Rangers Trade J.P. Martinez To Braves
The Rangers announced Friday that they’ve traded outfielder J.P. Martinez to the Braves in exchange for minor league right-hander Tyler Owens. Texas needed to open a spot on its 40-man roster in order to finalize yesterday’s reported signing of David Robertson, and a trade of the 27-year-old Martinez seemingly paves the way for that signing to be made official. Robertson is taking his physical in Texas today.
Martinez made his big league debut with the Rangers in 2023, appearing in 17 games and tallying 44 plate appearances late in the season. He hit .225/.250/.325 with a homer, a double and an unsightly 16 strikeouts (36.4%) during that cup of coffee. His output in 77 Triple-A games (353 plate appearances) was far more encouraging. The lefty-swinging Martinez slashed .298/.418/.543 with 14 long balls, 21 doubles, four triples and a hefty 38 stolen bases in 42 attempts. The small-sample strikeout woes that plagued him in the majors weren’t present in Triple-A; he walked at a 15.6% clip in Round Rock and fanned at a much more manageable 22.9% rate.
It’s worth noting that Martinez was older and more experienced than much of his competition in Triple-A. In addition to five minor league seasons, he played five years in the Cuban National Series (Cuba’s top professional league) and spent two seasons in the independent Canadian-American Association. Be that as it may, it was still an impressive showing and far and away his most productive minor league performance to date since signing with the Rangers organization in March of 2018. Martinez at one point ranked second among Rangers prospects, per Baseball America, but he dropped to 27th the following year (2020) and has been off the radar on major prospect rankings for the organization since.
The Braves’ outfield is full with Jarred Kelenic in left, Michael Harris II in center and reigning National League MVP Ronald Acuna Jr. in right field. It’s feasible that Martinez could compete with Forrest Wall and non-roster veteran Jordan Luplow for a bench spot to begin the season. Martinez (two) and Wall (three) both have minor league option years remaining, so either could be sent down without needing to first be exposed to waivers. Luplow isn’t on the 40-man roster and would need to earn a job this spring.
Turning to the Rangers’ side of the swap, they’ll add a 23-year-old righty who was the Braves’ 13th-round pick in the 2019 draft. Owens split the 2023 season between High-A and Double-A, working to a combined 3.03 ERA in 65 1/3 innings split between the bullpen and the rotation. He fanned 23.4% of his opponents against a 7.7% walk rate, although both his strikeout and walk rate took a turn for the worse when moving up to the Double-A level from High-A.
Listed at 5’10” and 185 pounds, Owens is undersized but nonetheless elevated his prospect status with his 2023 performance. Baseball America ranked him 22nd among Braves prospects this offseason, touting a plus fastball that reaches 98 mph and befuddles hitters thanks in part to a lower-than-usual release angle. BA’s report also notes that Owens has a slider with strong spin rates which could be a plus pitch if he can locate it more consistently — which he’s struggled to do at this point in his career.
Owens gives the Rangers a potential bullpen arm who could be in the big leagues at some point in 2024 or in 2025, although it should also be noted that all 29 other teams passed on selecting him in December’s Rule 5 Draft despite being eligible.
The Rangers have more outfield depth in the upper minors and on their big league bench than the Braves, who have a stacked bullpen that left Owens with little chance of breaking through in the immediate term (barring multiple injuries on the MLB roster). Martinez is more interesting than the standard player who might be designated for assignment to make room for a free agent signing, and the Braves accordingly sent a relatively near-term bullpen prospect who seemingly has a chance to make it in the big leagues. Both clubs dealt from positions of depth and addressed areas of need; on the whole, it seems like a sensible swap for both parties.
Francys Romero first reported that Martinez had been traded to Atlanta.
The Opener: Robertson, Giles, Marlins
As MLB’s offseason continues, here are three things to keep an eye on around the baseball world headed into the weekend:
1. Robertson to undergo physical:
After agreeing to a one-year deal with the Rangers last night, veteran right-hander David Robertson is set to undergo a physical before the deal becomes official. According to Jeff Wilson of Rangers Today, said physical is planned for today. When the deal becomes official, the Rangers will need to make a corresponding move to create room for Robertson on their 40-man roster, which is currently at capacity. That could come in the form of simply designating someone for assignment, or perhaps the club will try to work out a trade to recoup some value from the back of their roster.
