like Burrell and could use some power, having only hit 22 homers as a team. They did just call up their own version of Burrell, in Jack Cust, but Cust is capable of playing the outfield, which still leaves a potential designated hitter opening.
  • The Mariners were considered a possible suitor for Hank Blalock before the Rays recalled him. Considering their DH issues, they'd have to think about kicking the tires on Burrell now.
  • Following the news of Burrell's DFA, MLB.com's Todd Zolecki wrote that Philadelphia probably doesn't have room for the former Phillie.
  • A week ago, MLBTR's Mike Axisa listed a few teams who could use an upgrade at DH. They could all be possibilities for Burrell, though in many cases he wouldn't necessarily represent an "upgrade."

Burrell's numbers in 572 plate appearances for Tampa Bay (.218/.311/.361) don't inspire confidence in his potential to be a difference-maker for a contender this season. But perhaps a change of scenery could help him regain his 2005-2008 form, when he averaged 31 home runs per year and recorded a .386 OBP. If the Rays end up on the hook for the majority of Burrell's $9MM salary, there should be a few clubs willing to give him a shot.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Rays Washington Nationals Pat Burrell

8 comments

Athletics Designate Edwar Ramirez For Assignment

By Zachary Links | May 15, 2010 at 5:00pm CDT

Edwar Ramirez has been designated for assignment by the Athletics, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. The move had to be made in order to create space for Jack Cust.

Ramirez has bounced around the American League so far in 2010. The Yankees designated the right-hander for assignment in February, then in early March traded him to the Rangers, who dealt him to the Athletics later in the month.

The 29-year-old pitched in seven games for Oakland this season, recording a 4.91 ERA in 11 IP. Control was once again an issue for Ramirez, whose ten free passes this year raised his career rate to 5.4 BB/9.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Oakland Athletics Transactions Edwar Ramirez Jack Cust

0 comments

Odds & Ends: Pirates, Chico, Burrell, Cust, Indians

By Mike Axisa | May 15, 2010 at 3:35pm CDT

Links for Saturday…

  • MLB.com's Jenifer Langosch writes that Pirates outfield prospect Starling Marte may require surgery on his left hand.  Baseball America's Prospect Handbook called the 21-year-old "the first tangible result of the Pirates' renewed commitment to scouting Latin America."
  • Matt Chico could start for the Nationals on Wednesday, writes Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post.  Chico was DFA'd by the club earlier this week, but only so that the club could place him in Triple-A.
  • Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe tweets that the recently-DFA'd Pat Burrell is another reason why teams won't be spending major money on designated hitter-types anymore.
  • Jack Cust is on his way back to Oakland after Eric Chavez managed just a .247/.298/.355 batting line during the first six weeks of the season, tweets CSNBayArea.com's Mychael Urban. The A's 40-man roster is full, so a move will need to be make to accommodate Cust.
  • Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain Dealer touched base with Indians' GM-in-waiting Chris Antonetti about having the fifth overall pick in June's draft. MLB's recommended bonus for that pick is in the $2.5MM-$3MM range, and Antonetti acknowledged that that money has already been set aside in the budget.
  • Mike Morse is close to returning from the disabled list, which will create a bit of a roster crunch for the Nationals since he's out of options, writes MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
  • Meanwhile, MLB.com's Owen Perkins notes that the Rockies would have a similar problem if they were to call someone up to help fill in for the injured Eric Young Jr.
  • ESPN's Buster Olney spoke to Ken Griffey Jr.'s agent, who indicated that everything that happened this past week will have no bearing on his client's relationship with the club after he retires. Both links go to Twitter.
Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Cleveland Guardians Colorado Rockies Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Washington Nationals Jack Cust Ken Griffey Jr. Matt Chico Michael Morse Pat Burrell

13 comments

Minor League Transactions: Anderson, Espinosa

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | May 14, 2010 at 4:31pm CDT

Some familiar names were involved in some under-the-radar moves this week, as Baseball America's Matt Eddy reports:

  • The Reds released Josh Anderson, who they signed to a minor league deal in January. Anderson stole 25 bases in 29 attempts for the Royals and Tigers last year, but as his .240/.276/.304 line shows, he doesn't draw walks or have much power.
  • The Indians traded Neil Wagner to the A's for cash. Wagner is a 26-year-old right-handed reliever who has career rates of 10.6 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9, but has yet to play above AA.
  • The Rays officially signed Sergio Espinosa. The 23-year-old Cuban lefty signed last month, according to Jorge Ebro of El Nuevo Herald, but the move recently became official.
Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Cincinnati Reds Cleveland Guardians Oakland Athletics Tampa Bay Rays Josh Anderson Sergio Espinosa

0 comments

Possible Destinations: Andruw Jones

By Howard Megdal | May 14, 2010 at 10:30am CDT

Was a better bargain than Andruw Jones signed this winter? The White Sox added him on a one-year deal worth $500K, and all he's given them so far is a batting line of .260/.360/.604. Meanwhile, the man patrolling his old Atlanta center field home, Nate McLouth, checks in at .167/.302/.271, and Gary Matthews Jr., who will make twice what Jones does from the Mets this year (and next year!), is hitting .152/.235/.196.