Robertson, 39 in April, has enjoyed a career resurgence while pitching for the Cubs, Phillies, Mets, and Marlins over the past two years. During that time, he’s managed to post a 2.72 ERA and 3.56 FIP while striking out 29.8% of batters faced in 129 innings of work. He’ll provide a big boost for the Texas bullpen if/when the deal is finalized, particularly after losing left-hander Aroldis Chapman to the Pirates via free agency earlier this week.
2. Giles throwing for teams:
Veteran right-hander Ken Giles has managed just 39 2/3 combined innings of work since the end of the 2019 season as he’s battled injuries, but that isn’t stopping the 33-year-old righty from attempting a comeback. As reported by Jon Heyman of the New York Post earlier this week, Giles is throwing a bullpen session in Phoenix later today for interested teams. It’s easy to see why teams would have interest in Giles’s services if he’s finally healthy enough to take the mound. The veteran righty sports a career 2.71 ERA across 362 relief appearances with a 2.46 FIP, 115 saves, and an impressive 33.3% strikeout rate. Giles would be an impactful addition to just about any bullpen in the league if he were able to recapture even some of that ability from his 20s, though after his lengthy layoff it’s unclear just how much he has left in the tank.
3. Marlins FanFest is today:
The Marlins are running their annual FanFest this weekend, which will be held this evening at loanDepot park. The free fan event is scheduled to run from 4pm to 10pm local time. Tonight’s festivities could involve the unveiling of a new look for the players on the field in Miami; the club has seemingly hinted at uniform updates for the upcoming 2024 campaign.
Among the other items on the agenda are live interviews with president of baseball operations Peter Bendix and manager Skip Schumaker, which are schedule for 5pm local time. Its been a quiet winter in Miami since Bendix replaced Kim Ng atop the club’s baseball operations department, and Bendix and Schumaker will likely face questions on that front. The Marlins have reportedly been listening to trade offers regarding their starting rotation and keeping an eye on the free agent market for infield help, with a shortstop topping the wishlist. While top outgoing free agent Jorge Soler also remains on the market, recent rumors seem to indicate a reunion between the sides is unlikely.
Latest On Jorge Soler’s Market
Jorge Soler is one of the better hitters still available in free agency. He’s surely seeking a multi-year deal on the heels of a 36-homer campaign that led him to decline a $13MM player option with the Marlins.
At the beginning of the month, Soler told reporters in Cuba that Miami hadn’t shown any interest in a reunion. A return to South Florida still seems a long shot. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald wrote yesterday the Fish have had some contact with the free agent slugger but would likely only bring him back on a cheap deal.
The Marlins opted against a $20.325MM qualifying offer at the start of the offseason. While that wasn’t surprising for a low-payroll franchise, it didn’t bode well for their chances of re-signing him. Even if Soler doesn’t secure that kind of salary on an annual basis, he should handily surpass that guarantee over a two- or three-year term.
Boston, Seattle, Arizona and Toronto have reportedly shown interest in Soler at points this offseason. Of that group, the Blue Jays appear the strongest suitor. The Mariners and D-Backs are almost certainly out; Seattle signed Mitch Garver and acquired Mitch Haniger, while Arizona re-signed Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and agreed to a $12.5MM deal with Joc Pederson this evening.
The Red Sox are still open to adding a right-handed bat, but Boston officials have indicated they’re working without much payroll flexibility. They reportedly didn’t want to go beyond two guaranteed years for Teoscar Hernández; it’s possible they’re taking a similar approach with Soler.
On the other hand, the Jays clearly remain involved in the market. TSN’s Scott Mitchell tweeted this morning that Toronto’s interest in Soler is “very real.” Jon Heyman of the New York Post wrote tonight the sides remain engaged in discussions. The Jays still have a clear need for offensive help, particularly at designated hitter. Toronto allowed Brandon Belt to hit free agency and hasn’t landed a replacement.
Roster Resource projects the Jays right at the $237MM base luxury tax threshold. They surpassed the threshold in 2023, so they’ll be taxed at the rate for second-time payors this year. They’d owe a 32% tax on spending between $237MM and $257MM with escalating penalties beyond the $257MM mark.
Yankees Interested In Ryan Brasier, Phil Maton
As the Yankees continue their search for another middle reliever, they’ve been in contact with Ryan Brasier and Phil Maton, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post. They’ve also been tied to Héctor Neris and old friends Wandy Peralta and Keynan Middleton in recent reports.
Brasier, 36, had a surprisingly excellent second half to the 2023 campaign. The righty had struggled to a 5.78 ERA over 62 1/3 innings for the Red Sox in 2022. When he began last year with a 7.29 mark over 21 innings, Boston designated him for assignment. The Dodgers brought him in on a minor league deal, selecting him onto the MLB roster in late June.
From then on, Brasier was among the best relievers in the game. He pitched to a microscopic 0.70 ERA through 38 2/3 innings in Los Angeles. He punched out nearly 27% of batters faced, a marked jump over the 18.9% rate he carried in Boston. Brasier also kept the ball on the ground at a robust 51.1% rate and limited his walk percentage to a modest 7% clip as a Dodger.
There’s no question Brasier pitched himself to a major league contract now that he’s back on the open market. It’s possible he could drum up enough interest to land a two-year deal, unexpected as that seemed a few months ago. The Cardinals, Orioles, Cubs and incumbent Dodgers were linked to Brasier a few weeks back. The Rangers and Angels were also tied to him at that point, although they’ve since made notable additions to their bullpens — David Robertson to Texas, Robert Stephenson and Matt Moore to the Halos.
Maton, who turns 31 in March, has been a solid middle innings pitcher for the Astros. Acquired at the 2021 deadline for center fielder Myles Straw, Maton worked to a 3.67 ERA over two and a half seasons in Houston. He’s coming off arguably the best season of his career. The right-hander allowed an even three earned runs per nine through 66 frames. He fanned 27% of opponents behind an excellent 15.4% swinging strike percentage.
As with Brasier, Maton has a solid case for a two-year contract. He’s not a prototypical late-innings power arm. Maton’s fastball sat at just 89 MPH on average. Yet he hasn’t had any issues missing bats thanks to an excellent breaking ball. Maton uses a curveball as his primary offering. Opponents hit only .169 against the pitch last year. St. Louis has also shown interest in the Illinois native this offseason.
Cubs, Red Sox Have Shown Reported Interest In Ryne Stanek
The Cubs and Red Sox are among the teams that have shown interest in reliever Ryne Stanek, reports Bob Nightengale of USA Today (X link). MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand also tied the right-hander to the Mets earlier this week.
Stanek, 32, profiles as a rebound candidate. He’s coming off a pedestrian season with the Astros. Over 50 2/3 innings, he turned in a 4.09 ERA with a league average 23.9% strikeout percentage. He issued walks at a slightly elevated 9.9% clip and surrendered 1.42 home runs per nine innings.
That platform showing paints Stanek as a fairly nondescript middle reliever. There’s more intrigue in both his pre-2023 performance and his velocity. He’d turned in a brilliant 1.15 ERA over 54 2/3 frames two seasons ago. While it’d have never been reasonable to expect him to maintain that kind of run prevention, Stanek’s overall production between 2018-22 was strong. Over that five-year span, he managed a 3.16 ERA while punching out more than 28% of opponents between the Rays, Marlins and Astros.
There’s reason to believe Stanek can recapture that form. The 6’4″ hurler remains one of the hardest throwers in the game. His fastball sat above 98 MPH last year, as it has for the bulk of his career. While that didn’t result in his customary strikeout tally, he still remained tough to hit on a pitch-for-pitch basis. Stanek induced a swinging strike on 14.7% of his offerings, placing him among the top 50 relievers in MLB (minimum 30 innings) in that regard.
Stanek’s age and mid-level results last season should limit him to a two-year deal at most. That’s part of the appeal for both Chicago and Boston. The Cubs haven’t been keen on significant bullpen investments in recent years. As shown on MLBTR’s Contract Tracker, Chicago hasn’t signed a single reliever to a multi-year contract since their three-year deal with Craig Kimbrel halfway through the 2019 season. President of baseball operations Jed Hoyer recently spoke generally about the risk in investing heavily in the bullpen because of the volatility associated with many relievers.