The problem is, this hasn't allowed the White Sox to move into contention. Thanks to a 14-20 start, combined with Minnesota's 22-12 beginning, Chicago is already eight games out, with Memorial Day still weeks away. So it may well be that the White Sox can, and should flip Jones to a contending team down the stretch. And that reasonable short-term deal means some of the smaller-market contenders are likely to be in the Jones sweepstakes.

What are some possible destinations?

  • Washington could be a good fit. Willie Harris is hitting just .182/.313/.418, and with Willy Taveras also getting outfield at-bats, so Jones could be a good fit for regular corner outfield time. The Nationals have several pitchers set to join the big league team, but little in the way of outfield prospects at the top of their system. For now, the Nationals say they're content with Harris and Roger Bernadina.
  • Cincinnati has seen Drew Stubbs struggle in center field so far; he's hitting just .196/.283/.321. It shouldn't be hard to convince Dusty Baker to play the veteran Jones over Stubbs, either. It's not clear that Jones is still an every day center fielder, but Chicago has already played him there four times in 2010.
  • The Padres have Kyle Blanks in left field, Tony Gwynn Jr. in center field, and Will Venable in right field. Of the three, only Blanks profiles as a top prospect, so the other two could be vulnerable to a Jones acquisition, should San Diego remain in the race.
  • With Eric Chavez and Jake Fox struggling, and Rajai Davis reverting to form, the Athletics could use Jones in either center field or at designated hitter to support an imposing starting rotation. The move sounds a lot like acquiring Frank Thomas, doesn't it?
  • And don't fall asleep on Seattle, either. Currently 6.5 games out, the Mariners have the talent to climb back into the race, but their DHs, Ken Griffey Jr. and Mike Sweeney, simply aren't hitting. Jones could also slot into left field.

One thing's for sure: those who believed Andruw Jones' career was over- a sad thing for anyone who saw him dominate baseball in his 20s- appear to have been premature.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Chicago White Sox Cincinnati Reds Oakland Athletics San Diego Padres Seattle Mariners Washington Nationals Andruw Jones Drew Stubbs Eric Chavez Gary Matthews Jr. Jake Fox Ken Griffey Jr. Kyle Blanks Mike Sweeney Nate McLouth Rajai Davis Tony Gwynn Jr. Will Venable Willie Harris Willie Taveras

49 comments

Odds & Ends: Hillman, Cubs, DeRosa, Marquis

By Tim Dierkes | May 12, 2010 at 7:03pm CDT

Links for Wednesday, as Stephen Strasburg continues to dominate in the minors…

  • Royals manager Trey Hillman told MLB.com's Dick Kaegel that he's as frustrated as ever about his club's slow start.
  • R.J. Anderson of FanGraphs is not completely convinced that Hank Blalock is the solution for the Rays, even as Pat Burrell's struggles continue. Blalock may exercise the opt-out clause in his contract in the coming week. ESPN.com's Buster Olney names the A's as a possible suitor for Blalock (Twitter link).
  • An Associated Press article on ESPN.com notes that the deadline for signing players with remaining college eligibility has been pushed back a day to August 16th this year because August 15th falls on a weekend.
  • RotoAuthority identifies Scott Olsen as a candidate to post a sub-4.00 ERA and respectable strikeout totals for your fantasy team going forward.
  • MLB.com's Carrie Muskat says the Cubs aren't about to make a deal any time soon.
  • If you have experience designing databases, MLBTR has a project for you. We’re interested in finding someone to design a searchable database for the site, so send an email to mlbtrdatabase@gmail.com if you are the right person for the job.
  • Mark DeRosa told MLB.com's Chris Haft that last year's wrist surgery was "a total failure."  With numbness in a couple fingers and ligaments "flapping all over the place again," DeRosa might need another procedure.  From Day 1, two years and $12MM was an aggressive commitment by the Giants.
  • In a similar vein, Nationals free agent signing Jason Marquis will likely miss another eight to ten weeks with surgery to remove spurs and bone chips from his elbow, according to MLB.com's Bill Ladson.
  • Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports asked Ken Griffey Jr. about retirement, and Junior said, "I'll figure it out when I get to that point."  The Mariners, meanwhile, have made a villain of Larry LaRue, the reporter who quoted a couple of unnamed players about a recent Griffey in-game clubhouse nap.
Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Chicago Cubs Kansas City Royals Oakland Athletics San Francisco Giants Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Rays Hank Blalock Ken Griffey Jr. Mark DeRosa Scott Olsen

51 comments

Where Could Alex Gordon Go?