Boston hasn’t been as averse to spending on the relief crops, although new chief baseball officer Craig Breslow comes over from the Cubs front office. The Sox are seemingly working with financial limitations at this point of the winter. A deal for Stanek shouldn’t be prohibitive for either team.
The Cubs arguably need to add to the relief corps more than the Sox do. Chicago’s bullpen is led by Adbert Alzolay, Julian Merryweather and Mark Leiter Jr. While the group turned in roughly average results last season, it’s a potential weak point on an otherwise well-rounded roster. Boston has a pair of effective veterans at the back end in Kenley Jansen and Chris Martin, while John Schreiber joins Rule 5 pick Justin Slaten and a handful of starter/reliever hybrids as options for the middle innings. Jansen has been the subject of recent trade speculation (as has Martin to a lesser extent), but there’s no indication Boston is on the verge of a deal.
The Top Unsigned Shortstops
Pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Spring Training in about three weeks but a slow offseason means there are still plenty of free agents out there. MLBTR already took a look at the center fielders and catchers still available and will now take a look at some notable shortstops.
- Tim Anderson: It’s no secret that last year was a disaster for Anderson, a stunning drop-off from his previous performance. From 2019 to 2022, he hit .318/.347/.473 for a wRC+ of 123. Last year, his line was just .245/.286/.296. His wRC+ of 60 was the lowest of all qualified hitters in the league. His defense also seemed to take a step back. Despite that rough year, his prior track record and a weak free agent class should get him a chance somewhere. Optimists could perhaps point to an April knee injury as the culprit for 2023, with better health perhaps leading to better results. Anderson has expressed a willingness to move to other positions going forward, but the lack of better alternatives should work in his favor.
- Amed Rosario: Like Anderson, Rosario also experienced a big drop-off in 2023, though not quite as precipitous. He hit .282/.315/.412 from 2019 to 2022, leading to a wRC+ of 101. The reviews on his glovework were mixed. Last year, he hit just .263/.305/.378 between the Guardians and Dodgers, leading to an 88 wRC+. The latter club, after acquiring him in a trade, had him spend more time at second base than at short. It’s unclear whether clubs around the league will consider him a proper shortstop or more of a second baseman that could play there in a pinch. The offense has been uneven but he’s always had good numbers with the platoon advantage, even in his poor 2023 campaign. The righty hitter slashed .282/.326/.442 against southpaws last year for a 112 wRC+.
- Gio Urshela: Going back to his 2019 breakout with the Yankees, Urshela has hit .291/.335/.452 for a wRC+ of 115. He’s also considered a strong defender at third base but has only had brief glimpses at short. While he’s had over 4,600 innings at the hot corner, he’s tallied just 359 at the six hole. His numbers there haven’t been especially strong either. He’s also coming off a season that was ended by a pelvic fracture suffered in June. He may be the most reliable bat in this bunch but he’s probably not considered an everyday shortstop. Then again, the dearth of attractive options may tempt some club to give it a shot.
- Elvis Andrus: The ceiling may not be too exciting with Andrus, but he has more reliability than the names ahead of him on this list. He played 112 games for the White Sox last year, missing a few weeks due to an oblique strain but otherwise staying healthy. He’s only had one full season in his career where he didn’t top that mark, getting to just 97 games in 2018. His .251/.304/.358 batting line translated to a wRC+ of just 81, not far below his career production, but he stole 12 bases and was still considered good in the field. His 1.1 fWAR on the year was easily the highest of anyone else in this post and he’s never been lower than that in a full season. Due to the aforementioned players dealing with rough years and injuries, none of these other guys even got to 0.5 fWAR.
- Adalberto Mondesí: The flip side to Andrus, Mondesí is not reliable at all but comes with a more enticing ceiling. Health has been a constant issue with him, as his 2019 season was the only time he got into more than 75 games, suiting up for 102 contests that year. Most recently, he suffered a torn ACL in April of 2022 and hasn’t appeared in a game since. But he had a strong run with the Royals from 2018 to 2021 when he was able to take the field. He hit 35 home runs in 1,103 plate appearances, though a 4.3% walk rate kept his on-base percentage low. His .261/.293/.445 batting line translated to a wRC+ of 92 but he paired that with strong defense and 114 stolen bases in 271 games. He produced 7.4 fWAR in that time, not even two full seasons’ worth of contests. The health issues will give clubs plenty of pause but he’s still just 28 years old and is almost two years removed from his ACL surgery at this point.
Honorable mentions: Brandon Crawford, Nick Ahmed, Yu Chang
Orioles Sign Ronald Guzmán To Minor League Deal
The Orioles announced that they have signed Ronald Guzmán to a minor league deal. The lefty is represented by JP Sports Advisors.
Guzmán, 29, has 246 games of major league experience. He spent 2018 to 2021 with the Rangers and also had a brief showing with the Yankees in 2022, working primarily as a first baseman for those years. He hit .225/.302/.410 in his 823 plate appearances, launching 31 home runs but also striking out at a 29.2% clip.
Just over a year ago, he signed a minor league deal with the Giants for the 2023 season. It was reported in early February that he would be attempting to become a two-way player. He was apparently hitting 96 miles per hour on the radar gun around that time, as well as throwing a slider and changeup.
Unfortunately, the experiment hit a snag pretty quickly, as he left a Spring Training game with an injury. He was later diagnosed with pronator strain in his left forearm, telling Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle at that time that he expected to be out of action for about six to eight weeks. He didn’t return to official game action until August, making three rehab appearances before being released.
It appears he is healthy now, as he has recently been playing for Gigantes del Cibao in the Dominican Winter League. He has played some first base, left field and made two appearances on the mound. The fact that the O’s listed him as a left-handed pitcher in their announcement suggests that they may be more interested in him for that role, though perhaps they will let Guzmán do both.
He still has effectively no experience as a pitcher to speak of, so it’s tough to know what to expect from him going forward, especially after last year being essentially wiped out by injury. But for the O’s, there’s no risk in bringing him aboard on a minor league deal to see if he can thrive in his new role with a bit of health.
Rangers Sign Jared Walsh, Matt Duffy, Blake Taylor To Minor League Deals
The Rangers announced that they have signed first baseman Jared Walsh, infielder Matt Duffy and left-hander Blake Taylor to minor league deals. All three deals come with invites to major league Spring Training. Walsh and Taylor are repped by ISE Baseball, Duffy by TWC Sports.
Walsh, 30, once looked like a mainstay of the lineup for the Angels. He hit nine home runs in the shortened 2020 season and then added another 29 the year after. His .280/.338/.531 batting line in that time translated to a wRC+ of 130, indicating he was 30% better than the league average hitter. He wasn’t considered a strong defender but the bat was clearly enticing.
Unfortunately, he hasn’t been anywhere near that level since, with injuries holding him back. He hit .215/.269/.374 in 2022, with that season ultimately ended by thoracic outlet syndrome surgery. He returned in 2023 but battled neurological issues, including insomnia and headaches, something he discussed with Sam Blum of The Athletic in May. He hit just .125/.216/.279 in 39 major league games last year, getting passed through waivers twice. The second such instance was in October and he elected free agency afterwards.
For the Rangers, they have Nathaniel Lowe at first base but don’t have a strict designated hitter. If Walsh were able to get over his recent health issues and return to that strong form he showed a few years ago, he would be a candidate to take over the bulk of the DH at-bats, while also providing depth for a possible Lowe injury. If he were to get back in form and earn himself a roster spot, he could be retained for future seasons via arbitration, though he is out of options.
Duffy, 33, is a veteran utility guy. He spent 2023 with the Royals and hit .251/.306/.325 in his 209 plate appearances for a wRC+ of 72. That offense is obviously subpar, but he provided the club with defensive versatility. He spent some time at all four infield positions and even tossed two innings of mop-up duty on the mound. He’s also played a bit of left field in previous seasons.
The Rangers have Lowe at first, with the rest of the infield set to be filled out by Corey Seager, Marcus Semien and Josh Jung. They also have infielders like Ezequiel Durán, Jonathan Ornelas, Josh H. Smith and Justin Foscue on the roster, but Duffy will add a bit of veteran non-roster depth.