By Howard Megdal | May 11, 2010 at 4:27pm CDT

Let's face it: if the Royals aren't going to give Alex Gordon a chance to play regularly when they are 11-21, 10 games out of first, and weeks shy of Memorial Day, he has fallen out of favor with the club. After just 38 plate appearances, the Royals sent Gordon - the player they once selected him second overall - to Triple-A to make way for… Alberto Callaspo.

But Gordon, still just 26, is a career .320/.433/.577 hitter in the minor leagues. Clearly, some team should take a flier on Gordon as a possible long-term answer at third base. Which teams are best suited to do so, and how much is it likely to cost?

  • The Phillies seem like an interesting landing spot for Gordon, though not at first blush. Placido Polanco, after all, is signed through 2012. But Gordon could be an upgrade from Greg Dobbs at the very least. If Gordon fulfills his promise, the Phils could attempt to deal Polanco. More to the point, Gordon seems to fit the Phillies' template- his acquisition would be akin to the buy-low on Jayson Werth– and Philadelphia has depth in the farm system. A couple of their secondary pitching prospects could get it done.
  • The Orioles have a combined zero homers from Rhyne Hughes and Garrett Atkins, so Gordon could appeal to them as an option at first. Corner infield prospects Brandon Snyder and Josh Bell lurk in the minors, but with Miguel Tejada locked up for just one year, Gordon would provide the O's with depth and upside.
  • The Athletics don't have a ton in the way of a present or future player blocking Gordon. Kevin Kouzmanoff is a decent option, but he hardly has Gordon's upside at this point. With a number of nearly-ready pitching prospects to integrate into a young staff, the Athletics could well deal from pitching depth for Gordon, too.
  • The Padres are another possible landing spot, with Chase Headley unlikely to keep up his batting average-fueled start. San Diego has several third base prospects, including James Darnell, who Baseball America ranked as the organization's third-best prospect heading into the season. Still, none of the Padres prospects have even proven themselves at Double-A, so acquiring Gordon and giving him the chance to win the third base job wouldn't impact any of them in the short-term. It would also echo the acquisition of another buy-low, former top draft pick: Adrian Gonzalez. A package of one of the Padres' third base prospects and a pitcher should be enough to pry Gordon loose.
Share 1 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Baltimore Orioles Kansas City Royals Oakland Athletics Philadelphia Phillies San Diego Padres Adrian Gonzalez Alberto Callaspo Alex Gordon Chase Headley Greg Dobbs Jayson Werth Kevin Kouzmanoff Placido Polanco Ryan Howard

58 comments

Odds & Ends: Jenkins, Orioles, Molina, Lee, Konerko

By Mike Axisa | May 8, 2010 at 9:12pm CDT

Links for Saturday…

  • Geoff Jenkins told Tom Haudricourt of The Journal Sentinel that he received several offers in Spring Training this year, but they were all jobs in Triple-A, which "wasn't in [his] heart." Earlier tonight we learned that Jenkins is close to announcing his retirement.
  • Despite his team's poor start, Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail believes his team is on the right track with their rebuilding effort, says Peter Schmuck of The Baltimore Sun.
  • Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News provides a follow-up to today's Bengie Molina discussion in a series of tweets. Baggarly says service time will not factor into Buster Posey's potential promotion, and doesn't think the Giants will shop Molina after Posey arrives. Baggarly adds that Molina's hamstring injury is not serious and no roster move will be needed.
  • Molina told Kevin Burkhardt of SNY that he wanted to sign with the Mets and was ready to move his family to New York, but was upset that they refused to increase their offer to two guaranteed years. (hat tip to Matt Cerrone of MetsBlog.com)
  • In a CMSB radio interview, Newsday's Ken Davidoff suggests that Cliff Lee and Paul Konerko will be two of the most interesting players to monitor as the trade deadline approaches.
  • John Shea of The San Francisco Chronicle has some quotes from Eric Chavez, who admitted feeling pressure to perform since this is the last year of his contract. He also understands that the A's need a productive DH, which he hasn't been. Through 91 plate appearances, Chavez is hitting .220/.275/.305.
  • CC Sabathia doesn't believe that Victor Martinez's impending free agency is the reason behind his former battery mate's slow start, according to WEEI.com's Alex Speier. V-Mart is hitting just .267/.330/.381 on the year, though he's picked it up of late.
  • Joel Sherman of The New York Post wonders why the Yankees would do business with the injury prone Nick Johnson instead of waiting out Johnny Damon. Johnson left last night's game with a sore right wrist and appears headed for the disabled list.
  • Ever wonder what happened to the six players that went to Florida in the Miguel Cabrera–Dontrelle Willis blockbuster? The Detroit Free Press has the answer. 
Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Baltimore Orioles Boston Red Sox Detroit Tigers Miami Marlins New York Mets New York Yankees Oakland Athletics San Francisco Giants Bengie Molina Cliff Lee Eric Chavez Geoff Jenkins Johnny Damon Nick Johnson Paul Konerko Victor Martinez