Taylor, 28, pitched in 92 major league games for the Astros over the 2020 to 2022 seasons. He allowed just 3.06 earned runs per nine frames over 79 1/3 innings combined, but a bit of luck may have been involved. His 19.1% strikeout rate and 12.6% walk rate were both a few ticks worse than average, while his .249 batting average on balls in play and 79.3% strand rate were both on the fortunate side. His 4.65 FIP and 4.94 SIERA each suggest he may have deserved worse results than the ERA might indicate.
In 2023, he began the year on the injured list due to a left elbow strain. He was activated a couple of weeks later and optioned to Triple-A Sugar Land. He made 35 appearances for the Space Cowboys with a 5.15 ERA, 14.9% strikeout rate and 13.1% walk rate. He was released in August.
The Rangers lost lefties Aroldis Chapman and Will Smith to free agency and then non-tendered Brett Martin. Their southpaw relief contingent now consists of Brock Burke, Jake Latz and Antoine Kelly. They could also have Cody Bradford back there if he’s not working out of the rotation. Taylor will give them some non-roster depth with a bit of major league experience under his belt. If he is able to earn his way back to the majors, he does have one option year remaining.
Orioles Have Shown Interest In Michael Lorenzen
The Orioles have been connected to various starting pitching targets all winter and that search is ongoing. General manager Mike Elias said so himself today, telling reporters such as Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. Elias hasn’t ruled out a free agent addition but says the club’s farm system makes a trade more likely. In terms of free agent pursuits, Jon Morosi of MLB.com lists Michael Lorenzen as one they have shown interest in.
Pitching is a clear target area of the club’s roster. They are loaded with position players but the rotation is lacking in certainty. Kyle Gibson and Jack Flaherty each became free agents after last season and have since signed elsewhere.
Both Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez finished the year strong, but the former has less than two years of big league experience and the latter less than one. John Means will be in the mix but he hasn’t pitched much over the past two years due to Tommy John surgery. Dean Kremer should be in the back end somewhere after posting a 4.12 earned run average last year. Cole Irvin could be a factor but he struggled last year, getting moved to the bullpen and the minors throughout the year. Guys like Tyler Wells, Bruce Zimmermann or Cade Povich could factor in as well. Elias also said that DL Hall is still viewed as a starter in the long term, per Kostka, but may remain in the bullpen for the short term.
For a club that just won 101 games and is looking to compete again this year, there’s clearly room for upgrades there. They should have the ability to make any kind of move they want, due to their payroll and organizational situations. MLBTR’s Contract Tracker shows that they haven’t given a free agent a multi-year deal since signing Alex Cobb in 2018. That means their future ledger is wide open and their 2024 payroll is only at $81MM, per Roster Resource. That’s a jump from last year’s Opening Day figure but still bottom three in the league for this year, ahead of only the Athletics and Pirates.
They also have a stacked farm system, considered by many to be the strongest in the league. With that combination of an elite farm system and a clean payroll slate, the options are theoretically endless. Throughout the winter, they have been connected to all sorts of arms. That includes one of the top free agents in Aaron Nola, though he subsequently re-signed with the Phillies. It also includes the lower tiers of free agency, with guys like James Paxton and Domingo Germán having been connected to the O’s, though Paxton is now reportedly in agreement with the Dodgers. The Orioles have also been interested in trade candidates like Dylan Cease and Corbin Burnes.
Despite all of that interest, they have yet to pull the trigger on any move to address their rotation, with pitchers and catchers set to report to Spring Training in less than three weeks. Elias continues to insist that a trade is a likely path forward, though it remains to be seen if they can get anything done. The asking price on Cease is reportedly very high, with the White Sox asking for multiple top prospects. The possibility of the Brewers trading Burnes has seemingly faded as the offseason has progressed.
On the free agent side of things, Lorenzen is apparently another name they have considered. The 32-year-old spent much of his career as a reliever with the Reds but has been pursuing a return to starting work since reaching free agency. He signed with the Angels in 2022 and was able to make 18 starts and log 97 2/3 innings. His 4.24 ERA was passable in that time. His 20.7% strikeout rate and 10.7% walk rate were a bit worse than average, but his 50.2% ground ball rate was strong.
That wasn’t astounding production but a step in the right director in terms of workload. In 2023, he seemed to take another step forward after signing with the Tigers. Through midseason, he had already made 18 starts and thrown 105 2/3 innings. He had dropped his ERA to 3.58 and lowered his walk rate to 6.5%. He was traded to the Phillies and kept the good times rolling for a while. He allowed two earned runs over eight innings in his first start as a Phillie and then threw a no-hitter in his second.
From that point, things went off the rails. Lorenzen was shelled for 27 earned runs in his final 30 1/3 innings, getting bumped to the bullpen in the process. It’s fair to wonder if he simply ran out of gas. After years of working out of the bullpen, he pushed himself to almost 100 innings in 2022. After the no-hitter, which took him 124 pitches, he was at 122 2/3 innings in 2023 with a 3.23 ERA. The rough finish added almost a full run to his ERA, pushing it to 4.18 for the year overall.
Arguably, another year of pushing himself in terms of innings could lessen the late-season drop-off. At the start of the offseason, MLBTR predicted Lorenzen for a two-year, $22MM deal. His market has been fairly quiet this winter but he reportedly held a showcase for interested clubs earlier this week.
Elsewhere in Oriole news, manager Brandon Hyde says that righty Dillon Tate is healthy and looked “unbelievable” recently, per Kostka. Tate didn’t pitch in the majors in 2023, as he was diagnosed with a forearm/flexor strain in November of 2022 and wasn’t able to get healthy last year. He went on multiple rehab assignments but was never returned to the big leagues. When he was last healthy, he threw 73 2/3 innings for the O’s in 2022 with a 3.05 ERA, 20.5% strikeout rate, 5.5% walk rate and 57.4% ground ball rate. If he is back in good form, it could be a boon for the bullpen.
Yankees, Luis Torrens Agree To Minor League Deal
The Yankees have agreed to a minor league contract with catcher Luis Torrens, per the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Presumably, he’ll be in camp as a non-roster invitee this spring.
Torrens, 27, has spent time in the big leagues in each of the past five seasons, suiting up for the Mariners, Padres and Cubs in that time. He had a solid run with the ’21 Mariners, popping 15 home runs and hitting .243/.299/.431 over a career-high 378 plate appearances, but he’s generally struggled at the plate since. In 196 trips to the plate over the past two MLB seasons, Torrens carries just a .229/.286/.307 slash.
The Yankees are plenty familiar with Torrens, as they’re the organization that originally signed him as an amateur free agent out of Venezuela back in 2012. The Padres plucked Torrens out of the Yankees’ system in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft even though he’d never played above A-ball. A then-rebuilding San Diego club succeeded on keeping Torrens on its Major League roster all season, thus acquiring his long-term rights. He spent nearly all of the 2018-19 seasons in the minors, hitting quite in well in Double-A, but was traded to the Mariners alongside Ty France, Andres Munoz and Taylor Trammell in the 2020 swap that sent Austin Nola and Dan Altavilla to the Padres.
Overall, Torrens is a career .227/.289/.354 hitter in the bigs and a .246/.311/.486 hitter in Triple-A. He has at times shown the ability to be an above-average hitter relative to his position, and at his best he draws interesting ratings from Statcast in terms of his batted-ball profile. From 2020-22, Torrens averaged a hearty 91 mph off the bat and saw a sizable 45.7% of his batted balls travel at velocities of 95 mph or greater. But he’s also been too strikeout prone, sports a below-average walk rate and puts the ball on the ground far too often (49.9%) for someone who’s ranked in the 26th percentile of MLB players in terms of sprint speed (per Statcast). Defensively, Torrens has some encouraging traits and also some red flags. He’s thwarted a huge 37% of stolen base attempts against him in his professional career but also consistently delivered negative marks for framing.
It’s not a surprise to see the Yankees add some more catching depth. New York traded backup catcher Kyle Higashioka to the Padres as part of their deal to acquire Juan Soto, and they’ll face a decision on Ben Rortvedt this spring given that he’s out of minor league options. With prospect Austin Wells and veteran Jose Trevino already on the 40-man and likelier to make the roster, Rortvedt could be squeezed out, and Torrens adds some depth in the event that he’s claimed by another club. If not, he can join Rortvedt and Carlos Narvaez as catching options in Triple-A Scranton, where he could also see occasional action at first base — a position where Torrens has tallied 482 innings between the majors and minors.