43 comments

Teams That Could Look For An Upgrade At DH

By Mike Axisa | May 8, 2010 at 7:27pm CDT

Designated hitter usually isn't a position that you'll see teams go out and spend big bucks to fill. Most of the 14 AL clubs have an older and fading player still under contract that can't play the field anymore, so a lot of times he'll get the spot by default. Think David Ortiz and Eric Chavez. Even when a team does go into the free agent market for a DH, they usually won't commit more than one year to a player. 

Here are a few a clubs getting below average production from a roster spot designed to do nothing but hit…

  • Angels: After a hot start, Hideki Matsui has tailed off, and overall the team's DH's are hitting .207/.305/.342.
  • Athletics: Chavez isn't getting the job done, posting a .235/.284/.318 batting line.
  • Mariners: Mike Sweeney and Ken Griffey Jr. have gotten most of the DH at-bats, and overall the team has gotten just .189/.250/.207 worth of production. They've been rumored to have interest in Jose Guillen.
  • Rays: In the second year of his two year deal, Pat Burrell is hitting .222/.321/.375, which is actually an improvement from 2009.
  • Red Sox: Ortiz has gotten most of the action at DH, but is hitting just .178/.265/.411.
  • White Sox: Chicago's DH spot has been a revolving door, but overall they've hit just .204/.297/.310.
  • Yankees: Nick Johnson was signed in the offseason to fill this spot, but he hit .167/.388/.306 before landing on the disabled list with a wrist issue.

If any of those teams want to upgrade their current DH situation, they could turn to the free agent market, where Carlos Delgado (recovering from hip surgery), Jermaine Dye, and Gary Sheffield reside. The trade market could also prove fruitful, as players like Guillen, Lance Berkman, and Luke Scott could be made available.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email0

Boston Red Sox Chicago White Sox Los Angeles Angels New York Yankees Oakland Athletics Seattle Mariners Tampa Bay Rays

30 comments
« Previous Page
Load More Posts
Show all
    Top Stories

    Red Sox Extend Roman Anthony

    Buxton: Still No Plans To Waive No-Trade Clause

    Write For MLB Trade Rumors

    Rob Manfred Downplays Salary Cap Dispute With Bryce Harper

    Tanner Houck To Undergo Tommy John Surgery

    Yankees Release Marcus Stroman

    Cubs Release Ryan Pressly

    Cubs To Host 2027 All-Star Game

    MLB Trade Tracker: July

    Padres Acquire Mason Miller, JP Sears

    Astros Acquire Carlos Correa

    Rays, Twins Swap Griffin Jax For Taj Bradley

    Padres Acquire Ryan O’Hearn, Ramon Laureano

    Rangers Acquire Merrill Kelly

    Yankees Acquire David Bednar

    Blue Jays Acquire Shane Bieber

    Mets Acquire Cedric Mullins

    Padres Acquire Nestor Cortes

    Last Day To Lock In Savings On Trade Rumors Front Office

    Cubs Acquire Willi Castro

    Recent

    Where Do The Twins Go From Here?

    Pirates Outright Genesis Cabrera

    Padres To Activate Michael King On Saturday

    Dodgers Likely To Select Justin Dean

    Yankees Release JT Brubaker

    Poll: Who Had The Best Deadline In The AL West?

    Astros Sign Enyel De Los Santos, Designate Luis Contreras For Assignment

    Cardinals Claim Jorge Alcalá

    White Sox Select Jacob Amaya, Designate Gus Varland For Assignment

    Kenley Jansen Aiming To Pitch “At Least” Four More Years

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Every MLB Trade In July
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android App Store Google Play

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Remove Ads, Support Our Writers
    • Front Office Originals
    • Front Office Fantasy Baseball
    • MLBTR Podcast
    • 2025-26 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2026-27 MLB Free Agent List
    • Contract Tracker
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • RSS/Twitter Feeds By Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    hide arrows scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version